#Canopy of Change

[delicatelysublimeforester]

Sowing Seeds of Change: Richard St. Barbe Baker's Green Legacy

[herbalnature]

Look up into a kaleidoscope of autumn hues where cottonwood trees stretch into the sky. Their leaves form a warm, golden canopy against the cool whisper of an overcast day.

[missedmilemarkers]

[shivasdarknight]

as funny as the tree law stuff is, the punishment for that is a fine

and a reminder: If the penalty for a crime is a fine, then that law only exists for the lower class

it's funny, but i doubt it'll amount to much beyond the strikers being subjected to heat stroke because do you really think that LA would side with the strikers?

if you can, donate to the Entertainment Community Fund.

[hologramblue]

the thing about urqopacha is that the zone itself isn't, like, objectively enormous. afaict by comparing in-game maps it's about as big as any SHB or EW zones at least. the thing is that they're further and further refining whatever secret sauce is in the OOB parts of the map that make it look and feel like a much bigger space than it is, along with the scale of vegetation and stuff next to the player.

i was bitching about this back when they added flying to ARR areas, bc it highlighted something interesting about OOB/skybox design in different xpacs: ARR areas were designed without flight in mind, so they had these big OOB vistas stretching off into the distance, under the assumption that you could only see them from certain angles and the illusion would hold forever. then HW rolls in with flight, and if you fly straight up in the dravanian forelands in particular you'll notice something interesting - the whole zone is bounded in by mountains that you can't see over, they seem to have felt like they couldn't just leave an open cliff and an invisible wall because flight would break some kind of illusion there. it creates this fishbowl effect that makes the zone feel very small. the same thing happens in a lot of SB zones too.

at some point they gave up and admitted that invisible walls are fine actually and that was definitely for the better in terms of how maps look. when SHB came out i was gushing about the way rak'tika was done to feel Oh Shit Big despite being flyable, and when EW came out i was gushing about those zones too. there's still a difference in scale between overworld maps and the sense of space in dungeons and other instanced areas (i just did the first DT dungeon. that was fantastic shit) (pvp onsal hakair big fucking grass OOB i shake my fist and cry forever) which is entire ly because they only have to make a certain area traversable and have this massive massive OOB canvas to paint on. overworld areas are a trickier balance because they need to feel big but can't actually be that big for technical reasons and also have to not be infuriating to run around on when you have minimum mount speed.

but i'm repeating things i know i've said before. anyways. 2 out of the 2 dawntrail zones i've seen so far have had a really really good feeling of space due to clever use of OOB space and elevation in urqopacha, and good vegetation size/density creating just the right sense of scale in kozama'uka.

[son-of-avraham]

I watched Fiddler on the Roof and while, of course, there are potentially many people who didn't like it, it was a rollercoaster personally

[valiasims]

Cozy Cabin Collection - Nursery

Hey everyone!

Sorry for the delay I was working a lot on this to be the way I wanted it to be but here it is! The next part of the Cozy Cabin Colletion is the nursery.

This time I wanted to bring a cozy, bear themed nursery with neutral colors and elements that represent nature.

This set has started a little difficult and I had to change some things because I wanted to include windows too but I realized there are so many things I want to make that the windows have to be left out this time. So I basically wasted a 3-4 days. Technically those days aren't wasted because I'll include the windows hopefully in the next set but I had less time for the items in this set.

I had a rough time with the curtains because at first these looked more thrown on the crib but I discovered that the arch is exactly the same as some in-game arched windows and I wanted them to be useable more ways so I redid them to be more curtainy. This inspired me to do arched windows so maybe I'll do them next, I'm not sure yet.

So about the items. I made these arches with the wooden frames to go together as you can see. All of them come in all 3 wall heights. The best to place them with half tile placement turned on with the F5 key.

I added 3 different furniture to slot into the wooden frames. You can mix and match these however you like or use them separately. With the half tile placement you can put them next to each other perfectly. 2 of them are shelves and one is a dresser with dresser functionality.

I mentioned the curtains the fit perfectly under the arch so you can use them like a canopy above the crib.

The changing table is base game and functional.

(The armchair and deco cushion is from the previous Entryway set.)

I think that's it, please let me know how you like it and if you have any errors, problems let me know as well! Hope you have a nice day/night and enjoy this set as much as I loved to create it. Despite some things being difficult I really enjoyed doing these items and this is my favourite collection I've done so far.

