#biggest six in cricket

[oneturfnews]

Longest Six In Cricket By An India Player In IPL History

While talking about the cricket history, Indian cricket players are not known to be power-hitters in any of the three formats of the game. However, the Indian Premier League (IPL) is one such platform where players get the freedom to showcase their respective talent and big-hitting skills with complete freedom. In the last 16 editions of the IPL, many of the players, both batters and bowlers have emerged as sensational six-hitters. With every next IPL season, the number of sixes being hit in the entire T20 tournament keeps on increasing. In this blog, check out the top five longest six in cricket by an India player in the IPL history and it is quiet bewildering that Mumbai Indians' senior opening batsman Rohit Sharma is not part of this esteemed tally. 

[headspace-hotel]

Nature is healing.

I burned the Meadow a couple weeks ago. At first it looked like nothing but charred ashes and dirt, with a few scorched green patches, and I was afraid I'd done something terrible. But then the sprouts emerged. Tender new leaves swarming the soil.

My brother and I were outside after dark the other day, to see if any lightning bugs would emerge yet. We had been working on digging the pond. That old soggy spot in the middle of the yard that we called "poor drainage," that always splattered mud over our legs when we ran across it as children—it isn't a failed lawn, and it never was.

Oh, we tried to fill in the mud puddles, even rented heavy machinery and graded the whole thing out, but the little wetland still remembered. God bless those indomitable puddles and wetlands and weeds, that in spite of our efforts to flatten out the differences that make each square meter of land unique from another, still declare themselves over and over to be what they are.

So we've been digging a hole. A wide, shallow hole, with an island in the middle.

And steadily, I've been transplanting in vegetation. At school there is a soggy field that sadly is mowed like any old field. The only pools where a frog could lay eggs are tire ruts. From this field I dig up big clumps of rushes and sedges, and nobody pays me any mind when I smuggle them home.

I pulled a little stick of shrubby willow from some cracked pavement near a creek, and planted it nearby. From a ditch on the side of the road beside a corn field, I dug up cattail rhizomes. Everywhere, tiny bits of wilderness, holding on.

I gathered up rotting logs small enough to carry and made a log pile beside the pond. At another corner is a rock pile. I planted some old branches upright in the ground to make a good place for birds and dragonflies to perch.

And there are so many birds! Mourning doves, robins, cardinals and grackles come here in much bigger numbers, and many, many finches and sparrows. I always hear woodpeckers, even a Pileated Woodpecker here and there. A pair of bluebirds lives here. There are three tree swallows, a barn swallow also, tons of chickadees, and there's always six or seven blue jays screaming and making a commotion. And the goldfinches! Yesterday I watched three brilliant yellow males frolic among the tall dandelions. They would hover above the grass and then drop down. One landed on a dandelion stem and it flopped over. There are several bright orange birds too. I think a couple of them are orioles, but there's definitely also a Summer Tanager. There's a pair of Canada Geese that always fly by overhead around the same time in the evening. It's like their daily commute.

The other day, as I watched, I saw a Cooper's Hawk swoop down and carry off a robin. This was horrifying news for the robin individually, but great news for the ecosystem. The food chain can support more links now.

There are two garter snakes instead of one, both of them fat from being good at snaking. I wonder if there will be babies?

But the biggest change this year is the bugs. It's too early for the lightning bugs, but all the same the yard is full of life.

It's like remembering something I didn't know I forgot. Oh. This is how it's supposed to be. I can't glance in any direction without seeing the movement of bugs. Fat crickets and earwigs scuttle underneath my rock piles, wasps flit about and visit the pond's shore, an unbelievable variety of flies and bees visit the flowers, millipedes and centipedes hide under the logs. Butterflies, moths, and beetles big and small are everywhere.

I can't even describe it in terms of individual encounters; they're just everywhere, hopping and fluttering away with every step. There are so many kinds of ants. I sometimes stare really closely at the ground to watch the activities of the ants. Sometimes they are in long lines, with two lanes of ants going back and forth, touching antennae whenever two ants traveling in opposite directions meet. Sometimes I see ants fighting each other, as though ant war is happening. Sometimes the ants are carrying the curled-up bodies of dead ants—their fallen comrades?

My neighbor gave me all of their fallen leaves (twelve bags!) and it turns out that piling leaves on top of a rock and log pile in a wet area summons an unbelievable amount of snails.

I always heard of snails as pests, but I have learned better. Snails move calcium through the food chain. Birds eat snails and use the calcium in their shells to make egg shells. In this way, snails lead to baby birds. I never would have known this if I hadn't set out to learn about snails.

In the golden hour of evening, bugs drift across the sky like golden motes of dust, whirling and dancing together in the grand dramas of their tiny lives. I think about how complicated their worlds are. After interacting with bees and wasps so much for so long, I'm amazed by how intelligent and polite they are. Bumble bees will hover in front of me, swaying side to side, or circle slowly around me several times, clearly perceiving some kind of information...but what? It seems like bees and wasps can figure out if you are a threat, or if you are peaceful, and act accordingly.

I came to a realization about wasps: when they dart at your head so you hear them buzzing close by your ears, they're announcing their presence. The proper response is to freeze and duck down a bit. It seems like wasps can recognize if you're being polite; for what it's worth, I've never been stung by a wasp.

As night falls, bats emerge and start looping and darting around in the sky above. If the yard seems full of bugs in the day, it is nothing compared to the night.

I'm aware that what I'm about to describe, to an entomophobe, sounds like a horror movie: when i walk to the back yard, the trees are audibly crackling and whirring with the activity of insects. Beetles hover among the branches of the trees. When we look up at the sky, moths of all sizes are flying hither and thither across it. A large, very striking white moth flies past low to the ground.

Last year, seeing a moth against the darkening sky was only occasional. Now there's so many of them.

I consider it in my mind:

When roads and houses are built and land is turned over to various human uses, potentially hundreds of native plant species are extirpated from that small area. But all of the Eastern USA has been heavily altered and destroyed.

Some plants come back easily, like wild blackberry, daisy fleabane, and common violets. But many of them do not. Some plants need fire to sprout, some need Bison or large birds to spread them, some need humans to harvest and care for them, some live in habitats that are frequently treated with contempt, some cannot bear to be grazed by cattle, some are suffocated beneath invasive Tall Fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, honeysuckle or Bradford pears, and some don't like being mowed or bushhogged.

Look at the landscape...hundreds and hundreds of acres of suburbs, pastures, corn fields, pavement, mowed verges and edges of roads.

Yes, you see milkweed now and then, a few plants on the edge of the road, but when you consider the total area of space covered by milkweed, it is so little it is nearly negligible. Imagine how many milkweed plants could grow in a single acre that was caretaken for their prosperity—enough to equal fifty roadsides put together!

Then I consider how many bugs are specialists, that can only feed upon a particular plant. Every kind of plant has its own bugs. When plant diversity is replaced by Plant Sameness, the bug population decreases dramatically.

Plant sameness has taken over the world, and the insect apocalypse is a result.

But in this one small spot, nature is healing...

[neoprimesport01]

Keeping up with sports updates is essential for every sports fan today. The internet is a good place to check for news, as many websites update their content on a regular basis with the latest happenings. A simple web search will reveal thousands of outlets where sports fans can read the latest headlines. Whether you're interested in football, rugby, basketball, golf, hockey, rugby, motor racing, athletics, or cycling, you may find a dedicated website for it.

[souperbloom]

short oneshot inspired by a tweet i saw (please don’t kill me for being inactive im sorry im a very busy gal)

cabin fever. [A.I]

🪵 Ashton x fem!reader

a late-night kitchen rendezvous on an annual trip with your friends.

a/n: i cannot find the tweet this was inspired by but it was something along the lines of ‘nobody makes out on the living room couch and dry humps like they used to’ so… just use your imagination with this one friends.

also WHO ELSE IS BUMPING STRAIGHT TO YOUR HEART CUZ I KNOW I AMMMMM

content warnings: none, really!

WORDCOUNT: ~3.1k

⋆⭒˚｡⋆

Three AM. The prime time to chug a cold glass of water and stand in the kitchen to contemplate life.

It was day two of the annual ‘friend trip’. Eight twenty-somethings to a six-bedroom cabin with a plethora of tanning lotion and tequila. You had spent most, if not all, of today out by the lake— your shoulders were burnt to a crisp and your eyes felt tired and heavy. It was the price to pay for a gorgeous day out on the water.

Everyone had called it a night around midnight, the couples sifting off to their respective rooms while the solos duked it out for the only other queen sized bed. Luckily, you were the winner of that duel. But now, you’re faced with that unquenchable late-night thirst.

Plus the fact that you couldn’t sleep.

