Tumgik
#pinnacle battles
Text
Mercury: Sweet Doll
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Designer's Reflection: Sweet Doll
Obtained: Pinnacle Battles 3
Rarity: SSR
Attribute: Pink/Sweet
Awakened Suit: Heart Stealer
Story - transcripts from Designer's Reflection
Chapter 1 - Telosma
Chapter 2 - Night Bloom
Chapter 3 - When a Flower Withers
Chapter 4 - Dance of Withering
Story - summarized
You meet a telosma flower, and it wants to tell you about its short life.
It grew on a tree in Mercury's Moonlight Garden, and it watched a lot of dinner parties that the CEO would hold. The flower didn't understand people's politics, but the events were still pretty to watch. One night, a girl showed up late to the dinner party. She was Lilith.
Mercury took an instant liking to her and spent the rest of the party with her. Not only that, but Lilith was a candidate for the queen of Ninir, and he wanted to help her get elected. The telosma flower had no clue why, but it liked Lilith and hoped she would be queen.
But one day, Lilith asked Mercury if he loved her. He said he was just helping her for his own reasons. Lilith declared that she would win the election without him. He found that amusing, since she needed him, and no one else had ever successfully bargained with him.
Still, Lilith walked out, and Mercury needed a new candidate to support. He chose a noble-born girl named Ciciti, who was beautiful but selfish, entitled, and nasty. She wanted to get rid of all the flowers in the garden and replace them with lilies. The telosma flower hated that, as all flowers were beautiful and lovely, not just the boring lilies.
Everything seemed to be going Ciciti's way: she was gaining popularity in the polls, and she was the star of Mercury's dinner parties every night.
About a week later, right at Ciciti's proudest moment, Mercury finally arrived to the dinner party... with Lilith! The two had made some sort of arrangement, and he was back to supporting her as queen. They danced together, all the while admitting to just using each other as political tools.
The telosma flower couldn't help but find the moment sweet and romantic. It threw itself off the tree and scattered its petals, making this moment extra special.
Connections
-There are other "object" narrators in Reflections: Yexiao's drawing comes to life and shares a memory in Spring Forest.
-On the first night of the dinner party, Lilith talks with a poet and is charmed by him. During the Puppet Encounter hell event, the doll Lilibet relives all of Lilith's journey through the other toys, and she talks with a poet toy - and subsequently steals his pen to steal his talent.
-Lilith has another Reflection, Telosma's Kiss, that relates her to the humbly beautiful flower. She begins her life as Lilith and tricks her way into the Glay family.
-In Pinnacle Battles 3, Nikki and friends find an illusion of Mercury dancing with a doll dressed exactly like Lilith. When he detects the "intruders," he sends thorny roses after them instead of telosmas.
-At the end of Voice of Desire, Lilith noticed Mercury and how he was the only one not charmed by her beauty. She made a point after winning the crown that she would do whatever it took to make him love her.
-In his Reflection for Daybreak Overture, Mercury (as a child) meets a nobleman in the countryside who gifted him a beautiful rose garden after his death. Now, Mercury owns two gardens: the Pigeon Rose Garden, and the Ninir Moonlight Garden
Fun Facts
-A telosma is native to the Indo-China region. It grows on trees, and it's a small flower that can range in color from a sunny yellow to a pure white.
-While this Reflection, and the whole game, is fantasy, Mercury is still 124 years old, and Lilith is 16 years old. The age gap is disturbingly huge... and it's worse when you remember the two were acting cutesy at the dinner party in the last chapter.
-Lilith worked alongside Nightbane to become queen, so she truly didn't need Mercury. And since he mentioned that no one had ever gotten him to negotiate before, and we see the two of them at the party, it's possible that Lilith found a way to get him to negotiate after Ciciti started taking over the garden.
10 notes · View notes
sleepyminty · 9 months
Text
I was looking into this summer CE and i cant help but notice
Tumblr media
This was inspired by Trigun wasnt it? Vlad is literally holding the Punisher and Mordred outfit is screaming Vash motif as well. And this whole set up is so london like. British trigun? Hellsing x trigun collab in disguise?
36 notes · View notes
nando161mando · 5 months
Text
Just make chatGPT CEO of Open AI. It shares a lot of qualities with your average CEO:
- Steals other people's ideas
- Valued by the market at much more than it's worth
- Doesn't remember things it previously said
- Says patently absurd things with absolute confidence
- Doesn't know what it's doing
- Doesn't really believe in facts so much as what it feels is probably right
23 notes · View notes
eternallovers65 · 2 years
Text
As a daniel ricciardo fan, im once again angry and relieved to see that zak brown tried to replace him again and failed.
As a f1 fan, im dying with the fact that its only tuesday but alpine has been taking so many blows. Starting with the fact they had to find out not once, but twice throughout twitter that, first one of your drivers will be going to aston martin and second, your supposedly new driver doesn't know shit about a 2023 seat contract and now you are having tug of war legal battle with mclaren??????
And more importantly, as a multi21 fan, im thriving to see that it all resumes to yet again: sebastian vettel and mark webber
110 notes · View notes
faerune · 1 month
Text
like don't take my complaints about the current state of jjk as me being bitter my fav died
gojo dying could have been a great way of driving home what he was working toward - his students succeeding him and being stronger than him. what a way to drive home the power of sukuna than killing gojo 'gg eez' satoru who face rolls every thing thrown in his way. and what a way of showing his legacy than people like yuji and yuta being able to kill sukuna after that.
4 notes · View notes
comediakaidanovsky · 1 year
Text
okay so we all know the “the belt corrupts” theories but have y’all considered that maybe it’s the scarf? mjf isn’t like that, he’s just been exposed to the scarf’s influence for so long that it’s poisoned his mind completely. punk stole the scarf and kept it for like a week, and then his entire life spiraled out of control. even now he hears it whisper to him at night and freaks out and posts shit on insta stories. if mjf wants to break the curse he needs to realize that the scarf doesn’t love him and destroy it. scarf versus career match. all in london main event. total bloodbath
13 notes · View notes
designers-teaparty · 2 years
Text
Rip to my wish to awaken the Ashley SSR
26 notes · View notes
dudefrommywesterns · 2 years
Text
i was going to read le morte d'arthur to get ideas on how to proceed with my ship but
1. watching merlin showed me i can just disregard canon however i want and no one cares.
2. the book is boring and drags on. there is so much unnecessary reiterating and detail of knocking people off horses
9 notes · View notes
renegadeontherunn · 1 year
Text
HELL. FUCKING. YES.
3 notes · View notes
arianna-irwynarn · 2 years
Text
I just love this hair
Tumblr media
Ashley's hair from the latest pinnacle battle. I absolutely love it.
