#like a hat with aircon

[harleykeener69]

kinda wanna go to someone’s lab and create an idea i just thought of

[syrupfog]

Luffy needs a place to crash over the summer because his straw hat crew are all going home or traveling abroad before the new semester starts in the fall. He puts it off to the last minute and ends up claiming a bed in an old half-double with a painted sign reading Polar Tang.

(Is half-double a local term lmao it’s when there’s a house that’s split down the middle into two full houses lmao) 

Fourteen people live here, between three bedrooms on the second floor and two in the attic. It’s absolutely a fire code problem but Luffy’s never been one to care.

(He’s not a fireman YET— not until he can pass the exam). 

Plus, rent is dirt cheap. 200/month and that includes house dinner once a week. 

He moves in with just the duffel bag of clothes, his sleeping bag and his backpack. The guy who’s number he picked up off a telephone pole is the one who answers the door. He’s tall and wide and apologizes for everything; the screen door that’s missing a screen, fireplace that doesn’t work and instead holds all their shoes, the state of the kitchen (dishes are stacked on every surface including the floor).

Luffy feels right at home. Not home like Zoro and Sanji’s place, which is clean and always smells of rubber from Zoro’s dumbbells. Home like with Ace and Sabo in a place that wouldn’t pass a health inspection. 

He grins as they continue on.

Bepo shows him through the bedrooms on the second floor (homemade bunk beds squeeze four to a room) and the tiniest bathroom with a window that looks directly into the neighbor’s shower (“he refuses to put up a curtain so we don’t either” says Bepo.) (“sorry”.)

Then up to the attic, with a sloped bedroom that three mattresses are squished in (two guys in funny hats are asleep on the floor between two mattresses), a second bathroom (“no one is allowed to use that toilet because Shachi’s credit card is wedged in it”), and another bedroom.

“You’ll be in here”, Bepo says, and Luffy can sense the sorry before he says it as he pushes the door open. 

It’s tiny. The ceiling slopes down so low there’s really only three walls. The tallest wall has shelves mounted on it completely covered in action figures.

There’s two mattresses — one bare, one covered in books. And surrounded by stacks of books. And papers. And empty coffee mugs. 

And a guy blearily blinking at the light they’re letting in from the hall. He’s buried between piles of books, his laptop perched on his knees.

“Your roommate!” Bepo squeaks. “Bye guys!” 

He closes the door and slips (noisily) down the stairs. 

“You look like a vampire,” Luffy says. The man looks like he’s never seen sunlight. 

“I’m on a dual pre-med pre-law track,” the man scowls. 

“Cool,” says Luffy.

He dumps his things on the bare mattress. “Robin says I’m a free spirit.” 

The man blinks at him. “Don’t open the window or the raccoon will get in. The aircon doesn’t work in the attic. If you break my Sora figures you will die in your sleep. I’m Trafalgar Law.”

“Hi Traffy! I’m Monkey D Luffy,” says Luffy. He holds out his hand and Law hunches back before awkwardly shaking it. 

Luffy flops back onto the mattress. It smells like frogs. “Hey Traffy,” he says after a moment. Law squints at him. “you seem like someone who would like urb— urban ex— someone who would like to break into buildings.” Luffy looks over at him with a grin. “Wanna explore the underground tunnels on campus?” 

Law scowls. He’s hunched at a 90 degree angle over his papers and books and coffee. He looks murderous. 

“…Yeah.” He says.

Luffy kicks his feet. “This will be a good summer,” he says. 

(He learns quickly that coffee is the only food allowed in their room because of The Ants and The Flies and The Possum). 

(He also learns to take the fall for Law whenever they get caught exploring since Law can’t have a record) 

(Luffy does this gladly) 

(They kiss in an abandoned hospital)

[cryingatwindermerepeaks]

How do you think they would handle a heatwave? I’m being self indulgent because I’m in a heatwave right now, but I think van, Melissa, Shauna and Mari would be so annoyed when tai says they have to stay inside between 11am and 3pm because ‘that’s basically the whole day’, but they would absolutely love having water fights outside every evening , and then having ice cream

Van is very sensitive to the sun and so absolutely has to stay inside, which she hates. The others obviously have to as well, and get frustrated. Lottie and Laura Lee set up heaps of activities to keep the littles occupied all day. They keep the air conditioning on as often as possible because everyone gets whiny and overstimulated when it’s hot. Jackie doesn’t love having the aircon on too high because she hates the cold, and usually will be walking around inside with a blanket over her shoulders. During the day when it’s super hot they’ll run baths for the littles to play in. Mel and Van LOVE baths especially for playing. Mari will complain about the heat 24/7 just for the sake of complaining. Akilah begs to go take water out for any stray animals and reluctantly Tai lets her go out for five minutes max with a hat and sunscreen. They watch heaps of movies to try keep the littles occupied. Lottie makes yogurt and fruit iceblocks to the littles can have as many as they want since they are healthy, but still get excited because it’s like ice cream. Evening swimming and water fights are a must, and usually the day ends with Nat bringing home proper ice cream and charcoutery (guys im sick and can’t spell pls tell me this is close enough) dinner because no one wants to cook in the heat.

[bm571158]

Free Now LN4 (Part 25)

Lottie had been strangely quiet since the night that Max and Kelly had come over for dinner, and if Lando was being honest he'd say she was putting a little bit too much effort in to trying to convince him that she was okay. Every time he tried to ask she'd either plaster an entirely unconvincing smile on her face and almost laugh at the suggestion that she might not be doing okay, or she'd just completely change the subject.

He noticed though, the way when they went out she'd spend the whole time picking nervously at the skin on her hands, or the way she'd taken to wearing a hat and trying to cover her face when she sat in the passenger seat of his car. He noticed the way that even though the weather had got warmer, she kept herself covered head to toe every time they went out, wearing his baggy jumpers and leggings and then complaining that she was too hot the entire time and pleading with him to put the aircon on in the car so she didn't melt.

He noticed, he saw it and still, he just didn't know what to do.

When it was just the two of them alone in his apartment she was his Lottie, most of the time at least. The two of them could curl up on the sofa and watch a movie to forget that the outside world existed, or her new favourite activity of slowly walking along on the treadmill in his home gym, trying to get her balance back while he hovered nervously behind her just in case she wobbled and needed her to catch him.

When they were alone it was better, but something still felt different in a way that he just couldn't quite put his finger on.

His initial excitement of the thought of getting to take her to Imola with him had quickly faded into anxiety over whether or not it was the right thing to do for her. It was how he'd found himself on the phone to Flo one night after Lottie had fallen asleep, quietly questioning his sister whether he was either going mad or whether the pair of them should actually be seriously concerned about Lottie.

"What do you want, Lando?" Flo sighed into the phone. "It's late and I've got to get up again in like four hours."

"Hi Flo, I'm good, thanks how are you?" He asked sarcastically, slightly taken aback by the tone of her voice. He should get used to it really, she was always the same when he phoned her up out of the blue like this.

"You've got about ten seconds to start talking or I'm going to hang up." Flo warned.

"Alright, alright... don't hang up." He begged. "I uh... have you spoken to Lottie at all? Since she's been here."

"What did you do?" Flo sighed wearily, and he could hear the accusation in her voice that he was somehow responsible for whatever had happened. Perhaps he was, he supposed, if she hadn't have been out with him then all the strangers of the internet wouldn't have felt the need to track her down online and put that video out there for everyone to see and she wouldn't have had to relive it.

"I haven't done anything." He retorted. "Not everything that ever happens is always my fault."

"That's debatable." Flo snorted. "But no, I haven't really. What's going on?"

"I don't know." Lando admitted. "Things have just been a bit.... Weird.... I don't know how to describe it."

"I find using words usually helps." Came the sarcastic response from his sister. "You're going to have to give me something other than a bit weird to go on? Like do I need to panic and get on a flight out there? Or is she just now realising that actually you're quite annoying to spend a lot of time with and she's wishing she could get away from you?"

"Wow, thanks for that." Lando rolled his eyes. "I'm worried about her, Flo. I'm serious."

"What happened?" Flo asked, seemingly done taking the piss out of her brother for now at least.

"She keeps telling me it's fine, that she's fine. She won't talk to me." He sighed. "I don't know, maybe I have done something. Do you think you could talk to her? I'm worried about her."

Flo was quiet for a minute. "Is she going to Imola with you?"

"I'm a bit afraid to ask." He admitted. "I think half of the problem is all the attention from the fans, I mean we literally can't go anywhere without a hundred cameras pointed at us. Can you imagine what's going to happen if the two of us show up in Imola together?"

"Well, ask her." Flo suggested. "If she wants to go, then I'll come and meet you guys there. If she doesn't then I'll either come and spend the weekend at yours with her, or she can come back here. You can't leave her on her own for the weekend while you're gone."

"I know I can't." He muttered, annoyed by Flo's suggestion that he was so irresponsible that he would disappear off for the weekend and leave Lottie to fend for herself. "Although for what it's worth, she's a lot better on her feet. We've been going to the pool pretty much every day."

"Well, that's something I guess." Flo agreed. "Don't let her push herself too hard though."

"That's easier said than done." Lando admitted. "She's pretty determined." Usually, after half an hour he'd be having to drag her out of the pool and try and convince her that she needed to get some rest. He'd almost considered putting a lock on the door to the gym after he'd woken up alone in bed the other night to find she'd snuck off to get some more practice in while he was sleeping.

"She's always been like that. It's what made her so good when she was competing." Flo agreed quietly, an undertone of sadness to her voice as she reminisced on what her friend had lost out on. "I don't think she'll ever really give up on the idea of getting back to it, no matter how many times they tell her it's not going to happen."

"It's shit." Lando agreed. "I wish I could make it better for her."

"I know." Flo agreed. "But none of us can, so we just have to support her and let her come to terms with it in her own time."

"You almost sound clever when you say things like that." Lando joked.

"Oh shut up." Flo laughed. "Just ask her what she wants to do and let me know, then I can book a flight. Are mum and dad coming?"

"Dad definitely is, and you know mum will if she finds out that you're coming. She's probably going to insist on having the whole family there let's be honest."

"It might be nice?" Flo suggested. "It's been a while since we were all there?"

It made Lando's stomach flip. He knew exactly when the last race that the entire family had attended was. It was the one where he'd messed up his start and cost himself the chance at the drivers championship. The one where they'd all tried to console him afterwards and he'd spent the entire time hiding in his hotel room and then changed his flight home specifically to avoid them all and their words of comfort.

"Alright." He agreed. "I'll let you know. Thanks Flo."

He ended the call, making his way back into the bedroom, surprised to find Lottie awake and blinking at him sleepily. "I thought you'd left me." She mumbled, clinging to him and settling her head back on his chest as he climbed into bed beside her.

"Sorry." He apologised softly. "I was on the phone and didn't want to wake you up. Are you okay?" He smoothed the hair off her face, fingers lingering on her cheek for a moment.

