#I'm just tired of seeing this trend everywhere is all

[o-wyrmlight]

People have a horrible tendency of forgetting that polls like that are made for fun and not for any serious reason. There are a lot of people, though, who do take these polls too far and get angry when their favorite character or ship doesn't win. I see it a lot on Twitter, so I'm unfortunately not surprised that it also happens on Tumblr.

Regardless how you feel about whichever contestant or option, it's never right to harass people who prefer the other. And it's never right especially to harass the person who made the poll. People do have different brands of humors, but there are a lot of ways that jokes can be taken the wrong way--and even then, there are people who are being genuinely serious in their desire for their preferred option to win.

It's exhausting, embarrassing, and rude. Polls are meant to be fun, not to spark a war. If the person who made the poll got overwhelmed by what was happening, they're perfectly in their right to cut the poll short if it's best for their health. Someone's health is always more important than what the end results of a poll will be.

I've been on Twitter. I've participated in some polls. I've voiced which option I prefer and I've been disappointed when they lost. But I have--and will--never, ever attack the other side because my side lost. I will never harass the person who made the poll for any reason whatsoever. It's about being respectful and showing good sportsmanship, and not allowing the anonymity that the internet provides influence how I treat people I will never meet in real life. Because that's a whole-ass person on the other side. And you have to be ready and willing to accept disappointment gracefully if losing or cancellation does end up happening.

I don't understand the appeal of hating other ships or harassing a poll-creator. It's just so vitriolic and makes literally everyone else upset. If you are so upset about it that you need to talk about it, isn't it better to complain or vent to friends in private instead? Anything's better than hurting other people.

I'm just. Ugh. I don't understand why it's such a trend nowadays. I hope the person who made the poll is doing better. It sucks that they were so overwhelmed that they felt they had to deactivate their blog. It should never have gotten to that extreme in the first place.

Do you mind putting out a statement for some of the shippers out there? I'm not the person who ran the tournament but I've seen a lot of people blog about it in such mean spirit, mostly mocking the person who ran the poll without thinking about the situation or caring really. It's just kinda sad to see a bunch of people give this person so much hate

Ah yeah! I talked about it a little bit when it had all initially went down but I haven't been keeping up with the aftermath

My worry about talking about it too much publicly is that it'll just bring even more unwanted attention to the situation regardless of what I say. But I do want it to be known that it's really shitty to dogpile anyone especially over something like this. It probably doesn't seem that serious to most but the poll was clearly something op cared about and was investing a lot of time in. They just wanted to have fun like I'm sure most of us did! There's no need to keep punching down and speaking ill of them especially since they're likely still able to see it all. They're a human being with feelings and it was their poll anyways. They're allowed to be frustrated with the situation and do what was right for their peace of mind. It's really disappointing to see people being mean despite this. It's hurtful and not productive in any way.

[em-harlsnow]

how about that ancient "call your boyfriend/husband by his full name" trend?

since I'm started on the TikTok trends again, I'm going through my old asks. this one is cool.

Mickey doesn't see many tiktoks that are relevant. sometimes he sends tiktoks to Ian that are either insulting or cute, but that's about it.

This time, though, he sees one that's kind of funny.

So when Ian's minding his own business in the kitchen, Mickey interrupts it. "Ian Clayton Gallagher!" He shouts, trying not to sound too angry, mainly just going for the effect of saying his full name. But is voice only really has one tone, so it probably comes across that way anyway.

Ian turns around quickly, looking like a deer in headlights; scared and confused and very frozen. "What?" He asks, gaping, holding a box of cereal. "What did I do?"

Mickey just stares back, sort of lost from here on where to go.

Ian puts the box of cereal down, unfreezing himself after a disturbingly long time. "What's wrong? What've I done?"

Mickey raises his eyebrows, not knowing what he's doing. Ian seems to take something from his expression, though, because he comes over.

"What the fuck? What the fuck! What?" Ian asks, alarmed and perplexed. "I didn't touch his car!" He suddenly yells.

That gives Mickey pause. He scrunches his face in confusion. "What?"

Ian looks even more confused. "What?"

"You didn't touch whose car?" Mickey prompts, leaning forward on the sofa.

Mickey has never seen Ian look so guilty. "What're you talking about? What car? Who? You're crazy." Ian tells him, immediately backing up to the kitchen.

Mickey's husband is good at many things, but playing it cool is not one of them.

"Ian. Clayton. Gallagher. What did you do to whose fucking car?"

Ian glances at him quickly and then away. Mickey actually gets up and gets closer just to examine the guilt on Ian's face. It's usually Mickey in his situation, so he's relishing in Ian being the one doing something stupid.

Ian winces, looking away again. "You remember that guy at the dispensary last week? The one who hit on you then got all classist when you were uninterested?" Mickey nods with his eyebrows. "I was pissed off!" He reasons.

"What did you do to him?" Mickey questions.

"I just- I cut his tires okay!" Ian throws his arms up in the air in exasperation. "He was a fucking dick. So I cut his fucking tires and I pissed in his gas tank. And I maybe keyed the stupid wrap on his car." Ian tells him, eyes darting everywhere.

Mickey cackles, finding this whole thing hilarious. Ian always tells him about how they have to do legal things now, but he can be just as bad as Mickey.

"It's not funny!" Ian argues. "I was rightfully mad!"

"You're such an idiot." He laughs. "What is it with you and pissing in gas tanks?"

"You piss in pools!" Ian rebukes.

"Everyone pisses in pools! I've never met anyone else who pisses in a gas tank."

Ian raises a disbelieving eyebrow, as if convinced that Mickey has done that. A bold move, since Mickey just caught him red handed.

-> send me TikTok prompts, even if takes me ages to do them I will try my best

-> I hope you enjoyed!

[maochira]

the dads being forced to wear all pink to go watch the barbie movies with their kid LMAO and it trends on social media everywhere that’d be funny 😭💀

I'm taking every chance I get to let dad Ego suffer <3

Characters: Ego, Noa, Chris, Lavinho, Snuffy

Requests open! - masterlist

Tags: gn!reader, reader is a teenager, this is for the sillies, no Barbie movie spoilers

Ego

-it already took a while to convince him to see the movie with you, but when you tell him he has to wear something pink he looks at you as if you just said the most insane thing he's ever heard

-his immediate answer is no. And that remains his answer for a while, no matter how many times you ask

-the day before you're seeing the movie he finally gives in. He doesn't own anything pink, though. That means he has to go shopping for new clothes first

-he's still not a fan of wearing pink at all but at least it makes you happy. Don't expect him to ever wear that again, though

-of course someone sees him and then it's all over social media. It makes him want to disappear from the earth forever but you're having the time of your life about it

Noa

-he doesn't mind watching the movie with you, but he didn't expect you to ask him to wear something pink for it

-he refuses at first, but when you ask for the third time he can't say no to you anymore

-at first, he thought he would hate it, but he quickly realized he doesn't mind wearing all pink for that one occasion at all

-plus, you got a matching outfit anyways and Noa thinks it's cute!!

-it's kinda funny to see him with his cold and tired expression being dressed in all pink

-he met a bunch of fans at the cinema and they were having as much of a blast as you about seeing your father in his pink outfit

-he feels extremely embarrassed every time he comes across the pictures on social media and there are even some articles about him seeing the movie with you

Chris

-he immediately said yes when you asked him to see the movie. And when you ask if he will wear something pink, he looks at you in disbelief

-is that really a question needed to ask? Of course he will wear pink. Wearing anything else isn't even an option. He's surprised you felt the need to ask that in the first place

-sometimes it seems as if he's more excited to see the movie than you are because he's walking through the house singing Barbie Girl because it keeps getting stuck in his head at least five times a day

-also expect to hear no other music other than the Barbie movie soundtrack after you've seen the movie with him. Chris will play it in the car and at home at any chance he gets

-he absolutely loves that the pictures of him at the movie go viral. He's super happy about it!!

Lavinho

-he was actually the one who asked you to see the movie because he already knew you would ask him at some point

-he's a little hesitant about wearing all pink at first, but he quickly gives in because he can't say no to anything you ask for (he loves to spoil you)

-at first, he kinda feels as if the colour doesn't fit him, but the longer he wears the outfit the more he loves it

-he starts loving it even more when he finds out the pictures he posted of him wearing that outfit are trending all over social media!! He's happy other people seem to like it as well

-but of course, he's way happier about the great time he had with you seeing the movie!! (he did bawl his eyes out at least two times though)

Snuffy

-when you asked him to see the movie with you he was a little confused. He thought you'd rather see it with friends instead of with him. But he's also happy you asked!

-he didn't want to wear all pink at first, though.

-you convinced him literally everyone else at the cinema will wear pink and it would be weird if he didn't, so he gave in and agreed to an all-pink outfit

-he tries to not feel embarrassed when pictures of him start trending on social media. He doesn't want to feel ashamed because he was just having a great time with you. But every time he comes across the pictures he does feel a bit embarrassed because they're EVERYWHERE all over the internet

Taglist (sign-up link): @kaineedstherapy12 @gojosorrygeto @luvcalico @truegoist @st4rcheese @acacIa @kermitslefteyeball11 @futuristicxie @bluelock4life @blueberrryui @https-archangel @userwithlotsoftime @nikokii @chaosinanutshell @mang05 @astruosie @zyuuuu @vanitasbrainrot @toruden @mafuyudonutt @weichspuelertrinker @depressed-bitchy-demon @kaiserkisser @yellowelectroslime @orah-s @deerangle3 @slowlyholypeanut

[atalienart]

Just some random thoughts.

