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#this team is gonna drive me insane <3
polakina · 2 months
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tell me your secrets
pairing: valeria garza x reader
rating: explicit
outline: valeria wants information. you want to be out of her compound. she likes your attitude and decides to take this interrogation as a one on one
warnings: smut, fingering, oral (fem recieving), kidnapping, interrogation, spanking, flirting, enemies to...fuck buddies??, thigh riding
requests are open! hope you enjoy, petals <3
a/n: i love this woman. she's got such a hold on me i had to write for her
masterlist
II
The restraints were cutting deep into your wrists as you struggled to free yourself from them. It was such a stupid move. Arguing with El Sin Nombre’s men during a rally was not your best move. But you were a freedom fighter. You couldn’t stand the way they swaggered around with their smug faces, pointing their guns at innocent bystanders, looking for any information on where their resources were taken to.
You had them. Well, your team had them. You’d caught wind of a shipment for El Sin Nombre on the west side of Las Almas. So before the resources could be picked up by the team, you’d slipped in and taken everything, keeping it in a safehouse far from Las Almas.
One of El Sin Nombre’s men had recognised you from your previous encounters with them, and his emotion overtook him and he’d held you captive. The truck ride felt like hours, being bounced around in the back of the vehicle with a bag over your head. You had no idea what you were getting yourself into. Or if you were ever coming back.
-
You heard voices, muffled by the bag over your head which was starting to itch your scalp. It was driving you insane. A few hours you had been sat in this chair, men coming in to question you and leaving enraged when you didn’t speak a word. Not a word had come out of your mouth since you’d gotten out of that truck and been hauled to this room. Or corridor. Or whatever the fuck these boys had put you in. 
Trying to untie the knots roped around your wrist, your fingers started to cramp and you cursed out into the darkness, the ties too tight for you to wriggle out of them.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” you heard to your right. A woman’s voice echoed through the room. “You’re gonna hurt yourself if you keep doing that.” Footsteps made their way over to you and light seared into your retinas as the bag was harshly pulled off your face. You shook your head, moving the fair out of your eyes, slowly adjusting to the room you were captive in. “I’ve heard about you, you know?” The woman came round to stand in front of you, crouching so she was at your eye level.
You maintained eye contact, showing no emotion, giving nothing away. You couldn’t afford to. If she saw one crack in your facade, she had you in her grasp. “So what’s your name, then, hmm? I know what the freedom fighters call you on the street, but what should I call you?”
Silence. Utter silence filled the room. But it didn’t faze her like the other men. She didn’t get angry, or slap you, or storm out of the room. She just smirked. It seemed more unnerving than anything else.
“Not a big talker? Fine. Let me start this conversation,” she walked around the chair, standing directly behind you. You had no idea what she was doing until you felt her fingers curl into the hair at the scalp, pulling your head back towards the ceiling forcefully. You winced slightly, but said nothing. “You stole our resources, taking them from right under our noses in the middle of the night. Now we have no guns, no ammo, nothing to fight off the terrorists that plague our land. Now we can’t find your men. They’ve gone underground. And nobody’s talking. Not even civilians. You got them wrapped around your finger, don’t you, princesa?” Her face was so close to yours. 
You’d seen a lot of El Sin Nombre’s men around in your time, but always under her command. She led them, they were on her orders. The times you’d come into contact with her were never pleasant. She loved toying with you whenever you had stood up to her. Not many people liked to challenge her authority, but you took pride in it. She admired it. She wouldn’t admit it turned her on a little to have someone rile her up, someone she could put in their place. Especially you.
“So now we have you in custody, your men hiding most likely at one of your safehouses which we can’t track down. You’re a smart woman. Maybe we should have hired you instead of the assholes we’ve got wearing our colours.”
You smiled. They hadn’t found your men. They had nothing. They were clutching at straws they barely had a grasp on to begin with. “Tell me where I can find my resources, and I’ll let you go.”
You considered it. For the smallest inch of a second, you seriously considered it. But you didn’t want a war to break out in your town. Nobody could survive that kind of hit.
She released your hair from her grasp, running her fingers through it gently before stepping away, coming back into your field of view. “Either you talk to me, or I let those boys back in on orders to slice you up until you talk. I don’t think you’ll survive for very long after that, honey.” The woman went and stood by the door, her hand on the metal handle. “The choice is yours. But I can promise you right now, I’m much better company.”
Hearing the creak in the handle as she pushed down on it, unlocking it, you stopped her.
“We don’t want a war breaking out. Las Almas is crumbling enough on it’s own. We don’t need to bring fucking genocide into play as well.”
She turned to face you once again. 
“Is that what you think we’re doing? Starting a war.” The woman leaned against the door, arms crossed. “We never wanted one either. That’s why we need our shipment. To protect Las Almas and its people.”
“Didn’t feel like you were protecting its people when those assholes out there tore the south side of the city to shreds. Do you even know how many bodies we found? Innocent bodies. All gunned down by El Sin Nombre’s men for no reason.”
She looked down at her feet, rolling her shoulders back. “Those men were dealt with,” she said softly. “El Sin Nombre never gave out that south side order. Those men acted on their own backs. You’re talking to the person who personally executed those men for what they did that day. We don’t want a war, princesa. We want to protect our own. Our people. This city.”
“So patriotic,” you smirked, rolling your eyes. “I almost believe you.”
She walked over to you, leaning down until her face was inches from yours. “You should believe me. I’m the one person here who can get you out alive.”
You leaned closer, a certain fire in your eyes that she liked. “I want my men alive. If I give you the location of my shipment, then that’s all you take. If I hear whispers that you’ve taken out any of my men, I’ll come back here and rain hellfire down on you, I can fucking promise you that.”
She chuckled slightly, surprising you. “Even held captive, you show no fear. I like you. I give you my word that none of your men will be injured.”
“Your word means nothing to me,” you said, cocking your head to the side. “I want your boss’ word.”
“My boss?”
“El Sin Nombre. I want his word.”
She smiled, nodding once. “What makes you think he’s a man?” She asked quietly, and it sent sparks flying in your brain. You’d been told that the boss was a man. Dangerous and vicious. But a woman? That felt even scarier to you. “My word is just as good as El Sin Nombre’s, I promise.”
You contemplated for a moment. “What’s your name?”
“Why would you want to know that?”
“Just in case your word isn’t as good as you say. I want to know the name of the woman who I’ll be coming back for to hold responsible.”
The woman stood up straight, but her hand drifted to your jaw, holding it tightly and tilting your face up to look at her. “Valeria. You call me Valeria.”
With her other hand she reached into her back pocket, a shimmer catching the light and you saw it was a knife in her hand. Valeria leaned over you, the knife drifting along your arm until it snagged suddenly, loosening the rope around your wrists, allowing blood to flow. “Follow me.” Valeria turned and opened the door to the small room, motioning for you to head through.
-
The map stretched across the entire expanse of the table, the whole of Las Almas territory and its neighbouring cities plastered on the paper. You leaned over it, eyes casting a glance over where your base camp was, where your safehouses were. From their notes, they were nowhere near your men. It made you smile. 
“So?” Valeria sat in a chair, leaning back on two wooden legs as her feet were kicked up onto the table. “The shipment. Where can we find it.” You glanced at her before looking back to the map. Taking a pen from the table, you circled an area on the map, out in the middle of the desert. From a glance, you wouldn’t think anything was even out there.
“You can find your shipment here. I have men on patrol in this area twenty-four-seven. So I expect to be able to contact them ahead of time so you don’t break out into a fucking bloodbath for no reason,” you asserted, tossing the pen back onto the table. Valeria smirked, standing up from where she was sat, marching over to you.
“Princesa, you’re not in a position to be making demands, okay?”
“I’m not your princesa.”
“Well, you won’t give me a name so you can deal with the name I give you. Besides,” her hand brushes away stray hairs on your cheek. “I like seeing the red in your cheeks when I call you it.”
You avoided eye contact, looking at the table, but she grabbed your face, her fingers digging into your cheeks as she forced you to look back at her. “Don’t be going all shy on me now.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you said through gritted teeth. You had felt heat on your cheeks every time she called you princesa. But you didn’t think she could actually see anything.
“You know, if you weren’t so hostile, we’d actually make a pretty good team. I like having something pretty to look at when I’m working,” she raised her eyebrows as your eyes met hers. “You don’t have to act so big and mighty around me. I’m not that scary.”
You laughed, your hand pulling her wrist away from your face, keeping a firm grip on it. “You act as though I’m scared of you. I can assure you, you don’t scare me.”
She hummed, turning the tables and grabbing your wrists in her hands instead, pushing you against the table. “I know. I like it. You got a fire in you, honey. I’m starting to like your company more and more every passing second.” She smiled, leaning in until her lips grazed your ear, her body pressed against yours. “Perhaps you should stay a little longer in ym compound.”
Your body was telling you to react in a different way to what your brain was screaming at you. You honestly didn’t know what to do. This interrogation had certainly gone down a different path than what you expected. “And why would I do that, Valeria?” From the past few months where you had challenged her men, challenged her, gotten up in her face about how she was ruining Las Almas and causing more problems than solving them, you’d never actually been this close. Nor had you ever felt so vulnerable in her presence.
“We’ve been dancing around each other for months. We’ve been at each other’s throats, fought on opposite sides. But there’s one thing you can’t deny,” she smiled against your ear as your breathing halted in your throat.
“And what’s that?” you asked, only able to muster it up in a whisper.
“That you like it. You like the confrontation between us. I’ve seen the way you look when I put you in your place.” She had you. The second she heard your breathing labour she knew she fucking had you.
You turned your face towards hers slightly. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Her teeth nipped your earlobe, trailing towards your neck.
“Hmm. You sure?” She coaxed, feeling your pulse quicken against her lips. “Because your body is telling me something else entirely.” her face came up to meet yours. She stood a little taller than you were, and the ends other hair tickled your cheeks. “Tell me I’m wrong. But don’t lie to my face in my own office.”
You couldn’t say anything. Saying no would be a lie in itself. Your lips parted slightly but no words came out. She smiled, her face inching closer to yours. “That’s what I thought.” Her lips found yours. Softly, but firmly slotting against yours in a kiss. Her body pressed against you felt her tongue part your lips further, exploring your mouth deftly. Valeria’s grip loosened around your wrists and moved to your waist, her fingers ghosting over your bare skin as your shirt lifted. You could have pulled away. You could have stopped this. But you didn’t want to. This already felt too good.
Valeria felt your hands come up to cup her cheeks, and she smiled into the kiss, pulling your bottom lip between her teeth. Your fingers drifted to her neck, pulling her impossibly closer to you. Her lips found your neck, sucking at the soft skin over your pulse. You couldn’t hide the small gasp that escaped your throat, making her chuckle softly. Not in a demeaning way. She liked that she made you feel good.
But her touch disappeared just as quickly as it came. She walked backwards, back to the couch opposite the desk, her fingers making quick work of the belt around her waist, letting it drop to the floor as she unbuckled it, pulling it through the loops. She kicked her boots off, nudging them to the side as she walked. “Still regretting staying?” She asked coyly, sitting in the chair, leaning back and spreading her legs.
“Not yet,” you replied, still leaning against the table.
“Then come here, princesa. I’m not finished with you yet.”
Slowly, you made your way over to the couch. She smiled up at you, one eyebrow cocked. You took the opportunity to lower yourself to your knees, knowing exactly what she wanted. You wanted it too. Your hands ghosted up her thighs as you leaned up to her. Your fingers unzipped her pants, pulling them down her legs as you found her lips with yours once more. Her skin was warm, like fire against your fingertips. Your mouth made its way south and you started at her knee, kissing softly at her skin until you made your way to her inner thigh. 
Valeria watched you, looking down at you as your head inched closer to exactly where she wanted you. She lifted one leg over the arm of the sofa and let her head fall back as you pulled her underwear aside, gently ghosting your lips over her cunt.
You wasted no time, diving into her pussy, licking a stripe through her folds. She moaned softly, her hand finding your hair, pushing you closer to her cunt as you fucked her with your tongue. Valeria felt your finger glide up her cunt, dipping gently into her. You were teasing. She was having none of it. 
“Keep fucking around and you will not like the punishment I give you, honey,” she said, her words like ice on her tongue. You pushed your finger deep inside, your tongue finding her clit, giving her the stimulation she needed. Lips closing around her clit, you sucked harshly at the sensitive little bud, your teeth grazing gently over it.
Her grip was so tight in your hair as she kept your head between your thighs, you wouldn’t be surprised if it bruised your scalp by morning. But you didn’t care. Your free hand wrapped around her thigh where her leg rested beside you, and you pulled it over your shoulder, caging yourself between her grip. She felt your fingers dig painfully into the supple flesh of her thigh, it made her gasp out into the otherwise empty room.
