#i can access seasons 1 and 2 fine

[aether-the-bakugannie]

If I actually made original posts on here instead of just reblogging posts, I would be unstoppable.

Unfortunately, I do not because I am stupid and lack the focus necessary to watch episodes of this show because one website takes three to five business days to load then throws a bunch of adverts at you and another doesn't work anymore because my computer's antivirus software does not like that it tries to infect my laptop.

[fangirlrecipe]

Slow Down, Cowboy (Part 1)

Pairing: Billy the Kid (Tom Blyth) x reader

Word Count: 1.5k

Warnings: None. This will probably be the first part of a three or four part series. Establishing the pairing. More fluff to come!

Synopsis: Reader is a server/bar keeper at the local saloon. Billy and the guys come for a drink after a long day of horse stealing and cattle rustling. It doesn’t take much for Billy and reader to take an interest in each other.

A/N: So, no surprise I’m on the Tom Blyth train after watching TBOSAS. I needed more so naturally I watched Season 1 of Billy the Kid and let me tell you, I was not disappointed. He is SO FINE in this series!! Kicking my feet and twirling my hair fr. Also a very good series!! Please watch if you love Tom and love a good story. This was born out of disappointment from the lack of writing on Tom’s Billy on this app as well as a craving for more Tom 😅 Enjoy!!

Part 2: Here

Part 1: A Sight for Sore Eyes

The saloon was already hustlin’ and bustlin’ on a Friday evening. The cacophony of chatter, laughter, and glasses clinking, only to be amplified by the 5 or so pairs of cowboy boots you heard stomping into the saloon, accompanied by the incessant ringing of the bell above the entryway door. The scuffed boots belonged to a group of rowdy cowboys coming in for a drink, or three, after a long day of horse thievin’ and cattle rustlin’, no doubt. You eyed up each one of them, noting their greasy hair underneath tattered hats, dirt caked around and under their fingernails, and revolvers strapped to their hips for easy access. You had been around town long enough to know that these guys were up to no good during the day, but that was none of your business. A paying customer was a paying customer, no matter how they got their money.

You carried on serving customers who were already at the bar until you heard the bell above the door ring again, signaling the entrance of another patron. Normally you wouldn’t give that sound a second thought, but something compelled you to glance up in the direction of the noise.

The saloon was small, so there wasn’t much distance between you, working behind the counter, and the door. You were surprised to be met with striking blue eyes underneath curly brown hair and a dark brown top hat. He was tall. Lean. Young. Very handsome. You had not seen him before… at least not in person. Wanted posters with his face and a handsome reward for his capture were plastered all over every county east and west of Lincoln. None other than the infamous Billy the Kid had just stepped through your saloon doors, reputation preceding miles before him.

Despite what you had heard about him, you couldn’t help but let your eyes linger on him as you memorized his appearance. You noticed his eyes sparkle as they met yours. Perhaps it was from the lights hanging overhead, you thought. He stopped as the door slammed to a close behind him. Without breaking eye contact, he removed his hat and held it to his chest, giving you a polite nod and a slight smile, acknowledging your innocent exchange. He then wandered off to find the loud group of men that had entered the saloon moments before him.

So, Billy the Kid was riding around town with these guys. You knew to keep your distance from guys like that in your personal life, but at work, money was money. The group of guys came up to the bar, eyeing you up and down before placing their drink orders. They weren’t original; Whistles and cat calls accompanied by orders for straight vodka or whiskey for the lot. You handed out drinks with a smile, graciously accepting their tips. Then, they were on their way, hootin’ and hollerin’ over to a table in the corner to drink until they got dizzy, celebrating their accomplishments of the day. All that was left behind was Billy.

“How can I help you today, sir?” You asked him, quickly realizing he was a man of few words. He had not made a single comment like his buddies had when they approached the counter.

Billy had put his hat back on shortly after entering the saloon, but he took it off again as soon as you addressed him, making eye contact. A sign of respect.

“Hi there. Whiskey, please.” His slight southern drawl was charming, you had to admit. But it seemed newly acquired. He wasn’t from here originally. You didn’t know much about him aside from the daily town gossip, but something told you he was different. Misunderstood, maybe.

You nodded your head and smiled. “One whiskey, comin’ right up.” You set a glass down in front of him and poured the amber liquid into it. He picked the glass up and drank it down in one gulp. Must have been a hard day, you thought to yourself.

He tapped the rim of the glass with his index finger a couple of times before meeting your gaze again. “Another, please, ma’am,” he asked softly. You obliged and poured him another. This time he decided to sip instead of down it in under three seconds.

“You got it. Holler if you need anythin’ else. Okay, darlin’?” He nodded and dropped his gaze down to the glass in front of him. Perhaps it was the warmth of the alcohol, but you could have sworn you saw a blush creep up on his cheeks. You smiled to yourself once your back was turned.

The night went on as you carried on taking care of the patrons at your bar, drinking themselves to sleep or until their buddies helped them stumble home. You and Billy stole glances and sweet smiles throughout the whole night. Eventually, the saloon cleared out leaving only you and Billy, who had joined his friends at their table shortly after getting his third whiskey from you. As you were wiping down the bar counter and cleaning glasses to start closing up, you watched Billy talk to his group of cowboys. They seemed to be egging him on to do something, but he kept shaking his head and laughing, declining politely. Eventually they got the message, clapping him on the shoulder and exiting the saloon, claiming they would see him back at camp.

You kept your head down as you continued to polish glasses and silverware, ears perking up at the sound of his boots scraping the hardwood floor in your direction. Billy gently set the glass on the counter in front of you with a thud before resting his elbows on it, leaning in your direction. You looked up at him through your lashes. “Not headin’ out with your buddies?”

Billy shook his head, noticing your clean nails and the absence of a wedding ring. “No, ma’am. I don’t partake in their late night activities,” Billy told you in a soft voice. You wondered what activity he was referring to. It could be one of two things: drinking, or women. Since they already had the drinking part taken care of, there was only one other thing it could be. You weren’t sure why, but learning this about him made you feel happy. Relieved, almost.

You placed the glass you were cleaning back on the shelf underneath the bar and threw the rag you were using over your shoulder. With a hand on your hip, you asked, “well, in that case, is there anything else I can get you this evening, cowboy? We are closing right about now.” You waited for him to answer, taking the opportunity to appreciate how well his plaid dress shirt fit him, the top two buttons now open to reveal a new patch of skin you had not seen upon his arrival. You pulled your eyes away when you realized you had been staring a second too long.

“No more drinks for me, ma’am. Thank you, though. There was one other thing I was hoping to get from you, if you don’t mind me asking.” You leaned forward yourself, really meeting his eyes this time. With him leaning across the bar like that, he was the closest he had been all night. The bright blue of his eyes couldn’t even get lost in the dim light of the saloon. You hated how your breath caught in your throat when you realized how close you two actually were.

You cleared your throat and took a second to steady yourself before asking with a playful smile on your lips, “and what might that be?” Billy smiled in return, dropping his eyes to his hands before returning them to you again. “I was hoping I might learn the name of the beautiful woman serving me drinks tonight. So I know who to ask for when I come back tomorrow.” There it was, that smile again, that threatened to leave you speechless. Honestly, you were pleasantly surprised by his manners, especially for a man so young and to be riding around with gunslingers all day. You had heard he was dangerous, but you seemed to have forgotten that. Although you were nervous to be alone with him, you also felt safe. Safe enough to share your name with him.

“Y/N,” you told him with a smile and a nod. “It’s lovely to make your acquaintance.”

“Likewise, miss Y/N. My name is William but folks call me Billy. I sure do hope I’ll be seein’ you again real soon.” His voice was smooth, like it was dripping in honey. His charm was effortless and completely disarmed you. Those goddamn cowboys.

“Well, I’m here pretty much 24/7 so, drop in whenever you like. Now I know who to look out for.” You smiled at him again, holding his gaze for a second. He nodded and made his way to the door, stopping to turn around and look at you one last time before exiting the saloon. He tipped his hat to you as he said, “you sure are a sight for sore eyes. You have a good night now,” and was whisked away by the evening breeze.

You stared at the door where he stood just moments before, simultaneously smiling to yourself like an idiot and cursing yourself for being so smitten by a cowboy upon the first interaction. He left you breathless and with only one thought:

In a world of boys he’s a gentleman.

[voyagerweek]

VOYAGER WEEK PROMPTS

DAY 1 - JAN. 10: Favorite Episode | Away Missions

DAY 2 - JAN. 11: Favorite Character | Meet You in the Runabout

DAY 3 - JAN. 12: Favorite Relationship | Allies & Enemies

DAY 4 - JAN. 13: Favorite Season or Arc | Time Travel

DAY 5 - JAN. 14: Favorite Quote | Home Away From Home

DAY 6 - JAN. 15: Favorite Holodeck Program | Lost in the Holodeck

DAY 7 - JAN. 16: Caretaker (S1E01) 30th Anniversary | FREE SPACE

Fanwork originally made and posted on Tumblr for this event with the tag #voyager week will be reblogged by this blog. Racism, bigotry, harassment, or discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated. Be respectful of other fans and have fun! FAQs ↴

How do I participate? Make a new post on Tumblr with the tag "#voyager week" during the week of January 10-16, 2025. Crossposting to other sites such as AO3 is allowed, but please also make a new post on Tumblr so this blog can reblog it. If your post has not been reblogged within 48 hours of posting, please send a DM to @voyagerweek along with the post. Submissions will only be reblogged during the event week and for up to two weeks after the event. Please do not post a submission before January 10, 2025.

Why are there two prompts for each day? Do I have to use one or both? There are two prompts to cover multiple interpretations of the event. A prompt that is accessible for a writer may not be for a gifmaker, for example. You may choose to use one or both prompts for each day, or multiple prompts from different days combined in one post, or no prompt! These prompts are being provided 5 months in advance of the event so that there is plenty of time to consider them, but if none of them inspire you, feel free to make a fanwork about Voyager that does not incorporate any of the prompts. The prompts are meant to inspire but not constrain your creativity. You may also submit multiple posts in one day. Participate as much or as little as you would like!

Can I post X kind of fanwork? Yes! If it is made by you (or you have express permission from the original creator) for this event, it counts as a fanwork and will be accepted. The following list of types of fanwork is not meant to be restrictive but to provide examples: fanfic of any length, fanart/comics, gifs/edits/fanvids, playlists, moodboards, meta discussions/essays/headcanons, crafting/textiles, cosplay, and anything else made by fans to show appreciation for Voyager. **Please put long written works below a "read more" cut**

What if my fanwork is part of an ongoing work such as a multi-chapter fanfic or series? That's fine! As long as whatever you post is new and made for this event, whether you use one of the prompts or not, it will be reblogged (i.e. you may not make a post for a previously published chapter of your fic, but a new chapter or installment posted during the event is acceptable).

Can my work include other Star Trek shows/movies/books/etc? Yes, as long as Voyager or its characters are one of the main focuses of the fanwork, you are welcome to incorporate other media properties, Star Trek or otherwise.

Can my work be about an actor or the production/behind the scenes of Voyager? Yes, as long as the work's focus is still on Voyager (i.e. not a gifset solely of the actor in another show/movie).

Are OCs (original characters) allowed? Yes, if a Voyager setting or its characters are included in the fanwork as well.

Are AUs (alternate universes) allowed? Yes. Canon divergence and different settings (i.e. modern AUs) are allowed if the work still features Voyager characters or elements.

Is NSFW/adult content allowed? Yes, as long as you tag appropriately with trigger warnings and follow Tumblr's restrictions for explicit content. Reblogs of works that contain graphic violence, sexual content, strong profanity, or nudity will be tagged #nsfw for filtering.

Threshold Day is January 29 and already a recognized fan event on Tumblr, why are you having a Voyager event that doesn't include this day? The dates were chosen to coincide with the thirtieth anniversary of the original airdate of the first episode of the first season. This event is meant to share enthusiasm for the entirety of Voyager, and hopefully that will continue after the event week is finished.

**If you have any other questions not covered by this list, please send an ask to @voyagerweek.**

[zeroslashsix]

Following my Gambit post, I love love love the way Rogue's powers are handled in X-Men Evolution. Like Gambit, Rogue tends to have a certain set of 'roles' when she's in a show/movie: she's focused on inner torment about her powers, on being a Spicy Southern Belle, or her romantic connections. Which is to say, her stories are usually about emotions and relationships, which is fine, I love those parts of her as much the rest. But if she's not fighting, her powers are only really viewed through a lens of how she feels about them, and how they impact her ability to connect with others.

