#from a dry camel

[jt1674]

[rastronomicals]

6:49 AM EDT November 3, 2023:

Dust - "From A Dry Camel" From the album Dust (1971)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

File under: Beyond Plutonium

--

[neuvitopia]

➠ 𓈒 𝄞ׅ ֯ peppermint kisses - caleb | 夏以昼 ・ 🍡 ⌯

synopsis ;; self indulgent one shot ;p (lol) this is inspired by a tweet by xyzyearner on twitter i saw it and lost my mind a little so… have this.

cw ;; NSFW, afab reader, fem petname, cervix kiss, caleb is a weeeeee bit mean, brat taming if you squint, nasty self indulgent fic (lol) lowercase intended, i havent written in a while bare with me . . . wc → 960

the shaky slow breaths you took did little to calm the incessant pounding in your chest. you were on fire, your skin was hot, and the film of sweat forming on your skin did not do it’s job in cool you down.

whimpers of pleading? pleasure? you weren’t really sure, escape your lips as caleb does everything in his power to reach as far in you as he possibly could.

you couldnt understand much honestly, the only thing your brain registered was the deprived desperation you had for caleb at the moment.

“you like that, beautiful?” his voice low and soft, a strangled sound leaving your mouth is your response. how could you possibly give him coherent sentences? he had you in this position for god knows how long, fucking any sense you once had from your pretty little head.

he hums, seems like he decided to be merciful and took your pathetic whines as an answer, for now.

he has a vice grip on your hips as he pounds into you, his bruising grip and aggressive thrusts not matching the pitiful moans and sweet nothings that left his him.

you force your fluttering eyelids completely open to get a good look at the dark haired man above you, hearts taking place of your pupils immediately as you take in his disheveled appearance between your legs.

his smooth skin was flushed red, and his hair stuck up in tens of different directions yet you couldn’t help but the swell of intense attraction that followed your little peak at him.

another strained moan leaves your lips as you reach a hand towards his pretty face, guiding his lips to yours, desperate for one of his heated kisses. caleb is quick to catch on and slows his thrusts down to oblige.

“so pretty…” he mutters between the soft kisses he lays on your lips. he changes targets from your soft lips to different parts of your face, claiming it’d help him focus more.

you wanted to laugh, you really did but the achingly slow movement of him inside of you made it hard for you to feel anything other than pure hunger, the soft kisses he laid on your warm skin did nothing to help satiate your desire for him.

you managed to collect yourself a bit as caleb continued his shallow and slow thrusts. a hand tangling itself in his dark hair. a deep groan erupted from his mouth as you use the grip you had on his hair to guide his lips to your neglected breasts. he was too far gone to resist your greed, peppering small kisses and bites on your chest.

“faster caleb, please.” caleb stops moving completely, and frankly too abruptly for your liking.

that seemed to be the needle that broke the camel’s back as he didn’t seem as willing to follow your greedy little whims anymore. he buries himself to the hilt inside of your warmth, cock twitching as he stills his hips.

you were confused, did he not hear you?

“ca —“ before you’re able to continue your complaint caleb pops a thumb in your mouth, the action causing you to clench around his shaft almost immediately.

he meets your gaze and shakes his head, a dry laugh leaves him as he watches you.

“i think i’ve spoiled you a bit too much, honey” a devilish little smile graces on his lips as he traces your features with his eyes.

“since when did you start making demands, pipsqueak?” your response was a pathetic, muffled whine around his thumb and buck you buck your hips to empathize your need.

patience was way out of the window, the only thing on your mind was more stimulation, your greed was palpable.

“cat’s got your tongue?” he taunts.

he uses his thumb to guide your mouth open for him, dragging the pad of his finger up and down your tongue, saliva coating the entirety of the digit

“you’re so nasty, princess…” he coos at you before placing a soft kiss on your top lip.

“be a good girl and take what I give you, yeah?” you were desperate beyond measure, the constant clench of your hole around him becoming unbearable. anything would be better than this.

you just wanted him to move. so you nod fast enough to give you whiplash, tongue too occupied with his probing finger to use your words properly. your chest swells with hope of getting fucked silly again.

he hums, satisfied with your cooperation.

“good.” he takes his wet appendage from on your tongue and places it on your needy bundle of nerves, rubbing small, achey circles on your most desperate part. he watches your face contort in pleasure, content in your blissed out reaction.

“look how well you take me when you behave.” he begins to move inside of you, with agonizingly slow and deep strokes. his engorged tip kissing your cervix every time he bottoms out.

your head falls back against the plush pillow below you, a rambling murmur leaving your lips as he continues to bully your poor pussy. his mouth falls open as his cock continues to drag against your gummy walls, ecstasy filled moans seeming to never end.

he taps your hip to catch your attention.

“look.” he softly commands, a free hand pointing to where you two are connected. you strain your eyes and watch him bury himself in your heat over and over.

it’s a filthy sight really, your opaque slick coating the inside of your thighs, the white ring around his cock from you creaming around him nonstop.

“you feel that pips?” he questions, his free hand moving towards your lower stomach. as he begins to speak again he presses lightly on the area “we’re kissing.”

❤︎ ♬ 𓂂 © 2025 neuvitopia ⋆𝜗℘݁♬

[puzzled-pegasus]

Here's some silly little metaphors that I think the dragon tribes would use

SkyWings

“Don’t count your clutch before they hatch.” (Don't plan too much too soon)

“Gold is better than silver, but silver is better than nothing.” (If you can't do it perfectly, still try your best. Most dragons forget the second part.)

“‘Sorry’ can't suck the fire back in.” (The damage is done and now you're dead to me.)

“You been eating too much burnt meat or something?” (Are you nuts?)

“Stop all this smoke and use your fire.” (Stop rambling and get to the point already; or stop complaining and do something)

“Doesn't know his tail from his wings.” (Stupid or clumsy)

“You fly like a depressed pigeon.” (Slow flier)

“There's no fire in a rainstorm.” (Stop feeling sorry for yourself and get to work.)

“Nighttime is for the NightWings.” (What are you doing up? Go to sleep.)

SandWings

“She’s all rattle, and no strike.” (Like all bark no bite)

“A diamond in a pile of quartz.” (Like a needle in a haystack)

“You’re watering the cactus and ignoring the sapling.” (You’re focusing on the wrong thing; barking up the wrong tree)

“Everyone thinks the camel looks silly until the dry season comes.” (Don't listen to them, they don't know how unique and strong you are)

MudWings

“Crocodile tears.” (Fake crying in order to gain sympathy)

“You can only catch a trout if your mouth is open.” (Be open to new experiences)

“If the tree gives away too much, it ends up as a stump.” (Don't let people take advantage of your generosity)

SeaWings

“Happy as a clam in high water.” (Very happy)

“The flying fish feels like a fool when it sees an osprey.” (Don't compare yourself to others, run your own race.)

“Plenty of fish in the sea.” (Plenty more opportunities to come.)

“You’ve got ink in your eyes.” (You're blind to something important)

“Lobsters only die when they don't leave their shell.” (Keep yourself busy with new experiences and you'll life a long life)

NightWings

“Sleep is for the dead.” (Why waste your time sleeping when you could be productive)

“SeaWings know their fish and SandWings know their cactuses, but we NightWings know everything else.”(NightWing supremacy propaganda)

“Being nice to a deer never got one in my mouth.” (Other dragons don't matter, only your goals.)

