#what is his end goal with everything he does?

[sleepyparalysisdmon]

Mingyu's expressive eyes

Requested? Yes!

Request: ‘Mingyus expressive eyes ‘

TW/CW: contains heavily implied smut near the end. MDNI. 

Mingyu gives everything away when he looks at you.

He gave you a dreamy look at first, even before you both were together. His members teased him incessantly for the dazed, far-away look in his eyes. His longing wasn’t so obvious to you right away, not until you overheard one of his members tease him about it. And then there it was, so obvious how his big eyes trail after your every move. You find that you like it because it’s a look that’s so full of affection that he doesn’t quite have an outlet for yet.

Then there are the wide eyes that he stares at you with when you tell him you feel the same. You make some assumptions about his feelings, longing stares, and all, but he’s thrilled that you know. Those wide eyes narrow, crinkling at the corners when he grins. It’s a look that you’ll grow familiar with only because it will become a default. 

There’s the sleepy look that he gives you early in the morning or right before bed. He’s fighting with himself in these moments because he would like to stay in bed and be awake to spend time with you. But still, his sleepy eyes drifting shut only to snap open to look at you again is sweet. Especially after a long day of practice, you’ll urge him to stop resisting sleep with a soft sweep of your hand across his cheek, and you’ll turn to mush at how his eyes flutter closed. But if he gives you that look in the morning, you might open your arms to him to keep him there for another five minutes. 

Speaking of, he loves to be in your arms. You’ll learn what those puppy eyes mean. It means he wants your arms wrapped around him with his face buried in your neck. It’s his favorite place to be. He’ll give you that look from his pillow when his side of the bed is too cold. He’ll give you that look when he gets home from a long day of being away from you and all but collapsed on top of you on the couch. 

But he likes to hold you, too. He’ll give you that warm look when he wants you close, opening his arms for you to crawl into. His eyes crinkle at the corners then, too, but there’s something less giddy about it. Oh, don’t get me wrong, you still make him giddy on occasion, but after a while, he’ll grow relaxed in your presence, comforted by the fact that you guys are on the same wavelength. It’s one of your favorite things to feel a smile against your forehead when he pulls you in. You don’t have to see him to know that he still has that warm look in his eyes. 

There’s that doe-eyed look that he gives you when you ask him to help you with something. He loves to help you. The moment you pout and hesitate to ask for something, he’s giving you a wide, soft look that’s full of adoration as he asks you what he can do for you. He’s helpless to say no to you, and the look says it all. 

There’s that watery look that he gives you sometimes, usually when he’s traveling. You can see it through the phone screen on FaceTime that he’s blinking back some emotion at being so far away from you. There’s not much you’ll be able to do to clear that look and bring back another, happier look. It’ll bring tears to your eyes, and the only cure is for him to come back home soon.

Then there’s the dark, steely look that he gives others when he’s jealous. You’d never try to see that look on purpose, but you know he’s a tad possessive. Sometimes, that dark expression is turned to you. But don’t be fooled. He’ll fold, expression shifting to something more vulnerable and open when you ease his worries with a soft touch and some soft words. 

18+ beyond this point

He’s got a fiery look when he becomes dominant with you. You see it staring down at you when he’s hovering over you, making your eyes roll back. Now, that’s his favorite look on you, lost in the bliss, and he’s made it his goal to find out exactly what makes you lose yourself like that. Even if his touch is soft sometimes, he’s relentless about targeting those things that will bring you to the edge again and again. In between those falls, you feel yourself heat all over again at the look of determination in his eyes. 

Then there’s the all-knowing look he gives you when he senses that you need him. He’ll give you exactly what you want - and he usually knows exactly what that is because he sometimes thinks he can read your mind - but this moment does make him giddy, sweeping you off your feet at a moment’s notice to make all your dreams come true. Don’t let him play dumb with you. He’ll let his hands graze dangerously close to where you want them with a bit of a smirk, waiting for you to ask. There's not a single thing that he won't do for you. Ever.

Then there are times that he’s needy. He’ll look up at you where you’re perched on top of him, working him up. His eyes are deep and trusting, with the occasional tears hitting his lash line when it feels too good to the point of overwhelm. He’ll do his best to look at you if that’s what you want, looking totally love-struck when he meets your eyes, but you’ll kind of like that he can’t keep his eyes from rolling either. You get why he likes the look on you because nothing turns you on more than watching those pretty eyes of his roll back with little gasps. He might make you say what you want, but you’ll know what he wants because it’s written all over his face. 

[narcjsistx]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐁𝐄𝐈𝐍𝐆 | OS

karasu tabito x fem reader ; words: 1.9k (1939)

coming from this event, fifth day, 22/12

𝐌𝐘 𝐌𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐓 ; take a look, trust me!

plot: the pact had been clear from the beginning: only needy kisses when the situation called for it, but no relationships. everything had been going smoothly up until that point, but the main problem was that now you were falling for your enemy's best friend. does tabito not want relationships because he doesn't want to set up seriously or just because he's afraid of ruining everything by being mediocre?

Even though you are literally in each other's arms, you feel Karasu light years away from you. The grip he had on your hips a few seconds ago has suddenly diminished, remaining sloppily leaning but not holding them. It took just a few words to destroy the perfect harmony that has existed between you since this strange situation began, and you don't know whether to regret having said them or to still be as convinced as you were until recently. You just know that, now, Karasu is not the same one who was kissing you until a moment ago, with the same usual sweetness

"We should stop. I'm starting to develop feelings for you and I don't want to suffer through something like this"

Words spoken in one breath, but which contained everything, or more, that you felt for the boy who until today has always been your kisser. You said that you started, and not that for months now you have thought only and exclusively of him, that you dream of being able to have a relationship with him, that you would simply like to stop being an ordinary girl and become his girlfriend. But what you dreamed of didn't fit your plan, the one that until now had given you the chance to be so close to him. The plan was simple: just kisses, maybe sooner or later a sexual relationship if you both agreed, but never and ever a relationship

Yet, it seemed so easy to fall in love with him. Karasu is polite, he knows how to joke without being offensive, he has a hobby that he is committed to and has many friends who love him, and he also knows how to treat women. It was impossible for you to understand how a boy like that is best friends with Otoya Eita, the same boy who broke your heart after a relationship that lasted no more than two weeks. You could easily say that the hatred you felt for the ninja turned into love when it came to Tabito.

