#which i can work w until august

[vintagelasvegas]

List: The Oldest Bars in Las Vegas

Atomic Liquors at dawn in 1993. Photo by Valentin Wuebben.

Tracking the oldest standalone bars in Las Vegas is a complicated by the matter of a few of them changing names, locations, or having fuzzy math in their own history. This list is not carved in stone but as far as I can tell the standalone bars opened prior to the '70s are ....

ATOMIC LIQUORS (917 Fremont) – opened 4/17/54. We have a longer piece covering Atomic’s history and sources for this date.

DINO’S LOUNGE (1516 S Las Vegas Blvd) – They’ve had this name since ’69, but the bar dates back to this location as Ringside Liquors since ’53, and at a previous location since the late 40s. (The last 4 digits of Dino's phone number date back to the 40s.) Their motto “Getting Vegas Drunk Since ’62” refers specifically to the business’s incorporation date. '53, '62, '69 are all correct dates depending on the details.

HUNTRIDGE TAVERN (1116 E Charleston Blvd) – circa ’62, after starting at a nearby location, 1320 E Charleston, in ’54. Founder W.L. “Buzz” Holst and family opened several drug stores and bars including the next one on this list.

DECATUR LIQUORS (546 S Decatur Blvd) – ’63

4 MILE BAR (3650 Boulder Hwy) – ’63

TAP HOUSE (5589 W Charleston Blvd) – opened as Wild Bill’s Bar in '65. It went through a few names in the 70s and has been known as Tap House since ’85.

CHAMPAGNE’S CAFE (3557 S Maryland Pkwy) – opened under a different name in ’66; Champagne’s Cafe since ‘96. It was originally Sundown Liquors and Cocktail Lounge opened in ’66, a liquor store up front and a lounge in the back. It was combined into one room that exists today and was previously known as Jerry’s Inner Circle (’68), Huey’s Saloon (’77), Jerry’s Saloon (’87), Ole Inner Circle (’93), and Champagne Charlie’s.

FRANKIE’S (1712 W Charleston Blvd) – Frank August opened Frankie’s Cocktails in '68. It’s been known as Frankie’s Tiki Lounge since 2009.

A couple in '70 ...

Hard Hat Lounge (1675 S Industrial Rd) – ’70. Their “Est. '62” motto works as a reference both to their ’62 building and to the beloved ’62 mural in the bar which came from its previous location under the name Bourbon Street Lounge. The building was home to The Coffee Pot and Squaw's Corner, until the owners of Bourbon Street Lounge moved here and opened Hard Hat Lounge.

Starboard Tack (2601 Atlantic St) – also opened in ’70 according to some records, or ‘71 at the latest. Their website says “since ’72.”

Elsewhere ...

Pioneer Saloon (Goodsprings NV) - Built by George Fayle circa '13, without a doubt the oldest bar in Clark County, Nevada.

Gold Mine (Henderson NV) - "Hendertucky's Oldest Tavern," was licensed to Henderson councilman Giles L. Franklin in Sep. '65.

Not quite on the Oldest Bar list ...

70s: Red Dwarf (1350 Vegas Valley Dr). Opened in '73 as The Rib Cage, and also known as Penthouse '77, Keyboard Lounge '79 owned by Harry Wham, and the Smuggle Inn from the '80s-2010s when the bar also sold cocaine. Red Dwarf took over in the 2020s.

70s: Double Down Saloon (4640 Paradise Rd). There was a bar here called John John’s Cocktail Lounge here in '74, then it was called Dreamworld which might have been a disco. For many years in between it was a restaurant rather than a bar. Double Down opened in ’92.

80s: Sand Dollar Lounge (3355 Spring Mountain Rd). Similar to Hard Hat, Sand Dollar's motto “Est. ‘76” may refer to the building itself. Sand Dollar Lounge opened in ‘83 and there was no bar, lounge, or music venue at this location prior to Sand Dollar.

90s: The Hideaway Tavern (3369 Thom Blvd). Their motto is “Friendliest bar in town since '62,” however Hideaway opened in a new building in the 90s. The '62 date refers to the property history. In '63 (not '62) a building was relocated here from downtown’s “old ranch” aka the Old Mormon Fort State Park. The building that was moved from the old ranch was a 50s-era structure for a restaurant connected to the ranch house. At 3369 Thom Blvd the building was repurposed by Larry LaPenta as into Lorenzo’s dinner club, later know as Old Ranch House Supper Club, and Larry’s Old Ranch House. It was demolished in the 90s, and replaced by a new building which opened as Larry’s Hideaway. After a change of ownership it became The Hideaway Tavern. The changes to the structures can be seen in USGS aerial photos, and Clark County Assessor dates The Hideaway Tavern to '93.

Missing any?

This started as a post on Vintage Las Vegas Instagram. Thanks to CityCast Las Vegas: An Inside Look at the Oldest Dive Bars in Vegas.

4 Mile Bar, '86. Photo by Chelsea Miller. Neon in Nevada Photograph Collection (PH-00225), UNLV Special Collections.

[earthnashes]

I needed examples for a new commission type bracket I'm adding to my website, so these brave souls stepped forth and allowed me to experiment/test them out with their characters! The owners of these lovely ladies, in order, are: PyritKyrit, ChibiCreates, BoxofFoxes, and Daughteromega! Thank you all so much for being my test subjects! ;w;

I do these "EXAMPLES NEEDED" commissions on occasion to answer following questions: -How long will this take me from start to finish? -How do I want them to look across the board? -Is the test price an appropriate price for the piece, or should it be lower/higher?

It's basically my form of quality control to make sure I'm offering something that looks good/has a consistent baseline look, is fun for me to draw, and is priced fairly for both myself and the potential client based on the hours worked. It also gives me the perfect excuse to experiment with new potential commission types! :)

As you can clearly see, this time the test was for Lineart commissions. I've done them in the past, but they never felt uniform enough to properly gauge a price as well as give an acceptable example to really show folks what they'll get from me. So this was me sitting down and giving myself specific parameters to stick to when I do these commissions, and those parameters are "toned lineart". Lineart with some flat toning/shaded added for extra sauce.

BUT YE! I had a fuckin blast working on these. My August commissions will be opening within the next couple of weeks, in which these badboys will make their debut! Keep your peepers open for more info on that later, and until then I hope ya'll enjoy the art! More to come soon! :)

[xsatoru]

count ⭒ kento nanami

TW: smut (minors dni), edging, denied orgasm, biting, lil tiny bit of pain kink, reader is kinda fucked dumb, and some wee degradation mixed w/ "punishment", you know kento's just sweetly mean and ultimately puthy drunk sjskkaks

A/N: bajsksks this is my debut on this blog and in the jjk fandom i'm saur nervous lol 🫣 but i had this thought n couldn't get it out my head...

nanami kento is the type to make you count — out loud — each and every one of his thrusts.

he's so mean, finding a sick satisfaction in the way you struggle to keep track. but of course, it's expected to be much too hard on focusing how many times his thick cock deliciously bullies the soft, gummy walls of your cunt.

kento isn't faring too much better himself, pussy drunk as always when you're just so tight and warm and wet. his dick slips in and out with ease, sweet hole molded perfectly for the hefty girth with how long he's worked to split you open. he loves to switch up his technique for shits and giggles, keep your cunt guessing, and that pretty little head of yours thinking despite the way it's utterly melting.

"f-fifteen!" you squeal out at the particularly hard but slow thrust that drags the swollen in and up, up, and up until the tip of his cock can relentlessly massage that bundle of nerves you never truly are able to reach on your own.

your lover keeps his hips flexed, pressed snug against yours and brushes back sweaty, disheveled bangs from all the exertion. he can feel how he twitches repeatedly in tandem with the spasms of your squishy pussy, desperate to milk him for all he's worth and drain him dry.

he snarls, "what a greedy lil cunt," and braces his muscles. looming over your prone figure sprawled on the bed and calculates his next move.

"sixt-teen! seven-seven...teen!! eight... eight... eight...!"

oh, kento's brutal. he laughs without humor, hips only continuing to pick up their onslaught of a pace. aggressive thrusts that cause your cunt to pitifully weep and squelch in delirium. the rate at which he slams into you would almost hurt if he thankfully wasn't cushioned between your plush thighs, a crazed smile growing on the depraved man's handsome face at the way your tits jiggle in time with the sound of skin smacking harshly against skin.

"silly thing, fucked too dumb to count properly." then he coos, sarcastic words laced in faux saccharine. "are two-digit numbers too hard for you?"

you whimper, tears pooling in your eyes and cling to his broad shoulders. "ken, kento... ah, please!"

"let me help you, precious," he whispers reassuringly and your legs squeeze around his waist in appreciation and anticipation.

your darling, lovely, wonderful kento. surely, he'll let you finally cum...!

the weight of his strong body pushes your back deep down into the mattress, pelvis flush against yours. happy trail tickles at your sensitive, puffy clit. he doesn't pull back no matter how much you whine and writhe beneath him, pussy clenching uncontrollably at another ruined orgasm.

curse his damn stamina and sadistic attitude!

"kento, no...!"

"and how many was that?"

"f-four," you sniffle pitifully.

"smart baby, what a lucky guess. so you do know how to count!

he rewards you with a nip to your tender breast, slightly taking away the pain of edging with a sting elsewhere. with it comes a muddled clarity that will help clear your brain.

it's all part of the game. and nanami kento is a man that never loses.

