#I mean I did good and landed the in person interview at least

[islandofsages]

Hi, can I ask the dorm leaders with a student (male) who is extremely good in all academic subjects, ranking among the top 5 in the test rankings, but is extremely stupid in all other factors, for example if someone tries to bully with him, he had politely asked the person to apologize.

characters: the housewardens x male reader

tags: platonic, fluff + crack, imagines format; azul mention in riddle's, riddle mention in azul's, jamil mention in kalim's, vargas mention in vil's, ortho mention in idia's

warnings: alarming stupidity nothing

author's notes: this is such a fun prompt omg i love dumbasses

Riddle Rosehearts

He finds your grades quite impressive - though you can’t cut through his and Azul’s rankings, you manage to land the third place at least

He admires and respects your diligence in studying; if you’re a Heartslabyul student, he’ll consider you a great candidate for the seat of housewarden (or at least vice position)

But then he stumbles upon you one day doing… something? What are you doing?

You’re… crouching in front of a bug. Okay well, maybe you’re studying it

Upon closer inspection though, it looks like you’re… crying? Are you mourning??

The bug’s not even dead. It’s just lying down. You’re seriously mourning a bug that’s actually alive.

He doesn’t want to think it nor does he actually believe you’re like this. But he feels you’re being really stupid at the moment

Then he thinks that again. When you’re doing another stupid thing. Yet you continue to dominate the class rankings

He’s confused. Really confused. 

He stops doubting the duality of man because of you.

Leona Kingscholar

He thinks you’re not half-bad for a herbivore (or well, if you’re a beastman, good for you too)

If you’re a member of Savanaclaw, he’s grateful to have one more guy who can contribute to the decreasing of the dropout rates

That is, until he sees you being cornered by what seems to be a group of bullies

He sighs tiredly at the thought of having to break up a fight again and walks over to you guys, fully expecting you to be in some kind of trouble

But… you’re scolding the bullies instead? And they actually seem apologetic

Did you really ask a group of bullies to apologize for trying to bully you?

He’s unsure if you’re the oblivious one here or the bullies; you’re supposed to feel victimized. Or maybe the bullies are so bad at bullying they don’t affect you in the least??

He doesn’t know what to make of this. But he supposes as long as you don’t make any trouble for him, he doesn’t give a damn

Then he sees more bullies try to get you to give up your wallet to them

Okay, maybe he’ll give at least two damns.

Azul Ashengrotto

A worthy contender to his and Riddle’s rankings? People like you don’t just come by every day

Definitely considers you a valuable asset of some sort… or at least a valuable friend!

So of course, he’d like to interview you on how you got to this level, definitely no other ulterior motives at all

You two sit down in the Mostro Lounge one day, everything is pleasant and comfortable, and you’re just chilling. He starts with a simple question: how do you study to get such good grades?

You ruminate the question for a minute, thinking hard, when you eventually come to the conclusion

“I mean. I just study like the normal person does. Five minutes before the exam itself, I’ll run through whatever notes I have.”

…What?

He’s not sure if you’re actually really stupid to study five minutes before an exam or really smart that you can ace exams with just five minute study sessions

He continues to interview you and he discovers more about how much of a dumbass you actually are but he endures it just for the sake of knowing your actual secrets

You better watch your back.

Kalim Al-Asim

He looks up to you so much, he practically begs you to tutor him so he doesn’t bother Jamil as much 

So you do, just for the hell of it and maybe because of the money too

And it works! He’d come running to you, excitedly showing you his grades from the last exam and you’re genuinely proud of his improvement

He likes running up to you either way - and one day when he does, he runs into you… reading a book upside down?

“Oh, hey Kalim. You know, I found this book one day and I thought I’d give it a read but I can’t understand a single thing…”

He wants to say something. Specifically about you reading said book the wrong way (literally)

…But what if you’re right? Maybe it is meant to be read upside down and you’re just not understanding it because it’s in some ancient language?

You two go to Jamil for once since he seems to be as proficient, if not more, in ancient magic than the both of you

You were excited at the idea that there’s still new stuff out there you have yet to discover

Needless to say though, your excitement dies the moment Jamil finishes listening to your explanation and you two become the victim of his two-hour lecture.

Vil Schoenheit

You’ve gained his respect. A rare honor from the Fairest Queen himself, you think

He would consider you an equal… if it weren’t for the fact of, well, you’re pretty oblivious in literally everything else

He’ll never forget the day where your natural stupidity outshone your class ranking… because it involved Vil himself

You were in a joint PE class together (or if you’re classmates then just a regular class) and it gave both of you the opportunity to talk to each other a bit

It’s a nice little conversation until you say-

“Also… what’s Vargas’ last name anyway?”

Vil blinked once. Then twice. What did you just ask him?

Vargas. Is the last name. His full name is Ashton Vargas. It’s pretty common knowledge considering how much the guy himself says it. He relays that information to you

You let out a dragged out “Oh” and nodded understandingly. Oh, you were being genuine.

Now he doesn’t want to assume from just one interaction but every other interaction with you just proves his point - and the thing is he actually finds it kind of amusing.

Idia Shroud

Wow, someone who’s almost as prodigious as he is, how impressive (he’s being half-sarcastic, half-genuine here)

It is somewhat difficult to find some intelligent life in NRC sometimes. But then you end up being one of them anyway (yet also not really?)

Like you’re always in the top 5 when it comes to exams but then he sees you doing stuff like what you did yesterday…

He was outside for once, taking a walk since Ortho insisted, and he bumps into you on the main street

He didn’t think twice about what you were doing; you were merely staring up at the King of Beast’s statue, finger under your chin, eyes squinted. It’s obvious you were deep in thought

Until he walked by you, hearing you talk to yourself

“...What kind of animal is he anyway? A cat? A tiger?? A panther???”

??? Is it not obvious???

He debated on actually telling you what kind of animal the King of Beasts was but… somehow it’s funnier to leave you in the dark like that

He’ll never get over how you keep calling the King of Beasts a panther, mainly because it riles the Savanaclaw students up.

Malleus Draconia

You’re a curious little thing to him - he wonders how you’ve come to know so many things

Or at least, seem so… you may ace your exams but he comes to notice that it’s not consistent across all boards

He just got back from touring Ramshackle’s exterior for the umpteenth time when he sees you chilling in the Diasomnia lounge

You are talking to another student, which is normal and all, but your response makes him do a double take

“I just think they shouldn’t put mushrooms in mushroom soup! And not make it taste like mushrooms! It just has to look and feel like thick soup!”

But… those are what make mushroom soup… mushroom soup.

He doesn’t even feel that strongly towards mushroom soup! Why is he trying to defend mushroom soup??

It’s not outright stupid but… it certainly is a bold take that could be a pipeline to be dumb

Malleus tries not to judge; you have your qualities and flaws that make you special

But when you bring your complaint to the cafeteria staff, that’s where he draws the line and stops you for the sake of everyone’s sanity.

#twst #twisted wonderland #twst x reader #twisted wonderland x reader #platonic twst x reader #platonic twisted wonderland x reader #riddle rosehearts #riddle rosehearts x reader #leona kingscholar #leona kingscholar x reader #azul ashengrotto #azul ashengrotto x reader #kalim al asim x reader #kalim x reader #vil schoenheit #vil schoenheit x reader #idia shroud #idia shroud x reader #malleus draconia #malleus draconia x reader

[celiciaa]

GILBERT VON OBSIDIAN EVENT STORY....

PREMIUM.

I just love you.

translations are not 100% accurate. expect mistakes.

special thanks to @otomehoneyybearr for proofreading! ♡

minors and ageless blogs dni.

Gilbert: Good evening, little rabbit. I never expected you to come here so late at night.

Upon entering Gilbert’s room, a man wearing a robe with his face hidden was leaving in passing.

(I hope I haven't interrupted something.) 

However, Gilbert, who was sitting at his office desk, greeted me with a smile, and there didn't seem to be any deception in his appearance.

Gilbert: A night visit?

Emma: No, not quite!

Gilbert: Sharing a bed?

Emma: Not exactly…

Gilbert: Then, did you want to go back home?

Emma: …No. 

Gilbert: Hmm, then what is it?

Emma: It’s something else. 

The answer seemed unexpected, and his red eye widened in surprise.

Gilbert: ….Really? What did you come here for?

(After much thought and contemplation, I suddenly realized something.) 

(What I want to know now is not about myself.)

Emma: A surprise interview.

Gilbert: Huh?

Emma: I am here to request an interview with you, Gilbert.

Gilbert: ….

(I would like to know more about Gilbert.)

(….There’s a strange emotion swirling within me, seeking to understand its true nature, more than the desire to return to my hometown.) 

Gilbert froze in shock for a few seconds, and eventually lowered his gaze.

Gilbert: Ha….Haha.

Emma: I-I didn't mean to say anything that funny….

Gilbert: It's quite interesting. Even though you’ve lost your memories, you still think of others before yourself, huh….?

It was not an accusing tone but a gentle voice, full of compassion.

(….You’re a big villain, but because of that, I think it’s why I can't go back to the land of roses.)

Gilbert: Okay. I'll tell you everything you need to know about me.

Emma: Thank you!

Gilbert: Of course, but I expect something in return.

Emma: ….

Gilbert: Ahaha, I won’t do anything for free, after all, I’m a bad person.

Emma: What do you want?

Gilbert: Hmm, let’s see….

Gilbert taps his lips with his finger.

Gilbert: How about once per piece of information?

(….Is he suggesting a kiss in exchange?)

Without my memories, Gilbert, despite being my fiancé, is practically a stranger.

There's no way I would have no reservations about kissing a stranger.

(What's more, a member of Obsidian's royal family? There’s not just embarrassment, but also fear beyond shame.)

(However, if I give up now, I won't be able to learn anything about Gilbert….)

Emma: All right.

Gilbert: That was surprisingly quick decision, wasn’t it?

Emma: I just need to endure a bit to get what I want. There’s no need to hesitate… or at least I hope so..

(….Probably.)

Gilbert: "Endure", huh?...I see.

Gilbert: Since it seems bearable for you, shall I receive payment upfront for what you can endure?

Emma: Huh?

Gilbert: Don't worry, I don't lie.

Gilbert stood up, enveloping my field of vision in darkness.

Gilbert: Go on, hurry up.

(….)

━━FLASHBACK━━

Gilbert: Hehe, you're full of opening..

Emma: You villain! This is outrageous! That was my first kiss, you know!

Gilbert: Was it? But I did it once before.

Emma: That was part of your evil plan so it doesn’t count! 

Gilbert: So this one counts then. 