You added a second finger to the crevice of her cunt, and then a third. Valeria tensed around you as she felt your fingers curl against something devastating inside her. “Shit, princesa. You’re better than I-” her sudden moan cut off her sentence as your fingers quickened, thrusting deep and harshly inside her. You felt her thigh close around your head, her hand keeping a firm grip on your head as her quick breaths signalled her high coming to a peak. “Come on, honey. Make me cum. I know you can.”
Withone final thrust of your fingers, and the undying attention you gave to her clit, she felt her orgasm wash over her, her mouth hanging open and her eyes rolling back as she came on your fingers. 
Her fingers released her grip on your hair as she came down from her high. You stayed between her thighs, keeping her legs pushed widely apart as you cleaned the mess between her thighs.
Valeria’s breathing slowed and became steadier as her muscles relaxed. Once you were satisfied, you looked up at her with glazed eyes. Her expression matched yours. Her cheeks were flushed and her pupils blown. “Atta girl,” she smiled, patting her bare thigh. You pushed yourself off her knees and stepped between her legs, but her foot pressed against your thigh as she cocked her head at you. “Take them off,” she gestured to your pants.
You rolled your eyes, smirking, but entirely compliant to her orders. Your shoes were kicked to the side, your pants on the floor within seconds, and you moved back towards her. But her foot came up against your thigh once more. “Take. Them. Off.” There was no room in negotiation in her voice, her tone was stern and cold. It sent a tingle down your spine.
Underwear hit the floor and you felt bare in front of her. Your shirt was just long enough to cover your ass, but not long enough to be able to leave it to the imagination. Her finger coaxed you closer to her and you moved to stand between her legs once again. 
Valeria’s hands drifted up your thighs, gently pulling you onto her lap and her lips melted against yours, her kisses deep, rough, needy. She shifted your body so you were seated on her thigh, your cunt resting on the muscle beneath her skin. “Your turn now,” she whispered, her accent thick and heavy in her words.
Her hands cupped your ass, dragging your hips along her thigh. Your clit rubbed against her skin in such a perfect way with each roll of your hips. Soft gasps accumulated in your throat as she guided you where you sat, straddling her. “Such pretty noises, princesa,” she smiled up at you, her hands drifting upwards as your body moved on its own, wanting to reach its own high. Valeria pushed the shirt up over your head, tossing it over your head where it landed clumsily on the table. Her lips found your breasts, kissing and sucking at the sensitive flesh, your nipples gently grazed with her teeth.
The stimulation was turning you on even more, every part of your body receiving the attention it needed to draw your orgasm even closer. But it never felt enough. Just constantly on the cusp, never teetering over the edge. Valeria could see it in your eyes.
“Need a little more, honey?” Her tone sounded mocking, but you were so close that you didn’t even care. You just went along with it. You liked this side of her. “Aw pretty girl. I got you.” Her hands grabbed your ass again, slapping your ass cheek harshly as she hoisted you up onto your knees. One hand stayed on your ass, the other reaching in front of her to play between your thighs. She was less gentle than you were with her earlier, her fingers thrusting deep into your cunt without warning. But it was what you needed. You moaned and tilted your head back, your fingers digging into her shoulders, nails carving lines into her skin. 
She moved at such a speed, the noises coming from your soaked pussy filling the room with its obscene sounds. Her thumb pressed firmly against your clit, rubbing tight circles against it until you felt your core clench and your thighs tense around her own.
“Don’t stop, please don’t stop,” you cried out. Valeria looked up at you, seeing the way your eyes crinkled shut, how you pulled your bottom lip between your teeth. 
“Say please,” she whispered, her ministrations slowing and your coming high fading. “Beg me for it.”
You had no shame as you made eye contact with her, begging and pleading to reach your orgasm. She just smiled, knowing the control she had over you right in this moment. Your orgasm hit you hard, and you buried your face in her neck, her skin between your teeth as you came. She hissed at the pain, but it didn’t hurt nearly as much as she’d expected. She rather enjoyed it.
Breathing some air into your lungs, your body finally started to relax, and your walls unclenched around her fingers, but she didn’t take them out. Not yet, anyway. Your juices soaked her fingers, dripping out to coat her hand, but Valeria didn’t mind.
A few minutes passed before either of you spoke. You leaned back, your face close to hers and she leaned up and kissed you softly. 
“Perhaps you should call your team, let them know what’s going on,” Valeria smiled, the whole reason you were in this compound now coming back to her. You returned her smile, chuckling softly, pecking her lips once more.
“Yeah probably. Did you okay it with your boss, I assume?” You questioned, cocking your head. You realised she hadn’t left your side since the interrogation, she hadn’t had the time to discuss it with the boss.
But Valeria just laughed, her whole body shaking as she chuckled. “Oh, honey. There is no boss to go talk to.” Your expression screamed confusion, and it just made her smile and shake her head. She patted your ass as she leaned back against the couch. “You just fucked El Sin Nombre and got on your knees for her, which was so hot, by the way. I call the shots around here.”
Stunned. Shocked. It was the only way to explain how you felt right now. You were bare ass naked in the lap of a notorious cartel leader. “You’re serious?” 
Valeria nodded in response, a smile playing at her lips.
“So call your boys and let them know. I’ll send my men to retrieve my resources. And who knows,” she tilted her head up, lips ghosting over yours. “This could be the start of a beautiful business partnership.”
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love-toxin · 2 years
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this may seem outlandish.. foolish, even… but i bring you, as an offering, the concept of SCARYASS SUB YANDERES!?!?!?! i’ve had this idea in my mind for sooo long and my god it’s been driving me insane. i think it works well just because of the inherent obsessive, frightening nature of yans in the first place? it’s scary, the way they’d do anything for you. kill people for you, abandon everything they know for you, die for you. it’s terrifying. and sooo fucking hot.
specifically eddie and steve…. my god. My God. they’re both just drooling over you, and grovelling for even an ounce of your attention. whimpering and begging by your feet like dogs… its food for thought, eh?  
at first you’re scared of them. they’re always lurking somewhere, far away that they think they won’t be noticed, but they are. you know they’re there. creeping around the bushes, just out of the corner of your eye. they’re always there. changing their schedule when they don’t have any classes with you. they’re a permanent pest that’re always ogling over you. nasty ass stalkers <3. it’s even worse when you notice them beginning to team up. it was bad enough when it was just one of them cornering you, eddie offering you a spot in hellfire every day after class and steve flirting with you every chance he gets or when you stop by the family video store. but both of them? absolute menaces. 
the king and freak of hawkins?  a surprising duo! it’s unheard of. nobody would’ve ever thought of it. nobody would even believe you, and nobody does. and they have their eyes on you. watching you, following you, bothering you, and you’re just so scared. they won’t leave you alone, and nobody seems to believe you, either. they’re just so big, and you’re so small. steve’s always been strong, you know that, and you’ve seen it too. playing on the sports team, roughing around and fighting constantly, you know what he can do. and just because eddie’s thin doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have height. he’s so fucking tall. and not to mention his reputation? even before the whole chrissy incident, he’s had a reputation of being a monster with connections outside of the school. (it’s only reefer rick, but he’s not gonna tell anybody that.)
you try your best to avoid the two of them, but you can’t. not anymore, at least. one of them is always shepherding you into the other. eddie padding behind you after school, and steve always so conveniently positioned. and one day, eddie’s hounding you after school. he’s not stopping either, chatting you’re ear off. you’re not even talking back, just trying to get away from him. schoolbooks clasped tight to your chest, looking at the ground, and he’s just bouncing behind you. you don’t even realize where, and it’s dark out now, how long have you been out? 
you’re immediately snapped out of your thoughts when you hear steve. eddie’s laughing, of course he is, and steve’s cooing at you. you back up, but there’s nowhere else to go. let’s say you’re in the woods, right where eddie does all of his deals, and you have nowhere else to go. you’re trapped in between the both of them, their eyes dilated to the max, and you’re about to cry. 
they’re going to kill you. that’s your only thought, and you start to sob. you close your eyes and wait for something to happen but… nothing does? they back up and give you space. steve’s freaking out, instincts kicking in from having to watch the kids for years, and eddie’s the same, if not worse. 
they’re… pampering you. it’s weird. eddie’s on his knees, grasping at your hand and kissing at your hand trying to make you feel better- to fix his wrongs. steve’s rapidly shooting out questions, “are you okay?” “what’s wrong?” “who hurt you?”
and honestly… you kind of like it. both of the two biggest, baddest guys in hawkins reduced to simpering little idiots? it's a nice change.
Holy shit this is long as fuck. apolocheese.
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A-ANON, ANON!!!!!!! YOU......YOUR BRAIN........SUB YANDERE STEDDIE + ANGELFACE.....IM ON MY KNEES.....
ok. breaking this down. the individual stalking aspect: fucking gold. you have both men constantly in your peripheral, Eddie and Steve both fighting for as much time as they can possibly spend with you, and being absolutely nasty stalkers in the process. coming home after a long day of avoiding them both and finding your drawers raided, your cassettes out of order with a couple missing, maybe even your sheets wrinkled and smelling a bit of sweat like someone's been laying in your bed.
maybe one day you walk through the halls at school one day and see Eddie with a bloodied nose, Steve with bruises around his neck and his wrists, and the two guys who usually don't even acknowledge each other are glaring daggers at each other the whole day. but when the marks fade and heal, you start seeing them get a little closer....and they often do so while watching you. when they start sharing those smarmy grins and whispering to each other as they pass by the other in the hallways, that's when you start to really worry.
and you're right, nobody will believe you. the only noticeable change is Steve flirting with you whenever he sees you at school or when you're at the video store, and you should consider yourself lucky. why don't you just go out with him? give the poor guy a chance at least, since he's so nice to you? but the people telling you that don't know how invasive he is, they don't know that you've spotted him hanging around your house late at night and seen him glare down anyone who talks to you. and they don't know that when he leans in close to whisper into your ear, the dirtiest things come out of his mouth that only you can hear. "I just wanna rip that little top off you" and "wish I could fuck you over this counter, sweetheart" and "meet me in the back and I'll make you fall in love", things that make you scurry away from him as fast and as soon as you can manage, leaving him shaking his head and smirking at the back of your head because you're so, so cute when you're playing hard to get. but obviously he needs to be a little more direct.
Eddie, at least, is slightly more believable. but he's much, much sneakier, and way more subtle about his advances than Steve. he's more of a menace--always on your heels every perceivable second of the day, running you ragged with questions and mindless chatter that you never can seem to get away from. and it's not just talk, either--he's always using his stature against you, boxing you against your locker or the picnic table out by the woods, drawing his lips close to yours like he's gonna force a kiss out of you, only to breathe softly against them as he asks you again if you'll join Hellfire. don't you wanna spend some more time with him? he'll even give you a private lesson on D&D, just for you, the cutest student in the whole school. you have to push on his chest to get him to even lean back, before you duck out of his reach and dash away, and he's too giddy from having you touch him to even worry about you getting away and telling someone he was being a creep.
and when he gets you back in the woods after school, corraling you like a little lamb towards the jaws of the wolf, Eddie can't help but have a spring in his step. he can't wait for this one.
when you see Steve waiting there by the trees, leaning against the trunk of one, you immediately back up. but you come to a stop when you hit Eddie's chest, and with a quick glance over your shoulder to make sure he's not gonna get out of the way, you turn your gaze back to see Steve approaching you and fear starts knocking your knees. Eddie holds your shoulders from behind to keep you from running, and when Steve gets close enough to lean down real close to your face, his hand on your chin, the tears spill out of you and you hiccup those choked-up words: "please don't kill me..."
the air changes almost immediately. Steve shakes his head like he can't believe you just said that, his eyes soften, and a "never, baby" escapes him. meanwhile, Eddie turns you around by the shoulders so you're facing him instead, and drops to his knees so he's tilting his head all the way back to look up at you. he grabs your wrist in a strong hand, and pulls your arm closer--and he nuzzles your palm with his face, kissing along each knuckle and all five fingertips while his other hand is braced on your thigh. Steve wraps his arms around your midsection from behind, and coos those sweet words in a reassuring tone "are you okay? did someone hurt you? sweet thing, don't have to be scared of me, okay?"
it shouldn't be so comforting, so satisfying to have them both whimpering for your approval, but it is. they'll do anything to pull that smile out of you, and as soon as they get one, they'll both relax and get even cuddlier in your presence. even though they're the ones who scared you in the first place, and they're the ones who have such an unhealthy attachment to you....but you've been suffering under their thumb for so long, would it be so bad if you took a little bit back from them? torture them a little to get what you want? that seems like more than a fair exchange for the hell they've put you through.