I know that numbers and likes don't really matter on social media and when you draw, you mainly draw for yourself but it's funny how seeing people get interested in you stuff makes you want to create more. Yes, perhaps it's short-lasting satisfaction and you should just focus on doing your thing but it still has its impact.

Social media these days are demanding. You have to post certain things at particular time, be everywhere, all the time. People migrate to different sites looking for something better and you need to follow. But I'm too tired. Too tired to manage every site that doesn't even work on my old phone, follow trends, pay attention to the ever-changing algorithm, escape from billionaire idiots, greedy corporations, flesh and mind consuming robots, people that don't care.

So, seeing someone's comment or a spike in interest, seeing real people being really curious about something I created, seeing that someone found me in a pile of trash that's today's internet is a little reminder that posting another drawing or sharing an update about my writing isn't a complete waste of time.

Though I notice how everything changed while I was absent for those couple years and I wonder sometimes if I should maybe stop posting and come back when, or if, I have something really worth showing, a bigger project. Maybe what I have right now isn't good enough to share. And then someone leaves a nice message or more people start to follow my blog and I think: okay, maybe one more drawing, maybe one more writing update.

I know that commenting and showing you care about someone else's projects require energy but I try to do it more often myself. I'm rarely on social media these days because they're exhausting and I suck at commenting but I still try. And I appreciate when people try for me. Thank you guys!

(btw, it's not fishing for attention and engagement, it's just something I thought about lately looking at drawings of my characters that kinda appeared out of nowhere xD)

[marksbear]

Ahhh thank you Mark but i think you would eventually be here with your great writing without me. But also am in your debt for me being able to read your writing. Hope you taking good care of yourself and if you dont mind can I request another sub Steven with avengers reader. So I got a edit of Steven on my fyp and what if he did the same with reader. So he is laying down on his side away from reader to look at edits of him and him also being a fan.Reader wondering what he is looking at so turns over to look at his phone and see steven staring. Reader laughs in his ear and asks if he liked how he looks while fighting to protect him from aliens/villains. Steven nods yes and says how handsome he looks which leads to reader saying thanks and kissing his neck while touching him under his clothes. And then Steven asks him to fuck him which reader does and says how Steven will always be his biggest fan.-🐻‍❄️

Awww my 🐻‍❄! I think my great writing would be so great if it wasn't from your help my love!

Warnings! Dirty talk, whore and slut used, SMUT, rough sex, Fan Steven! A bit modern AU, but not really.

SUB STEVEN GRANT X HERO MALE READER

Y/n comes home tired and bruised. It was mission after mission and Y/n was done with it all. Being the new hero in the avengers was no joke for the male.

It was interview after interview, saving the day, fighting villains and so on Y/n just wanted to go home and be with his boyfriend. Steven Grant.

Y/n unlocks the door to his apartment and walks in and locks the door. "Steven! I'm home!" Y/n shouts walking deeper into the apartment looking for his boyfriend. Y/n makes a quick to stop greet Gus and feed him.

"Hey Gus! Hope you had a good day." Y/n pats the tank with a little laugh before finding Steven in the kitchen cooking. "Hi love!" Steven greets Y/n with a hug as Y/n kisses him on the head.

"You're trending everywhere! Like on all social media!" Steven blurts out earning a small chuckle from Y/n. "How was work?" Y/n asks giving a hug back to Steven.

"It was fine and a bit fun. Good thing about it though that Donna wasn't there and it was a blessing." "Glad you had fun baby~" Y/n gives Steven a kiss on the cheek before leaving to go shower.

"After i'm done with my shower, i'll help you cook!" Y/n shouts before going into the bathroom.

TIMESKIP

Y/n and Steven are in bed together laying down side by side. Steven's eyes are glued to his phone even turning his body away from Y/n, so he doesn't see his phone.

Steven watches edits of Y/n fighting and also being interviewed. Steven likes and adds them to his favorites watching Y/n manhandle a villain. The way Y/n fights makes Steven feel things all hot and bothered from only watching the edits.

Steven scrolls down and the video is Y/n smirking at the interviewer looking down at the woman. Steven felt his whole body tremble from imagining that it was him Y/n was looking down at.

Edit after edit Steven saves and adds to his favorite completely hypnotized on his boyfriends edits. To popular and not so popular Steven watches and saves it fangirling about his own boyfriend. Steven couldn't help himself, but not to blush and smile endlessly at his phone gushing about his boyfriend like a teenage girl would.

Of course Y/n begins to wonder about what was Steven was looking at and peeks over his shoulder not catching Steven's attention. What was on Steven's phone caught him a bit off guard. It was an edit of him just adjusting his clothes while the interviewer stares at him in awe. Y/n watches Steven like it and adds to his favorite before swiping down now it's a video of Y/n fighting a villain winning all by himself.

Y/n couldn't help but to laugh into Steven's ear watching him jolt and gasp. Before Steven says anything Y/n moves one hand to Steven's obvious boner grabbing it causing Steven to let out a small moan.

"You like how I look while fighting huh?" Y/n teases earning a nod yes from Steven. "You think I look sexy fighting those damn aliens don't you Steven?" Earning another yes from Steven. "I bet you want me to manhandle you like that. Don't you baby?" Y/n asks feeling all over Steven's clothed body.

"Yes sir~ I think you looked very handsome. So handsome I-I love it so much." Steven says earning a kiss on the shoulder from Y/n.

"Thank you, Steven." Y/n mumbles against Steven's neck before kissing and sucking his neck leaving multiple hickeys. Y/n first moves his hands under Steven's shirt pulling and twisting his nipples even giving them a few pinches. Steven moans fall softly from his lips feeling his own body grind down onto Y/n.

"S-so good... Fuck Y/n!~" Steven moans throwing his head back with a even louder moan as Y/n pull his nipples even harder. "So sensitive today Stevey" Y/n teases before leaving Steven's chest alone causing a light pout to escape from Steven.

Y/n begins to move his hand into Steven's sweats sliding his hand his underwear touching Steven's hard cock. Y/n bit onto Steven's neck harder causing him to moan. Steven buck his hips into Y/n's hand already feeling so weak.

''Please fuck me~ I want you inside be so bad please H/n!~" I want you to fuck me hard H/n!~ please you can even breed me! Please H/n I need you!" Steven begs out with a whine.

To be nice Y/n stops teasing Steven and begins to strip off his own clothes while Steven does the same turning his body around. Steven stares at Y/n's hard cock hungrily as Y/n begins to get lube.

"H/n!~ Ohh fuck!~ Please fuck me!" "Wow, calling me by my hero name now Steven... How much of a desperate slut are you?" Y/n says with an evil laugh before using the lube on his cock getting every inch covered. "Watching videos of me and getting a boner, what are you a pervert?"Y/n teases before lining up his cock to Steven's eager hole.

"You want this hero to fuck you baby? Want me to use you like you were a whore?" Y/n teases before pushing the tip inside Steven. Y/n moves deeper inside Steven walls squeeze tighter on Y/n's cock as Y/n goes inside him.

After a minute of Y/n letting Steven adjusting Y/n begins to thrust without mercy abusing Steven's hole.

Y/n's hips snap into Steven thrusting his full cock inside without warning before thrusting deeper and deeper. Y/n's harsh thrust earned loud moans and sobs from Steven as he abused his hole.

Loud skin slapping against each other alongside loud moaning fills the room from the two lovers. Y/n cock moves in and out fast as Y/n holds Steven still on the bed. "You're my biggest fan aren't you Steven?" Y/n asks kissing Steven's neck. "Y-yes I am!" Steven answers with a moan.

"Will you always be my biggest fan?" "Mhm!~ I'll always be your n-number one--- Your biggest fan!~" Steven says on a sob.

"That's what I wanna hear." Y/n says thrusting even rougher inside.

Steven already knew he'd probably have to call "sick" for work tomorrow. Y/n thrust was hard and fast causing Steven's eyes to water in pleasure. "H/n!~ H/n! s-slow down!~ please slow down!~" Steven moans out knowing full and well he doesn't want Y/n to slow down.

"Want me to go faster? Yeah i'll go faster baby." Y/n responds back with a smirk speeding up his pace snapping his hips back and forth.

Steven couldn't keep himself together anymore. Moaning and screaming endlessly as the hero fucks him,

"Steven--- I'm gonna cum! i'm so close!" Y/n warns holding onto Steven tighter. Steven was in pure bliss as he cums all over his chest and some lading on Y/n not caring what Y/n was saying only moaning and sobbing. Steven was brought back to reality as Y/n cums deep inside him. "H-h/n!~ so f-full!" Steven moans out as he shoots his load.

With Y/n thrust becomes slower and more gentle as he thrust inside him as he rides out his orgasm also helping out Steven as well.

Y/n pulls his cock out of Steven slowly before getting a random shirt off the ground cleaning him and Steven. Y/n thrust the shirt somewhere in the room before cuddling Steven in his arms.

Steven begins to fall asleep secretly knowing that he made edits of Y/n that gotten viral. "My hero..." Steven mumbles out with a smile looking up at Y/n who smiles back at him

THE END

[fernacular]

pls talk more abt the stupid art trend of only drawing neutral faced white women no matter what its something that has been eating away at me as i see the community of artists growing ever more. it frustrates me so much cause like??? is that really the extent of your creativity? some... nameless attractive woman?

