#it’s grand but my procrastination wins

[st-hedge]

I need to find motivation to replay totk for the love of all fucks

[vettelsvee]

letting oscar take your virginity to celebrate his win

(if this makes you uncomfortable please to deny or only write fluffy before/after!) love ur work sm

V CARDS GOODBYES | Oscar Piastri

Oscar Piastri x Girlfriend!Reader

SUMMARY: Oscar arrives home after winning his first ever Formula 1 race, so you think it’s the perfect time for you to celebrate and, also, to say goodbye to your v card ↳ REQUESTED BY ANON: Hope you like it anon! And sorry it's taken me almost a year I'm a mess 😭

WORD COUNT: 3958

WARNINGS: Smut (virginity loss, female receiving oral sex, fingering, p in v, protected sex, little bit of praising kink), curse words

VEE'S NOTES: Came to the conclusion after the latests Oscar fics I’ve posted that he's the most popular driver on my Tumblr page, so this is for all my Osc people out there! I'm always ashamed of posting smut (but still want to keep writing it) so I hope this is good enough for you to enjoy! Remember that your comments and reblogs are truly appreciated! Thanks for reading <3 (Also, thoughts on the new layout?) ↳ MAKE YOUR REQUESTS | TALK TO ME! | FORMULA 1 MASTERLIST

© VETTELSVEE (2025). please, do not steal, copy or translate my works. thanks for reading!

The door of the apartment you shared in Monaco opened, and before Oscar could step inside, he heard excited screams that made it clear someone was more than happy about his arrival.  

Not only did your cat start rubbing against his leg while purring, but also you, his girlfriend, were hopping towards him, barefoot and wrapped in one of his McLaren hoodies, which turned out to be even bigger on you than you had expected when you decided it would be a great idea to steal it from your boyfriend.  

"You did it, Osc!” you squealed as you threw your arms around his neck. "Osc, oh my God, you won a race! Do you know what that means?"  

Oscar felt his cheeks turn red. Of course, he knew exactly what winning a Grand Prix meant, especially during his second season in Formula 1. However, all he did was shrug, as if his achievement wasn’t that important.  

"Yeah," was all he could say.  

"I’m so, so proud of you," you said in a trembling voice, standing on your tiptoes to cup his face in your hands.  

"I couldn’t have done it without you, even though you were here," Oscar replied sincerely, a hint of regret in his tone. If there was one thing he regretted, it was that you hadn’t been there with him throughout the whole process of stepping onto the podium.  

"I know you would have liked me to be there, and I would’ve loved that too," you replied, making a sad but funny face. "But it’s okay! I screamed at the TV a lot, so I guess I helped in some way… And I’m sure you’ll win more races and I’ll be there to see them all, so it’s not the end of the world!"

Oscar chuckled and pulled you close until there was no space between you. He allowed himself a few moments to hold onto you, gently running his fingers through your hair while you clung tightly to his shirt, pressing your face into his chest as if he might disappear at any second.  

"Hey… I have something for you."

Even though you whispered it, Oscar heard you perfectly. You bit your lip,. a telltale sign of nervousness he knew well, as you pulled away from him. Then, you quickly headed towards the living room, with the Australian following you, and grabbed a small book he had never seen before.  

Carefully, as if it were fragile, you handed it to your boyfriend.  

"Open it… I hope you like it!"

Oscar did as you asked. Gently, he opened what he soon realized was a photo album. It wasn’t just a collection of pictures of you from the past two years since you started dating. It was beautifully decorated. There were messages, and even reflections from your perspective about each memory you had built together.  

"I know it’s not a big deal, but since I was so bored with studying, I have to admit I procrastinated a bit and felt like doing some crafts, so… well, this was the result," you said hesitantly, as if you were confessing a crime, though a small smile crept onto your lips. "Maybe you were expecting something else, I don’t know, but I hope you like it. You could even take it with you whenever you have to travel, so you remember me and also add something else if you feel in the mood," you added softly.  

Oscar felt a lump in his throat, unsure of what to say. Although he was used to you being thoughtful, and he always tried to reciprocate, you somehow kept outdoing yourself.  

"Y/N, this is…" he trailed off, struggling to find the right words. More accurately, he didn’t know how to express them. "It’s incredible. Thank you so much."

You smiled and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips, which, as you both expected, quickly turned into something more desperate, fueled by your hunger for each other.  

Oscar’s hands found your waist beneath the hoodie, his fingers tracing invisible lines along your skin, moving up and down, even toying with the clasp of your bra. The only thing you could do was keep kissing him, tugging at his hair lightly and pressing yourself against his thigh, seeking friction to ease the growing ache within you.  

Then, you suddenly pulled away, more abruptly than Oscar had expected. Your pupils were completely dilated, your lips swollen, and your hair a complete mess.  

"Oscar…" 

"Y/N…"

"I want to do it."

Your voice was barely a whisper. Oscar’s eyes widened, surprised because, even though he perfectly understood what you meant, hearing you say it out loud was an entirely different feeling.  

"Bebe…" 

"I really, really want to do it, Osc," you repeated, more as a confirmation to yourself than to him. "Yesterday, you lost your v-card in Formula 1 with your victory, so… I was thinking maybe I could lose mine too."  

Oscar had known from the very beginning of your relationship that you had never been physically involved with anyone beyond a couple of kisses and teasing. At first, you had been insecure about telling him, worried about feeling ashamed, but Oscar had always made sure you felt safe and comfortable, promising you would only take steps forward when you were truly ready.  

Today, your words made clear that you finally felt like that moment arrived, and that filled Oscar with happiness not because you were about to have sex, but because it meant you were finally comfortable enough with yourself to take that step.  

"Are you… sure?" he asked, even though he already knew the answer. "You know we don’t have to rush anything… I don’t want you to feel like we have to do this just because, you know…" 

"I know, Osc, and I promise I wouldn’t be bringing this up if I weren’t sure," you reassured him, looking into his eyes as you ran your fingers over his hands. "I love you, and most importantly, I trust you. I’ve thought about this for a long time, and well… yeah."

"It’s just… I don’t want to mess anything up, Y/N. This is really important, and it should be perfect,” he confessed with a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck.  

You smiled, cupping his face and bringing him closer for a kiss.  

"It doesn’t have to be perfect as long as it’s with you, Osc.”

"Okay, but… if you change your mind at any point, you tell me," Oscar insisted. You laughed, rolling your eyes.  

"I promise, really."

Your lips met again, but this time much slower. Oscar took his time kissing you carefully, wanting to do everything right. He cradled your cheek with one hand to deepen the kiss, while the other wrapped around your back, guiding you gently toward the bedroom you shared.  

Once inside, he forced himself to stop and take a deep breath to avoid panicking, even though there was no reason to.  

You stood in front of him, looking at him with a mix of shyness and adoration that reminded him of your early days, when you just used to go out for coffee or to the movies back in high school.  

Oscar couldn’t help but look at you with an equally shy, yet utterly endearing, expression.  

"Tell me if you want me to stop, alright?"

"I will, yeah."  

You didn’t need to say anything else since kissing spoke for you. You took your time, enough for Oscar to make sure you felt completely comfortable, enough for you to overthink just a little more before deciding if you really wanted to continue…  

*"I love you, Oscar…" you murmured between kisses. You tugged at his shirt, helping him pull it off, running your hands over his bare chest as if you were seeing him for the first time.  

"I love you too, Y/N…" 

With nerves and hands shakier than he would have liked, almost as if he were the inexperienced one, he took hold of the hem of your hoodie and slowly lifted it over your head, leaving you in just your underwear.  

Oscar was surprised to see you in black lace lingerie instead of the usual shorts you wore around the house. He was about to say something, but you didn’t give him the chance. You closed the distance between you, pressing your foreheads together before kissing him once again.  

Neither knew how long you were like this, but you both agreed that it had been long enough to discover that you needed more of each other.

Oscar ended up forcing himself to pull away from you and take a breath. A smile curved between his lips, which caused you, somewhat nervously, to giggle at the situation and hug him around the waist, pulling him closer to you while trying not to shove him away.

“Really, we don't have to do it if you don't want to, Y/N,” the McLaren driver insisted once again.

“I've been looking forward to doing this for a long time, and I've been mentally preparing for it for a while,” she told him, trying not to sound uneasy. “I trust you, Osc, and there's nothing for you to worry about.”

“So...?”

“I want you to make me yours, Oscar. Today, tomorrow or whenever and wherever you want,” you whispered in his ear as sensually as you could.

“Y/N…”

“Oscar: I just want you to fuck me.”

You felt your boyfriend tense up after those words that had caught even you off guard. Instinctively, you brought your hand to the noticeable bulge under Oscar's pants, but when you tried to reach for the button to unbutton them, he pushed your hands away lovingly.

“No, honey, none of that for now. Today is your day, so let me do the work and just enjoy yourself.”

Oscar, without another word, took you by the chin and kissed you again for the umpteenth time that day. Now, your lips moved at a slower speed. You guessed it was because you noticed how one of Oscar's hands began to massage one of your breasts, giving special attention to the nipple. With the other, he lightly brushed your pussy, making you gasp when he decided to play with your clit.

“Do you like it, babe?” he asked in a tone of voice that showed too much excitement.

His fingers now delved a little deeper into your intimacy, those enveloping movements becoming a little faster.

“Yes, Osc...” you barely managed to answer.

That answer was enough for the Australian to stop immediately. You didn't even look him in the face. Oscar pulled away from you, leaving a quick kiss on your lips and starting a trail of kisses all over your body, stopping once he reached your lower stomach area.

“Y/N…”

His hands stood delicately on your thighs, which he was now kissing, closer and closer to your pussy. Your hair stood on end. Your breath was completely held, unable to breathe in case that put an end to it all, as if that would be enough for Oscar to finish whatever he was doing with you. 

“If anything we do tonight makes you uncomfortable and you want to stop, just tell me please,” the Australian declared. “And, before your little head starts thinking nonsense: no, I'm not going to get mad at you because you don't want to have sex, okay? If you don't want to…”

“Oscar, look at me,” you cut him off, and the boy immediately listened to you: “it's you, and I'm not going to feel uncomfortable with you and with anything you do to me.”

“Do you promise me, love?”

