#nothing like a bit of family drama to start the weekend

[storms-path]

FFXIV Write 2024: Day 6 - Halcyon

Arashi was sulking again. Most likely she had lost her patience with Hana again, or Hana had said something rash and caused offence. Like mother, like daughter. Kaien regarded his darling daughter with a weary smile. Fourteen summers old, still growing into the woman she would become, all awkward, gangly limbs and new and unpleasant sensations. Not a good combination when combined with her fiery temper.

She caught him looking and fixed him with what she likely thought was a terrible glare. It didn’t exactly scare Kaien into submission, but he did have the advantage of having raised her. He raised a pair of mugs, filled to the brim with cocoa. A rare import from Ishgard, and worth an arm and a leg out in Dravania. A bribe, and they both knew it. But Arashi’s tail nonetheless slapped the bench, heedless of its warning creeks.

A few moments later the pair were nestled together in silence, sipping piping hot cocoa and enjoying what quiet they could. Kaien waited, knowing that eventually Arashi would crack. She always did, in the end. Just like her mother.

“I just don’t understand why she’s so insistent!” There it was. Kaien’s tail curled around his daughter’s waist, tugging her closer as she spilled her heart. “Why is it so necessary that I learn the katana? Nobody here uses them anyway! It’s all spears and axes and bows!” Kaien’s spare arm wrapped around his daughter’s shoulders, squeezing gently. It wouldn’t do to tell her the truth, that Hana was more interested in raising weapons than daughters. That she still clung to the dream of liberating Doma, reviving the Washi clan with their children poised to lead it.

“Your mother wants to make sure you understand and cherish our culture,” he said instead. It was mostly true. There was a reason Arashi and Sanda had been taught to speak Doman first and Eorzean second. Not that they had needed much coaching. The pair had a natural grasp of language. And despite Hana’s constant barrage of complaints and criticisms, Arashi had taken to swordplay like a fish to water. In Doma she would have been hailed as a prodigy. But they were not in Doma, and it was never going to be enough for the blood-soaked demon that was Hana Washi.

For a while the two were silent, the cocoa slowly vanishing from their cups. Eventually Arashi spoke. “Tell me about my home.” The anger in her voice was gone now. Instead she sounded like what she was: a girl looking for answers in the past her mother held in such high regard. Kaien smiled, ruffling his daughter’s hair. She took after her mother, deep violet in the roots burning to red at the tips. None of his own grey-white hair made it in there. That all went to her sister, slipping into her deeper purple curls.

Kaien leaned back on his hands, looking up at the thatched roof of their tiny house. “Doma,” he began after a spell, “Always caught the sun on its morning journey. No matter how grey the clouds may have been in the night, the rising rays were always, always enough to banish them.” That was how they had known the Garleans were coming. Their dark cloud of warships laughed at the feeble sun. They had burned and pillaged and slaughtered, all for the imagined crime of Primal summoning. For confusing their auspices for hateful mockeries of the kami. He shook his head, noting the concerned look on his daughter’s face. No good would come from that memory.

“Your mother loved the sunrise. Every day she would slip out of bed, not even a stocking on her, and let the morning sun greet her properly.” She was radiant, her scales reflecting the sunlight in such a mesmerising fashion. The swish of her tail, her upturned face, her…

Well, perhaps best not to linger on that one either. Not with a child present.

Arashi elbowed him nonetheless, apparently catching the lovesick glint in his eye. She looked disgusted as only a girl still growing into a woman could. You’ll understand one day, my little storm cloud.

Still, she couldn’t disguise the smile tugging at the corners of her scowl. “Your mother does love you, you know.” Kaien saw the uncertain look cloud her features. “She acts as she does because she wants you to be the best that you can be.” The best fighter she could raise. A successor to her bloody legacy, but turned to liberation rather than pointless violence. “And she would sooner cut off her own arm than do anything to hurt you. Or your little sister, for that matter.” Quiet, concerning Sanda. Nine summers old and already so serious, so focused on catching up to her big sister. It was plain to see that she idolised Arashi, but she was too focused on chasing her sister’s shadow to seek her own path. Still, she was young. Too young, really. She would find her way, even if Kaien had to talk some sense into her mother to make it happen.

Doma is lost. Dravania is our home. Why can’t you see that, my blossom?

As if summoned, Hana burst in through the door. From the roaring giggle, Sanda was right behind her. More than likely the pair had planned such a dramatic entrance on their way home. “Behold, non-believers! The fiercest blade in all of Doma has returned!” Hana was all bravado and boisterous movements, but she couldn’t hide the relief in her eyes when she saw Arashi nestled against Kaien’s side.

Kaien caught her gaze. There would be words about this incident later, when the children were safely asleep.

But for now, he rose to his feet and opened his arms. Hana leapt into them like she had always belonged there, purring into his chest with satisfaction. Another, smaller weight, hooked itself to his leg. He looked down to see Sanda there, staring up at him with her big, serious eyes. He smiled down at her and her answering smile was enough to banish the darkness in his heart for all eternity.

Arashi, not to be outdone, slung an arm around his back. She did not, he noticed, extend her mother the same courtesy. She’ll get there. Give her time. Hana pretended not to notice. Kaien squeezed her tighter anyway.

Not everything was perfect. Nothing ever could be. But he had the lights of his life clustered around him. For the time being, that was enough.

[back2bluesidex]

Hard Luck - JJK & KTH (18+) - Chapter 1

◆ Pairing: CEO Jungkook X Fem employee Reader X Legal advisor Taehyung. 

◆ Summary: You have a good face, a nice body, a fat amount saved in your secondary bank account, a stable job that you love, loving friends and family, you are good in bed. You have almost everything other than a good luck in love. Sleeping around with random dudes don’t feel enough when your friends are getting married and having kids. If you are being honest, you have started getting bored of this prolonged singlehood already. 

Your last light of hope fades away when your work crush, aka the hot guy from the legal department, Kim Taehyung (with whom you might or might not have slept once, okay! twice!), asks you to set him up with your work best friend (who, apparently, is the most asked out woman of the company). But what you don’t know is that the CEO of the company has taken a liking to you and has started on a mission of winning your heart. 

But wait… Taehyung might have started developing feelings for you in the process of receiving your help.

◆ Chapter summary: Two meetings - One went good - another went downhill.

◆ Theme: Romance, drama, light angst, my poor attempt of humor, fluff and eventual smut. office romance au,

◆ Warnings: Tiny bit angst.

◆ Word count: 3.2k+

◆ A/N: let me know your thoughts.

Minors aren't allowed in this blog!!!!

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You have a very love-hate relationship with weekends. 

Love because who the hell doesn’t like free times, no rush to drive to work, a quiet time on their couch with some unhealthy snacks and a good movie playing on the TV? 

Hate because weekends make you feel alone. Today is just a copy of yesterday.  

On most Friday nights you end up going drinking with your teammates, save your Saturdays for your friends and your precious Sundays are for yourself and yourself only. 

But lately, your said friends have changed, not by choice but by circumstances. Two of them are married, one is engaged and another just started dating after a prolonged singlehood - leaving you completely out of the order. Now they name most of their Saturdays to their partners, which makes you angry but you know that’s the only normal thing to do. 

So, now you are the one that neither has a partner and nor anyone to spend most of your Saturdays with. 

You sigh as you scroll through netflix. 

There is nothing that catches your eyes, intrigues you enough to start watching. 

Just when you are about to read the description of this new cheesy romcom, your phone vibrates with a call. 

It’s your mom - she calls you ten times a day. 

“Hmmm?” you greet her absent-mindedly. 

“Mia just gave birth to a baby boy!!!” she squeals on the other side of the phone. You can feel her excitement through the vibration of her digitized voice. 

The news lights you up as well. Mia is your favorite cousin and older than you by a year only. 

“Really? Woah! Is the baby fine? Is she fine?” 

“Both of them are fine, ddal.” Your mother, now, replies calmly, “it’s only me who is not.” 

“What? What happened? Joint-pain again?” you sit up on the couch. 

“No. That's not it.” your mother whines. You love to hear her whines. 

“Then?” 

“When will I have my grandchild?” she huffs, making you laugh. 

“Eomma, I’m only 27.” you remind her. 

“That’s why I am reminding you, darling. If you start looking for a man now, you will be able to gift me a grandchild before I hit seventy.”  

The mention of a ‘man’ draws a very particular face on your vision. 

You know you should not think too much, read too much into someone’s actions. But at this age, when you already started feeling alone, feeling the desire for someone to come back home to, you can’t help but to feel the need of holding the next best person who shows you a silver of interest. 

And Taehyung has shown a lot of it. 

You will win in life if you manage to bag someone as nice, hot, handsome and successful as him. 

“Maybe… maybe very soon, eomma.” you add a trail of words to end your thoughts. 

“Omo! Really? Are you seeing someone?” she’s now way too much excited and her excitement makes you want more from the guy who only fucked you twice. 

“No- it’s not that. I am just talking about the possibilities.” your voice sounds frail for some reason. Possibility is what it is. Nothing is confirmed. 

You know you have a crush on Taehyung but at the same time you have no idea if there is more than just lust in his mind.

You try not to think of negative things and engage your mother in off-topic conversations. But in the back of your mind, Taehyung stays still, with his baritone voice and boxy smile. 

“Good morning, sweetheart” Hani, the colleague you are the closest to, chirps in with her sweet voice. 

She is the epitome of perfection. 

The girl looks like a goddess, very friendly, the life of the party, smiles at everyone - doesn’t really matter if she knows them or not, is an amazing cook, and good at the job she does. 

Her amazing persona accompanied by that next level face card, makes her the most desired woman of the company. 

There is hardly any bachelor who hasn’t asked her out yet. And Taehyung is one of them (which makes you think that he must be into you). 

Sometimes you are jealous of her - okay! Scratch that! Most of the time you are jealous of her ability to make friends, to have people wrapped around her fingers without having to do anything while you practically have to beg your own friends to spend their weekends with you. 

And being asked out? That’s a completely different story. 

What you have understood from your experience is that guys love to have you on their bed. You are a good fuck, you know that. But a wife material? No. 

You are way too aloof, emotionally unattached to entertain anyone more than normal boundaries allow you to. Hence, you end up pushing people away.  

And now - at an age where you should be in a long term relationship - you are alone. 

“Good morning, Hani.” you reply with a genuine smile gracing your lips. Honestly, very few people can pull a genuine smile out of you and Hani is certainly one of them. 

Had it been anyone else as popular as her, they would have a big fat ego. But Hani is different and that’s why you love her. 

“How was the weekend?” she asks, placing her order for her usual iced americano. You still don’t understand how people consume this as the first thing in the morning. It’s nothing but cold and bitter.  

You grab your iced vanilla latte and take a mouth full of the sweetness, “as usual. Boring. Only me and my couch and netflix” 

“Oh? You could have called me in. I was mostly alone too.” she sips her aa-aa, and makes a delightful face. You scrunch your nose at that. 

“Really? I thought you do those volunteering stuff on weekends?” you two walk towards the elevator while sipping on your beverages. 

“That’s for day-time. I am usually free during the nights. So, try calling me if you need a companion.” she eyes you expectantly. 

You know she feels alone too, just like you. 

Hani came out of her two year long relationship just a few months ago. She probably feels alone during her free time as her partner is not there to entertain her anymore. 

And maybe it’s a good idea. 

Even though you don’t like to extend your professional relationships beyond the gates of your workplace - Hani can be different. 

You can take this friendship a little further, you guess. 

The elevator door slides open, revealing a certain someone you look for a lot these days. 

Taehyung smiles brightly at you. Two strands of his dark hair fall on his forehead, his siren eyes are full of mirth as they quickly dip down to check you out. But then his eyes fall on Hani. And if you are not wrong then they have a brief eye-contact before someone behind asks you and your friend to get inside and make space already. 

An odd feeling blooms inside your chest. 

Taehyung checked you out, that’s for sure. But what were those love eyes that he regarded Hani with? Did he just fall in love at first sight or something of that sort? 

You settle inside the dingy space of the elevator rather uncomfortably - both physically and metaphorically. 

Hani is standing in front of you and Taehyung is just behind your back. You are sandwiched between the two of them and weirdly enough - you don’t feel too good about the situation. Because you can see Taehyung staring at Hani through the glazed metal door or the elevator. Something churns inside of you at the thought of Taehyung being smitten by your work best friend. 

But maybe you are thinking too much? Maybe time will soon prove you wrong. 

Wrong. Everything is wrong. 

Your teammates do an impressive job everyday except for the days when there is an important meeting and you need documented reports. 

Today is one of those days. And today is even more horrifying because this will be your very first meeting with the new CEO who took over less than a month ago. 

Streets say he is as strict as his father if not more. That’s basically all you know about Jeon Jungkook. You don’t know what he looks like or what he sounds like. And that makes you anxious. 

The prospect of having an one-on-one meeting with the new, young CEO has been freaking you out already and now your subordinate had to do a sloppy reporting job.  

“Oh lord! Sooho! Why did you write ‘no penetration this month’ when the chart is at its peak?” You don’t like to scream at all but the migraine that is climbing up through the path of your neck mixes with your frustration and turns your sentence a little more high pitched than what you usually use. 

“Oh?” your teammate blinks at you being dumbfounded, “is that called penetration?” 

“Yes of course? What did you think? We are asking about your sex life in the reports?” you can’t help but mock the boy. 

Laughter echoes through your workspace but it quickly dies down when you glare at your teammates. They mumble apologies but you pretend not to hear any of it. 

“Sorry, seonbae. I will fix it right away.” he runs towards his cubicle. 

“You have five minutes.” you issue a warning. Taking your phone in your hands, you find a text sitting on your screen. 

Taetae: Any plans tonight?

Your chest heaves with the long breath that you inhale upon reading the text. See… Taehyung still wants to see you! It’s you he wants to see! And you went on an overdrive thinking he might ditch you now and start chasing Hani like the other men of the office. 

Your nails clink against your phone screen as you type your reply. 

You: nope. 

You don’t even get the chance of putting down your phone because his reply comes right away. 

Taetae: Then let's get a coffee after work. I will wait at the lounge. 

You: Sounds cool. 

You don’t know what you feel about this one-on-one meeting situation. 

The previous CEO, Mr. Jeon Jae Gyeong, had meetings with all of the department heads at once and got done with it. 

But the younger Mr. Jeon has sent out emails to everyone stating very clearly that he would be changing the meeting format. 

So, now you are here. Waiting outside his massive office (that could fit your entire workspace and still leave space for a snack pantry), on the verge of an anxiety attack. 

The more you wait, the more restless you feel. Your heels start tapping against the floor creating a rapid sound. The CEO’s assistant, a beautiful guy with blonde hair and soft features, looks at you with an assuring smile - as if to tell you that ‘it’s okay. Don’t get your nerves worked up.’ 

you smile back at him feeling a tiny bit better. 

Just then the huge door of the CEO’s office slides open. The head of the finance team walks out and from the look on his face you can tell that his meeting didn’t go too well. 

Your throat dries at the assumption of what you might face when you go inside. 

You are not going to get fired, right? Right?!

Mr. Bae, the finance head, walks out in haste heightening your anxiety even more. 

Just then the assistant receives a call on his line and murmurs something. He looks at you and says, “you may go inside now.” 

Your legs almost give out. You start planning to go home and update your resume to look for opportunities.  

Taking a long breath, you push the door open. 

Your eyes fall on the prominent figure that is sitting on the large mahogany table. His eyes are focused on the ipad. Mouth shut tight, lips pursed, his downturned face is casted with a shadow, which prevents you from taking a good look at his face. 

What you see is the silver ring that glints on his eyebrow. And are those tattoos on his hand? 

Even if he heard you coming in he clearly didn’t plan on providing you with any of his attention. 

“May I come in, Mr. Jeon?” you curse at the way there is zero confidence in your voice. 

He then looks up at you and locks his eyes with yours. 

Holy shit! He is handsome! 

Your chest heaves with another long breath. 

You wait for him to call you inside but he just sits still staring at you with big doe eyes. His gaze is piercing, intimidating and makes you weak on your knees. 

His Adam's apple bobs as he gulps once before clearing his throat, “Miss Y/N. Please come in.” 

You take careful steps towards his desk praying that you don’t trip and embarrass yourself. He ushers his hand towards the chair, asking you to take a seat voicelessly. 

You do as he asks. 

“How are you doing, Miss Y/N?” Jeon Jungkook asks without diverting his piercing gaze from yours. 

He is looking at you so intently as if he has known you for a long time. 

You give him an easy smile, “I’m doing fine, Mr.Jeon. What about you?” you return his courtesy. 

“Doing great.” Jeon Jungkook gives you a very pretty, heart fluttering kind of smile. 

If your heart really flutters a little  - you are not going to dwell upon it. 

“So, let’s talk about work.” he hums as he dives into his laptop and probably opens the reports you have mailed him earlier. 