"Better now." She sighed, her ear pressed to his chest listening to the soothing regular sound of his heartbeat.

"Did I wake you up?" He asked, wondering guiltily if she'd heard him talking about her on the phone with Flo.

"No." She answered quietly, unable to find the words to tell him that she'd actually woken herself up from a horrific nightmare about her accident. She couldn't bring herself to tell him, after he'd specifically told her not to watch the video, how many awful memories it had brought back and how it was now all she could see when she closed her eyes.

"I was talking to Flo." Lando told her, deciding to just get on with it. "She was wondering if you were coming to Imola with me next weekend? She said she'll come and watch too if you want to come, if not she'll come here and stay with you for the weekend? Whatever you want to do."

"That's next weekend?" Lottie asked, sounding surprised. He had mentioned it before, but it had seemed a lot further away when he first suggested it. The thought of it being next weekend had an uneasy feeling settling in her stomach.

"You don't have to, if you would rather stay here." He said softly, arms tightening a little around her. "I'd love to have you there, but if it's too much or you'd rather just not come, it's fine. I get it."

She was quiet for a long time, long enough that he started to wonder if she'd fallen asleep, before she finally spoke again. "Flo will be there?" She asked nervously.

"Yeah." Lando nodded. "And mum and dad, I said to Flo I think if she's coming mum will drag everyone along. Norris family reunion."

"I don't want to get in the way." Lottie mumbled.

"You're never in the way." He reassured her. "You're part of the family too, and I can speak to the team and make sure they find you somewhere you can sit down and have a rest. There's plenty of places you can have a lie down if you need to, so you don't over do it. I'd love to have you there with me, Lottie."

"Okay." She agreed quietly. "I'll come with you."

"Great." He smiled, lips brushing against the top of her head again. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah." She mumbled. "Just tired I think, I always sleep better when you're here."

The rest of the week had gone by in blur, not least for Lando who was having a hard time establishing a balancing act between getting in the necessary prep for the race and not feeling like he had completely abandoned Lottie. It had led to a lot of late nights on the sim and reading his emails after she'd fallen asleep, although more often than not she seemed to wake up once he'd left her and come to find him.

Flo had booked her flights to arrive on the Friday, along with his mum and dad. Lando and Lottie headed over to Italy on the Wednesday afternoon, with him needing to arrive in time for media day and whatever else the team had planned for him. He'd stopped reading their emails about media and sponsor engagements in the end, if it was a surprise when he got there then he had less time to stress and get worked up about it he had decided. He'd made a point of telling them that he was bringing Lottie with him and wasn't going to abandon her in the hotel alone for hours on end anyway, so he hoped that they hadn't made too much in the way of plans for him

It was a short flight over to Italy, one which would usually have been shared with a couple of the other drivers and Oscar had asked, but Lando had made an excuse about the timings not working for fear that being trapped on a plane with his teammate might be a step too far for Lottie, even if Oscar was the least likely one to strike up an awkward conversation.

As a result it had just been the two of them on the small plane, Lottie staring out of the window as the plane began its slow descent into Italy.

"Are you excited?" She asked, breaking the silence that had descended over them somewhere along the way. "For the race?"

"Excited... nervous." He offered. He spent a lot of time trying to convince himself that he was excited and not nervous, trying to trick his mind into not focusing on all the ways it could go wrong. It was something he'd got better at, having spent an awful lot of time with the psychologist the team had hired last year, but it was still easier said than done. The thought of having his entire family and Lottie there to witness it if he screwed up again was definitely making it more challenging.

As was the fact that there was only a couple of points in it between him and Max. If he won this, no matter where Max came he'd overtake him in the drivers championship. It would be the first time he'd ever done it, but it would require a faultless weekend from start to finish. As if there wasn't enough pressure on him to begin with. And if by some miracle he managed to pull it off? Well, then there was just the small matter of hanging on to the lead that he'd created for all the remaining races and to the end of the season. Something that when Zac had said it, Lando had pointed out was definitely easier said than done.

"I'm excited to have you here." He added, hand patting her leg gently.

"Thanks for bringing me." She smiled, and for the first time in a long time it actually looked like a genuine smile.

"The rest of them don't get in until Friday." He reminded her. "So it's just you and me tonight and tomorrow."

"Sounds good." Lottie nodded, resting her head on his shoulder. The two of them watched out of the window as the plane began its final descent into the airport, the ground quickly coming into view below them.

"It's not far to the hotel from here." He reassured her. "We can grab some dinner and get an early night, ready for my favourite thing ever tomorrow."

"What's that?" Lottie asked curiously.

"Media day." Lando groaned dramatically. "I need to call someone really and find out how long they think it's going to take. I don't want to drag you down there and then you spend the whole day sitting there on your own while they drag me off to do god knows what for hours on end."

"Oh... right." Lottie's voice wavered a little as she tried to hide her disappointment. She wasn't sure why it hadn't really occurred to her that he was going to be busy all weekend, after all he was the star of the show. She was just so used to having him all to himself.

"Sorry." He offered, looking at her uncertainly as he tried to read the look on her face.

"It's fine." She smiled. "I'm pretty tired to be honest, maybe I'll have a quiet day at the hotel while you go and do your stuff. I can come on Friday when your sister gets here?"

"I'll find out from the team how long they need me for." He told her. "I don't want to leave you in the hotel on your own all day."

"I'll be fine." She reassured him. "You don't need to spend the whole weekend worrying about me."

"I...." He trailed off, he wasn't going to say it out loud but of course he was going to worry about her. The more she told him not to worry about her, the more he worried. He felt like he was finally getting an insight into why his various attempts to convince his mum he was fine last year had failed quite so miserably.

Thankfully, she didn't argue with him anymore and the plane very quickly taxied to where they were getting off. Lottie made her way down the stairs of the jet far quicker and more easily than she had when they'd flown over to Monaco, and he couldn't help the surge of pride as he watched her. She might not be willing to accept that she was making progress, but even if she couldn't see it herself, he certainly could.

He quickly helped her into the car that had been sent to collect them, thanking the driver as he put the bags in the trunk, and then climbed in the other side beside Lottie. He was relieved to find the car had windows with a dark tint, hopeful that the combination of this and the late hour they were arriving at would allow them to slip in fairly unnoticed. There was nothing he could do about having to face the press in the paddock all weekend but he could at least try and make sure they didn't get ambushed at the hotel.

He had thought Lottie had done well to stay awake on the flight, but clearly it had taken its toll, because she had quite quickly fallen asleep on the car journey. Lando reached out to wake her up as the car arrived at the hotel, relieved to see there were only a couple of people outside the door and nothing like the crowds there had been towards the end of the last season.

"Come on sleepyhead." He encouraged, opening Lottie's door for her and waiting for her to get out of the car. "Let's get checked in and get you in to bed."

"Sounds good." She yawned, following after him slowly as he wheeled the suitcases ahead of her, stopping to sign a couple of hats for the fans waiting outside of the door.

Lottie kept her eyes on the floor, party so her hair was hiding her face and also so that if they were taking photos of her arriving with Lando she wouldn't have to know. If she didn't know, then maybe she wouldn't be tempted to go looking online for the hateful comments that were sure to accompany them.

"Do you want to sit down while I get the room key?" Lando asked, holding the door open for her.

Lottie shook her head. "I'll get a head start getting to the evaluators? I think you'll probably have the key before I get there." She joked, taking a couple of slow steps. She was beyond tired and everything was really starting to ache.

"Okay." Lando agreed reluctantly. "Go slow and be careful, I'll be there in a second." He watched for a did as she took a step, leaning heavily on the one crutch that she was still walking with, having discovered she didn't need to have two for balance now she was a bit stronger. Once he was reasonably satisfied that she wasn't about to fall over in the immediate future, he turned and headed to the check in desk to get their room key.

As he stood there waiting for the receptionist to give him the key his phone buzzed with a message from his sister, apparently just checking in to make sure they'd got there in one piece.

So far so good, he'd replied, one eye on Lottie as she neared the elevators. He was really hoping he'd done the right thing bringing her with him and not just made the whole thing worse. Either way, he'd be glad to see Flo. Perhaps she could finally find out what was going on with Lottie.

"Alright, come on you." He said, catching her up and pressing the call button for the elevator. "We're going right up to the top."

"Thank god we don't have to take the stairs." Lottie joked with a yawn.

"Room service in bed for dinner?" He suggested, looking at the way she was battling to keep her eyes open.

"I think I just want to go to sleep." She admitted, yawning again.

"You need to eat something first. You didn't have any lunch.." He sighed. "They're really quick bringing the food here, I've spent a lot of time here ordering room service. I'll order it and by the time you're changed and ready for bed it'll be here, I promise."

"Alright." Lottie sighed, giving in because she was far too tired to be having this argument with him. "If it makes you feel better then dinner first."

"It does make me feel better." He agreed. "Then I'll find out what the plan is for tomorrow and you can decide what you want to do."

"Okay." Lottie yawned, stepping out of the elevator and following him slowly down the hallway to the door of their room.

As it happened, he didn't have too much scheduled for media day, a fact he was incredibly thankful for. So, he'd agreed with Lottie that she was going to stay at the hotel and get some rest ready for the big weekend she had ahead of her, and he headed off to the track to meet the team.

He'd been in his own little world as he walked through the paddock, wondering if it was too early to call Lottie and check in on her given he'd only left her half an hour ago. He'd been so lost in thought that it had taken Carlos three attempts of yelling his name, and then running through the paddock to catch up with him, before Lando realised his friend was talking to him.

"Hey, Carlos." Lando greeted him. "Sorry, I was miles away."

"Thought you were ignoring me." Carlos joked ".Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. It's all good." Lando dismissed. "How's life at Williams?"

"It's okay." Carlos shrugged. "About what I thought it was going to be. They were never going to turn the car into a rocket ship overnight. We'll be patient, see what happens. Maybe next year I'll catch you up."

"I'm sure you will mate." Lando nodded.

"I heard a rumour...." Carlos smirked, and the mischievous look on his face had Lando groaning. "I heard a rumour that your new girlfriend was here this weekend. When do I get to meet here?"

"Who told you that?" Lando asked.

"So it is true?" Carlos smirked. "It doesn't matter who told me."

"Well it sort of does." Lando sighed. "I... she's.... She's not my girlfriend... not yet, anyway."

"What do you mean not yet?" Carlos looked at him. "You're not being stupid again are you?"

"No." Lando shook his head. "I really like her, I just... things are complicated, for both of us. I don't know if it's the best time... what if I say something and I ruin it."

"What if you don't say anything and you ruin it?" Carlos countered. "She's your sisters friend, right?"

"Honestly who have you been talking to?" Lando laughed in disbelief.

"I have to keep my sources secret." Carlos laughed. "Is she here today? I want to meet her."

Lando shook his head. "She's at the hotel resting. She will be here tomorrow, when my family get here."

"Oh., it must be serious if the whole family is getting involved." Carlos smirked.