It all started with this pretext: help me make Otoya regret leaving me, make him understand that I am the best girl he could spend his life with. Betting on his best friend had been a risky choice, but Karasu had accepted. And so, in front of the white and green haired boy, the kisses between you and Karasu had begun their battle against him, who frankly had never paid much attention to you two, only surprised to see Karasu with someone after long time since last time

Almost everyone, even his friends, thought you were a couple. But you both said no, you were just young and a relationship would only hinder the beautiful bond you had. Yet, your goal of making Otoya jealous had turned into nothing in less than a few weeks, while you began to reflect that Karasu was actually a good guy. That, besides the kisses, he also treated you well, and he didn't have the same behavior with girls as he had with you

And so, for a year now, you had begun to think that you loved him seriously, that kisses were not enough for you. It had taken you a year to say the words you had just said to him, and yet you had already regretted it. His face conveyed an all too obvious surprise, untypical for someone like him

"I know you don't want a relationship, so let's end this. It was fun"

You knew he didn't want a relationship, he had made it clear from the start. You had talked about it other times, and his words were always the same. They hurt you, but they were reality

"I don't want a relationship, it would hinder me and my future career as a striker. Professional players never have a steady relationship until they reach an important goal, and I will do the same. After I win, I will look for someone to spend the rest of my life with. But it's not that time yet"

Your heart hurt, your body, everything. It hurt to think that from now on, you would do without him, without his lips on yours and without the good feeling that always existed in your stomach when you knew he was looking at you. You were letting go of something you loved so much, but you knew that by doing so, maybe you would save yourself more future pain

"Are you kidding me?"

"No. It's all over, I don't want anymore"

You didn't know why he didn't want a relationship, or rather, the explanation he had given you so long ago didn't seem entirely right. Karasu, in your eyes, seemed like someone who needed love so much, who even sought it, but why did he reject it if he had plenty of it, of yours, under his hands?

There was something that told you that he was rejecting love because of a more personal fear, because of something that you had always had before your eyes but had never understood. Something that, you thought, made him very insecure. But what was this insecurity of his if he was so perfect? What he was hiding from you?

Slowly, you pulled away from his grip, which no longer held you to him. Your lowered gaze helped you not to look him in the eyes, because seeing even a shred of sadness would have destroyed you. It was the best choice, but why did it hurt?

"You can't be serious, everything is going great"

"It's precisely because everything is going well that I want to stop. Karasu, I think I seriously love you, kisses are no longer enough for me. But at the same time, I know you don't want a relationship, and I don't want to force you to have one with me. If everything continues to go so well in my mind we will be like boyfriend and girlfriend, while you will continue to think of us as just two friends. And I will suffer from this, because I know myself"

You had to be harsh with your words, even if you didn't really want to be, and especially not with him, who hadn't actually done anything to you. But if you weren't, it would have been even worse

He didn't want a relationship. He didn't want a relationship. He didn't want a relationship

But really, why?

"You can't just go away and break everything. Don't you think about me?"

Karasu has never been someone who blames things, he has always admitted that he hates those who do it, because he thinks they are mediocre, and he hates mediocre people

"Yes, and it's better for both"

"You don't know what's fucking best for me..."

"Instead, yes. Think of it as if our relationship was a test for what you will have with your future girlfriend"

"I don't even want to think about anyone else other than you"

Karasu wasn't the type to say things like that, especially things that sounded like a declaration of love, and hell, it seemed like one to you. Why did he just say those words if he always reminded you that he doesn't want to think about anything but his career? Is there seriously something he's hiding from you that goes beyond the simple justification he's always given you?

"If you don't think I know what's best for you, tell me. What's best for you, Tabito?"

Maybe you had crossed the line, just maybe

"The best thing for me is to believe that I am enough for you, but I can't be if I am so disgustingly mediocre. Giving you something mediocre, being yours, is something that bothers me, because I never want to see you with something or someone who is not on your level. The thought of you walking away suffocates me, but I know that sooner or later you would realize how much I am not enough. I don't want you Y/n, even if I really do, because you don't deserve shit. Why did you fall in love with someone like me instead, so mediocre?"

So there was actually something in Karasu's thoughts, something that you actually didn't even remotely expect: how could he, so perfect in your eyes, consider himself mediocre?. The excuse of his career was therefore evidently just a bullshit to hide this more intimate side of his, who had fought so hard to hide it from your eyes, who instead saw it with an inhuman perfection

"Mediocre things don't work, they don't make things enjoyable. Settling is not love, and putting yourself in a situation like that would destroy me. I would ruin everything sooner or later, trust me"

You wanted to shut him up, you seriously wanted to. Hearing him talk so badly about himself hurt your heart, since you didn't even remotely have these thoughts about him. Never ever, in your thoughts, had you imagined him ruining everything, he who in situations always tried to resolve in the best possible way. Maybe he wasn't aware of how great it was, how 'mediocre' was the last word in the world to describe it. Maybe he was genuinely insecure about something that didn't actually exist, but was just in his head for some unknown reason

"If you consider me enough for everything, how do you explain the thing that I fell in love with you, that instead you consider yourself mediocre? Don't you think that I fell in love because you are so perfect in my eyes that I don't understand your doubts? Karasu, you have no idea how much you are not even remotely wrong, you are anything but wrong. Falling in love with someone so perfect, who knows how to love but is afraid, is I think one of the most intelligent things I have ever done, and you know that I have done a lot of stupid things in life. But I want to make you aware of how much you are enough, much more than enough. For me you know how to love, you want someone who loves you, but you are afraid. I want to take away this fear from you"

Silently, you had unmasked the mask that Karasu Tabito had so glued to his face: under that self-confident, sometimes even selfish face, there was a boy who was extremely insecure about himself, who was just waiting for someone who could love him without fear of his insecurities. You had destabilized him with your words, you could see it from the way he was slowly destroying himself. Your words were true, and you hoped that by destroying himself he would understand that you meant them

"Suppose I accept your love. Suddenly I do something, I ruin everything"

"I'll try to love you again until everything works perfectly. And in the meantime you learn where you went wrong and you don't do it again, because I know you can do it. To err is human"

You wanted to love him, you wanted him to love himself. And if trying again with him every time meant making him realize that he wasn't as shit as he said he was, you would try again and again

Mediocre was his fear, not he. A human mediocrity, because in reality everyone has fears of this kind; you had some too

"Let yourself be loved, Karasu. Let your dream come true, because I never want to see you sad about something like that"

"If I make a mistake, will you try again? Shall we try again?"

