#did diesel do a show

[maximura]

[grand-theft-carbohydrates]

i literally spend at least 2 hours a week just looking at various pictures of the terracotta army. utterly entranced. look at the details in the hair. you'd never see ANY of this when they're lined up in formation, but they're there.  

theres about 8000 of these guys down there, no two faces are alike. they're works of art. they're the manifestation of a cruel despot's delusions of grandeur. a talisman against the terrible inevitability of death, both pathetic and strangely pitiful. like watching a child clinging to his blanket, begging you not to turn off the light. they were a bunch of insignificant clay statues from a side chamber that was so small and unremarkable, no one bothered to write down the location. they were modelled after real people. their only purpose was to serve qin shi huang in the afterlife, so he could reign in heaven as he did on earth. now the emperor is just a ghost and his pawns are immortal. my dad and i visited them in the dead of winter, on a weekday, just so we wouldn't have to deal with tourists like us. the place had easily 500 people--not including the ones below ground. we traveled to xian via the old "green skin" diesel train. there are faster means, like highspeed rail but dad insisted i try the authentic way, the same way he would have traveled when he was my age it was also like, a quarter of the price but im sure that had nothing to do with it! back in the 80s carriages would get so packed people had to have their luggage passed in via the windows. as we chugged along, i read my book and my dad made us cup noodles. car is just a shortened version of "carriage", the word is the same but the mechanism is different. it's the same in chinese. i think if i told someone from the warring states period i could travel from the Kingdom of Qi to Qin in just four hours with my metal carriage, i'd be laughed out of town--or accused of being a spy and sentenced to 'death by carriage.' we hopped off the train at 4am and took a different "carriage." the taxi driver joked; "basically every dynasty put their capital in xian, stick a shovel anywhere and you'll turn up some national treasure or another." i wonder what it would have felt like to be a farmer digging a well and then out pops a remarkably realistic human head. statistical analysis show the soldier's faces bear a strong similarity to people living in the region today. the taxi stopped in front of a jewellery-hawking tourist trap and refused budge an inch until we went inside. did you know the terracotta soldiers were originally multi-coloured and painfully gaudy, just like the greek marbles? they were made assembly-line style. the arms and legs were made from the same workshops that made clay plumbing pipes and roof tiles. for quality control, the artisans were required to stamp their names. the workers who built these tombs were executed shortly afterwards, because only dead men can be trusted with secrets. qin shi huang's mausoleum is unlikely to be excavated in my father's lifetime, or mine, not unless i'm willing to take a BIG ONE for the team... instead of the tomb, they built some kind of qin shi huang-themed theme park next to it. not only was it tacky as hell the entrance fee was like $50. we went to the museum and i looked at bronze tools and pottery shards for three hours. look why can't we just crack the thing open i can't be the only one here whos dying from curiosity what if we all just took turns digging

[miguelschamp]

new car

pairing: jj maybank x fem!reader

summary: after kie shows you a tiktok, you play a prank on your boyfriend

warnings: none

you had been working for years to save up for your new car. all throughout high school, you had driven your mom’s old car. which worked fine for going back and forth to school, but ultimately gave out after you graduated.

it took awhile to save since you and jj decided to move in together after high school after being together since freshman year, but you finally did it.

you got the car about three months ago and your excitement was still through the roof. you loved your new car.

you didn’t have to worry about your engine randomly going out, you didn’t have to roll all of your windows down because of the air conditioning not working, or slam your trunk shut because simply closing it didn’t work.

of course, whenever these problems arose, jj would fix it no problem, but it felt good to know you wouldn’t have to bombard him with those problems anymore.

as long as you’ve known jj, he’s been pretty into cars. he knew the run around of what to do when something wasn’t working. and in all actuality, it amazed you.

so, when kie told about you about this prank going around tiktok, it piqued your interest.

you told jj you would be going to the gas station whenever you got off of work before heading home.

you filled up the tank and grab snacks before heading back to your car. you grabbed your phone and dialed your boyfriend before putting him on speaker.

“yeah, baby ?”

“i’m on my way, jay. do we need anything else before i head home ?”

“uh, no, i think we’re good.”

“okay.” you mutter, “oh, babe, you’re never gonna believe what they have at the gas station.”

“what ?”

“they have these christmas themed covers on the gas pumps. it’s so cute.”

“what do you mean christmas themed ?”

“they have these cute green ones out. it’s adorable.”

“green ?” he says before you hear a gasp, “baby, don’t tell me.”

“tell you what ?” you say feigning confusion

“which one did you use ?”

“the green ones. i always use the other one, so i wanted to use the christmas one.”

as he sighs, you cover your mouth to conceal your giggle.

“baby.” he starts, “how much did you put in the tank ?”

“i only put about half.” you say, “what’s wrong, jj ?”

“princess, it’s not christmas pumps, it’s diesel.”

“diesel ?”

“yes, diesel. your car doesn’t take diesel.”

“i didn’t know. i just thought they changed the covers.” you say faking your upset tone

“oh god.” he mumbles, “i can’t believe you did that. why on earth would you do that ?”

the laugh you’d been holding the whole conversation was finally let out.

“what ? why are you laughing ?”

“because it’s a prank.” you laugh

jj groans, “oh my god, y/n/n. seriously ?”

“yes. kie showed it to me.”

“okay, well, you’re not hanging out with kie anymore.”

your laughter intensifies as jj lets out a chuckle of his own.

[woncatz]

can you do jealous chaewon dragging reader into a room(and fucking her roughly) because reader was being way too flirty for her liking?

i couldn't find the right pictures but i had chaewon wearing the diesel tanktop in mind while writing this ;)

'steaming hot'

pairing/s : kim chaewon x fem!reader

tags : rough sex to soft sex (?), jealousy, oral and fingering (r!receiving), manhandling, mommy kink, clit rubbing, chaewon is really pissed and REALLY MEAN, lots of degradation with a little bit of praise, mild overstimulation, chaewon slaps you like once, short fluff at the end.

a/n : if it wasnt obvious; the end is rushed so don't go after me, also, this doesn't follow the request entirely, but the idea is there :)

18+ | minors dni

"one americano, and a latte, please and thank you." smiling at the barista across from you. glancing at her name tag before speaking once again.

"so faye, how long have you been working here?" you said while making direct eye contact.

"oh.. hm - a while now, i guess." the girl chuckles with red cheeks and continues to prepare your orders.

"what is a pretty girl like you doing here and working in a cafe? surely some companies out there would be interested working with a gal like you." it was obvious that you were shamelessly flirting with her, fully knowing that chaewon could hear the whole conversation. you glance at chaewon from the front of the café and sure enough, she was glaring daggers right at you and the girl.

"t-thank you, you're also very pretty." the barista momentarily stops her actions to look and smile at you, before she's starts working on it again. though she can't hide the blood rushing to her face by being complimented by someone as hot as you and chaewon did not like that at all.

"thank you darling." you spoke with a sultry voice guaranteed to seduce anyone who was in hearing range, before smirking at the sight of chaewon slowly losing her composure.

"chaewon? are you alright? you look a bit uneasy." faux innocence dripping from your tone knowing that your plan was working.

"i'm alright." and chaewon answers shortly.

"are you feeling sick? we can go home now if you want. i can drive for us."

all that chaewon does is roll her eyes and look out the window completely ignoring you.

"here's your drinks ma'am." the girl in front drives your attention off of chaewon. you smile at her and quickly reach down to your purse for your wallet.

"we'll get going, thanks." you didn't even realize that chaewon was already beside you and had already slammed the payment on the counter before getting the drinks and dragging you to the car.

"hey, why do you seem mad? what did i do wrong, hm?" your voice laced with fake innocence which pisses off chaewon even more, she hates it when you act like this, like a brat.

"you're fucking annoying. get in." she opens the car door for you. even when mad, chaewon is still a gentlewoman, and you really liked that.

and now you're inside, seating beside your lover who refuses to look at you. you feel guilty, almost. but this is what you wanted to happen. and so you let a small smile paint your lips.

not long after, the both of you arrive in front of your apartment complex. chaewon once again opens the car door, and you shuffle against the seat to step out but chaewon pulls you by your wrist and slams the door behind you, pressing a button on her car keys to lock it.

you wanted to speak, but you knew that what you had done was enough to fuel the fire inside chaewon, so you stay quiet. on the way to the elevator, chaewon doesn't wait for the elevator to close before latching her lips onto yours. the kiss was rough, but you didn't mind.

"someone could walk in." you moaned as she starts sucking on your neck. soon after, the first two buttons of your blouse has been undone, showing your cleavage to chaewon.

"fuck, this is what you wanted right? for me to get jealous so we could have sex? you're such a fucking whore." she gropes your crotch through your denim shorts resulting wetness to pool in your core. the elevator bell dings and the sign shows '3rd floor'. chaewon wastes no time and grasps your wrist, walking towards your room. it was a good thing that the building uses cards instead of keys because as soon as the door was open chaewon was already on her way to the bedroom still dragging you behind her.

"look at you, all we did was make out and you look like a fucking mess." she makes you sit on the edge of the bed before kneeling in between your legs.

"please.. please chaewon." you said.

"you think you have the right to beg after what you did?" quickly undoing the buttons of your shorts before pulling it down along with your underwear.

"you're so wet baby, you really wanted this to happen hm?"

"yes mommy," you moaned and closed your eyes as you felt chaewons fingertips meet with your slit, dragging it up and down before circling your entrance. you let your eyes close, even such a slight sensation sends electricity through your veins and the whine that came out your throat was uncontrollable.

"chae, need it, i need your tongue, please." your eyes shoot open soon when chaewons hand comes in contact with your face following the immediate burn and sting from the impact. you felt tears brim in the corner of your eyes as chaewon grabs your chin roughly to make you look down at her. her face was painted with what you couldn't comprehend as disgust or condescension.

"you whore, even after doing all that- you have the fucking guts to tell me what to do." you've certainly never seen this side of chaewon, witnessing her down on her knees yet still emitting such a dominant aura turns you on even more.

"chaewon i- ahh!-" your sentence was cut short as a moan escaped your throat from chaewon diving into your cunt, she was licking and slurping and sucking your sensitive clit. what she had done definitely caught you off guard as you find your back meeting the mattress below you.

"agh- chaewon, slow down-" moans and whines filled your shared bedroom as chaewon shoved her tongue deep inside you before dragging it up to your clit and flattening against it.

"slow down? isn't this what you wanted, baby?" her voice was muffled by your pussy as she continued eating you out like she'd not eaten for days, latching and sucking on your clit and giving it kitten licks. a knot in your stomach has been forming and was threatening to snap at any moment.

"f-fuck! im close... don't stop, don't stop!" nearly shouting as chaewon shakes her head and gives your clit one last lick.

"that's it pretty girl," she replaces her tongue with her fingers, shoving it inside and pumping them in and out at a fast pace. she curls her fingers simultaneously as she stands up from her knees to reach and face you from your current position on the bed.

"you gonna cum? gonna cum for mommy? hah... your cunt is sucking my fingers, baby, i can barely move them." she was obviously mocking you, the sight of your disheveled hair and sweaty body drove her insane and a familiar overwhelming sensation started to build up on your lower stomach fast.

"cum for me, show me that you can be a good girl. cum for me baby." and all it took was a drag of her fingers and her thumb rubbing your clit to push you over the edge.

"cumming!- 'm cummin-" your hips stuttering and rising from the bed with your eyes squeezing shut as you squirted all over chaewons fingers and she lets you ride your orgasm out before you grab her wrist and urge her to pull them out.

