#I’m only 9 years old don’t worry😭

[skyblueartt]

Was playin Fnaf 3 with my brother and the puppet’s jumpscare is actually pretty spooky, not even gonna lie. Love it

[idkacatmonstermaybe]

okay hello @headfulloffeathers jess this is for you and the approximately two other people who might care about this meta breakdown but these are some of the parallels i see between look homeward and supernatural

(thank you for providing a distraction boot smut is stumping me i only have like 700 words written 😭)

(also uh supernatural spoilers? i guess? in the year of our lord 2024?)

okay so idk how much you know about supernatural so extremely surface level summary when dean is four and sam is like a few months old a demon kills their mom and then they spend their entire childhood on the road with their dad hunting supernatural monsters and searching for the demon who killed their mom. that’s like………. the bare bones basic premise of the show before they started delving hard into the angels/demons/biblical lore which gets really interesting and convoluted and tbh i stopped watching at a certain point bc i got bored and confused. SO basic vibes their mom (mary) is killed and their entire childhood they’re dragged around the entire country learning how to kill things bc their dad (john) is on a revenge bender.

so big overarching parallels: dean is a literal toddler when he is given the responsibility of caring for his baby brother which is so similar to a1 being 12 and assuming responsibility for sickly little 9 year old a2

sam is also like…. “assigned wrong at birth” lmfao bc the demon that kills their mom feeds him his blood to give him special powers? very confusing BUT there are moments where he’s ostracized for his powers and being born different and the way that parallels gods specialest boy a2 actually hurts me

follow up to that is sam goes through a phase where he is discovering these new abilities and goes a little power hungry and he starts drinking demon blood (lol don’t worry about it) and this gives me pretty strong serial killer era a2 vibes? but this one is a little looser bc sam and dean are still hunting together while this is going on and i’m pretty sure serial killer a2 is during the 92-01 separation? but they both have “dark” eras lmfao

okay also re: 92-01 when sam graduates high school he goes away to stanford for college and there’s a big falling out with john a “if you walk out that door don’t bother coming back” type moment so the boys don’t see each other for several years and there’s kind of the energy of really not knowing if they’re ever going to see each other again which parallels the very little we know about 92-01.

ALSO there are several moments throughout supernatural where sam is pushing to try to have a “normal” life—like going away to college to try and get a piece of normalcy that they never got to experience as kids. there’s also an arch in a later ish season where sam goes to hell (again……. don’t worry about it) and his like dying wish is that dean gets a chance at a normal life so dean shacks up with this woman lisa and her son ben but then when sam comes back he obviously ditches them lmfao. so there’s even an eden parallel sneaking in there lololol.

one thing that stays consistent throughout the series is also the way sam and dean are willing to do absolutely anything for each other like…… literally bring about the apocalypse if it means keeping each other safe which is The Dynamic of all time and is part of what makes a1/a2 so compelling

oh also sam is the vessel for the archangel lucifer and dean for michael which is flipped based on a1 and a2 but it’s also a fun little tidbit

obviously none of this means literally anything BUT early season supernatural was a fixation of mine for a while (obviously lmfao) so i find it so fitting that there are so many themes and motifs from one of my og hyperfixations are present in my current one

[oldfashionedmorphine]

Heeeeeeeey! Here from the reblog about fic thingie! Moot, tell me about your fics, wips or finished. Anything you wished you added in? News about alcoholic Mike perhaps? I'm ready for it all! 😄🤭😃🥰😘😆😁

i love how i reblog these things then take days to reply—sorry friend!!

so um, as you know this has been a horrible writing year for me and i’m still trying to get through my writing slump (june-august was probably the best it’s been for me since january) but anyway—

i wrote about 15k words last month (which is about my typical average for a month of writing when i’m not in a slump) for that big bang story that i ultimately had to shelf (i told you about it, so you know the story i’m referring to, but i’m gonna keep it confidential on main cause i’m hoping to try using that story again next year….we shall see how that goes, haha) and now i’m back to writing for iawwyh (and let me say, it’s been two years since i started writing this story, so i’m determined to finish it before picking another wip back up!! 😬) but it’s not been smooth sailing since i started working on this story again…..i think i’m just having a hard time with finishing it up and being all worried the ending will not be good—people have said so many wonderful things about this story and i’m like….gosh, i hope i don’t let people down, you know? 😔

i’m currently working on getting mike through the hospital and then his subsequent recovery—so far it’s looking like i predicted in my outline and will be only another 3-5 chapters and then the epilogue. oh and i’m not posting any more chapters until the story is done…i can’t stand the idea of getting stuck in another writer’s block and leaving people hanging for months (it’s been 9 months since i last updated—yikes!) i’d rather have people wait longer for chapter 23 than do that again…..oh and i keep getting distracted with editing old chapters 😭😭😭 and so far i don’t think there’s anything i wish i added? or at least nothing i regret not keeping that didn’t make it into the story (at least i don’t think)

but honestly i can’t believe it’s almost over even though i feel like i should’ve been done writing this thing a year ago 😭

[taiiunknown]

ALL THE RUMORS ARE

TRUE !⚠️🫢

RIRIxSHURI 🥺

Summary: Ever since RiRi and shuri got closer it have been none stop rumors about them.

Warning: none 🤷🏽‍♀️ just a lil inappropriate jokes around the end and a lil racist joke

I kinda thought of that song by Lizzo and cardi b with the title 😭

Disclaimer: I’m not a racist just had to make things a little realistic 💀

RIRI POV: Me and Shuri have been very close ever since the attack, When I went back to MIT I kinda felt guilty , All I can think about was that it was my fault that the war happened and that Queen ramonda death was on me No matter how many times shuri told me it wasn’t . A year pass and I decided to still be iron heart and Of course shuri continues to be the new Black panther, Later on as time passes shuri decided that she wanted to come to MIT with me so she can get the regular college experience even though she is literally the new queen of the most powerful nation. She has been keeping me company lately and even found away to be able to become my new roommate since me and my old one did not get along well, over the time me and shuri became closer it was like when you see her I’m not too far behind and when you see me she not far also.

Shuri POV: Ever since I came to MIT me and RiRi have been an unstoppable duo, she was constantly there for me and it was vice versa for her. Over the months I kinda started to have feelings for RiRi but I hid them well bc I didn’t want things to be awkward between us and plus I really don’t want to ruin our friendship.

I was in the cafe getting a muffin when RiRi texted me about this party

RiRi 🤍❤️: I heard one of these rich white kids are having a cool ass mansion party today and I was thinking about going , would you be my plus one there ?

Me: ya, for sure I don’t have anything else to do and plus I need more friends 😂

RiRi🤍❤️: Okay, Cool. You’re the best !

Me: what time should I be dressed ?

RiRi 🤍❤️: around 9:30, I’m tryna get there around 10:30 bc it be lit the most around that time 💀🤷🏽‍♀️

Me: Ok !

*2 HOURS LATER*

“Omg this look like something off euphoria for real 😧” RiRi said walking in the mansion with her mouth wide open “What is euphoria?” I asked confused as ever “God bless you” RiRi said palming her forehead “it’s not my fault I don’t know” I said “just come on let’s get a drink” RiRi said dragging me in .

RIRI POV:

“Jesus y’all don’t get enough each other?” My classmate Becky said walking towards us “Becky what are you talking about?” I said “YALL be giving couple goals, I’m tryna get like yall” Becky said shoving us kinda “Oh NO! We not together Becky” I said laughing a bit then looking at shuri who gave me this look that kinda gave me butterflies “Are you sure? Bc if not I can kinda take shuri off your hand a bit” Becky said biting her lip looking at shuri “no im sorry I don’t like bunnies, we barely even have them in Wakanda” Shuri said “we only have black ones not white one” Shuri continues. I just laughed a bit while walking away with a smirk on my face bc Becky mouth dropped to the ground as she stormed away, “ you are extremely mean yk ?” I said cheesing a little “Omg how dare you? I am the nicest” Shuri said while hold her left hand on her heart “I can’t believe everywhere we turn people think we a couple” I said looking at my cup “Well, I don’t blame them…” Shuri said “ ya you right.” I said now looking at her.

Shuri POV:

I really want to tell RiRi how I feel but I don’t know if this is the right time, Fuck it, ima just start off slow. “RiRi I have something to confess” I said “ what is it? Did you steal some of my pens again? Because I’ve been missing some” RiRi said side eyeing me “ yes and I dearly sorry for that” i said giggling at her surprise face “but that’s not what I wanted to talk about” I said smile slowly starting to turn into a worried face expression “go on..” RiRi said now making full eye contact with me “ I REALLY LIKE YOU, AND IVE BEEN LIKING YOU FOR SOME TIME AND ITS OK IF YOU DONG FEEL THE SAME WAY OR DONT WANT TO B FRIENDS ANYMORE!” I said rambling a bit “Oh ik …” RiRi said smiling hard “ yk ?” I said confused “ ya , Just like you’ve been watching me I have been keeping a eye on you, and trust me I feel the same way but I just wanted to see which one of us would break first” RiRi said with her hand now on top of mines “I’m flabbergasted” I said in a shock like state , RiRi just giggling while playing with my fingers “ so what are we then ?” I asked hesitantly “I don’t know,You tell me ?” RiRi said with a smirk “I want to be your girlfriend” I said boldly “then that’s what we are then” RiRi said “ I guess all the rumors was true then” I said laughing bc the been thinking me and RiRi had feeling for each other since I first got there.

*1 Year later*

*3rd person POV:

“BABE HURRY UP WE HAVE A TEST IN A HOUR AND YOU STILL NOT DRESSED FOR CLASS!” RiRi screamed from the bathroom

Shuri have been looking for a outfit for 20 minutes now .

