#I'll get to the rest of these tomorrow

[humblemooncat]

For the playlist thing: 6, for U’lohi

Love an orange himbo cat

Yeeeeeeeees, Lohi my beloved himbo. He loves you too. <3

Whiplash by Black Math My playlists just chose violence today, huh?

U'lohi had paid a visit to Forgotten Springs to deliver some things to the Nunh and decided to stay the night. He settled in to his old home for a restful sleep, and awoke to a familiar voice rousing him.

"Mmmmrp... 5 more minutes..." he grumbled from under his soft covers.

"Ah ah, it's nearly sunrise, and you promised me I'd get to watch it with you today"

An orange mop of bedhead emerged from beneath the blanket, eyes blinking and bleary. "Mmh... Thancred?"

"Last I checked" he chuckled, "I was told to come fetch you, but I know you've got your morning rituals, so come on"

Lohi slid out of his bed, laying on the stone floor for a moment as he blinked up at the hyur before him. He gave a long, languid stretch before finally getting to his feet.

"Fancy a quick spar once the sun rises?"

"You know I can't say no to that" Thancred clapped his shoulder, "You'd bug me about it all day if I don't"

Lohi gave him a cheeky grin, slipping on the cloth he called a shirt and grabbing his travel pack.

"Last one to the lookout buys breakfast on the way home!" he yelled, already halfway out the door.

"Oh no you don't-"

---

Before long, Thancred found Lohi's head in his lap, looking up at the stars as they faded from view and made way for the sunrise.

"... and can we get those flaky pastries with the chocolate in them? Those are my favorite!"

"Yes, yes, just remember I don't have the deepest pockets. We can't just bring back a buffet" he sighed, ruffling Lohi's hair.

"I know! Just those few things, promise!" he looked up at Thancred, eyes glittering like an excited child before redirecting his attention entirely to the horizon as he righted himself to a sitting position. "Look! Here she comes!"

He pointed to the sands, and the warm glow of the sky beyond as the sun rose over the landscape. Watching the warmth rise only a moment before bowing his head in prayer for the day ahead.

"There. I asked her to watch our steps today and grant us safe passage back home" he jumped up to his feet, "Sparring time! Then I promise I'll go back with you"

"Alright, let's get it over with"

---

"It's been too long since we last sparred! I've learned quite a bit from my mentors since, I'm excited to show you!" he hopped from foot to foot, hands up and readied.

"I don't know, I've won the past few bouts last I recall" Thancred said, readying himself as well.

An eerily sinister cackle left U'lohi's all too relaxed form, "That'll stop today, I assure you"

"Alright, show me. First to the ground loses"

Thancred blinked but once and Lohi was gone. He felt a wind at his back and turned just fast enough to see the end of Lohi's tail curling around his back.

"Shit..."

"You did say to show you"

The match ended about as quickly as it started as Thancred was knocked clean to the ground. Lohi practically skipped over to him, helping him up.

"Lucky me you know how to pull your... kicks. Otherwise I think I'd've actually been knocked clean out" he said, grasping Lohi's forearm to pull himself up.

"I'd never hurt you, trust me. Just a good push to knock ya over" Lohi gave him a grin, "Now, about breakfast-"

Lohi's a sweet, dumb boy until he's put into combat. Then he becomes a spry, fast little shit. :3c

"I'd never hurt you, trust me" is gonna come back to haunt me come end of ARR though. Technically it's only because he's possessed. It's fine...

[amethystina]

Hi ! i hope you are doing well

7. Any worldbuilding you’re particularly proud of?

8. What song would make a great fic (to either write or read)?

17. What highly specific AU do you want to read or write even though you might be the only person to appreciate it?

I'm still sick so I could be better? x'D But thank you for asking! 💜

7. Any worldbuilding you’re particularly proud of?

Well, the entirety of Hyperborean tbh? Because I got to write an "eternal winter" post-apocalyptic world with an entirely new social structure and get into the nitty-gritty of their everyday lives in a way that was very interesting. Some of it I would probably have written differently had I written it today, but I'm still very proud of it.

Another is Autonomy which, unlike Hyperborean, was less about creating an entirely new world and more about tweaking the canon Marvel concepts into something that fit a Space AU AND my idea of HYDRA being a parasitic virus instead of an ideology. I had so much fun figuring out how that should work and how to best showcase it in the story.

Because, to be honest, that's the best part? Not the world-building itself but the satisfaction I feel when I can make it relevant to the story. I'm not fond of info dumps so, incredibly often, I have a lot more information than ever makes it into the stories. But that's just a choice I have to make to keep the story well-paced, even if I LOVE world-building.

