#winter 2023-24

[pandemic-info]

https://twitter.com/coffeeteanxiety/status/1736750299551826127 I’ll stop masking when the world’s leading researchers on Long C0vid do. Prof. Akiko Iwasaki: "I'm still wearing my 😷 everywhere." Michael Peluso, MD: "I'm very strict, actually, about 😷." Ziyad Ai-Aly, MD: "Yes, primarily because of Long C0vid. I don't want Long C0vid."

+

https://twitter.com/sri_srikrishna/status/1736460422499459115 Full of DEEP INSIGHTS ABOUT LONG COVID. At 1:01:15, panelists were asked if they continue to be covid-cautious by wearing masks 😷(even though many at infectious disease conferences no longer do), all three nodded yes with a smile 😃 and they MASK TO AVOID LONG COVID

[motivatedartistry]

February 11th, 2024

Six fanarts, #3 KARA

↻ click for better quality ↻

3/6 done

@hamartia-grander donezo :]

[martysimone]

Agent Provocateur | Alysia • bra in laser cut Swiss embroidery + vintage-inspired crinoline style mini skirt in sheer tulle | Alysia skirt can be combined with several types of Alysia panties

[petit-papillion]

OMG! ❤️

Charles posing with a baby at Fight AIDS Cup | 22 January 2024

🎥sofiaecheverrip

[singsweetmelodies]

Piarles Winter Fic Exchange 2023/24 - The Final Round-Up

AO3 Collection Link

After three months of build-up and two weeks of spectacular fic reveals, the Piarles Winter Fic Exchange 2023/24 has finally drawn to its close 💙 Today, it is my honour and pleasure to share with you the results of all of our efforts: an astounding 478 616 words written over the course of twenty-eight brand-new Piarles fics. 🎉

We want to start by saying a MASSIVE thank you to all our incredible creators. You are all so wonderful and so so talented - it has been a delight and a privilege to spend the last few months with you. To laugh with you and to create with you and to share the Piarles joy with you. You are all phenomenal, and we feel so lucky that you chose to spend this time with us. ❤️

I also want to take this opportunity to say a personal thank you to my amazing mod team: @boxboxbrioche, @welightitup, @duquesademiel, @wolfiemcwolferson and @river-ocean. Moderating this exchange with you has been a slightly crazy rollercoaster ride, but I couldn't have asked for better people by my side throughout it. Thank you all, for everything!!

Below the cut we have the final round-up of all our 2023/24 Piarles Winter Fic Exchange gift fics. You are in for a real treat - enjoy!!! And don't forget to show the authors some love in the form of kudos, comments, bookmarks and tumblr reblogs 💘

Thank you all so much again.

Love and kisses,

Katie, Briony, Tia, Sol, Logan & River ❤️💙

you and me were raised in the same part of town by @wolfiemcwolferson | rated M | 11.6k words | tumblr post here

A story of two best friends told through the years in the setting of Charles' childhood treehouse.

damage, destruction by @pinkierre | rated T | 6.7k words | tumblr post here

Pierre Gasly doesn’t win the 2016 GP2 title, and thus he stays in the category for another year with Prema. He’s joined for the 2017 F2 season by his long time best friend and fresh GP3 champion Charles Leclerc. What starts as a dream come true, quickly turns into a nightmare. Fast forward 8 years later and they’re teammates again. At Ferrari F1 team. However this time, they hate each other. How will they cope?

Chasing What’s on the Other Side by @espithewarlock | rated E | 15.8k words | tumblr post here

A Mafia AU where Pierre is immediately obsessed with Charles, the newly-introduced romantic partner of his biggest rival, Carlos. He begins dangerously pursuing Charles, they fall into bed together, and his obsession only gets more real the more he learns about Charles’ history. Meanwhile, Pierre is also trying to keep his business running and figure out exactly what his rivals are plotting. There’s something simmering, and he does not like having a target on his back.

model behaviour by @your-littlesecret | rated T | 8k words

Charles isn't sure what he should be doing here - he is not proud to admit he completely zoned out as Camille was explaining - but the gorgeous guy is just standing there and Charles says fuck it and walks to him, extending a hand. "Hi" "Hello. I am Pierre." His smile is almost blinding and Charles feels like he's never seen someone as beautiful in his whole life - which is very fitting, considering he is a model.

change my mind by @chaesonghwas | rated M | 31.8k words | tumblr post here

When Lance drags him to a Drama Club meeting, Pierre doesn't expect to stay for long, but he meets Charles, brother to one of his fraternity's new pledges, and he decide to give it a chance. After all, Charles seems interested in him too - what could go wrong?

