#canceled after one season but not forgotten

[audreyestok]

My Lady Jane 🥀

[perseidlion]

Streaming in Kaos

Well, it happened. I can't say that I'm surprised that KAOS has been cancelled by Netflix. I am a little surprised at the speed at which it was axed. Only a month after it aired, and it's already gone.

That has me wondering if the decision to cancel was made before the show even aired. We have to remember that marketing is the biggest cost after production. If the Netflix brass looked at the show and either decided (through audience testing, AI stuff or just their own biases) that it wasn't going to be a Stranger Things-level hit, they probably chose at that moment to slash its marketing budget.

That meant there was pretty much no way that KAOS was ever going to hit the metrics Netflix required of it to get a season 2.

What makes me so angry about this (other than the survival of a show relying on peoples' biases or AI) is that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you decide before a show is ever going to air that it won't be a success, then it probably won't be. If you rely on metrics and algorithms and AI to analyze art, you will never let something surprise you. You'll never let it grow. You'll never nurture the cult hits of the future or the next franchise.

Netflix desperately needs people behind the scenes that believe in stories and potential over metrics. Nothing except the same old predictable dreck is ever going to be allowed to survive if you don't believe in the stories you're telling.

The networks and streamers have a huge problem on their hands. They need big hits and to build the franchises of the future to sustain their current model (which is horribly broken.) But people have franchise fatigue and aren't showing up for known IPs like they used to. The fact that Marvel content is definitely not a sure thing anymore is a huge canary in the coal mine for franchise fatigue. People aren't just tired of Marvel, they're tired of the existing worlds both on the big screen and the small one. Audiences are hungry for something new.

It is telling that the most successful Marvel properties of the last few years have been the ones that do something different. Marvel is smart to finally pull out The X-Men because that is a breath of fresh air and something people are hungry to see more of.

There's pretty much no one behind the scenes (except for maybe AMC building The Immortal Universe) that is committing to really taking the time to build these new worlds. Marvel built the MCU by playing the long game. That paid dividends for a solid decade even if it's dropping off now. That empire was built not with nostalgia for existing IP (don't forget the MCU was built with B and C tier heroes) but with patience. Marvel itself seems to have forgotten this in recent years.

Aside from that, I think people really want stories that aren't connected to a billion other things. That takes commitment on the part of the audience to follow and to get attached to. People WANT three to five excellent seasons of a show that tells its own story and isn't leaving threads out there for a dozen spinoffs. We're craving tight storytelling.

KAOS could have been that. Dead Boy Detectives could have been that. So could Our Flag Means Death, Lockwood and Co, Shadow and Bone, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Willow, and a dozen other shows with great potential or were excellent out of the gate.

If you look at past metrics, you only learn what people used to like, not what they want now. People are notoriously bad about articulating what they want, but boy do they know it when they see it. Networks have to go back to having a dozen moderate successes instead of constantly churning through one-season shows that get axed and pissing off the people who did like it in a hamfisted attempt to stumble on the next big thing.

The networks desperately need to go back to believing in their shows. Instead, they keep cutting them off at the knees before they ever get a chance because some algorithm told them the numbers weren't there.

[theonottsbxtch]

it's ok im ok | LN4

an: it's ok im ok by tate mcrae is out and i had this idea the minute i heard it the first time so i've been writing this the last two hours. this was very rushed so please be nice, slight oscar x yn (no use of yn)

written and smau

face claim: pintrest and queen t8

newgirlfriend just posted

liked by landonorris, maxfewtrell, maxverstappen1 and 159,382 others

oh he's so perfect

**coments have been restricted**

When she’d first broken up with Lando, she’d been distraught. He was the love of her life, or at least she’d thought. For over a month, she’d spent every passing moment reminiscing on all the good parts she could remember of the relationship, but as that month came to a close, the fog began to lift. 

There was no good.

At first there was, there had been the dates, the gifts, the flowers and the continuous travelling alongside her. The texts of ‘I miss you’ and ‘I love you’ at least once a day had diminished into a ‘gn’ and ‘gm’ eleven months into the relationship. 

The affection that once felt so constant had turned into something routine, something obligatory. She’d ignored the signs at first, brushing off the growing distance as just a phase, believing things would eventually go back to how they were in the beginning. But they didn’t.

She remembered the nights when he would cancel plans at the last minute, claiming he was too tired from work, yet his social media was filled with stories of nights out with his friends. The times he’d forgotten important moments — her promotion at work, her 21st birthday, their anniversary. Every time, he had a perfectly reasonable excuse that she had willingly swallowed, desperate to hold onto the image of the man she’d thought he was.

The excuses, the half-hearted apologies, and the lack of effort slowly chipped away at her, until one day, she woke up feeling emptier than ever, wondering where she’d gone wrong. She’d blamed herself, convinced she was being too demanding, too needy.

But now, with some distance, she could see it all for what it was: she’d been in love with an idea of him, a projection of her own desires. The real Lando was far from the prince charming she had made him out to be. He was just a guy who knew how to charm his way through life, good at saying the right things but never following through.

She realised now that the man she’d loved never truly existed; he was a mirage, built from wishful thinking and her own desperation to be loved.

So when Mclaren invited her to celebrate the new season, she took it knowing she was a mature adult, after all he’d moved on. So could she.

“She’s posted him again,” Her best friend spoke from the sofa where she’d been waiting for her to touch up her makeup. “Caption is ‘Oh he’s so perfect’ with some flowers and a teddy bear.”

“Poor girl.” She muttered to herself as she applied some gloss. “She’s still in the honeymoon phase,”

Her best friend hummed and laughed as she continued to scroll through the photos.

Unlike many ex girlfriends, she didn't hate the new girl, no if anything she pitied the next girl and the inevitable one after that, it wasn’t their fault that he acted like the perfect gentleman at the start.

She sighed, putting the lip gloss down and meeting her own eyes in the mirror. "I mean, she’s just like I was," she added, more to herself than to her friend. "I remember thinking he was my perfect match, too. All those little gestures, the compliments, the way he always seemed to know exactly what I wanted to hear. I fell for it, hard."

Her friend glanced up from the phone, a knowing look in her eyes. "Yeah, but you saw through it eventually. And you got out."

She nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah, I did. And I’m not gonna pretend that was easy, but I did it. I’ve just gotta hope she figures it out sooner rather than later."

Her friend grinned. "I bet you’re dying to go up to her tonight and give her a friendly warning."

She laughed at that, shaking her head. "Oh, no. I’m not getting involved unless the opportunity comes up . She won’t listen anyway; no one does when they’re in the thick of it. Besides, it's not my place."

Her friend tilted her head, watching her closely. "You’re really okay with all this?"

She paused for a moment, considering her answer. Was she really okay? Seeing those photos had stirred something in her, but it wasn’t jealousy. It was more like a dull ache, a memory of a wound that had already healed. "I think so," she said finally, smiling a little. "I mean, it still sucks to see, but not in the way it used to. I guess... I’m more relieved than anything. Relieved that it’s not me anymore."

Her friend nodded in approval. "That’s growth, babe. And tonight, we’re gonna celebrate that growth with some champagne and dancing. No thinking about exes, just fun."

She laughed, grabbing her bag and turning to face her friend. "Deal. Now, let’s get out of here before I change my mind."

They headed out the door, a cool breeze greeting them as they stepped into the evening air. As they walked to the car, she glanced at her phone one more time, catching a glimpse of Lando’s face on her social media feed. His arm was around the new girl, that same easy smile on his lips, the same charm in his eyes. But this time, it didn’t sting. It didn’t make her chest tight or her stomach drop. She felt...nothing.

“His teammate was fitter anyway,” At first she hadn’t heard it but when she did, she turned to face her friend, “What? I’m saying what we all saw.”

“I’m not stirring that pot.”

“You’re not but I am.” Her friend laughed as she pulled out of the parking lot, “Think about it, he’ll be there tonight, freshly broken up. Maybe you two can bond over that.”

Her eyes widened as she looked at her friend, “He broke up with his girlfriend?”

“I knew you were interested!”

She rolled her eyes, feeling a flush creep up her neck. "I’m not interested," she insisted, but the hint of a smile played at the corners of her lips, betraying her. "It’s just… surprising, that’s all."

Her friend shot her a knowing look. “Oh, come on. I’ve seen how you look at him. All those race weekends, sneaking glances when you thought no one was watching. You can’t deny it.”

She laughed, a light, genuine sound she hadn’t heard from herself in a while. "You’re imagining things. Besides, just because Lando's teammate is single doesn’t mean I’m ready to jump into something new."

Her friend raised an eyebrow. “Who said anything about jumping? Maybe just dip a toe in. Have fun for once. You deserve it."

She hesitated, biting her lip as the car sped through the city streets. "I don’t know… it just feels too soon."

"Too soon? Or maybe the perfect time?" her friend challenged. "It’s not about replacing Lando. It’s about letting yourself feel good again."

She stared out the window, watching the city lights blur into a kaleidoscope of colours. Her friend was right. She had spent so long grieving over Lando, replaying every mistake and wondering where she went wrong. Maybe it was time to let someone else in, even just a little.

“Okay," she finally said, her voice steady. "If I see him tonight, I’ll talk to him. No expectations, no pressure. Just… a conversation."

Her friend grinned. “Now, that’s the spirit. And who knows? Maybe you’ll find out he’s more than just a pretty face.”

She laughed again, this time with more ease. “Or maybe I’ll find out he’s just another disaster waiting to happen.”