"shall we try double-digits again?" he teases, adoring the way your eyebrows scrunch and your lower lip juts out in a pout. even more in love with the scratches of honor from your nails digging into his back when he begins to grind against you. "something tells me you just might finally get it right this time, sweetheart."

xsatoru: August 2023 ©

[anotherhumaninthisworld]

Frev friendships — Simonne Évrard and Albertine Marat

[Albertine] had come to Paris after the death of her brother, at the request of Madame Marat who had written her letter after letter asking her to come and replace her brother with her. One day I said to her:“But, Mademoiselle Marat, you say that you came to Paris after Marat's death, however, I read a book where the author says that you attended his wedding with your brother.” - “He lied about it, Madame!”she replied. And, you see, Mademoiselle Marat was incapable of lying.  1847 interview of a woman who had lived neighbor with Simonne and Albertine, cited in Marat et ses calomniateurs ou Réfutation de l’Histoire des Girondins de Lamartine (1847) by Constant Hilbe. Nicolas Villiaumé, who met Albertine in her old days, him too specified that she came to Paris in 1793 on page 50 of his Histoire de la Révolution française: 1789 — 1796 (1850). But on page 279 of the same work, Villiaumé also has Albertine say she had talked to her brother ”the day before his death,” so it’s still unclear what exactly should be believed here.

We therefore declare that it is with satisfaction that we fulfill the wishes of our brother by recognizing citoyenne Évrard as our sister, and that we will hold as infamous those of her family members who does not share the feelings of esteem and gratitude that we owe her, and if against our expectation there could be some, we ask that their names be known, as we do not want to share their infamy.  Written in Paris, August 22, second year of the republic.  Marie-Anne Mara (sic) f. Oliver   Albertine Mara (sic)  Jean-Pierre Mara (sic) Decree signed by Albertine, her brother and sister on August 22 1793, cited in this article by marat-jean-paul.org.

Finding no recourse except in the poor, [Marat] would have succumbed to his misfortunes. People, your good genius decided otherwise: he allowed a divine woman, whose soul resembled his own, to consecrate her fortune and her rest to keep you your friend. Heroic woman, receive the homage your virtues deserve: yes, we owe it to you. Inflamed with the divine fire of freedom, you wanted to preserve its most ardent defender. You shared his fate and his tribulations: nothing can stop your zeal, you sacrifice to the Friend of the People, and the fear of your family, and the prejudices of your century. Forced here to circumscribe myself, I would wait for the moment when your virtues will appear in all their brilliance. Albertine in Réponse aux détracteurs de l’Ami du Peuple (1793)

Your name, your adress, your means of living? I’m 36 years old, I have a pension, I live with my sister on rue Saint-Jacques, n 674, division of Thermes. […] Where were you on 3 nivôse (December 24)? […] I soaped the whole day, I wasn’t finished until nine in the evening. My sister had only her lamp, she works at the horology. I only went out to buy a bottle of wine, and I supped with my sister. I haven’t received three people in one décade. Who are the people you have been seeing since one month? We only see citoyen Ranus, a watchmaker who lives on rue de la Barillerie who provides work for my sister. There came a citizen from our country who’s name I don’t remember. […] Interrogation of Simonne held December 30 1800, cited in Le Charivari: publiant chaque jour un nouveau dessin, November 27 1780.

I have reason to believe that the widow Marat was not an ordinary woman, because her sister-in-law spoke to me about her with enthusiasm. Albertine religiously kept all that had belonged to her. I was personally charged in the last years of her life, when necessity compelled her to do so, to sell various objects and clothes which came from her, which were of a certain elegance and of great distinction. Letter from M. Goupil-Louvigny to François Chèvremont June 11 1866, cited in in this article by marat-jean-paul.org.

-[Albertine] was not happy, and she died in great destitution. -I was told that her sister-in-law, Madame Marat, lived with her. -Yes, Madame, she died here. -What kind of woman was she? -Oh! Madame, she was an excellent woman. You know, we called her Madame Marat, but she was not his wife, she was his maid. However, I assure you that she did not look like a maid; she was very distinguished; she never spoke to anyone. This poor woman died after falling down the stairs. -Was she beautiful? -Beautiful!…she was very good (très bien)! she was angelically sweet. -Did they work for a living? -Madame Marat did not work. Mademoiselle Marat made watch hands; she even made some for my brother and my godfather. Madame Marat took care of the home. -Did they stay in this house for a long time? -Mademoiselle Marat stayed here for about forty years; her sister died long before her. This is how they came here: they had rented under the name of the demoiselles Albertine. One day, there is a knock on our door, my mother goes to open it, the person on the other side asks for Mademoiselle Marat. I will not hide from you, Madame, that my mother had a horror of this name Marat, who had caused so many people to be guillotined... My mother received the person very badly and told him that there was no tenant of this name in the house. The person insisted and described what the two ladies were like. Yes, said my mother, we have two people like those you describe to me, but they are the demoiselles Albertine; they live on the fourth floor above the mezzanine, the door on the right. The next day, my mother called the grocer from downstairs: “What is this,” she said, “so we have Marats in our apartment? you rented to the demoiselles Marat!!!” — “But no, Madame, I rented to the demoiselles Albertines” Later, as they were very quiet people, we greeted them in the stairwell. My father and my godfather gave them work, but they didn't speak to each other. […] [Albertine] had a portrait of Marat by David, she also had a portrait of Madame Marat that was very pretty. She often told me: ”I shall burn this portrait.” - ”Oh, mademoiselle Marat, that would be unfortunate, it’s so good!” - ”To who do you want me to give this…?” -Do you know if she burned it? -I don’t know, but I think so, because when she said she would do something, she did it. 1847 interview of a woman who had lived neighbor with Simonne and Albertine on 33 Rue de la Barillerie, where the two moved sometime after 1800. cited in Marat et ses calomniateurs ou Réfutation de l’Histoire des Girondins de Lamartine (1847) by Constant Hilbe. 

[lucy90712]

Can you do a Jude Bellingham imagine where his girlfriend is very burnt out from school. They do long distance so she tries to get everything done so she can go spend time with him & watch him play. One day when she lands to watch him play against Barcelona he finds her stress crying in the room alone because she tries to be there for everyone around her but it’s costing her to stress out about getting things in on time. Somehow Jude calms her & they enjoy their day before he plays against Barcelona.

Thank you

-a very stressed & burnt out student

A/n: this is me right now too, I hope things get easier for you soon

WC: 2.0k The last few weeks maybe even months have been so stressful. Ever since I went back to university I have done nothing but go to classes and study. I know it's my final year but I didn't think it would be this difficult but there is just so much to do between assignments for classes and preparations for my dissertation. For the first few weeks I feel like I was coping pretty well but recently it's all just hit me like a truck and now I feel like I'm drowning in books and being suffocated by deadlines. 

To make it all 100 times worse where I chose to go to uni is away from my family and very far from my boyfriend. Don't get me wrong I love it here but at times like this I just wish that I had someone here to tell me it's all going to be ok. I've been really missing not just my family but my boyfriend Jude as well, I haven't seen Jude since before I came back to uni which was at the end of august and it's been killing me. I also haven't been able to talk to him as much as I would like as I've been really busy and he's been busy too with his move to Real Madrid and having to get used to living and playing over there. 

These last few months have been hard on our relationship, even though we've been long distance for a few years now we have never gone this long without seeing each other and the fact that we haven't talked as much hasn't helped. Finally we are going to see each other though as I'm flying over to see him play and just to spend a few days with him which has got me through the last few days. In order to be able to go and see Jude I have been working extra hard to get my work done as I want to actually spend time with him which I can't do if I have assignments to do but it's been difficult. All week I've only left my apartment to go to classes and I've pulled far too many all nighters but I've got quite a lot done so I guess it's somewhat worth it although I still have some things to do. 

