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fly1nglow · 7 months ago

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WHEN THE BELLS RING (1).

summary ── steve is desperate to make his work environment a less unbearable place and the newly arrived teacher could be a good distraction.

pairings & characters ── teacher!steve x teacher!fem!reader, some ocs

additional info & warnings ── fluff, slow burn, reader is supposed to be a ‘big city girl’, reader is also kinda anxious, little steve pov inserted, i guess steve is not accurate but i tried my best </3, no warnings besides that, i guess

author’s notes: ok… so this is my first fanfic after sooo long, but this idea came to me in a dream and i wanted to write, i feel like it kinda sucks but i also just wanna have some fun writing again. also… i know this must be annoying but… should i say english isn’t my first language (and that i dont know how the educational system of united states works)? :/, that should be all, pls be kind <3

The breeze passed through the leaves gently, taking some to the windshield, it was a really pleasant scene to enjoy in autumn, but it was also a great change of scenery in your opinion: Hawkins, from what you knew and had seen so far at that moment, it felt like that kind of small town you see in movies, where everyone knows everyone and nothing really happens, very different from what you had grown up with and lived with all your life, which were noisy cities, tall buildings and people who really didn't care. they paid attention to you.

But sudden changes weren't very pleasant either, yet here you were, in a small town in the middle of Indiana.

After taking another sip of your coffee, hoping the drink would distract you from something you didn't yet know you feared, you grabbed your bag and threw in the items that would be needed to survive your first day of work at Hawkins Public School. Your keys, notebooks and books were everything he considered really essential for the day.

Getting out of the car, you clutched the cup with the now cold drink in your hands, placed your bag in your arms, and headed towards the clearly old but friendly-looking building in front of you.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ—

Steve was curious to know who would replace Mrs. Brown, because although he got along with most people, his coworkers didn't exactly fit into that category. They were mostly middle-aged people, who thought he was childish, whether because of his age or the way he acted, he still didn't know for sure, but he knew they were his age once and he hoped they would be kinder.

However, he still didn't know how meeting 'the newbie' could help his case, he figured, that maybe by getting to know him first he could get some information and then pass it on to his colleagues, maybe then they would see him as someone helpful and trustworthy, but he still didn't know how that would help him.

It was lost in these thoughts that he found himself in the still empty hallway and in front of Mrs. Brown's old door, now weathered and which he knew made a loud noise when it was pushed in a certain way and now, he was a little unsure, a very different feeling compared to the confident and playful Steve of just a few years ago. But his movements seemed not to follow his thoughts, because now he had knocked on the door.

Before he could step back and get him out of there, he opened the door after hearing a muffled and distant voice say 'come in'.

‘‘Good morning.’’ Steve laughed and hurried over.

‘‘Oh, good morning!’’ A young-looking woman, who was pasting some notices on the wall, turned to face him, left the materials on the table and approached to greet him, as he was approaching.

‘‘I’m Professor Harrington, but you can actually call me Steve, you know, I guess it’s okay, in fact I prefer to be called that…’’

Now he was rambling. He extended his hand for a shake, which she readily accepted. Now closer, he could notice a few more small details about her: her hair was slightly messy, perhaps due to the wind outside, there was also a small piece of adhesive tape stuck near the collar of her pullover sweater, but he pretended not to notice, afraid that she would think he was looking more than he should.

‘‘Well, I’m a physical education teacher. I thought it would be a good idea to stop by and say hi.’’

She then introduced herself.

‘‘That’s very kind of you, Steve.’’

‘‘Well…’’ Steve looked around the room, but his mind was looking for some way to keep the conversation going, or maybe an excuse to leave. ‘‘Do you need help? Do you already know the building? You know I can…’’

Great, he was rambling again. Good way to make a good impression, right?

‘‘Actually, if you guys have a coffee machine, I’d love to know where it is.’’

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ—

You definitely hadn't thought much when you left your room and decided to follow Professor Harrington to the staff room, a small room, with white walls, two windows, shelves full of books, papers, some chairs and tables. It wasn't exactly the most comfortable place you'd ever seen. But you just wanted to distract yourself from the hustle and bustle of your own thoughts, because the first day of work had left you exhausted and it hadn't even started yet.

Also, you weren't the type to jump to conclusions because of appearance, but the first thing you noticed was that Steve had adorable eyes that seemed to match the type of person he was. And at the moment he seemed like a lovely person. That he talked a lot.

He had recently talked about how he grew up in the city and how it was a little strange teaching the children of people he had known all his life. You also shared some facts, about where you grew up and where you studied, all while he observed you carefully and asked some questions to keep the conversation going.

‘‘So why did you come here?’’

‘‘Salary, obviously.’’

You tried to joke and he chuckled weakly at your little attempt at being funny. Steve looked away from your figure, as you were drinking the second cup of coffee of the day, he observed the other person who entered the room, but who still didn't notice the presence of the two of you in the room. This made Steve get a little closer to you, still keeping an acceptable distance but so that only you could hear him whisper:

‘‘That’s Professor Watson, from physics… A pain in the ass at first, but if he likes you, he might get you a discount on drinks at a bar.’’

‘‘Discounts in a bar? Why?’’ You whispered back, while trying to focus on the new figure that appeared: it was a small man in comparison to Steve, his hair already showing signs of getting gray and he had a serious face.

‘‘His sister owns one of the bars in town, she always gives discounts to his friends and colleagues.’’

‘‘And you, do you have a discount there?’’

‘‘No, he hates me. But who knows, maybe you’ll be luckier than me.’’

‘‘Good strategy, Harrington, you barely know me and you’re already trying to use me to get discounts at bars?’’

You both laughed and soon the sound caught the attention of the person who was previously the center of the conversation. Steve quickly distanced himself and silently indicated with signs for you to follow him and then, there followed another one of those social formalities that people tend to forget happened easily: introducing yourself.

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ—

And introducing yourself was the key word and the pattern that followed for practically the entire day: introducing yourself to your colleagues, students and some parents.

The students were as you expected them to be, lively students who preferred talking to their classmates rather than paying attention in class, but, luckily or perhaps your own teaching talent, you managed to get them to pay attention to what you were saying. and they were able to apply their knowledge well to their tasks. As for your coworkers, excluding Steve, your colleagues weren't exactly the warmest and friendliest people you knew, but that didn't take up much space in your mind.

Not long after the last bell rang, you were getting ready to end the day at work and return to your cozy home. Until two knocks on the door distracted you.

Peeking through the half-open door, you quickly realized who it was: Steve trying to be helpful again.

‘‘Do you need help there, newbie?’’

You didn't mind the small informalities when you were quick to decline his help.

‘‘No need, I was already finishing it anyway.’’

He pretended to look disappointed, you couldn't help but chuckle at his theatrics. You quickly finished your things and grabbed your bag, and left the room with Steve following right behind you.

‘‘You know,’’ Steve began as you both walked down the corridor, ‘‘that’s the good part about being a physical education teacher, I don’t need a room, just some balls and a court.’’

‘‘It’s easy when a good number of children love the chance to be aggressive without being reprimanded.’’

‘‘It is,’’ Steve agreed, a fond smile on his face. ‘‘Kids can be a handful, but they mean well. Today, one of them lobbed a ball right at my stomach, but they made up for it with a lollipop as an apology.’’

