#mountain bike handlebars

[kissagii]

today i learned: don't do hill sprints until you physically can't continue. you will become stronger but also regret your choices.

[wain-wright]

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[meguchi512]

assigning behaviors I've noticed in people to pjsk characters:

tsukasa: writes his name EVERYWHERE. his desk at school has "tsukasa" "tsukasa" "tsukasa" "tsukasa" written all over it, his notebooks too and even his classmates' notebooks (from a classmate)

shizuku: says "oh, madonna!" instead of "oh god" (from my italian grandpa)

saki: tsukasa rides a bike and saki sits on the handlebar & every time they have to stop they fall off but they just get up and go on like nothing's happened (from an old friend)

mizuki: accidentally sends "penis shaped messages" and immediately points it out (me)

ena: is so fucking done with mizuki's penis messages (my friends)

kanade: "uhh i think I'm forgetting something? oh well it probably wasn't important" hasn't drank water since yesterday (me again)

rui: extremely verbose, to the point where everyone around him thinks he's some sort of philosophical genius but in reality he's just saying dumb shit and articulating it intelligently (my italian grandpa again so sorry)

an: sends her friends "hot milfs in your area" messages pretending to be a bot because silly and immediately gets banned ( @robinoullea literally)

airi: wants to be supportive but types way too quickly ( @robinoullea trying to say "10/10")

emu: says the most deranged things in roblox chats and manages to not get censored while her friend (nene) can't even go one sentence without "########" ( @harukaisu )

nene, trying to tell tsukasa to reset his roblox avatar because he got stuck: uhhh kill yourself (me) (I'M SO SORRY)

minori: tries to download a pin and accidentally sends it to a random person and dies of embarrassment (everyone. no one is safe from Pinterest's AWFUL interface)

ichika: goes into a store. gets an ingredient. goes back home. goes back. gets an ingredient. goes back home. repeat until she's got everything to make dinner when it's already 11pm (my forgetful mom)

mafuyu: has the most DERANGED dreams I'm not even kidding ( @robinoullea when he had that one dream where he sent me a tiktok meme of Richard Watterson saying the names of popular pornstars with them flashing on screen for a second each. I've cried real tears about this btw)

kohane: has a chicken farm in minecraft but she's so attached to them that she can't kill any of them for food so they just keep reproducing and in turn the server keeps getting laggier. eventually a creeper explodes right next to it and she throws herself off a mountain (me)

haruka: uses the default pfp which is also the pfp that shows when you get blocked by someone. she also turns her phone off often (which causes messages to not get sent until it's on) so minori always panics and sends her messages to make sure she's not blocked (classmate)

akito: makes gagging noises on purpose because it makes ena gag too and get VERY annoyed and he finds it funny (classmate)

toya: unintentionally causes a lot of fights in vbs regarding what the best way to make coffee is (my whole friend group) (except me i do it on purpose)

honami: whenever someone tags her in l/n's group chat she heroically says "who calls for my help?" ( @robinoullea )

shiho: doesn't have the heart to tell honami how funny it is when she does that (not me i always make sure to mention it)

[swifty-fox]

would love [adore] from the prompt list for two fingers down buck to bucky

[ adore ] for a kiss on the stomach/thighs

"If you could take your bike anywhere, regardless of oceans or mountains and shit, where would you ride?"

"Where would I ride?" Gale switches his toothpick from one corner of his mouth to the other.

John sits up and reaches down to brush the hair off Gale's forehead. He smelled like gasoline and asphalt and just the vaguest hint of blood. Later John would peel off the road-worn clothes and seek out wherever Gale's body had made contact with the rough road. Press his lips and his hands and his careful care to the raw spot and put the biker back together.

Gale didn't need anyone looking after his hurts, John just liked wresting the other man back from the roads and into his bed.

"Yeah," he says, "Anywhere in the world, Buck."

"Think that's more of a question for you, Bucky. You're the worldly one."

John scoffs, "Don't think jungles from hell or the asscrack of Wisconsin count as worldly."

Gale hums, turning his face into the offered inner fold of Johns thigh, inhaling tenderly. One hand idly traces the sensitive hollows of John's knee, brushing the leg-hair smooth in slow strokes.

"Come on," John prompts, "There's gotta be somewhere."

He brushes a thumb along the apple of Gale's cheek, feels it curve into a sharp upward trajectory that was the other man's smile.

"Florida."

"Florida?"

Gale pokes open an eye, fondly tired, "Yeah. Right down the coast while NASA launches their rockets."

John stares at him.

"Evening, right when the sky's hitting the water," Gale continues softly, brow furrowed and staring off as if the vision was mere feet away, "And I feel the rocket shakin' everything under my wheels."

Wheels because he couldn't be a pilot, a pilot because they'd never take a kid like him into a space program. John swipes another thumb across Gale's temple and thinks go or not the war fucked everyone up a little bit.

"Let's go."

"What?"

John drops the wrapped newspaper Gale had brought in with him that morning next to them and points at the front page.

"Apollo 11 is launching next month. We should ride down there and catch it. You and me."

"That's a long way to ride piggyback-"

"I'll ride mine."

Gale blinks.

John hadn't been willing to ride more than twenty minutes at a time, too scared a certain kick of the wheels of growl fo the engine might send him back into the pilots seat and into an already hole punched grave. He still got jittery hands wrapping around the handlebars. Gale had told him he didn't care if John never rode with them. But he knew the other man was itching to go somewhere further than an overnight stay.

"It's about time, I think."

Gale leans up to kiss him, drops his lips down John's neck and chest in slow presses. When he gets to the curve of John's stomach he hears something rare. A single quiet exhale of laughter against the dark curls. John grins up at the ceiling

[no-nameno-face]

Auburn Thoughts (Pt.3) WITH AUDIO

Pairing: Reader x Ellie Williams

Summary:  After a messy ending to the party, Ellie takes you home. With the influence of liquid courage, you invite her up to your dorm room.

Warnings: NSFW, 18+ ONLY, minors do not interact. You will be blocked. sub!reader, dom!ellie, Mentions of Alcohol, Drunk!R, Jealousy, kissing, grinding, masturbation (kinda), Praise kink, minor pain kink, boob play (R!receiving), 

Author's Notes: slow burns are harddddd. But hey, I made it to part 3 before I let anything progress too far!!! Does that still qualify as a slow burn? Not sure. So pumped to be adding an audio to this series! I love making them sooo much its stupid. lmfao. This is just the beginning of Ellie and Readers.. Experiences. I'm excited to develop their relationship further. Hope you enjoy and have fun matching the audio to the story!<;3 (I put in the story when the audio clip applies)

Part 2

Part 4

______________________________________________________________

“Where are we going?” I ask, trying to keep up with her.

“I'm taking you home.” 

______________________________________________________________

I look back to the house, still trying to catch up with her “I need to let my friend know! She's gonna be worried.” I call to her, wrapping my arms around myself. The liquor wasn't warm enough to beat the chill of the night.

“Then she shouldnt have left you alone, wasted, at a fucking frat party!” She turns around a black bullet bike parked on the street, I catch up to her, stopping.

“Ellie, I can't” nodding my chin at the bike. She pulls the helmet off of the back.

“You can,” she hands it to me. “And you will.” Stern eyes. She goes back to her bike and swings her leg widely over the seat. My stomach tightens, I absorb her movements. She sits with one hand on the handlebars, the other on her thigh. “Helmet.” she commands, redirecting my thoughts.  Pulling it on, I walk to the side of the bike nervously. She pushes up on the seat making room for me behind her. I'm suddenly too aware of the short skirt I'm wearing. Thinking about it riding up my thighs, pushed up against her. Fuck, I’m thankful for the helmet hiding my raging blush. 

I look around to make sure no one's watching, Ellie’s looking straight ahead. I swing my leg over the seat and slide into place behind her. My chest to her back, my thighs behind hers. Pressed against her. I feel her tense against me. 

“Is this okay?” I feathered my hands around her waist. I feel her draw in a deep breath against me.

“Tighter.” she instructs. Warmth grows in my belly and swells into my thighs, despite the icy night and my exposed legs. I adjust myself and tighten my arms around her waist. She hesitates at this. “Where’s your place?” she breathes, turning her head slightly, looking at me over her shoulder.

“Um, I'm in the Mountain Side Dorms. Across from the Anderson Building.” 

“Got it.” she looks back to her handles, starting the bike. It roars alive, vibrating beneath us. I lift my legs and they settle in their place, she pushes off and gasses the bike. I find myself ducking into her back with the sudden motion, squeezing my arms and legs a bit tighter around her. After a moment of adjustment, I lift my head and look around. I watch the street lights streaming past us in ribbons. We are going fast, little to no traffic on the road at this time of night. The cold air is exhilarating, tantalizing on my skin, stealing the breath from my lips. My consciousness shifts down our bodies, memorizing the feel of her on me.

______________________________________________________________

She pulls around the front of my building and slows, planting her feet on the asphalt. Swinging my leg over the bike, I turn away from her to pull my skirt back down past my hips it had gathered on. I look over my shoulder in time to see her eyes traveling over my legs. 

She looks away quickly, hand going to the back of her neck rubbing it hard, looking down. Caught. I bite at my smirk beneath the helmet.

“You need to be more careful,” she says flatly, without looking at me. Setting the kickstand with her foot, her hips swing over the bike smoothly, experienced. Hands rubbing sweat on her thighs. I pull the helmet off, shaking my hair out, flyaways resting against my face. 

“I'm fine Ellie. It's not a big deal, nothing happened.”

