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wolverigrl · 5 months ago

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Farewells and Distractions

Hugh Jackman x reader (actress)

Prepare yourselves for some jealousyyyy! And well, I already have ideas for the next part! I'm so obsessed right now, send help.. :')

Warnings: fluff, angst, nothing more!

Enjoy!

Previous Part

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It was early, far too early for me to be awake, but there I was, driving Hugh to the airport. He sat beside me, quiet, his hand resting on my thigh, occasionally squeezing as if to remind himself that I was still there. I glanced over at him, taking in his profile - the way his jawline looked in the dim morning light, the faint tiredness under his eyes. He was heading to Sydney to visit his family for a few weeks, and I’d be joining him the next week. We had planned it so we could have some time apart and then reconnect, just the two of us, after he spent time with his parents and siblings. But as we drove, the reality of that week apart felt heavier than I expected.

“You have everything, right?” I asked, my voice softer than I intended. I already knew the answer. Hugh was meticulous. There was no way he’d forgotten anything.

“Yeah, I’m all set." he replied, his voice equally soft. He glanced out the window for a moment before turning back to me. “I hate leaving you, though.”

I smiled, but it didn’t quite reach my eyes. “It’s just a week. I’ll be there before you know it, and we’ll have all that time together. Just us.”

“I know,” he murmured, leaning over to kiss my temple. “But it still feels too long.”

We pulled into the airport, and the moment I put the car in park, my stomach flipped. I hated goodbyes, even temporary ones. Hugh reached for his bag in the back seat, and then he turned to me, eyes locking with mine in a way that made everything else seem to fade into the background.

“I’m gonna miss you." I whispered, my throat tight with emotion. I didn’t want to cry - God, it was only a week - but I couldn’t help it.

“I’m gonns miss you too, love." he said, and then he pulled me into a kiss. It wasn’t rushed or hurried like I expected. It was slow, almost reluctant, like neither of us wanted it to end. His lips moved against mine with the kind of tenderness that made me want to cling to him and never let go.

When we finally broke apart, he pressed his forehead against mine, and I felt his breath fan over my face. “I love you." he whispered, his voice barely audible.

My heart skipped a beat. I’d known for a while that I was falling in love with him, but those words… I wasn’t ready to say them yet, not because I didn’t feel them, but because it felt like too much, too fast. I smiled instead, pressing another soft kiss to his lips. “I’ll see you soon.”

He nodded, pulling back and grabbing his bag. With one last glance, he headed inside, disappearing into the terminal. I sat there for a moment, staring at the space where he had been, feeling an ache in my chest that I wasn’t sure how to shake off.

The week without Hugh stretched out longer than I anticipated. I had plans with Ryan and Blake - they were supposed to keep me busy while Hugh was gone - but those plans fell through when Blake called me that afternoon.

“Hey, y/n!” Blake’s voice crackled through the phone. “I’m so sorry, but Ryan and I have to cancel for this week. We’re flying out to Canada - his mom needs help."

“Oh no." I said, leaning back against the couch. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, nothing serious. She just needs an extra pair of hands for a bit. We’ll be gone for a while.”

I tried not to let the disappointment creep into my voice. “No worries. Family comes first. We’ll hang out when you get back.”

After hanging up, I tossed my phone on the couch beside me and sighed. So much for that distraction. I glanced at the screen, wondering if Hugh had texted, but the silence between us was understandable - he was busy with family, and with the massive time difference, we hadn’t spoken much.

As if on cue, my phone buzzed. I grabbed it, expecting a message from Hugh, but instead saw Chris’ name.

CHRIS: Hellooo! What are you up to? I'm in Boston for the week. Scott, Carly and Shana are coming over. Wanna join?

I blinked, a little surprised by the spontaneous invitation, but the thought of spending time with Chris and his siblings sounded like the perfect way to take my mind off Hugh being gone. After a moment of hesitation, I decided to go.

Y/N: Might just take you up on that. Hugh's in Sydney and my plans here fell through.

CHRIS: Perfect! Let me know when you’re coming!

Hugh was busy, and it wasn’t like I was going to spend the week moping around. Plus, I would also meet my other friends, who I haven't seen for a while!

The days in Boston were great. Chris and his siblings were as always easy company, and I found myself laughing more than I had in days. We spent our time wandering through the city, grabbing food at hole-in-the-wall places, and drinking in tiny bars that didn’t care if we lingered for hours. I wasn’t constantly texting Hugh, mostly because the time difference made it hard to sync up, but we exchanged messages when we could even if it was mostly just short messages or a quick selfie.

Y/N: With friends in Boston. One day left! Miss you❤️

HUGH: Hope you have a great time. Miss you too. Can’t wait for you to get here❤️

One night, Chris’s brother snapped a candid photo of us all laughing at some stupid joke Chris had made and posted it on Instagram. I didn’t think much of it at the time - just a fun moment with friends.

After I reposted Scott's photo, I somehow got a weird feeling, because Hugh neither liked nor commented on it. He usually does that with all my posts.

But then my phone buzzed. It was a call from him. I frowned, glancing at the time. It was the middle of the night in Sydney.

“Hey!" I answered, stepping out onto the balcony to get some quiet. “Isn't it late in Sydney? What’s up? Are you okay?”

There was a pause on the other end, and I could hear the hesitation in his voice. “Yeah and yeah I’m fine. Just couldn’t sleep.”

I smiled, leaning against the railing. “What’s keeping you up? Family stuff?”

“Yeah, a little. I miss you." he said, his voice soft, but I could sense something else there too. Something unspoken.

“I miss you too. I’ll be there soon. My flight's tomorrow at noon.” I reassured him, but the nagging feeling that something was wrong wouldn’t go away.

There was another pause before Hugh spoke again. “Yeah okay. Just text me when you're at the airport. What have you been up to?”

“Just hanging out with some friends." I said, hoping to keep things light. “Boston’s been nice. It’s a good distraction.”

“I’m glad." he replied, though his tone didn’t sound completely convinced. I wanted to press, to ask him what was really going on, but something held me back. Maybe it was the distance, or maybe I just didn’t want to have a serious conversation at 3 AM Sydney time.

We talked for a little while longer, mostly about what he’d been doing with his family - going to the beach, having long dinners with his parents. It sounded peaceful, and I couldn’t wait to be there with him. By the time we hung up, I thought things were okay between us.

When I finally arrived in Sydney, I was ready to be wrapped up in my boyfriends arms, to forget about the distance and just be with him. But something was off the moment I saw him at the airport. He hugged me, kissed me, but there was a hesitation in his touch, a distance in his eyes that I hadn’t expected.

“Everything okay?” I asked as we got into the car.

“Yeah, just tired.” he said, brushing it off, but I could tell something was wrong and I didn’t push. Maybe he was still caught up in family obligations.

Over the next couple of days, that distance grew. He wasn’t as affectionate as usual, and when I tried to kiss him or initiate anything more intimate, he pulled back, offering a soft smile but nothing else. It was confusing, and frankly, it hurt.

It all came to a head one evening when we were sitting in his living room, and I could feel the tension crackling in the air between us.

“Hugh." I said cautiously as I looked at his profile. Iis something wrong? You’ve been distant since I got here."

He looked at me, his jaw tightening as if he was wrestling with something he didn’t want to say. “Why didn’t you tell me you were spending all that time with Chris?”

I blinked, caught off guard. “What? I told you I was with friends in Boston.”

“You didn’t tell me Chris was one of them." he said, standing up, pacing now. His hands were in his pockets, but I could see the frustration in the way his shoulders tensed. “I saw your Instagram photo, y/n. You and Chris.. you looked really comfortable.”

I stood up too, feeling my heart race with a mix of confusion and frustration. “I didn’t think it mattered. It wasn’t just me and Chris - his siblings were there too. We’re friends, Hugh. That’s all.”

“I know you’re friends, but that’s not the point!" Hugh interrupted, his voice rising slightly. He turned to face me fully, his eyes searching mine as if trying to find something he couldn’t quite name. "You didn’t tell me. Why didn’t you just tell me it was him?"

I sighed, rubbing my temples. "Because it wasn’t important, Hugh! We were in a group, it wasn’t just the two of us, and I didn’t think it would bother you. Chris and I are over. We’ve been over for years."

Hugh’s face tightened, and he took a deep breath, clearly trying to keep his composure. "But you two were something once. And now you’re still close, still spending time together, laughing together. I trust you, y/n, but… it’s hard for me to ignore the fact that you didn’t think it was worth mentioning."

I stared at him, feeling my own frustration bubbling to the surface. "Are you seriously mad because I didn’t explicitly say Chris was there? You know we’re friends. I didn’t hide it. I didn’t lie to you."

"It’s not just about Chris," Hugh snapped, finally letting the words spill out. "It’s about everything. You didn't even say anything back to me at the airport! I couldn’t help but felt like you didn’t really want this and went to see him. Maybe I’m too old for this, for you. And when I see you with someone like Chris, who’s younger, who shares your world more than I do… I just start to wonder."

His words hit me like a punch in the gut. I hadn’t realized he’d been carrying all this around with him, this insecurity about us, about our relationship. "Hugh, how could you even think that? We talked about the age difference and you were the one who literally said, that it's fine! It doesn’t even matter to me, and it’s never been about that. I didn’t realize you felt this way… you should have told me."

"I didn’t want to burden you with it. Especially after you were concerned about our relationship and the media." he muttered, turning away, his shoulders slumping slightly. "It’s my issue, not yours."

"No, it is our issue if it’s affecting us like this." I said, stepping closer to him. "You should have told me you were feeling like this, Hugh. I don’t want you to feel insecure about us, or about me spending time with anyone. I love being with you and I want to be with you."

He ran a hand through his hair, still not meeting my eyes. "It’s hard. I see how easy it is for you and Chris to be around each other after you have been together and I thought… maybe I’m holding you back and the thought intensified after you didn't say 'I love you' back."

I felt my chest tighten, a knot of frustration and sadness coiling inside me. "Hugh, that’s not true. You’re not holding me back. I’m with you because I choose to be. Chris is a friend, but you’re the one I want to be with. You’re the one I’m in love with. Also you caught me off guard with that and it was somehow too much for me to tell you before we said goodbye."

At that, Hugh’s eyes finally lifted to meet mine. For a moment, his expression softened, but the weight of everything still hung between us. "I don’t want to feel this way, y/n. I don’t want to doubt us."

"Then don’t." I said, stepping closer, placing my hand on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart under my palm. "You don’t have to doubt anything. I’m here with you because I want to be, not because I feel like I have to. I love you, Hugh. I love you in ways I didn’t think I could. And I need you to believe that."

He swallowed hard, and for a moment, I thought he might cry, or that I might cry, but instead, he pulled me into his arms. He held me tight, his chin resting on top of my head as he whispered, "I’m sorry. I’m sorry for letting this get to me."

I hugged him back, feeling the tension slowly ease out of him as we stood there, wrapped up in each other. "I’m sorry I didn’t think to tell you about Chris." I murmured against his chest. "I didn’t mean to make you feel like you couldn’t trust me."

Hugh kissed the top of my head, his arms tightening around me. "I do trust you. I just… I get scared sometimes too. It's my first relationship after a long marriage. It's new to me too."

"I know." I whispered. "We’ll figure it out together."

After a few minutes, I pulled away gently, looking up at him. "Do you want to talk more about it, or…?"

He shook his head, smiling softly. "No. I think we’ve talked enough for tonight." Then, his expression shifted, something playful creeping into his eyes. "How about we make some dinner? I know we’ve got some things we could whip up."

I smiled, grateful for the change in tone. "That sounds good. Let’s go cook."

Standing in Hugh's kitchen, I stirred the vegetables as the aroma of garlic and fresh herbs filled the air. Hugh was chopping some tomatoes next to me, the sound of his knife tapping against the cutting board rhythmic and soothing. We'd been talking for a while about upcoming projects - the usual couple interviews and some new film roles hat were coming our way.

He glanced at me with that familiar twinkle in his eyes. "You know, they've asked for some couple interview next month. Think we can manage to look civilized for one hour?" His lips curled into a teasing smile.

I raised an eyebrow, stirring the sauce as I shot him a look. “Do we really have to talk about that now? I thought this was our quiet time.”

Hugh chuckled and set his glass down, pushing away from the counter to move closer to me. “It is, but you know they’re going to ask us sooner or later. They’re all dying for a chance to talk to us - Hollywood’s favorite couple.”

I rolled my eyes, though I couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah, sure. You might be used to the spotlight, but I’m still getting used to it. Besides, I think they’re more interested in you than me.”

He slid up behind me, his arms snaking around my waist as he rested his chin on my head. “Oh, they’re definitely interested in you, trust me. And I think we make a pretty good team. You’re a natural on camera.”

I laughed softly, shaking my head. “That’s because you’re always cracking jokes and making me laugh. You're the one who always makes some smartass comment that gets us off track, but I don’t think I could get through an interview without you by my side.”

Hugh kissed my temple softly, his lips brushing against my skin. “Exactly. That’s why we should say yes to a couple of these. It’ll be fun. We can give them a little peek into our life.”

I sighed, stirring the sauce as I leaned back into him. “Alright, alright. I’ll consider it. But only if you promise to keep it light. No deep-dive, personal stuff.”

He raised an eyebrow, his breath warm against my ear. “No promises. They always find a way to ask the hard questions.”

I turned to face him, my hands sliding up to rest on his chest as I narrowed my eyes. “Then you’re answering those.”

He laughed, leaning down to press a quick kiss to my lips. “Deal. I’ll take the tough ones.”