"Until my last breath"

TAG: @natmagaesp ; @kittenish0 ; @x3nafix

[elderwisp]

My 𝐓𝐨𝐩 24 𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐬 from 2024 ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚

I was tagged by @mikachusblog @aurorangen and @moonwoodhollow however I put together a recap earlier this month! Instead I'll pick about ten story moments I enjoyed from this year under the cut as well as a very special screenshot. I did want to make sure I tagged some people as well! :D

I tag: @acidheaddd @likelyamused @pink-chevalier @changingplumbob @salemssimblr

@matchalovertrait @lre333 @swiftviolets @sirianasims @lynzishell

1. January 8th: Kai shares a secret

⋆ This was a really fun flashback scene! We got to see Kai, Frances, Dan and Atlas in the earlier years of high school as well as learn that Kai has romantic feelings towards Atlas, who happens to be his first kiss! This is also where his arc officially begins in my mind!

2. March 6th: Taryn's skepticism

⋆ I remember being so proud of this scene because it was one of the first scenes I fully posed the conversation. I really enjoyed of Atlas and Taryn's mannerisms peaked through. I think this conversation while it focuses on a different subject, the nature of it shows their personalities. Taryn struggling with self confidence while Atlas's facade starts to unveil just a bit.

3. March 12th: Frances's solo

⋆ I was really proud of these poses as well as the shots. The shots of Icarus and Frances while romantic do say a lot about how each views each other. Your greatest heartbreak being how Frances feels and the deepest regret being how Icarus feels. For the cello poses, I did reference through watching performances but also real life so it was neat combining the two. I am excited for Frances's future in De Sol Valley especially when new faces are introduced to the cast. It might be similar to Atlas's prologue where Frances is the focus but just in a shorter interval.

4. March 9th: A rose and it's bumblebee

⋆ March was a good month. Maybe not for the characters, but a good month creatively for me ! I'm gonna sound so toxic but I love the tension between these two so much like hold out a bit longer please JUSTKIDDINGPFFTorami? anyways structuring taryn's monologue came out of order. the frames where she says "A stubbed toe. A scraped knee. A fall." came first. Everything else was built around those three sentences. The scene following that was fun to put together because Atlas really does struggle to apologize and take ownership over his fuck up that he tries to smooth things over by being charming but Taryn, getting more comfortable, shows her newfound skill of setting boundaries (courtesy of Atlas LMAO) and calls him out on the bullshit.

5. August 9th: Theo's official introduction

⋆ Much of Theo's life is hush hush as following after the WR arc we dive more into their lives but I do want to talk more about them. I liked following their life throughout the day and the general reclusiveness they have in a new city. Their only friend at the time is Gabriel and with no goals of going back to their old life, the only way forward is through. I will say, something about the city has a way of helping people find themselves.

6. August 8th: Of course I had to freaking include this scene

⋆ Gonna be so real right now but I was terrified to post this. Terrified. We see the chaos of Atlas's vices revealing a very important detail, one Rowan reminded us all and that is, Atlas seeks out trouble. The most curious and pressing part is why and how does it end? Any scene with Atlas is scary for me because he leaves a lot of subtle little hints but the extent of his nature is like slowly pulling off a band aid. Are people gonna like what's underneath? I'm never really sure but I do enjoy exploring his character quite a bit.

7. September 3rd: Ojitos lindos

⋆ First, I love Jules. Dude was literally supposed to only be in the one scene and... He wiggled himself into a handful. Second, was very proud of how the dance came out, with Taryn teasing Jules and Jules chasing every second of it until the kiss. OUGH! The little fiend in me blurred out "tu y yo" in the kiss scene to sorta symbolize Taryn beginning to move on from Atlas but as we see later, that was short lived. Taryn's monologue was the easiest to write and it comes from a person struggling with the bitter emotions of heartbreak.

8. October 8th: A formal introduction to Ares's life

⋆ Little lore drop but the Langs have been longtime characters of mine. In fact, longer than everyone else. Chase, Ares's father, was a main character of a youtube series I made long ago over the summers of my school days LMAO! So to revisit and restructure them as has been... WOW ! I wanted everyone to feel like they were a plant on a shelf observing the dynamics of specifically the women in Ares's life as well as the structure of his home. It felt subtle but good :)

9. October 18th: Kai's revelation

⋆ I think I have one more scene left for Kai's arc. I specifically wanted to focus on the concepts of jealousy, cognitive dissonance and religion coupled with Kai being a closeted man. I will say in the beginning, I did struggle to connect with this character. While some elements I can totally relate to, writing about it is different. Envy can be classified as an ugly feeling. It isn't palatable to most and is quickly shood away but because of that, we don't talk about it enough. So I wanted to go into this really humanizing this common emotion but not making it as some caricature of an emotion. I do love Kai's growth, I wanted to make sure he earned it and it sure feels like it.

10. November 23: The freaking arts festival

⋆ There's still like four-ish more posts to go. Those will be a bit less crash-out packed but I think it ends on a high note. There's a lot in these six posts. Some of it slightly nudging certain characters arcs, other parts deepening your knowledge of other oc's. I wanted to start out on the disappointment that Atlas faces seeing that the only person supporting him there is Daniela and how he copes in the only way he knows how. The arts festival is something he helped put together but it seems to be a reoccurring theme that any accomplishment he ever has is always overshadowed. It's always something. Each frame, every detail, to the dialogue in these two posts are intentional. The following scenes after that have some really cool conversations. I think the last post also has some unique dialogue as well but we'll pick back up on January 2nd! :)

Also a bonus! I wanted to show one of these first photos of Tessellate. It's no longer on my blog after the reboot but I wanted to show how much has changed in two years.

[kathlare]

lingering thoughts

Lando Norris x Amelie Dayman

Summary: Set during the Austrian Grand Prix, this chapter delves into Lando Norris’s inner turmoil after learning about Amelie Dayman’s breakup.

