#Electric Bike Events

[usmanmushtaq12]

The Power Behind the Pedals: Exploring Electric Bike Motors

Introduction

Electric bikes, also known as e-bikes, have taken the world of cycling by storm, offering a thrilling and eco-friendly alternative to traditional bicycles. One of the key components that make these bikes so popular is the electric bike motor. In this blog, we will delve into the fascinating world of electric bike motors, exploring how they work, the different types available, and the advantages they bring to riders.

How Electric Bike Motors Work

Electric bike motors, also referred to as e-bike motors or electric bicycle motors, are responsible for providing assistance to riders. They are designed to work in harmony with the pedal power of the cyclist, making the overall riding experience more enjoyable and accessible. Here's how they work:

Power Source: E-bike motors are powered by rechargeable batteries, typically lithium-ion. These batteries store electrical energy that is used to assist the rider when needed.

Sensors: E-bike motors are equipped with sensors that monitor various factors like speed, cadence (pedal rotation), and torque (force applied to the pedals).

Controller: A controller interprets the data from the sensors and determines how much assistance the motor should provide. It calculates the required power and sends it to the motor.

Motor: The motor, often located in the hub of the wheel (either in the front or rear), or the bottom bracket, provides the necessary propulsion by turning the wheels or cranks. There are different types of motors, which we will explore in the next section.

Types of Electric Bike Motors

E-bike motors come in various forms, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. The three most common types are:

Hub Motors: Hub motors are located in the wheel hubs (either front or rear) and provide direct propulsion to the wheels. They are known for their simplicity and ease of maintenance. However, they can be less efficient on hilly terrain.

Mid-Drive Motors: These motors are located near the bike's bottom bracket, which is where the pedals are attached. Mid-drive motors utilize the bike's gears for more efficient power delivery, making them great for climbing hills and off-road riding.

Crank Motors: Crank motors are similar to mid-drive motors but are integrated into the crankset itself. This design offers a balanced and efficient power transfer while keeping the weight low and centered on the bike.

Advantages of Electric Bike Motors

Electric bike motors offer several advantages for cyclists, including:

Assistance: E-bike motors provide assistance, making cycling more accessible to people of different fitness levels and abilities. Riders can choose how much assistance they need, allowing for a customizable riding experience.

Extended Range: E-bike motors can extend your riding range by reducing the effort required to pedal. This is particularly useful for commuters and those looking to explore longer routes.

Eco-Friendly: E-bikes are a greener alternative to cars and motorcycles. They produce zero emissions and help reduce air pollution and traffic congestion.

Health Benefits: Even with assistance from the motor, riding an e-bike still requires pedaling, which can promote physical activity and improve overall health.

Conclusion

Electric bike motors are the heart and soul of e-bikes, making them a practical and enjoyable mode of transportation. Whether you're looking to commute to work, explore new trails, or simply enjoy leisurely rides, electric bike motors can enhance your experience. Their efficient and eco-friendly design, combined with the power of human effort, offers a promising future for cycling enthusiasts everywhere. So, if you haven't already, consider hopping on an e-bike and experience the joy of riding with a little extra assistance from these amazing electric bike motors.

[batfambitches]

|| OPEN || Jason & ??? ||

“Don't even fucking start-” Jason told them as they got out of the car, pointing the wrench he'd been using to take off the shredded front tire on his motorcycle. “Did you bring me a spare tire?”

[csr762bike]

CSR 762 Electric Bike Launch Event

Gear up for an exceptional biking adventure at the CSR 762 bike launch event in Ahmedabad. Crafted to provide a unique riding journey, this electric marvel seamlessly blends advanced technology with an appealing design. Let's join the electric revolution and uncover the liberating thrill of riding with Svitch MotoCorp's innovative CSR 762.

[reasonsforhope]

Green energy is in its heyday. 

Renewable energy sources now account for 22% of the nation’s electricity, and solar has skyrocketed eight times over in the last decade. This spring in California, wind, water, and solar power energy sources exceeded expectations, accounting for an average of 61.5 percent of the state's electricity demand across 52 days. 

But green energy has a lithium problem. Lithium batteries control more than 90% of the global grid battery storage market. 

That’s not just cell phones, laptops, electric toothbrushes, and tools. Scooters, e-bikes, hybrids, and electric vehicles all rely on rechargeable lithium batteries to get going. 

Fortunately, this past week, Natron Energy launched its first-ever commercial-scale production of sodium-ion batteries in the U.S. 

“Sodium-ion batteries offer a unique alternative to lithium-ion, with higher power, faster recharge, longer lifecycle and a completely safe and stable chemistry,” said Colin Wessells — Natron Founder and Co-CEO — at the kick-off event in Michigan. 

The new sodium-ion batteries charge and discharge at rates 10 times faster than lithium-ion, with an estimated lifespan of 50,000 cycles.

Wessells said that using sodium as a primary mineral alternative eliminates industry-wide issues of worker negligence, geopolitical disruption, and the “questionable environmental impacts” inextricably linked to lithium mining. 

“The electrification of our economy is dependent on the development and production of new, innovative energy storage solutions,” Wessells said. 

Why are sodium batteries a better alternative to lithium?

The birth and death cycle of lithium is shadowed in environmental destruction. The process of extracting lithium pollutes the water, air, and soil, and when it’s eventually discarded, the flammable batteries are prone to bursting into flames and burning out in landfills. 

There’s also a human cost. Lithium-ion materials like cobalt and nickel are not only harder to source and procure, but their supply chains are also overwhelmingly attributed to hazardous working conditions and child labor law violations. 

Sodium, on the other hand, is estimated to be 1,000 times more abundant in the earth’s crust than lithium. 

“Unlike lithium, sodium can be produced from an abundant material: salt,” engineer Casey Crownhart wrote ​​in the MIT Technology Review. “Because the raw ingredients are cheap and widely available, there’s potential for sodium-ion batteries to be significantly less expensive than their lithium-ion counterparts if more companies start making more of them.”

What will these batteries be used for?

Right now, Natron has its focus set on AI models and data storage centers, which consume hefty amounts of energy. In 2023, the MIT Technology Review reported that one AI model can emit more than 626,00 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent. 

“We expect our battery solutions will be used to power the explosive growth in data centers used for Artificial Intelligence,” said Wendell Brooks, co-CEO of Natron. 

“With the start of commercial-scale production here in Michigan, we are well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for efficient, safe, and reliable battery energy storage.”

The fast-charging energy alternative also has limitless potential on a consumer level, and Natron is eying telecommunications and EV fast-charging once it begins servicing AI data storage centers in June. 

On a larger scale, sodium-ion batteries could radically change the manufacturing and production sectors — from housing energy to lower electricity costs in warehouses, to charging backup stations and powering electric vehicles, trucks, forklifts, and so on. 

“I founded Natron because we saw climate change as the defining problem of our time,” Wessells said. “We believe batteries have a role to play.”

-via GoodGoodGood, May 3, 2024

--

Note: I wanted to make sure this was legit (scientifically and in general), and I'm happy to report that it really is! x, x, x, x

[docjayfeather]

All of the Ren Lore i’ve compiled from his single player series and old streams

Favorite meal is roast lamb and roast potatoes

Has an ex-girlfriend

Hates One Direction

Was on a boating team in high school

His mother’s first cat’s name was Ebony

His single player world started in 1.2

Ren’s favorite language is Spanish

Ren has been to Spain several times

His brother had a dog named Rorschach

Ren’s favorite armor set in the original Diablo was the Moon set

Ren and his brother used to have to shower/bath together, then dry off infront of an electric fireplace. Through a series of events, young Ren got his butt stuck to the glass pane of the electric fireplace, and has had a scar on his butt since.