As I turned back to the stove, Hugh kept his arms around me, his body pressed close to mine as he spoke. “You know, I’ve been getting some new film offers too. There’s one that might shoot in New Zealand next year.”

I felt a twinge of excitement at the mention of New Zealand. “Really? That sounds amazing. Have you decided if you’re going to do it?”

He shrugged, his hands absentmindedly playing with the hem of my shirt as he spoke. “I’m still thinking about it. I want to make sure it won’t take up too much time. I’d rather spend more of it with you.” His voice dropped, soft and intimate, and I couldn’t help but smile at how effortlessly he shifted from teasing to sincere.

I turned to face him again, this time resting my hands on his arms. “You’re really not going to stop making me blush, are you?”

He grinned, leaning down to kiss me again, this time slower, lingering. “Not a chance.”

We stood there, the conversation fading as our lips met again and again, the kitchen suddenly feeling much smaller as the heat between us built. It wasn’t long before the playful kisses turned into something deeper, more urgent, and I found myself wrapped in his arms, pressed up against the counter, his hands sliding up my back as he kissed me like he couldn’t get enough.

Just as I was getting completely lost in the moment, Hugh pulled back, his breathing heavy as he gazed down at me. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you." he said, his voice a little more serious now.

I blinked, trying to focus through the haze of desire. “What is it?”

He hesitated for a moment, his thumb brushing over my cheek as he spoke. “The kids… they’ve been asking about you. They want to meet you.”

I froze, my heart skipping a beat. His kids. I knew this moment would come eventually, but the thought of meeting them, of stepping into that part of his life, made my stomach twist with nerves.

“Oh.." I said softly, my voice betraying my uncertainty. “I didn’t know they’d been asking about me.”

He nodded, his expression gentle but serious. “Yeah. I called them yesterday and they’ve been curious for a while now, but I didn’t want to bring it up until I felt like we were both ready.”

I swallowed, the weight of his words sinking in. “And… you think we’re ready?”

He held my gaze, his hand moving to cup the back of my neck. “I do. But it’s up to you. If you’re not ready, we can wait. There’s no rush.”

I took a deep breath, my mind racing. Meeting his kids was a big step, and the last thing I wanted to do was mess it up. But at the same time, I couldn’t help but feel like it was the natural next step. Hugh was such an important part of my life now, and if his kids wanted to get to know me, maybe it was time.

“I think I’m ready." I said, my voice steadying as I spoke. “I’d love to meet them.”

The relief on Hugh’s face was instant, and he pulled me into a tight hug, his lips pressing against my hair. “You have no idea how happy that makes me." he murmured, his voice filled with emotion.

I smiled against his chest, feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness. “I just hope they like me.”

Hugh pulled back, his hands framing my face as he looked down at me with absolute certainty. “They’re going to love you. Just like I do.”

I bit my lip, my heart swelling at his words. “I love you too." I whispered, feeling the weight of those words settle between us.

Hugh smiled, his eyes soft as he leaned down to kiss me again, this time slower, more deliberate. “I know.”

We stood there for a few moments, wrapped in each other, the conversation lingering in the air. But as the sauce on the stove began to bubble, Hugh pulled back with a playful grin. “Alright, we better finish this before we burn the house down.”

I laughed, shaking my head as I turned back to the stove. “You’re the distraction, not me.”

Hugh stepped up behind me again, his arms wrapping around my waist as he rested his chin on my shoulder. “You know..” he murmured, his voice dropping to that low, teasing tone that always drove me crazy. “You could be right. But I think you like it and that we may need small breaks in between cooking."

I tried to focus on stirring the sauce, but it was impossible with him pressed up against me like that, his hands sliding up under my shirt, his touch warm against my skin. “Hugh.." I breathed, already feeling my resolve weakening.

“Hmm?” he hummed, his lips brushing against the side of my neck. “You were saying?”

I let out a soft moan, leaning back into him as his hands tightened around my waist, pulling me closer. “You’re impossible." I managed to say, though my voice came out shaky.

“Impossible?” he echoed, his mouth moving down my neck, sending shivers through my entire body. “I think you like me just the way I am.”

I laughed breathlessly, trying to keep the sauce from burning as he continued to kiss my neck, his hands exploring every inch of me. “The sauce is going to- ” I started, but before I could finish, the sound of bubbling and sizzling filled the air, and I realized that it was already too late.

“Shit!” I exclaimed, quickly turning off the stove as Hugh stepped back with a satisfied grin on his face.

He laughed, leaning against the counter as I tried to salvage what I could of dinner. “I told you we needed a break.”

I shot him a look over my shoulder, but I couldn’t help the smile that tugged at my lips. “This is your fault.”

He shrugged, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Maybe. But I think you enjoyed it.”

I rolled my eyes, turning back to the stove. “You’re lucky I love you.”

“Damn right, I am,” he said with a wink, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

Even when everything else was up in the air - work, interviews, meeting his kids - knew that as long as we had moments like this, we’d be just fine.

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Next Part

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maretinelli · 26 days ago

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CAPTAIN HEART (Epilogue)

Ollie Bearman X Player!fem!reader

Summary: How things are going in Y/n and Ollie's relationship and the player's adaptation in Italy.

Words: 2.6K+

Warnings: Mentions of the past (but you know), make-out session, teasing and allusion to sex at the end. But nothing explicit.

Author: English is not my first language, so I apologize for any mistakes that may be in the story. And of course, I couldn't help but write how Ollie and Y/n are doing before saying goodbye to the story hahaha❤️🇧🇷

MASTERLIST

CHAPTERS: CAPTAIN HEART

A year had passed since Y/n made the decision that completely changed her life. A few days ago, she left Sydney for the charming Verona, Italy, and was now officially part of the Italian national handball team and a renowned local team.

The adaptation was not easy, but with determination and constant support from Ollie, the McLaren couple and her parents, she found herself increasingly comfortable in the new routine.

Their relationship remained strong despite their busy schedules. When Y/n had time off, she would often accompany him to the races, cheering for him in the stands or in the paddock. When Ollie had gaps in his schedule, he would fly to see her, whether in the old hustle and bustle of Sydney or the now quiet tranquility of Verona. They made it work, despite the distance and commitments.

That day, while Ollie was waiting for his flight at the airport, Y/n was at the market, pushing a shopping cart and video calling him.

"How's the Italian?" Ollie asked, a smile on his face as he adjusted his phone to show his curious expression.

Y/n let out a light laugh and replied jokingly. "Before, I only knew how to say 'Buongiorno'. Now, I know how to say 'Buongiorno, come stai?'" She winked, feigning pride.

Of course it was a joke, because she was taking intense language classes and when she could she would visit her grandmother in Florence and ask her 'Italian Nonna' for some tips.

"Good progress. Soon you'll be giving interviews in fluent Italian." He laughed from the other side of the screen.

"I wish..." She muttered, adjusting her phone on the shelf as she picked up two trays of fruit. "So? Strawberries or blueberries?"

Ollie frowned, trying to look serious. But he had a loving smile on his face.

"Strawberries, definitely. But what's the point?"

She smiles, placing the fruit tray in the shopping cart and picking up her cell phone, while having a mischievous smile on her face.

"For you to make me Italian recipes. I'm on ramen, salad and energy drinks." She smiles and Ollie rolls his eyes, smiling too. "The change is definitely catching up with me!"

"Of course, only essential foods for the diet," the pilot says, making her laugh. Despite the joke, Ollie knew that his girlfriend was disciplined with her diet, something essential for her career.

On the other end of the call, Ollie looked around, noticing the boarding announcement. He sighed. "They're calling my flight."

Y/n grabbed a few more items from the market, smiling at the camera. "Will it take long?"

He checked the watch on his wrist as he walked down the airport hallway pulling his suitcase.

"Five hours, more or less."

"Cool, enough time for me to finish shopping and finally get some sleep. I'm still getting used to the new apartment... and organizing everything is exhausting me."

Ollie laughed. But he knew that making changes was a big and tiring thing. And he felt guilty for not helping her with it, but racing schedules were getting tighter and tighter this late in the season.

"So rest, love. And don't worry, in a few hours I'll be there to cover you in kisses."

She bites her bottom lip and flashes a mischievous smile behind the camera. "Oh, I'm excited now." They laugh. "Have a nice flight, my sunshine... See you in a few hours!"

"See you soon, love. Rest." He sends a kiss through the phone and she does the same, soon hanging up the call.

As she finished her shopping, Y/n realized how life, even with its challenges, had been generous. She found a home in Verona, a new family on the team, and by her side, someone who loved her completely.

"Ciao, buongiomo. Come stai?" She smiles at the cashier, placing her products on the conveyor belt.

•••••••••••••••••••

Hours later, Y/n was at the airport, waiting for Ollie to arrive. She had finished shopping, organized some things in the apartment and even managed to sleep for two hours, which was a relief after such busy days.

She was wearing a wool-lined denim jacket, a gray knit scarf, leather boots, and jeans, a practical and comfortable look for the Italian winter. The airport was already starting to feel familiar, as was the excited anticipation of seeing him after weeks apart.

Sitting on one of the chairs in the arrivals area, she was fiddling with her cell phone, but looked up as soon as she heard Ollie's excited voice in the distance.

When she saw him walking towards her, pulling his wheeled suitcase with one hand and slinging his backpack over his shoulder, her heart warmed.

"Ollie!" She exclaimed loudly, standing up immediately.

He smiled even wider, walking faster until the two finally met halfway. Y/n didn't think twice before wrapping him in a tight hug.

Ollie immediately wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head as she nuzzled into his neck, breathing in the familiar scent that was so comforting.

"It's so good to have you in my arms after weeks," Ollie murmured, his voice thick with relief.

She laughed, pulling away from the hug to face him. "I know, I missed you too." The player leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the lips, a brief but affectionate gesture. "How was the flight?"

"Long. There was a child who cried half the flight. But other than that it was fine," he replied with a smile.

Y/n laughed. "Sure, very calm." She joked, as she reached for his backpack. "Give me that, I'll carry it for you."

He hesitated, but eventually let it go. "You didn't have to."

"Oh, stop. It's the least of it after you flew halfway around the world to come see me."

"Anything for you, of course!" He said with a smile, kissing her cheek. Then he intertwined his fingers with hers as they walked toward the parking lot. "But tell me, did you manage to sleep after you finished shopping?"

"I did, but only for about two hours. I'm still trying to get used to the new apartment, and there's so much to organize..."

"You really need to slow down a bit, you know?" He teased. "The way you are, you'll end up organizing even the food containers by color and size."

"Funny" she retorted, pushing his arm away lightly, but then laughing.

They walked for a little while longer, while Y/n told them about her routine. And arriving at the parking lot, Ollie frowned a little, while Y/n walked towards a black car, which was not hers.

"Since when do you have a black BMW? You've been away for three weeks and your career goes to your head?!"

Y/n laughs loudly, letting go of his hand to grab her keys from her pocket. "You're so funny, I'm going to ask Oscar and Lando to stop hanging out with you."

Ollie chuckles. The soft sound of his laughter makes her heart race.

"To answer your question, handsome. I had to rent this one earlier this week because mine is still in Sydney. There's a lot of red tape involved in shipping it to Verona. I'm getting impatient."

Ollie chuckled. "Looks like your car likes Sydney as much as you did. It doesn't want to leave."

"Oh, come on! Wouldn't you live there too?" She jokes, unlocking the trunk and helping Ollie load his bags. "Want to drive? You know the way."

Ollie smiled, taking the keys from her hand and before answering, he leaned in to kiss her. "You still ask, love."

He smiles, so close to her that he can see the small scar she got from the blow to her nose years ago at the game in Melbourne. Where they met.

The handball player kissed him again, before smiling and walking around to get into the passenger side. "Just don't accelerate too much, driver.

"I'll behave... maybe." He replied, winking at her.

Inside the car, Ollie quickly adjusted the seat and mirrors, while Y/n watched him with an amused smile on her face. He looked so comfortable in the driver's seat that, for a moment, she thought maybe she had made the right choice in handing over the keys.

"Okay, what's the plan for the rest of the day?" Ollie asked, casting a quick glance at his girlfriend before turning his attention back to the road.

"Nothing much. I thought I'd show you around the apartment, convince you to help me unpack the boxes that are still in the living room... and then we can order pizza. How about that?" Y/n turns around with a smirk.

"Italian pizza? That's not asking, that's a gift." He laughed, but then looked at her, pretending to be serious. "But about unpacking boxes... Do you want me to work on my first day here?"

"Of course!" Y/n said, laughing. "Teamwork, remember? That's how relationships work, Mr. Bearman."

He sighed dramatically, holding back a laugh. "Okay, okay... But only because I want pizza."

Y/n raises her eyebrows and places a hand on his thigh. "And what else, darling?"

Ollie smiles, now with a look of love and affection. "Because I love you."

Y/n felt her cheeks flush, even after almost two years together.

The Italian winter left the city with a charming air, and Y/n pointed to some areas, explaining where the best markets, bakeries and cafes that she had discovered in the last few weeks were.

When they reached the building, Ollie helped with the bags, and they went upstairs together. As soon as the apartment door opened, he looked around curiously.

"Wow, this is looking cool. Very home sweet home style."

Y/n huffed, hanging up her keys and kicking off her boots. "Home sweet home, but still a lot of boxes."

He put the suitcase in a corner and walked over to her, pulling her by the waist. "It's okay, it'll be perfect in time. And there's an advantage..."

"Which?"

"I'm here now."

She smiled, melting at his sweet expression. "You're very conceited, you know that?"

"And you love me anyway."

He pulled her into a kiss, their lips meeting softly at first, but quickly gaining intensity. Ollie's hands gripped her waist, and Y/n felt the heat growing between them, as if the world around them had disappeared.

