#outlander drivers

[p-redux]

Loved seeing both Sam Heughan and Caitriona Balfe having fun with their long time Outlander drivers at the Outlander Season 8 wrap party!

Sam with Davie Stewart. 👇

And Cait with Andy Finnie in the middle. 👇

Seeing Finnie is such a blast from the past. Who here was around from the very beginning? Remember this?: Both drivers interacting on Twitter with fans and posting pics of picking up Sam and Cait from their respective apartments in Glasgow to drive them to set. SamCait shippers baiting the drivers into giving them info to try to prove Sam and Cait were a real couple. An OG shipper from the US going to Glasgow to try to get on set and Davie getting assigned to keep her away from Sam. I DMed with him back then and he told me the whole story. The drivers finally getting sick of shippers' shenanigans and turning on shippers. Shippers then turning on the drivers and taking it as far as trying to report them to Outlander production. Finnie dating a fan. And shippers getting into a fight with said fan because of shippers' harassment of Finnie when he confirmed Cait wasn't dating Sam. Finnie and the fan broke up and I don't think he's on social media anymore. At least not on his original account. Davie is still around on social media, of course.

What a ride for all of them all these years, no pun intended hahaha.

Ah, memories...

[samheughanupdates]

j.stoobs We put Sam Heughan & Minnie Driver to the test with a little game called Shakespeare or STARZ. Catch Outlander & The Serpent Queen now streaming on Starz

[thisdancingheart]

I would love for you to reblog or comment with specific arguments for your vote. Tell us about the worst behavior of the Bitter Bettys who refuse to accept reality and can turn a shirt color into a conspiracy theory. Leave the royals out of this please, that is an entirely different shitshow, this is specifically about entertainment based fandoms. Have fun! *tosses lit match, walks away*

[sgiandubh]

It's more like a birthday party

Look at the balloon streamers hanging down

It looks like it's a last hurrah for Cait before everyone parts ways, after Outlander ends filming.

Whatever it was, nothing could compare to the beauty of his gaze and his listening to her, even though 11 years had passed since their first meeting.💘💘

Dear Birthday Party Anon,

Fly a kite if you wish, but a birthday party it's still not. This actually looks rather like a more intimate get together before the larger wrap party (it did not include Greedy Driver, that being said, and there is an obvious reason for it):

Also obvious it did not happen in a hotel, or something. This is someone's flat, for all intents and purposes. See the improvised shelved home bar on the left, featuring a proudly displayed SS Gin bottle (red arrow, LOL), a couple of more expensive whiskies and some Dom Pérignon champagne - wee closeup:

Perhaps Vandervaart's rental flat in GLA? After all, someone did order some burgers from MacDonald's, who does deliver at home, too, in GLA:

S has the same outfit as for the wrap party:

as compared to...

Same pocket square. Surely, he owns more than one suit, right?

After that, they went to the party as a group, in a rented van, something they also did before Taylor Swift's concert, if you remember:

I would be very surprised if C's birthday was mentioned way ahead of the day, to be honest. I mean, it's technically not impossible, but I very much doubt it was the focus of their gathering.

I understand this fandom (all sides of it, actually) is very thirsty for more, but maybe it would be wiser to wait a minute before posting nonsense just for the sake of it?

Your last phrase, well - of course I agree. It's been like this from Day One, Anon.

[thescrolls-haveforetold]

“the Outlander shrinks under her smile, “..sure! it’s..it’s safe, right? It’s not..some kind of carnivore, is it?” the driver laughs at the Outlander’s tone, “o’course not! Dexter’s a sweet girl, aren’t you Dexxy?” she exclaims, the thing…Dexxy cries grow louder in response.”

Illustrated for my fanfic<3

[thetruthwilloutsworld]

Instagram j.stoobs

We put Sam Heughan & Minnie Driver to the test with a little game called Shakespeare or STARZ. Catch Outlander & The Serpent Queen now streaming on @STARZ! #WereAllAdults Here #Outlander #TheSerpentQueen #ad

Posted 27 August 2024

[soapywankenopy]

SDV car headcannons

[this gets pretty specific because i've had way too much time to think about it]

1. Harvey

Harvey drives an old, beat-up red Ford Ranger. It's a standard transmission, and the clutch is super finicky, so when he tries to drive other cars, he has a bad habit of shoving in the clutch too hard (or if it's an automatic, slamming on the break, thinking it's the clutch). It was a gift from his parents when he started med school. It was old when they bought it, but Harvey does his best to maintain it. He's not a "truck guy," but he changes his own oil and keeps it running well. He would like to buy a Subaru because quote, "they're very safe cars," but he doesn't use his truck a lot as it is, so he doesn't see a need to get a new car.

2. Leah

Leah drives a silver Subaru Baja. You can not convince me otherwise. She views cars as a necessary evil. It wasn't really all that useful in the city, but she's glad to have it now that she lives in Pelican town. It's well-loved, and it's pretty beat-up, but Leah says it works fine for what she needs it for.