“IM ALWAYS READY JUST GIVE ME A SEC!” Shuri yelled back “yk shuri , I kinda like you without clothes but sadly we have a test so I guess we are gonna have to wait a little longer to treat you” RiRi said walking out the bathroom putting her arm around shuri neck with a smirk on her face “For the love a bast, don’t think bc we got to be to class in 30 minutes don’t mean I won’t give you what you asking for.” Shuri said gripping RiRi waist “ ohhh okay I like this energy, but I was joking of course” RiRi said pulling away blushing “ohhh so you wanted to tease me, okay my naughty girl just wait till we get back to this dorm” Shuri said now walking out the door with her supplies in her hand “God I love her” RiRi said when shuri closed the room door “I love you more” shuri said peaking her head through the door with a smirk .

To the person who requested this I hope you enjoy it and also hope it reaches the expectations you was going for ❤️

[marveladewithice-blog]

@soxthebox oki dokes i hope i did this right 😌👍

1. i have ibs paint on my phone, but i never use it for it’s intended purpose. i just occasionally use it to very quickly make stupid memes whenever the situation calls for it lol

2. front facing and/or 3/4 is my go to, but i’m practicing my side profiles (:

3. most of my oc’s i still use today stem from my childhood fandoms. like for example, the characters i use for my lil comics were organically my shitty fnaf oc’s and now they’re high schoolers isn’t that neat

4. i love how hands look and when i make good ones i have been blessed but my god is it hard to make a good one 😭

5. i post all of my digital works, but not often do i post my traditional pieces. usually the only way you’re gonna see my sketchbook work is if i transferred the sketch and redrew it on the computer if that makes sense lol

6. other people for sure. there are so many interesting people at my school with cool hair and fashion senses and i have definitely let that seep into my work whether i acknowledge it or not

7. all arts i don’t participate in lol. but for sure watercolors. they’re so pretty and light, i wish i could use them

8. i kind of go through phases for my two main “universes,” the superhero one and the high school one. some days i’ll be developing the backstories of these angsty superheroes, and the next day i’ll be writing all the favorite foods and celebrities of my high school characters. the duality of man

9. i think the question means what i usually name my files. they can range from something normal like “snazzy six comic 4” to something very stupid that i will definitely forget if i need to go back to it later like “OhOHoh DELICIOUS i need to eat this” and i hate when past me does that

10. love me right spaghetti strap tops, they’re easy and look cute so that’s a double yass

11. usually either music or youtube video essays. i made a playlist where i put all the long ass videos i find into, and whenever i plan to draw i just open up that bad boy and hit play, removing them when done

12. the neck is pretty chill. but the shoulders is where the problems start

13. myself lol actually idk i should be following more specific creators and all but honestly i’m kind of just existing and stuff at the moment

14. plaid?

15. usually just at my desk, anywhere else is to uncomfortable

16. not sure man, i don’t necessarily think i’m good at anything 🧍‍♀️

17. usually just water. i don’t have the energy to get food from the kitchen lol

18. uhmmm yea

19. paper that’s in the air or falling and stuff like hnnngghhh that’s so fun

20. recently i’ve been having fun drawing wrinkly old men and it is honestly so fun

21. extreme yet simplified cartoonish styles and slightly realistic styles

22. sometimes i shake my hand aggressively.. if that counts

23. idk what this means, i’m gonna assume it means like if i use multiply or overlay layers. the answer is yes, always all the time yes

24. bestie i use anything and everything i can find to get that one incredibly specific pose i’m looking for

25. someone said they liked my anime art style, and tho i see it, idk i never thought it looked enough like the usual anime art style. maybe it was subconsciously inspired by it lol

26. ngl i was not expecting the monster high art to do as well as it did but i appreciate so very much

27. no, that’s a thing? people do warm up drawings before they get into the good stuff?? maybe i should try that

28. every year i do the july art challenge, which is basically inktober but i made it and there’s no prompts and you just have to draw one drawing and post it every single day for the month of july. i made it so i could have my own inktober during the summer—when i could actually do it without having to worry about school and everything lol

29. i guess just like sitcoms and other live action type shows and whatnot? just shows i watch purely for entertainment and such i think

30. this was the first time i drew something that wasn’t an oc in a hot minute and i think we need to celebrate that

violla the asks have been answered yes yeah yes yeah yea yei

Weirdly Specific Artist Ask Game

Didn't see a lot of artist ask games, wanted to make a silly one.

(I wrote this while sick out of my mind last year and it's been collecting dust in my drafts, I might as well let it run free) 1. Art programs you have but don't use

2. Is it easier to draw someone facing left or right (or forward even)

3. What ideas come from when you were little

4. Fav character/subject that's a bitch to draw

5. Estimate of how much of your art you post online vs. the art you keep for yourself

6. Anything that might inspire you subconsciously (i.e. this horse wasn't supposed to look like the Last Unicorn but I see it)

7. A medium of art you don't work in but appreciate

8. What's an old project idea that you've lost interest in

9. What are your file name conventions

10. Favorite piece of clothing to draw

11. Do you listen to anything while drawing? If so, what

12. Easiest part of body to draw

13. A creator who you admire but whose work isn't your thing

14. Any favorite motifs

15. *Where* do you draw (don't drop your ip address this just means do you doodle at a park or smth)

16. Something you are good at but don't really have fun doing

17. Do you eat/drink when drawing? if so, what

18. An estimate of how much art supplies you've broken

19. Favorite inanimate objects to draw (food, nature, etc.)

20. Something everyone else finds hard to draw but you enjoy

21. Art styles nothing like your own but you like anyways

22. What physical exercises do you do before drawing, if any

23. Do you use different layer modes

24. Do your references include stock images

25. Something your art has been compared to that you were NOT inspired by

26. What's a piece that got a wildly different interpretation from what you intended

27. Do you warm up before getting to the good stuff? If so, what is it you draw to warm up with

28. Any art events you have participated in the past (like zines)

29. Media you love, but doesn't inspire you artistically

30. What piece of yours do you think is underrated

[tchouameninga]

https://www.tumblr.com/tchouameninga/768493240168185856/random-question-but-whats-ur-fav-mascara-if-u

I don’t even have a skincare routine cus I have acne and sensitive skin and literally everything makes my skin worse. Makes me wanna kms :/

ok sooo. full looooooooooooooooooooooong response under the cut cuz i dont wanna bother other ppl w skincare & makeup lol. personally i love it but i get its not for everyone 😭

when i was younger from about 13 to 18 years old i suffered reaaaaally bad acne. like it covered my entire face, refer below

this is before and after (i dont have a better photo of when i was younger lol. i think i was abt 13 in the before photo, and i’m 22 now. so almost 9 yrs apart). its not the best skin itw but it’s improved so much. barely get any acne, and if i do it’s during the time of my period. some scarring still, but i’m working on that even til now

tried to conceal my identity best i could lol

idk how old u are but if u’re below 18, don’t worry too much abt it bc it’s mostly just puberty!! trust me. also for context my skin type is dry AND oily AND acne prone so it’s literally the worst 😭

i used to be scared of skincare and makeup too cuz obviously u see how bad it was (and it wasnt even my worst phase, i just dont have pics unfortunately).

but then if you invest on good makeup in the higher end, obviously if you have the funds- make up is not a necessity-, they’re not bad for your skin. you just need to find the right one (e.g. water-based or silicone-based). but what’s important is to MOISTURISE AND HYDRATE!!! even with oily skin, u have to do so no matter what

for skincare i do recommend doing a lot of research!!! i was too scared / disheartened to do so, but luckily my mum was attentive enough to do so for me. what i recommend is laser treatments. it’s life changing, believe me. my skin cleared up after about a year of consistent laser treatments. DONT do facials if u have acne prone skin. worst decision you could make

and of course visiting the dermatologist would help but having a good routine is sooo important as well. cleansing is the most important part. before bed, cleanse even if u’ve been at home all day. after makeup, double cleanse. in the morning, cleanse again!!

hyaluronic acid for the serum is good, but it’s not an acne treatment on its own. and then niacinamide acid for the acne scars. hyaluronic acid for night, niacinamide for the morning

you should talk to an expert abt this because it’s quite a harsh product, but RETINOL for me helped so much too!! it treats acne, creates collagen (for skin cells) and good for hyperpigmentation. but retinol should only be used at night cuz its not good w sunlight

and then after this tie it up with a scent free moisturiser (also choose based on ur skin type) and then some sort of oil to lock everything in. but if u have really oily skin skip this step

FINALLY what’s MOST MOST MOST important is sunscreen. like i cannot emphasise this enough. even with a UV level of 1, use sunscreen. please

ok i lied what’s actually MOST IMPORTANT is the food that u eat. stop eating oily stuff, stop eating fried food, avoid nuts and dairy. consume lots of veggies and fruits for antioxidation (idk if its a word or not lol)

for makeup i use armani luminous silk (foundation), dior forever skin (concealer), charlotte tilbury filmstar bronze & glow (highlighter and bronzer), charlotte tilbury airbrush (primer & setting spray), diorshow browstyler (brows). then a bunch of lipsticks. for lashes i use extensions lol cuz my situation is hopeless

my skincare routine is 90% la roche posay (serum, retinol & moisturiser). masqmai beauty elixir (oil to tie everything up), and then if you want lips i use laneige

disclaimer i’m not a dermatologist lol i don’t have a degree or anything, i do LAW ffs 😭 but i have done so much research and everything is based on my personal experience and it has done wonders for me and my skin. again i’m not saying my skin is the clearest, but my god it’s improved so much and it’s such a long journey but it DID. my only credentials is my friends go to me for skincare and makeup advice 💀

i hope you found this helpful and not condescending at all like i’m aware i’m not some victoria secret angel but yea 😭 pls dont hesitate to ask me any more questions abt these things

[theyluvkarolina]

hiii i have a dad fic requesttttt

it would be dad!charles x mom!reader where they have a little girl (any name but my pick would be emmalie), and essentially reader is on a trip and charles has to juggle both being a driver and taking care of their kid. it would be soo fluffy!! maybe even angsty if emmalie misses her mom and refuses to sleep alone. thanks for reading this :)))

౨ৎ JUST THE TWO OF US ౨ৎ

masterlist / rules / requests & talks with me!