Taking a minute to check all the reports, he opens his mouth to speak, “pretty impressive. I have gone through the reports from previous months as well and as I am seeing this month's reports - you have been bringing great results. Online traffic is at an all-time high, ad-clicks have gone past the five million mark, there are an average of 20 real-time users and at least 5 of them are from the states. Great. I must say” he pauses to look at you, “I am very impressed.” The last part of his sentence comes out breezy, a little bit suggestive as if his words are not only about your work. 

Your stomach feels light. 

“Thank you sir.” that’s all you manage to reply. Absent-mindedly you take your lower-lip in between your teeth and nip on it. 

The action catches Jungkook’s eyes. 

“Are you nervous?” he places a very unexpected question, catching you off-guard. 

“Ah- yeah. I mean, It’s my very first encounter with you as the CEO, so I could not help being a bit anxious. Apologies if my actions have disappointed you in any way.” you straighten your back and speak confidently this time. 

He doesn’t seem rude at all. You allow yourself to feel at ease. 

“Don’t worry about that. I get you. But be assured I am not going to eat you up.” he giggles. His giggle makes you break into a smile as well. 

“That’s all for the day. Looking forward to working with you…” Jungkook extends his hand towards you. You wrap your smaller one around his palm and he mutters, “...closely.”  

When you look into his eyes, you see mischief. 

“Sure.” you reply, sucking in all the air you could. 

By the time you come out of his room, your heart is thumping inside your ears. 

What the fuck was that? How is he so handsome? And what were those eyes he looked at you with? Why did he murmur ‘closely’ like that? 

No! You are overthinking again! You scold yourself. 

The assistant gives you another smile as you bow at him a little and walk away. You find Hani waiting to be called inside. 

When she sees you, she approaches you with a nervous grin, “how is the new CEO?” she whisper-yells. 

“Very nice and handsome.” you whisper back. She makes an “O” with her mouth before she gets called inside. 

You check your lips once more in the mirror. 

Being too focused on perfecting your lip liner, you don’t see Hani coming inside the washroom. You only become attentive of her presence when she smacks your ass. 

“Ouch!” a painful groan leaves your lips, “don’t do this! People might think we are dating!” 

“I’d have totally dated you if I wasn’t straight.” Hani chuckles standing beside you, “what’s the occasion tho? Have a date or something?” 

“Nope. Gonna meet Taehyung for a quick coffee.” 

Hani’s eyes wide at that, “Taehyung? As in Kim Taehyung from the legal team?” 

“Yup.” 

“Ohh hooo” she sings “I didn’t know you guys have coffees with each other, huh?” 

“It’s not what you think, Hani.” you look at her, raising a brow. 

“Oh? Really? But I think he is a good guy. He even greeted me when we met during lunch and I’m sure he didn’t even know me before this morning.” 

Huh? Taehyung greeted Hani? That’s weird. Because he hardly ever smiles at people he doesn’t know properly. 

You don’t let your expression give away your thoughts when you murmur a little ‘yeah’ to your friend. 

Teahyung looks like a painting - or better - a sculpture as he sits there facing the huge window of the lounge. 

He is devastatingly handsome. A smile creeps up to your lips without you realizing so. 

This time you walk confidently, marching towards him as if you own it all. The sound of your heels against the floor makes him face you and look up at you.

“Hey” he greets you as you sit down across from him. 

“Hi” you greet back, waving your hand to a waiter. 

“How was the day?” Taehyung asks, once you are done placing your order. 

“Nerve-wracking. I almost fainted before the one-on-one meeting.” you recall the incidents, then the man. 

Jeon Jungkook’s handsome face flashes before your eyes for a second. 

Taehyung chuckles at your answer, “I know. Jungkook can be really intimidating.” 

You pout, “oh? You’re talking as if you know him personally?” 

“Actually yes. We are not at all close and probably talked a few times but we share the same group of friends.” 

Your eyebrows shoot towards your hairline at the information, “Really? That’s great. It would have been easy for you to face him then.” 

“Oh god! Not at all! He had me pinned at my seat for the entire meeting. All serious expressions and no smile.” Taehyung grimaces at the memory. 

“He smiled at me though. Actually… giggled. He was super nice.” you start recalling the encounter again. 

“He must have really liked you.” Taehyung muses. 

Is he jealous? You ask yourself. Even though Teahyung sounds anything but envious. 

“By the way, Y/N. I asked you to meet today for a selfish reason.” he smiles sheepishly. 

“What is it?” you ask sipping your coffee that just arrived. 

“Are you close to Hani?” 

As soon as the words leave Taehyung's lips, your world stops moving. You know what is about to come and it breaks your heart but you are determined not to show it on your face. 

“Yeah. why?” you manage to voice upon gulping the lump that formed in your throat. 

All of a sudden Taehyung lunches forward grasping your hands with his big ones, “help me please. Set me up with her! Pleaaaaseeeee” his boxy smile is on full view. 

Once that smile warmed you up but right now you feel nothing but cold. 

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[frickingnerd]

meeting the todoroki's

pairing: shoto todoroki x gn!reader (+todoroki family)

summary: shoto takes you to a family dinner to make your relationship public, after months of dating in secret...

tags: secret relationship, wholesome fluff, use of y/n, enji trying to be nice to reader, supportive todoroki siblings

shoto and you had been dating for quite a while now, yet your relationship was a bit of an open secret. he didn't mind mentioning you to his friends and wasn't shy to tell them he was in a relationship with you, but his family hadn't heard a single word about you yet. they didn't even know you were a friend of shoto's, until you came home with him for dinner one weekend. 

shoto didn't introduce you when he arrived at his house, purposefully refraining from putting a label on his relationship with you. he waited until everyone sat at the dinner table – natsu, fuyumi, enji and shoto and you – until he started to shift towards the topic you two had came here for today. 

"so, y/n and i wanted to tell you all something…"

everyone's eyes were on shoto, hoping that what came next would be good news. god knows this family didn't need any more drama. 

"we've been dating for a while now… i just didn't want to tell you all right away, but i'm ready now…"

shoto was being blunt as ever, holding nothing back. there was a quiet moment in which natsu and fuyumi exchanged glances, before fuyumi was the first one to speak up. 

"i'm really happy for you, shoto. you deserve to be with someone nice and y/n has made a great impression so far! right, dad?"

fuyumi glared at her father, just wanting him to be nice for once and agree with them. enji was still chewing on his food slowly, glaring at you and shoto. it felt like forever until he swallowed and spoke up. 

"right… though you could've mentioned something earlier, shoto! well, as long as a relationship won't distract you from your school work, then i suppose i don't mind…"

that must've been the nicest thing shoto had heard in a while from his father. he was quite glad he was holding back on you. or maybe he just hadn't found anything to criticize yet. 

"are you going to tell mom about it too?"

natsu asked and shifting the topic a little. 

"i plan to. i've already sent her a letter, but whenever they'll let me visit her, i'll bring y/n along!" 

shoto hadn't been very excited about telling his father about your relationship, but he wanted his mother to get to know you! he just had to wait for a chance to get to meet her again…

[obsessive-valentine]

Yandere!Hockey player x F!Figure skater

A Ice Hockey player takes a interest in the new girl, he’s determined to prove he’s not some lowlife-stereotypical popular kid but rather a man who can protect you and begins to set you up to be in a relationship with him. This ones a pretty subtle yandere.

You recently moved to a new town with your family and being a figure skater you had to not only find a new school but also a new ice rink to practice. Although your school seemed to have a pretty big hockey team that also used this rink so you had to work around them, this meant sometimes leaving school early for these lessons before the school team showed up or coming in late as they were leaving.

Today however you were particularly early leaving you to sit on the bench waiting for the hockey team to pack it in, you distracted yourself with with your phone or a book but you seemed to also be distracting one of the players in particular. He knew you from some of his classes but you never acknowledged each other, mostly because he was apart of the annoyingly loud and popular boys, and he along with his friends know for throwing parties and dating around- they didn’t even bother to pretend to take school seriously it was just a place to hang out and poke fun at people.

You however were comfortable with the small but friendly group you’d been accepted into when you joined the new school, you avoided drama and most parties -preferring to be ice skating or hanging out with your friends. So he was a bit confused why you seemed to be capturing his attention so much, you were quite the opposite of his ex-girlfriends. “What’s wrong with you!? Get your head in the game!” He was snapped back into reality by being told off by his coach, he huffed in response and his eyes darted back to you before joining the game again. You had glanced up to see the commotion and briefly locked eyes with him before going back to what you was doing.

“Someone’s in love” his friend teased coming up behind him only to be shoved back in response “piss off” he grumbled. He kept his eyes on the puck the whole game not trusting himself to look up again, and before he knew it his coach was calling it a day. “Come one let’s go can’t keep buddy’s girlfriend waiting can we now?” his friend once again picking the bear figuratively and literally, it took all his strength to not shove him once again, in fact he didn’t even respond just turned his back and made his way off the rink followed by the team.

He was disappointed in himself, letting a girl come between him and his team until he looked over at you once more as he left for the lockers, you were lacing your skates obviously a bit annoyed at the comments from the boys poking fun at you and him, but damn were you pretty even when you were angry.

You darted out on the ice once the team was gone and made a mental note to come way later so you don’t bump into them again, because god that was awkward. You had the ice to yourself as it was late and you only really trained with your coach on weekends unless you chose to compete, so you stuck your earphones in and went through routines and tricks you’d like to brush up on.

20 minutes had gone by and when you looked up you saw the hockey player standing sheepishly by the shirt wall dividing the rink from the bleachers, you took a earphone out to question him but between you catching your breath and taking it out he had already started to explain “I literally just came in here I swear I’m not a creep... I just wanted to say sorry” he started, you was about to tell him it’s okay so he’d leave but he cut you off again “you’re in my science class right?”

“Yeah and a few others” you sighed to yourself realising it won’t be so easy to get him to leave “oh sorry I don’t really pay attention to much it’s nothing personal. But really they can be asses but they don’t mean harm, maybe I can make it up to you though?” He had a certain charm for such a seemingly tough guy and admittedly very hot, but you didn’t know him aside from the loud jokes he made, him and his friends rough shoving each other into lockers in the hallways, or the rumours of what girl he was hooking up with during a party.

“I don’t know, it fine really we can just leave it at that” you wasn’t sure you wanted to hang around a guy like that, but then again you never saw him pick on people, or continue provoking after a teacher tells him off, he wasn’t as crude as other popular people you’ve come across. Maybe he wasn’t so bad. “Please just umm, do you walk back home? It’s getting dark and I can drive you” he seemed so desperate to make it right, it seemed so out of character especially over something so small.

“I’m gonna be here for another 20 minutes at least, and I’m not getting in your car, I don’t know what you’re like” you said bluntly making hhis eyes widen in realisation “oh right you no that makes sense, okay I get it I’ll get outta your hair but I promise I’ll make it up to you” god did he feel stupid, offering a girl, that he could very well overpower, to join him in his car. ‘Now she probably thinks I’m some lowlife like the rest of them’ he though to himself as he got into his car.

The whole way home he brainstormed some ways to get closer to you, he could pass up this opportunity.

...

“Hey there you are!” Like a relentless puppy he jogged to catch up to you in the hallway “Hi, you’re really hard to find, I mean there is a couple hundred people in this school” you stared at him confused “right um can we maybe hang out for a bit, maybe we can eat lunch together” he could see that you were going to try gently decline “-BECAUSE, I really need your help with” he took a deep breath trying to come up with something “History, yeah history, please it would be a great help”

“fine I guess” you suppose one hour with him can’t go to bad, just let him copy your notes and eat your lunch. However you both spent most of the hour talking, he showed you pictures of his dog thinking it would loosen you up and encouraged you to talk about yourself, eventually you stopped trying to shift the topic back to history and talked to him like he was a friend.

“I’ll see you at the rink?” He smiled back at you, hopefully, he was falling deeper and deeper for you “maybe I will” you blushed a bit packing your bag faster to make it to class. “Good” he said more to himself before leaving.

...

Every now and then he would check the bleachers, hoping to see you, until he did, you gave him a smile as you sat and he waved back, you couldn’t see it under the mask but his smile could very well have reached his ears. He hung back once again, once his team cleared out you joined him on the ice “nice of you to join me, starting to wonder if you would show up at all” he joked.

He spent this time trying to get closer to you once again, he begged you to show him tricks, some he attempted half-assed to get a laugh out of you, then you both raced from one end to the other after some provoking on his part, and after a long talk he asked once again “can I maybe drive you home today?” He hopefully looked to you, you gave it a long thought “I guess so, only if you don’t mind waiting around a while longer for me to actually get some practice in” you gave into him.

He grinned hard “that’s alright with me, I’ll be back in a bit take all the time you need” he took off to the changing room, you trust him more than you did just a few days ago, you talk to him and not so begrudgingly anymore, hell you even entertained him messing around with you for over half an hour. This was significant progress to him.

He rushed to sit back on the bleachers and watch you skate for a bit. He couldn’t stop thinking if this is what it’s like to be so truly in-love, is this what they mean by love at first sight. Every conversation with you made him more sure and sure you were so much more than any of the past girls he’s messed around with even the most serious of relationships would never come close to how he felt with you.

But he’s getting ahead of himself- ‘baby steps’ he had to remind himself, he’s not going to ruin this. He walked you to his car and opened the door for you, this was the start of something. He’s driving you to your house today but soon it will be his house to hang out then hangouts will become sleepovers and sleepovers will become... well he’ll pass that stage when he gets there. For now he’ll treasure the beginning of a long loving life together, he’s sure of it.

[cal-daisies-and-briars]

Hi Cal!! I hope you’re having a nice weekend/week! As usual I have been haunted by your wips and I’m very excited to read what happens next!

First theme this week is “the OCs who’ve stolen my heart!” I absolutely adore Dove and Cranberry!!!

🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞🪞 (DUCKLING STOP THATS ADORABLE!! I’m really loving this story and can’t wait to read it! I know you said you’re waiting until it’s all done to release it - how many chapters are you planning on it being?)

🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮 (guess whose back! Back again! Cranberrys back! Tell a friend! As always I love the early season four Buckley family drama stuff and especially love the established Buddie twist! Very excited to see the Daniel reveal play out and I’m pumped to hear that you’re gonna keep doing Cranberry stories!)

- PCA <3

HI PCA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you!!!!!I I am so happy you're loving the OCs, particularly the new introduction of Dove.

78 for 🪞 (I am thinking 5 or 6, depending on how long the next one ends up being. Right now, I'm in the middle of chapter 3.)

---

Bobby suppresses an amused smile. “Well, I’m all ears. What’s up, Dove?”

“Captain Bobby,” she starts, mustering up her courage. Buck has to keep himself from doubling over from the cuteness. “Can I stay, just for today?”

Bobby pretends to think about it for a second. “Hmm. Do you think you could help out around the firehouse? Keep the other firefighters in line?”

She nods enthusiastically. “Yes!”

“Alright,” Bobby nods. “I think we can give you special permission today. You’re in charge of Buck, though.”

“Hey,” Buck laughs.

“I don’t know, Cap!” Eddie calls down from the mezzanine. “Are you sure about this? She’s a Go-Fish shark.” 

“A Go-Fish shark?” Bobby repeats. “Uh oh!”

Dove giggles. “No. Eddie just loses a lot.”

Bobby laughs. Warm and boisterous. “Why don’t you go upstairs and tell Eddie to get the cards out?”

Dove looks to Buck for permission. 

“He’s the captain,” he reminds her. “He’s in charge.”

She turns back to Bobby. “Okay, Captain.”

Then she drops Buck’s hand and heads towards the stairs, where Eddie is waiting for her at the top. 

Buck turns to Carla.

“Thanks for bringing her,” he says. 

Carla smiles kindly. “She needed you.”

“Do you know what her nightmares were about?” He asks. 

Carla shakes her head. “She didn’t really remember.”

Damn. Nothing to talk through, then.

“Okay,” Buck shrugs. “Well… Thanks again.”

She nods. “I’ll see you in a few days.”

They say their goodbyes and then Buck turns to Bobby.

“Thank you,” he says. “It’s not gonna be a habit, just… She’s been insecure lately. I-I want her to know I’m always here for her. That she comes first, you know?”

“Relax,” Bobby assures him. “It’s all good.”

He nods. “Thanks.”

“For the record?” Bobby says. “I’m proud of you. She’s lucky to have you.”

▪️▪️▪️

It’s a day straight out of a memory. Buck feels the deja vu following him like a ghost. 

The 118 dotes on Dove the same way they do any of the kids. The same way they did for Christopher, on the day he’d spent with them, not long after Eddie had started. It’s the same but different. The same in that everyone is kind and patient and tries to make her laugh. The same in that she gets brought on a call, to help someone trapped in playground equipment. The same in that Bobby seems to light up having a kid around, and it makes Buck melt. But different. Different, in that Dove is too scared to go down the fire pole. Buck thinks they’ll have to work up to it. Different in that she’s still a bit shyer, and clings to Buck and Eddie. She’s not the same kid. Even though sometimes it feels like the same day. 

---

60 for 🦮 (And hell yeah! I literally want to take Cranberry through as much of canon as possible.)

---

“I don’t blame you for not telling me, now that I think more about it,” Buck starts. “Chris is that age, and if we pressured him to keep a secret… Well, of course he would.”