“A prophecy always comes true.” (I told you so but more cryptic)

"You're counting the stars." (You're doing something tedious towards an unachievable goal)

RainWings

“Gray’s her favorite color.” (She's a huge bummer)

“A lemon is yellow on the outside, doesn't mean they're not sour.” (Referring to someone who is two faced or fake)

“I love honey, but I’d rather not get stung by the bees.” (I could do this, but it requires effort so I don't wanna)

“Nobody likes a rotten banana.” (Nobody likes a bummer/downer)

“Don't tie your tail in a knot” (don't get all upset)

“I have all my berries in a basket” (I have everything sorted out)

“You couldn't sneak up on a pineapple” (insult to one's camouflage skills, popular among children)

IceWings

“The seal who asks why the orca is chasing him is the first to get eaten.” (A favorite of parents telling their kids to shut up)

“Not the sharpest icicle on the roof” (kinda stupid or slow)

“Clear as polished ice” (i understand or see it very well)

“You're looking a little pink in the face” (you look sickly. IceWings can turn pink from eating too much krill; a symptom of malnutrition. This line can be applied to any illness.)

“Blue blood kills, red blood spills.” (Patriotic propaganda implying that IceWings win every fight

“The SkyWings toss their blue eyed hatchlings because they're worried they'll be as strong as an IceWing.” (More propaganda)

HiveWings

“Pretty is for the SilkWings.” (Vanity is stupid and impractical)

“If it buzzes like a bug and bites like a bug, it's a bug.” (Don't ignore the obvious)

“Clearsight works in mysterious ways.” (I don't know the answer to your question, now go away)

SilkWings

“It's not always good to know how the honey gets made.” (Don't stick your snout where it doesn't belong)

“She's got a couple of threads loose.” (Calling someone a little crazy, threads refers to weaving)

“The bee minds its flowers and the spider minds her silk, it's when they mix that bad things happen.” (Mind ya business)

LeafWings

“Flytraps only trap because the soil doesn't feed them.” (Dragons don't get angry out of nowhere)

“Looking like a leaf only hides you in the forest.” (Time and place)

“If a branch doesn't bend, it breaks.” (Be flexible)

“Even the corpse flower attracts the flies.” (Even someone who seems ugly to one dragon they can seem irresistible to another)

[another-random-fanfic-blog]

My 8 Hybrids

Ch. 1

Next Chapter

Masterlist

Warnings: Blood, violence, abuse

You enjoyed hiking, it was an easy way to take your mind off things. Today was a beautiful day and would have been perfect for your hike, if the weatherman got the forecast right. Today was supposed to be 75 degrees Fahrenheit, slightly breezy, with a little cloud cover. The hike started wonderfully, but by the time you got to the top of the mountain, you if was hot, over 85, so humid you felt as though you were breathing through soup, and you could see lightning in the distance as storm clouds gathered. Today would have been ideal, but now you are stuck trying to get off the mountain before you get caught in the storm. While you love watching thunder and lightning storms, today, you do not feel like being soaked with the rain and driving an hour back home.

You had a choice of two paths down the mountain, one, was the most often used, but if rain did start, the edges of the path could easily wash away if it rained too hard, making it easy to go tumbling down the hills. The second path was less traveled and through the thick of the woods, more wildlife, but, would be safer in the rain, theoretically. You chose the path less traveled and began your journey. After walking for about 30 minutes, you saw something odd up ahead, animal’s maybe, or people. Slowing down, and cautiously approaching the unmoving figures, you realize they were hybrids, two hybrids chained to large trees.

There was what looked like a rabbit hybrid with each arm tied to a different branch, his toes barely touching the ground. His clothes were ripped and barely remaining on his body, his skin was red from the sun, dry and cracked. He was covered in scratches, bruises, dirt, and what looked like animals bites. His head was hung low and his breathing erratic.

The second hybrid had black ears on his head, but you couldn’t see what kind. He had a long black tail and was in similar condition as the rabbit, only instead of being strung from the tree, his leg was caught in a bear claw like trap that was chained to the base, while his upper torso chained him in a seated position against the tree. You could see scratches on his ankle from what you assumed were his own fingernails, as he tried to free himself. Looking closer at his hands, he had scratches and bites on them, some nails actually missing as well. He too was unconscious. You got closer to the hybrids when you noticed a sign tapped to the tree next to the rabbit “Do whatever you want to them! Have fun!”

Rage filled your body as you could only imagine what these poor hybrids went through. Carefully, you stood in front of the rabbit and reached out to feel his pulse, you knew he was alive by his labored breathing, but you needed to see how fast, or slow his heart was beating. As you counted out the beats, you heard something.

“What?” You asked, realizing the rabbit was trying to speak to you.

“s…h…s,” he struggled to say, you leaned your ear closer to his mouth, “hel…p…us.”

The rabbit started coughing and choking, you could have smacked yourself for not thinking about dehydration. Luckily, you expected to be out for a long time today and brought an extra-large camel pack with you.

“Here,” you say, holding the straw to the rabbits lips, “it’s water, drink some.”

The rabbit latched onto the straw and began sucking out the water as hard and fast as he could, gulping down whatever would come out without taking a breath.

“Careful,” you say pulling the straw away from his mouth, eliciting a weak whine from him, “I know, I know, you want to drink more, but if you do, you will start throwing up and it will cause more problems. Now, just hold tight while I get you down, ok.” You move to the chains keeping him tied in the air. “I’m going to lower you slowly, don’t try to stand or resist, just lay on the ground as you go down ok.”

You’ve never been more thankful for being curious about things than you are now, as you pull out a lock pick set and proceed to pick the lock on the chains holding the rabbit, glancing over, you notice the other hybrid has a similar lock and know you will deal with that next. Once the lock was off, you grab the chains and slowly lower the rabbit to the ground, watching as his body lays down like you told him, not that he would be able to keep himself up. When he is completely down, you let go of the chain and begin removing what was wound around his arms.

“Thir…sty,” the hybrid whispers again, you nod and give him a small sip of water before pulling it away again, earning another whine. “S…an.”

“San?” You ask, “Is that the other hybrid over there?” He nods slightly in response. “I’m going to check on him, don’t worry.”

You place your jacket under his head and a water soaked rag on his forehead, and then switch over to the other hybrid, which you are guessing is a cat, based on his ears. He doesn’t stir under your touch and you can feel that he has a fever, looking at his ankle, it isn’t hard to see why, it has to be infected from the trap digging into it. You take your shirt off, leaving your tank top on, and start to rip it into shreds. After pouring some cold water on the strips, you tie them loosely around his neck, elbows, knees, and then tuck a small piece in his groin and armpits, in an effort to lower his temperature. You unlock his chain and then pull out your tourniquet, tying his leg off, you remove the trap, pulling it out of his skin, then wrapping his ankle with a bandage. This screams against every instinct you have, but you cannot carry him, the rabbit, and a large hunk of metal down the trail, and 9-1-1 won’t send rescuers out to help hybrids.

“Ok, rabbit, I’m going to get us down this hill and to a clinic,” you begin to say, before the rabbit panics.

“No…no…clinic…please,” he tries to yell out, his wide eyes conveying the panic and fear that his voice cannot.

“I own the clinic, you will not be reported, and you will NOT go back to the people that did this,” you say, instantly making the choice that you will keep both of these hybrids and pamper them like they probably never experienced. “You’re going to be ok, but I have to carry your friend down this mountain, I cannot carry you, I need you to try to walk. You can lean on me, but I need you to try, ok?”

He nods slowly, watching you with apprehension, but also knowing you are their only hope. You roll the feline onto his back, then standing at his feet you grab his left leg, and quickly roll across his body, pulling it with you, until he is in a fireman’s carry across your shoulders. You walk over to the rabbit who struggled to sit up but managed to. Holding your hand out, he takes it and pulls himself up, leaning all his weight on you as he tries to get his legs to work, and you manage to brace yourself for this.

