#like are you all trying to kill me with mom feelings

[zaine-m]

I like to think that Jayce and Viktor get a happy ending in the other universe too

Jayce feels awful that hextech took a life. Especially seeing powder (who is around the same age he was when him and his mom were saved by hextech) holding her dead sister's body

He says similar things as in the start of the trial but now fully meaning them and never mentions trying to create magic

Vander comes to Jayce's trial and stands up for him, saying he's just a stupid kid with a dream to help people who didn't know what he was doing

"Vi's with her mom now, let Jayce go home to his"

He does still sneak into his lab to attempt suicide but this time Viktor's "am I interrupting?" doesn't do anything, Jayce just turns back around and jumped, not being able to handle the guilt of accidentally taking a life while also realizing his life's work only caused harm

He survives the attempt and wakes up in a hospital bed, paralyzed from the waist down with his mother crying next to him

Viktor comes in a bit later while his mom is out making some food for him

His tone is completely too cold for the situation. Jayce is in complete despair and Viktor refuses to match the mood

He says most of the same stuff about how hextech can change people's lives but Jayce responds "yeah, well so far all it's done is a take the life of an innocent child"

"ehh, she was from the undercity. I grew up there, many children did not live to see adulthood"

"How does that make anything better?"

"Because this has the potential to change that. One explosion? There are toxic fumes and polluted waters slowly killing hundreds of children each year"

"Even if I wanted to I'm banned from the academy and ..." *waves at legs*

"pshh, you think trenchers are supposed to be at the academy and everything I did in my life I did while being disabled"

"Listen, I can't help you"

Viktor leaves Jayce's bracelet by his bed and heads towards the door. Jayce takes one look at it and throw it across the room in anger. "you probably shouldn't throw that", "GET OUT!"

A while later Vander comes to invite Jayce to Vi's memorial at the last drop

Jayce feels so guilty when he first comes into the last drop, everyone is staring at him

He sees Ekko, the kind little kid who had sold him such reasonably prices wares just days before his experiments accidentally killed his friend

Powder just starting going at him when she first sees him, her weak child-who-has-never-punched-before fists do very little damage especially because she's going so fast she doesn't fully pull her hands back

Jayce just lets her at it, crying and apologizing between the blows

Vander comes to pull Powder off of him, "it wasn't his fault, he didn't know how dangerous the materials were" she just looks back and screams at him before going back to her bedroom

Vander takes Jayce on a walk through the undercity to talk,

"Everyone in there knew what I did?"

"huh, no?"

"they were looking at me like I was a monster"

"yeah, that's cause you're dressed like a piltie"

"ohh, ha... I'm so sorry about what happened to Vi"

"It's a shame, but she's with her parents now"

*Jayce looks down, only feeling worse finding out the girl he killed was an orphan*

"You want to know how her parents died?" *they arrive at the bridge* "I thought I could help the undercity, create a better world by fighting for sovereignty. I led us across this bridge and lost so many people in the process, the undercity is still recovering"

"I'm so sorry"

"I was like you, I was young and ambitious and I wanted to help people. But you know what I learned. You don't need to make giant leaps to help the people around you"

On the way back Vander points out all the ways he's helped different people in the undercity, helping them make a business plan, caring for their kids when they were sick, helping them find a community at the last drop

He also points out all the things that could be helped like roofs with holes in them and cliffs that should have railings

"You don't need hextech to help the world, Jayce"

Jayce spends his time between his family's forge doing hammer work and around the undercity working as a handyman, building what he can to help people

Eventually he tracks down Viktor, hoping to find ways to make a more systemic change for things like the dirty water and polluted air

Viktor works on studies surveying the living conditions of those in the undercity and seeing what affects it has on expected lifespan and the likelihood of developing different diseases to present to the council

That along with the more pro-Zaun push that's been happening since Vi's death he gets quite a bit of work done

While he's doing this Jayce does what he can to start implementing changes by making water filters and distributing masks to those in the slump levels

After a few years Jayce petitions to be let back into the academy to help Viktor with his work on a formal level and with outstanding testimonials from many people in the undercity he's let back in

When their work making the undercity safer is done they move onto studying how to treat the various illnesses people in the undercity have suffered from living there

first starting with Viktor's various physical health issues and finding that a lot of his issues come from it never being studied how to use mobility aids and how improper use can put a strain on other parts of your body so he switched to a forearm crutch to help his back

I'm gonna say in this universe Viktor just has severe asthma which they're able to find medicines to treat so he still has issues breathing in a lot of the undercity, he just wears a mask most of the time and keeps his medication with him

Viktor and Jayce end up dating but it happens to slowly that it's hard to realize, they just spend all their time together working on their research and then they get an apartment together because they were both looking for roommates