I'm really not an art historian or even an extremely analytical person, so take all I'm about to say with a grain of salt, it truly is just my off-the-cuff assumptions.

First of all I wanna clarify I don't think painting a pretty girl for the sake of painting a pretty girl is inherently creatively bankrupt, I'd be a hypocrite if I said that. Plus there are many many examples of artists having a POINT when choosing that subject matter and I don't wanna be throwing them under the bus. If you know a Pretty Girl(tm) piece of art that you think actually has a message that is enhanced by the usage of that sort of face, assume I'm not talking about them.

What really bugs me is the sheer prevalence of it EVERYWHERE and how incredibly unexamined it often gets from both the artists themselves and the audience observing.

because here's the thing, I'm pretty sure I know why they're choosing a perfume-ad-type woman as their subject. Over a very very long time that specific type of face has become the Neutral Beautiful Subject in art. A: it's a human face, which our monkey brains immediately respond to. Humans see a human face, we instinctual pay attention, that's just kinda how we work. B: it's a young unblemished face with no indications of personality or personal agency or identity that could impact the viewer's attraction, and it is assumed the viewer finds the face attractive. C: It's a white feminine face/form that has an extremely long and complicated history that I won't be able to adequately layout here (again, not a historian) but is firmly entrenched in western society as being, of all the bodies, the most synonymous with beauty and art.

So from the artist's perspective, this is a very very useful subject matter because we, as an audience, have been trained not to read into it as the Neutral Beautiful Subject Matter. The assumption is that we will like looking at it, but it won't distract too much from what else the artist is doing, the technical skill they're putting in or the unusual medium or whatEVER it is they wanna flex. That specific face is visual shorthand for beauty, and we're not intended to read into it beyond that.

But that's, like.... bullshit?

It's BULLshit that we are supposed to just accept that face as the neutral symbol of beauty. It's not neutral!!!! It's EXTREMELY political!!!!!! When you make that face the subject matter of your art with NO indication that we are supposed to take ANYthing else away from it, then you, as an artist, are in fact making a statement that you are seemingly completely unaware that you are making.

All SORTS of very very heavy social things go into that seemingly passive face. The dehumanization, sexualization, and commodification of women. The deification of white femininity. The fear of age, of disability, of injury, of sexuality outside man-attracted-to-woman. The very idea that all of this could in any way, in any universe, be considered neutral.

And I don't think all the artists who create using this kind of face are rubbing their hands together going "nyehehehe, today I will support a lot of heinous cultural bullshit for profit nyehehehehe" Most of them just aren't looking at it past face value. Again, it's a useful device. It's largely popular, it will get you views and attention and as an artist myself I fucking GET IT man. I want money too. I have rent too.

But i'm just... tired. I'm tired of it.

I'm tired of how unquestioned it gets. Of how much it's rewarded.

I don't have anything else to add, I don't know how to fix any of it, just, augh.

[clickoly]

O'Knutzy Week - Day 4

Part IV of Starboys, a Cubs Formula One AU

Characters by @lumosinlove, for @oknutzy-week-2024

Prompts: Purple, Sunscreen, Swimsuit, Chest

Links to: Part I, Part II, Part III, Ao3

Midnight talks and confessions.

cw: brief reference to abusive family behavior

•••

But you know the truth,

I'd rather hold you

A sip of golden rose wine, a bite of homemade ratatouille. Logan felt sated. 

The seagulls chirped at the sun, slowly setting in the distance between the barely visible horizon and a strip of land—the tip of a gulf outlined by the edges of a few small towns and the low mountains. The sky was shades of purple, brushed with bursts of warm rays that blended into the deep, shimmering blue of the sea, as calm and comforting as the voices surrounding him at the table. 

"You have a bright future ahead of you," his dad told Finn, but he was staring straight into Logan's soul. "I know it."  

For a moment, Logan wandered back to that awful GQ interview Celeste had forced him into for his 20th birthday. A whole article about his early life and career. A child of art, it read, young and gifted. An athlete like few others, bound to go down in the annals of motorsports. 

People looked at him and saw a name, the past and present glory behind it. A polished smile, money, status, the luxurious life of a young millionaire. Lucky, they called him. And he really was, but for reasons other people might have found mundane.

Today he'd savored his greatest fortune, every single bite of it. And the cherry on top? A goofy redhead sitting by the pool with sunburned shoulders, a big sunscreen stain on the tip of his pointed nose, and a ridiculous bucket hat with tiny strawberries on it—a fan's gift that had somehow matched his sinfully tight swimsuit. 

"You want some more, mon ange?" Iva tempted Logan with another slice of Tarte Tropezienne. 

"You know I'd eat the whole thing." 

Noelle snorted. "Ouais, we're all aware, Lolo." 

"Okay, okay." Iva stood up from the table and grabbed the plate. "I'll put it back in the fridge before it's too late." 

At Finn's loud laugh, Logan turned to pointedly glare at him, only to be regarded with a blinding smile. "Wanna go out tonight?”

Logan shook his head, "You're tired." 

"A little, yeah." 

"And tipsy." 

"Maybe," Finn sipped the last of his wine. 

"Could have fooled me." 

"Why don't you two go make yourselves comfy?" Iva suggested. "Finn, cher, there's a jar of after-sun lotion in your bathroom. Put some on, will you?" 

Finn's tomato red cheeks blushed even more, up to the tips of his ears. 

"Thank you," he beamed. "For... everything." 

Many goodnights and sleep tights followed, and soon Logan found himself walking back into the house, Finn by his side, desperately gathering courage—to ask or to let go, he wasn't sure which. 

"Fish?" 

A warm hand pressed between his shoulder blades. "What's up?"

"I... Um. My mom gave me something. Earlier..." Logan halted outside his bedroom. His head fell against the door, hitting the painted wood with a soft thud. "Would you..." 

Finn gently tussled Logan's hair. "I'll be right back."

Fifteen minutes had not passed when Logan heard a quiet knock at the half-open door. 

"Tremz," Finn's socked feet slipped on the marble floor. The temperature had cooled a bit, and Finn had opted for a warmer outfit for the night. He had his phone in one hand, eyes glued to the screen as he closed the door. "Look what Al just sent me."  

"Why are you wearing my socks?" 

Finn shot up. "Why are you wearing my t-shirt?"

Logan narrowed his eyes. "Touché. Let me see," he said, patting the soft spot next to him. 

"We're famous now," Finn handed him the phone. 

Logan tried to read his face. "Exactly how much wine did you have?" 

"I'm not drunk," Finn chuckled. "What I meant was that this picture is basically trending everywhere."

Logan took a closer look at said picture. It was a shot from the podium in Monza, he recognized—a close-up of himself, Finn, and Leo, drenched in champagne and covered in colorful confetti, all holding their trophies and smiling wildly. Logan could still feel the elation of that moment. "Why?"  

"Because, mon ami, apparently people think we're super hot."

"Oh God..." Logan groaned. He felt a burning blush spread through his body, head to toe. "Formula One sex symbols– What's that hashtag mean??"

Finn cracked up laughing. He took the phone back from Logan's hand and settled down on the sheets. "I'm sending this to Leo. I need to hear his reaction." 

Logan let his head drop to the pillow. "Speaking of the devil..."

"Who, Leo?" Finn shifted on his side to face him. "Looks more like an angel, doesn't he?"

It felt like torture to stare at him so close. 

"Are you going back to Italy before we leave?" Logan asked. 

"No," Finn picked at the hem of his own pillowcase. "You know we're setting up the upgrades for Texas. Why?"

"Sirius wants me at Silverstone on Monday. Come with me?" 

Finn gave him the softest of looks. It shimmered in the dimness of the room. "You take the enemy to your secret cave?" 

"Non," he laughed. "But I still get to spoil him with a night out in London and then a thirteen hour flight on a private jet." 

"Deal," Finn grinned. 

"I was thinking…" Logan began tentatively. "Maybe we could ask Leo to join us." 

Finn nodded quietly. "I'd really like to see him." 

"Good," Logan whispered, and waited silently while Finn's mind went a mile a minute. Something was bugging him, Logan could sense it. 

"Can I ask you something?" 

Logan blinked, still waiting. Anything, always.

"Those rumors... about Leo," he paused. "What's that all about?" 

"Bullshit," Logan sighed helplessly. "That's exactly what it is. You know that Sirius' family business sponsors Silver Racing, right?" 

Finn nodded, but didn't interrupt. 

"Well, when my race engineer asked for early leave... The Blacks tried to force their youngest, Regulus, into the job. But he refused, and Sirius backed his decision." 

"So..." Finn was trying to put the pieces together, but he couldn't know. The atrocities Sirius had confessed to Logan were hidden in a frightening corner of his mind that he refused to open. 

"They withdrew all the money, but it's not exactly public knowledge yet. We're talking about millions of dollars, all gone. They're awful people, Fish," he shook his head. "And Leo just showed up at the worst possible time." 

"Fuck..." Finn breathed. "That must be hard for him." 

"He's a tough nut to crack," Logan's lips twitched into a faint smile. "He knows what he's doing and doesn't need anybody else's sympathy. Even if he seems all shy at first."

Finn snorted. "Wouldn't dare call him shy at all." 

They had a great time, back in Italy. Somehow Logan had been impatient for Finn to meet Leo properly. After all the time they'd shared back at the factory in England, it just seemed right to bring those pieces of his life together. Leo was funny, kind, and so smart. They clicked perfectly together and apparently so did Leo with Finn. Logan had felt giddy watching the two of them sip champagne and chat and joke as if they'd known each other forever. He longed for more of those moments, of them. But what those tangled feelings made of him, he didn't quite understand. 

