#Walking the Plankton

[mrkdrama]

Mr. Plankton [ Mr. 플랑크톤 ] (2024) (4/?) — Woo Do Hwan as Hae Jo | dir. Hong Jong Chan – Ep. 02

[binareff]

Nice little detail they added in the anime, couldn't help but notice the larval stages drawn, which is actually how they look like irl

The pointy one is a crab larvae in the zoea stage and the more crab looking one is a megalops.

[horromcom]

instead of lipstick marks u cna tell karen nd ozzy were kissin bc hiz fur will be all staticky nd poofy. from electricityyy

[wishyouwereworm]

california dreamin is cancelled

[unproduciblesmackdown]

omgg lol [guy who won't stop going "more like scapeGOATED" voice] now hold! on!! lmao [same guy just saw encanto voice] Hold on!!!

[bogleech]

Simple lifeform facts I take for granted that I've now seen blowing people's minds on here:

That sea urchins walk around and have mouths with teeth on their undersides

That corals are related to jellyfish

Barnacles being related to crabs and shrimp

Ants being an offshoot of wasps

Termites being totally unrelated to ants and all similarities just being convergent evolution (they're actually a group of cockroaches, but even science didn't know that part until a few years ago)

Starfish having an eye at the end of each arm

That the bodies of ticks and mites are also their heads, essentially big heads with legs (they even frequently have eyes way up on "the body")

Sperm whales have no upper teeth, and also their bodies are flat from the front

Goats also having no upper (front) teeth

Tapeworms having no mouth at all and just absorbing nutrients over their entire body surface

That flies are bigger pollinators than bees

That moths are bigger pollinators than bees

That wasps are just as important pollinators as bees (more important to many groups of plants) and when we say they're "less efficient" at it we just mean individually they get a little less pollen stuck to them.

That honeybees are nonnative to most of the world and not good for the local ecosystem, just good for human agriculture

That earthworms are also nonnative and destructive to more habitats than the reverse

There being no hard biological line between slugs and snails; all slugs aren't necessarily related to each other and there are gastropod groups where some have shells and some don't

That ALL octopuses (not just the blue ring) have a venomous bite

Most jellyfish and sea anemones being predators that eat fish

"Krill" being shrimp up to a few inches long and not some kind of microbe

Blue whales therefore being the deadliest predators to ever evolve as they eat up to several million individual animals per day

That krill are still "plankton" because plankton refers to whatever animals, algae and other organisms are carried around by the sea's currents, not to any particular group of life or a size category

Fungi being no more related to plants than we are, and in fact more like a sibling to the animal kingdom if anything

Venus fly traps being native to only one small area of North America in all the world

Parasites being essential to all ecosystems

Leeches not having a circular ring of teeth anywhere

That algae is not a type of plant

That most seaweed is just very big algae

That enough wood ends up in the ocean that plenty of sea life evolved to eat only wood

Speaking of which the fact that the "ship worms" that make tunnels in wood are just long noodly clams

Butterflies technically just being a small weird group of moths we gave a different name to

That insects only get wings once they reach maximum size and therefore there can never be a younger smaller bee or fly that's not a larva

Spiders not being any more likely to kill their own mates/young than just a cat or dog might, for most species maybe a lot less often?

[blanketorghost]

Octomer Baby Development: A guide for new parents (Part 2)

Right after your bundle of joy is newly hatched, it may need some special attention that other mer babies may not need. Often clingy and fussy when left alone, Octomer hatchlings have interesting differences that make raising them an entirely unique experience.

PHASE 2─THE HATCHLING:

0-2 Months:

Your baby has just hatched, and the first thing to note is its absolutely tiny size. Don't fret, as Octomers grow rapidly and will soon surpass your palm. At this stage, octomers can barely crawl around and will cling to their parents' hand for support and mobility. As they get exposed to light, their chromatophores develop and more colored speckles/marks will continue to appear all throught their body.

3-5 Months:

Your child should be slowly introduced to mushed foods instead of relying on liquids. It is recommended to also start introducing them to different kinds of meat, like clams (de-shelled) and shrimp.

An octomer baby is slowly starting to gain stength in all its arms, which include their suckers. They will start crawling around and grabbing things, and though slow in their movements, they have quite a strong grip on things. If parents are worried about their children grabbing onto something potentially dangerous, it is recommended to lather on a thin layer of whale fat onto things so they aren't able to grip it with their suckers.

6-8 Months:

Big developments will be happening around this timeframe, not only your octomer baby will get (and will continue to get) a growth spurt from being about 6 1/2" (16.5 cm) to a whopping 19" (50cm) ! Their appetite will also increase accordingly, so be sure to stock up on plenty of foods like kelp, plankton juice, and crab meat.

Their syphon and ink sac are fully developed, too, so expect a couple of accidental ink spewings from your baby.

9-11 Months:

At this point, your healthy octomer baby will be around 25.20" (64cm) and, if they are a hybrid between any landfolk type, they'll start transforming into their other species type. If that is the case, it is recommended that you start introducing your mer to land and the respective aspects of it, like crawling, breathing air, and, eventually, walking and eating warm foods.

Your baby's chromatophores will also be fully developed, and as such, the distinct markings that they'll have for the rest of their life will be fully visible─though still faded. Their water jet and arms will also be fully mobile and your octomer will start to swim around and even 'walk' upright.

BONUS:

Yuu especially struggled with this phase.

[mbari-blog]

Deep beneath the ocean’s surface, this homebody holds tight to the rocky seafloor. While most other sea cucumbers meander across the seafloor, the armored sea cucumber (Psolus squamatus) is a sedentary species.

A flat underside acts like a suction cup, gripping the bottom and rarely letting go. Psolus cannot outrun predators. Instead, tough, hardened scales cover their body, serving as protective armor. A low profile and muted color help too—with their tentacles tucked in, Psolus looks like a rock to a crab that walks past.

The armored sea cucumber unfurls long, finely branched tentacles covered in sticky mucus to collect tiny plankton and bits of organic material in the water column. A mouth in the center of those tentacles slurps up each tentacle’s catch.

Sometimes, we see fields of armored sea cucumbers covering the rocky walls of Monterey Canyon and the slopes of neighboring seamounts, where strong currents provide a feast. In fact, up to 20 percent of all animals observed on some seamounts are Psolus.

Learn more about this and other fascinating animals of the deep.

[wheredidhiseyebrowsgo]

Hi, I was stalking you a little and discovered this https://href.li/?https://archiveofourown.org/works/949418 fic where Stiles is accidentally seducing Derek acting like a ideal mate without even knowing and I was wondering if you had other fics like this one.

Even if you don't I want to thank you for your hard work! Ganbatte kudasai!

Hi @nenehyuuchiha! I think so.

You're Turning Heads When You Walk Through The Door by Sheynora

(1/5 I 7,612 I Explicit)

Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence:

Kate knows the weak link in the Hale Pack.

It'll be easy; seduce Derek and use his love to destroy the pack. Only... this loud-mouthed, klutz named Stiles keeps getting in the way. Derek can't notice Kate if he's too busy noticing Stiles.

Damn Stiles for being so sexy

---------------------------------

Or the AU where the Hale Fire didn't happen, but Kate Argent plans to make it happen. Except Stiles and his accidental sexiness keep ruining Kate's plans to seduce Derek.

***

Cause I Built A Home (For You, For Me) by nymphe

(1/1 I 6,860 I Teen)

Erica is giggling somewhere in the background. “I think he’d like exactly what you’d like, mom.”

Or, a 5 Times fic wherein Stiles doesn’t realize he’s been accidentally co-parenting a gang of furry teenagers/displaying Perfect Mate Characteristics, + the 1 Time Derek enlightens him.

Wanted and Wounded by RoxyRosee

(3/3 I 12,781 I Explicit)

Derek can't seem to get off. It's been days with no luck, and he's constantly on edge. But then pack night rolls around, and when Stiles falls into him as he goes to sit down on the couch, Derek is suddenly coming, right where he sits.

Turns out, Stiles is his mate. And among a whole slew of embarrassing side effects to this whole "mate" thing is the fact that Derek will never again be able to have an orgasm without Stiles by his side.

So yeah, Derek's life kind of sucks right now.

Try To See It My Way by Phantomlimb

(19/19 I 24,577 I Mature)

Derek has no fucking clue about what to do. He doesn't know how to woo someone. Let alone if that someone is Stiles

The Boy Is Mine, You Bonkers! by frownypup

(3/3 I 35,535 I Explicit)

It turns out that the words ‘a painfully smart and brave unclaimed human who is stupidly unutilized in Beacon Hill’s pack’ became the hottest gossip in werewolf underground. Yes, what the hell. Stiles’ existence has changed from a plankton to a rising sun.

Derek Hale has something he needs to say about it.

for a good time, call... by EvanesDust 

(10/10 I 46,841 I Explicit)

Stiles unlocks his phone to send out a quick text asking his father what he wants to eat, even though he’ll get salad regardless, and notices a strange number on his recent call log.

His face scrunches in confusion before realization dawns on him.

Oh shit.

Events from the night before peek through the hazy fog of his mind. Stiles thought, or he was hoping, that the phone call was a dream. But there it is, staring at him in the face—a one minute and 57-second call to an unfamiliar number.

Oh God.

Did he seriously call someone—possibly an alpha werewolf!—for phone sex?

...Or the one where Stiles drunk dials a very grumpy alpha werewolf and propositions him for phone sex. Hilarity, misunderstandings, and feelings ensue.

[revelboo]

hey. you know that one meme where planktons standing in front of a board giving a speech? something soemthign that next psa megatron makes but it gets hacked or whatever. in light of 'everything is alright's update <333 HJGDSKGMDSGDS--

Poor guy has no idea what’s coming for him

Everything Is Alright Pt 101

IDW Starscream x Reader, Soundwave x Reader, Megatron x Reader

• Say something. Anything. Feels you begin to tremble against him as you stare at Starscream and Soundwave curls an arm around you, anger simmering through him and growing with every moment of silence. Knows the Seeker views the world through a lens of how it affects him, but he also knows that you need Starscream to at least pretend to be glad about this. To say something and not just stare at you like that with no expression whatsoever.

• “You’re mistaken,” he rasps, dragging his optics away from the sight of you in Soundwave’s lap and those eyes he gets lost so easily in. A new cruelty, a new ploy to get a noose around his throat. Because sparking you is impossible. As impossible as bonding you and he’d seen how that had went. Servos flexing and spark aching when you make a soft sound. “You’re lying.” Denta bared, his servos curl under into fists, because it must be a lie. Dangling something he can’t have right in front of him. And he won’t fall for it, won’t be manipulated or tricked.