And here's X-Men Evolution, fully leaning into the fact that Rogue’s power is one of the most dangerous in the entire show. I love the s3 ep "Self-Possessed" so much because it takes the brakes off her, and really commits to the idea that stacking powers is catastrophic when you consider she can wield multiple omega-level powersets at the same time. Her main limitation is that she doesn't want other personalities in her head, she limits her power usage because she just doesn't like it, and yeah, totally fair, but Rogue could absolutely wake up one day, go through the mansion and decide to be an omega squared. X-Men Evolution is about teenagers who are still figuring out their abilities, even at the end of the series when they're a year (two years?) older. By the finale, they have more control and training, but they are absolutely still growing into adulthood and have not reached full potential.

Which is why I think "Self-Possessed" is such a fascinating look at Rogue's powers. Every iteration of Rogue imposes a time limit on her absorption, meaning that any powers she absorbs will only stay with her for a short time. But in that episode, when she's succumbing to all those personalities in her head, her time limit stops existing. She can access powers for months, maybe even years after the initial absorption. Mystique's powers couldn't have given Rogue that ability; the only way Rogue could do such a thing is if that potential already exists inside of her. This implies that when she absorbs a power, that power stays inside her as long as the personality does, and her "time limit" is just a matter of control, or lack thereof.

This seems to be backed up by the s3 finale, where Mesmero and Mystique mind control Rogue to gather powers, and Rogue proceeds to SWEEP the X-Men, Brotherhood, Acolytes, and Magneto in less than 24 hours. By the end of it, she seems fully capable of using any and all their powers at will, ignoring any sort of time limit. Mesmero can mind control others, but he can't enhance them. He cannot give someone powers they don't already possess. The only reason Rogue could do all that is because she was already capable of it, and the fact Mesmero could mind control this out of her seems to imply that Rogue's limitations are entirely self-imposed, mostly mental/emotional, or maybe a lack of experience. (Similar to the season four finale where Rogue seems to use Leech’s power better than he does, probably just because he’s a little kid and she’s an adolescent so has a better grasp on powers in general)

Like, no wonder Mystique and Destiny wanted her powers. No wonder Magneto was so thrilled to have her in the ranks in the first season. No wonder so many people in the world want to use her; she is the all-mutant, the living multi tool that can gather multitudes of power in one place and then combine them. The only reason she isn't considered omega-level is pure technicality; in terms of destruction she could actually lay down, Rogue is absolutely as dangerous as plenty of omegas. The requirements for an omega are 1) infinite power, and 2) limitless power. Rogue has the first one; she can stack an infinite number of powers. But she lacks the second; all her powers must come from the outside, and she cannot generate them herself. But if she has access to multiple omega powersets like she does in Self-Possessed, that technicality kind of stops mattering once the punches actually start flying.

Which all leads into Rogue's main emotional journey through X-Men Evolution, which is perhaps my favorite she's ever had: being used. That's why she was adopted. That's why she was raised being unable to touch, being lied to by both her moms. That's why she was taken into the Brotherhood, and it's why Mystique will never leave her alone. Extra fascinating because after the reveal in season one that Mystique is Kurt's mother, Mystique leaves Kurt completely alone for the rest of the series, while simultaneously stalking and manipulating Rogue. Why the difference? Because Kurt is not a useful tool. Not compared to Rogue. And I think Rogue sees that difference, which makes for such a juicy dynamic when Kurt is so interested in actually loving Mystique, for insisting that Rogue should forgive their mother and 'let hatred go,' because he genuinely thinks that anyone can be saved with enough love. Whereas Rogue, who has seen Mystique's 'love' up close for her whole life, is desperately trying to get away from that, with good reason.

One of the reasons I wish we’d had more seasons, or at least more episodes in the last season, is how seamlessly Rogue’s feelings about her powers flowed into her feelings around being used, her feelings around family, and being dehumanized to the point of mind-wipe by her own mother. Yes she’s sad about the no-touching thing, but that’s nothing compared to being seen as a literal object in the eyes of others, because her powers are utterly perfect—for someone else to use. Which flows into questions of bodily autonomy, of who her powers “belong to” vs. who they “should belong to.” Especially considering that Rogue is only at full power when she loses control/is under someone else’s control, which could lead someone to conclude, “Well of course Rogue should be under someone’s control, preferably mine. She’s so powerful when someone else is controlling her, and so weak when she controls herself. It’s honestly such a waste for Rogue to be her own person when she could be so much more. She needs to be used to reach her full potential.”

In a perfect world, we’d have way more X-Men Evo than we got. More seasons, more episodes, more time to explore whatever the hell Rogue had going on. And if I was allowed to pick, I would have loved to see Rogue with a character arc of self-ownership. In particular, it would be so cool to see her powers develop to the point she can have a “Self-Possessed” crisis and control it, fully aware of herself and all the powers she holds. I’d love to see her use those powers for her own benefit, on purpose, independent of both her mother and the X-Men. I’d love to see a self-serving Rogue in the XMenEvo. Not necessarily evil (though it would be a fascinating villain arc) but a Rogue who chooses selfishness as an act of rebellion. Who can use all those powers simultaneously, consciously, and disobediently. Vengeance, maybe? Or something that heightens humans’ fear of mutants? I’d love to see Rogue become inconvenient to the X-Men, at the very least, either physically or philosophically. Certainly nothing so dire as the Phoenix saga, but something that uses her powers to their fullest extent. (Damn could you imagine Rogue as the Horseman of Death if this went in the opposite direction. How fucking overpowered would Death!Rogue be, how the hell would the X-Men deal with that)

Anyways. Fanfiction is the folklore of the now or whatever. And XMenEvo was already a crazy high school AU anyway.

[twinsimming]

New Scholarships by Twinsimming 🎓

"Need some extra simoleons for university? Sims University now offers a variety of scholarships for prospective students!"

This is a script mod that can be placed in your Packages folder. It was built and tested on 1.69 but should work fine on 1.67.

Requirements

To access all of the scholarships available with this mod, the following packs and store content are required:

The Sims 3: World Adventures

The Sims 3: Ambitions

The Sims 3: Generations

The Sims 3: Showtime

The Sims 3: Supernatural

The Sims 3: Seasons

The Sims 3: University Life

The Sims 3: Island Paradise

The Sims 3: Into the Future

Fit As a Fiddle Violin (The Sims 3 Store)

Artisan Glassblowing Station (The Sims 3 Store)

Stiff as a Board, Light as a Feather Dance Floor (The Sims 3 Store)

Overview

Applying for Scholarships

Types of Scholarships

Maintaining Scholarships

New Moodlets

Online Aptitude Test

New Cheat

Applying for Scholarships

Teen sims and older have a new “Apply for Scholarships” interaction available at the school rabbithole or on the computer under “Sims University Online”. Though they’re less likely to win a scholarship if they apply online rather than in person.

If your sim wins a scholarship, they will not be able to reapply for that scholarship again. If they do not win, they will be given a Disappointed moodlet and have to wait a day before applying again.

Types of Scholarships

There are four (4) types of scholarships your sims can apply for: General, Legacy, Skill Based, and Occult. In total, there are 18 scholarships, each with their own custom moodlet. 

Sims have a 45% chance of winning a scholarship in the General, Legacy, and Occult categories when applying in-person and a 40% chance when applying online.

Sims have a 6% chance of winning a Skill Based scholarship at Level 1 of the required skill. This chance multiplies with each skill level, with a maximum of a 60% chance at Level 10.

Certain traits can either increase or decrease your chance of winning a scholarship by 5% (note: this value stacks the more traits your sim has):

Increased Chance Traits - Lucky and Ambitious

Decreased Chance Traits - Unlucky and Loser

Some of the scholarship names are originally from The Sims 2 and the others I made up myself. They are listed below by category:

General

Young Entrepreneurs Award (§750) - Requires Level 3 part-time job, Teen only

Orphaned Sims Assistance Fund (§750) - Requires deceased or non-existing parents, Teen only

Golden Year Scholars Grant (§1000) - Elders only

Gemini Hidden Masters Prize (§1500) - Requires Level 10 in one hidden skill

Legacy

Student Service Workers Fund (§1000) - For sims with a service worker hidden trait (Makes No Messes, Pyromaniac, Can Apprehend Burglar, Can Salute, Immune To Fire, or Pizza Appreciator)

Cultural Exchange Program (§1000) - For sims with one of the hidden culture traits from The Sims 3: World Adventures

Students of Tomorrow Scholarship (§1000) - For sims with the hidden Future Sim trait from The Sims 3: Into the Future

Skill Based

Dreamer Family Artisan Award (§750) - Requires at least Level 1 Artisan Skill

Tsang Footwork Award (§750) - Requires at least Level 1 Dance (Store) Skill

Violin Society of SimNation Scholarship (§750) - Requires at least Level 1 Violin Skill

Occult

Undead Education Scholarship (§1500) - For Vampires, Zombies, and Ghosts

Extraterrestrial Reparation Grant (§1500) - For Aliens and sims recently abducted by Aliens

Spellcasting Scholars Grant (§1500) - For Witches, Fairies, and Genies

Lycanthropy Philanthropy Fund (§1500) - For Werewolves

Bots Opportunity To Specialize (B.O.T.S.) (§1500) - For Simbosts and Plumbots

Forbidden Fruit Fellowship (§1500) - For PlantSims

Real World Acclimation Fund (§1500) - For Real Imaginary Friends

Aquatic Allies Award (§1500) - For Mermaids

Maintaining Scholarships

After winning a scholarship, your sim will get the new custom Won Scholarship moodlet. They have a week to either enroll in online university with my Attend University Online mod, or in-person university to remain eligible for their scholarship.

If they fail to enroll in time, their scholarship will be rescinded and they will have to pay back the money they were awarded. If they can’t afford to pay back the scholarship amount in full, it will be added to their next household bill. (No free money here!)

Once a sim has a scholarship rescinded, they will get the new custom Lost Scholarship moodlet and be barred from applying for scholarships for 3 days.

New Moodlets

Won Scholarship: Given when a sim wins a scholarship, lasts 1 day, +20 mood, each scholarship has its own custom moodlet icon

Lost Scholarship: Given when a sim has a scholarship rescinded, lasts 3 days, -20 mood, makes sims stressed

Online Aptitude Test

Teen sims and older can now take the university aptitude test on the computer under “Sims University Online”. It works the same as the default interaction.

Tuning

All of the tunable values can be found on the mod download page under the header “Tuning”.

New Cheat

If you want to clear all scholarship winners in your world (on a per save basis), enter the cheat menu and type “ClearScholarshipWinnerData” without the quotation marks.

Conflicts & Known Issues

This is a new script mod so there shouldn’t be any conflicts.

Credits

EA/Maxis for The Sims 3 and The Sims 4, Visual Studio 2019, ILSpy, s3pe, Notepad++, and Script Mod Template Creator.

Thank You

Thank you to gamefreak130, Battery, @zoeoe-sims, @greenplumbboblover​, and @monocodoll!

If you like my work, please consider tipping me on Ko-fi 💙

Download @ ModTheSims

[bradshawed]

NEWTON'S LAWS, BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO AN F1 RACE WEEKEND

main & series masterlist !

introducing... the lion and his lioness prey pairing: f1!raphael cameron & reporter!reader

An apple fell from a tree and well... you know the rest. Much like Newton's apple, you fell right in his path, the lion's path, and he deemed you his prey. Silly boy. That was his first mistake.

A tale as old as time, Newton & his gravity, faceclaim: HoYeon Jung & various pinterest girls

warnings! fem!reader, use of y/n, slight swearing, timeline inconsistencies, mentions of carlos leaving ferrari

prologue, chapter 1, chapter 2...

Show Transcript

0:00 [The camera pans across the front of the Ferrari motorhome] Once a Ferrari girl, always a Ferrari girl...

0:16 [The camera cuts to a shot inside y/n's bedroom] Sorry to cut that short, I'll be doing that a few times today in what's basically my beginner's guide to an F1 race weekend at the British Grand Prix.

0:44 I was lucky enough to be gifted an F1 Paddock pass which includes the F1 hospitality, pit lane walks, a buffet, open bar and champagne hospitality [camera cuts to you drinking champagne] and not to forget, the guided paddock access!

