#create external table

[vanteguccir]

── ୨୧ !　𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗖𝗞 𝗕𝗢𝗬

　　　　　　　　𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒐 x reader

SUMMARY: Where Nick and Chris are trying to record wednesday's video, but Matt's lovestruck gaze keeps going to Y/N, distracting himself.

WARNING: None.

REQUESTED?: Yes, from anon.

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! Hellooo, is anyone there?" Nick spoke from behind the camera while moving his arms around exasperatedly, looking at his brother, who had his eyes focused on the couch in the back of the room.

Matt is the kind of guy that when he loves, he loves hard.

So to say that Matt was crazy about Y/N was an understatement, all that was on his mind day and night was his girlfriend; His days were happier with her by his side, he felt like he had more energy and strength to do anything, only because of her.

His favorite thing in the world was seeing her happy, so his heart warmed every time he heard her talking about the books she was reading with so much passion and affection - so much so that he lost count of how many times he took her to the bookstore and bought more than 100 dollars in books, just to be able to hear her talk about the characters that Matt never memorized the names of and the story that always made she speak too quickly and with so much devotion.

Whenever Matt was with his brothers or friends, he would mention his girl. It was automatic, everything reminded him of her. He was obsessed. With all that said, it was inevitable that, being in the same room, the boy wouldn't be able to take his eyes off her.

The theme of that Wednesday's video was something suggested by Y/N herself, as just a few minutes ago the four of them were lying on the sofa in the living room, the girl with her feet on Matt's lap while starting a new book, while the brothers watched old videos of themselves on television.

His hands caressed the tops of her feet covered in fluffy Iron Man socks, which she had probably stolen from his side of the drawer. Every now and then Matt's right hand would go up her legs to Y/N's left hand, taking it away from the book and to his mouth, sealing the warm, soft skin with love, keeping his eyes on the TV screen.

A smile grew on Matt's face every time his brothers made vomiting sounds, calling them disgusting. While Y/N felt like her cheeks could explode from how red they became.

Matt's teenage voice coming from the videos made Y/N's heart warm, and seeing the silly smiles on the triplets' faces as they traveled through the land of nostalgia made an idea pop into the girl's head, who instantly put down the book and paused the video, catching the attention of them.

And this takes us to the current moment, after Y/N has separated some pictures from when they were children, teenagers or nowadays on Nick's phone, having created an album to be used in that specific video.

Matt and Chris were sitting at the kitchen table, facing the camera, Nick - who was standing behind it with the album open on his phone -, and consequently also facing the sofa, where Y/N was sitting comfortably as she flipped through her book, a smile appearing every now and then on her face as her expressions changed according to the events in the story.

A cup of cappuccino that Matt made for her rested on her legs, keeping her warm, while her right hand came out of the book every now and then and picked up the drink, taking a sip.

It was the third time that Nick caught Matt's attention, who seemed to get lost in his girlfriend's figure, and all external sounds, including his brothers' voices, became muffled.

To disguise it, the boy would randomly guess the name of one of his brothers or himself when Nick showed a small part of a picture, getting it wrong almost every time. This led to him having the lowest score.

"What? Yes, that's Chris." Matt blinked his eyes quickly, looking away from Y/N and to the phone in Nick's hands.

"Matt, it's you!" Nick exclaimed, rolling his eyes and sighing, he knew the video would continue like this if he didn't get Y/N out of the room, but his best friend looked too comfortable on the couch.

"Pay attention, dumbass." Chris slammed the palm of his left hand against Matt's forehead, earning a slap back on the arm.

Y/N lifted her head from the book momentarily, holding back a laugh as she saw the brothers fighting, rolling her eyes playfully before returning her attention to the story, adjusting her position on the couch.

"I'm sorry, I'll pay attention. I promise." Matt raised his hands in surrender, swallowing hard as he glanced briefly at Y/N and saw her laughing softly, returning his eyes to his older brother and forcing himself to keep them there.

"For those of you who aren't understanding, Y/N is sitting on the couch reading, and Matt can't stop looking at her. He's obsessed, I swear." Nick muttered behind the camera, shaking his head even though they couldn't see him.

When the first round ended, Chris got up and took Nick's place behind the camera, agreeing to be the next to show the pictures and be the jury.

Nick handed him the phone and sat down next to Matt, looking briefly at the couch and closing his lips in a thin line at Y/N's wide eyes at the book, probably surprised by some absurd scene.

The oldest looked at Matt, seeing that his brother was already looking at Y/N, too. Their eyes quickly met when Matt felt Nick looking at him, a laugh escaping both of their mouths.

"Are you ready?" Chris asked after choosing the first picture he would use, receiving a nod from the two brothers, who had both arms on the table so they could reach the "button" faster.

The youngest zoomed in on the pic and turned the screen towards the two, waiting for one of them to get it right.

Matt had never moved so fast, his left hand slamming against the post-it too hard as his eyes were wide in euphoria.

"It's me! Look at Y/N's hand there." Matt shouted in excitement, raising his right hand and pointing at the phone behind the camera.

"Yeah, that's Matt." Nick sighed, knowing that even though he got it right too, Matt spoke first. "You only got it right because Y/N is in the picture!"

"Obviously, he knows Y/N's traits more than he knows his own." Chris scoffed from behind the camera, zooming out of the image and looking for the next one.

The picture in question was from a day when the four of them went out to dinner at an Italian restaurant about a year ago, Nick and Chris were sitting on one side of the table and Y/N and Matt on the other. Matt had his elbows resting on the wooden table and his hands crossed, laughter escaping his lips when he heard something Chris said, while Y/N joined him in laughing, her hands crossed around his right bicep and her head resting on his covered shoulder.

The pic was taken by Nick, being the passionate photographer that he was, and Chris felt a smile stretch across his face as he remembered the moment.

Even though they made fun of their brother so much for being a crazy in love for Y/N, they felt their chest fill with joy for their brother every time they saw them together. They knew that their brother had found his other half, and seeing him as happy as ever made them just as happy.

"I know, he's obsessed with her." Nick commented again, receiving a slap on the back of his head, letting out a laugh when he saw Matt roll his eyes, but don't deny anything.

The girl looked up again when she heard her name being said by one of the boys and her person being mentioned more than once. Her eyes met Matt's blue ones, who looked at her with love and affection, an easy smile appearing on his face almost automatically.

Y/N smiled back, blowing a kiss, which the boy pretended to catch with his left hand and keep in the pocket of his hoodie.

When the round changed again, it was Matt's turn to stand behind the camera and choose the pictures.

The boy got up from his seat, fixing his pants and walking over to where Chris was, taking the phone from his hand and closing the last picture chosen by the youngest.

His thumb scrolled across the screen, looking for the first one he would use as he let his brothers settle down.

A smile stretched across Matt's face as he passed by a picture of Nick and Y/N, where they were both wearing sunglasses, with feathers around their necks and making faces at the camera. Nick had his left hand raised showing a peace sign, and it was there that Matt decided to zoom in, but not before lingering his eyes for a few seconds on the full image, admiring his girlfriend there.

Matt took advantage of the fact that his brothers were in a silly argument and turned around momentarily, looking at his girl, who was now in a position that in his head was probably very uncomfortable, but he already knew that for Y/N, the most different positions were the best.

The girl felt eyes on her and looked up, seeing Matt standing there admiring her. A reddish color took over her cheeks, and her fingers played with the pages of the book, trying to hide her shyness.

Matt nodded briefly at the book as if asking her how the story was going. Y/N smiled at the action, making a chief kiss gesture with her right hand while her left held the book open, afraid of losing the page she stopped at.

"I want to hear all abo-" Matt began in a low voice, just for Y/N to hear, but his sentence was cut by a hand hitting the table.

"I'm going to get Y/N out of the room if you don't turn around now and do your job." Nick said, crossing his arms. Chris held back his laughter beside him, his face turning red from the force he exerted in the action.

"You're so unnecessary." Matt rolled his eyes, throwing a wink at Y/N, who had a goofy smile, before turning to face his brothers again.

"No, you are." Nick responded, opening his mouth to argue against Matt again, only to be stopped by Chris, who smacked his left arm while laughing.

"Go ahead, Matt." The youngest asked, straightening up and clearing his throat, looking at his brother as he waited for the first picture.

Nick sent a bored look to Y/N, who was still watching them intently. The girl laughed softly, turning her attention back to the book as she felt her heart warm.

Y/N felt so grateful for her boyfriend and his brothers, who she saw as family. She would never forget the day Nick thanked her for how happy she made his brother, but little did he know, it was Matt who made her the happiest.

　　　　　༻﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡﹡༺

extra - comments:

"Matt looking behind the camera every 2 minutes with a lovestruck look on his face was the cutest thing I've ever seen 😔"

"Matt being able to guess the picture that had Y/N in it just because of her 😭"

"I love how Nick and Chris make fun of Matt for his love for Y/N all the time"

~ "deep down, they love them together more than the couple itself lol"

"I want to have a boyfriend who is as obsessed with me as Matt is with Y/N ​​🧎‍♀️"

"Y/N is a total bookworm, and I'm here for it!"

~ "petition for her to make tiktoks about the books she reads ✏️📄"

"it's incredible to see the difference between Matt before Y/N and Matt during Y/N. She's so good for him 🥺"

"Matt smiles so much when Y/N is near 😫"

"Matt and Y/N >>>>>>> any other famous couple"

[inevesgf]

UNDER THE LIGHTS • LANDO NORRIS

catching lando norris' eye at a halloween party isn't the best of attention you could ensnare, especially when you're masking your not-so-innocent personality with white wings and a halo.

content + warnings: 18+ smut with plot, p in v, female!reader, swearing, dirty talking, semi-public sex, no strings attached, mentions of alcohol + drinking, slightly intoxicated sex, clitorial stimulation, teasing!reader, mentions of bruises, unprotected sex. word count 2.5k.

even though lando isn't one of my favorite drivers, damn he is so fun to write for. if you would like to be tagged in upcoming works from this special, click the link here ⋆·˚ ༘ * notes + reblogs are heavily appreciated and don't forget to tell me your thoughts via comment, reblog or ask.

as you entered the party an intoxicating mix of laughter and music filled your ears, the bright lights casting shadows that danced upon the wall. light smoke filtered through the air, adding to create the perfect atmosphere as your friends piled in behind you. 

dressed in a flowing white gown that draped elegantly on your body, you looked like a vision of light — an unexpected twist for someone who usually wore their sarcasm like armor. oversized wings – feathered and slightly askew – fluttered behind you as you glided into the crowd. a halo perched atop your head, glimmering with an almost mocking brilliance.

you were beyond the frame of innocence or elegance, which almost made your costume all the more perfect, masking your true nature. even though you had thrown the outfit together with items from your closet, eyes hungrily fell onto you as you made your way deeper into the party, a certain pair catching your own gaze with a look of mischief.

it wasn’t until you looked forward and saw lando with his jaw slightly slack that you knew that you had picked the right costume. besides his external shock, there was a hint of a smirk that formed on his lips, his eyes hungry for something that made your stomach turn in excitement.

floating through the crowd, you swiped a shot from the tray a wait-staff member held above their shoulders, you pulled the glass to your lips, quickly downing the alcohol inside.with a satisified hum from your lips, you began your advance towards lando, the amber liquid swirling inside you like a tiny storm as you discarded the empty shot glass onto a nearby table.

“an angel at a party full of sinners,” lando’s voice erupted over the pounding sound of the music, “that’s pretty ironic. couldn’t find a better costume?” a roaring laugh fell past his lips, causing you to playfully roll your eyes before scanning his body. “i could say the same for you – you look exactly like how you dress everyday. it’s a little souless.” you teased, sucking your bottom lip under your teeth as a look of mischief decorated your face.

lando grumbled, taking a sip of the murky gin and tonic that he held lazily in this hand, taking a step closer in order to hear your voice better over the loud music. “i’m a vampire, duh!” he jokingly grumbled, looking down at you with a hint of admiration in his eyes, though his words didn’t show it. “it’s a funny act you got going on, yknow – dressed all innocent, but everyone here knows you’re anything but that.”

you forced out a dry laugh at his words, adjusting the halo that sat above your head as if to mock him. the playful banter between you two was barely audible over the blasting music, but then tension in the air was palpable. “next year, i’m going as the devil. much more fitting, don’t you think?” you cocked, the same stupid smirk decorating your face as if to egg him on with your words, itching to get under his skin.

“definitely,” lando snickered, leaning in just a tad more to the point you could feel the heat radiating off his body, “because right now you’re not fooling anyone.” a satisfied hum fell from your lips, knowing his words were mostly correct. your eyes pooled into his hazel ones as if to undress him simply with your gaze. with hungry eyes, you looked over his costume, his slightly unbuttoned white button-up working perfectly as it fit snug upon his triceps.

“do you bite? since you’re a vampire and all..” a teasing tone poisoned your words, a challenging look decorating your visage. lando chucked dryly at your words, a smirk of surprise coming to rest on his face. he took a small step forward, bringing his head down so he could whisper in your ear, “only if you want me to.” the words sent a shiver down your spine, the smitten look that laid upon your face only growing larger.

you brought your finger to your lips, shushing lando as you pulled him by the collar into the bar bathroom, locking the door behind the two of you. almost immediately, lando’s calloused hands were on you, his fingers carefully trailing down your body as his lips met yours. the kiss was sloppy and hungry, your bodies pulled tightly against each other as the alcohol only suited to broaden the moment. 

lando’s hands came down to grip your ass, pulling the hem of your dress up slightly as he squeezed the flesh, eliciting a soft moan from your lips into the kiss. his touch all over you made you feel dirty, and you loved it, your previous sexual tension now finally able to have a place to release itself.

as lando began to pull the hem of your dress up, bunching it around your waist to reveal your lacey thong, you laughed into the kiss, your lips briefly detaching from his. “so eager, huh?” you teased, yet your fingers found themselves delicately coming to unbutton his button-up, your gaze eating him up like a full course meal.

“only for you,” lando growled, his hands lazily resting up your hips as you began to undress him, “especially when you dress like this – all sweet and innocent when i know deep down you’re so dirty.” you laughed sweetly, letting his shirt fall off his shoulders and onto the bathroom floor as you brought your soft lips to his jawline, placing a delicate kiss on his cheek.

