#Australia Women Authors
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jessicaclancyperseveres · 8 months ago
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Exploring the Literary Stars: Famous Authors from Houston City and the USA
Rounding out our list of famous authors from Houston is Attica Locke. Locke is the author of several bestselling mystery novels, including “Bluebird, Bluebird” and “Heaven, My Home.” Her gripping storytelling and complex characters have earned her numerous awards, including the Edgar Award for Best Novel.
Address: New York United States
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freepalestinebastard · 1 month ago
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nando161mando · 4 months ago
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Ah yes, this TOTALLY won't be abused by those in power in any way, shape or form
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livingloved007 · 1 year ago
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The Tenacious Five…
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trashcreatyre · 1 year ago
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God these lesbians are fucking useless
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thepastisapebbleinmyshoe · 9 months ago
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It looks like, laundry piling up, spending days, not getting out of bed. Being irritated, at every little thing, and feeling on edge.
There's nothing beautiful, about having PTSD, but in it’s wounds, I found all the parts of me, that needed to be loved.
PTSD
"She Planted Her Own Flowers"
Dymocks Books & Gifts - A young William Dymock (1861-1900) started a bookselling business on Pitt Street in Sydney. William was an engaging young man and knew his business well. He became the largest bookseller in the colony and as his business grew, he moved to bigger and grander premises until, in the 1890s he moved his business into the southern wing of the Royal Hotel in George Street, Sydney – starting the company's long association with the site. William's business was advertised as "the largest Book Shop in the world, holding more than one million books".
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probablyasocialecologist · 1 year ago
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Analysis of data from dozens of foraging societies around the world shows that women hunt in at least 79% of these societies, opposing the widespread belief that men exclusively hunt and women exclusively gather. Abigail Anderson of Seattle Pacific University, US, and colleagues presented these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on June 28, 2023. A common belief holds that, among foraging populations, men have typically hunted animals while women gathered plant products for food. However, mounting archaeological evidence from across human history and prehistory is challenging this paradigm; for instance, women in many societies have been found buried alongside big-game hunting tools. Some researchers have suggested that women's role as hunters was confined to the past, with more recent foraging societies following the paradigm of men as hunters and women as gatherers. To investigate that possibility, Anderson and colleagues analyzed data from the past 100 years on 63 foraging societies around the world, including societies in North and South America, Africa, Australia, Asia, and the Oceanic region. They found that women hunt in 79% of the analyzed societies, regardless of their status as mothers. More than 70% of female hunting appears to be intentional—as opposed to opportunistic killing of animals encountered while performing other activities, and intentional hunting by women appears to target game of all sizes, most often large game. The analysis also revealed that women are actively involved in teaching hunting practices and that they often employ a greater variety of weapon choice and hunting strategies than men.
These findings suggest that, in many foraging societies, women are skilled hunters and play an instrumental role in the practice, adding to the evidence opposing long-held perceptions about gender roles in foraging societies. The authors note that these stereotypes have influenced previous archaeological studies, with, for instance, some researchers reluctant to interpret objects buried with women as hunting tools. They call for reevaluation of such evidence and caution against misapplying the idea of men as hunters and women as gatherers in future research. The authors add, "Evidence from around the world shows that women participate in subsistence hunting in the majority of cultures."
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adascore · 6 months ago
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The Winner Takes It All
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pairings: alexia putellas x england!reader / engwnt x captain!reader / aitana bonmati x england!reader / jenni hermoso x alexia putellas
warnings: swearing. angst. jealousy. world cup loss for england. crying. strong language.
author’s note: right when everything seems to finally fall into place, the world is witness to the fall of an all-time great.
part 1 | part 2 | part 3 | masterlist
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August, 2023 - Sydney, Australia
''And Y/N Y/L puts England into the World Cup final for the first time in their history! Captain Fantastic!''
Even 4 days later, the echoes of their semifinal win against the Australian team continued to send shivers down her spine. The heartbreak of the previous World Cup defeats was still present within her, but the captain felt empowered and ready to face anyone that would be sent her way.
The looks on the girls' faces as she had put another ball into the back of the net were ingrained in her mind, the sheer happiness with which they ran to her is something she will not forget any time soon.
They would play the final against Spain, a final they must absolutely win- not only for the title, but for the dignity and integrity of the game.
Y/N had been supportive of the 15 Spanish players that had taken a stance against the treatment the team had received from their coach and federation. She didn't know any of them on a personal level, but the England player has always been one of the biggest advocates of the women's game, so she wanted everyone to know on which side she stood.
Some of the girls had reached out, thanking her for lifting them up and shedding more light on the situation. However, none of those girls would be playing against her in the final as they did not receive a call-up.
She found it difficult to decipher whether most of the Spanish players liked her or not. A lot of them were from the Barcelona team and well… she did not have the best history with them when she wore the Lyon shirt.
There wasn't any hostility, but the striker had stopped them from winning several more trophies, so she figured they would gladly maximize any chance to take one away from her as well.
Unlike last year's Champions League final, this one wasn't being dubbed as ''Putellas vs. Y/L'', instead Alexia's name had been replaced with Aitana's.
''What's it going to take to win against a very in-form Spain tomorrow?'' One of the reporters asked the England captain.
''Goals.'' Y/N answered, matter-of-fact, having the media room chuckling.
She had been relieved to not have to share the press conference with the Spanish team, having to act cordially with Vilda was not on her agenda.
It was the morning of the final when she first encountered the Spaniards, both squads being allowed to do their pitch inspections. Their opponents were already spread out on the pitch when the English side entered the stadium, decked in black suits while the Lionesses wore their light blue tracksuits. 
Keira and Lucy clung to their Barcelona teammates, delighted to see them. Alessia, Ella and Mary walked over to Ona, while the remaining Brits stayed in their own smaller groups.
Y/N was the last player to make her way onto the grass, clearly not in any hurry whatsoever. She entered with Arjan, in an engaged conversation with the Dutchman about something that had happened during training.
As if there was an AirTag on the England captain, Alexia's eyes immediately found her from where she was standing with Lucy, Jenni and Laia. She immediately noted the confidence and aura that was radiating off of the younger woman, seemingly not bothered about the major final that would be happening that night.
Alexia observed how she gave the assistant coach a pat on the arm before inspecting the stadium on her own, walking on the sidelines without anyone by her side.
The Catalan's attention was solely on the Brit, long forgotten that she was in the middle of a conversation with her teammates.
Should I? No, I shouldn't bother her, she seems content on her own. I kinda want to talk to her, though. Alexia's thoughts were clouded with the dilemma on whether to approach Y/N or not, finding it a great opportunity to see where they currently stood with one another.
She knew there was a chance it could lead to an awkward encounter again, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she at least needed to try. However, another part of her held back, afraid of rejection.
Taking a deep breath, she moved her feet towards the striker. ''Sorry, just one minute.'' Alexia excused herself from their small huddle, biting the bullet.
Lucy, before anyone else, noticed where she was headed. ''Ale, I wouldn't do that- oh, she can't hear me, anyway.'' The defender brushed her own warning off, realizing it had no use as the skipper was already too far.
''Why shouldn't she talk to her?'' Laia inquired, confused about Lucy's attempt to stop her friend.
''Y/N has this thing where she likes to be on her own while doing the pitch inspections, I don't know where it came from, but she doesn't like to be bothered.'' The Brit explained to them.
The trio, lacking any subtlety, stared as Alexia walked to the sidelines, the unaware England captain clearly her target. ''For an introvert she sure likes to put herself in uncomfortable situations.'' Jenni bluntly remarked, soliciting chuckles from Laia and Lucy.
''Nah, she'll be fine.'' The Spanish defender said, choosing to be optimistic about it.
On the other side of the pitch, Alexia was feeling anything but fine as she got closer to Y/N with each step she took. She'd faintly heard Lucy calling out for her, but she'd pressed on, determined to make this work.
''Hey,'' Alexia greeted Y/N, her voice coming out smaller than she would have wanted.
The striker turned to her, caught by surprise at her sudden appearance. ''Oh, hey.'' She replied, her tone cautious yet not unfriendly.
''How are you?'' The midfielder asked, internally cursing at herself for startling her.
Y/N nodded, a hint of a smile on her face. ''Good, how are you?''
''Me too, thanks,'' Alexia's voice was steadier now, feeling the tension slightly dissipate between them, ''I'm excited for tonight.''
The younger woman nodded in understanding, her expression softening. ''Same, will be tough.''
There was a moment of awkward silence, neither quite sure how to proceed further. Y/N expectantly looked at Alexia, wishing for the midfielder to either extend the conversation or go back to her original conversation on the other side of the field.
''Uh, that was a nice goal against Australia, by the way. Really good.'' Alexia quickly offered, breaking the silence.
Y/n chuckled at the mention of her goal, her eyes twinkling. ''Thank you,'' she said, ''it's great to see you back with Spain.'' The sincerity was evident in her voice, almost catching the Spanish skipper off guard.
''Thank you, it's nice to be here with the team.'' 
''How's your knee doing?'' Y/N briefly glanced down to her competitor's leg, curious about the status. 
Alexia hesitantly nodded. ''A lot better. Not a total 100%, but the recovery is going well.'' 
''That's great, I'm happy for you.'' 
The Spaniard smiled, a warm feeling embracing her. ''Thank you.'' 
A silence fell over them again, though it might have been the least awkward one so far out of all the interactions they've had. 
''Uh, I have to get back to my, uh, thing,'' Y/N held up her earphones that were connected to her phone, ''but, uh, good luck tonight.'' 
''Yeah, sorry, uh, you too.'' Alexia stumbled, nervously taking a step back and giving the Brit an uneasy smile. 
Y/N gave her a quick nod before turning away, slipping her earphones back in and walking on the sidelines of the pitch. She was the only person on the pitch who was actually taking the inspection in ''pitch inspection'' seriously as she observed the grass while strolling around the stadium. 
Alexia stood there for a moment, watching her go, a mixture of emotions swirling inside her. She felt a strange sense of satisfaction mixed with a twinge of something she couldn't quite place. Shaking her head, she turned and headed back to her teammates.
Lucy raised an eyebrow as her club captain rejoined the group. ''You seemed to get more out of her than I usually do.'' 
Alexia shrugged, a small smile playing on her lips. ''Just catching up.'' 
''Catching up… nice.'' Jenni recited her words, a skeptical look in her eyes. 
''Yes, very nice,'' the Barcelona captain dropped her smile, ''anyway- where were we?'' 
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So the winner takes it all, the loser has to fall
It's simple and it's plain, why should I complain? 
The stadium was alive with cheers and celebrations, but for Y/N, the echoes of disappointment drowned out the jubilant sounds. She stood on the pitch, staring blankly at the sea of happy faces, her mind replaying the moments that led to England's defeat against the Spanish.
In the midst of the celebrations for the opposing team, Y/N's gaze lingered on the blue jerseys scattered around the pitch, a lot of them on the ground now.
Her feet were nailed to the ground, unable to move herself towards her team and help them up like the leader she is.
However, she could do nothing but stare at their agony.
She failed.
She had fucking failed.
There had been many opportunities for her to equalize the score, yet she hadn't been clinical enough. Shots that usually would find the back of the net, went wide or were blocked by a defender or by Coll. 
A few minutes passed as she finally managed to force herself towards the other players, almost walking in shame to her teammates.
Ella and Alessia were the first two she encountered, both girls with tears in their eyes, a drastic contrast to their usual demeanor.
''Come here, my girls.'' Y/N motioned for them to walk into her arms, which they immediately did, seeking comfort in their captain.
Their heads rested on either sides of her shoulders, both sniffling in her neck as she felt their tears staining her kit. She caressed their backs, while observing how their other teammates were being consoled.
Y/N was the one to pull away first, silently signaling she would go up to the remaining members of their squad.
She passed Lucy, who was embraced by Mariona. The striker briefly ruffled the defender's head, while muttering a congratulations to the Barcelona player.
A bit further down the pitch, she saw Mary being helped up by a bunch of teammates, the Manchester United goalkeeper in complete despair.
But before she could take another step, a hand wrapped around her wrist, halting her in her tracks.
''Hey, Y/N.''
Sarina appeared in front of her, her expression somber yet supportive.
She gave the coach a sad smile as the Dutchwoman wrapped her arms around her player. ''You did very well.''
''I'm sorry.'' Y/N whispered back, the disappointment audible.
''Don't apologize, I'm very proud of you,'' the older woman reassured, giving her a gentle squeeze.
The coach pulled her back, her hands resting on her shoulders. ''You can let go, you know? The match is done, don't keep everything inside.'' Sarina softly mumbled, lightly concerned over the captain's stoic face and the visible tremor in her hands.
Y/N simply nodded, not saying anything further. Despite the encouragement, she remained outwardly composed. Though, Sarina could see the raw emotion simmering just beneath the surface, threatening to spill over at any moment.
With a final squeeze of her shoulder, Sarina offered one last glimmer of solace before reluctantly stepping back, leaving the captain to herself.
Y/N's original destination had been Mary, though by the time her conversation with her coach had finished, the goalkeeper was nowhere in sight.
''Good match, you still give me trouble after all these years.'' Irene interjected her thoughts, her stuck-out hand appearing before her.
The Brit chuckled at her words, shaking her hand. ''Thanks, and congrats. You've had a good tournament.''
''Thank you, Y/L. You too.''
They shared a quick hug before going their own ways again, the respect from their Lyon-PSG days never having withered away.
As she traversed the pitch, she encountered various teammates, each bearing the weight of defeat in their own way. With a comforting touch on the shoulder, a shared look of understanding or a warm embrace, she conveyed her support without needing to utter a single word.
Among the Spanish players, there were nods of acknowledgment and brief exchanges of congratulations.
While she wasn't particularly close with any of them compared to her teammates, her facial expression and overall posture didn't invite further interaction. She managed to convey her respect and acknowledgment of their achievement without seeking deeper engagement.
She also made her way to the three officials in the center of the pitch, extending her hand towards them.
Meanwhile, the other captain on the pitch observed her from afar, her eyes tracing the familiar figure moving through the post-match formalities.
Alexia made note of the way Y/N's shoulders were tense, and how her movements were almost robotic.
As she further analyzed her, a strange and unfamiliar feeling settled inside her. It was a sensation she couldn't quite put into words, a mixture of empathy, sadness, and a strange sense of connection.
She had never experienced such intense empathy for an opponent, especially not in the aftermath of a major final victory. Typically, her focus would be on celebrating with her teammates and reveling in the joy of winning. But now, she found herself feeling more sorrow for Y/N's defeat than happiness for her own success.
Memories of the previous year's Champions League final flooded Alexia's mind, where she had been in her position, grappling with the crushing weight of failure as the leader of her team. She saw a reflection of herself in the English striker, recognizing the familiar struggle of trying to mask one's emotions in the aftermath of defeat.
Recalling the moment when Y/N had offered her comfort and admiration after that match, Alexia felt a sudden urge to reciprocate. The Brit's words had given her a lot of strength when she lost, and now, she wanted to do the same. With the image of Y/N's arm wrapped around her from the previous year firmly etched in her mind, Alexia took a deep breath and approached the England captain. Each step felt weighted with uncertainty, yet she was driven by an inexplicable urge to offer her support.
With the image of Y/N's arm wrapped around her from the previous year firmly etched in her mind, Alexia took a deep breath and approached the England captain. Each step felt weighted with uncertainty, yet she was driven by an inexplicable urge to offer her support.
Alexia's expression softened with sympathy and understanding as she made it to the center of the field. ''Y/N,'' she said gently, her arm instinctively reaching out to wrap around the Brit's shoulders, ''I know it's not the result you wanted, but you should be incredibly proud of yourself. You were one of the best this World Cup.''
Y/N managed a tight-lipped smile, though her eyes betrayed the lingering disappointment. ''Thanks,'' she replied, her tone tinged with bitterness, ''it's good to see you back on the field. Even if it's only for 10 minutes.''
The Spaniard chose to ignore the passive-aggressive comment, recognizing it as a product of frustration rather than genuine malice. ''Thank you,'' she replied calmly, ''it was a great battle today.''
The England captain gave a curt nod, subtly attempting to shrug off Alexia's comforting embrace. But the Catalan held tight, refusing to let her go.
''Seriously, Y/N, you were amazing these few weeks,'' Alexia persisted, her voice gentle yet firm, ''you led your team to this moment.'' She attempted again to console her rival, or former rival… friend? It wasn't clear. It had never been clear. 
''I appreciate it,'' Y/N responded, her tone softening slightly, ''you guys worked hard, considering the circumstances. Congrats, enjoy it.''
With a gentle yet deliberate movement, Y/N extricated herself from the embrace, offering a half-hearted smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. She was acutely aware of the cameras capturing every moment of their interaction, and the potential backlash she might face for her indifference. But in that moment, consumed by the sting of defeat, she couldn't bring herself to care one bit.
Alexia watched her for a few seconds, feeling something that felt equivalent to a slap in the face. She perfectly understood Y/N's pain, and could imagine what the England captain was thinking in her head. But she'd only meant well by her words, and affection.
She didn't stare too long at her departing figure, knowing how miserable it might look to other people. The midfielder resumed her small tour of shaking hands with all the opponents, while also congratulating her own teammates.
