#90% of problems are solved with a conversation and i stand by that

[hopelesslygaysstuff]

Imagining R with mean mommy Wanda and she wanted a more soft, intimate night since Wanda is usually pretty rough (cause yk she’s mean) but she’s too nervous to ask her but Wanda hears her thoughts about it and surprises her with soft, slow intimacy that night hjuehehejwien 🤭

Awwww wait this is really cute

You're obviously still really happy with Wanda, you'll take anything she gives you. But... a part of you just craves some occasional slow, gentle, loving sex.

Of course, you really love all the rough fucking that Wanda gladly gives you, but you're just... nervous to ask for something different? You shouldn't be nervous, but you are.

God, normally people are nervous to ask for kinky, rough sex. But here you were, wringing your hands together while Wanda disappeared into the walk-in closet. I mean, what do you even say?

'Hey baby, love of my life, mean older girlfriend. I absolutely adore the way you degrade me and shove me around and fuck me deep and hard. But my silly little brain just wants ONE night of slow, gentle sex. Think you could switch gears on a whim for me?'

I mean, who fucking asks that?

"Sweetheart?"

You look up, having gotten lost in your head.

Wanda's scarlet eyes shine back at you, and you immediately blanch. Great, now she'd read your mind. Why was it so embarrassing to ask for soft sex?

"Oh, honey," Wanda sits next to you on the bed. "It's not embarrassing. I'm sorry that I made you feel like you couldn't talk to me about your needs."

You're surprised, your eyes snapping to hers and finding nothing but love and support. Her hands are gentle, slowly stroking over your skin as she starts a discussion about your needs and wants. The two of you discuss boundaries, and what you expect from a sex with your partner.

It's relieving, to finally talk about it. You reassure Wanda that you love her mean side, but you need some softness every so often. Wanda suprises you by saying she agrees and that she's been wanting gentle sex with you for some time as well.

That night, you've never felt more close to Wanda. She's soft, caring, and gentle. You can feel her love for you with every stroke of her fingers and every swipe of her tongue across your skin. She makes you cum with her fingers, whispering affirmations in your ear as you arch beneath her.

After that night you are closer than ever to your girlfriend, and she even implements a new rule for you. After each scene, you discuss what you liked about it, if your boundaries or limits had changed, and what you wanted to do differently, if anything. All while cuddling.

It's perfect. And you couldn't ask for a more perfect, caring, mean when necessary, and beautiful partner.

[latenight-panic]

Hi, Tumblr-Community!

First of all, I'm asking for people to reblog this - I only have like thirty active followers and for the advice I want, I think I need a little more reach.

So, I've got a problem. I'm a teacher at a German secondary school, and am the tutor/ class teacher of a class/ tutor group that is about to go to year eight.

After the summer holidays, I'm going to have a new student in my class who hangs back from last year.

I've taught this student already in English and Philosophy for years, but was never before socially responsible for him, and now he's going to be in my group.

This student is extremely difficult. Lately he's been suspended for attacking a student and a teacher with scissors. He's had bad attitude/ work problems and is socially quite awkward and has never fit in with his classes/ learning groups. He's been... bullied, I guess you could say, although mostly kids just ignore him. He's definitely isolated.

This student is also very autistic. I've had a conversation with his mother last year in which she told me that he was diagnosed with autism, but they didn't believe in it and didn't want the diagnosis to make a stereotype out of him, so... basically he isn't getting any of the help he needs because teachers can't/ don't really give big/impactful accommodations unless there's a diagnosis to go along with it.

I'm not a therapist, so I'm not an expert on autism. So when I say "very autistic", I specifically mean this:

He's speech-impaired, the melody and tone of the way he talks is... off.

He has very little understanding for the way people interact together/ implicit social rules.

He doesn't really have the ability to judge people's emotion. As a teacher, you can usually make a student stop by giving them a look, with him you have to explicitly say: "I don't think this is funny, please stop." As a result, I think he can't fully understand when he annoys people.

He tends to... close off when he's upset or overwhelmed. After a conflict, I've seen him stand in front of an open window for ten minutes, swaying from side to side. He didn't react to words or touch.

Occasionally, he becomes aggressive when upset. (See: Scissors incident, which was the most extreme thing but not the only thing).

He doesn't really... work. I don't know if this is a thing for many autistic people, but for tasks where students have to write something, he just... doesn't. I've tried. I've encouraged him. I've asked what he didn't understand about the task. I've solved the beginning of a task together with him. 90% of the time, he doesn't work at all, doesn't listen, doesn't talk to his peers, doesn't write.

He does NOT appear to be overly sensitive to loud noises.

Now, on top of that or maybe as a result of that, he's also not the easiest person to get along with. He's started singing in class as a reaction to me asking him to be quiet (or other provocations happen almost weekly), he tries to bully/insult others to be considered funny by his peers, after a conflict he regularly lies to portray himself as the victim (this has been proven beyond doubt on many occasions, at least three in which I was primarily involved).

Now. Why am I writing these paragraphs? I need help. Specifically from autistic people.

What are things I can do to help him fit in? What are things you wish people would have done for you? Should I try to talk the parents into doing something with the diagnosis? Is there a way to prevent aggression? What are things I should pay special attention to? How can I help the other kids take him in - especially after the incident and after he repeated a class? (I love them to death, but those kids I teach are straight-up nerds. They use grades like currency.)

I've been trying to research it, but I only get tips for primary school kids, and he is like 14.

Thanks for answers/reblogs!

[polniaczek]

buffy blogging 1x04-1x09

it seems like the show's portrayal of vampirism has been an allegory for sex and sexual assault which makes xander's fantasy of saving buffy from a vampire really weird

still waiting for an explanation on the "scoobies" thing but these villains really do pop out the shadows like

so many of these problems would be solved with text messaging

love how the show is like "every scene must be filmed in darkness or the viewers will be able to tell how fake everything looks"

angel standing in shadowy corners and against walls:

"it should simply be plunge and move on. plunge and move on." alkdsjfsd

call me inobservant but i swear willow's crush on xander came out of nowhere??

ok he's literally sexually assaulting her now

so twilight was inspired by btvs right? edward is so angel coded but corny

a vampire busting out a gun in each hand is the funniest thing that's happened yet

imagine being a straight teenage girl in the 90s watching angel kill another vampire for buffy after having like 5 conversations with her

dude's laptop looks like a super nintendo

this school has to be saving on electric with all these lights off I'm squinting

[kizzieroxane]

How to Use Testimonial Videos to Convert Clients in Westchester, NY

In today’s digital-first world, trust is currency—and testimonial videos are one of the most effective ways to build that trust. Whether you’re a small business in White Plains, a healthcare provider in Yonkers, or a law firm in New Rochelle, testimonial videos give your brand credibility, authenticity, and the power to convert viewers into paying clients.

At Mack Media, we specialize in Video Production Westchester, NY, helping businesses transform satisfied customers into compelling, high-converting stories. If you’ve been searching for video production near me Westchester, NY, and want to use testimonials to drive sales, this guide is for you.

Why Testimonial Videos Work

Written reviews are helpful, but video testimonials go much further. When potential clients can see and hear a real customer share their experience, it creates a level of connection that text simply can’t deliver.

Here's why video testimonials are so powerful:

Emotional Connection: Viewers see facial expressions, hear tone, and feel the sincerity.

Credibility: Real people speaking unscripted is more convincing than scripted marketing copy.

Social Proof: People trust people—especially people like them. Testimonials reduce skepticism and answer doubts.

And here’s the real kicker: video testimonials can increase conversions by up to 80%. That’s why more businesses are investing in professional corporate video production to create content that builds trust and closes deals.

Planning Your Testimonial Video Strategy

Before grabbing a camera, it’s essential to develop a strategy. The most successful testimonial videos aren’t just about happy customers—they’re carefully crafted to speak directly to your target audience’s pain points, needs, and desires.

Step 1: Identify Ideal Customers to Feature

Choose clients whose stories align with the services you want to promote. Consider diversity in industry, age, and use cases. Ideally, you want someone who:

Had a problem your service solved

Experienced a transformation or measurable benefit

Is comfortable speaking on camera

Step 2: Determine the Use Case

Where will the video live? Website homepage? Landing page? YouTube channel? LinkedIn ads?

Knowing the platform helps you tailor the length and format. For example:

Homepage: 60–90 seconds

Landing page or ad: 30–45 seconds

YouTube or long-form blog integration: 2–3 minutes

Step 3: Choose a Local Video Partner

This is where a professional video production Westchester, NY company like Mack Media becomes essential. We handle everything from pre-production to final edits, ensuring your testimonial video looks polished, sounds professional, and delivers your message effectively.

What Makes a Great Testimonial Video?

The best testimonial videos are not just about praise—they tell a story. Here's what to include:

✅ A Clear Problem

Start with your customer explaining the issue or challenge they faced before working with your business.

Example: “We were struggling to find a marketing agency that truly understood our audience.”

✅ Your Business as the Solution

Have them share how they found you and why they chose your product or service.

Example: “After searching for video production near me Westchester, NY, we discovered Mack Media and were immediately impressed with their portfolio.”

✅ The Transformation

Let the customer describe what changed after working with you. Highlight specific results or benefits.

Example: “Thanks to Mack Media’s video strategy, our lead conversions increased by 40% in just three months.”

✅ Authentic Emotion

Genuine enthusiasm, gratitude, or even relief from your client builds emotional engagement.

✅ A Clear Recommendation

End with a strong endorsement: “I highly recommend [Your Business] to anyone looking for [solution].”

Filming Tips for High-Converting Testimonial Videos

With help from a professional corporate video production company, your testimonial video will stand out—but there are a few elements to keep in mind:

🎥 Use a Controlled Environment

Filming in a quiet, well-lit space eliminates distractions. We help select Westchester locations that enhance professionalism without feeling too staged.

🎤 Capture Clear Audio

Nothing ruins credibility like poor sound. We use professional microphones to ensure every word is crisp and clear.

💡 Keep It Conversational

We don’t script testimonials—we guide them. Prompting with thoughtful questions like “What changed after working with us?” helps clients speak authentically.

📏 Keep It Tight

Attention spans are short. We aim for clear, concise testimonials that get to the point while still telling a compelling story.

Where to Use Testimonial Videos for Maximum Impact

Once your testimonial is ready, the next step is distribution. Here’s where Westchester businesses are using testimonial videos to convert leads:

Website Homepage – Feature your strongest testimonial prominently to build instant trust.

Service Pages – Add relevant testimonials to each product/service page.

Landing Pages – Increase conversions for paid ad campaigns.

Email Marketing – Include video testimonials in drip campaigns or case studies.

Social Media – Share as standalone posts or part of customer spotlight campaigns.

Sales Presentations – Embed in sales decks to add credibility and remove objections.

A single well-produced testimonial video can be repurposed across multiple platforms, providing ongoing ROI.

Case Study: Westchester Law Firm Sees 50% More Leads

One of Mack Media’s clients, a family law practice in Westchester, wanted to increase online inquiries. We produced a short series of video testimonials from former clients, each highlighting how the firm helped them navigate challenging personal situations.

After adding the videos to their homepage and paid ad campaigns, the firm saw:

A 50% increase in leads

A 32% decrease in bounce rate on their website

More qualified inquiries from potential clients

Testimonial videos helped humanize their practice and validate their expertise—two essential factors in converting clients in such a trust-based industry.

Why Choose Mack Media for Testimonial Video Production?

When searching for video production near me Westchester, NY, you want a team that understands the power of story, local market expectations, and professional production standards.

Here’s why Mack Media stands out:

✅ Experience across industries: Legal, healthcare, real estate, tech, education, and more

✅ Local to Westchester: Quick turnaround, site familiarity, and face-to-face collaboration

✅ Full-service approach: From pre-production to post-editing, everything is handled in-house

✅ Strategy-first mindset: We don’t just shoot video—we help craft the message that converts

We know what it takes to turn client stories into powerful marketing tools—and we make the process easy and enjoyable for you and your customers.

Final Thoughts

Testimonial videos are no longer a luxury—they’re a strategic necessity for client-focused businesses in Westchester. They build trust, reduce hesitation, and drive action. Whether you’re a new startup or an established brand, showcasing your happy clients through video can dramatically increase conversions.

If you’re looking to create impactful testimonial content and have been searching for video production Westchester, NY, look no further than Mack Media. Our expert team delivers professional, affordable, and conversion-driven video solutions tailored for your brand.

[jamesh2025smith]

 If I Had to Build an Audience from Zero Today, Here’s What I Would Do

In today’s digital landscape, building an audience from scratch may feel overwhelming—but it’s far from impossible. The tools, platforms, and strategies available in 2025 offer more opportunity than ever before. Whether you're a content creator, entrepreneur, coach, or aspiring influencer, a loyal audience is your most valuable asset.

If I had to start from zero today, here’s exactly what I’d do.

Choose a Clear Niche (But Leave Room to Evolve) Clarity wins. Instead of trying to appeal to everyone, I’d pick a specific niche that aligns with my passions, skills, and market demand. This could be productivity for remote workers, storytelling for small business owners, or minimalist design for content creators.

Why this matters: Specificity helps you stand out. It also attracts people who care deeply about what you’re offering, not just casual scrollers.

Tip: Validate the niche by searching on platforms like Reddit, YouTube, or TikTok to ensure people are actively engaging in that space.

Choose One Core Platform (Then Repurpose) Trying to master five platforms at once is a trap. I’d choose one primary channel based on my strengths:

If I love writing: Twitter (X), LinkedIn, or Substack.

If I enjoy talking: Podcasting or YouTube.

If I prefer short, visual content: TikTok or Instagram Reels.

Once I build momentum, I’d repurpose that content across other platforms to increase reach without burning out.

Example: A YouTube video becomes a podcast, multiple tweets, a blog post, and 2–3 Instagram Reels.

Create “Magnet Content” with a Clear POV Not all content is created equal. I’d focus on creating “magnet content”—posts or videos that express a clear point of view, solve real problems, or challenge the status quo.

This includes:

Hot takes or unpopular opinions

Step-by-step guides and playbooks

Personal stories with transformation

“What I wish I knew” posts

People don’t follow content—they follow perspective.

Engage Proactively, Not Just Passively Most beginners hit “publish” and wait. I’d do the opposite. Every day, I’d:

Leave thoughtful comments on popular creators in my niche

Respond to every comment on my posts

DM new followers with a thank-you or value-add message

Audience growth is 50% content, 50% community. If you show up in conversations, you’ll get noticed.

Offer a Simple Lead Magnet Early On Even with 100 followers, I’d offer a lead magnet—something like a short PDF guide, checklist, or template—and build an email list right away.

This way, I’m not at the mercy of platform algorithms. I’d also start sending regular emails to build deeper trust.

Collaborate with Other Creators One of the fastest ways to grow from zero is to borrow audiences through collaboration. This could be:

Guest posts or podcast appearances

Co-hosted live sessions or webinars

Cross-promotions via newsletters or Reels

When starting from scratch, your network becomes your best amplifier.

Show Up Consistently for 90 Days Most people quit too early. If I were starting over, I’d commit to 90 days of consistent output, measuring progress not by followers, but by:

Quality of conversations

Skill improvement

Content performance (engagement, shares)

Momentum doesn’t come overnight—but 90 days is enough to see real traction.

Share the Journey, Not Just the Destination People don’t relate to perfect—they relate to progress. I’d document the journey of building my audience from scratch. Every week, I’d share:

Lessons I’m learning

Wins and struggles

Behind-the-scenes process

This makes content feel authentic and brings people along for the ride.

Final Thoughts Starting from zero can be your greatest advantage—you have nothing to lose and everything to experiment with. Focus on clarity, consistency, and community. Build real relationships. Share real value. Be relentlessly helpful, and your audience will come.

Remember: your first 100 followers matter more than your first 10,000. Treat them like gold.

Would you like this article formatted for LinkedIn, Substack, or turned into a video script?

[libramuva]

Josei vs Shoujo: What Makes Josei Stand Out

Okay friends, we need to TALK about the difference between Josei and Shoujo anime because I am TIRED of seeing them confused in recommendation threads! 😤

If you're looking for a deep dive into Josei anime specifically, check out this incredible guide to mature anime storytelling that helped me understand the nuances!