She's had such a awful life its no wonder Nightbane was able to tempt her. But a part of Ashley refuses to die. Fight Ashley fight!!
Tumblr media
10 notes · View notes
Text
Uh...?
Yes, Mercury knows about Lilith, and yes, they're both powerful characters in Miraland. Still... why is the elf CEO so involved in the Queen's affairs? We only got a taste of his plans in the third Pinnacle Battles, but maybe diving into his Reflection for Sweet Doll will explain more.
But then, we'll get to relax with a soccer game with our favorite heroine.
5 notes · View notes
aashi-heartfilia · 5 months
Text
What MaoMao feels for Jinshi...
Tumblr media
(Vol 5 epilogue discussion)
Love, duh. She wouldn't let just anyone choke her to death. Isn't it obvious? She just doesn't realise it yet because of her repressed emotions. I've seen a lot of bad takes and people hating on the Vol 5 epilogue, saying it's one heck of a disaster but honestly, it's not. Here's why:
I think it does a very good job of humanizing Jinshi, the imperial brother. Before this point, we were always given a picture perfect image of Jinshi, in his most angelic form...but after seeing this, it looks like he's very much capable of murder, lol. No seriously!
Previously, Jinshi was always all sunshine and roses and this is the first time we see a pinnacle of his anger and frustration taking a form.
Honestly, anyone would be angry. Jinshi has done so much for MaoMao and almost everyone close to him knows that he has eyes on her and only her from pretty early on in the series and only MaoMao is the one person who seems to be in the dark. Or more precisely pretending to be in the dark.
She is literally running away from her own feelings and that's what made Jinshi so frustrated.
Tumblr media
It was the same thing in the 'Frogging chapter' (yeah, that's what we're calling it). She was "playing the role of an ignorant maid who's in the dark as to what her supiriors are upto". Jinshi was trying to tell MaoMao that he is the imperial brother and he does in fact like her but that never happened because MaoMao kept pretending that it was a frog.
Same here, even if he didn't say it outright, he was dropping so many hints! Who else could have gifted MaoMao a Moon hairpin? Who would have given her beautiful dresses to wear in the banquet?
Jinshi is called the Moon Prince for a reason and that hairpin had a moon and opium poppy. even other people recognised that it was given by him to MaoMao like Rishu's half sister, so a smartass person like Mao should be able to guess that this was all from Jinshi.
The same person who's busy day and night made preparations for her, only to see some unknown random person dancing with her and kissing her hand.
He was jealous and it's only human.
In fact, I'm glad that he's not a complete saint.
He was mad at MaoMao for pretending to be in the dark when he has gone to great lengths to take care of her, and he was hurt that the same person would even suggest him to marry someone else, i.e. consort Rishu.
Tumblr media
He was trying to tell her how he feels, and she wasn't even willing to acknowledge anything that is between them.
Adding to the fact, she knew the thing between Basen and Rishu and yet she chose to turn a blind eye, to the love that could blossom between them and suggested her name to Jinshi. It was wrong on so many levels because MaoMao knew everything and yet chose to give the most political suggestion she could think of.
Maybe because of her repressed emotions, she herself has become heartless while making decisions but just like a double edged sword, it has consequences.
So it was a mixture of anger, hurt and jealousy for Jinshi.
And he wanted MaoMao to feel the same.
The same amount of frustration he has felt as MaoMao keeps running away, just because it would be a little troublesome.
Yeah, he's shitty just like that, and so is she.
(and we love them for it ❤️)
Does it justify what he did? No. But it seems like MaoMao herself doesn't even mind it that much. She looked like well within her comfort zone. Otherwise, we know how capable she is of defending herself. But she was there, pretty much sitting with Jinshi until she dominated him completely and made her escape.
Guess they're both far from the vanilla couple that are usually expected in these kinds of series and I absolutely love it.
She was just mad he didn't poison her instead, like he promised her, to which he replied he would NEVER let her poison herself (because he also loves her a lot too, duh)
This entire scene looks more like a battle for sexual dominance, which MaoMao won.
She always has, since the very first day he saw the real her ❤️
Tumblr media
1K notes · View notes
nando161mando · 5 months
Text
OpenAI employees revolt after board names new CEO and Altman heads to Microsoft
Ilya Sutskever announces regret; 505 OpenAI employees sign letter asking board to resign.
0 notes
rhaenella · 12 days
Text
LN4 | Challenge Accepted
Tumblr media
pairing: lando norris x non-driver!reader
genre: one shot ✿
summary: it’s been five years since the last chinese gp, so when you and lando are set up to race each other on the shanghai circuit on mclaren’s state of the art simulator, anything is possible…
word count: 5.6k
masterlist
・ ⋆ ・ ⠄⠂⋆ ・ ⠄⠂⋆ ・ ⠄⠂⋆ ・ ⠄⠂⋆ ・ ⠄⠂⋆ ・ ⋆ ・ ⠄⠂⋆ ・
The sound of feet tapping restlessly against the floor, alternated by the squeaking of a swivel chair spinning round, echoed through the large hall at McLaren HQ. With a sigh, you refreshed your social media—again—but there were no new posts of any kind to keep you occupied. You’d already gone through all of them.
Your boyfriend and F1 driver, Lando Norris, was somewhere in the massive building, filming interviews, challenges and whatnot for the McLaren social media platforms. He had asked if you'd come with him today, mostly because you already saw so little of each other due to his busy schedule. Not that you saw much of each other right now, but at least there wasn’t an ocean between you like there usually was. 
Besides, he’d promised he would wrap up as quickly as he could, and take you out for dinner. So. The wait was worth it. Even though you were bored out of your mind for the foreseeable future.
After walking up and down the hall’s boulevard four times over, admiring all of the beautiful, historical cars on display, you had checked out the trophy wall, which was just as impressive. But since you weren’t allowed access anywhere else inside the building, at least not without a chaperone, there wasn’t much else for you to do or see. That’s how you found yourself in your current situation, spinning around in a chair like an impatient five-year-old, the line of racing cars and the lake outside whooshing by. 
“Y/N?”
The chair came to an abrupt stop. “Yea–yes?” you squinted at the blurry figure in front of you. 
Maybe it hadn’t been such a great idea to spin around so many times that your vestibular system now made it feel like you were on a ship battling a terrible storm. Luckily, once your vision cleared, you recognised the person instantly. It was Lando’s performance engineer, Andrew Jarvis. You’d seen him around race tracks a few times—he was always very friendly and kind to you.
“Jarv! Hi, how are you?”
“I’m good, thanks. What about yourself?”
“Oh, good, good… Enjoying the scenery,” you sneered, waving a hand.