“I swear.”

Oscar nodded, grabbing your thighs again and dragging you to the edge of the bed so that his face was in front of your pussy, perfectly aligned with your entrance.

Without warning, he slid his tongue, flat, all over it with a slowness that was completely unbearable and that seemed that, rather than pleasing you, he wanted to kill you little by little. His movements were frantic; constant changes of speed, from faster to slower, and vice versa, that made his nose rub against your clit while his tongue seemed to do wonders with that dance.

When Oscar's tongue began to explore inside you, and his index finger, the one he used to show on camera every time he got a first position just like Sebastian Vettel did in his golden age, started a tortuous tour of your labia majora, you curled up shyly but instinctively. Your hands ended up tangled in his hair, forcing him closer to you at the same time your hips did the same.

“I think you're liking it, aren't you my little girl?” Piastri said, ending his oral contact with you and replacing it with his finger. His gaze was fixed on her, and you thought about why he hadn't done this to you before.

“Don't stop, Osc. For the sake of God, don't even think about stopping...” you gasped, becoming increasingly unable to articulate a word.

He didn't have to say anything else. After those words, Oscar slipped a second finger inside you. You let out a small gasp of surprise and he, without taking his eyes off you, laughed, your cheeks turning red almost instantly. Despite this, he kissed your thighs as he continued the back and forth with his index finger, adding his heart almost soon after while increasing even more the speed.

You felt that everything was going too fast, and the waves of pleasure that were flooding you were making you lose, more and more, the notion of time. You didn't know at what point, but when he decided to add his tongue back into the equation, without leaving the movements of his fingers inside you going straight to that spot that gave you the most pleasure, a strange sensation gripped the lower part of your stomach.

It was getting harder and harder for you to hold back your orgasm. You felt how your eyes were closing little by little, and your leg, too, to which Oscar put a little pressure on them to prevent them from closing.

“Come for me, love,” Oscar let you know. “Come on, Y/N, you've got it babe. Come on…”

And so you did.

Your back curved in such a way that your body, completely sweaty, could hardly keep on writhing as it was doing. You were moaning like you had never moaned before, and your boyfriend seemed to notice. A smirk of satisfaction and success began to break from his lips as he licked at your fluids, his mouth moving slowly now, over-stimulating your clit and making you incessantly.

The Australian rose and carefully positioned himself on top of you.

“I love you, Y/N, you don't know how much,” he said between kisses, making you taste yourself for the first time, but hopefully not the last one. “You are the most beautiful girl in the world... And the best girl in the world. Don't ever doubt it.”

“Oscar, don't…”

“Yes you are, Y/N, and I will not allow you to speak so negatively about yourself.”

After those last words, the driver pulled away from you slightly, trying yo give you some time to recover. Then, you looked at him taking what seemed to be a condom from the bedside table, which he carefully put on and immediately positioned at your entrance. 

You swallowed, while Oscar tried not to think about whether he was really going too fast.

·I don't want to sound weird, but... please, if you want me to stop, just tell me,” Oscar spoke as best he could, trying not to succumb to the nerves he felt about taking this important step with you. “I want you to be pretty sure about this since… Well, since there’s not going back…”

You said nothing. Instead, you gave him a slight nod with your head, still looking at him, which was enough for Oscar to enter you carefully, but without a previous warning.

He decided to stand for a while so you could get used to his length. You felt a little pain. You held back a scream, bit your lips and closed your eyes to do your best to make that feeling go away as soon as possible.

“Y/N…”

“Go on, Oscar. It's all right…”

The boy nodded, and finished entering you with the same care. Little by little, his movements gained speed. You arched your back, moaning incessantly as she started feeling more comfortable with the depth of penetration, and Oscar hitting her in a spot that made her feel a pleasure that you feel in a way you didn’t know how to describe, but that felt good enough to make you never want that sex session to end.

“Does it feel good, honey? Are you enjoying my... cock... for the first time?” Oscar moaned, biting her neck. “Look at you… so desperate for me to keep fucking you…”

“Fuck, Oscar... this is a fantasy,” you gasped. “And you talking so... like… like this... God... Don't stop, please…”

“Never for you, sweetheart.”

Your moans became one, a melody that your neighbors were probably listening to but you didnt give a fuck. Your gazes could hardly be averted, and your words, getting dirtier and dirtier as much as your were embarrassed at first, were sounding louder and louder, as were your pleas.

“Oscar!” you shrieked as you felt Oscar's fingers press against you nervous bundle.”

“Love...” he moaned through his teeth. ”Don't stop moaning my name, please. You don't know how you're making me feel right now.

·And of course I'm going to make you feel so much better when we do this again,” you replied, choking with pleasure. As best you could, you sat up a little and wrapped you arms around you boyfriend's neck. “I want to do it again, Osc,” you made it clear. “I want us to do this every time we get the chance....”

You kept moaning his name, giving him promises you knew he would never break. He kept reassuring you and how good you were doing, speeding up his movements as he couldn’t stop playing with your clit, all of that while he kept telling you that you were his.

You couldn't contain it anymore for the second time that day.

“Fuck, Osc,” he stammered. “I think I'm gonna…”

“Let yourself go, honey,” the brown-haired said. “You can do it, love. Cum for me.”

Your orgasm came before you could say anything else. Oscar came within seconds of you, and as soon as he did he ended, he gave you a short kiss on the lips as he carefully pulled out of heyour and collapsed beside you. 

Oscar's gaze remained fixed on the ceiling. You rested your head on his shoulder, trying to regain your composure with increasingly slower breaths. 

“You ok babe?” Oscar murmured after a few minutes.

“Yes,” you whispered, nodding your head with a smile peeking out. “Better than ever, actually.”

It was then that it dawned on Oscar. Quickly, he sat up a little and saw what was under where you were still positioned. His heart began to race, and a pressure settled in his chest as he realized the light blue bed sheets were stained slightly with blood as was his condom, still on him and which he hadn't paid attention to because he just wanted to be with you cuddling after he'd made you lose your virginity.

“Hey, listen, love…” he started to say in a calm, but concerned tone.

You followed his gaze, and couldn't help but blush and die of embarrassment inside.

“Oh...” you spoke quietly, instinctively covering yourself with the sheets. “This... is normal. Well, I guess so…”

“Does it hurt? Are you hurt?”

You shook your head, denying it, though the look on your face seemed to say otherwise.

“Well… It's just a little... just a little sore. But it's fine, really. It happens when you have sex for the first time with someone.”

Oscar studied your face, and he knew you wanted to stop this conversation. You wanted to let it go and pretend everything was fine so you wouldn't give him any sign that you hadn't liked it, even though your moans and pleas seemed to say otherwise.

“Still, you shouldn't let it go.”

The Australian approached you and gave you a shy kiss on the forehead. Then he got out of bed, still naked.

·Where are you going?” you asked in a voice mixed with curiosity and nervousness.

“I'm going to get a towel with hot water to clean you up.”

You opened your mouth to protest, but he was already heading towards the bathroom while taking off his condom. As you heard the faucet turn on, and your boyfriend getting everything ready, you couldn't help but feel bad because, maybe, Oscar deserved better, and your behavior, what was happening to you now, was not what he deserved.

You forced yourself to stop overthinking because if there’s one thing you knew for sure is that Oscar loved you, more than sometimes you were conscious of.

Your boyfriend came back a few minutes later, and found you sitting on the bed, curled up on yourself and clinging to the sheets while still covering with them, as if you were afraid.

“You don't have to…”

“I know,” Oscar cut you off, offering you a small smile, “but I want to. So, please, just let me take care of you.”

Your eyes softened at his proposal, and you forced yourself to calm down as Oscar, with his gaze and his hands coyly on your thighs, asked your permission to spread your legs. You nodded, and he carefully ran the wet towel and hot water over your pussy, giving it little touches because he didn't want to risk it stinging or hurting any more because he really didn't know exactly how the female body worked after losing your virginity.

When he finished, he kissed her knee and sat down next to her again, also covering himself with the sheets so he could hug her and, more than anything else, try to reassure her and make her feel as good as possible.

“There, that's it, all settled. Now, let's stay here and rest.”

“Was it good?”

Oscar let out a small laugh from his mouth at your sudden question as he leaned over to you and snuggled into your shoulder. 

”You've been amazing, love,” he replied, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you closer to him. Now you were both lying on your bed, looking at each other. “Are you okay now that… Did I hurt you? I need you to be honest with me... I should have asked you if you liked the pace I decided to take because, well, I’m not going to lie to you, I think I could have gone a little slower...”

You shook your head and didn't give him a chance to keep talking. Instead, you grabbed his face and pressed your lips to his.

“You don't have to worry about anything, Osc. It was far from perfect. So, from now on, I hope you win more races because from today on, winning sex has become a tradition that I hope we keep for a long time.”

Oscar laughed, knowing you were completely serious.

“We can make a tradition of this and anything else you want, love,” he buried his face in yours, and began to tickle your waist gently. “We can even have several rounds if you want, so… thoughts on that? Should we keep ready for a second round today?”

[honeyed-nothings]

To Have a Crush: Savanaclaw

Warning(s): Gender-neutral reader, not proof-read, OOC

Notes: Procrastination hit me hard…also I did not expect to spend an hour finding decent enough emoticons for them. May just switch to regular bullet point style someday since I’m still trying to figure out what format I like(╥_╥). Never realized how hard it was to make a pretty format on tumblr until now. Also I’ve gotten pretty rusty too but my schedule has finally cleared up a bit so I’ll be able to be a little more active now!

Heartslabyul | Savanaclaw | Octavinelle | Scarabia | Pomefiore | Ignihyde | Diasomnia | Special

Leona Kingscholar

𓄂 A crown of love that the king wears. A herbivore was all you were to him. Another nameless face in the faceless crowd of people who he couldn’t care less about in the grand scheme of things. That’s how it was supposed to stay…until it didn’t. The proud lion will never admit this (or at least not anytime soon) but that day where you, a weak and stupidly stubborn human, stood your ground among all the dust and debris was both one of the most frustrating experiences in his life and also the first time he ever thought of you as ‘strong’. Every so often he thinks back to that moment and sighs before pulling you towards him to lay on the grass.