Her friend chuckled, “Only one way to find out.”

By the time they’d pulled up to the club and handed the keys to the valet, there was a solid blush on her cheeks. After all, she had spent the rest of the car ride looking at Oscar’ photos. 

She felt the bass of the music underneath her feet as she and her friend handed their ID’s to the bouncer, waiting as he checked their names off the list.

“Right let me find some virgin cocktail, you go find Oscar.”

“Absolutely not, I’m getting a drink first.”

When they reached the bar, they eyed up the drinks board, everything seemed so tempting. Starting easy she ordered herself a vodka coke. No point trying to talk to Oscar if she was sloshed. 

“Your replacement, 12 o’clock.” She heard her friend shout over her drink.

She turned around, subtly glancing in the direction her friend had pointed. There she was, the new girl — bright-eyed, smiling, and looking like she had the world at her feet. Her heart clenched for a moment, a tiny pang of something she didn’t want to name, but then she felt it ease just as quickly. It wasn’t jealousy; it was almost… nostalgia.

The girl was everything she remembered herself being — full of hope, dressed to impress, standing a little too close to him as if she needed to mark her territory. And there he was, Oscar, just as charming as ever. Leaning in, whispering something that made the girl laugh loudly, the kind of laugh that begged for attention.

Her friend nudged her side. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” she said, swallowing a sip of her drink. “Just feeling pity, really.”

“Well,” her friend prompted, “you gonna say hi or what?”

She took a deep breath. “I think I’ll let them have their moment. Besides, I’m not in the mood to play the ex-girlfriend card tonight.”

Her friend snorted. “What, you don’t want to ruin their Instagram-perfect night?”

She grinned. “Tempting, but no.” She took another sip, feeling the warmth of the alcohol begin to relax her nerves. “Let’s dance, yeah?”

“Don’t have to ask me twice.”

Grabbing her phone off the bar and shoving it down her bra, she took her friend’s hand and brought her to the middle of the dance floor, some Flo Rida song making the walls shake. 

Moving to the beat of the music, she looked as her friend began to dance on her, pulling her hand on her hip as they danced in sync enjoying the moment and ignoring the fact that she could see Lando looking at her and not his new girlfriend.

She felt the bass thump through her chest, each beat syncing with her pulse as she lost herself in the music. Her friend’s laughter was infectious, and she couldn’t help but grin, the tension in her shoulders easing as she swayed to the rhythm.

Lando’s gaze was heavy on her, almost burning through the crowd. She could feel it, a mix of curiosity and maybe a hint of regret. She didn’t look directly at him — not yet. Instead, she let her movements become more carefree, twirling with her friend and raising her arms in the air as the chorus hit. The whole room seemed to pulse with the beat, and she revelled in the feeling of letting go, if only for a moment.

Her friend leaned in, her voice barely audible over the music. “He’s staring,” she said with a sly smile.

She shrugged, flipping her hair back with a casual flick. “Let him,” she replied, her voice loud enough to be heard over the music but still cool and collected.

And then, on a whim, she spun around, facing him across the crowded room. Their eyes met, and she held his gaze for a heartbeat longer than she intended. His expression was unreadable — a mix of surprise, maybe a flicker of something else. But she didn’t want to decipher it; she didn’t care to.

Instead, she raised her drink in a mock toast, a sly smile playing at her lips, before turning her back to him again. She felt a surge of confidence, a quiet thrill in knowing she no longer needed his validation or attention. She was here to have fun, to enjoy the night, not to relive old memories or make a scene.

Her friend noticed the exchange and leaned in again. “You sure you don’t want to give him a piece of your mind?”

She laughed, a real, genuine laugh that felt good in her chest. “Nah, he can watch if he wants. It just shows he’s not as over it as I am.”

She turned her attention back to her friend, giving her a playful spin. “Anyway, I have a much hotter date.”

This time her friend laughed loudly, “Uh huh you do, I’ll go get us refills.”

“I’ll come with,” she offered, even though she was beginning to feel herself in the middle of the crowd.

“No, you just stay here.” Her friend gave her a final wink before disappearing into the crowd, leaving her alone on the dancefloor. The bass of the music pulsed through her, making her heart race in time with the beat. That’s when she spotted Oscar — tall, confident, with a warm smile that seemed to cut through the throng of people. He was one of the few people who had been genuinely kind to her since she’d met him, and there was a sense of magnetic energy between them.

He extended his hand with a charming grin. “May I have this dance?”

Without missing a beat, she placed her hand in his, feeling a thrill of excitement. They moved closer, the heat of their bodies melding together as the music swelled. He guided her into a slow, sensual dance, their movements smooth and synchronised. His hands rested lightly on her hips, and she could feel the tension of his touch, a mix of confidence and tenderness. Overlapping her hands on his, she tightened his grip on her hips.

As they danced, she felt a rush of freedom, the worries and old feelings from earlier dissolving into the rhythm. She glanced to her side and caught a glimpse of Lando across the room. He was watching them, his expression a mixture of surprise and frustration. For a moment, their eyes locked, and she saw the flash of jealousy in his gaze. She raised an eyebrow slightly, a smirk playing on her lips as if to say, “Look at me now.”

Returning her focus to the Oscar, she let herself be completely immersed in the moment. His touch was intoxicating, his eyes locked on hers with an intensity that made her feel desired and cherished. They moved together effortlessly, each step and sway adding to the intimate connection they were building on the dancefloor.

Oscar leaned in, his breath warm against her ear. “You look amazing tonight,” he murmured, his voice low and husky. “I mean you always have, but tonight things are different aren’t they?”

She shivered at his words, the tension between them palpable. She responded with a soft laugh, her fingers trailing up to his neck as she whispered back, “They are, aren’t they?”

As the song reached its climax, they pulled closer, their bodies pressed together in a way that felt both exhilarating and soothing. She let herself be lost in the sensation, feeling a newfound sense of liberation and sensuality. The world outside seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of them in their own private dance.

The song ended, but they stayed close, their breaths mingling. “I’m going to the bathroom, but I’ll see you here for round two?” she said, trying to be heard over the music.

“I won’t go anywhere,” he replied with a teasing smile, his voice like velvet. She wanted to linger in his warmth a moment longer, but she knew she needed to regroup. The minute she snapped out of her trance, she found the bar and her friend, dragging her to the nearest bathroom.

Finding the handicap stall, she pulled them inside and slumped against the wall, grabbing her drink out of her friend’s hand.

“Fuck me,” she whispered, her voice a mix of exhilaration and happiness.

“I am not Oscar, but I’m sure he would if you asked nicely,” her friend quipped, trying to lighten the mood.

She let out a tired laugh, shaking her head. “Not what I meant. I just… I don’t know. It’s weird being back in this place. Wow. That dance - I.”

Her friend gave her a knowing look. “At least give me a heads up if I’m going to drive home alone tonight.”

As she took another sip of her drink, she heard the bathroom door swing open, followed by the sound of animated giggling. It was Lando's new girlfriend, chattering excitedly with a friend. Her voice carried through the thin bathroom walls, brimming with admiration.

“Oh my god, he’s just so perfect!” she gushed. “I can’t believe how lucky I am. He’s got everything—charm, looks, and he’s so sweet. I feel like I’m in a dream.”

Her friend raised an eyebrow, glancing at her. “Are you okay?”

Suppressing a laugh, she stood up and pushed open the door to the cubicle. As she emerged, she locked eyes with Lando’s new girlfriend in the mirror.

“Hey there,” she said, her voice smooth yet edged with cool detachment. “So, which version of him is perfect, the off-season version or the regular season?”

The new girlfriend blinked, visibly startled. Her smile faltered, and she looked momentarily confused. “Uh, I don’t really understand what you mean.”

She could sense her best friend trying hard not to laugh behind her. Shrugging lightly, she maintained a mix of sympathy and detachment in her gaze. “Just a thought. Sometimes people have different sides to them, you know? What you’re seeing now might not be the whole picture.”

Before the new girlfriend could respond, her friend besides her chimed in . “You’re just jealous.”

She turned, a knowing smile on her lips. “Oh, sweetie, it’s okay. I’m perfectly fine. After all, I had him first.” Without giving the new girlfriend a chance to reply, she gently but firmly guided her friend out of the bathroom and back into the club.

As they re-entered the lively atmosphere, her friend grinned at her. “That was hot.”

She chuckled, feeling a sense of empowerment and closure. “Glad you think so. Let’s enjoy the rest of the night.”

ynprivate just posted

liked by landonorris, oscarpiastri, yourbestfriend and 38 others

it's ok im ok

**comments have been restricted**

[gogoconvstore]

mclaren & prema boys texting their long distance s/o? any kinda vibes are fine (altho slight missing them and being sad about it vibes would be 🤌🤌)

much love bestieee!!

-bear anon

I Miss You, Please Call Me

Lovers; Oscar, Lando, Kimi, Ollie, Arvid, Dino Plot; You're too far away from him in his opinion, and he wants you bad, like really really bad Reader; Gender neutral Genre; Hurt/Comfort

CW: suggestive at parts Authors Note: These are the "prema boys" from when this was requested last season

Writing as head canons btw. Crazy how since this request I upgraded from bestie to husband yippee!!

Oscar Piastri 81;

Oscar wasn't one to show how much he missed a person while away

Not with you, and not with his ex, and frankly it made him seem like he didn't care

But oh boy, did he miss you

So when you received a call late at night, while relaxing in your shared home in Australia, from Oscar you knew something was up

But answering to hear Oscar crying? You were panicked and immediately trying to comfort him before he could speak.

