#get these fractions out of my functions please

[aroace-polyshow]

I HATE FRACTIONS ‼️‼️‼️

[trueebeauty]

It's a regular afternoon at U.A., and you're in the training grounds with your boyfriend, the one and only Bakugo Katsuki. He's been working on a new move, all explosive power and razor-sharp precision. You, on the other hand, have been practicing your own quirk, pushing your limits.

Maybe you pushed a little too hard.

"Shit!" you hiss as your quirk backfires. A sharp pain lances up your arm, and you look down to see a nasty cut, blood welling up in crimson beads.

Bakugo's head snaps around at your curse. His crimson eyes widen a fraction - to anyone else, it would be imperceptible, but you know him well enough to see the flash of concern. "Oi!" he barks, stomping over. "The hell did you do?"

You wince, both at the pain and his volume. "Pushed too hard, I guess."

He scowls, but it's his worried scowl, not his angry one. Roughly gentle, he takes your arm, inspecting the cut. "Tch. Dumbass. You're supposed to go beyond your limits, not break yourself."

The cut stings, and honestly, you're feeling a bit shaken. Training accidents happen, but still...

"It's just a scratch," you say, trying for nonchalance.

Bakugo snorts. "That's not a fucking scratch, you idiot." But his touch is gentle as he takes your arm, inspecting the wound. "Recovery Girl's gonna have a field day with this."

You wince, not just from the pain but at the thought of another lecture on caution. Bakugo notices - of course he does, he notices everything about you - and his scowl deepens.

"C'mon," he grunts, tugging you up. "Let's get this cleaned up before you bleed all over the damn place."

“Recovery Girl's probably busy with the other extras. I've got a first aid kit in my room."

You nod, letting him lead you back to the dorms. His grip on your good hand is firm, grounding. This is Bakugo's way of comfort - not soft words, but solid presence.

In his room, he sits you on his bed and kneels in front of you. The first aid kit appears from a drawer, and he gets to work.

"Stay still," Bakugo grunts, rummaging through the kit. "And don't bleed on my sheets."

You snort. "Sorry, I'll try to control my involuntary bodily functions."

"Tch. Smartass." But there's a twitch at the corner of his mouth, almost a smile.

He pulls out an antiseptic wipe, tearing the packet open with his teeth. "This'll sting," he warns, his rough voice softening.

"I can handle it," you say bravely. But when the antiseptic touches your wound, you can't help but hiss. "Ow!"

"Crybaby," Bakugo mutters. But his movements slow, his touch becoming feather-light. "Thought you could handle it?"

"Shut up," you grumble, but there's no heat in it. You're too busy marveling at how gentle he's being.

His hands, so destructive in battle, are surprisingly deft as he cleans every inch of the cut. You watch him work, mesmerized by the contrast. These hands that can level buildings are now treating you like you're made of glass.

"What?" he asks, noticing your stare.

"Nothing," you murmur. "Just... you're good at this."

He shrugs, but you catch the pleased glint in his eyes. "Can't have my boyfriend bleeding out because they can't dress a damn wound."

"Your boyfriend, huh?" you tease. It's still new, this thing between you, and every time he acknowledges it, your heart skips.

Bakugo's cheeks dust pink. "Don't," he growls, but there's no bite. He's too focused on wrapping your arm in a clean bandage.

"Not too tight?" he asks, voice gruff but eyes soft.

You flex your fingers. "It's perfect. Thanks, Katsuki."

He nods, sitting back on his heels. His thumb brushes over the bandage, a touch so light you almost think you imagined it. But then he looks up at you, and the raw emotion in his crimson eyes steals your breath.

"Don't do that again," he says quietly. "Getting hurt. It's... it pisses me off."

You understand what he's not saying. In Bakugo-speak, 'it pisses me off' means 'it scares me'. You reach out with your good hand, cupping his cheek. He leans into it, just a fraction.

"I'll be more careful," you promise. "Can't have the great Katsuki Bakugo worrying about little old me, right?"

"Damn right," he mutters, but he's leaning in now, forehead resting against your knee. It's as close to vulnerable as Bakugo gets.

You card your fingers through his spiky hair, marveling at how soft it is. For a moment, the world shrinks to just this: you and Bakugo, his hands now resting gently on your thighs.

"Hey, Katsuki?" you whisper.

He grunts in response, not moving.

You hold out your newly bandaged arm. "Kiss it better?"

Bakugo freezes. He looks up at you, one ash-blond eyebrow arching high. "That's not my fucking quirk," he says, voice dry as the desert.

But you see it - the faintest tinge of pink on his cheeks, the way his eyes soften just a fraction. You've got him on the ropes, and you both know it.

"Please?" you whine, pouting for extra effect. "It really hurts, Kacchan."

He glares at you, but there's no real heat in it. "You're such a damn baby," he mutters. But he's already lifting your arm, his calloused fingers achingly gentle.

Bakugo brings your arm to his lips. He presses a kiss to the bandage, feather-light. Then another, and another, trailing up your arm. His lips are warm, a bit chapped from his quirk. Each kiss feels like a tiny spark, but the good kind, the kind that lights you up inside.

"There," he grunts, cheeks now definitely red. "Happy now?"

You hum contentedly, but you're not done yet. Leaning in, you whisper, "You know... I think I've got a scar on my lips too."

Bakugo's eyes widen, then narrow. "You little shit," he breathes, "You planned this, didn't you?"

"No," you admit, grinning. "But I want it."

He knows you're playing him, but oh, does he want to be played. "You're pushing it," he growls, but he's already leaning in.

"You love it," you whisper against his lips.

He doesn't deny it. Instead, he kisses you, and it's nothing like the gentle pecks on your arm. This is pure Bakugo - fierce, passionate, a little bit explosive. His hand cradles your face, thumb brushing your cheek, while the other pulls you against him.

When you part, you're both breathless. Bakugo rests his forehead against yours, eyes closed. "You're gonna be the death of me," he mutters, but there's no heat in it. Just a grudging acceptance that yes, he'd let you lead him anywhere.

You grin, nuzzling into his neck. "I love you too.”

He snorts, but his arms tighten around you. 

[clustxr]

hi y'all. i know i don't make a lot of original posts here. however, on may 31st, i watched as my friends and peers were brutalized at the hands of cops from departments across california.

edit 6/12/24: students for justice in palestine at uc santa cruz has published a press release. it is easily the best way to understand what happened that night. please take a few minutes to read it.

uc santa cruz police made a statewide call for mutual aid in order to disband the gaza solidarity encampment located at the main entrance of the campus - initially established at the quarry in the center of campus on may 1, it moved to the entrance on may 20 in solidarity with the UAW strike. on tuesday, may 28, protesters barricaded the main entrance, cutting off the primary way of getting on campus; though the western entrance to UCSC was left unblocked (except for a few hours on tuesday), the main entrance remained obstructed until the raid began late on thursday night. this road blockage is what admin cited as the reason for the raid, along with "campus safety" and "academic freedom".

it's important to note that prior to blocking the road, students had been encamped for 28 days, and had been holding peaceful, law-abiding rallies since october. nothing worked. months of following the guidelines that admin had set, and of course student voices were dismissed and ignored by chancellor cynthia larive and cpevc lori kletzer (the latter of whom, by the way, showed up at 6 am "walking her dog" and smiled while watching her students get suffocated and beaten). the escalation would never have happened if student demands had been met at the very beginning.

hundreds of cops in riot gear from as far out as uc davis showed up to abuse students. over 115 arrests were made, including 3 ucsc professors, transported off by buses that were fifteen years past their intended end-of-use date and had also been servicing the campus prior. is this "campus safety"? is this "academic freedom"?

from just before midnight until approximately 9am on friday, cops kettled, suffocated, shoved, yanked, beat, and bruised students. one got a battery charge for writhing and bumping a cop after another slammed him in the head with a baton. another had a bag placed over their head, leading to suffocation, vomiting, and loss of consciousness. at least two protesters were confirmed to go to the ER that morning; many more have had to seek medical attention for lasting injuries.

arrestees were given a 14-day campus ban, including those who live on-campus (functionally evicting them & preventing access to their belongings), not to mention subjected to horrifyingly inhumane conditions:

you can find more information on various instagram accounts such as ucscsjp, ucscdivest, fjpucsc, ucsc_encampment, & jawsucsc. there's plenty of other organizations and people posting about this, too. please, don't let ucsc brush this under the rug. demand amnesty for the arrestees and protesters. contact any ucsc admin you can find. the uc has been utilizing police brutality to repress student voices across their institution, with ucla and uc irvine also being victims of this violence. do not let them get away with it.

free palestine, from the river to the sea. if seeing this violence sickens you, remember that this is not even a fraction of what the people of palestine have been enduring for decades. we will not let the university silence us, no matter what.

[mossyscavern]

G1 transformers skits… more parental megatron + random thoughts for thought

______________________________

Megatron, fuming: alright! Whoever went into my energon stash! I swear I’m going to-

Bumblebee, with a fresh batch: It was me, I got hungry… so I made a fresh batch.

Megatron:

Megatron, pat’s bee’s head: accept your apology, I’m grateful that you made more.

Starscream: oh so if I did it. I get thrown out of base!? *muttering* Fragging favouritism

———

*random thought #1*

Thundercracker: ok, let me ask this one more time, you can kidnapped any autobot. Any of them. Any. Other. Autobot.

