#anyway. thesis h

[nebquerna]

13jan23 | swellow

[get-back-homeward]

i wrote a whole post about ringos 1970 solo album and tumblr ate it 😭😭😭

[femvaylin]

Whelp I guess I'm back on Tumblr

[yikesharringrove]

steve and billy teaching in the same school!! there's these teachers in my school and they work right across the hall from each other. they're always yelling into each others classrooms.

she teaches english lit 101 and he teaches gov 102

"Harrington!"

Some of the kids snickered quietly when Mr. Harrington jumped at the shout from across the hall.

He stared blankly at the last word he had written on the board, the black Expo mark wiggles from where he had jumped at the yell of his name.

He turned around, sighing exaggeratedly at Mr. Hargrove standing in the doorway.

"Kids, excuse my coworker here." He crossed his arms around his chest. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah, you can Mr. H."

Steve rolled his eyes as his husband swaggered into his classroom, leading a line of ninth graders with him.

It's not the first time Billy's interrupted his class with a question about some inane bullshit that launched Steve into an over-excited rant for the rest of class.

Steve's tenth and eleventh graders were already closing their textbooks, knowing their teacher was just about to be insanely distracted for the rest of class.

"The birds n' I are reading The Crucible."

Fuck.

Steve's pretty sure Billy's kids pay him to bring them across the hall for these impromptu lectures.

"Witch hunts. I get it."

"Yeah, you know. Anyway, I'm giving some context to the publishing of the book. The Red Scare in the United States, well, the second Red Scare, as well as the rise of McCarthyism coincided with the publishing of the play."

Goddammit.

Steve's fucking master's thesis was on all about McCarthyism (more specifically, how the second Red Scare was directly linked to the Lavender Scare.) He cited the stupid play in his research.

Billy knows that. They were already engaged by the time Steve began his master's program.

Fuck this guy, for real.

Steve quietly closed his power point presentation on interest groups in America.

"Fine. Mr. Hargrove's class, find a seat. My class, your packet is still due Friday. I'll post the slides after class." He glared at Billy.

Billy grinned right back, his tongue poking out in that frustrating way it has since high school.

"1950s United States. What do you know?"

A few hands went up.

Even Billy raised his stupid hand. Steve ignored him.

-

"Which brings us to the end of the decade. With the early 1960s, we have the reformation in the Catholic Church, known as Vatican ll-"

The bell cut him off mid-sentence, and there was a mad scramble as the students all tried to pack up as quickly as possible, before Steve could keep going.

"My class," he nearly shouted over the scraping of chairs against linoleum. "Your packets are still due Friday! I don't care that Mr. Hargrove interrupted our time."

"And birds! The rubric is posted on the class page! I want outlines handed in on Tuesday."

The classroom door closed behind the final kid.

"You're a dick."

Billy laughed.

"Nah, you just teach that shit so much better than I do."

Steve rolled his eyes. He sat behind his desk, yanking over a stack of twelfth grade research assignments to begin grading. Billy perched on the other side of his desk.

"Y'know, you could just ask me to come in and lecture. You don't have to interrupt my own class."

"Yeah, but it's fun to wind you up and watch you go. And I think the birds like it when they see that you're passionate about something. Why do you think I always start with The Joy Luck Club?"

"Because you have mommy issues."

"No. Because Ying-ying's story makes me sob like a bitch, and the birds get to realize that I'm a real-life human."

Steve scrubbed his face with his hands, collecting himself before facing his dumbass husband again.

"Wait, you said they had an essay due. What's the essay?"

"Oh, comparing the Salem Witch Trials and the goings on of the U.S. government in the mid 1950s. You know."

"So, you created an assignment, knowing that I would infodump all that shit to your kids?"

"Yes."

"I want a divorce."

Billy laughed, leaning over Steve's desk to kiss his forehead.

"No, you don't."

"No, I don't. I love you. But also you suck."

The bell sounded to indicate the end of passing period.

Billy got off the desk, stretching with a groan.

"Would you be mad if I brought my senior class in?"

Steve glared at him in the doorway.

"What's the assignment?"

"They're presenting on the parallels between 1984 and the current political climate."

Goddammit.

"Bring 'em in."

[askinkiskarma]

dilf jake sully's biggest kinks?

argh, people sending me anything jake related??? immediately h word alert thinking about it ok let's see bb

i feel like this man has so many kinks, but that might be just me projecting all my kinks onto the most dilf man i've ever seen in my life. i only chose a few, cause othrwise i'd be writing a whole ass thesis and getting my phd on why dilf! jake sully can break my back and step on me and i'd thank him for it. anyway, here's my top contenders:

(🔞 smut under the cut)

dacryphilia/overstimulation

dilf!jake loves it when you cry. he gets off on seeing your puffy face as he sinks into your warm, sopping cunt, whimpering something or other about "'s too much, can't come anymore, daddy". he'd chuckle, a low, sonorous sound escaping his chest, bringing one of his hands up and gently removing your tears before they reach soft cartilage of your ears. his fat tip kisses your cervix as he bottoms out in you, burying his teeth in the flesh of your shoulder to muffle his own moans threatening to escape at how good you feel squeezing him. "come on, princess. one more f'r me, i know you have it in ya. come on daddy's cock and then i'll fill you up, how's that sound, huh?"

somnophilia

being olo'eyktan, dilf!jake finds himself in a... sticky situation at least weekly as he comes to your shared tent in the middle of the night yet again, kept against his will in meeting after meeting after meeting, when all he can think about is you, and how you're most likely sleeping peacefully, your naked body glistening under the light emanating from the plants surrounding you, peaking through the weaves of the marui. he can't help the way his digits fist around his throbbing cock at your sight, always better than even his best dreams, pumping himself vigorously as he stalks towards you, kneeling in between your legs, wasting no time as his tongue starts lapping at your dripping folds, nearly coming apart at the seams at the way even in your sleep, you can't help exhale breathy moans of "daddy, please. need'ya in me, daddy!" "always so needy for daddy's cock, you dream about it, huh, babygirl?"

daddy kink/breeding kink

there's nothing that makes dilf!jake want to fuck you senseless more than one little word. just one word, coming out your perfect, fuckable mouth: daddy. "say it again, kid." his pace is ruthless as he has you on all fours, fingers wrapped around your braided hair and the other on your hips, pulling your body back as he's slamming into you with enough force to knock the air out of your lungs with every thrust. "d-daddy, daddy, daddy!" "that's right, kid. daddy's gonna take good care of you. gonna come in this tight little pussy. gonna put another baby in you, huh?" you try to nod or say yes, but all that comes out are blabbered mewls as Jake's cock bruises your cervix, one hand reaching around to circle your clit in the way he knows will have you squirting all around him, your slick and cum dripping down his balls and thighs, mixing with his seed that he fucks back into you, using his length as a plug to make sure nothing gets wasted. "...d-daddy..." "that's right, kid. taking my cum like the good girl you are."

i might do a part 2 cause i feel like i've missed some important kinks that i'd like to... explore ;)

arghhh i need him, i need him so badly, i need him entirely, wholly, substantially, exceedingly,...

[himeryu]

— Love Rivalry: 28. Mistake

kaveh x reader

"An amazing defense as always," your professor compliments you and Alhaitham as he walks towards the stage with a wide grin. You smile at your professor as you mouth a thank you, whereas Alhaitham nods. You glance at your now former partner, trying to read his emotions. 

Unreadable and unpredictable, those two words are what Alhaitham is known for. Nonetheless, your time spent with him was no joke; even witnessing the stone-faced Alhaitham slip up years ago. However, it's been two years, and many things have changed, including your relationship with the man. From predicting his every word to not knowing what he would say next, the damage that has been caused would never heal a wounded heart.

"You two truly make an excellent pair," your professor continues.

Your smile immediately falls. 