Jayce stopped looking for people to date after the accident because he was going through a big life change and never got back in the game and Viktor always rejected anyone, saying he was too busy with his studies

Jayce is just physically affectionate in a way where hugging Viktor a lot turns into Viktor sitting on his lap whenever his leg is sore turns into Jayce playing with Viktor's hair when he's bored turns into them cuddling on the couch turns into them cuddling in bed turns into kisses on the forehead when one of them is sick turns into kisses when they're not sick

They're at the last drop one day and Viktor gets up off Jayce's lap to use with washroom and Vander asks Jayce, "so you think you'll propose soon" Jayce almost spits out his food, "what, what do you mean?"

"I mean you've been dating for like what 5 years now. You gotta pop the question sooner or later"

"umm... yeah" wait fuck are we dating, have we been dating for 5 years, what

In bed that night: "Viktor, I... I think I might like you... like romantically. I guess I never thought about it but I was talking to Vander and... and you've been the most important person in my life for the past like 6 years"

"Jayce, I thought we were dating? How are you only realizing this now"

"ohh"

"I called you my partner"

"I thought you meant like research partner"

"we kissed a lot"

"I thought those were like just for comfort... between friends"

*Viktor kisses him passionately but not the most passionately they've kissed before*

"Does that seem like it would be between friends?"

"heh, now that you mention it I guess not"

[oodlyenough]

continuing my arcane s2 ted talks i guess, i've been trying to decipher how i feel about the medardas' plotline in s2 and i never really land anywhere but a sort of disgruntled marge simpson groan.

i think anyone who paid any attention at the end of s1 or spent even ten seconds theorizing probably knew mel was a mage and her shield magic would protect some or all of the council. i was surprised this reveal didn't happen right away, and i liked that initially we see an overhead shot showing her totally-undamaged bubble around her seat. i could roll with jayce wondering why he survived and mel sort of shrugging it off. the black rose stuff in act 1 i also found intriuging and the action scene with amara was cool. i was excited that kino would be more relevant

but then act 2 ... it felt like we put mel in the torture labyrinth only to draw two conclusions, the first being that she's a mage (no duh; we could've revealed it in the first episode) and the second being that she's a bastard child from a secret love affair her mom had. and then we uh. didn't really explore that second part at all. we learn, sort of, that her mom has some beef with the black rose; if you don't play League you have no idea who or what they are; they claim Ambessa let Kino die and only wants Mel as a weapon; when confronted Ambessa only half-answers and seems to disdain mages; Ambessa ends up fighting Mel, gets killed by Mel's double bluff, and then Mel takes over the Medarda clan for... some reason (does she want to? does she HAVE to?)

mostly it ends up feeling like a backdoor pilot for a future noxus spinoff. and a future noxus spinoff starring mel isn't a bad idea; it's just that it feels like a lot of screentime in an already-frantic final season for arcane was then spent on a plotline that doesn't really resolve.

also in season one i thought mel and ambessa's relationship was very interesting and i looked forward to more of it. i thought the idea of ambessa sending mel away because mel's big puppy eyes made her feel guilty for doing what she felt she had to do, and mel feeling that as a rejection/banishment/lack of love fit nicely into the general themes of s1. i... just don't really know how the secret mel magic that ambessa hates and/or covets (unclear) adds to that rather than weakening it. their two conflicting worldviews alone set them up nicely to butt heads in season 2, especially with caitlyn potentially stuck in the middle, torn between both of their guidances and philosophies. instead it's like mel mostly inhabited a different show for most of her screentime.

i'm also not super convinced ambessa was written with the same level of sympathy characters like silco got in season 1. it certainly seems to me she gets less of that from fandom, anyway, who treat her like a uniquely evil character even for a major antagonist. it's hard for us to understand her motives when we don't really know what they ARE, the origin of her black rose feud, who tf the rose are to begin with, the true circumstances around kino's death and mel's banishment, etc... if this is all the unofficial pilot for a Noxus spinoff it might as well have just waited until then and let us use this screentime to expand on the other things in s2 that needed to be expanded/wrapped up in their final season.

[actualyves]

(Bringing this over from my Twitter because I’m always thinking about Benson ThePassenger.)

I fully do NOT believe that in his day-to-day life Benson would be aggressive and overbearing and generally, overwhelmingly angry. We see him smiling and laughing and expressing himself through fun clothes and silly body language, and that’s on an arguably extraordinarily, unusually horrific day. And that’s not to say that killing four people is something that a non-angry person does.