Ren has said “I always think about [Ren’s brother’s username] when I think about my butt”

Ren knows how to do a cats cradle

Ren used to have frosted tips

Ren’s favorite commander deck is Kraum/Tymna

Ren got kicked in the literal butthole by a horse

Ren likes burning things

Ren created a rigged marble slot machine in high school

Went on an introspection journey, visiting all the places he lived and all his jobs pre-YouTube

Did the insane thing of asking the lady who was now living in his first house if he could go inside and check out his old room

Ren had a patreon tier where he’d sent his patrons a “Ren Crate”, a lootcrate full of stuff

Ren doesn’t drink (anymore)

Officially has OCD

Ren loves apple juice

Ren loves driving games

Event manager for The Deftones once

Plays MtG on Sundays

Ren wants to retire with Doc

Ren’s wants his spirit animal to be a shark

Ren’s favorite book series is LotR

Ren is “below-average hairy”

Ren’s favorite season is Autumn

Ren’s birthday is October 11th

Ren is a slut for tiramisu and ice cream

Ren wants to open an LGS/tabletop cafe

Ren is not a religious person

Ren worked in a seedy pool bar

Ren almost got an upper back tattoo

Ren loves green tea

Ren is Left Handed

Ren was at one point a vegetarian for several years

Ren has lost his wallet multiple times, once leaving it on a train

Ren eats a whole lemon every day, and drinks lemon juice straight from the lemon

Ren got in trouble at boarding school for “trying to summon demons”. He was just playing MtG.

Ren has had a pair of lucky underwear since he was 18

Ren’s favorite ice cream is strawberry

Ren loved getting aggressively physical in rugby

Ren loves cinnamon buns

Ren used to have super long butt-length hair

Ren really liked playing with fireworks when he was younger. They’d bury huge ones in the sand near their house to make craters.

Ren loves Love Island

Ren can only sleep on his arm

Wears exclusively Star Wars socks and has matching pajamas

Beat Gabriel Nasif in a Magic Grand Prix

Ren hates Oysters

Ren’s favorite dog breed is a chihuahua??

Ren’s favorite dnd class is bard

Ren enjoys cleaning the bathroom the most out of any room

Ren’s favorite musical is Les Miserables

Ren has a favorite kitchen knife, and used to cook a lot.

Ren’s favorite tool is the hoe (of course)

Ren and Iskall used to play League

Never farts irl

born in the same city as J R R Tolkien

Ren named his first car Maximus

Ren is a bath person

Natural Mace Race runner

Ren really likes pet rats

Ren has a very consistent shopping day of tuesday

Ren has an extremely strict sleep schedule

Ren has 7 pairs of the same pajamas to wear 24/7

Ren has a BA in English

Ren does 100 push-ups a day

Ren does a 15k bike ride every day

Ren had a max weight of 110 kilos, is now down to 80

Ren uses youtube in light mode

Ren has seen Metallica live

Ren wore fake glasses in college

Ren has 20/20 vision

[todorokies]

WHAT LOVERS DO - mha boys

✶ ࣪˖࿐ * how you spend your long summer days with the mha boys…

featuring 𝝑𝑒 : izuku midoriya, katsuki bakugou, denki kaminari, shoto todoroki

contents 𝝑𝑒: tooth rooting fluff, gn!reader, a lil bit suggestive in bakugou’s, inspired by the song ‘what lovers do’ by maroon 5 ft sza, an installment for my ‘it’s not summer without you’ event

⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚ ── IZUKU MIDORIYA

farmer markets, tulips & strawberry fields, lemonade refreshers served with cocktail umbrellas on the side.

summers with izuku ��. heal your inner child with an electric sense of something to look forward to everyday.

the average day begins with him preparing breakfast for the both of you; pinkies interlocking under the dinner table with hazy glances towards one another.

bike rides to the local farmers market, the refreshing breeze coating your faces with soft giggles thrown into the air. but on some days, the rays of sunlight peak through his windows as a small groan ripples through his chest making you feel the vibrations from how close your bodies are intertwined.

“mmm, let’s stay in bed for today..” he’ll meekly murmur into the crook of your neck as he snuggles himself even closer than before into your figure.

izuku’s soft snores can be heard along with the faint sound of the air conditioner as you relish in the serendipity of it all, before falling back asleep soon.

the days where energy is coursing through your veins, you take it upon yourselves to become tourists in the very city you grew up in. visiting hidden gems of japan that consist of bookstores, cafes, and knickknack shops.

museum dates with izuku consist of him gleefully explaining the history behind every piece of artwork hung in the building. your fingers interlocking with his calloused ones as you both drag each other around the museum in awe of the beauties in the room— you included.

⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚ ── KATSUKI BAKUGOU

beach houses, fresh picked vegetables, fireworks & cuddles on the deck as the sun peaks above the horizon.

summers with bakugou …. opens your eyes to the possibility of living a beautiful mundane life with him by your side.

the curtly executed invite to his family’s beach house —that was obvious to conceal his uneasiness about your answer— falls off his lips and lingers in your ears.

hot sand on the soles of your feet, the sunshine reflecting back onto the earth casting a divine glow upon your skin, and plucking the nurtured vegetables in the garden for tonight’s dinner.

some nights when you can’t sleep, you creep out of your assigned bedroom at the dead of night, gentle sounds of the clashing ocean waves and the bright moonlight acts as a guide to snuggle yourself into his bed. with your arms delicately wrapping around his toned midriff, the blond tenses up.

hands already igniting a small spark until he inhales your scent, calming down instantaneously. he grumbles something under his breath about how ridiculous you are before he relaxes into your embrace.

other nights however, you both become light on your feet as you sneak out onto the deck. witty teases and jokes get thrown around until a small remark turns into a competition where you both end up in the pool racing each other.

of course he lets you win—or so he claims— soon your heart calms down, relishing in the cold droplets that coat your body. he quickly notices the way you’re shivering, swims up in your direction to position himself in between your legs as he lifts your calves around his torso.

you immediately wrap your arms around his neck for stability. “ya wanna warm up in the hot tub or f’me to do the job?”

⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚ ── DENKI KAMINARI

late night adventures, water gun fights, treasure hunts & street festivals with the sound of music taking over the city.

summers with denki …. keep you on your toes with your adrenaline constantly pumping, there’s truly never a dull moment with him.

he’d watch a few episodes of outer banks and swear up and down there’s treasure hidden deep somewhere in japan, which results in taking trips to different parts of the city.

exploring places only you could dream of; train rides to kamakura to even booking an out of country flight with you.

at first, you’d assume it’s only for the treasure, but when he guides you through the cobbled streets of rome and to a secluded vineyard to watch the sun go down, displaying peachy hues and dreamy violet accents you knew he proved you wrong.

denki is infatuated with you. every minuscule detail of your existence lives fondly in his head. the way your pink pouty lips shimmer under lanterns and brightly coloured string of lights has his head spinning a bit.

but he keeps what’s left of his composure and neediness in check to enjoy the rest of the festival with you; feeding each other sweet traditional treats and new snacks to be tried for the first time.

once the night has calmed down and traffic has stilled, he finally finds the chance to show you his devotion. using the hand that rested inside your jean shorts pocket, he quickly spins you around to face him and plant a passionate kiss on your lips.

“i’ve been meaning to do that alllll night, babe.”



⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚ ── SHOTO TODOROKI

pottery classes, picnic dates, visits to the bookstore & stargazing in the park on top of a fuzzy blanket.

summers with shoto …. makes you appreciate the small bundles of joy that life has in store.

romantic gestures just come naturally to him. in his mind, he doesn’t think twice about getting you the pink orchids he saw in the window of a small business or working all day to make miniature sandwiches and desserts for a surprise picnic in the park.

shoto yearns to spend his days with you. he didn’t realize how much distance was put between the two of you because of the school year, and he wishes to make it up to you.

a spot he grew to love over time is a bookstore hidden deep in the nooks of japan. a safe spot for him to get away from all of the stress and havoc. a place where his peace can be found, a place where he can earnestly share his love for you.

soft whispers and gentle grazes across your fingers tips whenever he’d pass you a book for you to skim through. silently chuckling to himself once your bottom lip gets caught in between your teeth to concentrate.

shoto is a man of few words, but yet he’ll always have you swooning with the little he chooses to say: “you should read this one, it really reminded me of you.” or “this book cover is pretty…just like you.”

once the day comes to an end and the moon comes out to glisten brightly. you both venture to the park to watch the beautiful sky littered with stars. you’re in awe, pointing to a few constellations you’ve found, “the sky is so pretty tonight,” you gasp.

shoto, with his heart pounding and eyes fixated on you, fondly smiles. “yeah..so incredibly pretty.”

reblogs & feedback is extremely appreciated !! <3

[vaspider]

Any advice for someone thinking about moving to the Pacific Northwest?

