#outstanding performance. number one

[milfbro]

(x)

Messi campeão número um

[clarabowmp3]

Care to share the university you got denied from so I can have beef with them in solidarity?

😭😭😭 Stoppppp this is literally so sweet??? But yes I got rejected from Cambridge for Law which I guess isn’t too crazy since their acceptance rate is smth like 11.8% but a girl WILL be delusional and WILL work herself to the bone for it 😍😍 I’ve still applied to other uk unis tho so let’s see! 🍞

[sttoru]

Can we have mamaguro and toji go to megumis school sports day event where the kids parents go against each other. Mamaguro wins amongst that games thats for mama's. And well toji yk guys 🙏🏼🤲🙏🏼

 𝝑𝑒 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐒. dad!toji x wife!female reader. fluff, one mention of angsty-ish thing. suggestive comment. reader gets called ‘mama / ma, pretty’

“woah, mama’s so fast!” megumi points at you with his tiny finger, watching as you participate in a 400 metres relay race. toji stands right beside the preschooler, grinning from ear to ear as he watches you go.

to say you’re competitive is an understatement. both toji and you have done your best to win all events the parents could participate in during your kid’s sports event. it may not be that serious to the other parents, though for you two, it is.

seeing megumi’s face light up and hearing his giggles whenever toji or you win a competition is all the reward needed for your hard work.

“oh yeah, y’r mama is gonna get that win,” your husband nods proudly. he crosses his arms over his chest, his eyes following your figure as you speed across the other mothers that are participating. toji’s attention is caught by a little hand tugging at his sweatpants.

he raises an eyebrow as he sees the way megumi’s reaching his arms out to him. “hah, little brat. c’mere,” toji lets out a chuckle before scooping megumi up, placing the clingy preschooler on his shoulders.

your gaze is set right ahead, body moving as quick as it could. your ears pick up on two familiar voices, your eyes catching a glimpse of toji and megumi at the sidelines. you smile at the two while you run. you don’t have to look back to keep track of where your opponents are. you’re too fast for them anyway.

“yeahhh, tha’s my fuckin’ wife!” toji yells above everyone else, embarrassing you a little. though, it sure did boost your energy levels and your legs move in an even faster tempo. the other parents look at toji with a frown, some whisper about his vulgar choice of words around little children, but he simply couldn’t care less.

megumi tries to imitate his dad and throws his hands in the air, waving at you with a big smile. “that’s my mama!” the little child shouts at the top of his lungs, having the time of his life. he’s been having fun all day with toji and you, his popularity under his classmates increasing because of the outstanding performances of his parents.

you laugh to yourself as you hear their encouragements. you glance over at them as they stand near the finish line, just waiting for you to pass over it. you wave at them whilst you’re running and watch as megumi happily waves back with both arms.

“mamaaaaa!” the small boy squeals, kicking his legs. he looks at you with big, sparkling eyes—cheering once you cross over the finish line. toji joins in and whistles, impressed by your performance. he walks over to you as you catch your breath.

“how’d i do?” you ask your husband with a smirk. toji nods, humming in satisfaction. he feels megumi squirm around on his shoulders, so he lets the preschooler down. toji faces you again and pinches your cheek in a loving yet teasing gesture, “amazing, ma. y’ did well.”

megumi runs up to you once he’s free and hugs your leg. you giggle and crouch down to hug him. “mama’s so fast. and so cool,” your son exclaims and mimics how you ran, making noises to indicate how fast you were going, “like—woosh, woosh!”

“haha, thank you,” you giggle and kiss megumi’s forehead. a teacher comes up to you and gives you your gold medal for winning first place, a big number one on the middle of the metal. you put the medal around megumi’s neck instead, clearly seeing his eyes light up once you do.

toji follows the gesture and puts all the medals he’s won around his son’s neck as well. those were quite a few since toji’s competitve and athletic self had won every round of the parent matches he’s participated on. out of all the dads present, he’s won most games.

“there y’ go,” toji comments in a proud tone. megumi laughs happily and jumps up and down in place to show his excitement. he sees a couple of his friends nearby and scurries over to them, going to brag about how he’s got the best parents.

your husband hands you a bottle while he keeps an eye on megumi. “thank you,” you nod and take a couple sips of the refreshing cold water. you catch toji glancing at you, looking you up and down. that’s when you already know that whatever’s going to come from his mouth, is going to be out of pocket.

“y’know, while ya ran out there, i couldn’t help but stare at that fat ass of—“

you smack toji’s chest, a warning for him to not finish that sentence. you’re too embarrassed by his words to even look at him properly. “don’t say such stuff in front of literal children,” you whisper shout with a flustered expression on your face.

toji playfully rolls his eyes at your comment. he wanted to give your behind a smack - an appreciative ‘well done’ gesture - but he refrains from doing so. he wraps an arm around your waist instead and squeezes your side.

“ugh maaann, who cares about these little brats,” toji complains and leans his head down to your level, kissing your temples gently. he smirks and gives your lips a quick kiss, “i just wanna appreciate my sexy wife.”

you can’t help but crack a faint smile after toji’s last comment. you kiss him back quickly, keeping an eye out on your son, who’s cluelessly showing his classmates all the medals around his neck.

“we made the kid quite popular,” toji hums as he sees the same thing you have. it warms his heart to see his son enjoy his childhood like this. so carefree, so loved. megumi’s got both of you, both loving parents, which brings the dark-haired man a sense of peace.

toji’s glad that he can give his son everything he couldn’t have as a child. that also means participating in megumi’s school events and the like of it. he’s never had anyone supporting him as a kid and he never wants the same to happen to your child.

“yeah, he deserves it,” you say with a fond smile. as long as megumi’s protected and loved, the rest is fine. you’re glad that he’s taking the opportunity to interact with his classmates, considering he’s usually a bit shy and quiet.

while you’re watching megumi, toji’s staring at you. there’s a subtle smile tugging at his lips because of your own content expression. he looks back at his kid and sighs in relief.

all that hard work was worth it if it meant to have both his wife and son enjoy themselves.

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Aaliyah - Are You That Somebody? 1998

"Are You That Somebody?" is a song recorded by American singer and actress Aaliyah for the Dr. Dolittle soundtrack. It was written by Static Major and Timbaland, with the latter producing it, in addition to performing a guest rap. It is an R&B, pop, soul, and avant-funk song with hip hop influences. Its production also incorporates other instrumentals such as staccato guitars, beatboxing, and drum and bass. The Dr. Dolittle soundtrack was released on June 16, 1998 and consisted of a blend of hip hop and contemporary R&B. The soundtrack was a huge success, peaking at 4 on both the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and was certified 2× Multi-Platinum on October 20 the same year.

Upon its release, "Are You That Somebody?" received critical acclaim from music critics, with them praising its off-beat innovative production. In 1999, Aaliyah earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for the song. Initially, it was ineligible to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 because it was an airplay single not commercially released to retail stores but in December 1998, Billboard changed its policy to allow airplay-only songs to chart, and the song eventually peaked at number 21. Internationally, the song achieved even greater commercial success, peaking at number one in New Zealand and number three in the Netherlands. It also peaked at number 11 in Canada and the UK.

An accompanying music video for "Are You That Somebody?" was directed by Mark Gerard with choreography orchestrated by Fatima Robinson. It received acclaim from the music industry, receiving Best R&B Video and Best Video from a Film nominations at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards. The video also earned a nomination for Outstanding Music Video at the NAACP Image Awards. Throughout the years, critics have praised the video for its choreography, with many highlighting the flamenco routine depicted in the final scene.

"Are You That Somebody?" received a total of 68,8% yes votes! Previous Aaliyah polls: #217 "Try Again".

[hotwaterandmilk]

I'm seeing "Wedding Peach was unsuccessful" trotted out on Twitter again and it's honestly kind of funny to me. You can dislike the series, but you're rewriting history if you suggest it was a massive commercial flop/astronomical failure — it simply wasn't.

The Wedding Peach TV series maintained viewership throughout its run which is why it aired an entire year's worth of episodes (the full length it was intended to run) and didn't get cancelled like Nurse Angel Ririka SOS, for example.

I'm not going to pretend it did Sailor Moon numbers, dear god, it absolutely didn't get close hence why it wrapped as it did. I would suggest looking back now, that it was the definition of a mid-performing title for the time period. It sold toys decently but not outrageously, it got viewers but not an outstanding number, and it garnered a small but dedicated fanbase of male otaku. All of which is par for the course when it comes to a mid title in 1995.

Wedding Peach DX was produced because the TV series LD sales were decent enough to warrant it. Children were not buying LD box sets at this time, adult fans were and it was this interest that justified the creation of the four DX episodes as direct-to-video releases. If a series doesn't sell well they don't make more episodes, let alone higher quality deluxe episodes specifically for the home video market (and thus for older audiences with spending power).

It is very important to point out that Wedding Peach DX had NO INVOLVEMENT from the original creative team. Tomita Sukehiro and Yazawa Nao did not contribute to its creation, Tadano Kazuko didn't provide designs. Yuyama Kunihiko was the driving force behind the production of the DX episodes and he served as both director and writer for all four episodes (bringing on Wedding Peach animator and soon-to-be frequent Pokémon collaborator, Ichiishi Sayuri to serve as character designer).

What inspired these to be fanservice dreck to the level they ended up being is honestly beyond me. I mean the otaku market definitely wanted more episodes featuring the characters (and more songs featuring the seiyuu, if you want to see how keen otaku were for FURIL please see this post) but part of what they liked about the characters at the time was their (barfbarfbarf) perceived purity and innocence. The DX including panty shots and swimsuits kind of threw them for a loop. Even now, if you look at discussions about the DX among otaku there's a bit of a divide in opinion.

The DX episode sales were (as far as I can tell based on magazines from the time) also mid, but enough to cover four episodes. Three and four don't seem to have sold as well as one and two, but again the stats from the time aren't comprehensive. I think the fact that there weren't any after episode four says it all, honestly. OVA episodes are expensive to produce and it was extremely common for them to stop immediately if the sales weren't there. DX didn't justify its existence beyond those four episodes and Yuyama moved onto a far more successful project in Pokémon.

On that topic, I think it's important to note that Wedding Peach was OLM's first television series (albeit a coproduction with KSS). If it and the studio's adaptation of Mojacko hadn't made some level of profit it would have been quite difficult for them to adapt Pokémon. Neither Mojacko nor Wedding Peach set records with their viewership or sales numbers, but they both did "OK". It was in Pokémon however, that that OLM truly found a successful property with the series still running today. Sometimes you've got to have a few runs at producing things before you find success. Wedding Peach was one of these early runs, a project where a lot of people cut their teeth but one that didn't justify its own continuation beyond a certain point. Just a very standard media mix from the mid-90s, in other words.

Wedding Peach is a problematic title with indifference through to outright objection to representing love outside of heterosexual romance. Looking back now it feels like an absolute dinosaur on so many levels. Between the anime's fatphobic episode and Momoko dropping some gender essentialism, I'm not surprised people want to relegate it to the dustbin of history.

