#day 4: conflict/resolution

[naminethewriter]

Mediator

Day 4 of @loceitweek and we're back to the romantic! This time it's Logan comforting Janus, hope you enjoy 💛💙

Masterpost | Loceit Week 2023 Masterpost | Ao3

Summary: Janus had an argument with Virgil and goes to Logan to cool off.

No content warnings!

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The door to Logan’s room burst open without warning.

“Ridiculous! Completely ridiculous!” Janus grumbled, walking in and closing the door behind him none too gently. Logan raised his eyebrows and closed the book he had been engrossed in until a few seconds ago – after marking his spot of course.

“What happened, love?” he asked, concerned. Janus simply huffed, shaking his head.

“Virgil just- ugh.” He walked over to his boyfriend, throwing himself next to him and placing his head in Logan’s lap after discarding his hat. Familiar with Janus’ non-verbal way of asking for comfort, Logan began gently running his fingers through his boyfriend’s hair and carefully untangling the knots he found. Janus sighed in content, shoulders already losing some tension.

“Thank you, darling.”

“It is my pleasure. Would you like to stay like this in silence for a while or do you want to talk about your issue?”

“Your pragmatism is appreciated. I think I need to vent for a moment. Let me finish before you offer any solutions?”

“Of course.”

“Thanks.” Janus took a deep breath and a moment to sort his thoughts. “I was assisting Thomas today, to keep his stress levels from rising, since, as we both know, he has been struggling with that recently. But Virgil wouldn’t let me work in peace. He hovered at my shoulder constantly, questioned everything I did or suggested and kept Thomas on edge all day. And when I asked him to back off a bit, he blew up on me, accusing me of trying to manipulate Thomas and having ulterior motives, which is why I was trying to get rid of him. Definitely what I was doing.” Janus rolled his eyes and Logan couldn’t help a fond smile appearing on his lips. He couldn’t help but find his boyfriend’s need for dramatics endearing.

“I know Virgil doesn’t trust me, and I get why, it’s a fair stance, I did some shitty stuff to him in the past, but I always had Thomas’ best interest in mind, even back then! How am I supposed to regain his trust if he is actively sabotaging everything I try to do to help!?”

“Are you now ready to hear my thoughts, or have you not finished?” Logan asked, patiently, after his boyfriend was quiet for a few seconds. Janus smiled at him, very grateful for his support.

“I mean, I could go on for at least an hour, but I think I got the point across, so it might be best you tell me what to do before I talk myself into a rage again,” he sighed. Logan nodded in understanding, after all, this has happened a few times already.

“I have a few questions for you first, if that is alright with you?”

“Sure.”

“Question One: How long has Virgil been with you today?”

“Most of the day. At least six to eight hours, I presume.”

“Alright. Question Two: How have you dealt with his criticism before asking him to leave?”

“I didn’t ask him to leave, just not to be… as involved.”

“Either way, what was your response before that point?”

“I either didn’t engage or explained to him my reasoning. Which he then mostly insulted in return.” Janus had closed his eyes at that point, solely focusing on the hands in his hair and the comfort they brought.

“I understand. So, you were patient with Virgil for hours and even offered him an opportunity to discuss your actions civilly?”

“Yes.”

“Well then, I’d first like to say that I’m proud of you for being so patient. I know the two of you have a hard time getting along on your best days. Related to that, I believe that Virgil is most likely more irritated than usual due to Thomas’ recent increase in obligations, which might have influenced his behavior today. Which is not to say he was justified in his reaction. If you would like, I could talk to him about activities to destress himself as well as Thomas.”

“I appreciate you wanting to help, dear, but I don’t think that would be very effective. He has accepted that we are dating but I think he believes I’m manipulating you as well if you take my side constantly to resolve arguments.”

“A fair point. Then may I suggest asking Patton for help, even if they are not on the best terms, I think having him as a mediator is a possible solution.”

Janus hummed, pushing his head more firmly into Logan’s hand. Sometimes Logan couldn’t help but think that a cat would fit his boyfriend better than a snake.

“I’ll think about it. Thank you, darling, I feel much better.”

“I am happy that I could assist you. Now, would you like to continue watching of The Good Place?”

“I would love to, as long as you keep your hand where it is.”

“Of course.”

“Wonderful.”

They fell asleep together not even an hour later with Logan’s hand still buried in Janus’ hair.

[lily-janus]

Communication Is Key

Summary: Logan has been shutting himself off from Janus which makes him extremely worried. One day, he decides to confront him.

Pairings: romantic loceit, platopnic dukeceit

Warnings: mentions of homophobia, grief, death mention, talk of past toxic behaviours, miscommunication, yelling and arguing, Remus being his protective and gross self, angstttt. Let me know if there's anything I missed.

Word count: 1,812

For @loceitweek day 4 conflict/resolution

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"...leave a message after the bip."

Janus let out a tired sigh as his call to Logan reached voicemail… again.

He looked around the restaurant and out the window to hopefully catch sight of him, but no dice.

He checked the time again… ah hour and a half after the time they agreed to meet at.

Giving up, assuming Logan got caught up at work and forgot about their date once again, Janus got up and left for his apartment.

He knows he shouldn't take this to heart, he knows Logan, knows how he thinks. It's not that he cares about work more than Janus, he just can't leave work until everything's done for the day. If not, he won't be able to give Janus, or anyone, his full attention.

It's not that part that bothers Janus, though, he was well aware of that side of Logan when they started dating. It's that he doesn't even bother to even notify him that he'll be late… that.. he doesn't talk to Janus anymore, not really.

What bothers Janus… is that Logan seems to be putting up walls around himself and not letting Janus in anymore. And, more than that, he doesn't understand why. Things were going really well… at least, that's what he thought, clearly he was wrong.

"Hey, Lovebirds- oh…" Remus' grin was wiped away when he saw only Janus entering the apartment, without Logan. "Stood you up again, didn't he?"

Janus didn't say anything, but his silence and expression seemed to be enough of an answer.

"Why aren't you ditching him again? How long are you going to let him ghost you like that?!" Remus growled in anger, "he shouldn't be treating you like this, Jan!"

Janus grimaced, "something's bothering him… I just know it… if he'd just talk to me…" he trailed off with a sigh.

His phone buzzed and Janus saw it was Logan calling. He hesitated for a moment, the pety part of him wanting to let him go to voicemail, but he answered in the end.

"I am so sorry, Janus, I had this emergency at work and I couldn't-"

"It's okay." Janus said tiredly.

"...it is?" Logan sounded surprised, and a little taken aback.

"Just… come to my place when you can, okay? I want to talk to you." Janus said, hoping he didn't sound too harsh.

"Oh… yeah, of course, I'll be there in exactly 30 minutes and 40 seconds. Logan said.

…

True to his word, Logan arrived just like he said, for once being punctual for something other than work.

He knocked on the door exactly 30 minutes and 40 seconds after their call ended, but Remus got to the door before Janus.

"Don't break him, please…" Janus shook his head. And he went to sit by the kitchen table, knowing there's no stopping Remus.

Remus grinned at him as he turned the handle, "no promises!"

He opened the door, "Listen, dork-face, if you keep treating my best friend like that I will cut your dick, cook it and eat it while making you watch, got that?"

"...as grossly specific as ever, Remus, I got it." Logan said, sounding a bit fond. Remus had a weird way of growing on you, Janus knew that from experience.

"...can I come in now?" Logan asked after a while of Remus not moving aside to let him through.

"You can try, but I-"

"Leave my boyfriend alone, would you, Remus dear?" Janus said with the shake of his head.

Remus pouted but moved aside, "boyfriends actually show up to dates…" he mattered before going to his room to give them 'privacy', he's probably going to listen in, this apartment's thin walls allowing no secrets.

Despite everything, Janus couldn't help a small smile gracing his lips when he saw Logan, the guy was too cute for his own good… how is he supposed to stay mad at those brilliant blue eyes?

No, you're not mad. He reminded himself. You're worried.

"I can sense I'm in trouble." Logan said lightly, attempting poor humor to lift the tension between them… it didn't work.

Janus bit his lip, now that Logan was here, he wasn't sure how to approach the subject.

In the end, as Logan sat down in front of him, he just let out a tired breath, "look, I'm not your teacher and I'm not your parent… I'm not going to scold you or lecture you…. I'm just worried…" he trailed off.

Logan frowned, "worried? About what?"

At that, Janus snapped, and he got up sharply, slamming his fists on the table in frustration, "about you, obviously!"

Logan jumped, looking up at Janus with wide eyes, "m-me? But I'm-"

"If you say fine I'm going to break something." Janus cut him off, "you can keep up the act all you want Logan, but I know something's wrong, and I can't help unless I know what it is."

Logan was silent for a long moment before saying, very quietly, "I appreciate the concern but, I'm really okay… no need for you to worry."

Janus buried his face in his hands, not like he didn't expect this, but still…

"Really? No need to worry? I can hardly recognize you! You don't talk to me anymore! And I don't know why! …did I do something to drive you away? I used to do that before I met you but… I worked on it… am I doing it again?" The last question was to himself more than to Logan. Is he reverting back to his toxic traits without realizing it?

"What? N-no, Janus you did nothing wrong I just…" Logan said immediately, trailing off with a sigh, "I… it's not something you can fix, Janus…"

Janus blinked, sitting back down and taking Logan's hand gently. Did Logan finally say something about what was bothering him the last few months? Finally?

He swallowed, "maybe not, but I can listen, what is it?" Janus said as gently as he could. He didn't want to push Logan but he also wanted to know very badly.

Logan was silent for a long moment, then Janus noticed his eyes getting shiny and wet behind his glasses and, before he realized what was happening, Logan was crying.

Janus hates when Logan cries, it's the worst sound in the world for him, the sound of sadness and misery coming from the person he loves so very deeply is… very upsetting.

He quickly gets up and pulls Logan up into his arms, hugging him tightly, letting Logan cling to him and sob into his shoulder.

"I-it's m-my dad…" Logan says between sobs and Janus' nails dig into Logan's back a bit unconsciously at the mention of that man.

Logan's homophobic dad that sent him to therapy sessions and had endless arguing with him after he came out. And, finally, ignoring him completely after he started dating guys.

"...what about him?" Janus tried his best to keep his voice even and not dripping with anger.

"He… he…" Logan sniffed, pulling back to look Janus in the eyes, "...he's dead, Janus… m-my father died…"

Janus' eyes widened in surprise, that… was not the answer he was expecting. But, the more Janus thought about it, the more Logan's behavior made sense. The missed calls, getting caught up at work, the meaningless small talk… he was…

"You were trying to keep yourself busy to distract yourself from thinking about it, didn't you?" Janus said softly, sitting them both back down but keeping one of Logan's hands in his so he could rub it soothingly.

Logan sniffed again, nodding, "I… I don't know how to feel about it… I don't even know how I'm supposed to feel about it…" his voice was still rasp and shaky, but Janus nodded, listening intently. "We haven't been in contact for so long and suddenly I get a call from my sister that he's just… gone." Logan continued.

"What about…" Janus started but Logan finished the question for him.

"The funeral?" Logan let out an empty chuckle, "he wouldn't have wanted me there…" he said bitterly, "he said it himself… he doesn't have a son…"

Janus nodded again, for now not saying much and letting Logan say what he needs to say.

"But now… now he's dead, is it wrong to keep resenting him? Am I a bad person if I don't feel bad for a dead man? …should I feel bad? All I felt for my father was resentment, from even before I came out, even though that made him ten times worse, he never made an effort to understand me, he just wanted me to be the perfect copy of himself." Logan rambled on, it's nothing Janus hadn't heard before, though the death part was new.

"But… despite everything… Now that I think about it, I do feel a sense of loss…" Logan frowned, "I think a part of me kept hoping he'll 'come around'... that he'll attempt to make amends…" Logan took in a shaky breath, "now that he's gone… that hope is gone too… I'll never have the dad I wanted…"

Logan finished, looking up at Janus with damp eyes, "Janus… I'm truly sorry for the way I treated you, my father's death is not an excuse for me to push you away like that… the last thing I want is to hurt you."

Janus sighed, shaking his head and leaning closer to kiss Logan on the cheek, "it's okay, I'm glad you were able to talk to me about it eventually, even if there's nothing I can do to fix the problem, I'm always here to listen." He offered Logan a small smile, "no more walls between us, okay?"

Logan nodded, returning the smile, "it's a deal."

Janus then smirked as he thought of something, "but that doesn't mean you're off the hook." He said, which earned him Logan's adorably confused face. "You still have a lot of missed dates that you owe me." Janus grinned mischievously.

Logan's eyes widened slightly and he sighed, "this is going to cost me, isn't it?"

Janus finally gave Logan a deep and real kiss on the lips before pulling back to say, "that, my dearest, is a promise." He chuckled.

"Well, in that case, I better get started now." Logan smiled.

Janus raised an interested eyebrow, "oh? What do you have in mind?"

Logan got up and Janus followed, "you'll see, can't ruin the surprise, where's the fun in that?"

Janus laughed as they walked out of the apartment, "I'm starting to regret teaching you that."

"Teaching me what?" Logan asked curiously.

Janus smirked, "fun."

Logan snorted, "I was fun before I met you."

Janus chuckled, "sure you were, Teach."

Logan pushed him lightly, "you, sir, are the worst."

Janus took Logan's hand and placed a kiss on the back of it, "I love you too, Lo."

[sayruq]

Close to four months since the conflict between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas began on Oct. 7, 2023, participants in the demonstration in Hiroshima's Naka Ward called to "free Palestine." More than 50 people, including members of a citizens' group that stands daily in front of the Atomic Bomb Dome demanding an end to bloodshed and attacks, walked down Hondori street shouting "Stop the massacre" and "Ceasefire now" among other slogans. They then held a rally in front of the A-bomb Dome.

