#lola snippet

[welcometololaland]

Fic Origin Story aka. Hyperfixations: the Original

A bunch of you tagged me back in this which is...fair because I should probably do my own if I'm going to expect people to tell me their life fic story. I'm SORRY I'm so obsessed with knowing about people it's a problem.

I'm living for all your responses please keep going I beg!

1. What was your first fandom (reading and/or writing)?

I don't think it's a secret that I once upon a time wrote for the fandom that shall not be named, but my first fandom was actually Veronica Mars. I read fic on some website that no longer exists but was devoted entirely to LoVe (Logan/Veronica).

I never wrote and never left comments like a complete dick, but I was also 14 and it's like common knowledge I was a complete asshole as a child.

2. What was the first story you ever wrote (even if it was never posted) and what made you decide to write it?

For fic, it was a ridiculously terrible self-insert Veronica Mars story (except I inserted myself as a best friend not a love interest...interesting choice). I remember my character surfed and made people eat Vegemite. Which...I can't surf and I'm not even going to address the Vegemite thing.

I think I was 14. It never saw the light of day thank GOD.

3. What's a piece of advice you would give to your younger fic-writing self?

Wait, and find something you're really passionate about. I'd get stuck on a bunch of chaptered fics that seemed like good ideas but I had no real fire for. Then Speak for Yourself happened and I was like damn, this is what writing is supposed to feel like.

Also, don't write in the second person. Who does that? (me, I did that)

4. What's an early fandom interaction that stuck with you (be it a nice comment, a friend you made, a fic that got a lot of feedback etc.)?

A. The day @everwitch-magiks left me a comment and changed my life by ushering me into a group of fandom friends and lighting the RWRB fire.

B. The day @rmd-writes dropped into my inbox with a gentle 'hey, do you want to let me in your doc for beta purposes?' and then took up residence and never left my G drive / heart.

5. Post a sentence or two from one of your older fics, and a sentence or two from a newer one (if you want).

I have regret for accepting this suggestion. The below fic is a Hunger Games fic I wrote originally in 2013? but i reposted it to Ao3 in 2020 (shame - why did I do that). Also, note use of second person - a bold fucking choice that did not pay off 😂:

Time is something that you seem to forever wish for, and never seem to get. It feels like your whole life has been spent trying to grasp time with a firm hand and will it to stand still. It seems like you race against a clock ticking more rapidly with every day that passes. As all humans, your days are finite. But as the particular person that you are, chosen to lead a sick, twisted life of triumph and tragedy, the days slip by you so fast it feels like it is over before it has really had the chance to begin.

This is from my newest fic (which is somehow approaching 40k and only 3.5/10 chapters) 😬😬😬

TK rolls his eyes. “You’re pretty unobservant for a private investigator,” he murmurs. “If one more person offers to buy you a drink, I’m going to buy you a wedding ring and force you to wear it.”

“You’re— What?”

“I’m jealous,” TK says drily, arching an eyebrow in Carlos’ direction. “Didn’t realise I needed to spell it out for you.”

Carlos frowns. “Of annoying hedge fund managers trying to buy me overpriced drinks and talk me into heli-skiing?”

“Hedge fund managers in Austin?” TK smirks. “Oh baby, you found a good one.”

Not tagging anyone because I already spammed a bunch of people but tagging @reyesstrand @carlos-in-glasses @rmd-writes because you tagged me back and @clottedcreamfudge because you taught me how to be ridiculous and now you must deal with the consequences of your actions.

[light-koe-pinsky]

♪You can be a lover or a fighter, whatever you desire

Life is like a runway and you're the designer

Wings of a butterfly, eyes of a tiger

Whatever you want, baby, choose your fighter♪♫

[kalolasart]

“I noticed that you really enjoy to corner me, while I sit on tables." “You can’t run away from me like this." “Why would I ever do that?”

Illustration for chapter 19. The interrogation of the Paper Hearts Black Clover fan fiction.

[nani-nonny]

(A)PAF: Sibling moment between Casey Jr and his little sister

At this point I should admit I have no self control… anyways, another family fluff snippet that has very minor spoilers to the main story but honestly doesn’t spoil the plot.

Check the father-daughter snippet if you want more family fluff

Leonardo takes a sip of his tea in the kitchen, staring blankly straight ahead. He’s grateful for this moment of peace and quiet, especially after Lou’s crying that lasted all throughout the night. He was thankful Donnie, temporarily, soundproofed his train car because her crying would have kept everyone awake. He would rather deal with a crying baby than with the others’ sleep-deprived fury.

He knew parenting wasn’t easy, he had some experience with CJ. But he’s starting from scratch, so to speak. He only had to take care of CJ as a baby in short increments. Now he has to take care of a baby 24/7.

And just as he was about to take his next sip, Lou’s haunting cries echoed from his open train car. Sharp and nearly ear-piercing, it taunts him and his heavy eyelids.

With a sigh, he takes his mug and follows the sound of her crying. Each step he takes it gets louder, and louder, and louder. If he didn’t know better, he would have thought she was pulling out microphones and megaphones for each step he took.

He steps onto the threshold and her crying suddenly stops.

Fear erupts in his chest and he braces the doorway to push him forward, but stops dead in his tracks when his eyes land on CJ sitting on his bed.

The teen is sitting pretzel style on the blankets, the back of a small green head barely visible in the gap of CJ’s legs.

His son is smiling wide, clicking tongs in his hands as his head bops side to side. The tongs click click click in his hands to the rhythm of the familiar song he sings to Lou.

“Tong tong tong tong, pakitong-kitong. Alimango sa dagat, malaki at masarap! Kay hirap hulihin, sapagkat nagangagat!”

CJ pinches Lou’s cheeks lightly at the final part of the song before kissing her diamond stripe. Lou giggles delightfully, her sharp chirps bouncing off the walls. She closes and opens her hands just like the tongs and trying to mimic the words CJ sings, but her little beak only opens and closes with small chirp sounds.

CJ takes a deep breath and sings slightly faster, clicking the tongs to match the faster rhythm, “Tang tang tang tang, pakatang-katang. Alamanga sa dagat, malaka at masarap! Kay harap halahan, sapagkat nangangagat!”