• “Star?” Voice small against the fury in his voice, you don’t resist when Soundwave’s servos shift against the back of your head, keeping you pressed close as his other arm curls around you. His hold protective. But Star’s not a threat. He’s just upset. Angry. Turning your head to see him, your words fall away. Because you’ve seen him look at you like that before when you’d first been taken, all cold calculation and it prickles through you. A whisper of uncertain fear even though you trust him. Love him.

• Curling himself around you as your emotions grow chaotic and needle into him, he wants to grab the Seeker by the neck and shake some sense into him. Because that empty lack of a reaction is hurting you and before he can separate you from him to make good on the impulse, the Seeker is mass displacing and walking away. Running away from dealing with what he’s done. He can’t possibly be that selfish. That cold, but Soundwave feels you press your face against his neck, shoulders shaking. “I’m here,” he says, catching your chin and tipping it up so he can brush his mouth against yours as you cry. “I’ll always be here.”

• Not running, but striding through the halls, wings drawn tight to his frame as panic claws at him. Just needing to get away. Escape, because it hurts. Transforming, thrusters screaming, barely aware of other Decepticons ducking out of his way as he flies through the halls. How own furious howls lost to the scream of his engines. Because this blow he wasn’t expecting, hadn’t even dared to entertain. Had let his defenses down and Soundwave had struck out to hurt him. Or at least he didn’t think he had wanted it, wanted a sparkling, but to use it to hurt him? Like a cruel joke?

• Denta bared as Megatron pushes away from the wall and his servos flex watching the fleeing Seeker, he’s tempted to fire at him in retaliation. But what’s sent Starscream running like that? Venting tiredly, he’s almost certain the answer will be you. A lover’s spat maybe? Amused now, he heads toward the Seeker’s quarters and lets himself in, fully intending to toy with you, see that anger of yours flare. And stopping short at finding you in Soundwave’s lap, making a noise of such pain that his own spark aches. “What did that idiot do?” He growls tiredly as Soundwave lifts his head, his old friend stiffening.

Previous

Next

Nevermind about not opening the limited editions… gold Megs and Sounders to go with Star

[mrsfancyferrari]

A Second Chance?

Summary: you came to Love Island to find true love after your ex left your life in chaos. you didn't think you would find it so easy.... episode 1

Pairing: Max Verstappen x you (Ex!George )

Song: Came Here For Love · Sigala

Taglist: @npcmia

Author’s note: Sorry it took so long to release. I got into binge watching Love Island too much but now i'm ready! Please like, reblog and share this! 🫶

Word count: 11.8k

MASTERLIST - F1

Love Island: Madrid - Episode 1

(Opening Theme Music and B-Roll of the stunning villa, the Spanish city below, and the glistening pool. Upbeat Spanish-inspired pop music plays.)

Voiceover (Laura, a bubbly and charismatic presenter): Welcome to Love Island! Get ready for sun, sand, and sizzling romances, because this season, we're trading the shores of Spain for the enchanting energy of Madrid! Ten gorgeous singles are about to enter the villa, with one goal in mind: finding love… and maybe a little fame along the way. Let's meet them!

The camera focuses on you, the sun glinting off the strategically placed glitter on your cheekbones. “Hey, Love Island!” you chirp, flashing a practiced smile. “I’m Y/N, I’m 26, and I’m a marine biologist. I spend my days rescuing sea turtles, which, let’s be real, is way more fulfilling than my dating life has been lately.”

You pause, allowing the producers a moment to capture your self-deprecating charm. “I’m here for sun, fun, and hopefully, someone who doesn’t think my passion for plankton is a total turn-off.” You wink. “I'm looking for someone who's adventurous, funny and appreciates a good sunset. Bonus points if they can tell the difference between a starfish and a sea urchin. Seriously, it’s concerning how many people can’t.”

The humid Spanish air clung to you like a second skin, a stark contrast to the emotional chill that had been your constant companion for the past few months.

Your life had been a carefully constructed Jenga tower, meticulously built with your ex.

Then, seemingly overnight, he’d yanked a vital piece, sending the whole thing crashing down in a mess of broken promises and shattered trust.

Your friends, bless their chaotic hearts, had decided enough was enough. "Sunshine, sea, and a whole bunch of hot singles," they'd declared, practically dragging you onto the Love Island application.

And now, here you were.

Your hand, surprisingly steady, clasped Hannah's. You’d met in the holding area just before your entrance; a whirlwind of nervous laughter and shared anxieties.

She was a breath of fresh air, bubbly and confident, and her bright blue dress was a perfect match for the nervous energy crackling between you two.

You, on the other hand, felt both vulnerable and exhilarated in your red dress – a defiant statement of confidence you wasn't entirely sure you possessed. The fabric felt like a shield, giving you the courage to take this absurd leap.

As the heavy villa doors swung open, a wave of noise washed over you two. Shouts of welcome, whistles, and a medley of nervous conversations.

It was a sensory overload, a kaleidoscope of tanned skin, flashing smiles, and the undeniable scent of sun-kissed skin and expensive cologne.

"Ready for this?" Hannah whispered, her blue eyes sparkling with an infectious mixture of apprehension and excitement.

You took a deep breath, the salty air filling your lungs. "As I'll ever be," you replied, a genuine smile finally breaking through the tension.

You two walked, hand in hand, through the sprawling garden, the vibrant colours of the villa almost as blinding as the flashing cameras. The other female islanders, a mix of familiar faces from the promotional videos and intriguing strangers, watched our entrance with undisguised curiosity.

You felt a flutter of nerves, a prickle of anticipation, like the moment before a roller coaster plunges down the first drop. This was it.

You'd traded your mundane life of lukewarm coffee and endless scrolling for a summer of sun, strategy, and – maybe, just maybe – love.

You two reached the designated spot, a small podium by the pool, where the host, the ever-charming and impossibly beautiful Maya, stood with her signature bright smile. She turned to you two, her eyes twinkling under the relentless Spanish sun.

“Welcome, ladies! You must be the gorgeous Hannah and…?” She prompted, her voice smooth and confident.

"I'm Y/N," You replied, your voice a little shaky but steadier than you’d imagined.

“Y/N and Hannah, welcome to Love Island!” Maya beamed. "How are you both feeling entering the villa?"

Hannah, always the natural, stepped forward. “Absolutely buzzing! A little nervous, maybe, but mostly excited to meet everyone and see what this experience has in store for us.”

You nodded in agreement, feeling grateful for her easy confidence. "Yeah, I’m with Hannah. It's definitely a bit surreal, but I’m ready for anything.” you offered a quick smile, trying to convey the mixture of trepidation and hope that was swirling within you.

Maya chuckled, a warm, genuine sound. "Well, that's the spirit! Now, Y/N, I hear you’ve had a bit of a rough time lately. Is that why your friends signed you up for this adventure?”

She leaned in conspiratorially, and for a moment you forgot the cameras were there.

You took a breath, trying to find the right words. You didn't want a pity party, but you also weren't going to deny your recent heartbreak.

“Yeah, something like that. My ex basically turned my life upside down, and I realized I needed a fresh start – a whole new perspective. My friends, in their wonderfully meddling way, thought this might be the solution.” you offered a wry smile, hoping to convey both your humor and your sincere desire for change.

Maya nodded with understanding, her gaze softening. "Well, I hope this is the start of something amazing for you, Y/N. And Hannah, are you here to stir up some drama or find the man of your dreams?” She directed the question to Hannah with a playful wink.

Hannah laughed, a bright, melodic sound. “A little of both, I think! I’m always up for fun, but ultimately, I’m really here hoping to find someone special."

“Well, ladies, you’ve come to the right place.” Maya concluded. “Now that we've introduced all of the girls, let's bring out the boys!”

She gave you another dazzling smile before stepping aside to watch the chaos unfold.

The first boy stepped out, and you recognised him from somewhere but where? – Max. He had this intense gaze and a subtly charming smile that sent a little tremor down your spine.

He was taller than you'd imagined, broad shoulders stretching the fabric of his fitted white t-shirt. His dark hair was neatly styled, falling just so across his forehead, and his eyes, a deep blue, seemed to scan the line of girls with a quiet confidence.

He was sculpted, his jawline sharp and defined, his arms hinting at a strength honed in some gym somewhere. He exuded a controlled energy, a quiet magnetism that was undeniably appealing.

He walked with an easy confidence that you found utterly captivating. Okay, Y/N, breathe, you told yourself, trying to ignore the sudden heat rising to your cheeks.

Then came Lando, all smiles and playful energy, followed by Oscar, who seemed a bit more reserved but had this undeniable magnetism. Charles was next, with his quiet confidence and sharp gaze, and finally, Alex, who was all smooth charm.

The boys lined up, and you found yourself drawn back to Max. There was something about his energy that held your attention. His eyes scanned over the group, and when they met yours for a brief second, your heart skipped a beat.

"Alright, boys, time to make your first impressions." Maya's voice cut into the charged atmosphere. "Take a moment, and then step forward to the girl you'd like to get to know better for 5 minutes."

The boys started to move, and you felt your stomach flip. Lando went to Mimi, his easy laughter echoing as he introduced himself. Oscar chose Emilia, their conversation already looking relaxed.

Charles, surprisingly, went for Hannah, his quieter demeanour contrasting with her vibrancy. Alex, ever the charismatic one, chose to talk to you.

"Hey, Y/N," he began, his smile charming, "I'm Alex. You seem a little nervous, but I think you're really beautiful."

You forced a smile, trying to focus on him. "Thanks, Alex. You’re very sweet.”

He launched into a conversation about himself, and while you nodded along politely, your gaze kept drifting to Max, who was still standing there, a slight frown on his handsome face as he watched Alex talk to you. You couldn’t help but wonder which girl he would choose.

Finally, Alex finished, giving you another charming smile and a wink, moving back to the line. You watched, your heart pounding, as Max took a breath and finally stepped forward.

He wasn’t smiling, his expression serious as he came to a halt in front of you.

“Y/N,” he said, his voice a low rumble that sent a shiver through you. “I’m Max. I, uh… I wanted to talk to you first.”

Your breath hitched. “Hi Max,” you managed to get out, your voice a little breathless.

“You looked a little… uncomfortable, with Alex. I wanted to make sure you were okay.” He met your gaze directly, and it felt like he was seeing right through you.

You couldn’t help the blush that warmed your cheeks. “I’m fine, thank you. He… he’s very chatty,” you said, and Max’s lips curled upwards in a small, almost imperceptible smile.

“Yeah, I noticed. So, why Love Island? Why take such a big leap?” He seemed genuinely curious, and the question felt personal, like he was trying to understand you better.