"She's known my family a long time, her and Flo have been friends for years." Lando pointed out. "Stop being weird and trying to make it into something it's not."

"How does Flo feel about you sleeping with her friends?" Carlos cackled with laughter as he said it.

"I'm not." The answer fell out of Lando's mouth before he could stop himself, and he could feel himself turning red under Carlos's questioning gaze.

"So she's not your girlfriend... it's not some weird friends with benefits situation... I'm confused, what's going on here?" Carlos asked.

"It's complicated." Lando sighed. "You'll understand when you meet her, I think."

"Oh no you don't." Carlos caught Lando by the shoulder as he went to walk away. "You don't get to be all cryptic and then walk off and leave me wondering all day. Spill."

"Carlos." Lando let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm going to be late."

"No, you're not." Carlos checked his watch. "You're in the same press conference as me, we have plenty of time."

"Have I ever told you I hate you?" Lando shook his head at his former teammate.

"No you don't." Carlos laughed. "Now come on, tell me."

Lando paused for a moment, considering his words and glancing around to make sure no one was listening. "I really like her." He admitted. "But I don't want to screw it up, and everything is just so complicated... she's so.... Fragile? And all the fans and the press and then just the being here all weekend... I feel like I shouldn't be asking her to do it, but at the same time I kind of want her here. Is that selfish?"

"Mate." Carlos chuckled. "You've got it bad."

"Oh fuck off." Lando groaned. "I should've known you'd just take the piss." He wasn't sure what had possessed him to think he'd get a sensible answer out of Carlos of all people.

"No, no. Come on." Carlos laughed. "I think it's nice you've found someone, yeah it's complicated but you obviously really like her. I think you just need to tell her and then the two of you can figure it out from there."

"After this weekend." Lando mumbled, because he was already stressed enough about the race, he wasn't sure he could cope with having this conversation with Lottie in the middle of it all.

[nyoomfruits]

Please please PLEASE do 1 and 3 (“you’re cold” “am not” and “just hold my hand”) with Landoscar!!! I’d also love if it could be like Lando babying (?) or taking care of Oscar a bit - we often see the dynamic being the other way round in fic!!!

"you're cold" "am not" + 3. "just hold my hand"

Oscar’s fingers are twitching. It’s subtle, barely noticeable if you haven’t been staring at them the way Lando has been for the past half hour. He doesn’t even really have an excuse, except maybe that they’re signing hats and he could do this blind and the way Oscar’s fingers grip the pen is just so much more interesting to look at.

His hands are smaller than Lando’s, he knows from that one time they were running late and Lando had grabbed it to drag him into the correct hallway. He remembers the feel of Oscar’s hand in his, slightly sweaty but weirdly not gross. More like, comforting. Like a little reminder that Oscar is there, right behind him, that he’s real.

Oscar feels a little not real, sometimes.

Lando gets shaken out of his thoughts when Oscar’s fingers twitch again. He narrows his eyes. “You’re cold,” he blurts out.

It’s the first thing he’s said in like a good twenty minutes, and Oscar startles a little, looks up like he’d almost forgotten Lando was still there. “Uh,” he says, brows pinching together. “No I’m not?”

“Yes, you are, your hands are,” Lando says, gesturing at where he’s still holding the pen, hovering over the cap in his other hand. “They’re twitching, like you’re trying to get the blood flowing or some shit.”

It makes sense, too. The aircon is on full blast in the little room they’re sitting him. Lando himself is bundled up in a hoodie too, keeps shoving his own hands in the front pocket every few hats to keep his fingers warm.

“Oh,” Oscar says. Blinks. Looks at his hands. “Huh, yeah, I guess.” And then he goes back to signing.

Lando sighs, dramatic and loud, and bats at Oscar’s hands, making him drop the cap and the pen. “C’mere, just. Just hold my hand, yeah?” He says, grabbing one of Oscar’s hands in his, rubbing it the get the warmth back into it.

Oscar is staring at him, a little startled and wide eyed, but lets himself be manhandled regardless, though his eyes widen considerably more when Lando brings his hand to his mouth to blow hot air on it.

And, well. Lando hadn’t really realized his mistake until his lips are already inches away from Oscar’s fingers, and it feels weirdly intimate all of a sudden, with Oscar just staring at him, a noticeably dark flush on his cheeks.

“Uh,” Lando says, drops Oscar’s hand like it burned him, turning back to his own stack of hats. “Well, there you go.” His cheeks are burning, he can feel them, and he tries to hide it by hunching over the table, bringing his face closer to the surface as he signs the next hat.

“What, uh,” Oscar eventually says, voice a little rough. “What about the other hand?”

Lando’s head shoots up. Oscar is looking at him a little sheepishly, and his face is absolutely bright red. It’s kind of really cute. “Your other hand,” Lando says.

“Yeah. That one is uh. Also cold.” Somehow he gets even redder and Lando should absolutely not find this so incredibly endearing.

“Oscar Piastri, if I knew any better I’d say you were flirting with me,” Lando says, trying to sound not so goddamn delighted about it and failing miserably. “Next you’re going to tell me that what, your dick is cold too.”

Oscar chokes on air and glares at him. “Fuck off,” he says, and Lando laughs, reaches forward, grabs Oscar’s hand.

“Sorry, sorry, I’m kidding, it’s uh. Here, let me, let me warm that too.” He hopes it conveys ‘I like that you’re flirting with me’ because saying the words out loud feels. Well. Big.

This time, when he holds Oscar’s hand up to his face, he actually presses a kiss to his fingertip. Oscar flails a little and then says, voice tight. “What uh. What are you doing? After this?”

Lando, never one to pass up an opportunity to make Oscar blush, grins. “You, hopefully,” he says, with an obnoxious little eyebrow wiggle. Oscar throws a cap at him, grumbles something that sounds like ‘never mind, I changed my mind, you absolute dumbass’.

The speed with which he finishes signing the rest of the hats tells a whole different story.

[pvrkacciosan]

Starfall Ranch: Wear the Hat, Ride the Cowboy.

Summary: After moving to Velaris county, Nesta and her sister are new to the countryside life, Trying for a change of pace, they unexpectable meet three brothers where Nesta discovers the priority rule, Wear the hat, Ride the cowboy.

Pairing: Bull Rider!Cassian X City Girl Dancer!Nesta Archeron

Word Count: 4.4k

Warnings: This displays the side of Nesta that is sort of resentful, but it leads to the story, (later on, when I post more), Swearing!

A.N: I have started reading the Chestnut Springs series by Elsie Silver, and I couldn't not obsess with how Cassian gives off cocky bull rider vibes. This is the product.

The soft snores emitting beside her drew Nesta's attention, gazing sidelong at the curled body of her sister in the passenger seat of her car, she couldn't ignore the twist of a knife in her chest. Elain had insisted on the blanket that draped her lap, bundled there due to Nesta's car being 'too cold'. For the extent of their journey Nesta liked to have the windows down.

A journey which had her driving for over the past few hours. A change of pace. It's what Elain needed after her extremely bad breakup Elain had become distant, a shell of herself and the busy bustle of the city wasn't doing her gentle soul any favours.

So here they were, driving out to meet with their youngest sister, Feyre. She had moved out from the city, more than a couple months ago, met some guys and now lived with him on his ranch.

The Ranch, which Nesta was currently struggling to find. With their belongings packed into the small backseat of her car, she had the sat-nav playing softly near the drafts of the aircon.

But the weak signal was making their location jump across the cracked screen.

She didn't want to stir Elain awake, not when her sisters eyes were worn red and shadows dulled the undersides of them. Seeing the asshole break her sister heart had stirred something with Nesta, something she had been content to drown and ignore for the years following their parents deaths', but the distraught aura cloaking her sister had brought everything to the surface, the ugly side of her that now reared its head.

When Feyre had called a week ago, to check on their sister, Nesta hadn't shied from the idea of Elain taking a break from the city, to retreat to...

Nesta scowled at the sat nav on her phones, squinting at the name of the Ranch typed into the top search bar,

Starfall Ranch should be the next turn. But as the phone froze and rejogged their current location the map moved. Leaving her off scale for what felt like the hundredth time.

Groaning in frustration Nesta jerked the steering wheel and clamped her foot down on the break. Taking the car off the side of the dirt road.

Elain shifted, the blanket falling from her lap as Nesta ripped the phone from where it had sat in the stand.

"What's the matter?" Elain asked softly, reaching for the blanket that had fallen into the footwell,

"This is why the city is best, no lagging signal there." She typed quickly at the phone, searching for Feyre's contact, Pulling it up she clicked on the icon, a picture of her sister on a hillside, the sunsetting behind her and a man Nesta could only assume was this Rhysand.

"Hey" Feyre called through the phone as Nesta clicked her onto speaker, Elain sitting up at the sound of their sister sweet voice,

"We're lost." Admitting it had something sour sitting itself in Nesta's gut, to admit defeat and ask for help was never something she found easy, had prised herself on the dance floor for working through shit on her own. She knew it sounded horrible for Feyre, who was putting them up in her new home. Nesta didn't mean for the bite in her tone, but the whole situation was making her skin crawl with unease.

"Well..." Feyre paused as something clunked behind her in the background of the speakers feed, "Where are you?"

Nesta tried to bit her lip in frustration to keep herself from launching the phone out the open window beside her, "I don't know Feyre, some sort of field. Everything looks the same"

She glanced around the car, spotting a sign, a sun carved into the warped wooden boards with spikes of sun beams sprouting out in every direction from the circle.

"There is a sign with a sun symbol on it."

There is a clatter from the line and Feyre paused, to think, "Oh yes! That's a nearby Ranch, I'll come meet you. Give me a couple minutes." Nesta was about to protest, to ask her sister to simply direct her but Feyre had already hung up. The call ending with a single beep that filled the now silent vehicle.

Dropping the phone into her laps, Nesta sighed, falling into silence beside Elain who had snuggled back under the blanket.

They waited for a couple minutes before a burgundy red truck caught Nesta's attention in the rear view mirror, the gaps between their bags obscuring the view of the truck as it got closer.

The plume of dust swirled around her small white car as the truck pulled to a stop beside her. Feyre beamed out the passenger side, swinging the door wide.

She jumped down and came around the nose of the truck, Elain sprung out from the car beside Nesta, running to meet Feyre. They collided into an embrace at the front of Nesta car.

Sighing to herself for strength, Nesta opened the door, climbing out to watch them leave the hug, Elain was grinning happily, a fact that drew a weak smile on Nesta' expression.

The drivers door of the truck slammed, the smile melting from Nesta as a red headed male wandered around, his long hair pulled back into a hair tie, a tan brown cowboy hat rested on his head, he had leaned against the front of his truck watching Elain and Feyre.

He acknowledged Nesta with a stiff nod when he caught her gaze studying him with a narrowed gaze. She hadn't missed the way his attention had snagged and lingered on Elain. She knew from overhearing Feyre's conversations with Elain over the phone in previous months, this wasn't Rhysand. This male was slimmer, paler and had fiery red hair.