Her breathing quickened as his hands gently slid beneath her blouse, touching her skin with a delicacy that made her shiver. Her heart was beating so fast she could swear he could hear it too.

But then, like a warning bell in her mind, she realized where this was going. Reluctantly, she pulled away from him, panting, her hands pressing lightly on Ollie's chest as she tried to compose herself.

Still close to him, their faces just inches apart, she ran her fingers through her hair, which was slightly messy.

"Honey, before this whole make-out session takes a turn and we eventually end up in my bed..." Trying to catch her breath, she began, "I really need your help with the boxes."

Ollie rolled his eyes, a playful smile playing on his lips. "Seriously? You're the only person who can take a moment like this to talk about boxes. That's talent."

Y/n laughed, pushing his shoulder lightly. "Someone has to keep the focus around here." She smirked and leaned closer to his ear. "I promise we'll continue later..."

He kissed her on the cheek, still smiling, and rolled up the sleeves of his sweatshirt as if he were about to run a marathon.

"Okay, boss. Which box do you want me to open first?"

Y/n turned around and looked at the boxes. Which now, thank God, were few, but they were heavy things.

"We can start with that one!" She points with her finger and comes closer. "It's some ornaments and heavy stuff."

"Okay, Captain Heart. Let's go!"

After a few hours of teamwork, the room was finally starting to look like a livable place. Most of the boxes were organized, with only one left that, according to Y/n, was not important enough to open that night.

Now, they were sitting on the living room carpet, next to the coffee table where a hot, freshly delivered pizza rested, exuding an irresistible aroma. The apartment was silent, except for the low sound of a background playlist that Y/n had put on.

She was sitting next to Ollie, legs crossed, holding a slice of pizza in one hand while the other absently played with his fingers.

Ollie, equally relaxed, did the same, lightly running his fingers through hers, as if that simple gesture was a silent way of connecting. Of saying I Love You.

The atmosphere between them was light, and as they ate, Ollie asked about other details of her life in the new city: How the team's training was going, if she had met more neighbors or if she was still discovering the corners of Verona.

"What about Oscar and Lily? Have they come to see your new apartment yet?"

Y/n nodded, taking a bite of her pizza before responding. "Yes, they came here a few days ago. They spent the afternoon with me, helped put together the bookshelf in the living room and, of course, made a huge mess while they were doing it."

He chuckled, imagining the scene. "Classic Oscar. He probably spent more time making fun of you two than helping, didn't he?"

"Absolutely. He made a whole show of how the manual was in Italian and 'impossible' to understand. Lily laughed and I ended up doing most of it myself." She smiled at the memory, taking a sip of her soda.

Ollie shook his head in amusement. "Well, at least they came. I bet they left some kind of mark, like a crooked picture or something."

Y/n pointed to the wall next to him, leaning in front of him and laughing. "A crooked frame would be kindness. That frame over there is crooked because Oscar decided it was a 'good artistic angle'."

Ollie looked at the painting appraisingly, then pretended to nod seriously. "It's not so bad. Maybe he has a future as an interior designer."

"Only in his head," Y/n replied, laughing, as she took another slice of pizza.

Ollie turned around again to grab another slice of pizza, but as he did so, he came face to face with his girlfriend. Y/n had looked away from the wall and was now staring at him, a soft smile playing on her lips.

He held his breath for a moment. It was amazing how, even after so much time together, she still had this effect on him. Ever since that day in Melbourne when they met, Ollie had known there was something special about her. But of course, he would never admit how much it affected him—at least not directly.

Y/n raised her eyebrows, confused by his sudden expression. Before she could say anything, Ollie smiled and gently took the piece of pizza from her hand, placing it on the coffee table. He leaned close to her, pulling her in for a kiss, and in one careful movement, laid her down on the carpet.

"Now, young lady, let's finish what we started before you start talking about boxes again." His voice was low, slightly husky, full of amusement.

She smiled against his lips, her eyes shining with a mix of affection and teasing. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"And you love me anyway."

She laughed, but her laughter was soon silenced by Ollie's lips. Their kiss, soft at first, grew more intense as heat spread between them. Ollie held her carefully, as if she were the most precious thing he had ever touched.

The room was silent, except for the occasional sigh and the sound of their hearts, beating in perfect sync.

In that moment, everything seemed to align. The remaining boxes, future races, challenges or distance didn’t matter. They were exactly where they should be: Together, on a simple day that had become special just by having each other.

And that was how they completed each other. Ollie and Y/n were proof that true love could arise in the most unexpected moments, like that ordinary day in Melbourne that changed their lives forever.

Author: Hey guys, we're done with "Captain Heart"...

#fanfiction #y/n #romance #imagines #one shot #formula 1 #formula one #ollie bearman x reader #imagines ollie bearman #ollie bearman #fem reader #handball

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yaekiss · 2 years ago

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꩜ Room Content: GN! Dom! Reader x Male! Sub! Sydney the Faithful, no gendered terms for reader, jerking Sydney off in a cinema, lmk if I missed out anything ! ꩜ A/N: This has been on my mind for so long, ugh the grip Sydney has on my mind is maddening. Might also do a corrupted Sydney version after this who knows teehee :3c

It was meant to be something relaxing. At least that's what Sydney had in mind when he agreed to a movie date with you at the cinema.

It's been a while since he's seen one so he thought that it'd be fun to watch one together. (He was even the one who suggested watching the newest romance movie after hearing about it from Robin.)

So how did it ever end up like this?

Maybe he should've paid more attention to Robin talking about the movie because when the beginning of a sex scene starts to play on the screen, he flushes instantly, hands shooting up and shielding his face to prevent him from seeing the lewdness on display.

His sudden actions catch your eye and you turn to take in the delicious view of your lover trying to tune out the raunchy moans from the actors, eyes squeezed shut and brows furrowed so cutely that you just want to eat him up ♡

Your hand finds its way over to the edge of his pants, pulling the band before letting it go, snapping against his skin. A squeak escapes him as his eyes fly open, surprised by your actions.

"W-what are you doing?" Sydney's voice is shaky, volume slightly above a whisper.

"I'm just helping distract you from the movie, angel. Now quieten down, you wouldn't want the people to realise, would you?"

Worried, he surveys the other cinemagoers around the both of you and breaths a sigh of relief when no one else heard the squeak he let out. Turning back to face you, he notices the hunger in your eyes and the blush on his cheeks deepen.

His hands are still held up in front of him so you take the opportunity to slip your fingers past his waistband, teasing at the rim of his boxers. The sensation of your fingers on the skin of his hips has him quivering but he makes no move to stop you from taking this even further. You press on, dipping into his boxers and when you come into contact with his already half-hard cock, he jolts in his seat, biting down on his lip to muffle any noises from him.

Leaning closer, you take his cock into your hand, gradually stroking him until he's hard and dripping. His self-restraint wavers when your nails glide across his slit, hips bucking up with a sharp gasp. Alarmed, his eyes dart around the surroundings, heart jackrabbiting in his chest at the prospect at getting caught. Working him up to his orgasm, he's squirming in his seat, moving one of his hands down to bite down on to stifle his moans as he loses himself in the pleasure you're showing him.

A harsh tug and a scratch along the underside of his dick is what tips him over the edge, he doubles over and his hands immediately shoot to grasp at your wrist so that he can rut into your hand as pure euphoria overtakes him. There's a wet patch growing on the fabric of his pants but he's too caught up in the bliss to notice.

After he rides out his high, he slumps back against the backrest, boneless and panting as he tries to process everything that just happened. Retracting your hand covered in his spend, you hold it before him, expectant. Hesitant, he slowly licks away his cum. He's slightly put off by the taste of his own cum at the start but determined, he carries on until your hand is completely cleaned. Giving your fingers one last suck, he pulls away, face still hot from arousal. As thanks, you grab his face and pull him in for a heated kiss that leaves him melting in his seat, his brain mushy. The only thing he can think of is you, you, you. + + Love

Well, he can't lie, he supposes the movie was relaxing in a way! - - Sydney's Purity

Thanks for reading! Consider supporting me on kofi if you enjoyed this or check out my other works hehe ♡

#📜.qi writings #📜.qi rambles #degrees of lewdity #dol #dol x reader #dol smut #sub dol #sydney the faithful #dol sydney #dol sydney x reader #dol sydney smut #sub dol sydney #dom reader #so normal for him.#so so so super duper extremely normal.#still trying to get a hang of writing for sydney so lmk if anything is too ooc 💀#sydney train pulling into brainrot station choo choo 🚂

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niabang · 1 year ago

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The Summer it Came True

Pairing: Bangchan × black female reader named Kel

Summary: You loved him, and you never got to tell him, but now he's back.

It had been about 13 years since Chan left Australia to Korea to pursue his dreams of being a K-pop idol. He left the day you wanted to tell him how you felt about him. You woke up and got ready to see him only to realise that he was gone. He left just like that, no explanation, no call, no text, not even a letter. He was just gone.

You had no idea what he left for, and you received a rude awakening when you saw him performing with a couple of other boys on stage on TV after years of not having a trace of him. You already forgot about him (you didn't), so why did he have to show up now? Why was he even more handsome than before, and more importantly, why was he coming back to Australia?

You thought you had gotten over him but why did you still have feelings for him?

Disclamer: this work is from my imagination and it does not reflect the artist's behaviour in anyway. It's fiction so a lot of things may be a tad bit unrealistic lol. I will be posting this in parts/chapters. Chan is still an idol in this but I kind of left out the outside/idol world in this fic.

A/N: The first few chapters may seem kind of boring, but y'all have to stick with me, okay? I wanted to make this kind of slow burn, so if you stick with me for long enough, the story gets more interesting and a little spicy as we go along. i promise ♡.

Genres: Romance, fluff

Chapter 1

Word Count: 800

It was almost summer, meaning it was time for you to start getting ready to move into the beach house that your parents left you before they died. You were an only child, so everything they owned automatically became yours, they died when you were legal so you had no issues with the law on acquiring the properties including the million dollar clothing industry they left you.

How did you deal with your parents dying in a car crash and becoming the ceo of a company overnight at the age of 20? People tend to ask. The answer is: you don't know. You're 26 now, 6 years seemed to fly by like days, and you became more and more invested in the company, you grew to love it. You had no time for a lot of friends or romance as you were always working.

Maybe you didn't have time for romance because my heart still belonged to him. Your heart still belonged to Chan, the boy who vanished into thin air the day you wanted to confess your feelings for him. Call it an obsession. It probably was, but you hadn't been able to get him out of your head for years now, and you didn't know why.

Every time you thought about that day, you almost got tears in your eyes. You were only 13. He was your first love. How could he just leave like that without telling you anything?

Then you realised. He didn't owe you anything. Hell, you barely even spoke. Why did you feel so entitled? You guys were acquaintances at best. The last time you remember having an actual conversation with him was when your two families met on the beach one summer when you were twelve, and you were both forced to play together.

Other than that, it was just a simple "hey" or a wave every time you saw each other in school or in the neighbourhood. You weren't exactly the best of friends. You just had this embarrassingly huge crush on this man who probably didn't even remember your name.

You were supposed to be packing up your things to leave the suburbs of Sydney to your house on the beachside where you would take a break from the office while still working but this time with the serenity of an ocean view and the calming sound of the ocean waves. You were really looking forward to it.

For some reason, you weren't really in the mood to get packing, so you jumped on your bed and tuned the TV to an entertainment channel, and that was when you received the biggest shock of your life.

It was HIM. He was right there on your screen. The boy - wait, he was a man now. The man you couldn't shake off your heart and your mind was right there on your screen after twelve years of disappearing, and he was as beautiful as ever...

...

After getting over the shock of your life that day, you did a little research, and you found out that he was a K-pop idol in an eight member band called "Stray Kids" what a weird name you thought to yourself but they were a pretty big deal. They were superstars. You weren't surprised. Chan had a really amazing voice that you never got to compliment him on, and you knew he would end up pursuing what he loved one way or the other.

As if the shock of seeing him on stage performing with seven other men wasn't enough, they announced their first World tour, and the third stop was Sydney. HE WAS COMING HERE? HE WAS COMING BACK? You almost lost your mind for a few minutes.

Wait, why did you even bother? He was a famous celebrity now. He definitely didn't remember or care about the girl he built sandcastles at the beach with thirteen years ago. He probably had all the girls wrapped around his finger. He probably took multiple girls home every night. Bold of you to assume you'd be on his mind.

It was honestly pathetic for you to still think about him the way you did but you just couldn't get over him, his eyes that closed up whenever he smiled, his mouth corner dimples, his beautiful smile, his big beautiful nose, his contagious laugh that sounded like he was in need of air, the way he would always carry things for the female teachers at school, the way he always made sure ladies went first before he did and the way he donated blood to the hospital every once in a while. He was perfect but not for you. You had to forget about him.

You had to do it before he came back.

Next chapter

#stray kids #stray kids fanfic #stray kids fluff #bang chan #bangchan fluff #bangchan fanfic #fluff #kpop #kpop tumblr #tooth rotting fluff #romance #soft hours #slow burn #black kpop stans #black kpop fans #The Summer it Came True #angst

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chil-aglia · 3 months ago

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𝐂𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐞 |ROTTMNT| (Leo X Male OC)

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was a busy day in the lair, or at least somewhat busy. Mikey had baked tons of pizza related things for the annual Tokyo Extreme Skateboarding Finals. Adriaen wasn’t big on events like these, but over the years he had come to enjoy it, especially when he first learned how to skateboard and wanted to see what kind of tricks others could do. Nowadays, he just likes watching the live show on his phone, it was relaxing.

