#aral as well

[elantedronai]

That’s it, being orphaned or having abusive parents is out in fiction

Having loving, living parents who are constantly fondly exasperated by their child and whom their child wants to make proud in a healthy way is in

[insinirate]

Don't you like bf x Pico? Or do you just wanna draw other things rn?

i 1000% just want to draw other things rn

[unhelpfulfemme]

Okay, last headcanon and I'll stop harassing y'all after this.

So you know how Mark Vorkosigan has been trained to have the same body language as Miles Vorkosigan, whose body language is really a less effortless rendition of Aral's? And then Dono is told to just imitate Aral whenever he's scared he isn't passing well enough and, well, do you ever imagine these four men being somewhere together and just accidentally striking the exact same pose or making the exact same gesture at the same time?

Like someone is explaining something and they are listening attentively, brows elegantly furrowed, hands in their pockets and feet spread apart in a manly, assertive way, and when the particularly complicated part comes along they all rub their chins in contemplation and it goes from manly dignity to absolutely fucking ridiculous?

[with-my-murder-flute]

I love that Aral and Cordelia Vorkosigan look from a distance like some flawless immensely competent power couple when like

They are ENTIRELY a HotMess4HotMess relationship

He saw her puking her guts out in the middle of a disaster and thought, "I'm going to marry that woman someday."

She got a cheering crowd and a fancy medal for her bravery and stole the mic to tell everyone to get his name out of their ill-informed mouths

The bedrock of their marriage is their separate and combined willingness to look the possibility of utter failure in the eye and say, "Might as well try anyway."

[max1461]

Here's the thing I'll rail hard against the USSR, they drained the Aral Sea and forcibly settled the nomads in the colonized Russian Far East and also as a separate issue central planning probably just does not work very well. But I love my tankie mutuals. <3. They're consistently interesting conversationalists and well informed about world affairs and also quite often you just need a tankie to come in and say what even the most progressive Western chauvinists can't bring themselves to utter, like when Japanese companies hire a gaijin white monkey to talk back to the shacho.

[sturgeonposting]

how many sturgeon species are there?

There are 28 extant species of sturgeon, organized into 4 genera: Acipenser, Huso, Scaphirhynchus, and Pseudoscaphirhynchus.

-

Genus Acipenser contains the fish that come to most people’s minds when thinking of sturgeon: lake sturgeon, Atlantic sturgeon, white sturgeon, European sea sturgeon, etc. This is the largest genus of the family Acipenseridae, containing 20 species of sturgeon. Sturgeon in this family can be found in North America, Europe, and Asia.

(Atlantic sturgeon, A. oxyrynchus)

-

Genus Huso has only two members: beluga and kaluga. They are native to Russia and the surrounding parts of Eurasia. There is some argument that these fish should be included in the genus Acipenser. Unlike the members of genus Acipenser, whose protrusible mouths face downward, sturgeons in genus Huso have forward-facing protrusible mouths.

(Kaluga, H. dauricus)

-

Genus Scaphirhynchus contains three species of fish: shovelnose sturgeon, pallid sturgeon, and Alabama sturgeon. Scaphirhynchus means “spade snout”, in reference to these sturgeons’ long, flat, shovel-like snouts used to dig along river beds for food. This genus of sturgeon is native exclusively to the Missouri, Mississippi, and Alabama rivers in North America.

(Pallid sturgeon, S. albus)

-

Genus Pseudoscaphirhynchus is native exclusively to the Aral Sea system in Central Asia. This genus has three members as well: the Amu Darya sturgeon, the dwarf sturgeon, and the Syr Darya sturgeon. Like genus Scaphirhynchus, these fish have shovel-like snouts. Sturgeon in this genus are very small compared to sturgeon in other genus; the largest Pseudoscaphirhynchus sturgeon reach about 30”, excluding tail filament.

(Amu Darya sturgeon, P. kaufmanni)

-

Most species of sturgeon are endangered in some capacity. Many of the sturgeon mentioned in this post are critically endangered, with no individuals being spotted in the wild for many years.

It breaks my heart to think that we are slowly losing more and more species of these beautiful fish. But interest in their well-being is the first step to conservation, and that’s what I hope to cultivate here at sturgeonposting. Sorry to get all sappy at the end. I just love these guys. Long may the sturgeon swim.

[chaos-has-theories]

A thing that never fails to amuse me: if you were to write some kind of Role Swap AU for Shards of Honor - Aral Naismith as a career soldier/scientist from Beta Colony, Cordelia Vorkosigan as Barrayaran old money whom you couldn't keep away from doing science and politics if you tried. Meeting somehow, overthrowing wars and governments, falling in love, getting married -

Well, you would have reinvented Samuel Vimes/Sybil Ramkin. Is what you would have done.