Unfortunately your beautiful voice only made him miss you more.

As he sputtered out his words about how he missed you and needed you, your heart broke.

Against your will you couldn't go join him so you worked as hard as possible to make his return all the better for him, with his favourite foods and drinks, and skincare

But when he got bad one thing led to another and now he was asleep in bed after a long night and hadn't even got to do the real things you'd planned

Lando Norris 4;

Lando is a stage 10 clinger, forcing you to always come to races and be around him all times possible

So when you couldn't come Silverstone because of your best friends birthday, he was destroyed

You were gonna miss his home race? He didn't think he could go on

The last few days prior to his departure involved laying in bed with a whiny Lando as he clung to you like when he came back you wouldn't still be there

He even almost ended up not even going before you forced him too

While he was gone you received a call from him whenever he was free

Lots of him whining about "How dare you make me be here alone!"

You felt a little bad at first but eventually you told him to suck it up, and being the submissive boy he is he immediately agreed, only calling once a day

Kimi Antonelli 12;

It was his first race in F1 and Kimi was ecstatic and he was heart broken for the thing he was about tell you

But it wasn't his fault for what you'd to him to mess up his memory! And as a result he may or may not have forgotten for an extra pass to the race and so you couldn't come with him

He was so sad you couldn't be there to support him at his first race

When he told you, you were completely understanding and nice about it

That somehow made it worse, he wanted you to be angry with him because he thought he deserved it

But on the day of the race when you showed up after his 5th place finish he was a wreck and angry

Not at you for showing up but at himself for even making you have to pay for it without him knowing

You took his mind off of it with a homemade rendition of his favorite meal (and maybe victory sex)

Ollie Bearman 87;

You'd told him you couldn't come to the race because you were visiting your friend in another country

And he was accepting of it, he hated ever pressuring you to do anything or to cancel your plans

Secretly you had set a plan with his parents and Kimi to come secretly

He tried his hardest to not call you or text you because he didn't wanna bother you while you were with your friend but you heard from Kimi that he was acting tense and short tempered

And when it came time for you to surprise him you could hear him ranting to Kimi

"Why couldn't they just come? Was their friend more important? Do they wanna break up? I just feel like I failed them! It's just fucking stupid Kimi!"

Your heart broke hearing him talk about how he thinks you didn't love him

When you came into the room Ollie scrambled off the couch, tripping and falling to your feet and immediately grabbing at your legs and babbling your name over and over

He stared up at you as you cupped his face and greeted him

He felt horrible when he found out you had heard what he had said and took a lot of convincing that you weren't mad

Arvid Lindblad 4;

He'd always relied on you to help him keep a schedule when he was in F3 but now he was in F2 and you had gotten sick with the nastiest case of ear infection (me too fr) ever and couldn't come to the race

And that fucked with him really badly, how was he supposed to stick to his schedule?

He had called to whine about "can't you please just come?" to which you promptly shut down, reminding him altitude pressure wouldn't be good for your ear

He was devastated and at that point, very tired, so he took a nap

As a result he may or may not have missed his first media session cause he was asleep

(Un)Fortunately the race ended up being canceled and he was able to come back home extra early

Unluckily for him you weren't quite as amused about it as he was and now you're committed to going to every race regardless of if you're because you don't want him missing another thing

Dino Beganovic 8;

He cried he told you that you couldn't come to the first race, his team wanted his full attention on the race and he was absolutely destroyed

You tried to comfort him but he just snapped at you which made him feel worse!

Had he really just screamed at you? Oh no this couldn't be happening! You were gonna hate him and it was all because he couldn't act right, or so he thought

And so that's how you ended the night sleeping separately before he left early the next morning

But in his spiraling that night he had blocked you on everything

So the whole weekend he was spiraling more, because of his hysteria that night he had forgotten that he'd blocked you

The whole time he thought he was right, you DID hate him now and would never wanna see him again. The whole time you're freaking out because he had blocked you.

He just wanted to hear from you again. To hear your sweet voice through his speaker as you said all the right things to get him to feel however you wanted. God he needed you

So when Ollie asks him why he'd blocked you (after you'd texted Ollie) he spirals again

He'd acted idiotic again, you must really hate him now right? Wrong.

When he finally called you picked up on the first ring and over the next two hours were able to resolve everything

By the time he got home he was just ready to sleep in your arms

[captain-huggy-bear]

Valentine’s Day is coming up! How do you think bf!Quinn would go about asking his gf to be his valentine?

I actually think he assumes he doesn't have to, like I love Quinn and normally I'd say he's super attentive. But I genuinely think he assumes that because you're dating it's just a given, of course he's your valentine and you're his and so while he has everything planned, you're there waiting to be asked and he just...never does and you assume that maybe he's forgotten valentine's entirely but you try not to hold it against him, still getting a card a gift ready for him because it's okay, people forget. Totally happy to take requests/ideas/prompts at the moment in my ask box :) Writing Masterlist

You've decided that Quinn's forgotten. That's the only reasonable explanation you can come up with for why your boyfriend of 9 months hasn't asked you to be his Valentine's yet. You try to be forgiving about it, he's had a lot of pressure on his shoulders lately with the season and being captain, there's talks of trades left right and centre so of course his mind hasn't been on asking you to be his Valentine's.

You tell yourself it's no biggy. You still get him a card and a lego flower set because you know he can't eat chocolates at the moment and you know he loves anything he can do to relax from the season and social media. You don't need anything from him, you don't need a Valentine because he's always doing sweet things for you all year round. He's got a lot on his plate. It's okay.

So you're more than a little shocked when you're woken up at 7am by the sound of someone knocking on your apartment door, you assume it's a neighbour because Quinn's forgotten Valentine's day and likely wouldn't come to see you till later in the day. You don't rush, feet sliding into your slippers as you yawn and grumble on your way to your apartment front door.

"Quinn?"

You almost don't believe it when you open the door to see Quinn stood there, big navy blue Canucks hoodie on, nice jeans and nice sneakers as well. He's got a massive bouquet of your favourite flowers in your favourite colour scheme in his arms, as well as what looks to be some chocolates, a card and a teddy bear that's balancing precariously on top of the pile.

"Happy Valentine's day, baby." Quinn smiles at you softly, taking in your bedhead and the way you blink at him in shock. He assumes it's because he's here so early, usually he'd come later, after morning skate, but it'd been cancelled for the day.

"I...I thought you forgot?" You sound so shocked as you step aside and let him into your apartment, but it's the words that have him stopping just in the threshold.

"You thought I forgot?" He sounds offended, near horrified at the suggestion and you instantly feel foolish. You feel foolish because Quinn is such an attentive boyfriend why would he forget? But...he didn't ask..."

"You...you didn't ask me to be your Valentine...I thought...maybe you'd just forgotten because of how busy you've been." You try to explain because every boyfriend you'd had in the past always asked before the day, always made it clear that you had plans together on the day and if they didn't it was because they'd forgotten about it entirely.

"I...I was supposed to ask?" Quinn's face drops entirely, mouth open slightly, grey-green eyes wide. He'd just assumed...well you were his girlfriend so...that made you his Valentine's without asking, right? But...fuck, he hadn't really had to do this before and no one had ever called him out on it and...fuck.

"That's what people normally do right?" You're starting to doubt yourself now, did your parents ever actually ask each other? Or did they just give each other gifts? What about your friends and their partners?

"I...I thought you only asked when you weren't in a relationship, I thought...you're my girlfriend so of course you're my Valentine, baby..." He tries to explain because he's actually a little worried he's fucked up, Quinn's almost certain you're going to be angry at him and he's ruined the entire day. Maybe you'll add it to a list of infractions and maybe it'll be final straw. Maybe this is the end and he's about to be broken up with on Valentine's day like an idiot...fuck, Jack wouldn't let him live that down.

"Oh, I...I've always been asked."

"Shit, fuck...I'm sorry..." He puts the gifts down on a table you have in the hallway before reaching for your hands, cradling them in his own.

"It's okay," You can't help but laugh a little relieved that this is all some big miscommunication, big misunderstanding and you let him pull you closer until you're chest to chest, leaning your head back to look up at him.

"Will you be my Valentine, baby?" He's scared you'll say no now because apparently he was supposed to ask before hand and you thought he'd forgotten Valentine's day entirely because

"Of course I will." You smile up at him. Quinn's shoulders drop in relief because he was expected the worst. His arms come to wrap around your waist, pulling you as close as possible as he presses a kiss to your cheek out of relief and gratitude that you're not angry at him.

"You sure? I didn't fuck up too badly?"

"I'm sure, I was already going to forgive you for forgetting..." You like him too much, love him enough already that you know you're prepared to forgive quite a few infractions as long as they're not malicious or intentional. You know you could forgive him for forgetting something like Valentine's day if he did.

"You were?"

"Mmm, I assumed you were just so stressed and...that's not your fault." He kind of hates that you assumed he forgot, but be hates more that you would have forgiven him for it because you deserve someone who always remembers, who always puts you first. He hates the idea that you're willing to accept less from him.

"Well, I didn't forget, I just...next year I'll ask before hand I just assumed..."

"I know, baby. It's okay."

"You're sure?"

"Certain."

