#clutching at my vitamin d for dear life
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
verityontheothersites · 2 days ago
Text
rb if you grew up in a tropical country and am now in a temperate country with SEASONS
Seasonal Affective Disorder is just emotional scurvy, all my core wounds are reopening and they won't be fixed until the big lemon in the sky comes back
74K notes · View notes
kpophours · 4 years ago
Text
Way to You
➵ Stray Kids: Bang Chan x fem. reader / one shot, college AU, friends to lovers AU / fluff
➵ warnings: slight cursing, mentions of alcohol/drinking, a teeny tiny bit sexual suggestiveness (nothing explicit)
➵ word count: 5.7k
Tumblr media
You are in trouble.
You are in really big trouble.
Staring at the sleeping person beside you, you think about what to do next.
Maybe you could move to a different country, take on the maiden name of your mother and become a dog sitter. You like dogs! Love them, even. Cats too, you’re not picky.
Or maybe you could apply to be one of those people being shot into space to colonize Mars. It’s probably chill up there - not many people, and even better: no Chan. Probably no wifi too, though. But well, you like reading so you could always pass time by bringing enough books, right?
Or maybe, as an easier and far less dramatic solution: you could just pretend to not remember anything from last night - honestly, from the way your head is pounding right now, it doesn’t even seem that far fetched. 
For now you decide to just slide out of bed before the man beside you wakes from his deep slumber, and to flee from his house, hoping no one is going to see you. No witnesses, no crime, right?
At least you’re still wearing a shirt and most of your underwear, so … it could be worse. 
Probably.
Right?!
You take in a deep breath and carefully lift the blanket, slowly wiggling towards the edge of the bed. Before you can successfully escape though, Chan beside you groans, and wraps one arm around your waist to pull you close to his own warm body again. You almost squeal, but manage to press your lips together to stifle the noise.
Chan’s breathing is soft and steady - so for now, he’s still asleep, but you need to get away from him as quickly as possible. So you try to escape for a second time, carefully prying his arm from your body and placing it back on the mattress. This time, you successfully slide out of bed, silently landing on your feet and almost losing your balance - you are in desperate need of some water, it seems. Dehydration is no joke, kids. Quietly, you slip into your jeans and grab your bra dangling from a bedpost. You also look for your purse but after being unable to locate it, you finally tiptoe out of the room. As soon as you’ve managed to close the door behind you, you exhale, relief spreading through your whole body. You’re fine, you’re good, you’re almost out of here! You pretty much run towards the bathroom, and suppress a groan when you see your tired hangover face staring back at you in the mirror. After drinking some water straight from the tap, you wash off the pitiful rest of your makeup, put your hair up into a ponytail and deem yourself ready to leave the solidarity of the bathroom again - and to face whoever’s already awake.
The frat house is almost eerily quiet at this time of day, so you try not to make a sound while sneaking downstairs, cringing whenever one of the steps creaks under your weight. You sigh in relief when you’ve finally made it downstairs, and begin to smile when you spot your purse dangling from the back of a chair. To your delight, the keys to your flat, your wallet and phone are all still in there. Maybe the world isn’t as bad of a place as you’re sometimes making it out to be. “Morning.” You squeal and turn around, hand clutching your chest. Hyunjin chuckles when he sees your shocked expression, and silently toasts you with the mug he is holding in one hand. “Well don’t you look lovely so early in the morning.”, he teases, and you stick out your tongue at him. “I’m very sorry to inform you that not everyone has been blessed with a perfect morning face, oh dear Adonis.”, you just answer, and he grins. “Want some coffee”?, he asks, already reaching for a second mug, but halts in his movement when he sees your hesitant expression. Your eyes slide towards the stairwell and back at the young man in front of you again. “I- I should go.”, you say, and he just nods, hand falling away from the coffee pot. “Sure. Have a nice day, then.” For some reason, he seems disappointed, but you try not to give it too much thought. So you just smile at him, before ducking out into the hallway to grab your shoes and jacket, quickly leaving the frat house behind. It’s a cold morning for early autumn, mist hanging between the trees and making it difficult to see, and you bury both hands in your pockets while walking towards the direction of your flat. It’s weirdly quiet, and you’re almost regretting your decision to leave the house so abruptly, even though it was probably the more… sensible thing to do. Chan and you have a long, complicated history - missed opportunities, bad timing, broken hearts. For some reason, it just never seems to work between you guys. There’s always either another person standing between you, or some miscommunication happens, or he is suddenly leaving to spend a term abroad in Australia or or or … the list goes on and on. You’ve never managed to find your way to each other.
Yesterday was his welcome back party, and as part of the “inner circle”, you’d of course been invited to join the surprise gathering as well. You truly love and adore all the boys living at the frat house, even though you want to smack Minho pretty much 24/7, really dislike Hyunjin’s perfect face and superior smirk whenever he plays beer pong against you, and are almost a bit annoyed at Jeongin’s cuteness (you would probably let him get away with literal murder). You also can’t believe the amount of chicken Seungmin manages to eat in a day, and have long lost count of how many times you’ve had to drag Changbin out of the cave he calls his room so he’d finally see some sunlight again and get that vitamin D. No wonder he never grew past the 1.70m mark. Felix is the only one you’d never say anything against, the man being too sweet (and cute) for his own good. He is just sunshine personified. You’d legit burn down cities to protect him. You had met the seven young men during your freshman year, all thanks to your then new roommate and your now best friend Jisung. The others had pretty much accepted you with open arms, and almost just as quickly, you had fallen head over heels for Chan. But who can blame you? Not only is he incredibly handsome, but also funny, witty, smart and always down to clown. Your perfect man in the shape of a talented, beautiful goofball. And he seems to be more than interested in you as well, often shamelessly flirting with you, touching you more than necessary and generally being a total sweetheart towards you.
And yet - … and yet … for some reason, it just never seems to work between you two. Fate is against you, apparently. 
Exhausted, you unlock the front door to the flat you share with Jisung, hoping that he is either still at his girlfriend’s place, or deeply asleep. You need a long hot shower and some alone time afterwards. 
And coffee, lots of it. Or tea. One or the other, you’re honestly not picky.
Sadly, fate is against you yet again: Jisung sits at the kitchen table, dark eyes almost entirely hidden by too long hair falling into his handsome face. He should really get a haircut. As soon as he lays eyes on you, he gives you a cheeky smile. “Good moooorning.”, he says, tone of voice way too cheerful so early in the day. You sigh internally, but give him a small smile in return and murmur a greeting back. “You look awful.”, your roommate then states, and you roll your eyes at him. “I guess my exterior reflects my inner self, then.”, you grumble, and take the mug of coffee he is sliding your way with a curt nod of your head. “Rough night?”, he asks, lip twitching. You give him a critical look, gnawing on your lower lip. Jisung had left the party around 1am, his girlfriend getting tired and finally wanting to go home. 
So how much does he know?
Knowing the boys … they might have instantly texted him, telling him about you staying the night.