𓄂 A king should always be accompanied by his retainers. However, he’s not king and you’re definitely not his retainer. Just a stubborn herbivore who happened to catch his eye, that’s all. You’re not that great as an errand runner either but it’s better than just one. A help that Ruggie greatly appreciates but occasionally complains about how you always take the lighter load. Don’t think much about it, he just doesn’t want you messin’ up or anythin’. Strangely, whenever you do run errands for him, there’s conviently always an extra that he gives to you. Reasoning to you that the King of Beasts would’ve done the same thing to those under his care. The proud lion knows this is a lie he can’t keep using to play off what he feels inside. Not when his own ears and tail betray him.

𓄂 Tch, well this is embarrassing.

𓄂 Maybe it was a good thing that Leona already knew. From the moment his tail unconsciously wrapped around you, he knew what his heart was telling him as it beat in his chest. There, with you and him napping underneath the shade of a tree, he realized he had fallen in love. He didn’t know whether he should’ve laughed or cursed the world so he chose to do neither instead. Gently brushing a stray leaf off that had fallen on your face, he chuckled. Guess something like love ain’t all that bad.

𓄂 A crownless lion who’s more hated than loved and a visitor from a place far from here. An interesting duo you two make as he pulls you yet again away from class to nap in the shade with him. His attempts at catching your heart aren’t too noticeable, only noticed by the keenest of eyes. He’ll never be the ideal partner, that he acknowledges despite his pride. But being sappy and overly romantic isn’t his style. That’s why, he’ll win your heart in his own way. A path perhaps not that of a king, but of a man in-love. The prideful lion may not bow his head to no one, but for you he’ll take a knee.

“Huh, well aren’t you gettin’ bolder? I didn’t think you’d beat me to it.”

Ruggie Bucchi

シ Hidden amidst the dirt and grime was love. It’s ingrained into Ruggie to look after people but he’s learnt to not let it be given without a price. Outside of his family and Leona, the latter of whom was more so to help his own skin, he didn’t exactly feel any desire or need to look after you. Sure he felt pity, after all you’re in a tighter spot than him in the world, but aside from that you were just an after thought. Nobody of note that could be beneficial to him in any way. That was until Leona overbloted and well…he’s somewhat grateful that you don’t have much of a survival instinct. You’re a real goody two-shoes aren’t you? Still, he’s thankful that you’re the way that you are. Hyenas never forget a debt and this one he owes to you alone.

シ It really just started off with it being to repay his debt to you. Sure it’s not much but he can’t really do anything fancy like paying you millions of madols or giving you land. That’s why, the hyena has chosen to pay it back his own way. Simple as it may be, it’s all he really has to offer. It’s not like watching your back is gonna cause him anymore work than he’s already got. Soon enough, he found himself doing more than what he intended to. Giving parts of his lunch to you, claiming he didn’t feel like it or there was extra. Stopping during his errands whenever he spotted you to have a quick chat before going off again with slightly more enthusiasm than before. Or heck, sparing you a few madols so you can get what you need. It’s kinda a loss but he just can’t seem to make himself stop. Not when you smile at him so brightly.

シ Wait a minute.

シ Nah…nahh he can’t seriously be in love with you or somethin’, right? Being close to you is just to pay off his debt, not cause he actually likes your company or anything, right?? But as his eyes catch his reflection on the window panes of the college, he can no longer deny the blush on his face or the rapid beating of his heart as the thought of you runs rampant in his mind once again. Well, guess there’s no point in fidgeting around anymore.

シ He’s not much, really he ain’t. Ruggie knows he won’t hold a candle to anyone else in the school in terms of magic or madol but what he does have is his smarts. In his own way, he’ll try and appeal to you. Sometimes he’s confident, other times he feels like he wants to die from how embarrassing it must’ve looked. Still, he tries and tries and tries. Hoping that maybe, just maybe, you’ll choose him buried underneath piles of trash.

“You-…you’re really choosing me?”

Jack Howl

ᴥ︎ Love that resounds throughout the night. A team up was all Jack figured it’d be. An agreement to right the wrongs and set things straight so that one day, once more, Savanaclaw would be able to say from the bottom of their hearts that they won. Nothing big enough to lead into the friendship that came to be between you and him. Well then things took a turn for the worse and then the better and well…he’s sure you get it. An accident, a friendship, a bond, whatever it is, the stubborn wolf has decided that he’ll have your back. No matter what and no matter where, he’ll help you out.

ᴥ︎ Respect was all it was. A respect towards a magicless human who proved their own strength by courageously standing in the face of death. Not everyone has a spirit like that and the wolf beastman couldn’t help but look at that and think ‘Ah, now that’s strength’. In doing so, he wanted to be respected by you too. That’s why, when he could, he’d wait outside Ramshackle and walk with you to your classes, carrying your books and providing an umbrella if it’s a rainy day. Need help on the homework? He won’t tell you the answers but he’ll help you figure it out at least. Like working out? Great! He’s more than willing to provide some tips and tricks to achieving the goal you want. Well it wasn’t until Ruggie teased him about how much more happy he seemed doing all that stuff for you that it finally clicked for him. This…isn’t good.

ᴥ︎ D-don’t misunderstand him!

ᴥ︎ Actually no, maybe you should— wait no you shouldn’t! Jack doesn’t know how to feel about…this now that he fully recognizes it. Well- he does, in a way, it’s just…complicated. To be honest, he did have a suspicion that his feelings of respect towards you had turned into something deeper. How fast his tail wagged whenever you were nearby, how he wanted to put even more effort into whatever he was doing when you were watching, how red his face turned whenever he took a ‘secret’ glance in your direction, it really was way too obvious looking back on it.

ᴥ︎ Wolf-type beastmen only have one partner for the rest of their lives. Dedicating themselves entirely to whoever their partner may be. Jack always dreamed of finding his one true partner, he just never expected it to happen so soon. Yes, a crush to him counts as his one true love as childish as it may be. With exactly zero romantic experience under his belt and only equipped with the knowledge of the multiple times his parents told him their love story, he attempts to appeal to you. Surprisingly, for a first timer in love, they’re all thought out and not embarrassing. Jack isn’t good at hiding how feels about you in front of you or anyone else, but it has a certain charm to it. The charm of an adolescent boy in love who cares for you quietly, unable to hide how he feels, as his heart and tail follow the same beat.

“..Phew, you’re here. Prefect, I—uh need to tell you something.”

[db0xtae]

Winning the Breakup | Chapter 14

- Minho (Xo Minho) X Kitty

;༊ Summary : Y/N, a talented and athletic after an intense breakup, Y/N reluctantly agrees to fake date Minho, to make their exes jealous. What begins as a mutual arrangement soon turns complicated when their fake relationship starts to feel all too real. With humor, bickering, and tender moments, Minho and Y/N's journey proves that sometimes the best way to heal from heartbreak is to allow yourself to fall in love.

;༊ Warnings : None

;༊ WC : 1,253

;༊ Previous Chapters : 12 & 13

;༊ A/N : Chapter 14 is the last chapter but, I’m thinking of writing three extra cute chapters. What do you guys think? Hope you guys enjoy!!

꒰ᐢ. ̫ .ᐢ꒱

Chapter 14: The End of the Beginning

The sun was setting over KISS as the final bell of the semester rang, signaling the start of winter break. Students poured out of their classrooms, ready to head home or off to their various holiday plans. The campus was alive with chatter and excitement, but amidst the chaos, Minho and Y/N found themselves in a little corner of the school grounds—just the two of them, away from the noise. It felt like the perfect ending to a chapter in their lives. A chapter that had been filled with moments of uncertainty, laughter, and most importantly, a whole lot of growth.

“Are you sure you’re ready for the holidays?” Minho asked, a playful smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he leaned against a tree, watching Y/N who was furiously scribbling something in her notebook. She looked up at him, her expression half-exasperated, half-amused.

“Yeah,” Y/N replied, rolling her eyes but her smile giving her away. “I’m ready to eat my weight in food, sleep for at least twelve hours a day, and watch way too many K-dramas.”

Minho chuckled, taking a step closer. “Sounds like a perfect break. No exams or last-minute assignments?”

“Don’t jinx it,” Y/N said, narrowing her eyes at him but smiling all the same. “I swear, if I get one more surprise assignment after all this… I’m going to lose it.”

“Well, just know I’m here to keep you company when you inevitably procrastinate,” Minho teased, his voice dripping with affection. He reached over to gently tug at her hair, a playful glint in his eyes.

Y/N rolled her eyes dramatically, but there was a warmth in her chest that she couldn’t deny. It had been a whirlwind since they’d admitted they were no longer just playing the “fake dating” game. Things had shifted so much between them, and now, a few weeks into their real relationship, it felt like they were in a place where everything was falling into place. They had figured out how to balance school, their social lives, and, well, them.

“Speaking of which,” Minho continued, “I know you’re excited for the holidays, but… I was thinking… Do you want to spend New Year’s Eve with me?”

Y/N blinked, startled by the question. “New Year’s Eve? With you? What do you have in mind?”

Minho’s eyes twinkled with a mischievous glint. “Well, I was thinking of a quiet night—just the two of us, maybe a movie marathon, junk food, and, of course, midnight snacks. You in?”

Y/N couldn’t suppress the small laugh that bubbled up from her chest. “You’re asking me to spend New Year’s Eve with you alone? No grand parties or fireworks?”

“Not unless you want to make it more complicated,” Minho said with a grin. “But, honestly, I think it’s time we had some quiet time together. Just us.”

Y/N’s heart fluttered. She loved how considerate he was, how he had always been thoughtful about what she wanted, even when it came to small things like this. “That sounds perfect,” she said softly. “I’ll even let you pick the movies, but don’t make it all action films.”

Minho raised an eyebrow in mock offense. “What’s wrong with action movies? I’m trying to teach you about real cinema.”

“Real cinema?” Y/N said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Please, I’ll teach you about the wonders of rom-coms and tear-jerkers, and we can have a whole marathon of those.”

“Deal,” Minho said with a nod, before leaning in closer to her. “But only if you let me buy the snacks. I promise I won’t get anything too weird.”

Y/N laughed, shaking her head. “You’re on,” she said, pulling him into a playful hug. “I’ll hold you to that.”