[morgensterners]

"art is love made public"

this scene alone has had more impact than any of the netflix original series that has come out in the last few years. sense8 was released 10 years ago, and it was simply ahead of its time. and that's just crazy to think, because we you would expect to see progress from 2015 to 2025. how did we regress?

we're talking about a tv show that had a lesbian couple with a trans woman. a gay couple. bisexual, polyamorous. everything that would make this show be boycotted TODAY. 10 years LATER. how is that possible?

netflix's success relies on shows like orange is the new black and sense8, these shows gave them the name and platform they have today, and what we have now is mediocre lgbtqia+ representation (aka elite, shitshow after season 3) and the good ones are being canceled and forgotten (like, where's heartstopper season 4? nowhere to be seen). honestly it's just sad that we're never getting something good again, because somehow we lost it along the way.

[xxfanfiction-emo-trinityxx]

Mcr headcanon: y/n (gn) is starring in a horror movie and they’re character d!es in the movie.

Like they d!e in a HORRIBLE way, like horrifying way, how do the boys react to it?

TW: mentions of a fictional character's death, mentions of food, mentions of jealousy

Gerard

I'm literally on my way back from a Yosakoi festival after getting up at 3am (it's 9pm currently, I had 4 hours of sleep), and my feet have been in soaking wet shoes for the past 10 hours (I think they're starting to develop gills) because the rainy season decided to made a comeback and they had to cancel the fireworks because of that (at a festival that's called a "fire carnival" of all events), and you're coming with this? Not formatted properly because I'm literally sitting in a bus, that's driving through the Kyūshū night while I have glitter stones stuck to my face and two braids with Yukata-hair-accessories on my head.

WC: ???

Assuming Gerard knows what's gonna happen, he's probably looking forward to it. He's sitting in your living room, watching the screen attentively, the snacks you were sharing long forgotten as his eyes follow the action. He's leant forward, ellbows on knees, asking "oh, is this where it happens?" in an almost gleeful voice. Depending on how sudden the scene happens, he either gets jumpscared or just follows the story like the most interesting lecture. Either way he ends up laughing, and leaning back into the couch once it's over, wrapping an arm around your shoulder and kissing your forehead. "Well done," he'll tell you with his lips pressed to your forehead.

Would he watch that movie again: sure! It's a good movie! Next time he'd like to discuss the foreshadowing of the ending through the use of colours and the weather in the early scenes of the movie.

Mikey

Mikey loves horror movies, and that his s/o is staring in one is just a major plus to him. He has a lot of experience with horro movies, so he catches on pretty early that your character is going to die, even if you didn't tell him. He would low-key get excited about it. A voice in the back of his head tells him that 15 or 20 years ago the idea of watching a character that has the face of a beloved person die on screen would have terrified him, even though he was very well able to tell fiction from reality, but now he just enjoys the action, as he feels you cuddled into his side. He might even go as far as offer ideas for even more gruesome deaths, or ways to make the character's death even more painful for the audience.

Would he watch that movie again: absolutely! Has the potential to become a new favourite of his.

Side note: my seatmate just fell asleep on my shoulder. I shall not move until she wakes up.

Ray

Ray would generally be pretty chill about it. He grew up with horror movies too, and he is used to seeing you on screen, so he isn't all too bothered by it, but probably more bothered than Gerard. He doesn't show it all too openly, only pulls you in after the scene is over and praises your work. The only indication that he is more affected by it than he lets on is when he pulls you in a little tighter that night, holding you close to his warm body with his nose buried against your neck. (Seatmate just tried sitting up, and failed. Head is back on my shoulder.)

Would he watch that movie again: he wouldn't necessarily bring it up by himself. If he wants to see you act, there are other movies you're in, where you get a happy end, or at least don't die (he prefers watching those over watching your character die, even if he has to suffer through watching you kiss another actor or actress in front of the camera. It always makes him a bit more self-conscious watching you kiss those perfect people, even if it's not real, and he get a bit more clingy than usual for a few days afterwards.)

Seatmate sat up again, is leaning towards the other side now.

Frank

Frank plays is cool, but isn't. Like the others he has seen enough horror movies and has seen you enough on screen. He's even okay with your characters making out with other characters on screen, even though he does have a (well controlled) possessive side that usually tries to act up when some person is hitting on you. (Seatmate's head is back on my shoulder. She's so cute.) So he knows he shouldn't feel that pit in his stomach opening, it's just fiction after all, you're right here next to him, babbling about how hot the studio was that day while playing with his fingers. Still he closes his eyes at the last shot showing your character staring up right past the camera with lifeless eyes. He has watched your characters die on screen before, but something about the way this is portrayed hits different. "Whoa, that looked pretty real," he'd chuckle, his voice a little more shaky than he'd like to admit, "rad acting there!" Luckily you know him well enough to see through his facade. You know he's self-conscious about his feelings towards this scene, so you don't address it directly, but you scoot a little closer to him at night, and he takes the invitation, and wrappes you in his arms (which is rare, since he usually needs a little bit of space to fall asleep).

Would he watch that movie again: only if you asked and he couldn't come up with an excuse not to watch it. He'd rather not see this last shot of your face again.

And since nobody asked, you get a picture of our banner

[lavendermoonlitskies]

I wanna talk about why I think Dead Boy Detectives means so much to so many people after only 1 season

So, we’re all angry and sad and confused right now and I think Netflix needs to understand why canceling this specific show was so upsetting to so many people, myself included.

First of all, they’ve made this a habit. The list of shows that they cancel after only one or two seasons is growing longer and longer, and there doesn’t seem to be any conceivable reason as to why. They hardly advertise their own show, they ignore its impact on the audience showcasing itself right in front of their eyes all over the internet via trending hashtags and campaigns to binge the show so Netflix doesn’t cancel it, and then they cancel it anyway.

The main question is why. Why do they keep canceling these shows that are so well received and manage to grow a passionate audience so soon in its run? The shows aren’t all necessarily similar to each other in the writing, casting, mood and what-have-you, but they do seem to have one thing in common: the audience is full of queer people. Regardless of how society has progressed in the way of LGBTQ+ acceptance, big corporations still have no interest in adding to that if it will hinder their financial gain in any way.

Whoever’s in charge over at Netflix HQ is not interested in taking risks. They seem to have forgotten that a show is rarely going to have record breaking numbers after one season, and if the show doesn’t specifically cater to a cishet audience, that’s all the more reason to pull the plug. That’s why shows like Riverdale go on for so long, that’s why Stranger Things hasn’t been cancelled yet (yes I know there is one single openly gay character in that show, but they’re not actually going to do anything with that and you know it), and that’s why there are countless shows with interesting and entirely unique plots and characters and settings who only get 8-12 episodes in total. Shows that cater to a cishet audience are safe, and despite the fact that Netflix is a multi-billion dollar corporation that can absolutely afford to risk having faith in something that diverts from the norm and attracts the weirdos of this world who just want to watch something that makes them feel seen, they just won’t do it.

I can’t really speak for a lot of these other shows, but Dead Boy Detectives was one of the most unapologetically queer shows I’ve ever seen. In just one season, it left us with some profound commentary on the horrors of hate crime against minorities and how when it occurs, it is all-too-often swiped under the rug and justice never comes. Edwin and Charles were victimized for being different and it is a very real-world issue to see kids like them simply ignored until it’s too late. Do you know how many queer kids saw themselves in Charles as we learned about his abusive father and all around terrible home life? Or how many saw themselves in Edwin when we learned what happened to him? That’s basically a tale as old as time but Netflix must’ve decided that it’s too uncomfortable to bring up to a cishet audience, once again deciding that going with what’s safe for them is better than giving an audience who needs it something to make them feel seen and heard.

It’s even more insane when you realize that the very first Netflix original series was Orange Is The New Black, because now it’s as if they’re going backwards.

[kykyonthemoon]

Sudden Rain

Your plan to see a meteor shower on his birthday was canceled because of a sudden rain.

── .✦ Xavier x Female Reader|MC

♡︎. Tags: short, flashfic, R16 - MDNI - suggestive themes

♡︎. Word count: 700w

♡︎. This little piece is my entry to a LaD Hotel Discord event.

── .✦ Masterlist ♡ Request a fic - currently closed.

The day of October 16th passed smoothly, with plenty of laughing, exactly as you had hoped. Plans for Xavier's birthday proceeded well, from the surprise at Philo Flower Shop with Jeremiah's assistance to the excursion to Moonfall Bay, the handwritten letter personally delivered at the Time Post Office, and the incredibly romantic dance under the moon. You also heard Xavier confess his sincere feelings. To end such a wonderful day like this there was only one more thing left.

You had checked the weather forecast online in advance and knew that there would be a meteor shower that night. It was easy to witness in Moonfall Bay. You were expecting meteors, but after your kiss with Xavier, chilly rain started falling. 

"Oh!"

You suddenly shouted and reached out to catch each raindrop. Xavier also raised his head to the sky. 

“It's raining.” 

Like many others, you quickly grabbed Xavier's hand to find shelter. The unexpected downpour ruined your meteor-watching plans. In addition, the rain continued to fall heavily throughout the night. 

“I'm sorry… I intended to watch the meteor shower with you, but…”

Xavier softly clasped your hand and said, "This is already the best birthday I've ever had."

You waited awhile, but the rain refused to cease, so you decided to return to the hotel room you had reserved. It was festival season at Moonfall Bay, so getting a hotel was quite tough. Fortunately, you managed to get the only room left, and Xavier was more than willing to share with you, even if it meant sleeping on the sofa.

As soon as you opened the door, you were very surprised to see that inside the small room were many unlit candles and lights. A lovely cake was displayed on a tiny table in the center of the room. That must have been a present from the hotel once they learned about your plans to celebrate Xavier's birthday that day. Even though you could not watch the meteor shower, a small party with just the two of you here was always delightful. 

