#i can respect the thirst and the hustle

[foolishmortal]

The dinner scene in joowons apt was so horny. Like if dongsik wasn't in one of the deepest depressions of his life he would have played along

nonny you are absolutely correct. bc if it's one thing we know about juwon, he tries to control his life by carefully framing all his interactions (how he looks, how he speaks, his various physical and emotional boundaries).

"good that you came by bc i made too much food"/"let's be spontaneous and open some wine" yeah right. this from the guy who plans his sneezes in advance.

that cooking scene with the unsetting classical Ravel playing in the background is as hannibalesque as it gets. juwon spent hours picking that bottle of wine. he had neurotic one-sided conversations with imaginary dongsik in the shower. he stood in the personal hygiene aisle of the pharmacy and agonized over which brand of lube and condom to buy and then 'oops guess these are conveniently here' stashed them his bedside table. and then shot out of bed in a cold sweat in the middle of the night to unseal the box of condoms and throw one or two away, so dongsik wouldn't know he bought it recently.

he knows dongsik will come after him after seeing the cctv footage. that dinner scene is the first time we see him in soft casual clothes, not because he's been caught unawares but because he's engineered it that way. he is not surprised when dongsik drops in. our man was planning on getting dicked down to within an inch of his life.

[oneslimybastard]

Another underutilized aspect of N, Natural Harmonia Gropius himself, is that he's conceptualized as not just a Math Guy, but a Math Genius if we go by some interview trivia notated on Bulbapedia.

It clearly shows in the way he speaks since his (translated) dialogue (idk about the original japanese one) is full of hamfisted references to formulas and frustration expressed when the chaos of the world does not align with them — which to me is like, the core of his character, something that makes him both An Asshole to deal with but also a very intellectually curios and creative individual. It's just a brand of creativity not a lot of people can keep up with nor understand.

N likes math because a lot of math is about clearly defined variables and their relationship to one another. If you come across an inconsistency that doesn't fit any prior definitions, you iron out a new definition and suddenly the field has expanded upon itself tenfold. It aligns with how his Very Autistic Brain functions, x + y = z, if I do x to y then z will happen. If z doesn't happen, then that just means I have to identify the hidden variables within the exchange and rewrite the formula to be more accurate.

Black and White's quality of writing is. Like pokémon often is. Questionable at best. The foundations are there but the execution is dumbed down and corny because it's still aimed at kids, BW in specific really cutting the theme of pokémon trainer ethics short in favor of just "dang u beat me in the pogiebattle guess ur right!". How-ev-er. In my head, and the reason why I still find the plot of those games compelling (aside for my unhinged thirst for goth man-milf Ghetsis) is that to me they're about local cult-raised autist Normal Henry Gropus bashing his head against the world over and over to desperately try and make the formulas make sense, to distill it into variables he can understand and predict on a consistent basis, and failing miserably at it. Because even if the world is Technically made up of a bunch of chemistry that you could, in theory, predict, there's just a lot of random noise in there from microscopic complexities that fuck everything up.

Pokémon are simpler creatures (discounting the eerily intelligent ones) who will be nice enough to behave like math problems most of the time. Humans rarely extend that grace, the more N studies them like a science project the more contradictory variables pop up. They have a million thoughts in their head he doesn't have access to, that brew into feelings he doesn't understand, which leads to actions he can't do a proper traceback through. Which is frustrating, devastatingly frustrating. At least at first.

Due to how BW2 pans out and my own yearning for thematic mirroring, whereas Ghetsis gives in to the Autistic Bitterness over all these NTs he doesn't fuckign understand, I like to think N develops a sort of joy in studying people like the impossibly complex math problems we are. Because he likes math, he likes figuring shit out, he likes buying a nightmare rubik's cube and charting the squares out on a nightmare variable graph (listen i am not a math guy. i respect the hustle but my skill level is too low to accurately attempt to simulate the process in writing. im sorry math guys) so he has a home-made flexible cheat code on how to solve any possible mix-up of it. It's fun for him, it stimulates his brain and he is so stupid good at it that he can only share that joy with like a stray alakazam or metagross because he's a bit of a tarzan just hanging out in the wilderness, he doesn't know any high end mathematicians he can casually geek out about combinatorial game theory with, and the normies just do not get it .

I think this math enjoying is kind of a big part of his ~Innocence~ as well, since there's a lot of childlike glee to being a Math Guy. It's the love of problem solving as a process rather than a means to an end, it's playful, but severely misunderstood to the point where people kinda might assume things about you if you are a math guy.

N's love of math helps him love the world but it also isolates him. He's a genius, but since he can't communicate it in a palatable way it'll get overlooked in favor of him just being a loomy weirdo on the street chatting up the local patrats.

If introduced to DnD though he'd spend so much time on forging ridiculously optimized multiclass builds, then migrate to digging through old obscure sci-fi ttrpgs from the 80s with hellishly complex systems just for the funsies of learning how the presented variables behave within a variety of frameworks, but then if you actually invited him to play with your group he'd look at you like you'd just called his mom a llama.

He's a neat guy to me, STEM guy who's also one of those animal rights activists who's a little too PETA-coded, I like him :)

[eyeofnewtblog]

Things that happen at work:

So, my coworkers know that am good at sewing and do clothing repairs or alterations as a side hustle.

One of my coworkers is a semi retired professional bodybuilder. He was a driver, but now he’s the night dispatcher, and he’s…kinda crazy. Not in a bad way, but just…very Right Wing Alpha Male Energy, while at the same time being very self aware of his personal flaws, CONSTANTLY happily stoned, accepting of other people’s opinions and views as long as you aren’t trying to change his mind, just bringing interesting talking points to the table…the analogy I suggested that he liked the best is that he’s like fancy licorice, a very strong distinct flavor, very few people like it, definitely an acquired taste, and probably an expensive mistake if you’ve never had licorice before.

That all being said, he’s still a semi retired bodybuilder and obsessed with having ALL of his pants fit his ankles as if he were wearing sweatpants. And his “nice” shirts being fitted to his current torso size rather than his previous size. I only charge $10 a garment if it’s just a basic alteration or repair, so about once a month he gives me two or thre things to take in or add elastic to.

But remember how he’s now a dispatcher, not necessarily everyone’s cup of tea, on top of being constantly stoned and knowing that I can sew? Anyway.

Me: *coming into the driver room so that I can punch out with the fingerprint scanner thing, having casual good bye conversations, while the day dispatch guy is leaving and Crazy Bro is taking over*

Crazy Bro: Hey, I have a very serious question for you. What if…I wanted to have my face just…sewn directly onto my ass?

Me, after a very surprised pause: I mean, it’s definitely doable. It’d have to be hand stitching and I’d have to get the right kind of thread to make it permanent, but I’ve already got my grandmother’s saddle repair kit, plus all my curved needles, so like. It’s definitely doable. Do you want to be dead while I do this, or are you thinking straight up centipede style? There’s broken bones either way, just. How exactly do you want to do this?

Crazy Bro: Honestly, I just wanted to see how you would respond. I’m impressed that you took it as seriously as you did. I was honestly thinking you would get grossed out and storm off.

Me: Bitch, please. I know you well enough to know to feed your hunger for knowledge before I feed your basic thot thirst for a ReAcTiOn. How else am I going to feed my own intrinsic need to be liked by everyone? (Yes I used air quotes to enunciate my verbal response, no I’m not ashamed of myself)

Crazy Bro: This is why I like you. You’re soft, and good at hiding, but secretly you’re as cold on the inside as I am.

Me, in all seriousness: I’m good at empathy and conflict avoidance tactics. I’m not hiding anything, I just know that you will respect me more if I respond with facts and a plan instead of freaking out.

[ffsg0jo]

HOLD AWNNN, THE ENDING OF AOT WAS GOOD THO (said with love)

LMAOOOO i love the (said with love) bit thanks bestie. im replying with a long response, but i promise i too am saying this with love !! 🥰💖

im gonna be completely honest when the manga ending first came out. i was defending isayama with my life. i didn't really like the ending, but that was my og, so i sucked it all up and tried to like it. but ive matured, and ive accepted that it wasn't the best ending in terms of actual writing.

reading the manga, it was actually so so good right up until the last chapter. all the chapters before the last one was honestly 10/10 in my opinion. would've been one of the best mangas ive read. i remember waiting months for the final chapter, and when it came out, my heart sank. i wanted to cry for all the wrong reasons.

ill list all the reasons why i didn't think it was a good ending under the cut and you can read them if you want but i just wanna say i am absolutely NOT shitting on anyone that enjoys the ending or isayama or anything. im actually really glad you like it, and it's all personal opinions/ preferences anyway.

plus he's apparently releasing chapter 140?? so we'll see what isayama does with that.

I don't hate it because Eren died or because Mikasa was the one to kill him. I actually quite liked this aspect, and it feels very fitting. The same goes with Armin and Eren's talk. I love that we got to see more of their differing views and opinions on freedom. But there's a lot of other things I disliked.