"Lo?" Finn's voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

Logan rolled over to the bedside table to get the present his mom had given him earlier in the afternoon. When he turned back, Finn was staring at him with a spellbound look on his face.

"Remember this?" Logan murmured.

Finn carefully took the silver frame in his freckled hands and stretched out on his back. God, Logan used to dream about that secret smile on nights that felt too empty and painfully lonely. Finn brushed his thumb over the old, fading photograph. Fifteen years old, to be exact. There was nothing but affection in the deep sigh he breathed out.

In the picture, a ten-year-old Finn was raising a golden cup to the sky with a just as young version of himself. Toothy grins on full display for the camera.

"Look at that cute little face," Finn teased. "You haven't grown any taller lately, huh?"

Logan slapped Finn hard across his chest, making him groan with laughter. "Fuck off," he retorted, but flattened his palm over Finn's pounding heart and let his hand rest there. "Tell me the story?"

"Hm?"

"The day we met," Logan looked at him expectantly. "I like the way you tell it."

So Finn did. He went back to the time he'd flown from New York to Montreal with his dad for his first international race. He had come home a few days later with a shared victory—a head-to-head photo finish—and a new friend he wouldn't shut up about.

Logan allowed himself to be lulled by those fond memories, by that deep yet gentle voice he'd become addicted to—the luring call of a siren, a melody echoing from a remote island in the open sea where Logan would undoubtedly have been shipwrecked and never left. 

Finn quieted as soon as he heard a soft snore. If he hadn't known better, he would have been offended at how quickly Logan had drifted off.

But how could he blame him? The house, Logan's bedroom, his bed. Those were safe places, a cocoon where they could hide from time to time and choose to be free, happy.

Nice always stirred up so many memories. Flashbacks of endless summer breaks, far from duties that had sometimes felt overwhelming on their teenage shoulders. Midnight swims in the calmness of a warm sea, cool drinks and casual talks at their favorite spot on the rocky shoreline. There had been plenty of shared glasses of whiskey under the moonlight of an empty porch and a quiet house.

And Finn's personal favorite. The early August nights, lying on soft blankets in the darkness of the backyard, carefree eyes seeking shooting stars.  

They had been eighteen and scared.

Look, there's one over there.

Nineteen and curious.

Where? I didn't see it!

Twenty, and aiming at the infinite sky.

Right there, Harz. Make a wish.

Twenty-one and lost.

A wish?

Twenty-two and discreet.

Ouais. So it comes true.

Twenty-three, and holding hands.

Oh. Okay, hold on.

Twenty-four and reckless.

What did you ask for?

Twenty-five and dreaming.

Can't tell you. I really want this to come true. 

They could have been happier. They could, together. 

Nobody had ever said no. No written rules. 

But Finn, what if…

I know.  

Finn tangled his fingers in Logan's hand, the one he'd placed almost protectively over his chest, and laid it ever so gently on the mattress. He carefully slid away from Logan's soft touch, and it tasted like a caress. 

The moment he sat up, he felt the burning tickle rise up his spine. When he looked down at Logan's peaceful face, tenderly smushed against the pillow, it all burst out in a choked sob. 

Finn used every ounce of his strength to convince himself to go back to the guest room. He probably owed it to himself, to them, so that history wouldn't repeat itself.

Just once. 

We shouldn't. 

Why not?

Because once is never going to be enough. 

The problem was, he didn't want to. Not anymore. The pull was there, stronger than ever, and it wasn't meant to be broken. Was it so selfish of them to wish to be each other's? 

They had drawn a line on a what if, trampled by seventy years of history where not a single driver had openly dated another man, let alone a rival on track. 

The jump into the void had seemed so high that they had simply resigned themselves to the fact that they couldn't do it.

Now Logan couldn’t to reach out to him, half asleep, and pull Finn back to nestle against his chest. He couldn't let his calloused fingers trace feathery patterns on his jaw, couldn't let his achingly frightened eyes share the lust, the need to be impossibly close. 

Logan couldn't, and yet he did. 

He did what they both feared would hurt them and break the safe thread that held them together.

“You should tell me to go,” Finn whispered, but it couldn't sound any less convincing. 

Logan's shaky answer floated in the small space between them, as soft as the pad of his thumb on Finn's lips. “What if… I wanted you?” He breathed. “Now,” He pressed his steady palm against the nape of Finn's neck. “Everywhere. Always.” 

Words failed Finn miserably. He thought of the silence, the distance. How wretched he had felt staring at those unanswered texts, how guilty. 

What would it take to really tear them apart? Was there anything that wouldn't lead them to find all the answers in each other? 

“Stay,” Logan leaned in closer. He looked gorgeous under the warm light of the reading lamp, green eyes screaming a long hidden truth. “Please, stay with me.”  

Logan's sharp breathing clung to Finn's skin. They huddled together as Finn brushed their noses, then their lips, barely touching. Silently asking. 

One last check—I want this. I want you. 

Logan moved first, finally closing the distance with an urgent kiss, fierce and burning and breathtaking, just like his grip on Finn's hair, pulling every last wisp of air out of his lungs. Finn cupped Logan's face in his shaking hands and deepened the kiss, more languid and gentle, unhurried. A promise. 

Just us, all night long. 

[izicodes]

You're so right abt all these websites looking freaking the same. Too polished, corporate typa style bs. And it's not only websites, it's applicable to books too. Everything looks bland and the same. I honestly miss early 2000s style. I don't care if it was tacky or anything. At least they were interesting and each one was unique in it's own brand of quirk lol

Hiya! 💗

I agree! I love different styles shown in websites! Everything nowadays are following this trendy of "spacey subtle but a lot few colours" and they say it's all for user experience so I wonder is it the users' fault or are the designers just following a trend they got from another designer and so forth and not really what the user wants? I mean, I bet now the users who view the websites are noticing, like we have, that oh the same style again. I don't know as I'm not a UX/UI designer so I can't judge entirely but from a user perspective I am tired of websites all looking the same, I mean even those old government websites look better than this gradient spacey look that's going on.

But just as they're a trend, they will die out soon. I remember when glassompishm was super duper trendy, when I started learning how to code websites around 2021-2022, it was everywhere and now it's not as popular, I see less of it now, so we'll see what's next 🤞🏾

On that, this is why I like neocites with it's diversity and uniqueness! Also check out mine hehe~!

[legendary-69420]

Chapter 11: Under the Spotlight (Part 1)

(Racing Hearts : VOLUME 1)

The ticking of the clock echoed in Mark Spencer's mind as the season neared its end. With only two months left, the pressure on the grid was palpable, but that wasn't the only thing occupying Mark's thoughts. The media frenzy around him had reached new heights. #MarkSpencer was trending everywhere, and his shirtless photos from recent events had gone viral, adding fuel to the fire of his growing popularity. What once felt like a simple joke about his good looks had now spiraled into full-blown media obsession. No matter where he went, cameras followed, flashes going off like fireworks in the night. At first, Mark had brushed it off, wearing his overconfident persona like armor. But the attention was relentless. "Mark! Mark! Are you seeing anyone?"  "Mark, do you have time for a quick comment about those shirtless pics?" "Who's your ideal type, Mark?"The questions bombarded him as he moved through the paddock, trying to keep his composure. A wave of excitement had engulfed the media, and it felt like every interview started and ended with something about his looks or his private life. The focus had shifted from his driving skills to his every move outside the car. --- Inside the Ferrari motorhome, Mark sat down with a sigh, his head spinning from the endless onslaught of personal questions. It was exhausting to smile and shrug off rumors, but he knew he had no choice. Charles, seated across from him, watched quietly. The rumors swirling around the media had become impossible to ignore, especially since they now involved him as well. Reports about his supposed romance with Alexandra, his longtime best friend, were spreading like wildfire." "You good?" Charles asked, glancing up from his phone, where he'd no doubt seen another article speculating about his personal life. Mark rubbed his forehead, nodding. "Yeah, just... tired of all the nonsense. It's like they forgot I'm here to drive." Charles leaned back, crossing his arms. "Tell me about it. Alexandra and I can't even have lunch without the media acting like we're secretly engaged." Mark smirked. "Maybe you should give them what they want—throw them a bone." Charles shot him a playful glare. "Very funny. If I hear one more rumor about me and Alexandra, I might lose it." Mark chuckled, though the humor quickly faded as another wave of paparazzi flashed across the screens. "The internet really doesn't leave anyone alone, huh? It's insane. One photo and boom—I'm shirtless all over the place." "You're not complaining though, are you?" Charles teased, raising an eyebrow.Mark grinned, leaning back with mock arrogance. "Well, I do look good, can't argue with that." They both laughed, the tension lifting for a moment. But it didn't last long. The season was ending soon, and they both knew what that meant. Mark's place at Ferrari wasn't permanent, and with Carlos' return looming, it was only a matter of time before Mark would have to leave. ---

[lokisasylum]

This is your wake up call to delete all those BTS games & rate them 1 star.

I'm an avid gamer, maybe not like I used to before the pandemic, but I do love video games and when they first brought up SuperStarBTS I was HOOKED and could not put it down. I would play it everywhere; at work, at home, waiting for food at a restaurant, at the cafe, before bed---ect.

When the BT21 games started I also got into them but after awhile deleted it (it was that or left my phone blow up 8D )

But as the games started changing and we transitioned to BTS World & BTS Universe Story where you could either play the BU storyline or create or bring your own fanfics to life... that's when I got tired of them and just didn't bother.