“Right,” he drawled, looking you up and down with an amused smile. “Bored?”
“Yes,” you groaned, sinking a little deeper into the chair. “So. Fucking. Bored.”
Jarv chuckled. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m afraid Lando is still tied up. I think he and Oscar are filming some kind of… song challenge? I don’t know,” he shrugged with another laugh. “It’s not exactly my area of expertise.”
Your lips quirked up. “Imagine if it was. You could start hiding strategy calls in songs and sing them over the board radio.”
He wavered. “That would be…”
“Genius?”
“Eh, well,” he faltered, his mouth twitching all the same. 
“Right. Maybe not,” you laughed. 
Although, privately you thought it would be a hilarious idea. With a tinge of brilliance, perhaps. But the pinnacle of motorsport would probably be a little too serious to see it your way. 
“I’m obviously not an engineer, or a strategist, or a driver. So, I guess I’ll just stay here,” you sighed, patting the armrests of your new friend, the swivel chair. “And try to excel in exercising patience instead.”
Jarv nodded, his brows furrowing. “Maybe you don’t have to…” 
You eyed him with a suspicious look. “What do you mean?”
He checked his watch and glanced around before looking back to you, the corners of his eyes crinkling. “I have an idea. Come with me.”
Jarv had already turned on his heel before you could object, expecting you to blindly follow him to wherever it was he intended to take you. Which you did… without too much thought. Let’s just say boredom got the best of you. Choosing between sitting another god knows how many hours in that chair, or doing something—anything—the choice wasn’t hard. So, you leaped from your seat, sprinting to catch up with him. 
“Wait!” 
He slowed down, and you fell into step beside him. “What’s your idea? Where are you taking me?”
“You’ll see.”
You neared the large double doors at the rear of the boulevard. Jarv pressed his right thumb on a small, glass box on the wall next to them, waiting for his fingerprint to be authorised. The system scanned his print, and the light tinged green. “Welcome, Mr. Jarvis,” a female voice said as the doors automatically opened in front of you.
“Nice.”
Jarv grinned, gesturing for you to precede him into the restricted wing of McLaren HQ. The part that the general public never got to see. You gazed around in amazement. You knew it was a large building, but it was more like a maze back here, and you quickly lost all sense of direction.
“I should probably text Lando, he’s gonna wonder where I’ve disappeared to.”
“Don’t worry, Lando is heading where we’re going, too.”
You relaxed a little at that, however your curiosity didn’t subside as you trailed after Jarv throughout the many long corridors. Where the hell were you going?
The behind the scenes looked arguably even more impressive than all the trophies and race-winning cars that were being flaunted in the entrance hall. You passed countless offices, labs, and workshops where employees were working on top-secret updates for the MCL38, or perhaps even next year’s car. And although Jarv kept up a good pace, you were still able to sneak a few glimpses here and there, thanks to all the glass walls. Most of the technology looked so futuristic, you felt like you had accidentally stepped onto the set of a sci-fi film.
Jarv made a sharp right turn down another hallway. This one only had one door at the end, and it wasn’t made out of glass like the rest of them, which prevented you from being able to see what was behind it. 
You read the sign next to the door, which only added to the mystery. 
Strictly No Admittance. Authorised Personnel Only.
“This is it,” Jarv said, retrieving a key to unlock the door, opening it wide. 
Well, there was your authorisation.
You stepped into the mysterious, dimly lit room, your eyes gradually widening with awe. 
The room was roughly twelve by twelve metres, and in the centre stood two professionally altered Formula 1 cars, both with their own 180-degree widescreens set up in a semicircle around them. The back wall was lined with large computer screens, a row of chairs stationed in front of them, which gave you the feeling you were looking at a small-scale pitwall. 
Holy… beep.
Speaking of futuristic tech, this was way up there.
“Welcome to the McLaren simulation room.”
You whirled around to face Jarv, beaming. “This is incredible. I’ve never seen a sim like this before.”
It was true. Sure, Lando had his own simulator at home in Monaco. But it was nothing compared to this piece of craftsmanship.
Jarv hummed, smiling as he walked to the faux-pitwall. “So. You ready to try it out?”
You blinked. “Ready to–wait a minute… what?”
You stared at Jarv as he turned on the computers, pressing buttons here and there that made the right car hum to life. Next, the widescreen around the car powered up as well, causing a wave of light to brighten the otherwise dark room.
“Jarv?”
He opened a cabinet, retrieving a steering wheel before he walked to the simulator. “Come on, don’t tell me you don’t want to.”
“That’s not it,” you trailed off. 
“Good,” he said, turning around, looking at you expectantly. “So get in, then.”
“But… what about Lando? You said he was on his way over here. Don’t they need the room?”
“They will be here to film something in,” Jarv checked his watch again. “In a little over an hour. Until then, the room is empty, and we can use it. I presume you’ve driven a simulator before?”
“Yeah, I have… but don’t I need some kind of special clearance to use one of these?” One of these super expensive, highly accurate simulators that are solely used to train drivers and prepare the real cars and their setups for race weekends. Whatever could go wrong?
“Y/N, don’t worry about it. I’m Lando’s performance engineer. I’m one of the few that gets to decide who uses the sim.”
You shifted your weight, still unsure. “I’m not gonna be any good at it.”
“That doesn’t matter. What matters is that you have fun, or would you rather return to the waiting area?”
“No.”
Jarv’s smile widened, and he gestured to the sim, inviting you to take a seat.
You hesitantly walked up to the car, twisting your rings, a nervous habit of yours. You’d tried the simulator at Lando’s before, and like you’d already pointed out to Jarv, you weren’t any good at it. Lando had tried to talk you through it, telling you where to break and lift, but it was painfully clear you weren’t cut out to be a driver. 
And now you had to drive in McLaren’s state of the art simulator, under the watchful eye of Lando’s performance engineer. The pressure was real. You didn’t want to make a complete fool out of yourself.
After you’d managed to, somewhat awkwardly, settle yourself in the sim’s seat, Jarv locked the steering wheel into place. It was familiar to you as it looked exactly like the one on Lando’s car, just like everything else on this sim. Except that it didn’t have a front or back wing, or any tyres.
“Alright, before you start driving, it’s important to know the ins and outs of the track you’re racing at. Which in this case will be Shanghai, the location of next weekend’s race,” Jarv said, pressing a few buttons. 
The layout of the track popped up on the screen in front of you, with a sea of information and data appearing on the sides. 
“Don’t worry about the data. We’ll stick to the basics that are of importance to you as a driver. Ready?”
You nodded.