Leo was skateboarding on the ramp behind Adriaen who had been sitting in a beanbag that he brought out of his room to sit in, while Raph and Donnie are watching the live broadcast on their phones.

Mikey, wearing a chef's hat and admiring the feast he made, puts down the final touches of his long table of pizza food.

"Okay, we got pizza rolls, pizza balls, pizza tots, pizza puffs and duck a l’orange pizza!"

“As if today could get any more perfect." Donnie grins happily, being interrupted when the announcer on his tablet spoke up, “Live in Tokyo, the extreme skateboarding finals." they say, Raph immediately perking up.

"It’s starting guys."

They began to gather while Leo was continuing to skateboard on the ramp, Adriaen glanced up at him to see if he was coming over, but he was lost in his own little world.

"Three hours of insane tricks. And the rumors are true. Sydney Allen will attempt a 14-40 on the Mega Ramp."

“Is that even possible?" Donnie questions, immediately followed by Mikey and Raph’s comments.

“No way."

“She’s gotta be a mutant."

Adriaen lightly deadpans at Raph’s comment about her being a mutant, but he focuses back on the screen, curious to see more of Sydney Allen.

Leo however couldn’t help but smirk, hand standing on his skateboard, balancing. “Hey. I bet I could do a 14-40." He challenges, causing the others to look over at him in uncertainty.

“I will forgo my usual, ‘No don’t, That four rotations. That’s crazy talk Leo. And skip right ahead to cover the food.’” Donnie bluntly responded as Mikey and Raph were quick to run to cover the food.

Adriaen crossed his arms and watched Leo who pumped his fist into the air.

“For Sydney!"

The red eared slider flips his skateboard as he jumps down. He sped right past his siblings, as they tried to protect the food. He waved his hands about to balance himself which he did, grinning confidently, he glanced at Adriaen and winks at him, making the black bandanna turtle raise a brow at him.

Leo lifts his skateboard high in the air, but his missteps cause him to lose his balance. He tumbled down as his skateboard flew around. Mikey and Raph laughed at Leo, pointing at him as the red slider looked annoyed, sliding down the ramp himself with his arms folded together.

Adriaen saw the skateboard come flying at him with incredible speed. “Whoa!” He yelped before jumping out the way in time, unfortunately Leo's skateboard crashes into the router on the wall, breaking it.

“The Wi-fi! Wifi, skating, Raph watch, Donnie fix, Raph happy." Raph gasps out, shaking Donnie with wide eyes and handing him a tablet.

Adriaen stood back up and glared briefly at the others, “I almost got my head chopped off and y’all are more worried about the wi-fi?” He inquired, but got zero response, well besides Leo who gulps and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

Donnie was far more focused on the no internet dilemma. “I need pregame. Stats, highlights of past stats, projections of future stats. We’re missing the stats, people!" He exclaims in a panic, everyone running about.

"And we’re gonna Miss Sydney and the 14-40!"

Adriaen was a bit disappointed he’ll admit, but he wasn’t going to go into a panic mode about the wifi, he’ll just have to catch next year's finals.

"Everybody, cool it. There’s worse things in the world than— Oh who am I kidding? Our lives are ruined.” Raph tried to be brave but only to send deflated, Adriaen sighs and gazed over to the direction of the living room.

”What about the TV?”

Raph immediately perked up and beams at the suggestion, “Yes! Good idea. Guys, I have an idea, but it ain’t gonna be pretty." He assured his brothers who gaze their eyes towards their older brother.

In a few minutes the siblings, plus Adriaen who stood on the sidelines, came running into the living room, on their knees in front of Splinter.

"Dad, you gotta let us watch T.V."

"We’ll do anything!"

Splinter was very much amused, rubbing a hand under his chin, "Anything? That is more than something and just shy of everything. Go on." He grins cheekily, wanting to hear what they had to offer.

"Gourmet dinners?"

"Nostril waxing?"

"Hey, Raph will even carry you around 24/7." Leo added, patting Raph on the arm, he then glanced at Adriaen and quickly grabbed him and dragged him over.

”And Adriaen can give you all the massages you want!”

”Say what now?”

Adriaen blinks in bewilderment before glaring at Leo, putting his hands on the red sliders face and tried to free himself from Leo’s grasp. “Oh no I won’t! You can offer yourself up for that.” Adriaen sassed, Leo whining for him to not run away.

“This is quite a generous offer, but I must refuse. We are in the golden age of commercials! I would bring disgrace on my family if I missed even one."

Splinter shutdown the offers, the turtles moving to the side to see what was showing on the projector, a commercial of an ice tray shown. Donnie groans and everyone gathered around together, “Okay, ideas, people. My eyes need extreme skateboarding ASAP." He ordered, his eye twitching from lack of wifi.

“Maybe next time, let’s not put the Wi-fi in a high traffic crash zone." Leo couldn’t help but bring up, and well…he did have a point. “I agree. Whose idea was it to put it there?” Adriaen tilted his head in puzzlement, “You know what, good question.” Mikey hums in thought, trying to figure out who it was.

Raph however had other plans, gasping at an idea as he snapped his fingers.

“Wi-fi! That’s it. I know what to do."

He didn’t say anything else before running off, his brothers and Adriaen sharing a confused look but chased after the large mutant.

-----

He led the group topside, jumping across the rooftops and headed straight to the mall. “The mall?” Adriaen wondered out loud, as Raph chuckles. “Trust me.” Was all he said before jumping down and with the help of Donnie, they managed to break in.

With a few more steps inside, they reach a food court area, Donnie smiling and sitting down on a chair, tablet in hand.

“Gilbert’s Department store after hours, an ideal per excellence, Raphael."

"I was due."

"And, thanks to April’s job here last year, we have the wifi password…one." Donnie muses, entering the single digit into his tablet where immediately the live broadcast was shown for them.

��We’ll be right back with more skateboarding. Brought to you by Ice Tray Grand Trays for ice."

"Yes!" They all cheer, even Adriaen.

"I love you guys and watching you this with all of you is my favourite bonding day of the year." Mikey heartwarmingly smiles, hugging Donnie first in which everyone else piled in on the hug.

But it didn’t last long the bonding moment, everyone had gone their separate ways to take a seat at different places, their phones in hands to watch the event. Leo and Adriaen sat at a table together, with Leo having hit feet up comfortably.

Adriaen was a bit hunched over; eyes glued to his phone. He was switching between watching the live stream and just mindlessly scrolling through social media. Something however crashed from somewhere in the mall, gaining both Raph’s and Adriaen’s attention.

"Did you guys hear that?"

Leo smirks, not bothering to look at his brother, “You mean that loud bang? No." He says with utter sarcasm, Adriaen deadpans at him with an unimpressed look, whacking Leo’s legs off the table.

”Ow!”

Leo pouted towards Adriaen; Raph looks over to everyone else who also didn’t look up from their screens.

"Is anyone gonna check it out?"

"And miss skateboarding? Sounds like a job for the guy who’s always telling us he’s our leader." Donnie responded with his own hint of sass. Raph groans and stands up, chair scraping away from him.

"Fine. I’ll go."

He leaves, and Adriaen wondered if he should join Raph. He goes to stand up, but Leo cheekily placed his legs over Adriaen’s lap, having move the chair he was sitting on closer to the mutant turtle.

”He’ll be fine. Stick around. Oh, and smile for the camera!”

Leo grins mischievously as he aims his phone at Adriaen and without much more warning snaps a picture of Adriaen, the noise of the camera app echoing slightly.

Leo smiles happily at the picture, having drawn hearts and even added little dog ears and whiskers to Adriaen’s face.

Cute.

Adriaen sighs and slumps back down into his own chair, there wasn’t anything interesting happening with the broadcast, so he stuck to mindlessly scrolling.

Raph will be fine. He’ll be back soon.

He narrowed his eyes slightly when he heard the noise of the camera again. “Leo stop taking pictures of me.” He called out, having Leo stick his tongue out in amusement, “But these are memories! I’m gonna quickly send them to myself in case I accidentally delete them or something!” He muses, doing so as Adriaen shakes his head and blushed softly in embarrassment.

Suddenly Raph comes running over, eyes wide and yelling for their attention. "Guys! Those freaky flame-guys are back stealing jewelry. Gear up, fellas. Time to show ‘em what we think of that." Raph announces with confidence, but the others didn’t share his enthusiasm, still all focused on their devices.

“Yeah, okay. Do you mean after we’re done watching the finals, cool?"

"Come on, Leo! Crime never takes a break, so neither can we." Raph tried to encourage, as Donnie tilts his head at him, “I am not sure I follow, you mean like on commercials." He asks, causing Raphael to groan and face palm.

"Oh, man, you guys are killing me. Look, this is serious fellas, okay?"

"Okay." Everyone else boredly replied, Adriaen would have been on Raph’s side of things but even he can’t help but feel unmotivated to do anything. Besides, those Foot guys weren’t really all that much of a threat. What could they possibly want in a mall?

"Fine: We’ll try to do both. Fight bad guys and watch skating. Hey, and we are real heroes." Raph concluded which finally got everyone to agree and head off in the direction of where the Foot people were.

They get to the escalator, everyone glued to their phone screens and watching the broadcast, "Sydney’s signing autographs for the judges before she goes. For those of you just tuning in Sydney Allen is about to attempt the 14-40 on the mega ramp. It’s the moment skate fans have been waiting their whole lives for." The announcer ranted on. One by one the turtles get off the escalator, moving to the side to about walking into a mannequin.

By the time they arrived at where the villains were, Adriaen took note that they were holding a gauntlet of sorts that has a red Ruby ring attached to its finger.

“We’ve got it!"

Raph was the first to call out to them, the gang with their weapons out, eyeing down the Foot people. "Alright, hot heads. Hand over the ruby ring and—“ Raphael began to threaten but was cut off when all of their phones began to speak, the familiar voice of the announcer echoing to them.

"Sydney Allen is climbing the Mega Ramp as I speak."

“Yes!"

They get back on their phones, all eager to watch the skateboarding competition and Sydney Allen. The smaller villain eyes then in curiosity and confusion, clearing their throat for the turtle’s attention.

"Ahem?"

"Hey, with you in a sec, pal."

While watching their phones, the announcer commented once again, "But before she goes, let’s learn a little bit more about our judges." They said which had the group of mutant turtle groan and put away their phones.

“Okay—“

Raph was shoved away by Leo, who grins at the villains, while trying to seem intimidating. "Right, right. Look here, forehead flambé, we can do this the easy way or the hard way—“ Leo was interrupted by Donnie who slides on in from the other side of Raph.

"But since we only have a quick minute ‘til Sydney’s back on, we are really lobbying for the easy way."

Mikey nods his head in agreement. "Super easy." He says, as Adriaen softly sighs and eyes the two villains with footprints on their faces. “Let’s get this over with guys.” He informs, and upon his comment they attack.

The smaller Foot guy attacks Raph, managing to knock him back into a stack of mannequins.

“So that's a hard pass." Leo murmurs, Raph grunting lightly and standing back up, "Nice punch, Hoss. Too bad I snagged the ring!" He muses, holding up the gauntlet that had the ring attached to the finger.

”Nicely done Raph!” Adriaen praised the large mutant turtle; he didn’t even see Raph snatch the ring off the villain.

“What? You have no idea what you're dealing with. Give it back now!"

The Foot guy throws origami paper where they transform into these ninja soldiers, much like how they first met.

“These paper guys—“

The origami soldiers attack, cutting Leo off his comment. Raph quickly tosses the gauntlet to Mikey who catches it with ease.

"Attention all bad guys, your villainy ends now.”

He jumps off the counter and onto a glass case where he grabbed a blue sweater and pulled it over the smaller villain's head. Smiling proudly at his work, Mikey perks up at the voice of the announcer on his phone, quickly taking it out to watch.

"And now Sydney's warm up run on the mega ramp."

"She’s back on guys. Just an easy run, Sydney. Save your strength for the main event."

“Sydney couldn’t be more primed to stay that 14-40!"

Adriaen, unlike the others wasn’t on his phone. He was focused on the fight with the larger Foot guy, who was swinging his fist at him. Adriaen effortlessly jumps back, dodging the fists.

”Is punching all you good at?” He couldn’t help but taunt, perhaps Leo was rubbing off on him as he accidentally got overconfident and tripped on some clothes that were laying on the ground.

Shoot!

Leo was quick to jump in, picking up the gauntlet that Mikey had somehow dropped earlier. Grabbing the brute of the Foot guy’s attention onto him and not on Adriaen.

"Can we call a quick time out? And I promise we’ll go back to kicking your butts."

Leo however gets hit by a paper soldier, sending him flying down the escalator, but in a few seconds, he returns back on the escalator again with a small smirk, focusing on his phone.

Adriaen shakes his head, cursing at himself to focus, and not trip up again. That was embarrassing, he’s just glad the others didn’t potentially see it. He gets back up, widening his eyes when a paper soldier ran at him to attack. He blinks before grounding himself, using his kama’s to slice at the paper soldier, chopping it in half. More origami men came charging at Adriaen who clicked his tongue in annoyance and jumped around to gain distance.

“Your instruction has delayed our operation." One of the villains, the brute, exclaims before knocking back Raph. “Nobody likes being interrupted in the middle of the plans they had their hearts set on. Am I right? Good irony Raph.” He laughs at his own joke, holding out his hand that held his phone.

”Mic drop.”

Unaware of what he was doing, Raph accidentally drops his phone, the screen cracked, and the phone itself was broken.

“No! Sydney!"

"What’s a Sydney?" The brute villain tilted his head, utterly confused, which honestly only made Raph angry. “What’s a Sydney?!” He yells before sending the brute crashing down at a sales rack.