However, I think it is very telling that Tomita Sukehiro, when presented with the opportunity to tell a similar story in the modern day, chose to represent not just queer love, but platonic and familial love in Wedding Apple. While he can't undo the regressive and cringy elements of the original series, as a creator he has progressed and I'd like to think we can all continue to improve our outlooks and output as we grow.

Disliking Wedding Peach in the modern day is completely understandable. I'm not going to pretend anyone should watch it in 2024 without knowing that it is a camp, cheaply made relic of a time when heterosexuality was considered magic. However, just because it pandered to all the worst things trending at the time doesn't mean it didn't sell enough products or hold enough viewers to justify its production. It did, it just wasn't a strong enough property to go beyond that and that's representative of mediocrity rather than mind blowing commercial failure imho.

[accio-victuuri]

oh i like these posts. hahahahahaha! politics aside, oh well, no actually— i don’t think we can ever put aside politics when it comes to the boys ; I see cpfs sharing posts and commenting on this person’s “greeting” for wyb. and well, you will see why. she is a politician in hongkong.

[Patriotic top star Wang Yibo]

What big day is August 5? Last year, this day was the 12th anniversary of the New People's Party; it was also the birthday of Wang Yibo, a top star in the mainland.

Wang Yibo has a deep connection with Hong Kong. He was born in 1997, when Hong Kong returned to the motherland. I still remember that he sang a song "Stand Up" for Hong Kong on the 25th anniversary of the return; on July 1, 2023, he personally came to Hong Kong to attend the "Greater Bay Area Film and Music Gala" "The Moon Rises in the Bay Area", but unfortunately it did not cause much response at the time.

Although he is not a popular idol of Hong Kong people, friends who pay attention to the mainland entertainment industry know that Wang Yibo is a top star in the mainland entertainment industry; he has extraordinary dancing skills, and his status as the "King of Dance" in the mainland is unquestionable. In addition, he is also engaged in many public welfare undertakings; he recently filmed a documentary series on protecting pangolins as a public welfare ambassador of WildAid. He is an artist with both talent and virtue.

I once asked a public question in the Legislative Council: Since Hong Kong is hosting many events and concerts, the SAR government should actively consider inviting mainland top stars Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo to perform in Hong Kong. I believe that this will attract a large number of fans from the mainland and around the world to support Hong Kong and truly promote Hong Kong's concert economy.

Recently, there are two things about him that impressed me the most. First, his performance in the mainland hit drama "War of Faith" was amazing, and his acting skills have made a great leap forward. I, like many mainland audiences, think that he deserves the "Best Actor". Unfortunately, he was not nominated for the Best Actor in the list of nominees for the Shanghai TV Magnolia Awards earlier. This incident triggered a series of controversies in the mainland entertainment industry. Many people feel sorry for him.

In addition, when he was serving as a torchbearer for this year's Olympics in Paris, he saw a fan holding a mini national flag accidentally dropped it on the ground, and he picked it up spontaneously, showing his sincere respect and love for the national flag. If every young person in Hong Kong can spontaneously love the national flag and national emblem, and understand that it represents the dignity of the country, then it means that Hong Kong's patriotic education has truly succeeded.

In summary, Wang Yibo is an outstanding young man. He went to Korea for training when he was young. After years of hard work, he has mastered first-class dancing skills. His acting skills have also been recognized in recent years. Even though he is a top star with huge commercial value, he is also enthusiastic about public welfare. He is really a role model for artists. I hope that young people in Hong Kong will take him as an example and learn how to be a good young man with both talent and virtue, who loves the national flag and spontaneously safeguards the dignity of the country.

* So i guess it’s now obvious why cpfs like this post so much. it’s because both of them were mentioned. and is is what we’ve been hoping for, that they will be invited to events and probably even work on a project together because they are “positive” artists. and how important it is for them to maintain that image to stay safe in the industry. tho i have to say that it’s not hard for them cause they are good natured people. It’s not an “act”, that is just how they are.

and it’s what we’ve been saying, that these two are one of the best ways for CHN to have some soft power in the international stage. tho i’m sure they will have detractors who will be quick to pull out “evidence” of their government support and use it against them.

also months back, she also posted something about CQL. so yeah, no wonder she got popular with cpfs ⬇️⬇️

China’s “danmei” genre is booming in the West

The article “How to Tell Chinese Stories Well” (July 14) overlooks an important genre that is growing in popularity in the West and is more reflective of contemporary Chinese life than works from decades ago such as Shanghai Life and Death or The Wild Swans.

I am referring to the danmei genre of online novels. Danmei is a term that originated in Japan. This new genre has spawned a number of very successful online novels that have been adapted into extremely popular Chinese TV series and translated into English. A prominent example is The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, which was adapted into the Chinese TV series The Untamed in 2019 and translated into English and is available on Amazon.

Untamed made two young actors, Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo, famous in China. Another very successful work is Erha and His White Cat Shizun, which made the New York Times bestseller list in English. The English version has a wide readership in the West and is available in paperback.

Danmei novels celebrate “boys’ love”, which is officially frowned upon. A major production based on Erha, produced by Tencent, has been shelved. But the genre has a large following in China and abroad, inspiring fan art, fan works and merchandise.

Many danmei online novels are written by women for women. Why are they so popular among Chinese women? Their popularity reflects the frustrations of contemporary Chinese women: they are trapped between traditional, realistic, family-oriented marriage concepts and a desire for romance and true love, as celebrated in danmei novels. Such novels have become a channel for their fantasy and escapism. Surprisingly, these novels have also been loved by Western audiences.

While TV series based on such novels have been banned, animated versions of some popular works are still in production. The resilience of the genre, which is seen by the authorities as a departure from the official "main melody" works, reflects the delicate relationship between the authorities and the artists who create them. Most of the time, the authorities have the upper hand, but the ban has not stopped private enterprises and creative talents from finding space for the genre to thrive. Can we call it the authorities' "one eye open, one eye closed" attitude?

* this is a short but very interesting take on the whole thing. she is not even mentioning how TGCF is so popular in the mainland and continues to do so with it’s donghua and manhua. i guess it’s really one eye open and one eye closed and i hope it stays that way so that this genre will continue to thrive! i’m not holding that much expectation for the live action versions tho.

[matan4il]

Israel's 76th Independence Day

-> Geek fact: Today is the 14th of May, but also the fifth of (the Hebrew month of) Yiar. The Hebrew and Gregorian calendar only coincide once every 19 years. Since Israel was established, this is only the 4th time when we get to celebrate it on a day which is both the Hebrew and the Gregorian date of its founding.

-> Israel's Independence Day start the eve before, with a ceremony that both concludes our Memorial Day for our fallen soldiers and terror victims, and transitions into celebrating our independence. I don't think anyone can understand life here, or the Israeli people, without getting this impossible, yet necessary emotional transition.

-> This year, more than ever, the two days, commemorated one right after the other, feel impossible to separate.

-> We have an Independence Day ceremony. Every year, it celebrates the best of Israeli society. All of it. Jews and non-Jews. 12 Independence Day torches are lit (representing the 12 ancient tribes of Israel) by individuals who stood out in making a change for our society. As you might imagine, this year the ceremony was more emotional than ever before, with an incomprehensible number of heroes of all kinds.

-> Some highlights for me included the lighting of a few torches in the scenes of the massacre instead of all being light on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. For example, families of some of the murdered at a southern Israeli beach, invaded by sea, lit together a torch at the place where their loved ones were taken away.

-> The Jewish prayer for the release of all hostages, sung by Lior Elmaliach in front of 132 empty yellow chairs (same color as the ribbon that people wear to call for this return).

-> One of the released hostages singing a mash-up of two songs about the sun (re-finding it, and discovering that the sun is inside us), while all the violins around being lit in yellow, and the yellow ribbon for the hostages' return looming larger than life in the background.

-> An Israeli soldier, who fought in this war in Gaza, performing a love song to the Land of Israel on his violin (it was performed in that moment without the lyrics, but the song goes, "The land of our people, the land of our eternity, a land in which we were born, a land in which we will live, come what may"), lit in white, while all the violins around him are lit in blue, the two colors of the Israeli flag.

-> That moment when Iris Chaim, whose son Yotam was one of the three hostages accidentally killed in Gaza by our own soldiers, who right away sent a message to those soldiers that she understands, she's not angry at them, and they're invited to her home, who's been working to lift and unite people's spirits before and since, when she was saying she's the mother of... she named her first born son, but then she had to stop and take a deep breath before saying Yotam...

-> When the flag bearers, outstanding soldiers carrying the flags of all the units of the IDF, did the traditional portion of the ceremony where they form different shapes, but this year they started by spelling the Hebrew word נזכור (nizkor, we'll remember).

-> How soldiers wounded in the current war (enough to need crutches or wheelchairs) participated in multiple sections of the ceremony, including the more physical ones, like the flag bearers' formations (in the pic below: forming Israel's flag).

-> They had a group of kids from different northern and southern Israeli communities who are still, even over 7 months since the start of the war, internal refugees. They got to perform as singers and musicians together with several very successful Israeli singers. The second song they performed felt especially fitting, as it's about going out into the world, strengthened despite adversity.

-> It's not easy to celebrate when the pain is so endless. The other day, I shared this list for our Memorial Day of just some of our victims that we lost, but will never forget. One of them was 24 years old Baruch Korichman. On the eve of Purim 1924, he was walking to his home in Tel Aviv. Out of nowhere, two Arabs showed up and shot him to death, then fled the scene. Even though the British Mandate was in place, meant to hunt the murderers down and bring them to justice, meant to take care of Baruch, no one really did anything. The body was taken to the courtyard of a hospital, Baruch's mom was called, and a small crowd of locals started gathering around, angry and protesting the injustice and the lack of proper treatment. Baruch's mom turned to the crowd and asked them to be quiet, and not stop Jews from celebrating Purim.

IDK how she managed to do that, care about other people's joy even as she was going through the worst nightmare of any parent. IDK how Jews during the Holocaust managed to find it within themselves to go on celebrating Jewish holidays. I just know that they did. And if they could, so can we. We can remember the Holocaust survivors, who survived the worst of what human nature is capable of, who came to the Land of Israel right after the end of WWII, and who saw the founding of the Jewish state, who got to celebrate its creation and first Independence Day. Most talked or wrote about it in terms of a miracle. The State of Israel is still a miracle. All the hatred we've seen turned against it even on Oct 7, while our people were still being massacred, is proof of that. And it is a good thing to remember that, even while we hurt.