You crept down the old oak stairs quietly, your socks padding against the wood and creaking with every step. You’d wince every time your foot made a sound; but you were also convinced that everyone was too deep in sleep to hear it.

A lakeside cabin in the middle of nowhere was a lot more quiet than you’d anticipated. Only the cadence of chirping crickets and the occasional owl hoot could be heard for miles. It was honestly kind of creepy. You ignored those jarring sounds and continued your journey for that tall glass of water, hoping it would put your sleepy mind a bit more at ease.

Once you tipped some ice into your cup and filled it with water to the point where it was overflowing, you let your shoulders relax. You leaned with your back against the kitchen island and sighed, before taking the biggest swig of your life.

“Can’t sleep?”

A disembodied voice startles you, briefly making you choke on your water as you whip your head around to see who it was coming from.

“Fuck, Ash— scared me…” you mumble sheepishly, wiping a bit of water that had dripped down your chin.

“Sorry, sorry. I probably should’ve made myself known when I saw you coming down.”

Your eyebrow lifts as Ashton starts to approach the kitchen island where you were standing, “You’ve been down here the whole time?”

Ashton nods, stretching his arms up behind his head. “Yup. Been down here for like an hour now. Couldn’t sleep.”

“Mmm, same.”

An awkward, yet peaceful silence falls between you and Ashton as you continue to take large sips out of your cup. He eyes down the sweaty glass, passing it to look down at your sleep shirt and pajama shorts.

You cross your arms and stare at him with that same intrigue, scanning over his unbuttoned flannel and accompanying black sweats. His bare chest was exposed and slightly sunburnt, which mostly everybody had gotten brute of today while out by the lake.

“Since when did you listen to Guns N’ Roses?”

You scoff down at his mention of your old thrifted t-shirt, “Since you decided that not wearing sunscreen in 90 degree weather was a good idea.”

Ashton chuckles quietly, tousling his hair with his hand and mocking your crossed arms and posture.

“Touché.”

You laugh for a moment, chewing the inside of your cheek contemplatively. It had to have been at least 3:30 by now. Getting sleep was definitely one of your top priorities, but Ashton seemed like he was awake for the long haul.

Sleep was imminent, although you didn’t really mind some alone time with him. Something about Ashton and your long-standing friendship left a little swirl in your stomach. You’ve always had the tiniest crush.

“Want some?” You break the silence by swirling your cup, ice clinking against the sides of the glass. He seemed tantalized by your offer, and took the glass without a word.

He raised it with grateful eyes before taking a sip, then finished it all in one gulp. Your jaw dropped slightly at how quickly it disappeared.

“Hey,” you whine, “I said some. Not the rest of it!”

“Oh c’mon, Y/N. We’ve got a tap with unlimited water and about six ice trays in the freezer. I could easily pour you another.”

You shake your head in mock distaste, and start to walk away from the kitchen into the living room area. “No thanks. I’m not thirsty anymore.”

Ashton chuckles from behind you not long before the tap starts running again.

“Suit yourself.”

Now that you were fully awake and alert after Ashton had scared the life out of you, you weren’t sure where to place your restless body. You figured that sitting on the couch and staring at the ceiling may help you get that tired feeling back.

“I’m thinkin’ about staying up to watch the sunrise,” Ashton blurts, his voice growing closer to the couch.

“But, aren’t you tired? I’m fucking exhausted.”

“You woke up at 11 this morning. You got a lot more sleep than I did.”

Your eyebrows furrow as he continues to walk around the coffee table, looking as though he was about to sit himself down next to you on the cushion. “The sun makes me tired.”

“Everyone’s different, I guess.”

Ashton’s words felt backhanded, yet you didn’t have the energy in you to care. He sat himself down next to you with a fresh glass of water and now the only thing you could think about was how his flannel had fallen slightly off of his shoulder.

“You think you’re gonna sleep?” you ask.

“Nah. Probably not.” he replies.

“Cool. Me neither.” Your decision was final.

That silence from before carried over from the kitchen as Ashton took one long sip and finished his water in one sitting. Your eyes lulled closed, but it seemed that sleep was no longer an option.

“Wanna watch somethin’?” asks Ashton, voice raspy and quiet, as he leans forward to discard his glass onto the coffee table.

“Do we even get cable this deep in the woods?”

He laughs at your honest question, slinging his arm against the back of the couch and letting his hand rest behind your head.

Smooth move, Ash.

“Maybe not. But, I’m sure we could find something on demand. Probably some old black and white movie but, I actually kind of dig those.”

You can’t help but giggle and roll your eyes, nodding your head towards the remote as his smile mirrored yours.

“Put on whatever you find intriguing. But if I end up falling asleep, that’s nobody’s business but mine.”

In no time, Ashton had surfed through all movies dating back to the golden age of Hollywood, and eventually landed on A Streetcar Named Desire. You found the choice of such a dramatic movie to be odd for someone like Ashton. Then again, you only knew him so well.

“Have you seen this?” he asks you, settling back further into the couch and letting the cushion cradle his head.

You blow out a breath, trying to recall a time where you’d maybe seen Marlon Brando on your parent’s television yet failed to remember virtually anything about the plot.

“I think so—” your sentence is broken by a yawn, which brings Ash to snap his head away from the silver screen.

“You’re tired, aren’t you?”

“Psh, no. I’m staying up. That’s what I told you and I’m sticking to it.”

Ashton’s gaze flicked down your face, yet it was becoming harder to hold the eye contact as his illuminated features flickered beneath the television.

“Alright. Whatever you say.”

Silence passes as the movie begins, the titlecard rolling onscreen and earning another heavy yawn out of you. Your eyes felt heavy now, heavier than before.

Would falling asleep really be the worst?

Your eyes fluttered closed for a moment and as they fell, you could feel Ashton’s head tilt towards you. The hand that was beside your head on the back of the couch had slowly crept towards your hair.

Without any words exchanged, he begins to pet your head. Not in a strange way. But in a way that if he kept it up, you’d fall asleep and wake up in the morning with your body strewn across his lap.

“Feels nice…” you mumble lazily, your eyes still closed.

“Yeah?”

“Mmh, yeah.”

Dialogue began quietly funneling through the sound system and for some odd reason, you felt compelled to open your eyes. Ashton continued to stroke your hair, but when you expected to see him staring at the television, he was still just staring at you.

“What?”

“Hm?” he jumps slightly, as if caught in some way.

“You’re looking at me.”

He shrugs. It was the most he could do.

“Don’t know what’s happening to me, but— you look really fuckin’ pretty right now.”

Heat swells the apples of your cheeks at his compliment. He did that thing, the one where a man stares at you through his unbelievably long eyelashes and hopes you’d get the memo simply by their eyes.

“Could it be the glow of the silver screen?” you tease, trying to ease up on the ever present tension that Ashton had created out of nothing.

“Could be.”

Something was swirling inside of the pit of your stomach that you couldn’t put your finger on. It could have been how late it was, or the fact that repressed emotions and feelings were making an appearance after the person you’ve had a tiny crush on suddenly expressed interest in you. Ashton was a flirt, but never to this extent.

He was hard to read most of the time.

Instead of feeling out-of-body by the contact Ashton was providing, you decided to embrace his gentle touch and the way his hand softly ran across your head. He had eventually made his way to your shoulder, mindlessly toying with the neckline of your t-shirt as he watched the movie.

You bite your lip, looking down at that muted and worn flannel he was wearing. Then letting your eyes, and mind, wander off and wonder what it would be like to run your palms across his smooth chest. A shaky breath leaves your throat, and catches his attention.

“You alright?” he asks, genuine concern flitting across his face as he catches his hand wandering.

“Huh—? Oh, yeah. I’m fine.”

The eye contact lingers. The triangle method is now in play. Eyes, eyes, lips. Eyes, eyes, lips.

“Anything on your mind at the moment?” Ashton quizzes, his words lazy and muffled.

“Mmmh, no. Not in particular. You?” You try to bounce back but lying was never your strong suit.

“I’ve got a thing or two on my mind, yeah,” he trails off, looking at the tv as his fingers drum against the couch cushion behind you, “Not sure how you’re feeling.”

This odd conversation spinning around the room was making you dizzy. If he wanted anything from you, which seemed obvious by his incapability to focus on the movie, you wished he’d be more honest.

“Tell me what’s on your mind, Ash.”

“Can I show you?”

Those viridian eyes were at it again. Eyes, eyes, lips. Eyes, eyes, lips. You were shocked at his ability to communicate with you without any words exchanged.

It all seemed to be happening in slow motion. Ashton maneuvered himself towards you delicately, as if you were made of porcelain and were to shatter at any given moment. Your back was suddenly flat against the couch and the speed in which it got there had you questioning reality.

Your lips attached and a collective sigh filled the room that was louder than any of the sounds encompassing this massive wooden fortress. Your hands tangled in Ashton’s hair as his flannel brushed against your sides and covered the both of you.

