#The Bold Type Season 3

[trentcrimm-theindependent]

I am so incredibly curious about Nate's new coworkers, specifically Coach Disco and Ms. Kakes

[periwinkle-the-11th]

Ngl I have a lot of issues with the way Sutton's character is treated on The Bold Type

[stopthefeeling]

I cannot ever imagine ending up with someone who belittled my identity and told me she was left bored and creatively unfulfilled by being in a relationship with me but that's just me I guess

[zzencat]

Your Future Spouse As A Mythical Creature + Qualities - ⏳

Welcome to the spooky season folks!! Thought this would be a pretty lightweight and goofy type of reading as we settle in. What are your FS’s qualities? Toxic habits?

Choose wisely. Applicable to future lover or spouse.

Warnings: super long read, suggestive comments (bordering NSFW), some exaggerated details for the fun of it (but the theme and characteristics are still consistent otherwise), toxic tendencies

🥀 THE RITUAL: Clear your mind. Time is now patient and still. Close your eyes, inhale deeply, fill your chest up to the fullest, feel the soft air brush up against the ridges of your nose. Breathe out.

———————————————————————

Pile 1 | The Werewolf

Perfectionistic as hell, likely a planner

The horniness comes and stays fellas…

Extremely careful before decision making, yet impatient (more mentally)

Hides what they really feel. Has a hard time expressing their emotions through words, so your person (well, half-person) shows you instead

Might be wealthy or does very well w/ business or business partners

ALWAYS thinks before they act

very PRIMAL tendencies; will bust major nuts when persuading you to be bred…literally. the need to breed you can become suffocating as it seeps into small actions of daily life. will never stop bugging you about it. eventually, these efforts will increase and become more desperate (but hey, if you like that, go for it 😳)

^^the thought of having a family with you gets them down real bad

EXTREMELY overprotective and possessive over how revealing your clothes might be. don’t be surprised if they finally let you out of the house after you choose to wear a hazmat suit

• will do anything for you!!!! provide food, shelter, money… as long as you depend on them, they feel at their highest.

•^^ this can also indicate an incessant need for control and control over you as well

• typically chooses the safe route; sticks to routes they’re already familiar with and practicality

•^^polite with people or at least acts like a civil person, but is easily misjudged regardless

• kind of old school and can be boring; follows reserved traditions very well

• actually is a beast in the sheets, but prob only does vanilla positions

• is very, very hesitant about letting you go out at night and will bust balls to get you to stay inside

• can get overly paranoid over small things that can potentially harm you

slow, sensual, deep lovemaking sometimes—rough and wild, sloppy and fast at others—just totally unable to control themselves. this is bc they exercise so much control during the day that nights leading up to the full moon, or on the night of, are relentless. Also likes doin’ the dirty in the kitchen (i also see boiling soup and an apron if those have any significance)

grumpy in the morning hahaha. grumpy when you order them to do anything for you, but they’ll do it anyway

When they love, they LOVE. Extremely big hearts and easily empathetic, but never/rarely shows it

for some reason, your fs has a solution or piece of advice for every problem in existence

strong or bold looking, big and broad, intimidating, or a very tall person. might have a resting bitch face

a very good listener

• full moons are equivalent to menstrual cycles where their senses are heightened by tenfold, sensitive to everything in their surroundings (ex: ears perk up to sounds as unnoticeable as leaves rustling…), more emotionally reactive, a ceaseless desire for sex everyday—which gets worse as the full moon approaches 🙈—hastier movements, increased moodiness and appetite, goes out hunting more often. 50/50 have a messier diet or a more strict one

• structured or routined day to day

• has probably talked/will probably talk about raising a family with you at least once, becoming more adamant about it over time

• can seem very insensitive or come off as an asshole at times

• EXTREMELY observant; almost nothing gets past their eyes. It’s almost like an intense OCD thing. Pretty sure a lot of FS in this pile are control freaks or have very specific triggers

• can smell when you’re aroused. if you deal with periods, they know exactly what phase you’re in and keep track of monthly cycles. this is also how they can keep an eye on your fertility and “breedability” levels. likely to show clinginess during these times and try to make moves on you. (it’s a manipulation tactic, don’t fall for it!! 😳)

•^^when you get aroused, they get aroused. they’ll decide to make a move depending on the circumstances

• they have good control and discipline over themselves in general. But they’re still prone to control issues, esp over other people, or obsessiveness

Definitely an overthinker. They don’t like to be vulnerable emotionally. It’s very hard to get close to this person, and even harder to open up

doesn’t care about your “flaws” and doesn’t notice until you point them out; will be genuinely surprised to hear you have insecurities, bc to your fs, there’s no such thing. they don’t understand how you could feel that way about yourself or certain things about yourself

In some kind of leadership role (in work, relationship, or the home) or in a high enough position to give and support. Dominant in the sheets—stubbornly prefers to be

Loves to travel or would travel more if they could

Extremely adaptable and an all rounder; does well under pressure and in uncomfortable situations/environments

Likes bantering and stirring things up on purpose sometimes. Sometimes they’re feelin kinda bratty and will instigate. They fight just to fight. They’re usually quiet, reserved, or introverted

• deep down they know this and they’d even admit it to you if you asked, but they’d be totally onboard with you never going outside again and just staying in the house (it’s a possessive wolf thing maybe)

• you might not know at first, and they might not show it evidently, but they love sad karaoke songs or sad songs overall

Primary love language: Acts of service, physical touch, quality time, and gift giving

• *sniffs you with suspicion* “…that’s not my scent…”

• standing watch over you when you use a knife to cut vegetables — says, “are you sure you don’t need my help?” at least 5x in 2 mins, and still doesn’t leave after that

• stare wars with birds on a pole bc they felt offended by the birds staring first

• randomly, abrupt howling on some nights

“You take what I give you”

Acts as your personal bodyguard- will actually fight anyone for you

• loves to smell around your neck area- that shit kinda tickles tho

• (if your werewolf is male): “change out. that’s too revealing. you know men are dogs.” (lmfaooo? says who, the werewolf??)

• scolds you like a damn parent because you went outside at night for a few minutes to get some fresh air

• massages your thighs and feet

• physical contact is a must for them when watching movies with you

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Pile 2 | The Vampire

• “I ‘vant tu zuck yur blud.”

• a bit of a vanity monster (as most vampires are.) they like the way they look, and also care about how they present themselves to other people and most importantly, looking hot as hell in front of you, maybe too much at times. but from your pov, they really don’t have to try. they’re just naturally…wow. Breathtaking. HOWEVER!!! They use it to their advantage.

• Actual sass-squashes. They’re sassy and for no reason, but you can’t take them seriously when they are 😂😂

• intentionally AND unintentionally funny. like those characters on Disney channel shows that are like “oh yeah? try me” and then some bigger, buffer person comes in and they flinch a little. if you squint, you’ll catch a gulp in there too. it’s funny. endearing even. but they gotta own up to their mistakes and tone down on overcompensating. If there’s one thing they do, it’s to make up for what they don’t have.

• L-O-Y-A-L….by the time they get with you, at least. they might’ve had an…interesting reputation in the past. they might seem selfish bc of it—which is partially true. they can charm people to get what they want. They might/might have had a history of partying, hella socializing, hanging out w/ friends whenever they could (haha get it? hanging out? yk…vampire stuff…)

A total charmer and a flirt. They like to bicker and tease you; playful,, sometimes it’s cute…others, kinda annoying

• if you talk to this person seriously and in a calm and diplomatic manner, they’ll get a little defensive, yes, but A LOT less so than if you were yelling and screaming at them outright. if you both just sit down on the edge of the bed, tilt your head to a 45 degree angle and show your concerns, they’ll reflect and maybe deflect here and there, but they’ll think about it throughout the day.

• I think this person goes through varying phases of heat. (Prob not even the right word here but-) By that I mean, sometimes they wanna get down and dirty for 30 hours straight or just session after session after session nonstop—OR they take what they need and leave for a couple hours, come back again, take, and leave. This is odd at first, but it just comes with the moodiness they inherently have, possibly sticking to them from the past life. They might have suffered with commitment issues, and I don’t mean them per se, but the people around them that didn’t know how to love: family, friends, anyone that was close and left abruptly or never showed love. (Made me a lil sad there...)

• Love is complicated. They didn’t believe in it before and was confident they wouldn’t ever. But when you ask them “What do vampires think about love? Are you allowed to love?”, they turn their heads, take a moment to skim over your face in silence. Love…is what I’m feeling with you. They want to admit this, but vampires can’t feel. Would you even believe them? They don’t even know what love is. They don’t even feel heartbeats anymore, but for some reason, when you look into their eyes like that, there’s a different kind of pulsing. A surge of desire that courses through them, screaming at them to keep you forever. They can’t ever let you go now.

•^ This leads us to possessiveness. They are…*phew* VERY possessive and very dramatic/petty/easily sulky about it. You’ll lose your mind over it. If you do something as simple as shopping, they will follow. Too insistent and stubborn not to. What if you encounter another vampire living among the humans during the day, and suddenly, said vampire wants you too? Sure, they get burnt with a bit of sun, so what? They’d evolved enough to wear a million layers of sunscreen and a million layers of clothing over that, all dressed up like a moving heap of clothes. They care about how others might see them like this, of course, but in moments like these, they don’t care when you’re on the line.

• they’ve never really had their emotions looked at carefully or taken care of. It’s always just been brushed off, not only by themselves but by others as well. I personally wouldn’t doubt if they claimed to never have had real friends or friends that cared about the inside substance rather than the outer. Your fs just seems like they’re trying to fit in, be accepted and validated. You wouldn’t be able to tell at first glance, but as you gradually get to know them, you’ll find that their heart is barely being held together by makeshift glue.

Very in tune with their inner divine feminine energy,, not afraid to tap into it and explore that side more

Not that emotionally developed but has major potential to with the right teacher

Nurturing and caring, but might be materialistic or putting too much importance on the material/physical pleasures. Truly lives for the fun of it

Works hard, plays hard—and will shamelessly chase you

Knows exactly what to say and do that will rile you up. Knows all of your weak spots physically

Down to try anything and everything with you, no complaints

Sensual and passionate personality and in the sheets

Super open minded and curious, easygoing and has no expectations. Makes a lot of jokes too.

Daring, optimistic, brave and believes in no limits (but bc of this, they can be seen as naive or have an innocent nature inside.) Gets in half-fights/arguments w/ people for fun

A total switch in bed; can and literally will do/try anything

Now, dare I say…the FS for this pile have the best rizz and sex game

Some fs in here can get too naggy

They have a great fashion sense or an overwhelming appreciation for fashion, beauty, or aesthetics, and is more than willing to be involved in your fashion styles

Red flag moment: solves problems in your relationship w/ sex so that yall will just forget it and move on

In hindsight, this FS is so flamboyant or charming that you could get lost in what they’re trying to express. They’ve got very fiery energy (betting rn that they have extremely prominent fire sign placements).

P.S. yeah after writing this out and reviewing the format, seeing all the back and forth…pile 2 FS def has a perfection mask thing going on. They wanna make themselves appealing in one way or another, or the consequences will just break them into pieces. The last thing that they want is to be alone.

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Pile 3 | The Fairy

Alas, we’ve gotten to arguably the most healthy future spouse here out of the 3 😅 (and the most intuitive)

Introspective as hell and wise. Helps you with really anything

They’re ok w/ being alone; most introverted of the piles

Positive, hopeful, and optimistic when it comes to others. More pessimistic when it comes to themselves.

Balanced and a good mentor; suuuper patient (a lot of times to a fault)

Learns from their losses and mistakes and becomes a better person, improving almost immediately

Mediator type of person, but will defend you against others in argument—which they’ll win btw

They don’t like seeking help from others—if anything, your FS is usually the helper—even when they can ask for help right in front of them- even if it’s recommended to get help, they still won’t do it

Hella infj vibes tho (if you’re into mbti)

Every show of love is their love language. Bonus points if they wear matching clothes or secretly write poems to you that they’ll never tell you about

This future spouse group has the cheesiest and the sweetest person

Your person can lead a life more flexible financially than the other 2 piles

Also an all rounder! But thinks that they aren’t perfect when they literally are; struggles with their own low self-esteem so they try to build other people up

Putting others before themselves is second nature- they ALWAYS prioritize you or others; extremely selfless

^^Now, each fairy got a different role and purpose. The reasoning for your fs being overly selfless and self-sacrificial varies. The easy answer? Insecurity. Second? Obligation or a sense of duty. The list goes on…

They’ve got that Triple A Threat: Amazing Ass Adaptability. Your person has been thru quite a bit, hell and back. Sometimes, life just likes to mess with them for no apparent reason 🤷🏻‍♀️)

They’re always ready to face challenges; Incredibly strong person. They’ll be with you thru thick and thin!!

Strong sense of justice and equality. OH- and also they like traveling or would like to travel more!

A literal inspiration and hope (yes, with sparkles on top.) Not only do they inspire others, but your person—no matter how rock bottom you get—will never leave you.

gets jealous and easily possessive but doesn't wanna show it (shit's still pretty obvious tho)

The type that babbles their heart out when they get comfy with you. They don’t get like this with just anyone

Likely likes museums and art. Things that the media typically deems boring, weird, or unconventional your FS will prob find interesting. They like to look into deeper meanings and interpretations.

In bed, they’re pretty vanilla and soft. But are open to exploring things that aren’t too wild (like our vampire up above)

(Take this bit very lightly: I see that this person has grown up or has been around “broken” people their entire life, so they feel they need to take responsibility on behalf of those people. They might be some kind of counselor, mentor, or therapist. They’re prone to blaming themselves if situations take a bad turn or go unplanned. I’m also hinting here that some of your FS might have a savior complex, and not on purpose. They might always take some kind of leadership role or something directly beneficial to people- nurses, camp leaders, etc…)

They will take all of the burden so that you don’t have to

If your FS had any weirdo or pervy habits, it’d probably be compulsively stealing your panties or building a shrine with locks of your hair on it 😵‍💫 (which hopefully I hope doesn’t happen. I heard in some fairy folklore, they steal babies, like flying away with the newborn-in-a-basket typa thing- and for no reason too! Don’t let them steal yo babies now!!)

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**Ending Teddy note:

As always, thank you so very much for tuning in with us! I hope you have a spooktacular Scorpio season as we are soon heading into it (depending on when you’re reading this), but really you can read this at any time. Rmr to take everything with a grain of salt! Take what resonates, leave what doesn’t. Stay safe out there and rock on people 🤩🤩 Feedback is very much appreciated in any form as it’d help me grow as a reader :)

*This is for entertainment purposes*

[sophieebridgerton]

i know i recognise all three of these main actresses from somewhere but i'm afraid to look them up in case i see one of them left three seasons early or something

[drvscarlett]

About You Pt1

Pairing: Sebastian Vettel x Webber!Reader

Summary: Everyone knows about the history of Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber. But there's a well kept story within the paddock about Sebastian Vettel and another Webber. This is that story.

A/N: I know I said that its a whole one shot only but I don't think that I can do it. I have to cut it because there is a lot of history. I hope you all enjoy.

About You Series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Taglist: @spideybv28 @randomcuboidshape @mehrmonga @casperlikej @cliosunshine

2005, Circuito de Jerez

The earliest memory that Y/N has of Sebastian Vettel was watching him test the Williams-BMW car.

It was her first time accompanying Mark and she was still grasping some of the key concepts of Formula 1 when Sebastian headed to the car. She watched how he drives and how the team were discussing about how he is a potential driver for the seasons to come.

"You know Seb is just a year older than you" Nico Rosberg, who has been keeping you company for the testing that afternoon, stated.

"Then that will make him the youngest driver if he enters Formula 1"Y/N mused.

Y/N didn't know but she was pretty excited to see him on track. She knew that this Sebastian will change a lot of things in F1 and will probably make history. At the same time, she can't help but be a bit worried since its a dangerous sports. One second you can be living the dream and then the next you find yourself recovering in a hospital room.

Sebastian Vettel gets out of the car and lifts his visor. There was a certain spark in his eyes that Y/N didn't miss out. Its the spark that showcase how much he loved to race.

Y/N didn't miss how her heart skipped a beat.

2006, Istanbul Park

The next time that Y/N sees Sebastian Vettel was during the free practice. He was a Friday driver for BMW-Sauber and he is as impressive as the day she first saw him in Spain.

"That kid just set out the fastest lap" her brother, Mark was shocked by the time set by Sebastian.

"That kid has a name" Y/N stated "and its Sebastian"

"Oh how come you are so informed about this missy?" he wondered

"He drove with you in testing season last year remember" Y/N replied.

The replay on the screen showcases the bold moves that were made by Sebastian. It was like he was driving like he is a man on a mission. If Y/N will bet, there is a lot of teams that will be shortlisting his name to their team.

"What do you think about him?"

"A little bit of reckless, I mean 6 seconds in your formula 1 career and you already have a penalty. There must be some kind of record for that" Mark was referring to the speeding penalty that Sebastian received as soon as he left the garage.

Y/N mumbles a small hmm as she continues to watch how Sebastian moves around the track. She was sure that sooner or later, she might see Sebastian more often.

2007, Albert Park

Fridays aren't too crowded as the Sunday races but still there was a bit of pressure in Sebastian Vettel's shoulder as he entered Albert Park.