Wordcount: 2.2 k

Warnings: just fluff

June 29th, 2023 - Spielberg, Austria

The Austrian Alps stood tall and imposing under the clear July sky, the paddock bustling with activity as drivers, team personnel, and media swarmed the Red Bull Ring. Lando Norris strolled through the paddock with a spring in his step, his usual easy grin plastered across his face. For once, he wasn’t faking it for the cameras. The reason for his good mood? Amelie Dayman was single again.

It had been just a few hours since the news broke. Both Amelie and Rodrigo Riquelme had posted identical Instagram stories confirming what Lando had only heard through rumors until now. The couple, who had been dating since late 2021, had quietly parted ways, and while Lando had heard whispers of their split—Carlos had been the one to mention it first when he overheard Checo talking to Max—he hadn’t believed it. Not really. He’d been hopeful, sure, but the logical side of him had dismissed the idea, unwilling to get his hopes up again. Now, with the confirmation on social media, there was a fluttering in his chest that he hadn’t felt in… well, a while.

His mind was racing, a thousand thoughts at once: What does this mean? Could this be it? Could we actually have another chance?

But there was also that nagging feeling deep down, the one that kept him from fully embracing his hope. The fear. The uncertainty. Maybe we’re not meant to be.

Lando sighed, his smile faltering for just a second before he caught himself. He was at Media Day for the Austrian Grand Prix, supposed to be focusing on the race weekend, yet his thoughts kept drifting back to Amelie. To her Instagram story. To the idea of her being single, and what that might mean for them.

There had been a time, not too long ago, when everything had been different. When he and Amelie had been more than just friends. It wasn’t anything public, anything anyone really knew about. They had kept it quiet, just the two of them. It was casual, nothing serious, or at least that’s how they had both convinced themselves. But that had been before everything fell apart—before she got caught up in filming Wicked and he’d started talking to Luisinha, who had become his girlfriend after he and Amelie ended things.

He hadn’t expected it to end like that. The whole situation with Amelie had left a bitter taste in his mouth, especially the way she seemed to completely shut him out. But now, months later, with the split between Amelie and Rodrigo, he couldn't help but wonder: Could we try again?

Lando shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts as he entered the media room. His PR team had already prepped him for the questions, the usual inquisition about the race, his season, his goals. But all he could think about was Amelie.

—Ready for the questions, Norris?— Carlos chuckled from beside him as he took a seat at the table.

Lando flashed a grin. —Always.—

But Carlos could tell something was different. Lando wasn’t his usual, carefree self. He was… lighter, like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. And Carlos, being Carlos, had a pretty good idea why. The rumors about Amelie and Rodrigo had been circulating for a while, and Carlos had known before anyone else that something was going on. He had seen how Lando had reacted when he first heard the news, the barely concealed hope in his eyes that maybe, just maybe, Amelie was finally single again.

Lando settled into his seat, crossing his arms over his chest, trying to look casual as the media session began. His eyes flicked over to Carlos, who gave him a knowing smirk. Lando shot him a glare, though it didn’t have the usual edge. He couldn’t help it. His mind was elsewhere.

Carlos leaned in slightly, keeping his voice low enough so only Lando could hear. —You’ve got a stupid grin on your face, mate. I know why.—

Lando bit back a laugh, a little nervous but trying not to show it. —I don’t know what you’re talking about.—

Carlos raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. —The break-up news. You’re telling me you’re not at least a little excited?—

Lando’s smile faltered for a split second. —I don’t know. I mean... yeah, sure, I’m happy for her, if that’s what she wants, you know?—

Carlos leaned back in his chair, clearly enjoying this. "Right. But also, it’s not like you’ve been completely ignoring it. You heard the rumors a while ago, yeah?"

Lando bit his lip, glancing around as the media settled in, beginning their usual string of questions. His mind was still caught in the whirlwind of possibility. —Yeah, I heard it, but… I didn’t want to believe it, you know? Like, I didn’t want to get my hopes up.—

—You do that a lot,— Carlos said with a grin, though his tone was softer now. —I think you’ve been hoping for this for a while.—

Lando’s fingers drummed against the table, though his focus was far away from the questions that were being asked. His thoughts were a blur. He couldn’t stop thinking about her, the idea that Amelie might actually be single again. The thought made him feel alive, but it also brought a flood of old memories, the times they’d spent together before everything fell apart. He remembered how easy it had been then, how simple it had seemed to be with her, even if they both denied it. He remembered the nights they’d spent talking, laughing, letting their walls down with each other.

Then, he remembered the end. The painful silence after they’d both walked away, trying to convince themselves they were fine, that everything was fine. But it had never really been fine. He had wanted more. They both had.

He couldn’t help it. A part of him had never really let go.

— Do you still talk to her?— Carlos asked, his voice breaking into Lando’s thoughts.

Lando snapped back to reality. — What? No. I haven’t talked to her since the last time, you know? That was...— He stopped himself, suddenly feeling the weight of the words. That was months ago. The last time they’d seen each other was at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2022, and Amelie had acted like he wasn’t even there. The silence between them had been suffocating. He hadn’t expected it, but somehow, he had known it was coming. —It’s been a while,— he added, a little quieter than he meant to.

Carlos nodded slowly, sensing the shift in Lando’s tone. —I get it. But I know how you are, mate. You’re not fooling anyone.—

Lando’s cheeks flushed slightly, and he quickly glanced away, focusing on the flashing cameras in front of him. He wanted to brush it off, to act like it didn’t matter, but it did. It mattered more than he wanted to admit. He’d kept his distance after they broke up, but the thought of Amelie being single again made him wonder.

Could they find their way back to each other?

His heart gave a small, hopeful leap at the thought, but then the fear crept in again. What if things weren’t meant to be? What if they were too broken to fix? What if they had moved on? What if she didn’t even want to hear from him?

Lando rubbed a hand over his face, trying to shake off the anxiety building in his chest.

The questions from the media began rolling in, but Lando could barely concentrate. His rehearsed answers tumbled out on autopilot, a mix of team strategies and hopes for the weekend’s race. The usual banter with Carlos helped mask his distraction, but every now and then, his mind wandered back to her. The confirmation of her breakup had shaken something loose in him, and now, it was all he could think about.