[kairiscorner]

ok, i'll be out with it, ako'y isang pinoy RRRGHHHHH tagalog is so fucking hard, help so i kinda had an idea to cope with my shitty filipino exam scores:

(also i'm sorry for the crappy spanish, please correct me on it if you'd like!)

miles morales x filipino reader

YOU WOULD MAKE HIM LISTEN TO IV OF SPADES, THEIR SHIT IS FUCKING FIRE, your songs with him are "mundo" and "come inside of my heart"

miles would sing "come inside of my heart" out loud when he's listening to it on his headphones, especially when he's alone in his room, it's in his playlist now bc of you.

YOU'D MAKE HIM LISTEN TO ERASERHEADS, you probably knew them bc of your parents, your favorite song to listen to with him is "ang huling el bimbo" (umiyak ng malala)

and ben & ben........ ARAW-ARAW IS Y'ALL'S SONG, CHANGE MY MIND

if you're like me, you have no two braincells that understand how to use tagalog or use its tenses properly, but you aren't used to using fluid english that well, so you speak taglish.

being part puerto rican and learning some spanish from his mom, i think you and miles would understand each other a little when using tagalog or spanish.

you both fear the slipper.

when you first met his parents, JUSME, THEY LOVED YOU.

they didn't understand at first what the "mano po" meant, but you explained it was a sign to accept blessings from your elders, and you always called them "tita" and "tito", which rio LOVED OMG.

"Entonces, ¿cuándo vas a invitarlos a una cita? (so, when are you going to ask them out on a date?) " rio would always ask miles this when you were around, and he'd be choking on air or clearing his throat and just laugh it off.

when you offered them rice cakes once, rio asked what they were called, and she almost choked when you said "ah, puto po"

"¿ESTO SE LLAMA COMO? (THIS IS WHAT?)"

jeff wanted more puto, but rio'd pinch his ear when he'd say "puto", she knows it's the name, but she feels kinda weird about it. she accepted it, but still sometimes cringes at the name (I'M SORRY, THAT'S THE NAME)

NOW IF IT WERE YOUR PARENTS (basing off my experience as a filipino so sorry if it's not like yours :'>) THEY'D BE TEASING YOU ABOUT HIM ALL THE DAMN TIME

"ano, jowa mo na ba siya? or ano..."

"nako, ikaw ha, mag-aral ka muna bago ka makipagjowa sa morales na yan"

"aalis ka? sino kasama mo? wala ba doon si morales? ay nandoon, edi sasamahan kita nak."

your parents wouldn't really have a problem with miles, they'd think he's a nice kid, they'd just watch your every move with him as long as he's in your house.

also, i think, you would teach him swear words in tagalog :>

you'd troll him to say "putangina mo" (now don't say this non-filipino readers <333) means "have a good morning"

he tried it on your parents

yeah they didn't like him after that, until you cleared it up and got reprimanded for teaching him the wrong stuff TT

either way, miles would love to learn more about your culture as a filipino, he thinks it's super interesting. you made him want to revisit his puerto rican roots and learn some more spanish when he realized some words you taught him (including the swears) were similar to words in tagalog.

you also wanted to learn a lot more about him, his family, and his roots--so you two kind of exchanged cultures to better understand each other <:)

[prussianmemes]

It's time for a world geography lesson with the Václav H*vel Airport in Prague! ヽ(・∀・)ﾉ

El or San Salvador? New Zealand or Zeland? Let's just color Panama whatever.

Korea is one! Sorry, I meant Corea! The airport also would like to remind us of the righteous glory of Saddam Hussein in his struggle to unify the Iraqi Iraki people - the British colonialist fabrication of Kuwait must GO!

The Danish Empire is back! 1654 has been avenged and Gotland returned to its owners, as well as Äland. The end of apartheid also has brought about the creation of SAUTH Africa.

The Russian minority of the Aral sea has been rescued, and finally KOSOVO JE SRBIJA!! 🇷🇸✊🏻 Ruzyně airport will never recognize the illegal NATO puppet state of Kosovo!

The entire nation of Macedonia has also ceased to exist.

[semicolonthefifth]

A request by @danguy96 in the form of tribute piece to the late Akira Akira Toriyama, creator of Dragon Ball among others.

Depicting the characters of Toriyama, Goku from Dragonball/Z and Arale from Dr. Slump, being comforted by Astro Boy and Superman. It's meant to be a duel-comfort, with Astro Boy representing creator Osamu Tezuka (to whom Akira succeeded as a major influence in Anime/Manga), and Superman as a representative of the West.

This was something I wanted to do well one, going as far as to best capture the inking style of Akira with a bit of the coloring style he did with my own personal stylistic liberties mixed in.

I'm not unique to say that my childhood and young life had been influenced by Akira's work. Dragonball Z in particular shaped the media I enjoy, the stories I love, and the characters I look up to and admire. I, like so many creatives/artists, were inspired by the his stories - and I hope that Toriyama knew how much it meant to so many around the world.

