#chris watches black sails

[tenisperfection]

Officially done with season 3 of teen wolf and what an incredible season, definitely the best so far (and I'm told, of the series). Genuinely impressed by everything they had going on and how it all did tie together well, how they introduced new characters AND gave them depth and purpose (Kira my most beloved). We don't have to talk about Allison dying because in my head she and Lydia live happily ever after (teen wolf movie what teen wolf movie). Also Stiles is like lightning in a bottle when it comes to tv characters—especially teenage characters—so congrats to this show for hitting the biggest gold they could ever strike with Dylan O' Brien and utilizing the hell out of him.

[vanteguccir]

── ୨୧ !　𝗢𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗧𝗘

　　　　　　　　　𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒐 x reader

SUMMARY: Where Y/N and Matt are polar opposites.

WARNING: None.

REQUESTED?: Yes, by @lightsgore

AUTHOR'S NOTE: That is my work, I DON'T authorize any plagiarism! | English isn't my first language, so I'm sorry if there's any grammar error.

　　　༻✦༺ 　༻✧༺　༻✦༺

Matt was not an extroverted person. Unsurprisingly, he was a quieter, more reserved guy who liked to have his own space and took his own time to say what he wanted if he was asked to do so. His mood would change drastically if he was forced to talk when or with whoever he didn't want to.

Y/N, on the other hand, looked like a little ball of light that wouldn't stay still. She had a habit of talking a lot in a short space of time, uttering words until she was out of breath. In addition to always seeming to be in a good mood, a smile decorating her face like a permanent tattoo. Energetic was the word that defined her.

Therefore, when she and Matt revealed their relationship to the public, many fans didn't understand the origin of their love, as they were very different, literally polar opposites.

　　　　　༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

"... Stop! Stop protecting your insecurities because you know you have an ass haircut, so you're projecting what could possibly happen to me! At least I'm willing to take that change." Nick screamed next to Y/N, moving his arms comically in exaggerated despair.

Chris laughed loudly at his speech, leaning his back against the car door from the passenger seat so that he could have a better view of the back. Matt smiled as he shook his head, watching them in the rearview mirror.

Y/N quickly nodded her head, her eyes wide as she raised her hands, showing that she wanted to initiate her own opinion on the matter.

"Exactly! You only try to diminish others because you are insecure about yourself. It's impossible to be friends with people like that. They are always trying to diminish someone, saying absurd things that cause so much discomfort." She spoke quickly, gesturing with her hands as her eyes darted between Nick and the rearview mirror, or rather, Matt's blue eyes.

Matt watched her with eyes full of love and affection, nodding his head in agreement to what she was saying.

"They're always talking bad about someone, have you noticed?" Y/N turned to face the blonde next to her, pointing her right index finger towards him, who hummed.

"Yes, exactly!" Nick shouted, slamming his hands against the back of Chris's seat, earning an angry shout from the boy.

"People can only give what they have inside themselves." Y/N finished her train of thought, shrugging as she licked her lips, wetting them.

Matt quickly reached for the bottle of his own tea in the cup holder between the front seats, opening the lid and turning his upper body towards the back, silently offering the drink to his girlfriend. She smiled big, sending a wink as a "thank you" before taking the bottle.

"It's good to have Y/N in a video with us. She speaks for both of them." Chris commented briefly, pointing to Y/N and Matt, letting out a hysterical laugh when he saw Matt rolling his eyes - but still not denying anything.

　　　　　༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

Matt was fast asleep. His head buried in the white pillow, and his body curled up like a burrito around the fluffy duvet. His mouth was half open, low snores escaping from between his lips. His eyelids trembled slightly, showing that his mind was sailing through dream land.

Y/N slowly opened the door with her elbow, her hands occupied by a wooden tray that held a simple but nutritious breakfast for two. The girl had a big smile decorating her face as she walked with light steps towards the bed.

She placed the tray on the closest bedside table in one quick movement before going to the windows, opening the black-out curtains, allowing the sunlight to illuminate the room completely.

A grumbling sound was heard from the bed, Matt lifting the duvet to the top of his head, still half asleep. Y/N smiled at his reaction, quickly walking to the bed, kneeling on the mattress and pulling the blanket off the boy, laying her chest on her boyfriend's bare one, bringing her face closer to his.

"Good morning, my love." She murmured against his cheek, sealing her lips over his skin repeatedly.

Matt grumbled again, his brow furrowing in false anger but pushing his face against hers lightly, enjoying the feeling of being showered in affection by his girlfriend.

"Come on baby, wake up!" Y/N asked a few seconds later - after seeing his eyes closing again -, her fingers pulling Matt's eyebrows up slightly, watching him forcefully open his blue orbs.

Her laughter echoed through the room as the boy pretended to go bite her, a smile spreading across his face instantly.

"It's such a beautiful day outside. I thought we'd have a picnic. Or we could go to that golf park. Oh oh oh, or we could cook that blackberry pie you wanted. We could also-" Her words came quickly, excitement evident in her voice.

Matt's sleepy brain took a few minutes to process what his girlfriend was saying, his head just nodding in agreement without even knowing what he was agreeing to.

"Can we?" Y/N's question caught his attention. Matt only opened his right eye, looking at her for a few seconds, trying to search in his mind what she was asking him to do without achieving any results.

Matt didn't understand how Y/N woke up with so much energy, while he needed at least 20 minutes to really feel alive.

"Yeah, sure." The brunette mentally shrugged his shoulders. She wouldn't have asked him to do something risky to their lives, so it was okay for him to accept it without knowing what it was. Right?

　　　　　༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

Y/N knocked twice on the door of her shared room with Matt, the sound almost imperceptible. She turned the handle and opened it, entering the room slowly.

The sound of loud music escaped the brunette's headphones, which rested against his ears. The boy was sitting in his gaming chair, and his upper body bent slightly forward as his hands worked on the keyboard, probably answering emails sent to the Sturniolo Triplets inbox.

The girl walked with light and quick steps towards her boyfriend, a small smile on her face in excitement. She gently touched his right shoulder, alerting him to her presence.

Matt looked up, his eyes instantly brightening as he noticed Y/N there. His hands pushed the headphone back - leaving it hanging around his neck - while his feet moved on the floor, turning the chair so that he was facing her.

"Babe, it's raining." Y/N quickly said, without even waiting for him to talk.

Matt frowned, his hands moving up to her hips, lightly squeezing the covered area.

"Yeah, I know, honey." He nodded, confused as to why she would be telling him the obvious, the sound of heavy raindrops hitting the windows from outside filled the room.

"Can we dance in the rain? Please, please, please?" Y/N clasped her hands in front of her body in a sign of prayer, pleading with her eyes.

Matt raised his eyebrows, the thought of getting completely wet with the freezing rain made him shiver, his mind already imagining his clothes sticking to his skin.

He sighed, closing his eyes momentarily.

"What I wouldn't do for you?"

　　　　　༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

"What do you guys want?" Madi asked as she stood up from her seat at the table on the fast food restaurant, ready to place the triplets' and Y/N's orders besides her own.

Nick quickly said what he wanted without taking his eyes off his phone, choosing the photos that he would put in that Friday's photo dump. Chris mumbled his order, resting his left cheek on his hand - which was supported on the table by his elbow -, his eyes focused on the digital menu on his own phone.

Madi nodded to the two before turning to Matt and Y/N, waiting for them to say what they wanted.

"For me, it's just going to be a cheeseburger and a Diet Coke. And Matt's going to have a double cheeseburger and a root beer." Y/N counted on her fingers as she said each food, watching Madi nod when she finished. "Thank you, Madi." She blew the brunette an air kiss.

Matt pressed his lips to the top of Y/N's head lightly before pulling her to rest the back of her shoulder against his chest.

　　　　　༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

"No, Chris, I don't want a blueberry donut." Matt rolled his eyes, huffing as he leaned his hips against the table, his arms crossed.

"You're hungry, and it's the only thing we have right now, Matt." Chris rolled his eyes back, exchanging looks with Nate, who smiled, amused by his reaction.

"What happened to you today? Did you wake up with the wrong foot?" Nick asked, his tone full of annoyance, wrinkling his nose.

"Why don't you shut-" Matt's sentence was interrupted by Y/N entering the kitchen, humming a Taylor Swift song under her breath.

"Oh, hi guys! Good morning." Y/N smiled brightly at the four of them, her eyes shining as she met Matt's, approaching him with quick steps - throwing smiles towards Chris, Nick, and Nate as she passed them. "Hi baby." She rose on her tiptoes, sealing his lips in a quick kiss.

A smile automatically grew on Matt's face, his eyes taking on a lovestruck look, all the anger he felt vanishing.

"Did you eat? I didn't see you eating breakfast earlier. You must be hungry." She asked, still facing him, her brow furrowed in concern as her right hand rested lightly on Matt's stomach, stroking the covered skin.

"No, baby. There's nothing interesting here." The boy sighed dramatically, ignoring his brothers' murmurs of disgust.

"We still have blueberry donuts, honey. There are some left over from the video you three made yesterday." Y/N pointed to the counter, where the box of donuts sat next to the stove. "You liked them, right?" She moved slightly away from Matt, reaching out and taking one before handing it to the boy.

Matt instantly smiled, taking the sweet from Y/N's hands with his right one and bringing it to his mouth, biting off a small piece. His left hand rested on Y/N's hip, caressing the area.

"It doesn't even look like he just-" Nick began his sentence, a look of disbelief on his face.

"Thank you, my love." Matt cut Nick off, sending a glare in his direction over Y/N's right shoulder before opening a big smile to her, biting off another piece.

　　　　　༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

"Hi, good afternoon! How are you?" Y/N greeted the McDonald's attendant, a big smile lighting up her face, as her eyes went to the board where the menu was displayed, mentally confirming what she was going to order.

The attendant smiled back quickly, her heart warming at finally being able to have a kind costumer who wasn't in a bad mood.

"Good afternoon! I'm great, thank you." She nodded momentarily, placing her fingers on the computer screen, ready to select the order. "What can I do for you today?" Her eyes went from Y/N to Matt, who was standing behind the girl.

His hands rested in the front pocket of the hoodie that covered his upper body, while an awkward smile spread across his face, nodding briefly.

Y/N started ordering calmly, including Chris and Nick's orders that she had already memorized - even though they both said they didn't want anything, she knew that Nick would end up biting a peace of her burger and Chris would steal Matt's fries -, giving the attendant time to select everything without rushing.

"Is that all for today?"

"Yes, that's all." Y/N confirmed, taking Matt's wallet out of her purse and taking out her card, quickly paying for the order. "Thank you so much. Have a nice day!"

Matt quickly mumbled a "thank you" before intertwining his fingers with Y/N's, allowing her to pull him toward a table.

　　　　　༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

Yes, they were polar opposites, but Matt and Y/N showed every day that opposites really do attract each other.

taglist:

@lustfulslxt @ladybunny44 @worldlxvlys @earth2starkey @remussbitch @freshloveforthefit @il0vebeingdelulu @sturniolowhore @mimi-luvzyu @alorsxsturn @urfavgirllyyyyy @domizzzsstuff @sturnizd @hearts4chris @cupidzsq @dracoflaco @leah-loves-lilies @tylerthecreatorsrealwife @rootbeerworshiper

(If you want to be added to the taglist, go to this post)

[aquamarixx]

breaking the internet

chapter five A win turns bittersweet for Hiori when the person he wants to share it with the most seems just out of reach—as he sees Miss Journalist running towards someone else. chapter five pairing hiori yo x reader contains slow slow slow burn, post blue lock timeskip, afab!reader, hurt/comfort masterlist

The camera zooms in on Hiori, his face glistening with sweat as he cards a hand through his hair, the other planted on his hip. The stadium is packed, buzzing with energy, each cheer reverberating like a pulse through the field.