The Set Includes

Crib

Changing Table

Wooden Arch (3 heights)

Wooden Frame (3 heights, Left and Right variation)

Dresser

Shelves (2 variations, with tree design, without tree design)

Sheer Curtains

Bear Lights (3 heights)

Baby Blankets

Stack of Books

Children's Books

Lying Bear Plushie

Sitting Bear Plushie

Wooden Bears Family Deco

Round Rug

-DOWNLOAD HERE- Public release on the 17th of December 6PM CST

[cherrygirlfriend]

⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ answer the call

pairing: bsf!reader x rafe synopsis: rafe fucks his best friend while she's on the phone with her boyfriend. warnings: smut, piv, MDNI!! wc: 1k a/n; originally posted 11/14/2024

rafe had you on all fours on your canopy bed, holding onto one of the posts for dear life as he pounded into you, the bed swaying every time he thrust his cock into you, one of his hands gripping onto your hair while the other rested on your ass, occasionally giving it a sharp smack, causing you to let out a noise that was between a gasp and a yelp.

"aww, look at you." rafe cooed mockingly with a tug at your hair, the blonde panting behind you "so fucking desperate for me to fuck you. bet your little loser boyfriend can't fuck you like you need to be fucked, hm?"

you hated the words that were leaving his lips, but you couldn't deny that he was right; your boyfriend definitely couldn't satisfy you the way rafe always seemed to be able to do, he couldn't hit that spongy spot that caused you to curl your toes, or rub your clit in the way that caused your back to arch off the bed. not like rafe did.

"say it," rafe commanded, "say that he can't-"

rafe let out an annoyed growl when he was interrupted by the sound of your phone ringing on the nightstand. his initial plan was to tell you to ignore it, but when he saw who it was, he got a whole new idea, a grin taking over your lips.

"answer it."

"w-what?" you looked back at rafe with furrowed brows, thinking that he must be joking, but as he continued to pound into you, there was no sign of hesitation on his face, only a wide, cruel grin.

you reached for your phone from the nightstand, rafe slowing his pace as you looked at the caller id with widened eyes, almost waiting for it to change into something else, but clear as day, there was your boyfriend's name, along with the contact photo you set for him, a picture of you two taken at a carnival.

"do it before i do it for you." rafe mumbled as he bent to press a small kiss to the back of your neck, grabbing your ass roughly. and hesitantly, you pressed the green button visible on the screen as rafe pulled out of you.

"h-hi, babe." you said, trying your best to steady your breathing as rafe teased your entrance with the tip of his cock, the hand that was in your hair just moments ago going down to rub your clit.

"hey, everything good?" the voice on the other line asked, and you had to hold back a moan by biting down on your lip as rafe's middle finger brought some of your arousal to your clit, starting to slowly rub the puffy bud.

"yeah, everything's good." you chuckled, "i was just working out."

when you said that, you felt rafe's tip slowly starting to enter you, stretching your walls as you tried not to let out any noise, your boyfriend going on a tirade about something that you honestly couldn't give two shits about at that moment.

rafe continued moving in and out of you, at first at a slow pace, slowly building it up; all the while your boyfriend was talking, and you occasionally let out noncommittal hums and 'mmhm's, but the harder rafe was fucking you, the harder it was to concentrate on anything other than him, and trying to keep quiet felt like rocket science at that point, and you were starting to taste blood in your mouth from how hard you were biting down on your lip.

"i-i gotta go." you said into the phone, nearly panting, "i'll see you later." you said, hanging up before he could even get a word in, feeling the band in your stomach getting closer and closer to snapping, letting out a moan you'd held in for too long the moment that you were off the call as rafe started pounding into you relentlessly.

"say it." rafe commanded behind you, your eyes squeezed shut, your mind hazy with pleasure, confused as to what he was talking about. "say that your boyfriend can't fuck you the way i fuck you."

you were a panting mess as he continued hitting the spot inside of you that only he seemed able to reach; a part of you didn't want to say it, didn't want to give him the satisfaction, but the moment the palm of his hand landed on your ass, you yelped, the pleasure almost overwhelming.

"h-he-"

"nuh-uh. your boyfriend."

you let out a small whine when he corrected you, trying to steady your erratic breathing as he continued thrusting in and out of you.

"m-my boyfriend... can't fuck me the way you do..."