The teen pinches Lou’s cheeks again, earning those same sharp giggles that melt Leonardo’s heart. Tiny green hands reach up to pinch CJ’s face, opening and closing like a little crab. CJ shakes his head softly, a soft coo to his voice as he says, “Not me, Lou!”

CJ takes another big breath, dramatic and puffing out his chest as he does, but Lou suddenly chirps. It’s not a chirp of distress, but one that catches CJ’s attention and stops him.

Lou’s hands suddenly reach blindly behind her, closing and opening like a crab again.

“I’ve been found,” Leonardo teases and walks into the room.

“Sensei! I didn’t know you were there,” CJ greets and lifts Lou enough to stand in the gap of his crossed legs.

Lou chirps happily, tiny hands still grabbing the air like a crab in Leonardo’s direction. She coughs and suddenly yells in the smallest voice, “Da!”

Leonardo nods and takes her from CJ’s lap, lifting her into his arms and to rest in the crook of his elbow. She mimics CJ’s tongs clicking and head bopping, trying to sound out the words but they only come out as chirps and churrs.

She finishes the song by pinching Leonardo’s cheeks, a small effort that makes the father nearly collapse on his bed from how adorable her fingers felt. “Good job, Louie! You’re a little crab that bites,” he exclaims as he kisses her diamond stripe.

Lyrics: (it’s the same every verse but the vowels change)

Tong tong tong tong, pakitong-kitong. Crab in the sea, big and delicious. So difficult to catch because it bites!

[acacia-may]

Hi Acacia! 💕

Could I have 1, 15 and 24 for your ask game?

Hi Lola! I'm always so excited to hear from you. Thank you so much for the ask and for playing this writing excerpt game! 🥰 I chose exclusively from my BC library for you and hope you’ll enjoy these 💕

1 An excerpt of my writing that makes me smile

If you'll indulge me, I think I'll pick two! ^^ Since I just reread this and have really been thinking about Lorelei a lot recently, here is a snippet from "Lucky" which tells the backstory of how Henry and Lorelei first met when they were children (he's 10 years old and she is 9 here). It was fun writing about a little bitty Henry and giving him a friend since he's so lonely. Just one of those wholesome stories that gave me a lot of warm & fuzzies to write! 💕

Henry’s cheeks turned a bit rose when he realized what he had said, but Lorelei just laughed. “So you’re a mind reader? Can you tell me how I’m feeling right now?” Henry pursed his lips together. It usually didn’t work the way Lorelei thought. He mainly picked up on subtle differences and changes in mana signatures. What she was asking him to do know would essentially be reading her mind, but… “I can try.” Closing his eyes, Henry took a deep breath and searched for Lorelei’s mana. Once again he was struck by how warm it was in the softest, most gentle way. He could almost think of what it reminded him of, but he still couldn’t put a word to it. And he certainly couldn’t figure out her emotion from it. “I don’t know…” he admitted at last with a defeated sigh. He decided to make an educated guess. “Disappointed?” He would have been disappointed if he was her given the circumstances and the fact she would be stuck with him in this dreary old house when they grew up. “No,” she replied, and he could hear the smile in her voice. “I’m happy.” “Why?” The question slipped out before he could stop it. “Because you’re Henry Legolant, and you’re nice. I guess I really am lucky.” Henry’s face flushed a deep red, and he stumbled over his words until he eventually managed to choke out, “Lucky?” “Mhmm…like my magic. It’s lucky magic, and even if it’s weak, it still makes good things happen for me. Like when I almost fell down the stairs, but you saved me. And my parents picking out a stranger for me to marry when I get older, but he’s actually really nice and my friend.” “Friend?” Henry repeated the word incredulously. He shook his head in disbelief. Had she really said they were…? Could they really be friends? “Of course we’re friends, silly,” Lorelei chuckled, and Henry blushed red as he wondered if it was, in fact, Lorelei who could read minds. He felt the heat rising in his cheeks as a warmth began to spread through his chest; however, he stared down at his twisting hands and bit his lip. “I’ve…I’ve never had a friend before...” Lorelei hummed. “Well…you’ve got one now,” she replied as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and Henry could feel her sincerity in the flickers of her kind, comforting mana. As it swirled around him almost like a warm blanket, a smile tugged at his mouth, and he realized what it was her mana reminded him of. It felt like a home—the kind that he had only read about. Somewhere warm, cozy, and safe filled with family and friends who cared for each other. It was only a distant dream for Henry, but…now he had a friend so, perhaps, he could have a home someday too.

I also wanted to include an excerpt from "First Christmas" which is a fluffy little story about all the future Black Bulls celebrating together and trying to make the holiday truly special for Yami and Charlotte's son (since it's his very first one!). This snippet has some YamiChar and Rillmy, so it especially makes me smile! ^^

“Hey!” protested Finral. “You guys are so mean to me. You’re both married and no one ever gives you a hard time about it.”  “That’s because Rill is wonderful”—Charmy beamed at him—“there’s nothing to give me a hard time about, and we were all waited for years for the Captain and Charlotte to get together. When they finally did, we were just so relieved that they had stopped being so dense.” “Charmy, Rill didn’t even know who you were for how long…” bantered Vanessa. “We actually told him that you were his ‘food goddess,’ and he still didn’t get it. I don’t think you get to tease anyone for being dense.”  “That was a mistake,” said Rill apologetically. “But I know who she is now, and we’re very happy!” Finral patted him on the shoulder. “It’s okay. These things happen.” “He’s still not as dense as Captain Yami,” said Zora dryly. “Listen, I got married before any of you morons so I don’t think I’m the dense one here.” The room grew suddenly quiet as the entire squad just blinked at him. Yami frowned, as Charlotte’s cheeks flushed. She had learned pretty quickly that the Black Bulls had been waiting for her and Yami to get together for almost as long as she had, but she was still getting used to getting teased about it. “She was sending me a lot of mixed signals, okay? I was just trying to be respectful.” Vanessa snorted a laugh before she rolled her eyes. “They weren’t mixed signals. She was totally into you—even Magna noticed.” “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean? I notice things!” “We were honestly starting to get worried it was never going to happen,” teased Vanessa with a wink, completely ignoring Magna’s protests. “But you figured it out, and now you have this little one.” She turned to Charlotte with a smile, and as ran her hand across Katsu’s back, he turned to look at her with wide blue eyes that looked far older than his years. “And he’s such a cutie! Do you think he’s ready to be held again?” Charlotte nodded as she held Katsu out to her and said, “Sure. Go ahead” to the wide-spread protestations of the rest of the squad who were promptly told to wait their turns. Smiling brightly, Vanessa took the baby and began walking around with him to show off the decorations. “Hi Katsu. Aren’t you just the cutest little man? You look just like your dad—especially with all this messy dark hair. If only we could get him in a Christmas sweater like this.”  Yami frowned. “Don’t even think about it.” 