[call-me-rucy]

More problems for Miles: now an spillage, which is a step above sewers, I think. Oh. Mutagenic spillage. Steps below. Definitely below.

So a day in Barrayar is 26,7 hours! I was wondering about that, I think i read Ivan mentioning hour 25 before.

Have I already said I don't like Metzov? I don't like Metzov.

WOW THIS IS ESCALATING QUICKLY. NOW MILES HAS A NERVE DISRUPTOR. OKAY. OKAY. YEAH WE CAN DO THAT.

NO CLOTHES IN THE POLE. OKAY. YEAH WE CAN DO THAT. I know Miles doesn't die here, which is little relief.

"It'll all look different in the morning, anyway." "Yeah. Worse."

This dialogue was so funny!

“Imperial security” Oh, that is good :D “Miles is happy about that”. Oh, that is not good :/

HIGH TREASON?! AGAIN?! He's 20!!! I wonder if he'll set a record, at this rate. "Most high treasons per year".

At least he won't be cold in Vorbarr Sultana...

Illyan! Long time no see! You were younger last I read about you. Was he in "Barrayar"? I recall him in Shards of Honor...

Offhand, Miles knew of no one Illyan feared except Miles's mother. He'd once asked his father if this was guilt, about the soltoxin, but Count Vorkosigan had replied, No, it was only the lasting effect of vivid first impressions.

I see he recalls Shards of Honor as well. Well, he recalls everything, I guess.

"Him". Ay, Aral… OH HES HERE! THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND

Jole??? Is this the Jole I've read so much about in the main tags?? Gentleman Jole and the Red Queen’s Jole? I didn't know he'd be here that early. Then again I also expected Bothari to last a couple more books. It feels unreal that I'm already in book 4.

Aral hugs Miles, peace and love on planet earth

"For that sin, there is no hole deep enough to hide him from my wrath." hbcffhh i love Aral. Though what are you gonna do? Send him to Kyril Island?

MILES RENOUNCING HIS CAREER?!? THAT HE FOUGHT SO HARD TO GET. Excuse me while I go cry in a corner.

[tobiasdrake]

Do you have any thoughts on the Red ribbon army?

The RRA will left a mark on the history of Dragon Ball and will forever be a cornerstone of this entire series.

The Red Ribbon Army serves the purpose of bridging the gap between the silly and lighthearted antics of the first two arcs and the gradually more serious fare to come.

They offer Goku some interesting and creative challenges to overcome, while rarely being too threatening. For the most part, Goku bulldozes through everything they have to offer.

Hey, remember that time Goku sodomized a ninja? Good times.

But this goofy fare is juxtaposed against the real, serious menace of what the RRA is doing to the people around them.

Despite the ease with which Goku handles most problems that come his way, this feels tonally different from the first arc. There, the villains were local problems like a mountain on fire or a rabbit gangster. The closest thing to a serious villain was Pilaf of all people, and he just showed up with his Empire of Two Minions at the very end; Less a serious villain and more the last of the local problems.

Now Goku's fighting a geopolitical entity whose tendrils reach out across the world. The scope of this conflict isn't about what they can do to Goku. It's about what they are doing to other people.

These guys suck. Like. Professionally.

Also if you know who that child at knifepoint is then you know exactly how bad this is about to go for General Blue.

Hey, remember that time when Arale from Dr. Slump showed up for some reason to headbutt a Nazi in the balls with planet-splitting force? Good times.

I cannot stress enough that the Dr. Slump crossover is not anime filler. I just. I cannot stress that enough. This is an actual thing that happened in manga canon.

The RRA rarely pushes Goku, but that's not to say they're completely harmless either. General White gets a good shot in on Goku with his hyper-gun.

We've already seen that Goku isn't completely bulletproof; He takes some damage from getting shot with a gun.

So it's not clear how much stronger the hyper-gun is than a regular gun. Obviously not enough to penetrate Goku's skull. But I digress. Meanwhile, General Blue's paralyzing stare gives him an edge, since even he can't take Goku in a straight fight.

As an aside, I love how he menacingly approaches Goku while giggling and grasping the rock he was about to crush Krillin's skull with a moment ago. With the implication that he's going to bash Goku's skull with it instead.

But at the start of next chapter, the rock is nowhere to be seen.

So. I guess he had no malicious plans for that rock. He was just holding it and giggling for funsies. He's a rock fondler. We all have our quirks.

Now is probably a good time to mention that the anime added a scene to the Dr. Slump crossover in which General Blue is revealed to be a pedophile. That's it. That's the whole scene. He just stops off momentarily to hit on a little boy. That was something they felt the arc needed.

This does not mix well with Blue's shameless gay-coding in both the manga and anime alike.

So. Yeah. This was already weird and then Toei was like, "He should also be a pedophile. That's a good thing to spend our screentime on."

Thanks. I hate it.