Emma: What— no! It was an accident!

Gilbert: Oh, was it? Then what’s the problem?

━━FLASHBACK ENDS━━

(What...what was that just now?)

(I've done this before…)

This time, my lips were tapped by his finger, snapping me back to reality..

(No... I have to overcome this predicament now.)

I made up my mind and held Gilbert’s cold cheeks between my hands——

Telling myself it’s just a momentary thing,

I swiftly kissed him, unsure if it was felt or not.

Gilbert: ….

Emma: I-I did, didn't I?

Gilbert: Yes, in the little rabbit’s world, that’s called a kiss.

Emma: Is that not right?

As I tried to play dumb and divert the conversation, Gilbert sealed my lips.

(!?)

Not only did he touch me, but he bit my lower lip, and my heartbeat suddenly accelerated.

Gilbert: Next time, do it properly, will you?

Emma: ….Under…stood….

(My face ..feels hot…)

Gilbert: So, what's the first question?

Despite resenting Gilbert, who was smiling so refreshingly as if nothing had happened, I composed myself.

Emma: First of all...what are your favorite and least favorite foods?

Gilbert: I don’t have a least favorite. We can’t afford such luxuries in Obsidian with chronic food shortages..

Gilbert: But, as for my favorite food…

——

(Wow...there’s so many ingredients!)

The kitchen I was led to was filled with a sweet aroma.

The source seems to be in the oven.

Gilbert: You often made the things I liked here, Little Rabbit.

Emma: Me…? 

(This aroma…)

━━FLASHBACK━━

Gilbert: You certainly have quite some nerve, offering me a gift and then trying to take it away again.

Emma: Does that mean you’ll accept it?

Gilbert: Of course. I was just starting to feel hungry.

━━FLASHBACK ENDS━━

Emma: …Cookies, right?

Gilbert: No, it’s not.

(Huh...I was feeling confident about that one.)

Gilbert: A ‘massive amount’ of cookies made by Little Rabbit working herself to exhaustion.

Emma: …..

(…So your stomach is a bottomless pit…)

(He seeks quantity over quality, so I can only make simple sweets.)

Gilbert: What's your next question? Oh, but first…

Gilbert, bending down in front of me, prompted me to steel myself and kiss him again.

This time, I pressed more firmly than the first,

Gilbert seemed satisfied, and there was no request for a redo.

Emma: Please tell me your favorite place.

Gilbert: …Right, in that case——

——

(The stars are beautiful….!)

In a spacious area at the back of the castle, covered entirely with glass, we were enveloped by the beautifully gentle start.

Standing in the center, where the Obsidian crest was engraved, I gaze up at the sky.

Emma: This is an understandable choice of place.

Gilbert: I didn't pick this place because I like the scenery, you know?

Emma: Was there something else?

Gilbert: Yeah. There's a deeper reason.

Emma: ….Am I part of the reason?

Gilbert: Of course.

(I wonder what it is...I definitely feel like something happened in this place.)

(It hurt, it hurt, it just hurt... something like that——) 

━━FLASHBACK━━

Gilbert: I'm sure there will be plenty of people who are kind to you in the future….

Gilbert: A terrible man like me who leaves nothing but pain will never appear.

Gilbert: Hehe...I don't think you can forget even if you want to.

Emma: ….You’re right.

Emma: …It's not fair….

Gilbert: Because I’m a big villain.

━━FLASHBACK ENDS━━

(….)

Not just once, not twice, but thrice— with each press of the warm lips, inexplicably, tears welled up.

Emma: ….Why do you love me so much, Gilbert?

When I voice the question I wanted to know the most, he bites my lip.

The pain was strangely endearing.

Gilbert: I could go on and on about what I love about you, but I think the best thing is this.

——

When Gilbert came to my room, he opened the desk drawer without hesitation.

Gilbert: Ah, I knew it was here.

Gilbert: I always tell you to carry it with you, but you never did….

The moment I saw "it," my heart froze.

Gilbert: It can't be helped, so I'll put it on for you.

Emma: I-… I’m fine, really! 

Gilbert: Don't be shy.

Before I could run away, Gilbert grabbed me and forcibly sat me down on a chair.

My skirt was lifted, revealing my thighs, where a leather belt was wrapped. 

(Ever since I lost my memory, I've been wondering what this was.)

(But somehow I felt like I had to wear it, even though I didn’t know why….)

Gilbert knelt down and inserted a silver lump he held into the belt.

With delicate rose decorations on the metal part and a bright red rose charm attached to the handle,

“it” was undoubtedly a weapon called a “gun” to kill people.

Emma: ….Does this have anything to do with why you love me?

Gilbert: Yes. You promised to kill me.

Emma: ….

Gilbert: For you, who doesn’t hurt anyone, to say that… I was happy.

Despite the ominous words, the voice that reached my ears was sweet.

The sound of my heartbeat was threatening to stay etched in the mind. 

Gilbert: You said you would take responsibility and kill me, so I chose to live.

Emma: …..

Gilbert: Hehe, you look pale.

Emma: ….Of course, I do.

Gilbert: Don't you want me to die? I'm practically a stranger to you now.

Gilbert: Furthermore, I’m a big villain who can shake the whole continent.

Gilbert: If you kill me, the world may be at peace.

Emma: Still…! I absolutely refuse to…let you die.

(It hurts…)

(…It’s painful.)

━━FLASHBACK━━

Emma: What even is love?

Gilbert: That’s easy.

Gilbert: Its wanting someone to live. I wanted them to live.

━━FLASHBACK ENDS━━

(….I——)

Gilbert: That’s what it is.

Emma: ….Huh?

Gilbert smiled and rested his hand on my cheek.

Gilbert: Your heart is always beautiful.

(Ah…)

(…So that’s what’s going on…)

His red eye that is filled with sincere emotion.

Despite having trampled over countless people and built up a dark legacy upon many corpses,

He is not a good person, and has committed so many crimes that he didn’t deserve redemption.

Even just loving someone was a crime, and he could be punished at any time.

(But I still strongly wished for him to live.)

(My heart is so tainted that I can’t even face my homeland.)

(And yet, Gilbert is always…)

━━FLASHBACK━━

Gilbert: Even if you’re dyed black…you’re….

Gilbert: The most beautiful person I've ever seen.

Gilbert: That's why I wanted you.

Gilbert: No matter how dirty one may think, you remain untarnished.

━━FLASHBACK ENDS━━

(….)

It wasn't until I met Gilbert that I realized the feeling of being unable to let go even though it is full of pain and suffering.

Pushed by the feelings reviving in sync with the heartbeat, I kiss him again.

When I opened my lips, our tongues intertwined with each other as usual, and heat began to spread throughout my body.

(You’re a big, troublesome, bad guy, but I've grown to love you.)

(…That's why I'm in Obsidian.)

After our long exchange of kisses, when we finally parted our faces, Gilbert traced my wet lips with his finger.

Gilbert: Do you still have questions for me?

Emma: …Yes.

(There’s just one final thing I want to ask you——)

 ▸       [  previous / next ]

#ikemen prince #ikepri #ikemen prince spoilers #ikepri jp #ikepri translations #ikemen series #cybird #gilbert von obsidian #ikepri gilbert

[twstgarden]

❀ ❝ 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿'𝘀 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝘁𝗵 ❞

━ malleus draconia x gn! reader (reader can be yuu and/or your oc) ━ it was malleus' birthday and you planned to surprise him with a gift you've made with your own hands. (f/n means first name)

this work may contain spoilers for chapter 7, diasomnia’s arc.

do not steal or translate without my permission.

it was another hectic day for malleus. though he was not in the briar valley palace being overwhelmed with plans for his birthday, he was still busy in night raven college. lilia was in the room with him, smiling at the fae as he greeted, “happy birthday, malleus! come, the guests await.”

the diasomnia dormitory head followed his guardian’s request, trailing behind him as they both went to the lounge. the celebration was splendid, to say the least. he received gifts and was greeted by students he never personally interacted with before – though they were steps away from him while delivering their greetings.

the platinum outfit he wore for this year’s birthday theme made him stand out – quite so, as he is the birthday boy. the interview was something he enjoyed as well; having deuce as his interviewer made it even more pleasant.

 the celebration was nearing its end, and while he was grateful, he cannot help but feel as if something is missing. his eyes wandered around the lounge, looking for a certain person but to no avail. lilia, who stood beside him, intuitively knew who he was looking for, merely smiling, and not saying anything.

once the celebration ended, the rest of the guests returned to their respective rooms and dorms, leaving only lilia, silver, and sebek in the lounge with malleus, sorting through the gifts. while doing so, the young fae’s gaze landed on a green envelope, opening the letter as he did not recall who handed it to him.

‘to my dearest,

pleasant salutations, my love. today marks the day of your birth, and i am more than happy to wish you a happy birthday. thank you for the beautiful memories you have made with me, and i hope we can continue to make more memories together.

you might wonder about my whereabouts throughout the whole party. in all honesty, i was preparing your gift. once you have received this letter, it is time for you to take a moment to indulge in my present made for you and only you.

let us put you to a test. search for an item that fits the description i underlined. good luck!

amongst the thorny bushes, i remain bright and romantic.

forever yours, f/n l/n’

a smile ghosted over malleus’ lips, chuckling to himself as he was intrigued by your behaviour. you would go as far as putting him to a test and sending him out on a scavenger hunt, searching for objects with nothing but riddles as a clue.

“how amusing,” spoke malleus with that amused smile on his face, “quite creative, however.” lilia peeked at the letter before chuckling and gently patting his shoulder, “what are you waiting for? time is ticking!”

and with that, malleus went around the dormitory in search of something that stayed bright and romantic amongst the thorny bushes. he has gotten his first clue. thorny bushes must mean the location is in the garden of diasomnia, no? however, they do have flower bushes and whatnot, so what exactly is he supposed to find?

still, he went to the dormitory garden, eyeing all the colourful bushes before his eyes landed on the thorn bushes nearby. nothing seemed out of place, but as he stepped closer, a glowing red rose hid within the bush.

“ah, is this the item i’m supposed to find?” mumbled malleus as he quickly grabbed the rose, the thorns not pricking him as he used his magic to avoid damage. upon contact, the rose glowed even more before disappearing into thin air, and what came in replacement was a quick reveal of the words, ‘turn around.’

and so, he did. the young fae turned around with a puzzled expression before his eyes landed on you standing there with a smile. how did he not notice you? surely, he could have heard your footsteps, no? his puzzled expression morphed into a shocked one before he smiled at you, noticing your arms tucked behind you as if you were hiding something.

“and what are you hiding, dearest?” asked the male with a smug smile.