The Shoujo Experience

🏫 High school settings (like, 90% of the time)

💕 First love and innocent romance

😳 Blushing, accidental touches, dramatic confessions

🌸 Sparkly backgrounds and flower motifs EVERYWHERE

👑 Often features popular boys and ordinary girls

🎭 Misunderstandings that could be solved with ONE conversation

The Josei Experience

🏢 Adult settings: workplaces, apartments, bars

💔 Complex relationships, sometimes with past baggage

🔥 Actually acknowledges physical relationships exist

🎨 More realistic art styles (usually less giant-eyed)

👩‍💼 Characters with careers, goals beyond romance

🍷 Problems that can't be solved with a love confession

It's not that one is better than the other—they're just meant for different life stages! Shoujo gives us those butterfly feelings of first crushes, while Josei acknowledges that love in your 20s+ comes with complications, history, and yes, sometimes actual adult relationships.

What cracks me up is when people recommend "Nana" to 13-year-olds looking for something like "Fruits Basket." Like, HONEY NO. That's emotional damage waiting to happen! 💀

What's your favorite thing about Josei anime that sets it apart from Shoujo? Drop your thoughts below!

[yuta-nakamots]

santa tell me - l.yy

Pairing - Yangyang x Reader

Genre - Fluff, Angst

Warnings - None

Summary - Growing up, your wishes to Santa were always things like a doll set, a pretty outfit, or a Nintendo gaming system. You didn’t know if he would answer to a wish that was not tangible, like wishing for a person, but it didn’t hurt to try.

Word Count - 4.2k

Taglist - @danishmiilk @dearyongs​

A/N - bolded phrases are song lyrics taken from the songs listed in the prompts. special appearance by @orange-nimon-cross​. 

Written for the Walking In A Winter Wonderland Collab hosted by @suh-insane​ and @neocitybynight​. 

Prompts:

“Come and kiss me baby, we don’t need no mistletoe” - Ariana Grande (Wit it This Christmas)

“Santa tell me if you’re really there. Don’t make me fall in love again if he won’t be here next year.” - Ariana Grande (Santa Tell Me)

When you had first started off in university, one of your biggest worries was not being able to make new friends and fit in with them. Granted, you chose to stay home and go to one of your local schools meaning that some of your high school friends would still be with you but you also wanted to meet new people so you’re not stuck with the same idiots for the rest of your life.

Such idiots being Na Jaemin and Lee Jeno who had stuck with you all through high school. Both of them had told you that they too would be staying at home and would be going to school with you, which you were secretly extremely thankful for, though you knew they too were probably itching to make new friends.

Luckily, you three were all majoring in the STEM field so many of your classes coincided with each other. You stuck with Jaemin as biology majors on the pre-med track while Jeno majored in engineering. Somehow, Jeno, one of the most quiet and intimidating people at first glance, had managed to connect with the other freshmen, introducing you to Yangyang and Renjun, both of whom he met in his calculus class.

Yangyang was majoring in bioengineering, a quite daunting major to say the least, while Renjun was going into computer science. Much to your surprise, Yangyang was actually local. It's just that he had gone to one of your rival high schools which was why you hadn’t yet met him unlike Renjun who actually flew in from a different city.

Like this, your little friend group was complete for your first year of college. With all of you being in the STEM fields, group study sessions were a must, especially for Renjun who felt the need to be over prepared for every quiz or exam though he claimed that the rest of you were just ‘underprepared’.

“So who can tell me what the values of N(0) and N(9) are?” Renjun asked, standing in front of the whiteboard in the study room you all booked to prepare for your calculus exam the next day.

Everyone was silent as they analyzed the problem. “Oh, N(0) is 41 and N(9) is 325, right?” Yangyang answered.

“Correct, they’re simply the values given to us in the problem,” Renjun explained as he wrote the numbers on the board, “and so from here, what do we do if we want to find the unknown relative growth rate?”

“Is that the equation with all the letters and stuff?” Jaemin chimed in. “You know, the one with all the P and the t and the-”

“The exponential growth equation.” Jeno interrupted, playfully rolling his eyes at Jaemin who proceeded to throw his eraser at the former.

“Hey, we’re here to study, not for us to babysit you two,” Renjun scolded, “anyway, which values will we be plugging in?”

“9 for the t, 325 for the P(9), and 41 for P(0),” you stated, pretty much unphased by the antics of your friends, “then you divide the 325 by 41 and multiply both sides by the natural log to get rid of the e.”

“Very good-”

“Wait slow down-”

“I don’t get it-”

Renjun, Jeno, and Jaemin all spoke at the same time, shooting each other looks as they fought to decide who should speak though Yangyang beat them all to it. “We’re trying to find the growth rate which is why we divide the final value by the starting value, it’s like finding the rate of change, you know?”

“God, at least I know three of us won’t fail the test,” Renjun muttered.

“Hey,” Jeno complained, “I understand it, I just need more time to write it all down, don’t be so mean.”

“Yeah okay, whatever, let’s just finish up this problem already because I’m hungry and I swear, if we don’t end before the cafeteria closes-”

“Multiply both sides by 1 over 9 to isolate the k constant and from there plug it into a calculator and solve to get the unknown relative growth rate,” you commented, your own stomach growling the tiniest bit at the mention of food.

“Oh my baby is so smart! I’m so proud of you,” Jaemin exclaimed as he reached over to try to squish your cheeks though you were quickly pulled out of his reach as someone moved your chair, “hey! Don’t take my baby away from me.”

“She’s not a baby, she’s already 18,” Yangyang reasoned.

A loud sigh came from the front of the room, effectively interrupting all conversation. “Jaemin, can you at least try to put in some effort?” Renjun whined.

“I did! Look, the k constant is equal to 0.23003 and I have everything written down here,” Jaemin defended, sliding his paper closer to Renjun who was struggling to see it from a distance.

Renjun made a noise of both content and confusion, “then why did you say that you didn’t get it?”

Jaemin shook his head, “oh no no no, I didn’t say that I didn’t get it, I was going to say that I don’t get how our y/n is so smart already. She’s going to be such a good doctor!”

“That’s your goal bro, not her’s.” Yangyang interjected.

There was a loud sound of a book shutting and everyone looked over at Jeno who was packing up his stuff. “What?” He questioned, when he noticed everyone's eyes on him. “Aren’t we going to get dinner?”

The rest of you started following suit after doing one last check that everyone was good on all of the material for the test tomorrow. “What score do you think you’ll get on the exam?” Yangyang asked as the group of you headed over to the cafeteria.

You let out a hum as you thought to yourself. “Maybe like an 85 or something around there.”

“Nah, I’m pretty sure you’ll hit at least a 90, or even a 90 exactly,” he responded with a cheeky giggle.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Because I’m the 10 that you need.”

Sure enough, you scored 90 points on the exam, prompting Yangyang to excitedly treat you for lunch that following weekend. One small date became two and eventually three which was when he asked you to be his girlfriend.

When you told the rest of the guys that the two of you were together, Jaemin let out a whoop before turning to the others, “you both owe me twenty.”

You raised an eyebrow at them, asking for an explanation. “We made a bet on when Yangyang would finally get the guts to ask you out. Turns out it was a lot faster than we thought,” Renjun explained dryly as he opened his wallet to hand Jaemin the bill.

The rest of your first year in college went by in the blink of an eye jumping from spending Christmas with Yangyang, Jeno, and Jaemin, to submitting your registrations for the next school year, then to finals to wrap up the term.

If there was one thing about freshman year that you’d keep dear to your heart, it would be the little Christmas party the four of you had at Jeno’s house. You had each brought a gift as each other’s Secret Santa, yours was a cute pair of pink socks with strawberries on them for Jaemin who you knew hated strawberries though he’d wear them anyways because they’re from you.

Supporting your predictions, Jaemin changed his socks right then and there with a smile on his face because “they’re so cute, just like my baby” causing your boyfriend, who was in fact your Secret Santa, to jokingly make a gagging sound at Jaemin’s affection towards you.

The gift Yangyang gave you was a thin bracelet with a single little sheep charm dangling off of it. “In Korean, yang means sheep so I thought it would be cute to give you something that could be a reminder of me when I’m not with you.” Now it was Jaemin and Jeno’s turns to make the sounds of disgust as you kissed Yangyang’s cheek to thank him.

So I think you should give your love to me. Baby, let me know

Sophomore year was when things started to change starting with Yangyang leaving to continue his studies in China where he was accepted into one of his dream universities. He had told you about his plans beforehand and you celebrated every milestone with him like when he first submitted his application, when he got his acceptance letter, and then a scholarship. Here you were finally, sending your boyfriend off at the airport before the beginning of fall semester.

“I love you so much, stay safe and don’t get sick,” you told him as you held him in a tight hug, not wanting to say goodbye just yet.

Yangyang laughed as he felt you trying to nuzzle into his chest. “I’ll be back sooner than you know it. Just four months and I’ll be back for the holidays.”

Even as your tears began to fall, you still smiled, not wanting his last moments with you to be sad ones. “Promise?”

“I promise.” He locked pinkies with you, sealing the deal.

It was difficult to be in a long distance relationship, especially when it seems like the time zones are working against you. When you’re awake and going about your day, Yangyang is winding down and finishing up his work, about the head to sleep. There was never a good time for you to call each other, especially as the semester progressed and your workloads only increased.

“I really miss you, you know. I miss getting to hold you in my arms and mess up your hair only to have you hit me all the time.” You paused the voice recording he had sent you a few days ago, wanting so badly for time to go by faster and for Yangyang to return home sooner.

You sent him a voice recording back. “I passed that test I was talking about last week! I didn’t really do too well but it’s okay because apparently Jeno and Jaemin didn’t do all that great either. I miss having you here to help me study and tell me that I’m doing well. How did your ochem lab go? I’m sure you aced it.”

Sending each other voice recordings was the next best thing after calling because you could still hear each other’s voice while also still doing it at a time that was comfortable for you. It was like texting but with your voice instead of typing out words. Though sometimes it left you anxious because it wasn’t like a call where the other person is responding in real time. Yangyang would often leave you on read and would take a few days to respond so you inadvertently began doing the same thing.

It wasn’t until one weekend when both of you had free time that Yangyang finally snapped during a call. “It’s like you don’t want me anymore.”

“What? No, what do you mean?” You questioned.

“You don’t respond all the time and it’s like I’m not a top priority anymore,” he rambled.

“To be fair,” you began, “you don’t respond to me all the time either-”

“Yeah because I’m busy.” Yangyang interrupted.

You let out a sigh. “I’m busy too. We’re both college students majoring in some of the hardest fields, we know how hard we have to work for our education.”

“I know but like, you can still text me back. You don’t have to send voice recordings so often if you’re really that busy-”

“No, don’t make it sound like I’m exaggerating how busy I am. You are a top priority, but you’re not my number one and that should be common sense.” You tell him, feeling your own temper starting to go.

You could practically see Yangyang rolling his eyes at you. “I’m not trying to downplay your work at all. I’m just saying that it’s not that hard to put effort into our relationship.”

“Then how about you give me something to go off of first instead of making me change for you. You barely respond to me either so I can say just the same thing for you,” you argued.

“Look, I think we need some time away from each other to clear our heads and figure this out when we aren’t being weighed down by all our other problems,” he reasoned.

You let out a laugh. “You say that as if we haven’t already been separated from each other for two months already but okay.”

“Goodnight, y/n.” You heard the line go dead. He didn’t even end with an ‘I love you’ or anything like that though you chose not to think too hard about it because he was probably just as tense as you.

When Yangyang came home in December it felt like everything was right once again. He got to be reunited with the original group along with meeting the two newest additions, Haechan and Shotaro who were both business majors and were roped in by Jeno who had a shared class with both of them.  

Yangyang had gotten you a second charm, the number 10 to go on the bracelet he had bought you the year before which you still wore almost constantly. “Ten because I’m the ten you need, remember?” You nodded as you smiled up at him, glad to finally have him back in your arms.

He had to go back to school sooner than the rest of you so your time with him was short-lived and things went back to the way they used to be, except even more distant this time around. Normally Yangyang would be sure to call you back if he ever missed a call from you, but he didn’t. He’d go days without responding to you, opening your messages but never sending anything back.

But it’s hard to tell if this is just a fling or if it’s true love that he thinks of

That semester, the two of you decided to break things off after yet another fight in hopes to preserve the friendship that you had before things got any worse. It was like a breath of fresh air for a moment, getting to finally focus your energy on your work and not worry about having to respond to messages from a boyfriend who didn’t really seem like one. Only when you slowed down did things really start to hit you.

When Yangyang came back during summer, your group was torn on how to handle the situation, wanting to hang out with both of you but not wanting to make things uncomfortable knowing how rocky things were between the two of you. You ended up pulling yourself back and encouraging them to go out with Yangyang since they could see you during the school year whereas he was in a different country and it only seemed fair.

That was really the last you saw or heard of him as you chose to bury yourself in work for the next year, not wanting to let yourself fall behind in school because of your emotions. It was, by far, one of your most productive years. Not only did you take some of your grad school tests and applied for many scholarships, you also earned yourself a spot on the Dean’s list and took part in a notable marine biology study done on the effects of pollution on the local animals.

Between balancing all of your current works and goals along with things to prepare you for your potential future careers, the mere existence of Liu Yangyang slipped your mind for just that short time. It was only a year later, during the summer before your senior year, did you hear from Jaemin that Yangyang was planning to come back.

“Yeah he was asking Jeno what we’re planning on doing for housing next year and if he could join us.” Jaemin informed you as the two of you were running an experiment and working on tracking the carbon output of the little plants in front of you.

“So what did you say to him?” You asked as you placed the oxygen gauge inside the chamber of the first plant.

Jaemin paused to see if the gauge was sending data to the computer. “I told him that the six of us were looking into getting one of the campus apartments in the fall so we might not be able to accommodate him.”

“Wait, six? Aren’t there five of us?” You started listing the names of your friends in your head.

“Haechan is going off-campus and Jeno’s girlfriend is joining us,” Jaemin corrects, “so next semester it’s us, Jeno and Yunha, Renjun, and Shotaro. Six. We probably won’t have space for him unless someone backs out.” You stared at the rising and falling of the line on the computer graph, not really sure if you were happy or sad at this. “Would you have liked it if he were to join us?” He questioned after seeing your silence.

“I don’t know, it’s not that I’m ‘uncomfortable’ around him…” your voice trailed off as the computer finished collecting data and indicated for you to reset and move on to the next plant, “it’s just that we didn’t really have a clean end to our relationship, if you know what I mean.”

Jaemin nodded in understanding as you moved the gauge to the second plant. “Would you like to get back together with him if given the opportunity?”

“Well, yeah but not if we’re both as busy as we are right now.” You explained, looking over at the screen to see if the oxygen was tracking.

“Try inserting it a little further,” Jaemin instructed when you both saw that the line was running a bit low, “but anyway, you guys are both going into the medical field, there’s no escaping being busy.”

“Yeah that’s exactly wh-”

“No, listen. What I’m saying is that you don’t have to both see each other all the time. Think about it. There’s tons of people out there who don’t even understand their partner’s job but they still make it work-” He rambled

“And who’s to say you can group me in with a majority?” You interject.

Jaemin looks away from the screen to roll his eyes at you. “That’s not the point. I’m just saying that maybe you should think about giving him another chance whether he lives with us or not.”

“I mean, I’ll think about it. That doesn’t mean I will.” You decide, wanting to get back to the experiment.

Santa tell me if you’re really there. Don’t make me fall in love again if he won’t be here next year

Truthfully, you hadn’t really gotten over Yangyang, you had merely forgotten about him for a while with all the stuff you were doing, which was what you had planned to do. A part of you wanted to see if things could still work out again but the other part of you didn’t want to put yourself in that same situation again, especially now that both you and him would probably be even more busy than before.

You didn’t know if he’d be coming back for good or if he’d be leaving again to go somewhere else and you didn’t want to take the chance of falling for him only to lose him shortly after. Thankfully the other guys didn’t ask too much about it seeing as how the housing situation was already settled.

