#feel free to reply/reblog with a response

[coryndoll]

lover of mine

drew starkey x actress!reader au

— in which drew and y/n, secretly exes, must fake date in order to keep the peace at a mutual friend’s wedding, but the forced proximity makes them question whether they ever truly moved on.

warnings: rly small scenes tbh, main focus on drew n y/ns progresssss 🤗 theyre so cuteness (i need him so bad)

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authors note: i didnt rly wna focus on the ‘day with the group’ idea bc i just wanted more reader x drew content tbh. if u still arent part of the tag list, feel free to lmk thru replies, dms, anons, or reblogs !!

there’s still a week left until the wedding, but the tension has been building like crazy. you can feel it in every interaction between leila and theo—the quiet murmurs, the shared looks, the way one of them constantly pulls out the ipad to check something, asking the other if they’ve handled this or that.

every day, it seems like there’s another task or decision weighing them down, and it’s starting to get to everyone. the carefree, beachy vibe that should have been surrounding this pre-wedding stay feels more like a weight pressing down on the entire group the longer you’re there.

the morning after, as you step into the kitchen, you find leila already there, sitting at the counter with her phone in one hand, absentmindedly twirling a strand of hair with the other. she looks up at you with tired eyes, offering a small, forced smile that doesn’t quite reach her face.

“what’s the plan for today?” you ask casually, though your mind is already racing with alternatives.

leila sighs deeply, scrolling through her phone for a moment before responding, “another beach day. at least that’s what’s on the list.”

you can see the exhaustion written all over her face, and just hearing the words beach day makes you cringe. it’s the last thing anyone needs right now. without missing a beat, you scrunch your nose, shaking your head as you push off the counter.

“yeah, we’re not doing that,” you say firmly, already turning away before leila can question you.

she raises her eyebrows, confused, but you don’t offer any further explanation. you’re on a mission now, a plan forming rapidly in your mind as you stride out of the kitchen and head toward the backyard.

if anyone needs a change of pace, it’s all of you. and if anyone can pull it off, it’s going to be you and your partner in crime.

outside, the boys are lounging around, laughing and joking about something you don’t quite catch. drew is among them, sitting on the edge of a chair, his head thrown back in laughter at whatever ridiculous story oscar is telling. but you don’t have time for the details—you need to get him on board with your plan.

drew notices you the second you step outside. his eyes flicker from the conversation with the guys to you, and without even thinking, you raise your hand, giving him a small motion to come over.

there’s no hesitation in his response—he stands up, leaving roman mid-sentence on the couch as he quietly makes his way over to you. there’s something different in the way he walks toward you now, something softer.

ever since you two made up last night, there’s been this shift—almost shy, like he’s tiptoeing around you, unsure but sweet in a way that makes your heart melt just a little.

when he reaches you, he leans forward slightly, his voice quiet, almost hesitant. "what’s goin’ on?" he asks, his eyes searching yours with that same gentleness, as if he's still figuring out how to be around you again. the shyness is adorable, and it makes your chest warm just looking at him.

“so, listen,” you begin, your tone shifting into something more determined, “leila and theo are getting way too stressed with everything. and she had another beach day planned today? no thanks. we need to do something else. something fun, and i was thinking . . . i don’t know. ziplining?”

drew freezes and stares at you like you’ve just sprouted a second head. “ziplining?”

“yeah,” you say, nodding enthusiastically now that the idea is out there. “something different, you know? something adventurous to shake everyone up and loosen them up.”

he blinks, leans forward, and crosses his arms across his chest. “ziplining,” he repeats slowly, dragging out the word like he’s trying to fully process it. “you’re insane.”

“no, i’m not!” you protest, crossing your arms. “think about it. when’s the last time any of us did something that wasn’t, like, lying around the house or stressing about wedding details?”

he shrugs, smirking. “the beach was fun. volleyball wasn’t bad.”

you roll your eyes. “the beach doesn’t count. it’s safe, predictable. this—” you gesture with your hands like you’re painting the image in the air “—this is exciting, unexpected. people will have to face their fears, step out of their comfort zones, and actually have fun.”

drew leans back, eyeing you with a mix of amusement and curiosity. “and you think ziplining is the way to do that?”

“yes,” you say firmly. then, softer, “come on, star. you can’t tell me it wouldn’t be fun. imagine leila screaming her head off halfway down the line, theo pretending he’s brave but secretly terrified, libby and oscar bickering the whole time, roman threatening to cut the rope somehow that we all genuinely get scared, i mean, it’ll be a memory!”

he lets out a low chuckle, shaking his head. “you’re crazy. but . . .” he pauses, meeting your gaze, “. . . you’re also kinda right. it would be fun.”

you grin, victorious. “so, you’ll help me?”

he sighs dramatically, running a hand through his hair. “fine. but if someone has a panic attack or refuses to go, i’m blaming you.”

“deal,” you say, reaching for your phone. “okay, we need to find a place that can take a group our size on short notice. preferably this afternoon so we can bribe everyone with dinner afterward.”

“bribe?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.

“yes, bribe,” you reply matter-of-factly. “they’ll whine less if there’s food involved.”

drew seems to mull it over for a second, glancing back at the guys, who are still in their own conversation. then he turns back to you, a playful glint in his eye now. “okay, but . . . with what money?” he teases, quirking an eyebrow, clearly just messing with you.

you don’t realize it at first so you shoot him a look, half-amused, half-annoyed, and without missing a beat, you say, “i’m paying.”

he lets out a light laugh, shaking his head. “i was joking, i got it.” there’s this soft edge to his voice, like he’s trying to show you that he’s here, that he’s all in, no matter how small the gesture.

then, as if to seal the deal, he leans forward and presses a kiss to the top of your head, something that feels so natural but makes your breath catch anyway.

for the next hour, the two of you sit shoulder to shoulder, scrolling through options, debating logistics, and sharing quiet laughs when you come across reviews like, ‘this was fun, but i cried the entire time’. you’re so caught up in the planning that you don’t even realize how close you’re leaning into him until his arm brushes against yours.

when the booking is finally confirmed, you both let out a shared sigh of relief.

“we’re really doing this,” he says, looking over at you with a small, crooked smile.

“we are,” you reply, matching his grin. his eyes flicker to yours, and for a moment, there’s this feeling bubbling up inside you as you think about it—enjoying each other’s company, letting loose, and having fun. the kind of fun you’ve been craving, the kind that would remind everyone why they’re all here together in the first place.

you know it’s going to be exactly what the group needs.

you’re suddenly jolted from your daydream by something soft hitting your leg. “ow,” you hiss, even though it doesn’t hurt at all. you glance down and see a pillow lying at your feet, and you reach down to pick it up.

when you straighten up, you and drew find the boys sitting there, grinning like they’ve just pulled off the greatest prank of all time. their laughter fills the space between you, and you immediately know who the culprit is. roman, sitting back with that mischievous look on his face, the slight arch of his brow giving him away.

you narrow your eyes at him, muttering, “dick,” under your breath before tossing the pillow back onto the chair.

with a shake of your head and a half-smile, you turn and head back inside the house, leaving their laughter and drews behind. you can still feel the energy of their playful teasing lingering in the air, but it doesn't bother you.

after all, you’ve got bigger plans in mind.

the group is gathered in the living room eventually, all of them looking at you and drew like you’ve lost your minds. you stand at the front of the room, arms crossed confidently, while drew leans casually against the wall, throwing in the occasional thumbs up.

“ziplining,” leila says, her voice flat. “you want us to go ziplining?”

“yes,” you reply, smiling brightly.

“you’re insane,” theo says, echoing drew from an hour ago. “like, are you serious?” he asks, leaning forward.

“completely serious,” you say, nodding. “drew and i planned it today. we’ve got a reservation this afternoon, and afterward, dinner’s on us.”

drew, standing beside you, throws up two thumbs and adds, “it’s gonna be fun. trust us.”

gia looks hesitant. “i don’t know . . . i mean, heights? we don’t go well together. neither do me and helmets. they’re so unflattering.”

“yeah, but exactly. it’s different. it’s exciting. it’s—” you pause, looking at everyone. “—something none of us would normally do. and that’s the point. come on, libby, you’re always saying we should push ourselves, pride ourselves to go extreme. think of it as . . . wedding prep stress relief.”

she glances at oscar, who shrugs with a small smile. “what do you think?”

“i think we should do it,” oscar says. “and, c’mon, if they’re paying for dinner, how can we say no?”

gia perks up at the mention. “and you’re paying for everything?”

“everything,” drew confirms, smirking.

slowly, the group comes around to the idea, though roman continues to grumble about it as everyone heads to change into comfortable clothes. you and drew share a quick glance, both of you grinning like you’ve just pulled off the biggest surprise.

“this is gonna be great,” you whisper to him.

“you sure about that?” he teases.

“completely,” you say, and for the first time in a while, you actually feel it.

the drive to the ziplining park is filled with nervous energy. leila and libby are exchanging anxious laughs in the back seat, while theo tries to lighten the mood by joking about who’s most likely to chicken out. drew is driving, his hand resting on the center console near yours, and every now and then, he gives you a little reassuring squeeze.

when you arrive, the towering platforms and crisscrossing zip lines above are enough to make everyone pause. the guide meets your group at the entrance, going over the safety procedures and handing out harnesses. you’re already buzzing with adrenaline as you step into your gear, tightening the straps and adjusting the helmet.