Maddie looks down. “Yeah, I… I was always scared of making them angry. Or sad. Mom… She used to talk about wanting to die, and I… I thought if I was good…”

“That wasn’t your job,” Buck says. 

“I know that now,” Maddie says. She rests her hand on her stomach. “I know I never want my little girl to end up feeling responsible for anyone else’s emotions. I don’t want her to end up… You know?”

Loving someone like Doug. Right. 

“She won’t,” Buck says firmly. “I know she won’t. She’ll have people to protect her. Like I had you.”

Maddie wipes her eyes. 

“But you didn’t have anyone,” Buck realizes. “And when you left, I didn’t have anyone.”

“I’m sorry, I-”

“No, that’s not why I’m… Maddie, what I’m saying is… We both deserved better.”

She takes a deep breath. “We did.”

“And it’s okay if you want to try to move forward with them. Sweep that under the rug. But, uh, I don’t.”

Maddie nods. “I think that’s fair. That’s your decision.”

“Yeah,” he says. “I don’t like the person they turn me into. Someone who thinks he isn’t worth a lot. I did too much work not to be him anymore.”

Maddie’s mouth wobbles a little. “You’ve always been worth everything to me, Evan.”

He smiles, throat tight. “Back atcha.”

Cranberry flips over and wiggles a bit closer to Buck. He strokes her back. 

“Hey, would you… Would you tell me about Daniel?” He asks. “I would like to know what he was like.”

“Yeah,” Maddie nods. “Yeah, it would be nice to talk about him again.”

Somehow, Buck thinks that in learning about the brother he never knew he lost, he probably stands to learn a lot about the sister he’s always had. 

vii.

Despite his resolution not to bother with them, with things as they currently are, Buck’s parents find him anyway. Unfortunately, this time he doesn’t have Eddie - or any other human - to back him up. He does, however, have Cranberry. And that’s certainly not nothing. 

They’ve been on his mind all day, actually. Not in a good way. 

[in-my-shifting-era]

The Cheerleader and The Freak

Eddie Munson {Angst}

Summary: You’re a cheerleader and have a secret crush on Eddie Munson and finally asks him on a date. Eddie doesn’t respond how you would have hoped; leading your crush turning close to hatred for the metal head.

Warning: fem reader and use of y/n. Swearing and Eddie’s being mean to the reader. Cheerleader stereotype and a miscommunication trope. Reader is a senior in high school (18)

———————————————————————————————————

Being a cheerleader has placed you into the popular crowd at Hawkins High. Popular enough to be co- caption of the cheer squad with your childhood best friend Chrissy Cunningham. You’re well liked by all your peers and get good grades. You fit into the mold like a glass slipper.

As constricting as the mold is its all you know since most of your friends are on the cheer squad or the basketball team. You don’t agree with what your friends think of Eddie and his Hellfire club. You actually find Eddie’s long hair and his “nerdy” interests to be charming. You’ve had a crush on him since you started having more classes with him last year.

You’ve done nothing about this crush but peak glances of him when you can and gush to your close friend Nancy Wheeler about it. A bit worried of what anyone on the cheer squad would think of your crush, even Chrissy. This is until Nancy told you Eddie had tried to rent the horror movie you rented over the weekend from Family Video from Steve Harrington.You saw this as your ticket to talking to him, a common ground. All day you have been hyping yourself up to ask him if he wanted to watch the movie with you. When your last class ended you quickly gathered your binders and sling your backpack over your shoulder and rushed to meet him near his locker where you knew he’d be since it was a Hellfire day and he’d need his journal.

You see the metal head with his head down as he gets to his locker and works on the combination to open it swiftly; an adorable smile finding his face as he gathers his things. Knowing now is your best chance you shake of your nerves and walk over to him and tap his shoulder lightly offering a soft smile when he looks over at you.

As his eyes fall onto your own you see his face fall to confusion at your sudden presence behind him. “Uh if you want weed I’m not selling to you in the hall. I sell behind the school.” His tone almost sounds annoyed as he speaks making you almost lose all confidence in talking to him. You decide to go against the thought and offer a soft laugh. “No I’m not trying to buy. I was actually going to ask if you’d maybe like to watch the new Nightmare On Elm Street with me.”

Eddie’s look of confusion moves to a disapproving head shake . “What kind of bet did you lose princess? Asking someone out as some joke wasn’t funny in middle school so try harder the next time you wanna fuck with the freak.” A harsh slam of the metal locker makes you jump out of your skin and shrink into yourself a bit as the noise gathers the attention of the other people around you in the hall.

“Eddie I wasn’t asking as a joke I-” you’re shaky attempt to explain your actions are cut off by Eddie stepping close to you and getting close to your face. “I don’t want to go on some stupid date with you y/n! Go run off back to your little Pom Pom club and stay the hell away from me.” Eddie’s shoulder checks your small frame roughly as he pushes past you in the direction of the drama club.

You shutter lightly as he pushes past you. Eyes burn into you from all directions from the bystanders of your rejection. You stumble your way out the back doors of the school to your car to cry off the embarrassment you feel. Eddie Munson is a real asshole.

———————————————————————

-Eddie’s POV-

The basketball team does everything they can to make Eddie’s like a living hell. The newest addition is getting a cheerleader to ask him out on a date as a joke. Y/n y/ln just happened to be the girl who picked the short straw before practice it looks like. Eddie has been the butt of one too many jokes from the jocks that he believes the only way to get back at them is to make one if their own feel as low as they make him feel ever day.

After the whole scene in the hallway he walks into the drama room fuming. He anger radiating off him as he tosses his bag down and starts setting up for the campaign. As the rest of the club trickle in they see their dungeon master is in a bad mood and pray they all service this campaign. After fighting for their lives in the game Hellfire is forced to come to a pause as after school activities are over. Dustin is the only one brave enough to ask the dungeon master why he seems so fired up this session.

“Eddie man is everything okay. That was a fun game but you seemed a little off.” The freshman ment well with his comment but Eddie only thought about the joke and huffed loudly. “Those laundry basket game assholes had y/n y/ln try asking me out as some sick joke before Hellfire.” Eddie shoves his notebook in his bag angrily as he cleans up.

Dustin gives his leader a shocked look. “Y/n is one of the nicest cheerleaders I’ve ever meet Eddie! She’s friends with Nancy. What if she as being sincere?” Eddie only rolls his eyes at Henderson’s naïve view. “Cheerleaders don’t go for us freaks Henderson trust me.” Dustin sighs lightly and turn to Mike. “Mike has met y/n ! Would she ask someone out as a joke?”

Mike looks over at Dustin at the mention of his name having heard everything Eddie said about the cheerleader and ponders for a moment. “Honestly Eddie I don’t think she would. Actually I think I heard Nancy on the phone last night encouraging her to ask some guy out just last night. Said Steve had some insight on a new Horror movie she rented over the weekend.”

Eddie’s heart thumps in his chest as small ping of regret forms in the pit of his stomach. “Wait I tried to rent the new Nightmare on Elm Street last night and Steve said someone was already renting it. There’s no way.” Y/n’s word play over in Eddie’s head. You where being genuine in your movie date gesture and he rejected you, harshly. Dustin game him an ‘I told you so.’ look.

Eddie dropped his dice and notebook quickly onto the table and rush out if the drama quickly to find y/n and get some clarification on her date offer.

- Reads POV-

You skipped cheer practice after Eddie’s public rejection in the hallway. The rejection isn’t what hurt but the reason for it. Eddie let your social status as a cheerleader make you just as bad as the meat head jocks who bully him. If he wanted to believe in the bitchy cheerleader stereotype that’s what he’d get from now on.

You sat in your car your embarrassment and heartbroken tears replaced with angry and frustrated ones. You hadn’t realized how long you had been in your car till a rapid tapping against your drivers side window makes your head shot up.

Your bloodshot eyes meets a gentle brown pair, Eddie Munson. His face visibly falls as he realizes you’ve been crying. You roll your eyes and wipe your eyes and quickly grab your keys to start the car when he knocks again. “Y/n wait! Please talk to me. I want to apologize for how I reacted to you today.”

You laugh at his words. The laugh isn’t your usual soft giggle. It’s almost a scoff. “Eddie I don’t wanna hear anything you have to say.” Your words sting as they leave your lips. Eddie leans against your car gently and takes a shaky breath his hair falling in front of his face lightly.

“Please. I know I was a real asshole but you have to understand I’m not use to pretty girls actually wanting to talk to me.” Eddie offers you a shy smile as he looks at you softly through the closed window of your car. You start the car making Eddie move off quickly. “Fuck off Eddie Munson and stay the hell away from me.” Using Eddie’s own it’s against him you pull out of the school’s parking. Leaving Eddie feeling like an idiot for letting the girl he’s had a crush on for years hate him.

Another Eddie one because well I love him and angst is my favorite. Also thanks for the love on the last post! I’m open to feed back if you guys have any. Or if you have any requests I’d be happy to do some.

[roo-bastmoon]

Remembering Nana today...

Interestingly enough, it was my 93-year-old grandmother who sort of led me to BTS. Today is the second anniversary of her passing, and my rambles about that are under the cut.

So, just to give you a visual: my Nana was a lot like Rose from the Golden Girls but, like, not in any way a ditz. She was a very practical Capricorn, but she looked and spoke a lot like Betty White from that show.

Nana practically raised me. I spent literally every weekend with her, from the day I was born until my parents divorced and we moved away when I was 13. Every Friday, my folks would drop me off at her apartment, and she'd make me homemade mac and cheese for dinner and vanilla ice cream for dessert (I did NOT like to try new things). Then we'd watch Full House, Perfect Strangers, Golden Girls, and Empty Nest on TGIF. After that, it would be bath time and bed.

Fun side note: I was an extremely independent and stubborn only child. So I always insisted on bathing myself. Not wanting me to drown on her watch, Nana would sit in the bathroom with me and read me poetry while I played with my Tub Town toys. But the poetry would always be the most macabre stuff--like The Spider and the Fly, or The Wreck of the Hesperus. I am not saying I was scarred for life by this, but I'm also not saying I'm normal, either.

Anyway, those were our Friday nights. On Saturdays we'd get up at the crack of dawn to go flea marketing with her two younger sisters. She would give me $1 to spend on my "trashy treasures" -- but it was the 80s, so I could make it stretch. After that, we'd all go to a buffet lunch. Then she'd take me in the afternoons to the local library, where I would pick my books for the week.

Another side note: My parents were not big on buying toys, but I could have any books I wanted. As a young kid, I used to take a flashlight and hide in the bathtub at night so I could read past bedtime. I figured I was being super sneaky because they couldn't see the light coming from that room. But we lived in a tiny house with only one bathroom, so of COURSE they knew. Mom told me years later that they thought it was funny I was being rebellious by secretly reading YA novels in the bathroom when I was in elementary school. Nana, of course, let me stay up as late as I wanted to read. I digress.

As the years passed, even when I went out of state and the country for school, or moved across America to take jobs, Nana and I emailed every day, called once a week, kept in constant touch. When I moved back to my home state 13 years ago, I sort of became her caregiver and weekend companion.

This time it was my turn on the weekends to make her food, take her shopping, drive her around, get her books from the bookmobile. She raised me, and then for 10 years, I took care of her.

I loved my Nana. She was funny and soft-hearted and well read, but she grew up *dirt poor* and never got to see the world except through books and the TV, so she was always very humble and a bit shy. She loved me so much--she was the only person in the world who would listen to me drivel on about anything, and still be interested.

At 93-years-old, she died of a sudden heart attack on August 30, 2021. Emergency personnel were with her in her apartment, so she wasn't alone or in pain very long, but I couldn't get to her fast enough to say goodbye. Mom and I identified her later, at the hospital.

I am grateful she had a long life, and didn't suffer, and wasn't alone. But my family is very, very small. Just Nana and Mom and me. And after the whirlwind of taking care of her funeral and packing up her apartment and donating everything, suddenly there was just all this free time--these empty hours I usually filled taking care of Nana.

I just was so lost.

I started trying to read, or quilt, or watch movies. I got into some K dramas for a bit. Nothing really interested me. Then I started watching dance compilations on YouTube before bed.

And one snowy December night, I found a Steezy video where Brian Puspos was reviewing Jimin's dance style. I had no idea what it was. It was like this weird impulse--as if someone moved my finger to hover over and click that video...

You cannot imagine how every nerve-ending woke up. My brain suddenly came online. (I was a semi-pro ballet dancer as a kid, and I knew the absolute second I saw Jimin that he was a master who trained relentlessly--nobody had to point it out to me.)

For the first time in months, I FELT something other than grief.

I watched every single video of him I could. I had no idea who BTS were, didn't know anything about Kpop. But eventually I found more videos, I listened to their songs, and later I discovered Jikook, and I made online accounts and I watched RUN episodes, and I got to go see Yoongi as my first-ever concert, and now I'm making my way through In the Soop and Bon Voyage.

In fact, pretty much every day since I discovered Jimin, I've been thinking about, learning about, and trying to support Jimin and the people Jimin loves.

Jimin and BTS got me through the grief at losing the person I loved most in the world. They saw me through uterine cancer, and the surgeries, and mourning the fact that I can never be a bio mom now. They got me through the medical tests and the chronic fatigue and pain I've had for the last 4 months.

I really love our boys. I may not understand or love everything about them or their company or their industry, but loving someone doesn't mean thinking of them as demi-gods; it means being loyal even as they grow past any flaws.

To be honest, I feel like I owe Jimin my life, in a way. I was in a really, really dark place a year and a half ago. Jimin was the only joy, the only reason to keep going (besides my mom and kitties, of course).

Now I own every digital release BTS has put out--the whole discography, even the skits. I try to vote on all the apps whenever I can, and stream on premium family bundle accounts for Spotify, YouTube, and Pandora; I also do free trials for Tidal and Qobuz. II've never done any of this stuff before, never been a fan of any musicians, but I really, truly do try to return the favor.

It's a bit hyperbolic to say they "saved me" because lots of people cope with grief and illness and loneliness and it doesn't mean they just throw in the towel.

But BTS helped me stop surviving, and made me want to really live.

Plus, even when I'm too sick to go out or call up my friends, I can always get on my phone and come here, to chat with my fandom friends. I don't know most of their real names or faces or anything about their real lives, but we all love BTS; we all talk about and work together for BTS.

Nana would have loved that. (She also would have let me talk her ear off every day about Jimin and Jikook and the Tannies because that was her love language.)

Is BTS a replacement for real, genuine human interaction? No. Of course not. It is, at the end of the day, a band. Not a life.

But it also feels like getting to know 7 people I'd be honored to be friends with, if we ever met. People I want to support so they can achieve all their dreams--because they always pay it forward, too.

I sometimes wonder if Nana guided my hand to click on that video that day. Maybe she was looking down at me and thought "Ah, this will be good for her. This will be healing."

Probably not, but still, I'd like to think that. I'd like to think it was Nana who led me to the Magic Shop.

I miss her. I love her. I still can hear her voice in my head every day.

But I'm gonna be okay. (The future's gonna be okay.)

There's still so much to look forward to and work to be done. Fighting!

[scarareg]

For OTP asks, for any of your favorite ship(s) from PJO/HOO:

4 5 16 21 22 32 34 36 39 (choose any which you find interesting (or) all!!)

Oh thank you, thank you thank you, I am so excited about this!

My OTP is percico!

4. Their favorite show to watch together?

Oh this is super fun because Percy would be eager to show Nico different shows from different decades and discover new ones together! Percy probably likes Brookly Nine-Nine and The Amazing World of Gumbal and Nico is a geek who may like darker stuff like Link Click, GOT/HOTD or Dark, maybe even Succession!

So, their fave shows to watch together may be something fun, but a little bit of mistery or drama or something along those lines. Maybe Hazbin Hotel, Barry, ATLA, Bluey and Breaking Bad. It would be adorable if both love Anne With An E too!

5. Who is the cheesier one of the two?

Percy!

16. Who hogs the covers?

Percy! Nico does not mind, but he pretends to just to tease Percy about it

21. Any routines one has that the other had to get used to (ex. morning, nighttime, sleeping habits)?

Percy is more of a morning person while Nico is the opposite, so they probably have discussed about it because Percy is trying to help Nico fix his sleeping schedule to be healthier. Nico would protest at first and feel like a zombie but he eventually get used to it. They agree for Nico stay up late on weekends!

Percy also makes sure Nico is eating properly.

After Tartarus and both having PTSD, I think both are a little messy, but would rely on each other to ground the other when they are having a hard time, a nightmare, panic attack, etc, and that will make them bond more

22. Love languages? How do they get around differences, if any?

Percy's are physical touch and words of affirmation; Nico's are quality time and acts of service.

Nico is probably learning to talk about his feelings, he may be awkward but honest about them; Percy appreciates him trying! Percy had to learn to read Nico's body language so he could be comfortable with his touch and not overdo it or overstep a boundary Nico is not ready yet

32. Who's so affectionate they can't stop touching the other?

Percy a million percent!

