#counterbalance

Finally, I have them all… I did most of these last summer but just now finished the set! Look at the rainbow evil power rangers 💜

🎶 Sunday’s episode of @trilunis’ Counterbalance was gorgeous. What started out as some genuinely scary spirit shenanigans smoothed out—with Lyn’s typical good humor and luck—into a downright workable situation. I admire how Counterbalance is approaching Lyn having magic powers. In an isekai sort of situation like this, it’s tempting to make Lyn into some kind of Chosen One, but she never stops sharing the main character spotlight with Raka and Malaki or loses her sense of goofiness. In this episode too, the sound design really shines. This echo spirit is so lovingly crafted, and emphasizes the good work of Peter J Lewis, who I know from Someone Just Like You. Lyn's music taste is so good and funny, I love it.

📞 Ohhh Marisol. Marisol. Good lord, Marisol. Honestly, that's the mood with every episode of @wgc-productions' Small Victories, but this one was especially wrenching. The fact that Marisol can't imagine a future without Nina suuuuucks, and the fact that this fact might be the one that ruins Future!Marisol's life is tragic. Add that to Past!Marisol's confrontation of Marisol's self-loathing, and this one was a toughie. And I loved it. Like I've said before, Small Victories doesn't flinch. I can only hope this ends up okay for her, that she doesn't end up ruining her own life. Again.

🎭 This week I started listening to The Peek with Samuel Pepys (obligatory tag: @thepeekwithpepys), and this show is hilarious. "Valentino" is a guy I've met so many times before, a real LA lowlife, and if this was a slightly different kind of show, I'd be very worried about his safety. Luckily the Actual Historical Figure Samuel Pepys is a sort of plot armor to the world's worst podcaster, as well as a fun foil to him. Samuel Pepys carries a lot of period-typical misogyny and classism (proudly, well, and wielded occasionally like a knife), but he's so much more fun and likeable than Valentino. Samuel, you see, likes himself. All that aside, a historical period piece with a time-traveling audience stand-in to study the beginning of the concept of celebrity is a remarkably good premise. I can't emphasize enough that Samuel Pepys was a real historical man who kept real historical journals that you can read now. This show is delightful.

They Just Don't Know You by mukeandziamgotmelike | nr | 1306 //So, oh, tell me, tell me you won't break my heart. That you won't tear my world apart. That you'll be there when I need, cause I wanna tell them they just don't know you, they just don't know you, they just don't know you, they don't know you like I do.// -OR- Liam has been dating Zayn for months, and still, for some reason, no one approves of him. It's annoying, and Liam wishes they would stop. He doesn't know why they don't trust Zayn, but he just wants to tell them that they just don't know him like he does.

Screaming But Daddy I Love Him by Wishingforloushair | E | 21873 Harry has always tried to be the perfect Christian boy his religiously fanatic mother demands him to be. At seventeen he's never eaten fast food, drunk coffee (unless it was decaffeinated) or touched himself. That is until he meets Louis, one of the church's youth musicians. With his 'I Heart Jesus' stickers on his beaten up guitar case, his band (The Redemption Riffs), and his taste for good quality coffee, Louis' relationship with God is entirely different to Harry's, and Harry is positive that Louis is either a divine vessel, or Heaven-sent. Prepared to worship at Louis' feet, Harry is ready to learn a whole different way of worship and devotion with Louis' help. “That’s coffee,” he remarked, pointing at the dark substance in the other boy’s cup. “Yes, it is,” Louis said, taking a sip from it, his eyes fixed on Harry. “Is it decaffeinated?” Louis raised an eyebrow, putting his mug down. “Will it make you feel better if I tell you it is?” “Lying is bad.” “Then, no, it’s not decaf. I don’t drink decaf coffee because it tastes awful.” “But,” Harry swallowed, glancing over his shoulder before leaning forwards. “Drugs are bad,” he whispered.

What Side Of Love Are You On? by FallingLikeThis | T | 25000 Ever since Harry finally made the decision to come out to his mother as bisexual, she’s been foisting women on him left and right, determined it’s just a phase. But when she puts out a personal ad to find the perfect partner for her son, things really get complicated. Suddenly, Harry’s heart is being pulled in two very different directions. On one side is the sweet, caring woman he has fun with, but doesn’t know his mother chose for him. On the other is a man who seems to be his mother’s worst nightmare, but makes Harry’s heart flutter in ways he’s never felt before. When all is said and done, maybe they’ll all learn that when there is no clear path to go down, the best option is to follow your heart. A Because I Said So Au with a bisexual twist.

but daddy i love him by wanderlou | nr | 28924 Someone cleared their throat and they all turned to the person; Charles. “I cannot and will not support this marriage.” “But Daddy…I love him,” Louis pouted. Or the one where Harry and Louis are getting married and Louis' dad hates Harry. Harry does everything to try and earn his respect during the wedding weekend.