And then we began seeing the sketchy things they would slip into these games, thinking that we wouldn't notice:

The first time we raised a RED FLAG 🚩🚨 to this we were called childish, overreacting, hysterical, "stupid solos", victimizers, and all that ignorant bullshit the fandom has been brainwashed into saying & attacking anyone who goes against these narratives and microaggressions towards Jimin. (Meanwhile the fandom moved quickly to trend dumb #s because they didn't like that the gender of the player wasn't neutral LOL!!!)

And now we got this issue with In The Seom (and its not the first time by the way). Putting up MORE narratives to make Jimin seem like he's useless and weak without the group. Like he doesn't feel good enough as an artist, that he's "better off leaving the group". And then you got the company stans trying to AGAIN gaslight everyone into being okay with this because "Remember? They went through this period before debut"

I'm glad you remember that, Karen, but what you forget is that BTS In The Seom has NOTHING to do with with their lives pre or post debut. Its a different FANTASY storyline, because that's what BTS World was for. So what is the need to continuously trying to capitalized on past trauma while constantly shoving these narratives that are no longer relevant on to new players or fans?

Why don't they ever mention THE TRUTH? That Jimin never received vocal lessons unlike the other 3 members of VL by the company so he had to observe and learn BY HIMSELF? That he joined last and received the bare minimum of time to prepare before debuting with the group? Or that they MADE him expose his body despite being a minor while the others got "saved" from baring this responsibility to constantly work out, diet to maintain a certain image (also imposed by the company, since all of them were pushed into roles in the beginning).

You wanna know why? Because its better to make the member look like a failure than to admit the company is simply SHIT and all they cared about from the start is finding ways to make money off of them. And that includes their insecurities &/or past traumatic experiences going through the phases of being an idol in a highly judgemental society.

Because you expect people to believe that Jimin is still this NOW?

And not THIS ↓?

This wasn't even his concert and he still ATE ↓

Mr. DOUBLE GLOBAL BRAND AMBASSADOR FOR DIOR AND TIFFANY & Co.

[melisusthewee]

1) Ahh, I love your small summaries about the three ships! Honestly, I just love the idea of the three cousins following Marcelo everywhere because they're all so smitten with him in their own way sdkhjfs (it can be seen as a platonic thing if you want to, but it's not in my case lmao). Also, I like to imagining them fighting over Marcelo, like having this little competitions of who's gonna have Marcelo's attention the most. And Marcelo wouldn't even notice them fighting over him, he would just

Daniel would probably win by default as he had the most patience out of the three cousins. So while the more temperamental Eduardo and Fito are jockeying for attention, he just sits patiently until Marcelo gets tired or overwhelmed by the other two and then sits with Daniel because peace and quiet!

I love how you brought up the sun/moon ship idea! I hadn't really thought about it, but probably because I'm not always up to date on tropes and fandom trends so I hadn't really thought of that specific one. BUT YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. Obviously each individual character is more complex, but I think if you were to divide the four of them you'd end up with Daniel and Fito as the quieter more withdrawn individuals while Eduardo and Marcelo are more loud and energetic (under normal circumstances, of course). It's always seemed to be part of why they ended up as such good friends - like twin terrors in many ways. But it's another reason why I think I enjoy pairing up Marcelo and Fito so much. Fito is rather reserved and laid back - he didn't really have any goals or any real drive for anything compared to Eduardo, but he also seemed perfectly content with that. The only reason he even went on the trip was because with the university unions on strikes, he was sitting at home with nothing to do. And then you have Marcelo who would put little affirmation notes in his pockets, who had already started his own business with his best friend, on top of helping to raise his two sisters and playing competitive rugby.

Fito might not be as dark or moody as a traditional "moon", but I can see how he would be the cooler more reserved and serene half of the pairing, while Marcelo is the (usually) bright, bold, and energetic "sun".

I like this! I am going to be thinking about this for a while now.

Also you don't have to apologize for the long ask! I loved it! I love these messages and always get a happy little surprise seeing these! (There's maybe less than a dozen fic writers in the fandom but this ship is in the Top 5 on AO3!) Your English is perfect too; there is no need to apologize for it! It is much better than my Spanish.

[thesoftboiledegg]

I haven't been to the largest mall in my area for a while, so I thought "OK, that's going to yield a great merchandise roundup." But nope. Not really. I did find a few new bootleg streetwear designs. I've posted the "GANGSTERS" one before, but I had to share it again. It's pure hilarity!

I guess the GTA-style poster is the latest knockoff because I'm seeing that everywhere. The bootleg merchandise continues the trend of pairing Rick with random characters, like Grogu.

Looks like the official merchandise is also continuing the trend of having a screaming Morty on everything. Don't his lungs get tired?

I've posted this design before, but it's funny because whenever I go to Forever 21--no matter the location--I find one Rick and Morty shirt. I don't mean one design. I mean one lonely Rick and Morty shirt in the entire store like it was waiting for me.

Anyway, I wasn't having much luck, so I knew that if I wanted to post a real roundup, I had no other choice. I had to go to Spencer's.

This mall didn't have a Spencer's or Rue 21, which is pathetic, so I went to a smaller one in my area. And...it actually had more stuff.

But before I did anything else, I had to brave Spencer's. I had to surround myself with fake poop and boob mugs. I had to tolerate the edgelord humor. And Spencer's rewarded me with this:

What's Morty so happy about? Why does he look like a guy walking into Spencer's for the first time and seeing all the sex toys and half-naked women? "Ohhh yeeeeaaah, this is the place for me!"

This wallet was a little different. I could actually see some of you guys buying this one.

My nails are too short 😔

I posted a picture of this beanie before (and said it was ugly), but I didn't see the design underneath the brim before today. Yeah, that just makes it worse.

Fortunately, Rue 21 had a cute new shirt with a curious Morty.

When I first saw these shorts in Rue 21, I thought "No way." But nope, it's exactly what I thought it was: Rick fighting Mr. Nimbus on a pair of boxers. Best merchandise I've seen in a while. I'm not even joking--it's a great illustration.

I assume that guys wear these boxers when they're platonically lounging around the house with their pantless bros?

I couldn't figure out what was going on with this shirt in a streetwear store. Rich and...hungry? I looked it up and found a clearer image, so add that to the pile of bizarre streetwear merchandise.

Bird Person action figure! Perfect for men to rub against their Rick action figure while making kissing sounds.

More proof that whoever makes these decisions will sign off on anything. I have no idea what this is.

It's lipstick, right? 💄

[journeyintofiction]

Knockout

Hello everyone! I put out some feelers earlier about what I should write and people liked all the AU’s so expect like 4 different fics from me in the next 2 weeks or so. I am turning into a damn factory, but I'm not complaining, y’all deserve to be fed well. Please excuse any/all grammatical errors, my eyes are tired. So without any further ado, I present Boxer! Attuma x Medic! Okoye.

Word count: 5.4k

Happy reading :) 

Attuma was a boxer in the heavyweight division, an extremely well-known and talented one at that. He grew up loving boxing and begged his parents to let him start training, after weeks of pleading they finally granted his wish and got him started in classes. Given his stature and natural affinity for contact sports, he excelled in the sport and quickly gained attention from scouts and sponsors around the country. He went to college and shortly after graduating when he was 21, he won a major match that completely changed the trajectory of his career. At that point, he realized it was necessary to build a serious team of people dedicated to getting him to the top and keeping him there. That meant nutritionists, medics, doctors, a publicist, trainers, a representative, and so much more. That was how he met Okoye.

Okoye was on his list for possible medics because she was highly skilled and had several different certifications, most of which he couldn’t tell you what they meant even if he tried. All that mattered initially was that she was qualified to do her job and not bullshit him when it came to telling him the gravity of injuries. She needed to be ready to jump in the ring in between rounds to assess and treat injuries as the fight progressed and debrief with his medical team. It was meant to be simple but that was quickly thrown out the window when he met her. She was beautiful, kind, generous, and no-nonsense all of which were traits he knew were part of his type.

They started as colleagues and then moved on to be friendly and maybe a bit too friendly at times. Okoye was always the one to take a step back from those situations because she always stated that she respected him too much to cross the line and put him in jeopardy. He understood and they tried to remain on a friendly footing, but the heart wants what it wants and they certainly wanted each other. Anyone with eyeballs and a brain could see the two of them were perfect for each other. They provided support for one another and were perfect at balancing each other out in areas that were lacking.

Then they decided to quit beating around the bush and stop dancing around each other and just go on a date. At that point, he was 26 and she was 25 so they both agreed they were way too old for the games and the chase. Before the date, they promised each other that if it didn’t work out, no hard feelings and Okoye still wanted to remain part of his team to ensure his long-term safety in the ring. And that's how their journey together as a couple began.

They slowly went public because of the attention he received as a newer talent on the scene, it was bound to happen. It started with going out to a public venue together for food and occasionally the paparazzi would take a picture or two. Then they moved on to bigger things like going to galas together but just looking like “good friends” going out together. Until finally the paparazzi caught them mid-kiss on an outing in central park. That was enough to send people into a frenzy over the two of them and for the next few days they were trending on just about every social media platform known to man. Okoye was overwhelmed with the publicity and had to go everywhere with Attuma for her protection against swarms of reporters. 