On Oct 7, Israeli civilians went out to save their own, because the State of Israel has given them the tools to be able to, to know how, to have the strength, courage and self-confidence to go and tackle the enemy. On Oct 7, Israeli civilians knew that someone was coming to save them. Even if it took time, even if there was no way of knowing who would get there first, they knew an army that cares and wants to save them is on its way, and when I think about my Jewish People, in the shooting pits in Europe, about to be massacred by an antisemitic army, knowing for sure that there is no one on the way, that no one cares, that no one's interested in saving them, I know that as difficult as Oct 7 was, it's not the same, and it will never be the same, not as long as Israel exists. So I will continue to celebrate its independence, even as I know there is no cure for antisemitic hate and violence. We can't eradicate them. But all of us here together have created something that gives us dignity as human beings and as Jews, that our ancestors were denied. We are here, and we are the People of Israel, and we can stand tall in the face of the worst of our haters and murderers. Am Yisrael chai!

(for more of my posts regarding Israel, click here)

[sw-33-ts-stuff]

She Don’t Wanna Marry Me

Part 2

9 Years Old

It was a usual Saturday morning as you sat on the couch spoon full of milk and cereal as the TV blasted in the background. You didn’t care for the cartoon playing just enjoying the bright colors and haply music as it filled the empty space that was your home. You looked around at the mess of scattered bottles and takeout cartons on the floor. The messy kitchen giving you anxiety as you knew you’d be the one responsible to pick it up even if you hadn’t made the mess. Your thoughts were interrupted by the doorbell brows furrowing as your jumped down from the couch. You grabbed a chair dragging it to the peep hole tiptoeing to see who’d possibly be over at this time. It was Mrs.Day holding a casserole dish. You but your lip conflicted as you knew you shouldn’t answer the door when no one was home but you also knew Mrs.Day wasn’t just any stranger. You ran towards the nearest window before taking a deep breath to yell.

“Hey Mrs.Day!” The woman looked around before her eyes landed on you. “I’m sorry I’m not allowed to open the door for strangers.”

Lorraine’s mother chuckled to herself as she walked closer to the window.

“That’s ok sweetheart, I understand.” She paused trying to reign in her emotions. “Your moms not home is she?”

Again you bite your lip shaking your head every so slightly scared to get in trouble.

She nods sighing out harshly.

“Ok sweetie how about this I’m gonna give you this casserole through the window and I’ll leave you with my number in case you need help ok?”

It wasn’t until she reached home that her phone rang from an unknown number.

“Hello?”

“Hi Mrs.Day it’s Y/N I just wanted to say thank you for the food and make sure you made it home.” She smiled.

“It’s my pleasure. Did you need help with anything?”

“No but would it be ok if I could talk to Lorraine?” It was silent for a moment then some shuffling.

“Y/N/N?”

“Hi Rainey!” Mrs.Day watched her daughters smile grow as the two of you continued to talk. Thick arms wrapped around her waist from behind, the familiar warmth and slight tickle of a mustache on the back of her neck letting her know exactly who it is.

“Hey Darlin’. Who’s on the phone with Raine?”

“Y/N.” He hummed smiling a bit.

“Shouldve known when I saw her blushing.” The two laughed watching their daughter speak into the phone, pacing as she did so.

“She’s gonna marry her someday.”

16 Years Old

You look to the bleachers again sighing when you realize your mom wasn’t coming…again. The buzzer rings out letting you know warm ups are over and tip off is about to begin. You try to shake off the sadness loosening your shoulders and bouncing in one spot.

You were brought out of your thoughts when the quarter ended. Your team was down, your coach and teammates were constantly yelling but you paid them no mind as you looked to the bleachers again.

She’s not coming.

It was halfway through the second quarter the lead the other team had continually growing. You knew if not for how small your team was and your usually outstanding performances your coach would’ve pulled you out by now. It’s when you were pushed out of bounds that you hear a yell from the crowd.

“THATS A FOUL REF!” You look to see Lorraine. Sweet, quiet Lorraine red faced and angry with her parents next to her, her mother trying to calm her and her father down. Next to them a small white sign with your name and number on it. Mrs.Day being the only calm one meets your eyes and waves. You feel a small smile make its way to your face as you get back up. With the Days cheering you on, the lead the other team had becomes nonexistent by the time the quarter ends and when the games over. It was you who not only bought the team back up but made the winning shot. The hugs from Lorraine and her father and the kisses scattered across your cheeks from Mrs.Day better than any trophy.

They offer to take you out to dinner to celebrate Lorraine next to you the whole time. The evenings full of laughter and joy.

Until it isn’t, when you get home calling for your mother you find a note on the counter nothing but the word Sorry scribbled across it.

Luckily, Lorraine’s father had wanted to come with you not only to drop you off but to commend you on your game. His analysis of your play style boosting your self esteem more and more as time went.

He watched as you dropped the paper saying nothing as you picked up the kitchen. He read the note and watched your face for any signs of distress. No tears, you were always a strong kid but even he knew that at some point life could break you.

“You alright kid?”

“Yeah Mr.Day I’m ok.” He said nothing as he went to hug you. His usual rough touch now gentle as he held you. Your shoulders shook a moment and your breathing grew heavy but you still didn’t cry.

“Get your stuff kid you’re with us from now on.” Your head on his shoulder nodded but nothing else was said between you two that night.

Not when you got in the car and watched the now empty house leave the rear view mirror.

Not when you’d showed up at the Days doorstep her mother and Lorraine laughing at something trivial until they’d seen your bags.

Not even when Lorraine snuck into your new room that night and wrapped her arms around you, a silent promise to never let go.

You belonged with them now.

19 Years Old

You winced as you threw back another shot. The fake ID you had since high-school still worked perfectly. You glanced at your phone again for the nth time. Praying a certain brunette would text you soon.

You knew she was busy abut you were hoping she wasn’t so busy that she’d forgotten.

“Here ya go sexy. This one’s on the house, happy birthday.” The blonde bartender placed the drink in front of you and winked.

You gave a small smile and nod. As you began to sip, you looked around. A lot of girls had come and sat next to you trying to flirt but every time your phone rang from another birthday text from a friend or classmate you’d drop everything in hopes it was the one girl you’d been hoping to hear from all day.

You’d lost count of the shots bought for you or the amount of suggestive comments and winks the bartender sent you.

She was cute but she wasn’t her.

She was blonde and taller.

She didn’t have a cute southern accent or endless freckles.

She had piercings and tattoos and a completely different aura to her.

Her somewhat rock chic outfit giving slight indication to who she was and what her interest may be.

It was 2 am when she’d announced last call looking directly at you.

She’d been bold all night and you’d given up on hearing from Lorraine. Her mother had texted to not stay out to late but that was hours ago and you knew the missed calls from

Mr.Day were not going to be pleasant.

You’d decided to forget it all and followed the bar tender out to her car. You tried not to think about her not being soft and warm with a scent of vanilla. She was very fit and smelled more like cherries and leather. You’d tried to block out the thought of brown eyes forcing yourself to focus more on the girls crystal blue. You cursed yourself for not thinking to ask her name but you were too far in to say anything now.

Unfortunately in the end soft brown eyes and freckles cursed your thoughts. You had to bite your tongue as you almost called out the wrong name and when morning came you left quickly and quietly. Somewhat ashamed but relived.

When you reached the Days house and opened the door on the couch was Mr. And Mrs. Day with a disappointed look on their faces.

“You could at least let us know you’d be out all night kid we were worried sick.”

You shrug still sore from last night and the hangover was not helping in the slightest.

Mrs.Day stood up when Mr.Day did.

“Don’t you have anything to say?!” She watched as her husband was slowly getting more worked up. She glanced to see you just shake your head and move to brush past him. He grabbed your arm making her grab his.

“Now look I know you’ve had a shit stick at life but it doesn’t give you an excuse to be careless and make us worry.”

“I never asked for your help.” Mrs.Day recoiled hurt angering her husband more.

“Now you watch that tone!” You scoff bitter.

“And what are you gonna do about it?”

Mr.Day stood taller as you stepped closer.

“Now maybe we should cool down a bit.” The older woman placing a hand on her husbands chest.

“No I think someone needs to remember to be grateful that we even took her in.” Mrs.Day gasped. You clenched your jaw.

“I didn’t forget but don’t worry I’ll be out by tonight. Thank you for your hospitality.”

You drive to the chop shop you were working at taking the couch where most of the guest wait. You felt your phone buzz indicating that a voicemail was left. You hit play as a familiar voice began to speak.

“Y/n I’m so so so sorry. I know there’s no excuse but happy birthday I hope you had fun with mama and daddy, I promise I’ll make it up to you somehow. I gotta go.”

21 Years Old-Night of the Dinner Announcement

You finally made it home after the announcement. You felt nothing as you stared at a blank screen. Lorraine was getting married. That was the only thing you seemed to be able to comprehend at the moment.

You looked around. Your apartment was nice, modest, it wasn’t fancy by any means but it was a roof over your head and you didn’t expect to live a life of luxury even when you were younger. A knock broke you from your thoughts and you find yourself surprised to see Mr.Day standing on the other side.

He gave a slight smile and pointed before you stepped aside to let him in. He sat on the couch patting the space next to him. You follow as your head falls to his shoulder.

“You know this parenting thing it doesn’t come with a manual.” You stiffen a bit. “That day I shouldn’t have said that. Kid I am so sorry.”

You nod still silent contemplating. “You’re not the only one apparently.”

He looked at you confused. “That day-“ you took a deep breath pulling out your phone and replaying the last voicemail Lorraine had left you.

He sighed eyes closing.

“Damn I guess we weren’t your favorite people that day huh?” You both laugh.

“I kept telling myself you’d come back that’s why I didn’t call until now. Mama kept telling me I needed to apologize, to find you and bring you home…”

He shook his head.

“Y’know we thought it would be you two getting married for real this time. We just thought Lorraine would take a while to catch up. And you still came to support her.” You just puff out a breath next to him as your eyes start to sting.

“I’m so sorry kid.” You heard a sniffle and looked at the older man in shock. You clenched your jaw to keep any tears from falling as you held him, body shaking as he continued to sob.

Even then you still didn’t cry.

Taglist: @ctrlamira @tundra1029 @friedryes @alexkolax @wol-fica @natasha25052 @pdione11 @dksjskx @the-camilucha

[vague-humanoid]

she's been supporting Palestine and decrying the apartheid, even and especially last October where she published a book on it

anyway, her statement as mentioned here

https://www.writingafrica.com/zukiswa-wanner-surrenders-germanys-goethe-medal-over-gaza-genocide/

My name is Zukiswa Wanner.

I am a writer, editor, publisher and curator who considers the African continent my home. In 2020, I became the first woman on my continent to receive the Goethe Medaille alongside Bolivian artist and Museum Director Elvira Espejo Ayca and writer Ian McEwan from the United Kingdom. While the Goethe Medal is conferred by the Goethe-Institut to ‘non-Germans who have performed outstanding service for international cultural relations’, it is important to note that the award is an official decoration of the Federal Republic of Germany.