His broad palm cupped your face while he angled his knee between your legs, breathing deeply into the kiss and letting his tongue lead the way.

You could feel the warmth of his body engulfing you, something you’d never thought you’d feel in this lifetime. In your dreams, maybe, but it was just a stupid little crush. Maybe you’d fallen asleep on the couch, and this was your subconscious mind taking over.

But when his hand traveled from your cheek and rested at the base of your neck, you quickly realized that you were not fucking dreaming.

“This okay?” he mumbles, the words knocking against your lips and his hips dip down to grind against your core. It seemed as though he was about as eager to do this as you were.

“Mhm. Fine. Yes.” you blubber, coherent sentences getting lost somewhere in the room and hypnotized by how sweet his lips tasted.

He dips back into the kiss and you could feel him smile against you. It took everything inside of your body to keep your moaning to a minimum, but God, you couldn’t help it.

“You’ve gotta be quiet, hon’,” he giggles into your mouth again, before popping up briefly to stare you down with big, kelly green eyes, “Don’t wanna wake anyone up.”

You nod. Of course. How stupid of you. The last thing you needed was a story to tell your best friends around the campfire while Ashton did the same in another room.

How stupid.

The kiss continues, as does the path of your hands. You let your curiosity kill whatever cat was around and run your hands down his bare chest. You didn’t think fantasizing about it would actually lead you here but hey, it had felt as good as you’d imagined.

A groan rumbles through Ashton’s throat while your fingertips drag down his flesh. His hips seemed to have a mind of their own, occasionally grinding against your core and threatening to pull louder noises from you.

The hand that Ashton was using to hold himself above you had dropped to an elbow, and he slowly began to trail feathery kisses down your jaw and towards your neck. Your eyes shot open, and you just sighed. He sure knew how to press all of your buttons, and he was damn’ good at it too.

“Ash, no marks. Please. Don’t— wanna— have to explain.”

“I know, I know. I’ll keep my markings to a minimum.”

You could feel a catty smirk crawl across your neck, so you playfully whack his shoulder.

“Ashton. I said, no.”

“But you know you want ‘em. C’mon. What’s the fun of a group vacation without a little drama?”

His sultry voice gave you whiplash. He was right; you really wanted those marks. Even if it was just a hickey or two. Surely you could come up with some sort of bluff that would save the both of you from an awkward breakfast conversation.

You’ll worry about that in the morning.

“Fine. But don’t go crazy. I’m not good at lying.”

Ashton chuckles, brushing a rogue lock of hair behind your ear. “Did you forget who you’re dealing with? I’ve got the best poker face in the country.”

You roll your eyes at him, silently dismissing him yet excited for what he had up his sleeve. He began to leave little bites across the side of your neck and down towards your collarbone, occasionally replacing teeth with delicate open mouth kisses and darting his tongue out to wet the surface.

“Mmmh, you’re sweet,” Ashton groans, his breath tickling your chest, “Didn’t know you tasted so good. I could eat you right now.”

Your eyes widen at his random pillowtalk and double entendre, a ping of electricity shooting up your spine, “What?”

“Nothin’.”

He hushes you quickly with his lips once more, the rhythm of his hips making you think that you were actually dreaming with how heavenly his rock hard dick felt pressing against you. But you didn’t want to go to any extremes.

You’d save those for that queen sized bed.

You didn’t realize that the soft whimpers and cries floating through the kiss were a little louder than what you thought they’d be, since Ashton had detached your lips to gaze at you scornfully and say only one word.

“Quiet.”

You nod, like a sad little puppy, and follow his instruction. You wanted to tell him how it felt too good to be quiet, but you didn’t want to cause any problems in which he’d need to carry you up to your bedroom and make you think about what you did.

God forbid.

As the two of you made out like you were the last two people on earth, Ashton’s hands wandered down towards the hem of your sleep shorts. You stop short, out of breath, and look at him with distaste.

“Don’t start something you can’t finish, Ashton,” you whisper, making a point to trail your words against his ear and leave a gentle kiss at his earlobe.

“Don’t threaten me with a good time.”

He then digs his hips down into your core again, you and Ashton moan in unison. The shock in your eyes at how loud the two of you sounded seemed to hit both of you at once. Frazzled faces morphed into smiles as he takes his hand and caresses your face.

“Y’know, maybe we should pick this back up another time.”

You groan indignantly, but couldn’t help agreeing with him.

“A time where we don’t have to be so quiet?”

He nods, turning it into a shrug, “Or maybe tomorrow. Either works.”

You bite your lip, still bewitched by the taste of his tongue and the slow movement of his hips. You didn’t want to give it up. But if there were promises of continuing this tomorrow, you couldn’t really complain.

“Should we just go to bed then?” you ask, running your palm down his chest again with your bottom lip tucked between your teeth.

“I’d prefer not to leave the couch.”

“Why not?”

“This seems like a perfectly good place to fall asleep. Plus, my bed upstairs wouldn’t have you already in it.”

Still unable to argue with such a forgiving face, you sigh dreamily. Falling asleep on the couch with Ashton seemed like a bad idea in theory but then again, he was already shifting around you to get comfortable.

Plus, you wouldn’t want to give up the warmth of his body after finally getting a semblance of what it felt like to be so close.

When you and Ashton eventually find a comfortable position, his body behind yours and spooning you with his arm tucked against your stomach and your head resting along his bicep, you let your tired eyes hold the reins.

Falling asleep to the sound of his gentle breathing and elevated heartbeat had turned into an entirely new favorite thing of yours. Whatever was in the air tonight, from grabbing a glass of water to watching an old classic movie, you weren’t sure you wanted it to end so soon.

Oh, who cares. You’ll deal with that in the morning, too.

[hum-suffer]

Rivals? Who, us?

(Set in future, IPL 2024)

Shubhman knows they're fighting an uphill battle. His team is doing all they can but Rohit Bhaiya and Ishan are on the crease and obviously washing out all the efforts.

(And isn't that surreal to think? His team. Oh, god, his team. They've already won a lot of matches and are already qualified for the semis. He can't believe this. It feels like a dream. He thinks he will wake up in his house in Mohali at any moment now and—

And he doesn't. He blinks. He's still here.)

Shubhman adjusts his tshirts superstitiously, studiously ignoring the crowd chanting about Sara Tendulkar. And really, he doesn't regret any friendship as he does his acquaintance with her. She might be fun to be around at some times but she is definately not worth the trouble that his name and reputation gets because of some coincidental twinning.

He focuses on the match.

Ishan is at strike and he's at 49* of 21 right now. As much of a challenge Ishan is posing, Shubhman feels a surge of immeasurable pride in his chest for his boyfriend. Rashid Bhai is bowling, and even if it's selfish, Shubhman wishes that Ishan scores at least one more run— gets one more milestone. He's allowed to be selfish this time, damn it, because it's clear to him that Ishan won't do it. Ishan will play to make sure Rohit Bhai stays on the ground and he will care only to chase the score, not for his own score.

Ishan hits a six, the ball goes flying in the stands and even from the mid off area of the ground, Shubhman can see the way Rohit Bhai is beaming at Ishan in pride and barely controls his own smile. Ishan removes his helmet and holds it up as if it's an award and Shubhman knows that for him, it is. His cricket is the biggest award he has.

It was the last bowl of the over and it's time to change the bowler and Shubhman has already told Shami Bhai to go for it. He's just checking the scoreboard when he sees the board showing off Ishan's six. Warmth fills him, seeing the potential Ishan has.

The video shows Arya Rajput abruptly, the model celebrating Ishan's half century. And Shubhman. He stares.

What the fuck.

Because he can tolerate people yelling about Sara at him but he knows for a fact that Ishan only knows Arya from a fucking jio ad and doesn't even like her all that much.

Ishan made that goddamn half century. They didn't show his celebration but cut to the woman who wasn't playing? What the fuck. No, what the fuck.

The crowd cheers and the chants start again. "Humari bhabhi kaisi ho?Arya bhabhi jaisi ho!"

Shubhman has the savage urge to cuss the crowd. He knows they're only having fun but he doesn't want it to be at his relationship's expense. He takes a deep breath and relaxes his body, the chewing mint in his mouth now feels bland.

He forces his facial features to relax as well and cracks his knuckles, focusing back on the match.

____________________________________________________

Shubhman comes across Ishan back again after the match, for the obligatory 'well played' handshakes.

Ishan grins up at him, sparkles in his big eyes and hair matted to his sweaty forehead. "Kyu bhai, aa gaya swad?" He quotes the meme and laughs, throwing his head back to be a complete douche.

Shubhman can't help but smile at him. "Beta utna hi udo jitna seh sako. Abhi you have to still fight the semis."

