#(I would romance astrid) | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

mariasont · 21 days

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Our Minds Entwined-----------------------

ch 1, ch 2, ch 3, ch 4, ch 5, ch 6, ch 7, ch 8, ch 9, ch 10

MDNI----------------------------------------------------------------

pairings: aaron hotchner x oc x spencer reid

summary: in which jason gideon's daughter joins the fbi as the newest, brightest member

warnings: implied smut, evelyn annoying the fuck out of hotch pt 2

Chapter Nine:

The morning light filtered in Evelyn's bedroom, casting a lazy glow across the room as Spencer's kiss melted into Evelyn's lips. She stretched languidly across the bed, the soft fabric of her lounge set--a cozy ensemble chosen for the day's travels--wrinkling beneath her. The scent of mint lingered in the air, a fresh reminder of her morning routine now complete. Spencer stood, the sheets sifting, his departure slow and reluctant.

"You're not leaving me already, are you?" Evelyn's words were a playful whimper, her eyelids fluttering open to reveal a hint of feigned distress. Her hand lazily patted the empty space beside her as if to say there was no good reason for him to get up just yet.

"I'm going to engage in a necessary biological process commonly referred to as 'using the restroom'," Spencer said, the corners of his mouth lifting in a smile. "You're very needy in the morning,"

"'M not," Evelyn protested with a drawn-out whine, but she puckered her lips in a pout that begged contradiction, her hands pulling on his sleeve. "Round two?"

Spencer's laughter was a soft rumble, his lips grazing the delicate spot beneath her chin, causing a ripple of giggles to escape her. "Tempting as it is, I should get out of here before Hotch shows up. I'm not sure 'we were just analyzing sleep patterns' would fly as an excuse."

"Yeah, I doubt he'd buy that."

As the bathroom door closed behind Spencer, Evelyn sank back into the pillows. Casual was a term she had never associated with sex before--yet here she was in a no-strings attached arrangement. The simplicity of it all was good and so was the sex--god the sex was good. Evelyn never knew it was possible to want to have it all the time, yet here she was feeling like she could jump his bones at every minute of the day.

Spencer re-entered the room, his eyes sweeping over the space with an inquisitive glint. The room was a reflection of Evelyn herself--unapologetically girly, with walls adorned with soft pastel shades and shelves lined with an array of romance novels. He paused at the collection, an eyebrow raised in amusement.

Evelyn shot him a look, her arms crossing defensively. "Listen, not everyone finds the dictionary to be a page-turner."

"I didn't say anything," Spencer replied, his hands raised in surrender, the ghost of a smirk on his face.

"You didn't have to," Evelyn retorted, "I could hear you thinking it."

Spencer's fingers grazed the spine of particularly worn novel. "May I?"

"Hands off, pretty boy!" Evelyn's protest was cut short as she bounded from the bed, trying to intercept Spencer's reach for the book.

Spencer's chuckles echoed in the room, the book just out of Evelyn's reach as she hopped in vain. With a quick, fluid motion, he captured her wrists with one hand, and with a gentle firmness, her pressed her against the wall. She stood on her tiptoes, the top of her head barely reaching his chin.

"Spencer Reid, if you don't put that book down this instant, I'll--" Evelyn demanded.

"Patience," he replied, the pages flipping rapidly under his gaze. "I'm conducting research."

"Research, huh? In that case let me assist," she trailed off, her hands catching the hem of his shirt, coaxing him back to the bed.

With a laugh, Spencer closed the book. "Evelyn, Hotch will be here any minute. Are you even packed?"

"Of course, I am," she replied, "I'm just gonna miss our nights together while I'm gone, Dr. Reid."

"I'll miss you too," Reid admitted. "Did you know that the heart doesn't actually 'miss' in a literal sense? It's a brain colloquialism for the activation of the brain's reward system, particularly the anterior cingulate cortex and insula, which respond to emotional stimuli..."

Spencer's lecture on the heart was cut short by a sudden, firm knock on the door. Evelyn's eyes widened as she darted a glance through the window, spotting the familiar black SUV outside.

"It's Hotch," she hissed, a note of urgency in her voice. "Please tell me you parked in the garage."

"I did," Spencer assured her, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Okay you stay here," Evelyn directed, her gaze flickering from Spencer to the door as she snatched up her suitcase. "Make sure you wait until we're gone to leave, mkay?"

"Yes, ma'am," Spencer replied, a soft chuckle in his voice, punctuating his words with a gentle tap on her ass as she made her way out.

Evelyn moved to the door with a fluid grace, pulling it open to find Hotch in an uncharacteristically casual stance. He was dressed down for the flight in a soft, gray henley that accentuated his build, paired with jeans that were a far cry from his usual suits. She found the sight disarmingly attractive. Hotch, in turn, was struck by how Evelyn's casual outfit clung just right, only seeming to enhance her natural elegance.

"Morning, sunshine," she chimed, her smile sharp and gleaming as she tore her gaze from his body.

Hotch's gaze fell to the overstuffed suitcase at her feet, one brow arching higher than the other. "Planning to move in, or is that all for three days?"

"Oh, Hotch, you wouldn't last a day with me as a roommate. I'm a handful and then some," Evelyn teased. "And this," she gestured to herself, "takes a suitcase full of effort. It's not sorcery, but it's close."

Hotch watched her with a measured gaze, finding himself momentarily lost in thought. Inwardly, he doubted the necessity of her suitcase's contents. She hardly needed meticulous preparation to look the way she did. It was a thought, he chastised himself for having, he was her boss, and such considerations were definitely beyond the scope of the role.

Evelyn made a move for the suitcase, but Hotch was already one step ahead, effortlessly hoisting the luggage before she could. Side by side, they walked to the car, their footsteps in quiet accord. With a swift motion, Hotch stowed the luggage in the car, and they both climbed into the car.

Evelyn settled in and her gaze fell to a coffee cup awaiting her. "Hotch, is that for me?"

Hotch started the engine, feigning indifference. "Let's just say I prefer my mornings peaceful, and a caffeine-deprived Evelyn is anything but."

She grinned, noting the vanilla scent wafting from the cup. "And you got my favorite?"

"I make it a point to remember the important details--unlike like someone."

"You know, I had a feeling you'd bring that up," Evelyn said with a roll of her eyes. "A girl's entitled to one coffee mishap, isn't she?"

The early morning drive to the airport was a quiet affair, punctuated only by the soft hum of the engine and the occasional melody that Evelyn couldn't resist singing along to. It seemed that every song on the radio was her 'favorite,' and she serenaded Hotch with a gusto that was inversely proportional to her musical accuracy. Hotch's expression might have read as mildly pained, but in truth, he found her off-key notes unexpectedly charming.

Evelyn navigated the narrow plane aisle with a practiced grace, sliding into the middle seat. On the window side, Hotch had already claimed his spot, his gaze fixed on the world outside. The aisle seat remained vacant but not for long. A man, older and with a certain disheveled charm that bordered on sleazy, soon occupied it.

His suit was a tad too shiny, the kind that tried too hard to impress, and his hair was slicked back in way that seemed to defy both age and gravity. Evelyn, ever the person she was, didn't seem to mind as she offered him a polite smile, the kind that was courteous yet distant. The man returned the gesture, revealing a gold tooth that glinted in the cabin light.

"Well, isn't this cozy?" the man started, "I must say, you make our cramped quarters seem rather pleasant."

Evelyn flashed a polite smile. "That's very kind."

Hotch sat quietly, his gaze fixed on the exchanged with an intensity that betrayed his calm exterior. His protective instincts were fully engaged, a subtle tension visible only in the slight clench in his jaw. He watched as Evelyn navigated half the flight with her usual poise, responding to the main's veiled advances with nothing more than polite nods and neutral smiles.

Oblivious to any underlying intentions, she carried on with an air of kindness, her attention occasionally drifting to the window. Hotch, ever watchful, noted the subtle cues--the way the main leaned in, the too-warm chuckles, the searching glances. Yet, Evelyn seemed unaware.

"Your choice of material is quite... enlightening," the man remarked, his knee brushing against Evelyn's for the umpteenth time.

"Oh this?" Evelyn remarked casually, holding up the romance book. "Just a little light reading for the flight."

The man chuckled, his tone dripping with innuendo. "Careful, those can set quite the mood. Might be more than you bargained for."

Confusion flickered across Evelyn's features, failing to grasp the full intent behind the man's comment. Hotch, however, was all too aware, his patience wearing thin with each 'accidental' contact between the man's knee and Evelyn's.

In a moment of quiet resolve, he leaned towards her, his voice a soft murmur meant only for her ears. "You said you prefer the window seat, correct?"

Evelyn's eyes widened, the corners of her mouth curving into a smile of genuine surprise. "Are you offering it to me?"

He confirmed with a simple nod, his eyes holding hers with a gentle firmness.

She lowered her voice, a playful smile dancing on her lips. "You're just full of surprises today, aren't you? I better start taking notes; the team's never going to believe this."

Evelyn stood up, her movements betraying a slight reluctance as she moved to switch seats. Meanwhile, Hotch stood from his seat, his stature filling up the limited space between them. As Evelyn edged by, the proximity caught her off guard, sending a surge of warmth through her, her heartbeat thundering in her ears.

"Oh, sorry," she breathed out, barely audible, as a wave of crimson flooded her cheeks, her mind chastising her for the clumsy encounter.

Hotch offered a silent nod, his own heartbeat imperceptibly faster.

Time stretched on and as the drone of the engines filled the cabin, Evelyn rose yet again, her movements fluid yet mindful in the confined space. The narrow space forced Evelyn to turn her back as she edged by, her focus solely on the beckoning call of the restroom. Hotch, his composure momentarily slipping, masked his distraction with a cough that sounded almost strained against the quiet chatter.

Hotch was a man of control, yet as Evelyn moved past him, her presence was undeniable and quite literally right at eye level just like her ass. The fabric of her attire accentuating her every move, leaving an imprint on his watchful eyes that lingered longer than necessary. Hotch's gaze followed her every move, tracking her discreetly until she merged with the aisle.

The man beside Hotch, leaned in closer than necessary. "Quite the view, huh?" he commented in a hushed tone, a sleazy grin spreading across his features.

Hotch's expression hardened, his jaw setting a firm line. Facing the man, his eyes were steely, his voice a low rumble of warning, "I'd suggest you keep your observations to yourself. It's a long flight, and I'd hate for it to become any longer for you."

The remainder of the flight passed without incident, the earlier tension dissolving into the cabin's recycled air. Evelyn, none the wiser to the exchange between Hotch and the man, mused to herself about the sudden peace.

As they disembarked in Miami, Evelyn and Hotch were greeted by the warm air that wrapped around them like a welcoming shawl. The hotel loomed around them, a sprawling resort nestled amidst lush gardens and shimmering waters.

