#if we should renew someones contract

[dcrtmund09]

HOW MANY MORE CRIMES IS THIS CLUB TERZIC ALLOWED TO COMMIT?

Renewing Wolfs contract? They can't be serious. We should be glad to see him leave this summer.

If we renew his (high paying!) contract and don't pull Maatsen release clause.. I WILL RIOT.

We're not a serious club anymore. It's Emre Can renewal all over again.

[livefastdriveyoung]

In this era of social media, mental health consciousness, and open dialogue, the sheer magnitude of the way Logan’s story in F1 came to an end is diabolical.

It should not have happened.

But it did.

And it ends in the fact that there was no push back from those in the sport until after he was gone.

It took Logan being kicked out of the seat with nine races left for two fellow drivers to speak positively about him, for reporters to say hey he’s alone and has no support system maybe that is a problem.

That's where we're up to, where it ends.

Before this, we had Croft and Karun spending half of their dialogue talking about how much they don’t like him, how bad he is. Week after week. And yeah. He’s not the best by any means but it was nonstop.

Alongside that we have this constant dialogue from the higher ups at Williams that “Logan must do better, he is not where we need him, the mechanics are furious, they cheered for 45 seconds straight when we announced Carlos.”

Alongside that, There was a two sentence statement both times he got dropped. AFTER HIS REPLACEMENTS WERE ANNOUNCED.

Before that we have the team principal boot him from his car in the third race of the season for points they never scored.

And the abuse continued. Tumblr is pretty supportive of Logan, but if you spend time on Twitter or Instagram, it was abusive, how mean people were. 

Are.

When the rumors came out about James not talking to Logan, not giving him feedback, the statement was the first time we saw him mention anything related to his team principal. 

Funny how we were all flabbergasted but it was somehow believable. 

There have been signs that Logan was fading from Williams, that the sport was punishing him, since his first season. No birthday post for Logan, two posts for his contract renewal, one post about Lap of Legends featuring him only to be immediately dwarfed by Alex’s renewal.

Nothing about Logan’s improvements or teamwork, strictly what he did wrong.

Nothing Williams did has led me to believe they ever liked him.

And then the revelation that James had been trying to sign Carlos since before he signed Logan.

He would have had to be negotiating both contracts at the same time.

The same time.

Even when James had no replacements in mind according to the press, he was having hotel room meetings with another driver.

Because Logan was never the first choice. Not even the second. His selection was an act of desperation. His renewal was because of the sponsors and lack of options.

It must have been miserable.

And still, he speaks no ill. We know from many drivers about how they feel about their former teams. But he’s not going to say anything. I hope he winds up somewhere that respects him as a person, because it feels like Williams didn’t even do that. 

Because that is where it comes down to.

Where is the human decency? When did it become acceptable to put someone in the line of fire and leave them there?

He may not have been what Williams was looking for, but Logan Brought a lot of people to this sport, and for that, they owe him more than they could ever repay him.

[cherry-leclerc]

20/90 ☆ cl16

genre: humor, smut, angst, jealous!charles, post-break up, toxic ex trope, on & off

word count: 2k

After a painful break-up, you and Charles find yourselves taking part in what seems to be a never ending cycle. But there are rules that apply.

nsfw warning under the cut!

18+...car sex, riding, wrap it before you tap it!

req!...two in a day?? you guys are spoiledddd

It takes about twenty days to break a habit, give or take. There’s proof; like the time you scolded yourself into not biting your nails anymore, horrified with the idea of getting engaged with monstrous hands. Or when you swore you would never drink again after Singapore.

But it takes ninety to make a permanent change.

It was a mutual decision, it was the most mature one, really, too. He was getting more and more busy; higher demand. You were drowning with homework, and senior thesis, it was long overdue. Yet it still broke your heart just the same. We can try again in the future, he tries to reason when you sob against his chest, linen shirt growing damp, but never once thinks about pulling away. 

There is no future if there’s no you, you whimper. You feel stupid, desperate, and disgusting. It was not a lovely mix, but it was true. How could you move on when he was all you’ve ever wanted?

And there’s no present without you.

That was thirteen days ago, to be exact. Life was not better, but bearable to say the least. Often, you would find yourself stalking him on social media, unbeknownst that he did the same. You finally got your bachelor's you had worked your ass off for. He finally came to a renewal on his Ferrari contract. Life should be good.

Instead, you find yourself slumping against the cold wall, eyes squinting at the harsh sun. You’re well aware you’re panting like a beast, and sweat trickles down your face like a water faucet, but you couldn't care any less. Running was definitely not for the weak. 

Abandonner si tôt?

Directing your attention to a deep voice, your heart stops before excitedly pumping against your chest. You can feel it in your ribcage. It should be a crime how handsome he still is, the more he gets day by day. W-what are you doing here? 

His green eyes flicker against the rocks. Oh, you know. 

Are you here for me? You want to foolishly ask, but bite down instead. I thought you were already in Bahrain. 

Keeping tabs on me? 

Flustered, you narrow your eyes, feigning a normal state. We dated for five years. I know your schedule by heart. His soft features register a wave of shock, nervous fingers gripping his phone.

It was good seeing you. And he leaves.

It shouldn’t hurt so much, but it does. It feels as if you’ve scraped your knee, hit your heart, got punched square in the face, and got run over by a school bus. Infinite times. And he seems A-OK. It's against your better judgment to follow after him, to yell at him out of spite for no apparent reason. But you were not the same girl he used to know.

“Oh fuck,” Charles groans as you ride him hastily, headboard banging against the wall as he keeps a steady hold on your hip, where a path of fresh bruises lie. He almost laughs if it weren’t for you rolling your hips tentatively. He quirks a brow when you shake your head and finish around his thick girth, leaving him no choice but to follow along with a low shudder. 

“What have I done?” you whisper, delicate hands coming up to cover up your bare breasts. “Oh my God…”

“Ah,” he hums. “What a delightful thing to hear.”

Scurrying off his lap, you grab your wrinkled clothes, inching towards the exit as you wag your finger. “This –that– could never happen ever again. Capeesh?” 

Charles tries his best to hide his hurt, braving through with a nonchalant smile. “Never again.”

-

You’re eight days in when he texts you. Something about needing someone to talk to. You might have broken up, but who said you couldn’t remain friendly acquaintances? He demands you meet at your spot, and it's a slap in the face but find yourself there nonetheless. He rambles on and on about his ongoing stress, and the neverending pressure. You knew it got bad, but you never thought this much. 

“My PR manager is debating on whether I should date someone for the sake of increasing views. More attention.” 

Your jaw goes slack. “You called me for this?” Rushing up to your full height, you brush off a gust of dirt, struggling to not roll into a coughing fit. “What makes you think this is something I want to hear?”

The Monegasque’s face pinches up like a clam. “I thought you should know.”

You scoff. “Right…” He watches as you scarily pace the open field with a blank expression. It saddens him how suddenly he doesn’t know how to read you. “You’re a fucking coward.”

And you leave.

-

He follows through with it because there’s really no other choice. She’s nice, but not kind like you. She’s pretty, but not breathtaking like you. You get the gist. 

Her touch is unfamiliar and cold, forced. Abnormal. Her father is some kind of wealthy man who invests in prestigious hotels in his home country and is looking to make some more money as if what he doesn’t have is enough to serve him a lifetime. Sometimes, Charles feels for her. She probably wanted this the same amount as he did. 

Behind a screen, you live through all of it. Your friend nicknamed you as Bella-From-Twilight-When-Edward-Goes-Away. Only Edward comes back. Charles never did. But it's now been seventeen days. And you curse the day you run out of your favorite ice cream.

“Why am I always bumping into you?” you huff when you spot the brunette. He rolls his eyes. I’m the famous one here. I don’t need to follow anyone, unlike you. Where his cold tone finally blossomed from –you don’t know– but you didn’t like it at all. Purposefully hitting your cart against his own, you stroll off. “Sorry for the inconvenience, Mr. Superstar.”

Comedically, you both find yourself glaring as you check out from adjacent sides, a silent competition on who can get out of there the fastest. You came here just for that, he mouths from afar as your burn bright pink, gaze flickering towards your strawberry ice cream. You flip him off, but giggle apologetically when the cashier assumes it’s aimed towards her. 

Charles wants to chuckle in amusement but would rather eat his own foot than admit to that. Have a good day, you can hear his clerk tell him at the same time yours does too. Flinging your arm into the hoop on your tote bag, you run off as he races you with a full cart of groceries. There’s a curve you hit as you manage to squeeze through and smile back at your ex, somehow satisfied. Amidst skip, you feel a harsh push as you fling forward, falling onto your knees as a little boy winces, licks his lollipop, and walks away. 