"So do you," he retaliates. Shubhman knows they're holding up the line and steps away and Ishan follows him, as if on total instinct.

Shubhman smirks,"Ghar jaa ke points table dekhna."

And Shubhman knows what Ishan would have said but is holding back from saying.

They're both going to go to the same home, after all. After the tournament, they're gonna go back to Mohali for a month and then to Patna. After all, they're gonna go back to each other's arms. They're going to the same home— each other.

Ishan doesn't say it, raises an eyebrow and Shubhman smirks back. Ishan retaliates by lightly punching Shubhman's stomach and Shubhman gets back to him by pinching his nose, hard.

Before the thing escalates, Rohit bhaiya is here. "That's enough from you two," he says with a grin, pulling the two away from each other. "Merko zindagi me shaanti se kab rehne doge tum log dono?"

"Aise impossible wish nahi manga karte Rohit bhaiya," Ishan says, that little shit,"You'll only be disappointed."

Rohit bhaiya flicks the back of Ishan's head. Shubhman grins in victory until he too is swatted on his shoulder.

____________________________________________________

The dressing rooms are extremely near to eachother, so the both teams create a ruckus as they move to the upper floors, almost everyone laughing and talking. The tension created in the ground disappears.

Shubhman and Ishan are trailing at the end of the entrouge and Ishan has his hand around Shubhman's waist. He's very tactile, not only with Shubhman, and that reputation of his has helped them keep their relationship a secret. Till now.

They're stopped by a girl's voice calling for Ishan with so much familiarity, for a moment Shubhman thinks it must be some old friend, before they turn around and see Arya. Oh.

She jogs upto them with a big smile and her hand is instantly on Ishan's bicep as she gushes about how much she enjoyed seeing his innings. Ishan flinches away from her touch but she doesn't falter, stepping closer. Shubhman grits his teeth and tolerates it for about a minute before he rests his hand on Ishan's shoulder and digs his elbow there. Ishan turns stiff and Shubhman knows he has his attention.

"I'm so sorry," Ishan says,"but we have to meet Rohit bhaiya now and he said it's urgent."

Arya's face falls but she nods, squeezing Ishan's arm one last time as she says goodnight, not having enough manners to even greet Shubhman. He doesn't care either way, he's barely holding back from cussing and he knows his parents raised him better than to cuss at people. Even if they were annoying. And intrusive. And debatably worthy. And pushy. And—

Ishan reaches up to grab Shubhman's hand and pulls it around his shoulders, ensuring that his elbow is no longer digging into Ishan's shoulder.

Shubhman moves his hand to the back of Ishan's neck and squeezes lightly, willing away his urge to kiss his boyfriend silly in a common area. The grasp he has on Ishan's nape is possessive enough, enough so that he remembers that Ishan choses him everyday, that Ishan wants to be with him and not anyone else. That Ishan is his.

He feels Ishan shudder under his hold and squirm.

They've already reached the dressing room areas and Kane raises his eyebrows at them in concern. "You two okay, guys?"

Shubhman nods,"Yeah, don't worry about it."

"Mhm," Ishan hums, almost distracted,"Got held up by a fan. You know how it is."

Kane doesnt look convinced but he doesn't press. He gives them both a smile. "Yes, of course. Anyways, I'm going to go and change. Cap, come back whenever."

Shubhman feels overwhelmed that a man as great in cricket as Kane is, calls Shubhman his captain. He's never gonna get over it. He gives Kane a bashful grin and nods.

Ishan squirms under his hand again as Kane leaves, drawing attention to himself.

Shubhman narrows his eyes at Ishan and leans down to whisper in his ear. "Stay back in the dressing room after everyone leaves."

Ishan nods, no questions asked. Shubhman smiles at him and struts back to his dressing room, knowing how dazed Ishan is.

____________________________________________________

Ishan doesn't know what's going on with Shubhman but it's delicious.

He's pressed against the wall near the lockers as Shubhman kisses him, moaning and groaning. Ishan doesn't think he's ever seen Shubhman this uncaring to keep their relationship secret.

"You've got no idea how much I've wanted to do that," he says and Ishan grins at him.

He grabs Shubhman's wrist and presses his hand into Ishan's waist even more than it's already pressed. "I think I do." Ishan says, closing his eyes and resting his head against Shubhman's chest.

His boyfriend isn't anything less than eager today, though. He ducks down to kiss Ishan's cheek and trails a line of kisses down his throat. The collar of Ishan's uniform tshirt is hindering his path so Shubhman uses his free hand to wrap it around Ishan's throat, subtly pushing away the collar and oh, Ishan doesn't want to examine the things the gesture does to him.

It makes Ishan keen and Shubhman, that little fucker, grins. Ishan can feel it against his throat. He raises his hand and grabs the back of Shubhman's neck. "Talk."

"What about?"

Ishan pulls Shubhman off of him with narrowed eyes. "You've been too tense and you're acting different. Talk, before I make you."

Shubhman doesn't speak anything for a while and Ishan thinks he will have to pull out the annoying puppy eyes routine but before that, Shubhman sighs and mutters,"I don't like her."

Ishan frowns. "Who?"

A flash of victory flashes in his eyes before Shubhman looks down again. "Arya. I don't like her. Or the way people scream her name when you score. Or the way the board shows her. Or the way the people comment about her. Or the way people make edits of you and her. Or the way she touches you. Or the way she speaks your name. I don't like her."

Ishan nods understandingly. He's amused, but he knows what Shubhman feels, he's felt that everytime they attach his name to Sara or Raveena. More Raveena, perhaps, she's...weird. At least Sara knows personal space.

He drags Shubhman to sit down on a bench that's unofficially his. As Shubhman sits down, Ishan draps himself over his lap, knees on either side of Shubhman's thighs, essentially trapping him.

He holds Shubhman's face in his hands tenderly, staring into his big eyes that are so vulnerable right now. He begins peppering kisses over his face as he murmurs. "Shubhman. I like you. Or the way people merge our names together. Or the way everyone knows we are a package deal. Or the way people comment about the two of us and call you jiju. Or the way people make those gorgeous edits of us. I adore the way you touch me. I love the way you say my name, half, full, angry, sad, desperate. Anyway you speak it, I love my name in your mouth."

He's nipping at Shubhman's jaw by the time he finishes speaking and he leans fractionally to murmur in his ear,"You are mine. I am yours. Anyone else will never matter."

Shubhman shudders under him and his hands on Ishan's thighs flex and tighten. "I know," he says,"but, I just can't—"

Ishan nods, kissing Shubhman to shut him up,"I know." He whispers against Shubhman's lips. "But I'm yours, aren't I?"

Shubhman nods jerkily, almost like his nods are forcing the truth in him. "Yeah," he rasps,"you're mine. And I'm yours."

He kisses Ishan, like his life depends on it. It's bloody and ferocious and everything that they are and more. He squeezes Ishan's thighs and pulls him nearer, as close to meshing themselves as possible.

Hysterically, Ishan thinks of a song lyric. Phool bhi ho darmiyaan toh faasle hue. He's never understood it better before this moment.

Ishan's heart is beating fast, one of his hands is under Shubhman's tshirt and other hand is tangled in his ever perfect hair. Shubhman moves his hands from Ishan's thighs to his hips and the other one to his throat.

He digs his thumb just under Ishan's chin and Ishan moans in his mouth, his hips stuttering on their own accord.

"I'm gonna mark you up," Shubhman says, voice croaky. "That fine, Jaana?"

Ishan nods, dazed as all hell as he focuses on the way Shubhman feels under him, the friction delicious and his hold addictive.

Ishan only realises that he's had his eyes closed when Shubhman changes the position of the hand on his throat and Ishan whines. It's something he knows Shubhman will tease him later but right now, he dives to bite at Ishan's collarbone.

The sting makes him hiss but Shubhman blows air on it and presses a chaste kiss on the spot, following the ritual all over Ishan's collarbone.

Ishan has to wear high collared tshirts for the next two days.

____________________________________________________

Tagging: @mayakimayahai @kyayaarkiraa @ronika-writes-stuff @onthecloudseven @ispeakmorelanguagesthanyou

[areyoudreaminof]

A Symphony of Crickets

Late at night, Lucien talks with his infant daughter and reflects on his newfound family. @lucienweekofficial Day 5: Family

“Bah! Bah bah bah!”

Resting on his upturned knees, the fat, red headed baby stared back at Lucien with the same russet eyes he had.

His daughter.

“Bah awah!” She squealed, her eyes wide, her fat little legs kicking every which way.

“It’s too late for that little cricket! We need to sleep.” he laughed, kissing her small, chubby fists.