8. What song would make a great fic (to either write or read)?

Oh dang, a question about music x'D Honestly, for being someone who loves music as much as I do, I'm really, really bad at connecting music to writing or being inspired by music. I used to be back during my teenage years but, somewhere along the way, that just... faded? Not sure why.

ANYWAY. I think I'd have to go with Wicked Game by Chris Isaak. Because I'm a sucker for that kind of push-and-pull and "reluctant to fall in love" trope, especially if it has a hint of danger or drama. Here for it.

(Fun fact: The version of this song that I listen to the most is a cover made by the Finnish band HIM, which, incidentally, is a remnant from the previously mentioned teenage years. I was edgy back then)

17. What highly specific AU do you want to read or write even though you might be the only person to appreciate it?

That's tricky. Though I guess the easy answer would be a fic I'm already writing which is literally just for me. Like, I don't think anyone else (aside from my wife) will read it xD

And that's a Barduil AU (as in Thranduil and Bard from The Hobbit) where Thranduil fails spectacularly the first time around and gets a do-over, basically reliving the events of the Battle of the Five Armies — with his memories intact — and do better (and perhaps save a couple of lives on the way).

It's hyper-specific and hyper-catered to my own likes and desires. We'll see when I finish it and if I'll even bother to post it. But do know that I'm having an absolute BLAST writing it. Because it's entirely in Thranduil's POV and that is, quite possibly, my favourite POV I've ever written. He is a delight.

Questions for fic writers

[bacchuschucklefuck]

species medley ft. gorgug and riz

[martyryo]

*posts and crawls back in hell*

[superfallingstars]

taking the last secret day of february to post my extremely belated valentine's ship art. featuring flonks for @remus-poopin, sapphic trans snily for @midnight1404, and sningsley (?) for @titconao3

[somegrumpynerd]

Me: Ah I finally finished that long comic, now I can take a break from drawing and do-

Also me: I have to draw the sanses as neko atsume cats right now

[esteemed-excellency]

1867 / 1899

[chirpingfromthebox]

All the bits from the Boston post-game press session after Finals Game 5

You can find the entire interview here! Be sure to go show them some love/views/likes/nice comments/etc for the work they put in making these available for everyone.

At the table were Jamie Lee Rattray, Hilary Knight, and coach Courtney Kessel.

We're at the end of the season here, my friends. My impulse (as always) is to be lazy and trim things down a little and save myself some effort, but it just feels wrong to trim anything off such a historic end. So I'll just suck it up and do these last few interviews in their entirety.

All the transcriptions under the break.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: [This reporter neglected to use a microphone, so the best I can make out is “Coach, why was it so _____?” In the comments for the video it was asked what the question was and the reporter who posts these videos said she wasn't sure, but basically it was a "What happened out there tonight?" type of thing.]

COURTNEY KESSEL: I thought we came out and actually had a good start, had some opportunities to put the puck in the back of the net. We didn’t. And then, to be honest, I think we just ran out of steam.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: Just for either of the players, I know you’re in that moment of disappointment right now, but are you able to just reflect on the journey of the season, getting this far, and what was established for women’s hockey?

HILARY KNIGHT: Absolutely. Obviously, it’s tough when you lose. Especially game 5, at home, in front of amazing fans. But, you know, we just came from the room, that’s kinda all we were doing, is reflecting on how proud of our group we are. How we continued to persevere regardless of any odds that were thrown in our direction. How we fought. You know, this year was a historic year. It was tough. It was something that no player was ever used to. We built it. And we’re extremely ecstatic about where it is right now year one, and where our group is; how we continue to battle and fight for one another. So I think, if anything, that reflection- point is something that we can celebrate and take away from tonight even though we did lose is our group. And how proud of one another we are in that room.

[Rattray looks at Hilary and nods]

[for the record you can really hear the emotion in Hilary's voice in this answer. If you only listen to two questions from this video I would recommend you listen to this one and the final one. They are my favorite two and you can really hear a lot of nuance in her voice in them.]

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: Just want to ask all three of you, the job that Aerin [Frankel] did in goal tonight. 41 saves, I think it was 43 shots. Just seemed that she- that expression “standing on her head” maybe the right one here.