"Hotch, look at this place! I think the Bureau's expense department got their wires crossed," Evelyn gushed as they entered the lobby, where her attention was swiftly stolen by the sight of the pool through the floor-to-ceiling windows. "I half expect to see a celebrity or two lounging by that pool. Speaking of which, how strict do you think they are about conference attendees taking a 'research break' in the water? Asking for a friend, of course."

"Evelyn," he began, "what you do in your free time is at your discretion. However," he continued, his gaze locking onto hers, "we have a dinner engagement this evening with some key figures from the conference. It's an informal setting, but impressions matter. I trust you'll bring your usual insight and professionalism to the table."

"Professionalism? Oh, you've got it, boss man. I'll be the picture of professionalism--so much so, they might just mistake me for you," she teased, her grin suggesting she was only half-joking. "As long as you keep me on the guest list for these conferences."

Hotch's gaze lingered on Evelyn for a moment, a silent warning conveyed in the briefest of looks. "I need to meet with some representatives from the BSU," he said, "Here's your room key," he added, handing her a small envelope with a practiced hand. "Remember, 'be good' isn't just a suggestion, it's an expectation."

"Oh, Hotch, when have I ever been anything but good?" Evelyn asked, batting her lashes with an exaggerated innocence.

Hotch offered nothing but a deadpan look in response to Evelyn's words, the unamused mask firmly in place as he turned and walked away with measured steps.

Evelyn's delight was unmistakable as she made it to her room. The space was more than nice--it felt luxurious. From the plush bed to the breathtaking view that beckoned from the window. But the room couldn't contain her restless energy for long. She swiftly changed into a comfortable pair of jeans and tank top.

Evelyn's casual stroll through the hotel brought her to a halt outside a bustling conference room where Hotch stood, surrounded by a circle of professionals. One woman in particular caught her eye--a vibrant figure with a small tattoo adorning her exposed shoulder, her proximity to Hotch just shy of intimate. Her laughter rang out, a decibel too high, piercing the hum of conversation. The sound seemed to echo in Evelyn's ears, stirring an unfamiliar jealously as she watched, a sense of possessiveness she hadn't anticipated washing over her.

"What am I doing?" Evelyn questioned herself, a frown marring her usually carefree expression. She shook her head, trying to scatter the unexpected feeling that clouded her thoughts. She was already with one coworker. With one last look at Hotch and the woman, she turned, her footsteps echoing through the hall.

The evening had settled over the resort, casting a soft glow of the evening lights. In her room, Evelyn stood before the mirror, draped in a black dress that embraced her form with an almost immoral familiarity. The neckline offered a glimpse of the swell of her breasts that made her second-guess the appropriateness for dinner. She pondered if the dress crossed the line from chic to scandalous, especially since Hotch had left the dress code to her imagination.

As she reached for her lipstick, a knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.

Opening the door, she was greeted by the sight of Hotch. His dark suit was crisp, the lines clean and authoritative, setting off the steely look in his eyes. For a fleeting second, Evelyn found herself at a loss for words, her usual quick-witted banter deserting her. She marveled at the sharpness of his jawline, the intensity of his gaze.

She blinked, a rush of warmth flooding her cheeks as she took a moment to appreciate the man before her. Regaining her composure, she greeted him. "Well, if it isn't Agent Hotchner, looking sharp enough to cut through red tape."

His eyes softened as his gaze dragged up her figure. It was rare when words, typically his steadfast ally, seemed insufficient. Clearing his throat, he allowed a genuine smile to touch his lips. "Evelyn, you look beautiful."

The unexpected warmth in Hotch's voice sent a flutter through Evelyn's stomach. A blush crept up her cheeks as she stammered. "Oh--uh, thank you, hotch," she managed, her voice a notch higher than usual. She stepped aside, gesturing him in. "Just give me one sec, I need to... uh, apply my lipstick," she said, her hands fumbling for the cosmetic.

As Evelyn carefully twisted the tube of lipstick, she began to speak. "So, who exactly is going to be at this dinner...?" She trailed off, focusing on the precision of the crimson shade as it glided over her lips, forming an 'o' shape. "And the seating arrangements, I hope they're not too formal. It's always so awkward to make conversation when--"

Hotch found himself unexpectedly transfixed, leaning casually against the doorframe yet entirely absorbed by the scene before him. Evelyn's lips, parting and pressing as she spoke, were all he could see. She was speaking--something about the dinner, the guests--but the words seemed to drift away. All of it was drowned out by the delicate precision with which she painted her lips, the occasional catch of her teeth against the plush red, the way he could imagine those same lips wrapped around his cock. The mundane task, one he had never given much thought to before, suddenly seemed the most fascinating thing in the world.

Evelyn caught the distant look in Hotch's eyes and paused, her lipstick hovering mid-air. "Hotch?" she probed, a note of curiosity in her voice.

He snapped back to the present with a slight start. "Huh? Oh, yeah, sounds great," he mumbled, almost as if on autopilot.

Evelyn eyed him quizzically for a moment but then shrugged it off with a smile. "Well, I'm all set," she said, slipping her lipstick into her purse. "Shall we?"

The restaurant was a cocoon of warmth and subtle elegance, its walls adorned with tasteful art and tables set with crystal and fine china that caught the glimmers of the chandeliers overhead. As Evelyn and Hotch made their way through the hushed conversations and the soft clinking of cutlery, she felt a flutter of anticipation mixed with the slightest edge of nerves.

As Evelyn neared the table, a sharp pang of recognition coursed through her--the woman from before was there. The woman who had flirted with Hotch, her casual elegance now a sharp thorn in Evelyn's side. The closer they got to the table, the more Evelyn felt the bitter vine of jealously winding its way up, tightening around her voice. It made it all worse as she realized the same woman that was flirting with hotch was the infamous Lillian Lewis, best-selling author and behavioral analyst. She was a legend in their work.

Hotch, ever composed, acknowledged the table with a subtle nod. "Professor, gentlemen," he began, "this is Special Agent Evelyn Gideon."

The men at the table, both influential benefactors of the BAU, received her with a warmth that melted away some of her stiffness. "Agent Gideon, a pleasure," the man, Thomas Weller, remarked, his handshake warm and reassuring.

Dr. Reeves greeted her with a thoughtful nod and a smile. "Welcome, Evelyn. It's always good to see new faces in the field."

Evelyn mirrored their greetings, her smile unfurling effortlessly, softening the formality of the moment. Her voice turned to one of admiration as she tried to push aside the knot of discomfort in her stomach. Despite her confusing feelings to Hotch, game recognizes game. And Professor Lewis was one of the best.

"Professor Lewis, it's an honor. Your work on micro expressions has been a game-changer in high-stakes negotiations."

Professor Lewis gave a curt nod, her 'Thank you' slicing through the air, sharp and devoid of the earlier warmth. Her eyes, a steely grey, seemed to appraise Evelyn with a scholar's critical gaze, flickering over her with an air of polite disinterest.

As they took their places at the table, Hotch smoothly slid Evelyn's chair out for her. As she eased into it, she shot him a teasing smile. "Such attentiveness, Agent Hotchner. I wasn't kidding about taking notes, the team will need a full briefing when we get back."

Hotch leaned in, his breath a whisper against her ear. "Remember how I said being good wasn't a suggestion?"

The warmth of his breath left her momentarily dazed, a tingling sensation lingering where his words had landed. She shrugged softly at his words, shooting him a quick wink.

As the dinner conversation ebbed and flowed around them, Dr. Reeves leaned forward, drawn by the familiar ring of her last name. "So, your father is Jason Gideon?"

Evelyn affirmed with a modest tilt of her head. "The one and only."

With a scrutinizing look, Professor Lewis cut into the conversation, injecting dryly. "Must've been nice having that as your golden ticket."

The comment hung in the air, and Evelyn felt a momentary discomfort. She recovered quickly, though, with a light-hearted retort. "Well, it certainly wasn't a Wonka bar, but it did come with its own set challenges," she said, hoping to deflect the tension with humor.

Without missing a beat, Hotch offered a measured nod in Evelyn's direction. "Evelyn has earned her place on the team. Her record stands on its own."

Evelyn managed to navigate the rest of the dinner with grace, her laughter blending seamlessly into the restaurant's hum. It was easy for her to charm the benefactors just like Hotch assumed she would: the way she remembered personal details, the easy way she joked about the appetizers, or how she gracefully deflected any praise to her team, specifically her unit chief.

As the clinking of glasses subsided, Mr. Weller nudged Hotch with a knowing look. "The bureau's lucky to have someone like her," before shooting a wink to Evelyn, he added, "And hey, if you ever get tired of this guy, give me a ring, huh?"

As they prepared to leave, Hotch's hand found its way to the small of Evelyn's back, guiding her through the crowd. The warmth of touch sparked a cascade of tingles down her spine, and she couldn't help but press back against his palm, a subtle gesture not lost on the observant eyes of the professor.

"Did you hear that, Hotchner?" Evelyn teased as she pressed closer to him. "The bureau is lucky to have me."

Hotch's fingers gave a gentle squeeze on her back, his voice low and teasing. "I knew that would go to your head."

The hotel's quiet corridors echoed with the soft tread of their steps as Hotch accompanied Evelyn to her door. The distant hum of the air conditioning lent a subtle rhythm, while the floorboards yielded a soft protest against their weight.

Evelyn paused at her door, her palm grazing the cool metal of the doorknob. Her gaze flickered up to Hotch. "Guess I'm not high on Professor Blake's list, huh?"

A smile of quiet assurance played on Hotch's lips, his gaze steady. "I wouldn't quite put it that way," he murmured, his voice low. "That's just her way."

Evelyn exhaled a breath tinged with mock amusement, her gaze honing in with accusation. "Well, she sure seemed to have a different way with you earlier," she insinuated, her words just loud enough for him to catch.

"What was that?" Hotch asked, an eyebrow raised in silent invitation for her to elaborate.

"Nothing," Evelyn retorted with a swift dismissal.

Hotch shook his head, a silent chuckle in his throat.

He lingered, his eyes savoring her--the contours of her face, the curve of her beck, the line of her shoulders. Hotch found himself captivated, unable to divert his attention. As the hallway seemed to condense around them, Hotch found his gaze on the delicate bow of her lips, the color seeming to tempt him in more ways than one.

"Goodnight, Evelyn," he finally managed.

"Goodnight, Hotch," she voiced evenly, her words smooth and controlled, a veil over the wild drumming of her heart.