The clock had just struck midnight, Elain had dozed off next to him in their bed after nursing their daughter. But the little girl didn’t want to sleep, oh no, she took after her grandfather in that respect. She refused to sleep at night, she wanted to play and talk. She chirped and babbled like a cricket as soon as the sun dipped below the horizon. So, in the dim Fae lights, listening to the soft nocturnal noise outside, Lucien talked with his daughter.

“Did you have fun with Uncle Eris today, little cricket? He brought you more toys than you need.” he laughed softly as she squealed in agreement.

Six months had flown by, she was happy and lively and Lucien couldn’t believe he had helped make her, that she was a part of him. Her skin was golden and soft, red hair sat on her head in a thicket of curls. His own russet eyes stared back at him, rimmed with thick brown lashes but she had Elain’s nose and rosebud lips. She even had the same dimples on both cheeks. The healers said she’d be petite like her mother. Beneath her new baby sent, she smelled of honeysuckles and fresh grass, something so uniquely her.

They had not expected a child so quickly, certainly not after Koschei and the lake, and not after finding out that Helion was his true father and being declared as the heir to the Day Court. Elain and Lucien had been thrust from one change to another in such rapid succession that it felt like a dream, half expecting they’d wake up back at the manor again. They’d only accepted their bond a few months before they faced Koschei and they had just been happy to survive that ordeal. They had never expected all of this.

He and Elain had expressed their fears to each other throughout the entire pregnancy. Elain did not want to be as neglectful and cold as her own mother, and Lucien’s blood ran cold thinking of how Beron treated him. Would he have had this fear if he had been raised by Helion? He knew he would never, could never treat any child like Beron had treated him, but the fear still whispered in his ear late at night, on the edge of sleep.

Then, on a warm spring morning, she was born, screaming and healthy. Her arrival came with the dawn, the sun's rays seeming to stretch just for her. The world stopped as the healer placed his daughter in his arms for the first time. Another golden thread wrapped around his heart, a thread old and ancient. In that moment, Lucien knew he would be, that he was better than Beron. He could be the father he always wanted and he would never, ever let his daughter feel unloved for a moment. He and Elain had done a very good job of it so far, he thought. Despite her fears, Elain took to motherhood as easy as breathing. And Lucien felt so much peace and love amidst the sleepless nights. He had a family. A mate and a child, he had a father that claimed him, and his mother was here. He even had his eldest brother again.

In a strange way, his daughter had brought them all together.

Helion had sobbed when he held her for the first time. The High Lord of Day, his father, had expressed his own regret and loss for not knowing of Lucien’s true connection to him, but the beginning of their relationship was awkward as his son was now a grown male. But Helion swore he would not miss a moment for his granddaughter. He had wanted to throw the biggest party the Day Court had ever seen, but Lucien and Elain declined, simply wanting their daughter to be with her grandfather, without the pomp and circumstance.

No, Feyre, Rhys and the entire Inner Circle had brought their own pomp and circumstance for their new niece and cousin. Nyx refused to let anyone else hold the baby when he was around. “She’s my baby!” The toddler had hissed at anyone who walked by. Feyre and Nesta bawled and bickered over her, while Cassian swooped in and stole the little bundle from their arms at random. And Rhys, the High Lord of the Night Court, had spared no expense at providing his new niece with the most elaborate cradle of pine, carved with foxes chasing the sun. Mor had supplied a very frilly and pink wardrobe for the first year. “Oh, a little girl!” She had sighed, as she clapped her red lacquered nails together. Even Azriel had come, presenting a small, soft floral blanket with little rabbits and foxes running through the stems.

Jurian and Vassa, far off as Queen and General Regent of Scythia could not come, due to Vassa being far into her own pregnancy, but they wrote and promised to see each other again as soon as they were able. Lucien missed his old Band of Exiles, and he and Elain were desperate to meet their son, Altan and introduce their daughter to her human family.

Eris came alone when she was a week old. He left his new High Lord duties behind at the Forest House. Lucien had not seen him since the lake, when Eris struck down Beron in the throws of that final bloody battle at dawn. His stoic and cold older brother wept silently when the little babe opened her eyes and curled her small hand around his pale finger. “He lost Lucien,” Eris had said as he stared into her open eyes, “He doesn’t get her. He doesn’t get us anymore. He will never corrupt her.” Eris had come every week since, just to hold her, talk to her, and now as she grew, play with her. Today, he had walked her around the gardens, “I had a very terrible meeting with the courtiers today, dearest.” Lucien had heard him say to the baby, as she cooed and babbled in sympathy. He had officially announced her birth at court, giving his daughter full Autumn citizenship, much to everyone’s shock.

But it was when he presented the baby to his mother, placing her first grandchild in her arms and telling her he and Elain had named the babe for the sister she had lost so long ago, Mathilde, that Lucien felt the weight of the world off his shoulders. His mother’s face, closed off for so long, opened in a way Lucien had never seen. Lucien could not recall his mother smiling in quite the same way before. “She is perfect.” His mother had whispered, “Just perfect.” Now, his mother officially lived at the palace, finally able to accept her bond with Helion, living the peaceful life she had always deserved.

Next to him, Elain stirred. “Is she still awake?” she asked sluggishly, “She can’t still be hungry.”

“No, our little cricket was just telling me all about the Autumn Court secrets Uncle Eris shared with her.” Lucien said as he tickled her fat little tummy, delighting in the deep belly laugh she unleashed.

“Cricket, huh? I really like that.” Elain mused as she snuggled closer into Lucien, and swept back Mathilde’s curls. “It suits her.”

“Are you Cricket then, my darling?” Lucien asked. The baby babbled in a reply, “Well, I think that settles it. Now, if you can say Papa, we can sleep!” Lucien wanted to be Papa, not Father, a title so stiff and formal. Likewise Elain preferred Mama, and they had taken bets of who would get that first word.

“Hmmm, you keep telling yourself that, Lucien. Ma-Ma.” Elain said, emphasizing the m as Cricket stared at her with a wide eyed expression. Lucien grasped her chubby legs, getting her attention. “Pa-Pa, Cricket! Pa-Pa.”

“Pah-bah!”

His heart stopped at first, then rapidly began to beat. He heard Elain gasp, before he heard it again.

“Pah-bah! Pah-bah!” Cricket sang as she smiled and waved her limbs around. “Pah-bah!”

Lucien felt the tears stream down his cheeks before he registered he was crying. Sweeping his daughter up, he and Elain kissed her over and over again. Defeating a death god, escaping his brothers, being thrown out of home and land, Lucien forgot it all. No old guilt and anxiety festered deep in the corners of his thoughts. No memories sought to poison his happiness. No, it was pure joy Lucien felt the moment he heard his daughter say Papa with recognition and delight in her eyes.

Lucien only knew he was here with his mate, who loved him, and his daughter who knew him.

His Elain and his little Cricket.

Taglist: @xtaketwox @wilde-knight @bellatrixship @carmasi @conebrain @corcracrow @damedechance @exinewine @foundress0fnothing @goddess-aelin @gaeleria @itsthedoodle @kataravimes-of-the-shire @krem-does-stuff @kingofsummer93 @lidiacervos @lucienarcheron @labellefleur-sauvage @lovingelucien @melting-houses-of-gold @mossytrashcan @octobers-veryown @popjunkie42-blog @panicatthenightcourt @reverie-tales @rosanna-writer @spell-cleavers @starsreminisce @separatist-apologist @thesistersarcheron @thelovelymadone @the-lonelybarricade @ultadverb @vulpes-fennec @velidewrites @fieldofdaisiies @c-e-d-dreamer @asnowfern @sanfangirl @secret-third-thing @witch-and-her-witcher @iftheshoef1tz @talons-and-teeth

[disneytva]

Big City Greens Plants Season 4 Premiere For September 23 on Disney Channel + Guest Cast List

Bingo Bango! Disney Branded Television has set primetime premieres for Big City Greens Season 4 slated to debut Saturday September 23 at 8:00PM EST only on Disney Channel and streaming October 25 only on Disney+.

The episodes airing on September 23 – 'Truck Stopped / Jingled' – have "Tilly and Cricket wrestle with indecision at a truck stop between Big City and the country" in the former, while the latter sees Tilly becoming a Big City jingle writer and rising through the ranks. In addition to premiering on Disney Channel, episodes will also be added to Disney Plus on October 25, 2023.

Guest Stars on Season 4 include musican Michael Bolton as Rick Razzle on Jingled where Tilly wants to become a Big City jingle writer and rising through the ranks. Other guest stars for Season Four include June Diane Raphael (Marvel "Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur"), Tom Green ("The Tom Green Show"),NHL player Brad Marchand,Margo Martindale (Sony Pictures "Cocaine Bear"),podcaster Justin McElroy, Tim Meadows (ABC Network "The Goldbergs"), Dean Norris (AMC "Breaking Bad", "Better Call Saul"), Comedian Ms. Pat, Amy Seradis (Netflix "Bojack Horseman", Lucasfilm "The Mandalorian") and comedian Trevor Wallace.