1:55 The British Grand Prix marks the 10th race of the F1 calendar, excluding pre-season track sessions at Barcelona and pre-season testing in Sakhir which allows a chance for the 10 teams to put their cars (following the considerable changes during the winter break and often new cars entirely) through their paces ahead of the opening race of the year. This year, the calendar aims to fit 23 GP's, a record amount following the Covid pandemic.

2:43 [The shot switches to a YouTube video of Rafe Cameron lifting the World Championship Trophy in 2021] These drivers are high performance athletes in a team sport, driving around in oddly shaped circles and battling extreme g-forces at 370km/h to compete for this, the F1 Driver's Championship, while teams fight for the F1 Constructors Championship and prize money based on their position at the end of the season.

4:01 The standard F1 GP weekend sees each event take place over three days, typically Friday through Sunday. [The camera pans to a shot of Daniel Ricciardo's car zooming past] On Friday, there's two on-hour practice sessions - Free Practice 1 (FP1) and Free Practice 2 (FP2). Saturday starts with Free Practice 3 (FP3) to give time to fine-tune their set-ups before parc ferme conditions begin and most work on the car is banned. I prefer watching FP1 and FP2 because it's usually a lot quieter on the track.

5:05 [A shot of Rafe Cameron climbing out of his car following Q1] Qualifying takes place later on Saturday, and is split up into three stages - Q1, Q2 and Q3 - which last 18 minutes, 15 minutes and 12 minutes respectively. The five slowest drivers are eliminated from Q1, and five more drop out of Q2, setting up grid positions from 20th up to 11th. The remaining 10 drivers head to Q3 to determine the top 10 grid slots, with the fastest driver taking pole position for Sunday's Grand Prix.

5:55 [Carlos Sainz claiming his first pole of his 150-race F1 career]

6:10 I don't think I've ever screamed that loud before, he really deserved that pole in what might be his last season for Ferrari. It's a shame we won't see him next season but currently, he's driving like a man with no appendix and no job, and I respect it.

6:43 [The camera pans to you walking by the pit lanes] So tomorrow's the GP and I really hope Carlos can convert this into a win. Generally, before the race drivers can conduct 'reconnaissance laps' as they head to the grid to gauge track conditions and make any last-minute checks, before stopping their cars in their grid position. There's just time to make some last minute tweaks before the drivers walk to the front of the grid for the national anthem.

7:36 Following the national anthem, the drivers then strap themselves in and team members clear the grid before it's time for the formation lap. [The camera pans to a shot of Sunday's formation lap] The cars weaving side to side isn't because they're bad drivers, don't worry, it's so they can heat their tyres for grip [The drivers return to their grid positions ready for the start].

8:16 [You hold your breath filming the start of the race] The race director's about to initiate the start sequence [five red lights turn on one by one before all lights go out all at once to start the Grand Prix and the cars race towards the first corner].

...

16:55 I'm going to cry, Carlos Sainz just f*cking won the British Grand Prix! I'm divided on the safety cars, but thank you Estie Bestie for retiring your car. Carlos attacked Charles on fresh tyres at the restart, got that P1 and won! I fear I'll never shut up about this.. [The camera pans to Carlos' podium].

21:01 [The shot switches to y/n's bedroom] Unfortunately, I didn't bump into Jenson Button that weekend, which is a shame but I hope to be back someday on a more regular basis... Thank you all for letting me take you along to my dream playground and for letting me ramble on, please do let me know if you'd be interested in more F1 breakdowns. Hope you're all wonderful, love you loads, mwah!

If you would like to be added to the taglist, please let me know. And, if you want to remain tagged, you must interact with the posts (credits to Zya).

taglist for f=ma, @vampteeths @edwardslvrr @zya8tracks @potatodirectioner @poppysrin @a-beaverhausen @judesgfirl @pogueprincesa

note! credits to zya for her layout and for her ingenious idea to breakdown f1 to those of you who love rafe but may not know much about this world xx i may be posting little extras like this to explain more and adding little links to f1 articles that help break the sport down.

did you catch the danny ric reference?

i couldn't resist basing this on carlos' win, i'm gonna miss him this season :( if u guys have any questions, please feel free to ask, i'll try to answer them to the best of my ability

[larryrickard]

✦✧ YONDERLAND (MP4 DVD RIP) - ALL SEASONS + BONUS FEATURES + XMAS SPECIAL (GDRIVE) ✧✦

PLEASE DO NOT REDISTRIBUTE. you are welcome to save/copy these to your own gdrives, but if you want to share, PLEASE LINK TO THIS POST.

if you want to update your own six idiots/them there resources page/post with these, you have permission provided you link to this post and give me credit via @. do not link directly to the gdrive. a heads-up would also be appreciated.

for the best quality, download the files to your own device. watching via the drive is at reduced quality.

Series 1 + bonus feature, ✦✧ Making Yonderland Series 2 + bonus feature, ✦✧ Yonderland: Behind the Scenes Series 3 + bonus feature, ✦✧ YonTV music video for “Twice as Fine” by Hot Eagle The Christmas Special, ✦✧ “It’s the Thought That Counts” [ GDRIVE ]

if you download these, a reblog would be appreciated 💙💚 the only versions of yonderland i've seen floating around are copies of copies, taken from tv recordings which have developed glitches. i'm so happy to be able to provide these & want as many of us to have access to better quality eps as possible.

any issues, please send me a message and i'll fix it as soon as i can.

[apoloadonisandnarcissus]

I might be one of the few fans who don’t really see how Galadriel was sidelined in Season 2. Her connection with Nenya and her growing into her ring-bearer role was such a huge plot throughout the season, as well as her connecting to other races of Middle-earth, namely the Orcs. She’s also starting to understand she can’t possibly fight Sauron alone (which was her character arc in Season 1 and Season 2).

The show is called “Rings of Power”, Galadriel is the keeper of one of those rings of power. There is no way she can be sidelined, because she’s at the core of the story. The fact she’s not doing direct battle doesn’t change that.

If you are expecting Season 1 Galadriel moving forward, I’m afraid you’ll end up disappointed because that’s not her character arc in Tolkien lore during the Second age. The problem here is they moved her First age character to the Second age, and it’s creating a bunch of problems story-wise and a process that should last a few centuries looks instantaneous.

There are so many Galadriel plots the show hasn’t dealt with yet and it has nothing to do with Lothlórien. I see many fans worrying about her founding it and staying there barefoot and pregnant in Season 3. I don’t see any TV show, in this day and age, doing that to a female lead, even if and when Celeborn returns. And we know he will, because the showrunners confirmed it last year, we just don’t know when, so it can be Season 3, 4 or 5.

And this is why I don’t think we’ll see Celebrían on the show (maybe pregnant Galadriel in the epilogue or something). The elves are at war with Sauron, and will be until the end of the show. Everyone likes the bring up the legendarium, except for the fact Elves don’t have children during wartime. Celebrían was suppose to be born already during the show’s timeline, because she was born before the War of the Elves and Sauron (which started in Season 2 and will continue in Season 3), and we have the War of the Last Alliance next (Season 5):

We still have to see:

Galadriel growing into her political role (Lothlórien is not only a safe haven from evil, but a policial center, too); we already saw her as a commander and a war strategist, but the political side of her character has yet to be explored by the show;

Galadriel’s powers: she has telepathic powers (in the lore she uses them to talk to Frodo and Elrond); she can see into other beings’ minds, too. Her magical artifacts (mirror, phial, etc.) will probably be during the Lothlórien arc, though;

I would love for the show to explore her connection with the Dwarves (to connect to her gifting three strands of her hair to Gimli on the Third age);

I really want her to meet Gandalf, and explore the beginning of that friendship;

Actually my biggest concern about Galadriel in Season 3, and if blood binding theory is correct, is the show giving us some weird “Exorcist” stuff, with her being locked up somewhere for her “own protection” against Sauron. This would be absolutely awful, and I hope they don’t go there.

Sure, give me Galadriel wrecking stuff up with her new found powers. The show can even give me “Samara Morgan Galadriel” Peter Jackson style and other characters terrified of her, but do not lock her up, please.

The wisest way to approach “blood binding” is following the Harry Potter-Voldemort route (ironic); with nightmares, visions and access to Sauron’s mind and plans, and vice-versa. Galadriel is tormented by it but goes about her everyday life, pretending everything’s fine, until the climax of the season.

And enough of her feud with Elrond; he’s the Sam to her Frodo in the Galadriel/Frodo parallel the show is doing. His character needs to be supportive of Galadriel, and her emotional rock like Sam was to Frodo.

[sinful-lanterns]

I was going to be replaced as 🌙 anon so easily?! 😱 Say it ain't so... 😭😭 Lol! It's all good. Maybe I'll make an actual blog one of these days so that I can share my thoughts more easily with you. 😌 For now, I'd like to share my thoughts on Mindflayer!Chameleon if that's alright? Okay, so my only exposure to mindflayers would be the variant you see in Baldur's Gate 3. Not sure if that was what you're going for as far as that being Chameleon's "true" form. Maybe her human form is what she wants others to see before she goes in and takes what she wants from them. 🤔OR we could take a page out of your Eldritch AU and say that Chameleon has a multitude of tentacles that she just hides with her powers. Either way, I'm sure Researcher is in for a fun time once she realizes Chameleon isn't trying to harm her! Or maybe that she's just me being idealistic and biased when it comes to Chameleon. She gets me so hot and bothered. 🥵 I wanna say that Mindflayer!Chameleon became intrigued with Researcher after watching her and her growing parade of monsters from afar. What powers could this little human possibly possess that such powerful beings would follow her around so easily? She has to find out, which is probably how Researcher was lured into her clutches so easily. And then she got lured in by how amazing Researcher's pussy is and decided she couldn't go without it. Of course, the more conniving side of Mindflayer!Chameleon probably took Researcher as a way to gain access to the group of monsters she has. A means of protection in a sense. I'm sure Mindflayers aren't well-liked by the general public, or maybe they're territorial with one another? 🤔 Like, who's capable of stopping a Mindflayer? Another Mindflayer maybe? I'm sure Mindflayer!Chameleon feels so damn smug that the other monsters (especially a high-class devil like Eirene) find her to be so intimidating. So long as they don't bother her, I think she's fine leaving them all be, especially if she's granted access to Researcher on a regular enough basis. With tentacles, I'm expecting some oviposition to be involved, especially if Researcher approaches her during mating season. 😏 I can imagine Researcher being cradled in the air by a swarm of tentacles while Mindflayer!Chameleon looks as calm and amused as always, save for the slightest flush of red across her cheeks, as she can feel the human squeezing so tightly around her. "You feel wonderful, Darling. I wonder how much more I can make you stretch around me..." I'm down so bad for this woman. - 🌙 anon

I imagine Chameleon as a Mindflayer to look somewhat similar to the Mindflayer from the MGE 😌

But anywho, the monster women are extremely wary around Mindflayer! Chameleon, since she could manipulate them as easily as walking. However, Chameleon doesn’t seem to have any ill-intentions, as all she wants is the cute little Researcher wrapped around her tentacles~

It’s kinda amusing that a highly intelligent and dangerous monster such as Chameleon, is easily swayed by some tight pussy and cute moans. Also, I imagine that the reason she joins the expedition is to 1. Have access to the Researcher ofc, but also 2. Satisfy her curiosity as to how a human with seemingly no magic or special capabilities whatsoever, managed to sway so many monsters to her favor…

Her reasons for joining are purely for research. And also…maybe making the Researcher her little tentacle-sleeve 💕

[snorlaxlovesme]

my problem recommending Link Click to people

clearly, i love Link Click. i find the show emotionally compelling, the characters are well-written and interesting, the complex/convoluted plot is very crunchy for my adhd brain to chew on. LOVE that. however. i have yet to find a person irl who Sees My Vision when i recommend the show to them, and i think it's the fandom's fault.

not in bad way! but i think this show is a good example of media that exists for FANS and not casual viewers.

season 1 is by far the most accessible. a straightforward story about two guys solving crime by time travelling in photos. don't mess up the past, it could mess up the future, etc etc. everything is linear, the character motivations are pretty clear, the plot is seriously gripping. the only accessibility hurdles are the piss poor subs we had to deal with and the lack of on-screen text translation. and i suppose if you don't like shows that are episode-5-level heavy then this probably isn't the show for you.