34. How do they cheer the other one up during sad times?

When Percy notices that Nico is sad, he sits next to him and tries to ask him what's up. Then he is his optimistic-self and starts listing all the good scenarios that can happen and how great everything will be and assures him that he will be by his side (and Hazel and Reyna too!) so he has nothing to worry about!

When Percy is sad Nico would try to talk with Percy and make him laugh , then would hug him and kiss the palm of his hand; he know Percy would appreciate the gestures, especially since it is a little weird for Nico to initiate physical contact

36. Who is more protective?

They are both equally protective but Percy is in more obvious ways, so everyone thinks it is him. For example, if someone is making mean comments about Nico behind his back, Percy would not stay still and would defend him.

Nico is subtle, like when he helped Percy to have the Curse of Achilles , or when he talked to Bob about Percy. He always has Percy's back but Percy would realized the things Nico did for him after a while

39. Do they get along with the other's family? If not, how do they deal with the other's family?

Percy gets along with Hazel and only Hazel. They probably hang out constantly and when Percy needs help with something related to Nico, she is the one he goes to for help.

Percy and Hades have beef so at the beginning Hades tried to convince Nico to change his mind, talk about guys who would be better suitors, or constantly ask if Nico is sure about his decision. Nico always shuts down his father's comments. After some time, when it was obvious that his son's relationship with Percy Jackson would last, he made peace with the idea, but privately he was still a bit grumpy about it. Low-key, he appreciates the way Percy treats his son and how happy he seems, but that is only something Persephone knows

At first, Nico is awkward around all of Percy's parents, even if they like him. Sally always welcome him and try to start conversation and Nico would answer but he was all polite, Sally thought he is adorable! After a while Nico starts to relax a bit and he and Sally have long afternoons filled with conversations and activities together; Sally made it her mission to teach everything a still-growing child needs to learn! Paul and he get along and have conversations about history and the past Nico missed and misses.

Poseidon does not mind Nico, he is just happy his fave son is happy. Nico has not interact a lot with him, but when he does he is respectful, just like he is with any other God.

Thank you so much for the ask! This was really,really fun! If you have any other specific ship you want me to answer questions about, I am all ears!

Send a ship + a number and get an answer.

[cherrrysue]

hey do you have any fics where larry is in an established relationship but they’re keeping it secret for one reason or another ???

yesss here u go

Secret Relationship

the first one contained heavy amount of smut read at your own risk

We Keep Taking Turns by Ropewithnoanchor

E, 69K

The start of the On The Road Again Tour means new anxieties, this time for both Louis and Harry. Between performances, traveling, interviews, family time, and the biggest crisis their band has ever faced, they have to help each other feel better the only way they know how—through domination and submission.

[A relatively canon-compliant story of nights in hotels and bedrooms, starting in February 2015.]

Hands Clasped Tight by afirethatcannotdie

E, 44K

“What am I looking at here?” Harry asks.

“This, my friends, is a ‘proof’ Instagram account, run by your students,” Liam announces.

“It’s got all this stuff about how the two of you are together,” Niall adds.

“I heard about that,” says one of the math teachers. “Confiscated a kid’s phone today when they were looking at it. I have to say, the evidence that you’re dating is pretty damning.”

“Really,” Louis says dryly. “Do you think being married for three years might have something to do with it?”

Or the one where Harry and Louis are high school teachers and their students have been playing matchmaker for over a year. Little do they know, Harry and Louis are already married.

If You Asked Me If I Love Him (I'd Lie) by allyasavedtheday

M, 26K

So Harry and Louis might have fucked up.

The day of their wedding was the single most perfect moment of Louis’ life and every single day since where he’s been able to call Harry his husband has been nothing short of bliss. There’s just one teeny, tiny problem…

Their families don’t know they’re married.

*

Or the one where Harry and Louis eloped but neglected to mention it to anyone. Meanwhile Lottie is getting married and the only way for them to not steal her thunder is by pretending they're just friends for the weekend. Featuring Harry and Louis as terrible liars who don't know the meaning of the word platonic and some Tomlinsons and Styles's who definitely don't believe them.

Into The Midnight Sun by summerwine

E, 63K

Every day without Louis was a never ending blue Monday. Every day went without his sweetness and warmth and the radiant colours of his flame. The tenor of his voice became unfamiliar and muddled between going so long without the sound of it and getting lost with every other voice clouding Harry’s memory.

But he was here now, warming Harry’s bones with lips like summer. Every moment in his arms felt like a Sunday stroll through London. Beautiful and stormy and feeling every bit like home.

or, It's 1983, Harry embarks on his first world tour and Louis is a budding actor in LA. Life spent apart isn't easily adjustable, but somehow they make it work.

Call Answered by vondrostes

E, 249K

The day after his 27th birthday, Harry Styles attempts suicide. Louis is flown to his bedside to unravel the mystery of why he did it after a flash drive is found with a note attached, addressed to Louis. On it are a collection of 78 songs, all written for different dates from their past.

You Watched Me Sink by bananasandboots

E, 38K

They've discussed it a few times - the boyfriend thing. It's not like it's some forbidden, horrific, abandon hope all ye who talk about furthering the relationship sort of subject. They're mature adults. They're in tune with their feelings, their hearts' desires, the way those butterflies swoop in their bellies whenever they so much as hold each other's hands. They like each other. A lot. It's mutual, they know. But for now, they're just content to enjoy the simplicity of what they have, and what they have is great.

When dating in secret stops being enough, then they'll discuss that too.

Or, the one where Harry teaches Sex Ed and sneaks around with the drama teacher, and doesn't realize how out of tune he is with his true feelings until everyone else figures it out for him.

Lover Boy by brightgolden

E, 27k

“I’d love to meet your lover boy one day,” Lottie says suddenly as she pours Louis a whiskey on the rocks after their dinner. OR Where Louis wants to tell everyone about his relationship with Harry, but his boyfriend clearly thinks otherwise.

please leave a like or reblog ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

[megnificent-reads]

Full Measures, Rebecca Yarros - ⅗ ☆

I actually liked Fourth Wing. Anti-booktok folks, please put your guns down, I like simplicity. Iron Flame wasn’t great, but that’s not what I’m here to talk about. 

Because I liked Fourth Wing and I was bored, I decided to see what else Rebecca Yarros had going on. I read the blurb for the third book in her Flight & Glory series and thought it was interesting, so I started on book one. The book one blurb was definitely less interesting but - gotta start on one. 

It was actually pretty cute at the beginning! I’m used to reading slow-burn, and this was not that, which was exciting! The dogpiling of shit happening to December (dead dad, not only cheated on but with your best friend, etc.) was like watching a train wreck and I loved it. Unfortunately, I mostly made this blog to complain, so that’s probably the extent compliments you’re gonna get out of me. 

Josh Walker and his mouth watering rear

If I had fully processed that our love interest was a hockey player, I might not have read this. I’m sick of hockey boyfriends and I’ve never even read one before this. (No TikTok, I’m not fucking reading Icebreaker. I’ll get my sports erotica via ao3 AUs). 

He was cute for a bit, for sure. That was until December told him she actually did not want him around, at which point he followed her in a sort of “you’ll love me eventually” type of way. I’m not normally one to be that picky about this sort of thing, but it was starting to annoy me. Literally running after her when she’s trying to get to her car was weird - especially when her main issue was that she wanted him not in her business. I get it’s him proving he wants her, but at a certain point you think - if he really liked her he’d respect her boundaries, right?

Once we get past that, we get to the Drama. 

The blurb for this book mentions it - our (college age hockey coach) has a ~dark secret~. He was injured and couldn’t play hockey, he mysteriously disappears every weekend. 

Dark secret is the military, btw. 

I get it’s dramatic because her dad died in the military so she resents it now, yada yada. I didn’t really care though? I don’t know, maybe I’m expecting too much out of these simplistic romance novels, but I just wasn’t attached enough to either of them for this to really matter to me at all. I wasn’t interested to see the story progress beyond them finally dating, so I didn’t care about this either. 

I for most part just didn’t care about Josh Walker, which made the read pretty difficult near the end. 

Sidebar, I love how you can tell what authors like in men by what their characters pay attention to. December is constantly thinking about Josh’s ass. It’s mouth-watering. It’s magnificent. It’s perfectly round. Fuck this guys built hockey-arms, let me see that ass, Josh!

Discovering how Yarros really feels about women

I didn’t really encounter this in Fourth Wing and Iron Flame, so seeing the not-so-subtle misogyny every few chapters was… uncomfortable. 

Yarros uses the term “leggy brunette” three times to describe two different women. These women have a grand total of zero other attributes.

She also creates these two hockey groupies, which I guess is a thing. They are, of course, blonde women with huge boobs, that want nothing more than to fuck Josh Walker and his roomate, Jagger. I hate that name by the way. I know it’s a regular real-life name but like, I get it. He’s a frat dude.

Of course, nothing will stand in the way of our (not tomboyish, not nerdy or weird, but instead very average) ginger woman.

Rebecca Yarros does color her hair blonde, so idk what that’s about. I know the ditzy blonde girl trope is a thing, and this did come out in 2014, but I think the trope was tired even that long ago. 

Conclusion

A word to describe Full Measures would be: alright. Not great, not terrible, just alright. I’m sure this is more interesting for those in military families, but just not for me. I’ll just hope the rest of the Fourth Wing series is better than Iron Flame. 

[ethicstownpod]

I love lying when people ask me how I am. Love is a strong word - I’ve finessed it, rather. If you were to ask me ‘how are you?’ and I were to say ‘I’m fine’ I doubt you’d buy it. But there’s a method.

You have to ask first. ‘How are you?’ So sincere, hold their arm, eye contact. ‘I really do want to know.’ And then, when they tell you, you can judge how much they can handle, what else you can gently nudge onto their plate. Usually it’s nothing. Always it’s nothing. People have such terrible lives without intertwining theirs with yours.

And then, in return, they hit you with ‘and you?’ and here’s the thing about lying, it’s always more believable when you tell the truth. So tell the truth. Tell them the best part about your week. Tell them about an argument you had, but make it into the office comedy of the century. Launch into a re-telling of a book you’ve read. Sprinkle an ‘I’m all good’ in there, or even an ‘I’m a bit tired’ if you reeeally trust them. But never, ever tell them how you are.

They’ll start to think they know you. Of course they will! They know your favourite book, what you’re watching on TV right now, your epic rivalry with Jenna from accounting, and that you and Nikki played Lazer Quest at the weekend. They know you!

And the more they think they know you the more you have to lie, because the second you slip up and tell them how you’re really feeling everything will start to unravel. They have a picture of you in their head that you can’t shatter, because then they’ll feel cheated.

And why shouldn’t they? They have been. ‘Aren’t we friends?’ Yes, we are. We are, because I lied to you. We wouldn’t be if you knew about Wales. If you knew what happened when I was 14. If I told you about last summer. If I told you about yesterday. You wouldn’t like it. Me.

‘But you can’t just keep all that to yourself!’ Don’t worry. I don’t. Do you want to hear a story? Let me tell you a story. Fictional. Let me tell you a story about the sea. A family drama. Let me tell you a ghost story. A romance murder mystery. A slice of life.

Let me tell you a story. Let me write you a script. About a hurt little girl that nobody wants. About a man who’s lived so long inside his own head he doesn’t know how to get out. Let me lie to you. Let me tell you a story...

[bleakfated]

INTERACTIONS. HEADCANONS. VISAGE. IISMS. WISHLIST. OPENS. SC.

STATISTICS

BASICS: name: charlotte paige perrin age: late 20s-30s gender & pronouns: female, she/her sexuality: pansexual faceclaim: maggie q occupation: hunter location: all over, main safehouse in arcadia, louisiana

PERSONALITY: positive traits: generous, optimistic, courageous, ambitious negative traits: short-tempered, assertive, impulsive, overly-trusting

APPEARANCE: scars: a few from hunting, nothing notable tattoos: tree along her back with her family's names along the branches, antipossession behind her ear piercings: earlobes, navel

VERSES

BIOGRAPHY

TL;DR

Charlotte Perrin found out about the supernatural when her family was killed by ghouls while she was in nursing school. She finished out her nursing degree before selling her family estate and her father's massive construction company, leaving her with a rather large fortune in her bank account. She is very empathetic to those that lose everything like she had to the supernatural, especially younger people that haven't had a chance to live out any part of their life yet. When she comes across individuals like this, she offers to help them learn how to hunt or give them enough money to start a new normal life far away from their trauma. With this, she has collected a family of hunters, whom she lovingly refers to as her kids and will check in on the ones that understandably ran away from their knowledge of the supernatural.

FULL BIO

Charlotte Perrin was born on April 2, 1981 in Mesa, Arizona to parents Elizabeth and Benjamin Perrin. Her grandfather was the founder of a large construction company that eventually spread across the Southwest, amassing the family quite a bit of money when he passed away. Charlotte was really close with her two siblings, James and Madison, because only a year and a half separated the children. Of course, each of them had their own set of friends to hang out with, but they also liked spending a Friday night just with the family. Overall, Charlotte's childhood passed by smoothly, apart from some of the typical high school drama everyone seems to go through. The family spent their summers travelling around the states, with a couple of trips abroad.

When it came to college, Charlotte didn't have a hard time settling down on a career. She knew her brother was the best fit to keep up with the company, because she had no interest in construction whatsoever. So, he went to a college nearby for business management. Nursing ultimately called out to Charlotte. She had a lot of experience in the ER, since she and her siblings were a bit too adventurous in exploring all that they could find in Arizona. While some nurses weren't so friendly, Char wanted to make sure that there was at least one more smiling face out there in the hospitals. Accepted into University of Arizona in Tucson two hours away, she decided it was the perfect fit to be a bit away from home to gain more independence, but also close enough to see her family on weekends when she needed to.

School went pretty well. Charlotte breezed through her general education requirements and was nearly set to start the more clinical based side of her education when her rather picture perfect life came crashing down. She received a call early in the fall semester of her senior year that her father nor her mother showed up for work one morning, so her dad's friend and co-worker, Don went to check on the house. He found her parents and her siblings all slain in the same fashion and appeared to be half eaten. Charlotte took two weeks off of school, while she went home to try and sort out the mess. A couple of mornings after the incident a man knocked on her door claiming to be from the FBI. Charlotte didn't think much of it, but Jim Murphy didn't keep up the ruse for too long into talking to her. He knew she could easily be a target since she would be a lose end in the family and it would be easy for the ghoul to take the form of one of her family members

Charlotte was skeptical at first, but as Jim kept explaining that monsters existed and that it was most likely a ghoul that killed her family and not a sadistic cannibal, she realized that nobody could be making all of this up. He gave her his number and a list of books that he found pretty solid lore in and was on his way to finish the case. The two kept in contact up until his death, which Charlotte can only assume happened since he stopped returning her calls and his phone was eventually deactivated. After this encounter, Charlotte decided that she wanted to help... but she wanted to finish her nursing degree to get more practice with wound care and knowledge on where she could get certain medications if she absolutely had to. She finished her degree, sold the business to Don with the premise of keeping some of her father's stock in the company, and was luckily able to find a buyer for their beautiful home that now was tainted with a history of murder. After that, Charlotte went on the road, hunting monsters on her own, sometimes assisting Jim and some of his friends.

Money was never an issue, since she amassed her family's savings and the money from the two sales, but she decided to put it to good use. Like any hunter, she runs credit card scams and bar hustling on the side to keep up with food and motel room expenses. Her bank account funds are saved for instances when she meets a young person like her that lost everything in a monster strike (or hunters that don't leave a bad taste in her mouth). Children and young adults alike, she calmly explains to them what happened to their family and the existence of monsters. She takes them in under her wing as hunters, or gives them enough money to start their life all over again, away from the tragedy they endured. No matter the situation, she makes sure to give them a small journal of tips on how to protect themselves from the monsters. There were a few that wanted to start over with a normal life, but most of them wanted to stop others from enduring the same fate they did.

By the time Charlotte was in her thirties she had trained several hunters and sent them off to hunt on their own or with other hunters. She has contacts all across the country at any given time, which comes in handy for when she finds a hunt but knows that it will take a few days for her to get there. She can get a bit territorial on cases and is quick to remind other ornery hunters as well as sassy monsters that she should not be messed with due to her ever-growing list of contacts. She has a few safe houses scattered among the states that she shares with the kids she helped develop into stellar hunters, though her main one is in Arcadia, Louisiana. Even while she is on the road alone, she has a traveling companion, an English Setter named Bailey who helps her sleep just a bit better at night.

[peace-coast-island]

Diary of a Junebug

Plum lychees, marble swirl shells, and checkered pinecones

Summerbron Isle is a popular weekend getaway spot for the residents of Mushroom Village. Though there isn’t much to the area other than the clear blue water, the quietness and stillness gives off a certain charm that I would say is unique to Mushroom Village. The super slow paced life isn’t for everyone so there’s a reason why people say you either love it here or find it boring. It’s safe to say though, if you move here after being burnt out by the city and are still living here for more than a couple years, then you’ve found yourself a home.