3. Shane

He drives a 1999 Ford Taurus in that weird pinky-gold color. It smells like pizza and pepper poppers, and there are feathers in the backseat. Sometimes, he'll let Jas sit on his lap in the driver's seat and let her steer while he works the pedals. Mayor Lewis caught them once and was not happy. Shane does it anyway because it makes Jas happy.

4. Sebastian

He drives a motorcycle, lol. I admittedly do not know very much about motorcycles, but it looks like a blue Kawasaki Vulcan to me, but idk. (If you know more about motorcycles, feel free to give your two cents)

5. Sam

Sam does not have his own car, but he frequently borrows the family van. It's a silver 2003 Honda Oddysey. The van lands him with driver duty for the band and their equipment.

6. Elliott

Elliott disagrees with cars ideologically. He had a grey 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander that he inherited from his aunt. He sold it before he moved to Pelican town. He thinks it's more romantic to walk everywhere, but if you ask him why he walks everywhere, he'll say, "Because of the environment."

7. Penny

Penny doesn't drive. Pam tried a million times to teach her, but Penny just doesn't want to. She doesn't trust herself with such heavy machinery.

8. Maru

Maru does not have a car but will borrow Robin's work truck if she needs to. Sebastian definitely taught her how to ride a motorcycle. One of her many ongoing projects is a custom bike for Sebastian. Demetrius was very insistant that she learned to drive stick.

9. Abigail

Abigail does not know how to drive. Pierre was too busy, and Caroline never felt the need to teach her. She's happy to explore by foot, so it doesn't really bother her.

10 & 11. Emily & Haley

Their parents bought them a 2012 light green Toyota Prius to share. Haley thinks it's cute and Emily likes that it's a hybrid. Haley says eventually she might buy a blue Volkswagen Bug.

12. Alex

Alex doesn't drive and it's a sore subject for him. Don't bring it up. He might end up crying. He's always said that he would want a green Dodge Charger as soon as he learns to drive.

I have more headcannons about the other characters, so I may put them in another post

[spinnysocks]

TLG Outlanders Jumanji AU that i have suddenly become obsessed with :) buckle up

i'm mainly basing this off of the 2017 movie, with elements of the 2019 one too

wema, tunu, dogo and kijana are playing when they find a hidden cave, they go in and they find lots of weird paintings on the wall and the floor. ever the inquisitive one, dogo steps into a circle in the middle and they all get sucked into... Jumanji?? or maybe in the TLG universe it's called Mchezo

the adults look for them. the leaders (plus kenge and sumu) and the idiots (plus mwoga, nne, tano and neema) go in two groups to search since the kids were missing for a while. the leaders find the hidden cave first as sumu noticed it in his small size. they get sucked in, and eventually the idiots find it after them

they turn into human versions upon entering the world. yeah they're pretty freaked out lmao

the premise is that they go through trials to "prove" themselves, at the risk of their 3 lives, to get to the final task of saving the kiddos. i'm thinking each of them get a task focused on their skills but all of them are at the will of it, aka any of them could lose a life in any trial

i think the Strengths & Weaknesses bit would be funny. kiburi has no weaknesses, he says smth like "I'm too good to be weak 😏" and then 'Pride' pops up hfgdhdh. tamka's weakness would be cake because i think it'd be funny. nduli's is picking up cool rocks. i would say goigoi's would be sleeping but he'd lose all 3 in an instant. the list goes on

reirei is mad because she gets the boring map-reader job lol, despite that she saves everyone's asses so

i imagine sumu is like Milo, he gives them the information in a really deadpan tone lmao. it's like "... Oh no..." "Spit it out, will you?!" "... Mandrills. We should go" and he just continues spilling knowledge while they're running for their lives lmao

you know how in the second movie Bethany/Milo is a horse? yeah nne and tano are straight up just themselves- they're hyenas but realistic, like they didn't change 💀 they're just there doing hyena laughs and absolutely savaging people in the fights

the ostrich scene from the second movie would be funny. maybe the hyenas are the drivers 👀 NONE of them trust their lives with janja, chungu or cheezi but somefuckinghow.. they don't die

in a trial where the leaders are really trapped, guess who sneaks in and saves them? Ushari!!! that was actually all of their reactions as soon as he spoke and they knew it was him. shupavu hugs him on impulse and then gets awkward about it lol, they're happy to see him

ushari explains how he didn't actually die when scar was destroyed but he escaped the volcano and happened across the hidden cave. he's been trapped ever since and obviously presumed dead. he's been stuck with 1 life because he needed the others to complete the rest of the trials :(

there's a dance fight where kiburi has to defeat the guards without being all guns blazing about it. literally the same as the scene with Martha. it's so funny at first bc he doesn't know what the fuck to do - i hc him as demi, he can't flirt with someone he doesn't know😭 - but when a song (prolly rap?) starts playing he beats their asses easy

little did they know the exact same thing was happening on the opposite side of the building, just with the idiots. tamka, nduli and neema also get their cool moment of beating people up, dance fight style! it's mainly tamka because he actually DOES have a strength in acting :)

the leaders and the idiots enter the building at the same time and it's an "Oh Shit!" spiderman pointing meme moment lmao. from this point on they do the trials together

the vultures fly the helicopters. you can imagine how well that goes. it's just like in the movie where something immediately breaks 😭 i think it'd be cool if kenge was the one to fix the helicopter, giving him a hero moment! imagine it

"Kenge, you did it! :D"

"Guess I did"

"Um... Oops"

"What Janja?"