A farmer in his 30s from the Hiroshima Prefecture city of Shobara commented, "No matter how hard a day I have (here in Japan), it would probably seem like paradise to the people of Gaza. We must take action beyond calling for a cease-fire, to bring the occupation to an end." A woman from Algeria, which was under French colonial rule for 132 years from 1830, said she came to the event because she felt that Palestine was suffering the same fate as her country. Participants also voiced anger and questions about the Japanese government's decision to suspend funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and the Hiroshima City Council's lack of resolutions regarding a cease-fire and other issues.

[bishy437]

Day 4 of SangCheng Week 24!

Conflict & Resolution War, Enemies to lovers

I wrote a 40k+ word fic for this day's prompt; I hope you'll take the time to read it!

Read the fic here-> The Second Prince Of Qinghe

💜💚💜💚💜💚

[love-byers]

....wait . there are people who don't think the show is centered around will? there are people who don't think a core part of s5 will be wills culmination as a character?? there are people who don't think the entire supernatural plot will circle back to will???

besides the fact that the duffers LITERALLY CONFIRMED that will is the center of s5...

the show itself literally tells you. that is the narrative they've been pushing the entire time.

the entire first season is about finding will. every single plotline is connected to finding will.

mike and the boys are using el to find will

jonathan and nancy are working together to hunt the monster they believe has taken will and barb

joyce is trying to communicate with will to find out where he is and how to save him

hopper is a cop investigating the case, and eventually he and joyce team up to investigate further into the lab conspiracy, believing it's tied to wills disappearance

a massive chunk of s2 is about wills connection to the upside down. he's being hunted by the mind flayer and used as a spy, causing a lot of the conflict but also leading to the resolution.

now that we know vecna was behind all of that, that open so many doors for will in s5. if you use your fucking peanut brain for 5 seconds you'll realize there are lots of things we don't know surrounding will and vecna that will come to light in s5. vecna specifically sought will out and hunted him down. remember s2?

"It wanted to kill you?"

"Not me. Everyone else."

we're also getting flashbacks of will in the upside down so we can see exactly what happened to him the week he was there. clearly there's something important we don't know about. the upside down is literally frozen on the day will went missing. but will isn't important and won't be a big part of s5?

s3 is the first time will is less significant to the plot. he still has the connection to the mind flayer and his ability to sense it is still relevant to the story and helps push it along. bit still, he had significantly less lines and screen time. much of his story is portrayed as him struggling to 'grow up' and not being interested in romance like the others. there are several jokes that present will as simply being childish and reluctant to grow out of it. which a lot of people found sort of annoying. i remember seeing a lot of people enjoying s3, but wishing will had more depth and importance.

but we now know that that's not the whole truth. all of that, him being annoyed and disinterested by romance, just wanting to play dnd with the party, and fighting with mike was all subtext leading into his sexuality and the fact that he's in love with mike. that's been confirmed by actors and the duffers themselves. though will's sexuality was always hinted at, it wasn't meant to fully come to light until s4. so they tried to pass it off as will just being childish. they tried to pass of mike and wills conflict as only being about dnd and growing up. a prime example of this is will tearing down castle byers after his fight with mike. he rips the photo of the core 4 as the ghostbusters down the middle, aka where he and mike are in the center. that is easily passed off as just being about the friend group. people BELIEVED that it was just about the friend group, and that there was no way will was in love with mike. but it's now literally confirmed that he is. like it's insane how many people never even considered that as a possibility. people literally just tune out parts of the show they don't immediately find interesting. i've seen so many comments on byler scenes, for example "it's not my fault you don't like girls", saying "wait i don't remember this scene when did he say that??" people just don't pay attention or think deeper than surface level, which in this case is okay because wills sexuality was meant to be something you slowly realized. the problem comes when people just start denying its significance and refusing to see it for what it is.

if you take in all of will's story with mike and whittle it down to "stupid gay crush on best friend" i don't know what show YOUVE been watching. did you forget that will only remembered his mom and mike when he was possessed and lost his memory? that mike recounting the day they met was enough for will to break through and communicate while possessed? that will puts mikes happiness before his own? that will has literally said he needs mike and always will?

it's not a crush that will can just get over. you know we actually have an example of a simple crush and it's dustin and max. how did that work out? dustin got over max very quickly and it's no biggie. he didn't go on a monologue about how he needs max and always will. he just thought she was cool and pretty.

also, the show spends so much time getting the audience to feel bad for will and want to see him happy. you are SUPPOSED to like him. you are supposed to have empathy for him. will is written to be extremely gentle, kind, and selfless.

will is too nice to say anything bad about anyone, even after being viscously bullied and called slurs for years. even by his own father, WHO HE STILL CANT TALK BAD ABOUT!!!

no matter how much will suffers, he remains kind and selfless. he gave a girl his tonka truck knowing joyce couldn't by him another one. mike says they shouldn't give up on looking for him because will sacrificed himself in dnd to save the party. remember the whole thing in s2 about joyce getting on will for constantly apologizing even when he did nothing wrong? there is no point to that besides evoking empathy for him!!!!! he is sweet and sensitive and doesn't deserve any of this!!!!!!!!

and about bylers being delusional for thinking will and mikes relationship will be a big part of s5 and the culmination of everything in a show about monsters killing people, here's a quote from shawn levy, who has directed many stranger things episodes

"People talk about mythology and The Upside Down, and all that is huge, but the magic of S5 are the characters who find sense of belonging with other and through that connection, become heroes."

everyone loves the stranger things relationships until they're queer. when they're queer suddenly there's no time for romance in a sci fi show, the writers actually suck, and they're just baiting. lumax and their love for each other was a core plot of the season where the big bad was trying to kill her all season. there is an entire plot point about max's memory of kissing lucas at the snow ball saving her life. in a show like this, there is time for relationships and supernatural stuff because they are interwoven when the time comes. they can do the exact same thing with byler in s5. s5 is going to be the longest season thus far. there will definitely be time for relationship development.

so yeah. call me delusional but i don't think the show will end with wills feelings for mike unresolved or with them just evaporating. given everything we know about s5 (relationships and finding belonging being an important factor, noah and finn constantly filming together, leakers saying will has a love interest) and everything we already know about the relationship formulas in ST, literally all the signs are pointing to byler. the only rebuttal people have is calling us delusional because the writers just wouldn't do that. if you actually push past the heteronormativity and consider the fact that the duffers do want to represent queer people in a way that doesn't reinforce the idea that we can never find love or be happy, things will start making a lot more sense.

i'm sorry to have to say this about mike but mike is a character presumed straight who hasn't been super relevant in the supernatural plot for 2 seasons now, just as long as will. his significant plot points are related to el or will. relationship development. and unlike will, he has been an ACTUAL asshole!!!! lots of people stopped liking mike as much after s2 because of his personality change. (ofc i still love mike, but there's been multiple plot lines about mike being a dick for no reason and apologizing for it) but no one has VISCERAL hatred for him like they do will byers. not saying mike deserves hate, cause he certainly doesn't, but the problems people have with will, they only have with will. any other character doing it is fine. 2 seaons of wills feelings for mike is boring and distracting but 2 seasons of mike having the same 'i love you' problems with el isn't?

i'm not saying the sudden hate for will is because it's now clear that he's gay but im kind of saying it

some people can't sympathize with queer issues because they don't care about queer people. they don't empathize with queer people. queer issues bore them.

will byers i will ALWAYS defend you. you are safe with me pookie

[peppertoastuniverse]

pep prompts: writing prompts! writer’s block? Build a prompt based on your birthday

Birth Month: theme or tone

January: Understanding February: Avoidance March: Comforting April: Conflicting May: Yearning June: Resolution July: Protective August: Confessing September: Mischievous October: Exasperation November: Secretive December: Reflective

Day of the month: use this quote directly or let it inspire your work!

1: “Ughhh why is it that I always have to clean up your mess?” 2: “You know, if you wanted to hold my hand you could’ve just asked, sweetheart. You know I won’t refuse you.” 3: “You said you’d stay and now look where that got us, huh?” 4: “Oh is that right? Fine, prove me wrong then.” 5: “uhhh - where the fuck is your hand right now?!” 6: “You idiot, you just fucking said that out loud.” 7: “I just… I want you. Don’t run. You always run. Don’t go just yet, please?” 8: “Don’t look at me like that! You literally just did the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen.” 9: “I offered two years ago… that offer still stands. So what’s your answer?” 10: “Pfff. Why is it so hard for you to believe that I think about you? That I thought about you every day after that…?” 11: “Why can’t you just give in? I feel it ... and by that expression, I know that you do too.” 12: “Oh is that what they said to you? And you believed it?” 13: “Cmon… just once? Please? One time and then we never have to talk about it again.” 14: “So, remind me again: why did you punch me in the face?” 15: “Well, if you keep doing that, I think we’re both going to have a problem here…” 16: “You were too busy making fun of me, that’s why you didn’t notice, dumbass.” 17: “We can share, right? It won’t be that bad, and it wouldn’t be the first time…” 18: “I just don’t think that’s the best idea… especially now. Especially here.” 19: “You know you can always ask me, you know? Like with your words.” 20: “You’ll forgive me right? You always do.” 21: “Don’t you get it? I’m not going anywhere. Not without you.” 22: “Do you have to be like this, right now at this very moment?” 23: “Actually, I sleep the best when you’re around.” 24: “So… when are you going to start talking to me again?” 25: “We can afford to be late, sweetheart. Live a little, eh?” 26: “Hey - sit here!! Sit with me - I’m your favourite, right?” 27: “I can see you overthinking right now… what’s going on in there?” 28: “I’ve waited too long for you to just lie to me like that. Stop. Let me in.” 29: “I’m… I’m sorry for always talking about them.” 30: “You’re.. you really wanna do this right now? Really? Fine. Fucking fine!” 31: “Hey - hey!! What’s with that face?! I didn’t do anything yet!”

[delawaredetroit]

What do you think about the villains' endings?

I'll get into that as I get to the arcs where the League has more focus in my reread...but in general...

Shigaraki: 2/10. I'm less upset about him dying as much as the lack of chemistry between Izuku and Shigaraki in their final fight. Shigaraki doesn't get enough time to get any closure against All for One the way Yoichi does despite being put in similar positions. I also don't like that the most important part of Shigaraki and Shimura Nana's resolution, one of the few highlights of this plotline, happens offscreen.

Magne, Mr Compress: 3/10. I don't think they were well handled, but they don't get enough focus for me to care much either.

Spinner: 4/10. Unfortunately, he spent the arc where he could have been most interesting with his brain completely fried. He brings a lot of interesting ideas to the table, but overall he is mostly missed potential. To some extent, that may be intentional. In the last moments we see him, all he can think of are all of the what ifs.

Touya: 6/10. In the end, Touya gets most of what he wanted. The Hero Endeavor is dead with a reputation destroyed beyond repair. He gets Todoroki Enji's undivided attention for the rest of his days. The points are lowered because too much of that plotline is spent on Endeavor's constant whining and Rei and Shouto didn't get enough focus.

Toga: 8/10. Toga chose her own fate dying for someone she loved using a method she learned from the love she received from the League. Her story leads to the genuine reform she wants - a world where it's easier to live. I don't like that this self-sacrifice was never acknowledged by their society.

All for One: 9/10 for Vestige All for One and 1.5/10 for Original Body All for One. I didn't like All for One just becoming a baby to become unborn without any back up plan, and I didn't like that Bakugou got to be the one to kill him. It gets 1.5 points because it was funny. As for Vestige All for One, his last scenes with Yoichi and the One for All users really hit. I don't think there was enough of a resolution between himself and Shigaraki though. Also, I was a little disappointed in the lack of DFO...

Twice: 10/10. Thematically, it makes sense how and why his death happened. The manga did a good job making readers care about him before sticking the knife in. His death sets up a large part of the manga's conflict in the Third Act.

[akirathedramaqueen]

The Five Stages Of Grief: Verosika vs. Stolas

Alright, guys, it's time to play the complete denial card and ignore for a moment what we've just seen in the last short Viv dropped like a fucking nuke on our heads (seriously, this woman makes me swear more than a sailor).

Are we going to talk about something light? Ha-ha, you are looking at the angstiest person out here. Sorry. No relief for you.

But maybe some bits of analysis will do? Let's go.

The setup

Some time ago, I discussed how differently Stolas and Verosika react to their breakup with Blitz in response to one of my previous posts (it might be useful to read that to have the whole picture, but it's not crucial—here).

S2EP9, Apology Tour, 8:05

If we recap that reblog, I find that Stolas deals with his emotions much better and processes them in a more mature manner than Verosika does.

We could stop there, really, but I wanted to explore the situation from a different angle. Using the Kübler-Ross five stages of grief model, we can pull out more nuance from their actions and words.

They both went through a similar traumatic event—Blitzø hurt them in arguably one of the worst ways possible. The circumstances, Blitzø's intentions, and the outcomes are slightly different, but at their core, they are both left broken and deeply wounded.

Left: S2EP8, The Full Moon, 22:00 Right: S2EP9, Apology Tour, 18:03

So, what about their personalities makes their responses to trauma so contrasting?

Disclaimer about the model's credibility

This is probably me being overly pedantic, but I want to point out that this model is deemed to be popularized by the media, and professionals’ opinions are conflicted—some say it is accurate while others criticize it for its lack of flexibility or go as far as to say it has no application in real life. The studies are also inconclusive—there are papers both in favor of and against this model.

What am I trying to say here? This is a silly analysis about silly demons from a silly show, and if you do happen to unfortunately experience grief in any way (I am so sorry you have to go through this!), it is essentially experienced by all people differently. You should not feel bad if you skip stages or if their order is messed up.

Okay? <3 Okay. You’ve got this in your own way.

Tomorrow will be better than today.

Stolas: A Classic Way

One of the things I noted in my previous post is that Stolas immediately recognizes the pettiness of the party, and I praised his remarkable ability to see through the issues with such events.

The one day a year the spirits can rise amongst the living and it's spent celebrating mutual pettiness. S2EP9, Apology Tour, 6:55

And don’t get me wrong—his own way of dealing with problems is just drinking them away, and that’s not healthy. That’s why he actually belongs at this party.