He hurries over to Leo, who continues to watch his phone. “What’d I miss?" He asks his brother.

“Everything….it’s a commercial again." Leo teases before deadpanning at the commercial, a familiar one about ice trays. Adriaen was sent flying over towards Raph and Leo, skidding to a halt so he didn’t crash into them. “A little help guys!” He hissed at the two, who just mindlessly nod their heads at him.

“Sydney box no!" Mikey cried out; his phone being taken away by the smaller Foot guy who hums in sneaky thought. "A trade. Tell the purple one to give us back our plundered prize and then I’ll return your precious phone." He informs, but Mikey just laughs cheekily.

“Or we can do it my way. Guys, catch it!"

Mikey throws a hangar at the Foot guy, managing to swipe his phone away out of the villain's grasp, and over to where Leo, Raph and Adriaen were, unaware of the flying hangar and phone coming toward them, Leo’s own phone was knocked out of his hand and smashed on the floor along with Mikey’s.

"No!"

Mikey slides over, on his knees with devastation.

"No, take me instead! Wait..Donnie’s tablet. It’s our last hope."

Adriaen blinks and glanced to Donnie who was busy fighting the smaller Foot guy while also watching the live broadcast on his tablet that hung over his face with his mechanical arm that emerged from his battle shell.

Adriaen sweated at them, they must’ve forgot that Adriaen still had his phone, not that he is complaining, he didn’t want them all to crowd around him.

Donnie jumped into the air about to land an attack on the villain, who kicked him into Leo and Adriaen with ease. The brute grabs Raph from behind and Mikey was kicking away at the other while Raph punches the Brute off him, sending them crashing into each other. But the tablet Donnie was holding with his robot arms broke into pieces when they came flying towards Donnie who ducked down. Leaving his mechanical arm and tablet open.

The turtles all scream, except Leo and Adriaen who were on the ground and groaning.

Leo when finally wobbling his way over, crouched down in front of the broken pieces of the tablet.

"Is there even anything left to fight for?"

Adriaen rubs his head, not noticing his own phone laying on the floor, he walked over to the others and stood behind them, one hand on hip as he eyed them at their dramatics.

Man, we really need a hobby.

Mikey notices the Adriaen’s phone and points to it. “Adriaen still has his phone!” He exclaims, making them turn to the black bandanna turtle and then to his phone on the ground.

Adriaen quietly walked over and stared down at his phone and picked it up, he clicks his tongue in utter annoyance when he saw how it was cracked and even bent, most likely it had broke from the moment Donnie crashed into him and Leo earlier.

”Sorry guys, mines broken too.”

Upon this the turtles deflate into defeat, forgetting about the ring that they were trying to save from the two Foot men who managed to grab it when the turtles got distracted.

"You think she got it on her first try?"

"If anybody could."

Raph sighs in sadness, staring at his brothers and Adriaen with a frown. "My bad, fellas. I never should’ve thought we could watch Sydney and stop them." He apologised, but Mikey smiles and gently patted Raph on the shoulder.

“You were right. We’re heroes. Heroes don’t wait until commercials.”

Adriaen hums before glancing around, widening his eyes when he saw the two villains had vanished somewhere in the mall. “Wait, where’d they go?" He announces, the others searching around as well.

”Fools!”

They look up at the next level of the mall to see the two villains holding up the gauntlet.

“They got the ruby ring."

Raph narrowed his eyes before smirking. "They ruined our night. We’re ruining theirs.” He assured, Adriaen nods in agreement before noticing a green skateboard that a mannequin was holding before walking up to Leo.

”Hey Leo, another try at that 14-40 again? I didn’t quite see it last time.”

He hands the skateboard over to a puzzled Leo who took a moment to process what was being asked. His lips curved up into a cocky grin. Seconds later, he started skating down the escalator with utter confidence in himself. Using speed to zoom up the escalator ramps and head towards the villains.

”Cowabunga!”

He reached out and knocked down the two Foot guys, spinning in the air before landing safely on the floor, which earned a cheer from the others, holding the ring in hand.

The two villains fall flat down to the bottom floor of the mall.

“Not a 14-40 but three rotations and a ring saving steal. Boo to the yah!" Donnie praised, happily pumping out his fist in the air.

"So bad, so sad. Better luck next time." Mikey taunted, grinning down at the defeated villains who were groaning in pain. Adriaen softly chuckled and gave a small head pat to Mikey.

Leo clears his throat which gained everyone’s attention. "Look what I found at the guard desk. Its battery powered." He informs, holding up a small TV like device.

"Yes!"

The group head back to the food court area to watch the broadcast from the device, all crowding around it. "So close on the first two. I bet she’s gonna nail the 14-40 now." The announcer spoke to the audience, the boys cheering for her as Adriaen hums.

“I believe in you, Sydney! Let’s go, Sydney!"

Mikey sighs, turning to look at everyone. "I’ll say it again—I love you guys." He heartwarmingly declared out, leaning against Raph.

"Last chance. Can she do it folks?"

The screen shows Sydney skateboarding down the ramp and jumping in the air, so far doing 3 rotations in the air.

”One, two, three, fou—“

Suddenly the news flashed onto the screen, “We interrupt our program to report a break in at Gilbert’s Department Store." The reporter states out, Adriaen widening his eyes, at the news.

Uh oh, we better get out of here.

All the turtles screamed “no” from the interruption of their show, Mikey's dragging it out the longest, which had the others looking at him as he sank to the ground, making them dismayed.

Outside, the Foot soldiers have fled to an alley, chuckling when they pause once they were far enough from the mall.

"Fools, they thought we were after a puny ring."

The Foot lieutenant holds up the gauntlet, the true item they were after.

-----

Back with the turtles who were hurrying out of the mall before the police came, came to a halt when Adriaen stopped running and looked over at the phone store.

“Wait guys, we need new phones and a tablet.”

”Adriaen…are you suggesting we steal from the mall?” Leo smirks at him, hands on hips and leaning forward, Adriaen couldn’t help but smirk in response.

”I wouldn’t call it stealing. We’re more like…borrowing them for the time being.”

He quickly snatched everyone a new phone and Donnie a new tablet. “Donne, you can make these phones untraceable right?” Adriaen questions to which Donnie triumphantly laughs.

”Scoff! ‘Course I can. Now let’s go before the cops arrive.”

One by one they exit the mall and head on back home, with brand new devices.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: I APOLOGISE FOR ANY GRAMMAR MISTAKES THAT WERE MADE, I TYPE REALLY FAST AND OFTEN DON'T SEE THEM UNTIL I ACTUALLY PUBLISH THE CHAPTER.

So sorry if this wasn’t good or if there wasn’t much Leo X Adriaen content thrown into it. I’m running on like 3 hours of sleep at the moment and just didn’t have the energy.

First Chapter here

Next Chapter here

13 notes · View notes

whoreviewswho · 8 months ago

Text

Only One Race Can Survive! - The Daleks, 1963

Part I - The Mutants

Sydney Newman, 1986: "Being a real aficionado of science fiction, I hated stories which used bug-eyed monsters, otherwise known as BEM’s. I wrote in my memo that there would be no bug-eyed monsters in Doctor Who. And after a few episodes, Verity turned up with the Daleks! I bawled her out for it, but she said ‘Honest, Sydney, they’re not bug-eyed monsters – they’re human beings who are so advanced that their bodies have atrophied and they need these casings to manipulate and do the things they want!’. Of course, the Daleks took off and captured everybody’s imagination. Some of the best thing I have ever done are the thing I never wanted to do. It’s true! It’s worked out that way".

Like most periods of the show's history, Doctor Who's inception was a tumultuous time behind the scenes. Script editor David Whitaker, in what would quickly become a desperate hunt for reliable writers and workable scripts, approached writer Terry Nation having seen some potential in his script for ABC TV's science-fiction anthology Out of this World. Despite having, by his now admission, no faith in the programme, Nation soon found himself out of work and committed to a six-episode serial that would air fourth in the season's run.

Initially entitled The Survivors, Nation's original pitch to Whitaker was quite different to the story that eventually made it to screen but kept a lot of the same themes and allegory intact. Nation's serial originally featured three races; the Daleks, the Thals and a third species whose ancestors were responsible for the neutron bomb that devastated Skaro and had returned to the planet to make amends. The set-pieces were more extravagant in initial drafts and the Daleks less definitively villainous but producer Verity Lambert was impressed with Nation's work, offering him a seventh episode to allow greater expansion of his ideas.

David Whitaker, 1979: "Terry Nation didn’t want to write for us, considering it rather demeaning that he’d even been asked." Terry Nation, 1987: "I had no faith in the show. It was the old writer’s axiom, ‘Take the money and fly like a thief’."

As Nation continued to work, the programme's production elsewhere became more fraught. The two serials commissioned for writer Anthony Coburn required increasing rewrites, the initial first story that would become Planet of Giants was deemed unworkable and budgetary concerns had ensured John Lucarotti's epic Marco Polo would not fill the intended third slot. Much to the dismay of Donald Wilson and Sydney Newman, two of Doctor Who's three founding fathers, Nation's The Mutants suddenly became the strongest contender for the second serial.

Verity Lambert, 1980s: “The crisis came when Donald Wilson saw the scripts for the first Dalek serial. Having spent so much time defending ‘Doctor Who’, he saw the Daleks as just bug-eyed monsters, which went against what he felt should be the theme of the science-fiction stories. There was a strong disagreement between us, in fact it went as far as Donald Wilson telling us not to do the show. What saved it in the end was purely that fact that we had nothing to replace it in the time allotted. It was the Daleks or nothing."

David Whitaker, 1979: "Actually, that Dalek story was educational in a subtle way – it showed the dangers of war, pacifism and racial hatred. It contained many admirable and idealistic truths in it, and it was also a jolly good adventure story."

To this day, Terry Nation is somewhat of a divisive figure in the Doctor Who fandom. On the one hand, we have the man who penned what is arguably Doctor Who's most important, formative and defining serial. He is the creator of, not just an iconic monster but, iconic worlds and the core spirit and characterisation of Doctor Who itself and its leading ensemble. Yet, on the other hand, we have a writer who made no bones about his disinterest in the scripts he was writing. It has not become controversial among fans to condemn Terry Nation as a lazy, even hack, writer. One of these things is probably true; Terry Nation was a very lazy writer. But to call him a hack? Not in my opinion. Terry Nation is a very simple writer, certainly. The man's approach to structure was very traditionally rooted in the sci-fi serial format, his style of dialogue would not seem out of place in then contemporary comic books and his plots could never be described as complex or involved stories.

But why should any of these things be flaws? So, the man could write in the mould of classic sci-fi serials? Doctor Who was in the mould of a classic sci-fi serial and what Nation understood so well was that week-to-week structure that so many of his successors, and a good deal of his contemporaries, failed to get a hold of. Sure, Terry Nation serials are awkward stories to binge but they were never designed that way. Ever tried reading Oliver Twist more than one chapter at a time? It is horrible. Every individual chapter is truly an episode unto itself with great moments of character and action that effectively recap the story and move the grander plot forward. This is why, despite the unusual length of seven episodes, The Daleks still holds my attention for the whole runtime. Possibly more than any other writer's work on the original programme, Nation's episodes are consistently great to jump into just as single episodes. This also goes hand in hand with the very direct and simple dialogue really works as well. It is never subtle but it is always efficient and perfectly compliments the flavour of adventure serial that Nation consistently captured. Terry Nation is a good writer. Obviously. He is so good that even when he could not care less, and most of the time he did not, he could always deliver fun and beyond competent scripts.

Terry Nation, 1978: "It was quite a good eerie beginning and, at the end of it – the last frame of the picture – we saw a bit of a Dalek. We didn’t see a whole Dalek. And the phones started to ring. People saying, “Christ, what is that thing? A week later, the Dalek appeared."

The Daleks is a masterful blend of serialised action/adventure, thought provoking science fiction ideas and positively chilling horror that is well beyond the brief that Nation was given. From the moment it begins, this serial is unsettling. There is, of course, a brilliant dramatic irony baked into the premise that operates as both a clue to what is really going on and a genuinely compelling danger for our heroes. There is a school of thought that has concluded that The Daleks is too long but, again, I feel that this is a very contemporary mindset that somewhat misses what this story is going for. Say what you will about Destiny of the Daleks, for a not-at-all random example, but the first episode of this story, titled The Dead Planet, is not an exercise in killing time until the Dalek shows up to menace Barbara at the end. Despite what we know now, The Dead Planet does not have a reveal at the end. There is no frame of reference for the audience to project onto what is happening at all. Instead, the episode is a slowly rising crescendo of intrigue and tension that spans from the sparseness of a silent, dead forest to the gradually more claustrophobic and unfamiliar terrain of the city until Barbara gets cornered in an unknown corridor by an unknown terror. It is beautifully constructed adventure fiction that plays on the natural marriage of primal horrors, being the least creatures alive on the planet, and the imagery of contemporary nuclear warfare.

An Unearthly Child is a story defined by juxtaposition and survivalism which are both ideas that Nation picks up on beautifully in his story but he also brings themes of morality, identity and action. The Daleks is an almost biblical parable. With An Unearthly Child and The Daleks, the two core identities of the show appear to emerge. The former is a cynical and unrelenting programme that believes in unstoppable forces of nature that, no matter how hard we try to escape them or destroy them, will always be there at the core of our beings. With the latter, it is something more optimistic. A programme that is insistent, no matter how devastating the situation, that we can affect our destinies and help those around us to strive for better lives where we learn from our mistakes, can change and move forward. It is this version of Doctor Who, unsurprisingly, that the majority of the franchise believes in.