"I dropped the jewel 😶"

"YOU WHAT?!?!"

janja loses a life in that scene from the rhinos 😭 do i wanna traumatise mzingo that much? idk. i just feel like that is such a janja thing to happen. fridge's character is janja-coded lmfao

"YOU PUSHED ME OUT THE HELICOPTER! >:("

that scene where fridge pushes spencer off a cliff? yeah that obviously happens. i'm thinking reirei and janja squabbling. would be funny if janja pushes reirei off impulsively and he just stands there, in shock, waiting to get yelled at when she respawns 😭

there's one of those Step On The Right Pieces trials. kiburi is being all cocky, steps on the wrong one and loses a life- bro gets absolutely humbled lmao. i think the skinks would be good at that trial for some reason

some random trial ideas: a "sleeping lions" type trial for goigoi. a "follow (copy) the leader" trial for mzingo. a food temptation one for the idiots??

jasiri definitely has a trial where she helps someone or shows that the "bad guy" NPCs can be good or somethin. that's probably the last trial before the finale

at the last trial they all work together to save the kiddos! it's really wholesome at the end because they saved the kids, they actually achieved something, they worked together, AND they got ushari back! :)

bonus:

based on the second movie, i was considering a different version of this au where janja purposefully enters the game to prove himself and it's more of a lesson of how it's not just about his strength, but the strength of all of them

janja just thinks he ain't good enough, especially not being leader of his clan anymore, but it's through working together when the others come after him that he realises that ain't true. just an extra thought i had :)

might make a follow up post because i came up with this in an afternoon just for fun 😭

[rhaenella]

Fic Masterlist

Updated August 24, 2024

❦ Smut | ✿ Fluff | ❥ Angst

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ YOU (Netflix)

You & Me – Rhys Montrose (Series Masterlist) ❦ ✿ ❥

└▸ Summary: Rhys Montrose x assassin!reader. What happens when reader assassin is tasked with killing the possible future mayor of London; Rhys Montrose. Politician by day, Eat the Rich Killer by night. But he isn’t the only person wearing different masks. ~ONGOING~

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ Outlander

As Luck Would Have It – Stephen Bonnet & Brianna Fraser ❦

└▸ Summary: Stephen Bonnet x Brianna Fraser. Brianna just broke up with Roger and she finds herself drinking alone, in a crowded pub on St. Patrick’s Day, trying to drown her sorrows in solitude. But when a downright creep starts harassing Brianna and won’t seem to leave her alone, a charming Irish stranger comes to her rescue.

⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ F1

CL16 – Is It Over Now? (SMAU Series) ❥

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7

└▸ Summary: Charles Leclerc x singer!reader. You and charles have been everyone's fave couple on the grid, but when you somewhat unexpectedly break up, you turn to songwriting to cope with the pain. ~COMPLETED~

MV1 – Season of Champions (SMAU) ✿

└▸ Summary: Max Verstappen x pbr!reader. You and max are each other's biggest supporters as max tries to secure his 3rd world championship title, whilst you're fighting for your 1st in a previously all male dominated sport

LN4 – Challenge Accepted ✿

└▸ Summary: Lando Norris x non-driver!reader. It’s been five years since the last chinese gp, so when you and lando are set up to race each other on the shanghai circuit on mclaren’s state of the art simulator, anything is possible…

CL16 & MV1 – Charm Offensive ✿

└▸ Summary: Charles Leclerc x Max Verstappen. Max missed Charles terribly over Summer break and does everything in his power to talk to him

Other:

Requests open! | AO3

[p-redux]

Soooo, I was under the impression that Outlander wasn't going to start filming yet until January and I didn't think anything of it when Sam's driver, David Stewart posted this 5 days ago. 👇

I thought he was just being cheeky. But then he posted this. 👇

And then this. 👇

And then this. 👇

Sooooo, is he just wanting attention and is working on another project besides Outlander (he does work on other projects) or is Outlander filming started already? 🤔

[identifying-cars-in-posts]

if you had to strike one car/maufacturer (except tesla that's a given) off the face of the planet what would it be

are we talking from now on or also retroactively? if we’re talkin just like kill off a company now without losing everything they’ve ever made, i would say maybe mitsubishi. they’re on their last legs anyway, it would be kind of a mercy killing given what they’ve become. the outlander isn’t awful but if it ceased to be it’s a niche with plenty of better options. i do adore their older models though, love the first couple gens of eclipse and i straight up screamed when i saw an imported jdm lancer evo on the road recently

if we’re going retroactive too, as much as i hate to i think i’d say fiat. their cars now are built terribly and they’re driving chrysler and jeep into the ground. i love their older cars and it would suck to potentially lose abarth, but i think basically every car they’ve ever made has a competitor that’s just as good. it would be tragic to lose the original topolino though

if we’re doing just a single car model though? ford edge. absolutely purposeless suv that i had the displeasure of driving recently. i’m sorry to any ford edge drivers who might follow me but i hated that thing and have never understood why anyone other than rental car companies bought it over a ford escape or other competitor smaller suv