Blood trickles down your knees as you fiercely turn back to look at a regretful loser. “Is it really that deep?” you spit out, ears turning bright red from your reasonable anger. He tries to help you up but that only receives him a slap in the face. “Great. I look like I just got my period. Unbelievable.” 

“You just hit me,” he speaks in disbelief.

“You just pushed me,” you retort pointing at your injury, flesh being creepily visible. “On purpose, I might add.”

The Monegasque scoffs, gently massaging his aching face, dark brows pointed at you like knives. “You’re one crazy fucking girl…”

“Thanks, I get that a lot.”

It's all a fateful haze, the way you end up in his car. You suppose it starts the moment he presses on helping you unload your groceries, as some sick apology. But it’s only my ice cream. But he sheepishly shrugs. Now blood paints his driver's seat as you sit on top of him, and occasional grunts overflow due to his red cheek. “I can’t have sex with you,” you mumble against his swollen lips, chest heaving as your tinted windows begin to fog up. It was still early, but you didn’t care. 

“And I shouldn’t want to have sex with you, and yet.” 

“Yeah,” you pant, kisses steaming up. “Okay then.”

Shame lingers on your drive back home, and grows even deeper when you realize your strawberry treat has melted.

-

You would never take yourself as a self-driven person; not like most people. It was only one of your many flaws, but in this very moment, bent over the kitchen counter, you promise to become one.

“I can’t keep going back to him,” you groan over the phone as Lily attentively listens to what she considers gossip, and you consider a mid-life crisis. “We broke up months ago, why do I keep doing this to myself?”

“Perhaps because two still care for one another.” And because you know you still love him, and he loves you, she wants to add but stops herself when you glare coldly. 

“I am so over him, are you kidding? I’ve never been better. In fact, I’m going out tonight. First man I see boom! Fuck him. Just like that.” You click your fingers magically for emphasis. 

Lily’s face drops as her eyes zigzag towards something behind her screen. Before she can try to talk you out of it, you hang up. She’s obviously joking, she stutters when Charles freezes, midway from hanging Alex a pair of joggers, since he had forgotten his own. The green-eyed boy forces a dark smile, tipping his head and heading out without a goodbye. 

“I should probably warn her.”

You weren’t picking up–you weren’t going to. It was starting to hit you how stupid this all was and you did not need your friends erasing the last bits of determination you had within you. Beaming at a group of guys, you can’t help but flutter your eyes as they quietly fight over who gets to have the first move. Dibs, if you must. Swallowing the last bit of your awful drink, you start making your way over before a warm hand grips your wrist. “No. I’m not doing this again.”

Charles rolls his eyes. “And you’re not doing that either, we’re leaving.” It takes a lot of mental strength to not kick him in the shin and run off, but you can’t help but slap him once again as soon as he drags you out into the alleyway. A habit you’ve picked up, I see, he growls.

“Why are you still doing this?” you whimper, glassy eyes looking up in complete defeat. “You broke up with me. I agreed. We’re supposed to be moving on from one another. Why can’t you at least try to let me go?”

It’s a punch to the gut, the sound of your raw voice, broken and weak. He takes a clumsy step back, chest tightening from the tense situation he has wheezed himself into. “Believe me, I’m trying but I just can’t…”

Your nose is runny, mascara coats you like a baby racoon, cheekbones are splotchy as if you’ve just been hit, and you were still the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. Which is part of the reason why he can’t walk away from everything you've been through. 

“Well you’re not going to try, but I am. For real this time.”

-

It’s been ninety-two days, a lot, but not enough at the same time. But there was a piece of you that knew you weren’t missing him as much. So, maybe–it was. Enough, you suppose. It still hurts a tiny bit sometimes, watching him pose with fake smiles, or maybe they’re genuine, you can’t really tell the difference anymore. The way his eyes learned to sparkle for her over time. Fake can become real, it appears. But you being yearnful didn’t mean you weren’t moving on for your own sake. This was good, a new start. The kind you now looked forward to.

And it only took ninety-two fucking days.

taglist: @urfavnoirette @lpab @d3kstar @namgification @myownwritings

*feel free to let me know if you would like to be included in the general taglist!!

[predestined-one16]

«Ferrari fired wrong driver»

Can someone please explain to me how Carlos Sainz fans can be so delusional?

«I think Ferrari have backed the wrong horse. Carlos knows it as well and wants to give them this as a reminder! Good on him!!!»

«I like Charles, but my issue with him is that he’s inconsistent. Ferrari has essentially dissed Seb, Kimi and now Carlos to back him and he hasn’t proven to me that he can carry a team and win. WDC»

«Sainz is the better driver, thats why they held Leclerc on next to Lewis»

1) Just simple stats from the F1 website:

Drivers: Sainz/Leclerc

Seasons: 10/7

Grands Prix: 206/147

Podiums: 27/41

Wins: 4/8

Points: 1256.5/1405

Poles: 6/26

2) Mexico2024, Singapore2023, Silverstone2023, Austria2023

«We did a double but it wasn't my business»

«Gap to Sainz target 3 / Yeah copy, i'll try but then i'm at risk»

3)«More experienced» Sainz, who is faster only due to the new power unit.

«More experienced» Sainz, who is faster only due to DRS and cutting corners.

«More experienced» Sainz, who slowed down his teammate.

«More experienced» Sainz, around whom the car was built.

«next year's car has good modifications compared to what made him uncomfortable in 2022» - both 2022 and 2023(beginning) cars were shit. and after that someone dares to say that Charles can only win in a perfect car, while Sainz can cope with a wheelbarrow. Excuse me, but who creates this wheelbarrow?

4) «Carlos owes nothing to the team that abandoned him»

YES, he DOES. There are 20 drivers on the grid, reserve drivers and rookies from other formulas. Since you like to point out that they are drivers and they should race, understand that it is okay not to renew contracts. It is still the team he is under contract with until the last lap of the last race in Abu Dhabi.

The way he treats the team with disregard is unprofessional. Just because you're leaving a team doesn't mean you have to burn everything to hell before it.

5)«Carlos doesn't complain about Charles to the media, that's how a mature person should behave» A mature person doesn't whine on the radio for fear of being overtaken. BECAUSE IT ONLY SEEMS TO WORK ONE WAY.

Carlos Sinz be like:

Fulfil Race Agreements: ❌❌❌

Fulfil Media Agreements:✅✅✅

6) Charles: says outright that he doesn't think Carlos was favored in Las Vegas

Carlos fans: What?! Leclerc says he thinks Carlos was favored? How dare he?!

REWATCH FUCKING SINGAPORE23

7) In the end, he tries to show other teams that he is better than Charles and "they should see who they have lost", but only shows everyone that he is ready to spit on team orders, points for the constructors' championship, and thinks only about himself.

And I'm not denying that Ferrari screwed up (I'm not less angry with them) with Sainz's pit stop, I'm not saying that he HAD to give way to Charles, but again, we're talking about points for the team. All this crap with DRS could have led to Charles simply not having time to overtake Max and they would have lost points. They ALREADY lost points in Mexico, +3 DNF Sainz (+1DNF Charles, P11 and P14 during the upgrade test), he should be fighting McLaren for every point, but instead he does what he does. It's one thing to fight for your podium, and completely another to let your teammate down.

[tippenstoepens]

Prettiest Girl in the Room

part 1 - part 2 - part 3

Wordcount: 1.2k

You couldn’t hold it against Joe. As an adult woman, you knew better by now. Kisses don’t come with strings attached and just because a person kisses you, doesn’t mean they want to spend the rest of their life with you - especially if that kiss happened while both parties were drunk.

Which Joe made pretty apparent when he didn’t call you the morning after your kiss. Or the three mornings after that. Or the three months after that. All you had heard from Joe was his reaction notifications from the cast group chat when someone would send a Twitter meme made of the show. Everyone fancied one of Jackson’s character screaming “Well, you can shove your ham up your ass!” 

“Joekeery loved an image”

That’s all you got. 

You went about your life the way you always did between gigs: waitressing during the week, babysitting your friends’ kids on weekends, and sending out the odd self-tape in hopes your career wasn’t over before it had even begun. It was a nice, simple life. Not every actor was fortunate enough to afford a roof over their head in New York City, no matter how many doubles they worked. You consider yourself spoiled rotten every day. What could possibly be missing?

You didn’t date. That was probably part of the problem. That’s what made Joe’s silence ache so deeply. You wondered if it would change anything if he knew that the most action you had gotten in months before the kiss was getting catcalled in the streets. A simple kiss meant the world to celibate, touch starved women like you.

Maybe you should be the one to call him… And maybe you should crawl on your knees begging him to pay you a modicum of attention with “DESPERATE” written on your forehead in red Sharpie just to put the icing on the idiot cake. 

He popped into your mind way more often than he was welcome. At the grocery store when one of the songs he always played in the makeup trailer started harassing you over the intercom. In your kitchen when you removed fish bones from your salmon. In bed when you were trying to… Well, that’s no one’s business. 