This wasn’t just another mid-season game. It was Bastard München’s chance at redemption after three consecutive losses to Manshine City earlier this season. Gold and black jerseys dominated the stands, their presence louder, prouder than ever.

It’s the second half, Bastard München leading 2-1. A stark contrast to their past matches. The team plays with intent, every move precise, every pass calculated. 

On the field, Mikage Reo sprints across the pitch, ball in his possession, Chigiri Hyouma shadowing him like a predator ready to strike. On the far side, Nagi Seishirou lingers near the goalpost, waiting, ever the silent threat. Isagi and Kurona track him closely. While Agi zones out Kunigami and Chris Prince weaves in the background.

Reo gets cornered by Geisner and Yukimiya, but he’s quick on his feet. A step over, a feint, and he’s past them, sending the ball to Swift. Swift barely hesitates before passing to Nagi, who traps it effortlessly. 

Then you see it. A cyan streak racing toward the goal, as if it’s been anticipating this exact moment. 

Hiori.

Nagi fires off a 2-Stage Fake volley shot, the ball cutting right between Isagi and Ness. But Hiori’s there—anticipating, intercepting. His kick connects with the ball a fraction of a second before it reaches Gagamaru.

The crowd goes crazy. 

Hiori’s block keeps Manshine City from tying the score.

The camera lands on an unnerved Nagi, his expression neutral, save for the way he wipes the sweat off his face—a small tell of frustration. Then it shifts back to Hiori, engulfed in a bear hug from Gagamaru while Isagi jumps onto his back. A wide smile breaks across Hiori’s face.

That smile. That goddamn smile. That laughter you can still hear in your head, hearty and full.

It reminds you of the Hiori from that “date.” The one the fans loved. The one where the ship officially sailed.

People love the two of you together—the cute journalist and the rising Bastard München midfielder. A rom-com come to life.

You’ve replayed that video a dozen times when no one’s around. It’s silly, really, how much it made you smile. Everything about it—the matching outfits, the effortless chemistry—felt so natural.

Hiori could be a bit of a tease (you knew that all too well when you play games together), but outside of those sessions, you haven’t expected him to have this kind of effect. Especially on you. 

And the Bastard München marketing team really did a good job in editing the video. Everything was so perfect.

It wasn’t scripted, but it felt too perfect to be real.

And you just can’t believe it. 

“So… about that dinner.” His words still ring in your ears. 

For days, it was all anyone talked about—the love story of the season, unfolding before their eyes.

Ship of the year, Isagi had joked.

Or so you thought.

Because the date never happened. 

With the mid-season kicking off, Hiori was busier than ever. His schedule filled with training, matches, and media appearances. His face is everywhere—billboards, ads, social media feeds. Thanks to that video, his popularity skyrocketed.

And you? You watched it all unfold from the sidelines.

The viral hype surrounding your supposed “ship” cooled off as quickly as it had ignited. The whirlwind fantasy of “what could’ve been” faded into silence, replaced by the steady march of reality. 

Your reality. Back to your mundane, normal life.

You and Hiori still kept in touch—sporadic messages, occasional gaming nights here and there. But the texts grew shorter, the gaming nights even rarer. And eventually, your once-familiar encounters on the field, where work and personal lives blurred, became a distant memory. 

But both of you still promised to go out though. At least, you said you would. 

The details? As vague as it can be. 

And you don’t blame Hiori. He’s an athlete, a rising star with the world at his feet. And you’re…

You’re just another journalist.

A lucky journalist who happened to ride the Bastard München bandwagon at the right time. A lucky journalist, but still—a forgettable one nonetheless.

Hiori wasn’t ghosting you; you knew that much. No matter how short your conversations are, he always made an effort to check in, even if it was just a quick text. 

hiori_yo23: saw this cute 2B n 9S keychains, should we get matching ones?

yn_offthepage: ooh i want 9S if ever u do get a pair

hiori_yo23: coz he reminds ya of me? 

yn_offthepage: no coz u like 2B so much lol

But it didn’t change the fact that he felt unreachable.

It’s not helping that Hiori seems omnipresent everywhere you go. He was everywhere, just not where you could actually reach him.

I’m not his girlfriend. I shouldn’t be… acting like this. Complaining like I am one. God, pull it together.

Not a girlfriend. Maybe a friend. Not a workmate. Just… someone he sees occasionally because of work. Someone he plays with sometimes.

We were like planets in the same orbit, drawn close for a moment before drifting apart again. 

What are we, even?

The question pops into your head, but you shake it off. Immature, you think. You’re an adult. You shouldn’t even be bothered by this... situationship.

Or whatever this is. 

“Are you dating that football player?” your mom asked one night she called, her tone dripping with the kind of suspicion she reserved for jocks. Her disdain for “jocks” had roots in her own teenage experiences with their womanizing antics, and now, you were caught in her crosshairs.

“She could still date him and not get hitched, you know,” your dad interjected with the air of someone offering sage advice. “It’d be great for her career. Maybe she could ditch that journalism gig and do something worthwhile—like becoming a news anchor. Or, hey, one of those influencer girlfriends. Then dump him once you’re famous enough.”

Your dad’s pragmatism was somehow more insulting than your mom’s cynicism.

As if your worth was measured by clout. As if everything you’d worked for—the late nights, the endless rewrites, the constant grind—meant nothing unless you traded it for likes and followers.

And it wasn’t just your parents.

Even at work, the whispers about Hiori followed you like a shadow.

“You’re still writing about him?” a colleague asks, her tone more pointed than curious.

“He’s just like the others,” your entertainment writer deskmate whispers, her voice heavy with skepticism. “Calm, cool, collected? Please. That’s just PR. His real colors will show soon enough.”

Another adds, “It’s good you’re not focusing on him too much. Don’t want people thinking you’re biased, right?”

The senior sports columnist across from you popps his bubble gum loudly, leaning on your desk divider with the casual arrogance of someone who believed his opinion mattered most. 

Ugh, men. 

“You know you should really diversify your coverage. It’s better for your career. Otherwise, you’re gonna get typecasted as ‘that Bastard München journalist’.”

His words hits like a jab.

“I’m not ‘that Bastard München journalist,’” you mutters, fingers pounding the keyboard harder than necessary. “I’m just a journalist.”

He grins, ignoring your simmering frustration as he shoves his phone in your face. “Are you, though? Look.”

The screen blazed bright with comment after comment:

Bastard München fan journalist.

The lucky Bastard München groupie.

She’s not even trying to hide her bias.

Is she really using Hiori Yo to clout chase?

We’ve been fans of Hiori before her. We were here first, get in line!

Your heart sinks.

Was that how people saw me?

Your face burns as you turn your attention back to the screen, pretending to ignore him. The article you’re working on blur before your eyes, the once-familiar rhythm of writing now disrupted by a torrent of doubt.

Were they right?

Had I reduced myself to this?

Your mind scramble for rebuttals. 

I was doing my job, wasn’t I? Covering one of the most exciting teams in football. So what if I focused on Bastard München? They were newsworthy.

You press your fingers to your temples, willing the doubts to fade. But instead, they echo louder, eating you up.

And Hiori… Hiori isn't here to make it better. Not that you need him to feel better.

He’s out there, shining brighter than ever, while you sit here, questioning every choice that has led you to this moment.

A thunderous roar from the crowd snaps you out of your spiral, grounding you in the present. The energy of the stadium floods your senses as your gaze darts back to the field.

Hiori executes a perfect triple nutmeg pass, weaving through three Manshine City defenders and sending the ball cleanly to Ness. Chigiri immediately takes off, chasing Ness towards the goal. His relentless speed forces Ness into a corner, where Agi and Nishioka intercepts snatching possession and launching the ball hard toward Reo.

But Reo barely has time to react before Kurona swoops in, intercepting it with precision. The planetary hotline combo snaps into action as Kurona passes to Isagi, who then feeds it to Yukimiya. With laser focus, Yukimiya unleashes his gyro shot, a powerful arc that soars into the net, leaving the goalie to dust.

3–1.

The crowd erupts into cheers, the roar echoing through the stadium as the timer sits at the last 30 seconds. Hiori quickly runs the numbers in his head. Even if Manshine somehow manages to score again, they’d still lose. 

This game’s ours.

Still, he could feel the hunger burning in every player’s eyes—both Bastard München’s and Manshine City’s. These weren’t players who’d give up, no matter the odds.

Agi sets the ball for kickoff, his gaze cutting briefly to Nagi, their team’s last hope for a miracle. They’ll try for a Hail Mary hat trick, Hiori thinks, already bracing himself.

The whistle blows, and Agi launches the ball into a high, elegant arc. Nagi surges forward, his strides long and smooth. Chigiri was right on him, but Hiori follows close behind, his longer legs eating up the distance.

“Thirty seconds left, princess,” Hiori spats, pushing himself to match Chigiri’s blistering pace. The red-haired panther barely glances his way, jaw tight with determination.

“Beat it, genius,” Chigiri snaps, his voice laced with exhaustion and irritation. His movements are sharp but increasingly frantic.

The ball is still far from the goal—at least 40 meters out. With 15 seconds left, Nagi traps the ball with his chest casually, making it look effortless. In the same motion, he turns and strikes it with all his power.

The ball beams through the air toward the goal, but Gagamaru is ready. He leaps high, his frame cutting off the angle, and catches it cleanly.

The buzzer roars to life, and the crowd explodes in celebration. Bastard München has won.

As his teammates began celebrating, Hiori couldn’t help but think about you. 

Their number one fan. His number fan, he’d like to think. 

He jogs toward the bench, already imagining telling you about the game.

But before he could reach the dugout, reporters swarm the players, including him, microphones and cameras in every direction. 

He tries to scan the crowd, his height doing him no favors in the chaos. His eyes dart between Manshine City and Bastard München’s players, the reporters, and the fans. Isagi and Yukimiya are already being cornered. Some of them make their way to him and Ness. None of them are you.

Where are ya?

Surely, ya wouldn’t wanna miss this win from yer favorite team, right? Hiori thinks. 

But then, he sees you. 

From the corner of his eye, he sees you jogging from the other side of the field, your notebook in hand. Your hair is in a high ponytail, wearing a hoodie and your cute leggings you wore when he taught you how to dribble. 

Relief washes over him, and for a moment, everything else fades.

You’re smiling as you jog towards his direction. Or so he thought.

He was about to break off from the current crowd of reporters and players around him just to get to you. His mouth opens to call your name but the words get stuck in his throat.

A reporter is already speaking to him, their voice barely registering to him. Everything feels distant—muted, as though the stadium has gone silent. All he can see is you.

Then you run right past the Bastard München bench. 

Past him. 

Without even a glance in his direction.

Hiori freezes. 