Looking at his reasoning behind his treatment of Randy, it seems obvious -to me at least- that this is a man who has never seen or experienced a healthy representation of love. His “don’t make me hurt you when I’m trying to help you” approach to Randy feels like the kind of “tough love” (read: abuse) that would lead someone to internalize violence as an acceptable form of expression. And if the people who loved you were violent toward you, then naturally that would be the case. And if we look at Benson through a queer lens, it would be even easier to think anything seen as “gay” would’ve attempted to have been removed from him with force.

Benson had a traumatic childhood leading to a traumatized adulthood. And while he maybe couldn’t quite see the forest for the trees in how heavily that had influenced his worldview, he could see Randy set up to go down the same path. And so he, angrily, tried to protect him and help him in the only way he knew how.

And then there’s Randy himself. Benson’s love was violence, and Randy’s was submission. This is an adult man whose mom counts the number of rings until he answers the phone and picks out his clothes ffs. We know that timidity isn’t his default setting, because we see him genuinely happy in the last scene. Benson and Randy were both capable of joy and silliness and love, but neither had been shown a healthy way to express affection (platonic or romantic) toward another person.

Even if only as coworkers, Randy and Benson cared about one another, and it became all the more obvious toward the end. The tragedy of it all was that they were both capable of feeling sincerely and genuinely for others, but they didn’t know how to express it. And by the end, Benson had figured that out. Not only that, but he knew it was over for him. So in a final, violent act of love, he sacrificed himself. Benson’s violent, loud love showed Randy not only how cared for he was but how not to express his love for others. And at the end we not only see Randy the best we’ve ever seen him, but we see him acknowledging Benson’s sacrifice in the form of the plushes gifted to Ms. Beard’s daughter -a healthy act of love- and the coat draped over his arm.

Benson and Randy were both soft-spoken, traumatized children trying to navigate adulthood. They could have been the best thing in the world for one another if they’d had a chance to realize how much they could’ve balanced one another out and brought out each others’s strengths. They were more similar than they realized until it was too late.

(And I know he’s not really supposed to be a relatable character, but as a victim of CSA whose PTSD didn’t kick in until adulthood when I realized how heavily it had impacted and stunted me interpersonally, Benson is a deeply important character to me.)

Anyway, The Passenger (2023) is a horror/thriller but also a tragedy.

[ghouljams]

how does one become free of insecurity? i’m already doing therapy but i feel i’ve only moved away from hating myself so much i want to d*e into just thinking everyone’s better than me

It's a long journey, but well worth it.

I don't think anyone is ever truly free of insecurity, but I think there's also a lot that is unpacked simply through the language we use to describe ourselves and the jokes we allow other people to make at our expense.

Therapy is great at helping you deal with the big feelings, but sometimes little things get caught in your head and it's hard to shake them. Here are some things that I do to keep myself feeling good, and also some things that I'm working on:

No suicide jokes. I make it a point never to joke about "oh I'll just kill myself" or anything like that because ultimately it just makes me feel worse and nobody finds it funny. It's also a good way to change your thinking and direct your solution brain away from "I'll just end things when shit gets hard." This one is a constant battle.

I compliment myself whenever I have the chance. I take every compliment someone gives me. I pretend to be vapid and self-absorbed. I make kissy faces at myself in the mirror. I tell other people how pretty I am, and I don't fucking care if they think I'm a stupid bimbo because I'm trying to love myself and that's more important.

Being kinder to my younger self. This one feels weird but I found myself being mean to little Ghoul when I was really sad. It feels easy to take out your anger on a kid that didn't know any better, and it doesn't guilt you because that's you that you're hating. But look. You were just a kid. You weren't stupid or ugly or unlovable or evil, you were a kid. I just caught myself calling my teenage self ugly the other day on my way to visit my mom and I had to stop and go "why am I saying this? I was just a kid." And it made me cry a li'l bit ngl, but if felt... idk it felt good in a way.

Don't let fucking anyone tell you, you're not worth it. Does your friend make jokes about how dumb you are? Or how you're so cringey? Or so embarrassing or bad at something or forgetful or WHATEVER? Yeah, fuck that noise. Tell them to stop doing that. Tell them it hurts your feelings and if they still don't stop they aren't your friend, they're your bully. I fucking hate bullies. Don't let anyone talk down to you, I don't care if it was a joke at first, it's not funny anymore. Fuck them.

This is something I'm working on, but when you start fixing one insecurity another will probably pop up. I've been working for a long time on liking how I look, and it's gone really well. But now I'm insecure about my intelligence. So I have to stop myself from calling myself stupid or not answering questions. I just fucking rocked my work trivia party, and Mr. Ghoul thinks I'm smart, so I just gotta keep track of my wins. Sometimes you realize that making yourself secure in one thing makes you insecure about another, but that's ok! There's a learning curve to all of this.