He walked the paddocks and tried to visualize himself not just a Friday driver but an actual driver for the Sunday races. He pictures the screaming crowd chanting his name, the smell of burning rubber, radio messages from the team, and even being at the podium with the champagne.

In his daydreaming, he didn't realize that he bumped into someone. All he saw was that a girl was down on the ground with papers all over.

"I'm terribly sorry. I was not looking where I was going" he apologized.

"I'm equally at fault too"The woman assured "It was not wise to type and walk especially since this whole place is swarming with people"

Sebastian helped the girl compiling the papers and he noticed how the papers seem to be like contract for sponsorship. He looked at her and tried to identify which team did she belong to but her lack of team merchandise makes it difficult.

"You're new here?"he tries to decode.

"No, I'm not. I've been coming here since 5 years ago" there was an accent in her voice. Australian, if Sebastian was right.

"Huh, you must know your way around this whole place"

She takes a closer look at him, "You're that rookie Sebastian Vettel"

Now Sebastian doesn't have a huge following that he knows of and this is probably the first time that someone outside the family knew about him. Now, he felt even more curious about the girl.

"How did you know my name"

"Hard not to especially when you set a record to having the fastest penalty in their f1 career" she joked.

Normally Sebastian will be annoyed by the reminder of his mistake last year. He choose to forget that small mishap and avoid talking about it. But this time, he felt like the giggling is contagious that he can't help but smile when talking about his mistake.

"I assure you that I'm a much more better driver now" he states, holding up his hand as if saying that he swears he is a better a driver now.

"Hoping to see you deliver Vettel" she grins.

The girl started walking away from Sebastian when it occured to him that he didn't even know her name. He rushed to catch up with her.

"Wait, I didn't get your name"

She looked at him and there seems to be a slight hesitation

"If we meet again in a formula 1 race then I'll tell you my name" then the girl walked out of his sight.

2007, Indianopolis track.

It seems that luck has been on Y/N's side because she managed to avoid Sebastian during the past races. But it seems as if this luck is running out slowly since they are bound to meet up this weekend as Sebastian was bumped from reserve driver to formula 1 driver due to the injury that Kubica sustained in Canada.

She was hanging out at one of the coffee machines when she felt somebody tap her shoulder. She gave him a smile upon recognizing him.

"Sebastian Vettel, shouldn't you be preparing in your f1 car now?"

There was a loopy grin on his face, "Mystery woman, I was beginning to think if you are just a figment of my imagination.

Y/N pressed the hot cup to his hands, "I'm very much real and not just a figment of your mind"

"So will you tell me now your name?" Sebastian wondered. He has to admit that it has been bugging him for weeks on end about who this mystery woman is. He even went to ask around the paddock but his description was very vague and no one could help him.

"Its Y/N, nice to meet you" Purposely leaving out the last name.

In Y/N's mind it was just a safety pre-caution to leave out her last name. It was for her own good as well because people tend to act differently once they hear about your big brother or your connection to the sports. For once in her life, Y/N wants to be seen as just Y/N.

Maybe she just want to prolong this little charade for a little while longer.

"Y/N nice to finally meet you"

2007, Nürburgring

Maybe its the home turf advantage that boosted his confidence but Sebastian managed to ask Y/N if she would like a tour around the place. Thankfully, she agreed. Sebastian was already blabbering about the places that they have to get to and Y/N had to remind him that they're not staying for a vacation.

He will tell you that he is not freaking out but he prepared for the whole afternoon. He even asked his mother what outfit should he wear to make it seem like a casual hangout. In his defense, he never had a lot of friends growing up and he certainly didn't have beautiful australian girls around.

"You know you don't have to bring me flowers, were just touring around"

It was his idea to bring flowers because he often sees it in airports. When someone new is in town, they bring them flowers. He felt like the orange gerberas were a good pick as advised by the florist he knows.

"But the flowers made you smile" Sebastian grinned "I'm more than pleased to have a happy tourist to tour around"

Then two engaged in a conversation about their early life. Sebastian shared stories of the town he grew up in and his stories of motorsports.Y/N, on the other hand, listened and shared some bits of her life in Australia before she traveled around the world.

Eventually the duo ended up in an orange farm, where they picked out oranges and waited for the sunrise to set in the horizon. It was a core memory that they will share with one naother.

"We should do this again sometime"Y/N suggested

"Its a breather for you and I" Sebastian agreed "Away from all the lavishness of F1 and the pressure of the sports"

"Sounds like you wanted to run away with me"

"Who wouldn't want to run away with someone like you?"

2007, Fuji Speedway.

The past few weeks has been stressful for the Webber siblings. The articles published by some news sites seems to be getting on Mark's last nerve. Everyone seems to be taunting him about how he is over a hundred of race starts already but then he still haven't won anything. The pressure is high and Mark was determined to prove them wrong.

"Mark just don't do anything stupid okay?" Y/N begs.

She watches as Mark suit up for the next race. She was already used to her brother racing but she knew this race was a little different since her brother wanted to win.

"I'm not going to be stupid Y/N, I'll drive good today and I'll get that win that they want"Mark grumbled.

Y/N handed the helmet to her brother, "Just stay safe, I don't want to lose you"

"I'll come back safe"

The race went underway and as usual, Y/N watches it in the comforts of the driver's room. She did not want too many attention focused on her and she felt like her heart might actually come out of her rib cage if she watches it on the stands.

Japan's wet races gives Y/N a heavy feeling that something bad might happen. Her heart beats rapidly as she watches cars after cars spin out or crash. She prays that none of them was Mark. or Sebastian.

There was 20 laps to go when her ears started ringing that a Red Bull has been rear-ended by a Toro Rosso.

'Please don't let it be Mark and Seb. Please don't let it be Mark and Seb'

But the voices in the Red Bull pitlanes and the storming voices of Mark confirms her worst nightmare.

"That kid is so stupid, he shouldn't have been allowed to drive" Mark roared "I had that in the bag, I was going to win"

Y/N immediately hugged her brother, "Its alright, the win will be coming soon Mark. What matters is you are safe"

There were frustrated tears from Mark as he cried in the embrace of his sister. Privacy was given to the siblings as the race continues on. She was so focused on her brother that she didn't notice that there were several messages in her phone.

Seb: Where are you? Seb: I messed up my race and Webber. Seb: Call me when you get this. Please?

2007, Shanghai International Circuit

It felt like a heavy weight on Sebastian's shoulder after he messed up. He kept on blaming himself that he did not just mess up his own race but he also messed up Webber's race. It did not help that Y/N was not replying.

The media has also been eating him up with the way that Webber responded to him. He was called a kid that did not have enough experience. It stings a lot but now he has to put up a brave face and just race.

"SEB! SEB!"

Sebastian looked back and he saw Y/N. There was no hesitation in him but he immediately hugged her. It was the only time ever since Japan that people aren't mad at him or hounding him for questions. He felt at ease to be with Y/N.

"Where have you been, I have been messaging you over the weekend"

"I'm here now, aren't I?" Y/N says "And before I forget, I made you this as a token of my apology"

In her hand, she has a paper bag. Sebastian's curiosity is piqued upon looking at the contents inside the bag. There was a tupperware with food and a sticky note in a messy handwriting "for sebastian vettel, you can do it."

"You cook?"

"I don't but hey its the thought that counts. I figure that you might need-"

Y/N doesn't have to explain a lot because Sebastian already appreciated the gesture. He hugged her again and it seems like everything just got a little bit lighter for Sebastian that weekend.

It wasn't Sebastian's weekend at all but remembering the little note, that was tucked inside his helmet, he felt a lot better. He can bounce back next season.

2008,  Autodromo Nazionale di Monza

This was the internal dilemma of being Sebastian's friend and being Mark's sister. The two of them are in different side of the coins for this season. Two drivers shared the same family with Toro Rosso being the sister family of Red Bull but it seems like that's their only similarity.

Then there was the mixed emotion. Of course, Y/N was proud of Sebastian because he is slowly improving and shining with every grand prix. She was always elated when they see each other post-qualifying or post-race at the hotel rooftop (it has been their common knowledge that they will meet up there so that they can get fresh air together). On the other hand, Y/N knows about the pressure that it is being placed with her brother. Mark has been declining and losing hope for a maiden win. He has been in the sports for some time and he believes his time should have arrived by now but he lost opportunity after opportunity.

Y/N can't fault anyone for this one. Both of them just wanted to achieve their dreams. She wished everything does not have to escalate but here they are in the 2008 Monza Grand Prix.

Sebastian Vettel was starting on pole while Mark was starting third. Everyone is buzzing about the possibility that Toro Rosso might clinch a first win before Red Bull. It was something that Y/N knew bugged Mark's mind.

It didn't help that it was a rainy start and it sort of brought her back to Japan 2007. She was not an overly religious person but she prayed to any higher being to please don't let Mark and Sebastian crash with each other again.

The race went underway and the rain was not as heavy as Japan. Still there was some crashes and some spin. But Y/N felt the conflict of emotions start again upon seeing how Mark started to drop places while Sebastian pulled away from the rest.

Y/N went out of the driver room when it was nearing the end of the lap. She didn't know whether she should run and congratulate Sebastian or she should stay behind and comfort his brother.

Of course, blood is thicker than water.

Mark looks absolutely defeated as people started to ask him about how he is feeling when their sister group got its first win before them or how did he manage to mess up his 3rd position to eight.

"Just please give him some space, we will be answering the questions later" Y/N stepped up. Right now she was not Mark's sister but rather Mark's assistant.

Y/N helped Mark to go back to his driver's room so he can get a few minutes to himself before he gets questioned by the media again.

"It feels like shit. I feel like I can't do anything right" Mark threw his gloves across the room.

"It wasn't your time yet Mark" Y/N replied. Its like a broken record at this point which frustrates Mark.

"Then when will it be my time? Sebastian has been here for just a year or so and he already have a grand prix victory"

Y/N knew that this was the dam breaking. No words can comfort her brother right now so she just went to give him a hug. She could only wish in silence that Mark gets his win eventually.

On the other side of the paddock, there was cheering. Sebastian Vettel was in cloud 9 as he saw the Toro Rosso mechanics and engineers calls out his name. Everyone was in full party mode that they have even tossed Sebastian up in the air.

Everyone wanted to talk to him. They wanted to ask him about how he is feeling or how he created history today. He was the youngest driver to have a maiden win and the first one to bring victory to Toro Rosso.

But Sebastian eyes seem to search for someone in the crowd. He wouldn't voice it out but there was a certain woman he was hoping to see when he stepped into the podium. It had a slight twinge in his heart but the roaring crowd silenced that feeling.

'Maybe I'll see her later' Sebastian thought.

However, there was no Y/N in sight for the rest of the weekend.

2008, Marina Bay Street Circuit

Sebastian was still experiencing the highs of his Monza win and the Singapore GP has also been a good race for him. He might not have a podium finish but 5th was good enough. However if there was one thing that bothered Sebastian was the lack of Y/N sightings.

He tried messaging her after Monza but there was no reply. He thinks its probably weird that he didn't even get a congratulations because surely Y/N would know about it. There might be a couple of reasons why she didn't see it which is a) she was sick or b) she resigned.

Sebastian was gunning for the first choice because surely Y/N won't just resign without saying goodbye.

So imagine his surprise when he saw the woman that has been bugging his mind at the exit of the pitlane.

"You could have answered my texts you know" that was Sebastian's greeting to her

Y/N seems to be caught off-guard by Sebastian's presence. She was still in her work outfit Sebastian takes note as she was carrying a tote bag.

"I'm sorry. It just got a little busy for me"

Sebastian nods, he understands how having a job here is quite difficult. He could not fault her for that.

"Why not lets celebrate? I won in Monza and I finished fifth here"Sebastian offered "Consider it as your make up dinner for not congratulating me"

There was that hesitant smile gracing her face again and it reminded Sebastian of the first time she didn't tell her name. She seems extremely conflicted.

"Seb I would love to but I still have to do some work and-"

"Y/N, there you are"

Sebastian and Y/N whipped their head to the source of the voice. Mark Webber started walking towards them. It confused Sebastian as to why he knew Y/N but then he remembered that Mark was probably the one that Y/N has been working with.

"I told you to wait for me"Mark says as he picked up the bag of Y/N "I was just fixing some things with Christian"

"I can carry my stuffs myself Mark" Y/N replied

"But you have been walking in your heels the whole day, it's going to make you cranky sooner or later" Mark quipped back.

Now this confused Sebastian. It seems like their dynamics is not just work related but rather something personal. He also felt like he has missed a whole chapter and he feels very invisible at the moment.

"You two know each other?"Sebastian managed to ask.

There was a panic in Y/N eyes as if she wanted to explain but it was Mark that beat her to it.

"Of course, I know her" Mark admitted "Why wouldn't I know my sister?"

And it was that moment that Sebastian pieced out why she haven't been able to message him or why she was MIA as well in Japan. He felt stupid because he never inquired why she didn't give out her last name or why she was booked at the same hotel as the drivers.

Great just fucking great.

2008, Interlagos

It was eating her alive that Sebastian is not in speaking terms with her.

In hindsight, she understands that sooner or later, she has to tell him about who really is. She just didn't know that it will be as early and as unprepared as what happened in Singapore. She also got an earful from Mark who questioned how did she manage to meet Sebastian and why does it seem like the two are close with each other.

Honestly, she can't wait for the season to be over so that she can rest from all the drama but she knows that she has to make amends before winter break starts.

And so she slipped to the Toro Rosso garage, under the disguise that as Mark's assistant, she has to talk to Sebastian. So here she is in Sebastian's driver room, waiting for him to arrive.

"Can't I deal with this after-"Sebastian immediately stopped in his tracks upon seeing Y/N "Oh its you"

Silence enveloped the two of them. Y/N has a practiced script in her head but no words doesn't want to come out.

"I'm giving you five minutes or I'm kicking you out" Sebastian warned.

"I just came here to say that I am sorry. It wasn't really my intention to deceive you. I just wanted to be friends with you without my last name being too intimidating. I know that its terrible but I was going to tell you my name someday but Mark just got into the way and its all shit"

She was word-vomitting, she was sure of it. But hey its better than keeping everything as a burden on the shoulders.

"Say something please?" Y/N wondered with Sebastian's silence.

"You could have told me, don't you trust me?"

"I trust you Sebastian. Its just, its really complicated to be seen as Mark's sister or Mark's assistant. I just want to be just Y/N when I'm with you"Y/N sighs.

Y/N felt bummed as she thought she could fix this before winter break starts but she knows he might need some time.

"I know that its not easy to forgive me. Its selfish of me to do that so I won't force you to forgive me" she says "I'll give you some time to collect your thoughts"

Y/N reached out for the door when she felt a hand tugging her back. She saw Sebastian reaching out.

"Just give me some time"

"I will. Don't worry" she understands "I have to say I'm really proud of you this season. You did well Seb"

There was that silence when Sebastian held her. She knows things are far from okay and there is the upcoming season that has the possibility of Sebastian being upgraded to Red Bull but in this moment, none of that matters. Its just them. Just Y/N and Seb.

[laylaysdelusions]

When the sun goes down and the moon comes up

Wbb girls x goth!reader headcannons

An: it’s spooky season yall and I heard from a lil birdie or two that we need more diversity in the fanfic community and I agree so here it is<3

Warnings: a TINY bit of nsfw

Kk Arnold

She had a crush on you for a while. She thought you were so interesting and cool but she was nervous about how you would react to a sassy stud having a crush on her but you fell in love with her regardless.

A lot of people make comments about how you two don’t match up at all but you both ignore them because you are happy as opposites.

“She’s still my baby, I don’t mind, it makes her cooler”

You think she’s also the coolest person on planet earth, you like going to the Nike store and buying her new clothes and shoes, anything to see her smile. Even if that’s not your personal vibe.

Paige Bueckers

You were the first girl Paige was nervous to flirt with. Not because you were scary but because you were different than the hyper f girls who only wanted to get in her pants. You changed what she considered her type completely.

She loves watching you pick out your outfits and do your gothic makeup. She pays for your nail sets every time. You don’t even have to ask.

The first time she seen you without your bold aesthetic she fell even harder than before. You are adorable with and without.

She will defend you around anyone who says rude things about how you dress, you on the one hand let them and ignore it, Paige hates that.

Azzi Fudd

You have had many sassy arguments over the aux. she loves rnb while you like Pierce the Veil. After a while she started to give in. You just look so pretty she can’t say no.

She makes you show her your Pinterest boards so when she wants to surprise you she knows what you’ve been wanting.

she loves when your lipstick swears on her so she purposely does it. It always makes you huff and pout because you have to reapply it.

She loves when your eye liner runs when she’s making you cum. It’s one of her favorites

Once you wanted to do her makeup like yours and who is she to resist ofc she said yes!!

“Hold still we have to do your eye liner and lipstick perfectly”

I’ll try to do a part 2 of this gets enough attention <3

[theflyingkipper]

a short crappy essay about emily

The writing of girl characters in TTTE genuinely infuriates me. There’s a lot of girl characters who were done absolutely dirty, but it always comes back to Emily for me.