You’re running towards Manshine City’s side. Jogging to their dugout. Towards Nagi Seishirou.

Fuck. 

“Hiori? Hiori?” The reporter asks, pulling him back to this moment.

He blinks, trying to focus, but his thoughts splinter and scatter as his gaze locks on you again. You’ve stopped in front of Nagi, and his face lights up just a bit with that sheepish grin he’s perfected. 

“Huh? Whatcha say?” Hiori mutters distractedly, his voice hollow.

The reporter raises an eyebrow but repeats the question patiently. “How does it feel to avenge your loss against Manshine City with such a strong win today?”

Hiori barely hears it. Or more like he chooses not to. His eyes flick back to you

You’re standing in front of Nagi, notebook in hand, your body language relaxed, your posture open. Nagi, in turn, leans forward towards you, towering over you like how he does. His casual confidence makes the scene look infuriatingly effortless. 

He seems comfortable, even amused by your questions, and the sight only made the knot in Hiori’s stomach tighten.

Then Nagi grins—wide, genuine—and you laugh.

Hiori can’t remember the last time he’s seen you laugh like that. Weeks, maybe?

It’s been weeks since he’s seen you in person.

Ness nudges him, shaking his shoulder lightly. “Hiori? You good?”

His gaze stays on you and Nagi. The way Nagi is leaning slightly closer, his posture hunched but relaxed, like he has all the time in the world. For you. 

Nagi’s no longer the tall lanky guy that he was when they were in Blue Lock. Just like him, he’s grown more mature, his body more toned, exuding way more confidence in ways Hiori can’t.

Is Manshine City yer new assignment now?

Hiori knows you’ve interviewed countless players. He’s seen you talk to Otoya once, for fuck’s sake—watched as you deftly shut him down when he tried flirting. He’s never thought twice about it before.

But this is different.

This is Nagi Seishirou. 

A player Hiori knows is brilliant. A genius, even. Someone who never wavers, someone who’s always striving for the top.

Someone better than him.

“Hiori’s a little out of it today,” Ness interjects smoothly, stepping in when the silence stretches too long. He gives the reporter an easy, apologetic smile. “Why don’t you talk to Kurona or Grim instead? They’ve got great insights about the game.”

Before the reporter can respond, Ness pulls Hiori aside, his hand firm on his shoulder.

“What’s wrong with you?” Ness asks under his breath, his tone a mixture of curiosity and concern. He notices him glancing towards the direction of the other team. 

Hiori doesn’t answer. He can’t. His mind is still spinning with the image of you and Nagi.

You hadn’t even looked at him. Or at least tried to look for him in the crowd.

Is this wishful thinking? Am I reading things wrong?

And then, a sharp ache surfaces, one that feels so familiar. He remembers his parents, the endless lectures about how playing midfield was a waste of his potential. How he should’ve been a forward—the star, the one who stands out. The usual constant comparisons.

Not enough. He’s never enough.

Fuck. Shouldn’t be thinking like this. M’not her boyfriend. 

Ness doesn’t press further, instead, he steers Hiori toward the edge of the crowd. But the bitter taste lingers, sharp and unrelenting.

Hiori’s never known what jealousy feels like.

But now he does.

And it tastes fucking awful.

You try not to think about Hiori as you interviewed Nagi. But it was nearly impossible to ignore him. 

He is just there. 

Just a few meters away on the same field, surrounded by teammates and reporters, his hair catching the light like a beacon pulling your gaze.

You told yourself you wouldn’t look. 

Not now. Focus. This isn’t the time.

But this is the only chance you’d have to see him, yet here you are, prioritizing work over what your heart wants. Typical. Your editor had assigned you to Manshine City for now, and that meant professionalism came first. Your feelings? Irrelevant.

Stupid dumb, stupid feelings.

Your hands tremble slightly as you adjust your notebook. No amount of distraction could dull the ache of not being able to walk up to him and just… you know, talk.

Pushing the thought down, you force a polite smile and direct your attention to Manshine City’s star forward, Nagi Seishirou.

“Great game today, and thanks for your time,” you say, your voice louder than usual to drown out the roar of the crowd. “That last kick—it might seem futile to some people, but it definitely wasn’t. Would you say it’s about making a statement, even in the face of a loss?”

Nagi scratches the back of his neck, his expression softening as if you’d touched on something he rarely thought about. “Well… yeah. I knew we were gonna lose, but the clock was still ticking. If I can make a goal, I’ll make a goal. 

“It’s cringe, if you think about it but yeah. But it doesn’t matter if it seems pointless.”, he adds. He leans in slightly, lowering his head so he could hear you better. 

His closeness catches you off guard, conscious of the distance. You step back instinctively, masking it by glancing at your notes. Cameras flash nearby, their shutters loud in the tense, post-game air.

“That makes sense,” you reply, keeping your tone even. “It’s not over till it’s over, right?”

He nods, but the slouch in his shoulders betrays his exhaustion. Maybe it wasn’t just you; maybe it was the weight of the loss pressing down on him. You’ve seen it before—players trying to put on a brave face for the cameras.

Still, a part of you wonders what Hiori might’ve said in Nagi’s place. 

Would he have shrugged it off, teasing you instead? Or would he have stared you down with that thoughtful gaze, saying something far deeper than you expected?

You push the thought away, burying it like all the way down.

Before you could ask another question, an arm drapes over Nagi’s shoulder, and Reo appears beside him, his easy grin on full blast. “Hey, aren’t you the journalist who interviewed Bastard München last time? The one who’s a Hiori fan?”

Your heart drops. For a moment, you feel your world stop. 

Heat surges to your cheeks as you force a tight-lipped smile. You hope the grass would swallow you whole, or at least that the cameras aren’t catching this.

“Uh… yeah,” you manage to say, your voice barely above a whisper.

Reo chuckles, his energy casual and teasing. “Well, lucky us, huh? Maybe you’ll be our lucky charm next time.”

You know it’s just a joke, but the words land like a punch in the gut. The implication lingers—like you aren’t here because of your professionalism but because of someone.

Before you could respond, Chigiri swoops in, cutting through the tension with a flick of his hand.

“Sorry about Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb here,” he gestures to Reo and Nagi. “This one”—he jabs a thumb at Reo—“doesn’t know when to shut up, and that one”—he points to Nagi—“doesn’t know he’s being rude to the nice journalist.”

You let out a nervous laugh, grateful for the interruption.

“It’s okay,” you close your notebook, a small considerate smile on your lips. “Interviews after a loss aren’t easy for anyone.”

“Hopefully, you’ll interview us when we win next time,” Reo quips, glancing at Nagi with a knowing smirk.

“You should watch our games more often,” Nagi adds, his voice softer now. Exhaustion? Frustration? You can’t say for sure.

 His eyes lingera on you just a little too long. “And… you’re better than the reporters I usually get. Just saying.”

The compliment catches you off guard, but you brush it off with a polite chuckle, waving goodbye as you step away.

You don’t let yourself look toward Bastard München’s side of the field, no matter how badly you want to. The urge claws at your chest, but you can’t risk it—not after what Reo had said, not with the cameras still flashing around you.

On the train ride home, your phone buzzes in your pocket. Setting down the book you’ve just started, you pull it out, expecting a message from your editor. Instead, it was a Winstagram notification.

Manshine City tagged you on a post.

The photo was candid, sharp: you mid-laugh, standing just a little too close to Nagi. His towering frame and relaxed posture made the interaction look… intimate. 

The caption reads: Look who finally came to see us! Long overdue interview @/thenagiseishirou @/yn_offthepage 🙌

The post is already gaining traction. At first, the comments were innocuous, even kind.

『so dedicated her articles are always spot-on cool seeing reporters getting along with players like this love her work can’t wait to read her take on the game.』

A faint smile creeps onto your face, and for a fleeting moment, relief trickles in. At least some people appreciate your effort. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad—

And then came the other comments.

『guess Bastard München wasnt enough for her another player groupie. classic. bet she’s just there for the photo ops she doesn’t even play. it’s always the pretty ones chasing players for attention not a real journalist she done cloutchasing using hiori? now nagi? 』

The knot in your stomach tightens. The tuna sandwich you had for dinner threatening to resurface as you stare at the screen. 

The initial warmth from the positive comments is now eclipsed by the sharp sting of the negativity. You knew this would happen eventually—it was part of the job. But knowing didn’t make it hurt any less.

You stare at your phone. The comments, their meaning cuts clear: doubt, mockery, misunderstanding.

Your chest feels heavy. You think of your workmates, your editor, your family. Would they see this? Would they believe it? 

Would Hiori?

Hiori.

Your heart sinks even further. The thought of him seeing the post—seeing you laughing with Nagi like that, with comments painting you as some shallow opportunist—makes your hands tremble.

You want to explain, to set the record straight. This isn’t what it looked like. You’re doing your job. But even if you had the words, who would listen?

Shit, shit, shit, shit.

The train rattles along, the hum of the engine filling the silence in your head as you stare at the screen. You’re no longer scrolling but the pain only gets stronger the longer you stare at it blankly. Tears are already threatening to spill but you’re too prideful to cry at a train ride, even if it’s the last ride of the night.

Then your phone buzzes again.

hiori_yo23: Didn’t know you were a Manshine City fan now.

You freeze.

The words stabs deeper than any of the comments ever could. His chat devoid of the usual teasing tone. Or the cute emojis. Your grip tightens on the phone, your knuckles white as your world seems to tilt off balance.

He saw it. Of course, he has.

Your breath hitches, chest constricting as the sting of his words settled in.

You want to reply—to explain everything. That it's just an assignment. That Bastard Munchen is still number one in your heart. 

That you haven’t forgotten about him, not for a second. That even as you stood on the field, the only person you could think about was him.

But you don’t. You can’t.

Because what do you even say to him? Who are you to him?

The journalist he’s polite to during interviews? A fleeting acquaintance he plays games with?

Hot tears spill out, sliding down your cheeks as the city blurs past the train window. You don’t bother wiping them away.

You don’t have the right to expect anything more.

And the worst part?

You couldn’t even blame him for misunderstanding. Not when you don’t even know if you mean anything to him at all.

amari's notes: this took me a while to write. the ideas i had werent that solid enough so it was a struggle. i think a little misunderstanding would stir the pot. i tried reading it out loud alone and i felt so sad ngl anw, if you’re up for it, I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to leave a reply or drop an ask. Hope you all enjoy this chapter! ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

[ironworked]

60 Sec Rec: Resident Alien

"An alien on a mission to kill all humans crashes on Earth and hides in a remote mountain town. After assuming the identity of the town doctor, Harry Vanderspeigle, he's roped into solving a murder and realizes he needs to assimilate into his new world" [adapted from Rotten Tomatoes]

This show is hilarious. A lot of it does hinge on Alan Tudyk's charm so ymmv of course, but he, along with the rest of the cast, just lend themselves to the story with zero self-consciousness and a lot of joy. They have fun with their characters and the show is a delight to watch as a result.

The high points for me are firstly, the relationships, because they show different versions of 'family' and friendships where the people involved actually like and respect each other! (which shouldn't be rare but it somehow is). Secondly, its female characters; the guys are great too, but most shows have a male to female ratio of about 5:1 and the women are way too often afterthoughts to the male character's storylines. Not here, though: Out of the 18 actors with eps in the double digits, only 7 are men (Harry is the main character, but the others don't get sidelined). They're all different, they look different. And they're all awesome.