Everyone thinks everyone else is better than them. You don't have to be the best at everything, you don't even have to be the best at one thing! What's important is that you're doing your best. People notice when you're working hard, even if you're not churning out the best product because it means you care about it. Which brings me to

Done is better than perfect. Sure it would be great if you were God's most specialist soldier, but think about how much work that would be! Ok so you're not the world's best knitter, but the scarf you made your friend is their favorite scarf anyway because you made it. So you're not a world class writer, but you had a story in your head and you wrote it down. That's better than it never being written at all. Also just because you think it's bad doesn't mean other people won't think it's a masterpiece. Hell, half of the fics I wrote when I first started this blog I could write better now but that doesn't make them bad, it just means I've gotten better.

We as humans are constantly improving and evolving. Don't let who you are no stop you from striving towards who you'll be in the future. Taking one step down the path towards loving yourself is better than giving up and hating yourself forever. It's slow going, but man I've been doing this shit for a decade and I'm so much happier than I was at 18.

You might think that the more you improve the harder and faller you'll fall back to the bottom, but the lows don't get that low again. You're doing great. I'm proud of you.

[kathlare]

when the lights fade

Lando Norris x Amelie Dayman

Summary: Fresh off her exhilarating Coachella performance, Amelie is surrounded by the support of her loved ones, basking in the glow of her achievement. However, backstage dynamics bring a mix of pride, tension, and unspoken feelings to the forefront. Amid the chaos, Amelie and Lando navigate their relationship, balancing public personas with private affection, all while confronting subtle challenges that test their bond.

Wordcount: 2.3 k

Warnings: fluff, smau

April 12th, 2024 - Palms Springs, CA

Amelie’s heart was still pounding from her performance, the echoes of the crowd's cheers still ringing in her ears. She had just finished her set at Coachella, and the buzz of adrenaline was like a drug—every part of her was alive, and yet, she couldn't stop smiling. The lights had been blinding, the music pulsing through her veins, and now, as she stood backstage, her breath coming in quick bursts, it felt like everything had fallen into place.

Her first Coachella.

The overwhelming sense of pride and happiness was almost too much to handle, but the real magic was being able to share it with those who meant the most to her. Her family was there—her mom, dad, brothers, and sisters—along with a few close friends. And, of course, there was Lando.

She spotted him across the backstage area, his unmistakable tousled hair and wide grin a beacon. He was laughing with Charles, George, and Alex, his usual easygoing self. But the moment their eyes met, that familiar connection sparked between them. He gave her a teasing smile, his eyes scanning her up and down as she walked toward him. She was still buzzing from the performance, but just the sight of him made her pulse race all over again.

Lando was already making his way toward her, weaving through the crowd. She smiled at the way he was so obviously trying not to be too obvious about checking her out. It was just them now, no need for games. He stopped just a few feet away, his eyes still glued to her.

—Damn, you were incredible,— he said, his voice filled with admiration, though his eyes were mostly scanning her figure.

—Thanks,— she said with a playful smile. —You should’ve seen the crowd, they were amazing. It’s Coachella, Lando. I can’t believe I’m here.—

He chuckled, walking closer until there was barely any space between them. He lowered his voice, his tone now soft, teasing. —No, I meant you. You were incredible.—

Amelie rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. —Stop it, Norris. You’re not the first to tell me that tonight.—

Lando’s grin widened, his fingers brushing against her arm as he looked down at her with that signature mischievous glint in his eyes. —It’s true. They’ve all been looking at you like you’re some kind of goddess.—

She raised an eyebrow. —Are you jealous?—

—Should I be?— he teased, taking a step closer.

Her lips parted as she tried to hold back the grin, but his proximity made it hard to concentrate. There was a certain spark between them—one that never really faded, no matter how much time passed or how much space they gave each other.

—Maybe,— she said with a little shrug, her lips curling up in a playful smirk.

Just then, Alex and Charles came over, interrupting their private moment, though it didn’t seem to bother Lando in the slightest. He turned toward them, though his hand stayed lightly on Amelie’s arm.

—Good set, Amelie,— Charles said with a wink.

—Yeah, you absolutely killed it out there,— Alex added, giving her a thumbs-up.

Amelie laughed, slightly embarrassed, but happy. —Thanks, guys. It’s surreal being here.—

—We can tell,— George said, grinning. —I swear, you were glowing up there.—

Lando rolled his eyes. —Alright, alright, you’ve all got your compliments in. Can I get a moment alone with my girlfriend now?—

The word slipped out so naturally that it took a second for Amelie to process. Her heart skipped a beat. Girlfriend. They had been privately dating for a few months now, since November, but hearing him say it so casually made her feel a rush of warmth and affection. She didn’t let it show, though, keeping her playful smile in place.