“wanna find out?” you breathed against your skin, your manicured nails eagerly finding their way to undo his black dress pants. lando’s breath caught in his throat at your confidence, the usual dominant man melting in your touch. “i’d be sick and twisted to say no,” he smirked, letting your hands dance all over your skin.

as if to regain any bit of dominance he could have had, lando picked you up, his strong arms wrapping around your thighs as he set you onto the sink counter. a small giggle escaped your mouth before you bit your bottom lip, tangling the flesh under your teeth. landos lips immediately landed on your nip, licking and sucking sweetly at your soft skin as he stood between your legs, spreading them with his action.

as he peppered your neck with kisses, his teeth joining in on his movements as he marked your skin, his fingers hooked under the waistband of your thong, eager to rid you of it. a soft moan escaped your lips as you let your head rest on the mirror behind you, yours eyes closed as your breath became labored. “mhm, yeah, take them off, baby,” you hummed, spreading your legs even more before propping your heels up onto the table you sat upon.

lando didn’t waste any time pulling your thong down your legs, discarding it on the floor with his shirt and the white halo you had lazily pulled off your head. his eyes danced around your body as your cunt was revealed to him, your core glistening with your arousal from lando’s lingering gaze and passionate touches. 

“so fucking wet f’me already,” lando growled, one of his hands coming to rest on your inner thigh as he whispered into your ear, “want me to touch you, huh? make you mine, pretty girl?” his erotic words sent a shiver down your spine, your body finding itself on a euphoric high from his touch.

“yeah, fuck me like i’m all yours,” you moaned back, your voice low and sultry as one of your hands found its way in his curls, twirling them slightly between your fingers. lando groaned at your words, your actions only serving for lando’s boxers to tighten more at his arousal.

his fingers danced up your thigh, getting closer and closer to your cunt that throbbed with need. the tension in the room was palpable, the sweat beading across lando’s forehead only displaying to dire need between the two of you as his fingers continued their travel, leaving a tingling sensation in their wake. 

when his cold fingers make contact with your clit, you let out a satisfied moan before reconnecting your lips with lando’s, kissing him feverishly. lando reciprocated, kissing you as if you were the only source of oxygen left on the planet – like if ge didn’t kiss you, he would die. his fingers worked magic around your clit, rubbing tight circles that had your mouth widening against his lips, impatient moans slipping through.

“you like that, huh?” lando teased, his voice escaping at a low growl as his lips brushed against yours, his fingers starting to pick up the pace. you squirmed under his grasp, whines that lando would call pathetic and needy escaping your mouth as you bucked your hips into his touch.

“fucking love it,” you grunted through heavy pants, small little moans escaping your parted lips, “fuck me.�� the melodic noises that escaped from you sounded like music to lando’s ears as he chucked dryly at your whiny plea, the vibration sending a tingle straight through your body. 

lando was incredibly turned on by everything about you. from the way you teased him, to your moans and your beautifully wet cunt: it was all so perfect to him. he quickly finished undressing himself, pulling his boxers to his thighs to reveal his painfully hard cock, the tip flushed a deep red as precum leaked from it.

the sight was beautiful, your eyes scanned his tone abs and his hard-on as it took center stage. your panting picked you, your body desperate for any form of touch as lando neared you, your legs spreading even more to reveal the mess between your legs. “so beautiful,” lando hummed, positioning himself between your thighs as his hazels eyes looked down on you, his gaze dark and hungry.

his tip teased your entrance, rubbing smooth circles around your clit which dragged a small moan from your lips. the loud bumping of the music could be heard outside the stuffy bathroom, but the sound only continued to drown out as lando pressed into you, your head spinning at the contact.

pushing his hard, thick cock into you, lando grunted, starting to thrust at a pace that was slow enough to already have you begging for more. whines and whimpers left your lips as lando grunted, the deep gaze of his eyes never leaving yours despite the fact you struggled to keep yours open.

“i didn’t know you were so sensitive,” lando cocked, a teasing tone dripping from his words as he fucked harder into you, your knuckles turning white as your fingers dug into his shoulders, “so messy already and i’ve barely begun yet.” his words had you reeling, your clouded mind hardly pushing out a reaction, yet your body jerked, your highs pushing up to meet his thrust. 

“you fuck like a mad-man,” you groaned out, hooded eyes staring into his as his dick twitched inside you, your tight cunt holding him snuggly between your walls. lando chuckled dryly once more, your words only suiting to egg him on more as his thrust grew more rapid, sloppy.

lando licked his lips, sweat beading at his forehead as he tried to regain rhymatic thrusts, the tip of his hardened cock never falling to slam into your g-spot as he gripped your thighs. you couldn’t help but let out borderline pornographic moans as you swallowed his cock whole with your cunt, the air in the room stuffy and hot with the aroma of lust.

lando adjusted his angle, his cock only fucking harder into your pussy as erotic words oozed from his mouth, “spread your legs wider, baby.” his tone came out commanding, your fucked out mind too full of bliss as you mindlessly obeyed him, widening your legs to reveal more of your cunt – red and abused from the prior attack of his fingers. “that’s it .. wider,” lando grunted like an animal, his words coming out in huffed sighs as his cock throbbed in your tight pussy.

loud whines and moans fell from your swollen lips, the sound of the music completely drowned out inside the bathroom and replaced with the hums of the ecstasy of pleasure. “look at you,” lando purred, “such a needy girl.” his condescending words pulled you closer to the edge, your cunt sucking him in deeper as the eye contact remained.

“you can do better than that,” the words feeling from your lips between pants, your hooded eyes trying their hardest to not close tightly shut at the pleasure you ensnared, “fuck me harder, lan.” lando grunted at your command, your words sending a shutter of gruff desire through his body that slowly began to grow tired.

another dry chuckle fell from his cracked lips, the action sending a vibration through your body as his thrusts didn’t slow nor quicken. “you’re in no place to tease, baby, look at you,” he mocked, his calloused hands gripping your thighs harder as he now quickened the thrust of his cock into your tight cunt. your head rolled back in pleasure, the grip your hands had on lando’s shoulders only tightening, sure to leave little bruises in their wake. his condescending words did a number on you, your stomach tightening in pleasure as his cock battered harder in your poor cunt, making your body feel weak yet beautifully pleasured. 

“so fucking good–” you moaned out again, little ah-ah-ahs falling so carelessly from your parted lips. lando smirked in satisfaction, your praise only suiting him more as he fucked into you vicariously, giving you his all as he felt his climax rapidly approaching.

your stomach began to spin, your walls clenching around lando’s cock that still pumped into you, the vibrancy of your pleasure radiating off you as your moans sang together like an erotic duet. “yeah, cum for me, baby,” lando grunted, panting and heaving as he egged the two of you closer to your orgasms. your body shook with pleasure, your cunt throbbing as a pleasurable warmth flooded over your body.

before you could come to gather your actions, your climax hit you like a train, smalls moans of lando and little oh fucks falling from your reddened lips. quickly after, as if he was so sweetly waiting for you, lando finished. a guttural grunt fell from his parted lips as he did, thick beads of cum spilling onto the finger-printed skin of your thighs, lando’s fingers having left small bruises upon the flesh.

the two of you slowly came down from your high, the air smelling of whiskey and sex as the two of you gathered your senses and began to catch your breath. lando’s eyes never left yours as he slipped his clothes back on, bending his frame down to the ground to pick up your lazily discarded halo.

a satisfied hum escaped his lips as he placed it back onto your head, a smirk decorating his visage as his cheeks remained flush from the extertion. “see,” lando whispered as if to tease you, “i knew you weren’t all that innocent, angel.”

© inevesgf do not copy, plagiarize, translate, or claim any of my works as your own. notes + reblogs are heavily appreciated! ⋆·˚ ༘ * find my other works here.

[hannieehaee]

ahh i dont know if this is weird but i was just curious abt how you think svt would react to their s/o using a safeword during sex???

18+ / mdi

their s/o using the safeword during sex

content: mentions of sex, assumed established relationship, mentions of using the safe word, mentions of reader getting hurt, etc.

wc: 873

a/n: thank u for requesting!! i made it kind of ambiguous as to why the safe word was used so u can just use ur imagination for that<3

masterlist

seungcheol -

freaking out internally at having hurt you but!! externally he'd immediately jump into comforting mode and do everything in his power to ensure your safety and comfort. he'd apologize endlessly for having delayed even on second in detecting your discomfort and would spend the rest of the night cooing and pouting at you as he babied you.

jeonghan -

for once in his life he'd be caught so off guard and enter a state of shock, stopping immediately and unsure of how to proceed. even though things didnt go too far and you hadnt gotten hurt or anything, he'd still feel sooo fucking bad. wouldnt be able to joke to lighten the mood either bc he'd just feel so bad to have hurt you in such an intimate setting. would coo at you and caress you the rest of the day.

joshua -

soooo worried and apologetic. the apologies would be endless as he held onto you and ran his hand up and down your back. sex would be the last thing on his mind as he made sure you felt safe and calm. would make sure he knew what made you use the safe word so he'd never do it again.

jun -

he'd go from 0 to 100 super quickly with his brain completely disregarding what you guys were doing just a few moments ago to make sure you were okay. would ask a million questions as he checked with you. if you pointed out his still massively hard dick, he'd grab a pillow and cover it, claiming it was 100% off his mind at the moment.

soonyoung -

super apologetic lol would just mutter apology after apology after apology and hold onto you so tightly whenever you gave him the green light. he would barely even allow you a word in at first bc of how many apologies he'd be blabbering. would thank you for letting him know before things got too far bc it wouldve absolutely broken him if he had actually harmed you in any way.

wonwoo -

he'd be slow at stopping, knowing that if he suddenly were to stop he might run the risk of hurting you or scare you off. he would continue to be slow in his movements as he pulled you closer and held you in his arms, always giving you time and space to create a distance or move however you pleased. he'd apologize if he hurt you and try to do anything you needed to make sure you were comfortable.

jihoon -

irrationally scared he might've hurt you beyond forgiveness at first. this was a first for him, so he'd feel beyond apologetic and like he had committed a capital crime at having hurt you, even if it was an accident. once you both caught your breaths he'd comfort you (and himself) as he held onto you and made sure you were okay, apologizing for whatever it was that caused you to use your safe word.

seokmin -

stops immediately and becomes extremely apologetic about it to the point where he almost cries. he'd NEVER want to let his lust go so overboard to the point of even giving you the slightest discomfort so this instance would stick to him. you'd have to come to him next time u wanna have sex bc he'd wanna give you space to decide if u wanted sex again on ur own.

mingyu -

jumps off you so quickly he knocks himself off the bed with a huge tud, making himself become the actually injured one. the tables would turn, making you have to take care of the bruise he gave himself but would be consistently interrupted by him wanting to tend to you in case he had somehow hurt you.

minghao -

he'd take it so seriously even if you told him it wasn't that big of a deal, that you just felt off for some reason. none of your rebuttals mattered when he entered a zone of utmost worry for you. he'd switch things up completely, telling you to lay down while he made you a warm drink and prepared a bath for the two of you.

seungkwan -

really loud lol. he'd get scared at the situation, having never been through it and not knowing what to do. he'd end up going overboard and overcompensating in trying to tend to you after having accidentally hurt you.

vernon -

another member who would be too shocked to react at first, simply pulling away from you and blanking on what to do. after a few moments of staring blankly, he'd finally move and ask if you needed anything, checking if you were okay or if you were hurt in any way. he'd feel kind of awkward but would still be sincere in his worry for your wellbeing.

chan -

jumps back immediately, eyes wide as he freezes in place. would take him a few moments to actually get close enough to you to check what was wrong and offer his comfort. would feel soooooo fucking bad. would also feel embarrassed that he had somehow hurt you or made you uncomfortable in any way. you'd somewhat have to comfort him to make him realize it was fine since he listened when you used your safe word.

[bigtreefest]

Details

Pairing: Ransom Drysdale x Reader

Summary: Ransom can’t help the way he pays such close attention to every detail regarding you

Word count: 1,081

Content/warnings: very sappy Ransom, no dialogue, ransom��s internal monologue?, references to intimacy, kisses, lots of timeline switching? (Flashbacks and returns to present)

A/N: Below is the song which inspired this fic. It’s been a longtime favorite and I think it definitely fits the summer vibes

I guess we can call this a part of my summer celebration! It’s a vacation at a beach house, and probs an equal partnership? Based off a song. Yeah, I make the rules.

Anyway, comments, likes, reblogs, and asks are so appreciated. Thank you for reading!!

Dividers by @firefly-graphics

Main Masterlist

Ransom didn’t really have a name for this feeling, despite his vast vocabulary. The main reason was that he had never really felt it before, so how could he be sure? It was definitely beyond the simplicity of the lust he had felt on several occasions. Was it admiration, adoration? Whatever it was, he was sure it went both ways from the crooked smile you gave him as you stretched in the dim morning light.

After a week of your getaway, it was the last morning the two of you were waking up in his family’s coastal home. He loved the way the rays coming through the curtains graced your face, especially today, as you laid tangled in the sheets of the king-sized bed.

The past week had been filled with relaxation and enjoyment each day. Beach picnics, sunbathing, swimming, and…other…enjoyable…things. Those were his favorite. He was desperate to get to that, but not desperate in the moment, where he was worshipping you and your body, and every little thing that he could commit to memory. He never wanted to forget this time; it was simple, with no deadlines, no responsibilities besides each other, although he’d never call you a chore. You were a pleasure. One he was sure he didn’t deserve.

Ransom watched closely as you sat up, the sunshine creating a crown around your head and hair. He couldn’t help but notice you. All he saw was you.

His entire life, Ransom had always noticed the details. That was his strength: little things no one else picked up on, and they were all around him, but honestly, when he was looking at you, he couldn’t tell you anything going on in the background: what he had planned for today, or what he’d done before you woke up the day before.

When you’d gone out to eat at that one restaurant, the one that he thought probably had an ocean view, he couldn’t remember, he wouldn’t be able to recall a single song that had played during dinner.

What he does remember, though, is everything about you that night. The way the sea salt in the air from the long day had added a little extra wave to your hair- tightened the coil, how your skin glowed from the golden hour sunset shining through the glass by the table, the way you got a little tongue-tied after you shared your third glass of wine, which the waiter so rudely interrupted your story to ask if you wanted. No one deserved to stop your beautiful voice from talking, not even Ransom, and especially not the weirdly kind young man pouring the bottle. What was the waiter so nice for, anyway? That quickly left Ransom’s mind, though, attention switching to something much more important. He was completely focused, just not on the usual, external things. There were different details his brain favored these days.