With Chan.
In Chan’s room.
After not having seen him for six months.
After having pretty much confessed to him only seconds before he had to take a cab to get to the airport to leave for his term spent abroad. 
What can you say, timing has never been one of your strong suits. 
Jisung is still staring at you, obviously waiting for your answer. You snap out of your thoughts and take a sip of coffee. You grimace when the bitter taste hits your tongue; Jisung always likes his coffee a lot stronger than you. Pretty much the only strong thing about him though. “It was… long.”, you finally say, and place the mug back on the kitchen table, “And I really need a shower now.” With that, you quickly leave the kitchen again, ignoring your roommate’s low chuckle.
Oh that bastard so knows.
Meaning you have to add a few names to your death note.
Tumblr media
Monday is the worst day of the week.
Monday should just cease to exist. Why can’t the week just begin with a nice, chill Tuesday?
You like Tuesdays. Tuesdays are cool.
Mondays on the other hand… They just don’t sit well with you. 
“JISUNG, I SWEAR TO GOD, YOU HAVE FIVE SECONDS BEFORE I’M GOING TO BREAK DOWN THIS DAMN DOOR!”, you yell, and continue to hammer your fist against the locked bathroom door.
He’s been in there for almost an hour now, probably using up all the hot water. You can’t believe he’s doing this to you. There’s only about twenty minutes left before you have to leave for your first class, and you definitely need a hot shower and some concealer. Maybe a miracle. Where’s your make-over-sequence when you need it?! Why are you not a young heroine in a quirky rom-com, then you’d probably look perfectly styled all the time. But no, you’ll probably have to go to class with greasy third-day-hair, sweatpants and the biggest eye bags the world has ever seen. Fifty shades of dark circles under your eyes - the perfect movie title should your life ever get turned into one. Probably a solid 10% on Rotten Tomatoes, maybe 15% if the viewers feel generous. Your life just ain’t that interesting so far.
“JI-FUCKING-SUNG!” You kick the door - or well, you want to. Because in that second, your roommate finally decides to open it, so you accidentally kick his shin instead of the wooden door. He yelps, and doubles over in pain. “Hey, I thought you were a pacifist. Violence is never the answer and all that stuff!”, he complains, voice laced with pain, and you feel like, 20% sorry. Or maybe only 15%. “It’s your own fault if you need half an eternity to get ready.”, you scoff, and squeeze past him to get inside the bathroom and to finally take your long awaited shower. “Aren’t you a joy to have around in the morning.”, Jisung just replies, and you flip him off before closing the door into his puffy morning face.
You’re almost late to class, but not because you took too long in the bathroom, oh no. This is Jisung’s fault again - being the annoying parasite that he simply is, he used up the last of your favorite tea, meaning you had to search through the kitchen cabinets to find your less tasty emergency back-up tea. Finding it had taken way too long, because about two weeks ago, Jisung had randomly decided to move everything around inside the cabinets, and now you can’t find shit anymore. He should really get a hobby or two.
You’re out of breath by the time you reach the lecture hall, and almost frozen to death thanks to the temperature dropping way too low last night. Your hair is still wet because you didn’t have time to blow dry it this morning, so you know you’ll look like a crazy witch in approximately half an hour. Having unruly hair is fun. “Hey, Y/N!”, someone yells as soon as you walk through the door, and you jump, almost spilling the back-up tea all over yourself. Thankfully, you manage to maneuver the small thermos flask away from your body, so the hot liquid spills onto the floor instead of your clothes. You shoot a silent apology to the cleaning staff. Your eyes zone in on the person responsible for your near-death-experience, and you groan when Minho flashes you a cheeky smile. It’s way too early to deal with demons, you decide, and are about to turn around and search for a more welcoming or even unfamiliar face in the crowd of students, when Hyunjin appears at your side, mirroring Minho’s gleeful expression. 
“Hell’s empty and all the devils are here.”, you mutter under your breath, and Hyunjin laughs, before shoving you towards the empty seat beside Minho. “Stop quoting Shakespeare, you drama queen.”, he just says, and takes the seat on your other side. “I still don’t understand why you had to take the same class as me this term. There are endless other classes you could have chosen. Endless, I’m telling you!”, you mumble, expression grumpy. Minho chuckles. “And rid you of our extremely pleasant company and highly amusing commentary? Never.” You just scoff and open your backpack, rummaging through it until you find your small notebook and pen. Call you old fashioned but you actually like to take notes by hand, eyeing Minho’s sleek MacBook Pro with slight distaste (and maybe a hint of envy). Hyunjin’s doing… better, you guess, because he too is taking notes by hand, but he just has a random assortment of loose paper instead of a bound notebook. You already know he’ll have lost half his notes by the end of the day and will probably ask to borrow yours. Oh that sweet chaos boy. 
“How was the rest of your weekend?”, Minho asks, “You were gone by the time we all got up on Saturday, people were really sad and disappointed by your sudden disappearance, you know.” His tone of voice is innocent, too innocent. You know exactly who “people” includes. Oh, you know it way too well. “I had things to do.”, you answer curtly, eyes stubbornly trained at the front of the room where the teacher’s just trying to set up his laptop. You hope he’ll hurry, because you really don't want to continue talking to Hyunjin and Minho. But apparently, the teacher is a hopeless case, looking at the different cables with a big question mark on his face. What is it with boomers and technology, honestly. “Come on, my dude. Please hurry.”, you whisper, watching the man intensely, both eyebrows drawn together. You try to send him mental strength, because he actually looks like he’s about to cry. You’d go and help him if you weren’t sitting at the very back of the lecture hall. Hyunjin pokes your cheek, and you jump. “Answer us, coward.”, he says, sounding way too pleased. “My weekend was fine. The hangover was uncool, but I spent the rest of the day destroying Jisung at Mario Kart and eating greasy food, so it could have been worse. Sunday was uneventful, I just caught up with some of my reading materials for class this week.”, you recap your last two days in a flat voice, “How about you guys?” “Those were the oh-so-important things you “had to do”? Groundbreaking, truly.” You ignore Minho’s sarcasm and begin to play with the cap of your pen. “Well we had to clean the house after Chan’s welcome home party, of course. And then he showed us some of the pictures he took in Australia - there was this one really cute one where he was cuddling a koala, I’m sure you’d love it.”, Hyunjin tells you, and you’re this close to kicking him. How dare he put the mental image of Chan cuddling a koala in your head. You hate how much you love it. Just because you really like koalas of course, this has nothing to do with Chan himself. If you repeat it over and over again, you might actually believe it one day. Probably not. Ugh, Hyunjin and Minho are truly the worst possible friends you could ask for. Who needs enemies when you have friends like these. “Cool.”, you just murmur, and thank the Heavens above when you see that some student has finally taken mercy on your teacher and is helping him set up. Soon after, the lecture begins, and as annoying as Hyunjin and Minho may be, they usually do take their studies seriously, so they finally shut up and leave you be. You sigh in relief, and begin taking notes as well.