season 2 already starts off on a very niche foot with the fact that there was a pretty big spoiler (or a hint at one) in the XETROVERTHINK music video that released before the season aired. fans who knew about that video were already speculating, and by the first 30 seconds of season 2, theories were running RAMPANT. NOW everyone was intentionally looking for hints of time travel mid-season. they were predicting how and when cheng xiaoshi might die. it made an extremely confusing season FUN because even when we didn't know what the hell was going on, we could always fall back on the lu guang timeloop theory to chew on.

but if you didn't see the XETROVERTHINK video? well, you probably weren't paying as close attention to what lu guang was saying in the first 30 seconds. the shot of cheng xiaoshi dying lasted for only a second or two. blink and you miss it. if you didn't rewatch the episode, you probably wouldn't notice. in a show where so many things don't make sense, that could have just been one more to add to the pile.

cut back to all the people that I've forced to watch the show, I can say that they did NOT have the same watching experience that i had as a fun following along on tumblr. which is fine, but they do look at me like i'm insane when i try to explain that this is the most fun show ever created.

after one of my friends finished season 2 i sent him a draft of the fic i was writing for some feedback and when he got to season 2-spoiler specific part, he didn't fully understand that lu guang had gone back in time to prevent cheng xiaoshi from dying, and therefore didn't understand what i had written. he didn't have the fandom, who had been speculating about that for 12 full weeks before the reveal, so as a casual fan, the first time he received that info was in that last 2 minutes of the season, and he didn't full understand it

my younger sister has made it to yingdu, and every time i try to talk to her about it when get to talk about shiguang a lot, but i don't have much time to sit her down and show her frame by frame analyses of why the lu guang vs vein interaction in episode one looks like it might be in two different timelines. she's not seeing that there's morse code in the books or interpreting sonnets or pausing to check the eye color of characters, so when i talk to her about it we're scratching maybe 3% of what the show is truly communicating with us.

and again, it makes me look like a total headcase when i try to explain to people that this is the best show ever and so much fun because if you're not INTERACTING with the show and with the fans, mulling over the minute details in a scene or asking for a more accurate translation of something, it's like you're missing out on most of the show

i once tried to recommend my sister one of my favorite pokemon fanfics of all time. she'd read some others and seemed interested, so i sent her the link and then told her that to fully understand it she'd need to have knowledge of basically every major character in the entire pokemon anime, from kid trainers to gym leaders to Champions to villains to rivals to professors. she'd also have to know how they all relate to each other, PLUS some game characters. i sent her a list of episodes she needed to watch for character and plot relevance and links to wikipedias for other main characters. after she absorbed all this information then she could truly understand why this was the greatest fic ever!!

that's what recommending Link Click is feeling like, currently. like i want you to like this show, i want you to understand this show like i do, but that means you HAVE to be insane about it. there's no other way to appreciate it if you're not in the fandom.

[hunieday]

Iori, Yuki, Touma 2024 Shuffle talk RabbiTV Episode 1

Episode 1 - Episode 2 - Episode 3

Please note that I am not a professional translator and I'm only doing this to share the side materials to those who cannot access them, if you notice any mistakes please let me know nicely. Enjoy!

*Door opens*

Izumi Iori: Good morning...Uh. What are you doing, Yuki-san?

Izumi Iori: Wrapping your hands around Inumaru-san's biceps…

Inumaru Touma: Good morning! Izumi!

Yuki: Good morning, Iori-kun. Touma-kun said he’s been really into muscle training lately, so I was just checking him.

Izumi Iori: C-Checking him...?

Yuki: If you're aiming to be like Ryuunosuke-kun, maybe you still have ways to go.

Inumaru Touma: That’s right...! I'll work even harder!

Yuki: Yeah, keep it up.

Izumi Iori: What kind of conversation is this... I thought I walked into the wrong room for a second…

Yuki: This is the planning room for the "Monthly World Travel".

Izumi Iori: I am aware.

Inumaru Touma: Oh man, I'm looking forward to Taipei! It’s interesting that we’re going sightseeing and challenging ourselves on a mission at the same time.

Inumaru Touma: We decided the members for this project by drawing lots, but the combination of the three of us seems a bit unusual, doesn't it?

Izumi Iori: Yes, it does. We’re different types of people...

Izumi Iori: ...I'm starting to feel anxious.

Yuki: What's making you anxious?

Izumi Iori: Just, overall.

Inumaru Touma: Huh? And here I thought that a trip with the dependable Izumi and Yuki-san would be good…!

Yuki: I’m dependable?

Izumi Iori: Please don't ask me that question.

Inumaru Touma: You really are dependable! I’ve been recording and watching "NEXT Re:vale" a whole lot!

Inumaru Touma: Also, I saw the way you looked at us when we were on the show together. You were looking as if you were watching over us, and it made me straighten my back!

Yuki: Is that so. Thank you.

Yuki: Maybe because Momo was there.

Inumaru Touma: Momo-san?

Yuki: Yeah. Momo isn't with us this time so I'll have to make sure I don't space out.

Izumi Iori: ...Inumaru-san.

Inumaru Touma: Huh?

Izumi Iori: Let's do our best. We should cooperate.

Inumaru Touma: Y-Yeah...?

Yuki: We’ll have the power of a hundred people with IDOLiSH7’s brainiac Iori-kun and ŹOOĻ’s leader Touma-kun in here. (1)

Inumaru Touma: Hehe, thank you very much...! I hope I’ll be able to communicate with the locals in English at least? That's the only thing I'm a bit worried about.

Izumi Iori: I think you'll be fine. Do you have confidence in English, Inumaru-san?

Yuki: Your rap is usually so cool after all.

Izumi Iori: We have members who are fluent when they sing but completely terrible at speaking, though...

Inumaru Touma: Well, my English is just about average, but I can manage somehow! It's all about the flow and momentum!

Izumi Iori: It's really strange, but it seems like it...

Yuki: That's hilarious. Our group shouldn’t have trouble communicating with the locals then.

Inumaru Touma: Yeah! Since everyone here can speak English, I'll learn a lot of things!

Izumi Iori: ...Looking at Inumaru-san’s positive attitude is making me believe everything will work out fine.

Yuki: I'm counting on you, children. (2)

Yuki: Now let's hope it's not too hot.

[Cut to Taipei]

Izumi Iori: As expected… Taipei is bustling with tourists.

Yuki: That's right. 

Inumaru Touma: I was a little worried about the weather since the rainy season is right around the corner, but I’m glad it’s sunny!

Yuki: That’s right.

Izumi Iori: ...Are you okay, Yuki-san?

Yuki: I might not be right…

Inumaru Touma: Are you tired, Yuki-san? Want me to give you a piggyback ride?

Yuki: ...ŹOOĻ’s Inumaru Touma giving me a piggyback ride doesn’t sound too bad.

Izumi Iori: You don’t have to do that. This isn't "NEXT Re:vale" after all...

Yuki: You're right. But I'll suggest a segment where we carry someone and run to the finish line next time.

Inumaru Touma: Sounds fun! I think Tora would be the only one in ŹOOĻ who could carry me…!

Accompanying staff: Once again, thank you for joining us today! Here is the card containing the missions with hints written on it. We'll also give you a map of Taipei to explore around!

Inumaru Touma: Thank you very much! ...Uhh, the mission is... 

Inumaru Touma: "Make your way to the flower carpet!", or so the card says!

Izumi Iori: A carpet... in a flower field, perhaps. We should be able to narrow it down quite a bit this time of the year...

Yuki: The hint says "popular tourist spot," but the map we got doesn't seem to have anything that hints at it.

Inumaru Touma: Yeah... Then how about we go somewhere we can ask the locals?

Yuki: Good idea. Sounds like a task that fits Touma-kun's high communication skills.

Inumaru Touma: Thanks! How about Yongkang…jie? It says there are many restaurants to enjoy and walk around, there might even be some shopkeepers who know something!

Izumi Iori: ...I see, it’s Yǒngkāng jiē (Yongkang Street). I've heard that there are many stores here where Japanese is spoken because of the amount of Japanese tourists who visit, so we might be on the right track.

Yuki: Amazing, Iori-kun's extensive knowledge is coming into play now.

Yuki: Momo, our children are growing up splendidly.

Izumi Iori: What are you mumbling to the camera?

Inumaru Touma: Well then, let's go there for now! Yuki-san, you feeling better now?

Yuki: I'm fine. Let's just take it slow. It's hot.

Inumaru Touma: Yeah! Slow but steady wins the race or something. Izumi, if you’re in trouble, let me know right away! You look like the type who doesn't show that kinda thing on your face.

Izumi Iori: Oh, thank you...You truly are the one who keeps ŹOOĻ together, aren't you...

Yuki: Fufu. I'm glad we have this group after all.

End of Episode 1.

This is a pun on Momo’s name (Hundred), as he has a combination of Iori’s wits and Touma’s communication skills and leader status. 

Yuki says “kouhai-kun-tachi”, which sounds like a more endearing way to refer to his juniors with the addition of the “kun” honorifics commonly used for younger people, so I chose to translate it as children. You can still interpret it as “little juniors” if you wish!

[hide-in-imagination]

Alright, I'm gonna talk about Margarita and why many viewers prefer Marrey over the main couple because the first season of Margarita just ended and I need to cope somehow.

Fair warning, this will be long, full of spoilers, rants, memes, and some references to Soy Luna because I can't help myself.

Okay so, just to give some context for whoever hasn't watched this show and came upon this post by coincidence: Margarita is a show by Cris Morena (same as Casi Ángeles) and works as some sort of continuation/spin-off of Floricienta because it follows the life of one of Flor and Maximo's children: Margarita.

The thing is, Margarita doesn't know she's Margarita, daughter of Flor and Max, because when she and her brothers were babies, some military man took over Krikoragán (the country Flor and Max ruled, yeah, they were royalty) and so everyone had to run for their lives, basically. Margarita grew up as an orphan because Cris Morena loves orphans, is obsessed with orphans, she can't not have orphans in her shows.

Anyway-- The main couple of the show, which is obvious from day fucking one, are Margarita and Merlín, who happens to be the son of the military man who dethroned Flor and Max lolol

Now, I know this sounds like epic romance, like, the daughter and son of enemies falling in love, blah blah blah. It could have been that way-- If Merlín wasn't so fucking stupid.

Cause here's the thing: Merlín is not a bad person, okay? He actually feels a lot of guilt because of how his father took over the country and basically destroyed Florencia's and Maximo's lives (who btw are M.I.A), so what does he want to do? He wants to marry the exiled princess Margarita as a way to return the throne to them. Noble, right? Sure. The problem is that, as I said, the real Margarita doesn't know she's Margarita. Instead, there's been a fake Margarita walking around all these years (who was tricked btw, she doesn't know she's a fake, she truly believes she's the princess), who everyone calls Daisy.

If you're thinking "Oh, this is giving Ámbar is season 2 when Sharon told her she was Sol Benson so no one would find out it was actually Luna" you are absolutely right, it's pretty much like that. The only difference is that Sharon was already rich before this; in this case, Delfina, Margarita's aunt, needed to lie and say she had found the real Margarita so she could access the fortune.

Anyway, moving on. The thing is, the show starts and Merlín is immediately going after Daisy and flirting with her, because again, he wants to marry her so he can give her back Krikoragán's throne. But at the same time, he and Margarita kinda fall in love at first sight (cause remember, they're the main couple of this show), so he's also seeking Margarita all the time and flirting with her.

So, we're not up to a great start, because it's literally episode 1 and this guy is already playing around with two girls at the same time. And listen, this could've worked, okay? Like, I get it-- He loves Margarita but because of his honorable desire to return the throne to the exiled princess, he has to go after Daisy, even if he doesn't want to. This really could've been a conflict of Love vs Duty, and it would've been fine... but. this. BITCHHH sdjkfnsdkdf.

I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD, MERLÍN IS A PATHOLOGICAL LIAR!!! The number of times Daisy asked him if he had feelings for Margarita and he lied in her fucking face!! Even after Daisy finds out that he wants to marry her to return the throne to her, HE STILL INSISTS THAT THAT'S NOT THE REASON WHY HE WANTS TO DATE HER, HE STILL INSISTS THAT HE TRULY LOVES HER, EVEN THOUGH HE IS GIVEN 94823489 OPPORTUNITIES TO SAY THE TRUTH. And what reaaallly annoys me is that Margarita wants to tell Daisy the truth, because she's her friend. And keep in mind that at no point does Merlín stop flirting and seeking Margarita out, nonono. So, of course, our girl Margarita is like "If you say you like me so much and neither of us can stop feeling this way about each other, then we have to tell Daisy, because otherwise, we're just going to hurt her."