‘‘A lollipop," you chuckled, ‘‘the universal peace offering.’’

‘‘If lollipops didn't work wonders, doctors wouldn't hand them out after every appointment,’’ Steve quipped, his laughter echoing down the hallway.

Steve walked you to the parking lot, soon stopping near what you assumed was his car. You turned to see him and to say goodbye.

‘‘See you tomorrow, newbie,’’ Steve grinned.

‘‘See you tomorrow, Professor Harrington,’’ you replied with a playful smirk.

He rolled his eyes and got into the car, making your way to your own car as you watched him get further away. Placing your arms a little closer to your body to avoid the cold, you could reflect a little on that end of the day as you once again observed the parking lot, now a little darker as the sun was already hiding, but which you expected to see for a while, for many more days.

In that silence, you could conclude that the first day of work had not been as horrible and terrifying as you had expected.

#fic: when the bells ring #steve harrington x reader #steve x reader #steve harrington fanfic #steve harrington imagine #stranger things #stranger things fanfiction

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cieloclercs · 2 years ago

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𝐬𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐚𝐝𝐞 | chapter one

pairings: charles leclerc x senna!oc part: 1/? warnings: google translate portuguese, angsty word count: 5.7k

SAUDADE. in which childhood rivals turned best friends realise they were always meant to be something more

01. what’s past is past

author’s note. chapter 1 ✅ please let me know what you guys think! all your feedback is greatly appreciated <3

read it on wattpad!

next ➜ chapter 2

17 December 2020 Aston Martin Headquarters Silverstone, United Kingdom

THE SOUND OF her car engine roaring is one of the most beautiful things in the world. That is what Noêmia Senna Borges believes. The rush of adrenaline it sends coursing through her veins just to hear it purr as she presses on the accelerator is like nothing she has ever experienced – and ever will experience again. Children often cry at loud noises, but infant Noa had delighted in the roar of her father's Formula 1 car when he took her, perched on his shoulder as he walked around the paddock, to his final races before he retired. So it isn't an overstatement to say – she was born to drive.

It's a car of emerald green, not red as she had always hoped, that flies around the legendary Silverstone track on her final lap of the day. Noa likes to think that a Ferrari would feel like home beneath her hands – like an extension of herself. The Aston Martin she brings back into the garage isn't quite there yet, though, hearing her lap times replayed through the radio, it doesn't sound a long way off. Engineers and strategists bustle all around her as she steps through the garage, pulling her balaclava over her head, and letting her now unruly curls fall down around her shoulders. A few compliment her on her drive, but most stick to appreciative smiles or nods. Noa is perfectly content with that. She's been raised to accept praise when given, but never to seek it. She drives for herself, not for validation.

Her time on the track is over for the day, so Noa stays behind in the garage to watch Sebastian's test laps. She settles in her own little corner, far enough away from the hustle and bustle of his engineering team to be at peace, but equally, close enough that she can pick up on snippets of their data feedback. With her water bottle in her hand and her balaclava drawn up to her nose to ward off the cold (though she keeps having to pull it down to take sips from the straw) Noa goes almost unnoticed. That is, until her PR manager, Raffaella Di Angelo, appears to remind her of their scheduled afternoon meeting. She assures her she won't be late, and sends the Italian woman on her way again gladly, as her focus switches back to the emerald green car hurtling around the track. Raffaella shakes her head when she leaves. She's worked with a few Formula 1 drivers in her time, but they are all the same – hooked on the need for speed.

Sebastian's lap times are only marginally better than hers. This in itself seems to give her a spurt of hope, and she leaves the garage positively beaming. He tells her afterwards that she is one of the best rookies he's ever come across – Noa knows, of course, the other name that resides on Sebastian Vettel's prestigious list, but she chooses to ignore that for the moment. Nothing, not even him, can ruin this for her.

"You know, if you wanted to, we could compare our notes sometime." He says as they come to a halt in the lobby, and she turns to look him in the eye properly, "I often find it useful just to talk everything through with someone else."

"I'll definitely take you up on that offer." Noa smiles up at him, "I've – uh – got a meeting with Raffaella right now, though. And then I'm going to see a... friend in London. Could we take a rain check?"

"Yeah, no problem." Sebastian says with a dismissive wave of his hand, "Just come find me whenever you want. My door's always open."

Noa laughs, "Ok. I'll hold you to that."

He leaves her with a wave as he speeds off into the car park, where his Suzuki GT 750 is parked (because of course he drives a motorcycle to work). She watches until he is no more than a dot on the horizon, before turning back inside.

The marketing and media team's headquarters is normally bustling with activity, but today, it seems uncharacteristically quiet. Noa figures it must be because testing for the month is coming to an end – Christmas is approaching, after all, and people have families to spend time with. Though, of course, Raffaella stays. It only seems right, even if she hasn't known her for all that long, the PR manager is the most diligent, hardworking person she's ever met. There aren't many people in Formula 1 as young as her already so high up in the ranks, but Noa understands perfectly why she is the exception. Even now, when the rest of her team have headed home for the holidays, she sits in her pristine office, sorting through her perfectly arranged files as if there is nowhere else in the world she would rather be. Noa refuses to believe that's true, but she is grateful for it anyway.

"Hey." The driver says as she pushes open the door to Raffaella's office. Her PR manager looks up, "Taking the late shift today?" she teases.

"You know I'm always on the late shift." Raffaella rolls her eyes playfully, "I like it better when it's quiet – I can actually hear myself think."

Noa laughs. She takes her seat at the desk, opposite the Italian, who takes a moment to glance over the papers in front of her once more. Then she looks up, a smile gracing her face. The gold-rimmed glasses she always wears slip down her nose slightly, but she doesn't push them back up.

"So, just to recap everything from the last few meetings." She beams, "Your public image is skyrocketing, just as we predicted. Of course, your family name does have something to do with that, but it's mostly you."

I should hope so, Noa thinks, fighting off the urge to raise an eyebrow.

Contrary to popular belief, it isn't all bad being the only woman on the grid – or at least, not for her. Of course, she knows her family name has a significant part to play in that, but she genuinely believes it's not just her status as Gabriel Borges' daughter, or Ayrton Senna's niece that has earned her such worldwide recognition as she's getting now. The female audience in Formula 1 is growing massively; more than it has ever grown before, and that audience needs a role model to look towards. Many people have named her as this role model, this heiress to the throne of growth in women's motorsport.

"You're the perfect example." Raffaella had said to her the last time they met, "You've got everything: confidence, a pretty face, the right family name, and – more importantly – bucketloads of talent. There's a reason the fans are betting on you to become F1's next wonderkid. You quite literally have everything going for you."

From a media perspective it's true – Noa is gold dust. The product of two of the sport's greats; a generational talent, fighting against the stereotypes, strongarming her way to a Formula 1 seat like it's predestined that she should sit there. It's so simple really. Every big name nowadays is looking to support the minority (for the right reasons or not still remains to be seen). Fans have been concerned about the lack of female presence in motorsports for decades, and that concern is now beginning to escalate. In a society where women are re-gaining their deserved power, it would be, frankly, nothing short of a death wish to shun one of the movement's most influential and powerful figureheads.