The rabbit nods, and you start the arduous journey down the mountain, practically carrying the rabbit as well as the feline, when the rabbit’s legs wouldn’t work anymore. By the time your car came into view, you were literally dragging the rabbit, his upper body leaning against you, and his legs dragging uselessly across the ground. It was already 50 minutes into the supposed 30-minute walk, and the skies had opened, luckily, just rain, no lighting yet. When you reach your car, you load the rabbit in the front seat and the feline in the back of your SUV before running around to the driver’s seat. Without any more delay, you speed out of the parking lot and to your clinic. 

“Ok,” you say, taking a deep breath and adjusting his arm around your shoulder, under San’s body, “we’re going to start walking, it’s about 30 minutes to the car, and we have to try to make it on foot.”

Next Chapter

[enwoso]

best kind of chaos | alessia russo x child!reader x leah williamson

-> based on this request!☀️

grumpy masterlist

it was barely ten a.m. and in the greece sun was already touching 35°C, the kind of dry heat that made the sand feel like walking on toast. but you, of course, was entirely unbothered by this.

alessia was trying to apply sunscreen to you as you became very wriggly, and kept insisting you ‘didn’t need it because you were part camel now.’

“camels till get sunburn, lovie" your mummy muttered, wrestling you into stillness while leah filmed the whole ordeal from her lounger, laughing.

"are you helping or being a terrible girlfriend?" alessia asked over her shoulder.

"i’m documenting memories," leah replied casually. "for when she's sixteen and hates us and i need proof she once liked us and thought camels were her cousins."

once you were lathered in spf fifty and released, you ran into the distance close to where the sea could touch your toes but no further as you screamed “FOR THE DRAGON KINGDOM!"

"have we entered a fantasy phase?" leah asked, sipping her slushie again.

alessia sighed before giggling watching you pick at the sand as you jumped a little each time the cool sea water touched your toes. "i’m pretty sure we live in it now."

"look, mummy! i’m a sand dragon!" you screeched, running back towards the loungers, your legs and feet absolutely covered in sand.

alessia, perched under an umbrella with sunglasses too big for her face and a rapidly melting iced coffee in hand, blinked. "what happened to building a huge castle?"

"i changed my mind," you called back, digging what looked like a moat with a plastic spade and one bare hand. "dragons are more interesting. and hotter. like here."

leah snorted from beside alessia, reclining with a slushie that you had demanded your mama "share or perish." "she’s got your dramatic gene."

alessia tilted her head, her mouth slightly wide. "you mean she’s picking up on your habits and attitude”

leah gave her a faux-offended look. "hey i’m very calm. i have slushie energy."

"not when someone steals your straighteners."

"that happened one time—"

but the two were interrupted by a tiny voice shouting, "mama mama, I NEED YOU!" like it was a code red problem and with your big imagination it probably was.

leah groaned good-naturedly and got up, placing her drink down on the little table. "there’s my cue."

alessia watched, heart full, as leah knelt beside you, as you were now presenting a wonky sand structure with a bucket on top and two palm leaves sticking out.

"this is your sand castle-slash-dragon cave-slash-ice cream shop," you explained seriously. "we sell ice cream and roars."

"what flavour roars?" leah asked, trying not to laugh but saying in deep character.

"strawberry-screamy."

lunchtime had came around and as you three found a cute little place near the beach for food you had insisted they all order ‘round food’ so they were now eating mini pizzas and olives while you carefully placed all the things you didn’t like on your mummy’s plate — like the olives.

alessia leaned across the table. "this is definitely not relaxing, you know."

leah smiled sweetly. "it’s better." leah then leaned over to close the gap between her and alessia sharing a kiss just as you gasped dramatically.

"mummy! mama! you can't kiss right now—my dragon ice cream shop is OPEN!"

leah raised a brow. "does it sell parent-free minutes?"

"no," you said, very serious as you shook your head. "but it does sell quiet juice. it orange. but it's only pretend."

⸻

lunch was well over as the three were now back in the beach, you building your dragon ice cream shop more as you’d dragged leah back over to help.

the sun hung lazily overhead, glinting off the warm sea water as the heat had mellowed into something almost dreamy, and alessia, miraculously, was alone. sort of.

alessia was stretched out on a lounger under the shade of a palm, eyes closed, soft music playing through one airpod. a half-empty iced drink sat on the little table beside her. peace. quiet. no sand in her hair, no tiny voice calling her name on repeat.

in the sea, about ten metres away, leah was playing water dragons with you—an elaborate game that mostly involved roaring, splashing, and you riding on leah’s back pretending you were a ‘sea unicorn but also a lifeguard.’

alessia smiled without opening her eyes as she could hear leah’s elaborate story telling and your giggles.

five minutes. that’s all alessia needed. five—

"MUUUMMMMYYY!"

alessia sat up just in time to see a blur of the pale blue flower patterned swimsuit and wild curls come bounding from the water, with leah chasing behind yelling, "angel! wait—your feet are all wet—"

too late.

you launched yourself at the sun lounger like an olympic event, landing directly on alessia’s towel-covered legs with a squelch. water. everywhere

alessia let out a yelp as cold pool drips soaked her cover-up.

"lovie!" alessia laughed, trying to wriggle away but only succeeding in getting wetter. "you little monster!" you beamed, entirely unbothered, limbs slippery and gangly as you wiggled up beside your mummy.

"i missed you," you announced cheerfully, wrapping soggy arms around your mummy’s middle.

leah jogged over, breathless and grinning, towel slung over her shoulder. "i told her you needed a break."

alessia smirked, smoothing your wet curls back from her face. "i had a break. it lasted exactly four minutes and forty-three seconds."

"oh a record!," leah said proudly. "we’re improving."

alessia rolled her eyes fondly, shifting so you could snuggle in closer. despite the dampness, you were already blinking slowly, body limp with that familiar post-swim exhaustion.

"she’s gonna crash," leah whispered, watching you with a soft smile.

alessia nodded, running a hand up and down your back, which was still damp but now wrapped loosely in a fresh towel. "dragon patrol has really wore her out," alessia murmured.

within minutes, you were asleep—one hand fisted in your mummy’s top, your breathing soft and steady, a tiny whistle escaping from your nose.

alessia didn't move. didn’t dare.

leah leaned over and kissed the top of your head, then pressed a warm kiss to alessia’s cheek too. "peace now?" leah asked, teasing.

alessia smiled, her arms wrapped around the little bundle of joy and chaos and sunscreen that was you. "yeah," alessia whispered. "but i kinda liked it better with the chaos."

leah settled in beside the two of you on the edge of the lounger, resting her head against alessia’s shoulder. "me too."

you were well and truly asleep now, curled like a cat against alessia’s chest, your towel cocooned tight and your little foot twitching every so often from a dream no one could access.

leah stayed close, perched at the edge of the lounger, one arm slung lazily over alessia’s legs. her other hand was tracing small shapes against alessia’s shin, like she didn't even realise she was doing it.

for a while, they just existed like that—together, quiet, listening to the soft rustle of palm leaves and the occasional splash from other guests in the sea.

then leah leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to alessia’s lips, slow and unhurried. treasuring the fact that they could have this little moment without you fake gagging around them.

"y’know," leah murmured against alessia’s skin, "the girls are probably halfway through their second round of daiquiris in ibiza by now."

alessia chuckled softly, adjusting you just a little as she shifted. "bet katie's already lost her shoes."

"and beth’s probably dj’ing off someone's portable speaker," leah added with a slight chuckle

they both laughed—quiet, breathy laughter so they wouldn't disturb your tiny sleeping dragon form in alessia’s arms.

leah brushed a damp strand of hair from alessia’s forehead and rested her hand on her cheek. "do you miss it?"

alessia looked down at you, who had just started sleep-mumbling something about mermaids and orange juice, then up at leah with a smile so full it could split her heart.