“you okay?” drew asks, leaning in close as he helps you with one of the buckles.

“yeah,” you say, though your heart is pounding. “are you?”

he grins. “i was born for this.”

once everyone is suited up, the guide leads you to the first platform. it’s a steep climb, and by the time you reach the top, the nerves are palpable. gia is clutching the railing, and oscar is muttering something about how this is definitely not in his comfort zone.

“remember,” you say, turning to face the group. “this is supposed to be fun.”

“easy for you to say,” oscar mutters, earning a laugh from drew.

one by one, the guide hooks everyone up to the zip line. theo volunteers to go first, his bravado earning him cheers from leila as he zips across the line with a whoop of excitement. next is leila, who screams the entire way but laughs as soon as she lands on the other side.

when it’s your turn, drew steps up beside you. “ready?” he asks, his voice low and steady. “i’ll go right after you.”

you nod, taking a deep breath. “ready.”

the moment you step off the platform, the wind rushes past you, and the world blurs into a mix of treetops and sky. it’s exhilarating, freeing, and everything you hoped it would be. when you land on the next platform, your laughter is contagious, and drew’s whoop of excitement as he follows only adds to the thrill.

by the end of the course, everyone is buzzing with adrenaline and smiling like they haven’t in days. leila and theo are holding hands, their earlier tension forgotten, and even the others admit they had fun, though claim they’re never doing it again.

the night air is cool but not biting, the kind of perfect that makes you want to stay outside forever. the moon hangs low, casting silver streaks across the dark waves, and the stars scatter across the sky like confetti.

the whole day feels like a dream—ziplining, laughing with everyone, and the kind of dinner where no one holds back, plates piling high until you're all practically bursting at the seams. it’s a memory already cemented in the back of your mind, glowing and golden.

you and drew step out of the house hand in hand, the muffled sounds of snores and low murmurs drifting behind you. everyone else is sprawled out in food comas, barely able to move after the feast. but not you. not drew.

“leila really said we should host more,” you laugh, your voice soft but laced with pride. “can you believe that?”

drew chuckles, shaking his head. “honestly? kinda shocked she’d trust us again. but i’ll take it. today was so good.”

“better than good,” you correct, squeezing his hand. “it was perfect.”

you both step onto the sand, the grains cool beneath your feet. the horizon glows faintly, the deep blue skies blending into the inky black sea, and for a moment, neither of you says anything, just soaking in the peace.

then, you stop. you let go of drew’s hand and start slipping off your shoes.

he notices immediately. “what’re you doing now?”

you don’t answer, kicking your shoes to the side and unbuttoning your shirt, then you toss your shirt onto the sand and start unzipping your jeans. you’re already smiling to yourself, feeling a little mischievous as the cool night breeze brushes against your skin.

“are you— are you seriously—?” drew stammers, his voice pitching higher.

now fully bare, you take a slow step into the water, the chill shocking at first but refreshing as it climbs up your legs. your toes sink into the soft, wet sand, and you keep walking until the water reaches your hips.

drew stands frozen behind you, hands by his sides, his jaw slack as he watches you sway gently with the rhythm of the waves. he looks like he’s trying to figure out whether to laugh, yell, or just give up entirely.

finally, you glance over your shoulder, your hair falling loose and wild around your face. “are you coming in or what?” you ask, holding out your hand toward him.

his eyes dart from your face to your outstretched hand, and something shifts in his expression. for a second, it’s like the rest of the world disappears—the waves, the sky, the house behind him. all he can see is you, standing there in the moonlit water, your hand reaching out for him.

it hits him like a punch to the chest. he knows that he’d follow you anywhere.

he exhales a soft, shaky laugh, tugging off his shirt and stepping out of his jeans with an ease that makes you grin. the hesitation he had just moments ago evaporates as he walks toward you, the water lapping at his legs.

when he reaches you, you pull him closer, your hands sliding up around his torso as you lean in and kiss him. it’s quick, almost playful, but the smile you press into it lingers. drew’s hands find your waist, steadying you against the soft push of the waves.

“we need to do this more often,” he murmurs, his forehead resting lightly against yours.

“and we will,” you reply, your voice barely above a whisper.

he lets out a soft chuckle, pulling you closer until your bodies are pressed together, his warmth cutting through the cool water. your chin rests on his chest as you look down at the water swirling around you both, the light from the moon catching on the tiny ripples.

you tilt your head up, resting your chin against his chest, the soft thrum of his heartbeat steady beneath your skin.

“i don’t even wanna leave,” you mumble, the words slipping out without much thought, your voice quiet but heavy with feeling.

drew's hand moves up to the back of your head, his fingers threading gently through your hair, smoothing it down like he’s trying to calm not just you, but the whole world around you. “i know,” he says softly, and there’s something so steady, so sure, in the way he says it that it makes your throat tighten.

it’s not just the water, or the waves, or even drew’s warmth grounding you—it’s the wine in your system, maybe, or the weight of these last few days. how good it’s all been. how good he’s been. compared to the storm you left outside of this trip, this feels like something you could stay in forever.

a tear slips out before you can stop it, and when you look up at drew, his face comes into focus in a way that makes your chest ache.

“hey,” you whisper, your voice cracking. “i’m glad we did this. all of it. the plan, the trip— just . . . us.”

he blinks down at you, the corner of his mouth lifting in a smile, but there’s concern laced in his laughter. “stop, are you crying?” he teases gently, his hand cupping your cheek. his thumb brushes under your eye, and you feel him swipe at the streak of mascara smudging there.

you pull back a little, suddenly self-conscious, your fingers brushing over your cheeks. “oh my god, is my makeup coming off?”

you consider dunking your whole body into the water—just to rid yourself of the smudged makeup, the makeup that’s probably ruining this intimate moment. but before you can, you hear him hum a soft, “mm-mm,” his voice quiet and soothing.

he pulls you gently back toward him, his hands cupping your face with tender care. you look up at him, his eyes soft, and for a second, everything else disappears for you. his touch is like a promise that you’ll always have someone to turn to. he rubs his thumb gently beneath your eyes, sweeping away the mascara with a careful, loving gesture.

“you’re perfect,” he murmurs, the words almost like a secret shared only between the two of you, like it’s a fact he’s known forever.

your breath hitches, and for a second, the world stills.

then you lean up, and he meets you halfway, his lips pressing against yours in a kiss that feels slow and endless. his hands hold you steady, thumbs brushing over your cheeks as your arms loop tighter around his waist, pulling him closer until there’s no space left between you.

you stare at your reflection in the mirror just hours later, when you’ve managed to sober up some, and you’re brushing your teeth vigorously. the bathroom door swings open. drew steps in without knocking, already knowing you’ve been in here, and immediately begins preparing for his shower.

“you look pretty,” he murmurs as he moves past you, earning a faint smile from your lips.

you pull the toothbrush from your mouth and fill it up with water, swishing it around before spitting it out, finally managing to say, “by the way, thanks for helping me today, star.”

he shrugs, his smile softening. “it’s no problem. i care about our friends just as much as you do. leila and theo are my friends too.” he steps away, turning the water on in the shower and letting it warm up while you finish. “plus that food we had tonight, thank god they picked a good place. i’m still so stuffed.”

he rests a hand to his stomach and it makes you grin. but what catches your eye is your phone lighting up on the counter, and you eagerly check the notification. leaning against the counter, you sigh when you see it isn’t from the person you’ve hoped for. drew notices the shift in your demeanor, his brow furrowing slightly.

“okay,” he says, his tone shifting to one of concern as he walks toward you and presses his hand to the edge of the counter, watching you intently. “so something is definitely bothering you.”

and you realize you haven’t told him a single time since you’ve been talking to him again.

“it’s, um . . .” you trail off, your voice faltering as you feel the weight of your disappointment settle in. “i’ve been sending in audition tapes for the past few months and doing callbacks for in-person auditions, but i still haven’t heard back on anything yet.”

you can feel the frustration bubbling beneath the surface, and it takes all your strength not to let it spill over.

drew winces, a sympathetic look crossing his face. “that sucks,” he says, his voice low. “i know how that feels. it can be brutal.”

you nod, feeling a lump form in your throat. “i just thought this time would be different. i thought i was good enough to get at least something by now,” you say.

his hand rubs up and down your back. “it’ll come to you when the time is right,” he says softly, trying to offer comfort.

your expression drops at his sudden change in trying to be some philosopher as you put your phone back down on the counter. “that’s so full of bull,” you mutter, heading for the door to leave but drew furrows his eyebrows at the abrupt switch.

“c’mere,” he says as he reaches for your hand and tugs you back into his chest, pressing your lips to his.

you’re happily returning the kiss as his hands running down to your backside. you missed this. the kisses, the fire that grows inside you when it happens. it’s still a familiar feeling. he grips firmly, pressing you against his hips, and his kisses are passionate, his breathing heavy as he walks you backward into the sink.

he breaks the kiss to trail his lips along your neck, and into the sensitive spot beneath your ear. although you’re enjoying this, you manage to break out of your high and whisper in his ear, “you’re getting hard.”

the kisses stop there.

and he detaches himself from you, heading for the shower. “shut up,” he mutters under his breath, though there’s a slight curve of his lips as he smiles. he’s turning red. “it’s the . . . water,” he says to excuse his rosy cheeks, knowing you’ll say something about it.

you tilt your head, watching as he finishes stripping and steps into the shower, “the water’s causing that when you’ve been out here?”