It irritated her how effortlessly the striker's indifference had dampened her spirits. Alexia couldn't help but feel a twinge of bitterness, resentful of the power Y/N seemed to hold over the Spanish captain's emotions without even remotely trying.
Why is she allowing it to sour her mood?
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''Y/N.'' She heard her name being called somewhere in the dressing room, turning around without knowing who to even look for.
Keira appeared in front of her, already showered and changed into something clean. ''Hey, don't feel obligated to do this, but I kinda need a favor from you…'' The Barcelona midfielder looked a bit flushed speaking to the captain.
Y/N slowly nodded, not sure where this was heading.
''Uh, Aitana- you know Aitana, right?'' She quickly asked, suddenly feeling insecure about the player's knowledge of her teammate.
The captain snorted, finding the question a bit ridiculous considering they just played a final against her. ''Yeah, I know her.''
Keira nodded, cringing at herself for even asking. ''Right, so you're kind of like, one of her idols, and she would really love for you two to swap kits.''
Y/N softly smiled at the sweet gesture, while also feeling immensely honored by the fact that Aitana considers her somewhat of a role model. ''Uh, yeah, that's fine. Do you know where she is?''
''She's standing outside the dressing room right now.'' Keira sheepishly grinned.
''Of course she is,'' the older player sighed with affection, ''uh, I'm gonna shower first, and then I'll go outside, okay? I want to wash this entire day away.'' She grimaced.
''Alright, I'll tell her,'' Keira said before briefly stopping the striker from walking to the shower area, ''thank you.'' She sincerely said, her eyes filled with gratitude.
''Ah, don't mention it.'' Y/N brushed it off, squeezing the midfielder's arm.
It took her about 20 minutes to actually make it outside the changing room. Had she wasted time on purpose to keep the person who had just robbed her of a World Cup title waiting for her? No one could tell.
''Hey, congrats again.'' Y/N greeted the Spaniard, who looked incredibly nervous.
Aitana smiled brightly, carefully holding her own shirt in her hands. ''Thank you. Congrats on your tournament, you played great the entire time.''
''Thanks. Here you go.'' The England captain handed her shirt over, the Barcelona player doing the same.
''Gracias,'' Aitana thanked her, looking like a kid at Christmas, ''you've been my idol for a long time, and it's amazing to play these kinds of matches against you. You're an amazing player.'' She continued her complimenting, not able to stop herself from praising her.
Y/N awkwardly accepted her words, she'd never been the best at accepting such loving compliments, especially when they came from fellow players. ''That means a lot, thank you. But you're like the best player in the world right now, I'm much more honored, believe me,'' Y/N chuckled, making Aitana blush, ''also congrats on the Champions League, you were seriously one of the best players the entire tournament, and also in the Spanish League. I've been a big fan of you since Budapest.''
Aitana looked overwhelmed to say the least. The Champions League final in Budapest had taken place in 2019, meaning the Lyon striker had been a fan of hers for over 4 years.
''No, thank you so much, but you're the best, always.'' The Spaniard brushed it off, genuinely not believing there was a better player than Y/N in women's football.
The Brit grinned at the reply. ''Well, I can't wait to see you lift the Ballon d'Or this year.'' She winked.
''I- I don't know about that.'' Aitana stammered, her cheeks warm with embarrassment.
Y/N laughed softly, a warmth in her face that made the midfielder flustered. ''Trust me, you should pick out an outfit already,'' she teased, ''but, seriously, keep doing what you're doing right now, players like you are really rare, and all of us are so blessed to watch you play right now.'' She encouraged, her tone genuine.
''Thank you, that is very kind.'' Aitana responded, her voice barely above a whisper. She was still in disbelief that this conversation was actually taking place.
''You're very welcome.''
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''Did you get it?'' Ona asked Aitana as soon as the midfielder entered the dressing room.
The Catalan held up the shirt to her friend, proudly showing off the emblazoned ''Y/L'' on the back of it. ''I had to wait 20 minutes.'' She sighed, sitting down in her cubby.
''She probably made you wait on purpose.'' Mariona remarked, taking a sip of her water.
''No, she was very kind.'' Aitana brushed the comment off with a shake of her head. The Barcelona star neatly folded the jersey on her lap, delicately brushing away the remaining stains of grass and dirt.
''Ale, you're not listening to me.'' Jenni nudged the captain, an offended look on her face as her friend didn't seem to be paying much attention to her rambling.
''Huh, what?'' Alexia stuttered, caught off guard, looking to her side.
A playful eye roll accompanied a light slap on the arm. ''Am I boring you?''
''No, no, please continue,'' the captain insisted, realizing she had drifted off again. She forced herself to listen attentively, though her mind kept drifting back to the jersey exchange between Aitana and Y/N.
''Okay, what is it? You're clearly not focused on me right now.'' The midfielder sighed, observing her friend's distracted gaze.
Shaking her head, Alexia tried to dismiss her thoughts. ''No, continue, I'm sorry- nothing on my mind.''
Jenni's eyes followed the captain's gaze to the blue England jersey on Aitana's lap. She looked back at her teammate, noticing her fixated expression. ''You're not telling me that even a damn shirt with her name on it bothers you.''
''What do you mean?'' Alexia asked, embarrassed as she was called out.
Jenni's eyes shot up in judgment. ''I get that the comparisons weren't nice while they were happening, but letting her bother you this much is crazy, Ale.''
''She doesn't bother me.'' Alexia retorted immediately.
A snicker followed. ''Yeah, and I'm Jesus.'' She responded, sarcastically.
''Just forget about it.'' Alexia started, but Jenni interjected.
''Hey, I'm sorry, okay? You don't want to talk about it?'' The Spaniard apologized, realizing her friend wasn't enjoying the teasing.
''No, I do. Just… not here, I don't need the whole room to know about it.'' Alexia whispered, eyes darting around. 
Jenni nodded, sending her friend's discomfort with the others. ''Alright, should we go to the bathroom?'' She suggested, trying to make it seem as subtle as possible.
The captain nodded, a grateful look in her eyes. ''Yeah,'' she smiled, ''thanks.'' She softly muttered as they made their way outside.
As they stepped into the quiet solitude of the bathroom, Alexia let out a sigh of relief, feeling grateful for Jenni's understanding. Leaning against the sink, she ran a hand through her hair, trying to collect her thoughts.
Jenni stood beside her, offering a reassuring smile. ''You okay?''
The Ballon d'Or winner hesitated for a moment before responding. ''Yeah, just… and this is gonna sound stupid, but the shirt does make me upset.''
The Tigres player slowly nodded, trying to understand her point. ''Okay… and do you know why?''
She remained silent for a few moments, almost too full of shame over the answer- the true answer to that question. ''I think- you know, we've never exchanged shirts… and she does it with so many other people on our team.''
Jenni reached out, gently squeezing her friend's shoulder. ''It's not just the shirt, is it?''
She knew her friend too well to think this was all about a stupid football jersey- there was more, and Jenni wanted to know what that entailed.
Alexia remained quiet, glancing down at the floor.
''Ale, I'm not dumb. I see what she does to you.''
''She doesn't do anything-''
''Shut up,'' Jenni shook her head, cutting her off, ''I want to listen to you, and help you, but you have to start being honest to yourself, Putellas.''
Alexia's facade crumbled under Jenni's persistent gaze, her defenses weakening with each passing moment. She let out a resigned sigh, knowing she couldn't hide from the truth any longer.
"She… she is so freaking annoying. You have no idea, Jenni. She makes my blood boil. Every single time we're on the pitch together, it's like she knows exactly how to get under my skin. It's the way she plays, the way she talks, the way she looks at me like she's already won. And I know it's all part of the game, but fuck, it's so fucking annoying,"
Jenni leaned against the wall, crossing her arms, and nodded for her to continue.
''But then, the match is over, and all I want is for her to come up to me and ask me for a freaking shirt swap. It's so ridiculous, I know. But it's always someone else that she goes to. First it was Patri, in Turin. Then, at the friendly last year, I thought she was going to ask me, but no, she asked me to give my jersey to a fucking teammate of hers. And now Aitana has one as well? It's so fucking stupid. She can exchange with Aitana, but not with me?'' 
Alexia's frustration was palpable as she continued to vent. "And the worst part is, I don't even know where we fucking stand with each other. Like, in Turin, she was so nice and she comforted me when the match was done, and she was, yeah, just so nice. But today, it was like she wanted nothing to do with me, and I get it, it's a big final to lose, but still! I can't stand it. I want to be mad at her, but she makes it impossible.'' 
Jenni watched her with a mixture of sympathy and amusement. "Ale, maybe she doesn't realize how much it bothers you." 
Alexia threw her hands up, a bitter laugh escaping. ''She knows exactly what she's doing. She does this on purpose, it's like she gets some kind of twisted pleasure out of it.'' 
Her friend raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. ''Or maybe she doesn't know either. You're giving her too much power, Ale.'' 
The captain shook her head. ''It doesn't feel like that.'' 
''What does it feel like?'' Jenni asked. 
''Like she's playing mind games with me.'' 
Jenni remained silent, having Alexia almost hanging her head in shame. ''It's fucking stupid.'' She cursed under her breath. 
The older woman placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. ''First off, it's not stupid, your feelings are valid,'' Jenni reassured her, ''and secondly… I have never seen you like this, and it kind of worries me, Ale.'' 
Alexia let out a heavy sigh. ''Sorry, you don't need to worry. I just- I don't know what to think anymore. I feel like an idiot for caring this much about a shirt.'' 
''You're not an idiot,'' Jenni denied with a smile, ''you want her to acknowledge you. It's not a crime, she's a great player, it's normal.'' 
Her younger teammate nodded, though not convinced. 
Jenni sighed, stepping closer to her friend. ''Why don't you take the first step? Ask her for a swap yourself.'' 
''Ask her myself?'' Alexia laughed mockingly. 
''What's the worst that can happen? She says no? At least you'd have your answer.'' She pointed out. 
''I don't think I can…'' Alexia muttered in response, looking down at the bathroom floor.
''Why not?'' Jenni pressed gently.
Alexia hesitated, her words coming out in a rush. ''Wha- what if she, you know, enjoys that I want her- her shirt,'' she quickly corrected herself, ''I honestly think she would enjoy rejecting me.''
''Ale,'' Jenni broke the silence in the room, ''do you… do you like her?''
Alexia's eyes shot to Jenni's before darting away again. ''What?'' She stammered, caught off guard by the question. 
''I know how you act when you like someone,'' Jenni raised an eyebrow.
She adamantly shook her head in response. ''No. What the hell.''
Jenni held up her hands, a faint smile playing on her lips.. ''Hey, I wouldn't judge you. She's good-looking, she plays amazing football, has a nice accent.'' 
''No, I don't like her.'' She insisted, though her conviction sounded shaky, even to her own ears.
The older midfielder snickered at the weak reply, her amusement evident. 
''Jenni, I don't like her. That's insane.'' Alexia continued protesting. 
''Ale, you're kinda obsessed with her.'' Her friend pointed out. 
'' I am not obsessed wi-''
''How many hours of footage have you dedicated to studying her before every match you play against her?'' Jenni interrupted her, a knowing smirk playing on her lips. 
Alexia rolled her eyes, feeling a flush of embarrassment creeping up her neck, but she stayed silent. 
''See. Absolutely obsessed. You probably know her stats better than she does.'' Her fellow midfielder continued, her teasing tone relentless. 
''I am not crazy. I'm just strategically analyzing the opponent.'' Alexia defended herself, though her words faltered slightly. 
Jenni raised an eyebrow. ''You know there are 10 other players on the pitch, right?''
Alexia huffed in exasperation. ''Oh, come on. There is nothing to like about her.'' She reacted defensively.
Jenni smirked at her words. ''Not her good looks, her intelligence, her advocacy, her football skills, her sexy accent, her knowing all those different languages, her-''
''Shut up.'' Alexia interjected Jenni's teasing, her cheeks completely burned up. 
Jenni chuckled, knowing she had hit a nerve. ''Okay, okay, I'll stop. You're obviously still in the denial stage.''
Alexia huffed loudly. ''You're delusional.'' 
''Yeah,'' the older woman sarcastically said, ''after we've had this whole conversation, I am the delusional one, Ale.'' Jenni rolled her eyes. 
The Barcelona captain crossed her arms, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks again. "You're making this much bigger than it actually is.'' 
"Because it is a big deal," Jenni immediately retorted, ''you're clearly affected by this, and this goes way beyond whatever rivalry you two have going on.'' 
Alexia sighed, realizing her mask was slipping and her friend had her completely figured out. 
Jenni silently stared at her friend for a few moments, wondering how long these thoughts had been brewing inside her mind. She pulled the younger woman into an embrace, gently caressing her back. 
''It's okay to have these feelings, Ale. It really is. But don't bottle them up the way you have been doing, don't ignore them. That's not healthy.'' 
Alexia let her head rest on Jenni's shoulder, the truth of her words sinking in. ''I just hate feeling like this,'' she admitted, ''I don't even know what I want from her.'' 
Jenni nodded sympathetically, continuing her caressing. ''I understand that,'' she kissed the side of her head, ''I don't know when you'll see her again, but maybe, like, ask her for a shirt swap yourself? I know you think it's stupid, but you'll get a better understanding of where you stand with her.'' 
Alexia shook her head. "I don't know if I can do that."
''You can,'' her teammate assured her, ''I really believe you've got it all wrong. I think she'd happily exchange kits with you.'' 
''Maybe… yeah, maybe you're right.'' She mumbled in response. 
Jenni pulled her back, not looking into her eyes. ''Just try, please. And if she doesn't want to? Guess what? There are thousands of other people who would gladly receive your shirt.'' 
Her friend's encouragement caused a smile to finally appear on Alexia's face, something Jenni was happy to see. ''Thanks, I really appreciate it.'' 
"Anytime," Jenni replied, giving her a supportive pat on the back, ''now let's get out of here, and fucking celebrate, alright?'' 
Alexia nodded, feeling much lighter than when they'd first walked into the bathroom. ''Yeah, let's go.'' 
''Let's go, chica!'' 
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suggestions/ideas/opinions for or about the series are always welcome in my inbox!
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moviecritc · 5 months ago
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strawberry shortcake ⋆ carlos sainz smau
pairing: carlos sainz x reader (fc: various from pinterest)
summary: everyone is surprised about the woman that carlos is dating, knowing how classy he is
warnings: some hate comments
a/n: i'm blonde and i'm planing to do pink highlights for this summer, so this seemed fun to do <3
masterlist | wattpad | letterboxd
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yourusername just posted!
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liked by carlossainz55, alexandrasaintmleux and 1,409 others
yourusername 9 to 5 🌶️
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yourbff stop being so cool you're making others seem lame
user1 is this carlos new gf?
user2 i think she is! they were seen together two weeks ago, he soft launched a dinner and now she's posting watching the race, so they probably are
alexandrasaintmleux ohh gorgeous 😍 liked by author
user3 girl you're like 27 what are you doing dying your hair pink
user4 nah some people are allergic to having personality
carlossainz55 🥰🌶️
user5 pls tell me that he's just being friendly user6 no bc what is he doing with a girl like that... she looks so messy user7 that's exactly what i was thinking! nothing against her, but she's not the type of woman for carlos
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user1 i'm sorry, but she's a no for me
user2 she works in fashion????
user3 ultimate cool girl frr
user4 ok i've stalked her and she is GORGEOUSSS, and effortlestly cool?? i would die for being half cool of her
user5 dying my hair pink rn
user6 i can't believe there's people saying that she's not enough for carlos?? girl, carlos is not enough for HER
user7 FRRR she is THAT GIRL, in capital letters and bold
user8 i've dig a little and i found a few things: she was born in ireland (irish queen, i can't imagine how cool is to hear her talk), studied marketing at trinity college and moved to london a few years ago, she was a month in madrid last march (probably when she met carlos)
user9 i mean cool, but please go touch some grass
carlossainz55 just posted!
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liked by yourusername, scuderiaferrari and 32,654 others
carlossainz55 So excited to race in Australia this weekend 🔜 🇦🇺
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yourusername 🤞🏻🔜
user1 SHE'S COMING TO A RACE? user2 honestly i would be embarrased to go to a gp with her
user4 carlos you have to update your taste in women bc wtf
user5 imagine calling yourself a carlos fan and hating on his gf who literally did nothing
user6 we're not hating, she's just vulgar, that's factual
user7 i can't believe people is making this post all about his relationship
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user1 her outfits are in another level
user2 Carlos couldn't stop touching her, he's DOWN BAD
user3 she looks so sweet, i don't understand the hate
user4 she's iconic, you guys are just boring people
yourusername just posted on her story!
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[caption 1: gettin ready for the race 💋] [caption 2: thank you for this @scuderiaferrari]
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carlossainz55 c'mere i need my good luck kiss
carlossainz55 i mean you ARE the prettiest and i'm the luckiest
user1 ok you actually look nice
user2 first time i see one of the wags being grateful with the team
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Carlos interview after quali
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f1 just posted!