Eren for some reason, turned into a whiny baby, not wanting mikasa to move on. Like we all knew that he loved her since the very beginning and its so so obvious. But instead of showing that in a meaningful way, he's like, NOOO SHE CAN'T MOVE ON !!!!!! like bro cmon now you're grown

Reiner's character regressed last minute, and it completely ruined his development. Like, I know it's been three years, but why is he thirsting over historia and sniffing the letter she wrote. We literally saw him shove a gun in his mouth, wanting to kill himself and suffer from extreme PSTD. It feels like isayama wanted it to end on a lighter note even though his protagonist was killed. And he did it at the expense of other characters. All the love I had for reiner lowkey went away when I saw him do that.

Jean and Mikasa getting together. It's heavily implied that she never got over him and is even buried in the scarf he wrapped around her. And it doesn't sit well with me that she got with Jean, knowing he's second to a dead guy. I wouldn't have minded them being together if the circumstances were different. Mikasa healed and moved on, or her and Jean got closer and bonded over their trauma and everything they lost. But she clearly didn't move on from Eren, and I personally think Jean deserved better than that.

Annie basically getting off scot-free, and her getting with Armin. I'm not gonna explain this one too much, but out of all the traitors, she's the only one that had no/little remorse. And the fact that she got with Armin just rubs me the wrong way. I respect the hustle, but I wanted her dad to die or something she needed to suffer a little more.

Historia ends up with a man (like bffr now cmon). This one's pretty self-explanatory, but you're telling me she seriously got pregnant and settled down with a man? I read fan theories/predictions at the time that were 100000× better than what isayama did to her.

Everyone's characters just went back to their season 1 version, and I hate it. They suffered so so much went through such tragedy but came out relatively mentally unscathed? I feel like the only person who's truly suffering the effects of it, mentally and physically, was Levi. I did really like Levi's ending, though. It was tragic but fitting. And the fact that he's with Gabi as well I really liked that.

anyways like i said people have different opinions and it's totally fine if you don't agree with me !! hope you're having a wonderful day nonny and thanks for popping in <33

It wasn't a bad ending, but it wasn't a good ending either. I liked about 40% of it, but that's about it. It's been nearly 3 years since I've seen the ending, though, and this is just from memory, and I've tried to be as brief as possible.

If I revisited it, there could be more things that I like/dislike. idkk. I also haven't watched past half of season 4 part 1 of the anime, so if anything changed in the anime ending, I'm not too sure about that. i'm speaking purely from the manga ending.

[heyitsspaceace]

Hello, since the forms were anonymous, do u think u can post some of the reasoning of some for how they rated some of the drivers?

Ur post abt the 100 respondents let us see some thoughts, and I know some of the comments that u have mentioned was from me (i know i'm the one who thirsted on yuki's thighs)

I personally wouldn't mind if u'd publish the reasonings or the thirst paragraphs

I think it'll be either really funny, lovely, or horny or weird

oh my friend you've opened the floodgates

anyways here's the og link the quiz

so here are some memorable responses

Yuki Tsunoda

"He has a manly, manly body with a nice set of abs. He can successfully backflip into a pool and he's just plain hilarious. Plus he's got no filter, can cook you breakfast in the morning and can even sing. multi-talented"

"*Fernando Alonso voice* YUkiii"

"Have you seen those thighs?! And he's just so soft especially in pastel clothes, he loves food, and his eyes when he smile just melts me. Did I mention his THIGHS?"

"So smol. Idk who any of these are but he looks like he finished his A-levels and went 'fuck it' before turning up at the local f1 track and won."

"Food obsession, funny, homoerotic tension with Pierre, what more could you want in a man?"

"Even thou wer'e the same height, he'll forever be my short king and the thighs."

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Lando Norris

"Less baby than Yuki but Baldo Norris is haunting my dreams"

"the hair ✨✨"

"An absolute icon. Gen z at its finest ✨"

"When I watch his intweviews it's always has me rolling at some point , mammmmm those choclate curls."

"British +1 for the hair"

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Fernando Alonso

"This man. So hot. Renly tormenting Stannis with a peach was inspired by this man. One sexy motherfucker. Unfortunately dates women he’s own age. An absolute menace. He’s in it for the long con, when Yuki retires Nando is the shortest on the grid. Chase that title king!"

"Best Friend's Dad who will fight anyone for you. Also, makes a great sandwich."

"Unhinged petty energy, I thrive to be like him"

"He's a bastard menace and also petty as FUCK. I love the drama this old man generates"

"he’s a bastard but there is something attractive about it"

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Valtteri Bottas

"underrated unproblematic king"

"best wag & tiktok, porridge king"

"Gentleman ♥️"

"Malewife"

"THIS is the ideal male body. Sorry if society isn’t ready for it. Sexy AF"

"I have a thing for people from Finland. He gives me a warm fussy feeling, and he’s gender envy"

"I like how he keeps showing his ass. I respect that hustle."

"Idk what about this man but I feel absolutely safe around and I have never met him in my life."

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Sergio Perez

"also Dilf but also cheater"

"Decent driver, I cheered when he won. Wish he said fuck team orders, I’m here for ME!"

"Everyday i hate this man more and more i used to actively root for him but now all he does is terrorize my faves as per the rbr agenda and the wifecheating thing is hilarious but horrible no bonus points for being petty or occasionally hot from one angle sadly so 1"

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Zhou Guanyu

"actually a talented dude, his modelling pics were just too good"

"He so sexy,he cute,he hot my husband"

"down points because he has more style than me"

"Very cute. Best friend who doesn't really show care about much but will randomly give food and 3am 'I can't sleep so you're going to deal with it' texts. Also, says 'don't die' instead of goodbye. 10/10"

"A Goddamn Model. Absolute beauty. Also he looks like someone I'd come across at the mall. One point deducted bc I dont like boba but he does."

"Fashion icon, he is the moment when he steps on track."

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Sebastian Vettel

"Daddy" x2

"Okay! Cool teacher that has been there for a year or two but it feels like forever. Gives off an ally to whoever needs one vibe. Like a 'You're gay? Great (insert support here)! Now let smash this quadratic formula!' Will die for any of his students."

"How much time do you have to hear me talk about the love of my life? Love al his eras has never done anything wrong in his life I would support him ni matter what team he races for and how much of a bastard he is. Crid over sebtirement many times and now i will force myself to watch races that are at 3am for me because i can’t miss any of his remaining races. Giving him 10 bonus points for being hot asf with every look and bringing back the sebstache his official score is 100/10"

"HIS PERSONALITY IS VERY SEGGCY. SAVE THE BEES. physically tho, not my type, aha"

"I have a thing for Germans too"

"Activism so hot on seb"

"Invented flirting. Has Lee Mckenzies number. Has the charisma bill Clinton thought he had."

"I like how this man likes bees. You go, little bee man!"

"Red Bull twink era was a 10, now -1 point because of the hair"

"Babygirl-coded old man"

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Mick Schumacher

"He's just a golden retriever (and I'm German and biased)"

"gorgeous gorgeous shoulder to waist ratio. angel baby"

"Normally an 8 but u chose the right pic i guess also does have sexy moves on track when given the chance"

"Cute smile a little twink-ish"

"Ray of sunshine, I’m always rooting for him. Does amazing things in a shitty shitty car. If Sebastian teaches him to flirt is over for all of us."

"self explanatory, I would kill for him as well. fun fact my dad would yell at me and my brother when we were little if we said Michael like the English pronunciation and not the German, because "U can't disrespect a Schumacher". So I won't."

"That one boy who excells at P.E and his exams. No one knows how or why. Probably plays for a local football team."

"Seems nice, i want to see what would happen if you put him in a competitive car. Can say "rawr" without making me cringe"

"Very golden retriever wonder bread and love him for it"

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Lewis Hamilton

"Smash. I dont care for the NDAs, I'll screw this man. Love him to bits"

"sebs boyfriend. literally so fucking hot. also a king. 8x world champion"

"Walk walk fashion baby"

"1) the tattoos, 2) the smile, 3) his eyes when he smiles, 4) the way he says Bono"

"he is the most beautiful man i have ever seen. hes sexy and handsome, of course, but hes also BEAUTIFUL."

"I like him, i like his angst, i want him to win"

"Babygirl-coded old man two EXCEPT this one's wayyy more beautiful than what should be legal. Like holy fuck. Also he's like the only driver who I desire carnally"

"handsome, aware of social issues and uses his platform to spread awareness, has a dog"

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Kevin Magnussen

"dilf" x3

"The beard *chefs kiss*"

"that's my type right here"

"fok smash. but like sometimes is soft a lil."

"He’s Danish, I’m legally contracted to like people from Denmark"

"Head teacher vibes. Tries his best but is often caught between teachers, students, and everyone else. Mr Vettel doesn't always agree with him, but they respect eachother alot."

"This man is really driving that shitbox to points finishes, gotta appreciate"

"He’s married😔"

"Dilf, tats, beard"

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Carlos Sainz

"TITS"

"he always looks super dramatic but really his favourite hobby is playing golf"

"Smooth operator" x4

"idk he looks constantly like he doesn’t know where he is or why he’s there"

"SMOOOOTHHHH OPERATOR. Deserves all the love in the world"

"You and that one friend who have grown apart over the years because life sucks and gets in the way, but who will always makes sure you're ok and will drop anything and everything to help if you aren't. That's him. He's the friend."

