#Happy new year its 2025 here already :3

[555bunnies]

Happy New Year !!! 💛

[mercurycft]

‘𝐓𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 (𝟏) - 𝐋.𝐖

## reader x leah williamson (childhood friend) !!

happy new year pookies!!! i hope you all had a lovely festive season whatever you celebrate, and if you don’t i hope u had a lovely nice break away from school, work or life for a few weeks! hoping 2025 brings lots of health, happiness and love to us and our loved ones!! did i listen to 'you could be happy' by snow patrol this entire time? yes. bit of a long one! buckle up! enjoy this, love always — RGx

this IS a christmas themed fic! <3

pure fluffy flirting, unfinished business hints, angst, rough family-dynamic and parent / child relationship, hinting at past experiences with leah & r, childhood memories.

4.3k words.

PART 1 - christmas eve.

"you promised you would be here for christmas this year!" you shout down the phone, fingers clenched so tightly around the device your knuckles begin turning white.

"y/n, don't act like a brat. your father and i work very hard and you know how important our work is to us!"

"i know that mum, but you promised!"

"well there's nothing that can be done now! it's too late!"

"its only an hours drive mum!"

"well it's not happening y/n! and that is final!"

"so you would rather stay in london and work, rather than spend christmas with your daughter? her first christmas back in the country?"

"don't turn this into a big thing, it's simply how life works sometimes."

"whatever. merry fucking christmas."

"don't you dar-"

you don't hear the end of the sentence before the phone call is ended and your phone is laid screen down on the table in front of you. you pace beside the dining table and your eyes meet the piles of presents you had laid out for them, all labelled and wrapped with love. you feel a bitterness that you know all too well course through your stomach and rise through into your throat with an acidic burn.

it riles you up until you're rushing towards the front door, angrily zipping your coat up and shoving your keys into your pocket. you slam it behind you and begin out into the rain, feet stomping with no real purpose but to blow off steam. the rain is aggressive paired with the harsh winter wind, but you're too focused on the millions of thoughts racing through your mind.

memories of christmas past hit you deep in your chest, stinging and stabbing like a vicious blade. the teenage years you spent begging for your parents to be there, to want to spend time with you. the smaller, more confused version of you that would stay awake on christmas eve but not to hear for santa, instead to hear for their keys jingling through the house.

it only fuels the fire behind your eyes and the pain in your veins. so you walk, and keep walking.

you don't, or can't, catch your breath the entire time. allowing the heavy rain to beat against your skin as you keep walking. you pass the familiar streets and houses, all decked out with festive lights and decorations of joy, but you don't stop. keeping your eyes on the concrete, your vision still blurred by tears. the cold is harsh against the skin of your face and hands, so harsh it's almost oppressive. beneath your coat, your outfit is impractical for the weather, but you don't care.

you fight against the rain as you haul through the town, head tucked down and determined to push through it - which has only gotten heavier and is now beating against your skin like bullets and seeping through the fabric of your coat and onto clothes.

the hours leading up to this blur into a pile of madness in your mind, and you don't realise where your body has carried you until you're standing outside her door. bell already pressed and chest heaving to recover from the brisk pace you managed to keep up through the storm. the roof of the porch providing you with a much-needed break from the rain. it feels familiar, the same as it did all those years ago.

you stand still, clenching your jaw and fists in an attempt to still the chattering of your teeth and the shaking of your limbs as the cold finally catches up to you.

a shadow approaches after a few moments, and you hear the muffled laughter as they move towards the door. the door swings open after a second, and she's not there. instead, her mum stands on the other side of the threshold. a santa hat sat perfectly on her head, you can see the warmth in her cheeks from her familiar smile - though it falters when she meets your eye. her previous look is replaced with one of concern, her brows furrowing and eyes widening as she takes you in.

"amanda," you manage to whisper when you look at her. eyes pooling with tears once more. the realisation of your presence hitting her like a ton of bricks. "im so sorry to just turn up, but i didn't know where else to go and i just kept walking and then i was here and i-" you ramble out a string of words that just barely make sense until you feel her pull you into the warmth of the house.

"y/n, love, breath." she says softly, rushing to push the door shut with her foot as her arms move to unzip the drenched and practically useless coat from around you. she lets it fall to the ground with no regard for the carpet and moves to wrap her arms around your shaking body.

you relax into her embrace and continue attempting to drag deep breaths through your nose and into your lungs while mumbling an array of apologies. suddenly you're no longer an adult to her, you're the same child that would rush around after school to yank leah into the garden to play football. the same child she opened her home to countless times when your parents were away.

"y/n, sweetheart, you need to breathe," she says with more conviction this time, bringing her hand to your back to coax a deeper breath and attempt to warm the skin simultaneously.

you stand against her for a few minutes, until your breathing slows to a manageable pace and you can fathom words again. her hand still drags across your back as she lifts her head to turns it in the direction of the living you.

"bubba, can you come here?" the muffled conversations get louder when a door opens and then shuts with a small thud, and footsteps approach you both in the hall.

"what you doing out here mum? we're about to get uno out.." her voice falls quiet. "y/n?"

you turn to face her with tear-stained cheeks and a weak smile.

its been years, enough to forget and move on. but the look on her face has you cursing yourself for being away for so long, and you know that she hasn’t. she hasn’t forgotten. the way her eyes melt when they meet yours tells you everything you need to know. you go speak at the same time, but your voice is weak. it breaks and cracks and she falls silent, brows furrowed with concern as she shuts the front room door behind her, keeping this moment to herself and confined to the small room.

"they're not coming. no one is coming and I don't expect you to do anything, i haven’t even had a chance to settle in properly- but i didn't know where else to go." you breathe a shakey breath, it's quick and shallow but enough to fuel your next sentence. your voice breaks once more, and your shoulders fall into themselves as a low sob raises from your throat again. she makes her way across the small space between you and catches your cold frame with hers, arms wrapping tightly around you "no one is coming," you sob into her chest.

amanda leaves with a pat on your back to go find you some clothes to change into as the pair of you stand there for a few minutes. you feel small beneath her, her chin resting on your head as it lays against her chest.

"why didn't you call? i didn’t know you were back, i could've come to get you," she whispers,

"i left my phone at the house, and i just started walking, and then i was here im so sorry,"

"stop apologising. you know mum loves a guest, especially you." she jokes softly, and you feel her shoulders rise with her smile when you let out a breathy laugh against her.

after a little while, amanda comes back with a change of clothes and a fresh towel, pushing them towards you and gesturing her head up the stairs. "go and take a nice warm shower, then put these on love. that'll get you warmed up."

you reach out take them hesitantly, then pull your arms back by your side. "i'll make my way home in a minute amanda, thank you though-"

"you absolutely will not." she says with typical mum raised eyebrows, pushing them back to you "now go,"

you smile weakly and take them from her, "thank you." you whisper as she waves you off and up the stairs. you turn back to face them from the top step, both of them still watching on.

“just like old times, eh love?” amanda adds with a wide smile.

━━━━━━━━━━

the shower feels like heaven, the warmth spreading across your skin and warming you right to the bone. you take in the few moments of serenity the warm water gives you, allowing your eyes to close and your muscles to relax. you let your mind wander, let it drift away from the sad and harsh reality that has become your life. you use leah's shampoo to wash your hair, recognising the smell immediately and allowing yourself to laugh that she has used the same brand since you've known her.

once you're out you brush your hair, letting it fall down your back as you pull on the clothes amanda had pulled out for you. you recognise an old pair of leah's pyjama bottoms and a smile in acknowledgement of fond memories breaks across your lips.

you make your way back down the stairs a little later, feeling refreshed from your new-found warmth and comfier clothes that lack the ability to stick to every inch of your skin.

the house is the same, and the years feel like they melt away from you. you hesitate outside the door to the front room, a small smile on your lips at the house of laughter from the other side. you reach a knuckle to announce your presence before you open it and enter.

everyone is in their respective spots: david and amanda on the sofa, with leah at their feet sprawled across the carpet; her cousins surrounding her. you feel fourteen again, leah’s clothes still hanging from you in all the same places. you share a smile with everyone, holding up your hands in a make-shift surrender. “apologies for gate crashing, i still like to make an entran-” you don’t manage to finish before jordan and jacob, leah’s cousin and brother are up and wrapping their arms around you hurriedly - tugging you to the floor.

it doesn’t feel different, or strange. you fit back into the same place you left off all those years ago. you play a few rounds of uno with leah and her family, and drink countless cups of tea. amanda always made the best one, even when you were young, so you make use of her skill. it’s nearing 9pm when you finally decide its time to remove yourself from the bubble you’ve been in- and into the hallway beyond the front room.

you try to quietly and quickly slip your still wet coat back onto your frame, but your silent antics are interrupted by leah’s voice.

“where you running off to?” she asks, leant against the small table on the wall with her arms crossed over her chest.

“just getting out of your hair,” you reply, smiling small. “thank you for letting me in, even just for a few hours. it was fun.” you turn back around to zip up your coat and begin dressing again.

“you don’t have to go yet, y/n,”

“i’m sure all of you have so much left to do in prep for the littles tonight so i’ll see you-”

“i mean it, you’re welcome to stay for a bit,”

“plus its christmas, who wants a stranger in the house at christmas?”

it’s as if you’re having two different conversations, at the exact same time. each of your voices overlapping and interrupting - unable to hold steady rhythm. as you speak you pull on your trainers one by one, not really paying attention to the words leah is saying, instead focused on your mountain of excuses to cut the visit short. it isn’t until you hear her voice drop, to barely above a whisper, that you process what she is saying.

“y/n!” her normal voice, calm and collected, snaps you out of your own mind. “please. stay.” its low and quiet, but loud enough for you to hear across the space between you. you whip around to face her, her eyes locked on you and her breathing steady.

“what?”

“stay.”

"leah," you start, head tilted. "i couldn't do that,"

"spend christmas with us," she pauses for a beat, eyes searching yours and your features. "with me,"

you feel like you somehow have managed to travel back in time, transported to the exact moment all those years ago when you told leah you were leaving. you remember how her face fell in the exact same way, how her hands twitched as she fought against the urge to reach for you and keep you with her forever, how she couldn't choke back her tears when she begged you not to go.

the same guilt and pain you knew all too well began to spread through you again, starting in the tips of your fingers and receding up your arms until it sat dormant in your chest.

"i can't." you whisper, unsure whether to yourself or to her.

"you can," she replies anyway. "i already spoke to mum, and to dad, and everyone else. we want you here."

"why?"

"because i'd rather you be here, with us, with me, than alone when you wake up on christmas morning."

you fall into silence, or silence full onto you, you're not sure. taking a deep and quaking breath that trembles through your lips.

you don't say any words, instead, just unzip your coat and slip your shoes off. pushing them back beside the drawers against the wall and hanging your jacket back onto the hook. you turn to face her with a small smile.

"okay."

she lets out a breath you didn't know she was holding and moves to embrace you, you melt into her arms and breathe with her for a few moments. "i would've looked like a real tit if you said no," you both share a laugh. not a small or pathetic breathy one, a proper laugh. a laugh that almost has you snorting like you used to.

"you look like a tit anyway," you add, as you both make your way back into the front room. you don't think twice as you walk towards amanda and david, who sit with their eyes fixed on the tv as an episode recap of eastenders begins to play. you lean between them both, wrapping your arms around the pair of them. it takes them by surprise for a second, before their arms are around you too.

everyone spends the next half hour all huddled around the tv, beside leah. more-so on top of leah. you share the armchair in the corner of the room, your legs on her lap and head fallen on her shoulder. breathing deeply with your eyes closed tight. you don't think you're asleep, too aware of your surroundings to be sleeping properly. but you're calm, very calm.

laughter from the floor is what makes you open your eyes and adjust to the lights again, met with leah's eyes as she nudges you with her shoulder. "alright sleeping beauty?"

"sorry, i didn't even realise i fell asleep," she shakes her head in response, dismissing your apology. "can you take me to mine in a minute, le?" the nickname slips out without you realising, but she doesn’t react.

“thought you said you would stay?”

“i am, i just want to go and get some stuff so that i can actually look nice tomorrow,”

“you always look nice,” she says lowly, looking back out to the distracted room. you roll your eyes, shaking your head at her and lifting a single brow as if to push her to answer your question.

“yes, go and get your shoes on and we’ll go now,” you smile to thank her and rise from the chair beside her.

"where are you two off to?" david asks as you walk past.

"just going to y/n's to grab her stuff to stay over,"

"well, don't be long, love actually will be on soon!" amanda replies excitedly, which david replies to with a roll of his eyes.

━━━━━━━━━━

whilst in your house, you took a moment to look at the presents beneath your tree. to look at the gifts you had accumulated through the months in hopes your parents would have the same childlike joy on their faces christmas morning as you once did. you considered leaving them, maybe shipping them off to their london house for them to enjoy alone. but deep down you knew they didn't deserve it. they didn't deserve the effort you had made for them.

you let your fingertips run across the presents, the new appliances and products you bought for your mum and dad alike. your fingers then fell to the labels you had added. you twisted the tag in your hand, reading the words you had written with love. you let it sit in your palm, dazed by the pain of your parents' missing presence.

"i'm sorry they're not here, y/n." you hear leah speak from behind you, leaning against the kitchen island.

"i'm not," you begin. "i'd rather spend it with people that give a shit anyway,"

you let your fingers wrap around the tag, slipping the attached string out of the piece of tape which was securing it down and screwing it into a ball. you did this to all of the presents, taking each of the tags one by one and removing them until they were left in a pile beside you. you took the presents, piling them into bags you had instructed leah to get from a cupboard in the kitchen.

"be a shame to let perfectly good presents go to waste," you said with a small sigh as you carried them over to your front door, making sure to grab your phone and pop it into your pocket.

you're gone and back in less than an hour, with a bag packed of clothes, your own pyjamas as well as everything you'll need for tomorrow and maybe another night in the williamson household slung over your shoulder and two large bags packed with presents in either hand. leah trailed behind from the car with an additional bag of gifts in her hand, helping you through the door and placing them on the floor.

you stand there for a minute, staring at the bags below you, leah locking the door and placing her keys in their spot before she joins you. standing shoulder to shoulder with you, in a comfortable silence. you feel her fingers brush the back of your own when she lets her arms relax on either side of her body.

"i'm glad you're here,"

"you were the one convincing me to stay,"

"no, i mean here, back in england."

you draw in a breath. "me too." her fingers brush yours again, this time she allows her pinky to link with your own. her hands warm against the chill of yours. "im sorry i left,"

"yeah, me too," she replies lowly.

you stay there for a bit, lost in the forgotten comfort of her and her presence. it feels right, normal. no anxiety or awkwardness. so you bask in the stillness with her, away from prying eyes and the events of life that came before this very moment. you enjoy the hush of the hallway together, standing still, pinkies intertwined. you don't know what to say or to do, so you don't do anything or say anything. you just breathe, together.

"come on then," she says quietly breaking the silence after a minute or so. "we better put these presents under the tree, santa's orders,"

you cant help but laugh at her, and nod along to her words. picking up the bags and pushing them through into the front room, leaving the moment to fester alone in the four walls of the hall. jacob and his family had already made their way to the spare bedroom, and jordan and hers had made their way home - so when you walked back into the living room, only amanda and david remained waiting for you both.

"what on earth is all that!" amanda asks from the same position as when you left, eyeing the bags in your hands.

"presents," you push them to the floor and begin taking them out of the bags.

"y/n, you didn't have to do that love." dad says, shaking his head at you.

"i know, but i would rather give them to people who deserve them. i'd rather you guys have them, and use them and appreciate them." you say, rarely looking up from the gifts as you place them into piles, suddenly too aware of the eyes on you. "it's not a big deal, and i don't want to make it one. christmas isn't about that. but i hope you guys will take them, and enjoy them. just think of them as a thank you, for all you've done for me over the last decade." you say the last bit through a laugh, and finally look up to them. each of them looking back at you with nothing but love in their eyes.