“Good. So, the Shanghai International Circuit has sixteen corners, two DRS-zones on the main straights; one in sector three, and the other on start-finish…”
***
“I don’t know, I feel like maybe I should pursue a musical career,” Lando joked as he and Oscar followed Marion, the head of McLaren’s PR team, down the building’s corridors. 
They had just finished filming another challenge for YouTube. Or Instagram. Or both. Lando didn’t really care about the specifics. It was just another part of his job. Something he’d rather be done with soon, so he could go back to his girl.
Oscar snorted. “Yes, I’m sure you’ll be a Grammy-nominated artist in no time.”
Lando grinned, agreeing with a nod. 
“Alright, lads. One more, and then you’re free to go,” Marion called over her shoulder. 
It was absolute music to Lando’s ears.
“What is it that we have to do?” Oscar asked.
“You’ll be racing each other on the sim, just for a couple of laps, around the Shanghai circuit.”
“I thought we were gonna train on the sim in the morning,” Lando said.
Marion nodded. “You will. This is only a short challenge for a video ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix. Because we haven’t raced there in so long, we thought it’d be fun to film your initial reaction to the track driving the MCL38.”
He and Oscar shared a look. They were always down for a race. There was no question about it.
The click-clacking of Marion’s heels bounced around the hallway as the group made their way to the simulation room. When they arrived, Will, Lando’s race engineer, and a camera and sound crew were waiting for them by the door.
“Why are you all out here? You should be setting up the cameras,” Marion scolded, looking at the men expectantly, waiting for an explanation.
But the men ignored her, instead they all looked to Lando, grinning. He frowned, not at all understanding the meaning behind the knowing looks they were sending him. What was up with them?
“Someone beat us to the sim, I’m afraid,” Will explained, his eyes still on Lando.
Marion turned to Lando as well, equally confused. “What does that mean?”
Lando met her eye and shrugged. “Hell if I know.”
As if on cue, a high pitched scream came from the simulation room, followed by a distinct, “That’s more like it!”
Will and the crew chuckled, but Marion wasn’t having it. “What on earth is going on,” she bristled, pushing past them to enter the room.
Lando followed her, but he couldn’t have been less prepared for the scene they stumbled upon next. 
Occupying one of the simulators was his girlfriend, and right next to you stood Jarv, who was closely monitoring your driving, giving you short and precise instructions. You were going down the straight at full throttle, following Jarv’s pointers as you breaked and hit the curb perfectly for a smooth exit.
What the hell? 
He’d thought you were still waiting for him in the entrance hall on the other side of the building. Never in a million years had he expected to find you here, racing on McLaren’s simulator, looking like you actually knew what you were doing no less. 
So that’s why all the guys had been smirking at him…
“What do we have here?”
You jumped at Lando’s voice, immediately causing the car to spin and crash during your momentary lapse of concentration. 
“Fuck! I was on a flying lap…”
“And a bloody good one at that,” Jarv added, proud.
Lando’s eyebrows shot up. “You were what?” His eyes flicked from you to Jarv, to you, and then back to Jarv. “Mate?”
Before Jarv could utter a word, you turned to face your boyfriend with a wide smile. “Baby, guess what?! I’m not a complete loser at this!”
“I–I’m so proud of you… but,” Lando shook his head, still not understanding any of this. “Why are you two in here?”
You grabbed onto the halo and pulled yourself out of the car to face him. “Jarv came to see how I was doing, and since I had nothing better to do, he suggested I’d give this a try,” you explained, gesturing to the sim.
“Oh, I see,” Lando smiled. 
Yet he struggled to swallow the bitter taste at seeing you spending time and having fun with Jarv. All the while he had been stuck ‘working’. Not that he blamed you for it. He was the one who left you all by yourself for so long. But still… 
“Uhm, but now that you’re all here,” you said, a bit sheepish, your eyes scanning the gathering crowd. “I’ll uhm, I’ll leave you to it.”
“Very well,” Marion called, but she was quickly interrupted.
“No, no, no, no. Wait a second. I need to know something first,” Will spoke, stepping forward. “Jarv, we need your professional assessment, man. How did she do?”
Marion sighed, tapping her phone to check the time, which only made her look more impatient. Lando ignored her, his eyes sliding from you to his performance engineer, curious as well. 
“Y/N did great. She struggled a little at first, but the more laps she did, the better she got,” Jarv beamed. He turned to face Lando. “You know, I reckon she’d even have a good chance at beating you.”
Lando studied him. “You’re joking.”
“No, I’m being serious, mate. I’d wager good money on it.”
Marion’s annoyance evaporated within an instant, her eyes lighting up. “Oh gosh, that is a perfect idea, Jarvis.”
“What is? Gambling?” 
“No,” she huffed. “I mean, instead of Lando against Oscar, we can have these two lovebirds race each other on the sim instead!”
“What?” you and Lando cried in unison.
Everyone looked at you, and your cheeks tinged a soft pink. You weren’t used to all the attention, usually preferring to keep a lower profile. Well, as much as that was possible dating a Formula 1 driver.
“Guys, I’m flattered. Truly, I am. But I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes. I know you’re all here to do a job, and that job doesn’t include me…”
“That’s right,” Lando agreed. He shot you a brief smile before addressing Marion. “Besides, she doesn’t like to be the centre of attention, and I don’t want her to embarrass herself in front of the eyes of millions.”
Something stirred inside you. “What does that mean? You don’t think I can beat you?”
“Well, sweetheart…”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” you mumbled, your eyes narrowing. 
Under other circumstances, you would have agreed with him. But this last hour and a half with Jarv had boosted your confidence. It had gone really well, exceeding both of your expectations on your sim racing capabilities by miles. And maybe, some part of you, just wanted to show him that.
Like Lando, you never shied away from competition. Not if you had a chance at winning. You weren’t a hundred percent sure if you did right now. But you couldn’t deny you weren’t more than a little curious to find out. And seeing as Lando had just called you out in front of everyone, the only logical thing to do was rise to the challenge.
“You know what? I’m in.”
With that, you climbed back into the snug seat, forcing the thought of having everyone’s eyes on you to the back of your mind. 
Lando’s eyes widened. “What?” 
“Wonderful,” Marion exclaimed. “Let’s roll, people.”
Lando watched as everybody around him immediately jumped into action, including the camera and sound guys who got ready to put it all on film. Jarv grinned and grabbed his tablet, giving a slight nod to Will, who nodded in return and went to start up the second simulator and retrieve a steering wheel for Lando.
“I’ll be assisting Y/N, and just like with a normal race, Will can be Lando’s engineer,” Jarv said.
“Yep,” Will said, holding up the steering wheel as he walked to the other sim. “We’re good to go.”
“We are too!” one of the crewmen announced.