“oh, nothing~” you replied, “close your eyes.”

malleus raised a brow, eyeing you for a moment before complying with your request, closing his eyes without another word as he waited for your action. he heard a soft twinkle as you spoke, “okay, you can open them…”

once he opened his eyes, you stood with your arms out, a snow globe rested on your palm as the miniature scenery had two dragons that look identical, but one seemed to be a baby dragon holding an ice cream cone. his eyes widened as you held it out to him with a shy smile, “i made this for you…”

made?

“made?” asked malleus. you nodded as you avoided his gaze, thinking he might not like it as you mumbled a response, “yes, i don’t have much to offer, but i am skilled with arts and crafts…” you eyed the snow globe again, shaking it a little to make it snow with a soft twinkle.

malleus smiled softly as he watched you shake the globe before gently grabbing it from you, looking at it closely as he realised the dragon looks like him. “a personalised snow globe… thank you, f/n…”

“happy birthday, malleus,” you greeted with a smile, the same smile that he had always loved, the same smile that brightened his lonely days, the same smile that greets him every morning. his eyes stayed on you as he looked at you like a lovestruck puppy, wishing for this moment to never end.

an eternity with you and those he holds dear is all that he asks for.

© twstgarden 2023 || please do not steal, translate without my permission, or use this to train a.i.

#i know i'm a day late #happy birthday mallie #the two dragons in the snow globe are malleus and meleanor by the way <3 #i was thinking of reader/beloved giving him a gift that is sentimental yet simple #but it's also not that simple since it is crafted by reader/beloved's hands #anyway i am ranting haha #i love malleus #belated happy birthday malleus <3 #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland disney #disney twst #disney twisted wonderland #twst #twisted wonderland x you #twisted wonderland x reader #malleus draconia #lilia vanrouge #disney #silver #silver vanrouge #twst silver #sebek zigvolt #malleus draconia x reader #twisted wonderland malleus #twst malleus #malleus twst #malleus x mc #malleus x reader #malleus x y/n #malleus x yuu

[m1ssunderstanding]

Understanding Lennon McCartney Rewatch Part 4.3

Oof! Got him!

“She loves you and he loves him and they love each other”. You know when you've got something to say but you don't want it to look like you really wanted to say it specifically so you throw it in between two other things? No? Just me and John?

I'm obsessed with John just heaping praise on Paul in this interview. Every song the interviewer brings up it's “best” “my favorite” “all Paul” “good piece of work” “somewhere I have the tape of him doing it” “damn good” “one of his masterpieces” See also: Paul’s a good lyricist, he just doesn't try because he's insecure. And: one of the most innovative bass players of all time.

John mixing up In My Life and If I Fell “although I don't know why I'm confusing them, they're nothing alike but they have the same–” The same what? Same target? Same muse? Hmm? “It's really about–it's not about Cyn.” He's barely hanging on to not saying it here, like, by a gossamer thread. 

John confessing that the consistent character flaw of Paul's which hurt him ((hurt. Not annoyed. Not angered. Hurt.)) was insensitivity. Not bossiness or lameness or sneakiness. Insensitivity. What John couldn't handle in the end about Paul was that he wasn't aware enough of John's tender feelings. 

He's also so cruel in this interview. And what you've got to pay attention to is the theme connecting the songs he's cruel about: Let It Be (let John go) and The Long and Winding Road (the long and pointless fight). 

The Japanese Monk comparison doesn't quite land for me because it implies that John purposely broke up the Beatles because he knew they were at a peak and he wanted them to stay gold. And I think that's what John would like the story to be. It makes him feel better inside. It makes him look incredibly wise and courageous. But it's clear – John even stated it himself more than once on record – that the breakup was not purposeful or calculated. It was a terrible accident that nobody wanted, least of all John. 

More quotes to live by when examining John's post breakup “ow!”

I find it fascinating that John thought of Paul's and Dylan's lyrics as very similar and says so twice in this documentary. But nobody else ever draws that comparison. In mainstream thought, Bob Dylan is one of the greatest lyricists of all time if not the greatest (it's me. I'm mainstream. Subterranean Homesick Blues my absolute beloved.) and Paul is the worst lyricist to ever get successful. And you know what? I think Paul gets punished for being physically pretty and financially savvy, and I think in the exact same way his music gets punished for being melodically pretty and commercially successful. 

John about Paul's inscrutable messages in his songs: if one knows the person, one knows what's coming down. John in I Know (I Know): and I know. What's coming down. 

I will always love how he says in the same breath . . . “I've compared it to a marriage a million times" and "Paul and I were together.” 

You really do gotta be like “Johns say the darndest things sometimes.” I mean that's what Paul did, right? Because genuinely most of the time he's a fucking sweetheart. After he's sat there defending Paul's insane mourning bus movie, the interviewer asks him to compare himself and Paul. And after saying there's never been a question about commerciality, he says this. 

Nobody think about Paul writing “One of These Days” just before John's death then “This One” a decade later. Don't do it. I do recommend. 

Free as a Bird is such a beautiful song. It's a gorgeous melody, and it's got such complex emotions. He's still mourning something that was lost, but he's hopeful. He's on his way home. 

You all know that long distance interview Paul did right before John died where they bring up some of the awful things John said recently about him (ignoring the millions of loving and admiring things). When Paul's voice cracks and he looks up at the ceiling and struggles for a minute and the lights go out, I have a theory that it's one of their kids being protective. She was messing with the lights before to be silly and then when the bad question comes she turns them off again as a sort of protective sabotage. 

What If though? What If that's true? 

Quote of all time!!! “The person I actually picked as my partner, who I recognized has talent and who I could get on with, was Paul.” He doesn't say ‘as my sidekick’ or ‘running mate’ or ‘captain’s mate’ or ‘second string’ or any of those things that traditional Beatles fans tend to push on them. Partner. 

Serious question, because I swing all over the place as to what I think actually happened between John and Paul physically and emotionally. If we agree that Real Love is about Paul (a baby and another on the way lalalalalala farm . . . Just call him on the phone) Then what about this lyric? “Was I just dreaming (a word of theirs and something they thought they shared) or was it only Yesterday (Paul's biggest song) I used to hold you in my arms? Is that to be taken literally? John used to hold Paul in his arms? i.e. frequent hugging and cuddling?

The heart monitor cuts so harshly into John singing “Grow Old With Me.” As we see beautiful images of John and all the people he's leaving behind. I'm dry heaving. This documentary is so much more painful this time around than the first. 

Anyway I'm glad we got coverage of all the “for Paul” songs. Which. Btw fuck you Sean and Peter. You proved absolutely nothing.

#paul mccartney #the beatles #john lennon #mclennon #understanding lennon mccartney #ulm

[littleadaline]

I Didn’t Know Where Else To Go [P.G6]

Warnings: Reader is unwell?? Angsty on the readers side??

Word count: 2.03k

A/N: wrote this while dealing with stomach flu, so it may be inconsistent or unpolished, sorry about it!!

A/N: Ramadan Kareem to all who partake in it!! May this Ramadan heal our hearts and bring our souls some much needed peace xx.

———————————————————

18:00

You had just gotten off the phone with the agency you had landed an internship with. After countless interviews and days of going back and forth to establish a schedule, you had finally received the green light for your internship. Grabbing your cat in your arms, you twirled around, letting a shriek of excitement.

“We did it Lucía!!” The ping of your phone stole your attention. It was Aurora.

[From Roro ✨🌸]:

Any news about the internship? I got a response for mine!

[To Roro ✨🌸]:

OMG RORO I GOT THE INTERNSHIP!! I CAN’T BELIEVE IT 😭 HBUUU?

[From Roro ✨🌸]:

ENHORABUENA AMIGA!! I GOT MINE AS WELL!

[To Roro ✨🌸]:

I’M SO PROUD OF YOU AURORA! I can’t wait for us to celebrate xx Is tonight any good??

[From Roro ✨🌸]:

Me too! Tonight is no good :( How about tomorrow?? I’ll ask Gavi to drop me off after his physiotherapy appointment.

Your face soured at the mention of Pablo. Pablo Páez Gavira was your friend’s little brother, and despite being the same age and having similar interests, you guys hated each other. You were always bickering, exchanging snarky and sarcastic remarks about one another. Pablo’s parents were deranged by their son’s behaviour, but Aurora saw something beyond the sarcasm and lack of agreement. She often teased the two of you, pushing you to at least pretend to like each other.

“If you end up even getting along with each other, you each owe me 20€.”

“Never.” Pablo responded, shooting the basket ball into the net.

19:00

In need to contain your excitement, you put on your shoes and left the house for a walk. Strolling around the neighbourhood, you admired the early sightings of springs; people keeping their windows open, the sound of music escaping onto the streets. The smell of dinner was not unfamiliar to your nose. You realized were near Pablo’s neighbourhood when you heard the ping of your email. The smile you had harboured for the last hour was quickly wiped away as you read the title of the email.

[Termination of your internship]

Dear Y/N Y/LN,

It has been brought to our attention by our hiring committee that it will be impossible for us to accommodate your personal schedule into the internship schedule. As such, due to the late application date and your uncooperative schedule, we are forced to rescind our offer for the internship. We wish you the best in your academic and professional career,

The Agency.

Your eyebrows knitted in confusion. “Uncooperative schedule”? You knew your schedule was rather complicated, but at no point was the hiring committee bothered by it…nor had they said something either. You and the agency knew the weight this internship held for your final project this semester. If you couldn’t land an internship, you wouldn’t be able to hand in a project, and you’d automatically fail the class. Failing the class would mean you wouldn’t obtain your degree and your graduation would be delayed by a year as this class was only given during the winter. Something wet rolled from your cheeks and onto your phone screen. You didn’t know if it was tears or rain. You let your back slide against the street wall, an uneasy feeling taking over. You were hyperventilating, a million thoughts rolling in. Unable to think clearly, you ran to the only address you knew in this neighbourhood. Making it to the front of the house, you pounded at the door.

“Pablo? Pablo are you here? Please! Anyone?” You begged, sliding your body down the door as you cried uncontrollably. Your body was soaked from the rain, shivering as the wet clothes clang to you. 3 minutes had passed before rapid footsteps were heard and the door was opened in a hurry. You didn’t have the time to turn to look at whoever had opened the door before a pair of arms dragged you inside.

“Who’s that?” Pablo’s mom said, running into the entrance, apron still on.

“Y/N, what’s going on? Hey, hey, deep breaths. Look at me.” Aurora said, taking off your coat and shoes. Your chest was falling and rising at an alarming rate. Your sight was hazy as you fought tears.