Minho’s arms wrapped around her, holding her gently but with a possessive kind of care that made her heart skip. “Can’t wait,” he murmured against her hair. “It’s going to be nice. Just you, me, and a mountain of snacks.”

Y/N grinned, pulling back slightly to look up at him. “Sounds like the best way to spend the night. No drama, no fake dating—just us.”

Minho’s smile softened. “Exactly. We’ve been through so much in such a short time. And you know, I’ve realized that I’m really glad it was with you.”

The tenderness in his voice made Y/N’s stomach flutter, and she leaned up to kiss him lightly on the lips. When they pulled apart, she looked at him with a sparkle in her eyes. “Same here, Minho. Same here.”

Just as they were about to start walking back to the main campus, they heard footsteps behind them. Turning around, they saw the familiar faces of their friends approaching, their expressions curious.

“Hey!” Dae called out, a playful grin on his face. “Are you two lovebirds finally done with your secret rendezvous?”

“Secret rendezvous?” Y/N teased, raising an eyebrow. “Is that what you think this is?”

Q snickered, nudging Dae. “It’s only a secret if we pretend it is.”

Yuri rolled her eyes, but there was a softness to her gaze as she looked at Minho and Y/N. “So, what’s going on? We’ve heard all about your fake relationship, but now that it’s real, are we supposed to throw you guys a party or something?”

Y/N laughed, feeling her heart swell with affection for her friends. “Not a party,” she said, turning to Minho, who was still grinning at her. “But we’ve got New Year’s Eve plans.”

“Let me guess,” Q said, raising an eyebrow. “A rom-com marathon with pizza?”

Y/N smirked. “How did you know?”

“Because that’s exactly what I would do,” Q said with a wink. “Don’t worry, we won’t crash it—unless you want us to.”

Yuri giggled at that, nudging Q playfully. “I think they deserve their quiet time. They’ve earned it.”

“Exactly,” Minho agreed, putting his arm around Y/N’s shoulders. “We’ll have a proper date night. No interruptions.”

Their friends laughed, exchanging knowing glances but respecting their privacy. There was a shared understanding between them that, even though their relationship had started as a game, it had turned into something deeper. Y/N had never imagined she’d end up here, with Minho, her feelings no longer a tangled mess of confusion but rather a clear and comforting certainty. She was exactly where she needed to be.

“So, are we still doing the whole ‘New Year’s Eve together’ thing, or are you guys ditching us for your cozy little movie marathon?” Dae asked, a teasing grin on his face.

Y/N shook her head, a mischievous glint in her eye. “No way. You’re all invited to join, but only if you promise to let me control the remote.”

The group laughed again, with Q shaking his head dramatically. “We’ll let you have your moment, Y/N. Just don’t forget us when you become all romantic.”

As they all walked back to the campus, Minho’s hand remained firmly in Y/N’s. He squeezed it gently, and she returned the gesture, her heart warm with happiness.

This was the end of their beginning, the chapter of confusion and miscommunication, but it was just the start of something much bigger. Something real. And with the promise of new adventures and quiet nights ahead, Y/N knew that whatever the future held, she and Minho would face it together.

The stars were beginning to twinkle in the sky as they made their way back, and Y/N couldn’t help but smile as she realized that the best was yet to come.

The End.

[thefanficslayer]

Note:I have to remake this recommendation list on this account because I can’t remember the email to my other account 🥲. Yes, I know this fandom is pretty much dead. Do I care? No. As long as I’m alive then the fandom shall live. This list is not yet complete, and likely never will be because I’m a procrastinator.

VICTUURI FANFIC RECOMMENDATIONS

Title:Melodies Unheard, but Felt All The Same Chapters:39/39 Rating:Mature Summary:Yuuri wanted to make history as the first Deaf man to win the Grand Prix Final. Of course he's a little skeptical of Victor Nikiforov's presence, especially considering the reactions from others who have learned about his lack of hearing.But Victor proves to be different, and Yuuri appreciates that. Now all that's left is to tell the figure skating world about it.

Title:all the world’s a stage Chapters:10/10 Rating:Explicit Summary:Everyone has a guilty pleasure.For Yuuri, it just happens to be romance movies starring famous heartthrob Victor Nikiforov. (And, honestly, on the spectrum of guilty pleasures, he figures that his is on the far, far more innocent side.)

Title:Empty spaces between stars Chapters:21/21 Rating:Explicit Summary: Victor gets just as drunk as Yuuri at the Sochi Banquet, and they disappear together after the dance-offs. They wake up the morning after with rings on their fingers, and pictures of them kissing after getting married the night before are all over the tabloids... but neither of them remembers a thing. They decide to stay married for a while for the sake of Victor's sponsorships, and in exchange, Victor coaches Yuuri through nationals...

Title:My Name On Your Lips Chapters:13/13 Rating:Explicit Summary:Yuuri Katsuki has been betrothed to the High King's son, Victor, since he was just a child; furthermore, as an omega, he's forbidden from practicing magic in combat. For years, he's been able to put off the former because the Prince was traveling abroad, and gotten around the latter by practicing with his mentor in secret.Now Victor Nikiforov has finally returned home, and Yuuri is being summoned to the capital for their wedding. He needs a plan to put off marriage long enough to find a way to break the betrothal, while keeping his practicing from being discovered. If only the Prince didn't have other ideas.

Title:Not gold like in your dreams Chapters:8/8 Rating:Teen and Up Summary:"Victor, you could have let some psychopath into your apartment." "Oh come on, he's not a psychopath," Victor chides. Christophe makes a gesture with his hand that says 'are you seriously this naïve or are you drunk at work again? "Victor, you don't know that. You don't know anything about him. Whose name am I going to give to the police or face l'm going to describe to the sketch artist when they find your body chopped up like Hannibal Lecter's side dish?"-- in which Victor and Yuuri are roommates and Yuuri has a secret

Title:Gunned Down Butterflies Chapters:24/24 Rating:Explicit Summary:Everyone's lives revolve around two names - the name of an enemy, and the name of a soulmate, both tattooed on their wrists.But for Yuuri, his fated soulmate and enemy are the same person. One name tattoed on his skin. After years of believing it meant only unhappiness and pain, he begins to bandage them up and hide them from the world. He even begins to forget about them - until he meets a new client in need of a guard against the Russian mafia.Nothing can hide him from fate - not bandaging the names, not forgetting about them, not even moving on without them. The owner of the name on his skin will find him eventually.

Title:Midnight Lover Chapters:23/23 Rating:Explicit Summary:Viktor Nikiforov, figure skating god and human trainwreck, flies halfway across the world from the only home he's ever known in a last-ditch attempt to salvage his life. His demons follow him faithfully. Katsuki Yuuri, reticent vampire and trouble magnet, pulls a drowning man out of the ocean on a whim and winds up with an unconscious human celebrity in his house. He knows it's a mistake to keep him. Viktor wakes, Yuuri stays, and they get too attached too fast.

Title:Winter Song Chapters:20/20 Rating:Explicit Summary:The set of Yuuri's mouth softened into a private smile as Victor squeezed his knee beneath the table. His hands were bare, free from the gloves he so often wore when they were together on the rink, and the heat of his palm burned straight through the denim of Yuuri's jeans. He slipped his own hand beneath the table and found Victor's. Hidden from sight, their fingers began to flirt and play. A secret conversation all their own that needed no words. Yuuri was aware that at some point-a moment in time he couldn't quite place-Victor had become his boyfriend. There wasn't a single instant when it happened. It was a slow awareness, as if Victor had silently been asking the question for months now, and Yuuri had been giving him the answer a little more with each passing day.

Title:Signs of Love Chapters:15/15 Rating:Explicit Summary:After being discovered by his peers as an omega, Yuuri runs from the world of figure skating. It's only to see his friend skate that he returns to the rink one more time. When he runs into skater and alpha Viktor Nikiforov, his body reacts in a way that neither he nor Viktor expect.

Title:You Know That I’m No Good Chapters:11/11 Rating:Explicit Summary:Yuuri has it all.A great job that he loves, an amazing wife, and they're even contemplating having children.Until the day he finds out that it's all a lie.He doesn't confront his cheating spouse -- he needs to understand first. And while he could hire someone (probably should hire someone) he can't bear the idea of some stranger learning about his failings as a husband. So he does his own digging, and finds out that the Other Man has a partner of his own. A sweet, romantic, super hot partner. Who doesn't know what his fiance has been up to. Contacting this "Victor" person is probably a terrible idea.Agreeing to meet with Victor and form a friendship? Even worse.But falling in love? For real this time?Maybe it all will be worth it.

Title:November’s Secret Chapters:24/24 Rating:Explicit Summary:Overwhelmed with anxiety and his fear of failing, Yuuri faces the issue of if he should continue skating. His best friend, Yuko, proposes a solution - if no one knows it's you, then it's less embarrassing, right? Yuuri begins to create a completely new disguise and persona. But it works a little too well.Before he knows it, Yuuri has become the biggest mystery of the skating world and everyone wants to know who he is. Especially Viktor Nikiforov, the idol he's been loosely basing his new persona on for years.

Title:Like a Fairytale Chapters:13/13 Rating:Teen and Up Summary:In which Prince Victor gets swept off his feet at a royal banquet and will go to any length to find his 'Cinderella' Yuuri. (And Phichit is the fairy godmother who has no idea what he's doing)."The crown prince of the Nikiforov kingdom, infatuated with a mystery pastry chef he's only just met. This is exactly the kind of scandalous love story my life has been missing... So, what's he look like? What exactly is Prince Victor's type?" "...Sweet." "Well, he does make pastries."

Title:Met by Accident Chapters:79/79 Rating:Explicit Summary:Viktor is having the worst day of his life, oversleeping and late for work. To make things even better, he rear ended the car in front of him. His attitude quickly changes when he lays eyes on the other driver."I'm so sorry!" the other driver said when he reached Viktor.He held a hand up to him, silently asking him to wait. The receptionist finally answered the phone and directed his call to his boss. Once he informed her he'd be late and no, he didn't know what time he'd be in, he hung up and turned his attention to the other driver. Well, well, what do we have here? The man was shorter than him by a few inches, jet black hair that was slicked back with a bit of gel. His glasses left something to be desired, but Viktor admired those large chocolate brown eyes. His lightly tanned skin was unblemished and looked so soft that Viktor wanted to run his hand along his cheek. His body looked enticing as well, but it was hard to tell from the overcoat he was wearing.Simply put, he was fucking gorgeous.