15. An excerpt of my writing from an old piece that I like

I've decided to choose an excerpt from the first Black Clover fanfiction I ever wrote, Yellow Flowers, (I think only the first chapter is posted to Tumblr, but all 3 chapters are on AO3 and my old FFN account). This fic is my take on the backstory of how Vanessa and Finral became friends shortly after Vanessa joined the Black Bulls, and I'm still really proud of it, even though I think I have a much better grasp on the characters now. This whole scene in final chapter is probably my favorite in the piece, but here's just a snippet of it:

Inhaling sharply, Finral's voice hitched. He turned his entire body away from her, but Vanessa watched as his shoulders began to shake. He sniffled and wiped his hand across his face, and she wondered if he was crying. She stared at him, frozen, her breath getting caught in her lungs and her insides twisting—a pang in her chest. She had felt this once before. Once, when she was in the market with Gordon, she had seen a lost child sobbing and wailing for his mother. She had tried to will her legs to move—to go over and comfort him—but she had frozen, just like this. By the time, she had managed to take a step forward, the boy’s mother had come running towards him and took him into her arms, crying herself. Vanessa had been so relieved, but it had struck a nerve in her and she couldn’t help but think of all the children who didn’t have a family to love them—whose cries went unheard and who were all alone—children like her…like Finral. When she looked at him now, all she could see was a lost, crying child, beaten down so many times with those words: useless, worthless, coward—until he believed them. Her arms seemed to move on their own as she wrapped them around Finral—holding him tightly. “Va…Vanessa,” he half-gasped, half-choked, and Vanessa pulled back slightly. She had never hugged anyone before and worried it had made him uncomfortable. She was beginning to wonder if she should have asked him first, when his stiff shoulders softened and he wrapped his arms around her. Her eyes widened. She had never been hugged either. Since they were around the same height, she pressed her chin to his shoulder and pulled him close. She could feel him shaking—hear his shallow breathing, and she knew he was crying. Something prickled behind her eyes. She didn’t know what to say. She felt…helpless. “I’m so sorry” was all she could manage.   Eventually, he broke away from her wiping his eyes with a breathy, self-deprecating chuckle, “You must think I’m pretty pathetic...” “No,” answered Vanessa shaking her head. “You’re not pathetic at all. Your family is wrong about you. You aren’t useless. Your magic is defensive because you don’t want to hurt anyone—because you’re kind—and it’s incredible. I spent most of my life wishing for magic that could take me anywhere. If I had a power like that…” Vanessa’s voice trailed as she smiled bitter-sweetly off at the horizon. Her voice wavering, she let out a shaky sigh before she continued, “And running away—leaving your House—doesn’t mean you’re weak. Just think about it, you just decided to pack up your things and leave that awful place. You didn’t even have to be rescued…” She paused as her hands trembled, and the words got stuck in the back of her throat. “There are…a lot of people who aren’t strong enough to do that, and the fact that you did…that doesn’t mean that you’re a coward”—her voice hitched—“It means that you’re brave.” His watery eyes widening in shock, Finral’s jaw fell slightly slack. “Brave?” he whispered almost as if he didn’t believe it, and Vanessa nodded. Finral’s face was already red from crying, but she could tell a blush had filled his cheeks as a small smile formed in the corners of his mouth. “I’ve…never been called that before...” He chuckled lightly as his voice trailed. “Thank you, Vanessa.” Vanessa shrugged, but her face flushed. “That’s what friends are for, right?”

24. An excerpt of my writing that makes me go "huh...i wrote that?!"

I don't think I've ever mentioned this on Tumblr before, but I have a very cheeky Black Clover "Choose Your Own Adventure" story called "Surviving The House Vaude Soap Opera." (It was never posted to Tumblr so this is an AO3 link). You are Finral, and it's very silly, purposefully melodramatic, and tongue-in-cheek--definitely not supposed to be taken seriously at all. It started out as an actual game I created with my sister so it's designed to be read with a dice for really randomizing things, but you can also just pick the numbers you want 😅 Obviously it doesn't include every possibility but there are several endings and several possible pairings in there. It's fun but far and away the most wild thing I've ever written for Black Clover and I still can't believe I wrote it.

Here are some excerpts because I amuse myself...(each indented segment is a totally separate thing)

You realize the love of your friends is the only love you will ever need, and you live a long, happy, and unmarried life as uncle to all of the Black Bulls’ children. The… Who are we kidding here?! Roll the Dice.

You are too scared to express your feelings, so you run off to the Forest of Poisonous Beasts to hide out until Mereoleona Vermillion (who has money riding on this relationship) drags you out of there by force and makes you confess. To your shock, Vanessa reciprocates your affections and soon accepts your proposal. You marry. Mereoleona gets her money, and you’re so indebted to her that you name your daughter after her. The End.

Langris suddenly appears and goes off on you for always trying to steal girls from him—why can’t you just find some of your own? he argues failing to recognize that Vanessa was your friend first. It’s like some parallel universe when Langris insists that this time you just have a duel to determine who gets to marry her instead of drawing the whole thing out. He beats you easily and, then, marries Vanessa. To this day you can’t figure out his motives, but you like to think they’re happy and didn’t just marry out of spite or something. You settle down at House Vaude with Lady Finesse and live a quiet, happy life together believing that all’s well that ends well, right? The End.