"oh, y/n," amanda says softly, waving you over to them both, which you do - pulling yourself up off the floor and to stand in front of them. you don't get a chance to say anything to add to your previous point before amanda's arms are around you for what feels like the hundredth time tonight alone. "i am so, so happy you decided to stay." she whispers for only you to hear, then pulls away. "and to be honest i was sick of leah barking on about how much she missed you," she says in jest and gets up to walk to the kitchen, "every bloody day," which makes you laugh.

david juts his hand between you, and you take his in yours. "welcome home, y/n love." he says, pulling you into a dad-like hug before following his wife into the kitchen.

the living room was a picture of warmth and cheer, the soft glow of the christmas tree lights casting a gentle hue over the neatly wrapped presents beneath it. the smell of pine mingled with faint smell of tea through the house, you turned to survey the room around you - including leah.

"i feel bad that i haven't got you anything," she says, looking at you from her spot beside the tree.

"this is enough,"

"what do you mean?"

"i mean this, being here with you, with all of you."

the four of you spent another hour awake, watching the rest of love actually and chatting about life. catching up on the years missed from either side. when the fill finally draws to a close, amanda and david say their goodnights and head up to bed, leaving you and leah downstairs on the sofa. the room was lit with nothing but the lights from the tree, and the tv.

you yawn, so large it makes your eyes water and turn to face leah. "you can go up to bed, don't let me keep you down here." you say to her, snuggling your head into the pillow beside you for comfort.

"you not coming up?"

"i can sleep on the sofa leah, its fine."

"but what about santa?" she teases, poking you.

"im fine down here, really."

"come up with me," she speaks whilst trying to find the remote that has somehow disappeared. "it wouldn't be the first time we're shared a bed,"

"i know that," you roll your eyes, stomach flipping with the thought of sleeping beside her.

"then come to bed," finally, she finds the remote and shuts off the tv. her words spoken as if they are final, causing you to sigh.

"fine."

you work together to lock the doors and turn off the lights, then make your way upstairs. so now, you find yourself tucked into leah's childhood double bed. laid stiff as a board beside her as she flicks through netflix for something to fall asleep to. it shouldn't feel different, you've been here, in this exact position a thousand times. but it does, it feels so different that it's blinding. the sound of your heart in your ears is deafening, but you try your hardest to ignore it.

she asks what you fancy absentmindedly, unaware of the way your stomach swills when she speaks. you tell her to pick whatever she wants, unable to process a proper answer in your current state. you try your hardest to swallow your anxiety, to not draw attention to the way your body lays entirely still next to her.

she hands you the remote after she has chosen, in case you want to change it. you don't, instead you smile and put it onto the dresser next to you. you feel her shuffle to get comfy, then she's facing you, hands tucked beneath her head and chin.

"stop freaking out, y/n." she mumbled with a sickening smirk.

"im bloody not,"

"liar."

"shut up,"

"lay down and i will,"

"oh i have not missed this,"

"lay down then,"

"yeah i will,"

"come to sleep,"

you roll your eyes at her persistence, nothing has changed. you have probably had this conversation a thousand times in the years you have known her, and you know better than to try and fight it. so, you turn to put your phone on charge and then turn back to her, mirroring her position.

"goodnight, leah."

"goodnight, y/n."

"merry christmas,"

━━━━━━━━━━

oh em gee i hope you all enjoyed part 1!! part 2 will either be released later tonight (5/1/25) or tomorrow (6/1/25)! lots of love! x

[sterredem]

Descendants

F1 grid x driver!rookie!reader

Face claim Pinterest girls

Warning Mention if addict (max with RedBull), Not proofread, spelling mistakes, long

Summary the new rookie on the grid is obsessed with descendants and makes it everyone’s problem

A/N bsf/n = best friends name (for anyone that didn’t know)

I like it! I hope y’all also do. It’s pretty long and I made it over here course of a few weeks so there can be parts where it doesn’t fit so if you notice that please say it so I can fix it! I have also had my descendants obsession come back with the new movie. (Still deciding if I like it or not)

Please repost and comments it helps a lot! Feadback is also appropriated!❤️🫶

Instagram

Liked by LewisHamilton and 2.735.567 others

f1 BREAKING: Y/n y/l/n will make the step in 2025, signing a multi-deal with Red Bull! ✍️

View all 8.276 comments

User1 YES!! 💜💙

User2 OMG? Already up to red bull? I would suspect that she would go to rb first!

User3 There are going to be a LOT of GenZ on the grid! It’s gonna be chaos!

User4 wait till everyone finds out how crazy and a PR nightmare she is 💜💙

User5 LETS GOOOO

User6 power duo with her and max

User7 Women in F1 again??

User8 YESS!! 💜💙 I have loved her ever since F3!

User9 Why do so people use the blue and purple heart?

User8 its an inside joke with her and the fans. It’s better if you get to know it through something else (I’m not trying to gatekeep its also just really hard to explain)

User9 alright. I’ll look it up.

User10 not really surprised

User11 she’s so pretty

User12 why do they say multi-year and not the year?! ITS SO ANNOYING!!

|———————————<3—————————————|

Instagram

Liked by RedBullRacing and 926.752 others

Y/n_Racing Ready for 2025 with red bull. Already binge drink wing this drink. Happy to drive the bull for a few year (hopefully a long time)💪

View all 9.968 comments

RedBullRacing Happy to have you on our team next year💪

MaxVerstappen1 2 history makes in the same team… this is gonna be fun. Happy to have you as a team mate

Prema_Team Sad to let you go, but happy to see you in f1. Great job Y/n💪

User1 HISTORY MAKER!!

User2 Why is this such a dry caption? From what I’ve heard she is a PR problem but this doesn’t seem like it

User3 she is… she has a second account that is managed by herself and that is the chaotic and problematic one. PR has tried to take it away but she always finds a way to get it back. So they’ve given up. I think I’m a few minutes she is gonna post on their and cause a problem of post a chaotic post

User4 FINNALY A WOMEN AGAIN!!

User5 she will be the inspiration to Kay many jong girls

User6 Already looking forwards to the next season!

User7 wait… so where is Carlos going?

User8 her and Ollie being on the grid together is just so funny to me. They are going to cause havoc

User9 I already love her and I’ve only seen a PR made post

User10 💜💙

User11 wait till everyone sees her descendants obsession. They won’t think the same about her

User12 she is so pretty

User13 she looks so nice😊

|———————————<3—————————————|

Instagram

Liked by bsfuser and 745.578 others

Y/n_Real Just vid announced as a RedBull driver… I think I need to change the aesthetic to red…… good this the new descendants movie will be with a lot of blue (and Evie will be our saviour!)!! Als the 5th picture is how it feeling rn.

View all 14.852 comments

Bsfuser AAAHHHH IM SO HAPPY!!!!

Y/n_Real YESSSSS

Bfsuser Also the rise of red and Evie our saviour 🙏🙏

Y/n_Real REAL!!🙏🙏

User1 AAAHHH!!! IM SO PROUD

Y/n_Real THANK YOU!!💋💋

User2 OMG I FOUND THE SECOND ACCOUNT!! And user3 was right!

User3 Always eats with her posts

User4 The mal picture is so real

User5 I love how she interacts with her fans in this account

User6 wait why rise of red? Isn’t that Ferrari?

Y/n_Real yes. But CINDERELLA AND HER DAUGHTER! (Sorry for being passive aggressive I am just SO EXITED ABOUT EVERYTHING (but they are both blue so yaya red bull!))

User7 I love her and bsf/n’ relationship!

User8 do you know how they became friends? I’ve seen a lot about them but I’m just wondering

User7 yes I know! They became friends at a comic con event for the 3rd descendents movie where they sat next to each other so they began talking and became friends

User8 That so funny! How do y’all know all this?

User7 sometimes Y/n or bsf/n go live and just talks a lot

User9 The make up looks so good!!

User10 you are so pretty

User11 Post 941 of Y/n putting mal in her post (don’t break this streak sweetie)

Y/n_Real OMG YOUR STILL HERE!! I love you!!

User11 ILY TOO

|———————————<3—————————————|

Instagram

Liked by Kyliecantrall and 626.735 others

Y/n_Real SO PROUD OF YOU KYLIE!!! All that aside… I am soooo proud of you Kyliecantrall and I’m very happy that you have made it this far!

For anyone that’s nee here: this is my VERY talented friend Kylie, and she has made it into a Descendant movie!! I have had the honours to go to the premiere and to have known this lovely lady for quite some time!

Love you Kylie and you did an AMAZING job playing Red!!

(Also 5th picture is how I felt at the premiere)

View all 9.925 comments

Kyliecantrall I LOVE YOUUUU!!!💋❤️💕

Y/n_Real ILYYY 22222!!!! 💋💕❤️

Bsfuser I LOVE U KYLIEE!!!

Kyliecantrall I LOVE YOUT TWOOOO!!!😘😘

User1 I love her friendship with bsf/n and Kylie

User2 OMG SHE WAS AT A DESCENDANT PREMIERE!!!

User3 I WAS SO EXITED WHEN U SAW HER!!

User4 real ones know who Kylie is and her friendship with Y/n and bsf/n

User5 Now the male picture again😂

User6 I’m still so confused at this

|———————————<3—————————————|

Instagram

Liked by Bsfuser and 767.725 others

Y/n_Real New team, new me (Also this wasn’t my plan Bsf/n dragged me into this)

View all 8.726 comments

Bsfuser Don’t say I dragged you into this. It was YOUR plan

Y/n_Real STOP SPREADING LIES!!

User7 It looks so good!

User8 Why does this seem so random?

User9 My new fav brunette and black haired duo

User10 I love you both!!

User11 you both give me dark academia vibes and I’m LOVING it!

User12 So cute!

User13 and there we go with mal… again (not complaining)

|———————————<3—————————————|

Instagram

Liked by Bsfuser and 925.725 others

Y/n_Racing Life as a newly brunette and attending an f1 race as an announced driver for the first time

View all 9.926 comments

Redbullracing Happy to have you and glad we can see more of you next year😊

Maxverstappen1 It was nice seeing you again!

Alex_albon I see you have already taken after my hair dyeing. Welcome me the grid Y/n

Bsfuser Rude that you didn’t invite me🙄

User1 Brown hair looks good on you

User2 she is really living the dream life: going to premiers and f1 races and also going to drive in f1 and being besties with descendants cast members

User3 just wait until she meets dove Cameron or Sophia Carson, she WILL freak out

Y/n_Racing DONT EXPOSE ME!

User4 my favourite celebrity

User5 So happy to see you on the grid next year!

User6 just wait until the grid sees her descendant obsession.

|———————————<3—————————————|

Time skip to 6 races in the season

Twitter

|———————————<3—————————————|

Instagram

Liked by DoveCameron and 1.564.254 others

Y/n_Real A real dream come true! Me and @bsfuser met the people that started our friendship!!! It was an absolute dream meeting @DoveCameron and @SophiaCarson !

(We also got some great advise… you will see it soon)

View all 123.625 comments

DoveCameron I also had a great time meeting you! Liked by author

SophiaCarson It was lovely meeting you and bsf/n (I also hope you can do something with what I said) liked by author

Bsfuser THIS STILL FEELS LIEK A DREAM!!

Y/n_Real FOR REAL

OscarPiastri Weirdo. I noticed you where obsessed with descendants with the music that always comes from your drivers room but this…

Y/n_Real Says the one that is doing a movie marothon from descendants with his girlfriend

User7 AHHHH THEY MET!!!!

User8 What did they tell you?!

Y/n_Real It’s a secret 🤫🤫🤫

User9 Not this being one of the only posts with over a million likes😭😂

User10 I love how the drives are already aware and done with her descendants obsession

User11 I AM SO JEALOUS!!

User12 I love that for y’all!! (Totally not jealous and not sarcastic)

User13 Them also commenting🫠🫠 so cuteee!!!

|———————————<3—————————————|

Liked by Descendants and 1.725.267 others

Y/n_Real Dove, Sophia, Bsfuser, Alex, Kylie and a lot of the drivers + descendants movie cast said I should do it… so I did. New hair era!!!

View all 267.275 comments

DoveCameron It looks so good!!

Y/b_Real Thank you!

SophiaCarson I said it would be a good idea!

Y/n_Real And you were right!

Bsfuser Should I go blue?

Y/n_Real YES!!

Alex_albon Already going for my bit I see

Y/n_Real you’ve never done purple soo…

OscarPiastri This is really beginning to become a problem

Landonorris True

Zhouguanyu24 True

Hulkhulkenberg I also see it

Logansargeant I also do

Yukitsunoda0511 Same with me

Valtteribottas I fear I also see it

Kevinmagnussen I also see this becoming a problem

PierreGasly I also do… and why purple? There are a lot of different… better colours

Lancestroll I have to admit I also see this as a problem…

DanielRiccardo Why doe it kinda look good??

EstebanOcan It doesn’t…

Fernandoalo_Oficial It does, shut up Estie

Carlossainz55 Yeah shut up Esteban

LewisHamilton It looks really good Y/n!

Y/n_Real Thank you Lewis!

LewisHamilton Also I also think Descendants is a great movie series

Y/n_Real YESSS!!

Maxverstappen1 Obsessed

Y/n_Real Says the RedBull addict

Charles_Leclerc should I now also whatch it? I want to but I think I’ve already heard to many spoilers from you

Y/n_Real watch it.

User1 All the drivers in the comments😭😂

User2 I think the grid noticed her obsession

User3 They FINNALY caught up!

User4 The hair looks amazing!

User5 everyone here talking about the hair but has anyone seen the make up?? IT LOOKS AMAZING!!

User6 Y/n had really made it now

|———————————<3—————————————|

[waynes-multiverse]

Polaris – Chapter 12

Series Summary: When Beau Arlen moved to Montana, he left behind a past he wasn’t proud of. But when a series of murders requires the FBI’s help, Sheriff Arlen‘s ghosts come back to haunt him one by one. With a wrong turn waiting at every crossroads, it’s hard to make the right choices and find his way back home – back to you.

Pairing: Beau Arlen x FBI Agent!Reader

Warnings: 18+, a heavy dose of angst, kidnapping, violence, injuries, serial killers, death, an awful cliffhanger

Word Count: 6.8k

A/N: Happy New Year, everyone! 🥳 We jump straight into 2025 with an angsty banger 👀

Series Masterlist || Main Masterlist || Tag List

Chapter 12: Through

On one of the sunniest mornings Helena had seen in recent days, the peaceful quiet of the early risers in the Sheriff’s Department was disturbed by one restless sheriff.

Beau was taking his office apart – bit by bit, nail by nail, panel by panel, brick by brick.

The search for you had gone on all night and yielded zero results. You were nowhere to be found. For all Beau knew, you could be dead by now and buried in the vast woods of Montana.

A computer mouse flung against the wall and only missed Jenny’s head by an inch as the blonde peeked inside his office. The rest of the station had selected her to talk to the big boss, his outbursts even being heard from miles away.

“You okay?” Jenny checked carefully.

“I’m tryna find that stupid camera!”

“Thought you already found that hours ago,” Jenny noted with a raised brow.

“Can’t be too careful…” the sheriff murmured, his focus landing on the pile of pens on his desk. The silver one – had that always been there? He picked it up. “Does this look normal to you?”

Jenny only offered a shrug.

“Never mind,” Beau muttered and reduced the pen down to its individual parts. Nothing. Just a plain, old pen.

“Did you get some sleep?”

“What d’you think?”

At five in the morning, Beau had promised Jenny he’d snooze for half an hour on the couch in his office. He did lie down, stared at the suspended ceiling tiles for about a minute, and then remembered the damn camera.

It wasn’t just about what he had done in there but also about he’d said. No wonder Diane had gotten so easily under his skin. She probably had heard every insecurity he had ever uttered. To you. And to imaginary Randy.

How was he supposed to sleep in a place where he felt exploited, exposed, and unsafe?

“Well, uh, I just wanted to tell you that Randy went into Interrogation Room 2 with Diane…”

“WHAT?!”

“Yeah…” Jenny exhaled a deep sigh and leaned against the door frame. “He said you’d deputized him and authorized it, but I had a feeling that wasn’t true.”

Beau ran a hand across his face, rubbing his beard.

Rule #3: She’s my wife. I get to decide how we proceed.

