#bird-proofing AC

[super-fast-safety-nets]

Keep Your AC Safe: Installing Pigeon Nets for Air Conditioning

Protecting your air conditioner (AC) from pigeons is essential for maintaining its efficiency and longevity. Super Fast Safety Nets Bangalore offers expert tips for installing pigeon nets:

1. Choosing the Right Pigeon Net

Selecting the appropriate netting ensures effective protection:

Material: Opt for durable, weather-resistant netting that withstands outdoor conditions.

Mesh Size: Choose a mesh size small enough to prevent pigeons from entering while allowing proper airflow.

Custom Solutions: Super Fast Safety Nets Bangalore provides tailored nets to fit various AC sizes and configurations.

2. Professional Installation

Proper installation is crucial for optimal performance:

Expertise: Rely on Super Fast Safety Nets Bangalore’s experienced team for precise installation.

Secure Attachment: Ensure the net is securely attached around the AC unit to prevent birds from accessing it.

3. Long-Term Benefits

Investing in quality netting offers several advantages:

Cost Savings: Prevents damage to AC components, reducing repair and maintenance costs.

Efficiency: Maintains AC performance by keeping out debris and nesting materials.

Health and Safety: Minimizes health risks associated with bird droppings and feathers.

4. Aesthetic Considerations

Choose nets that enhance your property’s appearance:

Transparent Options: Opt for transparent nets that blend seamlessly with the surroundings.

Enhanced Property Value: Protect your property while maintaining its aesthetic appeal.

5. Maintenance Tips

Ensure the longevity of your pigeon net with regular maintenance:

Cleaning: Periodically clean the netting to remove debris and maintain airflow.

Inspection: Regularly inspect the net for wear and tear, repairing any damages promptly.

Conclusion

Installing pigeon nets for your air conditioning unit with Super Fast Safety Nets Bangalore ensures reliable protection against pigeons while preserving AC efficiency and aesthetics. For professional installation and quality netting solutions, contact Super Fast Safety Nets Bangalore today and safeguard your AC unit effectively.

[luxthestrange]

OP Incorrect quotes#52 DIVORCE!?!-

Teen!Ace*Looks at You with a raised brow*So does this mean we're married now?

Teen!Y/n: Only if I get to keep the dog and pinball machine in the divorce

Teen!Ace: Well if you're already planning for a divorce-

Teen!Y/n: Alright!, Since you wanna have an attitude, I get to keep the squirrel-proof bird feeder as well~

Teen!Ace: How DARE you!... GO FOR THE BIRD FEEDER

Teen!Y/n: I was trying to keep things civil, But if you want to raise your voice too, FINE...I am taking ALL the spoons too~, Enjoy the inconvenience of not being able to eat your cereal in a normal way~

Teen!Ace: I don't eat cereal, Because im not a child

Teen!Y/n*Flips table and points at him* -AND THIS IS WHY WE'RE GETTING A DIVORCE!?

Kid!Luffy"First son"*Clapping at the act, after he convinces You, and Ace to play House with him along with Sabo*Oooh!~If you guys get a divorce maybe it's time to bring Sabo!

Teen!Sabo*Chuckling at this*"New Husband...who is also the good twin of the husband"So this would mean me and y/n would be married?~

[homeofhousechickens]

On Thursday someone called the cops on my birds for a wellness check (the cops not animal control!) It was in retaliation towards my landlady and we do know who likely made the false report due to the information they gave. Just another stressful thing I have been going through.

The police requested I get proof my birds are well taken care of pets even though animal control came by while they were there and said everything looked great. The AC guy really loved Mr.Ben in particular.

So here is the sweet letter my vet wrote. I censored the clinics information and my deadname for obvious reasons.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

last set of tsumsitter ssr groovies 👀

THE TIME HAS COME

First is Pomefiore!! (Edit: The initial version of this Groovy is on the left; Rook is missing the golden Pomefiore markings on his robes. There was an update to fix this. The updated version is on the right.)

The trio is framed by a border of colorful lights, which reminds me a lot of old-fashioned movie theater signs (though not as colorful). If you look closely at the top and bottom, it seems they are posed for a candid photograph and it’s being posted to Magicam or something?? Rook and Epel look super crisp here, which I love!! I think Epel is posing with his hands held behind his back. This paired with his smile and the slight bird’s eye view of his face makes him look super cute please don’t beat me up for saying that, Epel. And Rook is being showy and familiar as usual, even putting one hand on Vil’s shoulder. Vil isn’t cringing or uncomfortable with it, which goes to show that he and Rook are truly good friends.

As for Vil, it’s rare to see him posed casually like this. Most of his cards feature him posed in very “model”-like and mature ways, so to have just one hand on hip, leaning forward slightly, and gripping his grimoire is unique for him (I mostly associate this pose with Ace, lol). His smile is quite casual too—it’s not quite the full catty smirk he has in his live2D model, it’s a lot more subtle and playful.

BahacTeHWWRVwkkwwm YHE VIL TSUM STeALS THE SHOW ThoUGH 😭 (You can tell it’s smiling despite the lack of a visible mouth) from how its eyes!! The placement of the Tsum is also funny. With Pomefiore’s peacock throne in the background, it forms sort of an angelic halo around… the sentient stuffed toy… Proof that Tsum Vil is a heavenly being/j

Next is Ignihyde!!

The Shroud brothers return to Cyberspace, that blue void with tons of ethereal floating screens, particle effects, and code www I don’t know what those three pink balls of flame are in the background, but there being three of them is a consistent theme for Ignihyde. Three pink fireballs, three Shroud brothers, three heads of Cerberus! I wish I could say more here, but I’m basically a Malleus when it comes to tech—

Idia’s pose isn’t anything we haven’t seen before (just at different angles of it, I suppose). But!! It feels different here and adding Ortho definitely adds to it. The Pokémon trainer energy of the initial art carries over to the Groovy. Idia looks like a smug, tough trainer looking down on you with a cocky grin and his face half-shadowed.

Ortho floats almost menacingly next to his big brother, his face entirely shadowed. His aura is like a phantom (fitting) or even like a Pokémon on standby waiting for the chance to fire off a Hyper Beam. This might be me overthinking things, but I wonder if the amount of light on the brothers’ faces references the original Ortho. Robo!Ortho’s face is entirely darkened because his parallel has passed on. Idia’s face is only partially shadowed because while he was close to stepping over to the “other side”, he ultimately found hope and was able to continue living, this time for himself and on his own terms.