SUMMARY౨ৎ Being on a work trip for 4 days leaves Charles to take care of your little girl. He assumed everything will be just fine only to be proven wrong with having to balance both F1 and being a father. On a race weekend at that.

PAIRING ౨ৎ Dad!Charles

A/N ౨ৎ i decided to go back with the name i went with in my pervious charles fic (noemié!) i thought it would just be easier and help with the continuity <3 ya’ll… i’m napping after this piece. nighty night 😭

2.6k words!

Having Charles take care of Noemié by himself for the first time was your nightmare. It wasn’t that you didn’t trust Charles, quite the opposite in fact. It was the fact he would be taking care of her by himself while you’re out of the country for a 4 whole days. A race week at that. And with Noemié being less than 3 years old, your anxiety spiked.

“Alright, make sure she gets into bed before 9:30 and is fully asleep, if she starts throwing a tantrum don’t comfort her but discipline her and after time out she gets all the hugs and kisses she wants, no sweets after dinner, oh and make sure that is you bring her to the paddock-“

“That she is with me at all times. Mon, amour I have everything under control! There is nothing to worry about.” Charles reassured you as you both stood at the door, holding Noemié in one arm.

“Are you sure?” You question, looking at the both of them with concern.

“Positif.” Charles grinned, “N'est-ce pas, mon chou? (Isn't that right, sweetie?)” he turned to little Noemié, adjusting her in his arms making her nod and give a toothy smile.

You give a tender smile at the sight before giving a sigh, seeing the sight of both of them. “Alright then… I have to get going. My flight leaves in 3 hours.”

“We won’t be going anywhere, well… besides Belgium.” Charles replied, “Be safe, okay? Tell me when you land.”

“I will. Oh I’m going to miss you both.” You comment, pulling them into a hug. Charles gives a soft grin, leaning down a bit to place a kiss onto your cheek.

“And I’ll miss you too my ma puce.” You say as you place a kiss onto Noemié’s forehead lovingly before resting back onto Charles’s hold… before you feel a small wet spec.

“Charles, are you crying?”

“N-no I’m just getting emotional.”

With the final goodbye’s as a small amount of tears shed (weather Charles would like to admit it or not) the Monacan apartment soon fell into silence, the only noise being the harmony of the Mediterranean waves hitting the aged rocks.

“Well Noemié, it’s just you and me. Ready to go to Belgium?”

“Oui!”

· . ୨୧⭒๋࣭ ⭑

DAY 1: MEDIA DAY

Charles in fact did not have anything under control.

His was lucky enough with how well Noemié did on the flight, with her sleeping most of the time, Charles teaching her some more French, or reading her some children books, but the luck worn off as soon as they landed in Belgium.

The chaos started from the moment he arrived at the paddock. Balancing media obligations and taking care of Noemié proved to be more challenging than he originally thought. It was fortunate enough that Rebecca, Carlos’s significant other was able to care for her most of the time, but when she had to leave, things seemed to fall apart soon enough. Every time Charles was stopped on his way back to the motorhome and tried to answer a question from a journalist, Noemié would tug on his pants or start babbling loudly, drawing all the attention to her.

“Charles, how do you feel about your chances this weekend?” one journalist asked.

Before he could answer, Noemié tugged on his pants, her big eyes looking up at him. “Papa, up!”

Charles chuckled nervously, bending down to pick her up. “I feel good about our chances,” he managed to say while adjusting Noemié on his hip. “The car is performing well, and we’ve made some improvements since the last race.”

“Is it challenging balancing being a dad and a driver?” another journalist asked.

Charles looked at Noemié, who was now curiously examining his Ferrari cap. “It’s definitely a challenge, but it’s also the best thing in the world. She’s my little motivator- No no ma princesse, ne touche pas à ça- (No no my princess, don’t touch that-)” He scolded lightly, seeing her little hands retreat from his Ferrari red cap. Yet, her little eyes begin to scan any other form of entertainment at the moment.

She promptly began playing with his Ferrari lanyard, her small hands exploring everything within reach.

God. he wished Carlos, Rebecca or even Pierre and Kika were still here to help. Curse couple dinner nights the one time he needs help.

But alas, this was just the start.

· . ୨୧⭒๋࣭ ⭑

DAY 2: PRACTICE 1 & 2

Charles had hoped that with a bit of experience from Media Day, he’d be better prepared for the chaos of Practice 1 and 2. He was inncorrect.

The morning started with Noemié waking up earlier than usual, her little cries filling the hotel room. Charles groggily got out of bed, scooping her up and trying to soothe her. “Shh, it’s okay, ma chérie. Papa is here.”

After managing to calm her down and get her dressed, Charles found himself rushing through his own morning routine. Breakfast was a whirlwind, with Noemié refusing to eat anything other than the a few fruits that Charles accidentally spilled all over the floor. Less than a ideal morning.

Once at the paddock, the real challenges began. Charles had to balance his practice sessions with taking care of Noemié, who was becoming increasingly restless. At this point, seeing the sight of Rebecca in the garage was a blessing in disguise.

“Rebecca, you don’t mind entertaining her while I do the practice sessions in hospitality, do you?” Charles asked, his patience finally starting to thin as his voice hold a slight exhausted tone.

Rebecca smiled warmly, reaching out to take Noemié from Charles. “Of course not, Charles. She’ll be in good hands. Won’t you?” Rebecca asked, his accent apparent with Noemie returning the gesture.

“Yes!”

“Thank you, Rebecca. I owe you one… Carlos picked the perfect person.” Charles said gratefully, handing over his Noemie to her ‘favorite big sister’ before rushing off to get to the car.

The practice sessions were grueling, but Charles pushed through, driven by the thought of making Noemié proud. However, the moment he was done, he hurried back to hospitality to check on her.

Rebecca handed Noemié back to Charles with a smile. “She’s been an angel, Charles. We even made some drawings! Didn’t we Noemié? Do you want to show your papa?” She suggested making Noemié reach for her pictures.

Most of the photos simply looked like scribbles of colors, but he was able to make out one. It was 3 stick figures holding hands together.

Charles smiled warmly as he looked at the drawing. "C'est magnifique, Noemié. (It's beautiful, Noemié.) Who are these people?"

Noemié pointed at each figure with her tiny finger. "Mama, Papa, and Noemié!"

Charles felt a pang in his heart. One being how touched he is from her little scribbled and another of longing for you, but he knew he had to stay strong for Noemié. "You did a wonderful job, ma puce. Papa is very proud of you."

Maybe this wasn’t as bad as he thought.

· . ୨୧⭒๋࣭ ⭑

DAY 3: QUALIFYING

It was as bad as he thought. Noemié couldn’t sleep the whole night. And worst of all? She wanted you back.

Charles woke up to the sound of Noemié's soft cries, her tiny voice calling out for her mother. He sighed, rubbing his tired eyes before getting out of bed. He gently lifted her from the makeshift crib, holding her close as he whispered soothing words. "Shh, it's okay, ma chérie. Mama will be back soon."

But Noemié wasn’t easily comforted this time. Her little fists clung to his shirt, her face scrunched up in distress. “Maman…” she whimpered, tears spilling down her cheeks.

Charles felt his heart break at the sight. He wished he could do more to ease her pain, but all he could do was hold her tighter, rocking her gently until her cries subsided into soft hiccups. “I know, sweetheart. I miss her too,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Once she had calmed down, Charles managed to get her dressed and fed before heading to the paddock. Today was crucial—qualifying day—and he needed to stay focused despite the exhaustion weighing him down.

At the paddock, Charles was met with sympathetic smiles from his team and fellow drivers. They all knew the struggle of balancing racing with family life, and they offered their support where they could. With Rebecca running late, he placed his trust in Kika who had offered to help.

“Kika, I can’t thank you enough for this,” Charles said, handing Noemié over, her usual bright eyes slightly red from her crying.

“No problem, Charles. She’s a sweetheart,” Kika replied, holding Noemié’s hand. “We’ll have loads of fun! Good luck today!”

“Thanks,” Charles replied, giving Noemié a quick kiss on the forehead. “Be good for Kika, okay?”

“Oui, Papa,” Noemié said, her small hand waving as Charles walked away.

The qualifying session was intense, with Charles pushing the car to its limits. Despite his fatigue, he managed to secure a decent position, much to the relief of his team. After the session, he rushed back to find Kika and Noemié.

“How was she?” he asked, slightly out of breath.

“She was great! Pierre even joined us for a bit before he got dragged away.” Kika said, smiling. “We played, had some snacks, drew, made some videos and took photos for the missus… now she’s fast asleep.”

Charles let out a sigh of relief as he saw Noemié peacefully sleeping in Kika's arms. He gently took her, trying not to wake her up. "Thank you, Kika. I really appreciate it," he said softly, giving her a grateful smile.

"No problem, Charles. She's a joy to be around," Kika replied with a warm smile. "Good luck for tomorrow's race."