"you okay?" she hugs your limp body before kissing your cheekbone, trailing down to your neck. the sudden shift of her mood causing heat to rise to your cheeks.

"mhm... i'm okay." silence fills the room as chaewon rests her head on the crook of your neck.

"i've got to make you jealous more often." and she just laughed.

[tarosunshine]

ִ ۫ ⭒ OREO ، ، 박원빈

𓈒 𝒢enre fluff ֢ no warnings . best friend park wonbin fem! reader ، ، he don't want to take his cap off ⸝⸝ ⌕ ﹙ archιvᥱs ﹚

it was around 6 pm when you arrived at your best friend's apartment, wonbin. today was movie night, so of course you bought everything you two need: snacks and drinks.

you knocked on the door a couple of times, waiting for the boy to open it. and the first thing that caught your attention was the cap and the hood of his hoodie on his head, covering all his hair. you frowned, trying to ignore that. instead, you just focused on the little smile on wonbin's face.

“hey!” was the first thing that came out of his mouth, immediately helping you with the things you brought. “everything's quite. where are the others?” you looked around the apartment, searching for the loud voices, but all was silence. “working” he murmured as he inspected the bags with food. a smile appeared on his lips when he saw the gummys. “come, let's put this on the fridge”.

once you two were finished, you lie on the couch, sighing heavily, as wonbin came back from the kitchen with two glasses and one soju bottle, putting them in front of you on the little table that was placed there.

“i waited for this all week, bin” you said with excitement as you grabbed your own glass, staring the soju with shiny eyes. “yeah, i can tell..” the smile on his face grows when he notices your eyes as he starts opening the bottle.

“ahh..” you closed your eyes, feeling the alcohol pass you throat. then you opened them, looking at your friend who also was enjoying it. “so, tell me.. what's up with all that over your head?” you finally asked. “i mean, i don't think it's that cold here”.

he looked up at you, blinking twice and clearing his throat. “nothing special, i just feel a little cold y'know” he murmured and then finished all the drink in one sip. “you're a terrible liar, wonbin” you hummed as you shook your head with a smile. the boy looked at you with a offended face. “for your information, i'm a very good liar”.

you stood up, still shocking your head, making your way to the bags. “just put a movie, mr. liar”. you just heard a snort from your back, but he did it anyway. and once you came back with the snacks, you sat next to him on the sofa, putting a blanket over the legs of both of you.

“i put an action movie, that's okay?” he asked as he left the control at his side, staring at the screen. you just nodded, opening the snacks. and while you were doing that, wonbin just extended his hand so you can put some on it, making you chuckle. you just shake the bag a little so the chips could fall on his palm.

the movie had started 15 minutes ago, but all you can think about is why wonbin was covering his head. i mean, you can't force him to show you if he don't want to, but what could it be? you eyed him by the corner of your eyes, and you can barely see that he was immersed staring at the tv because of the blue hood that was covering almost all his side profile. you were just curious.

“you look like him? or why are you hiding your hair?” you said with a raised brow when vin diesel appeared on the screen, making wonbin scoff for your suden accusation, then he started laughing. “what are you talking about?” finally, he turns to look at you, giving you a perfect angle of all his face, covered by his glasses. why does he look so cute?

you cleared your throat. “if you are like that, i won't laugh, i promise. show me..?” you was begging for something so irrelevant like his hair? yes. but it wasn't irrelevant at all. i mean, your best friend can have multicolor hair or have the worst haircut ever and still look fine. like that time when he trusted the "talent" of sohee with the scissors, and he stayed with that bad haircut for about two months.

a smirk appeared on his face, and then he took off the hood, staying just with the cap. “are you that excited?” he chuckled, reading your expression. and you just nodded in response with your eyes on the white cap. but he didn't take it off and just returned to his original position. you frowned.

he looked at the screen again and crossed his arms, ignoring your expecting eyes, trying not to smile. so when you saw that he had no intentions to take it off, you stood on your knees next to him at take it off for him, gasping when you saw his hair. he looked at you with surprised eyes.

“oh..” you sat on the couch again, staring at his hair. “what? you don't like it?” “you're kidding? it looks amazing” you smile, reaching your hand to his hair, putting away some locks that were over his eyes. “this time i went to a hairstylist” he murmured, referring to that incident with his friend. you laughed, now stroking his hair. “yeah, this suits you very well” you stated, admiring the dyed hair.

“this is a better reaction than last time” he smiled, closing his eyes, feeling your fingers on his scalp. “don't remember me that tragic day. still hurts me” you sighed like you were remembering some sad memories. well, they were for you. “you're such a dramatic, hm..” he also sighed, now resting his head on your shoulder. “we're talking about your long hair. it's tragic. i'm not dramatic, wonbin... but anyway, you look cute with short hair” you admit it, surprising him a little. you weren't the type to tell him so flattering things to his face.

and without noticing, ten minutes later, the two of you were comfortable cuddling on the couch while you still were stroking his hair. his head resting on your chest, his arms around your torso and legs intertwined with each other's. maybe the both of you were a little drunk.

it was common in your best friend's relationship to be clingy with each other, but somehow, this time was different. a different feeling inside in your heart, but you were hoping wonbin couldn't notice that. and like this, the two of you fell asleep.

[sprinkler-ashes]

the great war // aaron hotchner x reader

aaron hotchner x fem!reader

words: 5.5k

description: in which aaron hotchner thinks you’re hot-headed. inspired by the great war by taylor swift.

warnings: angst w/ a happy ending, one (1) car makeout, cursing, typical cm violence depictions

a/n: long time no see, and i’m sorry about that. to make a long story short, summer was very awful on me; i had a breakup and am now back in school + drowning in work. I love this fic so much; it’s probably my favorite i’ve ever written and i hope you love it too <3 also!!! if you have a request for a fic to a song, please send it my way! taylor swift is my go-to, but i am open to any song request <3

you drew up some good faith treaties

i drew curtains closed, drank my poison all alone

you said i have to trust more freely

but diesel is desire, you were playin' with fire

You should have known better than to date someone you worked with. No, actually, you should have known better than to date, of all people, your boss.

Date was a loose term.

You weren’t really sure when the lines between co-workers blurred into friendship and when friendship blossomed into early morning coffee dates and late evenings in the office together doing paperwork, and even later nights spent at dinner tables being hours deep into conversation. You knew it hadn’t happened out of nowhere. This thing between the two of you had been building up for years – years of pining.

There was a voice in the back of your head telling you that it was all too good to be true, but you pushed it back as far as you could. Besides, the two of you hadn’t even called it dating, but it sure did feel like it.

But it hadn’t felt like that in a really long time.

Aaron had put a stop to whatever was going on four months ago. He had given you some bullshit excuse that he was your boss, it was wrong of him to be doing whatever the two of you were doing with his subordinate — blah, blah – but you had stopped listening when your heart became so heavy you thought it was going to physically weigh you down.

You had been through breakups before, even some serious ones, but nothing had ever felt like this. 

You tried to stop him, but he was also a man who had made his mind up; it was impossible to get through to him that you didn’t want to end it.

So you went back to work acting like nothing had happened. And it was about to be the death of you.

However, you were a professional. It’s not like the team even knew about you and Aaron. You acted the same as always when you were at work. No one suspected anything because no one knew what you were going through.

You didn’t talk to Aaron unless you had to. Truthfully, you hadn’t spoken to him for anything that wasn’t work-related since he basically dumped you on a random Wednesday evening for reasons you couldn’t fathom, but that didn’t mean you didn’t try.

In the beginning, you tried reaching out. You called, you texted him a couple of times, and you had even been so desperate one night that you sent him an email. Each time, you were met with rejection, and him saying something along the lines that both of you should just forget about everything.

So you did by cutting all contact. You thought to yourself, I’ll show him, but it really did nothing. If it bothered him, he never showed it.

It seemed like nothing bothered him until now. A whole whopping four months later.

“Not only did you blow our cover, but you walked into a hostage situation with no weapon to defend yourself; you didn’t even strap a vest on. You are lucky that no one died or was seriously injured.” Aaron wasn’t yelling – he was actually just slightly an octave below yelling – but it sure as hell sounded like he was screaming because his voice had never been like this towards you.

You frowned, not liking the way he was calling you out in front of everyone – in front of a group of people that you greatly admired and respected. “What else was I supposed to do, Hotch? If I hadn’t gone in there, that woman would have died. I was trying to save her life.”

“Save her life?” he asked incredulously. “From the moment you burst through those doors, you put her in even more danger than she was already in. Not only could she have died, but you also could have.”

“Why are you giving me so much shit over this?” you asked, throwing your hands up in anger, not paying attention to the awkward glances your team was giving each other. “I’m not the only one who's done this, and I won’t be the last. I don’t care to risk my life trying to save someone else. I’m sorry that I blew everyone’s cover, but I won’t apologize for saving her.”

Aaron shook his head, his demeanor that was normally unreadable was completely gone. “You’re on probation, effectively immediately-”

“What? I, Hotch-”

“You will not physically assist in any cases for the next two weeks. You will still travel to cases, but you will work directly from the police department. You will not be allowed to go in the field.”

He kept talking, his mouth moving a mile a minute listing off all the things you were allowed to do and what you couldn’t do, but you couldn’t focus on anything he was saying. You were so tempted to slap your boss across the face and if it wouldn’t have technically been workplace harassment, you probably would have.

“Hotch, we’ve all made mistakes,” Derek Morgan said. “No one ended up hurt tonight. With all due respect, I think a two week probation is a little harsh.”

You wanted to thank Derek for sticking up for you, but you couldn’t form words at that moment. Your feet were on the move faster than you could even think as they took you to the SUV that you’d arrived in, not wanting to hear Aaron talk to Derek about you. All you wanted to do was get on the jet, leave the small Arkansas town you were in, get back to Quantico, and try to stop thinking about Aaron Hotchner.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t as easy as you liked to think.

You rode back to the hotel with Emily and JJ, who had let you sit in the front seat, and didn’t dare look either of them in the eye. Emily tried to make small talk to lighten the mood, but you could barely even think about anything other than your probation and the way that Aaron had talked to you in front of everyone. She eventually took the hint, and the three of you rode back to the hotel in silence.

You finally turned to Emily once the SUV came to a stop. “Do you know if we’re leaving tonight or in the morning?” Normally, if you finished a case late, you always preferred to spend the night in the hotel in order to get some rest, but there was nothing you wanted more than to just go home now.

“Uh, tonight,” Emily said with a grimace. “Sorry, I know you usually hate leaving immediately after.”

You shook your head. “Not this time. I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to go home more than I do right now.”

Emily eyed you up and down, taking in your slumped, exhausted body. Her eyes flickered up to the mirror, catching JJ’s eye who was giving an equally worried look. “Do you want to talk-”

“Not right now, Emily,” you interrupted. “I’m going to pack my stuff up. Can you send me a text when it’s time to go?”

Emily looked like she wanted to say more, but she didn’t, sensing you obviously didn’t want to talk about it right now. “Yeah, I’ll let you know.”

“Thanks,” you mumbled. “See you guys soon.” With that, you were out of the SUV before either of them could unbuckle their seatbelts and on your way to the entrance of the hotel you were staying in along with the rest of the team.

Typically, you shared a room with someone, but luckily for you, it was your turn to get your own this time, which you couldn’t have been more thankful for when you swiped your keycard and finally got to be alone for a minute.

You knew that Emily meant well. She had been one of your closest friends since you had joined the team. You felt a tinge of guilt at how closed off you had been to her in the car when she was just trying to make sure you were okay. However, you really weren’t okay, and you really didn’t want Emily to know the full extent of what was going on.