Stop the World I Wanna Get Off With You by @crimsonicarus | rated T | 2k words

It was easy with Charles, talking, spending time, being silent. It felt natural, like breathing. Laughing at his awful jokes came from his mouth effortlessly, like another mother tongue.

five january seconds by @fenesacha | rated E | 8.9k words

Charles' phone is on the counter between them, and Pierre reaches out to tap the screen, waking the device up. He spares one second to look at Charles’ new background, a photo of the two of them in their Christmas jumpers, before he glances at the date. There, not changing no matter how many times he blinks: Tuesday, 2 January. What the fuck.

falling Inn love (five years later) by @gaslybottoms | rated T | 17.5k words 

“American style holiday inn,” Lando reads from the description, squinting at the small font on the screen. “Family owned and run for the last three generations, the All Pine Inn is located deep in the heart of the South Downs, with picturesque views over the rolling hills of the local area. A step back from city life, the local village is a peaceful respite away from the busy day to day. See Charles, it seems perfect." OR Charles takes a trip to the country for the Christmas holidays, and rekindles an old almost romance along the way.

All The Pebbles Along The Way by @shankyspork | rated M | 17k words

Centering around friendship and grief, this fic takes the slow road through life and its meaningful moments, hoping to bring you to the conclusion that belonging is something innate.

all I ever wanted by @golden-fairylights | Not Rated | 8.4k words

When Charles received the email that Prince Pierre would attend his vernissage, he didn't know that by the end of the night, he would have found his soulmate.

Anything you can do, I can do better by @whatdidwejustdo | rated T | 2k words

In which Pierre and Charles are insufferably competitive mechanics for rival F1 teams (Red Bull vs Ferrari) and their friends (Carlos, Alex, and Yuki) suffer. Endless snark, friendship, and references to decades of F1 lore. Or:  "Well.” Pierre’s eyes were sharp and blue. "Have you ever re-assembled Max Verstappen's car in twenty minutes when it was supposed to take forty, and watched him put together a hot lap in the dying seconds of Q2 to make it into Q3 and take pole?" 

let's be what we are by @hourcat | rated E | 46.1k words | tumblr post here

Some weekends go better than others, and the only time Charles sees his best friend is at the post-race afterparties that the bigger teams throw. They’ll clink bottles of gross tasting beer and chat with one of the other drivers relegated off to the side this season, and it feels like they’re the karting kids again. Some weekends, though, Pierre is draped along Charles’ back, all but welded together after an early spin-out ended his day, and Pierre will give him what he needs—what they need. (or: pierre, charles, and the consequences of a lifetime of touch.)

Can I just be in my head with you? by @chipsandnuggets | rated T | 7k words

"Pierrot,” he mumbles without thinking, while he separates for a moment from Pierre, but still keeps some closeness. “Can I have you? At least in my head? Can I have you like this, every time I want, in my head?”  5 times Pierre and Charles desire something plus one they finally do something about it.

Le Cheval Cabré by @moonlight0starlighte | rated G | 24.3k words

Charles, a tortured Michelin star chef, returns home for his father’s passing and discovers the family restaurant has been left to him. Though his grief feels stifling at times, Pierre, his oldest friend, is the light that guides him through it all.