I LIKE HoW TSUM IDIA HAS ITS OWN sCREEN TO WORK OFF OF TOO 😭 IBRO IS MAkING A sUS FACE TOO, IT’S GLEEfUL AbOUT WhAtEVRr it’S UP TO… That makes me think that it’s hard at work… I dunno, hacking something systems fnksgwiwozlapaeb Watch out, a Tsum near you might infect your computer and then bounce away happily after ruining all your programs and files.

Last but not least… Diasomnia!! THIS ONE’S MY fAVORITE OF THE SSR TSUMSITTER GROUP, WHICH I WAs NOT EXPecTING AT ALL 🤡

The violet backlight is fantastic—it adds an interesting lighting to the illustration and highlights the green flames and Silver and Sebek’s bright eyes. And speaking of Sebek and Silver, LOOK AT THEM JUST LOOK AT THEM???????? More specifically, Sebek’s arms (they look ultra meaty somehow) and Silver’s whole face(that lopsided smile??? HELLO?????)!! On either side of Malleus like that… Peak bodyguard, I REPEAT, PEAK BODYGUARD

With Lilia bringing up the rear, the three form a perfect squad to surround and to protect their liege. cbsjsbevejwlw I like that Lilia is different than Silver and Sebek; he’s hanging out upside down (as he usually does) and bears a huuuge grin, completely having fun in the moment. (… How does his hat stay on like that when he’s fighting gravity though?)

Up front and center is Malleus of course! He’s wielding his spindle staff like a king might a scepter. This with his fierce face gives the impression of a leader marching into battle with his retainers. You get a real good shot of his teeth and reptilian eyes here which I’m sure the Malleus stans are going feral for right now—and with the limelight shining down on him, he looks almost hopeful for once instead of downtrodden or gloomy.

THE TSUM MALLEUS LOOKS SO FUNKY PLACED tHERE cnsnwveuxvDFsFjqk Just. Cheekily There on Malleus’s shoulder… Because Maleficent and Diablo is a known combination, the image of those two as master and minion comes to mind. Imagine Malleus blasting you with lightning, pausing to listen to his Tsum whispering a suggestion into his ear, and then telling you the Tsum has advised that he blast you with a second strike 💀

Aaaaaah, the Tsumsitter SSR Groovies are some of the best in this game 😭 So glad they’re finally over though, it’s stressful saving rolls for what you know would be a limited event with multiple SSR banners, lol

[ventique18]

Briar Valley's low population has me thinking. "What if Fae in general just aren't very fertile? What if they just don't like sex?" But then again they say children are very precious to them and that they are a blessing. Then again Mrs. Zigvolt with her three children in the span of 2~3 fae equivalent years (20-30 years) exists.

So in Disney fashion, it's possible that Fae might adhere to the Chosen Mates trope popular in fae fiction. Lilia has never had any bastard children even though he's travelled all around the world for centuries and is described as rather attractive in-game. Could it be that he's never been interested in romance nor intimacy after (possibly) Raverne and Maleanor? It could be that he's just Aroace of course, but it's also possible that he doesn't want to choose a mate, because Jack did mention in Ace's Groom vignette that soulmates exists in Twisted Wonderland. And we can't forget Maleficia of course. We see that the Draconias might be the last dragons in Twisted Wonderland, yet she's never shown any effort nor interest to save their dying species after her husband's death. We don't know if this applies to all fae in general, but we have one proof at least that dragon fae might bond for life.

I really find the mates trope fitting for them. In biology, while a lot of animals don't really have a concept of monogamy because they need to breed as much as possible, long-lived animals like humans do because it takes a lot of time and energy to raise their young safely. Most birds are also monogamous because eggs need to be guarded as closely as possible. So since Fae are long-lived, some may hatch from eggs, and they value children as wonderful blessings, I think it's safe to assume that they're romantic in nature and value a tightly-knit, loving family like the Zigvolts do.

[aventurineswife]

Welcome to my HSR Masterlist 7!

Here, you'll find HSR fanfictions, headcanons, and maybe a few surprises along the way.

Feel free to send in your requests!

Incorrect Quotes/Chats: (26), (27), (28), (29), (30), (31)

A World Turned Upside Down | Boothill, Argenti, Ratio x Reader

Beyond the Paper | Sunday, Dan Heng, Ratio, Aventurine x Reader

Three Hearts, One Love | Kaveritas x Reader

Time Tastes Sweeter with You | March x Reader

“Hold me tight, never let me go” | Dan Heng, Sunday, Caelus x Reader

“Risk it all, for a chance at a life worth living” | Aventurine x NB!Reader

For the Love of Chaos | Aventurine, Ratio, Sampo, Moze x Reader

A Hand to Hold Through | Yanqing, Natasha, March, Aventurine x Reader

“Behind every mask, there's a person” | Aventurine x Reader

“Birds of a feather, we should stick together” | Astral Express x Reader

Breaking Point | Jiaoqiu, Dan Heng, Aventurine x Reader

“Fools Rush In” | Aventurine x Reader

“Would You Chase the Cat or the Shadow?” | Aventurine, Childe, Ratio, Moze x Reader

When the Beast Holds You | Aventurine, Sampo, Boothill x Werewolf!Reader

“You can just change in here if you want” | Aventurine, Jiaoqiu x Reader

The Smartest Kids in the Room | Dan Heng, Aventurine, Ratio x Reader

Unspoken Games | Jiaoqiu, Ratio, Aventurine x Reader

Step Into the Unknown | Sunday, Ratio, Aventurine, Phainon x Reader

An Elegance of Flaws | Aventurine, Ratio, Ruan Mei, The Herta, Screwllum x Viktor!Reader

First Words, Forever Bonds | Jiaoqiu, Dan Heng, Aventurine x Female!Reader

A Promise of Healing | Aventurine, Ratio, Jiaoqiu, Dan Heng x Reader

A Fragile Ace | Aventurine x Reader

“You deserve all the comfort you give to others” | Dan Heng x Reader

Fighting My Way Back to You | Aventurine x Lawyer!Reader

“You don’t have to run anymore. I’m right here” | Sunday, Aventurine, Argenti x Reader