We’re here visiting Shannon, Tsuki, Gary, and Maisie during plum lychee season. Tsuki’s family rented a large cottage a long time ago and when Tsuki moved back to the area, they found out that it was still technically owned by the family so they fixed it up. Part of the reason why no one was staying there was because the house is too big for one family, however it’s the perfect size for us since including me and Daisy Jane we have 6 people, so that’s more than enough space.

Plum lychee season’s kinda a big deal so that’s why Summerbron has more activity than usual. They’re uncommon fruits that only grow in certain conditions, this island being known as an ideal spot for them. Shannon had described them as a hybrid between a lychee and cherry, which turns out to be accurate. The reason why there’s plum in the name is because the fruit is purple like a plum and it kinda looks like one so naturally people assumed it would taste like one.

Along with plum lychees, the island is also known for other uncommon specialties like marble swirl shells and checkered pinecones. Marble swirl shells are typically used to make jewelry while checkered pinecones are used for cooking when you want to add a bit of spice without going too overboard. Milk tea with checkered pinecones is a popular seasonal drink and it’s kinda like a milder version of chai with slightly more bitterness, which I think balances out the sweetness well.

I haven’t seen Shannon and Gary since the train ride so it’s nice catching up with them as well as Tsuki, who wasn’t able to make it last time. Gary, who’s staying in the village working for Flutterpress Gazette, introduced us to his girlfriend Maisie, who’s here on a short vacation too. Like Gary, she’s also taking a gap year instead of starting college this year, so she’s been traveling around. This weekend happens to mark three years since they started dating, five since they became friends. Gary mentioned before that the past year had been rough on both of them, but at the same time it brought them closer together.

Gary and Shannon had touched a bit on the drama that happened over the past several months - most of it he said to be petty while a few were quite serious - but he wanted Maisie to tell her side for the story regarding a major event that shook up the whole city. What happened was that their high school was one of many involved in a scandal regarding athletes abusing steroids while coaches turned a blind eye against what was happening. Gary had heard rumors and felt that he could make a big break in the school paper. So he snuck around and soon realized that what he was getting into ran a lot deeper than he thought.

Then it got personal when he found out that one of the athletes abusing drugs happened to be Maisie’s older brother, a star athlete who was under a lot of pressure. Around the same time Maisie was concerned about her brother’s sudden change in behavior. Before she and Gary knew it, they were in a tough position once her brother found out they were suspecting him. Although he promised to quit for his sister’s sake, he continued using them and eventually died. As a result, Maisie and Gary blamed themselves for not being able to do enough, and things got worse when the school brushed over the whole incident like it was nothing.

Finally, Maisie and Gary had enough so they decided to expose the whole thing. Gary had already gathered the evidence, including some from Maisie’s brother when he confessed to them. It was a dangerous undertaking, one that wouldn’t have been possible if their parents hadn’t taken measures to protect them from the inevitable retaliation they would face. They knew they were potentially putting themselves in danger, but they could no longer sit by and let another tragedy happen. Just as they predicted, the story blew up and reactions were polarizing.

Even now they still get threats from people who accuse them of ruining someone’s reputation. However, no matter how much they try to harass them, they have no regrets about telling Jeff’s story. It’s not a nice story but it has to be said, and if getting the word out means saving one life from going down the same path, that’s more than enough. What Maisie and Gary did wasn’t easy so I’m glad they did what they did. It’s like that saying about how sometimes doing the right thing means making the hardest choices.

One thing they didn’t expect was exactly how far and wide their story spread. Maisie said a couple of Jeff’s close friends who were using told her how grateful they were for what she did and they banded together to protect her when the threats got out of hand. Some people tried to corner her or Gary but fortunately they didn’t get very far before one of Jeff’s friends intervened. Thanks to them, they were able to survive the rest of the school year and by fall, most of the threats backed down.

At least they both said the whole thing kinda gave them an idea of what paths their future will take. For Gary, it’s photography and journalism, specifically about social issues as he found out not only he feels strongly about them, but he also has what it takes to take them head on as long as he sticks to his principles. For Maisie, it’s being a writer, something she was always a little iffy about pursuing and usually kept to herself. As for their future together, they’re open to whatever lies ahead, even if it means going their separate ways, though as the past year has shown, they make a great team. In a way, Gary and Maisie kinda remind me of Ronnie and Jude, especially in terms of their bond growing stronger after going through difficult times when they were at a low point.

Shannon’s been busy with the flower cart along with a few other ventures so her tutoring gig has taken a backseat probably for good, she says. She still says that Gary was her best student and out of all of them, he’s the only one she became good friends with. I know that Shannon has been burnt out by tutoring for a long time and the only reason why she stuck with it was because it was a steady job that allowed her to pursue other creative endeavors with a safety net. Now she’s reached a point where she feels confident enough to take the plunge and put herself out there, she no longer has to rely on something that she doesn’t have interest in and fully focus on things that she wants to do.

To have the freedom to live that kind of life with little worries isn’t easy so I applaud those who can achieve that. Tsuki’s still trying to find their footing but they hope to eventually live the same lifestyle as Shannon and Nuvola. Knowing them, I’m sure they’ll get there someday - aside from hard work and effort, it also takes luck so sometimes you have have to wait for things to fall into place. As I’ve learned from my own experiences as well as from other friends, you just gotta keep doing your own thing and as long as you’re consistent and persistent, your efforts will pay off.

At the beach we’ve been doing a lot of bending and climbing for marble swirl shells and plum lychees. Since Tsuki’’s cottage is in a somewhat isolated area, we’re lucky to have most of the area to ourselves. As it turns out, plum lychee trees are super tall so if this area was busy, we’d probably be stuck with the hard to reach fruit. Did I mention that most of us are short? Tsuki’s really the only one who can reach the high branches because they’re 5’11, so almost an entire foot taller compared to like half the group - me, Daisy Jane, and Shannon.

Now that I think about it, I wonder why it never occurred to us to bring a ladder. We have a ride so it wouldn’t have been tedious to carry, plus I’m pretty sure I saw a ladder in the garage. I guess it doesn’t matter anyway since we did end up picking a lot of plum lychees but it could’ve saved us some hassle.

I think I had the most fun picking up marble swirl shells because it was a lot more chill. Not that picking fruit wasn’t fun, it’s just a bit more physically demanding, especially when you have to  basically do parkour just to get a branch. The pinecones were more scattered so we didn’t get as many of those, which was fine. Aside from milk tea, Tsuki doesn’t really recommend using them for cooking because it’s hard to work with - just buy a spice mix from the store, they said. Yeah, I can see how tedious it’ll be to dry it out and grind into a fine powder. With the weather getting colder, a warm spice milk tea sounds ideal.

Speaking of cold weather, there is now definitely a chill in the air. Pretty soon it’s time to be pulling out the cozy sweaters. Now that I’ve succeeded with my first raglan top, I have some sweater projects in mind that are just a bit outside my expertise that I’m confident I’ll be able to pull off. There’s no guarantee how long it’ll take me to get started and finish one, but I hope to have at least one made by the time winter rolls around.

For now my ballerina sweater’s doing the trick as it gets quite warm in the afternoon before the sun goes down. Plus with all the physical activity going on, it wouldn’t be wise to wear something more than a light jacket. It can be annoying when it’s hard to gauge how exactly hot or cold the weather’s gonna be so it’s good to have clothes that are ideal for those kinds of days.

While enjoying the quiet island scenery, we got to talking about the holidays at some point. It’s hard to believe they’re coming right up and before we know it, another year’s gone by. Tsuki says they have no plans yet while the rest of us are going home to spend time with family.

Gary and Maisie said that they hadn’t realized until we started talking about it that this is the longest time they’ve been away from home, which they find is hard to believe. They also pointed out how before last year they would have never guessed that Maisie would be out on the road while Gary’s out in the countryside. They both had assumed that they’d never stray far from home since they live in a metropolitan area so they have access to pretty much all kinds of opportunities there. both of them have been city people all their lives so to leave that kind of life for something that’s basically the opposite of that has been a startling but welcome change for them. Funny how life can sometimes work out that way.

As for what the future holds for them, it’s honestly too early to tell. While they do eventually have to go back home for college, maybe that might change somewhere down the line. Shannon said that Flutterpress might want Gary to stay longer, which means he should look into Safflower U if he wants to go to school next fall. Gary said not to get too ahead of ourselves as it’s only been a couple months since he got here and who knows if they’d get tired of him by then - Shannon and Maisie said that’s unlikely. However he said he considered that possibility, though he’d have to consult his dad first since he always turns to him when making a big decision.

For Maisie, it’s a bit harder for her to tell as she’s in that spot where she knows she wants something but doesn’t know where to begin. She initially had her sights set on a prestigious college mostly because of their intensive creative writing courses. She found out the hard way while she did have what it takes to be a writer, her grades and accomplishments weren’t enough for them to even consider her as an applicant. That sounds harsh but Maisie said in hindsight, it just wasn’t meant to be. After Jeff died, her perspective on a lot of things changed, which was why she decided to go off and travel. It’s so she can learn how to be her own person instead of simply following expectations, something her brother sadly never got to do. The future’s a blank slate for her and she says for the first time in her life, she’s okay with that.

The weekend flew by and we’re back at Mushroom Village. I was hoping to catch Mariya at the cafe but Siobhan said something came up so she won’t be back for a couple more days, which is a shame since Daisy Jane and I are leaving tomorrow. Siobhan’s still the same as ever, though a bit more approachable, mainly because it’s mostly just her running the cafe at the moment so she has to be on her best behavior.

Because of unexpected traffic we didn’t get back until it was super late so we didn’t have too much time to hang around before saying goodbye. Maisie has a plane to catch while Gary and Tsuki have work so they have to be up early. Since it’s a long drive, me and Daisy Jane plan to leave around 8 - realistically 9 because let’s be honest why am I still up at this hour?

Now that I’m aware of the time (almost 1am oops) I think that’s a sign for me to get to sleep.

[keefwho]

May 19 - 2024 Sunday

10:14pm

5/10

When I woke up I did my dishes which was washing the slow cooker pot. I took a long shower which my body needed. TK was telling me all about her boyfriend drama, it sounds to me like he's being very controlling and pushing boundaries. I said my peace and she appreciated me for hearing her out. For breakfast I originally planned to make the sailor's breakfast I've been wanting to do which would be hardtack, sardines, and cheese. Since I had leftover rice a roni, I had that. I added cheese and hotsauce to it, 2 things that I thought would be a rough combo but don't tend to affect me actually. After making my coffee, I started a run of TOTK I've been wanting to stream where I only collect all 1200 korok seeds and nothing else. Also if I die then I start over. I did that for about 2 hours just getting past the start area. I figured out Zelda is flying around the sky island when you start which is something neither DS or I noticed our first playthrough. I enjoyed the pocky DS sent me awhile back with my coffee, it was very tasty. After I was done streaming, I did dishes and started playing KSP. I did more moon stuff. DS and I called on her way home while I made my sailor's lunch which turned out wonderfully. It was simple but filling and my body really agreed with it. Then it was more KSP while DS and I chatted. I learned something new about orbital periods and nerded out a little bit about it. It felt silly though, kinda like I was being annoying about it so I tried to shush. I think I'm just getting down on myself right now though. While waiting for DS to get situated with her fursuit, I watched some Youtube and also got a little but hot which I was embarrassed about. Ashamed might be a better word, I know I shouldn't be but I definitely got some shame issues to work through. While she worked we finished Moral Orel. I thought it was great how he came out to be a well adjusted person, I got the vibe that he saw what was wrong with his family and community and decided not to become it. Thats something I've experienced myself. I think 2 ways parents can mold you for the better are by raising you right or showing you what not to be. We also watched some Chris Chan and furry content and I played a little bit of the Monster High game. She went upstairs and I put dinner in the oven. In bed we did puzzles and chatted a tiny bit before she passed out. Then I watched some youtube and nibbled on dinner until sleepytime.

I don't think I let myself be myself today. Maybe I just wasn't feeling myself either. Either way I see the effects and I have my regrets about how I acted basically all day. But they are regrets that will teach me just a little bit more about how I can be what I wanna be.

I get to talk to my therapist tomorrow but I think I have too many topics to cover so I gotta pick one. I think right now trust is going to be one of the main topics because it's been a direct counter to my unreasonably stressful weekends and other tough days. I think soon I want to explore my sexual issues with him which will surely be interesting. I do wonder how he'll handle that.

[bearpillowmonster]

Today's got me all twisted up. So about a week ago, I learned that someone stole my Best Buy account and was buying and picking stuff up at Best Buys around Northern US. I had to shut it down and get a new credit card and dispute the transactions. Luckily, it didn't reach my bank, it was a credit card that I had on there but I go on Paypal today (which should be entirely unconnected) and see that there's a new billing address. I look it up and it's this dinky little house in Alabama. How would that get there? So now I have to figure out if someone got into that too.

Over the weekend, my sister went to a mall with my grandma and I've made previous posts about her but this is on a little bit of a different level. She's reflecting her husband's personality and adopting his habits, she's nothing like the way I remember her. This is coming from my sister who makes stuff up but the stuff she says seems to make sense in this context.

I'm gonna pop a spoiler here because I want it known that I don't want chastised for this, critique it all you want but please respect my opinion.

When I was a kid, my family made their best effort not to cuss, my grandpa, grandma, mom, even uncle, nobody did no such thing around me as far as I remember. I think my stepdad was the one that made me aware of a lot of them when I got past double digits. Cuss words exist, I get it, they probably said things that I've never heard, I'm sure everyone has and I see different family dynamics where they use cuss words and that's their family but for my little old grandma to suddenly come out and start cussing after years of my mom not even hearing it when she was a kid? Let alone in front of my siblings? It's not like her, it's not what she's doing, it's that she only does this because that's what her husband does.

The big kicker is that (I don't even know what brought it up) but she doesn't consider herself religious now?? You gave up religion for your alcoholic husband? She responded with "I have to believe it to see it."

She's someone that took me to her church before, she's well known there. She used to go on Wednesdays and Saturdays (catholic I guess) and participated in those dinners they held and would donate to them. And suddenly someone comes along and says they don't believe in that and you drop everything? I actually don't know what he believes because he's a drunk but I can't imagine it's much more than her from what I've seen.

Then the little remarks "Me and your mom are going to listen to each other from now on." And do what? When? And my sister actually pointed this out to her "That lasted real long." It's almost like she's trying to win the favor of these kids but also not really trying. "I'm not going to go to the beach for a whole year." way to to applaud a fish for swimming but what's the end game? You didn't clarify a reason so it doesn't count and you know that's not going to happen so why promise it? It's not like she'd use that time with us anyways. And she asks everyone "Are you coming over for Thanksgiving?" That was never a question before, it was a given, the only question was "what time?" but this time, she asked everyone individually, it's like she knows that something's different and honestly I'm not sure if she cares one way or the other.

But one thing hasn't changed, she loves to complain, loves to gossip, even does so to my sister about a bartender she's apparently friends with enough to babysit her dogs. But the problem with this is that, that's all she does. There's no break in between, there's no nice thing said to break pace or crack a joke like my own household does but she literally lives for its toxicity. So why is she still with these people? My sister actually asked this and her response was "Because he needs me."

Like what favor are you doing babysitting alcoholics, you're not helping them get better, you're just along for the ride, the drama, I know, I've been there, I dated someone who did similar things, my own sister does it, it must just be a girl thing, I don't know. "I'll leave if he drinks again." like I've heard for the past 4 years where he inevitably does drink again either in secret or a week later when he's in the hospital and can't move and nothing is done about it. If he was trying, I'd understand, addiction is horrible, but he's not.

But this is a lot to blame on one person because I think it's actually more than that now that I've had a day to process. I saw my uncle at the gas station, truck mirror still busted up from years ago (it's not an old truck either) facial hair all over his face (he'd never grow it out) hasn't been heard from in a while (not that I really blame him) and he walks out with a case of beer. He's probably a heavy alcoholic now too, it just looks like he's been letting himself go just like everyone else around me.

And really, I imagine it's because he's alone. He talks about this mysterious "Sean" that I've never even seen, every time I see him, he mentions his kids birthday parties, camping trips, fishing, everything you could think of. I went on "Sean"'s Facebook page, curious one day and there's not one picture of them together.

You see after my grandpa died, I remember my mom asking about her stopping going to church because it seemed out of the blue and she said that "he was more catholic than I was" or something along those lines and those spaghetti dinners and donations and participation and friends, stopped, she stopped them over time, little by little. Now, I'm not going to be hypocritical here, I don't really do those things, not necessarily because I don't want to but because I haven't found my place in world yet and she seemed to have it right on her lap.

My uncle also participated in this, he was right along side my grandparents but once she was out, so was he, he too lost his place because then everyone associates him with his mother despite going to church longer than she was, he might even still be going, like I said, I barely see him, he's an uncle but it didn't always used to be that way.

To hear that my grandma said that just really sets it in because I don't know what to do. She put herself in this situation and she acts like she enjoys hating it. I don't want to give up on her but I keep asking that she be shown the light here, for her own sake. I believe that my grandpa is in heaven, doesn't she want to see him again? Or is she ashamed of what she's become and is avoiding him. What if I die and make it to heaven but find out she's not there. It's just a surreal feeling that I certainly don't want because no matter what problems we have here in mortality, they won't transcend into death.