But emotionally, Stolas is much more aware of what’s going on with him and the people around him. I think that despite his drinking problem, this awareness helps him process his own grief faster and find resolution—or at least an outlet—in just one night.

Let’s apply the five stages of grief model to him and see what’s going on.

Denial

You can see the denial seeping through during their morning conversation—there are moments when he clearly hopes Blitzø will suddenly listen to him and change his demeanor, despite Blitzø being consistent in his brashness and hostility.

Left: S2EP9, Apology Tour, 3:56 Right: S2EP9, Apology Tour, 4:23

Can you see the hope in his eyes? Can you see how ready he would be to brush off the whole shitshow happened between them just for Blitzø to take at least a bit of accountability or accept his feelings?

Additionally, although it doesn’t fit the term perfectly, we could stretch the concept a bit and say that the following lyrics below are somewhat denialish. Notice, by the way, that it’s not linear to the suggested model���you’ll see why later.

But I, I keep on waiting Waiting to want you less than I do And I do, oh, I do, yes I still do want you S2EP9, Apology Tour, 11:08

'Cause I am not a thief, but you were mine to earn S2EP9, Apology Tour, 11:42

He struggles to accept that the relationship has ended (we struggle too, baby owl, and we're not accepting it… but it gets worse before it gets better), and he still waits for Blitzø to return, maintaining a possessive feeling—“you were mine to earn.”

Anger

Stolas's anger is vastly different from Verosika's—I promise to elaborate on it later.

He uses his anger throughout the morning confrontation with Blitzø to protect himself from Blitzø's attacks and futile attempts to retain the status quo. His anger serves to assert that he is done with the transactional arrangement and Blitzø's behavior.

As shocking as this might seem, Blitzø, I don't think I'm in the mood to "do sex" with you. In fact, I don't think I'm even in the mood to do words with you! So, how about you respect that? S2EP9, Apology Tour, 0:57

[Stolas]: Get out. Right now! [Blitzø]: What?! [Stolas]: I'm tired of this! I'm uncomfortable how you're speaking to me now! S2EP9, Apology Tour, 2:24

And all of this happens just the night after that disastrous full moon meeting! Stolas is pissed off, and rightfully so. But he still gives Blitzø the chance to correct his behavior, explain, and apologize. He asks Blitzø to leave him in peace but stays to hear him out until it becomes clear that Blitzø is not going to relent or give in.

His anger is not used to destroy those he is angry with; rather, it is directed toward keeping himself whole—at least as much as possible.

Bargaining

The whole verse of All 2 U, where Stolas contemplates what went wrong and if there's something they could still do, represents him trying to bargain for a better future.

Maybe there's something here for us to glean? For you to teach and me to try and learn? S2EP9, Apology Tour, 11:32

Of course, this is also something very useful for when they come back together (not if!). Despite Blitzø being the focus in the Apology Tour episode, Stolas has a lot of work to do, too. And him realizing that is a positive step.

But for now, from the perspective we’re looking at, this is a clear sign of him trying to trade anything he can for their relationship to flourish.

Depression

Eventually, Stolas breaks down publicly. He can’t hold the mask on anymore; seeing Blitzø is unbearable, as it reminds him too much of everything that happened and everything that could’ve been.

You! Why are you here? I don't want you here, go home, please! Let me not feel so sad! S2EP9, Apology Tour, 15:50

And he manages to compose himself incredibly quickly…

S2EP9, Apology Tour, 16:07

It takes him just 17 seconds to fall into crying and calm himself. But there was more brewing beneath the surface—he just didn’t show it.

Calm yourself, young prince. You know excitement is unbecoming of a Goetia. S2EP1, The Circus, 00:20

Acceptance...?

Then there's the guy who received more hate than he (allegedly) deserved—Better Than Blitzo guy. He asks Stolas for a dance, and Stolas accepts. He seems to quite enjoy himself there, actually… maybe even a tad too much (arguably).

Well, I just wanted to see if... Maybe... I dunno... You'd wanna... Dance? S2EP9, Apology Tour, 16:16

S2EP9, Apology Tour, 19:08

S2EP9, Apology Tour, 20:08

Did he move on? Did he get over Blitzø? We don’t know. I don’t think so. But that dance was certainly an outlet. A relief he was ready to accept. He was ready not to dwell on negative emotions and allow himself to feel something good for a change.

Verosika: A scorched earth way

Now, let’s see how Verosika is doing after all these years post-breakup. Surely she can’t care less about Blitzø now, right?

Anger

Right… No petty feelings at all.

S1EP3, Spring Break, 8:13

There's still resentment...

A selfish imp in the sheets And just as bad in the streets A reckless, heartbreaking freak! S1EP7, Ozzie's, 11:54

Anger… to the murderous degree, actually…

Fuck Blitzo in the fucking ass! S2EP9, Apology Tour, 8:14

Disrespect...

That cock-sucking motherfucker! S2EP9, Apology Tour, 9:36

Remember when I said their anger is different?

She uses hers to fuel her determination to destroy Blitzø’s reputation. She uses her fame and all her resources to humiliate him.

She never moved past anger. Never really processed it.

But wait…

Acceptance?!

S2EP9, Apology Tour, 18:55

All it took was just one long-overdue genuine talk. The moment she saw Blitzø's remorse and let her feelings out, she immediately warmed up, stopped using his dead name, and even gave advice—it’s debatable whether it was the best one, but I believe she meant well for both Blitzø and Stolas.

Hold it, Blitzø. Y’know, if you wanna change, it just starts with saying: “Good for him, hope he gets laid.” S2EP9, Apology Tour, 19:18

You know, I feel there’s a good chance that the next anti-Blitzo party might not ever happen again.

Because she leaped through all the stages in one night, and, maybe not at that exact moment, but she is on the path to acceptance. Finally letting it go.

Baby, I'm not over it, but I'm over you.

Could've saved many years of simmering in rage and destructing herself over Blitzø though.

Conclusions

Oh shit, now I need to somehow connect all the dots, don’t I?

Well... *chuckles nervously* I guess I gotta put on my nerd glasses and pretend I knew what I was doing here and not just threw shit at the wall and saw what stuck.

What I really wanted to say is that Stolas is much more self-aware and was able to work through all his feelings and process them in one day. He went through the complete journey and made immense progress. We don’t know how it will go further, but from what we’ve seen, his emotional intelligence helps him, if not to avoid problematic behaviors like binge-drinking, then at least not to burn bridges behind him, leaving space for understanding, forgiveness, and acceptance.

It’s not to say that Verosika’s way of doing things was wrong because she was angry and skipped through some stages. It was wrong because she made her entire personality revolve around it, turning bringing Blitzø down in any way possible into her ultimate life goal. It was wrong because she never processed it.

And it shows why, even after the break-up, #stolitz can still work, given that Blitzø is open about how he feels and Stolas is open to listening to it.

AGAIN! There’s no right way to process grief. But there should be a priority to heal and accept instead of doubling down and ruining yourself and everything you cared for.

(I am watching you, Blitzø hater. Don’t you dare to shit on my poor lizard. He has his own heap of issues and has had enough after that fucking penguin slur short. So don’t. >:()

[torialefay]

🌕 Moon in Libra ♎️

bangchan as your boyfriend series!!! (pt. 4)

(based on astrology)

✨bangchan x reader (f); fluff & sad chan :(

✨word count: ~3.5k

✨4th part in a series!!! together, let’s take a look into chan’s natal chart to see what type of boyfriend he would be!

✨i will give a synopsis of what each chart placement means throughout the series (for all my non-astrology friends out there <3) and how that would affect channie in a relationship. head to my masterlist to check out the rest of the series <3

✨ author’s notes:

(1) i am doing brief (just bullet points/highlights) astrological compatibility readings if anyone wants one! if you’re interested, message me your birth date, time, and location OR lmk your placements. i’m gonna limit the reading to include you x 1 skz member only! just specify who you’d like.

(2) the aspects in this reading are based solely on my opinions and interpretations! nothing about a person is set in stone simply because of astrology. please don’t use anything i say as canon :)

(3) there is mention of another fandom in a not so great light. this is purely fictional and no offense was meant by including them. it’s simply for the storyline.

✨warnings: none

✨tldr: chan just wants to be loved.

Moon in Libra:

The Moon represents the deepest parts of yourself, the parts you are usually not even cognizant of. It is the basic energy that resides within you and what you radiate in the most still of situations. Your moon sign usually controls you in ways you aren’t aware of and draws you to certain people that you cannot explain.

• Moon in Libra has a deep NEED for love and beauty in their lives. This can be seen in the deepest parts of them. They are able to see the beauty in every person, and usually can see each person as who they really are instead of the mask they are showing the world. Because of this, he prefers to get to know people well before pursuing them in a relationship.

• Moon in Libra also highlyyyy values balance and peace in their lives. If they suspect that you are bringing drama into their lives in any way, they will most likely (very kindly) cut you out of their life. They will feel bad about it, but they need to protect their peace in order to feel comfortable in the world.

• Because of Libra’s tendency to be people pleasers, they truly seek external validation… they can take criticism very harshly. They do not like the drama and do not want to be involved in a scandal of any kind. It can, in fact, crush them, but they are too self sacrificing to say anything. They just want to make sure that people are pleased with them and they will do whatever they must do to get that.

Chan’s Moon in Libra is also in the 6th house (the house of work, routines, and health)

• Because of this, the balance in his life likely plays a largeeee role in how he performs during the day in work, in carrying out his plans for the day, and in how healthy he is staying.

• His Venus (beauty, love, and sensuality) and Mars (aggression and resolution) are also in the 6th house, meaning that if any aspect of his romance, emotions, or conflict are out of whack, so is he. He simply cannot get his work done or perform well. He is too in his head. That makes him push even harder.

*Important tidbits I learned from analyzing Chan’s natal chart!!! If you take ANYTHING away from this series, please let it be this:*

• Chan has a Libra placement for his Moon (emotions), Sun (personality), and Mercury (communication). This makes him a SUPER LIBRA. He basically identifies with it on another level.

• Here’s the problem: Libras are totally giving of themselves. Completely. They quite literally turn into whoever you want them to be. Because of that, they can really struggle with self image, not only in terms of wanting to be seen in a good light, but most importantly from the perspective of not even knowing themselves.

• Since they don’t have any one SET personality that they present to everyone, they don’t know who they are. Not fully. They may have some idea. They may know that they love people and that they think they are good people, but when it comes down to it, they feel lost.

• So what happens when you have this Libra energy in Sun, Moon, and Mercury? You feel hollow.

• It is very likely that at the end of the day, when all is said and done, Chan feels like the shell of a person. He works so hard for everyone around him, but who is he without that? If he were on his own, and if he didn’t live to please others, who would he be? Nobody. There would be no person underneath the mask. And that scares the fuck out of him.

• He NEEDS to be needed. It isn’t that he likes the attention, but he needs it to survive. Because without it, he is nothing.

—————————————————————

Focusing in now on only the Libra Sun (personality) and Libra Moon (emotions) for Chan:

• As I’ve previously discussed a million times, Libra suns need to be liked. They need harmony and balance, and they feel this through blending fully with others.

• Libra MOONS on the other hand, have a deeper desire. They don’t necessarily want to be loved on what they do, but for who they are and the way they think. Libra moons truly believe that they ARE good people who want to help. Because of this, their harmony and balance instead comes from KNOWING they are good, so they shouldn’t care what other people think of them.

• This manifests in Chan as having this war within himself of caring so much about how other people see him vs. knowing that he shouldn’t give a fuck.

• But at the end of the day, he does give a fuck. And that kills him too.

• So now, not only does he feel hollow on the inside, but he also KNOWS that he cares too deeply about shit that doesn’t even matter. But he can’t. help. it.

• He lives by the mantra “Just enjoy”, because it is something he so badly wants to be able to do.

• He likely manifests this in severe anxiety and not being able to sleep because of it. Throwing himself into work, because who is he if not the producer that his fans know and love? Laughing as much as he can to attempt to fill up the void inside of him.

• He only knows himself in relation to others. The worst thing he could ever experience is being on his own.

• This is likely why he struggled so bad in his trainee days. When everyone else got cut and he was the only one left.

• I’ve heard him explain before that it was a very dark time in his life, and that Stray Kids coming into his life is the only reason he is alive today.

• He is not over-exaggerating. Stray Kids literally gives him life. Without them, he feels like he is nothing.

• He simply cannot exist without them.

—————————————————————————

The last thing that I will add:

• Chan wants SO BADLY to learn how to not give a fuck. He NEEDS someone who can teach him that.

• He NEEDS someone who can show him how to find himself. He NEEEDS someone who will see the parts of him that he cannot see.

• If he can find someone to do this, this person will be his soulmate, I promise you.

As your boyfriend:

• “Hey there, pretty girl.” “You look so beautiful today.” “How did I get to lucky?” Chan tells you these things every day, leaning in to peck your forehead. Words of affirmation are his love language, so he would make sure you got them constantly.

• If you’ve had a long week at work/school, Chan is taking you somewhere beautiful on the weekend. Somewhere that the two of you can enjoy the beauty and the calmness together. Aka, he’s definitely taking you to a giant botanical garden, just to walk around and look at the flowers together. Walking hand in hand, he’d make sure to take breaks occasionally to get a candid photo of how pretty you look with the flowers in the background. You’d wonder off to a tiny side path, taking you to a small fairy garden with lights and a small bench. You would sit, just admiring the lights. Even though you weren’t supposed to, Chan would pick a flower off of the ground next to him and trim it down to just the right length. He’d place it in your hair, resting in the crook of your ear. He’d giggle at how cute you looked. Just like a little garden fairy.

• Chan would adore being your center of attention. He says he doesn’t, but it absolutely makes his heart melt to know that you were thinking about him. Whether it’s a painting, a song, a poem, a muse in any form, his inner self can’t help but to feel so seen.

• He loves it when you obsess over him. No, like actually he loves it. Again, he says he doesn’t, but the way it makes him feel is like none other. The fact that you think that highly of him to pour your entire self into him fills him up with love to the very brim. And he would absolutely be the same with you.