Tumblr media
You don’t even know why you agreed to come. 
You don’t want to be here.
At the frat house.
Again.
You were just here last week, and everyone knows how that ended.
You had managed to avoid seeing Chan all week - not that it was difficult, seeing as you don’t share a single class with him. But he hasn’t texted you either, and you’d be lying if you said you weren’t a teeny tiny bit disappointed.
You grind your teeth, cursing Jisung and his stupidly cute hamster cheekies and puppy eyes. You hate to admit it, but you’re prepared to give him just about anything whenever he looks at you with his deep brown eyes while puffing out his cheeks. Honestly, what did the Universe think all those years ago, bringing him into your life?! Why couldn’t someone else have answered your ad about searching for a new roommate? Why did it have to be Jisung?
This whole mess is really just Jisung’s fault.
If it weren’t for him, you’d probably never have met the perfection that is Christopher Bang Chan. 
“Are you trying to set the house on fire by staring at it? Because I’m sorry to disappoint, but I’m pretty sure it ain’t gonna work.”, your best friend says, voice laced with barely hidden glee. 
He knows how much you hate being here. You had only agreed to come after Jisung had promised Chan wouldn’t be here this evening. Pinky-promised, even! But you already see his car parked outside the frat house, and that can only mean one thing - Jisung has betrayed you. That bastard. This is how Jesus must have felt when he found out about Judas’s betrayal. Or Caesar, when he was stabbed by those closest to him, including his own son Brutus. You really can’t trust men. Your heart aches for your other best friend, but of course she just had to graduate top of her class and therefore go attend the most prestigious university in the country. Meaning she’s about a thousand miles away from you right now. In the end, you really can’t trust anyone, huh. But especially not men. And especially not Jisung, it seems.
“You’re less funny than you think.”, you just answer flatly, and your roommate scoffs. “Don’t be ridiculous, Y/N. We both know the Universe has blessed me with both devilishly handsome looks and an amazing and unique humor.”, he replies, and now you really want to smack him. But being a self-proclaimed pacifist, you just take in a deep breath and decide to only think about all the ways you would murder him if you were a cold-blooded killer and not a usually soft tempered college student. “Come on, don’t be a party pooper and let’s finally go inside, I’m freezing.” And with that, your best friend simply drags you towards the front door.
Judas and Brutus have nothing on Jisung, you decide. Because the second you step inside the living room of the frat house, you’re greeted by the charms (the Chan arms). It’s way too cold to be wearing a sleeveless shirt, but Chan didn’t get the memo apparently. Or maybe it’s because he’s just so hot, he doesn’t get cold, like ever.
You grimace at your own lame joke, even though you thankfully didn’t say it out loud. That would have been embarrassing. 
There are a few other people here already, maybe about 15 in total, and everyone greets you and Jisung warmly. You smile and return hugs, and before you know it, Changbin has handed you some wine in a red plastic cup. How very fancy, you truly feel special tonight.
He then pushes you towards the four old, mismatched sofas taking up most of the living room space, and orders you to sit down. You’re so surprised by his commanding tone, you actually follow his request without much protest. For a few minutes, you just stay quiet and observe the small crowd of people, taking a sip of wine from time to time. It’s dry, too dry for your liking, and you’d rather have a cup of tea right now. Or well, maybe a shot of vodka - because suddenly, Chan is making his way towards you. Your eyes dart around the room, and you desperately try not to look at him. He looks so good. Too good. No one needs that much beauty, this is truly just excessive. His black hair looks so shiny, you just want to run your fingers through it. And his deep dark eyes, perfect to drown in. You just want to touch his arms and see if his muscles are as hard as they look. He even has a perfectly cute smile, that bastard. It’s just too much, he’s just too much.
Before you can get up and flee from the scene, Chan falls onto the ground beside you, and gives you his signature cheery smile. His lips look incredibly kissable in the dimly lit room. Ugh.
You quickly look away.
“Hi.”, he says, his deep voice sending a shiver down your spine. He has too much power over you, and he doesn’t even know it. “Hi yourself.”, you answer quietly. “How you’ve been? We haven’t seen each other all week.”, he asks, leaning closer, his right arm brushing against your left one in the process. He smells really good and you can’t help but deeply inhale. “Yeah, I’ve been quite busy.”, you explain, still avoiding to look at him, but out of the corner of your eye, you see how he raises both eyebrows. “Busy? It’s only the second week of class. I didn’t know you’ve become such a geek while I was gone.”, he says, but his soft smile indicates he’s just joking. You shrug, and take another sip of the too dry wine. You grimace again.
It’s disgusting, really, and you don’t even know why you’re still drinking it. 
Chan takes the cup out of your hand, and eyes it suspiciously before taking a sip as well. His face says it all, the wine truly is disgusting. “What is this!? A liquid from Hell?!”, he asks and shudders, and you break into a smile. “Considering you live with at least two demons, it’s not that far fetched.”, you answer, and he tilts his head to one side. “What did Hyunjin and Minho do now?”, he sighs, and you shrug. “They were themselves.” Chan chuckles, mumbles “That actually says it all.” under his breath and leans back against the sofa. He’s still looking at you, and you feel a blush creep on your cheeks. Really uncool of your body to just betray you like that. Mind over matter, you think, and dare the blush to just go away and leave you be. It doesn’t work though. Years of evolution and you’re still unable to command your body the way you want to. How incredibly rude. Darwin would be so disappointed.
“I missed you, Y/N.”, Chan suddenly says, his voice barely above a whisper. You finally turn towards him, and lock eyes with him. His expression is soft and his eyes earnest. You give him the smallest of smiles. “I… well, I missed you too.”, you finally confess, heart fluttering when he breaks into a bright smile. He lifts his hand to brush some of your hair behind your ear, all while still intensely looking at you. Your heart rate immediately flatlines, and you think you might have a very spontaneous case of strong asthma, because your lungs are apparently giving up on you as well. You basically drown in Chan’s eyes, their warm brown so familiar.
“MY DEAREST DUDES AND DUDETTES!”, Seungmin suddenly yells - a beautiful alliteration, you think -, making both you and Chan jump. You hurriedly bring some space between your bodies, almost having forgotten about not being alone in the room. You can feel Hyunjin, Minho and Jisung looking at you, all three sporting matching, shit-eating grins. 
Maybe being a pacifist is not the right way to go through life after all, because right now, you really just want to punch them. Only lovingly, of course, but with enough strength nevertheless.
“Thank you for joining us on this wonderful Friday evening, and welcome to this month’s game and drinking night! I see most of you have already found your seats, so everyone who’s still standing, please go and sit on your butt, thank you very much.” Seungmin grins and waits for everyone to follow his words. He should really consider quitting law school to become a tv host instead of a lawyer. When everyone’s finally seated, he grabs an empty bowl from the shelf behind him and holds it up into the air, its blue glass catching the light. “Everyone, please write down your names on the slips of paper provided for you, and then we shall begin playing our first game of the night.”