"🌶️🌶️🌶️"

"Tits and thighs, deadly combo, it should be illegal."

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Pierre Gasly

"oui oui, has labrador energy"

"the hottest right after Sir Lewis. He had an amazing glowup and i can't forget the way he was whoring around with diff women. Really, REALLY desirable. HIS BODY IS AMAZING, MF WORKS OUT A LOT. his voice is hot and is humor is exactly my favourite kind"

"I highly respect his horny on main attitude"

"hot."

"french slut we love it"

"IM OBSESSED. I LOVE HIM. Him + yuki= fav couple in the paddock"

"MY KING MY HUSBAND MY BABY"

"I think about monza 2020 every day i need this man to succed or so help me, I JUST WANT HIM TO BE HAPPY!!! (also very hot)"

"I want him to break my heart so bad that i spend every night sobbing on the bathroom floor that i miss him while he forgets about me immediately aka good 4 u vibes. If he asked me to commit a crime i would do it"

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Max Verstappen

"just love him ♥️ Dork!"

"Aww u put the out of office max, soft max is the best and besides yuki, he also has got one of the nicest thighs on the grid and his lip freckle is just so cute i wanna kiss ot and pull at his post race hair thank god also that his wearing curved caps more these days and ahhh so fucking soft love him"

"Cute, hot after the races"

"That one person you know who says they're a twitch streamer/influencer and you're like 'Having two followers and led keyboard doesn't make you a streamer Barry' but then you check his Twitch and he isn't half-bad? You watch in secret of course until you accidentally sub with Prime and the entire friendship group gets dragged into becoming Max's #1 Supporters. Will tease you about it (affectionate)"

"Post race Max hits different"

"When I tell you I had the most epic haters to lovers with this man. I didn't like him at first at all but now I still don't love him but I do have a strong liking to him . His smile and thighs ."

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Lance Stroll

"My favorite color is green, my lucky number is 18. Hate to see people living the dream I can’t 😔"

"i just love lance and I mean look at his hair"

"actually boyfriend material tbh"

"Andrew Rannels but make it F1"

"idk idk idk dont come for me but i love this unbothered king so fucking much"

"wonderful eyebrows. expressive face, love the faces he makes. seems very polite and respectful. cute smile. i am not immune to dark hair dark eyes combo."

"Blah blah he bought his seat, whatever he seems sweet okay? Also love a snarky comment here and there"

"ANOTHER UNDERRATED KING everyones like hes just a rich kid blahblahblah umm okay so is 90% of the grid?! Good vibes good energy occasionally hot and not as bad of a driver as people want to believe"

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Daniel Ricciardo

"AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE OI OI OI, miss him winning"

"My babygirl. I will die defending him. I love everything about him. How can i not?"

"perfection. beautiful boy"

"Also thighs plus the tattoos (so of course special mention to the thigh tattoo)"

"how could u not love himmmm seriously. I hope he bankrupts McLaren. Also I'm getting my friend into F1 by exploiting her crush on Daniel."

"He feels like a day spent by the pool in Spain with your best friends, good music and cocktails"

"The curls, the nose, the side profile, the smile!?! This really doesn’t need any reasoning."

"he's hot, the curls, the tattoos but his character makes him a real 10/10"

"It’s either 1000000/10 or your wrong."

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Charles Leclerc

"the (himboest) prettiest boy on the grid"

"most gorgeous man in motorsport"

"kitty<3 he’s my babygirl"

"There he is my baby, king of my heart, loveliest boy, tu es bel, tu es mon ange, so fucking beautiful, i actually cried once (thrice) just looking at his pics and gods have u seen that latest thirst trap from ferrari and i am the perfect height to just bury my face onto his chest and his eyes (everchanging and twinkling, tho not much these days so f u ferrari), and his dimples, i just wanna poke those dimples and have you seen his upper bod, its the perfect mix of abs and a lil tum tum and i rlly wanna boop his perfect nose and run my fingers thru his hair (i bet itd feel like clouds) and he'd whisper sweet nothings in english italian and french. And really his thighs are perfect too, like the way he manspread on that pic on the yacth (i died, true story) and u know that beauty mark near his nose, i wanna kiss it so bad and the one on his neck too and the ones on his torso and i love the way he plys piano and the way he wears jewelry (that's hot) i just rlly love him even when he's a lobster"

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Nicholas Latifi

"the 2 things I know about him is that he's canadian and he likes nutella"

"Listen, i just saw that gamer!nicky photo and it did things to me"

"That one person who is lovely but one bad day away from snapping. Pls, give him a hug."

"i like his nose a lot. legendary eyebrows. hot streamer boy nicholas forever in my heart. hes also very nice and friendly looking and i feel bad for him jskfkalfjfbsk"

"This man really likes Nutella and that's really sexy."

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George Russell

"GEORGE!!!!!!!!!!!! acts like a private school boy"

"it's so much fun to see my brother annoyed every time he is told he looks like Russell. I love convincing people he looks like russell. He does. I can convince you too."

"bf material right here as well"

"The guy who comes in to assemblies to give those talks on stupid things. Like a Tedx talk level of why... kinda cute tho"

"Him fanboying over Daniel Is my suicide prevention. Also is so nice 😭"

"Something about a guy that loves a powerpoint and knows the rule book and WILL ARGUE... debate kid vibes but hot? very confusing! I also really enjoy his brand of british accent"

"my beloved, I'll rate him 100/10. Love his eyes, his appearance, his accent, his talent and his personality. (love his friendship with alex as well)"

"Fantastic driver. And he’s the biggest DR fanboy so he gets extra rights"

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Esteban Ocon

"adore him a lot. got a soft spot for the man because of his childhood story. and he looks very hot at times without excess gel in his hair"

"Fav string bean"

"love him fr <333 estie bestie truely the most real nickname"

"He's french :( but he's friends with Mick :) , soo fuck it, he gets a 5"

"I fell in love with him when he and max almost got into a fistfight. General mischievous vibe."

"estie bestie...we stan"

"estie bestie! but idk i also spell like este maybe i'm a fake fan. i think he is cool! and also like that he comes from a more humble bg ig"

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Alex Albon

"albon pets >>> anything else"

"i like his name and his girlfriend!!"

"Boyfriend material + nice and comfy"

"a sweetie. a cutie. i love his laugh"

"Tho if u had put in lily, i'll give her a 10 too"

"his cats>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ❤️❤️🥰❤️❤️❤️😍"

"WILL NEVER FORGET HIS ICONIC ROOKIE POEM"

"If you don't like alex albon i do not trust you!!!!!'

"love his smile, his positive energy. and his friendship with george. and his cats."

"🫶🫶🫶 very boyfriend coded (would steal lily off him though) kind sweet nice deserves good things"

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and that's all!

IF ANY OF YOU SEE YOURS AND WOULD LIKE IT REMOVED PLEASE LET ME KNOW I WILL OBLIGE!

[strayen-fx]

Red.

》 HHJ x reader

》 angst, vampirish theme

》 warnings: mentions of blood, hints of physical assault

》 2.1k words

》 a/n: short and simple, after months of writing break. Hope you guys enjoy regardless :)

“Stay away from them, my dear. Save your blood from the horrors of their fangs. Be wary of solitude, and be wary of the crowd.”

It was a day not unlike any other. My morning kicked off lazily, with me waking up almost an hour later than a college freshman was supposed to. Nothing unusual there. I did my usual morning prep, took a cup of grandma’s tea in one gulp, and went my way. I was already late for the train—I had to run after a departing bus with an exceptional speed that would put Olympiads to shame. I got in the room just in time as the bell rang for first period. I came in huffing like an old man, but it’s alright. Way better than walking through the early jam-packed hallways.

The first aberration in my daily humdrum existence happened on my way to fourth period. A student from another department stopped me on my tracks. I knew him; he was a member of the student council. Was I in some sort of trouble?

He introduced himself as Han Jisung, then proceeded to ask if I have seen his friend.

“He’s tall,” Jisung explained. “But like, not super tall. Not the towering-over-people kind. He has a mole under his eye. He’s got black—no wait, I think he dyed his hair again the other day. Anyway, have you seen someone like him? He’s noticeably handsome. I guess. I’m more handsome, though, but you know what I mean.”

The whole school would know who he is talking about. The one and only Hwang Hyunjin: champion swimmer, council member, and just a general talk of the town. The Prince. Even if I did see him around, though, I wouldn’t know. I never pay attention to the people I walk by.

I shook my head and muttered a soft sorry. I did feel bad for Jisung. He looked so worried and dejected, and I can’t blame him—not after after the incident with Seungmin. I can’t really take it against him to worry about his friends. I sauntered off to my next class, my mind still stuck on the fact that a normal person in my school has actually talked to me, and I was able to keep my composure.

Fifth period: P.E. I don’t even know why we still have this subject in college. I opted to take a stroll instead. You see, a huge, dense forest is situated right behind the main school grounds. You could say that the school itself lies within the bosom of greeneries. Unkempt bushes and rows of towering trees stretched over several miles deep, starting from the edge of the campus to god-knows-where. It is my goal to scout the whole area before graduation.