And the other thing that bugs me is that everyone acts the same. Like it's just another thing. How is my mom, who showed me what religion is, not worried? How is my dad- well actually, I'm not sure he could do anything either, his lectures aren't always effective but I don't know if she thinks God somehow failed her because my grandpa wasn't cured of his disease but he sure lived longer than the doctors said he would and that's all I could've asked for. Time is time, I came to terms with that, I came to terms with the idea that he's no longer hurting, that's my reasoning, I've told her my reasoning and while it's one thing to lose a grandpa and another to lose a life long companion, she acts like she moves on so quickly but she doesn't let herself breathe which I've also told her. It just makes me re-evaluate the idea of family, how do you deal with people that you don't know anymore. (coming from someone who believes in change)

[dear-ao3]

look guys, i know i say that every update to this post is insane. but this one is. incredibly. and insanely. bonkers. every turn in here is a left.

i don't even know how to begin this one, but welcome to australia, the race where no one knows how to act, everyone always collectively looses their shit, and this weekend they might have lost their shit a bit more than usual. today is march 25, 2024. grab a snack, make a drink, hold onto your hats and also your socks, cause this is the most insane update of the season thus far. and its very very long.

and before you skip this one cause you think its going to be another max win, spoiler: MAX VERSTAPPEN DIDNT WIN

now that i have everyone's attention, it has been two weeks since we last spoke. meaning that we are going to cover the race week and the off week drama.

oh also, everyone who complains about how long this post is, you all asked for this!! you said to keep it on one post and i am committing to the bit!! the post is staying!! block the tag if you want!!!

honestly the off week was kinda quiet, but there was still some good stuff.

like the ongoing red bull fiasco:

-they seem pretty allergic to talking about it but in short

-helmut marko is Not getting fired or banned or whatever they were going to do to him (supposedly)

-they were going to do that because they ordered him to stop talking to the press and then he kept talking to the press

-there was a rumor that horner was going to be let go before the australian gp

-this turned out to be fake

-reportedly though adrian newey is unhappy with the current red bull situation

-(aren't we all)

-and supposedly, according to AMuS, horner wants to move him from red bull f1 racing to the hypercar project that they have for supposed budget cap reasons. which seems kinda silly when hes the one who is making the car that is making them win everything

-also supposedly, newey has been in talks with ferrari, possibly in response to this

-according to sports illustrated, theres still an ongoing power struggle at red bull, and talks between newey and ferrari are supposedly at an "advanced stage" this isn't even the first time ferrari have tried to get newey, they tried back in 2014, but he decided to stay on with red bull. but newey has said that he has always wanted to work with lewis hamilton, who is going to ferrari for 2025, so this could be his shot

-and the person who accused horner appealed the decision to dismiss the complaint to both red bull and to the fia. i couldn't find a real source for that but a lot of accounts reported on it. she also appealed her suspension from red bull (i think this was back on march 16) and nothing has been said about this

-horner though did say this at the saudi press conference : "the reality is that there was a grievance that was raised. it was dealt with in the most professional manner by the group, not red bull racing, but the owners of red bull racing, red bull gmbh, who appointed an independent kc that is one of the most reputable ccs in the land. he took the time to investigate fully, all of the fats. and he came to the conclusion where he dismissed the grievance. as far as im concerned, as far as red bull is concerned, we move forward and we look to the future." (bbc)

-well. one person really didnt like this, and that was mr ralf schumacher, ex f1 driver and michael schumacher's brother

-hes already told horner to step down, but he got more intense: "it became problematic for me when he portrayed himself as a victim in the press conference in saudi arabia. im sorry for his family, yes, but there was only one person who started this whole thing: him. I think it can no longer be denied that he and his personal assistant must have become very close. i can't accept that he keeps saying he doesnt want to talk about it in detail....one thing is certain, as long as this chaos remains, it will do immense damage to red bull. horner said that no one is more important than the team. therefore, he should follow this command and resign as soon as possible." full interview here

-so. yeah. yikes on bikes for red bull as per the usual.

still confused? maybe this graphic from formula.room on ig can help:

but that was not all for red bull in the off week.

this next bit is kind of stupid but its important to me and its my post so i am including it.

redbull does promotional cans to promote their athletes, and previously they have had a whole bunch of their f1 drivers on limited edition red bull cans. now right after the singapore grand prix last year, a limited edition red bull can was released with both max and checo on it, meant to promote the us races (austin and las Vegas) and it happened to coincide with max's 3rd world championship victory. the can looked like this:

(hilariously the cans also featured a link to try and set a fast lap on one of the tracks to win tickets or something but it was written as "got what it takes" and then the link, fully implying they were looking for someone to replace checo)

but anyway. my local target usually has a nice display of these and as the season ended i saw less and less of them until it was kind of just sporadic, like they were cleaning out old stock. which is understandable, cause theyre limited edition, and its a new season of racing.

so last week i went to target and low and behold, a new red bull can greeted me:

max. just max. on the can. in ter est ing.

i did a bit of digging and all i found was this on the red bull website:

To mark the 20th anniversary of Oracle Red Bull Racing, Red Bull is unveiling a limited-edition can and pack featuring the iconic Oracle Red Bull Racing branding, showcasing three-time World Champion driver Max Verstappen and the Red Bull F1 car. The exclusive Red Bull Racing cans and packs will hit store shelves by late March 2024, coinciding with the launch of the 2024 season and in anticipation of three U.S. grand prix races. This collectible item celebrates the spirit of Red Bull Racing.

now this is Intriguing. previously, other drivers (seb and daniel) have also had their own special edition cans to celebrate them doing something or other, but their teammate also usually had one of themselves. a few year back i am Pretty sure that daniel and max each had their own can. and max and checo have appeared on cans together in previous years. and red bull has two drivers. so why. only one of them.

well.

the logical explanation here is that stuff like this goes into production months in advance and they wanted to celebrate max's third championship. but checo was on the can also the last few years.

now. towards the end of last year, there was very heavy speculation that checo was going to get replaced by daniel because checo was causing all kinds of problems for red bull. and if we recall all the way back up to the top of this post where i talked about daniels contract, its rumored that if checos doing badly daniel gets to replace him.

so. it is possible. that perhaps checo isn't on the can. because they weren't sure they would be keeping him for the whole season. and they still might not keep him the whole season. he has done well For Now, but he historically has a strong start to the season and then kind of fades into the problem realm.

is this far fetched? absolutely. but its red bull. anything is possible with red bull.

moving on from the raging dumpster fire, gunther steiner made a reappearance in the form of the gunther steiner column on f1.com:

-basically he said that if he were still a team principal he would sign ollie bearman. hes worked with ollie before because last year ollie did a few practice sessions in the haas car. and after his saudi drive gunther said that

For prospective employers, that drive will have taken a lot of doubts away of what he is able to do. He’s in a good place as at the end of this year, there are a lot of contracts up with drivers, so he can put himself in good a position. He can’t go anywhere he wants, but I believe there is more than one opportunity for him.

-he also said that he stayed at haas for too long and has liked being away from the track. he would come back, but only for the right project

then we have filipe massa who sued the fia finally over the 2008 world championship:

-this has been going on for awhile and i dont know a whole lot about it so if you want more info do your own research but to my basic and general understanding

-at the 2008 Singapore gp nelson piquet jr, driving for Renault (now alpine) purposefully crashed his car to help his teammate fernando alonso win the race

-at the time, people did not know that the crash was deliberate and it only came out a year later after piquet left the team that he had been ordered to do so by the Renault team principal at the time (flavio briatore) and the engineer (pat symonds) and renault was charged with conspiracy and race fixing, which were charges they did not contest and had the team principal and the engineer leave the team

-reguardless of that, the crash caused some problems during the race itself and without getting too into it, basically everyone came into the pits during the safety car to get fuel and tires (this was back when they did refueling during the races, they stopped cause its dangerous) and Filipe massa was prematurely released from his pitstop with the fuel hose still attached to his car and into the line of another car. the hose was removed and he was able to rejoin the grid, but was given a penalty and ultimately finished i 13th place

-fernando alonso was able to pit before the piquet crash and that ultimately made him win the race

-anyway, massa claims that this race is what caused him to lose the 2008 world championship to lewis hamilton (massa was one point behind Hamilton) and had the piquet crash been investigated the outcome of the world championship would have gone into his favor.

-you can read the further race play by play on wikipedia if youre interested

-hes suing for

“a declaration that the FIA acted in breach of its own regulations in failing to investigate the circumstances of the crash promptly in 2008” and “a declaration that if the FIA had not acted in breach of its own regulations, it would have canceled or adjusted the results of the Singapore Grand Prix with the consequence that Mr Massa would have won the drivers’ championship in 2008.

and 82 million dollars.

in the spirit of legal action, susie wolff filed a criminal complaint against the fia:

-have i talked about susie wolff before? i dont remember. in case i haven't, she's in charge of the f1 academy (the woman's junior division of formula racing) and she is also married to toto wolff, the mercedes team principal.

-back in december the fia stated a conflict of interest case because they thought that susie and toto had been sharing confidential information with eachother that the other was not supposed to know. i dont think they ever actually said it was toto and susie, but they said that it was "an allegation that confidential information was being passed between a team member and a member of the sport’s owner Formula One Management (FOM)." and susie is a member of fom.

-initially people thought that perhaps another f1 team had complained about this to the fia (because they do that sometimes) but then every single team released a near identical statement stating that they in fact did not do that and fully support the f1 academy (pretty much all of the teams sponsor an academy driver), and mercedes definitely didnt do it (the merc instagram posted a photo after all the statements had been made of george drinking a cup of tea which was hilarious)

-the fia dropped the investigation about two days later when it was clear that no now actually had any issue with toto and susie and it seemed to be some misogynistic bs from the fia.

-and low and behold, susie, just like she said she would, took legal action against the fia finally last week.

-she posted on social media the following:

“I can confirm that I have personally filed a criminal complaint in the French courts on the 4 March in relation to the statements made about me by the FIA last December,” she wrote. “There has still not been any transparency or accountability in relation to the conduct of the FIA and its personnel in this matter. “I feel more than ever it is important to stand up, call out improper behaviour and make sure people are held to account. Whilst some may think silence absolves them from responsibility – it does not.”

-sir lewis hamilton, a god and a legend, has always been very supportive of susie and her endeavors, especially with f1 academy (and the merc f1 academy driver dorian pin), was quick to repost it with his own support, saying that "its still a male dominated sport. and we are living in a time where the message is "if you file a complaint you will be fired" and that is a terrible narrative to be projecting into the world, especially when we're talking about inclusivity"

and finally, before we get to the really fun stuff, the fia president, mohammed ben sulayem, was cleared of wrongdoings and any allegations against him, but in true fia fashion, they didnt reveal their process of clearing him or any of the complaints against him

sir lewis hamilton did say something utterly hilarious about the whole ordeal though. and that was this:

and would you believe it, were not even anywhere near the damn race weekend yet.

because during the off week there was a whole shit load of unhinged pr and driver posts. i dont know if its the big time change or the fact that its summer in australia and everyones seasonal depression disappeared but everyone seemingly had the time of their lives.

red bull as we know is falling to pieces. and it is up to the pr team to make them stay at least a little bit relevant. so they decided to make the drivers do the water cup challenge

you know, that ages old trend where you try to fill up a cup of water without it overflowing?

and i would explain what happened, but its probably better for you to just watch it:

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A post shared by Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing)

charles leclerc went surfing. and as we already know he cannot do sports besides f1 to save his life. some fans saw him and took some pictures of him attempting to surf:

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A post shared by F1RIENDS (@f1riendsmx)

charles then shit on this in his own instagram post:

later on in the weekend, charles also tried to play cricket, but ended up hitting a camera:

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pierre gasley also became the co owner of a semi professional french football club called fc versailles. likely because he realized that alpine is going nowhere fast and he needed an alternative source of income.

alpine is also rumored to be going up for sale (as in, some of the people funding the team reportedly may not want to fund them anymore. can't find the source for that but i know i read it somewhere this week)

and then we have lando.

where do we start with lando.

well.

he chose violence from the second he touched down in melbourne:

now why did the girlies lose their shit over this? well.

lando's current teammate, oscar, is australian. his previous teammate, daniel, is also australian. (worth pointing out that daniel's racing nickname is also the honey badger)

and daniel and oscar (perhaps?) responded (to lando's instagram story?) a day later when they each posted this on their stories:

but that was of course not where lando stopped. and if ive said it once, ill say it again, you gotta respect a guy who likes to stir the pot. and stir the pot he did.

now lando never dresses seasonally appropriate. this is a guy who wore a sweatshirt and long pants in miami when everyone else was wearing t shirts and shorts. and he decided to finally break out the shorts and tanks tops for australia. and. run everywhere.

now, for those who remember it, this gave kind of the same energy as when daniel howell made that esports documentary and there was all that weird footage of him just walking around in it. there were so many of these photos circulating but for some reason the only one i can find right now is this one:

he also revived his jpg and mov instagram accounts

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A post shared by @land0.mov

and then, as if that wasn't enough, he went on chicken shop date:

the girlies sufficiently lost their minds.

and then, right before the race, he finally shaved his little goatee thing. (not to be biased on my own post, but it was time for it to go)

also, leading into the race weekend, people pointed out that oscar piastri's voice was the australia tram announcement (i can't find the video but trust me it exists)

and then there was the australian race ads. which featured the three australian drivers.

three? you might be thinking. aren't there only two?

well, yeah technically. theres daniel and oscar and then for some reason the entire country of australia decided to make valtteri bottas an honorary australian.

and now, onto the race weekend itself:

first we need to talk about stake

specifically valtteri, who took the honorary australian title to heart and ran with it in whatever the absolute hell this ad he did with uber carshare was:

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A post shared by Valtteri Bottas (@valtteribottas)

and then his teammate, zhou guanyu, furthered the bit by dressing up in a valtteri wig and putting a picture of valtteri on his special edition australia helmet:

there was also a sinkhole or a hole of sorts outside of the alpine hospitality, perhaps a bad omen for the weekend.

and as i said way back up at the top, every turn in this race weekend was a left. the first of which was about to happen in practice 1.

now i didnt actually watch this practice session because i had work but i know more or less what happened and that was that alex albon crashed.

it was a pretty big shunt with the wall (lando very helpfully said on the radio that there was "muchos debris" (lando does Not speak spanish hes just friends with carlos)) and while alex was okay, his car was not.

the session was red flagged (and we got a lovely shot of charles leclerc's eyes, as per is customary) (i was told i have to include the photo Or Else so here:)

now as we know, williams have had problems getting parts this year. aparently their methods are really out dated (aparently its all run on a microsoft excel sheet and they tried to blame microsoft itself for being the season why they didnt have any spare parts) and it is something that new team principal james vowels is trying to work on, but it is still a work in progress.

in any case, they needed a new chassis to repair alex's car. and they did not have one.

so what did they decide to do?

well. they figured that between their two drivers, alex and logan, alex had a better shot at getting points. (which williams have none of yet this year) so williams decided to have alex drive logan's car, sidelining logan for the race.

this was a bonkers decision for many reasons.

logan didnt actually do anything to deserve to get side lined, he actually finished practice sessions 1 and 2 in 13th and 14th place, equalling his best ever practice sessions

alex was the one that crashed, why were they punishing his teammate?

why re sign logan at all if williams aren't confident that he can perform when he needs to and score them points???

now i dont think that we have talked a whole lot about logan sargeant. hes a 24 year old from fort lauderdale, florida (only american on the grid baby!!!) and this is his second season. by all accounts he had a disappointing first season last year. his highest ever finish was 10th at the 2023 austin grand prix. he only got 10th because charles and lewis got disqualified, bumping him up two places. this is the only time last year he finished in the points.

i think he only made it to q3 of qualifying one time and it was at the las vegas gp, which the car was incredibly well suited for (but dont quote me on this).

prior to being in formula 1, he finished 4th in the f2 2022 championship. which is very good. for context, in the 2018 f2 championship george russell finished 1st, lando norris finished 2nd and then alex albon finished 3rd. in 2020 yuki tsunoda finished the f2 championship in third. and in 2022, when logan sargeant finished in 4th, liam lawson finished in third. in fact, logan was the only f2 driver from the 2022 year to secure an f1 contract for 2023.

reportedly, the reason why logan did not do well last year is because he has cripplingly show self confidence. and this was not helped by the fact that he was not performing well. he was the only driver to retire due to illness during the brutal 2023 qatar gp (high temperatures, drivers vomited in their helmets, drove with no hands, asked to have water dumped on them, couldn't get out of their own cars at then end, etc, bad times over all) (logan wasnt feeling well in the first place, but still).

logan barely got re signed to williams for 2024, they announced his contract extension in december after the season had already ended. and over the winter break he aparently trained his ass off because he felt as though he was not as fit as other drivers and he is well aware of the fact that he really has to prove himself this season to stay at williams, or at least to get a seat somewhere else on the grid.