I had an alarm set to wake me up before my flight but it wasn't needed as I'd been awake all night packing and doing uni work. The worst part was despite all my hard work I had to pack a few of my textbooks and my laptop as I didn't manage to finish everything in time. I tried to put that behind me though as I got to the airport because I still want to enjoy my time with Jude and if I'm stressed and feeling down then I'm not going to make the most of the time which I really do want to do. Jude has been telling me all week how much he's been looking forward to today he promised me that we was going to get up early to pick me up from the airport before he has to go to training which is how I know he's serious as he hates getting up in the morning. 

~~~~~~~~~~

After a few hours in the air I landed on Spanish soil and somehow I immediately felt a bit more relaxed as I knew it was only a matter of time until I would be in Jude's arms which is exactly what I need. As I got off the plane I text Jude to let him know I had landed which he answered right away telling me he was already waiting for me in the arrivals lounge with a disguise on so he didn't get recognised. Knowing he was waiting for me made me walk a bit quicker to collect my bag and once it was in sight I grabbed it and ran towards where Jude would be waiting for me. 

It took me a minute to find Jude but eventually I saw him stood with a hat and sunglasses on which didn't offer much of a disguise but he wasn't surrounded by people so clearly it does something. Once he saw me coming he swiftly made his way over until he was close enough to pick me up and nearly kill me with how tightly he held me. It felt so good to be in his arms again and smell his cologne it made me feel like I was home again which is exactly what I've been needing. Jude held onto me for a good while before he took my bag in one hand and my hand in the other leading me out to his car which was parked outside. Once we got in the car Jude leaned straight over the centre console and smashed his lips onto mine which led to us making out for a bit too long so we had to rush back to Jude's place on he could drop me off before going to his training session. 

Once Jude had left I went and made myself some breakfast as I didn't have time to eat before I left and I had to make myself a cup of tea because despite being in Spain I'm still British and we can't go a day without a cup of tea. Jude knows me well enough that he had brought a new pack of my favourite tea and put it on a shelf he knows I can reach along with a mug which he had clearly just brought for me. I enjoyed my cup of tea before I took my bag upstairs to go and unpack. To my surprise the room was quite clean and Jude had cleaned out one of his draws for me, well not quite there was a few hoodies and t shirts in there still but he left me a note telling me I can wear them so they are mine now. Of course I had to put a hoodie on before starting to unpack all of my stuff. 

I unpacked most of my stuff pretty quickly but then I got to the bottom of my suitcase and saw just how many text books and folders I had to pack. Seeing it made the realisation hit me that I still have so much work to do and once again all of the stresses started weighing down on me like it was physically crushing me. All week I've been so deep into work mode I bottled up all my emotions but now they are all coming out at once and for some reason I can't stop crying. It's like all of the pressure and stress has finally reached the surface and the mental breakdown all my friends warned was coming has finally arrived. I've never felt so overwhelmed in my life and I just don't know how to cope all I do know is that I need to get myself together before Jude gets back as I don't want to worry him plus I want to enjoy our time together. 

My attempts to calm myself down didn't go well if anything I just got more overwhelmed and cried more. I was so in my own world that I completely lost track of time so when I heard the front door close and Jude call my name I panicked. As his footsteps got closer to the bedroom I desperately tried to wipe the tears from my face but then I realised my eyes would still be all red so I just put the hood on the hoodie up to try and cover my face.

"Hi darling do you need any help unpacking?" Jude asked a he walked in 

"N-no I'm f-fine" I sniffled

"Babe what's wrong?" He asked clearly concerned 

"Nothing" I said 

"I know you're lying to me I can hear you sniffling what's made you so upset you know you can tell me anything" he said trying to make me open up

"I'm sorry I'm just stressed I've got so much work to do for uni I worked so hard all week so we could actually spend some time together but I couldn't finish everything and now I have loads of texts books in my suitcase and I'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed I'm really sorry I'm ruining our time together" I rambled 

"Hey hey slow down it's ok there's no need to be sorry it's ok tell me exactly what's going on and we can fix it together" Jude comforted 

"I still have two assignments I need to finish before the end of the week and I'm so exhausted from pulling so many all nighters but I just want to actually spend some time with you because I've really missed you" I said a bit more calmly this time 

"Ok we can work this out I know you're tired but how about I help you finish those assignments then we can just have a relaxing evening together get some sleep and be ready to do something together tomorrow" Jude suggested 

"That sounds good" I said 

Jude then picked me up and sat me on his bed before grabbing my laptop and books for me. I explained to him what I needed to do and then we go to work together. One of my assignments I just needed to reread so Jude did that for me to make sure there were no mistakes then I just needed to finish one other assignment and then do the same. Jude was so helpful and read the parts of my textbooks I needed to me while I typed and he let me talk through my ideas with him even though he doesn't understand what I'm studying. In just over and hour we were done and I instantly felt so much better and when Jude started giving me kisses I felt even better. 

 Being the amazing boyfriend that he is Jude got some chocolate from downstairs for me to eat while he ran a bath for the both of us to share. It was only when Jude came to ask me which bubble bath I prefer that I realised just how much he had brought for my visit. He doesn’t like to take baths so he wouldn’t have bubble bath just lying around and the chocolate I was eating was my favourite one so he must’ve got that especially for me as well. Jude is such a sweet boyfriend all the time but little things like this just make me realise how truly perfect he is and it makes me so grateful that I ended up with Jude as I know he truly cares for me. 

Once the bath was ready Jude helped me get in then he got in himself and sat behind me letting me rest my back against his chest. The entire atmosphere was so relaxing which helped me finally let go of all the stress and anxiety that has been fuelling me for the last few weeks. Nothing needed to be said either both of us were more than content just sitting there in silence as Jude’s fingers played with the rings on my hand especially the promise ring which he gave me last Valentine’s Day which I think is my favourite piece of jewellery I own. After a while of just relaxing Jude started to wash my body for me which meant I didn’t have to move at all as his hands gently rubbed over my skin. 

Once the both of us were clean we got out the bath and Jude gave me some of his clothes for me to put on which I very happily did. He then picked me up and carried me downstairs to the sofa where he piled blankets on top of me before sitting down and spreading them out properly. All of the sudden I felt the tiredness take over so I snuggled up to Jude and just let my eyes close and sleep consume me. Just as I was drifting off I felt Jude kiss the top of my head and whisper I love you which put a smile on my face just as I went into a dreamland. 

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Five Fics Friday: August 16/24

Happy Friday Everyone!! Check out these fics to start off your weekend!!! Hope you enjoy!!!

RECENT MFLs

John's Wedding Speech by jawnscoffee (G, 790 w., 1 Ch. || Wedding Fluff) – Maybe I shouldn’t have let my husband hold his speech first because it’s way harder to leave a good impression when there’s already a winner.

Show Me Your Flaws by holmesian_love (NR, 8,271+ w., 2/14 Ch. || Coffee Shop AU || WIP || Angst with Happy Ending, Alternate First Meeting, Developing Relationship, Musician Sherlock, Friendship) – John Watson is lost in the world. Back from Afghanistan as an invalided soldier, with no purpose in life, he takes up a suggestion from an old friend and tries a bit of a life change. Only now, he finds himself stuck in a new, tedious situation with no money or friends. That is, until a dark, talented stranger crosses his path and suddenly life doesn’t seem quite so boring anymore. But how can John begin to win over someone like that, when he feels so flawed? And how can he capture the attention of the dashing man who keeps disappearing…

John's Legacy by BakerTumblings (M, 19,035 w., 3 Ch. || Inspired by Fanfic, IVF, Parenting, Surrogacy, Fluff) – Inspired by Nature and Nurture. This fanfic tackles life at Baker Street set after the British Government "accidentally" cloned Sherlock Holmes. Oliver Watson-Holmes lives with his two fathers and it about to embark on a whole new way of life. This story is less about Oliver (although he is a wonderful child) and deals with Sherlock's endeavor to gift John with a biologic child. Oh, and he never said anything about it to John.

Always a Soldier by Lock_John_Silver (E, 21,252+ w., 6/8 Ch. || WiP || POV Alternating, Developing Relationship, Nightmares, Sherlock's Violin, Caring Sherlock, Case Fic, Minor Character Death, Letters, Sherlock's Military Kink, Travel, Language Kink, Paris, Jealous John, BAMF Sherlock, Sherlock Speaks French, Twins, Dinner / Wine/ Food, Crime Scenes, Voice Kink, Hugging, Sightseeing, Idiots in Love, First Kiss, Childhood Memories, Military Uniforms, Captain Watson, First Time, Fluff and Smut, Blow Jobs, Friends to Lovers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, John's a Mess, Endearments, Sherlock's a Mess, Past Unhealthy Relationship, Sherlock's Mind Palace, Swimming, Topping from the Bottom, Anal Fingering, Excursions) – Mycroft arrives at Baker Street with disturbing news which even Sherlock can’t ignore. Going abroad, even when the circumstances are horrible, might be just what both he and John need to avoid stagnation.

Kinesis by StellaCartography (E, 35,641+ w., 13/28 Ch. || WiP || Johnlock and Mystrade || Post S4, Dissociation, Workaholic, Canon Compliant, Job Loss, Alternating POV, Vacation, Road Trips, Fishing, Card Games, Camping, Coffee Shops, Massage, Homophobia, Getting Caught in the Rain) – After the events at Sherrinford, Mycroft experiences intense scrutiny at work. As his position becomes increasingly precarious, he tries to investigate the source of the threat, but is thwarted at every turn. With his career and his mental health in shambles, can Mycroft open himself to a personal life he's been neglecting for decades?

[glitchy-npc]

51 from the whump prompts?

Lady Argent pays Ricardo a visit after hes been gone a few days. 1021 words, content warning for alcoholism. [A03]

51. “I thought I was better.”

Los Diablos, August 2019

Lady Argent patiently listened to the sounds of multiple locks clicking open on the door to Ricardo’s apartment. After she had asked it so nicely it only felt fair to wait and it was willing to oblige, despite its programming. Machines were often easier to talk to than people, more polite for one, straightforward, and they rarely left you to worry about them. 

Unlike Ortega. 