Weighed down by my personal monstrous beast, I trudged through. I walked for at least fifteen minutes before I finally reached the spot—my spot. Sheet of decaying leaves cushioned a huge gray boulder, standing at least ten feet tall, shaped like an odd piece of egg smashed against the forest floor. Against it stood a larger stone, this one dotted with moss and weathered with cracks. They were propped against each other for support, as if stopping one another from tumbling to the ground.

There was a smaller rock at the foot of the smaller stone, and I use it as leverage to climb up and sit on top of the largest boulder. It was my favorite place. Most times I could just pretend that I was alone in my own tiny bubble, at the center of that clearing that nobody else ventures but me. I don’t feel the breath of people suffocating me with every step that I take. I don’t feel my heart thumping with the sight of anyone else. I don’t need to hold back. Here, I don’t feel weird.

But today felt somehow different.

It was awfully silent. The wind felt sharper and colder. Electricity was humming in the air, leaving my skin prickling with discomfort. There was a tension in my veins that I couldn’t quite explain—it felt like an omen of an incoming disaster.

Time ticked slow. A couple hours could have passed—or maybe it has only been five minutes—when a nearby rustling perked up my senses.

Trying to keep my movements as quiet as possible, I hopped down and took up a defensive position, which wasn’t easy to do for a student with no actual weapon aside from an almost-empty bag and a worn-out calligraphy pen. My instincts told me to take cover—but my feet seemed glued to the ground. Sweat trickled from my forehead. My hands started to feel clammy.

And then, just as I was about to scamper away, a figure crashed into view from behind the nearest oak tree. I almost threw my bag towards the person’s direction, until I had a clear view of the intruder’s face.

It was Hwang Hyunjin, wide-eyed and disoriented, with his cheeks and uniform smudged with traces of blood.

“Help me.”

His voice came out as a tiny croak, as if his throat was filled with acid. He stumbled towards me, reaching out his hand for support. I wasn’t able to move an inch—and who could blame me? The situation was way too hard to process.

Hwang Hyunjin, the university prince, was hunched huffing before me, his clothes caked with mud and dried blood, his hair a nest of mess on his head. He had a cut on his cheek, I noticed. His breathing was heavy and labored, as if the mere act of standing on his own two feet required all the effort he could muster.

“Help me,” he repeated.

“What happened to you?” I managed to blurt out. My initial thought was that some random outsiders kicked his butt for stealing their girlfriends. But no—someone like Hyunjin would have been able to handle that. Plus, something in his eyes showed an elaborate fear—something only a beast would be capable of instilling. I should know.

My heart began thumping faster, a colossal drum barreling in my chest.

Just as my schoolmate was about to open his mouth and explain, a loud rustling broke the stillness of the air. Before I could process what was happening, Hyunjin grabbed my hand and bolted away, dragging me with him.

“Don’t look back!” he warned.

I did.

At least a dozen feet behind us was another male, probably as old as Hyunjin. He was sporting our school uniform, walking casually under the shades of trees as if time wasn’t of any matter. What puzzled me, though, was the fact that we can’t seem to distance ourselves from him despite the heavy efforts Hyunjin had been exerting to drag us both away from this newcomer.

I took another glance behind me, and to my surprise, the young man wasn’t there anymore. Nowhere behind us, as if he dissipated without a single trace.

Hyunjin took a sudden stop, causing me to bump my head against his back. I was about to call him out for stopping, but then I saw the looming figure a few meters in front of us.

“You…?” I began, my mind a juggle of unanswered questions. How on earth did that happen? How is he—

Hyunjin's friend, Kim Seungmin, stood before us in his dirty school uniform. He looked pale, his eyes bloodshot, but he was standing there in full grace, very much alive, giving us a toothy grin. “You’re hurting my feelings, Hyun. Why are you running away from me?”

Hyunjin’s grip on my hand went tighter. “Seungmin...”

“Friends are supposed to help each other, am I right?” Seungmin continued, faux dismay dripping in his voice. He bared his fangs, its tips dripping with fresh blood. “So help me, Hyunjin.”

I felt my body run cold. I wanted to scream, run, anything—anything to get away from this. From him. From the two of them. From everything. But Hyunjin's hand remained strong around my wrist, and my legs were close to turning jelly. I could start to feel the fullness in my mouth, the pointy ends of my incisors. Something that only happens when I'm in an extreme hunger or danger.

“Stay away from them,” grandma said. “We are the same kind, but we are different. Weaker. They see us as preys, as special commodities. They can smell your blood despite my concoctions, my dear, remember this!”

Seungmin tilted his head to one side, finally regarding my presence. “And you, over there. I’ve never tried drinking such special blood.” He grinned. “Satiate my thirst.”

The last thing I knew, a strong hand was pressing tightly around my neck, turning my vision green.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°

“Have you heard of the news?”

“What news?”

“Kim Seungmin was safe! They found him in the forest yesterday.”

“Thank goodness! Was he hurt?”

“He had a few gashes, but he’s fine. Hyunjin found him and brought him to the hospital right away.”

Students filled the corridor, everyone bustling and hustling about the news: after his sudden disappearance, Seungmin was finally found by his best friend, Hyunjin. The latter saw him in the forest, hungry and disoriented. They went straight to the hospital to treat his minor wounds, and that was that—nobody bothered to ask how he managed to lose himself in the wilderness, or how we managed to survive seven days on his own. Nobody asked him stupid and unnecessary questions. Seungmin was safe, and that was all that mattered.

I brushed my way past the milling crowd, flinching at every accidental touch. I kept my eyes on the ground, forcing my mind into silence. I was expecting everyone to be in their respective classrooms at this time of the day, but apparently, the news of Seungmin’s return has become enough reason for everyone to wander about and neglect their individual duties. It was a grand miscalculation on my part—I hadn’t braced myself for this huge number of people.

Not here. Not now. Not ever.

I just have to get back home, and then it’ll be over. My insides would stop churning once I’ve drunk grandma’s tea—that has worked for 18 years now. I can stop this. I can stop me.

I made a run towards the comfort room. To my luck, nobody was inside. I washed my face over and over, as if doing so would cleanse me from the impurity stamped on every drop of my blood. The face on the mirror horrified me—I had to stop myself from punching the glass over and over.

The moment I stepped out, I felt his presence.

He was there, leaning against the wall, lurking behind the shadows. There was a faint gleam of terror in his eyes, but at the same time, I can feel it: the hunger. Lust for meat. Thirst for blood.

“Don’t be like him, Hyunjin,” I pleaded. “Don’t be like us.”

He shook his head in resignation. “It’s too late.”

He took a step closer. Another. He kept on walking until he stood right in front of me, too close I can feel him breathe.

Too close I can see the faint traces of blood on his lips.

“I’m still hungry,” he sobbed. “I’m still hungry…”

Fear was apparent in his eyes—fear of what would happen to him, fear of what he had become. “You will be fine,” I offered, taking his hand in mine. “Trust me on this. It will be fine.”

And then I felt it, stronger this time—the hunger he was talking about. The thirst. My stomach growled in protest at the sight of Hyunjin’s pale flesh. I can smell his blood—I can feel its steady rhythm as it flowed through his pulsing veins.

I need to get home. Maybe my grandma could do something about Hyunjin, too. Maybe she could produce a stronger tea, and both of us wouldn’t have to worry about our instincts anymore.

We stood next to each other for a full minute before he broke the silence.

“We need each other to survive,” Hyunjin whispered. “If we drink the blood of our own kind, we can last for a month without feeding on others.” He freed his hand from my hold and gripped my shoulders tightly. “I need you. And you need me, too.”Hyunjin leaned down until we were staring at each other at eye level. He closed the distance between us. I closed my eyes, and for the first time, I allowed my monster to take ove.

[zodiactalks]

Pisces Personality Traits (21 SECRETS)

Pisces, at times appear like they are aliens on earth but have you ever thought about the character traits that make Pisces so unique?

If you happen to be a Pisces you may have been considered as a brilliant person or someone who acts with absolute silliness. Let’s look at the personality of a Pisces so that we can have a true picture of exactly what makes a Pisces.

So, I am going to talk about 21 personality secrets that you are likely to observe from the Pisces.

1. Pisces are caring, compassionate and are willing to make huge sacrifices for others

The Pisces has an inborn desire to help others in the society and go to great lengths to ensure their comfort.  They have an amazingly good heart that allows them to give and help others in a selfless manner.

2. Pisces know how to make people be on their best behaviour

People like associating with Pisces due to their positive attitude that motivates people to become the best they can be.

3. Pisces appreciate people with inner beauty rather than outside appearances

Pisces know how to distinguish superficial and genuine characters traits of a person. They take time to get to know someone so that they can learn what kind of person they really are.

4. Pisces rely on their intuition and instincts when making decisions

Pisces trust their gut instincts to help them in various situations in their life. The power of their instincts helps them to avoid disastrous situations.

5. Pisces are selective when it comes to identifying friends

Pisces only keeps friends who add meaning to their life and avoid life-sucking friendships. They are quick to ditch friends who drain them emotionally and keep only real friends.