Charles nodded, heading back to the motorhome room with Noemié in his arms. As he laid her down in the crib, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride and exhaustion. The day had been long, but seeing his little girl sleeping soundly made it all worth it, even with the struggle.

He let out a sigh, using one hand to rub his temple. One more day to go.

· . ୨୧⭒๋࣭ ⭑

DAY 4: RACE DAY

Charles had finished his pre-race preparations and was gearing up for the main event of the weekend. The paddock was bustling with activity as teams made their final adjustments. Noemié, once again under Rebecca’s watchful eye, had been content with a few snacks and a toy car that Kika had bought for her the day before while with her.

Charles’s nerves were on edge as he climbed into the car, his thoughts drifting to his little girl and you. He could only imagine how much he missed you and wished you were there. Despite the support from his team and friends, the void of your absence was palpable.

As the race progressed, Charles fought hard on the track, pushing himself and his car to the limit. The intensity of the race provided a welcome distraction from his worries, but his mind kept drifting to the thought of Noemié and what you might be doing.

But little did Charles know that the work trip was shorter than you originally thought.

With his determination unwavering, every turn, every maneuver was executed with precision, but the thought of Noemié and you lingered in the back of his mind. He could only hope that the race would go well and that he’d be able to see his little girl and friends soon.

The laps seemed to stretch on forever, and as the race neared its end, Charles pushed his car to the limit. The final laps were intense, but he managed to secure a respectable finish. As he crossed the finish line, his mind immediately shifted to Noemié and the hope that he could soon return to her.

While Charles was celebrating his race results, you were making your way to the paddock. Your work trip had wrapped up early, and you couldn’t bear the thought of missing the chance to surprise your family. With a few quick phone calls and arrangements, you managed to get a flight back sooner than planned.

You arrived at the paddock just as the drivers were finishing up their post-race interviews. Your heart raced with excitement as you made your way through the bustling area, looking for Charles. You spotted Rebecca and Noemié, who were playing near the hospitality area, and made your way over.

With a smirk on your lips, “Surprise!” you greeted them, trying to contain your excitement.

“Maman!” Noemié cheered, immediately springing up from her seat and wrapping your legs into a hug, causing you to pick her up and hold her tightly.

Rebecca’s eyes widened in surprise and delight. “Oh my gosh! You’re back! Charles is going to be over the moon!”

er little arms cling to you with a mixture of relief and joy, her face lighting up at the sight of you. Rebecca is beaming, clearly thrilled to see you.

“Rebecca, thank you so much for taking care of her,” you say, your voice filled with gratitude.

“Anytime,” Rebecca replies warmly. “Charles has been working so hard. I think seeing you will be a huge boost for him.”

You nod, waiting the race to end to finally Charles’s beaming face. The race is still ongoing, but you know it’ll be over soon. You check your watch, timing it so that you’ll be in place to surprise him as he finishes.

You gently place Noemié back down, encouraging her to wave at Rebecca before you make your way towards the garage. As you approach, the sound of roaring engines fills the air, and you can see the cars zooming past.

The minutes seem to stretch, but eventually, the cars slow down and come to a stop as the race concludes. You spot Charles’s car and watch eagerly as he exits, his face a mixture of exhaustion and exhilaration with a solid P4, just short of the podium. You hold Noemié’s hand tightly, trying to keep her still with the excitement of the moment.

Charles’s eyes scan the crowd, searching for familiar faces. When he finally catches sight of you, his eyes widen in disbelief. For a moment, it seems like he can’t quite process what he’s seeing.

“Papa!” Noemié shouts, tugging at your hand.

Charles’s face breaks into a wide smile as he strides over to you, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten. His steps quicken as he reaches you, and he kneels down, pulling both you and Noemié into a tight embrace.

“Mon amour! You’re here!” Charles exclaims, his voice a mix of relief and joy.

You laugh softly, feeling the weight of the past few days lift from your shoulders. “I couldn’t stay away. I had to surprise you both.”

Charles looks at you with a mix of awe and gratitude. “This means the world to me. You have no idea how much I missed you.”

You gently stroke Noemié’s hair, her tiny head resting against your shoulder. “I missed you too. And I see you managed to handle everything like a champ. I’m so proud of you… I know this wasn’t going to be easy…”

Charles chuckles, his eyes crinkling with a tired but happy smile. “It was tough, but seeing you now makes it all worth it.”

As Charles holds both you and Noemié close, you can see the looks of admiration and support from his team and fellow drivers. It’s a moment of pure happiness and relief, one that’s well-deserved after the challenging days he’s faced. Charles places a gentle kiss on Noemié’s forehead and then on yours, his gratitude clear.

“Thank you for being here,” he whispers.

“Always.” you reply, resting your head on his shoulder.

Perhaps everything turned out just fine.

[bystreetlight]

Here we go again!

1. What did you do in 2022 that you hadn’t done before? Lived in a house that I owned, bought a car…I genuinely can’t think of anything else.

2. Did anyone close to you give birth? Not this year.

3. Did anyone close to you die? Thankfully, no.

4. Did you travel? Where did you go? Best holiday memory? Hahahaha! Travel?! Holidays!? What are those? The only time I left Melbourne this year was to go to Mildura in March for my nephews’ birthdays. It was lovely but my god I’d kill a man for an actual holiday in the near future.

5. Best thing you bought? A Ring doorbell. And our new couch.

6. Where did most of your money go? To the bank to cover the neverending interest rate increases! Yay!!!!!!!

7. What do you wish you had done more of? Reading books? I really gave up on reading in the second half of this year which makes me sad 😥

8. What do you wish you had done less of? Thinking about money and worrying about the cost of living.

9. What kept you sane? Probably listmaking, as in many previous years of my life hahahah.

10. What drove you mad? The fucking awful weather. I feel like it rained for about 95% of the year and it really sucked my will to live.

11. What made you celebrate? When Novak Djokovic got deported from Australia for being an anti-vaxxer/general dickhead, and then Rafa won the AO and it was the best tournament of all time. When the Queen died and we got an extra long weekend.

12. What made you sad? When our house got broken into, and all our jewellery and our car got stolen in October. I don’t think I will ever really get over it 😔. Also when Shane Warne died, for reasons that I still can’t quite explain.

13. How was your birthday this year and how old did you turn? I went into the office for the first time in months, but no one knew it was my birthday and I didn’t bother to tell anyone, so it was very lowkey! Went for lunch the weekend before and had a beautiful meal at Riso Diner (RIP!!!). I turned 38.

14. What political issue stirred you the most this year? SAVE THE PRESTON MARKET. And when SloMo got the boot in May.

15. Were you in love in 2022? Always!

16. What would you like to have in 2023 that you didn’t have this year? A HOLIDAY PLEASE DEAR GOD LET ME HAVE A FEW DAYS OFF WORK TO GO ON A PLANE SOMEWHERE AND HAVE A NICE TIME.

17. What date(s) from 2022 will be etched in your memory and why? 18 October, when we got burgled 😭

18. What song will remind you of 2022? Anything from the Lizzo album, which I listened to excessively. And Miles From Nowhere because #ofmd.

19. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I did!!!! FINALLY made a will after having it on my to do list for about 4 years!! Next year…I want to look after myself a bit more. Two years of lockdowns and overindulging because there was nothing else to do has left me with some bad habits.

20. Did you suffer illness or injury? I was so stressed earlier in the year from moving house and changing jobs and a repeated water leak situation at home that a chunk of my hair fell out and I had a bald spot for several months hahaha!!!! Great times! Then I had COVID in July which FUCKED. ME. UP. I had surgery in September which also fucked me up, but it was elective, and has improved my quality of life considerably so I don’t know if that counts.

21. Compared to this time last year, are you: i. happier or sadder? I wouldn’t say I’m sadder but my anxiety has definitely gotten worse this year so I want to work on that for next year! ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter probably, given that I stopped exercising in July when I got COVID and then didn’t start again 🙈. iii. richer or poorer? Ugh, richer on paper maybe, but I feel very poor every time I look at my mortgage account hahahah.

22. How will you be spending Christmas? Christmas Day at my inlaws for lunch, which should be lovely. And then a few days off to chill out and try to relax after a fairly intense year.

24. What was your favourite TV program? Our Flag Means Death, The Bear, the final season of Atlanta, What We Do in the Shadows, Reservation Dogs, the final season of Derry Girls…it was a very good year of TV.

25. What was the best book you read? Devotion by Hannah Kent DESTROYED me. And against my better judgement I read and enjoyed Beautiful World, Where Are You by Sally Rooney. I have also been attempting to read To Paradise but the fact that it’s taken me 6 months and I’m only halfway through says it all really.

26. What was your greatest musical discovery? Orville Peck.

27. What did you want and get? A new couch, some beautiful custom cabinets, a great new job for next year.

28. What did you want and not get? Time off/away.

29. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2022? It was a bit all over the shop this year, but the most important thing I learned is that any shoe can be a work shoe if you’re wearing it to work.

30. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, Taika Waititi (sorry), Bad Bunny (again).

31. Biggest achievement this year? I started out the year feeling sad about having to leave my last job but I ended up smashing it on the career front this year! Worked on an amazing project for most of the year and then was offered a role I’ve always wanted to do as soon as the project started wrapping up 💪🏼💪🏼

32. Biggest disappointment this year? When some of the gardenias we planted in the front yard died. And when Chan vs Chan (the most amazing local restaurant) closed down.

33. What is the one thing that would have made you more satisfied? If a pilates studio had opened within walking distance of my house.