“I’m fuckin’ serious” she looks at me intensely. I shy away beneath her gaze

“Yeah, I hear you. I’ll be more careful.” I step on a pebble at my feet, rolling it under my shoe. A silence settles between us. 

“Do you need help getting to your room?”

“Why? Looking for an invitation?” I look at her, the edges of my mouth turning up slightly, hoping to break the tension a bit. She shakes her head at her shoes.

“Fuck man,” eyes raise to mine, a small smile painting her lips. “you're hard to stay mad at.” our locked eyes fill the silence in my ears with an electric buzz.

“Let me walk you to the door.” she says, taking the helmet from my hands and setting it on the back of the bike. I don't protest. I bend over taking my heels off and hooking them in my hand. She looks at me, raising one scarred brow.

“My feet hurt!” I roll my eyes at her stare and start walking. I'm a bit steadier on my feet now after the sobering cold winds, although still a bit looser than normal.  She matches my pace, shoving her hands in her pockets. My mind drifts to my body flush against her. Her hair blowing in the wind, whipping my helmet. I think about my hands around her. “Tighter.” My hands tighten against my shoes and purse at the thought of her command. We reach the door and I scan my fob hearing the lock click, pulling the door open. 

“Alright, well..” she looks at the bottom of the open door. “Go get some rest.” she says, straightening herself, shifting her eyes to me. 

“I will.” I give her a soft smile. “Thank you for the ride.” I brush a hair out of my face with the back of my hand occupied by my purse. “I appreciate it.” 

“Yeah, of course.” She responds smoothly with a small nod. 

I think about her hardened voice from the bathroom, her hand slamming on the door, her anger towards that guy. How is this the same girl? She turns on her heels and begins walking back to her bike.

“Ellie.” It escapes my mouth before I can stop to think about what I’m doing. She turns her head to look at me. I look at the door then back to her. “Do you wanna,” I drift off, not sure how to ask casually.

“Wanna what?” she says, crooking her head to the side, the shadow of a smile on her lips. My eyes drift as I blow out a puff of air, my breath a cloud in the cold. Images rush me, her leading hand on my waist, her leaning over me on the bathroom counter. I imagine her sitting on my bed. I imagine her taking off my- My eyes shoot up, meeting green. Decided. 

“Do you wanna come up?”

She smiles and bites at her lip. My heart leaps. “I guess I wouldn't mind,” She swings her leg around, turning dramatically. My tongue presses into my teeth. She saunters towards me, eyes on me until she passes into the lobby. She looks around the expansive room. “Damn, this place is nice.” She approaches a table opposite of the elevators. It's got a random modern sculpture centered on it. She pokes at it.

“Don't break anything.” I say as I push the button. 

“Don't tempt me.”

The elevator slides open, she follows me in. I press 5, her eyes follow my hand. She leans against the railing as the doors close. I feel the air around us shift as the space closes in, charged. I notice her breathing change. Does she feel it too? I avoid looking at her. My hands start trembling ever so slightly.

Ding. 

Stepping out, I take a quiet deep breath. “Lead the way.” she prompts, looking at me with curious eyes. I walk, trying to think of something to say but blanking. I stop at my door, 528. Fumbling with my keys I realize the trembling in them has intensified. I know she sees it too. Finally, my key slides in and clicks the lock open. I open the door and walk in holding it behind me so she can follow. 

“Welcome to my humble abode.” My attempt at humor, trying to disguise the nervousness in my voice. I toss my shoes and purse on the ground next to the door. I take off my jacket, I feel eyes on my back as I do. I hook it on the rack, walking further into my room. Tossing a sideways glance at the mirror in the entryway as I walk by I see her trailing me, watching my every step. I feel goose bumos dance up my spine. I walk over to the dresser in front of my bed and pull open a drawer. I hear the bed creak behind me. 

“Your place is cute, it's cozy in here.” I fight the urge to turn and stare at her, on my bed. 

“Thanks.” I respond, a smile in my voice as I grabbed a pair of sweats and a tank top from the drawer and finally turn to see her. Exactly how I pictured it, with the addition of some clothing she was lacking in my mind. Shoes kicked off next to the bed, leaned against my headboard casually, ankles crossed. I feel the blood rush to my cheeks.  “I’m gonna go change” I say pointing my thumb to the bathroom, following it with my body. 

I close the door behind me, and look in the mirror with wide eyes. “WHAT THE FUCK” I mouth to my reflection, gaping at myself. I push my back into the door. Fuck, fuck, fuck. What am I doing?! Shit, I need to hurry, she’s waiting for me. She’s waiting for me. I start pulling my top and skirt off, stumbling. I pull on the gray sweats and shrug on the white tank top. I take my hair out of the pony tail and ruffle it with my fingers. It’s messy, cute.. ish. I spritz some perfume on my collar bones and dab my wrists against it. I look at the ceiling and take a deep breath. I can do this, we are just hanging out. No expectations. I look at myself one last time and open the door. 

I find Ellie thumbing through the book that was on my nightstand. I walk to the other side of the bed, sitting stiffly, crossing my legs and clasping my hands in my lap. She looks more comfortable in my room than I am. I look at the ceiling light, unsure where to rest my eyes.

“So, who was that girl?” her voice rasps. I look at her, she's still gazing over the pages. 

“Chloe. We met freshman year. She’s basically my only friend out here.” I let out a small chuckle, looking at my hands. 

“Friends don't dance like that.” She shoots me a sideways glance. 

“Drunk friends do.” I suggest, meeting her eyes. She shrugs her shoulders and looks back to the book. “Who’s Cat?” I push back. Her name feels sour in my mouth, but I need to know. She sucks at her teeth ever so slightly.

“My ex,” she says as she turns the page. My heart pangs at the idea of Ellie and another girl. Touching. Kissing. Fucking. 

“Ex’s dont flirt like that.” 

“Drunk ex’s do.” she turns her head to me with amused eyes. 

“But she's your... I mean.. You guys dated!” I say passionately. “That's different than just a friend.” I say, raising my eyebrows. A beat of silence passes us, before she sets the book back on the table.

“Why do you care so much?” She asks, pushing up onto propped arms, leaning into the conversation. Her eyes narrow. “Why does it matter if she was flirting with me?” 

“Why do you care about my friend?” I lean in, mirroring her movements. “Why does it matter that we were dancing?” her eyes darken a bit, what thoughts are she hiding behind them?

A hot and heavy fog sets over us like a weighted blanket. Her chin tilts, observant. I worry she can read my eyes better than I can read hers. My eyes are hungry. Famished. tired of watching her legs beneath her canvas. Wanting them tangled with my own. Sick of watching her hands paint, aching to have them explore every inch of my body. Wanting to taste her skin, and have her taste mine. Craving her to want me as badly as I want her. 

[START OF AUDIO] 

With a breath heavy on her chest, eyes drift to my lips. “Tell me.” then up to meet mine, dark green. 

 Stare burning into me, she leans in closer. “Tell me why it matters to you.” I see it. The same hunger. 

“Ellie..” I breathe. 

That's all she needs to hear. 

Her lips crash into my own, a lightning strike. Tongue racing to explore my mouth, mine matches her journey. Her breath is hot on my face. Strong hands wrap around my cheeks as she pulls me deeper into her. I sit up on my knees, reaching. Her hands shift to my hips pulling me forcefully to straddle her lap. I let out a small sound against her lips when my cunt hits her jeans through my pants, her fingers digging into me as a response.

I drag my hips against her, hard. This time she lets out a sound. There's a primal response in my body at her needy moan, vibrating my lips. I can't wrap my head around what's happening, lost in the moment. Lost in her. She guides my hips in a steady rhythm over her, pushing down and into me. My hands bury in her hair as my wetness swells. Yes, yes, yes. 

I want her. I want more of her. I want to feel her skin, I want to lick it, bite it, drag my nails over it. Mark it as mine. Leave a lasting memory of this so I can be reminded that this isn't just a dream. So she can be reminded of me.

My hands reach blindly beneath me struggling with the buttons of her shirt. “I wanna s’you” I mumble against her mouth. I feel her smile into my lips before wrapping hands around my waist, pausing my rhythm against her to throw me onto my back across the bed. Knee parting my legs as I fall into the mattress. Her lips leave mine, I open my eyes at her, desperate. Starving. 

“So eager.” She sits up, kneeling above me. A god at her altar. She unbuttons her flannel slowly. Eyes carving shapes into my body beneath her. She shrugs her top layer off. My eyes travel down her body, a black form fitted tank top blanketed the skin I so desired. Her muscular arms exposed for the first time, your eyes pirouette down them, tracing her veins, landing on the tattoo covering her right forearm. I squeeze my leg around her thigh, bucking my hips once subconsciously at the sight of this new revealed territory. She looks me in the eyes, piercing me with hooded green.  

“come on, don't stop now.” she says pushing her knee into me, my mouth drops in a sweet sound and my eyes roll back as I start grinding against her. “hmm,” she sighs. “That's right. Look at me” she demands. I do. She reaches above her head grabbing the back of her shirt and pulling it off over her head in one smooth motion. Tossing it to the side, left in a black sports bra. I keep my rhythm on her knee, feeling myself soaking through the thong under my sweats. Small whimpers escaping my lips with each thrust. Her abs on display, toned. Hard. I wonder what they would feel like under me.

“You have no idea how long I've wanted this… wanted you.” she says, watching me pleasure myself on her thigh. Her hand and eyes find the bottom of my shirt, she slides her fingers under it, across my stomach looking up to me. Curious eyes.