Emily had agency and attitude and purpose in S8-12 and it was erased in favor of a “hi. I’m nice. Im the girl character” nothing one-note personality. What do we know about post HiT era Emily? (And honestly, S7 Emily too. Her introduction is kind of weak in my opinion). She wants to help out. She’s safety oriented. She’s… I don’t know. You could replace her with Rosie or Rebecca or whoever in the cgi episodes where she’s driving the story, and nothing would change. I can’t name any major differences between Emily post-rewrite and Rosie in her entire tenure. Aside from how they’re introduced to Thomas and interact with him, really… which sucks. They don’t have major differences in characterizations outside interacting with a male lead. 

AND the worst part is that there are moments where you can SEE they were crafting bold, interesting girl characters and they were either completely sanitized or forgotten about. Molly has a very particular basis. It's not a flashy type where the engine’s basis is the center of the character’s entire personality/marketing/etc (Mighty Mac and Hank come to mind). It feels clear to me that Molly was going to be more important. And then… she wasn’t. She appeared like 3 times, said nearly nothing and never appeared again. I wish I lived in a world where Emily kept her bossy personality and had this contrasted by Molly’s shyness and timidity. 

In my perfect world, Emily is bossy and important, and has some complexes about not needing help or knowing more than others. She’s intelligent and rambunctious, feeling like she’s made for more than the fast express duties that she was designed for. She wants to be involved and get dirty. (Which is a sentiment that I think a lot of young girls can relate to!) Maybe this causes other engines to view her as childish, but we know it's because even if she’s an old design- she has youthful zeal. I think that's a compelling personality and character to make from a Stirling Single, rather than just making another “old wise sage” character (we’ve got plenty of those and in different flavors!) An old engine that's hard to register as “old” at all, though not like Edward, she reads like this because she’s childish and immature- Someone immature, but in a distinct flavor of immature than Percy or Gordon. This Emily has so much room to bounce off other characters, and she does. The way she acts in Respect for Gordon comes to mind. Emily’s bossiness brings a much needed shakeup to the monotony of seasons 8-12. 

In addition, big, snooty, important characters are a staple of TTTE, but it's an archetype almost exclusively reserved for male characters. You could make an argument that Daisy and Elizabeth support these, but I think they’re different (or underdeveloped) enough not to fit this. Emily is the exception here. I think it's why she’s remembered so well as the female TTTE character that immediately comes to mind. Emily could be great, and she was great. 

[slavicviking]

Long Jump, Huge Leap

wc: 5k | Pre-Season 3 steddie

[Ao3]

Whoever said Eddie Munson doesn’t like sports is wrong.

One can dislike a candy bar, a type of soda, a likewise mundane thing that comes down to preferences. No, no. What Eddie Munson feels towards sports cannot be condensed into such a simple term. His body itself outright refuses to take part in any sport activity – sweat immediately pooling at his pits and back and ass, legs acting disjointed, arms too long and too weak to do anything of significance, except for maybe making a fool of himself. With that particular element of his P.E. experience helps his mouth which, funnily enough, is the only part of Eddie that runs quicker than anyone, especially its owner, can catch up. Not that the rest of his group feels exceptionally impressed with the skill presented.

Hawkins High doesn’t need a furry mascot for laugh-inducing entertainment when it has Eddie Munson.

“Munson, you’re in Hagan’s team.”

“Oh, for fuck’s-“

“Do not fret, little ol’ Thomas, I sincerely vouch to not dare touch the balls you play with-“

And as the usual song and dance goes, the ball is thrust directly into his stomach.

Several bruises left on his body and ego later Eddie decides it’s simply not worth it, he skips P.E. entirely – avoids it as if it were the ninth circle of Hell. It may as well be, he thinks. Uncle Wayne seems persistent to convince Eddie to try again but after a long and, frankly tiring, conversation the subject is dropped.

Until now.

Eddie stretches out his legs in front of him, the uncomfortable plastic chair digging into his spine and reshaping his already barely-there ass into a flat tire. It’s psychological warfare, it must be, because how else can one explain furniture that defies its primary function so well. Principal Higgins knew well what she did when she chose them to be placed in front of her office. Her own personal little torture chamber.

“The Principal is ready to see you now, Mr. Munson,” the secretary, a pretty blonde in her twenties, tries to smile at him but all that comes out as a result is a grimace stretched thin over her face. It dims further when Eddie stands up making the most noise he possibly could have with the chair sliding across the parquet.

“Sorry,” he says because he is actually sorry. For all his bold persona and jumping on tables, he hates the idea of bothering someone who absolutely does not deserve it. The secretary is nice, he can say that with confidence he’s gained over sitting in that damned red plastic chair too many times to bother counting. He also knows he can be a lot when seated in it – constantly twitching and shifting, mind all too self-aware of the pre-attached uncoordinated body.

Principal Higgins doesn’t look pleased to see him but when does she ever? Eddie personally believes they see each other often enough to be on first-name basis, or at least have this unspoken camaraderie between each other. He thinks the name Margaret would fit her. Tiffany? The only obstacle of their everlasting friendship he can think of is the boundless hatred she has for him. And he has for her.

“Mr. Munson, I’m glad you could join us,” she says, voice syrupy-sweet, so much so it clogs Eddie’s ears for a moment. She has a maroon sweater on today and Eddie thinks it complements the stark bags under her eyes very well. A white blouse ironed to the bone peeks out from underneath it, sleeves rolled up. It’s then that he notices Coach Collins sitting in the chair usually reserved for the culprit’s legal guardian. This is not a usual part of their – Higgins’ and Eddie’s – routine and so it throws him out of the loop a little.

“Please sit,” Higgins points to the only empty seat in her office. Eddie is glad, for what’s it worth, that the chairs here are leagues better than whatever monstrosity his ass still feels the imprint of awaits in the waiting room.

“It wasn’t me,” Eddie says what he always does as he sits down. The Principal doesn’t look any more or less impressed with the line than usual, only letting out a silent sigh.

“Mr. Munson, your attendance ratio in Mr. Collins’ class is abhorrent.”

 Ah. Rough and straight to the point, just the way he likes it.

“I might have missed… a couple of days,” Eddie admits, fiddling with the rings on his fingers. His eyes roam the intricate designs on the carpet. Surprisingly enough they look exactly the same as the last time he’s seen them.

“More like a whole semester, son,” Coach finally decides to take part in this excruciating exchange.

“Normally that amount of missed classes is enough to fail the grade but Mr. Collins was considerate enough to offer you a deal,” Higgins pointedly stares Eddie down as if wanting to force him to slide down to his knees and thank the Coach for the opportunity. As if ‘Mr. Collins’ didn’t turn his head at all the harassment Eddie has faced in his class to begin with.

“Uh-huh.”

“Sport’s Day is coming up. We’d like you to join us this year, Mr. Munson,” she adds, implying she very much would not like him to be there at all but some predestined script requires it. “I believe some teamwork could do you good.”

Yes. Because being stuck with the school’s entire jock population on the football field is somehow better than ten or so of them in a P.E. class. He’s going to die, for sure .

The thing is, he knows they are giving him an excellent out. Sport’s Day is sort-of mandatory, though he’s only attended it once himself. It’s a big event for the school that, in theory, is a great opportunity to let a bit loose and get to know each other. Except, as it often is, a certain part of the Hawkins High population deems themselves as better than others and what should be all fun and games turns puckingly nerve-wracking if you dare to not be pristinely perfect and screw up. Eddie had one attempt in 1982 and hasn’t stick in a foot or arm onto school grounds that day ever since.

“Right,” he says in the end, voice a little strangled. They both clearly take it as him agreeing and, well, he doesn’t really have a choice, does he? Unless he wants to repeat Senior Year again.

He doesn’t.

He really, really doesn’t.

So one full day of excruciating pain it is.

-&-

It’s hot as fucking balls.

The event hasn’t started yet but Eddie can already feel the sweat pooling all over his body. Students stand in small groups all around the yard and it takes him a long while before he spots the Corroded Coffin.

“Do my eyes deceive me, or is that Eddie Munson?”

“Yeah, yeah, yack it up,” he rolls his eyes at Jeff, eyes scanning the area for a semi-hidden smoking spot and finding none. It’s too risky, anyway. He lifts the hem of his shirt to fan himself. “Not like I had a choice.”

They all know about the quote unquote ‘olive branch’ handed out to him by the school but he can feel they’re surprised he decided to follow through with the spectacle anyway.

A long queue forms in the middle of the court, Coach Collins and Jenkins right at the top of it all along with Principle Higgins, each with a jar filled with differently colored strips of material in their hands. Even with no say in the matter, Eddie feels his hand sweating the closer he gets to the harbinger of his doom. Soon enough he will know who is going to make his life hell the next ten or so hours.

“Team yellow,” Collins tells him and gives him the appropriately colored ribbon. Eddie does a apathetic ‘woohoo’ with it before sliding off the side where his new team members reside. He ties the material loosely around his neck because he lives to disrupt the norm. Because fuck Collins.

“I don’t think it’s supposed to go there, dude,” Hawkins’ personal eye-candy, Steve Harrington, tells him upon arrival. Even in this horrid damp weather he keeps smiling for some unknown reason, no strand of hair out of place. He has his basketball uniform on – a simple gray shirt and, oh God, tiny shorts that expose those legs- Eddie snaps his head up so fast he’s surprised it hasn’t cracked and rolled off yet. Perhaps that would be the more merciful solution. A yellow ribbon is residing around Harrington’s sun-kissed bicep.

Great.

“Yeah, well, I’m not a great fan of rules,” he bites, hoping Harrington will just leave him be.

“I know. It’s your whole shtick.” So. That’s a no. Harrington shrugs.

“But sometimes rules are there for a reason,” he says and hooks his finger under the ribbon around Eddie’s neck to tug at it lightly. “To, like, not die.”

However eloquently phrased, Eddie begrudgingly admits – to himself, in his head, never out loud – that there might be a good point hidden somewhere underneath all that hair spray. He wonders if it were Hagan in Harrington’s place would there be a more hands-on approach to this warning. With Eddie being left strangled.

Quite possibly.

He’s not going to test that theory.

“Whatever his majesty wants,” Eddie says as he dutifully unties the yellow ribbon from his neck. And because he never knows when to shut up, he adds, “You don’t have to pretend to be nice, dude. I know me being in your team, like, disrupts your mojo, or whatever.”

Harrington is noticeably not smiling anymore. He doesn’t cross his arms though it looks like he really wants to. There’s a pinch between his eyebrows. It should not be attractive but, alas, Eddie is but a weak man.

“It’s supposed to be fun, man.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” Eddie ends up mumbling, feeling out of energy all of a sudden. The queue of students doesn’t seem to be getting any shorter, not that it matters much because all his friends have been scattered throughout all the other teams. He moves to sit on the grass at the edge of their little Yellow group, legs spread out in front of him. The grass is dry under his palms as he leans back, and he wishes he could light an inconspicuous smoke. Even more so when a body slams into him.

“Jesus Christ, what the f-“

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” a girl yelps. “I was trying to tie my shoe but I have, like, no coordination so I kind of fell over you? I didn’t mean to do that, I’m so sorry. Balancing on one leg is so much harder than it looks. Like, honestly, how do cheerleaders even do that thing where they-“

“Whoa, hey, it’s fine,” Eddie jumps in before the girl – Robin Buckley, turns out – faints from lack of air. A yellow ribbon hangs limply off her wrist. Maybe it makes him a bad person but there is a sense of relief knowing he will not be the only ‘uncoordinated’ one on the team. Harrington is going to have an aneurysm for sure.

Robin blinks down at him, lips pulling down in a frown. “Oh, it’s you.”

Okay? Mean.

“Yes?” Whatever imaginary comradery Eddie hoped for seems off the table all of a sudden. Well, that’s a bummer. “Why the long face? Not happy to see a fellow nerd on the team?”

“You stepped on my sandwich last week.”

Ah. Well. That would do it, he supposes. The lunch break speeches… they sometimes get a little intense. Eddie gets a little intense, is what the rest of the Hellfire Club would probably say. Eddie’s shoes have been known to slam face – sole? – first into the best of what the Hawkins High cafeteria had to offer; which is not saying much, to be completely honest.

“My humble apologies,” he tries a little bow and hopes it comes off sincere. Buckley looks less than convinced. Tough crowd, what can he say?

“Alrighty, I think that’s all of us,” Harrington’s overly cheery voice thunders somewhere from above him and Eddie, like a moth drawn to a flame, has no other option but to look up. With his hands power-posed strategically onto his sinfully slim waist and the sun positioned perfectly behind him, Steve Harrington seems to have taken it upon himself to alter Eddie’s brain chemistry, braincells leaving left and right, leaking right through his ears, never to be seen again.

“You’re drooling,” Robin’s monotone informs him from his right and he promptly slams his mouth shut, even though he knows the claim is wildly exaggerated. Buckley may be the best or the worst person he’s ever met – he desperately needs to befriend her.

“First up is the relay-race. We need four people. Anyone up?”

Harrington is met with painful silence and that does dim the cheery smile a little bit. Eddie wonders if that is where the famous King Steve comes out of the hiding, all scary sharp teeth and disregard of basic human decency. He himself stills, for once not wanting to draw any attention to himself, feeling like a student who doesn’t know the correct answer which, not to brag, if you asked Higgins or any other teacher in Hawkins High, is something Eddie excels in. Curiosity, though, is a fickle thing and he’s fallen victim to it more times than he can count, and so when the uncomfortable silence drowns on, Eddie can’t help but take a look around to meet the Team Yellow, so to speak.

Fred Benson peers at him from his thick glasses. A group of scared freshman cower together. There’s a couple of band kids other than Robin Buckley who forgone glaring at the back of Eddie’s head in order to chew on her lip nervously and stare at the ground. Not a jock in sight.

Steve Harrington couldn’t have landed a worse team if he tried. Surprisingly he doesn’t look like he’s about to piss himself over it. Huh.

“Alright, well. I volunteer myself then,” he raises his hand. “That leaves three. Hm? Come on, it’s gonna be fun!”

Eddie can’t help it. He snorts. It’s loud and ugly.

“Well, I guess we have another volunteer,” Harrington preens and Eddie has to see who is idiotic enough to- It’s him, isn’t it? Harrington pulled out the classic teacher move and Eddie fell right into the trap.

“You do not want that, Harrington,” he tells him, trying his best not to show how much the intense eye contact from the jock affects him. It does not. It affects him even less when Steve juts out his bottom lip and tilts his head to the side like a goddamn Golden Retriever.

“Why not?”

“You’re going to lose?”

“It’s not about winning, it’s about teamwork,” Harrington trudges on stubbornly, sounding eerily sincere even while basically quoting every fake-cheery pamphlet in existence. It doesn’t matter how much Eddie tries to convince him it’s a bad idea – a terrible, awful, horrible idea – he doesn’t budge an inch like the stubborn asshole that he is.

“I’ll go last,” he informs Eddie and the other two unfortunate ‘volunteers’ once they reach the track.

“Hey, Harrington,” cuts a familiar voice and there’s Hagan suddenly all up Harrington’s business. “Ready to lose?”

To his credit, all Steve does is raise one eyebrow. “Did Hargrove tell you to come here, or what?”

Eddie appreciates balls on a man, literally and metaphorically, so this cheery but assertive combo is doing things to him that he is not proud of. There is a reason he avoided Steve Harrington for most of high school, and it wasn’t only because of the King Steve jock persona. Eddie may not have a good taste in men but he does have eyes.

“Whatever, man,” Hagan finishes off their little pissing contest in the meantime, strutting right back to Billy, both arms adored by blue ribbons. Harrington’s nostrils flare with each breath before he closes his eyes for a second.  

Eddie isn’t known to make wise choices. One would argue bad decisions run in his blood, screwing things up his very own a generational pattern.

“Uh, you okay, man?”

Harrington’s eyes snap open. Eddie should have never opened his mouth. With Harrington’s intense eyes on him, he feels like Icarus, flying too close to the sun. Steve smiles. Eddie is going to crush and burn any minute now.

“Yeah, sorry,” he keeps his voice light but there’s underlying tension that hasn’t been there before. His eyes appear almost glazed over when he looks over to Billy Hargrove. Eddie’s gut-instinct wants to pin the strange interaction on some jock-code that he is simply not familiar with but that’s not all there is to it. Eddie has fallen victim to the rumor mill many a time during his prolonged high school career and so he tries not to lean into them too much, even when the juicy news of a fight between the former and new king of Hawkins High broke out. One look at Harrington now and he knows, deep down, the impressive shiner on Steve’s face last fall has truthfully been Hargrove’s doing.

Doesn’t matter, really, because Harrington, emanating a true father-at-vacation energy, claps his hands together with too much enthusiasm. “Alright, let’s get this show on the road.”

Getting the show on the road, so to speak, is Abby, a freshman, who does not at all look very confident. Eddie cannot, for a fact, tell if the time passes too fast or too slow as the whistle toots and Abby is on the go, then Nigel, and then-

Eddie leans forward, bends his knees. Suddenly there’s a weight in his hand. Someone is screaming for him to ‘ go, go, go’ !

And Eddie does what he does best. He runs.

By the halfway point, his lungs are on fire, his legs feel like jello. His hair flies out of his bun and he can barely see but, he muses, he might as well try and actually finish something for once. And it’s not because Steve Harrington happens to be waiting on the other side. But maybe that’s a bonus. Who can tell?