Shrapnel: yes, I understand.. what’s the problem, problem?

Thundercracker: just-…! WHY DO YOU KEEP KIDNAPPING THE HEIR?!

Shrapnel: he smells nicer, nicer.

Thundercracker: … that’s not an excuse.

Shrapnel: listen, our alt mode is insects, bugs are prone to smells and since we’re decepticons the autobots smell awful to us, us.

Thundercracker:

Kickback: if you’re wondering what the heir smell like, the heir himself smells like honey roses. It’s delightful

———

Bumblebee: so we went to this really neat planet where there’s aliens much bigger than we are! It’s one heck of a trip to get back.

Megatron: seems likely, considering Soundwave, ravage and starscream also went to that trip as well.

Bumblebee: yeah, I’m just glad we made it in one piece. Whether or not I did turn into silicon dust.

Megatron:

Megatron, gripping the throne’s arm chair in anger: whether or not you did turn what?! bee.

Bumblebee: nothing, just an empty threat starscream tried to pull that’s all.

Megatron, restrained smiling through his anger: is that. So

*and thus starscream is never seen again… until later*

———

*random fanon thought I think might’ve happened*

Megatron, disguised as Optimus: for frag sakes, I don’t know any of these autobots… how am I supposed to be Optimus without knowing his-.

Bumblebee, walking by: hey Optimus!

Megatron as Optimus, turns to bee: hi bumblebee. *does a double take*

Megatron:

Also megatron: *shrugs* at least no one would think twice now.

———

Hotrod/rodimus: ok, before I tell you what happened please keep an opened mind.

Bumblebee, suspicious: go on.

Hotrod/rodimus: good news, your sire/carrier… dad/mom. Whatever you’re calling him is still functioning.

Bumblebee: :D

Hotrod/rodimus: bad news, he’s now called galvatron and probably forgot about you being his son… I dunno I haven’t asked.

Bumblebee:

Bumblebee: :‘(

Hotrod/rodimus: I’m so sorry.

———

Starscream: my time as the next leader would’ve still be on schedule if it wasn’t for that little scraplet..

Thundercracker: I wouldn’t speak ill of the heir if I were you.

Starscream: oh please whats he gonna do anyways, he’s a minibot, the weakest link for both fractions, especially for the decepticons-.

Bumblebee, appearing out of nowhere: can still kick your tin aft, screamer.

Starscream, jumpscared: WHAT THE FRAG!!!

———

*this is from a scrapped script.. be warned of disappointment if you try to find it*

Babybee, gurgling and cooing, looks up and reaching out with a smile: mama!

Megatron, w/teary optics trying not to spill emotions: my baby bot!

Ramjet: … should-… should I change it over?

Rumble: yeah, change it quick before he gets nostalgic and turns it into a home movie marathon.

Deceptitran:

Deceptitran: … so you both are related.

Bumblebee, nods: yep, my late carrier conjunxed this mech. Don’t ask, i don’t know how it happened either.

______________________________

I should really wip up a fic as to how shutter and megatron would meet… in the parental megatron franchise…

except for the idw comics, I’m pretty sure they’d have already met or never will.. it’s just going to be one hell of a canon divergence thing.

Pff- yeah, like I’m not already writing canon divergence.

[angelic-dew]

Hiya!! Can I please get some Sekido smut please? If you can, can it be a bit short (i know some of your fics are long) with an afab reader!

PRETTY PLEASE. I will get on my knees. 😍

˚₊‧꒰ wanting desire.☆꒱‧₊˚.!

✧༉‧₊˚୨ 🍓 ୧・author note :: way to expose me anon,, i tried to keep it short, still ended up being long so you do have a point ;-;

✧༉‧₊˚୨ 🍷 ୧・pairing :: sekido x afab reader — {you/your pronouns}

✧༉‧₊˚୨ 💌 ୧・summary + word count :: after going so long without feeling eachother's touch, your beloved demon lost control and took you right then and there for a pleasurable night. + [1327] words. smut.

✧༉‧₊˚୨ ⚡ ୧・trigger warnings :: smut. degradation. sex in the wilderness. rough intercourse. edging. marking. biting. hickeys. grammatical errors || children please leave, 18+ content. proofread.

“A-ahh~! Sekido! Be gentler, please darling!” That’s all that was heard, the high pitch wail that stretched far throughout the quiet, serene atmosphere. A cry of pure pleasure that was, one that captivated such content and dispersed such need, desire, such utter thirst for the pleasure to have more. Your words were nothing but veritable lies.

 Falsity. It was evident in the lewd expression that only remained permanently on your face, never leaving for even the smallest fraction of a second for the sheer lust you felt was too much to simply even emit from under those filthy lips of yours. Your face only crinkled as a wide grin plastered itself along your face; the feeling only grew increasingly and at a rapid rate. 

You weren’t even sure if you were able to properly function at all at this rate. Your words were almost utter mush and gibberish rolled up together to form a stuttered mess filled with moans of passion and heavy, sharp breaths.

By the grace of God, you managed to utter a few words here or there but nothing one could truly make out at this rate. You didn’t like this feeling, it was all too much pleasure to be indulged in! But you can’t even deny it even if your entire existence honestly depended on it, it felt amazing. 

Was this like a guilty pleasure to you at this point? Surely it had to be. 

You could only wonder what lead you to this predicament. Was it your needs that became too much to bare? Was it the fact you haven’t felt in touch in which was absolute eons now? Truthfully, it just happened. But how could you complain about this sensation, it felt almost surreal yet so nostalgic again, your hot-tempered lover finally making the time to have one’s pleasure with his beloved human was surely a dream come true, to be frank. 

Well, he had pent-up rage for how long now? I would assume those numbers wouldn’t matter nor did it need to, all that mattered was what was happening at present.

Sexual tension and so much anger that has been built up? Could you dream of anything better? His touch was so rough, like needles and so coarse yet you felt a sense of ease. Was it the endless amount of delight being washed over you tenfold by the moment?

So many questions, so few answers; but why would these questions need answers? You needed him and he needed you more than you could ever imagine. That's all the answers you needed. 

“Fuck yeah, you damn whore- Take all my cock the fucking little slut you are for me,” the demon of anger deeply bellowed under his breath, his voice laced with lascivious and of course an animalistic nature as it snapped you back to reality instantly; your little mind bubble popped. 

Your vision was a complete mess as everything became hazy and blurred as warm tears of pleasure welled up in your eyes like a little waterfall getting ready to pour down warm, salty tears at any moment.

The blush that deeply resembled your lover’s eyes tinted your cheeks with the rosy pigment rather nicely, complimenting your skin tone; the warmth of it being almost sickening as it could barely be controlled.

You felt the soft yet spikey grass underneath your body jab at your back once more like little fern-green needles from the earth. The glacier gust of the gale was almost chilling as it passed through the air aimlessly, almost as if it caressed your sweaty body, your nipples became chafed. Only pleasing the crimson eyes of the demon looming over you. 

“Could you be any more slutty? What did I even get myself into? Do you even know what you are to me? A fucking cockslut that wants my dick, that’s what you are,” Sekido spoke once more this time, more arousal shrouding his words as he gripped your thighs that messily rested upon his mocha shoulders.

His sharp, serrated nails sink into your flesh as the further he tightens his grip, the mad man-like grin which permanently stained his face grew just a tad bit. He had stamina for days at this point, it felt like you two were at it for ages. 

Your slimy walls just squeezed tightly around his meaty, fat length. “So sensitive..” that was more of a murmur from under his breath, however, utter excitement was laced through the words.

His thrusts we repetitive and had some sort of a rhythm to them, deep and consistent yet rough to the very last T. A perfect combination. Nor was he anything from slow and gentle, fast and filled with desire, but it felt passionate in some form or another.

Your cunt felt itself tightening further, more and more around his thick member that eagerly slammed into you continuously, not breaking rhythm for even the slightest second. “Mm- I’m gonna cum s-soon!” that's all you could muster to say, that wasn’t all gibberish controlled by satisfaction. Your body trembled by his every touch, and that's what he liked, what he loved, what he craved. Like a glutton, he was for your reactions and smutty little expressions. 

“You fucking lil bitch, you like what daddy’s giving you, hm? Could you get any more dirty?” he teased you but more degradation was hinted. He was right, maybe you were but just for him, what’s the harm in it then? Really, what’s the harm in indulging in the bliss he provides for his darling slut?

Your obscured gaze didn’t help at all, the tears only continue to make this worse. However, you can make out a vague yet pleasant sight before you, the lovely form of your lover pounding deeply into your cunt, each thrust in an honest attempt to loosen your walls up.

His upper body was muscular but not over the top with muscles; his pecs were laced with various hickeys and bite marks so were his neck and collarbone, almost as if they were matching, but who’s to say you didn't look like you weren’t just attacked by an octopus.

Love bites were scattered along your entire figure, from your stomach to your neck. Peppered to perfection with many bites which marked what was his, you belong to him and him alone. 

“Fuck- such a naughty whore, aren’t you?” he said playfully as salty sweat cascaded ever so slowly down his body. He felt himself getting closer and closer with each slam into your wet cunt he did. The throbbing became unbearable for him at this rate but you had to make a mess first. 

Your nails seeped deeply into his mocha flesh, leaving behind little crescents implanted in his skin in their way. Your walls clamped harder in anticipation and so did your thighs tighten. The burning pool of heat and excitement built up steadily in the pit of your stomach as he whispered such filthy words into your ear. Words of such lust yet they were shaming you. 