--- 

"Thank God that is over," you express as you walk out of the building. 2 hours have passed since you and Alhaitham started your defense, and all you wanted to do was to rest. Alhaitham walks beside you at your right, his eyelids half-lidded as he puts on one of his Bluetooth earphones. 

"You messed up," Alhaitham exposes as he looks at you with an irritated gaze.

"Excuse me?" You raise your eyebrows as you look at him, confused.

"30 minutes in the defense, you used a trivial source that took up 25 minutes of our time," He remarked, "Because of that, we almost lost focus of our thesis and wasted some time." 

"If only you came to me on time, then maybe we wouldn't have to speed up our conclusion," he continues, extremely irritated. His gaze on you is belittling as your heart sinks— standing beside him, astonished.

You can't back down now.  

"You said you'd accept my proposal," you refute, bringing out your phone and showing your conversation. However, instead of switching his gaze to your phone, it stays locked onto you. Unwavering and intimidating are two words to describe his look at you. You hold your ground without batting an eye. However, you can't help but feel a pang in your ego. 

"If I knew your proposal would nearly give us a demerit, I wouldn't have agreed."

"So you just accepted it without prior checking? since when did you do that?"

"You don't have to know."

"Well, it doesn't matter anyway," You say with your eyes fixed on your phone— you need to text him anyway. "Our partnership ends here. I think it's best if you don't talk to me anymore."

"For my sanity as well," you mumble quietly as you text Kaveh, hoping he doesn't hear it. However, he does. 

"Why," he mutters, your breath hitch at his sudden change in tone: it's full of emotions. Slowly, you tilt your head to look at him, eyes wide open at seeing his face. 

"Why are you looking at me like that?" You ask. Alhaitham opens his mouth to answer but immediately shuts it as he looks away from your eyes. You scoff in annoyance at the audacity of this man.

"Why are you suddenly showing me this side of you?" You continue, "after the many times you pushed me away?"

You ask him, who still refuses to look you in the eye. Anger starts to take over your body. 

"I'm sorry," he says; your eyes widen in both anger and sadness— the audacity of this man for apologizing. 

"Why are you apologizing now? After two years, Alhaitham!" You yell, "why now?"

"I'm–" Alhaitham tries to reach for your wrist to hold you, yet you pull away. Tears threatened to roll down your cheeks, but you refused to cry in front of him. You swallow deeply as you try to keep your emotions from spilling. It's embarrassing, really; Why are you suddenly so emotional? Why does it have to be because of him?

Alhaitham stays quiet; His gaze is soft, yet it holds so much remorse, in contrast to your eyes filled with anger. Slowly, he opens his mouth to speak.

"[Name], I–"

"[Name]!" Kaveh calls out your name and walks toward you with a smile, interrupting Alhaitham. You turn to look at Kaveh with wide eyes; However, Alhaitham's gaze goes back to their usual cold and unreadable. 

"You're here already," you mumble as you slowly walk towards him, leaving Alhaitham and meeting Kaveh halfway.

"I'm here to pick you up," Kaveh grins, yet it falls as he looks closer into your eyes. "You..." he mumbles quietly to himself; you tilt your head slightly in confusion. 

"Me?"

"Your eyes"

"Ah–" you gasp as you quickly wipe off your tears. "Oh, this is nothing. You don't have to worry," you say.

Kaveh looks at you and then at Alhaitham. His expression immediately falls as he puts two and two together; however, it was left unnoticed by you. Dirty emotions fill his brain as he sees your situation. Your teary eyes and Alhaitham staring at you like a lost puppy trying to gain independence yet still holding attachment fills Kaveh with so much disdain. He wants to test the waters and finally understands the sickening tension between you and his roommate.

So, Kaveh leans into your ear, making you blush, but his gaze not leaving Alhaitham, hoping to see a reaction. Alhaitham glares at Kaveh, who only smiles as he whispers into your ear in a low voice, "Hey [Name]." Goosebumps spread across your body as you feel his breath hitting your ear, turning red. 

He gently grabs your wrist, caressing your palm without changing his position. You gasp at the sudden contact, "Kaveh, what are you–"

"Wanna go somewhere?" He whispers, "just the two of us?" 

Fuck.

You nod in acceptance, to which Kaveh smiles. You both start walking away with Kaveh's hold onto your wrist, your back facing Alhaitham, whom you left alone. However, a sick twist of fate plays in his hands. Instead of looking forward, you turn your head to glance at the man you left alone– Alhaitham. Kaveh's heart drops. 

main m.list | series m.list | previous | next

sorry for the late post i was recovering from a heartbreak so here's some angst!

SYNOPSIS You’ve been rejected by your academic rival, alhaitham, without even confessing or having feelings for him. You decided to go to a party to fix your damaged ego, so why are you suddenly making out with his roommate?

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[newyorkthegoldenage]

Seeing in The New York Times the photograph of Helen Keller in the Observation Tower of the Empire State Building, I [Dr. John H. Finley] wrote her asking her what she really “saw” from that height. This remarkable letter written by her came in answer and was published in The New York Times Magazine. It will be agreed by all who read it that, as she said, she “beheld a brighter prospect than my friends with two good eyes.”

January 13, 1932 Dear Dr. Finley:

After many days and many tribulations which are inseparable from existence here below, I sit down to the pleasure of writing to you and answering your delightful question, “What Did You Think ‘of the Sight’ When You Were on the Top of the Empire Building?”

Frankly, I was so entranced “seeing” that I did not think about the sight. If there was a subconscious thought of it, it was in the nature of gratitude to God for having given the blind seeing minds. As I now recall the view I had from the Empire Tower, I am convinced that, until we have looked into darkness, we cannot know what a divine thing vision is.

Perhaps I beheld a brighter prospect than my companions with two good eyes. Anyway, a blind friend gave me the best description I had of the Empire Building until I saw it myself.

Do I hear you reply, “I suppose to you it is a reasonable thesis that the universe is all a dream, and that the blind only are awake?” Y—es—no doubt I shall be left at the Last Day on the other bank defending the incredible prodigies of the unseen world, and, more incredible still, the strange grass and skies the blind behold are greener grass and bluer skies than ordinary eyes see. I will concede that my guides saw a thousand things that escaped me from the top of the Empire Building, but I am not envious. For imagination creates distances and horizons that reach to the end of the world. It is as easy for the mind to think in stars as in cobble-stones. Sightless Milton dreamed visions no one else could see. Radiant with an inward light, he sent forth rays by which mankind beholds the realms of Paradise.

But what of the Empire Building? It was a thrilling experience to be whizzed in a “lift” a quarter of a mile heavenward, and to see New York spread out like a marvellous tapestry beneath us. There was the Hudson—more like the flash of a sword-blade than a noble river. The little island of Manhattan, set like a jewel in its nest of rainbow waters, stared up into my face, and the solar system circled about my head! Why, I thought, the sun and the stars are suburbs of New York, and I never knew it! I had a sort of wild desire to invest in a bit of real estate on one of the planets. All sense of depression and hard times vanished, I felt like being frivolous with the stars. But that was only for a moment. I am too static to feel quite natural in a Star View cottage on the Milky Way, which must be something of a merry-go-round even on quiet days.

I was pleasantly surprised to find the Empire Building so poetical. From everyone except my blind friend I had received an impression of sordid materialism—the piling up of one steel honeycomb upon another with no real purpose but to satisfy the American craving for the superlative in everything. A Frenchman has said, in his exalted moments the American fancies himself a demigod, nay, a god; for only gods never tire of the prodigious. The highest, the largest, the most costly is the breath of his vanity.

Well, I see in the Empire Building something else—passionate skill, arduous and fearless idealism. The tallest building is a victory of imagination. Instead of crouching close to earth like a beast, the spirit of man soars to higher regions, and from this new point of vantage he looks upon the impossible with fortified courage and dreams yet more magnificent enterprises.