Marion smiled, but it faded when she noticed Lando still standing by the door, not having moved an inch. “What are you waiting for? Get in the car,” she said.
She started pushing Lando in the direction of the other sim, but he stood his ground. 
“Hold on. We can’t do this.”
“What? Why not?”
“Yeah, why not?”
Lando sighed. “You know why.” 
Did they? Did he? 
Lando loved to race, and he certainly loved you. So what was stopping him from combining the two? 
He wasn’t scared of losing—he never has been, and never would. Not that there was any real chance that you, an inexperienced ‘driver’, could beat him today. There was simply no way. 
He’d seen you try the sim at his house, and despite his best efforts, you were, for lack of a better term, absolute rubbish. But then again, Jarv had seemed so sure of himself. That man didn’t lie or exaggerate. He would give it to you straight if you underperformed or weren’t any good. Lando had always admired and respected that. 
So, had Jarv been able to unearth some sort of racing talent that was buried deep inside of you? Something that Lando himself hadn’t managed to uncover…
Was that why he hesitated going up against you? His sense of pride?
Lando groaned internally. If anything, that should make him that much more adamant to race you.
He looked over to see you were already staring at him, ambition burning bright in your eyes. Ambition to beat him. At the thing he did best… It was alluring, and Lando felt his own competitiveness flare. 
“No, we don’t. Honestly, what’s stopping you?”
“It’s only five laps. It’ll be a piece of cake for you, Norris.”
“Unless that’s the problem,” Jarv joked. “Maybe he needs to warm up and familiarise himself with the track first…”
“I think all of you are forgetting that I’m the only one here who actually raced in Shanghai,” Lando shot back, unconsciously taking a step towards the sim.
“And how did that work out for you, mate?” Oscar chimed in.
Lando glared at him and Oscar struggled to contain his laughter. 
“Even better,” you exclaimed, reclaiming your boyfriend’s attention. “You have on track experience and I’ve had a little time to prepare with Jarv. That’s fair enough, right?”
“Y/N… are you sure you want to…” 
He was so close to giving in. He knew it, you knew it, probably everyone did. Besides, you had one more trick up your sleeve. One that would surely make his competitive side overshadow any lingering doubts, and get him to race you in that other sim.
“When have you ever walked away from a race? Hm? Unless you’re scared you’ll lose…”
That struck the intended chord. 
Oh, she didn’t, Lando thought. 
You gave him your most innocent looking smile, but he knew damn well what you were doing. He shook himself. Fine. If you wanted to race him so badly, he would give it to you. And no way in hell would he still consider going easy on you.
Lando promptly made his way to the other car and slid into the seat with practised ease. He signalled Will, who handed him the steering wheel. He clicked it into place before glancing to his right, smiling dangerously. “Alright, you’re on, darling. Challenge accepted.”
At that, Jarv entered a bunch of commands on his tablet, which was connected to the simulator’s system, to set the race parameters. Two cars appeared on the screens, each from their own driver’s point of view, already in position to start racing at Shanghai’s International Circuit.
“As you can see, Lando will start on the right and Y/N will start on the left,” Jarv informed.
“Whoa, wait a minute,” Lando sputtered. “Why are you starting from pole and not me?”
“Because I clocked the fastest lap time.”
“You clocked the only lap time.”
You shrugged, smiling. “Take it up with race control, baby.”
“Don’t worry,” Will reassured, looking at his own tablet as he scrolled through the accumulated data from your runs. “Break late, and you can easily overtake her in the first corner.”
Lando nodded, adjusting his grip on the steering wheel as the digital green flag was waved.
Jarv leaned in to whisper in your ear: “No, he won’t. Just remember what I taught you.”
“Aye, aye,” you said, focusing on the lights.
The cameras were all set and rolling, and Marion looked around, relishing the unexpected turn of events. This would be an enormous hit online, for sure. Her eyes landed on Oscar who stood to the back, watching the couple with an amused glint in his eye. If only she could involve him as well somehow… that would make it even better.
“Oscar, why don’t you take on the role of commentator?” Marion suggested, her tone indicating that he didn’t have much of a choice. 
Oscar startled. “Oh. Uhm. Yeah, sure.”
He moved to stand in between the two simulators, clearing his throat. “Right. Uhm. Welcome to the Shanghai International Circuit for the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix… It’s Sunday, April 21st—well, not really but let’s go with it—uhm, and we’ll soon start racing–”
“You’re a lousy commentator, Piastri,” Lando interrupted.
Oscar rolled his eyes. “How about you worry about yourself, Norris.”
Lando snickered, but he quickly sobered when the first light gleamed red. Then the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, and…
“It’s lights out and away we go!”
You got away quick, but Lando was faster, years of experience siding with him.
“Lando dives into the first corner, ahead of Y/N. Can she cross back? No, no she cannot. Ah, bummer…” Oscar narrated. “She’s right behind him, though, going into turn 3. Lando nearly missing the apex there, but he recovers well. OH! Oh, never mind. Lando goes wide in turn 6! Yeah, he’s familiar with that one.”
“Shut up,” Lando snapped.
“I didn’t think so, mate,” Oscar grinned, settling into his new character nicely. 
“Y/N is back on his heels as they go down sector two. DRS is not yet enabled, but she is only six tenths behind! Will Y/N be able to overtake Norris without DRS on the straight? She’s getting closer… they’re racing each other into turn 14, and… OH Y/N, massive lock-up! She manages to keep the car on track. Excellent save! But that’s gonna cost her some valuable time.”
You crossed start-finish, eyeing the time as you entered lap two.
Oscar’s voice boomed loud. “DRS enabled! But Y/N is too far–”
“Just 1.2 seconds behind, you can still do this,” Jarv encouraged. “Line-up on the left and take the first corner on the inside. Yeah, like that. Good.”
On the other side of the room, Will was giving Lando similar instructions. It had, after all, been a while since Lando had last raced this track. During his rookie year, no less. Therefore it was currently taking him quite a bit of effort to find the correct race line, especially with the many difficult corners and hairpins around the track. 
“Steady on,” Will said. “Y/N is out of DRS. Let’s keep it that way.”
The couple sped down the track on their simulators, and even though most of your focus was spent on driving and listening to Jarv’s notes, you also marvelled at the accuracy and realism of the sim. From the sensations of the literal car you were seated in, down to the gravel Lando’s little off-track adventure had caused to spread in and around turn 6. Whatever the outcome of the race, this experience would certainly beat waiting around and lounging in that swivel chair.