His thrusts were fierce and rough, no trace of him slowing down could be accounted for was detected as well. The immense pleasure was edging you so much to reach your final climax; it was all just too much. How could you not give him what he wanted when he was giving you more than enough? 

It wasn’t long after you came all over him he that stuffed your wet, stretched-out centre completely. The thick but oozy consistency was to die for as it gradually spilt away from your poor hole. He was most certainly pleased as well, more or less proud as a matter of fact. He made you tremble beneath him and want his touch, pride definitely shot up in him at the sight of your abused cunt. 

As the soft prattle of the stream close by filled the atmosphere, you knew, the night had only just begun for you.

© angelic-dew :: please don't translate or reclaim without permission! Reblogs will be appreciated though! <3

[bowtiepastabitch]

Good Omens Fandom Data 2024

Raw data, calculations, and graphs. Fancy graphics Here!

This post is less organized than usual because I just spent two hours turning it into fancy infographics, but here's the raw data for those who are interested:)

All data was pulled December 17th between 10pm and 3am while logged into ao3. Due to the archival function of ao3, it is not uncommon for numbers to fluctuate as readers can choose to remove their works (or parts of them) as they please, which can affect total numbers as well as date categories and tag organization.

The dates pulled are for 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-16 for the year total and 2024-x-01 to 2024-x-30/31 for monthly pulls. Fics are filed by their most recent update, rather than date of first publishing, on ao3 meaning any fic updated this year will be included in the data even if it has been a running WIP for multiple years.

Word and comment counts were calculated using the natural "pages" layout of 20 works per page to assemble a calculation of the average or total when sorted numerically in the archive. The top 20 entries are entered independently, and from there intervals are used to get an estimate of the larger body of work. For example:

(SUM of top 20 wordcounts) + (wordcount of item 21 + WC41 + WC61 + WC81 + WC101)(20) = total wordcount items 1-121

As the tail end of the data creates larger swaths of entries with essentially the same average accross smaller intervals, the intervals used become longer as seen here:

From this estimated total wordcount, I'm able to get an estimated total for the set. For wordcount specifically, I excluded the wordcounts of two large H*rry P*tt*r fics with crossover elements in the top 20 out of both spite and a desire to maintain some level of numerical purity. This more than balances out the effect of pulling representative samples on the high end of each interval.

All content data is dependent on tagging, which is not standardized. Thus, the numbers represented are only as accurate as the authors' tagging abilities. For example, while you'll see genitalia identifiers as a common tag for smut fics, they're still only present on the fraction of fics that choose to list them. The lack of a tag does not automatically imply the opposite. Likewise, some fics containing some explicit content that are not pornographic in nature/focus will choose to list as Mature instead of Explicit. The two categories are both "adult" content, so it's an author's choice which rating best suits the material.

My ask box is always open if you have questions!! I love talking about this shit it's one of my favorite little hyperfixations. :)

Tagging @queer-reader-07 because xe consistently enjoys these types of posts:)

[a-queer-seminarian]

kinda fascinating to be in a situation where I've had to call / online chat with insurance representatives during the whole UH CEO fallout. I have BCBS and maaaybe they're always this helpful but idk, they just seem so responsive and taking extra steps to help me out and it turns out the issue I'm having isn't even on their side, it's the dentist's! also their online chat is a real person??? I don't have to work around the AI before it finally transfers me??? Incredible

anyway turning this post into a psa to 1) ALWAYS check that your medical bills match what your insurance's Explanation of Benefits (EOB) reads (you do this by checking what amount your insurance says "patient owes" in the EOB and if your bill doesn't match that, your provider is overcharging you) and 2) DO NOT Get Your Dental Care At Great Expressions Holy Shit I'm Pissed

My wife and I went to the dentist in fall 2022 for the first time since the pandemic started, and the bills we both received were so high i've never gone again since then, because i don't wanna spend 500 bucks on a basic cleaning + X-rays. But my wife has continued to go twice a year cuz her teeth suck so the frequent check-up matters more for her.

And lordy, we've been naive lol. We've heard dental is expensive so we've just been resigned to the high costs; we also both have terrible executive functioning around all things financial and are woefully under-educated about how bills and insurance work — but the latest bill we got was just too damn much and I finally mustered up the spoons to figure shit out.

Aaaand it turns out that, while the dentist charged nearly one thousand dollars for her three fillings, the EOB shows we only owe $128. Buck. Wild.

So I've gone through every charge we've gotten over the years and they are all hundreds of dollars higher than the EOB. Great Expressions has been taking advantage of our ignorance and naivety to rob us for two fricking years.

If I understand what one insurance rep told me, since Great Expressions has a contract with BCBS they're supposed to charge us an in-network rate, which is far cheaper than out-of-network rates. Basically they send their proposed bill to our insurance, who send back a fraction of the money proposed as decided in the contract between them; insurance also tells the dentist the cost the dentist can then charge us.

But Great Expressions is pocketing the insurance money and then charging us the remainder of their original proposed cost instead of the contracted rate. So they're clearly aware that we are in-network, but still charging us like we're out-of-network. WTF

Anyway thank you BCBS reps who helped me figure all this out, incredible to actually have some non-AI customer service in this age lol. And everyone else please wish me luck as I make a chart of each dental bill we've gotten since 2022 versus what the EOB states — and then take it to the dental clinic in person because they are Not Helpful over the phone lemme tell you

The plan is to try to talk it out with them myself, and if I can't get them to listen to me I'm going to call an BCBS insurance rep while in the clinic with them so they can talk it over lmao. And if that doesn't get me the past years' charges back...idk if i can consult a lawyer or whatever but I'm gonna get this damn money back.

also we're going to get a new damn dentist. obviously

[solus-official]

UBUNTU TOUCH | DAY ONE

If you didn't see one of my previous posts, I've got a phone to experiment with, and I'm gonna be trying out various mobile operating systems! (Primarily linux based! Not that android isn't linux but lets be real.) please ignore my greasy ugly hand Installation Process: The installation actually wasn't that bad! Was kinda awkward trying to get the phone updated to the correct version without upgrading too far, but after that was dealt with everything else was taken care of very smoothly and easily with the UB Ports custom installer! Didn't have a fail state, nor did the phone brick! I'd rate this an 8/10! Setup and Tutorial: Setting up the phone after the install was very fast, frankly there wasn't much to set up. Thankfully it's not like Google or Apple where they ask for your firstborn son before even asking for your SIM card. Just needed to set up a password/passcode, set up my SIM (Which was thankfully automatic kinda, details later) and confirm a Wi-Fi connection if I wanted to!) Tutorial however, was a bit lackluster. While it was descriptive, it also only popped up on my first time seeing each screen. (E.g. I didn't get the tutorial for the phone app until I opened the phone app.) While I don't think this is necessarily a bad thing, it also means I would need to walk through every inbuilt app to make sure the tutorials are all done. kinda annoying in my personal opinion. Overall I'd rate this 6~7/10. Usage and Experience: For day one this isn't super important, however first impressions do matter for most people. The OS as a whole was very snappy, and never froze or lagged in any of my testing. Additionally, the pull-down shade is very nice! Could be simplified a little more so that you don't need to scroll sideways, and it would also be nice to see more settings overall since the system seems to be quite bare for settings at the moment. However one of the things that really bothers me as a button-enjoyer is the OS not having a button navigation method. The only way to navigate between screens is to swipe from the sides, top or bottom as gestures, similar to Apple and the recent Android iterations. These gestures don't even work perfectly either, which makes it more annoying that I don't have a home button or back button. If there is a home-swipe or back-swipe, then the tutorial did not detail it, and I cannot find it anywhere in the settings. Overall, it's a 4/10 but with LOTS of potential! Functionality: This focus' almost entirely on how it functions as a phone, and if it's problematic for any reason. So far it seems great outside of one issue, as commented on earlier (This is the details later bit lmao). Plugged an active SIM card into the phone and it automatically logged the APN and other important information which was very nice. Tested the mobile data and texting, and found no issues except for maybe being unable to send MMS (Need to double check that it was not a file size issue.) However, this entire time I've not had the ability to make or take calls. I'm not sure why, the APN, provider, and everything in the settings is correct to what I can tell. I may attempt to either reinstall the dialer application, or erase and manually set the APN in the event that might fix it. If I cannot get calling to work this score will look a lot uglier. Overall, it's a 7~8/10! for now.

App Availability: Seems great! The built in app-store, or "OpenStore" is pretty cool, and seems to have a lot of useful apps. I did notice a small fraction of android apps that I could use (Like Slack, thanks workplace -ﻌ-) but they were just WebUI apps, which isn't bad, but it's bad. I haven't attempted to set up or use Waydroid, but I will not have that change the score at all since using Android apps (kinda barely) defeats the purpose of an alternative operating system. Overall score, 8/10, but needs a deeper dive.

I'll likely put out another update at either 15 days or 30 days!

Whenever you guys think you want one!

[beaconfeels]

WIP Wednesday

Nobody tagged me but I felt like sharing something this week. I think most of the people I tag in this sort of thing have already been tagged this week, but if you see this and want to share, please say I tagged you! More from my Steter runs away fic. The plot thickens.