Noa can't help but think sometimes, despite the difficulties she's faced actually getting to this point, perhaps being the only woman on the grid might even play into her hands. No one, no matter how good she is, ever truly expects her to be able to beat these men at their own game. Therefore she has absolutely nothing to lose. And if she does well – which she fully intends to do, and more – then her legacy on the sport will be just as lasting as either her father's or her uncle's. The first female World Champion; immortalised in the history books.

Make no mistake, Noa adores her family. Her idols. Gabriel and Ayrton have both played such a huge role in getting her to where she is today, and she'll forever be grateful for that. But sometimes, all she wants is to finally step out of their great, looming shadows – perhaps cast her own for a change. Make a name for herself. Noa doesn't want to be known as Gabriel Borges' daughter or Ayrton Senna's niece for the rest of her life. She wants her own piece of Formula 1 history, that will be remembered years later, just as they are.

"I can turn you into the biggest star this sport has seen in decades." Raffaella says earnestly, her dark eyes sparkling with excitement, "All you have to do is drive like I already know you can. Let me handle the rest."

Noa grins widely. This is the beginning of a new chapter in her life; she can feel it. A chapter where she finally gets to see all her dreams — which not so long ago, she had feared were unattainable — finally accomplished. The setbacks of the past year will be nothing but a distant, unpleasant memory. All she has to do now is keep looking forward.

"We've actually received a new contract proposition from a potential sponsor." Raffaella goes on, waiting just a moment to properly let her words sink in, "It's a big one."

Noa sits up straighter. A thrill of something like electricity shoots down her spine.

"Well don't keep me waiting!" she huffs when Raffaella keeps quiet for a few seconds, dragging out the suspense too much for her liking. She's never been a patient person — least of all with something like this. The Italian woman giggles.

"Dio, I can't believe I'm even saying this." she begins. Her own excitement is building up so much now that it leaves her a little short of breath, "You're gonna lose my mind when I tell you —"

"Just say it, caralho!" Noa cuts her off shrilly. Raffaella fights off the urge to burst out laughing again.

"Ok, ok!" she concedes, holding her hands up in surrender when the driver makes half a move as if to dive across the table and shake the withheld information out of her, "Chanel wants you to be the new face of No. 5!"

Noa's jaw all but drops open.

Holy shit.

"You're joking?" she laughs. It's disbelieving, and her hands fly automatically to cover her mouth, "Me? They want me?"

"Yes, you." Raffaella chuckles.

"...But why?"

Of all the people in the world who have been offered this opportunity in the past, Noa never for one second believed she would be asked to join them. Nicole Kidman. Brad Pitt. Even Marilyn Monroe herself. What put her, a promising but unproven rookie up with the likes of them?

"Why do you think?" Raffaella scoffs, as if her simply asking the question is ridiculous, "You're the daughter and niece of two of the greatest Formula 1 drivers ever. Let's not forget, you look like a model — the perfect poster girl. That's what brands like this look for: someone who everyone wants to either be or be with. Besides that, the world is crying out for more female role models like you. Chanel is just giving the people what they want. By sponsoring you, investing in you, they're also investing in one of the biggest industries in the world, with one of the richest fanbases! It's a no-brainer!"

Noa sits dumbfounded, listening to her PR manager with an expression of half-formed joy mixed with confusion, and utter shock. She opens her mouth to say something — although what, she isn't exactly sure of — but Raffaella is speaking again before the words have chance to form on her lips.

"You don't have to make a decision about it now, so don't worry." she assures her with a gentle smile, "If you want to sign the contract, you'll have to do it in London by no later than March of next year."

It takes Noa a moment to come to her senses, but as soon as the word contract is mentioned, she is brought back to reality with a jolt. Why does she even need to think about an offer like this? It's every girl's dream, is it not? To be the face of a brand that legendary. Surely she would be stupid not the drive into London right now and sign that contract on the spot.

So then why does Raffaella suddenly look so nervous?

"The reason I'm giving you time to think about this is that — well, there's a catch." the Italian woman sighs, her furrowed eyebrows softening in sympathy, "The deal has two parts: two partners, if you will. The first being you, and the second..." she trails off, wincing, "...the second being Charles Leclerc."

And just like that, every ounce of elation that had filled Noa's body at Raffaella's initial announcement dissipates into the open air. Of course it has to be him. Despite everything, he's the one person she doesn't seem to be able to forget about. It's like the universe is trying to torture her.

"Obviously Chanel is aware of your friendship." Raffaella continues hastily, deciding to take her silence as an opportunity to get a word in edgeways before the arguing starts, "Or, former friendship, that is..."

"They clearly didn't get the memo about that part." Noa grumbles under her breath.

"You wouldn't have to see him much." the PR manager reasons, "The contracts are separate for the most part, but there are a couple of overlaps, since you're representing the same brand. Photoshoots, a few interviews — nothing too invasive, though, I'll make that clear — maybe a public appearance at a gala or two later on in the season..." she trails off again. The frequent silences are beginning to make Noa's skin crawl, for the simple fact that it gives her too much time to think about the situation; to think about him.

"Like I said, you don't have to make any decisions right now—"

"It's ok." she cuts Raffaella off quickly, a weak smile appearing on her face that has the PR manager sighing with relief, "You'll have to give me a couple of weeks to, uh...weigh up my options." she looks away, biting down on her lower lip anxiously — a bad habit from her childhood, "I know what you're thinking. I'd be mad to turn it down."

Noa knows she would be. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and she's sure that if she doesn't take it, Chanel will have plenty of other people lined up who will.

"I just need to work out a couple of things with him first."

That's the sticking point. Given the way her friendship with Charles ended (and the unpleasant fallout following it) Noa doesn't even know if she's ready to see him again without punching him in the face. She doesn't have that much restraint, but especially not around him. Though once it had been one of her favourite things about him, it's now the thing that could potentially land her a lawsuit — her emotions are always dialled up to eleven whenever Charles Leclerc is around.

Raffaella pauses, a frown slowly pinching at her skin, drawing her perfectly arched eyebrows together, "Have you not spoken to him? At all?"

Noa's face falls. Almost in an instant, she begins to backtrack.

"Sorry, I know it's a sensitive subject —"

"It's ok." the driver repeats with a humourless laugh, "I haven't spoken to him since 2018. Not for lack of trying..." she trails off with a shake of her head, not wanting to dig up old graves when she should have well and truly buried them long ago, "But I'll figure something out. I promise."

Slowly, Raffaella nods. She seems to be trying to read Noa's face for a moment, her eyes squinting from behind her glasses. All she sees is that her words are truth. A small smile graces her lips — almost proud. If only she knew, Noa doesn't have any intention of figuring it out any time soon.

They move on from the topic of Charles before it can dampen the mood anymore. She's still curious about this sudden contract offer. It's so out of the blue, Noa doesn't know quite what to make of it. She half expects the day to turn out to be one of those dreams that seem so realistic at the time, that when you wake up, you miss the fantasy world like you have actually lived it. Noa waits and waits for reality to kick in — but it never does.

"Is it not a bit of a risky move?" she asks, biting down on her lower lip once again, "I mean, I haven't even made my full debut yet. What if I turn out to be a complete failure?" half-joking, she laughs. The sound is hollow.

"Oh, come on." Raffaella scoffs, "Let's be real here. You're a Senna Borges. You couldn't be a failure even if you tried."