—Just a second, let me breathe,— she teased back, her eyes dancing with mischief. —I’ve got to let all this attention sink in.—

Lando laughed, his arm slipping around her waist as he pulled her a little closer. —Sure, darling. Enjoy it while you can.—

Amelie couldn’t stop grinning as she looked up at Lando, the adrenaline from her performance still humming in her veins. She tried to pretend she wasn’t affected by his touch—his hand on her waist, his body close to hers—but the truth was, it felt natural, comforting. Just being around him always made her feel a little lighter, a little more alive.

Lando leaned down slightly, his lips brushing the top of her head as he whispered in her ear. —You know, you're looking even better up close.— His voice was low, just for her, sending a thrill down her spine.

She rolled her eyes, but there was a definite flush to her cheeks. —You’re impossible,— she muttered, stepping away to regain some space, though she could feel his gaze following her every move.

—You like it,— he teased, his grin never fading.

Amelie couldn’t help but laugh, the sound coming easily. She wasn’t sure if it was the adrenaline from her performance or the way Lando always had that effect on her, but everything felt a little brighter with him around. They were close, closer than they’d ever been before—yet no one knew. To the world, they were just good friends. But behind closed doors? Things were different.

Lando leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, still watching her with that mischievous glint in his eyes. He had that way of making her feel like the only person in the room, and it was impossible to ignore. She caught him sneaking glances at her, his eyes tracing her every movement, and it made her stomach do a flip.

—You gonna let me breathe, or are you just gonna keep staring at me all night?— she asked, trying to play it cool, but she couldn’t hide the smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

He raised an eyebrow, pushing himself off the wall. —I can’t help it, you know. You look…— He paused, his eyes scanning her from head to toe again, —...absolutely stunning.—

Amelie rolled her eyes but couldn’t keep the flush off her cheeks. The way he looked at her made her feel like no one else existed. It was the same way he had looked at her when they first met, back in 2019, back when he was just another Formula 1 driver and she was still figuring out who she was in the world of acting. They had been close, but the connection they had now—now that they had circled back after everything—was something different. More real, more genuine.

Before she could respond, a familiar voice interrupted them.

—Amelie!— A shrill voice cut through the air, and Amelie stiffened slightly as she turned around.

Magui stood there, a fake smile plastered on her face. She had been a distant acquaintance when Amelie had traveled to Finland earlier in the year, but there was an undeniable tension between them. The rivalry was palpable, and Amelie wasn’t sure if Magui even knew that Lando and her were more than just good friends by now.

—Magui,— Amelie greeted stiffly, offering a tight smile.

Magui's eyes flicked over to Lando, giving him a flirtatious smile that Amelie could tell was meant for him, not her. She could feel a knot form in her stomach, though she refused to show it. Not in front of Lando.

—Amelie! Wow, you were incredible out there!— Magui's voice was syrupy sweet, but Amelie could tell she was still trying to get under her skin. It wasn't the first time.

—Thanks,— Amelie replied, her tone polite but cool.

Magui took a step closer, then another, until she was standing just a little too close to Lando for comfort. She placed a hand lightly on his arm, leaning into him in a way that felt like a challenge. Amelie had to force herself to keep her expression neutral.

—You know, I was just telling Lando how great you were. I mean, really, the whole thing, your energy, your performance, I'm surprised you didn't go all the way and headline the night, really.— Magui’s eyes twinkled as she looked at Lando, her smile playful but with an edge that didn’t go unnoticed by Amelie.

Lando's hand instinctively moved to Amelie’s back, pulling her a little closer as if to mark his territory. But the way he played it off, shrugging and returning Magui’s smile, made Amelie’s stomach turn.

Amelie tried to keep her cool, but the tension in the air was undeniable. She could feel Lando’s hand on her back, subtly asserting his presence, but it didn’t stop Magui from leaning in just a little closer to him. The way she fluttered her eyelashes at Lando made Amelie’s blood simmer. She knew Magui’s game—she’d seen it before, back when they met in Finland. Magui was trying to get under her skin, but this time, it wasn’t just about friendly banter. This was personal.

The moment dragged on, an uncomfortable silence hanging in the air until finally, Lando spoke up, his voice smooth but with an edge that only Amelie would recognize.

—Thanks, Magui, but I’ve already heard enough praise for Amelie tonight,— he said, his tone just the right mix of dismissive and teasing. He wasn’t letting her play her usual tricks.

Magui blinked, surprised by his quick retort, but she wasn’t one to back down easily.