I note and appreciate Goethe-Institut President Carola Lentz’ statement from an article of 14 January, 2024 in Der Spiegel where she says, and I quote, Longstanding partners in the international cultural world are losing trust in the liberality of Germany’s democracy and poses the question, should the Aaswartige Kultur und Bildungspolitik (AKPB) support only persons or groups who accommodate the political/moral agenda of the respective German government? She concludes otherwise and notes that organisations like Goethe-Institut must not become the extended arm of the government, particularly in difficult political times. In the same vein, Goethe-Institut Johannesburg, which is the regional headquarters for Sub Saharan Africa stated in a statement on 7th February, 2024 ‘As to the current war in Gaza – we are convinced that in view of the catastrophic situation, a new ceasefire is urgently needed. The rising number of civilian victims is unacceptable. It’s important to state this so I highlight that this is NOT a statement surrendering the medal because of the Goethe-Institut and its position even where we may not always agree. I mention the Goethe-Institut’ statement by way of explaining that my actions are not a critique of the cultural institution but rather of the government.

In May 2023, while attending Palestine Festival of Literature and months before October 7, I was in the Occupied Palestine Territories and travelled to Ramallah, Nabi Saleh, East Jerusalem, Hebron and Lydd. As a writer coming from a country with a history of apartheid, what I experienced shook me and resulted in my writing a long essay Vignettes of a People in an Apartheid State. One did not need to be from a country with a history of apartheid to see the daily injustices and indignities visited on Palestinians. Palestinians have separate roads, different number plates and are constantly under threat from strangers from the United States or white South Africans with apartheid nostalgia who come with guns and the protection of Israeli Defence Forces to settle into their homes. Indeed, unlike most literature festivals, PalFest takes the writers to multiple cities since Palestinians are unable to travel without permission from Israel, much like South Africa during apartheid, just more cruel.

This is why I am giving up the medal.

I understand Germany’s guilt for the Holocaust.

I do.

That guilt is appropriate and has enabled Germany to face its unconscionable past.

But it is this that makes its position on a current genocide in Palestine all the more shameful. As an aside and as an African, I wish the German government exhibited the same regret for their history in Namibia with the Herero-Nama genocide and for the genocide during the Maji Maji Rebellion in Tanzania. Equally important, I wish that the German government, in reflection and saying ‘never again’ would acknowledge that NEVER AGAIN should be for ANYBODY. Instead, what I see is Germany being on the wrong side of a genocide again (as per International Court of Justice provisional ruling to the case brought on by South Africa). Additionally, according to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Federal Republic of Germany and United States of America are the biggest arms exporters to Israel. With more than 30 thousand killed in Gaza, this should have been a mea culpa moment for the Federal Republic of Germany, instead, they seem to have doubled their support for a very problematic government.

Culturally, since October 7, 2023, I have seen Germany disengaging from artists for their position on the colonial state that is Israel even in light of Israel’s failures to adhere to the Oslo Accord (which was a super mediocre document for Palestinians). I am reading that of the cultural events cancelled by Germany, 30 percent are by Jewish artists who are anti-Zionist. This has failed to make sense to me that Jews can be considered antisemitic (obviously ignoring that Palestinians are a semitic people as those in support of the Israeli government seem intent on forgetting). More recently, during the Berlin Film Festival, Palestinian filmmaker Basel Adra and Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham won best documentary prize for their film No Other Lands which shows the eradication of Palestinian villages in the West Bank. The German Cultural Minister is reported to have stated her applause was only for the Israeli half of the filmmaking duo. South African history has a phrase for this. Petty Apartheid.

I thus find myself unable to stay silent or keep an official decoration from a government that is this callous to human suffering.

Ends.

[jaegeraether]

Sunsets and footballers (Part 20)

Lucy Bronze x Reader (20)

Masterlist (other parts here)

YFN had just received an email from the company she now worked for, Lumos. She tried to research the company and the first thing that popped up was a popular charity, followed by several other companies sharing the same name. Eventually she found her company which had nothing beyond a basic internet site and new social media accounts, so she knew they were being honest when they said they were brand new and starting up.

The salary they’d offered her was already high, with the promise of increase based on performance, both hers and Lumos’. The amount of money they were putting into the business and expenses were also much higher than she expected. Someone really wanted this to work.

She looked over at Lucy who was making her own sandcastles and smiled. Once the email had come through, Lucy had insisted she read it and took her time to mull it over. YFN loved that she was doing anything she could to let her make a future in the country, and especially around her profession. That was her Lucy. Always three steps ahead.

She took her phone out to film a little snippet of her as she made her giant sandcastle. She couldn’t help the smile on her face looking at how happy she was. Lucy’s big kid was shining through. She looked up and saw YFN filming her and grinned, gesturing to her sandcastle as if to show it off. YFN ended the video and put it away, looking at Lucy sitting in the sand, a leg either side of her creation. She was wearing black shorts, her whole body tanned from Spain, abs shining with the sunscreen YFN put on her, regardless of the clouds. Her heart felt full just watching her.

“Admiring the view?” Lucy grinned.

YFN felt her face reddening, though she didn’t know why. She wasn’t ashamed to look. She nodded, pressing her lips together to hide a cheeky smile.

“Can you send me that video, little one?”

“Yes ma’am.”

She sent the video and went back to the email on her laptop. The email was promising, and she found herself excited at everything she read.

Her phone rang and she looked at the number, Lumos. She answered it, putting it on speaker, knowing Lucy would be interested.

“YFN speaking.”

“Hi YFN, it’s Joe, how are you?” She sounded lovely, like a mum.

“Hi Joe, lovely to hear from you again. I’m great, just at the beach soaking in all of the sunshine the UK has to offer.”

She laughed. “I dare say it’s nothing compared to what you’re used to in Australia. I hope I haven’t caught you at a bad time.”

“No, not at all. I was expecting this today, I’m free to chat.” She smiled at Lucy who gave her a supportive thumbs up.

“Excellent. Okay, well I thought we’d just go through the basics of what we’re hoping to accomplish as a company, our goals and along those lines. If you have the email open, we’ll just run through it together. Also, how’s the work Visa coming along?”

“Perfect, I have it open now. I’ve also spoken to my Visa agent and he’s confident they’ll have it approved by tonight. They’re happy with the contract and 6-month minimum guarantee that you’ve sent through.”

“Outstanding, that’s what we want to hear! Just send that through as soon as you receive it, or if you need any other information. Fingers crossed! Okay, let’s get started. So firstly, as you know, I’ve wanted to start this company for quite a period of time. I have a lot of friends and acquaintances in and around the industry, and we’re not seeing the movement in female football that we’ve wanted, so Lumos is a plan to change that. Now, the World Cup has been brilliant for progress, and we plan to latch onto that and keep the momentum building. Over the past year and especially the past few months, I and my friends in the industry have put our feelers out, gotten some feedback and have established interest by a lot of the players. Now, I understand it will start slow, but we’re willing to put the work in and definitely also put the funding into it.”

Lucy looked impressed, nodding as she was talking.

“That sounds fantastic, Joe..”

“I’m glad you agree! To be quite honest with you, YFN, you’ve been the lynchpin I’ve been looking for. I’ve been looking for someone with your experience and after reading your columns and seeing the interviews you’ve conducted, I’m beyond impressed. The research you put into your work, and the way you speak and ask questions to your interviewee’s are smart, and incredibly respectful. I can see that’s important to you, and it’s very important to me. We shouldn’t be asking the same boring questions, or we’ll get the same media trained answers.”

“Oh I completely agree. I was a bit worried at first that this job would encourage me to ask those simple and sometimes far too personal questions, so I’m really happy to hear you say that because people don’t realise that we can go beyond the norm of interviewing, and still remain just like that. Respectful. Not only that, but players will be more willing to open up, accept interviews, and request us if they’re comfortable around us. They’ll also want to use us to get their messages across and I know that if we do this right, the momentum will build and more players will be using us to fulfil their media duties.”

“Outstanding, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear! We’re so, so lucky that you happened to meet Katie so she could recommend you to us. We’ve been looking for you for quite a while.”

YFN was a little embarrassed, she didn’t know how to accept compliments and blushed. Lucy reached over and squeezed her leg in support. “Thanks Joe, that’s lovely to hear. I hope I can live up to your expectations, and I’m excited to get started! It’s a blank slate which means so much opportunity for the company.”

“100% agree. Any chance you’ve found our website and social media accounts?”

“I did just before you called..”

Joe laughed again. “Of course, you have. Straight into work! Excellent. We’re going to get along so well, I already know it. Our IT guy is Noel, and his contact details are in the email. Right now I’ve asked him to make the accounts all bare minimum, as I imagine you’ll want to create a theme to follow..”

“Yes! Absolutely, so I plan on organising a meeting with the whole team for Monday, I just wanted to make sure you were happy with that first..”

“Yes, please! And just for the future, this is your team, your baby. Anything involving the creation of this, meetings, team logistics, etc, all of that is yours. Obviously I’ll still like to be kept up to date with the progress and the plans, but to be completely fair with you, YFN, I run several businesses so I’m quite busy. This company is still in its start-up stages, so I’ll have much more time for it, and I do have a soft spot, this is always going to be one of my priorities, however I just wanted to make sure we’re on the same page with this.”

“That’s perfect, I’ll send you through weekly updates and expenses, planning, coverage and everything we change or create along the way. I appreciate the honesty and the communication also, I think until we establish that solid footing, you and I will have to be in a lot of contact to ensure we’re achieving the expected goals, and keeping everything in budget.”

“You don’t know how much this is music to my ears.”

YFN laughed, feeling positive and happy with the plan thus-far. Joe seemed perfect, offering her everything and having the blind faith in her to start up the business almost from the ground, up. “I think we’re starting at a good time, though. We’re catching the start of the seasons, so it gives us time to iron out any issues before the finals for both the WSL and the Conti Cup. A good timeline will be for us to have full coverage by Round 5 on the Conti Cup, and January for WSL, covering both through to the Final. Then we should be fully prepped and running smoothly for the UEFA Women’s Champions League.”

“That’s a very respectable timeline and exactly my thoughts. January will be perfect if we can have full coverage by then.”

“I think it’s achievable, I’ll have a better idea after I research a bit more and talk to the team. I’m sure everyone’s keen to get started! Also, it’ll be quite a heavy work period as we start up, and then when we finally start to get footing, we’ll be expanding to make sure we have the people to cover all games and the email also says you’re hoping for international team and coverage of the other leagues in Europe?”

“Yes,” Joe sounded a litte sheepish. “I know, I know, it’s quite a high expectation, but we’ll get there eventually. Let’s start with the WSL and Continental Cup. Definitely want to be all over the UEFA Women’s Champions League, that’s the first major goal. From there, you and I can talk about expanding to cover Tier 2. Then, depending on the timeline, we want to cover Tier 3 and Tier 4 so we can encourage grassroots and young girls upcoming through the leagues. Then we want Liga F, Serie A, Feminine, etc, also following the national teams, NWSL in the US, A-Leagues in Australia and onwards.”

“Very large goals! That’s great, a lot to look forward to and to aim for. We’ll make sure to split the goals up to feel more achievable for the team, but I think if they know the long-term goal, it’ll make everyone determined and ready to settle down into the job.”