It takes almost ten minutes for everyone to write down their names, mostly because there aren’t enough pens for everyone, so people keep fighting over them. After everyone’s finally done, Seungmin collects the slips of paper again, and puts them in his bowl, shuffling through them. “First game of the night is Seven minutes in Heaven.”, he says, his smile cheeky. You groan internally. He can’t be serious. But apparently, he is - because he fumbles for two paper slips, about to declare the first names. “Fingers crossed for it to be Hyunjin and Minho, just because I wanna see their faces.”, you mumble, and Chan beside you chuckles. “Well now I really want to see that, too.”, he replies in a low voice, leaning closer so you can hear him. You gulp nervously, and are about to answer, when Seungmin clears his throat. “Y/N, Chan? Did you not hear me?”, he asks innocently, and you turn towards him, both your expressions questioning. For someone so cute looking, Seungmin can be really evil sometimes, his smile almost devilish right now. “You’re the first ones up. Now go, have fun. Your seven minutes will begin as soon as you close the door behind you.” You’re actually speechless for once, just blinking at the man in front of you. This can’t be happening. He can’t be serious. There is no way this is a coincidence. You know Seungmin and the other boys too well for that. God, you really should have written all their names into your death note when you had the chance. You’re about to demand for Seungmin to show you the slips of paper in his hand, when - “Uh, well… Let’s go, then.”, Chan finally says, and takes your hand in his to help you up from the floor and drag you towards the little broom cabinet under the stairs.
How very Harry Potter-like.
The last thing you see before Seungmin closes the door in your face, is his stupid smirk. 
Oh how much you hate him and the others right now. 
It’s dark inside the cabinet, only some light falling through the slits around the door, but it’s too dim to see anything. Dust tickles your nose, and you have to suppress a sneeze. Chan standing opposite you clears his throat. “So.”, he says, and you shift from one foot to the other. The cabinet is small enough for your bodies to be almost touching. You can feel the heat radiating off him and want nothing more than to cuddle to his chest. “So.”, you repeat. “Here we are.”, Chan says. You just chuckle and nervously rub the palms of your hands together, air thick with tension. Before you can say anything else, Chan takes a step closer to you, hot breath fanning over your face. He smells like mint mixed with alcohol. It’s a nice combination, you think. But then again, you’d probably like anything on him. He’s Chan, after all. 
Your Chan.
You shiver involuntarily, his close proximity making you almost a bit dizzy. “Are you cold?”, he murmurs, voice low and silky. Goosebumps rise all over your body and you shake your head - until you remember he obviously can’t see it in the darkness. “Not really.”, you whisper back, breath hitching when he suddenly wraps both arms around your waist to pull you close to his chest. You can feel his rapid heartbeat under the palm of your hand, mirroring your own. “Why did you leave last week?”, he asks, sounding more vulnerable than you’ve ever heard before. You gulp and bite down on your lower lip. Guilt washes over you. “Technically you left first - for Australia, remember?”, you shoot back, a really weak and sad attempt if you’re being honest. “You know I never would have left if I didn’t have to.”, he says, and you sigh. You know that, of course you do. Chan is a nice, good guy, a really nice, good guy. It had been stupid of you to confess your love for him right before he had to go. In the end, your broken heart had been no one’s fault except your own. You take in a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t know what else to do - I wasn’t sure how you’d react, waking up next to me after all those months of not talking.”, you confess, voice soft and tiny, and duck your head.
Chan’s hand brushes against your cheek, and he lifts your chin with two fingers. “I would have been happy. I would have kissed you good morning before making you some tea. And then I would have stayed in bed all day, cuddling you and showing you all the cool pictures I took in Australia.”, he murmurs, thumb tracing gentle patterns on your cheek. You exhale, sounding wobbly. “That would have been nice.”, you answer, and can almost feel his bright and relieved smile. “Well, tomorrow is Saturday again. So maybe we can just have a do-over.”, he asks, lips awfully close to your own now. “I think I’d like that - I’d really like that.”, you mumble against his lips, and then - finally - he kisses you. Fireworks burst behind your closed eyelids, and you quickly wrap your arms around Chan’s neck to pull him even closer. Now that you’ve started, it seems you can’t get enough of each other - what starts out as a slow, romantic kiss quickly becomes a clashing of tongues and teeth, and when he bites down on your lower lip, you can’t help but moan into his mouth, a hot, tingling feeling shooting through your entire body. All you can think right now is that you never want this moment to end - you’ve been waiting for this for so long. You’ve been waiting for him to finally find his way to you. And you yourself are just so, so tired of running away from him. Never before has anything ever felt so right. 
You’re interrupted by a sudden knock on the door, and immediately jump apart, breaking the kiss. You’re both breathless, chests heaving, and even though you can’t see right now, you know that your hair is a total mess, your lips are swollen and your cheeks flushed. “Your seven minutes are over, so you better be decent!”, Minho says from outside, and before either you or Chan can reply, he opens the door. Light floods the tiny cabinet, and you blink against it, feeling like a deer caught in headlights. The first thing you see when your eyes have finally gotten used to the brightness again, is Minho’s shit-eating grin. He stands in the hallway with both his arms crossed and head tilted to one side. “Well, well, well. Heaven sure seems to be as magical as they say, huh?”, he just says, and you really want to smack the grin off his stupidly handsome face.
But Chan just laughs, and grabs your hand, lifting it to his lips to press a soft kiss against your knuckles. You’re ready to just faint right there and then, knees almost buckling from the sweet gesture. Who cares about Minho’s stupid grin when Chan is being perfect again. “Truly magical, yes.”, Chan just answers good-humoredly, and tugs you out of the broom closet, “Well, if you’d excuse us now.” And with that, he simply drags you up the stairs and towards his room. “Hey, where you’re going?!”, Minho and Hyunjin yell in unison, and you look over your shoulder to give them a cheeky grin. “Chan has some pictures he wants to show me - someone told me there’s a really cute one where he cuddles a koala. I finally want to see that now.”, you answer innocently, and wink at them. Chan laughs and quickly pulls you close, kissing you again. You ignore the clapping and cheering noises the others make downstairs. God, your friends are really embarrassing sometimes. But maybe you’re not as sorry anymore about not having written any of them into your death note. Because as stupid and embarrassing as they often are, you do truly adore every single one of them. “You know what, I think that particular picture would make a really cute background for your phone.”, Chan murmurs against your lips, and you raise both eyebrows. “Oh, I bet.”, you just answer, and smile at him.
… Spoiler alert: it’s actually the perfect background for your phone.
Tumblr media
[masterlist] | [requests] 
340 notes · View notes
olivia200312 · 4 years ago
Text
Covid~ TFP! Optimus x Sick! Human! Reader *Request*
Tumblr media
Requested by the lovely @StardustUltima
Plot: Hi, there! Idk if you're still taking requests, but could you do a TFP Optimus x Sick! Reader where the reader gets Covid and is sick? I just got Covid and am a little bummed out cuz I had to leave the camp I was at. It's totally alright if you don't want to write this. I won't judge! Thank you!