Rule #4: You’re not the boss of me.

“Well, I did deputize him,” Beau admitted. He had given his former partner a long leash, not expecting he’d bolt through the backyard.

“Beau…” Jenny clearly didn’t approve.

“He left me no choice, alright?!”

Well, no choice his guilt could deal with.

The sheriff then left his destroyed office and thundered into Interrogation Room 2 down the hall. Randy wouldn’t get to do this alone. Beau knew there was an ulterior motive – if only Randy saved you, he could also miraculously save his marriage. Randy was a persistent motherfucker. He wouldn’t give up.

And if the roles were reversed, Beau wouldn’t either. He’d probably be even more annoyingly persistent than Randy.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Beau charged in with steam coming out of his ears. For a moment, his anger was so focused on his friend, he didn’t even notice the rising smile on Diane’s lips.

“Good morning, Sheriff Arlen.” Even if Diane’s voice sounded melodious, to Beau it was still chalk on board. “Remodeling the office, are we?”

“You mind?” Randy prompted stand-offishly, glancing up at the sheriff. “Kinda in the middle of something here.”

“Outside. Now,” was all Beau said.

Defiantly and miffed by the authoritative tone, Randy followed him to the hall.

“Play nice, boys!” Diane’s voice echoed through before the door fell into its lock.

“What d’you think you’re doing? You can’t just talk to our prime suspect without my presence!” Beau roared.

Randy rolled his eyes back. “Didn’t know I needed a babysitter…”

“This isn’t a game, Randy! We need to find Y/N before it’s too late,” Beau argued furiously. They didn’t have time for petty competitions.

“Yeah, which is why I’m talking to the only lead we have! That bitch knows where she is,” Randy countered with an equal amount of fury.

“She’s not gonna tell you!”

Randy only shrugged – cocky in nature and completely unlike him. And Beau then realized something that had changed: His friend wouldn’t back down anymore and bend. Those days were over, and it was probably Beau’s own fault.

“We’ll see,” Randy said stubbornly, his hand wandering back to the door handle. “You comin’?”

Beau inhaled and exhaled a deep breath before nodding – and back into the lion’s den they went.

Diane welcomed them with a sneer. “All made up?”

“Tell us where Turner took her,” Randy demanded with a stern expression and firm voice.

If Randy wanted to play bad cop, the role of good cop fell to Beau by default. And although they had never ever played it that way before, Beau figured Randy carried more anger than even him right now. He might as well let him make good use of it.

“Can’t.” Diane twitched her shoulders. “Hal doesn’t tell me.”

“Oh, and we’re just supposed to believe that?” Beau lifted a brow in mock. “C’mon, Diane…”

“It’s true,” she said, smiling. “Call it an insurance policy in case one of you Neanderthals decides to go rogue on me – looking at you specifically, Sheriff Arlen. If you leave your own partner to die in a filthy warehouse, I don’t wanna know what you do to your enemies.” She then looked at Randy, whispering behind her palm, “You know, I think he did it on purpose.”

Beau clicked his tongue and snorted humorlessly. “Alright, Diane, you’ve had your fun. You’ve wreaked havoc… You’ve won, okay? Fair and square. Just give up your partner, tell us where Y/N is, and end this once and for all. Might even get a better deal if you do. Think about it. Murdering an FBI agent doesn’t look good in front of a judge and jury. We have iron-clad proof you killed at least five people in Texas. Capital murder, death penalty… See where I’m going with this?”

“Oh, I’ve thought about it, Sheriff. And I’ve told you: I don’t know where she is now,” Diane reiterated with the same infuriating smile. Her gray eyes then wandered to a wall clock behind the men. “At least not yet.”

Randy and Beau both followed her gaze and stared at that same clock. Their eyes widened.

“Then when?” Randy prompted.

“Don’t worry. You’ll see her soon.” Diane smirked. “If she makes it out alive, she can tell you in person she’s choosing the rugged sheriff here over you, Detective Nichols.”

Randy’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching and unclenching under the metal table.

“I gave her a fighting chance.”

“Oh, you mean like the others?” Beau had known from the start that it would be useless talking to her.

“They all could’ve gotten out,” said Diane as if she blamed the victims for not being smarter and more durable. “‘Sides, why would I give up my favorite part? I’ve waited a while for this one. Killing her? While you two idiots watch helplessly and throw feces at each other like monkeys in a zoo? Gotta say, it’s better than killing twenty-four people combined. Ever since I met Deputy Popcorn, I’ve been actually craving a snack.” Upon Beau’s facial twitch, Diane leaned closer and whispered with a smirk, “Yeah, I know about the cute little nicknames for your deputies too, Sheriff. I wonder how many bugs you’ve found yet in your office. Sure it can’t be all of them. Maybe I’ve bugged the whole station. Who’s to say? Have you checked your trailer yet? The lovely agent’s motel room? No?”

Beau couldn’t pinpoint the exact feeling that clutched his heart and twisted it like a boa constrictor. Pain, fear, anger, sadness – a deadly cocktail for anyone. Was this throbbing sting in his chest what a heart attack felt like? Only recently, he’d read an article in the paper about a guy his age who just dropped dead. Was this it for him?

Would it mean he'd get to see you again, though?

“Enough of that!”

Randy’s voice rang in his ears, but Beau couldn’t refocus. He needed fresh air to breathe, his lungs dried up and clinging to every molecule like he’d been deprived of oxygen for days. The small room felt suddenly suffocating as the monster across from him sneered joyfully.

“Look, I don’t know if you’re saying all that horseshit ‘cause you wanna hurt him or me,” Randy said, his voice laced with a darkness Beau had never seen before.

“Little bit of both,” Diane teased with a shrug.

“Yeah, well, I don’t care either way,” Randy huffed, the deep creases in his brow casting threatening shadows on his face. “Do your worst to me or him. Hell, burn us at the stake if it makes you feel any better, sweetheart, but all I wanna know is where that bunker is. Where is she? Your beef’s clearly with us. Men, right? You know she doesn’t deserve this. Just let her go.”

Diane seemed unamused by the suggestion, leaning back in the metal chair. “You’re right. She doesn’t deserve this. I actually like her. She reminds me of me. But you two did this to her. It’s out of my hands at this point. You don’t deserve her, sheriff,” she said and looked at Beau before her cold eyes shifted to Randy. “Neither do you, detective. I know a lot of things – and not just about the sheriff here. I know what you did to her, too.”

Randy forced a tight smile. “You’re bluffing. I didn’t do anything.”

“Am I?” Diane quirked a brow and then sent him an innocent smile. “About four years ago, she wrote a rather lengthy email to her sister Sophia in Seattle. She seemed very upset. Said there was a little something you wouldn’t give her. Ring any bells?”

With a thick swallow and a glare swimming in his hazel eyes, Randy nodded. “We’re done here.”

Diane let out a long, suspenseful sigh, not bothering to engage further. Her icy heart wouldn’t melt. Her eyes flickered around the bleak, depressing room. “I miss windows. Haven’t seen the outside for days.”

“Yeah, and you ain’t gonna,” Beau huffed. He had quietly listened, his heart rate slowing down as his head started spinning with questions. You had never told him anything. He had never asked. It had been an unspoken rule to not talk about your marriage. Beau always figured knowing too much would only make it worse.

“Too bad. I always liked the autumn sunsets. When it gets dark sooner…” Diane then stretched out her neck. “Anyways, nice chatting with you boys, but it’s time for my beauty nap now. Which one of you two cowboys is gonna accompany me back to my cell, hm?”

The men shared a look and then wordlessly rose, leaving the room. In the safety of the hallway, Beau ran a hand over his face and took his first deep breath.

Air. Lungs. Brain. Without toxicity, he could finally think straight again.

“Well, this was pointless and a waste of our time. Happy now?” Beau huffed with his newfound lung capacity.

But Randy’s brow was furrowed. He was thinking. “Actually, yeah… Didn’t you hear what she said?”

“Yeah, bunch of narcissistic bullshit. She’s not gonna tell us where Y/N is,” Beau muttered bitterly. If possible, he wished to never converse with that psychotic witch again. There was only so much he could handle before snapping her neck.

“She said that she doesn’t know where Y/N is now,” Randy pointed out. “Maybe she wasn’t lying. Maybe Y/N’s not in the bunker yet. Turner might keep her somewhere else and wait till he can move her.”

“At sundown,” Beau mused, Diane’s words haunting his mind. “He’ll move her when it’s dark.”

“Which means we still have a couple hours to find her,” Randy finished the thought.

“Popcorn!” Beau yelled down the hallway. The sheriff found himself in better spirits. He hadn’t used a silly name for his most loyal deputy in days, although it ached a tiny bit to say it now. “Any properties in Newton’s name?”

“Yes, sir, several,” Mo replied.

“I need a list of all in the area. Get a team together and search ‘em. One by one,” Beau ordered. “Warehouses, cabins… Take it all apart. I don’t care.”

“And also see if any properties are in Hal Turner’s name and add them to the list,” Randy suggested.

Poppernak shot Beau a look, and only when the latter gave his agreement, did the deputy nod. “Yes, Sheriff Arlen.”

The obnoxiously loud sound of birds woke you from a deep slumber. Groggily, you pried your eyes open and found the first few beams of sunlight warming your face. For a peaceful moment of dazed bliss, you had no clue where you were or how you got here.

There was a thumping, searing pain in your skull, hammering away at your sanity like the ticks of a clock. Your neck and shoulders hurt from tension till you realized you were bound to an old wooden chair, a harsh and creaking surface underneath you. Your behind felt both sore and numb.

Glancing around the room, you noticed you were in the living quarters of a small cabin. A fireplace sat to your right. Above it, a cuckoo clock that showed shortly past noon, and you realized that must’ve produced the bird noise that woke you. The stinging sunlight reached your eyes and filled you with hope.

Hal Turner hadn’t locked you into a bunker yet.

“You’re awake. Good.” Turner entered the room with a bottle of water and a sandwich, throwing the items unceremoniously onto your lap. “You need to eat. We’ll leave soon.”

“Where are we going?”

“Where they all went,” he said and came up behind you. Turner wasn’t a man of tall stature. Small, middle-aged, nervous. Non-threatening.

Diane’s little ant.

He cut your ties, and you could tell his hands were shaking. They didn’t treat the others like that. Entertaining a victim had never been his job before.

Sedated, dumped, marooned.

That had been the pattern, and you hoped this little off-course adventure would pay off with your freedom. Your gaze drifted down to a lonely brown belt buckle.

Unarmed.

With free hands and Turner still vulnerably behind you, your arms shot up and wrapped around his neck. Fortunately, he wasn’t as heavy as Beau in training when you jolted him forward, jumped up, and rammed his face straight into your knee.

Unconscious for the moment, Turner tumbled to the ground, and you sprinted through the front door. You hoped it would give you enough time to find an exit.

But all you found was a vast sea of trees – towering pines that reached heavenward with no neighboring houses or roads in sight.

There was a shed to your left. Tools. You needed weapons.

And, most of all, you needed more goddamn time to think your way out of this one.

It wasn’t long till you heard the front door of the cabin slam open, heavy and angry footsteps aimlessly searching before they slowly circled closer to the shed.

Fortunately, your little hide-out had proved itself useful – and fully stocked. Turner had arranged his tools in a neatly organized manner. Nothing seemed to be out of place, screwdrivers hanging on the wall from small to big, pliers, drills, hacksaws… Your weapons of choice, however, fell on a hammer and the heaviest, biggest wrench.

Lurking behind the small barn door, you lay in wait till the old door creaked open and Hal Turner walked through. He only blinked at you wide-eyed before your first hit with the wrench landed across his right cheek. It was hard enough for blood to spew out of his mouth, and as he tumbled forward, you delivered your second blow – the hammer, this time, slamming against the back of his head.

Dropping the tools, you decided to take your chances and make a run through the woods for it. You still had a few fleeting hours till dark. If you just kept going, maybe you’d make it to a road or a town somewhere before you froze to death.

What a great outlook…

However, you didn’t even get farther than a few yards from the house before a sharp pain seared from your ankle throughout your entire body. Falling harshly and bracing yourself on the cold, wet leaves, you screamed out and looked down at the culprit – a bear trap.

Well, points for Hufflepuff!

Apparently, you had underestimated Turner. Ahead of you, you also spied some tripwire. Great. This place was a giant death trap – and you had already hated the woods before all of this.

Getting back onto your feet was not only hindered by the giant claws in your flesh but also the iron chain attached to the trap that tethered you to the ground. So, with your freezing hands, you dug out the metal stake that served as your anchor.

Then, the fucking bear trap – you knew this one would hurt like a son of a bitch. Carefully, you inspected the oozing wound, the razor sharp edges deeply clutching your skin at your lower calf and ankle. For a moment, you even swore you could feel the tips of their pointed teeth drilling into your bone. You tried to pry them apart with your hands but gave up on that idea rather quickly once the jaws cut your fingers.

Glancing at the shed, you saw the door was still ajar. It was quiet in there. Either Hal Turner was gone, solely unconscious, or currently bleeding to death. The shed was your Schrödinger’s cat. As long as you didn’t know which one it was, you still had time.

Taking several deep breaths, you closed your eyes and remembered the trip you took with Beau when you were back in Houston. The two of you drove camping in Piney Woods. For a few days, you were gone and unknown to everyone around you. You could just be you and him. No one had to hide anything. No one had to feel guilty. In those short days, you realized you wanted to spend the rest of your life with him.

“Did you know bear traps are actually pretty easy to get out of?” Beau babbles a random fact in his usual manner when neither of you has said anything in a minute. He glances at you, a happy smile on his face as he intertwines his fingers with yours during a stroll through the green and lush forest.

“Huh.”

“Yeah, all you gotta do is not panic, get up on your feet, and press your weight down on the springs at the bottom. Just pops open and you can pull your leg out,” he explains with a popping sound, turning the little lesson into a show-and-tell.

“Don’t panic…” you mumbled to yourself and sat up. “Get up…” With a strained groan and your palms supportively on the ground, you heaved yourself to your feet. You winced as you put pressure on your injured leg and, therefore, tried to shift your weight to your good one. The main problem was the next step: “Press down.”

Mentally, you braced yourself before you slowly started to put pressure on the leg again. The jaws moved and wiggled in your flesh, but the pain was too much too bear. You bit down on your tongue as tears strangled your eyes.

Alright, next try.

If slow was too painful, then maybe the bandaid method was the way to go. Quick and painless, as they say. You inhaled and exhaled through your nose as you raised your foot a few inches above ground, making sure the springs would hit the uneven surface properly. Then, you kicked down.

The trap sprung open, you pulled your foot out, and released a primal scream that echoed through the quiet woods, surely disturbing whatever lived there.

And then, suddenly, Hal Turner stood in front of you with a shovel.

Diane’s listed properties came up empty. There was still no sign of you. Turner, on the other hand, had only booked a motel room in his name but hadn’t been seen there in weeks. So, Beau figured he had to be staying somewhere if he wasn’t sleeping in his room.

At four o’clock, the sheriff was close to a breakdown when all leads petered out and the daylight was almost gone. But then Cassie and Denise stormed the station, both out of breath, and brought forth a document that showed a property north of Helena in the name of a Diane Turner. It was a remote cabin in the middle of the woods, which also happened to be close to the location where the ambulance had picked up Randy.

Ding, ding, ding!

Beau gathered the whole cavalry and raced there as fast as he could. By the time he was ten minutes out, the sky had grown dark, the woods pitch-black around him. Switching on the Jeep’s headlights only added to the uneasiness in his stomach. His passenger was quiet next to him, but Beau could tell how worried Randy was by the way his left leg anxiously drummed against the floor mat.

Both of them thought it was too late to save you.

An access road, all dirt, led up behind the cabin, only making it a short hike. Turner’s vehicle had been parked at the fork where it reached pavement. They seemed to be on the right track. After all, if Turner was here, then hopefully so were you.

Beau and Randy were the first to arrive, the cabin inside dark without a single light on, not even a candle burning in the smudged windows. Carefully, the men stepped on the porch, the property around them quiet and undisturbed, but the front door was an inch ajar. Pulling out their weapons, the two shared a look without speaking a word before entering the house, a feeling of familiarity rising in Beau’s chest.