You paused, taking a breath to collect your thoughts. “It’s a long story, but… I was in a bad place. My ex… he wasn’t good for me, and it left me completely lost. Love Island seemed like the most extreme way to try and find myself again, and maybe even find something real.”

Max nodded slowly, his gaze never leaving yours. “That takes courage, Y/N. I respect that.” His eyes were intense, and there was a sudden intimacy in the space between you that made your heart beat even faster.

“So what about you?” you asked, trying to distract yourself from the magnetic pull he seemed to have on you. “Why Love Island?”

He shrugged, a hint of a smile playing on his lips. “I’m tired of the games, of surface-level connections. I’m looking for something real too, and… I don’t know, I think there’s something about this place that screams ‘genuine chaos’.”

You laughed, a genuine, light sound that had been absent for so long. “Well, you might have come to the right place.”

You looked at him again, and your smile turned soft. “I’m glad you did.”

His eyes held yours for a moment, before finally he looked away, a slight blush highlighting his cheekbones. “Me too, Y/N. Me too.”

The moment was broken by Maya's voice, sharp and clear over the villa speakers. “Okay, time! Girls, would you please go and stand back into your positions, and the boys, come sit with me,” she instructed, her voice carrying the familiar, slightly mocking tone of a seasoned host.

You stood beside Hannah, her blonde hair a stark contrast to your own. Your heart pounded as you watched the boys take their places on the sun-drenched sofas opposite you.

You stole a glance at Max, and you think you saw him do the same. He looked away quickly.

“So boys,” Maya announced, her smile bright and dazzling, “do you like our lovely pick of girls?” Her question was a casual one, but the tension in the air was palpable.

You could feel the weight of everyone’s gaze on you, judging, assessing, searching for a connection.

You tried to keep your face neutral, despite the nervous butterflies fluttering in your stomach and the intensity of the situation. Your eyes scanned the boys, settling on Max.

He was relaxed, his fingers tapping absently on his knee. The easy confidence from earlier had returned and you found yourself wondering if he was as comfortable as he looked.

Maya went first to a guy named Lando. He was new, arriving with Max so you didn't know him much. Lando said he was into Mimi. He smiled brightly at her.

“And what about you, Max?” Maya asked, her voice playful. “Has anyone caught your eye?"

Max shifted in his seat and you found yourself holding your breath. You knew you were drawn to him, but you had no idea if he felt the same.

He looked up, his dark eyes meeting yours across the garden. A slow smile spread across his face, and for a moment, it felt like there was no one else in the villa.

“Yeah,” he said, his voice low and husky. “There’s definitely someone I’d like to get to know better.”

Your heart skipped a beat. Could he possibly be talking about you?

"Care to share, or should we all keep guessing?" Maya teased, a knowing smirk playing on her lips.

Max glanced your way again, his smile widening slightly. "I think I'll keep you all guessing for now," he said, his eyes sparkling with mischief. He didn't say it outright, but his gaze lingered a little longer each time he looked at you, sending a jolt of electricity through you.

The rest of the conversation faded into a background hum as you replayed Max’s words in your mind. “Someone I’d like to get to know better.” Were you reading too much into it? Was he just being polite? Your mind raced and your stomach flipped.

After what felt like an eternity, Maya announced it was up to the boys to pick who they wanted to couple up with. You tried to remain calm, despite the frantic rhythm your heart was beating at.

This was it, the moment of truth and your first real sign if your feelings would be reciprocated or trampled on once again.

Lando picked Mimi, Charles picked Elisha, Oscar picked Hannah. It was now Alex and Max’s go. You kept finding yourself staring at Max and he did the same.

It was Alex's time to pick a girl and you thought he would pick Em, so you zoned out for a second.

“I’m going to pick Y/N to couple up with,” Alex said confidently. Dread filled your stomach and you looked at Max.

He looked disappointed, you couldn’t believe it. But you didn't know what about. You hoped he was going to pick you if he had the chance.

You plastered a fake smile and walked over to Alex, giving him a quick hug before standing beside him. His hand respectfully rested on your arm, rubbing it for assurance.

You couldn't bring yourself to look at Max.

Max had to pick Em, and they did the same thing.

“The coupling is now sorted! These are the first couples of Love Island 2025,” Maya yelled, a booming sound over the villa's speakers.

You sat down beside Alex, trying to act like you’d just won the lottery, when all you wanted to do was cry. It felt like a cruel jest, the universe teasing you with a glimmer of hope only to snatch it away.

You knew that things could change, it was day one after all, but the small flame of hope you'd had for Max had been extinguished before it had even begun.

“Hey, you okay?” Alex murmured, his voice soft, pulling you from your thoughts.

You hadn’t realised you were deep in your head.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” you lied, forcing a smile. “Just a bit overwhelmed. It’s a lot to take in.” You didn't want to tell him you were thinking about another man that had just coupled up with someone else.

“I know, it is,” he agreed, his eyes holding a genuine warmth. “But we’ll get through it. We’ll have fun, I promise.”

His words were reassuring, but they didn’t quell the disappointment that gnawed at you.

"I'm going to leave you now but I'll be back tomorrow night for more news," Maya said with a grin, her voice cutting through the air again. "Adventure the new villa, find your main connection and most importantly, enjoy yourself!"

With a wave, she disappeared, leaving you and the other Islanders to navigate the uncharted waters of this manufactured paradise.

A buzz of conversation erupted around you. Couples were huddled together, whispering, giggling, and getting to know each other. You were talking to Alex, a polite conversation filled with surface-level questions, and the occasional awkward silence.

He was kind, attentive, and clearly trying to make you feel comfortable. The pang of 'he's not Max' hit you again, but you pushed it away. You had to make this work, had to try.

It was day one, things could still change.

But deep down, a small voice whispered that Max had never looked at you like he looked at Em, and that reality hurt more than you wanted to admit.

“Girls! Let’s go explore the villa!” Hannah suddenly announced, jumping up from the sofa, her infectious enthusiasm momentarily distracting you from your thoughts.

“Yes! Let’s do it,” Mimi chirped, adding her eagerness to the mix.

You glanced at Alex, gave him a small smile, “I’ll see you later, okay?”

He smiled back, a hopeful glimmer in his eyes, “Yeah, sounds good. I’ll be around.”

You joined Hannah, Mimi, and the other girls, your heels clacking on the cool tile as you explored the villa’s sprawling grounds. The pool sparkled under the Mediterranean sun, the vibrant greens of the lush landscaping contrasted beautifully with the stark white walls.

It was paradise, yet you felt strangely detached, your mind still haunted by Max's nonchalant glances in another direction. You walked alongside Hannah and found a secluded spot under a canopy of vibrant bougainvillea.

The other girls were giggling and joking by the pool, leaving the two of you to have a more personal conversation.

"So how is he?" Hannah asked, her gaze direct, but kind.

You knew immediately who she meant. "He's...fine," you answered, trying to sound nonchalant. "He's nice."

Hannah raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk playing on her lips, "Just 'nice'? Come on, girl, you looked like you were about to melt into the floor during the coupling."

You sighed, glancing at the colorful flowers around you, your eyes avoiding her direct gaze.

You hesitated, your mind flashing back to that moment, the hope that had blossomed in your chest as you walked out, only to be crushed as you saw Max’s attention was elsewhere. “It’s just… it’s obvious he’s not interested, is it?”

"And?" Hannah prompted, her voice gentle. "So what? This is Love Island, not 'The Max Show'. It’s been what, two hours? You've got a whole summer ahead of you, and you’ve got Alex! Stop wasting time fixating on the one person who is not giving you attention."

You turned to face her, a conflicted look on your face. "I know, you’re right. It's pathetic, and unfair on Alex... and probably Max too to be honest, I don’t even know him."

“Exactly! And Alex… he looks at you like he’s just won the lottery, even if you’re sitting there looking like you've just been told your dog died! Don't you see that?” she teased, nudging your arm playfully.

A small smile tugged at your lips. “Okay, okay, I get it. Max is off limits. Move on. Be open to Alex. Got it.”

"That's the spirit! Now, tell me all about Alex. What's he like?" Hannah pressed, eyes sparkling with mischief.

You thought for a moment, trying to focus on the good qualities you had noticed. "He's very sweet, really polite, and he's got these amazing eyes, kind of warm and inviting," you confessed, a surprising touch of honesty creeping into your voice. "And he seems genuine, like he’s actually listening when you talk.”

Hannah grinned. “See? Sounds like a catch. Maybe, just maybe, this whole coupling thing wasn't so bad after all, eh?"

You chuckled, shaking your head. “Maybe… maybe you’re right.”

You took a sip of your water, the cool liquid doing little to quench the heat of the villa.

Just as you were starting to believe that maybe, just maybe, things could be a little less complicated, your phone buzzed, a sharp chime cutting through the relaxed chatter.

Your heart leaped. You knew that sound. “I've got a text!” you yelled, your voice a little too loud, a little too full of nervous energy.

Every head in the villa turned, eyes widening with a mixture of anticipation and dread. The usual lounging immediately morphed into a scramble as everyone gathered around you.

You cleared your throat, holding your phone up for all to see. “Islanders,” you read, your voice a little shaky, “to spice up the energy, gather around the fire pit and do dare or dare.”

A chorus of excited squeals erupted from the girls, while the guys exchanged knowing smirks. You rolled your eyes, a smile playing on your lips. This was going to be interesting, you thought.

The energy around the fire pit was palpable. The setting sun cast long shadows, making the whole scene feel a little dramatic.

As everyone settled in, another notification chimed, this time on Hannah's phone. She grabbed it, her eyes widening as she read.

“Okay, this just got interesting,” she announced, a smirk spreading across her face. “You will have a device that will measure your heartbeat during these dares.

A collective gasp filled the air. Oh, this was going to be really interesting.

You felt your own heart begin to hammer against your ribs. The stakes had just been raised, higher than you expected.

Was your heart playing this game with you? You felt a mix of dread and anticipation. You glanced at Alex, who was looking at you with a shy smile.

The first dare had rolled around quickly. Lando, a gentle giant with a heart of gold, had to do a silly dance for the best-looking girl. Predictably, he’d chosen Mimi. Her face had flushed pink as he'd awkwardly swayed, and the monitor had shown a slight increase in his heart rate, little more than a brisk walk. You watched with a mixture of amusement and a surprising pang of jealousy.

Then came Oscar’s turn. He had to share a pocky stick with Hannah, slowly, suggestively, until their lips met. Then, when nothing was left, they were to engage in a passionate kiss, the kind you saw in rom-coms but rarely in real life.

Both their heart rates had spiked, the little monitors lighting up like tiny fireworks. The air crackled with a strange mix of tension and excitement. The game was getting serious.