Anyways.

This arc has been milked to death by future Dragon Ball material, and for good reason. The myriad adventures along each sub-arc of RRA has enough things going on that it's easy to hone in on any individual thing and make a story out of it.

This one guy who showed up during the General White portion inspired the entire Cell arc.

The whole-ass characters of Tenshinhan and Chiaotzu spun out of the legendary assassin Taopaipai.

(Who, and I cannot stress this enough, is holding a 20 Years of Assassination half-off sale. Oh my god. Hahahahahaha.)

The Saiyans weren't even a thought in Toriyama's head at the time he wrote this. But the way Goku steamrolls through Red Ribbon is incredible the second time through, with the added context of his heritage.

Later arcs are going to tell us that Goku is from a race of planet-killers, the greatest warriors in the universe, who shatter armies and planetary defenses, slaughtering entire worlds. And you can feel every ounce of that Saiyan heritage on display as Goku rips through the RRA like a force of nature.

There are even still some hooks left hanging, that the series never revisited.

Colonel Violet and General Copper are still out there somewhere. This is all we ever hear from either of them - Though the anime adds a subplot where Violet loots the fucking vault after seeing which way the wind was blowing during Goku's assault. XD

So. Yeah. There's a lot going on in this arc and a lot for future arcs to draw from. Taopaipai himself has the distinguished honor of being the first Serious Threat villain despite his goofier antics like tonguing General Blue to death.

I like how he notes that if you're going to put a professional assassin through the "Kill this man and prove your mettle" test, you gotta pay for that. Even if it's a test of his ability, it's still a hit.

But at least they still got the half-price bargain for Blue's humiliating demise. This is the best time for the discerning shopper to consider adding a few extra murders to their shopping cart.

Taopaipai straddles the line between comical shenanigans and deathly serious threat. This moment is where Serious Dragon Ball is born.

Because again, that is the scope of this arc. Not what the RRA can do to Goku, but what they are doing to people.

Though, for the first time in history, Taopaipai is someone who can fuck up Goku pretty bad too.

We've seen Goku lose fights before but we'd never seen someone body him like this. At least, not without an excuse like a sucker punch or Goku being super hungry or a paralyzing stare or something.

This was a game-changer for Dragon Ball. For the first time, Goku got to go at an opponent with everything he had and got wrecked. Taopaipai took him down with a killshot he only survived because the Dodonpa struck a Dragon Ball he was carrying rather than impacting his flesh.

There's just. So much about this whole arc to gush about. Even Goku's friends get a piece of the action.

Well, most of them do. There is one notable exception who doesn't get the opportunity to show off and unleash his true power. The mightiest of all Goku's allies, and an underrated powerhouse waiting for his day in the sun.

Some day, Turtle. Some day they will all know your might and tremble.

So. Yeah. There's a lot to love here, and it caps off with one of the greatest shocking swerves in the history of Dragon Ball.

Ho. Ly. Shit. The comical pettiness of Commander Red mixed with the serious outrage from Adjutant Black here is such a phenomenal blend of Dragon Ball Goofy and Dragon Ball Serious. And. I. Feel it.

Much like Frieza being a critique of capitalism, the selfishness, lack of empathy, and pettiness of world leaders on display here is something I've only come to better understand as I've gotten older. Commander Red is a silly caricature of a man but he could easily be a real person that exists.

This is what soldiers are used for. All too often, they die for nothing but the selfish and petty whims of men like Red. Adjutant Black was out here Big Bossing it up like a decade before Metal Gear was a thing.

There's a reason why Dragon Ball keeps coming back to this arc. Whether it's the legacy of the RRA in Dr. Gero or DBS: Super Hero, redoing Goku's climb of Karin Tower like four times, or the PTO as a sort of galactic RRA, the Red Ribbon Army left a mark on Dragon Ball whose influence would continue to be felt long after the organization's fall.

They're a cornerstone of Dragon Ball history that will never be forgotten.

[ubescoups]

Run To You

Chapter One

January 2023.

Last semester in college. 

Elle’s seniors say it is the most pivotal semester for an accounting student. 

Make it or break it.

It doesn’t help that her mother has been vocal about her being a graduating student. She knows she cannot claim it yet. Elle’s far from being a graduating student. 

Whenever her mother says that her breath hitches a little, maybe it’s because she needs to finish this degree this June. She has no choice. She’s at the mercy of her aunt, who’s residing overseas and funding her college education. It’s a fact she has to remember over and over again to force herself to study. 

As the youngest among her cousins, she has heard the great tales of her parents’ wealth in the 90s. 

Alam mo, Elle, dati, ang mama at papa mo ang naggagala sa amin sa Greenbelt noon tapos they would take us to restaurants to eat out. 

Mama mo ang nagpaaral sa amin dati. 

The best talaga sila mama at papa mo.