Title:Until My Feet Bleed and My Heart Aches Chapters:14/14 Rating:Explicit Summary:A single event changes the course of Yuuri's life, throwing him into a bitter rivalry with Viktor Nikiforov that spans across his entire skating career. But as the years go on, rivalry and hatred begin to develop into something very different and Yuuri doesn't seem to be able to stay away, no matter how hard he tries.Hatred and love are two sides of the same coin and even though everything changes, some things are still meant to be.

Title:How The Mighty Fall(in love) Chapters:3/3 Rating:Teen and Up Summary:Every Victor Nikiforov fan has three things in common. 1 They have unrealistic expectations for romance.2 They mark their calendars with the dates of his newest book releases and the premieres of his latest movie adaptations.3 They either passionately hate or love his greatest rival, a mysterious author whose pseudonym is only two letters: "KY."

Title:You can have everything Chapters:2/2 Rating:Teen and Up Summary:Before the Grand Prix Final starts in Sochi, Yuuri finds Victor's phone. He returns it--and hijinks and heavy flirtation ensue.

Title:Talk to Me Chapters:1/1 Rating:Explicit Summary:There was a bouncing shift of weight, and suddenly a silky voice was at Yuuri's ear, "Hey Yuuri, is it possible you like when I speak Russian?"Yuuri groaned. Viktor's lips ghosted right beneath Yuuri's ear, gently sliding over the sensitive flesh of his neck, "I can speak Russian to you, if you like."

Title:All Eyes on Me Chapters:17/17 Rating:Explicit Summary:Yuuri, under the username of Eros, is a size queen omega who most certainly does not have an obsession with fellow camboy and legendary silver-haired alpha Aria.Just like Phichit is not the most meddlesome roommate known to man.

Title:Like your french girls Chapters:7/7 Rating:Teen and Up Summary:"Victor," Yuri begins, lowering the eighteenth sketch of the figure skater Victor drew this week, "you have a fucking problem."--In which Victor is an artist, Yuuri is his figure skating muse, and Yuri is so done hearing about their stupid love story through Instagram.

Title:Please Have Mercy On Me Chapters:19/19 Rating:Explicit Summary:Viktor's been living with Yuuri for a month now, but Yuuri is still not used to him.But Viktor is a good teacher, and Yuuri is a good student.

Title:Centripetal Force Chapters:10/10 Rating:Explicit Summary:Victor speaks seven languages.(Physics isn't one of them.) Luckily, though, he ends up rooming with his antithesis: a shy, black-haired boy who just so happens to be a physics major.

Title:Undiscovered Country Chapters:8/8 Rating:Explicit Summary:Yuuri wakes up in Victor's room the night after the Sochi Grand Prix Final banquet.Did they sleep together? No. Instead, last night, Drunk Yuuri taunted Victor that he hadn't earned the right to get in his pants...and spelled out exactly what Victor would have to do to get there.Now, Victor intends to do everything on that list...

Title:Maelstrom Chapters:5/5 Rating:Explicit Summary:Victor Nikiforov is poised to win gold in his fifth consecutive Grand Prix Final. He has the world at his feet, is unparalleled in the sport--right up until a snowstorm blows into Sochi, and he finds himself repeating the same day over and over and over. He stumbles over Yuuri Katsuki, and everything changes.

All these Fanfics can be read here at https:// archiveofourown.org/users/

[loftec]

🎄Weekly Tag Wednesday - Holidays 🎄

This week we are going to talk about your Holiday Traditions! Thank you for the tag @deedala <3

Name:  loftec

Where in the world are you?  Sweden

What holiday do you and/or your family celebrate at this time of year?  We celebrate christmas, but honestly I hate calling it that so I will call it yule in this post (jul, in swedish). It's obviously a pagan-turned-christian holiday here too, but I've never been religious so my brain does this every time I have to refer to it as "christmas":

Does your family get together to celebrate?  Yes, just my parents and brothers, it used to be that we'd celebrate on our own on the 23rd and maybe have one or two grandparents over for the 24th (the main day here) and then go see extended family on the 25th and 26th, but these days my brothers, their SOs and I just go hang out at our parents' three days in a row. It's very nice and low-key.

Are there any traditional foods for the holiday?  Julbord, a yule smörgåsbord. Ham, meatballs, kale, pickled herring, salmon, janssons, etc etc. We usually get to demand one thing each for the table, and mine is always kale. There's a culture war in sweden re: which type of cabbage is correct for julbord – brown, green or red – and I'm controversially team green (geographically, I should be team brown) (no-one is team brown).

Do you typically decorate for your holiday?  I have a little box I bring out; I've got a star light for my bedroom (an orange paper lantern I've had since I was a kid) and a brass star light for the kitchen (it used to be the family kitchen light before my parents moved out of my childhood home). I also have a very small tree for the Boy (so I can put his presents under it), and this year I added a new guy to the box:

I've had the version on the left for as long as I can remember (he's in the family box at my parents'), and found the lad to the right at a second hand shop the other day. Obviously he had to come home with me, and one day he will be reunited with his long lost pal (gay).

Tell me about your favorite holiday memory:  For decades, one of the most important traditions in my family was to go to an indoor pool on the 23rd. It started when my brother and I were little and I think our mum was sick one yule and dad wanted to give her some peace and quiet, so we went to a public bath nearby. Turns out not a lot of people do this, most people are probably running around getting ready for the 24th, so we had a grand old time swimming and playing in a basically empty bath. So this became a beloved tradition, and we went for almost every year until the pandemic. One specifically memorable time was when they visited me in Japan and we went to an onsen, and it started snowing.

What is the significance of the holiday you are celebrating?  Spend time with family (people you want to spend time with) and eat good food (knowing that you're halfway through winter and that the food will last) and appease the natural forces (yule gnomes) with bribes (porridge) so they'll give you a little gift and not fuck up your life. Also Jesus and Brian of nazareth were both born at some point.

If there was one thing you could change about this holiday, what would it be? My dad came home with a persistent cold, I'm hoping for him to feel completely recovered by next week.

Anything else you want to tell me about your holiday? Please enjoy my top 5 yule albums (proceeds to recommend you five aggressively christmassy albums lol listen!! the bops transcend religion):

tagging @the-rat-wins @mittimellan (in case you want to procrastinate the stress week!!) @wideblueskies @beckyharvey29 @thisfeebleheart and anyone who wants to yap about their holidays!

[thekoalapastriesbakery]

One moment please while i infodump on hockey positions/roles

C = theres two actually, position wise, they're forwards (offence), where are role wise they're team captains. Rule of thumb, if it's on their jersey, they're a captain. Often refured to at "wearing the C" over "playing C"

LW = left wing, plays to the left of the centre in the offence.

RW = right wing, you'll never guess, they play the same as the left, just on the right.

Defenceman = on the defence instead of the offence. (you will have two* of these on the ice)

Goalie = goaltenders, goalie hugs, head pats, every hockey fan loves them all. Even the EBUGS (emergency back up goalie) (i have thoughts about ollie and EBUG!reader rn) (i'm about to put you onto Joseph Woll now)

A = alternative captain/s, ofter 2-3 players picked to assist the captain in their roles. probably have one* on the ice.

*rules and team prefences can alter these things, this is how my team works.

OLLIE X EBUG!READER

Omg, the reader came from his team's practice, all his gear is in the car, they head to the track to support ollie at a race (four races line up with teams, take your pick for them) then, he gets a call. A goalie is injured in warm ups, and they need a second goalie (every team needs two dressed for play at all times) so him and ollie rush down to the arena (media day?) and reader wins. Then ollie wins on sunday. Hooray all round.

🦈 (i just spent far too long wrapping a million presents, i ran out of wrapping paper twice, this is me procrastinating again)

everyone thank sharkie for making the hockey wag!drivers au better!! now that i actually know what people are talking about in their asks lmao. also the procrastinating wrapping is so real 😭

ollie would be sooooo excited for you! he’s totally ditching his media day duties (he gets a fine but it’s so worth it) to watch you. he’s cheering so loudly the whole game and he’s definitely gonna kiss all over your helmet after you win. maybe you save an overtime shot that the other team’s goalie misses and you’re the hero of the game.

you’re thrilled and basically getting passed around the team for celebratory hugs and head pats (dog hybrid goalie reader anyone?) before you get to ollie and rip your helmet off to kiss him stupid. it’s almost comical how much bigger than him you look in all your gear. ollie definitely feels like he’s in a romcom of some kind and pretends he’s julia roberts or something.

then sunday comes.

it’s still ollie’s first season as a formula one driver. haas has been on an upward trajectory. you’ll be sitting next to his dad and almost biting your fingers off out of nerves. but then ollie takes the chequered flag and he—

he’s won.

you and papa bear are jumping up and down and screaming and you shake him like he’s one of your teammates but he’s a little less solid on his feet and you apologise profusely. he doesn’t fall, but he definitely wasn’t expecting that level of strength from you. it’s haas’ first grand prix win. the garage explodes into cheering.

you and ollie have your own celebration at home for both of your achievements. if anyone sees ollie walking with a limp afterwards, no they didn’t.

[therapeutic007]

🌟 ADHD Adventures: A Day in the Life 🌟

Ever wake up with a plan so grand that even the Avengers would be like, “Whoa, chill”? 🤔💥

Morning: Step 1: Get out of bed. Step 2: Make coffee. Step… wait, what was step 2 again? 🤷‍♀️

Three hours later, I’m suddenly deep into a rabbit hole about why cats purr. Did you know it’s actually good for healing? Perfect! I’ll heal my procrastination skills next!

Midday: “Okay, time to be productive!” I tell myself as I open my laptop… only to find 57 tabs open about the best ways to organize your closet and three online quizzes to find out which potato I am. 🥔 Spoiler: I’m a French fry.