Xavier let you change first. However, after entering the bathroom, you realized that you had forgotten to bring clean clothes. You wrapped a cotton towel around your body in a set of lingerie and walked out.

The room had been illuminated. Xavier stood with his back to you, holding little fragments of light like fireflies. He lit up candles and lights. And you could see his back adhered to the damp shirt after he removed his vest. Hearing your footsteps, he turned around.

The buttons on Xavier's shirt had been removed, displaying his soaked abs in the faint glow of the lamps, candles, and lights made by his Evol. Raindrops were still flowing from his hair, down his neck, chest and abdomen. Your face reddened yet it was difficult to look away.

Xavier was also very surprised to see you in that state. He asked: “Finished?”

“No… I forgot something.” You replied. Afraid he might catch a cold, you took a clean towel and wrapped it around his neck. “At least dry your hair first.”

“My hands are full,” Xavier replied with a small smile. You looked at the new lights emerging from there. “Would you mind?”

You knew full well that Xavier was just making excuses to get you to take care of him. However, this made you extremely pleased. You motioned for him to lean down and begin drying his hair. 

Xavier stood near you. So close. His hot breath blew on your exposed neck and shoulders, making you feel ticklish.

Before you knew it, Xavier had placed his hand on you. He drew you closer till his lips left a burn mark on your ear.

“Seeing you like this, I'm glad we didn't get to see the meteor shower.”

You smiled and gently pushed Xavier away. “Dry yourself.”

You then swiftly stole some cream off the adjoining cake. You swiped it onto Xavier's face. He frowned.

You glided your finger and ran a long line of cream down his neck, chest, and abdomen. Xavier reddened and quickly grasped your wrist.

"What are you doing?"

"Testing the cake," you chuckled. At that point, Xavier tugged you toward him, brought your cream-stained finger to his lips and gently bit it. 

"You—!"

"Then I… want to taste it too…"

[sfhvn-alltheas]

An open letter to Netflix and for everyone who feels the same

I would like to apologize in advance for any linguistic errors, English is not my native language, but I will do my best to express my concerns appropriately.

I am reaching out to you to express my deep disappointment at your cancellation of Dead Boy Detectives. The news of your decision hit me hard and I would like to ask you to reconsider. I understand that Netflix is ​​a company that is about money, about numbers, about streams, about performance. It is a business and the decisions are based not on emotions but on lucrative fundamentals.

We all know that.

But this cannot work in the long term, not without an outcry from your viewers. Because what you do is selling dreams. You might not see us, but we are here, we are being absorbed into the alternative realities you have created. We live these dreams you sold us. 

You know this, you know that you mostly produce more than just mindless entertainment that is subsequently forgotten, and that is exactly why I feel so let down by you. You are aware that our hearts and souls are attached to these characters, that’s what you want and it totally makes sense. Because whoever is emotional involved stays long term. A show can be so many different things for different people: a place of well-being, comfort, escapism, distraction, mental support, self-discovery. Queer and inclusive programs in particular help people and make them feel seen, understood and accepted. A show can be the only light in a darkness that so many people find themselves in today. A show with their characters can save lives.

How then do only numbers decide whether something continues or not? 

You, as the producer of dreams, have a responsibility to us. Money and numbers should be secondary in your industry. Feel free to call me naive, I am, I like to be, I have to be in this world, but I believe in humanity, in the values ​​that you claim to represent. Not every show can bring in billions. Not all of them can be Wednesday, Squid Game or Bridgerton. Not within fourteen days, not without support. With your impatience, you are depriving great shows of the chance to grow and, over time, attract the viewership that meets your expectations. What I'm trying to express here isn't only about Dead Boy Detectives. It's a fundamental problem.

I am not okay with this

Julie and the Phantoms

The OA

The Society

1899

Six of Crows

Shadow and Bone

Archive 81

Lockwood & Co.

Glamorous

Half Bad: The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself

First Kill

Inside Job

Midnight Club

Warrior Nun

- just to name a few. All this shows have met the same fate, they all were cancelled too soon and never got the chance to grow, to become a next Stranger Things, the next slowburn success.

This has to stop! Imagine having cancelled Stranger Things after one season back in the days. What you would have missed! Instead, you give up on shows too easily without hesitation and disappoint the very people who could have been your allies in the effort to bring the next success.

I honestly don't understand that. And it's not fair either. Not to us, not to the creators and actors who gave their everything. You should trust them to be capable of creating something epic if only they had a little more time. 

I'll tell you how it is: The news that Dead Boy Detectives had been cancelled is devastating. My life pretty much sucks for a few years now and there is little to nothing that still brings me joy. A second season has been the only thing I've been looking forward to these past few months, the anticipation has been the reason I'm still here. You took that away from me. From all of us that are like me. Now I’m sitting here and write this letter, hoping to save the show that has given me so much confidence and joy and meaning, visibility and understanding that it's okay to be who I am. It's not fair that I have to fight to keep this precious show instead of enjoying it while I deal with the wreckage of my life. 

If you don't understand that what you're doing is impacting so many people, then maybe you shouldn't be selling dreams. Better sell electronics.

I won't stop fighting for what means so much to me. It's not too late yet, you can at least right the wrong you did with Dead Boy Detectives. Please do it, give Dead Boy Detectives another chance. We, the viewers, deserve it, the creators and actors deserve it, and most of all the show itself deserves it because it is the greatest thing I have seen in many years.

Thank you for your time and for considering my request.

[massivemusicgladiator]

Why Am I More Obsessed with Emmett Carver Than Alec Hardy?

Broadchurch is an absolute masterpiece—a tight story, a satisfying ending, and the kind of show that still gets talked about years later. Both the show and Alec Hardy are loved and cherished to this day.

But Gracepoint? It got canceled after one season. Not even David Tennant and Anna Gunn could save it.

And that’s the point.

Most of Tennant’s characters get closure, which is great for fans. But this anxious, bitter, broken American cop with a terrible American accent? He never got an ending. He’s just stuck—forever rotting in his own misery.

Alec Hardy is miserable too, sure. But his good intentions and integrity make it impossible not to love him. He solves the case, earns Ellie Miller’s trust, and even though he’s a struggling, you know he’s gonna be okay. Alec Hardy is destined to be loved—and he already is.

And then there’s Emmett Carver.

Carver has no one. Not even Ellie. He ends the show isolated, unable to trust anyone, barely functioning as he stumbles through pain and jabs needles into his thigh. Compared to Alec popping pills, Carver’s suffering is so much more raw and desperate—and honestly? That’s what makes him so fascinating.

Gracepoint basically exists to show Emmett Carver suffering, yelling, spiraling, and delivering lines in that terrible American accent—and then it just stops. No closure. Nothing. Just pain. And that leaves endless room for fans to imagine what happens next.

If Alec Hardy is a puppy abandoned by Tess but destined to get adopted into a loving home,

Emmett Carver is a stray dog limping through the streets—hungry, forgotten, and so starved for affection he doesn’t even know he’s a stray.

Broadchurch feels complete. It’s hard to imagine Alec’s life being anything but manageable after the show ends.

But Gracepoint? It leaves Emmett Carver dangling on the edge, and it’s way too easy to imagine things getting even worse for him.

Same actor. Same role. Almost the exact same plot. And yet Alec Hardy and Emmett Carver feel like completely different people.

It’s the fun of it. Watching Tennant build two wildly different characters out of the same framework is part of the obsession.

Because let’s be real—if you appreciate the beauty of misery, there’s no way you’re not more obsessed with Gracepoint’s tragic, broken cop.

[argentinagp]

in light of #febyuri ... do you have any femslash fic recs?

YES of course!! first things first tho, check the @f1femslashfest collection! everyday 2 fics go up! now the rec list:

R63 RECOMMENDATIONS: with summaries

she's on the tip of my tongue, she's on the top of my thighs (alex/george) by ofmoonsandlight

“This is my roommate George,” Alex says sweetly, and then she introduces the guy. She’s only forgotten a name once, twice at the most, and George is good at knowing when to bat her eyelashes and saccharinely ask for an introduction and a handshake. Finally, when the first well-choreographed steps are completed, Alex stands back up on her own two feet and, with a smile, says, “You don’t mind if she stays for the movie, do you?”

in the centre of this room (charles/lewis) by wisteriagoesvroom (bobaheadshark)

“I don’t think they do 2000s music here. That’s for Thursdays,” Charlie says. Lewis pins her with a stare. “Did you just call me old?” Charlie puts one hand on her chest. “I would never, Ms. Hamilton.”

something in between (charles/sebastian) by @hungriestheidi

For the first time in its long history, Ferrari has a full line up of female drivers. It's momentous, groundbreaking. It’s bound to be a problem.

for the wicked (charles/lando) by @cherrari

Sebastian might be sweet and kind with Charles, but there’s no way he knows how to pull this out of her—the feral, flushed creature currently sprawled beneath Lando.

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (alex/george) by Oceanallaround

The one where George and Alex are chalet girls for the ski season and experience the terrifying ordeal of growing up and falling in love. Featuring try-hard ski flop George, loser-core snowboarder Alex, too many beds, a shared throat infection, lesbian shenanigans, and Susie Wolff as the real mvp.

girl, so confusing (charles/max) by 140445

And there has always been something between her and Max. If not something—then the lack of it. They could be so much to each other—but they are not. Things bled dry from one cancelled dinner. Charles wonders if that thing between them is the fact that Max hates her. Or that Charles hates Max. Or that they both mutually hate each other. Or that Charles is seething with jealousy over the things Max got before she got them—or that there is just nothing between them. Nothing at all.