Sorry that you have Covid, requester. It must suck. But I hope that you're feeling better. Many people survived.
Note: the art goes to the owner!
Head area: Brain: Processor / Brain Module Head: Helm Face: Face plate Ears: Audio receptors / Receptor Orifice / Audials Nose: Enstril / Olfactory Sensor Eye brow: Optical Ridge Eyes: Optics Mouth: Intake Lips: Dermas Teeth: Denta/Dentas Tongue: Glossa
Chest area: Chest: Chassis / Thoraxal Cavity Back: Hexa-Lateral Scapula Spine: Bipedalism cord / Back Strut
Chest and back armour: Chest plate Back plate Mid-section plating Neck guard Side plating
Arm area:
Arms: Arms / Restarlueus Forearms: Bitarlueus Hands: Servos Fingers: Digits
Arm armour: Gantlets Shoulder pads Arm guard
Lower area: Pelvis: Pelvis Butt: Aft / Skid-Plate Thighs: Tibulen Calves: Cadulen Feet: Pedes - the high heel bits are called Struts or Heel Struts.
Lower armour: Skirt plates Aft plate / Skid plate Thigh guard Ankle guard
General/Internal components: Muscles: Cables / Pistons - It depends on the area in question. Veins: Fual lines Stomach: Tanks Lungs: Vents - used to stop the con/bot from over heating. Heart: Spark Tattoos: D-con/A-bot Insignias and the lark T-Cog: The thing that allows all Cybertronians to transform, be that their arms or their whole body.
Bonus:
Penis: Spike
Vagina: Valve
Body: Frame
-------------------------------------
Y/N let out a sneeze again and covered her mouth with her elbow because she coughed. She's been feeling ill for the past few days, almost a week! One day, she suddenly started to cough and the next thing she knew, she sneezed! It got worse that she started to feel ill and hot!
A year ago, a new virus broke out. It broke out in China but no one knew what that new virus was. When someone died, it was so unexpected and unknown what the cause was until the scientists found out that it's a new virus that caused it. They named it Covid-19 or just coronavirus. It belongs to the family of other coronaviruses. There are some other coronaviruses and some of them are dangerous but the new Covid-19... it's getting serious. More deaths came in, people stayed home, kids can't go to school.
In other countries, they started a search on how to protect yourself from the new virus if it arrives in their country. They found good tips like washing your hands, stay home if you feel sick, stay away from the crowds, wear a mask, and stay like 1.5 meters away so respect the distance. Soon, the virus arrived in other countries. In the beginning, China and Italy are the most damaged countries because of how many deaths are reported. Some countries had the virus under control but they lost control and it got worse.
It got so worse that schools closed down, many adults lost their jobs, ... Worse, kids are starting to get infected and they had to stay home. Doctors are doing their best to save people but the people who have illnesses, they're higher victims to die, including kids. It's honestly so depressing. The virus spread in Jasper Nevada and some people got infected. Jack, Miko, and Raf wore masks when they were outside or in school. Y/N followed the rules as well! But, the bad luck arrived and... she got infected. She was now at her house, feeling hot and weak. She can't go to school or else she'll infect others. Jack, Miko, and Raf had to get tested since they had close contact with her. None of them got the virus. Lucky them. June Darby, Jack's mother, is a nurse, and let's just say that ever since the virus arrived in Jasper, she had to work for HOURS! Many doctors and nurses fainted from exhaustion.
Y/N tried her best to take care of herself, to get herself strong again since her body is fighting against the virus. If the scientists found a vaccine already, then they will inject many people. Yes, even if it doesn't protect yourself 100%, your body will recognize very fast when there's a virus inside. If the body starts to fight soon as possible, you have a higher chance of getting healed.
Oh, yeah. Ever since Y/N got the virus, Jack, Miko, and Raf got worried sick about their friend. Y/N couldn't even go to the base! She refused since she doesn't want to get others infected. The Autobots did notice that people wore masks whenever they are in public and they heard about the virus but they got worried when Y/N didn't show up for a week. They got the answer why.
Jack, Miko, and Raf were at the base. When they arrived, they took their masks off. Thye breathed in relief since the masks are so irritated to wear!
"Finally off with the masks!" Miko shouted.
Ratchet, the medic of the Autobots, got annoyed and a bit mad when he heard Miko's loud annoying voice again. He looks over his shoulderplate. "Will you quiet down?! I'm trying to work!"
"Jeez, sorry, doc," Miko grumbled.
Ratchet let out an annoyed sigh and continued to work  He seriously likes to be called by his name, not anything else!
That's when the others came, including Optimus, fragging handsome leader. The Prime then noticed that Y/N was not around again, which got him immediately worried. "Where's Y/N?"
Jack, Miko, and Raf looked sad. They knew the truth, of course since they're humans... Humans can get infected with the new coronavirus. All bots saw their sad expressions. It gave them a sign that something horrible happened.
"Y/N is at her home. You all heard about the new virus, right?"
Everyone at the base nodded.
"Y/N is... infected with the virus. She has a high temperature and is not allowed to leave home."
Optimus couldn't believe what he heard in his audio receptors. His human got infected? Yes, he calls Y/N his human. They're not together, but they both are crushing on each other. He couldn't help but be worried sick about her. You know what? He didn't care anymore what others will say. He ran through the exit and transformed into his semi-truck form. That's when he drove off.
"Wait, where's Optimus going?! Miko asked in shock.
Ratchet showed a little smile while his back is turned. He's proud of his old friend because he's going to help her. He also knows that he's going to transfer her here to the base so that Ratchet can keep an optic on her health. He may not found the cure like how the human scientists are doing now, but he knows how to take of the patients, to make sure that they're strong. In secret, he cares a lot about his loved ones, even his human friends. Nice thing from him, right? "He's going to help her."
At Y/N~
Y/N sneezed again and coughed. She grabbed a tissue from the box and blew. Once she's done, she threw it right in the trashcan. Goal. She really wants to feel better again. It sucks! She let out a weak sigh and that's when her door to the garden opened. That perked her up in alarm. She quickly grabbed a wooden chair and slowly crept to the kitchen, scared and weak. She raised the chair and that's when she was about to swing but a certain familiar servo caught it in time.
"You should be in berth, Y/N."
"O-Optimus?! Oh, gosh... I'm so s-sorry! I thought you were a burglar!" She quickly dropped the chair.
Optimus let out a chuckle and smiled softly. He was in his bipedal holoform and he hid his truck nearby. He doesn't want to attract any Decepticons. His optics filled with sadness, worry, and sympathy when he saw her condition. He looks very weak. She seriously needs help. That's when he picked her up, causing her to yelp and clutch into the Prime for dear life. But when she felt how cold he is, she pressed herself against him.
"I'm bringing you to the base to the base, Y/N. I worry about your condition."