[smoooothoperator]

untouchable

17: Chanson Triste

Lando Norris x OC (Violet Sinclair)

same group friend, unrequited love, acquittances to lovers, ski trip, love triangle, life as lovers

Warnings: death, cemetery, angst

a/n: I'm back!!!! God, you guys have no idea how much I missed Violet and Lando, I was so excited while writing this chapter. I hope everyone is doing amazing, having good days. I came from a really really needed break and from a trip I was so excited to make, and with a lot of ideas for this story. But here you have some bad news... I can see the end of this story! Is not close yet, some things have to happen, but that means too that THE chapter is coming :)

Masterlist

Official Playlist

previous chapter | next chapter

If you want to be tagged don't forget to message me!

Every way of feedback is very welcomed

I knew I was going to be in the mouth of everyone. Dating him, a well known driver in Europe that drives for the second most famous team of the world, would mean that my social media would be full of notifications, of people sending requests of following, of attempts of messages. I knew that once we landed back in London, people would recognize us and follow us. 

But I have to love the present. I have to keep being who I am, I can't show a weakness because they would be attacking it immediately. If I want to be with Lando, I have to fight against the odds to make them see that I don't care what people say about me.

“I don't want to leave tomorrow…” I sighed, laying on the bed and looking through the window, observing the pyramids.

“Me neither” I heard him sigh, laying on his side and kissing my arm. “Maybe we can stay some more days…”

“You know we can't” I sighed looking at him, smiling weakly. “My worry is growing and I need to see Eloise. I'm really worried, she's not answering my texts or calls…”

“Did you call her parents too?” he smiled weakly, rubbing my back softly. 

“They decline my calls…” I whisper, sadly. “I just… What if she's really mad at me because I chose to stay with you instead of talking with her? I mean, I did explain to her why I did that, what happened… But she didn't answer, just left me on read”

“It will be okay, love” Lando sighed, kissing my shoulder. “You want me to go with you? So we can talk with her and explain to her…”

“I don't know, I think I want to do it alone” I smiled weakly. “We have to talk, many things have happened since last time I saw her and I just want to have some time alone with her”

“I understand” he nodded, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me to his chest. 

“You are the best” I smiled, kissing his lips softly, cupping his jaw with my hand. “You know, I think we broke the internet some days ago”

“Oh, yeah. I know” he laughed, making me smile when I felt his chest move with his laugh. “My manager texted me saying that people just went crazy, kinda”

“I just… I don't want to be like those girlfriends that are models and influencers” I said. “I mean, they are perfect. Every time I talked with some of them I felt like an outlander, kinda. They just dressed with important brands like Gucci, Dior, Tommy Hilfiger… and the most expensive clothing I have is a dress I bought for a gala in the museum, and it's nothing compared to what they wore”

“I know you are not like them, Violet” he said, kissing my head. “And that's what I love about you. You are natural, careless. You are like a breath of fresh air for me, really. You keep my feet in the ground”

“That's cute” I smile looking up at him. “I just… I guess I want to be worth it? Yesterday I read some of the comments of the posts and they kept repeating that finally there's a girlfriend that is not famous. Like, I'm normal, I guess. Not an influencer, not an athlete, not a model”

“And that's perfect, really” he smiled. 

“But that made them think that I want you for your money” I smiled weakly. “I mean, if they say that, I can just take a screenshot of my bank account and show the money I have. But that's not what I was saying…”

“I just imagined you posting on Instagram that screenshot with a caption like… I'm not poor, I have a job. Go mind your own business” he interrupted me laughing, making me laugh too. 

“You and I both know that I'm capable of doing that” I laugh. “But what I was saying! Why are they so determined to say that every girlfriend is with their partner just because of money and fame? Why can't they think that it is because of something else, like love?”

“Because… I don't know” he sighed, brushing my hair with his fingers. “I guess they want drama, gossip. They think that a love story is not dramatic or important for a driver. They just want to make and believe their own narrative and take things out of context”

“That kinda sucks” I whisper.

“It does, yeah…” he sighed. “But I don't care about what they think. I only care that after every race I'll have someone waiting for me. I made many mistakes before, like letting them get in my mind and make me push away people that cared for me. I won't make the same mistake again, I will fight for us”

“I love you, Lando” I smiled, hugging him tight. 

“Tomorrow I will take you to a place before we leave” he said. “So I want you to take that white dress you bought the other day at the market”

“Are you going to propose?” I laughed. “Isn't that a little soon? I don't know, wait for next year maybe. We have been dating for a week!”

“No, silly!” he laughed. “But I'll keep that in mind”

“Idiot” I laughed softly.

He just held me, both of us watching the pyramids before falling asleep in each other's arms.

The next morning, after I woke up I grabbed my phone, checking if I had any answer from Eloise. But like the last few days, I didn't have messages from her.