Job 37:6 by @mysticalbreadcollective | rated E | 8.3k words 

Maybe he can pass it off as a drunken hookup. A one-time thing. They can both forget it ever happened and move on. Pierre doesn’t need to remember Charles whining and panting beneath him. He can bury it down with the piece of his heart that Charles owns always.

take my hand (put yours over my heart) by @duquesademiel | rated T | 37.7k words | tumblr post here

Pierre Gasly has been declared Public Enemy Number One after breaking Charles’ best friend’s heart. Which, honestly, makes working in their charity work together just a little bit too awkward. A Christmas box, a lot of charity work, football matches and flower crowns might change Pierre’s status in Charles’ books - with a little dash of fake dating, of course.

hearts in the byline by @ilspredestinato | rated M | 25.6k words | tumblr post here

“You know,” Frédéric’s hands are crossed in front of him, fingertips tightening after every pause, “there is only one thing that brings stability to a Kingdom without it being a marriage.” Charles draws in a sharp breath—he knows, nodding almost imperceptibly once Frédéric falls into a hesitant silence. A courtship.

The Defenders by @justahappycloud | rated G | 30k words | tumblr post here

You showed me colours I can't see with anyone else by @radiocheck | rated E | 9.5k words | tumblr post here

Metropolis, a city for all kinds of people: good people, bad people, and people with special abilities. Pierre, alias Blue Arrow, considers himself a special person. With the ability to fly like a bird and bend the toughest of materials at his will, he has decided to use these gifts to protect the city he loves. But what happens when a new threat arises that could destroy everything he'd ever loved? To prevent this, Pierre joins a group of other three heroes and an unlikely ally so that they can maybe, hopefully, save Metropolis from the claws of this new powerful villain.

“I really thought you didn’t like me, you know,” Pierre muses. “You were always so… defensive.” Charles smiles thoughtfully. There are small dimples in his cheeks and his hair falls softly over his forehead as he glances down at the table before replying. “It was never that. I think I was afraid I would like you too much, if I let myself.” In which Pierre falls for his roommate's best friend, Lando is never where he's supposed to be, and Charles is a dream in technicolour.

show me who made you walk all the way here by @yukierres | rated M | 36.5k words | tumblr post here

Pierre is being blackmailed by a former lover into coming out, but risks losing his seat at Ferrari if he does. Charles is a prince who is forbidden from coming out until he has a long-term partner. The solution seems so obvious. Pretending shouldn't be that hard, right? Right?

still waking every morning (but it's not with you) by @river-ocean | rated T | 6.5k words

Charles loves being an actor. It’s what he has always felt was born to do. But he hates that it means that he has to spend so many days of the year away from the people he loves the most. He hates that even though he technically lives with his boyfriend, he is still in a de facto long-distance relationship most of the time.

anything, everything by @leclercenjoyer | rated E | 5.8k words | tumblr post here 

Pierre and Charles go on a ski trip together, and things don't exactly go as planned. (Or do they?)

They Will Never Know by @effervescentdragon | rated M | 35.3k words | tumblr post here

Most stories are about blood. This story is not an exception. Charles disappeared. As for Pierre, well. Pierre had a very big secret.

Point Non Plus by @boxboxbrioche | rated E | 22.7k words | tumblr post here

brought to Point Non Plus idiom, commonly used in the Regency era 1. to be brought to a situation with no other options. 2. to baffle or confuse someone to the point that they have nothing to say. or: with his reputation in ruins and his options limited, Charles receives an offer from Lord Pierre Gasly that he simply cannot refuse.

like a heart made of dynamite by @vicsy | rated E | 31k words

Maybe all these years they were coming towards each other like a car crash in slow motion. Charles just had to wait for the brakes to fail.

and i long for you to appear by @singsweetmelodies / 17.5k | rated T | tumblr post here

When now-famous actor Pierre Gasly gets himself into a bit of PR trouble, it's up to his childhood best friend to step in and save the day. Thankfully, Charles is an expert public relations manager... the only question is if he'll be able to stop his feelings getting in the way when he finally sees Pierre again after all these years.

hold me in this wild, wild world by @fenesacha & @gaslybottoms | rated T | 2k words

Cross-country skiing isn't Pierre's forte. While he managed to stay upright during their earlier outing, it's done little to shake off his aversion to the sport that Charles seems to love so much - or, rather, his aversion to winter as a whole.