and having your team kick you out of the car because they think that your teammate has the better shot at winning points is not the kind of message that you want to be sending to other teams.

the announcers (jolyon palmer and someone else who i can't remember) had a lot to say about this during the third practice session on friday.

they were mainly surprised at the decision because alex albon only did 11 laps during practice 1 before he crashed, logan had done two full sessions and done well. they went as far as to say "how humiliating for logan. williams thinks he can't score a point. alex did 11 laps yesterday and they think that he has a better chance of scoring a point"

now, alex has scored way more points than logan, especially last year. alex scored 22 points and logan scored 1. but this year neither of them have scored any points.

if we look at the williams stats from the last 2 races:

in bahrain, alex albon finished 15 and logan finished 20. both cars had severe technical problems and logan was on track to finish well before he spun out because of a mechanical issue and ended up 2 laps behind everyone else. several buttons on alex's steering wheel stopped working at one point.

in saudi arabia, alex albon finished 11 and logan finished 15. both cars still had technical problems and they were also being held up by kevin magnussen.

so, the two drivers should be on a relatively equal playing field here, but they are clearly not.

the announcers (and everyone else) were mainly confused as to why williams retained logan for this year if they didnt trust him to score a point (as that is how f1 works) and he clearly "hasn't got the backing of anyone" at williams.

but it gets worse for logan.

aparently, theres a clause in his contract that says that it was possible that he would get pulled out of his car for alex to race it instead because the team knew that they were short on parts. which again begs the question: “why did they retain sargent if they put it in his contract that if your teammate bins it were going to give you his car” 

williams came into this weekend knowing that this was a possibility because they had no space chassis because their spare car hadn't been built yet (this happened to a team before, haas, back in 2021 when their drivers destroyed so many cars that they didnt have any spare parts and then the following year their spare car got stuck in customs so they couldn't use it). and they ad to use one of their two curfews (each team is only allowed to break curfew twice during the season for car repairs) to rebuild the car around alex.

and as jolyon said: “he’s unlikely to score. the last thing he did was crash a car. he knows his teammate cannot score. he cannot crash another car. if he has another crash he will look really stupid.” 

alex albon finished practice 3 in p13. fans the whole weekend were outraged on behalf of logan.

the official press statements from williams were also very somber sounding:

the team said this:

following alex albans accident during fp1 at the Australian grand prix, williams racing confirms that due to the extensive damage sustained, it is forced to withdraw the chassis for the remainder of the grand prix. this chassis will be returned to the tram's hq at grove for repair. due to the fact that a third chassis is unavailable, the tram can confirm it has taken the decision for alex to complete the reaimeder of the weekend in the chassis that logan sargeant drove in fp1 and fp2

james vowel's statement was very long but he basically said:

while logan should not have to suffer from a mistake that he did not make, every race counts when the mid field is tighter than ever, so we have made the call based on our best potential to score points this weekend.

alex albon sounded displeased about the whole ordeal:

i have to be totally honest and say that no driver would want to give up his seat. i would never want anything like this to happen. logan has always been a consummate professional and a team player from say one, and this wont be an easy one for him to take. at this point though, i cannot dwell on the situation and my only job now is to maximize our potential this weekend and work with the whole team to make sure we do the best job possible.

(alex has also been a victim of the red bull second seat bs and had his own seat yanked from under him so he knows how this feels)

and logan said

this is the hardest moment i can remember in my career and its absolutely not easy. i am however completely here for the team and will continue to contribute in ay way that i can this weekend to maximize what we can do

also, the day that alex got into logans car for practice 3 and qualifying? it was alex's birthday.

they asked max verstappen his thoughts on the logan having to give up his car thing and he said "i understand it from the performance aspect, of course, but that doesnt change the fact that this obviously sucks for logan. if that were to happen to me, i would completely flatten my car, so no one can drive."

tldr: its not looking good for logan sargeant to keep a contract if three races in theyre not confident that he can score the team points and yank him out of his seat for his teammate to have a chance to drive when he has already crashed during the weekend.

aside from that, practice three was decently uneventful. mercedes are still struggling and according to one alex brundle (commentator) they even looked "grumpy" and red bull were not dominating as much as they usually should have.

there were also a fair amount of unhinged radios: (via the instagram acc f1feverr)

moving into qualifying. all eyes were on red bull, mclaren and ferrari, who all seemed to be the most competitive for the weekend.

and back in the ferrari was one carlos sainz jr who was, in the words of crofty, “minus an appendix and full of determination."

thats right, carlos sainz was racing again following his emergency appendix surgery in saudi arabia 2 weeks before. after his trip to the paddock for the saudi race (which was against doctors suggestions but aparently he woke up and immediately was like i want to go to the track and just sort of argued with everyone until they let him go) he aparently spent 10 days in bed and did absolutely no training for the australian grand prix. no running, no sim work, no neck training no nothing. he himself said that he was better, but definitely not in peak physical condition and definitely not 100%. they had to out extra padding around his seat belts so that it wouldn't totally kill him.

not too many insane things happened during qualifying, but there was the following:

-crofty said that "honorary australian bottas, who has been spreading his mullet happiness and has been adopted by australia"

-daniel ricciardo went 10th fastest during q1 only to have his lap time deleted due to track limits and put him back in the bottom 5 and out in q1

-esetban ocon managed to make it out of q1. in an alpine. he screamed very loudly over the radio when this was told to him

-martin brundle very disturbingly said that “when i was little i was told that they use the appendix for the bits in marmalade” and theres a lot to unpack there but i think we should just throw away the whole suitcase

-yuki tsunoda made it through to q3

-alex albon got out in q2

-sir lewis hamilton got knocked out in q2 by none other than lance stroll, and it was the first time since 2007 that he wasnt out in q2 at the australian gp

-in q3 charles leclerc had some technical problems with his car and ended up aborting his last flying lap, landing him in p5

-max verstappen became the first driver to crack 250 mph at albert park

-the top 6 were max, carlos, checo, lando, charles and then oscar

-however, checo was given a three place grid penalty for impeding nice hulkenberg, so the starting order ended up being max, carlos, lando, charles, oscar, checo

onto the race itself

hang onto your hats folks this is where shit gets insane

(lando did in fact have to hold onto his hat and also shove past several people to make it to the national anthem on time, which was hilarious)

and for the first time in many years, there was no crash in the first corner !!! no, the bonkers stuff came a bit later on lap 2

staring on lap 2 the cars can use DRS (which is where they open up the back wing to get an extra 20kph of speed as long as they are within 1 second of the car in front of them) and carlos was running very close to max, so he opened up the DRS and BOOM BAM KAZAM CARLOS SAINZ PASSED MAX VERSTAPPEN AND TOOK THE LEAD OF THE RACE

i am not at all exaggerating when i say that it felt like everyone freaked out at the same time. i was watching the race with my roommate and i could still feel the sheer insanity of the whole world

but that was not all

max said over the radio "i just lost the car, really weird" which is what made carlos be able to pass him.

(kind of irrelevant but martin brundle said around here about carlos "you do not look 100% young man" and it was just too good to leave out)

max was still holding onto p2, sandwiched between carlos and lando, until lap 4 when he first said "fuck the car is loose" followed by "i have fire. fire fire by brake" after smoking horrendously.

and i Guarantee you everyones thoughts while watching this were "max is smoking. holy shit max is really smoking. wait iS HE GOING TO DNF???"

spoiler, he did.

max verstappen dnf'd the 2024 australian gp

incidentally, the last time that he dnf'd was at the australian gp in 2022.

later on, max revealed that it was a mechanical problem with the brakes. one of his brakes got stuck on and overheated.

meanwhile, carlos was still going strong out in front. leading and controlling the race. not as much as max would have, but still enough. and so everyone who didnt want up in the middle of the night to watch the race was very very upset (hehe, i stayed up and i had a fucking blast, seriously the last night that i felt the insane during was the night of the destielputinelection)

meanwhile, the only thought in my head was that i wasnt going to have to hear the dutch national anthem

to positively no one's surprise, valtteri bottas had yet another bad pit stop, with stake blaming the wheel nuts as the primary issue.

all was fine and dandy until lap 16 when another tragedy struck

sir lewis hamilton's engine failed

which was nothing short of absolutely tragic. so with lewis out and a yellow flag with a virtual safety car to neutralize the race a bit, the boys continued

nico hulkenberg and alex albon fought for awhile for p10 (and points) until alex had to pit, firmly placing the williams car out of the points. which was disappointing considering the fact that alex was put in specifically to get points.

on lap 29, lando and oscar, who were running 4th and 3rd, were told to swap positions and lando pulled out in front of oscar to try and catch charles leclerc, who was in 2nd. the reason for this was because lando had fresher, faster tires and had been placed on a better strategy since he had qualified higher than oscar. notably though, an australian has never been on the podium at their home gp, so in the words of martin brundle: “that went down like a cold flat white with the crowd” 

then the shitty stake pitstops continued as zhou had a 19 second stop (darn wheel nuts)

pierre got a 5 second time penalty for cutting the pit lane exit (which he also did during qualifying)

on lap 50, perez, who had been flying up the pack like a rocket ship, suspiciously had no more pace in his car. later it was revealed that this was because one of fernando's helmet visor tear offs got stuck in his car.

and then, on the very last lap, george russell basically got brake checked by fernando alonso (who was having a problem with his car) and skidded across the gravel into the wall before landing in the middle of the track. over the radio he begged for a red flag (because he was in the middle of the track) but race control only gave him a yellow flag with a virtual safety car. likely because it was the last lap and george had been in the middle of the pack, meaning only half the grid had to pass him again before doing the cool down lap. if they had called a red flag (which they should have) people would have still had to pass george to get back to the pits.

and with that, the australian gp ended with carlos in p1, charles in p2, lando in p3, yuki and both haas drivers in the points and three dnfs.

insane.

even more insane when you remember that every time carlos has won a race, george russell has dnf'd.

and!! this is not the first but the second time that carlos has managed to break max's 10 win streak. the last time he did this was in singapore 2023, the iconic race where he kept lando in his drs behind him to help fend off the mercedes cars that had brand new tires and george russell ended up crashing on the last lap of that race as well.

reguardless. carlos won. fresh out of appendix surgery. with no contract for next year. this is now the second time that the "wrong driver" (not charles) has won a race for ferrari in the last year.

despite this, carlos asked over the radio if charles could pull up next to him on the cool down lap so that they could "celebrate this one together"

the post race interviews were hosted by gunther steiner, the disgraced haas team principal. carlos joked in his interview that “i would recommend all the drivers have their appendix out." charles only understood about half of what gunther was saying and the other half of the time he just blinked in confusion. lando said that he thought that he could have beaten charles if he had pitted at a different time.

and thankfully, we did not have to hear the dutch national anthem at the podium. truly the biggest win this weekend.

the broadcast cut off lando's champagne pop tho, thankfully we have mclarens ig account:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by McLaren (@mclaren)

it was also so terribly refreshing to see a ferrari driver with life and happiness in his eyes. carlos must have said the same stupid appendix joke in every interview he did and he thought that it was equally funny every time:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Lando Norris Fan (@f1_landonorris_4)

carlos and lando (though it was clearly mostly lando) also made this train wreck of an instagram post celebrating their podium together (for those of you who dont know, carlos and lando were teammates at mclaren back in 2019-20 and had such a ridiculous bromance going on. they are still friends (their hug after this race was adorable) and when asked about sharing the podium with carlos after the race, lando said that it was "quite romantic")

the weight loss hashtag was particularly insane of them (appendixes only weigh between 1 and 18 grams)

and, taking us into the silly season discussions was the podium post race interview:

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A post shared by 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐨𝐬 𝐒𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐳 & 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐚𝐧𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞❤️‍🔥 (@carlandocontent)

-in his post race interviews, carlos said “i’m still jobless for next year so hopefully this will help”

-previously it had been rumored that carlos might go to stake because its going to turn into audi in 2026 and they are interested in him, but after the performance that carlos put on at the race, he probably wont go there if they can't even change tires properly.

-chrsitian horner, on the other hand, confirmed that carlos is on the short list of people for the red bull 2025 seat, something that was previously not an option at all.

-and then, unfortunately, daniel ricciardo has been given an ultimatum

-aparently if he does not step up his performance by the miami race (3 races from now) he will be getting replaced by liam lawson, according to helmut marko.

-this is both hilarious and also upsetting. hilarious because he was the one who replaced nyck last year, upsetting because they gave nyck almost half a season but theyre giving daniel barely a handful of races. also yuki only just scored the teams first points this weekend

-its kind of implied that if daniel looses his seat now, hes not coming back.

-daniel was interviewed post race and seemed just about as upset as he usually does these days (no life in his eyes) and said that before the race, horner came up to him and said that "he wished me luck and told me to keep my head up” so we will see what happens. had daniel's lap time not been deleted during qualifying, he likely would have gotten points this weekend.

and a quick speed run of other chaotic stuff that happened this weekend that didnt quite fit anywhere else on this post:

-oscars grandma made the mclaren team cookies

-fred vasseur the ferrari team principal signed the back of lams lawson's shirt

-alex albon smashed cake in a fans face

-pierre and estaban traded a selfie for some tim tams

-nico colored in kevin's beard with sharpie on one of his giant head cut outs

-valtteri bottas did scooter tricks

-everyone got quizzed on aussie slang as usual and very few people knew any of it

-all the teams posted a photo that was upside down to announce they were in australia

-lando said that his plan for the race was "not a jump start"

-they had valtteri rate people's mullets

-yuki got compared to a koala

-charles was asked to speak french and then he started speaking spanish

-logan was asked his thoughts on the Tasmanian state election and he said "i dont even know what's going on"

-someone shouted at lando when was he going to win a race and he flipped them off

-lando pulled his chair up closer to charles and carlos in the cool down room to get a better view

-they cut to lewis looking like a proud dad watching the race after his dnf

-toto wolff said that he wanted to punch himself in the face following the double merc dnf and hes now doubting that hes a good team principal

-jack doohan and nico hulkenberg had a whole conversation about nicos hair and what hair gel he uses after the race

-EDIT FROM THE FOLLOWING MORNING CAUSE I FORGOT THINGS:

-fernando alonso got a 20 second time penalty for nearly killing george russell

-max verstappens girlfriends kid (penelope) was at the race and it was her fist time going to one (i think she’s like 5 i have no idea) so we got to see max being a girl dad

-ryan air posted asking logan sargeant if he wanted a ticket home

-sebastian vettel is being rumored to be preparing for the 24 hours of le mans, he’s in the process of doing testing

and well in the words of nico hulkenberg "interesting race"

i think that just about does it

hopefully the next update is shorter

see you all in 2 weeks for the japanese gp!

Sorry i tried to scroll past but, i know nothing about f1 other than max verstappen is fast, my dad doesnt like lewis hamilton, fast car goes in a loop and sometimes expodes. Could you give me a crash course in f1 drama? Im very intrigued. Whats the tea as it were?

a terribly loaded question, but i will do my best. i’ve talked about some of the drama before like the red bull second seat and the chronicles of haas but allow me to briefly try my hand at explaining the nightmare that is the upcoming silly season

under the cut we go

silly season is when the drivers go through contract renewals, extensions and switches. usually it’s confined to the first half of the season (march-july) but it has been known to extend all the way to the last race of the season and they like to switch people around at random sometimes. driver contracts are complex, there’s a lot of money involved and basically You Are The Face Of The Team so if you have a shit season then you make the team look bad. but at the same time you could have a shit season because you have a shit car. it’s sticky stuff.

so. there are only twenty seats in formula 1. 10 teams. each team gets two drivers. (there’s also reserve drivers but we’re not going to get into that). who ends up with a contract is largely up to the teams, they can pull the contract out from under people they can also cut you mid season. they’ve done it before.

of the 20 drivers on the grid, 14 of them have contracts expiring at the end of the year. yes. 14. you see how this could get complicated.

so let’s meet the teams.

red bull racing. they came first this year (and last year) in the championship. like aggressively first. like they won the championship by over 350 points. they are definitely the team to beat. but if you end up with a seat at red bull, you do have to deal with max verstappen being your teammate and he won all but three of the races last year. he’s the golden boy. red bull are also notoriously silly when it comes to contracts and famously swap people mid season who aren’t performing.

mercedes. merc is home to 7 time world champion lewis hamilton and they have won the championship a great many times, though not since 2021. they are kind of in their flop arc and their car the last 2 years has been pretty garbage, but they have still made it work because they were able to come in second last year.

ferrari. god help the poor little meow meows with a ferrari contract. ferrari is a notoriously great team and they’re trying to get back to the top again but their strategy every single time has fallen short. to the point where their drivers are the ones doing the strategy in their cars while driving. they came in third last year and have been decently consistent at getting first in qualifying and then getting beat by max verstappen on race day.

mclaren. they’ve definitely worked their way up over recent years. they ended fourth last year and have had some championship wins before but not nearly as many as say merc and ferrari. their team ceo (owner? director?) is a little interesting and their car started out a pile of flaming hot garbage at the beginning of the year but they did manage to get their shit together.

aston martin. they are owned by canadian billionaire lawrence stroll, father of lance stroll (one of the drivers for the team). they’ve undergone several name changes over the recent years (force india, racing point, etc). they positively slayed at the start of the season and then one day they sucked. they finished fifth in the championship.

alpine. the frenchest french team. they’re (i think?) still partially owned by the french government. both of their drivers are french. (their drivers also hate eachother but we’ll get to that. just know they’re in the middle of a modern french civil war). they had the opportunity to have a good rookie driver (oscar piastri) this past year but in a thrilling twitter battle, he publically flamed the shit out of them and went to mclaren instead (and slayed). they're usually solidly middle of the pack. they ended sixth in the championship.

williams. williams has been one of the back of the grid teams for the last many years but they have finally started to get their shit together and don’t quite suck as much as they used to. all of the points this year were scored by only one driver though (except one but we’ll get there). they came in seventh.

alpha tauri. they are the sister team of red bull. so technically redbull owns both teams (meaning they can swap drivers between teams. they like doing this.) they’ve just kind of been There for awhile but they did slay towards the end of the season when one of their drivers led the race for several laps. basically tho, this team is the gateway to redbull. they came in eighth.

alpha romeo. recently renamed to stake f1 team (but sometimes they are going to be called kick sauber. this is a whole other drama post and i’m not getting into it). they’re also just kind of there. generally unproblematic. seems that really great drivers who get ixed out of a contract for a younger driver end up here or young drivers who are in their early years are here before they go to a better team. they ended ninth this year.

haas. oh haas. goofy team. they suck. point blank they suck. they keep loosing sponsors because they suck, they don’t win ever (one time they came first in qualifying last year). they cursed themselves in australia in 2018 by not tightening their tires and its been downhill ever since. they came 10th. their team principle got let go (fired?) who’s to say today.

so those are the teams. it is important to note that:

-there is a cost cap. each team is allowed to spend no more than 135m per year.