“Great exit from Norris who is absolutely flying down the straight in sector three, followed by Y/N at 1.4 seconds. Still doing a phenomenal job so far!” Oscar continued, his eyes glued to the screen. “Approaching turn 14, can Y/N manage the hairpin this time? What?! Oh, no! It’s Lando that locks up this time… Oiiioii, mighty turn 14 proves to be too much for both of our star drivers.”
Jarv kept a close eye on the interval time, and thanks to Lando’s mistake, the gap had already shrunk to 1.1 seconds. “Okay, now use the extra power from the ERS to get closer,” he instructed.
You did as you were told, pressing the correct button on the steering wheel, which gave you an extra boost to get even closer to Lando.
“Y/N gaining on Norris! And she’s now back within DRS at 0.9 seconds. Whoa, what a truly remarkable performance by someone who has never driven a race car or a sim like this before! I’d vote for her as driver of the day…”
“No one asked your opinion,” Lando cut off, sounding a little strained.
“Whatever,” Oscar shrugged, unbothered. “Lando Grumpy-Ass Norris struggles to maintain the gap between him and his girlfriend, hitting the curb a little enthusiastically right there. Oh, Y/N faces the same issues! It’s all about keeping the focus now, ladies and gents. Will Y/N be able to close the gap? Will she be able to attack Norris?”
Marion stood behind the cameras, watching gleefully how you and Lando raced each other around the virtual Shanghai circuit. Oh, you were even better than she could have ever anticipated. Better than anyone in the room could have ever anticipated, really. The whole crew was watching the race with baited breath. 
You were almost equally matched. With you, a real diamond in the rough, having received some training beforehand, and Lando, an experienced driver, essentially going in blind—it was a golden match.
Were you going to be able to do the unthinkable?
“We’re going into the penultimate lap, and even with Lando strategically using his batteries, Y/N has managed to close the gap to 0.7 with DRS. And there she is also clocking the fastest lap. Wow!”
“You can win a little bit of extra time in sector two,” Will analysed. “Turns 9 and 12 are crucial. You need a good exit.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Lando said. “I know what I’m doing.”
“Does he?” Oscar cut in. “We’ve got track limits for Norris in turn 9! He’s getting desperate now, with Y/N coming for him at 0.6 seconds. Is she going to—yes! She’s attempting to overtake Norris ahead of turn 11 but… fails… Oh, that was a bold move by Y/N! She lost a bit of time with that one, but she’s still within DRS range and knows she will be able to get close again for another attack.”
Your knuckles were turning white from how tight you were gripping the steering wheel. You couldn’t make a mistake, not now. You were so close… On the other sim, Lando was in a similar state. Although he was clenching his jaw in concentration instead. It was becoming more and more difficult to keep you behind him.
“Final lap,” Oscar announced. “And Norris crosses the white lines again! Turn 3 this time. Yep, there it is. Second track limits for Norris. He is feeling the heat, and not the good kind.”
Jarv’s mouth twitched. “It’s been five years since Lando raced here, let’s use it to our advantage,” he spoke to you in a hushed tone.
You nodded, your eyes never wavering from the screen in front of you.
Jarv checked the data, both yours and Lando’s, then leaned in. “Okay, here’s what you’ll do: instead of following the race line at–”
Will was closely observing you and Jarv from the other side of the room, but he couldn’t make out what Jarv was saying over the sounds of the simulators’ engines and Oscar still commentating to his heart’s content. He looked down at his driver, who was fully focused on the task before him.
“And then use the charged batteries after exiting turn 13. I know Lando’s defending tactics, this should work. He won’t see it coming,” Jarv finished. 
You simply nodded again, trusting your engineer’s judgement. You would give it your all to try and execute his strategy as best you could.
“As we’re nearing the chequered flag, all bets are off. Lando is fighting for his position with everything he has, but Y/N is not ready to call it quits just yet!” 
Your heart rate was off the charts, but you managed to stay calm, hitting the apexes, the metres between you and Lando’s car in front dwindling with each passing second.
“0.5 seconds, 0.4 seconds…”
“Flat out, Y/N. Let’s go,” Jarv said, his own heart rate ticking up.
“She’s chasing him, with DRS… There she comes. There she comes… round the inside! Y/N overtakes Norris!” Oscar roared. “Diving into the infamous turn 14… and… and she makes it! Hell yeah! What a mega move from Y/N! Now into the final corner. Can she stay ahead of Norris? Can she…? Yes!! Yes, she can!”
You passed the chequered flag, your mouth falling open in shock.
“Y/N wins the Chinese Grand Prix!”
“OH MY GOD!!”
Jarv's laugh pierced the room. “Get in! I told you!”
He managed to stop himself just in time before he started jumping up and down like an overly excited little boy. You shared his enthusiasm though, unable to control the slight tremor in your hands at seeing your name next to the word WINNER displayed boldly on the screen in front of you. 
Holy fuck, you did it. You actually did it.
Lando sank low in his seat. “How the hell…”
Will patted him on the shoulder, consoling. “You did your best mate.”
“Clearly it wasn’t enough,” he grumbled.
Will glanced at their celebrating opponents, the corner of his mouth lifting. “Get your mind out of the gutter, mate, and look on the bright side.”
“Which is?”
“Your girlfriend just showed you the perfect overtake manoeuvre for Sunday.”
“Ha-ha, very funny…”
Although, you really did. 
Lando turned to see Jarv help you out of the simulator, still grinning from ear to ear. You were reeling, the adrenaline of the fight and win coursing through your veins. Suddenly you understood what it must feel like to come out of a real F1 car, and to stand on the podium, basking in that feeling of winning a race.
As soon as you were out, Jarv high-fived you. “Solid race. That’s some potential, that is.”
Oscar came up next. “Awesome job, Y/N. Seriously. Great overtake at the end there. Perhaps you’ll be my future teammate,” he winked.
You giggled. “Thanks, guys!”
Even Will smiled at you, giving you a thumbs up as you walked over to Lando who was still seated in the other sim, sulking.
“Oh, come on,” you pouted, reaching out your hand, a peace offering. “That was fun, wasn’t it?”
“Sure thing, it was,” he muttered, but he accepted your hand anyway before jumping out of the car. 
When he stood in front of you, he took a moment to look you up and down, a smile slowly creeping onto his face. His ego may have taken quite the blow today, but there was no denying he was also extremely proud of you. Jarv had been right after all, and Lando was happy he hadn’t taken the engineer up on his bet.
He shook his head as if he still couldn’t believe it. “Well, aren’t you full of surprises?”
You shrugged, smiling. “Need to keep things fresh and exciting, don’t I? Otherwise you’ll tire of me in no time.”
“Never,” Lando scoffed, wrapping his arm around your waist and giving your lips a soft peck. “However, as much as I’m proud of you… this footage will never see the light of day.” 
You laughed, your eyes locking with Marion.