• He LOVES when you ask for his help or his advice. If you ever include the phrase, “I just wanted to know your thoughts because I really value your opinion”, then boom, he’s in love. Feeling needed gives him purpose in life.

• He would adore when you would dress up for him. No occasion, just to look pretty for him. Even though he thinks you’re always beautiful, the fact that you put in extra effort just for him to have something pretty to look at would really make him feel loved. Bonus points if you tried a style or a new item that he talked about really liking.

• If he had a hard day at work and came home to a home-cooked meal and a warm bath waiting on him, he would probably get so excited he wouldn’t even make it to the bathtub, being too busy hugging you.

• Chan is absolutely the type to avoid drama, and especially avoid you having to get involved in any drama at all costs.

• But your boyfriend was no novice to how cruel the online communities could be towards him.

• The week’s newest scandal: that he was saying nasty things about ATEEZ behind their back.

• And damn, did he get a lot of flack.

• What was the proof you may ask?… A tweet. A fucking tweet some random account (that was created 7 hours ago) sent out saying that she had been behind him and heard him saying awful things while on the phone with a friend. As “proof”, she posted the back of a man’s body who had on a black beanie, black hoodie, and black sweatpants.

• You had to give it to her, that was the iconic Channie outfit.

• But what she failed to realize: your man is literally 171 cm… no way in hell is he towering over everyone else like in the picture she posted.

• STAY knew that, but you know how the internet goes. One bad word, and the world is trying to cancel you.

• Well that “you” is now Channie. There’s been an all out fan war between STAY and ATINY to the point that it is now trending worldwide. ATINY trying to trend “#bangchanisoverparty” and damn, it was kinda working.

• When you both saw, you talked to Chan about it. He assured you that he was fine and it was nothing to worry about. He knew who he was and that’s all that mattered. If things got out of hand, JYP would make an official statement saying that it was not him in the photo and they would investigate into the account that posted about it.

• You were so proud of your boyfriend for how much he had overcome to be able to feel that way. You knew he struggled with a lot, and although you were helping him, you were so happy knowing that he was okay.

• Well, until you woke up in the middle of the night to hearing Channie crying softly, lying in the spot next to you.

• You listened quietly, pretending to still be asleep, so you could check on your boyfriend while still allowing him to have his own space.

• Your heart almost shattered as you heard him start to actually sob, reaching his hand up to his mouth in order to stop any sound from coming out.

• Even in his most desperate hour, he didn’t want to wake you. He didn’t want you to know.

• So you just laid there, eyes darting off to focus on the moon, while your back was turned away from him. Listening. Just listening.

• After a couple of minutes, you heard the sobs start to resolve, and deep breaths in began. Good, he was finally starting to feel better.

• You heard the bed sheets rustle a bit as he made the tiniest, slowest movements to reach for his phone on the nightstand.

• You knew that’s what he had to have been reaching for, as you saw a quick, bright flash of light coming in from behind you. You relaxed into the mattress as you heard him typing in his passcode, hopefully to play some light, soothing music to fall asleep to. You didn’t hear anything for the next couple of minutes.

• Content that Chan had successfully cried himself to sleep, you rolled to your other side to curl your body into his. You wanted to feel the warmth of his back pressed up against your chest. To rest your hand at the nape of his neck and hold on for as long as you could.

• To your surprise, your roll over did land you on top of Channie, but a very much awake and very much still on his phone Channie.

• He looked just as startled to see you, dropping his phone down onto his chest. His eyes were red and puffy. The rest of his face followed suit. You hated to see him cry, but you had to admit that he looked like an adorable little fluffball like this, especially with the curly hair all fluffed out from “tossing and turning” you guessed.

• “What are you doing up?” you whispered, playing dumb. You relaxed your hand on top of his chest and heaved your face down into him. You lifted your eyes up to look at his. So beautiful in the silver moon’s light.

• “I thought I heard my phone go off,” he lied.

• “Oh yeah? Who would be calling in the middle of the night?”

• “Minho. He probably went out for a few drinks, I don’t know. I didn’t answer it and was gonna text.” Damn, this boy was gonna do everything in his power to not admit to you that he was just crying.

• “Okay baby, let me know what he says,” you nuzzled into him, ready to watch this shit show of a lie go down.

• You watched as he quickly snatched up his phone, bringing it to rest right in front of his face. Not before you saw what he had actually been doing though.

• He’d been on twitter reading through comments. “#bangchanisoverparty” was pasted into the search bar at the top.

• You felt your heart shrivel up. Why does he do this to himself? Why does he care so much about what other people think about him?

• You sat and stared off, not sure if you should mention anything. You didn’t want to make things worse. But then again, what kind of girlfriend lets her boyfriend lay there and cry himself to death?

• “There,” Chan said, turning his phone off and laying it back on the bedside table. “I texted to see what he needs. Hopefully he replies back soon so I don’t fall back asleep and miss it.” This man is one good ass liar. Kinda scary now that you think about it, but whatever, that’s besides the point.

• “You’re a good friend Channie,” you scooted up to make sure your face was resting into the side of his neck. One arm extended around him to cover him in a light hug, and you just held him there for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, your eyelids got heavy again and you fluttered them closed.

• No more than 10 seconds later, they shot back open. You had felt a singular drop of water hit your face. A tear. He couldn’t lie now.

• You raised up to be above Chan, one hand still over his torso, and the other propping you up on your elbow. There were a few stray tears covering each cheek.

• The one hand moved up his body and slowly wiped at the tears on one side, making his perfect complexion visible once again. You kissed over the area with a touch as gentle as a feather.

• “What’s wrong baby?” you whispered while your head was just over top of his own.

• “Nothing baby, please go back to sleep,” he choked out, letting a light sniffle escape him.

• “I’m not going back to sleep until you talk to me.”

• “Please, y/n. Please just go back to sleep.”

• “No. Talk to me. Why were you on twitter?”

• He looked mortified. He didn’t answer. He just laid there, looking off to the side with an expression on his face like he could start crying again at any moment.

• You relaxed off of your elbow and sunk back into him again. You tangled your hand into his hair and started playing with it. Rolling it around in between your fingers. You started combing your hand through it in tiny strokes. You were learning to relax into the silence.

• You let the whole weight of your hand rest onto his scalp, running down it and to the nape of his neck. You repeated this a few times, hoping that he would get some light tingles over his body and start to perk up.

• You slowly moved your hand to caress the top of his ear, running a finger along the outer rim. Your touch was so slight that he couldn’t tell if he was imagining it, but it did soothe him. He thought about how reminiscent it was of what he would always do- touch his ears to calm himself. You knew this too of course. That’s why you were doing it.

• Chan knew why you were doing it too. You knew him better than he knew himself.

• You continued to stroke along his ear, adding more fingers and more pressure until you were massaging his ear lobe. Pressing your fingers into the skin of the area right behind where his ear met his skull. You massaged a low place here, rubbing small circles with just enough pressure.

• You slowly continued to drag your hand down to his neck, working again now in light strokes to feel all up and down the side and front. So smooth, you thought.

• You followed suit with your lips, pulling them to the area just between his ear and jaw. You planted a slow, low kiss to his most sensitive area.

• You felt the familiar sensation of wetness again. The taste of salt. Of course it had been another tear resting there for you to find and take away. You wished you could take away all the pain.

• You finally moved your hand all the way down to find his. You gave it a small squeeze, and then brought it up to relax over your own situated on his chest right over his heart. You sat in silence, feeling the strong beat inside. Just enjoying the warmth of his body underneath you.

• “You are so perfect,” you kissed his arm, admiring how hard his bicep was.

• All of a sudden, his stillness turned into a sob again. He tried to break his hand away from yours so he could cover up his eyes and the rest of his face.

• “No baby, you let me keep this hand,” you whispered. “It’s okay to cry, but at the end of it, I need you to know how loved you are. How so many people would kill just to see a smile on your face. How you can make a person’s day better just by being in it. How every time I look at you, I think that there must be a god, because how could there be something as perfect as you without a creator to make it?”

• You heard his tears stifle. He let out a weak smile. Your heart reciprocated the gesture.

• “There’s my beautiful boy,” you kissed his temple.

• “Now tell me baby,” you leaned back up to rest your forehead just on top of his, noses almost touching. “Do you think a life so full of love like that is worth crying over?”

• His tiny smile turned into a big one, leaving his bashful dimples on display. He took a moment and wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

• He let out a small giggle. “No,” he looked into your eyes.

• “Good answer,” you leaned your face in the tiniest bit to touch a kiss on top of each eyelid. Satisfied, you resigned to your position of curling up next to him, head positioned to fit perfectly to his neck, two hands holding both of his own.

• “I love you,” he murmured.

• “I love you too Channie. And I wasn’t lying, you really are perfect. The last person left to convince is yourself.”

Moon in Libra.

[rainbowsky]

Back when I had my Anon inbox open I used to get a lot of hate from people who couldn't understand why I hate XFX so much. This post is for you.

This is a fan repo from one of the more prominent C-turtles who was at the events in Milan. This is a machine translation so some things might not be entirely accurate, but hopefully you can get the overall message.

Someone asked me why they saw yellow balloons at the show at the beginning, but then there were no more? Below, there are many words:

Before departure, our Three Kingdoms Turtles jointly prepared hundreds of tri-color balloons. Colorful balloons are very suitable for all festivals and ceremonies, and they are our CPF representative colors. People in the fashion industry are happy and supportive when they see them, and Zhan Zhan sees them. Turtles are here.

It was raining heavily in Milan that day, so we arrived at the scene at 5:30 and stood in the second row. We abide by the order and know that there are solo fans in front of us. In order not to offend each other, we even chat as quietly as possible.

At almost 8:30, we started to blow up yellow balloons. At that time, we heard the commotion from the surrounding solo fans. After all, it was in front of an international show. In order to live in peace, we temporarily decided to only blow up yellow balloons (because we were also verbally attacked and attacked by solo fans last year when we were supporting Milan, due to threats, the final agreement was that we put down a few green balloons and they wouldn’t use banners to block our view).

As a result, not long after our yellow balloons were lifted up, a solo fan kept pricking our balloons with the tip of the umbrella. We kept hiding, but we couldn't resist the solo fan who kept pricking the balloons like crazy. After the bang, those fans cheered: "Yeah! Well done! One more! One more! One more!"

We loudly warned them in English: "Be careful with your words and deeds. This is a show, not a place for you to make trouble!"

They started to completely block our view with umbrellas and said, "Then you won't even get to see him." There was a passerby fan behind us who couldn't help but scolded: "Why are you guys so domineering? We can't even watch other celebrities if we want to?! It's so ruining the popularity of passersby!" (We turned around and asked her, and she is really a passerby fan, she dropped by to join in the fun to see all the celebrities).

But no matter how she yelled or scolded, the shrimps in the first row refused to listen and looked back, holding up the umbrellas resolutely. And every time a reporter came to take photos of fans, those solo fans would stand on small stools, elongate their bodies, and use balloons to try to cover us. Later, other passerby fans/ihan fans/thai fans started scolding: "You guys are ruining the popularity of passersby!"

The last "solo fan representative" finally turned around and said to us: "Put down the balloons and we will let you see him, otherwise you will not be able to see him today."

We flew to Milan from all over Europe and stood in the heavy rain for 4 hours. No matter how warm we were, we still got wet. If we really couldn't see him, it would be so regretful and painful. Who knows when we put away the balloons, how aggrieved I felt at that moment!

Several passerby fans/ihan fans/thai fans around me said angrily: "Just tear off and break the umbrellas!" We said that this is an international show after all, and we don't want to fight here, or to escalate the conflict. Solo fans don't care about the reputation of their idol, but we can't be like solo fans and ignore it. After all, we sincerely hope everything goes well for Zhanzhan!

It was almost noon when we arrived at the Gucci show, and it was already bright. Moreover, many celebrities from the fashion industry had gathered at the venue early. We really didn’t want to cause any trouble to the host on this occasion, so we simply gave up the balloons.

Originally, I didn’t want to mention this offline conflict again online, until today I heard a turtle say that there were solo fans showing off outside the Gucci show: “I brought a pin to prick the CPF balloons today, and it really worked, hahahaha.” . . . . .

We went to the show to see our idol and to support him in everything he did! But the purpose of solo fans going to the scene was to attack?!

Love and dislike are really obvious. People who love understand structure, tolerance and coexistence; people who don't love will always only see violence, jealousy and harm in their eyes.

[girlactionfigure]

How many times did we get an offer to split the land with the Jews?

1. Peel Commission (1937): This was the first major proposal for partition by the British, recommending a division of Palestine into separate Jewish and Arab states. The plan proposed a small Jewish state in> 

parts of the north and coastal areas, with the remainder of the land going to the Arabs. The Jewish leadership accepted it in principle but wanted modifications, while the Arabs outright rejected it.

2. United Nations Partition Plan (1947): Known as UN Resolution 181, this> was the most significant partition plan prior to the establishment of the State of Israel. The plan proposed the creation of independent Jewish and Arab states, with Jerusalem as an international city. The Jewish community accepted the plan, but the Arab leadership rejected it,> leading to the 1947–1948 Civil War and the subsequent Arab-Israeli War of 1948.

3. Armistice Agreements (1949): After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, armistice agreements were signed between Israel and its neighboring Arab states, but these did not constitute a formal partition plan> 

Instead, they established ceasefire lines, known as the Green Line, without official recognition of borders.

4. Rogers Plan (1969): Proposed by U.S. Secretary of State William P. Rogers, the Rogers Plan aimed at resolving the Israeli-Arab conflict after the 1967 Six-Day War.> 

The plan called for Israeli withdrawal from territories occupied in the war (including the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem) in exchange for peace and recognition by Arab states.

Impact: The plan was rejected by both Israel and the Arab states, as Israel was unwilling to> 

the pre-1967 borders, and the Arab states refused to recognize Israel or negotiate at that time.