Luck’s A Lie | Aventurine x Reader

No Footprints in the Snow | Sunday x Reader

Second Chances and Forgotten Dreams | Aventurine, Ratio, Kaveh x Reader

“We Made Love, and I Bear the Proof” | Ratio, Kaveh, Alhaitham x Male!Reader

Even After All This Time | Dan Heng x Reader

A Celebration Of You | Aventurine, Jiaoqiu, Phainon x Reader

“You don’t have to carry the weight alone” | Jiaoqiu x Reader x Moze

Lost in the Pages | Ratio x Reader

You’ll Never Walk Alone | Jiaoqiu, Aventurine, Dan Heng x Female!Reader

“Welcome Aboard the Disaster Express!” | Astral Express x Reader

Beauty That Burns Bright | Argenti x Yomiya!Reader

Gorgeous, Not Fine | Aventurine, Kaveh x Reader

Patience and Strategy | Dan Heng, Ratio, Aventurine, Sunday x Reader

With a Heart Like a Bullet | Boothill x Shapeshifter!Reader

You Deserve Something Good | Aventurine x Reader

Some Things Just Stick | Dan Heng, Boothill, Blade x Jinx!Reader

The Tide Pulls Us Closer | Siren!Aventurine x Pirate!Reader

“I never meant to hurt you, but I did” | Sunday, Aventurine, Ratio x Reader

Fate’s Unwritten Path | Mydei x Female!Reader x Phainon

Your Skin, My Careful Study | Ratio x Reader

No Victory Without You | Mydei x Jiyan!Male!Reader x Phainon

The Art of Restraint | Dan Heng, Castorice, Phainon x Sorcerer!Reader

Rest, For the Stars Are Watching | Dan Heng x Reader

Shards of Silence | Sunday, Aventurine, Ratio x Reader

More Than Comrades, Less Than Lovers | Mydei x Female!Reader x Phainon

Where the Winds Converge | Mydei x Helen of Sparta!Reader

More Than Titles, More Than Gold | Dan Heng x Reader

No Rest for the Wicked | Boothill x Reader

A Moment of Rejuvenation | Welt x Reader

“I will wait for you, even when time stands still” | Jing Yuan, Feixiao, Jiaoqiu x Reader

The Long and Winding Road | Jing Yuan x Reader

Lost Souls, Running Together | Blade x Child!Reader

A Helping Hand Along the Way | Pom-Pom x Reader

Eye to Eye, Heart to Heart | Aventurine x Female!Reader

All In, All Yours | Aventurine x Reader

Melancholy Symphony | Robin, Sunday, Aventurine x Mizi!Reader

Lost Soul | Jing Yuan x Vidyadhara!Reader

“Our scars make us who we are” | Robin, Sunday, Feixiao, Blade x Reader

"Truth Was Never Meant to Be Kind" | Anaxa x Reader

A Whisper of Lotus and Rain | Dan Heng x Reader

A Moment of Stillness | Welt, Himeko x Reader

A Heart's Quiet Wish | Jing Yuan, Jiaoqiu x Reader

Sweet as Pomegranate | Dan Heng x Reader

“Rest, My General, the world can wait” | Jing Yuan x Reader

Fragments of You | Boothill, Aventurine, Feixiao x Memokeeper!Reader

Cuddles Over Chaos, Always | Dan Heng x Reader

Some Truths Refuse to Stay Hidden | Aventurine, Ratio, Sampo, Boothill x Reader

“Failure Is a Stepping Stone” | Anaxa x Reader

“You Hear Me Like No One Else” | Welt x Reader

The Rush and the Reckless | Aventurine x Reader

Between Pixels and Reality | Aventurine, Mydei, Phainon x Reader

Clipped Wings and Tethered Fins | Merman!Aventurine x Avian!Reader

The Smartest Dumb Idea | Aventurine x Reader x Ratio

Sweet Names, Sweeter Love | Sunday, Robin, Aventurine, Topaz x Reader

As the Lotus Floats, So Shall You | Dan Heng IL x Reader

“In theory, I’m yours. In practice, I’m worse.” | Anaxa x Reader

A Moment of Peace | Lingsha, Dan Heng x Reader

“Let Me Pamper You” | Jing Yuan, Boothill, Aventurine, Jiaoqiu x Reader

“When Will the Dawn Shine Upon Us?” | Kakavasha/Aventurine

Sipping Coffee, Stealing Time | Himeko x Reader

Sleep Like a King | Jing Yuan x Reader

A Gamble in Every Thread | Aventurine x Reader

Ashes for the Astrarium | An Anaxagorus x Reader Series

To Be Seen | Ratio x Reader

A Leap in the Rain | Dan Heng

“The night is still young, but we're not sleeping” | Silver Wolf, Sunday, Stelle x Reader

Chance and Comfort | Aventurine x Reader

The Sound of Silence | Jing Yuan x Reader

(Read this before making a request!)

[ckret2]

Weird question, but do you think ford is/was repressed or in denial? Filbrick doesn't seem like a very understanding parent, and I notice throughout all the lavish praise Ford heaps on Bill he stops short of outright saying he has a crush, which I think hints at ford being unaware that he has feelings for Bill because You Only Get That for the Opposite Gender (and assumes a god like bill is way above his league). The "girls will talk to me" quote in particular seems very much like someone trying and failing to fit himself into heteronormative standards and just chalking it up to social awkwardness, and the way he clings to Bill reminds me very much of a first gay relationship, where the fear of being rejected is magnified tenfold by thinking that literally no one else in the world will love you. Sorry, this became a whole essay, I just have so many thoughts about billford and have spent hours combing through gf Tumblr analayzing their relationship.

You're asking me about what I actually think is true so that's the perspective from which I'm starting here.

First, let me say that I think headcanons are like dartboards. There are some "canonest" headcanons—even if they're not confirmed true, they feel like they're at the bullseye at the very center of canon-compatible possibilities, the thing most likely to be true if canon were ever to directly explore it.

And then there are the "this isn't what I think they'd actually do if canon were ever to go there, but based on what we currently know this headcanon is still canon-compatible." These are the headcanons that are on the dartboard but on an outer ring, not a bullseye.

I think the "bullseye" interpretation of Ford's sexuality is that he's aromantic. Possibly ace as well, but this isn't as firm—Ford does talk like he finds the idea of a committed romantic relationship bizarre, but he doesn't talk like he doesn't understand the idea of being attracted to someone, making me think maybe he does feel sexual desire.

And if that's what Ford is, then he didn't say he had a crush on Bill because he didn't. He was obsessed with Bill, he considered Bill the most important person in his life, he respected him and admired him and liked him more than anybody else, he'd rather spend time with him than with anyone else... but, it's a platonic obsession. It's not in any way weaker for being platonic instead of romantic, but it's platonic. Queerplatonic relationship type territory.