Striding into his apartment the door slid back into place, locks resetting. It didn’t take long to find Ricardo, the soft snoring a dead giveaway. Staring down at him where he laid sprawled out on his couch, the former Marshal looked nothing like he did at HQ, the cocky confidence he always wore when in uniform, and even less like his airbrushed counterpart from the covers of magazines. Here he looked…fragile. Disheveled hair sticking to his forehead, a day or two's worth of stubble on his jaw, expensive shirt creased in whatever shape he had collapsed in. The smell of alcohol made her wrinkle her nose. 

The sight of him made her heart twinge. It also pissed her off. 

She made no attempt to quiet her footsteps as she stomped towards the kitchen throwing open the cabinet door with a loud enough bang that it should have woken him but didn’t. She filled a glass to the brim with tap water and when she returned to the couch, dumped its contents squarely onto his face. 

She didn’t flinch at the string of spluttered Spanish curses or the lightning that danced around his knuckles as Ricardo jerked back to consciousness. Attempting to wipe water from his eyes it took him a moment to focus on his assailant.

“Angie? What the hell…?” There was far more confusion than heat in his words.

“I think that should be my line.” She crossed her arms over her chest, still standing. It wasn’t often she got to loom over him and she was going to make the most of it. 

“How…did you get into my apartment?” He glanced over at the door that had betrayed him.

“Your security isn’t as good as you think.” She tapped clawed fingers against her own arm, not caring if the sound made him wince.

“So to what do I owe such a nice, unexpected visit?” He tried to push wet hair back from his forehead and throw on a smile, neither of which were very successful.

“Don’t get cute with me Ricardo-”

“You think I’m cute?” This time the smile fit. But Argent wasn’t going to fall for it. 

“You know damn well why I’m here!” She needed to pace if she wasn’t going to slap that stupid smile off his face. “Herald and I have been pulling double shifts because you haven’t bothered to show up to work in days!”

“Ah…sorry about that.” He at least had the decency to look guilty but that only pissed her off more.

“Sorry!?” She stopped pacing to give him an incredulous look until he looked away. “The entire team has been worried about you and picking up your slack and all because you’re what…getting day drunk at home!?”

“Listen…”

“No, you listen! No one wants to go through this shit again! I thought you had quit.” That was only half true. Cut back maybe, at least had it under control. Self control was something she understood intimately. She expected better from him. Maybe that wasn’t fair but what is?

“Look I didn’t exactly plan for this I just…” He trails off, leaving her to pick up the pieces. This isn’t a conversation he wants to have but he's getting it anyway.

“What happened?” Her words are sharp but she sits down on his coffee table to face him directly, no longer looming. “Talk to me.” She added, softer. 

Ricardo’s sigh was heavy as he started to worry at the emitters on his hands. Nervous, vulnerable, Argent wouldn’t want to be in his shoes right now but he got himself into this mess, he can at least try to get out.

“I…thought I was better but…I thought I saw him again…my old partner.” The admission is barely above a whisper.

Argent sighed heavily through her nose. So that was it, a relapse, enough to induce the hallucinations again. It stung more than she thought it would. How long can you watch someone you care about destroy themselves over a pain you can’t share?

“Ricardo…”

“I know what you’re thinking but I swear I was stone sober at the time!” He tried to meet her gaze, to will her to believe him. 

“So what's this then?” She kicked the tequila bottle next to the foot of the couch, finding it empty.

“That was an experiment…a stupid one.” He scratched the back of his neck, looking even more sheepish than he had before.

“I won’t argue that, but you're going to need to explain it.”

“I guess I thought that…maybe if I was drunk I could force it, prove it wasn’t real. Just my brain playing tricks again.”

“You’re right, that is stupid.”

“Y’know with the whole tough love thing there's supposed to be a little bit more of the latter…” He chuckles a little and it doesn’t sound fake.

“That I’m here is proof of that.” Matter of fact, no need to get mushy about it.

“You’re right and…thank you Angie, for checking in on me. I’ll get my head back on straight, I promise.”

“I’ll hold you to that.” She reached out to touch his knee, giving it a gentle squeeze. She wasn’t normally one for physical contact but he needed it. Maybe so did she. 

As she rose to make her way to the door she looked back over her shoulder, the fond smile on his face making her heart twinge again. “You better show up early tomorrow, I plan on being late. I’m sleeping in.” 

“Yes, mam” He replied in as military a voice as he could muster. Argent snorted and rolled her eyes as she left, hoping he’d keep his promise.

[cuttergauthier]

Treated Like A Princess

Gabe Perrault x Female Reader

Warning: fluff, cursing, Mention of ex, Mention of abuse from ex, Mention of alcohol

word count: 1.3k

let me know what you guys think🤍

Gabe and I have been dating for the past 8 months. We met when Gabe played for the NTDP last year. We had to do a project together in school so we got close. I had broken up with my abusive boyfriend about 3 months earlier so I wasn’t looking for a boyfriend, but Gabe made me change my mind.

After a month of knowing Gabe and him trying to ask me out on a date, I told him about my ex which isn’t something I like to talk about but for some reason I knew I could trust Gabe so I told him. Gabe was angry at my ex which is understandable, and he also promised me he would never hurt me and if I gave him a chance he could prove it. 

I ended up giving him a chance and it’s probably one of the best decisions I could have made, he treats me like a princess everyday. He asked me to be his girlfriend last May.

In high school we would go to some of the same places we just never saw each other, until we started working on a project together. We found out that we were both about to start our freshman year of College at Boston College.

We spent most of the time during summer that he wasn’t training together. When we got to Boston College at the end of August we saw each other as much as we could before he got too busy with hockey and me with school.

His teammates are all pretty great. Him and the rest of the Freshman all live in dorms close to each other so I've been spending a lot of time there instead of my dorm. I got pretty close to them, they're great guys, they’re always doing something stupid. 

…

Tonight the hockey team was throwing a party after their big win, since I’m dating Gabe I always go. 

Thankfully the party was at the Seniors house. Gabe told me he would meet me at my dorm room before going to the party. I had taken my car to the arena, I went back to my dorm room so I could change before making my way to Gabe’s dorm room. I was laying on Gabe’s bed scrolling through TikTok waiting for him to get home.

At around 10:00 p.m. his bedroom door opened and Gabe walked in. I looked up from my phone and smiled at him. He dropped his bag at the end of the bed on the floor, before he made his way to me, placing a kiss on my forehead.

“Sorry it took so long, some of the guys needed a drive so Ryan went to drive them to the dorms to get change before coming back here” he said.

“No worries. What time is everyone going to start showing up?” I asked.

“Soon we can make our way there as soon as I get changed.” he said

He was looking in his closet for jeans and a tee shirt, he turned around and chuckled at me.

“What?” I looked at him confused.

“The team is already there, they have been setting up for a little bit, did you not see the text in the group chat” he said laughing. I shrugged.

“I don’t know… I was scrolling through TikTok so I didn’t see it,” I said , smiling shyly. 

Was I that focussed on Tiktok that I didn’t realize they were texting in the group chat? 

I’ve been in a group chat with Ryan, Will and Gabe since the UNTDP days. 

Once Gabe was changed he grabbed my hand.

“Come on, let's go to the party” he said smiling.

I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before I let him walk us to the party.

“This party is going to be pretty big tonight so stay by me please or if you go somewhere make sure you’re with one of the girls” he said and I nodded. 

I’ve always been scared that I might run into my ex boyfriend at Boston College parties since he also goes here, thankfully Gabe always keeps an I on me and most of the parties the guys throw they make sure he doesn’t get in, but tonight is also an open house, so anyone could show up.

We made our way to the kitchen, Gabe took a drink for himself then handed me one. I stayed with him as we talked with Drew and Will. Ryan and his girlfriend Julie made their way to us. 

I talked with Julie while the guys talked with Ryan.

Gabe had his arm around me, we stood in the kitchen next to the counter after the others left to talk to other people.

I was looking around to see if I could possibly see some of my other friends, until my eyes landed on my ex. 

I really hoped he wouldn’t be here, I hope that he knew I was dating one of the guys so wouldn’t come anywhere near me since Gabe could beat him up.

I stood still in shock with my eyes wide. Gabe noticed I wasn’t answering him so he looked at me concerned. He looked to try and find what I was looking at when I felt his body tensed. 

Gabe put his drink on the counter, took mine and did the same before taking my hand and leading me towards the stairs. 

He stopped by Cutter and Charlie before telling them something, I didn’t hear what he said. All I saw was them nodding before he dragged me out of the party and to his dorm room, thankfully it wasn’t far away, but I’m stuck in shock so I didn’t realize how fast the walk went.

He sat me down at the end of his bed before squatting down in front of me. He put both his hands on my cheeks so I could look him in the eyes.

“Hey beautiful, look at me, you have to breath” he said softly 

I took a deep breath. He nodded.

“Just like that… keep doing it”

I did it a few more times, Before I was able to calm down.

“Are you doing better?” He asked

I nodded.

“Thank you, I didn’t think I would actually see him here” I said slowly.

“You don’t have to thank me, Cutter and Charlie said they would handle it” he said and I nodded.

“Do you want to stay here and cuddle?” He asked again.

“Can we? It’s your team's party. I don't want you to have to stay here with me, when you should be celebrating with your team” I asked shyly. I didn’t want to ruin his night, just because mine was.

He shook his head before smiling at me. 

“Babe, I’d rather spend time with you,” he said leaning in and kissing my forehead. He got up and went to his closet and took out sweatpants and a hoodie along with my bag. He walked back to me and gave me the hoodie and my bag.

“Go change,” he said. I nodded and made my way to the bathroom. To do my skincare routine and change into comfy clothes. Once I slipped on my Pj shorts and Gabe's hoodie I went back to his room.

Gabe was laying under the bed covers scrolling through his phone. When he saw me, he put his phone on the nightstand before making a grabby hand at me.

“Come here,” he said. I made my own on the other side of the bed and god under the covers. Gabe pulled me to his chest holding me tight, I closed my eyes, with Gabe I always feel safe. 

He kissed my forehead.

“I love you so much, and I promise I will never let him hurt you again” he whispered.

“Thank you… for everything. I love you too” 

“You never have to thank me for anything. Now get some sleep, I’ll be here when you wake up” he said softly.

I fell asleep listening to his heartbeat.

[skzdiary]

all fun and games

lee! Minho

ler! Jeongin

t/w: no warnings, just soft tickles and none else! if this is not your cup of tea, feel free to scroll!

The boys finally got to a long deserved rest after the ATE comebck. It just turned august, gosh how does time flies by so fast?

All the members were out with each other at different places:

-channie and seungmin at the burger place

-han and felix at the movies

-hyunjin and changbin going for a walk