34. Best new person you met this year? Our lawn mowing man 😂

35. A valuable life lesson you learnt this year? See question 29.

[yesimwriting]

Final Girl (Part 3)

- Final Girl Series Masterlist (updated part 1 - 9 and extras) 

A/n yall have been so kind!! all of the messages, likes, comments, and reblogs for this series have made me so happy! this chapter is a little bit of filler bc my original idea for this part was way too long especially with how busy this week is supposed to be, so i sort of split it!! 

also if this has pacing issues, i’m sorry, i had a panic attack yesterday and a really bad migraine today so it’s been kinda rough lately but i wanted to get this out!! Part 4 is going to have a little more going on :)

if this is messy pls don’t give up on me 😭 i promise the next part will have more going on i just didn’t want to leave y’all waiting forever and we needed a bit of a filler

also if anyone wants to leave me an ask about this series pls do:) i’ve had so much fun talking about Final Girl

Series Summary: Y/n can’t believe that she has to leave the only home she’s ever known just because her mom’s latest boyfriend has a house in some town in California. Just as she’s starting to think that Woodsboro might not be that bad, something life altering happens after she agrees to sleep over at  Becker’s house. Now her name is practically synonymous with Ghostface’s. 

Chapter Summary: Y/n’s first day back after the incident. 

----

My reflection has never bothered me more. I know vanity is such a stupid thing to worry about now after what happened to Casey, but I can’t help the way I scrutinize my appearance. 

The attention drawing cotton-y bandaid that was placed on the gash on the side of my temple has been (thankfully) downgraded to a regular bandaid. That’s fine--I can accept that. What I can’t accept are the stupid cuts caused by all of that glass.

After being released from the hospital, it took no time for me to learn that it’s going to be awhile before I can comfortably wear pants again. My arms are a little less cut up, so the white, long sleeved shirt I picked out covers my injuries without irritating them. I tried on a pair of leggings and I barely got them to my thighs without wincing.

So now I’m wearing the most comfortable skirt I own. Normally, I wouldn’t even think twice about it, I wear this skirt so often, but it barely covers any of the cuts on the back of my legs. God...people are going to think I’m doing this for attention, especially since media outlets keep calling my house. 

Ugh--this is as good as it’s going to get for my first day back. I pick my backpack up from my bed. My eyelids feel so heavy I have to fight the urge to collapse back into bed. 

The walk downstairs is painfully slow. Once I’m finally in the hall that leads to the kitchen, I stop. A vague confusion clouds my thoughts. Was I going to the kitchen? What did I want from the kitchen?

“Mornin’, kiddo.” I blink at the sound of Wells’ voice. At least it’s offering me a sense of a direction. 

Stepping fully in the kitchen, I greet back, “Good morning.” 

He eyes me for a long second, piercing blue irises lingering in a way that makes me feel uneasy in my own skin. “Skirt’s a little grown, ain’t it?” When my only reaction is to furrow my eyebrows, he continues, “What happened to those little girl dresses you used to wear? I liked those.” 

I grab the strap of my backpack, shifting slightly. I stopped wearing those dresses after he had been dating my mom for a few months. “Outgrew them, I guess.” 

Wells nods once, the motion gruff as he moves to grab his mug. He lets out a curt, gruff noise. 

“Oh, Wells.” Like always, my mom’s voice chases away all the tension. “Don’t you know better than telling a girl what to wear? Especially a teenager. Now ease up, 16-year-old me would make Y/n look like a saint.” With that, my mom finally looks at me. “You look pretty, like always, I especially like your top.” It takes me a second to realize that my mom’s referencing the fact that I stole this shirt from her closet. I let out a soft, slow laugh. “You okay?” 

I nod drastically. “Yep, just want to get the first day back over with.” 

“I can’t believe you only took one day off. When I was your age, I’d have taken half a week off for less.” 

“It’s going to be bad no matter when I go back. My name’s been all over the news.” I release the strap of my backpack, scratching the back of my wrist. “Plus it’s junior year and that one day off already has me drowning in makeup work. I can’t afford to fall behind. Junior year is the year colleges look at most. This year could make or break whether or not I get into Princeton.” 

My mom holds her hands up in defense. “Yes, I know, you ranted to me about it yesterday. Just promise me you’ll listen to your body. I don’t love that you haven’t had your follow up appointment yet to confirm whether or not you have a concussion.” 

“Mom, I’m fine, promise. I’ll let you know if I start to feel weird.” 

She watches me for a long second, likely attempting to scan me the way an MRI machine would. “Fine, you need a ride or--” 

“Actually, a friend’s picking me up.” 

At that my mom tilts her head in a way that’s so knowing I feel the urge to confess even though I’ve done nothing. “A friend as in one of those two boys that spent all weekend calling and checking in on you?” 

My mom spent the last two days at my side. Normally it would have annoyed me, but it was actually nice. It reminded me of life before Wells. There was one downside, though. She saw how often Billy and Stu called. It wasn’t terrible and she probably would have picked up on it anyway, but it’s opened the ground to a lot of jokes and comments on her part.

“You’re the one who brought them into this. I would have never thought to call Billy while I was at the hospital.” That’s true. Even though we were friends before the incident, I wouldn’t have thought to call anyone except my mom. “And they’re just trying to be there for me like good friends.” 

At that, my mom leans against the kitchen island. “Y’know when I was your age, I had a guy that just wanted to be a good friend and drove me to school. Now I have a daughter.” 

I roll my eyes, “Haha. Yes--I’m going to get pregnant in the less than 10-ish minutes we’re going to have before we need to get to class.” 

“It only took about 8 minutes to make you, and that includes me getting dressed and fixing my hair after. Just saying.” 

I make a point of fake gagging. “Bye mom, Wells.“

“What? I was joking!” 

I walk towards the front door. A hand on my shoulder makes me nearly jump out of my skin. “Mom! You scared me.” 

She offers me a sheepish smile, “You know I’m kidding, right? They’re nice for caring.” 

“I know, mom.” 

With a sigh, she continues, “Just be sa--” 

“Oh my God, mom! I’m not having se--” 

“Easy, pumpkin,” she laughs off my outburst, “I mean in general. Don’t strain yourself and don’t feel like you need to push through. You want to go home early and I’ll pick you up.” 

I smile softly. “Yeah, I will.” 

With that, I open the front door. The sun is so bright I have to drop my head as I walk down the driveway. Wells’ house is objectively nicer than the house my mom and I lived in when we were still in Texas, but I still find myself missing the familiarity of our old front porch. 

Squinting, I look up and notice a car waiting next to the mailbox. How did I miss that? Rubbing my eyes with one hand, I approach the vehicle. 

I pull open the door to the backseat. Two sets of eyes turn towards me. “You know you guys didn’t have to wait for me.” I push my backpack into the car before sitting down. “You could’ve honked or something,” 

“We just got here,” Billy says easily, but I’m not sure I believe him. 

Stu turns in his seat to face me better as I shut the car door. “Plus we don’t mind giving you time to get all dolled up. Especially since today’s going to be a total bloodbath.” 

His wording leaves me more confused than upset. I draw my eyebrows together, shifting awkwardly. “What do you mean?” 

“Everyone’s gone crazy over what happened. I think more people were talking about you than Casey, and Casey’s the one that got gutted. It’s all over the news. They hung her from that tree in--” Billy moves his hand from the console in order to smack the side of Stu’s head. “Ow, man--what was that for?” 

“It’s not even 8 yet, at least let her wake up first before you traumatize her.” 

The thought of Casey makes my stomach twist, but I’m not focused in on anything enough to really react. Tiredly, I pull my backpack onto my lap and squeeze it to my body. “It’s fine,” I’m not sure if I’m talking to them or myself. 

Stu and Billy exchange a look that I barely register before resting my chin on my bag. “Are you okay? You didn’t even do that cute, little glare thing you do when you want me to shut up.” 

“I’m fine,” I answer a little too quickly, forcing myself to sit up some more, “A little tired.” Stu’s watching me a little too carefully and I catch Billy glancing at me through the rearview mirror. “Seriously?” Sighing, I shift in my seat, “First my mom and now you guys. I’m fine.”

My reaction is just a little too angry. Maybe if I felt a little more rested, I would have known better. Stu moves until he’s siting in the passenger seat normally. “Crying over the fact that you’re a total mommy’s girl.” 

Rolling my eyes and ignoring the way the motion irritates my migraine, I lean back in my seat. “Put on a seatbelt, asshole.” 

Even though that’s said with more bite and irritation than anything I’ve ever said to him, Stu laughs. It’s light and terribly offensive. I frown, looking over at Billy as heat crawls up my neck and towards my face. He’s just barely fighting down a grin. “It’s not that funny.” 

“No,” Stu sarcastically agrees, “That was so mean of you. I can’t remember the last time someone insulted me and tried to take care of me at the same time.” 

I cross my arms around my backpack. “Why did I agree to getting into a contained space with you two so early in the morning?” 

“Because you don’t have a license.” Billy looks way too smug as he turns the wheel as we move down a curb. 

I glare at him. “You extorted that information out of me while I was super out of it and half asleep.” 

“You said it yourself, it’s not like one of us asked.” 

He’s right and I hate it. I sink further into the seat, tempted to shut my eyes, but knowing that there’s no guarantee that I won’t fall asleep if I do. “Whatever.” 

Stu half laughs at that before starting to talk about a new scary movie that’s coming out. The plot sounds kind of basic, but I’m not one to judge until I see the movie. Normally, I’d be totally invested. I kind of like when Stu rambles about something he’s interested in, but now I’m struggling to hold my head up. 

I don’t register that we’re in the school parking lot until both Billy and Stu get out of the car. Once they’re both out, I shake my head once in an attempt to clear my thoughts. Get it together.