"i miss sleep. i miss wearing white without getting yoghurt handprints on it. i miss silence sometimes. but..." alessia shook her head softly, her eyes glassy with warmth. "no. i don't miss that. not really."

leah nodded, her thumb tracing gently along alessia’s jaw. "me neither."

they sat in that tiny moment, love stretched between them like a hammock—warm and steady and swaying in the soft breeze. "feels like we're in our own world, doesn't it?" leah said.

alessia turned slightly and kissed her. properly. unhurried, sun-warmed, soft. the kind of kiss that felt like home. when they broke apart, leah’s eyes crinkled. "she’s gonna wake up in an hour and scream for ice cream for dinner."

"i know," alessia said, brushing her thumb across your cheek. "and we'll let her. even if she only eats two bites and then drops the rest in the sand."

they both laughed again. alessia reached for leah’s hand and laced their fingers together over your tiny sleeping form.

"we could be in ibiza, sure," alessia said softly. "but we're here. with her. with each other. and i wouldn't trade that for a thousand daiquiris."

leah squeezed alessia’s hand. "not even the strawberry ones you love?"

alessia gave leah a playful glare. "especially not even the strawberry ones."

leah leaned her head back on alessia shoulder, eyes closed now, breathing in the coconut sunscreen, salt water, and the quiet weight of the best kind of love.

and under the greek sun, wrapped in towels and laughter and the kind of peace you only earn after a wild morning, they stayed there. just the three of them. exactly where they were meant to be.

[wwooyology]

Left Alone | L.HS

「prompt」 : abandoned 「pairing」 : bf!heeseung x fem!reader 「word count」 : 1.5k

「synopsis」 : you and heeseung had been together for three years, but little by little, heeseung started to show signs of not being interested until it led to you being abandoned at the restaurant you had booked for your anniversary.

「genre」 : angst, fluff if you squint

「warnings」 : crying, cussing, arguments, breakup, reader gets stood up, mentions of alcohol, lmk if I missed anything!!!

masterlist ─ navi. ─ angstober list

“Are you ready to order yet, Miss?” The waiter walked over to your table for what seemed like the hundredth time, a look of pity gleaming in her eyes as she held out the little notepad in her hand.

Turning your attention away from the window where you hope by some miracle that Heeseung would show up in front of you. You offered her a sweet smile that didn’t quite reach your eyes before glancing down at the empty wine glass in your hand.

“Just another glass of wine,” you told her, your voice sounded defeated. She nodded before turning to walk away.

You tapped the dark screen of your phone until the time showed up. It had been about an hour and a half since he was supposed to be here. There had been not a single text or call, but as sad as you may be, you weren’t surprised. This was just the straw that broke the camel's back.

For the past two months, he has slowly started showing signs of disinterest in your relationship. It started out with his calls becoming shorter and his texts more dry. You had brushed it off as him just being tired from work, but it never got better, if anything it only got worse. Then it turned into him not putting a lot of effort in seeing you when he used to always want to see you any chance that he got before it went to him ignoring your calls and texts, even going as far as avoiding you entirely when you hung out with shared friends.

At first, it hurt you deeply, leaving you to cry into your pillows for hours on end at night. You wanted to confront him about his actions, but at the same time, you were scared to lose what you had because your mother had always told you that if you love someone, you can work through anything. So that’s what you were going to do, use this reservation you had booked for your four-year anniversary to ask him what was going on.

But just like the little voice in the back of your head told you, he stood you up.

When the waiter came back with your glass of wine, you thanked her before asking for the bill. She gave you a sympathetic smile and told you that she would bring it right out.

After finishing your glass of wine you settled your bill and made your way out of the restaurant. Just then, you felt your phone buzz in your hand, and a small flicker of hope bloomed in your chest that it might be Heeseung telling you that he had forgotten and he was sorry. But that spark was rudely dimmed when you saw that it was a message from Jake, your and Heeseung’s mutual friend.

You waved down a taxi and called the male. He picked up the phone just as you shut the car door behind you. Moving the device away from your ear for a moment, you told the driver your address before sitting back in your seat.

“Hey, y/n, where are you?” Jake asked. The music in the background was clearly audible, easily telling you that he was at a party.

“On my way home from the restaurant.” Your voice was void of any emotion, and Jake could tell that something was wrong.

“Restaurant?” His tone was confused, and you couldn’t help but laugh softly. You found it just a tad amusing that Heeseung didn’t even bother telling his buddies about your date when he wouldn’t waste a second telling them in the past.

“Yeah. Restaurant. I was supposed to be having a date.” You told him, your free hand twiddling with the hem of your dress and eyes focused on the passing buildings outside.

“What do you mean date?” Jake was beyond confused because Heeseung was with him at the party, so who would you have been with? Then the other part of your sentence clicked in his head, “Wait, supposed to have a date?”

Scoffing, you held back tears the further you got from the restaurant. "Why don’t you ask your best friend?”

Jake felt his heart drop, and he told you to give him a second before you heard shuffling on the other side, followed by the sounds of a door. The music grew louder, and you guessed that he had walked back into the house. You then heard him saying something to someone, but you couldn’t make out what was said due to the music. Then you heard another door close before the music became muffled once more.

“Jake, dude, what the fuck? I was in the middle of a game.” Heeseung’s voice echoed through the phone and your heart squeezed tightly in your chest. He had chosen to go to a party instead of meeting you at the restaurant for your anniversary.

“No, Hee, why the hell did you stand y/n up?” Jake’s tone was harsh as he laid into the older male, “you could have easily told me that you had a date I would have understood. Y/n matters more than some damn party you need–”

 “Oh my god, can you stop? The last damn thing I wanna hear about is y/n. Y/n this, y/n that. I don’t give a fuck!” Heeseung blew up, and his words left a gaping wound in your heart, tears rolling down your eyes. “I am sick and tired of hearing about her and how I should be doing this or that; guess what? She’s not worth my time anymore.”

Your hand covered your mouth to muffle the sound of your cries. You wanted to hang up, but you couldn’t bring yourself to do it. The other line fell silent for a moment before Jake’s voice came through again, anger lacing his words.

“So you waste hers?” Jake tried to control his volume, but it was getting increasingly more difficult as he took in Heeseung’s indifferent expression. “You could have easily just ended things, but you want to be an asshole and just lead her on?”

“Jake…” Your voice trailed on, trying to gain the male’s attention, but he couldn’t hear you.

“Not to mention it is low as fuck to just leave her hanging at a restaurant, not only that it’s late and she’s in the city alone.” Jake really laid into Heeseung, who just stood there, his expression becoming unreadable.

“Jake.” You called out louder, catching both of the male’s attention, and Jake quickly brought the phone back up to his ear, ignoring the shocked look on the older’s face. “Just forget it; he’s not worth it.”

Jake wanted to object, but you quickly reassured him that it was fine. He then turned and glared at Heeseung once more. Then he turned the phone on speaker, wanting Heeseung to hear whatever you were about to say.

“He’s not worth it anymore, Jake. Just tell him that we’re done, and I’ll leave all his stuff outside so he can pick it up. But I do not want to see him anymore.” Your voice shook as you tried to stop crying, but the tears were endless.

“Y/n–” Heeseung called out to you, but Jake moved the phone away from him.

Your breath caught in your throat at his voice, but you quickly swallowed it down before speaking, “What you did really hurt me, Heeseung; like Jake said, you could have just ended things, but you decided to make me suffer while you led me on. So we’re done.”

Heeseung took a step forward to say something, but Jake moved away once more and took you off the speakerphone. “You’ve fucked up, Heeseung, and I can’t and won’t stand for it.”

Then, without another word, Jake walked out of the room, putting the phone up to his ear so he could talk to you. He didn’t miss the quiet sounds of you crying making his heart hurt, a sigh pulling from his lips.