After hastily packing your things and grabbing a quick shower, you received a text from Emily that it was time to go. On your way down to the lobby to meet her, it was finally setting in that you were, quite literally, exhausted. You’d been awake since before daylight and a quick glance at the time shining on your phone reminded you that you had been awake for nearly seventeen hours.

You rode with Emily, JJ, and Rossi to board the jet, but ended up napping the entire short duration of the drive. Truthfully, you hadn’t even realized you’d fallen asleep until Rossi had nudged you awake.

When you were finally in the air, you allowed yourself to catch a glance at your infuriating boss who was still, as usual, in his suit with his tie and jacket discarded, writing in a file.

Probably writing me up, you bitterly thought to yourself. You knew you had done a not-very-smart thing, but by the time you figured out that the original plan the team came up with wasn’t going to work, it was too late. If you hadn’t darted through the door and startled the unsub, the poor woman who was taken hostage was going to meet a very similar fate that four other women faced.

You could admit that it was a rash, last minute decision, but you didn’t regret it. You saved a woman’s life and helped capture an awful man who would have never stopped if not caught. It felt like Aaron was punishing you for something that wasn’t the decision you made tonight. Two weeks on probation felt a little extreme to you.

Twenty minutes into the flight, Derek, Rossi, and JJ were already asleep while Emily looked like she was close to following. Spencer was nursing what you thought was his second coffee in the short time on the jet, a pair of headphones in as he watched something on the tablet he had propped up.

That left only you and Aaron sitting in silence.

This had been a particularly hard case that had to be solved in under seventy-two hours in order to prevent any more victims since you, with the help of Spencer, figured out that the unsub operated on stalking and kidnapping his victims on a specific schedule. Hardly anyone had gotten much sleep in an attempt to solve the case as soon as possible – hence why nearly everyone was asleep.

Aaron finally spoke after nearly fifty minutes into the flight from his seat in front of you after Emily and Spencer had finally drifted off, though you weren’t sure how Spencer was even sleeping considering he had downed two coffees. “You should get some rest.”

“Don’t worry about me,” you said bitterly, keeping your eyes straight ahead. “I’ll be getting lots of rest in the next two weeks considering I can’t really do anything else on probation, so thanks, but I’m good.” The words were tumbling out before you could even comprehend what you’d said. In a normal situation, you’d be worried that speaking to your boss like that would result in its own consequences but considering you were already on probation, what was the harm?

He said nothing.

—

It was nine days into what felt like the most excruciatingly long probation known to man, and you still had five more days to go.

You had just gotten back from a case in Maine where you, unfortunately, barely got to do anything other than help out at the police station. In addition, you had to finish several online modules assigned to you by Strauss on safety in the field, which was, in your opinion, ridiculous considering you had been at the BAU for a good amount of time – long enough to know all about safety in the field.

“I think I’ve gone past the point of exhaustion,” Emily said as you came off the elevator as she stifled a yawn. “Is that a real thing?”

“Yes, my beautiful friend who I am so happy to see. That means you need to get home and rest.”

Penelope Garcia was there to greet you at the elevator, a warm smile lighting up her face as she gave Emily a hug then turned to you. “How are you doing?”

“I’ll be fine in five days when this stupid probation is over,” you told Penelope, watching her give you a sympathetic smile.

“I’m heading out, but you have my number if you need me,” she told you with a comforting pat to your arm. “Goodnight ladies.”

Penelope was on the elevator to leave as you and Emily, after waving off Penelope, filed off to your desks to pack up to go back to your apartments.

“Got a hot date tonight?” Emily asked jokingly.

You laughed and shook your head. “Haven’t had a hot date in a long time. What about you?”

It was true. The last date you had been on was four months ago with the man who also happened to be your boss and who also happened to be your number one enemy right now.

“Just with Sergio.”

You and Emily were already on your way out to leave for the night officially until you stopped in your tracks when you reached the elevator. “Ugh, I just realized I left my phone charger at my desk. You can go on without me.”

“You sure? I don’t mind waiting,” she said as she stepped into the elevator.

You nodded. “Go on; it’s late. Have a good night, Emily.”

A huff left your mouth as you turned back on your heel to walk back to your desk. Your hands grasped the charger laying under several files that you (probably) needed to look at, but tonight was not the night for that.

However, you realized it was definitely not your night at all when you tried to turn your car on, only to be met with a sound of spluttering.

“Not tonight,” you groaned, repeatedly trying to turn your key to start the engine, but the car never started, much to your luck. “Are you serious right now?”

Your car was by no means brand new, but it was a good car and not often did it give you problems. Except for tonight. Or in other words, the one night you desperately wanted to go home, take a shower, and go to bed.

You weren’t really sure of your options. You could probably call Emily. She couldn’t have gotten too far down the road. Maybe she could give you a ride since her apartment was on the way to your place. Another option was calling an Uber, but –

Your car door opening knocked you out of your train of thought. Your brain immediately went into fight-or-flight, and you chose fight as your hands instinctively reached for the pepper spray on your key ring.

“Hey! It’s just me.”

It was Aaron with his hands outstretched into a surrender position, his suit jacket hanging from the crease where his arm bent. “Why are you sitting in the parking lot in the dark with your car unlocked? Do you know how easy it would be for someone to-”

“Come up and kidnap me? Yeah, I learned all about it in my online safety training this past week as if I didn’t already know,” you sassed with an eye roll. “I think my battery is dead. I usually keep jumper cables in here, but I cleaned my car out last week and must have taken them out. I’m probably going to have to call an Uber.”

You didn’t know why you were telling him all of this. The small voice in the back of your head knew why, but you weren’t willingly to actively think about it. You had enough on your plate right now.

“I’ll give you a ride home.”

“Like hell you will,” you told him.

“You do know I’m your boss, and you technically can’t speak to me like that?”

“You won’t fire me. You'll just put me on probation.”

He paused, his eyes closing momentarily before opening them again and going back to his stoic demeanor as usual. “Let me drive you home, so I will know that you got home safely. Please.”

You wanted to say no, but it was late and getting a ride home from Aaron meant that you didn’t have to bother Emily or lose money on an Uber. The only thing you’d be losing, in your opinion, was what little dignity you had left when it came to Aaron.

It’s just a ride home, you told yourself in your head.

“Fine.” You had admitted defeat. “Give me a second.”

He turned his back to you and started to walk away from your car. When you knew for sure he couldn’t see you, you positioned the rearview mirror so you could see yourself in it. Before you could stop yourself, you attempted to fix your hair as nicely as possible and then took a moment to stop what you were doing. You scoffed at yourself and shook your head.

“What is wrong with me?” You asked yourself aloud. “He doesn’t care. Neither do you.”

However, after you grabbed your things, you did sneak one more look in the mirror before getting out of your car and locking it. You were glad when you took another look to see Aaron not looking in your direction. 

 You made your way over to Aaron’s signature parking spot, the same one he parked in every morning, and met him there, his hands typing something out on his phone until he noticed your presence.

Without missing a beat, he opened the passenger door for you. You wanted to tell your heart to stop when that familiar flutter came back like it used to all those months ago. You opened your mouth, but he stopped you before you could say anything.

“No need for a remark. I’m just opening the door for you.”

“I was going to say thanks.”

A ghost of a smile danced across his face as he shut the door. It was so quick if you weren’t paying attention then you wouldn’t have seen it.

Your eyes adjusted to the interior of Aaron’s car, déjà vu hitting you from the first time you were ever in his car. But you forced those thoughts back down with a grimace and a reminder of how that ended the first time.

With one hand gripping the wheel and the other holding onto the back of your seat as his torso turned, eyes watching behind as he backed out, you thought you were going to throw up. Not because you were sick, but because Aaron was so damn attractive in doing the simplest things like backing up a car.

“You can turn on the radio if you want,” Aaron told you. “Your cord is still in here.”

You bit your lip, eyes locking onto the green cord still plugged in. “I’ve been looking for that everywhere. I had to buy a new one for my car.”

Back when you were frequently with Aaron, and he was typically the designated driver when you went places, you often complained about the lack of music in his car. He only listened to whatever was on the radio. He had no CDs nor did he have an AUX cord, claiming something about never being in his personal car long enough to deal with music in it.

After that day, you put your AUX cord in his car the next time you were in it and controlled the music, often giving him a performance to your favorite songs in the car as he drove. Aaron never complained like a lot of guys would. Instead, he would watch you belt a heartbreak ballad with an amused smile.

But that was months ago. And things were much different now.

“I would’ve given it back to you, but it’s slipped my mind. Feel free to take it with you.”

The happy memories that the AUX cord brought back were pushed to the back of your head again at his words. He told you to take it because there was no point in it anymore. You two were done.

You didn’t plug the cord into your phone. You didn’t play a song. You sat in the terrible silence, wishing it wasn’t silent like before, but it was silent, and Aaron was acting like nothing was wrong. 

Another awkward moment passed as he kept driving, the route to where you lived engraved as he had driven there many times. Aaron didn’t have to ask you where you lived because he knew. He knew from all the late nights he dropped you back off. The thought of all the previous times you’d been on this exact same drive under different circumstances made your head hurt.

“Why did you put me on probation?” The words slipped out before you could stop them.

“You know why I put you on probation. You comprised the safety of yourself, the team, and-”

“I compromised the safety of myself, the team, and the victim, yes, I know, but you put me on a two week probation when I can name off countless times that others on the team have done worse and didn’t get put on a two-week probation,” you argued back. “I know I messed up, but at the end of the day, it feels like you’re punishing me for something.”

He nodded, his eyes staying trained on the road. “I am punishing you for something, and that something is compromising-”

“I swear if you say compromise one more time-”

“Compromising your safety and the safety of others.”

You didn't say anything. Your arms were crossed as you looked out the window and into the dark as objects moved past you, reaching closer to your destination.

Aaron spoke your name, but you didn’t want to look at him.

“What?”

“Look at me,” he said as the car came to a stop at a redlight.

You reluctantly looked over, not prepared to see him already looking at you. You swallowed, trying to keep your gaze on him.

“I’d rather you be angry with me than even thinking about the possibility of you getting hurt.”

You couldn’t speak even if you wanted to because he kept going.

“When I saw you run into that warehouse, it was one of the only times in my life that I have been so scared that I couldn’t think straight. I put you on probation because you did something reckless. All of us outside thought we lost you when we heard the gunshots. I know you and a few others thought probation was too harsh, but it’s important for you to know that if you’re going to storm a hostage situation, you have to communicate with us. The team cannot lose you,” Aaron told you, his eyes never leaving yours. “I can’t lose you. Understood?”

You were pretty sure that at this point your voice was gone. You simply nodded.

The light turned green, and Aaron started driving again, his eyes finally breaking contact. “Finish out your probation next week and then put it behind you.”

There were no more words spoken. It was silent. You didn’t know how to respond to anything he had just said to you.

Except you did have one question. You weren’t even sure if you wanted the answer to it.

“If you can’t lose me,” you started, fiddling with the sleeve of your top, “then why did you end things?”

“It was for the best,” Aaron said, breaking your heart all over again. “I’m your boss-”

“You being my boss didn’t seem to be a problem when your mouth was on mine every time you dropped me off from dinner.”

He didn’t seem to have an answer for that. You sat smugly in your seat waiting for him to say something.

“You want the truth?”

“I’ve only been asking you for the truth for four months now,” you shot back.

“I fell in love with you.”

Aaron said it so casually that you had to do a double take, your mouth slightly opening. Out of all the things he could’ve said, you did not in a million years think that would be it. Your heart was pounding, and there was a moment where you thought that you had imagined him saying that he fell in love with you, but he really did say it.