“Can I?” she almost begs.

I give a small nod, eyes begging her to touch me, lips parted. Panting.

Both her hands slide up my stomach beneath my shirt, slowly. Too slowly. She's savoring this. My pussy pulses against her. Her eyes follow the outline of her hands under my shirt as she traces the underwire of my bra gently. Chills rise on my skin. She pulls her hands back down my stomach gripping the hem of my shirt and looks at me, I raise my arms as she peels it off of me and tosses it in the pile of clothes accumulating next to my bed. Her eyes hover on my chest. She whispers a quiet “fuck” as her hands follow the black bra around my sides. I arch my back to give her access. She unclasps it with a twist of her fingers and she breathes a moan in anticipation. She reaches to my shoulders, finger tips grazing my skin. She pulls the straps down slowly so they are slack. My chest rises and falls with trembling breaths. She leans down and plants a line of kisses on my collar bone, my head rolls to the side opening myself up to her. Her lips trace soft kisses and a tender tongue up my neck to the spot right behind my ear. 

Then she bites, hands tearing off my bra under her. 

I let out an urgent gasp, my hand grabbing at her hair. Legs contracting around her thigh. Greedy hands squeeze around my newly revealed flesh. She moans into my neck before sucking the bite mark, a stab of pain thrills me. I can't contain the moans of pleasure spilling from my mouth now.

“You like that?” Her voice is like a dream behind the curtain of pleasure I'm lost in. I manage to nod.

“Use your words.” she kneads my boobs firmly, my head still thrown back. Her hand grabs my chin and angles so I have to meet her eyes. 

“Say it.” She demands. looking over my exposed chest. Lust palpable in her eyes. When i dont answer she flicks a finger over my nipple. I heave at the sensation.

“Your.. your hands” I manage to get out between moans. She smiles at me, a mischievous grin. 

“That's my good girl,” she lets go of my jaw and dips down, taking my breast in her mouth, kneading the other. My response fills the room.

Her good girl.

 I look down at her. She’s already looking up to me with hooded eyes, she nips at me, I call her name into the air. Eyes rolling. She shoves her knee against my core, rubbing hard into me. I pulse against her as I rock into it. 

Her tongue is insistent on my nipple, moaning into it. Wetness from her mouth dripping down my flesh, her lips shiny on me. 

My stomach tightens, a stretched elastic close to snapping. My breathing picks up pace, and my sounds grow frantic. “Ellie.. Ellie.. I'm gonna..” she lifts off of my chest, hovering over me. Pushing harder against my clit she looks into my eyes, bouncing between them. Absorbing my every expression. 

“Yeah?” enthusiastic green. 

“Cum for me baby.”

Her words are my undoing and I unravel around her thigh. Hands gripping sheets, white knuckles. All I see is her. Her. My back arches as she grinds into me riding my wave of euphoria, my cunt throbbing against her. Her name rolling off my tongue, I can't say it enough.

Ellie. Ellie. Ellie.

[END OF AUDIO]

[coimbrabertone]

Injuries, Job Security, and How MotoGP and Indycar Differ...Or Don't.

In the last two years, two racers I support have been seriously injured. One was Enea Bastianini, rider of the #23 Ducati in MotoGP, and the other was David Malukas, who never actually got to drive the #6 NTT Data Arrow McLaren-Chevrolet Indycar.

So, just to go over what happened to them: Enea Bastianini was injured in the opening sprint race of the 2023 MotoGP season, the Portuguese GP at Portimao. Luca Marini went up his inside into turn five (Torre VIP), lost it, and his bike slid into Enea's bike. Enea broke his collarbone in this crash, wound up missing the opening five races, came back, injured himself again at Catalunya, and missed another three races.

Enea would return for the Indonesian Grand Prix and would then win the Malaysian Grand Prix towards the end of the season. That win, combined with Jorge Martin on the Pramac Ducati failing to beat Francesco Bagnaia for the championship, secured Enea's seat for 2024.

So, while Enea was enjoying a secure offseason, David Malukas was preparing for his switch from Dale Coyne Racing to a frontrunning team in the form of Arrow McLaren...except, he never actually made his debut for the team.

David Malukas was mountain biking in California, riding an easy trail, when, trying to slow himself, pulled the front brake too hard, went up and over the handlebars, and landed on his hands. He would break his left wrist and it was announced he would miss St. Pete and probably Thermal.

St. Pete and probably Thermal soon became St. Pete and definitely Thermal, missing those two races. Callum Ilott would fill in.

Malukas missed Long Beach next, with Theo Pourchaire in the car now.

Then Theo Pourchaire raced Long Beach as well.

Around this time, various rumors started flying about Malukas getting replaced. This only grew as Nathan Brown reported that Malukas had traveled to Panama in order to receive stem cell shots to speed up his recovery, and only then did he get the pins in his wrist removed.

Then, after Barber - the fourth race of the season, Malukas blacked out his twitter page. I was sat in a discord debating what exactly this meant with some other Indycar fans, with news picking up that he had been dropped. With the story pretty much out there, Arrow McLaren made the announcement early in the morning, David Malukas had been released after failing to meet his contractual obligations.

By now, it's been announced that Ilott will do the Indy 500, and then Theo Pourchaire will fill out the rest of the season in the #6. The Malukas at McLaren story ended before it could even begin.

Meanwhile, in MotoGPland, Enea Bastianini continued with the factory Ducati team. However, with Jorge Martin now building up an annoyingly large championship lead and Marc Marquez on the Ducati stealing all the attention, the whole world seems to think it's between the two of them to get the Ducati factory seat for 2025.

For the record, Enea is tied on points with Marquez, just two behind his teammate, and spent this weekend's race - the French Grand Prix at the Le Mans Bugatti Circuit - starting tenth, getting a penalty, recovering to fourth, setting fastest lap, and finishing just 2.2 seconds off the lead.

Enea is an immense talent, he's the rider I chose to support when I decided to become a MotoGP fan ahead of the 2023 season, and it's so rotten to see his career falling apart because of factors outside of his control.

As for Malukas, he's a young, popular kid and has proven so talented on the ovals in a Dale Coyne Racing car. I was so eager to see what he could do with an Arrow McLaren, particularly at tracks like Iowa, Gateway, and Nashville which seemed like they'd suit him. Now, we're not going to get the chance, and it's unclear where he might land if he were to try and return to Indycar.

So, in theory, MotoGP gives more time to injured racers, but no matter what series you're in, motorsports can be a cutthroat business. Bastianini and Malukas certainly aren't the first racers to lose top rides after an injury, and they certainly won't be the last. It's not exactly an industry known for job security.

If I could manifest a happy resolution to both, I'd have Enea Bastianini go to factory Aprilia to join Maverick VInales, while David Malukas could join Meyer Shank Racing (perhaps with Tom Blomqvist returning to IMSA with the same team) to reinforce their oval program the same way Felix Rosenqvist has revitalized that team on the road and street circuits.

For now though, we wait to see what happens to them.

To end on a happier note, Brad Keselowski won the Darlington Goodyear 400 NASCAR race last night running a throwback scheme in honor of the TOM's Castrol Supra. That is an awesome motorsports word randomizer and the fact that it's real is why NASCAR is really cool in 2024.

One day I'll write a blogpost where talking about current NASCAR is actually the point instead of just spending the final paragraph gushing about last weekend's cool race.

[districtunrest]

I couldn't update in time for a euro trip like I wanted (SOTR news only marginally to blame) but here's a tidbit from the next chapter of Something of Our Own:

It’s nearing evening when he meets Katniss and Peeta at the end of her - their - walkway and they head for Town together, dead leaves crackling underfoot. The Cartwright kids aren't with them, which is fine by him; now, they don't have to make conversation the entire time or even at all. He and the girl have their shorthand if needed, and the boy tends to collect himself before events like this. Sure enough, Peeta is quiet as he pulls a wagon stacked high with covered dishes. Katniss walks his bike beside him, a bread basket hanging heavily from each handlebar. “Heard those go faster if you ride them,” Haymitch tells her.  “You want to switch and show us how it's done?” she retorts with a look to the case he’s carrying.  He ignores this and points from the bike to the wagon. “There’s got to be a way to attach those.” “I tried,” says Peeta, and leaves it at that. He grunts as he starts to lug the wagon uphill. “This had better be empty on the way back.” “You’re the one who insisted on four kinds of pie.”  “And you did turn down Antony’s offer to drop them off when he left earlier,” adds Katniss, and Haymitch grins at her, the little traitor. “They hadn’t cooled all the way,” Peeta says like he's repeating himself. “The crusts would’ve softened if I packed them, then.” Haymitch meets Katniss’ eyes just so they can roll them together. The boy worked himself into a tizzy to make everything fresh for today. When Haymitch had suggested making the pies ahead of time and freezing them, he might as well have said they should bake Buttercup into one from the look he got.  “I’m sure everyone will eat every last crumb and praise you to Seven and back,” he placates now in his least convincing tone. “And then,” because his legs burn with every incline and his knees ache with every decline in the road, “you can cart me home on that thing.” “Us,” corrects Katniss, and Peeta raises a brow at her whereas he didn't bother with him. She lifts her chin, almost primly. “I plan to dance off my shoes, thank you very much.” “You want Fire on the Mountain?” Haymitch asks her. “Or is that too soon?”

Go check out the story in the meantime and leave nice comments for me to read while jet-lagged 🤩 Ciao!!

[etapereine]

wondering (are you my best friend?)