“I'm sure she's fine, Violet” I heard Landon whisper, kissing my shoulder. 

“It's just… I feel something is wrong. We never have been this long without talking. I just want her to send me whatever…” I whispered.

I heard Lando sigh and wrapping his arms around me tightly, making me take a deep breath and close my eyes, getting comfortable in his arms.

The next morning he woke me up, peppering soft kisses all over my shoulders and neck, rubbing his hand over my back in soft circles. His smile was the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes, making me answer him the same way.

“Good morning, beautiful” he whispered, making me chuckle softly and hide my face on his bare chest, pressing a soft kiss on his skin. “Ready to do one last visit?”

“Mhm” I nodded, wrapping my arm around him. 

We just got up and while the room service came with our breakfast, we put out clothes back in the suitcases, making sure they were ready and sent to the reception so we don't have to come back before leaving. 

I looked at the white dress, smiling. I have no idea what he wants to do, where are we going now. But somehow I was excited about it, I was excited because I saw him excited about being in this place. I'm excited because he was so interested in things I like. He looked at me with a smile while he nodded, paying attention to everything I explained to him. And it made me fall even more for him, if that was possible.

“You ready?” he smiled, watching how I tied my hair on a braid after hanging my bag on my shoulder. “Let's go”

I laugh softly, walking out with him and going to the main door of the hotel. A van was waiting for us, ready to take us to the place he planned to go. He held my hand all the time, rubbing soft circles on my knuckles.

“Where are we going?” I asked him, resting my head on his shoulder.

“You'll see” he whispered. “Just be patient, we are close”

I laugh softly and nod, looking out of the window and enjoying the land that surrounded us. After a few minutes, the car stopped.

“Let's go” he smiled, opening the door and getting out of the car before me.

I smiled at him, holding his hand as he helped me get out of the van. I looked around surprised, recognizing this place.

“No you didn't” I laughed softly.

“Oh yeah” he smirked, hiding my hand tightly and walking with me. “You know what this temple means?”

“It's Hathor’s temple” I nodded, looking around and smiling. “Egyptian goddess of the sky, music, joy, dance and love”

“And you told me that she was associated with Isis, right?” he said, wrapping his arm around me. “The goddess of the loyalty and the maternal love”

“Mhm” I nodded.

“Well, I want to make a promise, in front of her” he said, holding my hand and stopping right in front of one of the many statues of the goddess.

“Lando” I laughed softly, watching how he grabbed something from the pocket of his jeans, making me swallow the lump and laugh nervously. 

“I want to promise you that I will treat you how you deserve to be treated. I promise that I will never hurt you or touch you when you don't want to. I promise that I will never make you cry. I promise that I will be only thinking about you, when I wake up, during the day and at night. I promise to cherish you and make you happy and fight whoever dares to make you feel sad”

“Lando…” I smiled softly, feeling my eyes getting wet when I saw him open his hand, showing me a silver ring with two small rocks placed next to the other.

“This is my promise. I'll give you this ring to seal my promise of loving you forever. You owe my heart since the day I first saw you” he said while he put the ring on my ring finger. “This ring has our birthstones, together. Because I really think that we were born to be together, that you are my soulmate, Violet. And now that I found you I will never let you go. I won't leave you”

His words sank in my heart, filling my chest with a warm flame he only knows how to turn on. His touch is delicate, how he holds my hand while I admire the beautiful ring with both stones, topaz and and tanzanite, together.

“Idiot, you are going to make me cry and you just promised me that you won't make me do it” I laughed softly, wiping the little tears of joy that were running down my cheeks. 

“Come here” he laughed, wrapping his arms around me, holding me close to him, heart by heart.

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landonorris 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

mclaren it was so nice having you during the testings and the launch with us!

violetsinclair you won't get rid of me easily 

Driving through the road that takes me to my childhood village was bittersweet. The first year I was away for my studies I was excited to come back and finally be on my childhood bed with my family again, but as years went by, that feeling started to disappear and it turned more into an obligation rather than something I used to do for pleasure.

Once my life was in order after coming back from the trip with Lando and both of us got used to living around the other, I took some days off from work and forced myself to grab my car and drive home. 

The past few days I tried to call Eloise again, as well as her family. But again, none of them answered. She only has her parents, her family is not as big as mine with grandparents that are still alive, uncles and aunts and cousins. That's why she always loved to spend time at my house during holidays, because she had more people around besides her parents.

As I drove past the signal that indicated the main entry of the village, I saw a few flowers on the ground, as well as marks of rubber of the tires that lead to the side of the road. And watching that made me feel shivers running down my spine.

When I parked my car in front of my house I looked at the house next to it, to her house. The light of her room is turned off, even the curtains are closed. Her car is not parked next to the garage.

If she's not here, then where?

I sigh, walking towards the main door of her house and pressing the doorbell, sighing when I noticed the lights were turned off.

“Hello? Eloise, I want to talk!”

Seconds later the door opened, and my smile dropped when I found her mother looking at me. I was surprised to find her wearing dark clothes, always used to see her wearing bright and neutral colors. Her gaze is not even the same, and the smile she always drew when I came to their house is no longer there.