“Guess who has two thumbs and just got renewed for a second season,” the director bubbled in the group chat.

“Oh, I love this game,” David texted. “This show. Our show got greenlit.”

It was time to shake it off. Not just for the sake of the show, but for your own sake. It wasn’t healthy to dwell so much on the past. 

On the first day back from hiatus, the producers and director had the cast sit for a table read of the first few scripts they had written. As Joe’s TV wife, you’d expect to be sitting next to him considering most of your scenes were together. Maybe you should talk to Joe and clear the air before the table read started. Yes. That’s the mature thing to do.

You arrived twenty-five minutes early - which is on-the-dot on time in the acting world. Joe wasn’t there when you arrived. Or ten minutes after you did. Or five minutes after that.The anticipation of Joe’s arrival was turning your stomach into knots. He was usually punctual. Surely, he wasn’t tardy because of you.

“Any word from Joe?” The director mumbled to his assistant. 

“Haven’t heard from him,” they replied.

You began to worry. Was he skipping out on the table read because he didn’t want to see you? Had his avoidance of you gone that far? He’d have to get over it eventually. He had a contract to fulfill. Just as you began your descent into a catastrophizing spiral, the clock struck eleven and Joe jogged into the room - beads of sweat forming at his hairline. “So sorry,” he panted. “Traffic was terrible.”

“It’s okay, we wouldn’t get started without our golden boy,” David teased. “I hear he’s up for sexiest man alive this year.”

Joe blew a short raspberry in response.

“Alright, alright, let’s get right into it, shall we? From the top of episode one.” The director chirped, no doubt relieved that he didn’t have to read Joe’s lines for him. “Interior. The Henderson bedroom. John and Jane Henderson lie in bed, covered only by their silk bed sheets. They’re snuggled up together. Post-coitus is implied.”

Say sike right now. You had never done a scene like this with Joe before. Never! The Henderson’s didn’t even have a scene like this in their honeymoon episode.

Of course this would be the first scene on the first day back after your first time seeing Joe after your first kiss. It was fan service. Every girl, guy, and person wanted to see more of Joe’s skin these days. But why did you have to be dragged into it?

You turned to look Joe in the eyes as you would have at any other table reading. Normal. This is normal. Business as usual. But it didn’t feel as easy as it was before. At first, you struggled to make eye contact and when you finally did, the intensity of his gaze made you blush a bit. Only a bit. The show must go on.

“That was amazing, sweetheart,” he scooped the line off the page and met your gaze again. 

God, the script writing was really going downhill this season, huh?

You sighed contently as the script dictated. “You’re tellin’ me!”

The whole cast chuckled.

The rest of the table read went on without a single hitch. After the ice was broken, things weren’t nearly as awkward as you dreaded they would be. The cast went through the entire table read five times before the lunch break. The first thing you did with your free time was approach Joe.

“You didn’t call.”

“Neither did you."

Fair, but not really because Joe was the one with a booming career and Joe was the one everyone tuned in to the show for and Joe was the one with most of the power in this dynamic and Joe was the one who initiated the kiss and infinitely many other reasons that he was to blame came to mind before you finally came to the conclusion that you didn’t call Joe because you were afraid of the possibility of rejection. What if you followed up only to find out that he wasn’t interested in you? Your low-self esteem convinced you that reaching out to a person like Joe was asking for embarrassment.

“So what now?” The rough exterior melted, revealing the vulnerable little girl inside that just wanted a boy to like her back.

“Well, that’s up to you,” he shrugged.

Not necessarily the answer you wanted. You just stared him down until he said more things.

“If it was just a drunken kiss, I understand. We’ll never speak of it again. We’ll keep things professional.”

“And if it wasn’t?” You murmured while making sure to avoid eye contact lest you be made a fool of for saying that.

“If it wasn’t… I’d like you to have dinner with me," he blushed. "Some time. If you… I dunno if you have free time- Well, of course you have free time, but I meant- If you want to have dinner,” he stammered and stuttered.

“I’d love to.”

Joe sighed in relief. “Great. Do you like Italian?” He smiled a bashful, closed lipped smile and it made the corners of his big, brown eyes crinkle.

“I love Italian.”

“I know a spot in the lower east side near Ludlow. Friday at eight? I’ll pick you up if you like.” God, his eyes.

The submissive in you wished he would stop worrying about what you like and make you do what he liked. The romantic in you found his sheepishness so charming.

“I’d like that,” you beamed.

Taglist: @thefrontofmymind, @bejeweled13swiftie

[romaritimeharbor]

good morning. i think we should talk about baizhu and changsheng's relationship more actually

do you think she feels guilt since she can't survive without being actively in a contract with someone, and that person has to be good-hearted otherwise the contract literally cannot proceed? do you think it eats away at her that she has to survive on the life force of the best people she can find? you think that fucks with her at all? do you guys think she looks at baizhu and feels guilt? you guys think she looks at him and just sees a kid more than anything else? do you guys think she has ever considered refusing to renew the contract with anyone going forward, even if it costs her own life and risks her being called selfish for letting her power die with her? do you think baizhu blames her at all, even if it's only in fleeting moments of weakness (he usually doesn't, but does sometimes, and even just the thought makes him feel bad because he knows she's also suffering in this cycle)?

[atiny-for-life]

Ateez and KQ Entertainment - A Summary

When it comes to K-Pop companies, anyone who's been a fan of any group for a while will know the majority of them are awful, greedy, and will sacrifice the health and safety of their artists for profit in a heartbeat. It's an awful industry built on the backs of underpaid, overworked young people who've been shamed and exploited since they were trainees and oftentimes bullied into plastic surgery, eating disorders, and mentally damaging competition with their peers. Many idols end up with chronic health issues, especially heart problems, long before they'll ever reach the average retirement age.

So what about KQ? Are they any different? Should we view them as one of them? Or are they an outlier like KOZ Entertainment which was founded by Zico, an active idol and former Block B member who has since signed his own group, BoyNextDoor?

Side note, and for the sake of completeness: After Block B, which means all members including their parents, were exploited by their former agency Stardom Entertainment, it was KQ who created an agency (Seven Seasons) solely for Block B so they could continue activities - a job they were definitely not prepared for so there was mismanaging going on and Block B fans don't look upon that time fondly. Since then most, if not all, members eventually stopped renewing their contracts.

However, these days, we've got Ateez, Xikers, Maddox, Eden and everyone else under the company refer to KQ as a family. Why is that? Let's gather what we know.

The Beginning: Accepting Hongjoong as a trainee

Most Atinys will already know the story of how Hongjoong joined KQ as their first ever trainee back in 2015. He's shared this story many times over the years (recent examples: Zach Sang Show interview, K-Star Next Door, I.M on the Beat interview, T-TIME : Grrrgak!) but for those who've never heard it, here's a summary of how it went down:

Hongjoong wanted to make music so he put a bunch of self-composed songs on a mixtape and sent it to several companies, including the big three. His reason for targeting KQ specifically was his love of Block B's music, which made him disregard the fact that KQ wasn't looking to sign anyone else. In fact, they were only a management agency at the time so they weren't even in a position to accept trainees.

Regardless, he sent the tape together with a letter, telling them they should reach out and contact him if they'd like to work with him. Whoever received that letter at KQ tossed it aside, unopened, and a year went by. The company then moved buildings and, while packing up, someone came across the tape and letter.

Intrigued, they listened to it (untrained rap and all) and heard the potential, which led the CEO to make a judgment call and give Hongjoong a chance. KQ called him to ask if he still wanted to do music. Of course, Hongjoong said yes and took the risk of signing with them.

Ateez's lives as trainees under KQ

While it was Hongjoong's music school principal who initially gave him the idea of not just being a songwriter but also an idol, it was KQ who further encouraged him.

However, as their first ever trainee, Hongjoong had a difficult time. First, with Eden initially trying to push him to quit music because KQ had put him in charge of training Hongjoong as a producer and Eden had zero interest and training to be a teacher. (Of course, those feelings didn't last too long and Hongjoong wormed his way into Eden's heart fairly quickly.)

But even without that, he struggled with being lonely because most other trainees who walked into the practice room, never stayed. Additionally, KQ was quite poor at the time, so Hongjoong only ate fried rice most of the time which he quickly grew tired of. Many of you may remember this story from Hongjoong's mother's letter shared in this video last year:

In late June 2024, during a live, Hongjoong also shared he was diagnosed with two separate conditions during his trainee days, orthostatic hypotension (drop in blood pressure when standing up or sitting down which leads to fainting) and vasovagal syncope (fainting caused by triggers such as emotional distress, the sight of blood, etc.) which he's learned to manage since. However, this was something he forced himself to learn to deal alone since he didn't want to worry the company or others.