That kinda depends on where you are moving to! Here are the things I've found useful to know about moving to Portland:

I moved from Philly, where people tend to be more kind than nice, and here, people are more nice than kind. What I mean by this is that people in Philly will call you a jagoff while pulling over to change your tire in the rain, while people in Portland will smile while they keep driving. (This isn't universal, but it's real.)

Oregon has no sales tax. You'll pay a bunch of different income taxes in April, though, so make sure you pay attention to your mail in the beginning of the year so you get all your local taxes done.

Locals tend not to use umbrellas much. I tend to not just bc the rain is rarely hard enough to require one. Get a good raincoat.

Portland was one of the first places in the US to be wired for home electricity. Therefore, the grid needs upgrades, and a lot of the big lines are not buried as they are in other places and are vulnerable to ice. Make sure you have good home batteries for when we have ice storms.

Ditto, the streets don't get treated for ice. Make sure you have good boots and YakTrax or similar.

Pedestrians don't fucking look before they step out into the street. If people acted in Philly like they act in PDX, they'd get hit. If you're driving in the PNW, act like every pedestrian is about to do the most foolish thing ever.

Ditto PNW drivers. I'd rather drive to EWR on a Friday at 5 pm than try to cross the Willamette at rush hour.

TriMet still has a lot of room for improvement, but it's a lot better than any other city I've lived in. Get your Hop set up when you get here so you know you have money on it and all, even if you don't ride often, just in case.

The Oregon Zoo membership has an exchange thing where every month there are different local places you get free admission to. Getting a membership is generally less expensive than going twice in a year, and also, there's a bunch of other stuff you can do with that membership.

Choose where you wanna live as the place you're gonna do pretty much everything. Portland is largely set up so you can do everything you need within your neighborhood, which is nice. Pretty much the only time that I leave my neighborhood is when I have to go to a specialist doctor or to hang out with my cousins who live in SW or go to a special event.

Portland has a lot of cool shit you can do in your neighborhood - honestly more than I've seen anyplace else I've lived. There are hiking groups and bike rides and soap box derbies and all kinds of shit. Join local FB groups, look for posters... you'll see 'em.

If you consume weed regularly & qualify for a medical card, get one. The taxes on marijuana add up a lot faster than you think.

Some of the best food in Portland is at the strip clubs. No, I'm not joking. There's a law in PDX that if you serve alcohol, you have to serve Real Food, which has led to bars and clubs competing over how good their food is.

Food cart pods are the shit. Research your local food cart pods. You'll get some of the best food you've ever eaten and can take a huge group of people with different food needs to a local food cart pod and just have everyone go to different carts and get their own shit.

Look into who owns your local weed store. There are good Black-owned stores, and one of the most popular "chains" is/was owned by some deeply shady people who essentially bribed one of our Secretaries of State. So it does matter.

Be nice to the crows. There is a huge huge huge local murder & crows tell other crows if you're an asshole or you're cool.

I'm sure there's more stuff, but that's what I can think of while I'm listening to a podcast and my wife is driving us home.

[tortillamastersblog]

♕ No Matter What - Part 2 | Lena Luthor ♕

Pairing: Lena Luthor x reader

Warnings: none

Summary: Working as Lena’s bodyguard turns out to be more boring than anticipated. Yes, there have been several attempts on her life right before you were hired, but since then… nothing.

Previous Part | Next Part | Masterlist

________________________________________________

It’s been three weeks and the only words spoken between Lena and I since I started have been anything but personal.

I get to her apartment in the morning to accompany her to the office, then sit around outside her office, sharing light conversations with Jess every now and then before following her into a high end restaurant for lunch where she meets her best friend Kara Danvers, or some business partners.

After lunch it’s back to the office until dinner, which she usually orders in.

It’s only in the late hours of the night that she finally decides to go home. I obviously accompany her all the way until she’s at her front door where she bids me a polite goodnight before shutting the door in my face.

The next day is the same, and so is the one after that. It’s like clockwork. Until it’s not.

I’m running exceptionally late today because the electricity in my apartment building shorted out in the middle of the night, effectively resetting my alarm clock and deleting the alarm I set for this morning.

In a haste I pulled on some clothes, brushed my teeth and fixed my hair, leaving no time for breakfast.

I rushed out of the door and downstairs, struggling with the lock of my bike for a second before jumping on and pedaling as though my life depended on it.

Now, fifteen minutes late, sweaty and breathing heavily, I get to Lena’s apartment building. I rush inside and shove my bike into the janitors closet, ignoring Ann’s laugh behind the reception desk.

I’m just about to call for the elevator when it dings and the doors open to reveal an annoyed looking Lena Luthor.

“You’re late,” she states, moving to brush past me, but then she notices the state I’m in. “Why do you look like that? Did you run here or something?”

I wipe a droplet of sweat off my forehead and grimace. “I biked, actually…” The unimpressed raise of an eyebrow I receive has me quickly adding, “But that’s not important. I’m so sorry for being late, Ms. Luthor. It won’t happen again.”

Lena’s eyes rake over me once more, only this time she seems more curious than scrutinizing.

“It better not,” she quips and for a moment I can’t believe that she’s actually joking.

I follow her outside and open the backdoor of the waiting car. She slips inside and I follow after her, signaling for the driver to go once we’re both buckled in.

The ride is uneventful, so is the trek from the car to her office. However when she stops in front of Jess’s desk instead of walking into her office, I almost run into her.

‘Ms. Luthor, what—?”

“Jess,” Lena says, ignoring my surprised exclaim. “Could you please grab Y/N a new shirt from the lab storage room? Something a little less sweaty?”.

Oh my God…

If I died right now I honestly wouldn’t care. Anything would be better than this.

Jess hurries off immediately, leaving Lena and I to our own devices.

I don’t dare to meet her eyes, but then she laughs softly and I look up to find her smiling at me.

It’s the first ever genuine smile she’s directing at me and it makes my stomach flip.

“Don’t be embarrassed. It just shows that you actually care about your job,” she says and it’s almost enough to assuage my embarrassment if it weren’t for my stomach growling the next second.

Please, just kill me.

Instead of making a big deal out of it, Lena just crosses her arms with an amused smile and says, “How about some breakfast?”

I’m about to decline, but then my stomach growls again and I agree with a shy nod. “Yes, please.”

We enter her office and she asks me to take a seat on the couch while she rearranges some of her meetings to accommodate for the turn of events.

“Ms. Luthor, you really don’t have to do this, I know you’re busy and—“

Lena raises her hand, effectively shutting me up. “Nonsenses. I want to do this. I want to get to know you better,” she hits return on her keyboard, presumably sending off an email to her staff entailing the details of the change of plans and gets up to join me on the couch.

I frown and bite my tongue to prevent myself from asking but why now?

She hasn’t made any effort to get to know me these last couple of weeks. What’s changed?

First the teasing earlier and now this impromptu breakfast.

“Fine,” I say, a little impatient but Lena doesn’t seem to notice, or she just doesn’t care. “What would you like to know? I feel like there’s hardly anything you don’t already know after reading my resume and the extensive background check your security team did on me.”

Lena’s eyes widen for a split second before she recomposes herself. She shifts in her seat and nervously straightens out her blouse. “Actually, I never took a look at any of that.”

My eyebrows shoot up. “What? But then who—?”

The question dies on the tip of my tongue when Lena meets my eyes with a sheepish smile. “Sam took care of everything.”

Ah, that explains why she hasn’t asked about the honorable discharge. She doesn’t know.

I don’t know if I’m supposed to feel relieved or offended. Relieved because it means I don’t have to talk about what happened, or offended because I know almost every little detail about her by now and she doesn’t even know where I worked before agreeing to this position.