Black Lace Elderberry Bushes (charles/lewis) by MrStank

The lace veils that adorned Charles' body cast sweet floral shadows on her skin, twisting around her like vines, rising and dying in the areas covered by the embroidered fabric of her lingerie, tongues of fire on an alabaster canvas. Lewis elegantly raised her hand in the Monegasque’s direction as if to invite her to dance, and a few steps away, Charles accepted it, turning once on herself as if the other women had led her in a slow pirouette.

Eiskalt (charles/lewis) by aflowerofwords

Charles was panting so much, she was convinced she was having a heart attack. She could see the finish line, in the stadium, just a measly thirty meters in front of her. Her legs were on fire, every movement, no matter how small, felt like a fresh layer of burning coal was applied directly to her bones. Her arms were not in better shape. She glanced behind her as the cheers of the crowd grew in intensity. Lewis was only fifteen meters behind her. And looked hell-bent on reclaiming her throne.

should have each other with cream (charles/max) by cryystal_m00n

Here she is, crying in a vet clinic, at four in the morning, after having found out that her cat is pregnant and that she needs to focus her life on helping her raise the kids since the dad decided to leave without paying child support, while the vet who told her this is watching her with a concerned look. The tarot reading she watched was right, after all.

lacy black pair (charles/oscar) by @oscarpiastriwdc

“Would you like that, Oscar?” Charles leans in, extends a hand to grip Oscar’s exposed thigh. “For me to dress you?” Oscar nods, doesn’t trust herself not to say something embarrassing if she opens her mouth. “Good,” Charles purrs.

freed from desire (charles/max) by weiwuxian (BreathOfDream)

There are still—those moments. Where Charles is having fun, having a little distraction, a little new friend to play with, and then looks at Max and sees something hungry in her eyes that makes her shiver. They’re friends and they’re not. Something not quite there and might never be. It’s summer anyway, who cares?

grow the apple, keep all the seeds (charles/nico) by @princesscharlesofmonaco

Nico Rosberg, second ever female WDC, visits Charles the day before her first grand prix weekend. And Charles doesn’t talk about Nico in interviews, doesn’t list her as an inspiration the way she’s heard some of the girls in the lower formulae do it. Charles likes to talk about Michael, about Senna. If urged to name a woman she’ll say Niki Lauda. Charles doesn’t really want to be associated with girls who walk away, although she’s much too well-trained to say that out loud.

teach me, walk me, ride me (charles/nico) by @blorbocedes

Nico hadn't meant to take Charles under her wing. In fact, she was fully ready to watch the poor thing flounder and drown in the ruthless and cutting old money Monegasque high society. But Charles was the first female F1 driver since Lewis Hamilton, and that - for better or for worse - intrigued her.

like honey but sweeter (the grass here is greener) (alex/george) by @deafleppard

“Georgie,” she butts in, only half paying attention as she types out a dumb comment on Lando’s latest Instagram post. “Have you ever thought about just dating women?”

fall right into me (lewis/george) by @gaynfl

George's hands are shaking.

my mess, my ball of string (alex/george) by @gaynfl

It happens, for the first time, in the hallway of their apartment. or - alex keeps kissing george.

float away like vapour (alex/george/lando) by peachbellini

“You want to though, right?” Alex continues. “Get with Lando tonight? I’d be up for it.”

square shaped smile, heart shaped mouth (sebastian/nico) by finedae

nico assesses all the suitable prospects for her date to prom: jenson, lewis, mark. seb shows her sometimes the best man for the job is a girl.

i wish you a kinder sea by (charles/max) leafycats

It’s… shockingly tender, is what it is. It’s true that: they are not enemies (they are rivals, it’s a big difference, Charles knows), they have talked more the past six months than that they have in twelve years, and that Max is not a person Charles minds hanging out with. But: they are not friends, let alone close friends. And surely this is something you only do with the people closest to you? Ask her to put your hair into a ponytail? After waiting outside her favorite night club? Max is bold, she’ll give Max that. Maybe that’s why she agreed?

Cherry Wine (charles/max/daniel) by amarynas

“I didn’t order another drink.” The bartender nodded and wiped over the counter next to Charles. “It’s from the lady over there,” he answered, pointing over his shoulder. Charles glanced over his shoulder to the other side of the bar, and was faced with an all too familiar face, brown eyes, brown curls, bright grin. No one else but Daniel, Max’ new girlfriend. What the hell?

happy endings (lewis/nico) by @blorbocedes

“Lewis?” All her years of training flies out of the window in that second, when Lewis’ name – her real name, and not the fake passport name she's staying under - is called. Lewis’ head snaps to the voice, the nasally, high-pitched, almost familiar voice belonging to the blonde woman in front of her. Summer in Greece. Body over body. A docked boat, aimlessly bouncing. The taste of rum. Blue eyes staring into brown, making fantastical promises. The constellation for Hermes. A golden summer with a golden girl. “Nico.”

treat with care (charles/pierre) by arachnidisa

“You know, I’ve never actually-” Charles starts, then stops. Pierre can’t quite figure out what she’s trying to say. “What, had a brownie?” Pierre offers on half a laugh, but Charles shakes her head. If Pierre looks closer she can see the faintest bit of pink in her cheeks, the beginnings of a blush. Charles blushes easily, has always done, and Pierre loves to tease her for it, but she holds back this time. “Had an orgasm,” Charles says, and Pierre’s brain grinds to a halt.

give a kiss, get a cab (alex/charles) by @pipitwrites 

Alex nearly spits out her drink when she spots Charles in a corner by the windows. Charles has more than put in the effort tonight, wearing a glittery tight little mini skirt and strappy sandals that show off the long line of her legs and the pert curve of her ass where it meets her thighs.

Sun, Shoes and Crochet Crop Tops (nico/jenson) by Anonymous

Nico’s ankles are so small she could wrap her hand around them, her feet too really, nails painted a delicate blue, a light brown sandal with crossing straps and a small heel on each foot. Still, she doesn’t move, not yet. Nico is watching her like a hawk, her face frustratingly hard to read, but she’s not shoving Jenson away either. “These are pretty.”

Riding the Wave (nico/jenson) by n_ico_ando

Nico attempts to navigate her failing friendship with Lewis while sleeping with Mark and falling for Jenson.

no stopping it (charles/sebastian) by tetrapod

Charles had never completely gotten over being the weird, almost star-struck girl in the Ferrari paddock. And Seb had always been Seb.

drove me wild (charles/sebastian) by withfeathers

“You know, here’s a life lesson for you, since you seem to be so desperate for them: don’t apologise if you’re not actually sorry,” Seb tells her. She’s fidgeting with the collar of her t-shirt. Charles hates how even in this moment, she can’t help but be drawn to the movement, can’t help but notice how Seb looks, a tendril of want curling in her belly at the sight - her unruly curls, the heat flashing in her blue eyes, the place where her too-large t-shirt is starting to slip off her shoulder, revealing the thick strap of her sports bra.

i look too good to be alone (alex/liam) by dropdeaddeadass

Despite the gruelling embarrassment, Liam is secretly happy the message was sent to Alex.

your other one evaporate (sebastian/nico) by sionisjaune

Sebastian spots the princess on the balcony, a glass of champagne dangling over the railing in her limp grip.

[nuhahani]

Thin White Lies

Thin White Lies by 5SOS

+18 JJK x Reader

I don’t feel your love and I don’t ask too many questions

You didn’t ask who it was the day he started smiling at his phone and not you. You didn’t ask, naturally you assumed that if he was unhappy he would tell you. Why would you need to ask your boyfriend of six years if he was interested in someone else instead of you? You shared an apartment together, spent holidays with each other’s families, he even place that boulder on your ring finger himself. You should’ve asked more questions. You should’ve asked why he volunteered to take her home from the party you two were hosting at your own home. You should’ve asked why he was ‘stuck in traffic’ for so long on his way back from dropping her off. You should’ve asked about the missed calls and deleted messages. The staying late at work and the cancelled plans. You should’ve asked but you didn’t, not even when his phone lit up with a notification on the nightstand as you were packing your clothes in the middle of night. His sleeping form too exhausted to notice you had gotten out of bed. He hadn’t cared enough to even notice that your belonging were slowly disappearing from the apartment. Carefully and quietly as if not to wake a sleeping tiger, you left in the dead of night.

-Geto, Sukuna

Calling my name, I don’t wanna say but I’m wide awake

You heard your name called from across the crowded hall, a door slamming from behind you. You heard him, clear as hot summer day you heard him calling your name. You pretended not to hear. The sight you had walked in on was all you needed to finally wake up from the deep delusion of being his one and only. Everyone and anyone the two of you could possibly know were at this party, after all it was hosted by your now ex-best friend. You felt stupid but not embarrassed, at least you dodged a bullet with both of them. A full two years of dating and 10 years of friendship that always seemed to be too good to be true, like a dream you refused to wake up from. You heard people stopping him to catch up and talk as he watched your figure flee out the front door, calling your name.