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jeynearrynofthevale · 6 months
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Just watched the Connor McDavid: Whatever it Takes documentary and my main takeaway is that he’s insane but here are a bunch of random notes and pics:
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““If it was up to my mom, we probably would’ve been a skiing family”
The drive, that’s who he is, he’s always been that way, since he was probably 3 or 4, he refused to let his parents help him get dressed and he would carry his bag everywhere, the bag was bigger than he was
“He’s intense and he’s competitive”
Bobby Orr said when he was 15 that he was gonna be the greatest skater to ever play
Tracy Wilson: Olympian and skating coach “what I love about Connor is it’s all about power, doesn’t matter how it looks, it’s about getting there”
Kassian “we haven’t seen a player like that in the game in maybe forever”
McDavid “at the end of the day, you’re still playing an nhl game, but that’s not much to hang your hat on” in reference to being out of the playoffs
“Right on the post square and I just felt the pain right away, thought I’d just broken my leg into a couple pieces”
They keep replaying him going into the net at top speed and it’s fucking horrible to watch
He whispered to me “I think it’s broke”- Kassian
“I was having flashbacks to Stamkos’s energy and I know stammer really well”
Stamkos texted therapist: “did he break his tibia?”
“If I could do it all over again, you’d like to take it back”- giordano
Team physical therapist asked if he could move his leg and told him he could either try to get up or call the gurney. Connor said “no, no, no” and stood up even though he was worried and thought his leg was going to give out”
“I held it together until we got though the tunnel and then I was just a mess” it took them 10 minutes to get back to the room
He said “stop, just give me a second”
3 guys had to hold him up the way back
Lauren “it was really hard when he called me, he just said “I think I broke my leg””
Brian “he was really upset and in pain, as a parent it’s hard”
Kelly: “it’s the worst thing in the world”
“Maybe in hindsight it would’ve been better if it was broken”
Never realized the infamous scene where Leon squeezes Connor in the hallway is from this.
Grade 2 strain of his pcl
“Hey dad, just want you to know I’m going for a second opinion in Colorado Springs”
Doctor told him it was a full pcl tear where tears on bth sides of his miniscus, “tore the popliteus right of the bone”
Full reconstruction of the knee, pcl, and popliteus would require a year recovery, doctor said he needed to do it asap, within a few day
“He was distraught, very, very under described”
His mom wanted him to have the surgery
Surgical intervention is to give it stability back
Had to make decision in 48hrs about whether or not to operate.
“He was very emotional and it was very difficult for him to talk.”
3rd opinion in LA: 2nd doctor is right about the issues but thinks the surgery is risky and doesn’t believe in it, wants to try to rehab it
Had to make that decision at 22 in 24 hours
Pcl cut right in half, back of knee joint completely torn, popliteus also completely torn, lateral and medial meniscus are both torn, crack in front of tibia from where he hit the post
“Hockey is my life”
He wanted to hear that he didn’t need surgery
His rehab guy literally lived with him
7 days a week, 10 hrs a day
50% chance to get him maybe skating again by end of summer
He was in a hyperbaric chamber daily for 40 days, 2 hours at a time
Claustrophobic in a literal tube
“At one point, doctor cleared him to flex his quad muscle”
They had to keep the injury as secret as possible, didn’t tell Ken Holland how bad it was
He would call his mom right after every mri appointment
He was in the pool all the time working on his knee
While rehabbing, his core specialist was like “might as well work on everything while we’re stuck here” and they worked on his core, pelvic floor, rotational movement, spine, everything
Gymnastics coach also helped
Didn’t want him to skate till September
He went on the ice with just his dad on his doc’s recommendation before September
He was so happy to be back on the ice with his father, completely changed emotionally that day
You can really see how much he loves just skating
He was so happy to know that even if he couldn’t fully heal he could still go on with the brace and skate
He’s so smooth in these skating exercises while in an insane brace
“One thing to be out there playing the game but another to do it at the level he was capable of”
Tracy Wilson did in their own words “edging” with him for afternoons, taking him through all sorts of movements and exercises without his brace
Opening night started to look like a possibility
He wanted to be there for training camp
He decided not to participate in biosteel
He wanted to play in all 7 exhibition games even though most veterans only did 4
“Like my first game all over again”
Seeing him on opening night was incredible for his training people
Okay, seeing the canucks slashing at him and shoving him into the boards in the home opener is now making me so protective
“He willed himself back”
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soverane · 14 days
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have you seen the arlecchino ult leak posted just now and how do we feel abt arlenora now
[genshin leaks ahead!]
[sobs, falls at your feet, weeping, wailing, curls into a ball] hi meadows!!! <3 i was having a field day... i didn't know what to expect with her leaks but the parallels with signora as well as signora's own theme in her boss battle phase 1 ost leak was not on my 2024 bingo card but here we are...! omfg i am devastated in the best possible way... i'm gonna try to collect my thoughts here...
arlecchino's constellation, "ignis purgatorius"
it means "cleansing" or "purifying fire", and this is interesting bc signora (then rosalyne) "sacrificed her [physical, mortal] body to become the embodiment of liquid fire herself." i'm not sure what being the "embodiment of liquid fire" really entails for signora but the crimson witch of flames and the pale flame (specifically the flower, "stainless bloom") artifact sets tell us that rosalyne was a living being who still looked human, but whose essence is made up of "liquid fire." that, and her newfound purpose is to aid the tsaritsa in "cleansing" the world of its darkness and corruption. (the shivada jade gemstone description is my tsarlyne roman empire but that's a ship for another day <3) idk why arlecchino's constellation is so conceptually similar to signora's whole "liquid fire," "cleanse the world in silent ice" schtick, but it is giving me brain rot, so, yes.
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arlecchino's boss form
her splash art complements signora's so much it's driving us all insane!!!!! i saw a video leak of her boss gameplay and it seems her 'wings' (?) resemble spider legs more actually! she uses them to walk, among other things. i wonder where this is going! but ok, sure! bug yuri <3 spider x moth yuri <3
arlecchino's boss battle phase 1 ost
of all the leaked content it's her ost that did it for me. towards the end of the track (2:19-2:30) WE HEAR SIGNORA'S THEME. I KNOW HER THEME BY HEART CHRYSALIS SUSPIRII AND SALTATIO FAVILLAE ARE FOREVER IMPRINTED IN MY BRAIN. I KNOW HER THEME WHEN I HEAR IT. so why!?!? what is her theme doing in arlecchino's phase 1 ost, and what does this mean! T_T what was the reason!!!! why would they do this to me!!!!! i'm not ok!!! if there's one thing i know about genshin's music team and lore team it's that the smallest details are not put there without intention, so i'm curious about the inspiration for arlecchino's ost and why it includes elements of signora's theme. the boss battle ost's of childe and scaramouche don't have signora's theme at all, so what makes arlecchino's different?
for those less familiar with signora's theme (there is a fatui theme, which is recurrent throughout all their ost's, and then you have each harbinger's individual themes unique to them only.), you can hear it in chrysalis suspirii between 2:08-2:32 (imo the saddest, most beautifully haunting, most romantic version of it) and in saltatio favillae between 1:16-2:24 (imo the most dramatic, phantom-of-the-opera-esque version of it). there's just... so much grief and tragedy in her theme that i've never heard in the other harbingers'. elogia cinerosa also shares this leitmotif between 2:11-2:43, and it's this version of signora's theme that's heard in arlecchino's phase 1 ost.
someone on twitter made a very cool music analysis of this if anyone's interested!
anyway arlenora isn't beating the moth to flame allegations, they're not beating the secret affair allegations, nor the doomed lovers allegations.
now how do we feel about the fact that arlecchino has an agreement with the tsaritsa that lets her use the hydro gnosis for her own interests before surrendering it to the tsaritsa, and how do we feel about arlecchino possibly using the hydro gnosis to resurrect signora :D
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sedicii · 3 months
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21 :)
21. what is your favourite f1-related quote?
ooooh this one is hard and I'm sure that when I'll have answered and posted it I'll think about more quotes that I could've said
this was actually the worst (and best) question you could ask me haha (and yes I'm absolutely gonna make it about Charles ofc)
Ok so first one non-Charles related quotes that I love is :
The marks I left on track will stay until time and rain will wash them away - Sebastian Vettel in his retirement speech
Now for the others, I can't choose so I'll put a selection of quotes from Charles that might just might turn me a tiny bit insane 🤏 Red string of fate, childhood dreams and all that :
What was Ferrari for me before I got there? An unreachable dream. So when I look at myself in red today, I am not only proud of it. It is still, every day, a total emotion. - Charles Leclerc in 2021
The red car, even before I knew it was called Ferrari. It was my magnificent obsession - Charles Leclerc to La Gazzetta in 2020
It's been a dream since a child to drive for the red cars - Charles Leclerc to BBC Sport in 2018
From my side, I'm in red, I thought it's obvious how much I love Ferrari and how much I want to come back winning with Ferrari. So from that side, that's not much more to say, to me it's very clear - Charles Leclerc to Sky Italia in Jeddah in 2023
Qui o altrove, io punto sempre sul rosso Here or elsewhere, I always bet on the red - Charles Leclerc in Las Vegas in 2023 to Sky Italia
I don't even remember what we were talking about because all I could focus on was his [Schumacher] red suit. I never thought I would one day drive for the red team. - Charles Leclerc in 2023 recalling meeting Schumacher when he was karting
When I was 3, even though I didn't know it was Ferrari, I always chose the red car. My dream is to drive for the Scuderia one day, I can't hide it. - Charles Leclerc in 2018
The power of dreaming? There's nothing that will take it away from me till the end. I still believe - Charles Leclerc to Sky Italia (in Baku 2023?)
From the moment I wake up to the moment I go to bed, victory is on my mind - Charles Leclerc to GQ France in 2023
| don't dream often at night but I daydream a lot, and my dream is to become world champion. It's a fixed thought in my head. - Charles Leclerc, Caschi d'Oro 2022, Autosprint Awards
I would tell him [young Charles] to keep on dreaming, to always aim for the stars, to have determination and patience, because at times I have not been merciful towards myself. But you can't forget that this is a job but also a sport. And that to be really happy, you have to love what you are and what you do!" - Charles Leclerc to Italy’s DLui Magazine in 2021
At every start of the season, until F2, my grandmother used to take my race suits, remove one of the sponsor logos and sew a little cross instead of it. Now grandma is gone, I can't sew and the ritual is over. I was thinking about keeping a lucky charm in my pocket but then I thought to myself: if you need an object [to feel better], then you are missing something on the mental aspect, so I let it go. - Charles Leclerc to La Stampa (in 2021 ?)
and finally, finally that quote :
lo in gabbia? Beh, se essere in gabbia vuol dire essere in Ferrari, voglio essere in gabbia tutta la vita… Guidare per la Ferrari è un onore, anche nei momenti difficili, come ho detto sono ottimista, voglio spingere il team in un momento difficile come questo. Me? In a cage? If being in a cage equals being in Ferrari, then I would like to be in a cage for my entire life… To race for Ferrari is an honor, even in the most difficult moments. As I said, I am an optimist - I want to steer the team through these hard times. - Charles Leclerc in 2020
Ok I need to stop I think T-T I'm deeply sorry this is way too long 🫣 it has very much turned into a compilation
EDIT: two special mentions that I had forgotten to quote
See you soon unforgettable Monza - Charles Leclerc in 2023 after Monza to La Republica
Monaco I love you and hopefully one day you will love me back - Charles Leclerc on twitter in 2021 after Monaco
EDIT N°2
Amo la Ferrari, resterò a lungo. Mai dubitato del mio talento. There are a thousand [good reasons to stay with Ferrari]. I have always been a tifoso, I have always loved her. That is already reason enough. - Charles Leclerc to La Stampa in 2023
Ferrari means everything to me. The dream of being part of this team started when I was three and half years old. I watched my first race in Monaco searching for the red car and dreaming of being a Formula 1 driver for Ferrari one day. Ferrari believed in me. They helped me to get a place in Formula 1. It's just incredible to be representing those colors all around the world because we got so much support which is an incredible honor for me to be part of this team that now became a family. This sport has taken such a big place in my life: to win a championship with Ferrari is my ultimate dream and I'II do absolutely everything in order for this to happen. Now, my own dream remains: a dream that writes itself in red. Tifosi, the dream continues. - Charles Leclerc during the video announcing his renewal after 2024 with Ferrari on January, 25th 2024 on instagram.
F1 is definitely about the poetry and the lore, the mythology and the legends ✨
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silentreigns · 10 months
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Canadian GP Qualifying Reflection
Everyone and their mom wanted Yuki's heads on a stick for impeding their laps. And I feel like the F1 community on Twitter and Instagram are doing the absolute most. The worst part is that Yuki can't really express any emotionally express anything because people would just stereotype him as being an angry driver.