"atta girl." rafe chuckled behind you, and the way his fingers continued circling your clit while he pounded into you from behind was getting almost overwhelming, and rafe could tell that you were getting closer by the way you were starting to clench around him, the blonde letting out a groan, "gonna come in this pretty pussy..." he mumbled, "she's practically begging me to... wants me to show her who she belongs to..."

a part of you wanted to protest, but you were so close that your mind was clouded by all the bliss he was making you feel, the world around you getting so hazy that you couldn't bring yourself to care as long as you got to come.

and as soon as you felt the band in your stomach snap, rafe's cock buried deep inside of you, he couldn't help the almost animalistic groan that left his lips, warm pumps of cum filling you up

[delicatelysublimeforester]

The Dance of Weather: How Trees and Forests Shape Our World

[bunnis-monsters]

The Naga Experiment

Male!Naga x Fem!Reader

WC: 2k+

warnings: double peen, double penetration, breeding, experimentation on reader’s body

A/N: Patreon and Kofi supporters got to see this first! If you want access early and exclusive content, become a member of one ^^

Your body was sore, bruises littering your skin from every needle that had pierced it. What fluids had been injected into you? They didn’t ever say what was going into your blood system, only cooing and shushing you when you struggled.

It had been so long since you had seen the sun, sometimes you wondered if it was something you made up long ago.

Most of your life was spent in an underground facility. When you were a child, it was discovered that your body was nearly compatible with naga DNA, meaning all they needed to do was change your DNA just enough to keep the Naga from becoming extinct.

“Don’t cry, it’s almost over… you’re nearly complete.”

Tears ran down your cheeks as one of the scientists examined your body, turning your hips and pressing down against your belly. “You’ll be the perfect mate for our current specimen. He’ll be so happy to have a new playmate…”

You were too tired to question anything, you couldn’t even comprehend what they were saying due to the intense pain you were in.

It had been a few weeks since you last spoke. What was the point? They never never even listened to what you had to say. There was no reason to try…

After being lifted up into the arms of one of the scientists, you were taken into the bathroom to be properly cleaned. Your skin was scrubbed, bandages applied to any open wounds and your bruises covered with soothing creams.

Why were they being gentle all of a sudden? You didn’t understand…

You were dressed in some cotton clothing, something you could easily move in. Were they going to force you into more physical tests? Running was difficult with your exhausted body, you weren’t looking forward to this at all…

Soft sunlight filtered through the doorway of the next room, and you watched in awe as the scientists backed away from you.

“Subject 213, you may now leave this facility. Your new home is outdoors.”

You walked on trembling legs, your heart racing with both hope and anticipation. Was this real? Were the scientists truly going to let you leave?

The air was thick and humid, nothing like the cold and sterile environment you had gotten used to over the years.

It seemed you were in some sort of jungle. The earth under your feet was damp, and the trees were tall with long green leaves. The sound of frogs croaking and something scurrying through the canopy had you a bit nervous, but you were determined to get as far away from that building as possible.

With nothing but the clothes on your back, you began your trek through the thick brush. It had been so long since you felt the earth under your feet, you never wanted to even think about the cold tiles of that research facility again.

You found yourself sprinting, giggles escaping your lips as you twirled and jumped, your heart soaring. There were so many things you wanted to do now that you had escaped. The first thing on the list was having a good meal.

Everything you ate was flavorless, you could almost taste some savory meat or some sweet pastries on your tongue!

Before you could think any further, the sound of snapping twigs and something slithering about made you stop.

You tried to catch your breath as you turned in a full circle, your eyes searching through the thick brush. For a moment you thought you had just hallucinated the sound, but only moments later you heard another one from your left.

There was no guarantee whatever was watching you could understand what you were going to say, but you spoke up regardless.

A shiver went down your spine as you faced the bush. “W-who are you?”

The sound stopped, and for one blissful moment you assumed whatever had been making that noise had been scared off by your voice.

Unfortunately, you were wrong.

The limbs of the bush bent and snapped to make way for the creature hiding behind it. Your eyes widened as it made its way towards you.

Its upper half was that of a human male, its lean muscular frame seeming normal… until you looked down.

The lower half was that of a snake, with dark colored scales that shimmered in the sunlight. The creature slithered forward eagerly, blinking a few times.

“You… smell good.”

He grinned, his fangs poking out as he drew closer. His eyes sparkled as he leaned down, taking in your scent with a flick of his tongue.

You were too scared to move, your heart hammering against your chest as it let out an excited purr. Within seconds you found yourself trapped within its lower body, your face pressed against its torso.

“A mate? Have they finally brought me a mate?”