HILARY KNIGHT: Yeah. That game in the second could’ve opened up a lot greater than a 3-nothing deficit without Aerin between the pipes. She stood on her head all year. She showed up every single day. And so we couldn’t be more grateful and proud of her performance throughout the year. Hopefully we can help her a little bit more next year up front [laughs], relieve some of that pressure. But she’s the best goalie in the league. No doubt about it.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: The moment with the fans were chanting “Thank you Boston,” I dunno if you were able to hear that on the ice? [Hilary nods in the affirmative.] What did that mean to you all?

JAMIE LEE RATTRAY: Yeah, it was pretty emotional, I think. I mean, it’s pretty special what we had here. Obviously we wanted to win on home ice, but they still stuck with us through the whole game. They were loud, they showed up for us today. Unfortunately we couldn’t get it done. Super grateful for them. We couldn’t do it without them this year for sure.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: This crowd was the largest we’ve had all season. Standing room only, secondary market’s huge. Can you speak on what it meant to have the fans here like that tonight?

JAMIE LEE RATTRAY: I mean, it speaks for itself, right? We were super excited to get to the rink today. Just hearing the price of the tickets and stuff like that. I think we can be super proud of that, especially in our market here in Boston. I mean, it means the world to us. As players that’s all we want is to be able to fill the buildings and you’ll have a fanbase that really supports us. And they’ve been so great for us all year. Unfortunately we couldn’t get it done for them tonight, but I think we got a really special group here. Hopefully they keep coming and supporting us all next year too.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: I was just wondering if the two of you could answer about Aerin what you thought she did tonight for the team, to keep the team in it essentially?

JAMIE LEE RATTRAY: Yeah, she’s been our backbone. Like Hil said. I think she’s literally the best goalie in the world, right now. She literally stood on her head. She helped us through the first couple rounds of the playoffs and without her I don’t think we could get to where we are. Like Hil said, we’re gonna back her up a little more next year, hopefully. She’s phenomenal and such a great teammate too. Unfortunately we couldn’t get any in for her tonight, but she was phenomenal all year.

COURTNEY KESSEL: I would just say [she’s] super humble off the ice, and so quick, the way she tracks the puck. Just incredible. Her ability to see all those point shots and last second make those saves. We wouldn’t be where we are today without her. And unfortunately we fell a little short.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: Coach, do you have any updates on Taylor [Wenczkowski]? Was she okay? It looked like a knee injury.

COURTNEY KESSEL: Yeah, she’s alright.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: This offseason’s gonna be a shorter turnaround compared to the last couple years. How long do you guys take to wallow in this before you get ready for the next season?

HILARY KNIGHT: I think we all need a vacation. [everybody at the table laughs.]

You know, let us not forget that we had a six week training camp before the start of this year. We were in market, working with no games, a lot of scrimmages, showing up. You know this is the first year that players weren’t necessarily in control of their programming. So we expected a lot of ourselves to show up every single day. But yeah, I mean, it’s a short off season. I know there’s different national team camps and whatnot that are coming up pretty quickly in August and September, but it’s just a matter of people getting healthy and getting back to sort of that healthy standpoint before we start gearing up and training again. But it’s a long year. We said it from the get-go. And I think we definitely felt it towards the end of this run.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: Courtney, I just wanted to ask you, as someone who’s been in the game- on the game for as long as you have, what do you feel for the future? I know you just, literally just, finished the season [Kessel smiles], but it’s probably crossed your mind. Just like where this can go from here?

COURTNEY KESSEL: When you think back to September when this was kind of launched and we had the draft and we’re heading off to training camps. Who could’ve ever imagined that we’re filling the Bell Center, the ACC, or- [whispers a question to Jamie Lee]

JAMIE LEE RATTRAY: [laughing] Scotiabank.

CK: Scotiabank. You know we’re filling Tsongas, we’re playing in front of 13+ thousand in Minnesota and Detroit. I think this league took off and took off full throttle. More than we could ever have imagined as coaches, as players. I think we should all be so proud. And I think the media and the people surrounding this league, you know, the Walter family- like, we wouldn’t be here, right? I think we’re all thankful for that and grateful for this opportunity. But I know that the effort that every single player in league put forth, because it was a grind, it was something no one was used to. Just incredible for every single athlete involved in this group. I’m just so proud of our group and how we battled back all year. And here we were: one game short.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: Jamie and Hilary, did you expect the physical play as much as it was? And do you think that going forward it’s something you know you need to prepare a little bit more for next season?