Your brother Langris in a shocking display of kindness realizes you and Lady Finesse are deeply in love and out of the goodness of his heart—which you always believed he had (despite evidence to the contrary)—decides to step aside so the two of you can marry. 

Langris snaps at you that it’s none of your business and deflects the question before admitting that he can’t be with the woman he loves anyway so it doesn’t matter. Langris is capable of love? You’re so shocked and confused but desperately want to know the identity of this mystery woman. You push Langris for answers, but he refuses to tell you. 

You think some “liquid courage” may help you express your feelings to Vanessa and ask her to have a drink with you. After way more than just “a drink,” you end up kind of yelling “I love you!” at her in a drunken stupor and asking her to marry you to which she points out that the two of you are already married. 

In this category of "Huh? I wrote that?" there's also the entirety of Spite (but let's not talk about that...)

[lola-theshowgrl]

'Perhaps some tea?' Prince Lucien suggested, gesturing to Chel who immediately jumped and went to do as he had been silently ordered. 'Chel, you are not a servant,' Dante stopped him, not looking away from the prince and frowning. 'Young man, I do not take kindly to your high-handed manner.' The Prince laughed shortly, though there was no trace of genuine humour in it, then bowed apologetically. 'I believe I am at least three years your senior, Lord Dante, but I apologise to have upset your household. Won't you at least sit and listen to what I have to say?' Dante gave him a long, hard stare, pretending to only consider his words despite knowing he would have to humour his request on some level. 'You're in my seat,' he told him, then looked at the ticking clock on the wall. 'You have ten minutes before I have to leave and check on the greenhouses.

"The Prince and The Botanist" - Chapter Two by Lola Elliott

[sorin-sunchild]

You know what? I DO still listen to old Vocaloid's. I do still listen to old Engloids specifically, ones that I know don't sound fluent, that are limited by the technology they were created by. I love Big Al and Sweet Ann not because they sound truly real and have zero issues, but because there's something about their accents, their choppiness, the way some people can really make them shine, that makes me happier than hearing yet another flawless young anime-ish girl voice.

[rmd-writes]

wip wednesday thursday

thanks for the tag @hippolotamus! 

I am once again here with some snippets from the fic that @welcometololaland and I are writing together, but we thought we’d play a little game today because it’s getting to the point where sometimes neither of us can remember who’s written what in this fic. So, here are two snippets from the fic, one written by me and one written by Lola, if you think you know who wrote them, feel free to jump into the comments with your guess!

“Falafel?” Carlos asks, panic rising in his throat. “You’re not vegetarian are you? Oh my god, I should have checked first, I’m so sorry. Here, I can take it back,” he says, reaching for the container and inadvertently placing his hands on TK’s. “Oh sorry, I didn’t mean—”

“Carlos,” TK interrupts him, laughter in his voice, but it isn’t unkind. “I’m not vegetarian.”

“You’re not?” Carlos winces at the way his voice goes a little pitchy. 

“No, I’m not.”

Relief washes over Carlos and his breaths come a little easier. 

“I am vegan though,” TK deadpans. 

Carlos stops breathing. 

--

TK knows it might seem desperate, but he doesn’t think he’s ever sent a calendar invite out quicker in his life. He feels buoyed by the fact that Carlos accepts it almost immediately, before another email lands in his inbox.

–

From: carlosreyes@fmcwpartners.com To: tstrand@morganpearson.com

Subject: 11pm

Hi TK

I think you set the time on the calendar invite to 11pm instead of 11am?

Aside from the fact that there may be few coffee shops open at that time, I suspect that no one will believe an 11pm coffee catch up is strictly professional.

Carlos.

–

TK actually cringes at the faux pas and sinks back into his seat. He’s given momentary reprieve from his pervasive feeling of shame as an email from his mother lands in his inbox. It’s marked high priority, which he supposes means he should open it sooner rather than later, lest she appear at his office door unannounced and refer to him by his full name.

It’s not Wednesday here anymore and it’s getting late for everyone else, so consider this an open tag to share what you’re working on! 

[beantothemax]

"Say my name, Cyrus. Say my name!"

Those were the words that had been permanently branded into his inner thigh. He had been so embarrassed about it, he never wore shorts. 

A very dramatic sentence, but an embarrassing one nonetheless, especially because he was going to forget his soulmate's fucking name.

"Technically, fish can drown."

It was probably the most ridiculous sentence his soulmate could say. And it was stamped right into his hip.

Olberic decided that he entirely hated his soulmate.

"Hmm, yes, I think I know now who stole that tome..."

Olberic could only stare at the brunette scholar wearing a simple black greatcoat with golden embroidery draped over his shoulders.

The strangest thing was that he had brown hair and blue eyes, which was extremely rare, if not unheard of.

"Perhaps I should go have a little chat with him... just to make sure we all understand one another."

The scholar turned around.

"Sh- ah, forgive me for not noticing your presence. My name is Cyrus Albright, and I am a scholar of the Royal Academy. May I be of service?"

As Olberic's companions had all gone around the place, he was left alone.

"... are you alright? You seem troubled."

A flash of emotion came across Cyrus' eyes. Like a falling star it came, and like a falling star it left, replaced by a calculating expression.

"Never better, my friend. I see you are a warrior."

"How did-"

"Your sword."

Cyrus sounded almost dead inside.

"It is made from Hornburg Steel, only used by the bravest of knights. And the way it is styled... you must be Olberic Eisenberg."

Olberic weakly opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water.

"But how?"

Cyrus chuckled.

"I am a history professor, my dear. I would recognise the Unbending Blade from his sword. Although I must say that I should have recognised it from the iconic tunic you wear..."

Cyrus fiddled with the ribbons on his shirt - a habit Olberic would grow to know as a movement implying anxiety.

"... I could use some improvement."

Olberic couldn't help but laugh a little at the way Cyrus scrunched up his nose like a toddler denied sweets.

"Go to sleep, Olberic. You've done enough today."

Cyrus stood up and gave Olberic a stern look, one similar to a mother would give a child reading under the covers.

"But-"

"No buts, Olberic. Rest."

Cyrus left to take both their shifts as Olberic stared quietly at him then laid back down.

"Look out!"

Cyrus was shoved onto the ground as a slimeball zooped right past where he was standing before.