And you know what really annoys me? That Merlín agrees. He agrees, and he tells Margarita yeah you're right let's do that, they had an AGREEMENT-- But guess WHAT? Later that day, Margarita finds out that he didn't tell Daisy ANYTHING. In fact, I think he told her again that he loved her for real, u know, like a LIAR, and Margarita is like ??

"Bitch, didn't we agree we were going to tell the truth?" and Merlín is like "Nah, sorry, babe. I still love you tho." LIKE THE PATHOLOGICAL LIAR HE IS.

Listen, when I tell you Daisy sat them both down and literally ASKED THEM, 100% sincerely and with no ill intent, if they had feelings for each other because if so she would step aside, AND MERLÍN STILL LIED. FUCKING BITCH.

This could've been so different if Merlín actually tried to fall in love with Daisy. Like, if he told Margarita "I really like you, but because of duty, I have to be with Daisy" and stopped flirting with Margarita and actually focused on Daisy. Like, of course they would still yearn for each other secretly, but that would be the fun angsty part of it that would make all of us ship it. If we saw Merlín really try to follow duty but being unable to let go of his love, and eventually Daisy realizing this too, that her friends are in love with each other, and freeing Merlín from his responsibility toward her so they can be together. IT ALL WOULD'VE WORKED OUT FINE. Especially considering that Margarita is the real princess, so when that secret came out, Merlín wouldn't have to choose between duty and love because he could marry for love.

But no. They had to make him a detestable cheating liar. Because, do you think his history with lies ends there? NONONO, MY SWEET SUMMER CHILD, SIT DOWN, THERE'S MORE!

Eventually, Daisy doesn't believe his lies anymore (GOOD FOR YOU, GIRL) and is heartbroken but totally breaks up with him. And you, as a viewer, would think "Oh, okay, so he can be with Margarita now, there's nothing stopping them--" WRONG. Because then Petra shows up: Merlín's arranged betrothed. And Merlín makes eyes at her and seeks her out. And, okay, to be fair, he wanted to convince her to renounce her titles of nobility along with him, but did he need to make eyes for that? Debatable. Anyway, that's not even the main issue. The problem is that Petra somehow CONVINCES HIM to pretend to be ENGAGED FOR REAL, OUT OF LOVE, and show it to the world in a LIVESTREAM, so that they can later on renounce of their titles before the wedding and therefore making it a much bigger scandal internationally than if they just announced it on a regular Wednesday.

And since Merlín is a PATHOLOGICAL LIAR, he AGREES TO THIS!!! This stupid, unnecessary plan!!!

And, of course, for this plan of theirs to work, they have to keep it a secret that the engagement isn't real, so Margarita is none the wiser. Merlín, for once, actually wants to tell her the truth, which would be okay I guess, if it weren't because the main reason why he wants to tell her is because MARGARITA IS DATING SOMEONE ELSE.

Please, picture this for a second. Margarita has been led on and then disillusioned by this guy for like two months by now. Eventually, she decides that enough is enough and she needs to find a new love (GOOD FOR YOU, GIRL). She does find a new guy to fall in love with, who also falls in love with her, and they start a very cute relationship, and then, THEN, THIS FUCKING COACKROACH, BLOODSUCKING PARASITE, has to come SEEKING HER OUT AGAIN because he just can not fucking let her be happy, I swear to god!!

So Merlín goes after Margarita, desperate to tell her that the engagement to Petra isn't real, tells her to keep the secret, and also that he loves her, and that he knows she loves him too, so they have to be together, and she can just forget about her boyfriend because she obviously doesn't love him like she loves him either way.

And listen. Again. This could've worked under different circumstances. If Merlín was somehow forced to pretend to be engaged to Petra for some reason or another, or if he was dating Daisy for real, like I said in the previous scenario, but seeing Margarita with someone else finally made him realize that he couldn't choose duty over love and so he begged Margarita to be with him, it would've been fine. I mean, still shitty for the third-wheel guy, but as an audience, we would've supported it, because they're the main couple and he's the main guy and we want them together.

But NOOOOO because Merlín is literally only doing this out of selfishness!!! I mean, let's keep in mind that the whole world really believes he's really engaged to Petra, and they have to keep it that way for their plan to work. So, when Merlín seeks out Margarita now, telling her that they love each other so they have to be together, what is he really offering her? He literally can't offer her more than dating in secret from literally everyone, because otherwise, his plan with Petra would go to hell. And did he ever consider that Margarita might not be happy with that??? To be his dirty little secret?? Like- she's already dating this other guy, who wants nothing more than to make their relationship public because he really likes her, and Margarita is supposed to set that aside for... secret kisses behind closed doors with Merlín??

No wonder Margarita tells him no. MORE THAN ONCE. And she tells him it's too late now because she's with someone else.

BUT DOES THAT STOP MERLÍN? NO. BECAUSE HE'S NOT ONLY A MYTHOMANIAC BUT HE ALSO CAN'T RESPECT MARGARITA'S WISHES TO SAVE HIS LIFE!!

Remember when they agreed to tell Daisy the truth and he didn't? Yeah. And now Margarita wants to move on but he's like "Nah." And in future episodes, he quite literally puts her on a plane and takes her to Krikoragán with him AGAINST HER WILL !!! I---

And they wanted to make it look comical, I'm sure the idea was for it to be funny, but by this point, we're so upset with Merlín that he could cure cancer and I'd be pissed about it.

I just think it's frustrating because I know what they wanted to do, I know what the writers wanted this story to be, but I'm sorry, you wrote this guy so completely wrong that we can't even sympathize with his struggles anymore. I just don't care if he doesn't want to be prince or whatever-- cry me a fucking river somewhere else.

And here's what's really frustrating about all this.

Let me introduce you to Rey. Real name: Juan, but everyone calls him Rey. Also known as: the third guy in the love triangle. Also known for: EXCELLING AT EVERY SINGLE ASPECT IN WHICH MERLÍN FALLS SHORT.

1. Doesn't lie: Rey is very honest and direct about what he thinks and what he feels. When Margarita asked him at one point why he knew how to pick locks, Rey could've lied and make up some excuse, but instead, he honestly said that his dad is a thief, and so he taught him how to steal from a very young age, but Rey doesn't want that life. Which brings us to the next point:

2. Has a more compelling/interesting backstory: Rey starts off as one of the bad guys of the show. He's conceited, mean, and bullies the neurodivergent kid of the group to the point that he leaves the house they're all staying at (he comes back tho). At first, no one likes Rey, the audience doesn't like Rey, because we have no reasons to. BUT it all changes when we start to see different sides to him. We come to see his mean behavior as an act, an armor he puts on because in the family and socioeconomic context he grew up in (aka, thieves, thugs, the strong devour the weak, bully or be bullied) he had to be like that to survive. We see how incredibly sweet he is with his little siblings and how he works his ass off to give money to his mom now that his dad is in jail. In summary, Rey is the typical character who comes from a shitty situation and wants to escape it, be better. He sees the art he makes as a way of salvation, his ticket to a better life, and when we, the audience, see that, we can't help but support him. It's a tried and true character arc and dynamic: people always root for the underdog.

Compared to his struggles, Merlín's theme of 'I don't want to be the prince, I want to return the throne to this other girl' simply... falls short. Especially when you've got Rey's dad threatening Rey with separating him from his family if he doesn't help him in his bad deeds, and actually does separate him from his family later on in the show, much to Rey's hurt and frustration. Compared to that, Merlín's goals and obstacles seem simply superfluous.

3. He's direct with what he wants/doesn't go after two girls at the same time: Rey, being a bad guy at the start, had a thing going on with the bad girl of the show, Única (picture Ámbar for reference, except Ámbar is MUCH better, maybe I'll talk about that at some point.) Rey wanted an actual relationship with her, but Única was being hot and cold, so, Rey told her that he wasn't interested in being played with and took distance from her. Then he took an interest in Margarita, and when she asked him about him and Única, he was being 100% sincere by saying they had nothing going on anymore and he was 100% single and available, because it was the truth, not at any point did Rey continue to make eyes, flirt, or anything with Única after he took an interest in Margarita-- UNLIKE A CERTAIN SOMEONE.

And once he started liking Margarita, he was honest and direct and told her. He told her he felt some chemistry between them and he was more than interested in seeing it through, and Margarita doesn't really deny there's something there (because she likes him too), she just says it's not the right time (she's still hung up on Merlín)

Which brings us to...

4. Respects Margarita's wishes: Sure, Rey flirts a lot with Margarita at the beginning-- he gets all close, tries to go for a kiss-- and some people could say he was being pushy, but considering Margarita was about to kiss him two times prior to that, it wasn't like he didn't have reasons to believe she might want to. When push came to shove though, Rey asked her: "How long are we going to keep fighting this pull between us?" And Margarita was honest in her reply: "I like some other guy, but I do have feelings for you, I just don't think right now it's the right time. When I feel like it's the right time, I'll let you know." Rey accepted that and he didn't push-- He still spent time with her, but he didn't try to kiss her again or anything like that. He waited for her to make the first move.

And she did. Margarita was the one to initiate their first kiss, in a moment when Rey was being completely vulnerable and HONEST (he could've hid the fact that his dad was threatening him to do bad things but instead he opened up to Margarita about it (MERLÍN COULD NEVER)), and it was a great moment.

5. LITERALLY TOOK A KNIFE TO THE STOMACH FOR MERLÍN: That bad thing Rey's dad was forcing him to do? Well, he wanted him to help two thugs kidnap Merlín so they could ask for ransom, but Rey stopped the kidnapping, getting stabbed in the process of protecting Merlín. Following this, Merlín tells him that he now considers him his brother, because he saved his life.

But how did Merlín repay Rey, his "brother", for saving his life?

BY STEALING HIS GIRLFRIEND.

HEAR ME OUT:

6. Respects Margarita's new relationship instead of trying to sabotage it: Remember how I mentioned before that Merlín could not fucking let Margarita be happy with someone else? Well, this is what I was talking about. Merlín knows Margarita is with Rey and doesn't give a shit. He keeps going after Margarita, telling her they love each other so they have to be together, meanwhile, let me remind you, HE IS PUBLICLY ENGAGED TO SOMEONE ELSE. And sure, no one can 'steal' someone else's girlfriend, said person has a hand on it too, BUT considering Merlín literally put Margarita on a plane and took her to Krikoragán against her will... well, I'd say it was pretty close to stealing.

Keep in mind that Margarita told him several times to back off but Merlín did not, Rey also told him to back off and focus on his own girlfriend (RIGHTFULLY, BC WTF ARE YOU DOING FLIRTING WITH THIS OTHER GIRL WHEN YOU'RE ENGANGED?) but Merlín did not, and even after Margarita explicitly told him "It's too late, I'm with Rey now", Merlín still proceeded to take her to Krikoragán with him. He just doesn't give a shit what everybody else wants, apparently.

And, sure, let's be fair and mention that, by the time he took Margarita to Krikoragán, her and Rey were pretty much broken up-- BUT THAT WAS BECAUSE HE SABOTAGED THE RELATIONSHIP. RELENTLESLLY!!

I mean, remember: Rey is direct, Rey is not up for games. Rey asked Margarita if she still had feelings for Merlín and she lied to his face and said no. Later, when he found Merlín and Margarita alone together for the Nth time, he was rightfully pissed. He told her, quote: "If you want to have two guys fighting over you, be my guest, but I don't want any part of it. I'm not interested in being in a relationship with a girl who isn't sure of what she wants."

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 ICONIC BEHAVIOR. All second male leads should learn to be like him, tbh.

Now let's take a look at the reverse. When Margarita and Merlín start dating in the last few episodes of the season, does Rey try to get between them? No. And he's still in love with Margarita, the show makes sure to let us know that. But he doesn't try to sabotage it in any way despite this, in fact, he tells Merlín he's HAPPY FOR THEM ????? EVEN THOUGH HE'S CLEARLY BROKENHEARTED??

MERLÍN COULD NEVER.