"It's so good to see you." Feyre pulled away, keeping her hand on Elain's arm,

To see her younger sister now, Nesta couldn't deny how being here had done her well. Feyre had never been one for the busy rat race of city life. The exposure to country life had someone brought back Feyre's spark, her body was fuller now- Healthier. And her skin seemed to glow, kissed by the sun, a small amount of freckled dusted her exposed arms and the bridge of her nose.

Nesta kept a close eye on the stranger still watching Elain as Feyre approached her for a hug, it was rigid, partially due to the aches in Nesta's muscles from her last show, she hadn't the time to stretch today. Her bones felt too big for her skin, flesh stretched too thin.

Feyre quickly pulled back, taking notice of her eldest sisters gaze,

"Oh" she softly breathed, finally gesturing to the male with a flourish, "This is Lucien. His father Helion owns the Ranch next to our own."

The comfortable nature of Feyre calling the Ranch her own had Nesta's skin involuntarily tightening with guilt. Even if she hide it with a dismissive huff as the male finally pushed off his truck with his hip.

"It was lovely to meet you ladies." He tipped his hat, to them and then does so again in Elain's direction, his action notably extended to her. Nesta stiffened as Elain offered a soft smile in return, but as Lucien straightened he nodded once before moving back around to the driver's door.

He climbed in and rolled the window to Feyre, "Tell Az I'll get those horses over by the next fortnight."

Feyre thanked him waving as he turned down the road, following the Sun depicted sign posts. His burgundy truck spitting up dust and stones as it sped off in the distance.

"Right, let's go then." Feyre chirped cheerfully, excitement thrumming from her as she spun to the back door,

The three sisters gathered inside Nesta small white car, Feyre in the back seat offering the small amount of directions, until they were on the straight drive to the Starfall Ranch.

There was a couple buildings, off the road, Nesta noticed each one they passed and as if she heard her thoughts Feyre chimes in, "This is all owned by Rhys, he inherited it from his father. The houses are other family members and his friends that work her for him."

He makes his friends work for him?

As they passed by, Feyre pointed out a bigger building, "That's the bunk house, where the majority of the field hands and cowboys are accommodated." and then her arm is swinging in front of them once more, directing Nesta into a stone drive,

"This is the main house," she said it with such pride, Nesta couldn't help but hid the small grin, despite the unease curling in her gut about all of this.

As Nesta pulled the car into park, Feyre jumped out, Elain following, blanket discarded onto the passenger seat.

"This is where everyone gathers, it is Rhys' house and we have family meals here once a week." Feyre was beaming as she stood staring at the building,

Nesta could understand why, the house was massive, definitely big enough to house family meals. She couldn't help the venom that burned in her chest, Feyre hadn't ever invited them out for those meals until Elain's asshole fiance dumped her.

Feyre turns to help them unload the car, an effort they all set into routine of working through as Feyre continued to chatter excitedly, "Rhys and the other are out preparing for an event tonight, once we have you guys settled we can drive to meet them, then we can go out for drinks!"

Nesta reared her head back, it was effort enough that she had driven them here today, but being dragged out to meet with Feyre's new family and play nice to complete strangers.

"It will be fun Nes."

"Don't call me that" she barked as she rested a bag on the floor, but as she straightened she caught the look on Elain's face as she turned away, her heart constricted as Feyre spotted it too.

Maybe for a couple hours she could play nice...

☽⋆❈⋆☾

The music roared loud as the entered the stands, Elain clung to Nesta's arm as they followed Feyre. Manoeuvring through the crowd that roared with excitement as a bull sprung from the gate a man tethered atop it.

Elain gasps softly watching as Nesta pulled her through the stands of seating,

"Nes, look!" Elain tugged excitedly at her elbow, aiming to draw her sister's attention to where the bull bucked and thrashed to toss the rider from its back, a viciously violent dance she could recognise as the male released his hold and flew off the animal, racing to get behind the protection of the rodeo clowns.

"Elain, there isn't entertainment in watching egotistical men ride adrenaline pumped beast that want to trample them." she deadpanned, tugging Elain on as to not lose Feyre, she continued to lead them to where Rhys was supposed to be.

"Not much better entertainment then that." Feyre called over her shoulder, a smile plastering her face as she spotted her partner.

"Rhys!" She called, the males head popping up, a second head beside him following the sound of Feyre's voice, they both looked towards them now and even as Nesta's legs continued to follow her sister she grew distant.

These males were breathtaking, rugged yet fully powerful bodies toned from ranch work. Night dark hair and skin worshiped by the sun from no doubt working outside almost every day of their lives, They both rose, the one closet presumable Rhysand by the way he leaned in to meet Feyre in a quick kiss, his hand resting in the belt loop of her jeans, "Hello darling," his whispered softly to her, but Nesta caught it even over the sound as the crowd roared around them again.

"Rhys, Az, these are my sister, Elain and Nesta." She gestured to them, both pairs of eyes drawing up to meet where they stood,

"Nesta, Elain this is Rhysand and Azriel." Elain pleasantly moved to greet them. Nesta stayed put, watching Rhys greet Elain warmly and then the second one, Az.

She knew Elain had possible met them before, over video call with Feyre, given by the way both males leaned in for a distanced hug she guessed correct.

Rhys watched Nesta from under the rim of his hat, she offered a small smile and nod, which seemed to prompt him into movement, he brought a hand up to..

The difference there shook her, bringing her own up to shake his hand, she was quick to drop it and offered a nod to his friend,

"Oh he's about to come out!" Feyre beamed warmly, a hand resting into Rhysand's chest, he watched her delicately, but Nesta turned to ignore it as they all took their seats, Elain moving to be beside Az.

They all edged forward in their seats as the clatter of the next bull rammed itself into the gate, from their seats Nesta could see the movement of the rider climbing up the railings.

He was well muscles and his dark hair pulled back into a small bun at the back of his head. His arm were distracting even from here. Something in her core burned as he smoothed his hands gentle over the rope, fingers curling and gliding down—

"Come on Cassian," Feyre rooted beside her, her hand wringing in...

Was she nervous?

Nesta eyed her sister curiously, perhaps sensing her attention, Feyre tilted closer, hand sliding into Rhysand's lap to clasp his own hand, perhaps for ease of mind or comfort.

"Cassian lives on the Ranch with the rest of us."She jerks her chin to the bull ring "This is what he enjoys doing and if without the nerves we loves watching, to support him."

Nesta's brow rose, "So I'm here as a cheerleader to some cocky bull rider. Great."

Feyre's lips pursed, forming a thin line, as she watched the gate, where Cassian was preparing for his run, "I know you're here for Elain's sake, but you could enjoy this you know."

"With you new shiny family. Yeah loads of fun." She knew these comments would hurt Feyre, it wasn't her intention, not entirely.

Feyre sighed beside her, resting forward in her seat as the coaches and workers prepared to release the bull, "We will talk about this later." Feyre didn't glance at her as she spoke, but Nesta felt every work, the weight and meaning behind them. This wasn't going to be a conversation that went down well.

But for now as the gate swung and the crowd chorused an uproar Nesta settled back, watching as the bull flung free.

The male, Cassian, the name stilling every second that slowed as Nesta watched. The bull flung its whole weight up, body burling down heavy as Cassian threw himself against the movement, free hand spirally above him.

The bull danced up and Nesta drew slow breath as she watched the dance, vicious and volatile, where Cassian's powerful thighs cling to the bulls sides, to keep himself steady and it curled spinning on its front hooves.

From her own experience in dancing she watched the way he moved to balance his core, to keep himself centered to stay on the bulls back.

As a timer buzzed out over the screams of the spectators Cassian released his grip, the rope unravelling from his hand, swinging a leg he launched himself from his seat.

Jumping out the way towards the fencing railings, the rodeo clowns following and corralling the bull as it spun before filing back down the chute,

Cassian stood tall on the fence, a leg hooked over the top for balance, he flung his hat up and the crowd responded with cheers and bellows of excitement,

Despite the curling in her stomach the liquid fire pulsing though her veins, Nesta dampened that desire and rolled her eyes at the sight of the male, revelling in the feedback from the crowd.

Cocky Bull riders.

The first stream of women swirled around him, his swaggering grin drawing them in, from social media types Nesta spied the buckle bunnies amongst them easily,

"Right then, off to Rita's for celebratory drinks!" Rhys clasped his hand down on Feyre's knee, his voice drawing the attention of everyone in their group of even a few others. He seemed to have that affect, to draw gazes, it wasn't a surprise Feyre had fallen for the male.

Even as she fought to keep her gaze from drifting as they all rose, Nesta glanced to where Cassian still clung off the fence, a women, golden skin and slim pulled herself up beside him on the railing, her delicately small hand rising to clasp the curve of his hat, plucking it off his head she rest it down onto her own, Nesta couldn't see the women's expression but the mirror on Cassian's face had Nesta's gut swirling, the grin there rocking a pulse through her.

A soft chuckle rumbled behind her, Nesta flinched looking over her shoulder at Azriel. He too watched Cassian, waiting for Nesta to move before he left the stand,

He shook his head, adverting his gaze from her own when she looked at him, "Buckles bunnies," He flicked a hand up to rub a thumb along the rim of his own hat, tapping it twice with a finger, "Wear the hat, Ride the Cowboy"

He met her stare, unblinking. As though he might decipher the expression on her face, break the mold of her mask and understand every thought. He smirked to himself as he watched her attention flick back to Cassian, for just a second.

Betraying her inner thought,

For what it might be like to ride that Cowboy.

☽⋆❈⋆☾

Nesta stepped into the warmth of the bar, having being abandoned by Elain, her sister opting to enter into the bar beside Azriel, while Feyre waltzed in hooked under Rhysand's strong arm.

Rita's was in the closest town to the Starfall Ranch, and it seemed most of the bull riders and their families came here after the night at the ring.

But as their group wandered in, heads turned. Feyre had explained to Elain more about the Ranch on there drive over, her sister was happy to keep to herself about the comments Nesta had made earlier, a fact Nesta herself was also content to ignore for the time being.

During the journey, Feyre had explained that Starfall Ranch was well known in Velaris County, as not only the biggest by size but also the biggest producer for high bred horses and cattle, and their stream of champion Bull riders and Team Penning. For which Rhysand, Azriel and Cassian were a "formidable team" as Feyre had put it, saying that the other locals renowned them for their silent communication and understanding of one another whilst they worked.

They were respected. Which was more then Nesta felt as the local women eyed her and Elain, noting them with the males. She flung the hardest stare should could muster as she shadowed Elain, making them think twice about going after her sister. Elain had come here to heal not to start petty small town drama. Nesta on the other hand wouldn't be so opposed to a good brawl.

It wasn't uncommon for her to occasionally get into fights in her youth, the countless clubs and bars in the city teemed with prissy country girls who thought they could even contend with the throws of a city girl. And men in the city were weak, fickle. The amount of men Nesta had been with that had slept around whilst with her... She could make a bible sized book of the times its had happened.