“She’s freezing.” You felt Pablo’s mom dragging you to the bathroom upstairs, tears still streaming down your face. You were unable to stop. Aurora was behind you, frantically removing your soaked clothes. Pablo was following, still perplexed as to what had brought you to his house.

“I’ve got it from here,” Aurora held her hand in front of Pablo’s face. “Go get some towels and put them in the dryer for 10 minutes. Pablo do as I say or so help me God you won’t live to see another day. Now is not the time for your rivalry.” Aurora scolded her brother.

Pablo bit back his tongue, swallowing the comments he had. He obliged, rapidly jogging to his laundry closet before grabbing his fluffiest towels, and chucking them in the dryer. No matter how far back your rivalry went, he couldn’t help but feel worried about you. Your soaked clothes clinging to you, your face covered in a mixture of rain and tears, your sudden zombie-like state.

“Pablo? The dryer’s been done for 2 minutes now.” His dad’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

He grabbed the towels and ran upstairs before softly knocking on the bathroom door. The door opened slightly, enough for him to peak at your slumped figure on the bathroom floor, still stuck in a zombie-like state. You were left in your bra and underwear as Aurora and her mom worked tirelessly to calm you down. Pablo’s heart broke at the sight of you. He just wanted to take away that pain.

“How’s she-”, he mustered up to say before the door closed back on his face.

“Vale, hija, respira.” Pablo heard his mom softly say from behind the door. Defeated, he walked back to his room and rummaged through his drawers. As fun as the rivalry was, the current sight made him want to burn the entire world. He dug through his clothes until he pulled a matching sweatpants and sweater set. He put the set in a basket, heading to the guest room where he grabbed the fluffy socks he kept. He grabbed those before heading down to his laundry room and putting them in the dryer to warm them up. While waiting for the dryer to finish, he walked back to the kitchen where he poured you a bowl of soup, previously made with care by his mother, and boiled some water for tea. The dryer had been done for a few minutes now when he heard the sound of the bathroom door open. He ran, skipping steps, to hand the clothes to his sister. Aurora took the clothes without hesitation, simply thinking Pablo for his actions. Gavi knew you were soon going to come out of the bathroom, so he left the food and tea on the guest bedside table. Soon enough, Aurora helped you get in bed. You had regained some colour, your hair now clean and in a braid. You were wearing the set Gavi had warmed up, the clothes baggily hanging around your body. Gavi’s inner self breathed a sight of relief seeing you settled in bed, a more peaceful look on your face.

“I’m gonna help mamá clean up the bathroom. Make sure she stays warm and at least drinks the tea or eats the soup.” She patted him on the back before closing the door behind her. Gavi simply nodded, feeling the need for rivalry fading away.

“Vale…” Gavi awkwardly sat on the edge of the bed. “Do you want the tea?”

“Did you poison it Gavira?”

Gavi chuckled, taking your sarcasm as a sign of wellness.

“No, I didn’t. Tea or soup?” He tried to sound annoyed, but his newly found care for you betrayed him.

“Soup smells delicious. I could recognize your mom’s soup from miles away.” You laughed weakly.

Gavi grabbed the tray with the bowl of soup and approached the bed. He sat on the corner before bringing a spoonful to your lips.

“Mhhh…” you moaned in delight. “Gimme more.” You felt your body slowly regaining its strength. You sat up on the bed, Gavi feeding you one more spoonful of soup.

“Y/N, what happened? You had us all scared.” Pablo confessed, setting aside the bowl of soup.

You sighed, debating telling your newfound friend the truth.

“I…um. You know that class Aurora and I are taking? The one where we need to intern with a company related to the theme assigned to us? Well, if we don’t land an interview by the deadline, we automatically fail the class. And up until,” you checked your phone. “2 hours ago, I had an internship. Until I received an email telling me that they had to rescind their internship offer due to schedule issues. And if I don’t pass this class, I have to wait a whole year to retake the class. Which also means my graduation is delayed.”

“I don’t get it… How could they do this?” Gavi angrily asked. “What theme were you assigned?”

“Gavi… I’m not sure you can help in this situation…” Gavi’s eyes pierced through yours, desperately trying to uncover your secret. He had this kindness in his eyes, something you had never noticed before…. Maybe because you were too busy being at each other’s throats.

“What theme were you assigned?” He asked a second time.

“Media in sports…”

“You’re doing it with us and that’s final. I’ll contact the media department first thing in the morning. They don’t have any interns for this term, they should be able to accommodate you. I may have to twist Xavi’s arm for this, and sprinkle in some emotional manipulation, but you know the mister, he can’t say no to these puppy eyes.” He bragged.

Gavi fed you a new spoonful of soup, slowly taking more space on the bed.

“What brought you here?”

You almost chocked on your soup, the brutality of Gavi’s question taking you by surprise.

“Oye Gavira, are you trying to kill me with your brutal questions?” You heard Gavi laugh, something you never dreamed you’d be able to hear coming from him. “Since you want to know, I went on a walk to contain the excitement of the news, and I made it to your neighbourhood when I received the email. I guess my instinct just kicked in, and I ran to your house. I’m sorry, I didn’t know where else to go…” you said, defeated.

You heard Gavi put down the bowl on the tray before he shuffled closer, pulling you into a hug. Shocked, you simply laid there, your arms laid on your side. Your body turned on auto-pilot and you hugged him back. You didn’t know Gavi was capable of such signs of affection, especially not with someone he’s been bickering with for the last decade. On the other side of the interaction, Gavi’s mind was rolling at 200 km/h. *What are you doing cabrón? You’re supposed to hate each other. Let her go! Push her away! Wait, this feels natural, almost meant to be…*

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry this happened to you. Aurora was boasting about how happy she was you obtained the internship with this agency. I can’t imagine how it must feel.” He whispered. You both stayed in a comfortable silence until he spoke up again. “You look tired, do you want me to leave?” He slowly got off the bed, but you pulled him right back down.

“Stay. Your presence is somewhat comforting. I don’t know what your mom put in this soup, Gavira, but it’s making you less… annoying.”You sighed, your eyelids growing heavier by the second. You heard Gavi laugh, a low but subtle chuckle, and smiled to yourself. Gavi was lying on his back, his arms crossed on his chest.

“Can I… Can I lay my head on your chest?” You asked him, your voice growing shy at the request.

Gavi was slightly taken aback, but nonetheless nodded, his heart fluttering at the thought of you being so close to him. He heard the sheets shuffle before he felt your head snuggle in on his chest. He swore right away in this moment that he was done with the animosity, the backbiting, the jokes. He was going to let you in. He was going to properly love you. He was going to cherish you. And in that split second, he realized he owed Aurora 20€, not that he minded anymore.

“Sleep tight nena.” Gavi’s hand found your hair, slowly stroking it.

#fc barcelona #pablo gavi #gavi x yn #gavi one shot #gavi imagine #gavi x reader #pedri #ferran torres #fermin lopez #la masia #Barcelona #gavi

[iolaussharpe-24]

I've realized something.

Brian Petsos movies don't have a lot of fans. Oscar Isaac fans like his characters in Brian Petsos movies. We don't talk about Revenge for Jolly!; we talk about Cecil. We don't talk about Ticky Tacky unless we're praising Lucien and/or comparing/connecting him to Anselm. We don't talk about Lightningface; we talk about how pathetic Basil is and compare him to Steven Grant. We don't talk about Big Gold Brick unless it's to bash it, talk about the cast, and obsess over Anselm. I didn't think this at first, because I just assumed I was the wrong kind of viewer for Petsos projects (I previously mentioned that they kind of reminded me of Jim Jarmusch movies), but the more I've looked around online at reviews and discussions, I've been finding this pattern of negativity. It seems like everyone just kind of agrees that Brian Petsos doesn't really make good movies, but Oscar Isaac makes them worth seeing at least once. And, yes, I am aware that there are things Petsos has done without Isaac, but when you search 'Brian Petsos' the first things that come up are the ones that Oscar Isaac is a part of. This includes The Letter Room, which was written and directed by Elvira Lind but Petsos does have a part in solely as an actor. Even on his IMDb page, there's little to nothing about him but half of the available information is, and I quote, "frequently works with Oscar Isaac". In my opinion, that's pretty telling on it's own. I'm not trying to be mean here, I just think this is kind of an interesting thing to note. If you disagree, please let me know. I'd be happy to debate this. Personally speaking, I've watched Revenge for Jolly!, Ticky Tacky, Lightningface, and a tiny bit of Big Gold Brick. (For the record, I know that Petsos didn't direct Revenge for Jolly! but he wrote and starred in it.)

One thing I will say in Petsos' favor: There's very clearly a lot of genuine passion and love in his work and it does show. Interviews with him, the proud displays of nonsensical strangeness, and the fact that he's able to keep making movies all reflect that. You can tell that the people involved are having fun and I think that's the most important part. I think his weakness (to me) is that his projects feel like they lack something. Revenge for Jolly! didn't feel like it was going anywhere for most of it's runtime. Like it wanted to be and do something but didn't know how. It had fairly decent moments... in the first half. But those moments only landed out of shock value, and they very quickly became predictable. (Also, what was up with that bar scene?) Ticky Tacky and Lightningface felt flat. Like bread that didn't rise. Maybe they needed more time to really explore their premises and characters. Like, if we saw Lucien and Claire together before he finds out about the cheating, or if we get to know Basil before the lightning strike. Both of these are about people going crazy, but without that sense of who they used to be, it doesn't really hit that hard and leaves you wondering 'what the hell did I just watch and why?' This is one thing I think Revenge for Jolly! understood, because we get to see Harry, Jolly, and Cecil before the inciting incident of the movie. We get a sense of their relationships with one another. I can't speak for Big Gold Brick because I haven't seen it in full so I'm not going to bother saying anything for the bits I saw either. That's just not fair for anybody.

#brian petsos #oscar isaac #big gold brick #revenge for jolly #ticky tacky #lightningface #anselm vogelweide #lucien #cecil dennis #basil stitt #movie discussion #director #actor #fandom #can we please talk about this #movie review

[i-am-the-oyster]

Hi there, I also have a quick question about this post (Paul's guilt about hurting John, possibly evidenced in song notes during the making of RAM, and its source—that he left John, despite having promised not to).

Are you saying Paul felt guilty towards John, and knew why, during the making of RAM? And, if so, how would you square this with Paul's notorious 'grief rant' phonecall with Hunter Davies shortly after John's death, where Paul appears not only upset by the idea that he hurt John, but also unaware of what he could have done to cause this hurt?