“it’s the condensation, asshole.”

tags: @rubixgsworld @itgirlbrina @thepopcultureaddict @icaqttt @samsmelodrama @kissfinalgirl @iissza @lotuslovers @obsessionsarenotfortheweak @mattyskies @willowpains @toterry @wearemadeofstardust0 @cl4uus @maybankslover @itneverendshere @httpsdrewstarkey @ilyrafe @sunny1616 @pillowprincess4him @yootvi @l4venderia @chenslucy @darkreymbow @congratsloserr @skyslowalking @ivy-34 @behindviolettwrites @allthoughtsmindfull @lovelylupin04 @ecstqzy @dasguccier

a/n: if i missed u or u changed ur user, lmk to add u next time !! <3

[itsbeenliketenyearsitsprettywild]

on tag responses and reply trains or: "click the readmore for my analysis of the the (mostly) Greek love terms that sum up jayvik and jaymel and also at some point i forget how to shut the fuck up and turn this into what might as well be a thesis paper on jaymel as a duo and How Mel Is Dedicated To Jayce Her Own Way"

starting from op @aurieeeeeenyx's tags that got me thinking:

#you mightve guessed that ive been listening to the hadestown soundtrack again recently#but anyways. jayce going back over and over and failing in timeline after timeline in the hopes that maybe this time. maybe just this once#he'll succeed and get his partner back#viktor putting the whole of his faith and trust in jayce that jayce will come back for him even though he fails again and again#but still viktor cannot imagine not believing in jayce one more time#the way the entire universe hangs in the balance of their bond oh man#i feel like jayvik is beyond categorization they're like the peak of classical romance which is not necessarily kisses and dating etc#but like the purest form of intimacy and affection. or something#i should write a fic abt this#anyways . idk . im a big fan of meljayvik so mel fits in here SOMEWHERE i just havent figured it out yet#if you made it to the bottom of this wall of tags here's a pie 🥧

(the last tag isn't exactly relevant, but hey. free pie 🥧) my response in the replies (with a few spelling edits):

moreso than calling what Jayce and Viktor have 'classical romance' (as such a phrase feel like it could be confused with the Romantic movement in the arts, which doesn't have much to do with love directly), I feel like it would almost be more accurate to describe it using the ancient (and a just few more modern) Greek terms for love. They already exist as a way to delineate the many types of love that can exist either combined or singular that can be part of a relationship between two people. (there's like eight or nine different Greek/Greek-derived words to categorize love at this point depending on who you ask, feel free to look 'em up yourself - there are six ancient Greek ones in there too. the Greeks have been dissecting love for a *very* long time) Of the types of love exhibited between Jayce and Viktor specifically, I think what you're getting at is that it's a bond which involves this incredibly beautiful blend of philia and agape, with a bit of mutual meraki as well. In actual English - their bond is made of deep personal affection on a mental/personality level (philia literally translates to 'soul connection') which isn't hurt by their shared love of creating/inventing new technology together. All of this being further boosted by the fact that they would anything for each other, even if it means damning themselves or other reallities in the process. I'd love to go into meljay as contrast, in large part because their relationship feels pretty unique in terms of what we see in media, but there's only so many characters allowed in a reply lol. feel free to ping me if you want me to put the rest of the deets on this or another post, though (and clarify you want it on a reblog instead of a reply if that's the case, as i default to replies otherwise)!

op's reply:

actually it's funny you say this because the romantic movement in the arts is pretty much what i had in mind just because of the like...aesthetic? i feel like it comes with a certain mood of sublime beauty and some mix of nature/humanity/passion/nostalgia while being both subdued and Not, which the jayvik finale sort of embodies to me if that makes sense (but then again i'm not an art connoisseur so i could be spouting total bullshit) i do agree with your analysis of their bond in the framework of greek terms for love and think that funnily enough it goes back to the orpheus and eurydice thing again (arcane when i come for you and your greek tragedies WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU--) sooo i guess i'll have to do some more research on that and i'd love to hear about your thoughts on meljay! if you feel comfortable i think a reblog might help more people see it (in which case you might need to put my notes and/or your comment as context to this admittedly very short post) but i don't mind either way :D

And, since the notes and comments have been placed, time to continue (I've been using this website for reference and been extrapolating best i can, but I'm no expert on the subject so feel free to correct me on it)

I honestly find JayMel really interesting to analyze from this perspective, because I feel like media doesn't show many relationships with this unique blend of loves, and especially not presented in a way where it's actually given some weight and value to both people within it. So, to start:

This list is very, very long, so let me this for the sake of everyone's sanity...

TL; DR - While Jaymel absolutely involves sexual attraction between the two of them (and is sometimes connected to these more casual, playful moments between the duo), those aren't nearly all the facets of their love. Some of the other types include: how they both enjoy working on Hextech (from the angles of technology and politics respectively), even if they sometimes have to make deals and do things with it they personally don't like; the surprisingly tentative yet compelling nature of their friendship together; the practical ways they (read; mostly Mel) are willing to help and support each other on a much more functional level, and how that in turn plays a very large part in letting them further emotionally connect with one another and deepen their bonds as people.

First (and most obviously), Mel and Jayce's dynamic obviously has a fair amount of eros in it. Eros can best be described as 'sexual love' or 'physical desire for each other' - the kind of love most people (largely allosexuals) assume are a part of "romantic" relationships by default, though one doesn't have to be a couple to act upon mutual eros. Either way, it's absolutely a part of their dynamic that deserves to mentioned and recognized - pretty sure none of us are going to forget the Sextech scene any time soon, and all. But that's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to their dynamic.

In a fair few scenes where eros between them is evident, there's also pretty obviously some ludus going on. Ludus is one of the more modern categorizations love types, and describes 'playful love' - something more casual or carefree, no strings inherently attached, but a noted expression of affection all the same. You know that forge scene in season 1, where Mel sarcastically calls Jayce's smithing 'a delicate art' and she watches him sexily hammer out some metal, or at the end of that same scene, where she leans into him seductively... only to smack him in the tiddies with his own forge bolt and adds the one-liner, "Hold onto your nuts?" That absolutely reads as ludus following up on the eros within their dynamic. After all, ludus is the kind of love found in booty calls and one night stands, but could also just be enjoying a night out drinking with your pals. Which makes jaymel really interesting, considering the fact that it's also steeped in the opposite type of love....

....Which, in all honestly, I feel like I'll only be able to talk about once I've described meraki. You see, this and the next type of love seem pretty deeply entwined with one another when it comes to my categorizing and understanding of jaymel, but it feels like this is the one best needed to help describe the context of the other. Now, meraki one of the terms coined after the ancient Greeks, being a modern word that most people who don't speak Greek down know about. Essentially (and i could be wrong about the best term to use - but honestly i legitimately feel like this a type of love that shapes them, and don't know a better word to use), meraki is the love of creation, the love one pours into the act of making art or writing poetry or skillfully setting a table - or, best as i can sum all that up, a love of your work/what you do. And, lest we forget, the thing that brought them (alongside Viktor, though he's not the focus of this post) together is... well, Hextech. It's just that the work Jayce and Mel happen to be doing in relation to creating Hextech happen to be quite different in nature. Nonetheless they're both quite necessary for its creation to come to fruition. For Jayce, this 'love of creation' he has for hextech is quite literal - he's one of the two geniuses who invents, designs and very directly builds machines and technology that utilize Hextech within them, and it's obviously from the get go that he loves the idea of it so much that he dedicated his life to it (something something what that means in terms of what he said in the finale-). Mel, meanwhile, also loves Hextech and how she goes about creating it - but, in her case, she creates far less literally than how Jayce and Viktor do, though still plenty important. Because, for all the boys physically create the technology, it wouldn't be able to have nearly as much of an impact as it does if there wasn't someone politically advocating for its use and working for it to become societally integral. For all Viktor and Jayce may love making their gadgets and gizmos that utilize it, she's the one who loves it enough to build it up as A Brand and help get Jayce into top enough form that Hextech can even have its own seat on the council (no matter how much she regrets that decision almost immediately afterwards. But, it's this difference in terms of how they precisely they go about creating Hextech that can lead to a divide in how much they enjoy particular parts of shaping that leads to struggle in staying dedicated to specific parts of the process, which really comes down to their comfort with....