—Oh, of course. I just thought you’d appreciate a little friendly compliment. Amelie’s not the only one here with talent, after all.— Her eyes flicked between them, a faint smirk tugging at her lips as if she knew exactly what she was doing. She was trying to get under Amelie’s skin, trying to make her jealous.

Amelie felt the familiar heat rise in her chest, but she held her ground. She wasn’t about to let Magui get the satisfaction of seeing her flustered.

—Sure, Magui, we all appreciate the compliments,— Amelie said, her voice dripping with polite sweetness. —But I think we’ve had enough of your little flirtation with Lando for tonight, don’t you think?—

Her words were blunt, and she felt Lando’s hand tense on her back, but he didn’t say anything, allowing her to stand her ground. She wasn’t going to let this woman mess with her head again.

Magui blinked, clearly caught off guard by the sudden shift in Amelie’s tone, but she quickly masked it with a laugh, her eyes narrowing slightly.

—Oh, don’t worry, I’m just congratulating your friend. I didn’t know you had a problem with that. Isn’t that what friends do?— she said with a laugh that was anything but genuine

Amelie’s jaw clenched.

—Friends?— she said, raising an eyebrow. —Right, just friends.—

She could feel Lando’s gaze on her, but she refused to look at him. Instead, she shifted slightly, putting space between them. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him—she did—but the way Magui was looking at him, with that smug look on her face, was getting under her skin.

Lando’s expression was unreadable, but he squeezed Amelie’s waist gently, a silent apology that she didn’t know how to accept yet.

—Alright, well, I think we’ve had enough of this conversation. Thanks for the compliments, Magui,— Lando said, his voice firm. —But I’m pretty sure Amelie’s ready to get some rest after her set.— He wasn’t rude, but the way he said it made it clear that he was done with the conversation.

Magui blinked again, taken aback by Lando’s sudden coldness, but she quickly recovered with a fake smile.

—Of course. Enjoy your night, Amelie. You deserve it,— she said, giving Lando one last lingering glance before turning to leave.

Amelie didn’t miss the way Magui looked back at Lando, her expression one of lingering interest. And as much as Amelie hated to admit it, it stung. Not because she was jealous of Magui, but because she knew how easy it was for Lando to get caught up in the attention. It wasn’t the first time a woman had thrown herself at him, and it wouldn’t be the last. But that didn’t make it any easier to stomach.

As soon as Magui was out of earshot, Amelie let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding. She could feel Lando’s presence next to her, but she didn’t look at him. Instead, she took a few steps away, needing space to cool down.

Lando watched her carefully, his eyes following her every move. He knew she was upset, and he hated seeing her like this. But he wasn’t about to push her.

—Amelie, come on,— he said softly, stepping closer to her. —You know I don’t care about her, right?—

She shrugged, trying to play it cool, but the hurt was there, visible in the way her body tensed.

—It’s not that, Lando,— she muttered. —It’s just… I don’t like her. I know she doesn’t like me. But I also know you’re not blind to her flirting. And I’m just tired of it.—

Lando stepped forward, his hand resting gently on her arm.

—I’m not blind to it. I’m just not interested, Amelie. You should know that by now.—

She bit her lip, trying to push down the frustration.

—I do know that, Lando. But it’s still annoying.—

He couldn’t help but laugh at her grumbling, the way she looked so adorably pissed off. It was one of the things he like about her, how she wore her emotions so openly.

—Alright, alright,— he said, trying to lighten the mood. —I’ll stop being nice to other women if it makes you feel better.—

Her eyes flicked up at him, a flash of annoyance still present, but there was something else there, too... amusement.

—You’re ridiculous.—

He grinned, leaning in slightly.

—Yeah, but you like it.—

Before she could respond, he kissed her, a soft, slow kiss that was all about reassurance. And then, as he pulled away, he kissed her neck, making her laugh despite herself.

—You’re such a dork,— she muttered, though her annoyance had melted away.

—But I’m your dork,— he said with a grin.

She rolled her eyes, but the smile tugging at the corners of her lips was undeniable.

They stood there for a moment, the noise of the festival still echoing around them, but all Amelie could focus on was Lando. Her heart still raced, not from the performance, but from the way he made her feel. The way he always seemed to know exactly what to say to make her smile.