The words are supposed to console her — they should console her. But Noa merely feels the old yet familiar sensation of doubt, like someone's bony fingers inching up her spine. She banishes it just as quickly. It's not the time to re-open that wound.

Soon enough, her hours at the factory are up. As it turns out, Raffaella is even more of a workaholic than she'd first thought, merely brushing away her offers of a lift back to her hotel when she laughed about how her old Kia Picanto is stuck in the garage for repairs, so she'll have to travel back by taxi — if she can even get one all the way out here. But no matter how much Noa insists, Raffaella's answer is always the same.

She leaves the stubborn Italian still working in her office with a disbelieving shake of her head, already making a mental note to get her to let loose a little bit when the season starts — she'll have Raffaella partying like a Brazilian before the end of the year, she swears it. Besides, there's really no better environment to do it in than at a Formula 1 after party; with the pick of the best clubs, the strongest alcohol, and the most glamorous company. Never mind Raffaella, Noa can't wait to get back to her old party lifestyle. God knows, she needs a pick-me-up after the year she's had.

The drive into London doesn't take too long; no more than an hour and a half, and her brand new Aston Martin DB11 makes light work of the journey. She types the address of the café where they arranged to meet into the car's built-in sat nav. It's low profile, out of the centre of London where the only people they're likely to bump into will most likely not even bat an eyelid at their presence. Noa is glad of that.

She climbs out of her car, locking it behind her, when the little café finally comes into view. There are a few people inside she can see, but no sign of him yet — she assumes he must be sat somewhere out of her eye-line, as he texted her not even a few minutes ago to let her know he was inside. The bell at the top of the door jingles as she pushes it open, smiling at the woman at the counter who greets her. Noa's eyes wander briefly around the room. It takes her a few moments to spot him, sat placidly in a booth in the corner of the room, but when she does, her face lights up.

As if he can sense her eyes on him, Arthur Leclerc is looking her way in the next instant. He shoots up from his seat, striding over to meet her halfway. He looks nervous, Noa notices. His mouth opens and closes as if he's searching within himself for something to say, but can't quite find the words.

In truth, Arthur is nervous. This is the first time he's seen his best friend, his sister in over two years. Sure, they've kept in touch a little, sending messages here and there for birthdays and family holidays, but it isn't the same. He misses the days that Noa and her family would be round at his house between every race, and the summer breaks they would spend lounging by the beach in Rio de Janeiro. Though they're long gone now, they live in his memory as clearly as if they happened yesterday. Arthur knows, of course, the reason why they can never happen again — thanks to his idiot of a brother — but that never stops him from wishing he could go back in time and stop everything from playing out in the way that it has. Charles often forgets, whenever Noa is brought up in conversation, that the rest of his family loved her too. He isn't the only one who lost his best friend.

Despite the overwhelming urge Arthur has to both cry and apologise profusely at the same time when he sees her walk towards him, he ends up not having to do either of those things — Noa makes the decision for him, as she jumps into his arms without hesitation. It feels so natural to rest his head on her shoulder, as she presses a tender kiss to the side of his head. It's just like how things used to be.

"I missed you, 'Thur." she whispers.

Arthur echoes the words back to her. He can't help but hold on that little bit tighter, desperate to savour this moment for as long as he can. After all, there's no guarantee that, after everything, they will be able to do this again once the season starts.

The other café-goers are beginning to stare, so they soon take their seats opposite each other in the booth. There's no time to talk further, as a waiter soon wanders over to take their orders. It comes as a surprise to Noa that Arthur's coffee order hasn't changed, even after two years — a nutella mocha with chocolate flakes sprinkled on top. Pretty much the sweetest coffee he ever could have picked. She can't help but tease him about his infamous sweet tooth, which she remembers got him into trouble frequently when they were younger. Arthur rolls his eyes fondly, before she orders a simple black coffee.

He starts off the conversation nervously again. It's been so long since they last properly talked in person, and he knows she's changed a lot in those two years. Even if he didn't know all the reasons why, he would have been able to tell anyway. Something in Noa's eyes has changed dramatically. They're duller than Arthur remembers — that bright, mischievous spark has faded. He's familiar with it, of course, because he watched the same thing happen to his own brother's eyes after their father's death; but it's so drastic in Noa. She had always been able to light up a room with her eyes and smile, almost like she was the sun. Now it's as if someone has turned down a dimmer on her glow. She's just a shadow of what she used to be, and that worries Arthur.

"I'm good, everyone's good." she says in reply to his question: How are you and your family? It feels too formal, but it's all he can think to say. Besides, the words that come out of Noa's mouth are a lie, and he knows it, "Pai's still fixing up those old cars — remember the garage he opened that one summer? Yeah that's still going strong."

But as much as Arthur wants to call her out, to ask her how she's really feeling, he can't bring himself to. So he merely lets her talk.

"We got a puppy for mãe's birthday to keep her company at home when we're away." Noa continues with a small smile, "A German Shepherd called Paco. He's adorable."

She shows him a picture on her phone, and they both spend a few minutes cooing over videos of the tiny puppy tripping over things on his still slightly wobbly legs. Noa makes some throwaway comment about taking him to meet Paco, but Arthur doesn't hold her to the words. He knows how unlikely she is to stick to them.

"Oh! Did I tell you Luiz has got a girlfriend now?" Noa says with a sudden gasp. She knew there was something she needed to tell him, but for someone reason, the memory had completely escaped her until now. Arthur's eyes widen to the size of dinner plates, and he slaps a hand over his mouth dramatically.

"You're joking! No way he beat me to it." the Monégasque says with a small, defeated sigh, making Noa giggle loudly. It almost takes Arthur off guard — he hasn't heard her laugh in so long.

"It's as much of a shock to me as it is to you." she muses, shaking her head in disbelief, "She's really nice, as well — his girlfriend. Her name's Eloísa. She's a painter."

Noa met her little brother Luiz's girlfriend in the summer, about a month after they first started dating. At first, she'd thought they might be moving a bit quick, considering this was their first proper relationship for the both of them, but as soon as she caught sight of Eloísa dos Santos Alves, Noa somehow knew she was perfect for her brother. And sure enough, almost six months later, they're still going strong.

Eloísa is the chalk to Luiz's cheese, in the best way possible. She's the only person Noa has ever met who can balance out his excitable, erratic nature, with her calm, soothing presence and soft voice. Equally, Luiz helps to bring her out of her shell a little, making her feel more comfortable being outspoken in front of unfamiliar people in a way she never would be otherwise. Noa has watched them communicate with no more than looks in their eyes across the dining room table. The level of trust they've managed to build in their relationship already is like nothing she's ever seen, except for in her parents. Sometimes, Noa quietly wonders to herself if she will ever experience something like that — but she never lets her mind linger on it for too long. She'll only end up upsetting herself.

“Tell him the next time we see each other he’s got to give up his secrets.” Arthur says, only half-joking, “There’s no way he’s managed to pull this girl without some level of coercion, right?”

Noa snorts in a distinctly unrefined manner at that, earning her more than a few strange looks.

“Aww, I’m sure you’ll find a girl stupid enough to put up with you at some point, ‘Thur.” she tells him in a voice of mock-sympathy, reaching forwards to pinch his cheek. He slaps her hand away.