@cycleprompttuesday: "friendship"

also on ao3

you needs to make friends, they say. it will help. it will make you more likeable.

you think:

wout, wrapping you in the biggest and warmest hug you've ever felt after a climb that made you feel like you were dying, squeezing the back of your neck and calling you “little guy” with eyes crinkled in a smile, sending you photos of jerome in a little yellow jersey

nathan, sitting on his bed in your shared hotel room as you unwind from the race in companionable silence, laughing and joking to raise your spirits during another interminable sprint stage, calling you with a soft voice and reassuring words from a hospital bed when your world is falling apart

sepp, talking your ear off about this or that with bright eyes and animated hands and american phrases that you don’t understand, rubbing your back as you slump exhaustedly over your handlebars after a stage, begging you to come to andorra to visit “even though you’ll take all my koms”

not like that, they say. those are your teammates. that’s different.

you think:

michael, grinning at you across the counter at the fish factory before flicking cold water in your face, ruffling your hair and buying you a beer to celebrate your first professional contract, calling you after you win the tour the first time to brag about having noticed you first

mads, cursing up a storm on live tv but making you smile brighter than the sun, one arm around your back and whispering stupid jokes to you on the balcony in front of half a million people, showing up on your doorstep unannounced with a case of beer and an easy grin

mattias, cocking an eyebrow and challenging you to race to the top of yet another swiss mountain, outdrinking all of you on a night when strictly speaking you shouldn’t be drinking at all, laughing at your hair and tugging on it where it sticks out the slats of your helmet

not like that, they say. those are your countrymen. that’s different.

you think:

tadej, smiling and laughing and fistbumping at every starting line, texting you after every win to congratulate you and to promise another battle, practically begging you to come to lombardia, to flanders, to la flèche wallonne because “we will have fun, won’t we?”

remco, joking with you before each stage and pretending to throw his bike as you cross the line, texting you weird memes in dutch that you don't understand but laugh at anyway, at the after-party taking ridiculous drunken selfies that should never see the light of day

primož, inviting you to come to monaco "just like old times, eh?", slapping you on the back with a genuine smile and promising not to go easy on you in july, greeting you at the starting line with a quick grin and an eyebrow raised in challenge

not like that, they say. those are your rivals. that’s different.

you think:

different from what?

[marquez-junky8920]

You know me I’m gonna request it. Riding Marc’s bike with him leading to making love on the bike 😉😏your awesome btw!! When is new content to be expected?🥰

Alright alright ladies and gents... In honor of Marc getting second place last weekend, behold

✨My Comeback✨

Bike Love

'Amore!' Marc shouted from the closet upstairs.

'Yes?' You hummed out from the kitchen. Just as you turned around from the sink you saw him jogging down the stairs in his armor jacket and gloves, helmet in hand.

'Wanna be my backpack today? It's been a while since we've taken a ride together.' He set his helmet on the counter and wrapped his gloved hand around your waist to pull you closer to him. You smiled and kissed his lips.

'I'd love to. Do you know where my jacket and boots are?'

'I think they're still in the closet. Near where my jacket was.'

'I'll be right back. Don't run off without me.'

'I would never.' He laughed at the playful glare you shot at him as he smacked your ass while you walked away. Getting to the closet, you quickly located your jacket, boots, helmet, and gloves. You got dressed as quickly as you could and made your way down the stairs and into the garage where Marc was waiting for you. His helmet was already on and when he turned his head to look at you, you felt your knees buckle. Something about him in a helmet just made you absolutely melt. Especially when he nodded his head at you like he did just now.

'Wanna take a ride?' He asked cheekily.

'What's it cost pretty boy?'

'Free of charge. Although we can negotiate favors when we get home.' He winked at you and threw his leg over the bike before revving the engine to life.

'You got yourself a deal. This better not be a cheap ride though.'

'I promise I'll make it worth your while.'

You put your foot on the back peg and swung yourself to be perched behind him. Your arms naturally went around his waist as he moved the kickstand up and pulled out of the garage and onto the road. You missed the feeling of the wind and the quiet of a bike ride with him. Life had been getting in the way so much recently between work, family, and bills that you'd sort of lost touch with the simple things in life. Starting with a couples bike ride.

'Having fun?' You heard in your ear suddenly and jumped slightly.

'Jesus... You scared me. I forgot that we have these things now.' You spoke back, laughing when you heard his laugh fill your helmet. He'd invested in some 2-way communication sets to install in your helmets so that you could talk to each other. It was probably one of the best purchases he'd made.

'Yes, I am having fun. I missed this. Just us two and the road.' You sighed, looking at the sudden wide open spaces around you. Mountains, blue skies, sun shining, and perfect temperatures.

'It has been a while. I missed you.' He admitted, letting go of one of the handlebars and grabbing hold of your hand wrapped around him. You squeezed his fingers lightly before his hand went to rest on your knee for a moment.

'Where are we even going?'

'I figured we could grab a late breakfast and just go home afterwards. Nothing too fancy.'

'God... I get a ride free of charge AND breakfast? You're spoiling me.'

'You're paying me back later, little lady. Don't think you're getting off easy.' You could practically hear the smirk in his voice. It was almost like his dirty mind was playing out right in front of you.

'I see how it is. You only like me for my blowjobs.' His helmet nodded and his shoulders shrugged before he retorted.

'Among many other things, yes. Absolutely. No questions asked.'

'You are so unbelievable.' You chuckled to yourself before just holding on for the rest of the ride.

Breakfast was fairly quiet. It was just the 2 of you in the small diner and you'd been sat next to a window with a perfect view of the mountains. He held your hand across the table the entire time and you caught him every now and then just staring at you. Like he was doing right now.

'Why do you keep staring at me? Do I have something on my face?' You asked.

'Not at all. I just like looking at my woman. Is that a crime?' He raised a playful eyebrow as he brought your hand up to kiss it. You felt your cheeks start to flush slightly.

'I suppose not.' You smiled shyly at him.

'I love you.' He said softly, still rubbing his thumb on the back of your hand.

'I love you.'

'You ready to go?' He asked.

'Yeah. Although I think I may need to unbutton my pants when I sit on the bike. I have a food baby.' You groaned, getting up from the table and patting your stomach.

'Boy or girl?' He laughed.

'We're keeping it a secret until the birth. I think it's a girl though.' You rubbed your stomach before his hand followed suit.

'Congratulations.' He smiled a smile that reached his eyes before he put his helmet back on. You got on the back of the bike and held on as he drove you home. Believe it or not, you were so full and so comfortable leaning onto his back that you began to fall asleep a little bit.

'Wake up love. You gotta hang on.' You heard Marc's voice through the comms.

'Mm... I'm so sleepy. How much longer?'

'Like 3 more minutes. You can make it.' He coaxed, rubbing his hand on your knee again. What seemed like an eternity later, he pulled up into the garage and closed the door before turning the bike off. He put the kickstand out and allowed you to get off first before he did the same. You both took your helmets, jackets, and gloves off and just as you went to turn around and walk inside to put everything away, Marc grabbed your arm and pulled you back to him. You giggled and suddenly didn't feel so tired anymore...

'Hey there gorgeous.' He bit his lip as his rough hand wandered down to grip at your ass. He was closely in tune to how your body pushed further into his touch and you craned your neck up to kiss him.

'Payment so early? I thought I'd have some time to get some lingerie on to give you a double payment.' You were so close to his mouth that you were sure he could feel your breath fanning his face as he smirked. He looked like a tiger hunting its prey with the look he was giving you.

'What's the point of that if I'm just going to rip it off of you anyway?' He lilted, going down to kiss your neck as he leaned back on his bike and taking you with him.

'I-it's fun, that's the point.' You sighed, leaning your head back to give him more access as your fingers gripped the backs of his arms.

'Mm... This is better though.' He whispered, unzipping your jeans and slowly teasing the line of your panties. He snaked his fingers inside your lace panties and rubbed light circles onto your clit. 'Don't you think?' He chuckled. You couldn't form a response as your knees buckled underneath you and a moan caught in your throat.

'I think you agree princess.' He said in a low voice that made the puddle between your legs that much worse. A moan was finally drawn from your lips when his long fingers entered inside of you and curled repeatedly. Before you could say anything, Marc had you both turned around where you were leaning back on the bike and he was pinning you between him and the leather seat that you used to support yourself.

'Oh god... I love your fingers so much.' You moaned, bringing your leg up to wrap around his waist. This was oddly attractive what he was doing - taking you over his bike like this. Never in a million years would you have thought that you'd be turned on by such a minute thing, but here you were, legs spread, his hand in your jeans, and your fingers unzipping his jeans to find his already hard cock. You gripped him and slowly began stroking him underneath his boxers, enjoying the way that his lip made its way between his perfect teeth.

'Faster.' He growled in your ear, speeding up his fingers on your clit just as your hand increased its pace. His hips began to thrust in time with your hand before he took his hand from in your jeans and grabbed your throat to bring you into a searing kiss.

'Turn around for me.' he whispered just loud enough for you to hear even though it was only the two of you in the entire house. You obeyed of course. Who wouldn't say yes to Marc Marquez telling them to turn around? You would've been stupid not to.

Marc's hands were quick in their efforts to pull your jeans just enough down your legs to where he had full access to what he wanted most. You heard him pull down his jeans as well before you jolted forward lightly at the feel of his tip running through your soaked folds.

'You look so fucking beautiful.' He sighed out, running a hand up your back and to your hair before grabbing a fistful and pulling you back just as he slammed himself inside you. He wasted no time in thrusting inside of you and setting the pace as hard and fast.