He rubbed his head against you, continuing those strange noises. “So small, but you smell just like a female of my species…”

“M-mate… huh?”

You thought back about your experiences there, the endurance tests, injections, and every single hardship you went through. Was that all just to make you a suitable mate for this… thing!?

“And you can breathe this air! You’re not even burning alive!”

“W… what are you talking about? Why would I not be able to-“

He tilted his head, his forked tongue flicking across your cheek. “This climate… the earthlings cannot withstand it. Our planet-“

Your head was already reeling. “I… am I not on earth?”

The creature laughed, beginning to slither with you in his grasp. “No, you’re not. That doesn’t matter though, you’re all mine now!”

Everything seemed hopeless. Not only were you being taken away to be the mate of some unknown creature, you weren’t even on earth to begin with. Was escape even possible when you didn’t know what planet you were on?

You decided it was probably best to go along with things, just like you would in the science lab.

He placed you down in a small den. It was warm and comfortable, with a bed of furs for you to lay on. “My little mate, you’ve come just in time you know? It’s breeding season, and there are barely any females left.”

The snake half of his body curled around you, squeezing gently before he pulled you close. “We are nagas, mate. I’ll teach you more once we’re a mated pair.”

“Mated pair?”

His fangs brushed against your neck as he continued to speak. “Yes, a mated pair. You’re at your most fertile right now, so we have to get you bred quickly…”

He undressed you slowly, tossing aside your shirt. The naga had never seen such large breasts before, and your nipples intrigued him.

“You’re plump and warm, that’s perfect. Our species adore things that are soft and give off heat.”

He pinched the perky buds, jolting forward with excitement when you let out a whimper. “Are these sensitive? How about if I do this?”

With a soft squeeze, he groped your breasts, giving your nipples lots of attention. The naga let out a coo when you squirmed against him, your panties growing wet.

You had been an experiment at that lab since you were a child, meaning you never got to experience sexual pleasure outside of the occasional stimuli from an examination.

This was all completely new to you, every touch and sensation had your body flushing with heat!

“That’s it, you’re such a sweet little mate. You’re going to carry my little ones well…”

His body pressed against yours, and he tilted her chin up so he could really look at your face. You weren’t sure why, but you felt drawn to him, as if your body was meant to be touched and played with by him.

That scent of his was driving you crazy. It wafted through the air, almost like a drug that made you desperate to be bred as soon as possible.

The scientists had made sure your body responded to him in this way to help the mating process.

When you leaned forward and pressed your lips against him, the naga found himself getting hard. He wasn’t expecting you to respond to his ministrations so eagerly, but he could tell you were aroused by the way your heart raced and your eyelids drooped.

“Mate… you want this, don’t you?”

His finger swirled around your pretty clit, flicking it softly before moving downwards towards your dripping hole. “Don’t worry, I’ll give you it.”

Your eyes widened when something slimy slipped between your thighs. The slit in his tail opened up, two fat, pink cocks slipping through. Both were twitching, precum already dripping from their large tips.

Pulling your thighs apart to get a better look, the naga smiled when he noticed your pussy had been modified to take both of his cocks at once. He pumped his fingers in and out for a moment, cooing as you moaned and bucked your hips into his hand.

“It seems you’re ready for me, mate.”

Everything felt so strange. His pheromones, his musk felt like they were making your brain feel fuzzy. You felt like a bitch in heat, your clit twitching at the sight of both of his cocks approaching your needy cunt.

You buried your neck into his neck, inhaling his scent as he nudged you with both of his members. His hands gripped your hips and squeezed, his tail still wrapped around you.

Without further warning, you felt the combined girth of his fat cocks stretching your poor cunt out to its limit. If you were a normal human virgin, you would have easily torn.

Luckily for you, this was exactly what the scientists had modified your body for. Despite being a bit uncomfortable with the stretch, you were still able to accommodate his large girth. Even as he bottomed out inside of you, your belly stretched and bulged, keeping you relatively content.

“Beautiful…” he murmured. One of his hands moved over your bulging belly, feeling his cock twitch under the skin and fat. “You’re taking me so well, I promise I’ll make you feel good.”

He moved slowly at first, his slitted pupils dilating. “So good… g-gods…”

The slight twitching of his cocks had you whimpering and shifting your hips towards him, you were already about to cum and he had just started.

Cum oozed from your pussy, only making it easier for him to fuck in and out of you. Your first ever orgasm felt like heaven, and it made your body melt into his like you wanted to become one with him.