What did I “see and hear” from the Empire Tower? As I stood there ’twixt earth and sky, I saw a romantic structure wrought by human brains and hands that is to the burning eye of the sun a rival luminary. I saw it stand erect and serene in the midst of storm and the tumult of elemental commotion. I heard the hammer of Thor ring when the shaft began to rise upward. I saw the unconquerable steel, the flash of testing flames, the sword-like rivets. I heard the steam drills in pandemonium. I saw countless skilled workers welding together that mighty symmetry. I looked upon the marvel of frail, yet indomitable hands that lifted the tower to its dominating height.

Let cynics and supersensitive souls say what they will about American materialism and machine civilization. Beneath the surface are poetry, mysticism and inspiration that the Empire Building somehow symbolizes. In that giant shaft I see a groping toward beauty and spiritual vision. I am one of those who see and yet believe.

I hope I have not wearied you with my “screed” about sight and seeing. The length of this letter is a sign of long, long thoughts that bring me happiness.

I am, with every good wish for the New Year,

Sincerely yours, Helen Keller

Top photo: Times Wide World Photos/Letters of Note Bottom photo: Associated Press

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Can you talk a little bit about how you became a paleontologist? (like school and stuff).

I went to college wanting to major in paleontology and everybody told me I could major in geology but that being a paleontologist just really wasn't possible.

I did major in geology/archaeology combo major (offered at my college, it's actually a BA, not a BS, which was disappointing), but it's not paleontology and i've been out of school for a awhile and i'm just really discouraged.

ugh welcome to my life. the reason my story is complicated is because of crap like that.

so, I'm going to get very, very, very real here. that means I'm going to reveal some personal details about myself. I'm okay with it. I want to share this. Content Warnings for Parental Abuse, Mental Illness, Physical Disability, and Trauma. Phew. Here we go.

first thing we have to acknowledge: I grew up poor. my mom was a stay at home mom because of mental illness (majorly agoraphobic and huge social anxiety, plus largely untreated OCD). my dad rarely held on a job for very long because of severe untreated ADHD. my parents' primary concern, at all times, was that their six kids (my mom loves kids) would have gainful, steady employment. they are communists, and it was always about how we can't help others effectively if we're not secure in the rest of our lives.

I wanted to be a paleontologist from the moment I could have such a want. But my parents never, never, thought that was a good idea. They wanted me to be a scientist, because they could see my potential, but they didn't think being a paleontologist was a safe career. And, to be fair, they had a point. But I didn't want to be anything else. In fact, the very idea would make me start sobbing. So while I was little, they didn't really do anything about it. Occasionally they planted seeds of "you might not be a paleontologist", but it never went well.

fast forward to me going to college. now they were serious. we were constantly fighting over whether I should be a paleontologist or a medical researcher (MDPhD. you know, the insane degree that insane people get.) (I'm insane, but not that way). because they were paying for, well, some of it (I got a lot of scholarships, b''h), and I was in general dependant on them like most college students are, they picked my classes. I was forced to major in biology (though I probably would have picked that anyway), and I never took any geology classes (well, I took half of one, but had to drop it because of my stupid premed classes).

I got to do paleontology research, but it was kind of in secret - I technically had two different research jobs, one in evolutionary biology, one in paleontology. I took tons of medical related classes, and was forced to take the MCAT twice. I wasn't good at it. Memorizing things isn't my forte, I'm much better at problem solving and finding/evaluating information. I also just wasn't interested in it - I can remember countless dinosaur genera, but ask me to remember really specific medical details and my mind draws a blank.

I did not do well on the MCAT, but I was still forced to apply to MDPhD programs. I also applied to evolutionary biology and paleontology PhD programs on my own. But paleontology is extremely competitive, and I didn't hear back from any of those. I also didn't get anywhere with any of those medical programs. In fact, I ended up getting accepted to a grad program for evolutionary developmental biology, because that was the only thing that had an opening. Rather than go home and be forced to apply to medical school again, I took the out.

I was miserable. But I tried to convince myself it was better this way. That I would have gainful employment, and be able to do science. Meanwhile, I was running this blog, building a community, and constantly thinking about paleontology instead of my actual thesis. Even though paleontology doesn't require field work, I'd convinced myself I could never do it because field work is inaccessible to me - I have had chronically dislocated knees since I was 16, and a few different physical conditions that make me exceptionally heat sensitive. I couldn't do field work, so I couldn't be a paleontologist. I also am fat, because of those disabilities, and there just aren't a lot of fat AFAB paleontologists, so I thought I wouldn't be able to get far for that reason.

But I couldn't finish that PhD. I didn't care enough about it, and I was constantly hitting roadblocks. I wanted the focus to be more evolution based, my advisor told me no. I wanted to pursue a specific question, my advisor advised against it. My wasps kept dying, and I didn't know why. I couldn't get my assays to work. My advisor was always focused on his other students and never me. It was a nightmare. All the while, my blog was exploding in popularity, and I was even going to paleontology conferences on my own dollar and networking there, presenting research about using the internet as an educational tool. And I felt at home. I was with *my people*.

Then the pandemic happened. I was already estranged from my parents for other reasons, that I'd rather not get into (no, it's not cause I'm queer). Everyone was frustrated with my lack of progress at my first program. My spouse, the infinite well of support that he is (url @plokool), gave me the push I needed to drop out with a master's degree (which I had earned at that point). I then was seriously considering becoming a rabbi, because I didn't think I could hack being a scientist at all after that experience.

But, everything felt wrong when I wasn't engaged with paleo. ADAD had gone on hiatus because my artists were persuing other opportunities (and I'm so proud of them!). I just felt empty and lost without paleontology in my life. So I went to the virtual SVP that was being held in 2020, since it was cheaper than usual and online.

And I met my current advisor. We clicked *right* away. We had the same questions about bird evolution and talked for hours. He encouraged me to apply, so I did - just for paleontology programs. I knew if I didn't do paleo, there wasn't a point. Nothing else would hold my interest enough for me to get a doctoral degree. I also talked to the wonderful friends I had made here on Palaeoblr, ones who were also actually pursuing paleo, and they promised me I could do it - that they believed in me. The one thing no one but my spouse had ever really indicated to me. It gave me the push I needed, and when I was accepted to this program, I took it. It also helped that I finally had working ADHD medication, for the first time in my life.

Even though it meant moving from Chicago - nice, at least sometimes chilly Chicago, my home for my whole life - to fucking southern new mexico. I am so hot. All the time now. My feet never return to their proper color. But it was worth the risk.

But I'm not doing field work! I've had to take a lot of remedial geology classes, but all my work has been computer and lab based. And I've done so much already! I've published a new bird, I've done excellent in my classes and teaching, and I'm currently compiling my own database of Paleogene bird fossils. Last year was a little rough because of trauma things, and the gd-damned adderall shortage, but I'm moving forward. I am hoping to go into museum work, because I love museums, and I believe in them and their ability to educate people (I also want to help the museum field decolonize itself, but that's a different discussion.) I've even made a design for an evolution of dinosaurs exhibit that my professor wants me to make into a real thing someday.

So... yeah. I became a paleontologist by being the world's most stubborn mother fucker alive. I decided I wanted to be as a kid, and I never could let it go, even when it would have been better for me to. But I'm glad I didn't, because now I'm here, and I'm doing well. When i can focus, at any rate. Because I'm only at peace when I'm around dinosaurs.

(P.S. I've even repaired my relationship with my parents, and they support me as a paleontologist now! just took 30 years for them to realize they couldn't fight me on this, I guess... or they're old and tired of fighting. one of the two.)

[strawbbfluff]

Hi there! I just found your blog and it's so cute!! Your writing is so teasy and good ahhh

If your requests are open, could I request for cheer up tickles with ler!Wanderer and lee!reader?

I hope you're having an amazing day lovely!!

smile, you’re annoying

a/n: of course you can! i haven’t gotten to write for wanderer yet so this was super fun! ^_^

————————————————————————

“stop making that face. it’s ugly.”