When I step out of the car, I make a point of keeping my eyes on the ground in front of me. Stu may exaggerate every once in awhile, but I don’t think he’s wrong about school. My mom has been fielding calls since the morning I was discharged from the hospital and last night while I was flipping through channels, I saw my face three times.

Before I can even think, a bright flash makes me flinch. The light is like a punch behind the eye thanks to my headache. That is followed by a series of other equally bright and irritating camera shutters. 

Shit. 

Billy steps towards me, dropping his voice so that only I can hear, “You know we don’t have to.” 

Taking a settling breath, I tilt my chin up a fraction of an inch. “It’s fine,” I say, hoping that I’ll convince myself, “Can’t hide forever.” 

We walk forward, me a few steps ahead of Billy and Stu. My fast pace is a sad attempt at ripping off the bandaid. 

“Excuse--Excuse me, miss!” I squeeze the strap of my backpack so tightly my knuckles must be white from the tension. “Miss Y/n L/n.” The woman that waves me down is holding a large microphone. She barely glances at me before turning her attention back to the camera man that followed her as she chased me. “Hi. Gale Weathers. I covered the last one of these.” 

I wince. “I’m sorry, when you say ‘the last one of these’ do you mean the last murder or--” 

“...And we’re rolling!” In nature, bright colors are meant to warn living things of poison. I think that logic could be applied to Gale Weathers and her auburn hair and blood red lips. “I’m Gale Weathers and I’m bringing you an exclusive with the lone survivor of what some are calling the worst murder in Woodsboro history.” She then turns towards me, “Now, Y/n, our viewers want to know exactly what you’re feeling.” 

Her microphone is way to close to my face. “Well, Gale, I’m glad you asked,” I’m speaking in the polite tone I used to reserve for rude customers when I worked in the mall last summer, “I’m feeling fan-freakin’-tastic!” 

The false enthusiasm jars her the way I hoped it would. She brings the microphone back to her. “Really?” 

“No, you vulture. Ambush interviewing is as tacky as that suit.” 

With that, I turn away and attempt to storm into school with an aura that scares away reporters. I’ve only ever seen that kind of confident magic come from my mom, but she’s half my genetic material, that means it must be in me somewhere, right?

Apparently wrong, because the cameras continue to flash. One man gets so close to me that his rapid photographing leaves me dizzy. 

“Okay,” an arm quickly wraps around my side, stabilizing me, “You got your pictures, now leave her alone.” The scent of Tatum’s perfume is comforting as she guides me the rest of the way inside. Once we’re inside, we’re granted the semblance of some privacy. “And I thought they were bad yesterday. Are you okay?” 

I nod, relaxing a little at her casual expression. Maybe if I try hard enough, I’ll be able to pretend that this is an average Tuesday. “I’m fine, I’m just tired, and I can’t believe how obsessed everyone is.” 

“Of course they’re obsessed.” For the first time ever, Randy’s voice is completely unwelcome. “You’re the sole survivor, the only witness to tell the story, the--for lack of better term--final girl.” 

Being in a friend group with so many people that are really into horror movies is all fun and games until they summarize the great trauma of your life in a movie trope. “Really? I never would have thought of it that way.” 

Sidney glares at Randy in defense of me. I appreciate it, but it doesn’t make me feel any better. “It’s too soon for those kinds of jokes.” 

My sarcasm was pure venom and Sidney’s reaction, though well intentioned, only made me feel sorry. Randy offers me a sheepish sort of look that immediately makes me feel bad for being so snippy. His comment wouldn’t have bothered me so much if it wasn’t for what just happened, and he wasn’t really trying to be mean. That actually might have been an attempt to lighten the mood, especially since he knows that the final girl storyline is one of my favorites. He’s always recommending movies that end like that. 

“Thanks, Sid, but I came on a little strong. I’m sorry, Randy, I’ve been a total nightmare all day. Just ask Billy and St--” I look around, a little surprised that they’re not right behind me. Aw, I lost them in all that commotion. “Weird--they were just behind me.” Shaking off the slightly lost feeling with the turn of my head, I move on, “Ask them later. The point is, I’ve been awful. It’s not your guys’ fault that this is my life right now.” 

Randy’s expression morphs from being almost hurt to something that’s even more of a punch in the gut. He seems sympathetic. “It’s okay, you’re holding it together way more than I would be. I don’t even know how you’re at school today.” 

“Yeah, how are you even here, Y/n?” Tatum echoes, her voice a little softer than before. 

It’s a good question. Now that I’m here all those points I made about school and grades and Princeton feel so far away. “It had to happen at some point, I might as well rip off the band aid. I just want everything to go back to normal.” I shift awkwardly, watching them watch me. “And the man that did this doesn’t deserve the satisfaction of my fear.” 

After a moment, Randy prompts, “...And?” 

“And what?” 

He half smiles. “Come on, Y/n, if you want this to feel normal, you’re going to have to give us the Princeton rant.” 

I roll my eyes before scoffing. “I do not talk about Princeton often enough for you to warrant naming it a specific rant.” 

Randy raises an eyebrow at my obvious lie. “You must have really hit your head hard.” 

“Rude.“ I turn towards Tatum, “Tate, you don’t think I’m like obsessed with Princeton.

She parts her lips as she debates the way she wants to respond. Before she can say anything, Stu walks up from behind me and pulls Tatum into a hug. He then gives her a soft kiss that feels linger-y. Wait--why am I noticing that? That’s...that’s weird of me. And why does this feel more uncomfortable than the time I caught them full on making out in the girl’s bathroom? Why is that tiny display of affection sitting in my chest in a way that makes it hard to look at them? 

More annoyed at my thoughts than the way Stu cups her face, I force my myself to stare at the locker in front of me. There are polaroids of people I don’t know tapped to the front of it.

Ugh--screw the guy that threw me into that wall. My head must be totally messing with me. 

“What are you guys talking about?” Billy’s sudden appearance surprises me more than it should. At this point, I should know that when I see one the other isn’t too far behind. He has an arm around Sidney’s shoulders, and she’s leaning into his touch just enough for it to be noticeable. Since when is Billy so into PDA? 

Oh my god, what’s wrong with me? Maybe my mom was right to think I have some kind of brain injury. My eyes snap back to the locker. “Nothing.”

“Y/n’s obsession with an Ivy League school in New Jersey.”

After a moment of silence, I realize that everyone’s waiting for me to speak. “Not an obsession.” My response lacks my usual level of conviction when talking about Princeton in any capacity. I can feel the fragile way they’re all looking at me. My eyes focus on the polaroids in front of me until everything else blurs into the background. 

The polaroids have my eyes watering and I don’t know why. They’re just stupid pictures of people I don’t know. Casey’s voice echoes in my head. It’s a punch in the gut.

Stu’s voice cuts through the static of my thoughts. “Y/n? Are you o--”

“I think I remembered something.” The admission is so low I’m surprised anyone hears it. “Randy, do you have a copy of the news article? Not the first one, the second one that lists everything found at the crime scene?” 

“Yeah,” Randy admits it like it’s an apology, “In my backpack.” 

“Can I see it?”

Everyone stays quiet at that. There’s an energy in the air that makes me feel as trapped as I did in the hospital. “Come on, guys, I don’t need to be babied. The pictures aren’t going to freak me out, I was kinda there for the real thing.” 

“At the hospital, didn’t you say you were unconscious for most of it?” Billy’s remark earns him a glare so harsh that he moves his hands to hold them up in defense before dropping them to his side. 

“Fine. Whatever. Don’t show me the newspaper, I’ll find my own copy, it’s everywhere. There’s a good chance some jag-off shoved one into my locker anyways.” Ugh--why is everyone so impossible? I turn on my heels, unsure if I’m fuming or ready to burst into tears.

I don’t even make it a full step before something locks around my upper forearm. My head snaps back as the hand’s sudden grip softens. “Come on, bug.” That leaves me hesitant. Stu called me that the day after we first met. Since then, the nickname has mainly been reserved to calm me down. I’ve asked him about it before, but he always refuses to explain it. “You’re just going to make yourself sick.” 

Biting the inside of my cheek, I frown. The group learned about my weak stomach early on in our friendship. My first night drinking with them ended with me throwing up in Stu’s bathroom. That wouldn’t have been so embarrassing if I was totally wasted, but I was objectively way too sober to get that sick.

There’s some underlying quality to his words. A quality that’s too knowing, too sure. He’s being more condescending than sweet. “I think I can manage.” I pull my arm away, ignoring the way his expression blanks. “I’m not a vase or a little kid, I don’t need you all treating me like I’m that unbelievably fragile.”

Stu angles his head to the side. I force myself to tilt my chin upwards in an attempt to stand my ground. I don’t fully get whatever face off we’re in, but I’ll be damned if I lose it this quickly. “Since you’re all grown up, Y/n, look at whatever you want, but don’t come crying to me about it.” 

I take a step forward, indignation leaving my spine straight. “When have I ever--” 

“You couldn’t even spend a few hours by yourself in a hospital.”

The unfairness of his statement forces a scoff from my lips. I take a step forward. “I didn’t ask for your help then and I’m not asking for it now.” 

“Stu.” Billy’s voice is level, bordering on neutral. 

At that, Stu exhales, but he doesn’t stop staring at me. “It’s fine, Billy.” 

“Yeah,” Stu echoes, shifting towards me, “Y/n’s fine, she doesn’t need anyone.” 

A sarcastic, half thought out reply rises up my chest and jams itself in my throat. I don’t think I’ve ever thought about how much taller than me Stu is. He’s looking down at me with an intensity that hits me straight in the stomach. Great, another feeling I don’t understand. “Whatever,” I mumble, “I need to get to class.” 