7. Has better words of endearment for Margarita: Rey calls her Bonita (like Simón calls Ámbar, yes, we stan) and also Marbonita, which is a mix of her name and bonita, which, in case you don't know, means 'cute/pretty'.

Meanwhile, Merlín's love declaration to Margarita right before their first kiss was: "You are the queen of garbage and the queen of my heart <3"

Seriously, who wrote this? WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS ROMANTIC? WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS A GOOD IDEA?

Which brings us to:

8. He's simply better in every way: Seriously. Name any aspect and Rey is far superior to Merlín. The only things Merlín has that Rey doesn't are 1- Money 2- The ability to make Margarita queen by marriage. But Margarita is not some social climber interested in money, so these shouldn't be important factors.

I would say Rey even has more emotional responsibility than Merlín, because even after he broke things off with Margarita and was angry at her for sneaking around with Merlín behind his back, he apologized for it ??? He was literally like "Hey, I'm sorry for being cold and rude towards you lately, I don't want to treat you like that, I'm just still hurt about what happened."

I-

AND YOU STILL EXPECT US TO SHIP HER WITH THE OTHER GUY???? BE FOR REAL !!!

Even in the final fucking episodes of the season Merlín could not stop lying. His uncle was threatening him with killing his little brother if he didn't immediately return to Krikoragán and marry Petra, but did he tell Margarita about this? NoooOoOoo. Their last interaction was him being all romantic and assuring her that this was not a goodbye, even though it WAS A FUCKING GOODBYE AND MARGARITA POINTED OUT THAT IT FELT LIKE A GOODBYE, BECAUSE HE CAN'T. STOP. LYIINNGGGG. Literally, it costs zero dollars to tell the truth, Merlín. He wasn't even threatened to keep the whole thing a secret, it wasn't like his uncle told him "Oh, and tell anyone about this and I'll kill your brother", nonono, he had complete liberty to tell Margarita what was happening, but he. chose. not to.

Margarita found out later anyway and called him, right as Merlín's plane was taking off, and you know what his last words to her were? "Please wait for me. Wait for me for your whole life."

WAIT FOR ME FOR YOUR WHOLE LIFE?? MY DUDE, YOU'RE ABOUT TO GET MARRIED TO SOMEONE ELSE. YOU WANT HER TO STAY SINGLE INDEFINITELY WHILE YOU SOMEHOW FIND A WAY TO EITHER 1-DIVORCE OR 2- GET PERMISSION TO HAVE A MISTRESS?

And I know this was supposed to be a very emotional moment. Merlín was crying and everything. The actor is good, don't take me wrong, we have nothing against him. But the characteeerrrr. I just can not sympathize with him anymore. He always has 49238 chances to be honest and communicate and make things less complicated, but he ALWAYS. CHOOSES. TO MAKE THINGS WORSE !!!

And I'm not saying his character should be perfect-- ALL characters are allowed to have flaws, in fact, they have to have them, otherwise they wouldn't be believable. But when the same character keeps making the same mistake over and over and over again, I'm sorry, but my patience only goes so far.

(Also, a lot of people like to point out that Merlín is 21 and playing around with two 17-year-old girls. Personally, I wouldn't criticize him for it because we don't know how old Rey is, and if later on we find out he's 21 too or something, everyone's going to have to swallow their words 😂)

Alright, so this was my rant about why the main couple of Margarita is so annoying and most people in social media are begging for #MarreyEndgame

Do I actually think Marrey has a chance to be endgame? To be honest, no. Looking at the narrative, I don't see how they could make it make sense after the ending of season 1. If the ending had been different, there could've been more hope, but with the way things are, it just makes more sense for Margarita to end up with Merlín. How could they make her end up with Rey without the viewers being genuinely confused? Because everything is set up to build Marlín. The only way to get Marrey would be to kill Merlín off (*cough* like in Floricienta season 1 *cough*). Or, I don't know, have Margarita lose her memories?? And while she has amnesia she falls so in love with Rey that once she gets her memories back she's unable to get back together with Merlín?? But I can't see the writers doing something so drastic.

Of course, they could just say fuck it and give the people Marrey even if it doesn't make any sense in the narrative. By this point, I'd be cool with that, but I don't think Cris Morena cares enough about what the audience wants to do that. She knows the story she wants to tell and she's not going to change it because some people are pissed about it. Because when you're in this industry, you learn that you can't please everyone-- Why would she try to do that now? For numbers? For money? Would it really make that much of a difference if she doesn't make Marrey endgame? Doubtful. Sure, some people will not watch season 2 if there's no Marrey, but even then, people have to be watching to find out if there is Marrey or not, so... 🤷🏻‍♀️

Anyway, this was long, so if you read all of it, I'm both grateful and very sorry kdfjns.

RIP Marrey, you were bigger than the whole sky, you were more than just a short time 🥀

[aziraphales-library]

Lost Fic #189

1. Greetings! First off, you people are incredible, thank you so much for the work you do, you are this fandom’s saviors! <3 Now, I’m looking for a fic I read a few weeks ago, I’ve already spent so many hours scrolling through ao3 I think I’m going insane. It was an e-rated fic, one chapter I think, and I’m pretty sure it was set in some kind of ancient time. The story was that Aziraphale had been ordered by heaven to experience ~earthly pleasures~, he didn’t really want to but ended up doing it with Crowley. It was kinda awkward cause they were bad at it, but it worked out eventually. It had bottom Crowley. I mostly read recent fics so I’m worried it might have been deleted since I can’t find it. But since it was set in history it could possibly be written pre-season 2. I hope you or someone who sees this recognizes it so I can stop feeling out of my mind! Xoxo - anon

2. Hi, I’m looking for a fic on Ao3 where Aziraphale accidentally gives Crowley a tattoo during an intimate moment. I believe the tattoo was a wing. There is a part where Crowley gives him a tattoo as well. I’ve searched but can’t find it😭 Thanks! - anon

3. Hello, my dearest librarians! I am looking for a fic which I've downloaded, but I don't have access to that hard drive anymore, and it's only recently that I've made a proper Ao3 account. I'm looking for a fic which I found in your "night at crowley's flat" subsection, but now I cannot see it? It's about the husbands, starting on a bus stop and they are drinking wine. When Crowley wordlessly asks for a swig, Aziraphale instead puts his hand in Crowley's. Long story short, they nap together ("oh darling, your hair,") on the bus, get to the flat, sweet dreams and cuddles ensue. There's a second chapter where they watch Wicked, the musical, and a third one months later where they are living a domestic life in the South Downs. "Lost the hard drive" sounds fishy, but it was a very sweet and tender fic, I just happened to lose my phone. I sincerely hope it isn't gone, but either way thank you so much for all you do and I hope y'all have a fine evening. Cheers! - @flying-desk-set

4. TW! SELF HARM/SUICIDE!!!!! hi! i lost a fic where az. was sh-ing and crowley finds out. there was dialouge in there that went like this- " 'Oh really, Crowley it wasn't that serious. I wasn't suicidal or anything.' Aziraphale knew he shouldn't have lied about that, because when he built up enough courage to look at Crowley, he was looking at him with a horrified look on his face." and then they hug and he's like "I've already lost you twice, dont you dare leave me again." thanks if you find it! - anon

5. Hello! I'm looking for a whumpy fic i just can't track down where Aziraphale and Crowley visit Anathema. While there, Crowleys being a bit of an ass (Think grumpy teen, bored at a family event). Crowley pulls out a flask and adds a shot of hellfire(?) to his drink, which Aziraphale then accidentally consumes. I THINK they give him holy water, and Crowley talks with Aziraphale on another plane. (Temporary Character Death?) Any help tracking this down is seriously appreciated. Thanks! - anon

If you know any of these fics please include the number in your reply! Thank you :)

- Mod D

[kaypeace21]

[The future of this BLOG]: SHOWS I'm planning on analyzing here & on YouTube

Interview with the vampire

Invincible

House of the dragon

The boys

Umbrella acadamy

Bridgerton probably (still haven't had time to watch part 2 yet)

stranger things: I have mixed feelings about reviewing it given what certain staff has said and done. I oscilate between wanting to review the final season or wanting to boycott it (especially as someone who has been part of the BDS movement for 1/2 her life). But, on one hand, It's not the fault of the underpaid (and talented) writers and staff who don't have these views. And I do believe some of the writing staff may have good intentions and want to give us a positive and powerful message to the audience about healing from childhood tr*uma. However, other members of the writing staff may just want to go down the stereotypical and popular-easy route. We'll just have to wait and see what happens in the last season. If I hear the ending isn't simply another re-hashing of prior seasons and it's more like s1-2 (without the cliches of s3-4). I'd be more inclined to review it by *cough* and watching it elsewhere. Once I was logged back on to tumblr: I did have a whole draft saved about my politics since I was a kid and why I still feel so strongly about such conflicts, today . But, I shouldn't make the topic about me- and I'm not sure anyone wants to hear my life story XD. So, the big point (to my followers) is regardless of whether I chose to watch it or boycot it-

I'm not deleting the old ST content: so do what you want with it (like, reblog, add details to reblogs I didn't notice). Have fun :D !

Analyzing ST certainly helped me improve in terms of media literacy (and it'll be beneficial for the future content I make). So even if it sometimes got messy here, I do appreciate all the positives the ST blog and followers brought to me.The kind words meant a lot. For those who want to unfollow me for my political beliefs , that's totally fine. That's your prerogative. For those who want to unfollow cause again ST was pretty much my whole blog: again I TOTALLY understand and I wish you the best :). I'm not going to judge, take away, or guilt anyone, for their choice of media they like. Enjoy it (I truly mean that).

For those who continue to follow my blog . I appreciate you SO MUCH! I've been gone from this blog for such a long time cause of school (and I appreciate those who stayed and were excited to see me again). The positive words meant a lot over the years. Everyone have a lovely day. Take care of yourselves.

Sincerely, Kay

ps: I'm open to other media suggestions too so you can drop them in my message box (recent films/ shows, mini/limited series, animation, heck i'm open to comedies and foreign media too).But, analyzing them will most likely be after the shows listed above .Right now I'm focusing on my national exam and my mental health. My first video will probably be in late August or early September. My test is August 20th. Hope everyone is doing well .I'm feeling much better mentally. Hope everyone is feeling the same way :)

for my 1st video I’ll just post it to youtube . But for other videos I may make a early access patreon (like a week before the next video comes out free on youtube). Have to google how all that works (or if there's better alternatives) . Totally fine if you can't afford it (you'll get to see it for free on youtube regardless :D) . I'll be honest . I'm primarily thinking of doing it cause I need to pay off those student loans and I'm trying to hopefully move out of state in a few years. Plus, I love analyzing media anyways (so making it a part time job would be a dream come true .

[heyhilana]

Yoga (Agent Whiskey)

Summary: The day before your mission, you go to the workout room for a stretching session. But when Jack follows behind you, he alters those plans faster than you can wrap your head around.

A/N: Hi lovelies! Sorry for no stories in a while, but I had to unplug for a little bit and not think about writing so much since it was becoming a little stressful. I appreciate all the support you guys gave me while I took my time, and I hope to stay more consistent for the fall/winter season. <3 As always, I hope you enjoy and make sure to drink water! :)

Pairing: Agent Whiskey x !f reader

Warnings: Squirting, p in v (unprotected, but hey, we don't encourage non-safe sex around here), mentions of titty fucking, mentions of male masturbation, blowjob, cunnilingus, fingering, overstimulation (like...a lot, so sue me), use of the word daddy (look the man is fine it slips).

Word Count: 5.2k (I'm not gonna even explain myself this time)

1 day left.

It rang in your head constantly as you walked down the hallway with your yoga mat and bag, gearing up for another session to prepare for your mission. While most of it was routine, the part that required more expertise was flexibility in getting through all the lasered areas. That scared you more than anything, knowing that one trip on the laser would result in a lost limb and a botched mission. 

You knew this as the political official was paranoid, to say the least, and made every room lined with lasers that were not able to be disabled unless the official’s phone was cloned and decrypted or you were able to get to the control panel to disable them all. Getting ahold of his phone would be impossible given it was his lifeline in his corrupt work, which left the route of accessing the control panel as you possessed more flexibility out of everybody in your division, making you perfect for the job. 

So, while everyone in your field told you that you would be fine, it did nothing to calm your nerves and allow you a day of rest before the mission, leading you to make a right to the next hallway, the workout room straight ahead with enough space for you to practice your flexibility training. One of your colleagues, Nicari, came up behind you as she was headed in a similar direction.