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liked by f1lover_24, amelienation, and others

amelieupdates: After slaying the stage, Amelie was spotted vibing at Coachella with Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc, George Russell, Alex Albon, and more! ✨🎶🌟 Looks like the fun didn’t stop after the performance! 💃

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landosbabe69: I swear if they’re not dating yet, I’ll scream. The energy is just too strong, and we’ve been rooting for them since forever! 🥺💖

→ amelieslilangel: @landosbabe69 I KNOW!! The chemistry is undeniable, and the way Lando keeps looking at her... please, it’s a matter of time!! 😭✨

itsmerachel_: The way Lando’s laughing at her jokes… Do we think he’s more than just friends now? 👀😏

f1fanatic_23: Wait… Amelie and Lando looking a lil' too cozy in that pic 👀 Anyone else see that?

f1hotgoss_: Not to be that person, but WHY is Lando always near her? 👀 → fastlanealex_: @f1fanfic_23 Because they’re besties, duh. But like... maybe more? 😏 → charleslover69_: @fastlanealex_ Nah, Charles is there too, stop reaching. → amelieandlando_: @charleslover69_ Bro, why was Lando the only one standing next to her in every pic tho? 🤨

fernando.alonsostan_: Nah, let’s focus on how Amelie killed her set. Forget the boys. She’s the moment. PERIOD. 🎤🔥

charlesfansunited: Charles looking like a lost puppy in the background of every pic. Iconic. 🤣 → paddocktea_: @charlesfansunited He’s just there for vibes and hydration. We love that for him.

amelieforever: If Amelie and Lando are actually dating, I will literally combust. 🔥 → landoluvrr_: @amelieforever Same, but they’ve denied it so many times. Guess we’re clowning again. 🤡

f1drama_: Y’all are obsessed with shipping them, like let them breathe.

lanmelforever: Not them dancing together during Amelie’s set… he knew ALL the lyrics, guys. ALL. THE. LYRICS. 🤨 → coachelladreamz: @lanmelforever Bro, that man’s been a Dayman fan since day one. If this isn’t a soft launch, idk what is.

desertvibes_: Is it just me, or does Amelie and Lando’s “friendship” feel… different? → gridgirlfan_: @desertvibes_ Babe, it’s been feeling different since 2020.

cryingoverame: “Friends” who look at each other like that? Nah. They’re not fooling anyone.

[nagaficat]

"Mother." This follows three quick raps against the door. Julius knows where she has come to reside in this monastery just as she knows where he hides - the latter of which had been a substantially more unbelievable feat. Nearly a year sits between that moment and this one, but it had taken that long for him to wrestle with his guilt. Each day that he had glimpsed the back of her head around the monastery, and promptly turned the other way, had granted him the strength to grind and grind at that childish emotion until it was little more than dust under his heel. After several months he had come to reason that she was undoubtedly alive. So why was he to feel guilty?

"Mother," he calls again softly. The mask he has chosen to wear is one of a cherubic son, although for a split second a fissure opens up between his brows and he wonders if he had imagined her all along - that whoever shuffled around on the other side of the door would inevitably be some surprised stranger. The evening had worn down to the umber wick of sunset, after all, and Julius did not don the traditional uniform of the academy's students.

When she finally answers the door, he is half-relieved. The other half of him stands speechless for a moment at the sight of her, clinging to the vestiges of guilt and ghosts, until he regains his script with a charming flash of teeth. He presents to her a small box, within which sits a delicate silver chain decorated with little white beads melded into the bulbs of a lily of the valley.

"Are you surprised?" he asks with endearing devilishness. "It took a few days to acquire, but I have not forgotten your birthday."

In fact, he had. Although he had remembered it again like a bolt out of the blue as he stared up at the cracked, cobwebbed ceiling of his dorm down in Abyss, weaving together threadbare schemes as he had been doing nearly every night since his arrival. It had been an epiphany strong enough to shoot him to his feet.

Guilt was holding him back. Yes, that was the source of all of his problems.

Removing the necklace from its box, he holds it up for her to see.

"Do you like it, Mother?"

She is hearing things. Clearly has mistaken the name called out from the knocker at the door. Has mistaken the voice it belongs to. She is missing him, her son. Her birthday has come and gone. She had not expected to see him, of course, but that does not mean he was not in her thoughts. He is always in her thoughts.

The voice calls out again. She should answer the door. There is someone there. Soft footsteps carry her toward it and when she opens it, the sight before her takes her breath away.

Her son, her Julius. She reaches her hand up but stops before touching his cheek, afraid that he will disappear in a puff of smoke. If this is a dream, she does not want to wake from it.

"Oh Julius," she whispers and blinks away the tears threatening to spill from the corners of her eyes.

Are you surprised he asks. Of course she is. She had been trying to convince herself that knowing he was alive and well was enough. That the chance to see him grown was somehow as good as getting to hold him in her arms. She had resigned herself to the distance not expecting him to ever be the one to seek her out and yet here he was.

He pulls out a gift and she is sure she is dreaming.