It was just your luck and misfortune that you went in to work on a research assignment on the day you did. As you walked down the hallways of the lab building, you heard that one familiar voice ringing throughout the halls from an open door. You paused in your tracks, diverting from your course through the building to see if your suspicions were true as you peeked into one of the labs.

As you looked in, you saw his back towards you while he talked animatedly with one of your colleagues about how different it was to go to a university in China. You quickly ducked away when your colleague waved in your direction, not wanting to be seen by Yangyang.

“Who was that?” He asked, his voice getting fainter as you sped away from the room. You heard your name mentioned followed by an “oh” but that was about it as you got into the elevator to head to the archives.

And I’m trying to play it cool but it’s hard to focus when I see him walking around the room

Senior year progressed just like any other year, though you were glad that you got to live with your closest friends and at least see them for meals when you were all too busy to actually hang out. If anything, it was just the slightest bit more calm since there was no longer stress about passing general classes now that you were in more specialized biology courses that were actually enjoyable.

The annual Christmas party came up much faster than you expected but now that the six of you shared an apartment, it was only that much more convenient and because it would be your last year all together, Jaemin insisted that it be an actual get-together for your friends.

He invited Haechan and some of the guys he was now living with, though they were all older too. Renjun brought over some of the other computer science grad students that he had gotten close to recently, similar to Jeno in the engineering field.

As more people showed up and you worked on keeping all of your guests entertained, you hadn’t managed to keep track of everyone who set foot into the door, trusting Renjun to not let anyone in who had no business with you guys. It wasn’t until dinner started that you saw a face you hadn’t seen in a while.

“Hey,” Yangyang began as he almost ran into you exiting the kitchen with a plate full of food in his hands.

“Hey,” you said back, startled and unsure of how to actually react.

After you had gotten your food and returned to the living room, you say that he had taken up a seat next to Jeno and Jaemin as some Christmas movie started playing and you opted to sit on the sofa next to Jeno’s girlfriend Yunha, who gladly scooted over to make room for you. “Who’s that?” She asked, nodding over to where her boyfriend was.

“That’s, uh, Yangyang. He was one of our close friends during our freshmen year but he left to study at a school in China,” you inform her, glad that she accepted the simple explanation.

You successfully avoided him for almost the rest of the night, not because you didn’t like him but because you were scared of talking to him after so long. It was nearing the end of the night when Renjun had yelled for everyone to “sit your asses down in a circle” with the present they brought for the white elephant game gift exchange game.

The apartment was filled with laughter and cheers as the game progressed and people opened the gifts they chose, finding things outrageous as a whisk or backscratcher or even a bag of clothespins. The best one was the gift Jeno, a cat lover opened, pulling out a box of dog treats.

“Aw, our big samoyed!” Jaemin cooed. “Do some tricks for us!” Jeno shot him a glare before allowing the game to continue on.

The gift you decided on keeping was a small red envelope sealed with a shiny golden sticker. When you opened it, you pulled out a postcard from Shanghai and you felt a wave of emotion hit you. You held it up to show the people around you what it was before quickly slipping it back into the envelope and placing it on the ground beneath your crossed legs.

Once everyone had opened their gifts and a few people were starting to leave, you decided to get a head start on cleaning up in the kitchen as your roommates bid everyone farewell and wished them a safe drive home.

“I think it’s kind of funny how you got my gift,” a voice said from behind as you transferred the leftover dumplings from the plate they were on into a tupperware container.

You shrugged your shoulders. “The minimum price requirement was $5 and I’m sure you couldn’t have spent more than $2 on that.”

“The envelope and the sticker made up for the other $3,” he stated, his playful attitude ever so present, “so how have you been lately?”

“Pretty good, I guess. Got accepted into grad school, finishing up my remaining courses, just normal college stuff, how about you?” You finally make eye contact with him as you have to nudge him out of the way for you to open the refrigerator. He looks nearly exactly the same as when he first left but somehow more handsome and less boyish.

“Oh, I’ve been doing just about the same I could say. I decided to stay home for this school year, though I suppose you already knew that seeing as how you were spying on me at the beginning of the semester.” He shot you a wink as you returned back to the counter to start working on another dish.

You let out a gasp, “I was not spying on you.”

“Then why did you just peek into the lab and leave before I got to see you?” He inquired.

“Because I had other things to do,” you respond quickly.

“Well what if I told you that I actually wanted to see you and was disappointed that you ran away?” He took a step closer to you.

You secured the lid on a container of fried rice. “Then I guess you’re not the only one.”

“Hm, so you really did miss me then,” Yangyang chuckles.

“Will the two of you stop talking and just kiss already?” Jaemin shouts from the hallway.

Yangyang lets out a laugh. “You heard the guy. Come here.”

You gave in to your heart as you closed the refrigerator again, turning to face him and taking only two steps until you were in his arms once again as his lips met yours.

Come and kiss me baby, we don’t need no mistletoe

[script-a-world]

Okay, I'm not sure if this falls into world building or characters, so if it doesn't fit world building just feel free to delete this! In my story there are dragons, and including some with silver and copper scales. Thing is silver tarnishes and copper oxidizes. Is there a logical way I could avoid this or maybe have a means or environment that could/treat prevent this?

Tex: A fairly reliable way to solve a problem like this - or at least figure out the first steps - is to break things down into manageable chunks. In this case, it would be working out the properties of the materials you’re working with: silver and copper.

I’m assuming that you mean for this to be actual, solid metal, so I’ll start there.

The wiki for tarnish is a little sparse, but it does give us some important information:

Tarnish is a product of a chemical reaction between a metal and a nonmetal compound, especially oxygen and sulfur dioxide. It is usually a metal oxide, the product of oxidation. Sometimes it is a metal sulfide. The metal oxide sometimes reacts with water to make the hydroxide; and carbon dioxide to make the carbonate.

In terms of metal mutability, this narrows down the list of research topics by a lot. The introductory paragraph of that same wiki tells us this about silver:

For example, silver needs hydrogen sulfide to tarnish, although it may tarnish with oxygen over time.

The wiki for silver, itself, has some more complex information:

Like copper, silver reacts with sulfur and its compounds; in their presence, silver tarnishes in air to form the black silver sulfide (copper forms the green sulfate instead, while gold does not react). Unlike copper, silver will not react with the halogens, with the exception of fluorine gas, with which it forms the difluoride. While silver is not attacked by non-oxidizing acids, the metal dissolves readily in hot concentrated sulfuric acid, as well as dilute or concentrated nitric acid. In the presence of air, and especially in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, silver dissolves readily in aqueous solutions of cyanide.[25]

The three main forms of deterioration in historical silver artifacts are tarnishing, formation of silver chloride due to long-term immersion in salt water, as well as reaction with nitrate ions or oxygen.

There’s some more context in the chemistry section, but what I quoted above is more or less the bulk of your starting point. As you can tell, it’s been compared to other metals - its comparison to copper is especially helpful in the context of your question.

What we can glean from this is that silver has very few things to react with in a normal environment, outside of “long-term immersion in salt water”, so ideally any silver-scaled dragons you have would avoid being in or around the ocean for extended periods of time.

Copper has been fairly well covered already by being used as a comparison to silver, but I’ll throw some more information out from its wiki so we can have a greater pool of information to work with:

Copper is one of a few metallic elements with a natural color other than gray or silver.[13] Pure copper is orange-red and acquires a reddish tarnish when exposed to air. The characteristic color of copper results from the electronic transitions between the filled 3d and half-empty 4s atomic shells – the energy difference between these shells corresponds to orange light.

As with other metals, if copper is put in contact with another metal, galvanic corrosion will occur.[14]

This bit is important for a couple of reasons - the first is that copper scales are very probably not copper-coloured, and the second is that pure copper is very unstable. I’ll get to both of those points in a bit.

Copper does not react with water, but it does slowly react with atmospheric oxygen to form a layer of brown-black copper oxide which, unlike the rust that forms on iron in moist air, protects the underlying metal from further corrosion (passivation). A green layer of verdigris (copper carbonate) can often be seen on old copper structures, such as the roofing of many older buildings[15] and the Statue of Liberty.[16] Copper tarnishes when exposed to some sulfur compounds, with which it reacts to form various copper sulfides.[17]

Here, this means that copper scales would be good for water-based dragons, which is the opposite of silver. That’s an easy point in the direction of your other question regarding environmental cues.

The alloy of 90% copper and 10% nickel, remarkable for its resistance to corrosion, is used for various objects exposed to seawater, though it is vulnerable to the sulfides sometimes found in polluted harbors and estuaries.[45]

I figure since we’re hopping outside the line of believability, we might as well toss in the idea of substantial amounts of nickel on organic beings without the ordinary toxic side-effects.

Copper is biostatic, meaning bacteria and many other forms of life will not grow on it. For this reason it has long been used to line parts of ships to protect against barnacles and mussels. It was originally used pure, but has since been superseded by Muntz metal and copper-based paint. Similarly, as discussed in copper alloys in aquaculture, copper alloys have become important netting materials in the aquaculture industry because they are antimicrobial and prevent biofouling, even in extreme conditions[120] and have strong structural and corrosion-resistant[121] properties in marine environments.

Tossing this quote out partially because I like Muntz metal (surprisingly also pertinent to the conversation), but mostly because this explains why copper works so well underwater without noticeable oxidation.

I’ll do a quick summary of the three Wikipedia articles I just poked, so we have them in one place:

Tarnishing is oxidation

Both tarnish to oxygen, and corrode to sulfides/sulfur

Copper likes water, silver does not

The one that stands out here is the reaction to sulfides and/or sulfur. Ordinarily, exposure to significant amounts of sulfur isn’t an issue in the majority of environments, so it’s a non-issue. However, since both silver and copper react so strongly to it, I figure it was pertinent to bring up (also because it’s cool, Rule Of Cool is definitely a thing when we’re talking about dragons).

From Wikipedia:

It is the fifth most common element by mass in the Earth. Elemental sulfur can be found near hot springs and volcanic regions in many parts of the world, especially along the Pacific Ring of Fire; such volcanic deposits are currently mined in Indonesia, Chile, and Japan. These deposits are polycrystalline, with the largest documented single crystal measuring 22×16×11 cm.[16] Historically, Sicily was a major source of sulfur in the Industrial Revolution.[17] Lakes of molten sulfur up to ~200 m in diameter have been found on the sea floor, associated with submarine volcanoes, at depths where the boiling point of water is higher than the melting point of sulfur.[18]

Native sulfur is synthesised by anaerobic bacteria acting on sulfate minerals such as gypsum in salt domes.[19][20] Significant deposits in salt domes occur along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico, and in evaporites in eastern Europe and western Asia. Native sulfur may be produced by geological processes alone. Fossil-based sulfur deposits from salt domes were once the basis for commercial production in the United States, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine.[21]

Given how popular dragon mythology is all over Asia (Wikipedia), I find it interesting that copper and silver - our earliest mined metals - would have realistically been inhospitable on a dragon in many of its purported native regions. But since this is worldbuilding, I suppose a prudent avoidance of volcanoes and ocean floors works out rather neatly.

Now that we’ve gotten the chemical standpoint down, it’s time to tackle the organic component.

Both silver and copper are toxic in sufficiently large amount (Wikipedia 1, Wikipedia 2), which is, unsurprisingly, a fairly negligible amount. One way to avoid this is to look at compounds (brass and the previously-mentioned Muntz metal comes to mind) that could be more malleable to the cosmetic look of your dragon scales - it’s less likely to be toxic, and you could fine-tune the colours you want more reliably, with some Handwavium to the actual biological aspects.

Another method would be to, well, apply some more Handwavium and just say that dragons have specialized cells that allow keratin to be embedded with metals like copper or silver. Keratin is a protein, so the logic would need a bit of finagling, but most readers would probably accept a surface-level explanation unless your plot demands a further level of development.

Another method would be structural colour (Wikipedia), and usually exists on things like fish and butterfly scales (Wikipedia 1, Wikipedia 2, Wikipedia 3). The reflective fish scales that I linked to in the first Wikipedia link could easily achieve that silver look you’re seeking, especially with minimal tweaking if you’re looking for things like tonal gradients and texture. The other two Wikipedia links, for the butterfly scales, can give you some idea on how to introduce colour while keeping many of the same properties.

Feathers can also achieve this structural colour, but since they’re constructed differently than scales, this would mean that you would need to contend with the disulfide bonds in order to keep either metal from breaking the feathers down. Whether or not oils from preening or powder down would have any impact on the refraction that could produce any colours of shiny variety is a toss-up, but certainly within the realm of fantasy.

Another option of note is to borrow from the scaly foot snail (Live Science), albeit it works with sulphur compounds rather than against it, even if it doesn’t have quite the metallic sheen you might be looking for.

[greatworldwar2]

• Sherman Firefly

The Sherman Firefly was a tank used by the United Kingdom and some Commonwealth and Allied armoured formations in the Second World War. It was based on the US M4 Sherman, but fitted with the powerful British 17-pounder anti-tank gun as its main weapon.

The idea of fitting a 17-pounder gun into a Sherman tank had initially been rejected by the Ministry of Supply's Tank Decision Board. Although the British Army had made extensive use of the American-built Sherman tank, it was intended that a new generation of British tanks would replace it in the anti-tank role. First, there was the Cromwell tank, which was expected to use the Vickers high velocity 75 mm gun; this gun would have had superior anti-tank performance to the US 75 mm and 76 mm guns that were mounted in the Sherman. The second was the A30 Challenger, which was based on the Cromwell but with the even more powerful 17-pounder gun. These two tanks—and their successors, the Comet and the Centurion, which were already on the drawing board—were to replace the Sherman in British service, and so the prospect of diverting resources to mount the 17-pounder on the Sherman seemed undesirable. Nonetheless, several unofficial attempts were made to improve the firepower of the Sherman. The earliest attempt can be credited to Major George Brighty of the Royal Tank Regiment while he was at Lulworth Armoured Fighting School in early 1943. Despite the A30 Challenger undergoing initial trials at Lulworth, Brighty was convinced that the Sherman was a better mount for the 17-pounder. However, the turret of the Sherman was too small to allow for the very long recoil of the gun. In a radical adjustment, Brighty removed the recoil system and locked the gun in place, thus forcing the entire tank to absorb the recoil, but this was a far from ideal situation and there was no telling how long the tank would have been able to handle such a set-up.

Around June 1943, a colleague of Brighty, Lieutenant Colonel George Witheridge of the Royal Tank Regiment, arrived at Lulworth. A veteran of the North Africa campaign, Witheridge had experienced first-hand the one-sided battles between British tanks armed with 2-pounder guns against Rommel's formidable tanks and anti-tank guns. While at Lulworth, Witheridge inspected the A30 Challenger, and "joined in the chorus of complaints" about the tank. Upon looking up Brighty and learning of his attempts to use the Sherman, Witheridge lent his assistance. He advised Brighty on methods to solve the recoil issue. Not long after, Witheridge and Brighty received a notice from the Department of Tank Design (DTD) to cease their efforts. Unwilling to abandon the project, Witheridge, using his connections successfully lobbied Claude Gibb, Director-General of Weapons and Instruments Production at the Ministry of Supply, to make it an official ministry project.

It was W.G.K. Kilbourn, who transformed their idea into the reality of the prototype of the tank that would serve the British forces from the invasion of Normandy in June 1944 onwards. The first thing Kilbourn had to fix was the lack of a workable recoil system for the 17-pounder. The 17-pounder travelled 40 in (1.0 m) back as it absorbed the recoil of the blast. This was too long for the Sherman's turret. Kilbourn solved this problem by redesigning the recoil system completely rather than modifying it. The recoil cylinders were shortened and placed on both sides of the gun to take advantage of the width of the turret. The gun breech itself was also rotated 90 degrees to allow loading from the left rather than from on top. The radio, normally mounted in the back of the turret in British tanks, had to be moved; an armoured box (a "bustle") was attached to the back of the turret to house it, with access through a large hole cut through the turret. Kilbourn had to deal with other problems. On the standard Sherman tank, there was a single hatch in the turret through which the commander, gunner and loader entered and left the tank. However, the 17-pounder's larger breech and recoil system made it significantly more difficult for the loader to exit quickly if the tank was hit; a new hatch was cut into the top of the turret over the gunner's position to resolve this. The final major change was the elimination of the hull gunner in favour of space for more 17-pounder ammunition, which was significantly longer than the original 75 mm.