The second his hand touches Harrington’s and passes on the stick, his legs give out from underneath him and he falls on his ass with a deeply unsatisfying thunk .

“Nice job, Munson,” says a blurry hand with a bottle of water.

“Thanks,” he says, or tries to, though it comes out slurred. A big swing of water helps.

“You okay?” Robin leans over him before taking a whiff of L’eau d’Eddie and promptly taking an out.

“Aw, I knew you cared, Buckley.”

“I just don’t want you to hurl all over my shoes,” she simply says.

Somehow they are not last. Eddie doesn’t know whether he helped at all or is it simply the power of Steve Harrington’s godlike legs that did all the heavy-lifting, but they finish off in second place, right after Hagan.

Eddie would never admit it out loud, not under threats of death, but it was…kind of fun. Satisfying.

“Eddie, you were amazing!” Harrington runs up to him, sweat pooling over his forehead and neck and Eddie has to stop himself from offering to lick it off.

“Hu-?”

“You never mentioned you’re this fast!”

“Because I’m not? Have you hit your head on the way here, or-?”

Something weird happens with Harrington’s face for a split second but it’s so quick Eddie doesn’t have the time to properly analyze it before he’s smiling again.  

“Not this time, no,” he forces a chuckle. “But you had fun, right?”

Eddie sighs, flops down on the ground to make it extra dramatic. Eyes closed, he reaches out with his hand to make a tiny gap between his index finger and thumb. “Maybe a little.”

A small laugh rings above him, this time genuine, and he hates how he can feel a lazy grin tug at his lips.

Eddie misses at least one round while he lays on the grass. It’s a blissful fifteen-thirty-forty minutes and he revels in it with every whiff of a colder breeze but by minute forty-two the ground doesn’t seem nearly as comfortable as it used to right after the race. The sun assaults his eyes the moment he opens them and he swiftly sits up, trying to shake off loose twigs and dry grass that have gotten entangled with his hair.

Team Yellow has seen better days. While Eddie lounged in the grass they have become a mass of sweat and red heat-swollen cheeks. Whatever disciplines he’s missed, he is glad he has. They are not last on the leaderboard, though – by what miracle, he cannot figure out.

“Eddie!” Steve Harrington, of course, has been spared the same treatment as his team. Hair slightly whipped by the wind and rosy cheeks, he looks as though he just about stepped out of a salon. A tattered yellow-white-blue volleyball sits against his hip. “Just the guy I was looking for. You willing to give it a try?”

Eddie is not.

Not under any normal-adjacent circumstances anyway but Harrington is, consciously or not, giving him his best rendition of puppy eyes. That and Eddie can feel a heated gaze located on the back of his head coming coach’s way. No matter how tempting, he cannot afford to screw this up.

So, in the driest monotone he can muster, Eddie says, “Been waitin’ for that my whole life.”

“Cool,” is all Harrington says before his achingly warm fingers wrap themselves around Eddie’s wrist and tug him towards the court. Buckley is already standing by the net, sending Eddie a miniscule smile of encouragement when he settles on her left, Harrington just behind him.

“Was worried you were a goner by now,” Gareth calls from the other side of the net, a green ribbon tied to his wrist.

“Nah, you know me, Gare-bear,” he flexes his non-existent biceps. “I'm prime material for the next super athlete.”

Someone – Harrington – chokes and coughs behind him. Eddie refuses to look, contribute to the hot and sticky flush of embarrassment that settles over his organs like slime. He has a reputation to uphold, though, so when Gareth raises his eyebrow, silently asking if he is okay – in this team, with King Steve, here and now – Eddie simply rolls his eyes and conspicuously whispers ‘Little Miss Primadonna’, their little nickname for King Steve back in the day.

He doesn’t like how instead of feeling lighter he just feels sick afterwards.

A resounding whistle starts the first set.

Eddie has forgotten how violent and competitive volleyball can get. He jumps away every time the ball comes anywhere near him, Harrington’s sweaty body miraculously appearing right there and then to save the day. It’s maybe the first time today that he can see blips of annoyance on the jock’s face but then as soon as it appears it smooths out and Steve graces him with yet another smile.

“You don’t have to be afraid of the ball,” Harrington off-handedly tells him in-between sets.

“Yeah, well, you tend to start feeling a little bit wary about it after you’ve been hit in the face a few times,” Eddie can’t help but bite back. Harrington looks sad all of a sudden, as though his friends haven’t been the ones to attempt their best at making Eddie’s face concave. He can’t help but yelp when a hairy mass – Steve’s arm – settles over his back and shoulders.

“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you,” Harrington teases but there’s a sincere note in his voice. “I won’t let any balls come near you.”

Harrington – blessed, innocent, Harrington – is thankfully too straight to realize the innuendo he accidentally made but Eddie is most definitely not, face red as he mumbles under his breath ‘I mean, some balls are fine.”

Thankfully he does not hear that either.

Steve keeps his promise with surprising accuracy; no volleyball flies anywhere near Eddie and Harrington is always close by. Which should not bring as much comfort to him as it does. Especially considering Eddie still is unable to figure out why – why is Harrington this nice? Why does he care about Eddie at all? Part of him worries it’s all an act, a grand performance by one King Steve, with a grand finale that promises pain and humiliation right at the crescendo.

Nothing happens.

Well, they lose. Spectacularly. One game, then another, then a third one.

Amid this disaster and despite them being the singularly least athletic team possible, Steve Harrington remains an encouraging and patient captain. Not once does he yell or complain when the majority of the team scrambles away from the ball instead of towards it. Surprising, when Harrington has spent years under the wing of Coach Daniels as the Hawkins High very own basketball team captain.

“You’re good at this,” Eddie thinks out loud, promptly pursing his lips because he did not mean to actually say it. It is in particularly bad self-preservation taste to give a jock more ammo.

“I promised,” is all Steve says with a wink. And for a second, a blink-and-you-miss-it, his eyes go up and down along Eddie’s body, and- But that’s impossible. Harrington is not- He wouldn’t have-

It’s a preposterous cherry on the wild-buck cake he’s been offered today. There must have been a ball hurled his way at one point or another, punching him into another dimension that is similar enough yet decidedly feels a little bit off at every step. He’s rooted in his spot like the idiot that he is. What finally breaks him from the self-induced coma is what caused it in the first place - his ears catch the melodic tune of a Harrington laugh and, just like that, from feet above the ground he falls back to Earth, popping like a balloon with a gun.

For all Buckley piss-poor attempts at appearing done with it all, she sure looks chummy with Steve Harrington all of a sudden, and he does with her as well. It was foolish, stupidly childish, to assume the jock’s attention was for Eddie and Eddie alone.

Harrington pulling out his patented charm with Buckley the same way he did a second ago with Eddie feels like a light stab in his chest. What twists it is them looking Eddie’s way, red cheeks and mirth in their eyes, and letting out a short but audible laugh.

“I’m telling you, dingus.”

 “God, shut up,” but Harrington laughs as he says it, even when he elbows Robin right in the boob.

Dead-set on keeping his eyes on the ground, Eddie tries to move past them. He doesn’t get far.

“Hey, Eddie, I’m trying to convince Robin to go for tug of war,” Harrington tells him for some fucking reason.

“No way, dingus.”

“She’s stronger than she looks,” he adds, poking Buckley in the bicep-less arm. “From carrying that tuba around.”

“Trumpet.”

I haul up the amp at every Corroded Coffin show, Eddie wants to say – would that impress you?

He’s pathetic. He’s fallen from the high pedestal he self-appointed himself at – above the bullshit popularity contest and suffocating do’s and don’ts of small-town’s high school lore – right at the feet of the walking and breathing representation of everything he resents about how the world works, and-

“Yeah, whatever,” he mumbles.

A good smoke is exactly what Eddie needs right now. Fill his being with nothing but puffs of smoke. Students and teachers and even some parents roam around the school grounds but his trusty spot behind the gym is free of the intruders. Two cigarettes in, he refuses to feel sorry for himself any longer.

He’s not going to dwell on something that was a pipe dream to begin with. Not too long anyway. Whatever. He’s fine.

He is .

Steve seems wary of him when he gets back but he brushes it off as well as he can and gets in line behind Fred Benson instead. It’s long jump time.

“Robin’s pretty cool, right?” comes a voice behind him. Eddie yelps.

“Jesus Christ, warn a guy.”

Steve has the audacity to look a little sheepish, hand going to scratch at the back of his neck. “Sorry, man.”

Silence.

“Turns out we have some things in common,” he says, then. And stares. For a long time.

“Okay?”

What does he want Eddie to say? You have my blessing? Congrats?

Steve looks slightly discouraged from continuing his ventures but seems willing to trudge on, for whatever reason. “Maybe-“

“Munson, you’re up!”

Oh, thank God .

Eddie may not be the fastest or the strongest but he has years of avoiding bullies under his belt. That is to say, if he wants to avoid someone, he will find a way to become, well, not invisible, but unreachable at the least. It does not help that at this point he understands Harrington’s newfound obsession with him even less. Maybe for a second Eddie could have thought that – well, that doesn’t matter.  

By hour eight and with only one event left, Eddie feels pretty confident he’s going to survive the whole thing after all and not even be on the losing team somehow. That is until Coach Jenkins announces the farewell match.

“Dodgeball! Yellow against blue,” and whistles loud and clear, no room for complaints.

It all goes surprisingly well until it doesn’t. Until there’s a ball flying his way. Until he faceplants into next week.

Of course it’s Steve Harrington who insists on patching him up in the nurse’s office. “I’m the captain,” he says before anyone else can offer. Not that they were people scrambling to do so, really.

“I’m sorry,” Harrington adds when an icepack settles on the side of Eddie’s head once they arrive.

“What for? ‘Far as I can tell it wasn’t you who threw that,” Eddie narrows his eyes. “Right?”

“No, of course not, Eddie, I would never-“ Steve stops himself and Eddie wants so badly to point out that he ‘would ever’, in fact he ‘did ever’, but that would be a lie. King Steve never stooped as law as the likes of Tommy Hagan or other low-esteem high school bullies. King Steve was always above it all, too high and mighty to bother with mundane shit such as head shooting a nerd with a basketball in P.E. or offering a swirlie. Doesn’t make it right, doesn’t make him any less of an asshole for standing by and watching it happen.

But Harrington hasn’t been King Steve for a while now, has he?

It’s morally questionable. It’s confusing.

Eddie thinks he might be having a concussion.

“I promised,” Steve says instead, and Eddie is really even more convinced a visit to the ER is going to be necessary because- “That I wouldn’t let any ball come near you.”

Ah.

A strange oath to so stubbornly hang onto all things considered.

While Eddie struggles to find an appropriate response Steve decides to take it upon himself to start cleaning the scraped knee with a feather-light touch and precision that comes as a surprise. A minute stretches into five, into ten, as he works, clearing his throat at the end.

“I’ve been told that I’ve been,” he makes quotation marks in the air. “acting like a weirdo.”

“Ah. Well. Who am I to disagree with the King?” Eddie juts out his bottom lip and Steve snorts. Clamps a hand to his mouth, embarrassed, though a glint in his eyes betrays him.

“What’s so funny, Harrington?”

“Nothing. Just – I really do have a type,” Steve shrugs.

“Women that are probably too good for you?”

“Mmm, that, too, but also,” he grabs one of the loose strands that have escaped Eddie’s bun and twirls it between his fingers. Heat rushes to his ears fast and warm and he can barely make out what Steve says next. But he does and- “Cute pout. Curly hair. Beautiful brown eyes. Super smart.”

Eddie swallows. “Steve.”

“Not ‘Harrington’ anymore?”

“If this is a joke-“

“It’s not,” Steve’s hand quickly links and tugs at his. “I promise it’s not.”

“I’m a little lost, dude, not gonna lie.”

“The whole day, I couldn’t keep my eyes off you. You’re… pretty, so pretty. And Robin insisted that you like me, too,” Steve slows down, disentangles his hands from Eddie’s. “But – did I misread this? I- Don’t leave me hanging like that, man.”

Eddie can see the growing panic in Steve’s eyes, desperation in his voice. He can’t help it, his mind comes to a shattering halt.

“Wait, hold on, I- You’re being serious?” Steve nods. “Okay, shit. I-uh. Fuck.”

“This was a bad idea, wasn't it?” Steve fists his hand in his hair, making a mess of it and oh, Eddie cannot allow that, not unless he’s the one that- “I’m so sorry, Eddie-“

One hand on a grey shirt, one with rings getting tangled in-between strands of puffy hair, two pair of lips collide for just a split second. Only a quick pause follows before they are reunited again, and again, and-

“Does that mean,” Steve asks, breathless, between peppering kisses. “that you’ll go out with me?”

“Keep the kisses coming and you have yourself a deal.”

Steve leans away and smirks. Eddie can’t help the little embarrassing whine that leaves his lips. “We stopped. Why did we stop?”

“Told you it’s all about teamwork.”

[sunshine-and-moonshine]

Cod Men in a Dating Sim

Requested: No

Warnings: Light bit of angst

A/N: Did I watch a bunch of (and by that I mean 3) dating games just so I could get inspiration for this? ……Maybe

Ghost - The Punk/Goth Guy

By far the hardest and most frustrating character to romance, Ghost’s route leaves even the most seasoned completionist in tears. People who attempt to do playthroughs of the game won’t even attempt it, and much of his route is virtually unknown. His trust is hard won and easily lost, even the tiniest of mistakes will affect your whole game with him, to the point that you could very well lose all progress with him at any point. There have been demands and petitions for the devs to change his route, calling him stupidly difficult, not worth the effort it takes. Oh but those select few who get to peek behind the curtain? Those that get to woo him and make him blush, who truly hold his heart? They’re in love, will defend him and his horrible jokes and his sad boi personality until they die.

Soap - The Himbo Jock

Soap, the cheerful and upbeat type. Always doing some sort of high energy sport in his free time, his happiness infecting you everytime you two cross paths, his smile only growing bigger every time you both talk. He always wants to be doing something with you, his arm around your waist, loud and happy and brighter than the sun. Doesn’t matter what type of activity you like doing, he wants to be doing it with you. His route is the easiest to get through and his charm draws in all kinds of people, making him almost unanimously loved through the fandom of the game. To the point that people recommending the game always say that you should start with his route first. He’s kind of the poster boy of the whole game at this point.

König - The Shy Guy

König, the sweet librarian at your local library, always so kind but painfully shy when you try and talk to him. Books almost always clutched to his chest, twiddling his thumbs and ducking his head with a blush rising under his mask if you make even the slightest attempt to get close to him, an absolute mess if you flirt with him. He’s the adorable sweetheart of the game that, even if you don’t want to romance him, is just nice and adorable in general. But when you really get into his route, he is so flirty. Granted it’s only when he thinks you can’t hear (unaware that he has literal subtitles telling you what he says). And he gets so protective, always offering to walk you everywhere and just generally tending to stick around you and show you all sorts of things he enjoys, always eager when you return the favor and show him your own favorite things.

Alejandro - The Flirt

Alejandro likely met you through your mutual friend in the game, Rudy. Coming to visit his old pal and meets you at his home, instantly all over you, suave flirtations leaving his lips every other second as he tries to get you alone every chance he can get, much to Rudy’s annoyance. At first it’s a bit of a game, just another blip in the back of his mind, nothing serious. But as time goes on, it becomes more and more serious, more genuine. His advances start to become a bit softer but now carry real feelings in them. He’s a character that many think is too sleazy at first but come to adore him and his sweet nature as you progress through his route. He’s not as loved of a character as Soap but he is in the top three, tied with Rudy.

Rudy - The Best Friend

Rudy. Sweet adorable lovable Rudy. He is the character who plays the role of the best friend with the long time crush. Very poorly hidden crush by the way. He’s never very bold with his words but his actions communicate his feelings very well. He’s always happy to talk to you, and even listens to you if you’re trying to romance another character and something goes awry. It hurts him but he puts on a good act, even if he distances a bit from you upon learning of your feelings for a different character. His sweet and supportive personality is why he ties with Alejandro in the top three favorites, and many adore him and enjoy repetitively romancing him, never seeming to get bored of finding all his secrets.

[supermaks]

Omg this verstappie rewatch is literally gonna be the whole season lmao

Part 1 2016-2018 > Part 2 2019-2022

In 2013, after becoming the World and European KZ class Champion, European OF class Champion, Continental KF class champion, and 3rd place laureate in the World KF class, 15 year old Max Verstappen had turned that years karting scene into a 'one man show' according to Vroomkart International. The title of the piece wasted no time posing what was, admittedly, a very bold question:

Gentlemen, a short view into the 2023 season

Baku, 2023. Ik what ur thinking. 19 wins and ur gonna start wid fucking Baku? And yes 🙂I will, and so shud u 🫵🏽Max lost Baku. The pole, the sprint and the race. Lingered about 3 secs behind checo after the SC, never closed the gap. And guess what, Baku was actually one of the most important races of this season, Maxs own words. Because that inconsistent pace? Those choppy lap times, killing his tires? Max was learning how to setup his car. Rb19 was clearly rb18s big brother, a real sunday beast, faster, more reliable, but a lil sensitive, demanded some hands on attention from his boy. So Max turned Baku into their fp4. U can c it on his onboard, hear him asking for different settings, toggling wid the balance. Those of us who know Max, we kinda suspected what he was up to. But it seemed others didnt. And whatvr max was about to do to these people in Miami bro, it wud be the type of reckoning u read about in the bible.