”So I took pictures, and researched, and I became convinced that this family had a stolen artwork just hanging out in their wine cellar. Long story short, I took the painting. It was easy, really. They weren’t werewolves, and they threw a lot of parties where security was lax. I suppose they thought nobody would notice the painting, or think it was real if they did. Just like that, it was mine.”

Peter smiles at the memory, and Stiles shakes his head. Smiling too.

“How’d you get rid of it? I read that it’s often when people are trying to sell stolen artwork that they get caught.”

“Exactly. It took me about a year to find a suitable buyer, by which I mean someone unscrupulous enough to buy it, and one who I had enough dirt that they wouldn’t rat me out to anyone given the chance.”

“Of course,” Stiles says, laughing. “So you were always this devious, huh?”

Peter shrugs. “Some of us are born to deviousness, some of us have it thrust upon them. I was born to it. You seem like the thrust upon type to me,” he adds.

“Maybe,” Stiles admits with a smile. “So who’d you sell it to?”

“A pack in Colorado. The alpha had an obsession with art, and they were so sure of their power that they left a nice paper trail for a lot of things that the DA would have loved to get her hands on. I drove it over to them on spring break, and walked away with more cash than I could have imagined when I started dreaming about building my own wealth.”

“How much?”

“Two million. Which was a fraction of what the painting was worth, but that’s how it can go when you’re selling stolen goods, and my options were limited at the time.”

“Wasn’t there a reward out for the painting? I thought a lot of famous stolen ones are worth millions if you can find them.”

“On that particular painting the reward was only a half million more than what I was paid for it, and it wouldn’t have been worth it even if it was three times as much. All the red tape, the questions, the wait for the money, if it ever came through. Even if it had all gone smoothly, my pack would have known I had money, and I didn’t want them to.”

Stiles leans forward, his interest piqued even further. “Why not?”

Peter has always liked this about Stiles, the way he is so curious about werewolves in every aspect, from how their bodies work, to how packs function. Even given the very limited accurate information available on the internet and through a reticent Derek, Stiles had figured out how to help Scott control his wolf. If only everyone involved had been as curious and intelligent as Stiles, everything could have gone very differently. But that was a regret for another time.

“Because traditional packs are very communal. What’s mine is yours, what’s yours is mine, that kind of thing.”

Stiles wrinkles his nose in distaste. Peter couldn’t agree more.

“Even though in my pack that still meant plenty to go around, like I said, it still meant nothing was really yours. Any money you earned went to build pack wealth, and that meant only a couple people in power got to decide who had access to what, and how much. They would have forced me to hand that money over, and had I wanted to go live on my own, they would have refused to help me. The pack is stronger together, blah blah blah.”

“That’s fucked up,” Stiles says. “That’s like, cult level shit.”

“It can be, when the power is abused. And as you know, power is often abused.”

“You said ‘traditional packs,’ does that mean not all packs do that now?”

“There are thankfully many packs who recognize how dangerous it is to live like that, how harmful it can be to someone stuck in a bad situation. Many have abandoned it, but unfortunately many of the most powerful and influential packs still live like that.”

“Gross,” Stiles says. “So what happened after you sold the painting?”

[bulldog-geckorahhhhh]

SPOOKY MONTH AU I MENTIONED EARLIER

Ok so before I get to the actual au stuff- just some quick info!

Skids dad is heavily featured in this. I call him Beverly in this, Beverly N’mancy. (A play on necromancy. Get it?? Get it??)

This is a zombie apocalypse au, but also heavily focused on supernatural shit. Okay cool. Have a blurb of writing cause I autism blasted.

Years ago, a ritual was written, just in case. In case of what? Death. If Beverly were to ever die, the cult knows what to do. A specific day, of a specific year, under specific stars, that is when it must happen. They must ask the stars for just a fraction of their energy, their power, even if they truly don't deserve it. Of course, Beverly has always said humanity did not deserve the stars, or their power. Yet now his written words are calling for them to ask the stars for help..?

Well maybe now they should ask anything else out there for forgiveness. The ritual took place, as their leader's writings had requested. On the day, of that year, under those stars. On that day Eldritch magic surged through the town, a curse being born of it all. A curse that raised the dead. Not just Beverly, but every dead body in that town. They rose, many mindless and starving as any zombie. Yet Beverly, ever clever and reliable Beverly, he rose smart. He rose aware, and with a gift from the stars! A hand that rotted all to bone, a hand that rotted whatever it touched.

So Beverly took his place once more, leader of the cult again. Though he smells of death, and growls out curses in long dear languages, he's still their leader. He promises salvation, greatness and knowledge. Would he ever truly lead the beloved cult astray? Of course not! He's no longer just a man, he's a being of death and starlight. He will lead the town to glory.

Ok so basically! A cult ritual brings all the dead in the town, including skids dad back from the grave. Beverly is the only zombie that has a functioning brain, because of prior fucked up cult shit. Beverly has a skeleton hand, one that spreads a slow rot to anything it touches. He's the main antagonist of the au, because he's a constant, looming threat. Along with the other zombies, who are also very dangerous.

So far I haven't exactly decided what cannon characters succumb to the zombies, but these aren't like- normal typical zombies. When they bite you, you're not turned into a zombie. The bite wound will rot incredibly fast, blackening the skin until the limb you were bit on falls off. If you weren't bitten on a limb, rather on your chest or torso, that's a fatal end for you. You are bound to die.

The dead (besides Beverly) continue to rot though, and eventually their muscles will give out on them. They will no longer be able to move, but will still be conscious. The towns dead will never stay dead for the rest of time, any new dead will rise.

I have hcs for specific characters- but I'm tired of typing for now so if you want to know PLEASE ask!! I like talking about my thoughts and stuff.

[limeebunnee]

**Hi I'm obsessed with Miguel OHara so have the first half of something I've been thinking about for a few weeks now! If you like it let me know and I'll add the smutty bits!**

Annoyed didn't even cover it. You were down right pissed. Not only were you missing one of the most important dates of your life, but you were being held against your will. And no, it didn't matter if said date was a farce and actually a publicity stunt. No one knew that except four-now five people. You, your agent, Octavius Brown (one of Hollywood's hottest up and coming movie stars) and his agent. And now, your bodyguard, Miguel.

Miguel had been weird all day since you told him about the ‘date’ that was set to happen this evening. Albeit, he was his normal quiet and stoic self, ever large and imposing. However, ever since you mentioned the excitement for the date, his grumpiness leaked out of him in constant silent rage. As you heard him either sighing loudly or clenching his jaw to the point you were worried he’d press his molars into dust every damn near fifteen minutes, you had finally asked him to speak his mind.

When he did, however, he simply looked at you with a frown and said, “You aren't going tonight”. You had laughed his comment off, moving on through your apartment bedroom to finish getting dressed. You decided on a backless black dress that hugged your curves in all the right places and showed just the right amount of cleavage. That was two hours ago. Now you stood in the doorway of your bedroom, hands on your hips, wearing your highest come hither pumps and feeling fine as hell, as your mountain of a bodyguard stood in your way.

“Miguel-” you said, huffing out his name as you breathed hard through your nose and pinched it. ‘“You cant be fucking serious”.

“Language” he said, his deep voice ever calm and even toned. “And yes- I'm serious. You aren't going tonight”. You stare up at him, and he stares back down at you. Even in five inch heels he still had inches over you. Your brain slowly starts to function again. You hadn't spent the last five years of your life making a name for yourself after technically running away from home and leaving your fathers name and money behind, just to have another man try to step into and control your life. “I think you've lost your damn mind. You work for me” you remind him. Miguel arches one thick eyebrow, and the corner of his mouth lifts into a small smirk. “I do ... technically" he says simply. You roll your eyes, and then glance at your phone in your hand. You had two messages from your agent-one stating a car was outside for the date that was in 10 minutes, and a follow up text asking if you were on your way to the restaurant. You shuffle your feet again, and look up at Miguel.

“Okay this is a funny joke and all, but I really need to leave. The towncar is waiting for me downstairs. This is huge for me Miguel” you say, hands expressive as you talk. You give him a pleading, pouty look. Even poking out your bottom lip. You see Miguel shift only slightly, and his eyes soften a fraction. His arms that are crossed over his chest flex as his hands tighten into fists.

“...You don't need this, you are better than this and…” he hesitates, his calm deep voice fluctuating a bit.

Your brows furrow, and you scoff. “I know you have been my bodyguard for three years, I hear you Miguel I do,kinda, but this could be major” you try to explain. Then your cell phone starts vibrating and you groan softly. “You don't have to come, you can have the night off! You deserve it and Octavious’ bodyguards will be there, I'll be fine” you say, attempting to squeeze past him.

You make it one step out of the doorway when a firm, large hand grabs your upper arm. It's not hard, but it clearly feels like Miguel wasn't moving his hand anytime soon. He sighs. “Please," he says softly. You groan again, brows furrowing together. “No, you. Please let me go ""I can't do that ""Why?” “It's-not safe" “How?” you press. What the hell was going on? Miguel was the perfect bodyguard-quiet and always cool, calm and collected. He did his job well, and honestly you had become quite comfortable with him. Before him you didn't have anyone guarding you and things got dicey as you became more and more popular with modeling gigs, small interviews and influencer deals. Today was the first time he had ever exerted any sort of force or control over you. And you weren't having it.

You tug at his hold on you, but he doesn't budge. “You are hurting me” you lie. Miguel huffs- his version of a laugh. “No I am not” he counters flatly.