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This was cute and funny from some Ferrari fans but if Yuki went on the radio and called Charles a dickhead we would not hear the end of it ever. No shade but we need to call these things out when we see it: the expectations on behavior for PoC drivers is waaaaaay different from the white ones
Why did Checo stay on Inters for all of q2? Like I think they called him back into the pits to switch him on another set and he just continued to struggle? But they gave Max the right set of tires at the right time? I need to rewatch since I was so confused because at one point he was the only one on Inters
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Lando driving the 7th fastest car on the grid going equal to qualifying with Checo on the fast car on the grid by a huge margin is so... 😭😭😭 Either Lando is just that good or Checo just doesn't feel comfortable in the car. Or maybe it's a combination of both
The amount of hate Carlos has gotten this weekend is insane. It was bad when he spun in free practice and caused a red flag. It had people calling for him to be dropped by Ferrari, as if free practice ain't the best time to be making these mistakes. He deserved his penalty for screwing over Pierre's quali and Pierre had the right to be upset about it. But that doesn't mean people can be sending him threatening messages!
Alex was so cunty in q2 by putting in a lap time on softs first. Like I was so excited for him to get into q3 again only for him to not be able to put in a proper lap. I genuinely think the Williams upgrades are working and I am very excited to see them fight for positions
Everyone please pray for Charles because even when he calls for the right strategy his team still tells him otherwise. Never seen a driver disrespected by his team like he has been 😭. They asked Max about his opinion on a different set of tires, Max said no, and they kept it pushing. Why doesn't Ferrari have faith in Charles like they love to put him on the wrong tires all the time. Maybe they have a humiliation kink
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This don't even look right. An hour has passed and Hulk still managed to qualify p2. And I am typing this before the decision about speeding during red flags has been made. So if they take away his p2 I'll be sad for like 2 seconds but then I'm gonna be happy because Lewis gets promoted (Lewis getting upgraded grid positions for 3 races in a row sounds correct to me but I doubt anything will happen).
I anticipate Fernando vs Lewis being the main fight at this GP. Nico will be in the front for like the first few laps, but I'm pretty sure he's gonna get overtaken quickly by both of them. Not sure if there will be a safety car or red flag because it might be a dry race tomorrow? Honestly I cannot say much about what will happen outside of Max getting another GP victory
George if you're out there reading this on your burner don't suggest team orders for you and Lewis to swap places because I'm gonna be annoyed. Think about the children (me).
Update: Nico got the penalty which is actually kinda fucked up like let the backmarker team have their moment? But shout out to Lewis he's starting p3 which means another podium is possible 🥳🥳🥳
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ianwrighty · 7 months
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ok some ARSMUN POST MATCH THOUGHTS:
overall u can’t be happier than when u win 3-1 over man u but u can always get better in life innit etc etc. thought we had a rlly good first half, completely dominated the game, utd had a lot of possession but it was mostly empty and just the back 4 (+onana) passing amongst themselves. their goal was a classic at the emirates for them and the only way they were ever gonna score was a sloppy counter. but what I will say is that arsenal’s mentality when we go down is absolutely elite, to respond in 36 seconds and never drop ur head until the final whistle is insane. very few other clubs itw if any have that kinda fight in them
we had an ok second half, it was pretty evenly matched but we weren’t playing our best, utd were better than us in a lot of moments and our fluidity wasn’t coming together but our 70min subs are what sealed the game for us rlly fantastic decision making from mikel.
fabio is acc a super sub, incredible game sense and changed the momentum of our attack, wonderful assist to gabi j. w tomi this is probably the most settled I’ve seen him in the inverted role and I can’t wait for him to cook more there. and gabi jesus ofc… even without his goal the chances he creates and the way he drives… pure football man I love it. most other players in the world would’ve tried to rely on speed w that final run and dalot would’ve taken them out but gabi read his movement perfectly and that pausa before he shot. BEAUTIFUL. reiss as well at 90 mins he’s so direct so much energy that he brings to the team another fantastic super sub
thought baby gabi had a fantastic game and was unlucky to only come away w an assist, consistently dangerous down the left and his crosses into the box were stunning, won a dozen corners from awb and had him on his back legs the whole time. saka didn’t have the best game but I think a lot of that was bc dalot was very good at keeping him quiet, even at his lowest he’s still consistent and I don’t think anyone else could’ve done better in his position (also ppl talking abt saka deserving a red don’t make me laugh)
our defence was rock solid, big gabi had a genius moment w that offside trap and I’m so glad to finally see ppl praising his footballing iq. wilo and ben are always consistent always good defending from them. need to see this back 4 against at goodison park
kai havertz… he had a better game than last week and he’s playing deeper at times deeper than declan?? which… interesting. but also missed a sitter and made the mistake which gave utd their goal. he’s good off the ball, does a lot of running, but the moment he gets the ball it’s like he never expects it?? always looks startled and rushed. I want to give him the benefit of the doubt but idk… once again not saying he’s shit and will never get better but I’m not seeing what he brings to the team that lets him start every week
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waitmyturtles · 1 year
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Fuck. I have more on The Eighth Sense. (I’m gonna get all Moonlight Chicken-meta on this show!) (First big meta here.)
1) I loved the scene in episode 6 of the two guys having roadside snacks at the rest stop. There was a LOT going on in those scenes at that stop, but I particularly liked their conversation on the bench, because it indicated a lot of the pressures that Jae Won faces. Lines like: “We are always living in other’s [sic] frameworks in this world.” “Don’t try to get out of the box.”
And then Ji Hyun takes a bite of the sausage-and-rice-cake skewer, the very food they were criticizing a moment before as being stereotypical of that “box,” and clearly enjoys it. 
What does that say to me? It says to me that Jae Won is putting a lot of WORK to be IN the box that I think he’s in -- the chaebol-influenced box that his life is being directed towards. That pressure is driving him so insane that, again, I think he’s having dissociations because of that pressure. 
But I love how gently this scene indicates that pressure, that reality that Jae Won is burdened under. And that at this moment, he has no choice but to live in the box. And pretend to enjoy it.
2) And (eff Viki for not allowing screenshots), please enjoy this shitty-ass photo (lol) of the bench the guys are sitting on, because I think that this bench shot was brilliantly done.
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That ghostly person always by Jae Won’s side. 
3) The man operating the roadside stand. Giving things away to the two guys because he thought they were cute. 
I wish I could parse more the meaning of the trot soundtrack that the guys were given. I know very little about trot, except that it’s considered in many ways, “old folks” music, although there are many new artists today who are popular trot singers. I wonder if the trot soundtrack is meant to indicate to the guys a remembrance of happier times.
And the roadside guy himself. He also serves as evidence (to me, at least) that the entire episode was a dissociative experience, becauuuussee: call me a cheap auntie, but what’s this guy doing, giving stuff away?! Lol. Fireworks are expensive!
But also. I got this feeling (PLEASE feel free to NOT roll with me on this one, because it was ONLY a fleeting thought) that maybe that guy was meant to be a reflection of Jae Won’s father, IF Jae Won’s dad accepted him for who he was. (THIS IS ONLY A FLEETING THOUGHT, NOT EVEN A THEORY -- just something that popped in my head as I was watching the episode. Don’t quote me on this one! I don’t think Jae Won’s dad would give away free fireworks, lol!)
Why did I think that? The guy had no reaction when Jae Won said he was traveling with his “boyfriend.” It made me wonder that Jae Won wanted to live in a world where he could say that so easily. That he could speak to people, to older men in his life, who would accept Jae Won for who he was/is as a queer man. 
4) Last thought. I don’t know the reality of Ji Hyun being a part of the Sea Cadets, but something that REALLY worried me in the first episode was Joon Pyo saying to Ji Hyun, upon peeping the Surf Club’s website on Ji Hyun’s computer — that Ji Hyun couldn’t swim.
If Ji Hyun had been a part of a school team called the Sea Cadets that exposed him to the ocean, then… okay. But that was revealed in what I think was the dissociative episode 6.
So I feel like I can only go by what Joon Pyo said in episode 1, and think that Ji Hyun isn’t familiar with ocean swimming.
I surfed for like, a mini-season once in my twenties (it was RADDDDDD, but expensive, and I am not a morning person to get up so early to catch waves). (But I highly recommend trying it, because catching a wave even on a longboard can be such a high.)
Anyway, during that time, I basically only swam and lifted weights to train. I can’t quite remember the rule of thumb for how many meters you needed to be able to swim in a certain amount of time to be considered a safe surfer, but I know I had to practice for a solid week, every day, to get to that goal, because I didn’t swim regularly before then. And then I spent the summer only swimming as cardio. Surfing — with all the paddling out, the fight against the waves as you paddle out, the balancing on your board as you wait for a wave to come in — is EXHAUSTING. You burn maaaajor calories with surfing and training. (Jae Won not being hungry for ramen after that first session is suspicious.)
Not a single surf instructor in the world would let someone who couldn’t swim anywhere near the longest longboard you could find. An instructor wouldn’t let a non-swimmer surf on a fucking mattress. At least, the instructors I knew back in mah day. I don’t know how it is now, if you were to take lessons at like, a resort. But I know I couldn’t have hired a teacher back then if I couldn’t swim.
One rule you have to learn is how to dismount the board when you wash out — the boys do it correctly on the show, you kind of tuck in and jump off the side with your butt splashing down first.
But anything can happen. A common occurrence is you washing out first, with your board flying above you (it’s connected to your ankle, so it’s bound to slam down near you), and possibly smashing the top of your head.
So putting all of this together: if Ji Hyun did indeed drown? It may have been because he didn’t have the strong swimming skills he needed to surf properly. It’s interesting that we didn’t see the Surf Club vet for that prior to the first surf trip. And I gently wonder, if anything happens to Ji Hyun in the “reality” part of the show, if Jae Won blames himself for not knowing that Ji Hyun might not be able to swim.
Damn. This show is doing it to me. GAAAAAHHHH. @lurkingshan​.... you were so right about this show.
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xenon-demon · 8 months
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also. tell me more about your Kas!Eddie please 🙏
ohhhhh Lui gravity is the AU that has just. grabbed me in its jaws and will not let go. I think about it CONSTANTLY and I don't think that will stop anytime soon. I've got a few asks about this one though so I'll START with talking about What's Going On In Hawkins circa the start of the fic. If you would like to know more about The Boy, Kas!Steve, then may I direct your attention to this post :D
So Eddie and Steve swap places right before the final fight, because Steve is injured at that point and Eddie isn't (and they figure staying at Eddie's trailer will be less dangerous that going to the Creel House). Everything else from that point proceeds as in canon; the bats get in, Steve dies, Max dies temporarily and the four gates connect and drive a massive rift through Hawkins.
From there, Hawkins basically descends into a semi-apocalyptic nightmare. The rift from the end of season 4 has caused major structural damage all over town, many buildings have been destroyed and lots of people have either evacuated or had to move into a local motel that's been converted into emergency housing for the people of Hawkins (that's where the Munsons are now staying). On top of that, the rift has basically destroyed the structural integrity between the Upside Down and our world; while the rift itself is not really a functional gate, there are a bunch of smaller gates randomly opening up around town now. More and more of them show up as time goes on. Some are small (think like the tree Nancy goes through in S1), some are much bigger (think bigger than Eddie's trailer roof gate), and most of them tend to fluctuate a bit in size/fade in and out of existence. This means that some creatures from the Upside Down are starting to bleed through these gates and end up in Hawkins looking for food.
The government, realizing everything went to shit the moment the rift opened up, rolls into Hawkins about 3-4 days after the "earthquake" saying they're here to "help with the relief efforts". (For those keeping score at home, yes this is after Team Russia & Team Cali have arrived back in Hawkins.) The official government cover story is along the lines of "hey, remember when HNL got shut down a few years back after that tragic chemical leak incident? Well, we've just discovered that a Rogue Individual (Brenner) was secretly dumping toxic chemicals and experimental materials into the local wilderness/burying them underground instead of disposing of them properly. This is the cause of the geological weirdness and mutated wildlife that some people are reporting. Everyone should leave Hawkins immediately if they can, and comply with any and all government orders if they can't". Not everyone believes this, of course, but the truth is so much more insane that most of town is at least willing to go along with it - and that's not counting the people who just up and leave because Hawkins is so super duper cursed at this point.
The main things the government is doing are:
regular patrols around the border of town and known gate hotspots, to catch and kill any UD creatures before they're spotted by civilians
nighttime curfew; you shouldn't be out after sundown unless you are going Directly from wherever you were during the day (i.e. your job) back to your home. you're not gonna get ARRESTED but the military will absolutely Escort You back to your house lmao
urging citizens to stay the fuck away from any weird sightings and report them to the armed forces as soon as possible, so the military can handle it
and yeah, they kind of are helping with the relief efforts in that they're making sure food and other important supplies are still getting into hawkins and making sure the recently-homeless have somewhere to stay, but they're doing the bare minimum really asfjknjvkdan
Essentially, as of the start of the fic (approx. a month after the rift opens up/the end of S4) the situation is this: Eleven and the Party know that in order to fix this, they have to defeat Vecna first and THEN close up any existing gates/the rift. (They also have a strong hunch that the Upside Down is Like That due to Vecna's influence.) The government officials in charge of the Hawkins occupation Do Not Believe That Is The Solution, and instead spend a lot of time wasting Eleven's time and energy by forcing her to close up gates as they appear. Between that and the fact the Party can't just storm into the Upside Down to get Vecna without a solid plan and probably armed back up, they're all feeling kind of hopeless about how to actually fix this. Especially since tensions are rising in Hawkins by the day, and the gate/monster sightings are only getting more and more frequent...