JAMIE LEE RATTRAY: Yeah, I think our game’s always been physical, but [laughing] I think it got ramped up a little bit this year. And now we know how to play it. I think we will prepare differently right in the summers, and you had to adapt your game a little bit as the year went on and I think it was extra physical in the playoffs. I think you can use it to your advantage as well. It was definitely a different look as a player for sure as the year went on. But now that we know how it’s gonna be, I think it’s easier to prepare as next season comes along.

HILARY KNIGHT: Definitely. I’d like to see more consistency with what is body checking and what isn’t body checking, I think moving forward. And I know the league’s gonna work on that and we’re gonna do our part preparing to make sure we don’t put ourselves in vulnerable positions out on the ice. But it’s definitely a different type of game. You have to see the ice differently, you have to be able to absorb hits, read coverages, and put yourself in the center of the ice a little bit more than playing on the outskirts on the boards if you don’t wanna get banged up so much over the year. But, yeah, it’s gonna be an emphasis point with everybody training this summer.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: Congrats on the great season. And sorry for the loss tonight. I’m wondering if you all can reflect on how you’re thinking of setting the stage for professional women’s sports in Boston in general? As you all are the only fully professional league, and we’ve got pro soccer coming, but you all are really leading the way on this. Do you have thoughts on this? What your leadership means for pro women’s sports in Boston?

[Randomly, coach Kessel has a face during this question that you'll see a lot from her during these press sessions and it's my potentially my favorite one of hers. I can't explain why it's my favorite, but it is.]

HILARY KNIGHT: I think a rising tide lifts all ships. We benefit from many women that came before us to put us in a successful position this year. It seems like women’s sports is really breaking through and what a better timing than to invest now and be part of this journey. So we’re excited to be the first in market, but we’re really excited for that NWSL team to join us, among other teams. It’s just exciting to be in women’s sport right now and at this level.

[Boston's NWSL team is set to debut in 2026, for those interested.]

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: They’ve announced that nicknames will be coming this off season. Do you guys have any favorites or suggestions that you guys would like to see your team called?

[Hilary says something quietly to her tablemates here and they all laugh, but I’m not able to make out what exactly she says.]

JAMIE LEE RATTRAY: I dunno. We’ll see what they come up with, but I’m sure it will be a good one. There’s been some pretty good names in Boston with sports teams, so I’m sure we’ll fit right in on that. I dunno. I’m looking forward to having a logo and a team name and-

It was pretty cool though, I think the cool thing about this year is we represented our cities. And we always talk about it all the time, representing this city is something special. And to be a part of this sports market, you know, I’ve said it time and time again, it’s super special. You’ve seen the different teams and the different history behind sports, and now we get to be a part of it and it’s really, really cool. So I’m sure it’ll be a good team name. I can’t wait to get my first t-shirt.

-------------------- --------------------

REPORTER: From the player’s perspective, being inside the arena, hearing the amount of young women that you hear in the audience tonight and the other things that you’ve heard from, and the cheers, the electric energy. How does that motivate you to, yes of course there was a loss, keep on moving forward into the next season and play?

HILARY KNIGHT: Yeah, on one note, at the end of it you’re just a human showing up to play the sport that you love. And when you get out on the ice with a group, you see the young faces, you see faces from all over, you see signs, candy, bracelets, you hear it. And you realize how much you’re a part of something bigger than yourself. And I think, while this loss, we feel it in our room, it’s tough because we really wanted it, not only for the people in the room, but everyone who supported us along this journey. Because we understand what type of impact and the significance of what we’re doing through sport. To have a positive inspirational point and have that impact on someone’s life is a huge responsibility and one that I know no player takes lightly. And we get to do it doing the best job in the world.

-------------------- End of the Interview --------------------

[lock-my-feelings-in-a-jar]

[the-darkness-does-not-bargain]

// eye contact across a crowded room // maybe for avatrice? or any pairing i just love ur writing

Beatrice is trapped in a conversation with a drunk businessman, not by choice, but by necessity.  

The mission to hunt down an FBC operative at a party of political players has required her to subject herself to the slurred ramblings of an out-of-touch oil baron while her (dearly beloved) partner gets to chat up handsome, young tech executives and their trophy dates.

As the man in front of her starts a tirade about electric cars, she catches Ava watching her from across the room with a knowing smirk on her face.

When her own conversation partner isn't looking, she winks at Beatrice and blows her a kiss, every bit the image of a minx in a scandalously-cut red dress and high heels.

Beatrice responds only with a pouting scowl and a roll of the eyes, before turning back before the drunkard can notice her distraction.