-Gojo, Yuji, Nanami

Just one more taste of you my love

The love was no longer there, you both knew it. It wasn’t a matter of who hurt who or who committed wrong against the other. You both had simply fallen out of love with each other. As the seasons changed so did your feelings, this was a conversation you had both acknowledged you needed to have. So there the two of you sat at your kitchen table in tears. The sun was setting outside and the temperatures were dropping with your confidence. You thought you were prepared for this conversation but suddenly the words were suffocating you. You reached for each other’s hands, intertwining your fingers. You’re not sure how it happened; what words and movements lead to it but you had your back pressed against the wall as you stuck to each like glue. Bodies bringing each other back to life, skin burning under each delicate, desperate touch. The two of you fell into bed the same way you had done so many times before. The lips on your neck left marks and bites only to leave you alone in a cold empty bed the next morning.

-Megumi, Nobara

She said she love me, she don’t show it

You had gotten tired. Cancelled and forgotten plans, missed birthdays and weaponized incompetence. She had done a real number on you. Every text, phone call and FaceTime ending with those poisonous three words. “I love you”, she says everyday but she never shows it. It almost like she’s talking to a parent when she says it to you. A forced display of affection as if it’s mandated to say instead of something she wants you to know. You’re not sure why the two of you started dating anyways, she was always busy with her friends or work. If you asked to make plans then she already had something to due as if you weren’t busy as well. It wasn’t always like that though, at one point in time you thought she genuinely may have meant it when she said she loved you between kisses and late night drives. But as your mother used to say, love can fade if not maintained. However your efforts went wasted and directly rejected. You didn’t even bother to call and tell her you were done, you simply stopped replying. You stopped answering. You moved on.

-Shoko, Maki

A/N: Toji’s not here because he can do no wrong that’s why he went to heaven

[faceofpoe]

Poe, I was delighted, nay, obsessed with the post you reblogged about Collapsed Coruscant. What do you think would happen there after everyone with any credits fucked off to Hosnian Prime or wherever?

Ha, hello friend! Thank you for the much-needed break from doomscrolling. XD

My morbid obsession with Coruscant has always been around how we've seen it (it's so twisted! it just keeps burying itself, layer by layer! the iconic episode 10 Luthen&Lonni shot is of course an excellent example of the old mostly-forgotten infrastructure but my favorite glimpse of the depths is actually in the final Clone Wars season (there's a fucking lake! fucking what. and even THAT is like... so HIGH relative to the surface) (the SURFACE! there's some twisted remnant of a dead planet down there!) (I have gathered through the course of researching for a TBB fic that the TCW portrayal is largely born from a canceled video game called 1313? I think? Lost to the Dark Times the Disney I imagine. Anyway I digress)(MiniPoe just came down to tell me about his Sonic Encyclo-speedia and something about Metal Sonic getting too much backstory(?)(maybe?)so I lost my train of thought)).

BUT if we take a moment to imagine the infrastructure that must go into keeping the lower levels habitable (I'm not sure what the canon (if any) on how deep one can go) with food and water and air (I mean - AIR, at some depth surely it's just suffocating surely??) -

Side tangent there was an old EU novel in the New Jedi Order bonkers era where a mass evacuation of Coruscant/collapse of the government-ish happened and the novel Traitor has a character wandering the desolation of the planet and all the destruction and I don't remember a lot from it (there were def monsters though) but it's probably where my obsession was born.

Additional side tangent one of the EU X-wing novels has a fun little bit with a star destroyer buried (somehow??? these books were written pre-prequels, mind) under the city and it blasts its way free and just MAYHEM DESTRUCTION DEATH like millions of people just -

LAST side tangent in I thiiiiink the EU Jedi Academy trilogy (do not quote me on that) (also pre-prequels days) the Very Young Solo twins wandered off and ended up finding their way to the bottom of Coruscant where they met a dude who was like... a self-proclaimed king of the underworld (I think he'd once been some govt lackey under Palpatine maybe? I read these like 14 years ago lol) and he'd fled and was ruling happily in the depths and upon being informed 'oh hey yeah it's not like that anymore the Empire is gone you can come back up now' he was all "why would I I am a KING down here?" and just fucked off back to the basement.

Point being the EU was ridiculous as all fuck but it had fun playing with Coruscant before we had a Lucas-approved visual of Coruscant.

BUT if all the wealth up and fled Coruscant after the Empire. Hm. I mean, we still see a significant govt presence on the planet a handful of years later in Mando s3 I believe? So I like to imagine there was a sense of 'hey let's not murder trillions via negligence' but as time goes on and instability heightens and whatever the fuck First Order schisming or some shit (sorry I'm the worst sort of Star Wars fan (the type who thinks Star Wars would be good if only it were good))-

I feel like Coruscant would actually become a bastion (lol (no one gets that joke probably)) for remaining (wealthy) Imperial ideologues. Like - maybe some money would flee but I actually wonder if plenty wouldn't move in and continue enjoying living atop all the poor denizens of the depths. Content to live in the shadow of former Imperial glory and leave the New Republic to its rebuilding.

Ensuing power struggle with underworld warlord sorts who have been moving up since the Empire was yeeted? Waiting until the New Republic gets bored rehabilitating the galaxy to come all the way up and claim the prime real estate?

Eventual massive division and power struggle among a bunch of chaos factions, basically, is my proposal. Eventually, winning becomes more important than maintaining the infrastructure and supply lines. Eventually, maybe, the vicious competition for said supply lines ends up severing them altogether. Plenty of safer business to pursue, in the galactic rebuilding. Coruscant slowly fades from the greater galactic awareness. Left to its madness. Left to tear itself apart. Left to rot. Eventually left, undoubtedly, by many of the same sorts who set it on its slow death spiral in the first place.

Coruscant eventually goes dark.

Coruscant eventually goes quiet.

Every new level constructed through the millennia was, of course, built to be the best, the top, built to last.

How strange to finally have one emerge the victor, standing proud atop a dead city.

But the planet is just the same thing it always was, far back as history remembers - a tomb at the heart of the galaxy.

[ravenclair]

In the Shadow of You | Hogwarts Legacy

☆ Summary | Previous Chapter | Next Chapter

☆ Available on Wattpad

Chapter 2: Sixth Year

(Word count: 2,133)

“You’re sure I can’t convince you to skip sixth year and stay here?” Sirona begged, hugging you tightly.

You laughed, hugging the witch back, “I’m positive.”

“Fine,” she sighed, releasing you. “But you better be back next summer holiday as well. And the one after that.”

“I’ll be graduated by then, Sirona.”

“Even better. You can stay indefinitely.” 

You smiled, shaking your head incredulously. 

It was officially time to return to Hogwarts for the Sorting Ceremony later that evening. It would be interesting to watch the ceremony this year, as well as see fresh faces around the castle. Although you knew you’d be back throughout the school year, it was hard saying goodbye to Sirona Ryan. 

“Thank you, for taking me in,” you said. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without your kindness.”

Sirona smiled. “Anytime, my friend. Thank you for all your help this summer. Butterbeers on me next time you’re in town.”

⋆｡°✩

You made your way through the Ravenclaw common room to unpack your things. It was still early, so not too many students had arrived yet. You found the sixth year dormitories and pushed open the door.

“Bunk beds again?” You heard a familiar voice groan in frustration. 

Samantha Dale stood before the sets of bunk beds, the room not too much different than the dormitories you shared previously. She turned upon hearing the door open, lighting up when she recognized you.

“There you are! I knew you’d get here early too,” Samantha exclaimed. “Can you believe this? We must be the only house with such terrible sleeping arrangements.”

Last year, you ended up on the bunk below Samantha’s. You didn’t particularly mind the setup, but you could see why she might be annoyed at having to clamor in and out of bed every day. 

“I’ll take the top bed this year, if you’d like,” you suggested. 

She waved a hand in dismissal at your offer. “No, no, I can’t stand the bottom bunk. I feel like I might be crushed at any moment. Makes it quite hard to sleep.” 

You chatted about your summers as you unpacked your trunks. Samantha gushed about some rare plant species she got to see while on a tour of Ilvermorny and how beautiful Mount Greylock is during sunsets. 

After making your way back to the common room, you ran into more familiar faces. Amit was showing off yet another new telescope. This one, however, was a Muggle telescope he acquired at his astronomy camp in London. His wizarding models were much more beautiful, but he was excited nonetheless. 

As you made your way to the Great Hall for dinner, you heard Poppy Sweeting call your name. She caught up to you, pulling you into a warm embrace. You continued to the Great Hall together, her quickly talking through stories of Romania. You parted ways at the Hufflepuff table, but she promised you would both catch up properly sometime soon. 

Once seated at your own house table, Samantha to your right and Amit across from you, you did a quick scan of the hall. The first years had yet to arrive. Your eyes wandered casually towards the Slytherin table.

You saw Sebastian talking excitedly with Imelda Reyes. Ominis sat to Sebastian’s left, looking bored. 

Samantha noticed your line of sight. 

“Imelda is pretty fired-up about quidditch returning this term. Won’t stop talking about it to anyone who will listen,” she said. “Apparently, Madam Kogawa approached her about it earlier and asked if she wanted to be Slytherin’s team captain.”

You had forgotten about school quidditch. Since last year’s season was cancelled, you had never gotten to see a proper game. You weren’t even sure you fully understood the rules.

“Sebastian was Slytherin’s seeker during fourth year,” Samantha continued, “she’s probably trying to recruit him again.”

During one of your many talks this summer, you recalled Sebastian mentioning his time on the quidditch team. He had recounted an exciting story about his first game as the team’s Seeker. Anne had been a Chaser. 

You smiled fondly at the memory. 

“What’s with that look?” Samantha said, raising an eyebrow at you suspiciously.

You turned toward her, confused. “What do you mean?”

Before she could retort, the Great Hall doors opened, and a flood of first years made their way between the banquet tables. Headmaster Black gave the opening speech, and the Sorting Ceremony was quickly underway. 