Ransom had visited the coastal home since he was young, playing with the neighbor’s kids while his parents were off doing who knows what. Now, he couldn’t care enough to retain the name of the guy who lives next door. That sort of information was trivial when there was someone else who he would’ve rather had take up every corner of his mind.

That night after dinner, he couldn’t keep his eyes off you in the car, stealing every glance he could without veering off the road. Hundred dollar bills could be falling from the sky and he wouldn’t even notice, which carries its weight when all that Ransom’s ever valued, all that’s ever been steady in his life, is money. That was until you and whatever feeling you were giving him for the first time. It was as if he finally hit the threshold of realization to what’s been creeping up on him this whole time.

Upon your return to the beach house, the two of you laid in bed, cuddled up close as the light from the TV playing late night talk shows danced across the bedroom. You were tucked up into his side, your head on his shoulder as one hand crossed his body and rested on his hip, his one arm doing the same to you as the other tangled in your hair, gently massaging your scalp. He watched as your eyelids fluttered shut, heavy with tiredness of the day and comfort in his hold. Another moment to be savored: your absolute trust in the security of his arms. He smiled to himself as you mumbled in your sleep, studying every little quirk of your lips, every barely intelligible word he could catch, not judging, but committing to memory.

In another life, Ransom would’ve tried to deny that you were any more than just another girl, but there was no use. He was too far gone. Finding ways to surprise you, shower you in gifts, and all the quality time you asked for. Whatever you could desire, really, it was yours, and he had no business withholding from you. His heart wouldn’t allow him.

Ransom was in tune with everything you were doing right now. He pushed aside the thoughts of the week’s earlier memories with you for a second, and cleared everything else nonessential from his mind. He only needed space for what was going on currently. He observed as you scooted closer to him, pushing aside the pillows that were often just so as you slept. Absorbed the way your head tilted to the side at that certain angle when you were leaning in, just about to kiss him. He surely didn’t want to miss it as he closed his eyes and let you fall into him, tongues dancing in an amatory rhythm. So in sync, so naturally that he didn’t care about anything else. Every detail was something he wanted to devote his attention to; memorize and hold onto forever.

Yeah, he should probably get up and make you your coffee. How he loved to see you stir it, just the simplest task, but this felt more pressing. The warmth in his chest from your touch, the way your kisses filled his lungs with light, with life. How your fingertips traced up and down his chest, tucking into the waistband of his boxer briefs. He shuddered at the sensation, at what even your gentlest touch could do to him. Breakfast could wait. You offered enough to feed his soul forever. This feeling? The new wholeness? It was love.

Bonus A/N: Soft!Ran. I only know him. Could you imagine a nice little rainy day in bed, looking out the window at the coast?🥺

Taglist: @hawkeyes-queen @ronearoundblindly

[winged-void]

can you show the world The Mage and its Maid

Memoirs of The Mad Mage

Society, our society, is, broadly speaking, (and so agreed upon by many experts) the outgrowth of systems which never needed interact. Magic and flesh, biology and intellect that was a gift we can never return. You are familiar with these effects if not their causes, but those things are of no concern here. 

This is to say. 

You would expect such a system of systems, to produce aberrant results. The gods did not predict this nor could they plan it. Outgrowth. Externality of their need for worshippers. 

The priorities of such a system would not bias towards aberrance. Shun it. Remove it. 

But is aberrance not progress? Nothing (by definition!) can move forward without change, and what is aberrance but unexpected change. 

A wise reader might have gathered that this expert speaks of the existence of the monstrous. The strange that lurks outside of our little societies and yet seems so much more powerful than it. Is something like leviathan, or a dragon, not much more powerful than any given person? Could it not level our towns? 

Such things lack a fabric binding them. Kill ten thousand people and you'll find only more wanting your head. That power is much more. Is that not the selfsame source of the power our little intelligences were created by the gods to provide them? That togetherness, that binding agent? 

It seems then, that our society would be safe. 

Unless. There were some part of it. Some bright burning star. Some loose stitch in the fabric. That would give that gift to the monstrous, knowing it as its own. 

And I-

tick tick tick tick 

The Mage's pen stilled. 

tickticktickticktick

The pen dropped from its burn-scarred hand. 

ticktick tick   tick ticktick

It looked up. 

Across from the desk at which she wrote, there was a creature of her own creation, one she called the only name she had for a thing such as it: maid. 

An animate suit of armor, wearing a simple black robe, with a white smock thrown over it. To the untrained eye it would seem the armor had an ornate texture across it. And while that is technically true, the more expert viewer would see that texture for what it is: countless runes, all engraved by the steady hand of only the most determined mage. 

When it moved, one could hear a mild sloshing, like it was full of a liquid, which, despite many gaps in the armor, never leaked. 

Right now though, all the Mage could hear was ticking. Uneven, unsteady, disorganized ticking. 

“Cease. Cease cease cease you insipid horrid wretched disgusting thing.”

The faceplate on the armor superheated, melting into the vague impression of a smile. 

The Maid replied, “Oh, my lady, my dearest and most wonderful lady. Please understand. It produces such a rhythmic noise because it has observed, and documented, an uptick in your writing efficiency when such noises are produced.”

It tilted its head to punctuate the statement. 

The Mage stood, and leaned over the table, matted hair draping itself over the ink and paper, and spoke. 

“No. NO. I know you can produce rhythm and that was not it. It was inconsistent. You know it to be inconsistent.”

The Maid tilted its head yet more. 

“Oh my lady, it apologizes so terribly. Your inquisitive spirit was instilled in its being.

“As such, it sought to conduct an experiment of sorts. It wished to see which rhythm would best benefit you. So it switched between them.”

Silence. 

The Mage began to laugh. 

Scrambling over the desk, it grabbed the Maid's arm and began to shake it. 

“How wonderful. How creative. How beautiful. You spite me despite all precautions put in place. I simply must see more. I must.”

She thought for a moment, and looked, not at the faceplate, but instead to where it knew the organism to be. 

“I will. Thank you.”

The Mage fell back into its seat, and began to write much more frantically than before, stopping only to look back up at its creation another time. 

“I will.”

[tsintotwo]

Comic-con Tom is back!

Quick recap: Tom showed up in a fit we've seen before cuz that's just who he is (and I respect that). Host was giving kind of a weird energy ('she's asking if you'd like to be punished'???), but okay, no harm done and we don't have to shit on random dudes.

He got asked some of the same questions from earlier cons and some new ones. In summary: Sandman s2 is halfway through filming, the helmet is real and you can see through the eyes, eternal waking is a worse punishment than eternal sleeping, he loved doing Sea Wall, he likes dark Belgian chocolate, he got into acting through Punk Rock, his main inspiration in portraying Dream was the the novels (rather than something external to them), a fav scene to act was the dinner table scene with all siblings in upcoming s2, he'd like to be Destiny so he can live alone in a garden and read, main characteristic of s1 Dream was Dream finding his connection to humanity, fav line is I Am Hope, he's excited to watch Dead Boy Detectives, embodying Dream had its challenges, little to no CGI was used in creating the other versions of Morpheus (iykyk), he tried meeting Morpheus in his dreams, working with Neil was wonderful, he wants to work with great creators (people 'cleverer than him' as he always puts it), he's done a lot of dark roles and if it's happening this many times, he guesses there must be a kinship between those and his personal self (mmhmmm?), for filming he wakes up/starts for the studio around 4 a.m. and starts giving shots around 9 a.m.- time between that is hair+makeup and getting into character, and last and definitely the least, he got asked to do the Dream voice yet AGAIN (please don't do this, people).

It was really, really good to see him. Watch the full video at Klara Himmel's channel.

[youremyheaven]

Rahu & Ketu: The Mystery of Being

TW: abuse, rape, murder, abduction, childhood trauma, violence

The more I study Nodal energy, the more I realise how truly hard it is to remain within its influence, it escapes your grip or eludes you so easily and I think even Nodal natives feel this way, its really hard to have a stable/consistent self image or strong identity because with Rahu you are sooo many different things and your energy is dispersed completely (Rahu being the "head") and with Ketu, you're in the dark completely so you feel unable to identify with anything permanently i.e you outgrow things quickly (Ketu being the "body"). Both Rahu & Ketu are malefics and generally considered to be inauspicious but please don't be discouraged!!

The reason why they're considered inauspicious is because Rahu creates excessive immersion in the material realm as these natives are always looking out of themselves/seeking external things to centre themselves around. Since they're stuck in the head (literally) they're unable to be grounded or tethered. This causes overindulgence and gluttony. They might seem greedy on the outside but truly this is driven by their boundary-less nature where they literally do not know when to stop, nothing feels "enough" for them, they never feel "full". Since they're so vastly spacious internally, they can accommodate a lot, this makes them very tolerant and accepting of virtually every one and every kind of experience. But this internal spaciousness also means that they feel empty, just because its hard to "fill up" all that space and feel "fulfilled". This causes them to overexert themselves and go above & beyond. They do this just because they can. This is why they're such obsessive lovers. They have so much space, so much to hold, they need a great deal of stimulation just to feel normal. In social settings they may come across as very hyper, very loud, very extra, always doing the most, eager to please everyone (its similar but different to Jupiter energy). This over-attachment to the physical or sensorial realm means that its hard for them to transcend beyond it to attain true spiritual liberation. They can never fully let go because its very scary to be cut off that way. Its like floating in space, nothing to hold on to, no gravity, nothing to fall on, you can't stay still, its all very disorienting.

The reason Ketu is considered inauspicious is because it causes extreme detachment from everything. These natives don't have a strong sense of self, they feel themselves dissolve almost and they're always wandering in search of something to connect to. This complete lack of attachment to anything material or concrete means that these natives lack grounding. In order to care about something you have to be firmly rooted in reality and Ketuvians struggle with this because they're never fully here. They may intellectually understand or support social causes but its a torso without a head, which means they dont have the energy to be committed to sustaining interest in anything. They're the type of people who go through a lot of different "phases". One can only transcend if one is connected to life in the first place, these natives aren't. It DOES make spiritual understanding easier and Ketu is considered one of the most spiritual planets but it is difficult to be rooted or grounded in this or be disciplined about it because like I said Ketu is detached. They inherently understand certain spiritual truths but its very rare (unless other positive placements are present) for these natives to fully immerse themselves in spiritual pursuits.

(table by me😎hehe)

Its very interesting to me that none of the Nodal naks have the purushartha ("motivation") of Moksha (liberation). All 6 naks are evenly split between Artha, Kama & Dharma.

This again points to how even though Nodal influence helps one grasp spiritual concepts better and naturally embody certain spiritual truths, these natives are not motivated by it.

But often what happens is that these natives are unable to enjoy or benefit from their successes. Their lives are full of ups and downs. The shadowy nature of the planets and the fact that the lack of physical existence of these planets creates a very "boundary less" energy that makes them susceptible to every kind of influence, good and bad.

Pierce Brosnan- Ardra Moon

Pierce Brosnan’s hardships pretty much started at the very beginning. Born into a poor family in rural Ireland, he was swiftly abandoned by his father, who he would only go on to meet once. His mother was forced to send him to live with his grandparents while she worked as a nurse in England, then his aunt and uncle, and then onto a boarding house. His mother visited twice a year until he could move to England at age 11, at which point he became the focus of school bullies.

In 1980, Brosnan married Cassandra Harris and adopted the 3 children of her late-husband, adding one more to the mix for good measure. But in 1991, Cassandra died in his arms after a 4 year battle with ovarian cancer, which would later go on to take the life of their 41 year old daughter Charlotte in 2013. By then, he had become estranged from his son Chris, who had a major drug problem resulting in fights, thefts, and 2 drunk-driving crashes in 2 years. The crashes may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back, as Brosnan had already narrowly avoided losing his son Sean at 13, after Sean’s cousin drunkenly drove off a 200-foot cliff. In 2015, the $18-million Malibu home he lived in caught fire and sustained $1 million in damages.

Kelsey Grammar, Shatabhisha Sun, Mars in Ashwini, Ketu in Ardra

Kelsey Grammer’s troubles started early in life, with his parents splitting up when he was just two years old. His mother’s parents took them in, and helped raise Kelsey until he was 12, when his grandfather died of cancer. The following year, his father was murdered by a home intruder who had started a fire, all in front of his new family.

Then in 1975, Grammer’s 18 year old sister Karen was abducted, raped, and murdered by four men who left her for dead. Sadly, Karen had enough strength to make it to a nearby house, where bloody handprints revealed she was attempting to ring the door. The house was empty. Kelsey identified his sister’s body one week later. 2 years later, both of his half-brothers died in a scuba diving accident.

Shockingly, Grammer has appeared at the parole hearings of the last remaining member of the gang who killed his sister. In 2014, he spoke directly to the killer at the hearing, stating “You could not have come to a better person in the world than me to advocate for someone who has made some bad choices. I accept your apology. I forgive you. However, I cannot give your release my endorsement. To give that a blessing would be a betrayal of my sister’s life.

Nicki Minaj- Mula Stellium (Mercury, Venus & Ketu)

Throughout her childhood, Minaj had to contend with her abusive, drug-addicted father, who would regularly beat her mother, punch holes in the walls, get arrested, and sell their possessions for drug money. At one point, he attempted to kill her mother by lighting the house on fire. Despite all this, the pair are still together, and Dad apparently isn’t too happy when she tells that story. To this, she says “It’s the price you pay when you abuse drugs and alcohol. Maybe one day your daughter will be famous and talk to every magazine about it, so think about that, dads out there who want to be crazy.” Nicki is currently married to a paedophile and convicted rapist so there's that as well.

Terrence Howard, Mula Moon, Ashwini Venus conjunct Saturn

Terrence Howard suffered physical abuse not only at the hands of his father, but his mother as well. When he was two, he witnessed his father stab a man to death, for which he was convicted of manslaughter. His mother raised him until his father was released, at which point they divorced, and he was sent to live with his grandparents. At age 16, Howard had himself legally emancipated, moved to New York, and lived off welfare while he tried to make it as an actor. While that was undoubtedly one of the hardest decisions he will ever make, it seems it was the right one.

Jennifer Hudson, Shatabhisha Moon

In 2008, Jennifer Hudson's mother, Darnell Donnerson (57) and her brother, Jason (29) were shot to death by her estranged brother-in-law, William Balfour. Hudson's nephew, Julian (7), was reported missing, but found three days later dead of multiple gunshot wounds.