5. Camp David Accords (1978): The Camp David Accords were brokered by U.S. President Jimmy Carter between Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin.> 

Two frameworks were agreed upon: A. Framework for Peace in the Middle East B. Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty (1979) Impact: The accords improved relations between Israel and Egypt but did not resolve the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict, nor did they lead to immediate Palestinian> autonomy.

6. Madrid Conference (1991): After the Gulf War, the U.S. and the Soviet Union co-sponsored the Madrid Peace Conference, bringing Israel and Arab states (including Palestinian representatives) to the negotiating table for the first time.

Impact: The conference> initiated direct, face-to-face negotiations but did not result in a final agreement. However, it paved the way for later agreements, including the Oslo Accords.

7. Oslo Accords (1993-1995): The Oslo Accords were the first direct agreement between Israel and the Palestine>

Liberation Organization (PLO). The accords outlined a framework for Palestinian self-governance in parts of the West Bank and Gaza and a five-year timeline for further negotiations on issues like borders, refugees, and Jerusalem. Impact: The Oslo Accords led to the establishment> 

of the Palestinian Authority and the division of the West Bank into Areas A, B, and C, each with varying levels of Palestinian and Israeli control. However, final status issues were left unresolved, and subsequent violence, including the Second Intifada (2000-2005), disrupted> the peace process.

8. Camp David Summit (2000): U.S. President Bill Clinton hosted Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat at Camp David to negotiate a final status agreement. Barak offered a two-state solution, proposing that Israel would> 

withdraw from most of the West Bank and Gaza, while retaining some settlement blocs and offering a shared Jerusalem. Arafat rejected the offer.

Impact: The failure of the summit, combined with the outbreak of the Second Intifada, led to a collapse in the peace process.> 

9. Taba Summit (2001): Following the Camp David failure, Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met in Taba, Egypt, to try to salvage the peace process. The talks made significant progress, with Israel offering a near-complete withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza and compromises> 

on Jerusalem. However, the negotiations were interrupted by Israeli elections and the Second Intifada.

Impact: While progress was made, the talks ended without a final agreement, and violence escalated soon after.> 

10. Annapolis Conference (2007): The Annapolis Conference, held in November 2007 in Annapolis, Maryland, was a peace summit aimed at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and promoting the two-state solution. It was initiated by U.S. President George W. Bush and attended by> 

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and representatives from several other nations. The conference sought to revive peace negotiations based on previous agreements, with the goal of establishing an independent Palestinian state> 

alongside Israel. During the negotiations, Olmert made a far-reaching peace proposal to Abbas, offering a near-total Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank, a territorial link to Gaza, and international control of Jerusalem's Old City. Abbas, however, rejected the offer.> 

11. Trump Administration Peace Plan ("Deal of the Century") (2020): The Trump administration proposed a peace plan in January 2020, which envisioned a two-state solution, with Israel retaining large portions of the West Bank, including settlement blocs, while offering the> 

Palestinians limited autonomy over a non-contiguous state. Jerusalem would remain Israel's capital, and the Palestinians would receive some compensation for land losses.

Impact: The plan was welcomed by Israel but rejected outright by the Palestinian leadership. 

Ahmed Al-Khalidi

[bionicpaladinarts]

Sangcheng Week Day 4: Conflict and Resolution

Preview of spice that I have to finish still. I'll probably post it on BlueSky when it is done and add the link to this.

[thydungeongal]

I'm finally starting to think of the RPG idea I started thinking of a few days ago and how to actually design it.

At this point I'm not married to any system for the game. I'm simply going to be thinking of what I want an average game session to look like, what the expected gameplay experience and emergent narrative will be, and identify what I think would make for the most interesting decision points to actively engage players with making mechanical decisions in that narrative.

Even though the genre is going to be "fantasy adventure" it's not going to be a dungeon crawler. The manga Berserk is, as always, a big inspiration for me, as it is an extremely emotionally resonant story set in a dark fantasy world. I want a game that can at least somewhat emulate the action and character arcs of Berserk with actual mechanics in place to create player incentives for playing their characters as conflicted, multi-faceted people (Keys, a mechanic borrowed from Lady Blackbird and The Shadow of Yesterday, is, heh, key to this.) and to give characters rewards for living according to their internalities (while at the same time giving incentives for changing as people, which is exactly what Keys do as a mechanic).

Anyway, once I do identify what I want to be the interesting decision points for players I do need to ask myself where I want fortune to come in or if I even want fortune to play a role. Let's be fair, though, I don't quite trust myself to design a diceless RPG as my first proper RPG design project, so it's probably best to assume that the game will have fortune in some form. While I did recently have lots of thoughts about cards in RPGs, dice are ultimately easier for me. So it's safe to assume that dice will be used.

And I can first start with a very simple principle in those decision points:

When the outcome of something (a character action, some variable in the situation, a random event) is unclear, present it as a yes/no question and roll d6. On 1-3, no. On 4-6, yes.

I've actually basically made a universal resolution system, but everything has a 50% chance of either happening or not happening. It's a good enough starting point, but for each specific situation I can ask some further questions:

Should the probability be somehow affected by a character's capabilities? To what extent?

Should the probability be affected by external circumstances?

Should the probability be affected by something in the GM's prep?

Is there something players can do to manipulate the probability?

Does this situation warrant a more finely grained spread of results than yes/no?

And once I have answered these questions I can start to look at how I want the probability to look like for that situation. Eventually I can start grouping similar situations together (for an example, if I have decided that both combat and exploration and interaction should all be affected by character capabilities I can start thinking of whether they could be all arranged under a system where a character's stats are used to alter probabilities one way or another) and turning one-off mechanics into more broadly applicable ones. And once I've done that I can start thinking in reverse, at how to extrapolate more specific mechanics out of those more broadly applicable mechanics.

This is, of course, not the only way to go about this. I could also start with a mechanic and then think of a way how that mechanic could be turned into an interesting source of narrative and conflict in game. For an example, I could start with the following Key:

Key of Guilt Your character has a guilty conscience for transgressions they have committed, either real or imagined, and it informs their every action. Gain 1 XP every time the character helps someone in a situation that reminds them of their past. Gain 3 XP every time the character's past comes back to haunt them and places them in harm's way. Gain 5 XP every time the character saves someone from the fate they inflicted on someone else. Buyoff: Your character absolves themselves of their guilt and chooses to start living again.

And think of what types of situations a character with said Key would be cool to see in and what kinds of action that situation could contain. (I'm not entirely happy with the above Key, but it's a starting point.)

[byemambo]

4Minutes EP. 7 - My Takeaways

Wow, this series is only becoming more and more intense for me to organize my thoughts in a timely fashion. It also doesn't help that so much content has been released for me over the past few days and there are only 24 hours in a day hahahaha. But now I'm back, and looking forward to the final episode in the next few days. It's been a wild run and I'm excited to see the wrap up.

Emotional Development: Outcomes of a Broken Home

In this series, we get a chance to entangle ourselves with various family dynamics and the characters growing up within those dynamics. What I found most interesting and can help aid in my analysis is how abuse and neglect affect those who grew up deprived of emotional needs during their upbringing, but other significant moments within their development. I really enjoy consuming psychology media, but I'll be referring to Patrick Teahan's 5 Emotional Development Delays: What You Need to Know which actually came out not even 24 hours before I began tackling this post so it was the perfect time.

Teahan has highlighted his points within the original video as such (which I may or may not refer to all of them):

Codependency & Romantic Intimacy Delays

Security Delays

Perception Problems Delays

Functioning Delays

Negative Coping Strategies Delay

I think it's safe to assume that almost all the main characters within this series have dysfunctional upbringings, pivoting them in certain directions in life that mimics the dysfunction or invites it into their lives (all highlighted under the cut!).

Korn: Fear Driven by Shame and Incompetence

Through Great's confrontation in front of the business building after walking out of his dad's office, more details of Great's childhood consisted of being the son to the mistress, where Korn's mother took on the role of his wife respectively. Once Korn's mother commits suicide which some people have speculated that Great's mother could have possibly killed her herself but this has yet to be confirmed, there is an obvious shift in the relationship the family has with one another and has best been illustrated during their family dinner scenes and Korn's confrontational scenes with Great.

In Teahan's first point about codependency:

"...a four year old will be terrified that a connection is severed with an angry or aloof parent, [often] coming up with really good attempts to appease or please a parent to reestablish or make that connection, even if it consistently fails..."

I'm sure after the death of his mother along with Great's mother inversely taking her place beside his father, Korn confines himself by meeting with his father's demands, even if that entailed perpetuating the same cycle of corruption and harm placed upon those beneath their influence for decades. However, we witnessed one of the first moments of Korn's facade breaking once he was scolded by his father once more when the company's crimes were revealed to the general public: speaking out of turn and belittling Great's mother in an uproar.

This frustration only grew with time as the operations of the organized crime scheme continued to fall, from the cyber hack, to the information leak and inability to forcefully receive information and leads from the captive, to Samarn reporting to his father without permission. I spoke more about Korn's character in my episode 4 analysis which I think is worth checking out for more details on Korn's personality. Being treated with harshness and as a failure only triggered his innate desire for his own autonomy and to be desired by those he cares for, only to be turned away over and over again: Great, his father, Tonkla.

Episode 5

Along with Teahan's thoughts on romantic intimacy that coincides with codependency, stressing the distinction that these delays and resolutions to conflict are "childlike" and not "childish":

"...children don't like a process of getting to know someone slowly and they want things to be more immediate."

Once we were able to piece together the differing timelines between Great's reality versus his 4 minute reality which is elaborated in my episode 6 analysis, it seemed like Korn's scenes remained consistent except for the initial scene we get with Great after dropping him off after dinner during episode 1. Depicting him as someone who deeply cares for his younger brother as his familiar and someone he can confide in, this persona alters itself to someone who desires a means to an end and doing everything within his power to maintain his family at the top of the hierarchy, Korn spirals and becomes the main cause of his downfall through his own temper and neglect.

The stark difference between how he approached his romantic relationship at the beginning with Tonkla versus the last time they spoke to one another in person is like night and day, but Korn's darkness consumes him to a point-of-no-return. Which now revisiting the episode for more clarity: Korn is last seen at Great's condo while the police are still present at the crime scene, however, we don't see him at the hospital once Great had been admitted and suffering from instability of his vitals. I can only infer that he had left to follow his parents across the border, or Tonkla had successfully gotten to him with the intention of killing him.

When Korn attempts to overpower Tonkla into having sex with him despite not being present for weeks during Tonkla mourning over the murder of his younger brother, rather than meeting his supposed lover with empathy and remorse: he doubles down though intimidation tactics and speaking down to Tonkla. This of course fails once Tonkla's emotional state had been pushed beyond its limits, breaking him from the confines of the relationship of master and servant, even if it was for a brief moment.

Great: Free Will Does Not Exist

Great's demise made me pity him as an individual, especially after I reading cookie-kat777's post about Great's depression. Throughout the original timeline, Great is someone who moves in the world with recklessness and a deep rooted hate and defiance towards his father out of spite. Teahan's thoughts when discussing perception problems further explains Great's skewed mindset towards the severity of his actions within the moment, not understanding the deep set grief and despair he had brought onto others:

"...when we have a toxic parent, a child is whatever the parent says they are. They can rebel against those or take them on, both become extreme distortions of perception...they might never take themselves seriously and they will stay small. A toxic parent expects adult behavior from a child...adult survivors struggle [with] not seeing their own humanity as well as the humanity in others."

We see this emotional outburst onto Great from all angles: his hook up turned unrequited love Tyme, his brother, his father, his mother. With his own instability to make room for the processing of his own emotions, I could only imagine the weight he experienced during those final weeks before him being shot by Tonkla. He had no care in the world about Manee's death after his hit and run, his eventual whiplash from his assistance in getting rid of the body with Title, his immediate horror witnessing the killing of Nan, and eventually his own demise.

Episode 5

In a world where no matter what he does, decisions are made on his behalf without his input, without his own thoughts, without his own feelings, without his own agreement. Rather than taking accountability for their own sins, his family continues to place the burden onto Great, making such claims about following through with such horrific intentions for "his" sake. Whether it be providing him with a financially stable home life, giving him the fancy cars and fancy condos to live mindlessly in, buying the prizes out of the claw machine, all in order to keep him quiet and obedient: it may seem out of the question for some people that undermine the conflict that Great experiences simply because he's a "rich spoiled brat". Even though I have never seen nor have touched the level of wealth and status Great's family has been able to achieve, as someone with my own mental health disorders and dissonance: unhappiness does not care about who its target is, and even with all the wealth in the world and everything handed to you, there is still plenty of room for dysfunction and despair to thrive. After all, misery loves company.

We can see this level of recklessness and destructive behavior through Great's actions, especially with his reactions to all the heinous situations he comes across. Moments such as him hitting Manee or helping Title dispose of Dome's body, you can see how he's in a daze for majority of those moments before continuing on and avoiding damages and accountability. But once those moments pass, a wave of anxiety and stress overcomes him, using impulsive outlets such as smoking and sex to calm his nerves or even heighten them to reach a state of euphoria that temporarily shields him from his damning reality.

The only few moments we witnessed Great's joyous moments in his reality as well as his imagined reality had to do with the presence of love and affection:

Episode 1, 3, 4, 7

What I found interesting from the flashback was not just about Tyme and Great having a shared past, but it seemed like Great's childhood during the time of Tyme's family becoming partners in the operation was fairly tame. There are genuine displays of affection from his mother and father, and it only makes me wonder when the shift occurred between him and his father to escalate to a point of destructive behavior. Was is when he wasn't able to play with Tyme anymore? Was it when Great's father's moral values shifted once Tyme's parents were killed for an exchange of more wealth and status?

Tonkla: Eye for an Eye, Tooth for a Tooth

Teahan's comments on negative coping strategies highlighted my own interpretation of Tonkla's behavior and personality throughout the series:

"...we often find things that would help us address pain. ...can also find drugs and alcohol to manage horrific stuff going on in their home life or in their parental relationships."