By October and November 1943, enthusiasm began to grow for the project. The 21st Army Group was informed of the new tank in October 1943. Even before final testing had taken place in February 1944, an order for 2,100 Sherman tanks armed with 17-pounder guns was placed, as the Challenger programme was suffering constant delays and it was realised that few would be ready for Normandy. Similarly it was discovered that the Cromwell did not have a turret ring wide enough to take the new High Velocity 75mm gun (50 calibres long). This left the Firefly as the only tank available with firepower superior to the QF 75 mm gun in the British Army's arsenal, earning it the "highest priority" from Winston Churchill. The nickname "Firefly" was adopted due to the bright muzzle flash of the main gun. It was sometimes used at unit level (brigade/regiment) war diaries from March 1944, along with "Mayfly". During the war, Shermans with 17-pounder guns were usually known as "1C", "1C Hybrid", or "VC", depending on the basic mark of the vehicle. In British nomenclature, a "C" at the end of the Roman numeral indicated a tank equipped with the 17-pounder.

Three different variants of Sherman Firefly served during the Second World War, each based on a different variant of the M4 Sherman. The Firefly conversion was carried out on Sherman I (M4), Sherman I Hybrid (M4 Composite) and Sherman V (M4A4) tanks. Some sources state that several Sherman IIs (M4A1) were converted and used in action, but photos allegedly showing these conversions are in fact views of the front half of Sherman I Hybrid Fireflies. The Sherman VC and IC variants are easily distinguished by their lower hulls; the VC having a lengthened hull, and a larger gaps between the suspension units. They employed the three-piece bolted transmission housing. The Sherman IC usually sported the cast transmission housing. The Hybrid can be distinguished by its upper hull, which is cast and gives it a distinctive curved look in comparison to the more boxy hull of a typical Sherman. Production of the Firefly started in January 1944 and, by 31 May, some 342 Sherman Fireflies had been delivered to Montgomery's 21st Army Group for the D-Day landings. Production was limited by the availability of suitable tanks, with the phasing out of 75 mm Sherman production. To make up numbers, Sherman I and Sherman I Hybrids were also converted. From D-Day in June to the end of the Battle of Normandy in late August, almost 400 Sherman Fireflies were converted, more than sufficient to replace any permanent tank losses during the battle. By February 1945, some 2,000 Sherman Fireflies had been built and British, Commonwealth and Polish armoured units were equipped with a 50/50 mix of 75 mm and 17-pounder-armed Shermans.

Fireflies were introduced to armoured brigades and divisions in the 21st Army Group in 1944, just in time for the Normandy landings. The timing was fortunate as Allied intelligence had begun to realise in early 1944 through statistical analysis that the Germans were fielding a much larger number of more formidable tanks (such as the Panther) than had been anticipated. Panthers and Tigers accounted for only 30% of the 2,300 German tanks deployed in Normandy; the rest being Panzer IVs, Sturmgeschütz IIIs and other tanks that the 75 mm gun Shermans were able to effectively handle. However, the importance of Caen and Montgomery's operations, which pinned German armoured forces in front of the British positions so the American units could break out to the west, meant that British and Commonwealth units had to face over 70% of all German armour deployed during the Battle of Normandy, as well as over half of the elite, well-equipped Waffen-SS Panzer units. The Sherman Firefly was perhaps the most valued tank by British and Commonwealth commanders, as it was the only tank in the British Army able to reliably penetrate the frontal armour of Panthers and Tigers at the standard combat ranges in Normandy. This fact did not go unnoticed by the Germans, who realised that these long-barrel Shermans posed a much greater threat to their heavy tanks than the normal Shermans, and German tank crews and anti-tank gun crews were instructed to eliminate Fireflies first. Similarly, the Firefly crews realised that the distinctive long barrel of their 17-pounder gun made their Fireflies stand out from standard Shermans, so they attempted to disguise their tanks to reduce the likelihood of being targeted. Some crews had the front half of the olive drab gun barrel painted white on the bottom, or white with dark green on top, to give the illusion of a shorter gun barrel.

Despite being a high priority target, Fireflies appear to have had a statistically lower chance of being knocked out than standard Shermans, probably due more to how they were employed than to the actual effectiveness of the attempted camouflaging of the long barrel. Given the high value placed on Fireflies, a common tactic was for commanders to reconnoitre the battlefield before a battle, to look for good overwatch positions. During the battle, Fireflies would stay behind in those positions and cover the ordinary Shermans as they pushed forward, eliminating any enemy tanks that revealed themselves when they opened fire on the advancing Shermans. Similarly, when on the move, troop commanders tended to position Fireflies in the rear to reduce the chance of their being knocked out. However, given the relatively unpredictable nature of battle, this setup was not always practical or possible, and many times, Fireflies were forced to engage enemies in the open. Although the Normandy campaign had priority, Fireflies also served with distinction in British, Commonwealth and Polish units in the Italian campaign. British units in Italy also used the Sherman with the US 76 mm gun M1. The Firefly's increased firepower was much valued, and during many engagements, the Firefly proved its worth, knocking out Tigers and Panthers at long range, as well as less formidable tanks like the Panzer IVs and StuGs.

[shoutosteakettle]

⤷ pairing: shouto todoroki x reader

⤷ genre: fluff

⤷ word count: 2786

⤷ a/n: i had a lot of fun writing this even if it took me three days, so i hope you guys have fun reading,, thank you @ererokii​ for beta-reading and making the header, love you bby

☆彡

“What do you mean we have the day off,” you asked your boyfriend, one foot already out the door, and you fully dressed and prepared to go kick ass as a pro hero.

“Look outside Y/n,” you shifted your attention from Shouto, focusing on the raging blizzard outside through the window of your apartment.

“You’re going to let a couple of snowflakes stop us from saving people,” you asked, not so silently judging the half and half man currently pouring himself a bowl of cereal in the kitchen.

“The agency called for an off day. You can go to work, but no one’ll be there,” Shouto sighed, grabbing the milk carton from the fridge.

“Are you serious,” you pouted, stepping back inside and closing the door behind you.

“I know how much you love your job, but you work too hard. Maybe this is a sign that you should take a break,” Shou suggested, putting the cap back on the milk and placing it on the top shelf inside the fridge.

“I love that you worry for me, but I work so hard because I love my job. Seeing the smiles on people’s faces whenever I arrive at an incident and being able to help them is always the second-best part of my day,” you confessed, making your way back to your bedroom so you could change and get comfy.

Shouto watched you disappear into your shared bedroom as he took another spoonful of his cereal. He listened from the kitchen as you opened and closed draws, grumbling about how much this sucked. He would never admit it, but his feelings were a little hurt that you thought having to spend a day with him was that bad. After a couple of minutes, you reemerged from the bedroom wearing a pair of Shouto’s grey sweats that sat loosely on your hips, not that it mattered because the oversized pink hoodie you were wearing covered everything up perfectly.

You made your way over to your boyfriend, who was in the middle of reading the back of the cereal box. “Is there any more,” you asked Shou, prompting him to look up from the maze he was close to solving. You guys had been living together for three months and dating for twelve, but he couldn’t help but blush every time he saw you in his clothes.

“Uh, yeah,” Shou said, reaching over to hand you the cereal box. He watched as you mimicked the same steps he had taken earlier, taking a bowl out the cabinet, then moving to the fridge to get the milk, and he realized something that made him feel all fuzzy on the inside, it was always in moments like this where you looked the most mundane when you were the most beautiful to him.

“What are you staring at,” you teased, pulling out a chair across the table from your boyfriend.

“You,” he paused mid-scoop of his cereal, a bit taken aback by his own suddenness, but deciding to along with it, “Do I tell you often enough how beautiful? Because you are very, very beautiful.”

Now it was your turn to blush. You reached over to run your fingers against the softness of his cheek, peering into his eyes as you felt the butterflies in your stomach begin to rise, “I don’t know how I ended up with someone as perfect as you.” You watched his lips curl up into a smile, and you noticed the way that his eyes lit up when you leaned over to steal a kiss before sitting back down in your seat.

“So what should we do today” you asked, completely blanking on anything you guys could do to have fun on what was probably going to be a pretty boring day.

He took less than a minute to ponder your question, before standing up from the table and gathering his dishes, “Do you remember the night you first stayed over? We popped-”

“Popped popcorn and made a fort and spent all night cuddled up together watching movies,” you recalled, remembering how nervous you were that day. By now, being all close and personal with Shou was something you had gotten used to, but in the earlier days of your relationship, it took you awhile to get used to how cold he was. He wasn’t someone who craved affection, which meant 90% of the time you were the one that had to initiate interactions with him, even the little things like hand-holding. But over time, he had gotten used to the random pecks on his cheek, and your hugs from behind, and every now and then he would call you by a name that wasn’t your own, or pull you in for an unsolicited smooch session. “Is that what you want to do today?”

“Unless you want to do something else. It’s up to you,” Shou answered, placing the bowls he had finished washing on the drying rack before shifting his attention towards the empty food bowls by the fridge.

“I think that sounds like a plan,” you smiled, standing up from the table to pass your boyfriend a can of cat food from the pantry. At the sound of the can opening, you watched the eyes of your black house cat open, and after a short stretching session, the pitter-patter of her little feet on the hardwood was heard throughout the living room. For a second or two, you watched to make sure that she paced herself while she was eating, worried that she might choke on the pellets.

“Y/n, Luna is going to be fine. I don’t know why you worry about her so much,” Shou sighed, picking up her water bowl and trailing over to the sink. You listened to the soft purrs of your cat as she ate from her white food bowl, decorated with black fish and crossbones patterned around the rim, before the sound of the tap running filled the silence of the kitchen. You had found Luna one day in the parking garage. You remember how scared she looked when your eyes met hers through the windshield of your car. She was half dead and starving and in no condition to be running the streets the way she was. The next month and a half consisted of you and Shouto taking her to vet appointments and learning how to function with the new addition to your family.

“Well, she is our practice kid, right? If I do a good job parenting her, then the skills should automatically transfer over when we have a real kid to take care of,” you said very matter of factly, watching the muscles in Shou’s forearm flex as he squatted to place the water bowl down where it had originally sat.

“So how about you pop the popcorn and I set up the movie, that way we can do the fort together,” you asked, already moving towards the living room. You heard a quick hum from Shouto followed by the sound of his slippers hitting the kitchen titles. You shuffled through Shouto’s Blu Ray collection, picking out some of his favorite movies along with your own.

Just as you were about to shift your attention towards trying to figure out how to work Shouto’s ancient DVD player, the lights in the living room went out, then the ones in the hallway. You turned your head to Shou, who was standing in the kitchen, pressing the buttons on the microwave in frustration, trying to get it to work again. You moved to pick up Luna, ignoring the painful sting of her nails scratching your skin before walking towards your confused boyfriend in the kitchen corner.

“Babe, I think the power is out,” you said, placing your hand on top of his, successfully grasping his attention. “I think we should call the landlord.”

ミ☆

While you listened to the conversation Shouto and the landlord were having on the phone, you checked in with your neighbor across the hall, asking her if she was having the same problems but most importantly, making sure she was okay. She told you that her power had gone out too and assured you that she and her family were doing perfectly fine. After you had texted her goodbye, you turned to Shou, who had just finished up his call. “It looks like the power for the whole city is out,” he sighed, and that was pretty sucky, but the sad look on his face bothered you even more.

“What’s wrong, Shou? Is having internet really that important to you,” you joked, trying your best to lift his spirits only to be met with a heavy sigh.

You felt the weight of the couch shift under you, and you watched as Shouto took your hands in his. The feeling of his warm, calloused palms against you, along with the intertwining of your fingers, was one of your favorites in the world. You looked up from your hands and into Shouto’s eyes only for him to already be looking right back at you. “It’s not about the wifi. It’s just that today was finally going to be a chance for us to spend some time together. We may work at the same agency, and sleep in the same bed, but recently I’ve just felt really… distant from you,” he confessed, and you had to admit it was a bit odd for him to be the one complaining about distance.

You felt more than a little guilty as all the times you turned down eating lunch with him in favor for a couple extra minutes of gym time, or the times you would come home after patrolling into the late hours of the night, only for Shouto to be fast asleep, came rushing back to you. You couldn’t stop the tear that had rolled down your cheek or the ones that followed after that as you stared back at the sad eyes piercing your soul. “I’m really sorry, Shou,” was all you could manage to choke out before you wrapped your arms around his waist and pulled him into a hug that spoke all the words you were unable to.

Confusion was evident on Shouto’s face, he didn’t expect his sudden outburst expressing his feelings to have the effect that it did on you. Uncertain on what to do with his hands, Shou settled on rubbing your back, trying his best to calm you down, “I didn’t mean for you to cry Y/n. I’m sorry if I said anything to offend you-”

“I’m sorry for being the worst girlfriend ever. I can’t believe I put my job before you,” you sobbed, feeling bad that he had to put up with you for the past couple of months, “Look our day isn’t completely ruined. We can still build the fort, and instead of watching movies, we can… catch up on some reading!” You watched the smile on Shouto’s face slowly grow into a big goofy grin before he nodded in agreement with your idea.

☆彡

Shouto had taken responsibility for the fort’s structure, making sure the blankets were secure in the way they draped over the back of your kitchen chairs and that there was enough room in the fort for the two of you plus Luna. You were on comfort detail, scouring the apartment for pillows and fluffy blankets, seeing as the heat had gone out it was up to you to make sure that the members of your household didn’t freeze to death. 

After what felt like hours, but was really just thirty minutes (something Shouto was sure to remind you of every time you complained), of hard work and bickering about the placement of certain pillows and where to lay the blankets, you and Shouto were able to take a step back and look at the masterpiece you and he had created. “It’s beautiful,” you said, feeling on top of the world and full of pride because you knew that you and your boyfriend had just built the most perfect fort that had ever had the pleasure of gracing the earth. The base of the pillow fort was decked out with your thickest and most comfortable blankets and fluffiest pillows, seeing as that would be where you would be relaxing, so of course, you would want it to be as comfy as possible. Surrounding the fort were four chairs, all an equal distance from each other, on top of those laid your thinnest blankets, Shou had decided that they were the least likely to weigh the fort’s structure down. The mix-matched colors and patterns of your fort happened to compliment each other in the best way, which only added to its beauty.

You got on your hands and knees to crawl inside, considering that the fort was nowhere tall enough for you to get inside any other way. You were waiting for Shou to join you, but instead, you were met with your pet cat’s soft purs. You heard Shouto’s footsteps descending back to the kitchen, and you waited a minute or two for him to join before you let your curiosity get the best of you, “Whatcha doing over there, Shou?”

“Just give me a minute, I’ll be right there love,” the sound of the nickname he didn’t use too often made your stomach once again fill to the brim with butterflies. You looked over to Luna and gave her an excited smile, and in return, she gave you a quick ‘meow’ before going back to licking in between her paws. 

To fill the time, you decided to start one of the books Shouto had picked out for you to read. It was called Broken Things and much to your surprise, the book was actually really interesting, the story followed this girl who was willing to give away everything for the happiness of others, regardless of the repercussions it had on her life. You were sure he was trying to send you a message because Shou saying you were too nice was a complaint you heard leave his lips way too often.

When Shouto finally came back, he had a mug in each hand, proving it to be rather difficult for him to get inside. You took the cups from his hands to help him watching as he got down on all fours like you had earlier and  inside to join you and Luna, the warmth of the cups was a nice difference from the cold air in the room. “Is this hot chocolate? The gas is out too, right? How did you make this,” you asked, your eyes wide with awe because he had remembered your favorite drink, something you had told him when you first started dating. Your eyes followed the small smile on your boyfriend’s lips as he took a seat to the left of you before reaching for his drink.

“This same way I can do this,” he said, pulling you in closer so you could feel the warmth of his quirk. You snuggled in close to the human radiator sitting next to you, setting your cup down in favor of picking up where you had left off in your book, Shou doing the same.

After what couldn’t have been more than thirty minutes, you broke the comfortable silence that had settled between the two of you, to ask Shouto a question that you had been bugging you all day, “The office didn’t call for an off day did they?”