Pragma, or 'practical/dedicated love'. Pragma is the final love term coined after the time of Ancient Greece, and essentially acts as the complete opposite of ludus. While ludus is all about fun and in-the-moment playfulness, pragma is the love shown by doing what needs to be done to keep things functional, even if said actions are not particularly fun or enjoyable themselves. It's not the same thing as agape/'sacrificial' love, because it's not a case of being willing to throw everything just to keep this one person happy. These things are being done because they have to be done to make sure everything stays okay, not because the thing they love comes before absolutely anything else. Though it might seem boring (or maybe even selfish, if you compare it to agape in particular), it's a huge part of all kinds of relationships you can find between people, and says as much about nature of a dynamic as anything else. But, as stated, this type of love between Jayce and Mel is seen very specifically when it comes to their mutual love for Hextech and less directly for each other. In making Hextech and allowing it to flourish as a technology, steps have to be taken to ensure sponsors and investments, so that they never lose access to the resources required to continue working on it. As such, deals have to be cut and made, as seen in the concert scene, and continuing to make sure Jayce and Viktor's projects are properly funded is something they have to do over and over again just to keep things moving. In this sense, the main difference between the two of them in this context is the nuance of their meraki - for all they both enjoy creating Hextech in some way, the types of work they enjoy dedicating themselves to contrast quite a bit. For Jayce, politics and lobbying for funding are only a small part of what he does for Hextech - and not what he gravitate towards naturally, charismatic as he can be. To him, his love of is for the literal process - the one that Viktor both enjoy creating as a team moreso than they'll ever enjoy doing it alone. Meanwhile politicking and dedication to Hextech's social and financial success (which is where a lot of the pragma comes to the forefront) is what Mel enjoys doing - alone if necessary, but preferably with one of the creators of Hextech at her side, to have another hand on deck and a more direct face to associate with it. As such, it *does* make its own kind of sense that the duo (jayvik) whose meraki is almost identical have an time easier time bonding personality-wise (tho i do think Mel and Vik would have an easier time of it- *shoves my melvik-in-the-polycule headcanons in a box for later*), in comparison to the fascinatingly tentative nature of Jayce and Mel's....

Philia, or 'soul connection'. For all it sounds like a term for soulmates or such, what it really just means is that two people get along well with each other when it comes to general socializing and interaction. This is the type of love that underpins deep friendships, but also romantic couples that go beyond just being sexually compatible (or queerplatonic couples - sadly, the terms for love never developed in such a way to make it *easy* to differentiate aspec couples from other kinds of dynamics, but we work with what we got), or even just coworker who get along pretty well. And it's here in particular that I find jaymel compelling as we see them in the show, because, for all we see them work together well on Hextech and be playful with each other and Do The Fuck, their philia seems... surprisingly awkward, or at least not nearly as natural as it is for jayvik (or how i headcanon it would be for melvik). To be clear: you're allowed to headcanon jaymel as more naturally friendly than this, like how many people like to extrapolate jayvik out to include some level of eros (which, once again, not disparaging, just noting as not being shown in Arcane directly). But in terms of what we actually see in the show... jaymel has a bit of a hard time with getting close on an emotional level. Which i honestly really appreciate; the show doesn't invalidate the love that is there simply due to this fact, after all. All the other parts of their relationship exist and are recognized in the narrative while still letting the philia between them not come as naturally as everything else. People's personalities may end up with them clashing fairly often, but they can still be close anyways. (well, as long as they work at it - but I'll segue into that subcategory in a little bit.) And because of this, they're able to take a very fun option: showing some of these moments of tension or awkwardness between them, and letting us as the audience watch how the two navigate and end up resolving these moments. Though some of these moments do end up getting interrupted by a third party, which can end up impacting how these moments of tension end up getting resolved. (I'm looking at you, Viktor, for how you interrupted that moment between jaymel and instigated the season 2 council room fight. go to ur eldritch jesus shame corner /lh/j) Speaking of reaction: Mel and Jayce each have distinct ways of expressing emotional distress (at least most of the time - Mel lets herself get a lot more angry with her mother than she would otherwise). For Jayce, his reactions are what he's infamous for in fandom - impulsively jumping into action based on his current feelings without considering what consequences. (read: almost always not what he wanted.) Meanwhile, Mel tends to withdraw into herself and act more emotionally unaffected than she actually is - for example, how her reaction to Jayce leaving in the middle of the night after Sextech is to... well, paint, and respond relatively neutrally up until Jayce justifies his actions. But it's in resolving of these conflicts that the two of them are able to start building up their philia and comfort with each other (beyond their mutual focus on hextech or sex) into a deeper level of companionship. The reason why their philia is able to end up further developing is due to the active usage of...

Pragma, not within the framework of Hextech. You see, Hextech-focused pragma can quite often lead to added tension between them instead of anything getting resolved, as seen when Mel gets Jayce voted onto the council without asking him first. In comparison, many of the moments of pragma between them that aren't focused on Hextech itself often lead to to bonding moments between the two of them as individuals. (Which makes sense as talking about work, even if you like doing it, doesn't tend to lead to much personal emotional intimacy.) Alongside that, there's one other thing that differentiates these moments of pragma from those focused on Hextech directly: in those situations where willingly taking action leads to them getting closer, it's almost always Mel who takes the initiative. For Jayce, the vulnerability he shows to her is never from a place of willingly dropped guard or conscious intent, but instead due to being absolutely overwhelmed by his emotions. As such, it's Mel who consistently dedicates herself to their relationship by reacting in ways that only really serve to benefit or support Jayce, such as: -> accepting her suddenly-given role as emotional after the discovery Viktor is dying -> voting Heimerdinger out of the council on Jayce's inferred behest -> comforting Jayce over said vote that he pushed through -> stalling while he's supposed to be leading the council so he has time to find Viktor -> implicitly supporting Jayce's decision to bring Viktor back from at least the brink of death, if not death itself, at the beginning of season 2 Even past the ones I listed, there's so many moments Mel has which speak to her own brand of love for Jayce, especially in season 1. Times where she very much chooses to act in favor of his interests, even though it in no way benefits her, can be readily pointed to as cases of pragma. For all they might not be big and noticeable, they help keep the dynamic functional and healthy. Though, that's not to say Jayce doesn't have a moment of pragma outside of working on Hextech. Though, unless I'm missing something, it is just. A singular moment for him. Which is after his implicit apology for the argument the two had in the council room before the Viktor fight in season 2. After the apology, Mel goes on to open up to him about how she unlocked her abilities as a mage, that he comforts her by saying that Mel could never be just a passenger in her body - this is a moment that, while it does nothing to help him personally, still speaks to him caring about Mel. But... that's pretty much we only case we have of him directly engaging in pragma in relation to Mel. (...But then again, we see a lot of him and his active cases of pragma in those situations in season 1 focused on Hextech in particular, so in that regard it evens out if you consider pragma a whole without those specific contexts in mind. But I digress.)

There's potentially one other type of love i was tempted to add to all this, but this post has gotten very, very long, so i think I leave it here. If you somehow got this far down: holy shit what the fuck (impressed). For the sake of the sane people. I think I'll be putting my TL;DR at the top of the list.

oh yeah also jayvik are extremely orpheus and eurydice coded i don't make the rules

[voidcatgalaxy]

Do any other artists (and other creatives) out there ever like... put a specific object in your field of view while you're creating, just because it motivates you for some inexplicable reason? I started doing this a few years ago and the effect it has on my motivation level and output is astonishing. I don't know what the scientific explanation is.

[matchboxbed]

hello autism website does anyone else have a really hard time controlling/hearing your own tone of voice and have u found anything that helps. i accidentally hurt ppls feelings sometimes bc i can’t hear how harsh i sound when i’m overstimulated and i do not want to continue this way bc i feel like i have no control over it

[fraudulent-cheese]

g-gweathney pls.... :</nf

-scruffy (yes from the intern server)

Hi Scruffy! Nice to see u in my inbox :D

Ok so i feel like poly ships in this fandom that involve three people are kinda cursed for me to have at least one romantic relationship im not personally into??? Unless there's a specific way it's framed or handled. For Gweathney, it's the Heathney part of the equation.

I really like gwourtney and gweather's great, but i think i never got heathney. I just don't see a situation or context where they'd have positive interactions unless they both got large amounts of therapy or something. I know im saying this on the "enemies to lovers" website, but they spend the vast majority of their time on screen just flat out hating eachother, with the single exception i can think of being Heather comforting Courtney in one scene after Duncan cheats on her. Not even in a fun way i can see progressing into something else like Gweather. Like they just dislike eachother, without a different kind of tension underneath. Outside of their touchyness during world tour i don't get there being a canon source here.

With that said i like Gweathney! They just look good together in fanart, like their designs mesh well to me. All three of these girlies have been mistreated by the show in general so for them to find happiness in eachother's just nice. It also has a ton of potential for conflict too; all three of them have been in conflict directly on the show before, and their clashing personalities and backgrounds are great generators of conflict itself.

Not exactly sure how they would get together?probably needs some major canon divergence for it to work and i sincerely doubt they would get into a throuple without one couple having been established earlier (which, im nominating for it to be gwourtney) but honestly? I like weirder and more out-there ships so it really doesn't matter at the end of the day. Total Drama is Total Drama, you can just make shit up and have fun with it. Lord knows that's basically what i do with almost all my td content-

Also im assuming this involves getting Heather therapy for this to actually work so that's an automatic plus for me

[facts-i-just-made-up]

Not A Joke, Not Unreality:

A company called Quantum Fiber (under Century Link) recently set up my home town for fiber optic internet. I got them a month ago and aside from a few outages it was decent.

Last week, it went out. They sent me a super specific time it would be back-

They failed to make it and sent another, minutes later.

And another when that failed.

And over the week, more and more.