Next, Elisha, with her fiery personality, had to French kiss the person sitting opposite her. That was Alex. You watched as his eyes met with Elisha's, and then her lips. You could practically feel her heart pounding in her chest.

And just like that, it was your turn. You swallowed, trying to appear cool, calm, and collected, the kind of girl who thrived in this kind of high-stakes environment. The notification chimed out on your phone.

You tapped the screen, your breath catching in your throat as you read the words: "Seduce the player to your right."

Your eyes darted to your left, then right, landing on Max. Max, with his chiseled jawline, piercing blue eyes, and the kind of effortless charm that could melt glaciers.

Your heart thumped against your ribs, the device registering a slight tremor in your pulse. You felt a sudden heat rise to your cheeks, a mix of panic and a strangely thrilling anticipation.

"Well," you joked, your voice a little breathier than you intended. "This is awkward."

Max leaned back in his lounger, his eyes twinkling. "Awkward? I think it's interesting. I'm intrigued to see how you're going to try and seduce me."

He raised an eyebrow, a challenge in his gaze, and you couldn't help but laugh. This was a game, after all. A very public, very strange game, but a game nonetheless.

You couldn't leave because you were being boring on TV, that was certain.

A mischievous thought struck you. You stood up, walked the few steps to his lounger, and without uttering another word, sat down on his lap. The breath hitched in his throat and his eyes widened slightly.

You leaned forward, your hand coming to rest lightly on his chest, and kissed him. It wasn't a soft, shy kiss. It was bold, confident, full of the energy you were trying so hard to project.

He was surprise, yes, but he responded with an intensity that sent shivers down your spine.

His hands came to your waist, holding you securely, and for a brief, dizzying moment, you forgot the cameras and the challenges, the other islanders, everything.

It was just you and Max, caught in a whirlwind of unexpected heat.

When you broke apart, you could see the pulse beating rapidly in his neck. His breath was coming in short, sharp gasps. Your heart thrummed a wild little rhythm against your ribs.

You pulled back, a grin spreading across your face, feeling a surge of satisfaction mixed with something else you couldn't quite name.

You stood and sat back down on the sofa, smoothing down your dress as if nothing extraordinary had just happened.

“That’s how I seduce you,” you teased, trying to keep the tremor out of your voice, hoping the camera didn't catch the flush on your cheeks.

You caught the flicker in his eyes, a mix of amusement and something much more profound.

He was definitely affected and that was...intriguing.

Max was speechless for a beat, his fingers drumming absently on his lap as he replayed the kiss in his mind. "Well," he said finally, a chuckle escaping his lips, "I can't say I've ever been seduced quite like that before."

You laughed, a genuine laugh this time. "I aim to please."

The game continued, dares thrown around like confetti, but you couldn’t shake the residue of that kiss. You noticed it too – the way

Max's heartbeat never quite reached the frantic speed it did with you, even when he kissed Em, his current partner. It was a small detail, a silent acknowledgment that something had shifted, and you found yourself replaying the moment over and over in your head.

When the game finally came to a close, Lando bounced up from his spot, his usual exuberance bubbling over. “Guys! It’s our turn to explore the villa!”

Everyone laughed at Lando’s slight mockery of Hannah’s catchphrase. The boys, a chattering, energetic pack, headed off to investigate the vast space, splitting into smaller groups almost immediately.

You made your way back to Hannah, sinking onto a smaller sofa tucked away in a quiet corner.

“So, how do you feel now?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with teasing curiosity.

“I feel… confused,” you sighed, running a hand through your hair. You'd kissed most of the boys during the challenge, but only Alex, your current partner, and Max, had left you feeling this…stirred.

“Well, it’s only day one, but let me tell you something, that kiss you had with Max was hot!” Hannah commented, letting out a low whistle. “Seriously, the way you held his face, that little smirk you had afterwards… pure fire.”

“Really?” you asked, a blush creeping up your neck.

“Really! You looked so comfortable on his lap, do you do that often?” Hannah teased, nudging you playfully.

“God, no!” you laughed, “That was pure dare energy. I don’t usually… initiate that forwardly.”

You knew you were blushing, could feel the heat staining your cheeks. The image of Max, his eyes wide and surprised, flashed in your mind.

You’d enjoyed that moment, the power of it, the way it had seemed to unravel him.

“Well, maybe you should start,” Hannah said with a wink and a grin. “I saw the way he looked at you after, girl. He was captivated. And let’s be honest, Alex is…” she trailed off, searching for the right word, “...sweet, but maybe a little bland?”

You knew what she meant. Alex was lovely, kind, and had the kindest eyes, but he lacked the edge, the raw energy that seemed to radiate off Max.

“He’s just… safe,” you admitted softly.

“Exactly!” Hannah exclaimed, throwing her arm around you in solidarity. "You need a little danger in your life, a little spark. And let’s face it, you and Max? Sparks were absolutely flying.”

You bit your lip, trying to ignore the butterflies that had now chosen to throw a rave in your stomach. “But I’m coupled with Alex,” you reminded her, the reality of your situation settling in like a lead weight.

“So? Day one, baby! Anything can happen. This is Love Island, not a retirement home.” Hannah giggled, “Besides, you have a type, which is Max. So, clearly the universe is trying to tell you something.”

You laughed, shaking your head at Hannah’s dramatic pronouncements, but her words lingered. You knew she was right, at least partly

You were attracted to Max, that was undeniable.

But the fact that you were coupled with Alex, that you were building something, however slowly, with him, made everything a lot complicated. . . .

The villa was a sensory overload. Sunlight glinted off the turquoise pool, music pulsed from unseen speakers, and the air crackled with the nervous energy of the assembled singles.

Max Verstappen, usually so composed, felt a knot tighten in his stomach. This was nothing like the roar of an engine, the precision of a racecar, the familiar comfort of the paddock. This was… different.

Terrifyingly different. He’d been thrust into this gaudy world of swimwear, spray tans, and manufactured drama less than four hours ago, and already he felt like he was drowning.

He’d barely had time to register names and faces, let alone personalities. Yet, here he was, trailing behind a group heading towards the bedrooms, his heart thudding a frantic rhythm against his ribs.

He wanted to see the infamous bedroom, the one plastered across countless episodes of the show. He'd watched them religiously, a strange, almost guilty curiosity pulling him in, but being here in person was a different beast.

And so did someone else.

He felt a presence beside him and turned to see a man with a charmingly crooked smile and eyes that seemed to hold a mischievous glint.

“Hey mate, I’m Charles Leclerc, I’m from Monaco, you?” Charles said, extending a hand as they crossed the threshold into the bedroom.

It was exactly like the show, all vibrant colours and strategically placed mirrors.

Max shook his hand, the contact surprisingly firm. “I’m Max Verstappen, I’m from the Netherlands,” he replied, keeping his tone short and his gaze focused.

He was trying to remain guarded, the layers he'd built over years making it difficult to relax and be open like everyone else was doing.

“Nice,” Charles said, plopping down on the edge of a bed, the mattress squeaking in protest. “I’ve been there once before,” he added, a reflective smile playing on his lips.

“So, why are you here?”

Max blinked, his mind momentarily blank. “What?” he asked, caught off guard.

Charles chuckled, his shoulders rising and falling with the movement. “Like, why you’re at Love Island? Like, I’m here because I don’t want to be single anymore. What about you?”

Max stiffened. The truth hung heavy in his throat: He wasn't here for love, not really.

“Same,” Max lied, forcing a nonchalant shrug and a casual tone. “Feeling a bit lonely these days.” The words tasted like ash in his mouth.

It wasn’t the first time he lied, and he knew it wouldn't be the last.

Charles beamed, his face lighting up with genuine warmth. “I have a feeling that we’re going to be best friends,” he declared, his voice full of conviction.

Max raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. “Really?” He was used to caution, to guarded interactions, especially after years spent in the intense world of Formula One.

This easy camaraderie felt strange, almost foreign.

“Yeah, I can tell,” Charles said, his smile widening. “We both seem to be a bit lost, in a good way, though,” he winked.

Max found himself returning the smile, a small, genuine smile that surprised even him. Maybe, just maybe, this whole ordeal wouldn’t be as unbearable as he’d anticipated.

Perhaps, if he was lucky, he wouldn’t have to go through the charade of finding someone, and maybe, he could actually pretend to enjoy the experience a little.

He'd been forced into the deep end, but he could use this time to get to know people.

"So do you like any of the girls?"

“Umm,” Max froze, the question catching him off guard. He hadn't been consciously analyzing his feelings, but his gaze instinctively darted around the expansive bedroom, taking in the half-empty suitcases and scattered clothes.

It was just him and Charles in the room, thankfully, though he knew the microphones hung heavy in the air, ready to capture every whisper.

He was supposed to be here to find love, wasn’t he? The problem was, he’d already found it, or rather, it found him.

He looked back at Charles, a blush creeping up his neck. “I like Y/N,” he said shyly, like the microphone wasn't going to pick up every word he said, like the cameras weren’t trained on them, like the whole country wasn’t watching.

Charles grinned, a knowing look lighting up his eyes. "I knew it!"

"How?" Max asked, genuinely confused. He’d thought he’d been keeping it under wraps, playing it cool.

"You looked so crushed after Alex picked her," Charles teased, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "You looked so love-sick when she left your lap after that kiss you two shared... should I go on?"

"No, don't," Max muttered, rubbing his face with his hand, as if he could erase the evidence of his blatant infatuation. He wasn't good at hiding his emotions, not when they were this intense.

His dad would kill him for this kind of openness, for showing any sort of weakness.

Thank goodness he's not here, he thought, a grimace crossing his lips at the thought.

It was one thing to be watched by the world, quite another to face his father’s wrath.

"It's not too obvious, right?" Max asked, a note of panic creeping into his voice. He had a strategic image to maintain, a reputation for being focused and unshakeable, not a lovesick puppy.

Charles chuckled, slapping Max on the back. "Mate, you’re about as subtle as a pin drop. But hey,” he added, his tone turning surprisingly earnest, “that's not a bad thing. It shows you care."

Max sighed, running a hand through his already messy hair. “But it’s…it’s embarrassing.”

Charles said, his tone light, “having feelings aren't embarrassing, and I think Y/N likes you too, don't you think? I see the way she looks at you.”

Max’s heart skipped a beat at that. He wanted to believe it, desperately. “She… she kissed me,” he said quietly, the memory a tangible warmth in his chest.

“But then she went with Alex.” He felt the familiar sting of rejection, amplified by the public nature of it all.

“It’s Love Island, mate,” Charles said with a shrug. “People get kissed, people get picked, but it doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road. It’s still early days.”

He paused, looking Max directly in the eye. “You need to fight for her. Don't let Alex win her over.”