Attuma felt bad because Okoye was part of his team, yes, but she never had to deal with this level of attention from the media. She was quick to reassure him that she knew what she was getting into and for him to not feel guilty or responsible. In her mind, he was just a young man trying to live his life while having a very public career and at times his personal life would bleed into the media. She understood that and told him as much, she knew that there would come a point where hiding the relationship was not an option.

Secretly Attuma was glad the relationship went public because it meant women could finally leave him alone. After all, he wasn’t interested in any of them. Yet, they threw themselves at him because he was an athlete who gained fame, notoriety, and wealth at a fairly young age. It pushed him to appreciate Okoye more than he already did because she was never dazzled by the money or the fame. She worked hard and was paid well for working with him, but she was a wealthy young woman due to her parents' death when she was a teen and the money they left for her. She invested well and was quick to jump at the chance to get an education from an esteemed institution. He liked that she earned excellent money, but didn’t take every opportunity to flaunt it or feel the need to.

This brings them to where they are now, two and half years into their relationship and Attuma was considering proposing. He is 100 percent sure that he’s in love with her and couldn’t imagine his life without her in it. In fact, it physically pains him to think about her not being there because she has been by his side since he was 21 and just getting major attention in the boxing industry. Now at 28, he wanted to think about settling down a bit, not completely, but enough to have a family and still work. He wanted something to come home to every single night and maybe even a few kids in the future.

The point is, he knew that she was IT for him, there was no one else in the world that could compare to her. She was exactly what he needed in life to be centered and a better person. He knew he wanted to go shopping for rings so he called his manager who also happened to be an older brother/fatherly figure to him and asked him to meet at a renowned jeweler.

“Namor how have you been?” Attuma asked as he walked over and gave him a side hug and a clap on the back.

Namor replied with a sharp smile, “Good, good. The time off did wonders for my relaxation before the upcoming boxing season. But, enough about me and my adventures, we are here for you and Ms.Okoye.”

Attuma nodded and chuckled because Namor always liked Okoye despite trying very hard not to in the beginning. He thought she was far too young to be a medic for Attuma but quickly clamped his mouth shut when Okoye forced Attuma to be benched after bruising a rib pretty bad. Even he had a hard time getting Attuma benched and this young woman waltzes in and tells him to stay out of the ring and he listens. She has definitely saved Attuma from several bad injuries with her medical knowledge by teaching him how to train while being mindful of his previous injuries and not overdoing it. Namor fully approved of Okoye and got along swimmingly after she identified the early signs of a concussion when a doctor missed it, which spared Attuma from a very painful recovery.

Okoye never had a problem with Namor and viewed him as an overprotective brother/fatherly figure and knew he had Attumas best interest at heart. She had pulled Namor aside several times throughout her time as a medic and explained in depth, her opinion on the injuries and what to do to alter the training schedule. She wanted Attuma to be in the best health possible and be in as little pain as possible. Namor eventually grew quite fond of Okoye because of her naturally caring and generous nature. She was a tough woman, but she never reacted harshly to those around her. So when Namor had Attuma come to him for approval to date Okoye, there was no protest from him because he knew Attuma was in good hands.

“Do you know what kind of ring you want to get her?” Namor asked with an arched brow.

“Yes, I want two rings, one that's practical so she can wear it at matches and another that's more formal and for everyday use.”

Namor stopped for a moment, “Hmm, that makes sense given what she is about practicality but what kind of gemstone would she prefer? A diamond, emerald, ruby?”

“For the practical ring it can just be a solid gold band and the formal ring will have emeralds and rubies, to signify our favorite colors,” Attuma said while looking in the display case at the various rings and styles available. He was quite overwhelmed by the wide array of rings, the different styles, and the shape of the jewels. Then his eyes settled on a set that would be perfect for Okoye.

“That one.”

Namor walked over and looked at the rings in the set and nodded his head in approval, “I think those fit the requirements and would look beautiful.”

Attuma called over the shop owner and bought the rings right then and there with no hesitation. It was all becoming real and the thought was both jarring and exciting because he was looking forward to proposing to Okoye after a nice relaxing evening together. He just… wasn’t sure exactly when he would do it, he knows he wants to soon, but their schedules have been insane and it’s hard to plan something really nice for her without making her suspicious or think something is wrong. Damn her for being so observant and able to pick up on his moods and subtle changes.

With the boxing season coming up he needed to focus because the roster of opponents wasn’t particularly worrying except for one man, W’Kabi. He was a good boxer but he often flew into a blind rage in the ring when he lost rounds and has been known to cause serious knockouts to guys that piss him off. Another thing counting against Attuma was the fact that Okoye and W’Kabi were friendly all through high school and college, but according to her, he was interested in a relationship. She was focused on her career and didn’t see him in that light and that didn’t sit well with him. So, he would be borderline harassing her to try and go on a date with him even after her explicit dissent.

When news broke that Attuma and Okoye were together, let's just say she received some very angry texts then mysteriously had derogatory gossip released to the press about her. Attuma didn’t stand for it though and was quick to nip that in the butt and came out publicly to defend her. Basically ended that gossip cycle with fuck around and find out energy, and no one has said a nasty word about her since.

As he was driving home he thought about the different ways of proposing, because he wanted it to be perfect. Not too much but not too little and he didn’t want to make it a big fuss that the paparazzi would sniff out and ruin. Okoye was simple with things and didn’t like to be pampered too much, deep down he knew she enjoyed it but just isn’t used to someone spoiling her.

He pulled up to their apartment building and went to their penthouse, if he timed things right she should be getting in the shower right about now so he would have time to hide the rings. So, he walked into their shared room and hid the rings in the closet in a box containing his family's jewelry and photos. She never went into his closet and wasn’t one to snoop around in stuff that didn't belong to her, so the rings would never be found by her. Just as he clicked the box close and locked it, he heard her exit the bathroom and start getting dressed. She must have noticed his jacket thrown haphazardly on the edge of the bed and called out.

“Attuma?”

“Ya, I'm here, just in the closet”

“Ah ok, whenever you’re done I want to ask you something,” she said as she turned to walk over and sit at her vanity.

Attuma walked out of his closet and leaned up against the door frame with his arms crossed, “What’s up.”

Okoye glanced over at him and smiled before asking, “how do you feel about the upcoming boxing season? I know you got sent the roster a few days ago and I haven’t had the time to look at it yet.”

He shrugged and said, “I feel pretty good about it, most of the opponents aren’t something to be worried about.”

She raised a brow at his response, “Most?”

Now he hesitated, debating whether to mention W’Kabi being part of the lineup, she didn’t miss that he paused before answering. “W’Kabi is on the roster as my last match of the season.”

She blanched at that and turned around in her chair to face him, “What?”

She was aware that upon W’Kabi finding out about her and Attuma dating that he got into the boxing world but she knew how he was and knew he would take the fight personally. He was obsessive and held grudges for a long time, so she was not thrilled that her boyfriend had to square off with the man that became obsessed with her.

“Are you not… worried about that”, she said slowly and cautiously.

“Of course I am, given his history of doing horrible knockouts to people that piss him off, but I can’t just back away from a fight simply because he has a history of being… aggressive. I would love nothing more than to not fight him, but it's my job.”

Okoye nodded and pondered for a moment, “I support you and you know that, I just don’t want you to get hurt because of a man who is obsessed with me.”

“Just make sure you are ready for me in the ring in case he does something to injure me, that's all I can ask for.” 

Okoye nodded and got up to hug him, one which he readily accepted because he knew she would take it hard. She always wanted to make sure he was ok, it was literally her job. But knowing that he could get seriously hurt because of an idiotic grudge held by someone who never had a chance with her was concerning. They stayed in the hug for a few more seconds and he felt her pat his chest and step away from him.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it, yes?”

He nodded, pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, then left her to finish getting ready for the day.

The season was fast-paced like always and it was flying by, with Attuma winning all his matches leading up to his final one with W’Kabi. There was a one-week break before the final match and he was admittedly a little nervous. Despite being extremely talented and constantly training he and his team were all a little on edge. They kept tabs on competitors and based on reports of the last few matches W’Kabi was downright diabolical. You would have thought he was intending to kill the opponents with the force and the aggression he used. There were murmurs in the boxing community that W’Kabi needed to be disqualified because it was unsportsmanlike and intentional. His last opponent needed to have surgery because W’Kabi punched him so hard his nose broke in three places.

Namor and Okoye were both very concerned despite trying to conceal it, they trusted Attumas ability, they just didn’t trust that W’Kabi wouldn't do something crazy. Namor and Okoye have agreed privately it's best to have a plan in place just in case things go down. Namor had several possible statements to put out to the public and Okoye had brushed up on more advanced medical care for serious injuries. All they could do was wait for the match to happen and see where things go from there.

When the day of the match finally arrived Okoye, Namor, and Attuma all rode together to the arena to ease their nerves. Okoye held Attumas hand the whole way there as a form of self-soothing, Namor was trying to keep a nonchalant attitude, and Attuma was rubbing circles on the back of her hand. Upon arriving the crowd was out in full force and cheering outside of the venue. The three of them stepped out of the car with their poker faces on and looking completely unbothered by the impending match.

Inside they met the rest of their team, while Attuma went to change, Okoye and Namor filled them all in on the plan of what to do and how to act should something go wrong. If there was one thing the two of them loved about their team, it was that they were trustworthy, dependable, and ride or die for Attuma. Once they were all briefed on what to do they went their separate ways to prepare for the match. Okoye found Attuma in his locker room and smiled at him before walking over to him.

“Are you here to give me my good luck kiss?”

Okoye laughed at his antics, “yes, of course.”