'Oh fuck! Right there right there!' You chanted, reaching behind you to grab at his hip as he continued to pound into you. His grunts and your moans filled the garage and to be quite honest, neither of you cared if the neighbors heard.

'Yeah? You like my dick, don't you?' He smirked into your ear and bit your neck lightly as a moan squeaked out from you. 'Say it. Tell me you love my dick.' He said, spanking you to emphasis his point.

'Ah! Yes I love y-you dick, oh my god yes!' You whined out as his fingers roughly played with your clit again. He was a man on a mission right now and he would stop at nothing until you were falling apart for him.

'I want you to cum. Can you do that for me amore, hm? Be daddy's little girl?' He hummed into your ear, his hot breath sending the best kinds of chills down your spine.

'Mmm yes!'

'Good girl. Now cum for daddy.' He groaned, feeling you tighten around him and your legs begin to shake as his fingers never stopped their relentless circles on your clit. 'Fuck you're so tight...' He grunted, hips stuttering and slamming into you one last time before he pulled out and got you on your knees to cum in your mouth. Seeing you on your knees and waiting for him to cum in your mouth was one of his favorite views ever. He didn't even have to do anything since your mouth took control and you hollowed out your cheeks as he released inside your mouth. Swallowing everything he had to offer, you tenderly sucked him for a few more seconds before placing one last kiss on his tip and taking his hand that he offered to help you stand up. Your arms went around his shoulders and he cocked his head sideways a little bit as if he was thinking.

'Hey, question... Is that lingerie option still on the table? I had dinner, now I want my dessert.' He said, that predatory gaze right back in his eyes.

'Give me 5 minutes and dessert will be served in bed.' You winked, kissing his lips before pulling your jeans back up and walking inside. Before you closed the garage door behind you, you looked over your shoulder to tell him something that you knew would make him crazy.

'And baby?'

'Hm?'

'Make sure to grab the whipped cream from the fridge. I'd hate to see a good dessert go to waste without a little whipped cream.'

END

[voraciousvore]

The Half-Blood Giant (38/51)

***Contains soft, safe, unwilling vore***

Chapter 38: Unhealthy Obsession

Hannah was worried. Hector was supposed to meet her after school, like he always did, but he never showed up. She couldn’t locate him in the cafeteria, or anywhere else for that matter, nor would he answer his phone. Hector wasn’t the type to ignore her or play petty games, even if she had upset him for some inscrutable reason. She sensed, deep down, that something was wrong. When she biked over to the boy’s dormitory on the other side of campus, he wasn’t there either. None of the boys had seen him since class ended. 

Hannah didn’t sleep well that night. She kept checking her phone periodically, hoping for a text or call. There was nothing. She decided, if he didn’t show up for breakfast tomorrow morning, she would go straight to Principal Henderson and report him missing. She couldn’t think of any other place he would be. If he had gone home, or there had been some sort of emergency, she figured he would’ve at least contacted her to let her know what happened.  

The morning came, and she woke up cranky and groggy. She rolled out of bed, donned her uniform, and packed up her school supplies in her bag. Labored with fatigue, Hannah pulled her bike from the rack outside and crawled on, then slowly pedaled forward. She hardly paid any attention to her surroundings as she went into autopilot, thinking about her beloved. She was entirely unaware of the sinister colossus stalking her, following her intoxicating scent, ready to strike. 

The world unexpectedly went dark as a shadow blocked out the light of the rising sun. Hannah almost toppled off her bike as she halted in place and the ground swooped away below her. The rapid ascension into the sky was dizzying; she held onto her handlebars with a death grip, her knuckles white from tension. Her sides were pinched by the enormous tips of two giant fingers and she was forcibly ripped from her bike, her strength no match for the giant who grabbed her. She gasped from the pressure on her torso, almost breathless. She plopped into the landscape of a massive hand and her bike was scooped up into the fingers of the other hand, disappearing from her sight. 

Hannah, panting for breath, slowly turned around to face the giant who snatched her. Her worst fears were confirmed when she saw Hunter’s mountainous visage leering down at her. He grinned, revealing a wall of blocky white teeth. Hannah quivered and scooted back into the arch of his fingers, but she had nowhere to go. 

“Hi there,” Hunter rumbled, releasing a puff of warm breath over her that ruffled her hair. 

“W-what do you want?” Hannah stammered. “Make it quick.” 

Hunter regarded her for a long, uncomfortable moment without speaking. He brushed her tenderly with his thumb, making her flinch. “Hector wanted me to pass on a message,” he lied. Hannah’s demeanor changed on a dime as she jerked to attention with the surprising turn of events. “He said he’d meet you at the cafeteria. I’ll take you there.” 

“No need, I can bike there myself,” Hannah asserted, glancing around the platform of skin carrying her. Her bike was nowhere to be seen. 

“No. I’ll take you,” Hunter responded. He did not give her a choice. She relented, realizing she had no power in the situation. She didn’t want to raise a fuss and make the monster of a man angry. The sooner she was conveyed to Hector, the safer she’d feel, and the sooner she could get away from Hunter. 

“Hey, Hannah?” She didn’t want to talk to him, but being held mere feet from his expansive countenance, she couldn’t exactly ignore him. 

“What is it?” she asked listlessly, drooping into the curve of his fingers. His strides rocked her back and forth in his hand like a cradle. 

“Um...” A flicker of anxiety flickered across the giant’s features, barely distinguishable if not for the fact that he was so large. “I was just wondering... theoretically... if Hector wasn’t around anymore, would you ever consider... um... like... hanging out with me?” 

Hannah wasn’t sure how to answer without hurting his feelings, but she thought the question odd. “Hector isn’t going anywhere, so there’s no use speculating about a fictional scenario,” she reasoned, maintaining a neutral tone. 

“Ah.” Hunter seemed to deflate a bit, but Hannah was past the point of feeling empathy for him. As long as he didn’t hurt or threaten her, she didn’t particularly care about his volatile feelings. She just wanted him to be gone. 

Without warning, Hunter lifted his hand to his chest and dumped Hannah into his breast pocket. She tumbled down his palm into the pouch of soft fabric with a yelp. His shirt was stretched taut against the protruding muscles of his pectorals, squeezing Hannah slightly. 

“Hey!” she cried out, but he covered his pocket with his hand, squishing her softly with fingers as thick as tree trunks. Hannah went quiet as she recognized how insignificant she was, how easily he could smash her like an insect. His formidable mass was looming all around her, surrounding her. She suppressed her protests, hoping that she’d be reunited with her human lover soon. She just had to hold out a little longer. 

Hunter entered the cafeteria and got in line for his food. Hannah heard the loud cadence of voices and familiar sounds of the lunchroom and struggled to climb up the inside of the pocket. She peeked her head out of the top, searching for Hector. Hunter, perceiving her movements, shoved her back down with his finger. She cursed at him in response, but her small voice was lost in the roar of giant voices from her much larger peers. Hunter smirked as he collected his food. He grabbed himself a modest breakfast, much less than usual. His belly was still digesting the girl from this morning. 

He sat down in his usual secluded spot, where he could shield Hannah with his huge body and nobody would be able to see her. He reached into his pocket with his fingers, encircling the reluctant girl, and set her on the table, close to him in front of his tray. He placed his arms on either side of her like barriers so she couldn’t run away. Hannah shook with agitation as she gazed at the towering behemoth above her. 

“A-aren’t you going to take me to Hector?” she squeaked. 

“That can wait a moment,” Hunter boomed, waving his hand dismissively. He leaned down over Hannah, hunching his shoulders a bit and bringing his face in so he could be nearer to her. He brought his hands together and cupped them around her reverently. As he collapsed around her, Hannah lost her nerve and her legs buckled underneath her as if they had turned into globs of gelatin. 

“Hunter, you’re scaring me,” she whined. “Please, just let me see Hector.” 

“No.” The authoritarian word bludgeoned her harshly. She sank further under the giant’s impossible gravity. 

“W-what do you want from m-me? L-let’s get this over with already so I can go,” Hannah whimpered. Her eyes began to well up with tears. 

“I want you,” Hunter confessed, his deep voice resounding around her. “Your whole being, in your entirety. Forget Hector. Be with me instead.” 

Hannah was so shocked, she didn’t respond right away and just gaped at the giant dumbly. She scrambled to find words and choked out, “N-never!” 

Hunter’s green eyes flashed with baleful rage, and Hannah flinched at the terrifying sight. “So that’s how it’s going to be,” he snarled, baring his teeth. “Fine. I’ll give you some time to think it over. Perhaps you’ll come around.” Hannah didn’t get a chance to ponder the significance of his words before she was hoisted up by the back of her shirt. She squealed with fright as she was plopped into a thick, creamy substance. By the smell and taste, she realized with disgust that she was bathing in yogurt. 

Hunter grabbed a spoon and gleefully stirred her around in the yogurt, humming to himself. Hannah flailed and floundered, trying to grab the edges of the cup to pull herself out, but Hunter didn’t give her the chance. It all happened so fast, Hannah didn’t fully comprehend why Hunter would cover her in yogurt, until the plastic spoon dipped beneath her and lifted her out. Hannah fit neatly into the curved end, the perfect size for a bite of food. Horror exploded inside her as she found herself facing a titanic pair of lips. 