They were still partners, somewhere deep down.

The floorboards creaked under Beau’s boots as he treaded down the hallway. The cabin was small, only consisting of one bedroom, a living area, a kitchen and bath. While the men checked each room, Beau already knew you weren’t here anymore – if you’d ever been here to begin with. Maybe Diane had sent them on a wild goose-chase, another sick game created by the mind of psychopath, while you had been locked in a bunker all along, waiting for him to find you.

How much air did you still have left? Would he get to you in time?

“Beau!”

His partner’s voice drew him from the bedroom to the living space, his mind still rattling with the unspoken fear of losing you. His green eyes then focused on the beam of Randy’s flashlight as it shone on a wooden chair in the middle of the room, a set of cut plastic ties on the floor next to it. There was also an uneaten sandwich and an unopened bottle of water scattered on the ground.

And then, there were the trails, the little drops, and the sheer pools of blood everywhere that made his gut churn. Was it all yours?

“We need to get forensics here,” Beau said with a thick swallow, already pulling out his phone to call Jenny.

“That’s a lot of blood,” Randy said with a lump in his throat, his eyes transfixed on the little red pond by the tips of his feet. And although it was dark, Beau could see the color drain from his partner’s face.

“I know.” Beau bobbed his head quietly, gently clasping his friend’s shoulder as he held his phone to his ear.

The sheriff then informed Jenny of their findings, telling her to hurry any lab results along. The sooner they knew whose blood it was, the better. As he hung up, he noticed Randy following a trail of blood to the door, leading further outside. He shone his flashlight through the dense foliage before it landed on a little working shed to the right.

As Randy creaked the door of the shed open, with Beau behind him, both thought there was a high probability they’d stumble upon a body in there – if not two.

Instead, the shed was disappointingly empty.

Beau whistled lowly as the light hit the neatly arranged wall of tools. “Well, that’s some freak level organization.”

But Randy’s brow furrowed as his light landed on the ground behind the door. “There’s a hammer and wrench on the ground.” He knelt down to inspect it closer. “Got blood on it. Lot of it.”

Beau chuckled lightly and ran a palm over his face to keep the stinging tears of hope inside, which only confused Randy.

“What’s so funny? Y/N might be dead,” Randy said sourly.

“That’s not Turner’s doing,” Beau argued and gestured at the tools on the ground, his heart flooding with a tiny bit of relief. “Look at the wall. Why would he kill her with tools? It’s way too bloody. Guy like this can’t handle the mess. He had a perfectly fine gun. Would’ve been way cleaner if he wanted to.”

“So, you think this was Y/N?” Randy thought for a moment before nodding. “The ties inside were cut. The food and water on the floor… Maybe he cut her loose and she took advantage of it? I mean, it does sound like her.”

“Yeah…” Beau’s eyes then musingly drifted back to the wall. “Is there a screwdriver on the ground somewhere? There’s one missing here.”

“Nope, nothing on the ground,” Randy replied once his flashlight search was complete. “You think she took it with her?”

“Let’s hope so…”

“But if Y/N managed to overpower Turner, why isn’t she here? And where’s Turner? And if it happened out here, why is there so much blood inside?”

Beau licked his chapped lips, his brow returning to their initially creased position. “Maybe she didn’t take him out for good.”

“You thinkin’ she knocked him out and escaped?”

“Yeah, and then Turner woke up, went back into the house before taking off after her through those woods,” Beau shared his theory. It would explain the vast amounts of blood inside.

“So, your theory is she’s lost and being hunted?” Randy cocked a brow.

Beau only offered him a shrug. “Best possible scenario.”

“Great.” Randy scoffed. “What’s the worst possible scenario then?”

Beau’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “I think we both know.” Licking his lips, he patted Randy’s shoulder. “But let’s not think about the worst right now. I’ll get a team going to search these woods. We’ll find her. You’re not losing her again, alright?”

Randy could only nod and hope, but a little tug on his heart told him something different as he glanced at his former friend.

“It’s been three hours,” Randy huffed frustratedly as they passed the same street sign to Helena down the mountain once more, driving up and down the roads around the cabin in an endless loop, hoping and praying a miracle would happen. “Don’t you think we would’ve found her by now? If she’s hurt and inside those woods, we should be in there looking for her.”

Beau passed another sigh between his lips. There had been three hours of that, too. Patience was a not only an eight-letter word but a bitch as well.

“Neither of us is any help there. We don’t know those woods. You don’t even a phone, Randy,” Beau said with a bit more firmness in his voice, causing his partner’s frown to deepen. Saved by the bell, Beau’s phone chimed in his pocket with Jenny’s angelic name popping up on the screen. He pulled over on the side of the road before picking up.

“What you got? Uh-huh… You sure? What did they say about the cabin? Okay… Both of ‘em? How far? Which direction? Alright… We’re close. Driving back up there now.”

Randy held his breath till Beau hung up, trying to guess the content of the phone call by the various facial expressions of the sheriff. Then, he asked, “Good news or bad news?”

“Hard to say,” Beau replied, his eyes fixed on his hands gripping the steering wheel. He swallowed the lump in his throat, gave himself an encouraging nod, and started the engine, trying to sink every bad theory that surfaced in his mind. “Forensics came back. Our theory was partially correct. The blood inside the cabin was mostly Turner’s.”

Randy raised a brow, his heartbeat thrumming in his ears. “Mostly?”

“Evidence points to her not escaping. Turner might have gotten to her before she could even leave the property. They found a bear trap with her blood on it,” Beau explained slowly, his grip on the wheel tightening. “Dogs picked up a trail, leading into the woods. Forensics confirmed both of their blood on that trail.”

“Doesn’t mean anything. He could’ve followed her. She still could’ve escaped,” Randy replied and knew full well it was only sugarcoating the truth swimming in the lower pits of his belly.

“Could’ve…” Beau nodded and swallowed heavily. “But then again, if she did manage to escape, how did her blood end up inside the cabin?”

Defeated, Randy licked his lips, expelling a humorless chuckle. “Yeah, guess my hopes are little too high. I mean, how the hell would you get out of a bear trap?”

Beau knew the question was mostly rhetorical, but true to himself, he still answered, “It’s actually pretty easy. Just press down on the springs, and the thing opens right up.” A smile formed on his lips as a memory popped back into his mind. “I told Y/N that once when we took a camping trip back in Houston. She probably didn’t remember it. I mean, honestly, I doubt she was even listening. I was kinda ramblin’, you know?”

“Uh-huh. I remember. I’ve spent a lot of time with you…” Randy smacked his lips, fingers tapping his thigh. “You guys went on a trip together?”

Beau’s mouth opened on reflex, but he stopped himself from replying, shooting a scrutinizing look at his partner. “Yeah, uh, just the one, really. Shoulda been more…”

Regrets seeped to the surface. If Beau had known he had only a finite amount of time with you, he would’ve enjoyed and appreciated every last second of it. He should’ve spent less time in his head. He should’ve taken you out on more dates. He should’ve been the best he could be. Instead, he wasted so much time and couldn’t even remember why in retrospect.

“What makes you say that?” Randy’s question rang both with curiosity and pain. His brown eyes stared stubbornly ahead and focused on the dark road.

Beau blew a long sigh. “Well, I wasn’t always the best–,” he hesitated a moment before saying the word, “–boyfriend, I guess.”

If Randy was upset by the term, he didn’t let it show. Maybe he was sticking to Rule #2. He quirked a brow and glanced at Beau in the driver’s seat. “So, on top of stealing my wife, you’re telling me you didn’t even treat her right?”

“Guess so,” Beau admitted quietly, poking the inside of his cheeks with his tongue and ignoring the subtle jab. “And I didn’t treat her badly, by the way. Just could’ve tried harder. Felt guilty because she was your-, well, you know… And the divorce got kinda messy, too. I just wanted to stay clear of complications.”

Exasperated, Randy scoffed, shaking his head. “This is not really making me want to give you my blessing…”

Beau huffed a chuckle. “Didn’t know that was an option.”

“Well, it’s not. You don’t deserve her.” Randy clicked his tongue, pensively bobbing his head. He then finally admitted, the words sounding almost sour, “Neither do I. You might be as big of an idiot as me.”

Beau’s eyes widened in surprise, his focus briefly swaying from the road. “What d’you mean? You guys were perfect together. Is this about what Newton said?”

Randy’s lips curved into a bitter smile. “Y/N never told you?”

“Told me what?”

Randy chewed on his lower lip before pushing out the words that had plagued him for three years. “She wanted to leave me.”

Beau shook his head. “Nah, I don’t buy it. She loved you. You should’ve seen her after she thought you’d died.”

Randy inhaled sharply, his head spinning with regret and heart filling with hope. For the past years, he had wondered if he’d ever get another chance to fix things with you.

“Yeah, well, it’s true,” he said, his gaze cast downward as if he were confessing his sins to a priest. “She wanted kids, and I told her I didn’t. Neither of us was backing down. The night the cartel kidnapped me, we were supposed to have dinner and talk about it when I got home. Part of me already knew where it was headed.”

Beau listened and nodded. He remembered the set dinner table, the lovingly prepared food, the candles – it didn’t seem like something one would do if they planned on leaving.

“No, I don’t think she would’ve left you,” Beau noted, although his heart stung when he said it out loud.

“I overheard her asking Carla for a divorce lawyer. Pretty sure she was,” Randy retorted. “Seems silly now. She was already out of my league. I should’ve just given her what she wanted. I don’t even know why I didn’t. I should’ve just shut up and been grateful.”

“That’s what I would’ve told you to do,” Beau muttered, his brain trying to keep track and process everything. Why had you never told him any of this? And more importantly: “Why have you never told me?”

“Guess I was embarrassed.” Randy shrugged. “And I already knew what you would’ve said.”

Secretly amused, Beau cocked a brow. “What? That you’re an idiot?”

“Exactly.”

“And Carla knew?”

“I guess.” Randy gave another shrug of his shoulders. “I mean, they talked all the time. Well, mostly it was Carla complaining about you, but still…”

Beau’s brow furrowed into deep lines. He should’ve been more surprised than he was. The only thing that really baffled him was the fact you had still agreed to date him after hearing all of that. What else didn’t he know?

“I thought they met once a week for book club?”

Randy shot him a pitying look. “Dude, there was no book club. Only three bottles of wine.” He then exhaled a long sigh, stretching back into his seat. “Maybe it’s good she didn’t pick anyone. She deserves someone who can give her what she wants.”

“What makes you think I can’t?” A little offended, Beau raised his brow. “You know, when she came back a few weeks ago, I swore I’d make things right. I wouldn’t let her go this time.”

But Beau broke that promise. He pushed you away to stay clear of complications. His heart twinged.

“And you think she wanted to live in a trailer in the woods of Montana?”

“Doesn’t matter. I would’ve given her anything she wanted. No questions asked,” Beau stated simply. “I was happy when I was with her. Didn’t matter where we were or what we were doing.”

“So, what? You planned on marrying her? Kids?”

Beau twitched his shoulders, his eyes not drifting from the street. If he glanced at Randy only for a beat, he couldn’t ignore his friend’s reactions any longer and still remain honest. “We never talked about it, but... If that’s what she wants, then yeah. Don’t even have to think about it. You really were an idiot, you know?”

“I know that. Thank you,” Randy huffed sarcastically and rolled his eyes. “Still not getting my blessing, though.”

“Good thing you’re not her father,” Beau snapped. He could only muster so much patience. “You don’t really have a say in who she’s datin’.”

“You’re one to talk.” Randy scoffed mockingly. “I met your friend Denise at the station. We had a long chat. She almost talks as much as you. Sounded like you tried to have a say in who Carla should marry. Little hypocritical, don’t you think?”

“That’s different,” Beau retorted defensively. “We have a kid together. Whoever Carla’s seeing is also gonna be in Emily’s life.”

“So, you don’t even care a little about Carla’s well-being? ‘Cause Denise said you killed her new husband,” Randy countered cleverly.

“Of course I care,” Beau admitted frustratedly. What did Randy want to hear? That he was right about everything? Well, except one thing: “And I didn’t kill Avery, by the way. Might have been slightly responsible for his death, sure, but I didn’t kill the idiot.”

“Seems to be a pattern for you. Maybe Diane was right,” Randy muttered wryly.

Beau licked his lips and sighed. “Listen, I know that devil woman is good at getting into someone’s head, but you gotta believe me, man. I did not leave you to die. If I had known–”

“Whoa, I know,” Randy interrupted him with an amused chuckle and two placating hands. “I was just joking. I knew you didn’t hand me over to the cartel on purpose in some evil ploy to get with my wife. That would be insane.”

Beau gave a nod, accepting his answer with relief. “Well, good.”

“Look, I’m not delusional, contrary to what everyone’s thinking. I know things happened while I was away,” Randy admitted. “I figured she had moved on. For three years, I actually hoped she did. I wanted her to be happy. Just didn’t think it be you, I guess. Probably shouldn’t have been surprised, though. I kinda knew you always liked her. Just didn’t think any more of it, you know?”

“And there wasn’t more, alright? I promise,” Beau assured him, his cheeks reddening from embarrassment. He never thought Randy would’ve suspected anything – not that there really ever was anything. But had his tiny crush really been that obvious? “One of those things, you know? Just ‘cause I find Michelle Rodriguez attractive doesn’t mean I seriously expect to date her. I didn’t know it was more than that till I spent some time with her.”

“Good to know,” was all Randy said, crossing his arms with an uncomfortable clear of his throat. “Definitely surprised Y/N likes you, though. She always had a pretty low opinion of you. Said you were doing shitty police work and I should be more careful. Guess she was right..." Beau shot him a darkened look but refrained from taking the bait. Randy pursed his lips. "Look, I know I’m a pain in your ass right now. You’d probably love to get rid of me.”

“Well, hey, that’s not–”

“What, true?” Knowingly, Randy lifted a brow. “I would if I were you.”

Beau only nodded, not admitting out loud the thought had certainly crossed his mind. “So, what are you thinking now?”

“Still want her to be happy,” Randy said quietly.

All of a sudden, Beau then slammed on the brakes, both men jolting forward into their seatbelts. A loud thud echoed through the car as something heavy hit the Jeep’s hood. For a moment, the sheriff thought he’d run into a deer before blinking his eyes at the bloodied and muddied image of Hal Turner.

“What the hell?!”

Turner was in rough shape, pantingly and deliriously stumbling around the car and onto the road, shielding his eyes from the blinding headlights with his palm. Blood dripped from various places from his head and body before Beau’s eyes narrowed on the metal tool stuck inside his neck.

“Guess we found our missing screwdriver,” Randy noted as the two men jumped out of the car, guns drawn.

“Where is she, Turner?” Beau prompted sternly, his finger itching to pull the trigger for everything he’d done to you. But knowing where you were was more important than a vendetta. Turner could only speak while he was alive.

And the man seemed to know it, too. Before the sheriff could call for back-up and an ambulance, Turner sneered and raised a hand, gripping the screwdriver tightly.

“No, don’t!”

Beau’s plea came too late. Hal Turner pulled the makeshift weapon out of his throat and collapsed to the ground, bleeding out within seconds.

Randy’s fingers landed on the man’s pulse point. He glanced up at his partner with a shake of his head. “He’s gone.”

Throwing his gun angrily into the rustling brushes, Beau gripped his temples and screamed into the void of the dark woods. Desperation clawed on his mind and heart. The fear of losing you for good took him prisoner. With labored breaths, he squeezed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger and rubbed his tired eyes. Turner had been his last lead. He knew more wouldn’t be coming.

What now?

A sanctimonious beep of his phone drew his attention. A small part of him prayed it was Jenny, informing him you’d emerged a few miles up the road – bloody like Turner, but otherwise fine. Alive.

But his green eyes only found an email and darkened at the sender’s name. “Diane just sent me a link.”

Randy, caught in his own spiral, suddenly glanced up. “To what?”

“Livestream.”