Afternoon Snack: Ah, the elusive snack battle. Do I want a healthy choice… or the entire bag of chips? The bag of chips wins. Every. Single. Time. 😅

Evening: My to-do list? More like a to-don't list at this point. I planned to clean, but instead, I made a new playlist titled “Songs to Clean To While I Totally Don’t Clean.” 🎶✨

But hey, each day is an adventure! Who needs a straight line when you can zigzag through life like a caffeinated squirrel on a treasure hunt? 🐿️💨

So here’s to us, the champions of distraction, the masters of multi-tasking (even if it’s just multi-tabbing). May our coffee be strong and our focus… well, eventually maybe focus. ________ Some ADHD Must_have tools !

[baldurs-gape]

I just wanted to tell you that your "Shores" makes me feel an absolutely indescribable, incomprehensible, enormous ball of Feelings every time I read a new chapter but every time overall it's a very... kind and fragile ball of Feelings. Thank you

You are precious and should be cherished, I really hope you know that. Speaking of Shores, I am writing the last chapter as we speak (or rather, procrastinating it because I don't want it to end). But that won't get posted for another month or so at least, so there's nothing to worry about. Meanwhile, to counteract those feelings, I bring you a bit of silliness at the expense of Cazador.

The Intricacies of Infernal

Devils had a reputation for being dicks and it wasn't unwarranted. Sure, Astarion hadn't been the most forthcoming about his past but he'd trusted Gale enough to show him his scars. They were working on figuring out what it all actually meant without involving anyone else. Alas, Raphael wasn't quite so kind and thoughtful. He had no qualms about baring literally all of Astarion to the rest of the group to gawp at.

"Your cherished spawn has been holding out on you. He's nothing more than a pawn!" With grand gestures, Raphael pointed at the scars while Gale battled his cloak in an effort to get it off and cover Astarion. It wasn't a fight he was winning easily, getting tangled in his staff.

Raphael continued, "You see, Cazador the vampire wanted to play with hellfire. Profane Ascention's recipe is on that he solves, by bartering away seven thousands sou-" he stopped and leaned in to peer at Astarion's scars.

"Please tell me you weren't about to rhyme goals with souls," Gale groused as he finally got the cloak off and passed it to Astarion to clutched it in front of himself without moving from under scrutiny. "As someone who has dabbled in poetry, please listen when I tell you that even as an imperfect rhyme that is pushing it. Solves and souls is really not as clever as-"

"Shut up!" It was Astarion who cut him off. "What does it say, devil?"

A low laugh built up into something performatively hearty with a core of actual mirth. Raphael clutched at his stomach, head thrown back, prefectly enunciated 'ha ha ha' pulled deep from his chest.

"Cazador's flare for the dramatics is his downfall." He looked at Gale. "See this here?" Pointing to two dots at the base of the scar and to the left of Astarion's spine, he continued, "Those should be level if he'd wanted to sacrifice 7000 souls. But like this?" Another quick giggle was suppressed. "He's just pledged 7000 soups."

"He what?!" Astarion whirled around, cloak barely preserving his modesty. "What does that even mean?"

"My dear spawn, do you not know what soup is?"

"Of course I do." Finally the cloak was wrapped around his hips like a towel in a bathhouse. Given that there was no reason to hide his scars any more, Astarion opted to not care about covering them for the time being. "But how does he go about sacrificing 7000 soup?"

Raphael blinked like he had been asked the world's stupidest question. "Why, by consuming them of course. He was prepared to consume the soul of 7000, allow them to pass through him into the hells. But his craftsmanship has left a lot to be desired. And, it's been signed off by the devil he'd made this contract with. It's the written word that's final."

Wrapping an arm around Astarion's shoulder, Gale frowned. "So why didn't he just sign a contract like Wyll's? No typos that way. And why didn't the devil correct him?"

"As I said, Cazador's extravagance and need to be unique was his downfall. He didn't have to carve the contract into his spawn. As to why Mephistopheles agreed to it as is? He's got a funny sense of humour."

It didn't make sense. In a way it was a relief, there was no hanging threat of losing Astarion to Cazador's madness. Returning to the palace to kill him wasn't going to walk him into a trap. But at the same time such good fortune wasn't typical of their merry group.

"7000 soup is a lot to eat."

"And it has to be done in one sitting." Raphael looked delighted by that. "Tell you what, my favourite mice. Invite me to his confrontation and I'll play nice. Allow me to attened and bear witness, then when you fight the elder brain, I'll be one of your biggest hitters."

Groaning, Gale fought the urge to argue about meters and rhyming. Thankfully, Astarion beat him to speaking.

"Lend a hand and you could be a hero. But go back on your word and you're a zero. 7000 soups is no mean feat but with so much knowledge, I'll take a seat and finally 200 years of hunger will be beat."

The deal was struck, Astarion grinned. It was about time he got the upperhand against Cazador.

[dweemeister]

Reactions to the 97th Academy Awards nominations

Well, I've taken more than a full day to process most things. Forgot to post this last evening, so this is a bit delayed. But here goes nothing:

Full disclosure: I have seen 7/10 Best Picture nominees. Emilia Pérez I have procrastinated on because I unfortunately have not been able to drown out all the discourse surrounding it. Nickel Boys has not been given a wider release by MGM and I'm Still Here - Brazil's first ever nominee in Best Picture - has not even ventured outside the major cities.

At this moment, The Brutalist would be #1 on my ballot. I think it's a magnificently directed, sometimes overly self-serious epic about a failed American Dream, but especially about the relationship between artist and patron. I think Adrien Brody is even better in this lead role than he was in The Pianist (2002), which he won Best Actor for what feels like eons ago. I think Guy Pearce is underrated in Supporting Actor, and I still wonder how this was made for less than $10 million. I know this is a cynical movie and paints midcentury America in a poor light, but how I wish director Brady Corbet in Q&As and interviews would not so easily declare that the American Dream is a sham. You film is an immigrant's story (and a beautifully told one). Not the immigrant's story.

Wicked is in trouble, Best Picture-wise. It missed in Director, and it missed for its screenplay. No film since Grand Hotel (1932) has ever won Best Picture without either a Director or Screenplay nomination. That just feels like too much history for Wicked - which I very much enjoyed, but am more ambivalent about the direction - to overcome. So if Ariana Grande - who should be considered a co-lead, not supporting - doesn't win in March, can we please take a deep breath before we post stuff online?

Did Anora and Conclave peak too early in awards season? I'd like to see Mikey Madison take home Best Actress, but the film has been losing ground to Emilia Pérez for some time. And I can see many older members of the Academy thinking that it's essentially softcore porn (which parts of it can be, but the film is far much more than that). Conclave fits that mold of "Film the Academy Really Respects, but Doesn't Love Enough to Put Down as Their #1 Choice". Director Edward Berger is on my shitlist after All Quiet on the Western Front (2022, Germany; the link takes you to my write-up to the film and why I think the film is a terrible adaptation of the original novel). But, other than the oppressively dark color palette that looks terrible on home screens, I really liked that tale of Vatican drama. I would be fine with Fiennes winning, if it came to that.

A Complete Unknown - which is essentially a concert movie that told us little more about Bob Dylan that I already knew - overperformed. James Mangold in Director? No. Monica Barbaro in Supporting Actress? Eh. Adapted Screenplay? Please. And the kicker: I've never really taken to Timothée Chalamet, and I think it bewildering he becomes the youngest actor to receive a second Best Actor nomination since James Dean (posthumously, for 1955's East of Eden and 1956's Giant). Best Actor skews older than Actress, sure. This one was powered by older AMPAS voters, wasn't it?

I saw The Substance on Sunday after I missed its original release back in September/October. Too busy with work and body horror is one of my almost "no-go" subgenres. I admired the film far more than I liked it. And I had the biggest grin on my face as we got to the chaos of the final half hour. It's a fascinating film, and congratulates Coralie Fargeat on the Director nomination (I agree!). Would I vote for The Substance in any category? No, except for Makeup and Hairstyling. I thank that one's a shoo-in for reasons I won't go into here.

Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Two got a lot less love than the first part. Now, I thoroughly dislike the source material (I was assigned it during summer school and adding to this... the teacher who taught it was not great) and I'm very ambivalent towards some of the people who appear in these movies (read: Chalamet). But the movie just continued to remind that there's a far superior movie made with very similar themes that was also set in a desert. And in fact, author Frank Herbert was inspired by that movie when he wrote Dune. The movie? Lawrence of Arabia (1962). By the time I reminded myself of the Dune-Lawrence connection a third of the way through the former's second part, I watched the remainder out of obligation. I suspect AMPAS voters want to award Villeneuve if he completes Dune: Messiah... and that's not even a guarantee.

A24 really botched the release of Sing Sing, did they? I know A24 has its fans online, especially among younger cinephiles. But - giving you some inside scoops here - theater owners from outside the big cities tend not to like the fact that A24 tends to super-promote one movie at a time (like I Saw the TV Glow or Civil War earlier in 2024) and give short shrift to the others. A24 is also notoriously bad at following up non-big city theaters about their release strategies and intentions. Sing Sing dearly paid the price for the studio's concentration on The Brutalist.

Did we really just fucking nominate The Apprentice for Actor and Supporting Actor? I haven't seen the film, but do we REALLY want Donald Trump to chime in on the Academy Awards season? I think AMPAS is in the mood to "send a message" rather than honor quality filmmaking right now, and that 's being shown here and - ostensibly - with those 13 nominations for Emilia Pérez.

The little Latvian movie that could, Flow, becomes only the third animated movie to have been nominated for International Feature (Waltz with Bashir and Flee before it). It overperformed on the day, and it's what I would vote for on Animated Feature. Made on free software for a pittance, it is incredible what director Gints Zilbalodis was able to do. It'll cross borders and generations, easily.

Elsewhere among animated works, I'm overjoyed for Memoir of a Snail and Adam Elliot. Australia's stop-motion animation poster child is a name that more people should be familiar with, and this nomination is very much overdue. Not enough people saw this film, though. So the nomination is 100% a win. Pity that Mars Express couldn't find a way to break through here, but even fewer people saw that in theaters, comparatively.

Inside Out 2 is gonna find a way to win this over The Wild Robot and Flow, isn't it? AMPAS loves their Pixar and Disney. They have never given an Oscar to someone outside a major American studio or anyone not named Hayao Miyazaki (I acknowledge that he is a fantastic filmmaker, but unlike some of his other anime colleagues, Miyazaki gets far on name recognition alone and he gets a lot of big Hollywood figures to campaign for his films).