For instance, I know that she’s an excellent chess player, she hates Salmon, she takes her coffee black, she doesn’t like tequila, and she’s not one to shy away from a glazed donut every now and then.

“I only really know your name,” Lena continues with a hint of regret in her voice, “which is a shame because you’ve proven yourself to be competent and discreet.”

The corner’s of my lips twitch involuntarily at that last part because I know she’s referring to the time last week I walked in on her doing a dorky victory dance when she managed to solve an equation on her whiteboard.

She’d gone pale when she realized I was there, but I just acknowledged her with a nod and set down the coffee she’d asked for before leaving the office again, not losing a word to anyone about what I’d witnessed.

“Well, alright then,” I say, the tension melting away. “Ask away.”

Lena perks up and clasps her hands together in her lap. “When’s your birthday?”

“November 12, 1990,” I reply easily. “Almost three years older than you.”

“You know my birthday?”

I shrug. “It was in Sam’s briefing on you.”

Lena looks surprised and slightly alarmed. “What else did she tell you?”

“Not much,” I admit with a small smile. “Just the basics like your birthday, where you went to school, and your favorite restaurants.”

Lena visibly relaxes and gets right back to questioning me. “Good, so what did you do before accepting this position? Sam briefly mentioned you were in the Army, but that’s about it.”

There it is. I don’t want to get into this too much, so I recite the answers I’ve been practicing ever since it occurred to me that she would want to know why I’m no longer serving. “I was, yes, but before Sam approached me about this job I was living off some savings and a the little money I made teaching self-defense classes.”

Savings… more like separation pay that followed my honorable discharge.

It’s so ironic that it’s called an honorable discharge when I feel like I was anything but that in the moment it counted the most.

“Really, that sounds interesting,” Lena says, bringing me back to reality. I’m glad she doesn’t ask any follow up questions, but then she continues and my stomach drops. “And what about siblings? A sister maybe? Or a brother? I’m sure you know all about my brother.”

She laughs self-deprecatingly, not realizing I’ve frozen in my seat.

“No. No siblings,” I croak which seems to get her attention. Her brows furrow in concern and she opens her mouth to say something, but in that moment Jess returns with a black shirt in one hand and a brown paper bag in the other.

I jump to my feet, glad about the interruption and take the shirt from Jess. “Thanks, Jess.”

“No worries,” she chimes, obviously not picking up on the vibe in the room. “Here you go, Ms. Luthor. Two French Toasts and a Pain au chocolat.”

Lena gets off the couch as well and takes the paper bag and it’s only then that I notice the sweet smell it’s emitting.

“I’m gonna go change.” I hold up the shirt for reference and don’t indulge Lena when she sends me a pitiful look. Of course she knows that something is up after the way I just reacted to her question.

I leave quickly and find a bathroom to change in. My shirt is no longer soaked in sweat, but I know it will start smelling over the course of the day, so I change into the new shirt.

It’s a bit small around my shoulders and strains around my arms but it’ll have to do. I exit the stall and splash some water on my face by the sink.

When I look up and meet my own eyes in the mirror I scoff.

Coward.

The white L-Corp logo over my chest reminds me where I am and I banish any thoughts of Noah from my mind. I grab a paper towel and wipe my face before practicing an unbothered smile in the mirror.

After a couple of tries I manage one that even convinces myself and return to Lena’s office.

She’s taken the food out of the paper bag and placed it on some napkins on the coffee table. She’s also managed to organize some coffee which is steaming in two mugs next to the food.

“So, French toast, huh?” I say lightheartedly which causes Lena’s head to snap up.

She eyes me curiously for a second (her eyes momentarily darting to where the shirt is cutting into my biceps) but when she can’t find any traces of my emotional turmoil she takes a seat on the couch and reaches for her coffee.

“Yes, it’s from my favorite breakfast place down the block. I hope you like it.” She sounds just the tiniest bit self conscious which makes me melt a little on the inside, so I take a seat next to her and pick up one of the sugary treats.

I take a bite and hum in delight. “This is great!” I take another bite before swallowing the first and groan. “Wow. I can’t remember the last time I ate something like this.”

When I look up Lena’s watching me over the rim of her mug, hiding a satisfied smile. The awkwardness and tension from ealier has vanished completely and for the first time I think I catch a glimpse of the friend Sam has described Lena to be.

She is a cutthroat business woman, yes, but it seems underneath the tough exterior she’s just like everyone else, proud when the food she got to pick is to someone’s liking.

I take another bite, and another, and another until the French toast is gone and the only traces of its previous existence are the powdered sugar on my hands and the maple syrup around my lips.

I wipe my hands on a spare napkin and take a sip of coffee before getting rid of the maple syrup with the same napkin.

Lena’s only on her second bite when I look her way, but I honestly couldn’t care less about how I just inhaled that treat. I was starving and like I said, it’s been a long time since I’ve eaten something as good as this.

“So,” Lena starts, gracefully setting down her half-eaten toast, “How’d you meet Sam?”

I laugh and sit back, trying not to eye the Pain au chocolat too obviously. “We grew up together. She was living down the block and when her mom kicked her out when she got pregnant we took her in.”

Lena’s eyes widen. “Really? She never told me about that.“ She ponders over the new information for a moment while my eyes dart back and forth between her and the Pain au chocolat. “So that’s why she’s so protective of you.”

I don’t know what exactly she referring to, but I know what she’s talking about. Sam’s always been like that, defending me whenever she deemed it necessary while I’ve always been there for her and Ruby.

“I guess,” I say with a chuckle. “She’s like a sister to me.”

Lena smiles at that, her eyes twinkling with something I can’t quite place as she leans forward to pick up her toast again. “I can see that,” she says, taking a bite. When my eyes drop to the Pain au chocolat once again she notices and smirks.

“Go ahead,” she mumbles around her mouthful of food, gesturing at the pastry with a jut of her chin. “Take it.”

I beam and reach for it, ready to devour it in a few large bites, but then I think better of it. I pick it up and rip it in half as best as I can, taking one half while putting the other back on the napkin and sliding it in front of Lena.

“There, now it’s fair.”

Lena’s eyes widen slightly and she swallows thickly before taking a big sip of coffee to hide tinge of red that’s made its way to her cheeks.

Maybe this year won’t be so bad after all.

________________________________________________

Welp. This story is shaping up to be longer than anticipated…

[ashwhowrites]

From the prompt list for fluff can I request 21 and 22?

Did you just call me sweetheart?”

“I can keep you company till you fall asleep”

Of course! I hope this is what you wanted and you enjoy it. Thank you for requesting <3

Bedtime Angel

Eddie didn't like to admit to anyone he struggled to sleep after the events he faced in the upside down. His body was covered in scars, along with his brain. He couldn't sleep in the dark, he felt embarrassed when he bought a night light. The cashier eyed him weirdly as she scanned the small dinosaur light.

But that small light brought him so much relief. He had it right next to his bed, the bright white light lit up his room. He removed the doors in his closet, he needed to see exactly what was on the inside. He kept all corners of his room clean, he made sure nothing was able to hide in his room.

Wayne wasn't sure where his nephew disappeared too, but he understood he went through some type of trauma. Wayne supplied more night lights throughout their new trailer. He kept the bathroom light on always, he didn't care how expensive the electricity bill was. He'd do anything to make Eddie feel safe again.

After the events, Eddie found himself needing one person only. Y/N, someone he had no idea existed until the gang brought her as a backup in the upside down. She was gorgeous and fearless. She was supposed to bike with Dustin back to the trailer for safety, but once Eddie went down she froze. She screamed at Dustin to get the group while she raced back to Eddie.

Eddie was prepared to die, and he accepted that. He didn't have anything to live for. And dying a hero sounded comforting enough to let go. As he bled out, and scrunched his eyes shut he felt hands on his body. Someone cradled his head as a piece of fabric was pushed against his cuts. The bats left, it was just him and her.

"Go." He mumbled, his eyes peered up. Her worried eyes were focused on keeping him alive.