He sped up now, your cum acting as lube. Each thrust made your pretty tits bounce in rhythm, and he could help but take one of your nipples into his mouth.

“F-faster!” you babbled out, pleasured tears falling down your cheeks. “Please, fuck… I need you!”

That’s all the naga needed to fear. His mate was begging for him, and it was enough to stir his primal instincts to breed you.

The naga pushed you against the wall, pounding into your cunt while you whimpered and cried. One of his cocks dragged against your walls, stretching you out, while the other hit your g-spot with each thrust.

He came inside of you, filling you to the brim with his seed. It made him beyond happy to see your fucked out face and hazy eyes, all happy and satisfied with your mate’s cum stuffed into your pussy.

“That’s it…” he cooed, kissing your cheeks as the two of you stayed locked together. “That’s my girl, just rest now.”

He laid down, his cock nestled comfortably inside of you as you began to drift off. Weirdly enough, you felt more safe with this inhuman creature than you ever had before, and got the best sleep of your life.

The naga stroked your cheek, watching over his precious little mate while you slept peacefully. Maybe a life with him would be better than you thought.

—————

NSFW TAGLIST: @avalordream @bazpire @im-eating-rn @anglingforlevels @kinshenewa @pasteldaze @yoongiigolden @peachesdabunny @leiselotte @misswonderfrojustice @dij-ology @i8kaeya @lollboogurl @h3110-dar1in9 @keikokashi @aliceattheart @mssmil3y @namjoons-t1ddies @izarosf1833 @healanette @lem-hhn @spufflepuff @honey-crypt @karljra @zyettemoon1800 @exodiam @vexillum-moeru @imperfectlyperfectprincess1 @enchantedsylveon @mysticranger575 @readeryn68 @danielle143 @kittenlover614 @filthybunny420 @annavittoria-mm @makimamybelovedwife @blubearxy @omglovelylaila @toocollectionchaos-universe-blog @fruk-you-usuk-fans @hammerhead96-blog @slightlyusedfloormat @bubblez-blop @sunshineangel-reads @heroneki-neko @soapybabyboop @anonymouskiwi @flamefoxx @sandramalikstyles-blog @breathingstarlight

[herbalnature]

Look up and get lost in the warm embrace of autumn's golden hues. This canopy of cottonwood leaves creates an enchanting mosaic against the sky's canvas.

[taurusdesign]

Disordinato Collection - Part 3

Sul sul!

The new set is finally ready. I was hoping to release it in February, but—unsurprisingly—I couldn’t make it in time. Sorry about that once again!

This set is nursery-themed and includes 10 items in total. If you want to bring a lived-in, cozy feel to your Sims’ nurseries, you’re in the right place. You’ll find adorable pieces like cribs, an inflatable baby tub for bath time, and even a wardrobe shaped like a dollhouse.

So without further ado, let’s see what’s in the set!

"Guardian Angel" Canopy

Crib (with and without Skirt)

Bassinet (I wanted to make the bassinet functional, but unfortunately that wasn’t possible. You can still use it functionally with the invisible crib mod)

Baby Clothes

Dresser (Open and Closed versions)

Baby Bathtub

Changing Station

Diaper Pail

The color palette from the Disordinato Collection didn't suit a nursery very well, so I chose a different one for this set.

Public Release: April 21, 2025

GET EARLY ACCESS

You can find all the items included in the set by typing 'disordinato3' into the search bar.

I hope you'll like it!

Dag dag! 💞

[gotta-bail-my-quails]

so i realized you can use powerpoints to imagine new ways to organize your furniture

[pretty-little-mind33]

James Potter x shy!fem!reader

Summary: While previously being close friends, after your fourth year you distance yourself from James and he doesn't understand why.

Genre: Fluff with hurt and comfort <3

Warnings: slut shaming, reader has a sexual rumor spread about her, protective!James, gross teenage boys, attempted sexual harassment (non-consentual touching), reader is justifyingly emotional

JAMES POTTER MASTERLIST

James likes you. He's always liked you. You are kind, albeit a bit shy, but James doesn't mind. He'd spent all of first year simply watching you. He didn't mean for it to be creepy and he did his best to go unnoticed as he watched you feed the animals near the Forbidden Forest. Or when he paid attention to where you liked to sit in the library and what books you read. 

When second year came around, he joined Quidditch half in hopes to see you in the stand. You never came. 