“Or I’ll be single forever.” He retorts glumly. Noa can’t help but shake her head at his dramatics. It’s something in the Leclerc genes, she thinks.

“Well, then we can both be single forever together.” she offers brightly, a smile lighting up her face, but once again not quite reaching his eyes. Arthur tilts his head to one side curiously.

“So no boyfriend?” he asks.

Noa’s cheeks turn ever so slightly pink, “That’s a conversation for another time.” she mutters. For the moment, Arthur lets it slide. She’s right, they have more important things to talk about, and he thinks that now is as good a time as any to broach the topic he’s been trying to avoid this whole time.

Though, surprisingly, Noa beats him to it.

“There’s actually something else I need to tell you.” she sighs quietly, internally readying herself for a difficult conversation. Arthur’s ears almost prick up, sensing the newfound seriousness in her voice, and sits up straighter in his seat, “It involves Charles, so I thought you should know.”

He doesn’t miss the way Noa winces at the mere mention of his name. It’s the saddest thing of all, he thinks. Once, not so long ago, he’d watched her face radiate happiness and adoration whenever Charles was brought up in conversation. Now it’s as if just thinking about it him pains her. Though intrigued by this surprise announcement, Arthur can’t help the terror that runs up his spine as he waits with bated breath for her to keep talking. He’s reminded awfully of their last conversation, where Noa could barely even string a sentence together between her sobs of pure rage. Incidentally, that was the last time either she or Charles spoke of each other to him. It’s been radio silence ever since.

“I’ve been offered a sponsorship deal to become the new face of Chanel No.5.” Noa blurts out suddenly, all in one breath. Arthur freezes for a split second. His brain seems to lag behind as it tries to process the words that have just come out of her mouth. Now, he may not know a lot about fashion or brands, but he does know Chanel, and he does have a rough idea of the kind of celebrities who have represented them before. It takes him a moment to shake himself out of his stupor, but as soon as he does, pure joy fills his body and creeps onto his face in the form of a smile so wide it makes his cheeks ache.

“Noa! Merde, that’s incredible!” he cries. The briefest of smiles passes across her face, but it does not last nearly as long as he would have thought, and its soon replaced by anxiety. Arthur’s own grin begins to fall off his face, “Why am I sensing there’s a but in here somewhere…”

The corners of Noa’s mouth twitch up ruefully, “Charles has been offered the same contract.” She explains, “Which means that we'll have to — well, we'll be doing a lot of promotional stuff together...photoshoots and interviews, that kind of thing."

Arthur winces.

“So you see why I have a bit of a problem?” Noa laughs humourlessly, “This is…an incredible opportunity, but – I don’t know if I can do it with him there. Not yet, anyway.” She sighs wearily, running a hand through her unruly curls. Her balaclava has knotted it even more than usual, and her fingers snag more than a few tangles before they can brush through the ends, “And that’s not even considering how he’s going to react to all this.” her teeth sink into her lower lip, hard enough that she knows she’s in danger of drawing blood, “Has he said anything?” she asks, her voice filled with anxiety.

“No.” Arthur shakes his head slowly, “He doesn’t really tell us much now, to be honest. But Noa…” he trails off with a quiet sigh, pausing for just a moment to contemplate his next words, “…Surely it’s not worth giving this up just because of a feud.”

For a split second, she feels annoyance flare up in her chest. It’s a flash of white hot flame running from the base of her spine upwards, lingering over her heart. But just as soon as she feels it, she pushes the sensation down. Arthur means well, she knows that – and if she’s being honest, he’s right.

“I know, I know.” She concedes, “It still hurts, though. I don’t –“ Noa’s voice catches in the lump forming in her throat. She bites back her emotions quickly, sadness and grief quickly replaced by that all-too-familiar rage. She hates that it still affects her so much – that she still regrets every single word spoken that night. Noa wishes, more than anything on earth, that she could simply forget it ever happened; forget him. “– I don’t know if I’m ready to see him again, to be honest.”

“Not to sound harsh,” Arthur says, his eyebrows raising up towards his hairline, “But you’re gonna have to be ready pretty soon. Once the season starts, you won’t really have much of a choice in the matter.” he murmurs anxiously. Noa watches his eyes slip out of focus slightly, as he seems to be consumed in his thoughts. She nods once again, knowing he’s right. Then, he seems to come to life again, sitting bolt upright in his seat so quickly she almost jumps back in shock, “And, if you think about it, maybe this could be a good thing!” he grins so widely and brightly at the prospect, she can’t bring herself to cut him off, “Maybe this will help you both start to make amends for what happened. You could be friends again!”

Noa lets out a shaky breath. No matter how hard she tries to smile back at him, to match his seemingly boundless optimism, she simply can’t do it. It’s not as if she hasn’t tried – for the first six months of the year, she spent hours sat staring at her phone, waiting, hoping that Charles might call. Despite everything, despite all the hurtful words they both said that night, Noa always had faith that he would come through. For six months, she fully believed that she would get her best friend back. She believed he would reach out to her, because if he didn’t then, in the time she needed him most, then she figured he never would.

That’s why Noa has so little faith now. Charles never contacted her. Even when she called him, even when she texted, there was never any reply. He abandoned her. She’d been there for him when he needed her the most, but he couldn’t even be bothered to pick up the phone when their roles were reversed. So Arthur may be able to say the sun hasn’t set on their friendship; he may be able to hope that they could patch things up, go back to the way things used to be – but Noa isn’t stupid. She won’t get her hopes up again; she simply can’t. If Charles lets her down a second time, she doesn’t think she’ll survive it.

taglist: @harrysdimple05 @ricciardosheart @azxulaa @dakotali

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aeraspais · 7 months ago

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I also joined after bi Buck and I also get the sense that I'm watching a different show than half the fans - and I think that about the fans that were jumping on BuckT/ommy endgame after two episodes (just absurd) and those who love Eddie but think anything bad happening to him is a punishment. The set-up for Buddie seems extremely obvious to me once I tune out the fandom noise. They're not switching from a queer Eddie plot to a queer Buck plot that quickly if there weren't plans for both of them. Eddie being compared directly to Tommy multiple times was not an accident, neither was Eddie being all over the coming out plot, Maddie's bonkers "if there's something you need to tell Eddie" line, Tommy not wearing a costume while Buddie are matching (pure romcom shit), Eddie not wanting to fuck either of his female love interests (like he says it out loud not subtext), Buddie being presented as a family unit with Chris right from episode one, them being joined at the hip all season - I could go on. Them unpacking Eddie's delusions about his relationship with Shannon could not come at a better time. Yeah there was a PR shift after 706 but if they had really shut it down, they wouldn't be allowed to ask about it in interviews at all. And Oliver being so emphatic about not wanting to bait and being a Buddie warrior all season also speaks volumes. It's a soap opera, let it cook.