I called and they just read me the same email out loud. They offered no escalation or resources. Every time, they fail. I have not had internet for my house in a week, and this morning I got this one-

I looked into other people having the same problem and found this-

Edit forgot link

That's not something called a "766" line, that's them fucking up my city 766 times. This company is fucking shit, and I'm sick of this. I've filed an FCC complaint but those take a month to even get a reply.

So I'm hoping my 173,365 followers can help make this show of their ineptitude and callousness go viral. Please.

They are in a time of massive expansion into many new states and cities. I am asking anyone so inclined with a few minutes to spare to find your town or state's government information technology office or liaison, or just a local government representative of any kind, and write them a quick note stating that this company destroys town utilities and offers absolute frustrating failures of service in return.

If you have Quantum Fiber and have been similarly failed by them, please file an FCC complaint. You might at least get a free month out of it.

If you work with a news source or popular blog, please boost this however you can.

If you are on any app on which they are present, please feel free to write or tag them and let them know they have failed their customers and cities they work with.

Please do not engage in threats or harassment of any form. Keep this legal, civil, and proper so that it can create a legal basis and record of good citizen interaction on the part of this company's victims. I am asking for help in a grassroots campaign, not a violent or prank-filled heap that just gets people in trouble. AND DO NOT FOR ANY REASON EVER PESTER THE WORKERS, PHONE REPS AND TECHNICIANS THEY HAVE OUT THERE. This is the corporation's fault, not the poor folks they employ who they likely try to make take the backlash.

If you have any other ideas on how to hold a mega-corp responsible for the shit they put their customers through, please comment and recommend. I am sick of this shit. I know there are worse things happening and even worse companies doing horrid things right now. But maybe this one is new/small enough that a viral campaign can kick them where it hurts and get them to act more responsibly to their customers and safely to the places they work.

Please help if you have time. Please spread this in the hopes they see it and get off their butts and fix their horrible shit. Any random reblog or post on any platform might be the one their investors hear of.

Thank you anyone for anything you can do.

-Ari

[rbfclassy]

QUICKIE! — TOJI FUSHIGURO

SYNOPSIS...toji just can’t keep his hands to himself after not fucking you for a week...which results in a quickie

INFO...toji x fem!reader, reader and toji have kids, toji calls reader mama, doggy, groping, spanking, missionary (?), praise, cream pie, not proofread

OTHER...likes and reblogs are appreciated

“Hey do you have anything to wash?” You walked up to Toji holding the laundry basket in your hands as he played with your two kids.

He looked up at you from the floor. “Nah, I’m all set, mama.” He smiled, handing your son his favorite toy. With a nod, you walked away with the full basket, heading towards the laundry room. You sighed at the clean pile of clothes that you had to fold, rolling your eyes in annoyance.

You threw the dirty clothes in the wash before grabbing the detergent. You let out a small squeak at the feeling of your husbands hands snaking around your waist. “You scared me,” you chuckled.

“Sorry,” he responded, pulling you against his chest, sinking his head into the crook of your neck. He placed a small kiss on your skin, hands rubbing up and down your waist. “Should’ve asked me for help.”

You closed the detergent, placing it back on the shelf as you started the washer. “It’s fine, I got it,” you replied. Toji hummed in response, his hands moving lower and lower down your body. “Toji, what are you doing?” You giggled.

You tried to turn and face him but he kept you from doing so. “Uh uh, stay just like this for me,” he whispered. He pushed his hips against your ass, his cock semi-hard. “We haven’t been able to do anything for the past week. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little pent up, and you walking around with these shorts and tank top isn’t helping one bit.” He smacked your ass before giving it a harsh squeeze.

You bit down on your bottom lip, feel him grow more hard as you moved your against him. It was true, you and Toji haven’t had sex in the last week or so. Both of you so tired from work and the kids, running errands, it always got in the way of your sex life. You hadn’t really thought about it much before, but now that Toji brought it up, you were feeling quite pent up too. “So, what’re you gonna do about it, hm?” You asked, teasingly.

A low chuckle left his lips, his fingers grazing over your skin, making their way under the fabric of your clothes. His hands came up to your chest, cupping your tits and squeezing them, groping them. Your skin started to heat up and arousal pooled in your panties. Just his touch alone was enough to get you all hot and bothered. “We gotta be quick.” He hurriedly bent you over the washer, a swift hand pulling your shorts and underwear down. “I’ll never get tired of seeing this ass…fuck,” he groaned. He palmed himself through his sweats, admiring the view of your dripping cunt.

Toji wasted no time in pulling his sweats and boxers down, cock springing free and leaking pre cum. He let out a shaky breath, rubbing his tip up and down your slit, mixing his arousal with yours. He could already feel how warm and wet you were, cock throbbing at the thought, anticipating how you feel around him. Slowly, his head pushed past your entrance, your lips wrapping around him, sucking him in. “Ohhh fuck, baby—mmm shit,” he breathed. His hands grabbed your hips, pulling you back on him, going deeper to reach your sweet spot.

“Ah, oh my god.” The stretch was so deliciously intoxicating, sending your brain into a spiral and he’s barely moved yet. “Baby, we gotta be quick, please,” you begged, afraid that one of the kids might knock on the door and interrupt. You felt him thrust slowly, letting you get used to the feel of his cock before going any faster.

“Shhh, it’s fine. They’re watching a movie.” He began pulling you back against his hips so you met his thrusts, your walls clenching around him each time he threatened to pull out. “This pussy is so wet for me, goddamn,” he grunted, moving faster.

“F-fuck!” You stammered, feeling how hard and fast he was going. “Feels so fucking good!” Your eyes rolled to the back of your head, hands gripping onto the edges of the washing machine as you tried to hold yourself stable. “Nnngh! You’re so deep! Oh my god!” You squealed.

Toji pulled you up, your back pressed against his chest as he continued to pound into you. “Shh, mama. I know it feels good, but you gotta keep quiet for me, okay?” He placed his hand over your mouth, his arm wrapped around your waist to hold you steady. Your eyes fluttered shut, the tip of his cock kissing your cervix with each thrust. “Ohh fuck yes. Shit, this pussy feels so fucking good.”

Your muffled moans fell upon deaf ears, your legs felt like they were jelly. Pleasure clouded your mind, all you could think about was him fucking you until you came over and over again. Suddenly, he stopped. He grabbed your hips, turning you around and lifting you on top of the washing machine. He pulled you close to the edge, your arms instinctively wrapped around his neck. Both watched as he slowly slid back inside, a shaky breath leaving his lips as he felt you wrap around him again. “Look at me, don’t take your eyes off me,” he demanded.

You stared back at him with lustful eyes, bottom lip caught between your teeth as you fought so hard to hold back your moans and whimpers. Your brows furrowed in pleasure, feeling how close you were to cumming. Your jaw dropped, head falling back as he grazed over your g-spot. “Oh fuck you’re gonna make me cum!” You cried, gasping for air. “Fuck! Fuck! Baby!” You whimpered.

“I know, mama. Let it all out for me. Cum on this dick.” He kept his pace the same, feeling you clench around him, a sign you were close. His hand wrapped around your neck, pulling you in for a sloppy kiss, tongues messily moving against each other as he swallowed your moans. Finally, the coil snapped. You pulled away from the kiss, eyes rolling back, body quivering as you came. Toji covered your mouth again, muffling your curses and moans. “There you go, that’s my good fucking girl.”

He pulled his hand away, staring back at you with half lidded eyes, loving the cum drunk look written all over your face. “Cum in me,” you spoke.

“But, your not on—”

“I don’t care, cum in me,” you said with desperation.

“I fucking love you,” he chuckled with a smile, his thrusts growing sloppier. He was fixated the way his cock disappeared in you, each time he pulled back out he could see your cum at the base. It only drove him more crazier. “Nnngh, ah! Oh, baby I’m gonna cum!” His hips stuttered against yours before he buried himself deep inside of you, feeling him coat your walls with his sticky cum. “Fuck!” He grunted. “Ah, yes!” He breathlessly chuckled.

“I think we both needed that,” you laughed.

“I agree.” He smiled, pulling you closer to place his lips on yours. He slowly pulled out, his cum slowly dripping out of you. “We made quite a mess.” He looked down between your legs and then back up at you.

“We’ll clean it up—”

A knock on the door startled both on you, thankfully Toji had locked the door. “Mommy, daddy, the movie is over! We wanna watch another!”

“It’s your bedtime, sweetheart! Maybe tomorrow!” Toji shouted back. Both of you looked at each other, sharing a few seconds of silence before laughing. “I think we might have to start doing quickies more often, yeah?” He whispered.

“Once you put the kids to sleep, meet me in the shower.” You kissed his lips, entangling your fingers in his hair.

“I just can’t get enough of you, mama.”

[precuremusictournament]

I was thinking of making the final match last a week, to get as many votes in as possible and really get the True Best Precure OP, but also the votes have been rolling in pretty quickly and I worry an entire week will result in interest fizzling out. Any thoughts?

[semi-sketchy]

If you could have any artist/band, living or dead, disbanded or together, do a completely original song for Sonic, which would you choose and why?

[the-bees-patella]

ok, well now what.

My fellow Americans: hello from your local pissed-the-fuck-off former community organizer.