"But what had really got Paul upset that day was an interview with Yoko in which Yoko was quoted as saying that Paul had hurt John more than any other person. Paul thought they were amongst the cruelest words he ever read." (Hunter Davies grief rant fun)

Was Paul bullshitting Hunter? (Go, Paul)

Was Paul being defensive and angry b/c Yoko blamed him for hurting John in public?

Was Paul not surprised to hear he'd hurt John (after all, they hurt each other often), but struck by the 'more than any other person' part?

I don't mean to say you're right or wrong. I'm just curious to hear you elaborate on this. Meaning, your take on Paul's guilt, and how accessible it was to him consciously. I've long been thinking about him hearing this claim, 'you hurt him more than anyone else', and how different that would have landed, depending on how aware/guilty he felt.

(Whether Paul was right to feel guilty or not is a completely different matter, and doesn't play a role on my question.)

Thank you for the wonderful meaty (sorry Paul!) ask!

I think Paul *did* feel guilty at the time, but I wouldn't exactly say Paul was bullshitting Hunter. The thing that always jumps out at me from that transcript is where Paul says:

There's only one incident I can think of that John has mentioned publicly.

(emphasis mine)

Isn't that an interesting distinction in the context? It makes me think that there were deeply private things that they each did to the other but Paul feels certain that those things would never end up the subject of public discussion.

I don't buy the image of Paul as lacking self-awareness or self-reflection. BUT he is extremely good at re-framing things in a positive way "so many times I had to change the pain to laughter" AND he is a very contrary person. He seems to often instinctively push against whatever narrative the person opposite him is proposing, especially where the topic needs some nuance. (eg the one time he approaches the topic of Jim's violence is in response to Stern pushing Paul's own "idyllic childhood" bit).

So back to the version of their story that had in mind when I made my original post. (Which I'm not married to, but seems like a plausible scenario worth exploring). Paul and John are in a codependent relationship, John has clearly expressed his terror that Paul might leave (as he did with Cyn). John's behaviour has become erratic and (at least borderline) abusive. Paul knows that if he lets go John will "take a tumble", but he's exhausted and Linda is teaching him to take his own desires and needs into account in a much healthier way. (Not to suggest Paul was never selfish in the 60s lol, but he wasn't practicing actual self-care).

John is spiraling, and pushing Paul away in that heartbreaking pattern I call "see I knew you were going to leave". (I'm sure there must be a name for it in psychology). Linda doesn't yet realise the depth of feeling she's dealing with. Paul knows how terrified John is, he's promised he won't be like the others, he won't leave. But he can't do it any more. John finally convinces him that he actually wants him to leave, he bawls his eyes out in front of Mal, and he disappears to Scotland.

I think he would be absolutely wracked with guilt.

And then I think as part of his recovery from that depression he would reassure himself that he did need to leave, that it was the right choice, that he and John could continue to care about one another deeply and move on.

I think Yoko's statement was unnecessarily cruel hurt him, and triggered that contrary response. What's she even talking about? What did I do? The worst ever?!

Thanks again!

#that got tangenty #i hope you like text :) #crepe ask #paul's guilt #the breakup

[billionairebabes]

I'm Back!! Kinda...

I know it's been a while since I posted my own content or writing but I wrote this a few years back and never shared it but I know this would be helpful to a lot of you girlies now that the job market has once again taken a downturn. I originally wrote this after landing my first full-time job post-2020.

Like many, I graduated into a pandemic and found myself looking for my first job in the midst of a nationwide hiring freeze. The process was grueling but in failure, there are also many lessons learned and luckily, my search ended in success at one of the biggest tech companies in the world. In the past few years, I’ve worked at some of the biggest and best companies in the world making it past several rounds of interviews, impressing my future colleagues, managers, and even VPs so it’s safe to say I know a thing or two about landing a job. Here goes!

B's Guide to Landing Your DREAM JOB PART 1!

If you’re still in college there are a few things I would suggest a few things. 

Start interning as soon as possible. The sooner you start practicing interviewing at companies you’re interested in, the better. Also, a few internships on your resume prior to your graduation will help A LOT. Trust me. You’ll have experiences to speak about in all those behavioral interviews as well. 

Become friendly with the professors in your field. They can become a good reference for you later. Even if only one to three times a semester go to your professor’s office and chat. They can also put in a good word for you for programs. This brings me to my next point. 

In most industries, there are conferences each year that either offer discounts (or free tickets) to college students and/or are directly aimed at college students. If you’re a POC, find programs aimed at diversifying that industry. These conferences often have recruiting opportunities with large companies and most times the interview process won’t be as rigorous compared to an applicant who may have applied online. I would recommend compiling a list at the beginning of each school year with these program names as well as their application due dates. 

Don’t join clubs just to have them on your resume. Aim for leadership roles or redirect your time to other personal projects that interest you. It’ll make for a better conversation with your recruiters and hiring managers to say “I built XYZ because I was interested in ABC” rather than “I was just a member of that club and went to the meetings once a month.” 

This varies across industries but for the most part, your GPA isn’t all that important especially after you land your first job after college so breathe. 

Perfect your resume and this part couldn’t be more critical. In the age of ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) and fierce competition, it’s become vital that your resume can stand out and communicate very clearly how you’re qualified for the job. Here are my resume tips: 

My favorite program to create resumes on is Canva. They have a ton of great templates and are super customizable and not to mention, it’s FREE. 

Use quantifiable measurements to show your results if possible. 

Use action verbs at the beginning of your bullet points. Personally, I believe each description should have at least 3-4 bullet points but never only 1. Here are some of the words on my resume: Constructed, Spearheaded, Managed, Collaborated, and Lead. All of your descriptions should state what you did, how you did it (programs used, methods, etc.), and the outcome.  

I personally think every resume should include your: Experience, Skills, Leadership/ Professional Development (for college students this could mean conferences attended, programs, boot camps, etc.), Projects (shows independence and initiative), Contact, and Education. Make sure your LinkedIn is included in your ‘Contact’ section. You should have a personalized LinkedIn link, that’s free. 

Your LinkedIn needs to be at 100% completion. This is a place where you can really show off because there are no space limits. This can showcase every job or internship you’ve ever had, every program or project you’ve had an impact on, etc. The better your LinkedIn, the better chance you have a recruiter finding you and inviting you to interview for a role they think would be a good fit. 

Your profile picture ideally is a professional one but if not possibly find time to take one in natural daylight with a quality camera and a plain background. I’ve also seen people using AI to now turn regular pics into professional ones. 

Interact with posts, comment, and share. This will help get your name and profile circulating. 

Announce that you’re looking for a job to your network. Include your resume and what you’re looking for in that post. You never know who might see it. 

Grow your network and the easiest place to start is with people you’ve gone to school with and current or previous coworkers. 

Put your resume on your LinkedIn profile (You can do this by attaching a media file) 

Know your elevator pitch and know it well because every single person you interview with will probably ask you this. My elevator pitch sounds something like this: 

I’m Britt and in  June, I graduated from Icy University with a degree in Math and a minor in Sociology. Throughout college, I completed a number of internships doing _______ and have developed skills in _______. When I was a senior I learned about (or developed an interest in) _____  and did _____ to grow my skills or learn more about it. Now that I’ve graduated I’m looking for a role in ______ where I can continue to ______. (My elevator pitch is now different now that I’ve had two full-time roles but you get the point)

Now we apply. 

LinkedIn is your friend here and my favorite job posting platform. Set up Job Alerts for companies you’re interested in so that you have a better chance of being an early applicant. 

As annoying as this is, you will have to edit your resume for almost every position you apply to. Use the words they use to describe your roles in your work history and remember to always save your resume as a PDF. This definitely will help you get past the ATS system. Remember to adjust the words used in your ‘Skills’ section too but don’t lie. These days, many companies with decent salaries are giving applicants take-home assignments. This applies to your cover letters as well. (I no longer write cover letters though, no one reads them).  I saved every version of my cover letter and could eventually just mix and match paragraphs according to the type of job I was applying to. Of course, you will still have to change some words to best match the position’s job posting. 

The LinkedIn stalking begins. Find someone at the company you’ve applied for and invite them to connect but ALWAYS include a note.  In this note, you will give a very brief introduction and your reason for messaging. Mine usually looked something like this: Hi ___, I’m Britt and I recently applied for the ____ position. I’d love to learn more about the department, the team, and the company. Would you have 15 minutes to chat sometime this week or next? Thanks in advance, Britt. 

My tip is that you find a manager on the team rather than a recruiter for the company. I find that they never accept invitations but managers usually will. 

On this call, you’ll discuss exactly what you mentioned in your opening note, and remember to have prepared questions for them. If you make a good impression, most managers will be willing to forward your resume to the recruiting team. 

Let me know if you all want a part 2 on how I prepare for my interviews. I’d say I have an interview success rate of about 90% in the past 2 years! 

#bb original #career help #career advice #manifestation

[theskategatsby]

3A: From the dream team to catastrophe

Aliona Kostornaia, Alexandra Trusova and Anna Sherbakova, better known as 3A, are 3 Russian figure skaters coached by Eteri Tutberidze.

While they were juniors, they were always seen dominating competitions by placing 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Only losing to each other.

Alexandra Trusova, popular for starting the quad revolution in women's figure skating, was seen as the 'leader' of the group, she was expected to start winning everything when she turned senior. Aliona Kostornaia was seen as the most artistic, graceful and theatrical one, she can't jump any quads, but she does have a triple axel. Anna Sherbakova on the other hand, can jump quads, yet she is the least talked about in this trio.

They all turned from juniors to seniors at the same time, and contrary to what most people expected, Aliona Kostornaia starts winning all the competitions. In May 2020, it was announced that Alexandra (also known as Sasha) would be leaving Team Tutberidze for The Angels Of Plushenko. Only a month later, it was announced that Aliona would also be leaving Team Tutberidze for The Angels Of Plushenko. Eteri Tutberidze and Evgeni Plushenko had a dispute not long before this about another skater, Evgenia Medvedeva, and they were still not on good terms.

Sasha mainly moved to Plushenko so she could be #1 at the camp and have all the attention on her, specifically from Sergei Rozanov, who is a coach who previously worked at Eteri's camp, but moved to Plushenko. He is the coach that helped all of 3A to get their jumps, this is another reason why Eteri and Plushenko are rivals. Sasha was unhappy about her main competition, Aliona, also moving to Plushenko and being coached by Sergei. A schedule had to be made where neither of them could see each other on the ice or even leaving/entering the rink. Because Sergei started coaching Aliona again, Sasha didn't want to be coached by him anymore and she started working with a different coach.