“…what the hell, dude?” you huffed, scooching yourself farther away from the bratty boy with the obnoxiously large hat.

you were having an awful day. everything that could’ve gone wrong at the akademiya today did go wrong, and it didn’t help that you were partnered up with hat guy to write a thesis for homework. this man had a serious attitude problem.

“i’m just telling it like it is. we’re not going to get anything done if you keep scowling and feeling sorry for yourself like that,” wanderer stated, rolling his eyes when you moved even further away from him. “it’s not like i’m crazy about you, either.”

“archons, do you have to be such a jerk all the time? would it kill you to be nice for just a minute?” you snapped, turning your head to look at him with teary eyes.

oh. you were crying. not good.

“…sorry. is there… anything i can do?” he muttered, averting his gaze. he wasn’t sure why apologies were so hard for him.

“j-just… leave me alone or something. it’s clear you don’t even wanna work with me anyways- ah?!” you spluttered, surprised by the two arms gently embracing you.

“are you actually hugging me right n—“

“shut up. i’m just trying to make you feel better,” wanderer mumbled, his ears quickly turning bright red when he saw you smile softly. “s-so we can do the thesis, of course!! don’t get any ideas.”

and so you let yourself be hugged for a while, actually enjoying the silence and the shockingly warm feeling of his arms around you. you started to realize that maybe everything would be okay, after all.

you started feeling a lot better, and your slightly mischievous personality was starting to come back in full swing. you grinned before pinching his arm as hard as you could.

your smile dropped when he didn’t even react. however, after looking up at him, your stomach dropped, too.

he was smirking.

“apologies, i have a high pain tolerance,” he mused, before pinching your side just as hard as you had pinched him. what he didn’t expect was for you to practically jump 10 feet in the air and giggle.

“…oh?”

“don’t even think about it.”

“too late,” wanderer chuckled, before quickly tightening his embrace. you whined.

“this is really unnecessary plehehehease!! lehehehet’s wohohohork on the theheheheheis ehehehe!!” you cried out, wriggling around helplessly as a barrage of pinches made their way all over your sides. you could practically sense that arrogant smirk on his face!

“hm… depends. are you gonna stop having that annoying look on your face? you gonna stop crying?” he whispered in your ear, grinning when you whined and brought your shoulder up to it. “heh. keep begging.”

“p-plehehehehease! stuhuhuhuhupid hahahahahat guhuhuhuhuy!” you squealed, shrieking when one of wanderer’s hands skittered over to your tummy. two spots at once?? so unfair!!

“louder. tickle tickle, loser,” he teased, digging both hands’ fingertips into your stomach now with vigor. you were practically up the wall at this point.

“PLEHEHEHEASE STOHOHOP! I’M FEHEHEHEELING BEHEHEHETTER!” you blurted out amidst your laughter, your hands desperately clawing at his. he finally relented.

you fell back, letting out a sigh of relief as you caught your breath on the floor. wanderer scoffed.

“it’s wanderer.”

“h-huh…?”

“you can call me wanderer. hat guy is just a stupid name my superior made up for me.”

“that’s all you have to say after all this?!” you exclaimed incredulously, propping yourself up on your elbows to look at him with disdain. he shrugged.

“that annoying look is off your face. i got you to smile. what’s the problem?” wanderer asked.

“you-! cmere! let’s see how you like it!” you shouted, quickly pouncing on the anemo user to turn the tables on him.

“ack-! get offa’ me, worm!”

looks like this thesis won’t be getting done for a while.

[hollywoodsargeant]

What are your favorite Logan and/or Loscar pics?

++ do you have any where Logan is actually smiling with his teeth? I love his smile so much but everytime he sees a camera he does exactly this face :)

i love getting these asks. yes i want to talk about logan for an unnecessary amount of time. yes i will show you pictures of him. this is the greatest day of my life. ik you did not ask for commentary you just asked for pictures but the commentary is included for free thanks for coming

i have so many logan pics… easy answer is they’re all my favorite which is real but i won’t be annoying. also applies to loscar. let’s go. i will give both logan and loscar pics and YES i definitely have some where he's smiling with his teeth i will include (+ if you have not seen my thesis yet i have some real insanity about his smiling tendencies)

anyways. here u go

okay first is this picture bc it's been in my favorites album forever and i think. this is the third time i've been asked for my favorite logan pictures and i always include this one. great merch shoot all around i owe my life to whoever decided it was a good idea to put him in a sleeveless shirt

something about this fucking polo shirt man... i remember seeing a video clip of him walking into the paddock and being like omg the fucking polo shirt. and i took some really horrible quality screenshots. so the actual photo of him is great for my business... and this is monaco fyi

bahrain press con loscar... there r many images from this press conference that i enjoy but here's the two of them gayly staring at each other. and thank god for oscar piastri in shorts great for my business (i want to bite his thighs)

my friend described this once as "the picture where oscar has fully given up" (implied on acting straight) and i think about that a lot

more recent loscar. spectacular work. i love this picture so much it's my banner or whatever on here... and it includes some logan smiling with his teeth. more oscar giving up. really good all around thank you whoever decided mclaren and williams should be paired up here again there are other images from this fanzone thing that i love but this one is my fav

kyle... logan kyle... my favorite florida boys... another one that i'm like. i can't not include it. this one is my banner on twitter (NOT X) and i still love it to tiny little pieces. even if logan is in ultimate Smiling For The Camera Mode i just think he is neat. hockey guy. also hearing kyle talk about this night amuses me bc he called logan a superstar

so. yeah i don't know. something something hometown boy... florida man... special helmet et cetera. he clearly just got a haircut before miami and it's really apparent in all of these shoot photos ANYWAYS this is my favorite picture from his helmet shoot. this or the one of him and benny and benny's wife that is not from the shoot actually it was just on benny's instagram but it makes me smile

his suit does him well. Next

h. for one he looks very impeccably like a ken doll in the first one then the second angle where he's smiling with teeth... very important. i love him so very much i will put him in my pocket goodbye forever

more of him laughing w alex for Reasons. his tendency to touch with the back of his hand... especially while laughing... let's not get into that. bonus austin 2022 bc i am still amused by the fact that alex was against logan in that head2head for some inexplicable reason. it was never acknowledged. latifi just was not there

I JUST THINK HE'S CUTE.

peak logan smile. he's so perfect. Goodnight. actually here's a bunch of random shit i like:

i hit the image limit. thanks man

[herelivesahobbit]

GALADRIEL X SAURON YES HE'S AN EVIL CONTROL FREAK DEATH LORD BUT I SHIP THEM ANYWAY THESIS STATEMENT

its not about shipping in the sense of like ooo they should marry and have babies and live happily ever after, its not even quite about the popular and enjoyable seduction/corruption trope undercurrents to which I am NOT immune (although of course those are there in heaps) - no what cinches it for me is the push and pull between dark and light, between good and evil, two diametrically opposed powerful beings with a core of something in common that creates a reciprocal and powerful attraction/repulsion.

So if the Ring that we see in LOTR is Sauron's manipulative, seductive, corrupting influence distilled and magnified, Sauron here at present is embodying all of that, THIS is that energy, in a hot humanoid form lol. The way the Ring works, the way its almost bored and sleep mode in the Shire and mostly just kind of toys around with the lesser beings (as per it), and then gets super excited being around anyone powerful and worthy, doing the Most to grab attention, of course always with the goal of enjoying a contest with a worthy adversary before breaking them down and bending them to its will...its very coaxing and cooing and insidiously gentle kind of but also evil...don't tell me there's nothing sexual in that, there is...its so them...the Ring IS sexually coded and so it makes sense that Sauron is sexually coded and obsessed with "winning" over the most powerful players in the game and of all the people tempted by the ring in LOTR, Galadriel was the MOST dangerous because she truly could have WIELDED that power to max effect (SHE WAS THE ONE T B H), and the Ring KNEW that and it tempted her anyway....SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN HMMM...ive connected the dots ive connected them...

anyway there's a lot of Sauron/the Rings seductive dynamics from canon they are expanding on with Sauron x Galadriel here and its delicious to see it being portrayed by two hot people and THATS WHY I SHIP IT.