Between questions, Carlos nudged him again, his tone light but his gaze knowing. —Mate, you’ve got to stop overthinking it. If you want to talk to her, just do it.—

Lando shot him a look, his voice dropping to a whisper. —It’s not that simple.—

Carlos shrugged, clearly amused. —It’s always been that simple. You just like to make it complicated.—

Lando didn’t respond, though he couldn’t argue. It wasn’t like he could just message her out of the blue, not after everything. What would he even say? Hey, saw you’re single again. Fancy a chat? It sounded ridiculous even in his head.

Now, sitting there in the media room, he couldn’t help but feel a flicker of hope. Maybe this was his chance. Maybe he could finally say all the things he’d been too scared to say before. But then, there was that other voice in his head, the one that reminded him of how badly things had ended between them. The arguments. The silence.

Lando shook his head, trying to snap himself out of it. He needed to focus on the race, on his performance. But every time he closed his eyes, he saw her. He remembered the way she used to look at him, the way she laughed at his stupid jokes, the way she made him feel like he could be more than just a driver, more than the guy everyone expected him to be.

And now, she was single again.

The thought both thrilled and terrified him. He didn’t know if he was ready for this, if he was ready to face her again. But a part of him wanted to try. Wanted to see if there was still something there, something worth fighting for.

As the media session wrapped up, Lando stood, stretching his arms over his head. Carlos clapped him on the back, grinning. —You’ll figure it out, mate. Just don’t fuck it up this time.—

Lando laughed, though it felt hollow. —Thanks for the vote of confidence.—

Carlos smirked, already walking away. —You’ll need it.—

Lando lingered in the room for a moment, his hands shoved into his pockets as he stared at the floor. He could hear the bustle of the paddock outside, the hum of engines and the chatter of fans. Normally, it was the kind of atmosphere that energized him, but today, it felt different. He felt... restless.

He pulled out his phone, his thumb hovering over her contact. Her name stared back at him, a name he hadn’t seen on his screen in months. He hesitated, his heart pounding in his chest. What would he even say? Would she even want to hear from him?

He locked his phone and shoved it back into his pocket, letting out a frustrated sigh. He couldn’t do this. Not now. Not yet.

Instead, he walked out into the paddock, the sunlight hitting his face as he took a deep breath. He needed to clear his head, to focus on the race weekend. But as he made his way back to the McLaren garage, he couldn’t shake the thought of her. The hope. The fear. The possibility.

Maybe we’re not meant to be, he thought again, but this time, it didn’t feel so convincing.

Maybe we are.

[superbfirnacho]

more pirates and sirens au!!

(send me asks if you want to ask questions about the au/specific detail)!

here are some character profiles, it includes their preferences, hobbies.

Nightmare

He holds a deep vengeance and hate toward everything, mostly sirens, because he believe they killed his mother.

Nightmare consumed the apple of negativity and, as he aged, he gained the funds to purchase a ship which he named the Black Crescent.

His goal is to cause chaos and hunt as many sirens as he possibly can. He can be cruel, cold, calm, manipulative when needed, and intelligent. He has also been known to have a massive ego and take great pride in what he does.

Hobbies:

Reading, he has a treasured collection of rare novels in his quarters.

Drawing, (Creds to @llamagoddessofficial for this idea) he tends to make sketches and absentminded doodles in his notebook.

Studying maps, he enjoys navigating maps to explore places he and his crew have never been before.

Killer

Killer was a land dweller that was placed under the control of a siren for many years. The siren in question forced him to commit horrible acts. After many years of this, he was driven to insanity and in a fit of rage, he killed his captor.

the mental scarring of what he went through stay with him now, and he has been known to be the most unhinged of the group.

he harbours a deep hatred of sirens, deeper then Nightmares, and joined Nightmares crew in order to assist him in eradicating them. He tends to act teasing, playful, and cheery to those at first appearance, but is secretly cunning and cold.

Hobbies:

Sharpening his knives, can’t cut up a siren good without them being sharp.

Fixing up the ship, despite the task being considered mundane and dull by most, killer find some sort of joy and fixing what was once broken.

Pranking the other crew mates, he believe there no harm in the occasional bucket of soapy water landing on someone’s head.

Horror

Horror is a land dweller that went insane after the queen of his country sentenced him to death for not providing them magical assistance, during his escape, he suffered extreme head trauma and suffers from memory lose, bouts of violence and hysteria.

He’s lost nearly his entire moral code and after starving in hiding for many years, he resorted to cannibalism to survive,

Nightmare offered his solace on his crew, promising all the food he could eat, the food being the flesh of murdered sirens, or anyone they kill. Horror can seem a lost cause to some, but he secretly craves the attention and affection he once had long ago…

Hobbies:

Cooking, he might as well make the flesh of sirens taste decently good. Him and Nightmare cook together sometimes.

Fighting, it helps him get rid of pent up emotions.

Dust

Dust is a land dweller that’s small island was taken over by a single siren.

the siren was so powerful, no one was able to death it, time after time again. So dust took it upon himself kill this siren, training day after day. Until he was so injured from fighting siren, and failing, something in him broke.

People still aren’t sure whether it was siren controlling him or just insanity. But dust went on a killing spee, murdering every single person on his island, including his one brother. And then ended the sirens life.

Dust is a very quiet individual. Some say he still sees his dead brother plagued by the guilt of his actions. Dust will rarely show emotion, and can sometimes be heard talking to himself when he’s alone.

Hobbies:

???

(find the og lore here)

[mycartoonmonster]

Like Ive stated before in this post; Bill shares one or two things with the zodiac members but if we're talking about the Pines;

Bill is detached from reality, prioritizes his fun and desires over other people's as well as rejecting that life doesn't always goes his way not unlike how Mabel would be without her family and friends and past relationship since she can accept she's wrong and decides to self improve whereas Bill doesn't, he wants things to be his way and refuses to improve

Bill's confidence in his smarts, attention to detail and knowledge does make him pridefull and arrogant with no one to call him out for it, he can be over-zealous and constantly demands to be taken seriously due to how he was treated back home but he's self centered and ruthless on the pursuit of his goals and he's not above breaking the law to have fun but to negative uncontrolling extremes like Dipper would be without his family.