"Oh, that was too close for my liking. Thank you kindly, Sir Olberic."

"My pleasure."

Cyrus blushed as he realised that Olberic was currently keeping him pinned to the ground in a way that was definitely not innocent.

"Sir Olberic...?"

"Yes, Cyrus?"

"Could you kindly remove yourself from me?"

"Ah, yes. My apologies."

Primrose dissolved into helpless giggles.

"Hold still."

Cyrus yelped as Olberic dug his wrists into his lower back. He had moved a bit too fast and ended up with a crick stuck in it, and it fucking hurt.

A loud crack, and Cyrus could breathe again.

"That's much better... thank you, Olberic..."

Cyrus slumped against the elder.

Olberic raised an eyebrow at the affectionate - and rather intimate - gesture.

hehehehhee ‘fish out of water’ like the words……

these are a bunch of snippets of scenes that would be in the fic I’m assuming? looks cool! sad that it wasn’t meant to be

[rayne-the-neutrois-nerd]

Guess this is a good of a time as any to actually listen to hesitant alien whoops 😬

[nayziiz]

Speed | CS55

Summary: In a chance encounter at a gas station, a mysterious woman on a Yamaha YZF R6 catches the attention of Carlos, a charming Ferrari driver. Little did they know the journey they would both go on.

Warning: Smut, fluff

Pairing: Carlos Sainz x OC (Lola)

Masterlist

Chapter 9

Despite the whirlwind romance with Carlos, Lola remained grounded in reality. She carried on with her life, focusing on her work and her passions, determined not to let herself get swept away by feelings for a man who seemed to belong to a world far beyond her own.

She knew better than to catch feelings for someone like Carlos Sainz, an F1 driver with fame and fortune at his fingertips. In a world where he could have any girl he desired, Lola couldn't help but feel like she was just another fleeting moment in his fast-paced life.

As Carlos flew to Maranello, immersed in the world of racing and high-stakes competition, Lola continued to navigate the everyday challenges of her own life. She threw herself into her work, finding solace in the familiar routine of her job and the satisfaction of creating something meaningful.

But despite her best efforts to push him out of her mind, Carlos lingered in her thoughts like a lingering melody, a reminder of the passion and excitement she had experienced in his arms. Yet, she knew that getting involved with someone like him could only lead to heartache in the end.

As the days passed after Carlos's departure to Maranello, Lola found herself both surprised and comforted by the occasional phone calls and text messages they exchanged. Each interaction felt like a lifeline, a connection to a world that seemed both tantalisingly close and impossibly distant at the same time.

Their conversations ranged from playful banter to deeper topics. Despite the physical distance between them, they found solace in the familiarity of each other's voices, sharing snippets of their lives as if they had known each other for years rather than mere days.

But as the week progressed and Carlos's departure to Australia loomed closer, a sense of unease settled over Lola like a dark cloud on the horizon. She couldn't shake the feeling that their fragile connection was about to be severed, that the ephemeral happiness they had found together was destined to fade away like a fleeting dream.

And then, just as she had feared, the messages grew fewer and farther between until they eventually ceased altogether. The silence was deafening, a stark reminder of the transient nature of their connection and the harsh reality of their different worlds.

The other shoe had finally dropped, just like she expected. Despite her best efforts to guard her heart, the sting of rejection cut deep, leaving her feeling raw and vulnerable in its wake. She had known all along that getting involved with someone like Carlos was a risk, but she hadn't been prepared for just how much it would hurt when he inevitably walked away.

Despite the familiar sting of disappointment, Lola felt an unexpected sense of liberation wash over her in the wake of Carlos's silence. It was as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, freeing her from the constraints of expectation and allowing her to embrace the true essence of who she was.

In the past, she had allowed herself to be defined by the actions of others, allowing their fleeting affections to dictate her sense of self-worth. But with Carlos, it was different. He had ignited a spark within her, a spark of independence and resilience that burned brighter than any fleeting romance.

So, instead of wallowing in despair, Lola made a bold decision. She would reclaim her power, her agency, and her sense of adventure. She would no longer allow herself to be held captive by the whims of others, but instead would forge her own path, guided by the thrill of the open road and the wind in her hair.

With a determined glint in her eye, Lola donned her leather jacket, swung her leg over her Yamaha, and revved the engine to life. As she tore down the highway, her heart pounding with exhilaration, she realised that she didn't need Carlos or anyone else to make her feel alive.

For the first time in a long time, she felt truly free. Free to ride wherever the road may lead, free to embrace the unknown with open arms, and free to be unapologetically herself.

As Lola sat in front of the television, the familiar buzz of excitement filled the air as the Formula 1 Qualifying session unfolded on the screen before her. Her heart raced with anticipation, her eyes scanning the track for any sign of the scarlet Ferrari, adorned with the number 55, that had become so intertwined with her thoughts.

Despite her resolve to move on and embrace her newfound freedom, there was still a part of her that yearned for a glimpse of Carlos, a fleeting connection to the man who had ignited a spark within her. As each car sped past, she held her breath, waiting for that unmistakable flash of red, the roar of the engine that sent shivers down her spine.

And then, there it was. The sleek, elegant form of the Ferrari streaking across the screen, carving through the corners with precision and grace. Lola's heart skipped a beat as she watched, her eyes tracing every curve and every line of the car, her mind filled with memories of their time together.

For a moment, she allowed herself to bask in the thrill of the race, to lose herself in the adrenaline-fueled excitement of the sport she had grown to love. But as the cars crossed the finish line and the session drew to a close, reality came crashing back, reminding her of the distance that now lay between her and Carlos.

What she didn’t expect was for her phone to start ringing with Carlos’s name flashing across the screen.

Lola's heart skipped a beat as she saw Carlos's name light up her phone screen, a mixture of surprise and anticipation flooding her senses. With a quick intake of breath, she answered the call, her voice calm despite the flutter of excitement within her.

“Hey.” She greeted him, her tone light and playful.

“Hey,” Carlos responded, his voice warm and familiar. “Did you watch Qualifying?”

A small smile tugged at the corners of Lola's lips as she leaned back in her chair.