You tug your arm again, harder this time. “ I swear I will fire you," you say. You were annoyed you were now late, you were worried about what Octavious and his agent would think, you were worried about your own agent as your phone buzzed almost non stop now, but mostly you were pissed off because you couldn't think or figure out why Miguel was suddenly acting like this.

“[name] please…por favor escuchame” he says, his voice dropping lower, like he was about to tell you a secret. “Why? Why should I listen to you?” you ask fervently. Then Miguel pulls your arm so that you spin and fall against his chest. When he has you close enough to feel his heat through the black cashmere shirt he was wearing. One of his large hands slides to your side and holds you steady as the other comes up to your face and caresses your cheek lightly. He looks at you intently, his deep amber eyes burning hot with a sudden passion you hadn't noticed before. His sudden movement and close proximity takes your breath away. Sure, you've had moments and interactions with men, but they had either been curated for photoshoots or as personal as a business interaction. The way Miguel looked at you now made butterflies tickle your stomach as you momentarily forget how to think.

“You can't go because I refuse to let anyone date you, even if it's fake. I refuse to watch another man who isn't worthy of you waste your time. Especially to just use you like you are only some object to enhance him and make him seem better. Because you….” he sighs, thumb caressing the soft skin of your cheekbones. His eyes take in all the features of your face, and for a moment, you see a flash of a furrowed brow and an almost pained expression- like he was holding something back, barely.

“Eres mucho mas” he says, barely a whisper. His eyes glance down at your lips and you swear that you suddenly feel like the heat was turned up in your apartment. You stutter softly. “W-where is this…coming from?” you ask, trying to make sense of the sudden situation you found yourself in as well as the sudden feelings you felt stirring deep within you.

”It's always been there, I just, I cant hold it back anymore. You are…too important to me” he says softly as he glances at your lips again. His hand that was caressing your cheek softly moves to the back of your neck and cradles your head. “If you feel nothing, tell me to stop…but… se que sientes algo carino” he breathes.

You shiver, before the tickling heat in your core combined with your curiosity pushes you over the edge. Your hand comes to his firm and broad chest and you pull him into a soft kiss. As your lips meet his, he sighs softly, his hand gently tilting the back of your head to deepen the kiss. His touch was firm, overwhelming,loving and full of reserved emotions. Your head was spinning as he pressed against you softly before you pushed him away softly, and he let you break the kiss and pulled his arms away.

You steady yourself on your feet, touching your mouth gently as you stare at him. Your bodyguard. Your comfort. Your safety. And the butterflies increase five times before you turn away. “N-no, we-this can't be happening” you say softly, almost to yourself. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have kissed you” you say, though realizing that you fully had wanted him to kiss you at that moment. And quite honestly, maybe even more.

Miguel lets out a soft groan, already missing your warmth. From just that simple kiss his heart thudded in his chest and he subconsciously licked his lips, eyes still burning as he looked at you. He felt the swell of emotions in his chest- from having a taste of you. And he wasn't going to waste it. He decided at that moment there was no going back.

“Why are you sorry?” Miguel said, voice calm and controlled again. But there was that fire in his eyes, and that proved that the calm he executed was barely holding back a storm. He took a step towards you, following you. He needed to have you in his arms again.

“I-i, I don't know because you are my bodyguard?? You can't, just-we can't Miguel” you say, trying to take back some control of this situation. You take another step back, knowing if he touched you again, there would be no stopping the sudden desire rising in you.

Miguel made a sound somewhere between a groan and a growl. “You think I give a damn about my reputation? About what other people might say or think?” he asked. He took a step toward you, stepping into your personal space and consuming it. “The only thing I care about is you, carino. Protecting you, caring for you…tasting you again. Nada mas importa” he says, his voice wavering from the sudden admission. Then his hands came up to grasp your face gently.

“If none of that matters to you ...then tell me and I'll leave right now” he breathes.

Your eyes search his and find nothing but the startling truth. Realization hits you as your mind speeds through the last three years with Miguel by your side. All the soft touches and small gestures. The times where groceries were suddenly in your kitchen, or meals would arrive when you were too focused on work to eat. The time your favorite chocolates and feminine products would suddenly be in your bathroom the day before your period happened to start, or how your phone was always uploaded with audible books or podcasts that you didn't remember downloading but ended up liking. You release a deep breath you didn't realize you had been holding after he held your face.

“...it matters” you say softly. Then you pull him into a searing kiss. Miguel groaned. The moment your lips touched his, he knew he wasn't going to be able to stop himself this time. It was like pouring gasoline onto a fire. His desire for you had finally burst into flames, and he was going to show you. His arms wrap around you, pulling you closer as his hands gently caress up and down your body, feeling your curves. The thin fabric of the black backless dress you had worn for the date now caused delicious friction as his hands explored your body gently.

-

Find me on AO3 for the smutty chapter two 😈

[blonde-and-cat-suc]

choose violence ask game: 3, 12 and 22?

p.s. love your blog, please keep spreading the truth!

And I love blogging <3!!! I do it for the girls and the gays.

>>>><<<<

Answers under the cut . . . This is gonna be a long one.

3) Screenshot or description of the worse take you've seen on tumblr?

Okay, so, the only problem with this one is that I've literally seen too many to count. But the one that I'd often seen and had the most visceral reaction to were definitely the longer, well articulated analysis posts from stans that did SO MUCH bending and twisting to claim Adora being equally toxic/(and or abusive) to Catra. Which, obviously, I also spent time analyzing. Trying my best to understand what was going on. And you know what? I get it. I don't agree. But I get it. Adora and Catra grew up under the same circumstances, so yeah, they wouldn't be entirely innocent of picking up bad habits from their childhood. Realistically. Fine.

But implying that Adora is worse? Worse than Catra?

...

Anyway, I've suffered from my own self-inflicted torture in the past. I wish I hadn't spent so much time reading stan analysis the way I did, but... Here we are.

And that's just on Tumblr. I don't believe that other social media/forum sites are better or worse about c//a and SPOP, but I have seen worse in The Wilds. (At least on Tumblr there's the filtering options. Everywhere else, good luck).

12) The unpopular character that you actually like, and why more people should like them?

Guys. I LOVE SWIFT WIND. I FUCKING LOVE SWIFT WIND I DON'T CARE THAT HE'S ANNOYING THEY'RE ALL FUCKING ANNOYING!!!

First of all, yes, yes, yes, Swift Wind is horrendous wasted potential (surprise, surprise), and yes, of course, I'm still pissed over it. Those scenes where he's so loyal and kind to Adora, and she, having no other point of reference for a friend, much less a resourceful friend... Like, awwhh. Plus, he makes it very clear that he has his own will and isn't just mindlessly following Adora around like a god-honest horse would. He has his own agenda. He doesn't have to go into battle with Adora, and doesn't gain too much from risking his life to help her and her friends in the short term, but Swift Wind does it anyway. He's interested and invested in Adora, personally, anyway. He wants to be there for her and support her growth as a person.

And Adora deserves all of those amazing, raw, sappy, fairytale friendships!

I DON'T CARE THAT HE'S LITERALLY A HORSE HE IS STILL FUNCTIONALLY A HUMAN BEING. THEY ARE BESTIES. THEY LITERALLY HAVE A MY LITTLE PONY FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC LINK GOING ON. THEY SHOULD HAVE CONSIDERED SWIFTIE TO BE APART OF THE BEST FRIENDS SQUAD, I ACTUALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY HE ISN'T.

MORE LOVE FOR SWIFT WIND!!!

22) Favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores?

In my experience, this is the type of fandom that cultivates, um, extreme niches, for lack of a better term. As in, literally what my blog is compared to a "stan's" blog. They're like. Different SPOP fans everywhere, so I don't truly believe that there's a portion of this show that is genuinely ignored... There's someone out there that liked even the tiniest, unimportant fraction of this show. Just got to go find them. (Hell, I know people that love, like, Tall Star specifically, out of all the other characters. Nothing has gone totally unnoticed, which is something I really love about the fanbase as a whole, despite everything).

Anyway, to keep it short, my favorite "underappreciated" parts are hm... Maybe the parts where Adora gets to explore the world around her? And not in a super plot related way. I know that the BFS goofing off so much isn't totally ignored. But I like to see that Adora especially was still learning new things everyday in canon, just like, randomly. Nothing to do with the Horde or the Rebellion. Just. She should be excited for the new world around her, dude. Those are pretty rare moments in the show, actually. Wish there were more.

[bnuunydoll]

The Tears of Time: A Look at the Gaza-C and Axis Zeon

The smothering silence of space has been shattered for ages. In the Universal Century, the cacophony of war is a constant that ensures the vast emptiness surrounding Earth will never be calm.

In the Year 0087, yet another war is being waged. A lone assault carrier called the "Argama" drifts through the abyssal darkness of space toward an asteroid belt. After fighting battle after battle against the rival Titans, the crew of the Argama are hoping to make contact with the newly introduced Axis Zeon so they can form an alliance. Despite much dispute among the crewmates for aligning with a group that has a history of bloodshed and opposing ideology, those in command steer the vessel further in hopes of making contact.

Much like opening Pandora's Box, the crew is met with a swarm of emotions as they get closer; Only made worse by the swarm of pink mobile suits. Fitted with gleaming mono-eye cameras that fix their emerald optics toward the carrier, these suits called the "Gaza-C", are the first introduction to Axis Zeon. I believe they reveal a myriad of interesting things about the group based on their design and presence in the story that this post will try to explain.