Created by Chris Sheridan (Family Guy). Written by Sheridan, Emily Slami and Jeffrey Nieves (Wolf Pack), Sarah Beckett (61st Street), Tommy Pico (Reservation Dogs)... Directed by Robert Duncan McNeil (Chuck, a bit of everything), Shannon Kohli (The Magicians), Kabi Akhtar (Never Have I Ever)... Starring Alan Tudyk, Sara Tomko, Corey Reynolds, Alice Wetterlund, Levi Fiehler, Elizabeth Bowen, Meredith Garretson, Gary Farmer, Kaylayla Raine, Diana Bang, Jenna Lamia...

(Judy, I love you)

60 sec rec: Deadloch - Dead Boy Detectives - The Tick - This Close - Kung Fu - Nancy Drew - Kevin Can Fuck Himself - Silo - The Flight Attendant - Severance - Hacks - Hit The Floor - Black Sails - 12 Monkeys - T@gged - The Diplomat - The Mick - Timeless - UnReal - Kings - All Rise - Barry - Halt and Catch Fire

New shows: Brilliant Minds

[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

More update from Luke Arnold's newsletter!

It’s All Happening!

Where to begin? I’ve had a busy few weeks, and whether you’re interested in my books, comics or acting, I reckon I’ve got something for you today.

ESSENTIALS

We’re live! The graphic novel that I co-wrote is taking orders on Kickstarter. Please pop on over there and take a look. You can buy our base-level book known as the Audacious Edition, or choose from a bunch of different covers and tiers.

CHECK IT OUT HERE!

If you’ve already signed up, thank you so much for your support. Hopefully you’ve seen how much hard work, love, and artistry has gone into this project, and we can’t wait to wrap up the campaign and send you the books in the coming months.

BLACK SAILS

Black Sails is now on Netflix in the US! I’d be shocked if there’s anyone on this mailing list who hasn’t watched the show, but this might be the perfect time to convince others to finally take to the seas.

I was lucky enough to be in LA for a bit of a reunion and celebratory screening. It was a glorious night of hugs, laughter, back-slapping and even a few tears (who would have expected Charles Vane to be the first to cry?) We’ve already hit the 6th most watched show on Netflix, so let’s see how high we can climb.

SCRUBLANDS

Scrublands is coming to Sundance Now on May 12th! You can check out the US trailer here!

And at that time, I’ll be heading to Western Australia to begin shooting the follow-up SILVER, based on Chris Hammer’s next book in the Martin Scarsden series.

I loved working on this show and was so happy with the amazing response we got when it aired in Australia, so I can’t wait to get back into Martin’s shoes.

FETCH 4

We’re into edits on the fourth instalment of The Fetch Phillips Archives. I’m really happy with this book so hopefully we’ll have a solid release date to announce soon.

Let’s leave it there for now. I'll have some other things to share soon, including details on Nautilus, Last King of the Cross, and more.

Thanks again for all your support, and have a lovely day wherever you are x

From: Luke Arnold's newsletter (Sign up here to get his mailing list!)

[malbecmusings]

Even before al the bodies have been recovered, the blame game is in full swing over Perini Navi's 55m Bayesian that went down in a storm off Porticello, Sicily. I read this morning the chief of the group that owns Perini Navi came out swinging, putting the blame squarely on the crew.

There's a good technical analysis from designer Chris Feers below the cut.

TL;Don't want to read: Monohulls of all stripes are designed to survive a knockdown; Perini's engineering is some of he best in the world. Bayesian had a retractable keel which could shorten her 32' draft to 12'. With the keel extended, meaning she had full use her counterweight, she would have been able to right herself in a full knockdown. Even if her mast were below the waterline, even if she lost her mast, maybe more so if she lost her mast, assuming she was watertight, her design would allow her to self recover. With the keel retracted tho, her righting moment would be dramatically less. If she wasn't watertight, a knockdown would be unrecoverable and she would, as she did, quickly end up on the bottom of the ocean.

I have so many questions. We won't know the full story for a bit but seven people losing their lives should have been an avoidable outcome.

This is a one in a million tragedy but we should examine the facts and learn from them. Bayesian boasts the second highest mast in the world at 75 metres on a length of 56m. She has a lifting keel to enable her to get into shallow areas. Fully down it gives a draft of 9.83m and raised a draft of 4m. A sailing yacht has a keel to counter the heeling moment generated by the power of her sail plan. I’m sorry to say that size matters to a superyacht owner and naval architects are seduced into providing solutions. As yacht size increases the resistance of the hull reduces in proportion, so less sail area is required to adequately power longer yachts. But these floating fashion items are driven by appearance and bragging rights - and you lose prestige if someone has a bigger mast than you. Always the status pecking order questions are – how big – how fast – what cost – and is it black? If you designed Bayesian with a reasonable sail area and a ‘normal’ mast she would not look impressiive – which is what superyachts have to be.

The stability of a yacht has to be sufficient to counter the power of the rig but, as mast heights increase, the keels can often become so deep that the places of interest are restricted hence the lifting keel solution. Stability comes from two factors – the hull form and the ballast keel which acts like a pendulum. As the yacht heels the volume of the immersed hull section produce a buoyancy force which resists heeling. Initially the keel gives little force but as the angle of heel increases ‘physics’ makes the keel contribution significant (leverage). The greater the keel length, the greater the effect. The combination of the hull buoyancy on the heeled side and the keel on the ‘windward’ side produces the force necessary to keep the yacht from capsize. If the keel of Bayesian was retracted it would lose a significant six meters of moment arm or leverage from its probable 200 tons of keel bulb. When we design yachts we calculate the stability, or righting lever, as a function of heeled ‘bouyancy’ force and the ballast moment arm combined. (the GZ) This can be plotted on a graph to show the stability at any heel angle and identifies the angle at which stability becomes negative causing the yacht to capsize.

Normally an ocean yacht will experience a negative point at about 120 degrees of heel. With a lifting keel this point is greatly reduced maybe to less than 90 degrees. If Bayesian was at anchor with the keel raised and no sail up the crew would have every confidence that she could remain safe in most normal wind conditions. Every captain at this level has passed an exam on stability and would be aware of his vessels stability graph.

Many years ago I sat at Cremorne and watched a spiralling williwaw race across Sydney harbour and pass through Mosman. This twister was only about 30 metres wide but it destroyed houses and overturned cars in its path. A few feet away nothing was harmed.

The power of a twister is intense and powerful with the wind is coming from every direction. This was what hit Bayesian. The problem of large rigs is windage, even with no sails. But this yacht had three furling sails forward and a big boom with the weight of a furled mainsail inside all above the centre of gravity. Also there were a few communication domes on the spreaders.

We use a wind pressure coefficient to measure the force of the wind on the rig and sails. Even without sails the WPC for Bayesian must have been pretty large when hit by a wind force of varying direction with a local velocity way above the norm. Once she was knocked down beyond her stability limit with the keel up she stood no chance and, laying flat to the water, her deck openings would have allowed a flood of water aboard and she would founder. This would happen in a couple of minutes.

The observation of a lightning strike can be discounted because these vessels are grounded and any damage from a strike would have caused a slow sinking at worst – not a capsize and founder.

The individuals within a professional crew with sailing experience may have sensed the wind and motion of the vessel and quickly reacted to instinctively save themselves in the seconds they had. My guess is that some were already on deck alarmed by the general conditions.The guests would have found themselves totally disoriented in flooding cabins, in darkness with the walls, doors and passageways at ninety degrees to the norm. They had practically no chance because it would be completely beyond their experience. The crew would have been unable to be of any help due to the speed of the unexpected event.

I have been a professional yacht designer and builder for fifty years specialising in lifting keel yachts. My son, a professional navigator, was Third Officer on a ketch superyacht with masts 100m tall; a yacht so big, at 88metres, that it was almost beyond human handling even with the machinery on board. But of course it is the biggest and most expensive’ etc etc. What we have here is a one off accident which is a wake up call to an industry where common sense has departed as yachts get more silly in size and design.

In summary Bayesian was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. A freak accident which the designers and crew would have little chance to predict.

If the keel had been down she would have probably survived the knock down. But without sails up the crew would have experience of her basic stability for normal conditions which would have felt adequate. Any enquiry must examine the design factors such as the stability vanishing point in the condition she was at the time of the accident; keel up, tank loadings and rig factors for windage (WPC) and centre of gravity etc. And a calculation of the wind force required to heel the boat to 90 degrees in the condition at the time of the accident.

All forms of transport have had these unpredictable one off events leading to changes of regulations and professional practice. Titanic, Boeing, 1955 Le Mans, the 1952 Farnborough crash, the 1979 Fastnet – all have made a difference and these events all came unpredicted and out of the blue often at a time of complacency.

Chris Freer – yacht designer – August 2024

[sparrowsfallingfromthesky]

Evaluation of Treasure Island musical adaptations on spotify:

Treasure Island the Musical by Starshine Singers – This is a company that makes children’s musicals, so it’s a cheery little thing sung by children. Doesn’t have a lot of plot but a fun 20 minutes if you want to hear some kids singing about torture and murder.

Treasure Island the Musical Original Cast – This is an actual legit musical which was staged in London in 1973. For better or worse the sound is very much Old Timey Musical Theatre. There are at least two recordings of this on spotify for some reason.

Treasure Island: A New Musical by Ceramic Goose – This is more of an independent local theater kind of production. The full show is available on youtube but I didn’t watch it. The “Prologue” and a couple of other moments are quite annoying, Jim is played by a whole adult, Captain Smollett is a woman (and dies?), and either Jim’s father is alive or Livesey has jumped into a father figure role (unclear). Some weird characterizations throughout. Most of the music isn’t bad – has kind of an Evan Hansen-ish vibe – but there are some songs that are worse than others.

Treasure Island The Musical by Chris O’Sullivan – Can’t find much information about this one but based on all the performers’ names it appears to be Irish. There are plenty of things I could say about the work as a whole but I just cannot get past the fact that Silver is introduced with a song that’s clearly styled after Master of the House from Les Mis.

Treasure Island by XvallariX – I don’t know what the fuck this is but I’m including it because all the songs are named for TI characters.

There have been other musical adaptations but these are the ones I could find on spotify! And the other results on there are either unrelated or Treasure Planet or audiobooks.

Then there are also several songs called Long John Silver:

By Richard Thompson – I already knew this song because I like this singer, and “there’s nothing but black in a pirate’s heart” makes me sad but it’s a great song.

By Stormfrun – More of a piratey sound and seems to be about actual Silver not as a metaphor. The idea that he got the nickname Barbeque by cooking a traitorous crew member and feeding him to the crew is pretty fucking hardcore.

By Jefferson Airplane – I’m going to be really honest, when I think of Jefferson Airplane I think of Supernatural. Interesting lyrics though.

By Great Master – This music isn’t to my taste but you guys. Look at the fucking lyrics of this song and the others on the album it’s from. This is 100% based directly on Black Sails. Not Treasure Island, Black Sails. Like there are show characters mentioned and bits of actual canon dialogue. Which one of you did this.

By Skull & Bones – Kind of a bop. They’ve got other Treasure Island themed songs too.