“Going to do some yoga?” She asked, her eyes drifting down to what was in your hand.

“Yeah. I can’t go on this mission if I can’t work my way through the laser rooms. From what Ginger says, there’s at least five, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the control panel area had an extra set of lasers, too.” You answered.

“But you’ve been doing it for a month now. At this rate you’re going to be our contortionist around here.” She joked, hand running through her hair.

“Isn’t that the goal?” You half questioned and joked, with Nicari laughing in response. “But this is necessary for me to do. You know I like to be 1000% ready for anything that may be thrown my way.”

“That’s one of the traits I hope the newcomers have around here. But have a good session.” Nicari wished for you.

“Good luck with your training.” You wished her well as she walked past you, and you walked down the hall. You reached and opened the door, and you saw that it was completely empty, a sigh of relief escaping your lips as you had at least an hour before the rush of agents would come in for their training. You laid your mat on the ground near the mirrored area of the room and placed your bag in the corner.

You did your quick stretches, rolling your neck and getting the blood flowing through your arms and legs before sitting on your mat to work more on your leg stretches. You moved your legs up, bringing them into a butterfly position to start off. You heard the door open, but your eyes were closed as you fluttered your legs.

“Hey. I have this room all to myself until 2.” You spoke, trying to determine who it was based on the boots creaking against the floor.

“Does that mean I can’t join you, sweetheart?” The honeyed voice that you loved echoed through the room. 

You opened your eyes and saw Jack in a casual outfit, the grey sweatpants surprising you. Loose yet form-fitting enough to make your eyes wander more than you should’ve. Given how cold it was in the Statesman building, he also had a jacket on. Jack didn’t comment on your staring, but you knew he noticed it.

“You can join me. More than enough space in here,” You responded, albeit trying to keep your tone even.

“I won’t distract you.” Jack promised, but knowing how you were when you were around him, a distraction was inevitable.

Jack closed the door behind him, and you closed your eyes again, trying to center yourself while you felt goosebumps rise along your arms. You attempted to clear your mind, but it was to no avail, a sign that the rest of your session would be filled with an inability to focus on the tasks at hand. Before switching to a tabletop pose, you fluttered your legs to get the blood going. You were rounding and arching your back in fluid motion until you looked up and saw Jack taking off his jacket, revealing his white short-sleeve shirt that was form-fitting, tight around his biceps. 

“How are you doing over there?” Jack asked, discarding his jacket near his bag and looking at you in a compromising position. 

“I’m doing good. Just getting started.” You watched Jack start his dynamic stretches as you leaned back into a half split, feeling your hamstrings loosen up and the stretch burning. But the burn in your leg was nothing compared to the burn in your core as Jack’s shirt lifted up, a glimpse of what lay underneath it and a happy trail that quickly burned into your memory. 

“If you need my help, just ask.” You could ask for his help in a few ways that would lead to your flexibility being used. But you pushed those thoughts into the back of your mind since it was not the time to let your fantasies run wild.

“I appreciate it, and the same goes for me.” 

You switched legs and felt the burn intensify in your tighter leg, finding yourself stopping short in your extension as you could only go so far. But then the thought of Jack’s hands wrapped around your legs, helping you stretch but inching closer to your thigh, spreading you a bit, was etched into your mind. It would be instinctive to spread more for him, explore your canvas, and draw with his fingers on the areas he loved the most. His touch would be forever ingrained into your memory longer than you would admit. But it didn’t sound all that bad. In fact, the thought of his big hands splayed on your body, finding your pressure points to make you melt, eliciting short gasps. Wanton sounds from deep in your belly, and your desire growing deep in your core all sounded wonderful, even if it led down a road that would make you cut your yoga session short.

And while you were having a war with self-control, Jack was having the same battle, only he was losing more than you were. Oh, how he couldn’t take seeing your soft, supple body in such angles that he wished to put you in. When you laid down on your back, and Jack saw you spread your legs wide with your hands holding your feet to stretch further, it took everything in him to not walk over there and push your legs behind your head. Jack was well aware of your flexibility, which proved to further his imagination on the nights with a tight grip around his dick, jutting his hips up into his hand, perspiration glistening his skin, and the slip of your name escaping his lips with ease as he got closer with each stroke. Dreaming about you in every way, Jack was sure that if you heard one of his ideas, you would turn red in the face. But all Jack wanted to see was your flushed face underneath him, legs pinned on your sides, and him buried deep inside you, intertwining his fingers with yours as he praised you repeatedly for taking him so well. And while Jack was sure that he would be coming on too strong if he walked over to you now, you were convinced that if you heard that phrase from him, you would come undone in mere seconds following.

“Do you need some help?” Jack asked, seeing that you had now switched to downward dog and struggled to get a deeper stretch.

“Y-Yeah, I wouldn’t mind.” Your voice was strained as you tried moving your heels down to the ground but to no avail. 

Jack walked over and was near your side, unsure where to go. “Do you want me to guide you down this way?” 

“You can try, but if you need to be behind me, it's okay.” Jack hummed in response, placing his hands around your stomach. 

He pulled you down slowly as your heart began to race, trying to ignore how it felt to have him touch your exposed skin. Your heels gently touched the ground, but you knew the pull from behind would be better.

“I think it would be better if you were behind me. I might be able to get my heels down to the ground that way.” 

Your heels would be off the ground by now, Jack thought to himself. But he moved to the back, and his hands drifted down to your hips, pulling you in more. The pull made you gasp, and his grip felt like heaven. Still, you were determined to get out of this alive despite your decisions that brought you into this situation. 

Jack pulled you towards him, ensuring he moved back so you would not feel his sweatpants. He looked away to try to save himself from looking at you from above, but the view in the mirror across the room proved to be better, making him want to pull you in more than he should. 

Fuck, I shouldn’t be doing this. But she’s so pretty like this. So pretty for me. Jack’s thoughts were making his self-control disappear by the minute. But he returned to reality when your ass brushed against his crotch.

“Oh! I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.” You didn’t realize how far you were moving until you felt him on you. And what pressed back onto you was unmistakable, making you want to do it repeatedly until you couldn’t take it anymore. 

“Y-You’re all good, sweetheart.” He cursed at himself for having a hard-on now, leading him to think about the best excuse and relieve himself in his office. But then he caught a glance of your core, the little wet patch giving him all the confirmation he needed. 

He moved closer to you ever so slightly, bringing your hips back to where he could press up on you. You weren’t sure what Jack was doing, but when you felt him brush against you again, you bit your lip hard to avoid a small whimper from escaping you.

“Is this a good enough stretch, darlin’?” Jack asked, and you could hear his voice change from a lighter tone to velvet, becoming music to your ears.

“It is, Jack. It feels really good.” You answered, the slight quiver in your voice making Jack smirk.

“You look so pretty like this, doll.” Jack was bold, fully pressing his hard-on against your core, making you struggle.

“T-Thank you, Jack.” Speaking seemed to take all your effort, especially when you would be moaning his name instead.

“And I just realized something about you,” He trailed off as his hand trailed down to grab your ponytail and bring you up from your position. You gasped, seeing both of you in the mirror as he grinded against your ass.

“What is it?”

“That you want me just as much as I want you, and if I were to fuck you right here on this mat, you wouldn’t stop me.” Jack looked at you in the mirror, and you saw he looked different from when he first walked in. The controlled, confident aura he had spiraled into lust because Jack couldn’t wait any longer. He was leaving kisses down your jaw and neck that made the hairs on your neck stand up, and chills run down your spine. 

“Jack,” You couldn’t get the words out, and the look he gave you in the mirror was knee-buckling. “I need you right now. Please.” 

You were unraveling for him with your breathless words and how you rubbed up against him like you always wanted to. With each brush of his dick up against you, you were soaking through your underwear when you wished you would be soaking him from tip to base.

“And I’m sure I need you more.” He mumbled against your neck. Each kiss was electrifying, his soft lips against your skin proving to be better than the last. But you needed his lips on yours desperately.

“Baby, I need your lips on mine.”

You were going into a daze and were confident that you would let Jack kiss you all over for an eternity if possible. But Jack obliged, letting go of you for you to turn around and kiss him without a second to spare. Haste, desire, and need were entwined in the kiss, with your hands going up to his neck to play with the ends of his hair and going down to pull you flush. You nibbled on his lip, earning a playful groan from him.

“And here I thought you were innocent,” Jack mumbled against his lips. 

You smiled into the kiss, but you gasped shortly after when he gripped your ass and smacked it. It felt good to have Jack on you like this, grasping, pulling, and touching you in obscene ways that made their way into your daydreams with each passing minute. All you needed was to feel his bare skin against yours, and it seemed that Jack had the same idea as he let go of you to pull off his shirt. You did the same, following with your sports bra. Jack kissed down your chest, finding his way to your nipples with ease. He enjoyed seeing how swollen they were already, and the minute he licked your left, you squeezed your thighs together. Jack flicked and darted, taking his time teasing you, which frustrated yet excited you simultaneously. But the more you whined in frustration, the more it turned him on, with his hard-on growing more than when he daydreamed about you.

“Jack, please don’t tease me.” You begged, your hands moving to his hair to tug, gripping his locks and pulling, which made Jack grunt. It was strange, as he preferred pulling hair rather than his hair being pulled. But it was hot, your usual calm demeanor around him winding down to a needy state. Jack needed this, pushing him to suck and twirl his tongue around your raised nipple to elicit a savory sound from your lips that would make him throb. But he couldn’t help himself when he looked you in the eye as he lightly nipped, the unexpected sensation causing you to drip. With how soft your breasts were to the touch and taste, the thought of titty fucking you burned into his imagination. Seeing his dick slide in between your breasts, softness enveloping him, and you sucking the tip with your soft lips looking up at him. Fuck, he thought. Don’t wanna cum before I can feel her.

“Daddy-“ You gasped yet covered your mouth in embarrassment. 

It slipped.

It fucking slipped.

Jack stopped immediately, eyes darkening more than before. Did he hear you right? That name, pure sin, slipped before you could catch yourself, yet he wanted to listen to it again. 

“Say it again.” 

“Daddy,” You tugged on his hair, bringing him dangerously close to cumming. 

“That’s my good girl.” Jack praised as he got on his knees, which was a sight for sore eyes for you, given that he looked perfect down there. His eyes were locked on you, making you shy as his stare was intimidating. But as he kissed your stomach, adoring every roll and stretch mark with kisses and tenderness, you began to relax. Nothing felt out of place, him roughly pulling down your bottoms along with your panties, kissing your hips, inching closer to your dripping pussy only to move away to kiss your thighs. It was perfect, and as you stepped out of your bottoms with Jack’s help, you knew it would get better from here. 

Jack tapped your thighs for you to spread them, and with his head slotted right between them, he could finally see what he did to you. From there, you realized that his lips were not just good for kissing when he reached your slit and kissed your clit gently, with enough pressure to make you clench your thighs. Jack pried them open with his hands, ensuring he was perfectly between pillowy softness and wasting no time tasting you. It was as if he was hungry, trying to gather as much of your slick on his tongue since he couldn’t get enough of you. Jack was convinced your taste was intoxicating as he enjoyed your sweetness. It only pushed him to suck on your clit and have you gush on his face, the added pleasure weakening your knees.

Your thighs were pressed against his head, tugging on his hair harder than before, whimpering his name along with a string of other profanities you prayed could not be heard through the walls. But Jack pulled off you, sensing you were struggling to stay upright. He helped you down, your back on your mat and your legs spread wide for him. 

“You’re so soft, sweetheart. I could spend all day touching you, spending more time between these pretty thighs.”

Jack positioned his left hand on your stomach and his right hand right at your dripping hole, pushing two fingers in as he went back to sucking on your clit. The new sensation made you curl your toes, moving your hand up to your breast to cup it, twirling the nipple he sucked on as your head tilted back. But Jack didn’t take his eyes off of you. No, he wouldn’t dare miss the sight of you in pure ecstasy, hearing you whimper as he began his come hither motion with his fingers or the way you bit your lip to suppress a loud sound when he desperately wanted to hear it in his bedroom. Seeing you get off was a new drug Jack couldn’t get enough of even if he tried.

But while you tried to wrap your head around how you were on your mat soaking Jack’s face and fingers, you felt a familiar build-up that made you see stars. Yet, it was stronger than before. The more Jack’s fingers rubbed up on your g-spot, the more you felt the urge to soak him. 