Send me an ask about my WIPs!
#charlie writes things#steddie#steddie au#gravity (kas!steve au)#vampire steve harrington#also idk if the government stuff is good/realistic at all#because while i think col sullivan would be forced to admit at this point that the upside down Is a thing and this isn't all just eleven#idk how willing he'd be to just work with her and the party#i'm leaning towards 'sullivan has been forced to play nice with owens under threat of punishment due to his mismanagement of the situation'#'and he is now leading the occupation of hawkins under guidance from owens. but he is NOT happy about it'#'and while owens will work with the party/eleven sullivan is completely disregarding their (correct) thoughts on how to fix this'#sullivan's like 'if eleven isn't responsible for this then she should close these gates/the rift and fix this for us'#and eleven is like 'you're treating the symptoms and not the cause in order to truly fix this we must kill vecna'#and sullivan's like 'vecna schmecna i still think this is your fault but i believe you're playing nice atm and also if i kill you now#i'll be dishonorably discharged for disobeying orders from my higher ups'#idk if anyone has thoughts about this feel free to let me know#i'm very open to ideas/soundboarding for how to make this feel realistic#because i want the 'borderline post-apocalyptic/a lot more people Know now but hawkins as a whole is at least pretending to be normal' vibe#the secret is not Out In The Open but it's definitely much less hidden than it used to be.
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tkachunk · 10 months
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This is my first year being into a sport ever in my life and I didn’t know how genuinely invested I’d be in who wins this goddamn cup. I feel like I’m going insane, I care about the outcome of these sports games so much I’m driving my family crazy. I have no idea what I’m gonna do in the summer??? Rewatch old games till my eyes bleed ig??
Any advice for the newbie oh wise person who has a good while enjoying seasonal sports under their belt
for me, the finals are kind of 50/50. obviously if my team is participating, I'm catching every second. but sometimes it's teams i care very little about, like the tampa-habs series in 2021, and i'm only passively aware it's happening. this series, however, has awoken a third, separate way to engage with the scf, which is with the knowledge that vegas is in the top like 3 evilest teams and so this has now become a battle of good vs evil. well, good-ish vs evil.
the summer really does suck, even more so because the community on here is such a big part of why I watch hockey and it goes a little silent as well. i think one of the cool things you can do during the summer is make things. I don't know about you, but i've suddenly got all of these 3 hour chunks of time opening up where i'd usually sit down and watch a game. maybe that time can be repurposed to create video edits or draw or write or find a fun new way to engage in fandom while you've got the time.
or you can do what a lot of other people do and get into baseball for the summer
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queen-scribbles · 3 months
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 #I'm gonna CRY #the GENTLENESS #the YEARNING #there's so MUCH they're not saying and like they KNOW but #and now I'm wondering when exactly Adam started carrying a first aid kit #did anyone notice? did he try to brush it off as practical? (of course he did) #I'm fine I'm fine I'm Normal about all of this #gonna keep feeling things about this au until the end of time bye (captainofthefallen)
AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHI'm fine this is fine I'm so normal about themthe callback to 'what if we don't break?' and everything they aren't saying and adam carrying a first aid kit when his team is 4/5 vampiresthey CARE SO MUCH and they know it but it's not enough (yet) but also they can't help but be drawn to each other 😭😭this is so gentle and sad and sweet and I'm dying 💀(also I love seeing the differences between mallory and aj and kira in regards to their post-book 3 relationship with adam)(haledamage)
(Glad to see I am not alone in the insanity this AU drives me to🙃💀)
Listen. LISTEN. The inherent, eternal optimism of "what if we don't break?" is so perfectly AJ it makes me scream internally and die a thousand deaths. The "What if it's great instead of awful?", what if it's worth it, what if this Worst you're always planning for never comes and we WASTE THIS?! Especially in response to Adam's "I am not strong enough to be broken again" when his Thing on the team is leadership and STRENGTH. This is what he fears will be Too Much, he's not Strong Enough for if this ends badly. (Also ALSO ALSO that he says "I am not strong enough and AJ says "what if WE don't break" bc he's thinking in terms of toughing it out on his own and she's saying No Actually, We're In This TOGETHER. We Are A Team, du Mortain. Yeah. Can you tell that exchange wrecked me almost as much as the Mason Shower Scene? :) ) It's gonna be v hard to do post book 3 stuff for them that doesn't invoke a callback to that bc it's just. YEAH.
There's definitely a gentleness to AJ/Adam(esp on his end) that's lacking in Mallory/Adam for obvious reasons but ALSO bc with AJ he's so blown away by her genuine care and sweetness and knows how rare that is bc 900 years of interacting with people has TAUGHT HIM how rare it is and he wants to protect that, keep it safe from everything even him and AUUUGGHHHHH And AJ is so sad for him that whatever happened, whatever he lost, hurt him so deeply that he's this scared of it happening again, with her. They both know there's Something There. They both WANT to do something about it, but Adam is too afraid of losing her, of being broken, and AJ doesn't want to press forward until they're doing it together(She Will Convince Him. She is water wearing away rock and just as patient)
Does it make it better or worse wrt the first aid kit that I kinda h/c he starts carrying that regardless of if he's romanced/bff or not bc he's Adam "preparedness is a virtue" du Mortain, and it's just how it's utilized that changes based on his relationship with MC? Like, if you're not bffs/romancing he'd just hand it over and asks if you want help(at which point your LI or bff could step in, if present) + there's a lecture on Being Careful if he does help you. BFF gets lecture + Snark about you being careful bc you aren't invincible(that would be fun with Kasey :P) and romanced gets some variation of like AJ.
(also I love seeing the differences between mallory and aj and kira in regards to their post-book 3 relationship with adam)
Do you want me to ramble about AJ/Adam vs Mallory/Adam and how they're gonna play out post-bk3, Rhi? bc that's how you get to ramble about AJ/Adam vs Mallory/Adam and how they're gonna play out post-bk3
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vroomvroommbtch · 2 years
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Always been you: Part 2 - DRxfem driver!reader
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Masterlist
Summary: Some snuggles and some future plans are all they need as they hide from the world in their own little world.
Pairing: Daniel Ricciardo x fem driver!reader
Warnings: Some angst, swearing and all the fluff in the world.
Word count: 4.7k
A/N: Holy shit this took me forever. Okay, keeping it short, 246 notes on part 1? Are you all insane? Cant even start to describe how happy that makes me, so I’m just gonna say thank you! It means the world to me for real. Okay, part 3 its gonna be the last one and is on its way. Let me know what do you think that will happen?? 👀 Also should I make like a general taglist?? Let me know that too?? Kay, bye, kisses in all your foreheads and see u soon!♥️✌🏻
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Part 2.
Everything was perfectly fine between her and Daniel. Everything was easy when they were together. Everything just worked out perfectly, as if they were just meant to be together from the beginning. Being so terrified of admitting her feelings for Daniel felt silly, and she really didn’t understand why she wasted all that time when she could have done it back then when they were teammates. It was so easy that sometimes it was scary, but she loved every single second of it. Everything was easy as it was falling in love with Daniel. She knew it was gonna happen at some point, so after so much time trying to avoid it, she finally let it flow. It happened and didn't take her by surprise at all, especially now that they were together. Besides, loving Daniel was probably the easiest thing she ever did besides driving. It felt like she was meant to drive, but also meant to be by his side and love him. Everything was working perfectly fine, except for work and their schedule, obligations, events, contracts, publicity, filming, photoshoots, interviews and everything that came with being a Formula 1 driver. Between her spending most of her days at the factory in Switzerland, race weeks where they would normally be in different hotels, and then race weekends where they would barely see each other for counted minutes where they would be never alone, it was nothing but hard to spend time together.
Sometimes they would act like they casually stayed in the same hotel and as carefully as possible they would sneak into each other's rooms to at least sleep in the same bed, all knowing their teams had their backs to cover them. Sometimes they would do the same thing in their trailers on some European circuit, saying that if the rest of the drivers could do stuff together, they also could have dinner together. It was almost normal to find Daniel at the door of the Alfa Romeo hospitality to talk to her in the same way he did it more than once going to the Redbull building to talk to Max. It was already a regular thing to find them standing together as they went around the track during the drivers’ parade on Sundays, talking with some other drivers but mostly joking between them. She was normally the one giggling uncontrollably at his silly jokes because he was clearly doing it to make her laugh. But all that always lasted some short minutes, and then it was to work, forgetting they were a couple for the next few hours. It was like switching to a weird flick that made them go from being a couple to being just friends until they left the paddock on Sunday night. It was hard. It was really complicated when they weren’t really doing anything wrong, but it was worth every time they were together. When they managed to sneak some days or even some hours together, it was just pure beautiful bliss and happiness and nobody could take that from them. Sometimes they would manage to spend some days away in some other place, like a week in New York, some extra days in Miami or Montreal, or even one week of the summer break in LA. But besides their little getaways, they were always together in Monaco. The nights they didn’t have plans or things to do, they would normally stay in one of their apartments having dinner, watching tv, fucking each other until they were exhausted and then sleeping tangled in the sheets. It was easy and simple and she loved it. But probably nothing was as easy as seeing Daniel coming home to her. Nothing was as beautiful as to read a text or hear him say over the phone ‘I’m on my way home’ and know that he wasn’t referring to his apartment or hers, he was referring to her. He was coming home to her, not really mattering where she was or where they were going to be. Things were like that from the beginning. After their first kiss and especially after their first dinner –which ended up being their first date and first time together– in her place, they got stuck together and there was nothing anyone could do about it. They started dating that exact same day, not really wanting to play games simply because they were too tired to run around trying to chase each other. From that day things moved fast, probably for the fact that they got counted minutes to be together. They started dating the week after the Imola incident; she managed to run away with him to New York before the Miami race and then stayed with him there until they had to fly back to Europe. In June they sneaked onto the terrace of the hotel, they were ‘accidentally’ sharing in Baku, and she finally admitted that she was in love with him right there, and everything became way better when Daniel said that he loved her too. They spent their first week of summer break together in LA and then they got to meet each other's families and friends as an official couple and something more than just teammates like they did back in their Renault times. It happened fast, but somehow it didn’t feel rushed. It felt right and somehow on time, so they were happy.
But from all that long list of things they did together, her favorite one was when Daniel gave her the keys to his apartment. He did it one day as she was joking about how stupid it was having to wait until he buzzed her in. She didn’t make the comment with double intentions or waiting for something from Daniel; she just threw it out because she really thought it was silly. In fact, she was waiting for some silly joke as an answer, but instead he got up from the couch, came back with the keys in his hand, ready for her to take it. She did take it, but in exchange she gave him a kiss and the promise to give him the keys to her place, whispering in his lips a sweet ‘What’s fair is fair’. That’s how Daniel went to her apartment that night, opening the door with his own keys on one of the counted free weekends they had, right before they left for Singapore and Japan. He came and found her in the kitchen making dinner, and the smile on their faces when they saw each other was just too big, even when their lips were together. The first thing he did was to give her a kiss, but then he wrapped his arms around her waist, letting her finish what she was doing as he covered her neck and shoulders with kisses. They were just too happy in their little bubble of love and happiness, not letting anything ruin it. She promised to herself and to Daniel to not let anything ruin what they had; not people, not racing or anything at all was gonna get in the middle of them and their relationship, and they were keeping their word so far.