“That’s exactly what we want. The team building and team trust in each other is vital to make this business a success. Anything you need, let me know and we’ll work through it together, that includes extra positions or professionals. I imagine a recruiter may become useful if you become inundated with the logistics.”

YFN nodded, even though she couldn’t see her. She was taking notes eagerly, excited by the conversation as she responded, a little distracted as she typed. “I’ll definitely let you know if we need anything to help us expand..”

“I heard you’re meeting some of the players, also?”

YFN stopped typing and tilted her head. Lucy groaned. She looked over at Lucy who had a frown on her face, gesturing to the phone. “Um… Joe I have Lucy close by who wants to say something I think?”

Joe was aware that YFN was dating Lucy. YFN had made sure she’d told Joe, fearing a conflict of interest, especially with the need to visit Spain. Joe had had the opposite reaction. She thought it was great that YFN was so involved in the industry, knowing that dating Lucy made her closer with the inner circle of football than just being part of a media group. As for Spain, she’d encouraged her to go, offering to pay for flights and knowing that the more she was involved with Barcelona, the easier it would be to expand into Liga F and onwards. She was particularly interested in Alexia Putellas and Aitana Bonmati as they had so much influence in the sport. Joe’s ambition was multi-faceted, but positive on all fronts. She wanted to encourage the young female footballers of tomorrow, give women strong rolemodels to idolise, and to bring much needed attention to all of women’s football in general, all around the world. Popular footballers like Lucy, Alexia, Aitana, could help expedite their growth and influence.

“Of course! I assumed she was there with you and then Lucy’s post confirmed it.” She laughed.

Lucy’s post? She looked at a now cheeky looking Lucy as she passed her the phone and stole Lucy’s to check on said “post”. She’d posted the video of her building sandcastles on the beach and grinning at the camera, but more importantly, she’d posted a selfie Lucy had taken of the two of them, YFN sat in-between her legs and being pulled back by Lucy who was kissing her cheek as she smiled. Her mouth dropped open. Hard launch. She looked at the caption.

“Happy place with my happy little Australian” *red heart*

She’d tagged her and YFN looked at the phone in Lucy’s hand, unsure how it hadn’t blown up from all of the notifications it must have had. Lucy winked at her as she moved next to her, resting her hand on her thigh and stroking her thumb there.

“Hey Joe, it’s Lucy.. funny you should mention that, I actually hadn’t told YFN that just yet..”

“Hi Lucy… oh, I’m sorry! I’d heard a few little whispers from a few friends..”

Lucy laughed. “That’s okay, she had to find out eventually.” She looked at YFN who looked curiously at her gorgeously tanned athlete. She couldn’t help reaching out and playing with a few strands of Lucy’s hair that were wildly playing in the wind. “I might as well tell you both.. YFN said a while ago that one of the first things she’d want to do is to have a get-together with a few players to ask them what they want, their likes and dislikes and to start building those relationships.” YFN’s fingers stroked down the side of Lucy’s face from around her temple, down to her jaw as she watched her speak. Lucy leant into her as she did. “So a few of the girls and I made a few phone calls to get some players together for dinner tonight.”

YFN’s fingers paused on her jaw, her eyes softening and heart filling. How did she get so lucky?

“That’s fantastic! A very strong start to everything! Relationship building is the most important thing for us, we want to build and maintain those special relationships with all of the players, so this dinner tonight is going to be the perfect start for that. I speak for our whole company when I say a big thank you to you, Lucy. This is just… beyond the start I was expecting.”

“You’re welcome, and to be fair, I know a lot of the players are excited for this. As you said, word has been spreading for a while now and heating up in the last few months so we’re all excited to see this come to life. The girls I’ve spoken to have been so under represented and misrepresented for so long that they’re excited for this to happen. YFN’s going to have a lot of work, but I know she’s going be the most amazing asset for you and create magic, like she does with everything else.”

YFN’s hand dropped and she looked at Lucy with an embarrassed but thankful expression. Lucy touched that little dimple, her eyes unable to leave it. She handed the phone back to YFN who was almost crying. So much work. She wondered how busy she would be in 13 days when she needed to head to Spain. Joe was aware of it, of course, and immediately approved, reminding her that she didn’t need her permission.

They spoke for a little while longer, talking about the email and the team members they had. The call ended and YFN folded up her little note taking book, pulling the band over it. Lucy’s mouth on hers was surprising, but not unwelcome. She kissed back eagerly, tilting her head and their tongues meeting. It grew a little bit more desperate as their hands tangled in each other’s hair, and Lucy pulled her on top, straddling her in a sitting position. YFN groaned into her mouth at the feel of Lucy’s body against hers. Then her phone rang again.

She jumped, assuming it was Joe calling back and looked at the phone.

“Nan calling. Baby bro calling.”

“Oh shit, Joe really distracted me.” She answered the phone on loudspeaker, sliding off of Lucy, noticing her confused expression. “Hi Nan, hey bro.”

Lucy understood and settled herself behind YFN, legs either side of her and pulled her back to lean on her body. She pulled a blanket around them.

“Hello!”

“Hey sis.”

They changed to Facetime and it was impossible for them to not see Lucy. YFN’s nan adjusted her glasses to better see and her brother looked surprised and unbelieving.

“Oh shit, you weren’t joking.” He choked.

Lucy laughed. “Hi! It’s nice to finally meet you both. I’ve heard so much about you two.”

“Oh, YFN, she’s stunning.” Her nan said, making her choke out a little of the water she was sipping. Lucy and her brother laughed as she coughed the water out of her lungs.

“It’s not just about looks, nan!”

“No, but it certainly helps, doesn’t it?” She laughed.

YFN could feel Lucy’s whole body vibrating as she laughed behind her. She rolled her eyes knowing that Lucy loved compliments.

“Oh and I saw the photos online, very nice!”

Her nan was far past retired, she was a pensioner who spent most of her time playing games on the iPad YFN had bought her, and looking through Instagram and Facebook she’d installed on there for her. She had no idea how to use them and only had a few friends and followers, but that’s all she needed. After that, Lucy took out her phone and followed them both, making sure it was okay first and warning them about random follows that would ultimately pop up.

They spoke for a while, Lucy immediately loved by both, of course. Everybody loved Lucy. Lucy and her brother clicked surprisingly well, perhaps even better than YFN did with him, though she suspected a part of it was his idolisation of athletes and Lucy was nothing if not an athlete. She felt Lucy’s abs against her back, her strong biceps cradled around her own arms and she held her and laughed with her family like this wasn’t the first time they’d all spoken. God, that woman.

By the end of the phone call, Lucy had already managed to convince them both to come over and watch a game, offering to pay for their flights and accommodation. YFN made a mental note to argue with her about that later, or pay before Lucy could. Somehow she’d even convinced her nan who had always said she was too old for flying, Lucy managing to sweet talk her about first class and how much room and food you got. She was excited at the prospect of seeing them both. She’d seen her nan only a few weeks before, but the distance was cruel. Also, she hadn’t seen her brother in 8 months as he was living in Japan, exploring and doing god knows what.

They ended the phone call after a good period, both agreeing to come and watch England play at some point in the near future. She was excited at the thought of seeing her family soon and wriggled back into Lucy to show her happiness.

When the call disappeared from the screen, she saw the notifications and groaned nervously. She opened the post.

*Lucy Bronze MBE tagged you in a post*

*Caitlin Foord liked a post you’re tagged in.*

*Caitlin Foord commented on a post you’re tagged in.*

*Jordan Nobbs liked a post you’re tagged in.*

*Jordan Nobbs commented on a post you’re tagged in.*

*Alexia Putellas liked a post you’re tagged in.*

*Ruesha Littlejohn liked a post you’re tagged in.*

*Millie Bright liked a post you’re tagged in.*

*Ridley liked a post you’re tagged in.*

*Ridley commented on a post you’re tagged in.*

*Leah Williamson liked a post you’re tagged in.*

*Mariona Caldentey liked a post you’re tagged in.*

*Katie McCabe liked a post you’re tagged in.*

*Katie McCabe commented on a post you’re tagged in.*

She didn’t finish reading the notifications before she cleared them and put her phone away. She’d look later. Right now, she was with Lucy, and she was more than aware that she only had her for one more day. Lucy hummed her approval and kissed her temple.

“Busy third date, hm?”

“Cute lunch, majestic sandcastle, exciting work call, successful first meeting with my family… I’d call that a brilliant third date.”

Lucy nodded against her. “It’s getting late, little one. We need to go; I want us to get unpacked and showered before we go out for dinner.”

“Okay…”

“What’s on your mind? I can hear you thinking.” Lucy nuzzled behind her ear.

“I was just thinking about how I need to say goodbye to you in a day..”

“Don’t think about that.” She whispered. “Let’s enjoy it.”

“I am. My heart is starting to feel sad already though..” She turned slightly to look at Lucy. “Also, just out of curiosity, are we going to not have sex tonight, or just be quiet so Jordan doesn’t hear us?”

Lucy’s head fell back as she laughed. It was one of YFN’s favourite sounds. “Oh, we’re having sex tonight. As for the noise… I’m going to make sure you’re thinking about it for the next 13 days so… good luck staying quiet.”

[musialasmaid]

Meeting ♡ Florian Wirtz

summary: you meet each other for the first time

warnings: none. ok i lied just probably horrible german to english translation

notes: i decided to step in bcuz the wirtz fanfics are coming in very slowly

The cheers echoed through the stadium as Germany celebrated a resounding 5-1 victory over Scotland in the Euro 2024 qualifier match. The atmosphere was electric, fans chanting and waving flags in triumph. Among the jubilant crowd was you, caught up in the excitement of witnessing such a thrilling game.

Florian Wirtz had been outstanding throughout the match, his skill and determination evident in every move he made on the field. His precise passes and strategic plays had contributed significantly to Germany's commanding win. As the final whistle blew, sealing their victory, the stadium erupted in applause and cheers.

After the game, you lingered in your seat, savoring the moment and reflecting on the incredible performance you had just witnessed. As the crowd began to disperse, you noticed a group of fans gathering near the players' exit. Curious, you joined them, hoping to catch a glimpse of Florian.

Minutes later, the players emerged, greeted by cheers and applause from the remaining fans. Florian was among them, his face flushed with exertion and excitement. He signed autographs and posed for photos, his smile never fading despite the exhaustion from the game.

You waited patiently, heart pounding with anticipation. When it was finally your turn, you stepped forward, nerves and excitement intertwining. Florian looked up, his eyes meeting yours with a spark of recognition and warmth.

"Hallo," he greeted, his voice filled with genuine enthusiasm. "Hat Ihnen das Spiel gefallen?" Did you enjoy the game?

You nodded eagerly, unable to contain your smile. "Es war unglaublich! Du warst großartig da draußen." It was incredible! You were amazing out there.

Florian chuckled modestly, running a hand through his sweat-dampened hair. "Ich danke Ihnen. Es ist immer schön, das von den Fans zu hören." Thank you. It's always great to hear that from the fans.