She could only listen to those stories and wished that her parents did better at handling their finances. 

Hindi naman namin alam na dadating ka sa buhay namin, anak.

They were trying for a baby for a long time and had her years later. Her late father and mother often say she’s an answered prayer, but it makes her wonder. Why did they not think too far ahead about the life their kid will have if she’s a prayer they have recited maybe a million times?  

Despite growing remorse for her parents’ past decisions, she keeps pushing forward. 

Ano nga naman magagawa ko? Nangyari naman na ang lahat. Wala na akong magagawa. Pagbubutihin ko na lang. Ako na ang bubuhay kay Mama pagtapos nito.

It has been ingrained in her mind that she will be the family’s breadwinner once she completes her degree. 

Si Elle ang pag-asa mo.

Her relatives would say it to her mother as she gloats that her daughter, Elle, has been the responsible and intelligent kid she has always wanted. Her mother would say she was able to raise her well by making sure she had the best study habits and demeanor as a kid. It has been that way since she was a kid, and it’s why her aunt has supported her studies since she was a kid. She was the wonder kid of the most influential maternal figure of the family after her grandmother. 

“Napaano ka, Elle?” Jun asks as he settles beside the lady drowning in her thoughts. 

“Ah, may naiisip lang,” she replies with a slight smile. 

“Oh, ito. I got us some coffee,” he says. 

“Nag-abala ka pa, huy,” she hastily replies. 

“Wala ‘yan. Break ka muna sa pagkakape sa Lawson. Tikman mo ‘yan. Bagong bukas ‘yan sa Dapitan,” he tells her as he places the cup of coffee on her armrest. 

Elle thanks him. On the cup’s lid is a carefully folded note. She opens it. 

Kaya mo ‘yan, Elle. Ikaw pa! Andito lang ako. - Jun <3

“Thank you, Jun. Effort mo talaga,” she says, lips curling slightly. 

She’s been hesitant to think about what Jun has been doing for her. Elle knows she cannot handle being responsible for another person’s feelings when she can’t even contain her own. Elle still cannot sleep at night alone with the lights off. She would feel suffocated by her thoughts. That alone proves that she will only hurt Jun if she lets herself fall for him. 

Kapag hindi kami nagtagal at napamahal na ako sa kanya, mawawala ako sa huwisyo. Hindi ko kaya ‘yon. May hinahabol pa akong pangarap.

Elle knows her limits. She has to be focused on one goal. All eyes are on her. A lot is expected from her. She knows she has no right to be sidetracked. Being an only child means carrying out the family’s responsibilities because it’s her role. 

“Saan ka nga pala after class, Elle? Gusto mo ba aral tayo kasama sila Denise at Coleen?” Jun asks. 

“Cafe ba? If yes, pass muna. Gusto ko muna umuwi agad. Masakit likod ko eh,” Elle responds. 

“Discord na lang?” Jun asks. 

She nods.

That is not just the reason why she declined Jun’s offer. Elle doesn’t tell her friends that she’s trying to budget the allowance that she gets from her mother to have her indulgences. She has committed to joining her friends outside the university in a drag show next month. For a student who commutes from her hometown to Manila every class day, Elle gets to save a little money that she spends on sudden school-related expenses and her hobbies. Because of this, she would put herself on strict financial planning to ensure she saves money. 

Purgang purga na ako sa siomai rice at rice meals ng Lawson.

She eats a lot of food at home to minimize the need to buy food around the university. It doesn’t help that lately, her friends would drag her with them to study in cafes or co-working spaces. Elle can only sigh at how tight her finances are. Unlike the pandemic's peak when she could do some business and work to support herself and contribute to their household while studying, she cannot do part-time jobs anymore as she has to focus on her courses. 

“Kakasimula palang ng sem na ‘to parang mamamatay na ako sa bigat ng subjects,” Coleen retorts as she picks up her bag from the plastic chair. 

“Discord na lang diba, Jun, Elle?” Denise asks.

Elle nods. 

“Okay. Kitakits. Mga eight na tayo magsimula para makahinga-hinga lahat pagtapos bumiyahe,” Jun says, looking at Elle. 

The three nod in agreement. 

“Una na ako, guys. Maghahabol pa ako ng jeep,” Elle says. 

“Gesi. Ingat, Mama Elle,” Denise replies. 

“Ikaw rin. Coleen, Jun, kayo rin,” Elle adds.

“Bye, Elle. Text me when you get home?” Jun says. 

Elle nods. 

After some hugs and a little chitchat, Elle steps out of the room as she places earphones on her ears. If one thing could silence her raging thoughts, it would be music. She momentarily forgets her worries over the upcoming first comprehensive exams for each of her subjects this semester. She doesn’t think of the many things she has to catch up on at home and her internship that’s about to end. She doesn’t think about the upcoming research defense initially scheduled last month. Aside from that, she has some org work to accomplish. 