“Easy for you to say, you’re not the one making a fool of yourself on national television,” Max retorted, surprised by the edge in his voice.

Charles raised his hands in mock surrender. “Okay, okay. But seriously, Max, you’re a Formula One driver, you deal with pressure all the time. This is just another kind of race, right? You got to figure out the track and push pedal to the metal.”

Max stared blankly at him for a moment, before a slow smile stretched across his face. “Okay, I get your point, but you’re never calling this the race again.”

“Deal,” Charles grinned. . . .

The turquoise water of the Love Island pool shimmered under the relentless Spanish sun, a stark contrast to the drowsy haze that still clung to Mimi’s mind.

She’d only been here for four hours, yet it felt like a lifetime. A whirlwind of introductions, forced mingling, and a truly ridiculous number of dares had left her feeling incredibly drained.

She’d sought refuge by the pool, the rhythmic lapping of water against the infinity edge a soothing balm to her frazzled nerves. Her nap had been short, but sweet, until a tap on her shoulder jolted her back to reality.

Opening her eyes, she found Lando grinning down at her. His dark hair was tousled, as if he’d run his hands through it too many times, and his hazel eyes sparkled with mischief.

Mimi couldn’t help but grin back. There was something undeniably magnetic about him, a playful energy that was both endearing and a little bit nerve-wracking.

“Hey sleepyhead,” he said, easing down onto the edge of her deckchair, his hip brushing against hers. “You tired after kissing all of the guys here?”

His voice was laced with teasing, a light, playful tone that made Mimi’s cheeks flush a little.

She punched him lightly on the arm, a small giggle escaping her lips. “It’s not my fault I got all the dares,” she protested, though a smile played on her lips. It had been quite the spectacle.

She’d kissed three guys for various ridiculous dares.

Lando feigned a dramatic pout, his lower lip jutting out slightly. “Yeah, but I didn’t get a kiss.” He looked genuinely sad, or at least, he was a very convincing actor.

Mimi raised an eyebrow, a sly look creeping onto her face. “Do you want one?” she asked, the question hanging in the air like a challenge.

Lando nodded immediately, his grin widening to reveal a flash of white teeth. “Absolutely.”

He looked at her with an intensity that made her stomach flip.

Mimi leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Then come and get it,” she said, the words laced with a playful allure.

He didn't hesitate. He stood, his long limbs moving with a fluid grace, and walked over to her. He knelt by the side of her deckchair, his chest almost parallel with her face, and his hands softly cradled her face.

His touch was gentle, feather-light, and it sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine. He tilted her chin up, his gaze locked on hers, his eyes filled with an emotion she couldn't quite decipher.

The air crackled with a palpable tension, a silent question hanging between them. It felt as if the rest of the villa had faded into a muted background, the laughter and chatter reduced to a distant hum.

There was only her and Lando, the sun beating down on them, the scent of sunscreen and chlorine filling the air.

"Can I kiss you?" The question was barely audible, a mere breath of sound.

Mimi's heart pounded in her chest. This wasn't a dare, this wasn't a game. This was something else entirely. It felt raw, real, and slightly terrifying.

She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "Yes," she managed to whisper, her voice husky with emotion.

He closed the distance, his lips meeting hers in a soft, tentative kiss. It wasn't the explosive, passionate kiss she'd shared during a dare, but it was more profound, more intimate.

It was a kiss that spoke of curiosity, of potential, of a connection that had sparked in the space of only four hours.

Their lips moved together slowly, a silent exploration, a silent conversation between two people thrown together in the most ridiculous of circumstances.

When they finally parted, they were both breathless, their eyes locked together with a mix of surprise and something that looked dangerously like hope.

"Wow," Lando said, his voice thick with emotion.

Mimi nodded, unable to find the words to express the way she felt. It was just a kiss, and it was nothing like she’d imagined. It was better. It felt like the start of something.

"So, is this a new dare?" A teasing voice broke through the bubble they’d created, their faces breaking apart.

It was Em standing by the edge of the pool, a mischievous grin on her lips.

Lando rolled his eyes playfully, pulling back. “No dares, EM,” he said. “Just taking a moment.”

“A very cute moment, might I add,” Em winked before sauntering away, leaving Mimi and Lando alone again.

Mimi couldn't help but giggle. The moment was gone, broken. But the feeling lingered, a warm glow in her chest.

Lando turned back to her, a smile playing on his lips. “This is going to be an interesting couple of weeks, isn't it?” he said, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Mimi laughed, a genuine, carefree sound that echoed across the pool. “You have no idea,” she said, leaning back on her deckchair, her eyes meeting his with a newfound sense of expectation.

She didn't know what the future held, but for the first time since arriving on Love Island, she felt a sense of excitement… a sense that maybe, just maybe, this ridiculous circus could lead to something real. . . .

The air crackled with anticipation. Tonight was the first proper dinner on Love Island, and after a day of awkward ice-breakers and forced flirting under the Spanish sun, the girls were buzzing as you all prepped in the dressing room.

"So, are you guys happy with your couples right now?" Mimi asked, her voice bright, as she expertly winged her eyeliner in the mirror.

"I'm happy with Oscar," Hannah said, grinning like a Cheshire cat. A chorus of "Ooooohs" and playful shoves erupted from the group.

"Look at you, whipped already!" Elisha teased, tossing a hairbrush at Hannah.

"Shut up! He's just... nice," Hannah said, blushing furiously.

"Nice isn't exactly the Love Island vibe, hun," Em said, winking. "Unless you're secretly plotting his downfall for the £50k…"

Mimi, now applying a generous layer of lip gloss, chimed in. "Me and Lando shared a small kiss," she announced, earning a loud cheer from the girls.

"Details, details!" Elisha demanded. "Was it a full-on snog? Did he use tongue? Was there… chemistry?"

Mimi giggled. "It was just a little one. But he's got something about him, you know? Confidence, for days."

"What about you, Y/N?" Em asked, turning to you. "How are things with Alex?"

You forced a smile, carefully avoiding eye contact with the mirror as you applied mascara. "Yeah, good! Alex is... great. We had a really good chat this afternoon, you know, getting to know each other."

Liar.

The truth was, Alex was perfectly pleasant. He was good-looking in a boy-next-door kind of way, with a genuine smile and a surprisingly witty sense of humour. But there wasn’t a spark. Not even a flicker.

Your eyes, however, kept wandering towards Max. He had this brooding intensity about him, a quiet confidence that screamed "trouble" in the best possible way.

And, more importantly, the few times your eyes had met, you felt that jolt, the one that said this could be something…

"A 'good chat' isn't exactly setting the villa on fire, is it?" Em pressed, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"What else is there to do on day one?" you countered, trying to sound nonchalant. "We've got plenty of time to build something."

"Build something… like a friendship?" Elisha snickered.

You shot her a warning look. "We'll see. I'm keeping my options open."

The girls seemed to buy it, thankfully dropping the subject. But your conscience wasn't so easily fooled. You hated lying, especially to your new friends.

But revealing your true feelings for Max would be a recipe for disaster.

Em was already coupled with him, and despite her playful ribbing, she seemed genuinely interested. Stirring the pot on day one would make you look like a desperate drama queen.

So, you kept your mouth shut, swallowed your feelings, and plastered on a fake smile.

The sun bleeds orange and pink across the perfectly sculpted landscape, turning the infinity pool into a shimmering mirror reflecting the impossibly blue sky. 

The sound of cheering rips through the air. It's the boys, of course, already pumped up on whatever combination of protein shakes and manufactured enthusiasm they've been consuming.

You tighten your grip on Elisha’s hand, the slick feel of her fake tan against your skin a surprisingly grounding sensation. Six girls, descending the stairs, a carefully curated mix of sun-kissed skin, perfectly highlighted cheekbones, and strategically placed assets.

The producers want the slow-motion montage, the dramatic reveal, the palpable tension. What they get is six girls desperately trying not to face-plant in six-inch heels.

You take a deep breath, focusing on the next step, then the next. You can feel the burn in your calves already. Elisha whispers, “Smile! We’re on camera!” You plaster a smile onto your face, praying it looks more genuine than forced.

Finally, you reach the bottom. The cheers crescendo, the bass of the music throbs in your chest, and the boys surge forward to greet their partners.

Lando scoops Mimi into a hug, spinning her around. Elisha leaps into Charles’s arms, their laughter echoing across the lawn. Oscar pulls Hannah close, whispering something in her ear that makes her blush.

Max embraces Em, their connection radiating even from this distance.

Then, there’s Alex.

He’s…fine. Perfectly pleasant. Brown hair neatly styled, teeth blindingly white, arms outstretched. He’s the guy your mother would love. Stable. Reliable. And about as exciting as beige wallpaper.

You plaster on your brightest, most convincing smile. The one that says, "I'm thrilled to be coupled with you!"

The one that hides the tiny voice inside your head screaming, "Wrong Max!"

You step into Alex's embrace, his arms wrapping around you. He smells of generic cologne and something vaguely…linen-y.

“Hey,” he says, his voice a comfortable baritone. “You look amazing.”

“Hey,” you echo, squeezing him a little tighter than necessary, hoping to project an enthusiasm you don't feel. “You too.”

He pulls back, his eyes searching yours. “Ready for dinner?”

“Yeah,” you lie. “I'm really hungry.”

You weren't. You really weren't.

Now, standing in line for the 'aesthetical Instagram-worthy' dinner hall, you feel a knot of anxiety tighten in your stomach.

You can feel Max’s eyes on you, burning a hole in the back of your head. You refuse to meet his gaze. Instead, you focus all your attention on Alex. He's...nice. 

"So," Alex says, his voice a little too loud in the suddenly hushed atmosphere. "First impressions? What do we think of the Love Island dining experience?"

You force a smile. "It's...striking. Definitely lives up to the hype." You glance around. Fairy lights twinkle in the twilight, draped across the bougainvillea-covered pergola. The tables are set with crisp white linens and gleaming silverware. It's utterly picture-perfect.

"Striking is one word for it," Alex chuckles. "I'm more concerned with the food. Hopefully, it tastes as good as it looks."

You nod, trying to appear engaged. But your attention keeps drifting back to Max. He's saying something to Em, but his eyes are fixed on you. A flicker of something you can't decipher – frustration? Regret? – flashes across his face before he quickly schools his expression.

Em, bless her heart, seems completely oblivious. She's completely engrossed in whatever Max is saying, her face alight with adoration.

He, on the other hand, looks distinctly bored. He gives her the barest of smiles, the kind that doesn't reach his eyes.

The line shuffles forward. You take a deep breath and tell yourself to focus. You're here to find love, or at least, the idea of love. You're here for the experience, the sun, the fun… the Instagram followers.