He continued. “I thought it was best to end what was going on between us because things would’ve only escalated, and I didn’t want people to think negatively about you. You’re a strong woman in a male-dominated field. You’ve worked hard to get to where you are. You should be taken seriously and unfortunately, going out with your boss doesn’t look good on paper. I hurt you, and I’m truly sorry for that.”

You hadn’t even realized it when Aaron had finally pulled up to the huge parking lot of your apartment building, which was surprisingly vacant for a Thursday night. The words he’d said were dancing around in your head. You hadn’t done anything wrong. It felt like a weight had been lifted off your shoulders.

Even after everything, all you really wanted was him.

“Aaron,” you said as you turned to him when he put the car in park, “I mean this with all due respect, but that’s not just your decision to make. I should get a say. I wish you had told me because for the last four months I’ve been going crazy with overthinking. That’s why it hurt so much when you put me on probation. I thought you were punishing me for something between us. Please don’t shut me out because I’m in love with you, and quite frankly, I don’t give a shit about what people say about me.”

“But people will talk about you-”

“So?”

“And there’s also Strauss-”

“Who we can deal with. I’m not afraid of Erin Strauss,” you cut him off again.

He raised his eyes before you spoke again. “Okay, maybe I’m slightly afraid of her, but that doesn’t change anything. You don’t choose who you fall in love with. If people want to talk about me for being in love, then let them. I just want to be with you, so please stop trying to protect me. I can handle anything.”

“Okay,” Aaron said after a minute. “Okay. If you want to do this, there is a lot to discuss work-wise.”

“That’s fine. I have a lot of time to discuss things. I’m on probation.” 

Every other time you had brought up your probation, it had been with anger, but this time, there was only a grin on your face. Even though you were still mad about that damn probation, which was another conversation for another time, you figured you might as well make a joke out of it.

Aaron couldn’t keep a straight face. “Yes, you are for five more days. You still have one more module on safety in the field to complete.”

“Screw you,” you said half-jokingly.

“You wish,” he shot right back.

“You’re damn right I do.”

It was as if there was a shift in the air. You’d spent four months without him and in that moment you had decided you never really wanted to go another second without him. There was still a lot to talk about between the two of you, but for now, all you really wanted to do was kiss him.

Even when the two of you were “seeing” each other, or whatever it was, there wasn’t much physical affection. Aaron always kissed you before dropping you off at night, but it was always short, sweet, and simple. Tonight, you didn’t want short, sweet, and simple as your goodbye kiss.

“You should be getting in. It’s late,” he told you, but neither of you made an effort to move. In fact, it felt like you had only gotten closer. You could feel Aaron’s breath fan your face.

You leaned even closer, your face only inches from his. “You gonna tell me goodnight?”

Aaron never replied, only moving to close the small gap between the two of you, his lips pressing against yours in a way that almost felt desperate.

You were the one to take it a step further as your mouth opened wider and one of your hands slid up to rest on his shoulder. Aaron gladly took the hint. His tongue was in your mouth and before you could process it, one hand had moved to cup your face while the other rested on your thigh.

He pulled back for a moment, but only to mess with something under his seat. You gave him a confused look, still breathing heavily. “What are you doing?”

Aaron’s seat had scooted back further to open more room between him and the steering wheel, and you realized what he was doing now. He simply shrugged. “The console is in the way.”

With that, you laughed and maneuvered yourself across the center console that Aaron seemed to hate at the moment. His hands instinctively grabbed your waist in an attempt to help you move over and onto him – literally.

You took in your current situation for a moment. You were straddling Aaron Hotchner in his car in a parking lot. If you had told yourself earlier in the morning that this is where you would be, you would not have believed it.

His lips were back on yours before you could think about anything else, hands still gripping your waist while yours moved to his hair. You were pressed against him, your chest to his, and left no room between the two of you.

“This okay?” He mumbled as his warm hands snaked underneath your shirt, now resting on your bare hips. He pressed a kiss to your jaw while you nodded, a deep breath leaving your mouth. He smiled against your jaw before reattaching his lips again, but this time to your neck.

You couldn’t think of the last time you felt like this. Your body felt like it was literally on fire, and Aaron’s mouth wasn’t doing anything to extinguish that fire – only making it worse.

As much as you loved the hot, open-mouthed kisses to your neck, you cupped his face, guiding him back up to your lips. Your hands slid to tangle in his hair, earning you a throaty sound from him, which only encouraged you further as you smiled against his lips before going back to kissing him.

Aaron pulled back only a few seconds later, both of you breathing heavily in a hot and flustered state. “As much as I’m enjoying this, we probably shouldn’t get too carried away in here.”

“What? Car sex isn’t on your bucket list?” You joked.

He laughed as you leaned into the hand cupping your face. “You deserve better than a car the first time.”

“So what I’m hearing is car sex after the first time?”

Aaron gave you one of his rare grins, and it lit up your entire world. “You are impossible.”

“I’m just kidding,” you said, giving him a peck on the cheek. “I really should be getting in the bed. My boss is making me come in at eight-thirty tomorrow for a meeting.”

“Oh really? He sounds very smart.”

You playfully rolled your eyes and with the help of Aaron, you moved back over to the passenger seat. “I will see you bright and early in the morning.”

“Looking forward to it.”

You gave him one last kiss before gathering your bag and opening the car door. “Goodnight, Aaron.”

“Goodnight,” he told you.

You shut the door and with a smile on your face, waved to him one last time before making your way towards the entrance of your apartment building.

However, before you could get very far, you heard Aaron’s voice calling your name. You turned around to see him with his window down.

“Did I forget something?” You called to him and watched confusedly as he shook his head.

“Your hair looked fine earlier. You didn’t have to fix it just for me.”

[sherewrytes]

ℂℝ𝕌𝕊𝕀ℕ', 𝓒 𝓼𝓹𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻

The soft hum of city life buzzed around you as you adjusted the strap of your Diesel purse on your shoulder. The night air was cool, tinged with the faint scent of freshly baked pretzels from a nearby food cart. Neon signs flickered, casting vibrant colors onto the sidewalk as you made your way to the entrance of The Vibe, an exclusive club in the heart of downtown L.A. Your heart pounded with excitement and a hint of nervousness. Tonight was a big night for Connie, your boyfriend of six months, as he was set to perform his new single for the first time.

The bouncer nodded at you, recognizing you immediately. Being a top fashion model for Ony’s girlfriend’s new and upcoming fashion label, Xera, had its perks. You smiled back, offering a polite nod before slipping inside. The interior of The Vibe was a kaleidoscope of flashing lights and pulsing music, a perfect blend of chaos and harmony. You scanned the crowd, spotting familiar faces and a few industry moguls. Connie’s performance tonight was more than just a gig; it was a potential launchpad to stardom.

As you made your way to the VIP section, you couldn't help but reflect on how far you and Connie had come in such a short time. You were once just a graphic and web designer, content with your creative world behind the screen. Then Ony had introduced you to his girlfriend, Delle Ceasar, and suddenly, you were thrust into the glitz and glamour of the fashion world. Meeting Connie at one of Xera’s fashion shows had been serendipitous. His charisma, talent, and genuine nature had drawn you in from the moment you laid eyes on him.

"Y/N!" a familiar voice called out, snapping you from your reverie. You turned to see Ony making his way towards you, a grin plastered on his face. His arm was draped over the shoulders of his girlfriend, Delle, who wore one of her latest Xera creations. They looked like the ultimate power couple.

"Hey, Ony! Hey, Delle!" you greeted them, exchanging hugs. "Y’all ready for Connie’s big night?"

"Absolutely," Ony replied, his eyes twinkling with excitement. "This is just the beginning for him. And for you too, Y/N. Y’all like the ultimate dream team."

Delle nodded in agreement. "You’ve been his rock, Y/N. He’s lucky to have you."

You smiled, feeling a warmth spread through your chest. "Thanks, y’all. I’m just glad to be here for him."

As the night wore on, you found yourself by Connie’s side backstage. He was pacing, a bundle of nerves and energy, his usual confident demeanor slightly shaken. You placed a hand on his arm, stopping his frantic movements.

"Hey, babe," you said softly, looking into his eyes. "You got this. I believe in you."

Connie stopped, taking a deep breath. "Thanks, Y/N. I just… this is huge, you know? don’t wanna mess it up."

"You won’t," you assured him. "You’ve worked so hard for this. Just go out there and do what you do best. I’ll be right here, cheerin' you on."

He pulled you into a tight embrace, pressing a kiss to your forehead. "What did I do to deserve you?"

You laughed, the sound light and filled with love. "You just be you, Connie. That’s more than enough."

The moment finally arrived. The lights dimmed, and the crowd’s chatter hushed to a murmur. You stood in the wings, your heart pounding in time with the opening beats of Connie’s new single Mister Misfit. He stepped onto the stage, the spotlight catching the gleam of determination in his eyes. As he began to rap, the words flowed effortlessly, his voice commanding and raw. The audience was captivated, swaying and nodding to the rhythm.

You watched, pride swelling in your chest. This was Connie’s moment, and he was seizing it with everything he had. The connection you felt with him was undeniable, a bond that had only grown stronger over the past six months. As he finished his performance, the crowd erupted into applause, and you couldn’t help but let out a cheer of your own.

Connie looked over, his eyes finding yours in the sea of faces. He smiled, a genuine, heartfelt smile that spoke volumes. This was just the beginning, not only for his career but for the journey you were on together.

Connie walked off the stage in the nightclub straight backstage to you and scooped you up in his arms. "Thanks for being here Ma. If you weren't I'd choke up there." You giggled as her spun you around. You say Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Ony and his bf walking up to greet Connie on his performance. Connie put you down to dap up both Eren and Ony

"Got to say man Con' I was a lil worried about this new single since it's a bit different than your usual shit. Most people don't dabble with new sounds this early on." Armin said to Connie.

Armin came from big family of the largest record company Paradia Records were all his friends were signed to with more than favorable record deals.

Connie rolled his eyes, taking the blunt from Eren's hand to spark it and take a drag "Yah man, told you and your old ass fam I know my shit when it comes to music" Armin laughed knowing Connie was right.

Everyone left backstage and headed to the VIP section of Mikasa's family nightclub The Vibe to turn up.

After the show, you found yourselves cruising through the city in his blacked-out Corvette, the night alive with possibilities. "Differences" by Ginuwine played softly from the speakers, a fitting soundtrack to the evening. Connie reached over, entwining his fingers with yours.

"Thank you for believin' in me, Y/N," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I couldn’t have done this without you."

You squeezed his hand, looking at him with all the love you felt in your heart. "And I couldn’t imagine bein' anywhere else. We’re in this together, Connie. Now and always."

The car ride was smooth, the city lights whizzing by as the music filled the silence. Connie glanced at you, his eyes soft and full of unspoken promises. "You know, when I was out there tonight, all I could think about was you. How you’ve been there for me through all the grind, all the late nights. You my ride or die, Y/N."

You smiled, your heart swelling with emotion. "And you mine. Ain’t nothin’ we can’t handle together."

He chuckled, a deep, rich sound that sent shivers down your spine. "Remember that time you stayed up with me all night, helpin’ me write those lyrics? Man, you had some bars! I was like, damn, my girl got talent."

You laughed, remembering the night vividly. "Well, I do what I can. We make a good team, don’t we?"

"The best," he agreed, his grip on your hand tightening for a moment. "I ain’t never had nobody like you, Y/N. You different."

The words of Ginuwine's "Differences" seemed to echo his sentiment, the lyrics weaving a tapestry of your journey together. As the car cruised down the highway, the cityscape morphing into quieter suburbs, you felt a sense of peace settle over you. This was your life now, a mix of hustle and heart, dreams and determination.