Bill's mutation made him a social pariah which started his delusion that he was special hence he's arrogant and feels entitled to respect to lessen or soften the hurt he was feeling and cant let go of stuff easily, doesn't wanna admit the shame he has and refuses to admit hes wrong not unlike Ford but he didn't have any family nor genuine friends that pulled him back to reality and make him realize the error of his ways (As much of a jerk he was to McGucket, Ford let him go when he saw Fidds was hurt by his actions and didn't pursue him and he doesn't ask for forgiveness cause he feels he's not deserving of it)

Both scam and lie to people for their own benefit as a result of a mistake they did that forbides them from going back home but Stanley did it for survival (and thanks to the website we now know what stuff he had to go through) and his family whereas Bill can get by and he doesn't have a family that cares about him anymore so essentially he lost his impulse control/moral compass with the death of his family not to mention they both harmed Ford the most but Stan does know this whereas Bill refuses to accept the guilt and downplays everything he ever did to Ford and still seeks to be with him cause he sees him as his other half (in a more romantic context than a brotherly one) but Stan, although saddened by the fact Ford initially wants him out of his life, respects Ford's wishes cause it's thanks to his family that Stanley is selfless, willing to sacrifice his happiness and memories and why he got the happy ending Bill wanted.

And also he projects onto other members of the zodiac who deep down are miserable like him like Gideon and Pacifica;

Gideon was originally an outcast, just like Bill, who gained power at a very young age which speeded his growth into villany and ended up creating a rivalry with the Pines and both deeply crave connections and affection but dont know how to do it in a healthy way and damage those around them and think its the sibling of the twin they're pursuing who interposed in their relationship when in reality it was their own actions that did and both not only try to paint Stanley in a bad light but they essentially have the same plan in both seasons finale of taking over certain place and its up to the Pines to stop them and they get outdone by Stanley which makes them hate his guts for meddling with their plan for absolute power and both end up in jail where they do art therapy after failing to talk their way out of sentence.

The thing that differentiates them both is that when confronted for their actions and explained why what they want is impossible, only Gideon realizes the error of his ways and tries to do the right thing even if it ends up bad for him which is something Bill would never do.

Pacifica and Bill were nice kids before the abuse they went through by their parents (Bill's was accidental/didn't mean to but their actions hurt him and it peeved the way to his descent into villany) turned them into mean individuals who seek to hurt others to feel better about themselves and their miserable lives and both act like they dont care what others think of them but they secretly do (Bill is a monster but deep down craves connections and was hurt over his and Ford's breakup), can't admit they need help cause that would break the mask they're presenting to people which would reveal they are nothing but a weakling seeking help and the riches they have access to dont make their lifes better and they see themselves as monsters covered in blood for their sins (Euclydian's blood in Bill's case and human blood in Pacifica's case) but Bill already accepted that (cause there's no undoing what he did) but refuses to admit it whereas Pacifica suffers cause she's genuinely trying to change for the better but thankfully she's not alone in doing so (she's got the Lumberjack's spirit and she's working at Greasy's dinner and Lady Susan is a much better influence for her than Priscilla and Preston ever were); the same cant be said about Bill, I'm afraid.

And on a minor scale, Robbie and Bill are heavily inmature for relationships with both of them being jelaous of the partner's friends which did eventually lead to their demise in one way or another and it was their own actions that led to the break up which they did not take well and did message their ex in attempts to get their attention but nothing but at the very least Robbie is aware enough he cant force Wendy back into the relationship and was able to move on and find someone else whereas Bill became abusive and aggresive towards Ford to the point of physically harming him either by puppetering his body or using his neurons to cause him pain and is still down bad for Ford even 30 years later and refuses to move on hence why he tries to offer him several chances to join him as an ally or why he gets better treatment (in Bill's standards) than the townsfolk in Gravity Falls or his Henchmaniacs during Weirdmageddon.

Everything boils down to family if you think about it; Bill is shown able to form relationships and feel guilt/remorse but he's so detached from reality that he refuses to recognize his wrongs and he cant help but project onto others as soon as he sees anything that makes another person similar to him cause he cannot take or recognize the pain that he's carrying cause that would break him and unlike old times he's got no one to sing him a comforting lullaby to lessen his hurt.

No parental figure is flawless in Gravity Falls;

Dipper and Mabel's parents's troubling marriage situation does worry their kids and is why they're never homesick and they decided to focus on other stuff during their summer and why Mabel was terrified of going home all alone to a place that would be broken, she couldn't bring Waddles, she wouldn't be able to go back to the Mystery Shack next summer and she'd have to face the horrors of high school all alone (which can be pretty terrifying lemme tell you as someone who spent the first year separated from her brother and it was among the worst school years ever) and there would be no one at her birthday party to say goodbye to her.

Priscilla and Preston did abuse Pacifica by essentially treating her like a dog with a bell and installing the idea she needs to be pretty and perfect.

Bud and his wife let Gideon do as he pleases cause they're terrified of him and dont give any discipline.

Fildbrick was a bad father with his kids by constantly treating Stan badly and Ford as the golden child but not truly respecting him or valueing his wants and essentially raising them to be abuse victims throughout their adulthood (Stan was only 18 when he had to fend for himself and thanks to the website we now have clues about how awfull his expierences were in a decade of homelessness and due to his need for validation he never got from his dad, Ford became trapped in a toxic relationship with Bill where he felt he couldn't get out and was helpless and alone when facing Bill) and Carynn, as loving as she was, she couldn't stand up for her son when it mattered the most. Plus, we still dont know how bad Shermie had it between living in Ford's shadow and fearing to be a dissappointment like Stanley was, not only to his dad but the entire town he was growing up in (and doing the math assuming he's the youngest of his brothers, it would mean he got married at 19-20 and moved to California probably in an attempt to get away from it all but thankfully he broke the cycle of abuse if Mabel and Dipper's parents dont want the kids to witness their rough patch going through which shows they care for their kids)

Stanley does gaslight Dipper and lies to everyone around him in an attempt to protect them which surprise to no one did get them into trouble more than enough times that could have been avoided if Stanley warned them or how he could of told them head he had a brother sooner to save himself the trouble, not to mention he struggles with Dipper when it comes to masculinity because of how he was raised but he would never lay a hand on him like how his father did. And he does try to be a better parental figure to those closest to him like Soos or Wendy, but again its hard.