Rhysand led the way, Feyre still tucked securely under an arm, to a table at the back, near the far side of the bar.

The lights were warm and emitted soft glows, that only added to the affect of the bar, old whiskey barrels were used as tables, high enough to be up to her waist and patrons roared with life around the open dance floor, where people swung one another around. Arm flung upwards to conjoin with new partners. Lines formed as bodies swirled.

It drew her eye more than she cared to admit, allowed her something to watch other than the happy couple beside her in the booth.

"Cassian said he will be here shortly," Azriel slide a phone into the back pocket of his loose jeans. He assessed the group, turning to Elain, "Gin and tonic?"

"Tonic water will be fine," she smiled at him in thanks, He took a second to stare Feyre and Rhys down, not needing to ask for their drinks before he turned to Nesta. "Gin and Tonic?"

"Whiskey." She didn't look away from the lines of people still shuffling around on the open floor,

When Azriel didn't immediately move she turned to meet his stare, the corner of his mouth twitching up in mild amusement, before he twisted away into the crowd.

Nesta turned back, her bones twitching to dance. It was annoying to watch the almost slopping drunken moves of the dance floor, To dance was to embrace the movement, a message to commit ones soul to something greater than themself. It was release and a battle.

These dancers were anything but warriors, she ached to move, to show them how it was done.

"You should dance Nesta." Elain voices from where she hid in the shadows of the booth wall watching the look on her older sisters expression. Nesta slowly drags her attention to face her sister, to see Elain whither into the shadows, to want to hide from view was a tragedy almost as tragic as those dancing on the open floor.

She swept her gaze back to pity those dancing, "You wouldn't see a queen in a charity shop." silence settled over their table as her word met them,

"So you think highly of yourself then" Rhys added his brow high as Feyre elbowed him,

Trading her attention back to those at her table, Nesta allowed the smirk to tug her lips, "Well, No one else will." She locked eyes with Rhysand now, allowed him to see how much she meant it. If not for Elain she would still be in the city with Gwyn and Emery. Probably at the studio dancing until her body grew too tired to support her own weight.

But Rhysand didn't look away, not initially until Feyre moved against him, nudging him as she tracked the approaching figure.

Cassian had swaggered in, the women glued to his side, his hat still propped atop her head. Be-lining for their usual table he swiftly pushed himself through he crowd to where he could see them.

Pulling the women beside him Cassian slide up to the table, quick eyes taking a scan of the faces now looking up at him,

"Well done!"

Nesta didn't even try to resist rolling her eyes as Feyre beamed her congratulations for her friend, an action that didn't go unnoticed by Rhysand.

"Here we are." Azriel said, skillfully sliding the tray of booze onto the table,

The tray was place almost in front of Nesta, the sting of the liqueur hitting her nostrils, if she couldn't dance, drinking would get her that same numbness she needed. It would have to do,

As Azriel passed out each drink, Nesta already spied her glass, the amber liquid was calling to her.

But Azriel had paid for the drinks, a point she wasn't ignorant enough to ignore, so she waited for her liqueur to make its way to her.

Only for a new hand to reach onto the tray, hand twisting to pick up her glass. Nesta watched it as the hand plucked it from the tray, and brought it to their lips.

Cassian wiggled a brow at her over the rim of the glass. He gulped back almost more than half the glass, before handing it off to the women beside him, she bashfully took it,

Cassian turned back now, meeting Nesta's gaze, He surveyed her with a once up and down sweep, his gaze growing gradually slow over her breasts, and up the column of her throat to settle on her face.

"That wasn't yours." She bite out, ignoring the way her toes curled in her boots as he smirked, head tilting to watch her.

"and you are?"

"Cassian," Feyre held her glass before her, "These are my sisters. Elain" she gestured to her sister beside Azriel, then turned to Nesta, who still hadn't turn away from watching the women screw her face up as she sipped the whiskey. Her Whiskey. "And that is Nesta."

The laugh that bellowed from the Bull rider made her skin itch with warmth, Snapping Nesta attention away from her stolen glass "You're Nesta."

What the hell was that supposed to mean? What had Feyre said about her to the male that gave him that air of amusement.

Pushing up with her palms on the table, Nesta rose up purposefully into his space, her breast so close to brushing his muscled chest when she reached to take the class of amber liquid from the women beside him, the blonde women grasped trying to hold to it, to someone prove herself to the bull riders whose hat she wore.

Taking the glass to her with ease, Nesta met the bull riders gaze, simply ignoring how close they were to distract herself from the rising ache between her legs at his scent, his closeness, as she teased the glass along her bottom lip, swirling it, "And you must be the egotistical bull rider who thinks women wearing your hat gives them the right to ride you. How worthless you must feel. It's cheap."

Then she nocked her head back, downed the whiskey in one, she slammed the glass onto the table before stalking towards the bar. Without pulling a face as the blonde beside him had done at a mere sip.

Nesta didn't look back as she moved through the dancers, the other patrons parting for her, a shark in a shoal of fish. Didn't look back as she felt Cassian gaze linger,

Cassian let lose of the breath that had lodged itself in his chest at her closeness.

Nesta. He mulled her name as a whisper on his lips, intrigued as he watched her, watched the way people moved from her paths as though to warrant her attention was to draw deaths scythe.

Whatever it was they all shied from, he wanted it. Wanted her.

Taking a final glance at the whiskey glass on the table, the lines of her lip gloss rimming the edges, Cassian met his brothers gaze.

With his usual bolstering smirk, Cassian plucked his hat off the girls head beside him, securing it in its rightful place, he stalked off after Nesta. Cutting thought he path she had made for him in the crowd, a direct line to follow, to get to her.

Damn the rule. Hat or no, he had ridden bulls that gave the same fight as her and it had always thrilled him.

And he, the egotistical Bull rider was never one to back down from a challenge. Especially when it was right in front of him.

[toothfa-1-ry]

LAST SUMMER - Huang Renjun

The weather is so humid, it's so warm.

The electricity is horrible too.

The light linen shirt he wore was now drenched with sweat, from his collar to the sleeves covering his armpit.

Near him is fan that was working just a few minutes ago, working hard to keep Renjun cool from the heat just a few minutes ago before the electricity got cut off Iin broad daylight.

Now, Renjun in laying on the ground. His hair is slightly wet and his skin is all sticky.

He hates summer. He really hates summer.

Renjun is sure that the half eaten icecream left by Haechan is now just a puddle of thick brown liquid, staining his white mini cooler

Damn you Hyuk..I just got it recently too!

Renjun prays that the electricity would appear again, or the dark clouds forming in the sky would bring the cool rain along with a cool breeze.

He wonders if it's only his apartment that has the electricity cut but judging by the way his next door neighbours, Hendery and Lucas's shouts every 5 seconds he thinks perhaps it's the entire block

Atleast he isnt suffering alone.. atleast

The weather was so cruel to him, summer was always cruel to him. He hated the way his hair would get stuck to his forehead, or the way his body would be stuck to ground.

Maybe it would've been a but bearable if you were still here, yea... if

You used to love summer and the way your ice lolly would drip down your arms, and your tongue would lick the drip off

You liked using small tacky paper hand made fans which hardly worked, saying that it was better than those large fans or aircons other people had. Yet your paper fan would always break apart

You loved summer, you were summer

With a giant straw hat which could easily hide your face. And a huge bottle of sunscreen that you bought in the store just down the street.

Maybe you had a freckle or two, maybe you had none. But there was a bright spark in you eyes that Renjun always failed to capture.

A bright spark that always made him feel just a little bit warm, a little sticky all inside but he didn't hate it like how he hated summer, oh no, he absolutely adored it.

You'd buy a huge watermelon from an elderly man who you claimed looked alot like your great grandfather, the one you never met. And then you'd invite Renjun's friends, ringing up Mark first, inviting them for some fresh watermelon

You and Renjun would looks up recipes online on how to make homemade icream. You always claimed that homemade things were better, after all they were made with your love

Sometimes you and Renjun would take out a small kiddie pool into your perhaps even smaller bathroom and squeeze yourselves in. Wearing nothing but a flimsy shirt with a thin strap and your undergarments

You'd both splash eachother with coldwater, screaming as it hits your body as you were taken back to your childhood and how it was filled with no worries and only laughs.

There was nothing sensual about it, not that it never was sensual between you and Renjun but summer,

Summer with you was innocence.

With a little laughter, and a little bit of homemade ice cream.

It was warm and sticky and wet. But Renjun didn't mind that kind of summer, because it was summer with you.

Renjun wonders if it's as warm as it is for you right now,

Your probably wearing an oversized white t shirt right now, trying to make a paper fan out of newspaper.

For a second he sees you and he smiles. Only for a second though, just before the electricity comes back and the fan starts whirring sending a cool light wind to Renjun's face.

Renjun could hear Lucas and Hendery's screams of joy and a dog barking. Bella? I guess that was its name.. probably their friends dog.

He wonders what his friends are up to right now and Renjun wonders if Mark would be down for some watermelon he bought from an old man just a few blocks down

Renjun hated summer

But he didn't mind the summer he spend with you.

[new-berry]

Fabian /Anthony not true safe for work.

Germany

Sometimes the best part is not knowing. Anthony turns and stares at the magazine display. It’s sometimes easy to work out what they mean. “Auto” somewhere in the title - car magazine. Airbrushed blondes - some kind of gossip.

“What’s that about?” Anthony points to a black and white image of a building, taken from underneath guessing some kind of architectural digest.

“Secrets to building in Minecraft.” Fabian patiently translates.

Anthony immediately pulls it off the shelf, sure he is being bullshitted. Inside are the bright blocks and square zombies of the game.

“Huh.” He says putting it back. “Kinder means children.” Fabian is laughing at him. Even though his voice is neutral, Anthony knows. He turns to Fabian who is holding a hemp shopping bag and looking up.

“And now you know the word for adult as well.” Anthony looks to the bookshelf and yeah, that’s kinda obvious. Fabian’s really laughing now and Anthony says; “you could have said anything man. I thought it was something intellectual, some art photography something.” Serena has started to show Anthony the basics of photography. He’s been getting into it, watching a few tutorials thinking about buying a camera.

“I promise to tell you the truth,” Fabian tells him deadpan. “Even if it’s disappointing.”

The Euro’s have been cleaned off the streets, enthusiasm had nose dived once Germany lost their last game. In shorts and t-shirts and pulled low baseball caps they are any other fans that haven’t quite headed home yet. Fabian holds Anthony’s hand, tugging him down the street. It’s too hot to be overly affectionate, the hazy rise of reflected heat pinging into the hot air, endless warmth rising and falling like watching an animal breath. Too fast and panting.

His accent’s thicker than normal, almost a caricature, harsh r sounds, and a gravel to the roll of words that Anthony is not used to. Anthony lets himself be towed along, listens to Fabian read out the names of the street signs, translate the names of restaurants. Between his fingers he can feel both of their pulses. He imagines being a tourist, staying in a hostel maybe going hiking. He imagines Fabian patiently guiding him up some hill, imagines them in clubs even hotter than the street is now.