By Lennon Kelly – This one is in Italian and is pretty good.

By Jimmy Dorsey (with others) – This is an OLD song. Fun if you like swing I guess. Doesn’t really have lyrics so nothing to do with Treasure Island. There are a few renditions of this on spotify.

By Ray Lindo – Instrumental piece from the soundtrack to the movie Christmas in Hollywood.

By Golden Ivy – Instrumental ambient music idk.

By King Kyle Lee, Liveola, SoSanAntone, and Famous Lil Ken – Rap. Couldn’t find lyrics so I don’t know if it has anything to do with actual Silver.

By Schandmaul – German. I like the chorus.

By Studio Murena – Another Italian one but I don’t like this one lol.

Long John Silver: Themes by David Buttolph – From the soundtrack of the 1954 motion picture Long John Silver. I went and listened to some of the rest of this soundtrack and it very much sounds like something from the 50s!

Then there are a few about the restaurant, and a few others that mention Silver the character offhand in the lyrics.

[kuwdora]

Latest things meme... (Two posts in one day? Wonders never cease. Enjoy the ADHD flavor rambling below.)

Anyway, thank you always for the tag @kiriele!

Last song:

I have to again preface that most of my music consumption is for vid-related purposes these days.

I came across this hilarious meme that gave me my latest vid idea. It’s a photo of Paris Hilton picking out some ice cream treats, and overlaid on the treats are one Cassian Andor from Star Wars and John Silver from Black Sails. The captain reads “Actually, can I have five more of these [can’t escape the narrative] bitches?” And the OP writes “finally figured out why these two makes me so feral.”

I saw that and I felt like my third eye opened. Like. 🤯 Because there is a perfect thematic vid there showcasing these two’s specific struggles. Especially in the context of resisting an encroaching empire and and and... they really got sucked into the narrative and can't! fucking get out!! And then they end up believing in the cause (in their own ways) and ah ah ah...ahhhhh..

Okay that context being given, I went and spent all 5 minutes going “I need a song. I need a song for these two. Two sources, two voices? Maybe, maybe not. Male vocalist? Raging against the authority is punk, but I love mash-ups and pitting parallels and contrasts of with multiple musical sources. Wait, I already had a DJ artist who made this other mash-up I loved am going to use for a vid…surely he has something that could be… interesting or great for Cassian Andor and John Silver. Surely??”

Friends. Friends. Even those of you who don't know or care about vidding, this is just a sort of beautiful mini-nirvana moment when you discover the perfect song (especially so quickly).

BEHOLD. My Cassian Andor and John Silver vidsong that I may or may not make but you hear it first:

I can see the whole vid unfolding before my eyes. Frantically trying to download Black Sails and searching my 3 hard drives to make sure I had in fact nabbed Andor earlier for a different vid idea. Yet…I have so many other vid things in my queue and only so much hard drive space and brainRAM.

Currently watching:

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. I want to like it more than I do. I like elements of the characters, (La’An and Chapel are extremely compelling, Ethan Peck is bringing a great human cheekiness to his portrayal of Spock, Pike remains a great Space Dad) but there’s still something that’s not gelling fully with me. Which is sad because I am so on board with the more episodic angle again and some of the classic themes and motifs from TOS but it’s just…idk, I think I need a whole post to think aloud on it.

Currently reading:

Ahsoka by EK Johnston, Baptism of Fire by Andrzej Sapkowski. Almost done with Spin State by Chris Moriarty.

Currently obsessed with: Oh, I’m burbling with obsession���

In my reading I’m still losing my mind over how much I love Baptism of Fire. Milva sucker punching a peasant. Regis’ entrance to the narrative. ZOLTAN, sloppy drunk. Geralt dreaming of Ciri…Ciri dreaming of Geralt. 😭

Ahsoka learning how to pretend to be a Normal Twice-Orphaned Teenager. How do people interact outside wartime situations and executing battle strategy?? Honey… (I need to go look for some post-O66 Ahoska fic novels…)

ALSO!!! @dragneto has also infected me witcher fic idea that’s got me foaming at the mouth. I want to tackle the idea but I’m also dying to finish my WIP chapter first before I can play. I’m so obsessed with this ridiculously horny and sad idea.

I also have 4 vid ideas I’m chewing on like a rabid gremlin and it is definitely to the point of obsession. Mad that I won’t be able to follow through in the short or medium term…too much on the brain, lack of focus, stress from life stuff, other WIPs eating away at me.

Two Witcher ones vid ideas: my Phil vid…she’s so bad, I love her. Sexy song, lots of bad. And I am revisiting an old pan-canon humor/thirst/thematic vid about Geralt… Which is more about how the characters see him.

Then I got my Star Wars Rebels idea which I’m having technical problems that’s keeping me from starting.

…And then this Andor/Black Sails thing…

tagging @deerna and @danegen and @shetiger and @simuran and @whatkindofnameisvolta ...and anyone else who wants to go.

[vbartilucci]

Here’s a poem I’d love to hear Chris Hemsworth recite.

The Thong of Thor by John Boardman In days of yore the great god Thor would ramp around creation. He'd drink a pint and slay a giant and save the Nordic nation, Or kill a Wyrm and watch it squirm and vainly try to fang him, Or lock up Loki in the pokey and on the noggin bang him. Once he did bawl through Thrudvang hall that on a trip he'd wander In a disguise from prying eyes in Midgard way out yonder. So all his slaves and carles and knaves packed up his goods and gear-o, And off he strode on Bifrost road, a perfect Aryan hero. In Midgard land he joined a band of hardy Viking ruffians. And off they sailed and rowed and bailed among the auks and puffians. Whene'er they'd reach a foreign beach they stopped to raid and plunder. Each Nordic brute got so much loot their longship near went under. But though they rolled in coins of gold they had one joy forsaken. For on each raid Thor's party made, no women could be taken. Each drab and queen fled from the scene when Viking sails were sighted. And Thor felt needs for certain deeds that had gone unrequited. Thor's brows were black as they rowed back to Oslo's rocky haven, Unto his crew he said, "Beshrew me for a Frankish craven, "If I don't wrench some tavern wench, or else may Frigga damn her!" Replied one voice, "You've got first choice. You have the biggest hammer." Into an inn this crew of sin disbarked upon their landing. Each tavern made was sore afraid of pirates of such standing. But golden coins warmed up their loins, and soon the ale ran free. Thor's motley crew poured down the brew and made an all-night spree, Thor's glances strayed unto a maid with hair as gold as grain, A lisp so shy, a downcast eye, and not a trace of brain. He swept her chams into his arms and to an upstairs bower, And did not cease or give her ease for three days and an hour. When he arose and donned his clothes she looked like one near death. Her limbs were weak, she could not speak, and scarcely gasped for breath. "You ought to know, before I go, I'm Thor," he bade adieu. "You 're thore!" said she. "Conthider me! I'm thorer; thir; than you!"

[reiverreturns]

Rules: list eight shows for your followers to get to know you better.

Tagged by @aeide and @forsty, thank you! ❤️

1. Parks and Recreation. this is my failsafe, go to, never lets me down comfort show. beyond its genuine humour and charm, i’ve always loved p&r because, at it’s core, it’s about one women doggedly refusing to give up on her dreams and her desire to do good in the world. its tropey and silly and self referential without ever being mean or so over the top with the characters that they don’t feel tangible and fully formed in the world they live in. i love this show. the first season doesn’t exist tho. 

2. Fleabag. genuinely one of the best tv shows ever made and i will fight anyone who says otherwise. it is just SO GOOD as a rumination on love and loss and grief and what the fuck do you do if you don’t really like the person you are. fleabag and claire’s relationship is so special to me (because deep down i am claire.) idk i’ve seen this marketed as a comedy show and while it has jokes its so, so, so much deeper than that. and it doesn’t overstay its welcome either. please watch fleabag i beg.  

3. Black Sails. LOOK. i am not immune to filthy emotionally complex sometimes-horny pirates pushing against a society and a system that they never had a place in. i cannot be blind to the rich historical setting and love that always sits on the line of hate. people willing to die for things that were so fucking real to them, and things that never were to anyone else. man titties. A+ no notes.

4. Arcane. i’m a sucker for good animation and this show is so b e a u t i f u l. i’m also so soft for fucked up father relationships and BOY does this show have ‘em in spades. also sevika and her big beefy arms (arm technically i guess?)

5. Top Gear. don’t really advertise the fact that i’m a motorsports/car fan on here but top gear played a huge part in that growing up. the old series with the og three is another comfort show, particularly the specials. i do watch new TG with chris/paddy/freddie but it isn’t the same.

6. Ted Lasso. hate football, love this show with a burning passion. a gaggle of himbos, bad puns, and hannah waddingham. it’s perfection. 

7. The Orville. i watched a lot of star trek growing up and i’ve found myself really loving the orville for capturing some of that classic sci-fi, episodic adventure magic. its a weird show to watch from the first series (it starts very much like seth macfarlane wrote it as a seth macfarlane show to get it greenlit) before the reins loosen a bit and it really hits its stride. the last series was just so fucking good with how it used common sci-fi tropes to look at modern day issues like trans acceptance and self identity. it’s a gem of a show and i wish more people would watch it honestly.

8. Santa Clarita Diet. STILL SO MAD NETFLIX CANCELLED THIS WHAT THE FUCK MAN. it was so absurd and so funny, a show i didn’t think i’d like at all reading the premise and was instantly hooked. timothy olyphant as a man who really loves his wife but desperately need to smoke some weed is just such perfect casting. man i need to rewatch this show.

Omitting the tags bc the social anxiety has me gripped today but don’t let me stop you from having a good time beloveds.

[mirandamckenni1]

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[evermourning]

𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 - lee felix

pairing: lee felix x gn!reader, lovertober entry vii

genre: non!idol au, fluff, royalty!au

wc: 5.9k

warnings: prince!felix, baker!reader, language,

a/n: idk if you can tell, but this one has a bit different of a writing style? this fic is a mini-experiment. tell me how you like it! also, sorry if the ending is rushed, i'm so busy right now and have like no time to write </3

growing up in a fucking castle, felix spent 99% of his life sheltered. he had a strict schedule, one that stuffed all royal training he needed into a day's work? it didn't matter if his muscles were sore from sword fighting and whatnot, it was the same routine, again and again and again.

felix always wished for more.

he knew he was extremely lucky, yes. not everybody is born into a prestigious noble line, and not everybody has a loving family to help them become the person they were destined to be. felix loved his parents and his brothers, but he always longed to see the world.

some days, his mind would drift off to another universe where he could travel the world as he wished. if it were under his control, felix would sail the seven seas. he'd walk along the pristine beaches, the sun kissing his tan skin and the waves lapping against his bare feet calmly. he'd stare with awe at the vibrant, rolling hills and meadows, the snowcapped mountains sprawling across the earth.

it would be such a beautiful sight, felix thought. to see the unrivaled beauty of mother nature at its very finest? he'd only ever seen those sights in his books, hastily scribbled in black ink to create a drab, monochrome image. disappointing.

he never brought these desires up to his parents, of course. he knew he'd be shot down immediately, and he didn't want to seem petulant one bit. but his eldest brother chris, the crown prince, would tell him stories of when he studied abroad.