"i.n~ahhhh, looks like you stuck with me baby bread!~" the older teased jeongin and ruffled his hair with excitement that he was gonna be spending time with the maknae.

"alright, alright! enough with the hahahair! i spent a long time styling it!" the fox tried to keep a serious expression but failed due to how he cannot resist the bunnies adorable energy.

The dancer and the vocalist grasped for their belongings and they both drove all the way to the fair. It was the perfect time for them both to come, they have worked so hard and they deserve something fun!

"were here innie, where do you wanna go first? a roller coaster? hook the duck? darts?" the older was fulfilled with such excitement and could not wait any longer. He wrapped his hand around the youngers wrist and dragged him to anyone he could get to.

"whohoa! slow down hyung! what about this game?" i.n turned to lee know, standing at the game was a southern man wearing a blue dungerees and a red shirt. "roll up! roll up! hang on the bar for 3 minute to win ₩8000!" ~ "how about you do this? you work out alot, so im pretty sure your strong. pleaseeeeee hyung!" innie whined and begged the older.

"alright in~ah! ill do it, sheesh!" Minho made his way to the bar and held on, the timer started and he was dangling there helplessly. The clock was ticking and the bunnys hands were clamped to the railing, he really was intrigued to win this. "this is so easy, i can win this easily!"

Baby bread had a sneaky idea, the sly fox trotted his way infront of the dancer and lightly stroked his neck and collarbones.

"i-innie, w-what are you dohohing?" the bunnies face turned a bright crimson red and pursed his lips to prevent laughter from coming out.

“Oh nothing much hyung, just helping you win” younger laughed at Lee know trying his best to maintain his giggles. Although that didn’t go to as planned when he gently stroked his sides up and down to make it more difficult for him.

“i swear to gohohohod! cut it ohohohout”~ the older sweetly laughed to his heart contented, he really wanted to win the prize money; so he continued battling. The maknae willingly walked his fingers down to Minho’s v-line which was enough nearly enough to make him give up.

“plehehease! nohohot fair! I cahahahant!”~

“You can’t what, baby?”

“I cahahahnt take it! Stohohohop”

1 minute was remaining on the clock, Lee know had made it this far, surely he can make it to the end, right? He carried on like a champ, that was until the sneakily little vocalist massaged at his underarms. “What about here, hyung?”

Minho started laughing as loud as a hyena. This spot was his worst so it was enough to make him go ballistic. “nono-NOHOHOHO-, I JUST WANT TOHOHO WIN!”

“What do you say then?” - “PLEHEHEHEASE STOHOHOHOP!” as innie followed his request, the timer beeped and the clock has finished.

“Here’s the ₩8000! Congratulations, no one really ever wins, especially the way you just did it. Well done champ!” Lee know ended up being embarrassed but he knew he couldn’t be mad at his baby. They made their way back to the car and back to the dorms to one of the rooms where seungmin were chilling.

“What was that for?”

“What was what for?” seungmin asked curiously with a confused puppy expression.

“innie tickled me whilst i hung from a bar FOR THREE WHOLE MINUTES!” Minho smirked and gave jeongin the eyes and he just giggled.

“Ha, snooze you loose bunny!” the younger chuckled teasing the older, which he did not like.

“Oh you’re in for it now, lil pup”~ the dancer leaped and tackled the singer to the floor and started his attack.

“wait.. I’m sorry! Plehehehase! Nonono-NOGOHOHO-“

Aaaaa this isn’t the best fic I’ve written 😭👋 kinda disappointed because I could have done better but I’ve had no energy or requests and my little brain AINT BRAINING. Ah 진지하게 😭

tags: @itzsana-kiddingmenow @leeknowstan33 @minnielvr22 @hansloveleeknow @minsungii @lubieplackieverybody @jihyosdaughter @soap143 @jeonginsdiary @jihyosdaughter @leegemma @v--143 @just ngkookslipring st

[the-himawari]

A3! Spotlight Event Translation - Spotlight (Secret): Ikaruga Brothers & Hyodo Brothers & Shadows in the Moonlight (3/19)

*Please read disclaimer on blog

---

~Shadows in the Moonlight Side~

Chikage: So, what are you thinking about?

Hisoka: You see, for Christmas at Guy’s bar—.

-pause-

Chikage: I see. And your idea right now is?

Hisoka: My first choice was to choose a concept and serve the customers like the Actor’s Café. By the way, I’ve already rejected the idea for poetry reading.

Chikage: I can… tell easily whose suggestion that was.

Hisoka: You work for a trading company, so you’ve met a lot of people and seen a lot of different plans. Do you have any good ideas?

Chikage: …You should start by thinking about why they chose Journey for their Christmas plans.

Hisoka: The reason they chose Journey…

Chikage: It’s because they like Journey they way it is, right? They purposely chose it because they like the atmosphere, customer service, and the drinks there. Making a huge change would miss the point.

Hisoka: …I see. I guess you’re right.

Waiter: Thank you for waiting. Here is your hot chocolate.

Hisoka: Thanks.

Waiter: And here is your seasonal special blended coffee. Right now we’re serving La Magie du Noel… We only serve this during the Christmas season. Please have these with your drinks as well. I hope you relax and enjoy your meal.

Hisoka: It’s gingerbread. It’s not covered in sugar, so even you can eat it, right?

Chikage: It still looks sweet though. And the smell of your hot chocolate is making it worse.

Hisoka: What was the name of your coffee again?

Chikage: La Magie du Noel. It means “the magic of Christmas” in French.

Hisoka: The magic of Christmas—. … “If the falling snow was warm like the sun, and the chimes of the bells ringing through the town were words of love—"

Chikage: “Then the world would be a kinder place.”

Hisoka: …You remember?

Chikage: Of course. I was told not to forget.

Hisoka: That brings back memories. …Remember, back then—.

*flashback starts*

August: Welcome.

Child A: Hello!

Child B: Which one should I get~.

December: …There’s a lot of customers today even though the Halloween season is over.

April: It’s his fault for making up that “cookies that grant your wish” thing. Who knows when he’s going to get sued.

Child C: Misha! Are you still selling the cookies that grant wishes?

August: Yep. Which colour would you like?

Child C: Pink!

August: Alright, here you go. Do you have a love you want to come true?

Child C: Fufu. I only have eyes for you, Misha!

August: Oh my. What an honour. But alas. Apparently I’m a bad guy who’s going to get sued someday, so it’s better to give up on me.

Child C: There’s no way you’re a bad guy, Misha! Who said that about you?

April: …Don’t go off and exaggerate.

December: …Marshmallows…

April: Oi, how many pieces is that now? It’s your fault that the shop is going to run out of marshmallows.

Child A: Ah~, someone’s angry~.

Child B: He tried to eat them secretly, but he got caught!

August: He has to do it better next time, right?

Child C: Ahahaha.

-pause-

August: Thanks for your help, you two. We had a super busy day again today.

December: Zzz, zzz…

April: *Sigh*… I’m sure it’s not a good idea to stand out this much.

August: Well, I guess that’s true. But—. A life spent solely stealing, hiding, and being hated gets lonely. Even we can make someone smile, right?

April: Make someone smile, huh… …But more importantly, how long are we going to be this freaking busy?

August: We’re entering the holiday season, so I guess it’ll continue being this busy until the new year.

April: You’re kidding. This is a hindrance to our mission…

August: It’s Christmas already~. What if we go out on a limb and sell cakes this year?

December: I’m down.

April: Oi, you were listening? In any case, customer don’t come to all the way to a candy shop for cake. They’d buy one at a cake shop.

August: You have a point… hmmm…

April: Give up and just sell candy as usual.

August: Oh, I know. That would sell, wouldn’t it?

April: …I have a bad feeling about this.

December: *Yawn*…

---

previous | next

[serendipitouslyyyyyy]

finally got around to watching young royals season 3 and i have many many thoughts but mostly im just so happy w how they handled august???

like first off, they held off his apology scene until we were at a point narratively where it is very clear that he is very sincere in his remorse. but then they don't make wilhelm accept the apology. yes the apology is earnest and well meant and good, and yes we genuinely believe that he is going to be better, but wille still doesn't owe it to him to say it's okay and it's so important.

but then the most important part of the whole thing was the scene where nils came out to him and vincent. because in that moment, he realizes that yes, he completely and irreversibly fucked up with wille and simon and maybe he will never fully be able to right that wrong, but at least he can do better this time. at least he can learn and grow and never make that fucking mistake again. and no, it doesn't at all reverse the terrible things he's done, but goddammit he's changing.

and that's what makes it satisfying instead of infuriating when (spoilers) wilhelm abdicates and august becomes next in line. a season ago, august becoming king would be literally worst case scenario and therefore while we all wanted wille to abdicate, it would've still made for a shit ending. but i feel like they really put in the work this season to allow august to really earn our respect and feel like he could deserve that fate.

and it makes a point of emphasizing that he doesn't end up with everything. the narrative doesn't cruelly punish him but this story also does not shy away from the consequences of his actions. he fucked things up with sara, for example, and it made it clear that that was a permanent decision. but he still has a path forward and he still has hope which is so refreshing to see from such a troubled character

in conclusion, it's really hard to handle making shitty characters sympathetic in a world with zero media literacy, but what they did with august this season was just the right amount of nuance to make for honestly one of the most interesting characters in the show.

anyways sorry for the fucking essay i'd be surprised if ANYONE read all that

[kimmiessimmies]

A few things to say after "Unexpected"

The worries about James

My previous chapter was probably the most serious and intense one I wrote up until this point. I was quite hesitant about posting it, because I knew the underlying topic is a heavy one and can be triggering for people too. So I waited until the next chapter was nearly finished, too, so at least the wait wouldn't be too long. It's probably needless to say this, but I will anyway: if you worry about the mental health of someone you care about, please don't be like Sarah and assume it will be okay. Also, please don't be like Sadie and keep on waiting. If you're concerned, talk to them, or someone who can help.

That said, my next chapter is called Catharsis. I didn't come up with that title myself, but it's so fitting. And coming very soon. This one feels very big to me again. Even more so than the previous one. But this is the one I've been sitting on for years. It's been changed so many times, and I hope the way it is now works.

Finn and Jada

Lastly, for my newer readers; if you wish to know more about Finn and Jada and their relationship and break up before, here are a few links:

https://kimmiessimmies.wordpress.com/2014/08/09/august-05-coffee-and-ice-cream-pt-2/ Scrolling down in this post, to where the section New Kids on the Block starts, tells you the story of when Finn and Jada met. https://kimmiessimmies.wordpress.com/2017/03/27/october-05-moving-on-pt-1/ The section Finn moves on in this post, shows you how Finn and Jada got together.

And finally, and probably most important, is the chapter called Homesick, in which Jada leaves Honeycomb Valley. And Finn... Click below:

[campbyler]

if i may ask, i am v curious when the party got their cars/how long theyve had them

ella i hope you don't hate me from harboring this ask since the end of august bc i really did mean to answer it sooner. i love u mwah.