During these early days, KQ was broke and Ateez had a food budget (which they sometimes maxed out, leading Hongjoong to pretend he was dieting and push the others to use his budget for themselves) and weren't allowed to use their phones in the dorms, likely to discourage them from getting distracted and sleeping too little but, aside from Hongjoong, no one seems to have followed that rule. See, the famous clip of Hongjoong talking about being salty when he discovered Seonghwa's two hidden phones:

However, KQ famously never enforced any sort of dating ban unlike most other companies which later gave us one of the funniest headlines of all time:

And they were also some of the first idols who proudly showed off their tattoos while many others were still banned from even getting them.

Ultimately, they already went viral predebut thanks to their outstanding dancing and Jongho's ability to split apples with his bare hands while singing.

Something I can't source but remember: Yunho, I believe, once shared the practice room used to be tiny and in terrible condition before they moved to a bigger building right before San joined the company.

Investing in and defending Ateez

During their trainee days, KQ flew Ateez (plus their then maknae, who wasn't ready to debut in 2018 and presumably moved on to another company) out to LA where they received rigorous dance training so they could become the performance group we all know and love today. They documented the whole thing here:

Something worth noting about this time is: they've been consistently providing English subtitles for all their content which was definitely a huge contributor in how much more popular they've always been overseas compared to domestically.

In an attempt to get Ateez more exposure, KQ took the financial risk of paying for Ateez's participation in Kingdom: Legendary War all the way back in 2021 which was, honestly, a hellish time for the fandom - even KQ acknowledged that in a lawsuit they filed against some false rumors being spread about Ateez around the time, stating:

However, we have decided that the current situation, in which false information is misunderstood as true, can damage not only our artists’ reputation which has been achieved through hard work but also our fans' mental health, who are our artists' biggest supporters.

Participation in the program was deeply exhausting for Ateez (who were without Mingi at the time - more on that in a bit), but did prove worthwhile when it garnered them a significant amount of new fans thanks to their positive attitude regarding the competition which had the vibe of "We're just here to make friends and put on a great show."

Regarding this part of their history, it should be noted that, in the wake of Kingdom: Legendary War, additionally information came out, exposing severe mistreatment of Ateez at the hands of Mnet:

After constant disrespect, a Korean Atiny [...] made a lengthy post of all the times Mnet had treated the K-pop group poorly. The final straw might have been Ateez not getting a single nomination for any award on Mnet's award show, MAMA 2021, despite the channel calling them ‘performance kings’. On top of it, fans found it humiliating that Ateez, the only group that was not nominated, performed at the award show too. [...] Korean Atinys claimed that Mnet’s staff would scream at Ateez while filming their reality shows. They were not told about the venues where they would be performing like the outdoor festival event and their makeup room was the smallest during the ‘Kingdom’ shoot. While other participating groups were given sofas, Ateez members were given stiff office chairs.

However, this is not something to blame KQ for - Mnet is famously hated by all idols and is even known to mistreat Hype artists, who are far more influential. They abuse the power they hold over all artists since everyone depends on them for promotions. One company alone, especially one on the small side, doesn't have the power to take them on. It'd take collective action on all companies' parts.

In the year that followed, 2022, KQ sued an infamous gossip YouTuber, who'd been spreading lies and rumors about idols for years, reaching all the way back to first gen idols. Even other fandoms cheered on KQ at the time for finally doing something against her.

Excerpt from the article:

The YouTuber has been criticized in the past for starting false rumors about idols. NMIXX‘s Sullyoon, BTS‘s Jungkook and RM, actress Han So Hee, And NCT‘s Jisung are just a few of the celebrities the YouTuber has targeted. According to reports, the person behind the Sojang YouTube account has been actively writing about rumors since K-Pop’s first generation. Before YouTube, the netizen had been active on online communities, Facebook, and Twitter. According to reports, it is believed that Sojang is a woman in her mid-to-late forties. This isn’t the first time the YouTuber has been sued. EXO member Xiumin has previously sued her, and BTS’s V had threatened to sue the YouTuber last December.

Again in 2022, they also took strong legal action when a tracking device was placed on one of Ateez's cars, stating "The defendant asked for leniency, but the company has not agreed to any leniency or settlement to prevent further damage and set a precedent for those who think of downplaying privacy violation offenses."

KQ has also proven themselves willing to back their artists' personal dreams financially, like when they paid for Hongjoong's non-profit photo exhibition which gathered money for charity and supported his wish to have a busking event, and got Seonghwa to meet his favorite ASMR YouTuber.

Recently (June 2024), Hongjoong also shared they're now getting paid extra incentives, as of last year (2023), as a thank you for all they've done for the company and the sum doesn't seem to be all that small.

Of course, there are also the most tangible and noticeable investments: creative marketing both locally and overseas, high quality music videos, regular vocal and performance training, booking music show and interview appearances and, notably, appearances on platforms outside the usual K-Pop sphere, i.e. React in 2019.

Ateez and the rest of KQ - family relationships?

We all know that famous clip of DJ Yunho calling KQ the best best company while Wooyoung's trying not to choke on his laughter:

And we also know Ateez and their respective families all get along - all their parents seem to have become friends and adopted the rest of the Ateez members as their own kids. Especially Wooyoung seems to call everyone's parents "mom" and "dad" and San's dad is deeply invested in everyone's health and well being. Hongjoong has even involved his brother before to help him choreograph for his MAMA performance.

Outside their immediate family, they all also have a group chat as Ateez with their CEO where he refers to them as his kids and he also watches their lives sometimes, attends concerts, etc.. Someone made a compilation here back in 2022 but they still imitate and quote him to this day:

And it's not just their CEO, they all seem to really love their managers and vice versa with this guy going viral for his adoration of Yeosang on multiple occasions and this clip between Wooyoung and his manager going viral more than once. You can find many compilations of the dynamics between Ateez and their staff but here's an example.

And here's an example of how Xikers and their staff treat each other (spoiler: it's adorable chaos).

We've also seen the hair and make up staff goof around with them and we also know how close they are with B.B.Trippin, the dance crew who create the majority of their choreos, who've been fostering an unbroken relationship with KQ since the early days due to their ties with Block B.

Today, they continue to tour with Ateez despite how sought after they are by other companies with JM, their leader, even stating in response to the question "What are your favorite groups to choreograph for?":

"Of course it’s ATEEZ! Right now I’m not making the choreography myself, I’m only working as the general director. But I’ve been with ATEEZ since the members were first together and we talk a lot, so we fit well and I like working with them."

And, of course, we know how close they all, but especially Hongjoong, are with Edenary and Maddox from not just Ateez's content, but also Maddox's:

How KQ handles health issues

In the beginning, Ateez were severely discriminated against in the industry, as is true for all groups of small companies. As a result, they pushed themselves extra hard during what limited performance time they had in order to leave an impression and slowly grow their Korean fanbase. To quote Mingi: "When we just debuted, we were known for the madness."

During their first tour in 2019, Yeosang broke his finger during a performance and set it again by himself without ever leaving the stage or even slowing down.

Seonghwa, in an equally bonkers move during the same tour, cracked his ribs while coughing and still chose to perform. At the end of Hala Hala, when they all pretend to snap their necks and collapse, his rib kept him from being able to get back up, leaving Yunho and Yeosang to basically carry him off stage.

After those incidents, KQ became far more vigilant and ensured Ateez watches their health and safety more closely, with Seonghwa sitting out a performance in 2020 due to an injury. Their statement stating:

During a recent modern dance lesson, Seonghwa experienced pain near his hip joint. He went for an examination at a medical clinic specializing in that area, and he has been diagnosed with a mild sprain. While it is a minor injury, he has been advised by the medical team to avoid intense movement for about two weeks, in order to avoid the worsening or relapse of the injury. Therefore, Seonghwa will only be taking part in the Meet & Greet segment of ‘KCON:TACT 2020 Summer’ on June 26, and it would be difficult for him to take part in the performance.

In November of 2020, the same year, roughly two years after debut, Mingi developed some severe anxiety which led to him getting tested and diagnosed before he went on a (back then) indefinite hiatus to get rest and regain stability in his life.

During this time, he didn't participate in any public activities but stayed in close contact with all the members and even San's dad who checked in on him regularly since he's San's dad's favorite.

He returned in mid-2021 after about half a year of intermittent schedules to get back in the swing of things and under the clearance of his therapist. His mind was made up that he wanted to keep on doing this and he seemed happy to be back:

Jongho, too, had a more severe injury in August 2023 and needed to get surgery to fix it. Thankfully he, too, recovered fully after a hiatus that lasted a couple of months which was followed by him sitting on a chair side-stage during performances for quite some time until his knee was fully healed.