Y/N couldn't help but squeal inside by how cute Optimus is when he worries. She wanted nothing but to kiss him and tell him that she'll be ok. But she nodded her head weakly against his cold metal chassis. That's when she felt sot dermas press against her forehead. Aaaw, Optimus kissed her forehead! But can Cybertronians get infected with human, viruses? Now that worries her the most. "O-Optimus, please let me go!"
Optimus looks worried. "May I ask why?"
"Y-You'll... get infected with my virus!" That's when she burst into tears and cried. She looks away while crying, causing Optimus's spark to shatter. She was scared that he'll get infected with human sicknesses? He couldn't help but looks so lovingly that he made her turn her head gently and that's when he kissed her warm cheek. "We Cybertronians do not get infected with humans sicknesses."
"R-Really?"
"Yes, Y/N. But I'm very worried about your health. Ratchet will help you."
Y/N nodded weakly and snuggled close against his cold metal. Optimus frowned since he's worried and walked out through the backdoor towards his truck that was hiding. He'll get her stuff later or send one of his teammates to get it. He gently laid Y/N down on the seats and then went in as well.
At the base~
Optimus parked and transformed, causing Y/N to be on his servo. He looks so soft at her weak body. He then walked to Ratchet. "Old friend."
Ratchet turned around and when he saw Y/N, his optics widen. "By the AllSpark, lay her down on the medical berth."
Optimus did as told and Ratchet started doing different tests. At least it was not painful, but it's some of them were unpleasant like, for example, a long then stick where it enters your nose and is like touching your brain! When the tests are finally over, Ratchet held a datapad and looked serious. "Her body is very weak and needs a lot of vitamins in order to make the chance of defeating the virus higher. She needs to drink a lot of water and eat 3 fruits per day."
Optimus nodded. "Thank you, Ratchet."
"Make sure that she has plenty of rest. I'll make sure that the children stay away for their safety. I'll come to check on her health every 3 megacycles (hours)."
Optimus nodded again, gently picked the weak human up, and walked towards his berthroom. The Bots are lucky that they can visit Y/N without a single problem but Jack, Miko, and Raf have to stay away. Optimus entered his room and closed the door behind him. He then laid Y/N down on his berth. He watched her breath for a moment, then he transformed small. He laid down next to Y/N and pressed against her body. Y/N snuggled against him and opened her eyes tiredly. Optimus gave her a soft and soothing smile as he pressed his dermas against her soft lips. Y/N responded by kissing him back happily.
When the kiss was over, Optimus spooned her. "I'll make sure that you're strong again, Y/N."
Y/N smiled while enjoying her sweet cuddles with her new boyfriend. Optimus continued to spoon her and leaving soft kisses on her.
89 notes · View notes
oceangl1tter · 6 years ago
Text
A Simon Says
saturday mornings or sometimes sunday://
does the lobster know that
the closer it gets
to the center
there is a premium to pay
for their fresh death
in my porcelain bowl ?
i am here, the same
dim sum restaurant we always go to,
listening to each other squawk
about the price of this plate,
and other things,
and i watch this sea
tank, an oxymoron, in the distance from all this chatter
chalked murky and gray, twenty pairs of
unblinking eyes sitting still, blank
stares at nothing in particular, as floating holds them hostage.
when in dimness, it must begin to think
in its water-bubbling cage
that this is what it was meant for,
living to be eaten, awaiting, a passing
thought in a present moment,
as the finger points to the menu,
i say that i don't like seafood,
but the price is cheap and the food is good,
and i am present again in this passing world.
------
DEAR CLOSE FRIEND OR LOVER, ://
i'm here spying on people
that don't know me but might
know you, this boy in persimmon orange reminds me
of your quiet sigh when you think others are busy in their glass rooms
a yo-yo, and a small twirl, the kid saunters away as if in a ball,
without a care in the world,
did i tell you that i am at that place
you hate, the one where i lure pigeons and have them
peck at your feet, i should stop but i understand,
the streets have a warm silence,
until this shaggy white dog comes trampling
down with its elephant feet, fee fi fo fumming and the groups
of people parade down with their laughter, and i am on this bench
thinking about how my forehead beams from the rays and the dumb bugs are back
swatting at nothing in particular, as people stroll by unaware of this dilemma but
there is this girl i think, you would find eyes in,
and there are giggles far away i think, you would like
there are all types of couples but they are boring,
the kids are better, if you could only hear them
run past me as i stayed still
their sandals clapping against pavement
if you could only see me stay still
you’d probably ask me to run with them
and i would, i think, i would, just not with them,
but maybe with you.
observe:// 
* kid in orange shirt and jeans armed with a yo-yo twirling in circles while parent sits and watches, craning my neck to spy on this yo-yo training, unfortunate boot camp for WWVI
* skinny black dog tugs at his leash, nose pulled forward towards ground accompanied by mom and two sons; sons look healthy and plump— dog, not so much, dog's feeble steps look like taps on water, looking for food?
* i feel still in a passing moment, sat on this bench, the streets are a warm silence— a golden looking insect landed behind me, had to make my escape to a nearby bench
*couples of all types, didn't know you could fit two guys on those bright orange rentable bikes, miraculous feat—guy behind him is clutching for dear life
* i feel a bit creepy commenting on these people — unaware of me, here, writing about them, there
* double decker bus rumbled by, wonder if you could fall out the back
* yo-yo kid is back, i realize my observations from afar were incorrect- it is actually a ball on string. dad leads the pack, yo-yo kid and brother striding along with sister with tusseled unbrushed hair
* girl sitting @ nearby bench is reading a book, wonder what book it is, her head is tilted down, i want to tell her her neck might hurt afterwards—something mom would say
* fluffy looking doggo shaggy white feel like it could trample me with its elephant-like feet fee fi fo fum, happy smile betrays this fear
*taking notes changes how i feel, many groups walking by, chatting and laughing, i have no other descriptors but they could be talking about some elaborate conversation that can't be summarized with "chatting and laughing"
*helmet family at the bike racks, probably had a nice oatmeal breakfast today (with raisins)
* two elderly women with ashing hair walk by, there is a slump of old age, maybe what happens when you're weighed by years of experience or maybe not taking vitamin D supplements. is that how it goes?