[motivatedartistry]

December 1st, 2023

New Design of Narrator

⇝click for better quality⇜

hi. i 'm alive

Hey! Sorry for disappearing on you guys.... does anyone ever read the read-mores actually? Anyways! I'm back! I'm aiming to post everyday for December (at least a sketch or linework) as an "advent calendar" type of thing! So you can look out for that and see if the plan falls through haha

And if you were wondering where I've been the past, um... scrolls through tumblr month?! over a month?!... I kinda got a little bit very not well and wasn't able to work on much. I apologize greatly for that but hey. New Narry, eh? I plan to draw a lot more of him soon to get myself going now and also draw a full reference. Also fyi these aren't his normal clothes I just can't think of an outfit right now

I redesigned him because my old desgin just felt... mehgh. It didn't feel original and it didn't encapsulate the Narrator like I wanted it to anymore, and I just plain didn't like it. so BOOM, new narry design! Has elements of my old design still in it, but I edited him and added more stuffs. He looks so crusty I love him. He's normal he swears. (the text on the paper says "427 ways I'm normal I swear" hehe)

Anyways this moron made me make a whole new brush just for him like. So inconsiderate. Cancel him on Twitter dot com.

And Stanley hath not changed. No worries he's thriving (dying) as always.

[nailsandinspo]

[fashiondevotion]

[abirddogmoment]

It's been a month without Mav, here is a jumble of thoughts about it, in no particular order:

Mav was the coolest dog in the world

He was also pretty high-maintenance (in terms of exercise specifically); my exercise has plummeted without him. I have a lot more free time and I'm not really sure what to do with myself.

It was really, really fun to dabble in sports with Mav, but the titles don't really mean anything to me now. I love thinking back at the trial experiences (specifically the mishaps - alerting on cheese, visiting the judges, stealing toys) but I don't really care about the letters or certificates anymore.

In contrast, the Top CKC Rally Brittany brings me a lot of comfort. I like that Mav will be recorded in the brittany spaniel archives. I'll be really sad when we get usurped.

I'm glad I found a good group of people for dog sports. I could have gone so many different directions, and I'm so glad I went with the "be kind to your dog above all else" and I think a huge part of that was the community I found irl.

Mav's breeder is a gem, she has checked in with me so many times and I appreciate that so much.

I wish I had known more about training and handling before I got Mav. I'm sad for the gaps in his foundations and I wish I had known more to set him up better from the beginning.

I'm so happy he got to have so many adventures - big ones and little ones. I could have done more, but I think he got a lot.

I'm pretty sure his last thought was about a cookie, which doesn't really matter, but feels very on brand for him.

I can't remember the last time I smooched his head and that makes me kind of sad. Doubtless it was at the vet's but I can't remember for sure.

I spread his ashes in the area where he most liked hiking, and every time I've gone hiking there since then, I've thought of it as visiting Mav.

I still haven't thrown out his gross kitty cat stuffy, it's still sitting on top of his crate.

I'm really grateful for the people I got to meet through Mav.

I'm really happy I was so consistent about posting on Tumblr, I have such a good archive of his whole life and I love that.

Mav was a special kind of dog.

[ginoeh]

For @xenomorphic-warrior for the Dreamling Winter Exchange 2023! I hope I managed to hit enough of your likes, favs and ideas to make this enjoyable for you <3 this was supposed to be 3k. i failed miserably lol

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

An Inn and the World's End

~ A Winter Tale ~

Summary: An Inn stands bright and warm in a world of snow and ice and twilight. The Innkeeper is no hero but when Death comes calling, he takes what any hero does - a guide, a companion and a magical weapon - and takes up the task to find the Nightking at the edge of the world.

Rating: T

CW: none

Length: 8.9k

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

A curious stillness lies over the Inn. The sounds of howling storms and wolves have fallen quiet. The crackling of snow and ice, part of nature's symphony, are absent.

Hob stands at the counter, swiping off the last few glasses and mugs.

Sometimes feels as if there's never anything else he's doing. He sighs as he puts them into their cupboards and shelves and slings the damp dishrag over his shoulder. The Inn is empty of patrons this far into the night, except for one snoring gentleman by the fire. The glow of the fireplace throws the shadows into sharp flickering relief. The lamplight above the bar cradles the Inn like a warm blanket.