Since it's debut on 2018, Big City Greens has been one of Disney Television Animation recent hits with multiple shorts, a NHL game -themed broadcast special in collaboration with ESPN and a animated feature film based on the series is on production slated for a 2024 release, the series spawned a new legacy of Disney TVA creators like Natasha Kline with chicano lead-driven animated comedy series "Primos" slated for 2024 and more animated shows on development for Disney Channel by Big City Greens Alumnis. (Cheyenne Curtis,Monica Ray, Amy Hudkins,Raj Bruggemann and Houghton Brothers mentor C.H Greenblatt) who will be getting series orders in the coming months.

The new season will include the show's 100th episode, which is a major landmark for any animated series, but especially for a Disney Channel series with few ever making it quite that far. "Season four is pure insanity," says Chris Houghton, Big City Greens co-creator and executive producer. "Tilly becomes a commercial jingle-writer, Cricket tries stand-up comedy, Bill loses his mind like six times, and Gramma dabbles in minimalism. The fact that we have such a fun arena to play in when it comes to these characters is not lost on us or our crew. Even though we’ve told so many stories with these characters, this season feels fresher than ever." "There are some very funny and silly episodes in this season," adds Shane, "like 'Handshaken' where country folks act like western gunslingers, but assert their power through firm handshakes. There are also a few emotional episodes that reach out and give your heart a good squeeze – 'Family Tree' is one that makes me tear up every time I watch a cut of it. And biggest of all, Chip Whistler is back! This season may have more action, adventure, and thrills than any previous season! And here's a couple rapid-fire teases you’ll see in season four: Gloria hires a new café employee, Vasquez goes to therapy, and the kids meet a long lost family member."

Additionaly Big City Greens will continue with new shorts trought the Disney TVA multi-platform division trought Chibi Tiny Tales, Broken Karaoke,Theme Song Takeover, How NOT To Draw & Random Rings.

Big City Greens characters will continue to host on the Disney Television Animation's crossover compilation series "Chibiverse" as it's second season is slated to debut Saturday September 23.

[nausikaaa]

Six Sentence Sunday

hello everyone! i thought i'd beat the traffic and post early with nobody tagging me!

i'm working on a little greek mythology fic for a secret santa exchange, and think i can share it here, as the person i got is unlikely to see this. there's no ban on sharing snippets, but just to be safe, i'll put it under a cut. if by chance you are a part of the saturnalia gift exchange, look away now!

The early autumn air is heavy with the sweet scent of crocuses in bloom. The birds have sung their last lullabies, and now the crickets have begun their evening symphony. The sky is the darkest shade of blue, pure and cloudless, stars just beginning to glint into sight.

Dusk has fallen upon Sparta. But the sons of Atreus do not prepare for sleep.

Creeping through the fragrant gardens, heavy-footed Agamemnon shushes his giddy younger brother.

i am having a lot of fun writing this fic! Agamemnon gets a lot of hate and rightly so, but honestly he and Clytemnestra were such a power couple before it all went so downhill and i think they were very much in love.

and of course Menelaus was the biggest wife guy in mycenaean greece. "what?! but Odysseus!" i hear you cry, and to that i say: Menelaus spent ten years fighting to get Helen back and dropped his sword to embrace her at the first sight of her after all that time apart, while Odysseus took ten years to go home to Penelope and slipped and fell into just about every woman he came across during those ten years. you do the math.

i suppose i'll kick things off and tag @j-nipper-95 @ileadacharmedlife @artsyunderstudy @prettygoododds @aroace-genderfluid-sheep @imagineacoolusername @ic3-que3n @forabeatofadrum @theearlgreymage @aristocratic-otter @larkral @hushed-chorus @ivelovedhimthroughworse @blackberrysummerblog @fatalfangirl @ebbpettier @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @cutestkilla @youarenevertooold @alleycat0306 @alexalexinii @shemakesmeforget @shrekgogurt @bookish-bogwitch @martsonmars @carryonsimoncarryonbaz @thewholelemon @supercutedinosaurs and @shutup-andletme-go

[dailycass-cain]

Have I gotten over Batgirls ending? No, I haven't.   But there are a few things that give me peace when it comes to Cass still remaining as Batgirl for the future.

This does feel different than say 2006, 2009, and 2011. I feel okay here and not this overwhelming fear of dread or concern like in either of those years. The reasons being--

#1 Spirit World has her in it and as Batgirl. Six months (so far) of Cass as Batgirl in it. I'm square with that. Do I want the series to last longer than six issues? YES! I love Alyssa Wong writing Cass and gimme more of Haining drawn-Cass, please!

Also, it looks like we're getting Dustin Nguyen variants for each issue. Took DC long enough to do more of this and if you aren't getting this series for all of the above-mentioned which is mystical antics with Cass teaming with Xanthe and Constantine-- then COME ON?!

#2 DC and more importantly WB is pushing the character.  We have a variation of Cass coming next week with Batman: The Doom that Came to Gotham and of course Bat Wheels has her too!

While neither is embracing the comic version, I'm actually okay with both interpretations.  Um...  cute my spoilerish thoughts on that.

I really want a sequel short with an older Ka Li Cain suiting up as a Bat to combat a new mystical threat that ends up with BATman helping her. There are so many seeds throughout that showcase Kai Li is just as resourceful like Bruce was in the animated movie.

GIMME THAT FAN ART PLEASE ARTISTS!!

Then there's the James Gunn factor. The tease a month ago with him saying four characters Bleeding Cool listed should be in his universe. Cass does have good odds and the comic market might be agreeing.

Literally, searching now for Cass on eBay, the market is speccing HARD that she'll be showing up. They do get some things wrong, but my gut says this might happen. We have Cass in various things above and if is next-gen it makes sense for her to be Batgirl in Brave & the Bold.

Really my one fear is the latest teaser had Babs as Batgirl (no Cass or Steph). Literally, this was my third clue something bad was happening to Batgirls...

It also feels so wrong that each hero has a generational link save well Babs in this teaser (save to Bruce). Literally, you could've easily put Cass in there and it ease some more minds.

But that leads me to one thing. I feel like Stephanie Brown is getting the short straw. I love the character, and I feel like if someone is getting shorted it's her sadly.

Cass has so much going still, but Steph? *cricket chirps* Literally, she should be involved in a comic too and I guess all we have is her helping Jason in the Joker ongoing.

Again, I feel like DC Comics fumbled the ball with Batgirls, particularly with Babs in those early issues, and because of that it never caught on until the later ones.

I don't mind Babs in Nightwing as Batgirl or Oracle. I've more at peace of her balancing BOTH identities. Just that when she becomes Batgirl it SHOULD be a "business has about to have picked up" moment.

Babs as Batgirl shouldn't job (and if she is it's something she shouldn't have a chance against aka what Batman vs. Robin did last month. I can’t believe I’m saying something positive on this comic).

It should be treated as a MOMENT. Really #13 gave us just that. A moment where Bruce/Babs/Zee helped out Cass/Steph. Also the tease in this week's issue is also good (more on that another day).

The biggest problem Batgirls had in those early issues was Babs stealing the spotlight from Cass/Steph and Seer in #5-8).  If you had Cass/Steph beating the Saints, Tutor, and Spellbinder. Add depth to Seer in #7-8?

We might have talked differently about this comic. But I'm not gonna fault the writers. They were given things beyond their control and did the best they could.

Clearly, #9 to now shows they can deliver some good stuff.  The problem is... a good chunk bailed prior. I just wish DC gave Batgirls a better chance.  I think all three characters are OWED that. After all the shenanigans done to them in the last TWENTY YEARS.

But the stuff I said earlier does make me feel at least comfortable that Cass can boomerang back. Because as I said numerous times over.

I'll cherish these next issues more so now. If this truly is the end of this comic. Because this comic for all its faults was a GIFT. May not have been a flawless one it still was a gift. I'll keep treasuring it. #Batgirls4life.