More recently, we've also heard Seonghwa share that they used to struggle severely while touring, even requiring oxygen masks backstage to keep themselves going, which led the CEO to put together a team of pro athlete trainers to ensure Ateez can physically meet the demands of the industry without sacrificing their health any further.

Most recently, it was Wooyoung who needed to sit out for a bit when he developed cholinergic uriticaria. Thankfully, he's already back in the swing of things as well, though we may not see him participate in outdoor schedules during the summer or in the south.

Most Common Criticisms of KQ

1 - Ateez are overworked!

This is undeniably true for all successful idols. It's a brutal, brutal industry and unless all companies slow down, there is no way to take time off without being forgotten and losing out on future opportunities because a lot of fans are quick to move on whenever a group disappears for a bit. Many don't even stick around for more than one comeback to begin with.

Especially during the end of the year award period, all idols are deeply overworked which is why we saw Ateez get time off around early April. They also take breaks for holidays and Hongjoong has said before that they're adults and know what they're doing when a fan told him they're being overworked (I wish I could find the clip right now).

I also remember Seonghwa saying during an interview that KQ never makes decisions without talking them through with Ateez so they understand each other's reasoning and no decisions get made over their heads (once again, I wish I could find the damn clip but all I remember is Seonghwa had longer black hair and his outfit and the set were kept in black, white and gray tones).

2 - KQ is controlling!

If you've read the whole post, you'll already know Ateez have a lot of freedom compared to other idols, especially now. They get to do lives without supervision, pursue solo projects (including quality music videos for their covers and original songs), Yeosang was an MC for The Show for a long time where he got to show off solo, while Yunho and Hongjoong got to be Idol Radio DJs for a long time where they got to be mentors, show off as dancers and make new friends. On top of that, Yunho, Jongho, San and Seonghwa all four starred in a drama (with Yunho being a co-lead) criticizing the abuse and mistreatment idols face in the industry which Ateez reference to this day.

Hongjoong also gets to work with Xikers now, giving them guidance Ateez surely wished they'd had in their early days, and he even collaborated with Chungha on her first album in her new agency, while Wooyoung got to work on a dance passion project with Watcha which was close to his heart just last year.

On top of all of that, they get to goof around constantly while a lot of bigger names in the industry have much more scripted content. We've also heard Ateez be extremely honest with fans when it comes to their wellbeing, including when they're tired or struggling. They've even told stalker fans off on live with zero consequences from the company on multiple occassions.

Their freedom goes double when it comes to their music where we know all members get to participate in both the song and choreography from recording all the way to live performance.

3 - Wooyoung and Yeosang don't get enough lines!

From an outsider's perspective, this is true. However, we don't know what's going on behind the scenes outside of what they tell us. For example, Hongjoong shared just recently that all members sing the whole song and then lines get distributed based on who suits which parts best.

It's also worth mentioning that the distribution is balancing out more and more over time. A trend which will surely continue now that both Wooyoung and Yeosang have released more covers to flex their vocals and 'Will - The World' included subunits so they could all show off and try out writing lyrics for themselves.

In Conclusion

I think, when it comes to Ateez, a lot of fans who raise concerns about KQ don't look at the bigger picture or lack some of the information needed to make a fair judgment. Though there is of course also absolutely valid criticism.

Please be aware I'm definitely not saying "Be a company stan, they deserve it!". The primary focus should always be on the artists themselves, not the people managing the funds in the background, but what I am saying is: "Trust Ateez."

There are so many idols out there who hate their companies, who are on the brink of collapse from exhaustion (P1harmony, NCT Dream, Enhypen, to name a few) and it's noticeable. They say it, they want fans to create a ruckus and demand better treatment, but Ateez isn't one of them.

All eight are very outspoken people and, from what we've seen and heard, so are their families. If KQ weren't full of decent people, Ateez wouldn't involve their siblings and parents in projects, they wouldn't spend time together outside of schedules.

There have definitely been instances where trending hashtags were justified, such as when there was lacking airport security because KQ had underestimated how many people would show up to welcome them, but there's a lot of unjustified complaining going on as well which can be easily debunked.

I hope this roundup of base information will help some people get a clearer picture of what the company dynamic is like so everyone can come to their own conclusions.

[soulinkpoetry]

We need to stop asking people if they’re married and start asking them if they’re in love.

-Soulinkpoetry

Someone said to me “ a marriage should be like a 5 year contract. Every 5 years you should only renew if both are still happy and still in love with each other.” And I couldn’t agree more.

.

[ruyakasunshine]

Formula one has some of the most insufferable fans I've ever seen (and this is coming from someone who's been in Kpop fandoms), so I'm gonna type a couple of reminders for y'all :

Max is not ruining the sport by being "too good". I honestly don't understand how people can have the same reaction whenever someone is actually good at the sport (e.g. Hamilton during his prime days), and never learn. He's not going to start losing just to entertain you (and that wouldn't work anyway, he DNF'd in Australia and the race still sucked).

You should be happy enough to witness the making of one of the biggest names in F1, because he will for sure be a considered a legend in the future (if that's not the case already).

The whole 'Hamilton is washed' narrative is starting to become annoying. You know, even as someone who hasn't been into the sport for long enough to remember his prime days, I can call you out on how baseless this narrative is. A seven-times world champion doesn't forget how to drive over the course of a season, obviously there is something that is going on behind the scenes, and his sudden move to Ferrari is only a proof of it.

Likewise, you guys need to drop the "Ferrari fired the wrong guy uwu" narrative. Firstly, Carlos wasn't fired, they decided to not renew the contract with him. This happens all the time, and we don't even know all the reasons behind this decision. This is a sport, not a boyband, they don't owe each other eternal fidelity for the fans or something.

Ferrari saw the opportunity of signing The Lewis Hamilton (which; like it or not, the guy is a legend), and took it. And, as Max himself said it, it isn't too surprising that they re-signed Charles and not Carlos, considering that the first has been more consistent throughout their career as teammates. He had chances at the championship, and could have new chances in the future with the right team orders (and with the maturity he's gained over these years).

Finally, Carlos will most likely have a seat in 2025, considering that he is a good driver and that most of the seats for next years aren't taken yet. Stop crying under each instagram and twitter posts of ferrari, stop bringing down Charles at every opportunity (seriously, hearing you talk you'd think the guy is finishing at the end of the grid each race and not within the top 5 at the very least since last year), and start cheering on their last season as teammates instead.

Overall, fans need to learn to whine less, be more respectful (drivers are human beings who deserve basic respect, I can't believe I need to remind this in this day and age), and appreciate the sport more.

[bullet-prooflove]

From Slowdancing in the park lot prompt list

22. I gave your name as my emergency phone call

I get this would be a huge step for Sean Archer & Roxie

I you're feeling it

Sending hugs

Tagging: @soultrysworld @Mysticcandymiracle @kmc1989 @emilyjr @toasted-stiletto 

You don’t you realise you have a problem, not until you have to resubmit your paperwork to renew your contract. Your pen lingers over the emergency contact box and that’s when you realise…

You don’t have one.

In the past you’ve put your parents details but the last time you’d ended up in hospital they hadn’t bothered to show up. You’d been able to hear Boden’s voice echoing down the corridor as he lost his temper with your mother’s excuse about the gala.

“Your daughter almost died today and you can’t be bothered to show up.” He had bellowed into the phone before she’d hung up on him. You could tell he was still enraged about the whole thing when he’d stepped into your room a few moments later to tell you weren’t coming as you breathed in the oxygen through the mask attached to your features.

“You are not alone.” He had told you fiercely as he held your hand in his. “You have 51 and we will not abandon you.”

You hadn’t been able to speak so you’d squeezed his hand in understanding. After that there had always been a member of 51 attending your appointments with you, supporting you through rehab. The one you do end up attending alone because of a call out is the time you run into Sean in the café at Med. You probably wouldn’t have met if it weren’t for that incident.

A few months later you receive a medal for your bravery in the field and it’s another event your parents don’t turn up to. Sean does though, he’s on his feet applauding with the rest of 51 because he’s proud of his girl, of the challenges she overcame to make it back to them all.

Your pen hovers again over the vacant box, It’s only been six months but you have never loved a man the way you love Sean, you’ve never met someone so genuine, so caring.

“Roxie, I’m gonna need that form.” Connie says, lingering at the other side of the table and you hastily scribble Sean’s details into the box before you hand it to her.

It’s later that night that you finally broach the topic with him. He’s sitting in his arm chair with your curled up in his lap, your head resting in the crook of his neck as he flicks through the tv to find that show you like, the one about lunatics who marry each other at first sight. He still can’t believe that’s a real thing, it’s highly entertaining and completely maddening at the same time.

“What’s up baby?” He whispers into your hairline, his fingers combing lightly through your hair. “You’ve been quiet all night.”