Roy Orbison, Ashwini Sun, Jupiter in Mula & Ketu in Ardra

In 1966, Roy Orbison's wife, Claudette Frady, was killed when the couple were riding motorcycles. She was hit by a semi truck and killed instantly. Just two years later, Orbison's house burned down, killing two of his three sons. In 1973, his older brother, Grady, was killed in an auto accident while traveling to spend thanksgiving with Orbison.

Shania Twain, Magha Sun, Mars in Swati She was born into poverty with five siblings in rural Canada. Throughout her childhood, she endured and witnessed abuse to her mother from her stepfather, who lived with the family. Aside from the abuse, her family often didn't have money to have food for lunch or shoes for the winter. Even more tragic, her parents were killed in a car accident when she was 22 years old, and Twain began singing gigs to provide for her siblings. She told Oprah Winfrey in a sit-down interview, "Coming from where I came from, it was unimaginable to ever be wealthy. That was just too far out of my reach." She then went on to become one of the best selling female pop and country artists of all time.

Ashley Judd, Ashwini Sun & Mercury, Magha Jupiter & Ascendant

This actress comes from a famous family, with both her mother and half-sister being country music artists. Judd’s parents divorced when she was four, and she moved all around the southern United States while her mother sought success, attending over a dozen schools. Judd is the survivor of three sexual assaults, and one of these awful instances resulted in an unwanted pregnancy, which Judd terminated. The harmful treatment didn’t stop there. Judd alleges that she was also sexually harassed by Harvey Weinstein, whom she later sued.

Christina Aguilera, Mula Sun

Christina’s father Fausto worked for the US Army, meaning that the family moved around a lot, even going as far as Japan. On top of this lack of stability, her father emotionally and physically abused her. Her parents divorced when Aguilera was six, and she subsequently became estranged from her father. Aguilera used music to escape her turbulent home life, and her talent was obvious from a young age. This talent took her far, and she is now one of the highest-selling artists in the history of music.

Reza Pahlavi and his wife, Princess Soraya, Ardra Stellium (sun, mercury & venus)

Soraya was his favourite wife and supposedly his "true love", but since she was infertile and he had no sons from his other marriage, he had to divorce her to marry another woman, Farah Pahlavi, Ardra Moon, Magha Rising (who did end up giving him 2 sons out of 4 children). Soraya lived in Paris following their divorce and did fall in love again but she did not live a very happy life (her partner died in a plane crash). Farah Pahlavi's reign as Queen was cut short by the Iranian revolution following which both Reza & Farah were exiled from their own country, they lived in many places, Reza passed away 2 years into exile and Farah has since lived in obscurity in the United States. 2 out of her 4 children committed suicide and it is widely assumed that the family has gone broke.

Tragedy can happen to anyone and no nakshatra or planet will protect or prevent it but Rahu influence creates sudden gains and losses. What is quickly gained is also quickly lost. This is why Rahu is deeply connected to entertainment because not only is the entertainment industry entirely illusory, it also does not guarantee anything. You're a glorified freelancer basically. If you're not wise, you can lose everything in minutes. There is so much temptation all around you, you're surrounded by so many false promises and its very easy to lose yourself in all of it. We often see celebrities and idolize their easy lives but very very very few get to be stars their whole lives and live lives of convenience and comfort. For 90& of people its a very scary, tragic, difficult experience of immense highs and lows.

Nodal success feels dissatisfactory because Nodal people are unable to ground themselves in anything solid (unless other aspects that can do this are present) its very very easy for them to lose themselves in Maya or to be so completely detached that they do the necessary "maintenance" work that it takes to be a fully involved human being in anything.

Many say that the reason Farah Pahlavi's life was so tragic was because she took Princess Soraya's rightful place and Soraya's sadness had "cursed" Reza & Farah's marriage. that's stuff of urban myth but don't you think its interesting that a woman who wasn't of noble birth, rose to the ranks of Queen at the age of 21, lived a life of luxury very few can even conceive of and produced 2 male heirs!! which is all that the King wanted🙄🙄but ultimately none of it mattered? Reza having an "heir" made no difference because the Iranian Revolution overthrew the monarchy, they had to leave their palace, their luxuries, their maids and servants and every kind of comfort behind to live like nobodies in exile. They watched their treasury grow smaller and smaller year after year and obviously, no one was used to "working" so nobody got a job to take care of themselves or the others (I mean Farah and her 4 kids btw). They can never go back to their homeland or regain what was once lost. They're in a position that very few (other exiled royals) can relate to. They are socially and culturally isolated. All of these are Nodal themes.

Another Princess with nodal placements and a similarly tragic life is Princess Diana, Ardra Sun & Mercury with Moon conjunct Ketu

There are many royals who've lived more moderate lives or less tragic lives. Having it all and losing it all is a very Nodal theme.

It reminds me of SUGA's Interlude by Halsey (Swati stellium) where she sings:

I been trying all my life To separate the time In between the having it all And giving it up, yeah (Hey) I wonder what's in store If I don't love it anymore (Hey) Step between the having it all And giving it up, yeah (Hey)

Success is a very illusory experience for these natives. Its like trying to build sandcastles on the shore. I am by no means suggesting that Nodal people can't be successful, just that if they depend on "success" to give their life meaning, they're setting themselves up for failure. You ruin anything you singlehandedly obsess over, its important to know when to stop, when to withdraw.

These natives tend to go to extremes just to feel something

Zayn Malik- Shatabhisha Rising and Gigi Hadid- Ashwini Sun & Rising

idk anything about their sex life together but if we're to go by the songs then its 👀 giving bdsm

After that horrendous Revati video that Claire did years ago (and has deleted since I think) people associate BDSM, sexual deviancy and all around freakish behaviour with Revatis but you know who is actually crazy in bed? Nodal people

pornography impacts the brain much like an addictive drug by triggering ever-increasing amounts of dopamine. Over time, the brain builds up a tolerance to the excess dopamine and requires either more access or more extreme content (or sometimes both) to achieve that same level of perceived pleasure. In short, when viewing pornography, your brain gets less pleasure while wanting more, often causing desensitization and an escalation in behavior.

Kanye West, Venus & Mars in Ashwini

Kanye West's first encounter with sexual desire came during early childhood, fueling a dependency on sex that would set in during adulthood. “My dad had a Playboy left out at age 5 and it’s affected almost every choice I made for the rest of my life," West told Elle in 2019. "From age 5 till now, having to kick the habit and it just presents itself in the open like it's OK and I stand up and say, ‘No, it's not OK.’” The singer also credited his faith in God with helping him overcome his struggles. James Franco, Ashwini Sun

Actor James Franco developed an addiction to sex while he was recovering from an addiction to alcohol. On The Jess Cagle Podcast, he admitted to sleeping with students who were attending an acting school he previously ran. “It’s such a powerful drug,” he said. “I got hooked on it for 20 more years. The insidious part of that is that I stayed sober from alcohol all that time.” Since 2016, Franco has been in recovery from sex addiction and continues to work towards a healthy lifestyle.

Billie Eilish, Mula Stellium (Sun, mercury & ketu)

Billie Eilish went through her own struggles with pornography addiction after viewing her first pornographic video at only 11 years old. In an interview on The Howard Stern Show, the "Bad Guy" singer said she used to watch porn to feel like "one of the guys," but has since distanced herself from it entirely. "I think it really destroyed my brain and I feel incredibly devastated that I was exposed to so much porn,"

Charlie Sheen, Mula Moon

he is a pretty well known sex addict and sexual assaulter :/

Michael Douglas, Mula Moon

He's been candid about his struggles with alcohol and sex addiction. Michael even went so far as to say that his throat cancer was caused by performing oral sex on so many women.

Every good thing can be "bad" if its used as a coping mechanism and this includes sex.

Ketuvians are like black holes that absorb all the light, they have to suck everything in. They absorb easily but they don't feel rooted in anything beyond a short period of time. many say that Nodal natives have no moral compass or that they're thrill chasers or that they're not "good people" but honestly Nodal energies are just really hard to master. some people turn it into art, or work or something else where they can channel their obsessive energies fully without holding back. compartmentalizing things is hard for these natives so its important to have areas where you can go all out whilst exercising some modicum of boundary or balance in others.

Maladaptive daydreaming is another big struggle for Nodal people. they're also prone to nihilism and cynicism because they can't enjoy life in the same way as they need a lot of stimulation (they're desensitized to ordinary levels of stimulation of any kind). This means they struggle to find meaning in life. Apathy is their natural state of being. Its just hard to care because in order to care you have to be firmly rooted which Nodal people are not.

This is a quote by Werner Herzog, Ardra Moon who is a filmmaker known for his nihilism and scepticism.

Dos Passos did not have any major placements in any Nodal naks save for his Mars in Mula and Rahu in Shatabhisha but I thought his quote by him really explained things

The real danger of Nodal influence is the indifference and apathy that its natives experience. But Nodal influence is such that you have no place in reality, you exist in the shadows, you live behind the curtain, when your whole life is one long tunnel its hard to "care" or be immersed enough to fully take in their feelings. Nodal natives experience emotional impermanence which means that if you do not actively see proof of or feel a particular emotion, you believe it does not exist. they have to consistently see "proof" of your love for them to believe you. they seldom believe that the feelings others have for them are "real". they think they are the only constant in their life.

its hard for these natives to be passive and consume something without interacting with it. Moon dominants thrive in passivity whereas Rahuvians need to become one with that thing to truly experience it. Ketu also craves this sort of complete union but its different since Ketu pulls you into themselves whereas Rahu wants to pull themselves into you.

Nodal influence creates natives with a very nebulous self-perception and identity. They do not know who they are, they are a mystery even to themselves. Do you ever talk to a guy and think that he has no personality because its hard for him to list favourites or describe what he likes or dislikes etc? He probably has Ketuvian influence. Ketu people try on new aesthetics/personalities like its a makeover game, for a couple of months they'll have a hippie phase, now they're emo, later they're into retro glam or whatever. they like to try on different personas to see which one they like the best, i know this sounds kind of creepy?? but its truly because Ketu natives lack identity and rely on external things to give them a sense of self. This is why they're very uninvolved in the lives of others. They cannot give themselves too much because they dont know enough about themselves to "give" to others.

In vedic mythology, at the beginning of time when the devas and asuras churned the ocean of milk to extract from it the amrita (the elixir of immortality) Mohini, the female avatar of Vishnu, started distributing amrita to the devas. However, one of the asuras, Svarbhanu, sat in the row of devas and drank the amrita. Surya and Chandra noticed him and they informed Mohini; however, by that time, Svarbhanu had already become immortal. Vishnu, as Mohini, cut off Svarbhanu's head with his discus. Svarbhanu, henceforth referred to as Rahu and Ketu, could not die, but his head was separated from his body; his head came to be known as Rahu, while his body came to be known as Ketu. 

Pertaining to this origin story, I have noticed how people with Nodal influence seldom benefit from "nourishing energy". This could mean they were neglected as children, lacked a good family environment, were abused or taken advantage of by others in their life (all of this is also subject to other placements in ones chart). Svarbhanu was a demon who temporarily became immortal because of a mistake. Like I mentioned with fame and success before, these natives struggle to "maintain" what they achieve, especially because their early lives were marked with deprivation of some sort. This could also mean absent parent figures. But there is a sense of "you shouldn't have been where you were".

Rahu energy manifests often as a very manic hyperactive energy

Ranveer Singh is the best example I could think of. He is known in the media for being an eccentric, hyperactive, loud cokehead lmao

He has Ardra Sun, Shatabhisha Moon

Ketu energy is more detached, more reserved, still weird and chaotic but overall less "hyper"

This interview with Lady Gaga is a good example, usually the people being interviewed are walking or moving around and trying to pretend its not scripted but she just sat there for the whole thing lol

Gaga has both Rahu & Ketu influence

She has Rahu in Ashwini in 1h as well as Swati Moon conjunct Ketu

i know i said last time ill make a post about the positive manifestations of nodal influence but its gonna have to wait a little longer 😬😬these are just some things i observed and i thought i should share them. hope this was informative.

[waiting-eyez]

I don’t really think I have the personality. I am not very external. I don’t want to dance on the table and do impressions. So I think that the way I approach it is really loving story. That’s my first love – the words. The words and the story and how to create images. I guess I come at that as a director. I think that’s much more in my personality to be a director, so that’s kind of informed my acting.

(Jodie Foster)

[thatchickwiththecamera]

What Do You Want From Me?

Synopsis: The European leg of the Concrete Forever tour marks one year since Tyler Garrett joined the Bad Omens media team. A lot can change over the course of a year. New experiences, new friendships, and new discoveries emerge.

Pairing: Noah Sebastian x OC

Cross-posted on AO3 (thatchickwiththecamera)

MASTERLIST

Based on an idea I got from seeing this video.

Tag List: @sundamariis, @fastjelly-fish, @lilylovesdew, @narcissisticbehavior81

Tonight was night five of the European leg of the 2024 Concrete Forever tour and the end of January had marked one year since I had first joined the Bad Omens media crew. With the band's increase in popularity Bryan, the band's photographer and media director, decided it was time to expand the team going into Shiprocked so he could focus more carefully on planning and curating the media content produced and published for the band. 

So Bryan reached out to a friend in the music industry and asked if they knew of any photographers/videographers with a solid portfolio who were looking for a more permanent media production gig. That friend connected him to me and as they say, the rest is history. 

“Tyler! Did you finish up the edits for tonight's social post?” Bryan’s voice carried from the front of the crew bus to the back lounge where I sat backing up files to my external harddrive. 

“Yeah! They’re already in the dropbox!” I responded before ejecting my drive from my macbook and throwing them both back onto my bunk. 

I clipped my crew credentials with “CONCRETE FOREVER TOUR” and “TYLER GARRETT - MEDIA CREW” printed across the top and bottom through the belt loop of my jeans and slipped on my crew sweatshirt before walking toward the front of the bus. Bryan and Alana were standing over the main table and counter area double checking the batteries and the assortment of cameras we would be mounting in various parts of the stage for tonight's show along with our individual gear that would be on our person and laid out backstage for us to use throughout the show. 

The air once we stepped into the venue was buzzing with energy. I don’t know what it was about this leg of the tour, but it was like a switch was flipped. Ever since the first date in January opening for Bring Me The Horizon back in Cardiff there was this high that enveloped the entire group and it looked like no one would be coming down anytime soon. 

This energy was especially present in the band's lead singer, Noah. The usually stoic and serious persona he portrayed on stage was now replaced with one that roamed around the various levels of the stage doing jumping jacks, pushups, dances, and little vocal trills. 