Outside, Hob knows, there's nothing but twilit darkness and the cold. It's always been like that, as far as Hob remembers. So it catches him by surprise sometimes, this yearning for warmth and light, when he has never experienced much of either.

This is a world of snow and storms and wolves, after all.

So why is it still?

Hob's Inn, beyond the muted sounds of the world outside that lose some of their horror as soon as the thick door closes behind any traveler, is made of crackling fire, creaking wood and clinking earthenware. Above that lies the susurration of voices and stories and songs, all bathed in the golden lights of the many lamps Hob never fails to light.

The folk that comes by and tracks puddles of melting snow and despair across his wooden floors, tell him stories of the world outside. They tell him of empty landscapes and abandoned dwellings, of the hunger and the wolves that roam free. Some like Gilbert, an old and long since vanished patron, tell other stories; those tales speak of the Nightking that once was Lord and protector of these lands and who vanished in times before memory. Others whisper tall tales of beasts and monsters that were set free by a cruel and dispassionate King; horrors that rose in the wake of uncaring abandonment.

Hob dislikes these latter stories despite the frequency with which they come up. He knows - knows it in the marrow of his bones as surely as he knows he must keep the lights on in the Inn - that they are untrue, that the lands aren't frozen and uninhabitable due to cruelty.

Still, he serves all folk; he's just the Innkeeper after all, always here, always waiting.

He's not exactly sure what he's waiting for, though. Mabe just the next stranger that comes through the door.

Find the rest on AO3 !

[espithewarlock]

Chasing What's on the Other Side

15.8k | Explicit | Piarles

The stranger was stunning. A perfectly cut figure with a trim waist and a form-fitting red suit. The suit would have been ridiculous on anyone else, but it made this man look radiant. It was like the heavens had opened to let a choir spill forth and Pierre eagerly drank in every detail he could from across the room. The stranger had slightly curly and artfully tousled brown hair and a dazzling smile that only complimented his appearance. In fact the only downside was that, as soon as the man entered, he tucked his hand into the crook of Carlos’ offered elbow and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, leaving no doubt as to the nature of their relationship. That sort of thing had never stopped Pierre before.

My gift for the wonderful @vicsy in the Piarles Winter Fic Exchange hosted by the lovely, amazing, talented members of the Calamars Club Discord Server!! Every work in there is a masterpiece, go check it out!!!

[pandemic-info]

Can’t Think, Can’t Remember: More Americans Say They’re in a Cognitive Fog. Adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s are driving the trend. Researchers point to long Covid as a major cause.

Via the New York Times, November 2023

Comment:

Yes this is serious guys. I'm in my thirties and got (serious, pretty much couchbound) Long Covid after getting infected once.The brain fog was debilitating, and I still am not sure it completely went away, though I'd say after an entire year it has cleared up 95%. People, you don't want this. I've spoken to many friends and acquaintances who tell me they feel as if their memories don't work like they used to. None of them said to have long covid. [meaning: that they know of]

via

[motivatedartistry]

December 2nd, 2023

Aikido Lyric Drawing

TW GORE. kinda. plucked eyes and blood

uh... im normal I swear I was just having a moment with aikido

anyways. hatching as a form of shading is fun. and stuff.x

[martysimone]

Agent Provocateur | Lindie • in sheer scarlet red Italian tulle + seed bead embroidery

[petit-papillion]

The hearts on the jeans 💕

🎥 EatPrayLeclerc

[singsweetmelodies]

Annual Piarles Winter Fic Exchange: 2023/24

Hello fellow Piarlies ❤️💙 Thank you so much for your interest in the idea of a second winter fic exchange centred around our French and French-adjacent boys. All arrangements, sign-up details and explanations for the exchange can be found beneath the cut!

How does the exchange work?

Exactly the same as last year’s Winter Fic Exchange! We are heading into the winter break again, and we thought it would be cool if we could inspire another flood of Piarles-flavoured content to lift our spirits and make us miss F1 a little less over the break. Besides, who doesn’t love a present? Especially if that present is a fanfiction written just for you.