She walks along the pathways in front of Albertus and Ruaño, music blasting in her ears. The wind is cooling her sweaty skin as she looks around her surroundings—a temporary solace. 

A man laughing with his friends blocks the path as she trudges on the sidewalk. 

“Excuse me po,” she retorts. 

“Ay, sensya po,” the man mutters. 

Elle stops herself from rolling her eyes. Engineering students block the pathway every day she’s in the university. They would talk in the middle of the sidewalk while walking slowly—her pet peeve. She continues to walk, focusing on the music she’s listening to. 

If not for the slow traffic along España, she would stay on the campus for a bit. She would let the cold wind of the late afternoon kiss her skin as her eyes wandered to the greenery from Plaza Mayor to Lovers’ Lane. The turmoil caused by the classes in her building is silenced by the solace brought upon by the campus once she goes out of Albertus. It has been that way since 2019, even when the college was still in the university’s carpark. 

Having those thoughts, Elle realized how far she had come. She was far from the girl who was discouraged by the guy she took care of when she was a freshman and he was a sophomore. 

Hindi mo kaya ‘tong course na ‘to.

Kung ako sa’yo, umalis ka na habang maaga pa. 

Shift ka na.

It was three years ago when it all happened, but his voice is still in Elle’s head whenever a semester starts. 

Will she be able to survive it? Is he right all along? 

It’s no secret that Accounting, in general, is never her dream career path. It didn’t help that she transferred from BS Accountancy to BS Management Accounting in her second year in college. Elle has always felt doubt and uncertainty about her decisions and path in life as an accounting student because she was never sure of it, and she had someone doubt her from the start. 

She sighs heavily as she exits the campus to cross the street through the footbridge. She looks at the heavy traffic flow caused by the rush hour. Surviving a three-hour lecture is one thing, but the commute home is another story. 

Her daily demise as a student could have been prevented if her parents planned her college education well, but she knows there is no point in thinking about it already. She can only live in the moment and work with what she is provided. She has no chance to voice out these feelings without upsetting her mother. 

As she reaches the sidewalk after going down from the footbridge, she waves her hand to signal an approaching jeepney she wants to ride. The vehicle stops, allowing her to get in and find a seat just in time before the light goes green again. 

It’s going to be a two-hour commute going home.

[unhelpfulfemme]

One of the aspects I like the most about the Vorkosigan saga is how well Lois writes how men vs. women interact with each other.

The women are always trying to find examples of other women doing what they want and exchange knowledge and tips and advice about their lives. You almost never see this in fiction, especially speculative fiction, even though all the women I know do it all the time.

Like, Cordelia thinks Barrayaran culture is ridiculous but she takes Alys completely seriously and respects her and follows her advice, and when she's considering having more children one of her first moves is to propose it to Alys for her and Simon because Alys may know about the technology but may be interested. When Ekaterin doesn't know how to reconcile children and a career or what she wants from like, she looks to her Aunt Vorthys as an example of how it can be done; when Elena is considering leaving her mercenary career to have children, she does it after talking things through with her personal idol Cordelia, who also left a military career to have children. When Kareen and Martya visit Ekaterin, the conversation just naturally segues into deep topics like Being an Adult and Life and Society and it's just an Engaging and Meaningful topic that's cool to discuss with your close girlfriends. When Ekaterin is about to meet Aunt Vorthys, she's warmly looking forward to an engaging and empathetic conversation.

The men, OTOH, have that manly thing in which "I would die for you but I'd also rather die than talk about my or your feelings and I also have no idea what your last name is or what you do for a living." Whenever two men segue into a sensitive or personal topic you get that palpable sense of anticipatory anxiety and discomfort and grim determination. "This feels like pulling teeth but it must be done." Affection is expressed entirely through friendly teasing, laconic one-liners and quiet acknowledgement of one's worth and competence. They keep comparing themselves to each other, you never get a, "Hmm, how does he do it? I'd like to learn.." like you do with the women, you always get a, "How the fuck is he that competent, I love him but I'm also dying of envy." And they're really not the same with their partners: Aral comes off as a passionate, romantic, earnest softboy with a flair for melodrama with Cordelia but Miles sees him completely differently, and as the series goes along you realize that Aral basically never talked about himself with Miles at all unless it was necessary.

I just love how every interaction is completely entrenched in their cultural gender norms, to the point that after 10 books you can anticipate the mood of an interaction as soon as you realize it's about to happen.

[thesunlikehoney]

I've got my dad hooked on the Vorkosigan Saga, and it's been amazing. Fantastic. He stayed up til two in the morning sitting in the kitchen finishing Cetaganda. I mentioned hoping someday there would be an adaptation of Warrior's Apprentice and we had a whole discussion about the challenges of adapting Mile's character to a visual medium. He doesn't think it can be done well, because Miles just thinks to fast and too much to capture on film, and-- "a movie would never be better than the book, anyway."