“How did you know,” he asked, looking over at you like a kid that had been caught drawing on the walls.

“Agencies don’t call for off days dummy, they can’t have all the heroes on break when there’s still people out there to save. Plus, you’re terrible at lying, I could tell you weren’t telling the truth the moment after you said it,” you looked up from the page you were on and into the heterochromatic eyes that had been staring at you.

“Do you mind if I ask you a question too,” Shouto asked, receiving a hum from you in return, “You mentioned earlier you said work was your second favorite part of the day, what’s your first?”

Once again, you looked up from your book, completely abandoning this time it in favor of laying your head on Shou’s chest and closing your eyes before answering his question, “Waking up next to you.”

You couldn’t see him, but you already knew his usually pale cheeks were slowly turning to a shade of rosy pink, and you cursed yourself for missing out on seeing his reaction.”

“I love you, Y/n.”

“I love you too, Shou.”

[naruto-ichigo-soul-kyobabe]

Stray Kids Reaction to You being insecure about your stretch marks

Chan: 

-You two would be out and about on a hot day 

-you were wearing a crop baby tee that kept want to show off more of your stomach than you wanted 

-“I should have worn a sweater” You mutter 

-“whaa-? A sweater? Y/N, it’s like 90 degrees out.” Chan said confused. See’s your hands on your stomach. “Are you sick? Should we go home?” 

-you would shake your head in embarrassment. “N-no, I’m not sick. I-I just feel everyone’s looking at my stretch marks because of this stupid shirt.” 

-his heart would break hearing you whisper this confusion while looking at the ground looking like you might cry 

-“oh baby, no, don’t be sad. You know I can hardly notice your stretch marks and if anyone is looking at you, it’s to admire your beauty. I mean look at you! You’re so beautiful!” He said cupping you’re face in his hands. “They’re probably wondering how I got so lucky to have you as my girl.” 

-Kisses you sweetly. “You look good in that shirt, babygirl. And nothing, not even stretch marks, can change that.” 

-You smile gratefully at him as he takes your hand in his. 

Minho: 

-you two would be at the dance studio because you begged him to teach you one of their dances 

-danced for a good half and hour before Minho says to take a break 

-“Ya, y/n why the hell are you wearing a hoodie to dance? You look like you’re dying.” Minho says to you as he sits down fanning himself. 

-“N-nope. Perfectly fine.” You said even though it clear that you aren’t. You’re so sweaty and hot, you feel like you could pass out, but you don’t want to take your hoodie off. 

-“Don’t tell me you don’t have a shirt on underneath?” Minho asks rolling his eyes. 

-you would tell him you do, but you don’t feel comfortable taking it off. He’s confused by that. And keeps nagging you to take it off before you have heat stroke. 

-you reluctantly agree and turn your back to him to take it off. You then sit while hugging your hoodie, not wanting him to see the stretch marks under your arms. 

-“What are you doing?” He asks raising his eyes. 

-“I-I’m just embarrassed, okay!?” You said now hiding your face. 

-“from what??” 

-“stretch marks.” You mumble not lifting your face. 

-“Eh?” He asks confuse getting up to go closer to you. “Stretch marks? Where? I don’t see any.” 

-“under my arms.” 

-lifts your arms up even though you protest. “They’re hardly noticeable, babe. Honestly, what an odd thing to be embarrassed over. It’s something natural and only adds to your beauty. No need to hide them. Especially if you can be danger of heat stroke.” 

-You look up at him with some tears in your eyes. People have only made fun of you for them, so his words really touched your heart. “Thank you.” 

-“wha? Why are you crying.” Immediately hugs you. “Oh please don’t cry, love.” 

-“hehe, these are happy tears, Min.” 

-“Oh thank God. You know I’m not good at handling when you cry.” Hugs you tighter either way and kisses your tears away. 

Changbin: 

-You and Changbin would be watching a movie in bed, he was getting bored and started making out with you

-Everything was going okay until he started to lift your shirt up and you panicked and pulled it back down 

-he got worried and started apologizing not meaning to make you uncomfortable or try to do anything you weren’t ready for 

-“A-ah it’s no that.. um.. I-I don’t want you to see my stomach..” you said quietly while you face was getting redder 

-He was confused at your words and gingerly touched your stomach. “Why? Did something happen?” 

-“I-I have stretch marks..” 

-“Okay.. and you don’t want me to see them?” 

-You nodded your head not meeting his eyes. He asked you why that was and you told him you were embarrassed and afraid he would think you too be less pretty. 

-Cups your face in his hands. “What? Why would I ever think that? Has someone else made you feel this way? Did someone tell my baby they were less pretty because of stretch marks? Who do I have to fight? Give me names, y/n!” 

-you burst into giggles at his sudden speech. You instantly felt better by seeing your boyfriend love you all the same even with stretch marks. “Thank you.” 

-Changbin kissed you softly. “You are so beautiful, stretch marks and all, and nothing can change that. You are beautiful inside and out and my love for you only grows each day. Don’t even forget that.” 

-You attacked him into a hug feeling all his warmth and love. “I love you too, Binnie.” 

Hyunjin:

-You and Hyunjin were suppose to go out for ice cream, but you were sitting on your bed in your pjs when he knocked on your day. 

-you answered the door sheepishly and he raised an eyebrow at you seeing you in your pjs. 

-“Ya, did you forgot you had a date with your super hot and super caring boyfriend, y/n?” 

-“No...” you said as you walked back to your bedroom and sat down on your bed. “I-I don’t know what to wear.” 

-he suggests shorts because it’s summer and refuse. You tell him you would be more comfortable in pants. 

-“Pants in this heat!? Babe, are you crazy? You’ll melt like ice cream!” He went to your dresser and grabbed a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and threw them at you. “There ya go. Problem solved.” 

-You sighed defeated and changed. Put you kept pulling down your shorts the entire time you two were out and often cling to Hyunjin to hide yourself. 

-“Babe, what’s wrong? You’re not acting like yourself.” 

-“it’s because of these stupid shorts! They show off my stupid stretch marks I got from my growth spurt when I was younger.” You angrily said, trying to mask your embarrassment. 

-“You have stretch marks? Never noticed them. So no one else will. So just relax.” He said pulling you by the hand and pulling you along. 

-you whined to let you go and that you just wanted to hide in a hole. You didn’t want anyone to make fun of you. “If they dare make my baby feel bad about her stretch marks.. they won’t be able to walk away after our conversation 😌” 

-You laughed. “Your smile is so beautiful, Y/n. If anyone stares at you, it will because of that and not stretch marks you can’t even see.” 

-“You’re right. Thank you.” 

Jisung: 

-You and Jisung were out shopping and he was picking outfits for you to try on. He chose a strapless dress for you to put on and you really didn’t want to. 

-“Y/nnnnnn why won’t you try this on?” Your boyfriend whined while giving you puppy dog eyes. “You would look amazing in it.” 

-You told him you didn’t like strapless things, but you eventually gave in because you couldn’t say no to him

-You put it on and came out to show him, with your arms tightly held to your side. Not wanting to show your under arms. 

-“Omg, baby, you look so good!!” Jisung said when you stood out. “Come on, give us a spin!” 

-You spun around without moving your arms from your side, which was not up to Jisung’s standards. He told you to move your arms and not to be so stiff. You refused. He came over to you, moved your arms from your sides and spun you around himself. 

-“Ah, Jisung! Don’t!” You said. You were so worried if anyone noticed you two after he did that and you noticed there was a woman and her daughter looking at you two. You instantly wrapped your arms around Jisung’s stomach and his your face in his shoulder. 

-He hugged you back not understand what was happening. You explain that people were staring and you were embarrassed and worried that they saw you stretch marks. 

-“Eh? Stretch marks? Why would you have those? Don’t women usually get them from pregnancy?” 

-You pouted angrily at him. Explaining how you got your stretch marks and that’s why you’re even more embarrassed about having them. 

-“Baby, I have noticed them before. And those people watching us.. they were doing that because I spun you around, not because they saw some stretch marks.” Jisung said, rocking you back and forth in his arms. “You are still absolutely stunning in this dress. Stretch marks don’t change that. So please don’t feel the need to hide your beautiful self from the world.” 

-You nodded at his kind words and felt better after hearing them. Knowing he still saw you as beautiful made you feel truly loved and like you could get over that insecurity of yours. 

Felix: 

-You and Felix were planning on having a beach day and were excited to play in the water together 

-You were feeling confident at the start of the day when you decided to wear a bikini, until you got to the beach and realized you were going to have to take your coverup off. 

-Felix was already in the water after you two had picked a place to place your stuff. You watched him stand in the water waving at you to join in him 

-You looked around nervously at everyone before taking your coverup off and quickly running into the water while covering your stomach with your hands. You felt better once you were emerged in water 

-“Babe, you finally made it in!” Felix said grabbing you by the waist and lifting you up in the air 

-“Ah, n-no Felix put me down please!” 

-He quickly did, but looked at you confused. You put your head on his wet shoulder, trying to work yourself up mentally to tell him your reasoning, you just were so embarrassed. 

-“I don’t want you or others to see my. . . Stretch marks.” You muttered. He still had his hands on your waist which now started rubbing against your stomach under the water. “Ya, Felix stop.. that tickles- aha!” 

-“Babe, I can’t even feel any difference.. you sure you got them? Not that it matters if you do or don’t.” Felix said placing a kiss on your nose. “Honestly you are looking hot in this bikini. And people will be staring at the beautiful girl wearing it, not some faint stretch marks you can hardly tell exist.” 

-You hugged him. “Thanks, Felix. I love you.” 

Seungmin: 

-You were in your bedroom changing out of your work clothes into something more comfortable when your boyfriend, Seungmin walked in 

-“Ya! Seungmin, get out! I’m changing!” You said flustered, turning your back to him. 

-He paid you no attention and went to lie down on the bed. He took his phone out to look at something and the glanced back up at you and realized you were frozen in place. “It’s not like I haven’t seen you change before. So what’s your problem?” 

-“I-I’m feeling really insecure right now and don’t want you to see me change.” 

-“Why? What happened to make you not want me to see you change?” He asked now getting up and walking towards you. 

-You grew more flustered and turned away from him again. He spun you around and you instantly seek refuge in his chest. 

-“Okay, seriously, what’s wrong?” He asked stroking her hair, feeling concerned by your strange behaviour. 

-“You know I don’t like my stretch marks.. and I don’t want you to see them.. so please leave so I can change in peace.” 

-He knew you meant the ones that were on your chest. You hated that you had those and never wanted him to see them, even tho he has before, though he never really gave them much thought. 

-He pulled you back from him and smirked. “Oh, these ones?” He asked before kissing your stretch marks. 

-Your face turned red from embarrassment and you ran away from him into the bathroom to finish changing. 

-“Ya, I cannot believe you did that!” You said as you entered the bedroom again. 

-“Why not? I enjoy kissing my beautiful girlfriend and those stretch marks are part of my beautiful girlfriend.” He said with a shrug. “I really never paid them much attention. It’s not like they make you who you are or anything. You’re a beautiful person who happens to have stretch marks. Big deal.” 

-You looked at your boyfriend, dumbfounded how he could somehow make you instantly feel better about your insecurities by saying something so nonchalantly. “I-“ 

-“Just come cuddle with me, I know you want to express your love towards me.” He told your opening his arms out. 

-You never ran so quickly into his arms before, afraid he would take back his offer to cuddle. “Thank you, baby.” 

Jeongin: 

-You were hanging out at the dorms with your boyfriend and his members. You were currently being attacked by Jisung and Hyunjin, who wouldn’t with tickles. 

-Jeongin was laughing as he just watched you being attacked merciless with tickles, even though you were begging for him to help you. 

-It was all fun and games until Hyunjin moved your shirt up a bit to tickle your skin- because he’s evil like that. However, you started to have a lowkey panic attack because you didn’t want him and Jisung to see the stretch marks you have. 

-Jeongin saw the panic on your face and knew how you felt about your stretch marks. “Hyungs, stop it! You’ve tickled her enough.” They ignored him. He walked over to them, grabbed their hands and them away from you. “I. Said. Stop. It.” 

-They looked at him shocked by his forcefulness. “Come on, y/n. Let’s go.” He grabbed your hand, pulled you up, and brought you to his room. “Are you okay?” 

-You nodded and hugged him. You felt so insecure and vulnerable at that moment. You hated that you felt that way. He stroked your hair. “Baby, you know you are absolutely beautiful no matter what. I know the hyungs didn’t even notice. So please don’t please like this.” 

-“I-I’m sorry. I’m trying not to.” 

-“Oh, baby. There’s no need to apologize. It’s okay. We’ll work on this together. I’ll make you feel beautiful everyday. I’ll make you see yourself as I see you. So, one day you will see yourself and not feel insecure.” 

-You giggled at his determination. “Thank you, love.” 

[lilallama]

Since I loved the one you did for me. Can I request a continuation to it? Like the reader brings him home bmand everything is great but after a few months neighborhood pets are coming up missing and the reader finds out or something?

Early Sunrise

Word Count; 2.1k

!!TW!! This Series contains themes of gore, obsessive behaviour, violence, murder and societal injustice

》 Prologue; Düstern 《

》 First; Frühdämmer 《

"Another one?" Y/n looked at the Missing Poster which hung up on the tree outside their neighbour's house (the picture displayed a small well groomed cat with grey fur. 》 Prince Winters - british shorthair - two and a half years old - Was last seen in the owners backyard - please call this number if you have any information: X X X X - X X X X X X 《). The [gender] sighed in pity before turning to walk to their door. As they opened it they happily expected their small Guinea Pig Hybrid, Hoseok, to run into their arms. But that didn't happen. His fluffy locks were nowhere in sight. Worried that something might have happened Y/n searched the mansion. He wasn't in their room (he insisted on staying with them because he was too scared to sleep alone at night), he wasn't in any of the four bathrooms, not in the kitchen, not in the front hall, not in their living room. They were starting to panic, their poor, sweet baby was gone. But then they heard someone giggle outside in the garden. With rushed steps they ventured into the garden and let out a relieved sigh, only for that sigh to turn into a half chocked gasp as Hoseok turned around.

"Hoseok.., what is that!?" On the floor infront of the Hybrid layed something mangled and bloody. It's body was distorted, limbs torn off, milky eyes bulging out if it's sockets with it's head twisted in an unnerving angle. The sight was horrific, grotesque and truly nauseating. "Oh," Hoseok said in with his innocent smile which was surrounded by dried up blood, "remember Mrs. Winters' cat? I played with it." Despite the sweet smile his eyes held something menacing, something sick and twisted that Y/n was terrified of. They looked big and empty, like emotionless voids staring right through them. If they could have the choice to claim this a disturbing nightmare, they would. But they knew, they would have to face this. Y/n's previous scared expression turned into one of determination, "Hoseok, whipe that off your face and get in the car, right now."

The drive was tortuously silent, the only sound coming from the radio ("And now we present to you our 90's Pop Songs marathon. Starting of with the 90's Queen, Britney Spears with 'Baby one more time' "). Hoseok hadn't dare move throughout the whole time spend in the car. His only action; trying to make himself as small as possible to escape the mind numbing tension that filled the car. What if Y/n would send him back to the shelter? That thought had always kept him up at night. They were the only one he had, they couldn't just abandon him, right? > But what if they did < whispered the voice in the back of his mind, > What if you'll never see them again? You can't let that happen. < he started shaking violently > Just take the wheel and drive off the road. Kill them, then they'll never leave you. <. The voice got louder as he cowered in the back seat, eyes pressed shut and mouth chanting "No no no no no no no-". But Y/n didn't pay the quivering Hybrid any mind, all they could think of was, that their Hybrid needs help, immediately. Clearly the mistreatment he was put through with his past owners (what mistreatment?) took a toll on his sanity. The poor sunshine needs help. So they hurried towards the next Hybrid Psychiatrist hoping it'll magically rid Hoseok of his tendencies.