-not all cars are equal. some things are standard. they all undergo the same testing. but the cars are all very different. so you can be a good driver but stuck in a shitty car. which makes it impressive if you are doing well in a shitty car.

let’s meet our drivers!!!

starting with the guys who’s contract is not ending in 2024:

max verstappen. 3 time world champion. 26 years old. general beast on the track. he dominated the whole season. he’s currently racing for red bull and has a contract with them through 2028.

lewis hamilton. 7 time world champion. 39 years old. he drives for mercedes. he will not leave mercedes until he retires. he really really wants to win an 8th world championship and is willing to stick it out a few more years as long as merc still believes in him. his contract expires in 2025.

george russell. the other merc driver. 26 years old. hes aggressively british and says thinks like blimey unironically. walking meme. got his merc seat in 2022 right when they entered their flop arc by getting his tractor of a williams to finish second in qualifying in the middle of a rainstorm. his contract expires in 2025.

lando norris. mclaren driver. 24 years old. he has notably never won a race in his five years of formula one (mostly because right when his car finally was good enough max verstappen was 20 seconds ahead of anyone) but he is regarded as Very Good. he has only ever driven for mclaren. and even though there is another year left on his contract there is mass speculation that he will not renew his contract with mclaren after it expires and he may move up to one of the top teams (red bull, merc, ferrari) (tho i think he doesnt hate himself quite enough to go to ferrari). his contract expires in 2025.

oscar piastri. the other mclaren driver. 22 years old. this was his rookie season and he positively slayed. like people compared his rookie season to lewis hamiltons rookie season. he also had the positively funniest start to his rookie year because alpine announced that he would be driving for them (he had been their reserve driver and in the alpine academy) and he posted a tweet that basically said yeah thats false i never singed anything with you and im going to race with mclaren instead (he dodged a bullet) and then alpine tried and failed to sue him for $4m USD. he signed a contract extension with mclaren this year and his contract expires in 2026.

lance stroll. aston martin driver and son of the aston martin owner. hes doing ok, tho there was conspiracy that he wanted to quit and have a tennis career awhile ago. but basically since his dad owns the team it seems that hes guaranteed a seat for as long as he wants one.

so now. moving onto the good shit. the people who have contracts expiring in 2024. hold onto your hats people.

charles leclerc. (everyones favorite slutty little soup can). 26 years old. he is currently at ferrari and he has been since 2019. notably, he was given the longest contract in the history of ferrari after a stellar rookie season at sauber (renamed to alpha romeo, renamed to stake f1) where he got the tractor of a car consistently into the points. having the longest contract in the history of ferrari was a flex at the time, but now its likely how he will introduce himself at therapy sessions. ferrari have fucked this man left right and center up the ass with a plastic lunchroom spork. hes talented, he can drive, and he can drive well. but the strategy that ferrari has absolutely sucks. either something is wrong with the car (see him blowing out his gear box on the formation lap in monaco, his car completely crapping out and spinning into the barrier in brazil before the race even started) or they fuck up his pit stops or put him on the wrong tires and honestly its just frustrating. but will he leave??? likely not. you'd have to pry ferrari out of his cold dead hands and at this rate that might be where this is headed though there has been some minor speculation of him going to another team like merc or red bull, but merc doesnt have any open seats and red bull is a whole other dumpster fire of drama. ferrari are going to have to pay him a boatload of money to make him stay.

carlos sainz. the smooth operator. 29 years old. ferrari driver. previously carlos was at toro rosso (renamed to alpha tauri), renault (renamed to alpine), and mclaren before signing with ferrari. he has been at ferrari since 2021 and has voiced that he would like to stay with them for however long he can. there is speculation that lando might replace him at ferrari (but landos contract is not up until 2025) and there is also some speculation that alex albon might replace him. while charles is clearly the golden boy at ferrari, carlos is slightly slower but also definitely consistent. he was THE ONLY non red bull driver to win a race this past year, in Singapore after max verstappedn was knocked out of qualifying by alpha tauri reserve driver liam lawson (more on him later) and because he basically came up with his own strategy in the car while he was driving.

sergio perez. aka checo. red bull driver. 33 years old. and oh boy here's where we open the can of worms. checo was previously at racing point (renamed aston martin) and it was very near the end of the 2020 (?) season and he was out of a contract. he had a bonkers race where he was knocked to the back of the grid and then overtook everyone and somehow ended up winning (there is more to that story but just trust me) and christian horner, red bull team principle, mr ginger spice and definite disney villain called him and said congrats sir you have a seat at red bull! well. fast forward. hes been causing problems. problems as in crashing a lot, generally not doing great and pissing the crap out of red bull. it is basically guaranteed at this point that he will not be getting a contract extension. there was actually talk this year of him losing his seat mid season to one of the alpha tauri drivers, because remember, red bull owns both teams and they can switch them whenever they want to (and they have!) but ultimately this did not happen. even though checo has a seat at red bull until the end of 2024, its mass speculated that he is going to get switched with an alpha tauri driver, probably daniel ricciardo (more on him shortly) mid season because there is a speculated clause in daniels contract that says that if checo isn't performing well in the first few races daniel is getting his seat.

daniel ricciardo. 34 years old. alpha tauri driver. man oh man what a guy. outside of being the prankster of the paddock, he has one of the most batshit careers of anyone currently on the grid. he started out at red bull and was showing real talent and skill and was on track to win things (and was!) and was there until the end of 2018 when max verstappen (his teammate) started getting preferential treatment and also red bull started having a lot of problems with their engines (which were being outsourced from Renault (now alpine) and another team on the grid) and well very very long story short he made the surprise move of the century and decided to sign with Renault (which makes no sense they're the one with the engine problems) and was there for 2 years before moving again to mclaren where he was reportedly not treated very well and had a hard time driving the car so they mutually ended his contract with them early and he basically retired at the end of the 2022 season and became a red bull reserve driver. then halfway through the 2023 season alpha tauri ixed one of their drivers, nyck de vries, because he wasnt doing well and promoted daniel back up to a full time driver at alpha tauri (which we know is only a step down from red bull) but then he broke his hand in a crash in zanvort (?) and then he was replaced for a few races by formula 2 driver liam lawson (who we will also talk about) and then he came back to finish out the season in alpha tauri after he was cleared. daniel has admitted openly that he never should have left red bull and he was given bad advice to do so. hes towards the end of his career at this point and its well known that he Really Really wants to finish out his career at red bull again. he and max have already been teammates before and they do work well together and daniel is great driver (see his comeback in texas (or maybe it was brazil?) this year). so. Pretty Sure that daniels going to get either an extension at alpha tauri or go up to red bull. thats what we all want. get this man in a red bull we need him there biblically.

liam lawson. now technically liam is not actually a formula 1 driver. hes a formula 2 driver, but he was daniels replacement for five races and there has been some speculation and some confirmed news about him so hes getting included. when he was racing for f1 he was at alpha tauri. hes 21 and looks like he belongs in the movie grease. no one was expecting him to slay in formula 1 and he positively knocked everyones socks off. the scene: Singapore. which, if you'll recall, is the one race that a not red bull driver won. this was largely because liam lawson slayed the absolute game in qualifying. the qualifying part of racing determines what order the cars start in on the grid for the race and theres three parts, the first two parts the bottom 5 drivers each time get knocked out and then the top 10 complete for the last 10 spots. liam lawson knocked BOTH max verstappen and checo perez out of qualifying in the second round by going very slightly faster than them, effectively fucking up red bulls race and allowing carlos to win. and he also scored points in that race, which no one was expecting. now thats all fine and dandy, but here's the speculation: hemlut marko (im pretty sure) (who is somehow decently involved in the decision making at red bull though i couldn't tell you how) said that he thinks that liam lawson will be in an f1 seat no later than 2025. meaning that he will probably get offered a contract this year. and hes already raced for alpha tauri. red bull have sunk a good amount of money into him. they clearly want him. so if he gets offered an alpha tauri seat in 2025, that means theres a good chance danny rics is going to red bull. do you SEE how the plot here is THICKENED

yuki tsunoda. age 23. currently at alpha tauri. and fun fact, the only alpha tauri driver to race there the whole year. he had three separate team mates. he is slaying and hes often slept on. he has a bit of a temper and likes to shout on the radio and also hates working out (they had to force him to move to italy or something to work out, long story) but hes been kinda killing it. he led several laps in the abu dhabi race this year and hes decently consistent. people think theres possibility that he could get moved up to red bull on account of the fact that he is younger than daniel and clearly has more years in him,, but there is also possibility that he might not because red bull like to make stupid decisions. and if he doesnt get moved up to rebel, will he stay with alpha tauri? we don't know.

alex albon. age 27. currently a williams driver. alex albon is another one with a batshit career. he started out his rookie year in 2019 at alpha tauri then got moved up to red bull halfway through the year when red bull decided that pierre gasley wasnt doing a good enough job (more on him later) and stayed with red bull for a solid year and a half until he lost his seat in 2021 to checo. he has been with williams for the last two years and is basically carrying the team. like. williams as a team scored 28 points this year. and alex albon scored 27 of those 28 points. and as we know, williams is still kind of in their shit arc (though they are doing much better. they didnt score any points for a solid 2 (?) years. so this is an improvement.) and if you can get a shit car to perform you catch the eye of bigger teams. now, alex has already been a red bull driver. and he was on the cusp of podiuming two separate times when lewis hamilton ran into him. this (among a few other things) basically killed his chances at getting resigned at red bull because he wasnt ""performing"" and red bull are bitches who love to win. but some people think that red bull should give him another shot. like daniel, hes already been max's teammate and he can definitely drive. but theres also talk he might go to ferrari because ferrari think that he might compliment charles's driving style (or something). but going to ferrari at this point is kind of suicide. so.

logan sergeant. age 23. the only american on the grid. the other williams driver. he just finished his rookie year. he scored a grand total of one single point this season, in texas, and it was because charles leclerc and lewis hamilton both got disqualified because the floor of their car had more wear (by literally less than millimeters) than it was allowed to, bumping him up from 12th to 10th. he has never done better than alex albon. he was also the very last driver to get a contract for 2024, with williams waiting until i think december of 2023 to announce his contract extension. clearly, hes on thin ice. but people have also said that he needs time to get used to formula 1 (other people have pointed out that oscar piastri slayed his rookie season this year and this statement about needing time is largely false). where logan ends up next year though will largely depend on how well the 2024 season goes for him.

fernando alonso. 42 years old. many people like to point out that oscar piastri is actually younger than fernando's racing career. he won tiktok creator of the year (somehow) and is also a 2 time world champion. he retired a few years ago, just to show back up again and slay. during the first half of the season when aston martin had a zoom zoom car he killed it, and then they had problems on top of problems and he didnt do well. except for that one race in brazil where he came in third, beating checo by literally .05 seconds. he hasn't really made any hints about retiring a second time and he is kind of carrying aston Martin right now (he scored 205 points this season, coming in 4th and tying in points with charles leclerc, lance stroll only scored 74 points this year.) and they did have their best year yet this year. (though they are relatively new).

pierre gasley. 27 years old. french. drives for alpine. the french team. previously he raced with toro rosso (now alpha tauri), then got promoted to a red bull driver in 2019, then halfway through the season they decided he wasnt doing a good enough job and he got demoted back down to alpha tauri. then he won a race with alpha tauri just to stick it to red bull. after the great oscar piastri contract twitter war, he was signed as alpines second driver, with Esteban ocon being the other driver (more on him soon). estie bestie and pierre (both french) were childhood friends and now hate each other for unknown reasons and basically feuded on the track for most of the season. french civil war at alpine. he scored 62 points in 2023 and came in 11th. not really sure where he will end up, it is possible that he will stick it out at alpine.

esteban ocon. 27 years old. also french. currently driving for alpine. another one with a silly bonkers career. he started out at force india and had a baller few seasons there but his teammate at the time was checo, and checo didnt really cooperate with him too much and caused some drama that cost estie bestie some places and some points. max verstappen also beat him up in the garage once. thats not really relevant but it did happen. anyway, after the owner of force india was arrested for .... i don't remember what maybe it was embezzlement or bankruptcy or something money related, the team was backed by lawrence stroll and became racing point. but all of that happened mid season and lawrence was basically like look ill back you guys for now but next year my son gets a seat (lance) so one of you two (checo and estie bestie) have to go. and ultimately they let estie bestie go even though he was more consistent because checo had more sponsors and they needed money. so he was out of formula 1 for a few years (but was a merc reserve driver) and then went to Renault, which then became alpine. he did come in 12th though overall this season, just behind pierre. so. will alpine keep both him and pierre and keep the civil war going? whos to say.

nico hulkenberg. 36 years old. haas driver. in his 200+ f1 races he has never been on the podium and he really really wants to be on the podium. unfortunately this will never happen in a haas because haas fucking sucks. and everyone knows it. he is getting towards the end of his career though. though! stake f1 will become the mario Andretti and audi team in 2026 (don't question it) and they have supposedly voiced interest in nico. so we will see if he hangs on that long to end up at audi. for now tough, hes definitely hating it at haas. though, haas are going to have a different team principle next year so maybe that will change things. i have a sneaky feeling through that haas will probably end up with another 2 rookie drivers because everyone else is smart enough to not race for them.

kevin magnussen. 31 years old. haas driver. hes another deeply interesting character. he has had one podium. in his rookie season. in his first race. and none since. kevin started at haas in 2017 and then left at then end of 2020 when he basically got kicked off because the team needed money and they wanted to bring in drivers with more sponsorships. these drivers were mick schumacher and nikita mazepin. so kevin basically was forced to retire after the 2020 season. this went decently well for haas. until russia invaded ukraine right before the start of the 2022 season and, well, nikita was Russian and it was never distinctly proven that his dads company (who was sponsoring the team) wasnt also funding the invasion. so nikita got fired and they were literally like 2 weeks out from the start of the season, down a driver. who are you gonna call? kevin magnussen! and hes been back ever since. but hes clearly getting annoyed with haas. there was one great clip from this year where his car caught on fire and he kind of just stared into to, clearly hoping it would burn for a long time. so the likelihood of him extending his contract is looking slim.

valtteri bottas. 34 years old. currently a driver for stake f1 (alpha romeo, kick sauber, whatever you wanna call it). previously, he was a mercedes driver and notoriously helped lewis hamilton win a great many championships, until he lost his seat to george russell in 2022. there was a rather awkward part of the 2021 season where valtteri knew that he was out of a merc seat the following year and kind of just chose violence. he slayed. then he went to alpha romeo, grew a mullet and made a calendar of his ass. quite the glow up if you ask me. hes also very interested in cycling. honestly though, i have my own personal speculation that hes going to retire at the end of this year.

zhou guanyu. 24 years old. driver for stake f1 (alpha romeo/kick sauber, etc etc). hes doing alright. he just finished his second season, in his first season he was majorly out qualified by valtteri but this past season he managed to out qualify him a good 6 times. which is decently good for the tractor of a car hes driving. its possible that he could get a contract extension, but like logan, its probably going to depend on how the 2024 season goes for him.

and thats all the drivers. theres also a few others i didnt talk about, like some other f2 drivers who want seats and mick schumacher, who is currently a merc reserve driver, all of which could be contenders for f1 seats. but one things for sure. this is going to be the silliest fucking silly season.

feel free to add on and peer review me