Ford, although fond of his niece and nephew, can't help but project onto Dipper a bit and is why he offers him the chance to study in Gravity Falls as his apprentice for his well being but in reality this is bad for him as its stealing Dipper the chance to grow up and miss on many life expierences he wont get to expierence if he stays in a lab (said by Alex Hirsch) and Ford doesn't take a moment to think about Mabel's feelings regarding this situation and assumes she'll be okay all on her own just like he was in collage but fully overseeing the fact that she's still 12 years old and just like his brother, Ford hides the truth in order to keep them safe but with the addition of shame for not seeing past Bill's manipulations and tricks and he cant talk openly about it cause he was never given the proper tools to deal with it and he cannot bring himself to be fully trusting his family save for Dipper aka the person that resembles him the most (not unlike Bill sharing with Ford what truly happened to Euclydia) and it's exactly that distrust which causes Weirdmaggedon.

Scalene and Euclid as well meaning as they were; medically abused their kid and installed the idea he was different from others and Billy deflected that onto him being special in order not to feel bad for not fitting in and being the weird one in his home. Worst part is that Bill seemed to be aware that as bad as his treatment was, he knew his parents wanted the best for him but went about in the worst way possible and despite everything they did to him, he still loves them as seen in how he continuosly draws red and blue triangles or the fact he's wearing what remains of them aka his bow tie and tophat and he drops the sass and becomes serious upon hearing his mother's name coming out of Time Baby's mouth. He misses home but can't return. And now their baby boy is stuck somewhere somewhat resembling the past expierences of medical abuse he had back in his childhood and he cannot get out without exterior help which he lacks and tries to convince himself he'll get out of there, but can't.

It's sad and I do pity the small child who just wanted to show others the stars Bill once was but I cannot extend the sentiment towards the sociopathic megalomaniac monster that seeks to hurt others he became later on.

....im gonna read happy fanfics to cope now.

you ever think about how bill is who the pines could have been if they didn't have any kind of support from anyone in their lives

[kimkhimhant]

kim is so fascinating because of how quickly he switches course between hot and cold. when Chay shows up at his studio, in the time between seeing him and Chay's confession, Kim fully looks like he's about to dismiss chay and send him away. and then chay confesses and kim kisses his cheek and looks delighted when chay hugs him. when they're lying on chay's couch, kim seems to be flipflopping by the second: he looks blissed out, and then regretful, and then scared, and content, and then remorseful. he smiles at the food he's served, and then the moment chay's back is turned, kim is preparing to flee. when chay confronts him outside his apartment after learning his identity, after kim fought to protect him, kim is so dismissive, at first, and then his expression shifts to something that is pure grief, and then he's brushing it off and pushing chay's hand away and saying a "sorry" that doesn't sound sincere at all even though it clearly is, based on that grief that we literally just saw.

as the audience, its so hard to know what kim is thinking through all of this. he seems to controlled and careful, but i think the rapid back and forth of his behavior and expressions is proof that he's not. someone who knows what he wants and how to get it would not be so unstable in his behavior. kim is battling himself and his feelings and his upbringing and he's a mess. everything about kim's character is a constant fight for control over everything and everyone, and i think its because in reality he feels like he has no control over anything, not even himself.

[geomimetry]

woe be upon ye

[captain-astors]

Creature. (The rendered ones are referenced from manga panels)

[icarianlibrary]

BAHAHAHA RIGHT?? Me and this other person who just YAPPING about the characters in EPIC (What I said is below) but the 3 Min slow mode was CRAZY.

Circe is so intelligently written. She is a women who only cares for things if it affects her directly, or her nymphs. Throughout the Circe Saga, we see her judge, manipulate, and almost kill Odysseus. But in the end, she ends up helping Odysseus with the divine and mutual goal of the Hatred for Poseidon. Though the dismay for him are for completly seprate reasons: Odysseys’s hatred stems from Poseidon’s ruthlessness; while on the other hand, Circe’s hatred stems throug the abuse and manipulation Poseidon puts women through, they have the understanding that they both hate Poseidon, which ultimately makes her caves. Circe is so incredibly written as an anti-villian, and recognizing that she is not confined by the boxes of “Good guy” or “Bad guy” can extremly change one’s views on her can exponentially change their view on her. Along with this, Jorge does an incredible job of writing morally ambiguous characters. Name one character who is truely the villian? You can not. Odysseus is a villian throughout the entire story to other’s around him. Poseidon is mearly avenging his son. Polities may seem like the peacemaker, but quoting Hamilton here “If you stand for nothing what will you fall for”. On the other hand Eurylechus has the Crew’s best interest in mind, but he has struggles with Hubris. Penelope unthreaded her tapestry every night in mallice to avoid the suitors. Telemachus never stood up for himself. Zeus was just going by justice and providing the best future he could with the circumstances, persuading Odysseus to kill Astynax. The gods mentioned in God Games simpily do not care for the Jouney(ssy) of Odysseus, and are overall reckless, even going so much as wishing bloodshed on others, but they also let him reign free after the convincing of Athena.

Athena is not able to understand human emotions until she meets Odysseus’s son 12 years after falling out with Odysseus because of her Apathy. Athena really only wanted Odysseus’s success though, and knew emotions would get in the way. I already covered Circe, so I’ll be skipping her. Calypso was a game for the gods. She manipulated Odysseus, but she also was longing for someone to love her. Hermes did his best to help Odysseus, but ultimately was sent in a grey area overall because of his relation to the gods. No one in EPIC is the hero, nor the villian. They’re all the puppets in someone else’s game.

NO ONE in EPIC is a redeemable character, and that’s why they’re so likeable! Odysseus has a savior-complex that he looses into a selfish reason to only save himself and his family. THE MAIN CHARACTER. The EPIC characters are so likeable because they aren’t perfect or only flaws. THAT is what builds a great chaarcter, and Jorge does a splendid job building onto that.

The thing is, even the gods are pawns in the game they created. Take Prometheus, he played the gods’ games and won. Daedlus, syphilis, all of them. We, as humans tend to gravitate towards an explanation for EVERYTHING. That is my personal belief on why the Greek myths are as they are, humans need an explaination for things! For me, as a Mormon person, my explaination lies in the hands of God, BUT in the hands of people from ancient Greece (Or modern day Hellensitic folk, hey y’all!!), that is their explaination! The myths, and every content inside are all an explaination human’s use to understand. We are the player, they are the pawns.