In third year, his confidence grew and he started actually talking to you. You were quiet but you didn't seem to mind whenever he'd walk you back to the dorms, or when he helped you study for your Potions exams. You'd smile at him so pretty James was positive he left every conversation with the deepest blush.

By fourth year, you changed and you didn't seem to like the compliments he'd give you anymore and James couldn't understand why. "If you think a girl is pretty, you should tell her, Jamsie." James took his mother's words very seriously, but the more he complimented you—the more distant you became. 

By the end of fourth year, Sirius and Remus warned him he should just leave you alone, but James was stubborn. and hecouldn't understand why you didn't like the compliments. 

He really meant them after all.

"I don't understand," he groans one evening, laying on his bed, his legs thrown against the wall, his hair falling over the edge of the bed, as he plays with the maroon curtains of his dorm room canopy bed. Sirius and Remus are standing over him, looking unamused. 

"Just leave the poor girl alone," Remus says.

"It's been almost three years now, Prongs," Sirius leans down, his black hair falling over his cheeks as he looks into James's pitiful eyes. "You should just move on. I heard from Alice that Lily Evans has her eye on you now."

"Who?" James mutters, barely listening. 

"Y'know, the pretty red-head from our year?"

James shakes his head and sits up, flopping onto his back as he presses his palms into his eyes. "I don't care about anyone but her," he says, "I don't understand what I'm doing wrong."

"Overwhelming her?" Remus deadpans. 

"Being a stalker?" Sirius adds, resting a hand on his hip as he sends Remus a knowing look and the latter sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

James groans and sits up, his eyes lighting up. "There is the Quidditch finals today, do you think she'll come?" He asks, sounding hopeful. You've never once come to any games. Sirius and Remus shake their heads, knowing the answer is most likely a no and James's expression falls.

* * *

"She came," Peter points to the crowd. He's sitting next to Sirius and Remus as they watch you navigate the stands. Sirius, who had previously been sulking because he couldn't play because of his injury, grins and nods, looking out at the pitch to see if James has noticed you.  

"James is gonna freak," Sirius laughs. 

"She isn't here for him, Pads," Remus nudges Sirius's shoulder and Peter's expression sours. 

"She's with Raven Griffins," the boy says, a disgusted look crossing over his features. "What is she doing with that arsehole?"

Sitting a few students away, you're very uncomfortable. You keep nervously fiddling with the hem of your skirt. You suddenly wish you hadn't come. The only reason you'd said yes to this date was because Griffins was one of the only boys who'd seemed genuinely interested in you. He spoke to you normally, with no ulterior motives and no mocking tone. He was smart and handsome and he seemed genuinely interested. Still, you want to disappear. The game hadn't even started and it was already much too loud. Plus, Griffins had seen some of his friends and now this date didn't feel like a date anymore anyways.

Once the game begins, students stand and cheer and you're jostled to your feet with everyone else. You bite your lip, holding your breath as you focus on the way your nails dig into your palm to ground yourself. You've never liked crowds. 

"Raven?" you whisper, turning to the boy. He shifts his gaze towards you, only grinning as he wraps his arm around you and squeezes your hips. You frown, a shiver running up your spine as his touch feels wrong. 

You shimmy from his grasp and Raven frowns. You can barely hear him over the cheering but as he grabs your arm, fingers digging into your flesh. It seems like he laughs, eyes gleaming with malice as he turns to his friend and says: "Bloody hell, I knew she was easy, but I didn't think she would be this easy. Clearly wants me bad, mate," he laughs. It feels like a bucket of cold water has just been splashed all over you and you tear your arm from him.

You spin around, pushing students to find the quickest exit. Your eyes burn. 

How could you have been so foolish to think this would have gone any differently? 

Tears blur your vision and you run down the stairs to the path around the school. The gravel crackles under your shiny leather shoes. You can't be here anymore. You should have never come. You're in such a rush you don't hear someone call your name until a strong hand grips your wrist and you spin around, almost crashing into the person's chest. You're standing just outside the Quidditch pitch now, the cheers less violent as you focus on the person in front of you.

"James?" 

James is holding his broom in one hand and the other falls from your wrist. He's panting, sweat gathering at his hairline and making his already curly hair even curlier. You can see dirt staining his cheek from what you assume was a harsh landing from his brook and behind the nasty bruise on his cheekbone, his cheeks are tinted crimson and he coughs, leaning forward. 

Did he run here? 

"What happened?" James mutters, clearing his throat as he looks up at you again. "I saw you and Griffins in the crowd and it seemed like he upset you. What did he do?" James spits Griffins name with venom and his usually kind eyes turn dark.