You definitely shouldn't be here obsessing over the guy who's currently paired with someone else, no matter how electrifying his presence is.

"You okay?" Alex asks, his brow furrowed with concern.

"Yeah, fine," you say, a little too quickly. "Just...a bit overwhelmed, I guess. It's all a lot to take in."

He places a reassuring hand on your arm. "I get it. It's a pressure cooker. Just remember to be yourself. That's all anyone can ask for."

Be yourself. The words ring hollow. The problem is, 'yourself' is currently battling an internal tug-of-war between playing it safe with the nice guy and succumbing to the undeniable pull of the bad boy.

And, you know, pretending to be someone else entirely for the sake of the cameras.

Finally, you reach the entrance to the dining hall. A hostess greets you with a dazzling smile and leads you and Alex to your assigned table. It's positioned strategically to give you a perfect view of… yep, you guessed it, Max and Em.

As you sit down, you subtly angled your body away from Max, towards Alex. "So, tell me about yourself, Alex," you say, trying to sound genuinely interested. "What do you do back home?"

He launches into a description of his life as a personal trainer, his passion for fitness, his dreams of opening his own gym. You nod and smile, asking appropriate questions, but your mind is elsewhere.

You catch Max’s gaze again. This time, he doesn't look away. He holds your stare, his expression unreadable.

Dinner arrives. A beautifully plated sea bass with roasted vegetables. It looks delicious, but you have no appetite. You pick at your food, making small talk with Alex, while eavesdropping on the conversations around you.

"…honestly, I think he's playing a game," you hear Mimi whisper to Lando, her eyes darting towards Oscar.

"…I'm just not feeling a spark," Elisha confides in Charles, sounding surprisingly glum.

You wonder if anyone here is actually being genuine. Or are you all just performers, vying for attention, manipulating emotions, and playing to the cameras?

"What about you?" Alex asks, pulling you back to the present. "What are you hoping to get out of this experience?"

You hesitate. The truth? The truth is, you don't really know. You came here because your friends dared you to. Because you were bored with your life. Because you secretly hoped to find something – or someone – that would ignite a spark within you.

"I'm… open to anything," you say, choosing your words carefully. "I'm looking for a connection, someone who makes me laugh, someone I can be myself with."

"And am I making you laugh?" Alex teases, a playful glint in his eye.

You force another smile. "You're definitely funny."

He leans closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Good. Because I'm definitely interested in getting to know you better."

You feel a wave of panic wash over you. This is it. This is the moment you're supposed to reciprocate, to flirt back, to signal your interest.

But you can't. Your gaze drifts back to Max, who is now staring intently at his plate, a muscle twitching in his jaw.

You swallow hard. "I'm… I'm glad to hear that, Alex." You try to sound enthusiastic, but your voice comes out flat.

The rest of the dinner passes in a blur of forced conversation and stolen glances. You avoid Max's gaze as much as possible, but you can feel his presence like a magnetic force, pulling you towards him.

You find yourself analyzing every interaction, every gesture, searching for hidden meanings, for some sign that he feels the same way.

"Since everyone is so hesitant, I'll start it. Alex, can I pull you for a chat?" Elisha says suddenly, standing up with a determined glint in her eye.

You love Elisha for this. For cutting through the artificial pleasantries and getting straight to the point. For being brave enough to risk rejection, or worse, boredom. You watch them leave, a wave of relief washing over you.

The conversational pressure, the suffocating intensity of the group setting, momentarily lifts. Now, you can finally relax, breathe and maybe think about what you should do. You wonder if you should call Max for a chat.

"Y/N," you hear someone say, a low, husky voice that sends a shiver down your spine. You turn around to see Max, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Can I speak to you for a minute?" he asks smoothly, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.

You blink, caught completely off guard. After a moment, you recover quickly, attempting to appear nonchalant. "Okay, sure."

You stand up and follow Max to one of the sofas nestled in a secluded corner of the garden.

As you walk, you try to calm your racing heart, reminding yourself that this is just a conversation, nothing more. But deep down, you know that this is anything but ordinary.

When you two sit down, you are finally able to analyze Max's clothes. It was a simple, almost careless look, a plain white t-shirt – probably expensive – paired with dark denim jeans.

He looked effortless, like he'd just thrown it on, but you knew better. Every detail was carefully considered, designed to project an image of relaxed confidence.

"So," Max begins, leaning back against the cushions and crossing his arms. "How are you finding it so far? The Love Island experience, I mean."

You take a deep breath, trying to collect your thoughts. "It's...intense," you admit, choosing your words carefully. "Definitely more intense than I expected."

"Yeah, it can be a bit overwhelming," he agrees, his eyes never leaving yours. "Everyone's trying to figure out where they stand, who they connect with. It's like a game of chess, but with emotions."

"And a lot more strategically placed bikinis," you add, earning a chuckle from him.

"True, very true. So, have you found anyone you connect with yet? Anyone you fancy?" he asks, the question hanging in the air between you.

This is it. The moment of truth. You could tell him the truth, admit your attraction, risk everything. Or you could play it safe, protect yourself from potential heartbreak, and settle for the comfortable mediocrity of your current pairing. You open your mouth to speak, but the words catch in your throat.

"Well," you start, forcing a casual tone. "Alex is...nice. He's a good guy, and we get along well enough."

A flicker of something passes across Max’s face – disappointment? relief? – but it’s gone before you can decipher it.

"Nice is good," he says neutrally. "But is it enough? Is it sparky enough to survive the recoupling?"

The recoupling. The looming threat that hangs over every islander, the ultimate test of compatibility, the brutal reminder that this is, after all, a game.

"I don't know," you confess, your voice barely above a whisper. "I honestly don't know what I'm doing. I've been here for six hours, and I already feel like I'm drowning."

Max leans forward, his expression softening. "Hey, it's okay. Everyone feels like that at first. Just be yourself, follow your instincts, and don't be afraid to take risks."

"Easy for you to say," you retort, a hint of bitterness creeping into your voice. "You're coupled up with Em, and you seem perfectly happy."

He hesitates for a moment, his gaze dropping to his hands before looking back up at you. "Looks can be deceiving," he says quietly. "Em is great, don't get me wrong. But we're not exactly…soulmates."

Your heart skips a beat. Is he implying what you think he’s implying?

Before he could respond, a high-pitched shriek cut through the tension. “I’ve got a text!” Em, tanned and toned, was practically vibrating with excitement. The whole villa seemed to collectively hold its breath.

Max immediately helped you from the sofa, his hand lingering on your arm for a fraction of a second longer than necessary. The brief contact sent a jolt of electricity through you.

He guided you both back to the group, where Em, having dramatically uncapped her phone, began to read in her best influencer voice, “Islanders, tomorrow there’s going to be something new in the villa…or someone! Be ready to test the connections you just made! #NewArrival #TestYourLove”

The girls gasped, a chorus of nervous energy filling the air. You could see the gears turning in their heads, alliances forming and dissolving in a matter of seconds.

You, however, were still reeling from Max's earlier cryptic comment. The text only added another layer of complexity to the already overwhelming situation.

You push your way through the throng of girls, the air thick with hairspray and the scent of coconut tanning lotion. You find Hannah propped against a pillar, nervously chewing on her lip gloss applicator.

“Imagine it’s a new guy?” you ask, trying to inject a casual tone into your voice.

Hannah’s eyes dart over to where Oscar was speaking to Lando. “I think I like my couple,” she says, fiddling with the strap of her bikini. “Oscar’s…sweet.”

You suppress a smile. Sweet might be one word for it. You’d go with ‘nonchalant.’

The rest of the evening is a blur of speculation, strategy, and forced smiles. Everyone talks about the text, analyzing its implications from every possible angle.

The producers orchestrated this chaos perfectly.

Later, as the sun dips below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink, the girls gather in the dressing room, the air buzzing with a renewed sense of camaraderie.

“Party in the U.S.A.” blares from someone’s phone as they take off their makeup, revealing the slightly less glamorous reality that lies beneath the layers of foundation and bronzer.

Hannah and Elisha are having a twerk-off by the mirror, their laughter echoing through the room.

The rest cheer them on, a momentary escape from the pressure cooker that Love Island has become. You find yourself caught up in the energy, laughing along with them.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the villa, the guys are engaged in their own pre-bedtime rituals.

You can hear snippets of their conversation drifting through the open windows: talk of muscles, abs, and the merits of different protein powders.

Unbeknownst to you, Max decides to confide in Lando, a surfer with perpetually windswept hair. He trusts Lando to keep a secret.

“Mate, I think I like… Y/N,” Max says, running a hand through his perfectly styled hair.

Lando, who’s meticulously applying beard oil in front of the mirror, quirks an eyebrow. “Oh, I knew it,” he says, a smug grin spreading across his face.

Max is shocked. “How?”

Lando shrugs, touching his hair again. “The way you look at her, man. It’s obvious. Plus, she’s, like, totally your type. Smart, funny, doesn’t take herself too seriously.”

Max gulps. He hadn’t realized he was being so transparent. “But I’m coupled with Emily…” he mumbles, the sentence trailing off into the humid night air.

“Yeah, well, Emily is…Emily,” Lando says diplomatically, clearly implying that Emily, while undeniably gorgeous, might not be the intellectual sparring partner Max secretly craves.

“Look, mate, don’t do anything rash. Just…see where things go.”

As you watch everyone around you pairing off and heading to their shared beds, you feel a twinge of anxiety in your chest. You've only been on the Love Island for eight hours, but it feels like a lifetime since you've been in a healthy, loving relationship.

You broke up with your ex a few months ago, and while you've been on a few dates since then, nothing has stuck.

But now, here you are, in a villa full of beautiful people, and you've somehow found yourself coupled up with Alex. He's sweet, kind, and understanding - everything your ex wasn't.

But you can't shake the feeling of awkwardness that comes with physical intimacy after being out of the game for so long.

As you both get ready for bed, you can feel Alex trying to make you feel comfortable. He gives you a gentle kiss on the cheek as you climb into bed together.

"Are you okay?" he asks, his voice soft and concerned.

You nod, trying to put on a brave face. "Yeah, I'm just...not used to this yet," you admit.

Alex smiles gently and takes your hand in his. "It's okay," he says. "We can take things at your pace. I want you to feel safe and comfortable with me."

You squeeze his hand, grateful for his understanding. "Thanks, Alex. I appreciate that."

He snuggles down into his pillow, turning to face you. “Just relax. We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

You mimic his actions, pulling your own pillow closer. As you close your eyes, a wave of exhaustion washes over you. The day’s events, the constant scrutiny, the pressure to perform – it’s all taking its toll.