Here I thought I would regret allowing anons after such a long break without them, but I digress—thank you. I've grown so frustrated by the Eddie fans who've spent the past couple weeks arguing that he's being punished by the narrative. Like I fundamentally disagree and cannot really understand how they got there. I get having doubts or concerns about how everything might get resolved next season, but the complete write-off is just insane to me. Just listening to (or, rather, reading) Ryan's answers shows how much care and pride he has for Eddie's storyline. There is a lot of thought behind Tim Minear's intentions and the choice to do the Vertigo homage. At no point does the show asks us to laugh at Eddie. Frankly that's just all audience projection because the show was asking, no, outright begging us to empathize with him. Eddie is terrified of living for himself and prioritizing his emotional needs, especially now that Christopher's growing up and becoming more independent. It makes sense that Eddie, the character that we've seen over the course of six seasons, retreat to a fantasy. Even though neither he nor Shannon happy, their marriage was the only time he feels like he provided Christopher everything. Like everything else you pointed out is also completely true. The season open and closed with Eddie asking Buck for his assistance, which I cannot stress enough, he'd never directly asked of Ana or Marisol. The Tommy of it all. Literally the only reason he isn't getting the filler girlfriend treatment from this fandom is that he's white man. Maddie's baffling reactions, lol.

Like the PR shift can even be explained because I don't think LFJ was supposed to say this:

My friend and I go back and forth by the meaning of "that fell through," but either way, it's still been very clear that dragging Edmundo "Eddie" Díaz out the closet is still very much in the works for 9-1-1 now on ABC. There's zero explanation for Eddie's current storyline, they're capitalizing on some things that had been set into motion last season when he started his Shannon idealization while still only connecting her to motherhood. Oliver gets a lot of attention for being a Buddie Warrior, but lol Ryan Guzman is right there with him. The only difference is that he clearly got coached because even when he calls Eddie heterosexual, he's still answering with enough fluidity that creates doublespeak and causes doubt. Every single interview Ryan has done post midseason hiatus is the most circular bullshit I have ever read or listened to, but for whatever reason that shit is given more respect than him openly saying this after 705.

Basically, long story short, I AGREE thank you for giving me this platform to be insane, I wish I had turned it back on earlier lol.

#to whom it may concern #911 abc #buddie #trying to maintain a tagging system that I started when I was unmedicated and more fixated lol I should give up #it's the Wild West now #this is a post about eddie díaz’s sexuality

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randomnameless · 2 years ago

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With houses devs saying that the writers drew Claude's inspiration from both Rajendra from The Heroic Legend of Arslan, and Yang Wen-li from Legend of the Galactic Heroes, I can say they succeeded, as I can see all sides of two characters in him. However, in Nopes, the writers seem to have omitted Yang Wen-li's side of Claude and made him more like Rajendra. But he's a bad version of Rajendra, made foolish and ignorant who only makes excuses that are in stark contrast to the lore of the game itself.

Claude's goal of ending racism is a good traditional heroic one, not a selfish one like Rajendra's. Rajendra's goal is presented quite simply that he wants to become the king of his kingdom, and even when he does, he will try to betray Arslan to expand his kingdom's territory.

hm,

Claude's goal of "ending racism" cannot work in Fodlan if the game completely avoids the entire "crust = nabatean blood" issue and its consequences - which VW gives a "surprised pikachu face" at and ultimately ignores in the end.

(a crestless world is a world without nabatean blood - and yet possession of nabatean blood creates prejudice because superpowers are sought after - even if the games try their hardest to ignore this fact)

And cherry on top, the main character who could tell him that "hmm yes we must fight against racism, but how are we supposed to do so when one party wants to coexist and the other wants to dissect me ? Trust me I tried for 1k years to help humans, and the second my ears were revealed to be pointy they called for my head" conveniently dies off-screen at the end of the route.

It also cannot work if prejudice exists on both sides and only one side gets the "you must change your mentalities" discussion, when the other side supposedly gets one, but off-screen (again!).

And so, I wondered what was Claude's story arc in FE16 ? Is it all about Claude learning and moving past his preconceptions to make a better world? Is it all about Claude, just like Supreme Leader, working hard to get a good PR while moving his pawns to fulfil his "ambition" - having Almyra and Fodlan be sort of united? Both?

I haven't watched LOGH but from what I remember Rajendra tries to pull his bullshit/crap moves on Arslan and is always rekted, Narsus plays him like a fiddle. Rajendra works because there are characters in his world who react to his nonsense, tell him to stop (or stop him) - it's not like Clout going all "let's use the Almyran navy to attack Faerghus by bringing Sreng to the battlefield" and the GD being all "criket noises" or the BL peeps shitting on him, but being rewarded with Claude's best Caellach's impression.

(or worse, the Zahras fuckery where Dimitri, instead of smashing his head in for everything that happened in Golden Shower, suddenly buys his "but didyaknow church bad" nonsense)

Is Claude like Rajendra, using "end racism" as a PR motivation to further his more selfish goal? And discovers, during FE16, that there are more important things around that his initial goals, so he becomes a heroic character? And in Nopes he never discovers the "more important things" so he becomes the Clout we all know and love?

#anon #replies #character rant #sort of #i guess #Rajendra learns from his mistakes #he makes new ones but he learns lol #should we blame IS for Almyra's depiction being shit?#i know it's really borderline given how IS in general treats 'foreign/exotic' nations #remember Verdane being inspired by Persia?#and yet at times it makes me think of Supreme Leader's victim blaming #as the audience we see this and like are we supposed to say the character who supports them is full of shit?#almyra pillages raids and buys souvenirs for funsies #they come to negociations and treaty signatures with spears #are we really supposed to think Fodlan should welcome them with open arms?#especially since the only tut-tut don't buy souvenirs comes from Lorenz or is an off-screen comment?#and sure the implications sucks #what was IS thinking #FE16 #3 nopes

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kimjunnoodle · 7 months ago

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🐅 and 🍁 for Trip please and thank you, sir.

🐅 (tiger) - What makes your character angry? Are they angry often? Does it take a lot to make them upset or are they quick to anger?

Trip has a temper but she tries to hide it. Since she works in PR for Arasaka, she’s used to dealing with bs and usually meetings between them and Biotechnica (where her ex bf Gene Nova works lol) end when she abruptly leaves the room to scream into a bathroom trash can. She hates wasting time and small talk is not her friend. She’s the kind of person to ask deeply personal questions in the 30 second elevator ride that leave you both confused and kinda insulted. (ie. “Is your laundry unit damaged because you wore that suit yesterday?”)

She’s a bitch who can dish it out but can NOT handle when people are rude to her. She only gets visibly upset around others when she’s run out of witty insults and feels trapped. Nova has only seen Trip cry 3 times in their 7 year relationship and he was glad he did because it confirmed she did actually have feelings. Trip is almost ashamed of being so emotional because it doesn’t serve her career.

🍁 (maple leaf) - What brings your character joy? Do they find happiness in the small things? Does it take a lot to cheer them up?

When Trip was a child and lived with her parents in the outer Corpo housing, she found a keychain with a “wish you were here” over a beach side sunset and ever since it’s been what drives her. ‘New Austin’ in the cyberpunk world doesn’t have any large bodies of water but she has spent her whole career trying to get as rich as possible so that she can move and retire at the beach somewhere. It’s kind of her good luck charm and she rubs it when she’s in a particularly stressful meeting.

She also likes to spend her time at the Air bar (for flavored clean air) as it’s an expensive place and it makes her feel like she’s better than her peers. She rarely has to pay while she’s there though since she’s a regular and a serial flirt.