“Are you almost home?” he asked, and you told him that the driver had just pulled in. "Okay, I’m heading over, and we can watch a movie or something, and I’ll make you something to eat.”

His words pulled a small laugh from you as you shut the car door behind you once more, “No offense, Jake, but I don’t think I’mma let you cook anything.” You joked, wiping the tears from your face as you walked up to your front door, “plus, haven’t you been drinking?”

“No, Jay and I were the DDs tonight, and I’m sure Jay can handle them,” Jake reassured you. You knew that arguing with him would be pointless, so you just said okay.

Once the phone had been hung up you dropped your hands to your sides, eyes taking in the area around you. Pictures of you and Heeseung lined the halls making your chest tight with grief. Trying your best to ignore them, you got to your room so you could change out of the uncomfortable dress you were wearing.

Then, just like Jake had said, he showed up, offering a bag of fast food and some ice cream. You both then spent the entirety of the night watching movies until you both passed out on the couch. The thoughts of throwing your four-year-long relationship out the window were saved for another time, but for now, you just wanted to forget.

@wwooyology | Do not steal, plagiarise, translate, or repost any of my work

𝖉𝖎𝖘𝖈𝖑𝖆𝖎𝖒𝖊𝖗 : ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ɴᴏ ᴡᴀʏ ᴀ ᴛʀᴜᴇ ʀᴇᴘʀᴇꜱᴇɴᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴʏ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀꜱ. ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪꜱ ᴘᴜʀᴇʟʏ ꜰɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴛᴀᴋᴇɴ ꜱᴇʀɪᴏᴜꜱʟʏ.

[what-even-is-thiss]

I’m about to combine my religion posting with my socialist posting for a second.

I’ve never tried to hide on this blog that I’m fairly religious. My faith is a big part of my life. I’m not here to convert anybody but I’m not interested in hiding that aspect of myself either.

Anyways I’ve been thinking about what I want from my life and wealth and how that relates to Christianity and the kind of economic system I live in.

Because in many ways pure capitalism and Christianity are kind of opposed if you really think about it. Any form of hoarding wealth and Christianity are opposed to each other if you really think about it. Yet it’s also been used as a reason to hoard wealth.

Jesus often spoke against hoarding wealth. He encouraged tax collectors to only collect what was due and not skim extra off the top. He said a poor person who gives a little money has given more than a rich person who gives a lot. He said it’s easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than enter the kingdom of heaven. And I’ve heard interpretations that that “eye of the needle” thing was actually in reference to a kind of very small door in city walls or something but point is, it’s difficult.

Then you get the invention of something like prosperity gospel. The idea that if you’re doing well it’s because you’re blessed. You get politicians working for the rich or who themselves are rich making a show of being pious while also harming the poor.

So I’ve been rattling this around in my brain. The culturally dominant religion in the western world teaches against the hoarding of wealth. Yet that same culture also puts the wealthy up on a pedestal and protects them.

I watched this video once about this guy who personally decided to donate half of his earthly wealth to charity because of his Christian faith. He wasn’t trying to tell other people they should do this. Just talking about his own spiritual journey and why he decided to do that. He sold half of his possessions, sold his house and downsized, really went through the wringer figuring out what’s really actually important to him and this guy wasn’t even particularly wealthy. He was maybe middle class. This was a huge sacrifice he made.

I’ve been tossing around in my brain how the same belief system could could create both that guy and prosperity gospel.

We get stories all the time about how the real treasure was the friends we made along the way, right? About letting go, about being happy with less, about sharing, about the dangers of greed. Sometimes we even get those stories from the organizations and people looking to hoard more and more. Disney comes to mind. The real treasure is family. And also all this money we made off of toy sales.

I feel like society is trying to push us towards a very specific definition of “success” while also wrestling with the reality that even if you aren’t Christian you live in a society with Christian ideals and one of those big Christian ideals is supposed to be charity. Not hoarding wealth at the expense of others.

Like this idea of being happy with just enough is supposed to be a message for the rich, right? Yet it seems to have been twisted around the other way. If you’re sick it’s your fault, you didn’t try hard enough, you didn’t rise and grind hard enough. Even though Jesus helped those who were suffering whether their suffering was their own fault or not, and often he rejected the notion that a person’s suffering was their own fault.

I know the answer to this disconnect is that the rich can afford to twist the narrative in their favor. That religion is a tool that can be used for both great good and great harm.

It’s still frustrating though. That I feel like I’m socialist partially because of my faith but those same messages that inspire people who aren’t even that well off to give away half of their earthly possessions are used as an excuse by others to justify bleeding the poor dry.

It’s something I’ve been sitting with when it comes to what I want with my life. It’s a cliche I guess in some Christian circles that you shouldn’t want what society wants but I’m starting to think that’s true. At least to some extent. I think I don’t want success by society’s definition of it. God asks you to not hoard your wealth. God instructs you to make time for rest. Yet society has told you to climb that ladder of success and never rest, never sleep until you get there.

Yeah, I think I’m going to rest. I think I reject the idea that success needs to involve money. I think that hoarding wealth is bad. And you don’t need to be Christian to think those things obviously but my faith leads me at least to these conclusions. However it hasn’t lead everyone to them, clearly. It’s a contradiction of values we all have to live with for now, unfortunately. Hopefully one day we can all live out the things we preach but for now that day seems very far away.

[stareiiez]

you and mark grayson being both virgins is something angels sing about in their heavenly chorus.

he's learned things from pornhub and twitter porn links that wildly over exageratte how to make your girl squirt for the first time. magic mike has taught mark how painful it feels to smack your dick on hardwood flooring just to try and grind on some sexy beat. he gets made fun of by Rex for even asking what correct hole does his dick get put into, and if it'll snap off if you bounce too hard on him when you want to ride.

he's pulled out all the stops, rather shitty mind you. Debbie and Nolan are on a date in Italy, and he's got exactly thirty minutes to make you wet enough so it doesn't hurt when he slips in for the first time.

unfortunately for him, he doesn't get far enough to get you naked before he's cumming in his boxers.

he blames friction and how a victoria secret thong can really emphasize a plump mound and camel toe when its covered in your slick. rose petals are bleeding on your skin that he's sprinkled upon his duvet earlier. the bed springs creaking way too annoyingly loud when he attempts to press boxer covered cockhead in between your clothed pussy lips. you two have been dry grinding and humping eachother for the last ten minutes.

something about you almost naked, sweaty breasts rolling up and down in rolling waves; and sticky clear strings of cum stringing his softened dick and your quivering cunt together . it really puts worms into his brain and lets him settle on your panties trapping your clit down and making you twitch under his body. your head pressed against his pillows while you two watch his bulge grow back to life when you whine for more.

mark's a virgin, but he says its by choice, and not because he's scared about hurting you for the first time.

[vestaignis]

"Вызывающе-оранжевенькая серия" от фотографа Moro.  Россия  (Москва).

"Provocatively orange series" by photographer Moro. Russia (Moscow).

Расположенный в Намибии Национальный парк Намиб-Науклуфт занимает часть пустыни Намиб и горной цепи Науклуфт. Пустыня Намиб считается самой старой на планете. Площадь парка составляет примерно 50 000 квадратных километров, и поэтому он является самым большим в Африке и четвертым по величине в мире. Создание Науклуфта началось в 1907 году. Самыми посещаемыми и наиболее известными частями парка являются Соссусфлей и Дедвлей.