[stoookes]

hey! I wanna ask one thing, did you watch the highlights of the India vs Pakistan match from the 2022 t20 world cup? considering Ind vs Pak is today, star sports was showing the highlights of the 2022 T20 again. So the 2022 match, held at Melbourne, is hands down one of the biggest nailbiters in cricket history, and features a famous rescue act by Virat Kohli. He top-scored with 82 not out in a chase of 160, which enabled us to win the match by 4 wickets. And we had got off to a horror start, we were something like 40/4 at a point, and we weren't even near to the required run rate. That was when Virat and Hardik combined for a vital partnership. I remember that match crystal clear, India needed 22 from 8 balls, Haris Rauf was bowling, and Virat hit him for two successive sixes. The first of those sixes was just sublime and like, unreal, and was officially voted the ICC shot of the century. Not the year, not the decade, the whole damn century. 🤯🤯🥹🥹

So I was thinking of how this match would happen in Omegaverse, or more specifically how it would help improve public reaction to omegas playing. With Virat open and out omega, and his six being voted as the ICC shot of the century, people would be kinder to the idea of omegas in cricket, wouldn't they? Also, in my headcanon, Hardik is also an omega-- a bit like Stu, he's in hiding, pretending to be an alpha, despite VK's debut, because BCCI made it pretty loud and clear that Virat was a special case, and other omegas shouldn't expect the same privileges extended to them. So Hardik, just like Stu, is taking pills to conceal his identity and like Stu, conforming to a hyper-alpha lifestyle he doesn't subscribe to, but follows for fear of letting himself out accidentally. But Hardik has also come out as omega by the time this iconic match happens. So imagine this now: your team is in major trouble, both your openers (kl Rahul and rohit in this case), are gone, Suryakumar Yadav, the number one ranked batter in t20s has gotten out, and Axar Patel, the sole left-hander in your lineup has gotten run out in a terrible mix-up. Who's left now? Virat and Hardik. Two omegas, who despite their achievements can't seem to earn the kind of respect and awe that playing alphas do. These two omegas end up stitching together a partnership that takes us over the line against our arch-rivals in an utter humdinger. Pure cinema. 🤌🏻

Aww I really like that - and yeah Stuart isn't an exception; there's quite a few players around the world posing as alphas when they're really omegas.

The opinion of omegas will be much better come 2022, but they'll probably be an undertone of 'two omegas can't get this over the line' when it goes down to it. I don't think it's like the turning point because, as I said, omegas are much more accepted and respected by this time, but it'll definitely have positive effects

[theuniversitychallengereview]

I wrote a blog called No Spoiler last year, about how easy it had been for me to avoid spoilers for the previous day's episode of The Challenge, and how that was an oddity in our information-dense, social-media flooded lives. Well, on Tuesday I innocently logged onto Twitter, having missed this week's episode due to my Book Club, and had the result spoiled for me. It was my own fault - as I said in the other post, when you log on to a Twitter account which is specifically for University Challenge then that is the kind of fire you are playing with. 

For the past few weeks, I've been watching the Netflix Tour de France documentary with my girlfriend. With no prior interest in the sport of cycling she really got into it (and really loved Wout van Aert, which did make me a bit jealous, but who doesn't?). Despite the fact that it was about last year's Tour, the result of which has been known for nearly a full twelve months, and despite the fact that we watched several stages of this year's race together, she made it to the final episode with no knowledge (besides her correct inclination that there was no way redacted would be coming back from such a large deficit going into the final few days) of the overall victor. 

What's the moral of this story? Nothing particularly profound, just that its interesting how siloed our consumption of things is. If I had to estimate, I'd say that I read/heard the fact that cyclist A beat cyclist B in the 2022 Tour de France more than a hundred times in the past month, but if you're not looking out for something, or if your personal Internet isn't pre-programmed to show you it then this sort of thing is far easier to avoid. 

It would be pretty funny, I think, if I did go ahead and not review this week's episode, but I've already spent a while looking up cool stats and I don't want to waste them, so with that in mind; here's your first Starter for Ten.

You can watch the episode here before reading my review...

Birkbeck were regulars in the early years of the Paxman era, appearing six times in the first nine series, culminating with victory in 2003, after which they weren't seen for seventeen years. Oxford Brookes, meanwhile, have only been on five times in total, making the quarter-finals twice.

Brookes skipper Manton buzzes early on the first starter, but he's wrong, and McMillan swoops in for Birkbeck to steal the points. An easy bonus set on films nets them a full house, before Manton makes up for his earlier mistake with epiphany. They grab a hat-trick on the Biafran war, but remain behind thanks to the incorrect interruption.

Another from McMillan stretched the Londoner's lead, but Gardner hit back for Brookes to keep things tight. McMillan is then able to give one of the coldest possible UC answers of all time when asked to complete the phrase written on Woody Guthrie's guitar, 'This machine... kills fascists". Rajan shows off his cricket credentials, scolding Birkbeck for mistaking a doosra for a googly, and demonstrating the bowling action at his desk. 

The first picture starter continues the ping-pong nature of the game so far, with Broadbent, eyebrows plastered in a kindly frown, quickest to recognise the Togo flag. He blitzes the bonuses too to tie the game. Two more consecutive starters for Brookes open up the biggest lead of the game, but Birkbeck fought back through Huntley and McMillan. 

It looks like no one knows the musical on the music starter, but Chadha guesses Funny Girl after hearing the lyric 'good for a laugh', which is excellent quizzing. After the bonuses we're back level, at 110 each. 

The scoring has been going at quite the clip and doesn't let up in the second half. Brookes get a couple to go ahead again, but three in a row from Birkbeck nudge them back in front. No one is allowed to build up too much momentum though, and Broadbent buzzes rapidly with games console to regain the advantage for Brookes. Its an absolute basketball match of a quiz, but who is going to be the one to score the dagger?

McMillan puts Birkbeck five points clear, and skipper Chadha gives Taylor Swift (an answer for the second time this series) to put the game beyond Brookes.

Birkbeck 220 - 205 Oxford Brookes

Phew! You can definitely see the effect of Rajan's quicker questioning here. 

This was the first match with a combined score of 400 or more since Durham thrashed Strathclyde 360-55 in 2018. You've got to go back to 2014 for the last match where both teams scored more than 200, when Trinity beat Manchester 285-205 in the quarters.

So despite the fact I think the average score is going to be a bit higher this series than in recent history, Oxford Brookes can count themselves supremely unlucky, and will definitely be returning as high-scoring losers. 

See you tomorrow for Southampton vs Christchurch

[parkswritessometimes]

Who Will Be Their Hero

Egotober day 7: Peaceful

This fic heavly revolves around an OC, just a heads up

a03 link

Jackie breathed quietly, his chest moving up and down slowly, rhythmically. The evening songs of crickets and frogs carried through the open window. His daughter rested silently on his chest, her head limp against his collarbone. His hands gently rubbed the 7 year olds back, smiling softly as she hugged him tighter. He leaned back into the plush couch he and his wife had just bought a few weeks ago. 

His eyes bounced around the newly decorated living room in a desperate attempt to stay awake. Simple nicknacks and photos of his family decorated the mantle, while framed newspaper clippings of his biggest achievements christened the walls. His red suit pinned beautifully against the gray background, a slab of glass protecting it from the outside world. His eyes immediately moved to his lap, shame and fear building up in his chest.

It had been nearly ten months since he was forced to hang up his mask and suit. A simple mistake was his undoing. It was supposed to be a routine bank robbery, an easy peasy situation he could do in his sleep. But the robbers came prepared, poisoned dipped bullets that went directly into the spine. Six months in a wheelchair, eight months relearning how to walk, and nine months of his kids wondering when they were gonna get their dad back. His wife’s broken eyes begging him to live. 

“Please don’t make me bury you.” Those words echoed in his head for months. Every second of every day his wife’s melodic voice played through his head. Jackie had always been careful on missions and on patrol, but ever since he met Mal he had something to come home too. He couldn’t leave her behind. And then when the twins were born, his world shifted. He was no longer just “Jackieboy Man, hero of the city”, he was “Dad”. He had to come home no matter the cost. He wouldn’t let his kids grow up without a father, like he did. He wouldn’t let a villain take his life. 

Bright green eyes stared right into his, bringing him back into the moment. She was the spitting image of her father, even if Jackie could only see his Mal in every little feature she possessed. Sure they shared the same fighting spirit, and she definitely possessed his deep brown hair, but her nose had the same bump Mal’s did. The soulful, kind, emerald green eyes were an exact match of her mothers. How anyone saw any of his features in his daughter, baffled him. 

“Daddy?” She mumbled moving her head back down into Jackie’s neck. The small voice making Jackie’s heart melt. 

“Yes, MJ?” he whispered back, trying not to disturb the rest of the quiet household. 

“When are you gonna be a hero again?” Oh. This question. Jackie shifted as the peaceful night atmosphere dissipated. It’s not that he didn’t want to go back to hero life, he did. How he had longed for the wind in his hair. The familiar pressure of the blue leather mask against his sweaty face. The ecstasy of saving people, the adrenaline of punching the bad guy. However the fear of his kids having to attend his funeral, having to go home to an empty house, kept him home. 

“I don’t know, honey bunny.” His answer was honest. His therapist kept telling him he couldn’t let the past hold him back, to go back out and try again. But criminals kept getting stronger and stronger, there would be a day where he would lose again. Where he could lose his life. How could he put on the red suit and call himself a hero if he couldn’t face that fear? 