Miami, 2023. When max qualified p9 cheers echoed across both Americas. After the Baku loss, the slow start to the season, there was hope. Max Verstappen was about to lose the championship lead. People bought into the fairytale and they were loud about it too. They taunted him, booed him and his mechanics in parc ferme. And then Max was p2 by lap 15. Cut thru the field like butter and the whole stint he kept setting purples. Fastest lap after fastest lap. By lap 40 his hards were outpacing fresh mediums on a track u cud fry an egg on. Red bulls strategy for Max required the impossible and that's exactly what Max delivered. Before Miami, Checo was a title contender. After Miami, he was barely a competitor. Max took the 'tire whisperers' ambitions and grinded them into dust in 45 laps or less. It was the race that marked the beginning of the most dominant individual season in Formula 1 history but at its core, in classic Verstappen style, it was a lesson. A very simple one.

Shot by Brook Ward.

Monaco, 2023

- Qualifying Yk who doesn’t give a FUCK about lessons tho, Monaco. Monaco wont be taught by no man. But it’s 2023. This classic immovable object about to meet the most unstoppable force in modern sport history. Max's very first pole in Monaco, and fittingly so, it came out of an all-timer session. One of those saturdays that make u understand why the tax dodging diva of f1 is going absolutely nowhere. Pole switched between Ocon, Yuki, Sharl and Alonso right up until Max did his thing. 2 mins to the checkered flag, it looked like Nando had it locked. 2 untouchable purples, textbook. It wud have been a beautiful moment, a deserved reward for an old dawg who’d kept at it and had a capable car again. Unfortunately for Nando, though, Sennas illegitimate child clocked in that Saturday. He had a bit of a history wid third sectors that once fucked him. But it's 2023, so this wud be the one that made him. Max put 3 tenths on Alonso's head in one of the shortest, most technical corners of the entire calendar. F1's 'sunday' driver by excellence, the one stop pacemaker, the metronome, the endurance machine, proved that he was all that and also, in fact, the type of elite qualifier who can write his signature on the walls of Monte Carlo.

- Race Monaco is all about Saturday obvi but imo this years race is also worth watching because its actually kind of a banger wid mixed conditions, insane strategies and because this is a verstappie rewatch, u get to c Max at his best: in a chaotic packed field under the rain.

Canada, 2023. Speaking of rain masters. Senna's legend has been clinging to Max from the very first time he traumatized wet cat Rosberg in Brazil in 2016 but it was this year, in Canada, wid Nando and Lewis by his side, the guys who were also there, who saw it happen too, that Max finally matched Senna's win tally. 41. It was a perfect weekend, a testament to the talent that allowed a 26 year old to overtake Ayrton Senna in the record book, and it began, as if in tribute, wid a soaking wet qualifying. Max's pole lap was one second faster than the rest of the grid. One full second. If ur a Nando or a Lewis fan, I wud definitely give it sunday a watch as well because old gays were definitely out there. Also we got this. What yall know about this .

Shot from Nurphoto.

Lemme tell u something rn: Ur looking at 12 world championships, 189 wins, and a 14 year old gap from youngest to oldest. You're looking at statistically, the most successful driver of all time, the guy whose racecraft still seen by many as the finest this sport has ever seen, and a kid who's been sitting between them since he was 17 years old. The same kid who, a few racers later, broke records that existed long before the other two were even born. Yk, Lewis said it better than I ever cud, 'this is quite an iconic top 3'.

Austria, 2023. Why are u a Verstappen fan? U ever been asked that question. Ik i have. 😐 Lots of possible answers. To me Austria has all of them. In Canada, Checo barely made the finish line while Max pushed rbr to their 100th team victory and ((unofficially)) began his chase of the Vettel record. Mind u the mf wont admit that’s what he’s doing, but it is. Him, GP, the whole team. They want it. But we'll get to that. Max is a hunter, and his boy car is the best hound of his career so far. Together, they’d caught the scent. Races like Australia, Spain, Monaco, Canada, they showed it was possible. His management was getting Schumacher shouts, his qualifying was getting Senna's. Clarks proficiency. 2023 can be understood as the result of Max's life long pursuit of perfection, the crowning point of his hard work, the realization of all his potential, that prodigal nature that had been so obvious for so long, finally, entering its prime wid a car that can make history. And yet. AND YET. max has something that all those other legendary mfs lack. Something that is deeply, deeply Max’s. Free practice 1 in Austria and that talented, beautiful creature of God was ready to send it all to hell to make a POINT. Austria was a sprint this year, so already you've pissed him off. During fp1, Lewis impeded Max like once.

((And listen

Lewis saw that boy enter the paddock and immediately called security and along wid seb vettel and raikkonen launched a class action lawsuit against him on the grounds of a) fuck b) them kids. Then 6 years later Lewis and that now grown ass man spent a whole legendary season trying to kill each other. U c how this relationship may have some residue of . lets say. conflict.))

So Lewis impeded Max in fp1 and Max's raytheon hamilton-calibrated sensors activated and he did nothing less but the exact same thing in sprint qualifying. Blocked old mans flying lap. Lewis is limping thru this weekend, mind u, like it’s almost sad. It’s kinda elderly abuse. THEN, the actual sprint. Again, Austria is red bull's home turf. packed wid red bull fans. The car is a rocket, they're on a streak, lots of good photo ops for the team. It started raining. Even better. Lights out, and Checo took the lead first and in the process like . squeezed Max a lil bit. Pushed him on the grass. U can guess what happened next. 😐😐😐😐To answer that first question and to quote somebody who knows him, Max is Max. No matter where, how, against who. Wid a rocketship, wid a hole in his car, winning, losing, fighting for the lead against Lewis Hamilton, fighting for sixth against baby schumi, refusing to comply wid team orders against sainz, scolding danny ric about discipline, waiting 7 months to deliver his justice in brazil, calling russell a dickhead in Baku, whether in front of 300 000 haters in Silverstone of half a million fans in Spielberg, he'll do what he thinks is right. Thats the kind of mf that wins constructors all by himself. 575 points, on his own. Over 1000 laps lead. Max Verstappen has not succeeded in f1 despite his character, but because of it. Because when Checo squeezed him at the start of a stupid fucking sprint that wont make a dent in his records or his lead, Max collected his car and lunged thru the inside line like the title wud be decided in the next turn. He was willing to send himself, checo, and a goddamn haas to hell to remain at the front. And that’s why I'm a fan.

Zandvoort, 2023. 9 consecutive wins. A race that u feel in ur stomach because you know what it means. The sheer size of the accomplishment. That word ringing in everybodys ears since Miami. Inevitable. inevitable. Up until it happened, and then obvi Monza wid the perfect 10, nobody really wanted to believe it. seb's 9 was one of those things held sacred and hallowed by the sport. Like Schumachers points in a season, Ascaris win percentage, Clarks laps lead, and Hamiltons consecutive podiums. Sacred things. And in 2023, the nonbeliever broke them all. Grasped and squeezed wid his very cynical hands. They’re his now. No one else’s. What he did, no one else can do. Max is always outstanding in Zandvoort tbh, thats his track, his fans, his weather. But this years quali was particularly emblematic of the gap to the rest of the grid , and his teammate especially. 1.7s faster than checo. The race was just as impressive. Rain hit early on, complete chaos, and while everybody scrambled to choose the right tires, GP was in Max’s ear, calm as ever, 'it’s up to you'. It really was. It always was.

Zandvoort, 2023. > Monza, 2023.

Japan, 2023. Red Bulls factory crowning weekend. Coming out a disaster Singapore, yet another statement win. Singapore had showed what it took to slow down Verstappen in 2023: not just the wrong setup, but the wrong strategy too. As we'll c in Texas, like we've seen in 2016, 2019, 2020, a machine off the pace alone wont stop Max from winning races. In Suzuka, rocky was back into his operational window, and Max proved exactly who was it that singlehandedly delivered the constructors championship. One of those classic Max weekends. 20 drivers on track but 2 different leagues and he's on his own. Wid a 177 point lead over his teammate, yet another record broken, biggest point gap between 1st and 2nd. ((In the end, the margin was 290)). Max names Suzuka as his most satisfying pole lap of the season. Bro put half a second on the grid in one go.

COTA, 2023. just something in the Americas ((me)) that unlocks the extra prodigal gene in this mf. Talent of the century? Put his ass in North America we can stretch that shit to the millennium idc idc . Miami, Texas, Brazil, Mexico, and now Vegas, to me these are cornerstones of Verstappen excellence. Max holds the record for most wins in a single geographical location over one season. ((Of course he does)) 10 consecutive wins in NA, across state lines, country borders, wid different conditions, tracks, circuits, tires, formats, setups. This years’ Austin GAG? Apparently they didn’t set the tarmac right. track was a bumpy mess. Max struggled from the start wid braking issues and tire wear, but he kept his head cool because he knew he had the basics. There was once a time before the rb19 , when all he had was a cap and 1 year of open wheel experience, and his 18 year old self put on a clinic against a 30 year old world champion on how to defend on old faulty rubber. That’s exactly what Max did in Cota. Bro was able to make up for aerodynamic loss wid nothing but pedal and wheel work. Do not talk to him during braking. Do not fucking talk to him during braking. That’s all Max asked. 50th win. Offically 3rd OAT, behind Vettel, Hamilton and Schumacher. ((He’s now alone in 3rd OAT, wid 53 wins.)). He’s 26. After Merc and Ferrari were proclaimed ‘illegal’ what truly shocked me wasn’t that they tried to cheat, but that they wud try to pull that shit against this Verstappen, in this car, in 2023. They lowered their floors for smoother suspensions to fight Adrian Neweys Frankenstein monster but the real machine was sitting right behind the wheel. And he won. Actually, he mollywhooped those bitches. Not the floor, not the wings, just a damn good racing driver. Good luck next time.

Qatar gp, 2023. Dutch man allergic to winning world championships in a normal way, millions left emotionally berated every year begging for the sweet release of ted kravitzs voice. No I’m jk but actually tell me why this fool cud not have waited for the race to clinch it. Bro had the title confirmed by a sprint where he finished SECOND. As a verstappie, imma tell u to watch this because it’s like. get out of my face rn I love you so much I’m so happy for u also that helmet is so pretty. In Qatar, Max became 1 of 5 drivers who won back to back to back world championships. After the year 2000, 1 of 3. Along wid the biggest championship margin in the most successful season of all time, well. 1 of 1.

Las Vegas, 2023. ummm ok ik this may SHOCK u but he wasn’t a fan. Max spent the whole season bitching about Vegas and breaking records and threatening retirement like that’s literally a fair description of events. Just very verstappen and migraine inducing type of shit. But yes, Vegas. Vegas held no old school appeal whatsoever. And he was right about some things. He never berated the circuit itself, the quality of the racing, just the show around it. U shud build for the track, not around it. It’s not that difficult to understand, or even that unpopular. But Max forgot about one important thing that wud prolly hurt his cause. He has never landed on US soil and not served. The plot armor wud simply never let my baddie have her AHA!!!!moment in Nevada. So I want u to open that cringe FUCKING compilation Sunday stream of the Vegas gp and c what happens when a sleep deprived verstappen and his so called ‘dominant’ ‘untouchable’ ‘unbeatable’ ‘rocket ship’ are released on a frozen track wid barely any data because one of the potholes burst and cut practices into 10 mins. Bitch what happens is good fucking f1 😭😭😭 Some real formula uno cabron 😭😭 Max retakes the lead at the start, overcooks his frozen tires, pushes sharl off, gets a penalty, serves his penalty, comes back wid gods wrath emanating from his fugly white helmet, obliterates the gap to first and Russell along wid it ((🫡)) passes both cars in front in one slick veteran move and sinks his teeth into p1 for the remaining 13 laps. And wins. Maybe not his most characteristic win, but def the funniest one. Stupid ass even sang Elvis. That’s an f1 driver bitch. He can’t trick me.

Here we are. Abu Dhabi. Breathe out. Red Bull won constructors in Japan, Max won the drivers championship in Qatar. It all started wid a lesson, remember? Max was a good teacher. He spent 8 months making sure we learned. Did you?

By Abu Dhabi, 2023, Max had officially set 20 new records, including the record for most records broken in a season by a single driver. 5 of those achievements had already been set in 2022, just upgraded in 2023: most wins in a season, most podiums in a season, most consecutive wins from pole, most hat tricks in a season, and most consecutive top two finishes in history. 3 of his achievements, however, kept him on the hunt until the very last lap: 3rd most wins of all time, over a 1000 laps lead, and the highest percentage of wins in the sports history. Max got them all. He’s now, statistically, the sole protagonist of the most dominant season in f1, and f1’s 3rd most successful driver, behind Schumacher and Hamilton. Max won 19 out of 22 races. 10 of those wins were consecutive. Right now, he’s already on another streak. 3 more wins and he matches his own record. 4 and he resets the book forever. What Max did wid the rb19 needs to be watched again and again and again, because it’ll be years. YEARS .Until we begin to learn how to truly appreciate it. This is just my humble attempt.

In Abu Dhabi, the job was done wid a series of incredible defensive moves that completely shut the door on sharl. No flashy overtakes, no heroics on the inside line. Just strong classic defending. Sharls attack was dealt wid, nullified, the gap was built, set and managed, and Max saw the fireworks 17 seconds earlier than the rest. In 2023, Max was untouchable by all but one. The car he called ‘rocky’. The only car, to this day, according to the man himself, that ever saw him smile before he crossed the finish line. That ever made him happy before it made him a winner.

You tell me.

[heartofbusan]

I'm calling it.

Bonus live clip for Muse will be a vid directed by JK.

😃🤡

How did I get here?

Lemme drag you into my pit.

Streets are saying (the voices in my head 😃) that the pictures from the preview all feature Summer activities.

WHAT IF MINKOOKIE TRAVEL VLOG MUKBANG BUDDY COP SHOW is 3 or 4 episodes filmed across several seasons. Spring in Jeju. Summer in Connecticut. Fall in Busan. Winter in Tokyo. 🤔🤔🤔 I'm iffy on the timeline as I am not a walking encyclopedia Parktannica, and we have no confirmation that the Jeju trip is even a part of the travel vlog, so just indulge me here.

For all we know the whole travel vlog could be a twenty minute bangtanb and the remainder of my hopes and dreams stored in a rust can hanging on to the back of a motorbike by a string, dragged along a dusty bumpy road. WHO KNOWS. NOT ME.

But! From the little we have seen, it does seem like a very 'buddy buddy' go traveling together, having fun before enlistment type of vibe. From the little that we saw.

What really surprised me was the timing. If it's dropping on the 8th of August, it'll be the closing coda of Jimin’s MUSE promo. NO BIG DEAL. NO NEED TO FREAK OR ANYTHING. Why would a travel (show, clip, video, ten episode series, saga) where two bro's travel to beautiful natural (romantic??) destinations, shown right after a second album about rising like a Phoenix after having endured a tough time while a special someone is supporting you, waiting for you, leading you to blooming and who makes you act bold. Longing to share your love for said muse, featuring lyrics like:

why should that be a big deal AT ALL??

Nope. It's just jikook jikooking after all. They are the masters of framing their work around the other. They make sure to include the other in nuanced ways that leave one seriously questioning ones sanity.

That's why I think Muse and the travel vlog overlapping/butting up against one another (no pun intended) is VERY much in Jimin’s wheelhouse. He is the master of revealing nothing while suggesting everything.

So, if it turns out the live clip is a live rendition of a song from MUSE, filmed by or with JK. Done conveniently while the two were traveling to a beautiful destination together?? Details never or rarely to be mentioned again? Classic Jikook.

If it turns out that none of the above is correct, I'm sure it'll be something equally as crazy. Something my mind is yet to conjure up.

I'm glad at least that we're finally counting down to this thing. 😃😌🤡

[wooyoungisbaby]

Mark your first choice in each category, with bold or a funky colour and reblog/repost :) Note: || marks a new bracket Tag some people too if you'd like!