He talks about girls talking to him someday because, for lack of any better evidence, he assumes he must be heterosexual because he has no positive proof otherwise, so he figures he probably just hasn't met the right girl, right? And he hasn't met the right girl because he's so unpopular no girls want to talk to him. Once he meets the Right Girl, he assumes he'll Get It then—because that's what a lotta aros (and aces!) think for the longest time before it dawns on them that that's never coming. (It's possible he even has been sexually attracted to women, further obscuring his aromanticism from himself. He did date a siren at one point. But tbh I don't think it's highly likely.)

That's my "bullseye" "canonest" interpretation of Ford's sexuality.

Now, my personal "on the outer ring of the dartboard" headcanon is that Ford's sexuality is, in extremely professional terminology, demiromantic monsterfucker.

He has felt sexual attraction, he is not in denial or repressing his sexual attraction in any way, he's accepted this about himself; however, everything he's been attracted to is, like... Mothra. or Cthulhu. or a weird singing fish-bird, i.e. that siren.

80% of the time he's had sex it's not even motivated by sexual desire but by other platonic motives. If the Hide-Behind ever hit on him, he would eagerly accept just to find out and document what Hide-Behind mating behaviors are like without ever once stopping to think "but am I attracted though?" Like he'll have a fine time, he isn't repulsed, but he's not doing it out of desire.

He does have the potential to fall in love—he has the potential to fall in love with Bill—but again, I headcanon he didn't say he had a crush on Bill because he didn't. It was slowly building over the course of several years. He was like 97% of the way there...

... when Bill revealed his evil plan and started torturing Ford.

So it never quite tipped over.

Thirty years later, Ford's got enough self-insight to realize that even though he wasn't "in love" with Bill, he was 1) very close, and 2) feeling something platonically strong enough that ultimately, that slight difference doesn't really matter.

I can also see him as just not feeling, understanding, or caring about the dividing line between romantic and platonic.

In either version of my headcanons, I don't think Ford was "repressed"/"in denial" about having "gay" feelings. He's got enough issues, I'm not interested in tossing internalized homophobia on top of it—especially when from college onward he's all about celebrating outsiders and weirdness. At most he'd be a case of queer ignorance where he hasn't explored himself enough to figure out what he is.

Tbh I don't think he's any more likely to be attracted to human men than he would be to human women—and if he did fully fall in love with Bill, I don't think Bill, O Wondrous Interdimensional Muse Whose Body Is A Frigging Triangle, would ping Ford as "male" enough for Ford to feel like his own attraction is "gay."

[killerplink]

Thoughts on the boys with a s/o who has a chaotic sassy pet?

Be it our overprotective dog, like a husky, who barks at every display of affection and Dick is so flabbergasted bcs this is the first time he's had beef with any four legged friend?

Or Jason with a black lop bunny who angrily thumps it's fluffy feet whenever it sees him and growls(yes bunnies can do that) when he gets close to us?

Or Roy arguing with our two year old African Grey who is very articulate and is fully ready to start shit with him purely out of spite because it has a thing against gingers and Roy has no proof of that fact yet but he *k n o w s*?

And we're just laughing because it's glorious watching our two favourite boys having a go at each other.

Constant chaos in the house because Dick goes through the four stages of denial trying to befriend the husky and eventually one random evening he is finally able to kiss us without said pup attempting to push him out the window at the sight.

Or the lop bunny curled up on Jason's lap as he's reading and it's snuggled under his hand and quietly doing it's bunny purring.

And Roy is having proper conversations with our African Grey and teaching it how to differentiate between different bands and listening to music and getting another opinion on whatever nonsense he's concoting.

NO BECAUSE THIS IS ACTUALLY CINEMA??? 😭 the narrative arcs?? the enemies to lovers trope playing out between your chaotic little gremlins and your hot boyfriends?? it's so unhinged and I love it 😭

Dick Grayson being PERSONALLY OFFENDED that the husky doesn't fall in love with him on sight?? like sir, this has never happened to him before ✋🏻he's out there googling "how to win over territorial dogs" at 3AM while the husky sleeps on HIS side of the bed. he tries treats, affection, belly rubs but every time he leans in to kiss you, there comes that furry little menace like "UNHAND MY MOTHER YOU DICKHEAD" 😭 the drama when he finally gets a tail wag and a kiss without a bark, he's emotional. he's telling Bruce about it like it's a milestone. "he let me hug her, Bruce" lmao

meanwhile Jason acts like he's NOT scared of the bunny. "it's literally a puffball" he says as it growls at him like Satan reincarnated in velvet. BUT you catch him standing like a statue while the bunny thumps once and stares at him 😭 then one day, out of nowhere, bunny decides he's worthy. Jason's reading, it hops up in his lap like "I guess you can stay" 🫠 Jay sits there frozen like he just got knighted. he won't say a word, though. he just gently strokes its ears with the tiniest smile on his face like "nobody breathe or she'll change her mind" 😭

ROY?? POOR ROY IS IN BIRD HELL. the african grey has his number and is not letting up. it mocks his voice. it repeats "ugh Roy 🙄" every time he enters the room, all dramatic and shit 😭 he's trying to be the bigger man but it called him "raggedy red" the other day and he hasn't emotionally recovered 😭 now he's trying to reason with it like it's a roommate. "okay, but what do you have against redheads? that's GINGERPHOBIC, man" 😩 and the parrot just goes "BOO!" and flaps away. you, on the other hand? you're on the couch SOBBING with laughter. Roy insists it's targeted harassment and starts teaching it AC/DC lyrics out of spite. the bird now sings "Back in Black" and Roy swears it's proof they've bonded 😭

it's just you, the love of your life, and a small zoo of emotionally volatile pets who hate your boyfriends until they don't, and it's perfect 😩 thank you so much for this, bestie 😭 it made my day 🥹 hugging you through the screen right now 🫂🫂🫂

[theanxiousbookdevourer]

ACE ATTORNEY - DUAL DESTINIES AND MINOR AAI2 SPOILERS AHEAD //

So it’s been theorized that Simon Blackquill got Taka through the animal therapy program mentioned in AAI2, right?

But have you thought about it? Have you really thought about it?

Have you thought about how Blackquill, a young man who decided to sacrifice his life for the sake of his mentor’s daughter, who sealed off all his emotions, who literally cried so much in prison, he has permanent tear marks on his face (proof below, courtesy of /u/MrBohobe), must have reacted when he was told he was being given a living companion?

And not just a companion. A bird. And we all know how much he loves birds, not just from the official art (POLLY) but the way he talks about the penguins at the aquarium (courtesy of the AA wiki).

This is a man who had resigned himself to having nothing. So when he was given something to raise, to care for, to love… God. It must have been the first glimmer of hope and happiness he had felt in years.

Oh, Simon Blackquill, I love you so.