I talked about Tonkla's personality and perception in depth in my episode 4 analysis when talking about his dynamic with Korn, alluding to potential physical abuse since we witnessed his emotional abuse earlier on in the series. 4MINUTES deciding to include this backstory helps us as the audience understand the severity of Tonkla's home situation before deciding to live under Korn's care that we see in episode 1. How brutal and violent his father is, how despite reporting to the police on multiple occasions, they remain hands off and enable the abuse to persist, underhandedly assuming Tonkla and his brother to continue enduring the abuse they suffer every day under their own roof.

Episode 7

We can see how passive and absentminded Tonkla becomes when it comes to enduring his own mistreatment, which we get a gist of this from how he processed Dome's passing as well as the secret hot and cold relationship he has with Korn. Surviving off of the same impulsiveness Great relies on to cope with such a bittersweet reality, Tonkla's drug usage and rough sexual encounters keep him from going beyond the edge for as long as possible, but of course, falls short once Dome, his only family member passes away. When we see Tonkla's dad abusing and killing the cat that appears in front of Tonkla as a hallucination throughout the episodes, the collar becomes an even deeper metaphor to Tonkla's imprisonment and stagnation serving as a reminder of not only his father's abuse, but his ownership underneath Korn (he even mentions his father passing away during the conversation with Korn after their first time in episode 4 but now we know his true cause of death).

Episode 7

Teahan elaborates on the romantic aspect of these emotional delays:

"...there is a special bond or a fantasy with their partner which doesn't match the reality of what it is." "...not caring if our partners are actually abusive for fear of being wrong or being in a relationship where we're not a good match."

As well as perceptual issues stemming from abuse during a child's upbringing:

"Often the abuse itself is a parent damaging a child's perception because the adults have the power over reality...they really get into fights in their head and the offense, real or imagined, stays with them, where we perceive the person having an issue with us or making it about us when it's really about the other person."

However, we see this shift in reclaiming his power once Win comes into the picture and tries everything within his power to bring justice to Dome's murder (we don't know for sure if that's stemming from a place of sexual desire, romantic, a strong sense of justice, or a combination of all three). As far as I'm concerned: out of all the main characters, Win has been reliable and consistent in his protection and devotion to Tonkla, offering up a different side of connection as a juxtaposition to the abuse and power imbalance Tonkla dealt with for majority of his life. Because of how disconnected he becomes from Korn's absence, I find it interesting how Korn managed to keep important details such as his relationship to Great a secret from Tonkla, making this betrayal more damaging. As the famous Code of Hammurabi states: "eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth".

Episode 7

Tyme: An End Before a Beginning

Tyme's life overview pains me not because I fell madly in love with Jes over the course of this series airing or anything, his life beginning with emptiness and grief after the death of his parents. The trials and tribulations he experienced, from the loss of loved ones, growing up in poor conditions, a deep desire to earn a living to give his grandmother a better life, there are many aspects to Tyme's life that contributes to his passive nature, trickling into his professional and personal life from Den reminding him to treat his patients with humanity and his breakup with his ex girlfriend. We see this when he approaches Great and has sex with him in order to get a step closer to avenging his family, we see this when he confronts Chanin, we see this when he's willing for Samarn to take his life once Nan dies in their hands. However, the most vulnerable of Tyme comes out when he is told by Den about Great's condition at the hospital, which brings on immense guilt and grief for a relationship they could have had if their circumstances were different.

Episode 7

Episode 7

I appreciate that Den becomes a voice of reason, which lots of people had wonders about how big of a role he plays as a character within the grand scheme of things. I believe that Den's character has enough push and pull without being too directly involved and entangled with the main characters, since we know how dedicated Den is to his research as well as the health and well being of his patients. He becomes one of the few people outside of his grandmother that Tyme has trust over, as well as emotional safety in sharing his burden and thoughts about Great and his current state. Whether Den knows the full details of what both of them have been through, Den gives Tyme a sliver of hope for a better outcome, which I found interesting when he was having his conversation with Lukwa about what happens during her OOBE (out-of-body-experience).

Episode 7

What became the most significant for me was Tyme becoming in tune with expressing his deep emotions, which we witnessed him crying at various stages of this episode but with the same emotional baggage: when he witnessed Great's emergency surgery, when confiding in Den about his regret, asking Great for forgiveness by his bedside, and when he's running away from his aggressor before ultimately being shot dead.

For someone that has expressed very little emotion from the moment we were introduced to him as a character until the final few episodes, almost having a similar detachment and perceptual issues Great has, I could only imagine the intensity of his emotions during each moment of vulnerability. Not even 24 hours pass and Great is shot outside of his home after they had their argument and Tyme placed the blame for Nan's death on Great, Great entering a coma from his injury and Tyme dealing with the weight of responsibility for his physical state (whether it is actually his responsibility or not, sorrow will have its way and point him towards guilt), and while bleeding out, grieving for the death of his grandmother, the death of his parents that he can no longer avenge, him now having no chance of asking Great for his forgiveness and remaining an angry and betrayed person in memory. That honestly becomes an even worse punishment on top of what he had been through thus far in his life: the punishment of being dragged to your end without being able to embark on your beginning with the person you care about most.

Episode 7

Both him and Great enter the period of 4 minutes at 11:00PM, which makes me wonder if there will be a way for them to revive themselves if their timelines converge. Is there a possibility for them to call out for one another in their own imagined realities? Can their senses transcend such abnormal circumstances? If Tyme were paying attention to these details outlined in Den's research paper before getting shot, will he be able to use this knowledge to find his way back to Great? Will both of them be able to see one another in the gallery Lukwa saw Great in? Will they both live together or die together? So many questions that I hope we have the vital answers to once episode 8 is released.

This post feels like word soup LOL. I think it's just me having too much fun keeping up with other content while still trying to figure out how to lay this analysis out. If you made it to the end, thank you so much and I appreciate your time! If you're feeling extra generous: check out Xdinary Heroes's new song iNSTEAD! (esp if you like metalcore/rock). See y'all on Friday :)

[nayziiz]

Shadows | LN4

Summary: [Mafia] In the face of dire financial troubles, Lando receives a desperate plea from his father to unearth a lucrative solution within the family business. Fueled by the pressure to rescue his family from ruin, Lando stumbles upon a seemingly perfect venture—using luxury cars as a facade for the clandestine world of drug trafficking. With the unexpected partnership of Amelia Rossi, his father's best friend's daughter, Lando believes he has found the ideal accomplice. However, as the Norris family collides with the ambitious Russells in a ruthless bid to establish their dominance, the perilous path Lando has chosen places not only his newfound enterprise at stake but also entangles Amelia in the dangerous crossfire that unfolds.

Warning: Violence, drugs, blood, smut, fluff, guns

Pairing: Lando Norris x OC (Amelia Rossi) - appearances from other drivers

Masterlist

Chapter 4

As the weeks wore on, Lando and Amelia found themselves navigating a precarious game of cat and mouse, their every move shadowed by the looming threat of exposure. Despite the setbacks, they managed to orchestrate several successful shipments to various parts of the world, each one a testament to their resilience and resourcefulness. From the bustling streets of Paris to the neon-lit alleys of Tokyo and the sun-drenched beaches of Rio de Janeiro, they navigated the intricate web of international logistics with skill and precision.

But as the shipments continued, so too did the speculations between Lando and Amelia, casting suspicion on everyone from trusted allies to low-level associates. With each passing day, the sense of paranoia grew, fueled by the nagging fear that someone within their ranks was working against them.

In the absence of concrete evidence, they could only wait and watch, their nerves stretched taut with anticipation for the inevitable confrontation with George and his father, Steve. They knew that it was only a matter of time before the Russells reappeared, armed with questions and demands for answers.

Steve was unrelenting in his pursuit for answers. George's conflicted loyalties became increasingly apparent as the tension escalated. He found himself caught between his father's ruthless demands and a lingering sense of compassion for Amelia, a girl he once cared deeply for. He pleaded with his father to spare her harm, emphasising the need for restraint, but his appeals fell on deaf ears. The elder Russell remained resolute, driven by a relentless pursuit of answers, regardless of the methods employed.

In the pursuit of those answers, the Steve saw instilling fear in the young Rossi as a perfect means to an end. The calculated decision to create a climate of intimidation was intended to extract the information they sought. In George's mind, this heavy-handed approach seemed unnecessary, but he had little influence over the methods his father deemed fit for the situation.

The tension reached a boiling point when an unexpected intrusion disrupted Amelia's ordinary night at the car dealership. As she diligently worked at her desk, finalising purchase paperwork, a mysterious figure slipped into the shadows, wielding a gun. He stalked her as he made his way up the staircase to her office. The sudden appearance of danger shattered the illusion of Amelia's once seemingly idyllic life. The threat materialised from the dangerous undercurrents of her business dealings, casting a dark shadow over her personal space.

In the harrowing moments that followed, Amelia faced a stark realisation – the vulnerabilities that came with her involvement in the less-than-clean aspects of business had breached the sanctity of her private world. The once distant dangers of the underworld had materialised at her doorstep, leaving her to confront the consequences of her choices and the menacing presence that now lurked in the shadows of her seemingly secure life.

Amelia swiftly recognized the orchestrator behind the menace—Russell, and by association, George. Driven by a toxic blend of jealousy and a warped sense of rivalry, they had crossed a line that Amelia could not dismiss or forgive.

The bitter irony lay in George's role, someone who had once pleaded for leniency and attempted to protect Amelia from the ominous reach of his family. However, his own history of betrayal and a pattern of undermining friendships, including those with Lando and Amelia, had now come full circle. The loyalty he had hoped to foster had eroded, replaced by a perilous alliance with his ruthless family.

For Amelia, this was more than an isolated incident; it was a pivotal moment that shattered the facade of normalcy. The underworld, a realm her father had sought to shield her from, now unfolded at her doorstep, and she found herself at the centre of the dangerous game by her own volition.

Amelia's heart raced like a drumbeat in her chest, each thud echoing the gravity of the chilling reality before her—an imposing gun pointed unwaveringly at her forehead. The tension in the air was palpable, and despite her training in various martial arts, the starkness of the situation eclipsed anything she had faced before.

The training that once instilled confidence now offered only a fragile shield against the looming threat. Her breaths, normally measured and controlled, came in quick, shallow bursts, as she grappled with the instinctive surge of fear. In the dimly lit confines of her dealership, the menacing presence of the intruder cast an ominous shadow, and the world seemed to contract to the immediate proximity of the weapon aimed at her.

Drawing upon every ounce of her strength, Amelia fought to steady herself, her mind racing as she attempted to approach the perilous scenario with a facade of calm reasoning. The pulsating seconds felt like an eternity, each one magnifying the weight of the gun and the precariousness of her position.

In the face of imminent danger, her training became a delicate dance between muscle memory and raw instinct. She focused on the intruder, attempting to decipher the intentions behind the cold, unyielding gaze. The air hung heavy with unspoken threats, and as the seconds stretched, she steeled herself for the unfolding confrontation.

The assailant's demand cut through the air like a sharp blade, his words resonating with ominous intent—he sought information about her business dealings with Norris. Amelia, despite the palpable fear coursing through her veins, summoned a steely resolve and met the demand with a measured composure.

With unwavering determination, she firmly denied any involvement in fraudulent activities, each word spoken with deliberate clarity. In the face of the menacing weapon trained on her, Amelia asserted her autonomy, emphasising that her business operated within the bounds of legality. The echoes of her denial reverberated in the dimly lit room, a defiant stand against the threat that loomed before her.

The air became charged with an unspoken intensity, the intruder's gaze a piercing scrutiny that sought to unravel the truth hidden beneath her words. As the minutes stretched into an agonising crawl, Amelia's strategic mind worked swiftly, seizing upon a fleeting opportunity to lower the gunman's guard. In a moment of calculated precision, she initiated a series of manoeuvres, skillfully disarming him with a deftness that belied the urgency of the situation.

The sudden, unexpected struggle erupted through the quiet dealership, the scuffling sounds echoing in the otherwise silent space. Amelia's training in martial arts became a decisive advantage as she defied the odds, turning the tables against the assailant. The struggle played out in a dance of survival, the stakes heightened by the threat that had initially loomed over her.

Amidst the chaos, the sudden commotion escalated, the tension reaching a fever pitch. In the frenzied struggle, a gunshot shattered the silence, its reverberations ricocheting off the walls and distorting the perception of time. The deafening sound momentarily drowned out all other noise, leaving an eerie stillness in its wake.

Amelia's heart raced in the aftermath of the gunshot, her senses heightened as she assessed the situation. The abrupt eruption of violence had shifted the delicate balance within the dealership, leaving a lingering tension in the air.

Amelia's body tensed in the aftermath of the gunshot, a surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins as time seemed to freeze. The once frantic struggle now hung in suspended animation, and the dimly lit dealership became a stage for the unknown. The surreal silence that followed the deafening sound of the gunshot enveloped her, and the world seemed to hold its breath.

In the oppressive stillness, Amelia waited with bated breath, her senses heightened, and her perception attuned to the slightest shift in the air. The harsh echoes of her own laboured breaths reverberated in the quietude, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Panic gripped her, the uncertainty of the unfolding events amplifying the fear that coiled within her.

The profound sense of relief that washed over her was palpable, a wave that momentarily eclipsed the lingering fear. The realisation slowly dawned—she had not been the target of the gunshot. The threat had been redirected, and it was the assailant who now bore the wounds inflicted in the struggle.

Amelia's gaze fixated on the fallen gunman, his laboured breaths a haunting symphony in the aftermath of the struggle. The reality of the situation seeped into her consciousness, and a heavy silence enveloped the dealership. Time, momentarily suspended, resumed its relentless march, yet Amelia remained frozen in place, a silent witness to the unfolding consequences of the violent encounter.

The man, now a mere shadow of the menacing threat he had posed, struggled with the injuries inflicted during the tumultuous struggle. The metallic tang of blood hung in the air, a visceral reminder of the brutal clash that had transpired within the once-quiet confines of the showroom. Amelia, caught in the aftermath, grappled with the weight of the encounter settling heavily on her shoulders.