“No, Hunter, you wouldn’t...” Hannah gasped, appalled. She refused to believe it. He couldn’t possibly do... what she was thinking he was about to do. The lips turned up into a mocking grin, and separated to reveal wet, white teeth and ominous darkness beyond. Hunter’s gigantic tongue emerged, and the fleshy appendage dragged across her yogurt-covered body, from her toes to her forehead. Hannah recoiled and shrieked, throwing up her hands reflexively to protect herself. She felt the slimy bumps of his oversized taste buds slide across her palms. She was repulsed as a thick layer of saliva covered her body. 

“Mmmmmm,” Hunter hummed, licking his lips hungrily. “You taste even better than you smell. Just like a fresh-picked blueberry.” Hannah was speechless with raw terror. She froze up. She had no idea what to do, had no way to escape when she was hovering a deadly distance above the table. She didn’t have to do anything but be a delectable snack, however, as the giant mouth yawned open in front of her. She caught a glimpse of a fortress of huge teeth, a gaping gullet, and a mass of tongue and red flesh before the whole display encompassed her on all sides. The spoon slid out from beneath her, disappeared into the fresh air of freedom outside before the colossal jaws closed around her, sealing her fate.  

Hannah screamed, but nobody could hear her except the giant who was eating her. Oh God. He was eating her! She clawed at her fleshy, wet, bony prison and fought against the overwhelming power of the tongue as it flung her around and tasted her. She slammed against the molars, the roof of the mouth, the soft hot tissue beneath the tongue, as it rolled over her, toyed with her, smothered her. The yogurt dissolved off her body and she was soaked in filthy slobber instead. Her struggles were futile; she was helpless against the desires of the hungry mouth. 

Hunter savored her for a long time before he finally decided it was time to swallow her. Hannah cried out as the tongue beneath her reared up, and she slid down the slippery surface headfirst like a slide, toward the dark void of the gullet. She scrambled to grab something, anything, to halt her descent, but the mouth was streamlined for food, designed for her to be consumed. She even tried to grab his uvula, but it was too high above her to reach. Her head dropped down into the abyss of the throat, and the muscles crushed around her, forcing her down in a rippling wave. 

Hannah couldn’t move much as she strained against the unbearable pressure of the throat dragging her down. As she sank into the giant’s chest, his heartbeat banged loudly in her ears, the vibrations coursing through her entire frame. She could hear a tremendous amount of air swelling in his lungs, pressing into the flesh around her, before racing out with every exhale. She plummeted further, deeper into the giant’s core, farther away from freedom. She was done for. A heavy dread settled into her as she realized the terrible, agonizing end that faced her, her ultimate destination: the stomach. 

Her face was shoved into a ring of muscle, and she was forced through with a revolted grimace. She plunged into the giant’s stomach and splashed into a boiling pool of rancid fluids. Hyped up on adrenaline, she howled and thrashed, pounding the throbbing walls desperately. Her tiny fists and feet bounced harmlessly off the folds of stomach lining, failing to make the slightest dent. The stomach shifted around her, and she slipped and fell into a heap, sobbing. She hoped her inevitable death wouldn’t be too excruciating.  

A foreign object that was firm and solid bumped into her as it stirred in the acid. Hannah hesitantly touched it with her fingers in the pitch-black darkness, trying to distinguish what it was. It was long and hard, about half the length of her leg, with a big ball on the end sticking out at an angle. Hannah abruptly recognized the object with an abhorrence that made her physically ill and threw it away from her. It was a bone—a human femur. She wasn’t the first person that Hunter had ingested. She was swimming alongside the remains of at least one other half-digested human. Who else did he eat? Hannah didn’t ruminate much on the question in her panic, focusing instead on her immediate predicament. 

“Spare me, Hunter, please!” she screamed. She had no idea if he would hear her, or deign to respond, but to her surprise he actually answered. 

“Be quiet in there,” his bass voice resounded around her. “And maybe then I’ll let you out.” He paused before continuing, “I won’t digest you. I’ve cast a magic spell over you, to protect you. You’re precious to me, after all.” The stomach rumbled and groaned, as if complaining about being denied its prey. 

“Then why? Why did you eat me?” Hannah cried. 

“Because you’re mine now.” Despite the infernal heat, Hannah felt a cold chill at his words, uttered with such supercilious confidence. “I’ll do whatever I want with you. Protest, and I’ll kill you and Hector.” Hannah covered her mouth with horror. She didn’t want Hunter going after Hector; she’d do anything to protect him, even if that meant sacrificing herself. Her will to resist drained out of her and she slumped dejectedly into a squishy wall. She didn’t bother to get up, or yell. She realized how futile her efforts would be, when she was already eaten. 

The digestive organ churned and bubbled and grumbled noisily. She could hear the consistent rhythm of Hunter’s throbbing heart and lungs. She was sickened when bones, leftover clothing, and ambiguous soft chunks bobbing around in the gastric fluids collided with her. As Hunter finished eating his breakfast, mushy food squelched down through the esophageal opening above and splattered into the gurgling cavern. Hannah cringed and crawled around inside, trying to avoid the slop. She cried pitifully. She was in an unimaginable hell. 

Hunter glanced around the lunchroom, to make sure nobody had witnessed him devouring his classmate. Not a soul had noticed, the ignorant fools. He turned back to his breakfast and smiled to himself. Hannah tasted even better than he dared to imagine in his most honeyed fantasies. He could feel her small, comforting weight settled in his belly. He loved having her inside him. He wanted to keep her forever. He stroked his belly lovingly, kneading his fingers into the skin. He felt a mild guilt about what he did—eating her against her will and lying about Hector—but the emotion was superseded by how right he felt to have her within, how whole and alive and content he was. For once, he could even believe he was happy. 

Chapter 39

Chapter 1

[stonerbellybabe]

You made a major mistake, you said that you are biking (and I am a bike freak)

What kind of bike do you have? What kind of biking do you do? (Road, mtb, CX, etc) Do you have cycling clothes? (Lycra, bib, etc) Do you have a power meter, bike computer, HRM, etc?

Sorry 😘

I have a Liv Alight (3 I think?) with fake leaves wrapped around the handlebars because it’s cute. I road bike but would love to try mountain biking if I ever live somewhere where that’s a thing. I have one bike jersey and it is corn patterned. I don’t really have any bike gadgets, just a fitbit with gps.

you can dm me we don’t have to have a conversation about bikes on anonymous lol

[garbinge]

Never Okay

Opie Winston x OC Joanne Teller

From these August Prompts: Blinding & For @the-slumberparty's Bingo Challenge! Bingo square: Biker A/N: This is... dark and very sad and emotional. Totally get if no one wants to read this cause it's heavy (warnings below) but the story has been in my head and I just... let words hit paper. Again, I love writing for my Teller sister OC outside of her little multi chap I have.. this is an AU to my own fic, yet again. And an AU to canon in a way.

Words: 2.6k

Warnings: Spoilers for series finale of SOA. Canon level mentions of suicide. Mentions of suicide, losing a sibling, murder, grief, angst, nightmares, tense, car/bike accidents, torment, trauma, self blame, not a happy or content ending.

SOA Taglist: @drabbles-mc @justreblogginfics

The breeze was cold and felt eerie along her skin. It was late into the night and Joanne was standing in the middle of the highway. Her head turned to get a look at what was around her, where she was. 508. She knew the road well, too well honestly. Her head looked up ahead and saw the rocks that framed the edge of the road where her father’s initials were permanently marked as well as his soul. But what was she doing here? Why was she standing in the middle of the empty highway in the middle of the night? There was no sign of how she got there, no cars, no people, just her. Her head looked down and she noticed she was in one of Opie’s t-shirts, it was practically swimming on her, her feet were bare, no socks, no shoes. Before she could question any of that, she heard the rumbling of a motorcycle. Her eyes looked up, at first, expecting Opie to be coming to pick her up, explain what the fuck was happening, but it wasn’t him. She saw the bike that was now passing those tall mountained rocks, it was teal, a Tiffany blue to be more exact, the color she had told her father to paint the bike when she was younger. She felt the joy hitch in her throat as she recognized the person on the bike, even from far away. Her father. The smile on her face grew and she took a few steps forward as if that was going to bring her closer to him. Her voice called out while her hands waved. It felt so strange calling out to her father, it was something she hadn’t done in years because, well, JT was dead. Once her mind wrapped itself around that fact, that joyous feeling sunk back into her gut and the bike suddenly turned electric blue and the figure on the bike changed too. Joanne saw her brother, no helmet, smile on his face, and hands beginning to release the handlebars of the bike. Her heart dropped and she began running towards Jax, screaming, telling him to stop, begging, crying, she was so wrapped up in getting her brother’s attention that she didn’t notice the tractor trailer behind her. Her body turned and her hands moved up to shield herself from the blinding headlights, out of instinct she turned the opposite direction but was met with the same blinding light from Jax’s bike. Impulsively she crouched down and shielded herself as both vehicles drove directly at her. She felt two hands on either one of her shoulders and a whisper in her ear that sounded just like the two deceased men in her life. “It’s okay, Jo.” They both said at the same time and the chills that moved down her arms mixed with the noise of beeping and crashing sent her straight awake.

As she sat up in bed her hand moved to her chest in an attempt to slow its rapid beating and catch her breath. It was a dream. Well, more like a nightmare. But nonetheless, it wasn’t real even though it all felt extremely real. Her eyes moved over to the other side of the bed where Opie laid sound asleep, his long hair sprawled around the pillow and his black tank top sat snug across his chest with the comforter half on and half off. His snores were light but they were enough to let Jo know her sudden jolt didn’t stir him awake. After a deep breath she moved her eyes to the nightstand, 3:30AM. She wasn’t sure the last time she could sleep through the night, it’d been months but when everynight posed its own issue preventing sleep, things began to feel like years. 