“What are you doing here?” she frowned, her voice sounding rougher than I expected. “You are not welcomed here anymore”

“What? But… Jane, I want to talk with Eloise… I-”

“Leave this house now! You already did enough. How dare you come back here after everything you did to her? Are you insane?!”

“But… I just…”

“I don't want to see you” she groaned, closing the door on my face.

What did just happen?

I frowned, trying to call again, but I was  answered with silence. I sighed, giving up and walked to my house, opening the door and closing it behind me.

“Lottie, is that you?”

I smiled weakly and sighed when I recognized the voice of my grandma, so I walked towards the living room. She was there, on her chair next to the fireplace and whatever she was knitting. The moment she saw me I could see her face light up, smiling softly and leaving both needles on her lap and opening her arms, inviting me to a hug.

“I'm home, nana” I whispered, kneeling to be at her height and hugging her. “Did Eloise come by? It's been a while since I talked with her…”

“Oh, little Lottie…” she whispered. “You came late, my girl”

“Late? Why?” I frowned, pulling away from the hug and looking at her. 

“She's no longer here” she smiled weakly.

“What? Then where? She lives here”

Eloise's dream since she was little was to be the owner of the restaurant we always visited when we were little. Everytime we got out of school, we went to that place to have a chocolate milkshake while we did our homework. It was our place, sitting on the fourth table that is next to the door, facing the window and with views to the park. 

In that restaurant, during summer, she worked there to make money. She was a waitress, a cashier, and she cleaned the place. But what she loved the most was the moments she worked in the kitchen. She discovered her passion for cooking in the stoves of that restaurant and it helped her decide that she wanted to be a professional chef.

When we moved to London, we lived together during the first years of our studies. She went to the cooking academy while I went to the university. And when she finished her years of formation, she started working on restaurants until she gained a name, a reputation.

Her dream was always going back to our village and make that restaurant a place tourists would go to experience the gastronomy of our country. She always wanted to be a reference in the kitchen.

“Maybe she's in the restaurant” I frowned, getting up and looking around. 

Maybe that's why her car is not parked. Because she stayed longer in the restaurant, as usual.

“No, Violet”

I took a deep breath when I heard my cousin's voice behind me. Maya, the oldest one, already married and with a kid. 

“Come on, will someone tell me what is going on? Why did Jane say that I'm no longer welcomed? I'm so lost! Where is Eloise?”

“Let me take you somewhere” she smiled weakly, grabbing the keys of her car.

I frown and look at my grandma, watching how she nodded with a sad smile on her lips. Somehow, what is happening it's not good, I could tell because of the shivers that were running all over my body.

I followed Maya, getting inside her car and watching out of the window, hoping she would take me to the restaurant where I thought Eloise would be working. But when she turned to the left, going to the road that goes to the church and next to it to the cemetery, I heart skipped a beat. 

No, right? This can't be happening.

“Where are we going?” I frowned, feeling how my hands started to get sweaty, feeling how my heart was beating in my throat making me feel nauseous.

Maya didn't say anything, she only looked at me with a sad smile while she parked the car. She got out and waited for me to follow her, something that took me around a minute. But she waited for me, she stood in front of the car with her hands inside of the pockets of her black coat.

“Come on” she sighed, biting her lip and walking.

Every step I made sounded louder in my ears and it increased the anxiety I was feeling. That anxiety started to become panic and fear. 

“Here” Maya sighed, standing in front of a gravestone.

I didn't want to read what it said. I didn't want to know who was buried there. It was recent, the smell of flowers was still recent and I could see that the marble was still shining.

“No” I mumbled, feeling how I was choking with a scream. “No, no. It can't be. No. You are joking, right? This is a cruel joke. Eloise is working in the restaurant and she just wanted to play around, making me pay for something I don't even know I've done. Please, Maya…”

“I’m sorry” she mumbled. “It happened some weeks ago… But Harry came and said that you two stopped being friends and something about you betraying her”

“No!” I exclaimed, looking at her and letting my tears fall. “None of that! Why would I betray her? Just because I chose myself first? Harry is the problem! He manipulated me so many times!”

“May I remind you that you couldn't stop saying that you loved him?” she said, and somehow that made me flinch. “That he saved you from being raped? That he was always next to you and that you felt so bad and jealous because you wanted to be in Eloise's shoes?”

“That was before I knew the truth…”

“So what? Now that you are having a love story worthy of a fairy tale with that driver you think that you can forget about your family and friends?!”

I closed my eyes, breathing deeply. Maybe she's right… Maybe I was too focused on Lando and I stopped caring for my family… No. Lando has nothing to do with this. He showed me how it is to be loved, he showed me how it is to be loved by a family.

“I tried” I whisper. “I tried to call her, to talk to her. Lando told them to leave the trip because of things that happened between him and Harry. And Eloise wasn't the best friend during those days either. But I never stopped texting her and calling her. She was the one that ghosted me…”

“Look, I'm sorry, okay?” she sighed. “Eloise was a good girl, she didn't deserve this ending”

I swallowed thickly and looked at the flowers. I smiled sadly. There are roses on it, her favorite flower. 