“I may have,” she teased, a hint of mischief lacing her words.

“Why else would you be up so early on a Sunday, huh?” Carlos teased, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. Lola chuckled softly, the sound echoing through the quiet room.

“Touché.” she replied, unable to hide the smile in her voice. “You did great, Carlos.”

“If I win by some miracle, then I’m dedicating the win to you. You’ve lit the fire in me that I didn’t realise was turning to ash.” A soft sigh escaped Carlos's lips, his tone laced with sincerity. Lola's laughter bubbled up at his bold declaration.

“That seems awfully confident,” she teased, her voice warm with affection.

“I have to go debrief with the media. Will you message me later when you’ve slept a bit then we can video call?” He asked, his tone carrying a mix of regret and anticipation.

“Sure, that would be nice.” She agreed, her voice warm with understanding.

“Good. I’ve missed your pretty face.” He mumbled, his words laced with a tender longing that spoke volumes about his feelings for her.

“Have you?.” She countered, a hint of curiosity in her voice.

“Oh, most definitely. I have some time between this Grand Prix and Japan. I’ll come visit, maybe convince you to come with me to Japan?” Carlos responded, his tone playful yet tinged with sincerity.

“You want me to come with you to Japan?” Lola repeated, the possibility sparking excitement in her voice.

“Yeah…” He trailed off, his voice holding a hopeful note. “We can discuss later, yeah?”

“Yeah,” Lola agreed, her heart fluttering with anxiety at the thought of embarking on such an adventure with him.

“Alright, duty calls. Talk to you later, mon amor,” he greeted her, his words carrying a warmth that made her smile, and before she could respond, the call abruptly ended, leaving her with anticipation for their next conversation.

-----------------------

Taglist: @itsjustkhaos @notyouraveragemochii @heyheyheyggg

[evnovaa]

Blame | snippet

Chris Sturniolo x reader

“ I feel stripped of my skin and alone ”

a/n: hi hi stars!! soooo here’s a little snippet from blame 😚 promise full fic will be out in a day or two! Prepare its gon be a long one lots of shit we gon feeeeellllllll💔💔💔 but lmk what y’all think so far 💋

“Chris you are seriously starting to piss me off can you MOVE.” Nick says to his brother as he stands in his way from getting into their shared apartment.

“Kid, you can walk around me you know that right?” Chris says in an annoyed tone.

Nick rolls his eyes and pushes past him “fucking imbecile, I swear” Nick said mumbling under his breath.

Chris was standing in the door way mainly because he was trying to get a hold of his girlfriend who doesn’t seem to be answering the phone. Recently she’s been distant and he has been assuming the worst either she is cheating on him or she’s hiding something that she might be enduring without his knowledge.

Chris⭐️ : y/n can you please just respond to say you are okay

Chris⭐️ : y/n I don’t know what’s been going on with you recently, and I’m not fucking akinator this shit is getting annoying.

Read at 9:59pm

Chris is still getting no response from y/n, she’s clearly reading his messages which now indicates that she’s ignoring him.

“Dude are you gonna stand there there the whole night?” Matt says to him coming down the stairs.

Chris goes ahead and ignores what his brother just said to him, in that moment it sounded like nothing but gibberish as he is still staring at his phone.

“Before Christmas Christopher.” Matthew says to him awaiting a response.

Chris sighs and puts his phone in his pocket and walks into their apartment. He shoots straight to his room and shuts the door behind him.

Next morning

Y/n pov

I can see my boyfriend texting me and I know he’s gotten irritated with me, but right now he is the last person to be irritated.

Me and Chris have been together for almost 3 years now, he is really amazing and been amazing all these years. What has changed you may ask? Well all these years he has been amazing but like everyone else their boyfriend may do something they dislike but don’t have the heart to say anything. For me it’s him and his never ending friendship as he’d like to say with his ex-girlfriend.

Earlier yesterday

“She really is incredible, but y/n hates the mention of her, I’ve noticed anytime I mention Lola around her she tends to get quiet and isn’t present in the conversation anymore” Chris says venting to his friend Larry.

“Chris imma have to be honest with you, it is lowkey weird that you’re so close to Lola while dating y/n, I don’t know the boundaries surrounding your relationship, but usually girls don’t want their man parading around with their ex-girlfriend.”

“But listen she’s more of a friend to me, dating her was like something I did because I felt alone, and needed the reassurance of a partner, but Lola and I grew into friends more than a couple, hence we broke up” Chris knows what he’s saying is true in his mind but in his heart he loves Lola still, but refuses to come to terms with it.

“I don’t know chrissypoo, you’re gonna have to figure that one out with her.” Larry says knowing this conversation will be far from productive if anything it was moving in retrograde.

───────── ౨ৎ ───────── ───────── ౨ৎ ───────── ───────── ౨ৎ ─────────

a/n : Chris an idiot that’s all imma say but will he be able to explain himself to y/n and fix what she’s actually realized? Ion knowwwwwww🤫🤫🤫🤫🤫🤫 okay bye stars!!

[bidisaster-peanut-romano]

Curious if you think Johnny, peanut, and Lola have/had siblings or if they're just only children. Personally I always hc johnny and lola as only children but felt that peanut had a younger sister who passed away.

why hi anon!!! this such an interesting question, thank you!!

i remember reading that hc, yep!!

i hc all the three of them, however, to be only children (i think they're the only greasers that i do??). in fact, for all three of them, this fundamental isolation is their childhood is, in the way i read it, what shaped some of the way they socialize and influences a lot their interactions.

as for johnny, the thing is that his parents were both in the drug dealing circles of new coventry, hence why they were in prison for a while- his father was actually pretty important in the neighborhood, while his mom mostly helped and did other legal jobs (which is also why she got out earlier). and johnny learnt both how to be a man and how not to be a man from his father- he taught him strength and roughness and to never take a hit but punch harder. but he also taught that johnny didn't want to hit his woman, didn't want to leave the house for a smoke to cool his head when she was crying and threatening to hurt herself because of him, didn't want her to be his slave.