"You know," Connie said after a while, his voice soft, "I been thinkin’... we should celebrate tonight. Just you and me. Get away from all this for a minute. How about we head to that little spot by the lake? The one you love so much."

Your eyes lit up at the suggestion. "That sounds perfect. Just us, some good music, and the stars. Ain’t no better way to celebrate."

Connie smiled, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Then it’s a date. Let’s get outta here, ma."

As you left the city behind, the road stretching out before you, you felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Life had a funny way of bringing people together, of creating connections that were both unexpected and extraordinary. With Connie by your side, you knew that no matter what the future held, you were ready to face it head-on, together.

The night was still young, and as the two of you cruised towards the lake, the stars shining brightly above, you couldn’t help but feel that this was just the beginning. A story of love, dreams, and the unbreakable bond that tied you and Connie together.

Lemme know if you want this to be a multific

[reality-detective]

Was the Baltimore Bridge attacked? 👇

The Baltimore bridge collapse was an “absolutely brilliant strategic attack” on US critical infrastructure - most likely cyber - & our intel agencies know it. In information warfare terms, they just divided the US along the Mason Dixon line exactly like the Civil War.

Second busiest strategic roadway in the nation for hazardous material now down for 4-5 years - which is how long they say it will take to recover. The bridge was built specifically to move hazardous material - fuel, diesel, propane gas, nitrogen, highly flammable materials, chemicals and oversized cargo that cannot fit in the tunnels - that supply chain now crippled.

Make no mistake: this was an extraordinary attack in terms of planning, timing & execution.

The two critical components on that bridge are the two load-bearing pylons on each end, closest to the shore. They are bigger, thicker and deeper than anything else. These are the anchor points and they knew that hitting either one one of them would be a fatal wound to the integrity of the bridge.

Half a mile of bridge went in the river - likely you will have to build a new one. Also caused so much damage to the structural integrity of the bottom concrete part that you cannot see & won’t know until they take the wreckage apart. Structural destruction is likely absolutely.

Attack perfectly targeted.

“They have figured out how to bring us down. As long as you stay away from the teeth of the US military, you can pick the US apart. We are an arrogant and ignorantly - lethal combination. Obama said they would fundamentally change America and they did. We are in a free-fall ride on a roller coaster right now - no brakes - just picking up speed.”

The footage shows the cargo ship never got in the approach lane in the channel. You have to be in the channel before you get into that turn. Location was precise/deliberate: They chose a bend in the river where you have to slow down and commit yourself - once you are committed in that area there is not enough room to maneuver.

Should have had a harbor pilot to pilot the boat. You are not supposed to traverse any obstacles without the harbor pilot.

They chose a full moon so they would have maximum tidal shift - rise and fall. Brisk flow in that river on a normal day & have had a lot of rain recently so water was already moving along at a good pace.

Hit it with enough kinetic energy to knock the load-bearing pylon out from under the highway - which fatally weakens the span and then 50 percent of the bridge fell into the water.

All these factors when you look at it  - this is how you teach people how to do this type of attack and there are so few people left in the system who know this. We have a Junior varsity team on the field.

Tremendous navigational obstruction. Huge logistical nightmare to clean this up. The number of dead is tragic but not the whole measure of the attack.

That kind of bridge is constantly under repair - always at night because there is so much traffic and they cannot obstruct that during the day. So concern is for repair guys who were on foot (out of their vehicles) working who may now be in the water - 48 degrees at most at this time of year.

When you choke off Baltimore you have cut the main north-south hazardous corridor (I-95) in half. Now everyone has to go around the city - or go somewhere else.

To move some of that cargo through the tunnel you may be able to get a permit but those are slow to get and require an escort system that is expensive and has to be done at night.

For every $100 dollars that goes into the city, $12 comes from shipping. Believe this will cripple the city of Baltimore at a time when they do not have the resources to recover.

- Lara Logan

The traffic issue was mentioned in this 👇 post

Maybe we have to dig deeper into this Bridge collapse further. Could it be a deeper issue? What's in those shipping containers? Who owns the ship?

Is it for this 👆

It has been 3 years and 3 days since the Evergreen blocked the Suez Canal. Does the number 33 mean anything?

Was this a "Black Swan Event?"

I'm just asking questions? 🤔

[medra-gonbites]

Baldur's Gate 3 Companion Head Canon Party Edition

Tav is throwing a party for their birthday. The playlist is ready, the neighbors are warned and the balloons are blown.

Here is what the companions (and three surprise party crashers) would bring to that little soirée.

Laezel | A strange liquor nobody has heard of

Impossible to know what it is, the label is written in a different alphabet. It has a crazy high alcohol percentage. Never mind it tastes like diesel: it's strong and if you want to get drunk it will get you there. Also it was crazy cheap so she bought 5 bottles (which she'll be the one drinking).

Gale | Some fancy ass bourbon

Nobody will drink it, because it is not that kind of night, Gale! He spends 19 minutes explaining to Tav why this vintage is special and what kind of smoky and woody hints they should get from the taste as well as an extensive story about where it was brewed (some place in the Highlands with blind dwarven monks no doubt).

Shadowheart | Wine 

It is a lower to mid quality bottle but she actually spends all evening drinking cocktails mostly composed of juice and vodka: she likes wine but it stains her teeth and gives her a headache, plus she really likes bright colors in her drinks. If there is Passoa and orange juice and the weather is nice she will be giving it a go. 

Wyll | Tequila

Alongside lemons and salt. The group complains because it’s just not something that gets drinken casually. However, they all end up taking shots around 3am and pass out and/or barf. Wyll is the only one who does not have a hangover the next day because he drinks water in between shots. Will make the cocktails if he is being asked nicely (he brought his shaker as well).

Karlach | Beer

She either comes with two 64-beer crates, one on each shoulder, or a keg (with a funnel and a pipe). She drinks most of these together with Wyll and burps loudly before shouting 'better in than out' and belly laugh herself to cramps. If the beers are canned, she will crush them on her forehead once they are downed. Ultimate beer pong winner.

Astarion | Shows up empty-handed

He feigns he didn't know or that he ran out of time to get something but he'll promise to bring something the next time (which is a lie as he already promised last time at Karlach’s costume party). He will leave with Gale’s expensive bourbon though and gift it to one his teacher from law school (in order to bribe them, of course).

Halsin |Juices

Not these industrial juice boxes mind you, but some organic 100% fruit, no added sugar juice from the bio coop. Or better yet he makes the juices himself - If the time of year is right he will make punch or sangria himself (and be careful it’s sweet but it is treacherous).

Minthara | Cocaïne

Nobody wants to do any. Frankly, Minthara did not read the audience  well. Astarion is willing but feels the vibe and decides not to (he takes her dealer's number for later though)). She ends up doing a line alone in the kitchen. At the height of the night when she's loaded and drunk she makes out with Gale or bullies him (or both).

Jaheira | Soda and ice

To be fair, all kinds of soda, and not just the generic crap either, the good brands. Bubbles no bubbles, fruity, bitter, sweet, you name it. She does not drink as she is the designated driver for her and Minsc (no way they're sleeping over with these kids) so she spends her night sipping on some ginger ale.

Minsc | Goblets

A lot of them. While it was disappointing at first it turns out to be a super sharp idea. Either to drink from or play beer pong they came in extremely handy. Halsin will pout and comment on the sustainability issue. Minsc drinks water but takes a new cup everytime he gets another drink (partly because he is proud of his goblet idea, partly to antagonize Halsin).

Durge | Flour

They are Tav's neighbour and they were invited out of politeness and actually showed up. They come with flour because “hey, remember when I borrowed some, years ago, there, I’m bringing it back like I said I would. We are even now”. They have the best jokes but they will try and start a fight over the playlist (they have issues with music it seems).

Here are a couple of party crashers who were not invited but came anyways.

Barcus | Airfryer and Snacks

He shows up very early to Tav's surprise. He was not exactly invited but thought he was due to Tav mentioning the party to him at work. Upon seeing him Tav is actually happy though and his glad he popped by. He brought his airfryer and some fried goods and that's just awesome.

Volo | His guitar

He was not invited and knew it but he shows up anyway. He will complain about the music the whole time while drinking wine and take his guitar to try and play wonderwall for everyone, even though nobody asked. Lae’zel will lock him on the balcony at some point during the night.

Gortash | Cheap Vodka

He was also not invited. He was told explicitly he was not but what can you do.... His shirt is way too open on his chest, he wears way too much cologne and his pockets are full of condoms. He tries to get into Shadowheart’s pants all night, refilling her glass constantly but he’ll end up at Durge's place next door.

[sketalya]

✨The Steam Team✨

The Steam Team full ref's

And here are some of my headcanons about them (⁠っ⁠.⁠❛⁠ ⁠ᴗ⁠ ⁠❛⁠.⁠)⁠っ

1) Thomas | 26 y.o | 165 cm

• Cheeky, a little naive, hardworking, friendly, and very loyal

• He didn't have any family left after his older brother Timothy died. So Edward, who is Timothy's friend, decided to take care of little Thomas. And that created a strong sibling relationship between them

• Really admires Edward and always tries to be the best to make his brother proud of him. He even dyed his hair (Thomas' hair was blonde before) and chose to wear blue uniform to look like him

• Teasing grumpy seniors is his daily routine

• Can be a bit stubborn and pushy. But don't worry, he always learns from his mistakes (even though it usually will happen again)

• Always ready to help his friends

• Really likes new challenges and adventures that might cause problems. Don't know how he always makes new friends after that. But yeah, that's what makes this puffball famous isn't it

• Has a huge crush on Lady after saving her. But unfortunately they have to separate because Lady has the responsibility to keep the Magic Railroad alive. Thomas didn't get to express his feelings at that time and now he only hopes to see her again one day

2) Edward | 34 y.o | 175 cm

• Before being the wise Eddie that everyone know, Edward used to be a trouble maker for his brothers and sisters in the past. But after a fatal accident that took the lives of all his siblings, Edward felt guilty for not being a good brother to them. And that made Edward turn into a good older brother figure for all young drivers just like what his older brothers and sisters did

• Always reliable for everything. In fact, because of that, sometimes he gets assignments that actually give him difficulties, but he always tried to do it himself because he didn't want to disappoint people

• Pretty good with children too. He sometimes takes his time to play with the neighborhood children. And all the kids really like him and are very excited every time he comes

• Has his own way of disciplining young drivers who like to cause trouble, Bill and Ben for example. Usually he would just advise patiently but he also don't hesitate to make a little prank to teach them a lesson

• Not very good at understanding jokes and that often makes him misunderstands it

• Actually very tired from everything but trying to look okay (He needs a little help)

• He has quite severe scars on both legs and he also has insomnia...Never let this man get drunk

3) Henry | 29 y.o | 192 cm

• Quite shy, very easy to feel anxious, gentle but can also be a little rough, one of the strongest but people sometimes forget about that because he is quite timid

• Gets along well with young drivers. But he can be a bit mean to them too when he's with other seniors. But slowly he changed now

• Has health problems and has a large scar on his body from the Flying Kipper accident. It makes him feel insecure and try cover it with his turtle neck clothes

• Really likes nature, likes to spend his free time in the forest, and his room is literally filled with potted plants. Has venus flytrap plants that he names Fairy, Bubble, and Lala that he talks to and considers them his pets

• Sometimes he would fish at night after delivering the Flying Kipper and sometimes he would ask Percy to come with him if he wasn't busy and chatting about lots of things together

• Whenever he felt anxious and had a problem, he would usually talk to Edward or Emily about it