Speaking of The Wild Robot! Kris Bowers' score to the film is the score of the year. Bowers is one of a few young handful of composers who I hope usher in a new age of Hollywood film score composers that will not only usher in a promising future, but also understand the value of melody and the richness of what orchestras - or orchestras combined with electronic elements - can provide (which I think many recent film score composers are abandoning).

And now I risk the wrath of people - largely folks my age and younger and the Letterboxd crowd - on this website. As a film score diehard and multi-instrumentalist, seeing all that praise for Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' score to Challengers (which I think should've been nominated for Editing, but nothing more) was, frankly, grating to me. I thought the score was play far too loudly in emotional scenes. And just because the whole fucking score is banger club/workout music does not necessarily make for what I consider to be effective film scoring. (If you think I'm delusional... the music branch of the Academy includes composers and lyricists and producers but does not include the musicians who play those scores. Many of those who play on film scores hail from small ensembles or orchestras, and probably think similarly and might even consider Reznor and Ross' process to be a threat to their futures in film scoring). In short: I'm fine with Challengers not being nominated in Score.

But fucking hell. That is one of the worst Best Original Song slates I can remember in sometime. My god.

Congratulations to France's Miyu Studios, who either produced/co-produced/distributed three of the five nominees in Best Animated Short. And just going to show how democratic the short film categories are, there were three past nominees on the shortlist for Animated Short, each of whom are major figures in the world of contemporary animated shorts - Don Hertzfeldt (World of Tomorrow), Dice Tsutsumi (The Dam Keeper), and Torill Kove (The Danish Poet and Me and My Moulton). Not a single one of the previous nominees made it.

Three monkey movies in Visual Effects (Better Man, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Wicked)? Hilarious.

[thessalian]

Thess vs The Unexpected

I mean, the work day wasn't unexpected. I got left with the lion's share of the fiddly annoying bullshit, which I finished ... well, more or less on time, since the grand finale for the afternoon was a seventeen-minute monstrosity by The Breast Guy. I was just about to start that off and praying I'd finish at least more or less by 5pm when my mobile rang - my stepfather. He's been at the other flat a lot lately, which means hey, great, maybe something's going to happen and this one will start getting renovated soon! (Though watch; I'm going to end up living back at the other flat for another three-plus years while he procrastinates. But at least he's doing stuff and I might be able to have an actual shower and non-leaky faucets sometime before 2025.) Anyway, I probably sounded frazzled, since his first response was, "Sorry to disturb". Then he asked if he could drop something off and I was like, "...Okay, sure", while wondering what the hell he could possibly be wanting to drop in my general direction.

The answer? ...Cutlery, apparently. They got new cutlery for themselves and thought I might like their old set (or, well, part of their old set, because I am highly unlikely to ever need more than four place settings at a go).

No, see, as may have been gathered by this point, the parentals have a lot more money than I do. This is why I tend to ask for things like cookware as Christmas and birthday gifts - they can afford the good stuff and understand this stuff as an investment. You know, better to have a really good pot that you may not have to replace in your entire lifetime than have a cheap piece of crap that'll be unusuable in a couple of years. The "Vimes 'Boots' Theory of Socio-Economic Unfairness" as applied to cookware. Now, when I was first living on my own, I had cheap crappy aluminium cutlery with about the heft of the average chewing gum wrapper (and almost the same ability to bend). But I graduated from that, in a sense - really good sale on a cutlery set at Habitat. So I have some pretty solid cutlery but not ... you know, The Best. The parentals, however? Probably not The Absolute Best either, but I have always been rather admiring of their cutlery. It is some solid shit, lemme tell you. So I guess they remembered how much I liked theirs and thought I would give it a good home. Which I obviously will, because if there's one thing my ongoing cookery kick has taught me, it's the benefits of having good shit in the kitchen.

Long story short, that cheered me up enough to get through the seventeen-minute monstrosity with ... okay, I was only really tempted to fling the laptop at the nearest wall once. So that's a win. I still hurt like hell, mind, and I'm counting the days to my week off (a little under two weeks and counting - my birthday present to myself every year), but there was a bright spot. New kitchenware has that effect. I got myself a wok recently, and my next purchase is going to be a 9" by 13" baking tin, which I need for a specific Baking Yesteryear dessert. (Actually for a lot of Baking Yesteryear desserts. Also brownies.) Also, bright spot in that the workday is over and after a little bit of time to let some of the OW fade, I will be making gluten-free fish fingers (well, technically cod goujons, but that's a wee bit pretentious) and relaxing with a little bit of Baldur's Gate 3 or something.

[hey-kae]

don't worry it's exams season for me too and i'm passing time through social medias so i don't think about the impending doom of not studying (i'm a procrastinator, i love to ruin my life)

anywaysss, last year was filled with avoidable problems in ferrari, it's clear. yes, they did have to run with a lower engine to avoid blowing it up (they only turned it up for monza, following what it was said during week interviews). the strategies call were insane, and i might be putting on my tinfoil hat again here, but it was clear most of those strategies starting after barcelona were favourable for carlos and not charles (and i'm not blaming the driver himself, i'm blaming the situation that came to be inside of the team). the team didn't listen to charles, as if they didn't trust him, which is terrible bc he grew up so much from 2019, now he knows how to save the tyres, how to trick other drivers into thinking he's having problems with the tyres when he's not (ie: baku 2023 when he played alonso at his own game).

many of the problems inside ferrari have been there for YEARS, even during arrivabene's seasons. he got sacked bc the team made a huge mess during qualifying in monza 2018 and that year in general was terrible bc an important person inside the team passed away suddenly (marchionne). charles got signed during the singapore weekend, right after monza, so arrivabene knew he wouldn't be tp anymore once charles made it to the team, but he still signed him to keep the promise asked by marchionne.

it's no secret that binotto was never a fan of seb during his last years in ferrari. in 2019 he got beaten by charles, which i guess it's something nobody inside the team expected. and with the mess of 2020 i guess that seb in that season didn't have the spirit to fight, which is understandable. he has been there since 2015 and nothing had changed. binotto then basically kicked him out of the door to sign carlos. after that it was clear that binotto was always favoring carlos for whatever reason: the upgrades turning the car to understeer (so opposite to what charles likes bc anybody who had listen to him at least once knows that he likes more an oversteery car - and when the car was oversteery charles had pulled his amazing pole positions and had a grand chelem), giving him the favourable strategy in more occasions etc. binotto's interviews were always more aligned with carlos' rather than charles'. binotto and carlos were talking about bringing home points, whereas charles was talking about winning. this is everything i need to know to understand who's going to be a champion and who won't tbh.

again, i'm not hating on carlos himself, but his father was hanging out at the garage and some of his interviews too were... sketchy. for example when last year he said that this year car would be of carlos' taste. like why would ferrari make a car more likable for the driver whom ended up 5th in the championship standing (would have been 6th if it wasn't for hamilton's dnf in abu dhabi) instead of the currently vice champion? and yes, during toro rosso's days it said that sainz sr. and jos verstappen were exactly friends, bc apparently sainz sr. thought that the red bull seat would go to carlos, but obviously red bull ended up choosing max and i guess this is something that the sainzs didn't like. again, not an attack to carlos himself, but max (like a few other drivers) is a generational talent, red bull was always going to choose him, let's be honest.

as for carlos' race engineer... riccardo adami has never been fond of charles since he put feet in that garage. idk what's actually up with him, but apparently when charles made it to ferrari some of seb's engineers and mechanics were given to him, which is something that adami didn't like. since 2019 he had made some backhanded comments about charles or ones that were clearly a jab at him. it looks like adami sometimes only listen to carlos and doesn't communicate with xavi (i'm not a xavi fan, but poor guy has it rough and since charles said xavi is the person he trusts the most in the team... yeah, something was/is up), reason why the team sometimes pulled some shit that ended up being charles' to pay. one of the latest issues was in spain: charles out in q1 bc he had an issues (ferrari didn't disclose what it was, saying there was nothing wrong, but after years of knowing them, i personally think charles had a broken chassis or a wrong set up of the differential gear), but carlos got p2 and adami's comment was something along the lines of "what a team" (meant as a praise). like obviously a race engineer is going to be happy for their driver, but this wasn't a team result, more like a team failure bc if the car was THAT good during qualifying, both cars should have made it to the front at least. also, a lot of times charles complained to xavi bc they didn't let him out first for qualifying (for example it happened in australia and in monaco). then you hear the communtications on carlos' side of the garage and you have adami telling him to go out, so he finds himself in front of charles. yes, xavi makes mistakes nobody can say the opposite, but i feel like a lot of times it's adami who doesn't even listen to him for whatever reason he has to dislike charles. then you have charles having to pull stuff out of his ass to still end up in front of carlos.

so idk in which order i'm saying things, but yeah... the situation is not ideal inside the team, with people disliking one another and whatever. they are missing the key for success: comunication. this is something the red bull and mercedes have and they rarely lack it, reason why even in bad situations they can make it out.

personally i think things are changing a bit with vasseur, but the process is long and it's not something you can fix easily. but the fact that in canada the team told the drivers to not fight (bc that is what it was) bc they thought perez would catch up with them is already something, bc i believe that if binotto was still there he would have let them fight it out, risking losing time and pace.

(Provrastinators unite😂✊🏻 good luck for your exams!🫶🏻)

I think a good example for things going wrong inside the team was silverstone and charles just taking off and leaving. If if was just another mistake, he wouldn’t have done that imo, but it goes to show that he at least felt disrespected by the team, if not during the race then for sureee when binotto was showed lecturing him.

I feel like ferrari have such a big issue with valuing the drivers they have. They never see the potential or if they see it, they for some reason play it down and it’s a repetitive pattern with kimi, alonso, seb and now charles.

Also, i totally explained charles using fernando’s tire managing trick against him in baku to my friends and my family even though most of them don’t really care😭😂

As you said, ferrari lack communication for sure. But also, merc and rb are given a lot of shit about having driver hierarchy especially when fighting at the top but honestly through the years, i think no one can deny that this method proved that it’s the most efficient way to win and dominate.