[iniziare]

I'm stealing this from Min before I tackle a thread (cause I don't do enough silly little things [update: it wasn't... really short]), but here's random sleep thoughts for the ladies that come to mind with something to say about it:

— Yelan: Sleeps naked, because it's healthy, come on, and there's two phases in terms of positions that she sleeps in. Phase one is where she sleeps incredibly relaxed on her side, and the covers usually end up predominantly wrapped around her (like this, or the idea of this) so perfectly, it's as if it was intentional, but it's not, she just... ends up this way. Feet and legs are rarely covered as she gets warm as she sleeps, and she often stretches like a cat during moments of waking. It doesn't matter if someone's in the bed with her, this is just how it goes— the only way to stop it is if you lay on said covers. She's also a quiet sleeper physically, despite the covers thing. She doesn't move much, which is why her hair usually still looks 'peachy keen, jelly bean', in the morning. Phase two only happens when she can catch up on sleep and she lazes in bed in a half-slumber state until, as she states, well into and past noon. At this point, it's evident that she's been warm, and so she rolls onto her stomach, and pulls the covers down a bit, exposing a fair bit of her back. Ideally her pillow is still there, but if not, no issue, the mattress works just fine.

— Kafka: No, she's not about the 'luxury' for the sake of it, please get fanon out of here, there are no silk pillows or sheets needed whatsoever. But she appreciates comfort in the sense of good quality pillows (though not too thick as she regularly sleeps on her stomach, or in some magical 'in-between' position of stomach/side), but she'd like two of them. And then the duvet usually... serves as an extra pillow mid-slumber for her body. She likes to lay on something that has a shape to it, I don't like the word 'snuggle' nor does she do it out of 'security', but it's about something that is molded against and into the shape of her. See it as... the duvet almost works like a body pillow to a certain extent, except she'll remain covered, she's a woman of modesty, of course. And in shipping scenarios, the partner would likely come to replace the 'body pillow' concept— imagine her to cozy up at your side, head on your shoulder, leg over yours, or snaked through yours. But she'd not a 'facing each other' kind of cuddler in sleep. Man's gotta be on his back. She's difficult, I know. Oh and please don't think that Kafka wakes up looking flawless, she does not. Trust me when I say that her hair is disheveled, have you seen the length of it? But she's endearing, she's drowsy, has a bit of a drawl to her voice— almost kind of cute (but a mess).

Honorable mentions:

— Guizhong: A bed, you say? Hardly, you'll rarely find her in one due to, well, the fact she's not human (there's a higher chance in modern). She'll be passed out at a table, or desk in her workshop, usually with parchment stuck to her cheek, covered by her own sleeves. Of course, this has her slightly grumpy in the morning. Morax sure chose a nice one. Oh, on the note of him— if he's around in the same bed, there's a chance she's asleep atop him. — Seele: Absolute mess. Don't even go into that bedroom, you'll wonder where the sheets or pillows are, there may even be one on the other side of the room, because it wasn't comfortable and so she argued with it physically, throwing it across the room in her sleep. She's likely still mostly dressed because she was too lazy or exhausted to get changed. Seele is the kind who, like her mun, will say 'I'm just laying down for 5 mins' and wakes up 5 hours later. Horrendous.

[ask-father-garcia]

Did you ever give your shotgun a name? I know some people do :3

(btw Love you peepaw <3 /platonic)

I never really thought about it, but "handy-dandy genocidal demon exterminator" might just do. Or Billy.

[enii]

Sorry, I can't get out of bed

[choking-on-roses]

My goal was to grade 10 papers today. I really really reeeeaaaallyyyyy didn't want to and had to fight tooth and nail through the executive dysfunction. I clawed my way through at a pace of one essay per hour. I hated it, but I did it!

It's not even the fact that I reached my goal that made me happy (it was arbitrary). It's the fact that I'm even capable of getting through difficult things I don't want to do at all. I have been working on my self-discipline and focus for years and I'm very proud of myself for how far I've come.

[hearthvkoo]

thinking of not going on Twitter for at least two days because seeing what they're writing about the newly released trailer about the travel show makes me seriously lose my enthusiasm, I can't understand how all that 🐥🐰did together, should be classified as romantic and if you try to say otherwise you are considered an anti or worse

Ahhh once upon a time everything was so peaceful and we enjoyed the contents with more tranquility than now

[i-dont-talk-for-days-on-end]

Today, I called in sick at work and since I was not feeling too bad but still could not do much but laying around in bed, I spent 12 hours thinking of Sherlock Holmes and it was like a holiday. :)