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liked by yourusername, scuderiaferrari and 23,0129 others
f1 CARLOS SAINZ WINS IN AUSTRALIA 🤩
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user1 SMOOOTHHH 🌶🌶
user2 and this man doesn't have a seat?? be ffr
user3 ALL I SEE IS SAINZ, ALL I SEE IS CARLOS SAINZ 💅🏼
user4 and that podium>>>>>
user5 YESSS his gf was there and looked so so happy user6 omg i saw it!!
yourusername VAMOSS ❤️💛
user7 oh hi y/n user8 you speak spanish? user9 i love her. i don't care you guys don't, but she's da best
carlossainz55 just posted!
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liked by landonorris, yourusername and 72,102 others
carlossainz55 Unforgettable weekend ❤️💛
tagged; yourusername
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yourusername Beyond proud of you darling ❤️🥹 liked by author
carlossainz55 Te amo ❤️ user2 AAAAHH I LOVE EM user3 brb im taking a bath with a toaster
user1 so we're hard launching now?
user2 she's his lucky charms, 100% sure
user3 bro casually hard launches in his race win post
user4 carlos and y/n picture was a jumpscare. but like a good jumpscare, and not scary at all im actually in love with them
user5 looking for a third?
yourusername just posted!
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liked by carlossainz55, yourbff and 9,427 others
yourusername Left the office to support this handsome fella 💞💞
tagged; carlossainz55
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carlossainz55 Te amo, hermosa. My lucky charm 🍀👩‍❤️‍💋‍👨
yourusername Can't wait to the next one 😊😊 user2 I CAN'T THEY'RE TOO PRECIOUS user3 there's nothing better than private but not secret but also not too private relationships
user1 I thought i was early but carlos' already here
user4 and they've been dating for over a year, if i had to wait so much to post carlos sainz i would've died
user5 ugly as fuck liked by author
user6 not y/n liking it- user7 LMAO I ADORE HER
alexandrasaintmleux Coolest ❤️
yourusername i'm afraid that's you hun ❤️ user8 this is so cute ngl user9 wags that get along with each other >>>
user10 y/n, do you speak spanish?
yourusername Un poco, Carlos me está enseñando 🥰 (a little bit, Carlos is teaching me)
elleuk and carlossainz55 just posted!
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liked by yourusername, scuderiaferrari and 12,012 more
elleuk He was the only non-Red Bull Racing race winner in last season in Formula 1, and the first one this year. And althought his place in F1 is still unknown, it is certain that Carlos Sainz has already left a legacy in the sport.
The April issue of ELLE UK is out March 28. Read the interview at the link in our bio.
view all comments
user1 Oh we all know who edited this pictures
user6 and he even changed the pfp to the first one, he's obsessed
carlossainz55 Thinking of pursuing a modeling career after this
yourusername You should. I'll edit your pics 🤝 user3 i'll tell my kids they were adam and eve
user2 the pictures are fabulous
user7 we all say together: thanks y/n
user4 WE'RE BEING FED WITH THIS PICTURES
user5 why is anybody talking about the interview?? he's the CUTEST talking about her
user8 YESS, i read it and i died of sweetness user9 they're so wholesome i love them
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sebscore · 2 years ago
Note
Please write something with drivers praising female f1 driver during March because it’s womens history month. Anytime something bad happens to her on the grid she’s like someone hitting her car “how could they during womens history month 😞😧”
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
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pairings: daniel ricciardo x driver!reader / lewis hamilton x driver!reader / sebastian vettel x driver!reader / small lando cameo
warnings: none?
author’s note: I know it’s not the entire month, but I saw lewis’ post for Stephanie and I couldn’t shake the thought of him making a special post for our gen z driver 🥺 I hope you like it, my darling!
masterlist
• • • • • • •
“Have you seen Daniel’s new post on Insta?” Her performance coach asked her, scrolling through his own phone while they took a break.
Y/N shook her head, not having been on the social media app that day. “No, why?”
“He talks about you.” He grinned, handing his phone over to her with the post ready on the screen.
Daniel had updated his Instagram with a clip of an interview he had done, where he’s asked about which women in his life inspire him.
He starts off by speaking about his grandmothers and their move from Italy to Australia. Daniel also mentions his mother and the support she has given him.
“From an athletic point of view, there’s 2 people that come to mind. My, uh, former colleague and friend, Y/N Y/L,” he laughed, “her entire story on how she came into Formula 1 is very inspiring and she has brought a lot of positive change into the sport,”
“But she’s also a great person and she always has something incredible to say,” Daniel teased his younger friend, “so, yeah, Y/N is definitely an inspiration to me.”
The woman had a soft smile on her face throughout watching the entire video, touched by Daniel’s words.
She gave her coach’s phone back and grabbed her own from her bag, deciding to leave a comment under Daniel’s post.
YourUsername I didn’t even have to force you to say this 😭 thank you, Dan! 💙
A mere hours later, she had seen multiple notifications of people tagging her in a post Lewis had made. She opened the app again and saw an entire post dedicated to her made by the World Champion himself.
lewishamilton Beside Stephanie, I also want to highlight the journey of @/yourusername. I’ve been privileged to watch her make history as the first female driver to stand on a F1 podium, to grab pole position and to win a Grand Prix. Y/N, thank you for all the work you do and continue to do. You use your platform well and I can’t thank you enough for standing by me in the causes that I feel passionate about. I’m excited to continue to follow your journey. Happy #InternationalWomensDay to you, thank you Y/N.
Y/N felt emotional reading Lewis’s message. She had idolized the driver ever since she was a little girl and to have him appreciate and acknowledge her hard work means the world to her.
YourUsername thank you so much, Lewis! 🖤 not you making me cry on international women’s day 😭 this should be illegal
— lewishamilton ❤️
The official F1 Instagram account had also made a post dedicated to the female driver which had been reposted by several drivers on their Instagram stories like George, Carlos, Valtteri, Esteban and even Lando.
The McLaren driver had called her “my goat 🐐” in his caption, something that had made her chuckle.
The best message she had gotten for the special day, came from none other than Sebastian Vettel.
It was a shock to her when the German send her a text message as she hadn’t heard from him in a while, she figured he wanted the time for himself and his loved ones.
SEB VETTEL
Happy International Women’s Day, Y/N! Congratulations on P2 in Bahrain, a great start to the season. I hope you’re doing well and that you had a good winter break!
Today I was reminded of the amazing journey you’ve had since your karting days. I am honored that I have been able to watch you grow as a woman from so close. I’m very proud of you and I’ll keep supporting you, even if I’m not there as much anymore.
I hope you have a great day and I wish you the very best!
Big kiss! X
She send him a message back, thanking him for his beautiful words and asking him how he’s been doing. They send a few texts back and forth, updating each other on their lives.
Y/N also decided to pay a tribute on social media, posting several pictures of herself with the caption:
YourUsername happy international women’s day to myself, cause I’m the best woman I know ❤️‍🔥
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foone · 2 years ago
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I love how much of a blindspot for the computer scifi authors had.
So in Heinlein's Tunnel in the Sky, humanity has developed instant interstellar travel, through what's effectively star gates. China has taken over Australia and "terraformed" it by building an inland sea, we've got weather control technology and stasis fields so that people with terminal diseases can be frozen in time until we figure out how to cure them. Most of the military is women, as changing population dynamics mean men are only like 1/5th of the population.
And at one point in this far off future, the protagonist decides to idly calculate how long it'd take to evacuate all of earth through the warp-gates, so he pulls out his slide-rule.
Instant travel to other planets? Of course. Restructuring an entire continent? Easy. Controlling the entire atmosphere? No problem. Slowing time itself to save people? Absolutely! The army is mostly women, because for some reason not as many men are being born? Yeah, why not!
But digital computers (WHICH ALREADY EXISTED AT THE TIME THIS NOVEL WAS WRITTEN) getting small and cheap enough that a high-schooler could own one and keep it in his backpack?
Well now you've wandered into the realms of fantasy. This is science fiction, we only talk about the possible futures, not silly fantasy stories with magic and dragons and such! No computer will ever be smaller than an a room, and even if you did manage to shrink one enough to be maybe the size of a washing machine, no high-schooler could afford one!
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jessicaclancyperseveres · 9 months ago
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Key Importance of Reading and Making It a Habit for All Ages
Did you know that a book by a professional author Houston serves as the basis for the majority of well-known TV series and films? So why not immerse yourself in reading and partake in the original form of entertainment? Above all, you can use your Markham Public Library card to access it for free.
Address: United States
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breelandwalker · 1 year ago
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PODCAST RECS - Debunking and Fact-Checking for Witches & Witchcraft Spaces
A collection of podcast episodes fact-checking, debunking, or just providing some clarity on modern myths, misinformation, and conspiracy theories that are frequent flyers in witchcraft and pagan spaces, both theories mistakenly touted by community members and some of the utter drivel spouted by non-witches that still affects us today. Check out these shows on your favorite podcast app!
(Updates to be made whenever I find new content. There will be some crossover with my Witches In History Podcast Recs post and some of the content will be heavy. Blanket trigger warning for violence, abuse, bigotry, sexism, antisemitism, and mistreatment of women, queer people, and children.)
[Last Updated: October 17, 2024]
This post is broken into three basic sections:
Historical Misinformation
Modern Myths and the People Who Create Them
Conspiracy Theories and Moral Panics
List of Cited Podcasts, in alphabetical order
American Hysteria
BS-Free Witchcraft
Dig: A History Podcast
Hex Positive
Historical Blindness
History Uncovered
Morbid
Occultae Veritatis
Our Curious Past
Our Fake History
Ridiculous History
Stuff You Missed In History Class
The History of Witchcraft
Unobscured
You’re Wrong About…
Historical Misinformation
General History of Witchcraft
Historical Blindness - A Rediscovery of Witches, Pt 1 & 2 Oct 13, 2020 & Oct. 27, 2020 A discussion of the early modern witch craze and the myths, misconceptions, and theories about witches spread by academics. Topics of discussion include the works of Margaret Murray and Charles Leland, the founding of Wicca, the emergence of the midwife-witch myth, and folk healers as targets of witchcraft accusations. Sarah Handley-Cousins of “Dig: A History Podcast” supplies guest material for both episodes.
Hex Positive, Ep. 36 - Margaret Effing Murray with Trae Dorn July 1, 2023 Margaret Murray was a celebrated author, historian, folklorist, Egyptologist, archaeologist, anthropologist, first-wave feminist, and the first woman to be appointed to the position of lecturer in archaeology in the UK. So why so we get so annoyed whenever her name is mentioned in conversations about witchcraft? Well, it all has to do with a book Margaret wrote back in 1921...which just so happened to go on to have a profound influence on the roots of the modern witchcraft movement.
Nerd & Tie senpai and host of BS-Free Witchcraft Trae Dorn joins Bree NicGarran in the virtual studio to discuss the thoroughly-discredited witch-cult hypothesis, Murray's various writings and accomplishments, and why modern paganism might not have caught on so strongly without her.
BS-Free Witchcraft, Ep 03: The History of Wicca October 06, 2018 On this episode, Trae digs deep into the history of Wicca, and tries to give the most accurate history of the religion as they can. I mean, yeah, we know this is a general Witchcraft podcast, but Wicca is the most widely practiced form of Witchcraft in the US, UK, Canada and Australia… so how it got started is kind of important for the modern Witchcraft movement. (And trust me, there aren’t any pulled punches here.)
BS-Free Witchcraft, Ep. 28: The Burning Times May 30, 2020 On this installment of the podcast, we tackle probably one of the more controversial topics in the modern witchcraft movement: The Burning Times. What were the actual “Burning Times,” where do we get that phrase from, and what really happened? Also, how has this phrase been used in modern witchcraft? It’s a heavy one, folks.
Dig: A History Podcast - Both Man and Witch: Uncovering the Invisible History of Male Witches Sept 13, 2020 Since at least the 1970s, academic histories of witches and witchcraft have enjoyed a rare level of visibility in popular culture. Feminist, literary, and historical scholarship about witches has shaped popular culture to such a degree that the discipline has become more about unlearning everything we thought we knew about witches. Though historians have continued to investigate and re-interpret witch history, the general public remains fixated on the compelling, feminist narrative of the vulnerable women hanged and burned at the stake for upsetting the patriarchy. While this part of the story can be true, especially in certain contexts, it’s only part of the story, and frankly, not even the most interesting part. Today, we tackle male witches in early modern Eurasia and North America!
Dig: A History Podcast - Doctor, Healer, Midwife, Witch: How the the Women’s Health Movement Created the Myth of the Midwife-Witch Sept 6, 2020 In 1973, two professors active in the women’s health movement wrote a pamphlet for women to read in the consciousness-raising reading groups. The pamphlet, inspired by Our Bodies, Ourselves, looked to history to explain how women had been marginalized in their own healthcare. Women used to be an important part of the medical profession as midwives, they argued — but the midwives were forced out of practice because they were so often considered witches and persecuted by the patriarchy in the form of the Catholic Church. The idea that midwives were regularly accused of witchcraft seemed so obvious that it quickly became taken as fact. There was only one problem: it wasn’t true. In this episode, we follow the convoluted origin story of the myth of the midwife-witch.
Dig: A History Podcast - Cheesecloth, Spiritualism, and State Secrets: Helen Duncan’s Famous Witchcraft Trial July 3, 2022 Helen Duncan was charged under the 1735 Witchcraft Act, but her case was no eighteenth-century sensation: she was arrested, charged, and ultimately imprisoned in 1944. Of course, in 1944, Britain was at war, fighting fascism by day on the continent and hiding in air raid shelters by night at home. The spectacle of a Spiritualist medium on trial for witchcraft seemed out of place. What possessed the Home Secretary to allow this trial to make headlines all across the UK in 1944? That’s what we’re here to find out.
The Conspirators, Ep. 63 - The Last Witch Trial Nov. 26, 2017 England’s official laws regarding the prosecution of witches dates back to the 1600s. Those very same laws would also remain on the books until well into the 20th century. In 1944, a psychic medium named Helen Duncan would gain notoriety by becoming the last woman to be tried under England’s witchcraft laws.
The History of Witchcraft Podcast, hosted by Samuel Hume Witches didn’t exist, and yet thousands of people were executed for the crime of witchcraft. Why? The belief in magic and witchcraft has existed in every recorded human culture; this podcast looks at how people explained the inexplicable, turned random acts of nature into conscious acts of mortal or supernatural beings, and how desperate communities took revenge against the suspected perpetrators.
Unobscured, Season One - The Salem Witch Trials Welcome to Salem, Massachusetts. It’s 1692. And all hell is about to break loose.
Unobscured is a deep-dive history podcast from the labs of How Stuff Works, featuring the writing and narrative talents of Aaron Mahnke, horror novelist and the mind behind Lore and Cabinet of Curiosities.
As with his other series, Mahnke approaches the events in Salem armed with a mountain of research. Interviews with prominent historians add depth and documentation to each episode. And it’s not just the trials you’ll learn about; it’s the stories of the people, places, attitudes, and conflicts that led to the deaths of more than twenty innocent people.
Each week, a new aspect of the story is explored, gradually weaving events and personalities together in chronological order to create a perspective of the trials that is both expansive and intimate. From Bridget Bishop to Cotton Mather, from Andover to Salem Town, Mahkne digs deep to uncover the truth behind the most notorious witch trials in American history.
Think you know the story of Salem? Think again.
Witchcraft and Other Magical Practices
BS-Free Witchcraft, Ep. 43 - “Lilith” Jan. 29, 2022 Host Trae Dorn discusses the ongoing debate over whether or not it’s okay for non-Jewish witches to incorporate Lilith into their practices. Is Lilith closed? Is it cultural appropriation? There’s so much misinformation in New Age and poorly written witchcraft books on Lilith, it’s hard for some witches to get a clear picture. It’s common to run into folks on social media talking about Lilith as a “Goddess,” which she very much isn’t. Let’s dive into the origins of the folklore surrounding this figure, and we’ll let you decide whether or not it’s okay to work with Lilith. But, uh, spoiler – we don’t think you should.
Historical Blindness, Ep. 106 - Lilith, the Phantom Maiden November 22, 2022 Host Nathaniel Lloyd explores the evolution of the figure of Lilith, from Mesopotamian demon, to the first woman created by God, and back to a succubus mother of demons. It’s a tale of syncretism, superstition, forgery, and a dubious interpretation of scriptures.
BS-Free Witchcraft, Ep. 55 - Lucky Girl Syndrome and the Law of Attraction January 28, 2023 Trae takes a look at one of New Age spirituality’s most toxic philosophies - The Law of Attraction. The history of the idea is discussed, where it came from, and how this dangerous combination of prosperity gospel, purity culture, and victim-blaming has come back in a major way to a whole new generation as “Lucky Girl Syndrome.” 
Hex Positive, Ep. 19 - The Trouble with Tarot August 1, 2021 Tarot and tarot-reading have been a part of the modern witchcraft movement since the 1960s. But where did these cards and their meanings come from? Are they secretly Ancient Egyptian mystical texts? Do they have their origins among the Romani people? Are they a sacred closed practice that should not be used by outsiders? Nope, nope, and nope.
This month, we delve into the actual history of tarot cards, discover their origins on the gaming tables of Italy and France, meet the people who developed their imagery and symbolism into the deck we know today, and debunk some of the nonsense that’s been going around lately concerning their use. The Witchstorian is putting on her research specs for this one!