4) Gordon | 30 y.o | 192 cm

• Overproud of himself, grumpy, and always seems to look down on young drivers and diesel drivers. But actually he also has a soft side that he doesn't show openly to everyone because of his pride. His face would change when he smiled

• Sleepyhead even though he's a coffee addict, likes to eat a lot, and sometimes smokes in his spare time

• Only likes to take the Express, and would be very lazy if he got another job besides that. Will feel annoyed if other people take the Express even if it's his own friend. But he didn't mind if it was Rebecca

• Very stubborn, only Edward and Sir Topham Hat can deal with that

• Comes from a famous family but he doesn't really like it and doesn't care. Because he has a bad relationship with his relatives and is even awkward when he is with his brother Flying Scotsman

• Really loves all his friends even though he doesn't say it. He will usually give gifts as an apology when his friends are offended by his behavior. He has a hard time accepting new people and can't let go of his friends easily

5) James | 27 y.o | 180 cm

• Splendid, a little narcissistic, and sometimes looks down on others even though he doesn't really mean to

• He looks tough but is actually sensitive, easily offended and will cry silently if someone insults him. That's why he always wants to be the best so that people will praise him more often

• The gossip in the group, literally loves to talk about any drama with the others

• Has several piercing scars on his ears from his emo past. He also has big scars on both arms from an accident but he covered them with fire tattoos and it makes him feel cooler and more confident than ever

• Doesn't like anything dirty and hates insects, especially bees

• Very knowledgeable about fashion, likes to go shopping for new clothes every weekend, happy to give advice on outfit styles. Emily was the one who helped him dye his hair

• Likes collecting cute little things but never tells it to anyone except Emily and Percy

6) Percy | 26 y.o | 160 cm

• The youngest in the group and is often teased by his friends and seniors. Cinnamon rolls but doesn't hesitate to say bad words when he gets really annoyed

• Literally can make friends with anyone even diesel drivers. But a little cynical with Harold because he calls him "Dirty Percy"

• Animal lover, friendly with wild animals, and has many pets such as dog, cat, fish, and even has a collection of insects in his room. Sometimes he liked seeing James' frightened expression when he brought his insects pet

• Admires Henry and considers him his older brother. Henry thought it was cute and was okay with it. In fact, Percy's current uniform is actually Henry's old uniform that was given to him because Percy didn't like his own uniform

• He likes to stay over at Toby's place to play with Henrietta's pet dog. And he thought it was a suitable place to write poetry at his free time (Yes, he likes poetry)

• Percy is quite often asked for help writing and sending love letters by his friends. That made him know about everyone's crushes on Sodor

7) Toby | 40 y.o | 175 cm

• Introverted and doesn't really like being around a lot of people but he still socializes because of his wife. Wise and actually always able to give useful advice but he is quite often underestimated by young drivers

• Always doing things slowly and relaxed, he doesn't like being rushed. Even every lunch time, when his friends had almost finished their food, he still on a few bites. Henrietta was the only one that patient enough for that

• Bookworm and will only wear glasses when reading. Percy says that he looks different when he wears it

• Very good at cooking and often brings food to his friends but he always says that it was made by Henrietta (He doesn't want people to know about it). But of course Percy knew about it, and every time he came to his place, Toby would make cakes and other snacks just for Percy

• He prefers to spend holidays with his wife at home or playing with his pet birds, so sometimes his friend had to push him a little to get him go out together

• Secretly has trust issues and anger issues. He doesn't put much trust in other people who he only considers as ordinary friends. He usually tries to be quiet and patient when someone bothers him, but he can become very out of control when he loses his temper.(Better no need to know what he's do and just don't make him angry)

8) Emily | 29 y.o | 170 cm

• The mature ones in the group, bossy and stubborn in the past but now she has learned to be more open-minded to other people's suggestions (Still a bit bossy sometimes but at least she tried)

• Perfectionist, always wants everything to work well and can be a bit strict about it

• Love pretty and shiny things, she and James often talk about their favorite things

• James sometimes helps her with makeup and choosing outfits every time she goes out somewhere. Which was challenging for James because Emily liked goth style

• She also often talks about flowers with Henry, literally can spending a lot of time just talking about them. Grows lots of flowers in her room with Henry's help, and as a thank you, sometimes she gave Henry some insects to feed his pet venus flytrap (Don't know where she got them but Henry is always happy to receive it...Don't worry, she didn't take it from Percy)

• Likes to borrow novels, especially thriller and mystery genres, from Toby. But that often makes Toby annoyed because she always forgets to return it

• Love to playing with her friends' fluffy hair. Percy, Henry, and Edward are always be the victims if they are careless

• Unlike Edward, she's quite strong and can drink a lot without getting drunk

Sorry if this is too long...I had a lot of fun writing all this ;D and in the future I will always use this design for my AU ⊂⁠(⁠(⁠・⁠▽⁠・⁠)⁠)⁠⊃

[wonuwrites]

Another suggestion from @mykpopficblog: how do the other members see you as your partner's s/o? Do they love to tease the members that you're too good for them? Do they look up to you as a couple? Are they happy their friend found someone who really understands them? Are they worried about either of you getting hurt because of their idol life? Ahh I just think it would be a really sweet way to get another viewpoint of their relationship.

I love this idea <3 gonna randomize who is viewing which one so each person has someone. Hope I did this ask justice x also working on your oneshot request just had more inspo for this one tonight <3

Warning: fluffy fluffy fluffy fluffy. you're gonna get a cavity. Also some minor cussing bc like I said before that's the type of person I am.

✭ S. Coups -> Jeonghan a/n: i screamed when randomizer landed on Jeonghan LMAOOOO

When Jeonghan came to Seuncheol and first told him about you he was both shocked and ecstatic for his friend. Jeonghan is one of his closest friends and end of the day he wants nothing but happiness for him. If anyone were to say anything even close to negative he would defend you both. He had no worries of malicious intent from you and knew that you always had Jeonghan's best interests at heart. Over time, Seungcheol became a really close friend for you as well.

✭ Jeonghan -> The8

Jeonghan found out about you and Minghao's relationship by accident. It was still the early stages of your relationship when Jeonghan went to Hao's hotel room to ask him a question and found you both were on FaceTime. The younger was a little embarrassed at first when his hyung found out that way but Jeonghan made sure to let him know it was a okay. Jeonghan was the first member to know and was there to support your relationship once Minghao was comfortable enough to tell everyone else about it.

✭ Joshua -> Wonwoo

Joshua was absolutly in love with Wonwoo and your relationship. He often would call it goals and would be a little jealous sometimes of how perfectly you fit together like a puzzle. When he first found out about your relationship, he was all smiles and was one of the first to congratulate the both of you. He was just so happy Wonwoo found someone who could give him peace when idol life is anything but peaceful. He hoped and prayed it would stay that way.

✭ Jun -> Hoshi

omg, when Jun found out about you and Soonyoung it was by accident. He found y'all making out in a dressing room before a show and he was super confused. He noticed Soonyoung had been a bit more chipper but dating was not what he thought was happening. When he walked in you all were frozen and all he could do was give a thumbs up before walking out.

✭ Hoshi -> Jun

Soonyoung was actually one of the masterminds behind Jun and your relationship. He had met you at a Diesel event and you reminded him so much of Jun and he offered to set up a date. Jun was shocked when Soonyoung first told him about the date but he would be so thankful for his birthday month twin. Once you started to date, Soonyoung would be nothing but smiles when he saw you both together.

✭ Wonwoo -> Seungkwan

Wonwoo seems to be very protective toward the younger members and Seungkwan is no exception. Wonwoo wants nothing but happiness for one of his best friends so when you came into the picture he kind of gave you the cold shoulder. Not because you did anything perse but he was just trying to get a read on you. What were your intentions? Did you have what it takes? After about a month or so, he noticed how much happier Seungkwan was and he would've been ignorant to ignore it was because of you.

✭ Woozi -> Vernon

Honestly, Hansol and you confused the hell out of Jihoon. He found y'all to be adorably weird lmao. When y'all were together you were both in your own little world and it was cute from an outside looking in. Honestly speaking though, Jihoon was a little worried about your budding romance at first. He thought Hansol would not be focused on schedules and and was also worried if Dispatch or Carats found out how it would affect you. However, when he realized how strong you both were his worries subsided a little bit.

✭ The8 -> Joshua

Long story short, Joshua is a gentleman but also bat shit crazy so Minghao was actually a bit worried if you would be able to keep up. However, he quickly realized you both balanced each other out super well and he was impressed. He found y'all hilarious when you play bickered and honestly sometimes found himself wishing he could find a relationship like yours one day.

✭ Mingyu -> DK

When Seokmin told Mingyu about you and him, Mingyu thought he was messing with him. You all were close friends before so teasing or messing around like that would not have been farfetched. He didn't believe him until one day you came into practice and brought Seokmin his hoodie and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Mingyu was shocked but was honestly y'all's biggest fans. He also would be like "let's double date please!?"

✭ DK -> Woozi

Oh Seokmin was the BIGGEST supporter of you and Jihoon's relationship and would defend it any time anyone attempted to take a shot at it. He thought something was going on when he noticed a lot of their songs were getting more love songy and he would tease Jihoon a lot about being down bad for someone before Jihoon finally came clean to the members and told them about you. Seokmin honestly was so happy that Jihoon had someone as patient as you and understood his work ethic and schedule.

✭ Seungkwan -> Mingyu

Deep down, Seungkwan thought Mingyu and you were cute as shit but he would CONSTANTLY roll his eyes or side eye you two if y'all were being cute in front of them. You both were not even that bad and he would be like "omg get a room." This would cause Mingyu to be a lil shit and kiss you in front of him making Seungkwan to fake gag making the rest of the members laugh while you blushed. You knew he was just goofing though and you were never upset by his antics.

✭ Vernon -> Dino

Hansol seeing Lee Chan down bad was so funny to him. He found it so cute seeing him reach for his phone in .05 seconds when you were to text him or whenever y'all were together how he would always have your hand in his. Even if Chan tried to keep it lowkey, Hansol could spot his simping ways and would tease him about it hahaha.

✭ Dino -> S. Coups

Chan supported Seungcheol with everything. Despite the age difference he found Seungcheol to be one of his closest friends and when you started to come around he saw his hyung in a new light. He was so much softer when you were around and it made Chan laugh to himself. Especially when he saw how Seungcheol's eyes would soften when he looked at you as you spoke or laughed. He just found your relationship so precious and would be rooting for you both.

[bonny-kookoo]

Hi Ms Bonny

So I remembered you said no one sends asks for the ilysib couple anymore, and I just had this idea last night but didn't have the energy to pick up my phone again💀

Okay so, basically kookie shaves his head right, maybe for the weather or his hair was damaged or I don't know really I'll need your creative mind for that part👀 and he becomes a little self conscious and oc comforts him by saying he's still😋 and he doesn't believe her. So she takes him out on a date and like before, everyone is looking at him and basically building his confidence back up.

PS I really hope you get this ask because I've sent some for this couple before and it was never answered

Tumblr sometimes eats asks, I'm so sorry :(

⋅ ⋅ ── ⋅ ⋅ ── ⋅ ⋅ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──💜── ⋅ ⋅ ── ⋅ ⋅ ── ⋅ ⋅ ── ⋅ ⋅

He's avoiding you- and that's just so not your Jungkookie.

You thought everything was going well between the two of you- but apparently something must've happened to make him so withdrawn again, refusing to see you, refusing to meet up, refusing to show himself. You're not sure what's wrong-

But you're about to find out.