A few months later, Aliona decided to move back to Eteri, but she was given a very hard time. She was forced to give an interview on Russian state television apologising for what she did and practically begging Eteri for forgiveness. Sadly, Aliona got infected with COVID this season, which took her out of most competitions this season. Eventually, Eteri allowed Aliona to return to her camp under one condition, she had to get her triple axel back within 2 months.

Sasha also moved back to Eteri later because of the Eteri bonus, which basically means that those coached by Eteri get higher scores in competition. This switch was just in time for the olympic season, for these olympics, there were only 3 spots for the Russians, and one of them was already taken by Kamila Valieva. There were 6 more olympic-level athletes who had to battle it out for 2 spots to go to Beijing. Due to the level difference between Russian figure skaters and the rest of the world, going to the olympics almost guarantees coming home with a medal. After Sasha showcased her 5-quad record breaking performance at Russian test skates, she was also set to go to Beijing. This whole season, Eteri's team spoke very negatively of Aliona during press conferences, calling her lazy and saying that her personality is the reason she can't land quads. Suddenly, Aliona posted a picture of a broken arm, which knocked her out of the battle to go to the olympics. There was still a battle between Jelizaveta Tuktamysheva and Anna Sherbakova over who would go to the olympics, but because the federation has a preference for Eteri girls, Anna was chosen to go. At the time, Anna didn't even have any ultra C elements in her programs, but she ended up performing ultra C elements at the olympics.

These heartbreaking olympics ended with Anna in first place, Sasha, heartbroken, in second, and Kamila, the favourite to win gold, in 4th place. I have a more detailed post about Beijing 2022 on my blog if you're interested.

These olympics marked the end of the dreamteam that was 3A, and this will go down in history as the death of figure skating.

#alexandra trusova #aliona kostornaia #anna sherbakova #figure skating #russian figure skating #olympics #3A

[dizzyduck44]

How none of this is Zak Brown’s fault

There seems to be this narrative that all of McLaren’s woes start and and end with Zak. He has become for a lot of newer fans (and Aussies) the villain of F1.

Thing is I’ve been a fan long enough to remember the rise, the fall, the huge rise and the epic fall and now the climb back of this team. Even I used to refer to my team’s car as a milk float. So let’s put this all into context.

It’s funny because I remember an interview Zak did about 4 years ago. He talked about when he arrived at McLaren, Alonso was the only one who was willing to tell him straight. Under Ron Dennis and Martin Whitmarsh the team had ceased to work. Every department worked independently and acted as if they did not need to answer to another. Some department leaders wouldn’t even turn up for meetings as they felt they were working on the most important aspect of the car and everyone should come to them. Case in point, the chassis team felt that Honda should be doing as they say not them adapting to what Honda needed. Some people had felt stifled by Dennis’ control and others refused to move away from his rigid methods. It resulted in a car that was effectively being built by 8 different teams. The cash flow was in a terrible state and no one was willing to go and find sponsors (some still believed that as a historic team the sponsors should be coming to them), money was being wasted in areas and no one was brave enough to cut it off and whilst most knew the infrastructure at MTC needed updating, again there was this attitude of “we are McLaren, we shouldn’t have to beg”.

You can’t deny in 2023 that a lot of that has been sorted. The team structure was changed under Seidl and now again under Stella, once to let’s make them understand we are one team and now we are one team but we need specialists to help each department. Zak found investors and sponsors that solved the cash flow problems, in fact helped the team avoid bankruptcy. The infrastructure is modernised and nearly up and running. The marketability of the team is great, they have two of the best young talents on the grid and arguably they have taken McLaren back to its roots, racing in multiple series.

This time instead of digging themselves back into the hole they had just climbed out of, mistakes have been identified early and changes made. Which is what is needed. And 2 years in the history of an F1 team really is no time at all. Note how long Williams are taking to recover.

Carlos, Lando and Oscar have all been smart signings that have worked. For some reason just because Daniel couldn’t adapt some still act as if it was everyone else’s problem.

Ricciardo and James Keys were not what was best for the long term future of the team and if you want to win races, they are ultimately the decisions that need to be made.

We also need to stop acting as if those that Zak took over from weren’t the reason McLaren were down the back of the grid with a car that didn’t work and no money.

We can all marvel at the special designed floor tiles at the MTC that mean that they all run in the same lines throughout the facility and that every corridor is exactly the same width of tiles across, just as Ron Dennis insisted, but ultimately that is not going to fix their DRS problem.

Personally I would rather hear Zak say we know that isn’t good enough and upgrades are coming than Whitmarsh’s fateful “we make the best chassis on the grid, it’s the engines that have a problem” brag, because at least it shows the team aren’t living in La La land.

#mclaren f1 #zak brown #lando norris #oscar piastri #daniel ricciardo #carlos sainz jr #carlos sainz junior #f1 #formula one #formula 1 #f1blr #mclaren #long read #fernando alonso

[destinyc1020]

The radio show that the guy allegedly assaulted by Elordi posted an interview with the guy. He was harassing Jacob asking him to fill a Tupperware container with his semen-containing bathwater. He said that the people around Jacob were the ones that "assaulted" him by erasing the video. Sorry to the ones that want to believe that Elordi is the most violent man ever but it seems he was not the perpetrator of the assault and he was actually sexually harassed in the incident

https://www.iheart.com/podcast/239-the-kyle-jackie-o-show-27242949/?cmp=ios_share&sc=ios_social_share&pr=false&autoplay=true

WOw.... Thanks Anon. I listened to this guy Josh explain what happened.

I think that we got two different impressions of what happened based on the account by Josh. Obviously, we're only getting ONE side of the story, but umm... Idk girl... It's still not a good look. 👀 

Idk... Maybe you can listen to the interview again and see what you think, but I got the impression that this Josh guy was filling in for a guy who also works at the radio show who was supposed to go up to Jacob and do a joke regarding bath water and asking him if he would put his bath water in a Tupperware for Jackie O (who's also on the show and a huge fan of him). JE was initially friendly to the guy until he brought up the bath water thing, and then kindly asked the guy to stop filming.

It seems like according to Josh, after he stopped filming, something in JE snapped and he got in his face, backed him into a wall, PUSHED him, and grabbed him by the throat. 🥴

Sounds like he and his friends also cornered and surrounded the radio personality as well.

I mean, I think the joke didn't land well, and the guy Josh seemed like he was nice and was not going to use the footage, but he felt afraid and intimidated.... I mean, JE is a HUGE guy standing at 6'5 at least... So I don't blame him.

I'm not saying what that radio guy did was RIGHT (it wasn't, and can be seen as sexual harassment tbh), but at the same time, JE getting in that guy's face after he stopped recording as he asked, and pushing him into a wall and grabbing him by the throat is definitely a BAD look. 🥴

The way the guy is describing it, it doesn't sound like he was heckling him or trying to get a rise out of JE. He said that he was a fan of his actually. They were trying to get something for their show. The guy Josh even mentioned that JE has had talk show hosts joking with him about the bathwater scene in "Saltburn" without any problem, so I guess he felt that JE was okay with it?

He even leaned into the joke on Fallon....

FF to 5:44

Idk...it sounded like he said JE just "flipped" or "switched" all of a sudden.

Imo they were BOTH in the wrong.....

Now JE's fans are giving Josh death threats...chiiiiiillllle.....🤦🏾‍♀️

But yea, I need to hear more about this story, and hear JE's side on this, cuz right now it just seems like they were both at fault. But imo a joke doesn't warrant you to shove someone into a wall and choke them.

[silver-ink-iron-words]

I know you just posted an update. But pleaseeeee more on Outside the Know. I’m in love

Thank you so much for the request! :)

So, Part 3 ended up being rather long. Sorry about that. But hey, there's a break in the middle, so you can think of this as two parts, if you'd like

Also, I think this will be the conclusion to this series. I could maybe write an epilogue, if people want one, but this seems to be the best place for the main story to end

---------------------------------------------------

Part 1

Part 2

Outside the Know, Part 3

Night had fallen over the city by the time the civilian was officially reported as missing.

Luckily, thanks to the best subordinates the villain had ever invested in, it only took a handful of hours to figure out their location.

Even luckier, they knew a secret way into the hero’s base.

With slow, careful movements, they eased open the one skylight that had a broken latch. Silent as a shadow, they slipped inside and settled on the rafters, finding that they had a perfect view of the hero and civilian below.

“What do you know about [Villain]?” the hero asked, leaning his weight on the metal table between them.

“I have the right to remain silent.”

“My sources saw you interacting with them. What did you two talk about?”

“I want a lawyer, and I have the right to remain silent.”

The hero slammed his fist on the table, and both the civilian and the villain flinched. “I’m not a cop,” he said. “And this isn’t an interrogation. Miranda Rights don’t apply here.”

“Right. So I’m just cuffed to the table for funsies.”

“It's an interview, not an interrogation." Then he sighed, deflating. "I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to become aggressive.”

The hero seemed to be playing both the good cop and the bad cop at the same time, the villain observed. It was a messy strategy, but could still be effective if he held the civilian for long enough.

The villain weighed their stun-gun in their hands, uncertain. If they swooped in now, it would only further confirm the civilian’s connection to them. Maybe, if they held back, the civilian could talk themself out of this.

“Look, [Civilian],” the hero continued, “I know you’re a good person. Whatever you’ve gotten yourself mixed up in, I can help.”

“Don’t act like you know me,” the civilian said. “I can’t stop you from kidnapping me, but at least do me a favour and don’t pretend like we’re friends.”

The hero paused for a few seconds, thinking. Then, he gave a tiny smile. “Actually, we are.” He pulled off his mask.

The civilian gasped. “[Friend]?!”

The villain perked up. Mind racing, they tried to recall everything the civilian had told them about their best friend. They had to hand it to the hero – pretending to be a fanboy was a pretty good cover. 

This was turning out to be a rather fortuitous outing.

“So don’t you see, [Civilian]?” The hero leaned forward. “You can trust me. Just help me out here, and I can stop [Villain] from hurting anyone else.”

But the civilian said nothing, simply shaking their head. The villain struggled to understand. It would be so much easier if they’d just squeal.

“[Civilian], I’m getting tired of this. Tell me right now, or I’m going to make you wish you did.” The hero held up his hand, electricity zapping between his fingers. The civilian’s shoulders visibly stiffened.

Alright, the villain decided. They’d seen enough.

Stun-gun in hand, they dropped down from the rafters, landing square on the table. The hero leapt back, the civilian screamed.

Spinning around, the villain fired their gun, and the hero collapsed.

“Oh my god!” the civilian cried.

“He’s not dead.” The villain was already working on the civilian’s handcuffs. “He’ll wake with a monstrous headache, but he’ll live.” The cuffs opened with a satisfying click.