“You should be a hero again. People need you.” She replied. One of the things Jackie had noticed from the moment MJ could communicate was how observant she was. Seeing small details, hearing small snippets of hushed whispers, examining facial expressions and acting accordingly. Of course she thought people needed him, he only acted like the city would fall into anarchic chaos if he stopped being Jackieboy Man. 

“People don’t need me, sweetheart. You and your siblings and your mom need me. The city needs me like, I need another cup of coffee.” He laughed as he wrapped his arms around the small girl. Shaky legs pushed himself up, and moved his body towards his little girl’s room he and MJ just finished decorating. It was getting far too late for these conversations, he needed some sleep.  

“Who’s gonna save people then?” She asked as Jackie tucked her into her bed. Such an innocent question. A beautiful, perfect question. Who would save people who couldn’t help themselves? Isn’t that why Jackie got into the superhero vigilante thing? To help people? Jackie shook of the guilt as he kissed his daughter’s forehead.

“That is a good question MJ, I will have to think about that. Sweet dreams Maria.” He said turning off the light.

“Sweet dreams daddy!” His daughter called after him.

Jackie let out a sad sigh as he walked back toward the living room. For the first time in months a new sentence ran through his mind. ‘Who’s gonna save people?’. Why was his daughter so fucking smart? She was only seven years old yet she was sending a grown man into a spiral. Jackie slumped down into the couch as he rubbed his face. 

God fucking damn it. She was right. Who would save them? The crickets and frogs continued their sweet summer melody as Jackie’s brain continued to spiral further and further down. Criminals and super villains weren’t just gonna stop because Jackieboy man wasn’t there to save the day. While he made it a point not to look at the local news or keep up to date on every bad new headline, he did know things were just as bad, if not worse than when he left.

Jackie walked up to the framed red suit, his breath fogging up the glass. Jackie bunched up the ends of his sweatshirt to wipe the tempered glass, revealing a perfect reflection of himself. He pressed his palm into the glass, the hinges creaking as the clear door moved. Shaky hands reached for the suit, removing it from the hooks. It would need a little fixing, and maybe some enchanting from Marvin, but he could focus on that later. For now it was time to see if the suit still fit.

[magxit]

Girl this past month has been seriously a ride. So glad we get to share it with you!

About the mouthing lyrics, like people need to calm down! you can mouth words like I love you and have it mean so many things like you're cool, I love who you are etc not like I'm deeply soul connected in love with you! You can just love someone for who they are. Also it's a concert!

All this about falling in love, after a six year relationship and not one that was dead bones but one that inspired her to write so many heart wrenching songs, I can't imagine her falling deeply with someone so soon unless it really was toxic and she was staying cause she didn't have the strength to leave earlier.

On another note, joe really annoyed me when he posted photos of him with all his costars when promoting a film even in the cast parties, a lot of whom were female, but like zero of his girlfriend who attended the parties with all her support and love, I mean the biggest pop star in the world following you around and you don't show nothing? But post photos of you looking so happy with your friends and cast mates? I think that's so weird and unnecessary. He could have just shared her work or her stuff but nope, crickets. We got his foot and the cat or his hand and the cats!

He's so wildly embarrassed or unable to tolerate her light is simply brighter than his.

Taylor never posted about Joe so I will give shoe slack on that but he could have posted a congrats IG story with a cat as a reference to Taylor. I am a little stressed about no pap photos of Taylor/Matty. I ran my first mile yesterday! Trying to become a runner track star! 😂😂but this is just so wild. Ever more so than Tom and Taylor summer of love.

[pepsi-maxwell]

13, 26, 39 !

thank you jude <3

13: how do i feel right now

biggest thing is pain free sans painkillers! sling is still uncomfortable, but no other hurts <333

26: idols

oh tough one! i genuinely don't think i have ever had any? i looked up to family members for things they worked through, but. yeah, never had an idol!

39: favourite sports

to play? roller derby, hands down <3 six months to go baybee!!!

to watch on tv, probably olympics? competitive swimming, shotput, shit like that

to watch in person, cricket or baseball <3

[miss-sapphicana]

As Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Hits One Year, Let’s Take a Look at Its Staggering Numbers

Posted March 15, 2024 - TIME

On March 17, it will officially have been one year since Taylor Swift's Eras Tour kicked off in Glendale, Ariz. In the 12 months since that fateful first show, Swift has broken untold records, made history as TIME's 2023 Person of the Year, cultivated a new legion of NFL fans, and announced her forthcoming 11th studio album—The Tortured Poets Department, out April 19—among a litany of other accomplishments.

By the end of 2023—less than halfway through its scheduled 152-show run—the Eras Tour had earned over $1 billion to become the highest-grossing concert tour of all time. During that period, every city where Swift played got a substantial economic boost from the so-called "Taylor Swift effect," a term that refers to the singer's unprecedented ability to influence consumer behavior. Following the inaugural U.S. leg of Eras, the U.S. Travel Association estimated that the tour's total economic impact likely exceeded $10 billion.

In the new year, Swift's staggering popularity seems to somehow still be on the rise. Less than a week after watching her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, win the Super Bowl, Swift played to the biggest concert crowd of her career while performing at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Australia during the first run of 2024 Eras dates, following four shows in Tokyo.

In honor of the first anniversary of the start of the Eras Tour, we're taking a numerical look back at the biggest year of Swift's career to date.

Number of Eras shows and cities

Swift will have played 83 shows across 30 cities as of March 17. Of those shows, 53 took place in the U.S. in 20 different cities stateside. The remaining 30 were part of the Latin America and Asia-Pacific legs of the tour. By the end of 2024, Swift is set to play a grand total of 152 Eras shows across 54 cities worldwide.

Number of surprise songs

In addition to her 40-plus-song set list, Swift has played at least two "surprise songs" per Eras show. Taking repeats into account, she has performed 145 different tracks (counting mashups of repeat songs as unique entries) as her 167 surprise offerings.

Number of special guests

From MUNA to Sabrina Carpenter to Haim, Swift's Eras stops have featured 10 different opening acts. She has also brought out eight other special guests, from Maren Morris to frequent collaborator Jack Antonoff, to join her on stage at various shows.

Number of people in attendance at her biggest show to date

Swift played three back-to-back shows at MCG on Feb. 16, 17, and 18 that were each attended by a record 96,000 people for a three-day total of 288,000 concertgoers. Ed Sheeran, who drew a crowd of around 109,500 each of the two nights he played at MCG in 2023, still holds the venue's single-night attendance record. But that's largely due to the fact that Swift's stage setup took up more room in the arena, cutting down on the number of available seats.

Number of Eras tickets sold

Swift sold an estimated 4.35 million tickets across 60 tour dates within concert trade publication Pollstar's chart year of Nov. 17, 2022 to Nov. 15, 2023. That's an average of 72,500 tickets per show, with each ticket costing an average of $238.95. Using those numbers to extrapolate across shows played since then, Swift has likely now sold around 6.02 million tickets.

Total Eras Tour gross

Based on the approximately $17.32 million in ticket revenue Pollstar estimates Swift earned for each of the first 60 Eras dates, her total tour gross currently sits somewhere around $1.44 billion. By the end of 2024, the tour is expected to have brought in an astronomical $2.165 billion. For comparison, the second-highest grossing tour of all time, Elton John’s multi-year Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, sold six million tickets over the course of 328 shows to earn $939 million.

Total Eras merch revenue

According to reports from different venues, Pollstar estimates Eras attendees were spending an average of $40 per person on merch at the first 60 Eras shows. That puts Swift's tour merch revenue at an estimated $240.8 million—not including non-concert day purchases—following her first run of 2024 Eras dates.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour box-office earnings

Since its Oct. 13 release in theaters, Swift's record-breaking three-and-a-half-hour concert film has grossed $180,756,269 in North America and $261,656,269 globally at the box office. An extended edition of the movie became available to rent via video on demand services on Swift's birthday, Dec. 13, followed by the longest and most complete version of the film, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version), arriving on streaming on Disney+ March 14.

Number of new songs

Since the Eras Tour began, Swift has released two re-recorded albums, Speak Now (Taylor's Version) and 1989 (Taylor's Version), and one new single, "You're Losing Me (From the Vault)," for a total of 45 new songs (including re-recorded songs and vault tracks). In their first week of sales, Speak Now (Taylor's Version), which featured one Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 hit, and 1989 (Taylor's Version), which featured seven Billboard Hot 100 Top 10 hits, sold 716,000 equivalent album units and 1.653 million equivalent album units, respectively. "You're Losing Me (From the Vault)" tallied 8.7 million official streams and sold 19,000 downloads in the U.S. in the first two days after its Nov. 29 debut, according to Luminate.