She sent you a wink. “We’ll see about that.”
***
a/n: thank you for reading <3 feedback is adored. 
by the way, should i make a taglist for future f1 fics? is that something you’d be interested in? or perhaps for specific drivers? let me know!
also posted on ao3
634 notes · View notes
nagislemontea · 3 months
Text
Shanks & his Empress of Amazon Lily. 
Tumblr media
Summary: Just as every former Empress of the Maiden Island had succumbed to a love sickness, you were not the exception. 
Idea: Shanks / Empress of Amazon Lily 
2594 words. 
After Shakky departed from Amazon Lily due to her love sickness, her position of power had fallen onto you. As the new Empress of the Kuja Tribe and the Captain of the Kuja Pirates, you upheld the image as the island’s pinnacle of womanhood. You were a rose that stood apart from the rest of the garden, though every rose has its thorns as well. You were respected, admired, yet also feared across the seas all the same. Creating a reputation as a notorious Pirate Empress created instances where individuals or groups were seen as fools to challenge someone so formidable, this current event in particular being one of them. 
The Kuja Pirates were presently docked at an island in the East Blue rich with agriculture, stocking up on a multitude of food supplies for the venture back towards Amazon Lily. Unfortunately for you, a particular red-haired captain and his crew happened to dock at a harbour on the other end of the island. This placed you in your current predicament, the stallholder felt nervous as he watched the two captains in anticipation, wondering whether he should intervene or not. You glared at the man in front of you as he did the same, both so thoroughly invested in intimidating the other for a fresh batch of lobster… Besides that, you knew of the captain standing in front of you to be Red-Hair Shanks. He was a pirate recently gaining more attention because of his battles against Marine Hunter, Dracule Mihawk. His trademark besides his striking red hair was the straw hat, shading the rugged look he had. 
Meanwhile, Shanks– while glaring at you– had been attentively observing the details of your face. Like you have heard about him, he has heard twice as much about you. He’s heard about your strength and accomplishments that have made you the threat you are today. Though he’s also heard about your beauty and grace, like a rose covered in thorns, prickling anyone that dares to cross you. He thought of you as a dangerous beauty, with your eyes as the most striking feature. Shanks imagined you’d make an amazing addition to his crew even if you already had one of your own, it couldn’t hurt to ask, right? But it did hurt to ask, just a little. He watched as the tension in your shoulders fell as a look of shock and confusion harboured your face, before bursting out into a fit of laughter, a pleasant mix of disbelief and amusement. Shanks felt rather flushed but quickly sank the feeling down as he took in the joy that was in your laugh. He found it endearing. So once again, he asked– not for you to join his crew– but for you to join him in walking around the island while gathering supplies. 
He watched as a flash of hesitancy crossed your face, but chose to wait for a verbal answer. You, after gaining quite a good laugh from the man, felt a slight pull towards him. You were intrigued by the enigma presented before you. The newspapers formed a rather serious and unapproachable impression of the red-haired captain, though it seems to be quite the opposite now. You wanted to take a walk with Shanks, but as a resident of a Maiden Island, particularly being its Empress, you weren’t expected to casually frolic with that of a man. However, when you thought back to the stories you had heard from your former Empress and her experiences with the man named Rayleigh, you wanted to see if you could experience the same. Shakky had described it as elating, unforgettable, yet a fleeting experience for a Pirate Empress tied down to their duties. So, you accepted his invitation. In response, he gave you a bright smile. One that stunned you in place as you took note of how his lips curled up into something so radiant. If anything, it was like the sun allowing the roses of its garden to thrive in its light. You felt your heart begin to blaze, though buried it deep as you fell into place beside him to walk through the village. It was at this instance, that both captains had completely forgotten about their competition over some lobster, and the duties that their crews required of them to complete. 
You found his presence to be freeing, there was no need for formalities. Shanks made that clear when he tried to amuse you with chopsticks in his nose, to which you walked away in response. You thought of the man as a fool, but a kind one. You noticed how he interacted with the children he came across, they all gleamed up at him with admiration despite his rising infamy as a pirate. You even noticed his subtle acts of service when he stopped a cart of fruits from spilling over without the villagers noticing, or when he ‘accidentally’ dropped a few coins for the man wishing to buy his child a dessert. He continued to smile ever so brightly, setting the whole island alight even as the sun began to descend. Shanks was a fool, you continued to think, but a charming one at that. You wondered if this is what Shakky experienced in her own time alongside Rayleigh, and if every single moment from today would continue to be something alike now. Surely not, life was not perfect. Though your eyes displayed such exuberance that made you want to cherish this experience and the others that may follow after this one, even if it was fleeting as you were once told. 
Shanks almost couldn’t remember the last time he felt that he could rest. Typically, he’d be more elated at gaining more acknowledgment as a pirate, though the attention from the Marines and the World Government had begun to weigh more on his crew. He could see it in their expressions, even on his own when faced with a mirror. Hence his crew was currently sailing around the East Blue to rest up, leading up to his current situation. As he stuck the chopsticks up his nostrils, he turned to you for your reaction. He took in the way you covered your mouth to stifle a laugh, your fingers creating an opening to see how your lips went up into a beautiful curve. Shanks felt pride in being able to make you smile at his foolishness, even when you walked away to hide your own amusement. You were a rose with thorns, but still possible to grasp as long as you gently pulled out its spikes. He watched as you interacted with the environment with such grace in each of your steps and inquisitiveness in the enchanting eyes you possessed. He noticed how you usually came to the villagers with questions regarding things you held curiosity for. You were fascinating yourself, but still so intrigued by the world around you that it urged him to show you more if possible. Shanks was quite aware of who you were, an Empress of the Maiden Island and notorious Captain of the Kuja Pirates. He’d assumed you already knew a vast amount of knowledge about the seas and more, so he wanted to help with things you might’ve not known about. Shanks would beam when he explained something and the way your eyes would gleam at the discovery of new information. You were indeed a rose that flourished in the sun even as it set on the horizon. 
As you parted ways with Shanks, you continued to stare back at the island aboard your ship, even as it became a minuscule block in your sight until it disappeared. Shakky was correct, it was a euphoric and unforgettable experience, though fleeting. Fortunately for you, this first meeting would not be the last. One year later, on an island in the Grand Line, you found yourself sitting beside the same red-haired captain. Only this time, he was without donning his straw hat and missing an arm. You took note of how his eyes held a new hope and how his personality only became increasingly charming the last you’d seen him. Though most of all, you noticed how his foolishness stayed present, despite seemingly becoming more serious in his role as Captain of the Red-Hair Pirates. The two of you chatted over a few drinks, ending with you inviting him to take a stroll around the island, to which he accepted with the same brilliant grin he decided to grace you with months ago. This became a daily occurance should you dock on the same island as Shanks, each conversation turning into a walk-and-talk around the archipelagos. Your crew, including his, noticed how every few islands their captains would disappear for hours, only to come back with their duties having been forgotten. Benn Beckman in particular, saw how every once in a while, Shanks would return with a more elated expression than usual, his mind elsewhere until Beckman would scold him for discarding his duties. Unbeknownst to his first-mate, he was only that ecstatic because of the time spent with you. He thought of you as a rose that he could hold without its thorns making him bleed. 