They were doing a good job so far, and it was being an easy job to keep their love for each other and their relationship safe in the middle of a crazy bumpy ride, but some days it was harder than others, at least for some minutes. One of those counted moments happened once dinner was done and they were talking, all cuddling on the couch with two glasses of red wine in their hands. Everything was perfectly normal as they were kissing and watching some NBA game that Daniel put on the tv, but then he asked if she had plans for the weekend before they left for Singapore, and she remembered that in fact, she had plans. “Why don’t you come with me? It's just dinner with friends. Antonio is gonna be there and you know him and my friends, so it won't be that bad” she asked, stroking his cheek as she practically begged him to go with her. Normally she wouldn’t don’t do that, but knowing how complicated everything was going to be from that moment to the end of the season, she just wanted to spend as much time as possible with him. “It's just dinner and maybe some drinks but no big deal”
As soon as she saw Daniel’s face, she knew what his answer would be. He didn’t even have to speak for her to know what he was going to say, but she let him answer after he gave her a sweet, short kiss that tasted like nothing but love and fine wine. “I would love to, but if someone sees us we are screwed, babe. Besides what would I be there doing with you and your friends?” Daniel asked, stroking her legs that were resting over his as she was snuggled right by his side and almost on his lap. "We’re friends too. We’re just hanging out with friends. Having dinner ain’t illegal, right?” she shrugged, and even if it was a joke for Daniel, it really wasn’t. Normally he would drop some silly joke about the issue, but this time he just let his head fall over the back of the couch. “Hey, we’re not friends. I spent too much time being your friend and I’m not doing that again. I love you too much to do that” I love you too much to do that” she assured, covering his cheek, jaw and neck with kisses to prove her point. The whole ‘We’re just friends’ thing was probably as hard as hiding. She hated those words as much as Daniel did, but days like that one, it looked like he hated it a bit more. Maybe it was the fact that they were in the friend zone for three long years, but now, every time one of them had to describe their relationship as ‘friendship’ it was like a knife going to throw their hearts. It was nothing but weird to hear people talk about them being one of each other’s best friends when they were planning a future and building a life together.
She could feel his body tense when she said the world ‘friends’, but he relaxed again as soon as the ‘I love you too much’ left her mouth, and then he was back to normal when she kissed his skin, but she could see a little almost imperceptible frown on his forehead. “I love you more” Daniel affirmed, squeezing her waist a bit, turning his head to give her a kiss. It was his brown eyes that could make her do anything. She couldn’t with that warm chocolate color. She couldn’t with the way he looked at her, just as if she was the most precious creature in the universe. She just couldn’t when he looked at her and all she saw was love and adoration. She couldn’t ruin one of the counted free weekends they had, so she took a very easy choice. “I’m gonna reschedule” “No fucking way, babe. We can see each other later. Why don’t you come over when you’re done?” Daniel offered, trying to keep her from doing something silly, but heaven knew that she was damn stubborn, even worse than him. “We could do that, but I’m gonna reschedule” she insisted, snuggling even closer to him if that was even possible, all while she rested her head over his shoulder. “I’m not letting you. I’m calling Antonio myself”
“What if we meet at whenever we go after dinner? You can go with the boys and we pretend we just ran into each other. But no flirting with girls because I’ll kick your ass” she proposed, trying to find a solution to the problem. But her favorite thing was feeling Daniel smiling against her forehead when she dropped the silly comment. She felt his grip around her tightening as he kissed her head, and for a second every single preoccupation disappeared and was replaced with nothing but love no and adoration for the man by her side. “How could I flirt with anyone when I got you? And how am I supposed to keep my hands off you in public?” Daniel asked. Her first response was a little shrug and it was followed by a little kiss on his neck. They had been doing it for a while, but after months it was still hard to keep their hands away from each other when they were in public. Touch was their love language, not matter if it was just hugging, holding hands, or kissing. It was the most normal thing for them to be sitting together and have one hand over the others leg or Daniel’s arm around her waist or shoulders. It was so normal that it was almost impossible to stay away from each other while they were in the paddock. It was normal for her to suddenly feel Daniel’s fingers ghosting over her waist, acting like he was casually resting his hand in some place behind her or to have him standing too close to her, pretending he had no idea what person space was. They really had no idea what personal space there was between them, but she loved it. She loved Daniel with every single fiber of her body, so having him all around her was just too wonderful, just like it was terrible hard abot being able to touch him when he was away, even if for some hours.
“Same way we do it while we work, but we have enough of that bullshit at the track, so that’s why I’m canceling” she insisted again, kissing his neck once more. “No fucking way I’m letting you do that” he repeated, but this time he tickled her, making her lay down on the couch. “I don’t want you to cancel your plans for me, so I’m going with you. I’m telling Michael and Blake to come with me and that’s it. Its not like they don’t know your buddies”. It was that simple answer that made her warm even more. It was the fact that he didn’t want her to change her plans for him and that he was ready to change his so they could spend some extra hours together. She knew it was absolutely normal, but bad luck, bad decisions and clearly a bad taste -that was clearly over- for men made her always pick up the wrong boyfriends. She wasn’t used to having that because somehow all her exes wanted to be the center of her attention, not really understanding how busy her life was and how she was trying to do her best with her life outside racing tracks. Then it was Daniel who just understood everything because his life was even busier than hers. Daniel, who was trying to do everything in his power and putting everything from him so they could make it work together while also trying to protect her and their relationship. Daniel, who was the center of her universe but never wanted her to take time away from her family and friends. Daniel who loved her so much that he was ready to do anything for her, even risking getting caught. “Just know I’ll kick assess if someone gets too friendly with my girlfriend. I won’t care who’s watching” he stared, laying down beside her on the couch, opening his arms so she would get closer.
“Same if someone gets too close to my boyfriend” she smiled as the word ‘boyfriend’ left her lips. She still couldn’t believe Daniel was her boyfriend, so a little smile appeared on her face every time she said it. “You know, the worst part it’s pretending I’m not in love with you. All the time I think someone’s gonna realize and that we’re gonna be screwed” she murmured, placing both hands on his chest while she looked at the pair of brown eyes that she loved so much. “Don’t even mention it. Blake says I need to stop looking like a love-sick puppy all the time. Maybe Netflix makes a whole episode about us” Daniel joked, kissing her forehead and then her nose. “Why do you think they asked us about the other last week?” she asked in case Daniel forgot about what they called ‘The Netflix incident’.
Just like any other weekend, the Netflix team was around doing interviews and filming material for their new season. Everyone was used to seeing cameras and people around the circuit following different teams or drivers, but that last week was particularly different. That week she was supposed to have the Netflix crew with her around the track and going from one place to another in Monza. It was okay after all; she agreed with it because Daniel convinced her it would be fun, but then she found out they were following Daniel, too. Then she realized they were pretty much following them. She tried to ignore it, and that Thursday afternoon she really thought she was going to answer the same all questions about her team, about a particular event or a particular race, but she didn’t. The straightforward question was ‘Are you and Daniel together?’ and she froze. She laughed out of the nervous attack she had at that moment. She laughed in front of the cameras of one of the biggest stream services that existed. She laughed, and she lied and knew if looks could kill, then the big part of the room would be dead and gone. She answered with a simple ‘No, we are not together. He’s just one of my best friends’ and the answer should have stayed there, but it didn’t. The politically correct answer was that, but then she had to add a very serious ‘Did you ask this to someone else? Did you ask Pierre and Charles or Carlos and Lando? Or is it just with me because I’m a woman? Wanna ask if I’m with someone else? Wanna ask about the other eighteen drivers?’. The room went into absolute silence as she stood up and left the room, followed by her team and the Alfa Romeo team. Her team just wanted her to stop for a second; the Alfa Romeo team wanted her to go back, but all she did was turn around and tell them to leave her alone. That was one of the lucky times where she and Daniel were in the same hotel, so it took her no time to go straight to him because she needed to hide from the world. It took Daniel a long hour to calm her down that day and now they could laugh at it, but back then it was one of the worst days of her life, and she was nothing but thankful to have Daniel by her side.
“And how fucking hard it was to keep my face straight when they did” Daniel joked, because he had the exact opposite reaction to the tricky question. Since he was warned by her about the question, for Daniel it was all about payback. He went into that room and answered the question with a serious face that was nothing but weird on him. Suddenly the joker was gone, and nobody in the room knew what to do except keep it short and change the subject of the questions. Daniel said that if they made his girl feel like shit, then he was going to make them feel like shit and that’s exactly what he did, even if deep down the grin was fighting for coming out and screaming in front of those cameras that yes, she was his girlfriend. Daniel wanted to yell that she was his Cherry, but he kept it quiet. “We’ll figure it out one day, y’know? We won’t keep it a secret forever, but meanwhile I’m happy I get to kiss you here at home” he affirmed, just as if he was reading her mind and the questions running wild inside it. And what he also did was answer them with a sweet, slow and perfect kiss that eased her mind. Just as she kissed Daniel again and again without a hurry in the world was when an idea came to her mind. She knew it was going to be hard to make it happen and that it was perhaps impossible, but she couldn’t help but drop the question as she stayed with her lips ghosting over his. “Why don’t we go somewhere? We can take some days off, maybe go to Italy”
“We just came back from Monza” he remembered, and damn, she knew, but she couldn’t care less about it. “You wanna go to your secret cave in Verona, Juliet?” “You’ve never been there, so I still gotta show you my little secret piece of heaven in the form of a villa by a lake” she murmured, stealing one last kiss in some way to convince Daniel. Even when they lived between Monaco, London, Switzerland and whatever country they were in for a race, she had a secret house in Italy that counted people knew about. She had been promising Daniel to invite him there even back when they were together in Renault, but it didn’t happen. Now that they were together, they talked a couple times about going and she had been dreaming about spending some days there with Daniel, but again, it never happened no matter how badly they wanted it. “You got a lot of little secrets, Cherry” Daniel murmured, moving down on his place to bury his face on her neck and place some kisses around her skin which helped make her relax more than any other thing in the world.
“But you’re the best of all of them” she whispered, closing her eyes and letting herself go in the feeling of his lips over her neck, his stubble scratching slightly at her skin and his fingers moving under her shirt to stroke her waist. “C’mon, babe, let’s get out of here, even if just for the weekend” she purred as she practically begged. And she hated to beg, but he could even make her do that. “Sounds like a little piece of heaven indeed, especially because you’re gonna be there” It was then when she realized it was impossible, and Daniel was just probably looking for a way to remind her that they just couldn’t do it. He was looking for a soft way to say the words than none of them wanted to say, but she had to do it, even if it hurt. “Yeah, I know, we can’t. I gotta fly to Switzerland this week, we are going to Austin the week before the race, then the next free week it's between Mexico and Brazil, and then the season it's over and you go home” she listed, remembering how the next couple months of their life were absolutely planned and nothing could get canceled or changed. “Forget I said anything” she whispered with a little shrug and a kiss on his forehead, trying to ignore how it broke her heart a little. The sadness in her voice was all Daniel seemed to need to move from his spot and look at her. She tried to put a little smile on her face, but looking at Daniel’s expression, she was failing miserably. “Hey, don’t put that pout. We can go the first week after the season it's over. I won’t have to be locked for two weeks in a hotel room in Perth, so we have time before Christmas” Daniel offered, clearly desperate to make her feel better. “No, babe, it's okay. I don’t wanna take time away from your family. I was just daydreaming. Wishful thinking, I guess” she stated, stroking his cheek with the back of her hand. “You’re not taking time away from anyone because you’re my family too, baby girl” Daniel affirmed, grabbing her right hand to kiss her knuckles, her palm, and then her wrist. “What if we cancel our week in Austin?”
“We are not canceling Austin. You love Austin, so it's a no” she shook her head, and she might sound like a stubborn, but there was no way she would ever let him miss those days that he was waiting for so long. Besides, she was also expecting that weekend, so canceling their small getaway there wasn’t even an option.
“Then we cancel whatever we were going to do between Mexico and Brazil” he offered again, kissing the back of her hand and giving her his best puppy eyes.   “And deal with the jet-lag just because?”   “Cmon, Cherry. When we are not jet-lagged, baby?” he asked with a smile on his face trying to convince her, and even when she knew her boyfriend was right, she just didn’t want to say yes because it was useful to travel without reason. “Hey, I just wanna make you happy. If Italy will put a smile on your face then we’ll find a way”   “You make me happy and you put a smile on my face. I don’t need an Italy getaway to be happy” she insisted, stealing one long and loving kiss trying to make him drop the topic.   She really thought she had made it. She really thought it was forgotten between sloppy kisses, soft strokes, and little whimpers, but then Daniel moved apart to look at her. “Let's go when the season it's over. We spent a week there, just you and me. What do you say?”    
“I say that I love you more than anyone in the world” she whispered, absolutely lost in him, finally a smile appearing on her face because she really couldn’t believe he was doing such a thing to make her happy. “I love you more, but I have two conditions for that trip” he stated, kissing her nose before he kept talking. “After that you come to Perth. Not for Christmas because you’ll spend it with your family, but for New Year. I think some farm life would be good to make us relax” Daniel negotiated, making her smile even more. “Deal. What’s the second condition?” she wondered, kissing his lips a couple times as both of her hands rested on his cheeks. “Let's move together”
She could have sworn she was imagining things. She could have sworn it was all because of the wine they were drinking before. She could swear it was a joke, but Daniel wasn’t laughing. There was no ‘I just made a bad joke’ smile, it was a genuine smile. It was an ‘I’m very serious’ smile, and that’s how she knew Daniel wasn’t playing games with her, but even then, she couldn’t help but whisper an imperceptible ‘What?’ that she even though Daniel didn’t hear. “You hear it. Let's move together. Let's get a nice place here in Monaco for, you and me. We can get an apartment together and make it our place when we’re not working” “You’re not kidding, aren’t you?” she asked again to be sure, as her jaw was still hanging, trying to understand what was happening. Daniel wanted to live with her and for them to have a home together.