“Come on,” they said, offering their palm. “I’m getting you out of here.”

Eyes wide, the civilian took their hand.

_ _ _

“Yes, his name is [Friend], and he works at [X Company],” the villain said into their cellphone. “Find as much as you can on him before someone thinks to scrub his accounts.”

They heard the civilian washing their hands, and managed to end the call just as they were exiting the bathroom.

Considering how long the hero had held the civilian, it made sense that they’d have to pee as soon as they were in the safety of the villain’s hideout apartment.

But now that everyone’s basic needs were met, the villain no longer had an excuse to avoid what came next.

They crossed their arms, gritted their teeth, and began.

“Whatever the hero said about me, it’s probably true,” they said, unable to meet the civilian’s eyes. “I am [Villain], and I’ve committed almost every crime I’ve been accused of.”

“[Villain] . . .”

“You were never in danger with me, and I never meant you any ill will.”

“[Villain].”

“But I understand if you’re scared, or upset, or if . . . or if you never want to see me again. If you’d like, I can – ”

“[Villain], I already knew.”

The villain whipped their gaze to the civilian. “What?”

The civilian wore a solemn expression that the villain had never seen on their face before. “I already knew your identity. It’s a good thing too, or [Hero]’s attack would have blind-sided me even more.”

“What? But – how long have you known?”

“From the very beginning, [Villain].” Their eyes were cold and unfamiliar. “I knew before we even met.”

The villain gaped, their face the epitome of utter stunned speechlessness.

“Pssshhhh nah I’m just messin’ with ya,” the civilian said, cracking a wide grin. “I learned, like, a day ago. Ha, wouldn’t that have been cool though? If I somehow knew the entire time?”

“[Civilian],” the villain cried, pinching the bridge of their nose.

“Ah settle down,” the civilian said, walking towards the kitchen. “You deserve it for getting me kidnapped. Do you have any food by the way? [Hero] didn’t think to feed me.”

“What do you mean you learned a day ago?” the villain said, following them. “How did you even find out?”

“Oh, well, each time we hung out, we’d talk about this villain/hero stuff, and it got me curious. So I read your Wikipedia page.” They opened the fridge and freezer doors. “Oh nice, you got pizza rolls. Can I have some?”

“I have a Wikipedia page?!”

“Well, yeah, you can’t exactly destroy buildings and kidnap politicians without getting one.” They held up the box of rolls. “So . . . can I?”

The villain waved their permission, thinking. They’d have a new job for their subordinates, once they were done finding info on the hero. Did the hero have a Wikipedia page?

The civilian shut the fridge doors, pulling the villain out of their thoughts. They watched as the civilian trotted happily up to the microwave. “So you’re really not bothered by any of this?”

The civilian placed the rolls on a paper towel and hit the one-minute button, before leaning back on the counter. “Like, I’m not exactly thrilled to be on a superhero’s bad side. And seeing him at work is going to be pretty awkward after this. But, I don’t know.” They shrugged. “I guess I’ll deal.”

And then they flashed a dimpled smile that made the villain’s heart stutter. “Besides, you came and saved me, didn’t you? I always knew you were awesome.”

The villain felt their face grow hot. “You’re the weirdest person I’ve ever met.”

“Heh. Right back atcha. Though I guess it’s saying more, coming from you.”

The civilian arrived home that night with a box of pizza rolls in one hand, and the villain’s personal number in the other. The villain had said it was for emergencies.

But, by now, they both knew better.

-----------------------

Baby's first taglist, right in time for the series to end lol:

@watercolorfreckles , @coolninjavoid , @iwantasecretidentity , @classicplesiosaur

#villain #civilian #villain x civilian #civilian x villain #hero #writing snippet #snippet #writeblr #writing #heroes and villains #villains and heroes #whump writing #villain x hero #hero x villain #not a prompt

[finanhasmyheart]

Finan's backstory in the series (my theory)

I've been working on this theory for a while, and I've finally written it down in full!

Well, we know that in the books Finan was born into nobility as crown prince of the Ulaid kingdom. A marriage between him and the princess of the Ui'Neill was arranged, but Finan fell in love with his younger brother Conall's wife, a simple dairy maid. They fled south to hide. But the Ui'Neill along with Conall pursued them, the girl was killed in front of Finan, he was stripped of his title and wealth and eventually sold into slavery to Sverri.

But I have some reason to believe that Finan's backstory in the show may be different. There are only three little facts we know about his past, according to the brief comments he made in the third and fourth seasons.

Finan's father died before he was taken into slavery, and Finan was apparently physically abused by him (at least as a child).

Finan's mother seemed to be a wise woman, and apparently also died before the events on the slave ship.

Finan saw members of his family in Ireland die from the same sickness seen in season four.

I took some of this information from an interview with Mark, where he says that this background was given to him by the director. So this could mean that those "men as strong as bears" he was talking about were members of his family... maybe that's how his father died?

These facts lead me to believe that Finan did not belong to a noble family, but to a family of warriors in the service of a King or a Lord. So they would have been more exposed to the horrors of disease.

I also think Finan's reaction to Uhtred's ascension to the throne of Mercia is indicative of this, as he was very happy and proud to present himself and the rest of the boys as royal advisors, as if he had never had such a status before.

Finally, the official fact sheet of the series introduces Finan as "a former warrior of Ireland". Other characters such as Steapa are also introduced as "warriors" without giving them any other title.

In addition to all this, Mark has mentioned in some interviews that although he had hoped that Finan's past would be mentioned in the series as in the books, the director not only had no plans for this but did not even confirm that the two pasts are the same.

After this analysis, I come to the conclusion that Finan definitely did not belong to a noble family but was a warrior in the service of one.

Now, how did he end up on the slave ship? I guess we will never know, but I theorise that after the kingdom of Ireland to which Finan belonged was stricken by disease, it plunged into a socio-economic crisis, for medieval Ireland was not known for its resources, it was considered a poor land unlike England. So perhaps the ruler decided to sell some of his warriors as slaves in exchange for goods, remembering that Sverri's ship was a merchant ship. Perhaps this idea could explain why Finan tried to excuse Halig's mental breakdown to Sverri by saying it was the fever.

This wouldn't be the first time that the show has made a change of origin to its characters, for example, although not very significant, in the books Aelfwynn is Aethelred's daughter and not Erik's, Aethelred is Uhtred's cousin on his mother's side, among others. Not to mention the radical changes in the personalities of some other characters such as Aldhelm.

I may have theorised too much and filled in all the missing gaps with my assumptions, but with the little data we have this is the conclusion I came to after some time of thinking...

I would love to hear your opinion on this theory and I don't know, perhaps come to a new conclusion✨️

#i apologise if I went on too long #my restless mind compelled me #i am a simp and finan consumes all my thoughs... #ohh it breaks my heart to think of all that Finan had to go through #whether in the series or in the books #but in the end he never ceased to be the precious ray of sunlight that he is 🥺 #finan #finan the agile #finan the last kingdom #finan tlk #finan my beloved ❤️ #the last kingdom #it's finan friday!!! 🍻 #the saxon stories #my theory

[bakurasilver]

Mathieu spitting incident roleplay???

So after the spitting incident I knew I needed to do something with this, it just did not feel like I could ethically ignore it. Provoked or not, and he very clearly was, spitting at people is just not a great thing to be doing (now all I can think of was that this was an unenriched and stressed Mathieu demonstrating a natural threat response 😭). It was probably a spur of the moment dumb decision, but I just didn't feel as though I could pretend it hadn't happened. Definitely not saying anyone else could or should have to write about it, but for me at least I needed to write him accepting the fact that it was Not A Great Decision (tbh I imagine I spent far more time angsting over this than real Mathieu, who usally seems to sail through controversy) before I could go back to writing him being emotionally mature enough to look after Wout.

Anyway so I'd just written that fic where he wants to play on the swings because he never got the chance to as a kid, so I was still thinking about the idea that Wout had worked very hard through the years with his therapist to ensure he stayed mentally well-balanced, and Mathieu just... hadn't.

So it starts off with them agreeing that they'll roleplay this out with Wout pretending to be some sort of therapist that young child Mathieu's been sent to talk to (Wout is reluctant, because he's not an expert, but he knows Mathieu won't talk to anyone who's actually qualified. Mathieu is blithely confident, sure that they'll faff around for half an hour and then Problem Dealt With, he can move on.)

But as soon as they begin, things begin to go off the rails. As soon as Wout comes back into the room, it's obvious that despite his I Don't Care I Was Right front, underneath it Mathieu's terrified that if he isn't perfect then he's flawed and only worth discarding, and that only when he's successful does he have any value. The two of them start building a house out of Lego, but Wout doesn't know how to help Mathieu deal with what is at its root the product of being praised and feted when he won a race, and being told to use disappointments to push himself harder... and neither did I.

Now I absolutely need to say I really don't think real Mathieu is angsting every time he loses. I just don't think he does! I think he's annoyed about it for a day or so maybe, but like he said in that recent Matt Stephens interview, he sleeps pretty well. I'm sure he doesn't lie awake thinking about all the might-have-beens if he'd lived a less gilded life, and even if he does, it's none of my business what goes on between real Mathieu's ears.

But, at least in the land of fanfiction, he's got such a tantalisingly narrative shape that you can shine a light on him from so many angles and get an intriguingly-shaped shadow. You can project almost any reading onto Mathieu and think, oh huh yeah I can kind of see that making sense. He's so plausible in so many scenarios because there really aren't any inner depths visible. Whether or not they exist in real life, it's so tempting to give in to the urge to give him some thematically-appropriate ones.

Anyway, there it sits, waiting for Wout and me to work out how to convince Mathieu that making a mistake does not mean he's an irredeemably bad person. Which I would very much like to do, because as it ends currently Wout is having a one-sided discussion inside his head about how Hitler isn't a helpful example, and Mathieu is curled up in a ball with his face buried in his knees having a cry. I can only hope that at some point I'll work out what comes after this:

“That was a good choice you made just now, telling me how you’re feeling,” said Wout, gently rubbing Mathieu’s back. “I know it isn’t easy, but I’m really proud of you for coming to see me today. Sometimes we all make bad choices, that’s part of being human, but

(Mathieu feels he's disappointed Wout, it ends in a note to myself at the bottom, as though I didn't know that!)