6. Pisces is a wishful thinker and enthusiastic dreamer

Pisces lives in a world of fantasy and use impractical ideas as diversions of real-life problems.

They aim at breaking every rule in the book and do things in a different way.

7. Pisces are too trusting in love relationships and hopeless romantics

Pisces put all they’ve got into a love relationship. When they enter the dating game, they are prepared to go out of the way to make their partners feel special.

8. Pisces can be difficult to describe or characterize since they are enigmatic

Pisces has traits that are extremely difficult to define. Their puzzling personality is confusing to some people who are left in total awe of what is happening to them.

9. Pisces have highly sensitive personal traits

Pisces feel their emotions deeply, and these involve both negative and positive emotions. Their feelings can change rapidly and can move from a depressed state to happiness very fast.

10. Pisces know how to get in touch with their spirituality

Pisces are keen on ensuring they are growing spiritually which helps to establish a strong bond with the world.

They are always reflecting and meditating to develop a healthy mind.

11. Pisces have a talent of figuring out a person’s hidden intentions

Pisces instincts can easily notice when a person is hiding their true intentions. They observe body language and unusual behaviour in people to find out the real intentions of others.

12. Pisces are super flexible and can form friendly relationships with people from diverse backgrounds

Pisces has the ability to adapt to different situations. They respect the beliefs and interests of others, and this allows them to build excellent interpersonal relationships.

13. Pieces are amazingly big hearted and charitable

Pisces has a heart of gold and always willing to help others by sharing what they’ve got. They are not the least bit stingy to those who deserve help.

14. Pisces can blow hot and cold on issues at times

Pieces are sometimes torn between several choices and can keep changing their attitude towards something. Their indecisive personality lengths their decision-making process.

15. Pisces is afraid of facing rejection  and living with loneliness

Pisces yearn for intimacy and they have a powerful thirst for deep connections and meaningful relationships. However, they struggle to find love due to their fear of rejection.

16. Pisces has natural creative and artistic skills

Pisces has a creative personality that allows them to stretch out their minds to come up with original ideas. They also have artistic skills that allow them to create fine works of arts such as sculptures, music compositions and paintings.

17. Pieces like to get away from all the hustle and bustle of life sometimes

Pisces takes a break when they feel that they need time away from everyone and everything. They use this time to relax and recharge their body and brain.

18. Pisces value open and genuine individuals

Pisces tend to value sincere people and think poorly of those whom they feel are trying too hard to impress.

They trust and respect genuine people who are always ready to speak their mind.

19. Pisces fall in love harder and faster

When they meet a partner they are compatible with, Pisces fall in love so damn hard and transform into a gushing love-sick mess. They become fully dedicated and committed to their lover and relationship.

20. Pisces has the determination to emerge a winner in anything

Pisces have a competitive side and are always putting their best leg forward to beat challenges. Sometimes their modest manner can lead you to underrate them since they can easily defeat you.

21. Pisces natural instincts enlighten them when one of their own is in need of support

Pisces are sensitive to other people’s needs and can unconsciously know when a family member or friend needs their help. They are extremely compassionate and empathetic towards their friends.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

8th March >> Mass Readings (Except USA)

Monday, Third Week of Lent

(optional commemoration of Saint John of God, Religious)

(Liturgical Colour: Violet)

First Reading

2 Kings 5:1-15

There were many lepers in Israel, but only Naaman, the Syrian, was cured

Naaman, army commander to the king of Aram, was a man who enjoyed his master’s respect and favour, since through him the Lord had granted victory to the Aramaeans. But the man was a leper.

   Now on one of their raids, the Aramaeans had carried off from the land of Israel a little girl who had become a servant of Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, ‘If only my master would approach the prophet of Samaria. He would cure him of his leprosy.’ 

   Naaman went and told his master. ‘This and this’ he reported ‘is what the girl from the land of Israel said.’ 

   ‘Go by all means,’ said the king of Aram ‘I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’ 

   So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten festal robes. He presented the letter to the king of Israel. It read: ‘With this letter, I am sending my servant Naaman to you for you to cure him of his leprosy.’ When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his garments. ‘Am I a god to give death and life,’ he said ‘that he sends a man to me and asks me to cure him of his leprosy? Listen to this, and take note of it and see how he intends to pick a quarrel with me.’

   When Elisha heard that the king of Israel had torn his garments, he sent word to the king, ‘Why did you tear your garments? Let him come to me, and he will find there is a prophet in Israel.’ 

   So Naaman came with his team and chariot and drew up at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent him a messenger to say, ‘Go and bathe seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will become clean once more.’

   But Naaman was indignant and went off, saying, ‘Here was I thinking he would be sure to come out to me, and stand there, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the spot and cure the leprous part. Surely Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, are better than any water in Israel? Could I not bathe in them and become clean?’ And he turned round and went off in a rage. 

   But his servants approached him and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had asked you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? All the more reason, then, when he says to you, “Bathe, and you will become clean.”’

   So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, as Elisha had told him to do. And his flesh became clean once more like the flesh of a little child.

   Returning to Elisha with his whole escort, he went in and stood before him. ‘Now I know’ he said ‘that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel.’

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 41(42):2-3,42:3-4

R/ My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life: when can I enter and see the face of God?

Like the deer that yearns    for running streams, so my soul is yearning    for you, my God.

R/ My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life: when can I enter and see the face of God?

My soul is thirsting for God,    the God of my life; when can I enter and see    the face of God?

R/ My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life: when can I enter and see the face of God?

O send forth your light and your truth;    let these be my guide. Let them bring me to your holy mountain,    to the place where you dwell.

R/ My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life: when can I enter and see the face of God?

And I will come to the altar of God,    the God of my joy. My redeemer, I will thank you on the harp,    O God, my God.

R/ My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life: when can I enter and see the face of God?

Gospel Acclamation

2 Corinthians 6:2

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! Now is the favourable time: this is the day of salvation. Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Or:

cf. Psalm 129:5,7

Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! My soul is waiting for the Lord, I count on his word, because with the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption. Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus!

Gospel

Luke 4:24-30

No prophet is ever accepted in his own country

Jesus came to Nazara and spoke to the people in the synagogue: ‘I tell you solemnly, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country.

   ‘There were many widows in Israel, I can assure you, in Elijah’s day, when heaven remained shut for three years and six months and a great famine raged throughout the land, but Elijah was not sent to any one of these: he was sent to a widow at Zarephath, a Sidonian town. And in the prophet Elisha’s time there were many lepers in Israel, but none of these was cured, except the Syrian, Naaman.’

   When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. They sprang to their feet and hustled him out of the town; and they took him up to the brow of the hill their town was built on, intending to throw him down the cliff, but he slipped through the crowd and walked away.

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[hongism]

Oh. Oh fuuuuuuck. Everyone was already hot in MOC but those outfit inspos!?! Everyone just got 50000x hotter. To be absolutely thirsty on main for a second, the Mingi break my back agenda is back at 100% also Hongjoong and Yunho are also on that agenda (I mean they already have been but now!? Sweet LORD) they don't even have to be in a particular order I got enough vertebrae to go around 😌

Everyone's look is very fitting! I love the monochrome mix of new and old! Also some of the looks for MC are what I was imagining so I love sharing a brain cell with you!!! And that reminds me of how much I appreciate you keeping vague about MC's appearance, I dont think many picture YN characters as themselves anyway and IMO you even could've gotten away with an OC with how well you've written her! As I was saying though, the way you've kept vague is well done, like you've made her flustered plenty of times but I don't recall seeing a "she flushed pink/red" for example and I love that!!! It's so clear how much time and effort you've put into the entire story and I absolutely adore you for that, thank you for sharing such a wonderful story with us!

i really H U R T myself picking out these outfits and imagining the boys in them 😭😭 mistakes were made and the thirst dial went to Max uGH it’s fine everything is fine i’m fine all is fine wow this is G r e a t. im thrilled to see the mingi backbreaker agenda still going strong, that’s truly a beautiful thing, we love to see it yesyes 🤧 and now we’re adding hongjoong and yunho to the mix?!?!? kink king 1 and 2?!??!? fuck it UP yes yes yes that’s the goods right there 😤 i have to say the ‘I got enough vertebrae to go around’ sENDS but you know what i respect the hustle and i appreciate it let’s fucking go ✋😌

and i’m super duper glad to hear that you think it’s very fitting 🥺 i was a bit worried about it not lining up well or fitting the vibes/characters/personalities well, especially with such a monochromatic color palette. and YES we stan a shared braincell, MC’s outfit inspos were a lot of fun to play with and i think i’ll keep adding more as time goes on since we’ve got such a long ass ride ahead of us aoifjsoidfj and 🥺🥺 pls my heart ;-; i did think about making the MC an OC straight up but when i was first writing it, it didn’t feel quite right and it felt better using 2nd person pov. i think, if i can say this myself as the writer, that MC’s character stands on her own in many ways and she does operate as her own person rather than just a reader insert. and i really really try my best to avoid using denotative language that would imply a certain hair color or skin color or body shape. i’m sure there are places where i’ve slipped up along the way bUT i do think that the lack of definitive appearance for MC doesn’t take away from the story because it gives me an opportunity to focus more on her Character and eek yes im starting to ramble but pls you’re so sweet thank you so much for giving my story a chance 😭🧡

[amimons]

Can i bully the ml staff to let mari post about her adrien lucky charm? We need mari to post her adrien lucky charm so that adrien will spam her comment section *cue* cute interaction. Ml staff are you seeing this? (I know you guys are stalking amimons)

Hmm maybe not bullying...how about a strongly worded letter? Here I’ll do it for you: 

Good Day Miraculous Instagram Staff, 

I hope all is well over on your side of things. Your hustle and bustle during the season 3 have not gone unnoticed and we appreciate all the hard work you are putting in to keep the fandom entertained. Every post ignites a spark of joy so thank you for gifting us with that small peg of happiness throughout the week. 