Stuff You Missed in History Class - A Brief History of Tarot Cards Oct. 26, 2020 How did a card game gain a reputation for being connected to mysticism? Tarot’s history takes a significant turn in the 18th century, but much of that shift in perception is based on one author’s suppositions and theories.
Hex Positive, Ep. 23 - The Name of the Game November 1, 2021 Bree delves into the history, myths, and urban legends surrounding Ouija boards. Along the way, we’ll uncover their origins in the spiritualist movement, discover the pop culture phenomenon that labeled them portals to hell, and try to separate fact from internet fiction with regard to what these talking boards can actually do.
Our Curious Past, Ep. 20 - The Curious History of the Ouija Board August 18, 2023 Host Peter Laws explores the history of the “talking board,” which was wildly popular in the early 1900s, until something happened that would tarnish its’ reputation for good. 
Ridiculous History - Brooms and Witchcraft, Pt. 1 & 2 Oct. 13-15, 2020 Most people are familiar with the stereotypical image of a witch: a haggard, often older individual with a peaked hat, black robes, a demonic familiar and, oddly enough, a penchant for cruising around on broomsticks. But where did that last weirdly specific trop of flying on a broomstick actually come from?  Could the stereotype of witches on broomsticks actually be a drug reference? Join Ben, Noel, and Casey as they continue digging through the history and folklore of witchcraft - and how it affected pop culture in the modern day.
Historical Blindness, Ep. 116 - The Key to the Secrets of King Solomon  May 02, 2023 Host Nathaniel Lloyd continues his occasional series on the history and mythology of magic. In this installment, he looks at the development of the story that the biblical King Solomon was actually a flying-carpet-riding, magic-ring-wielding wizard and alchemist who bound demons to do his will. The origins and content of the legendary Key of Solomon are also discussed.
Dig: A History Podcast - Plastic Shamans and Spiritual Hucksters: A History of Peddling and Protecting Native American Spirituality July 24, 2022 In the late 20th century, white Americans flocked to New Age spirituality, collecting crystals, hugging trees, and finding their places in the great Medicine Wheel. Many didn’t realize - or didn’t care - that much of this spirituality was based on the spiritual faiths and practices of Native American tribes. Frustrated with what they called “spiritual hucksterism,” members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) began protesting - and have never stopped. Who were these “plastic shamans,” and how did the spiritual services they sold become so popular?
Historical Blindness, Ep. 145 - All Is Number: Pythagoras and Numerology May 28, 2024 In this installment of the ongoing Encyclopedia Grimoria series, host Nathaniel Lloyd talks about a cult leader who is remembered as a great mathematician, whose real lasting contribution to the world is the nonsensical divination "magic" known as numerology.
Holidays
Hex Positive, Ep. 28 - The Easter-Ostara Debacle April 1, 2022 Host Bree NicGarran puts on her Witchstorian hat once more to delve into the origins of both Easter  and Ostara and to finally answer the age-old question: which came first  – the bunny or the egg?
Historical Blindness, Ep. 28 - A Very Historically Blind Christmas Dec. 18, 2018 An exploration of the origins of Christmas traditions, with special guest Brian Earl of the Christmas Past podcast. (There is also some mention of Christmas witches!) Further installments of this series explore additional Christmas traditions and iconography which have been falsely claimed to have pagan origins as well as the myths surrounding the history of Christmas itself. (Eps. 47, 63, 84, & 132 in December of subsequent years)
Modern Myths and the People Who Create Them
Ed and Lorraine Warren
You’re Wrong About…Ed and Lorraine Warren w. Jamie Loftus Nov 8 2021 Special Guest Jamie Loftus tells Sarah about Ed and Lorraine Warren (of The Conjuring and Annabelle fame). Topics of interest include Connecticut as a locus of scary happenings, New England uncles, and psychic communication with a tearstained Bigfoot.
Dig: A History Podcast - The Demonologist and the Clairvoyant: Ed and Lorraine Warren, Paranormal Investigation, and Exorcism in the Modern World Oct 3 2021 In the 1970s, Lorraine and Ed Warren had a spotlight of paranormal obsession shining on them. In the last decade, their work as paranormal investigators–ghost hunters–has been the premise for a blockbuster horror franchise totaling at least seven films so far, and more planned in the near future. So… what the heck? Is this for real? Yes, friends, today we’re talking about demonology, psychic connections to the dead, and the patriarchy. Just a typical day with your historians at Dig.
History Uncovered, Ep. 92 - The Enfield Haunting That Inspired "The Conjuring 2" Oct 25 2023 The Enfield Haunting began with a bang. Literally. From 1977 to 1979, an unassuming North London home was the site of near-constant paranormal activity, from knocking sounds and moving objects to disembodied voices and the terrifying alleged possession of one young daughter of the Hodgson family. But how much truth was there to these happenings? And since the Warrens got involved briefly and subsequently touted themselves as experts on the case (and made money from talking about it), how much of what we think we know reflects the actual events?
Hex Positive, Ep. 042 - Extended Warren Tea with Jenn the Ouija Girl and Lorelei Rivers Jan 01 2024 Discussions about the careers and rhetoric of the Warrens make the rounds regularly in conversations about the paranormal among members of the witchcraft community. But who were the Warrens? Why do they inspire such ire even as the Conjuring franchise gains steam? How much of what we think we know about the supernatural comes from them? And why is it important to recognize - and refute - their rhetoric when we encounter it? Bree NicGarran sits down with Jenn the Ouija Girl and Lorelei Rivers to spill ALL the tea.
"Paranormal" Literature & Media
You’re Wrong About…Winter Book Club - The Amityville Horror, Pts. 1-3 Dec 20 2021 - Feb 6 2022 Sarah tells guest host Jamie Loftus about the Amityville Horror, how it’s a Christmas story, and buying murder furniture might not be such a great idea. Further highlights include Jodie the Demon Pig, poor insulation and terrible parenting as evidence of a haunting, lots and lots of sunk cost fallacy, and how the book kind of debunks itself.
MORBID, Ep. 610 - The Amityville Horror Conspiracy October 17 2024 The supposed experience of the Lutz family at 112 Ocean Avenue served as the basis for the iconic haunted house story, “The Amityville Horror,” and the countless films adapted from or inspired by the original novel. However, unlike most other stories of paranormal experiences, “The Amityville Horror” became a phenomenon that influenced everything from Ronald DeFeo’s criminal defense during his murder trial to the American public’s belief in the supernatural. Yet for all their talk of it being a genuine story of demonic activity, in the years since the publication of the popular novel, a large body of evidence from skeptical evaluations to court records and interview transcripts suggest that America’s most notorious haunted house might not have been quite so haunted after all.
American Hysteria, Ep. 125 - I Was A Teenage Poltergeist October 14 2024 Sarah Marshall, host of “You’re Wrong About…,” transports us to the old world of British Hysteria to reveal the mysterious story of the Enfield Poltergeist and joins host Chelsea Weber Smith at the seance table to discuss the great unknown and the ghosts they know.
You’re Wrong About… - Michelle Remembers, Pt. 1-5 March 26, 2020 - April 30, 2020 Intrepid hosts Sarah and Mike delve into one of the foundational texts of the Satanic Panic - “Michelle Remembers.” A young woman spends a year undergoing hypnosis therapy, which uncovers repressed memories of shocking and horrifying abuse at the hands of a Satanic cult. The book became a foundational text for both mental health professionals and law enforcement attempting to grapple with an alleged nationwide network of insidiously invisible child-abducting cults. The only problem is…none of what Michelle remembered ever actually happened.
You’re Wrong About…. - The Satan Seller, Pt. 1-5 June 28, 2021 - August 9, 2021 Sarah and Mike return to Camp You’re Wrong About for another Satanic Panic story hour. This time, the summer book club explores Mike Warnke’s 1972 “memoir” about joining a demonic cult, rising through the ranks of Satan’s favorite lackeys, his sudden downfall and redemption, and the California hedonism that made him do it. This is followed by a discussion of the Cornerstone Magazine exposé that brought the facts to light and thoroughly discredited Warnke’s story.
American Hysteria, Eps. 64-66 - Chick Tracts, Pts. 1-3 March 20 - April 03, 2023 In his own lifetime, Jack Chick was one of most prolific and widely-read comic artists in history. His company, Chick Tracts, published hundreds of millions of copies of pocket-sized bible comics, filled with lurid illustrations of cackling demons, wicked witches, and sinister cults, all hell-bent on corrupting any hapless mortal they could get their hands on. These tracts were meant to be left where they might be found by a sinner in need of salvation, with a scared-straight morality-play approach to Christianity that contributed in no small part to the period in the late 20th century we now call the Satanic Panic. (There’s also a follow-up two-part episode about one of Chick’s “occult experts,” who claimed to be, among other things, a real-life vampire.)
History Uncovered, Ep. 95 - Roland Doe, The Boy Who Inspired "The Exorcist" November 15, 2023 In 1949, priests performed an exorcism on a boy referred to as "Roland Doe," aka Ronald Hunkeler, in a chilling ordeal that became the real-life inspiration for William Peter Blatty's 1971 book, "The Exorcist," and the movie adaptation released in 1973. But what really happened during this alleged exorcism and was there any proof of the claims of alleged demonic paranormal activity surrounding the events?
You're Wrong About... - The Exorcist (with Marlena Williams) December 27, 2023 Marlena Williams, author of "Night Mother: A Personal and Cultural History of the Exorcist," joins host Sarah Marshall to discuss the little possession movie that changed America forever. Was the set cursed by Satan himself, or plain old 70s misogyny? What makes a country going through a cultural upheaval embrace stories about the Devil? And - the most critical question of all - do Ouija boards really cause possession?
Frightful, Bonus Episode - Is the Paranormal Like A New Religion? June 25 2024 Since the early 2000s, paranormal content has exploded in popular culture. It seems we can't get enough of ghosts (and hunting for them). What could be behind this enthusiasm for spooky things? Host Peter Laws shares a theory - that the paranormal is a clever way for us to be religious...without being religious. (This is less a debunking than a discussion of a personal hypothesis, but it deals with the pervasiveness of cultural religious themes, the influence of social media on modern mythmaking, and the sense of community surrounding paranormal belief.)
Conspiracy Theories and Moral Panics
Ancient "Mysteries"
Historical Blindness, Pyramidiocy, Eps. 146-151 June-July 2024 Host Nathaniel Lloyd delves into the great pyramids and the various myths and misconceptions surrounding them, some of which, despite vast amounts of historical evidence to the contrary, endure to this very day. Further related segments on this topic may be found on the show's Patreon, including a highly interesting July 2024 minisode regarding "Books of the Dead," which examines claims about H.P. Lovecraft's "Necronomicon" and its' supposed relation to the Egyptian Book of the Dead and the Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus.
History Uncovered, Ep. 117 - The Real History Behind the Mythic City of Atlantis June 12, 2024 First mentioned by Plato in Timaeus and Critias, the lost city of Atlantis later became a widely debated topic among historians. But is Atlantis real? (Spoiler: No. No it is not.)
Hucksters, Secret Societies, and Antisemitism
Historical Blindness, Ep. 14 - Bloody Libel December 12, 2017 An exploration of one of the most destructive myths in history - the blood libel, or the false accusation that Jews of the Middle Ages and beyond ritually murdered Christian children, a lie that host Nathaniel Lloyd traces back to its’ roots in medieval England and the murder of one Young William of Norwich.
Historical Blindness, Eps. 56-57 - The Illuminati Illuminated September 15-29, 2020 A contemplation of the modern conservative conspiracy theory of a “deep state” leads host Nathaniel Lloyd back to the dawn of the modern conspiracy theory, the Enlightenment, when the ultimate conservative conspiracy theory was born as an explanation for the French Revolution: The Illuminati!
Historical Blindness, Eps. 38-40 - Nazi Occultism, Parts 1-3 July 2-30, 2019 An exploration of the dark roots of Nazi occult philosophies, from a neo-paganism preoccupied with the Nordic Pantheon, to a folksy back-to-the-land movement that evolved into a nationalist sentiment, to an ideology of racial supremacy all tied up with contemporary myths and pseudoscience. (The host is careful to note with clarity and vehemence at the start of each episode that this series IN NO WAY approves of, promotes, or supports this ideology and Nazism is roundly condemned at every turn. It’s not an easy listen, but understanding how and why this bigotry continues to be a problem in pagan spaces and how to recognize it is very important.) TL;DR - Fuck Nazis. No tolerance for genocidal fuckwads.
DIG: A History Podcast - Werewolves, Vampires, and the Aryans of Ancient Atlantis: The Occultic Roots of the Nazi Party Oct 17, 2021 Modern movie plotlines which portray Nazi obsessions with occultism might be exaggerated for dramatic effect, but they aren't made up out of wholecloth. The NSDAP, or the National Socialist Worker's Party, was a party ideologically enabled by occultist theories about the Aryan race and vampiric Jews, on old folk tales about secret vigilante courts and nationalist werewolves, and on pseudoscientific ideas about ice moons. In this episode, the hosts explore the occult ideas, racial mythology, and 'supernatural imaginary' that helped to create the Nazi Party.
Our Fake History, Eps. 66-68: Who Was the Mother of the Occult? May-June 2018 An exploration of the life and works of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, self-described sage, medium, guru, author, and one of the founders of Theosophy.
The Satanic Panic
American Hysteria - Satanic Panic, pt 1 & 2 Dec. 10 2018 - Jan. 07, 2019 This two-part episode covers perhaps the most mystifying moral panic in US history, the 1980s and early 90s ‘Satanic Panic.’ For this episode, Chelsey covers the rise of organized Satanism beginning in the late 60s, as well as the adversarial countercultures of the hippies and the metalheads, and their apparent Satanic crimes that would be hailed as proof of their evil, as well as proof that teens, as well as children, were in serious moral peril. Satan was allegedly hypnotizing the youth with secret messages in backwards rock songs, teaching them occult magic in Saturday morning cartoons, and causing suicides through a popular role-playing games, all while helping religion blur into politics for good.
For part two, Chelsey will cover what came next, a serious investigation into an imagined network of Satanic cults ritually abusing children in daycare centers all over the country. Chelsey will try to understand this shocking decade in history, why it really happened, and the cultural issues it was really about.
BS-Free Witchcraft, Ep 10 - The Satanic Panic April 27, 2019 The Satanic Panic of the 70s, 80s, and 90s shaped the Modern Witchcraft Movement in a lot of unexpected ways. Its effects still ripple through a lot of our sources, so in this installment of the podcast we’re digging into this extremely weird part of American history. It’s a bit of a doozy, after all.
BS-Free Witchcraft - Ep. 32: A New Satanic Panic? February 27, 2021 A couple of years ago, we did an episode on the history of the Satanic Panic of the latter half of the twentieth century, but recent events have led us to ask - could it be happening again? It’s very possible that we are at the start of a new wave of satanic panic, and QAnon is just the latest symptom of a larger problem.
Occultae Veritatis, Case #014: Satanic Panic of Martensville Jan. 28, 2018 Today the hosts cover one of the various Satanic ritual abuse scandals that happened close to them. Is it full of hot air and false allegations? Yes. Yes it is. 
Occultae Veritatis, Case #097A & B: Dungeons, Dragons, and the Satanic Panic Dec. 07, 2019 - Dec. 15, 2019 Dungeons & Dragons, introduced in 1974, attracted millions of players, along with accusations by some religious figures that the game fostered demon worship and a belief in witchcraft and magic.
[Last Updated: October 17 2024]
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seospicybin · 1 year ago
Text
TOO HOT TO HANDLE.
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PART I
Changbin x reader. (s)
Too Hot To Handle masterlist
Synopsis: You and Changbin become contestants in a reality dating show, Too Hot To Handle. (14,5k words)
Author's note: I chose Changbin because it's cuffing season and now we got a reason to get a big boy, I want a big boy oh.... ifykyk
"Oh, this is so beautiful!" You sigh in amazement at the beautiful view of the beach.
You turn your head to the beautiful blond girl you're holding hands with, Sabine and it feels nice to be the first one to enter the villa with her.
"Oh, my Gosh!" She gasps, looking as amazed as you.
There are two small round tables with bottles of chilled wine inside the bucket of ice. Sabine takes one bottle and manages to pop it open without hassle.
You hurriedly take two champagne flutes and hold them as she pours the bubbly wine, she squeals as she almost overfills them.
"Cheers!" You both exclaim with your glasses clinking against each other.
Sabine gasps after taking a long sip and looks at you, "You're really pretty," she says.
Who doesn't like hearing a compliment especially when it comes from a beautiful person?
"You too," you say back with a cheeky smile.
"I see that you pierced your nipple," she says, easily spotting your pierced nipple through your blue bikini.
"Yes. I like them," you show her the piercings you have on both of your ears.
"That's really cool!"
"I did them myself," you proudly tell her.
Sabine gasps at that, "You're wild!"
Well, it's something you often hear people say about you, that you're wild and probably have been that way ever since you knew boys.
-
YOU: I'm the main character of my life, not a secondary one. I have a lot to give [winks] so bring me men, bring me women, bring me whatever. I hate rules and I do not follow them. I'm a little crazy [laughs] I'm not here to fall in love. I'm here to have fun.
-
"Wait, I'm picking up an accent here," you notice that Sabine is carrying an accent in the way she speaks.
She swallows her wine before saying, "I'm French."
"Oh, la la!" You playfully say with a nudge on her shoulder.