[bookscandlesnbts]

Candles that Remind Me of Jikook

As promised, this post is dedicated to candles in my collection that remind me of Jikook with some backstory as to why on each of them.

I also did some math. I have been a loyal customer of this candle brand for 8 years. I receive their subscription candle every month and also purchase candles from their season drops.

I have always been obsessed with smell even as a little kid. So it makes sense that two of my collecting hobbies are candles and perfume.

I’m not picky about candle scents but I do have favorite scent categories and honestly spring and summer scents are my favorite. Fall scents are usually my least favorite because there isn’t much variety, and I only like to burn fall scents (add winter too) during those times of year. I burn other scents year round.

Without further ado, here is my list. I will also include if these candles will be available for pre—order tomorrow for retro day and I’ll post her website link. She does ship around the world :)

1. Solar Eclipse ☀️🌙

For obvious reasons, this subscription candle made me think of Jikook instantly. And it smells so good. 🤤. This one is available for retro day! I instantly thought of the iconic Black Swan Jikook pas de deux with the eclipse intro when I saw this candle. I would post an image of it, but I think I’ll hit my image limit before I show the other candles!

2. Love Letter 💌

This was the February Subscription candle release from last year, and I instantly thought of and then listened to Letter 🥹 fun fact: that cursive is also the owners handwriting! And she’s super cool and always donates to charities every month and has good politics and is vocal, so I love supporting her candle company even more. Sadly, this one won’t be available for retro day, and this is the last one that I have. I’ll probably burn it when AYS season 2 premieres.

3. Partners in Crime 🫆

This was a Valentine’s Day main collection release from last year, and it smells like an expensive perfume. I believe it’s a dupe for one actually, but I don’t want to misspeak. Anyway, our all nighter buddies, getting into shenanigans. Role playing during Run BTS, smacking asses. Yep, this candle reminds me of them too. This one is sadly not on the retro day list.

4. Love Birds 💕

This candle smells so incredibly yummy. And what better way to describe Jikook?! Lovebirds indeed. This was another Valentine’s Day collection release. You’d think as an aro-ace that I would have 0 interest in Valentine’s Day themed candles, but usually at least one reminds me of Jikook, and the scents are usually really good too. I’m so sad this one isn’t on the Retro Day list.

5. Golden Hour 🌅

This is a stock photo from the website because I don’t have this candle right now, BUT it is a retro day candle so I will be preordering it tomorrow. This was a summer collection release. And knowing what we know about AYS 2 and how much Jikook love a good romantic sunset?! Bye, I need it.

6. Heart Eyes 😍

Another stock photo because I don’t own this candle at the moment. This is an older Valentine’s Day Collection release (due to it having the older label style). I love the new labels more, but this one is just perfect for Jikook. I’ve never seen two people have more heart eyes for each another than they do. If I added photos as proof, I would reach my photo limit for sure. This one is available for retro day tomorrow.

7. Star Crossed Lovers 💘

This is a wonderful smelling candle from a subscription month that reminds me of Jikook from the caption saying “together against all odds” which may be hard to see in the picture. We know how much BS Jikook have to put up with on a daily basis from antis and toxic ass people, and one of my favorite things about them is that they choose each other all the time regardless. This one isn’t a retro day option unfortunately.

8. Head Over Heels 🥰

This one is very Jikook from the way that they move and orbit around each other. The intimate glances. The small touches. Very head over heels behavior from each of them indeed. Not on the retro day list :(

9. Adventure Awaits ✈️

This one is more of an honorable mention, but with the announcement of AYS Season 2, I will definitely be burning this candle when I watch it. And, I love to burn it close to when I’m going on a trip. This one is available for retro day.

And that concludes my post 😂 sorry that was so long and probably a little silly. If you have any questions further about scent notes, I can try to answer them!

Also, I will include a link to the website in case you want to check out retro day candles (there are 65 options 😱) or just her standard candles on the website. But shhh she can never know that I’m this weird 🫣

[missladym1981]

Ok let’s try this again shall we? Marcus Pike kept getting cut out of my damn photo but I finally got him to stay . Again, sorry. Here once again is the damn ledger.

Top row from left to right

1. King Lear- Edmund

2. Lobby Hero- Jeff

3. Much Ado About Nothing- Don John

4. Maple and Vine - Roger

5. Sand- Ahmed

6. Hamlet- Horatio

7. Trolius and Cressida- Thersites

8. Lorenzaccio-Piero Strozzi

9. Orphans - Phillip

10. Graceland - Juan Badillo

11. Nikita- Liam

12. Red Window- Jay Castillo

13. The Sixth Gun- Special Agent Ortega

14. CSI - Kyle Hartley

15. Old Comedy from Aristophanes Frogs- Diony

16. Body of Proof - Zach Goffman

Second row Left to Right

17. The Mentalist - Marcus Pike

18. Burn Notice : the fall of Sam Ace- Comendante Veracruz

19. Wonder Woman - Ed Indelicato

20. Law and Order SVU- Special Agent Greer

21. Charlie’s Angels- Fredrick Mercer

22. Brothers and Sisters - Zach Wellison

23. Lights Out- Assyrian

24. The Good Wife - Nathan Landry

25. Law and Order- Tito Cabassa

26. Without a Trace- Kyle Wilson

27. Law and Order CI- Reggie Luckman

28. NYPD Blue- Shane “ Dio “ Morrisey

29. Touched by an Angel - Ricky Hauck

30. undressed- Greg

31. Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Eddie

‘Third row Left to Right

32. TWMT- Javi Gutierrez

33. If Beal Street Could Talk- Pietro Alvarez

34. The Great Wall - Pedro Tovar

35. We Can Be Heros - Marcus Moreno

36. WW84- Maxwell Lord

37. Bloodsucking Bastards- Max Phillips

38. Kingsman : The Golden Circle- Agent Whiskey

39. The Equalizer- Dave York

40. Prospect- Ezra

41. Triple Frontier- Frankie Morales

‘Row 4 left to right

42. The Bubble- Dieter Bravo

43. House Comes With A Bird - Nico

44. Strange Way of Life- Silva

45. Freaky Tales- Clint

46. Drive-Away Dolls- Santos

47. The Uninvited- Lucien Flores

48. The Mandalorian - Din Djarin

49.Game of Thrones- Oberyn Mother Fuckin Martell

Final row of epicnessssssss left to right

50. The Materialist- TBA

51. Narcos- Javier Peña

52. The Last of Us- Joel Miller

53. Gladiator ll- General Marcus Acacius

54. Merge Mansion- Tim Rockford

55. SNL- Mr. Ben

56. Fantastic Four- Reed Richards

57. The Wild Robot- Fink

58. Housebroken- Claude

Sorry again for the fuck up. Sometimes shit happens but they are fixed now. Thank you have a good night

[queereads-bracket]

Queer Fiction Free-for-All Book Bracket Tournament: Round 2B

Book summaries below:

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It doesn't matter that the girls often die from the mental strain.