mike: some of the lore surrounding the mustang has now been revealed through chapter 9.1, but to reiterate for the purpose of this ask: mike really wanted to get a car with manual transmission, and wanted something used so it could be a purchase he made himself. he did a lot of research online and in person before finding the mustang, which he did think was a little gaudy, but to me he's also a pretty big car buff and likes a lot of classic models -- no matter anyone's feelings on mustangs as a whole, it is a very iconic car with a lot of history, so mike definitely appreciates that a lot. he had nancy co-sign but he paid for everything himself! as of acswy, he's had it for just over a year!

will: will's car is also used, and also something he (mostly) paid for by himself! originally he was going to inherit jonathan's car but like in the show, it died. rip. but hopper Knows A Guy who works on and then sells a lot of used cars and that's who they ended up buying will's car from. he got it when he turned 17 for around ~$2500 since hop's friend cut them a deal, and he paid for Most of that himself (using money he's saved up from camp and the part-time job he had during the school year when he was in hs) and hop and joyce covered the rest. that said, will does pay them back on a monthly basis and pays for his own gas and insurance, so to him they didn't help at all (even tho they helped more than mike's parents did lol). by the start of acswy, he's paid his parents back in full and now just worries about the insurance payments.

lucas: lucas's parents and smart and invest and told their beautiful talented son that if he worked hard and got good grades they would buy him a car for graduation. so he did. and then also got a full ride scholarship to uconn to play basketball and his parents said oh ok slay boy. thanks so much. so since they are saving on a LOOOT of tuition and room and board fees they said we will get you a nice car. and lucas said bet, hellcat? and his mom said ABSOLUTELY NOT and his dad said ABSOLUTELY. mike was fuming btw. if you care.

max: tbh we haven't so super fleshed out a lot of max's family lore so i'd have to consult w suni re: current arrangements BUT 2 me max shares her car w her mom. i think her mom works from home and when she needs to go somewhere uses max's step dad's car just so that max can have some extra freedom. it's also my headcanon that max is the oldest in the friend group so she got her license first and was will and el's designated chauffeur for a while <3

el: el Just got her car and license before the start of acswy! i think she's the youngest in the party and she had will and max to drive her places so there was truly no need to get her license or car until now, plus i think she had some driving anxiety. she also got her car thru hop's friend but it was a little more expensive than will's since it's a bit newer and a nicer model, but she's had more time to save up for it! she mostly got one because she wanted to be able to have something to drive back at school, and also because she's more willing to admit than will is that the cobalt is not going to last super long, so one of them needs to have a car lol.

dustin: dustin got his car from his mom when she upgraded to a new one and while most people would complain dustin said FUCK YEAH because he loves his mom's car and also didn't have to spend a single dime on it lol. i think he got it when he was 17 as well so he also drove lucas and mike around for a bit before they got their cars as part of the indy crew!

AND THAT IS IT. THAT IS ALL. I HOPE THIS WAS WORTH IT AT ALL

[tolbachik-art]

How does one become good at drawing planets

Hey, thank you so much for the kind words & the question!

I'm still definitely a beginner, and have a long way to go, but it really warms my heart to hear you say that. For starters, getting over any perfectionism you may have is a big must!

I know a lot of people always say this, but practice, time, patience, doing studies, and having fun are the most important ways to get better!

I'll walk you through my progress, and what I've done to get where I am today with things! I will warn you, it did turn out to be a long winded post. If you want the jist of it, you can scroll to the bottom!

So, I've been doing digital art since say, mid 2015 or so. I didn't have much of a grasp on art, and while I grew up loving space and space exploration, I didn't quite understand how things worked.

On August 2nd, 2015 (when I was just 15), I posted my first piece on DeviantArt.

This was my first foray into space art. It may not be the best, but I remember being very excited about it, and actually making a piece like that.

This first piece is a big sign of what issues I would face with space art until very recently; a lack of detailing, leading to a soft appearance.

This would plague me for quite some time; I would put very little effort into detailing, and wouldn't even zoom in on the canvas for quite some time. I would do things from afar, not wanting to zoom in for some weird reason. This can be seen in the following paintings, as well.

This one, also of Neptune, was posted two years after the first one. The framework is kind of there, but only barely. The perspective is off, and once again, the detailing is too minimal and too soft. On top of that, the shading isn't nearly as harsh enough. Compositionally though, I was starting to get a grasp of some basics.

There would be a brief artless period in my life from 2017 to 2020; every once in awhile, I wouldn't do art for a few years. Then, suddenly, I would get back into it and put out several pieces, all before growing quiet once more.

2020, once Covid-19 started happening, would see the return of me to the world of art now that I was suddenly without a job.

Once again, Neptune will be a demonstrator of how my skills changed.

I was starting to get there; in terms of composition, much better than my older works. Coloring is a bit off, but overall, I was starting to actually understand how art works, and why things like detailing were important. One big thing here though; I was still painting with color. That would be one of the last big things for me to get over, although I didn't even know it then.

From the period of 2020-2021, I made a lot of paintings and mission patches for my one friend's KSP youtube series (seen here).

Doing what were essentially mini paintings, I learned a *lot* about composition and detailing. I think the one I spent the longest on was Heywood, in which I did my best to follow imagery from Voyager. Looking back now, however, it isn't quite accurate; that's the south pole! I still had a lot to learn in regards to doing accurate portrayals of celestial bodies, down to inclinations and the like.

Anyways, doing all that really burnt me out, on top of doing free art for people I didn't even know. That's another big lesson; only do gift art if you feel up to it, and for a friend. Do not do it for strangers.

It wasn't until late 2022, in September, that I actually finished a piece again. My illness had been pretty bad, leaving me bedbound for quite some time. However, during that time, I hadn't lost my skills thankfully.

This would be one of my first somewhat decent portrayals of Jupiter and one of his moons, using SpaceEngine for getting reference images and making sure all the parts were in the right place. This would set the groundwork for later paintings, as I always use SpaceEngine now to make sure I have the orientations and sizes of things in the sky right! It's been an invaluable tool, I quite literally don't know where I'd be without it.

Anyways; after that, it was very sparse once more, up until quite literally this year. Sickness sprung up again, and I had a rough winter due to the loss of my grandfather to Covid-19, among other things.

2024 saw, in my personal opinion, the biggest and best change to my art yet.

PAINTING IN VALUES!!!!!!!!!

I cannot stress this enough; understanding what values are, and how to see them in every day life literally changed my entire perspective on things. On life! I cannot go outside anymore without comparing and contrasting values of objects and natural phenomena.

This was before values. Not bad, but still not great. Detailing was getting there. This is from March 27th, 2024, and was part of an art trade with @dan-asd of their worldbuilding project.

And this, this is 3 months later, from July 16th, 2024. Commission for @corvidist, my very first. This was a massive leap in the way I understood and processed the world around me, and in turn, what my art looked like.

Everything is in values. Your phone, with the seemingly pure black LCD touchscreen to the blue and purple phone case. The clouds, with their bright white tops and dark bottoms. The river, with the murky green waters contrasting with the bright orange stones. All values, just differing shades of gray with color added! Everything is light! Everything is the absence of light! Light is the entirety of your piece; you just have to understand where light falls, and where it doesn't.

Apart from that, everything is just rudimentary shapes and lines. The universe is made up of different kinds of lines and shapes. Entire worlds can be reduced to light and lines, people can be too. You just need to know what to look for, and how to process that into artwork.

I cannot stress how much understanding that, and doing tiny little paintings really helped me get a much better grasp on things.

Take some time, get a small canvas out, and paint your favorite celestial body. Take as much or as little time as you need, and just have fun with it. Play with color, play with values, whatever your heart desires!

Once you're done, take a step back, and compare it to the picture. Analyze what areas you didn't enjoy, and what areas you did. Look for what doesn't line up with the picture, and think of how you could better approach it. Think of how you can change the lighting to make it seem more real, what effects are needed to bring it to life.

Art is the process of taking what you love, and putting it to paper (digital or not!). Focus on what you enjoy doing; it will all come naturally with time. You'll start to pick up on things, big and small, that will bring your pieces closer and closer to what you want it to be.

And please, for the love of everything that is holy, have fun with it and don't overthink it! You will be so disappointed in yourself if you hype yourself up for a piece, only for it to come out not the way you expected. That's ok! That's part of learning! It can be disheartening, but if you take the time to look at how and why you don't like the piece, it'll come out so much better next time around!

Talk to people, too! Talking with my dear email-pal Eduardo was my first step into understanding astronomical art, and thinking on how to improve my work. He really helped me step into the right direction when I was just starting out, which I am still eternally grateful for to this day. I think of him and his work often; he really was a massive help.

In more recent times, talking to @whirligig-girl helped me to get a better grip on realism, and how better to portray celestial bodies. She was a huge help in giving me pointers for fixing up my View From Amalthea piece, as well as the ones that followed after. Talking to artists more experienced than you and getting critiques is always a huge help; it can really show you things in a new light!

Speaking of, don't be afraid to let a piece rest and marinate for a bit. A day, a week, or even a year. It doesn't matter. You will come back to it, and you will see new things you never saw before, and think of new ways to improve upon it. I have a piece that's been in limbo for YEARS, and I still have yet to actually get to paint it (the top one, the alien one (i will never finish that Uranus piece though lol)). I have it perfectly envisioned now, so waiting really did pay off in the end.

Essentially, it all boils down to this:

Everything is light, or lack thereof.

Don't overthink it, and have fun.

Do not do free art for strangers.

Everything is shapes and lines.

Step back and look at your pieces, deconstructing them in your mind or on paper.

Examine your everyday life, and see how everything interacts in terms of values and color.