Sabine has that blue eyes that slowly drowns you in them and she knows how to use them as a form of seduction.
"Stop staring at me like that, you're so hot," you tell her while fanning yourself.
She laughs in satisfaction, "I got the feeling that you're open to anything."
You allow yourself to look at her small, heart-shaped face and her ski slope nose with a nose ring on the left nostril, there's no doubt that you can easily vibe with her.
"I am," you shortly confirm.
She gives you the eyes again and flashes you a flirty smile, "We're going to have so much fun then," she raises her glass for another toast.
If they leave you two alone for another minute, you're sure you would be kissing her already but fortunately, the next guest enters the villa.
"Okay, he's cute," Sabine comments while holding her glass close to her mouth.
First, this guy is so tall and he has that dirty blond hair that he keeps brushed to the back.
"Hello," he greets both of you with a bright smile.
He stands between the two of you to introduce himself, "I'm Oliver."
"I'm Sabine," she introduces herself as they exchange a quick hug.
As he turns to hug you, you hurriedly introduce yourself to him. You hand him a glass next and Sabine fills it for him.
"Where are you from?" Sabine asks.
"Guess where I'm from!" He dares you with a sly smile.
His distinct accent is not hard to guess, "Australia?"
"Yeah, but I've been living in the US," he adds, then takes a sip of his drink.
"My ex is Australian so I know," you mindlessly share.
That gets Oliver's head turned at you, "So, you're into Australians?"
"Sometimes, yeah," you give him a vague answer just to amuse him.
That seems to work wonderfully as he has his eyes on you until he realizes that he has another girl to pay attention to.
"You guys look gorgeous by the way," he says as he takes a step back just to check out the two of you.
"Oh, thank you!" Sabine says with a bashful smile.
"Anyway, what are you looking for in this show?" You ask him out of curiosity.
"I'm here to have a damn good time, honestly," he answers with a grin.
"Yes! Cheers to that!" Sabine says, initiating another toast by lifting her glass in the air.
-
YOU: They're so hot. I can definitely have a good threesome with them [laughs]
-
Changbin has no pressure whatsoever to be the last one to enter the villa.
He has so many things to offer more than just his looks. He's a confident man, he knows what he wants, and a great conversationist. A fair warning though, those good qualities are followed by a short fuse. Let's hope no one is having intentions to spark that fuse.
Changbin takes pride in being dominant but he balances it with his loyalty. He may be a casual dater but he never cheated on his partners or led them on when he has no interest in taking the relationship further.
In other words, whoever gets to be with him is lucky.
With the mindset that he owns this show already, Changbin steps into the villa, walking in confident strides that match his smoldering eyes.
If he thinks that he's it, then everyone would believe that he is it and Changbin feels like he owns this place already.
His presence demands attention and all eyes are on him, looking at him with eyes that are either curious or impressed.
"Hello there, big boy!" One of the girls greets him rather enthusiastically.
She introduces herself right away to him with a cheek kiss, "I'm Niamh."
"Changbin," he tells her his name and proceeds to introduce himself to the other guests.
All of the males are taller and more good-looking than him but he has all the girls' attention on him. See? It's not about looks, it's about how he carries himself.
"I'm just going to be honest, you're so my type," the other girl says to him.
"Yeah?" Changbin asks with a cocky smile.
"Yeah," she answers.
He believes her name is Riley and she is a gorgeous brunette with legs for days.
"Come over here then and have a drink with me," he says, leading her to the other table and popping a new bottle of champagne open.
-
CHANGBIN: I have a strong personality. I need someone to match me, I like them wild just so I can tame them [smiles] A look can say it all [flexes biceps] I put my whole body in the game so there's no reason to look at me and not want me right? [seductively smiles]
-
You didn't believe in love at first sight but today, when you saw those five guys walking into the villa, you fell in love five times in one day.
The last guy though, ooh, he exudes a strong aura, a charisma that you rarely find in men. Not to mention, he's big and muscular, you feel the urge to climb him like he was a tree.
Not wanting to make it obvious, you turn your body to the girl standing next to you, a Brazilian hottie, Rita.
"My god, he's delicious," you quietly whisper to her with an overwhelmed sigh.
Rita's eyes automatically search for the one you're talking about, "Who is?"
You glance at where he's standing, "Changbin."
"Who is Changbin?" She innocently asks.
You snicker in response and put your arm around her arm, it's convenient because she has a petite yet toned body.
"You're just one clueless baby, aren't you?"
For now, he's occupied by Riley as she keeps filling his glass with more wine but you can see that he's not that interested in her.
Frankly, you have more to offer to him.
-
YOU: Changbin... The things I want to do to that man. Ugh! [groans]
-
The first stop on the tour of the villa is the bedroom and everyone is excited at the number of beds in the room. There are ten of them and only six beds in the room, everyone has to pair up or they can choose to sleep alone on the bed.
Changbin has a plan to get himself a bed partner soon but he doesn't want to be hasty about it. He considers himself lucky that he's been getting the eyes from a couple of girls but he's curious about one girl and that's you.
Frankly, you're just as attractive as the others but you have this charm that inexplicably attracts him, making him want to get to know you more.
He sees you sitting at the end of a bed and decides to sit next to you.
"Where are you going to sleep?" He asks.
You lean back on the bed with your hands propped against the mattress, "I don't know," you answer with a cheeky smile.
"Where do you think should I sleep?" You ask him back with your eyes staring deeply into his eyes.
This level of confidence, not only that he likes it, Changbin feels the need to match it.
"On these big arms," he answers while showing off his big, toned arms.
Catching you ogling at them, he uses it to his advantage to let you touch him, "Want to touch it?"
"I wouldn't say no to that," you answer with a sly smile.
Changbin quickly pumps his arm for a while to present you with his glorious biceps, "You can touch them now," he says.
Your hand flies to feel his muscles, "Oh, wow, that's hard," you say in awe.
"Is that hard enough for you?"
You let out a chuckle, "For now, yeah."
"I can pump it again for you," he jokingly offers.
Your hand glides up his arm and rests it on his shoulder, "Or I can pump it for you next time," you make a lewd joke.
He has to admit that you know how to make him hot and bothered and he's not the type that easily gets hot and bothered.
-
CHANGBIN: I'm going to keep my options open but I got a head start so now I just have to maintain it.
-
"So girls, if you have to pick one right now without thinking too much, who would you pick?" Niamh asks with a thick Irish accent.
The girls are all gathered in the firepit to talk about the boys and which one of them they fancy. Sabine gets to be the first to reveal her answer, she turns her head to look at the boys who are hanging out in the cabana.
"I don't know... can I just let them pick me?" Sabine says with a giggle.
That's easy for her to say since she's the most popular girl in the retreat, you bet half of the boys are talking about her right now.
"How about you, Rita?"
Rita is busy playing with her hair to pay attention to the conversation going around the space, "What?"
She happens to sit next to you so you put your hand on her knee to keep her engaged, "Is there anyone you fancy?"
"Oh, I like Liam," she says.
Nico is dark and tall and has a gorgeous smile, you can see why Rita is attracted to him. They would make a cute pair with their height difference.
"Oh, yeah, Liam is one hella piece of chocolate," you nod in agreement.
Rita breaks into laughter at your words, "I bet he'll melt in my mouth," she cheekily says.
Niamh looks at the girl sitting at the end of the sofa, "Riley?"
"I want to keep my options open but I got my eyes on Changbin," she answers.
Welp, there goes your competition.
"You're not upset, right?" Riley thinks you wouldn't catch her throwing a glance at you but she's wrong to think that you'd feel threatened.
"Not at all," you calmly answer.
"Well, he's really hot," Riley shamelessly adds with a laugh.
"He is hot. Who disagrees?" You respond with a coy shrug.
-
YOU: If she feels like it, just do it. I'll do whatever I want but if someone tries to cut me off then... [blows kisses] bye-bye baby.
-
"Girls!"
Everyone's head turns to see Liam calling for them from across the swimming pool with the rest of the boys.
"Come, join us!" He says, inviting everyone for an impromptu pool party.
Not long after everyone gets into the water, they scatter to get some move on and you decide to wade your way to the side of the pool.
You have time to get your moves later and if someone snatched your guy away, it would be alright with you, you're here to have fun anyway.
Talking about fun, you see that you're about to get some.
It's hard not to notice that Changbin is making his way to you, his hands are wading in the water as he gets closer to you. With a hand pushed against the wall of the pool next to you, that leaves not much space between your bodies.
Changbin doesn't say anything but looks at you with a smile plastered on his face.
"You look shorter from a distance but you're actually quite tall," you tell him, even though he's only a couple of inches taller than you but men like it whenever a girl compliments their physique.
"Well, I'm huge," he simply says and he probably thinks you won't notice that he slowly closing the gap between your bodies.
Your eyes automatically look at the beads of water trickling down his arms and chest, you don't even try to keep it subtle while doing it.
"Yeah, I can see that," you tell him.
Changbin seems to like being ogled on, his mouth curls into a cocky smirk and it looks so damn attractive on him.
You look at him and brush your wet hair to the back, "How about me?"
"Very hot," he answers without a beat.
The way he eagerly answers you tell how much he's been waiting for you to ask him that, and you can't help but chuckle at it.
"A bit aggressive, okay..." you respond with a nod.
He rests another hand against the wall of the pool, caging you in between while closing another inch of space between your bodies.
"Why not?"
"Well, you could say I'm cute," you answer with your head tilted to the side while maintaining eye contact with him.
His hand moves to your side, holding you by your ribcage with his thumb teasing the elastic band of your bikini top.
"You're cute, you're gorgeous, you have good energy," he compliments you as he steals another inch to get closer to you.
"And you're really hot," he finishes with a flirty smile.
It's in the eyes and the words he said, he knows how to combine those two and turn them into a weapon.
You gently push him away but seeing how big he is, of course, it's a useless effort.
"You're bad, you're a smooth talker," you tell him with giggles.
He puts on a triumphant smile, "You can make me good," he says.
You look away to collect some senses into your head, not wanting to fall into his trap just yet. It's still early, you still want to explore your options.
"Not sure about that but do whatever you want," you tell him with a light head shake.
There comes the sly smirk on his face again, "So, I can do whatever I want, huh?" He says.
You keep your hand on his chest to stop him from coming closer, "Do whatever you want in your personal space," you correct your first remark.
There's no winning against him, Changbin takes another step to close the remaining gap between your bodies, "Well, I'm in your personal space now," he says with his face mere inches away from yours.
Your hand on his chest fails to stop him so you may as well use it to feel his firm muscles. You can feel you're slowly cracking under his intense, lustful gaze. You quickly look to the side and have nothing to say back to him.
He pushes his body against you and you can feel the heat his body emits even though you are both soaked in water. He then leans into the side of your face and whispers, "We're in a shared space now so what's going to happen?"
Changbin knows how to play this game, his eye, his words, and now his whole body is pushed against you, they're all moving under one powerful command and that is to conquer you.
He makes you forget about your surroundings and everyone can see what he's doing to you. You dare yourself to look at him and place your hands on his chest.
Still, you have nothing to say to him knowing that he'll use it against you.
"Come on," he says, getting bolder by putting his arm around your waist.
"Just a kiss," he mutters with his hot breath fanning your neck, not hesitating to kiss your neck afterward.
Oh, fuck, he's so confident and aggressive, the next thing you know, he'll be preying on you. You find it hard to resist him and can only lowly laugh at his persistence but what's the fun of giving him what he wants? This cocky boy needs to learn a little patience.
At once, you push him stronger than before, sending him a few steps back, and that way, you can escape him.
Changbin hits the water and it splashes over you, "Come back!"
You're only laughing at him as you're heading to the steps and before getting out of the pool, you look over your shoulder at Changbin, "Later!."
-
YOU: I can tell that this guy is going to give me a hard time.
-
Changbin wouldn't say that he failed, it's just that, you're a little tricky to win over.
He gets it that maybe it's just day one and you want to keep your options open, but he doesn't want to waste time.
Changbin dries himself off with a towel and then sits on the empty lounger.
"I see that you made your move, man," Liam says, sitting on the lounger next to him.
Changbin tosses his towel away and sits with his hands clasped in front of him, "Yeah, but you saw everything, she's acting like—"
"Just let it go, you know, go with the flow, let the gears spin," Liam cooly suggests.
If Liam still wants to go with the flow then that's his choice, but Changbin doesn't see why he should wait when he already knows what he wants and he wants you, there's no one else that catches his interest like you.
He can see that you have quite a fiery personality, you're passionate and forthright, and there's nothing fake about you. He senses that you're a little wild but he knows what to do about it.
"Frankly, I would hook up with all of the girls, they're all attractive," Changbin gives his honest opinion.
Liam nods in approval, his dark curly hair bouncing along with him.
"But she's the one that I can connect with more than the other," Changbin continues as he takes his water tumbler to take a sip.
"Yeah, you make a good match," Liam comments.
Changbin swallows his water before continuing to talk, he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand after.
"I want to know whether it's mutual or not," Changbin says.
"Yeah, yeah," Liam nodding along to his words.
"If it's not then that's the way it is," Changbin finishes then takes another sip of water.
"Then go for it, man! Take control of the game!" Liam encourages him.
It doesn't get to him that he has indeed lost control of the situation. Liam is right and he knows exactly what to do.
Changbin should get back on his feet and call you to the game.
-
CHANGBIN: It's time to take control of the game [smirks]
-
Taking advantage of the empty dressing room, you decide to be the first one to shower and put on a new pair of bikini. After drying your hair, you think of putting on something over your bikini.
You're standing in front of your closet as you try to settle on your choice of clothing. Hearing footsteps coming toward you, you close the door of your closet to see who it is.
Knowing his personality, Changbin wouldn't stop until he gets what he wants so you kind of expect that he'll come for you again, but not this soon.
He leans the side of his body against the closet and looks at you, giving you the eyes without saying anything.
"Stop looking at me like that," you tell him with a chuckle.
He stays quiet but crosses his arms on his chest as his smile grows wider on his face.
You turn to face him and ask, "What do you want?"
"What do I want?" He asks you back because he knows that you know.
"Okay, you don't need to say it," you tell him and you can't escape him again, not this time.
He leans in close and sweetly asks, "Can I do it?"
You subtly roll your eyes at him, "Do you even have to—"
With or without your permission, he's going to kiss you anyway so you lean in first and let him do the rest.
The kiss is intense, like you can feel how much he wants it and at the same time, he wants to show you what he is capable of. He puts his arms around you before resting his back against the closet. With the strength he has, you're sure you can't easily escape him this time.
But boy, he knows how to kiss, he knows how to make you dizzy with the way he uses both his plush lips and slick tongue. He makes you feel like breathing isn't necessary, you just want to keep kissing him until you turn blue.
Driven by the desire, you find yourself pushing him against the wall and opening your mouth for him, a moan or two escapes your mouth in between kisses.
When your lungs feel like catching fire, you let go of the kiss but not without sucking on his lower lip first.
Changbin smirks, liking what you're doing to him and you expect no less than that.
You have him caged between your arms now as you catch your breath, looking at him with filthy thoughts in your head and you bet he thinks the same things too.
"I know what you're doing to me," he says.
Well, great minds think alike.
"Mmh? Yeah?" You let your breath brush his cheek.
You crack a laugh at how he stifles a breath as you put your whole weight against him, pressing onto his crotch.
"Are you laughing? How about I throw you onto that table, mmh?" He taunts you but that only gets you excited.
"Shh..." You shush him and press another kiss on his lips to shut him up.
You feel his hand glides down to your ass and fondles it as he deepens the kiss. It's so quiet in the room that you can only hear the smooching sounds of your kisses, it's good that no one comes into the dressing room and interrupts the two of you.
Changbin lets go of your lips to drag his mouth down your neck and kisses you there. You drop your hands around his shoulders, allowing him to bury his head in the crook of your neck.
With one slobbering kiss on the column of your neck, Changbin finally lets go.
"I'd better go," he says.
You giggle because not only that he doing the opposite of what he said, but he tightens his arms around you.
"I'm getting excited," he continues with a heavy sigh.
The growing bulge inside his swimming trunk is apparent and you can feel it without having to look at it, "Yeah, I feel it," you tell him.
Truthfully, you don't feel sorry for turning him on but you do feel bad for not taking responsibility for it. You take a step back to put a space between your bodies yet Changbin pulls you by the elbow to place a long peck on your lips and smiles when he pulls away.
It seems like you're already trapped in his charms but what's there to lose? You win big here.
-
YOU: I can't say it was bad because it wasn't. It was so fucking good [groans] I want more!
-
Excitement and jitters are mixed into one in the dressing room as everyone gets ready for tonight.
The excitement comes from everyone getting so hyped up for the first party in the villa while the jitters come from not knowing what the first quest will be.
"What do you think the first quest is?" Niamh asks while coloring her pale cheeks with pink blush.
You cluelessly shake your head, "I have no idea," you answer.
"As long as I don't have to hunt or skin animals, I'm good," Riley says with a laugh.
As for yourself, you feel good about tonight. You put on your best outfit, put make-up on and a thick coat of red lipstick.
The boys are already waiting as you and the other girls are coming to join them by the pool, everyone takes a drink served on the table along with trays of bite-sized food.