Unless she’s at Air, it doesn’t take a lot to cheer her up; however, she would never tell you that. She would smirk or say something rude to you outwardly but inside she would be jumping up and down. Gene once got her an ocean white noise machine and while she responded with “I don’t have a need for this useless junk.” to his face, she spent that night sitting on her bed holding herself and crying softly and it was the first time she told Gene (in a text) she loved him.

#that's the intern Sven #he doesnt want to be here #trip is a bitch but a sensitive one #i think she does rather fancy joshua #hes much more down to earth compared to Gene #answered #kimjunnoodle #noodle art #hiso tag #Trip kitty #my oc #also i took pics of myself for the reference photos bc im bad at dynamic photos and lmao #it turned out nicely i should do that more #thank you Magister <3

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septembersghost · 2 years ago

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It's so funny that when tayjoe were together swifties(not you sweetie😘😘) were literally sh*tting on harry and made fun of him for writing 'I love you'(which was sweet af) and looking sad at bbmas. And when tayjoe broke up they were calling him YB(🤢)and making poor man jokes. Yet after m*** h**** happened they are literally begging for both of them lol. And the amount of people I have seen who are predicting a haylor reunion is insane. I always thought no one took their relationship as anything beyond a fling yet even people in reddit(biggest anti haylors and the ones who hate harry ) knows about the 2014 phase and thinks they would give it a shot. I am not overly invested as in I'll be happy if they date but I will support any relationship they have(as long as it's not matt Healy). But I definitely didn't know people thought of haylor as anything beyond pr and I am shocked in the best way possible.

is now an appropriate time to say how horrendously some fans treated joe for actual years over nothing? calling him a nepo boyfriend (what does that even mean), calling him poor/jobless/boring, accusing him of all sorts of baseless things (the DV hand signal, for example), anons on here harassing blogs by saying she didn't care about him and he was a joke, i've never seen someone treated so badly for quietly minding his business and trying to stay in his lane. idk how tuned in he ever was to any of that noise, and i hope not at all, but that alone would become unbearable for a lot of people after awhile. and like i said before, we have no idea what happened between them and it's not our place to know (unless she decides to tell us), but there's no concrete reason to believe he betrayed her in some massive way right now. people grow apart. the dissolution of a six+ year relationship is going to leave hurt and scars and wreckage even if it WAS somewhat amicable, because you're losing a whole life you've built together, and whatever plans you might have had for the future. so of course she's hurting, i'm sure he is too, but i'm just not ready yet to skewer him and put him on the list with JM, JG, and CH as this terrible partner when all we knew was him being a good and decent and kind one for years (from more commentary than just taylor's). the tweets begging for joe to fight for her and to come back are funny, but also very sad - it's like the epitome of you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone. (i also don't think ANY of us were prepared for this massive of a shift in one month's time. during tour. with a re-recording coming soon. it's a lot to process.)

then with harry, i've never understood making fun of what he wrote if you're a fan of what she writes, because they're both drawing on confessional personal experiences? where is the logic? he's the only instance where we've gotten the other side of the conversation! i think the (totally idiotic) pr accusation started to really die down several years ago as more and more people got into the truth of their relationship and when he repeatedly praised her songwriting (the only people who accuse them of that now are detached from reality akljsdkljf). but yeah it's quite the mood switch to see the subreddits bringing him up in a positive way and acknowledging that he's a sweet and talented guy after ripping him to shreds for no reason last year. :/ although that's what he deserves to have said!

i've also never seen swifties and even people who don't like her so united in an opinion as they are in collectively being in shambles over this development. 😭 and as i said before, there's a difference between a bad boy edgy persona and actively causing harm with bigoted words/actions - you can only use racism as "satire" so many times before it stops being a joke, or make sexist comments and follow someone like andr*w t*te without being legitimately misogynistic. i just. *head in hands* someone on the sub said, "people keep saying 'let her live her life' - and i absolutely am, but i don't have to be comfortable with the way she's doing it when it involves racist boys, and i don't have to support it," and someone else said, "being hurt can make you do crazy things, and she is only a human just like all of us," and i honestly feel there's room for both thoughts here. we can understand it wholly and let her live, and that doesn't mean we have to support it ourselves.

meanwhile let us just keep manifesting haylor friends era. anything feels possible at this point!

#i've been mad about the way people discussed and treated joe for years and even without him and in light of everything i'm still pressed #because it was unfair and never warranted #i don't believe T & H will ever get back together but honestly who even knows what might happen everything feels unreal #i would not have a problem w/ m@tty if there wasn't a laundry list of things to have a problem with.#idc about him consensually kissing fans idc about him eating raw steak as performance art though it's gross to me personally #idc what he looks like that's mean/subjective.#but everyone who's unhappy bc of the legitimately upsetting comments and actions has a reason for that #sorry this is more into gossipy areas than usual but we're going through A Time!#anonymous #letterbox #thrown out speeches

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heyharoldsboo · 2 years ago

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In your PR opinion, how would it look if the Convention chose to keep PHW and got a social media manager to block the spam accounts and moderate comments?

I feel like if the trolls drove him off, then it’s giving them too much power and I would be aggressive in defending PHW if I were his manager or attorney. Right now, I’d want shows of support, but perhaps not going as far as making a statement. Let him showing up to events be the statement, and managing social media which I think they should have done in the first place.

It feels like someone dropped the ball. The convention and the coordinator should have been more prepared IMO for this type of backlash. They should have been warned and they should have been prepared. It feels like they were neither.

I think it could be justified saying these spam accounts are just spewing inflammatory and baseless claims and PHW shouldn’t be punished for those. Especially if the accusers so far haven’t said anything themselves. I would also say that since most of the spam accounts seem to be from South America (Brazil?), they weren’t going to this specific convention anyway. Does the Convention really have money or anything to lose by keeping PHW?

On the other, I don’t know if from a PR standpoint if taking that kind of public stand would be to his benefit. In legal, we call this optics. Would his legal team look too aggressive at this stage?

PR Tumblr and Legal Tumblr Unite!

PR Tumblr and Legal Tumblr Unite!!

I’m going to start by saying that I never wanted so badly to have the insider knowledge of a team in my life.

In my PR opinion, choosing to keep him is a statement that the con is keeping at least neutral on what right now is simply an internet feud. Public opinion might see it as giving him a platform though.

I find it very hard to believe that they (the con organisation) weren’t warned about this situation. The first thing his PR team should do is going through his appointments and calendar and warn everyone involved. That’s the best practice, specially because it lets you be the owner of how this story arrives to your business partners.

However, from my experience, nothing prepares people who have never been swarmed by the internet mob how the experience actually is. It is terrifying, and unless you have a crisis management team running haggard to keep up with the social media accounts, people will crumble under the pressure. A lot of comments came from Brazil and latin-american countries, where most of the discourse around debunked accusations still hasn’t arrived.

I think that in PR terms, if they had announced him 15 days or 20 days from now, after his team had the opportunity to soft launch him again, this wouldn’t be a big deal, and wouldn’t have made so much noise. As it was the first thing happening, it ended up looking like a huge thing. I think it’s a volatile environment for his first public appearance or confirmation of appearance to be, specially if the con can’t be sure of maintaining his safety.