As the wounded assailant choked on his own blood, the air became charged with an eerie tension, the sounds of his suffering echoing through the space. The dealership, once a sanctuary for luxury vehicles, now bore witness to the stark realities of the dangerous game Amelia had willingly entered. The poignant contrast between the opulence of the surroundings and the brutality of the confrontation lingered, casting a sombre pall over the scene.

As the dealership gradually settled into an eerie calm, the remnants of the recent struggle lingering like ghostly echoes, Amelia took a moment to collect herself. The adrenaline, which had surged through her veins like a tumultuous tide, began to ebb away, leaving in its wake a mix of shock and a subtle undercurrent of accomplishment.

Surveying the aftermath of the violent encounter, she found herself amidst overturned furniture and the tangible residue of the struggle that had unfolded within the walls of her once-secure sanctuary. The normally pristine office space now bore the scars of the confrontation, a stark reminder of the perilous world she had been abruptly thrust into.

“Shit.” She mumbled as she stumbled to switch off all the lights on in her office.

With her heart still pounding and her once-white satin blouse now stained in scarlet, Amelia made her way to her desk, a silent witness to the turmoil that had unfolded in her sanctuary. The stark reminder of the recent struggle clung to her, an indelible mark on the fabric of her existence.

As she reached for her phone, uncertainty gripped her. The weight of the decision loomed over her—should she call her father, the protector who had shielded her from the dangerous undercurrents, or should she call Lando, the ally who understood the shadows of their shared past? In a moment of visceral instinct, she chose the latter, trusting in Lando's unwavering support and the absence of judgement that their history promised.

Pressing the phone to her ear, she waited in breathless anticipation for Lando's voice to resonate through the device. The seconds seemed to stretch, each one echoing with the aftermath of the struggle. In the silence that enveloped her, the phone call became a lifeline, a connection to the one person who could comprehend the complexities of the perilous world she had been thrust into.

The pulsating beat of music and the lively atmosphere of one of Lando's clubs enveloped his surroundings as he answered the call. Amidst the rhythmic sounds and vibrant energy, a voice, laden with urgency, cut through the noise.

“Amelia?” Lando's voice crackled through the phone, momentarily competing with the lively ambiance of the club.

“Lando. I need your help.” She replied, the weight of the recent events evident in her breathless tonemanages to breathe.

“Now’s not the best time.” He informed her, his words navigating the delicate balance between the two worlds—one of immediate revelry and the other, a world in which Amelia grappled with the aftermath of a dangerous encounter.

In the background, the ambient noise of the club continued, underscored by the playful distraction of Zara kissing down his neck—a glimpse into the lavish and carefree surroundings that defined Lando's realm.

“I wouldn’t call if it wasn’t urgent.” She emphasised, her voice a stark contrast to the surrounding revelry.

The weight of her statement penetrated through the distractions of the club, prompting Lando to take decisive action. In a swift motion, he pushed Zaral off him, leaving behind the allure of the night's festivities. Rising to his feet, he stepped away from the vibrant chaos, a silent acknowledgment of the urgency embedded in Amelia's call.

“Where are you?” Lando's voice held a sense of urgency as he sought to understand the specifics of Amelia's situation.

“I’m in the dealership. Just make sure you come alone and come around the back.” She informed him, her words laden with a discreet plea for discretion and swift action.

Amelia, far from being a passive victim, emerged from the ordeal with a silent vow etched in her heart. The betrayal she had endured fueled a fierce determination to retaliate. The past bonds that once tethered her to George were now severed, and she understood the gravity of the situation. It was no longer just about self-preservation; it was a commitment to safeguarding those she held dear, a pledge to shield not only herself but also the loyal allies who had stood by her side.

The passage of twenty minutes left the dealership in an eerie stillness, the back door creaking open to admit Lando into the shadowy expanse. The showroom, once a realm of gleaming luxury, now lay shrouded in darkness, the ambient glow of the city's night seeping through the windows.

Lando, attuned to the urgency of the situation, cast a glance upward at Amelia's office on the first floor. The dim light emitted from her phone served as a lone beacon in the otherwise darkened space, guiding him towards the heart of the unfolding drama.

Making his way up the spiral staircase with cautious steps, Lando's senses heightened. The air hung heavy with the aftermath of the struggle, and a palpable tension gripped the surroundings. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, a hushed realisation settled in—there, in the semi-darkness of the office, lay the assailant's feet.

“What the fuck?” The immediate shock and disbelief coloured Lando's voice, echoing through the silent expanse of the building.

“Shut up!” Amelia hissed, her urgency cutting through the tension that hung in the air.Amelia hissed.

“What did you do?” Lando's voice, now lowered but no less intense, sought answers in the darkness.

“I will answer all of your questions, but you need to help me get rid of his body.” Amelia's words carried a weight, a confession that reverberated through the shadows.

“Amelia.” Lando's tone held a mix of concern and incredulity.

“It was either be killed or kill. I had to choose.” She explained, the gravity of her words hanging in the air like an unspoken truth.

Lando, confronted with the grim reality of the situation, snapped into action. The urgency of the moment prompted him to shed his jacket, rolling up his sleeves with a focused determination. In the silence that hung over the showroom, his mind raced with logistical considerations.

His thoughts turned to the practicalities—they needed a different vehicle. The trunk of his car, by his quick assessment, wouldn't accommodate the task at hand. A calculated and strategic mind, Lando contemplated the intricacies of the situation, considering the weight and gravity of each decision.

“Alright.” He said, his voice steady despite the unfolding chaos. “We'll use another vehicle. We need to act fast, and we need to be discreet.”

Lando dragged the unconscious man by his feet, the chilling reality of the situation sinking in. The dealership, once a pristine display of luxury, now bore witness to the aftermath of a violent struggle, leaving behind a trail of stark evidence.

“Fuck, the blood is everywhere.” Lando muttered under his breath.

As Lando manoeuvred the body onto a rug, his gaze shifted upward, and he found Amelia, the once-composed orchestrator of her business, now completely spaced out. Disgust etched across her face, her eyes fixated on the volume of blood that stained her office floor—a visceral reminder of the choices made in the throes of danger.

“Are you hurt?” Lando's concern cut through the tense air, a reflection of the gravity of the situation.

“No.” Amelia replied, her voice holding a trace of weariness.

“You have blood on your shirt.” Lando observed, his gaze fixated on the stained garment.

“It’s not mine.” She clarified as the weight of her words underscoring the gravity of the struggle she had endured.

“You need to get bleach and a ton of paper towels.” Lando suggested, his mind already racing with plans to address the aftermath.

“I’ll get it.” Amelia responded, her resolve unwavering even in the face of the disconcerting scene in her office.

The logistics of the cleanup became a practical focus, a way to navigate the aftermath of their choices and restore a semblance of order to the chaos that had unfolded within the once-tranquil dealership.

In a matter of moments, Amelia descended the staircase and reappeared, carrying the cleaning supplies needed to address the aftermath of the struggle. The cleansing scent of bleach filled the air as she sprayed it onto the blood-stained tiles, the pungent odour mingling with the lingering tension in the showroom.

Amelia's movements were deliberate and focused, the rhythmic sound of the paper towel wiping away the evidence of the violent encounter. The dim light cast shadows on her determined expression as she worked to erase the physical remnants of the struggle that had disrupted the tranquillity of her office.

“I’ll have my security guys wipe the footage from the CCTV database.” Lando informed her, his tone authoritative and decisive. The practicality of his suggestion was evident—a strategic move to eliminate any traces of the recent events. “And, I’ll have them send some guys down to be here when you’re in the office.”

“That’s not necessary. My father-”

“Your father cannot know a thing. He’ll know that you're busy with shady business. Just say you had a security breach and I offered.” Lando interjected, his voice firm and insistent.

The weight of his words conveyed an understanding of the delicate balance they needed to maintain in the face of a situation that threatened to unravel the carefully constructed facades of their lives.

In the strategic dance of shadows and secrets, Lando's offer became a lifeline—a shield against the prying eyes of those who couldn't be trusted.

“He always liked you.” Amelia acknowledged, a subtle nod to the complexities of her father's affections.

“Precisely.” Lando responded, recognizing the leverage that goodwill might afford them in navigating the intricacies of their clandestine actions. “I’m going to need someone to help us. We can’t do this alone.”

“Just not Max. Or Alex.” Amelia stipulated, expressing a cautious reluctance regarding the choice of allies.

“Don’t worry about it. Just pretend like nothing happened.” He directed with a pragmatic approach to maintaining the illusion of normalcy in the wake of the violent encounter.

“I can’t go home looking like this.” Amelia confessed, her voice carrying a mix of vulnerability and concern.

“You’ll come home with me. We’ll get you cleaned up, get rid of your clothes and get you back home. No one needs to know a thing.” Lando assured her, his tone a blend of reassurance and determination.

“Thank you.” Amelia responded, a heartfelt acknowledgment of the support she found in their shared alliance.

“This is technically my fault.” Lando admitted with a sense of responsibility underlying his words.

“No, it isn't.” Amelia countered, her conviction unwavering.

“This has to be George, no?” Lando pondered, drawing connections between the recent events and their shared history.

‘It can only be him. He was the only one asking questions.” Amelia affirmed, a trace of frustration in her voice.

"You know George, he's only ever happy when he's included in something." Lando observed, a rueful acknowledgment of their former schoolmate's tendencies.

In the dimly lit showroom, Lando wasted no time. With determined efficiency, he rolled the unconscious assailant into the rug, the fabric concealing the evidence of the violent struggle. As he straightened up, he wiped his hands on his jeans, a pragmatic gesture to rid himself of the residual traces of the grim task at hand.

Pulling out his phone, Lando dialled the number of his right-hand man, Jon. The urgency of the situation echoed in the hushed tones of their conversation as Lando briefed him on the need for assistance.

“Jon, I need you to come to the dealership. We've got a situation. We’ll leave everything open at the back for you. Just a clean up and disposal.” Lando spoke, the weight of the words underscoring the gravity of the clandestine operation unfolding within the confines of the dealership.

As Jon's acknowledgement reached Lando's ears, the stage was set for the arrival of assistance—a strategic move to navigate the aftermath and ensure that the shadows of the night kept their secrets hidden from prying eyes.

“Jon will sort out the body and his car. He'll get some people in to give the room a proper clean. You and I need to get out of here. I'll be your alibi if shit hits the fan.” Lando asserted, his words carrying a sense of urgency and commitment.

“Feels like we're back in high school.” Amelia remarked, a wistful note in her voice as she drew parallels between their current predicament and the challenges they faced in their youth.

“Neither of us killed someone in high school.” Lando responded, his tone a mix of pragmatism and reassurance.

"We saw someone get shot and we kept quiet, Lan. That makes us look fucking guilty." Amelia countered, her words laden with the weight of their shared past.

“We weren't out there that night looking for a murder scene.” Lando asserted, drawing a distinction between the events that unfolded in their teenage years and the unforeseen circumstances that now required their discretion.

Flashback

They were just 17 that night. Lando, bold and adventurous, had snuck out with one of his father's Audis to pick up Amelia for a house party. The night took an unexpected turn when they got lost, the dimly lit roads leading them to an abandoned stretch. Eager to regain phone signal, they pulled over, the night air thick with anticipation.

As they sought connectivity, the tranquillity of the night was shattered by screams and yelling, the ominous sounds drawing them in. Their curiosity propelled them forward, and seconds later, they found themselves witnesses to a harrowing scene—a man being shot several times, the violent act searing into their young minds.

The shooter's face remained hidden in the shadows, a faceless perpetrator of a crime witnessed in the dead of night. Lando, quick on his feet even in the face of danger, grabbed Amelia before she could utter a scream, and they sped away from the scene.

In the aftermath of that fateful night, a silent pact emerged. Lando and Amelia, bound by the shared trauma of witnessing a crime, made a promise—an unspoken agreement never to speak about it with each other or anyone else. The weight of that secret forged an unbreakable bond, a shared understanding that transcended the boundaries of adolescence and lingered as a shadowy thread woven into the fabric of their friendship.

“This is different.” Lando voiced with a discernible tension in his words as the echoes of their past mingled with the challenges of the present.

“Lando.” She implored, her gaze seeking reassurance from the one person she had turned to in times of both peril and secrecy.

“Remember you called me, Amelia, not the police, not your dad, me. You called me because you know I won’t tell a soul about any of this.” Lando reminded her, his tone carrying the weight of their shared history. The unspoken bond that had endured the trials of teenage secrecy and witnessed the violence of that night now became the anchor in the tumultuous sea of their present predicament.

As Lando and Amelia made their way down the staircase, each step echoing in the quiet showroom, a pregnant pause settled between them. Amelia stopped halfway down the staircase causing Lando to turn back to see where she was.

“If this is your way of reminding me that I make shit decisions, it is not the time.” Amelia retorted, a note of defiance in her voice as the weight of the night pressed upon her.

“You forget that when you agreed to do this, you agreed to get your hands dirty. And, I know you didn't mean to kill that guy. It was an accident and you were defending yourself. So, when I offer to help, just take it and trust me.” Lando explained, his words carrying a mix of understanding and urgency.

“Of course I trust you.” Amelia conceded, a hint of vulnerability in her admission.

“Then start acting like it.” Lando urged, his tone firm but laced with a genuine concern for her well-being.

In the wake of their tense conversation, Amelia followed Lando in the dimly lit showroom and out to the back parking lot to where his sleek McLaren awaited. The low hum of the high-performance engine punctuated the stillness, and as they settled into the car, the interior became a cocoon of shadows and shared secrets.

The engine roared to life, and the McLaren glided out of the parking lot, merging seamlessly into the city's nocturnal symphony. The darkened streets unfolded before them as they embarked on a journey to the Norris family home, a sanctuary where they hoped the shadows of the night could be momentarily left behind.

As the city lights streaked past, the McLaren became a vessel hurtling through the spaces where choices and consequences collided.