Hello there! ૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა ♡

I haven't written anything in...an embarrassingly long time, but over the last few months I've been indulging myself in Mobile Suit Gundam. From the original '79 series through Gundam ZZ and Char's Counter Attack, I've been fully submerged in the space opera drama, politics, and cool robots. While the nearly 150 episodes of classic mecha anime have definitely given me a lot to think about, I haven't felt comfortable or well read enough to fully approach any of the topics the series deals with; At least until now. The Gaza-C is a mobile suit that I find extremely fascinating, so please bare with me for however long this text ends up being so I can explain my infatuation with this flamboyantly colored mech.

Firstly, a warning for the uninitiated. I'll be discussing the Gaza-C, and by extension, Axis Zeon; Both of these are elements that appear in the later half of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam and are prominently featured throughout the entirety of ZZ Gundam. Expect spoilers for both! ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝

How Did We Get Here?

Before the Gaza-C can be properly savored, I believe a spoonful of context and a dash of history are needed to bring out the best qualities of this particular mobile suit.

After the One Year War depicted in the original Mobile Suit Gundam, The Principality of Zeon was completely and utterly broken. Those that remained came together on a small mining base called Axis and declared it their new home, but it was a mere shadow of what used to be. Axis Zeon would struggle to have resources and even survive properly, and those who lived there were in constant fear that the Earth Federation would one day wipe them off the map. While they were able to keep functioning and even replicate a life similar to the Earth Colonies, they would only have a fraction of the military power and technology that Zeon once did.

Haman Karn is a woman that would have grown up under this threat, and the struggle to survive mixed with paranoia and abandonment from characters like Char Aznable would lead her to becoming the radicalized tyrant set on wrenching every shred of power she can out of Axis in order to assert her Zeonic beliefs and prove her strength.

She's killed a lot of people, but she was slaying while she did it.

A Ghost of Zeon's Lingering Past

When Char departs from the Argama and meets her for the first time in years he refers to Haman as, "The Ghost of Zeon." Much to Char's horror, it's revealed that she's been protecting and raising Mineva Zabi; A young woman that is said to be the last carrier of Zeon's royal blood. Unfortunately this tutelage also meant she was taught much of the regal and selfish beliefs of the old Zabi family; The same people that were responsible for the corruption of Zeon.

I quite like the title of Ghost, because it implies this sort of belief of something that should be gone but still clings to the world. The terrible ideology of the Zabi family is something Haman clings to and wants to force on others, and this ideology encourages her to see people as nothing but tools and actors for her own personal goals. With Haman and the context of Axis Zeon in mind, we can finally get to the Gaza-C proper; A suit that manages to symbolically represent these different aspects of the faction.

The Zabi family are low-key boomers, for real-for real.

It All Culminates In The Gaza-C

Many of the mobile suits used before this point typically have a humanoid design, especially the other mass produced suits like Zeon's Zaku and The Earth Federation's GM units from the original series. Those specific suits call back to soldiers from historic wars, and fit in perfectly as a depiction of this new type of warfare.

Axis Zeon's Gaza-C units don't share this trait despite having a similar purpose. A rifle juts out from the torso of the suit, with thick tubes connecting it to the main body. The "head" (if that's even a good word for it) is fitted with a singular eye that's reminiscent of a scope. The Gaza may have arms and legs like the other suits, but the structure of feet, head, chest, and the various exposed tubes seen throughout the suit give it a much more inhuman vibe than other suits seen up until this point. If anything, the Gaza-C feel like they're on life support. The mix of purples and pinks brings to mind organs and body parts, with the various tubes keeping the struggling things alive. Struggling would be a key word, as these suits are made from salvaged parts and quickly mass produced.

One of these things is not like the others...

Every mobile suit in the series is a weapon for war and destruction, but the inhuman Gaza units feel much more distinctly like weapons. The alt modes the units can change to support this further: A bipedal turret, and a more compact flight mode. Featured prominently in every mode is a very distinct rifle that is permanently attached to the suit. Taken together, it delivers a clear message; These suits exist exclusively to be used as a weapon without any form of humanity.

Our first encounter with these suits definitely displays this feature, where they're seen showering a Titan mobile suit with a rain of beam rifle shots. While the initial scene shows an impressive number of Gaza units to begin with, a quick pan out shows that the Argama is surrounded by them. Like flies, they jet around and peer into the glass of the vessel, making sure that the crew is fully aware of their presence.

The initial scene depicting them is off putting, and it definitely gives this feeling that Axis Zeon should be feared. But, I used the word flies for a reason. Much like those insects, the Gaza-C are rarely shown to be worth concern even in high numbers. Their introduction depicted a team of them taking shots at an enemy mobile suit, but the damage seemed negligible. While the suit did flee due to orders, it was less out of concern for their safety and more of a strategic decision.

I, personally, would be a little more concerned if a large mech stared at my viewport.

Even with that kind of pathetic opening display aside, the suits are commonly shot down without much trouble as well. While there certainly are a large number of them, the actual threat they pose seems minimal...and it definitely seems like the Argama crew feel the same way. Comparing them to what the AEUG's Argama carrier or Titan vessels have at their disposal feels sadistic, since suits like the Zeta Gundam (and ZZ Gundam later on) or The O are practically walking fortresses that are more then capable of wiping out a Gaza fleet on their own.

Ultimately, I think the Gaza-C are mass produced, barely cobbled together units produced en masse purely to give the façade of power; Something that would make sense for Axis Zeon current situation. Haman Karn would want to be taken seriously as a threat, and meeting her competition with a full army of suits definitely leaves a strong impression.

Fragile Beliefs and Even Weaker Armor

Turning things into an army of emotionless, disposable, weapons wouldn't be something Haman is a stranger to either. During the events of ZZ Gundam, the Neo Zeon forces led by Haman are filled out with an assortment of lighthearted characters with quirks and personality. However, many of these characters end up being reprogrammed as Cyber New types and lose bits of themselves in the process; They become less human for the sake of acting like a better weapon for Haman's personal use.

Not only did they rob his personality, but his drip too.

Despite how devoted to Zeonic ideals Haman and members of Axis and Neo Zeon might seem, I believe this devotion is extremely flimsy. Many high ranking members of Neo Zeon seem far more interested in appealing to Haman herself as opposed to any pride or devotion for their faction. The Princess that is meant to be the lynchpin of their whole faction is revealed to have disappeared before the events of ZZ Gundam, and...no one actually seems to mind this that much. Haman herself doesn't seem to want to restore the Zabi family to power either and even seems to be convinced that she was wrong for even trying; This leads to her taking her life during the finale of ZZ Gundam. These fragile beliefs seem to be perfectly represented by the fragile Gaza-C, which is completely eliminated by single blasts from the Zeta and ZZ Gundam suits.

Shockingly, this is one of the least gruesome Gaza trashings.

That's not to say there are no Zeon loyalists, as Glemy Toto was extremely devoted to the point of being sick of Haman Karn and staging a coup. However, most of Neo Zeon comes off as a group of quirky individuals simping for an unhinged woman with abandonment issues.

Justifying Atrocity

With all these things in mind, I feel like Haman Karn wanted to give off the illusion of strength so she could gain power for herself, and used Axis Zeon as a way to do it. The fleet of Gaza-C units and the Axis warship would definitely give an impression of strength, but the impression is all it is. Neither the AEUG or Titans seem to have any proper estimate of the groups military strength, with the Titans instead using the possible threat of a Zeon revolt as justification for their fascist policies. Besides Haman's own personal Quebley unit, the Gaza-C is all they have and it doesn't pose any major threat; Definitely not enough to justify the Titan's attempts to control Earth and Space.

These dorks are what the average queer friend group looks like.

I think that's the perfect explanation of Axis Zeon as a whole, much like the Gaza-C they both look scary and can be used to strike fear, but both are fragile things that can be easily dismissed when the curtain is pulled back. The threat of an "Axis uprising" or "Zeon Revolution" was used primarily as an excuse for the Titans to force more control over colonies.

Even in the events of ZZ Gundam where a power vacuum allowed Axis Zeon to advance and gain more military strength, The newly renamed Neo Zeon was ultimately stopped by...children. They might have been extremely weird children, but the only real strength Neo Zeon had came from aligning themselves with other groups and taking advantage of the Earth Federation's negligence.

This small child fought the CEO of war crimes and WON.

To wrap everything together, I believe that Axis and Zeon is merely an illusory symbol of hate and regressive ideas that was used by the Titans and Haman to gain their own power. While Haman and Axis/Neo Zeon definitely existed, the actual threat they posed both ideologically and through sheer military strength was horribly diminished and downright miniscule compared to the might of the Titans or even the AEUG. The Gaza-C units are a perfect example of this; though their sheer numbers and design can appear threatening, in reality they're all barely finished suits crafted from salvaged parts that can't withstand any sort of real fight. If Haman Karn is the Ghost of Zeon, the Gaza-C are the corpse, dragged out as a display of power in hopes to hide the decaying state of the faction they represent.

The little asteroid Axis that could...(it actually failed.)

Bonus Section: Woah! Cool Robot!

Story relevance aside, I do genuinely adore the sheer aesthetic and want to rave about the Gaza-C model kit. The starkly distinct pink and deep purples mixed with the emerald eyes and windows give it a very unique look compared to other kits, and the asymmetry present in the design not only gives the kit a unique look, but keeps the actual building process interesting throughout.