“I did something today. I should have asked but I didn’t…” You say trail off as he tilts his head towards you, his eyebrows etching into a frown. “I just realised I didn’t have anyone else and you show up when I need you, you always show up.”

“Roxie.” He says soothingly as his thumb traces over your cheekbone. “I’m sure whatever you did is fine.”

“I put you down as my emergency contact.” You say finally, meeting his gaze. “It means if something happens to me on the job, you’re the first person they’ll call.”

You register the surprise on his features and your eyes sting just a little because you realise you’ve fucked up.

“Roxie.” He says softly as he draws you even closer into the shelter of his body, cradling you close. “You know I’ll always show up for you. I’m happy to be your emergency contact.”

You can’t vocalise the sense of relief you feel when you hear those words, you know he sees it too as he tips your chin up, his lips ghosting over yours.

“You’re not alone anymore baby.” He promises you. “You’ve got me to take care of you now.”

Love Sean? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[anandrettisimp]

Should we start talking about how fucked Marcus possibly is at Andretti?

Like he’s the only Andretti outside the top ten with both [redacted] and Christian Lungaard ahead of him in worse teams.

The race that probably got him this seat, he almost didn’t qualify for after crashing the car and having to get a new one quickly set up and then deciding to slow down a lap early in the qualifying run.

And now he’s somehow thought that what he gossips about in a fucking podcast wouldn’t get out.

Cause we all know the only way he would have anything to say about Logan is via Kyle because swamp boys gotta stick together even if in different series and continents.

Which cause a whole new bag of worms.

Like did Kyle approach Marcus in a “you were in F1 what would you do?” way looking for advice or support he could pass on to Logan?

Was he venting to Colton and Marcus because he is mad about Logan’s situation and how he can’t really help him?

Was Marcus even involved in the conversation?

Whatever the answer is he’s has to of fucking destroyed a whole lot of trust that Kyle (and possibly Colton too) have in him.

Kyle, a man so laid back he’s horizontal.

Like is IndyCar paddock gossipy? Dear gawd they can be the worse some time. I knew stories back in the 2000s/2010s AND I WAS IN FUCKING SCOTLAND.

But it was never about someone outwith the paddock.

Logan’s not in the paddock and Marcus might of just destroyed part of the guy’s support system just to gossip.

All I’ll say is get ready to learn Dale Coyne buddy cause if you’re still at Andretti next year, I’ll be shocked if they renew your contract after that.

[mapileonxputellas]

Friends Who Became Family (Barca x Reader)

In support of Sara Bjork, my take on the other side of this. Loved writing this. This is quite different from the other ones I write. I started writing this with a specific player in mind as the partner but you can choose whoever you want or read it like this! Wrote in the style of a tribune. TW: IVF, pregnancy loss, pregnancy, depression 3.3k words

Playing football.

Having a baby.

Two things many women dream about all over the world and it is widely accepted if they don’t want to do one or either of those things.

But what if you want to do both? What if you reach the top of your game in football and decide that you want to have a baby? What then? Why should we have to sacrifice one to have the other?

But for that to happen people need to stand up and fight for our rights. People like my wife.

.

We’ve been together for seven years now. We met doing the one thing we both love: playing football. It’s cringy to say but it definitely was love at first sight, at least for me. I caught the eye of an opposition in an international friendly and the rest is history. A DM later than week, followed by months of messaging, millions of miles between us got us to this point.

Just over a year after we decided to make the move together, to join Wolfsburg. Neither of us could speak any German, we didn’t know anyone but with two suitcases and each other we made the move.

After four years together, three living together, it felt like we were ready for the next step. We both wanted to be mothers but we were both aware it wasn’t as simple as that. So we started looking for a donor and IVF. She was going to carry the baby and take a break from football. A decision made by the both of us.

At that point it was almost a near formality for both of us that we would sign a contract renewal but when two of the biggest clubs in the world come calling for you it is hard to refuse.

That meant moving to Barcelona, a new country. All in the middle of a pandemic. All whilst trying to start our family.

We knew this wasn’t going to be simple so when the opportunity came to start the transfers we couldn’t say no.

Our first transfer failed.

I’ve dreamt of this life since I was a young girl but those few months felt like a nightmare. I played football three times a week but had no energy to get out of bed. I celebrated every goal scored but I cried myself to sleep every night. I met the fans after every game but couldn’t truly be thankful for anything anymore.

Looking back I should have spoken to someone about this but I used football as my escape. My head was free. For those 90 minutes I could focus my anger and disappointment on something else.

Football was my rock.

….

Three failed transfers later we were losing hope. The small string of hope we were both clinging to was fraying and wouldn’t hold on for much longer. We’d got used to the faint two pink lines on the test, almost waiting for them to fade slowly over the days.

Then they didn’t. They stuck. For weeks we were almost in denial, always wondering when it would all come crashing down around us.

We kept it a secret as you will have guessed, both of us playing until my partner had to stop.

My wife has well documented her journey into motherhood, challenging the rights of mothers to FIFA and ensuring they are cared for throughout their pregnancy and motherhood.

Just under a year ago we welcomed our daughter into the world. It’s true when they say in that one moment everything changes. Football, has and always will be my biggest passion, but suddenly I had this whole other meaning to life.

But this isn’t so much about my journey through motherhood. I’m not sure if it’s visible but whenever she and my wife are in the crowd I can play with such freedom, knowing my three greatest loves are in one place.

This is a letter to my family.

…..

My wife….

You’re the most loving, caring, fearless, amazing woman I’ve ever met and I’m so lucky to have had the pleasure of being your partner in life.

Most people would describe us as quite cautious, well thought out players. That couldn’t have been more different to the day I made you my wife.

December 31st 2019

You were both so excited at the prospect of starting to try for a baby, spending the Christmas season in your native country and celebrating with both of your families present.

“I love you.” Your girlfriend whispered in your ear as you led in bed on the final morning of the year. “So much.”

“I love you too.”

“Enough to marry me?”

“What?”

“If I find a registrar will you marry me? Tonight?”

“That’s crazy, we can’t do that.”

“Why not? I love you, you love me. Who cares how many people are there? Who cares if we don’t have some fancy reception and a massive cake? All I need is you and I, our family, some friends and a takeaway for tea.”

“What will we wear?”

“We’ll go shopping, we’ve got time. Think about it, tonight we can watch the fireworks go off as wives. So will you do it? Will you marry me?”

“Go on then.”

That night you got married, underneath the stars in your childhood home. Everything absolutely perfect.

I’ve always admired you on the pitch, you exude confidence in everything you do. You’re a heartless defender but I’ve seen the heart of gold you’ve got inside of you.

On the pitch you’re determined in everything you do. There was a point in trying where I wasn’t sure if we could continue trying without breaking our own hearts in the process. But you showed your determination and love for our daughter with every injection, every setback and throughout your pregnancy.

I’ll never be able to thank you enough for everything you sacrificed for us and I hope you know that every time I go onto that pitch I do it for you.

The biggest compliment I can give you is that before I always wondered what I would do when I could no longer play football. How would I fill that void that has been there my whole life? But it couldn’t be easier when I know I’ve got a lifetime with you by my side.

My most precious memory is lifting the Champions League trophy with you and only you know the reason why.

May 2021

The atmosphere in Gothenburg was a strange one. The eerie quietness of the small crowd a stark contrast to the elation among you and your teammates.

The trophy was slowly being passed around, you as always happy to let the other have the limelight before you do.

“Y/N get over here.” Caro shouted. “It’s your turn.”

“Stop hiding at the back.” Mapi added.

“Alright, alright.”

“Let the love birds have a photo.” Alexia chimed in but stopped to pull the both of you in for a hug. “ No-one deserves it more than you two. Now go and do the cringy couples’ photos.”

“Very funny.” They rightfully teased you though, the two of you getting your photos with the trophy.

“I don’t think I’ve seen you smile this wide in months.” She whispered, a reference to your third failed transfer just three months before.

“It’s been hard. Really hard.” You didn’t want to ruin this moment with the tears gathering in your eyes. “But we’re here and I’ve got you. You’ve got me.”

“Maybe we’ve got a good luck charm today.”

“Up there?”

“Down here.” It took you a moment to work out what she was talking about, her hand gently placing your own on her stomach hidden behind the trophy which you fumbled in your hands. “Mapi, take the trophy.”

The trophy went away and you could finally wrap your arms around her. Slightly picking her up off the ground to move over to the side. “Are you serious?”

“I had it done 4 weeks ago, the lines are still there. 6 weeks gone.”

“I-“ You thought you were ready for this moment, you’d been waiting for it for so long but hearing those words filled you with so many emotions. You never wanted this moment to end though as you both just stayed in each other’s arms, chaos ensuing all around you but it felt like you were the only two people in the world. “Thank you.”

“No thank you.”