They are not staying in a hostel. Their hotel is not homey or cheap or lived in. The aircon is a welcome cruel blast, the hair on his arms raised and Anthony is only warm where they are holding hands.

The receptionist has haughtily ignored Jamal Musiala and Jude Bellingham, she is deeply unimpressed with the two of them. Anthony’s trainers squeak on the tiles and he suddenly grins at Fabian in the reflection of the elevator doors. He knocks his hat off “needs dying,” he says to Fabian who tells him “please get it cut in Europe.”

“No promises.” Fabian is wearing sunglasses and Anthony looks directly at them, his reflection on the glasses and in the mirrored door endlessly looping back. “I’ll translate for you,” Fabian’s voice is low and cajoling. “I’ll explain exactly what you said.”

The tv is disguised as a black work of art on the wall. An expression of the void Anthony guesses. If he watched British TV it would be England's loss and Peppa Pig. East Enders and cooking shows.

“Is this the honey moon suite?” The whole room is dominated by a fuck off huge bed in the middle of the room.

Fabian laughs. He’d looked tired before. But the longer that have been there, Fabian standing in rooms and speaking with everyone, Anthony catching one or two words in the sea of German, the more confident and alert he’d become.

The balcony is narrow and looking m down from it, ten floors away people are walking down the road they were just on. All the cars look sleek from on here. Little flags on bmw’s.

“This hotel is popular with diplomats,” Fabian’s right behind him, close but not touching the hairs on Anthony’s arms rise m again “how do you know that?”

The air moves, eddy of breath when Fabian shrugs, “overheard the staff.” Anthony see him in the polished clear window.

[purplesurveys]

1991

Do you wear a ring on your finger? I don't.

What are you doing?  I'm taking this as a way to wait for my phone to have enough charge since I want to be able to use it in (my loft) bed before going to sleep. I also just came back to my room after spending the last hour and a half watching the new episode of Good Day.

Do you listen to your friends’ advice when they give it to you?  I do for the most part since I'm clueless and lost about Everything, but I also let them know if I plan to do something else and list down my reasons for doing so just so they know where I'm coming from.

What’s the last kind of soup you ate?  Almondigas.

Do you currently have a sunburn?  No.

Could you eat nothing but grilled cheese for a week straight?  I'm fairly confident that I could, and that I would be ecstatic about it too lol.

What are you listening to right now?  Just my typing. It's very quiet in my room right now since everything is turned off, including my electric fan and aircon.

Have you ever thought about getting your nose pierced? I've thought about it especially as a teenager when I still thought I was going to load myself with piercings and tattoos, hahaha. I don't entertain the thought anymore.

Can you trust most people?  I don't really, anymore. I'm more closed off now.

Has anyone hurt or betrayed you recently?  Yes.

Is your last ex still someone you care about? Do you still have feelings for your ex? No.

Are you someone’s best friend?  I like to think so, yes.

Biggest annoyance in your life right now?  I want to sleeeeeeeeeeeeep and be in bed but I need to charge my phone a little bit more since there's no plug anywhere near my bed lol

Have you spoken to your mother today?  Yes.

Do you have any tattoo / piercings?  I just have my earlobe piercings, that's it.

Latest you stayed up in the past week?  Around 1 AM. Not too late anymore, but I've also been having a (not the healthiest) habit of waking up stupid early for no reason – I've been waking up at 4 AM for the last how many consecutive days already and will seem to be my body clock's usual for the time being.

Be honest, do you miss anyone?  Not anyone...but I just miss the weekend already, haha. 

What are your plans for tonight?  The 'night' is pretty much over - it's 12:30 AM on a Monday morning - and all that's left for me to do is to sleep before another work week does its best attempt to kill me.

Will tomorrow be better than today? Nah, today was a good day and everything by default is better than Monday. Anyway, today's wins include me getting new clothes, eating my favorite street food, taking the dogs to the vet, seeing TOP go online after 5 million years to like a single Instagram post, and watching Good Day.

Are you the youngest person living in your house?  Nope, I'm the second eldest just after my mom. If my dad is home, I'd be third eldest.

Do you think you will be in a relationship three months from now?  No.

Do you know anyone that smokes weed?  This is 200% a yes even though I wouldn't be able to name names. I just know it's impossible to NOT know someone who hasn't done it.

When did you last eat pizza?  Less than a week ago, eating the last of our Yellow Cab leftovers.

Do you like your hair?  Continued from Sunday. I love it. I didn't expect red to suit me a lot. I'm dreading the day I'll need to wash my hair already because I don't want it to start fading away, lol.

Have you graduated from high school?  Omg yes, it will be 9 years since this year.

Do you ever leave the house without make up on?  Rarely anymore. But today I actually did (leave the house without), for the first time in AGES. You picked the right time for this question hahah. I was just claiming concert tickets today at the mall so I didn't feel the need to put on makeup. I did put on a bucket hat though just so my face is mostly covered.

Do you expect to be married in the next two years?  Nope.

Did you receive a good morning text today?  Nah.

What’s most important in a relationship: honesty or trust?  I would say you definitely need honesty in order to have trust?  < Right? Hahaha.

Do you like to cuddle?  In theory, yeah.

What time did you wake up this morning?  Around 6 AM. 

What are you planning on doing after this survey? I would like to take another one, since I feel like de-stressing tonight. I'm just feeling a little down because today was supposed to be a non-working holiday and yet I worked all afternoon at a coffee shop.

Is your ”love life” complicated?  It's the least complicated thing in the world because there is none, and I don't feel the need to update that anytime soon.

What ruined your day today?  This girl who accused me of scalping for GD's ticket. I was? minding my own business? and she swooped in to doubt me for absolutely no reason? I really hate getting into nonsense arguments on social media, it gets me super anxious especially because I barely talk to anyone in the first place – so it becomes so much more frustrating when someone still has it in them to stir something up. Fans are crazy. LET ME ENJOY MY CHANCE TO SEE GD IN PEACE (minus one)

If you had to choose between a million dollars or to be able to change a regret, which would you chose?  Million dollars.

Where will you be 2 hours from now? In bed, most likely. I need to be at Rockwell by 8:30 AM tomorrow so it's another day of having to allot 2.5 hours just for travel and sleeping very early the night before...

Name the person that has honestly hurt you the most in life?  I haven't muttered their name in years and would like to keep my peace. :)

What were you doing at 8:00 a.m. this morning?  I think I was just watching reels, trying to wake up.

Have you kissed anyone with a tattoo before? No.

Why aren’t you in bed? Too early! It's not even 9 PM. Let me experience whatever holiday I have left, lol.

Do you have any plans for tomorrow?  Just a pretty brutal work day because I will be going from Rockwell > BGC > Pasay. I can already predict that I'd just be going through the motions and will be hugely reserving my social battery, not really talking to anyone unless I'm prompted haha.

[kydrogendragon]

Dec 4 - Kissing Cold Noses

(Ao3 Link)

The cold December air nipped any visible skin, leaving it numb and red. Morpheus, after having mastered skating, or at least close enough to it, decided that skiing would be fun to try as well. This came after, no surprise, another Hallmark movie. Perhaps Hob needed to send Hallmark a personal thank you card for getting his boyfriend to agree to so many activities and outings.

They were staying in the lodge over the weekend. Currently, they stood outside on the balcony, enjoying the view of the snow covered mountains and trees outside that were lit up from the golden glow of the ski lift lights. There were still a few skiers and snowboarders out for the night sessions. Tomorrow morning, they’d get out onto the slopes. They had just gotten in and enjoyed a nice, hardy dinner.

Morpheus was bundled up, his hat and scarf covering most of his face. Only his eyes and the very edge of his nose was visible over the red fabric. Hob leaned over the railing, peering around at the sights, watching as one skier expertly swerves down the hillside.

“Well, what’re your thoughts so far?”

Morpheus comes up beside him, nestling into Hob’s side like a heat seeking missile. Hob wraps his arm around his shoulder, pulling him closer.

“It is cold. Colder than home.”

Home.

It always sent a spark of warmth through Hob when Morpheus referred to their flat as home. Not Hob’s flat. Not the house or anything like that, but home. And it was his home. It was his home as much as it was Hob’s. Although wherever Morpheus was would be home for him. After having lived in so many places, he realized that’s what matters most.

“Yeah,” Hob said with a snort. “It definitely is colder here. Gonna be colder on the slopes.”

Morpheus groaned, tucking his face into Hob’s side. “I am missing the warmth of summer.”

Rubbing up and down Morpheus’s back, Hob sighed in agreement. “Yeah, you say that now until you’re drenched in sweat because the aircon crapped out again.”

“It would still be better than the cold.” Hob shook his head and smiled. He nuzzled into the soft fabric of Morpheus’s hat and gave it a kiss.

“We don’t have to ski, either. We could just relax here in the lodge for the weekend. Enjoy the weather, sit by the fireplace.” Morpheus hums.

“You have already purchased the rentals.”

“Yeah, doesn’t mean we have to use them, though.”

Morpheus is quiet for a moment, taking his time to consider his answer. Hob waits, simply enjoying the cool air, the press of his boyfriend at his side, and the padded silence of the snowy landscape.

“I still wish to learn.”

“Then we’ll ski.”

The next morning came quickly. Morpheus was pressed against Hob’s side, one leg flung over his own, trapping him. Morpheus’s hand was thrown over Hob’s stomach and was gripping his waist tight. Blinking away the sleep from his eyes, he looked down at the mess of black hair sprawled across his chest and smiled. Every time he thinks he might finally get used to the fact that  Morpheus was here, in his bed, holding him close like this, the next morning finally comes around and he realizes that, no, he’s never getting over it.

He gives him a gentle kiss on the top of his head and rubs his hand up and down along Morpheus’s back.

“Morning sleeping beauty,” Hob whispers in the quiet morning air. Their lodgings were nice for the price they had paid for them. The bed was a study wooden bedframe and the mattress was actually decent. Supposedly they had gotten the room with the “upgraded suite” which meant that they got a better heater in their room and a newer mattress. It worked out well as Hob’s back didn’t ache a single bit.

Morpheus roused from his slumber and tilted his head up and off of Hob’s chest. Strands of black hair clung to the sides of his cheeks and a now dried trail of drool could be seen along his chin. The eyeliner he hadn’t successfully removed the night prior was now smeared across his lids, giving him some resemblance of a racoon.

He was beautiful.

“G’morning,” Morpheus slurred out, stretching his limbs like a cat after a good nap in the sun. He rolls over, flinging his other arm across Hob’s chest and stares up at the ceiling. “We are skiing today, yes?” He asks.

Hob rolls to his side and rests his own hand on Morpheus’s stomach. “That’s the plan. If you still wanna go.”

“Mmm… I do, I think.” He furrows his brows. “After breakfast, however.”

“Yes, definitely after breakfast. You’ll need the energy for it.”