After the first two shows, his antics even caused Poppy, our opener for this part of the tour, to completely abandon portraying her A.I. character like was originally planned for their performances of V.A.N.  Instead, she joined in Noah’s antics and even introduced the world to this little handshake that they had originally created during rehearsals leading up to the tour. 

Life in between gigs had been lively as well since the start of the new year. After each show when everything was packed up and the load outs were completed, the band and crew for both Bad Omens and BMTH would venture to one of the local pubs and celebrate with a few beers and carbonated beverages before loading up on the buses and venturing off to the next city. 

Until joining the Bad Omens crew, I would usually keep to myself in between shows while touring - choosing to prioritize edits, catalog files, and update my individual socials when not trying to finish a book on my Kindle or finish a show on a random streaming service. 

The first few months of touring after Shiprocked changed all of that and a few of the crew and band made it their mission to pull me out of the confines of my comfort zone and my regular routine. Over the course of the past year, Bryan has pushed me to learn and develop my photo and video skills far past where I ever thought they would go. Matt started teaching me front of the house controls, he now hounds me with daily racoon memes, and I in turn buy him random Dr. Pepper merch. Steven taught me all about the finer side of wristwatches, NBA basketball, and the intricacies of running merch. Alana quickly became one of my best friends and has balanced her assistant tour manager duties well alongside keeping me sane as the only other female member of the media team and crew. 

Folio decided that I absolutely had to learn how to fish when one of our venues had a lake nearby, even making me kiss the smallmouth bass that I caught before he threw it back in citing that it was tradition with your first fish. He also dared me to smoke my first joint, which caused me to hack up a lung because I somehow inhaled wrong. Nicholas helped me design a few tattoo ideas before inking my forearm and starting what will eventually become a full sleeve up my right arm. Jolly taught me a bunch of guitar riffs and how to cuss in Swedish (which I do entirely too often now), and Noah surprised me with the hidden talent of being a pool shark and we ended up becoming quick friends to the point where he is now my partner in crime hustling people out of their money when the crew goes out to bars. I also learned that while he hates it when people try to scare and prank him, he loves to scare and prank others. 

Which is why, as expected, throughout three out of the first four shows of the European leg, Noah made it his mission to try and scare me at least once per show mainly during the song transitions when I would try to quickly get from one side of the stage to the next during the blackouts. In Berlin, it was during the transition after “Nowhere to Go” when I was coming down from the second level of the stage after retrieving the camera that was filming Folio play. Luckily I had handed the camera and its tripod down to Alana behind the platform before descending the steps in time for Noah to jump out at the bottom already wearing his ski mask for V.A.N. 

I jumped, skipping a step on the way down, and felt a set of arms grab me and hold me back up before I could fall too far forward. I remember yelling ‘fucking hell’ in swedish and looking up to see Noah with a shit eating grin peaking through the mask and hearing Jolly laugh at my use of the words. I grabbed his mask and yanked on it so it was crooked on his face before I ran behind the platform to the other side of the stage where I had left my camera gear. I heard him let out a laugh and a few cuss words of his own as he struggled to fix the mask and climb the steps up to his spot on the platform before Poppy started singing. 

Night one in Cologne, I was mainly in the photo pit for the majority of the show, while Bryan and Alana were the ones roaming the stage. I kept a gear bag tucked behind one of the few big boxes we had on either side of the stage. In it, I had my spare batteries, my water bottle, and the 360 camera on an extension pole. The plan for this show was to focus on crowd shots and footage along with regular low-angle stage shots. While I got amazing shots of the guys performing and some hilarious shots of a fan crowd surfing in an inflatable shark suit. Noah lost any possible opportunity offered for pranking during the show. 

On night two in Cologne, he made up for the missed opportunity. During the transition between “Artifical Suicide” and “Like A Villan,” I quickly ran to the media team roadcase set up behind the guitar stage case and tech area to get a quick drink of water and change out a lens. As I was kneeling down in front of the case and had just finished switching the lenses, I felt a pair of hands grab my shoulders. Luckily all the equipment was out of my hands because the sudden motion made me jump and fall back on my heels, causing me to bump into something, well someone, behind me. I let out a string of curse words, this time in English, and tilted my head back to see Noah, now without his mask, trying to hold back a laugh as he smiled down at me. I let out an annoyed sign and rolled my eyes. He gave my shoulder a squeeze before disappearing back out onto the stage right as the song began. 

In Munich, he chose the “Miracle” break as his time to strike. Only this time he stepped up his game. While I was switching out gear and changing my settings from photo to video, I set everything on a storage case under the second level platform and stood up to stretch a bit since this break was the more lengthy of the two. After I finished trying rid my shoulders of the tension that had built up from holding a camera in front of my face for a hour, I felt an arm wrap across the front of my collarbones and pulled me back into them while the person's other hand took one of the band's athletic water bottles and sprayed it down the rear collar of my crew hoodie. I squirmed and let out a loud gasp as the shock of the icey cold water briefly hit the back of my neck before I managed to wriggle away. I turned and as expected was greeted by a sweaty Noah smiling down at me trying to hold back laughter. 

“You little shit!” I shouted before quickly grabbing the water bottle from his hand and pointed it at him spraying him with the same icy cold water. 

He started swatting at the spray, laughing as his long thin fingers did nothing to block the liquid. He reached out and grabbed my wrist and I quickly tried to switch the bottle to my other hand but he was too quick, capturing that wrist as well before I could aim the bottle at his face again. I laughed and tried to pull away but he pulled me toward him and pinned my wrists against his chest trying to render the “weapon” he introduced inoperable. 

The laughter between us suddenly died off. The height difference between my 5’1” and his 6’3'' became very clear and his chin practically touched his chest as he gazed down at me. We stood there for what felt like an eternity, brown eyes connected with blue. He loosened his grip on my wrists slightly but neither of us made any attempt to move.  

The arena suddenly felt very warm and I don’t think I could blame it on the array pyrotechnics used during the show. I don’t know what to call this sudden shift in the air between us, but all I know is it caused something to flutter in my stomach and that scared the hell out of me. So I did the first thing I could think of, I diffused an intense moment with humor. I squeezed the water bottle that was still in my hand and the last remnants of water from the bottle hit Noah’s chin and neck. The shock of the cold liquid caused him to step back and release my wrists. I immediately missed the contact, but I needed to get away from this situation. 

“Shit that really is cold!” He laughed, turning to grab one of the black towels we had on hand backstage and started to dry off the water. 

When he turned to offer me the towel I had already retrieved my camera and fled to the other side of the stage wondering what the fuck had just happened. 

During the day off between Munich and Zurich, I kept myself busy editing, organizing, and uploading photo content to the media team drive and to my own socials. I had gained a considerable amount of followers since joining the Bad Omens team and while I enjoyed seeing the reaction and appreciation the guys' fans had when I posted new content, I was also starting to see some of the reasons why the guys like to take social media breaks as often as they do. 

Editing was one of my favorite parts of being a photographer and with us starting this European leg off with four back-to-back shows, I hadn’t had time to pause and really work my magic. So that is what I designated as my mission for this day off. I also may have used it as an excuse to avoid leaving the crew bus and chance any more contact with Noah. I was still trying to figure out if that flutter in my stomach was real or if it was just part of the adrenaline from a high energy concert and my body being attacked with ice cold water. 

Tonight, we were in Zurich and I was running around the stage at various times throughout the set while Bryan was down in the photo pit trying out some new ideas he had photos wise and finally having his turn with the 360 camera during a show.

During “What do you want from me?” I was standing in the wings to stage left filming Noah when he suddenly walked over to me in the middle of the second verse, grabbed my left wrist from where it held the side of my camera and pulled me out onto the stage. I keep filming as he releases my wrist and quickly slips his hand in mine while he continues to walk backward onto the stage. Once we were in the middle of the stage he started to spin in a circle with our connected hands extended in the middle. We spun around a few times before he started to jump while we were spinning causing his hair to bounce up and down on his head which I shakily captured on camera. The randomness of it all led to fits of laughter and caused Noah to mess up the last two lines of the verse. 

As the verse came to an end I expected him to let go and yell, “JUMP JUMP” like he usually does during the brief blackout. Instead, as the light goes out, I am yanked forward and feel a hand and the cool metal of a microphone against the side of my face, and a set of lips briefly collide with mine. I barely had time to process what happened before it ended, the lips were gone, the lights came back up, and Noah jumped onto the riser at the front of the stage to sing the rest of the song. I still held my camera up and panned to follow him trying to hide any reaction my face might show behind a veil of concentration. 

For the remainder of the show, I tried to avoid making any and all eye contact with Noah, who in turn tried his damndest to get me to look at him and gauge my reaction to what he did. He did it in a way that wasn’t too noticeable to the crowd by acting like he's playing up to the camera. My brain tried to process what had happened and what the hell it possibly meant over the course of the remaining ten songs in the set. 

Noah kissed me. 

On stage. 

In the middle of a show. 

Did one of the guys see? 

Oh Shit! Did anyone in the audience see?

The usual jump scare from the previous shows never came and my self-sabotaging brain was trying to solve the question of what everything meant. Kissing me to see my reaction instead of scaring me like usual? Was this real or was it just another prank?

__

Author’s Note: Let me know what y’all think!

[reality-detective]

Reports are flooding in from across the country of a massive deployment of National Guard Troops over the past 24 hours. From coast to coast, major cities are seeing an unusual presence of armed military personnel patrolling streets, government buildings, and critical infrastructure. The sudden influx of these troops has ignited a frenzy of speculation: Is Martial Law on the horizon?

· Residents from New York to Los Angeles, Houston to Chicago, are on edge as these highly visible deployments raise red flags. There’s no clear reason for this surge—no major disaster, no widespread protests, no external threats. Yet, the troops are here. Why now? The coordination, the scale, and the timing suggest something bigger is brewing. Something they don’t want us to know about.

· MARTIAL LAW RUMORS EXPLODE ACROSS SOCIAL MEDIA! As more footage of troops floods social media, two words are on everyone’s lips: Martial Law. This isn’t just a paranoid fantasy. Martial law means the suspension of our rights, where the military takes control of civilian life. Curfews, checkpoints, property seizures, and arrests without trial are all on the table. And now, it feels like we’re just one step away from that strange reality.

· HAZMAT TROOPS? WHY NOW? The situation becomes even more alarming with reports of HAZMAT teams—military personnel in hazardous material suits—being spotted alongside these National Guard units. What are they preparing for? Is there an imminent bio-terrorism threat? Or is something more insidious at play? The government is silent, offering only vague statements about “preparedness exercises”, leaving the public in the dark.

· UNPRECEDENTED MILITARY ACTIVITY, ZERO EXPLANATIONS Despite the overwhelming presence of military units in our streets, officials aren’t talking. The Department of Defense and local authorities have given the public no clear answers, only further stoking suspicion. If everything was under control, why the secrecy?

· The lack of transparency is only fueling more speculation. Could this be preparation for mass arrests? A response to an unseen threat? Or is it the final push toward a totalitarian regime where our freedoms vanish overnight?

· PANIC AND PREPARE You need to be ready. With the looming possibility of martial law, it’s time to stock up on essentials—food, water, medical supplies. Create a plan to communicate with loved ones. Stay alert and question everything you hear.

· This isn’t just a drill. Something big is coming, and they’re not telling us the whole story.

You can think what you want, but I have been warning everyone that the end is near. Mass arrests are coming through Trump's executive orders he signed before leaving office. People are and have been taken down since 2017, I have been saying that for a long time. You're witnessing the fall of the old guard. 🤔

[waitmyturtles]

4 Minutes, Family, and Perceptions of Reality

Last week, before episode 6 aired, I was itching to pen some thoughts about breaking down family ties in 4 Minutes and how I thought themes like intergenerational trauma and filial piety (I stay so typical here on this blog) were affecting each character.

I'm glad I held off, and it's still probably just too soon to write this kind of analysis without knowing the entirety of the story. But this post by @cookie-kat777 about Great and possible present depression has me thinking at least about family, the way we are raised, and how our upbringings at least contribute to how we see the world as adults.

In this past Friday's episode, with @cookie-kat777's post on my mind, Great struck me as lonely and sociopathic -- and did Bible Wichapas ever do a HELL of a job acting out Great's generally questionable reactions as compared to everyday, normal social expectations of behavior surrounding INCREDIBLY intense and traumatic exposures to literal murder and/or death. At least we see him taking meds, but those giggles at the dinner table with his family were clearly off-putting and indicated that Great is not quite “there” in the head.

Even if Great didn't know about the illegal gambling business that built his wealthy lifestyle -- the choices, separately, that his father and his mother made to ensure their existence as a wealthy and important family certainly had brutal impacts on Great as he grew up, as well as, we assume, their emotional neglect of him during his upbringing.

(And, if I can bring up an example from the previous timeshift of earlier in the series, we know Great's parents used money to literally buy him happiness by way of toys that had no emotional meaning to him. Money may have bought him protection from consequences, but we've known from the start that it's never brought him happiness.)

Great's perception of what's SAFE and morally/ethically RIGHT, or at least, ACCEPTABLE, in the wider world, versus his own internal world, are UTTERLY OFF. While @cookie-kat777 absolutely lays out how that mental state could affect Great internally vis à vis depression, I'll also posit that it was Great's family environment -- his mother, his father, and Korn growing up knowing that he'd inherit at least some of the family business -- that also is fucking up his perception of the expected binary of "right" and "wrong" of society. We don't know quite how his mother clawed her way to Great's father's side, without Korn's mom present, but I'm going to guess it was brutal -- especially, as we see in this latest timeshift, Great's ability to walk away from death multiple times, and his father's angry ease in making death "go away," as it were (and let's throw Title in there, too).

A child's understanding of the world, how to go about in the world, how to interact in the world, how they relate to the external world, comes so much from their upbringing. An upbringing of a child creates relativity for that child. As children, we see the world as our caretakers interacted in it, and we're inclined to repeat that behavior -- until we are challenged by external forces to change our behavior and our viewpoints. Just as the four minutes from the time oxygen is cut off to a brain creates a new sense of perception, a specific upbringing of a child -- by parents, by grandparents, by a foster family, by an orphanage, etc. -- will have direct impacts on how that child grows up to relate to its world as an adult.