Do studies, please god, do studies they're so fun and eyeopening

Warmup! Warm! Up! WARMUP!!!!! They are critical to getting your mind in the art headspace! You will feel less interested and less focused otherwise!

Don't worry about your medium, just do what you enjoy and works best for you! There is no such thing as a perfect brush!

Talk to other artists in fields you enjoy!

I love talking about art, I really could go on for hours, but I will stop myself here.

You decide what you get out of art; it's your skill, your time, so do what you desire! These are only anecdotes about my experiences with art; they aren't universal, but I do hope they've helped. If you have any questions, any questions at all, don't hesitate to reach out!

Lastly, here are two resources for you for any future artworks you may do:

I got this book many years ago, but the lessons it gave me were invaluable. I mean it; they helped me to understand the importance of doing studies, and for detailing!

Paid membership, but an organization dedicated to doing astronomical art. I have yet to join, but I've heard lovely things about it! Hoping to join later this year, funds allowing.

I will finally end this here. Thank you so much for the ask, and I hope you have a lovely rest of your day!

[cetaitlaverite]

Hypothetically speaking, if Daniel didn't die and he and Freddie were still together, possibly even engaged, but Freddie still somehow met Rosie, how do you think Freddie would react to meeting Rosie, and how would Rosie react to meeting Freddie?

this is such an interesting question (and, funnily enough, someone else also asked me the exact same thing - pictured above because i don’t want to leave that other anon out - so i’ve been thinking about it for a while). i think the big thing about freddie and rosie's story is whether you think they're the kind of soulmates who will meet each other in every lifetime and thus there's no universe in which they don't end up together, or if you think they're the kind of soulmates who come together once in a million lifetimes and the stars had to align to bring them together. i'm not sure, personally, which one i think is more plausible.

realistically, daniel has to die for freddie and rosie to cross paths. i'm a firm believer in everything happening for a reason, and freddie meeting rosie is the reason for daniel’s death. whether freddie and rosie might live a million different lifetimes and daniel dies in all of them or whether this lifetime is the only one they work out in - as i said, i don't know (i'm open to hearing thoughts, though!!!). but for fun let's imagine an alternate universe where daniel doesn't die. walk with me here.

in the fic freddie leaves the airfield she was assigned to originally, the airfield daniel flew out of, because she couldn’t stand to be there anymore after he died. so she’d still be there if daniel hadn’t died. but for the sake of this au, let’s say it’s a similar situation to cecelia’s; she gets transferred away from the airfield for some small infraction. in cecelia’s case it was for flirting with her pilot boyfriend over the radio, so let’s say it was that. so now she’s at thorpe abbotts.

there is the issue of daniel having been preparing to propose right before he died, which was in march 1941, so chances are by august 1943 when freddie meets rosie she would’ve been married. but let’s say that she wants to hold out until they can have a proper wedding where she can invite all her friends and family instead of just immediate family, so they have a long engagement. because there’s no wiggle room if she’s married.

everything else happens in the same way as normal. freddie goes home on leave for a few days and comes back and speaks german over the radio to a confused messerschmitt pilot to lure him in which has all the other w/ops lording her as a war hero when they go to the officers’ club that night. millie and bucky want her to drink beer, she wants to drink lemonade, the only person who buys her lemonade is rosie. what i think might happen in an au chapter 1 is as follows:

“Excuse me, ma’am,” spoke a voice from behind Freddie. It wasn’t a voice she recognised, and she liked to think with all of her accumulated experience talking to both the pilots and the radio operators over the radio she recognised voices rather well.

Turning, she found a pair of earnest blue eyes and a well-groomed moustache, a shy smile tilted above a proffered glass.

“Hi,” Freddie greeted in a chirp.

“Hi,” the man - one of the new pilots, by the looks of his insignia - replied. He shook his head a little bit, as though to clear it. “I hope you don’t mind, ma’am, but I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation and I thought - well, here’s your lemonade.” He offered the glass to her again.

He was handsome, this pilot who had bought her lemonade when no one else would. Not handsome like Daniel, who was all fair haired and boyish, crooked toothy smiles and mischievous eyes, but handsome in a gentle, mature way. Dark hair, striking eyes, soft smile, he was the kind of handsome which would have made Freddie’s heart flutter if she wasn’t engaged. Well, it fluttered, because whilst she was taken she wasn’t entirely immune to the charms of other men, but his handsomeness didn’t fluster her as it might have if she had been single.

“Oh,” Freddie said, accepting the glass of lemonade from him with a bright smile. “Thank you. That’s very sweet of you.”

He smiled again and she smiled back. “Nothing at all, ma’am.” 

She didn’t make to say anything else and he didn’t either, but he lingered as though he wanted to. Freddie considered him for a moment, in all his earnestness, and decided to take pity on him. He was sweeter than most of the American airmen she’d met at Thorpe Abbotts so far. “I’m Freddie,” she introduced herself.

The man smiled wide, less uncertain and more, just, happy. Like the sound of her name had solved his life’s biggest problems. “Nice to meet you, Freddie,” he answered her. “I’m Rosie.”

“Rosie,” Freddie repeated with a nod and a smile. “That’s a nice name.”

Rosie smiled wider. She had dimples. “Thank you, ma’am. Comes from my last name - Rosenthal.”

Freddie laughed to herself. “You don’t have to call me ‘ma’am’. Just Freddie is fine. That’s how everyone knows me.”

“Alright,” Rosie conceded. “Freddie it is.”

Freddie couldn’t seem to look away from his eyes. She was sure she’d never seen eyes so blue. Even in the warm, low lighting of the officers’ club they were somehow still glowing, bright and kind and alive. 

“So, uh,” Rosie started, with a certain degree of awkwardness. “They said you were on leave?”

“Yes,” Freddie confirmed, taking a sip of her lemonade. “I went home for three days, to Oxford.”

“That must’ve been nice,” he replied. He hated how he suddenly had so very little to say. She must have thought he was so, so boring.

Freddie couldn’t help it. She giggled at the awkwardness.

“Yes,” she replied again. “Yes, it was wonderful. Strange to be home, to be sure - I haven’t visited since Christmas - but it was especially lovely to see my dogs again. I don’t get any letters from them, see.”

Rosie chuckled lightly, nodding along with her, relieved at the release of the uncertainty. “Right,” he said. “They’re not big on writing letters, then?”

“They’re dogs of few words,” she agreed with a grin.

“How many do you have?” he questioned next.

“Dogs?” Freddie wondered. “Two. The big one’s Bruno and the little one’s Earnie, both boys. A German Shepherd and a Westie.”

“What are they like?”

Her eyes glinted. “Trouble.” She loved talking about her dogs.

“I always wanted a dog,” Rosie confided in her, tilting his head to the side and slightly down to let him meet her eyes more easily. “But where I’m from, in Brooklyn, we always lived in an apartment. No pets allowed.”

Freddie gasped. “That’s tragic.”

Rosie grinned. “I know. Someone oughta fix that rule.”

She sipped on her lemonade, nodding, contemplating. Instinctively, her eyes found the floor. 

Rosie watched her, tapping his fingers against his glass of beer. 

He opened his mouth to say something more - desperate to say something, anything, really, that might get her to smile again. Those dimples of hers - if he hadn’t signed up to go to war already he knew he would’ve enlisted just on their behalf.

But whatever he was about to say never made it out. It was for the best, probably, since he couldn’t guarantee it wouldn’t have been something incredibly forward, some grand statement about her startling prettiness which she was bound to have heard a million times before. Instead, he was swiftly cut off by Millie, returning from the bar with two pints of beer, one in each hand. “Fred, I got your beer, and you are going to like it, god damn it, even if I have to pour it down your throat myself.”

Freddie rolled her eyes as she turned to Millie and watched with a faint grin as realisation dawned on her face. “Oh.”

“I have lemonade,” Freddie declared, holding up her glass for her to see. She took a sip from it to punctuate her statement and also to prove a point; if she said she didn’t want to drink beer then she wouldn’t be drinking beer.

Millie laughed, her eyes flicking between Freddie and Rosie. “Is that right? And who do I have to blame for it?”

“That would be me, ma’am,” Rosie answered, and Freddie noticed a glint in his eye.

“Rosie,” Millie replied with a tut. “Now why would you do that? You’ll only encourage her!”

Rosie shook his head with a light little laugh. “I just figured war heroes should get to choose what they have to drink, otherwise what’s the point of being one?”

Millie laughed along with Rosie’s joke and Freddie smiled to herself. This was the kind of man she wanted to see Millie with; sweet, thoughtful, a gentleman. Too many times she’d caught Millie’s eyes lingering on bolder, colder Americans who were so excited to be away from home for the first time, in spite of the circumstances, that they bulldozed their way through women like it was their job. But Rosie wasn’t like that, Freddie could tell. He had really listened to everything she’d said, had hung onto her every word even though they weren’t terribly interesting. He’d look after Millie, she was sure. And so she took her leave.

Freddie gave Millie’s arm a squeeze as she turned and beelined for the piano in the corner, setting her lemonade down on top of it before taking a seat at the bench. She lifted the key cover with all the reverence of someone who had never touched a piano before, smiling as she brushed her fingertips noiselessly across the keys, and laughed when she heard Bucky call out, “Fred, play Blue Skies!”

“I don’t know that one!” Freddie called back, which everyone knew was a bare-faced lie because she’d played it once before. The first time Bucky had requested she play it she had done so all too readily and consequently been confronted with the horror of a drunken, out of tune, up close rendition performed by one Major Egan himself. Never again, she had vowed as she reluctantly finished playing the tune. But her refusal had never stopped Bucky from asking.

Instead, while Jem hurried across the room to turn the gramophone down, Freddie started to play Stardust by Artie Shaw, which wasn’t quite romantic enough to make Millie give her a hard time for her lack of subtlety but which still had a certain air about it which always made couples want to dance.

“Fred, come on!” Bucky called, shaking his head playfully. “We want Blue Skies!”

“You’ll get what you’re given and like it, Bucky Egan!” Freddie called back, speeding up the tempo of her playing just a little bit to appease him into quiet.

It didn’t take long for Freddie to lose herself in her music - it never did. And over by the bar all conversation between Rosie and Millie had ceased. Rosie hadn’t replied to Millie as soon as he’d seen Freddie sit down at the piano, in fact, and he’d been mesmerised ever since.

She must have been some kind of angel, he thought, his lips hanging slightly agape, a warm flush high in his cheeks. With her eyes closed and her fingers moving fast across the keys, a soft smile on her face as she filled the club even to its most secluded corners with her beautiful music, there was no possible way she was a human being the way everyone else was a human being. There was no way she’d been born into the same world he had.