But sleep doesn't come easily. Your mind races, replaying conversations, analyzing interactions, second-guessing every word and gesture.

The villa's hum is a constant reminder that you're not alone, that everyone is watching, judging, hoping.

Tossing and turning, you finally crack open your eyes. You’re staring directly at…Max.

His face is close, too close, the faint light filtering through the villa windows painting his features in soft strokes. His dark hair is a mess, artfully disheveled, like he just rolled out of bed after a particularly good dream.

Or maybe a bad one, judging by the slight furrow in his brow.

He must be warm, because even in the dim light, you can see the sheen of a healthy glow on his skin.

He’s shirtless.

A landscape of toned muscle and subtle shadows. Your eyes trace the line of his collarbone, the curve of his shoulder, the way his chest rises and falls with each breath. A faint trail of hair leads down to where his torso disappears beneath the sheet.

You can see the faintest hint of definition in his abs, the subtle indentations that speak of workouts and natural athleticism. His chest is firm, not overly muscular but with perfectly defined pecs.

You could spend the whole day counting the individual pectoral muscles, the striations and curves highlighted by the soft villa light.

Max, with his mischievous grin, and eyes that crinkle at the corners. Max, who is coupled up with Em. Max, whose bed is situated right next to yours, separated only by a narrow space.

A space that feels infinitely wider now, under the cover of darkness.

He’s staring at you, a playful glint in his eyes. It makes you feel strangely exposed, yet also…seen. Alex is asleep beside you, chest rising and falling in steady rhythm, oblivious to the silent drama unfolding inches away.

You feel a flicker of guilt, quickly stifled by a surge of unexpected excitement. This isn't how the first night in Love Island is supposed to go.

You're supposed to be getting to know Alex, or at least faking it well enough until a better option presents itself. Not exchanging secret glances with one of the villa's heartthrobs.

You smile, a small, tentative curve of your lips. It feels ridiculously shy, like you’re a teenager again, caught staring at your crush across the school cafeteria.

Max mirrors your smile, then mouths something across the space. “Good night,” he forms the words carefully, then adds a final word you can’t quite decipher. It sounds like "Schat,".

You didn't know what it meant, maybe it was something you called a friend in his language?

You mirror him, mouthing back, "Good night,” feeling a surge of childish glee. The absurdity of the situation – lying in bed next to a sleeping stranger, communicating silently with another stranger in the dark – makes you giggle. Internally, of course.

You can’t risk waking Alex, or worse, Em. God, imagining Em's wrath makes you shiver.

Before you can attempt to decipher the mystery word, a loud clap echoes through the room.

"Lights out!" Hannah's voice booms, followed by curtains closing. Darkness descends, enveloping the room in silence.

You close your eyes, the image of Max’s smiling face burned into your memory.

What was that word he mouthed? And why did it make your heart beat a little faster?

The rest of the night passes in a fitful haze. You alternate between trying to rationalize your attraction to Max – he’s just a friendly face, a distraction from the pressure of being with Alex – and berating yourself for even considering it.

You’re coupled up with a perfectly nice guy. You should be focusing on building a connection with him, not fantasizing about the guy in the next bed. . . .

︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵

Next Time On Love Island....

"Sorry boys," they mouthed to the boys at the back as they kissed the girls with zero shame. Their hand cupped the back of your neck. you couldn't see who i was. . . .

[stupid-idiot-man]

If you're still doing requests (excuse my nerd ramblings, been a fan of this show for nearly 20 years.)

Can you please do vanessa being possessed by glitchtrap but instead of her being vanny and wearing the suit, it's just controlling her brain like plankton in that spongebob episode. (including that silly walk spongebob does lol)

Is this what you're imagining?

[cy-cyborg]

The Untrustworthy Fake: Disability Tropes

[ID: A screenshot of Willy Wonka from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as he limps towards a crowd using a cane. In the picture, he has a brown top hat in his hand, and he's wearing a suit with a purple jacket, multicoloured bow tie and cream coloured pants. Beside him is text that reads: "Disability Tropes, The untrustworthy Fake" /End ID]

Tell me if this sounds familiar: A new character is introduced into a story with some kind of disability - usually visible but not always. Maybe they're a seemingly harmless person in a wheelchair, maybe they're a one-legged beggar on the street, or maybe they're an elderly person with a cane and a slow, heavy limp. But at some point, it's revealed it's all a ruse! The old man with a cane "falls" forward and does a flawless summersault before energetically springing back up to his feet, the wheelchair user gets to their feet as soon as they think the other character's backs are turned, the one legged beggar's crutch is knocked out of his hand, only to have his other leg pop out of his loose-fitting tunic to catch him.

All of these are real examples. Maya and The Three introduces one of it's main protagonists, Ricco, by having him pretend to be missing a leg in order to con people (something that works on the protagonist, at least at first), Buffy The Vampire Slayer had the character Spike, pretend to be in a wheelchair, until the other characters leave and he gets up, revealing it's all a ruse and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory introduces Wonka by having him slowly limp out into the courtyard of the factory, only for his cane to get stuck, causing him to "fall" and jump back up, revealing that he's actually perfectly fine. Virtually every single major crime show in the past few decades has used this trope too, from CSI to The Mentalist, Castle, Law and Order and Monk all having at least one episode featuring it in some way. Even the kids media I grew up with isn't free from it; The Suite Life of Zack & Cody sees Zach faking being dyslexic after meeting someone who actually has the condition in the episode Smarter and Smarter and the SpongeBob SquarePants episode Krabs vs Plankton has Plankton fake needing a wheelchair (among other injuries) after falling in the Krusty Krab as a ploy to sue Mr Krabs and trick the court into giving him the Kraby Patty Formula.

No matter the genre or target audience though, one thing is consistent: this trope is used as a way to show someone is dishonest and not to be trusted. When the trope is used later in the story, it's often meant to be a big reveal, to shock the audience and make them mad that they've been duped, to show the characters and us what this person (usually a villain) is willing to stoop to. Revealing the ruse early on though is very often used to establish how sleazy or even how dangerous a character is and to tell the audience that they shouldn't trust them from the get go. Gene Wilde (The actor who first played Willy Wonka) even said in several interviews that this was his intent for Wonka's character. He even went so far as to tell the director of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory that he wouldn't do the film without that scene because of how strongly he felt this trope was needed to lay the foundations for Wonka's questionable intentions and motivations. His exact words are: "...but I wouldn't have done the film if they didn't let me come out walking as a cripple and then getting my cane stuck into a cobble stone, doing a forward somersault and then bouncing up... the director said, well what do you want to do that for? and I said because from that point on, no one will know whether I'm telling the truth or lying."

There's... a lot of problems with this trope, but that quote encapsulates one of the biggest ones. whether intentionally or not, this trope ends up framing a lot of actual disabled people as deceitful, dishonest liars. Now I can already hear you all typing, What?! Cy that's ridiculous! No one is saying real disabled people are untrustworthy or lying about their disabilities, just people who are faking!

but the thing is, the things often used in this trope as "evidence" of someone faking a disability are things real disabled people do. A person standing up from their wheelchair or having scuff-marks on their shoes, like in the episode Miss Red  from The Mentalist isn't a sign they're faking, a lot of wheelchair users can stand and even walk! They're called ambulatory wheelchair users, and they might use a wheelchair because they can't walk far, they might not feel safe walking on all terrains, they might have unstable joints that makes standing for too long risky, they might have a heart condition like POTS that has a bigger impact when they stand up or any number of other reasons. Also even non-ambulatory wheelchair users will still have scuff marks from things like transferring and bumping into things (rather hilariously, even TV Tropes calls this episode out as being "BS" in it's listing for this trope, which it refers to as Obfuscating Disability). A blind beggar flinching or getting scared when you pull a gun on them isn't a sign they're faking their blindness like it is in Red Dead Redemption 2. Plenty of blind people can still see a little bit, it might only be a general sense of light and darkness, it might be exceptionally blurry or just the fuzzy outlines of shapes, or they might only be able to see something directly in front of them, all of which might still be enough to cue the person into what's happening in a situation like that. Even if it's not, the sound of you pulling your gun out or other people nearby freaking out and making noise probably would tip them off. A person needing a cane or similar mobility aid sometimes, but being able to go without briefly or do even "big movements" like Wonka's rolling somersault, doesn't mean they don't need it at all. Just like with wheelchairs, there's a lot of disabilities that require canes and similar aids some days, and not others. Some disabilities even allow people those big, often straining movements on occasion, or allow them to move without the aid for short periods of time, but not for long. Some people's disability's might even require a mobility aid like a cane as a backup, just in case something goes wrong, but that still means you need to carry it around with you, and unless it can fold down, it's easier to just use it.

Disability is a spectrum, and a lot of disabilities vary in severity and what is required of the people who have them day to day. This trope, however, helps to perpetuate the idea that someone who does any of these things (and many others) is faking, which can actively make the lives of disabled people harder and can even put them in very real danger, physically, mentally and even financially.

Just ask any ambulatory wheelchair user about how many times they've been yelled at for using accommodations they need, like disabled toilets or parking spaces. How many times they've been accused of faking and even filmed without their consent because they stood up in public, even if it was to do something like get their wheelchair unstuck or as simple as them standing to briefly reach something on a high shelf. I've caught multiple people filming me before, so have my friends and family, and it's honestly scary not knowing where those images have ended up. This doesn't just impact the person either, a friend of mine was filmed while standing up to get his daughter (who was about 4 at the time) out of the car. He was lucky to have stumbled across the video a few days later on facebook and contacted the group admins where it was posted to get it taken down, but had he not stumbled across it by chance, pictures with his home address and his car's number plate, his child's face and his face all visible would have just been floating around, all because a woman saw him stand briefly to pick up his daughter.

Many people don't stop at just saying a nasty comment or taking a photo though, a lot of people, when they suspect people are faking, will get violent. I have many friends who have been pushed, slapped in the face, spat on or had their mobility devices kicked out from under them. I've even been in a few situations myself where, had I not had people with me, I think the situation would have turned violent.

There's even been cases where those photos and videos I've mentioned before have been used against real disabled people and they've been reported to their country's welfare system as committing disability fraud. While cases like this are usually resolved *relatively* quickly, in many parts of the world, their payment will be halted while the investigation is in process, meaning they may be without any income at all because of someone else's ignorance. If you're already struggling to make ends meet (which, if you're only living off one of those payments, you probably will be), a few weeks without pay can mean the difference between having a home and being on the streets.