He leaned forward and captured her lips for a long kiss before breaking away and leaning their forehead together. They took synchronized breaths, which became part of their pre-fight ritual to calm each other down and settle their nerves. 

Okoye pulled away first, “Alright, I’ll see you out there my love.”

And with that she was gone, he turned to look at himself one last time before finally turning to leave the locker room. He waited for his que by the terminal so that he could come out when his name was announced. He could hear the crowd cheering and the announcer saying his opening lines and then announcing W’Kabi.

“And here we have W’Kabi.” The crowd cheered and some booed him as he came running out.

“And his opponent, the man of the season, Attuma.”

Taking that as his que he entered the arena through the terminal and then got into the ring. On his way in he heard loud cheers and screaming in support of him, he gave a few waves to the crowd and turned to W’Kabi. The referee entered the ring and went through the rules and expectations before stepping back for the first round of twelve to begin. Throughout the first 6 rounds Attuma had an edge over W’Kabi then in rounds 7-11 W’Kabi gained on him. The last round was important, either causing a tie or giving Attuma a solid win. 

Thus far both fighters were pretty beat up, W’Kabi was sporting a busted lip and several bruises on his cheek. Attuma had a pretty bad busted lip and some light bruising but was otherwise doing fine. After exchanging a few blows he managed to throw a punch at W’kabi that knocked him off balance and took the opportunity to seal the deal, with one more punch he won the match. The Ref called it and to everyone’s shock, W’Kabi angrily went after Attuma again before anyone could stop him. It happened so fast and was so unexpected that no one saw it coming, he went crazy and was thrown into a fit of rage and haphazardly landed one good right hook and Attuma dropped.

Security jumped in and restrained him and the crowd roared in anger at the poor behavior displayed. Okoye rushed over to Attuma alongside his doctor and they were quick to stabilize his body and check his vitals. Okoye was flashing a light at his pupils to see if they were responsive and his pupils were unequal sizes and he was unconscious. Both of which are telltale signs of a moderate to severe concussion, her medic training immediately kicked in and she was barking orders at people to move out of the way. An ambulance was always there at matches as a precaution and she couldn’t be more thankful for that now.

Only one person could ride with him, she looked at Namor who rushed over and squeezed her shoulder, “you need to be with him in case he wakes up.”

“What, no he would want you there, you’re like a father to him.”

“Okoye just trust me and go, I’ll come to the hospital once he is settled.”

With that, she took off and followed the paramedics into the ambulance and the entire time she was rattling off all of the things she noted between him getting hit and them arriving on the scene. She was terrified that the concussion would cause lasting damage or issues for him. She, of all people, knew the consequences and all the horrible things that can occur as a result of a severe concussion. It would be crushing to him if he couldn’t box again because of this injury and it would do a number on him mentally.

Pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind she focused on Attuma and stayed out of the way until they got to the hospital. Then she had to wait in the waiting room as doctors assessed his injury and call her back. 25 minutes passed but it felt like hours crawling by at a snail's pace before the doctor came out and called her over. The doctor was a kind older man who cut to the chase and was describing what Attumas injuries were.

“He has a busted lip, bruising on his upper body, and a moderate concussion.”

Okoye furrowed her brow, “will the concussion have any lasting side effects after resting and medication?”

“He should be fine but on occasion, especially in the next month or so, he can have dizzy spells, headaches, nausea, and some concentration issues. But once he gets past that one-month mark we can have him come in for brain scans just to make sure everything is healed up.”

She nodded and thanked the doctor before entering Attumas' room and sitting down in the chair by his bed. She threaded her fingers through his and shot a text to Namor to update him on Attuma's condition. As she plopped her head down to rest on her forearm her phone vibrated, with a text from Namor saying he was on the way and would be there shortly. 

At some point, she nodded off and Namor woke her up with a gentle hand on her shoulder and whispered her name quietly. She looked up frantically and realized she was only asleep for a few minutes, most likely falling asleep because of the day catching up to her and the adrenaline wearing off. She looked over at Namor and he was obviously worried and just as tired as she was.

Okoye explained, “He has a moderate concussion, mild bruising, and a busted lip. The doctor said he should heal up well but needs to take it easy and should expect some side effects from the concussion. As far as long-term issues go, nothing should last longer than a month or so and he needs to schedule an appointment to comeback for brain scans.”

He looked relieved that Attuma would be fine but was livid that it even came to this and he had a serious injury because of a sore loser.

“What happened with W’Kabi?”

“He was arrested after Attuma and you were taken in the ambulance because he technically assaulted him since the match was over. The press was in a frenzy over what happened and the fans were pissed by the whole display. W’Kabi’s career is pretty much over because several of his sponsors have come out within the last hour and rebuked his actions while reaching out to me for a contract with Attuma.”

Okoye smiled at that and looked at her boyfriend and opened her mouth to say something but Namor beat her to it.

With a rare soft smile he said, “I’m glad you’re with him, he has changed a lot with you in his life.”

Okoye nodded and said, “I know you weren't very fond of me in the beginning but I did have his best interest at heart, even back then.”

“I know you did, I just think I didn’t want him to get hurt because I saw the way he looked at you. He had stars in his eyes and gazed at you like you created all that the universe has to offer, he had a few short-lived relationships prior that didn't end well. I didn’t want him to get burned again.”

She nodded and absorbed his words, “That was initially part of the reason I stayed away, I didn't want to cause problems between the two of you, but you came around quicker than expected.” She added the last part and looked suspiciously at Namor causing him to chuckle quietly.

“Well, Attuma and I sat down, talked about you and he convinced me that you were going to be it for him. I trust his judgment, so I let him be, and you passed my expectations long ago.” He paused briefly, “You mean the world to him, never forget that.” With that, they lapsed into a comfortable silence beside Attuma, each consumed by their thoughts. 

Attuma woke up soon after but was required to stay overnight, Okoye and Namor promised to be there first thing tomorrow morning to take him home. Before Okoye left him for the night she leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead and said, “Please, please, please take it easy tonight, and try to get some good rest, alright?”

He nodded and grabbed her hand to press a kiss to the back of it, “I promise to try and get some rest.”

With that Okoye smiled and left for the night, on her way home she reflected further on their relationship and recalled what Namor said. She wanted nothing more than a future with him and seeing what happened today just affirmed that idea. She hadn’t put too much thought into it before because she was just happy in their relationship. It was in her nature to be a planner and aware of everything, but her parents always told her when she was younger that a relationship cannot be planned out. Things just flow and happen naturally, especially when the two involved have a deep connection.

Thinking of her parents always brought on a pang of pain. They died when she was 16 from a car accident and she was never the same after that. She inherited a large sum of money due to their insurance, savings, investments, and general accumulated wealth. She likes to think they would have loved Attuma, given his naturally kind and respectful nature. They always pushed for her to know that she is allowed to tap into her emotions and open up to people. She sighed when parked and got out of the car, still thinking of her parents and Attuma.

She went to their apartment and immediately showered and put on Attumas sweatshirt because it smelled like him. At the moment it was what she needed because things could have ended horribly today. He was aware of the risks with the profession and so was she, but to see him get hit purposely over a childish grudge was hard to swallow.

She didn’t even realize she started crying until she felt the wet spot on her pillow growing larger with every passing moment. The weight of the day and everything that happened came back in full force and caused her to sob. If things had been worse, if the hit was any harder, her boyfriend could have had a career-ending brain injury. All his dreams would have been crushed and destroyed because of W’Kabi’s jealousy and entitlement. She cried for what felt like hours and fell asleep curled up in bed on Attumas side, hoping that the scent of him would bring comfort.

The next morning she woke up and got ready as quickly as possible to get to the hospital. Upon arrival Attuma and Namor were waiting for her as Attuma was discharged, she helped him get into their car and buckle his seatbelt before getting in to drive. When she started driving he grabbed her free hand and threaded their fingers together and smiled at her before closing his eyes.

She helped him get out when they got home, which looked quite odd because he was so much larger than she was. Once he was in the apartment he changed and settled in their room. He went to sleep again, which was abnormal for him on a regular day but expected because of the meds he was given. Okoye climbed in and cuddled up to him in hopes of soothing her lingering fear and anxiety.

He woke up before she did, which reaffirmed his belief that she didn’t sleep much last night. He carefully got out of bed so she wouldn’t wake up and went to the closet where he kept the rings. He was sure that he needed to do it tonight, it didn’t need to be perfect because life isn’t perfect. The proposal needed to be full of love, promise, and comfort. That is what he was going to do because anything else is extra at this point. Attuma knew full well how afraid she was of losing him and sitting in the hospital after she left caused him to realize how fleeting life was, how fragile it can be. So there was no reason to put off proposing.

He went to the kitchen and started cooking something simple that he knew she would enjoy and brought out candles to be lit for their meal. Just as he was putting the finishing touches on everything he heard movement in their room and knew Okoye was up and probably looking for him. 

“Okoye, my love.”

He heard a muffled response and a few seconds later she quietly walked out of the room.

“Attuma… what's going on?”

He gently took her hands and led her to the table and sat down. “I have had an epiphany and realized that life is far too short for us to not enjoy the little things. When was the last time we sat down for a romantic dinner, or just relaxed together?”

She paused and realized she couldn’t even recall the last time they could kick back and relax.

He looked into her eyes and softly said, “See Okoye, too long.”

“But, you still have a concussion and need to rest, Attuma.” she said while giving him a pointed look.