in this framework, i think that him having, say, a brother would sort of... scatter the relationship his father has with him, the attention and, almost, the pressure to be worthy of being treated as a peer. which is something i really like to read for johnny. and i also like the idea of him having had his mother as the only woman in his life, before lola. call him a mama's boy, but he learned to take care of his mother before he even questioned how to deal with an eventual girlfriend. so he has learned to take care of the people he has around himself, such as peanut, almost in a way that replaces a paternal figure as protector of the house. but also internalized some very specific notions about masculinity and virility that he totally projects onto the relationship with lola.

ultimately, i think, the whole point is that the way he lives the relationship with lola in particular is basically a result with having grown up with the only reference in his house of close human interaction as his parents, and having to sort of step up where they lacked in the sole spousal relationship.

with peanut, my hc is that his mom had him when she was very young, sixteen years old, and she was... basically on her own, really; the boy she had had him with had fled as soon as he had a chance, her dad was on the other side of the ocean and her mom was basically mia (i still have to figure out the logistics of this, since, when i first elaborated it, i forgot for a while that Laws Existed, LMAO, and i was already too far in the creating process to change that), so she had to raise him on her own. and peanut spent most of his childhood in his living room, waiting for his mom to come back home, watching the vhs she had rented for him and reading the motors magazines. it's there that he fell in love with greasers, crushing on marlon brando and james dean, the shiny motorcycles and the raw leather jackets.

he basically had to live with himself, you see. also bc his mom, so young and unprepared, was very overwhelmed most of the time, and- i did post a quick snippet of a scrapped chapter of my fic already, actually, so you can get a broad but more detailed idea of their relationship if you want!! either way, point is. larry had to learn to tend to himself at a very young age, dealing with the loneliness and his own sensitivity, running from eventual kids of the neighborhood, who liked to take advantage of him being much smaller than most of them, trying not to take up too much space and upset his mom.

so of course, when he met johnny, older, proud, powerful as a sun, promising to take care of him, it felt almost unreal, something he never thought he could have wished for nor something he thought he deserved. some kind of care and protection hed never learnt to receive, and that he hang onto for dear life because suddenly... he wasn't on his own anymore.

(sometimes parents are just Contextual Objects. other time they are fully fleshed ocs with a backstory and a whole personality. turns out despite everything immacolata romano is really my child and i am so so fond of her and id have soo much more to say abt her relationship w peanut. but i digress)

and lola- i'll admit, shes the one i bounced back and forth about the most, in trying to imagine her family's situation. (in fact, if you see any reference to her family in my older fics/post, no you dont) at some point i even considered the idea of her having a much older brother who would sort of fill in for some absent father figure, but then i scrapped it. i think that, in her case as well, having grown up alone with her parents' relationship as a reference makes potentially much more sense than any other possibility i considered.

lola has a quote, in which she says "i'm so old, my life is almost over!" when... she's just?? sixteen??? seventeen??? i think it's because, see, her parents got married and had her when they were young, maybe nineteen or twenty- yknow, as soon as it was legal for the both of them without too many loopholes. however, the relationship was very unbalanced and fundamentally deteriorated, perhaps not from the beginning but very soon. her father being dominant, violent, arrogant and such. and her mother has always been bitter, subdued but angry and resentful at her husband, at the golden expectations she had, at her womanhood and, of course, at her daughter. she's always seen her as living proof of her own wasted beauty and youth; but, especially as soon lola started growing up to the age at which girls start being looked at by the boys, which we unfortunately know how soon it is, saw in her what she felt she'd lost. so she'd often remind her how lola was the reason why she is now a ruin of a woman, why she went from a beautiful and promising girl to an old and unattractive hag.

again- her being the only child helps focus on her the kingpin of this dynamic, especially on her mother's part. so lola grew up knowing what can happen to women, what remains when the fairytales of the princess marrying the prince crumble with the remnants of childhood. she realized at eleven, twelve years old how men were starting to look at her in the street and she knew what the next step would have been. she was reminded every day of her life. so, when she walked into bullworth, into the relationship with johnny, all she knew is that she wouldn't have ended up like her mother. knew that she wouldn't have fallen in love, wouldn't be tricked by the sweet words and the dreamy gazes. and she knew that she had no weapons to defend herself but the very thing that could've otherwise been the death of her, that being the male attention. and finding a way to use johnny's attention specifically, with his blind devotion mixed to the obliviousness, to her own advantage... well, that's what her whole arc is about, isn't it.

as i write this, i'm starting to realize that her having, perhaps specifically a brother, might function as a tool to highlight the difference in treatment between her, a daughter, and an eventual son. however, i stand my case that i really like the idea of this whole dynamic of her parents and her mother in particular resting on her and her only, creating this sort of... tunnel vision in which her very isolation in front of her view create her idea of how the world works.

thank you so much for the question!! it was a lot of fun to answer + it helped me make some order among some concepts i had in my mind <33

[preet-01]

Reign AU!! It caught my eyes and I love royalty/historical AUs

Ooh okay so the Reign AU is a fic idea I got after seeing a TikTok of historical fashion in tv. It’s a dewis fic loosely based on the tv show Reign with Daniel as Mary Queen of Scots and Lewis as Francis II of France. I loved the first few seasons of the show

Here’s a snippet of what I have so far:

Daniel had been less than a week old when his father died. He had been less than a week old when a crown had been placed atop his head and he had been proclaimed king. He had been less than a week old when his father’s enemies became his enemies and they tried to assassinate him.

Daniel had been a month old when his mother betrothed him to a neighboring kingdom’s crown prince. Daniel had been a month old when his mother had been declared regent. Daniel had been a month old when he was sent away from his home for his own safety.

At twenty, Daniel meets his betrothed for the first time in years. Crown Prince Lewis is a vague memory in the haze of his childhood. Daniel vaguely remembers running down the castle halls, giggling as Lewis ran after him.

Other characters currently are Toto as King Henry II, Max as Sebastian de Poitiers, George as Kenna, and Charles as Lola, but it could all possibly change depending on how long the fic is. So it could potentially be a dewis fic with hints of maxiel, toto/george, max/george, and lewis/charles

[mblack-93]

AFTG fic idea

Hi! I have some fic ideas for All of the Game fanfics, and want some opinions!

Pretty please? I have put some snippets of the stories with the ideas!