When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister's death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.​

To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia​. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed.

Science fiction, fantasy, science fantasy, retelling, series, young adult

The Thirty Names of Night by Zeyn Joukhadar

Five years after a suspicious fire killed his ornithologist mother, a closeted Syrian American trans boy sheds his birth name and searches for a new one. He has been unable to paint since his mother’s ghost has begun to visit him each evening. As his grandmother’s sole caretaker, he spends his days cooped up in their apartment, avoiding his neighborhood masjid, his estranged sister, and even his best friend (who also happens to be his longtime crush). The only time he feels truly free is when he slips out at night to paint murals on buildings in the once-thriving Manhattan neighborhood known as Little Syria.

One night, he enters the abandoned community house and finds the tattered journal of a Syrian American artist named Laila Z, who dedicated her career to painting the birds of North America. She famously and mysteriously disappeared more than sixty years before, but her journal contains proof that both his mother and Laila Z encountered the same rare bird before their deaths. In fact, Laila Z’s past is intimately tied to his mother’s—and his grandmother’s—in ways he never could have expected. Even more surprising, Laila Z’s story reveals the histories of queer and transgender people within his own community that he never knew. Realizing that he isn’t and has never been alone, he has the courage to officially claim a new name: Nadir, an Arabic name meaning rare.

As unprecedented numbers of birds are mysteriously drawn to the New York City skies, Nadir enlists the help of his family and friends to unravel what happened to Laila Z and the rare bird his mother died trying to save. Following his mother’s ghost, he uncovers the silences kept in the name of survival by his own community, his own family, and within himself, and discovers the family that was there all along.

Featuring Zeyn Joukhadar’s signature storytelling, The Thirty Names of Night is a timely exploration of how we all search for and ultimately embrace who we are.

Literary fiction, magical realism, contemporary, historical fiction, 1930s, lyrical, adult

[britishassistant]

You are giving me ideas for another possible overblot scenario for Villain!Yuu... The current thread I’m crafting is that the League (or more of Crowley) begin to put pressure on the Supervisor to provide proof of their competence, like the one crime that will cement them as worth the title as the Night Raven’s heir. It’s too much and eventually Yuu makes something that really isn’t them. It’s too dangerous, too monstrous, almost too evil. Too bad the minions don’t care. They take the creation and unleash it on city, either to cermet how unworthy Yuu is or frame them.

Anonymous asked: I ended up being inspired by an animation of Joe(AJR) done by a Blackie Sootfur(YouTube), but I ended up considering; what would be the Supervisor’s ‘overblot’? One of the scenarios I thought of was Crowley puts too much pressure on them and they just end up snapping. Whether you want to consider he’s being pressured to pick a heir (by Bad Horse Dr.Horrible), or just decided to use it as an excuse because he feels the suitors are getting too chummy with Yuu, Crowley gives The Supervisor one task. He’s been quite generous to let his baby bird test their wings out by themselves, but they’ve had enough practice by now. It’s time to prove themselves with their magnum opus. Fail, and he’ll pull them out from the running, permanently. They’ll be stuck under his cloak, for the rest of their existence, back in the suffocating dark and feathers. Yuu is driven off the edge by the shear weight of both the consequence and reward, and it scares everyone. Ace and Deuce are constantly physically dragging them from their desk to eat, drink, they haven’t slept in DAYS, and no, fainting doesn’t count. Even Elena isn’t enough to pull them from their downward spiral. I’d have no idea what creation would come from this desperation, but certainly isn’t good for Twstoplis or Yuu themselves.

Thank you for the asks, dear anons!

I SO WANT TO MERGE THESE THEY ARE SO GOOD I AM FROTHIBG AT THE MOUTH AAAGH

There are so many whispers that the pressure is getting to them. That they aren’t ready. So, so many, in spite of all they’ve achieved, all the schemes they’ve concocted, all those lives they’ve touched during their tenure as the Supervisor—!

It’s not enough. Not enough for the League they’re meant to inherit one day. Not enough for the minons they’re meant to lead. Not enough for the Night Raven, their father.

Not enough for them to keep their freedom. Not enough for them to protect their friends.

So, despite how inefficient and ineffective it will be at seizing and maintaining control of the city, Yuu decides that they’ll create one invention that will “have those heroes quaking in terror!” as their father whines. Just one. And then, when the RSA break it as they always do, they can put it in storage under the guise of “making improvements” indefinitely until their father steps down and keep spending time with the people and birds and monster cat thing closest to them.

So the Supervisor rolls up their sleeves, downs the first cup of a truly terrible mixture of coffee and five hour energy, and sets to work.

It may mean skipping meals and delegating bird care. It may mean ignoring their suitors or their friends unless they can provide a flash of inspiration that helps them improve their weapon. But it’ll all be worth it once their plan works, right? They’ve just got to apologize and ask them to wait a little longer, and then everything will go back to the way it was.

But even if it is all going to be theater, it’s got to be convincing, got to put up enough of a fight that the heroes beating it won’t seem like a sure thing. It’s got to be fearsome enough to make the Night Raven take a step back, to make the RSA take it seriously. Something that feeds off the discontent of the citizens of Twstopolis, perhaps? A battery of negative emotions would prove difficult to dismantle in a fight, after all…maybe even harder if it was Yuu’s own desperation and quiet fears that provided the main power source?

(Yuu’s never quite realized how interacting with their captive suitors and the RSA heroes who come to save them has given them a unique insight into the heroes’ strengths and weaknesses. Not now, before it’s too late to stop what they’ve created.)

They’ve nicknamed their weapon Hannya.

It promises to be the most splendid flower of evil they’ve ever created.