They enjoyed a decent breakfast at the lodge’s cafe. It was a pretty standard hotel type faire, but it was satisfying enough.  Morpheus was clearly underwhelmed by the quality of scrambled eggs here, but he always did think Hob made the best ones, so these weren’t even in the same league.

After donning their winter gear and successfully transforming Morpheus from a slender gothic wet dream of a man to the Michellan Man’s narrower brother, they made their way over to the gear rental shack. Hob presented the man at the counter with their rental receipts. They were ushered through the rooms, getting their boots, skis, helmets, and poles, then having the sizing marked on a sheet so they could get the same sizes again tomorrow without having to go through the sizing steps.

They shuffled out of the shack to the numerous benches outside to get situated. Hob helped Morpheus get latched into his ski boots.

“These feel odd.” Morpheus muttered, staring down at his feet.

“Yeah, they will. They push you forward a bit so your legs are in the right position for skiing. It feels a bit like you’re walking in a squat, huh?” Hob clicked the last of his straps over as he spoke. The boots were rather tight, but not too uncomfortable.

“Indeed.”

The skis were a bit of an interesting experience as well. After making their way off of the concrete and into the snow, they donned their skis.  Morpheus stared down at the two long sticks attached to his feet and frowned.

“Stepping in these is hard. Are they like skates?”

Hob tilted his head side to side. “Yeah, kinda. That’s probably closer than anything else I could compare it to. Like with skates, it’ll take a bit to get used to.” Hob helped guide Morpheus over to the bunny hill area. It was early enough in the morning that this section was relatively clear. There were still some kids around, but not enough to be stressful.

“Alright, so! Ski basics!”

Morpheus listened intently as Hob gave him a run down of the basics of skiing, how to accelerate, how to slow down, and how to stop. He also walked Morpheus through how to get back up if he fell and how to do it safely.

After about a half hour of practicing on the bottom of the bunny hill, Hob turned to him and asked, “Think you’re ready to try the ski lift to the top of the hill?” Morpheus nodded and so off they were.

Hob talked him through the ins and outs of the ski lift as well, since that was its own challenge. Thankfully, they were able to slide on without a hitch.

“Enjoying it so far?” Hob asked, looking over to Morpheus who was taking in the sights from the lift with eager eyes. If he thought this was a pretty view, Hob couldn’t wait to take him up on the upper tracks.

“It is quite nice. I am enjoying it more than I believed I would.”

“Not too cold?” Hob bumped his shoulder with his own, earning him a smirk.

“I did not say that.”

“Oh, well, we have to fix that then.” Morpheus turned to face him, confused, when Hob leaned forward and placed a kiss right on the tip of Morpheus’s reddening nose.

“There. All better.”

Morpheus huffed and shook his head with a smile.

“I do not believe that is how one cures being cold.”

Hob hums. “No, but did it help?”

Morpheus sighed. “Yes. Yes it did.”

[wavytam]

The Weather Queen and the Cook King: Power Ups Foreshadowed in Colorspreads

After writing these two theories, I wanted to write a separate post talking about the parts I mentioned Nami and Sanji.

To summarize, I think that these two will be extremely important in Future Island Arc because of two colorspeads that Oda drew during the arc:

First, I love how Oda chose Sanji as the main focus in the Boys Colorspread and Nami in the Girls Colorspread - but I don't think it was coincidental.

He said we should keep an eye on Sanji in an SBS after the Wano arc, and ever since then, we have seen around two colorspreads that have him as the main focus. So maybe, as unsuspicious as the only girls' colorspread might seem, it might also give us some type of foreshadowing about Nami's next power up as well, since she is in more evidence.

Not only that: Oda also chose to put the words King and Queen for both of them.

(Alright, before anyone comes at me saying that, I'm trying to push them as King and Queen in a shipping way... no. I do want them to be together, but I don't think those spreads are any indicative of that. Nami and Sanji are both one of my favorite characters in One Piece, and I love to talk about them together and separately, and I just really want both of them to have development and growth - Nami specially, because we can already see how Sanji WILL already have a lot of screentime)

The King and Queen titles, I think, mean different things for Sanji and for Nami.

For Sanji, I think he is going to unlock his Conqueror's Haki (which is also known as King's Haki), and Oda played with the similarities between the words "Cooking" and "CoC King" to make it more... questionable and not in-your-face. We all know he loves to do that.

For Nami, I think it has to do with how she will be known as in the world of One Piece.

When Luffy, Jimbei, Chopper and Bonney were exploring Future Island, Vegapunk talks about one of his inventions, which is...

Yes, a technology that controls climate (Island Aircon) - something that seemingly only controls the temperature of islands (not too threatening).

However, we know how creative and resourceful Nami is with what is given to her and I don't doubt that, if she is given the chance, she could operate Island Aircon in such a way that it could be used as a weapon.

So my theory is that Nami could use Vegapunk's technology to turn Future Island into a huge hell hole for the Straw Hats' enemies.

With her knowledge, she might be able to create cyclones, storms, and even thunderstorms to jeopardize the Marines' invasion into Future Island or to stop them from following the Straw Hats as they run away. With that, she will gain the worldwide reputation of Weather Witch or even Weather Queen, or another title close to that.

It's kind of like how Zoro became the King of Hell, how Raileigh is the Dark King, Usopp is the King of Snipers, and so on and so forth.

In addiction, I think that this is going to be a huge moment for Nami, not only because of her power up but also because of her backstory. I have been coming up with a theory that Nami's past is actually connected to the Void Century and, most importantly, to the Sky Islands and Uranus, which is why her past is still a mystery - since Uranus is going to be the last weapon they will "visit" (they already met Shirahoshi and visited Wano, where Pluton is burried).

So my prediction is that, as Future Island ends, Nami will realise that there is something different within her and that doubt will continue throughout the next arc.

I also have this theory that everyone from the Straw Hat crew has potential to have Conqueror's Haki, but, to me, only the first five Strawhats could have it. This is more of a far fetched theory, I know, but a lot of people have already discussed the possibility of both Nami and Usopp having Conqueror's (maybe Usopp will have CoC in a diferent way than the others) and I think that if they go to Elbaf, Usopp cpuld unlock his CoC there and Nami will unlock hers in the very last Arc of One Piece.

Back to Sanji now! I think his color spread also indicates things that he will use during Future Island and of things that will happen to the Straw Hats there. Basicaly, I think that Sanji will unlock his Conqueror's Haki when his friends are in danger and incapacitated, and he will do everything he can to stop any harm done to them.

The bubbles are also interesting to me, because (although in the colorspread they are coming from the boys' noses) I find it curious that in this arc there is a VERY useful weapon that can incapacitate devilfruit users through bubbles.

Maybe the weapons will be used against the Straw Hats, OR Sanji will use them against their opponents.

In conclusion, I have a feeling those colorspreads might indicate Sanji's and Nami's next power ups, and I think their roles will be extremely important in this Arc.

And because of this coverpage, I think Franky will be important too:

But this is a theory for another time...

I'd also like to remind you how two other colorspreads from the same Arc also seem to have Nami and Sanji in evidence (along with Luffy, obviously, and weirdly Chopper?? Hmmm). So we might have to pay attention to them.

To end this post:

Obviously, there's more of a big possibility that this is all just a coincidence, and Oda wanted to say something entirely different. But I don't mind being wrong since the fun part is to speculate and talk about our favorite characters.

Hope you liked reading it anyway! I'd love to know what you guys think!

[emmyinjapan]

Momochi Beach (ももち海浜)

I remember during my first week back in Japan, the heat hit me like a wall. It was blazing hot—32°C and climbing—and, in a desperate bid to cool down, I decided to walk to Momochi Beach (ももち海浜). I thought, Ah, the sea breeze will surely save me. Maybe I’ll even dip my toes in the water and feel human again. Spoiler alert: I was very wrong.

By the time I got there, I felt like a melting ice cream cone. The sun was relentless, and instead of a refreshing sea breeze, there was nothing but still, sweltering air that seemed to wrap around me like an oven. I trudged through the sand, half-hoping I’d discover some hidden oasis of coolness, but it only got hotter. At this point, I was genuinely starting to wonder if I’d evaporate before the day was over.

Eventually, I gave up on exploring and collapsed under the shade of a tree, clutching my water bottle like it was my lifeline. Even in the shade, the heat was unforgiving. I swear, I could almost see the steam rising off my skin. I sat there, a sweaty, slightly defeated mess, staring out at the sea and trying to convince myself that this was fun. This is what you wanted, right? A beautiful beach day in Japan? Living the dream!

Don’t get me wrong—it was a good day to be outside, but I couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed. The beach wasn’t as big as I’d imagined. I had pictured long, sprawling stretches of sand, endless waves, and maybe a few palm trees swaying gently in the breeze. Instead, Momochi Beach felt more compact, a little more urban, and not quite the paradise I had envisioned.

Looking back, I probably should have explored some of the other beaches in the area. Maybe found one with fewer people and more shade—or perhaps even an air-conditioned café right by the water! But hey, I’ll give Momochi Beach credit where it’s due. The views of the Fukuoka Tower in the distance were stunning, and it was nice to just sit there and take it all in… even if I felt like I was being slow-cooked the entire time.

By the time I got home, I looked like I had run a marathon rather than spent a relaxing day at the beach. But it was all part of the adventure. That’s the thing about life in Japan—every day brings something new, even if it’s the lesson to always carry extra sunscreen, a hat, and maybe a portable fan.

After trudging back to my apartment, drenched in sweat and thoroughly roasted by the unforgiving sun, I felt a wave of pure relief the moment I walked through the door. The aircon hit me like a blessing from the heavens, and all I could think was, Thank you, modern technology. Thank you.

I didn’t even bother with the sofa or the bed—I just flopped straight onto my yoga mat, which had never felt so luxurious in my life. Lying there, sprawled out like a starfish under the sweet, cooling breeze of the aircon, I felt a kind of happiness that words can barely capture. It was as if every ounce of heat and exhaustion was being gently lifted away, replaced by the sheer bliss of being still and, most importantly, not melting.

For a good while, I didn’t move. I just stared up at the ceiling, letting the aircon work its magic, and thought about how underrated it is to simply be comfortable. After a day of battling the elements at Momochi Beach, this moment of peace and coolness was the highlight of my day. Sometimes, it’s the little things—like a yoga mat and an aircon—that truly make life in Japan feel like an adventure worth taking.

—Emmy

[the-kr8tor]

I’m imagining hobie in Australia rn dying in the heatwaves bc of how hot it is and how he isn’t used to it being so hot bc it never reaches that temp where he lives 😭 😭 and I think just him in Australia in general would be so funny and interesting

🕊️ anon

🕊️ Anon!! Welcome back!!