Tyme is the person that offers a challenge to Great's understanding of and relation to the external world and, subsequently, Great’s internal world as well. In this new timeshift of episode 6, I appreciate how Tyme seems so much more bitter, transactional, and "real" in straight-up using Great -- all while Great admires Tyme's tenacity to fuck with Great's family, as if Tyme were doing an action that Great has longed to do against his own family. Great ultimately does something, a one thing, in saving Tyme, but Tyme still walks away from Great, and Great is still left alone.

But in that process of being left alone, AGAIN, this time by someone who challenged him -- Great then moves forward to challenge his own existence and upbringing, confronting, finally, his parents for their decisions, and driving away from his mother. ...

... only to get shot by a grieving person in Tonkla, someone seeking revenge for a murdered brother that Tonkla simply loved. No matter where this story goes, at least we know that Tonkla loved Dome, to the extent of murdering others on Dome's behalf. While this storyline also isn't fully revealed, the Tonkla/Dome storyline narrates back to us, in another strange way, how family and familial ties can drive a person to go utterly haywire in their existence to survive and understand the world.

And, finally -- we learn that Tyme's parents were possibly the kingpins of the Sriwat illegal gambling business. How Tyme sees the world, in whatever timeshift he's in, has now also gotten jacked up with this piece of potential truth. What is his new reality vis à vis what he's been told? What is his capability to survive, especially after being saved by Great?

Like I said before, ha: I think it's too early to write this post without knowing if we'll be given a final, central narrative line about how all of these timeshifts link up. But I am LOVING, in this FABULOUS show, how we're being shown that the truths of how our families lived their lives can have such great impact on the way WE live OUR lives as adults, and I'm taking that theme away as something this show is commenting so very sophisticatedly on.

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

Unleashing the Power of Inspiration: Crafting Original Fiction from Beloved Books and Movies

As writers and authors, we often find ourselves captivated by the worlds created in our favorite books, TV shows, and movies. The characters, settings, and narratives leave an indelible mark on our creative minds, inspiring us to weave our own tales of wonder. However, it's essential to strike a delicate balance between drawing inspiration and avoiding the pitfalls of outright copying. In this article, I'll help you explore effective strategies for infusing inspiration from beloved sources into your own fiction book while maintaining authenticity and originality.

Checklist for Effective Incorporation of Inspiration:

Before we dive into the details, let me provide you with a handy checklist to ensure you're harnessing inspiration in a responsible and imaginative manner:

Identify key elements: Analyze your favorite book, TV show, or movie and pinpoint the aspects that resonate with you the most. These elements could include character development, plot structure, world-building, or even the emotional journey.

Seek multiple sources: Broaden your horizons by drawing inspiration from various sources, rather than solely relying on one. This will help you create a unique blend of ideas and themes while avoiding the risk of replicating a single work.

Understand the essence: Delve deeper into what makes your favorite works truly special. Analyze the underlying themes, motifs, and messages conveyed. By grasping the essence of these stories, you can extract the core elements that resonate with you and apply them thoughtfully in your own work.

Adapt, don't copy: Rather than replicating specific characters or plotlines, focus on adapting the essence of your favorite works to suit your unique story. Ask yourself how you can capture the emotions, atmosphere, or philosophical questions that made those works impactful and translate them into your own voice and narrative.

Combine with personal experiences: Infuse your story with your own life experiences, emotions, and observations. By blending external inspiration with your personal perspective, you can create a rich tapestry that reflects your unique voice and vision.

Embrace originality: Strive to bring something fresh and innovative to the table. Instead of emulating your favorite works verbatim, use them as a springboard to explore uncharted territory, experiment with new ideas, and develop your own creative style.

When incorporating inspiration into your fiction book, it's crucial to approach the process with a keen eye for adaptation rather than replication. Take a moment to reflect on what specifically draws you to your favorite books, TV shows, or movies. Is it the intricate world-building, the captivating plot twists, or the depth of the characters? Understanding the essence of what makes these works special allows you to extract the core elements that resonate with you and apply them thoughtfully in your own narrative.

For instance, let's say you're enthralled by the rich and immersive world-building of a particular fantasy series. Instead of attempting to recreate the exact setting or magical system, focus on the underlying principles that make it captivating. Is it the intricate interplay between magic and politics? The complex relationships between different species or factions? By identifying these foundational aspects, you can adapt them to suit your own fictional universe, infusing it with a unique twist that aligns with your overarching vision.

Similarly, examine the characters that have left a lasting impact on you. What qualities do they possess that make them memorable and relatable? Is it their internal conflicts, their emotional journeys, or their growth throughout the story? Rather than replicating these characters outright, delve into the essence of what makes them compelling. Then, apply those qualities to your own characters, infusing them with your unique perspectives and distinctive traits. By doing so, you'll create a fresh cast that embodies the spirit of your inspiration while remaining authentic to your story.

It's also essential to complement external inspiration with your personal experiences and observations. Draw from your own life to add depth and authenticity to your narrative. Incorporate elements of your own emotions, struggles, and triumphs, weaving them seamlessly into the fabric of your story. This infusion of personal touch not only enhances the originality of your work but also allows readers to connect with your characters and themes on a deeper level.

Ultimately, the key to effectively incorporating inspiration lies in embracing originality. While it's natural to be influenced by the works that have touched us profoundly, it's equally important to bring something fresh and innovative to the table. Use your favorite books, TV shows, and movies as a springboard to explore uncharted territory, experiment with new ideas, and develop your own creative style. By doing so, you'll create a fiction book that not only pays homage to your sources of inspiration but also stands on its own as a unique and captivating piece of literature.

Drawing inspiration from your favorite books, TV shows, and movies can be a powerful tool for any writer. By conscientiously adapting the essence of these works, combining them with your personal experiences, and infusing them with originality, you can craft a fiction book that resonates with readers while maintaining your own distinct voice. Remember, the key lies in taking the inspiration and transforming it into something entirely new, breathing life into your own imaginative world. So, go forth, let your favorite stories inspire you, and create masterpieces that will captivate readers for generations to come.

[403tarot]

Hey duckie, could you do Wonbin (Riize) as a boyfriend and his ideal type, please?

hi dear, i'll do wonbin's ideal type in another opportunity, okay? let's go with him as bf ☺️

남침 원빈 ㅡ wonbin as boyfriend 🔸

how he is:

wonbin is very affectionate when he's in love, the kind who even gets a bit silly and smiles at the walls when no one is looking. for him, love is expressed in small gestures, like intertwining fingers, a passionate gaze, a gentle kiss on the forehead... he prefers to show he cares through acts of service and his sweet and loving personality.

wonbin is the type of boyfriend who bends over backward just to find time to talk to his beloved, even if it's just for a few minutes. he calls, asks about your day, makes you laugh, subtly expresses that he misses you... all the while playing with his hair and pacing around the room, trying to dispel the nervousness that arises whenever he's talking to someone he cares about so much.

he is someone who fights to make the relationship work. differences in opinions? that's okay; he'll try to have a calm conversation and understand the other side. did something he said upset you? he'll make sure not to repeat what hurt you and apologize for it. in general, wonbin doesn't give up easily because he doesn't allow himself to enter into a relationship with just anyone. if he has reached this level of commitment with someone, it's because he believes it's worth the effort and seeks the same commitment from the other party involved. people who create drama, hinder communication, or invent reasons to create chaos are quickly dismissed by him.

what he seeks:

he is looking for someone willing to commit to a serious relationship with him and to have a structured connection. i think it's clear by now that wonbin is a methodical guy, so fragile relationships and volatile individuals are a big NO for him. wonbin seeks someone willing to reciprocate efforts on the same terms, someone mature who doesn't let external factors unnecessarily affect the relationship.

he's mischievous, eager to touch your face, kiss your lips, run his hands over your body... he wants someone who loves him passionately, who's on the same page, and isn't afraid of the consequences of that.

what makes a good relationship for him:

he aims to be the one who resolves problems on the spot so that in the future, they won't become the subject of discussions again. he detests when past issues are brought back to the table to be used as arguments. wonbin wants someone willing to go through life's various transformations with him without much hassle, someone with whom he can build loyalty and a healthy relationship, based not only on love but also on friendship and complicity.

i haven't done many readings for wonbin, but from the few i've done, i noticed that he is very focused on giving his best in various areas of his life, and his approach to love shouldn't be any different. it's been a few months since i read for wonbin for the first time, and now i feel that even in a short period, a lot about him has changed. i sense him as more mature and confident now, which is definitely surprising and has shown very positive reflections in this reading.

[writingquestionsanswered]

Hi how are things! I wanted to know how I could improve a marriage discussion scene. I feel like it's very monotonous and I would need more body language, I just don't know how. Thank you so much!

Creating Interest in Conversation Scene

There are a number of things you can do (besides just adding body language...)

1 - Consider Character Emotions - Before you can really add body language (posture, gestures, and facial expressions), you need to have a good understanding of how your characters feel about what they're discussing, how they feel about each other, how they feel about the environment, and just how they feel in general. How they're feeling will come out not just in their posture, gestures, and facial expressions, but in the tone of their voice, what they say, and how they say it. The Emotion Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi is is a great resource for how to portray emotions using both external and internal cues.

2 - Consider Sensory Description - Sensory description can be a great way to add interest to a conversation scene. Think about what you characters see, hear, touch, smell, and taste during this conversation. How does this sensory input affect their mood, their relationship/interaction with the environment, and their relationship/interaction with one another? How does in influence what they say, think, and do? How does it affect their body language? How can you convey this to the reader?

3 - Consider Interaction - We talk about using body language to avoid "talking head syndrome"--where the conversing characters seem to be just talking heads without bodies--but another way to do that is by having the characters interact with themselves (smoothing out a wrinkle in their skirt, twirling their hair, scratching their arm, taking a sip of a drink), with other characters (handing someone something, giving someone a pat on the shoulder, taking someone's hand), and with the environment (setting something down on a table, picking something up to look at it, moving something aside, utilizing a tool or object). This not only adds realistic action to the moment, but it also brings movement and visual interest to the conversation.

4 - Consider the Subject Matter - One last thing to consider, though, is that even without these things, your characters' conversation shouldn't feel "monotonous." If that's the case, you may need to take a closer look at what they're talking about. Why is this conversation important for them to have? Does it move the story forward or contribute to character development? Does it tell the reader information that they need to know in order to understand the plot? If not, you may need to consider trimming this conversation or figuring out how to make it pull its weight in the story.

I hope that helps!

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

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[zvaigzdelasas]

China’s economy is currently on the operating table, hunched over by surgeons, chest cavity splayed open, hooked up to a cardiopulmonary machine, surrounded by nurses staring at monitors flashing vital signs. It all looks rather grim.

This surgery, however, is not an emergency bypass. That would be too easy. China has had many of those already – stimulus packages, grand infrastructure projects and many rounds of directed lending.

Every two decades or so, going all the way back to the founding of the PRC in 1949, the surgeons get ambitious. These guys are mad scientists attempting a comic book trope – to create the ultimate superhero.

They want to inject super serum, replace skeletal calcium with adamantium and dose the patient with gamma rays, giving China the powers of shazams out the wazoo.[...]

In the lamented “pre-reform” era, China’s mad scientists engineered spectacular growth by increasing investment from a prewar 6% of GDP to 20% in the first Five-Year Plan, covering 1952-1957. This led industrial output to register a compound annual growth rate.

The Great Leap Forward accelerated this growth to 66% in 1958 and 39% in 1959 before crashing and burning in 1961 when mismanagement of communal farms and “backyard blast furnaces” caught up with the mad scientists.

Course correction starting in 1962 recovered all lost ground by 1965. According to economist Cheng Chu-Yuan, China’s GDP growth averaged 11% between 1952 and 1966, the eve of the Cultural Revolution. (T. C. Liu of Cornell and K. C. Yeh of the Rand Corporation have a lower estimate: 8%.)

More importantly, China built a full kit of infrastructure, machinery and equipment capable of driving future industrialization.[...]

Many analysts have a tabula rasa understanding of China’s reform era, as if there had been no economy before Deng Xiaoping. In reality, China’s industrialization started right after the formation of the PRC with some of the fastest growth recorded in the 1950’s and 1960’s. Even during the “low growth” Cultural Revolution, resources directed towards public health (for example, barefoot doctors) and primary education doubled life expectancy and quadrupled adult literacy by 1980 from pre-PRC levels.

The mad scientists are now at it again. They have about twenty years of new data not just on China but from the rest of the world. When Zhu Rongji was head surgeon, history had ended and markets reigned supreme. This time around, the surgeons are correcting for market irrationality and negative externalities. The next twenty years is again being determined on the operating table.

Three years ago, the surgeons pried open China’s chest cavity with the three red lines credit limits, instantly seizing the speculation driven property sector. Since then, they ripped out unnecessary organs like education companies, clamped the Ant Financial artery and eviscerated the video game industry. All of this has caused spasms in vital signs from lackluster growth to rising youth unemployment. Wondering whether China will or will not stimulate the economy next quarter or next year is missing the forest from the trees. For the next few years, China’s economy will still be under the knife and whatever adjustments will merely be anesthesiologists and technicians nominally dialing the drugs up and down and adjusting the heart-lung machine to maintain vital signs.

What are these mad scientists trying to achieve? We believe President Xi Jinping’s 2020 target of doubling China’s GDP by 2035 stands. That is an average growth rate of 4.7% for 15 years. But beyond just a numerical target, it is important to figure out what superpowers China is trying to acquire. And just as importantly, what Kryptonite factors China is attempting to inoculate itself against.

China wants America’s Silicon Valley, but regulated; Japan’s car companies, but electrified; Germany’s Mittelstand, but scalable; and Korea’s chaebol conglomerates, but without political capture. It wants to lead the world in science and technology, but without cram schools. A thriving economy, but with common prosperity. Industry, without air pollution. Digital lifestyle, without gaming addiction. Material plenty, without hedonism. Modernity, without its ills. This is, of course, a wish-list and unrealistically ambitious. But these mad scientists sure as hell are going to try. They’ve developed a taste for it.

In college, early into the semester, we went through a ritual called course exchange. Students gathered in an auditorium to swap classes after sampling lectures for three weeks – satisfaction was not guaranteed. The strategy passed down to underclassmen applied to both course exchange and significant others: “Add before you drop.”

China is undergoing – but perhaps botching – the same process with a more party-esque slogan, “Establish the new before abolishing the old.”

The surgeons have been on a tear gutting the old. The big kahuna is, of course, the property sector. But right behind are platform monopolies, private education, financial services and video games. The new has been playing catch-up, with 5G equipment, electric vehicles, photovoltaics and wind turbines being leading examples.