There was a brief pause as you gathered your thoughts, trying to find the right words. "Um, Könnte ich vielleicht ein Autogramm von Ihnen bekommen?" Um, could I maybe get your autograph? you asked, feeling a bit shy but unable to resist the opportunity.

Florian grinned, reaching for a marker. "Natürlich." Of course.

As he signed your jersey, you couldn't help but steal glances at him, admiring his focused expression and the way his eyes crinkled slightly when he smiled. When he handed it back to you, his fingers brushed against yours, sending a thrill through you.

"Ich danke Ihnen vielmals," Thank you so much, you managed to say, your voice betraying your excitement.

Florian flashed another smile, his eyes bright with satisfaction. "Kein Problem. Hey, möchtest du einen Kaffee trinken gehen oder so? Ich würde gerne mehr darüber erfahren, was du von dem Spiel gehalten hast." No problem. Hey, would you like to grab a coffee or something? I'd love to hear more about what you thought of the game.

Your heart skipped a beat at the invitation. "Das würde mir gefallen," I'd love to, you replied eagerly, feeling a rush of excitement at the prospect of spending more time with him.

"Großartig," Great, Florian said, his smile widening. "Hier, ich gebe Ihnen meine Nummer." Here, I'll give you my number.

He quickly wrote his number on a piece of paper, handing it to you with a smile. "Vergessen Sie nicht, mir eine Nachricht zu schicken," Don't forget to message me he said, his eyes holding yours for a moment longer before he turned to greet the next fan in line.

As you walked away from the stadium, clutching your signed jersey and Florian's number close to your heart, you couldn't stop smiling. Meeting Florian Wirtz and experiencing Germany's victory had turned an ordinary day into a magical one. You couldn't wait to see where this unexpected encounter would lead, but one thing was certain—your admiration for Florian had deepened, and you were eager to see where this new connection would take you.

[boxboxblog]

Driver Profiles: Fernando Alonso

Updated December 2024

Name: Fernando Alonso Díaz

Age: 43

Nationality: Spanish

Years in F1: 20 (Renault 2003-2006, Mclaren 2007, Renault 2008-2009, Ferrari 2010-2014, Mclaren 2015-2019, Alpine 2021-2022, Aston Martin 2023-Present)

Number: 14

WDCs: 2005, 2006

Driving Style: Alonso is an extremely accomplished racer, and seen as one of the best in modern F1. He is most famous for his raw aggression behind the wheel, which allows him to put pressure on competitors and psych them out. He has been a part of some incredible wheel-to-wheel battles, and is almost never the one who blinks first. He also has immense intelligence behind the wheel, and races in some of the most strategic ways. Beyond that, his race-starts are a key part of his fame and he consistently makes up several positions in the first lap. A negative thing I have to say about Alonso's racing style is that due to his aggressive driving style he tends to wear out tires very fast. He also also his aggression to cloud his judgement sometimes when frustrated with the car.

History:

Alonso was born to a relatively middle class family, however his father did compete in amateur kart racing. He got his first kart when he was 3 years old, and would compete for the first time when he was 5 years old. When he was 7, Alonso won his first kart race in Pola de Laviana. He won the 1988 and 1989 children's Junior Championship of the Asturias and Galicia, and progressed to the Cadet class in 1990. It was during these years he would attract attention from sponsors who would fund his career from then on.

(Young Alonso in his karting days)

Alonso won the 1990 Asturias and the Basque Country Cadet Championship and finished second in the 1991 Spanish Cadet National Championship. He then won three successive Spanish Junior National Championships from 1993 to 1995. This would allow him to move on to national championships, and went on to place highly in these competitions. In 1997, he took the Italian and Spanish International A championships and was second in the European Championship with nine wins, the Masters Karting Paris Bercy and the Spanish Karting Championship. Alonso would later describe his karting years as the best of his life.

(Alonso in 1997)

In 1999, at age 17, Alonso would make his debut in car racing in the 1999 Euro Open by Nissan, and win the title. For 2000, he progressed to the higher-tier International Formula 3000 Championship and finished in 4th. His performances at this level would gain him attention from F1 team Renault. In 2002 he served as their test driver and it was announced later in the year that he was chosen for their 2003 lineup. Alonso had an outstanding rookie season and achieved his first win that year, along with pole position, and four podiums. He would finish 6th in the standings, and extend his contract with Renault. 2004 was another great year for Alonso, achieving even more podiums but no race wins. He finished 4th in the standings after consistent results.

(Alonso winning Euro Open title in 1999)

2005 was the year Alonso won his first WDC, in a battle against Mclaren's Kimi Räikkönen. It was a fantastic year for Alonso, getting seven victories, six pole positions and fourteen podium finishes. He became the youngest driver to win a WDC up to that point. The next year he would win his 2nd WDC, with his primary competition being 7x WDC Michael Schumacher at Ferrari. He had a dominant year, and finished no lower than 2nd throughout the season.

(Alonso after winning first F1 WDC)

In 2007 Alonso switched over to Mclaren, a move that would only last for a year before returning to Renault. It was a positive year at Mclaren, but he was outpaced by Räikkönen (now at Ferrari) and his teammate Lewis Hamilton. Him and Hamilton had a notoriously risky relationship. One incident occurred when Hamilton ignored team orders and disadvantaged his teammate during a qualifying. Alonso responded by delaying Hamilton in the pit lane. This tension, plus the famous espionage scandal, led Alonso to terminate his contract with Mclaren. He returned to Renault for the 2008 season after being contractually forbidden from signing with one of Mclaren's main competitors for that year. He finished his first season with Mclaren in 3rd.

(Alonso with Mclaren teammate Lewis Hamilton)

He had a more difficult year with Renault in 2008. Lack of car performance in the early part of the season meant that he was way back in the points by the time the car was up to fighting form. In the last few races, he scored an immense amount of points and was able to jump up to 5th in the standings. This was also the year yet another scandal occurred in F1 around Alonso, "crashgate". His next year with Renault was notoriously bad, and he finished middle in the standings in 2009. This lack of performance from the team led Alonso to sign with Ferrari for the 2010 season.

(Alonso in a Renault)

His first year with Ferrari was a successful one, fighting for the title with Red Bull's Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel. During the last race, when he had the championship lead, he unfortunately finished 7th and lost the WDC to Vettel. His next few years with Ferrari would be mixed. While he achieved positive results, fighting for the title some years, there were also negative ones (no race wins in 2014). While he had extended his contract with Ferrari to 2016, his relationship with them had soured and he broke contract to return to Mclaren for the 2015 season. His years at Mclaren were murky at best, as they had fallen to midfield level. However, Alonso would stay with them until the 2019 season, when he announced his retirement from F1.

(Alonso after winning a race with Ferrari 2013)

Alonso returned to F1 in 2021 driving for Alpine (renamed Renault). His two years there would yield more murky results, only achieving one podium through the entire time. Alpine expected to retain Alonso for the 2023 season (they had not even looked for another driver), but were surprised to find out that Alonso had signed a contract with Aston Martin (renamed Force India/Racing Point). This signified yet another exit from a team on bad terms for Alonso.

(Alonso in the Alpine in 2022)

Driving for Aston Martin in 2023, Alonso would start finishing higher up in the points than he had in years. While he was no where close to a championship fight, consistent results in a midfield car showed he still had the skill to compete. He would achieve 6 podiums that year, and finished 4th in the standings, his highest finish since 2013. He remained with Aston Martin for the 2024 season, and had a relatively middling season finishing 9th. He signed a contract extension with them to 2026, which he has openly stated will most likely be his last contract.

(Alonso after placing on podium in 2023)

Throughout all of this, Alonso competed in other racing series. In 1999, Alonso debuted in the Endurance Racing Series, and finished 3rd at the 24hrs of Barcelona. He drove the 24hrs of Daytona in 2018 and also 2019 (which he would win). He would also drove the 24hrs of Le Mans during that time too, and won. IndyCar was another series he competed in a handful of times, although he never placed particularly high. On top of that, he drove for a Rally series in 2020 while he was retired, with his highest finish being 2nd.

(Alonso with his team after winning 24hrs of Le Mans)

Major Races:

2003 Hungarian GP - His first victory in F1, he dominated after starting in pole position. Staying ahead of the legendary Michael Schumacher, he showed that he was a future star.

2005 San Marino GP - One of Alonso's most memorable wins, he used impeccable defense to hold off Schumacher yet again and securing the win. He showed intense mental strength and skill in high-pressure situations

2005 Brazilian GP - The race where Alonso won his first title, and he became the driver to break Ferrari and Schumacher's dominance. He also brought Renault their first title.

2006 Japanese GP - A highly important race to his 2006 title, this victory meant he took the lead from Schumacher and allowed him to feel comfortable in the rest of the races.

2010 Korean GP - A messy, wet race allowed Alonso to show off his calmness under pressure and skills in such conditions. He managed the race incredibly well, and it was a vital win for his 2010 title fight

2012 Valencia GP - Starting from 11th on the grid, Alonso fought his way up the field to victory, winning in front of his home crowd. This win was especially impressive due to the uncompetitive nature of the Ferrari that year.

2012 Malaysian GP - Another testament to his skill under difficult conditions, he delivered one of his best wet race performances and earned a rather unexpected victory in an underperforming car.

2023 Jeddah GP - His 100th podium in F1, Alonso displayed his long history in F1 and the skill it takes to reach that level of podiums.

Alright, that's all for Alonso. Up next in Nico Hulkenberg.

Cheers,

-B

[doyoulikethissong-poll]

Aaliyah - Try Again 2000

"Try Again" is an R&B, electro, dance-pop, and trip hop song by American singer Aaliyah for the soundtrack to the 2000 film Romeo Must Die, which she starred in. After its initial release, it appeared as a bonus track on international editions of Aaliyah's eponymous third and final studio album (2001). The song was written by Static Major and Timbaland, while production was handled by the latter. The intro contains an interpolation from Eric B. & Rakim's song "I Know You Got Soul" (1987).

The song received critical acclaim from music critics for its innovative futuristic production. In retrospective reviews, critics have credited the song for helping "smuggle the innovative techniques of electronic dance music onto the American pop charts". In 2001, Aaliyah earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for the song. In the US, it peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the first single to reach number one based solely on airplay, as it was not commercially released in the US. Internationally, "Try Again" peaked within the top ten in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Switzerland, and the UK.

Romeo Must Die grossed US$18.6 million in its first weekend, reaching number two at the box office. In addition to acting, Aaliyah served as an executive producer of the film soundtrack, to which she contributed four songs. Her co-star Jet Li and producer Timbaland appear in the music video, which won Best Female Video and Best Video from a Film at the 2000 MTV Video Music Awards. The video also was nominated for Best R&B Clip and Maximum Vision Video at the 2000 Billboard Music Video Awards. It was directed by Wayne Isham, while choreography was orchestrated by Fatima Robinson. In 2001, the video earned a nomination for Outstanding Music Video at the NAACP Image Awards. Throughout the years, critics have praised the video for its fashion and choreography, with many deeming Aaliyah's look iconic.