The bell rings a moment after I turn. I walk to homeroom, not thinking twice about it until I’m sitting in front of an empty desk. 

My face is hot, my head hurts, and Mrs. Ramirez’s announcements are drowned out by a ringing in my ears. When the bell rings, I can’t get out of the room fast enough. Normally, Stu’s around right after homeroom, ready to walk me to math. 

I don’t know what that weird argument was in the hallway, but I’m not ready to deal with it yet. So even though I’m gripping the straps of my backpack so tightly it hurts, I take the long way to class. There are no memories of Casey in AP Calc AB, so this time when I sit at my desk, I can breathe.

By the time I’m pulling out my notebook, the bell rings. Mr. Williams walks to the front of the classroom, “Alright, everyone in their seat. For today’s exam, you are permitted the use of a graphing calculator.”

Shit. The test. I forgot about the calc test. Mr. Williams begins to hand out the exam. When he gets to me, I stop him, “Mr. Williams, I-I was wondering if I could possibly take the exam on another day? After the events of this weekend, I--” 

“Ms. L/n, I made it clear to the entire class that I do not believe in scheduling a makeup exam the day of.” 

My fingers nervously scratch at the back of my wrist. “And I understand that, and normally I’d never ask, but if you’ve seen the news--” 

“Ms. L/n, do you want to take the test or would you rather me put a 0 in the grade book?” 

I could scream. I want to scream, but instead, all I do is nod, “Take the test.” 

And with that, he places the packet on my desk. The sound it makes feels like a death sentence. The next 50 minutes are a nightmare. I don’t remember how to do half the problems, and what I do remember, I can’t seem to do right. By the time the bell rings, I’m in full on panic mode. Mr. Williams collects the test and I leave the room like it’s on fire. 

The sharp pain in my head has never been this bad. I reach my locker, unlocking it to grab my bottle of ibuprofen. I take two Advil without any water. Today totally, unbelievably sucks. I need to splash some water in my face. 

The bathroom is thankfully empty. Pushing my backpack off of my shoulders and onto the counter, I turn on the sink. The water is cool against my fingers, and for the first time all day, I feel like I can breathe. My bandaid is sticking out to me too much so I force my gaze downwards. 

There’s a long abandoned copy of a newspaper on the counter. Its corners are so wet that the words at the start and end of the article are unreadable. The page it’s opened to has no photos. I’m sure if I flipped through it I’d find something listing everything the police found inside the house that night. 

Stu’s earlier claim echoes in my head as I pick up the newspaper. I’m not sure if I’m more motivated by spite or the desire to answer the question in my head, but I guess it doesn’t matter, because the end result is the same. I turn the page, skimming the article. The intro is so long that I still haven’t gotten to the murder, let alone what the police found after. I flip ahead until I find what I’m looking for.

I read the section about everything that was found twice. They mention everything down to the burned jiffy pop and the tube of lipgloss Casey left in the living room. The paragraph never mentions the polaroids from the kitchen.

He took pictures of me from the crime scene. 

Unease leaves my stomach in knots. The killer, who talked to me on the phone like we were best friends and chose to not kill me took photos of me. 

I turn the page frantically, desperate to see if the polaroids are mentioned there. Big mistake. Casey’s photo is staring at me, but she’s not her in it. She’s hanging from that big tree in her yard and her--her intestines... 

Cold sweat leaves my hands clammy. My body knows what’s happening before I do. A stall door gets thrown open just in time for me to throw myself onto my knees. Bile and whatever’s left of last night’s dinner burn as they come up my throat. I wretch. 

An unexpected but not unpleasant touch is pressed into my back as my hair is pushed out of my face. More bile leaves me. 

After a second passes and I don’t throw up a third time, I turn my head just enough to see who’s next to me. Billy. He doesn’t say anything at my recognition, he just moves his hand up and down my back gently. 

“...I found a newspaper.” 

“Yeah, I assumed after i heard the…”

He’s trailing off to be nice. I shift in order to sit cross legged on the floor. “Right. That’s fair.” 

His hand stalls against my back. “I didn’t mean it li--” 

“I know.” My voice is too small.

Billy moves his free hand. I don’t know what he’s doing until he’s pulling the paper away from me. I let him take the newspaper and place it somewhere on the other side of him. “Why’d you look?” 

“I--earlier, I was looking at this locker in front of us and it had polaroids taped to it, and-and that made me remember that on Saturday, Casey took a bunch of pictures of me. Polaroids.” I wipe at my face with the back of my palm. "The article’s super detailed, but it didn’t mention any pictures. I-I think that means that the person took them.”  

Billy’s eyebrows draw together. The corner of his mouth turns downwards. “You’re making yourself sick over this.” 

“Because it’s a big deal!” My reaction is harsher than it should be. He’s being nice to me after I blew up at everyone this morning and they were just trying to be good friends. And after this, I’m in no position to talk about what I am and am not able to handle. “It’s a big deal that I’m alive and Casey isn’t.” Taking a shaky breath, I continue, “And I should--I have to make it right somehow. Casey’s dead and I’m alive because it fit whatever plot he wanted to make. It was total chance, the killer probably flipped a coin while outside of her house to pick which one of us would live and which one would end up like...” I gesture vaguely in the direction of the newspaper, “That.” 

He’s quiet for so long I think he may not respond at all. His hand begins to move up and down my back again in the form of small circles. “Do you really think that?” 

Shrugging, I lean into his touch. “I mean, it’s probably either that or a stalker scenario.”

“You don’t have to figure it out. Just because you’re the one that survived doesn’t mean you need to put yourself through this. Especially now. It just happened, give yourself some time.” His voice is so assuring and oddly comforting I feel my eyes water. “What’s wrong?” 

Despite myself, I almost snort. “I think you know what’s wrong.” 

He gives me a semi bitchy look. “Something else happened, I can see it on your face.” 

Frowning, I let my gaze drop to the ground. “Am I that transparent?” 

Billy moves, the hand that’s not on my back coming beneath my chin. I let him tilt my head upwards until our eyes meet. “You have no idea.”

Warmth crawls up my face. He smiles. “Fine, I’ll tell you but it’s stupid.” 

“It’s not stupid.” 

I raise an eyebrow. “Well, I’ve had a really bad headache all day and then I get to first period and Mr. Williams starts talking about an exam. And that’s how I realized that I completely forgot about the calc unit test. I tried using the whole almost murdered excuse--I kinda hated myself for it, but it doesn’t matter, because he didn’t even go for it.” With a dramatic, deprecating sigh, I start to pick at a loose thread in my shoe lace. “Mr. Williams doesn’t believe in getting out of the test the day of. There’s no way I didn’t fail it, and it’s an AP class so that’s going to mess with my entire GPA.” 

He doesn’t comment on my teariness or the way that I almost sniffle, he just continues to softly rub my back. The gesture is starting to feel somewhat maternal, but it’s nice. “He made you take the test?” 

“Mr. Williams’ is a total asshole.” 

Billy’s mouth turns upwards, “He sounds like it.” I smile, leaning into his touch. “You should go back to the doctor.” He frowns when I move away from him. “Your head hurts, you’re moody--” 

“Am not.” 

“Right, because that stand off with Stu earlier was like you.” 

Right--that weird moment in the hallway. Great, Stu’s probably mad at me, and there’s no way that me going out of my way to not see him before math is something he’s going to take lightly. “He’s probably so mad at me.” 

“I wouldn’t worry about it,” Billy says, “He can’t stay mad at you.” 

I give him a look. “He’s petty.” 

Billy smiles after a second. “He’ll be petty about it, but he won’t actually be mad.” Before I can respond, Billy stands, “Come on, you need to go to a doctor.” 

After a second, I stand, taking his hand. “Fine.” 

----

Taglist: @cole22ann @i-amnotokaywiththis 

[fromtheboundlesssea]

Thoughts on episode 9

I like how solemn the opening is.

Who’s the blind kid? Aegon’s bastard?

Good lord. Olivia’s acting. Beautiful.

I sort of think it would have been fine to have Alicent lie and pretend that Viserys named Aegon heir instead of the stupid prophecy.

I still don’t understand the marble things at the small council.

I would feel horrible for the guy making a joke and then learns that the king is dead.

But good lord, I have no idea who all these people on the council are.

They are making Alicent look more innocent in all this.

The king was well? The king was well? He was falling apart?

The actual heck? I really don’t understand the Beesbury death. Was it in the books? I hardly know him as a character.

We don’t even get to see any of the council members politicaling. At all.

The thing is that even though Alicent truly thinks Aegon has been named heir, she still doesn’t want Rhaenyra dead.

Can we talk about how Alicent actually worries about Rhaenyra when it comes to what it would mean for the safety of Rhaenyra and her family’s safety while Rhaenyra has shown no actual forethought.

I don’t understand Westerling either. Like he seems loyal to Rhaenyra but he seemed kind to Alicent.

And Helaena’s words were definitely about the children arguing over a toy, but the squabbles of children is what the Dance is.

I saw people complain about how looking for Aegon takes too much of the episode and I can already imagine that it does. Although I suppose it separates the greens into factions loyal to Otto and loyal to Alicent.

Okay, but why is Rhaenys still in the Red Keep? Why is Baela not with her?

Alicole is actually the softest and greatest thing in this. Like it’s beautiful. Sansa would have swooned at a song made about them.

I wish the women were allowed more agency. Truly.

I love how Aemond felt like he could be vulnerable with Cole. 😭

Question, was Daemon formally placed as Prince of Dragonstone? So did they switch allegiances then as well.

Why are they loyal to Rhaenyra anyway, other then swearing vows? She hasn’t done any ruling at any point. Otto and Alicent have been active members of court.