On the rare occasions, you gift us with a powerful spark. A spark so strong it erupts into a beautiful radiate flame that warms the heart of every single one of us in the fandom. Post like Adrien visiting the Dupain-Cheng’s bakery, Adrien commenting on Marinette’s posts, and of course let’s not forget the most joyous event of them all, the Adrienette selfie. Which not start off the New Year with a bang but brought the community together in a way like no other. 

The days where the community is brought together is important in these trying times especially when the fandom feels like it’s drifting apart day by day. Clearly, you can see these Adrienette posts strengthen the community and it is important to keep it strengthen. So how can you do that you ask? Well, it’s simple really; to post more adrienette posts but in a way that creates such an uproar that it keeps people talking. For starters, a continuation of the lucky charm bracelet posts. 

The lucky charm bracelet post was the very first adrienette related picture and it went hard. There was no mercy and it made the fandom thirsting for more. So it would be very beneficial for not only the Instagrams but the community as well for Marinette, a girl who struggles with expressing her feelings and is afraid to be too bold, to just go for it and post her lucky charm bracelet to the world. The hype centered around it would be monumental and everyone would be cheering for our lead protagonist for really going for it. 

So it is with that I will lead you with that suggestion. Again thank you for all the hard work you been doing. I respect you all greatly and I can say the whole fandom does as well. 

Sincerely,

Amimons & The Miraculous Fandom 

[lukeskywaker4ever]

King Pedro V 2nd Voyage (May 20th to August 14th, 1855): France

The 1854 trip was not, in fact, the last that King D. Pedro V made through the old European continent. In the following year he made a new tour and, in the excitement of what would follow, Pedro described, in his new diary, the wonders of traveling for those who want to educate themselves: “On a trip you receive an instruction that is very different from that of books, an introduction that books do not give, that instruction that you receive just because you throw your head out of the window. A trip, and a trip mainly in civilized Europe, that of the revolutions that have changed the face of our society, that shows us the remains of great nations, the effects of political errors, is a great relief to the thirst for instruction, a momentary relief and for that reason it is painful for those who see it before them only a bad time.” This time, and to fill the gap from the previous trip, France was the starting point for a new tour. It would be, again, the ship Mindelo 

carrying King D. Pedro, who was accompanied, as in the previous year, by his brother Luís.

On May 25th, at noon, the ship reached the river Gironde, which bathes the city of Bordeaux. However, at that hour, the river was no longer navigable, so Mindelo had to land in Pauillac, a few kilometers from Bordeaux. Predicting that this could happen, Emperor Napoleon III 

had already made available a steam, the size of which allowed him to sail to the French city. In Bordeaux, the floor of Place de Quinconces, next to the river, “was exquisitely carpeted, and had a rich pavilion decorated with the arms of Casa de Bragança and those of the Emperor, superimposed in the colors and flags of Portugal and France. The garrison troops formed in the Quinconces square 

made wings in the passage of the royal procession.” When the French steam, which brought D. Pedro and D. Luís, docked: “A royal salvo announced the landing of the Augustos Viajantes; the drums played the generala; the songs played the Portuguese anthem, and the cheers of the Emperor and the King live from all sides. The population of Bordeaux was crowded on the quay, the prospect was magnificent and pompous, and the weather that had become excellent contributed to the brilliance of the ceremony.”

A sumptuous carriage had been placed at the disposal of the King of Portugal, taking him to the Hotel de Ville, 

where he was accommodated. In that same space, a “banquet of 35 place settings” was waiting for him, that is, for 35 diners. In the short stay of just one day, Pedro had the possibility, right after the banquet, of watching a play in the theater where “the rich of Bordeaux are seen strutting, eager for pleasure and possessing the means to satisfy them.” However, he did not stay to meet them. The destination was Paris and he headed there. The next day he left Bordeaux to take the train in Orléans that would take him to the main Gallic city. On the way, after being delighted with the architecture of the station, he had time to admire the bridge over the Garonne, 

“one of Napoleon's great public works.” As he crossed France, he meditated on the advantages and disadvantages of large and small farms: “While I did not read the story impartially, I believed in the goodness of the property division, today I am more reserved and more illustrated in my opinion .” In Paris, he had the opportunity to talk about the matter, once again concluding that the big property was the best: “Everyone lamented, like me, the extreme division of property and some [individuals] I have heard triumphantly refute the argument of the advantage of interested the small people in the territorial property and consequently in the order. I said it above that the extreme division of property is a socialism and a communism that has the only advantage, and this is very considerable because of its results, but intrinsically insignificant, of not being nailed to the side of a platform that is less than the saddle of a cavalryman. It is a communism with all its evils, except that of Mr. Proudhon's communism, who unfortunately is not incarcerated in Charenton with Fourier and all this school of men of doctrines who, during 20 years of practice, have shown their complete nullity and uselessness.” D. Pedro wished to see in Portugal large farms managed by responsible owners.

As for the railway, which he used between Orléans and Paris, he criticized the way the engineers had planned it: “It is what I have against men of doctrine, it is that imaginary life that prevents them from looking at reality . So, this railroad that crosses a very rich country out of respect for the geometric principle that the straight line is the briefest space from one point to another, passes away from important cities, it seems that to follow its route to the letter. railway title from Paris to Bordeaux.” Then he commented: “The bureaucratic administration of countries that enjoy the so-called benefits of centralization, centralizes the country's geography; geography is centralized, he thinks it has centralized the country's interests.”

Arrived in Paris, only the Portuguese were allowed to enter the station, in order to kiss the hand of their sovereign. Escorted by a cavalry honor guard, the chariot carrying D. Pedro and D. Luís, went to the Tuileries palace. 

There they were expected by Napoleon III and his court and, after due cordiality and introductions, Napoleon personally led his guests to the rooms prepared for them in the Marsan pavilion, 

in that same palace. The room for D. Pedro was carefully prepared, ending, in fact, a surprise that touched young Portuguese. Napoleon III “ordered the portrait of His Augusta Mother Mrs. Dona Maria II 

from his nostalgic memory to be placed in El-Rei's room, and the August Guests were manifestly touched by such exquisite delicacy, shaking hands with the Emperor in a sense and silent recognition .” After dinner, where Pedro and Luís were able to exhibit the Legion of Honor 

that had been conceived for them the previous year, the fatigue of the trip made them retire to their rooms by ten o'clock at night.

In the Tuileries, on the following day, May 27th, he attended a Mass, in the company of the French Emperor, who celebrated that Pentecost Sunday, having appreciated the fact that he attended Mass in uniform, which, in his opinion, contrasted with the procedure by Luís Filipe de Orléans, 

who “did not hear mass, so as not to have natural science teachers, doctors and economists against him.” Then Pedro was finally able to see Paris and, as such, monuments and parks received his presence. He looked discreetly at Chantilly's horse racing 

and, in horror, at a vaudeville theater. He then visited the Grenelle well, 

the slaughterhouse and an establishment for the education of the blind. In general, comments about the visit are more banal than those made during your first trip. At one point, he compared London and Paris, saying that the former was a serious city, while the latter would be frivolous. He commented, in the following way, on the way the two peoples looked at their respective governments: “While the revolution of 1640 lives in the memory of all English and while the spirit of self government animates each member of that monarchical republic, where the sovereign is everything and nothing, the French people leave the care to think of the events to a few, that of governing those who carry out their interests.” The fact that Dom Pedro admired England did not prevent him from feeling any resentment against the country. The Universal Exhibition of Paris, 

which he visited, made a good impression on the spirit of the monarch, who found the European continent's industry well represented. Even if promoted by the government, the Exhibition was, in his opinion, a worthy response to the British challenge: “It is the Continent to show that the germs it presented in London have developed and that it has learned to take advantage of the great lesson.” After the official visit, he returned there, repeatedly, with his brother, but incognito, certainly with the desire to escape the hustle and bustle that his presence created, serenely seeking to admire the exhibition without interruption or agitation. The Museum of Natural History 

had a dubious effect, it did not criticize it directly, on the contrary, but it reflected the modesty of the collections: “In general, the collections suffer from a certain modesty, very fatal, which is also prevalent in our land , which is their lack of resources and their bad administration because, as everyone knows, the wise are not made to settle accounts. ” The big problem, according to him, was the centralizing tendency that drowned out all the forces that existed in societies: “and politician that we voted for after the people blindly left the centralizing power to think for them…”

The avalanche of visits took him to bed, this time with an attack of headaches, which the doctor treated with mustard synapisms in the bellies of his legs. The disease had a compensation, received the visit of Napoleon III and the Count of Morny, 

then President of Parliament. Two days later he was recovered. During the visit to the Cluny Museum, 

he reflected on the nature of constitutional government, exhibiting the mixture of idealism and pessimism that would characterize it: “If there was not so much suspicion against the real power, if the ministers did not love the portfolios so much, there were more who wanted to tell the truth to kings and their ministers, and the people understood their interests better, in short, if man were as he should be and not as he is, the best form of government was found; but that form will not see it for our generation or the next, if it is possible that man can never see it. ” D. Pedro would never understand the reasons that led men to walk “bad ways”. For him, mistakes were anachronisms. Pedro and Luís also visited the Louvre Museum, 

the Palace of Versailles, 

the Navy and the Artillery.