"it was beautiful, lix! the mountains are so peaceful at night. you can see every star in the sky shining back down at you! the moon is much prettier there than it is from the window of our home. it isn't blocked by anything at all. it's sacred and pristine." chris had said, his warm brown eyes bright and starry.

every single time from that day onwards, whenever felix stared at the moon from his bedroom window, he felt some sense of irritation. what was so special about the moon that it had chris gallivanting off to gaze at it every time it was full? it was just some big fat sphere that glowed. nothing special.

felix decided to find out what the big deal was, as well as explore the kingdom his brother would rule, so he began sneaking out. the first time he successfully did it, he was eleven years old.

his parents had been on some diplomatic trip and his brothers were tasked on watching him. of course, they had other things to do and didn't give two shits that they had to watch their little brother, giving felix the perfect escape route. don't worry, he left a note. it was small and neat. it read:

"the lands outside of this walled city sound very pretty. i'm going to go see them. be back by midnight. - lix♡"

he certainly was eloquent for an eleven year-old. it was probably his noble genes. once he snuck out, he effortlessly navigated the twists and turns of the cobblestone roads. felix slipped out of a small hole in the wall, and was absolutely taken aback by the view in front of him.

there was beautiful green grass, bright and fresh, littered with various types of flowers. all of them were blooming beautifully, the sun's rays reflecting off of them. the hills sloped down to meet at a wide lake with pristine blue waters. as he carefully made his way down, he noticed something peculiar.

someone his age was sitting at the shore of the lake, dipping their small toes into the cool water. he couldn't make out their features from a distance at all. once he got closer, however, he could very clearly make out the appearance of the mystery child.

they were around his age, he determined. and...they were beautiful.

felix knew beauty, yes. his mother was revered as the most beautiful maiden in the kingdom, and she was very humble about it, regardless of her lovely physique and warm eyes.

"remember this, honey." she'd whispered one night, tucking him under the covers in his enormous bed. this was one job she never let the maids do. until the end of time, she'd care for her sons. "true beauty does not just apply to whether or not society thinks someone fits their messed-up standards. true beauty is confidence and self-love, expressing yourself whether it's natural or enhanced by makeup. find someone who radiates the aura of venus herself, and then you can call them truly beautiful."

"but mother," felix began. "venus is merely a cheap copy of aphrodite, and you're our generation's aphrodite! that right there is substantial proof that nobody can outdo you."

felix's mother laughed, an angelic sound leaving her lips.

"no, my boy. you're actually quite wrong there. venus is ethereally special in her own way, she is no cheap copy! when you see an armless statue, you don't think of aphrodite, no, you think of the venus de milo. and the birth of venus? the iconic picture of her standing in all her glory upon that shell? they may be similar goddesses of love and beauty, but they are very different. if you do think of me as aphrodite, which is a lovely compliment, might i add, i guess you'll search for someone like me. however, when you find your venus, keep them for life."

those words appeared in the back of his temporal lobe the first time he saw the little one by the lake.

"hi," he breathed as he sat down beside them. they looked up at him, eyes wide.

"i....know you from somewhere. where do i know you?" they murmured, blinking a few times. "are you a celebrity?"

felix laughed. they were so sweet and funny. their voice was gentle, soft-spoken.

"no...i don't know how you must've seen me....i don't go out much." he decided it'd be best to lie. "and i'm from another country..."

the child laughed heartily, the first remotely loud sound to escape their lips.

"for a foreigner, you're so sweet and kind. we should be friends...what's your name?"

felix kept up his ruse.

"let's use code names! i'll be apollo, cause he's the god of the sun and he's super cool, and you can be venus, cause you're super pretty." he suggested, and their eyes lit up.

"oooh, okay!"

hours and hours passed as felix and his new friend played in the water and upon the fertile land. eventually, the sun began to dip solemnly below the mountain peaks. felix's friend pouted as they realized the time.

"awww...i have to go. my mom and dad are gonna be worried if i'm home too late. will i ever see you again?" they fiddled with the scrap of newspaper hastily tied around their finger, a paper ring to symbolize their friendship with felix, who had an identical one on his ring finger.

"i don't know, i live pretty far away." felix sighed. he knew if the aides told his parents of this adventure of his, he'd be locked away forever. however, the gears in his head started turning, and his eyes soon lit up. "i have an idea! we can be pen pals! we can send each other letters as we grow up together, even though we're apart."

"that sounds so good! you're so smart, apollo." they cooed, leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek. "there. it's sealed. that's how my family seals unbreakable promises, anyways."

the way felix looked in the fading rays of light would be burned into their memory as he smiled and dreamy words escaped his lips.

"i swear on my life i'm going to marry you someday. i promise i will."

twelve years passed.

felix stared at himself in the mirror. he'd grown into a fine young man in his eyes. his hair was bleached to a sandy blonde now, wispy and soft in a mullet of some sorts. his eyes were still a deep, soulful brown, though. they still held all kinds of secrets and promises in them. his freckles were just as visible as ever.

every single week for the past decade, felix wrote venus a letter. sometimes, he slipped little presents into the envelopes. it wasn't stupid at all to him, that he was quite enamored over a person he'd met once, because as time went on and he got older, his feelings and emotions developed and matured.

when they were sixteen, venus confessed that they'd developed real feelings and since he had too, he'd accepted their love graciously. now, he eagerly awaited the day he had absolutely no grueling work from his mother or brothers so that he could write.

felix ran up the stairs once lunch with his family ended, his mother, the dowager queen, exasperatedly calling out after him.

"young man, you're twenty-three now! show some etiquette, damn it!" she sighed, eliciting a laugh from chris. ever since the unfortunate passing of their father when the brothers were younger, chris had officially been crowned king. he was benevolent and wise beyond his years, gracing the throne with his brilliant ideas.

the second eldest, minho, was an ingenious and astute strategist with a knack for swordfighting. not only that, he was fawned over by so many of the country's citizens for his dark, mysterious air. (quite frankly, it was all a complex ruse. show minho a cat and he turns into the epitome of a sweetheart.)

because felix was the youngest, he often felt unvalued as opposed to his talented brothers. however, he soon learned that what he lacked in strategy and decision-making council skills, he made up for in generosity, kindness, and beauty. he had inherited his mother's looks and his father's personality, making him the kingdom's golden boy. he was essentially the face of the royal family. when chris' advisors realized this, they deduced that they could take advantage of it.

"prince felix is beloved everywhere he goes! why not give him free rein to travel where he wants?"

felix was rather ecstatic at the news. would he finally see venus again?! however, he came to one puzzling conclusion. he didn't exactly know venus' address or anything. there was a special messenger that delivered messages between them. felix had been paying him handsomely for his services and silence for years. so his mission was to search as if venus was cinderella herself and he held the glass slipper. the letters would be the key to solving this mystery.

he sat down at his desk, pulling out a neat piece of stationary paper and getting to work. he adorned it with cutesy stickers that he knew they loved, and began writing about his week.

"dear venus,

i had a rather uneventful week. i was kept busy, restricting me from sending messages to you. it wounded me. (figuratively, of course) god, the things i would do to feel your lips on mine just once. to kiss you until you can't think of anything else except my name. not apollo, my real birth name. i'd much rather have you adoringly murmur that with your alluring lips. i know, i know. there are barriers between us that i would much rather spend my life trying to take down. but i've been praying to the deities above a lot more recently. i'm praying we meet by chance once more, so i can marry you for real this time. my apologies that my letter is extremely short this week. i'll try to make it longer next time.

all my love and devotion,

apollo."

smiling softly, he pulled a pressed rose from his desk and slipped it into a cream-colored envelope. he then inconspicuously made his way out of his luxurious home to a small, lesser-known postal office on the east side of the capital city.

when he slipped inside, he was greeted with bows and warm welcomes.

"your royal highness," a young woman said, inclining her head kindly. "what do you need?"

felix's lips curled upwards into a charming smile, the woman almost instantly turning into a stuttering mess at the sight of it. she shoved all of the customers out of the shop with a quick "sorry!"

"i need to see changbin."

at the sound of his name, a well-built, muscular man peeked out of the back.

"hi, felix!" he beamed, giving the smaller man a hug. changbin was a longtime friend of felix's. he didn't hold a job at the postal service, he worked as a knight for the royal family, but his sister owned the place and they lived right above it together. since he was incredibly loyal to felix especially, he was the perfect secret messenger for felix and venus. changbin had never seen the mysterious venus, either. all he knew was what postal service in the city to hand it off to. "another letter to your love?"

"shut up." felix said, groaning with mock irritation. "but yeah. i wasn't able to send a message to venus any earlier, so now is the time. can i trust you with this?"

changbin places a saintly hand to his toned chest theatrically.

"of course you can. it'll get to venus in no time."

"great!" felix grinned. he wanted to crush changbin into a bear hug as thanks, but he knew because he was nobility, he had to push down his urges of physical touch. "now, i must be going. i have somewhere i need to be."

your day was nothing short of routinely.

you'd wake up mid-morning and eat breakfast before getting ready for the day. you'd visit the markets for new ingredients and tools and whatnot. and then, the store opened and you got to work.

being the most accomplished and popular bakery in the capital, so much that the royal family shopped there, was an achievement for the record books. you had a reputation to uphold.

at 9:00am, after the periods of time you'd set aside for your shopping and personal hygiene, prep began. you'd make batter, frost cakes and cupcakes, intricately decorate cookies, and put the finishing touches on the pastries. it was grueling, but it was worth it to be doing something you loved.

at 9:30am, your only co-worker, your obnoxious and admittedly amazing cousin named seungmin, came in. as always, he was still yawning and muttering about how he could've been doing anything other than work. you playfully reminded him that it was his choice to work here, and he rolled his eyes while not-so-inconspicuously taste-testing a few of the pre-made delicacies.

"the beignets are much too large." seungmin mused, standing beside you as you artfully doused them in a snowy layer of confectioner's sugar. your hands moved nimbly as you lined them on trays to place neatly inside the glass display cases. at seungmin's words, you frowned.

"what do you mean? they're a perfect size, the customers will be full in no time." you shot back, crouching to slide them into their temporary resting place.

"that's exactly the problem! if you make them smaller, the customers will buy more to fill themselves up. it's a genius marketing plan." you rolled your eyes at his comment, patting him on the shoulder.

"i get that, but we're already pretty well off, minnie. plus, i'm not selling them just for money. this business is to sell delicious treats baked with love, not greed." you reminded him. he sighed, knowing you were right.

at 10:00am, the bakery opened, customers flooding in.

it was always very busy in the mornings, being so critically acclaimed by the public. you were used to being asked all kinds of nonsensical questions by customers of all ages. it was a whirlwind that you loved, and seungmin was so good at customer service, as much as he whined.

at 1:00pm, three hours later, a distinguished guest arrived.

it was the youngest prince of the royal family, felix himself. your cheeks felt warm as he entered in all his glory, surrounded by aides preactically falling over themselves just to assist them. with that beautiful smile of his, he politely asked all but one to wait outside.

"yn, my favorite baker in this country. i hope you're having a lovely day today." he smiled.

"your highness!" you exclaimed, allowing yourself to politely greet him. "what may i get for you? i'm afraid we're running low on fruit tarts, but anything else is completely in stock."