You're shocked, your breaths coming out raspy. Did he follow you here? You back away from him, catching your breath along with him.

"You're missing your game," you whisper. If there is anything you remember from your friendship with James Potter, it's his love of Quidditch. You look at him, realizing it's been almost three years since you'd spoken to him properly.

After what happened, you'd distanced yourself from him. He was just too much at the time—his kind words only made the situation worse. Your heart clenches and you lower your gaze. "Don't miss Quidditch because of me," you add, tears forming on your eyelashes. 

James sees them and he panics. "Did Griffins make you cry?!" He's angry and he drops his broom and rushes up to you. 

You flinch when he cups your cheeks in his hands and you push him away. 

"I'm sorry," James says. His eyes look sad and it breaks you. You cover your mouth, realizing you can't stop the tears anymore. You can't even speak. All you can do is cry into your hand, muffling the sobs as Griffins words repeat in your head;

I knew she was easy, but I didn't think she was this easy.

You choke on a sob and tense when you feel someone's arms hesitantly wrap around you. James hugs you, his chin resting on your head and you break some more. You don't pull away and instead, you wrap your arms around his waist, crying into his uniform. His hand smoothes over your hair and he feels like crying as well. You're hurt. You're hurt so badly you've broken down in front of him and he doesn't understand why. 

"I'm sorry I disappeared," you mutter, all your emotions crashing over you. "You were my f-friend and I- I ignored you."

James frowns, holding you tighter. "Is that what this is about?" he asks softly. "I'm not upset with you. I missed you, yeah. But I'm definitely not mad," he pauses and lifts his head, stroking strands of hair from your face. He looks serious. "Can you tell me what happened? Why are you so sad?"

You look confused and you tilt your head in question. "You don't know?"

James frowns. "Am I supposed to?" 

You don't believe him. James and his friends are some of the most popular boys in your year. In the school even. There is absolutely no way they didn't hear the rumor. Everyone had. That's why you'd avoided James until now. You couldn't face him after what everyone was saying. It was too cruel.

You let out a weary breath. "The rumor—about me? H-how I lost my virginity in fourth year, with some boys from sixth year–? You– you haven't heard it?"

James's blood runs cold. That was you? Of course, he'd heard the rumor but he wasn't one for that type of gossip. He didn't care who the girl was because honestly? He didn't believe the rumor. He didn't even entertain the thought—it had seemed so ludicrous to him. His heart breaks now that he knows it had been you that the rumor surrounded. 

"You stopped being my friend because of a rumor?"

"You don't believe it?"

James laughs. "Believe it? I never did, and now I believe it even less because it's you." James holds your chin, his thumb gently stroking your skin. "Why didn't you come to me? I could have helped you. You didn't have to go through this all alone," he whispers sadly. 

You look at him, feeling overwhelmed all over again. "I- I thought you knew—"

He shakes his head, his expression stern. "Why would you think that?"

You chew on your lower lip, avoiding his gaze now. The words suddenly feel too embarrassing for you to admit out loud. But you can't avoid them now. You're stuck. "Well, you started to compliment me more. You would call me pretty and all that and I- with the rumor going around I assumed y-you just wanted me to sleep with you. It feels so stupid to say now, but you weren't the first boy to see me like that and I didn't know what to think. I just had to distance myself from you and all your sweet words. I'm sorry."

James's heart sinks and he feels sick. "You assumed I was being ingenuine?" He sees the panic behind your eyes and he feels bad. He doesn't mean to interrogate you. He isn't upset that you assumed he was just like all the others, he's more upset that you'd kept this feeling for three years. 

He holds you closer, still stroking your cheek as he keeps his breathing steady. You're so beautiful and he wants nothing more than to tell you. But he knows it isn't the time. "I'm sorry you've had shitty experiences with arseholes in the past, and judging by how upset you seemed, Griffins seems to have been one of them," he says, any angry look passing across his features again.

He lets out a breath and continues, "I promise you, I didn't know and I didn't compliment you with any ulterior motives. I just, well, I thought you looked pretty and you deserved to know it."

Your heart melts as you look at him and the walls you'd built start to crumble. You look at James and he looks like the same boy you knew three years ago. 

He looks at you the same way as if nothing had changed and you hadn't abandoned him over something so stupid. You strain a small smile, looking a little bashful. "You've always been too kind, James Potter." 

James shakes his head. "You deserve it and more," he whispers. He sounds sincere and still shame bubbles in your stomach. 