You're probably seeing a lot of calls to support each other right now, and that's all well and good in principle. Where we tend to stumble is largely practical: we're not sure where, how, or when. The same way it works to make a plan to vote, make a plan to help. A few key points:

Please do not get impatient if the organization's response to you is late or generic at first, or if what you're asked to do isn't what you offered. A lot of local organizations—where your impact will be the greatest—are very small and 100% volunteer-run. You're here to help. Don't be one more thing they have to manage.

Be honest with yourself and the organization about your capacity. If that's a couple hours on a weekend from time to time, that's great. If that's driving people places once a month, if it's a small, regular donation—whatever it is, it's one more person helping who wasn't before. The point of doing it all together is that none of us can do everything, and it isn't on any one of us to do it all. It's much easier to scale up your participation than it is to take on a big responsibility and back out.

Stick with it. Everybody's fired up right now, and many organizations won't be lacking for personnel or funds...for now. They'll need you when it gets boring, when people get tired and busy. Whether it's recurring donations or one shift a week, stick with it for as long as you can, which is why see point 2 above. The need will not stop. The help can't either.

My aim with this brief list of organizations/funds is not to be comprehensive, it's more a starting point of both actual orgs and the types of opportunities there are out there. I highly encourage you to look around in your local community. There are people out there working on creative solutions in innovative ways to problems you didn't even know existed.

I know it might sound small or facile, but I promise, going out there and talking to real people will help. Just go to one meeting, on Zoom, in person, anything. Start there. Everything you're able to do is more than there was before.

Fascists thrive on despair and isolation, on mistrust and fear. But there is good in this world, it's worth fighting for, and you're part of it. The time is now. Let's fuck them up. (List below the cut).

If you're on bluesky, here is a much more specific list of organizations. If you're not, reply to this post or send me an ask with your region and I'll respond if I can. Everyone else, please feel free to add your local organizations in the reblogs. Make sure you do your vetting first; please link to a direct source/person/means of contact if you add something to the list.

Trainings and support for leaders to run for public school boards

And library boards

Black and brown youth organizing

Labor organizing in the South/Southwest

Mutual Aid in NYC/Donate to keep that mutual aid active

Mutual aid/volunteer orgs in DC

Supporting and training young progressives to run for office

Collective action against medical debt

Climate action

[girltomato]

sweet girl: the first meeting

max verstappen x reader

warnings: alcohol mention, swearing, negative internal dialogue (?)

max's brain short circuits when he meets a beautiful woman

sweet girl masterlist

somewhere in europe, late summer 2021

Max very rarely went to sponsor events, he didn't really need to considering he was practically a walking billboard most days but he supposed free alcohol wasn't all too bad a compromise for having to socialise with strangers. He'd already had all the typical conversations, the how do you dos and nice to meet yous. Surely by now he had played his part, no one would really know if he just snuck out now.

His attempt at a subtle escape however was quickly trampled as he not so subtly collided with someone. Years of reaction training had his arms moving before his brain even registered the situation, grabbing onto a pair of shoulders as he steadied himself and the stranger in front of him.

"I am so sorry," he apologised, pulling his hands away from the shockingly beautiful woman in front of him. Just his luck, of course he embarrassed himself in front of an absolute ten.

A tinkling laugh distracted him from his misery, the woman's eyes lighting up as she giggled at him. Fucking hell, the earth could just swallow him up right now and he'd be grateful.

"Please don't apologise, it was my fault I wasn't watching where I was going." Her giggles quickly settled into flushed cheeks and an easy smile and she held out a hand to greet him, "I'm Y/n, nice to meet you."

Max quickly wiped his sweaty palms against his shirt before grabbing her smaller hand and giving it a polite, firm shake. God, her hands were soft, he didn't know skin could actually feel like silk, warm and buttery in his hand like it could melt if he held it too long.

"Uhh, Verstappen, Max, no wait, Max Verstappen. Nice to meet you too." he replied, his tongue tripping over his words, still gripping her hand. Oh God, he was gonna go home and lock himself away in his house and never go outside ever again, he thought as he forced himself to drop her hand.

An awkward silence fell between the pair as Max internally begged his body to cool his flushed cheeks and to stop fucking smiling to no avail.

“Sorry, I got in your way.” Y/n concluded, moving aside and gesturing towards the room as if giving him a signal to pass. Was he really going to walk away? If he could just calm down and get a grip, he had the chance to talk to the most beautiful woman he had ever laid his eyes on, with her pretty eyes and sparkly smile and her fruity perfume, raspberry he guessed.

A voice called her name from across the room, another woman waving her arms frantically, gesturing to join her at an overcrowded table.

“Um, I have to go. Nice to meet you, Verstappen Max.” she joked, a cheeky smile lighting up her face as took a step back, eyes holding onto his for just a second before she turned and glided over to her friend.

Max stood there for another minute, a statue in the midst of a bustling room before he finally broke out of his state of stupefaction and headed for the exit. Yeah, maybe locking himself inside and never speaking to another woman ever again was the right idea.

first written fic on this acc hello!! fighting the anxiety so hard rn and i am winning. max meets sweet girl for the first time and is a bumbling idiot, fork found in the kitchen. the response on the first smau was crazy i appreciate all the support so much, i actually dont have writers block for the first time in like 2 years so thank u very much internet strangers🤍

likes and reblogs are very much appreciated !!

[annewithaneofthegreengable]

Hearts in Sync, Tires on Track

I'm sorry I have hit the deleted button 😢 and so I have to repost this one. This was based on a request of a reader @pear-1206, so sorry that your request message was also being deleted.

But yeah, here it is. Hope that you guys will enjoy reading it as much as I did. Also, if you have any requests please feel free to hit my dm, I appreciate it very much. If not then send me some of your love and support through that reblog and like button. Love ya alllll!  🫶🏻

Toto Wolff's wife and son, Y/n and Jack were in the garage, watching the race with bated breath. The atmosphere was tense, as nothing seemed to be working for George and Lewis. Toto's wife watched her husband's face, noticing the way his jaw was clenched, the deep furrow between his brows. She knew how much he was struggling, trying to figure out a way to turn things around for the team. Her heart ached for him, wanting nothing more than to ease his worries.

As the race continued, the tension in the garage grew thicker. She and Jack glued to his side, watching him anxiously. Toto's eyes flicked back and forth between the monitors, his fingers flying across his laptop as he tried to find a solution, anything that could help the team's chances. Toto's mind was a maelstrom of thoughts and strategies. His eyes scanned the monitors, searching for any glimpse of improvement from his drivers. As he pondered the various scenarios, his hand subconsciously went to his own wedding band, his fingers toying with it gently. Meanwhile, in the garage, Y/n sat with Jack, trying to keep a brave face despite her worry. She was struggling to keep her own anxiety in check, her mind constantly going back to her husband. Every now and then, she found herself twisting her wedding band around her finger, a silent prayer for his wellbeing.

The race was over, but the results had not been what he had hoped for. His heart was heavy with disappointment, and his mind raced with thoughts of what he could have done differently. Suddenly, there was a soft knock on his door, and he looked up to see his wife standing in the doorway. Her face was filled with concern, her eyes filled with a mixture of worry and love.

Toto's heart skipped a beat as he saw her. In that moment, all his worries and stress seemed to melt away, at least for a moment. He held out his hand, a silent invitation for her to come closer. She walked over to him, taking his hand and sitting down on the edge of his desk. For a moment, they were silent, simply taking comfort in each other's presence. Finally, Toto broke the silence. "It didn't go well," he said quietly, his voice low and strained.

Y/n nodded, her fingers gently rubbing small circles on the back of his hand. "I know," she murmured softly. "But you did everything you could. You always do." Toto let out a weary sigh, his shoulders slumping. "It wasn't enough," he replied. "I should have done more, I should have thought of something..." His wife reached up, gently cupping his face in her hands. "Stop," she said firmly. "You shouldn't blame yourself. You work too hard, you worry too much. You need to let go sometimes." Toto looked up at her, his expression a mix of exhaustion and guilt. "I can't," he said quietly. "I'm responsible for this team, for everyone who is now working at Brackley also. If I don't worry, who will?"

His wife chuckled softly, her thumbs stroking his cheeks fondly. "That's exactly what I mean," she said with a smile. "You're too dedicated, too determined. You forget to take care of yourself." Toto let out a huff of breath, his lips twitching into a small smile. "And who's going to take care of me, hm?" he teased, a hint of the old spark returning to his eyes.

Y/n raised an eyebrow, an amused grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Who do you think? Me," she replied, her tone playful. "Someone has to keep you from working yourself into the ground." Toto chuckled, the sound low and heartfelt. "You did a good job of it," he admitted.

As they were all laughing at his words, Toto's door creaked open, and they both looked up to see their son, Jack, standing in the doorway. The young boy's face was pinched with worry, his eyes taking in the sombre atmosphere of the room. "Papa?" he asked tentatively, his small voice breaking the silence. Toto's heart clenched at the sight of his son. "Hey, buddy," he said, mustering a smile. "Come here."

Jack hesitantly stepped into the room, his eyes flicking between his parents. Toto reached out a hand, gesturing for him to come closer. "Don't worry, everything's alright," Toto said, trying to keep his voice steady for his son's sake. "Just having a bit of a tough day, that's all." Jack slowly made his way over to them, stopping beside his father. He wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him close. "We'll figure things out," he assured him, his voice gentle.