But I’ve never been as proud of you these past two years. We can appreciate that though it should be normal, we are lucky that we were supported by Barcelona. That didn’t stop you going further, taking it higher up and making sure players across the world are secure financially, emotionally and physically. You’ve changed the sport forever.

I’ve wrote this for you but I hope I show you every day how much you mean to me. I could fill pages and pages just talking about you.  

I love you always X

….

To my daughter….

I’d use this letter to tell you how much I love you but I hope you know that already.

I have no idea when you’ll read this letter, three years from now, ten years from now or twenty years from now but I’d like to say some things that will never change.

After saying all that I hope you know how much we love you. I hope you know that every day I look up to the stars and think about how lucky I am that I have you.

I hope you know that I’ll support you in whatever you want to do in life, whether that’s being a footballer or being a hairdresser. Though I do hope you won’t get bored of being in a football stadium.

April 2022

This felt like the biggest moment of your life so far. A Champions League semi-final leg in Camp Nou against your old club Wolfsburg but it wasn’t just the 90,000 plus fans that were in attendance. Somewhere in a box in the high heavens was a month-old little girl who just happened to share your name.

You’d debated whether to bring her but you simply couldn’t resist the opportunity. She would probably sleep the whole match but just to know she was here was enough.

The 5-1 win topped it all off, the celebrations jubilant as you all interacted with the fans, this was everything you’d worked for and more.

“Y/N! Y/N!” You could hear the fans chanting your name, merely supposing they wanted you to celebrate with them you carried on jumping but two arms wrapped around your shoulders.

“Someone’s come to see you.” Alexia whispered, your head immediately turning to find your wife and a little bundle in her arms. Ear defenders visible over her fluffy baby suit. “Go and enjoy this moment together.”

You didn’t hesitate, jogging over to your biggest loves, pulling one into your arms to your chest and pressing a kiss to the other’s lips. You couldn’t help but admire the tiny Barcelona shirt with your name on the back as she stayed asleep. “How did she like it?”

“It think she’s a fan already, she woke up for a feed and then stayed awake. I think it was the lights but we’ll say it was the football.”

“She’s a culer already.” Irene greeted you both before gently stroking the baby’s head. “Once again, she is gorgeous.”

“Must be the genetics.”

“Go and take her to celebrate.” Your wife insisted.

“You come too.” She haggled and came over but stayed towards the back with some injured players as you took her closer to where the team were. She must have felt the movement as eyes suddenly peered up at you but to your surprise the crying was kept at bay. “Hello, have you come to see mama play?” She simply gurgled back at you before settling against your chest. “You’ve got to get used to this baby.”

“Look who we have here?” Patri came over, carefully kissing the top of her head. “Feel amazing?”

“Feels incredible, the first of many.”

I hope you know that I do everything for you. I do everything so I can come home to your smiley face and watch you grow up.

I hope you know I’m always here for you always. In tough times and good times I’m by your side as your mama and your best friend in one.

I hope you strive for your own happiness and never settle for anything less. I hope you’re as caring and fearless as your mama is. I hope I make you proud.

I hope you know you’re perfect in every way. Never stop being you.

Love mama x

….

To my teammates….

Strangers who became friends who became family.

I’ve been in many teams before, I’ve played with lots of people but they’ve always stayed as friends. You’ve become my family.

We moved to Barcelona not knowing anyone and you took us in, taught us the language and supported us in every way possible.

I know you saw the dark moments. I know I tried to hide away and I’m so thankful you didn’t let me. I wish I could single all of you out and tell you how great you are but I’m sure I’ve told you all how much I appreciate you so I’ll single some of you out.

Jana, my little Jana. This last year has shown me what an absolute talent you are, not because of your talent on the field but for your perseverance off it. Us defenders stick together and it’s fair to say you’re like a little sister to me. I hope you know how much I appreciate every joke you tell, every smile you give because without knowing it you lifted my mood on some very tough days.

Patri. I think it was four months into knowing me that you found me that night. I’ll never be able to put into words how thankful I was for you but I hope you know that I am. You’re a superstar in every way.

December 2020

You’d officially hit rock bottom. It felt like you couldn’t do anything right. You strive for perfection and tonight you were definitely not that.

The sky was pitch black, the flood lights the only light illuminating you. The stands were empty, the only noise coming from your boots hitting the ball. Over and over.

The silly thing was you’d won the match, a last gasp winner sealing the 3 points but the initial equaliser was your fault in your head. You’d let her get the better of you 1v1 and allowed her to put the cross in for a tap in. All you.

So that’s why you were here, repeating that drill over and over again. Punishing yourself with every minute that ticked by.

“Need some company.” You didn’t need to look to know it was Patri, simply ignoring her and carrying on. “You can ignore me all you want, I’m not leaving without you.”

“Go home.”

“You know I can’t do that, but I’ll be over there when you’re ready.”

Twenty minutes had passed and you could see she was still there and even though she was wrapped up in a coat you couldn’t let her freeze any longer. Saying that you still only sat down next to her, neither of you speaking just watching the stars. “We’re trying for a baby.” You whispered, not getting any response from her. “The second one failed this morning.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know.” There was nothing more to say as you felt her head to come to rest on your shoulder.

“I’m always here you know, morning and night. If you need someone to speak to.”

“Thank you.”

“Are you speaking to anyone about this? You can’t just stay out here all night punishing yourself for a mistake we can all make.”

“I just feel like I keep letting everyone down.”

“You’re not. Look at me.” Gently grabbing your face her eyes met your own. “We all made mistakes out there tonight, I let the ball run through to your player then Mapi didn’t react in the middle. It happens, there’s no use punishing yourself now. Speak to someone, someone who can help. Anyone, a professional, one of us, your family. Someone you can rant and cry to until you can’t anymore.”

“I’ll try.”

I never told you this but I kept that promise that night, all because of you.

Irene, thank you for the late-night phone calls. You understand me like no-one else, Like you have a sixth sense of when I’m stuck in my own mind. You’ve been my biggest teacher on and off the field and you’ve helped me be the person I am today.

Mapi, my best friend. I remember our first meeting, I can now firmly joke that you’d got out of the wrong side of the bed that morning. You barely said hello to me before tackling me to the ground and whipping a free kick over my head in training. But that’s what makes you amazing. It’s hard to look back at that now and not smile knowing how close we are now after you apologised on a night out where we both stayed in the corner. A symbol of our friendship.

The day we came home from the hospital it was you who left meals at our doorstep, with a little care package for the three of us. It was you who fought your way to the front of the crowd to get the first hold. You’re right: looks are deceiving.

Alexia, my captain. You’re the biggest role model for me. I hope my daughter is as smart, courageous, passionate and caring as you are. I hope we put a smile on your face when you needed it just like you did for us.

The birth was coming closer, the both of you completely on edge about when it was going to happen. You were needed for the Champions League games but you also had a pregnant wife at home.

On a random Saturday you got a call from Alexia that the team were having a get together, your regular restaurant had an availability and they made some last-minute plans.

This wasn’t exactly what you needed right now, the stress of preparing the house for the baby was stressful but you were glad to get out of the house.

What you wasn’t expecting though was to open the doors of the restaurant to be met with all your teammates and both your mums and sisters. The room covered in pink and a massive baby sign at the back.

“Oh my…. What are you doing here?” You shouted, pulling your family into her a group hug.

“We’re here to celebrate of course. Your lovely teammates have been planning this for a while”

After you welcomed them you went over to your teammates, individually thanking them all. “Who organised this?”

“We all helped but this was Alexia’s idea, she also wanted to invite your family.” Ana admitted.

When you came to Alexia you gave her the biggest hug of all, tears in both your eyes. “Thank you, you didn’t have to do this.”

“If being captain doesn’t allow you to do this sort of stuff then there’s no point. That baby needs to get used to us anyway so may as well start whilst it’s in the womb.”

I can’t wait for all the seasons to come x

….

And to all of you out there. All of us have times when it can seem like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel, when all hope is lost. Just remember the light never goes away, it’s only hidden from view. It will come back.

Y/N x

[livelaughghoul]

Carlos Sainz - Career Tarot Reading

Disclaimer: This is for entertainment purposes only, nothing observed or taken away from this should be considered fact. As a reminder, I know fuck all about Formula 1, I just like fast cars and have a dumb amount of knowledge of astrology and tarot. 

An anonymous had a question regarding Carlos’s career and what it may potentially look like since there is a lot of unknown about it. While I can’t tell where he is going, or what his plans are, I can at least try to get a general feeling of what is happening and what some thoughts may be. I didn’t have any specific questions in terms of career for this, I just pulled two cards to give me some general feelings on what may be going on. In a majority of the readings I do, I tend to not go in with specific questions, just a theme of the reading. 

I took a look at his birth chart as well for this because I think that there are a lot of career indicators in someone's birth chart. His time of birth isn’t available, so it's being calculated using UTC, which isn’t as accurate but gives us a pretty good idea of what his actual chart will look like! 