He even read Ethan of Athos. Which is interesting, because my dad is a very conservative Christian of the "you damn well better be neighborly to your gay neighbors but never forget they're living in sin" variety. Honestly I was surprised when he didn't comment on Aral after reading Shards and Barrayar, but instead made a comment on how often Cordelia quotes directly from the Bible, so maybe?? We're making progress on the idea that queerness and religion can co-exist???

I'm just so happy. My dad and I have been trying to find something to talk about for the last ten years and now we finally have, and it's wonderful, and it's some of my favorite books, and it's about culture clash and disability rights and queerness and religion, with plenty of badass sci-fi space battles to keep both of us entertained.

[ediyoonoh]

Henry 6th

GreenSchool!NaJaemin x GreenSchoolfem!reader; 1.4k words, taglish fic

WARNING: this short fic contains smut (pwp, oral sex, and protected sex) and the use of foul language!

GENRE: smut

SUMMARY: what happens when you decided to stay at your campus library?

A/N: omg this is my first ever work 🥹. This fic may contain typo and grammatical errors. Anw, I hope you enjoy reading and lemme know your thoughts! 🫶

MINORS DNI!!!

DISCLAIMER: all names, characters, and settings in this work are fictious. Any resemblance are entirely coincidental.

MASTERLIST

»»————-　♡　————-««

Ilang oras ka ng walang tulog.

Buong gabi ka nag-aral para sa Accounting exam mo at ‘di ka pa nakakabawi ng tulog dahil katatapos lang din ng 3-hour lecture mo.

“Finally, natapos din ang accounting exam at lecture natin” bulong sayo ng best friend mo habang nag-uunat ng buto. “Oo nga eh, pero honestly I think bagsak pa rin ako sa quiz na ‘to” halata ang lungkot sa boses mo habang inaayos ang gamit para umalis na ng classroom. “Hayaan mo na bestie, bawi na lng tayo sa susunod”.

Totoo naman kasi, sobrang demanding ng Accountancy program sa school na pinasukan mo. Fast paced kasi ang curriculum dito at may retention grade pa. Favorite lang ata ni Lord ang makakapasa sa gantong systema ng Green School eh!

“Okay lang ba na mauna na ako umuwi sa’yo? Gusto ko ng bumawi ng tulog eh” tanong ng kaibigan mo habang naglalakad kayo palabas ng Yuchengco building. “Sure no worries sis! I’ll just go to Henry to finish some minor requirements and maybe take some sleep“ sabi mo before walking away to kill some time before your next class.

»»————-　♡　————-««

Nandito ka ngayon sa 6th floor ng Henry Sy Sr. Building also known as The Learning Commons upang tapusin ang iyong requirements ng magulat ka ng may kumausap sa’yo.

“Hi excuse me, is this seat taken?” the stranger asked you in which you shook your head as a response. “Oh if ganon, is it okay if I share a table with you? There are no vacant tables left kasi” he explained to you.

Napaisip ka naman kung bakit hindi na lang siya umakyat sa upper floors pero pagtingin mo sa kaniya, ay puta ang pogi pala ng kausap mo! “Uh….yeah sure” sabi mo ng may halong hiya at kilig.

It is around 30 minutes after your interaction that you finished your requirements and decided to take a nap kasi may oras ka pa naman before your next class.

Tangina, ‘di ako makatulog ng maayos dito ah. Hindi rin naman maiwasan tingnan ka ng lalaki dahil sa sobrang likot mo ‘til he noticed that you’re uncomfortable with your position .

“Can’t sleep?” he initiated. “Yeah, I can’t seem to find a comfortable position in this chair” you chuckled with an irritated tone.

“You can sleep in my condo if you want” napabangon ka naman sa sinabi niya at hindi napigilan ang paglaki ng mata mo. Gago, please tell me what I’m thinking is wrong. “Are you out of your mind? We just met and you’re offering your condo to me?”

“Well it looks like you really need some sleep and if you don’t trust me because we don’t know each other then let me tell a few things about myself. I’m Jaemin, ID 120 taking Hum-Bio. There, now, what about yours?” Jaemin answered with a small smile in his face.

Shit, ang cute niya ngumiti. “uh… I’m y/n ID 121 taking Accountancy” returning his smile.

“Nice to meet you y/n! So… what do you say?”

»»————-　♡　————-««

Ang usapan makiktulog ka sa condo niya pero bakit nakikipag-laplapan ka na kay Jaemin?

“Fuck, Jaemin” you moaned while straddling him. Sabi na nga ba eh tama yung iniisip ko kanina. “You have big tits, y/n” he groaned while groping your breasts. ‘Di mo rin namalayan na that you’re grinding him sa sobrang sarap nang maramdaman mo ang kaniyang ari sa puke mo. Oh I bet riding him is such a dream.