Of everything he saw in Paris, and it was not little, he especially liked the parades, which shows the fascination that everything that was military has always exercised over D. Pedro. The night of the 4th of June was spent in Campo de Marte, 

in a “highly poetic” environment, with 30,000 bayonets glowing, alongside 48 cannons, in a march that had as its backdrop “the cheerful and bellicose chirping of 6000 horses ”. He was excited: "Only those who have no soul, do not feel anything, do not feel a pleasant shiver, seeing what is most admirable in the world, how man managed to subject hundreds of thousands of men to one will." The next day, he had to go for a walk in the streets, something he looked at in a pedagogical way, that is, as something planned with the objective of “studying the physiognomy of the daily life of this great city, so full of grandeur and defects and which focuses on itself in human science and serves as a starting point for spreading over the earth.” In addition to shopping, he visited the Sèvres porcelain establishment, which motivated him to reflect: “I confess that sometimes, when I feel the lack of means that the king of Portugal has to satisfy the most innocent passions, it is precisely when I feel possessed by the desire to own what I see, but I must console myself with the idea that what is beautiful in art belongs to everyone, is, for many, the source of indefinable enjoyments that the owner often does not feel.”

Then he took off from the Vincennes polygon, 

the Casa da Moeda, 

the cavalry school in Saumur, 

the National Archives, 

the School of Bridges and Sidewalks, an Exhibition of Agricultural Machines and the Imperial Library, 

where he discovered some Portuguese works , such as, for example, the Chronicle of Guinea. On the 13th of June, after a dinner with the general staff of the armed forces, he spoke, for once, of D. Luís. He did it in a negative way: “I slept all the way and was already in bed when the brother returned from the Grand Opera House, 

where he had gone to see the first performance of Verdi's Sicilian Vespers. I did not envy him the pleasure of listening to such good music; I had seen Saumur's school while he was having fun.”

On the 21st of June, preparing to leave Paris, the guests were again surprised. At seven o'clock in the morning they received the presence of the Emperor and the Empress, 

who made a point of saying goodbye to the travelers once again. The gesture touched the Portuguese and the farewell was made of hugs and commotion. Napoleon did everything to ensure that nothing failed and made available, again, a French steam that waited for D. Pedro and the rest of the party in Marseille. Until then, they passed through Lyon, where they watched a search of the troops and a simulacrum of war, visited establishments and bought a souvenir, but from England. It was a silk portrait of Queen Victoria and her husband. On the 23rd of June the imperial train left for Marseille, but with a previous stop by Avignon, where the former palace of the popes 

was visited and admired. At the next exit, the retinue boarded the steam provided by Napoleon. They were going to Italy.

[eye-zen]

DROWNED

Swim or Sink

As I waited for the TSA security screening to open, my heart raced. It was absolutely the wrong time to have any negative thoughts but the anxiousness hit me like a ton of coconuts. You know that moment when you imagine everything that could possibly go wrong. 

The airport was cold and had a feeling of abandonment. Occupied only by workers cleaning, a few TSA agents, and an armed officer accompanied by a german shepherd. Arriving 4 hours before my 8am flight, the anticipation was overwhelming. After braving the cold for several months I was prepared to head closer to the equator. Where the sun was food and the sea was a reflection of the sky on a cloudless day. Stress is an understatement as life in the city is accompanied by ceaseless sirens, congested trains, and accessibility to any junk food you can think of. The separation from my island home had taken its toll on me, ironically, I never lived in the islands but I imagined for years what it would be like. Never thought I would make the move under these circumstances but people around me were dying and I felt the grim reaper closing in.

To relieve the overthinking I put on my headphones and listened to some jazz, It was Nocturne by Alfa Mist.  It calmed my nerves long enough for security screening to open and for me to begin the process of checking in to my flight. The check in process was smooth as I packed very light, just a duffle bag with a few underclothes and a couple of essentials. I headed to gate 18 in a sleepwalking daze. Throughout the desolate airport I saw a few people sleeping in corners cuddling with their charging spouses but we call them cell phones. 

I found a seat in a dimly lit corner near the window. The seat faced the tarmac and had a view of the city just on the horizon.  Taking deep breaths, I still couldn’t believe the moment was here. Thinking to myself, by this time tomorrow I’ll be sleeping in a nice bed and waking up hours later to the fresh smell of sea water. My eyes began to burn and became heavy like bricks as I fought my sleep. Finally I gave in as the tunes I was listening to expedited the process. An hour later I woke up and surveyed my surroundings, there seemed to be a few people who arrived and were waiting. I picked up my phone to check the time and change to a different playlist. Within a few minutes I was nodding off again, I hadn’t slept in over 34 hours. This time when my eyes opened the sun was rising over the cityscape and a few more airplanes had entered onto the tarmac. When I turned my head the seats were starting to fill up as life was finally being breathed into the airport. I adjusted myself in the seat and reached for my bottle of water. It had just enough for a sip, not nearly enough to quench my thirst. A few seats away from me was an older woman with what appeared to be her grandchild. I asked her if she could keep an eye on my belongings while I went to the restroom and a concession stand. I asked if she would like two bottles of water as well but she politely declined. When I entered the bathroom I looked for a urinal with the least amount of liquid on the floor. Afterwards I made my way to a sink and made wudu,  Washing my hands, face, nose, ears, and arms before drying myself off with a paper towel. I felt refreshed but still tired, I guess the 2 hour nap had not done me much justice. After buying my water and a few packs of M&ms i headed back to my seat. I killed time for a few more hours before my flight was finally announced to be boarded. I walked down the long corridor to the plane and sat at my seat 27F. Before the entire plane could be seated I fastened my seatbelt, turned on my music and went to sleep. 

I woke up and heard the ice shuffling into a cup before I opened my eyes

Excuse me would you like orange juice, tea, coffee, or water ?

I quickly wiped whatever drool had not made it to my clothes and opened the window. The sun was glaring and instantly made me hot so I closed it.  May I have some water please, thank you. I looked at the time and only slept for 45 minutes. I thought to myself, these naps are feeling like eternity. I opened the window back halfway and stared out of it. Gliding across the sky, in and out of clouds I couldn’t help but smile, I dreamed of this. 

Hours later we began the descenion and then landing. Looking out the window I could see nothing but plush green mountains sitting in the middle of blue water. As we approached the island, the water went from dark blue to teal, nothing I’ve ever seen before. The landing was smooth and I noticed this airport didnt have any bridges for the plane to be attached too. To my pleasant surprise the plane stopped  in the middle of the tarmac and passengers began exiting the plane. As people wrestled with their carry on luggage from overhead compartments I sat patiently with my duffle bag ready but nervous to exit. One of the flight attendants opened the back door which made the process go quicker. As I exited the plane a gust of wind hit my face. It felt like a smooth caress. The smell of sea water instantly made me smile as my nose and lungs happily embraced it. 

The airport was surrounded by green mountains and the ocean could be heard just over a treeline. I couldn’t believe I finally made it. Feeling like I escaped the grasp of death only to make it to heaven on earth. I walked past the baggage claim and straight to the arrival section. I was the first from my flight to leave. Clothed with a hoodie and a long sleeve t-shirt I took it off and almost threw it in the trash before hearing a familiar voice.

OY ! aye cuz ! 

I looked up and there was my cousin sitting in his car. I hadn’t seen King in years. One year he came up for the summer when we were younger. All I remember was his accent and him putting a tiddy on my basketball from always kicking it. 

Yo…wassup cuz! 

Glad to see you made it, how was your flight ?

Man it was ok, I slept a lot. The view from up there was crazy though cuz, can’t believe we are in the middle of the ocean like ths. 

Yes man, this is my home. Nothing like it you finally made it. I’m gonna show you a good time….yo where are the rest of your bags ?

This is all I have. 

What ? Haha pack light huh ?

You already know cuz…

I threw my bag in the back seat of his pickup truck and we drove off of the airport lot. The weather was beautiful and the landscape even better. Just hours ago I was in the concrete jungle now I’m cruising in paradise. There were vibrant colors, a stark contrast to the dark grey matter that clouded the city. People on the side of the road selling fresh fruit and vegetables, even a man on a horse in the middle of traffic. A few minutes later we stopped on the side of the road and got some coconuts to drink from a man selling them. At first I wasn’t too fond of the taste but I finished it and felt refreshed. More refreshing then any bottle of water I’ve ever had.