He holds up the necklace and, with a shaky hand she dares to reach for it. It is solid, real. He is real. She removes the necklace she is wearing, the twin cameos featuring himself and his sister that his father gave her for the same occasion and casts it aside in favor of this one. It is delicate, small, nowhere near as ostentatious and elaborate as the one from his father but this necklace is far more priceless to her.

Do you like it he asks as if there was ever a chance she might not. "Oh Julius, it is beautiful. Perfect. I adore it." Finally she allows herself to wrap her arms around him. He is not a dream and he will not disappear from her grasp. "But my darling, you are the greatest gift I could receive. I love you, Julius, and I will wear it proudly."

And she does. Her shoulder brought back and her chin held a little higher she is happy to announce to anyone who might notice that it was her sweet son whose thoughtfulness and kindness provided her with such a beautiful gift.

[luke-shywalker]

I just rewatched the bit from TLJ where Ben and Rey have their first accidental Zoom call and Rey sees him and immediately starts making threats on his life and bro is just looking around like “Can you see my surroundings? I can’t see yours. Do you have a background turned on?”

I haven’t actually watched the sequels since the years they came out so. Sometimes I forget that canon Ben Solo is actually just as much of an idiot as I imagine him to be

[mulders-too-large-shirt]

the x files au where everything is exactly the same except mulder takes home the child neanderthal from the jersey devil episode and raises them as his own

[fisherrprince]

recoils as if shot and then jerks back up on hands and knees blood pouring from my nose. khux au mom uses the dandelions and foretellers to summon primals. dande fervor = foreteller (minus luxu) primals ++ fear = darkness primal possessing ven

[opens-up-4-nobody]

...

[suffercerebral]

me having gone to bed at 6 am every day for the past week and generally spiraling mentally while rotting in bed waking up this morning: a 4 mile hike in the heat is a really good idea right now, and while we're at it let's start like 3 art projects

[easypeasylindyvesey]

the fact that people around my age are getting engaged is INSANE

[writer-room]

I know this is just beating a dead horse at this point but good god Warriors really does have so many opportunities to write all kinds of different complex tales and relationships, even just as shorts, and it makes me so so sad. Even just the smaller things, the ones that almost hilariously ignore the bigger plot going on around them.

We all know Breezepelt, but I personally wanna know about his kids! I want to know what kind of father he is to four whole daughters. He’s the guy known for having daddy issues, is he a terrible father? Is he just an okay one? Is he genuinely trying really hard to be good? I want to know!

What about the aftermath of Brokenstar’s reign? What happened to the apprenticed kits who survived the ordeal? Did they remain as paws but had an extended training time? Were they put back in the nursery and expected to just go on knowing what the outside world looked like until moons later? What about the apprentices named before they were adults, were they changed back to paws? What kind of generational trauma did ShadowClan carry from Brokenstar, from all the children who died and all the ones who grew up much too fast?

Dawnpelt was known for mainly one thing: the cat who believed, wholeheartedly, that Jayfeather killed Flametail. She is now also the mother of Sleekwhisker, a Darktail obsessed villain, Juniperclaw, who briefly joined Darktail, poisoned prey, and is now dead and guarding the border between StarClan and the Dark Forest. And then there’s Strikestone, who joined Darktail for a bit but then didn’t do much else except also die. Thats two children dead, one who is denied redemption despite his willingness to, and a third child whos very murderous. Does that not fuck someone up, at least a little?

Pouncestep is my personal favorite simply because she has become the background character in a family of main characters. Lightleap is slowly getting a little bit of spotlight thanks to Blazefire, but Pouncestep is just...there. Literally what is her life even like, watching all her important family members deal with the worst thing ever five times a week. Is she minding her own business. I hope she’s just vibing. I want a calm short with her ignoring all the plot.

Moonkitti brought this up already, but she was so right for it, cause...what about all the cats named in honor of the dead? Hollytuft? Sorrelstripe? Fernsong? Even new Bristlekit and Stemkit, and so many more---does that not mess with a cat? We know it messed with Nightheart, and while being named after and related to Firestar I’m sure does some things to a dude, we have other cats who do look eerily similar to who they’re named after. Lets not even start with Cinderheart. With this naming tradition becoming more and more common, one has to wonder if ThunderClan is gonna be filled to the brim with cats that have some INSANE identity issues.

[mars-ipan]

this is gonna sound incredibly virtue signal-y i fear but i have been feeling. so fiercely protective of all the transfems i've ever met lately

[yeahlikethebird]

.

[perenlop]

"i just dont understand how a sane person could think of this" in response to a perfectly cute little piece based on a silly little image. i am attacking people with hammers