My first foray into mech enjoyment came with transformers, so having a kit that transforms into several modes brought me a large dose of euphoria. The kit even came with a flight stand so the other modes could properly posed and displayed.

Taken together, it's a very unique kit with a lot of really cool features and I've absolutely adored my time with it. Although the actual build and lining process was a lot more involved then I would have expected, it does make the thought of making a small army of them feel less enjoyable tenable.

The Gaza-C and Quebley are besties ^.^

I'm a little quirky so transforming suits like these make me happy. (⁠；⁠^⁠ω⁠^⁠）

Panel lining these tubes was a nightmare and one of the reasons I'm discouraged from building a whole army (⁠´⁠-⁠﹏⁠-⁠`⁠；⁠)

Conclusion

The Gundam franchise as a whole sports a bevy of interesting mech designs, but the Gaza-C really stuck out to me as a very minor detail that ended up giving a lot of insight into the story and characters. This was definitely a lot to go over so I hope anyone that read this far enjoyed and can possibly also share my appreciation for this suit! This was my first time writing anything of this nature (and first time writing at all in years) so if there's any feedback please let me know!

Unlike Haman, I won't react badly to criticism (Probably)

I don't actually have a caption for this, I just wanted to share more ZZ please watch it. I promise it gets better, the early episodes have some whiplash coming off of Zeta but I think the series actually works really well as a more light hearted Gundam experience with a cast of loveable charac-

[nostringscouture]

Renting vs. Buying: What’s Better for Your Wedding?

Your wedding day is one of the most special moments of your life, and choosing the perfect wedding outfit is a huge decision. While traditionally brides would invest in expensive lehengas, shararas, or anarkalis, modern brides are now considering the benefits of renting designer outfits over buying them. So, is renting your bridal outfit a smarter choice than buying? Let’s explore!

Why Renting a Wedding Outfit is a Smart Choice?

1. Cost-Effective Luxury

Buying a designer bridal lehenga or sharara can cost thousands, but renting allows you to wear the latest collections at a fraction of the price.

2. Access to Designer Labels

With wedding lehenga rental, you get access to high-end designer outfits without the hefty price tag, making your dream bridal look affordable.

3. Sustainability & Eco-Friendly Fashion

Renting helps reduce fashion waste, making it a more sustainable choice compared to buying an outfit that will only be worn once.

4. No Storage or Maintenance Hassle

Bridal outfits require special care and storage to prevent damage. When you rent, you don’t have to worry about dry cleaning, preserving, or storing your outfit after the wedding.

5. Endless Variety for Every Occasion

Why settle for one outfit when you can wear a different lehenga, anarkali, or sharara for every function? Renting allows you to experiment with different styles without commitment

Check out the Renting vs Buying blog for more details.

Final Verdict: Renting Wins!

For brides who want luxury, affordability, and sustainability, renting a wedding lehenga is a fantastic option. It allows you to wear stunning designer outfits without a long-term commitment or hefty price tag.

Explore the Best Wedding Outfit Rentals at nostringscouture!

At nostringscouture, we offer an exclusive collection of lehenga, shararas, and anarkalis on rent to make you look stunning on your special day without breaking the bank.

Browse Our Collection Now! at nostringscouture

10 FAQs About Renting Wedding Outfits

1. Why should I rent a wedding lehenga instead of buying one?

Renting lets you wear a designer outfit at a fraction of the cost while avoiding long-term storage and maintenance hassles.

2. How does the renting process work at nostringscouture?

Simply choose your outfit, select your rental duration, and get it delivered. After your event, return it hassle-free!

3. Is renting a bridal lehenga hygienic?

Yes! We ensure every outfit is professionally dry-cleaned and sanitized before and after every rental.

4. How do I trust the one-time wear to be my perfect fit?

Couture should feel like it was made just for you and that’s exactly what we aim to achieve. After you reach out regarding your choice of garment, we will reach out to you personally to confirm your measurements to make sure we do our best. Since we offer garments for 4 or 8 days, we recommend leaving the first day for trials just in case you would like changes made.

5. What if I damage the rented outfit?

Please treat couture like it’s meant to be treated – delicately! However, if you do damage your one-time wear, you may be liable to pay a fee depending on the extent of damage. Most of it is on the house and is covered as part of our cleaning process and customizations. However sometimes, outfits are damaged beyond repair. In such cases, we reserve the right to evaluate each case individually and take a call depending on the life of the garment and disclose charges accordingly.

6. How long can I rent an outfit for?

Rental durations range from a few days to a week, depending on your requirements.

7. Can I extend my one-time wear period?

If you need to keep your rental for longer, please email contactus@nostringscouture.com and we will do our best to accommodate your request

8. When do I pay for the one-time wear garment?

For credit/debit/Paytm/bank transfer, you can pay the latest 15 days before your chosen date. For COD, you can pay on the day of delivery.

9. What is the price range for renting a wedding outfit?

Our rentals start at an affordable price and vary based on the designer, style, and rental duration.

10. How early should I book my wedding outfit rental?

We are happy to help you pre-plan for your occasion and book an outfit for you as early as 3 months in advance (it’s a first come-first couture game with us!). We are also here to help you with your last-minute requirements and can take orders 7 days before your chosen dates.

Check out for more queries FAQ’s link

[angelicgentleman]

@flameandindifference for 'My muse has died. Send in your muse’s reaction.' either verse.

A sudden pain in his chest. Pip wakes up suddenly, sitting right up, frantically looking around the room, patting the spot right next to him, only to find it empty, and cold. It only takes a fraction of a second for the anxiety and panic to fully settle in, and Pip is on his feet just a moment later, looking for his husband. Where was he? Realization hits him, and a trembling hand wanders up to his neck, holding onto the mark that was left on his skin so many years ago. 

There’s no link. No connection. Philip already knew what that meant, but it would not get to him, not through this amount of shock and denial he immediately went into. He has to find Lucius; he is clearly in danger. There is no time to waste. In a matter of seconds, Pip dresses up, not caring much about what he is actually putting on, he has no time to think about it. Just a few minutes after waking up, Pip is outside, running. The bond was lost and looking for Lucius will be a blind search, but he had to trust his intuition. There’s one place he has to check first, the only one that comes to his mind as a possible place for it to happen.  

With a loud thud, the heavy, wooden door of the church swings open and Pip walks in. The place looks nothing like he remembered; it’s not gloomy and abandoned, everything inside looks nice and clean, the candles are lit, and the suffocating smell of the incense hits him the second he walks in. When... How did this happen? This place was supposed to be a ruin, left to rot after the finale of their work. When and who made it functional? Philip swallows harshly, feeling a certain presence around him; a presence he recognizes immediately, but not the presence he would like to feel. Philip approaches the altar, the candles well lit – it almost looks normal, like any other day at the church. Except there are more candles than there should be, the incense is burning stronger than normal, and the number of crosses around the altar and the entire church is making Pip dizzy. There was enough of Lucius’ blood in his system to lead him to have a similar reaction. Still, he approaches the altar.  

That’s when he realizes... There’s blood all around it. It’s deeply red. If it wasn’t for the incense, Pip would recognize the scent of it immediately. Still, the sight makes his heart pound hard in his chest, threatening to escape. Careful steps lead him around the altar, but as soon as he is behind it, his legs fail him and Pip falls to the floor, shaking. No. This couldn’t be. It wasn’t possible.  

“That was the only way.” a voice echoed behind him, causing shivers to run down his body. Pip would recognize the voice everywhere; a voice he despised right from the beginning. Still, he doesn’t listen and slowly crawls toward the body lying in front of him. There’s a curved blade stabbed right into his chest, and Pip recognizes it. He didn’t think he would see the divine tool ever again, but the Dagger of Destiny was right there, dripping with blood that was still hot. This couldn’t be. Why would this happen? How did this happen?  

Shaking hands reach to hold Lucius’ face; but there’s no response, no reaction to it. “Please... Lucius...” he cries, leaning in closer, one hand moving to find the other’s hand, squeezing it as hard as he can. “Don’t leave, please, this cannot be over,” he begs, tears running down his face, falling onto the body beneath him. Panic and grief wash over him suddenly, and he tries to shake him – no response. Hands claw gently at exposed skin, trying to get him upright – no response. A desperate kiss to cold lips – no response. No matter what he did, there was no reaction. Finally, Pip leans down and presses his ear to his chest. Nothing. No sound. No familiar warmth. There’s a loud howl, filled with pain, fear, and anger, all emotions combined, but hurt most prominent. He’s gone.  

Philip pulls out the dagger and throws it away and with his head still on Lucius’ head, he wraps his arms around him, hugging him tightly and desperately. It wouldn’t bring him back, neither would the tears, but what else was he supposed to do? He had no power to bring him back... He couldn’t do anything. Useless as ever. Pip lies there, clinging onto him for what seems like hours; still praying that he will come back, wake up and everything will be fine. But it doesn’t happen. The tears don’t stop coming, but Pip eventually lifts himself, just enough to look at Lucius’ face; a final confirmation of what happened. Still, nothing he was able to accept, and he never will. A gentle hand reaches to touch his face, gently moving his hair out of the way. It was scary how peaceful it looked; almost as if he was just asleep. Pip smiles sadly, admiring him for a moment longer. The face he had loved for years; of a person he admired and followed even longer. Someone he always considered indestructible, powerful, ruling over death. It was all gone. Pip leans in, pressing his forehead against his – there's a silent whisper, the final confession, a quiet ‘I love you.’. His heart aches as he leans in to leave a gentle kiss on his forehead, then a final kiss on his lips. Silently, he moves to rest his head on Lucius’ chest again and closes his eyes. How long was he going to stay there? Maybe until the end of the world. Pip didn’t care any more. 