"You know, I'll just camp outside then, I don't care!" You threaten, sitting in front of his apartment door, stubborn as ever- when his voice is finally heard.

"You'll laugh." He whines, before you can hear something slide along the door before it falls to the floor with a thud- he's probably sat down on the other side of the door. "You'll.. I look stupid." He says.

"Did you dye your hair or something?" You ask, and he's quiet, making you angry. "Jeon Jungkook you could've buzzed it all off and well full on Vin Diesel on me what do I care! Are you serious right now?!" You get up to knock on the door and right his doorbell again. "Open that goddam door, I'm worried about you, nerd!" You cry out again, even stomping your leg in anger.

"No, I'm.. I'm fine. Just.." he stumbles over the words, clearly panicking.

"I'm sorry." You say, and it's quiet. "I.. I'm sorry if my constant joking has gone too far at some point, if I made you feel like.. self conscious or something, I swear I never wanted to do that." You confess, feeling terrible. This must be your doing, right? It has to be your fault. Because you're insensitive as fuck, and you can't read a room, and you got way too comfortable with him and-

The door opens. He stands in front of you, beanie on his head.

"Its.. it's not your fault." He tells you. "You didn't do anything." Jungkook mumbles, and you can't help yourself.

You basically tackle the poor guy, door falling out of his grip and closing behind you, making you successfully infiltrate his home. He holds you because he's missed you too- he hates the fact that he couldn't have you this close for days by now, no physical contact with you whatsoever, no visual sight of you. It felt like torture-

But he just feels like he can't face you.

"Why are you doing this?" You whine, tears clear in your eyes, making your eyelashes already heavy with them. You're not even wearing makeup today, he notices. This must've really gotten to you.

You're still so pretty.

"What happened?" You worry, and he begins to bite his lips, a nasty habit he has whenever he's nervous. "Jungkook.." you say his full name, no variation of it, no silly petname.

He knows it's serious.

"I.. look stupid." He confesses. "I.. had an accident, a few days ago, in the bathroom." He sighs, sitting down on his couch with you, while you listen. "I slipped when I stepped out the shower, and hit.. my head on the edge of one of the cabinets.."

"Oh Jungkookie-" you whine.

"And- and they had to like.. cause my hair was so long they couldn't stitch it without, you know, shaving it, and it looked dumb when I came home so I thought might as well buzz it all off-"

You're quiet, staring at him.

"Are you okay now?" You ask, oddly serious.

"Yeah, they kept me overnight to make sure I was fine-" he answers, before you shove him, hard, angry.

"You stupid idiot!" You scold. "You're so dumb! What the fuck?!" You complain, angry tears in your eyes. "What the hell do I care about your hair?! You could've died or something, and all you thought about was how you could look to me? Am I that shallow to you?" You ask him, and he shakes his head.

He deserves this. You're right.

"No.." he denies, taking the scolding like a dog that's being told off. "No you're not. I just.. felt weird. Like I'm not.. fit for you anymore. You should have a nice looking boyfriend and all that, and you always said how you love my hair-"

"I love you most!" You whine, leaning forward to climb on his lap, and cling to him. "I love you, not your body. That's just.. that's just the only thing I can touch, so I want you to take care of it.." you explain into his chest. "..so it'll be here for as long as possible.. until we're all wrinkly and old.."

"Oh." He hums, realizing what you mean.

He's never thought about it that way. But you're right- he doesn't love your body first and foremost either, but you- your personality, your soul, your mind. Your body is simply the vessel you live in, and he'd want you to keep it up and running for as long as he's alive too.

"I'm sorry." He confesses. "I'll never do that again."

"I sure dare you to, I swear I'm gonna break in next time!" You threaten, letting him dry your tears before your hands reach for his beanie. "..can I see it?" You wonder, and he looks down, shrugging.

"I guess." He confirms.

The moment you skip his hat off, you search for something- finding the small stitched wound near the tip of his ear, making you immediately coo at it, fingers carefully touching it. "Does it still hurt?" You wonder- and he shakes his head.

"Just a little, if I lay on it or something." He admits.

"Oh my baby-" You whine, before you rub his head. "This feels weird though. How is it still soft?" You wonder, taking the pressure away from the situation, making him laugh. "And you honestly rock this look. Now you really do look like a guy who can throw a punch."

"..I can and will, for you." He mumbles, making you laugh again.

"Heh, and I lo~ove you for it!" You sing a little, kissing his nose before you kiss his lips a couple of times, cheeks held in your hands.

And he can't believe he's been living without this for just a week.

He never wants to miss you ever again.

[lenacosse]

HEYYY please can i request tan x reader where tan sees reader angry fior the first time. So reader, tan and lemon are just out and about or smth and reader just sees someone being horrible to someone. Like idk maybe they went shopping and the guy infront is jut being an ass to the cashier or they are at a bar and someone is harassing a bartender (smth like that , just ideas) and reader just loses her shit and lemon is shocked but proud and tan just realises hes in love and its kinda like one of those moments for him like 'oh shit i love her' realisation. hope u can do thiss and hope it makes sense

Flawless

pairing: tangerine x reader

cw: alcohol, strong language and violence

word count: 1,486

‘i fell in love today,

there aren’t many words that you can say that

could ever change my mind.

she’s enough for me, she’s in love with me

you’re a doll, you are flawless.’

════════════════

You open your car door once the taxi pulls up outside of the bar, you step out the cool air wrapping around your body making you shiver. You walk towards the bar door, show your id and enter. You scan the area for Tangerine and Lemon, you spot them in a booth and approach them.

“Hi!” You sit down beside Tangerine. Lemon on his other side.

“Hi love.” Tangerine replies, passing you a drinks menu. Your attempt to hide the blush of your cheeks by looking intensely at your menu.

You pick your drink, vodka cranberry and Lemon goes to the bar to order. Tangerine asks you about work whilst Lemon gets the drinks, you go off on a slight rant about your boss who very clearly overworked you because no one else was as dedicated as you were to rising up the ranks. You were a starting out art designer and this was your first firm placement. Tangerine just listened, that’s what you liked about him. He never told you to shut up when you rambled on about anything, he listened and responded with exactly what you needed to hear every time.

Lemon returned, gave you your drink and settled back down on his seat.

“So why didn’t either of you let me know you were leaving the city for a week?” You raise an eyebrow whilst eyeing them suspiciously.

“It was last minute work stuff,” shrugged Lemon.

“What did you have to go on a super secret mission to kill the Mafia or something,” you tease.

“Not the Mafia but something like that.” Tangerine says casually. You still couldn’t believe their jobs, you definitely should’ve been scared of them but you’ve know them for a long time, enough time to trust them with your life.

“And we found our Diesel,” Lemon says. You laugh at how proud he looked. “Right under our noses the entire time, playing us like fools.”

“Only time it’s ever been beneficial.” Tangerine mumbles.

“So you admit that it isn’t childish and stupid.” Lemon responses.

“It is childish and stupid. I’m sick of hearing about it,” Tangerine grumbled, finishing his drink.

“Oh come on Tan, it does no harm.” You nudge him. He just rolls his eyes at you, “you’re so grumpy. Lighten up.”

He just shakes his head, but you see him crack a smile. It makes you smile in return, you couldn’t be more of an opposite from Tan, he was a little grumpy and sometimes too serious. And you were the opposite, you were too friendly and extremely spontaneous. You talked he listened, he was neat you were all over the place at times, he was calm and you were lively. But somehow that was literally everything, and Lemon was the glue that held you all together. He was the perfect mix between them both and your metaphorical partner in crime (Tangerines literal one).

However you knew that a few drinks made Tangerine much chirpier and that you used to your advantage. So now you all sit absolutely wasted at the bar, Lemon orders the fourth shot. The three of you finish another shot, then just order a drink. The bar around you was busy and lively, the music was pumping through your veins and you felt electric.

You were mid conversation with the guys when you hear some intense ranting. A man is giving off about the bartender yet no one is listening, which just urges him to continue.

“Oi. Can you hurry the fuck up and take my order,” his voice fumes from behind you.

“I’ll be with you in one minute I’m serving a customer.” The bartender responds.

“I told you to take my fucking order. Are you stupid?”

You turn around in an instant to the source of the demands, you make eye contact with him and he just scoffs at you. “And she told you to wait a minute.”

“Who the fuck was talking to you?”

“Oh get over yourself. Piss off and leave her alone, it’s busy in here just wait.”

The man only ignores you and turns back to the bartender. “I swear to fucking god you’re such a useless bitch. I want a drink, so hurry the fuck up.”

“Please let me sort this couple out first.”

“Fucking ridiculous. You’re ridiculous.”

You stand up and come to face like him, you were livid by the vermin he was speaking. “You’re the ridiculous one here. She told you she’s busy! Just fucking get out you dickhead!” You shouted. He crossed his arms, trying to assert power in the situation.

Tangerine and Lemon both instantly turn around to look at what’s going on, Lemon was extremely taken aback by your confidence but he was impressed. But Tangerine was fascinated, he had never seen you riled up before.

“This has absolutely nothing to do with you, turn the fuck around again no one cares about what you have to say.”

“Im sure they care a lot more than watching a shallow waste of space cry because he’s not the top priority.”

“You fucking bitch.”

“What the fuck did you just call me?! A bitch. You think I’m a bitch? Well I think you’re a greedy spoilt little prick.”

“Oh my god she’s brilliant.” Tangerine says, completely starstruck. Lemon only nods in agreement. They couldn’t believe the fire you had inside of you, it was so intense. The man you were arguing with looked threatened, but he couldn’t accept defeat.

“That’s rich coming from you sitting there with two men, like a fucking whore. Look at you,” he looks you up and down, you suddenly feel extremely self conscious of your outfit, even though it was barely showing cleavage. “You look like a fucking prostitute.”

You don’t even take a moment to think and before you knew it your fist collided with his nose, sending him to the ground. People watched in shock, no one not even you knew what just happened it was all so sudden.

Tangerines mouth falls open, as he watches everything go down. There was something about seeing you like this that made everything click. “Fucking hell I love her.” He says, dead serious yet dazed.

Lemon does a double take and stares at Tangerine. “What?” He looks at you, prouder than ever but knew him and Tan needed to get you out of the bar before the man attacks you.

They both speedily usher you out and the three of you sit curb side outside the bar.

“What the fuck just happened,” Lemon floundered, you shake your head in response. You anger was settling and you were just calming down.

“If I see that bastard I’ll tear his fucking head off,” Tangerine says, you could tell he was mad, rightfully so considering what the man had said to you.

“I’ll vouch to that.” You respond.

Lemon inspected your hand of which you used to punch him. Your knuckles were swollen and inflamed.

“I’ll go get you ice.” Lemon goes off to get ice, leaving you and Tangerine.

You look up at the sky admiring the stars, they were one of your favourite sights and looking at them always grounded you. The alcohol was slowly wearing off, leaving you just over tipsy.

“Sorry for not setting in back there,” Tangerine says, his voice comes out soft. You look at him and shrug.

“It’s no big deal,”

“I would’ve have thought you’d argue with someone in the bar, I was impressed, you were slightly terrifying.”

You softly laugh, Tangerine just smiles. “Well his attitude just pissed me off. But.. I feel terrible for causing a scene. I seemed like a crazy bitch.”

Tangerine turned around so he was basically facing you, “you didn’t cause a scene you done what needed to be done.”

“I guess, but everyone probably thought i was some flawed psycho who’s violent.”

“No. No don’t say that,” Tangerine puts his hand on yours and looks at you; his expression is unlike anything you’ve ever seen. His eyes are soft yet fierce, but they hold so much value to his words. You’ve never seen or heard him be so considerate before. His voice was gentle, not grumpy and his touch was comforting, but you liked this side of him.