"hmm..." felix mused, trailing a slender yet small finger along the cool glass of the display case. he paused. "i'm afraid my mind is crapping out on me, i can't seem to decide. it all looks absolutely mouthwatering. do you have any recommendations?"

"well, i shared a lemon meringue pie i made with my cousin a few days ago, and it was heavenly, so that's definitely one. i'd also recommend the brownies."

felix tilted his head, a puzzled look upon his pixie-like facial features.

"a...brownie? i apologize, we don't really have those in the caste us nobles reside in. what's in them? i'd assume, erm, chocolate?"

you smiled sweetly. you were about to change his life.

"it's a delicious chocolate confection that's simultaneously cakey and fudgey. i recommend it to you wholeheartedly." you told him to wait patiently for a second or two before slipping into the back to grab a fresh brownie from a cooling rack. placing it carefully onto a small porcelain plate, you brought it back out to the prince. "here, try it."

the room was silent, and the only things you could smell were felix's incredibly strong cologne and the baked goods around you. you watched intently.

cautiously, felix bit into the brownie, expecting it to be tough for the firm feel of the exterior. however, his eyes widened once he tasted the chocolate delight upon his tongue.

"oh my god. how is this so good? you've made it heavenly, yn." his eyes were sparkling with excitement. "i beg of you, you must make more of these! see, it's my brother minho's birthday soon, and we were looking for desserts to bake. please, you have to make some treats for us...wait. i'm the prince of this country, and as your prince, i commend your culinary talents. please, i implore you to come and work an evening or two for us. you'll be rewarded handsomely."

you waited a moment or two, allowing yourself to think his offer through. a little extra money from catering never hurt...

"deal! just have a messenger let me know the details of where and when. thank you so much for granting me this opportunity. i'm excited to do this!" you shook his hand, gasping slightly when you felt the warmth emanating from it. he chuckled in that beautifully rich voice of his. before you could even think anything at all, you felt blood rush to your cheeks.

"i'll order a dozen of those brownies and a key lime pie for my mother, you know how she loves those. and here." out of his pocket, he pulled a handsome wad of paper cash. "i'll pay a little extra. you deserve it."

"you are too kind, your highness." you murmured, taking the money into your hands and staring at it in wonder. "whoever you settle down with will be very, very lucky." your heart filled with longing of your own at your words, but you shook it off.

surprisingly, felix's face fell a bit as well, but it was for a millisecond before his sweet, beaming smile was plastered across his face once more. how odd.

he waved goodbye and left not long after, and seungmin dashed out of the pantry (where he'd been quite conspicuously eavesdropping) and flipped the sign on the door over to say "closed". he eagerly grabbed your hands.

"we are going to be soooo rich! do you know what this means?" seungmin exclaimed, but you were hardly paying attention. it was probably 1:30pm or 1:45pm, meaning the postal service would be coming around. while he was rambling on and on about what he was planning to do with the money, you kept your eyes on what was going on outside the window, searching for a certain dark-haired man wearing a navy uniform. and like clockwork, every week, he showed up at the door, knocking. you practically shoved seungmin out of the way to get to it.

the middle-aged man with kind green eyes gave you a jolly grin as he fished through his leather bag for a cream-colored envelope, the name so foreign yet so familiar signed in calligraphy. "i believe this is yours, my dear." he pressed it into your hands before moving on to the next building.

seungmin raised an eyebrow at you as you slipped the letter into your back pocket.

"and what might that little thing be?" seungmin teased you mercilessly every single time the mailman came, but he didn't have a clue what was really inside the envelope. but he didn't continue to dig once you shot him a look.

you quickly made your way up to your bedroom, where you dove into bed so you could open the envelope and pull out the crisp paper inside. reading apollo's sweet words to you made you want to giggle and roll around, hugging the letter tightly to your chest, but you wanted to reply as soon as possible.

sliding into the seat at your desk, you began drafting a response.

"my dearest apollo,

i too am disappointed for our shortened conversations these few weeks. you're certainly busy, aren't you? unfortunately, i'm about to get much busier as well, so i may struggle in responding too.

your words are filled with so much passion in them i cannot help but feel so desired whenever i read your letters...i wish that i had the ability to love you truly, for my lips to travel the expanse of a body i only saw once in a blue moon. you enchant and enthrall me every single day.

i pray for your utmost health and wellbeing, my love. our lives are picking up and we have to distance ourselves because of it? i truly hope we are not like parallel lines. i need you, apollo. a piece of my spirit resides within you.

i was thinking about us settling down together one day earlier. i hope we meet again, okay? stay safe. i love you endlessly, to the moon and to saturn.

eternally yours,

venus."

the next week, you arrived at the royal castle. it's architecture was exquisite. everything about it screamed nobility and an entire look at me, look at me, i'm rich aura. you were honestly intimidated. how would you navigate it? thankfully, one of the aides dutifully led you to the enormous kitchen we're you'd be operating from.

it had the newest and most high-end equipment, not to mention it boasted numerous ovens that were good quality and cooked fast. it was clean and well-organized. after placing your things down, you decided your next step of action was to go to the market and collect some necessities you didn't bring.

coincidentally, you bumped into felix on the way out.

"where are you going?" he'd asked politely, placing a soft hand on your shoulder to steady himself. he was wearing dark pants and a white linen shirt, an outfit that looked lovely on him. although you'd never admit that out loud. you loved apollo, not some prince you hardly knew...who was incredibly endearing and funny...ugh!

"just down to the market, it's nothing much." you stammered, trying to form coherent words. the face he was making, of interest and peace, made you want to rip your hair out.

"that sounds very nice, yn. may i join you? i've been itching to get out of my home for a bit." he replied carelessly, and you were astounded. why would he ever want to leave a place as grandiose as this? when he saw your expression, he was quick to explain. almost as if he'd read your mind. "don't get me wrong, i'm absolutely blessed to be waking up in a palace like this, but i've been stuck inside it my whole live. as a kid, i almost never was allowed to leave. so now that i have all this freedom, i'm taking advantage of it, yeah?"

that did make more sense, you concluded. and plus, a little company never hurt…

now, you were awkwardly standing beside actual real life nobility as you shopped for flour. fucking flour. the worker's mouth was gaping open (which was actually really funny), stumbling over his words left and right. as of right now, he was begging for felix to take the goods for free.

hm. you could get used to this.

felix's heart was cracking more and more each passing day. standing beside someone as ethereal as you was divine. he'd known you for a year or two, with various meetings and many words exchanged. he felt like he was falling for you.

but he didn't want to hurt venus, still waiting everyday for him to send a letter proposing. a love like his and venus' was embarrassingly finite, he realized. his mother had found his stash of letters, and with a sigh, she'd looked him in the eyes and said words that skewered felix's heart.

"lix, look at me. i love you, and will support you in anything you do. but this isn't going anywhere, dear. you can't marry some kid you met once twelve years ago. think rationally."

so he was looking back at his options, and reevaluating them.

after a strenuous day of shopping and prepping all kinds of baked goods, you clocked out and decided to go on a walk to clear your head. slipping out of a small door on the outskirts of the city, you jogged for a little while until your place of solace arrived on the horizon.

it was the lake you'd visited ever since you were small, the lake where you'd met apollo for the first time. its blue tourmaline waters lapped against the rocky shoreline languidly, a beautiful contrast to the array of wildflowers on the surrounding hills. you took off your shoes once you reached the bottom, your feet comfortable against the smooth stones. you dipped a cautious toe into the water before putting both feet in.

you were ecstatic for the day you'd see apollo waiting for you by it, his ebony hair wavy and well-styled, a loving smile upon his face. perhaps you'd even get married here....

you shook off that thought. it would never happen anytime soon, because your lover was hundreds of miles away and there was nothing you could do about it.

"what a lovely coincidence." felix said from behind you, surprise painted delicately across his features. "i didn't think anyone ever came here. may i...join you?"

you nodded, scooting over a little bit so that he could sit beside you.

"i used to come here all the time as a little kid." you reminisced, laughing softly. "i'd play in the water, lie in the fields...you know."

felix nodded.

"i've been here once or twice when i was younger, but today, i just felt like it. i don't know, there was some string pulling me to it." he murmured.

and you sat there with him in silence, neither person wanting to break the tranquility of the scene. you were starting to lose yourself by staring at him. it was getting harder to stay faithful to apollo, the love of your life who was only ink on parchment when this fallen angel was right in front of you.

felix noticed you staring, and leaned in to teasingly stare back. however, something changed in his expression as his eyes fell to your lips. and before you knew it, he'd kissed you.

it was like asking a question, soft and sweet, waiting for you to decide whether or not you wanted it. and you fell whim to it in the blink of an eye, your hand shakily moving to rest upon his shoulder.

and then, it hit you.

what the hell were you doing? this was a prince, and you loved apollo.

you pulled away, embarrassment written all over your face. you didn't want to look at him. you didn't want to see the confusion and hurt upon his fairy-like features.

"is everything okay?" he asked. "did i do something wrong?"

you shook your head frantically.

"no, of course not! it's just that i've gotten way too ahead of myself. i'm so sorry. i should get going, have a great night." you dashed off, hiding your face in your hands.

everything fell apart after that.

a day or two later, you received a letter from apollo that you'd been dreading since you were making rings out of newspaper scraps as a kid.

"venus, the light of my life, the stars in my sky,

it is with a heavy heart that i must deliver these news to you. for twelve years, i have loved you with everything i have and feel, but our time must come to an end. my mother wants me wed and because you have remained anonymous time and time again, i am afraid i cannot envision a future with you.

i really got to know someone close to me, and now i want them to love me like i've loved you my entire life, forever and evermore. please, i beg of you, i wish we have no hard feelings between us and we may remain friends for a very long time. that's what we were before we were lovers, after all.

i will always look back on our memories with utmost fondness for you. have a lovely life, my dear. i hope you find someone who makes you happy.

all my love,

apollo"

you sobbed into your pillow. night after night. it was affecting you at work, too. losing someone you loved eternally hurt. did he somehow know about your kiss with the prince? that couldn't be possible. you shook it off, rubbing the dark circles under your eyes.

however, felix began visiting you a lot more, one thing that was making your day better bit by bit. sometimes he'd bring little gifts, like a flower or some trinket he said "reminded him of you". and with each loving present, you felt more butterflies appear in your stomach.

you didn't want to move on so quickly, but it was some sort of coping mechanism while you were reeling from apollo's betrayal.

day by day, things got easier, and you got closer with felix. you were something more than "friends" now, but you felt an aching pang in your chest every time felix was remotely kind to you.

you were eating dinner with felix one starry night, wearing nice clothes you'd never even dreamed of being tangible when he cleared his throat.

"um, yn...i have a question." he asked awkwardly, and you tilted your head in confusion. "how do you deal with...ending things with someone you really care about?"

you wanted to sob. how ironic that he asked you that.

"it's really hard. you tell yourself you're fine, that what's past is past, but then the littlest things tick you off and you want to scream and cry. it's hard to explain, but you never really get over them."

he shook his head, sighing.

"i get it. see, i love that i'm getting to know you, but i'm still hung up on my first love. my mother told me that a relationship with them was going nowhere...since we were simply pen pals and nothing more...i wanted to say all these horrid things to her but i couldn't and you were already making my feelings all askew. so...yeah. look, i truly care about you, i really do...but-" you didn't need to hear anymore.