Плато Соссусфлей— царство песчаных дюн, из которых около 90 % состоят из кварцевого песка. На некоторых из них заметны места с песком более тёмных красновато-чёрных оттенков. Пески появились зде��ь благодаря восточным ветрам, которые принесли их сюда из центральной части восточной Намибии. Некоторые песчинки покрыты оксидом железа, который придаёт им характерный красный цвет. В некоторых частях Соссусфлей встречаются двухцветные красно-жёлтые дюны.

Дедвлей (Deadvlei) — это высохшее, после окружения дюнами, болото в русле этой же реки. На высохшей несколько сот лет назад глине серого цвета, остались деревья (верблюжья акация). В сухом жарком климате, древесина акаций окаменела. Деревья сохранили свой первородный вид, только без листьев.

Впечатляют своей красотой горы заповедника, выступающие прямо посреди пустыни. Их склоны довольно скалистые и укрыты редкой растительностью, оврагами и зелеными долинами. Эта область привлекает мало посетителей, так как является труднопроходимой. Она подходит для организованных серьезных походов.

Located in Namibia, the Namib-Naukluft National Park occupies part of the Namib Desert and the Naukluft Mountain Range. The Namib Desert is considered the oldest desert on the planet. The park covers an area of ​​approximately 50,000 square kilometers, making it the largest park in Africa and the fourth largest in the world. The creation of the Naukluft began in 1907. The most visited and best known parts of the park are Sossusvlei and Deadvlei.

The Sossusvlei Plateau is a kingdom of sand dunes, about 90% of which are made up of quartz sand. Some of them have areas with darker reddish-black sand. The sands were formed here by easterly winds that brought them here from the central part of eastern Namibia. Some grains of sand are coated with iron oxide, which gives them a characteristic red color. In some parts of Sossusvlei, two-tone red and yellow dunes are found.

Deadvlei is a dried-up swamp in the same river bed after being surrounded by dunes. On the gray clay that dried up several hundred years ago, trees (camel acacia) remained. In the dry, hot climate, the acacia wood petrified. The trees retained their original appearance, only without leaves.

The mountains of the reserve, jutting out right in the middle of the desert, are impressive in their beauty. Their slopes are quite rocky and covered with sparse vegetation, ravines and green valleys. This area attracts few visitors, as it is difficult to pass. It is suitable for organized serious hikes.

Источник: /35photo.pro/photo_523453/#author/523453, //yii2.rutraveller.ru/place/11744, /35photo.pro/moro/, /ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Намиб-Науклуфт, //awd.is/sossusvlei-dune-dedvlei-trees.

[starry-bi-sky]

yall ever think Shen Yuan went through like, internet withdrawal after being transmigrated into Shen Qingqiu? Like, he's canonically a NEET shut-in who did nothing but spend his time online, you can't tell me that for the first week or first few weeks of being SQQ he wasn't twitchy.

Like, reaching instinctively to his pockets for a phone that wasn't there, having an obsessive itch in the back of his mind that he should check and see if X or Y novel or webcomic has updated -- only to realize he can't anymore and being irritated by it. Wanting to go and see if there's new posts about this or that, but again realizing that he can't.

When he's bored or uncomfortable or just feels like wanting to escape he tries to go for his phone to distract himself, but oops! Not there anymore, and now he has to find a new and different way to distract himself from his feelings. And going through system notifications, quests, etc only does so much.

And there's that Tetris Effect too. SQQ makes a mistake while writing and instinctively goes to backspace on it except hey-ho that's not a keyboard and now he just dipped his pinkie into a bottle of ink or on a still-drying letter.

With him scrambling to fix his reputation and learn how to be a peak lord, I think his abrupt cold-turkey from all things internet would just be another straw on the camel's back that he promptly Ignores until it goes away on its own after he acclimates to his new surroundings.

[femmefatalevibe]

Femme Fatale Guide: How To Master An "Effortlessly Elegant" & Put-Together Look

Table of Contents:

Treat your skin like royalty

Take ample care of your natural hair

Dress in crisp neutral outfits that cater to your body shape

Choose your accessories wisely

Embrace feature-enhancing makeup

Keep your nails clean, filed, and simple

Regarding your signature scent(s)

Follow your dental & bodily hygiene routines religiously

Treat your skin like royalty:

Use high-quality skincare twice a day

Wear sunscreen every day

Remove your makeup every night before bed no matter what

Use makeup that doesn't clog your pores/irritate your skin

Change your pillowcases weekly

Eat plenty of produce & drink lots of water

Prioritize sleep

Limit or eliminate alcohol, cigarettes, caffeine, and processed foods/sugary drinks

Keep your skin exfoliated/derma-planed

Take ample care of your natural hair:

Use high-quality shampoo/conditioner combos that suit your hair type & don't cause build-up

Hydrate with a scalp mask 1-4 times a month

Use cold or lukewarm water to wash your hair

Apply shampoo to the roots/hair covering your scalp and conditioner only on the "ponytail" section of your hair

Use a specialty hair towel after getting out of the shower

Always comb wet hair and brush 1-3 times a day when dry

Limit heat on your hair when possible & always use a heat protectant every time you do

Use non-elastic or silk hair ties

Get regular trims at least 3-4 times per year (get your hair layered if it's very thick)

Try to limit how much you dye or, especially bleach, your hair and do elaborate styles with tons of heat & harsh products

Dress in crisp neutral outfits that cater to your body shape:

Embrace minimalist basics (tees, tanks, blouses, sweaters, jeans, trousers, blazers, leather jackets, coats, etc.) in high-quality fabrics (Pima cotton, Merino wool, Tencel, mulberry silk, etc.)

Choose options in black, white, grey, charcoal beige, navy, burgundy, or cream depending on your skin tone and preferences

Invest in a collection of sleek footwear options (black boots, loafers, black pumps, white sneakers, etc.) in minimalist, timeless styles that suit the color palette, hemlines & proportions of your go-to outfits

Ensure your shoes and accessories feel proportional to the weight/silhouette of your outfit, color-coordinate with the rest of your look, and have streamlined hardware from head-to-toe (all silver, all gold, or one piece that mixes silver/gold and another gold & silver piece each to balance out the color palette)

Keep all of your clothes steam and lint-rolled, so they look crisp & fresh all-day

Befriend your tailor to take in or let out clothes as needed when purchased off the rack

Choose clothes/styles that flatter your body shape and proportions

Utilize belts and bra tape to adjust the waist, keep shirts tucked in, and keep straps from falling down or create an impromptu cuff/hem on your pants

When in doubt, select a neutral head-to-toe monochrome outfit

If on a budget, consider choosing black, grey, camel beige items to hide fabric imperfections that could cheapen your look

Choose your accessories wisely:

Select sleek, simple neutral (& almost exclusively) monochrome shoes made with smooth (recycled/vegan) leather with

Pair almost any outfit with a shoe featuring a slight platform, block heel, kitten heel, and/or a sharply pointed toe to elongate your silhouette

Complement your outfit with structured, pared-back handbags with no logos (Focus on quality and construction, not the brand name) in a neutral shade and timeless silhouette

For jewelry, choose at most one statement piece and all others should be focused on different areas of the body (e.g. don't mix statement earrings with layered/bold necklaces or stacked rings * bracelets). When in doubt, choose simple diamond chains or earrings, sleek bangles or chainlink necklaces & bracelets, simple pendant necklaces, and minimalist rings in hardware that all go together

Embrace feature-enhancing makeup:

Cover up any dark circles, blemishes, or hyperpigmentation with a color-matched concealer

Lightly contour with a bronzer that complements your skin tone

Fill in your brows for a naturally full look (or get them professionally tinted)

Apply a light wash of rose, coral, or mauve blush

Use black mascara with a little bit of eyeliner and/or a subtle wash of brown eyeshadow on the lids

Apply a "your lips but better" nude shade or "just kissed' berry lipstick or pigmented lip balm for a subtle wash of color