"Shh, it's okay. Dustin is getting help. I'm not leaving you. I'm Y/N." She said she wanted to get his mind off the pain, she knew introducing herself sounded dumb but she didn't want to be a stranger to him. She wasn't sure if he'd survive and she wanted him to die with a friend.

Eddie remembered her voice trialing in and out as he tried to stay awake. She talked about herself, her likes and dislikes. In a way, it was comforting for Eddie. He felt like he was meeting someone and getting to know them. He didn't feel like he was lying on the ground, seconds away from death. In a way, he felt alive.

"It was nice to meet you Y/N." He said, her smile faded as the blackness took over his vision.

~~~

Ever since then, he called her all the time. She was his angel. He truly felt like she saved him that night. Even though the events happened two months ago, she answered every time. She came over and talked to him throughout the day. They gained a friendship, and along the way, he felt a crush forming on her.

She always left at bedtime, believing all this time Eddie was getting the rest he needed. No idea he tossed and turned, his eyes afraid to close.

But too many restless nights showed. His face was pale, and his eyes were sunken in. Big purple bags underneath his red eyes.

"Eddie, have you been sleeping?" She asked, dropping her coat on the floor as she walked back over to him. She was prepared to leave, at the same time as always. But she couldn't help but feel like Eddie needed her.

"No." He said honestly, too exhausted to lie.

"Are you scared?" She asked. She wasn't teasing or mocking him. Her voice was soft and worried. She generally was asking and Eddie felt like a little kid with their mom. What a way to impress a girl he liked.

She could sense Eddie didn't want to answer. His embarrassed face and eyes faced down to his bed.

"Oh, sweetheart!" She cooed, she crawled into the bed, sitting up against his headboard. She patted her lap, and he silently followed her direction. He moved his body to rest against her, his head on her lap as she ran her fingers through his hair.

“I can keep you company till you fall asleep," she said, Eddie was too tired to answer. He allowed his body to melt into his bed. His brain shut off as her hands rubbed his head. Her nails scratched through his curls in the most calming way he'd ever felt.

"Did you just call me sweetheart?” he mumbled, a tired yawn leaving his lips.

"Yes." She said, and she had no shame about it.

His stomach fluttered and a tiny smile stretched across his lips.

For once, he wasn't afraid to go to sleep.

The bright dinosaur nightlight shined throughout his room. He was surrounded by light and his angel.

Tags!

@bmunson86 @mxcheese @ladymunson @michaelfuckinglangdon @z0mbie-blah @biittersweet @mirrorsstuff @somethingvicked @micheledawn1975 @ago-godance @magnificantmermaid @tlclick73 @hargrovesswifee @cityofidek @manyfandomsfanvergentreblogs @silky-luxe @lokiofasgard616 @loving-and-dreaming @eddiemunsonsbitch69 @thegemaqua @ashlynnkennedy @strangerthingsstories5255 @harringt8ns @pleasinghellfire @whoscamila @stusdollface93 @gretavankleep37

[willbyersabyss]

Will flickered the garage lights. Not a new statement I know, but he did... unintentionally. This is an expansion of my theory that Will changed time by travelling into the Wheeler house DND memory. When Will travelled into that memory, it not only altered the Upside Down and time there, but also messed with the electricity at the Wheeler house.

So we all know the DND game very obviously foreshadows Will's encounter with the demogorgon, ending with Will('s dice) going missing. Well what if the rest of that scene at the Wheeler house foreshadows events that follow directly after Will's disappearance?

Right after Will loses the dice, Karen tells the boys that they need to go home. Will losing the dice represents the moment he gets lost. Karen's line alludes to them losing track of time. So time may have been altered moments after Will disappeared.

Karen says that they can finish their game at another time. Mike says they can't because it will ruin the flow. The flow of time? This suggests that their DND game had a hand in altering the flow of time, perhaps in the Upside Down, so picking another date wouldn't be right. The time needs to be November 6th!

Ted is already up and messing with the TV that's having technical issues. Whatever caused the power to flicker already happened by the time Mike got upstairs. So it started during their DND game. Interesting.

We've already seen Will's relationship with the Upside Down mess with cameras and TVs. The camera originally filmed at 8:04 PM but when Joyce watched it on the TV, it says 8:15 PM. Once Will got transferred into the Upside Down during his vision, the camera started glitching. The Upside Down interfered with time here!

So the Wheeler's TV started glitching because Will was in the Upside Down, just like it did to the Halloween footage. Will is causing these glitches somehow.

Then Will leaves and the lights flicker, but only in the garage. The bedroom light upstairs and the front porch light stayed the same. If this was just a power outage because of lab shenanigans, the entire house would have flickered. We know lights flicker when someone in the UD walks under them, so this must be what's happening. Someone is on the other side. Vecna or... Will!

The lights flicker the second Will bikes out of the garage. This indicates that Will leaving Mike's garage is causing the flickering. Maybe he was leaving on the other side because he went back in time to this memory.

Mike is the one to turn the lights off after they flicker. Is this hinting at Mike being the one to solve the UD's time problem?

So why was Will leaving the Wheeler house so soon after altering the UD to look like that memory? He was being chased. This is the scene that we see after Will leaves. Dustin chases after Will and yells that he's going to kill him... interesting choice of words for sure! This represents Vecna going after Will on the other side.

What Dustin says here may even indicate why Vecna wants to take Will in the first place. "Race you back to my place" might hint that Vecna wanted Will to create the Creel house in the UD, so he chased him there until it formed. Will broke the barrier of the Wheeler house memory.

And then Will claims Dustin's X-Men 134 comic. This comic has a lot of information that clearly links to the lore of the show, most of which relates to El, but this section caught my eye. Mastermind, who I think represents Vecna, made Jean Grey believe she was time travelling, but it was all an illusion. So time travel is literally being brought up and correlated with Will right off the bat!

Here's the thing... Max didn't actually travel into a memory. We see El travel into multiple memories and she sees other people there. Max's skatepark memory and Billy's beach memory both still have people. So why does Max's Snow Ball "memory" have no people? The people she was with were the reason why that memory was happy, so shouldn't they be there?

Nope! You know what other place resembles Hawkins but notably has zero people? The Upside Down. Hm! So the UD is a memory of some sort, but not really the memory. It's an illusion of the memory. Maybe the big difference between El's true memory travel compared to Max's illusion is that what Max did can actually alter the UD and technology in the real world. I already have a post discussing this topic here!

Will did this too. That's why the Wheeler house is stuck on the day he went missing. It's his memory that was replicated there. When Will did this after being kidnapped, it messed with the electricity in the real world when the memory takes place. So the TV goes out along with the garage lights. Will was there, but in a memory!

[usmanmushtaq12]

The Power Behind the Pedals: Exploring Electric Bike Motors

Electric bikes, also known as e-bikes, have taken the world of cycling by storm, offering a thrilling and eco-friendly alternative to traditional bicycles. One of the key components that make these bikes so popular is the electric bike motor. In this blog, we will delve into the fascinating world of electric bike motors, exploring how they work, the different types available, and the advantages they bring to riders.

How Electric Bike Motors Work

Electric bike motors, also referred to as e-bike motors or electric bicycle motors, are responsible for providing assistance to riders. They are designed to work in harmony with the pedal power of the cyclist, making the overall riding experience more enjoyable and accessible. Here's how they work:

Power Source: E-bike motors are powered by rechargeable batteries, typically lithium-ion. These batteries store electrical energy that is used to assist the rider when needed.

Sensors: E-bike motors are equipped with sensors that monitor various factors like speed, cadence (pedal rotation), and torque (force applied to the pedals).

Controller: A controller interprets the data from the sensors and determines how much assistance the motor should provide. It calculates the required power and sends it to the motor.

Motor: The motor, often located in the hub of the wheel (either in the front or rear), or the bottom bracket, provides the necessary propulsion by turning the wheels or cranks. There are different types of motors, which we will explore in the next section.

Types of Electric Bike Motors

E-bike motors come in various forms, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. The three most common types are:

Hub Motors: Hub motors are located in the wheel hubs (either front or rear) and provide direct propulsion to the wheels. They are known for their simplicity and ease of maintenance. However, they can be less efficient on hilly terrain.

Mid-Drive Motors: These motors are located near the bike's bottom bracket, which is where the pedals are attached. Mid-drive motors utilize the bike's gears for more efficient power delivery, making them great for climbing hills and off-road riding.

Crank Motors: Crank motors are similar to mid-drive motors but are integrated into the crankset itself. This design offers a balanced and efficient power transfer while keeping the weight low and centered on the bike.

Advantages of Electric Bike Motors

Electric bike motors offer several advantages for cyclists, including:

Assistance: E-bike motors provide assistance, making cycling more accessible to people of different fitness levels and abilities. Riders can choose how much assistance they need, allowing for a customizable riding experience.

Extended Range: E-bike motors can extend your riding range by reducing the effort required to pedal. This is particularly useful for commuters and those looking to explore longer routes.

Eco-Friendly: E-bikes are a greener alternative to cars and motorcycles. They produce zero emissions and help reduce air pollution and traffic congestion.

Health Benefits: Even with assistance from the motor, riding an e-bike still requires pedaling, which can promote physical activity and improve overall health.

Conclusion

Electric bike motors are the heart and soul of e-bikes, making them a practical and enjoyable mode of transportation. Whether you're looking to commute to work, explore new trails, or simply enjoy leisurely rides, electric bike motors can enhance your experience. Their efficient and eco-friendly design, combined with the power of human effort, offers a promising future for cycling enthusiasts everywhere. So, if you haven't already, consider hopping on an e-bike and experience the joy of riding with a little extra assistance from these amazing electric bike motors.

[hoperays-song]

Buster Moon's Total Sing 1 Crime Counter

In a recent rewatch of the Sing movies, I decided to keep a running tab on the amount of crimes that Buster could hypothetically be charged with. And there were... a lot. This list is a lowball estimate in a lot of the numbers provided and I will say that I am not a lawyer, I just looked this all up. So is this perfectly legally sound? No, but then again, neither are these movies. So... have fun!

-----

Failure of payment for employees/Breach of Contract (x4)

At the start of the film, we see that Buster has not paid the stage crew of his latest show by giving them paychecks that bounced and not providing them with compensation after finding this out. We only see four of them, but for all we know, there could be more crew that were out of frame.

Traffic violations (x6)

Okay look, that biking through town scene was cute but bikes are supposed to obey traffic laws and ummm... Buster did not. Man went straight through intersections like he was playing real life Frogger. There were probably more than six to be honest but that's at least the ones we saw.

Loitering 

Now this is grey area, but Buster could, hypothetically, be fined for loitering on private property (ie. in the restaurant) since he was never planning on actually purchasing anything from the business. It would be a hard case, but it, technically, has happened before.

Hiring discrimination 

While I love Johnny, the only reason Buster did not hire Daniel the giraffe for the talent show was because he refused to make accommodations for the boy's height, which could be discrimination based on either a disability or genetic information. I'm not entirely sure which one Daniel's height would classify as in universe which is why I listed both.

Breach of Contract/Fraud (x7)

Due to the prize money being stated in writing and the talent show cast being hired under the understanding that they would have a potential of getting that compensation/it was available to them, it is illegal that he did continue to lie about that when he had no means or real intention to provide it (I know he tries to get the money, but when he hired them, he had no intention of paying any of them $100,000).

Energy Diversion

Stealing electricity from your neighbors is, unsurprisingly, a crime.

Aiding and Abetting the Delinquency of a Minor

This is only due to Meena was technically an accomplice to the energy diversion since Buster got her to help so, technically it could be argued that its aiding and abetting and she does seem to be implied to still be a kid.

Unsafe Working Conditions (x8)

That theatre is falling apart at the seams and the fact someone got hospitalized as a result only goes to further prove the conditions being unsafe. I really need to read up on OSHA because that theatre is probably breaking all the codes.

Negligence

So Pete (everyone remembers him right?) gets absolutely slammed in the face with a sand bag due to a series of events caused by Buster and ends up in hospital. Not only could he be sued for damages, he could get charged with negligence as well for that.

Trespassing (x2)

When building the water stage for the theatre we see Buster on both Les Calmars's (the restaurant's) private property and on another building's roof to access the water tower. Both are trespassing.

Water Theft

This should shock no one but stealing water from a water tower is illegal.

Vandalism

Plastering the ads for the squids on the front of Les Calmars is vandalism technically so that's fun.

Aiding and Abetting the Delinquency of a Minor (x4)

Buster did drag Meena into helping him with all of this meaning, yes, she has now committed five crimes due to him.

Unsafe Working Conditions (x108)

So I am not gonna count all of those squids. I'm not sure the number is even consistent to be completely honest with you. So we're going just go with it being 100 and move on to the fact that water stage was in no way up to code and created really unsafe environments for all his employees.

Negligence (x108)

His employees were not only trapped in a flooded building due to him but were also in a hostage situation. There is no way everyone walked away scratch free so this is here just as a catch all.

Endangerment of a Minor (x2)

Now, I am solely basing this off headcanon but if not just put these as two more tallies in the endangerment category, but Johnny and Meena seem to be around 16-17 years old in this movie. And, you know, he got them trapped in a flooding and collapsing building.

Endangerment (x112)

This is for everyone else, squids included, he got trapped in a flooding and collapsing building.

Public Nudity

The man changes into a speedo on the side of the road. Might be out of frame but still counts.

Public Menace

Look, this is legally described as "using threats or conduct to put someone else in fear of imminent danger"... and I don't know about y'all but the whole watch party felt in fear of imminent danger watching that bloody car wash scene okay?! They are cleaning the cars with their bodies. That's weird.

Trespassing

The destroyed theatre was property of the bank when they went back to it y'all, that is textbook trespassing. Like Judith even points it out later.

Vandalism

And while cleaning up the debris and making the stage was cool and all, not his stuff anymore so it could be charged as vandalism. It might be a hard case due to them technically cleaning up but still could be charged as vandalism. And even if it isn't, the destruction of the property definitely would be. So pick which one you want to count this as.

Loitering 

Remaining on bank property despite knowing he was not allowed to be there is not allowed in a court of law apparently.

Aiding and Abetting the Delinquency of a Minor (x4)

He did encourage both Johnny and Meena to help rebuild the stage, so at the least they would be loitering and trespassing.

Aiding and Abetting (x5)

And this is for the rest of the troupe + Mike which he encouraged to help as well.

Failure to Comply

Another grey area one, but since he was given a verbal warning (that likely had legal backing to it), Buster could technically be hypothetically charged with a Failure to Comply with a court order to stay off the property/leave the property when Judith told him too.

Aiding and Abetting the Delinquency of a Minor (x2)

And the encouraging Meena and Johnny to stay at the show and not just leave (you could argue that was Ash but they are kids and he is their boss so he technically is in charge of them right now).

Aiding and Abetting (x88)

This is a combo one of Aiding and Abetting the adults of the troupe to stay and encouraging the crowd to trespass! He's the host, he is technically the ring leader here, he would get in trouble for it. Also, I'm not counting everyone + there are too many different heights that that count would likely not be accurate so let's just go with 88 and move on.

Final Crime Count for Sing 1: 365 individual crimes!

Buster... why? Just why? One for every day of the year. You did not need to do that.

[sweetheartsaku]

༄ MISSION: OUR SUMMER― looking out for you

𝜗𝜚 ―H.KAI 【휴닝카이】 VERSION || NIGHT EDITION.

HE SWORE HIS HEART BEATS TRIPLE WHEN HE SEES YOU. hyuka was seated on his thick blanket he had cleanly prepared, turning to his bedside table to check the time. 9:53am. his eyes trailed to the side, towards a photograph of you and kai as kids at a park, doing peace signs and smiling as bright as the sun.

he tenderly smiles at the sight of the pair, an inseparable duo since kindergarten. like two peas in a pod.