#strigimorphaes #fanfiction

[thotsforvillainrights]

-Straight From The Heart-

~Chapter 2~

You woke up with dried slobber stuck to your cheek and your phone vibrating like crazy. Without a second thought, you sucked it up and answered it as if you hadn't overslept your alarms. "Good morning, is this a Y/N?" Your eyes blown wide and you quickly wiped your face. "Why yes, this is she/he/them! Who may I ask is calling?" You could feel your heart hammering in your chest. "Yes, this is Yuki from Double Link Tech company and I'm calling in regards to an application? Is it okay that we go ahead and interview you today? Say in about an hour or so?" Without a single thought, you agreed. As soon as the phone call ended you mentally cursed yourself out.

Then you did it physically too. 

"You fucking idiot why would you agree to interview in an hour!? Now I have to get ready in 15 minutes or less! On top of that, you better be praying that the trains can get you there in time." It appeared to be your lucky day having landed an interview but now you weren't even sure if you could make it there in time. You decided to try and run to catch the train. Unfortunately you ran smack dab into another person. Now you had go spare a few minutes to apologize and help them pick up the papers that fell from their suitcase when it hit the ground. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry I-" You paused when he looked down at you and smiled. "Its you, from the cafe yesterday? 5 cents!" He spoke with a smile as he started helping you pick up the papers. You'd reply with a witty remark about his mustache hair but there was no time for one-liners. You were so quick with picking up the papers that they were getting somewhat jumbled up and bent. "Whoa whoa 5 cents, slow it down. Why the big rush?" He asked as you both finished gathering the papers. "I'm sorry, I've got no time to talk. I have to catch this train in time for my interview." You showed him your phone and he frowned. "Uh I certainly hate to break this to you but that train schedule is way out of date. It left about 15 minutes ago. The next one is leaving in 3 minutes, and the one after that won't get you there in time." Your mouth opened in disbelief. "Hey if you don't close it, you'll catch flies." He laughed as he gently reached up and placed a hand under your chin to close your mouth. "Besides," He held up keys and jingled them. "I can get you there quicker than the train can." 

For a moment you weighed the pros and cons of getting into the car with a total and complete stranger but after remembering his track record you ultimately decided there was no more time to think on it. After getting into the car with him (and secretly admiring the interior of it) you decided to start up some small talk while hoping he wasn’t some secret psycho that might take you somewhere and kill you. "So...a politician huh?" He smirked and peeked over at you for a moment before turning his attention back to the road. "Ah, you figured it out slower than I thought you would. I'm so well talked about in this community that I thought you'd figure it out yesterday after leaving the shop. When did you get it exactly?" He asked with curiosity. "Oh I figured it out yesterday evening. A woman was handing out fliers. I don't mean to sound crazy but I did a little digging into your work last night and I'm thoroughly surprised with everything. You must be the worlds most perfect man. Well, at least here in Deika." You teased him and he blushed just barely. "Oh well yknow, I don't mean to brag but I am perfect. That being said, don't hesitate to vote for me in the next election." He winked at you and you rolled your eyes. "Oh please. We're going a little far for a vote aren't we?" You laughed. "Hmm, how so? Elaborate for me." He asked with amusement in his tone. "Well I mean covering my food cost yesterday and now giving me a ride to my job interview? I wouldn't think you needed my vote that bad did you?" You smiled teasing him and he rolled his eyes with a chuckle. "No I don't need your vote but I would appreciate it. This is all just the way I am. Besides, it's so sudden I've run into you again like this huh 5 cents?"

"It's Y/N actually." You finally corrected him, smiling widely. "Oh, I finally know your name then? My name is-"

"Hanabata. Koku Hanabata. I know. I wasn't kidding about researching you Mr. Politician." He chuckled and shook his head. After chatting for some period of time, you made it to your destination much quicker than the train would've gotten you there. You had a few more minutes to spare towards getting your nerves in line. Although now that you think about it, you weren't feeling as stressed after having a talk with Hanabata and getting your mind off things. "Thank you again for all your help." You smiled lightly and he nodded. "It's no issue. Just consider giving your vote for this term, 5 cent Y/N." He teased you and you rolled your eyes. With a quick double check of the time on your phone, you turned and headed into the building with full confidence.

...

And headed out of the building without it. There wasn't even a single moment to shed a tear considering the loud blare of a horn sounded out for a moment. You searched around for a second before your eyes landed on the black vehicle parked in the same spot it was about 15 minutes ago. You groaned and quickly walked to the passenger side as the window rolled down. "What are you still doing here???" You stared at him confusion and he shrugged. "I figured you needed a ride after your interview. There's no need to try and catch the train. It's mentally draining after having to sit through the hiring process is it not?" He patted the passenger seat. "Get in. I'll take you to lunch if you want?" You sighed and hesitated for just a moment before figuring there was nothing else to lose. The ride away from the building was far more different than the one there. The happy chatting wasn't present but instead the space was overtaken by silence and a thick tension. Finally Hanabata decided to clear his throat and cut the silence. "So I'm assuming it didn't go well?" Another minute of silence before you sighed deeply. "Yeah, I thought I had it in the bag but the woman that interviewed me was definitely not the same woman as the one on the phone this morning. She was quick and bored. In fact, it felt like she didn't even want to be around me to begin with. She didn't talk much about the company and she only asked me the bare minimum in questions. She didn't even give me any information as to how I could follow up with them or anything like that. I completely bombed that interview." You smacked yourself lightly on the forehead and he gave a long sigh. "Yeah I know how that can go, but don't get too down about it. To me it sounds like they already had somebody in mind that they wanted to hire. It's more than likely that they just needed to finish up the interview process for whatever reason. Don’t beat yourself up over it." He reassured you. You smiled gently and looked over to him. After another few minutes of driving and listening in and out to his podcasts he was playing, he finally spoke up again. "You know, I could use a little help on the campaign trail. It's usually an unpaid volunteer or intern job but we can maybe work something out behind closed doors-"

"Whoa let me stop you right there. I'm not that kind of person..."

"Ah, not like that of course!!! I just...I mean I know it's tough doing this job hunt right now. I know you just moved here and I also know money doesn't grow on trees. I'm figuring you could use a few extra dollars here and there."

"You're not wrong but I don't know if you should be sticking your neck out to help me so much like this. It's just, and I mean no offense when I say this, but it's just really suspicious. It feels like you're being fake with me." You admitted to him in full honesty. He chuckled and shook his head. "Yeah I get how it can feel that way. I have to apologize, but this is how I am sometimes. I tend to move quickly and lack the common hesitation that I need. It's just that I've developed this mindset with age that I have to strike while the iron is hot. Why wait to ask for the help when I have opportunity for it sitting right next to me?" He shrugged as he pulled into a parking lot next to a restaurant. "Well that makes sense and I understand it fully, but don't you think it's shady to be paying me for work everyone else is doing for free?" He smirked at your words and turned the car off. "What payment?" He winked and you caught his drift. "Besides, I also have a permanent office as well so if you can't find the job that suits you between now and then, you can feel free to work at my office permanently." He stated before getting out of the car and moving over to your side. He opened the door for you and stood to the side as you got out. "Thank you." You mumbled, following alongside him into the establishment. "And also for the lunch too..." You spoke quietly and he nodded. "No need to thank me for that. I don't like eating alone and my company cancelled on me unfortunately." He spoke while pulling out your chair for you to sit in. You mentally took note of the chivalry. He was starting to look more and more just as the articles described him...too perfect for this world apparently. "Company? What, your wife or husband or partner maybe? Work friends or something?" You asked him and he laughed. "More along the lines of friends. No partner, I'm single. In fact, I haven't truly dated anyone since I was in high school. That was a long time ago I'd call it. No time for dating when I was coming out of it for college. I was focused on scraping my way to where I am now. I'm in a comfortable place, but being married with a family would certainly look good for my publicity. Honestly more than that, I think I'm tired of coming home to an empty house each night. Sorry, I've begun rambling haven't I?" You laughed and nodded your head. "Yep, you sure talk a lot." He laughed at your honesty and started looking at the menu. "I've always been talkative. Please enlighten me about yourself? What about you? Are you single? Any long term plans for a career or anything like that?" You smiled and shook your head. "Haven't found the right person yet. I mean I've been on dates here and there in the past. I've had a partner or two but I find people can be so disappointing when you put all your faith in them. As far as careers go, I've learned it's most important to not have a dream job but to have a job you tolerate enough to use the funds towards living a life that makes you happy." You spoke as your eyes scanned the menu. "Interesting take on things. I've not seen the career lifestyle looked at in that light but it makes sense to me. Not everyone can land a dream job and even if you do, sometimes it's not all it's cracked up to be. I think you're right about it. Life certainly shouldn't be lived slaving away behind a desk for most people...not for me though. I love my job." He smiled proudly and you rolled your eyes. "I'm sure you do, Mr. Politician." You teased him.    

#straight from the heart #chapter two #koku hanabata #koku hanabata x reader #trumpet bnha #mla #meta liberation army #bnha #mha #boku no hero academia #my hero academia

[paperlovesadness]

hiiiii im new 'round these parts and i love your blog!!!!

so i was digging around and reading up abt coup de grace and i was wondering who do we think is this ex miles wrote the album abt, like officially???? when did they break up what do we know abt their time tgt??? can u help 😭

Hiiii!

Well first of all - welcome to this unhinged, beautiful, romantic land of great music and very queer vibes ✨ (also included: lots of waiting around for something to happen, a ton of big emotions and many-a breakdowns)

Now to try and answer your question to the best of my abilities:

Officially - he's never specified. And all those "celeb dating history" sites seem to be pretty behind on his relationships (looks like Mr. Kane flies a little bit under the radar for the gossip/paparazzi crowd)

But from what I've gathered it would probably be Hannah Ware. Since they were together throughout 2016. As seen on his Instagram / a pap shot (where it's him & Hannah kissing and next to them Alex and Taylor kissing)

He shared in a CDG interview it was about a relationship that lasted around 1,5 years and was quite intense. The breakup and writing of CDG's breakup songs started in 2017.

As for what we know about their time together - I guess not much? All we have is some shots of them together or of her taken by Miles - which can be found scrolling back to 2016 on his instagram.

Personally I still haven't figured out the "perfect theory formula" for this album. And there's times I feel it's indeed kind of about a girl (=Hannah) and times I'm convinced it's all just so Alex.

Maybe it's a mix of the two?

I mean who knows, who knows. (This is the way it is around here 😅 lots of unknowns. Good luck!)

Thank you so much for the lovely words and for dropping this question here 💛 hope I helped at least a little!

#ask #(also.... does the 1;5 year relationship timeline fit EYCTE recording snd touring timeline???? wondering for a friend... 👀) #(it kind of does though 👀) #(So at the end of the day I don't really know what I believe again)(but that's fiiine...) #coup de grace