Jo stood up, one thing remained true from her dream, she was still swimming in Opie’s shirt, but she quickly threw on a pair of socks to protect her feet from the cold hardwood floors. Managing to tip toe out of their shared bedroom, she moved down the hallway and began checking in on the three bedrooms past hers. The first one which belonged to Dylan and Ellie, her daughter with an ex and Opie’s daughter, both girls were sound asleep on the bunk beds that they begged to have. Jo silently closed the door and moved onto the next room which was Kenny’s. Their only son. He was asleep as well, but not in bed. He was passed out in the bean bag that sat in the corner of the kid’s room, a video game controller in one hand and the other across his chest. He slept similarly to Opie, sprawled out with a blanket half on and half off, it made her smile before she lightly closed the door and made her way to the last bedroom. Nicolette’s. Their child together who was aging out of her crib as the days passed. The door was already open in the baby’s room, they left it that way so they could hear her cries better in case the monitor didn’t pick it up entirely. 

The baby was sound asleep as well. There was a part of Joanne that wished she was awake, needed to eat, needed to be burped or just simply wanted to be up. It’d give her something to do since she was up and had no intention of going back to sleep, it’d also give her something to push every aspect she had been going over and over in her head about the nightmare. But, she opted to let the baby sleep and make her way to the garage. 

Her hand rested on the door handle for a minute. Thinking if this was something she wanted to do or if it was just going to put her deeper in grief, deeper in depression. Ultimately, she decided to open the door and she saw the skeleton of the Teller bike and then the parts scattered on the work table against the garage wall. The Teller bike took the place of the panhead Opie had bought back when they decided to leave Charming and the club behind. She thought she had escaped the violence, escaped the torment and path of a bloody Teller life but no matter where she went, it’d follow her. 

“Can’t sleep?” Opie’s voice was soft and didn’t startle Jo one bit. That was one perk of feeling dead inside, nothing frightened her anymore. Sure, she feared for her kids but not for herself. 

“Never can.” Jo stood in the doorway, arms crossed leaned up against the frame staring at the bike that her brother crashed and died on. 

“I told you if you had an issue with me rebuilding it, I’d take it somewhere else.” Opie was now towering behind Jo, his body slightly touching her back as his arm moved up and down her arm. 

“No, I like knowing you’re close when you’re working on it.” Jo protested and melted into Opie’s grip. 

That was one thing she’d never intentionally do, take out her grief on Opie. He had his own share, between Donna and Piney and now their shared grief over Jax. She knew his shoulders were heavy with burden as well.

“You dream about him again?” Opie’s voice was soft now. 

Joanne hummed. “Both of ‘em. I feel like they’re fuckin’ talking to me.” 

“You’ve always felt that way when it came to JT.” Opie rested his head next to Jo’s as they talked. 

“It’s different now, I feel so fucking connected to Jax, JT never haunted me the way Jax’s death is.” Jo shook her head. 

“It’s still fresh. You gotta cut yourself a break.” Opie was now removing himself from Jo and stood directly next to her in the doorway, but he was facing her while she was still staring at the bike. 

“How come you’re so put together.” Jo looked over at her husband, the statement was a little aggressive, again, it was something she’d never intentionally do, didn’t mean that anger didn’t come pushing through sometimes. 

“It’s the life, babe.” Opie shook his head. It’s when Jo realized he tied his hair back into a bun compared to the sprawled out mess it was in bed when she left. 

“It’s not our life anymore.” Jo was back to staring at the bike. 

“But Jax didn’t give it up like we did. You tried, you tried to get him to come with us, but he chose the life.” 

“So that’s what allows you to accept it? Because it's the life?” Jo was trying to wrap her brain around that. 

“I was in the life, Jo. I get it. It’ll always be a part of guys like me and Jax, it makes it easier to understand.”

Was it? Was that what made it easier to understand? Those were the thoughts pinballing in Jo’s head. She was a part of the life, too. Whether she liked it or not. Maybe that was the difference, Jo didn’t exactly choose this life, it was forced on her, she was born into it. But it was the same for Jax and Opie. They all came from the parental lineage of the club. At one point though, it did become a choice. Jax and Opie became grown men and were fully accountable for their actions, their choices, their decisions. So did Jo. In different ways, that was likely where their paths forked. But somewhere along the way, Jo and Ope made the decision to get out. After all that loss the inevitability of the loss to come, it was the only thing that made sense. Jo had begged Jax to leave, begged him to take the kids and come with them but the ghost of JT haunted him in a way that it didn’t haunt her. JT might have loved the club but Jo didn’t think he loved it enough to sacrifice his kids, their well being. Jo’s argument was that was why the club was created, a way to live out a certain way of life, and time and time again, the club proved that wasn’t possible. It’s why JT wrote the manuscript, he was holding on to hope, the same hope that kept the reaper’s grip tight on Jax. Jax also had Gemma in his ear in a way that Jo didn’t. When Jo told Gemma she was packing up her and Opie’s kids and getting the hell out of Charming, Gemma gave some mumbled half assed comment before leaving and really taking it out on Opie. Everything that should have been said to Jo, was said to Opie. Gemma practically begged him to stay, for the club, for Jax. That Jo was just an old lady that needed to be put in her place, and listen to her husband. That was the breaking point of a long line of tension building between the two women. But ultimately, Gemma pulled one Teller back in. The Teller that was going to kill her. The Teller that would ultimately be the demise of Gemma Teller-Morrow. The weight of Gemma’s death didn’t weight on Jo the way everyone thought it would. She was content with it, similar in a way that Opie was with Jax. It was part of the life. Gemma knew what the life was. Through and through and chose it every time. Gemma was the reason JT was dead, whether Jo knew the gory and full truth, she had enough to place blame, Gemma was the reason Jo’s nephews were orphans, she was the reason why there was a strew of death all falling at her feet.

That’s what made Jo think more about Gemma. How she practically groomed her to become an old lady, a club girl.  How she wasn’t a good mother and maybe she could let that go for herself but she couldn’t for Jax. Maybe that’s what it all came down to. The fact that Jo tried so hard as the eldest sibling to be the parent that Jax needed while also being his older sister, while watching out for him, while seeing the good in the man and not pushing him to become something he’d never be able to come back from. But none of it worked. No matter how hard Jo tried, Gemma always won. And Jo always lost. 

So, that was why Jo had an issue blaming the life for the literal wreck in front of her. Because it wasn’t so much the life to blame but the web that Gemma spun for her own personal gain. 

“I would blame the life if he was gunned down by an enemy MC, shivved in prison, hell, even taken down on his bike. But this, Ope? This wasn’t the life. This was our life. The Teller life did this. Gemma did this–” Joanne was getting angrier as she spoke but the last sentence got stuck in her throat as she stopped short of saying what was seconds away from spilling out from her brain through her mouth. 

“You know you did everything you could, this doesn’t land on you.” Opie’s voice got serious now. He knew what she was going to say, that she was going to put the blame on herself. It was an odd position for Opie to be in, being the one trying to ground Joanne, be her support when all these years that was what she did for him. 

Joanne let out a laugh at the statement. This doesn’t land on you. Everything landed on someone in this life. 

“This all lands on me, Ope.” Jo shook her head, pushing off the door frame. “I was the only one there for him. I could’ve pulled him out. I could have prevented this. All of this.” Jo was beginning to spiral. 

“Jax was a grown man, Joanne.” Opie’s voice was soft even though the statement was firm. “Every decision he made falls on him, not me, not Gemma, not you.”

Joanne looked over at him and gave him a look. “Alright, yea, we can blame Gemma a little.” His stance softened and Jo managed to let out a laugh for the first time in a long time. 

She moved over to him and he wrapped his arms around her shoulders as she melted into his embrace. Opie’s head rested on Joanne’s as their embrace tightened. “Wendy and Nero are taking the boys horseback riding tomorrow.” Opie mumbled on Jo’s head. “Figured we could take the kids.” 

Jo let out a sigh of relief. If there was one thing that came from all of this, it was that Opie and them moved onto Nero’s farm with Wendy and the boys. It allowed Jo to be close to them, help raise them, be some type of fucked up family. 

“That sounds like a good idea.” Jo nodded her head against Opie. 

“You wanna talk about the dream?” Opie asked, bringing up their original conversation. 

“I was on 508, blinding lights from both directions. JT and Jax coming straight at me while the truck was coming from the other side. Then they whispered to me that it’s okay.” 

“Maybe it is okay.” Opie said, still hugging the girl. 

Jo wanted to respond but instead, she just kept her thought to herself.

Or maybe it never will be.

[rpepperpotshipssciencebros]

It's a little thing, but boy is it annoying

Would someone *please* let the Tik Tok folk know what "POV" means?

POV: You're riding a mountain bike

NO! This is the POV of someone *watching someone else ride a mountain bike.*

POV: You're riding a mountain bike

YES! The photo is taken in such a way as to show *what you would see* if you were riding a mountain bike: your hands & arms, the handlebars, the trail stretched out in front of you

[actual-lea]

psst bestie i want to start biking to the grocery store for fun and profit but i know less than nothing about bikes, do u have any recommendations for what kind of bike/helmet/accessories i should get or any other biking advice ??? thank u love u xoxo

I am grabbing you gently by the face and pulling you into my arms

Thank you for asking me about literally anything related to bikes

You've come to the right place, sort of - this is all just my own personal thoughts/opinions and you can probably find plenty of actual good (non super rambly) advice on reddit/youtube, but!