One thing Wilson did insist upon this serial was an experienced director whom he could trust to steer the ship and Christopher Barry was called in to take the job. Barry, however, was in the midst of other commitments leading to the unique situation where he only directed part of the story – episodes one, two, four and five. Richard Martin made his directorial debut with episode three and went on to direct episodes six and seven as well as the following serial and the Daleks' immediate next two appearances. Barry would also return to the series directing serials infrequently until 1979. As excellent as Martin's work in this serial is, and he realises some pretty spectacular imagery and visual effects for a little programme and with no experience, I could sing the praises of Christopher Barry all day. His choice of camera shots are incredibly dynamic throughout the episodes he helms with some particularly creative uses of angles and composition that really get the best out of these tiny sets. So many classic Doctor Who stories are hampered or even ruined by flat and uninspired direction (and eventually Barry will be the culprit of such a thing) but The Daleks, for my money, stands proud as one of the most cinematic serials of its era.

The cast are all excellent with great moments to shine. William Russell is always on good form and one of my favourite moments of the serial is when he smashes Susan's flower. It's a brilliant and revealing character beat for him. Jacqueline Hill is great and has some epic girl bossing toward the end ("Do you always do what Ian tells you?" "No."). Carole Ann Ford sells the desperation of Susan's mini-quest very well but let ustake some time to single out for praise is William Hartnell who turns in possibly the defining performance of at least his first year in the leading role and steals every single scene that he’s in. Considering the overly aggressive and immoral characterisation of An Unearthly Child, it was not necessarily a given that Doctor Who would be a likeable character any way moving forward but this is the story that first truly defines him. He is still arrogant, selfish and perhaps a little morally ambiguous but he is also shown to be deeply passionate, delightfully witty and shows more than a handful of moments of genuine charm. I love how character driven the plot ultimately is with little more than the Doctor's selfish, stubbornness to please himself that puts the whole crew in danger. It is worth mentioning too how the fluid link saga things on the TARDIS' identity as a machine, in the literal human understanding of the word. Very rarely beyond this serial would the TARDIS actually be treated in this way by the narrative, as opposed to simply being a magical element that carries us from A to B. The Doctor's actions are cruel and self-interested but by the time he is encamped among the Thals and one can see his delight in getting to know their people and their science, he suddenly becomes such a fully realised person in ways that he was not before. The Doctor is a scientist and an explorer, not some vindictive wizard with indefinable motives.

While the presentation, and perhaps core value itself, is a little dated, I also appreciate the Doctor's, and the rest of the main cast's, push for the Thals to be proactive as a peoples. It is a little clunky on the whole and comes off as a pretty pure endorsement against pacifism (though Ian's line "Pacifism only works when everybody feels the same" is a difficult claim to refute) but the nature of the message, insisting that standing up to oppressive forces and taking control of one's own life, is one worth conveying and an essential step in the development of the Doctor's morality. We are not entirely there yet, this is not a heroic character (indeed, he actively causes the Daleks to die), but this is the biggest leap we will get until the Daleks' next appearance.

Speaking of, let's get into the Daleks themselves. It is remarkable how close they are to being fully formed in their debut story. It disappoints me no end that this version of the Daleks, the calculating Nazi scientists allegory, is so ill-frequently represented in subsequent media appearances. The Daleks barely kill anybody at all in this script, largely seen just deliberating and experimenting in the labs of their cities, making the few uses of their weaponry a genuinely awesome shock for the audience. It is also a lot of fun seeing the original educational edict play out, for the only time with the Daleks; they cannot leave the floor of their city for they are powered by static electricity.

The true unsung hero of this production continues to be Ray Cusick, the BBC designer who somewhat infamously took over from a young Ridley Scott who was too busy to take on the job. Before even getting to the main event, we should note that the production design all around is stunning on this story. All of the sets and costumes that are dripping in glorious futuristic aestheticism that would make Star Trek jealous. The Daleks look incredible and, again, it is too easy to take for granted how truly iconic they are. The most radical redesign in the entire barely strays at all from their original realisation here. Even watching them today, it is unbelievable watching them in action. Just how smoothly and freakishly the creatures glide around their home world. They are just so thoroughly alien and it was one of the best choices of the production that their true nature is never actually revealed. How is it possible for the Daleks to be so far from anything resembling humanity? It is left purely for the imagination and to great effect. While Nation was very keen on the image of a gliding creature, allegedly inspired by the the Georgian State Ballet, Cusick was the one who really created the visual identity of the Dalek creature.

Terry Nation, 1987: “Raymond Cusick made a tremendous contribution and I would love to be glib enough to put it into percentage terms, but you can’t do that. You start with something that’s a writer’s dream, that he’s put down in words, and amended, and added to in conversations. Something starts there... I think they may have given him a hundred pound bonus, but he was a salaried employee... The copyrights resided with the BBC and myself... he made a tremendous contribution. Whatever the Daleks are or were, his contribution was vast."

Ray Cusick, 1992: "Everyone was rushing around corridors saying ‘Oh, there’ll be Dalek films, Dalek soap, Dalek tea towels’, they thought there’d be lots of money. I was very friendly with Terry Nation and we appeared on a very famous show called ‘Late Night Line-Up’, and I remember asking him after the show ‘What about the films, Terry?’. And I never saw him again!"

As well we know, Terry Nation is not a subtle writer. In a lot of ways, Terry Nation's scripts seem to defy analysis. Funnily enough, this is something that he has very much in common with, a remarkably different Doctor Who writer, Russell T Davies – neither of them are particularly keen on subtext. As noted above and well documented at this point, there are parallels to be drawn between the Daleks and Nazi scientists. These cold and calculating survivors of a long and brutal war who skulk about in their underground bunkers, preparing to exterminate an entire race that poses no threat to them. As Ian describes them; "They're afraid of you because you're different from them" These are parallels that Nation was very intentionally drawing in his work (and would draw even more intently come Genesis of the Daleks)but there is a particular quote from Nation about his creations that I find deeply tantalising;

Terry Nation, 1978: “I can’t isolate one character [that the Daleks are based upon]. But I suppose you could say the Nazis. The one recurring dream I have – once or twice a year it comes to me – is that I’m driving a car very quickly and the windscreen is a bit murky. The sun comes onto it and it becomes totally opaque. I’m still hurtling forwards at incredible speed and there’s nothing I can see or do and I can’t stop the car. That’s my recurring nightmare and it’s very simply solved by psychologists who say you’re heading for your future. You don’t know what your future is. However much you plead with somebody to save you from this situation, everybody you turn to turns out to be one of ‘Them’. And there’s nobody left – You are the lone guy. The Daleks are all of ‘Them’ and they represent for so many people so many different things, but they all see them as government, as officialdom, as that unhearing, unthinking, blanked-out face of authority that will destroy you because it wants to destroy you. I believe in that now – I’ve directed them more that way over the years."

This is a deeply interesting and revealing excerpt, in my opinion. Nation was a child during the Second World War, a fact that he often mentioned in interviews and something that continued to permeate his work. It would be hard to describe him as anything other than a man with liberal political values, many of which are on display in The Daleks. That being said, it is incredibly easy to read The Daleks as a condemnation of Nazi fascism, totalitarianism and racial hatred. Perhaps not is too easy. Let us take moment to consider the politics of The Daleks as a condemnation of, not the Second World War but, the post-war climate and even more directly on the UK itself. After all, it is not without note that the Thals are of typically Aryan physicality and even had German names in earlier drafts of the story. In real-world history, we all know that it was not the Nazis who dropped the first atomic bomb – it was the Allies and, while the plight of the Thals has a great deal in common with the Jewish in World War II, it is not especially difficult to shift the lens of the Dalek allegory onto the 'good guys' watching the programme. When considering this with the above quote, there becomes something almost anarchistic about The Daleks. Nation's story is a survivalist thriller in many respects (with a lot of the natural horrors, of course, being directly resultant of man-made atrocities) but his self-confessed anxiety for the future perhaps fuels the story's optimistic insistence that when everything is torn down and destroyed, life will prevail and we can begin again, better than before.

The Daleks presents strong ideals of community which makes perfect sense given the quote above. Nation's self-proclaimed fears seem keenly tied to isolation and that paranoia runs rampant in the terror of The Daleks. Take the sequence in The Survivors where Susan is racing back to the TARDIS on her own. The journey is horrifying and tense as she has no support or reassurance on her side. She is a young woman who is already dying and anything could be out to get her.The person who does find her, of course, is Alydon, a man from a kind, supportive and united community. The kind of community that could take on the Daleks. There are a lot of problems with this too though. The Thals are presented as, in Susan's words, perfect. They are peak physical performance, they look like humans and the villains, the irredeemable monsters, are physically inhuman.

Terry Nation, 1978: "[Survival] is a theme that’s actually gone through my work enormously... I’m in that aeroplane and I’m waiting for the moment when they say, 'Can anybody fly this aeroplane?' – And I can’t, but I know that finally I’m going to be the one that has to do it."

On Saturday the twenty-first of December 1963, the fifth episode of the BBC's new science-fiction adventure serial, Doctor Who, aired in front of an audience of 6.9 million viewers. The episode was penned an up and coming Welsh comedy writer named Terry Nation and it was the first of seven chapters in a saga entitled The Mutants. Following a thrilling cliffhanger and the unexpected reveal of the serial's bizarre antagonists, something unexpected happened – Doctor Who suddenly became incredibly popular. Between episodes two and three, 2.5 million more viewers tuned in for the adventure with another 1.5 million accumulated by the serial's end. Doctor Who might have debuted four weeks earlier with An Unearthly Child but The Daleks, as it came to be known, is where the programme that has lasted sixty years actually premieres.

David Whitaker, 1979: "When it was shown, not very long after being recorded, we were, and I don’t mean this to sound smug, proved quite right."

Peter Cushing, 1970s: "I thought it was very good. Very well made."

David Whitaker, 1979: "The Daleks were a smashing invention, and I took to them at once. I would say they’re worthy of Jules Verne."

Verity Lambert, 1980s: "What was very nice, though, was Donald Wilson coming up to me after the Daleks had taken off and saying ‘You obviously understand this programme better than I do. I’ll leave it to you’."

Part II - Dr. Who and the Daleks

Terry Nation, 1987: "After the Daleks, I was for a short time the most famous writer on television. The press interviewed me, there was mail arriving in great van loads. There was stuff coming to my house that said ‘Dalek Man – London’, and I was getting lots of them. Almost all the kids wanted a Dalek, and nobody was quick enough... My God, was that to change! Within the year, there were Dalek everythings."

As we all know, the Daleks were incredibly popular with the British public. In a manner cheekily compared to the Beatles, the Daleks dominated pop culture with all assortments of merchandise and spin-off material quickly emerging on the market. Between Nation and Whitaker's The Dalek Book, TV Century 21's comic strips (also credited to Nation), Whitaker's novel adaptation Doctor Who in an Exciting Adventure with the Daleks and any number of toys, costumes and promotional tie-ins, the impact and legacy of the Dalek serial was immediately felt. Nation was swiftly commissioned for a second serial, the decidedly less culturally penetrating The Keys of Marinus, and eventually asked for a sequel Dalek story but what could have been the most high-profile exposure for his creations that one could ask, strangely enough, came without much involvement from Nation at all.

In late 1964, American film producer Milton Subotsky approached Nation and the BBC about purchasing the film rights to The Daleks. For a fee of £500, Subotsky secured the rights and set about producing Dr. Who and the Daleks. As well as co-producing with Max J. Rosenberg, Subotsky was also credited for the screenplay with not insubstantial uncredited contributions from David Whitaker. The film was one of ten theatrical efforts by prolific television director Gordon Flemyng and marks the first of only two times (to date) that Doctor Who has been adapted exclusively for the silver screen.

Tom Baker, 1975: "There have been two Doctor Who films in the past, both rather poor."

I find Dr. Who and the Daleks to be a deeply fascinating cultural oddity but that fascination surrounding its existence ultimately fails to translate to the screen itself. Even if it was just rolled into production as a quick attempt to capitalise on the enormous success of the Daleks in yet another form of media, it is admittedly impressive how much of the picture really works. Bill Constable’s art direction is quite breathtaking at times, working beautifully with the luscious technicolor presentation. This is a gorgeous film just to look at and it really effortlessly realises the fullscreen, explosive world of the Daleks that previously only truly existed in the aforementioned comic books and annuals. I particularly love the latter sequences as our heroes scale Skaro's landscape amongst some gorgeous matte painting work. That being said, there is still something that speaks to me more about the 4:3 black and white glimpses offered in the TV version. The feeling of peering through your TV screen into these small corners of what feels like a larger, more dangerous world behind and beyond the camera is much more captivating for me than these much grander sets presented without ambition or flair.

Since I neglected them in my main review, let me quickly sing the praises of Peter Hawkins and David Graham as the voices of the Daleks. With the assistance of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop's Brian Hodgson, the pair created the unique electronic tones of the creature's voices using a ring modulator. Their voices are immediately recognisable and they put in great performances though it is clear, in hindsight, that the sound of the Daleks still had some work to do. Hawkins and Graham's initial Daleks are much more monotone than they would later become with the pair only later landing upon the rising pitch and angry tones that would truly define them. They are excellent in the film as well but, it has to be said, the story is not served by how many scenes they have of dialogue amongst themselves. Obviously it makes sense to showcase the full-colour, enormous Dalek props at every possible opportunity in your big screen Dalek film but there is just no way around the reality that Daleks rolling about and talking amongst themselves as slowly as it seems possible they could is not compelling cinema.