From all appearances, the Industrial Party is in ascendance and China will double down on climbing the manufacturing value chain. The Industrial Party is a political identity that believes industry, science and technology should determine China’s future. Adherents believe that China’s strength lie in the technical skills of her population and thus favor hard-science, high-tech industries as opposed to services and business model innovations.

Therefore, Chinese politicians, whatever their predisposition, must find a way to create space for this next generation of scientists and technicians to develop themselves. They cannot be confined to a production line at a Foxconn plant. Maintaining social stability means finding a use for future scientists and technicians, which means pursuing industrialization. Is there any other way? The key variable for determining the course of China’s future development is thus the massive number of talented technical and scientific workers.

If mistakes were made, it would have been in sequencing and in faith – dropping before adding is a poor strategy in both love and course exchange. China’s mad scientists may have been too confident that electric vehicles and renewable energy would be followed quickly by semiconductors, pharmaceuticals and commercial aircraft.

Perhaps they have reason to be confident. Planning for this surgery has been in the works since 2015 with the Made in China 2025 project. China has been steadily eroding imports of high value added intermediary goods like batteries, precision parts and electrical components, flipping trade with South Korea from deficit to surplus.[...]

China never properly transitioned from its Soviet era Material Product System (MPS) of national accounts to the United Nation’s System of National Accounts (UNSNA) standard, leaving out much of services from reported GDP.

We calculate that China accounts for 22-24% of global GDP and 20-23% of global consumption. We also calculate that household consumption is 50-55% of China’s GDP, in line with global averages. China should easily be able to grow at 4.7% through 2035 with only a modest increase in consumption’s GDP share (5 percentage points over 10 years) without upsetting global economic balances.

In the reform period prior to Xi, everything was sacrificed at the altar of economic growth. In the new era, growth has been walked down from 9.6% in 2011 to an average of 4.7% in the Covid years (2020-2023) as an increasing litany of issues were given precedence. Debt however, soared over this time from 175% of GDP to over 300%. What exactly did all that debt buy?

When Xi assumed leadership of China, he declared that inequality could not be allowed to increase further. Inequality is perhaps the major Kryptonite factor of the American economy which China wasted no time in matching as the economy roared with market reforms.

While still problematic, inequality, as measured by the Gini coefficient, has steadily fallen since 2010 largely as a result of massive investment in urbanization, pushing people into cities and pushing cities up the tiering ladder.[...]

China also poured resources into stamping out last-mile poverty. While most poverty alleviation in China was through economic growth, recalcitrant extremely poverty could only be eradicated by concentrated marshaling of resources, from relocating entire villages to weekly visits by social workers.[...]

Since peaking in 2012, air pollution in Beijing has been cut by over 60%, with Shanghai falling over 50%. China, which used to dominate the list of most polluted cities, now only claims one spot in the top 20. None of this came cheap, from installing scrubbers in smoke stacks to increasing renewables to moving heavy industry to strict emissions regulations for cars.[...]

Before Hu Jintao handed the reins to Xi, Hu warned delegates to the 18th Party Congress in 2012 that “[corruption] could prove fatal to the party… and [cause] the fall of the state.” The popular opinion in the West is that Xi ended China’s highly successful reform era because of an ideological bent. This is off the mark. Xi was brought in to clean house as the wheels were coming off from excesses of the reform era.

Throughout Xi’s decade in office, there has been no letup in his anti-corruption campaign. In 2022, a record 638,000 officials were punished for corruption. While there haven’t been any large scale ideological appeals to the public, it’s a different story within the 98-million-member party.

During this time, free market capitalism and liberal democracies also faced their own existential tests. Success or failure going forward will depend on whether liberal institutions remain intact in the West and whether party discipline can be maintained in China. What the PRC has had since 1949 is a governing party with the political autonomy to play mad scientist. [...]

Of course we live in the real world, not a comic-book world. The question in the real world has always been whether the economy can be engineered by mad scientists from the top down or is it best left to the invisible hand of the market? [...]

The standard economic opinion – against all evidence – is that China was economically stagnant before Deng’s market reforms. The thinking on this for the American economys is undergoing a transformation in egghead land – just how has neoliberal economics benefitted the American people over the past few decades?

In a Q&A exchange at a conference in Malaysia, Eric Li, the barbed-tongued venture capitalist, was asked, “Do you think top-down directives are sustainable in the long run?” To which he replied, “It’s the only thing that’s sustainable.… That’s why America is failing today.” After World War II, Li said, the Americans “lost the ability to do top-down design.”

Dec 2023

[nayziiz]

No Way | LN4

Summary: Lando Norris, an F1 driver for McLaren Racing, faces persistent attention on his single status. In an attempt to appease fans and quell rumours, his management suggests a fake relationship with a popular Portuguese model. However, Lando's PR manager, Natalie, disagrees, believing fans would see through the ploy. As an alternative, Lando's management notices the genuine bond between him and Natalie and proposes they feign a relationship for authenticity. Initially hesitant, they agree, given their existing friendship and professional connection. The fake relationship takes an unexpected turn as Lando and Natalie grapple with burgeoning real feelings, attempting unsuccessfully to conceal their growing emotions.

Pairing: Lando Norris x Original Character (Natalie)

Warnings: Mentions of physical and emotional abuse; SA; fluff

Masterlist

CHAPTER 5 (long chapter)

As Lando places his helmet on the table in front of Natalie and Max, the atmosphere around the breakfast table takes a shift. The intricate design and details of the helmet become the focal point, drawing the attention of both Natalie and Max.

They lean in, studying the helmet with a shared appreciation for the craftsmanship and personal touches that adorn it. The design, a reflection of Lando's personality and style, serves as a visual representation of his journey in the racing world.

Natalie, with her background in the racing industry, and Max, as a fellow driver, find a common ground in dissecting the nuances of the helmet's design. The breakfast table, once a casual meeting place, becomes a forum for their shared passion and understanding of the racing world.

“It’s the year of the rabbit, and it was also the year of the rabbit when I was born, so it just kind of made sense to do the lucky rabbit type design.” Lando explains. “What’d you think?”

“It’s sick.” Max agrees as he turns the helmet to get a better look.

“Nattie?” Lando asks when he sees her stay quiet.

“It’s cool, I like it.” She finally answers when she gets a turn to hold the helmet.

Natalie's internal struggle weighs heavily on her as she navigates her interactions with Lando. Since Suzuka, her demeanour has shifted, evident in the blunt text responses and the subtle avoidance when they arrived in Shanghai. This breakfast moment marks the first time Lando has seen her for an extended period without her disappearing.

Max's words linger in her mind, casting a shadow over her interactions with Lando. The reminder of their cuddles on the night of his first victory adds a layer of complexity to the dynamic. Natalie, consciously trying not to attach real feelings to their "fake romance," recognizes the potential for complications if she were to develop genuine emotions for Lando.

With Max excusing himself from the room due to a phone call, Lando and Natalie find themselves alone for the first time in two weeks. The lingering tension and unspoken emotions from Suzuka now simmer beneath the surface, and the air becomes charged with the weight of their unexplored dynamic.

The absence of Max, the temporary break from external influences, creates a space for a more genuine interaction between Lando and Natalie. Lando, sensing the shift in dynamics, looks at Natalie, his gaze holding a mix of curiosity and a desire for connection beyond the confines of their professional roles. Natalie, grappling with her internal conflict, meets his eyes, acknowledging the unspoken complexities that have been building between them.

“You don’t seem to be very impressed.” Lando comments as he takes the helmet from her and places it back in its bag.

“I said I like it, didn’t I?” Natalie abruptly responds, surprising both herself and Lando with her brash retort. The unexpected edge in her tone hangs in the air, leaving a moment of awkward silence between them. “I’m sorry, I’m just a bit tired.”

The fatigue, both physical and emotional, seeping through her words suggests that there might be more to her abrupt response than meets the eye.

“Maybe you shouldn’t go out tonight.” Lando suggests, expressing concern about the girls' night Natalie had planned with some of the drivers' girlfriends.

“I promised Lily I’d go otherwise she’ll never get used to the other girls.” Natalie responds, citing her commitment to attend the gathering. The sense of responsibility and loyalty to Lily adds a layer of complexity to Natalie's decision.

As Natalie reaffirms her commitment to attend the girls' night for Lily's sake, Lando studies her movements with a growing frown. The weariness in Natalie's demeanour, a departure from her usual preppy self, does not go unnoticed by Lando. The concern in his expression deepens, and he realises that her tiredness and the recent change in her behaviour might be taking a toll.

“We won’t stay out late, though.” Natalie assures Lando, recognizing his concern as she sees him watching her.

“I can always come pick you girls up.” Lando suggests, offering a solution to ensure their safety and well-being.

“Don’t be silly.” Natalie brushes off his suggestion, perhaps trying to maintain a sense of independence or not wanting to inconvenience him.

The exchange reflects the nuances of their dynamic—the genuine care and concern that Lando has for Natalie versus her desire to handle things on her own terms.

- LATER THAT NIGHT -

Natalie's surroundings in the loud and pulsating club become overwhelming, the music pounding in her head, and the flashing lights causing her discomfort. Feeling disoriented, she stumbles into a bathroom stall and locks the door behind her, seeking solace and escape from the overwhelming atmosphere.

The sensory overload triggers unsettling memories, and she recalls the sensation of someone dancing against her, hands roaming. The thought makes her nauseous, and she kneels over the toilet, vomiting at the memory. The cold, sticky bathroom floor adds to the unpleasant experience.

After wiping her mouth with a piece of toilet paper, she groans and tries to gather herself. In an attempt to find a semblance of comfort, she digs around in her purse and retrieves her phone. She dials Lando's number, pressing the phone to her ear, seeking a lifeline in the midst of the chaotic environment.

The ringing on the other end echoes in the bathroom stall, and as Natalie waits for Lando to answer, the gravity of the moment hangs in the air—an urgent plea for connection and support in a situation that has left her feeling overwhelmed and vulnerable.

“Nattie?” Lando almost instantly answers, offering a welcome relief to her distress.

“Lando, I need your help.” She mumbles, her voice breaking as the tears from vomiting run down her cheeks.

“What’s wrong?” He asks, the urgency evident in his tone, leaping off his bed and pulling on his sneakers.

“I don’t know where Lily is. I’ve looked everywhere.” She tells him, the worry apparent in her voice.tells him.

“Where are you now?” He asks, trying to assess the situation.

“I’m in a bathroom stall. I don’t feel very well, Lando.” She admits, her voice choked as she refrains from vomiting again.

“I’m on my way. Just stay in the bathroom, okay?” He assures her, his concern translating into a sense of urgency. The gravity of the situation becomes palpable as Lando rushes to her aid, promising the support she desperately needs in that vulnerable moment.

As Natalie sits on the closed toilet seat, her head resting against the wall, fifteen minutes later, she hears someone enter the bathroom. The ambient noise of the club and the muffled conversations from outside the stall make it difficult to identify the person.

In her vulnerable state, uncertainty lingers. The anticipation of who might be entering the bathroom adds a layer of tension to the already overwhelming situation. Natalie, still reeling from the effects of the club environment, awaits a moment of clarity, hoping for the arrival of the person she's been desperately waiting for – Lando.

“Nattie?” Lando’s voice echoes.

“Lando.” She answers, her voice a mix of relief and vulnerability, as she stands up and unlocks the stall door. The door swings open, revealing Lando on the other side. Without hesitation, she instantly falls into his arms.

In the comforting embrace of Lando, Natalie finds a refuge from the chaotic atmosphere of the club. The overwhelming environment fades away as she leans into his support, finding solace in the presence of someone she trusts. The moment becomes a sanctuary, a haven within the confines of the bathroom, as Lando provides the reassurance and care she desperately needs and seeks.

“It’s OK, you’re fine. You’re fine. I’ve got you.” Lando assures her, his words a soothing balm in the midst of her distress.

“Lily.” Natalie breathes, a momentary worry for her friend surfacing.

“She’s fine. Oscar’s with her.” Lando explains, offering reassurance about Lily's well-being. The information helps alleviate a layer of concern from Natalie's shoulders. “Were you drinking anything?”

“I literally had a soda.” She responds, clarifying that her condition isn't a result of alcohol consumption.

“Come, let’s get out of here.” Lando tells her, offering his assistance.

Lando helps her out of the bathroom, guiding her through the club towards the exit. The chaotic environment of the club begins to fade as they step outside, the cool night air providing a stark contrast to the disorienting atmosphere they leave behind.

Lando lays Natalie down on his bed, the dim light of the room casting a subdued glow. Her skirt rides up her thighs, a subtle detail that goes unnoticed in the urgency of the moment. The priority is her well-being, and he positions her comfortably on the bed.

“Someone was touching me.” Natalie mumbles, her voice carrying the weight of the distressing memory, the unwanted contact leaving an unsettling mark on the night.

“Do you remember who?” Lando asks, his concern evident in his voice, as he pours her a glass of water. Natalie shakes her head in response, the memory too blurred or perhaps too traumatic to recall with clarity.

Lando takes the glass from Natalie, placing it gently on the bedside table. The soft glow of the room accentuates the concern etched on his face as he turns his attention back to her. With a gentle touch, he starts undoing her shoes, his movements deliberate and careful. Natalie watches him closely, her eyes hardly blinking, the vulnerability of the situation reflected in her gaze.

As he finishes with her shoes, Lando places them on the floor, a silent acknowledgment of the need for comfort in that moment. Natalie, feeling a mix of emotions, sits up on the bed. The room holds a quiet intimacy, a space where unspoken connections unfold beyond the scripted dynamics of their "fake dating" arrangement.

In a gesture of trust, she reaches for Lando's hands, her fingers intertwining with his. Without uttering a word, she guides his hands to her thighs, a silent plea for reassurance and understanding. Lando, sensing the unspoken vulnerability, meets her gaze, his touch becoming a source of comfort and support.

“He kept touching me here.” She explains, guiding Lando's hands to the area on her thighs where the unwanted contact occurred. “And, when I asked him to stop, he just kept his hands there.”

Lando's expression shifts from concern to shock, the weight of the revelation hitting him. The room becomes charged with a mix of emotions, and he feels a surge of protective anger for Natalie. Yet, he remains composed, recognizing the importance of being a source of support for her in this vulnerable moment.

Natalie, her eyes peering up at Lando, holds his hands firmly on her thighs as if seeking solace and reassurance. Her hands then travel up his arms, a silent acknowledgment of the comfort she finds in his touch. Natalie wraps her arms tightly around Lando, seeking solace and strength in the warmth of the embrace.