If you're wanting a bike for just going to the store, I would recommend looking for one that's labelled as a "city" or "hybrid" bike - these are pretty much made for commuting, they generally have regular ol' flat handlebars (rather than the fancy drop bars you see on fancy road bikes) and wider tires than a road bike, and also they're designed to have a more upright riding position (read: comfortable) so you're not leaning over the bars like some sort of aero racer guy in lycra. The wider tires also make the ride more comfortable, and some bikes have suspension on the front, which just means there's basically a shock absorber - depending on how gnarly the sidewalks/roads you're planning to ride on are, that can make a big difference in comfort also (and mayhaps keep groceries from bouncing around too much), but I definitely wouldn't say it's necessary. (The bike I've been riding on for three years, lovingly named Hot Topic, doesn't have any suspension and the only time I really miss it is when I roll over a particularly terrible pothole.) A lot of city bikes also come with fenders/mudguards (or whatever you want to call them - they're the things that keep your tires from splashing mud and water up into your face and/or butt) already included, which is nice if it's rained recently and you have to ride through any puddles.

They sometimes also come with racks also (or at the very least they generally have the mounts for racks included - if you're buying from a bike store they can absolutely install it for you), which you could use for bags/baskets/whatever for handy grocery carrying capabilities - if you're getting more than a few groceries at a time I would definitely think about investing in a rear rack and like a cargo basket thing of some sort to use with it as opposed to putting everything in a front basket, just because putting a lot of weight on the front can affect your center of gravity and make it a bit harder to steer/balance (ask me how I know). Alternatively a backpack can work just fine for transporting Stuff, but having something heavy on your back will make you sweaty and will kind of suck after a short while.

HOWEVER if you're doing the really budget option of spending like a hundred bucks on a bike at Walmart (which is a great option if you don't want to invest a ton in a bike that you aren't going to use a whole lot) then pretty much anything they have should work just fine. Last time I checked I think even they have city/hybrid bikes there as well? But if not, I would probably say just find a nice cheap mountain bike or "cruiser" bike, preferably one with the smoothest tires you can find that aren't super fat and preferably one with a nice comfy seat.

I don't really have any insight regarding helmets - I'm on my second helmet (only because I think you're supposed to replace them every few years) ever since getting "serious" about biking, and both of them have just been run of the mill $30 Schwinn helmets off the shelf at Walmart, and I've never had any problems with them. I think I actually looked up a list of the "best" (safest) helmets once and those were definitely on there as a good budget option, so like. As long as it's a helmet and it's on your head, you're probably good to go. (just make sure it fits properly - there's a little knob thing on the back that you can twist to adjust how tight it is, and make sure the strap is nice and snug under your chin also, you don't want it to fall off if you do ever happen to fall on your head)

The only other accessories I would recommend as strictly necessary would be lights (especially a taillight, ESPECIALLY if you will be doing any riding on the road or at crosswalks where it's really important for cars to see you), and a good lock. For that, I would say maybe don't go for the absolute cheapest option you can find, only because I had a bike stolen before and they cut through the cheap little cable lock I had like it was nothing lmao. (RIP $90 Walmart mountain bike, you were truly too good for this world.) ALSO if your grocery store doesn't have bike racks to lock it to (mine definitely don't) a good option can be to lock it to one of the cart return railing thingies instead, though obv I would recommend using one that's sorta farther out in the parking lot and not near a whole bunch of cars.

On the subject of lights, yeah 1000% get a taillight (you can get a set with front and back lights at Walmart for like ten bucks or something - the front one wraps around the handlebars and the rear one usually goes on the seat post, underneath the seat) and just have it on and flashing anytime you're on the bike, even in the daytime, if there is even the slightest chance that cars being able to see you is important. (Front light is also good, though I usually don't really use mine much unless it's actually getting dark or raining or something.)

If you're going to be riding on sidewalks or other places where pedestrians are present, it might not be a bad idea to also get a bell. The etiquette for trails/hike and bike paths/whatever is to give an audible signal before you pass someone, especially if you're on a bike and passing someone who's walking, to let them know you're there so they don't cross into your path and get run over. The usual thing is to call out "on your left" (because you should stay to the right and pass on the left if you're in the U.S. - I assume it's the opposite in places where you drive on the left instead) as you approach, with a couple seconds lead time to make sure they hear you/aren't startled by your presence and try to move TO the left instead. I do not have a very loud voice, and feel like I'm yelling when I do that, so I got a nice loud bell that I chime before going around people instead (YMMV on which is more comfortable - I feel kinda rude dinging a bell at people too sometimes, but it's definitely more rude (and dangerous) to just make no noise at all and hope they don't swerve to the side suddenly, so yeah).

You'll probably also want a little air pump to keep your tires inflated (the tires have little writing on the side to tell you what PSI/bar/whatever they should be inflated to) - again, you can get little kits at Walmart/Target/wherever that just come with lights and bell and pump already altogether so don't feel like you need to spend a ton on any of this stuff.

OH AND SUNGLASSES, I would recommend just getting like some dollar store sunglasses if you don't already have some that you can wear, not just for keeping the sun out of your eyes but also to protect your eyes from dust and bugs and stuff. Do not underestimate how much it sucks to have even the tiniest gnat fly into or around your eye, because you WILL have to close it/blink rapidly for a few seconds to get it out and you WILL momentarily lose your depth perception and it WILL be scary if it happens while you're moving fast.

Good lord I'm so sorry for this novel, hopefully there is at least SOMETHING remotely helpful in here, and if you have any other thoughts/questions at all please feel free to ask, there is absolutely no such thing as a stupid question in my book when it comes to bike.

[apas-95]

every day on this website people have a bone to pick with you, today i see you’re oppressing bike helmet wearers, what next?? (/sarcasm)

sadly i am forcing every single usamerican to ride in traffic, on mountain trails, and in races, without a helmet, because I've never ridden a bike in my life and thus don't know that it's inevitable to eventually fly directly over the handlebars directly onto your head, even if you're going 10km/h on perfectly flat path. anyway weird that this crowd of like 200 bikes that I'm in every morning and afternoon doesn't suffer constant fatalities, or like, any crashes at all

fr though the 'tell me you've never ridden a bike lol' responses are the most telling gdhgd like yeah you're A Cyclist. im not, im someone who just uses a bike because it's a supported method of transit here and not something I do as a hobby. i don't use some fast-riding trail bike, i just commute on a regular slow-ass upright bike. like everyone else does. over my whole life ive gotten into worse crashes by accidentally running down a hillside too fast than riding a bike ghfhfhf

[gdmbrwiththerealcrew]

Intro

Gravel riding had become much more popular over the past few years. The clear advantage is getting off busy roads and onto less traveled, often out of the way, dirt/gravel and single track routes. Several of our riding friends who also enjoy bike touring started looking at bike packing on gravel as an alternative. Somehow, a group of us with ties to past cross-country rides decided that we’d enjoy doing a multi-day bike packing trip together out West. And with that, commitments were made nine months in advance of this trip.

The crew includes Steve (that’s me), David, Ed, and Jose. Cumulatively, we have about 6 months of bike touring between us. Our touring miles probably exceed 7,500. However, for all of us, bike packing is a new thing. As of right now, two of us have tried it. I’ve got 4 days and 160 miles in the saddle and Jose has 2 days and 75 miles under his belt. We are all riding bikes with which we’ve never done extensive trips. As a matter of fact, all of our bicycles are new. Regardless, we’ve done our research and we are prepared for some high adventure.

So what are we riding you ask… I’ve got a Surly Ogre with a Moloko handlebar. All steel. 29 inch wheels. David is riding a Kona Unit X with a flatbar handlebar. Also steel on 29 inch wheels. Ed and Jose will be riding true gravel rigs with Salsa Cutthroats. Carbon. Drop bar handlebars. None of the bikes have suspension. It’s going to be interesting to compare bikes along the way!

Our gear will be carried in a variety of bags connected to our handlebars, forks, frames, and rear racks. Like previous trips we will carry all that we need, we hope. We’re self supported so we’ll have tents and sleeping bags, food and stoves, water purifiers, basic tools and parts for in field repairs, and clothing necessary to protect us from the elements.

The weather could vary greatly. We need to be ready for hot and cold as well as rain and snow. Fires have already been an issue to the north of our start so smoke could be a problem. Detours due to forest fires are also a possibility.

I’m sure you’re wondering where we are going. One of the most notable routes for gravel riding is the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. It runs ~2700 miles between Banff, Alberta to Antelope Wells, New Mexico. We are going to do the first 550 miles. We will start in Banff and head south. Ten days later, we will head west at Seeley Lake leaving the official route for our finish in Missoula on Day 11 or so.

We expect to camp most nights. Often times it will be primitive camping (think no toilets or potable water) in the wilderness. For two days we will be riding the Flathead alternative route in British Columbia known as the Serengeti of North America for its abundant wildlife and remoteness. Other days we may have no services (groceries, etc.) or very limited services. Our mid-trip rest day will probably be in Whitefish, MT where we can enjoy some r&r, assuming we can find hotel with vacancies.

All along the way we will get great views of the Rockies, crossing the continental divide multiple times. We will also pass through several small towns, some will be touristy this time of year while others will be more resource extraction-focused (coal, logging, quarries, etc.). Alberta, British Columbia, and Montana all have great natural beauty and significant exploitable natural resources.

With that… wish us luck!