"Your game—"

"Can wait," James walks closer, his hand inching towards you as he delicately brushes his pinky with yours. "You're more important."

You feel like you're floating. 

"There's no need to feel alone anymore," he adds, smiling. "I'm here with you."

You could faint. 

"Now, what suitable punishment do you think Griffins deserves?" A familiar smirk graces James's features and he pauses for a moment before he muses darkly, "I know a potion that can cause hair loss—permanently. Or blistering acne?" he sends you a wink. 

You laugh, tracing his palm with your finger. You don't say a word and instead, you walk into his arm and hug him again. James is surprised for a moment until he relaxes into your touch. He inhales, smelling your shampoo and he smiles. He's really missed this. 

For the first time, James doesn't care that he's missing the most important of the season. He doesn't care how angry his teammates will be or how disappointed McGonagall will be with him. He'll deal with the consequences later. All that matters now is you in his arms. 

He's determined not to let you slip from his grasp again.  

[reasonsforhope]

Ancient redwoods recover from fire by sprouting 1000-year-old buds

Article | Paywall free

When lightning ignited fires around California’s Big Basin Redwoods State Park north of Santa Cruz in August 2020, the blaze spread quickly. Redwoods naturally resist burning, but this time flames shot through the canopies of 100-meter-tall trees, incinerating the needles. “It was shocking,” says Drew Peltier, a tree ecophysiologist at Northern Arizona University. “It really seemed like most of the trees were going to die.”

Yet many of them lived. In a paper published yesterday in Nature Plants, Peltier and his colleagues help explain why: The charred survivors, despite being defoliated [aka losing all their needles], mobilized long-held energy reserves—sugars that had been made from sunlight decades earlier—and poured them into buds that had been lying dormant under the bark for centuries.

“This is one of those papers that challenges our previous knowledge on tree growth,” says Adrian Rocha, an ecosystem ecologist at the University of Notre Dame. “It is amazing to learn that carbon taken up decades ago can be used to sustain its growth into the future.” The findings suggest redwoods have the tools to cope with catastrophic fires driven by climate change, Rocha says. Still, it’s unclear whether the trees could withstand the regular infernos that might occur under a warmer climate regime.

Mild fires strike coastal redwood forests about every decade. The giant trees resist burning thanks to the bark, up to about 30 centimeters thick at the base, which contains tannic acids that retard flames. Their branches and needles are normally beyond the reach of flames that consume vegetation on the ground. But the fire in 2020 was so intense that even the uppermost branches of many trees burned and their ability to photosynthesize went up in smoke along with their pine needles.

Trees photosynthesize to create sugars and other carbohydrates, which provide the energy they need to grow and repair tissue. Trees do store some of this energy, which they can call on during a drought or after a fire. Still, scientists weren’t sure these reserves would prove enough for the burned trees of Big Basin.

Visiting the forest a few months after the fire, Peltier and his colleagues found fresh growth emerging from blackened trunks. They knew that shorter lived trees can store sugars for several years. Because redwoods can live for more than 2000 years, the researchers wondered whether the trees were drawing on much older energy reserves to grow the sprouts.

Average age is only part of the story. The mix of carbohydrates also contained some carbon that was much older. The way trees store their sugar is like refueling a car, Peltier says. Most of the gasoline was added recently, but the tank never runs completely dry and so a few molecules from the very first fill-up remain. Based on the age and mass of the trees and their normal rate of photosynthesis, Peltier calculated that the redwoods were calling on carbohydrates photosynthesized nearly 6 decades ago—several hundred kilograms’ worth—to help the sprouts grow. “They allow these trees to be really fire-resilient because they have this big pool of old reserves to draw on,” Peltier says.

It's not just the energy reserves that are old. The sprouts were emerging from buds that began forming centuries ago. Redwoods and other tree species create budlike tissue that remains under the bark. Scientists can trace the paths of these buds, like a worm burrowing outward. In samples taken from a large redwood that had fallen after the fire, Peltier and colleagues found that many of the buds, some of which had sprouted, extended back as much as 1000 years. “That was really surprising for me,” Peltier says. “As far as I know, these are the oldest ones that have been documented.”

... “The fact that the reserves used are so old indicates that they took a long time to build up,” says Susan Trumbore, a radiocarbon expert at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry. “Redwoods are majestic organisms. One cannot help rooting for those resprouts to keep them alive in decades to come.”

-via Science, December 1, 2023