“Can you leave me alone?” I whisper.

I heard her walk away without saying anything, and when I felt I was alone, I let out a sob. 

How on Earth could this happen? When? Why? Why her? Why did no one tell me? My own family forgot to tell me that my childhood best friend is dead. Those tyre’s marked at the entry of the village and the flowers… It happened that way? 

I felt incredibly nauseous and the need to throw up was real, making me run to a tree and bow, emptying my stomach. I tried to breathe, but the tears and the burn on my throat made it impossible.

“Just… why?” I cried, looking back at the grave. “Why? It's not fair! I didn't betray you. Did you feel like that? I chose myself first, for the first time, Eloise. I chose love first… Why did you never answer my calls and texts? It wasn't my fault Harry blackmailed Lando, it wasn't my fault at all… And still you believed him. If there was one who was betrayed, that was me”

I wanted to blame her. But… Is she the one to blame? She loved Harry, she followed him. Of course she did. I would do the same. 

“It's not fair at all, Eli” I mumble. “What am I supposed to do now? I just… God. Who am I supposed to talk with about my problems? About my life? Life is unfair, why the hell did you have to leave this way? Who am I going to tell that Lando and I are dating? That he promised me he's going to marry me? Who am I going to ask to be my maid of honor? What the hell am I supposed to do without you, Eloise?”

It hurts so bad. It hurt realizing that she's not here anymore. It hurt so bad realizing that she won't be next to me anymore, that she won't make her dreams come true.

“I'm nothing without you…”

It hurts. But what hurts the most is that for the first time I experienced what is it to lose someone you love, someone that was important for you. 

“I just… I'll miss you, Eli, so much. I already do”

I took a deep breath and just let the tears fall while I fixed the flowers on her grave, tracing with my fingers the letters of it.

“In loving memory of Eloise Taylor. Born on the 23 of October of 1999” I whisper, feeling a knot on my throat as I traced the next words of it. “Dead… The 27 of December of 2023”

-

I felt empty, so empty.

When I returned to London,instead of going back home, I went somewhere else.

The park where Eloise and I went to spend our afternoons together was close to the first apartment I ever lived in, with her. It was on the other side of London, in a small neighborhood. I sat on a bench, right next to a streetlight, and hugged myself. 

I didn't notice how long I stayed there until I looked at my phone, reading the notifications of messages and missed calls.

Lando🧡: how are things going? Did you talk with her?

Lando🧡: text me once you are coming back home, okay? I'll make something for dinner

Lando🧡: Babe?

Lando🧡: is everything okay? I'm worried

Lando🧡: Baby, please answer. Where are you? It's late and it's getting dark

Lando🧡 missed calls (3)

I took a deep breath and smiled weakly, pressing the call button and placing the phone on my phone.

“Violet? Thank God!”

“Lando…”

“Where are you? Are you still in your village? You are staying with Eloise? Did you talk?”

“Lando, she…”

“God, I was so worried” he sighed, relieved.

“She's dead”

“What? What did you say?”

“Eloise” I mumble, sniffling softly. “Eloise is dead… she's no longer here. She… she died”

Silence. He was quiet. I could hear his breathing, how it got stuck on his throat. 

“Where are you”

“I… I need to be alone” I whisper.

“Violet please…”

I closed my eyes tightly and took a deep breath, telling him the address of where I am. He didn't end the call, he stayed on it, making me hear everything he did, how he walked out of the apartment, how he went to his car and turned the engine on. 

“There you are” he sighed, ending the call and sitting next to me.

I felt his arms wrapping me and pulling me to his chest, holding me tight.

“How did it happen?” he mumbled, brushing my hair with his fingers.

“She… she crashed” I whisper. “She was going home and the road was frozen…”

“Oh…” 

“What am I going to do without her?” I whisper “I… I feel like someone took something away from me, a part of my heart. A-and she left thinking that I betrayed her… she left and no one told me because Harry said…”

“Harry knew?” Lando frowned. “And he didn't tell you?”

“N-no…” I mumble, looking up at him. “He told her parents that we argued… That's why they didn't call me”

Lando took a deep breath and kissed my forehead. He held my hand and kissed it.  

“This just made me realize how scared I am to lose you” I said looking at him.

“You won't lose me” he said, cupping my cheek and resting his forehead against mine, closing his eyes. “You won't lose me, ever. I made a promise, remember? I promised that I will never let you go, that I will never leave you”

“What am I supposed to do, Lando?” I whisper. “I lost Eloise because of a car… How am I supposed to feel knowing that you work in one? I just…”

“You will never lose me” he repeated, squeezing my hand. “I'll make sure of that. I'll start every race and finish it to be next to you. You are my checkered flag. I'll race as much as I have to just to get out of the car and hold you”

“Just… never leave me” I whisper. “Never, okay?”