I hate that they introduce twins and. Have I idea how to tell them apart.

I agree with Tom (Aegon’s actor) they don’t allow him to have any nuance. Any nuance he gets is thanks to Tom’s acting from the gifs I have seen.

I think I heard the fighting pits are only from Mushroom’s account, who was not in King’s Landing at the time.

Y’all realize that Mysaria implied that Daemon preferred young girls as well. Y’all remember that right?

This already taking too long. This should be more about politics than finding Aegon.

I hate Larys. I don’t understand why Otto didn’t have him taken care of. Or Criston.

The fact that I’m guessing we won’t see Alicent destroy the model of Valyria is a CRIME.

Olivia deserves all the awards. But my gosh he was her ABUSER. Why can’t the writers acknowledge that?

Rhaenys’ son wasn’t just cuckholded. They think he was MURDERED

Why are they concerned about Rhaenys’ dragon? They have Vhagar? VHAGAR! And then Aegon and Helaena are riders too? They really kept Rhaenys here to kill smallfolk huh.

Also, I love Alicent being the one to offer Baela getting the Driftwood throne.

Rhaenys, you have no room to talk. You did the same thing. You let your husband try to sell your twelve year old daughter to the king.

And of course Alicent never imagined herself on the throne. She’s not a Targaryen by blood. She has no right to it.

Did they bring back Mysaria so we could remember she was a character that will be important next season?

Mysaria, girly, you were ready to give Daemon young girls. And the gold cloaks were emboldened by Daemon.

They really do make these characters we haven’t noted or haven’t Ben highlighted all season and make them randomly important.

Aegon wanting his mother immediately. Lol

But I’m pretty sure Aegon was found under the candles Alicent and Rhaenyra lit for their mothers. The candle Rhaenyra prayed that her father would see her. 😭 can’t tell if that was on purpose.

Aegon literally went for the one she his brother has. Most realistic brotherly relationship in this entire series.

We should have gotten more of Alicent and her father being on opposite sides of the Greens.

I hate when Otto brings up his wife to Alicent and comparing her to him because we don’t know who she is. I honestly thought Viserys was in love with her and that is why he had her wear her mother’s dress when she went to Viserys

I hate that they have the crippled man a foot fetish. Imagine if they gave fan favorite Tyrion a height fetish. And good lord they really did not know what to do with Larys. I truly think they wanted to avoid him being too much like how Littlefinger was with Sansa.

Can we have ONE feminine woman in the showverse with a nice sex scene? All we have is Cat and Ned but that was barely a scene.

Those twin Kingsguard just make no sense. They weren’t characters in the show prior to this moment. At least with Harwin we got to see him.

Did they kill Aegon’s bastard too?

Sir. You are dressed as a Kingsguard. People will freaking notice you. You should have changed when you decided to help Rhaenys

The way Aegon started to tear up when he saw his father’s dagger 😭

So I’m betting some of those people Rhaenys was jostled with will be some of the people she murders. And she won’t care.

What throne is that in the coronation? It was the one during the great council in the prologue. But what throne is that?

And we don’t actually see any of the people needing to be encouraged to clap. They just did it on their own. They don’t care.

Ugh. Tom’s acting. I’m sorry, but Team Green as a whole has such great acting. Team Black got the short end of the stick because the writers just assumed they would be liked.

Lol, the random extra that coughed in the background.

Do you think Helaena looked away because she knows this crown will kill her family?

Gosh, Tom hearing the bells and the crowd cheer. It’s like this switch. The opposite of what happened with D.

And it truly shows the people don’t care. And tbh, the people probably know Aegon more than the other royals.

So, did Rhaenyra put on that armor all by herself because that would have taken time.

And so Team Black are now the first ones to draw blood in the Dance. I don’t think the writing team realized or understood that.

And you have OTTO falling for the doors to be open for the sake of the people. Good lord.

And Alicent telling Criston to get to Helaena. And Alicent standing in front of a dragon to protect her son.

Looked kick butt, but ultimately a stupid final scene.

If the writers had any sense they would point out that Rhaenys murdering a bunch of smallfolk is the death nail in the Blacks getting any love from the people they wish more directly to rule.

If the writers had any wisdom, they would let rumors spread amongst the smallfolk about Alicent facing a dragon for the sake of their king.

In the promo for the next episode, it has Rhaenys call the Targaryen-Hightowers “he Greens” but have they actually been called that in the show at all?

[babyspacebatclone]

I am having a fight with my mother.

I’m Autistic with Anxiety (although she refuses to acknowledge any developmental issues, she sure as hell knows about the later).

And while this is all technically my fault, it’s because I won’t let her fucking walk all over me and that’s my problem.

I’m a 42 year old, and she still just - makes decisions about big things that ai’m just expected to go along with.

And this was the wrong week to say “I put a down payment on a car, clean out your old one you can pick it up after your 9 hour shift at the day care tomorrow.”

And now I’m the fucking bad guy for saying “I’m fucking sick of my opinions on shit not mattering.”

To clarify the timeline:

- Thursday: There is a car issue with my stepfather’s car.

- Friday: I am basically told we’re finding me a new car. I complain my car is fine, I’m exhausted from work, don’t make me do this.

- Saturday: I’ve accepted the inevitable, and say I’ll be fine getting a car. I emphasize (as much as I’m capable in this situation) that next week a coworker is gone, I’m going to be having 9 hour shifts, I really am not looking forwards to next week.

- Sunday: I get car photos sent to me. I’m freaking the fuck out, but still assume my mother knows me enough. I don’t fucking care in the slightest what car I get, so I say “Whatever you find I’ll be good with.” I try to again emphasize “This week is going to be shit for me at work.”

- Monday, 10:30am: I get a fucking text my mother had put a down payment on a car. When texting back, I’m basically “mollified” by being told “You can clean your car tonight, we’ll go to the car lot tomorrow.”

And I just - I’m been furious at work all day over this. I’ve been crying off and on, I have zero appetite, I had to buy the most ok food I can rely on so I’ll eat.

And when she completely blew of my “I’m not in a pleasant mood, I’m exhausted from work,” text, I snapped and finally let her know how I feel about this shit.

And I’m the bad guy.

Her: “I will not force you to get a new car. I thought I was helping you. Do not worry, I will get my down payment back and I will not buy the car. Have a good evening. I am honoring your wishes. I was not trying to steam roll you.”

Me: (trying to be optimistic) “Thank you. I am willing to go along with a new car if you think it's absolutely necessary. I just CANNOT handle it this week.”

Her: “ No I am not buying a car for you. I am hurt, frustrated and unable to talk right now. I have only ever tried to help you, not control you. You got the wrong parent for that one. You're not gonna like these words, and I'm probably crying. Well so am I”

Me: 😳🤬😭🤯😡

Just…..

Fuck this.

[antiloreolympus]

9 Anti LO Asks

1. What I don't get is ... isn't the ending of LO, is RS is actual accurate, won't that still be bittersweet at best? Because unless she changes the ending completely (and if she does, it firmly proves she doesn't care about the mythology, so I doubt she'd change it) then HxP is still seperated for half the year, Hades is still alone for half his time, and Persephone is stuck with her abusive mom, so they still lose in a way, don't they? How is she going to spin that?

2. Ok so, the much less popular Hooky got on the NYT bestseller list with no promotion from Webtoons, meanwhile LO had them promoting them over all social media for months, had a ton of preorder exclusives, a B&N collectors edition, & a week of promoting it on their website/app and it still didn't get on the NYT list. Even I have to admit that must sting a little. I think they were banking on NYT bestseller tagline and it backfired. And we know sales tail off with sequels ... whoops?

3. For the person wondering in the that old tumblr ask post, yes Apollo in the Canvas/Discover version of LO was Persephone's kinda sucky boyfriend and it played more into a old school "girl leaves crappy bf for a better guy" trope, and there was no SA involved. TBH this version is so much better for so many reasons but especially because it actually let Persephone have a choice and even let her have sex and date other men before Hades. Current LO is such a major downgrade in comparison.

4. there's more random furry creatures in LO than actual creatures from greek mythology. like seriously rachel.

5. I think a big part of the silly "anti"/"pro" binary is that us "antis" just want a healthy discussion and we have other things to do and worry about, meanwhile the "pro" people have made something LO a legit part of who they are and seem to determine their own worth upon it, meaning they think they have to defend it and hype it up as this great thing, because if not that'll look bad on them. I've seen this so many times before in other fandoms and it's sad to see it happening again.

6. Am I the only one who hopes Rachel takes a break? Not because I'm sick of LO, but because I'm seeing so many Webtoons creators burning out and even quitting their comics because the workload is just too much. I realize it might be different in her case, but I think it's pretty obvious there's burnout both in her art and writing that a several months (maybe even a year off) break would be so beneficial to her and her team. As much as we critique her, we don't want her to harm herself either.

From OP: I agree. I feel like a mid season break would be beneficial for her but then again, I don’t know RS personally.

7. It's always so obvious when LO stumbles because Webtoons makes sure to never mention it. They hype it up when it gets award noms, but never mentions when LO loses and yet never mention when other Webtoons do win (side-eying that HARD). Now they hyped up for months it would break book sales, and yet they're now refusing to acknowledge it's actually underperforming and didn't hit the big lists like NYT (which other printed Webtoons have hit). It's kinda embarrassing, tbh.

8. lo hades was already ugly as hell but somehow hes only gotten uglier during this trial. maybe its him snarling like a dog and his piss poor attitude but he's legit giving off the exact opposite of "sexy and romantic uwu emo boy" vibes.

9. not me going to my uni's bookstore today and already seeing the lo book was marked down %25 😭