“No, I’m not. With our job we don’t have much time to be together, but the time we spend here, I wanna spend it with you. We can see if it works, and if it doesn’t, we’ll figure it out, but let’s do it, Cherry” he repeated, grabbing her chin between the long fingers of his tattooed hand. “It’ll work” she nodded probably too hard and too fast. “We’ll make it work. We’ll come home together and it’ll work. I promise it’ll work, babe” “So that’s a yes?” Daniel asked with the biggest smile on his face, and she couldn’t help but smile back. “Its a fuck yeah” she giggled, placing her arms around his neck as she kissed him as many times as it was possible, and then some, but it felt like it was never enough. “Oh God, we’re insane” “We drive the fastest cars in the world, so what’s new with us being insane?” he asked with a little shrug before he went back to kiss her, but even when their lips were together, none of them could help but smile because they were going to get a place to live together, but they were already home.
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persephonecrane · 1 year
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New episode! And….. wow
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First, I just want to know what these two were doing. Why was the door locked? Was someone inside? What are they trying to do? I have so many questions and this happened in the first few seconds.
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The acts this episode were good! I do wish we got to see the full neon shadow performance. They might only be showing acts that have significance in later episodes like I said last time, but still. Kinda wish we had them over the barrel high girls. Although, them being a spoof of Barbie?? Kinda funny. (Im pretty sure they are a spoof on Barbie. The house, the song? Yeah. A dig in barbie and Mattel and I’m here for it, lol)
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The kingly boys!!!! I was not expecting to like their song. At all, but it was really fun to listen to! The dance moves at the beginning though could leave the room cause I don’t know what they were doing. I also didn’t like how they were driving the car for most of their song. Got annoying after a bit. Their performance was so entertaining which is why I’m actually kind of upset they are out of the competition now. But that’s all because of…
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This team up…. Honestly wasn’t expecting it, but wasn’t surprised either. What did surprise me a little bit, was the assistant essentially becoming a mastermind. Like… what does he have to gain from helping both shadow and rainbow high. Also wasn’t he supposed to be doing lighting for rainbowvision? Why is he walking around in everyone’s business?
But yeah, this team up is a good way to ensure both their schools can make it to the finals, but at the same time if they get caught that is going to look bad on both schools. I would be more weary of the assistants suggestion than they are. I just know they better leave pacific coast alone. Harper Dune seems like the girl who would call a person right out if she smelled foul play.
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The amount of sabotage they try getting away with though is insane. First the auto tune in the sound booth, which 1) how’d she know that’s what the lever did? 2) Daria you don’t have headphones on girl, you didn’t hear the clicking of heels enter the room? 3) seriously, the shadow high twins slammed the door open with you and poppy in it! None of you heard that?! 4) Aiden, where were you and why were you not supervising??? Like you can’t not be there and then get mad at them when something goes wrong. You were not there to supervise when that seems to be your job.
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Next thing is the sabotage they try pulling on the Kingsley Boys. 1) the rainbow twins and the light board? Whatever that thing they were messing with was, someone is going to notice that is broken. Why are you physically damaging items that can trace back to you? 2) the shadow twins climbing to get to the light? In heels?! No. And that light being unscrewed is going to fall on someone next episode. I’m calling it now. 3) when in doubt, call your mom to have her get in contact with a music manager in a completely different country to sign two boys from a high school music competition so they can no longer compete… don’t tell me you’ve never done that.
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Y’all knew I was gonna speak on this. First, Ainsley shouldn’t be the one running the show. That’s Avery’s job. She was there for tech, knows the cues and entrances of all the acts and made notes on all of it. Avery calls the show, not Ainsley who has been taking care of all the acts backstage. Now that the stage management side of me can breath.
Second, if there was such a worry about people entering rooms they weren’t supposed to, why was no one guarding or keeping watch at the major spots? Someone could have stood outside the sound booth, backstage, the school entrance, the freaking bathroom. If Ainsley is supposed to call/run the show, she isn’t going to be focusing on four people doing things they aren’t supposed to. She’s be too busy running the show.
Third, it really is neither of their faults for what happened cause they are both busy doing their jobs to run rainbowvision. Even though they aren’t on good terms they do need to communicate better or stuff like this will keep happening. None of them should be placing blame on each other. Avery shouldn’t feel the need to call out Ainsley. Ainsley just responded back, but there wasn’t a need to bring up the transfer drama in that conversation. Just keep it to rainbowvision.
That ending got a bit long. But what did you all think of this episode? Sad the Kingsley boys are gone? How do you feel about this team up? See you next time!
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ultravioletfuture · 5 months
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ULTRAVIOLET VISIONS: UVF-010, Skyline Season 3, Bandcamp Layoffs, and the Revival of Website Culture
Hello UVF! Welcome back to another brand new edition of "ULTRAVIOLET VISIONS", where I give updates on the current underground Vaporwave/Electronica scene, as well as recommend some music I've been listening to along the way.
Firstly, just wanted to remind you all of our latest release on the UVF label!
UVF-010: The Book of Nonsensical Oddities Vol. 2: micronapz in the chromatic cloud fortress by waavypanda
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This newest waavypanda release is the 2nd installment in their "Book of Nonsensical Oddities" series so far and its been a pleasure to make UVF it's home. Both releases are their own unique blend of synth heavy ambient/electronic music that present these beautiful sonic soundscapes filled with ear candy.
"micronapz in the chromatic cloud fortress" is much more dreamy and pillowy compared to Vol . 1. Waavypanda's use of glittery synths that are constantly generating these eclectic sequences of noise give this release so much shine and air. The track "heart tremors" is a big standout track for me with it's massive pads and glistening synths.
This release is a very refreshing piece of minimal, experimental, ambient/electronic music that I highly recommend for anyone wishing to space out and float into a whole different dreamlike world that waavypanda has painted in front of us. The album dropped last Friday October 20th, and is available digitally as well as on CD!
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Skyline Tapes Season 3 / "SL​Œ​JAMS vol. 3" by amber dregs
Gonna give a quick shoutout to our friends over at Skyline Tapes for their official launch of Season 3 for their label! They just dropped their first release of the season, "SL​Œ​JAMS vol. 3" by amber dregs, and it is fantastic! Amber dregs has been one of the most prominent and promising artists to feature on Skyline Tapes and is finally back again with another banger release.
After a small hiatus, amber dregs has returned to bring us what I believe is their best project yet with its insanely crisp, vaportrap production. Tracks like "RETINA FLASH" and "ODYSSEY OF TRUTH" are highlights for me for their forward thinking sample chopping and percussion that drive the songs forward with such fluidity. Really happy to see amber dregs return and super excited to see what Skyline has to bring to the table for Season 3!
Also wanted to quickly mention that Skyline Tapes is currently accepting applications to volunteer for their "Skyline Street Team". If anyone is interested in applying to help promote some of Skyline's releases, events, and merch, I've left all the information down below as well as the Google Forms link to apply!
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Songtradr's Acquisition of Bandcamp and the What This Means for The Future Of Independant Music
Let's get started with one of the biggest news in the online music space, Epic Games selling Bandcamp to Songtradr. Songtradr is a music licensing company that allows artists to license their music to then be legally used in content such as commercials or movies. In theory, as long as Bandcamp is allowed to run as is, just as it has been under Epic's acquisition for the past year, then this might be a great tool for artists to be able to additionally monetize their music with their already existing library of music integrated directly through Bandcamp. However, in the very short amount of time that this acquisition has been made public, Songtradr have not started on a great note with the community.
Late last month, Epic had already layed off around 16% of their employees and after then selling the company, only plans to have 250 employees offered a position with Songtradr. Any remaining staff that didn't receive an offer were layed off, despite various attempts from Bandcamp's union, "Bandcamp United", to settle an agreement to recognize them. It's said that a large portion of the employees that didn't receive offers were part of their writer/editorial team for the "Bandcamp Daily" articles.
Despite this maybe not having a major effect on most of the key Bandcamp music features, this news has shown Songtradr does not have as much care or appreciation for the curation/editorial side of the site and has left many users and artists to feel worried for the future. Many independant artists and listeners on the platform have shown a discomfort with the idea of a random company buying out Bandcamp and swaying the future of their beloved community.
In recent times, building your own website to sell your merch and distribute your music has already become a popular choice especially among certain independent music labels. Many artists have already been looking towards other alternatives for hosting their music and it seems like we might be expecting a resurgence of "DIY Websites" to come. But it's not just the Bandcamp acquisition that has artists worried about losing their community.
Twitter (aka "X") has gone through many major changes throughout the past year since Elon Musk's acquisition of the company back in April 2022. Over the last year, Elon's sporadic decision making as well as laying off large portions of the Twitter team has also made it's users very worried for the future of the site. To be fair, Twitter is a much bigger site and would take much more work to completely ruin overnight compared to Bandcamp, but I see a comparison to people's responses to both acquisitions. Twitter is where a lot of fan engagement, promotion, and community building occurs within smaller independent music groups, and Bandcamp is the heart and soul of where all that art takes place. WIth both websites potentially going through major shifts, it's very understandable for artists to want to look for alternatives that don't rely on the behalf of a large company for their art to continue disrupted.
At the end of the day, all artists want is a place to be able to share their music with a community of like minded people and for listeners to be able to partake in that without any hassle. In an ideal world there would be a platform that is completely run and controlled by artists without the need to focus on constant expansion despite having an already profitable business model. But in this age, capitalism begs companies to consistently find ways to grow and increase profits regardless of whether the company is already finding profitable success. Asking all artists to abandon all other resources and rely only on building their own website is far too drastic and unreasonable, but I would love to see a future where artists have a platform that is completely driven by the art and not profits. This future won't happen overnight and will require a ton of work, but artists should have the final say in how their platform is handled and distributed when the main "product" that is being provided is 100% produced by artists.
As for my own personal experience, the Twitter changes have heavily discouraged me to post or interact as much on the site and switch over to other alternatives like Bluesky. But with Bandcamp, we might just have to wait and see how drastic of a change things will be under Songtradr. I'm optimistic about Bandcamp being able to stay the same in essence, but these recent events have definitely encouraged me to look towards building my own website as a backup that is supplementary and not a replacement for distributing my music and merch. I would love to build a site in the near future that is completely designated to ULTRAVIOLET-FUTURE, and I love seeing other artists and labels start their own sites as well.
Before I end things off, just wanted to shoutout EQL since we're on the topic of websites. They run a cool site where they feature music news, weekly music picks, and occasionally host live events like DJ sets or Radio shows. They actually got to record an interview with Tech and James from death's dynamic shroud and it should be going up sometime this weekend so I highly recommend checking them out!
Thank you all for checking out this week’s UV Visions! This week's post was a bit wordy and more of just a think piece for my thoughts on the current state of things but I hope you all enjoyed!
If you aren’t already following UVF on our socials, go ahead and check us out at our Twitter and our Bluesky pages! Also join our Discord if you haven’t already since that’s where I’m most active and where I keep up to date on all the things happening with the label. We've got 2 new albums dropping by the end of the year so stay tuned for any upcoming announcements in the coming weeks! -portal.uvf
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tenacioustam · 1 year
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Sent my last email! Finished my last meeting!
Tomorrow is all about cruising down to the office to drop off my phone and laptop and then having like a big long ugly cry (of relief) in my car.
Had an interesting heart to heart with the new manager they hired (an internal transfer) about a month ago. She's taking over two (2) of my easiest clients. I asked if she was happy with the change to our department, and she confessed she was really concerned about "what she'd gotten herself into". Her actual words: "I considered myself a workaholic, but you guys are a whole other universe." She's already struggling with having long days with no breaks or just one meal, phone messages pinging her at 7am, logging in at 9am only to find there have been dozens of emails exchanged before 6am, and cancelling planned days off.
She said is was a little scary that I was leaving so soon after she joined, because she'd always considered me not just the "Face" but the most approachable person in our department.
YIKES SORRY TO LEAVE YOU HIGH AND DRY. I tried to give her some sound advice about managing her work-life balance with an international portfolio, and finding fulfillment through the good client relationships she'll get to build, but tbh I'm pretty sure she's gonna get eaten alive and burn out in less than a year.