Keep your nails clean, filed, and simple:

Maintain cut, cleaned, and filed short nails

Opt for a square or almond nail shape

Choose a timeless nail shade (pink, nude, red, beige, dark cherry, navy, dark purple, black) with no nail art

Hydrate your hands and scrub under your nails daily

Regarding your signature scent(s):

Ensure your body wash/lotion and perfume scents don't clash

Test perfumes for a trial day to ensure they smell divine with your unique pheromones

Choose a fragrance appropriate for the seasonal/occasion

Apply a dab on each wrist and on your neck/behind the ears. If the scent doesn't project well on you, try applying these small dabs on the cuffs and shoulders of your jacket/walk into it to get it on your hair (if it would stain your clothes)

Don't layer more than one heady perfume at a time or scents that don't have complementary and/or shared notes

Follow your dental & bodily hygiene routines religiously:

Floss every day (after each meal if possible)

Brush your teeth with an electric toothbrush twice a day

Have mints on hand if you're a garlic, spice, or coffee lover

Keep your lips & hands well-moisturized and protected with SPF

Shower your body daily and be extra diligent in scrubbing your privates, everything behind, and under your arms

Don't use very hot water in the shower (it burns/dries out your skin)

Exfoliate 2-3 times a week with a sugar scrub

Moisturize daily or anytime you get out of the shower

Apply SPF on any exposed sun (especially in the summer or when the UV index is high in your area)

[rastronomicals]

1:46 AM EDT August 10, 2024:

Dust - "From A Dry Camel" From the album Dust (1971)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

[xoxorory]

More than Jealousy !

Percy Jackson x Fem!Reader Fanfic(Daughter of Aphrodite)

Genre: Humor | Fluff | add +18 jokes from Percy

Universe: Percy Jackson & The Olympians

Word Count: 2K~

Established relationship!

Warnings: none

A/N: HI!! I finally posted something lol,tomorrow I will check it and make it aesthethic. I wrote it on my phone okay? Be patient 💔

I. Percy Jackson is a Drama King™

Percy had many admirable qualities: he was brave, loyal, funny… But he also had the terrible habit of being a dramatic boyfriend.

“I don’t get what she sees in him,” he grumbled, stirring his drink with a plastic straw with an intensity that was downright scary.

Nico di Angelo, sitting across from him with his usual “I’m too tired of life” expression, didn’t even bother to look at him.

“Not this again…”

“Yes, this again,” Percy said, crossing his arms and frowning in your direction and Marcus, the son of Apollo you’d been spending a lot of time with lately.

Nico sighed.

“Marcus isn’t trying to flirt with her.”

“Oh, he’s not? Then why is he laughing so much with her?”

“Because she’s funny.”

“And why is he looking at her like he wants to eat her whole?”

Nico almost spit out his juice.

“Gods, Jackson, calm down. Marcus isn’t in love with your girlfriend.”

“He is. I know it. I can smell it.”

Nico rolled his eyes.

“Please tell me you’re not sitting here sniffing the air like a jealous dog.”

“Nico, you don’t understand. That guy—”

“That guy just wants flirting advice, and if you used two brain cells at once, you’d realize he’s not interested in your girlfriend.”

Percy eyed him suspiciously.

“And how can you be so sure?”

Nico rolled his eyes and stood up from the table.

“When you’re done being an idiot, let me know.”

And with that, he left.

Percy, however, stayed with his brow furrowed.

Because he knew Marcus was up to something.

And Percy Jackson wasn’t going to let it slide without a fight.

⸻

II. Operation “Marking Territory”

Percy wasn’t a strategist like Annabeth, but he had instincts.

And at that moment, his instinct told him he needed to make it clear that you were his girlfriend.

So, when he found you with Marcus in the training arena, he decided to take action.

“Princess!”

You turned just in time for Percy to catch you by the waist and lift you off the ground like you weighed nothing.

“Percy!” you exclaimed with laughter as he spun you in the air.

Marcus blinked.

“Uh… Am I interrupting something?”

Percy slowly set you down and slid a hand to your ass in the process.

“Yes,” he said with an innocent smile.

Marcus made a face of “what the hell,” but didn’t say anything.

You, however, looked at him suspiciously.

“What’s your deal?”

Percy smiled even more.

“Nothing, just properly greeting my girlfriend.”

Marcus grimaced and looked away.

“I’m gonna pretend I didn’t see anything. Catch you later!”

When Marcus walked away, Percy smiled triumphantly.

You looked at him in disbelief.

“Really, Jackson?”

“What?”

“You grabbed my ass just to mark territory.”

“Technically, my territory.”

You rolled your eyes, but before you could respond, a dry voice sounded behind you.

“If you’re gonna have sex in the middle of camp, let me know so I can leave.”

Both of you turned to find Nico with his arms crossed and an expression of “I’m way too dead for this.”

“Nico!” you protested, blushing.

Percy just smiled.

“Hey, bro, good you showed up.”

Nico looked at him like he wanted to throw him to the Underworld.

“If you keep acting like a caveman, bro, I’m gonna summon an army of dead people to drag you away from here.”

“Don’t be dramatic.”

“You’re holding your girlfriend like she’s a trophy.”

“She’s my trophy.”

Nico sighed deeply.

“Gods, give me patience…”

⸻

III. Percy Jackson’s Worst Discovery

Percy kept up with his plan. He’d sit in your lap when Marcus was around, make suggestive comments about how “busy” they’d be after the campfire, and even bit your neck during a training session.

But the straw that broke the camel’s back was when Marcus came up to you on the beach.

“Hey, girly, can I talk to you for a sec?”

Before you could respond, Percy dropped his head in your lap and sighed dramatically.

“He can’t, Marcus. We’re in a very important activity.”

Marcus frowned.

“What activity?”

Percy lifted his head seriously.

“Sex.”

You almost choked him.

“PER-CY!”

Marcus grimaced.

“Dude, I didn’t want that image in my head.”

“Then don’t interrupt our intimate sessions.”

“Gods, that’s disgusting.”

Marcus sighed and crossed his arms.

“Look, I really need to talk to her. It’s about her brother.”

Percy tensed.

“What about her brother?”

Marcus rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

“I wanted to ask for advice because… I like him.”

There was a long silence.

Nico, who was nearby, almost choked on his own saliva.

“WHAT?”

You widened your eyes in surprise before bursting out laughing.

“Oh, gods! Was all this because you thought Marcus was after me?”

Percy stayed silent.

“Wait… you like her brother?”

Marcus blushed.

“Yeah.”

Nico looked at them with panic.

“Oh, no.”

Percy looked at Marcus, then at you, then at Nico.

“The sexy brother of my girlfriend?”

“PERCY!”

“The one who’s basically a male version of her?”

Marcus nodded.

“Yeah.”

Percy opened his mouth… then flopped onto his back in the sand.

“For the love of Poseidon, I’m a complete idiot.”

Nico crossed his arms.

“Finally, you say something sensible.”

You leaned over Percy, amused.

“Well, we already knew that.”

Percy shot you a look, but before he could respond, Marcus snapped his fingers.

“So, are you gonna help me or not?”

Percy growled.

“I don’t know if I want you dating her brother.”

“It’s not like you’re gonna say yes right away.”

Nico rubbed his temples.

“I’m gonna need therapy.”

You sighed and smiled at Marcus.

“Fine, I’ll help you. But maybe later, Percy seems like he will drown you in the lake.”

“Oh, I’ll do that anyway,” Percy chimed in.

Marcus rolled his eyes.

“Thanks for the trust, guys.”

Percy sighed as he watched him walk away.

“I still don’t like him.”

Nico looked at him.

“Neither do I.”

You kissed Percy on the cheek.

“You’re an adorable jealous guy.”