"Try Again" received a total of 63,6% yes votes!

[charles-leclerc-official]

Predicting now that the Mclaren lineup is not going to be the same in 2026-2027.

Stella seems more invested in developing Oscar as a driver, and given he does have more potential this is a good move, but it's one of the things at the center of the conflict we are seeing in the team right now.

It's in the team's best interest to invest in developing the driver who is getting close to tied with his far more experienced teammate in his second year, and the team as a whole cares more about the WCC than the WDC at the moment.

Conspiracy theory: it's why they won't impose team orders with Oscar against Lando, it's more valuable to see Oscar make passes at the front and improve his tyres than it is for Lando keeping the lead (a 1-2 on paper is the same in the WCC doesn't matter the driver order) if they are planning on Oscar being the actual future of the team of course they want to give him the chance to race competitively and also would not want to chase him away from the team if team orders get imposed against him.

“We have to not forget that Oscar is in the middle of his second season in Formula 1. The Future is Oscar's." - Andrea Stella

“I’m still going into the weekends to try and win the races.”, “We are still behind in the Constructors’ championship and we want to make sure that we win that. My best contribution to that is by trying to win the race." - Oscar Piastri

To me Stella's comments are very telling, he's reaffirming that Oscar is still new and that he's very invested in Oscar's development in becoming a fully rounded driver.

And Oscar is reaffirming something that has been pretty clear from Mclaren's side, being that the WCC is their main objective, and that he still says wins are on the table. Given the car it's safe to assume that he and Lando will be close on starting grids from now until the end of the year. So Oscar seems to share both the goals of the team and TP, being the WCC and also to develop himself as a driver.

Where does this leave Lando? It's unclear. He hasn't shown outstanding skill in any one area, and the team can't rely on him to win regularly even after giving him the fastest car. Beyond that his goal is obviously the WDC, which if he were better in that car he'd have a better chance at (also his team has messed up the pits more times than fit on two hands at this point)

At the end of the day it leaves him being the odd one out as far as goals for this season and the future of the team go. I am not saying this is necessarily wrong of him, I cannot fault a driver's main goal being WDC, it makes perfect sense, but that doesn't seem to match what the team are trying to do, on top of team incompetencies.

Ultimately I can see this unfolding two ways. Oscar improves and either matches Lando's performance or surpasses him, at which time the team will fully back Oscar (I think this has been hinted at) or the team are indecisive, and refuse to back either driver, this leads to more tension which could see either one leave for a team that will give them more priority. I would say again the more likely to leave is Lando as Oscar seems to be more game for competing at the front against his teammate.

The core problem is that they have two drivers who both have that number 1 mentality (which I won't fault any driver for) but as a team it's important to find that balance to keep harmony, Mclaren don't know how to do that and are starting to see how bad it could get.

I predicted at the beginning of the season that things would start to fall apart at Mclaren the moment Oscar became competitive against Lando at the front, and well, I am going to say I was right (not a hard call to make but I am still taking my little gold star)

This is all my opinion based on some of the things I have observed in the team and how they are choosing to manage things. I would not be surprised if they are keeping their options for that seat in 2026

[city-of-ladies]

"If there is one fact about the amazons that is indisputable, it is their consistently outstanding performance in combat. Not unexpectedly, practically the only author to cast doubt on this was Burton, for whom the idea that black females (not to speak of males) might excel on the battlefield was hard to accept: “The ‘Amazons’ boast themselves invulnerable, but readily retreat: an equal number of British charwomen, armed with the British broomstick, would - I lay, to speak Yorkishly— clear them off in very few hours.”Elsewhere he damns them with faint praise:‘The women are as brave as, if not braver than, their brethren in arms, who certainly do not shine in that department of manliness.”

The first inkling that the women soldiers of Dahomey might be first-class fighters comes from Labarthe’s informant who, in 1776, watched them perform shooting drills at Abomey and found them “very resolute”. By 1830, as Conneau learned at Whydah, their “bravery [was] a noted fact and [was] proverbial with the natives.” By the next decade the amazons’ reputation was established among Europeans too. At Cana in 1843 Freeman saw a “brigade” of them fire their guns. Not only did they shoot well, he says, but they “appeared totally void of fear”. The next year de Monléon remarked that the women had “often given striking proof of courage and audacity”. In 1845 Duncan saw amazon officers being rewarded for their “valour”.

Regarding the terror the women aroused among neighboring peoples, Chautard relates an anecdote from the 1880s. A group of amazons traveled from Whydah to Agoué, a port town beyond the kingdom near what is now Togo, perhaps as an escort for traders. The whole population crowded the town square to see the legendary ladies up close. The female “general” confronted the local male warriors and challenged the very best of them to a duel with swords to determine which sex was stronger. “In less than two minutes”, she boasted, “his head will adorn the tip of my sword!” To the shame of his sex, says Chautard, not one warrior volunteered.

The adjectives applied to the amazons over the decades were brave, courageous, valorous, valiant, fearless, intrepid, cruel, pitiless, merciless, implacable, relentless, bloodthirsty, fierce, ferocious, furious, audacious, impetuous, ardent, fanatic, disciplined, devoted (to the king), indomitable, redoubtable, formidable, vigorous, resolute, tenacious, determined, persevering. Often they were said to surpass their male colleagues — in valor, in intrepidity, in courage, in bravery, in cruelty, in discipline. “In this singular country”, Vallon reported, “the women’s army is accounted much more warlike than the men’s.” According to Bouët, there was no memory of any of the amazons fleeing combat whereas men had often been punished for doing it."

Amazons of Black Sparta: The Women Warriors of Dahomey, Stanley B. Alpern

[j4ystar]

the exit — park sunghoon

➞ sunghoon x gn!reader

➞ figureskater!au idol!au

➞ synopsis : sunghoon, your ex boyfriend, claims that he is over you yet he finds himself keeping up with your skating career three years after you break up. he figures that watching your competition will help him find closure.

➞ angst??????????

➞ word count : 3.7k

➞ tw : nothing i dont think, lmk if im missing anything

ᓚᘏᗢ aj — life makes my head hurt

there are several videos of sunghoon skating online for most of enhypen’s fans to watch. including the videos posted of sunghoon and his former pair, y/f/n, aka you. despite sunghoon moving on from skating and becoming an idol, you remained on the ice. moving on and leaving korea to train in canada. moving on and becoming a famous competitive skater to represent south korea in just a few years, even making it to the olympics to compete at such a young age. moving on with a different partner. his fans sometimes refuse to believe that he competed in a pair with someone at your level, often engenes wondered if he remained a skater, would he be competing in the olympics with you. 

sunghoon was admittedly watching your competition videos in his room, at night, with a blanket draped over him and the screen brightly illuminating his face. fans commented on his lives often, bringing it up on weverse. asking if he still keeps in touch with you, even asking for collabs like that of his collab with cha junhwan, another one of his former skating friends. 

in reality, it had hurt sunghoon to be reminded of you everywhere he went even two years after he stopped. he loved skating, even if by the end he wasn’t happy on the ice anymore. if there was one thing about being on the ice that made him happy, it was going through everything with you. the one truth suspended from enhypens fans was the fact you and sunghoon used to date. his last competition before he left for iland concluded with an outstanding gold medal for the best skating pair award, along with the gut wrenching feeling of having to tell you that he was going to be leaving and quitting skating to pursue his dream of becoming an idol.. not to mention the break up that he was in in tears after telling you. you couldn’t even be upset that he was leaving either, you respected his decisions even if that meant you two were going to be apart. if becoming an idol was truly what he wanted to do then how could you possibly get mad at him for that? the break up was understandable, yet messy, something not uncommon for two teenagers navigating their first relationship. if something tore him apart, it was probably that he was parting ways with both his first loves. 

he was wondering if you were watching him through a screen the same way he was with you. he’d watch you glide across the ice and perform tricks that his 12 year old self couldn’t imagine doing. he’d watch as your long time assigned partner would get to be with you 24/7, how their hands would circle around your waist and holster you up on the ice with such effortlessness and grace. sometimes he wishes he could say that that should’ve been him. but he feels different now, he’s no longer the figure skater that he once was, he was sunghoon from enhypen. 

sunghoon rubs his eyes, tired, he had an early schedule in the morning yet here he was watching the videos he swore he would shut off when jay came in and scolded him for not resting yet. 

you were sunghoon’s number one fan and his biggest supporter when he began his training to become an idol. though it clashed with skating practices, you were understanding. then, he told you about his admission into the survival show, i-land, where he was hoping to debut to become an idol full time. meaning leaving you behind. you were upset at the time of the break up, any sane person would be. especially if you loved the person. you continued to support sunghoon throughout i-land, watching the show and voting for him. you remembered his mother calling you and asking you to write a letter for him to read, despite sending a letter for him to read, his reaction was not added to the aired episode and you assumed that the show had either cut out the reaction or the letter wasn’t added to the list of mail in the first place. you never bothered to ask. after his confirmed debut, you congratulated him, and after that, you left to go to canada where you would be training with junhwan, the other figure skater that you and sunghoon were friends with. you were so occupied with practice that your calls and texts to sunghoon lessened and soon halted entirely. 

in the earlier days, you would watch enhypen’s comebacks, even staying up at ridiculous hours just to watch the release. you would contemplate shooting sunghoon a text telling him about how his comeback was great but you never managed to garner the courage to actually send it to him. as the months pass, you are swarmed with practice and schooling. reports of you and sunghoon in the past are replaced with you and your new skating partner and it's plastered over every form of social media that you have. 

you return to south korea after two years of training abroad in canada. you continue practicing in the rink for hours, though now you are a student in yonsei university in seoul. you and your partner become aware of your eligibility to compete in the 2022 olympics in beijing. 

–

“i’m going to have y/n and sunghoon pair up for this next competition.” you and sunghoon’s eyes widen in unison, your coaches almost chuckle at the sight of dismay written all over your faces. even the other members in the club you were in were shocked that sunghoon was competing in a category outside of individuals. but for good reason. sunghoon had never ventured out of individual performances. sunghoon liked being alone, he had never performed with a partner before. he knew of you, he knew you were one level higher than him but you still qualified for the junior category your pairs skate would be judged under. you on the other hand, never switched partners before. sunghoon was in the practice block before yours, you would arrive 30 minutes earlier to get dressed and then stretch, in those 30 minutes you would watch sunghoon dance on the ice. you were enamored and spent more time gawking than stretching. though you were positive that he never knew. 

the other members of the club scattered, their respective coaches giving them more detail on the pieces that they were assigned to be doing. you and sunghoon still frozen and your coach standing in front of you with her clipboard in her arms. 

“i know you’re not used to it yet but we are just trying something new. we promise if this doesn’t end up working then we can switch you back after the competition.” she tells you two. you both nod shyly, your hands clasped behind your back.

an hour later, you and sunghoon take a break to get water and just rest. but it’s still incredibly tense. you were beginning to miss your old partner, the two of you had competed in multiple competitions together, wins tethering from between first place gold and second place silver. you were thinking that things really weren’t going to work out between you and sunghoon. 