With a final nod, Hotch turned and walked away. Evelyn retreated into her room, the door's click sealing her inside, its sound a faint punctuation in the quiet. She exhaled a deep, satisfied breath, a serene smile playing on her lips. She moved with a soft deliberateness, preparing for bed, her slow and purposeful movements discarding the dress.

She pulled out her pajamas, the fabric soft and familiar between her fingers. A shade of blush with tiny hearts, the material hugged her just right. Dimming the lights, she climbed into the plush bed, the sheets cool against her skin.

taglist: @nonamevenus @aceofspades190

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crepesuzette2023 · 2 days

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So whats like the general consensus about Stu and John? Do we think they ever messed around or not?

Ooooh, I won't burn and scar my typing fingers on anything like "general consensus," and my cop-out answer is: depends on who you ask. I mean, if you're living in a world where 'a man being with a woman' = straight, or 'a man who never came out unequivocally as queer' = straight, then John and Stu very much never messed around, and, more importantly, didn't feel the desire to.

But I think if you look at it with an open mind, without being afraid of the possibility, you'll see it's more likely they did than that they didn't.

First, you have John, with his life-long romantic idea of being in love with your creative partner (see: his comments on Yoko and Paul)—an idea that fits Stu seamlessly, and perhaps even started with him. In the Hunter Davies bio, John (in '67) calls Stu Paul's predecessor in the 'my trusted partner in art' role.

There is also this conversation with Stu's girlfriend, Astrid Kircherr, as related by Backbeat director Iain Softley:

Paying tribute to Astrid this week, film director Iain Softley revealed her moving words from his interviews with her when he made 1994 movie Backbeat about her and Stuart’s romance.

They hint at a complex relationship between her, Stuart and John. She said it was only after Stuart died that she and John “took a load of pills” and talked for 12 hours about “all the things on our minds about Stuart”. “‘He was jealous when Klaus and I fancied Stuart more, and took him home and left John out,” she told Iain.

“He told me he really loved Stuart, but was afraid of the feeling.”

Iain adds: “I think she thought he meant as a friend, I don’t think there was any suggestion they were in a relationship. But Stuart had always been John’s best friend, they shared a flat in Liverpool. John would write to Stuart as ‘Jesus Christ to John the Baptist’, in the sense Stuart was showing him the way. He looked up to him.

“There was a sense John didn’t want Stuart taken away from him, he didn’t want Stuart to stay in Hamburg.

“At the same time he was very fond of Astrid, but I think there was a conflict there.”

If John was afraid of the feeling, then I'm thinking he felt something that, at the time, and probably still today, was a scary thing to feel. I'll leave it at that.

Also, they were, what? 18, 19, 20 years old? At that age, odds are you do fool around, even if you regret it afterwards. Nothing wrong with that.

Look at this picture of Stu (r.) with Astrid and Astrid's ex, Klaus Voormann. Klaus, who later said he and Astrid didn't work as a couple because she wanted him to be exactly like her image of him, and whose marriage (to a woman) was a platonic marriage of convenience, according to himself. We have now reached the beautiful stage of come onnn! "Straight" was at the party, but so were many others. These relationships were messy! That's awesome!

And how do we feel about John feeling up Gene Vincent, while Paul and George look on knowingly, and Pete Best blanks out? We feel joyous and unsurprised.

A word about Paul vs. Stu, since we're (sort of) at it.

It's possible (what an understatement) to think of their rivalry as sexual rivalry. This is, once more, hinted at in Backbeat, where Stu is more or less giving away John to Paul.

And yet. I think it was more than that. I think everyone, back then, was fighting for more than a bed-partner. They were fighting for their future, for a life unlike their parents'. Paul was fighting for the band, Stu was fighting for John to join him on his artist's way (even giving 'rock'n'roll' a try), and John..

John was, on the one hand, the person either of the others felt he needed in order to realize his dream. But on the other hand, he was the least decided of the three. He may have perceived that, within the trio, he had the fewest fall-back options: Stu had his obvious, much-mentored artistic talent. Paul had a possible academic future bwxt to his musical talent, plus a clear determination to make it in music. John had talent in spades, but perhaps less of a clear-cut idea of where and how to apply it. So he tried keeping both of them close...?

With fun scenes like these as a result:

John sure is feeling campy/cuddly, while Paul is incandescent with rage. A hot look for both of them.

In the end, we don't know if they ever did fool around. My usual reply in those cases is: I hope they did, if they both wanted it. I hope it was good.

I need to check out this book:

John and Paul look happy.

#asks #Stuart Sutcliffe #John Lennon #Astrid Kircherr #Paul McCartney #Backbeat #Iain Softley #mclennon #lenncliffe #it's just handy to fuck your best friend #until it isn't

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violet-moonstone · 9 months

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THW Rewrite

More headcannons because I have not been able to stop thinking about this franchise for the past 13 years, and I have over a decade's worth of opinions.

I've already posted some of these ideas but ehh it's fine.

While I enjoyed watching it for the first time, THW was disappointing to me for a variety of reasons. (The music was probably the best out the franchise though, I'll say that) Grimmel didn't reach his full villain potential since the writers used Ruffnut's lack of judgment as his key to success instead of him being a capable strategist. (Also they did my girl so dirty. She may be a dumbass, but she's not an idiot!) I don't like that the dragons left after just 6 years. I don't like that all the riders except for Hiccup and Astrid are just played for laughs instead of shining like they do in RTTE. I don't like whatever the hell Snotlout's obsession with Valka was, and I didn't like Toothless' "romance" with the Light Fury. I hate that even dragons can't escape half-developed romance and a nuclear family as the ultimate character accomplishment.

So here are my edits (looking back, there's quite a bit going on, so it may need to be split into 2 movies or a short TV series)

The time jump happens between movies 2 and 3. (I want a full movie with bearded Hiccup and "Homecoming" does NOT count) 10-15 years have passed, so the riders are about 30-35. Zephyr and Nuffink are either little kids or preteens and are getting to an age where they're starting to train dragons.

Astrid is more rough around the edges like she was in HTTYD 1 and Rob/Dob/RTTE, not just Hiccup's supportive gf/wife. Instead of making her softer, motherhood has made her fiercer because she has more people to protect. Hiccup on the other hand is a doting father and can't say no to the kids if they give him puppy dog eyes: heart melted every time.

Toothless finds his original flock(?)/herd?/murder?/unkindness?/parliament? of Night Furies instead of just one "soulmate". Each can have their own personalities and roles in the group while Toothless is the baby. I think it would be interesting if, like Hiccup, Toothless was quite small compared to his peers - potentially explaining why he was on his own and got separated from the group before meeting Hiccup.

Dagur and Heather are brought into a council meeting as Berserker allies. Hiccup greets them in a way that clarifies things for audience members who haven't watched the show. I suppose Mala would also be in it too. I don't dislike Mala but I hate her and Dagur's relationship. More development needed there.

Gustav should be there too, still very much trying to prove himself as a dragon rider and occasionally messing things up.

In terms of the main plot and villains, I'm not too picky, although I've said before that I'm tired of dragon mind-control being the main villain tool. I'm fine with it if Drago comes back as the villain, but if not, the villain should just be dragon hunters or rival dragon riders who use their dragons for conquering/raiding other settlements.

It can hit pretty much hit the same story beats as before but with better character dynamics.

Make Ruff and Tuff more instrumental to mischief and redirection in a way that helps the plot.

Give Fishlegs more credit for his discoveries and record-keeping about dragons.

Snotlout and Eret are together (or implied to be together if that's the best we can get). Snotlout is also no longer Hiccup's rival - he should be his second in command. They can disagree from time to time, but ultimately, his loyalty is not in question.

Fishlegs and Ruffnut have kids who cause chaos with Zephyr and Nuffink.

It would be cool to include a couple characters from other parts of the world with dragon mythology. I understand that Vikings are white but if we have goddamn flying dragons, there's no reason there can't be visitors from other cultures (who aren't villains).

Ending option 1: The movie can end with the dragons going away, but now they've been with the Berkians for over a decade and it just feels more impactful.

The "there were dragons when I was a boy" line can either be Hiccup talking to his grandson after an even longer time jump, or Nuffink talking to his own kids about Hiccup's adventures.

Ending 2: the Berkians go to The Hidden World with the dragons. Hiccup writes a memoir to leave behind. We hear him reading from it at the beginning and assume that means dragons are going to leave, but it's actually a diversion to make people think dragons are gone so no one tries to look for them.

Ending 3: We accept that HTYYD takes place in a different world so we don't have to explain why dragons don't live among us anymore. The movie ends with Hiccup vowing to make the archipelago safe for all dragons and Nuffink and Zephyr take up the mantle of discovering new dragons. The dragons stay and they all live happily ever after, the end :)

I'm tempted to actually write this as a fanfiction but I already got a lot of writing projects atm. We shall see.

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look-how-they-massacred-them · 10 months

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Preliminary Poll

Toothless

Submission reason:

Ok this is a scalding hot take that many people will disagree with but the 3rd movie completely ruined his character. First of all, his visual design. He went from sleek and majestic in the 1st movie to bumbling and built like a brick in the 3rd. Despite the 3rd movie's plot supposedly wanting to emphasize that dragons are wild at heart, they made Toothless look MORE domesticated for the sake of cuteness: bigger and rounder eyes, huge "McDonald's arch" eyebrows, shorter snout, steeper forehead, etc. And his features are all much more squared off as a contrast to his dragon girlfriend being rounded, because boy = rectangle and girl = circle, gotta have gender roles even if they're literal fantasy reptiles amiright? They even changed the anatomy of his torso, giving him a much deeper and broader chest, causing his walk/run cycles to look lumbering and awkward rather than smooth and graceful. Not to mention they removed many of the realistic details from the 1st movie, like having a subtle stingray/panther-like pattern on his scales and scars all across his body, in favor of having him be solid-colored and smooth like a toy - something the art team specifically said they wanted to avoid in the 1st movie. (Btw, for the submission picture I'll include a comparison someone made of his head anatomy in each of the 3 movies, since it illustrates the fact that he's been massacred better than just picking 1 screenshot would) Second, his personality. In the 1st movie he was cute and playful and lovable, but also dignified and self-reliant and intelligent, much like a cat. In the 3rd movie meanwhile he might as well be a golden retriever puppy in a dragon body - he's playful ALL the time and extremely goofy and scatterbrained and slobbery (?!) And whereas in the 2nd movie he showed interest in Hiccup's maps and would be playful in a respectful reciprocal way, in the 3rd it's considered "cute" that he doesn't pay attention at all and instead uses Hiccup's prosthetic leg as a chew toy (!!) Worst of all, whereas the message of the 1st and 2nd movies is that Toothless and Hiccup's friendship can overcome all obstacles and change the world, in the 3rd film Toothless happily abandons Hiccup for a pretty girl dragon he JUST met, sending the deplorable message that it's ok or even necessary to abandon your friends once you get a boyfriend/girlfriend (since Astrid affirms that this was the correct decision, tells Hiccup to get over it by focusing on his own romance with her, and "you gave him his freedom, what did you expect?" as if Hiccup is being unreasonable or unfair by expecting their close long-term friendship to last... Worth noting Hiccup had already made a "self-driving tail" for Toothless once in the past, so it's not as if he was trapping Toothless against his will, Toothless actually CHOSE to destroy it in favor of the old prosthetic because he loved Hiccup so much he wanted to be with him all the time!!) Oh, and the 3rd movie also tries to claim that humankind is too bad to "deserve" dragons because of the actions of ONE villain who gets defeated by the end and never even killed anyone... So much for their friendship overcoming all obstacles and changing the world, eh? 1st-movie Toothless is one of my favorite characters of all time. He had changed a LITTLE in the 2nd movie (cuter anatomy, more playful/goofy, etc) but not to the point it grated on me or ruined my enjoyment of the film, especially because the actual plot still had the same heart & soul. But 3rd-movie Toothless is an abomination, just like the movie as a whole. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk ✌️