"Violent tendencies?" The pair sat infront of the Psychiatrist, Mr. Bluestone, a kind hispanic man in his mid 50's. "Could you elaborate what exactly that would mean? Does he get into fights often or perhaps bites?" They bashfully scratch their neck while looking over at Hoseok. "Not really. He is more... more..," they leaned forward and whispered, "gory." Bluestone looked intrigued by that as he shuffled in his seat slightly. "How so? What does that mean, L/n?" The Hybrid nervously watched the conversation going on, his eyes darkened as his owner leaned closer. His nose twitched and he started looking around the room to try and distract himself from the dread he felt. (The white door had 》 044 《 standing on it in golden, shimmering letters, the floor was polished and held a warm grey as it's colour. The walls were mostly white with a small peachy orange stripe spreading across all four walls. The plants were clearly fake and left him feeling hungry as he hadn't eaten today. He considered asking Y/n for one of his treats but he figured that wouldn't be a good idea.) When that didn't work he resorted to imagining doing everything the poor cat had suffered through with the Psychiatrist. "He- he-," they gave him a quick side glance before lowering their voice again, "he tore our neighbour's cat apart." With a look of surprise and horror Bluestone stared over to the Guinea Pig Hybrid (which usually are very peaceful and cheerful creatures) only to avert his gaze once his eyes locked with Hoseoks. He cleared his throat and shuffled through the stack of papers on the desk before him. "I'm sorry, but I do not think I'm experienced in such... special situations." Y/n stood up, making the elderly man flinch slightly, and looked at him with teary eyes. "Please, please, I beg you!" The man stayed silent for a moment before sighing. His smile was reassuring as he patted their shoulder. "You never learn to fly if you don't try, I'll see what I can do."

The next day Y/n sat in Mr. Bluestone's office and discussed Hoseok. "The thing that makes this difficult, is that Hybrids have not been studied enough for me to be able to diagnose him with any Guinea Pig Hybrid specific mental illness." He looked through some files that layed on his desk, scratching some things abd writing notes. Meanwhile Y/n asked, "But how come we don't diagnose them with human mental illnesses?" After a few seconds Bluestone looked up, now focusing his attention on the [gender]. "You see, Hybrid brains are, while not completely but still considerably, different from ours." That gained a sceptical look from Y/n. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not calling them inferior. If anything, they are way more physically advanced than mere humans are." The Psychiatrists eyes started sparkling with passion as he explained the abilities of different Hybrid breeds. "Cheetah Hybrid are able to run 3.6 times faster than an average grown human! Cat Hybrids have the ability of night vision and way more advanced senses than we do. And between Seahorse Hybrids it's the male who bears the children, not the female!" The excitement the man holds for Hybrids was very blatant as he continued rambling before Y/n asked while laughing, "You really like Hybrids, don't you?" "I find them fascinating, my husband thinks so too. It's sad to see so many people disrespect such fascinating creatures." The discussion went on for a while before they finally looked at the clock. It was time to go for Y/n which caused them great concern as their problem was still not close to being solved. Nonetheless they wished each other farewell before returning to their mundane tasks.

As Y/n sat on the soft, expensive couch in their livingroom Hoseok shyly approached them. "Y/n, are you mad at me?" They wanted to scold him, to put him in his place, teach him that such behaviour was not acceptable. But when they looked into his guilt filled eyes they just couldn't stay mad at their little ball of sunshine. "No," they rubbed their temple, "I'm not, Hobi. Come on." And they petted on their lap with a forced, slightly saddened smile. Hoseok immediately lit up and jumped onto their fraim, cuddling into them while letting out that weird purr when they started petting his brown-white locks. As they laid there many thoughts ran through Y/n's mind. How did they not notice that their own Hybrid was the one who caused those pets disappearances? Thinking back, it was so obvious. Those red stains on his clothing that they mistook for sauce or marmalade stains, the strong metallic smell that Hoseok sometimes had, it was right infront of their eyes. Yet they didn't notice, they didn't think to question that the cases of pets going missing had started a bit after their Hybrid moved in. The warning that caretaker gave them at the shelter, should they've listened to it? What would've happened if they didn't taken him, left him there without anyone by his side? Quickly they shook off such thoughts and looked down at Hoseok on their chest. He looked so innocent and fragile, as if he could snap at any moment, it made them want to protect him. The Guinea Pig Hybrid had already won over a giant portion of their heart, leaving him was out of question. But they will have to wait until Bluestone has found something that they should discuss. Y/n imagined that they would try and 'train' Hoseok, that they would talk him through his trauma and teach him the right way. But Bluestone wanted to know what he's doing before he would try and teach the Guinea Pig Hybrid anything. The risk that he could make it worse or cause a different trauma was too high for him to discard. So they agreed to first try and find something similar to Hoseoks condition first. Their thoughts were interrupted as they ley out a yawn. It was starting to get late, so they decided to go to bed now. The only problem was that Hoseok had already fallen asleep on top of them and they didn't want to wake him up. So they decided, one night sleeping on the sofa wouldn't hurt, how wrong they were.

When they woke up in the morning both their back and neck hurt as if someone slammed a hardwood chair against them. Hoseok had shifted over night so that they could get up without disturbing his sleep. Under grave pain they stood up, looked back at their little Hybrid and admired him for a second. Despite everything, he still was a very handsome young man. Undoubtedly if he wasn't their Hybrid they would be more than willing to date him. (Although he's a Guinea Pig Hybrid his body was quite athletic, he wasn't of abnormally muscular structure but did have abs and surprisingly strong legs. His hair always managed to look soft and shiny with little to no effort, his tan skin was completely clean, not a single blemish in sight. His eyes were a beautiful almond shape adorned with dark chocolate irises that always managed to wrap them around his fingers. With an oval shaped face and very pronounced jawline he surely was a sight to behold. But the greatest part was the tiny smile that he held even during his sleep.) Eventually Y/n stretched and walked over to their laptop. They received a new E-mail from Bluestone.

》 Dear L/n,

I am sorry to inform you that I did not find anything that could relate to your Hybrid's issue. But I have decided that, if you are willing to, still try and help your Hybrid. While I do not think this is the best way to approach it, I will try and help you and your Hybrid through therapy. I will send another E-mail should you agree to my offer.

Please remember to not accept you don't consider this helpful or do not want to waste your time with something that may or may not work. Send me an answer and I will send you the room, time and what I was planning on trying out. You can always back out, this is not any form of contract.

Sincerely,

Doctor Valentino Pérez Bluestone. 《

Suddenly the back- and neck pains weren't too much of a bother. While he couldn't find anything specific that he could sort Hoseok to, he would still help them. They quickly write an E-mail back.

》 Dear Doctor Bluestone,

thank you so much for helping us. I would not have known what to do without your help. I would very much like to accept your offer, sir.

I will await your E-mail. Until then,

Sincerely,

Y/n L/n. 《

After leaning back and turning to check up on Hoseok (at which point they remembered their back- and neck pains, causing them to stiffen from the stabbing pain running through them.) they carefully turned back to their laptop and decided it was time to finish their work.

If you enjoyed reading my work, please consider reblogging it. Thank you for reading

[onetwosevensquad]

Dungeons and Dragons and... Love?: Dungeon Master

Mark Lee x Reader

Summary: the kind Dungeon Master who helps guide your team through your campaign also becomes your math tutor.

Warnings: none??

Rose: sorry this literally took forever to write. Hope your all still interested in this mini series. Next member is Renjun.

Main Masterlist

Series Masterlist

———

Why were you here again?

Oh right, cause you’re a giant nerd who needs an outlet.

The poster had caught your eye when you were headed to lunch one day. It was a beige poster with a 20 sided dice in the middle. That was what got your attention.

You had played Dungeons and Dragons with some of your friends before. It has been a few months since your last campaign and you didn’t know when the next one would start. So, in fear of not being able to escape to a fantasy world, you decided to check it out.

It was now 3:45 in the afternoon. School had ended 15 minutes ago, the hours ticking by slowly. You now stood outside of the AP Government classroom where Mr. Jung taught.

The poster, you remembered, said that Mr. Jung would oversee the club. He was your favorite teacher because he was funny and the class was enjoyable.

Finally, you slowly opened the door to the classroom and stepped in. In the middle of the room, a few desks had been pushed together to create a large table.

Sitting around the table were seven boys who were all staring at you. You awkwardly shifted your weight from one foot to the other, waiting for literally anyone to say something.

“Is this the d&d club?” You finally spoke.

“Y-yes,” the only boy who was standing said. You recognized him as Mark Lee. The cute, smart boy from calculus. “Yes, uh, grab a seat.”

You nodded and dragged a chair over to the only empty spot at the table. It was right next to Chenle, the loud basketball player you shared chemistry with.

“Well I’m pretty sure that we all know each other,” Mark said clearing his throat. “I’m not gonna make us do ice breakers cause literally no one likes those.”

“I do!” Haechan, the class clown that you also shared chemistry with.

“Only you,” Jeno, the star basketball player and probably the last person you expected here, commented. Haechan pouted and stuck his tongue out at Jeno.

“Anyway,” Mark said. “It’s my fist time DMing, but I have played before. Just so I know, who here has played before?”

You, along with Jisung, the quiet kid from history, Haechan, and Renjun, the kid from math who doesn’t do math but draws, raised your hands. Mark seemed to relax a bit when he saw there were at least a few experienced players.

“Well I guess this first meeting will be going over rules and how to play, then next time we’ll do character sheets,” Mark said.

———

It was now the third session and the first one of the start of you campaign. Last time, everyone made their characters, the atmosphere becoming less tense as time went on.

You made your character an Elf Wizard, something you’ve never played before. Everyone else had their own unique character combos, having fun coming up with the most ridiculous names for them.

Today, the party was slightly buzzing with excitement to finally start their campaign. You all gathered around the table giving character introductions, ready to get this show on the road.

Three hours, several rolls for initiative, and Haechan’s character almost dying later, Mr. Jung had to finally kick you all out of the building. The sun had already set and he was letting you way past what was allowed.

You realized how late it actually was and scrambled to get your stuff. You said a quick goodbye to the boys and Mr. Jung and sped off to get home before your parents killed you.

You get a ways down the hall when you heard someone running behind you.

“Y/n, wait up!” You turned to see Mark jogging to catch up with you. He stopped in front of you, breathing slightly harder. “Hi.”

“Hi,” you said back, smiling at the cute boy. You’ve never really had a full conversation with Mark. He’s quiet and, honestly, talking to someone attractive was a bit out of the realm of your comfort zone.

“C-can I have your number?” He said. Your eyes went wide and as did his when he realized what that sounded like. “So that I can add you to the group chat! Just in case anyone can’t make it or we cancel.”

“Yea, sure,” you said, slightly disappointed. You heard Mark exhale probably in relief that his save worked. You handed him your phone with your number displayed on the screen and he quickly put it in his.

“Thanks,” Mark said, handing you back your phone. You both stood there in the most suffocatingly awkward silence ever.

“Well bye,” you said turning to leave.

“Oh! Yea, uh, bye,” Mark said waving slightly. He turned back towards Mr. Jung’s room and you saw the other six boys crowded around. They were all giggling as Mark shoved that back into the room.

———

Six sessions and three weeks later, any morsel of awkwardness was gone. It was like you have known these seven boys your whole life.

The group chat blew up your phone with memes from that days session but didn’t you mind? No. Though sometimes at ungodly hours in the mornings, you still enjoyed the content.

On this particular day, you weren’t going to be able to join the session. Your calculus teacher was making you stay after school and retake a test that you failed miserably. You felt bad when you hand to text the group.

You: I can’t make it today

Haechan☀️: whyyyyyyy

You: I failed a calc test

You: I have to retake it

Lele🐬: thats stupid

Sungie: good luck Y/n

Injunie: yea gl

You: thanks boys

Marker: hey if you need any help studying for calc, I’d be happy to

jeNO: oh?

You: yea I’d like that, thanks

Minnie: ann I oop-

You laughed at Jaemin’s comment as you made your way to your calculus teachers classroom.

———

Considering the second time you took the test you barely past by the seat of your pants, you took Mark up on his offer to tutor you.

Today was the first day Mark was going to tutor you in the library. You walked in and saw him already set up at one of the tables in the very back.

“Hey,” you whispered. He smiled at you as you sat down next to him.

“Hey,” he said back. “Ready to get started?”

After about an hour and a half of Mark explaining different theorems to you, you were finally starting to get it. Whenever you asked a question, Mark would take the time to explain it to you carefully, making sure you got it along the way.

When he would give you a problem to solve, and you got it right, both of you would get excited, annoying the librarian. She ended up shushing you more than once.

“Hey, you hungry?” Mark asked.

“Not really,” you said. As if on cue, your stomach slightly growled, making Mark laugh. You looked down at your stomach, a pout on your face. “Traitor.”

“Come on,” Mark said between giggles. “Let’s get something to eat.”

You got your things and headed out of the library with Mark to get food.

———

For the next three weeks, this became your tradition. On the days the D&D club wasn’t meeting, you and Mark would study calculus in the library for about two hours, and then go get food. It always felt like a lot less time with Mark, him always making it enjoyable.

Today, you had a study session with Mark. As you neared the library, you noticed him standing outside the doors on his phone.

“Hey, what are you doing?” You asked. “I have a test tomorrow.”

“I know,” Mark said putting his phone away. “But you need a break.”

“Mark-“ you whined.

“No,” he said. “I think that you’re ready. You’ve made a lot of progress over the last couple weeks. Besides, they say you shouldn’t study the night before a test.”

“I don’t think that’s a thing,” you said crossing your arms.

“Maybe, I don’t know,” Mark said waving it off. “But, I do know that you’ve worked hard and whatever grade you get, I’m proud of you.”

You could feel your cheeks heating up at Mark’s words. You bit back a smile as he continued.

“So tonight we are not studying,” Mark said grabbing your hand and leading you away from the library. “We are going to the basketball game with the others to cheer on Chenle and Jeno.”

You didn’t protest as Mark led you down to the packed gym and over to where the rest of the boys were sat, waiting for the game to start.

———

After the game where your boys won, the party went out for dinner. Afterwards, Mark drove you home, the two of you talking about the game, D&D, or literally anything.

When Mark pulled into your driveway, he insisted on walking you to your steps. He said it was the gentlemanly thing to do.

“Hey,” Mark said when you got to your front door. “Good luck tomorrow.”

“Thanks,” you said.

“Tell me how it goes, ok?” He said. You nodded giving him a smile that he returned. “Good night.”

“Night,” you called after him as he went to his car.

———

At the end of the day, your calculus teacher had finished grading the tests. She told everyone to come pick them up before they left school.

When she handed your test to you, she had a big smile on her face. She made a comment about how nicely you did and how much you improved. When you finally saw the grade, you nearly passed out.

You practically ran to Mr. Jung’s room. D&D was today and you wanted to show Mark you grade. You arrived at his classroom, bouncing into the room.

“Well someone looks happy,” Jaemin commented.

“Did something mean happen?” Jisung asked. You stuck your tongue out at the younger boy making everyone laugh.

You made you way to Mark at the head of the table, him watching you with a smile. When you reached him, you slapped the paper with a big 90% scribbled at the top down in front of him.

“All thanks to you,” you said as he continued to stare at the paper.

“I told you so,” Mark said standing up. He caught you by surprise when he gave you a hug. “I’m proud of you.”

“Ugh, just date already,” Haechan commented from his chair. You and Mark pulled apart making a face at the boy, but avoiding each other’s eyes.

It’s not that you were entirely opposed to dating Mark. You just didn’t know if he felt the same way. And he didn’t. Right?

———

You and Mark continued your study sessions even after you proved you didn’t need to. You both agreed that it was to benefit both of you and not just an excuse to hang out.

One day, while walking out of calculus with Renjun, the boy made a comment that rocked your world.

“He likes you, ya know,” Renjun said.

“W-what,” you sputtered turning to him.

“Mark, he likes you,” He clarified. “I know like bro code, I’m not supposed to tell you or whatever, but I see the way you two look at each other. We all do. You should ask him out. He’d say yes.”

You stopped dead in your tracks thinking for a second. On one hand, this plan that you were formulating could embarrass you. On the other, you could get a date with your dungeon master / calculus tutor / crush.

“Y/n?” Renjun said turning to you. You quickly turned on your heel and made a mad dash for Mark’s locker. “Y/n!”

———

As you speed walked to Mark, you saw him in the distance talking to Jeno and Jaemin. Mark spotted you coming to him and waved at you.