[batsplat]

so in assen 2004 comms talk about how valentino helped melandri with riding yamaha A Lot, and how they are two great friends. and indeed those two have known each other since childhood/or at least their teens right? (seen a lot of their photos w matching terrible dye jobs) but then fast forward to 2010 and melandri is going full conspiracy theorist about the freaking chair affghhhkgjk. like what happened here? is it any interesting or is it like mostly one sided bitterness from melandri or something. like that can’t really be about 2005 season for vale bc come on melandri wasn’t his main rival that year.

even if it’s not interesting feud or drama wise it is another friendship that vale had (and unlike w sete vale&melandri go way back) that eventually fell apart as a result of competing in motogp…….hm

yeah, we don't actually have a great sense of what happened there! it's funny the coldness seems to have crept in during the 2005 season specifically, because I'm very much with you here on the 'come on valentino why bother' stance - melandri was aggressively not a proper title contender that season and really not even the main on-track rival... but actually I do think this fits in rather nicely within my sete thesis, which we'll get to. the subsequent public bitterness has been entirely one-sided, with melandri occasionally saying something kinda mean-spirited about valentino in recent years and valentino... not doing any of that

anyhow, they definitely WERE close, which was hammered home not just through repeated mentions by the commentators but also when you read the columns he was dictating every race for mat oxley in his early years. here, from his 250cc days:

mugello 1998

I wasn’t so confident before Mugello because while I was at home I played football and lost, I played tennis and lost, I rode motocross and lost. The only thing I won was minicars – I am the champion! We got beaten in a five-a-side soccer match, six-one, then a friend beat me at tennis, six-one, then Marco [Melandri] beat me at motocross. I’m always fighting with Marco on motocross but he’s faster than me. I’m getting better though – at the start of the year he’d beat me by five or six seconds, now it’s only one or two. I have much fear when I ride motocross because I’m not good at flying. We don’t go crazy; it would be stupid to get hurt doing that. Motocross is great for my muscle power though. I don’t go the gym much in the summer because I want to be outside, so motocross is perfect.

paul ricard 1998

As usual, my break between Mugello and France was full of battles with my friends! First we played football and my team won on penalties. I scored the winner. I never make a mistake from the penalty spot. Next day I did motocross with Melandri and he beat me, as usual, but we had some very funny races. Then I raced with Melandri again, but with electric cars. He’s bought a Honda NSX – it’s fast. Before I left for France we raced minimoto at a track in Rimini. There were about 20 of us: me, Melandri and a load of fast, young Italian riders. We had a lot of really crazy battles. Lots of fun! I don’t think it’s dangerous because the bikes aren’t so fast, maybe 60kp/h. I had some big fights with Melandri, we hit each other all the time – BANG! BANG! BANG! – and we crashed together maybe two or three times.

madrid 1998

I’m doing motocross three times a week now to help build up strength, but Melandri is still faster than me, so I’ve started practising in secret. I get dressed into my motocross gear, then ring him to tell him we don’t need to ride today, then do a few hours riding in secret! Soon I will be faster than him! Anyway, I beat him in minimoto before we went to Jarama.

assen 1998

“Hooray, finally I am first on a 250! It was the day of the teenager at Assen, the Italian teenager! I was so happy when my friend Melandri won the 125 race, so it was fantastic to go out and win the 250. A perfect day, except Marco and me couldn’t party on Saturday night, because I flew home to celebrate with my friends, while he stayed at Assen. I guess we’ll make sure we have a beer together before Donington.

donington 1998

We had our own paddock World Cup at Donington on Thursday, which was really shit, because we played three games and lost three games. I played in the Italian team with Melandri, Boscoscuro, Scalvini, Locatelli, Borsoi and Carpani. First we played the Suzuki 500 team and lost, then we played Team Rainey and lost, and finally we played Dorna, and lost. Dorna were all Spanish and very good. But the games weren’t so much fun because the pitch was tiny and really bumpy. Last year we had the paddock World Cup at Imola on a full-size pitch, and I scored twice. Nice!

sachsenring 1998

Now we have a four-week holiday before Brno, but I’m going to spend most of my time on the beach near my home – it’s sunny and the girls are nice, that’s all I need! But I am going away for one week – a racers’ holiday with Loris Reggiani, Roberto Locatelli and Melandri. We’re going to Tunisia to mess about with jet skis and fast boats. Should be a lot of fun!

sepang 1999

The winter was fun. Usually I don’t like the winter because it’s too cold, but where I live, near the Adriatic coast, there are so many people in the summer. That didn’t used to be a problem, but now everyone recognises me, so it’s Rossi! Rossi! Rossi! all the time. I don’t like it! I spent a lot of time with my friends, as that’s when I’m happiest. We went skiing a few times, a big gang of us. Mad! Snowboarding is more fashionable nowadays but I’m faster on skis, so it’s better! Melandri came with me once, he’s my best mate in the paddock, plus Alessandro Brannetti, a new Italian 125 guy.

mugello 1999

Before Mugello I spent some time at home, riding my 250 road bike and going motocrossing. I have a new motocross bike at home, but I can’t tell you what it is, because it’s not an Aprilia! But it’s a lot of fun on the new motocross track I’ve built behind a friend’s house. I dug the ground myself with a JCB digger we hired. I have designed the track to be safe for me, because modern motocross tracks have near-vertical take-off jumps, which are very dangerous if you don’t have good control in the air. And I don’t! So I’ve built low and fast jumps which I can take in fourth or fifth gear and be safe. Big fun! I’m looking forward to racing my friend Melandri, who hasn’t been doing motocross since he broke his wrist in Malaysia.

sachsenring 1999

Now we have a four-week holiday, hooray! All I really want to do is sleep. During the break last year I went to Tunisia with a bunch of friends like Melandri, but all I want to do now is stay home and rest. My home is near a holiday resort anyway, near the Adriatic Sea, but to be honest I don’t like the sea so much. I prefer snow...”

argentina 1999

I already have some plans for the winter. The World Championship may have finished, but I already have two more races over the next few weeks. No rest yet! First is the X Race at Misano. This is a special event for GP and world Superbike riders. I’m racing go-karts, motocross and cars with [Carl] Fogarty, Melandri, Capirossi, Harada and a lot of other guys. They ran this event for the first time last year and I won it. It’s only fun of course but I want to win again because winning is always important. Then at the end of November I’m doing a car rally at Monza.

so yeah, clearly close buddies! I'm sure there's more out there about their friendship, but I've never been that invested in digging into the details lol. about the collapse of the relationship... well, there's this from the barker biography, which kinda lumps melandri into a generic section about valentino's rivals:

Marco Melandri, who had been a close friend of Rossi's for years before he started winning races in 2005, noted the same shift in attitude: 'When I started to race well with him he changed a lot. When we were growing up we were very good friends. Valentino plays games with everybody... the way he talked to the media - he tries to never say something good about you.'

in 2007, after valentino had finally lost a title fight (and was in the process of losing another), there's another oxley column where a few key figures like his teammate edwards, his rival hayden, and his crew chief jb were asked about what made valentino so good. and valentino's crew chief jb was kind enough to give his own take on the melandri dynamic:

“He only uses mind games when people make a serious challenge, then he pulls out that extra tool in his armoury, which he did with Max, with Sete and to a lesser degree with Marco. Then there’s Loris, who is also serious challenge, but there’s a different understanding between them, there’s a respect. When I first worked with Valentino he was mates with Marco. Whenever there was a dinner or a party, Marco was always there. When Marco came to MotoGP it was still fine, then when there was any sort of a challenge their friendship cooled off a bit."