“We might need to keep a low profile on exports the next few weeks and wait for the Russells to sink their teeth into someone else's business.” Lando suggested, his voice carrying the weight of strategic thinking in the face of external threats.

“Fucking George and his incessent need to make everyone's lives difficult.” Amelia muttered, frustration evident in her words.

Flashback

In the hazy atmosphere of the party, Amelia and Lando, still reeling from the shock of what they had witnessed that night, arrived seeking refuge in the noise and distraction. However, George, always on the lookout for drama and mischief, was quick to spot their anxious and flustered demeanour.

Seizing the opportunity, George, with a mischievous glint in his eye, began to weave a narrative of his own. He subtly suggested that the two had hooked up during their absence, letting the whispers of the partygoers carry the story further into the crowd. The rumour spread like wildfire, growing more exaggerated with each passing moment.

The consequences of George's manipulation reached unforeseen heights when the school, influenced by the escalating gossip, decided to intervene. Concerned about the well-being of the students, they went so far as to phone Amelia's mother, urging her to discuss family planning with her daughter. The supposed affair between Amelia and Lando had transformed into a spectacle, a testament to the power of whispers and the lengths people would go to spin a tale in the shadows of high school drama.

In the quietude outside the Norris family house, Lando parked the McLaren, the engine's hum subsiding into a gentle purr. Anticipating the need for discretion, he reached back to grab a hoodie, a makeshift cover for Amelia's stained shirt.

As they entered the Norris residence, Flo, one of Lando's younger sisters, zipped past with the carefree energy of youth, barely offering a greeting to Amelia. Lando, recognizing the need for privacy, ushered Amelia upstairs to his bedroom. With a deliberate gesture, he shut the door and locked it, creating a temporary sanctuary where they could navigate the aftermath of the night undisturbed.

“We'll have to burn everything.” Lando stated matter-of-factly, the weight of the recent events hanging in the air.

“Everything?” Amelia queried, a hint of disbelief in her voice.

"Yeah. Panties too, I'm afraid." Lando confirmed, a touch of humour attempting to lighten the gravity of the situation. The necessity to dispose of all evidence, even the most personal items, underscored the severity of their predicament.

As the gravity of their situation hung in the air, Lando took charge, crossing the room to the fireplace. He skillfully arranged the wood, the flames flickering to life under his deft touch. The warmth emanating from the growing fire cast a gentle glow across the room, creating a play of shadows on the walls.

The crackling flames seemed to dance in rhythm with the uncertainty of the night, their flickering light casting a comforting yet eerie ambiance. As the fire gained strength, its radiant warmth began to fill the room, creating an intimate haven where Lando and Amelia could confront the shadows of the night and embark on the delicate process of erasing the traces of their clandestine actions.

“You're disgusting.” Amelia remarked, her tone a mixture of reproach and weariness.

“Well, you're not exactly the girl I thought I was bringing back home tonight.” Lando retorted, his words carrying a note of frustration and perhaps a tinge of regret.

“Sorry to disappoint.” Amelia responded, a touch of sarcasm underscoring her words.

The room, bathed in the warm glow of the firelight, became a stage for the raw honesty and tension between them—a moment where the repercussions of their choices unfolded

In a silent acknowledgment of the need to erase any trace of the night, Amelia retreated to the bathroom. There, she methodically stripped away the stained clothes, leaving behind the remnants of a tumultuous evening. Wrapping a towel around her body, she returned to the room, a vulnerable silhouette against the warm glow of the fire.

Lando, understanding the gravity of the situation, took her discarded clothes and tossed them into the crackling flames. The fire eagerly consumed the fabric, its hungry tongues licking at the evidence of the night, reducing it to ashes. The room bore witness to this ritual of cleansing, the dance of shadows on the walls telling a silent tale of discretion and consequence.

“Now a shower.” Lando suggested a practical continuation of their efforts to cleanse themselves of the night's events.

Leading Amelia back to the bathroom, Lando started running the shower. A moment of vulnerability hung in the air as Amelia expected him to leave her to her privacy. However, to her surprise, Lando began undressing, leaving him stark naked in front of her.

Amelia, caught off guard, quickly averted her gaze, her breath catching in her throat. The unexpected intimacy in that vulnerable moment accentuated the complexities of their relationship, adding another layer to the shadows that seemed to linger in the spaces between them.

“You have blood in places you can't see so I might as well help you with that.” Lando remarked, his practicality cutting through the awkwardness of the moment.

“If you wanted to shower with me, you could have just asked.” Amelia grumbled, a hint of annoyance in her voice. Memories of a similar situation resurfaced, adding a layer of familiarity to the present. “I vaguely remember you doing this one night after we went out. I was so drunk and covered in alcohol. You showered me that night, dressed me and tucked me in.”

The echoes of the past mingled with the present, creating a sense of déjà vu in the bathroom.

A small smile crept onto Lando's face as the memory of that past night played in his mind. 

Flashback

Amelia sat at her desk, buried under a mountain of textbooks and lecture notes, her mind buzzing with the weight of her upcoming university exams. She had been studying for hours, pouring over endless pages of information, but the words seemed to blur together in a haze of exhaustion and frustration.

With a sigh, she pushed her books aside and rubbed her tired eyes, feeling the stress of her studies weighing heavily on her shoulders. She needed a break, a moment of respite from the relentless pressure of academia.

Without thinking, she grabbed her phone and scrolled through her contacts, searching for a familiar name amidst the sea of numbers. And then she found it: Lando.

With a sense of relief washing over her, Amelia dialled his number and waited anxiously as the phone rang. And when he answered, his voice was like a lifeline, grounding her in the midst of chaos.

“Lando.” She said, her voice trembling slightly with emotion. “I need you.”

His protective instinct kicked in immediately, his concern evident in his voice as he asked her where she was. And when she told him, he didn't hesitate for a moment.

“I'm on my way.” He said, his tone firm and reassuring. “Just hold tight.”

And true to his word, Lando arrived moments later, his car pulling up to the curb outside the club where Amelia had sought refuge from her studies. With a sense of relief flooding through her, she hurried outside to meet him, grateful for the familiar sight of his reassuring presence.

When she climbed into the car beside him, she felt a wave of gratitude wash over her, knowing that no matter what challenges she faced, Lando would always be there to protect her, to guide her through the darkest of times.

As they drove away from the chaos of the club, the weight of her worries lifting with each passing moment, Amelia couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the unwavering support of her friend.

Stepping into the shower, he extended a helping hand to Amelia, the towel dropping to the floor.

In the intimate space of the shower, the warm water cascaded around them, washing away the physical remnants of the night. The small smile on Lando's face carried with it a mix of nostalgia and genuine care, a reflection of the bond they had forged through the years.

The spacious shower, though offering room to breathe, found Lando and Amelia pressed against each other beneath the hot water. In the closeness of the moment, Lando took a loofah and squirted shower gel onto it, gently scrubbing away the dried blood from Amelia's arms and hands.

“You OK?” Lando inquired, his voice carrying a note of concern.

“I'm still processing.” Amelia admitted, the vulnerability in her words echoing the weight of the night.

“Scared?” Lando asked, his touch and presence offering a sense of reassurance.

“Terrified.” Amelia confessed, her honesty underscoring the gravity of their situation.

“Understandable.” Lando acknowledged; his understanding becoming a silent promise that they would navigate the aftermath of the night together.

As Amelia took over the loofah, the roles reversed in the warm embrace of the shower. The steam-filled air carried a sense of familiarity, a tangible connection that transcended the immediate circumstances. The loofah glided over Lando's tanned skin, the intimate act of washing away the remnants of the night weaving a tapestry of shared history.

It had been a while since they'd been this close, the memory of past intimacy echoing in the quiet moments between them. Recollections of nights filled with solace, where Lando sought refuge after heartbreak, resurfaced. Amelia had offered him comfort and affection, creating a bond that endured beyond the ebb and flow of relationships. Their connection, built on shared vulnerabilities and unspoken support, had weathered the storms of life.

They were never strangers, and the shower became a canvas where the past and the present merged. In the dance of shadows and steam, Lando and Amelia continued to navigate the complexities of their intertwined lives, finding solace in the comfort that only the truest of companions could provide.

“Everything will be fine.” Lando reassured, his words carrying a comforting certainty.

“I know.” Amelia responded, the weight of the night and the shadows they faced momentarily lightened by the shared understanding between them.

Lando, in a tender gesture, pressed a finger to Amelia's chin, lifting it gently to meet his gaze. In the closeness of the shower, their eyes locked, becoming mirrors reflecting the intimacy they both crave.

“We can't, Lan.” Amelia asserted, a note of restraint in her voice.

“Why not?” Lando questioned, his gaze searching hers for an answer.

“Because you have a girlfriend and I'm seeing someone.” Amelia explained with the weight of their entangled personal lives adding complexity to the moment.

“I don't have a girlfriend.” Lando clarified, challenging the assumption.

“Then what is Zara?” Amelia pressed, her gaze holding firm.

“I didn't realise you and Charles are together now.” Lando countered, revealing another layer of their tangled connections.

“It's just casual for now. No pressure.” Amelia admitted, her tone suggesting a nonchalant approach to her current situation.

“Yeah, that's because he's got another girl in Monaco waiting for him.” Lando remarked, a touch of frustration in his voice.

“Stop it.” Amelia implored, the tensions of their conversation escalating.

“Amelia, seriously, why do you waste your time with these men who offer you nothing? First it was Daniel, now it’s Charles.” Lando questioned, a hint of concern in his words.

“The sex is great. What more could a girl want?” Amelia retorted, her response laced with a mix of defiance and humour, attempting to diffuse the underlying tension.

The exchange revealed the intricacies of their personal lives, the complexities that had always lingered beneath the surface of their friendship. Feeling flustered by the intense conversation in the shower, Amelia stepped out into the cool air, the droplets from the shower clinging to her skin. The exchange had laid bare the complexities and unspoken tensions that existed between her and Lando, their words echoing in the silence of the bathroom. As she wrapped a towel around herself, the lingering steam seemed to magnify the uncertainties that hovered between them.

“What about love?” Lando questioned, his voice carrying a hint of vulnerability.

“Lando, I appreciate the concern, but I don't question who you date.” Amelia responded, her tone attempting to maintain a sense of detachment.

“Well, for your information, Zara isn't my girlfriend.” Lando clarified, seeking to dispel any misconceptions.

“So, she's just met your family for fun then.” Amelia retorted, a touch of sarcasm in her voice.

“Amelia Rossi, are you jealous?” Lando teased, a playful glint in his eyes.

“Fuck off, Norris.” Amelia snapped, her response revealing a mix of frustration and defensiveness.

Quickly drying herself off, Amelia made her way into Lando's room, searching for a shirt and a pair of sweatpants. Lando followed behind her, the atmosphere carrying the lingering tension from their earlier conversation in the shower.

“Do you remember what happened that night?” Lando inquired, the memories of a pivotal evening resurfacing in the quiet space of his room. “When the shooting happened.”

“We went to the party like we planned and George told everyone we hooked up.” Amelia recounted, the events of that night etched in her memory.

“What happened after that?’ Lando prompted, seeking to revisit the moments that had shaped their relationship.

“We drove home early from the party and I stayed over.” Amelia replied, the details unfolding.

“You're forgetting the part where you could barely speak for hours after and refused to leave my side.” Lando added with a touch of sincerity in his voice.

“Do you blame me?” Amelia questioned, the vulnerability in her words hinting at the impact of that night on her.

“Just don't go all silent on me again. Tell me if something is bothering you or if you want to end the deal before things get worse.” Lando implored, the weight of unspoken concerns lingering in the air.

“The deal sticks. Now, are you driving me home or should I call for a driver?” Amelia shifted the focus, steering the conversation toward the practicalities of the present.

“I'll drive you back.” Lando agreed, a silent understanding passing between them.

As Amelia locked herself in her room, the weight of the night's events bore down on her. Alone in the quiet confines, she spent the whole night reliving the harrowing moments of the shooting in her office. The memories, vivid and haunting, replayed like a relentless film, each frame etching the fear and uncertainty of that critical juncture.

This ritual, revisiting the scenes in her mind, was not unfamiliar to her. Years ago, she had engaged in a similar process, attempting to etch faces and features into her memory. It was a desperate attempt to make sense of the chaos, to understand the shadows that lurked within the corridors of her own life.

In the solitary hours of the night, as she grappled with the echoes of gunshots and the weight of her choices, Amelia navigated the complex tapestry of her past. The walls of her room became a sanctuary for introspection, a space where the shadows of her memories danced in the darkness, revealing the intricate threads that wove together the fabric of her existence.

[lorranysenaa]

plan your new era

Hey, guys! I prepared a list of questions to help you find the best version of yourself. Let's create a special itinerary for your dream self.

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1. What does she look like? (Physical appearance, style)

2. How does she dress on a typical day?

3. What does she like?

4. What doesn't she like?

5. What is her behavior like in different situations?

6. (Social interactions, demeanor)

7. How does she prefer to be treated by others? (Expectations from relationships)

8. How does she treat people around her? (Interpersonal relationships, kindness)

9. What does her daily routine entail? (Activities, schedule)

10. At what time does she usually go to bed? (Sleeping habits)

11. When does she wake up in the morning? (Morning routine)

12. What are her hobbies and interests? (Leisure activities)

13. What is her profession or occupation? (Career, job responsibilities)

14. What are her long-term goals and aspirations? (Career ambitions, personal achievements)

15. How does she handle stress or challenges? (Coping mechanisms, problem-solving approach)

16. What type of books does she enjoy? (Cultural preferences)

17. How does she maintain her physical and mental well-being? (Health and self-care routines)

18. Does she have any specific dietary preferences or restrictions? (Food choices)

19. Who are her closest friends, and what are her relationships like with them? (Friendship dynamics)

20. How does she navigate conflicts or disagreements? (Communication style, conflict resolution

21. What values and principles guide her decision-making? (Personal ethics)

22. How does she spend her leisure time on weekends? (Weekend activities, relaxation methods)