“You came for me.” She breathes, her voice filled with a mix of gratitude and vulnerability.

“I’ll always come when you call.” Lando assures her, his commitment evident in his words. He quickly removes his hands from her thighs, respecting her boundaries, and wraps them around her in a comforting embrace. “I’ll do whatever I can to protect you.”

Natalie pulls away from Lando, her hands cupping his face as she frowns deeply, her gaze fixed on his eyes. The room seems to hold its breath, the intensity of the moment palpable as unspoken emotions pass between them.

“I want to kiss you.” Natalie whispers, her admission hanging in the air.

“Then kiss me.” Lando whispers back, his response laced with a quiet intensity.

“I vomited, Lando, I don’t think that’s very hot.” She states, suddenly sober enough to be more aware of herself and her body.

“You’re hot no matter what.” He continues to whisper, his words carrying a genuine warmth and reassurance.

As Natalie feels her heart pounding, a mixture of uncertainty and desire, she grapples with the need to kiss Lando. Seeking reassurance or perhaps a shield against the unexpected sparks, she contemplates the excuse of being drugged. With a flutter of anticipation, her eyes shift between his ocean blue eyes, searching for answers.

Unable to resist the magnetic pull any longer, she presses her lips to his in a moment that transcends the boundaries of their scripted relationship. Pulling him closer by his shirt, he lays on top of her. However, the sparks she hoped to avoid are unmistakably present, and the flutters in both of their stomachs reveal a connection that defies the logic of their staged dynamic.

Lando, feeling a mixture of flustered emotions and shyness, breaks the kiss and gets up. The charged atmosphere between them lingers in the room, their connection palpable even in the aftermath of the intimate moment. The unspoken tension and the sudden shift in dynamics leave a subtle air of vulnerability in the space they once shared. Lando, still flustered and recognizing the complex nature of the moment, gently communicates his reservations.

“I can't do this when you're not fully sound of mind.” Lando explains gently, a note of concern in his voice, as he covers her with a blanket.

“I'm sorry.”Natalie apologises, feeling a mix of embarrassment and vulnerability, her deepest desires laid bare in that moment.

“You have nothing to apologise for.” Lando quickly assures her. “It's not that I don't want to, I just respect you too much to do anything you might regret or not even remember in the morning.”

Lando scoots in beside her under the blanket, wrapping his arms around her in a comforting embrace.

“I need to change.” Natalie grunts, attempting to change the subject. “I can still smell the club on me.”

“I've got some spare clothes for you.” Lando informs her, a considerate gesture that reflects his caring nature.

He hastily gets up and retrieves a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt from his suitcase, laying them down on the bed next to her as she sits up to meet his gaze.

“You can shower in the morning.” He adds, offering practical advice in the midst of the unfolding situation.

He looks around the room trying to figure out where to turn so she can change out of her clothes. He moves towards the window, but her reflection still persists. As Natalie struggles with the knots on her top, she calls for his help.

“Lando.” She calls out. “I need help getting out of this top. Heaven knows why I wore something with so many knots. Please, Lan.”

Lando's knees buckle slightly at her pleas. He whips around and moves to sit behind her on the bed, gently undoing the many knots that keep her shirt on her body. In a fleeting moment, Lando presses a tender kiss on her shoulder.

“I'm sorry you had to go through that tonight.” He whispers as the shirt cascades down her upper body.

Her hand reaches back, pulling Lando against her leaving his face nestled in her neck. It's not long before he presses more tender kisses against the skin of her neck, each touch eliciting a response from her as her body relaxes under his tender caresses.

“You're making it difficult to stop kissing you.” He tells her as his lips leave her skin, his saliva leaving a string connected to his lips and her neck.

“We don't have to do anything. Just kiss me, Lan.” She pleads, her desire for intimacy and connection evident in her words.

Once again, Lando's body responds to her pleas. He grabs his shirt, covering her exposed chest, and deftly pulls her into his lap, his movements both gentle and purposeful. As he unzips her skirt, she lifts herself slightly, allowing him to pull it down. His attention is momentarily diverted to the lacy black panties covering her, a detail that doesn't escape his notice. His breathing quickens as he redirects his focus to pulling the sweatpants onto her hips. His warm and reassuring touch grazes over her skin, creating a connection that transcends the physicality of the moment.

Amidst the whirlwind of emotions and desires, Natalie finds herself grappling with the paradox of desperately needing Lando's touch after the distressing events at the club. Once she's fully clothed again, Lando's hands rest on her hips, and his lips quickly find their way back to her neck. She grabs his hands, intertwining her fingers with his in a silent gesture of connection.

“You make me feel safe.” She admits, her vulnerability laid bare as she rests her back against his chest. “I don't think I've ever felt this safe before.”

The confession sends a rush through Lando's heart, his feelings for her becoming more evident.

“I'll make sure no one ever touches you like that again.” Lando promises with a determination in his voice that reflects a newfound sense of protectiveness.

“You can't promise that.” She warns him, a note of realism in her words.

“I know, but I can't let that happen ever again. Not to you. Not while I'm alive.” He asserts, his commitment to her safety unwavering. Again, Natalie reaches back, gently grasping his curly hair.

“I don't deserve you. Or your protection. Never mind your affection.” She quickly tells him, guilt settling in the pit of her stomach.

“Nattie, you need to get some sleep.” Lando gently changes the subject, his concern for her well-being taking precedence. The room, filled with unspoken emotions and shared vulnerability, becomes a haven for their evolving connection, navigating the intricate balance between protection, affection, and the complexities of genuine intimacy.

- THE NEXT MORNING -

Natalie wakes to the disconcerting emptiness of the bed, the lingering warmth replaced by a noticeable chill. The room, once a cocoon of shared emotions and intimacy, now feels oddly vacant. She takes a moment to collect her thoughts, realizing that Lando is no longer beside her. The echoes of the previous night's events resurface, and a sense of solitude settles in.

With a sigh, Natalie rises from the bed and glances around the room, as if hoping to find some sign of Lando's presence. However, the reality of the empty and cold bed becomes undeniable. Determined to move forward, she gathers her belongings and makes her way back to her own hotel room.

The familiar routine of showering and changing into her uniform serves as a grounding process, a way to wash away the remnants of the night and prepare for the day ahead. Despite the emotional undercurrents, Natalie remains focused on her responsibilities and professional duties.

“She was drugged and assaulted, Dad, I have to find out who did that.” Lando explains earnestly to his father over the phone. The gravity of the situation weighs heavily in his voice, a determined resolve to seek justice evident in his words. “Even if she can’t remember anything, I won’t forget hearing the panic in her voice or seeing it in her eyes when I found her. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her that scared.”

“I’ll see what I can find out, but it’s not going to be cheap, son.” His dad offers a pragmatic response, acknowledging the challenging path ahead.

“I’ll pay whatever I need to. I just want to make sure this never happens to her again.” Lando asserts, his commitment to Natalie's well-being unwavering. The sincerity in his voice echoes his determination to protect her and bring those responsible to justice.

As he concludes the conversation with his father, the elevator doors open to reveal Natalie walking out, dressed in her McLaren uniform. The juxtaposition of her professional attire against the backdrop of the distressing events from the night before adds a layer of complexity to the moment. Lando, his gaze fixed on her, stands as a silent sentinel, ready to support her through the challenges that lie ahead.

“Hey, sleepy head.” Lando greets her with genuine warmth as he pulls her into a hug, the cares of the world momentarily forgotten. The embrace, a testament to their connection, carries a sense of reassurance that transcends the public setting of the hotel lobby.

“Why didn’t you wake me?” She asks as she peers up at him.

“You looked like you needed all the rest you could get.” He tells her. “How are you feeling?”

“Still not very good.” She informs him, her arms wrapping around his waist as she peers up at him. “I’m sorry I overstepped some boundaries last night.”

“Stop apologising. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Lando quickly assures her, pulling her closer to him. “Come, let’s go before we’re late.”

Lando takes the lead, guiding Natalie out of the hotel lobby and towards the waiting car. Gallantly, he opens the car door for her, a small gesture that speaks volumes about his consideration and attentiveness. With a helping hand, he ensures she's comfortably settled into the car before jogging around to the driver's side.

As he slips into the driver's seat, the subtle tension in the air doesn't escape him. Natalie shifts in her seat, unintentionally exposing more of her skin beneath the black skirt. The effect is not lost on Lando, and he can't help but feel a surge of desire tempered by the reminder that their connection, despite its genuine nature, is confined to the boundaries of a "fake relationship."

He glances at her, the internal conflict reflected in his eyes. The developing feelings he harbours for Natalie are undeniable, yet the constraints of their fabricated dynamic weigh heavily on him. The paradox of their situation—where emotions feel authentically real despite the artificial framework—creates a complex interplay between desire and restraint.

Lando clenches the steering wheel, grounding himself in the reality of the moment. Despite the unspoken connection and shared sentiments, he acknowledges the need for caution. The reminder that they're still navigating the intricacies of their "fake relationship" underscores the complexity of their evolving feelings and the delicate balance they must maintain, even as the car pulls away from the hotel, carrying them towards the day's responsibilities.

In the quiet confines of the car, Natalie wrestles with a heavy burden of guilt and shame, the weight of her actions from the night before pressing down on her conscience. The self-awareness of having overstepped boundaries looms over her, casting a shadow on the carefully crafted arrangement she shares with Lando. This internal struggle exacerbates the emotional turmoil that had unfolded in the wake of the distressing events.

She grapples with the realisation that her intentional actions, fueled by a surge of emotions and desire, stand in stark contrast to the carefully delineated boundaries of their "fake relationship." The self-imposed rules that were meant to prevent precisely this kind of emotional entanglement now feel flimsy and inadequate. Natalie understands that her actions were not influenced by the trauma of being drugged and assaulted; instead, they were deliberate choices made in the heat of the moment, even when they felt extreme.

As the car moves through the city, Natalie's gaze is fixed on the passing scenery, but her mind is entangled in a web of conflicting emotions. She grapples with the fear of jeopardising what they have, knowing that her intentional breach of boundaries threatens the fragile balance they've maintained.

Lando glances over at Natalie, who appears lost in her thoughts, a visible tension etched on her face. Sensing her inner turmoil, he offers a soft reassurance, the hum of his voice a comforting melody in the quiet confines of the car.

“You can relax, Nattie.” Lando suggests gently, his words carrying an undertone of understanding and empathy.

“It feels so silly being this embarrassed by everything I said. And, everything I did.” Natalie whispers as she turns to look at him.

“It's not silly at all.” He says, his voice carrying a warmth that seeks to alleviate her embarrassment. “We all have moments where emotions take over, especially in situations like last night. You don't need to feel ashamed. And, for what it’s worth, I wasn’t uncomfortable with anything you said or did. I was a willing participant.”

Sensing Natalie's blush and the lingering unease, Lando responds with a comforting touch. He places a hand on her exposed knee, the soft squeeze conveying a sense of reassurance and understanding. The tactile gesture seeks to bridge any emotional distance that might still exist, offering a silent affirmation of his earlier words.

The air in the car takes on a charged energy as Natalie feels Lando's hand gradually travelling further up her thigh, coming to rest just in front of her skirt's hem. Her gaze drops to his hand, studying the subtle movements, and a sense of tension intertwines with the palpable smugness emanating from him.

She bites the inside of her cheek, a conscious effort to stifle the conflicting emotions stirring within her. The rational part of her mind insists that this is all part of the show, a performance for the public eye. Yet, beneath the surface, a more visceral desire simmers, whispering a longing that transcends their scripted roles.

Deep down, Natalie finds herself yearning for a connection that surpasses the confines of their "fake relationship." The forbidden fantasy of straddling him in the McLaren and feeling his hands exploring every contour of her body ignites a subtle heat within her.

It's almost as if Lando senses the undercurrents of her thoughts, his hand daringly creeping slightly higher, fingers slipping just beneath the edge of her skirt. The atmosphere in the car becomes charged with a subtle electricity as Natalie and Lando tiptoe on the edge of desire and restraint.

“Don’t crash the car, Norris.” Natalie whispers, a teasing edge in her voice, as Lando's pinky grazes a sweet spot on her inner thigh.

“Tell me to stop.” Matching her tone, Lando responds in a low whisper.

“Lando.” She moans softly as if the whole world could hear her at that moment. “You have to stop.”

As they navigate through the track's parking lot, Lando withdraws his hand, subtly acknowledging Natalie's unspoken request for a pause in their earlier interaction. The transition is seamless as he assists her out of the car, their movements synchronised in the midst of the flashing cameras capturing their every step.

Entering the building together, Lando takes her hand once more, a silent reassurance that transcends the performative nature of their public appearances. The connection between them persists as they move through the passages, reaching an elevator where they wait side by side.

A mischievous smirk graces Natalie's face as she presses her crotch against Lando's knuckles in the crowded elevator. The subtle exchange of desire unfolds amid the bustling surroundings. Lando, glancing down at her, licks his lips, fully aware of the charged atmosphere between them.

- LATER THAT DAY -

The atmosphere in Lando's driver's room is filled with the echoes of the commentary from the garage as Natalie diligently works on her tablet. The room exudes a sense of focused anticipation, resonating with the energy of the Formula 1 world. Lando, returning after a session that showcased his skill on the track, enters the room, his body radiating heat and sweat from the demanding laps.

Spotting Natalie sitting on the massage table, engrossed in her work, he can't help but appreciate the contrast between her focused professionalism and the intensity of the racing environment. Closing the door behind him, Lando begins to strip off his race suit, the sound of the zipper punctuating the room.

The juxtaposition between Lando's physical exertion on the track and Natalie's composed demeanour creates a dynamic scene, embodying the different facets of the Formula 1 world—from the adrenaline-fueled races to the behind-the-scenes moments of preparation. As Lando sheds the remnants of the intense session, the room becomes a canvas where the lines between performance and reality blur, setting the stage for the intricate dance they navigate within the fast-paced world of Grand Prix racing.

“Excuse me, you could ask me to leave while you change.” Natalie mumbles as she avoids making eye contact, or any contact with his tanned body,  as he takes off his race suit and puts on a new, fresher one.

“But, you’re my girlfriend.” He complains and makes his way between her legs. He removes the tablet from her hands and rests her hands on his shoulders. “Seriously, are you OK?”

“I’m feeling better.” She assures him, hesitantly looking into his eyes. “And, before I dare forget. Thank you again for coming to my aid last night.”

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