[pomefioredove]

I’m so Yuu coded. If I was dropped into Twist I would be so scared of having nothing that I would stay. You know no one, nothing, no idea how the countries work, what their money is, no proof of your existence. I would stay, but I would definitely try to fight against Crowley more tho and complain to everyone. Make friends, gather the troops and send them to kill the bird-

no I get this, I think yuu's situation is defined by their lack of autonomy and knowledge about this world. and by the time they know some things, they've already created a little family at nrc that they just can't leave (ace, deuce, grim)

I think every one of us would have to stay at nrc for some amount of time, whether that's waiting for a third party to come in and offer you something else, or waiting for an nrc character of preference to pity/marry you

me personally? I would probably stick it out until I couldn't. mentally, physically, academically (as said; I'm not even good at school in this world, I can't imagine how I'd struggle in twst) and then uhhh... something. I have an "I'll figure it out" mentality. I'm more adaptable and resourceful than many, I think. I'm mousey. I've been in worse situations before. and after being in this world for months, I probably wouldn't have many attachments. little to no personal belongings, no family to worry about me, I really struggle with socializing so friends would be a non-issue. unfortunately the exact kind of person who would thrive as a third to fellow and gidel's act

[corvusspecialartist]

Beautiful Caged Bird:

You were an esteemed fighter pilot. You have served the Imperium well, ever since you were inducted in the Imperial Guard years ago. Coming from semi noble birth, this would have been one of the few ways, you could gain glory for your house. Ever since you were young, and on your home planet. You have always enjoyed the flight patterns of hunting birds, and even kept some as cherished pets. You always thought that they were the most perfect predators, just beautiful. Unfortunately, as you grew older, and life taught you a few things… you were wrong. The perfect avian predator that you knew of, was the Lord Primarch Sanguinius.

You were on campaign when you had met… you and your regiment were fighting a wild Eldar Host To be honest, you never truly liked them bastards, but you were the closest thing that was optimal air support that could be done. You were flying high in the air, approaching certain doom. You flew in formation, but soon you both would break. From previous experience, you knew, despite the thought being mere disgust in your mind… that the Eldar had better flying tech.. but no matter. You were only meant as cannon fodder no more, no less.

Then, as the Eldar came, before your eyes, your comrades were shot down in planes, almost as if a group of falcons were feasting on herd of ducks. But, no matter what, you held firm. Gripping the well-worn controls, you bobbed and weaved, avoiding most of the fire from the enemy craft. You knew the cockpit of your plane as if it was new limb. You swooped down noticing a large robot thing… instinctively you patted the plane purring to it. "Lets do this old girl" maybe, this was a way for you to soothe the machine spirit. You went and started to fly down.. applying as many G's as you could handle bumping up the speed into a dive bomb. The robot thing, turned and almost seemed to face you, but you turned your controls over trying to spin it over. It was no matter, you were a certified ace in the field. You had the trophies as proof.

However, things did not go to your plan. The robot thing moved with lighting speed and soon you noticed that you were loosing altitude quickly. You had to eject. After whispering a quick goodbye to the plane, you ejected from the plane. Honestly it pained you…watching as the plane flew and crashed. It gave you some form of pleasure that it landed in the center of the Eldar. Still… you adjusted trying to get your parachute out. Feeling, the blood go towards your head.. you noted that your parachute wasn't working and you felt the heated air as you started to fall and fall… You turned and closed your eyes, hopefully, at least you took some of the bastards with you.

Honestly, you were expecting brief pain, and oblivion until you felt wind and you started to move in a different direction. Nervously you opened your eyes… it was him.. the Great Angel,Lord Sanguinius. He was almost as perfect and even more so in the pictures… but honestly.. him.. just saving you like that… why you? You tried your best to not to look down. However, he was holding you in the crook of his arm, while holding his spear in the other hand. As you looked up at him, he was moving back to try and place you back in your regiment, at least you thought.

Now, you were in a golden gilded cage, screaming your head off and throwing the priceless art and trinkets at Sanguinius. It bounced off of him with almost a contemptuous ease, he seemed to stand there, just absorbing the hit.. almost as if he was he waiting for this latest tantrum to end. You continued to move quickly, just barely out of the reach of the serfs. Truly, you didn't want to be here, you wanted to be out on the field. The stagnant air within the room, the watchful eyes of both man and machine readying the alarm if you stepped out of the chambers. To add insult to injury, you swore that would could hear beautiful rare bird calls, as they flew down and called the sky their own.. like you used to. You walked up the Sanguinius and tried to push your way past him, but he moved to block you, and soon he quickly scooped you up. In that move you struggled and beat down on his back. He started to hum and soothe, moving you back and forth. His voice, it was so sonorous and beautiful…it knocked you out within a minute.

In your dreams, you were flying your plane… and you were just soaring. Until you saw the Sanguinius appear floating in front of the window. Instinctively you turned and tried to avoid him, but he pulled out the spear and sword and chopped the plane apart. Now you were falling and falling, as Sanguinius flew down and caught you. You pushed away and tried to fall back into the ground. You were at peace in the dream, until you woke up, smothered in Sanguinius' wings. It was comfortable but despite them being placed gently, it felt crushing… you felt your heart racing, as you moved in varying directions trying to push them off." Sanguinius, almost as if he were sensing your distress lifted his wing. You let out a sigh of relief, and let out a small welp as he grabbed you and started to preen over you.

He gave a softening grin. "What's wrong darling?… I heard you scream and freak out.. and are you alright?" You opened your mouth, trying to keep your heart rate consistent. But it would be hard to lie to him, since his abilities.. but he promised to not to read your mind. "It was just a nightmare…. my beloved." You gave a wide mouth smile, trying to sell the lie. Maybe you were trying to convince yourself. Sanguinius got up and pointed to a red dress. It was tailor made with hundreds of jewels and it fit your figure well. "We will be going to an event tonight… many dignitaries are coming. Our ship will be landing on the planet soon…" You nodded dumbly, as he got up and left.

As soon as he shut the door… you swore, but then you stopped… maybe… just maybe with Sanguinius being distracted you could escape. And it is not like he would miss you… You got dressed and started to prepare. Soon you would escape.

At the party, the host went and announced the arrival of Lord Sanguinius.. and with a small snide jab. "And his current consort." You gave a polished smile as you stood near barely hip height with him, and to be honest... he looked almost mythical.. his wings were decorated with finely golden strands with rubies inter spaced which made small noises as he walked. He wore a more Baalite fashion style, which many of the party goers tried to imitate. He wore beautiful embroidered robes with silken golden thread. His hair was curled into perfection, and you could even smell rare perfumes and spices that irradiated from him. It seemed to change depending on the light from black to blonde, he was smiling a warmly as you both went to the place of honor. You on the other hand compared to him, dressed very modestly and seemed to a speck of dirt. But, it didn't matter at the moment. It was a crucial moment... Sanguinius would naturally be distracted throughout the whole party.