“Hey, Y/n what’s-“

“Do you want to go an a date with me?” You said quickly.

“W-what?” Mark said.

“Jeno, I think that’s our cue,” Jaemin said dragging Jeno away.

“Do you want to go in a date with me?” You asked again, slower this time. Mark looked at you wide eyed, like a dear in headlights.

“A-a date?” He asked. You nodded, not trusting your voice not to shake. “Wow.”

“Wow?” You asked.

“Sorry! Sorry, I just never thought you’d ask and I’d have to do it,” Mark said. “But yes, I’d love to go on a date.”

“Oh thank god,” you said leaning against the lockers. Mark laughed at your dramatic reaction. He wrapped his arm around your shoulder and turned you around to walk to lunch. As you turned, you and Mark stopped and saw the six other members of your party standing there amused.

“God, finally,” Haechan said.

“Took you long enough,” Chenle said.

As the eight of you walked to lunch, the boys continued to tease you and Mark. But when you looked up at him with his arm still around your shoulder, the teasing didn’t matter when Mark smiled at you.

———

[ellsey]

Agents of Shield Rewatch 7x09 As I Have Always Been

First of all, we’re not going to discuss how many times I’ve seen this episode because...welll...the number is pretty high. But this is legit my #1 favorite episode of all time. This episode is an example of this show firing on all cylinders and just at it’s absolute best. And it’s really one of the last times we get to see our family all working together, and that’s where I think this show gets its strength. 

Anyway, this may get super long idk I just have a lot of feelings about this ep.

The number of times Chloe must have had to film waking up in this thing is probably pretty high

Ok first things first, my very favorite thing is Sousa using that box of gloves as a pillow because having spent a good portion of my lower to mid-20s in labs I will not pretend like I haven’t considered doing that

“I was so much happier asleep” MY MOOD EVERY SINGLE DAY

94 km away...I’m going to try and keep track of these numbers

Sousa’s face at the smell of Deke’s 80′s cologne hahahaha

And now we’re in our loop #2 (but who knows the real number)

Ok, since I used to be a med tech (aka I worked in a hospital lab), I have questions about why they have so many green and blue tubes there. I mean...green tops are heparin tubes so I guess you can use those for basic chemistry tests, so that might be usable for multiple things. But those blue tops? That’s sodium citrate and the only thing I know of we used those for were coagulation tests. Which require some specific equipment. Does Jemma plan to run that many PT/PTTs?? And on what???

LOOK I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT OK

And yes I remember those anticoagulants by heart still

The repeating title card is :chef’s kiss:

Daisy very quickly realizes she’s looping

91 km now

I’m wondering if there was something cut here by the way Sousa says, “See?” to Simmons as if we are missing some part of a conversation they had

My guess would be Jemma was all “You can go rest in your bunk you know Agent Sousa” and he’s like “Nope, gotta make sure Daisy rests” and Jemma’s like “...do you though?” and Sousa’s all “Yep. She will not do it on her own. Trust me.”

Maybe there’s enough for a fic plot in there

Ok, we’re now on loop #3

Daisy also very quickly realizes that she’s waking Sousa up with her boots and is very quiet so he can get some sleep

Awwww

I kind of wish I knew what May was sensing from Daisy right about now

I love love that Robo Coulson is so over this

The way he says “This guy” KILLS ME

So Coulson knows of 87 loops, but we know in this case Daisy didn’t wake him for 2 loops this time...we’re going to be doing some mathing soon lads

Also we just covered loops #4 and #5 since the ep started

Coulson says this is loop #90 which matches up still

And loop #6 for us now

Daisy was kind of loud there but didn’t wake up Sousa sooo...idk

79 km now

I love that Daisy realizes that to solve faster she needs the entire team

This must be loop #7 because Deke now says they are 65 km from the vortex

“It’s kind of hard to access” YOU DON’T SAY

And now people know about Jemma’s implant which...FINALLY

Phlebotinum is an amazing word bless

Making yourself cough like that seems like a rough day of filming 

And directing

Deke’s face when Nana is dead though :(

Loop #8

It was sabotage!!!

But also Daisy died so we’re starting over memory-wise

Loop #9

48 km

Daisy legit forgot about her boots waking Sousa up too ha

Loop #10

And this time we wake up Coulson again

41 km

Enoch, Deke, and Jemma standing there is so freaking hilarious

Jemma is so done even though she doesn’t remember any of this hahaha

Loop #11

This is the one where we try to get Elena out and helping

Loop #12

Phlebotinum!

Sousa finally woke up on his own I guess

That smile when he says, “Reminds me of my SSR days” like

He lives for this chaos he just doesn’t want to admit it

Also look at him being a smart agent here

And let’s talk about the trust Sousa has in Daisy for a sec

He not just immediately believes her about the time loops, but he immediately understands what she is saying about what is happening. Thus he knows this isn’t really a sacrifice play because he’ll come back AND he’ll have saved her the trouble of forgetting. But also, he trusts her so implicitly that he’s willing to risk his life for her. 

It’s beautiful y’all

And poor Daisy has to add watching Sousa die to her list of traumas cool cool cool

Although that does give me writing ideas...

Loop #13

Daisy immediately pops up to ensure herself that Sousa is still there napping away and like

I legit thought this was going to be the peak Dousy moment in this episode when she stops and just watches him breathing for a bit hahaha

She does not want to leave him there either and then the way she says, “We’re making progress” then adds a kind of soft “thanks to Sousa” like

Daisy is going through some stuff here

Coulson is going through some stuff too

Clark Gregg is killllllling this

And Coulson realizes that Enoch is the problem

“Oh dear” ENOCH HAHAHAHA

Loop #14

“Why do you care?” “Because you don’t”

Ummmmm MY HEART

But Daisy is not just accepting that he’s willing to die for her, she wants to know why now

Which obviously we will circle back to in a few loops or so

See, Jemma says she has to be awake to remove them implant...I guess the difference before was that Enoch wasn’t removing it?

Idk that makes no sense

Loop #15

Send in Sousa to distract Enoch

That “Hello!!” omg Sousa no

Sousa is surprisingly bad at this

Sousa’s muffled “Sorry” KILLS ME

As does Daisy’s face

Loop #16

Appeal to Enoch’s sense of irony

Loop #17

Have Jemma countermand her previous order

Loop #18

Bring in the whole gang

EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS KILLS ME

“Where’d he get all those weapons?”

Poor dead Deke

Them realizing it doesn’t matter because they’ll all come back

The way May looks like she’s relaxing

Sousa’s feet framing Daisy’s face

Legit this is amazing and I love it

Loop #19

“Actually, I can take a loop” 

WE LOVE TO SEE IT

“It all phases me, just maybe not my face”

Ummmmm sir

Your face

While lovely it definitely gives you away

The saddest thing to me about this is that Daisy can’t seem to understand why he’s always willing to help and wants to watch over her. It’s like she still doesn’t think she’s worthy of being treated like this.

“Some of my favorite people are people like you” I CRY

Whew there’s a lot to parse here. 

First of all, I think Daisy actually really likes that Sousa is seemingly not phased by anything (or at least, not super bothered by it) because her life is always going to be chaotic that’s just facts

Second, in this very short time of knowing her, Sousa definitely has her pegged. He knows that she craves other people, but is also probably a bit scared to want to be around other people. He knows she’s hopelessly stubborn, but that’s because she cares so much. And he knows that she needs someone to have her back no matter what, because she won’t have her own.

Of course, there’s also a personal element here as indicated by the next part of their conversation. 

Also of note, when Daisy is pressing with the questions, wanting to know why he’s always there for her, she’s leaning forward while he sits back. 

Now though, when the question is a bit more personal, she sits back in a very protective stance. I think she’s a little scared of what he’ll say to her question. Because she realizes that she likes him. A lot. And what if he’s just like a generally good guy and this has nothing to do with her?

But of course, it has everything to do with her as indicated by what Sousa says next. “Not for everyone. It helps if they’re fun to be around, and if they say what they mean, and if they have that super power where they can rock things around which is very impressive.”

And Daisy’s immediate response?? SHE SMILES. Like...this is what she needs and what she wants but what she’s been too afraid to go after. And here it is just falling in her lap.

Now that everything is out in the open, they are both leaning towards each other...

Also I love that she says, “That’s awfully specific” and he doesn’t shy away from her. He just agrees with her. They both know what that really means.

And they both like it

Legit here I was chanting KISS KISS KISS but I thought it was a missed moment

I am so happy I was wrong

So the new plan is to misdirect Enoch by having Sousa go in to take the implant out, but really Sousa is leading Enoch into a fight with him, Mack, May, and Elena and like what a squad

But also this was a super plan, and I wonder if Coulson was involved or if this was Daisy/Sousa original

Either option seems likely

“Next time, same thing but faster” 

Daisy is really good at following instructions y’all

Loop #20

Daisy asks for help and Sousa immediately agrees to help and THAT IS WHAT DID IT FOR DAISY JOHNSON FRIENDS

Like...I know she’s feeling under the gun for time because Coulson said same thing but faster

But also, peak romance is someone just wanting to help her no questions asked which, given her history makes complete sense

She needs a constant, someone who will be there for her no matter what

I feel like this started in some ways with Lincoln. He was just so sweet and helpful to her. And granted he had his own demons to deal with, but in the end he was willing to give up everything to save the world and Daisy herself.

But he also showed Daisy that she could expect love and support and she was worthy of that (even if she doubted it later)

So here’s this guy, who’s just smart and kind and good and clearly into her

So, knowing that this could be one of her lasts chance to do this and realizing that at any rate he’ll totally forget about it anyway, she makes a move

And like this kiss?? It’s hot y’all

You can tell Daisy just like lol Imma kiss him, but then they are both caught in this moment and go back for me

But also he definitely led for that second kiss 

“That was nice” like hahahaha amazing undersell Daisy

And then she traces his collarbone like whoa I need to fan myself for a bit

“Now we need to drop a space robot”

I can’t tell what Sousa is more confused by- that statement or the kiss itself

Imagine being Sousa though. You just got woken up by this beautiful woman who asks for you help then kisses you when you say “Sure thing.”

He’s truly living the dream

Oh also we’re 11 km from the vortex now

It turns out Enoch is the answer to all our problems

But also we have to kill him in the process :(

And then poor Simmons has a breakdown over leaving Alya presumably, but also she’s a better mom than me because after 3 years in space with one of my little super geniuses I’d be more than ready for a vacay idk

I love my kids but they are...a lot

And finally, Loop #21

I guess Daisy left Sousa to sleep for this loop

<1 km from the vortex too eek

Enoch immediately understands what is happening :(

I love that Enoch has reached the point where he feels like this entire crew is his family and would sacrifice themselves for him

Enoch didn’t feel lonely until he had friends :((

This whole thing is breaking my heart...not just Enoch in the process of dying, but Coulson actually talking about his deaths and Daisy having to try and process all this

“Yet, this is the nature of families. I have seen it countless times on countless worlds. People arrive so we celebrate, and people leave us, so we grieve. We do what we can with the time in between, but the cycle is always there. No one escapes it. Not even me.”

This really got to me. My family has changed a lot through the years. People have come and gone. Babies have been born. People have died. And nothing I do can change this cycle. Sometimes it makes me happy; sometimes it hurts. But nothing I do can change that process, and that’s not always easy for me to accept.

I think Daisy and Coulson are having a moment here too, where Daisy is telling both Coulson and Enoch that even though they are not human, that doesn’t make them any less alive to the people who love them

RIP Enoch, you were the bestest Chronicom to ever robot

And of course we get one last buzzkill with Nathaniel and Kora

Queen Kora you deserve better

Ok first some timeloop math. We saw 21 loops on screen, but loop #5 was loop #90 for Coulson. So if we figure Daisy died say...every 10-15 ish time loops and it took her 2 or 3 to wake Coulson up, we can probably add an additional 25 time loops or so. So we’re probably looking at around 130 loops roughly.

Of course this begs the question, did Daisy decide to kiss Sousa more than once? It’s possible. I kind of like to think she did. 

First of all, mad props to Joel for nailing that death scene. He was absolutely incredible. And clearly this episode rates 1000000000/10 on the Dousy scale because like...everything. The talk, the kiss, the sacrifice...amazing. I was 95% sure I was getting ending Dousy after this. This episode also gets 50000/10 on the Teamwork! scale because our team did so well and were strongest when they worked together. And of course Enoch gets a 10000000000000000/10 on the Good Chronicom scale because he legit was the bestest Chronicom that could ever not-live.

Since we’re in a timeloop and not in a particular time period, I’m going with the Dousy-est of songs, “peace” by Taylor Swift.

[wisteria-lodge]

Character Analysis - Sorting Sherlock Holmes (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

a quick note on why I’m moving away from the HP terminology

So @sortinghatchats is brilliant. Absolutely my favorite character (and person!) analysis system. Instead of one house, you get two - a PRIMARY (your motivation, why you do things), and a SECONDARY (your toolbox, how you get things done.) A very stripped down refresher --

IDEALIST PRIMARY Lion/Gryffindor - I do what I feel is right. (MORAL) Bird/Ravenclaw - I do what I decide is correct. (LOGICAL) LOYALIST PRIMARY Badger/Hufflepuff - I do what helps my community (PEOPLE MATTER) Snake/Slytherin - I do what helps me/my inner circle (MY PEOPLE MATTER)

IMPROVISATIONAL SECONDARY Lion/Gryffindor- Charge! React! Smash the system! Snake/Slytherin- Transform, adapt, find the loophole. BUILT SECONDARY Bird/Ravenclaw - Plan, make tools, gather information. Badger/Hufflepuff - Community-build, caretake, call in favors.

Now let’s talk Sherlock Holmes!!!

***

Mycroft Holmes has a terrifying Bird secondary. He knows everything. He sees everything. He holds all the information in his head, all the time, and can tell you exactly how it connects. “Spymaster Mycroft” didn’t become proper fanon until 1970: in the books he’s more like a human computer, or a Mentat from Dune. This man is incapable of improvising. He hates casual conversation, hates changing his routine, just wants to sit and process and plan. He is the cartoon version of a Bird secondary.  

Mycroft is so insanely ‘big picture’ that he barely notices specific individuals. He’s off in in the corner thinking about currency regulation and the situation in Siam. In “The Greek Interpreter” he hears about a woman who might be starving to death… and sort of vaguely puts it on his to-do list. Sherlock ends up handling it.

You could make a case for either a Bird or Lion primary. But I’m going with Lion. Mycroft values instinct like Lions do (”All my instincts are against this explanation.”) And Sherlock describes him as someone who “would rather be considered wrong than take the trouble to prove himself right.” This is teasing, but it’s a joke about a Lion who just sort of feels the answer, not a Bird who needs a reason to be correct. Mycroft’s Cause, the one we see him respond to emotionally, is the smooth functioning of his world. He has a little pocket carved out for his brother, but if he had to choose between the country that he embodies and Sherlock Holmes�� well-being, it’d be England every time.

Knowing that Mycroft has that much power but doesn’t care about individual people makes Sherlock... uncomfortable. It takes him a while to even mention his brother to Watson. And then he lies about how important Mycroft’s job is. Thematically, this where Moriarty comes in. James Moriarty – the older genius hiding deep in the establishment, running a criminal empire from behind a tenured professorship, never getting his hands dirty – is Dark Mycroft. Because Sherlock is pretty sure his brother is one of the good guys. He’s pretty sure Mycroft isn’t going to break bad and go full-on ‘ends justify the means’ supervillain.

But… like… he could.

Sherlock Holmes is also defined by his Bird secondary. His deductions, data, knowledge of crime – it’s his loudest trait. But it’s a model. He tells us it’s a model. This “habit of observation and inference which I formed into a system” is something he built – and honestly, he probably built it for Mycroft. The Holmes brothers don’t do conversations, they have deduction games. Sherlock never wins, but at least he plays on Mycroft’s level.

(Everything about Sherlock Holmes makes more sense when you think about Mycroft. Like the “brain-attic” metaphor. How did Sherlock get this idea that there’s some fast-approaching limit to the actual pieces of information he can fit in his head at once? Because he knows someone with far, far greater processing power).