and then by 2010 you get melandri be like. full yellow chair conspiracy theorist. now, he also mentions how his own celebrations were received, and we do actually have jorge himself give his review of said celebrations a few years earlier (x, x):

I don't really have a point here, I just think it's funny

whereas from valentino's side.... well, there's really not much. his autobiography goes until the end of 2004 and is published in 2005 - so if melandri was already a 'proper' rival when the book was finalised, it will have been a very recent thing... but there's literally one reference to melandri in the whole thing, and it's something generic to do with the yamaha's development. valentino himself has said pretty much fuck all about this friendship falling apart. it's a bit frustrating because... when melandri says that valentino tries never to say anything good about you in the media - look, that's probably referring to something substantive, but we don't really know what exactly valentino supposedly said. we just have to take melandri at his word.... when you go that far back, it's a lot trickier to hunt down specifics if it's not a big news story, if there's not been a major controversy

you do have this from mid 2005:

"No. I think this is not true," replied Rossi, when asked if he deliberately avoided friendships with his closest rivals. "With Melandri, when this year he start to go fast, especially the Italian journalists, try to put some bad things between us - to make fight like what happened between Biaggi and Doohan. "But I go to speak to Melandri after Shanghai, on the podium, because I say one thing and the Italian journalists they modify and say to him another thing - and also the same journalists come to me and make the same. "I know Marco from minibikes when we were friends - we've been friends for more than ten-years - so I try to keep a good relationship because I don't like a bad relationship with anybody," he insisted. "For sure I have had a bad relationship with Biaggi and Gibernau but I don't think that is the right result."

now, according to the article, there were already rumours at the time that the relationship had grown colder that year. which is mainly funny insofar as valentino had quite literally double melandri's points - and the latter still hadn't won a race. again. what's the point

which, well. I do think jb's mention of capirossi is kinda interesting, as another rival valentino had known forever and one who wasn't like. dramatically less likely than melandri to end up a serious challenger to valentino, beyond being a bit older already. jb mentions they have an "understanding", a "respect" between the two of them... it's also maybe worth bringing in what hayden, the man who had actually managed to beat him in 2006, had to say about valentino for the same oxley piece:

“I can’t say it’s just his approach that makes him good. Some guys take their racing real serious, others are really laid back, it’s whatever works for that rider. But regardless of whatever he does he definitely gets around the track fast, that’s what’s most important. “One thing I noticed when we were team-mates is that he looks like it’s fun, fun, fun, he definitely cuts up a lot, but once you’re in the garage that dude is so serious, so focused. Everything seems perfect, right down to the windscreen sticker and the colour of his boots. He doesn’t overlook anything and I think that’s a big part of it. “More than anything it’s the racer in him that makes him so strong, it’s obvious the guy wants to win. He’s got a lot of natural talent but I know a lot of guys with natural talent and it gets some guys in trouble. It’s the whole package that makes him strong: the desire, the focus, the talent. “I think sometimes maybe he’s not as laidback as he comes across. He knows what to say and when to say it to make it look like things aren’t really getting to him. He knows how to play it, on the bike and off the bike. “It’s hard to say what he’s like with mind games because I can only comment on how he’s been with me and I’ve never seen him play any games with me, especially last year when he was taking chunks out of my points lead. The guy didn’t really change, maybe he just knew that I wasn’t going to roll over. Maybe some of the guys he can break down mentally, maybe he knew it wasn’t going to get to me. “Him and JB (Jeremy Burgess) haven’t won all those titles just through his riding, they know how to play people, they know how to play their cards, when to show their hand, when not to show their hand. I don’t think he plays as many games as other guys – you don’t need to play a lot of games when you can ride like that.“ "On track sure he’s aggressive but he’s totally clean and he definitely has a lot of tactics. He knows when he wants to race just one guy, how to separate groups, how to slow down. Like Phillip Island in 2005 I was on him the whole race and he eventually saw that he wasn’t going to get away, so he slowed down, brought the next group up to us to get me caught up with them, then tried to make another break. He’s got a lot of race craft. “I’d say his biggest strength is that he can adapt. If the tyres go off and he needs to slide he can slide, when the bike need to be ridden in line he can ride in line, he can definitely adapt to situations. I can’t say there’s one area of his riding where he just kills guys. It’s not just braking or corner speed or this or that, I’d just say that when he’s in a rhythm and putting those laps down he can break a guy. Like at Jerez this year he broke Pedrosa by about half a tenth a lap, he just kept putting those laps down, riding on that edge. He doesn’t ride 95 per cent, he rides on that razor edge for a long time. “I don’t know about weaknesses, it’s hard for me to point out a guy’s weakness when he’s won all those championships. In fact I’m not going to say he’s got any weak points because I don’t need to motivate the guy! That’s why I don’t want to say anything negative, I’m a big believer in not motivating these guys anymore, that’s why I don’t talk trash.”

like, you do have to bring up the context that valentino had four title rivals in 2006 - melandri, hayden, capirossi and dani - and he really only seems to have cooled off towards one of them. I'm not saying it's melandri's fault! I think it's more... hm, it's a bit telling, isn't it? competitively, there's not really any reason for melandri to be singled out in any way. I mean, you'll note he didn't win the title - and the guy who did explicitly says he didn't think valentino was fucking with him. valentino says in 2005 that he's made an active effort to not let the melandri relationship get worse... which could be true insofar as he didn't want any drama, but clearly he did allow that friendship to grow cold. why do that? is melandri really such a threat? I feel like if valentino said something particularly egregious about melandri, we would have some kind of a record of it - but let's say he was just mildly bitchy about the guy. you'd want to take him to one side and tell him 'dude, you really needn't bother', right? like, no offence, but is THIS guy worth it?

except. well. it is a little interesting that in the immediate aftermath of 2004, valentino had another friend of his (who he had considerably more history with than his last title rival) head over to honda gresini, turn into a more serious challenger... and valentino went. 'hm, yeah, maybe let's not do that again.' whether consciously or subconsciously, he does seem to have drawn back from melandri a hell of a lot quicker than he did from sete - and let's not forget that sete was actually beating him in dramatic last lap duels, which melandri extremely did not do. now, look, of course there COULD have been some sort of private spat here that nobody involved ever talked about... or maybe valentino just decided for completely unrelated reasons he'd had enough of melandri. but isn't it just. a little noteworthy. that when it comes to the 2006 title rivals, valentino is on good terms with all of them, who he seemingly does not piss off too badly with any sort of off-track antics... except melandri. his coldest relationship is with his childhood friend. one might conclude that melandri was the one who had the most power to hurt valentino, if he had been allowed to remain close. one could argue that there the sete rivalry marked a bit of a turning point in terms of how valentino approached his rivalries, that after this point he really didn't want another rivalry that could affect him in the same way. one might point out that some of the details of the melandri rivalry sure feel like they could be used to back up this framing

all that being said. what valentino is doing here is... well, it's basically fine, isn't it. everyone and their dog agrees it's tough to remain friends with your actual close rivals. jb describes it as their friendship 'cooling off', which is also the kind of thing that can just... eventually happen with childhood friends, even when you don't have pressures of competition warping interpersonal dynamics. there's not all that much to suggest valentino was massively treating melandri differently from any of his other major rivals at the time - it's just that his prior relationship had been closer and melandri seems to have taken the shift poorly. given how little of a paper trail there is, it feels like any mind games on valentino's part were generally on the subtler side, perhaps just the occasional snide comment or insinuation or ambiguously shady line that never made it to an article we can still access nowadays. more in line with what nicky "I don't think he plays as many games as other guys" hayden is describing: how valentino knows how to play his cards without necessarily escalating it into full out war. when melandri's talking about the rivalry, at times he does seem less annoyed by anything valentino actually did than he is by the media pressure of being an italian rival of valentino's, of being subjected to a more hostile media environment tan valentino, etc etc. after a certain point, valentino was often a passive beneficiary of his own successes in that regard. it's not like he's telling the italian journalists to put extra pressure on melandri... but he's also hardly going to complain

in general, the timing of it does have a certain charm to it as useful evidence for my great big 'the sete experience changed how valentino approached his rivalries' thesis, but I'm always a tad wary of analyses that flatten valentino's rivalries and by extension valentino by treating the patterns of behaviour in each as identical. it's also worth pointing out that... well, melandri isn't exactly a neutral source here, and his 2010 great big yellow chair theory does maybe suggest his resentment was getting in the way of his judgement where valentino was concerned. in the end, people didn't enjoy melandri's celebrations as much as melandri would have liked. and at some point in 2005, valentino apparently decided he didn't like this guy's vibe any more. c'est la vie