So how this works is: you sign up, submit your prompts for what you’d like to read in a gift fic, and then after sign-ups close, we’ll assign you a partner to write for. Someone else will have been assigned to write for you, so on the due date, you’ll post a gift fic and receive a gift fic of your own. 🎁

When are the deadlines and due dates?

Sign-ups are open as of now, and will remain open until the 23rd of November 2023 (AKA, the Thursday before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.) After that point, we will close sign-ups and collect everyone’s prompts.

Assignments will be sent out by the 27th of November (AKA, the Monday right after the final F1 race on the 2023 calendar.) You will then have all of December and half of January to work on your gift fics. 

Gift fics are due to be posted on the 16th of January 2023, though we do want this to be a fun and no-real-pressure exchange for everyone, so if we notice that people are struggling to finish in time for the deadline, we will simply shift it up by a week. We can do this as many times as necessary for everyone to finish comfortably and produce a fic you know your giftee will enjoy. 💙

What are the posting instructions for the gift fics?

There aren’t a whole lot of really specific or strict rules in this exchange, but the two we would like people to take note of are the following:

This is a Piarles fic exchange, so the main focus of your fanfiction should be the romantic relationship between Pierre Gasly and Charles Leclerc. Background pairings are allowed as long as the primary focus of your fic is still the dynamic between Charles and Pierre. (There will be a space in the sign-up form to indicate which background pairings you do and don’t like. Please note, however, that there is no requirement to write any background pairings if you don’t want to.)

The minimum word count for this exchange is 2k (2000) words. There is no cut-off or maximum word count, but we do ask that you try and write a one-shot instead of a multi-chapter if at all possible (unless you are posting a multi-chapter fic which is already complete by the time of posting.) 

We will do a more detailed post with AO3 collection details and final deadline/timezone instructions closer to the actual deadline. ❄

Is this a fic-only exchange, or can we create art as well?

This is indeed a fic-focused exchange, so in order to participate, we do request that everyone creates a fic that meets the 2k minimum. If you’re inspired to create art of any kind to go along with your fic, though, then you are more than welcome to do so! In fact, you’d be the MVP if you did. 🎁

How does prompting work in this exchange?

There will be a space in the sign-up form for you to submit two different prompts. Prompts can be anything from AU ideas (eg. coffee shop AU) to dialogue (eg. “Shut up” // “Make me”) to tropes or themes (eg. enemies to lovers). Anything goes, pretty much! Our only request is that you submit two completely different prompts - this is just to give your gift writer options.

As a gift writer, you can write either of the two prompts, or even go for some sort of creative combination of them both. It’s completely up to you!

There will be a space where you can provide an explicit/smutty prompt if you want, but please note that your gift writer is not required to include any explicit content in their fic unless they’re comfortable with doing so. 💙

What if I get prompts I really can’t write?

Not to worry - if you really don’t vibe with any of the prompts you have been given, you can get in touch with one of the mods and we will reach out to your giftee to provide an additional prompt or two. If things are still not working, we might reach out to someone else and have you swap giftees entirely. We want everyone to have a great time in this exchange, both in the writing and receiving parts of it!

We understand that sometimes life gets in the way, though, and you might not be able to fulfill your prompts for other reasons. We hope it doesn’t happen, but if you need to drop out of the exchange for any reason, please just let one of our mods know so we can arrange a pinch-hitter to step in and write your giftee’s fic in your place. ❄

Who are the mods for this exchange?

We have the wonderful team of @singsweetmelodies, @boxboxbrioche, @welightitup, @duquesademiel, @wolfiemcwolferson and @river-ocean running things for this exchange! 💙

Where and how do I sign up?

All you have to do is fill out this Google form! Additional relevant information will be shared on the Calamars Club Discord server, so if you are not already part of that server, please message a mod for the invite link. 

@ Pierre/Charles shippers across Discord, Tumblr and AO3: we hope that this exchange will make you all smile over the winter break! We are so excited to share this with you all 🎁