I know the feeling 😭 I'm literally melting rn it's 33 degrees c here and this is supposed to be cold???? And it's December 😭😭 I keep seeing ppl post pics of snow in their area and I'm so jealous 🥲

Oh you're right Hobie would be melting, he'd be walking around sweating, trying to keep his temperature down in front of the electric fan. If you have an aircon then get ready to have your electric bill skyrocket lmaoo but the heat offers opportunities to bask on the beach, savouring the cool water with a huge ass hat on, shades and sunscreen lathered all over him

But if it's too hot even for the beach, like when the sand feels like hot coals then sadly it's off back home for you two, drinking the coldest drinks you have and hogging the fan.

I'm imagining Hobie following the electric fan's rotating head lmaoo

[livbnb-blog]

Packing for Dubai: What to Wear Without Looking Like a Tourist

Let’s be honest — Dubai isn’t just a destination, it’s a look. Between rooftop lounges, beach brunches, and air-conditioned malls the size of small cities, what you wear can make or break the vibe. And while you could go full linen-safari-meets-influencer-core, the real win is dressing in a way that blends in with the city’s easy elegance — without sticking out as a wide-eyed tourist.

Whether you’re headed to a five-star resort or checking into one of the many stylish vacation rentals Dubai has to offer, here’s your go-to packing list that balances style, cultural awareness, and comfort — all while keeping it effortlessly cool.

The basics: What you need to know about dressing in Dubai

Dubai is modern, multicultural, and fashion-forward — but still conservative in public spaces. You’ll see everything from designer athleisure to modest abayas, so aim for the middle ground: stylish, respectful, and breathable.

● Modesty matters in malls, government buildings, and traditional areas (like Deira or Old Dubai). ● Swimwear is totally fine at pools and beaches — but throw on a cover-up when walking around. ● Aircon is no joke. Layering isn’t just chic; it’s survival.

Daywear: Chic, light, and covered (Just enough)

● Linen trousers or wide-leg culottes — breathable and instantly elevated ● Light cotton shirts or button-downs — roll up the sleeves for a relaxed look ● Midi dresses — easy, elegant, and great for brunch or casual sightseeing ● A lightweight scarf or kimono — doubles as sun protection or a modesty layer

Style tip: Neutral tones, soft blues, or earth colours feel luxe and blend in beautifully with the city’s desert-modern aesthetic.

Evening looks: Polished, but not overdressed

Dubai’s nightlife loves a bit of glam, but skip the Vegas sparkle unless you’re headed to a club. For dinner, drinks, or lounges:

● A midi or maxi dress with structure (nothing too floaty in the wind!) ● Smart jumpsuits or tailored separates with statement earrings ● Block heels or wedges — stilettos look great but Dubai’s pavements say no ● A chic clutch — big enough for your phone, lipstick, and some blotting paper (trust us)

Beach & pool: Sun, sand, and SPF

● Classic swimsuits or bikinis — bold prints or minimal monochrome ● A kaftan or oversized shirt — easy to throw over and stroll the boardwalk ● Slides or espadrilles — because hot sand + fashion still need to work together ● Straw hat & sunglasses — protection and instant “yes, I belong here” energy

Shoes to pack (And ones to leave behind)

● ✔ Yes please: Stylish trainers, flat sandals, espadrilles, sleek loafers ● ❌ Maybe not: Hiking shoes (unless you’re actually hiking), flip-flops for city wear, or anything that can’t survive a day of walking

Bonus essentials

● A crossbody bag or backpack — safe, hands-free, and big enough for water + sunscreen ● Reusable water bottle — hydration is fashion ● Light jacket or shawl — for malls and evening chills ● Lip balm + moisturiser — desert air is no joke

Effortless > Excess.

Dubai doesn’t require head-to-toe designer labels — just confidence and a sense of occasion. Dress with intention, respect the local norms, and you’ll feel right at home (and look good doing it). Whether you’re walking through Alserkal Avenue or sipping espresso at Comptoir 102, you’ll want your wardrobe to say: I know the vibe.

[pseudinymous]

@UK followers, Australian here who survived 48C in a brick house with no aircon. Fill your bath with water and deadass soak in it with your clothes on. Don’t dry yourself. Then stand in front of a fan. Repeat as often as necessary.

Going to the beach in this kind of weather is a one way ticket to a sunburn so severe you’ll wish you were dead. I know Australia has a much worse UV index, but don’t underestimate things - water is reflective to UV light and you’ll basically get double dosed.

SPF 50+ waterproof sunscreen only if you really are stupid enough to go for a dip in the ocean. Lay it on thick. Reapply AT LEAST every four hours. Also wear a broad rimmed hat, bring a beach umbrella, and stay under it as much as you can.

… Unless you want to look like a tomato for a week and experience searing pain touching anything, including your bed, clothes, etc… and don’t forget the cancer!

I need UK journalists to not show 43 degrees is not beach weather like people are gonna die

Americans do not interact

[goldendivinewrath]

Meryl cannot count how many times she has been thankful that her apartment building has an accessible back entrance. 

It is the perfect place for sneaking in wanted Typhoons and trained assassins with giant cross-shaped weapons, but the fire escape stairs can be cumbersome. However, she’s not going to look a gift toma’s in the mouth. Today, in particular, she finds herself using said stairs to avoid the main entrance. Despite Vash keeping a low profile, she is aware that the media has listed several people as close accomplices and while no full details had been given out, Meryl thinks that some higher ups are suspecting she’s hiding something.

When the news about Jeneora Rock reached Headquarters and the news anchor listed both herself and Roberto as possible allies to Vash, without giving their exact description or name, it had felt like it was only a matter of time before Headquarters put two and two together. 

The aftermath of Julai seemed to have put those investigations on hold, though Meryl could not be certain for how long.

In a way, she’s been keeping a low profile too since coming back to work for Bernardelli. While a desk job may not have been what she was planning for, it did offer a type of security that could not be found in field work; however, she found herself missing being out in the open, with nothing but an endless sky and sand dunes for iles and iles and iles.

The stairs, while functional, always make her feel a bit apprehensive, as they never made her feel secure while climbing up or down them. And it is when she reaches the shared balcony on her floor does she let out a sigh of relief, especially when she steps in and is met with colder air coming from the aircon.

A rather small, modest apartment, but functional in all the ways she needs it to be. With Vash there, he takes up much of the space that isn’t occupied by camera and photography equipment. She’s not yet managed to organize the way she has wanted to since landing a more stable, and also boring, position, so it has been easier to just forget it’s there and live her life around this organized chaos.

“Okay, I got us some party hats and you are going to wear one,” she says as she rips open the plastic packaging and pulls out a rainbow gradient party hat with gold polka dots that shimmer when it touches the light. Carefully, she pulls the elastic band so as to not break it, and adjusts the hat so it sits right atop his head.

Meryl does the same for herself, choosing another rainbow gradient party hat, but with shimmering blue polka dots. 

“Oh yeah, here!” She bends down to pick up a neatly wrapped package and places it before him.

“Figured you might get a kick out of this…and you never know, might also come in handy.”

Inside is more of a gag gift of a disguise kit with fake round glasses and moustache—more comical than practical—but when she’d seen it, Meryl knew she had to get it.

“Nick should be here soon. He’s on cake duty. I made him be on cake duty.”

Initially, she had wanted them to go dancing, perhaps at a place that served half decent food with half decent drinks, and spend the night out until the suns crested the horizon, but it felt too risky to be out like that. 

Maybe next time, when things have had a chance to cool down a little more, they’ll make a full day of it.

“Happy birthday, Vash,” she says and leans forward to place a kiss on his cheek. She lingers there a little longer than intended, and pulls back with a hint of red in her cheeks.

“Probably by the time I finish getting our food sorted, he’ll be here with the cake. Probably wants to make a memorable entrance or something, always showing up,” she grumbles but there is no bite to her words as she slips from the chair and walks the barely five steps to the kitchen and gets started on their supper.

Vash softly squawks at the party hat being placed on his head, but it's a token protest at best when he makes no move to pull away or stop himself from smiling. All this for him, really? It's silly and not particularly useful, but--

That's exactly why he smiles wider at seeing the hat on Meryl's head, just barely hiding an actual laugh behind his hand. He's not laughing at her! Well, a little, but not in a bad way; it's always nice to see her relaxed. Er, more relaxed. He's sure as the evening goes on that lingering tension will ease, when everything fits into place.

It's that thought which gets gently interrupted by a wrapped gift, and nothing more interesting could grab his attention in the moment. The "You really didn't have to..." dies before it forms, words unnecessary. Words temporarily impossible, because the overwhelming fondness he feels in seeing exactly how much attention has been put into gently creasing paper is an utterly ridiculous thing to notice and feel fondness over, but his fingers reach out to brush the present delicately anyway. It can't be silly if it's heartfelt, right?

Vash looks up at her with a sheepish smile, and nearly anyone might expect him to be the type of person who would try to unfold the paper and preserve it for something else. Normally, yes, they'd be right. Celebrating a birthday, though? He tears into the paper and laughs softly to himself about the whole affair, opening the box inside-- And laughing more, prosthetic hand over his mouth suddenly doing very little to keep him quiet. Okay, that's silly. Good-silly, wonderful-silly, and as much as he does appreciate and keep practical things, this seems worth finding a place for in his bag. "Aw, Meryl. You're a life saver, you know that?"

He has to. Has to. It's customary to try something gifted on, isn't it? Exchanging his usual glasses for the "disguise", he doubts it makes his eyes any less conspicuous, or the rest of him, but he tries to maintain a straight face for several seconds before making the supposed realization, "Oh, I can't risk Nick walking in and seeing a stranger, I'll have to model it later." Snickering, he's careful about re-folding the arms of the glasses, his usual shades once more properly in place.

He-- He doesn't miss it, the way Meryl leans in after birthday wishes, but it doesn't... register, fully. The closeness. The possible reason. He realizes it like a thought moving in slow motion in that moment of stillness before she pulls back; he's just comfortable with that level of closeness when it comes to Meryl. Of course they'd been packed tightly together before, and he'd never minded the occasional physical affection from her, but the kiss is a later realization. The lingering on top of that is another dimension, and surprised as he is, Vash remains still for a moment. Not frozen, not in any was afraid to move, just. Still. Taking in details.

He considers catching her hand before she goes, not letting her simply walk away and keep herself occupied, but ultimately decides against it. "Thank you, Meryl." Sincere words. Sincere smile. And quite a bit of thinking happening underneath.

He smiles through her minor complaints about Wolfwood, because there's something softly amusing about listening to both of them complain about one another with no real heat and no bite to the words, and always to him. That's... that's another thing to think about. Later. Now--

Thinking stops. A little. Vash stands and follows, the kitchen only steps away but still he takes his time getting there, making his footfalls a little heavier than they usually would be. Audible. He doesn't want to sneak up behind her, after all, but he does want the advantage of enough surprise to hug her from behind. Just... a little. Just for a few seconds. Appreciation and affection. Contact. And any small nuzzles to the side of her neck are completely incidental, of course. "I know this is my birthday, but you shouldn't have to do everything. Can I help?" Not that he was sure there was room to help, of course, but the offer needed to be made.