Underneath this logical Bird secondary model, Sherlock Holmes has something that looks a lot more Snake He’s moody and mercurial. He improvises on the violin to help himself think. He loves acting. He loves disguises. He crushes on Irene Adler because their Snake secondaries have so much fun playing together. And when it’s important, Holmes goes full-on Snake. Need to get Watson away from Moriarty? Better forge a letter sending him on a fake errand.

And as far as primaries go...  he’s a Badger. Sherlock Holmes cares about people. Oh wow does he care about people. If he doesn’t protect his client, it’s not a win – even if he solved the case with some brilliant bit of detection. He despises blackmailers, because they destroy lives in a cold, impersonal way. (At least murderers care.) He doesn’t mean to upset people with his deductions, and apologizes when he gets too coldly Bird: “Pray accept my apologies. Viewing the matter as an abstract problem, I had a forgotten how personal and painful a thing it might be to you.” When Watson talks about the “depth of loyalty and love which lay behind that cold mask,” Holmes is thirty seconds away from going vigilante killer because somebody hurt John Watson.

But the feeling isn’t just Watson-centric. Holmes doesn’t require Watson at his side the way a Snake would, because as long as he knows Watson is safe and happy, he is content. Holmes need-bases. It’s important that he works for people who need him. He generally dislikes working for the rich or upper-class (Soviet Russian Sherlock Holmes was totally a thing, they didn’t have to change much). He also has a *real* problem with overworking himself, which is very much a Badger primary and not Snake primary thing to do

He even community-builds. His Baker Street Irregulars, his connections over at Scotland yard, his tribe of interesting contacts and informants. Holmes values community. To him, community = safe. He loves London, but isolated rural areas makes him nervous:

“[in London] there is no lane so vile that the scream of a tortured child, or the thud of a drunkard’s blow, does not beget sympathy and indignation among the neighbors, and then the whole machinery of justice is ever so close that a word of complaint can set it going... But look at these lonely houses, each in its own fields… think of the deeds of hellish cruelty, the hidden wickedness which may go on, year in, year out, in such places, and none the wiser.”

And don’t get me wrong. Holmes loves his double Bird armor. It makes him feel powerful, and hides the fact that he cares so damn much. He likes to pretend he doesn’t: to care is to be weak, ineffective, and untrustworthy. (Mycroft is probably to blame for this bit of thinking too.) But Sherlock Holmes is still able to take off his Bird. He takes it off around Watson. 

Dr. John Watson is a bright charging Lion secondary who is completely incapable of telling a lie. He’s ex-military. He’s Holmes’ muscle/backup. He’s got a gambling problem. And the thing about Holmes and Watson’s dynamic is that while Holmes calls the shots about 90% percent of the time, when it’s important – Watson goes full unstoppable-force Lion. And Holmes just buckles.

“Well, I don’t like it ; but I suppose it must be,” said I. “When do we start?” “You are not coming.” “Then you are not going,” said I. “I give you my word of honor – and I never broke it in my life – that I will take a cab straight to the police station and give you away unless you let me share this adventure with you” “You can’t help me.” “How do you know that? You can’t tell what may happen. Anyway, my resolution is taken.” Holmes had looked annoyed, but his brow cleared, and he clapped me on the shoulder. “Well, well, my dear fellow, be it so.”

Watson’s absolutely a Lion Primary too. First going into medicine, then joining the army even when that’s not the best career move? At the beginning of A Study in Scarlet, Watson is in terrible shape. Can’t sleep. Can’t stand loud noises. He’s “spending such money as I had considerably more freely than I ought.” But it’s not so much the PTSD as it is the the lack of purpose that’s getting to him. He talks a lot about his “meaningless existence” and how how “objectiveless was my life.” That’s a hurting, burned Lion, without a Cause.

And then Sherlock Holmes stumbles in. Overnight Watson’s life has meaning. He is going to help Holmes bring criminals to justice. He is going to make sure Holmes gets the recognition he deserves. And he’s going to get him clean. (ACD gets massive kudos for being against recreational cocaine and morphine use). The things Watson loves about Holmes, things like his “high sense of professional honor” – those are things that get under the skin of a Lion Primary. This is a guy with pictures of abolitionist preachers framed on his wall. John Watson’s not subtle. 

“You don’t mind breaking the law?” [said Holmes] “Not in the least.” “Nor running a chance of arrest?” “Not in a good cause.” “Oh, the cause is excellent!” “Then I am your man.”

And of course, Holmes got lucky in Watson too. Holmes is a Loyalist primary who distrusts other Loyalist primaries – you can’t really blame him, he comes across so many repulsive ones in his day job. (Interestingly, the handful of times Holmes absolutely misreads a motive – “Yellow Face,” “Missing Three-Quarter,” “Scandal in Bohemia” – it’s because he’s going up against a Loyalist primary who is using their powers for good.) 

But Watson is a trustworthy, dependable, predicable, honorable, Idealist who can  look like a Loyalist because his Cause is so focused on one person. So Holmes can be secure in his doctor’s devotion while also getting to lean on the instincts of someone just unflinchingly moral.

tl;dr

Mycroft Holmes – Lion Bird. An extremely big picture Lion whose Cause involves keeping England together. He’s the light-side counterpart of Professor Moriarty.

Sherlock Holmes – Badger Snake. Builds a loud Double Bird model, partly for pleasure, partly have a relationship with his brother, and partly because dealing with so many low-life Loyalist primaries makes him distrust those instincts in himself.

Dr. John Watson - Double Lion. When we meet him he’s pretty burned, due to his twin Causes of Queen and Country not really working out. Luckily, he meets Sherlock Holmes, and finds a new Cause in him.

[sugar-petals]

Hav u done predictive readings for who the boys will end up with & how their career will go etc?

a 2020 career prediction i’ll publish at the end of december! their future partner we’re doing now. i added some angel oracle cards today ♡ those describe the theme of their relationship.

Jungkook: QUEEN OF CUPS

Hallelujah! Oh yeah. That’s an ideal card, picture perfect. The Queen of Cups is quite possibly one of the best partner allegories to have because a) Cups rule smoothness of relationships and emotions and b) she’s a royal card which indicates a highly developed state of mind where things finally come to fruition unlike with the aces and pages. Jungkook will mean so, so much to his partner. That’s a twin flame or soulmate connection we’re talking here. A really beautiful and dignified person, a little touchy feely, but experienced with love. They can really depend on another. Maybe they’re from Busan like him or the shore generally, the sea plays an important role for the Queen of Cups. There are tiny little cherubs on the card, I’m thinking he’ll be treated like an angel. It’s a very healthy relationship that leaves nothing left to be desired. As for looks: It might be a blonde, taller person whose favorite color is blue. There are cliffs on the card that remind me of Cornwall’s coast. The English theme is pretty consistent in his readings lmao we’re dealing with an excellent speaker. And, because it’s a court card with quite abundant imagery, it’ll be a S/O of quite some status. I am sure the person will be known to us already, or at least a big deal within his or her family. It’s queen energy, so the mom friend is right on their way into JK’s heart. Another aspect is that his partner might be rather spiritually inclined — mind you, every person is spiritual, how aware you are makes the difference — or even psychic. Water signs ahead; Pisces, Scorpio, Cancer.

— angel card: “Playfulness — To bring about romantic feelings, allow your youthfulness to shine with delight.”

Taehyung: THE EMPRESS

Yet another powerful female archetype, this reading does not mince words.  And also a very wholesome outlook, it’s very similar to the Queen of Cups vibe, or Queen of Pentacles if we’re looking at other tarot suits. I was really happy when I saw this card come out. The Empress almost always signifies kids, the theme is fertility. Taehyung will live a very lavish life with this partner. The card has so much opulence and positivity on it. Nature, food, pillows, ample garments, jewelry, good weather, and harvest time. And, of course, the Empress is fairly curvy, so expect either Taehyung gaining weight in the future or his partner being chubby. It’ll be the good life, in a good place, with the right person. There’s a settled and satiated feeling there. Stagnation could be possible after a while because this card gets too cozy. However, loyalty and a ripe sexual life are like glue to the union so I don’t see Taehyung stress anytime soon there. The card gives me plenty of clues how his home will look like as well, it’s highly decorated and comfortable. Interestingly enough, we see a huge wheat field surrounding the Empress — hence the card symbolizes fertility — so I wonder whether Taehyung’s dream of getting involved in farming will play out. I mean… coincidence? The countryside will take on an important role in any case, maybe with photography as well. Tae marrying a farmer’s girl, who knows! Beautiful card, definitely. It’s a good prospect for him. The Empress is major arcana so, this state of happiness will last him for a giant while and it’s destined. The boy will shed a tear no more. 

— angel card: “Attraction — you receive love by enjoying the moment.”

Yoongi: KNIGHT OF SWORDS

It’s the fastest card of the tarot! The power of swords paired with a knight on his speedy horse is quite a combination. Yoongi’s future partner is not going to waste time to charge right into sweet honey boy’s life. We’re dealing with a hothead, athlete, extrovert. I don’t think Yoongi has to do as much as crook a single finger to get things going. In fact, he’s the one waiting it out. He’ll just lean back and poof there is his significant other bursting into his life. Though I gotta say, the Knight of Swords has a detriment and that is: He leaves as fast as he arrives, and you have to be sure of your boudaries. Major burnout dangers there. The relationship might be short compared to say Namjoon’s or Tae’s reading. It’s Yoongi’s part to make this last if that’s what he’s going for. It’s a sword card, there have to be efforts and mental clarity involved to solve the problem. Though, someone rushing towards their love interest with so much passion has a good reason why he or she does that. Yoongi could get snatched away by someone else, with so many people interested in him you really have to be determined. With the archetype being a knight I also know it’s going to be someone younger than him, there’s a certain rebellion to the card. It has military energy. Yoongi’s partner will be one outrageous and direct person. They are 100% unafraid to face off with Yoongi, they have better comebacks than the master of sharp remarks himself. When it comes to sex, Yoongi will probably forget his own damn name after that ride. This person is wild as hell. It’s not a fellow sleepyhead as we saw in the ideal type reading, but a S/O bringing him out of his dreamy world. There’s a strong encouragement for Yoongi to achieve a lot more when he enters that relationship, it’s a power up to be expected here.

— angel card: “Worth the Wait — Divine timing predicates your relationship.”

Namjoon: TEN OF PENTACLES

Nice! Wow. The tarot says Namjoon is blessed. This is the card of wealthy, happy old age. He’s headed right for it already. In all tarot suits, the 10 indicates fulfillment. E.g. the Ten of Cups shows relationship completion because cups stand for love, the Ten of Swords shows total defeat because swords symbolize conflict, the Ten of Wands signifies complete effort/exhaustion since wands represent impetus. So the Ten of Pentacles equals coming full circle in terms of material things as pentacles are responsible for all tangible value in life. He’ll be living blissfully with his S/O. Everything is cared for. We’re talking long-term relationship here. The card shows an old man settled in his favorite coat and spot. Namjoon has a kind of master plan to gently arrive in his 80s, 90s. It’s not a surprise, we know he looks ahead, the tarot is aware of it, too. And yes: He will finally be able to answer his question “Who the hell am I?”. Ten of Pentacles means: Identity found. I had to wipe away a tear for that one man. I think it has to do with the location. The setting of the card is like a polished type of town with castles. A bit Italian, Mediterranean. Not as modern as say Seoul, bigger cities. It could be him moving to a warm country where things are slow, antique, and indulgent. I once said Namjoon has a type of European mindset going on, if he moves there it with his loved one or his partner is European it wouldn’t be shocking. There are two dogs on the card so, Joon will have pets involved in the partnership. The 10 of Coins also shows a couple immersed in a chat. His S/O is primarily someone he can talk to about the world, it’s a very conversation-heavy union. Now, the old man on the card could also show that he finds another old soul— we’ve had that topic come up in the other readings as well, the tarot is sure he’ll meet someone on par. Earth sign energy here.

— angel card: “Love Without Fear — Open your heart to give and receive the highest of energies.”

Hobi: THREE OF PENTACLES

Even more pentacles. Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn is possible. His partner is a darn good team player, their friendship bond is strong. First thing that came to my mind, they’ll build a house together or get busy working around their home in some kind of way, that’s interestingly enough the central theme I get from the card. Distribution of chores and general tasks is a big thing, and they’ll be planning a gazillion industrious things from what I got through the imagery. There’s an abbot, architect/craftsman, and monk seen on that card working on a church wall embellishment. One gives directions, the other has drawn a sketch that illustrates what kind of decor the abbot wants to have on the church wall, and the third guy does the crafting, hammer and chisel in hand. It’s not a love-related card per see so it’s important to point that out. It could hint at some pretty huge artistic collaborations coming our way instead. If you combine that, it could happen in a way like… Hoseok gets with someone he collaborated/collaborates with sometime soon, or a little later. Yup. Chicken noodle soup with Becky G on the side! Their chemistry is amazing and she is so cute, it’s very much possible. Or, in a wider sense, it’s someone from an upcoming project. That’s interesting. It seems quite sure that Hoseok won’t retire after BTS even if he’s pretty damn rich already, he’ll stay in the industry and foster (=embellish) his career with a strategy behind it much like the abbot on the card. We’ll get to know his partnership(s) along the way, but the tarot says it’s not top priority. Pentacles are earth sign energy so Mercury, Saturn and Venus are what will dictate that union, it’s the overall pragmatic energy that’s taking center spot. Also, since the church is so prominent on the card, Hoseok is working towards marriage nine times out of ten. 

— angel card: “Fresh Love — A new person has stirred your romantic feelings.”

Jimin: FIVE OF SWORDS

That one is… sigh. The odd one out in this post. How do I put it. It’s a series that just doesn’t break. Jimin constantly gets the messy cards and not so love-friendly swords when I do relationship readings on him. There is something going on and I kind of hate it already. But the tarot is being adamant so we have to decipher what’s going on and see the resolution, there’s more to it than just the cards doing him dirty. The Five of Swords pictures a battle aftermath with a mischievous winner and two defeated parties walking away sore. The winner picks up the weapons left behind to hoard then. So when it comes to his future S/O, we’re talking someone wants to play win-lose with Jimin’s insecurities and will get away with it because they’re strong, sly, and full of themselves. They don’t have his best interests in mind, especially when quarrels go down. Lack of harmony overshadows the relationship. There’s some major bullshit and that’s scary. The partner is like a leech, leaving only Jimin pissed, it’s not a lose-lose situation, things are wholly unequal. Picking on Jimin leaves their ego inflated and intensifies resentment. Working against each other over working with another is going on. Jimin has to walk away from that situation and mend his wounds, and never return. It’ll be a period of growth in his life ahead where he becomes aware just how giving too much and being defeated by that does him no good, as well as learning how to spot douchebags who don’t care about him. The Five of Swords is among the quintessential breakup card, it’ll be what defines his future relationship unless or until he has the grit to stop the fight and search for equity and affection instead of put-downs.

— angel card: “You Deserve Being Loved — You’re worthy of love.”

Jin: SIX OF PENTACLES

Pentacles, pentacles everywhere. I see that the hyungs have some financial themes going on, Jin’s card is emblematic of that. First let’s have a look what’s going on with the imagery. A wealthy man holds a scale on this card. He distributes coins to poor men kneeling before him. It’s an interesting symbol for a relationship, if not for another more important area of Jin’s life which could very well be philanthropy. He is the wealthy man on the card, sharing in just ways as the scale indicates. That could be providing for his partner a lot or simply doing charity together with them. I do have to say, and that is similar to Hoseok’s card, I don’t see too much of a romantic theme here which is surprising, but the tarot knows its ways. Some members might be doing partnerships much later in life or eschew them. With Jin here, I get a sense that business relations and deals will be an overarching theme in the near future. It could be the situation with his dad’s business in Germany the card is hinting at, and if marriage is involved, there’s a major exchange of valuable ideals and things involved between parties. A recurring theme is class difference though, the same popped up in the last reading. Jin’s status will be much, much higher but he can tip things into balance with a fairness mindset, Libra energy. A huge gap will be bridged. Last but not least, mea culpa: I think I’ve been missing the obvious interpretation there. The signs are everywhere in the cards for his readings, and oh my god: Jin is the member who’ll get together with a fan. 

— angel card: “Children — Kids will have an influence on your love life.”