Jack popped his head up from your thighs. “You a squirter, baby?” 

“H-Haven’t tried yet.” 

Your first time.

It rang in his ears as he picked up his pace, diving down again to suck on your clit. He wanted to give you every experience you never had, which would be the first of many. With the curl of his fingers one last time, you felt something gush out of you and land on his face and between your thighs. It was intense, making you feel lighter than air despite your labored breathing. Your thighs were firmly pressed against him, but it didn’t deter Jack from lapping up everything as much as possible, drowning himself in it because if that were a way to go, he would gladly take it. 

Jack's tongue overstimulated you the more he was down there, whimpers free falling from your mouth and your legs shaking, but it was electrifying. He was undoubtedly skilled in this area, making you wonder how good it would feel to have him deep inside you. But once you started to move away, Jack finally came up for air, his face glistening in your elixir. He quickly pulled down his sweats and boxers, and when you saw what was poking you earlier, you had to take a breath. It was thick. His pink tip was throbbing uncontrollably with little pebbles of precum adoring it, a prominent vein running down the shaft, heavy balls that clearly needed to be drained, but most importantly, there was a curve to it. It was perfect, and despite your sensitivity down there, you needed to feel him.

“You like what you see?” He leaned down to where he was hovering over you by mere inches.

“I like it a lot, actually.” 

Jack smiled at your honesty before kissing you, allowing you to glide your hands to his back. His hands trailed to your legs again, pushing them apart so he could slot himself between you. But you decided to surprise him with a special move you had been working on during your leisure. You pulled away from his intoxicating kiss to lift your legs up and behind your head. The move surprised yet excited Jack more than he could explain. He knew you were flexible but never dreamed you could do that. 

“You’re just full of tricks, huh?” He asked, and you smiled innocently at him.

“Maybe, but you’re just gonna have to see what else I have in store.” 

“I can’t fucking wait.” Jack rubbed the tip of his dick on your glistening pussy, precum mixing with your juices to gather enough for him to slide in easily. But each brush of the tip on your clit made you jump, given how sensitive you were. But it didn’t deter Jack, rather, it encouraged him to keep doing it, and when he started to slap the tip on your clit, you knew he was being a tease.

“Please fuck me already. I can’t take anymore teasing.” You begged.

“I’m gonna need you to ask correctly, darlin’.” Jack dragged the tip down to your hole but didn’t inch forward.

“Daddy, please fuck me.” 

“That’s my good princess,” He mumbled before pushing in slowly. You gasped as he pushed the tip in, and with each inch that followed, you could feel the stretch intensify. It was a little too much, but Jack kissed your forehead to calm you down. “I promise to go slow, baby.”

“It’s okay.” You told him and tried to relax while he pushed in further. But for him, he was trying to not cum early based on how tight and wet you were. You were perfect in how you felt, and it took everything in him to not move in and out of you until you were ready. He kissed as a distraction, getting the last inch in to make you moan in his mouth. You felt impossibly full, the tip curved right against your spot, and your walls began to flutter around him. The discomfort subsided after a moment passed, with you getting lost in the kiss since if there was one thing you enjoyed from what you learned today, it was finally knowing that Jack lived up to his persona in every way imaginable.

You pulled away and brushed the hair out of his face. “You can move.” 

He obliged, pulling out a little faster than how he pushed in and going back in, the stretch feeling better the second go around. But his strokes stayed intentionally slow yet deep, with Jack losing himself in how it felt to be inside you. Heaven would be one word to put it in his mind and coupled with the view he had of you, eyes looking up at him, your breasts bouncing, and a perfect view of how your pussy opened up for him, there wasn’t much else he could ask for.

“Baby, you’re taking me so well. Such a pretty girl for me.” Jack praised, and you loved every word that flew out of his mouth. It went straight to your head, and the fullness you felt in each stroke was stoking the fire that was building inside you the moment he touched you.

“That’s it, baby. Hold your legs up for me, just like that.” He leaned back up to get a better view, and a muttered curse followed as he almost came from that sight, making him thrust faster and tilt you up so he could see your spot perfectly. You enjoyed the new angle, feeling yourself pulse around him and slowly going over the edge with each deep stroke Jack gave you. It was riveting; your mind focused on nothing but this moment, and only were you brought back into reality when you felt the need to let go.

“You gonna squirt again on my dick, baby? Make another mess for me on the mat.” Jack cooed, and when he thrusted inside you again, you were in pure ecstasy. You couldn’t hold it, squirting again for him, which encouraged him to fuck you through it, making your eyes roll back as it felt like you were going forever. 

“That’s it. Love it when you let go for me.” He lowered you back on the mat and moved his hand up to move the hair out of your forehead to kiss it. You came down, and you could look at him as he moved back up, and you couldn’t get enough of the sight. You loved how he looked at you, how turned on he was by you. It was even hotter to see how much he was enjoying you, his grunts and moans making you throb. But the moment you looked down and saw how he slid in and out of you, you fluttered around him more. 

“You like watching me slide in and out of you?” He asked as he moved his hand to your clit, rubbing light circles. “Watching me fuck this pretty pussy of yours makes you so wet that you can’t help yourself.” 

“Please don’t stop.” 

“Oh, I’m not gonna stop,” He promised as he rubbed faster circles. “In fact, you can give me one more right? I know you can, princess. Just one more for me.”

You were overstimulated for sure, but there was something about the low tone in Jack’s voice, the pet name, or maybe a combination of today’s events that pushed you to keep going. It was a chant in your mind one more time. One more time of making a mess for him, one more time of finally getting what you wanted. That thought set you off, your legs shaking, so you had to move them from behind your head. It washed over you from head to toe, and your moans that brushed upon becoming screams would stay in Jack’s mind forever. 

Jack was amazed by it all. To experience this with you and bring you to this point of ecstasy and overstimulation was a dream that he thought was too far-fetched until now. But seeing you like that only convinced him he had to do this again with you for as long as possible. 

“Fuck, baby. You’re so tight.” He grunted as he thrusted into you sloppily, his orgasm nearing by the second.

“Please cum for me. Please, daddy.” You could feel he was holding on by a thread, and you wanted to set him off as he did for you. 

“Baby, where can I cum?”

“You seem to like these a lot,” You grabbed your breasts to give him a show with a smirk on your face.

Jack didn’t think twice before pulling out and stroking himself right over your breasts. He came within a few strokes, and the thick ropes of cum that followed you wished were deep inside you to fill you up to the brim. It was a mess, and when you swiped some of his cum on your finger to taste it, you swore you saw another drop of cum drip from the tip as he was fixated on you tasting him. The taste was salty, as expected, but you wanted more.

You took another swipe on your chest, licking and sucking to torture him further until it was all up; all the while, Jack’s chest was heaving from cumming so hard. But what made him overstimulated was when you leaned up to kiss and then suck the tip. His hand moved to grab your hair, him biting his lip so hard he could draw blood. You weren’t sure how far you could take it before you needed to stop, but Jack didn’t seem to mind when you took more of him in your mouth, the stretching tugging at your lips, but you paid no mind.

“F-Fuck, baby. You feel incredible everywhere.” His tone wavered from confident and dominant to inching closer to whimpering, and you had him right where you wanted him. It pushed you to take more, testing your limits given his fortunate size. But when your hands reached his balls, playing with them as you deepthroated him, there was no going back. Jack’s grip on your hair tightened, and he thrusted into your mouth as he was sure you could take him.

“Such a pretty slut on your knees for me.” Jack looked down to see you, smiling at how pretty you looked. You knew he was close when he began to tense up, prompting you to suck faster and swirl your tongue when you could, humming and making him twitch in your mouth. Jack couldn’t take it anymore, spilling down your throat and holding you there to take it. More ropes of cum painted your throat, and when Jack finally let go of your head and pulled out of your mouth, you swallowed it while looking at him. 

“You want to put me in an early grave I suppose?” He jokingly asked.

“Maybe. But I want to wait before I do that.” You answered as Jack got back on his feet. You tried to do the same, but you wobbled, earning a laugh from him.

“Seems like it’ll be a while before you can do that.” He teased as he put his hand out to help you up. You took it, and he guided you off the floor so you could get dressed.

“I think you need my towel considering what I did to your breasts.” Jack wiped you down gently to ensure you were clean, and when he saw a dribble on your bottom lip, he kissed it off you. You wanted more, but he pulled away, finding his clothes to put them back on.

“Well I didn’t get my routine in but I think you helped me for tomorrow.” You put on your clothes slowly, trying to keep your balance.

“I think this was better than any stretching routine you had in mind.” 

“Yeah, but now my legs are jelly.” You told him as you struggled to get your pants on. Jack was halfway dressed when he helped you, getting you dressed in record time before you heard the knock on the door.

“It’s time already?” Jack asked.

“Yeah. I better get out of here before I hear Bourbon’s god awful playlist.” 

“It’s not that bad.” 

You shot a look at him. “It is definitely that bad. There’s a reason why they don’t allow him to play his music at the Christmas party.”

“Point taken.” 

You both grabbed your things and walked out, but Jack grabbed your hand and didn’t look back at the men who were whistling. Ginger Ale was walking down the hall when she saw you both, and the smile on her face was indeed causing trouble.

“Done playing hard to get?” Ginger asked you.

“I was not.” You answered and acted as though you were offended.

“You were, but it’s okay.” Jack interjected.

You turned your head to look at him. “Yeah? Why’s that?” 

“Because I got you and that’s all I wanted.”

[bonyassfish]

Incidentally as we come up on cold and flu season (PLEASE GET TOUR FLU SHOT AND COVID BOOSTER ASAP IF YOU HAVE NOT ALREADY) I thought some of you may be interested in a recipe for chicken soup with matzah balls, straight from my Jewish™️ mom

Ingredients (this can serve like 4-6 people and also freezes pretty well, but you can also just adjust the portion sizes)

For the soup:

4 cups of water

3-4 bone in chicken thighs (note: you can basically use any parts of a chicken you want as long as it has bones. Chicken necks are very ideal and give lots of flavor but aren’t always easily accessible. Alternatively, you can save the carcass next time you serve a whole chicken and use that for the soup)

1 yellow onion

3-4 carrots

2-3 parsnips

1-2 zucchinis

1 turnip

At least 3 bulbs of garlic, but this is Jewish cooking so there is truly never too much garlic. As much garlic as you want, three is just the absolute minimum

Fresh dill, as much as you can hold in your hand? Idk just a lot of dill. And it does have to be fresh! No dried!

Salt and black pepper to taste

For the matzah balls (recipe may be adjusted for fluffiness or density as one prefers)

2/3 cup matzah meal (ground up matzah, must be very fine)

1/4 cup of water

1/4 cup of some type of fat, ideally schmaltz (rendered chicken fat. In the likely event that you can’t find it or make it, you may use olive oil)

1 large egg

Instructions:

Fill a large pot with water and a pinch of salt. Set the stove to low/medium heat. Let the water start to heat up before you put in the chicken. Keep the water just below simmering. Peel the carrots, parsnips, and onion, but DON’T chop them, put them in the pot whole. Cover the pot.

Peel and mince the garlic, then add it to the Cut off the ends of the zucchini and cut it in half. Peel the turnip and chop it up into little cubes. Put all of them into the pot. Add dill to the top. Cover and let simmer on low for 4-6 hours

As the soup is cooking, start the matzah balls. Mix the matzah meal and schmaltz/oil. Beat the egg and add it to the mixture. Mix it THOROUGHLY!!! Leave it uncovered in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to a couple of hours.

Take the mixture out of the fridge. Prepare a plate or a tray with parchment paper on top. Use the mixture to roll out small balls (like the size of a golf ball, they expand as they cook). Cover and let sit in the fridge for 15-20 minutes. Don’t let them sit too long.

(Note: if you want to just make the matzah balls and not the soup, skip all the following steps and just boil these bad boys in some water with a little salt until they’re a little soft but not starting to fall apart. You can freeze them or serve them with your favorite soup)

Plop the matzah balls in the soup. If you like them soft and falling apart, put them in earlier, and if you like them having more structure wait longer to put them in the soup.

Taste test the soup and add salt and pepper as you desire. Turn the stove off and take out the dill. Use a strainer to take out the onion and turnips. You can leave in the other vegetables or take them out. Serve right away or let it cool down before freezing.