As for adami, I really don’t pay too much attention to him so I didn’t know all that! I mean I don’t expect him to like Charles cause obviously he’s his teammate’s engineer but they’re still part of the same team…

But i would totally believe Ferrari not admitting to what went wrong. There was DEFINITELY something wrong with the car in Spain, but that’s not the only time I believe that Ferrari lied. Imo France last year wasn’t completely charles’ fault cause to me it was fishy that just before the crash, he was complaining about something in the car feeling off but as soon as he was doing interviews he was blaming himself fully?!? (not saying he doesn’t hold any responsibility but idk)

And when it comes to Binotto, I never understood the man tbh. There was times where he talked about charles feeling like a son to him cause his son was of the same age and shit but that’s also not how you would treat someone who you see as dear as your own blood. Like there was something not adding up at all.

And really, it’s a know fact that oversteery cars are “faster” and if i’m not wrong, max and lewis? both prefer oversteer on their cars.

As for the winning vs. getting points thing, it was literally seen just last week in Canada. Charles was saying that p4 is improvement but not the goal cause the goal is always to win while carlos was going around saying that weekend was perfect and the team nailed it (when literally the drivers did their own strategy) idk some people might not see it like that, but to me charles’ mentality is winning mentality🤷🏻‍♀️

There’s definitely positive changes happening within the team but part of me is scared that the results of these changes will appear when it’s already too late…

[fevercode]

❛ so, what do i owe this pleasure? ❜ / to kaeya from jean!

Another Forgotten Ask Meme | Answered

“Are you saying I need a reason to come visit my favorite acting grand master?” Kaeya feigns offense whilst grinning like the cat who ate the canary. He stands in the doorway to Jean’s office and leans against the doorframe. “I merely wanted to invite you out for a drink. You’ve been cooped up in here all day. Why not take a break?”

He knew how hard Jean worked - especially with her workaholic tendencies. And as the self proclaimed king of procrastination why not use a shared break as an excuse to ignore the growing pile of paperwork on his desk? It was a win-win.

[critical-skeptic]

Survival of the Unfit: Nature's Failed Experiment

In the realm of human folly, the phrase "survival of the fittest" gets tossed around like a lifebuoy to a drowning man, as if the very utterance will save us from our own incompetence. Ah, Darwinism—the sweet, natural solution to life's complexities. A system that doesn't give two shits about your feelings or your "fair shot" at existence. In a society teeming with warning labels, safety protocols, and an incessant drive to bubble-wrap every damn thing, one can't help but ponder: what if we just let nature take its course, unsupervised and unimpeded?

Imagine, if you will, a world stripped of its cautionary labels, its paternalistic nudges toward safety. A world where your kid's school science lab allows them to experience firsthand the explosive relationship between sodium and water, sans goggles or adult supervision. This world won't hold your hand; you're on your own, pal. If you can't muster the common sense to look both ways before crossing the street, well, chalk one up for natural selection.

Don't get me wrong; human ingenuity and cooperation are among the most potent evolutionary tools we've developed. They've propelled us to the pinnacle of the animal kingdom, making us capable of feats from splitting the atom to landing on the moon. But let's not kid ourselves. For every small step for man, there's a giant leap backward for mankind.

In fact, the very traits that once facilitated our survival are now chaining us to a ticking time bomb. Empathy? It's got us saving every Tom, Dick, and Harry who probably shouldn't pass on his genes in the first place. Social cooperation? Great, but it also manifests in herd mentality that leads to cults of personality, dangerous tribalism, and even wars.

Take climate change. The data is there. The evidence is overwhelming. Yet, what do we see? Denial, procrastination, and outright sabotage. Our 'innate' traits of empathy and cooperation should have propelled us into immediate action. Instead, they've been hijacked by political infighting and resource hoarding. Individual and collective egos bloated to astronomical proportions, effectively dwarfing the actual celestial bodies we should be aiming to colonize by now.

The inherent contradictions within humanity aren't just quirks; they're existential threats. We've leveraged our brilliance to construct societies of staggering complexity, yet we can't summon the collective will to stop burning fossil fuels. Even our revolutions—technological, cultural, or otherwise—seem to culminate in new varieties of stagnation. AI, the Internet, social media; all promise enlightenment but often deliver echo chambers of ignorance.

Do we deserve this planet, with its intricate ecosystems and untapped frontiers? One could argue that the very question is a byproduct of our self-important delusions. Nature doesn't care about "deserve." In the grand cosmic lottery, we drew a winning ticket, and look what we've done with it. We're like a trust-fund kid blowing through his inheritance on sports cars and bad decisions.

So, back to my original thought experiment: If we removed all societal safety nets and let nature cleanse itself of the ineptitude that plagues us, would we really be worse off? It's a grim idea, sure, but it forces us to confront uncomfortable questions about our self-imposed sanctity. The brutal, unvarnished truth? Our track record suggests that humanity, in its current form, doesn't deserve the extraordinary luck we've been handed by the universe.

Now, does this mean we should actually start tearing down warning signs and free up natural selection to do its thing? Hell no. But as a critique, as a self-reflecting argument, we need to acknowledge our collective failure to capitalize on the astounding cosmic fortune we've been granted. We're not living up to our potential, and perhaps we never will. Nature, in all its indifferent majesty, must be laughing its ass off.

[aijamisespava]

Favorite Song From Each Country! Part 5/37: Portugal!

I'm back! Sorry I forgot to update yesterday. I had a very busy day and couldn't sit down to write the post. I know that I could just...write them ahead of time, but I am a total procrastinator and will put things off to the last second!

So now, I'm here to work on today's entry for My Favorite Song From Each Participating Country Picking From My Outdated Ranking Pool Of Songs From 2009 To 2023! I'm sure we all know the drill at this point, but if not, well...I just talk about my favorite entry and give my take (some of which are very unpopular opinions) on the 2023 song...or my 2nd favorite entry if my favorite entry happens to be the 2023 entry!

Here we go! Next up is...Portugal!

Portugal is the most recent country to have added their name to the list of countries to have won Eurovision at least once, having done so in 2017, about 6 years after the last time a country won Eurovision for the first time. They are also very well known for using their own language for most of their entries, and making sure those entries feel like their culture. In other words, they're not ashamed to be themselves, which is what brings their charm in the contest.

Favorite Entry: I mean, I did kind of hint at it in the intro to Portugal segment when I mentioned the year they finally scored their first win. Salvador Sobral's 2017 song "Amar Pelos Dois" is a very soft, romantic feeling song. And the ambiance feels like the background to a romantic moment. I don't have too much to say about this entry because a lot of it has already been said since it won. RANK: 1st in 2017 Grand Final/PERSONAL RANK: 3rd of 42 Countries

Thoughts On The 2023 Entry: I mean this in the best way possible when I say that Mimicat's "Ai Coração" sounds like a musical number. Not only does it live up to what I said earlier about being in the Portuguese language and feeling like the culture, this song literally COMES TO LIFE! It's fun from start to finish and it's super easy to get into your head. I feel bad ranking it where I did because I wanted to rank this higher, but there were others that I liked more. However, it's never too late to add to the playlist! Also, curse you death slot Mimicat could have gotten a better result if it weren't for starting 2nd...RANK: 23rd in 2023 Grand Final/PERSONAL RANK: 25th of 37 Countries

[woniepolyglot]

✨ monthly recap ✨

I'm totally replicating this idea from Lindie Botes because I need to have some place to hold me accountable to my studying.

I graduated university more than a year ago and since then my foreign languages have been going 📉📉📉

this month

I studied a grand total of 19 hours and 58 minutes this month... I'm a disgrace💀

some wins on april:

💌 decided to start a twitter (@/wonie_polyglot if you wanna follow me there) dedicated to my language learning, which was a huuuuge step for me. This tumblr thing came afterwards bc I like to write ✨long posts✨.

💌 finally found some materials for French that I feel comfortable with c:

🦉current duolingo streak : 12 days (had to restart it bc I'm dumb and forgot about it🙃)

✨ français ✨

I was feeling pretty down with it at the beginning of the month. I tried to use the book I bought for university, but the app and website were pretty shitty, so I had no real access to the audio files or the answer key.

Then I found the glorious Progressif du Français series. I started with Orthographe Progressif du Français et Grammaire Progressif du Français, both in niveau débutant, just to start getting back on track.

I also got Short Stories in French for Beginners. I haven't started it yet, but it looks pretty promising!

I'll also try to get into some series on Netflix for some immersion sessions!

✨deutsch✨

Similar to French, I wanted to use up the books I bought for school, but with these I actually was able to get the audio files, answer keys, and some extra worksheets!

I'm using Bild für Bild Deutsch Sprachkurs (very useful if you're self-learning, grammar points come in English) and studio d, and so far so gut!

I also started watching Dark on Netflix. My plan is to watch it like three times. First with English subtitles or (if I can get to a pc) with a chrome extension that allowes me to have dual subtitles. Then with only German subtitles, and one final time without any subtitles.

✨한국어✨

I have a lot of resources for Korean (mostly Talk to Me in Korean, but also some from Yonsei, Ehwa, etc). I think I'm trying to overcompensate because Korean is the only language where I haven't had any formal learning done before.

Right now I'm on the Level 1 TTMIK Textbooks, along with Korean Grammar in Use and 비타민 한국어. Plus Real-Life Korean Conversations for Beginners, Easy Korean Readings for Beginners, My First 500 Korean Words (all three form TTMIK), and the Soo&Carrots' 100 Day Korean Vocab Challenge (not doing it daily just here and there).

I also have one of the Yonsei Reading workbooks that I'm looking to integrate into my "routine".

next month

I'm nervous because May is a very holiday heavy month in my country, and my family likes going out on road trips and such, which means I'm most likely not gonna stick to the schedule I'd like to...

goals for may:

Create an on-the-go routine so I can still study whilst traveling.

Solidify my resources lists for German and French.

Come up with some sort of "cycle" so I always have something to do next (I tend to procrastinate by "planning" my study sessions).

Complete one "unit" of my Korean study each week (one lesson from the TTMIK Textbook and Workbook, one reading from the Easy Readings book, one dialogue from the Real-Life Convos book, and one day of the Korean Vocab book).