It would come to pass, when you were rudely shoved aside, as a group of Navigators came by to Sanguinius trying to curry favor. You noticed his face turn into a light frown. But no matter, you gave a gentle grin to the primarch to try and soothe his temper. While, he had the good grace to not indulge his Thirst, he had to tendency of drinking more blood wine when under stress. In the meantime, you slowly moved away to the peripheral from the crowd, but not so far...You had to be careful, for moving in such a way could attract a knife in your back. But your outfit had come with the most finely protection, worthy of a favored consort.

"It is my turn to speak to the Great Angel! You had your chance!" A haughty nasal voice came out of the crowd. Some poor petty nobleman had tried to shout his way over to gain a rare audience of Sanguinius. But, given how contemptuous.. the party would probably begin with a brawl. Shaking you head, you started to run... you were out of practice sure, but you could find a place. You were dressed too nicely to be apart of any Underhive origin , but maybe you can commission a fighter jet to escape.

Hours upon hours had pasted... based on the way that the noises had become more quiet. You were at least leagues away from the party. You have been trying to stay out of the range by taking dark pathways and trying to avoid servants. You sat down to take a brief break... you were tired and feeling very thirsty... you dared to not drink any of the planet's water. But, you need a place to hide, and so you decided to crawl into a large vent, it was dusty.. long abandoned and based on the older stained.. it was used for servitors. Maybe you could take a brief rest.

You were shocked out of your rest as a loud alarm came out of nowhere. It was

' voice... and it filled you with dread.. yet it sounded so sweet and kind, he tried to call your name and try to bribe you out of your hiding spot. Internally, you just couldn't, you were so close... freedom.

Cursing, you thought about not changing your clothing... but just your luck.. a female servant was walking by your hiding spot. Immediately you grabbed her and put her in a headlock. After a good struggle, she was unconscious. Immediately you stripped off the party goer's clothing and replaced it with the servants clothing. It was mostly clean.. but no matter... as long as you kept quiet. You could at least escape.

A large thumping noises, and soon a large horde of noblemen was running down the same hallway all screaming their heads off. One of them went down the same hallway and took a deep breath. He was murmuring about how the Great Angel went mad. Based on the rambling mess, one of the noble ladies had said within earshot that in no certain terms that you had been assassinated, and that "an ugly peasant bitch isn't worthy of the Great Angel's love" Soon he fell silent as the masses ran by... but your heart started to drop... you heard the beating of wings. It was coming your way.

"Where is the nearest ship-port?" you whispered. The partygoers face twisted as if why would a mere serf ask that, before his face started to grin and opened his mouth. Before you could subdue him. "She's over here! " You immediately started to run full sprint. Your throat rubbing in raw... the beating your heart started to increase faster and faster as you heard the frantic wing beats.. only to collapse. No matter, you could at least crawl. Sanguinius appeared in front of you, white feathers falling as he stood, his hair askew and his wings still flapping despite him standing completely still... You started to weep. No... no... why? He picked you up and purred. "My little Bird where did you go?" "You weren't trying to escape? Were you?" You remained quiet. His mouth opened and now you noticed the heavy smell of blood. "WERE YOU?" he let out a shout, which causer your ears to ring. At your wince in pain, his face started to soften as he cradled over to you. "I'm sorry... I thought that you were dead... and I just cannot live without you." He pet your hair giving you a gentle kiss on the forehead.

That was a year ago.

Currently you were laying in bed, you needed the rest after all... you were preparing. Soon the door opened and your beloved entered the room. He was carrying a tray full of the finest of food, drink and wine. Sitting down he started to stroke your belly. "Have you come up with a name?" You shook your head as you slowly started to eat the food. As if you really didnt have anything to say, you had to keep the rest. You chewed the food and ate it in the fancy way, and even took the supplements! After all, they tended to even you out! You gave Sanguinius a kiss on the cheek and soon he left.

A/N: This (terrible) one shot is a result from the winner of the poll for the poem inspired for "Caged Bird" by Maya Angelou. Read it here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48989/caged-bird

I will try and write out Corvus' one and soon and write out Part 3 of the Party Planning bit. This is my first time attempting to write Yandere Sangy.

[piglii]

thinking about the time I was around 9 years old and I'd decided I was sure Santa Claus didn't exist because I'd had this nefarious scheme - on my Christmas List for that year I'd added a thing I knew Santa could not reasonably provide - a creature I'd made up in one of my drawing books. I don't recall at all what the name I used for it back then was, but for the sake of convenience now let's call it a "Squirg."

"Squirg's" looked like this (artist's recreation)

(It was kind of just a little ball with and had a bird beak, and a very long tail it could use to coil up and shoot like a spring, bouncing around from place to place)

So on my Christmas Wishlist when I was 9 years old, I'd added that I wanted a real, live Squirg. And what's more - I didn't include this wish in my actual full wishlist for that year - I'd detached it. I'd hidden a small bit of this torn writing above a piece of tall, wooden furniture, figuring that if Santa was as real as my parents were claiming, surely he'd simply be able to find this hidden addition to my wishlist and deliver it to me. At 9 years old my doubt had really begun to grow as to whether Santa Claus was real. I considered this my personal Ace in the Hole for figuring out that question, and once I'd had definitive proof that it was just as I thought, I could set my mind at ease. In my mind, seeing that Santa couldn't do this thing for me was the shattering of the illusion. I'm sure Christmas went really well that year and I got all sorts of things that made me happy, but the realization that Santa Claus was a make believe thing definitely dampened my spirits at the time.

It'd be months later, (perhaps for my birthday but I'm not sure), that my step-grandmother showed up with something which at the time I didn't think very much of.

She'd stitched together a whole recreation of a Squirg by hand and given it to me as a present. Now at the time I was just 9 turning 10 or so and I was at exactly the age where I didn't want to be given stuffed animals as a present. I didn't appreciate the time put into it or the love to do something like that. It wasn't something I concerned myself with when I was a kid, but looking back on it my parents must've handed her the drawing and the little scribbled wish to Santa Claus, and she still gave her best possible human effort to give me that wish as best she knew how.

Of course, she couldn't have known that I wanted a real, live cute animal companion that I'd made up. Little kid me at the time was not very satisfied with the Squirg plush and ended up stuffing it away in my closet for years. At some point unknown to me it became completely lost, probably when my family was moving from house to house.

I wish I still had it. It was a really nice gift, not even taking into account the excellent craftsmanship. I was just very struck today by what a sweet gesture that was. To be a grandparent seeing her grandkid be disappointed by the world and trying to give me what she thought I wanted, even though I was an imaginative little kid who wanted impossible things.

it was a gesture made with a lot of love and even though the plush itself has been gone for a long time, there's a bit of Squirg-shaped love out there for me.