his chocolate eyes draw over back to his bed and his crisp sheets. he looks up, his attention lingering to the guitars on the wall. 2 acoustic, one electric.

the beige body of the first acoustic was decorated in colourful, dried stickers and the neck sprinkled in star stickers representing the simple notes. it had built up some wear and tear because it was his childhood guitar that was always a little too big for him. 6-year-old hyuka loved to perform little concerts for you and his siblings.

he had received his second acoustic on his 13th birthday, and immediately fell in love with it. the body had significantly less stickers than the last, a new edition of a scratched up with a silver tuner clipped to the top. 13-year-old hyuka thought he was the coolest boy in town. he had written so many songs about you unconsciously on it, holding this guitar close to his heart

the latest guitar was the cleanest, an electric guitar that you had bought him a couple years before. it was a sleek mint, your attempt to find a cute colour yet one he'd love. he treasured all his instruments, but especially this one... had sentimental value.

snapping from his dash of nostalgia, his nintendo switch chirps. he quickly glances at his keyboard and other trinkets in his room, before taking his switch out of the station with a click. it was daintily decorated, with a small lyric in the corner; "you got a smile that could light up the whole planet!" from tyler the creator's 'SWEET / I THOUGHT YOU WANTED TO DANCE'.

his switch trills as he turns it on, scrolling through his recently played games and landing on animal crossing new horizons. he logs on, noticing you're online and working on your island. he remembers the last time he had come over; you both had been villager hunting.

something in his head suddenly clicks, and he remembers he had left his childhood cd over at your home. he abruptly gets up, obliviously forgetting to change his clothes (it's not like it matters).

kai forgetting items at your house was a common occurrence and was an innocent excuse to spend time with you. his hoodie in the winter, scarf in fall, and hat in spring.

he hops on his bike, taking a short trip to your home. the warm summer wind bites his cheek and grazes his actively moving shins. he feels the occasional breeze press against his loose, white t-shirt and grey shorts.

hyuka finally arrives at your house, no hesitation in gently knocking on your door. your gaze meets his as you slowly open the door, surprised at his unannounced visit despite this being a quite typical and natural event. you instantly smile.

"HYUKA!!" you exclaim, pulling him into an embrace and gesturing him into your home. he quickly accepts your hug, slightly damp from the summer heat. he finds his natural spot on the right corner of your low-set bed, taking in the comforting and nostalgic fragrance of your room. posters everywhere, stringed with fairy lights, and photos of you and your friends in every corner.

there's a mini music player in the corner, playing songs off your shared playlist with kai. which is where he got the lyric on his nintendo station from, the words written on the cd that he was here to collect, and caption of your instagram biography.

you take a seat right next to him, still curious on what brings him here this time. "here to pick up the cd you left?"

"mhm!" he chimes.

you find yourself lost through time in the endless pillow talk, his words simply igniting one after another. in your own little world, that only you two shared. you both had an enchanting, entrancing mind that people struggle to even imagine.

the mini music player clears up the magical fog in both you and hyuka's ears, making one lyric clear.

"if i compared you, the sun is a stand in."

you were like his comfort zone. a comfortable presence,

a hand to hold.

TAGLIST: @hyukassubi @lun4kazumii

[goldnhourwrites]

HEARTSTEEL COLLEGE AU HEADCANONS

This phrase seized me yesterday and I have not been able to stop thinking about it. Who knows, maybe I'll write a fic :)

inspired by my experiences as a college student in the US!

Yone

Pre-med student with a minor in psychology

Does peer tutoring and notetaking for his biology classes

always doing work. being a pre-med student is so much Work All The Time. this is why Yone is always seen with coffee and dark circles under his eyes.

He manages fairly well for someone with so much on his plate - he keeps an impressively functional sleep schedule (goes to bed at 10pm every night, wakes up at 8am every morning)

Is an RA (resident advisor) for his dorm floor and tries to be a good resource for freshmen

Bikes everywhere, enjoys taking walks/getting outdoors for a break from studying

Likes to make and listen to music in his free time (which is not a lot)

Sett

Majoring in athletic training to be a sports coach

Student athlete on the wrestling team - spends a lot of time training and traveling to meets off-campus, so he's not around much until the off-season

Hangs out with the boxing club when he's not doing wrestling

Part of an all-men a capella group and enjoys singing/rapping

Joined a fraternity in his sophomore year because most of the wrestling team was on it and enjoys chilling with his friends in it

Casually bakes things in his free time and brings them to the wrestling team/his classmates/office hours/his frat brothers

K'Sante

Anthropology major, education minor - interested in becoming a teacher/professor and enjoys working with kids

Also a student athlete, on the powerlifting team

Part of a hip-hop dance group on campus and likes to choreograph

Involved in campus queer life and helps organize/run events

Takes voice lessons - used to play trumpet, but didn't have time for both in his schedule

Also part of a fraternity, enjoys the sense of community it offers and plays an active part in organizing/managing their social events

Seems like he's constantly busy, but always makes time for his friends and enjoys the feeling of being on-the-go

Ezreal

History major with a minor in classics (studies Latin/ancient Greek literature and languages)

Acts with a theater club in his spare time - loves musical theater and plays, especially Shakespeare

Hung out in the history/special collections section of the library so much he got a student job there

Loves wandering around campus to find cool, obscure places that he's probably not supposed to be in

Joined a debate team in his freshman year (Kayn was on it) (they hated each other)

Big on going to parties but can't handle alcohol so instead of getting drunk he goes back to his dorm and falls asleep at like 11pm

Aphelios

Computer science major with a minor in graphic design

Does digital art and traditional art; enjoys taking studio art classes when his schedule isn't full

Occasionally does game design and similar coding projects

In the orchestra and plays the violin!

Enjoys physically making things every once in a while - jewelry, paintings, etc. and often doodles in a sketchbook absentmindedly

Sometimes publishes his art and poetry in a student magazine under a pseudonym

Kayn

Political science or government major with a minor in studio art

Spends a lot of time in the woodworking/metalworking studios, partially for art classes and partially because he just likes hands-on projects

Plays electric guitar and was part of a student band for a while (the one he got kicked out of)

Likes parkour and rock climbing, regularly shows off his ability to climb up things that he definitely should not be climbing on

Member of a fraternity (but it's the kind that throws a bunch of parties and probably has illegal drugs)

Goes out to party every weekend and doesn't wake up until 1pm the next day

Skateboards everywhere and knows a bunch of cool tricks

Alune

Film production major with a minor in biology

Part of a fashion design club and does photoshoots for/with them

Does a capella and loves performing! Does musical theater every once in a while

Active in political causes on campus

Works as a barista in one of the campus cafés

Likes to roller skate around

i have a couple combined/group headcanons that i'll post tomorrow if i have time :3 this AU has grabbed me and is currently shaking me by the shoulders and won't let go

[emeraldhaven]

Celebrating You and Only You

V hated birthdays.

Another tick of the clock towards inevitability, a step towards the end of a life she loved so very much. She didn't hate them purely because of this of course - she also didn't like the expectations that came on a day like today. Gifts, parties, celebrations of her life which, in the grand scheme of things, wasn't all that important. She'd much rather head out on her bike, drive by some Tyger Claws or Maelstrom and fry their brains to a crisp using her cyberdeck than have to accept gifts from her friends that, bless their souls, would be trying to make this year a "year to remember".

"Jesus V - could you be any more depressin'? Cheer up, live a little!" Johnny whined, appearing on the sidewalk beside V. He was looking wistfully over the Watson community centre, leaning on the handrail exactly the same as she was.

"C'mon Johnny, you've been trawling through my memories, you know why I don't like today." V said, looking over to see whatever Johnny was also looking at. She didn't really see anything other than a few people drunk or high stumbling along the sidewalk. She breathed in deeply, held it and closed her eyes, the stale Night City air burning her lungs, then dropping her shoulders and breathing out slowly, her hand gripping tightly onto the railing.