adrenaline by reveries_passions | M | 38208 “Harry Styles,” Nameless Boy who now has a name says. Louis is too busy having an internal crisis to realize the boy has just introduced himself as Harry Styles. Harry Styles, only son of Des Styles, PhD, Dean of Harvard Medical School. Harry Styles, known by everyone and their grandmother. Harry Styles, star rower. Harry Styles, youngest enrolled student in graduate school at Harvard University. Oh my god, Louis thinks, mortified. I just slept with Harry Styles. As he reaches out tentatively to shake the boy’s hand, another thought hits him. Oh my god. Harry Styles is gay. ~ louis tomlinson, college dropout, up and coming dj, and gay activist, is the notorious owner of exclusive underground gay club, adrenaline. harry styles, med student by day, partier by night, child prodigy and seemingly heterosexual son of harvard professors, is the youngest and arguably the smartest student at harvard medical school. or: a one night stand wasn't supposed to become the greatest love story of the 21st century.

Counterbalance by YesIsAWorld | E | 44777 Harry Styles loves two things: teaching ballet and racing motorcycles. Those two worlds collide when his greatest rival on the track, Louis “Tommo” Tomlinson brings his tiny siblings to Harry’s class.

your memory over me by shimmeringevil | E | 64355 Three years have passed since Louis last saw him, but all it took was a few minutes in Harry’s presence for him to be relegated to the desperate twenty-one year old that was practically begging his boyfriend for an ounce of reassurance that he still cared about him. Harry shouldn’t be here. He’s brought too many unresolved feelings with him, that Louis thought he’d never have to face. It’s Harry’s apparent apathy that’s the most difficult to come to terms with. Anger, he could handle. Regret, he would welcome. But Harry’s amiability, and carefree demeanor can only be born from indifference. He’s moved on. He doesn’t care. And that is something Louis doesn’t think he’ll ever be strong enough to face. - OR - The worst heartbreak of Louis’ life walks right back into it when his parents invite their family friends on an all-expenses-paid trip for their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. Facing a past that he tried to bury long ago, Louis learns that some people have a way of sticking with you even when they’re gone.

Well done and thank you to everyone who participated! I have looked at every single one of your works on AO3 and Tumblr and there are a total of 10 works altogether!

Not bad for an F1 RPF shipping event! Cheers! - Mark, probably.

Here they all are, sorted into categories and in order of publication. Enjoy!:

Fanfics:

• Little Did I Know by me!

Teen | 829 words

Prompt: 1: Meeting

(CW: Implied death, major character death, implied/referenced sex)

"I first met Sebastian Vettel at a very unfortunate time in my life. I’m sure you know the story." Mark gives a speech on the altar, recounting his first meeting with Sebastian and the relationship that developed over the years.

• Proving A Point by me!

General | 577 words

Prompt: 2: Challenge

Mark makes a passing comment to Sebastian about what the view would be like if he climbed up a tree to see beyond the leaves, but the German takes it very seriously and makes it his mission to see it for himself.

• Peace And... Quiet? by me!

General | 2.4k words

Prompt: 14: Bed

Mark has trouble sleeping because a certain German twink keeps waking him up. He doesn't do this once or twice, oh no. He does this over and over and over again.

• Mununja by ontheroad_again / @minstrel-in-the-gallery

General | 1.7k

Prompt: 19: Hiking/Camping

Mark and Sebastian go for a hike in the bush, surrounded by the butterflies.

• Counterbalance by Tianvette

Teen | 4.4k words

Prompt: 15: Secret

“Right then, that’s me,” Roger says, slapping both big hands down on his thighs in a way that means business. No nonsense. Take the hint or else. “I’ll be right behind you, mate,” Mark lies. “Five minutes, tops.” As life-changing moments go, it’s unimpressive to say the least. But when he looks back – which he will, many times – this part always seems like the point of no return. Big Mistake the First, if you will. The Ground Zero of fuckups. He finishes his drink and decides to order one more before heading upstairs; he’s almost down to the dregs when he hears a voice – young, accented, vaguely familiar – attempting to order what can only be described as an unwise amount of Jägermeister.

• Zzz... by Marchessa / @marchessa

General | 3.1k words

Prompt: 24: Traditions

It was a poorly kept secret among his men that he had an embarrassingly big crush on the lovely fella. He tried to keep it hidden, but with those nosy fuckers around, it was a matter of time before the paramedic would find out... After a nightmarishly long shift, Seb and Mark deserve a good nap.

Fanart:

• Martian Date by @sebastianwebbz1

• Intrusive Thoughts [ART] by me! (18+!!!)

• Some Chocolate For The Champion [ART] by me! (Mature! Feeding kink)

• Failed Spaghetti Date [ART] by me!

Does anyone have a very understandable beginner walk through for doing so with the thread I picked up yesterday?

I just wanted to make two 1yd towels and I measured my WPI and it is 32 and I was thinking 2 colours. I estimated about 4 and a half yds of warp needed but idk what I'm doing so that's most likely wrong.