Worse than just looking at Daleks are the flaws of Terry Nation’s incredibly serialised storytelling being put on full display here. While the screenplay effectively trims the fat, save for the Dalek scenes, the general structure of this story does not work well as a single feature film. It is a similar problem that a lot of novel adaptations have where the filmmakers just cannot get the chapters to effectively translate to scenes and sequences. Dr. Who and the Daleks also has a bit of a bland core cast. Barrie Ingham is a good Alydon and Peter Cushing works magic with his dottery version of the Doctor but Roy Castle's doofus take on Ian leaves much to be desired and Jennie Linden's Barbara feels so surplus to requirements that she just gets folded into Susan's character and then a generic love interest. The film is entertaining but a bit of a lacklustre watch on the whole. It is not a poor or even unnecessary addition to the Doctor Who canon. This is as good a 90 minute adaptation of The Daleks that could possibly exist. It is just also true that the best version of that story is, regrettably, not this.

Roy Castle, 1990: "[I]t was quite unusual. Very unlike anything I’ve ever done... [The Daleks] were brilliant. I think if you’d said to the producer, you must get rid of the humans or the Daleks, he’d have got rid of us humans in a flash."

Peter Cushing, 1990s: "Those films are among my favourites because they brought me popularity with younger children. They’d say their parents didn’t want to meet me in a dark alley but ‘Doctor Who’ changed that. After all, he is one of the most heroic and successful parts an actor can play. That’s one of the main reasons the series had such a long run on TV. I am very grateful for having been part of such a success story.”

In 2024, the prevalence of Dr. Who and the Daleks in the greater story of the programme has dwindled but it is worth remembering just how significant an event it was. While not a critical darling, the film was a box officer smash in the UK and was often repeated on television over the following decades. For so many fans, Dr. Who and the Daleks was more readily viewed than great swathes of the television show itself. Even though The Daleks is the story that happened on television, it is not unfair to say that Dr. Who and the Daleks is the story many of us remember happening.

Part III - The Daleks in Colour

Russell T Davies, 2023: "I've got to be blunt, I've watched this, as a fan, a hundred times as a black and white show andI've never enjoyed it so much as in colour."

And so, we fast forward, to 2023 and the sixtieth anniversary of Doctor Who. Showrunner Russell T. Davies has made the entire back-catalogue available for streaming in the UK, three new specials are about to air and the boldest, most publicised attempt to bring the original series to the general audience since 2005 is taking place. Thanks to the work of fans such as Rich Tipple and Benjamin Cook, RTD spearheaded an all-new colorisation and re-edit of The Daleks down to a seventy-five minute length to offer an alternative "blockbuster" version for potential new fans. How many of the uninitiated took any notice of its appearance on iPlayer and sprucing on breakfast television remains to be seen but, nevertheless, Doctor Who: The Daleks in Colour arrived in our screens on the 23rd of November, 2023.

The film in question is an interesting but flawed experiment. Certainly, the possibility of colourising the ancient history of Doctor Who has been a tantalising one for decades now and something many fans, myself included, have been eager to see. In and of itself, this is a fine thing to strive for and, in this respect, The Daleks in Colour is incredibly successful at it. The colourisation is breathtaking. Not only is the colourising itself incredible but the choice to eschew real world reference points for the sets, costume and lighting in favour of the most vibrant, almost psychedelic options that they could possibly think of is the correct choice. The entire production has a sense of 1960s pop and visual style that slots in seamlessly with then contemporary productions to the extent where it looks like this could always have been the plan.

What feels very much not like it was planned, however, is the runtime. On paper, chopping up the serial makes a good deal of sense. Seven episodes is a big commitment to somebody uncertain of the original show and with 1963 pacing being what it was, the decision to pare things down matches well with the mission statement. Alas, the editing in this film does not work but not because the idea is bad. Dr. Who and the Daleks has proven that paring down the script can lead to a generally well-received and, for many, preferential product. Yes, Dr. Who and the Daleks is, in many ways the elephant in the room. While the decision to choose the debut of the Daleks as a story to hook in new fans makes a lot of sense on paper, the fact that the Subotsky adaptation exists at all makes it a little difficult to justify.

The direct comparison is ultimately unfavourable and not just because of how many of the colour choices seem direct inspired by it. The Subotsky film's existence awkwardly lampshades the fact that what one is watching here is not an eighty-two minute feature designed to watched in one sitting. This is an almost three hour one awkwardly cobbled together with jarring new musical cues. Many of the technical choices employed such as speeding up the film, tightening up gaps in the dialogue and recording new Dalek dialogue to disguise swathes of cut material all amount to a very obviously cobbled together experience.

Still, this experiment was necessary and this is a great little curio of the franchise but the awkwardness of the production and its core appeal as an alternative proves it unlikely, in my opinion, to ever actually attain its goal – enticing new viewers to watch the Hartnell era. What The Daleks in Colour is is an alternative to the original and a glimpse into an alternate history for a captive fanbase. It could have been an amazing leap forward but remains, instead, a noteworthy first step into uncharted territory.

But what of that original serial then? Well, in my opinion, The Daleks still holds up today as one of the best stories in the history of Doctor Who and a landmark moment in science fiction storytelling. But this is not for everyone. BBC television of the 1960s is certainly not for everyone; I watched this with my partner and we both did feel the length when watching the episodes in close proximity. Even so, I do strongly implore checking out the first two episodes in the serial for some of the most intriguing and moody sci-fi adventure storytelling you might ever see in Doctor Who. In December 1963, Terry Nation and the Doctor Who team created some wonderful episodes of television. And that was not the end of the story.

Terry Nation, 1987: "I don’t know to this day what the enormous appeal of the Daleks was. I’ve heard all sorts of ideas about it, but they were slightly magical, because you didn’t know what the elements were that made them work."

Sydney Newman, 1986: “Someone once told me that there was a question in Trivial Pursuit, ‘Who created Doctor Who?’. You turn the card over and it says the answer is Terry Nation! I wrote a rather stinging letter, demanding the destruction of all the Trivial Pursuits that had that mistake in them, hinting at some fabulous compensation that they should give me for demeaning my contribution to (laughs) world culture! I got lawyers and everything, but I didn’t get anywhere. They just said they would withdraw the card. I even wrote to Terry Nation for his support, and he sent me a very nice letter back.”

*This title would be adopted by fans despite not appearing on any documentation at the time. It became officially endorsed with the 2001 VHS release

#doctor who #analysis #behind the scenes #culture #tv #history #actors #review #classic who #daleks #doctor who dalek #tardis #dr who #time lords #william hartnell #first doctor #1st doctor #susan foreman #william russell

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beardedmrbean · 3 months ago

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A California man was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport after he allegedly tried to check two suitcases filled with clothing soaked in methamphetamine, including a cow pajama onesie, federal prosecutors announced Tuesday.

Prosecutors have indicted Raj Matharu, 31, with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to a Department of Justice news release. Matharu is scheduled to be arraigned Monday in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.

He is free on a $10,000 bond.

“Drug dealers are continually inventing creative ways of smuggling dangerous narcotics in pursuit of illicit profit — as alleged in the facts of this case,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. “In the process, they are poisoning communities throughout the world. Law enforcement is committed to fighting drug trafficking, knowing that every seizure saves lives.”

Matharu was preparing to board a late-night United Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Sydney, Australia, on Nov. 6 when he attempted to check two pieces of luggage, a pink suitcase and a gray suitcase, according to court documents. Screening officers X-rayed the suitcases and pulled them for “secondary inspection” after discovering “an anomaly.”

When law enforcement officers unzipped the suitcases, they found various “white or light-colored clothing items that were dried stiff and covered in a white residue,” according to a criminal complaint filed in the Central District of California. Officers field-tested a sample of the residue, which yielded positive results for meth.

The total weight of the meth-soaked clothing items was roughly 71.5 pounds.

In the pink suitcase, Customs and Border Protection officers found white residue on five white T-shirts, eight pairs of women’s underwear, 19 pairs of socks, two sports bras, three tank tops, two towels, one cardigan sweater, one hoodie, one fleece sweater, the onesie pajama and two sweaters.

In the gray suitcase, officers found white residue on two towels, six pairs of socks, five boxers, seven tank tops, one pair of sweatpants, two pairs of jeans, four hoodies, one polo shirt, two button-up shirts and one long sleeve top.

In a sworn affidavit, Homeland Security Investigations agent Megan Palmer wrote in part: “I believe in this instance the white methamphetamine was ‘washed’ into the white clothing and left to dry.”

“Based on my training and experience,” Palmer added, “I know that over time in a room temperature or cold environment, the solution would evaporate and then the powdered methamphetamine would separate from the shirt, forming a white residue.”

Matharu was intercepted at an LAX boarding gate and taken into custody on the morning of Nov. 7, according to the criminal complaint. If he is convicted, he would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life behind bars.

#nunyas news

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flyscreen123 · 4 months ago

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Premium Retractable Fly Screens In Sydney

Retractable fly screens in Sydney will give you a sleek and convenient way to keep out flies and insects while still letting in fresh air. Described to fit over doors, windows, and even patio areas, retractable fly screens offer a smooth, flexible solution for every home. With options customisable to your taste, the retractable fly screen in Sydney ensures style and functionality for every space.

#Retractable fly screen Sydney

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seeminglyranch87 · 1 year ago

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Taylor & Travis Timeline

March 2024 - part 1

March 2 - The Eras Tour, National Stadium, Singapore

Taylor Nation hints at an announcement on Twitter, Taylorswfit.com goes down just showing a black screen, Taylor Swift goes LIVE on IG during the acoustic section, we watch her perform her piano section, she blows a kiss then disappears diving into the stage. Fans are left wondering what was going on?

Mine x Starlight (guitar)

I Don't Want to Live Forever x Dress (piano) (x)

March 3 - The Eras Tour, National Stadium, Singapore.

Taylor Swift announces 4th variant of The Tortured Poets Department with exclusive bonus song: The Black Dog (x x)

Long Story Short x The Story of Us (guitar)

Clean x Evermore (piano)

March 4 - The Eras Tour, National Stadium, Singapore.

Cute little moment - Taylor shares "My hair has returned it to its factory settings" with all the humidity sending her hair curly. (x)

Foolish One x Tell Me Why (guitar)

This Love x Call it What You Want (piano)

Travis joins his brother Jason Kelce as he tearfully announces his retirement from NFL after a 13 year career with the Philadelphia Eagles (x). Jason makes a moving speech and reflects on his relationship with Travis (21:30) Jason says

It's only too poetic. I found my career being fulfilled in the city of Brotherly Love. I knew that relationship all too well.

Travis is wearing friendship bracelets: T💛T , Travis Kelce is a... and "The Match" gold chain presumably from a golf tournament.

March 5 - Travis attends Cleveland Cavaliers Game in Cleveland, Ohio with brother Jason. Travis & Jason are presented with bobbleheads

Taylor spotted out for dinner with her backup singers in Singapore

March 6 - New Heights Ep. 80 airs. Travis and Jason Kelce discuss Travis' trip to Sydney, Australia to visit with Taylor (x 31:24)

Jason asks about how there was footage of Travis and Taylor at the Sydney Zoo? Travis answers

there were full-on helicopters just flying around. They helicoptered us, well not us, this is all because...

Taylor's the biggest and the best thing possible

Travis also talks about the Australian crowds at the Era's Tour, Sydney night 1 in February.

Australians are pretty Rowdy they like to have a good time yeah I like to have a good time gosh they were just like a little bit louder than the Argentinian crowd and I was not expecting that because Argentina was f****n loud and they were into it and and so was Sydney so Taylor's very fond of performing in Australia because of the crowds over there and how into it they get, so awesome shout out to Australia for showing up.

Personally feeling proud as an Aussie Swiftie!

Travis flies out to Singapore

March 7 - The Eras Tour, National Stadium, Singapore

Death By A Thousand Cuts x Babe (guitar)

Fifteen x You're On Your Own Kid (piano)

Travis and friends arrive in Singapore

Travis & Taylor head out to Gardens by the Bay after the show together (x)

Above image of Taylor & Travis was shared by Taylor on April 19, 2024 (x)

ET release article (x)

A source tells ET, "Taylor is super busy with her tour, but Travis and her are continuing to make things work. He is enjoying his life in the off season while trying to be as supportive as possible of Taylor. They make a great match and both see a real future together. They have talked about next steps and are on the same page."

March 8 - The Eras Tour, National Stadium, Singapore

Travis is in attendance with friends

Sparks Fly x Gold Rush (guitar) (x)

False God x Slut! (piano) (x)

“Karma is the guys on the Chiefs!” ❤️💛 (x x)

Travis cheers Taylor on until she meets him back stage for a kiss ( x x x x)

Taylor and Travis seen out for dinner at KOMA Japanese restaurant and Sushi Bar at Marina Bay Sands - Singapore with Taylor 's band and backup singers (x)

Travis pictured with fan at the concert - such kind words about Travis. Posted on IG March 10.

March 9 - The Eras Tour, National Stadium, Singapore

Travis is in attendance with friends for a second night in Singapore.

Tim McGraw x Cowboy Like Me (guitar)

Mirrorball x Epiphany (piano)

Taylor sings "Karma is the guy on the chiefs coming straight home to me" once again and has sweet interaction with Travis as she takes her bow at the end of the show, grinning, waving and blowing kisses to each other (x x x)

Taylor & Travis leave Singapore together returning to the USA.

March 10 - Taylor & Travis arrive in Los Angeles

ET article (x)

A source tells ET that [Taylor] is "happier than ever and so in love."

"She likes that Travis is so proud of her and that he isn't afraid to show his love for her publicly,"

"She is in a great place and having the best time performing, making music, and feeling free to live her life more openly," the source adds. "Travis is enjoying being on tour with Taylor and is happy to support her."