Chapter 13: Sure And Certain – JANUARY 10

Another cliffhanger, and it looks like Diane's still having the last laugh 🙈

What did you think of this part? Were you surprised by Randy's revelation? He might've changed his mind on a few things 😉

See ya next week for the freaking finale 🤍

Join the TAG LIST here! 🌌 Wanna sponsor my caffeine addiction? ☕️

Everything Jensen: @alwaystiredandconfused @xlynnbbyx @lyarr24 @deans-spinster-witch @blackcherrywhiskey

@deansbbyx @foxyjwls007 @ladysparkles78 @roseblue373 @zepskies

@agalliasi @yvonneeeee @hobby27 @iamsapphine @globetrotter28

@mxltifxnd0m @lacilou @feyresqueen @suckitands33 @onlyangel-444

@syrma-sensei @perpetualabsurdity @deans-baby-momma @yoobusgoobus @jessjad

@hunter-or-the-hunted @k-slla @just-levyy @mrsjenniferwinchester @illicithallways

@muhahaha303 @ultimatecin73 @nancymcl @leigh70 @brightlilith

@nesnejwritings @samslvrgirl @xx-spooky-little-vampire-xx @fromcaintodean @barewithme02

@thebiggerbear @star-yawnznn

Everything Beau Arlen: @snowayumi

Polaris Series: @corruptedcruiser

[guulyya]

Hey!

I have something to post after #charlos breakup, it’s keeping my mind busy the idea of the first day of 16 in Fiorano, where is no 55 anymore… idk it’s more likely platonic and desperate for both of them I would say. I can’t keep it myself so I have to let it out. Hope u like it, I will be very happy to read comments if there are any. xoxo

Fiorano day 1, 2025.

He would only let it ring 3 times and if he didn't answer, he would act like it had never happened.

But Charles wanted him to answer the call so badly. He had been here for years but this was the first time this place felt so strange and cold. How could someone take all the warmth with him when he left? The people around were the same, but everything felt was so different indeed. People called Charles the sun of this place but the real sun wasn't here right now...

"Hola!" - Charles closed his eyes and leaned his head back on the couch when he heard his voice. Thats it.

"H-hello! Its Charl-"

"I know who is this mate, come on. Whats up?" - you wont wanna know, Charles thought. But then he started talking with the safety he felt from hearing Carlos’ voice. They would talk about anything. They could still talk...right?

"Today is our first day here after the break. W-with new teammate. Everything feels so ridiculous Carlos. You not being here, not fighting together. The marketing meetings and other stuff will start soon. They're going to talk about the new car. The car.. we worked on together. I... I... umm. I wish you were here. This year. I don't know, everything feels so strange." - his thoughts were much more fluent, longer than this, but Charles couldn't find the right words. He missed him. He didn't know how to say it directly. And the silence on the other side grew longer as the seconds passed. With a little hysterical laugh - "I'm babbling again, aren't I? I shouldn't have called you. Sorry for bothe-"

"Charles..." - damn it. He even missed hearing his name. No one pronounced his name like Carlos did. They should have a little more time. Why did it have to be this short? He took a small breath, focued on him. - "..i miss you too."

Charles laughed softly. It was always like this. Carlos could hear even the things he didn't say.

- "The meetings here haven't started yet,”- Carlos contuined, “They're planning it for next week i guess. But ehm.. I was there in my dream today, you know? I was in red. And I was looking around wondering how this happened. I'm so hyped about here, I keep telling myself to get on with it, but I'm still there..in my dreams of course."

Charles’ face lifted with a broken smile. Both of them were desperate in that situation. You couldn't go to anyone and say that we don't want to seperate as teammates, no one would ever take you seriously. Therefore the decision was already made and they just obeyed.

"When I came here today, I had a kind of hope that I would find you in here you know. How ridiculous is this," Charles added, more like he was talking to himself, staring into space. -"As if you'll come out of somewhere by the time I open the door and everything will go back to how it was. Its stupid, eh? You're kilometers away from here."

"I didn't want to go, Charles. I never wanted to."

"I know..." his voice was helpless and quiet. Carlos was the one who was sent away, so was it selfish to call him and complain? But people always talked about those who left, no one cared about those who had to stay behind.

"Tell me a little about there," Carlos said, trying to change the subject "how's the weather? It's so cold here, I miss even the sunshine of the Fiorano." Charles' eyes moved from the wall he was staring to the window, ironically today was gloomy.

"Today is cloudy. I can say it's the coldest day in a long time." Cold in every sense. But he didn't add that. He had already revealed so much. -"Guess what, they’ve pictured that new design to the wall at the entrance you know, and its so stupid, we would joke around it and laugh for like 3 days." - his murmured- "It's..its just so ridiculous that you're not here."

"You can still tell me you know..." Charles heard a deep breath from other line and Carlos add -“..I would listen to you for hours.” He remembered the sentences with a broken smile on his face. He knew. It was their thing. They could talk about anything, anytime, anywhere. But would the same thing happen now, on different teams, with different teammates?

Would Carlos talk to Alex for long hours and have ridiculous competations or playing chess? He realized for a moment that there was a pain in his chest when he think about it. Maybe the issue wasn't only Carlos was far away, but also he would be somewhere else with other people, person. Alex. Carlos is that type of person who can get on well with everyone. And what if they can never be the same again while he is on other team? With other teammate. That would mean losing Carlos. Charles couldn't stand the thought. The ache in his chest became more apparent. He had tried not to think about it all break. And he did good, he kept himself busy. But now he couldn’t avoid from these voices.

He got up from where he was sitting and felt that had to end this strange conversation before he got lost in the corridors of his mind.

"You're right. I'll send you its photo!" -He put his hands in his hair and ruffled it. -“I guess I have to go now. See you, Carl-”

“Charles…” - the same tone again. Charles leaned on the wall. He got overwhelmed. The jealousy was already too much to deal and other feelings were keep coming. But being around Carlos was always like that anyway. - “Just focus on your own performance, okay? No matter who is in front of you, you are a perfect teammate. And I… I am just going to another team, but I’ll be around. - Carlos took a little breath. He wanted to Charles understand. He was not going anywhere, leaving team didn't mean leaving him. He tried to say that but he couldn't find the words. Instead he continued -“Yes… I’ll be around. I’ll still beat you on chess and give you very hard time on the race.” Charles smiled softly. Carlos is just like that, he knew him very well to hear even his unspoken fears.

“Yeah you wish…”- he add mockingly “Thank you. You were the best tho. Best teammate. And I mean it. I can’t wait to race for wins against you soon.” - he heard Carlos’ laughter from the other side of the line. And that somehow felt like light of sun.

“Sure, sure. Whatever, I’ll let you go now. Good luck for today.”

“Okay. Thanks. See you.”

“See you.”

After finishing the call, Charles sent a photo of the stupid design and started the messaging that would last all day.

Maybe Carlos was right, maybe this wouldn’t be end.

[jovieinramshackle]

Oh my god 2025 ummm what the fuck amirite (it's not even for me yet it's over 10pm)

Okay so um hi hey hello. What a year huh (at least for me). So wild I transed my whole gender like damn the she/her to he/him pipeline was so real but ANYWAYS

I already said quite a bit during Christmas here but I would be lying if I said I didn't have a million more things to say. Even more to some certain mutuals/friends that have really been nothing but kind to me. Some old ones, some recent ones, I can't list everyone but I genuinely just appreciate any amount of support and love, big or small.

I've been thinking about whether I should directly say a few things to some mutuals/friends for a while (and I already have to some, but I don't mind repeating myself lol), but I think New Year's is the perfect chance to do so.

Apologies for the tagging in advance SUDISAHFIUHISDE

-

@crystallizsch I have already expressed to you how much I appreciate and grateful I am to you for encouraging me to make this blog, way before we had ever even interacted. I love you a lot buddy, you're absolutely the best<3

@oya-oya-okay OYAAA OYA OYAAA!!! I love you sm my darling friend, your kind words and support have genuinely been some of the biggest reasons I pushed through this year. I know the latter part of this year has been really hard for you, but I want you to know you have my support for whatever you need <3

@viperbunnies YOU HAVE MADE ME SOBBED SM ESPECIALLY WITH YOUR GIFTS. I sometimes go back to see your art of my persona or my oc just to make myself feel a little better. Ty for making me feel part of this amazing community (PS. I still get shroompocalypse war flashbacks/j) <3

@fell-e We have mostly chatted on Discord recently and legit you're one of the funniest and nicest people I've had the pleasure of talking to! I can't wait to interact more in 2025, you're such a nice person to be around <3

@lficanthaveloveiwantpower Hi Nah! We don't interact really one-on-one, but the kind words you've given me have always made me smile. You're one of the biggest reasons I got comfortable with openly self-shipping and sharing my thoughts about my f/os. And don't even let me mention how much joy your art has given me, you're seriously one of the best artists I've had the pleasure of being mutuals with <3

@theolivetree123 I'm a sucker for your ocs I won't even lie they're always so creative and fun! Still remember the time you asked to be mutuals and I just DIE/pos. It really was a pleasant surprise and I look forward to every post you make, whether it's art or just talking about your ocs and dynamics! You're extremely creative you genuinely inspire me a lot <3

@sunnysidesevenup I KNNNNOOOOWWWW we became moots pretty recently but like. You're so cool dude wtf. Legit freaked out when YOU followed ME first. I got cold feet about following you back for a while ahaha.....but I'm so happy I did you're such a fun dude I love your creations so much too (low-key biased towards Tilly...I love him sm and for what...)

@jadelover69 MIMI YOU ARE SO FUN, JUST SOO FUN TO INTERACT WITH YOUR WHOLE ENERGY IS SOOO SDUBHDSJNAGISBSJDH/POS your reblogs always make me giggle, even if it's just you straight up dying <3 Tysm for showing so much love for my creations, it means the absolute world

@summerspook You madman. I can't believe we've been friends for almost 2 years online. You have helped me through so much stuff, sometimes I even felt guilty about it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being one of my bestest friends, talking to you is one of the main things I look forward to every day, I can't express how much appreciate you and our friendship <3

-

OKAY THIS IS ALL FOR NOW there are more of you but I can't articulate my thoughts and feelings the best, but either way I love and appreciate all of you with all my heart.

New Year's has slowly lost its meaning for me (I'm neutral about it) but at least I get to use it to show my application to the people who have been with me this year, mutual or not tbh <3

Also if you wanna say something back but not publically, dms are open for mutuals <3

[bekolxeram]

I wasn't that cruel, trying to edge Tommy into 2025, so I spent my NYE writing more porn.

We're technically 2 hours into the new year here, but it's still 2024 in Los Angeles, so shhhhhhhh you don't know anything about time zone byeeeee

Happy New Year everyone! Enjoy part 3 of my silly smut.

Rated E

Part 1 | Part 2

Moments later, Tommy strolls back from the kitchen with a roll of paper towel in one hand and two bottles of beer in the other. His cock, still hard and engorged with excitement, bobs around for each step he takes. An amused chuckle slips out of Buck’s watering mouth at the lewd but silly scene in front of him.

“See something you like?” Tommy follows his boyfriend’s line of sight downward, before putting down the kitchen roll and handing him a beer.

“My favorite,” a chuckle turns into a full giggle as the comically bouncy hardness enters Buck’s personal space. Taking a long swig from the bottle, he almost spits it all out when Tommy starts gyrating his pelvis to spin his dick around in circles.

���Hey! I’m drinking here.”

“Sorry, just wanted to show you my helicopter flying skills,” Tommy stops playing around, takes a sip of his own beer, and continues, “finish your beer. I’m gonna clean up your mess.”

“My mess? This is your doing,” Buck protests.

“Hmm I know, and I’m proud of it,” Tommy bends down to give the younger man a searing kiss, then tears off a few sheets of paper towel and starts wiping.

Buck still can’t take his eyes off Tommy’s raging hard-on, he even lays his head down underneath jut to better appreciate it in its red, girthy, veiny glory.

“Ah…” Tommy gasps when he feels Buck’s icy cold lips wrapped around him, without warning.

“Mmmmmm,” Buck hums, sending electrifying vibration all over Tommy’s body.

“If I’ve missed a spot, it’s your fault,” Tommy says, tossing the ball of paper aside.

Buck pulls off with a suggestive pop, “let’s test it, then.”

Next thing Tommy knows, he’s being flipped around and pushed down onto the previously white fluid laden surface.

“All clear?” Buck asks, already climbing into Tommy’s lap.

“You’re lucky this time,” grabbing Buck’s jaw firmly, Tommy pulls him in to nibble on his bottom lip playfully.

“I’m lucky every time,” Buck reaches back to stoke Tommy’s length from root to tip, “I get to play with this,” and proceeds to sink down in one fell swoop, drawing out a synchronized groan from them both. Still stretched out from their earlier joining minutes ago, Buck needs no time to adjust. He starts rolling his hip straightaway, grinding that sensitive bundle of nerve endings against the swelling erection inside of him, his own spent cock springing back to life at the enthralling sensation.

After reveling in the bliss of fullness for a few more moments, Buck turns his focus onto Tommy’s overdue release. Rather than stimulating his own prostate, he begins bouncing up and down, putting on a pornographic moan every time his ass hits Tommy’s thighs.

Helpless against his imminent climax, Tommy thrusts up at Buck’s pace to meet him half way. The sound of skin slapping echoes throughout the loft.

“Ah! Tommy! Fuck my hole!” Buck feels Tommy’s rhythm breaking apart upon hearing the filthy words. Determined to get the older man off, Buck leans in again to whisper in his ear, “you make me feel so good… I wish you could feel it too…”

“Aaaahhh — Evan, Evan, Evan!” Tommy wraps both his arms around Buck’s waist, slamming into him over and over again.

“One of these days, I’m gonna get a replica of your dick, and fuck you with it while you’re fucking me.”

This sends Tommy right over the edge, spilling deep inside Buck’s clenching channel.

The two men presses their foreheads together, catching their breathe, basking in the afterglow.

“Hmm I love you Evan,” Tommy sighs, with a hint of sated exhaustion in his voice, “but I’m not cleaning the couch again.”

Buck finds himself being picked up and thrown onto the couch again. Feeling Tommy slowly pulling out, he closes his eyes and braces himself for the dry roughness of paper towel dragging over his sensitive rim, instead, he feels something warm and wet. His eyes flies open to see Tommy between his legs, licking his leaking hole clean.

“Ooooh… fuck! Tommy!”

Once Tommy observes no more of himself dripping out of Buck, he pushes two think fingers past the entrance, then starts vigorously rubbing that sweet spot of pleasure, until Buck’s squirming under his touch.

“Tommy! Tommy! TommyTommyTommyTommyTo…” Chanting Tommy’s name like a prayer, Buck explodes in euphoria for the second time of the night, painting his own body white.

“Wow… That was amazing,” Buck exclaims, collapsing back onto the armrest of the couch. “Come here,” he gazes at his man with eyes full of affection, inviting him with open arms. Tommy complies, ignoring the dampness between their stomachs, slotting his face into the crook of Buck’s neck.

“I don’t think I can look at bagels or baking the same way every again,” Buck laughs.

“Well, that was the intention,” Tommy looks up, “feeling better now?”

Only now does Buck realize it’s the first time since they’re back together that he feels truly in tune with Tommy, just like the old days, understanding unspokenly each other’s wants and needs.

Oh…?

“I think took up baking because I… kneaded you.”

“Evan, my love, that was terrible.”

[dearhaos]

It’s a new year again! It feels like this past year really flew by (it also feels like it really didn’t). A LOT has happened for me this year; I got my degree right when I started genuinely doubting I would, I moved countries, from the city to a small ass town, I started my first job and everything that goes with that (including a crush with no hopes of working out)... The contrast between the first and second half of the year was clear, both to me, and, I think, to everyone, considering my sudden inactivity. 

As always — I think you’re all used to it by now, although I am sorry to announce I don’t have any cute graphics to go with it this time around — here are my messages to the people who kept me close company this year! they might be a bit (a lot) shorter this time around… i AM writing them at work, actually. staying the night today. turns out there’s a lot of ambulances coming through on the last day of the year. you’d be surprised.