In the third movie he acted like a stupid dog or something instead of the cat-like graceful but adorable dragon with intelligence just as high as a human. He was so so much better in the first movie. The third movie was beautifully animated but I hate so many things about it and the way it handled Toothless was once of the biggest things. The first movie had this beautiful theme about the humans and dragons who were both intelligent beings overcoming their conflict and learning that they could be happier, stronger and just overall better working together. Toothless was clearly a person with thoughts and feelings just as much as Hiccup. The third movie's theme was like oh actually we can't coexist because some people are bad so we're actually going to send away this other group until the world is ready for them. And somehow this one group of dragons controls them all. But the world could never be just randomly 'ready' to "deserve" dragons without the humans and dragons being a team and learning about and respecting each other. It's like they decided to act like the dragons are now wild animals wrongfully kept as pets who need to be set free so they portray Toothless in a more pet like way instead of the intelligent dragon he really was. And the stomped all the way the Gift of the Night Fury went with Hiccup making Toothless a tail he could use without Hiccup and Toothless smashed it up to tell Hiccup that he didn't want to fly without him. That was such a great short that showed their bond so much better than the third movie.

#look how they massacred them poll #look how they massacred my boy #how to train your dragon #httyd #httyd movies #httyd toothless #toothless #how to train your dragon toothless

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aq2003 · 6 months

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pairing ten's "will just kind of let himself be used as a vessel for romance if someone makes the first move" trait with his "spent a whole season not catching that his codependence insanity bestie was in love with him" trait means that if martha had made like astrid or christina and confessed/kissed him outright i think they would have entered a 10x more nightmarish toxic relationship where ten would attempt to get on the comphet grind to ignore his ptsd and depression harder and martha would have to speedrun all the highlights of a loveless marriage with a 20th century war veteran that never learned what being aroace is. i think she would have to leave and never talk to him again

#sorry i think this is a bad post i peaked with the ten is a bus driver one and it's downhill from here #dr who #ten and martha #aspec doc tag #edit; please note i am picturing this post lazarus experiment where ten is back to being insane enough #to offer joan of all people to be his companion. off the self isolation grind still on the s3 insanity #edit 2. thinking about this more. this post is still bad but it has ideas in it.#like i don't think early s3 ten had it in him to lead martha on so she'd stay w him obv. hes too autistic aroace for that.#but i DO think he has a 50% chance in him mid s3 to react to an undeniable confession/display of love this way #and martha would like catch onto him a month in and would have to leave. for his own good if not hers #ten could jotaro pacificism fic his way to hell and back but only during this specific time and only with her. gbles #10 era

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doverstar · 7 days

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A handful of people have requested I expand on my epiphany that the Tenth Doctor is the Doctor lineup’s equivalent of Enamored Smurf, so here I go if you care to waste some time-

Lots of Doctor/Rose fans like to say Ten was born out of love, specifically for Rose. He is tailor-made for her; we saw that. Even in the novelized version of The Christmas Invasion, Rose suspects that the Doctor’s new face has picked up a few of her mannerisms. I want to say, firstly, that I’m not sure that it’s technically canon that Ten was made for Rose, or that if you asked the writers, they’d say that his tenth regeneration was born out of love for her. I actually can’t find anything in my limited research where that’s canon – it’s fan speculation, but it seems to be true and that’s the short version of why I think Ten is the Enamored Smurf of the Doctors. But of course I’m me so this will take longer than that.

I’ll start with this factoid – Ten has kissed every one of his official companions. That says something. Bupbupbup wait, I know, that was Cassandra on New Earth, it was just a genetic transfer on the moon, he needed a shock to eradicate the poison in 1926, etc. Okay, I know he has good reasons behind each kiss, but it says something that David Tennant’s Doctor is the Doctor that the show felt most comfortable - how do I say this kindly - auctioning off romantically. Jon Pertwee’s Doctor, Tom Baker’s, even Peter Davison’s before him – there was a much different sort of conduct with them, just in my opinion. I don’t know if the audience at the time or the writers at the time would have been quite so free with the Doctor’s romantic potential. With Tennant’s Doctor, it’s just. Everyone. All the time. Astrid, Christina, Madame de Pompadour, Joan Redfern, Queen Elizabeth. Look, Ten is not the first Doctor to be kissing companions or even almost-companions, but he’s the one that seems to do it most often, especially in the 2005 revival (and here we exclude Matt Smith’s Doctor because he came afterward and Moffat was at the helm and Moffat cannot write a male protagonist who doesn’t kiss or get kissed by every young woman breathing near him). What I’m communicating here is that there is something about the Tenth Doctor that is, by nature, very romantic. He is romance-inclined. And most fans take that to be a direct result of the way he was brought into existence. The Doctor’s ninth incarnation was killed by absorbing the Time Vortex, and the only way he could survive that process was to regenerate. How did he absorb it? He pulled it out of Rose Tyler to save her life, after she absorbed it to save his. How did he pull it out of her? He kissed her! Could he have done it in a different way? *noise in my throat for I-don’t-know* Probably. Maybe he could’ve hooked her up to something in the Tardis, or used the sickbay or even tried the Zero Room. But he didn’t; he kissed her, and it’s canon in both RTD’s words and the words of the cast and other writers that Nine kissed Rose because he wanted to kiss Rose, and because he wanted to save Rose, and he was happy to give his life for hers – and that these actions were done out of love. Romantic love explicitly, as well as the self-sacrificial type of real, true, lasting love. That was agape stuff right there. Be still my heart hooooo boy-

So Nine is dying because he sacrificed that incarnation of himself to save Rose, because he loved her. And when he changed, when he regenerated, he changed into this younger-looking, Londony puppy dog man with hair Rose obviously likes and with a clear inclination toward romance. From the first, he’s a dashing hero with ego and brains.

Suddenly the Doctor is not the war-torn, forty-something-looking Northerner that takes a tiny bit to warm up to people and doesn’t seem to think much of himself. Suddenly, the Doctor likes to wink and click his tongue, give crooked smiles and really-tight hugs, and boy does he love physical touch. The tenth is obnoxiously flirtatious, and, appearance-wise, he’s just as grin-heavy and charismatic as the men we’ve seen Rose prefer in past episodes. If we go with the long-running theory that regeneration, while definitely 80% uncontrollable, can be at least a little influenced by cause of death and the emotional inclination of the Gallifreyan who is regenerating, then the most logical explanation is what?

He is ‘born out of love’. The Tenth Doctor is almost literally fizzing with passion. Look at him. Go look at him. Is he not hand-stitched to be roguish and attractive and fun and amiable and watch out, ladies-

(Mr. Tennant you are a fabulous actor and you do the show credit and you are this generation’s Tom Baker and you are more than your eyebrows, sir, please forgive me, we love you-) Even when he is being weird, he is being charming. Even when Martha does not know why he’s throwing away his shoes, even when she has concrete proof that he is another species and not human, she still swoons when he kisses her or smiles at her or looks in her direction. (Mad Martha, charity Martha, you deserve much better!) When River calls him ‘pretty boy’, even Donna’s affirmation comes out a bit quick, and there is no chance of that relationship ever being romantic. Astrid only has to meet his eyes one time and she’s a goner. Do not get me started on Madame de Pompadour-

The Tenth Doctor is a total Casanova. He exists in a state of romantic potential, because when the Doctor changed his face into that face, it was after saving – and finally embracing – this human girl that he is objectively, canonically in love with. He is Enamored Smurf. Now, that’s actually a huge problem. Because an alien man engineered to love one person is a lovely thing - as long as he can love that person. But the issue is that he’s a Time Lord. He can’t love the Earth girl practically the way he would like to, the way that’s best. He can’t settle down with her, he can’t even marry her. He knows that. He will outlive her. So he can’t ever say I-love-you because that’s commitment, and he can’t commit to Rose because it would be dangerous and unfair, especially to her. It wouldn’t (in his opinion) lead to a happy ending for both of them, but I already beat this horse to the deadest death, he’s buried over there, shhh-

Okay. So what does he do with all that love? While he’s with Rose, it’s mostly fine. He can show her all the time that he’s absolutely gone for her without ever saying it. “Oh, she knows.” “Does it need saying?” I mean. If the constant hand-holding and hugging and disarming smiles (ah, The Stone Rose, how are you today my beloved-) didn’t say it, the REALLY INTENSE BROWN EYES BURNING HOLES IN HER FACE will say it just fine.

Only this incarnation of the Doctor isn’t just romantically-inclined. He’s also got the biggest freaking ego I have ever seen on that man, don’t look at me Six, avoid eye contact Three- He’s full of passion, as aforementioned. Everything is – wait for it – at a ten. Where are you going, come back here-

So if he’s full of passion, that means everything he feels is at its peak. When he’s angry, he’s furious. When he’s sad, he’s miserable. When he’s confused, it’s a thousand whats before we get to a proper line of dialogue. When he’s happy it’s the best smile in the universe. And when he’s in love? Do not get in the line of fire (and by that I mean the big-brown-eye-contact) or you will be struck down in your prime. The issue with being the Doctor and being born out of love, full of passion, but unable to settle down with the object of that love? The issue is that it all goes other places, too. It’s not just for Rose. The Doctor as a character has forever been, in a sense, in love with the universe. In love with the human race in particular (not romantically, yikes, but you get it). If ever there were a species he’d be most inclined to fall for romantically, it’s going to be a human being. We saw it before Rose, we’ll probably see it after Rose, though not at the same level because – well, different relationships are different relationships.