“you know, it’s going to be really hard to win first place when we can’t even talk to each other.” you tell him. his back is turned to you as he sets his bottle down on the rink wall. he doesn’t say anything in response so you continue. “you want to win right?” you ask. sunghoon turns around to look at you. 

“of course i want to win.” he tells you blatantly. “then why don’t you talk to me? we can’t be like this if we are partners.” you place your hand on your waist and look at him expectedly. “i didn’t want to be partners.” you roll your eyes at the 15 year old boy. “and you think i wanted to be partners? i want park jihoon back.” sunghoon hates park jihoon. hate is a strong word, he doesn’t hate jihoon, he just mildly dislikes him. he’s loud and annoying, and he disrupts the peace in sunghoons head. 

“why?” 

“why?! i don't know, he’s better than you!” you want to raise your voice, but knowing the rink, voices are amplified in there. “no he’s not, i’m so much better.” sunghoon understands he is far too old to be acting like this but he was getting frustrated trying to convince you that park jihoon was a menace and the bane of his existence and that park sunghoon was the better skater, he’ll show you. 

you thought that your plan to talk to sunghoon had immediately backfired with how much sunghoon expressed that he hated your former partner. but it in fact did help you get closer. within the month leading up to the competition, you and sunghoon had gotten so much closer than you and jihoon ever were. you were sure that sunghoon was going to be going up a level after this because of how hard he was practicing. you would arrive to practice and sunghoon would already be there. 

what you thought was your last performance with sunghoon turned out to just be the very beginning. after getting first place during that competition, your coach asks if you guys want to stay partners for the next competition coming up and the two of you agree that you should remain partners.

–

sunghoon remembers watching your skating performance in beijing on his phone during his break while practicing in the dance studio. he remembers watching you go on for the competitive pairs category, and then the singles free skate. he watches through the camera that follows you as you explore the big rink. you’re smiling. a big, bright, vibrant smile. your smile makes his heart clench in a hot pain. you were always very particular when skating, something that made sunghoon initially ticked off and bothered at first but he realized that was what made you such a disciplined and perfect skater. you were so confident in your strides. despite being the other half of a pair, you always seemed to stand out more than your partner. he remembered that as teenagers, you told him you never feared getting injured because you were careless and naive as a child and that helped you lose the fear of falling and getting hurt. sunghoon probably witness your naivety while practicing more times than not. sunghoon thought that he wasn’t very confident, his coaches would often point out his lack of motivation and confidence, which to outsiders from the skating community may seem harsh and unnecessary jabs, but to sunghoon it was normal because you had to have confidence to survive in figure skating. 

–

“are you alright?” you immediately glide over to sunghoon as he currently takes a fall after not being able to complete a spin. sunghoon brushes your concern aside and gets up nodding. he swipes the ice shavings off his pants and tells you to run it back one more time. 

“i think we should take a break.” you tell him worriedly. sunghoon shakes his head. “i’m fine. we can keep going.” you sigh at his persistence. “we’re taking a break, i’m calling it.” you grab his hand and begin leading him towards the door of the rink. you jump onto the cushioned floor, sitting on one of the hockey players benches and tap at the seat beside you for sunghoon to sit down and join you. he follows your lead, sitting beside you but a fair inches apart. 

“have you been getting enough sleep lately? are you feeling alright?” you barely give him space to talk before placing the back of your hand against his forehead. sunghoon feels himself reddening. he wants to swat at you to stop and he wants to complain about you pushing your boundaries again. but he doesn’t say anything as he lets you continue on with your alleged prognosis. 

“you don’t have a fever, i don’t think you’re sick.” you conclude, sitting back down but continuing to look at him. he feels weak under your suspecting gaze. he doesn’t want you to think somethings wrong with him when obviously nothing is wrong with him. just the undeniable feeling of his stomach doing acrobatics and his heart racing whenever you get close. at first sunghoon thought that perhaps he has fallen ill. but why does that feeling only bubble up when you’re around, or whenever he thinks about you? when he lays in his bed at night and stares at his ceilings until you start coming up in his mind and then he goes to kick his duvet off because he becomes a blushing mess. or when he has to hold your hand in the routine and suddenly he has to keep letting go because he has to wipe his hand on his training sweater before grabbing your hand again. or when he instinctively brings his arms out whenever you attempt to do jumps just in case you hurt yourself when you fall. or times where he has to remind you to put your blade guards on because of the amount of times you’d forget and have to buy a new pair. or when he would be at school and you text him dumb pictures of yourself at school since you two attended different schools. or when both your parents would be late picking you up from practice so you would go buy snacks at a nearby store and just talk. 

sunghoon is 16 years old and he is sure that he has feelings for you. it's an indescribable fuzzy feeling that he can’t seem to get rid of. he shakes himself out of his small recollection of memories, his vision clearing and seeing you again, curiously looking at him, semi bundled up in your training gear. 

“do you want to go to the store after practice? my treat.” he suggests. though his knees are wobbling as he proposes the idea to you. you give him a confused look and then nod, looking away from him and out to the rink, watching the other skaters around. sunghoon sits and stares at you with a soft smile, breathing in and out deeply.

“you never treat me.” 

“just this once.” 

–

your nerves always spiked before competitions. like any sane person would. in the back of your mind, you’d always remember how sunghoon would talk you out of your nerves and it would work because he always knew what to say. somehow sunghoon would never show his anxiousness to you, he’d only help you overcome yours. 

you and your partner are warming up on the ice after the short intermission after the individual category had finished up. you and your partner were the first pair performing. as you’re skating around, as if it were another normal day in the arena. you look up to look amongst the people. your eyes scanning the bleachers promptly before returning to your warm up routine. 

sunghoon watches from the bleachers, hidden behind a cap and a mask. a bouquet of flowers and a penguin plush in his lap, he gently grips the paper covered stems with one hand and his other hand lays on his knee as he trains his eyes onto your figure. you practice some loops here and there, you mainly focus on stretching out your legs and making sure you can maintain your flexibility. you haven’t changed much, physically, you had grown a tad bit taller, your hair coloured remained the same colour it had been since you were younger. he understood there wasn’t much leeway with hair colours in the industry. neither of you were teenagers anymore.

as the performance started, the lights around the rink dimmed and were replaced with much softer lights, along with two spotlights, one for you and one for your partner. somehow you were even more graceful, your technique had improved drastically, there was no way you couldn’t improve when you train with former olympic champions. he watched as you and your partner danced so fluidly on the ice.

he hoped that coming here would finally give him closure. he confesses that he is not over you. not after three painful years of not talking. not after the break up that he initiated for his sake. as the performance comes to a close, you and your partner return to the center of the rink to collect hollers and praise from around the arena. cue the multitudes of flowers and plush toys being thrown onto the ice for the maintenance crew to clean after. sunghoon stands up, hoping that the height would give him an advantage of getting the bouquet and the plush of a penguin onto the rink, close enough to you, for you to see. 

you clasp your hand into your partners and bow gratefully for those who cheer your performance. you decide to pick a plush among the rest, eyes landing on a giraffe a few feet away and skating over to grab it. as you come closer to it, a stuffed penguin bounces its way over to you and slides just by the tip of your skates. there is a ribbon around its neck and a small card attached to it that has a name written on it. you tuck the giraffe under your arm before bending down and crouching to grab the penguin plush. 

the staff begin ushering you and your partner off the stage but you move with their prodding words. sunghoon’s name is written in black ink on the card and you look up in attempt to find the familiar face. your eyes land on someone standing on the bleachers, ready to get up and leave, he stares back at you, the flowers in hand, before stepping down the steps. 

you quickly skate off the ice, uncomfortably waddling down the hallway trying to reach the lobby where you think he would exit. as you round the corner and push the double doors open to expose the cold arena air conditioning air. you find who you think is sunghoon walking towards the door, flowers still in hand. 

“sunghoon?” 

sunghoon turns at the sound of your voice. a hand coming to his mask to pull it down. you’re still in your costume getup and so obviously freezing as the adrenaline from the performance starts to wear down. sunghoon begins peeling his jacket off, worried you would catch a cold when he knows that you can’t afford to miss a day of practice. you bring the plushie to your chest, hugging it tightly with both arms. he walks with fast steps, his jacket ruffling as he comes to drape it over your shoulders. 

–

you sat down on one of the benches outside the girls changing room, sunghoon stands in front of you, head down, occasional sniffles coming from him as he struggled to get the words out his mouth. you felt helpless, watching your boyfriend attempt to grapple with the words he needed to convey the news he dreaded telling you. 

your hand comes to grab his, your thumb rubbing over his skin as you patiently wait for sunghoon to voice out his thoughts. 

“i’m not gonna be skating for a while, i’m going to start focusing on becoming an idol… i feel it would best benefit us if we took some time apart from one another.” 

sunghoon begs you to say something through the painful silence it takes for you to comprehend what he has just said. he feels awful just dropping the bomb on you right there. a day so glorious, rewarding and memorable for the both of you was just ruined by his need to tell you. 

“i don’t know what to say… i’m really proud of you sunghoon.” sunghoon knew you would be understanding. he hated that you weren’t mad at him. he wished that you had yelled at him, told him you hated him, anything to break his heart even more, something to seal and confirm that you didn’t love him anymore. but you were just happy, smiling, supportive as per usual. he had counted on you to push him in his skating career since you two were kids, now that he was pursuing his idol career, you were still there supporting him. 

you tell him you’re a bit bummed out that he had to leave, that he thought breaking up would be the best idea because it would cause less pain on both ends. 

sunghoon still received the letter you had written to him when he was in i-land, he received it in the lunch box his parents sent him, though he didn’t read it until he was hidden way from the cameras and the other occupants of the house. tucked under his blanket in the shared room, he read your letter. for the first time in the show, for the first time in a while, he had cried. 

–

“hey.” 

you and sunghoon sit beside each other on the loveseat of the lobby lounge room. you still have his jacket over you, the penguin squished into your lap. 

“it’s been a while.” you start, he nods, you watch as he plays with his fingers. “why’d you come here?” you ask him, adjusting the ribbon tied around the penguin's neck. 

“i had to see you,” he admits quietly. “i… don’t understand.” you whisper back. he looks at you, eyes glassy. 

“i wanted to say that i’m sorry,” he breathes in deeply “because i never moved on from you. and i was the one who ended us in the first place. you made skating bearable for me, you made me happy and when we broke up i thought that i was doing alright until i continued to keep up with what you were doing and suddenly i started missing you.”

“but you don’t love me anymore?” 

sunghoon sits there, mouth agape for a moment, thinking as if he had to calculate an answer. 

“i’ll always love you.”

butterflies didn’t erupt, not like they used to. of course you still loved sunghoon. but you were two different people at this point. you had your entire career ahead of you and sunghoon was the same.