"was your pen pal named...venus, by any chance? and when you sent them messages, were you under the pseudonym of apollo?" you asked quietly, praying that you were right. if not, you were about to make a huge fool out of yourself.

felix's face paled.

"how do you know about that? did changbin say something to you?" he asked frantically. the tears began flooding from your eyes as you wept with happiness. you were ashamed of your oblivious eyes, but now, you knew apollo's identity and everything was going to be okay. "what?! did i say something to make you sad? i'm so sorry..."

"no, no...it's just that...i'm venus. i'm the one you've been writing to all these years." felix's jaw dropped. "if you don't believe me, i can lead you myself to my bedroom and show you the stacks of letters, each and every one. your latest one, to the first one you sent as a little boy. and...i guess since i'm not anonymous anymore, you can marry me..."

felix wrapped you in his arms tightly, beginning to cry tears of absolute joy.

"i'm so sorry i ever thought about leaving you for well, yourself? but this was such a stroke of fucking luck. looking at you now, you really do embody the name venus. you're so stunning..." you wiped his tears with the back of your hand, capturing his lips in a loving, intimate kiss twelve years in the making.

you had been waiting your entire life for this day.

beautiful arches and tables were set up by the clear blue lake, tents looming over ecstatic guests. you took a deep breath, looking in the mirror at yourself. you were wearing shades of white in a beautifully intricate outfit that probably cost more than your entire house. seungmin stood beside you, smiling mischievously.

"who knew you were out gallivanting with a prince? what really was in those letters? was he like- trying to seduce you in noble terms?" you rolled your eyes, gifting seungmin with a playful jab to the shoulder. he yelped. "you can't accost me like that! what would the royal family say?"

you smiled, and the melodious sound of an orchestra beginning to play the wedding march signaled your cue to begin walking. seungmin was your closest family, so it was only natural he was to be the one who gave you away.

as you walked down the flower-littered aisle, your arm tightly around seungmin's, you couldn't help but feel a little misty-eyed. but seeing your prince standing at the altar, a flower the color of blue tourmaline tucked into his lapel, you knew that the road ahead of you was going to be somewhat smoother.

"you're absolutely gorgeous, you know that?" he'd whispered into your ear once you reached where he stood. "so damn perfect. i'm absolutely blessed to call you my own."

once the ring-bearer arrived as well, holding two lovely matching rings, you slipped felix's ring onto his finger with shaky hands at the same time as he slid yours on. he tutted, reaching into his pocket.

"one more thing before we truly do this." he said with delight, pulling out of his pocket two paper rings made of newspapers. they were yellowed with age, and crinkled but in a great condition. "it might not fit you now that you're all grown up, but it might be nice to keep."

maybe miracles really could happen, after all.

taglist: @darkypooo , @hyunbae-35 , @kpopmenace143 , @stateofdelicategrace , @elizaschuyler18 , @lillithathecat , @imastraykidsfan , @nightimescapes , @mal-lunar-28

@evermourning, ©2023. all rights reserved.

[sisidzy]

Amazon Will Relaunch MGM Streaming Services in Europe as MGM+ International, with Lionsgate Content

Last year, Amazon acquired MGM for a reported $8.45 billion. In January, MGM relaunched Epix, previously owned by Viacom and Lionsgate, as MGM+ in the US. And last week, Amazon announced that MGM's streaming services will be rebranded as MGM+ International in key European countries, and Amazon has signed a “strategic content deal” with Lionsgate for “a significant package of premium films and television series” in support of the change.

With this agreement in place, MGM+ International will stream leading premier series from Lionsgate and Starz, such as the Power franchise, Black Sails, Black Mafia Family, Mad Men and Nashville, in Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain and The Netherlands. And subscribers can watch popular TV shows and movies without incurring any additional charges on their current subscription which is available through Prime Video Channels and costs 3.99 euros or $4.37 per month.

Moreover, customers who subscribed to Lionsgate+ through Prime Video Channels will now have access to MGM+ International streaming service instead, which corresponds with Lionsgate's earlier statement about discontinuing its Lionsgate+ streaming service in several European markets and Japan.

Chris Brearton, VP of Prime Video Studios Corporate Strategy at Amazon, stated that there has been notable growth in the number of subscribers after the U.S. relaunch of MGM+. As a result, MGM's international streaming services will also be revamped and released as MGM+ International in certain countries where additional content investments will be made, to leverage the influence of the distinguished brand and enhance the growth of the premium international SVOD service.

The strategic partnership between Amazon and Lionsgate serves as a testament to Amazon's commitment to the MGM+ brand. By partnering with Lionsgate, Amazon has gained access to a vast array of high-quality content, which will enable the company to further enhance its content offerings on MGM+ International. And this deal has been beneficial to both companies, as Lionsgate's President of Worldwide Television Distribution, Jim Packer, highlighted that the programming agreement confirms the substantial value of their content. (Word count: 331)

[loth-creatures]

ATLAS YPU WATCHED WOLFWALKERS?!?! YAAAYY 👏👏👏

Last song: The Black Dog of Lake Erie - Tom and Chris Kastle

Favorite color: yes

Last book: The Golden Compass

Last movie: King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

Last tv show: Wolf's Rain

Sweet/spicy/savory: yes

Relationship status: single 😎

Last thing i googled: humane society clinic near me

Current obsession: star wars rebels (still) and moths

Looking forward to: maybe maybe potentially sailing again this summer. Gonna try to volunteer on the local tallship to see if my body will tolerate it and then get hired as deckhand if possible.

@heart-0f-a-rebel16 @lost-in-derry @mystical-salamander @death-by-ladybug @toxictrannyfreak @spacefinch @iamyounicorn @mayawakening uhhh other moots also tagged xoxo

Ten People I'd Like To Get To Know Better

(Original post by @off-brand-halloween-ghost I just wanted to shorten the thread)

Tagged by: @spider-jaysart <3

Last song: "Through Me (The Flood)" By Hozier

Favorite color: Blue

Last book: "Mythos" By Stephen Fry

Last movie: ...Mean Girls 2024...

Last tv show: Technically "Agatha All Along"

Sweet/spicy/savory: Savory (but I don't mind a little sweet and spicy action okay)

Relationship status: I'm the final girl and unfortunately it is NOT Jennifer's Body.

Last thing i googled: "Jennifer's Body"

Current obsession: My Writing (laughs in narcissism)

Looking forward to: Getting some art made finally

tagging: @im-not-buying-it-ether @radioactive-earthshine @shadowuserannie @tododeku-or-bust @kara-zor-els @authenticaussie @fancyfade @cheeweburgev @shrugsinchinese @strawberrysoop

I GOT TO 10 SOMEONE GIVE ME A COOKIE

[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

Luke Arnold, Bella Heathcote and Jay Ryan to star in new Stan Series Scrublands as the explosive trailer is released

A star-studded cast are preparing to bring a gripping crime novel to life on Stan.

Luke Arnold (Black Sails, Never Tear Us Apart: The Untold Story of INXS), Bella Heathcote (Stan Original Series CAUGH*T, Stan Original Film Relic) and Jay Ryan (It Chapter Two, Top of the Lake) will star in the brand new Stan Original Series Scrublands.

The Stan Original Series Scrublands premieres November 16, all episodes at once and only on Stan.

The TV adaptation is based on the best-selling novel written by Chris Hammer, and you can watch the first trailer in the video above.

We don't have long to wait, as the series will be released in full on November 16 on Stan.

Scrublands is set in an isolated country town, where a charismatic and dedicated young priest (Ryan) calmly opens fire on his congregation, killing five parishioners.

Martin Scarsden (Luke Arnold) and Jane Gibson (Eliza Matengu) arrive in Riversend. (Stan)

One year later investigative journalist Martin Scarsden (Arnold) arrives in Riversend to write what should be a simple feature story on the anniversary of the tragedy.

But when Martin's instincts kick in and he digs beneath the surface, the previously accepted narrative begins to fall apart and he finds himself in a life and death race to uncover the truth.

Joining Arnold, Ryan, and Heathcote in the cast are Zane Ciarma (Neighbours), Adam Zwar (Squinters), Victoria Thaine (Nowhere Boys), Robert Taylor (The Newsreader), Stacy Clausen (True Spirit), Genevieve Morris (Stan Original Series No Activity) and newcomer Ella Ferris.

The series is an Easy Tiger production co-commissioned by Stan and the 9Network, in association with VicScreen.

Easy Tiger Founder Ian Collie and CEO Rob Gibson said they immediately saw the potential in turning the novel into a gripping series.

"From the moment we opened Chris Hammer's ripping page-turner, we knew Scrublands was destined to be a must-watch crime series," they said.

"We're delighted that our partners at Stan and Nine agree wholeheartedly, and we're thrilled to work with the incredible team there to bring this to the screen, with the crucial support of VicScreen and international partners Abacus.

"In the masterful hands of director Greg McLean, writer/producer Felicity Packard and writers Kelsey Munro and Jock Serong, and producer David Redman, Scrublands will be an unmissable TV event for rusted-on Chris Hammer fans and everyone else alike."

Scrublands marks the second co-commission between 9Network and Stan following the Stan Original Series Bali 2002, an inspiring drama exploring how everyday heroes from Bali, Australia and beyond defied the odds to bring order from chaos and hope from despair.

Stan Chief Content Officer Cailah Scobie promised the new thrilled would be both "powerful and compulsive".

She said of the new series: "Following the immense success of Bali 2002, Stan is delighted to once again co-commission with the 9Network.

"A remarkable crime series set in Australia's unforgiving and harsh landscape, Easy Tiger has secured an outstanding core cast in Luke Arnold, Bella Heathcote and Jay Ryan and we look forward to collaborating with them on Scrublands."

The Stan Original Series Scrublands is directed by Greg McLean, written by Felicity Packard, Kelsey Munro and Jock Serong, produced by Ian Collie, Rob Gibson, David Redman, Felicity Packard with Executive Producers Michael Healy and Andy Ryan from the 9Network and Cailah Scobie and Amanda Duthie for Stan.

The Stan Original Series Scrublands premieres November 16, all episodes at once and only on Stan.

Source: Nine Australia

[mxlxdroit]

BUT i’m still here til midnight. anyways. black sails 4.09 is fuckt up! i just finished it and like. damn everything has to go wrong all the time doesn’t it. flint is a planner, not a pantser, and the last time we saw anything go right for him was... end of season three? and he just cannot cope with unprecedented developments. and i hate to say it but the introduction of skeleton island has taken away from my ability to take the show seriously bc it’s such a cultural element of the idea of piracy that it takes me out of the moment. it’s like theeeeee treasure island thing everybody knows, when i think black sails is best when it kind of ignores that it’s a treasure island prequel and doesn’t lean on the premade elements and symbols of pirate stories. it’s.... ugh. it’s so good but so frustrating bc you KNOW what’s going to happen and yet you keep believing and hoping that maybe this time it’ll go right, that the ending will be different somehow. i want flint to succeed, in spite of his violence and his ego and the insanity of his dreams of an independent society. and i know he won’t, i know he can’t, but goddamn it i want him to. i want madi to succeed most of all, to have a stable and permanent home that is truly free from slavery and men like woodes rogers. i want her to never have to capitulate to a man like him again. and i know it won’t happen! gah!