Albums

Main series || Treasure · Zero: Fever · The World · Golden Hour

Treasure series || All to Zero · Zero to One · One to All · All to Action · Action to Answer

Fever series || Part 1 · Part 2 · Part 3 · Epilogue

The World series || Movement · Outlaw · Fin: Will

Japanese releases || Shift the Map · Map to Answer · Into the A to Z · Beyond: Zero || Dreamers · Limitless || Paradigm · Not Okay

Other releases || Season Songs · Let's get Together || Kingdom: Who is the King · Don't Stop · Spinoff: From The Witness

Songs

Vibes

Bright || Eternal Sunshine · Wave || Illusion · Aurora || If Without You · Time of Love || Dreamers · Dreamy Day ||  Celebrate · Light || Stay · Blue Summer

Simply epic || HalaHala · Say My Name || Answer · Wonderland || Treasure · Fireworks

Resistance™ || Guerilla · Halazia || Cyberpunk · Wake Up || Outlaw · New World · This World

B) fun times || Crazy Form · The Real · Thanxx ||  Bouncy · Work

Swag tbch || Matz · Pirate King || The Leaders · Win · Rocky || To The Beat · Emergency || Django · Arriba || Blind · Shaboom

Yearning || Be With You · Utopia · Take Me Home || Mist · Turbulence ||  Dazzling Light · Silver Light || Empty Box · Not Too Late

Frenzied || Inception · HalaHala ||  Desire · Precious · Horizon ||  Siren · Not Okay

Hopeful, optimistic || Sunrise · My Way || Better · Still Here || Not Too Late · One Day at a Time || Good Lil Boy · Let's Get Together · Limitless

Genres (idk shit about genres, i got help from here)

Moombathon || Wave · Dreamers || Let's Get Together · Promise · Stay

Ballad || Be With You · Everything || Not Too Late · Star 1117

Synth || Cyberpunk · Take Me Home || Silver Light · This World · Diamond

Rock || Guerilla · Rocky || Wake Up · Dancing Like Butterfly Wings

Various types of hip-hop || Illusion · My Way · Thanxx || Outlaw · Emergency || Django · The Leaders

Double title tracks on the same albums

Pirate King · Treasure || Illusion · Wave ||  Thanxx · Inception || Eternal Sunshine · Deja Vu || Turbulence · The Real

Units and solos

Unit songs || Matz · IT's You || Everything · Youth

Mingi songs || Untitled · Tunnel

Jongho songs || Wind · Gravity || A Day · A Fairytale of Youth

Seonghwa covers ||  At My Worst · Angel Baby Yeosang covers || Hug Me · Don't You Forget About Me || To My Puberty · Crush · Only Then

Hongjoong covers + song  || Space Oddity · Starman ||  Black or White · Purple Rain · Billie Jean || Numb · Lemon Tree || So Long Time · Draw & Draw ||  Last Christmas · Cupid · A Walker

Other covers  || それがあなたの幸せとしても (YH) · Etham 12:45 (WY) || Dear Name (CS, JH) · Breathe (CS)

Choreography

Bouncy · Say My Name ||  Thanxx · Work || The Real · Crazy Form || Wave · Eternal Sunshine || Aurora · Illusion ||  Inception · Deja Vu || Answer · Wonderland · Fireworks || Halazia · Guerilla || Treasure · Pirate King || Be My Lover · Black Cat Nero || Rocky · Limitless ||  Not Okay · Paradigm || IT's You · Youth ||  HalaHala · Cyberpunk ||  Silver Light · Utopia || Django · Arriba · Outlaw ||  Good Lil Boy · Dancing Like Butterfly Wings || Horizon · Sector 1 · Desire

MVs

Pirate King · Treasure ||  Illusion · Eternal Sunshine ||  Deja Vu · Inception ||  Answer · Say My Name || Bouncy · Work ||  IT's You · Youth ||  The Real · Crazy Form · Thanxx || Guerilla · Halazia || Wonderland · Fireworks || Wave · Turbulence ||  Hala Hala · Don't Stop ||  Aurora · Promise || Rocky · Limitless || Paradigm · Not Okay ||  Dreamers · Utopia || Black Cat Nero · Be My Lover

Eras

Put the members' names by your favourite eras for them :) Pirate King [] · Say My Name [] · Wave [] · Wonderland [] · Answer [] · Inception [] · Fireworks [] · Deja Vu [] · The Real [] · Turbulence [] · Guerilla [] · Halazia [] · Bouncy [] · Crazy Form [] · Work []

Who owned each era? Pirate King [] · Say My Name [] · Wave [] · Wonderland [] · Answer [] · Inception [] · Fireworks [] · Deja Vu [] · The Real [] · Turbulence [] · Guerilla [] · Halazia [] · Bouncy [] · Crazy Form [] · Work []

The Lads

Bias || Seonghwa · Hongjoong · Yunho · Yeosang · San · Mingi · Wooyoung · Jongho

Dancer || Seonghwa · Hongjoong · Yunho · Yeosang · San · Mingi · Wooyoung · Jongho

Vocalist || Seonghwa · Yunho · Yeosang · San · Wooyoung · Jongho · (Hongjoong · Mingi)

Stage presence/performance || Seonghwa · Hongjoong · Yunho · Yeosang · San · Mingi · Wooyoung · Jongho

Rapper || Mingi · Hongjoong · (Seonghwa · Yeosang · Yunho)

Main ships/duos || Matz · Yungi · Jongsang · Woosan

Other popular dynamics || Woojoong · Woohwa ||  Seongsang · Sanhwa || Sansang · Woosang · Woosansang

Styling

hair unless otherwise specified

Hongjoong Mullet · Oreo || Blue · Orange || White · Red || Soft pink · Fireworks || Grey w/ bangs and eyebrow fun · Rainbow || Cheetah · White bowl cut

Seonghwa Pink · Blond || Sidecut w/ shaved design · Long || Red · Grey || Kingderland coat · Deja Vu zipper outfit ||  Vampire corset · Elle dress

Wooyoung Oreo · Red || Blue tinted · Blond || Pale purple · Dark blond || Hair band · Fur jacket

Jongho Red/Black · Dirty blond · Purple

Mingi Orange · Red || Hot pink · White || Grey · Oreo

San Black with turquoise · Black with red || Oreo · Pink || Red · Blue

Yeosang Mullet · Green highlighter || Pale pink · Hot pink || Blond · Oreo

Yunho Turquoise · Soft pink || Blond ombre · Red/Black || White · Silver

Kingdom performances

Symphony No. 9 · Answer: Ode To Joy || Wave: Overture · Rhythm Ta · The Real || Colours · Wolf · Love Poem

ty @hongjoongsgoat @leethinktherefore @sxcret-garden @babymbbatinygirl and @sillyspero for your inputs :))

[avatarmerida]

Alright babes, here’s the thrilling conclusion the huntlow memory story I’ve been working on where basically Hunter was in season one but Willow lost her memories of him in Understanding Willow. Hope someone likes it 💚💛

Part 1 Part 2

———

Hunter’s photos could be sorted into three categories: 1. him trying to figure out how the camera worked (with a collection of blurry or terribly out of focus objects), 2. photos of Flapjack and 3. Photos he had clearly been roped into taking.

As Willow scrolled through his collection, it was like she could see him physically easing into the idea of friendship over time. There were several montages of Luz or Gus taking his scroll and posing for selfie as he lectured about something behind them, unaware of the shenanigans. Group photos where his frown became less and less aggressive and soon enough he was even looking at the camera with the rest of them. He began to lean in to help get everyone in frame and even a few of them had him trying out a pose of his own. She couldn’t help but notice there were a lot of photos of just the two of them: in the library, the botanical gardens or at the owl house.

And she just couldn’t get over the way he looked at her.

It was as though he was in disbelief that she had taken the time to document spending time with him. His eyes locked on her with a soft look of wonder in each photo, engulfing her in rays of gratitude and delightful confusion. It was like he was starstruck.

Maybe even enamored.

“Okay here hold it up,” Willow heard herself say. She looked down and saw she had stumbled upon a video. She focused and saw Hunter trying to steady his scroll, showing him and Willow sitting underneath a huge tree. She instantly recognized this tree, it was her favorite place to go when she needed to focus or clear her head. She had never brought anyone there, not even Gus. But she had clearly trusted Hunter with the knowledge of its location, and that spoke volumes.

The camera shifted down to just her and she laughed. “Nooo, you gotta get in here too, silly!” She insisted as she went to wrap her arms around his neck to bring him back into frame. His face instantly turned red as the camera became shaky and Willow noticed a flower crown resting atop his head, its state implying they had been there for a while.

“Okay, now smile!” She instructed as a wide smile appeared across her face, it appeared so naturally as though it was returning after not being away very long. Hunter followed suit but only after his eyes turned down to see her, he shook his head ever so slightly as though he was in total awe of her. She opened one eye, as though she suspected it, and raised her brow at him as she scrunched her nose. “You need to look at the camera, you dork!” She reached over and turned his face forward but it was like his eyes didn’t know how to leave her and something in her eyes suggested she knew that.

“Woah,” she said to herself. It was weird seeing herself like that, like she was a whole different person Willow was observing from afar. She knew she had a bit of a crush on Hunter from bits and pieces of context clues she had found but this… this was uncharted territory. She knew exactly what she was doing here; flirting in a way she had only day dreamed about, with a natural, effortless dialogue. She thought it would take her years to be the bold one in that type of situation but no, they were fun and silly and comfortable. If she could only go back in time and tell them how to stay that way.

But if her suspicions were correct, then it was out of their hands anyway.

Who could ever see them like this and think this was something bad? That this goofy, nervous boy wanted anything but wonderful things for her? Even now, Amity rolled her eyes at the mention of his name which suggested to Willow that she had made little effort to know who he truly was from the get go.

“Any luck?” he asked from beside her as he turned the page in his book. He had brought nearly every book ever written about memory loss and had been reading them cover to cover for any suggestion on how to restore her memories. He had hoped that looking through his scroll of photos and videos of them would spark something and as enjoyable as seeing these things was, it didn’t connect any dots for Willow. She felt closer to Hunter, to who she was and who they had been together, but it was nothing she could attest to on her own. But that didn’t stop her from playing the video over and over.

“It’s really cute, but not familiar,” she admitted sadly. She had reread their conversations on her scroll and tried to map out what she could recall from the days he had been removed from but there was nothing so detailed that it felt like it was really hers. He had pulled memories for her of them spending time together, still feeling regretful of not reintroducing himself sooner and paranoid she would doubt their former connection. But as compelling as the evidence was, it didn’t answer questions that only her past self held the answers to.

“Maybe I could let you into my mind,” he said. “So I could show you things you’re still missing in their entirety. I mean, they wouldn't be totally perfect and they're hard to sort and there’s alot about the coven I can’t show you… unless you’ve reconsidered your stance on-.”

She cut him off by placing her finger over his lips.

“I'm not joining the Emperor’s Coven,” she said sweetly before booping his nose. The boldness of the girl in the videos seemed to be effortlessly resurfacing as she kept finding herself present in a well-worn dynamic.She could feel Hunter smile beneath her fingertips and his eyes lingered on her for a moment the way she was growing re-accustomed to before he turned away to look at his book hoping to get ahead of his oncoming blush.

“Worth a shot,” he said with a shrug

“I appreciate the offer, but having someone in your mind is kinda scary,” she said. “I mean, one wrong move and there’s fire everywhere. You’re sweet, but I couldn’t let you do that for me; it might put your memories at risk too.”

“I trust you with my memories,” he said. He said it so naturally and it made Willow’s heart leap. Woah, she thought for a second time. She knew exactly why she had developed a crush on him, in fact she was still developing it. He was a lot like her. They both needed a place where they didn't have to prove that they belonged, where they weren’t trying to stand out or lay low and they had that together. He knew she had memories of him that weren't perfect. He cared more about her having what was rightfully hers than having her think highly of him. Hunter had told her he could be snobby and selfish, but she had yet to see these traits in him.

“I uh… thanks,” she blushed in response as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before handing him back his scroll. “It’s too bad I wasn’t keeping a diary then, I guess I must have stopped for awhile. I searched everywhere in my room, all my usual hiding spots, but I didn’t find anything.”

Hunter’s ears perked up as he quickly flipped through his scroll, searching for something. When he found what he was looking for, he moved closer to her to show her a zoomed in photo of them sitting in her room. “Look! Right there, that green book! Does it look familiar?”

Willow squinted. “Hmm, no? It looks like a notebook I’d pick out but I don’t have one like that.”

“But you did! I remember you writing in it alot! One time I said something I didn’t realize was a joke and you grabbed that book to write it down in.” Hunter was delighted to have a lead. “I don’t know what else you’d have transcribed but it could offer us something!”

“Wait, you were in my room?” she asked with a raised eyebrow, knowing her fathers’ would surely have a policy about that once they saw the way she looked at this tall, dashing boy.

“Oh yeah,” he said, cleaning his throat.

“And my dads were okay with that?”

“You, uh, miiight’ve helped me sneak in a few times,” he confessed somewhat nervously.

“Really?”

“Yeah we’d just uh… hang out, and stuff,” he said softly as though there was more to it. Or at least, he felt there was more to it. “But, anyway the diary!”

“Right, the diary.” Willow repeated getting back on track.

“We find the diary, we find more things you’re missing!”

“It’s a great idea but I’ve cleaned my room and my locker plenty of times and I haven’t seen any sign of that book,” she sighed. “I’m not sure where else it could be.”

Hunter tried to say the next part as carefully as he could, knowing things were still delicate. “Has the youngest Blight been to your house recently?”

---

It felt like lifetimes since Willow had been at the Blight estate.

When Amity answered the door, she was a bundle of nerves. Willow knew that she was serious about making things right between them but that she also knew that she wasn’t sure how to do that. Willow knew that not knowing things made Amity nervous, and this was uncharted territory, (literally off her predetermined path). They both knew this road would be complicated but when Willow had asked to come over Amity took it as a sign that she hadn’t messed things up yet.

“Hey, Willow!” Amity greeted her, her nerves mixing with her genuine excitement as her voice tried to decide the right octave to jump to.

“Hi!” Willow greeted her. Before, they’d call each other silly nicknames or be all a buzz about the activities they had planned. This was somewhere between overly formal and overly informal but it didn’t feel quite normal.

“Hello!” said Amity, searching for something else to say before they entered a never ending loop of exchanging greetings. “So uh, what can I do for you? Not that you need a reason to come over! It just seems… like yooooou did.”

“Yeah, actually,” Willow chuckled awkwardly. “We, uh-.”

“‘We?’” repeated Amity and her eyes darted behind Willow to notice Hunter for the first time. He stood behind Willow in full guard dog mode, standing tall as though a sixth sense anticipated danger. “Oh, you brought him.”

“Amity…” Willow warned.

“I know, I know sorry,” Amity said with a sigh.

Suddenly, something in Willow’s mind felt full, like something about Amity’s tone made it spring forth. It didn’t bring sound or pictures but a familiar feeling. Willow couldn’t quite place what it was trying to tell her but she knew enough to not dismiss it as she continued.

“We were talking and I was wondering did I maybe leave my diary here?” Willow asked.

“Oh, d-diary?’ Amity’s voice shook. “I… I forgot you kept a diary! Haha, uh…”

Willow immediately knew something was off. Diaries had been something important to them both. One summer at the fair they had decided to pool their prize tickets from games to get a better prize and they had fallen in love with a diary. It was purple (for Amity) with vines and flowers (for Willow). Amity was becoming busier with private lessons and the girls used their cherished book to write letters to each other. Every other night, one of them would read what the other had written and then respond. They had lost touch a few pages short of it being filled, but Willow knew that if their friendship meant as much as Amity claimed, a diary was no shock.

“Yeah, uh Hunter mentioned he saw me with one when we would hang out and we wanted to see if reading it helped me with the memories I’m still missing,” Willow explained.

“Right! Yeah! T-that would be… really helpful now, huh?” Amity chuckled.

“Amity, do you know anything about it?” Willow asked carefully, feeling certain she did. But she knew there was a reason she was being indirect and Amity knew her oldest friend sensed her hesitance and knew it was rooted in something shameful.

But Amity couldn’t admit that Boscha had stolen it from her bag during lunch. Because even though she had been against it, and even though she had even said so out loud it didn’t undo the fact that she hadn’t switched it out for any other book when she had the chance. She had been too cowardly to stand up to Boscha so instead of returning it to Willow or hiding it, the best Amity managed to to was make sure it was “accidentally” destroyed before Boscha could find anything blackmail worthy. She had meant to make it unreadable, but in her moment of panic she did not cast the proper protection spell and so when Bosha opened the book, it burst into flames.

So while Boscha was not granted access to Willow’s secrets, this still did not undo the fact that Amity did not confess the whereabouts of the diary to Willow and now it was lost forever. Amity had assumed it was another thing forgotten and decided to accept that rather than try to right her wrong, knowing that forgiveness was not guaranteed.

Things had still been tense between them when the instance occurred so Amity thought she had time to find a solution or at least a way to word things so they sounded positive in some way. But she had found neither and she knew how that looked now. It didn’t matter that she had no way of knowing how important it would end up being, it was just another way she had let Willow down when helping her would have been such a simple thing for someone who cared about her.

Amity knew that even at their worst, Willow would guard her secrets with her life. Amity didn’t deserve her.

“No, I don’t sorry.” Amity lied, her eyes wide and sorrowful and Willow somehow knew they held something lost in translation.

Willow sighed, and though Hunter did not know Amity well enough to know there was something she was not saying, he knew Willow well enough to know she did. And he could tell there was more than just a diary on the line. Cautiously, he reached out to take her hand but at the last minute felt the gesture was too strong and instead linked their pinkies together to show he was there. He may not understand exactly what had shifted, and he didn’t know what he could do, but he knew he was there for her.

“Well then,” Willow tried again, doing all she could to steady her voice as she struggled to remain professional. “Was there anything else you remember? I mean, Luz said you got separated for awhile so you saw some things she didn’t, was there anything from around that time? Anything with Hunter?”

“Um, ya know it was all just happening so fast and I can’t really remember if he was-.”

“Because if you were close enough to my memory to erase it, you must have been close enough to have seen it.” Willow pleaded with wide eyes.