“M-may condom ka ba Jaem?” tanong mo habang hinihingal pa sa momol session niyo. “Yeah I do, but are you sure you want this?” he asked as he carressed your face. Malamang sino ba naman ako para ‘di magpatira sa poging lalaki na’to diba?

“Please fuck me Jaemin” you begged.

Napatili ka nang binuhat ka ng binata at inihiga ka sa kama niya. “I suppose you deserve to be fucked, baby. Someone to fuck your stress away, hm?” Accounting major pa nga. If you are not wet a while ago, then you are definitely wet right now. Unti-unti na ring tinatanggal ng lalaki ang mga damit niyo ng naging dahilan ng pag-tigas ng nipples mo sa lamig ng kwarto. “Please… Jaem”

“Please what baby?” he teases you. “Touch me please … touch me anywhere” mahina mong sagot sa kaniya. Ilang buwan ka na ring hindi nadiligan kaya talagang touched deprived ka na. Sinunod naman ni Jaemin ang sinabi kaya ‘di mo napigilan ang umungol ng malakas ng maramdaman mong pinasok ng nakakatanda ang dalawang daliri niya sa pussy mo. “Tangina ang sikip mo, paano na lang kaya pag tite ko na ipapasok ko sa’yo?”.

You were all over the place. Patuloy na ang mga ungol at pagtulo ng luha mula sa mata mo sa sobrang sarap. Maya-maya nararamdaman mo ng lalabasan ka na kaya napahigpit na ang hawak mo sa braso ng lalaki. “Jaem I’m gonna c-cum” which caused him to finger you faster.

“Fuck!” mura mo habang linalabasan ka. “That’s it baby, that’s it” he scattered kisses to your face. While recovering from your orgasm, you felt a weight shift on the bed and saw Jaemin holding a condom wrapper in his hand. “Ano baby kaya pa?” he jerked himself off before wearing the condom. Lord, maraming salamat po sa blessing na ‘to.

Pareho kayong napa-ungol sa sarap. “Fuck, why are you still so tight? I fingered you na ah” he moved carefully inside you. Shit, di pa niya napapasok lahat pero you feel so full already. “Jaem fuck wait, you’re so big” mangiyak-iyak mong sabi sa kaniya.

“Just tell me baby when to move” he patiently waited for you to be comfortable pero bakas na sa mukha niya ang sarap. “You can move now, Jaem” he slowly moved at first still helping you to adjust to his size. He also started rubbing circles on your hips to ease the pain. Nako Jaem, ‘wag mong gagawin ‘yan kikiligin ako.

Hinahalikan na rin ng lalaki ang leeg mo habang bumubulong sa tenga mo ng, “That’s it baby, that’s it”. “Fuck Jaem, ang sarap…bilisan mo pa” you whimpered, kaya naman he thrusted faster into you that caused you to moan at his name loudly, not caring about the neigbors. “Yeah baby, you like that? You like getting fucked like this?”

Ang galing niya mag dirty talk putangina, at dahil diyan you can already feel another climax creeping in. “Puta, mas sumisikip ka pa lalo. Lalabasan ka na ba uli, baby?” tumango ka sa kaniyang tanong at muli ka na namang nagulat when he manhandled you into all fours. Now he’s fucking you with hard and even faster pace, “’Wag mo ng pigilan, y/n. Cum for me”. utos niya sayo.

Putangina ang sarap. You felt your second orgasm washing all over your body, and you can tell this has been the best orgasm you ever experienced. “f-fuck Jaem I’m getting sensitive” ‘di na naririnig ng binata ang mahina mong bulong at ipinipagpatuloy ang pag-kantot sa’yo hanggang sa labasan na rin siya sa condom.

»»————-　♡　————-««

“Here a glass of water for you” Jaemin offered you while helping you sit comfortably on the bed. Damn, he also knows how to do aftercare? “Was I too rough, y/n?” kitang-kita sa leeg mo ang mga hickeys at namumuong pasa sa balakang mo. “No Jaem, you’re not. In fact you’re perfect, exactly what I need”.

Tahimik na sinuot mo ang mga damit mo at nakigamit ka na rin ng banyo para mag-hilamos ng mukha. Paglabas, nagulat ka naman kung bakit naka-hoodie at may suot na slides ang lalaki. “Ihahatid na kita palabas, y/n”. Napatingin ka sa relos mo at guess what? Late ka na sa next class mo!

“Stop making fun of me” naririnig mong tumatawa si Jaemin habang pasakay kayo ng elevator kasi sabi niya mukha ka raw penguin maglakad. Sino kaya may kasalanan kung bakit ganito ako maglakad? “Uh…Jaem? Thank you for this” nahihiya mong sabi sa kaniya pagdating niyo sa lobby. “Anytime babe. You know where to find me if you need to let off some steam again” he winked at you.

Yeah, sa Henry 6th.

[FIN.]

ediyoonoh '23