It was a decently sized group, about fifty new students. Each time the Sorting Hat shouted your house name, everyone at your table cheered. Ravenclaw welcomed nine new housemates. As soon as the ceremony concluded, the tables filled with food. With the excitement of the day, you hadn’t realized how hungry you were. 

As you began filling your plate with food, Samantha returned to her previous line of questioning. You weren’t surprised. She wasn’t one to let things go so easily. It could be amusing at times. But also frustrating.

Especially when you knew exactly where this particular conversation was headed. 

“So,” she started again, “anything interesting happen this summer that you’d like to share?”

You feigned taking a moment to think. 

“Not particularly, no.”

“Hmm, I see,” she said, nodding contemplatively. “Well, I heard from Abigail Oakes that you and Sebastian Sallow were spotted looking rather cozy at Hogsmeade the other day…supply list shopping, was it?”

You didn’t respond, choosing to instead take a bite of your food casually. She just stared at you, awaiting your response. 

You swallowed. “So? Friends go shopping together all the time.”

“No witch is just friends with someone who looks like that,” Samantha exclaimed, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “He’s the most handsome wizard in our year! And he somehow got even more attractive over the holiday. Surely you’ve realized that by now.”

Amit coughed awkwardly, suddenly very interested in the potatoes rolling around on his plate. 

Merlin, she needed to keep her voice down. 

“And besides,” Samanatha pushed, “you two were always sneaking off together in fifth year, thinking no one noticed.”

You turned toward her, stunned. 

Had others really taken note of how much time the two of you spent together?

“He’s my best friend, that’s all!” You whispered defensively, desperately hoping that no one else could hear your conversation. 

She looked unconvinced, but didn’t say another word, her curiosity seemingly satisfied. 

For now.

⋆｡°✩

After dinner was concluded and the Great Hall began to empty, you felt a strong hand pull you away from the exiting crowd. You looked up and saw Sebastian smiling down at you.

“Care for a visit to the Undercroft?” he whispered. “Ominis and I are heading there now, if you can sneak away.”

You glanced back into the crowd and locked eyes with Samantha. She had both eyebrows raised in an amused look. You returned it with a glare. 

“Yes, let’s hurry before the prefects notice,” you replied to Sebastian. 

Once the three of you were safely in the Undercroft, Sebastian’s casual demeanor shifted. Turned serious. You glanced at Ominis, wondering if he knew anything, but you couldn’t read his expression.

Sebastian pulled from his pocket what appeared to be a letter. He took a deep breath. 

“I received this just before dinner,” he started, “it…it’s a letter…from Anne.”

Your eyes grew wide in surprise. Ominis drew in a quick breath. That definitely wasn’t what either of you were expecting.

It had been almost four months since the events of the catacombs and Anne’s sudden disappearance. Four months of silence from Sebastian’s twin. You knew it had been eating him alive, not hearing from her for the remainder of last term. Not receiving a single owl from her for the entire summer. Not having any idea where she was or if she was alright. 

If she was alive.

Although it had pained you to see him suffer from her silence, you understood why she had needed the space. Things had taken a turn for the worst, for everyone involved. You couldn’t imagine the hurt and confusion Anne was going through, but you saw enough of it in Sebastian these last few months to guess. 

Sebastian continued, staring at the letter. “She…her curse. It’s gone. She’s been at St Mungo’s receiving treatment for the lingering ailments and studying medicine with their healers.”

You gasped. Her curse was…gone? 

“Sebastian, what are you saying?” Ominis said, wariness evident in his voice. “You mean to tell us she’s…she’s healed?”

Sebastian finally tore his gaze from the letter, looking directly at you. 

“She says that she began to feel…different, not long before the summer holiday. Better. After you defeated Rookwood,” he said. “She stopped having those daily bouts of pain, and the nurses at St Mungo’s noticed a rapid increase in her health within the following few weeks.”

You were speechless. It made sense, that defeating the curse’s maker would lift their curse…but it seemed too impossibly good to be true. Ominis was shaking his head in disbelief.

“Don’t you see?” Sebastian continued, “You saved her. You saved my sister. She’s coming back to Hogwarts next month once she completes her rehabilitation.” 

Your emotions were an odd mix of overwhelmed and relieved. Somehow, you had done it. You had given Sebastian the one thing he desperately wanted, the thing he drove himself mad for last year. 

Anne was healing. The feeling was too much to put into words. 

Suddenly, Sebastian was closing the short distance between you. You felt his arms wrap around you in a tight embrace.

Still dazed, you heard him whisper with a trembling voice, “I don’t know how I can ever thank you for this. For everything.”

Slowly, your arms came up to rest gently on the back of his uniform shirt, returning the hug. You peaked over his shoulder at Ominis, his head tilted upward towards the ceiling and grinning like a fool. You’d never seen him look so happy.

“I…I can’t believe this,” Ominis said in awe. “Anne is coming back? Truly?”

Sebastian released you, but kept one arm around your shoulders casually. 

“She is, and just in time for quidditch season. Tryouts are in two weeks, and the first game is two weeks after that.”

“Quidditch?” you questioned, wanting to find out how accurate Samantha’s rumor mill was. “Professor Black is allowing it again?”

Sebastian nodded. “Imelda informed me about it at dinner tonight. She said Kogawa confirmed it with Black last week.”

“Imelda Reyes was blabbering about it all afternoon in the common room and the entire walk to the Great Hall,” Ominis chimed in, “boasting about how Madam Kogawa asked her personally to be Slytherin team captain. I was wishing I was deaf instead of blind by the time we sat down for the Sorting Ceremony.”

You burst into laughter at his blunt humor. No wonder he looked so annoyed at dinner.

“Anyway,” Sebastian drawled, turning your attention back to him, “looks like I’ll be living in the quidditch pitch until tryouts. Imelda said she’ll be running practice drills everyday after class for the next two weeks.” 

“Running practices before tryouts?” you questioned.

Sebastian nodded. “She wants to give everyone a fair shot. Let all the former players get back into the swing of things. It’s been a while since we’ve all played together as a team.”

That was rather fair of the usually cynical Slytherin. Perhaps Imelda had a soft spot when it came to quidditch. And she probably wanted everyone at the top of their game for the season. You had no doubt that Imelda Reyes was the type that didn’t take well to losing. 

“Not that I’m complaining,” Sebastian continued. “I haven’t practiced properly in ages.”

Suddenly, his eyes lit up. “You should join us! I’m sure the Ravenclaw team is in need of new recruits. Bet you’d make a brilliant Seeker.” 

“I’m not sure…I don’t think Imelda would appreciate a Ravenclaw crashing Slytherin practices,” you answered hesitantly. “And besides, I don’t even know how to play. I’d be leagues behind everyone.” 

“Ravenclaw could use all the help they can get,” Ominis quipped. “They were terrible fourth year. Too many bookworms, that house.”

You shot him a glare you knew he couldn’t see, but he chuckled anyway, knowing he got under your skin by poking fun at your house. 

“Ominis is right,” Sebastian teased, “and Imelda will get over it. She won’t admit it, but she respects your flying talents too much to deny you. I can teach you everything you need to know.” 

It was hard to say no to him, it always had been. Sometimes you wondered if your soft spot for the Slytherin was too obvious. He always knew exactly what to say to sway your mind.

You smiled. “I’ll think about it.”

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

Your post about ML trying to be a formula show and a serialized show at the same time reminded me of how one of my favorite shows ever, Moral Orel, actually managed to make the switch from one to the other, and I really kinda wish we could have seen ML do what Moral Orel was doing before it got prematurely cancelled two season early

Like, the first season of MO was a cut and dry formula show, but towards the end of S1 we're shown the cracks in the world, until the finale finally outright breaks the formula in the last third

Then S2 seems to try to get back into the formula, but it never quite gets back to normal, with more and more of the underlying serialized drama that the creators crafted around the formula bleeding into it, until with the finale (one of the most gut wrenching finales in tv history btw) the formula is pretty much forgotten outside of some flashbacks in the next season

S3 is just a fully serialized drama, and if it hadn't been cancelled prematurely the creators and staff had two more season planned where the focus would shift fully from one character/family being the main focus to the whole town being the sort of 'main character'

Like, during the year long hiatus after S1 that's kinda how I was envisioning ML to go after ending on Volpina and Origins

S1 gave us the fun formula and the basic set-up of the world (our leads and villain and their powers, the Love Square, the supporting characters, etc) before ending on hints of a deeper story hidden behind the formula show we've been presented, but we all know how that went in ML

This is honestly where I thought Miraculous was going at the tail end of season one/start of season two. It's incredibly common for kids' shows to start off without a strong plot for their first season or even just first half-season in order to play things safe (examples: Steven Universe and The Owl House). They don't want to commit to anything major until the show proves that it's going to do numbers, so the most you get are subtle hints of a larger plot. Then, once they feel like they have an audience, they can get more serious and do some actual plots because they know that they're probably going to be able to have multiple seasons.

Origins felt like the start of that transition from playing it safe to actually telling a story that required an active audience who would do their best to never miss an episode. Add in Volpina giving us a cliffhanger and, okay, time to go! But no. Instead we get the worst of both worlds where there's too many big serialized elements for the formula stuff to feel fun and too much adherence to the formula to let the big serialized elements function. Terrible choice. Zero starts. If the powers that be won't let you do a true serial show, then keep the serial content to stuff that works in the background. Don't pick big, dramatic stuff that needs room to breathe!