Percy looked at you with narrowed eyes.

“Adorable, huh? I’m making you pay for that later.”

“You’re disgusting, please.”

And, by the way Percy looked at you, you knew you’d be very busy later.

I’m not very fanatic of this writing,but I really wanted to post something 😓😓

[whencyclopedia]

The Salt Trade of Ancient West Africa

Salt from the Sahara desert was one of the major trade goods of ancient West Africa where very little naturally occurring deposits of the mineral could be found. Transported via camel caravans and by boat along such rivers as the Niger and Senegal, salt found its way to trading centres like Koumbi Saleh, Niani, and Timbuktu, where it was either passed further south or exchanged for other goods such as ivory, hides, copper, iron, and cereals. The most common exchange was salt for gold dust that came from the mines of southern West Africa. Indeed, salt was such a precious commodity that it was quite literally worth its weight in gold in some parts of West Africa.

The Salt Mines of the Sahara

The necessity for salt in ancient West Africa is here summarised in an extract from the UNESCO General History of Africa:

Salt is a mineral that was in great demand particularly with the beginning of an agricultural mode of life. Hunters and food-gatherers probably obtained a large amount of their salt intake from the animals they hunted and from fresh plant food. Salt only becomes an essential additive where fresh foods are unobtainable in vey dry areas, where body perspiration is also normally excessive. It becomes extremely desirable, however, amongst societies with relatively restricted diets, as was the case with arable agriculturalists. (Vol II, 384-5)

In addition, salt was always in great demand in order to better preserve dried meat and to give added taste to food. The savannah region south of the western Sahara desert (known as the Sudan region) and the forests of southern West Africa were poor in salt. Those areas near the Atlantic coast could obtain the mineral from evaporation pans or boiling sea water, but sea salt did not travel or keep well. A third alternative was salt derived from the ashes of burnt plants like millet and palms, but again these were not so rich in sodium chloride. Consequently, for most of the Sudan region, salt had to come from the north. The inhospitable Sahara desert was the chief natural source of rock salt, either acquired from surface deposits caused by the desiccation process such as found in old lake beds or extracted from relatively shallow mines where the salt is naturally formed into slabs. This salt, which was a creamy-grey colour, was far superior to the other sources of salt from the sea or certain plants.

When exactly salt became a trade commodity is unknown, but the exchange of salt for cereals dates back to prehistory when desert and savannah peoples each looked to gain what they could not produce themselves. On a larger scale, camel caravans were likely crossing the Sahara from at least the first centuries of the 1st millennium CE. These caravans would be run by the Berbers who acted as middle-men between the North African states and West Africa. Salt was their major trade good but they also brought luxury items like glassware, fine cloth, and manufactured goods. In addition, with these trade goods came the Islamic religion, ideas in art and architecture, and cultural practices.

Salt, both its production and trade, would dominate West African economies throughout the 2nd millennium CE, with sources and trade centres constantly changing hands as empires rose and fell. The salt mines of Idjil in the Sahara were a famous source of the precious commodity for the Ghana Empire (6-13th century CE) and were still going strong in the 15th century CE. In the 10th century CE the Sanhaja Berbers, who controlled the salt mines at Awlil and Taghaza and transportation through trade cities like Audaghost, began to challenge the Ghana Empire's monopoly of the trade. In the 11th century CE the Awlil mines were in the hands of Takrur, but it would be the Mali Empire (1240-1645 CE), with its capital at Niani, that dominated the sub-Saharan salt trade following the collapse of the Ghana Empire. However, semi-independent river 'ports' like Timbuktu began to steal trade opportunities from the Mali kings further west. The next kingdom to dominate the region and the movement of salt was the Songhai Empire (15-16th century CE) with its great trading capital at Gao.

Salt may have been a rarity in the savannah but at desert mining towns like Taghaza (the main Sudan source of salt up to the 16th century CE) and Taoudenni, the commodity was still so abundant slabs of rock salt were used to build homes. Naturally, such a valuable money-spinner as a salt mine attracted competition for ownership, as when the Moroccan leader Muhammad al-Mahdi attempted to muscle in on the market by arranging for several prominent Tuareg salt traders to be murdered at Taghaza in the mid-16th century CE. Quite literally, whoever controlled the salt trade also controlled the gold trade, and both were the principal economic pillars of the various empires of West Africa's history.

The 14th-century CE Muslim traveller Ibn Battuta, who visited West Africa c. 1352 CE, gives a lengthy description of life in the salt mine settlement of Taoudenni:

It is a village with no attractions. A strange thing about it is that its houses and mosques are built of blocks of salt and roofed with camel skins. There are no trees, only sand in which there is a salt mine. They dig the ground and thick slabs are found in it, lying on each other as if they had been cut and stacked under the ground. A camel carries two slabs. The only people living there are the slaves of the Massufa, who dig for the salt.

(quoted in de Villiers, 121-122)

Continue reading...

[deezbignutz]

More Redacted hc bc why tf not, yknow :))))) (this is also to make up for not doing Brachium and Christian but u don't need to know that-)

One time during their early stages of dating, Angel found out about henna from Baaabe and wanted to surprise David with it some cool squiggles and flowers knowing damn well he would have a strong reaction to it. He did in fact have a strong reaction to it, and so did Angel when they realised they were highly allergic to one of the ingredients used in henna and was immediately brought to the hospital by a very worried David.

Asher has a knack for finding the most unsettling and disturbing facts and sending them to Milo because he doesn't need to know about it at all and gets pissed when Asher texts him in the middle of something important. (Also, fun fact! Camel's piss is as thick as syrup and it was thought to have medicinal properties, so people back then mixed it with camel milk and drink it. It did not have medicinal properties and didn't taste very good)

Gavin has a taser that is bedazzled in pink gems with text written on the front saying "Get tased, b*tch". He bought it for himself some time ago in case some perv got a little too comfortable without his consent.

Damien has a bad habit of chewing on his bottom lip when he's frustrated or zoning out, and he has done it so much that it old cuts bleed on its own even when he isn't biting it. This has led Huxley to buying lip ointments and lip balms for him and placing them in Damien's and his bags whenever they go out, he also has them littered around his home whenever he comes over, in the pockets of his clothes in case they don't bring their bags when going out, and one more he brings everywhere for back up.

Once Freelancer got Caelum a lego set for him to fiddle with while they were doing their coursework. The next day when he finally finished it, they watched in horror as Caelum destroyed the set so he could build it all over again, since he didn't understanding that once you build it, it's done.

Christian has a designer brand crescent cross body bag (it's not designer, he just likes saying it is because it's one of the only expensive things he owns), and because of this, Arden and Kelsey have lovingly named him an eshay (which is a stereotypically hypermasculine Australian man who are inclined to crime and violence, or basically just an annoying Aussie brat who's obsessed with masculinity/a chav) much to his chagrin.

Sweetheart has half empty cups and mugs scattered all over their room with most of the liquid in it drying up or turning into syrup from all the water evaporating. It hasn't gone so far as for mold to start appearing, but it's definitely getting there.

Porter has collected many little things that remind him of Treasure ever since he met them in that club, such as a surprisingly shiny penny from the ground, a cartoony key with a swirly heart on the end of it, a golden ring with hands on it that when worn looks like arms hugging your finger, and many other things that he keeps in his bedside table.

Darlin' and Sam write notes to each other and lay them around the house for each other to see when doing their normal routine. Like, Darlin' would be in the kitchen making their morning coffee and see a sticky note stuck on top of the coffee machine with some sappy shit like "Love you to bits, my Darlin'<3 P.S. Stop putting so many damn shots in your coffee, you're gonna get heart problems one of these days".

Hope y'all enjoy :)))))))

Thank you for coming to my TedTalk :D)))))