And this Doctor has a huge ego. He loves attention. He loves praise. He even loves being adored. He knows darn well Martha fancied him the whole time and he still kept her close to him, and then bragged about it to Donna later. He finds the fact that he enchanted and snogged Madame de Pompadour delightful, and funny, even though he met her first as a child and hi, he has two very-mortal human beings already traveling with him on that clockwork spaceship who he should probably not leave to be disassembled for five and a half hours. One of which is supposedly the person he is in love with and who loves him back. But I digress; that episode in particular is another horse to beat at another time. Not Arthur. A different horse. He seems to pass out attraction and affection easily, and really take pride in that, which, if I were Rose, would be incredibly unnerving when he’s so affectionate toward you but he is also flirty and loose with basically every other woman he meets as well. Hear me, Rose is not entitled to reciprocation – neither is the Doctor, actually – but it does demonstrate surprising carelessness on his part after Nine’s clear, unwavering preference and devotion toward Rose. It’s obvious they care so much about each other, it’s obviously love, but of course she wanted him to say it out loud. He gives her reason to doubt that she’s in any way special to him. But because she’s Rose, of course she decided to stay with him because he needs someone, because she loves him, regardless of how thoughtless he can sometimes be about how he may be affecting her.

(I don’t like that about Ten, personally. I don’t like the ego, or the rampant flirting, but I really dislike that carelessness. And I understand the difficulties and the complications and the layers to that romantic relationship, to Doctor/Rose, and I get that it makes for good television drama, but also – sometimes you just wanna shake him. Either say you love her, or say very clearly that it will never work out and you are refusing to commit. You can have all the best intentions in the world because you love her, but if you’re not clear with her, it’s just making things harder for her on days when you are winking at and holding hands with someone else. I can make a separate post about how I have a very bittersweet opinion on Ten and would not like to travel with him, but…eh.)

Anyway. This post is longer than I wanted. The point I am trying to make is that he is the Doctor who is, yes, the most inclined toward romance, Enamored Smurf, but also that that is not always a good thing. Being born out of love and being full of passion can be a very dangerous thing. He is not just the most inclined toward romance – he is also the Doctor who is the most inclined toward villainy. Get behind me, Moffat, no Eleven is not-

As the Doctor with the most passion, born out of love, when I say that when he’s angry he’s furious, I am talking Time Lord Victorious furious. He is at times the most imposing version of the Doctor. In fact, there’s an entire alternate multimedia canon dedicated to the idea that the Tenth Doctor specifically could one day be a villain, after making a thousand small decisions that surface-wise don’t seem so bad, but that eventually snowball into one big, bad decision. And suddenly he thinks he’s a god and we have to root against him. And that’s just one drawback. The other drawback is plainly seen after Doomsday and Journey’s End – the Tenth Doctor cannot handle losing Rose. He’s completely ruined without her. He changed every single cell in his body with an eye toward loving her, and when she is gone, it probably feels like an enormous chunk of himself is missing. It probably feels like everything is tilting sideways, just a little bit, all the time. And the fact that he lost her and never explicitly told her how he felt? He has no idea what to do with himself. He goes from bad to worse. First of all, it’s made very clear that he is okay with dying when Rose is gone. We saw that in Turn Left. He was never trying to survive anything he ever did. He was saving other people, but he would have died several times over and had zero desire for self-preservation. The man practically begged the Daleks to kill him in Manhattan, and he would have drowned (in misery and river water) if Donna hadn’t been there to tell him “You can stop now!”

He has Martha and that helps, but she leaves. He has Donna and that helps, but she has to go too. He had Rose again, just for a second, but he can’t keep her this time, and that’s the last straw. He just snaps. Then it’s all bitterness, it’s all anger, it’s all ego. And it’s all at a ten, because what is he when he’s born out of love and the woman he loves is gone? What does he do with all that passion and pain? I’ll tell you what he does. He becomes the worst, most dejected maniac in the universe. He goes from wishing he could die to stubbornly refusing to die. And when it is time to die, he tries to be sure the last human face he sees is Rose’s face.

Actually the more I’m talking about it, the more I’m thinking Ten is the saddest Doctor. At least his other incarnations tried to die as heroes. At least they didn’t get to the point where they could look at Wilfred Mott, a global treasure, and say “not remotely important”. He’s Enamored Smurf, but he can’t do what he was sort of made to do. He can’t be with Rose. He can love her by giving her the chance for a happy ending, and he can love her by showing her the universe, and he can love her by giving his life for her, but he can’t keep her. He has to be without her. He can’t settle down (why do you think John Smith was so quick to fall in love and want a future with Nurse Redfern while being unable to stop dreaming of Rose, unable to stop dreaming she kept walking away?). If there was any version of the Doctor that wanted to be human in order to be with someone he loved, it would be Ten. Because he’s born out of love. And he just can’t escape that. Like this really beautiful, wonderful plant that gets moved out of the sun and is unable to reach water, so all its fruit goes sour. He’s miserable. Oh look I made myself sad-

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iamalasagnagirl · 19 days

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Pls, pls, pls I need more WLW book recommendations!!!

Adults, YA, spicy, soft, I don’t care. I just need wlw books because I want to switch from fanfics only to actual books as well

Okay, here we are, enjoy :)

Bright Falls Series by Ashley Herring Blake: 1. Delilah Green Doesn't Care -> Delilah Green swore she would never go back to Bright Falls - nothing is there for her except memories of a lonely childhood - but when Delilah's stepsister pressures her into photographing her wedding with a guilt trip and a large check, Delilah finds herself back in Bright Falls once more. She plans to breeze in and out, but then she sees Claire Sutherland, one of Astrid's stuck-up besties, and decides that maybe there's some fun (and a little retribution) to be had, after all. 2. Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail -> For Astrid Parker failure is unacceptable. When Pru Everwood asks her to be the designer for the Everwood Inn's renovation, which will be featured on a hugely popular home makeover show, Astrid is thrilled. However, Astrid never planned on Jordan Everwood, Pru's granddaughter and the lead carpenter for the renovation, who despises every modern design decision Astrid makes. Is she going to pursue the life that she's expected to lead or the one that she really wants? 3. Iris Kelly doesn't date -> Everyone around Iris Kelly is in love and she’s happy for all of them, truly. Iris doesn’t want any of that—dating, love, romance. She’ll stick to her commitment-free hookups. There’s only one problem—Iris is a romance author facing an imminent deadline for her second book, and she’s completely out of ideas. Perfectly happy to ignore her problems as per usual, Iris goes to a bar and meets a sexy stranger, Stefania, and a night of dancing and making out turns into the worst one-night stand Iris has had in her life. To get her mind off everything, Iris tries out for the lead role in a local play, a queer retelling of Much Ado About Nothing, but comes face-to-face with Stefania, whose real name turns out to be Stevie. Desperate to save face in front of her friends, Stevie asks Iris to play along as her girlfriend. Iris is shocked, but when she realizes the arrangement might provide her with some much-needed romantic content for her book, she agrees. As the two women play the part of a happy couple, lines start to blur.

Falls from grace by Ruby Landers -> Savannah Grace and her band were huge stars in Nashville. Now enlists Noah Lyman - an indie musician - to help her break out of country music and make a name for herself for once and for all. They have to spend the winter in Savannah secluded vacation home in the woods of Vermont, and Noah brings along his best friend Brynn Marshall and pretend she’s his wife? After all, what could possibly go wrong?

The secret of you and me by Melissa Lenhardt -> Nora hasn’t looked back. Not since she fled Texas to start a new life. Now she can live—and love—however she wants. The only problem is that she also left behind the one woman she can’t forget. Now tragedy calls her back home to confront her past—and reconcile her future.

Books by Haley Cass: - Those Who Wait and the follow-up Forever and A Day -> Spencer Sutton, the daughter of a congressman, and Charlotte Thompson, New York City’s youngest deputy mayor, meet on SapphicSpark, a women-seeking-women dating app. Sutton isn’t built for casual, and Charlotte needs to keep a low profile as the race heats up. In spite of that, a friendship blossoms as Charlotte helps Sutton navigate the dating world. - Down to A Science -> Ellie Beckett is a scientific genius finishing a Ph.D. at MIT, sitting on her stool at her favorite bar, putting the final touches on her thesis - her life is predictable and comfortable enough, until the night Mia Sharpe walks in to play pool with some friends and things are never the same again. and On the same Page -> Riley Beckett met Gianna Mäkinen their first year at Boston University, and it changed everything for the both of them. She knows Gianna doesn't do romance or relationships, and she knows nothing could ever come between them. But when a holiday party mix-up sets in motion a domino effect of changes, Riley has to question everything she thought she knew about their relationship. What, exactly, does Gianna mean to her after all? - In the Long Run -> Taylor Vandenberg is busy running a successful travel blog. Brooke Watson and Taylor’s younger brother have been best friends for the majority of their lives. It means that even if Taylor isn’t physically present, she’s always been a part of Brooke’s most monumental life experiences. When Taylor lands back in Faircombe for an extended stay, it leads to more run-ins than Brooke would like. And more feelings than either may want to admit. - When You Least Expect It & Better Than Expected (I haven't had a chance to read them yet, but I have seen them recommended a lot)

If tomorrow doesn't come by Jen St. Jude -> On the morning Avery Byrne plans to end her life, the world discovers there are only nine days left to live: an asteroid is headed for Earth, and no one can stop it. As time runs out and secrets slowly come to light, Avery fights her way home to save the girl she has been in love with her whole life. But can Avery also learn to save herself and find hope again in the tomorrows she has left?

Kiss her once for me by Alison Cochrun -> Ellie had a Christmas Eve meet-cute with a woman at a bookstore that led her to fall in love over the course of a single night. The next year, Andrew, the shop’s landlord where Ellie works, proposes a shocking, drunken plan: a marriage of convenience that will benefit both of them. They make a plan to spend the holidays together at his family cabin to keep up the ruse. But when Andrew introduces his new fiancée to his sister, Ellie is shocked to discover is the mysterious woman she fell for over the year before.

6 times we almost kissed (and one time we did) by Tess Sharpe -> Penny and Tate keep almost kissing. It’s just this confusing thing that keeps happening. You know, from time to time. For basically their entire teenaged existence. They’ve never talked about it. They’ve always ignored it in the aftermath. But now they’re living across the hall from each other. And some things—like their kisses—can’t be almosts forever.

Nottingham: the true story of Robin Hood by Anna Burke -> (A retelling of Robin Hood's story with a Female Robin and wlw couples) After a fateful hunting accident sends her on the run from the law, Robyn finds herself deep in the heart of Sherwood Forest. All she really wants to do is provide for her family and stay out of trouble, but when the Sheriff of Nottingham levies the largest tax in the history of England, she’s forced to take matters into her own hands. Relying on the help of her band of merry women and the Sheriff’s intriguing—and off limits—daughter, Marian, Robyn must find a way to pull off the biggest heist Sherwood has ever seen.