[idyllic-affections]

angel kisses.

summary. kaveh is always there to kiss away his sibling's pain. trigger & content warnings. brief (unintentional) s/h mentions. tropes, pairings, fic length, & other notes. hurt/comfort. kaveh & younger sibling!reader. 0.5k words. they/them pronouns for reader. author's thoughts. tbh no thoughts, head empty, only the silly architect. he has infected my brain. he lives in my head rent free! anyways dont worry you guys, this isnt the worst kaveh & sibling!reader angst i have, there are worse things coming teehee 💕💕💕 reader has gifted kid burnout syndrome in this (no they dont. its undiagnosed adhd /hj) because I Am Projecting.

       Kaveh hated seeing his sibling cry more than anything in all of Teyvat.

       He hated the way their lip would begin tremble and their voice would begin to waver when something didn't go the way they had hoped it would. Whether it be a project falling through, or having a thesis rejected, or getting into a debate with their seniors that they couldn't win simply because some of those researchers were too stubborn to admit to a junior that they were wrong...

       He hated the way the Sumeran culture handled the children that seemed to be smarter than the others, plastering silly labels onto them that only served to differentiate them from their peers and set them up for a life of impossible expectations and psychological struggle. Such as was the case with his sibling. Kaveh had seen the effects of labelling first hand one too many times, and seeing his sibling in the state they were in was but a painful reminder that such titles only cause harm. It was why he advocated so passionately against them.

       He hated the way they would whimper, breath stuttering and shallow as they tried to suppress their tears. The aggression with which they rubbed their eyes only made their face puffy and somewhat sore. It could sometimes get so bad that little scratches would line their cheeks; Archons, he loathed the sight of their skin being cut up like that. He hated that he had to guide their hands away, kissing their fingertips with such tenderness, as if to remind them that they should not be using their hands in a way that would only hurt them more. Their hands were not meant for harming, especially not for harming themselves. Their hands were made for greater things—creating, writing, being held—anything but harming.

       He hated the way their soft cries always ended up breaking down into sobs when they were alone with him, how they would weep into his shoulder as his hands stroked up and down their back soothingly.

       They were so pretty when they weren't crying, he thought. He much preferred seeing them smile, even if it was at his own expense. He supposed he could stand to lose a petty debate with his annoying roommate if it were to make them giggle. Kaveh loved seeing them happy; they were just so stunning when they were, outshining even his most remarkable achievments.

       In a way, though, he knew very well that this side of them was equally beautiful in its own right.

       Voluntary vulnerability was such a wonderful thing. It was as if they were placing their fragile heart in his hands to protect and care for in their toughest moments. He always had and he always would. Trust like that... even the gods above would envy how fully they trusted Kaveh in their most emotional times.

       He'd drop anything to kiss away their pain; he cherished his clients, but he cherished his sibling much more. Their health, physical or mental, came before all else.

       "I love you," they murmured softly, tiredly, eyelids fluttering shut as they leaned further into his embrace.

       The gentle kisses he left on their eyelids were enough to indicate that the sentiment was very much mutual.

please consider reblogging, it helps me out quite a lot! angel kisses are kisses placed on the closed eyelids of another. they communicate a deep sense of fondness and protectiveness over the recipient.

[cinamun]

Now, by no means do I endorse teen sex, but teens are going to be teens and I raised two of them and I've never shied away from these topics with them. I was explicitly honest. You have to be, especially today. I didn't want them to do it not because they weren't 18 but because they weren't mentally mature enough to handle that responsibility. Teenagers think the world revolves around them and their worlds crumble at the slightest agitation. Everything is a big fucking deal at that age. Especially if you've been sheltered or have some privileges. The patriarchy started this shit by tying their worth as men to their wallets. Instead of just being kind and decent humans. We didn't set the standards, they did. Listen, truth be told my standards weren't as high as Indira's. Looking back, I wish someone would've pulled me to the side and told me. If they want to run game, make them pay. Only broke men get salty about the game anyway. Is it right NO, but it is what it is. And while I'm being honest, I would absolutely let Bishop fold me up like a pretzel. He can pull these dreads and do a little choke on the neck too. H's fine and looks like he smells goodt, I'd run my fingers through those curls and let him make me holla. Then leave whatever 5-star hotel we be staying at and block his number. Sometimes you just want to fuck the ain't shit nigga and then get the hell on.

"Sometimes you just want to fuck the ain't shit nigga." -Rich

Y'all sign up for a tee shirt in the back room. They're $25 dollars, come in black and white and sizes XS-XXXL. All funds received will go to restock the wings and cognac.

For my thesis I wrote about brain development and how the brain isn't fully mature until age 24. And the LAST to develop is the area of the brain that understands consequence. As Hope Diamond taught us, that's the prefrontal cortex. So while all these horny ass teenagers are running around cortex-less, fuckshit is BOUND to happen. Sometimes you get lucky and find a guy who sticks to his word and holds you accountable on top of the roof of the wrekka sto on prom night (and then you have twin babies with him). And sometimes you have to learn the game early because the patriarchy taught these niggas that you have a price and as long as they are hypermasculine with deep pockets, you belong to them (a certain OC whose name rhymes with windya).

Coming with the factuals as per usual, sis!

[no-where-new-hero]

Fire and Hemlock Readalong: Chapter 0

I’m starting this a day early because I realized that I had so much to say about the front matter that I didn't want to clog my discussion of Chapter 1. So here’s a little teaser to whet your appetite for tomorrow!

I always love entering this book because, much like entering a fairy tale or a ballad, it offers many introductory signs along the way to alert you to the textual milieu. The first is the part name: New Hero. If your edition has a table of contents, as mine does, you see that each of the four parts are anagrams of the same letters. Of course, this will become thematically important (as every other paratextual guide in the book is) but for now, we know that this part will introduce us to a new hero: Polly Whittacker. It also signals not only a protagonist, but heroism as a theme: though the novel's setting is grounded in 1980s England with only a few overtly magical moments, the events are filtered just as much through the heroic mode of adventure stories, fairy tales, and myths.

The second signpost is “allegro vivace”: I actually never looked up the translations/definitions of the musical notations in the book before, so I figured now was a good time. This one means "fast and lively," instructing a brisk pace of energy and dynamism, which sets up the vitality of Polly's youth and its concerns. The musical direction signals a tone for the initiated, and to those who aren’t, it establishes music as another major theme, alongside literature and stories.

Finally, we have the epigraph at the start of the chapter ("A dead sleep came over me / and from my horse I fell") taken from the 17th-18th century Scottish ballad, “Tam Lin.” Fire and Hemlock is most obviously a retelling of the ballad (though it retells and draws from other tales, as Diana Wynne Jones has cataloged in her essay on the novel), and interweaves the original material throughout. Later epigraphs will also be drawn from a medieval lay, Thomas the Rhymer, which is typically accepted as Tam Lin's direct antecedent.