“Willow, do we have to do this now? I just-.”

“Amity why is Hunter the only person missing from my memories?” Willow asked directly, and Hunter felt her grip on his finger tighten, like his presence heightened her strength.

“I thought we told you, it was-.”

“No, Luz told me,” said Willow. “She told me you got separated and when she found you, you were trying to put out a fire. But she didn’t know how it started and you never told her. You never told me because I didn’t know to ask, but you can’t say you have no idea when you were the only one there.”

Willow inhaled, 1,2,3 and then exhaled 1,2,3.

“Can you at least tell me what the memory was?” Willow asked, and Amity knew she could not deny her again. She knew there was so much hiding and riding on that request. She could not hide behind good intentions now, because they were no longer doing anyone any good.

Amity sighed. “It wasn’t about Hunter,” she admitted with solace. “It was about me.”

“Of course it was,” Willow scoffed, rolling her eyes. “It always is.”

“No, not like that!” Said Amity. “We, I mean it kind of is, but… look; I know what I did was wrong and I’m sorry-.”

“Funny, I think I’d remember you apologizing for erasing all the memories of someone I cared about,” said Willow. “Unless you just erased that part too.”

Amity had seen Willow upset before, she had seen her annoyed and sad and angry and confused but this was an emotion she had only seen in the inner Willow: she was furious.

“Willow, please,” Amity pleaded. “Let me explain!”

Willow said nothing and Amity quickly pressed on.

“It was an accident, I- we were looking for things I needed to fix and when Luz got distracted I found a memory of you and Hunter,” she said. “A lot of memories with you and Hunter, actually. And you did look happy with him and I felt sad that I had missed that because we used to tell each other everything and now we don’t.”

“Well whose fault is that?” Said Hunter, crossing his arms.

“Er, stay out of this!”

“Amity,” said Willow, her voice stern and serious. “This affects him too. Besides, he’s right.”

“Fine,” she took a deep breath as she continued. “I saw a memory of you and Hunter… talking about me.”

Hunter’s eyes widened; he instantly knew the conversation she was referring to.

“You were telling him how we used to be close and how you didn’t understand what had happened. You were telling him how you still cared about me even though I treated you awful. H-how you still worried about me and you felt stupid because the way I acted made you feel like our friendship was never real. And I hated that I made you feel that way and I… I got carried away and I wanted it gone and it all happened so fast but when I erased that memory, instead of erasing the memories of those feelings I erased the memories involving Hunter.”

“You could have just apologized when you got back,” said Willow. “You didn’t have to try and control me.”

“I know that knowing the reason doesn’t erase the fact that you felt that way,” said Amity. “And I don’t know what came over me and I’m so, so sorry-.”

“Are you sorry though?” Willow basically spat. “Or are you just sorry that you got caught in a lie? Amity… how am I supposed to believe you? How can I believe anything you say?”

“I know I have a lot to make up for but I-.”

“-never told me,” finished Willow. “You just… let me think that you were trying when this whole time you were fine with me missing something that was obviously important to me if it meant you looked slightly better. If you really cared about me and about fixing things between us you wouldn’t try to trick me like that. I mean, if you weren’t trying to get close to Luz, would you have ever tried to fix things between us? Or was it just something you had to do to get what you really wanted?”

“Willow, you know that’s not-.”

“Do I know?” The plant witch spat. Hunter looked around and saw the vines inching closer as she became more enraged. “You keep telling me what I know and telling me you’re sorry but what have you done to actually show me?”

Her eyes turned greener and began to glow and this was the anger Hunter remembered. Willow didn’t get angry often but she felt all her emotions so strongly that they always found a way to make themselves known. He remembered discussing Amity brought out more pain than anger, but every so often a small pocket of positivity snuck in with a pleasant or silly memory. But sadness lingering long enough without explanation bubbled up into more eventually.

Amity didn’t have a rebuttal. She couldn’t repeat another empty apology. For once, she had to listen.

“You can blame your parents a-and Boscha for not standing by me but how many times did you go out of your way to find me on your own just to bring me down?”

“Willow, I didn’t want to! I-I had to!”

“You had to?!” Wilows’s voice was becoming more distorted as she let the rage consume her. “Really? So every time you stopped me on my way to school to make fun of my abomination and remind me how pathetic I was, who was that for? There was no one else around, no one to see you do it. So why bother to find me unless you really believed it?”

Amity did not have an answer. She had done it to convince herself, to make herself believe that it was how things had to be. But she knew Willow was right.

“Admit it, a part of you believed it, that I was a pathetic, scared half-a-witch. And a part of you still does.”

Amity’s eyes filled with tears. She knew she had no right to cry, she was not the victim here, but she couldn’t help it.

Hunter could see the trees behind them begin to shift, as though the entire forest was coming to aid her. He knew stopping her before the emotions could process could lead to an earthquake but he remained on guard in case he needed to remove her at a moment’s notice. As much as he wanted to chime in and add how strong and smart and capable Willow was, he could see this was not the time for his voice to echo. She needed to do this herself, what he needed to do was stand by her side and made sure she was heard. She didn’t need him, but he knew she wanted him there and that was more than reason enough to stay.

“Willow, I’m sorry.” Amity said for what felt the hundredth time; Willow felt it sounded too natural in her voice.

“Well, that doesn’t fix anything, does it? Willow replied. “It doesn’t undo the fact that you erased my memories of someone who you knew liked me and cared about me and you did nothing to try and fix it. You just… did what you always do.”

Willow didn;t have to elaborate, Amity knew what she meant. She acted selfishly. She took away something with no explanation. She thought ignoring something would make it hurt less. All these things did was temporarily distance Amity from the pressing consequences of her actions and allow her conscience to breathe. But Amity had created her own crushing weight and Willow’s words had every right to drown her.

“It was an accident.”

“But telling him to leave me alone wasn’t,” said Willow regaining control. “What, did you think if I had less friends I’d be more likely to forgive you sooner?”

“Are you seriously gonna let a-a boy come between us?”

“The only one standing between us being friends again is you,” said Willow, turning away from her, she leaned against Hunter as she felt lightheaded. He would normally love to add something snarky, but he knew this moment was Willow’s. He wasn’t here to tear Amity down or add his voice to the chorus of her disdain, he was there to support Willow. “Come find me when your apology is more than just talk.”

-

“I’m sorry we didn’t find your diary,” said Hunter quietly when they reached her front door. They had walked home in silence. Flying would have been quicker and easier but they both needed a longer time in the fresh air to decompress. Hunter knew Willow had been holding in alot and felt the ground was the safer option to do so in. “I’m sorry I made you go through all that. I mean, I know I didn’t make you do anything but I still feel like I should-.”

“Did we ever fight?”

“What?”

“Did we ever argue?” she rephrased. “I mean, I know all that just now was pretty… intense but I know how I get when I’m upset sometimes so did I ever-.”

“We did,” said Hunter quickly. “Not alot, a few times. We had disagreements. I told you, I could be kind of a jerk and you would call me out on it and I didn’t always like it. But I deserved it.”

“We fought and you didn’t totally hate me after, right?” Willow asked softly, her eyes on the ground.

“What? No, of course not!” He said. “Why would you say that?”

“I just… urgh!” Willow exclaimed as a thorny vine dashed along her feet. “I know what she did was wrong and mean but I… I still want her to try. I’m not ready to forgive her but I… I still don’t want to totally lose her. Is that dumb?”

“No,” he said softly. “No, not at all. I know Blight isn’t all bad, she’s just… going through something probably.”

“Kinda like what you were going through?”

“Uh… yeah?” he said, uncertain. He felt like it was very unlikely that someone else was going through what he was. “But Amity is smart, she’ll figure out how to make things right eventually. This kind of stuff doesn’t always come natural for people like us. It’s… hard to unlearn things sometimes.”

Her smile became stronger and more real. “Thanks Hunter,” she said softly. “Sorry I got you roped up in all this crazy.”

“I’ve gotten you involved in much worse,” he chuckled and then he saw the inquisitive look on her face. “Which we will talk more about later, heh.”

“Looking forward to it,” she said. Hunter saw her eyes glance at the door and something in the back of his mind dared to hope she was looking for a reason not to go inside just yet.

“Ya know, In all the times Blight and that Bo-sha girl tried to bring you down, you never sunk to their level. You never threw the first punch, you never went out of your way like they did. You were always on defense, just not always for yourself.”

“Gus told you all that?”

“Well, not exactly,” he said. “I mean, he told me you and Amity weren’t on the best terms before you told me more about what happened but I’ve seen it.

“When? I thought you didn’t go to Hexside.”

“I didn’t but one time I ran into you guys at the market…”

“Accidentally or on purpose?”

“I said it was a coincidence but I miiight’ve been waiting around where I thought you’d show up,” he admitted. “You had to get supplies for a school project and I said I could escort you even though I didn’t really need to. It was just an excuse.”

“I see.”

“To spend time with you.”

“Okay?”

“Because I really liked you.” He said it as though it was just an important detail for the context of the story and not something that made her knees feel weak.

“Got it,” she said with a smile as she bit her lip, allowing him to continue.

“Anyway,” he went on, trying not to focus too much on the way she was looking at him. “We were walking, just… hanging out- I think I’m using that phrase correctly- when we ran into Bobcat-.”

“Boscha,” Willow corrected.

“-right, Boscha,” he reacted like the word was sour milk. Willow found it charming how he never said her name right, and she couldn’t tell if it was on purpose. “Like, I literally ran into her because we were talking and I was looking at you and it wasn’t a fatal collision but when she saw you she just started saying these awful things to you. You weren't even the one who bumped into her!”

“Eh.” Willow shrugged, not surprised.

“And I pointed that out to her but she didn’t care and you rolled your eyes and she kept talking and ya know I didn’t wanna pull rank but I had to say something I mean she clearly didn’t know what she was talking about.”

“Clearly.”

“And when I told her she shouldn’t speak to you like that, she started coming after me,” said Hunter. “She started making fun of my voice and the gap in my teeth, which is nothing new. But when she started targeting me, you decided she needed to be quiet and you… defended me, which was something new.”

“Well, it’s like you said she doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

“Yeah, but… when it was you being mocked you were brave and above it. You were strong and calm and didn’t stoop down to her level

“I mean, I wouldn’t say I was ‘above it’,” she admitted. “It does get to me when she constantly says those things about me.”

“Then why didn’t you say anything until it was about me?”

“Because I don’t want the people I care about to feel that way,” she said simply. She didn’t need to remember the specific instance to know that.

“You put yourself in harm’s way to protect others, that’s noble,” Hunter said simply. “Even more, you don’t let the cruelty of others make you cruel. I can’t imagine a greater strength.”

“Wow, have you always said such sweet things to me?” Willow blushed.

“Oh, uh, I-I don’t know,” said Hunter, suddenly shy. “It’s not on purpose. Gus said I do talk to you differently, but I didn’t mean to-.”

“No, no it’s a good thing,” she assured him. “From the way Luz described you, I thought you’d be snarky and sarcastic all the time. But you’re not, at least not with me.”

“Yeah well, I guess you don’t give me a reason to be,” he shrugged. Even now with his future uncertain and his past blurry, just being near Willow made him feel… lighter. Maybe absence made the heart grow fonder but he didnt’ know how that was possible; he had never been more fond of anyone. “But Willow I … I can’t tell you how happy I am to be back, to have you back to… talk to you again, I meant. But I… I don’t want to be the reason you and Amity are on bad terms.”

“Hunter, Amity and I had our issues long before I met you.”

“I know, I know but… I remember that conversation she mentioned. And I know how much your friendship meant to you. I know that knowing you makes me feel safe and seen and I think that’s what Amity needs. I mean, I could hardly handle not being your friend for a few weeks, I can’t imagine how hard it was for Amity doing it for years.”

“Do you think,” Willow started. “That if my memories about you hadn’t been erased and we kept being friends and spending time together that by now we might be…”

“What?”

“…more than friends?”

“Like… best friends?”

“Not exactly,” she said with a smile. “I mean something more… serious.”

“Like…” he gulped, suddenly forgetting what words were. “Advanced friends?”

She smiled. “Yeah?” she said with a giggle, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“W-w-why do you ask?”

“Well, do you remember the other day…” Willow started gently. “When I came and found you and we were talking?”

“Yeah,” said Hunter. “Of course.”

“And um… then when I got mad and I… kissed you?”

“Yeah, yeah I-I really uh remember that, heh.”

“I um… we’ll I know you said you were fine with it even though it was kind of impulsive but I was just wondering if…”

“If… what?”

She fiddled with her braid. “Um… if…”

They spoke at the same time

“Have we kissed before?”

“Did you want to kiss again?”

They both looked at each other and blushed as they processed what the other had said.

“Um… n-no, we haven’t,” said Hunter, answering her question first and hoping she wouldn’t think him terribly forward for his. “No, that one time was the first time.”

“Oh,” she said, and Hunter swore she sounded disappointed. He didn’t know what to make of that. Did that make things better or worse? Was she let down that in all the time she had known him before he hadn’t had the guts to make a move or was she let down that it wasn’t everything it should have been?

“There was… this one time though,” he admitted, rubbing his neck with his hand as he tried to play it off as an afterthought and not an often revisited memory. “When I thought we might, I mean I guess I didn’t really realize what was happening at the moment and I uh…”

Willow raised her eyebrows and he took that as a sign to backtrack, hopefully an explanation would help him understand the situation better too.

“Okay, well Gus wanted to do some research for an illusion presentation he had and in order to recreate a scene he had to see it first,” began Hunter. “It was up a mountain and there was a rare flower that grew nearby that you wanted to see as well so I offered to escort you both because I knew a shortcut from a mission I had been on. Long story short, we ran into some weird mountain animals and in the chaos you lost your hair clip helping me get away. You said it was no big deal but I know that wasn’t true so I went back later and found it. In hindsight I should’ve waited until the morning but I rushed over to return it to you because it was my fault you lost it in the first place. Also in hindsight I should have messaged you that I was coming but instead I kind of just teleported outside your window.”

“Something tells me it wasn’t the first time,” Willow teased. The tips of Hunter’s ears turned crimson as he went to continue, confirming Willow’s suspicion.

“You seemed surprised to see me and I thought it was just because it was so late and you were tired but you looked at me… different. You said it really wasn’t a big deal, and I shouldn’t have gone back by myself when it was so dark out but you seemed happy that I did so I don’t really know? I mean, it’s your lucky hair clip and it looks nice on you so of course I wanted you to have it back. I mean, I’d do anything for you.”

Willow felt like all the air left her lungs, the way he said it like it was an undisputed fact. Even though she knew it wasn’t possible, she felt herself transported back to her room that night feeling utterly starstruck to see her modest knight in a patched cape return her treasure to her. Her heart twisted and leapt the same way she somehow knew it did that night as Hunter continued to be none the wiser and he went on.

“Then you hugged me really tight and I was a little worried because I ran most of the way and thought I might smell but when you pulled away y-you… didn’t let go right away and it was like you were waiting for something.”

“So what did you do?” Asked Willow, captivated by her own history.

“I put your clip in your hair for you,” Hunter said with a gulp as Willow lured him closer with a similar energy. “And I must’ve been dehydrated or something because everything felt like it was in slow motion.”

Willow chuckled, understanding more by the second the real reason for the sensation. “And then?”

“And then uh w-when I went to move my hand you took it and you said I was sweet, which you’re the only person to ever call me that and you’ve called me that before but every time you did it still felt odd but I didn’t mind and I thought that…”

Hunter continued to ramble which told Willow there was something else in the moment that he didn’t know how to articulate. Something he still wasn’t certain of and didn’t understand how to explain without having her account to confirm or deny it. She knew he didn’t want to tell her outright in case he was mistaken about her feelings during the moment but Willow was certain she knew what she was thinking in this forgotten life.

Because she was thinking it again now.

“Well you are sweet,” she said softly as his words started to fizzle and a smile tugged at his lips as though she had just played his favorite song. “So… what happened after that?”

“Oh uh well heh I-I didn’t realize Gus was still over until he walked back into the room eating a snack and I guess from his point of view we were… fairly close and he said ‘are you two gonna kiss?’ And…I kinda teleported back outside because I didn’t know what the right thing to say was.”

“Oh.” Willow said with a giggle.

“Yeah,” he said with a nervous sigh. “So I mean, I don’t know but like if you were to ask Gus he might mention that time but he wasn’t there for the whole thing and I-I mean it’s not like I came there to- n-not that I wouldn’t want to! But just so you have the whole story, ya know? But… yeah.”

“I see,” said Willow. Something she was re-learning about Hunter is that the way he felt about something could be seen in the details he gave. The more he cared, the more thorough he was. She supposed that wasn’t totally unusual but the way he could focus on the smallest thing so long as it was somehow connected to something he cared about made her feel warm. He paid attention and held the things he noticed close to his heart. He held the things she said and the way she said them. She knew he wanted to have all the answers for her.

“It’s just I know the way I remember things might not be the same way you would remember them,” he went on, looking down at his hands as he twiddled his thumbs. “So I mean I want to try and be as objective as possible because I don’t want my perspective to influence yours in case it was all in my head.”

She had no concrete evidence to prove it, but she knew in her heart that it wasn’t. It was exactly the kind of scenario that made her secretly giddy when she saw it in cheesy rom coms.