Though you both continued to hold your own goals as you two sailed across the seas, there were times where one would linger in the other's thoughts more often than not. This became apparent after Gloriosa noticed how you’d stare off into the sea every time she would address you in your sleeping chambers, as if you had something else you’d rather be thinking of. Your mind drifting off continued until Gloriosa returned with news regarding a new Emperor of the Sea, the mention of Shanks’ name had your head turning in a speed that startled even Gloriosa herself. Your elder stepped in beside you as your eyes gazed upon the paper with an image of the Red-Hair Pirates claiming their glory, taking note of how your hand lingered over the captain’s face. It had been long since your last meeting with the red-haired captain, longer than usual, and it may have tore away at your thoughts at times as you had come to enjoy his company. You thought of him as a sun that you allowed yourself the privilege to bask in without burning. Gloriosa, staring at you with suspicion, began a subtle interrogation on your connection to the Emperor. You were able to answer her questions without faltering until she had asked a rather forward one, did you hold feelings for Red-Hair Shanks? 
Without warning, Gloriosa watched as your face burst into a shade of deep red, almost the same shade as the mentioned man’s hair. Your lips parted multiple times to speak, yet your mouth ran dry at every attempt. Your gaze went everywhere but the paper that held the image of the red-haired captain, never letting your eyes linger for more than a second if it did. You felt the thumps of your heart making an attempt to burst out of your chest, your back falling against the sheets and taking deep breaths in an attempt to quell it. You felt warm, like the sun had invited itself into your room. You felt like you were burning, though unaware of the reason why. Normally, you disliked burning, though this felt more passionate and embracing, rather than the burning of an emotion like hatred. Gloriosa gaped at you with shock as she watched the same sickness she’s seen for generations overcome the current Empress of Amazon Lily. The elder ordered the concerned guards out of the room, fanning you with a nearby folding fan as you gathered your thoughts. As soon as you were able to sit back up, Gloriosa ordered you to listen to her carefully– that the sickness you had caught was not a joke. You’d thought her to be serious until she told you that you were in love, your face becoming warm yet again. You then allowed your mind once more to focus on Shanks. You thought him to be captivating. His smile, his charms, his foolishness, his warmth. These were only a few of the traits that you’ve come to admit that you admired so deeply. Gloriosa watched as your mind drifted off once again and sighed, leaving you to sort out your love sickness on your own.  
However, as soon as the elder had opened the doors to your chambers, a warrior had stumbled in with a rather frantic expression. The young woman’s gaze switched between you and Gloriosa, apologizing profusely for her interruption before reporting that there was a situation along the island’s coast. Upon hearing the urgency in her voice, you stood firm on your feet, the symptoms of your love sickness having disappeared for the time being. Immediately, you took your cloak as you headed out into the halls of your tower, commanding the warrior to report on more details of the issue. Apparently, there had been a break-in on the island and multiple groups were currently out looking for the perpetrator. Gloriosa followed closely behind the two of you, only halting in her step when you did. The older woman behind you watched on in horror as your breaths became shallow and the thumps in your heart began once more. Though you had felt warm inside of the walls of your room, you were sweltering now, holding yourself against a windowsill for balance support. Despite the condition you were dealing with, you continued to walk forwards. Ignoring the pleas of the two to rest, you only turned back when Gloriosa said you would not be able to handle the situation accordingly in your condition, cutting her off with a single look. As it was clear that you would deal with the perpetrator, you commanded the warrior to retract their forces as you headed out into the sun. 
You stared at the fool standing across from you with utter disbelief, before glaring at him as his head hung back from laughter. The red-headed captain was drenched from his swim across the Calm Belt, his black coat hung up to dry allowing you to admire the way his white button up presently clung to his skin. You observed every detail of the elation that he displayed, from the way his eyes crinkled expressing genuine joy to the way he held his hand to his stomach when laughing too hard. You took notice of every crease around his eyes, the veins on his hand reaching up to his arms. Even his tousled red hair that you’d be able to discern in any crowd. Everything. Though you’ve always believed it, you thought him to be more radiant than ever as the sun graced his figure as he stood before you. Meanwhile Shanks, as his laughing ceased, took in your grace as the roses around you seemed to flourish more than they did when he arrived. He thought you were more beautiful than the last he had seen you, just as flowers bloom when the sun has risen. He wanted to hear your voice, to see your smile, to have the privilege to hold you even if he is pricked by thorns. Shanks would bleed for you. You made no attempt to stop him when he embraced your figure, feeling the burning sensation in your body despite the water seeping from his clothes to yours. His warmth was welcoming and passionate, he is the sun that you would allow yourself to burn in. The sun had invited himself into your garden.  A/N: i suck at dialogue so i avoided it woo
569 notes · View notes
fem-blade-adept · 10 months
Text
A lot of people resonated with a post I made a long time ago about lesser known ADHD symptoms and I figured I would post more of them because more people need to be aware about how much of a debilitation ADHD is:
Rejection sensitivity. It hurts a lot more than you think for us to be told that something we like is not cool or our plans were turned down by someone.
Often, a lot of times, ADHD people feel out of place and it causes us to just want to leave social situations or discord servers or friend groups. It’s not our fault, we just feel like no one wants us there or that we’re too much to handle.
Wild Behavior Swings. Messy room to pinnacle of cleanliness. Late as hell to 20 minutes early. Perfectly organized to couldn’t care less. It’s a coin flip and we hate it more than you do.
Talking out loud. Less a symptom and more a solution. It helps us stay on track because when your brain moves as spastically as ours does, it pays to say things out loud.
Random errors in writing and spelling. Your brain is spinning at Mach three. You’re bound to forget words and letters at that speed.
Horrifyingly inconsistent short and long-term memory. My inability to remember things and conversations has literally destroyed relationships.
Window Shopper’s Attachment. Seeing something and NEEDING to buy it or it’s going to bug you for the next five years whether you have the money or not.
Social anxiety. I may have mentioned this, but when you are constantly overthinking everything, every interaction can be an uphill battle and it just gets worse if you’re an introvert.
1K notes · View notes