Forget me not by Alyson Derrick -> Stevie has a terrible fall. And when she comes to, she can remember nothing of the last two years—not California, not coming to terms with her sexuality, not even her girlfriend Nora. Suddenly, Stevie finds herself in a life she doesn’t quite understand. And Nora finds herself…forgotten.

It goes like this by Miel Moreland -> Eva, Celeste, Gina, and Steph used to play in world-famous queer pop band called Moonlight Overthrow. But after a sudden falling out leads to the dissolution of the teens' band, their friendship, and Eva and Celeste's starry-eyed romance, nothing is the same. Until a storm devastates their hometown, bringing the four ex-best-friends back together. As they prepare for one last show, they'll discover whether growing up always means growing apart.

Dominion Series by J J Arias: 1. Losing Control -> Talent agent Adriana Ortiz’s world is rocked when she’s thrust into the tumultuous orbit of Roxy, the raw, enigmatic pop rebel with a notorious edge and a guarded heart. Tasked with steering the wild Roxy on a whirlwind tour, Adriana boards Roxy’s opulent tour bus. The nights are filled with roaring crowds, but it’s the electric tension between Roxy and Adriana that sets the air on fire. A forbidden connection that threatens to consume them. Is the wild, unbridled Roxy worth the risk to Adriana’s career, or is she just another woman falling victim to Roxy’s charms? 2. Fighting for Control -> Lola Barros is a rising talent agent burning with ambition. Carmen Vargas is a dedicated lawyer poised to conquer the legal field. Their shared high-rise is the only thing these two powerhouses have in common. After a trivial parking mishap snowballs onto a full-blown feud, Lola and Carmen are thrust into unconventional anger management sessions and their fiery rivalry gives way to smoldering desire. But yielding to desire isn't straightforward. Between the shadows of demanding careers and familial expectations, their love is tested. Can Lola and Carmen find a balance between ambition and affection? 3. Relinquishing Control -> Natalia Flores rules her exclusive talent agency with an iron fist, brokering blockbuster deals while keeping everyone at arm’s length. But beneath the cold exterior lies a heart that yearns to be understood. Enter Professor Samantha Reyes—brilliant, fierce, and unwilling to let Natalia manipulate her way into the film rights to her book. Their encounters spark with tension and undeniable chemistry. In a world where control is everything, can two powerful women let go of their fears to find a love that’s worth the risk?

11:59 by Erica Lee -> TJ Edmonds has created a whole brand around not getting attached to other people. She has a best-selling novel and a popular phone app both dedicated to helping people stay detached from their significant others, so they don't get hurt. But the only reason she can move on so quickly now is because she still hasn't let go of someone from her past. It's easy to guard her heart when she no longer has it to give away. TJ texts Brooke everyday at 11:59 pm with no answers. What happens when, in a moment of weakness, this someone reaches out to TJ?

Price and Prejudice and the city by Rachel Lippincott -> Seventeen-year-old Audrey Cameron has lost her spark. After an embarrassing run-in with her ex-boyfriend, she’s told that she needs to get back out there and take risks. What she doesn't expect is to be transported to Regency England! Lucy Sinclair has her own problems when Audrey lands into her life, claiming to be from two hundred years in the future, it's a welcome distraction.

Never ever getting back together by Sophie Gonzales -> Maya and Skye are invited to star on the reality dating show Second-Chance Romance, to compete for their now famous ex-boyfriend's affections while the whole world watches. Skye wonders if she and Jordy can recapture the spark she knows they had, but Maya has other plans.

The art of us by KL Hughes -> Charlee and Alex fell in love at nineteen and dated for four years. Theirs was an enviable love — evergreen and growing. Unbreakable…Until it broke. Alex’s job now brings her back to Boston, after five years. When, by chance, they meet again, Charlee and Alex are swept up in a whirlwind of heart-rending history, tossed between past and present, and lovers old and new. Will their lingering connection be enough to convince them that some loves are meant to last? Or should the past remain in the past?

That secret something by Emily Wright -> Rebecca Lawson is off-limits. Jess knows this, but Rebecca has captured her heart for as long as she can remember. She’s sporty, tall and confident—all the things Jess is not—but most of all…she’s her best friend Lily’s sister. But when Jess and Rebecca are forced to spend time together the forbidden feelings intensify and sparks begin to fly. Amidst the chaos of raging bridezillas and other wedding disasters, can Jess resist temptation for the sake of her friendship?

The seven husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid -> Aging and reclusive Hollywood movie icon Evelyn Hugo is finally ready to tell the truth about her glamorous and scandalous life. Summoned to Evelyn's luxurious apartment, Monique listens in fascination as the actress tells her story. From making her way to Los Angeles in the 1950s to her decision to leave show business in the '80s, and, of course, the seven husbands along the way

That summer feeling by Bridget Morrissey -> Turns out you're never too old for a summer camp romance. Or a change of heart. When a divorced woman attends a sleepaway camp for adults only, she reconnects with a man from her past - only to catch feelings for his sister instead.

Some of these are my absolute favourites, I've lost count of how many times I've read them. I cannot get enough of "the bright falls series", "One the same page", "Those who wait", "The secret of you and me" and the last entry "Falls From Grace". No matter how many times I read them. And sometimes I wish I could read them again, as if for the first time, if that makes sense. Anyway, I have a lot more titles. Let me know if you want them or not. Enjoy the reading

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thatfragilecapricorn30 · 2 months

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I like The X-Files, should I watch Fringe?

I decided to watch Fringe because it was frequently recommended as a show for fans of TXF. I was really curious how similar it would be and would I actually enjoy it? I'm only on S2 E5, so this post will be my impressions of the first season. I'll probably write another post after watching more of the show. I'll also try to make this as spoiler free as possible so anyone can read it!

What is Fringe about? The main character is FBI Special Agent Olivia Dunham. We meet her when she's assigned to a case in which everyone on board a plane dies from a mysterious illness. The plane lands successfully at Boston Logan (due to some auto-landing feature - not sure if this is even real) and this is where we find out that Boston (aka Vancouver) is our setting for the show. Dunham traces the mysterious illness back to the research of a former Harvard professor (Dr. Walter Bishop), who is currently in a psychiatric institution, and she needs his son (Peter Bishop) to get him out. By the end of the episode, the three of them form the core of the Fringe division, a cohort of agents and consultants working on unexplained cases (sound familiar??).

How are Fringe and TXF similar?

Both shows center on a special division within the FBI that involve unexplained phenonomen.

Both are filmed in Vancouver.

Both feature monster of the week and mythology episodes.

Both have a strong female lead.

Both have the potential for romance between the two leads (Olivia and Peter).

How are the two shows different?

Fringe features an ensemble cast, whereas TXF was really only Mulder and Scully. I enjoy the relationships between the characters (like Peter and his father, and Walter and Astrid), but the show hasn't done a great job of fleshing out characters aside from the core three. Poor Astrid has pretty much no personality aside from performing lab work with Walter.

The show does not have the same atmosphere as TXF seasons 1-5, even though they're both filmed in the same locale. It might be because of film vs. digital, but the cinematography on Fringe is lacking compared to the beautiful forests we're used to seeing on TXF.

Fringe does a great job of tying a majority of their monster of the week episodes back to the main mythology. The problem with this is that it's hard to watch these episodes independently as they don't have a truly self-contained story.

The mythology storyline is well-developed and I heard that there's actually a plan for the plot (unlike TXF).

Fringe is sci-fi. There are no paranormal, supernatural, or horror elements.

Other impressions:

It took me about halfway through season 1 to start getting into the show, and it seems like that might be some others' experience (and why they may have stopped).

I find it hard to follow the cases sometimes, because they involve technology that is extremely advanced or currently doesn't exist at all, and it seems like the writers don't really understand it either.

I have a feeling we'll be seeing a romantic relationship between Olivia and Peter at some point and I think the show is doing a good job of slowly developing their bond. I've also heard that Anna Torv and Joshua Jackson did not get along on set (sound familiar??) but they have decent chemistry - not as good as David and Gillian but as we all know, there's not a fair comparison.

There's random things that rub me the wrong way, like Walter performing autopsies (someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think he's an MD, just has several PhDs), how every single case relates back to Walter's research (this man is like 10 Einsteins because he was conducting experiments in every field and all of it beyond the realm of known science), Walter touching dead bodies at crime scenes without gloves (I know this happens in TXF but it's so egregious in Fringe). Despite all this, I do like Walter's character and I think John Noble gives an excellent performance.

Olivia Dunham is a well-rounded character and Anna Torv is great. I really enjoy the relationship she has with her sister and niece.

So far, I enjoy the mythology episodes more than the monster of the week, which is the opposite of my opinion for TXF.

It's funny that there are 15 years between the premiere of TXF (1993) and Fringe (2008) and about another 15 years to present day (2024). But Fringe seems so modern compared to TXF. You can barely tell it's 15 years old, except for the lack of iPhones and I'm sure even that will change in the next few seasons.

Should I watch it??

If you really enjoy sci-fi, I would say definitely check it out. If you're on the fence, or don't like sci-fi at all, I would skip this one.

It probably sounds like I don't enjoy Fringe based on my above points. I think part of it is that I am comparing it to TXF, even while watching, and TXF is definitely better (imo). I also enjoy horror more than sci fi. But, Fringe is holding my interest for now and I've heard that it improves throughout the seasons, so I'm going to keep watching.

I'll definitely write an update post at some point - if I finish the show or stop watching it.

I'm so curious to hear the thoughts of others who have watched Fringe! Do you agree with my assessments so far? What are your opinions and how does it compare to The X-Files for you?

#fringe #the x-files #txf #my.txf

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anarkysm · 1 month

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All of My Heroes Die All Alone - Part I: Easy they Come

Jason Todd x oc fanfic.

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Evangeline didn’t know why seeing Floyd this way had not become the normality in her mind. She thought by this point, now that he had reached the six month mark of being admitted into Elliot Memorial’s hospice ward, that she would have become desensitised to the sight of him. The myriad of tubing that protruded from every orifice, the hollow of his throat, his nostrils, the catheter, the colostomy bag, and the various IV lines that all form a cocoon around him like a fly in a spider’s web, waiting for the inevitable predator to slink it’s way down, long needle like fangs piercing flesh. It would be a quicker death than this, the sharp sting, the rush of venom, the paralysis, then… nothing.

How quiet that would be.