Everyone raises their glasses in the air to propose a toast.
"To a good time!" Liam leads the toast.
"To a good time!" Everyone repeats.
Sabine adds a high-pitched scream at the end of the toast as she clinks her glass with yours, sending the sweety alcoholic drink sloshing out of the glass and trickling down your wrist.
You laugh it off and sip your drink at the same time the music starts playing, kicking off the party with an upbeat song.
"Got you!" Someone says, holding you from the back.
From the size of his arms, you can tell who it is. You immediately turn around to face him and put your glass away, "be careful," you warn about the little incident you had earlier with your drink.
Ignoring your warning, Changbin takes your hand and places an open-mouthed kiss on your wrist, from there, he continues his trail of kisses upward, along your arm and stopping at your shoulder.
You giggle as he places a final kiss on your neck, "Put your drink away and dance with me," you say.
He obeys right away, putting his drink on the table nearby and back to putting his hands on your waist. The two of you dance with your foreheads pressed in the middle and your bodies slowly swaying against the fast-paced music.
It's either the weather or the proximity or the intensity of his stare, you find yourself feeling hot inside and out. You can feel a thin layer of sweat forming on your forehead.
Changbin drops his head into your neck and you feel him inhaling your scent.
"Do you like how I smell?" You playfully ask him.
He smiles against your neck and nods, "Smells heavenly."
You place a kiss on his jaw and get a quick sniff of his perfume. He smells of musk and citrus which is something that quite captures him as a person.
"You smell good too," you tell him with a smile.
The hand resting on the arch of your back moves up to the nape of your neck and you can easily guess what he's going to do next.
The second he starts leaning in, you close your eyes and feel his lips on yours the next second. The tongue that pries open your mouth, the hand taking a fistful of your hair and the other one that grips your waist only proves that his kiss is never just a kiss, it's passionate, deep, and hungry, and it consumes you whole.
Ultimately, he does it to show everyone that you're his.
You have to push him by the chest to stop kissing you as you're running out of breath, "I need to breathe, don't you think?"
Changbin responds with a shameless grin and draws you close again, not letting you get away from him.
You wipe the lipstick mark on his lips with your thumb only for him to kiss you again. You roll your eyes at him in response to that.
"It looks good on me so leave it," he coyly says to you.
You manage to dodge away as he's about to kiss you again and laugh at him while he pouts at you.
Changbin sure has a distinct charm that you rarely find in a guy.
You lean in this time and place a long peck on his plump lips, slowly forgetting about your surroundings and that you're filming a TV show.
The lights suddenly off in the villa and the music abruptly stops, everyone turns their heads to the source of lights remaining in the vicinity.
The staff leads everyone to the beach and not long after, you see a boat coming ashore. As everyone else is cheering, you feel a little nervous about it.
"Do you think it's the first quest?" Niamh asks from next to you.
The quests! It only sinks into you now that the show tells you that the guests have to do a series of quests to win the show.
After registering everything, you gasp in surprise, "Oh, my God!"
Someone is getting off the boat and you assume he's the host of the show, he takes a stand on the small platform propped on the sand.
"Welcome to Love Quest!" He starts.
Everyone is cheering and applauding, then Oliver comes out of nowhere and puts his arm around your shoulder, his cheeks are blushed from drinking.
"What do you think we'll do?" He asks the same question with Rita.
"No idea," you honestly tell him.
The host takes a look at everyone with a cryptic smile on his face, "What do you think the first quest is?"
"I don't know but I'll probably shit my pants," Riley answers with a laugh.
"Well, are you ready for it?" The host turns on his feet to look at the boat.
"Yes!" Everyone answers in unison, followed by more claps and cheers.
"Time to find out your first quest!"
Two people are carrying a box down the boat, from the way they carefully place it next to the host with a loud thud, you can tell how heavy it is.
The host holds the handle of the lid of the box and keeps his cryptic smile on his face.
"This is your first quest..."
-
YOU: Oh, my God! What is about to happen?
-
Changbin has no idea why everyone is shocked to see a cone rising out of the box.
It must have something to do with the quest right? But why does everyone have to be this devastated? It's just—
Standing next to him, Sabine asks, "Is this what I think it is?"
"What?" Changbin cluelessly asks her back because he's confused still.
"Oh, my God!" Sabine turns panic with her hand flying to cover her mouth.
He looks around and everyone is having similar reactions as Sabine, except him, he's the only one being utterly confused.
Changbin helps Sabine steadies herself and asks, "What? Tell me! What?"
Sabine turns her head at him to finally answer him, "This is too hot to handle."
What is that? He asks himself, going deeper into the pit of confusion. He's more curious as to why everyone is acting like it's the end of the world.
Then the cone chimes and lights up, startling him because he thinks that it's just an air freshener or a portable speaker, not an AI talking robot.
"As you can see, this is no longer Love Quest," Lana begins.
He looks to the side and notices you with your mouth hanging open.
"This is Too Hot To Handle," he cone announces.
"No!" Sabine groans, grabbing at Changbin's arm.
"That means no fun, ever!" She emphasizes every word with deep sorrow.
"You have been specially selected because all of you are having meaningless flings over genuine relationships."
"That's rude!" Niamh shouts at the cone.
While Oliver grins and agrees right away, "Not wrong at all!"
"Since your arrival, I have been gathering data on your wild behavior but from now on, you must adhere to my retreat rules."
Next to Sabine, Changbin sees Liam put his hands on each side of his head, looking upset. He catches him looking, then says, "Oh man, I didn't get to rub one out to like, you know, say goodbye."
Changbin has no idea what it's got to do with the rules or maybe...
"No kissing."
What? Changbin has kissed you so many times only to be told that he can't do it again?
"No heavy petting."
It starts to dawn on him why everyone reacted the way they were when the cone popped out of the box.
"No sex."
He gets why everyone acts like it's the end of the world because it's far worse than that.
"The rules also apply to self-gratification."
"Shit! Fuck!" Changbin curses out of reflex at the mention of it.
Not only that he can't do physical things to other people, he can't even touch his own body. Does that even make sense?
Sabine hits her head at Changbin's arm, "We're fucked!"
"As part of your social development, I have allocated a prize of $200,000," Lana announces.
"That changes everything," Liam comments
There's money on the line now and that motivates everyone to follow the rule and some people are cheering in excitement.
Well, the money sounds good but to earn it by refraining from any sexual practices for a month? That's kind of impossible for Changbin.
"Surely, we can spend a few grand," Oliver says with his arm around you.
Changbin allows him for now as he seems a little tipsy.
"No, man, no!" Liam quickly shuts him off, putting an end to his rebellious ideas.
"But we got 200k of them," Oliver says with a subtle grin.
Liam lightly shakes his head at him, "Oh, no, you're going to mess this up for all of us," he says, sensing troubles in what Oliver said.
Looking at Sabine, Changbin believes that Oliver is going to have a hard time not touching her. Then he looks at you and realizes that it's going to be hell for him too.
"Welcome to your long, hard, sexless summer!"
-
CHANGBIN: It's too late to back out right? [Clicks tongue] Guess we're going to go with it [sighs]
-
"That was a bad party," you groan, taking off your strappy heels as it's hard to walk on the sand in them.
Rita links her arm with you to walk back to the villa together, "How much do you think a kiss costs?"
"Two to three grand, I guess?" You wildly guess.
You're familiar with the show but never stayed long to pay attention to how the show works except that it doesn't allow you to get all kinds of sexual with each other which is going to be difficult for you.
All these times, you do things as you please and that includes kissing or even sex. It's so easy for you to do it with anyone because you keep things casual, with no attachments whatsoever which makes it easier.
Now that the fun is being taken away from you, you have no idea how you're going to do it. It becomes harder later that you're sharing a bed with a man that you are physically attracted to.
Seriously though, what have you done that makes you deserve this?
You're not the only one moaning and groaning in complaint about these sudden rules in the villa, the girls can't stop talking as they remove their make-up to get ready for bed. Your bedtime routine takes double the time as you can't help but join in on the chat with the girls.
"Which one do you think is going to be first to rule break?" Riley asks while brushing her long brown hair as she speaks.
"Not me," Niamh immediately answers.
You glance at Sabine who's giggling in response to Riley's question, "Sabine..."
Sabine puts her hand under her chin, "I think we should kiss each other and be the first to break the rules," she gives her opinion.
"That's not a bad idea," Rita agrees with her.
"No, I think we should make the boys sweat a bit," Riley offers another idea.
"I like that more, yes," you agree with her.
"But Oliver is so hot and I'm sharing the bed with him," Sabine whines at you.
You shrug because you have no answer to that, you're in the same predicament as her.
"Sabine, no, honey, you can do it!" Niamh encourages her
You sense that Niamh is going to be the protector of the prize money and you can't blame her for that, it's a lot of money, and you would love to win it.
However, the possibility for you to win that money is close to zero.
"Something about being told not to do something, you know," Riley says, now braiding her hair in one big pigtail.
"I know, right?" Sabine gasps.
For you, rules are something you are never good at following because they are meant to be broken anyway so why bother following them in the first place?
-
YOU: Now that I can't have it, I want it more [bites lips]
-
It's been an eventful day and he's looking forward to ending it.
Changbin sees that you're stepping into the room and heading straight to his bed, this is the part he's been looking forward to, he wants to end this day with you.
It sucks that he has Lana's rules to follow but that doesn't stop him from feeling ecstatic to share the bed with you. Especially with you dressed in a short night dress that barely covers your ass.
Oh, it's going to be a long, agonizing night for him to try not to touch you.
A smile dances on your face as you crawl on the bed and sit next to him with your back facing the room, you innocently rest your hand on his thigh like it wouldn't affect him.
"Is this what you're wearing to bed?" You ask him, pinching the hem of his black boxer.
"Yeah," he simply answers, looking at his sleeping attire of a boxer and a black t-shirt.
Changbin tries to look at your face but the plunging neckline of your night dress keeps distracting him, he can also see your nipples poking through the thin fabric.
However, his hand remains steady on your thigh, fingers lightly rubbing the skin to feel how smooth it is.
It's getting a little noisy in the bedroom with everyone talking all at once, or they're simply as excited to share beds.
You look over your shoulder for a while then put your leg between his as you look back at him, "I think it's going to be so weird to have sex in front of people," you suddenly say out of nowhere.
Changbin is half listening when his eyes are busy listing over your body, "Yeah..."
"Not that we're going to," you quickly add with low giggles.
Your hand glides up to his stomach and slipping it under his t-shirt, it's like you know that's his sensitive area.
"Just saying..." you add with a playful grin.
Now that you hinted at it, he can't help but imagine it, and without waiting for his brain to send the command, his hand moves up to your waist and grips it.
"Because you know, you get going..." you slightly grind on his thigh and pretend to moan to show it to him.
"And you know, like, it's going to be so loud," you finish talking with a sly smile on your face, knowing what you just did to him and what it does to him.
Changbin's imagination is getting vivid and he bites his lower lip to suppress the urge to kiss you. He plays with the lace fabric of the hem of your night dress, "Is that how you do it?"
You tip your head to the side, "What? Fast and loud?"
"If we do it fast, I'm not sure you can keep up with me," he says with a daring smirk, fueling his filthy mind with his own words.
You prop your hands against the mattress to hover above him and then mutter, "I just want you to throw me around."
Then you put your body on top of him which he gladly embraces, he can feel your body slowly molding into his and it feels so intimate to feel each other's bodies like this as he puts his arms around you to keep you close.
You feel soft and small against him, Changbin gets the urge to protect and take care of you but at the same time, he wants to rip your clothes off and make you cry out of pleasure.
And he never met someone that made him feel that way until today.
-
CHANGBIN: She makes me horny as hell, makes me want to get down and dirty right there with her.
-
Maybe both of you were mentally drained from the revelation that this is not Love Quest anymore and not much happened before you both went to sleep last night.
Through the curtains, you can see that it's already bright outside but the lights aren't on yet.
Changbin's arm is draped around your waist and you clutch it close to your chest, snuggling yourself close to his body.
"Oh?" You lowly gasp, feeling something poking behind you.
You feel tempted to touch it or at least, take a look at it but you refrain, you decide to tease him by rubbing your ass against his morning wood.
It doesn't take long for him to realize what you've been doing to him, he lays his hand flat on your stomach to stop you but you're relentlessly continuing to do it.
"Stop it," he scolds into your ear but you pick up the playful cadence in his sleepy voice.
Ignoring him, you arch your back more and keep teasing him. This time, Changbin firmly grips at your waist to stop you.
"You're going to get me in trouble," he mutters.
You decide to obey him and pull at his arm, wanting him to hold you close again.
Changbin puts away the hair covering your neck then places a long kiss there, he places another kiss on your shoulder blade before cuddling you again.
"Mmh..." he delightfully hums, "I can get used to this."
And you can't think of a better place to wake up to than next to him, it feels warm and snug in his arms and you don't think you'd get it from anyone else but him.
Then the lights are on and the cone chimes, waking up everyone from their slumber.
"Good morning, everyone!" Lana greets.
It's not ideal to start the day hearing the cone talking but then again, you're here under her authority.
"Morning," you sleepily answer.
You lay on your back but Changbin clings to you, burying his head in your neck with his hand resting across your chest.
"Get ready for some fun in the sun but the only way you're going to get wet is getting into the pool."
Lana is a robot but she surely masters sheer sarcasm and you admire her for that, she's not one to mess with.
"Is there any way we can turn her off?" Oliver asks with a gruff voice.
That shifts everyone's attention to his shared bed with Sabine and you notice the subtle smile on her face, "Looking so smug there," you tease her.
Sabine softly chuckles and brushes her hair to the back, not saying anything but resting her head on Oliver's shoulder.
They seem suspicious that Niamh can't help herself but ask, "What's going on, guys?"
"Nothing," Oliver answers for both of them, sweeping his hair to the side.
What everyone is doing is not your business so you choose to mind yours, hugging Changbin and feeling the muscles on his back.
"What are your plans for today?" You ask.
After a moment, he finally answers, "Working out."
"After that?"
"Shower."
"After that?"
"Breakfast."
"And what time are we going to break the rules?" You playfully ask him but you're curious if you both have the same thoughts about it.
Changbin lifts his head to look at you to see if you are serious or not, then cracks a laugh.
"Tonight?" You ask again.
Not getting an answer, you slip your hand into his soft curls and ask again, "Tonight at 8, mmh?"
He looks at you again and you both burst into laughter at the same time. He overlaps your body with his and nuzzles his nose into your neck.
"What do you think we should do, mmh?" You tease him more with a gentle ruffle on his hair, "Kiss? Handy? Sex? Anal?"
Changbin breaks into laughter again and he has the kind of laugh that is infectious, making anyone who hears it laugh along with him.
Jokes aside, you get the feeling that Changbin hesitates to break the rules, you can't tell if is it because of you or if he has his reasons.
Well, there's always a way to find out.
-
YOU: If he wants to come up to me, he can get some talk, he can get some actions [smirks] I'm up for anything.
-
Changbin is feeling refreshed after taking a shower.
He worked out a little late into the afternoon because of the big breakfast he had this morning, he felt the need to lose the extra weight he gained and turned them into muscles.
He almost bumps into Liam as he enters the dressing room, not knowing that there are people in there.
"What's up, man?" Nico asks who happens to be there as well, playing with the girls' make-up brushes.
"Not much," Changbin shortly replies as he opens his closet.
Not long after, Oliver comes into the room, grinning ear to ear. He just stands in front of everyone but not saying anything.
Changbin smells trouble from him, "Looking smug. Where have you been?"
"Just had some alone time," he talks almost inaudibly.
"With Sabine?" Nico asks for confirmation.
Oliver starts pacing around the room still slyly smiling, it's like he waits for someone to catch up on it.
"Oh, don't tell me you kissed!" Liam says with a defeated sigh.
Changbin can tell the answer right away from the smile plastered on his face, "It's true," he confirms for anyone.
Liam calls Changbin and even though he's only dressed with a towel around his waist, he helps Liam corner Oliver and forces him to confess.
"Why are you guys so big?" Oliver asks both of them, looking slightly intimidated by their sizes.
"What did you do?" Liam asks him again.
Oliver holds his hands up and nods, "Yeah, we had a little kiss."
"Oh, no, it's only day two, bro!" Nico says from behind Changbin.
With his hands up, Oliver starts to explain, "We had a moment, okay?"
Changbin walks back to his closet to start putting clothes on and sees Liam is still towering over Oliver, "Is that the only thing you did?"
"Yeah," Oliver answers.
Liam then looks around the room to see every there, the boys are all here except for Shane.
"Now if any of us do any rule breaks, I'd appreciate it if you just... fess up," he says to everyone.
Oliver nods in agreement with a winning grin for successfully becoming the first one to break the rules in the retreat.
It's getting interesting now that the first rule break has occurred and it's only about time other people start doing it too.
Changbin wonders if he should do something about his appointment at 8 tonight.
-
CHANGBIN: Is it going to be my turn? [Smirks] I might do something tonight. We'll see.
-
It's only about time that someone broke the rules and you're right to put your money on Sabine.
However, you didn't expect that it was going to happen this soon, Sabine and Oliver did it in less than twenty-four hours after Lana's sex ban.
"You think everyone is mad at me?" Sabine nervously asks you.