"Taylor views Travis as a true partner and someone she can have a real future with."

Academy Awards & Oscars After Parties

According to People (x)

The pair [Taylor & Travis] attended Gucci's 16th annual event known as "The Party" on Sunday night, which was held at talent manager Guy Oseary's home.

"They were on the patio and in great moods. She had a very happy, giant smile," a guest at the party tells PEOPLE. "He was protective of her and she was delightful and glowing — they seemed very happy together and loving the night."

Travis is photographed with an Oscar...

Billy Eichner reveals his interaction with Travis & Taylor at the Oscars party - posted 5 Dec. 24 (x)

March 11 - Travis is out for lunch at Cecconi's in LA with some friends

March 12 - according to ET (x) with reference to “The Party” on March 10 into the early hours of the morning March 11…

The source added the GRAMMY-winning songstress and the Kansas City Chiefs' tight end were in high spirits throughout the evening, seen smiling, dancing, and engaging in conversations with friends.

Meanwhile, an eyewitness tells ET that the couple selected "The Party" because "they knew they would have privacy there." The eyewitness added, "They had a great time and were super cool to the other attendees. They felt like they could relax and kick back because of the no cellphone and photo policy. They spent most of the night close together and by each other's sides and looked happy and in love. They also spent time talking and hanging out with Miles and Keleigh [Teller]."

Travis records New Heights Podcast in LA (x)

Go to previous update -> February 2024 part 2

Go to next update -> March 2024 part 2

Return to the timeline

#taylor swift #taylor and travis #travis kelce #87 and 89 #taylor swift and travis kelce #traylor #killatrav #seemingly ranch #timeline #87 + 13 = 100 #Taylor & Travis timeline #TnT #Travlor #swelce #T&T

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windowanddoorinstallation · 1 year ago

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Louvre Windows in Sydney for Fresh Air and Modern Elegance

While getting a new property constructed or during property renovation, people often ignore the importance of windows in every room. They play a crucial role in the overall functionality of the spaces and the entire property. For example, they help with proper ventilation and ensure that adequate light enters the property. The most prevalent version is the Louvre windows in Sydney, and they come with different features, perks and advantages, and we have discussed some in this write-up.

They Are Attractive and Popular

The main reason why people opt for louvre windows for homes and offices is that they are lovely and popular. They are often used as a decor option in Australian properties, and it is a fact that they can suit different styles of properties very easily.

They Are Known For Better Energy Efficiency

One more reason why louvre windows services are preferred is that they make properties more energy-efficient. Studies tell that they reduce domestic energy consumption significantly and act impressively as a practical alternative to fans and lights in laundry rooms and bathrooms. They can keep the interiors well-ventilated, cool and fresh, and you don't have to use artificial cooling and lighting solutions.

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High-Level Privacy

If you want more privacy, you can go with louvre windows in Sydney. The design shuts down the blades entirely and ensures that outsiders never get to see anything inside your home. The material also provides high-level privacy, as timber, aluminium, or frosted glass can be used for slats.

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These windows also act impressively to enhance the property's overall aesthetic appeal and give a different look to interiors and designs. They are available in various materials, colours and styles, and there is an opportunity to choose the looks that complement the home and increase its resale value.

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The efforts related to cleaning these louvre windows in Sydney are next to zero, and this is yet another reason why they are incredibly popular. Every individual slat can be accessed easily to clean from both slides. Also, if damaged, replacing the slats with the new ones is very easy.

#Louvre Windows #Louvre Windows suppliers #Louvre Windows installaitons #Louvre Windows services #Louvre Windows companies #Louvre Windows sydney #Louvre Windows aesthetic appeal #Louvre Windows for privacy #Louvre Windows for security #Aluminum Louvre Windows #louvre windows sydney #louvre window frames #louvre windows with fly screen #Custom Louvre windows #Stylish design Louvre windows

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hypnotisedfireflies · 10 months ago

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ooh, I'll ask - what's your headcanon for Australia, New Zealand, and Polynesia??

Thank you for asking! This was a fun exercise to get down in a doc and out of my head.

I think everyone knows that I’m Australian by now. So yeah, it’s particularly entertaining for me to imagine how things might be in the TLOUinverse on my side of the pond for a change.

Many Polynesian nations escaped Cordyceps completely – Tonga, Tokelau, Kiribati and the Cook Islands amongst these. They closed their borders and were essentially remote enough to be able to protect themselves from the first wave. However, that didn’t mean they had an easy time of it. Many of these nations rely on imports and with those grinding to a complete halt, they struggled in other ways to survive. Some of these nations also had unwelcome visitors in the form of refugees from other countries trying to fly or boat in. Most of these brought in sick people. Some of the nations formed methods of screening refugees who made it to their shores, others rejected them completely, and some nations fell apart over the ensuing years, unable to support so many people.

The North Island of New Zealand was completely overrun. The South Island had a bad few years, but pockets of it were able to resist, and within a few years they were able to rally and take the island back. They were mostly in control by 2005 – they were not fucking around – and Cordyceps-free by 2008. The nation officially reverted back to its name in the Maori language, Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu (but most just called it Aotearoa).

It was many years before they conquered the North Island, and then there were several years of warfare to fully secure it. The haka performed before the Battle of Auckland (which was one of their final victories over Cordyceps in 2015) was renowned the world over – the Kiwis documented much of their war on film, and these were distributed to survivors across the globe. These were often credited as inspiring a new generation of survivors not to endure and survive, but to fight.

Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu maintained contact with Australia throughout the war, but the situations in the two nations were very different. The densely populated centres of Australia were decimated. This is essentially all down the east coast from Brisbane, to Sydney, right down to Melbourne in the south. Darwin, right in the top end, was also destroyed, but this was mainly from refugees fleeing other nations. But Australia is a big, varied place, and not all was lost.

Many of the islands and remote towns around the country were able to find ways to survive. And the largest island, Tasmania, proved to be a haven. While its population centres were initially overrun like the rest of the continent, the army concentrated its efforts on eradicating Cordyceps in Tasmania first. There were three major offensives before they got the tactics right and were able to declare the state Cordyceps-free. The Government relocated here, but it was not the only success story.

Perth did okay. This is probably because the Infected, much like everyone else in Australia, thought it was too expensive and far away to bother with. Perth was the site of the first Quarantine Zone in Australia. Australia had a number of these over time but they were very different to the North American QZs. Australia’s tended to be constructed in remote areas, not large cities (with the exception of Perth). They each supported some kind of industry to try and keep civilisation humming along. These were not perfect, but most were successful.

The one in Port Hedlund said “fuck you cunts,” to the rest of the country and declared itself independent. The army didn’t much like that and it was dealt with pretty quickly. Wagga Wagga, with its RAAF and army training bases, was established not long after Perth and continued recruit training at Kapooka and Forest Hill. But some of the most successful survival stories came not from those within Australian Quarantine Zones.

Many Indigenous Australians, especially those in remote areas towards the centre, returned to country. Some of their camps and communities were overrun like everywhere else, but a lot survived. Some communities adapted so well that their lives were almost uninterrupted.

(It's difficult to explain the scale of Australia, and just how remote some Indigenous communities are, and how far they are from anything else. Suffice to say, there are people who know how to live on country in Australia in a way most of us cannot comprehend, and there are families and tribes that really could weather Cordyceps out - especially those towards the centre of Australia, where the conditions are dry and wholly unsuitable for a mushroom-based infection).

But the QZs kept in contact with one another and most importantly, with Aotearoa me Te Waipounamu. Trade recommenced between Tasmania and the South Island once both these zones were fully secure, and over time, links were reforged with other smaller nations in the region. The South Pacific Alliance was formed. By 2023, there was a good deal of cooperation – except for Perth, who also decided the rest of us could get fucked, and declared themselves as the Independent Nation of Perth or some crap. Nobody was really listening, they’re pretty far away and no one wanted to go there anyway so it was like okay good luck bye.

… I don’t really have beef with Perth. I’m sure it’s lovely. Anyway, thanks for the question! I'm not sure how plausible all of my theories are, but it's fun to consider.

#asks #driftersverse #tlou

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cosmiclove-heavenstruck · 8 months ago

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My Not So Short Ramble About The Bear Season 3

(Spoilers: Ehhh, I did not really like it... I do like this frame though:)

I did kinda not so feel this season of The Bear, but let‘s start with what I liked: The Tina-centric episode was one of the best in my opinion (and directed by Ayo? Let's go, queen). She‘s a lovely character and to see her journey and how she got to The Beef and Mikey was very heartfelt and warming. It was also very nice to see Ebra happy again after he felt so out of place last season. And it‘s always good to have Olivia Coleman on my screen.

There were some fun moments. The Fak brothers are funny (to an extent), Richie and his daughter are super sweet, so there’s that. I like when all these characters clash, when things go wrong, when they scream at each other, when tensions get high and they need to achieve something. A show like this needs this energy.

Unfortunately, there is barely any engery this season.

This season was very slow. Look, I don‘t mind focusing on specific characters and getting to know them, but a whole episode dedicated to Sugar and her mom in the hospital because the baby‘s coming just for it to… not really go anywhere? Yes, some dialogue was really good but we don't leave the hospital room for 90% of the episode and they're just not strong enough to carry that. There wasn't even a big reunion, not even Carmy calling Sugar back, you know since she left pregnant and just didn‘t come back?? She could be in labor in Home Depot isle three, for all you know! Yeah, he‘s stressed and ill and all but that‘s his sister! Did he ever call her? Did he go see his niece? Why the fuck is it Sydney that cooks them food and brings it over and he isn‘t even shown talking to his sister once? (I mean, I know, Sdyney‘s great and she and Natalie are tight so that was sweet of her, but you get my point.) It just makes me so mad. There should have been a breakdown at the restaurant when they noticed! Hello, everybody loves Sugar! You'd be fucked without her. And y'all send her to get paper towels and don't give a flying fuck that she doesn't come back? This could have been a moment of peace between Richie and Carmy. The whole family should've been at the hospital. Instead it's... two Fak brothers. And even if they missed it, why couldn't Carmy go along with Syd to make up for his mistake? His love language is cooking and he and Sugar seemed so close the last two seasons so why never mention their relationship again?

While I mentioned I liked seeing Ebra happy again, I wish we'd gotten more of his character. In the beginning, it felt like they'd just sidelined him because he doesn't fit the high cuisine or whatever. Then he gets some support by some other guys but and yeah, he is happy and I love that, but it feels like the creators just wanted to get him out of the way even though the window business makes the only money in this hell house? He's fucking important to this success so treat him like it!

Montages and aesthetic shots of food cannot fill all the season (well, apparently, they can) because that‘s not storytelling. Yes, I want to see the food, but I don‘t need ten flashbacks and montages and slowmotion shots per episode. Speaking of flashbacks — what is it with Claire? Why are we doing this? Why would Carmy pine after her for months? She is so… bland, watered down — almost like a canvas for people who fancy JAW/Carmy to imagine themselves as Claire. It feels fanfiction-y, right? "You‘re a nurse and went to high school with Carmy but loose track of one another…" The Bear is capable of interesting, real-feeling characters so it‘s sad to see the screentime get wasted for her when all I want to see is what's happening in the restaurant.

What I mean is, this season was slow. Way too slow. There was so much time wasted on nothing that could‘ve been cut. Like the Natalie-goes-into-labor-episode and most of the first one as well, to be honest. The points that were supposed to come across to the viewer — how Carmy becomes this stressed out, shouting, cold chef high on perfectionism fighting with past desicions and getting a star for the restaurant, how that affected the whole staff, how it fucks up Sydney because he becomes so much like his former chef — they could have been better wrapped, a bit quicker paced. Have the funeral of the Ever more mid-season, have the surprise review consequences NOW and not just as flashes so I have to pause the episode to read anything/leave it hanging on a cliffhanger, have Syd fucking explode for once and tell Carmy how it is, how he is turning into the asshole he hates. Make it extra bad by having a conversation between the two earlier in the season on how bad it was for Carmy and not her "learning" about his past at the funeral dinner. Make her leave. Make him regret what he's done, make him feel what he's missing.

Really, I was yelling at Syd to leave through the last few episodes. Leave, get out, work at a different restaurant, find a new environment. Carmy doesn‘t need to have wallow in his feelings for minute on end on how he should apologize to Claire, he should apologize to Sydney and Richie and everyone he‘s stressing out so much. If Sydney only leaves by the end of season 4 I‘ll riot.

I don't even want to say I'm not hoping for anything to happen between Syd and Carmy, like I actively need them to get away from each other as of right now. But! I liked the call-back to the "best meal Sydney's ever had" and that that was the one time Carmy decided to go his own way and not follow the instructions of his chef. Which is why the theme of being haunted could've fit so well with them! It's just a joke in the beginning by the Faks, but then Sydney leaves The Bear and Carmy feels actually haunted by her. Doesn't even have to be romantic. The potential was there.

Some other smaller things: 1. The timing was so hard to tell. They should've worked with different lightnings or make it less confusing, but as it is now, I was constantly questioning myself when this took place. 2. I can't really complain about the casting of so many actual chefs because I just don't recognize them (oops, sorry) but while I liked to see the different dynamics between them and Carmy at least, it feels so rude to all the POC characters in the kitchen working their asses off and not getting any plot lines. 3. Again, again nothing really happens. I said it up there somewhere, if you'd cut the montages and flashbacks and filler stuff, how much plot are you really left with? When I think of all the important points that happened, they should not take ten episodes to show.

This could've been beautiful. But now it's just the bad kind of messy.

#the bear #the bear season 3 #the bear spoilers #just need to get this out somewhere #don't come for me if you have different views <3

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