Millie was far from oblivious to Rosie’s infatuation. She had wondered, in fact, when she’d first met Rosie a few days ago while Freddie was back in Oxford, whether the two of them might hit it off. But there was, of course, one minor detail in the way of what she was sure had the potential to be nothing short of a fairytale.

“Rosie,” Millie said softly, hoping to draw his eyes to her.

Her efforts were to no avail. While Rosie hummed back at Millie, letting her know he was listening, his eyes were still firmly fixed on Freddie at the piano, on how she was giggling as Major Egan started trying to sing along to her instrumental.

Millie sighed and stepped in front of him so he’d have no choice but to look at her. “Rosie, she’s engaged.”

Rosie’s attention was not quite so hard pressed elsewhere anymore. “What?”

Millie nodded. “To a man she’s been with since she was fourteen. He proposed two years ago.”

“Then why ain’t they married?”

Millie wanted to laugh at his defensive tone of voice. He was clearly so invested already.

“Because Freddie wants to invite all her friends and extended family to the wedding and that just isn’t possible in wartime.”

Rosie stared at Millie silently for a moment, lost for what to say, before his eyes ventured over her shoulder to Freddie at the piano, finishing off her song and smiling shyly at the applause.

It couldn’t be, he thought, that she was going to spend her life with someone else. He barely knew her, true, but he’d always believed in his own convictions. He’d had girlfriends and some of them his mother had wanted him to go all the way with, but he knew himself and he’d always believed that when he met the right person he would just know. And he knew. With Freddie, he knew. She wasn’t supposed to be getting married to some childhood sweetheart, not when there was no one else for him.

“They’re having… some trouble, at the moment,” Millie said suddenly, diplomatically. She was frowning a little bit when Rosie looked back at her, as though she wasn’t entirely sure she believed she should be telling him this. “She’s been thinking about becoming a translator but he hates that she speaks German - she’s half-Austrian, see. And it’s been causing a bit of a rift. And she mentioned to him off-handedly that she’d like to teach their future children German, too, and he didn’t like that at all.”

Hope started to swell in Rosie’s heart like warm air in a balloon.

“But Fred -” Millie spoke abruptly, sensing the change in Rosie, “- she’s loyal. And I won’t tell you she doesn’t love him. All I’m saying is -” Millie sighed and ran a hand down her face, smudging her lipstick as she went. “All I’m saying,” she repeated as she glanced over her shoulder at Freddie, “is that it would take a lot to turn her head. So don’t get your hopes up or anything.”

His hopes were already up. How couldn’t they be? He had never before met anyone and been so immediately sure that they were supposed to be in his life for the long haul.

She was it for him. He knew it. He couldn’t explain how he knew it but he knew it, as he’d always trusted he would. With her warm brown eyes and her lemonade, her dimples and her talking about her dogs, he’d been smitten. But with her sitting at the piano and playing Artie Shaw so effortlessly, so elegantly, with that gentle smile on her face? Oh, he was head over heels. There was no possible version of his future which didn’t have her at its centre. There was no alternative. Her or no one. Absolutely only her.

Freddie was playing a different song now, a classical song Rosie didn’t recognise but which had filled the dance floor with couples. And her shoulders swayed as she played it. It was less like she was pressing down keys and playing a song from memory and more like she was carefully extracting from her heart whatever story the piano wanted to help her tell.

Yeah, Rosie thought, she’s the one for me.

As though she could feel the weight of that decision, could feel how Rosie had just tied himself to her, Freddie opened her eyes and met his, inexplicably, across the room.

[boasource]

BoA recently hinted at retirement...

[Edited on 240825 for clarity and to include information that was revealed after I initially posted this, which can better contextualize what happened]

I made a thread on Twitter explaining the context behind BoA's recent IG stories, where she hinted at retirement, so I figured that I'd write up a post on it here too.

TL;DR: This announcement was a big shock - BoA has consistently said, up until the week before she posted those IG stories, that she wanted to continue singing and performing. Fans believe that BoA likely hinted at retirement because of the relentless harassment she's faced online.

On April 6th (240406), BoA hinted that she was planning to retire from being a singer entirely. The following day, she stated the exact date her contract was expiring. A few days later, she took down all of her IG posts.

What people seem to miss is that leading up to this, BoA has also been at the receiving end of constant online harassment for months.

(More under the cut)

BoA has been the subject of huge hate trains, arguably since 2021. This isn't a comprehensive list, but the big ones include:

People disagreeing with her decisions as judge on SWF and SMF, prompting a flood of hate comments on her IG, including accusations that she was 'trying to seduce the male contestants.'

GOT the Beat opened the floodgates for a lot of ageist comments about BoA, who was the group's most senior member. There were also malicious speculations about why she wasn't present in much of the group's behind-the-scenes content; BoA swiftly addressed this via her IG story, explaining that she had to attend a family event. While this wasn't named as the reason, it may be important to note that BoA's brother passed away from cancer on September that same year.

BoA was blamed for 'delaying the solo/group comebacks of her juniors,' in favor of GOT the Beat to 'boost her own career.' Not only has BoA (who is not even the group's leader; she gave the position to Taeyeon) already explained that she did not make the group — she was asked to join it and was, in fact, initially apprehensive — it was also later revealed that comeback delays were due to internal management issues (culminating in the ousting of Lee Sooman and Hybe's acquisition of SM) and because of disagreements about lyrical content. Interestingly, out of all the members of GOT the Beat, BoA ended up being the only member who didn't have a comeback in 2023.

The most recent wave of hate came from her cameo in the drama Marry My Husband, often mocking her appearance.

Since at least February 2024, BoA has been consistently and directly addressing the harassment she's been facing, both in interviews and in her social media. This is something she has rarely done in the 24 years she's been active.

Things came to a head on the evening of March 29th, when BoA posted this on her IG story:

This IG story prompted a huge wave of hate. There were forum posts calling her an attention seeker; notably, there was also a tweet that went viral, of a 'fan' saying that they now planned to unstan BoA because she was now "a completely different person."

One week later, on April 6th, BoA posted, "It's okay for me to retire right?" with an IG story that clarified that she intended to remain a singer until her active contract expires on December 31, 2025; the implication seems to be that she would no longer be an active singer after 2025.

This came as a huge shock to fans because BoA has consistently said that she wants to keep working as a singer:

August 25, 2020 [her 20th debut anniversary]: "There'll be a 30th anniversary after my 20th. I'll do my best to make good music for a long time, so please always give me your love and support!"

April 23, 2023 [Interview with Uhm Junghwa for W Korea]: "Actually, I'm the type who doesn't look back. After I've accomplished something, I don't have time to think, 'well done' or 'good job' because I'm already thinking of the next step. With that, there's no time for me to rest on my laurels, but this drive allows me to last a long time. It might be the most difficult thing, but my one hope is that I never tire of this job [being a performer], which I love so much."

February 23, 2024 [BoA for Marie Claire Korea]: "Right now, I enjoy my job, and I want to keep doing what I can, given my age."

Most notably, on the afternoon of March 29th — shortly before BoA responded to hate comments about her looks — BoA gave an interview with Esquire Korea, where she basically said that there were still so many things she wanted to accomplish as a singer:

Q: Is there something you still want to achieve? BoA: I want to do a lot of interesting performances. I want to break away from preconceived notions/conventions, sing songs I haven't done before, and create opportunities to communicate more with my audience. Q: What don't you want to change? BoA: My passion for music. Music is where I started. It's my life.

Right after BoA posted her retirement IG stories on April 6th, her fans organized truck protests (something the fandom has never done before), demanding that SM take action to defend BoA from the deluge of online hate.

They were incensed by the fact that in 2022, SM had already promised they would take legal action over malicious comments against her (she even reposted their statement on her personal IG), but nothing happened. In fact, legal action has only been taken in defense of BoA once, in 2020 — 20 years into her career, despite the fact that she's been going through much worse harassment, especially in the early 2000s when she was barely a teenager.

Five days after BoA's retirement announcement IG stories, on April 11th, SM announced that they were going to take legal action. While the statement resembled the one they put out in 2022, they also added that BoA was going through a difficult time, suffering from "great mental pain." A follow-up statement came on April 17th, where SM mentioned specific platforms and forums they were planning to sue. Unfortunately, as of this writing, there have been no further updates.

To recap:

On March 29th (afternoon), BoA gave an interview where she said that there was so many things she still wanted to do as a singer.

On March 29th (evening), BoA responded to malicious comments about her appearance on her IG story.

Her IG story quickly went viral in Korea. On March 30th, a post from a fan who claimed to 'unstan' her because of her IG story, garnered millions of views.

On April 6th, BoA hinted at retiring after 2025 on her IG story.

On April 9th, BoA removed all of her IG posts. Fans organized truck protests to call out SM's inaction vis-a-vis the harassment she was facing, in spite of their explicit, repeated promises to act on it.

On April 11th, SM issued a statement that they were going to take legal action against malicious comments about BoA, adding that BoA was suffering "great mental anguish."

As of this writing (August 25, 2024), there has been no formal, official announcement on whether or not BoA is really going to follow through with retiring after her active contract expires. But BoA has remained inactive on social media since April. There were only a handful of times she interacted with fans online: she went on IG live for 4 minutes in May to tell fans that she has plans to hold a concert in October, and she would also sporadically post a sentence-long message on her membership-only Weverse page.

On a more personal note from me: this has just been so disheartening to watch, as someone who's been following her career closely. The idea of BoA retiring was unimaginable to me. She always talked about how she compares her own career to other older artists, how she still feels like a 'baby' with a long way still to go compared to them. Obviously, it is well within BoA's right to change her mind about her own career, and surely, there are things going on behind the scenes that we don't know about. But the news has just been so hard to take because it doesn't feel like she's retiring because she wants to - it feels like she's burnt out.