To. ERI

MY DEAREST, my one(ri) and only!! HAPPY NEW YEAR <33 first of all, i’m really, really, really SO grateful… for everything, as always, but mostly for sticking with me through this year, and for always finding the time to text me daily despite being so so busie… it really does mean a whole lot to me… </3 this was a big, big year, and i’m glad that i got to spend it with you. i’m looking forward to spend the next one with you as well (maybe partially in person. . .!). words truly can’t describe just how much you mean to me, and everything that you’ve done for me, and i’m always so thankful to have you as a friend. let’s remain close in 2025 (and onward!) as well… will you have me? <3 

p.s. your housewarming slash birthday slash christmas gift is in preparation. im sorry i still havent sent it i know its been forever

p.p.s. i still feel bad for not doing anything for your birthday im SO sorry

To. GABI

my gabi whom i love and who forgot about me for the sake of their love life (/jk)! happy new year… will this be the year i get an invite to your wedding? i am waiting. lmk when to send you my address! on a more serious note, i really do wish you the best, despite being a bit jealous. i hope this year to come will only be better — and i hope you’ll let me know all about it along the way!! i love you with all my heart!! 

p.s. we still need to schedule a call, it’s been forever…

p.p.s. i hope that he knows just how lucky he is to have you

To. BIE

my baby bear who had to deal with me this entire year… i’m sure it wasn’t easy. thank you so much for putting up with me. you really do feel like a sweet little plush bear that i can talk to freely. i hope you’ll be okay with me annoying you throughout 2025 as well… because, personally, i’m already looking forward to it. happy new year <3 remember that i love you.

To. INA

my (booktok cursed) little otter whom i love! happy new year!! i’m always so glad that we get to spend the year together, and this year was no exception to the rule. thank you for letting me annoy you with my little movie reviews this year <3 and i’m sorry that we still didn’t get to finish twisted love, i promise i’m on it. this year was a big one for us (we called!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and i hope 2025 will be even bigger (may we meet even still this winter plsplsplsplspls). i love you, i kiss you, i hold you like a little cat in my arms, remember that you’re SO precious to me!!!

To. my wife, RO

NO DIVORCE!!!! my wife who had to deal with me liking a man this year, i am so sorry. but remember that you’re my wife forever and always, no matter what. also, you’re prettier than he is. happy new year my spouse <3 we don’t get to talk as often as when we were both unemployed, but i hope that you remember that i love you lots. and i’m always there if you want to talk. maybe we can find more time for each other in the upcoming year! 

p.s. we should call again sometime

p.p.s. you look SO good in that pink outfit. see: ig

To. VY

my dramamate whom i so miss watching dramas with… how is a girl supposed to live… vy i am having withdrawals. i have been. why are we so busy. let’s quit our jobs. do it for zhou yiran. and me. please. seriously, though, i’m glad that we still manage to somewhat stay in touch despite being this busy. i like you a lot. i hope you know that. happy new year!! i won’t wish you unemployment in 2025, despite the beginning of this paragraph, because i know that you like your job, and i’m very happy that you do. i will, however, wish for us to somehow find the time to go back to our silly little chinese romcoms. we both need it, i think. a little romcom a day keeps the doctor away, or something. love you!! <3

To. my mother-in-law, ANNA

anna, who finally followed me back after 20 years of unrequited love, and who, surprisingly, had quite a presence in my (social) life this year!! should i start by saying nice to meet you? my fellow polander. i am still quite shy around you (believe it or not), but i am always happy to interact with you!! thank you for being so sweet to me. and i hope we can interact more in 2025!! happy new year <3

To. my puppy, VEN

who i haven’t talked to much this year, but who has been a constant reassuring presence in my life for… so long, now. i think you know this, but i love you, and i think of you often (it’s clear from how many things i send you weekly, i think). i hope that this new year can treat you well, and bring you many opportunities. and… that you can remain my friend. thank you for being there for me. and happy new year!! <3

To. my cherry fox, IRI

my beloved forest witch… i am so sorry we didn’t make it to the jesus birthday café this year. maybe the next one… i WILL be wishing for it every year until we actually go. i am insane like that. my iri, happy new year!! please remember that i love you lots, even when we don’t talk much. also please pretend you don’t see me perceiving your zebimen. i’m hoping this next year treats you well, and that we can continue to keep in touch. i love you. a lot. a lot, a lot, a lot. and thank you for sticking with me for so many years now. <3

To. my meow-meow, AWEKS

my meoweks, who i haven’t talked to much this year, but who has achieved a LOT in 2024 — may this continue in 2025!! i am really proud of everything you’ve achieved, i think i’ve made it clear, but i’ll say it again and again. im sending you kisses. also, as you know, i’m very excited for 2025 because of the MILWEKS MEOWMEOW MEETUP THATS FINALLY GOING TO HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!!! it feels surreal. i’m insanely excited. bet you’re excited to meet your tty (ur her biggest fan after all), too! and so, let’s go into 2025 full of hopes!! happy new year <3

To. my loml, BRI

my brina who has been so busy being a big big college girlie this year!! i’ve been missing your updates, and talking to you, but i am SO proud of you — for making it this far, and for keeping it up!! a lot has happened this year for you as well, and i hope that the next year can bring some more HAVING A CAR AND BELOVED FRIENDS to u. i am always, always so proud of you, and i’m always cheering you on, and i hope that you can remember that if you’re facing hard times (although… i am hoping you remember me, from time to time, in good times as well). remember that i love you, always. happy new year <3

To. my LÉKS, my PAULA, my LU’LU’, my MEG, my MIHA

thank you for staying by my side this year. although we don’t talk much, you’re always, always in my heart, and i think about you more often than you’d think. i hope we can remain in contact throughout the next year as well. happy new year <3 may it be better than this previous one, for all of you. don’t forget that i’m always cheering you on (from deep in your pockets). and if you ever need to talk, you know where to find me.

[suhnandmoon]

2024 tumblr wrapped

thank you to @dibidibidismynameisleeknow for tagging me in this :D this has been a special year for me on tumblr. i ended my two year hiatus when i wasn't planning on coming back and met so many awesome authors and people on here :) i've only been active for again for around half this year but its nice to look back and see just how much i made (ignore the fact that we are two days into the new year.)

2024 fic stats

number of works posted

5 smaus!!! 1 fic and a few scenarios

fics in progress

way too many… currently 3 smaus and a few written fics that wont see the light of day

total words written:

12k (15k including s4u’s transcripts 😭) damn yall. i didnt realize i wrote this much. shoutout my one written fic that carried my word count

top 5 posts

enha request: how enha reacts to your lockscreen being a different member (it makes me laugh that this is my top post)

stupid for you (sunghoon x reader)

dance with me baby! (heeseung x reader)

beat it! (riki x reader)

starlight (renjun x reader)

most recent fic

beat it! (riki x reader)

longest fic

soul eater with 8.5k words by default just bc its the only thing i wrote this year. smau with the most chapters is starlight

favorite fic i wrote

you already know. dance with me baby… meet me in elwynn is a close second though. ironically my least popular smaus but who gaf!!! me and loser hee will always be here.

goal for 2025

i need to conquer my fear of written fics!!! i want to write more. hopefully post my jake fic… also to stay active this next year and not drop off the earth... like before...

fav fics i read this year

you already know. pur autre vie by @starlightkun (park jisung x reader)

i also read her strawberry sunday anthology this year (even tho it was posted last year) beautiful beautiful. always mel's number one fan

hwarang by @pasteidolons (seventeen x reader, different member routes)

my history with this series is real. so happy its being brought back for svt... one of the best works i've read on tumblr everrrrr

to be honest i didnt read a lot of kpop fics at all this year. im so behind. heres a hawks fic i loved. i've been on my mha grind recently. here's a touya fic too.

my fic rec acc is @sixyearsfromforever

tagging my mutuals. if any of you want to do it, i really want to see your recaps :) i get nervous tagging people but know i would like to see everyones!!

[riverofmemoriesft]

Hello, everyone! In celebration of the New Year, I've decided to lay out a bit of a roadmap so people can see what's coming!

As many are aware, I had a poll up for some time regarding BTL's rewrite. I've started the process, which will be a lengthy one, but I'm super excited to revisit my first, biggest fic. 3 I can't wait to add more depth than there already is to it (alongside better writing). I will be reposting it rather than simply exchanging chapters, so stay tuned! It'll likely start coming out after Starfall ends.

Starfall is heading towards its finale this year! Clearly, I've not worked out all the kinks and it's nowhere near done entirely, but I fully hope/expect it to be finished by the end of 2025. That said, I hope everyone continues to enjoy it. It has a special place in my heart.

With those two notes in mind...here is a list of things to look forward to:

- Several rewrites, including but not limited to: BTL, Gasoline, NAIS, Oculto, Obsessive Impulsive, Paranormal (and its one-shot ending), TGOL, several one-shots, and a good chunk of Skinwalker and TSTAB!

-I am revisiting the Shattered Series (there was seriously something wrong with my teenage high school brain, holy cow that thing is something else and worrisome to my adult self).

-I am SUPER excited to announce In Tenebris is officially back in the works! It will be in line with the first edition that I deleted some time ago (which I regret immensely, but still have the old chapters of). It will be finished and take a very different route than where it was headed.

- I have plans to finish Yarrow this year.

- I have begun considering whether it might be worth sharing some of my most beloved pieces written for my own entertainment, including the rumored Seven Deadly Sins BanxOC fic I started years ago as well as a few fragments of my 300 page BNHA HawksxOC fic that somehow grew into a character of its own. I also have a LOT of ideas for some Helluva Boss/Hazbin Hotel works involving an OC. I might throw up a poll to gauge interest in these. ;)

- I also have some ideas for another big fic after Starfall finishes! I have yet to decide if I truly plan on writing/posting it, but we will see.

ANYHOW!

Happy New Years, everyone, and I hope you'll plan to continue your 2025 adventure with me!

~river

[skypiea]

I wanted to do some sort of summary of my 2024 art by month, but im finding it hard... several very sparse months, and some stretches of purely commissioned work. I do like all the art ive made as commissioned work but i often try n exclude em from those summaries for whatever reason. Regardless im pretty proud of a lot of the stuff I put out this year & i had a lot of fun making it all. I think there may be somewhat less than usual over here because of my weekly schedule of making art for my beloved @delta-bw blog... But that's alright, I like that it keeps me drawing and working. its been a fun year of drawing fun stuff :-)

Anyway, i know it requires a touch of effort, but if anyone would like to share with me their favorite piece of mine from this year, id be touched & very interested to hear. if something jumps out in ur mind, if you commissioned something from me that you enjoy, or you'd like to browse thru my art tag (pages 1-9 are 2024) & pick something out, do tell me! I like to hear what other people think, and i think it might be more interesting than picking out my own favorites of the year. If u send it as an ask, I might draw something fun when i publish it :3

Aside from that, I'd like to thank u all for hanging out here & checking out the stuff I make. Drawing is one of my favorite things to do, & i have a lot of fun hopping around and drawing all kinds of dif stuff. I have big fun plans for stuff to make in 2025, including a lot of fun merch stuff in the works that I already really enjoy the art ive created for em--and hopefully maybe an artist alley appearance if we get accepted...waow... happy new years & here's to a prosperous 2025 full of creation and growth!

[inchandescence]

Chanbaek Tarot Reading 2024

Chanbaek Tarot Reading 240320

I read 3 parts: current, 2nd half 2024 until the end of the year, and 1-2 years in the future.

Before reading please know:

If you don't believe in tarot then you don't have to and please never mock people who loves reading tarot predictions, we all have rights and our own free will, and it's not a crime.

Tarot readings are not facts, they are predictions or you can also say a glimpse of what is happening and what would happen.

How detail the reading is influenced by the reader, for myself I can't give a very detailed reading yet, so this is how I far I could do it.

Also I've read tarot for chanbaek many times since 2021 and this reading... I could say it's the most positive out of all readings I've done.

---

Current situation with chanbaek:

Keywords: healing, finding peace, contentment, seeing positives, growing to stability, steady loving relationship, privileged, new perspective, take action

Before this current time (1st half of 2024) chanbaek had a series of hard time in their relationship, doesn't have to be because of themselves, could be bcs of many other factors, but bcs of those issues they experienced some kind of slow down BUT now at this time they finally healed and able to make peace, so I think the issues are more to last year (2023) cus I read them too last year and yes they were having issues here and there, with external people too. Now they finally felt content of the resolution and they can see the positive outcomes. Because of them finally moving on to a better time for their relationship, at the same time their relationship is growing to stability and is going to be steady. FYI, in the past years when people read tarot for chanbaek, it's already predicted that they are going to reach a stable and steady period of their relationship SOMEDAY when they are both ready. And I believe... this current time is going to be that beginning. Additionally, they will be able to see their past mistakes, reflect, and learn, and be open to new perspectives, they both know what they want and what each other want, and they will no longer beat around the bush, they will immediately take action now, all for their relationship.

---

The rest of 2024 (the 2nd half until the end of the year):

Keywords: party, celebration, gathering, family, stability, caring, home, but also business, domestic comfort, support, helping each other, openness (discussion, sharing)

Okay... like kinda crazy bcs I feel like we have been given a glimpse of chanbaek's stable and steady and very domestic life as a couple (finally) and it also begins with some kind of a party, celebration, gathering with family. What im getting is!! This year baekhyun will finish kyoongcon and chanyeol will finally either release PCY1 or reveal the first official hint for PCY1 and like both of them worked so hard for all of their individual projects 1-3rd quarter and they finish them well! So at the end of 2024 they will be having holiday and party and celebrate with family hehe and also after this celebration I think chanbaek won't like rest assured, both of them will go back to work right away and they might think its gonna be a little harder bcs they both alr achieved many great things in 2024 and 2025 the standard will be even higher but both of them will have this kind of worry and they will be open to each other about this! They will share and discuss their plans, whats next, whats good, they will always be there for each other no matter what.Oh adding to this!! I think both will be living that double income couple life so well you know.. like they go to work, do business, they go home, sleep tgt, eat tgt, really happy workaholic couple 😂

---

Chanbaek Future!! 1-2 years later

Keywords:

"quality time with people you cherish in your life"

"turning romantic wishes into reality"

connection and commitment

Okay I feel like the result isnt as detailed as the first 2 questions' results BUT still this is a glimpse of what the future holds for their relationship and the answer indicates they will spend more time tgt compared to this year or previous year, they will have more quality time with each other and people around them, and they will build that connection as a commited couple who will walk to their future together. Also a card describes chanbaek's commited relationship as an air sign, I'm an air sign myself and I feel like this is really really good, being an air sign is wonderful and just the best because like air sign is a sign of freedom and humanity, air sign likes to fly away yet at the same time, they know when to stop flying and rest for a bit and look what is happening under the sky. This is a healthy relationship, both chanbaek will get the freedom they want as both are very independent, but also when they need each other and care about each other, they will be together. Like their relationship has this good set of boundaries but also uncountable empathy.

---

P.S.: While wedding/engagement is possible but what I feel is more to celebrating their achievements in 2024 hehe BUT WHO KNOWS

I suddenly have the urge to read tarot bcs of the penshoppe x bench thingy haha i feel like it gives more hm how do i say it, it adds one more "red string" to chanbaek, what i mean is now theres another thing that connects both of them so their energy tgt will become stronger

[cindylouwho-2]

ETSY FIRST QUARTER 2024 EARNINGS REPORT - No Idea When Sales Will Improve, But Lots of Change Coming

(Above: Slide 18 from Etsy's Investor Presentation, © Etsy. The top 6 categories were down across the board)

As Etsy predicted last quarterly report, gross marketplace sales were down in the first quarter of 2024, but contrary to predictions last quarter, the top brass now do not expect anything to improve in the second quarter. They didn't even try to sugar coat it much.

However, this turned out to be an interesting call anyway. Given that they had bad news and little new to announce, they actually had to divulge more details on how the site actually works, and the search plans for the near future. I strongly suggest that every Etsy seller familiarize themselves with what is coming down the pipe.