It isn’t necessary to know the plot of Tam Lin to appreciate how the themes comes in—partially thanks to these epigraphs—but I also wrote my senior thesis on the ballad, so I’m going to offer a summary anyway: Janet, a noblewoman’s daughter, goes into the forest of Caterhaugh, where Tam Lin lives/hangs out. They have a sexual encounter, initiated by Janet’s own confidence. She becomes pregnant, and her father, not knowing who the forthcoming baby’s dad is, wants to marry her off to one of his nobles. Janet prefers to abort the baby and is about to do so when she meets Tam Lin again, who tells her to keep the child. He explains that he has been placed under a curse by a Fairy Queen, and unless Janet liberates him, he will be offered to the devil as a fairy tithe. Janet agrees, mostly to legitimize her child. Through holding onto Tam as the Fairy Queen attempts to shapeshift him into submission, Janet turns him back into a human (there is an assumption throughout that he is a bit fay himself, though born a man) and the queen rages at them for having escaped her control. The ballad ends with an unspoken HEA. Several of these thematic resonances will become really important as we work through F&H, even though the plot itself is altered (crucially, neither a sex scene nor a pregnancy feature in this version, though sexuality and transgression and also creation certainly do).

This particular quotation is an interesting choice from the ballad itself, if you excuse my nerding out: it doesn’t feature in the main version but in one of the variations, and it is spoken in Tam Lin’s voice, which contradicts the immediate narrative expectation of a line in Janet’s voice (since Polly is pretty consistently Janet throughout). But what’s most important about it is that Tam says this line (and only in a variation on the main version, incidentally) to describe what happened when he fell under the Fairy Queen’s thrall. At the outset, it signals us to enchantment: as a reader, following Polly’s navigation of this perilous world she becomes drawn into, but also merely as readers. One of my favorite things about this novel is DWJ’s ability to pull her readers into her richly felt, incredibly paced world. The first time I read this, I gulped it down in the course of an afternoon, and when I finished, I surfaced feeling as though I had woken from a dream. This book is a beautiful enchantment, and it very kindly lets you know so.

[callipraxia]

Thanks for answering my other Ask!

I haven't read it yet, because I wanted to get this other planned Ask out first, but I am going to try to read ur Answer soon! And once again, thank u for answering it.

Anyways, just wanted to say: "From the first seven pages of the School Year Fic manuscript,"

"ut oh, it felt good to work again! So, rather late in the month, I have decided to make so bold as to set myself some 2024 writing goals:

1: Finish my three unfinished experiments (“A Year of Living Magically,” “Tracey’s Journal,” and “The Unexpected Memoirs of Fiddleford H. McGucket”). If successful, then never, ever touch first-person PoV ever again.

2: Complete and begin revising a typed draft of the still-untitled school year fic.

2a: think of a decent title for the school year fic

3: Finally write that essay about “Little Gift Shop of Horrors.”

4: At least finish the reading for the Ford essay, and decide what the thesis of that thing is even going to be at this point.

5: Start a new series. Working title is “Cipher’s Rejects.” I have a first volume worked out in my head and beyond that, my ideas begin and end with a couple of song lyrics, so that should be fun."

Good luck with all these and that I am really excited for these and/or any other GF and/or etc. plans u may have.

(Though, no rush. Like, I can wait and stuff. Motivation can be fickle and writing can take awhile. And etc.).

I am esp. excited for "Cipher's Rejects" just based on that name alone, and the school year fic sounds like the kind of fic I would really love.

Also gonna try to check out ur non-revised and/or etc. Ford essay u posted, that should be fun.

Seeing some recent reblogs talking about Ford and Bill (and others) - which were interesting and fun to read - certainly show the Ford essay(s) will be fine. Like Ford beng kind of trigger-happy (and angey and stuff). LIke in TBOB hiim going on rant about how Rudokoph should have burned down the North Pole to ground or something like for making fun of his deformity (man, people REALLY made fun of ur six fingers, huh, Ford. The poor dude. Though, this reaction is knd of extreme. Funny though, and very Ford honestly).

Or something I always think of (one of my favorite lines and/or scenes from one of my favorite episodes) where Ford pulls out a gun super right away, saying "Your math is no match for math!" (lol). So funnily trigger-happy. Tbf though, this could have worked, but in this case it didn't. Luckily, Stan was able to think of something and help save everyone.

And the talks about Bill being kind of a spiteful ex (lmao) and Ford trying to get Ford to destroy and rule and stuff everything with him.

Anyways, all those talks by you and others were interesting, and I am quite certain the Ford essay; both current and the revised one, will be interesting.

Last of all, that reblog of a post talking about how the Dipper that lost Mabel to Smile Dip hurt me. Like, such a mundane, and a very real feeling kind of death (even though Smile Dip - It is Smile Dip, right? - is kind of out there), and just how much guilt and how destroyed Dipper would feel from this.

Like, The Society of Blind Eye Dipper basically, Soul Dipper, Amulet Mabel (in my mind Amulet Dipper also exists too out there. Considering all the canon timelines and/or universes and fan stuff, it is very likely, at least.. Also, Reverse Falls is real - close to canon/basically canon in my heart - to me. I love it), Gnome Queen Mabel, Digital World Dipper, etc., etc. already got me, and were so dark and depressing, and got me so interested and stuff.

But seeing someone talk about that universe and/or timeline too also made me realize how dark and depressing that one was too, and how much story potential it has too (along with the others. And/or stuff based and/or inspired on the others, but not exactly those universes or something and/or etc.).

Alright, done with my Asks (for) now with this!

See u for now! And have a great whatever time it is for ya. ^^

2/2.

I was...perhaps a touch over-optimistic at the start of the year/after one good day, but I did write half a chapter of the 'Unexpected Memoirs' the other day, and I've had several essays this year, one of which was pretty popular. Slowly, slowly, I claw my way back, lol. Thanks for the support! 

The Rudolph Rant somehow managed to pass through my head without making much of an impression the first time I read it, but I've become a bit obsessed with it since then. It's a moment that tells us so much about Ford's state of mind at the time...and, although it's probably mostly a joke, it could also hint at just how close he might have been to tipping over the edge into villainy. Bill’s great mistake there may (this thought is still only half-formed) have been *over*-identification – either he didn’t/couldn’t quite accept that Ford was, after all, a person separate from himself (and therefore liable to act and react in ways Bill wouldn’t have), or Bill had some kind of Ledger-Joker-esque complex where he deliberately wanted to break everyone down to seeing the world his way, or at least do that to everyone who he takes into his gang, but either way, it may have been the key miscalculation in his strategy. If he had been able to see past that...well, I’m not sure it would have ultimately been very good for Bill anyway, on the millions-of-years scale at least, but if he’d played on Ford’s existing desires and rationalization superpower instead and presented taking over the world as a way to do a good thing, he probably could have slippery-sloped him into pretty terrifying territory in a relatively short period of time.

That was both clever and gloomy of the Death-By-Smile-Dip OP, and it makes a degree of sense. Officially, Smile Dip was expired candy, but it reads pretty clearly as Mabel doing a frightening quantity of psychedelic drugs...plus, if I’m not too far mistaken, the dog she was hallucinating is locked up in the same ward as Bill in the end, and that has odd and unsettling implications in-universe as well. I hadn’t considered that last bit until I typed this, but now that I did...if I’m right and the dog in the Theraprism is the same as the dog in Mabel’s Smile Dip hallucinations, then death might actually have been a good way from the most horrifying outcome she could have gotten out of that experience...I’d reblogged the post because I’d started rambling about whether or not all the angry alt-Pineses were actually dead (since there’s lots of ways the Pineses could have not ended up with the same outcomes which technically didn’t kill any of them), but erased that after I wandered by accident from there and into the multiple levels of horror that could be involved with Mabel the Gnome Queen...ended up concluding that GQM was actually probably luckier if she was dead. Not that this would probably make her any happier about it/about her alt-selves and the alt-Dippers who either escaped or got rescued (since a plausible backstory for GQM could easily involve the gnomes killing or permanently disabling Dipper during his efforts to rescue her).  

...Yeah, I’m not writing that, so if anyone else wants it, steal away and just drop me a link when you post it.