Everyone shouldn't act like they're going to be perfect going forward, the retreat has only just begun so there's no guarantee that there'll be saints left at the end of the retreat.
"You know I was just waiting for someone to do it," you honestly tell her.
Sabine pauses applying her lip liner and cracks a laugh, "Yeah?"
"Yeah, me and my man have a plan now," you jokingly say.
"What are your plans?"
"We're going to give each other head," you joke.
The actual plan is not very far from it, you're going to look so good tonight that Changbin can't resist you. You check yourself in the full-length mirror in the dressing room and are satisfied with what you see.
"I look so hot," you praise yourself, turning around to see the back view.
Rita comes and puts her arm around your waist, posing together in front of the mirror with you.
"We look hot!"
The night is warm with the scent of the sea clinging in the air. You grab a drink before stepping out of the villa to prepare you for tonight.
"Looking gorgeous," Shane compliments as you meet him by the pool.
You take a moment to look and search for something you can compliment on him "I like the shirt," you say with a quick pull at the collar of his shirt.
"We're kind of matching, you see?"
You're wearing a white top with a black leather skirt while he wears blue jeans with a striped blue and white shirt, the similarities are almost nonexistent but hey, he's just trying to shoot his shot.
"Yeah, we kind of do," you say to him.
Let's see if Shane got game so you stop by the terrace to give him the chance to play.
"Have you ever dated an English guy?" He asks out of the blue.
A bit too strong for an opener but okay, "Nah," you answer.
He takes a step closer, then asks, "Never?"
You look him in the eyes to see if he would flinch, "Yeah."
He coyly sips his drink to stall and continues talking after, "Would you like to?"
A solid 7 out of 10, could be better. You laugh it off and let him die to know the answer.
"You know everyone is attracted to you, right?"
"No, not everyone, I believe," you play humble like how good girls play.
Shane takes another step closer and leans the side of his body against the pillar, "This is good. We should talk more," he says with a flirty smile.
"Well, I'm open to getting to know everyone," you tell him, making sure that you mean it generally, not specifically with him.
Shane runs his hand through his hair, sending it disheveled, even so, it makes him look attractive.
"I think you went in with Changbin so quick," Shane comments.
You nod and admit that it's true, "Yeah."
He then slyly smiles at you, "So, you know—"
Before you can finish listening to Shane talking, someone has his arms around you and without warning, carrying you with him.
Thankfully, you manage to not spill the drink you're holding once Changbin puts you down. He pats the small space left on the small sofa facing the sea view.
You sit with your legs hanging between his and his arm around you, this way you can put your full focus on him. You like seeing the glints in his brown eyes and your eyes flick to his small mouth with its pair of plush lips, looking so inviting as he licks them after taking a sip of your drink.
"What were you talking about?"
Changbin tries to sound cool about this but you sense a hint of jealousy in his words.
"Talking about you, actually," you honestly tell him.
"Yeah?"
He's wearing this tight white top that showcases his sculpted muscles and makes you unconsciously roam your hand on his clothed body.
You lose track of the conversation and innocently mutter, "You're so big..."
Changbin smiles at your words, looking thoroughly happy to hear them, and wants to hear more of it.
"What about it?"
You use your fingers to play with the opening of his top, teasing the skin there, "I like that you're big," you shamelessly admit.
It's impressive how he doesn't flinch as you stare him dead in the eyes. He remains calm with his hand playing with the thin strap of your top.
"Mmh?"
You lean in close and lower your voice as you say, "Makes me wonder if you're big somewhere else too."
Men like it when you're being straightforward like that and it seems to work on Changbin too.
-
YOU: He is so hot. It's going to be really hard to keep my hands to myself.
-
Everyone else can look as much as they want but they can only dream of getting it on with you.
Changbin feels like he won big to have you sitting close to him, looking damn attractive in your leather skirt and you're deeply staring into his eyes and your legs are slowly rubbing his inner thigh.
Oh, he knows what you're doing and he sure as hell knows that he's in trouble. The sexual chemistry is there and it's electrifying, awakening every cell in his body.
He looks away for a moment to take a grip on the situation and tries to restart a conversation. Then he looks at your face and how beautiful you are, your nose, your eyes... which reminds him to compliment them.
"You have beautiful eyes," he says.
You snort and put away your drink, "Your eyes are nowhere looking at my eyes," you point out.
That's right, he was looking at your lips when he said it, how they tantalize him.
You put your hand around his neck and gently massage the back of his head, "What are you thinking, mmh?"
There's no way of denying it so Changbin resorts to playing pensive, "Why don't you take a guess?
You're playing with the zipper on the front of his chest, "Uhm... food?" You wildly guess.
He laughs then nods, "That's a pretty good guess."
"No, wait," you take back your answer and take another guess, "it was tits."
You sure know how to amuse him and other than that, make him feel aroused with every little thing you do, including now, when you fix your hair from being blown by the wind.
Changbin has been thinking about it and knowing that someone has broken the rules making it easier for him to decide.
It's his turn to break the rules now but before that, he looks around, making sure the coast is clear, he sees that everyone else is gathered in the firepit.
Changbin looks back at you, then his hand reaches for your chin to bring your head close to his so he can kiss you. He likes how eager you are to receive his kiss and return it in such eagerness.
He holds you by the jaw, his thumb pulling at your lower lip to make you open your mouth for him so he can kiss you deeper, harder.
He wants to keep going and get drunk in your sweet, sweet kiss. He's tugging your lower lip between his teeth before pulling away.
Once he breaks the kiss, he looks at you at your parted mouth and your lips wet from the kisses, you're smiling when you open your eyes.
All of sudden, you throw your arms around him and mutter, "That was a good kiss."
He plants a kiss on your shoulder and another one on your neck, "I know."
You sit back on the sofa to get your drink and secretly look at where everyone is gathering, "Did they notice?" You ask him.
He throws his head back to look behind him and shakes his head, "I don't think so."
Breaking the rules is not as bad as he thought it would be, it was easy and strangely fun, he's sure it's coming from the rush of doing it without getting caught by anyone.
Changbin can only hope he doesn't get addicted to the rush.
-
CHANGBIN: So it happens, my first rule break. I knew it was wrong but I still wanted to do it so... [shrugs]
-
Despite the strong wind blowing your way, it doesn't help keeping you away from sweating.
You use the back of your hand to dab at the thin layer of sweat forming on your forehead but you feel like your make-up is fading away with the night.
Putting your empty glass away, you break away from Changbin's cuddle.
"Where are you going?" He asks.
You get up from the sofa and fix your skirt, "I'm going to fix my make-up quick," you answer.
He takes your hand, not letting you go, "You can do it later."
You smile at him, "I'll be quick," you say.
On the way to the dressing room, Rita joined you and it just happens that she seems to have the urge to tell you something.
"Now that Riley has given up on your man, she's going for Liam," Rita informs.
You sit on your chair and unzip your make-up pouch, "Really?"
Rita leans against the vanity table and crosses her arms in front of her, "So I was there with there with Liam then Riley joined in and she won't stop talking," she grumbles.
Riley does seem like the talkative type and you can imagine her butting in between Rita and Liam, talking non-stop.
"She keeps going on and on..." Rita complaints.
You feel bad for Rita but can't help but laugh. You gently powder your nose and make sure its
"Is Liam the only one or is there anyone else you fancy?" You ask out of curiosity, taking out a tube of lip gloss out of your pouch next.
Rita gets quiet and rolls her eyes as she thinks of an answer, "I was the first to call dibs on Liam," she innocently says.
You snicker because she makes it sound like it's a child's play, "What about Nico?"
"Nico? Hmm..." Rita has an adorable habit of pinching her cheek when she thinks.
You shift on your chair to look at her, "But you know, if you want to see how things go with Liam, then go for it," you suggest.
"I'm going to do that," she says while bobbing her head in agreement.
"Then get your cute butt there," You encourage her because you don't want her to overthink things when she should just do what she wants.
She squeals in response and takes a hairbrush from her table to fix her hair, "I believe Riley is still talking when I get there," she says with a dramatic eye roll.
As she turns around to leave, you land a gentle slap on her butt, "Go get your man!"
Now that Rita left the room, you can put on a fresh coat of lip gloss on your lips and take a quick look in the mirror only to find Changbin is checking you out in the doorway.
"You told me you'd be quick," he whines.
You laugh at how he's fussing like a toddler, "I was about to walk out—"
You get cut off as he comes crashing his body against yours, hugging you so tight with his hands feeling your clothed body.
It's obvious that he's horny. You hold him back and let him bury his head in your neck, "We're going back out there or stay here?"
Changbin doesn't say anything but looks at you, his eyes are looking at your lips and filled with so much want. You kind of have guessed that he would be coming back for more because honestly, one kiss is never enough.
"You can throw me onto the table if you want," you jokingly say with a flirty smile on.
With smoldering eyes and a smirk on his face, he lifts you by the waist to sit you on the table, that way he can be at the same eye level with you.
You loop your hands around his neck and pull him close, "And now we can kiss," you whisper with your face only inches away from him.
And just like that, he caves in and kisses you. This time his kiss has intensity to it and for a moment, you feel like he's devouring you whole which is turning you on.
Changbin slides his hand down your leg and lifts it, wrapping it around his waist to close the gap between your bodies.
His other hand is angling your head slightly to the side just so he can kiss deeper, skillfully using his tongue to make you feel the slightest bit lightheaded.
A moan slips out of your mouth as he squeezes the back of your thigh. You feel faint not only because it's one of the sensitive parts of your body but also because of how close his hand is to where you want him the most.
Then the sound of heels clicking against the floor shatters the tension in the room and the two of you abruptly stop kissing.
Your head turns in the direction of the doorway and see Sabine grinning at both of you.
 "I caught you rulebreaking!" She says in a sing-song voice.
"Shit!" Changbin quietly mutters as he looks away from her.
Sabine walks to her closet, "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone!" She says while switching the shoes she's wearing with sandals.
After she leaves the room, Changbin pulls you into a hug and nuzzles his head in your neck.
You jokingly pull his head close, "Okay, now, come back."
He breaks into laughter and kisses you on the cheek to compensate for not being able to give you what you want.
It's already hard to get him to rulebreak and it would take a long time for him to fall into the temptations again.
-
YOU: [Snickers] I don't know what's wrong with us. I don't know why we're doing it again [laughs]
-
Changbin jumps onto his bed, feeling so tired but inside, he's feeling euphoric.
"What's going on, big boy?" Nico asks from the next bed.
Changbin pretends to look exhausted and stretches his arms out, "I didn't do much tonight," he lies.
He knows he can't be the only one breaking the rules tonight but it's safe for him to keep a calm expression to avoid suspicion.
When he looks at the boys, he notices the smugness on their faces and they probably can see it on him too. For now, he saves the worries about the money for tomorrow.
Changbin stops thinking altogether when you climb onto the bed, wearing a white tank top and tight shorts. If only he was alone with you... oh, he's scared to even try to imagine it.
You sit cross-legged on the bed facing him, looking so beautiful even with a bare face, "Isn't it hot to sleep with a t-shirt on?"
"You can just tell me if you want me to sleep naked," he says with a mischievous smile.
"You know, I always sleep naked," you share then sips water from your tumbler.
He puts his hand on your knee "Then why aren't you?"
You put on a daring glare at him, "Do you want me to? Cause I would," you say.
If there's anything he learned from being around for these past two days is that he shouldn't challenge you because, in the end, he'll end up losing to you.
When the lights are out, he puts his arm out so you can rest your head on it but instead of that, you overlap his body with yours.
"I'm not sleepy yet," you whisper into his ear.
"Anything you want to do?" He asks and regrets it the second after he says it. He shouldn't give you ideas or worse is letting himself open to your ideas.
"A lot," you answer with a hot kiss on his neck.
Changbin feels threatened as you start placing kisses around his face, his heart skips when you get too close to his lips but he sulks when you don't do it.
You have your hand slipped under his t-shirt, splaying it on his stomach and feeling his skin there. You lean in close, rubbing your nose against his and teasing his lips with the warm breath you let out of your parted mouth.
"Want to rule break again?" You ask with your thumb swiping his lower lip.
Oh, Changbin is being put in a predicament once again. You best believe that he wants to do and will do whatever it is you want because that's what he wants too.
However, he promised himself that he wouldn't do another rule break for the rest of the night.
He hates to say no to you so he tries to lay it as gently as he can so he softly caresses your head, then takes the hand holding his face to kiss the inside of your hand.
"That's enough of a rule break for today," he murmurs with an apologetic smile.
Even in the dark, he can see you softly smile at him and nod, "Okay."
It's not about the compliance, you can be a little wayward to him but Changbin likes that you know when to hold back. Yes, he takes pride in being dominant but that doesn't mean he can force you to do what he says, you are your own person after all.
You sweetly kiss him on the cheek and mutter, "Goodnight, Changbin."
He plants a kiss on your jaw in return and mutters back, "Goodnight, angel."
For someone who has known him for a couple of days, you understand him well and that says something.
-
CHANGBIN: A kiss with her is always too good but it's bad because it's making me hornier [chuckles]
-
The day starts with Lana's morning greeting.
For a second, you thought Lana was about to announce the rule breaks right after everyone woke up and that would be so cruel of her but you're glad she didn't.
Changbin nuzzles his nose against your neck before placing a soft kiss on your shoulder. You open your eyes and see him smiling at you.
"How was your sleep?" You croak, putting your hand under his t-shirt to feel the skin on his back.
He kisses you on the arm and softly sighs, "I got bit by mosquitoes last night."
"That was me. Sorry," you joke.
That amuses him so much, that he laughs with his head buried in your neck and playfully biting at your shoulder.
When he stops, you look at him and say, "I'm not sorry actually."
With freshly showered hair, you're doing your make-up with Rita while Niamh is also dressing the other part of the room. You look at Rita whose hair is flying around her head as she's drying it.
"So, how did it go?"
Rita turns off her hairdryer, "What?"
"With Liam last night?"
"I don't know. He's been very vague about it," Rita answers, sounding as confused as her answer.
You put down your eyebrow pencil and look at her, "He probably wants to keep his options open for—"
The melodic chime coming from the cone in the corner of the room interrupted you from talking and your heart starts to sink, knowing that you committed a couple of rule breaks yesterday.
"Hello, girls!" Lana greets.
Niamh pops her head from behind the room where everyone is using to change their clothes.
"Hey, Lana..." you answer with sheer enthusiasm.
"Please gather everyone in the cabana," she orders.
You exchange a horrified look with Rita and grimace at the horror looming over you the second you hear Lana's voice.
"Sure, babe," Rita is replying to her this time.
You know exactly what's going to happen in the cabana and it's none other than the time to get publicly shamed by a talking cone.
There's only one seat left on the small wooden sofa at one side of the room and you sit there, having no one there to help you calm down.
"Okay, guys, who kissed who?" Nico asks everyone.
Niamh couldn't be faster responding to it, "I didn't kiss anyone," she says.
"Me too," Rita says.
As if it would help take everyone's suspicion off you, you're avoiding their eyes and trying to act calm. You are calm until Sabine places her hand on your knee.
"Babe? Did you kiss?"
That's so sly of her to ask you that when she walked in on you and Changbin kissing in the dressing room. You scrunch your nose and decide to lie, "Nah, I didn't."
Sabine slyly smiles at your answer and lets it go as the cone chimes in the middle of the table.
-
YOU: I know for sure that Changbin and I kissed twice but I'm not saying a word. I'm hoping Lana didn't see [snorts]
-
"Hello, everyone!"
Changbin tries to remain calm but he can't quite control his body, his heart is racing and his palms are starting to sweat. He can only hope that he's putting on a good poker face.
"What's happening, Lana?" Shane asks from the other end of the sofa.
"You were brought here to form deeper emotional connections and were given rules to adhere to."
Lana is an artificial intelligence but Changbin can hear the displease in her voice and she sounds upset.
"This is tense," Nico says with a heavy sigh.
"Yeah..." Oliver says.
"Despite this, your flagrant disregard for the rules has resulted in a deduction of..."
Changbin knows he takes part in that deduction and he can feel the guilt starting to seep into his mind.
"$15,000."
Everyone collectively gasps at the announcement of how much money has been lost from the prize fund and it's only the third day now.
But this also means that he's not the only one screwed up last night.
"That's the most expensive 25 hours I've ever lived," Oliver says as if he didn't spend some of that money.
"You guys are blowing it," Niamh says with a disappointed look on her face, genuinely pissed at losing money.
"In total, there were five rule breaks," Lana informs.
"Five?" Nico says with a shocked face.
"Anyone want to admit to anything?" Rita says.
Changbin glances at you and he sees that you're also looking at him, exchanging unspoken words through the eyes.
Staying silent is not an option for him, he knows better that he has to own up to his mistakes.
"Changbin and I kissed last night," you get ahead of him.
He feels less nervous to talk now that those words are out, "Yeah, we kissed."
"We had a moment and it was perfect," you add, explaining the things that led to the kiss.
"Just one kiss?" Niamh asks.
It's like something caught in your throat and you abruptly stop talking, it's time for Changbin to take over.
"No, we uh... we kissed again in the dressing room," Changbin admits.
He's expecting shouting or yelling coming at him but they're quiet, he can only hear a few deep sighs.