*guy with buzzed hair boots pointed outwards drink swaying at his side catches me by surprise, heading somewhere but coasting along
*girl, head high, arms swinging at full force, resolute, decisive, headphones in, happy, walking with a purpose! probably listening to her favorite spotify playlist
* moved locations, tired of sunrays beating up my forehead
*old dude playing some funky country music rollerskating around, knees padded up, (god wish that were me)
*two daughters race eachother @ 2 mph, dad in back "careful guys", they run down the street, brown hair trailing behind, giggles, no care in the world
*guy on the right of me has the fuzzy socks I think I'd kill for, red, pink frizz picked from those trees from the Lorax, they're a nice complement to his green jacket and green hat; he's been erratically shaking his leg in different intervals, something i'd do if i needed to pee but the effort to get up to the bathroom is not worth it to sitting on a bench with a mediocre bladder shaking away urinary urges
*guy just walked in restaurant, slow ez steps, collar all cuffed up like an episode of Jersey Shore
0 notes
robertkstone · 6 years ago
Text
2020 Porsche 911 S/4S Cabriolet First Drive: Vitamins and Exercise
During an intense day spent driving the all-new 992-generation 2020 Porsche 911 S and 4S around the Attica peninsula below and around Athens, Greece, I sensed that my heart was spending a great deal of time at an elevated rate. My pasty winter-in-Detroit skin was equally conscious of and grateful for the overdue dose of vitamin D it was receiving in the nearly draft-free cockpit. This drive felt like the healthiest activity I’d engaged in since the warm weather departed the Michigan peninsula.
Sure, most Porsche press drives are fun, but this one was extra fun thanks to a mechanical problem with an airplane in L.A. See, that plane’s snafu prevented my driving partner from attending, so I got to do the whole thing solo (missed ya, @nireson—mean it!). Whether dancing or driving, my natural tendency is to let it all hang out a bit farther when nobody’s watching (or hanging on for dear life). This is especially true when I’m leading a superior dance partner who’s forever sending the message “C’mon, don’t be shy!”
Let’s recap some of the highlights of the 911 Cabriolet that we laid out when the Cabrio was first teased in January. The new top—designed in house at Porsche like every convertible top that’s preceded it—employs a clever magnesium structure with three large panels that stow in a stack above the glass rear window and ensure that the fabric never balloons or flaps at top speed (188 mph on the 4S and 190 on the rear-drive S if you’re planning to take factory delivery for an autobahn vacation, which we highly recommend). The top goes up or down 2 seconds quicker than its predecessor (in 12 flat) at speeds of up to 31 mph. It’s controlled by buttons clearly marked with open- and closed-roof icons, set above a button that controls the clever mesh windscreen.
More good news: Somehow the engineers managed to improve the car’s dynamic torsional rigidity by about 10 percent—that margin sounds small, but when coupled with two other key suspension upgrades, it satisfied the team in Weissach that the Cabrio can now handle the optional PASM sport suspension (part of a $5,460 Sport package) that used to be reserved for coupes only. For 2020 it stiffens the springs and anti-roll bars, and it lowers the car by 0.4 inch. Those other key upgrades: Next-gen Bilstein adaptive dampers can now be fine-tuned midstroke on the millisecond level; the old ones could only change their damping rate at the top or bottom of a stroke event. New staggered 20-/21-inch wheels wearing 245/35 and 305/30 tires and wider front and rear track widths (1.8 inches in front and 1.4 inches in the back) allow the springs to be located slightly farther outboard, increasing their “leverage” on the car to inherently reduce roll. The shock upgrade does wonders for improving both handling responsiveness and ride comfort.
Back to my twisty-road drive/fitness routine. Not far from our coastal hotel, I headed up into the volcanic and tectonically upheaved rocky hills, starting out in the 4S. Early on I encountered some peculiar pavement that seemed to approximate the grip level of a polished garage floor even when dry. I was amply informed about it—in advance by the event organizers and at the time by the car’s controls. The steering wheel effort dropped commensurate with the friction coefficient; the brake pedal and my ears sensed the slight anti-lock braking and stability control intervention entering and leaving the turn. (I nominate this as the reference car for brake and electric power steering feel, by the way.) Such honest, forthright communication ensures that the driver’s heart rate is consistently elevated by exhilaration, not fear—a much healthier cardio stimulus.
On the slightly broken stretches of pavement I start doubting that 10 percent rigidity improvement statistic—there’s just no cowl shake or floorpan juddering at all. “Mr. 911,” August Achleitner, explains that the sense of rigidity is further enhanced by supporting the back of the powertrain via mounts on the cylinder head rather than via a plate mounted across the back of the engine, which could flex a bit. Cycling through the Normal, Sport, and Sport Plus drive modes, I’m pleased by the lack of an obvious difference in ride quality in a straight line and by the absence of harshness in bumpy corners.
Another clearly communicated message when the Sport modes are engaged: “Woo-hoo, the Feds aren’t sniffing our exhaust now!” Auto stop/start gets switched off and precious dino-juice gets injected for no other reason than to provide those lovely audible pops and burbles on overrun. And the almost overeager automatic downshifts in these modes remind me of Chester the cartoon terrier forever asking Spike the bulldog, “Wanna beat up that next turn even harder, huh, wanna?!?!” The PDK’s gear selection was so spot on that I only touched the shift paddles once, to limit speed on a downhill stretch.
The best fitness routines involve periods of rest, and coastal towns in between the hills revealed the new Cabrio to be better than its predecessor in this respect, too, thanks to improved driver assist systems, including a lane keeping assist that manages not to pinball off the side-marker lines without strictly lane centering, either, as that might foul the natural on-center steering feel. Adaptive cruise provides stop-and-go functionality, and when the car notices you’re squeezing through a tight space, it automatically calls up the surround-camera view. So solicitous. The optional 855-watt, 13-speaker Burmester sound system has soothing powers and offers impressive dynamic range, though the spatial imaging doesn’t seem as obvious as in other systems, and enough of the system’s brilliance gets lost with the top and windows down that if that’s to be your usual driving mode, you might as well save the $5,560. It still sounds pretty great with the windows and wind-blocker up.
After lunch I strapped into a rear-drive S and was instantly aware of a much greater inclination to gently drift when launching from a stop into a right or left turn. The stability control gets a pretty good workout much of the way through first gear, but at higher speeds wheelspin was much less evident (possibly thanks to unnoticeable electronic machinations of the $3,170 Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control and/or the $2,090 Rear Axle Steering).
There are nits to be picked. As noted on our First Drive of the coupe, the two outermost gauges may as well be devoted to diet tips and Oprah’s book club recommendations because nobody’s going to see them. Sadly, the right one includes the pretty important fuel gauge, so try to remember to move your head occasionally and check that one. I also wish Apple CarPlay would share my Spotify artist and song info with the car’s home screen. And finally, I’m not in love with the turbo engine’s exhaust note, and Herr Achleitner says these Euro versions actually sound a bit better thanks to their particulate filters.
Watch for a GoFundMe page I’m planning to launch to finance a study proving that 911 Cabriolets qualify as health supplements so that I can defray the hefty monthly note with funds from my Health Savings Account.