“It’s true.”

“Believe me, you’re flawless love. You fought that man to help someone else, that shows how kind you are. Anyone who saw everything go down acknowledges that.” He stroked your hand with his thumb, you smiled at his words, a blush dusting your face.

You rested your head on his shoulder and you knew there was a shift in your dynamic with Tangerine from there onwards. You’d always secretly wanted him but you thought you were too boring and too average for him, but the way he spoke to you and the way he looked at you made you feel like you were on fire.

[cowboy-heart]

'the first butch emerged from the channel'

(ID in read more)

[ID: an original poem titled 'the first butch emerged from the channel':

out of season Brighton pier / seagull shit crusted / fish out of water / skinned and dressed / like a boy in her father’s suit / swallowed like seawater / observed only by shuttered stalls / voices echo / echo from summer’s last choke / air stifles with the beginnings of cold tongue / the boy rolls her sleeves for her wrists to meet its taste / a haircut done with blunt kitchen scissors / hair scattered into the brown sea / her mother will mourn her when she is home.

a little girl / skips down the plankboard boulevard / holding sea salt and candy floss melting / in her cheek / spilt chocolate down the front of her / little white dress / she skips down / down / pulls off her dress and everything else / skips down / over the edge / skips down / to the bottom of the sea / returning home / still skipping to France / as her lungs fill.

her bedroom was just / the way she’d left it / mattress cupping its hands to hold her still / who took her? / what song did she hear? / did she know the person? / my baby came home that night but she didn’t / she was killed on Brighton pier / scissors severed her blonde waves and / she drowned in them / her eyes a wild spring storm / who took my baby? / fileted up her thighs / took out all that was inside / replaced it with something / old and rotten and urban / left her innards in the hallway hamper / I asked her what I should do with my baby’s guts and she / it / told me to take them to St Christopher’s hospice / who took my baby? / when was my baby taken from me?

it left my house / a hollow mouth / her bedroom perfectly preserved in / boyband posters / I sit on her bed / and wait for her to come home with / sand in her trouser pockets / ready to brush her hair tides goodnight / I sit on her bed / in our show room / when was the last time my baby came home? / when was the last time / that I braided her ocean? / I mourn / grieving stuck in my throat / like a winter cough / but I cannot bury her / for her flesh has been stolen / by a bull-dyke.

I am not a man / O, mother / I am not a woman / O, mother / I wear my father’s clothes better than he ever did / why do you insist on waiting for / a seaweed girl to come skipping home from the boardwalk / when your baby is still here? / O, mother / I need you / under my skin has always been constellations and diesel / just because I broke / your umbilical promise / why is it so easy for you to bury me alive? / under the sand?

why / why / why / would you rather your baby be dead and waterlogged / choking on Thames runoff / than different to what you had planned? / O, mother / I look for you everywhere / in every breast / in every mouth / O, mother / you didn’t want a daughter / you wanted a do-over.

by Ren H.

end ID].

[weirdowithaquill]

ok question how and why was the scrapping of sentence vhecials even allowed in the first place I mean sure irl this isn't that bad but in ttte the mass scrapping of steam engines in the 60s in Britain might as well be considered a genocide did Brittish railways use every loophole and excuse in the book to do this and every other country for that matter

Thank you for your ask! And wow does it open up some cans of worms...

But before we get to in-canon reasons for why BR was able to mass-scrap steam engines, we should probably consider the author's intent behind writing this in - after all, the Reverend W. Awdry was writing a children's book series and went "ah yes, I want this to be a picture children see":

So why does Awdry allow for scrap to happen? Because it happened in real life. Awdry was a massive steam engine fan - he grew up on the Great Western mainline near Box Tunnel listening to engines working up and down the grade, his father was a steam fan, and he himself volunteered on various heritage railways (most notably the Talyllyn in Wales) - this is a man who loves his railways and his steam engines. But in the era he was writing - the 1950s and 1960s - the engines were rapidly withdrawn and scrapped as part of BR's Modernisation Plan. Awdry hated this - Britain was scrapping completely useful engines who had served the country through two global wars for untested, faulty diesels that smelt. If you read through the Forewards from Four Little Engines onwards, you can sometimes find that he is quietly advertising heritage railways by crediting them and telling his audience where the real-live versions of the steam engines in his books are. He does this for the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, the Dartmouth Railway, the Ffestiniog Railway and of course: the Talyllyn and Bluebell Railways.

Awdry's books were as much a love letter to steam as they were a series of children's stories, and he wanted to make a real point about how he disagreed with BR and try to promote heritage railways to help keep steam alive.

Rev. W. Awdry was also a notorious perfectionist. Remember, this is a man who said that Dalby's illustrations of Percy looked like "a green caterpillar with red stripes" (ouch!).

This perfectionism carried over to the books: Awdry is very famous for his views on realism in Thomas - he quite famously disliked the Season 3 episode 'Henry's Forest' because it both broke Rule 55 - which states that engineers need to notify the signalman that their trains are at a stand in order to avoid an accident - and the fact that the trees were too close to the line, which could have caused a fire from sparks from the engine in real life. He placed real railway practice and its constraints at the forefront of his stories, and it shows.

Mixed together, these two parts of Awdry created the situation where he wrote about the scrapping of engines and the existential danger that it posed to steam engines and their livelihoods. This is the authorial reasoning behind scrap and the mass-scrapping of steam engines being so prevalent in his works - and it is prevalent, from as early as the first story where Edward is bullied by the bigger engines for being used so little and the implicit likelihood that he could be withdrawn and cut up.

With the authorial reasons for the mass-scrapping of steam engines having been answered, it is now a question of how to drill down into canon and explain what these views and decisions made by Awdry translate into.

Firstly, we need to separate two things: sentience, and human. Vehicles are not people in this series - they are very much the closest thing in terms of intelligence and speech ability, but they are not human. They are built out of minerals pulled from in the ground and powered by more rocks dug up from underground. Whether or not you see this as making this a society that enslaves the engines or not, the reality is that they are machines and the property of their human owners. This is a lot like horses - horses love us, even though we own them, and we often love them back. But not always. Horses were and are, after all, animals used for jobs - in their heyday, they were the car, bus, tram and train of society. We bought and sold them, and when they were no longer useful, people often put them down. Which is extremely morbid, yes - but it's an unfortunately necessary fact of that era and their lives.

Now translate it over to locomotives - the iron horses.

Locomotives are built to serve a purpose, and they must be capable of fulfilling their role. They are taking on the position of the horse from the above analogy - and when they are no longer useful, they can either be sold or scrapped. Worse yet, they are the industrial evolution to the horse - the capitalist's beast of burden.

And now I can finally move to answer the question of why the mass-scrapping of engines was legal: there was never any laws to stop them. From the moment the first engine rolled out of the shop, their owners argued loudly and publicly that they were simply an evolution of the horse. If people didn't give horses rights, why give engines rights? They are not human; they are iron beasts of burden. And in the rigid and very xenophobic society of the Victorian era, this worked incredibly well. Engines were trained using the Railway Rulebook to fulfill their job in much the same way you trained anyone and anything to be good at their job, and their culture was dismissed in the same way that Victorians dismissed any non-European culture.

Now, don't misunderstand me - this is not a good thing. This is a laissez-faire system of caring for vehicle rights developed by capitalism to make it cheaper, easier and less objectionable to discard old stock when needed. The government never intervened because doing so would place all the vehicles under their control under scrutiny. Can't have military lorries and tanks suddenly wondering whether or not their roles in war are legal, after all. And it's that worry that led to no nation really looking into vehicle laws until after World War Two - and even then, it was haphazard at best and downright discriminatory at worst. Even today, there are still no solid laws in place to cover the vast majority of vehicles - only those held in museums owned by the government or 'considered to be of cultural or historic importance' are afforded any rights at all - Thomas, Flying Scotsman, Stephenson's Rocket - those engines.

It's not because the engines themselves don't care, but because they simply have no real option to change this. Engines cannot move themselves - the worst they can do is force themselves to break down, and there will almost always be another engine to take their place.

Sorry for how morbid that got, but I hope it helped explain why I think engines were allowed to be mass-scrapped by BR!

[giuseppe-yuki]

I feel like Paul, Dino, Ollie and Kimi’s girlfriends would be best friends because of the time they spent at Prema and would constantly band together to annoy and prank their boyfriends.

Also I’m convinced that they had to try to make excuses about the shapeshifter girlfriends to Rene, who’s been around long enough to know exactly what’s going on

ofc, ofc!

from the constant traveling to circuits around the world along to the hours and hours spent by the track/in the garage, cheering their boyfriends on, it only makes sense for them to share a close bond. with so much free time in their hands, it’s more than likely they would resort to pranks to pass the time.

i really feel kimi is the most gullible one, leading his girlfriend to be able to pull the most stupidest pranks that he falls for every. single. time. from the good ol’ “it says gullible on the ceiling” joke to “i might have accidentally shapeshifted next to your helmet and crushed it and now it’s a flat pancake,” kimi somehow always believes her. when she reveals it’s a prank, and he realizes he fell for it yet again, he always gets all pouty and refuses to speak to his gf for the next hour 😭

the hardest person i think to prank would be paul, because i think he would be really observant, so his girlfriend usually just sticks to annoying him (i.e. turning into her songbird!form and fluttering around his head). the only time his gf actually got him was when she emptied out a giant teddy bear, hid in it, and jumpscared him when he came back to his driver’s room. (he’ll never admit it but he was this close 🤏 to actually passing out)

they sometimes move the pranks to outside the paddock, too. (ollie almost crashing out when his gf pretended to put diesel in his ferrari)

-

paul, dino, ollie, and kimi think they are doing a fantastic job at keeping their own girlfriends’ abilities secret but in reality, rene sees through it all lmaooo

it actually started through paul first- rene was about to come into his driver’s room to ask him a question about the upcoming race weekend, when he heard the not-so-subtle sounds of him making out with his gf. but, when he politely knocked on the door, paul opened the door a second later with a blushy face and songbird perched on his shoulder. how suspicious. 🤨

it’s ollie that hints him onto the right path. like i said in a past post, his girlfriend loves honey and other sweets due to her bear cub!form. it’s moderately alright when you see one of your drivers steal a handful of honey packets from the cafe in hospitality, but when you find out from the kitchen crew that it was in fact, not just one handful, but approximately 87 packets that he had somehow stuffed in his team kit, that gets a little concerning. ollie tries to play dumb at first, but then immediately breaks under zero pressure and kind of slips up a little bit.

it gets real easy to see after that. dino shows up with his super nice girlfriend in the paddock during race weekend, but she’s nowhere to be seen after media and before the feature races. instead, a komodo dragon that always sticks a little too close to dino is always there. thinking about it, rene actually has never seen both dino’s gf and the komodo dragon in a room together before! weird.

when it comes to kimi, there’s a point where he doesn’t even try anymore lmaooo. when he’s inside his garage, he half-hides in the tyre storage area, cause it’s “a good enough hiding spot or whatever.” rene walks into the garage to see kimi sprawled haphazardly across a rather nonchalant white tiger, yapping away like the tiger understood what he was saying. safe to say, all his doubts about his driver’s shapeshifting gfs theory disappeared in a whisp of smoke immediately.

once he knows, he def hints to it when talking to the boys, like after a good race result.

rene: since you did so well this weekend, i’ll make sure the cafe has honey on the menu and i’ll pretend not to see when you grab 100 packets for your girlfriend

ollie: !!!

rene: :)

ollie: how did you know- ??? um..?