So NONE of my EPIC the musical mutuals were gonna tell me that an EPIC-secret-Santa-art-thingy was going on?? Hater… /j ily <33 ANYWAY take the EPIC doodles for compensation

Ignore how bad Polites is colored, I drew & colored him in a FedEx store while waiting for my father to get his order finished 🙂‍↕️

[aroacettorney]

for a character with a reputation of being extremely rational and logical, many of ludger's actions are actually quite emotionally motivated. even when he stays oblivious to his true emotions, there are still many instances where we can see how they unknowingly manifest in his actions and subtly influence his biases. i think ludger's second most toxic trait is that he tends to subconsciously cook up a seemly logical reason to spontaneously cover up his emotional ass because he cannot admit to himself that he feels emotions intensely.

exhibit A: his vengeance for arte's death required him to admit that he had a strong attachment to the kid, so he stated that eliminating the evil and offering solace to the victims were the actual reasons. counter: there were many better ways to deal with delica's incidents if his goal was simply enacting justice. even hans realised that this was a weak excuse to conceal his regrets.

exhibit B: his mercy towards aiden required him to admit his unwillingness to eliminate him, so he covered it up by reasoning that it would be too risky to take a student's life. counter: we know very well that he's fully capable of eliminating someone without leaving a trace if he puts his mind to the task.

exhibit C: his sparing casey's life twice required him to admit his disinclination to kill her, so instead, he reasoned that she was more useful alive and that her excessive pride wouldn't let her easily expose him to the public anyway. counter: strategically speaking, turning her against blackdawn was an obvious blunder. he didn't even need her to deal with them. plus, somehow he conveniently forgot at the moment that casey could still have told her best friend, terinna, about his identity regardless of the matter of pride and subjected him to even worse danger.

exhibit D: his taking owens under his wings and founding u.n. owen required him to admit his emotional bonds to them, so he claimed that he needed a strong fortress for his goals and his own protection, especially against the bretus. counter: considering his op-ness, he had never really needed protection. he also mainly tasked owens with leg work while dealing with most of the dangers by himself. he even ended up disbanding them to confront bretus on his own and telling them to prioritize their lives over his goals.

at first glance, his reasoning might seem sound and logical, but if we look at them for more than ten seconds, they are actually quite flimsy and contradictory. this is not to say he's inherently an idiot or a terrible liar. ludger's capability of reasoning is proven comparable to that of casey. he is also an excellent liar when it comes to deliberately lying to someone. but how does one reason or lie about feelings that they themselves are not even aware of?

my hypothesis:

when his suppressed emotions subconsciously influence his biases and/or manifest into his actions, ludger needs to convince himself that he is still being logical, and thus, without even realising it, he tries to rationalize them and grab onto whatever reason that momentarily sounds in his mind: why was he so dedicated to teaching his students? he couldn't get caught half-assing his job, and he wanted to earn the trust of the president. why did he save esmeralda? quasimodo annoyed him, so he had to step in. why did he delay the first princess' orders and prioritize the students' safety during the attacks on the capital? it was the princess' trusted blade himself who suggested saving the students, and not him. why did he accept casey's companionship during his moriarty's era? it was an act, and he was simply getting into his character.

whether ludger wants to admit it or not, he has always been a person moving according to his emotions. and the actual reason why we see so many inconsistencies and hypocrisies in his actions when aligning all of them together with his own logic is that his reasonings are only flimsy excuses that his subconsciousness makes up on the fly to rationalize away his repressed emotions, i.e. his strong attachments to this world.

[time-is-restored]

btw not to make everything about My Fucking Guy but i honestly think one of the things that seperates q!phil out from the other islanders is the approach he takes to dealing with the lack of agency + control all the islanders have over whatever the fuck the federation's doing.

it shows up most prominently whenever tubbo is excitedly telling him about the 'progress' he's made with cucurucho or various investigations (ie: trapping him into a corner with the 'do you have free will' questions), and phil always shoots it down w an immediate 'that doesn't mean anything. curucuho will say anything to mess with you. you can't take anything he says as true.'

and it's not that phil is... a paticularly pessimistic character? he's just EXTREMELY practical. like, he's yet to give up on anyone EVER finding ANY answers (he was the one who initially gave the federation that one week ultimatum w the cage for a cage stream), he just doesn't trust the idea that curucuho is ever going to voluntarily give them. they're uncontrollable + senseless - you might as well argue with the weather.

and like, if that's how he sees the one (1) and only point of contact the islanders HAD with the federation for months, it explains a lot abt his characters lifestyle! ofc he sits on the wall all day, talking to his kids, and keeping his head down. he believes that the federation wants nothing more than to drag the islanders into sick games + tasks just so they can fuck with their head (ie: curucuho revealing he was the one cellbit gathered all that information for). and while he can't totally PREVENT any of that from ever impacting him, he can make sure his kids are well fed, well protected, and as happy + comfortable as he can manage. this is objectively not a perfect situation, there is a guaranteed amount of suffering + fear that he can't mitigate, but he can at least account for it.

like, he REFUSES to engage. whenever curucho shows up, he treats them with total ambivalence. he's not going to get riled up by anything they do, he's not going to get super attached to the guy, he's just gonna laugh it off and irish goodbye it when things drag on. the ONLY time he's strayed from that general guiding principle has been since he's lost his eggs, and can no longer afford to let the federation's fuckery go: those are his fucking kids.

hence the completely unprecedented levels of outward rage and sadness and terror he shows throughout the birdcage streams - almost all directed directly to cucurucho. it's all a completely fair + proportional response to the horror the islanders are being subjected to, but it feels so different bc until now, q!phil has been so dedicated to not reacting, and not giving the federation any sign that they're actually getting to him.

[lohstandfound]

hm.... exploring jake as nonbinary/agender who very much performs the act of masculinity because that is what is expected of him and coming to terms that he doesn't have to be, maybe he doesn't have to force himself into that mould

[hearts401]

I love how i have pointless headcanons about gregorys transness because his whole ggy era got twisted around to me thinking about how hes trans and how that might connect with his time glitchtrapped especially since he was referred to with fem terms (in other languages but shhhhh let me have this) and how his recovery period of taking back his life could include reclaiming his gender and hitting that "tboy enough to fuck with gender without being scared of being misgendered" type thing and thats why i find any headcanons of him wearing skirts/makeup/nailpolish or other traditionally feminine things so so so special

[sskk-manifesto]

Ep 4 :)

[crossbackpoke-check]

Substance, Shadow, and Spirit [remixed, abridged] by Tao Yuanming