You can vote at the bottom for which fic I should write!

The options are;

First: Neil is not the only freshman to start at the Foxes that year, but Mike/Michaela (an androgynous person) is the other (Dealer or Striker?) They have known Andrew for years and are because of that 'adopted' into the Monsters. What nobody knows is that they are the daughter of Lola. They hate their mother and become very protective over Neil. *maybe pairing with Kevin, or with Neil/Andrew*

Snippet from this story;

''So it's true? You're a whore?'' The bitch sneers.

Michaela laughs and gives them a frightening grin. ''I never did say what my services are, did I? It's just funny that everyone always assumes it has something to do with sex.'' She purrs.

Neil has stiffened next to him, and she can't blame him. Now she knows who he is, her 'killer' smile probably makes him nervous. She knows she looks like her mother that way.

And after all, her mother is none other than his father's right hand.

Second: Neil gets badly hurt during an attack by his father, and his mother needs to leave him for a couple of weeks to get them off their trail. Neil passes out in a warehouse and gets picked up by the police and put into foster care because our boy will never say anything about his parents. There he meets Andrew at the Spear house. (you can probably imagine the horror they go through) before his mother finds him again and kidnaps him, but not before torching the house. Neil thinks Andrew is dead and is grieving, while Andrew survives the fire barely (he has some bad scars.) Andrew gets adopted by the Minyards and follows canon until Neil comes back into play in Arizona. *Andriel*

Snippet from this story;

Andrew is frozen, he had not expected to ever see Abram again. He truly thought the kid died. His only friend. He thought-

''DREW!'' Abram cries out and throws himself in Andrews's arms, and even after all these years, Andrew recognizes Abram as if he's his own touch and doesn't flinch away. No, he pulls him tighter against him, hugging him like they have never been separated. He is the only person who can touch him without warning. The only one he even wants to touch and someone who never has made his skin crawl.

''I thought you died,'' He hears Abram whisper against his ear; Andrew feels more than hears the hitched, pained breath that leaves Abram.

''I can say the same, idiot,'' He tells Abram gruffly, making the other boy snort. Christ, he's taller than Andrew now. The asshole, how dare he?

Third: Neil never ran with his mother and has grown up with Kevin in the Nest. When Kevin's hand is broken, Neil gets him out and brings him to the Foxes, he also gets Jean out, but has to pay the price himself. Then after months of silence and Kevin being sure his friend is dead, he turns up at the Foxhole Court. He has made another deal with Ichirou. If he can disgrace Riko, and kill him afterwards, he has earned Kevin's and Jean's continued freedom. He never made a deal for himself. *A Neil/Andrew/Kevin pairing*

Snippet from this fic;

''You are still going to play, Kevin Day-'' A chuckle escaped the red-haired boy before him. ''-You will not let him win, and you will not give up. You will play Exy-'' ''But-'' A hard tug shut him up before he could say more. ''You are going to play Exy and show the world that those numbers mean nothing.'' He gestured to Kevin's cheek before pointing to his own. Nathaniel's had just been tattooed yesterday, before the match that ruined everything. 

Kevin sucked in a breath and whimpered when Nathaniel started wrapping his hand up in bandages. He then shoved a bottle of Vodka in Kevin's lap and ordered him to drink, which Kevin did without complaint. It dulled the pain, even if it was just a little. 

Kevin spaced out for a moment, but before he knew it, Nathaniel was in front of him again—this time with a duffle bag slung over his shoulder and a phone pressed against his ear.

He talked in rapid Japanese, and Kevin tried to focus on what was being said, but he could only make out a few words. 

''-dangerous-'' ''Broken investments-'' ''Anything.'' ''-get us out.'' 

Thank you for leaving your vote ❤❤❤❤

[alrightbuckaroo]

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Thanks for the tags, @welcometololaland, @wandering-night19, @three-drink-amy, @inflarescent, @strandnreyes, @rmd-writes! It's always a delight to read the little snippets you share. Lola asked for some more Parisian Summer AU and who am I to deny?

"When I make dinner, I start cooking but then it’s like Dumas is in my ear, telling me everything I’m doing wrong. Even things I’ve done for years, like how to make a simple roux. Next thing I know, I’m feeling anxious and sometimes I start to lose focus.”

“What do you mean?” TK asks softly, like one does when approaching a wounded bird. “Lose focus?” 

“I don’t know, I guess it’s like, spacing out? I don’t know, it’s like for a super brief second, things go dark and then I come back to reality without remembering the moment before.” Carlos explains, wondering if any of his ramblings make sense. 

“It’s not very often though.” Carlos rushes to clarify when TK looks at him with overwrought concern. “I just, I just have to get better at staying focused.” Carlos smiles after he says it, like it’s that easy. 

TK is silent for a brief moment, holding himself back because all he wants to do is be honest with Carlos. He wants to tell Carlos he’s worried about him. He wants to tell Carlos he can’t be indifferent to this anymore, but at the same time; he doesn’t think telling Carlos will make a difference.

Carlos is still Carlos at the end of the day; a career driven culinary student who’s focused on his journey to becoming the best chef that he can be. TK just happened to be a fortunate stop amid that journey; one that Carlos hasn’t left just yet and one that TK hopes he never leaves. 

TK doesn’t want his worry to disfigure itself into animosity, as if he’s annoyed he has to share Carlos with his embedded passion. He wants Carlos to be the best, but he also wants Carlos to be happy. 

“You know you can always come find me if it gets too dark,” TK says, his thumb running across the ridges of Carlos’ knuckles. “I’m always happy to be your light.” 

TK thinks it might sound cliche and he knows it won’t magically fix anything; but that doesn’t mean he means it any less. He had once told Carlos he could talk to him about anything and that still rings true, now more than ever.

tagging: @reyesstrand, @carlos-in-glasses, @heartstringsduet, @orchidscript, @lemonlyman-dotcom, @thisbuildinghasfeelings, @bonheur-cafe, @basilsunrise, @tailoredshirt, @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut, @sanjuwrites, @freneticfloetry, @ambiguouspenny, @rosedavid, @paperstorm and here's an open tag for anyone who just wants to share :)