Not to mention that when there's so many stories about people faking a disability in the media, especially when the character is doing it to get some kind of "advantage", such as getting accommodations or some kind of disability benefit, it perpetuates the idea that people are rorting the systems put in place to help disabled people. If this idea becomes prevalent enough, the people in charge start making it harder for the people who need them to access those systems, which more often than not results in disabled people not even being able to access the very systems that are supposed to be helping them. A very, very common example of this is in education where accommodations for things like learning disabilities require you to jump through a ridiculous number of hoops, especially at higher levels, only to have some teachers and professors refuse to adhere to the adaptations anyway because they're convinced the student (and usually disabled students as a whole) is faking.

Yes, the "untrustworthy faker" is a fictional trope, and yes, it does occasionally happen in real life, but not as often as media (including things like news outlets) would have you believe. However, when the media we consume is priming people to look for signs that a disabled person is faking, it has a real impact on real disabled people's lives. "Fake-claiming" is a massive problem for people in pretty much all parts of the disabled community, and it ranges from being just annoying (e.g. such as people spamming and fake-claiming blind people online with "if you were really blind, how do you see the screen" comments) to the more serious cases I mentioned above. It's for this reason a lot of folks in the disabled community ask that people leave this trope out of their works.

[venussaidso]

runaway bride

Continuing my theory of Ketu women running away from men...

The film Soft Top Hard Shoulder, which stars two Ashwini Sun natives, came to mind.

also, they're married irl—

While they both typically exhibit avoidant behaviour; her backstory reveals that she is fleeing her wedding to a man she does not love, seeking freedom and authenticity in her life. You could say, she wants to be free as a horse... so there's that. 🐎

The film Runaway Bride stars Magha Moon Julia Roberts, whose character always leaves all of her fiances standing at the altar.

literally running away on a horse...

Ketu is a torso without a head that is sometimes depicted with a horse torso attached to a male upper body. This, with the severing nature of this planet, makes sense of this theme which requires a level of detachment and escapism from one's reality

In the kdrama Mr. Plankton, Mula Moon Lee Da-hee makes a cameo as a character who requests Mula Moon Woo Do-hwan's character to kidnap her on her wedding day.

He accepts and then recklessly crashes the event on a motorcycle, which she hops on, escaping her fiance just as she planned.

In 2024's Vetements, Mula Sun Anok Yai walked as the collection’s bride at the Paris Fashion Week. Having a malfunction and thinking quick on her feet, she literally turned into a runaway bride.

Very iconic moment.

+ I just finished watching the Turkish romance film A True Gentleman, and the female lead can have Magha Moon. I love her ability to detach when the male lead, who can have Swati Moon, is rubbing her off the wrong way. She is also quick to run away and move on, which the film so blatantly points out, while he is quick to chase her, being Rahuvian (exhibiting growing attachment towards her the more she retreats or isolates). Very interesting dynamic of the nodes! And they're polar opposites, which is a constant reminder. Typical Rahu-Ketu.

[qominsi]

"Just go to sleep, alright? That's crazy talk from walking in the rain."

MR. PLANKTON (Mr. 플랑크톤) dir. Hong Jong-Chan | 2024

[gingernut1314]

Wink

Summary: You have found a small crack in the wall separating the men's and women's courtyards and you use it to talk with Anasui.

Content: gender-neutral reader, jjba part 6 (slight spoilers if you count FF and want they are), friendly banter between Jolyne, Ermes, and F.F., Anasui not knowing how to wink, poor Anasui getting teased

Word Count: 1.4K

A/N: I needed to write more for my JJBA husband #4 but I had like no ideas so I found this wonderful prompt list to help me out! Also I got wayyy too carried away with the interactions between Jolyne, Ermes, F.F., and reader so please forgive me for that, it was too fun. I hope you all enjoy!

↞ to Jjba Masterlist | Request Rules | Blog Navigation ↠

It was your typical Florida day; clear blue skies, burning heat, so humid skin stuck to itself, and hordes of mosquitoes eating you alive. 

But what wasn’t typical was the new activity you had taken up. 

Jolyne, Ermes, and F.F. had questioned you thoroughly the other day when you had walked over to the concrete wall separating the men's and women’s courtyards. They had even more questions when you found a crack in the wall and promptly convinced them to help you hide it from the guards. But their questioning had died rather fast when they found out who you were trying to spy on. 

“This is fucking stupid as hell,” Ermes grumbled, back turned from you as she helped block you from the view of guards. “Why did we agree to help you with this?”

“Because you all support blossoming love.” You pulled the bits of loose concrete from the wall, handing them to F.F. who was happy to do so…well happy because you had found some ice to put in their water which they sipped on with a small hum.

“Don’t give two shits about new love.” Ermes continued. 

“We’re doing this,” Jolyne cut in, also standing with her back to you to help block you from view. “Because they are the only ones here who can get us free pudding. The good shit. Not that off-brand crap they keep handing out.” 

“Wait--really?” Ermes asked, turning to face you, her brows furrowed. You hissed, shoving her back around. “Snack Pack or Jell-O?” 

“Snack Pack.” You huffed, crouching down so you could peer through the crack. It was only about an inch in width, but it got the job done. Let you see all the people moving and standing around in the opposite courtyard just fine.

“Hell yeah. What flavor? Better not be banana. I’m sick and tired of goddamn banana pudding.” Ermes grumbled. Jolyne gave a mumble in agreement. 

“I got vanilla, chocolate, and that new unicorn shit.”

“Unicorn? What the fuck does unicorn pudding taste like?” Ermes questioned. 

“Stardust.” Jolyne teased, bumping her shoulder into her friend’s arm. Ermes was quick to do the same back with a roll of her eyes.

“Mine came with a tattoo. Look.” F.F. pulled the front of her green overalls down, revealing the sparkly unicorn tattoo they’d slapped onto their breast. 

“Ah shit--” Ermes once more turned around, taking a closer look at the temporary tattoo you’d put on F.F. free of charge because you had a soft spot for the collection of plankton. “They got a rainbow one?” 

“Yeah! And a star and--” You cut F.F. off with several loud shushes when you spotted a flash of pink. 

“Shut up! Shut up! Shut the fuck up!” You’re hissing words turned near giggling as you caught sight of Anasui in all his glory. He stood off to the side, Weather Report at his side. The two men stood sullenly, no words passed between them as they scanned over the courtyard. 

“You say anything weird as fuck no amount of pudding or tattoos is keeping me here.” Jolyne huffed.

“Here, here.” Ermes agreed but you had tuned them out at this point. 

“God--he’s so pretty.” You whined, picking at the concrete as if to make the whole bigger. “Wanna run my fingers through his hair…wanna kiss his lips…” You sighed in your longing. “Wanna smudge that lipstick all over his face…want him to leave smudge marks all over my bod--” Dull pain shot through your back as Jolyne gave your spine a light punch.

“What the fuck did I just say about weird shit?” You reached back to try and rub the soreness forming in your spine.

“You all are just sad, loveless goons, and all I feel is sorry for you.” You gave them a pitying shake of your head.

“Loveless goons? What are you eighty years old?” Ermes laughed, poking you rather harshly in the tender flesh of your neck. You gave a strangled sound of discomfort, smacking her hand away. 

“Stop! I’m trying to look mysterious.” Your words came out in a pathetic whine. Ermes and Jolyne were laughing their asses off at that point, but none of it mattered. Not when Anasui’s scanning, pink eyes found your gaze through the crack in the wall. You’re breath caught so suddenly in your throat you were surprised you didn’t choke on your own spit. 

“Fuck…” You breathed lowly as you watched Anasui’s thin, yet muscle-filled arms uncross, showing off more of the pale skin of his chest to you. 

Hot. God, he was so fucking hot and all you wanted to do was sink your teeth into his sink and never unlatch them. 

You smirked his way, throwing him a flirty little wink you had used many times before to lure your prey in. 

But your current prey’s face fell in a worry-filled way. His pink-painted lips, which had been resting in an easy smile for you, pulled apart slightly as if he had gasped. 

His reaction confused you greatly. It made you think you had thrown him the middle finger instead of a wink, but it had him walking over. A walk that looked like he wanted to run over, but was keeping it casual so as to not pull attention to himself. 

“Hello, pretty thing.” You purred as he knelt down to peer into the crack back at you. Weather, who had reluctantly followed after Anasui, tried his best to block the man from view. “I’m so excited to see you tonight.” 

“As am I but…my love--what is wrong with your eye?” It was your turn to pull a confused look to your face. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Do you have something in it? Are you okay? Are you in pain?” You knelt there in stunned silence for a little bit. Silence that was broken up by Jolyne and Ermes’ and even F.F.’s hardly stifled laughs. 

“I was winking at you.” A pout pulled to your lips that Anasui’s pink eyes drank in. 

“Oh…darling…how do I tell you winking might not be in your forte without hurting your feelings.” You gasped, shoving your middle through the crack, not only to throw it at him but to poke him in the soft flesh of his cheek. Anasui caught your finger between his own before you could pull it back. 

“I was flirting with you dumbass.” You hissed.

“I’m sorry, dear. I shouldn’t have said anything.” You felt warm, slightly moist lips place a gentle kiss on your finger before letting it go. You pulled it back through the crack to find a pink kiss mark there that nearly had you forgetting all about his, quite frankly, untrue words. 

“Show me your wink. It better be good or I’m never going to forgive you.” Panic flashed through his eyes. 

“Love--”

“Nope. Show me since you think you can criticize other's winking abilities. Chop chop. It’s almost time to leave.” Anasui gave a small, pathetically distressed sound. Then a huff. Then a small growl in frustation before giving in. 

“Okay, okay. Prepare yourself.” You shook your head in amusement.

“Alright. I’m prepared.” Anasui gave a deep breath in through his nose, then out like he was preparing to run a marathon before giving you his best wink. 

You knelt there, mouth falling agape as you struggled to keep from bursting out in laughter.

“Baby--sweetness…you blinked.” Pink brows furrowed together. 

“That is the whole point. You blink an eye.”

“No. No. You blinked both eyes. You can’t wink.” Anasui’s mouth opened and closed like he was a fish out of water. 

“But--but--that can’t be true.”

“You know what that means?” His eyes flew wide, the dull sound of his hands smacking against the concrete wall sounding as if he thought he could break them down. 

“No, no! Love--”

“I can never forgive you. You’re wink sucked ass.” You mournfully said.

“But--I’ll do anything. Cut my tongue out for it’s offending you. Please, my love I--” You shook your head sadly.

“Goodbye, sweetness. Oh, what a fun ride we had. So sad it had to end this way.” Anasui continued to call your name, pleasing for you to reconsider as you stood. The guards called everyone back in, but Anasui continued to watch as you walked away. Watched as you gave your hips a bit more sway as you left to tease him further. 

“God you two are strange as hell.” Ermes groaned as she and your other friends followed you back inside. You threw her the middle finger, Anasui’s pink kiss mark still there.