Vibrant blue eyes watch the scene at the altar; maybe there’s a glimpse of regret, but it cannot be undone. The Devil was once again defeated, by the hand and dagger that killed his father years ago. 

alternate ending;

A sudden pain in his chest. Pip opens his eyes suddenly, sitting right up, frantically looking around the room, patting the spot right next to him - to his relief, his hand lands on a warm body; Pip whimpers softly, and moves to cling onto him, the memories of what just happened still vivid and clear. But everything is alright. It was all just a nightmare.

[kalikai]

My first flute was almost a success.

Like, it was a success. I spent time and energy and concentration and now I have an out of tune PVC whistle that I can get a couple of different tones from.

But I'm going to start over and change a bunch of things. Not going to bother to finishing this first one by tuning it properly because I'm not happy with it; it's just misaligned with my expectations.

But it was useful because now that I know its first-hand performance attributes, I can connect the felt-sense to the numbers, and so now I can knowingly choose the numbers to pull felt-sense things in the desired direction.

Figuring out how to make this thing was frustrating.

There's like, this one random French guy on YouTube who gives a tutorial. Super clear trilingual directions, very simple tutorial, zero amounts of bullshit (beyond the obligatory preamble of "hey check out this cool weird instrument! Listen to me play some neat little tunes on it to prove it's a musical instrument!"), and his measurements are all in millimetres. Lovely. Wonderful. Literally the single best outcome you could possibly hope for from a video tutorial.

But he doesn't talk about the accoustic physics, or about how it feels to play.

Just "use these material and cut to this length, and then make these other cuts."

And also did not explain how to measure the other cuts (which fortunately doesn't seem to actually matter, because any high-precision acquired from fine measurement would be obliterated entirely by my extremely low precision implementation method: random rusty woodworking tools I found in the garage.)

So, okay, fair enough one guy isn't the repository of all human knowledge. I'll just look up "DIY PVC overtone flutes" elsewhere.

Here were my options:

👨🏻‍🏫 couple of other random YouTube guys, being all "wow, that French guy made a cool thing! What a fun little project that will be for me to try. Here's my own little video about how I followed his tutorial and made my own copy. That was pretty fun, but it was annoying when he used millimetres because I'm American." And then they digress into talking about how they adopted the first guy's project specs into their native gobbledygook measurements.

👨🏻‍🏫 one or two blog posts that were the same thing, basically

👨🏻‍🏫 couple of amateur websites about Native American Flutes (and COMPREHENSIVELY so). Awesome!

But:

- while NAFs *function as* overtone flutes, they have some added design elements to add functionality and improve their performance as musical instruments

- all their measurements in fractional inches

So for me to parse guidance from those resources I have to figure out how to unpack their formulas to get at exclusively what's relevant to my simplified design, convert their fractional measurements into decimal measurements, and then convert from imperial measurements into metric measurements.

Goddamn pain in the ass when I'm trying to work on a project in the evening and I'm crashing off all my meds and all this bloody runaround isn't impossible merely very difficult and very very very frustrating.

👨🏻‍🏫 a random post on a forum for people who make flutes and et cetera.

- guy being like, "hey I'm trying to make an overtone flute, and I'm using pvc pipe to simplify things for myself, and I started my numbers off using this science paper about didgeridoos (because the physics is the same; vibrating columns of air with one end closed) but something's awry with it can you give me some pointers please?"

- other guys being like "yeah man, of course. Okay, see, to get nice overtones whatcha want is for the dimensions of your column of air to have super high diameter-to-length ratios. Like, 1:35 is bare minimum, 1:40 is better, 1:50 would be amazing."

Immediate problems:

❌ That French guy who made the really awesome YouTube tutorial, his ratio in that tutorial is more like 1:20, lol

So while his flute does function and is super simple to create, it's janky as fuck.

❌ And because he doesn't explain ANY of the relationships between his measurements, the accoustic properties of his flute, how it feels to play, and how that relates to the range of tones it can play; it's impossible to know which measurements you should tinker with to redistribute the project's jankiness in order to emphasise a different prioritisation in the pursuit of high ratios.

❌ As an additional fun layer of obfuscation, the numbers used in the French guy's tutorial are the length and width of the plastic pipe, and not the length and width of the vibrating air column held within it (which is what the ratio is about), so that makes it even harder to connect the dots there.

The lengths being different is easier to catch, since those are measurements you've made yourself and there's a clear and separate starting point for each of the two measurements.

and then it's also a difference that doesn't even matter in the end anyway, because you end up adjusting the length of the pipe by shaving tiny increments of the end to get your flute into tune.

So you can't target a fixed ratio by measuring to an arbitrary length, because the lengths aren't arbitrary. Best you can do is have a desired target range of ratios, to hit a ballpark length for your desired tone.

But the widths being different is harder to catch. Because "20mm" is a designation of a type of pipe, and not necessarily a measurement of the air column that we imagine inside of the tube when doing calculations about it. 🙃

Good luck even noticing that without a set of callipers! And have fun getting your calculations all sorted out when you're trying to work out the ballpark lengths of pipe required to get your flute in tune!

(Because starting with a wrong width measurement leads to everything that follows being "imprecisely correct" at best)

Hmm, okay. 🤔

What does the comprehensive NAF website have to say about it?

They have a simplified version, which, in its examples, uses fractional inches as assumed input figures, and then simplifies the equations with those figures in them,

so when I want to plug in my own numbers into the formula they provided, I can't do that, because I don't know which numbers are part of their assumed inputs and which numbers are part of the function which relates input to output. Grr.

And then they also have an extremely in-depth version, where they treat it like a physics homework problem and get deep into the nitty gritty of accoustic physics,

which is equally as useless, because that gives an unachievable precision of measurement, which simply can't be implemented with the tools, skills, and materials at hand. Best you can do is that french guy's way, of getting it close enough to where you want and then gradually shaving the length down to get it into tune.)

High ratios = overtone flute.

Low ratios but it doesn't sound horrible and it isn't horrible to play = different kind of flute.

Different kind of flute that doesn't sound far worse than an equivalent overtone flute of similar materials and construction methods = far beyond the scope of this project

High ratios = jankiness

Therefore overtone flute is inherently janky, jankiness which can not be removed, only reallocated.

The kind of flute I could make the best using what I have at hand is an overtone flute, so I'm going to embrace the jankiness as a design feature and work on building the best overtone flute I can, even though an overtone flute isn't the best kind of flute that I could try to make (flutes without jank is a solved problem; the technology of overtone flutes was superceded in the stone age)

So, problems:

- to make nice music with overtone flutes, you need to be able to close off the open end of the flute with your hand while playing, which gives you more tones to be able to use.

- therefore the length of your air-column is restricted by the physical length of your arms

(Because one end of the tube goes to your mouth, where you blow in air to get the tone, and the other end of the tube has to go somewhere within reach of your hands)

- and so if you want to pursue a high ratio, you have to make your flute higher and higher pitched by shrinking the diameter of your air column instead of its length

(- also, thinner pipes can be longer than wider ones, because you only need a finger to close the far end and not the palm of your hand, which improves their ratio even more.)

To get higher overtones you have to blow harder which makes them louder.

The limits of my lung capacity and of my eardrums are thankfully closely paired, which is a limitation on the number of overtones you can have for a given pipe.

More overtones by way of high ratio, by way of shrinking the air column's diameter makes the flute's tones more and more high-pitched. This steadily increases the whistle's irritation factor but eventually becomes inaudible.

Same at the low end; once you get long enough the fundamental frequency requires you to blow air so slowly that the tone is inaudible. Any tones you can hear, then, are some higher overtone or another, and so you lose the bottom part of your theoretical maximum range too.

A nominally 15mm pipe needs 525mm of length for a 1:35 ratio, 600mm for 1:40, and 750mm for 1:50.

Which note the fundamental frequencies are for those lengths idk.

The didgeridoo paper that the guy mentioned in his post on the flute-making forum, that was supposed to have a table of lengths to frequencies, wasn't it? Let's go have a look!

1. Dead link, but oh well never mind that,

2. Found the paper, and it's an undergraduate homework project rather than a publication from professional academia, and not that that matters, but oh well never mind that

3. All their measurements are in fractional inches because of course they fucking are (🤮), but oh well never mind that,

4. Didgeridoos aren't flutes, so they're occupying a very different zone of the frequency scale, so this paper's table of lengths to frequencies stops before it gets up to the numbers I need. Drat.

So! Where I'm at is that I have a long whistle I'm not super happy with, which is good because now I've got a spare metre or so of 20mm PVC which I can entirely sacrifice to practicing and refining my PVC-cutting skills, and testing which of my cutting tools are best suited to the job.

And then there are two possible directions to go in for the next attempts:

- loooong whistle with a wider bore, with a deep voice like a fujara

- looong whistle with a narrower bore, with a high piping voice like a penny whistle, to try to push that width:length ratio as high as I can get it just to see what that's like