First, here are the official sources:

the press release

transcript of the conference call

slides from the conference call

video of the call (click on “Webcast”)

my summaries of the first quarter 2023, and the fourth quarter 2023 for comparison

Then, the basic numbers (covering January to March 2024, compared to the same period in 2023):

Sales on Etsy were $2.6 billion, down 5.3% year over year

Total sales for all 3 marketplaces (Etsy, Reverb, and Depop) were $3.0 billion, down 3.7%. [Elo7 was officially sold in mid August; its numbers were included in the comparison totals from 2023]

Etsy’s revenue (including all 3 sites) was $646 million, up 0.8%

Seller service revenue was up 3.2% to $179 million, while marketplace revenue was down 0.1% to $467 million

Net income was $63 million, down 15.5%

Active buyers on Etsy alone stand at 91.6 million

Active sellers on Etsy alone are at 7 million, up over 1 million from the first quarter 2023 but no change from the 4th quarter. [Note that “active” means one charge or transaction in the past 12 months; many “active” shops currently have nothing for sale.]

Etsy sales where the buyer and/or the seller was not in the United States were 48%, although across all three sites it is only 45%

As usual, I am mostly reporting on what Etsy said, but my own comments will be in square brackets, as well as in the analysis section at the end of this post.

Gift Mode and Gifting Initiatives Aren't Going Away

Etsy's front office seems happy with Gift Mode so far, and note that gift buying on the site in general is already increasing. "We're pleased to report that Etsy's total site-wide gifting GMS in the first quarter grew in the low-single-digits year-over-year," which was better than other gift sites they were tracking.

Gift Mode was also a huge success at getting attention, with over 4 times the news coverage of any previous Etsy public relations campaign. CEO Josh Silverman said they were happy with the Super Bowl ad, and would consider doing one in the future if the company had another big thing to announce.

And finally, we heard the real reason that Gift Mode sucked when it was released: the team that came up with it in the summer of 2023 intended it to be released in 2025, but Silverman insisted that they do it for 2024. He admits it needs a lot more work. [So a lousy product that doesn't do anything it is advertised to do was launched a year early because the CEO was out of other ideas and needed something fast. No doubt that is why a lot of the ads and emails are leaning into the personas instead of the main function of choosing a gift for a particular person and occasion.]

Etsy Search and Discovery

They've been talking about this for a while, but this time the comments were far more explicit: Etsy search has too much "clutter". The whole quote is important:

"All too often, when you visit Etsy, your search is cluttered, showing you too many items that feel very similar...failing to highlight the incredible diversity that is a towering strength for Etsy. In addition, you might not be clear as to why each of these items belong on Etsy. For example, which are handmade by the seller themselves, which are designed by the seller, but produced in close collaboration with the production partner and/or which are personalized and customized by the seller. While there's demand on Etsy for each of these categories of items, it depends a great deal on the buyer's shopping mission." [my emphasis]

Slides 8 through 10 discuss how Etsy plans on solving this problem.

The first point - removing non-handmade items - is covered below.

As has been mentioned in previous calls, Etsy wants to change its search to show more "quality" products. This means adding factors "such as the quality of the listing and photography, shipping price and reliability and customer reviews into our organic search algorithms." [This is likely the reason Etsy recently updated the search legal policy page, mentioning these sorts of factors in their recommendation algorithms. Yes, as I have been telling people for a while now, image quality is becoming part of Etsy SEO and its other algorithms. Looking at the listings which have "Etsy's Picks" badges is a good way to spot what Etsy currently thinks is "quality", but that could easily change at any time. Note also that he said "organic search algorithms" - apparently they are not planning on doing this with Etsy Ads just yet, meaning shops who lose visibility through organic search may have to pay for ads to make up the difference.]

Their definition of quality excludes "sellers that have higher levels of refund or consistently ship late" - they want the customer to be happy with the whole buying experience, not just the product. So above-average rates of returns and late shipping are also likely to factor into Etsy's many algorithms, if they don't already. [Shipping late is a policy violation, and those are search factors under the Customer & Marketplace Experience Score. All of this is Etsy SEO now. We already knew they hated refunds/cancellations because some sellers have received payment reserves for having too many - as few as 1 or 2 in some cases - in a short period of time.] Silverman did agree with a comment that returns/refunds lead to lower Etsy revenue as well.

They also seem to be working on some new way to categorize or filter items, as hinted above with the comments on production partners. "Better organizing our diverse listings into cleaner aisles will declutter our site." This could be referring to the previous attempts t auto-filter large generic searches into narrower categories; see examples in my third quarter 2023 summary. It might also connect to 2 other quotes worth reading:

"[T]he first page of search results might be 30 things that look very, very similar... If these 30 things are virtually identical, can't you just tell me, which one is the best or what are the three, and what are the trade-offs between them? And that's harder for us where we don't map to a catalog. But I think with the latest machine learning and GenAI techniques, it's easier and easier for us to start to understand what the stuff is, what's very substantially similar and really try to give you fewer choices of just the best."...

"Gen AI is actually going to be, I think, more and more helpful at understanding how much value did this particular seller truly add to the product. And we're looking to prioritize items that are really original where the seller really added value and then be able to explain to the buyer exactly where the seller did add value. Did the seller make it themselves, did they design it and produce it with a production partner, did they personalize it, I think that buyers are interested in knowing that." [my emphasis]

So the search plan is to show fewer items that look similar to each other, while adding more diverse items to the first page, all while boosting listings where the seller "added value". That sounds difficult to accomplish. Think of some searches where it is clear that many of the shops are using the very similar supplies, using the same fonts etc. In his ideal version of Etsy search, are most of those items going to disappear from the early pages in favour of things that look different and/or more complicated to make?

[There were 2 separate mentions of the differences between handmade vs. designed vs. personalized, including in the prepared remarks. Are they actually going to do something to make this more evident to shoppers, and if yes, how? If a shop sells POD and has their production partner linked, Etsy could display that more prominently on the listing, and even use that fact as a search filter. However, many owner-designed products don't have integrated production partners, and Etsy has done almost nothing to enforce disclosure there. We know from experience that AI will do a poor job of figuring this out, but Silverman doesn't seem to have noticed that yet. I am intrigued, but not hopeful.]

"Keep Commerce Human" and Handmade Policy "Violations"

They continue to tout increased removal of items and shops under the handmade policy, and mentioned the AliExpress bot again. If the image exists on AliExpress, "our default now is we take that down". Silverman mentioned that sellers can appeal the takedown, but failed to mention that the process takes weeks or even months, and the shop loses a ton of sales and their listing quality score in the meantime.

Handmade removals more than doubled in the first quarter compared to the year before. Etsy has lost a bit of money due to more aggressive removal of listings and shops as handmade violations; they estimate sales are 0.5% lower than they would have been if nothing was removed. Since the push started, they claim millions of listings and tens of thousands of active sellers have been taken down.

The annual transparency report should have more details; it will be out next week. [I will write my review of it the week after, when I return from a short vacation.]

The Economy

In case you haven't heard, some people feel they have a shortage of discretionary income these days. Silverman claims that Amazon and Walmart are only growing because they sell "everyday essentials". [Remember when Etsy said they were a site for everyday essentials too? The early pandemic was a wild time, and Etsy might be better positioned today if they hadn't assumed the ecommerce boost would continue forever.]

One of the analysts expressly asked if Etsy could still see itself as "a growth company" when they weren't showing any growth, and if they were planning on making really aggressive moves to restart growth this year. Silverman insisted they were all about big moves, citing Gift Mode as an example.

[Perhaps in frustration, this is where Silverman slipped up and swore, saying the corporation does "a sh**-ton of measurement" on the value of its projects, which for me was truly the highlight of the call. I like it when the talking heads show they are human.]

CFO Rachel Glaser pointed out that Etsy is still growing in the higher income brackets, and that when economic conditions improve for lower income households, Etsy will be in great shape.

Miscellaneous

In shipping updates, Silverman reported that:

"Our fulfillment team recently launched a new machine learning model, which reduced our estimate of USPS transit times by greater than one day, resulting in a nearly tripling of the percentage of eligible orders for which Etsy is now able to show an estimated delivery date of seven days or less."

[This would explain why so many shops are reporting items due to arrive before they ship, or have the wrong processing times on them. Any time Etsy applies machine learning to anything, there are widespread errors. They do seem to have fixed the processing time issue, however. Expect Etsy to continue to push for shorter processing times all year, and to have issues with USPS estimates.]

We finally got updated information on buyer app use: 45% of active buyers use the app. That does not necessarily mean that 45% of purchases come from the app, just that those customers use the app at least once in a while. Oddly enough, this was the first quarterly report in years that did not mention sales from mobile. Last quarter, 68% of sales across all of Etsy's sites came from mobile. If those stats are identical on Etsy - that's a big "if" - and if the 45% app use number was actual sales (not just occasional use) that would mean that 45% of Etsy sales would come from the app, 32% from desktop, and 23% from mobile browser. They will be pushing the app much more again this year, "since purchasing days per app user are 75% higher than our non-app users."

the $15 sign up fee for new shops reduced both new sellers and fraud attempts. Silverman referred to "low-effort sellers" and stated "if you're not prepared to invest $15 to get your shop going on Etsy, you may not have the skill or the will to really succeed." [This is such a huge change from the years of him bragging that anyone can start a shop for 20 cents that I wonder how he doesn't get whiplash from these reversals.]

we got a little more info on the planned loyalty program, but not a lot. It won't even be out in beta until the second half of the year, and "the focus is going to be on occasional shoppers...and [how to] turn those people into more loyal buyers."

Reverb and Depop both had good quarters, in part due to their "appeal to value-oriented shoppers".

My Commentary

The biggest takeaway is that algorithms will be changing, and that could hurt a lot of sellers who are currently doing well. They've been saying this for a while now, but recent policy updates and more details on their vision makes this feel much closer.

If they are truly going to narrow down searches to the best of the similar, a lot of items will be shown a lot less than they are now. The difference in "quality" between one listing and the next could be very minor, so setting the goal of narrowing the choices down to just a few means some top sellers could be impacted.

If you want your Etsy shop to keep being shown to visitors, work on:

eliminating late shipments. Extend your processing times and extend individual orders as required. Make it easier for your customers to understand they need to provide information for custom items. [This is tough to balance, because longer processing times and cancelling orders when you don't have the information from the buyer yet are both things that also hurt your visibility. It's just another way in which Etsy is sabotaging sellers of truly custom made items on the site.]

reducing returns and cancellations as much as possible. Examine the reasons people cancel or return orders in your shops, and look for common complaints/reasons you could potentially decrease though information in descriptions and images, FAQs, automated notes to buyers, and Message snippets. [I once stopped selling a product because too many people couldn't figure out how to use it properly. I thought I was explaining it well, but obviously I was not. There is no shame in failing, as long as we recognize the fact.]

improving image quality. This includes making sure your photos are at least 2000 px in the shortest direction, and are clear, uncluttered, properly white balanced and attractive in composition.

making your unique contributions evident in the photos and description. If you "add value" to the product, let everyone know that.

when considering new lines, doing your best not to look like everyone else. Aim to sell that original version that Etsy wants to display as evidence of Etsy's diversity.

remembering that shipping price is a search factor. It may eventually be necessary to bury some or all of the shipping fee in the product price, or to discontinue low-margin and expensive-to-ship products, if they are going to be narrowing down to only a few "quality" products for each query.

I'll have more to say on the handmade violations initiatives after I read the transparency report next week. My current feeling is that the seller community needs to be more publicly vocal about how Etsy's refusal to "keep commerce human" by hiring more support and more handmade screeners is harming truly handmade artisans. Removing items that are also showing up on Aliexpress or Shein as the default action, then forcing small business owners to wait weeks or even months for a resolution, is the antithesis of "human". Oh, and instead of picking on handmade items, try turning AI on the boxes of commercial snacks and foods that continue to violate Etsy policies and cheapen the site.

Some people seem really worked up about the loyalty program plans, but since we know virtually nothing about it yet, I will reserve judgement. A properly-planned loyalty program should produce enough extra revenue to cover the costs, just as Etsy aims for with its periodic "save $10 on all orders over $40" offers.

Finally, last financial call they said they expected to see things picking up in quarter 2, now they say that is not expected until the second half of the year. What happened? Is it truly economic pressure, or did they have to abandon their plan to make more money by forcing shops into tiered subscriptions, at least temporarily? Silverman did stress that they think the gifting initiatives will pay off more as the year goes on, but the tone of this call was so different from the previous one that I can't help but feel that they had other plans just a few months ago.

My prediction from last quarter - that 2024 will be a rough year for many sellers - still stands.

[clarktooncrossing]

DUMPSTER DUDELZ III: Revenge of the Dumpster

HEY THERE PEOPLE OF TODAY AND ROBOTS OF TOMORROW!

IT'S ME, CLARK!

Happy New Year, weirdos of the world! The last year might've been a mixed bag in most regards, but in terms of artwork I was riding a creative high. Like, holy crap, the amount of artwork posted is surprising. You better believe the goal is to keep that streak going well into 2025. What better way to start then looking back on what didn't make the cut in 2024? By now showcasing my leftover sketches in these compilations has become sortuv' a regular tradition. Not that you'll ever hear me complain about it. I hate seeing artwork go unused, plus it's fun seeing how my skills have improved over the last twelve months. So what awaits us in the dumpster?

(1) ABBY K. DABBY

Y'ever wonder why rabbits are considered sexy? Lola Bunny, Jessica Rabbit, Judy Hoppes, even Playboy loves dressing their models up as the small critters. Why is that? It was while pondering this, looking up artwork of Zatanna, and watching clips of Penn & Teller: Fool Us that this feisty sorceress came into mind. Meet Abby K. Dabby, the resident magical mistress of the Clarktooniverse. At the moment there's nothing there outside of a cool design, though my plan is to further fill out her backstory so she's more than just eye candy with a quirky name.

(2) BLOOD ON THE SADDLE

Disney fans everywhere rejoiced when Disney finally renovated the beloved Country Bear Jamboree in Orlando. Less so when the show finally opened and prioritized shoving tracks from the company's library down our ears in favor of maintaining the oddball humor the show's known for. Personally I just counted my blessings, especially considering the fates of Dinosaur and Muppet Vision 3*D. You could say D23 was a real disappointment. At the very least, I thought Big Al singing "Remember Me" from Coco was funny as ever. Oh Al, you are truly the bluest bear we've ever met. Never change, buddy!

(3) ROSIE STARDUST

This was quickly sketches after looking at a commission done by @zernna. Like a lot of my characters, Rosie looks better when drawn by somebody else. Regardless, the cosmic cutie is always fun to draw.

(4) JACKIE'S WARDROBE

Speaking of commissions, my buddy @burningthrucelluloid commissioned me to create a sweet picture featuring his two space characters, cosmonaut Jackie Valentine and wasp princess Exa. He left it up to me what the former should wear, thus several options were offered. The three presented here include the heroine's regular spacesuit, a sexy pair of space undies, and something more akin to what she wore before leaving Earth. In the end we decided on something fancier to better fit the romantic mood. Anybody interested in checking out the final result can click here.

(5) FREDDYS OF DIFFERENT LANDS

Along with Abby, Freddy Fox's walk through Whimsyland is the result of a failed Sketch BOOM. Or more specifically, one that never got finished. It could easily be finished now since nothing went wrong with its production. Still, I'd prefer just to scrap it and move on. Not without saving what's already been completed first. This depicts the theme park's mascot walking through each land with an appropriate attire to match. From left to right we have classic Freddy walking down Whimsy Warf, crossing into Cowboy Country, jaunting towards Jungle Junction, frolicking through Fantasy Forest, making his way into Monster Marsh, and finally trotting through Tomorrow Town. It's the last outfit I'm particularly proud of, calling back to the campier costumes parading through other parks. Let's hope a trip to Whimsyland is in our foreseeable future.

(6) AN-D SHARK (DOO DOO DA DOO DA DOO)

In case you missed yesterday's post, a Secret Santa was held on my Discord server this year and I got Void-Android Anybody doubting his present wasn't drawn by hand can now kiss dirt and eat my rubber! They can also check out the final product by clicking here.