Instead the whirring of machines must be getting to his head. If he could still talk he would tell her as such. He would tell her to leave him be. But, there is a selfish part of her soul that wants to keep him around, that wants his advice as long as she can receive it. That wants to keep him as comfortable as she can before the inevitable happens. She’s selfish like that. She hates that she is, but when one good thing stays in your life as long as Floyd Lawton stayed in hers, those claws would stay buried in that flesh forever.

She eats the worst beef and butter sandwich of her life as she occupies the seat next to him. She stays like this throughout visiting hours, only getting up and leaving the room when the nurses clean him, changing his sheets, scrubbing his thinning skin that shows the intricate webbing of muscles, tendons, veins and arteries underneath. She can’t bear to look at him when they do it. His limbs, once thick and ropey with muscle and scars, were now wiry and fragile. She wondered if he would hate his reflection in the mirror, she wondered if it were the other way around that he would have left her body to give up on itself even if it were painful, so it would be quick. So he could mourn and his life would go on. She knew his would. She didn’t know if she was capable of the same.

Her phone rung with an alarm she had set to remind her that the visiting hours were done. She packed her things, a cheesy romance book that merely sat dormant on the arm rest of her chair, and a newspaper. She bid her goodbye to Floyd with a kiss to his temple, and headed out. The nurses were always lovely, there was a tiredness to their kindness that reminded her of him. The nights when he would come back after weeks of being away, but if she asked him a question, he would answer. If she wanted to tell him how the week had gone, he would let her. There would be a darkness to his skin, a sunken feeling in his eyes, but he would be there.

When she exited the building the chill of November nipped at the exposed skin of her neck and she shivered. She hunkered herself down further into her jacket and trekked through the car park until she was sitting astride her bike. The vibration of her phone in her pocket jolted her out of her thoughts and she dug her hand into her coat to fish it out. She recognised the number immediately and brought it to her ear.

”Hospital.” She greeted, knowing she was talking to a man who preferred to be blunt. “Five minutes to home.”

The voice was impatient. “Wherever else would you be?” Came the reply. The tone was edged, the sarcasm dripping with venom. “Meet me in the Canary Club. Got a job.”

Wonderful. She hung up, buried her phone back in her pocket and shoved the helmet over her head.

The Canary Club was home to most of Gotham’s populace on a Friday night, the place crawling with people and vibrating with music. It was humid and sticky and everywhere you looked the lights were flickering and there were girls dancing. It was the kind of place Slade liked to meet in. He liked the noise, it drowned out conversations, and he liked having something or someone to look at while he talked business. He wasn’t an easy man to figure out, but Evangeline liked to think she had a good grasp on why he was as picky as he seemed. The two had had this arrangement for some time, since before Floyd got sick. Floyd didn’t know, of course, it was one of the many secrets she kept from him.

Slade was in his usual booth upstairs, red pleather couches that overlooked the entire dance floor below. He ‘liked to see things coming,’ but Evangeline knew it was more than that, it was a sense of control he liked to keep over the room, even in his old age. And Slade had gotten older, being in his late 60s had thickened his skin but made his insides more fragile. He was tenser and more brutal, he needed opponents to stay down, there was less of a chance he would beat his way out of a fight with someone younger than him now, but that didn’t mean just anyone would pick a fight with Deathstroke. Certainly not Evangeline. She could see his white hair as she ascended the steps, and she followed it like a beacon as it caught the multitude of lights that cascaded over the room. She greeted him as she sat down, “here, again?”

Slade’s lip quirked up. His Deathstroke mask seemed to hide his nerve damaged mouth well. He’d gotten into a fight with the Batman, maskless, a batarang had sliced through his upper lip and chin leaving the area paralysed on one side. Though it didn’t make him any less menacing. “Why not? Gives us both something to look at.” He adjusted the glasses on his face. “How is Lawton?”

Evangeline straightened her back. “Alive.”

Slade made a noise, something tip-toeing between a snort and a grunt. “Not living,” he mused, fingers playing with the edge of the table. He had a folder resting neatly in front of him. “Middle Eastern prison. Libya. Rich man wants his ward returned here alive.”

Evangeline sucked her lower lip between her teeth. “Prison break? Isn’t that more of a mercenary’s job?” She asked. She’d never been tasked with a prison break before, though if it were one here in Gotham she would be oozing confidence, criminals seemed to just walk out of Arkham as easily as breathe. “How much is he paying for this ‘ward’?”

”Sixty Million.”

The world spun, and Evangeline dug her nails into the meat of her thighs to keep her mind focused. That was a lot of money. It was enough that she could… “Why didn’t you take it?” She asked. If it was simple enough that Slade thought she would be able to handle it on her own, then there was something else underlying that he wasn’t disclosing to her. Sixty million was nothing to Slade, he would have the kid back in a week if the rich asshole doubled it. “Seems right up your alley.”

Slade paused a moment, pursing the side of his mouth that still worked. “I’ve not been allowed in Libya for thirty years,” he explained, gently coaxing the folder across the table towards her. “Take it. Mull it over. I’ll give you three hours. You have my number, send me a message.”

The ride back to Floyd’s appointment was a quiet one, but not long. She had two hours and 32 minutes to think about Slade’s offer. Her mind kept wandering back to the reward. How much could this ward be worth? She had doubts it was Bruce Wayne, that pompous asshole hadn’t adopted a new kid in years and the media kept tabs on all of them. The computer whizz, the acrobat turned cop that moved to Bludhaven, the only one you didn’t hear about anymore was the one that died not too long after he showed up in the tabloids. Apparently, something to do with an accident while they were on a holiday somewhere overseas, but no one knew the details. Poor kid. She doubted Bruce would let one of his own leave the country after a devastating loss like that again.

There were rich people in Gotham, but none of them were that rich. She had half a mind to see if there were any missing persons reports that had sprung up within the last week or so, but there were people disappearing every five hours. Some got on trains and never made it home, others just packed up and left without another word. Evangeline wished she could do that, leave the world behind.

She sent Slade a message confirming her involvement and showered whilst waiting for a response. Once she was dried and dressed a message arrived, a date and time to board a plane to Egypt, and who to contact once she reached Cairo. She set her phone on the nightstand to charge, and went about trying to sleep.

Hey Floyd,

I thought I would leave this for the nurses to read out to you because I don’t know if I could tell you this in person but I’m going away for a couple weeks. Nothing serious, just took a job to get some money and it’s sending me overseas for an assignment. I’ll text you when I touchdown. Don’t get any worse until I’m home, yeah?

Angie.

#royharper #jason todd need’s therapy #jason todd #evangeline lawton #deadshot #arsenal #red hood #robin #batman #deathstroke #slade wilson #under the red hood #arkham knight #all my heroes die all alone fanfic #jason todd x oc #nightwing #dick grayson

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its-all-or-nothing94 · 9 months

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Formual 1 / MotoGP Fusion - Part 2

Summary: You are the first female MotoGP rider ever. You race for KTM Factory Racing, leaving Jack Miller your teammate, and one of your main sponsors is Red Bull. You grew up with most of the riders but your best friend is the multiple MotoGP Champion Marc Marquez. After your horrific crash the year before, you are ready to start the new season and probably a new love?

Pre-Story - Part 1

A/N: This part is a little shorter, because I don't want to spoil anything :) New part coming in the next 36 hours. Wanna be tagged? Just let me know :D

Ship: Not telling yet (Marc Marquez, Carlos Sainz or Charles Leclerc)

Warnings: none

Taglist: @laneyspaulding19

charles_leclerc started following you.

yourusername22 ☑️

Barcelona, Spain

Liked by carlossainz55, charles_leclerc and 1’248’763 others

yourusername22 Beachtime ☀️ @marcmarquez93 @alexmarquez73 & @carlossainz55

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MotoGPlover I love them your majesty! 😍😍

alexmarquez73 Pretty goof 😍

yourusername22 😁😁

marcmarquez93 She’s still a goof! 😚

yourusername22 Bite me sucker!

alessia_vergara Can I please have a friendship like that??

userbot Beautiful as always 😍

14.03.2023

carlossainz55 😍

yourusername22 🤪

charles_leclerc 👀

🏁 MotoGP Royalty Unite in Barcelona: 🔥 Marc Marquez and Y/N Y/L/N's Electrifying Beach Day with F1 Star Carlos Sainz Sparks Social Media Frenzy!

👑 The Spanish speedster, his longtime confidante, and a renowned Formula 1 ace take Barcelona by storm, leaving fans desperate for answers! 😱

In a heart-stopping display of camaraderie, Spanish MotoGP maestro Marc Marquez and his trusted companion, Y/C sensation Y/N Y/L/N, left fans reeling with excitement during their much-anticipated meetup in Barcelona. The pair, who have shared an unbreakable bond for years, caused a stir on social media when they joined forces with 🇪🇸 Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz for an unforgettable day at the beach. 🌊

The scintillating saga began when Y/N Y/L/N, took to Instagram to showcase her extraordinary journey from Valencia to Barcelona, astride her beloved bike, alongside none other than Marc's younger brother, Alex Marquez. 🏍️ Their adrenaline-pumping adventure instantly captivated the attention of fans across the globe, eager for a glimpse into the lives of these two MotoGP superstars. 🌍

As anticipation reached fever pitch, Marquez, 30, and Y/L/N tantalized their followers by rendezvousing with Carlos Sainz, 28, at his luxurious Barcelona residence. 🏰 The trio's longstanding friendship was on full display as they embarked on a sun-soaked adventure that would leave social media buzzing for days to come. ☀️

Instagram stories shared by Marquez, Y/L/N, and Sainz provided an exclusive peek into their beach extravaganza. 📸 The captivating footage captured the trio laughing, frolicking in the waves, and engaging in animated conversations, effortlessly radiating their shared passion for speed and thrill. The chemistry between Marquez and Y/L/N was palpable, igniting speculation about the nature of their unbreakable bond. 💑

While the trio has yet to address the rumors swirling around their beach rendezvous, fans worldwide have taken to social media to dissect every frame, dissecting their interactions and romantic possibilities. The tantalizing photos and videos shared on Instagram have ignited the imaginations of onlookers, with many yearning for confirmation of a budding romance between Marquez and Y/L/N. ❤️💬

As the MotoGP season looms ever closer, fans can hardly contain their excitement, both for the nail-biting races ahead and for the unfolding drama surrounding Marquez, Y/L/N, and their enigmatic relationship. 🏍️🔥 Will they embrace their undeniable chemistry and finally confirm their love? Or will they continue to keep the world guessing with their cryptic messages and thrilling adventures? 🤔🌟

One thing is certain—this trio of speed enthusiasts has sent shockwaves through the sporting world, leaving fans eagerly awaiting the next chapter in their captivating tale. Hold on tight, for the ride has just begun! 🎢

<< Previous Part - Next Part >>

#MotoGP x Formula 1 #MotoGP #Formula 1 #Formula 1 x oc #Formula 1 x reader #MotoGP x reader #MotoGP x OC #Marc Marquez x Reader #Carlos Sainz x Reader #Charles Leclerc x Reader

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e-wills-afterhours · 8 months

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Heyo! How about some more Hiccstrid tenderness? Like... married Hiccstrid enjoying their evening or early morning? (Married or not)

River

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Falling in love was a peculiar thing. Starting like the rush of a rain-swollen river, it cascaded over the numerous rocks of life's small problems, twisting around the bends of imperfect idiosyncrasies. The unstoppable surge of desire carried many further downstream than the relationship was meant to go, until the white caps of infatuation settled into steady currents of routine, and the loss of excitement was too much to handle. Some people craved only the rapids, good or bad--but there was much yet to be discovered and appreciated in love's gentle babbling and swirls, as the torrent eased. Adoration flowed on apace.