Johnny shook his head and scoffed, pushing off of the railing and crossing his arms.

"Hey, I'm not sayin' you need to like today, just at least visit the people who care about you most. Quit bein' a little shit and make people feel like you appreciate their efforts."

V sighed. She really didn't want to go and see anybody today, but maybe Johnny was right - maybe she ought to go see some of her friends? Taking out her phone, she opened up the contacts menu and scrolled down, tapping on So Mi.

The phone rang, and rang, and rang, and rang.

"Huh. Why isn't So Mi picking up?" V wondered. It's quite unlike her little Songbird to not pick up the phone when she called, given everything that happened between the two. Granted, she'd just come back from her little trip up to Tycho, and any kind of operation is going to be taxing on somebody - maybe she wasn't feeling up to chatting?

V tried to contact her other friends: Kerry went straight to voicemail; Judy was on do-not-disturb; Panam was "out of cell range" - whatever that meant; River was "at work". Tapping her phone against her chin, V hummed out loud some familiar tune that was stuck in her head whilst she thought why every single person she could possibly want to hang out with was suddenly completely unavailable.

She hears a ping from her cellphone - it's a photo from So Mi and it's of the front door to her apartment. The caption reads:

"Come home."

V's heartrate shoots up - what does she mean, come home? Songbird has no idea where her apartment is, she'd never gone there during the whole Dogtown event, instead staying at the various safehouses that Reed and Alex had set up. It was a worrying thing for So Mi to know both where she lived and that she was there - it wasn't a particularly safe megabuilding.

Hopping on her Kusanagi, she turned the key and kicked off the pavement, pulling the throttle hard and speeding off to her home. After some incredibly reckless driving (Judy calls it "literally asking for trouble"), she arrives in quite possibly the shortest amount of time it's ever taken for her to drive across Night City. V practically jumps up the entire flight of stairs in front of her block, somehow leaping up 4 stairs at a time to reach the elevator, barely even registering the small red-electrical glitch on the TV screens, and once it arrives at the top sprints towards her apartment door and opens it.

The first thing V notices is that it's too quiet. Taking a quick scan around her apartment with her eyes, she can't see anyone and even her Kiroshi's aren't registering anything out of the ordinary. It takes one, two, three steps into her home before anything happens. A red glitch takes over her vision; quite similar to how the Relic would give her trouble, but she feels completely fine; until it all starts to clear and…

"SURPRISE!!" A loud cacophony of voices and cheers and party horns and poppers go off, showering her in a sea of noise, warmth and a shocking amount of confetti. V blinks away the odd bit of static to see all of her friends standing before her: Panam, Mitch, Judy, Rita, River, Kerry, Misty, Reed, Alex, Jackie, Viktor, Takemura and right in the middle as though she was illuminated by the stars themselves, So Mi holding a cake with the cutest little artistic (and quite edible) depiction of V at work, Mantis Blades in hand.

"Guys, you didn't have to do all this!" V exclaimed, shocked that they could have even set up something as elaborate as this without her really knowing.

"V, choom, we wouldn't have had it any other way." Jackie said softly, walking over and placing a hand around her shoulders. "Now kick back, relax and grab a cold one - it's time for celebrating you, and only you, today. None of this back and forth shit."

V looked up at Jackie and back towards her friends, her eyes starting to well up from all the emotions. She started to see all the little details - the cake, the small pieces of ribbon around the apartment, the bunting celebrating her 24th birthday, and all her friends dressed up and here for her. It wasn't something she was used to, but it was definitely something she could grow to enjoy.

As the party started, Jackie left V to go talk to Viktor and Takemura about some boxing thing that V didn't really know a whole lot about. She walked over and sat down next to So Mi, dressed in an immaculate jacket and jean combo that was quite similar to what her Relic-form had actually looked like. She was stunning, truly a beautiful woman in her own right, but since she got back from Luna she had this sparkle in her eyes that made V's heart flutter.

"Hey V - didn't see this one coming did you?" Songbird smirked, her soft lips accented in a beautifully red lipstick. V felt almost unable to take her eyes off of them, flicking down between her two newest vices: Songbird's eyes and lips.

"Uh, um, n-no no I didn't actually. How long have you known?" V stuttered.

"Ha! Well, it was a combination of everyone really. I got back from Tycho and, well, I got contacted by Panam - something about you not really having a lot of time celebrating your birthday in the past?" So Mi took a sip from her drink, lips wrapped around the straw in her cup.

"Ah I shouldn't have gotten drunk and chatted life with Panam - didn't realise that I'd have left something like that slip." V chuckled. "What was your little part to play in all this, Song?"

"The whole fact you couldn't see anything - hooked into the Relic and altered your visualware for the whole effect. Might have spruced other things up, as well, but y'know that's just for personal fun." Song couldn't have looked any more smug, nor more beautiful given that it seemed like, to V at least, that she was literally glowing.

"You're beautiful." V muttered, completely unaware that she'd said that out loud.

Songbird blushed a deep red. "Thanks V, that means a lot coming from you." She started to play with the top of the typical red cup she was holding.

V's eyes widened and her own scarlet blush creeped across her face, the tips of her eyes going ever so slightly pink. Taking a swig of her drink, she placed her hand on top of So Mi's, their pinkies ever so slightly hooking onto the other's.

"No, thank you Song - for all of this. I really, really appreciate you being here, and I'd want nothing else." V smiled softly at So Mi, flicking down to her lips again. She suddenly got quite aware of how close they were actually sitting on the couch.

"V… I-"

"Hey V! Come check out this sweet new gear that Judy's got!" Panam called over, rushing to grab V's arm and pull her away from Songbird. V looked back guiltily at Song, mouthing out "I'm sorry, talk later!" towards the redhead who smiled back and nodded in return.

The party would continue into the late night, and one-by-one people said their farewells and see-you-laters until everyone had left except for Jackie and Songbird.

"Alright V, I'd best be off - got a cute date with Misty in the morning, and I don't wanna miss it." Jackie said, slapping his legs and standing up. V walked him over to the door and hugged him.

"Thanks Jack - I had a preem time today." V said, choking on the last few words and giving Jackie another hug before he left.

"And then there were two." Songbird chuckled, lounging back on the couch, heels off and feet up on the couch, arms outstretched over the couch's spine.

"Well it was one at some point right, back when you were just a cute ghost in my head?" V chuckled, the room slightly swaying. V stumbles over and flops down onto the couch, falling right into the space between So Mi's side and her outstretched arm. V's back is suddenly warm, the machinery within So Mi's body heating up as the alcohol within their systems work independently, but seemingly together.

So Mi wraps her arm around V's chest, slowly stroking her abdomen, fingers raising and dropping at the curves of her abs. "Mmm - only a cute ghost? I seem to remember a certain someone thinking quite a lot about other things that involve the 'cute ghost in her head'." So Mi giggled, squeezing softly.

"Would be a gonk ass move to think too much nowadays though; pretty sure I was getting quite visceral feedback myself." V looked up at So Mi, gazing back into those captivating eyes. "Couldn't help it, Song, you had me when you invited back to that bench."

So Mi hummed, a multitude of thoughts, feelings and pure emotions coursing through her head. As her heartbeat ramped up, the whirring in the motors in her spine lowly increased, and V noticed.

"Not gettin' too mushy on me, are ya' Song?" V giggled back, placing her own hand on Songbird's, the dark glow of both her apartment and Night City from her window illuminating the two.

Songbird shook her head and then slowly, softly and with the most care anyone has ever given to V, leant down and kissed the top of her head. Burying her nose in the plushness of V's soft, delicate stained-red hair, she exhaled in complete comfort.

"No V, I'm just as mushy and as happy as I want to be right here, right now, with you. Spending as much time as I can while we still have it to spend in whatever ways we want. Happy birthday, V." Songbird murmured, closing her eyes.

Taking a minute, V calmed her screaming heart and said quietly: "It's, um, it's Valerie. My real name is Valerie."

"Then happy birthday Valerie - you deserve it." Songbird affirmed.

V hummed happily, sleepily planting an ever softer kiss on So Mi's hand, entwining their fingers and drifting off, her eyelids fluttering closed as the comforting embrace of Songbird enveloped her in her wings.

Maybe V didn't hate birthdays after all.