Y/n nodded in agreement, her fingers once again toying with her wedding band. "Papa's right," she said firmly. "We always figure things out. We're a team, remember?" Jack looked up at his dad, his eyes wide. "Us?" he asked, his voice small. Toto chuckled softly, reaching out to ruffle his son's hair. "Yeah, me, mama and you. We've been a team for a long time, haven't we?"

Jack seemed to accept this, his expression relaxing slightly. He leaned into his mother's side, resting his head against her shoulder. For a moment, they sat in silence, the weight of everything that had happened that day hanging heavily in the air. Toto could feel the presence of his family, their love and support grounding him, reminding him that he wasn't alone.

[gothwineaunts]

I tried my best to replicate the post that Tumblr ate earlier.

It’s not as good but you'll get the jist I think. :’)  

---

Hi again! I wanted to follow up on my post from yesterday. I’ve been mostly offline since then, and I feel much better now, especially after seeing the thoughtful responses y’all left. Where did you all even come from!? I don’t think I’ve ever posted this account anywhere, haha. But thank you so much. I’m horrendous at taking a damn compliment but I read all the replies and reblogs and I’m just incredibly humbled. You all brought up my mood a lot and highkey made me feel sane again. I’ve been so confused at why everyone in the WEBTOON comments seems to be so mad all the time, it kind of does my head in if I’m being honest.

But please don’t worry about me or Flynn. Or about Nevermore! We’d never change the story to fit what we think the commenters want us to do, for a lot of reasons. The most important of which is. If we had to do that, I think we’d rather just stop making it. What they seem to want is a story we’re not really interested in telling.

Wholesome wlw is a wildly important thing to be able to find if you’re looking for it. That really cannot be overstated. Until very recently, queer characters have been subjected by popular media to a disproportionate amount of anguish and violence. So the concept of seeing two women just, living a safe and fulfilling life together? I get why people want to see that so badly. And there’s so much beautifully written aspirational content for queer audiences out there now, and I’m pleased to death over it. But the thing is, it’s just not what we’re making.

Nevermore was always intended to be a dark gothicky romance with horror elements. Like Wuthering Heights, or Phantom of the Opera. Because those were the stories that always inspired us when we were young. Bloodsoaked stories of melodrama, intrigue, grief, and passion. Those stories would captivate me and get me asking all kinds of questions. Why can’t the Phantom be a beautiful woman? Why does Christine have the agency of a desk lamp? Why can’t sapphics have something cool like this?

So we decided to make it. Nevermore is not a wholesome romance. It doesn’t try to be. The point was never to explore sapphics having a healthy and (heavy air quotes here) “normal” relationship, like heterosexual couples get to have in real life. We already have that, together, Flynn and I. We live it, everyday.  In Nevermore, what we wanted most was to explore a sweeping sapphic romance full of danger, like heterosexual couples get to have in fiction. That’s why we love those kinds of stories so much, because of how divorced they are from the mundanity of real life. They’re fantasies.

I know that I'm preaching to the choir, aha.

But my point is: if you go to a hardware store to order a cake, you’re probably going to be disappointed. If what you crave is aspirational wlw content, there are so many bakeries you can go to that will give you exactly what you’re hoping for, and more. I especially recommend Muted by Miranda Mundt. It’s also on Webtoon, it’s completed, and it’s free to read.

And please know that I’m not saying to stop reading Nevermore, just maybe to adjust your expectations a little bit. We don’t sell cakes here, but I am pretty sure I've got a few 12ft tall skeleton lawn ornaments in the back if you're interested.

[halfwayhearted]

Héctor Fort fic where he gets jealous over something reader does and she gets annoyed but also lowkey finds it amusing so she messes around w him abt it. Yeah i got nothing after that, feel free to improvise…

Fall Right In — Héctor Fort.

Pairing: Héctor Fort x Fem!Reader

Summary: You couldn’t tell that a man was (obviously) flirting with you. Héctor notices, causing jealousy to ensue.

Word Count: 575+

Disclaimer/s — Man, oblivious!reader, a little tense, that’s it!

A/N: i want yuh, and imma have yuh (bea).

Nothing could ruin the day you're having now.

You were sure of it. Not even when you tripped over someone's ankle and stumbled. A pair of hands grabbed your waist to steady you, letting out a huff. It was... definitely something! Quite embarrassing, but it was over and done quickly.

Or… so you thought.

“Sorry—I wasn’t looking…” you managed to say, letting a smile, a weak one, grace your lips.

The man didn't want you to leave, though you didn't notice. He returned your smile, glanced at Héctor briefly, and then said, “It's all good. I can let it slide. How’s your day today? Going good?”

That elicited a narrowed-eyed gaze from the Fort boy beside you, the look in his eyes deepening when he noticed the man’s hand still hovering over your waist. He wasn’t touching you, so you didn’t even know it was there. Too engrossed in replying to his question, you said, “I… yeah, yes!”

“Good, good,” he trails off, “Me too, you didn’t ask, but… I just thought I’d let you know anyway.”

Your eyes widened slightly in response, “Oh! I’m sorry. I’m glad your day is good! Really… glad…”

Héctor stepped in then, his hand subtly sliding over your waist and gently pulling you closer to him. “Sorry, we have plans we have to get to.” With that, he gave the guy a raised eyebrow and a head tilt before walking away, practically tugging you along, making you look over and up at him.

“What was that for?” You questioned.

He looked down at you with an expression that resembled one thing and one thing only: jealousy. “Are you… are you seriously asking me that?”

“Well! I literally tripped over him, Héctor. The least I could do was engage in his conversation.”

“That wasn’t a conversation.”

“Yeah? Then what was it then?”

He sighed, his grip on your waist tightening just a bit. “He was flirting with you. You couldn’t tell?”

Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Flirting? All he did was ask how my day was… a bit, well, randomly, but still! I think you’re reaching.” Your tone shifted from sweet to annoyed. It was just a conversation; what was he even talking about?

“His hand was almost touching your waist,” Héctor continued, “But you didn’t know that.”

“No, I didn’t. What I do know is that he had to put his hands on my waist to make sure I didn’t fall face first onto the hard floor, okay? It didn’t mean anything. He didn’t mean anything. I promise.”

“It was still weird,” he mumbled.

A smile slowly spreads across your face. “What, Héctor? Should I… hm, trip on someone else’s feet? Maybe, I don’t know, see how they react?”

He shoots you a look. “Not funny.”

“No, it’s not. I’m sorry,” a pause, you take his hand and gently bring it to your lips, giving it a quick, tender kiss, “Hey, okay, it’s just you. So, even if he was flirting, you know I’d leave immediately.”

His lips part, his smirk dropping from his face as the words leave your mouth, “He was flirting!”

That's when a loud laugh bursts out, your hand quickly flying up to stifle it. “I'm kidding! I'm just messing with you. I love you, just you. So... can we go into Ulta now? Or not, like, just let me know.”

“Hah-hah, hilarious,” he retorted, “Come on.”

Likes, reblogs, and comments are always appreciated ^_^.

DT(s) — @pedrilcvr ! ౨ৎ (my beautiful… thank you…)

[nonbinarymlm]

Please feel free to elaborate on your responses in the comments/tags/replies! Also please reblog to get a bigger sample size

[russellsppttemplates]

Not anymore (Lando Norris)

Lando's determined to make you see where you belong

Note: english is not my first language. I hope this is still enjoyable to read as I really challenged myself with these pieces! I'm not sure how good this is (or how much you will want to kill me)! This is part 2 of We don't fit together ! Edit: I used a line from dumplingsjinson (they're the best 🫶✨️)

Thank you so much to everyone who likes and reblogs, your feedback is appreciated 🤍 and I'm taking requests so if you have any ideas or concepts you want to share, feel free to do so as I'll try to get to them the best I can!

my masterlist

Tw: mentions reader's insecurities about herself and about her relationship with Lando, curse words, bloodwork

Tag list: @myloverjk-blog @hiireadstuff @c-losur3

Part 1

The past couple of days were strange. Lando still sent you his usual good morning and good night texts he would send whenever you didn't spend the night together, and you replied. Still, because of your schedule and his schedule, the text for the dreaded conversation came through only this morning

From Lan

Needed to get my bloods done and then Jon also needed a physical assessment so this morning was a rush, but I'm free for the rest of the day if you want to talk, lovie

To Lan

I'll be home for the whole day, you can come here whenever it's best for you!

Tidying the place up a bit, the thoughts on your head kept the same train of ideas. You didn't fit his lifestyle, and the constant doubts you felt were certainly not the way you wanted to go about your life.

There was a knock on the door when you were fluffing the pillows and you walked up to open it, see Lando with somewhat dark circles under his eyes and a bunch of your favourite flowers, "Come in", you said softly as you both headed to the living room, sitting down since you didn't know what else to do.

"Thank you for texting, there was this part of me that didn't believe you would", you admitted. This was the time to be honest, still remaining polite and aware of the words leaving your mouth.

"Of course I did, Y/N, I want us to talk this out, I want us out of this rough patch", Lando pleaded softly, "I'm so sorry for not noticing you were feeling like this", he offered, cutting through the silence when you seemed to not know what to say to kick-start the conversation.