2020 Porsche 911 S/4S Cabriolet BASE PRICE $127,350-$134,650 VEHICLE LAYOUT Rear-engine, RWD/AWD, 4-pass, 2-door convertible ENGINE 3.0L/443-hp/390-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve flat-6 TRANSMISSIONS 7-speed manual, 8-speed twin-clutch auto CURB WEIGHT 3,550-3,650 lb (mfr) WHEELBASE 96.5 in LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 177.9-178.4 x 72.9 x 50.7-51.2 in 0-60 MPH 3.5-3.7 sec (mfr est) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON Not yet rated ON SALE IN U.S. Late summer 2019
0 notes
robertkstone · 6 years ago
Text
2020 Porsche 911 S/4S Cabriolet First Drive: Vitamins & Exercise
During an intense day spent driving the all-new 992-generation 2020 Porsche 911 S and 4S around the Attica peninsula below and around Athens, Greece, I sensed that my heart was spending a great deal of time at an elevated rate. My pasty winter-in-Detroit skin was equally conscious of and grateful for the overdue dose of vitamin D it was receiving in the nearly draft-free cockpit. This drive felt like the healthiest activity I’d engaged in since the warm weather departed the Michigan peninsula.
Sure, most Porsche press drives are fun, but this one was extra fun thanks to a mechanical problem with an airplane in L.A. See, that plane’s snafu prevented my driving partner from attending, so I got to do the whole thing solo (missed ya, @nireson—mean it!). Whether dancing or driving, my natural tendency is to let it all hang out a bit farther when nobody’s watching (or hanging on for dear life). This is especially true when I’m leading a superior dance partner who’s forever sending the message “C’mon, don’t be shy!”
Let’s recap some of the highlights of the 911 Cabriolet that we laid out when the Cabrio was first teased in January. The new top—designed in house at Porsche like every convertible top that’s preceded it—employs a clever magnesium structure with three large panels that stow in a stack above the glass rear window and ensure that the fabric never balloons or flaps at top speed (188 mph on the 4S and 190 on the rear-drive S if you’re planning to take factory delivery for an autobahn vacation, which we highly recommend). The top goes up or down 2 seconds quicker than its predecessor (in 12 flat) at speeds of up to 31 mph. It’s controlled by buttons clearly marked with open- and closed-roof icons, set above a button that controls the clever mesh windscreen.
More good news: Somehow the engineers managed to improve the car’s dynamic torsional rigidity by about 10 percent—that margin sounds small, but when coupled with two other key suspension upgrades, it satisfied the team in Weissach that the Cabrio can now handle the optional PASM sport suspension (part of a $5,460 Sport package) that used to be reserved for coupes only. For 2020 it stiffens the springs and anti-roll bars, and it lowers the car by 0.4 inch. Those other key upgrades: Next-gen Bilstein adaptive dampers can now be fine-tuned midstroke on the millisecond level; the old ones could only change their damping rate at the top or bottom of a stroke event. New staggered 20-/21-inch wheels wearing 245/35 and 305/30 tires and wider front and rear track widths (1.8 inches in front and 1.4 inches in the back) allow the springs to be located slightly farther outboard, increasing their “leverage” on the car to inherently reduce roll. The shock upgrade does wonders for improving both handling responsiveness and ride comfort.
Back to my twisty-road drive/fitness routine. Not far from our coastal hotel, I headed up into the volcanic and tectonically upheaved rocky hills, starting out in the 4S. Early on I encountered some peculiar pavement that seemed to approximate the grip level of a polished garage floor even when dry. I was amply informed about it—in advance by the event organizers and at the time by the car’s controls. The steering wheel effort dropped commensurate with the friction coefficient; the brake pedal and my ears sensed the slight anti-lock braking and stability control intervention entering and leaving the turn. (I nominate this as the reference car for brake and electric power steering feel, by the way.) Such honest, forthright communication ensures that the driver’s heart rate is consistently elevated by exhilaration, not fear—a much healthier cardio stimulus.
On the slightly broken stretches of pavement I start doubting that 10 percent rigidity improvement statistic—there’s just no cowl shake or floorpan juddering at all. “Mr. 911,” August Achleitner, explains that the sense of rigidity is further enhanced by supporting the back of the powertrain via mounts on the cylinder head rather than via a plate mounted across the back of the engine, which could flex a bit. Cycling through the Normal, Sport, and Sport Plus drive modes, I’m pleased by the lack of an obvious difference in ride quality in a straight line and by the absence of harshness in bumpy corners.
Another clearly communicated message when the Sport modes are engaged: “Woo-hoo, the Feds aren’t sniffing our exhaust now!” Auto stop/start gets switched off and precious dino-juice gets injected for no other reason than to provide those lovely audible pops and burbles on overrun. And the almost overeager automatic downshifts in these modes remind me of Chester the cartoon terrier forever asking Spike the bulldog, “Wanna beat up that next turn even harder, huh, wanna?!?!” The PDK’s gear selection was so spot on that I only touched the shift paddles once, to limit speed on a downhill stretch.
The best fitness routines involve periods of rest, and coastal towns in between the hills revealed the new Cabrio to be better than its predecessor in this respect, too, thanks to improved driver assist systems, including a lane keeping assist that manages not to pinball off the side-marker lines without strictly lane centering, either, as that might foul the natural on-center steering feel. Adaptive cruise provides stop-and-go functionality, and when the car notices you’re squeezing through a tight space, it automatically calls up the surround-camera view. So solicitous. The optional 855-watt, 13-speaker Burmester sound system has soothing powers and offers impressive dynamic range, though the spatial imaging doesn’t seem as obvious as in other systems, and enough of the system’s brilliance gets lost with the top and windows down that if that’s to be your usual driving mode, you might as well save the $5,560. It still sounds pretty great with the windows and wind-blocker up.
After lunch I strapped into a rear-drive S and was instantly aware of a much greater inclination to gently drift when launching from a stop into a right or left turn. The stability control gets a pretty good workout much of the way through first gear, but at higher speeds wheelspin was much less evident (possibly thanks to unnoticeable electronic machinations of the $3,170 Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control and/or the $2,090 Rear Axle Steering).
There are nits to be picked. As noted on our First Drive of the coupe, the two outermost gauges may as well be devoted to diet tips and Oprah’s book club recommendations because nobody’s going to see them. Sadly, the right one includes the pretty important fuel gauge, so try to remember to move your head occasionally and check that one. I also wish Apple CarPlay would share my Spotify artist and song info with the car’s home screen. And finally, I’m not in love with the turbo engine’s exhaust note, and Herr Achleitner says these Euro versions actually sound a bit better thanks to their particulate filters.
Watch for a GoFundMe page I’m planning to launch to finance a study proving that 911 Cabriolets qualify as health supplements so that I can defray the hefty monthly note with funds from my Health Savings Account.
2020 Porsche 911 S/4S Cabriolet BASE PRICE $127,350-$134,650 VEHICLE LAYOUT Rear-engine, RWD/AWD, 4-pass, 2-door convertible ENGINE 3.0L/443-hp/390-lb-ft twin-turbo DOHC 24-valve flat-6 TRANSMISSIONS 7-speed manual, 8-speed twin-clutch auto CURB WEIGHT 3,550-3,650 lb (mfr) WHEELBASE 96.5 in LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 177.9-178.4 x 72.9 x 50.7-51.2 in 0-60 MPH 3.5-3.7 sec (mfr est) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON Not yet rated ON SALE IN U.S. Late summer 2019
0 notes