“Well… you answered my question, so can I answer yours?”

“My question? What did I-oh.” It suddenly caught up with him, what he had thought she was asking and what he had ended up asking her in turn. What he revealed he had hoped she had been implying. If she didn’t regret it enough to repeat herself. If she-

“Yes.” She said it simply and brightly, with confidence.

“Y-yes?”

“Yes.” She confirmed again with a nod. She couldn’t remember everything they had said where they went together or when or but she could feel the how. How she felt when she caught him staring at her out of the corner of her eye or the pride she felt when she saw the way his face softened she said his name like it was a spell only she knew how to cast. “I do.”

“I… heh, uh…”

“I mean, unless you didn’t want to-.”

“No! No, I want to!” He said, hoping to avoid any misunderstanding. He cleared his throat, trying to save face. “I-I would like to very much.”

Willow knew she could trust this feeling she had that told her to bring him close and keep him there. This desire to take his hand and hold it as tight as she could. This impulse she had to cover his face in kisses every time he smiled was not a trick her mind was playing on her.

Her mind may have forgotten Hunter, but her heart couldn’t seem to. Small yellow flowers sprouted along her hair as she couldn’t help but smile at the nervous yet delighted way Hunter fidgeted.

“I- I just want to be sure that you’re sure,” he went on. “Because I don't want you to think that just because I thought… I mean, after everything that happened today too and I… wait, you’re not mad again are you?”

“I mean I’m… processing a lot right now, I guess? I feel kind of overwhelmed and tired but I don’t feel mad,” she assured him. “I promise you that’s not the reason.”

Hunter had been sure it was a moment Willow would not want to bring up. That she’d be embarrassed or disgusted but knowing she felt the opposite, that in fact she felt the same he did didn’t seem real. Like he had unknowingly tricked her.

“Willow, I…” Hunter started, suddenly overly aware of how close she was standing to him. How she seemed to be inching closer. She wanted to be close to him. “I want you to think of me… I want you to think that I’m…” he struggled to find an elegant way to say this, because the simple way was just too simple. It sounded childish and incredible and insecure, but it was true. “I want you to like me.”

She smiled. Simple was more than enough for her, because it was a shared simplicity. “I do like you.”

“I guess I’m just worried that I’ll do something to change that.” He said. “I guess I’m just worried that you like me now because you don’t know all the things about me that you knew before and I uh…”

“It’s okay to have secrets,” she assured him, sensing his struggle.

“Yeah but …” he sighed, this felt like it would never get less complicated. “I know things about you from before that I don’t know if you’d want me to know now and now I get to decide what you know about me and it doesn't seem fair.”

“Hunter, I think you miiight be overthinking this,” Willow said with a smile. She didn’t really mind, she liked being something her thought alot about.

“I know,” he sighed. “It’s just… I don’t want to only tell you things that I think will make you like me but I’m worried that if I tell you everything that I might say it wrong or in the wrong order and it’ll change things or-.”

He was cut off by Willow taking his hands in hers.

“Hunter, is there something you want to tell me?”

Truthfully, Hunter didn’t want anyone to know, especially her.

He took a deep breath, working his way up to his concern. “You know how you said… you think that you had a crush on me before…”

“Oh, uh yeah…” she said with a blush and a deep breath. She felt giddy and nervous and warm at the way him trying to talk her out of her former feelings made them settle in like a dove in a freshly made nest. “I mean… I kinda have a crush on you now.”

His face turned beet red as he uttered his response before he had a chance to truly relish in her confession. “B-but you shouldn’t!”

“D-do you not want me to?” She said, fear creeping in that the romance was one-sided.

“No! No, I-I do!” He said quickly. “But… I’m not someone you should like… like that.”

She frowned. “Does this have something to do with what Amity said?”

“No, it’s not that…”

“Is it because you’re the golden guard?”

“Not really, it’s more-.”

“Is it because you don’t feel the same way about-.”

“I’m a grimwalker!” He exclaimed, not wanting her to finish. His hands quickly covered his mouth as he watched his words wash over her. He waited for disgust, shock, betrayal to take over. Instead she looked at him with wide, waiting eyes and said:

“Okay?”

“I mean I’m… ya know… do you know what a grimwalker is?”

“I mean, kind of,” she said with a shrug. “But that’s what you are, not who you are.”

“I-I’m a clone of someone who hunted witches who probably helped Belos hurt people. I’m a liar. How can you be okay with that?”

“Who says that’s who you are?”

“Everyone! It’s just a fact I mean the books all say-.”

“Everyone used to say I was a half-a-witch,” interrupted Willow. “Even when I believed it, you didn’tdn’t because that’s what everyone else said, would you let me

“Well, that’s who you’re supposed to be, it's not who you are,” Willow said simply. She knew better than most how the two differed.

“It doesn’t… I mean, i-it doesn’t bother you?”

Willow simply shook her head. Hunter had been certain she would take the opportunity to cut her losses, despite her determined nature he wouldn’t blame her. After all he had done to change to show her and everyone he changed to change into someone worth being, this made feel pushed back and stuck. But the warmth of gaze was a helping hand that easily pulled him from his mental quicksand. Whether she saw through him or the true him Hunter did not know, but he knew he could not fool her twice. Even under the mask or as Caleb she knew better, she still knew him.

“Ya know, it took me awhile but I’ve accepted that I probably won’t get my original memories back,” said Willow gently. “But do you know why I don’t feel sad about that anymore?”

Hunter shook his head as she reached out and placed her hand beneath his chin and cupped his cheek. He knew she didn’t remember how often she had done this before, how it miraculously managed to calm him.

“Because I know I’ll get to make new memories,” she said. “And I want you to be a part of as many as possible.”

He had read that grimawalkers were cold, unfeeling creatures. That they couldn’t feel compassion or love. That their memories often mixed with their source until they reached the age the person they were based on was when they passed. All Hunter could think about was how he was never meant to be his own person, how there was always a path of some sort that he was chained to.

But maybe he could pick a new path.

“I want that too.” he whispered.

Her arms moved down to wrap around his waist as she pulled him into a hug. She hugged him the same way she used to, even knowing what she knew now she still wanted him close. He rested his chin atop her head and tried to process how she still wanted to be a part of his path, she wanted to remember him.

She still wanted him.

The books all said he couldn’t feel this way, that he shouldn’t be able to feel this way.

But the books didn’t know Willow Park.

So when he pulled away to look at her, he forgot what the books, what his uncle and everyone else said he was or should be. When he brushed a loose hair from her face, she looked at him the way she had that day at her window and there was no reason now to not follow through. So when he leaned down to kiss her, he forgot for a moment all that was waiting for him at a home he could not return to or how much more difficult things would get once they left this little bubble. Because he was someone Willow Park wanted to remember, and he intended to do everything in his power to be a good memory.

[creativitysparks4everxoxo]

Nah, but for real: WE NEED AN ANIMATED SERIES THAT FOLLOWS THE ADVENTURES OF MIRAGE AND NOAH AFTER THE EVENTS THAT TOOK PLACE IN ROTB!

I need a post-credit scene animated series follow-up!!!!

I just can't stop thinking about Noah and Mirage's interactions throughout the entire movie, and how the post-credit scene leaves us wanting more. It leaves me wanting to see just how many late nights Noah spent rebuilding Mirage from scratch. I want to see Noah's frustrated moments and his breakdown moments when all the memories of Mirage going to extreme lengths to protect him during the final battle flood his mind. I want to see an extremely exhausted but very determined Noah working on rebuilding Mirage.

I want to see the moment when Noah got to watch Mirage transform into his root mode for the first time after Noah made major progress with his repairs. (Assuming this happened before the post-credit scene) If it didn't, then instead I want to see the moment when Mirage first spoke to Noah during his repair stage and how absolutely ecstatic Noah was.

✨️ I want to see Noah's face when Mirage looks at him for the first time after his repairs. I want to see all the emotions on Noah's face and all the comfort that Mirage gives him! ✨️

Gimme all of the emotions!!!!!

But most importantly, I want to see Noah and Mirage's friendship continue to grow stronger throughout a multi-season animated series. At least 3 seasons minimum. I want to see it all!

I want to see them have those intense moments where they stare into each other's eyes/optics. I don't know how bold the writers would be for a show like this, or if they would be willing to go beyond the platonic borders of Noah and Mirage's relationship. It would be cool if there was romance between them in the show, but it might be considered "too much" to some people. Honestly though, I wouldn't mind if they took platonic relationship approach. I wouldn't mind because it works just as well and the writers could still write Mirage as the naturally teasing/flirty/over confident bot that he is and it would probably go over the bigots head. But we would know what's up. 🤭 And the extra Noah/Mirage content would give us fanfic/fanart inspo. It's essentially a win-win either way you slice it.

I just want a Mirage & Noah centric show, OKAY! 🥺

Gah! Just give us a show where we get to see Mirage take Noah on long drives to calm him down and they can talk about heavy shit. A late night drive to the beach, or even a drive to some fast food joint's drive thru, and then they go back to the garage and talk. Or they go for a walk in a secluded area.

Give us a show where Noah and Mirage get to have that "closure" and a chance to really talk about the moment where everything changed between them. The original deal was for Noah to steal the transwarp key from the museum and in return Mirage would let Noah "sell" him for cash that he could use to support his family. But instead they went on dangerous mission to Peru together and now there's no way in hell that Noah would ever sell Mirage! Not after they literally fused together to become one! I want them to talk about this! I want Mirage to tell Noah why he kidnapped him that fateful day and then Noah could chime in and be like, "I thought I was going to die, man. Your driving was terrifying!" And then of course Mirage would pretend to be offended, say his piece and humour would ensue and they would both be laughing and having a good time. Gimme a scene like that!

And give me scenes when Decepticons stir up trouble and Mirage jumps to protect Noah fiercely (naturally). And don't be afraid to give us those "Oh shit!" episodes when some type of disaster happens that's like level 3 on the "Disaster Metre", but Noah is still freaking the fuck out because he's scared that Mirage is hurt/dying, but instead he's not. He's totally fine, maybe a few scratches to his paint, but he's not in severe pain or in any pain at all. But Mirage sees his boi freaking out, so he has to gently calm him down before he spirals out of control. Yes, more fluff please!

And also, I really want to see Elena in this show! She is so awesome and needs to be in this show, continuing to bring in the knowledge and her warm heart and kindness. I need to see her interact with the other Autobots and maybe even become close friends with Arcee. I need to see Elena interact with Mirage and hear the funny shit he would say to make her laugh. I NEED THIS! And of course OP, Bumblebee, Wheeljack and other Autobot characters would need to be in the show. Maybe we could even get a few episodes featuring Charlie and Bee sneaking out to see her, or maybe not sneaking out at all.

But also, I would love to see Noah and Mirage moments where Mirage tries to get out of patrol duty and essentially leaves his post to go hang with Noah. Noah would be the "voice of reason", but he will end up caving because he can't bring himself to say no to Mirage. Not after everything they've been through together. I imagine Noah would be struggling with some PTSD and other psychological trauma, so when Mirage goes on patrols or does general Autobot stuff, Noah would worry A LOT. This would lead to fluffy scenes and angst and sweet comfort. I NEED THIS!

Honestly, I just need more Mirage and Noah moments, because these two are awesome and I've just been watching Bumblebee and ROTB back to back on repeat ever since ROTB was released digitally. And now I am forever basking in the sweet glow of this Transformers reboot, that is full of action, adventure, comedy, heart and everything that we've ever wanted to see in a Transformers movie. The amount of kindness and compassion that Charlie showed to Bee is wholesome. And the amount of kindness and compassion that Noah and Elena showed the Autobots and Maximals is also wholesome. This is what being a human companion to giant alien robots should look like!

I don't know the whole creative process and other fine details that would need to be worked out in order to get a show like this on the air, but I really do think that this Transformers reboot needs to start making some post-movie shows to help fill in the gaps and give us additional content to obsess over. It's not uncommon for a movie's success to carry over into a show, so I really think we need a post-ROTB show!

~And I think that's it. For now. 🙂

I almost didn't post this 🙈

[astro-rainbow777]

⋆₊⋆⁺₊⋆⁺𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒₊⋆⁺₊⋆⁺₊

☾✩₊⋆and their spiritual meanings⁺⋆✩☽

Colour is, by dictionary definition, the frequency of light of which an object reflects. Although, To many spiritualist, we are all beings of light, which is why color brings great significance into our lives. It is possible that your favorite colour can say something about you, what you need in life, the type of people or environments you are naturally drawn to. Colour can represent many things in life, so today I will primarily be focusing on the personality, emotions, and spiritual messages each colour represents.

Thank you!!! I hope you enjoy &lt;3

🥀Red🍷

✫ Red is primal color, in most cultures it represents life

✫ Red may symbolize strength, passion, love, anger, danger or power

✫ Red is associated with the Root Chakra (Representing safety, security, and stability)

✫ In Tarot, red is symbolic for power, authority, boldness, confidence, passion, leadership and strength

✫ When practicing your craft you can use a red candle to connect to your body, grounding, aligning yourself with your purpose, drawing in passion, self love and acceptance

✫ Red crystals can be used for motivation, inner strength, passion, drive, tenacity, and romance.

🍁Orange💥

✫ Orange is a sacred, communal and warm colour in many different cultures

✫ Orange is symbolic for optimism, joy, vitality, community, balance, energy, and enthusiasm

✫ Orange is associated with the Sacral Chakra (Represents creativity, sexuality, and intimacy)

✫ In Tarot, orange represents will power, courage, vitality and jealousy

✫ When practice your craft you can use an orange candle to attract friendships, respect, embrace sexuality, enhance creativity and connect to your inner child

✫ Orange crystals can help with your confidence, courage, vitality, embracing joy and playfulness, creative endeavors, or inner child healing.

🐤Yellow⭐️

✫ Yellow represents happiness (duh), life, communication and success in many different cultures

✫ Yellow is symbolic for hope, spontaneity, curiosity, focus, cheer, intellect and hazards

✫ Yellow is associated with the Solar Plexus Chakra (Represents self worth, will power, & responsibility)

✫ In Tarot yellow is symbolic for wisdom, confidence, hardship, hope, and timidty

✫ When practicing your craft you can use a yellow candle to manifest self confidence, obtaining will power, belief in self, courage, focus, intelligence, and knowledge

✫ You can use yellow crystals to help you be alert, have energy, balance, focus, confidence, self consciousness, optimism, warmth, and clarity

🎍Green🍀

✫In many cultures green represents harmony, rehabilitation, growth, change and abundance

✫ Green is symbolic for health, life, nature, envy, luck, money, renewal, freedom and tranquility

✫ Green is associated with the Heart Chakra (Representing love, self love and relationships)

✫ In Tarot, green represents youth, sentimentality, nature, adventure, growth, and health

✫ When practicing your craft you can use a green candle to connect to Earth, the seasons, open your heart, draw in abundance, attract luck, blessings,and good health

✫ Use green crystals to invoke spiritual transformation, attract lucky opportunities, align with prosperity, fertility, independence, and freedom

🌀Blue🌧️

✫ Blue represents calmness, spirituality, authority and peace, globally

✫ Blue is symbolic for emotions, serenity, peace, calm, trust, relaxation, sadness, grief, and fatigue

✫ Blue is associated with the Throat Chakra (Represents communication, speach, expression)

✫ In Tarot, blue represents emotions, imagination, sensitivity, memories, sentimentality and expansiveness

✫ When practicing your craft you can use a blue candle to bring clarity, reveal the truth, help with honesty, inner peace and calm, emotional peace, fulfillment and awareness

✫ Blue crystals can help you have more confidence in your voice, communication skills, bring clarity, connect to your emotions, patience, or attract peace and calm

☂️Violet🔮

(I'm using violet as purple)

✫Violet/purple reprsents royalty, spirituality, art, mystery, magic, luxury and wealth around the world

✫ Violet is symbolic for imagination, wealth, uniqueness, creativity, spirituality, intuition, mysticism, and arrogance

✫ Violet is Associated with the Third Eye Chakra (Represents intuition, sense of purpose and direction)

✫ In Tarot, violet means high ideals, communion, spirituality, devotion and peace

✫ When practicing your craft you can use violet candles to manifest inspiration, deepen intuition or psychic abilities, enhance connection to the universe or higher power

✫ Violet crystals can be used for dream work, astral projection, meditation, divination practices (Tarot, divinative astrology, etc), and creative inspiration.

🌸Pink🎀

✫ Around the world pink represents kindness, love, innocence, playful and beauty

✫ Pink represents compassion, innocence, sympathy, comforts, passivity, affection, and delicacy

✫ Pink is associated with the Crown Chakra (Represents connection to the divine, spiritual knowledge, and self realization)

✫ In Tarot, pink can be indicative of sensitivity, sorrow, friendship, forgiveness, and unconditional love

✫ When practicing your craft you can use pink candles to attract divine, unconditional love, beauty, kindness, forgiveness, gratitude, and connection to the collective

✫ You can use pink crystals to tap into your sensitivity, compassion, unconditional love, practice kindness, care, sympathy, trust, and faith

Fin

Thanks for reading, I really appreciate connecting with everyone on here and everyone who takes the time to read my work :)

Sending light and love,

Kya