"Well, there's three more we need to account for," Rita says, leaning back on the sofa and crossing her arms together.
"Sabine?" You call her name loud enough for everyone to hear even though she's sitting next to you.
"What?" Sabine plays dumb.
"We knew about your kiss at the beach," Rita says to her.
Niamh scoots forward on her seat and looks at Sabine, "Is that it?"
Sabine looks at Oliver and everyone knows right away they had more than one kiss.
"Yeah, okay, we kissed twice," Oliver finally confesses with an unapologetic grin on his face.
Oliver's confession is also greeted by more sighs and Changbin feels a lot better now that he's not the only one being scrutinized at the moment.
"One more to go now," Nico mutters, scanning everyone's faces to spot the guilty ones.
"Honesty is the best policy, you guys!" Niamh warns.
Everyone wouldn't let it go until the last culprit comes forward and Changbin just wants to get this over with.
A moment passed in silence until Riley pointed at someone, "I kissed Liam."
"Look at you sitting there all quiet," Changbin mutters at Liam who happens to sit two seats away from him.
Ironic that he was the one who warned everyone to speak out immediately when they messed up yet he's the last one to do it.
"I felt a little something for Riley so I don't regret it," Liam explains.
He notices that you're exchanging looks with Rita as she seems to be upset upon hearing what Liam uttered to everyone.
"The prize fund now stands at $185,000," Lana updates before signing off.
Changbin does the math in his head and is slightly shocked to find out how much he spent but at that moment, last night, the kisses felt worth more than that.
However, everything changes now after hearing how much it costs.
-
CHANGBIN: $15,000... that's a lot. I'm feeling guilty now.
-
When Changbin hears that there's going to be a workshop, he hopes it's something that will help him control his urges.
The moment he gets told that he has to pair up with you, he doubts that it would help him much.
"Hello, I'm Billy," The instructor introduces himself, "I'm a sex expert."
"Whoo!" Oliver excitedly reacts.
"How are you all doing?" Billy asks.
"Good!" Everyone answers in unison, sitting on their respective mats for the workshop.
"Today's workshop is about ways you can connect with somebody without sex," Billy announces the lesson for the workshop.
"Breath is a huge thing so when you feel sexual tension, step away and go do your breathing, it'll help you profoundly."
Changbin feels skeptical at first but he knows now that it's possible to keep his impulses in control.
Billy then turns over a picture showing a cuddling position and everyone should do it with their partner. You crawl over to him and sit cross-legged on the space between his legs.
It takes him a moment to study the picture, he puts his arms around you and you intertwine them together in front of you.
"Hand over your heart," Billy reminds him.
He places his clasped hand on your heart and he accidentally brushes your breast in the process.
You lowly giggle in response and look over your shoulder at him, "Over my heart, not my tits."
He presses his mouth close to your ear, "It happens that your tit is close to your heart," he playfully replies.
"Breathe..." Billy instructed as he's he's pacing back and forth observing everyone, "Connect with them on a deeper level."
Changbin does what he said and closes his eyes, breathing in and out, eventually syncing your breathing together. It feels nice, he feels relaxed.
Billy walks up to Sabine and Oliver, "How do you feel in that position?"
"Damn good," Oliver shamelessly answers, making Sabine laughs in embarrassment.
Billy walks back to the front and flips a new picture on the easel, "It's going to get a little bit intimate..."
He then reveals the next position for everyone to see, he's grinning as he says, "I think you guys can handle it."
Changbin applies the lesson right away, inhaling air and exhaling it as he sits on the mat.
Okay, it's getting hard to try not to think about sex when you're sitting on his lap and your legs wrapped around his waist.
"Don't I look good on top of you?" You ask with a sly smile on your face.
He takes a deep breath and puts his hands on each side of your waist, "Yeah," he answers, can't stop his brain from imagining it.
It doesn't get any easier with the way you're looking deep into his eyes and Changbin reckons he should look away.
He pulls you close and rests his head against your chest, listening to your steady heartbeat helping him to calm down.
"How are you guys doing?" Billy asks him.
"We're doing good," you answer for both of you.
After he leaves, you look back at him and put your hands around his neck, "Good, right?"
Changbin bets that you know how good it is for him as you sit right on his crotch. The sexual tension is getting unbearable and breathing doesn't help him as much as it did before.
Thankfully, Billy ends the workshop before it gets dangerous.
"Thank you, all of you beautiful people and I appreciate you for being present with me," he concludes.
Everyone is giving him a round of applause as a token of gratitude for his lesson.
-
CHANGBIN: It's clear that we have a strong sexual chemistry but I also sense that there's something genuine there.
-
It's unclear whether Changbin is up to doing something naughty tonight.
Nevertheless, you're putting on a tight dress and a luscious coat of lipstick, you know he can't resist you when you look this good.
Changbin is talking to Nico when you come and put his arm around you, wanting to get his attention. Successfully having him for yourself, you corner him and take him to sit together on the lounger.
"You look good tonight," you compliment, feeling his pecs through his black shirt.
He reacts with a mix of shy and cocky smiles, you don't know how he does that but it looks good on him.
You bring your mouth close to his ear and murmur, "You look so delicious."
Changbin is oddly quiet tonight and you guess you just need to warm him up, showering him with compliments and talking about random things.
"I only noticed it now that you have a dimple," you say.
Changbin smiles again for you to showcase it and you use your finger to poke the dimple on his cheek.
"Your cheek is squishy too," you playfully poking at it while giggling.
"I think my right cheek is more squishy," he disagrees with you, poking his other cheek with his index finger.
He looks so cute doing it and out of nowhere, you feel like biting at his cheek and doing it.
"Why did you do that?"
"Nom nom nom nom," you tease him instead of answering.
Changbin pulls you close and gently bites at your arm to get back at you, sending you laughing uncontrollably.
Now that he's warming up and relaxed, it's time to find out if he plans to do something about the night. You rest your hand on his chest, fiddling with the button of his shirt as you talk.
"What are we going to do tonight, mmh?"
He only smiles at you with his hand caressing your back.
You press your head close to his and lower your voice as you say, "How about you finger me in secret?"
He bursts into laughter and pulls you closer, holding you with his arms around you, but it feels more like he's trying to restrain you.
"We're going to be good tonight," he tells you.
The message is well-received.
You fully understand if he doesn't want to rulebreak tonight and you're alright with it, you don't want to pressure him to do something he doesn't want.
You press a kiss on his cheek and then rest your head on his chest, "Yeah, sure, we can be good."
Also, perhaps he needs a little breather too.
-
YOU: He doesn't want to rulebreak tonight but who knows about tomorrow? [Raises eyebrow]
-
Just like Billy said, Changbin get away and do his breathing as the sexual tension is only rising when he's with you.
Most of everyone is gathering in the cabana so he goes there, trying to get his mind distracted by talking to other people than you.
Nico is sipping his drink and silently watching Sabine and Oliver canoodling by the firepit.
"I don't know if Sabine were like flirty with anybody but I kind of want to make Ollie cry," he says to him.
Changbin feels like getting another drink but he stays seated for the drama.
"Do it, man!" He encourages him.
The next thing he knows, the night is getting late and it's time to turn in for the night.
He manages to not rule break today as he planned but it doesn't feel like an achievement at all, if anything, he feels like shit for saying no to kissing you. Now, he has the image of your eyes dimmed when he told you he doesn't want to rulebreak tonight replaying in the back of his head.
It's not dramatic of him to feel ecstatic to see you get on the bed, he barely saw you after you both cuddled on the lounger earlier.
"Where have you been, baby?" He asks you.
You dive right into his arms and rest your head on his chest, "Talking with Rita," you mumble your answer.
He notices that you sound exhausted, "Tired?"
You turn your head to look at him and nod.
The moment the lights turn off, you get off of him to sleep on your side of the bed.
"Goodnight, fam!" Liam says to everyone in the dark.
"Night," a few replying to him.
Changbin doesn't want to assume things but he's scared that the reason why you feel a little distant is because he said no to rulebreak with you.
Then you're shifting on the bed and he sees you trying to take your top off under the duvet, you notice him watching.
"It's hot," you mutter at him, putting your top on the bedside table before laying on your side with your back facing him.
And he can see what you're trying to do to him.
Changbin scoots closer until his chest meets your back, he then traces the curve of your body with his hand, only using his fingertips to touch you.
He feels nothing but miles and miles of silky soft skin.
"Are you ticklish?" He asks, dropping his voice low and sultry.
"No," you answer.
That only encourages him to touch you more, exploring your body while trying to avoid it becoming something sexual. He presses his mouth on the back of your shoulder and softly inhales your scent while his hand caresses your abdomen with his knuckle.
With the way your body slightly shaking, he knows you're holding in your laughter.
"Tickles, mmh?"
"Not really."
Changbin lowers his hand down your waist and keeps going until his hand lands on the softness of the back of your thigh, caressing it with his knuckle.
"How about now?"
You shake your head.
He has no other option but to squeeze the flesh and you jolt on the bed. You take his hand out of the duvet and turn your head to scold him.
Before you can do that, he captures your lips in his. He knows he catches you off guard but you manage to return his kiss.
Changbin pulls away to have you pinned under him before leaning in and kissing you again. You moan as he puts his whole weight on you, sending your breasts squashed between your chests.
He's aware that everyone else in the room can see it but something about doing it in secret makes it inexplicably kinky.
-
CHANGBIN: If I'm being honest... I want to eat her all up [smirks]
-
Another day means another session of listening to a talking cone.
Changbin is prepared to face everyone when he comes clean about what he's done with you last night. It's the only rule break he did yesterday and he knows it's not progress but he feels good knowing that he showed a little more restraint than the last time.
Other than that, he's sitting next to you now so he feels reassured, knowing that you have his back.
The cone chimes at the same time he takes your hand and holds it.
"Hello, everyone!"
Everyone gets tensed as soon as Lana talks even though she hasn't said anything but her usual greeting.
"What's up, babes?" Rita replies to her, sounding chipper than usual.
"The rules of my retreat have been broken," She announces.
Here it goes, Changbin says in his head. He takes a deep breath and squeezes at your hand.
"Is there anybody who wants to come clean?"
Changbin clears his throat before speaking, "I want everyone to know that it was me who started it," he begins, taking full responsibility for what he's done.
"It was me, I kissed her last night."
His confession is yet again getting answered by low groans and sighs, he understands that he let them down but... oh, well.
"The kiss has cost the group $3,000."
There goes another $3,000 down the drain and Changbin admits he did wrong for making the same mistake.
"Anyone else wants to fess up?" Niamh asks.
The grin on Oliver's face is unmissable and that means he did something, most likely a bad thing.
"Did you two kiss again?" Liam asks him, pressuring them to talk with laser in his eyes.
Oliver rubs his chin while Sabine can only look at him, waiting for him to speak for both of them. He deeply sighs, then nods, "Yeah, we did."
"Just once?"
Oliver nods again, "Just once, I swear."
Lana confirms by announcing another $3,000 has been deducted from the prize fund.
Changbin feels a lot lighter now after telling the truth and accepting the truth that a chunk of money is gone because of him but it's too early for him to let out a sigh of relief yet.
"They were not the only ones to break the rules," Lana informs.
"My God?" Sabine scoffs.
Changbin is on the hunt for the culprit, he scans for any guilty faces sitting on the sofa and not realizing that you've been fidgeting next to him.
He turns his head at you and wonders if...
You uneasily look at him, then say, "It was me."
-
CHANGBIN: What the fuck is going on?
-
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suckerforblondeathletes · 4 months ago
Text
The Call Up - Leah Williamson HIWTHI
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Steph Catley x Fem!Reader (Platonic)
Universe Masterlist! (Home Is Where The Heart Is)
Summary: You start to question your next season and what club you will continue your career at, your fellow Aussie teammates help you out. But the discussion isn't long when you get a call.
Warnings: None!
Authors Note: Hey guys! This is short but I haven't posted in a while so here you go!
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Living in Australia was amazing. Being so close to home all the time was even better. You never left Australia, your home country, to play for another team.
Playing for Melbourne was life changing. It was like being playing on a team, but the entire team was your close friends and family. You never really thought about going anywhere else, when the time came for your contract to be up, another one was made and you stayed.
But lately you were getting a little bored at Melbourne, it was fun and all but it was just the same thing over and over again. You where thinking about a change of scenery, or a change of teams?
You started talking about it when you were on camp with the Matildas, in the hotel room with Steph, Kyra, harper, and Mini. You were laying on the bed on your side, watching Kyra and Steph make a stupid tiktok while mini was playing with Harper.
"Guys I think I want to leave Melbourne." You blurt out loudly, staring at the women in the room for a response.
They all turn towards you, both Steph and Kyra stopping their dance at the same time and turning their heads to you.
Mini and was also looking at you while harper was pulling at her hair.
"Why? Has something happened?" Mini asks with concern in her voice, both Steph and Kyra walk over to the bed you are siting on.
"No, I mean, I don't know. I just kinda want a change in my daily life." Mini nods at that, wincing as Harper pulled her hair a little too hard.
"Where do you want to go? You know Arsenal is a great club-" Kyra starts talking but is cut off my Mini.
"So is West Ham." She adds causing both Kyra, Steph, and Mini to start arguing about their clubs.
Rolling their eyes you speak up to end the fight.
"Arsenal sent me a email saying they want me, I just don't know if its the right choice." Steph and Kyra give each other high fives at the sound of arsenal, stopping mid way when you finish your sentence.
"I feel like you should take some time and think about it, its a big change and you should make the decision when you know that 100% what you want." Katrinas words make you start to think about it, maybe you didn't want to leave is what you told yourself. But you knew deep down you did want to leave, you just couldn't bring yourself to accept it.
Melbourne practically raised you. Spending your childhood on the youth team and young adult hood on the pro level.
Leaving would result in leaving that all behind, the friends and memories would stay on that field, but not you.
--
You were working out with the Matildas, in the training room with Caitlin and Steph at your sides as you three do weights.
Laughing and talking about the upcoming season made the questioning of a new club arise once more.
"Have you decided?' Steph asked as she put down a 20 pound dumbbell.
"No, well I have been thinking about arsenal, but I haven't got a call yet." You saw spark in both of their eyes at the mention of their club, and the thought of you going and joining them.
"You should soon, your a great player and they have asked for you before." Caitlin says as she goes to grab a weight.
You nod and go back to thinking about the call.
Yeah they called for you before, but will they want you again?
--
It was 10:24 am exactly when you got a call from an unknown number.
You were sitting in the lobby of the hotel eating breakfast with Kyra, Steph, Caitlin, and Alanna. Laughing at Steph and Kyra using funny snapchat filters of each other.
"Oh hang on guys someone is calling me." You don't look at them while you speak, staring at the phone wondering who this could be.
"Hello?" You answer the phone and a man responds back.
"Hey is this Y/n Y/L/N?" Your heart drops, what in the world is going on, how does this person know your name?
"Umm yes it is why, has something happened." Everyone at the table looked up at you with confusion on their face.
"Well we called from the Arsenal and we have looked at your stats and your season history at Melbourne and we would like for you to sign with us." You start smiling and look up at Kyra and Steph.
They continue to look at you in concern and you whisper, "Its arsenal" and they start yelling and cheering, causing weird looks from your teammates.
"Shhhhh" You hush them and go back to the phone. "Yes! Yes I would love to."
"Great news! We will meet you in a month when the new season starts up! Can't wait to have you!"
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muzaktomyears · 3 months ago
Text
Jim Oram, an Australian journalist who traveled with the tour, observed: "John and Paul, particularly, rooted themselves silly. A seemingly endless and inexhaustible stream of Australian girls passed through their beds: the very young, the very experienced, the beautiful and the plain. In fact, I can vividly remember one spoilt virgin in Adelaide, who proudly took her blood-stained sheet home with her in the morning." Bob Rogers, another reporter who stuck with the Beatles from the moment they landed until they left the country, confirmed Oram: "The boys never, to my knowledge, repeated the dose. They'd rather have a less attractive woman than the same one twice. They had become superemly indifferent to it all, as women and girls continually prostrated themselves. I was convinced that they would all end up homosexuals, out of sheer boredom with conventional sex. There was no pill in 1964 and with the amount of Beatle-screwing that went on, I just can't believe that there wasn't an explosion of little Beatles all over Australia in 1965." The trading of partners that had been typical of the Beatles' days in the back rooms of the Bambi Kino in Hamburg resumed in Australia. Glenn A. Baker recalled that "one young Queensland girl, who married a prominent Woolahra stockbroker and is now a pillar of Sydney society, kept cocktail party guests amused throughout most of the Sixties with her graphic descriptions of being screwed by all four Beatles in one night." Another reporter told the author that he was flagrante delicto when "Derek Taylor sauntered into the room, casually inquiring, 'Would anyone like to meet John Lennon?' The girl slipped out from under me so quickly that I was left doing push-ups on the bed." Baker's investigations revealed that John's crack about Satyricon was meant to imply more than mere sexual abundance: "The odd perversion or diversion was certainly not out of the question. Beginning in Melbourne, some mild excremental sports [a euphemism for pissing on girls?] were apparently engaged in and an amusing variety of copulation locations and combinations investigated."
The Lives of John Lennon, Albert Goldman (1988), quoting from The Beatles Down Under, Glenn A. Baker (1982)
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