Tarot aspect of the reading: Justice reversed and Five of Wands 

Justice reversed: 

This tells me that Carlos knows what he is going to do, he is just keeping it close to his chest and letting the speculation run wild because it is almost justice in its own way. I think with this intentional withholding of his plan, it’s very much going to be a surprise in terms of where he ends up going. I get the sense that it was an easy decision too, it was something that didn’t require a lot of debate or waffling, it was an easy choice that made sense to him, and where he feels he is at in terms of his career. With it being in its reversed position, I wouldn’t be shocked to learn that he has not shared his decision with anyone other than those who were involved in the contract process. 

Five of Wands: 

This pairing is crazy to me because it just solidifies in my mind that he knows exactly what he is going to do, and knows what the reaction is going to be. It also tells me that he is not done with Formula 1 at all, if anything he is feeling a renewed sense of competition and challenge. He has a lot of passion left and is incredibly driven to continue setting records, breaking records, and outdoing himself. I get the feeling that there is a lot of impatience in his current position, and when he makes the change there is going to be a huge change in his actions, behaviors, and demeanors. There is going to be a weight that is taken off, and he is going to feel like he actually has a place and valued. 

Astrology aspect: 

Second house (house of money and material possessions): Jupiter, Pluto.

Jupiter is a great placement here because it’s the planet of luck and expansion, so this tells me that he is going somewhere that is really going to bring him a lot of benefits (likely financial and careerwise). I get the sense that he is going somewhere that he already has a connection to, like either he is following someone or it’s somewhere that he has previously been (no idea if this is possible, all I know about this man is that he apparently burst his appendix?). Pluto brings in a lot of obsession, so I think that wherever he does go, he is being promised a sense of more control like he is going to bring a lot of influence and new ideas! 

Sixth house (house of service, day-to-day influence): Saturn.

WE LOVE A STRONG SATURN PLACEMENT, SAY IT WITH ME. Saturn in the sixth is definitely hardworking, there is a strong sense of responsibility, what needs to be done, and what the expectations of the self are. I definitely get the idea that there is a habit of being too involved in work, like that sense of control we see from the second house can sometimes get in the way of things and cause some conflict. I think that is going to be a really important factor for where he goes. 

Tenth house (house of career): Mars, Moon.

I love that the Moon is in the tenth house because it provides nothing but success and promise in a public career. The only downside is grappling with that loss of privacy, it can bring a lot of challenges in trying to find that balance, but with the Moons’ emotional nature, I think there is a wonderful balance between the public career and privacy here. Mars brings a lot of domination to the career and tells us that there is a lot of aggression to be seen. With the career as it is, I think that we are going to see a lot more aggressive driving, and strategies start to come out! With this placement though and it’s aggressive nature, I think that there is a lot of conflict to be had too, this is something that will need to be worked on. 

[findingnemosworld]

𝐢 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 - 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐨 𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐬

・𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲: 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐮𝐬

( 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 )

𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐲𝐲, ( 𝐚 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢 𝐦𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐮𝐛𝐞𝐧 )

" Hermano, Serge! "

The Spaniard blinked as he noticed his sister waving her hand in front of him, he hadn't realized the fact that he'd been spaced out for the better part of their conversation - the pair had met for lunch, and while Sergio appreciated the time he got to spend with his sister, especially now at this part of his career, his mind had been rattled by a deep rooted issue for the past few months, an issue that involved the feelings he'd harbored for someone for the past three years, someone he couldn't see himself living without.

It all started when he made his triumphant return to Sevilla, his home town club, the place where his career started, he'd managed to win La Liga as well as Copa Del Rey; despite his contract being a one year deal, he'd been convinced by the manager Diego Alonso to renew, the renewal decision mostly prompted by his desire to be around her, the club's bubbly photographer - he still recalls their first encounter; it was that encounter that set his unrequited love ablaze.

" I'm sorry Miri " He murmurs in shame.

Mirian raised a brow, " What's your deal? you've been spacing out a lot? "

He looks down then looks back up with rosé colored cheeks which caused her eyes to widen in shock, with a soft smile across her lips as she said. " No ... you're in love "

" What! " He retorts defensively, and shakes his head. " No, No ... "

" Serge, I'm your sister ... and your cheeks are exposing you " Mirian giggles. " So come on, tell me ... who is she? "

He seemed hesitant for a brief moment before he finally relented, he lets out a soft sigh. " It's the photographer in the club "

Mirian frowned in confusion, before her eyes widened in recognition. " You mean that gorgeous girl I saw during your introduction ceremony "

He nods leisurely, recalling how he was so enchanted that he wasn't able to speak properly for the first few minutes, " Yes, and I ... I mean, we are close, but we're just friends "

Mirian raised a brow, " You didn't tell her? "

" How can I Miri? she's ... " He trails off with a soft sigh, " She's gorgeous "

Mirian grew silent before giggling, " I never thought I'd see the day where you become so flustered over a girl, I don't think I've ever seen you like this since ... Sofia back in high school, come on tell me about her "

He blushes then began to gush over her, recounting every bit he had noticed about her, " Miri, I can't even begin to explain how I feel " he chuckles in embarrassment before adding on, " Every time I see her, I feel like a love sick teenager "

" I bet you do " Mirian giggled, " And why didn't you tell her? "

" Well, there's the fact that she's nine years younger than me and the fact that she gets along with the younger players which makes me self conscious " He murmurs.

Mirian rolled her eyes, " I think you of all people should know that nine years isn't that much, she's what twenty eight, and on top of that, you are a catch hermano and any woman who doesn't see that, ... well it's their loss, I say .. you should invite her for dinner, or maybe ask her out, to try and see how things should go "

" You think she'll accept? " He wonders.

" Of course she will " Mirian said, " I trust that she will "

_

Since that conversation, he'd tried to muster up the courage to admit his emotions, only for hurdles to come in the way preventing him from doing so each and every single time - Until, on one unexpected rainy night as he was on his way to run some errands, he found him self thoroughly soaked which caused him to seek shelter under a bus seat, he was about to phone Mirian when suddenly he heard a soft familiar face.

" Sergio! "

He looked up to find her approaching him, carrying an umbrella - she joined him under the bus seat and said. " What are you doing? "

" I was -uh- ... -um- ... " He struggled before chuckling, " I was running some errands and then rain happened "

She giggled, which drew out a smile from him. " Why aren't you driving? "

" My car is getting fixed, and I was going to phone my sister to come pick me up " He chuckled, his face red from embarrassment.

" I can take you home " She offered with a soft tone, before adding quietly. " Or ... if you'd like, I make a very nice hot chocolate "

He smiles to himself, as the distance between them lessened - their arms touching every now and then; just as he turned to respond, their lips collided in a soft peck causing both of them to widen their eyes then look away, both blushing from the sheer embarrassment of what happened, she opened then closed her mouth, " I'm ... I'm sorry, I ... "

" No, I ... I'm sorry " He said with an embarrassed tone before his face shifted. " You know what, I'm not sorry "

Her brows knit in confusion, " What do you mean? "

He didn't respond verbally, instead he pulled her in for a searing passionate kiss that lasted for about a minute before he pulled back and licked his lips, " I've been wanting to do this for the past three years "

" What? " She whispered in shock.

" Muñeca " He smiles softly, " I've been in love with you since the day I saw you, and I tried to hold myself back, I really did but I can't do it anymore "

" Oh ... I had no idea " She giggled, " in fact I .. I've been harboring my own feelings but I thought someone like you wouldn't feel the same way "

He chuckles, " I guess we both held back, but not anymore "

She kissed him, " not anymore "

[i-am-mr-k]

What’s that 7 year contract about?

Something Tobin said in the We Can Do Hard Things podcast. Christen indicated that her ideal of a romantic relationship is committing to someone for the rest of your life and no matter what, remaining committed to that person, even if you are miserable, because that is love. And Tobin said, I'm here because I wake up and I am so in love with you that I don't want to be anywhere else. And relationships, specifically romantic relationships/partnerships should be more like a sports contract where you commit to one another for a set amount of time and at the end of that period you reëvaluate, renegotiate and either renew the contract, or part ways, no harm, no foul. From the conversation the duration for commitment and renewal in romantic partnerships would ideally be seven years.

[nalyra-dreaming]

Hi! What do you think are the chances that the series will be renewed for a third season? The series has good ratings, but what if that's not enough? After all, this is a rather specific story, not for everyone, so its audience is narrower. We will need a sense of closure in the story, which the third season could partially provide, because the second season is where the passions peak

… No it isn’t?? Not even close, lol?!

Also, we should be quite safe after Rolin signing a multi year contract

and then saying he is only doing IWTV here:

So: 99%

1% for asteroids and aliens.