“Never” he nodded. “You have my heart, I can't live without it. Just keep it safe with you and everything will be alright”

taglist

@elisysd @racinggirl @ninifee1802 @kakorrhaphiphobia @landoyesrizz @lorarri @bellwhysomean @leptitlu @aphroditeisamilf @brekkers-whore @copper-boom @sideboobrry11 @alltoomaples @f1madison @elijahslover @silkenthusiasts @chonkybonky @summerslike11 @randomgirlnumber-13 @is-just-a @whentheautumnleavesfall @malynn @mycenterfold @barackosteaa @izzy-marvel @ssprayberrythings @ophcelia

[bcacstuff]

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

Remember the Outlander season 7 wrap party at Glasgow's Platform bar on February 24, 2023? In this place, Outlander again organised a season 8 wrap party and Outlander finale.

SH with Ben McGinnis Producer at Tall Ship Productions. #ForAllMankind for Apple, #Outlander for Starz. Los Angeles, CA based

Ben McGinnis IGS

BTW, SH’s drinking Innis & Gunn beer experience, He’s not drinking SS whisky or Gin. A return to old habits, SH always drank beer.

Sorry to spoil the party! The driver of the car service was included 🥴

@daviehollywood IG #FinalCountdown

@charles_vandervaart IGS

Posted 29th September 2024

[copiouscouples]

Bridgerton - A Dissertation

Chemistry is subjective and that's why I love Bridgerton. If one couple isn't your bag, then there are others to choose from.

Personally, I've enjoyed all the seasons. I just love to see love unfold.

Season 1 was such a new animal. It was the novelty of it all. Nothing had been done like this before. You either had the adulterous, explicit, and/or violent sex scenes of Outlander or Game of Thrones or you had chaste Austen (which j'adore but still). There is no other show (even though there have been attempts) that combines the sweet romantic side of love with sexy times. And on top of that you have the costumes and the humor and the diversity.

Simon and Daphne's love story for me was so beautiful watching it simply because it was like they'd turned the historical romances I love reading so much into a tv show.

Season 2 I was so pumped for. The first 4 episodes were delicious. The looks, the stares, the verbal sparring, the passionate declarations, and almost kisses. Be still my heart. The wedding episode was a giant buzzkill. It ground all that momentum to a halt. Edwina deciding not to marry Anthony should've been a 5 minute scene max. That episode took up time when we could've seen them make progress on their relationship. After that, the plot did bounce back. Then, we got their love scene in the garden. I think the most apt description I've seen of that is that it was like a hot music video. It was fine and all, but I was wanting more. It wasn't rewatchable like the Simon and Daphne scenes.

Then Queen Charlotte came along and wowzers did I love that show on so many levels. It was gorgeously done, funny, sweet, heartbreaking, and sexy. George and Charlotte were a good couple but knowing their ending wasn't so happy definitely put an asterisk next to it.

Season 3 came along and at first I was a little indifferent about it for multiple reasons.

1) I hadn't been fully sold on Luke and Nicola's chemistry. It seemed too friend-like (which I know is the point but still). On top of that, there's their real life age gap. Luke N. is super attractive but I was envisioning someone older and more mature (because I know the books have Pen and Colin as older).

2) Friends to lovers isn't a favorite trope of mine.

3) I really wanted Eloise or Benedict's season to be next.

But oh my word, guys, I am really digging this season. Probably more so than even Queen Charlotte.

Things I Love:

Colin being the pursuer and driver of the relationship instead of Daphne in season 1 or Daphne/Edwina/circumstances in season 2. It's delicious to see Colin chasing Penelope. And yeah, she did ask him to kiss her but home skillet didn't ask him to show up at her house for a late night rendezvous. That was all him.

A less angry/bitter male lead. Colin likely has daddy issues too, but he is just more emotionally in-tune (when he allows himself to be) and doesn't take it out on others. He's sweet and lovable and a perfect cinnamon roll when he's not posing.

The Sexy times are back! That carriage scene was 10/10 - no notes. And it was sexy because of the feelings component. And we're getting more! I'm gonna pass out!

Even though I wish they'd hurry a bit and get them back to being friends, I do enjoy seeing the Eloise and Penelope friendship aftermath. I love seeing how much they care about each other despite being angry/hurt by one another.

That height difference, tho!

I feel like we can all take enjoyment from different couples and different seasons. We're all different and different tropes resonate with us. There is something to be enjoyed by all with Bridgerton.

[deadbutbetter]

Rural America, telephone poles, a pack of Camel cigarettes on the dashboard — a couple stopping for a rest (or in rut). This is the road trip, time on your hands, getting away, a big American car, but also the weather is coming in, a dream of Oz and the deluge in one image. The scenery Eggleston depicts isn’t backdrop. It’s alive. As a former long-distance truck driver who has seen a half-million miles of scenery, I came to view passing postcard landscapes as a series of repeated deaths. Driving was seeing without thinking, looking as a mindless present. Passive, a kind of narcotic. Eggleston’s “scenery” clutches you in its talons. Spirits seem to fill the air of this America. [...] We see the same psychic affliction, internal perditions, segregation, and heartlessness, everyone on their own, each for their own group, against the world. We see people seething with impotent rigidity. This soul leprosy makes “The Outlands” an eyewitness account of a country that somehow survived its own death, that is already in the antechamber of its own afterlife.