“My love, this IS me relaxing and resting. Walking will not kill me or make my injuries worse, and eating dinner with you would do wonders in healing me.”

Okoye quietly laughed at the last part before focusing on the food before them, “Okay, okay let's do it before you turn into a complete sap.”

She looked at the candle display on the table and noticed something gleaming under the candlelight. She reached over and picked up the two boxes that were shining and raised a brow at him, all he did was nod slowly and smile softly at her with a child-like twinkle in his eyes. She opened the boxes with her brows furrowed in curiosity, then her head shot up in surprise.

He got up and came directly in front of her, gently taking the formal ring out of the box and saying, “Okoye, I love you and everything about you from your smile to your laugh. The joy you bring to my life and my heart is unable to be compared to anything I have ever felt. You are everything to me and I know I'm not a perfect man by any means, but it would be an honor to call you my wife. Will you marry me?”

She sat there shocked and misty-eyed before nodding her head vigorously and saying, “yes.”

That one word caused Attuma to smile brilliantly and gently slide the ring onto her finger and pull her into a kiss. This was the beginning of their new chapter, one that will be written with love, care, and unyielding support.

[iindigoeyed]

RE: Tumblr shilling out to AI scraping tools

also see @.staff's post.

the news has made its way to me. I've opted out but in true "nothing-on-tumblr-ever-functions" fashion, i just can't rely on that working. Considering the guy who owns tumblr now is also a massive transphobe this is not surprising at all and i expect this will be 2018 Porn Ban-levels of dropping userbase any day now.

So with the rise of AI scraping, I probably won't be posting my art here or, honestly, anywhere at all in the future. There is nowhere left for artists to exist, and nowhere left for fandom to flourish like it used to, and that upsets me. tumblr is not and has not been perfect but this was truly the only last place for the freaks to exist without having to be marketable.

I have dozens, and by dozens i mean hundreds, of inactive blogs lying around on tumblr from over the years. a lot of them have my old art on them. not only do i not have the information to log into them anymore, but a lot of them only exist in reblogs, and exactly how are reblogs of art going to exist under the "pwease dont scwape my awt" thing? Will you be able to check that EVERY blog has opted-out? What about deleted blogs? Inactive ones? The blogs that belong to dead people? You get it. I'm sure I'm not the only one in this boat. you want me to log into what is probably close to a hundred blogs to switch a button that should be OPT-IN to begin with? -- But let's be honest, who's opting in to have their art fucking stolen? No one, and on tumblr especially.

Personally speaking here, I know i don't have a huge following and that's kind of by choice. So you can take what i say with a grain of salt. but as someone who want(ed) to work in the art field and was hoping ai scraping would be a passing trend, this is the nail in my coffin. I give up. I'm not posting art anymore, period. I've dealt with all of this for long enough. Everyone and everywhere is hostile for artists, including other artists, every single website, and now companies and corporations. If this is the future it is fucking bleak. I've made a lot of friends and memories through art, and please don't get me wrong, i am so grateful. But even so, I make no money (not like i ever tried), i don't enjoy the process, and i'm just a drop in the ocean of artists on the internet. Instead i get to worry about: people harassing others over what art they make, art being suppressed in the algorithms, artists being expected to comply with bullshit regulations, companies scraping our hard work to feed back into their dumbfuck machine, and in my case honing my skills for almost a decade with nothing to show for it to my colleagues.

I love art. I love(d) making art, at one point. My philosophy is that art is made to be shared. but if i cannot do one, i cannot do the other. I myself cannot share art safely, ergo i myself have no reason to make it. I'll find a way to do what i love but this is not it.

as for everyone else. i hope you don't give up hope, i hope you keep fighting to fix this. But personally speaking i am done. Look around, look outside. everything is trying to kill us. and the last thing i need is having to worry about whether my art is getting fed into an ai or glazing everything before i post. I know it will get worse. I'm just tired.

[logosbot-tm]

Sometimes, you get so tired of how everything is now made to be consumed and consumed quickly

And you can never escape the ads, not really. Hell, if you live on the countryside away from the city, they'll send the ads directly to you, or it will show up in your newspapers, or you'll see them when you go to the story

And in the city, you see ads everywhere, all the time, and you'll always see those ads

And online people show you whatever new thing they just bought

Or YouTubers tell you to buy that thing so they can pay rent

Or you just get an ad that's unskippable

And if you play a game, it will never really be completely free. Things will be locked behind a pay wall, or you'll get more ads there as well

People you meet will ask you were you bought something

Or you meet up to do something

And to do something

You have to buy something

And you have to keep buying and just keep buying

And hey just consume a bit more won't ya

Buy something more, I promise that one more thing will make you happier, I promise that this specific thing that is trending right now is so worth all the money you'll have to pay

Come on, just buy it

It makes me fucking sick

Everything is just created for us to buy more of, and then the things we buy have planned obsolescence, so we'll have to buy that thing again

Or, we'll buy something new, because it's trending

I'm so so so so so so so tired of this Im so tired of the food being expensive I'm so tired

[imaginarianisms]

okay so. one thing ive been meaning to talk about in the rpc over the years is. the blatant ableism, sanism, racism & overall downplaying & watering down of serious issues such as cults to the point where nonsurvivors are rly out here making cult jokes which, to actual survivors, are like a massive slap in the face.

that's telling us "you don't matter".

on disabled characters & representation. i& genuinely don't remember the last time i& saw someone with a character who had a mobility aid or a wheelchair... if at all. i& genuinely don't remember the last time i& saw a disabled character actually Talk about their disability if it's even mentioned at all in threads & if it is it's usually a skinny cis white character, mostly cis white male characters, with the disability & fuck me& if there are any disabled characters of color at all.

i& genuinely don't remember the last time i& saw a character go indepth about the ableism & sanism they face. & i'm not saying that a disabled character has to let their disability define them but just like gender & orientation, a disability affects people & this doesn't just apply to physical disabilities. & i'm& not even getting into the way disabled & neurodivergent MUNS OF COLOR are treated, ESPECIALLY if their disability and/or neurodivergence is stigmatized.

i'm& not even getting into the stupid fucking way ppl go around throwing "delulu" everywhere as if they somehow have that right to mistreat schizospec & psychotic ppl & stigmatize us further. no, worstie, you're not fucking "delulu" for wanting your unlikely ship to be canon. no, you're not fucking "delulu" for wanting your crackpot theory to be true. it isn't some cutesy fucking trend you can hop on, theyre serious fucking issues. no worstie you're not "delulu" you're just sanist & hate psychotic people. stop using my& fucking symptoms as a stupid joke while stigmatizing me& for having them. i see a lot of nonpsys (for the unaware: nonpsys are people who dont have psychosis & aren't on the schizospec) using the word as if it's this cute quirky word to describe their fantasies & desires. its. literally not. delusions can INVOLVE fantasies & desires but arent those things on their own. it's not fucking funny to call yourself delusional as a joke & it's definitely not funny to just armchair diagnose people when a) you're not even a fucking doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist or any kind of medical professional & b) it's dehumanizing & c) i'm& betting y'all who use "delulu" have never even actually experienced a delusion, this isn't something you throw around for fun, it's an actual serious symptom with serious consequences for people who experience it. & as a schizospec did system myself i'm& Very Fucking Tired. noah fence but i& don't get delusions that're mostly trauma based & persecutory delusions just so y'all nonpsys can make it into another fun quirky thing & the same shit apply to ppl who use "psychopathic" "sociopathic" & "narcissistic" as an insult when most of the time personality disorders come from TRAUMA. & ESPECIALLY if you're autistic, you fucking know better

also. ppl are like "yeah i support systems!!!! :)))))) except fictive heavy systems, systems with lots of members, systems that share everything about themselves and systems who won't shut up about being systems. oh sorry your did and/or plurality makes me uncomfortable :(((((" i've& had people just. straight up refuse to acknowledge my& system at all & act like everything was fucking fine even when people claim to be my friend & give a fuck about me. my& older sister literally told me& to my& face that i& was lying for attention then she heard i& was actually dxed & she shut her ass up real quick. ive had people literally REFUSE to use our names or our pronouns despite KNOWING we're a system & some of us& were Also talking to these people. even from people who claim to be all like "oh i'm all for disabled people!! i'm all for respecting everyone's pronouns" but when it comes to our& plural ass they shut up real fucking quick. like. it won't kill y'all to ask about the rest of us&, about our& lives, showing us&.. idk, the latest episode of a show we've& never seen or a psd you made or introducing memes to us& & it definitely won't kill you to use an "&" by our names & pronouns or at the VERY FUCKING LEAST refer to us& as "y'all" or "you guys".

as someone w/ undxed aspd i& can tend to be very blunt especially if i'm& irritated. does that make me an evil person? uh. no. i& don't think so. someone w/ a personality disorder doesn't automatically mean an abuser & that goes ESPECIALLY with people with narcissistic personality disorder & antisocial personality disorder. disorders by themselves cannot be abusive. not everyone who's abusive has a personality disorder & even if they did, it's bc of their actions, not the disorder itself. & sometimes people just suck & are downright cunts.

if i& sound irritated its bc i& am. i'm& your local angry mean madcripple tryna tell y'all that this is a rpc. rp COMMUNITY. there are people who see this ableist shit. there are trauma survivors in your community. yes, this is worded aggressively but i& need y'all to understand that y'all Need to be able to engage with the anger of people with more stigmatized disorders & ESPECIALLY trauma survivors w/ more severe trauma & not just when we're being informative or entertaining to you if the rpc's gonna be better.