(7) BAT BARNEY

@princessofDisney27 wanted me to check out Waiting for Santa was a part of this year's Christmas Specials Special. Obviously that review didn't get finished in time. That's a story for another time. For now, Hannah unlocked my purple-tinted nostalgia before sending me down a rabbit hole of odd finds on YouTube. Learning who Bob West and David Joyner were, seeing the dino rock an epic drum solo whenever not purse snatching, watching the theatrical movie a thousand times over, that tyrannosaur from Texas found a way back into my heart. It's the only explanation I have for this. Why Batman? Blame Barney, he encouraged my weird-ass imagination.

(8) HELP WANTED

Many tough decisions were made this year. Cutting 3K was one of them. The story of ERN-E and the Knights of the Square Table never came together quite the way I had hoped. So now the plan is to work certain elements into other stories. As we've established, throwing away ideas isn't my cup'a tea. Especially not when Candy Banger's ready to shoot me if she's not given a new job. Rest assured folks, this won't be the last you see of this android assassin.

(9) SO, NO HONEY?

Did you know that Popeye and Tintin enter the Public Domain this year? Along with several other Mickey Mouse shorts? Can't wait to see them all be turned into horror media produced by lazy douchebags. Yes, we get it, the joke is seeing these family friendly franchises going dark and disturbed. If we pretend it's funny will you stop telling the same, unoriginal joke? Regardless, I decided it'd be fun to include A.A. Milne's cast of beloved characters for Whimsyland as a nice parallel to certain other theme parks. Their colored sketch actually debuted earlier this year on my deviantART account. Hopefully you all love'm in black and white too. And here's hoping something more creative is made with these characters other than trashy slasher flicks.

(10) STEAMBOAT WILLIE

Did you know that Mickey and Minnie Mouse entered the Public Domain last year? Of course you did! You couldn't go anywhere without hearing about it, no doubt to Disney's dismay. Granted, it was only these characters as they appeared in Steamboat Willie, Plane Crazy, and Gallopin Gaucho, but this was still big news in the world of animation. No longer could Mickey be locked away in the vault. Anybody was allowed to use the rodent as they see fit. Immediately I wondered what a Clarktoon version of him would look like. Designs are still being worked out, but as you can see, some liberties have been taken.

(11) TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART

Hey, anybody remember that eclipse that happened earlier this year? Wild times. Rosie certainly remembers it. This was the sketch that eventually became this picture:

(12) SUPER-DEE-DOOPER

Back in my early years, Barney was all I bothered drawing. Or at least what could charitably be considered a crude approximation of the character. Honestly, he looked more like a stop sign wedged into the top of a potato. Gimme a break, I had yet to refine my artistic skills. Years later it was decided to see if my skills really had improved at all. The results more than speak for themselves. Although Little Clark is a lot taller than he ott'a be. Gimme a break, this was drawn at 2 AM while watching Expedition Theme Park's video on the Universal stage show. For the record, that show would've been the only reason Little Clark would've preferred a trip to that park over Disney World. Nothing you tell me could convince me that wouldn't have been the greatest hug of all time!

(13) TEENAGE MUTANT FREELANCE POLICE

deviantART making dumbass decisions? Stop the presses! By now I think it's safe to say we've become accustomed to the media sharing site changing things for the worse. This includes removing sta.sh from the platform. It was a convenient place to store your art until it was time for posting. My Studio isn't terrible, but it pales in comparison to its predecessor. At least it's not frustratingly redundant like the updated messaging system. Nope, still not over that. Still, seeing as sta.sh was about to get the ax, I elected to remove any artwork still lingering there. Included was this sketch from 2014 featuring a Ninja Turtle from the original Mirage comics meeting Sam and Max of the Freelance Police. You could say it was oddly fitting considering both started out as independent books with odd senses of humor. Though it's up to you to decide who's crazier; a Mirage Turtle or Max?

(14) SANTA'S BUDDY, THE ICE CREAM BUNNY

Suddenly, a siren starts to wail! And you'll never guess who's coming down the trail! Or will you? Meet the Ice Cream Bunny, star of 1972's Santa Claus and the Ice Cream Bunny. It's a hilariously awful Holiday feature filmed at the defunct Pirate's World theme park, a precursor to Walt Disney World. Many factors led to its downfall, one of them being pictures produced on the cheap at their property. This is made especially evident by the lackluster costume made for the titular rabbit. Most folks find him incredibly creepy. I am not most folks, then again clowns don't scare me out either. People are weird. Oddities like that aside, here's my attempt at making the character cute. Why not? He's also public domain! How else would you explain all the times Rifftrax tore this movie apart?

(15) EASTER BUMPER

Less creepy are the lagomorphs surrounding Bumper. @foxhatart has tried convincing me to sell Bumper stickers before and this was my attempt at making them. Granted this sketch is still useable, but like the aforementioned BOOM, it's better to start fresh. Still, you lot would kill me if something this cute went to waste.

(16) WANDA ZIGGY

Meet Wanda, wife to alien grease monkey and Clarksburg's resident cinephile, Wonder Ziggy. His design was based on Robot Monster from the similarly named movie. Wanda was based on Virginia Leith as she appeared in The Brain That Wouldn't Die. Originally my exposure to this movie came in the form of the Whose Line game Film Dub, where the cast basically pulls an MST3K by providing their own commentary over footage of public domain B-Movies. Never mess with a winning formula, folks. Even back then, the image of this hauntingly gorgeous woman's head kept alive on a mad scientist's table stuck with me. All of that was before I discovered the bonkers plot of the movie. In this story, the head doesn't die, Ziggy saving her and the two sparking a romance. She comes off as cold and detached only because of how her last marriage handled her. Really she loves Ziggy and is just laser focused. Fingers crossed I can do a full-fledged color picture of the oddball couple soon.

(17) BUMPER & BUTTERFLIES

Yet another remnant from a failed Sketch BOOM, albeit a different one. There's not really much to say here, it's simply another excuse for Bumper to look cute.

(18) WONDER ZIGGY & PIZZA MONSTER

Speaking of Wonder Ziggy, here he is alongside the always hungry Pizza Monster. Made these with the intention to use'm for something Christmas relayed. Obviously that didn't happen. Both ended up looking better than expected, so expect to see them again in the future.

(19) THE ORIGINAL XENA

Turns out 2024 marked a major milestone in the Clarktooniverse. Around ten years ago, I decided to finally check out the Alien franchise. Like most things horror, exposure began slowly by first checking out Markiplier's playthrough of Isolation. Seeing how passionate he was for this freaky franchise led me to finally watching the movies, the first two being excellent masterpieces rightfully loved by audiences. We don't have to discuss the sequels. Point is, my obsession with xenomorphs quickly grew. For some reason I wondered what would happen if my best buddy Crocie came into contact with one. Cue this crude sketch of a xenodile which eventually became the basis for Xena. Yes folks, Croc's daughter turned 10 last year. Happy birthday, kiddo! Here's to 10 more years of absurd adventures!

(20) MALEFIDOT

I know you, I waltzed with you once upon a dream. Or rather, once upon an absurd suggestion by @burningthrucelluloid. Couldn't tell you how exactly this idea came to be, other than it combines my favorite character from Steven Universe with my favorite Disney villain. Like I said; weird-ass imagination. XD

(21) CONFUSED COW

No doubt this was the look on Jim Cummings's face when Mr-Herp-Derp asked him to sign my Supercow pic at Comic Con this year.

(22) APES TOGETHER STRONG

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was all my mind could focus on back in 2014. Rise was already a fantastic film when its sequel surpassed every expectation. And then some! The fact that Andy Serkis was never nominated for an Oscar is a sign that humanity really is screwed. If nothing else, it's leagues better than this year's Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which felt like a soulless retread of themes found in prior entries. Still, I'm not here to bash on newer sequels. For now this was yet another drawing from 19 year old Clark rescued from sta.sh.

(23) TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA BUMPER

Ninja Turtles turned 40 last year. By now it's safe to say their teenage years are long gone. My wish was to draw some spectacular piece celebrating the occasion. This was the closest I got. Ah well, maybe when the Turtles are 50.

(24) ZOMBEAGLE

Rounding things out is this psychotic pooch plush toy for a yuletide one shot held during December. Years of Alec badgering me to give Dungeon Mastering a try, I set up a short seasonal story loosely based on Jingle All the Way for my friends. On the final week before Christmas, everybody and their grandmother is out looking for the Holiday's hottest toy, Zombeagle. Whiny parents forced it's recall back in the 90s before vit became viral on ClockFace. Now our players must fight to see who leaves Barney's Toy Box with their prize. Said players include Alec as the cyborg goblin Vrellunk, @Foxhatart playing her ponysona Autumn Scribble, @JetProject portraying the multiversal menace Pic Shell, @Mr-Herp-Derp dealing damage as the hyper-evolved dino Stokes, and @princessofDisney27 thinking outside the box with her magical princess turned mother Heather Heartland. In the end, Fox won the battle but Hannah left with the toy. All got a happy ending, myself included. Plans are already set out for a sequel and a full-length campaign, though that's a discussion for later this year...

MAY THE GLASSES BE WITH YOU!

BlueSky || Cara || deviantART || tumblr

[cinimon01]

You meet a better sort of bum in a marina.

1st of April 2024: I know, April fools day. However it was the day we chose to start to live on board our new boat. We had meticulously packed so we each had 30kg, as allowed by Qantas. This process took into account the things already on board, those we may need, those things we just wanted to take whether we needed them or not and those things we want to have just in case. Another 3 hour flight and 3 hour car ride. We hired a car for a week to be able to get to all of the shops and buy all of the stuff we would need. Mainly food and gas and fuel.

3rd April 2024: Paid a visit to customs as our customs form stated we were able to stay in New Zealand on Mai Tai until June 2024. We wanted to stay for the allotted 2 years each boat receives when they first arrive, but somewhere in the purchase this was changed to June. So we started the process at customs. We found out that having a foreign boat in New Zealand allowed us to avoid all taxes on any purchases. Wow so if we needed a new freezer @ $2500 NZ we would get $375 off. Not too shabby.

5th April 2024: Went to my first yoga class in Opua. So close to the Marina, I just walked about 10 minutes and the community hall was next to the car ferry. Great view of the BOI from the front door. Great class run by a lovely lady called Ines who was selling bananas from her tree.

We had to sort out our gas cylinders as they were foreign and we couldn't get them filled here in NZ. They didn't meet their high standard but fit perfectly into our cubby hole for cylinders in the cock pit. So on the last day before we returned the car we drove to Keri Keri where a cylinder servicing centre was only too happy to help. They said the cylinders were aluminium and worth about $400 each. They would be good for a few more years yet. Great news as we were thinking of just getting new ones. Back to Whangarie delivered the car, taxi to bus station, bus back to Opua, walk down the hill and now we are truly living on a boat without any other form of transport.

On the morning of the 5th our good friends from Bali were here on a cruise and we were able to pick them up and bring them to the boat. Still no sailing as we were waiting for a sail track installation. It was great to welcome aboard our first guests and they loved the boat. Ironically, they will be back next week on a different cruise, so we will see them again and go sailing.

While we we in Whangarie, the good guys from New Zealand Yacht Services came to check everything was ready for the sail track install. It just happened that they were able to get the boom off easily, remove the old track easily and so they decided to install the new track. We weren't even there. Job done and now we can go sailing.

11th April 2024: Extreme weather conditions saw us stuck on board for nearly 2 days and during the night the font hatch in the main cabin leaked. My pillow and mattress was wet and my enthusiasm dampened. So since we bought the boat, the sail track needed replacing, the gennaker was torn to shreds so a new one was ordered, the helm clutch break knob fell off and had to be repaired and replaced and now the hatch leaked. Luckily the boat came with spares and David re installed a new one and its water proof! yay!

15th April 2024: Peter and Diana arrived and we took off. We stretched our sails into nearly zero wind and had a fun day trying to make Mai Tai go without much help from the westerly. We picked up a mooring for $600 for 6 weeks in Kororareka bay, just off Russell old town. Beautiful spot.

18th April 2024: Went to yoga in Russell. First time David drove me to shore in the tender and went for a walk while I made new acquaintance with my muscles. Then off to Opua for a Rally meeting. It was extreemly informative and there are about 60 to 70 boats going between May and June. Some are going to Tonga, Tahiti, Fiji and Vanuatu. We are excited to go in 2025, but seriously need to get to know our boat first.

16th April 2024: Yoga again in Opua, washing and we got our yellow customs form! So David bought a fishing rod and some new lines and a custom step we designed so we can easily step up onto the roof when sailing. Looks great. Now we just need some great weather and we are off to explore the Bay Of Islands and catch a fish.

[sweeeeeeeeeeets]

Master list (2024) :

★ -> happy/funny

† -> sad

♥ -> love

° -> neutral

♠ -> important

Art :

• doodles #1 (tried Out Perceptive and Room Doodles Awhile Back) (Feb 2 2024) °

• doodle #2 w/ love letter (Valentines special) (Feb 2 2024)♥

• doodle #3 (June 31st 2024) °

• doodle #4 (june 16 2024) °

• doodle #5 ('irl' oc) ★/°

• doodle #6 (July 19 2024) °

• doodle #7 (August 7th 2024) ★/°

• doodle #8 (August 9th 2024) ★/°

• doodle #9 (sep 14 2024) ★/°

• doodle #10 (Sep 14 2024) ★/°

• doodle #11 (Sep 16th 2024) ★/°

• doodle #12 [an oc, hope yall enjoy her.] (Nov 1st 2024) ★/°

• doodle #13 (Dec 3 2024) °

• doodle #14 (Dec 9th 2024) °

• _

Stories (short-stories not fanfic) :

• Why didn't I say I love you? (Apr 11 2024) ♥/†

• The villain I love (Nov 12 2024) ♥/†

• I miss him [Why didn't I say I love you? (Part 2)] (Nov 27 2024) ♥/†

• _

Letters :

• doodle #2 w/ love letter (Valentines special) (Feb 2 2024) ♥

• The Winter I remember (Nov 26 2024) °

• _

Fanfic :

- None yet -

Polls :

• Bored poll (part 1 of poll #1) (Apr 12 2024) °

• pizza poll (poll #2) (Apr 18 2024) °

• should I post something (poll #3)? (Nov 12 2024) °

• _

Imagine's :

• Imagine going into a fantasy land w/ your best friend. (Apr 12 2024) †/°

• Imagine if you were a porcelain doll (Nov 26 2024) °/†

• _

Random :

• Netflix Whatsapp post? (Feb 16 2024) °

• Reblog of Number/emails (important to know) (Apr 12 2024) ♠

• Minecraft Stuff (sep 20 2024) °

• Scam? Or real? (Nov 26 2024) °

• Highschool, Math class, Chats (Dec 29 2024) °/★

• Happy New years (2025) (Jan 1st 2025) °

• _

Wip ["wip" means -> work in progress, what it actually means (in this context) -> probably won't finish any of these] :

• Bridgerton inspired form of a letter (attempt) (Nov 27 2024) °

• oc animation (Dec 9th 2024) °

• _

Note (information) -> none of my reblogs are here, and if you wish to request something just be respectful, I dont do smut, I wont do disrespectful things to people or places. (The only exception to this rule is if a prompt shows someone being disrespectful and then someone else fighting for the right part of it/if it's meant for awareness or part of the plot/a preexisting (fictional character that is from a show, game, ect) character having already gone through it/part of the plot (like a flashback that makes a person) but they show growth or something). I dont wish to start conflict, you can request anything (under the guide lines) or just send something like a question or message. If its fanfiction, Ill try my best, it will most likely barely be anywhere near cannon, and if I dont know the characters well enough then it may end up sucking....The less details with the request, the less likely it'll be how you want it to be, I can interpret something very different then what you want with minimal information.

Another fun fact, you can find me on YouTube @ i-am-not-a-short-person.

If you feel like today isnt a day you want to be here, then take a breather, and break your routine. Do something that brings you joy. Its ok to miss a day of your normal routine to take a break and be happy. (⁠ﾉ⁠◕⁠ヮ⁠◕⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠*⁠.⁠✧

Hope you all have a lovely day/night, hugs for all ༼⁠ ⁠つ⁠ ⁠◕⁠‿⁠◕⁠ ⁠༽⁠つ