About losing money - ever since his appearance was announced, the con sold a lot of tickets. So I do not think they’d lose from having him. Controversy sells well, and a lot of supporters were planning on going. But it’s a volatile environment where you can’t know if people are buying to show him some love or to throw tomatoes at him.

Hope I answered it!!

#percy is innocent #i stand with percy #heyharoldsboo #percy hynes white is innocent

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nickgerlich · 2 years ago

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Five Hours Or Less

People have laughed at Jeff Bezos for about as long as he has been in business with Amazon. When he launched Prime in 2005, people scoffed about why we might need something in two days. When he started talking about drones in 2013, people laughed even harder, and some people threatened to shoot them down from the sky.  

Prime is still with us and going strong, and drones are starting to take off. But not everything can be carried by them, necessitating ground transportation, which Amazon also wants to happen faster and faster. Remember last week when we discussed Target’s sortation facilities to facilitate faster order fulfillment? Now Amazon has responded by increasing its sub-same-day delivery (SSD) to include 100,000 items. The goal is to never let more than five hours elapse between order placement, order picking, and order delivery, all within a 60-minute radius of a distribution center.  

Not bad, once you factor in urban traffic, because SSD is only going to happen—for now, at least—in the nation’s largest cities. Think one million and up.  

Amazon already has in place, or is planning to build, special smaller order fulfillment centers that only handle SSD orders. The sprawling million or more square feet DCs we see in industrial sectors along freeways and near airports will remain, but for all of the other things that Amazon sells. Basically, the new smaller warehouses will almost be like a convenience store equivalent.

Of course, there are some issues, like whether extra charges may be incurred by customers. After all, getting something delivered in a few hours comes at a price for the company. Walmart has already made such promises with its Walmart+ option. And then there is the thorny issue that many of the workers making this all happen are actually in the gig economy. This means they are not employees of the online vendor, and thus do not receive benefits. Individual states could weigh in on this in a crushing kind of way. I’m looking at you, California, as is everyone else, because you’ve already made noises about doing so.

I am most interested in the product selection that will comprise the 100,000 SKU assortment. It will have to be those items that are most frequently purchased, and typically with a current—and sometimes pressing—need. But these items are typically on the lower end of the price spectrum, and therefore don’t leave a whole lot of room for hefty margins. Volume could make up for that, but you have to actually get that volume first.

As for those gig workers, they will likely be driving personal vehicles instead of shiny new Amazon EV delivery vans. I’ve seen them before. They have a magnetic sign on their door, and they zoom around suburbia as fast as possible, because their paycheck is dependent upon their own ability to maintain delivery volume.  

Then we have to think about a society that has become so busy and/or enamored of rapid delivery of everything. Are we really that busy? Or lazy, as some might say? Maybe I have it too good, with a Walmart and a United Supermarket both within a couple of minutes of my parking space. That’s pretty convenient for me, and I get what I want right now. Of course, it may mean I have to delay my workout by 15-30 minutes that day, but so be it.

And never mind that I will never be able to take advantage of SSD anyway, because of living outside a major urban area. Sorry, Amarillo and Canyon peeps: this will never happen here. You’ll have to move to Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, or Houston. And I suspect you would appreciate it greatly, because you won’t have to venture out into the never-ending traffic.

Now that I think about it, I’m rather happy that I don’t need SSD. I’ve got pretty much everything I need at my fingertips. Anything else can wait two days, just like I have been doing since Prime was introduced.

And don’t worry about drones out here on the High Plains. The way the wind was blowing two days ago makes that kind of thing a losing proposition.   I think we’d all be having the last laugh on Mr. Bezos.

I mean, unless he could harness an 80mph wind to his advantage.

Dr “Dust Gets In Your Eyes“ Gerlich

Audio Blog

#marketing #Amazon #SSD #sub-same-day delivery #e-commerce #online #retail

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govindhtech · 3 months ago

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CORSAIR iCUE LINK RX MAX Fan Series Optimizes PC Cooling

iCUE LINK Fans

The CORSAIR iCUE LINK RX MAX Fan Series improves the cooling of your personal computer by using intelligent technologies that ensure a quiet and efficient performance.

The release of the iCUE LINK RX MAX series fans is something that CORSAIR is thrilled to announce. Compared to ordinary 25mm fans, these fans are 20% thicker at 30mm. The fans can move more air while operating more slowly and quietly for the best cooling results with the improved airflow and static pressure made possible by the increased thickness.

The RX120 MAX PWM fans are perfect for forcing air through thick radiators because of their remarkable 4.2mm-H2O static pressure and 400–2,000 RPM speed range. Similar to this, the RX140 MAX fans provide strong cooling for a variety of high-performance components by running between 300 and 1,600 RPM at a static pressure of 2.4mm-H2O.

By precisely directing airflow where it is most required, CORSAIR AirGuide Technology improves cooling performance and efficiency. Additionally, the fans use a Magnetic Dome bearing for silent operation and long-lasting performance, providing a balance between noise reduction and durability. Because non RGB fans have integrated temperature sensors, users can adjust fan curves using iCUE software and personalize their cooling profiles for optimal performance.

With options for RGB lighting or a stylish non-RGB design, the iCUE LINK RX MAX fan series, which comes in 120mm and 140mm diameters, can accommodate a variety of cooling requirements. While the non-RGB models are only available in black, the RGB models come in both black and white, enabling customers to match their PC configurations aesthetically.

Eight RGB LEDs provide vivid lighting effects in each RGB-enabled fan in the iCUE LINK RX MAX series. The visual appeal is further enhanced by a built-in side window that provides additional viewing angles for bespoke lighting arrangements. Multiple fans can be connected seamlessly with CORSAIR iCUE LINK technology, which is controlled by the iCUE LINK System Hub that comes with the Starter Kit. This one-cable solution guarantees neat cable management and streamlines the installation procedure.

The CORSAIR iCUE LINK RX MAX fans come in single units or as a starter kit that comes with an iCUE LINK Hub and three 120mm (or two 140mm) fans. New iCUE LINK RX MAX series fans, the next generation of cooling technology, boost PC performance.

iCUE LINK RX MAX price

In general, the price of a single fan from the Corsair iCUE LINK RX MAX Fan Series can range anywhere from $35 to $50 USA dollars. The price of starter kits, which consist of several fans and an iCUE LINK Hub, can range anywhere from $95 to $140.

In Summary

A new line of fans named the iCUE LINK RX MAX has been released by CORSAIR. Compared to ordinary fans, these fans are thicker, which improves airflow and static pressure for greater cooling. To meet a variety of applications, they are available in 120mm and 140mm diameters with RGB illumination or a non-RGB design. The fans have features including a Magnetic Dome bearing for silent operation and CORSAIR AirGuide Technology for improved cooling efficiency. Multiple fans may be managed and connected seamlessly thanks to CORSAIR iCUE LINK technology. The fans can be purchased separately or as a beginning set that comes with a hub for simple installation.

Availability, warranty

The CORSAIR webstore and its global network of authorized merchants and distributors offer the CORSAIR iCUE LINK RX MAX Series Fans for immediate purchase.

A five-year guarantee and the CORSAIR global customer care and technical support network are included with the iCUE LINK RX MAX and RX MAX RGB Series.

Please visit the CORSAIR website or get in touch with your local CORSAIR sales or PR person for the most recent price information on the iCUE LINK RX MAX Series.