At my exit interview I was asked what they should look for in my replacement, and I kind of drew a blank. Upon further reflection, I hope they track down someone with (1) a backbone made of industrial steel (2) positively unflappable in the face of everything from geopolitical crises to Massive Egos to bullshit organizational politics and (3) slightly unhinged or otherwise already mentally ill because this job will drive you insane. (I check all three, as do the other two staff members who've lasted as long as I have)
Anyway, I remember another manager commenting earlier this year about the lack of turnover in our team, but surprise! my departure is only the tip of the iceberg -- two other members of the team have given their notice since I announced my resignation. they are going to have a Very Rough couple months.
if I wasn't leaving for another job, I would legit be looking into an extended stress leave.
but it's not my problem anymore :)))))))
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seldomscilence16 · 6 months
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Whumptober day 6:
"Do or die, you'll never make me, because the world will never take my heart."
Recording | made to watch | "it should have been me"
Fandom: Voltron (Canon Divergence? Altered Universe? AU?)
Prompts used: All
This is not the continuation! I didn't know I was gonna do a cont. When I made my list, and I just think the prompts are better on the other day I chose so apologies. Anywho, these are like, classic tropes so lets hope I can do it justice! Its longer I think, I went a little wild, and as always apparently, the timeline is wibbly wobbly… so yeah. 
TW for torture! 
Lance is almost positive his life is a cosmic joke or something. 
There is absolutely no way, his luck is this bad, by accident. There's no way. There has to be some being out there with his voodoo doll, just going fricken ham. In space must just have gotten him closer and put the being in some angry mode, because these life and death situations are driving him insane. 
But this time there's a kicker, it's not just his life in danger, but they've taken the whole team, with the Castle- and the Alteans- nowhere in sight. Lance- if he has to, he's been dealing with it long enough he supposed- can handle anything towards him, but bring in the people he cares about and well, you've signed your death wish. 
He couldn't even tell you exactly what happened, one minute they're exploring a planet, and the next he's waking up strapped to a table, a screen of sorts showing the unconscious faces of his four teammates, trapped somewhere else. He knew this was a Quiznaking stupidly dangerous situation, and that whatever was to come was gonna suck. 
As he shuffles against his bindings and takes in what he can see of the room, the door opens as the faces on the screen begin to stir and Lance tenses up, face going carefully blank. 
"It's as I thought, your stamina is higher than the others." It's a strange opening line, but Lance can roll with it, just don't let the team know this is affecting him and maybe they'll get out of this. The alien- not a Galra- is tall and lanky, with five arms- though three of them are resting behind his back in a casual stance- and goggle covering where Lance assumes his eyes are, his mouth splits his face. 
"Thanks for noticing! Yeah I run-"
"Hmm, specimen appears to be too confident still despite his many failures." It's said like Lance isn't intelligent enough to converse, and yet with enough disgust to state his disdain for him. Which, rude. 
"Rude, if you think so little of me why the quiznack did you kidnap us?" Out of the corner of his eye he watches the lips of his team move, obviously trying to get their captors attention- or telling Lance to shut up, which is usually the case. 
"Specimen Blue's memory seems to be lacking as well, further tests required." He comes to stand beside Lance's table, the screen just to the right of his shoulder, the team can probably see most of the room, but at the least all of Lance and whatever this guy plans to do. "Test number one." 
He holds up a hand, 3 of eight finger like appendages held up, before the arm disappears behind his back again. Lance wonders how dumb this guy thinks he is, but before he can open his mouth, another of his hands swings so quickly it's a blur even to Lance's eyes, and brings a tool down hard on Lance's hand. He bites his tongue, metallic taste filling his mouth, his back arches and only a cut off groan escapes. He can barely make out the faces of his team, but he can't focus on that when the Alien brings the tool down again. Lance's vision spots with how hard he works to keep quiet, but he refuses to show any more weakness, dangit.
"Well Specimen Blue?" 
It takes Lance a moment to recall what he wants, another to wonder why he should humor him, and another still to work around his bleeding buzzing tongue. 
"Three, you mierda cabeza." He gives a bloody grin, just holding himself back from spitting on the guy. He refuses to look at his hand. 
"Hm. So the Specimen simply refuses to admit to its wrongdoing. It seems to think me unintelligent, or forgetful of its failures. I will have to remind Specimen Blue, to ensure he knows his place." He turns from the table, and Lance is able to idly wonder if he's actually recording notes or not. 
His eyes find the screen again, his team is staring intently and he thinks he actually sees worry. He offers his best reassuring smile before he has to return his attention to the alien. His back is turned to Lance as he fiddles with whatever's on the floating table he's dragged closer. He's really giving off (mad) scientist vibes, and Lance realizes that this is ironically what most humans think of aliens and their interactions with humans and of course what goes on in area 51 and such. Let's just hope there's no vivisections.
"So Specimen Blue, am I to assume you don't recall the life you took? Is it of too little value for your puny brain?" Lance's eyebrows furrow at this accusation, for he remembers every life he's had to take. And every life he couldn't save. "Perhaps this will remind it." 
He turns around and bile rises in Lance's throat. On the table is a severed arm curved around the burned crisp of the remains of what looks to be a child. Lance's eyes burn, stomach churns, heart aches, but he has never seen this race of aliens before. They had not been to a planet with them, he's almost positive, and he would have remembered the death of a child. They are the hardest for him to bear. 
"Do you recall now Specimen Blue?" He caresses the charred remains and Lance swallows thickly.
"I'm sorry for your loss, but I did not take their life." His voice is steadier than he feels, though his tongue is still thick. The alien sighs, shaking his head in disappointment.
"It seems the Specimen is duller than I'd observed. Its heart will need to be examined after further tests of its brain functionality." 
"I don't know who you think I am, but I'm telling you, I did not kill that child! I'd be more than happy to track down who did dude, but this is gonna get you nowhere!" 
"I will make you remember, I will make you regret, I will make you pay, I will make you tell me who your accomplice was, and I will make you suffer as you watch them die before giving you the slowest death I can manage. Because vermin like you don't deserve to live." It's the most emotion he's heard from the scientist, but the only thing Lance takes from it is the threat to his friends. This guy is crazy, they'd need time and luck to get out of this, and Lance would do his best to give them that. His face hardens as he levels a hard stare at the alien,
"You're crazy. Give it your best shot." 
Do or Die. That's how Lance grew up. Every moment was a fight. Space had only solidified that, as it tried to wear Lance down, to force him to give up, but Lance was stubborn to his core. So many had tried, but no one could ever make him do something he didn't want to do, his heart led him, and it could not be taken. This guy could do whatever he wanted, but so long as he could keep the team safe? This guy would get nothing from him.
"Specimen persists. Test 2 commencing." 
Shiro flinches as Lance's back arches again, though his eyes never stray from the screen, if Lance had to endure then the least Shiro could do was watch and be there as best he could. The others were in similar states, eyes glued to the screen despite the twisting it caused their guts. They were great multitaskers however, each of them doing their own thing to try and escape their restraints. Shiro was honestly a little impressed that this guy had not only captured them, but managed to keep them bound this long. 
A cut off yell reaches their ears and Shiro winces as Lance bites a hole in his lip to keep the noise down. Shiro hates it, he knows what Lance is doing, how every moment he should be resting is spent sending reassuring looks towards the team, like he isn't being tortured before their eyes. Lance's hand is a mangled mess of broken bones, his bare chest is now a myriad of bruises and pinpricks from the electric rod. Blood is bubbling down from his shoulder and collar bone from precise cuts. And yet that cut off yell is the closest he's gotten to a scream.
Shiro doesn't know what he'd prefer, the sound of Lances screams forever haunting him, or these images of bloody lips and smiles as he holds it all in. He hates both options. 
Keith growls beside him, straining against his binding hard enough the raw skin beneath has begun to bleed, not that he seems to care- none of them do, it is nothing compared to Lance's injuries.
"That," he growls the next word so roughly Shiro can't even tell which expletive he used, "better pray I don't get my hands on him!" 
"You'd have to reach him before me." Pidge and Hunk speak in unison, Pidges glower never leaves the screen, and despite Hunks pallor, his eyes focus on Lance. The only time the two pairs stray, is to glance at a possible tool for their escape. Though Hunks straining muscles seem close to bursting through the restraints already. 
"Do any of you recognize this guy? There's gotta be a reason he took us." Shiro's galra arm is hot, but the restraints are holding up far too well, still he doesn't stop. 
"No. He's not a race we've come across yet." Pidge answers immediately.
"Five arms, Eight fingers on each hand, tall, large mouthed, small head, does not match any I remember." Hunk confirms, flinching as another cut is added to Lance's chest. 
"Six arms, ones on that table." Keith corrects through gritted teeth. 
"No, there's no signs suggesting another arm. And those… remains… have to be semi-recent, so there would be something. Plus, how does one arm get scorched but nothing else harmed?" Pidge has obviously been dissecting- bad choice of word- what she can of the scene before them, gathering as much info as she can. 
"But he said 'Life you took', why wouldn't he include whoever the arm belonged to?" Keith is only a third invested in the conversation, eyes watching the Aliens every move, and body continuing its struggle. 
"Cause he's a demented Quiznacker that enjoys torturing people? I don't know Keith, I'll ask him when my bayards down his throat! Aha!!" She wriggles a free wrist triumphantly, though keeps it low in case the Alien happens to glance over, though he hadn't yet.
It is short lived however, as a scream fills the space. Their eyes fly back to the screen, where Lance is trembling and straining against his bindings, a needle being pulled from his neck as he continues to scream himself hoarse. 
"Just tell me who your accomplice was, and we can hurry along to your deaths." The alien placates, looking far too pleased with Lance's pain. Whatever had been injected must be agony, they can see it in every fiber of Lance's being, how he tries to close his mouth, to bite back the scream, but can't. Tears are leaking down his face, but he manages to shake his head and even choke out a 'never' in his next yell. 
The scientist 'tsks', like Lance is a disobedient child, and Shiro's Galra arm seems to burn hotter as it finally breaks through the material holding it down. He didn't know where Lance was, but he'd find him dammit, he shouldn't be in there in the first place. Shiro was their leader, their former teacher, and most of all, this was his family, and he would not let this slide. 
"It seems Specimen Blue is a failure in all ways. I will have to move on, but first to make an example of it. It must have a heart as black as its soul after all, and I will have it in a jar, and avenge the life it took." 
"You… won't… touch… them." Shiro looks up from his task, Lance's scream has died out now, as he forces the words from a shredded throat. His pain is still obvious, but his eyes shine with something Shiro can't place. "I will… not let you… hurt them…" 
"And what will you do? Specimen Blue is nothing. It is a murderer. A failure. It will never amount to anything. It can do nothing. It can't even keep its friends from getting captured. It will die here, and so will its friends, like the life it took." 
"You won't…do quiznak…puta." Shiros eyes widen as Lance's mangled hand flings the scalpel-like tool at the Alien. His thumb is obviously broken, wrist bleeding from how tight the restraints had been during his struggles, the motion itself looked incredibly painful, but even with such obstacles, Lance threw the thing with deadly aim. The tool imbeds itself in the Aliens chest, he releases a shout as he stumbles and falls backwards, but he does not keel over like Shiro had hoped. 
His grin is bloody, and Shiro is quick to get back to work on his bindings, because of course the kill shot didn't kill the guy, when do they ever have that good of luck? He needed to get to Lance, now! 
Between the four of them they have 8/16 limbs free, but it won't be enough if they don't hurry the heck up. Shiro will not watch one of these kids die, please universe, he couldn't handle it. 
Another yell comes from the screen, Lance's free arm has been pinned with a two pronged tool, two fresh lines of blood on his upper forearm from where they'd cut him. The alien is hovering over him now, and even with his goggled covered eyes, Shiro can tell he's got a crazed air about him. Lance continues his struggle, gritted teeth and a fire in his eyes. Shiro can't see a lick of fear for the death this guy has out for him, and that alone has him breaking his final limb free. He doesn't wait, he can't, he sprints towards the only way out he sees, and he runs. Lets some instinct take him, barely registering the footsteps behind him, only thinking about-
Their heart.
They would never be the same without Lance. Shiro can see it now, snippets of a what if future. They flash across his vision bullet fast, but he gets the gist. 
They will fall apart. 
Feet hit with solid thumps, hearts beat out of chests, minds race,
'It should have been me.' 
Lance couldn't die here.
'It should have been me.' 
Not for something like this.
'It should have been me.'
Always protecting them, watching their backs, they'd be dead without him, they wouldn't be here without him, there was not a hopeful future without him.
'It should have been me!'
They burst through the first door they find, hardly registering anything, it's a dogpile, the Alien cracks beneath them but they persist. 
It's only later, as the recording plays before them, that they find the reason for their bruised knuckles and various minor injuries. It's only later, as Lance rests in a healing pod, that they are told about how the Alteans had been watching the whole time as they tried to track their location. It's only later that the beasts they unleashed on that monster are recognized as themselves. It's only later that they comprehend how far Lance will go to save them time and time again. 
Do or die, you'll never make us, because the universe will never take our heart.
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