"It's not your fault, Lando", you spoke the truth, "you have been on my mind every conscious second, every thought is about this and I- I really don't know how we will do this, how we will do that", you pointed to him in allusion to the goal he had, "I'm sorry".

Lando gulped, rubbing his hands on his thighs before speakingup, "I did too, and I want you to know I just want you to be happy, fuck, there's nothing I want more in life than to see you happy, and right now it pains me that I am the one that's making you hurt", he let his heart out.

"It's not only your fault", you whispered again, this time looking at him. Your insecurities were just that - your own - and you were responsible from how certain triggers made you feel and react, "I have to be the one to know how to deal with these".

"And I want to help you, lovie, you don't have to do this all alone all the time", Lando offered, "I want us to work and this is a conjoined effort - you shouldn't be doing that alone".

Silence filled the room as the gears turned in your head before you looked up again, seeing the broken look on Lando's face, "Do you think we should take a break? Spend some time away from eachother?", you voiced.

Lando didn't expect the option you suggested. Spending time further apart didn't seem like the right thing to do when you were obviously feeling like you didn't fit in and belong in his life, "are you sure that's the way to go? We'll do what you feel the most comfortable and happy with, but I don't want you to feel like I want you away or that you have to keep away from me - I want you with me for as much time as you can give me".

"It's silly, I know - I've never done this before, I don't know what to do", you shrugged your shoulders. Usually, by the time any insecurities shone through, your past partners had already left.

Lando sighed, "If that is what you think is going to help I'm all in, Y/N. I'll do anything to prove to you that I'm serious about this, but I'm giving up on us, I'm going to fight for you", Lando stated as tears started forming in his eyes, keeping them at bay because this wasn't the end. It couldn't be.

"I'm going to show you just how much you belong with me and how well we fit together, okay?", he checked with you, seeing a small nod, the uncertainty behind it only fueling him to put all his efforts into it.

.

"I wanted to do something we haven't done in a while", Lando said over the phone as he packed the tupperwares into the basket.

"Yes? And what would that be?", you asked. Lando kept a respectful distance but he made sure that everyday that you didn't spend together, you knew he was thinking about you and doing all these little things to remind you of how much he loved you and how you were meant to be together.

"I'm not going to tell you because it's a surprise, but I need to warn you to bring comfortable shoes, and as much as I love your little dresses, anything without a skirt would be better", you heard him smile.

"Okay, anywhere I should go to?", you wondered, "I'll pick you up in about thirty minutes if that's okay?", he quesioned, getting a positive answer from you, "see you soon, beautiful girl, I love you!".

Lando finished packing the picnic basket, getting the napkins and the drinks from the fridge so he could go to his bedroom and get ready.

He planned a fun afternoon, starting with a cycle around the city before finishing with a picnic in the park as he knew it was one of your favourite things. He had come up with many of your favourite plans to do together lately and he was feeling good about it. There was nothing he wanted more than to show you that you fit together and that both of your lives could compliment eachother if you both made adjustments. He was going out less than he used to and favouring to spend that time with you, he made sure you knew he was there and that he wasn't planning on leaving.

Finding a t-shirt and some jeans, he got two buckets hats from the new Quadrant Spring collection they would be launching soon and got ready to leave the apartment.

The drive to your wasn't long, but he never knew with the after lunch traffic, finding a good spot for his car and seeing you already at the entrance of the building, checking the street before crossing it, "hey, Lan", you smiled as you got inside the vehicle, kissing his cheek softly as he drove out of the spot once you had your seatbelt on, "hey, baby, how has your day been?".

"It's good, better now that I'm getting out of the house with some very nice company", you smiled.

The park wasn't too far, and when Lando parked near the rental city bikes with a smirk on his face, you knew what he wanted to do for the afternoon, "we're cycling?", you beamed.

"Yes! I also have some snacks here for a picnic later", Lando got the basket from the cartrunk, carrying it to the bike and making sure it was safely attached to it, scanning the code for his bike and then yours.

"Wait", he said as you were making sure the seat was at the right height, cycling around the area. Fishing out the bucket hat from the basket, he shook it a little so it would have a nice shape before putting it on your head, kissing your lips softly as he looked at you, "these are new and I needed my prettiest model to try them on first", he charmed as you blushed, "plus, I don't want the sun to blind you or burn you".

You cycled around your favourite spots in town, Lando occasionally taking pictures of the city and you with his camera and waving at the odd person who noticed and recognised it was him and you on the bikes, before you returned to the park, deciding to cycle to your favourite spot by the old big trees, blossoming from the spring sun.

"Thank you for this", you mumbled as you wiped your lips free of crumbs from the cake you had.

"Y/N, I won't stop fighting for us when we have something worth fighting for", he smiled, pulling you to lay on the blanket with him and holding your hands between your bodies, "I also got this really cool invite for the new exhibition at the museum - that one you wanted to see - and you want to know why it is so cool? Because we get the exhibition all to ourselves, no one else is going to be there which means you can take as long as you want and I can admire you all to myself and all I want too", he kissed your cheek.

"Sounds like a nice plan, thank you", you kissed his jaw.

.

You scanned your paddock pass as walked in the directions you were giving, not wanting to mess up the schedule and the lined up events everyone had.

They had been experimenting with new events to promote motorsport, adding parties and sunset events to the race weekend on order to gather all of the sponsors, famous people and fans who were interested in seeing the behind the scenes of a luxurious and extravagant race weekend.

"Everyone who still doesn't have a bracelet can come through here, please", one of the women in black suits called as you stood in that line, waiting for you turn.

"Here you go, enjoy the party!", she smiled, letting you go through and carrying on with her tasks.

The section involving the paddock, pitlane and the starting grid decorated with lights over bars serving drinks while staff went around with trays with small canapés.

You supposed this did work or they wouldn't try it out, after all it was an expensive sport and the more investors and sponsors they got, the better, so every little interaction and publicity was welcomed. You recognised a lot for the faces from Instagram and other social media platforms, along with some of the sponsors you had spent races sitting next to in the garage.

The face you wanted to see the most was nowhere in sight as you saw Oscar and Zak in the distance, talking to someone you recognised being one of their sponsors.

When you stepped closer to the area where most drivers seemed to be hanging out, you spotted Lando and he spotted you.

It had been nearly a year since you called it quits. It wasn't working for you and no matter how much Lando tried and fought for your relationship, you still didn't feel comfortable and thought you'd be better without eachother. It wasn't easy and to this day it would probably be one of your biggest regrets.

Maybe today you'd get to ease that heavy feeling in your chest.

Lando knew a lot of people would be there tonight, but your face wasn't one he expected. Last thing he heard about you was that you had made a small career switch and started working with another company, so he figured you were probably invited through one of the people with deep pockets wanting to invest in motorsport, knowing how it always looks nice on the company to invite employees to these fixtures.

As he saw his father and Max walk up to where you were, he walked in your direction, hoping to divert them so they wouldn't see you, another person pulled him with him to the side for a photo and it became impossible for him to not notice you and the other way around.

“It’s been… It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”, you spoke up when you locked eyes and stood close enough to eachother.

"Yes, it has", Lando stated, "how have you been?", he wondered.

"I've been okay, and I see you have been doing well too - the car looks great this year", you congratulated, "I've been meaning to text you because I wanted to talk", you tried.

It took you some time to work on your insecurities, to learn to feel uncomfortable in some situations and get yourself out of them, and now you felt ready to begin again, feeling comfortable in your own skin.

"What did you want to tell me? You can tell me here", he stated coldly.

To say you broke his heart would be an understatement.

Despite all of his efforts, stopping DJ'ing, being conscious of who he hung out with, making sure he spent as much time with you as he could, you still raised concerns about how you were like oil and water.

Not made to be together.

"This really isn't the best place", you looked around as he pulled you inside the McLaren garage that was just on the side, exchanging a look with the security guard that was making sure no one broke in without permission.

"Is it good here now?", he offered.

"It will have to do", you smiled, "I'm sorry things didn't work out before - I wasn't in a good place and things weren't working out the way I'd like", you offered, "and I feel better now".

"Let me stop you right there before this gets out of hand and I hurt you, because I have never wanted that and I don't want it now", Lando said sternly, catching you off guard, "making peace with the fact that we weren't going to work out together was one of the hardest things I've done - I was miserable, didn't enjoy racing or anything that I was doing because I didn't have you by my side - you left me when I needed you", he poured his heart out.

He didn't shout and he didn't yell, but every word stung. Both from how true they were and how he had hurt because of you.

"I'm sorry, Lando, I wasn't trying to diminish how you felt then", you clarified.

"I know you didn't, but this isn't how it works, fuck", he rubbed his temple, "You don’t get to just waltz back into my life and think that I’d be okay with it - I waited so long for you, and I wanted to wait longer if you had let me, but now I can't do that, not anymore", he stated firmly.

"Are you saying we don't have another chance?", you asked as your bottom lip wobbled, "I promise I'll be more open about how I feel, and second guessing wo-".

“You were it at one point, you know?”, Lando shook his head as he looked at his feet before looking up back at you, "my parents, Max, Carlos - everyone agreed with me when I said you were my endgame", he offered.

There had been a time where he wished for this. For you to come to him and tell him you wanted him back and how it had all been a mistake. Now that he was hearing it, he realised he didn't want it, not anymore.