Undeniable was the undertow of raging hormones that Hiccup could not have resisted Astrid's affections at first if he wanted to--and he didn't. He was all too glad to be pulled under, dragged along by a want and need far more powerful than himself. This carried them in the beginning, adrift in the unrelenting waters until they all but drowned.

Then life interceded. Responsibilities and extenuating circumstances drew their focus away from each other solely, so that they could come up for air. Heads above the surface, they could see plainly the banks that now constrained them: they were older, Hiccup was going to be the chief someday, and expectations mounted as the carelessness of youth receded.

But it was there, in the comforting loyalty and companionship of a long-established romance that one could discover just how deep the waters ran; and Hiccup noticed it was more than the sway is his lover's hips or the blue of her eyes when she looked at him--now his heart skipped when she took his hand of her own volition, or the way she smiled with fondness and awe as he recounted his latest invention. He lived less for the physical aspects of their relationship, though such moments were still exquisite and plentiful. A kiss was just as thrilling as a long morning flight together, and fingertips roaming over flushed skin was as delicious as lying giddy and breathless together in a sunny patch of wildflowers, watching the clouds float overhead. He would just as much revel in passionate whispers in the dark as Astrid's belly laugh. Especially when a little snort slipped out and they both fell to pieces.

"Are you sure you aren't shirking your duties to spend time with me?" Astrid teased, rolling on her side to look at him.

"I never said I wasn't," Hiccup replied honestly, plucking a blade of grass from her windswept hair. "But as far as my dad knows, I'm still sleeping in. My chores aren't going anywhere. This sunrise, however..."

They snuck off together right before the dawn, to fly to some secluded place where they could watch the first bands of sunlight pierce the night. Someone would eventually notice, but the whispers and scandal no longer captured the village's interest. One might as well have remarked that water was wet.

"As if you sleep!" She rolled on top of him, straddling his waist.

Her braid hung loosely over her shoulder, and she was gorgeous as ever. Not just for her figure and the way she carried herself, but for the tiny freckles you had to be nose-to-nose to notice. Small, faded scars and flyaway hairs, with subtle asymmetries all made up Hiccup's vision of perfection.

Their dragons play-wrestled nearby, which they did often when they were not chasing animals through the underbrush.

"Everything in moderation," he replied, lightly tugging the end of her braid.

She wrinkled her nose in the way he adored before settling down on top of him, head on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and gave her a squeeze. Though Astrid was not someone who needed such tenderness to thrive, she sought comfort from him anyway. For a moment, she could feel vulnerable--it had taken months into their relationship for her to allow herself to let go of that control. Hiccup has once never dared to imagine he might get to be her refuge, back when her affections were more assertive and demanding: an indefatigable force of nature. What they had now was solid and assured, peaceful and effortless. Her fingers locked with his as if second nature--perhaps it was. Whether their touches would grow hotter and more purposeful seldom mattered anymore. They floated along through each day, each moment alone together, as the current carried them without an agenda. Being together, however it manifested, was enough.

"I'm going to do some training today, with the older kids--the ones who recently got their dragons. Your dad wants me to teach them basic defensive maneuvers while flying," Astrid said, idly stroking his chest.

"That sounds about right."

His father used to watch the two of them with exasperating hope and enthusiasm, as if he had willed their feelings for one another into existence. Then acceptance moved into the wake. Astrid was just about as common around their house now as Toothless, and that was saying something. His father asked favors of her like she already bore Hiccup's last name, for their trajectory was obvious if one but followed the riverbend.

She lifted her head up to meet his gaze. "Will you be there?"

He placed a hand on the small of her back and asked, "Do you want me there?"

She smiled. "It might be nice."

"You sure Toothless and I won't cramp your style?"

"Babe, you are the style."

"Ha!"

Astrid gave a soft laugh and pressed her forehead against his, breathing deeply and contentedly as one might do before dipping into a spring, cool and serene.

"I love you, Hiccup," she murmured.

And he knew those beautiful words were genuine. They came from a calm and steady tenor where words needed not be spoken, and thus held more weight than the words tossed about in a red-hot tumult. The heady rush new love was long behind them, where sometimes what was spoken was at the mercy of the crest and nadir of lust and longing--where words of praise could turn into barbs when the thrills ebbed and there was no tumbling, chaotic passion left to hide them. Navigating the loud, all-consuming whitewater was fun for its season, but Hiccup had come to prefer his river clear and still, where he could rest in its depth and the gentle lapping at the banks of his heart.

So, he kissed her forehead and said, "I love you too," although he did not have to.

#hiccstrid #hiccstrid fic #this took me entirely too long to get around to #sorry about that #i liiiiiiive #rarely do i feel confident i nailed the nature of the prompt but this took off on its own as my oneshots so often do

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vacantgodling · 2 months

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oc kiss week day 1: almost

WIP: the chronicles of lathsbury (tcol)

SHIP: arian bloom (pre-guardian days; he/him, bard) x evondra (pre-demon king days, she/her, beast)

SUMMARY: arian visits evondra at her nest and reminisces on their quietly budding romance. what else can he call this feeling but love?

note: this is a flashback scene and takes place 300 years before the main story begins, which also means this is when arian is still mortal :P also monster x terranean (human but to the left) but tender tm

The illusions that the Labyrinth could conjure were always beautiful to behold.

Arian stood staring out into the seemingly vast landscape of desert before him. Miles and miles of sand that wasn’t truly there. He could try and stray left, or stray right, but the walls of this beautiful prison were tall and rigid, and kept him on his course. That was okay with him, he wasn’t here today to take in the sights—here instead, to follow this particular branch of tunnels until he was finally at her nest.

They had come close now, at least several times that Arian could remember; inching towards almost too many to count. Close to acknowledging what feelings fluttered behind Arian’s breast when he caught a glimpse of that sweet, toothy thing he’d named her smile. Towards what made his palms sweat when she asked him, in the most gentle voice she could muster, to play his lute. Twice now he’d fallen asleep at her behest and awoke to her shimmering eyes watching him, carefully and with something he privately named adoration caressing her expression. Perhaps it was just his unwavering romanticism spreading its wings towards Palanthia*… or perhaps it was grounded in some reality.

Either way, he marched, following the trail along. Occasionally he would pause when he felt a fork in the tunnels and consulted the map he’d drawn. It’d taken nearly a year to get one this detailed—aided by her steady, knowing hands to draw the paths. She’d simply covered his with her own and closed her eyes, humming so deep that it was both an earthquake and a melody. A seismic sense, she’d explained to him, to feel her way through the tunnels no matter what magic or images the Labyrinth showed her.

“Soon, I hope you can find me on your own.” She’d said and she carded a long claw through his locked hair. “Instead of I, always having to come find you.” Arian giggled under her ministrations and allowed himself to ease back into her. It was a wonder that she had begun to show him her many forms; this one was large and bipedal, a mixture of fur and skin intermingling her body. The fur of her chest was soft and the skin of her breast softer, softer than any silk or newborn babe he had ever held. “Perhaps if you hum.” Arian said back. “Your songs are more beautiful than anything I’ve ever beheld.”

“They are not songs.” She’d said with a tut, but if he glimpsed her face, she was smiling that toothy smile. “But I am glad to sing them for you.”

It could’ve been hours or days that he wandered down this hall—time in The Labyrinth was hard to determine, but Arian didn’t mind for he still felt as young and emboldened by love as he always was—until he stood before what she’d described: the winding vines of silver ivy that bloomed green flowers that smelled of summertime. It appeared out of place; this greenery among this desert illusion, but the moment he touched the ivy, it melted away until he was back in the green, shadowy halls.

“My love?” Arian called. “Evondra?”

A deep rumble sounded from within the nest, and suddenly Arian was tackled to the floor; his arms only just nimble enough to catch the beast-princess in her slighter form, which still towered over him when they stood astride one another. Her long, black tresses tumbled behind her in waves, then fell around them in the sand of the illusion reconjured after his hand left her nesting door. Her eyes were bright with excitement, the weight of her fall pressed her nose to his, and he could feel the small pants of her breath on his lips. So close… yet not close enough.

“Evie, my love!” He laughed joyfully instead, and oh, how easy it would be to tilt his head up and capture her lips. How he longed to—desperate to spill his feelings out into the world of the physical instead of keeping them contained behind his ribs. But did she even show affection that way? There was so much to consider when entangling in this delicate, dangerous game their hearts were entrenched in. But it didn’t feel anything but saccharine, sweet.

“Its so good to see you.” He said, sincerely, holding his tongue.

“You took so long.” She said with a pout, yet her eyes flickered, from his lips, then back to his eyes, slowly enough, seemingly so he would see it. He felt his dark cheeks bloom with a welcome warmth of blush. “And I have missed you greatly.”

“Greatly! There’s a word, my love. You’re learning Aegean beautifully.” Evondra sat up, and took the warmth of her and her hair with him, perched just so on his lap. “Of course!” She said. “Father has been….” The furry, beastly ears that were still present atop of her head pressed down, blending into it seamlessly. “Insistent. But he is impressed with my progress, thanks to you, Aria.”

The unspoken in the room—the marriage she was supposed to have with a noble Terranean… Arain could bring it up. But why speak of rain when the sun was still shining? Why worry about tomorrow, when one of her claws closed over his to draw him up, back towards this secret nest that she’d never let anyone see.

Why worry about the consequences of their love, if the almosts set his soul ablaze?

####

*Palanthia = Palanthia is the personification of hope in Terranean mythology. It’s usually depicted as the goddess MUINENS’s shield, but is occasionally referred to as though it were a place or a state of being. The city Wish of Palanthia was named for this, as Palanthia was born out of the first and only Terranean civil war.

#s: tcol #ockiss24 #ren writing #the first one i wrote quickly #they're so sweet and thinking about them before everything makes me soft #they were so sweet and innocentttttt #well #arian still is

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