Well cuz were going to go on a longer ride later but I have to work this morning and afternoon.  I’ll drop you back off at the house for now. 

Damn Cuz, you work two jobs ?

Yes Man, in the morning doing a little construction and at night got a gig at the resort. Here, you gotta hustle. Paradise ain’t easy but it’s worth it.

Yea, I get it.

Well I don’t live too far from town so you can find your way around while I’m at work. All you have to do is tell the taxi where i live and they’ll drop you off. I mean unless you are tired, it looks like you haven’t slept in days.

Okay cool. Well yeah  you right about that. It’s been a day or two. Couldn’t sleep thinking about getting on that plane.

Yea well I heard everything that was going down up there, I’m glad you made it. Here, it’s all about respect. You don’t trouble anyone then everything should be irie. 

Yea for sure .

We turned off the main road and started heading up a steep hill. The road was not paved and surrounded by trees, so much so that it blocked the sun. After a few bumps we approached a bright red house with a white roof sitting on top of a grassy knoll. The view was amazing, I could see the ocean and what appeared to be “town” at the  bottom of the mountain. I didn’t realize how high we came but we seemed to be pretty elevated. 

Dam cuz this is a crazy view..

Yeh Meh son. Before I go to work I sit out here and drink my tea. Early in the morning or late at night you could hear the waves crashing from here, especially during a full moon. 

Well let me show you around real quick, I have to head to work. 

King gave me a tour of the house and where I would be sleeping. The house smelled like incense and had art on nearly all the walls. My bedroom was small but decent. It had a bed, nightstand, closet, but the best feature was the windows. I had a perfect view and the breeze flowed through effortlessly. Swaying the curtains back and forth like sails on a boat. I flopped on the bed and stared at the ceiling for a few minutes. Those few minutes became more as I fell into a power nap once again. When I woke up the breeze was still blowing and I still was in the islands. Part of me was extremely relieved that it wasn’t just a dream. 

I took a shower freshened up and decided to go exploring. On the kitchen counter King left a house key and a freshly picked mango from the tree outside. 

I began my trek down the hill in search for town. Cars passed me by honking as they maneuvered down the narrow winding road. One of the cars honked as it passed me by and I waved. The car stopped so I guess they thought I flagged them down. It turned out to be what’s known as a dollar cab.

Yea yea,. Good Afternoon, Where are you headed?

 I’m going to town. 

To town huh ? You’re not from here , What part of town are you going too ?

I don’t know, just town. I’m going to walk around and check everything out. 

Ok, ok. Well what brings you here brethren. 

I don’t know, just wanted to experience paradise.

Oh, ok I see. Well from my experience talking to foreigners who come here it’s always two things. You are either running from something or running to something. Which one is it ?

To be honest it might be both. Now if i’m running to something, only time will tell. 

Yes, I. Well here on my island, it’s a beautiful place. Weather is 80 degrees plus everyday, plenty of good food and beautiful women. But one thing I must warn you. Some of the women here are Mami wata or what you foreigners call mermaids. You must be careful, nothing here is what it seems. 

 Yea ok, i’ll keep that in mind. 

We approached the town after a few minutes. The buildings looked relatively old and there were quite a few tourists traversing the streets. I paid the taxi driver the fare and exited the car. I crossed the street with a family of roosters and entered into a clothing store. I bought some sunglasses and a bottle of water. Block by block I walked through town learning its layout. It must have been obvious I wasn’t from the island because I could see people staring at me. I thought I would be able to blend in, being that the tourists were for the most part white but that wasn’t the case. After an hour or two of walking around I found a restaurant on the harbor. The water was like a parking lot for boats. The sail boats seemed to have stretched for miles as traffic in and out of the harbor was steady. Under the surface of the water was a huge fish. I could see them swimming back and forth as if they were waiting to be fed. I ordered the most american thing you could probably get, a cheeseburger and french fries. After eating my lunch I sat on the harbor for a while then continued my walk through the town. During my walk I noticed I approached a restaurant bar that grabbed my attention for some reason. It was called Sea Breeze and unlike the rest of the restaurants, stores, and bars this one was by its loneliness just outside of the main cluster of businesses. I made my way in the empty bar overlooking the water and sat down. 

A few minutes later I could hear voices behind a closed door. There was a man carrying a clipboard with a phone to his ears.

 Good afternoon, can I help you.

 Yea sure, I just want to order a drink. 

Ok, no problem. Serene ! Serene ! You have someone out here.

 Seconds later a woman appeared from the door holding a box of beer. 

Yes, good afternoon, what can I get for you?

For a second I was at a loss for words. Her presence alone paralyzed my tongue. Unable to speak, I just nodded my head until I snapped out of my daze. 

Umm yes,, good afternoon, sure can I have a glass of water,

Ok, is that it ?

Yes, that’s it for now.

 Ok, well here is a menu for you. Let me know if you want anything else.

Her skin was golden brown and her hair was black, curly and glowing. She was adorned with a few pieces of jewelry. A perfect accessory complimenting her skin tone. After giving me my water she walked back to the room and retrieved a few more boxes. In a few more trips she began restocking the bar with drinks We conversed for a few minutes before I asked for a drink, a glass of whisky to be exact. I don’t normally drink but it’s as if i was hypnotized. I mean I guess thats what a bartender is supposed to do but it felt different. Jokingly I asked, “you wouldn’t happen to be a mami wata, would you ?

She looked at me with a blank stare and began laughing. 

 You haven’t been on the island a whole day and you are already talking about mami wata. Haha who have you been speaking to? 

 The taxi driver mentioned that to me,

 Well what did he tell you about this mami wata. 

Not much, just that some women on the island were mami wata and that I should be aware of them. 

 Haha well that’s all you know. The elders say mami wata are half women and half fish. In the daytime they live on land looking for people to bring back to the water at night. They Are said to be the most beautiful women and have the ability to put men in a trance. They lure men into the water at night where they drown or are never seen again. 

Wow choices, I escape death from gun shots only to be in danger  by the hands of a beautiful woman fish. I think I’ll take my chances with the latter. But, thank you for the fairy tale, I’ll keep that in mind. 

Before I knew it, hours passed and I had more than enough drinks. It was the most drinks I’ve ever had at one time in my life. The sun was down and when I looked at the clock it read 10pm. The restaurant workers were cleaning up and starting to close up shop. What in the world just happened. Where had all the time gone ?!? Everything at that point was confusion. The girl I was speaking to looked at me and said, were closing up now. I walked outside the restaurant onto the street. The road was empty of taxis and most of the restaurants had started to close. I began walking through town retracing my steps. My stomach was growling horribly and I was extremely tired. I thought to myself “ How the fuck, did i let this happen. I really don’t remember drinking that much, how much did i drink? I feel horrible” 

I finally made it to the outskirts of town and saw the direction I needed to walk home. I stood on the side of the road for a few minutes hoping that I would get lucky and maybe my cousin would pass me by or at the very least a taxi cab. In 15 minutes I decided to just walk back to the house. At first the walk was cool untilI started sweating profusely. The roads were dark and the sound of crickets and dogs nearly drowned out my thoughts. I walked until I finally reached the hill that led up to the house. Suddenly a wave hit me and I became even more drunk than I already was. Along with this came stomach pains I could barely fathom. How much did I really drink and did I not eat while I was drinking. There were so many questions that I had no answers to. I stumbled up the hill every few steps before having to lean up against a tree for a break. I took one step before collapsing to the ground. I rolled over on my back and stared up at the sky. It was the first time I’ve seen stars in years. As much as I hated laying in the muddy ditch I knew that I needed to lay there in order to recover. I gained the strength to get up and began my trek back up the hill. There would be a few more falls before I finally made it to the house. Dusty dirty and drunk. Wasn’t quite the experience I imagined for my first 24 hours in my new home. My cousin’s car wasn’t at the house yet so I figured he was still at work. I slipped off my muddy clothes and reached in the pocket for my cell phone. The phone was nowhere to be found. Wow, so I lost my mind and my cell phone, THIS CAN’T BE LIFE RIGHT NOW. 

I stumbled to my bedroom and flopped on the bed, dusty and all. Hours later I woke up as the sun was just starting to rise. I hopped up and threw some clothes on. My head was hurting and my stomach was still in pain. I thought to myself this is going to be a bad hangover. I walked outside and began tracing my steps. Before I knew it, I was back at the restaurant. The black gate surrounding the bar was locked and there was no Sea Breeze sign but rather a poster that read for Sale by owner. For Sale ? I was just here last night, ain’t no way. I was too ill to figure it out so I walked back to the outskirts of town and caught a taxi home. On the ride back home my headache became more severe and my stomach pain was excruciating. I probably was in desperate need for food but now I didn’t even have the strength to make me food. I exerted all of my strength walking back into town searching for my cell phone. I laid back in bed and began tossing and turning in agony. The breeze flowing through the window offered a little bit of relief but not enough to ease the pain. It was the most painful thing I’ve ever felt in my life. It was as if whatever I drank started to slowly eat out my insides. I grabbed onto my sheets, clinching them and holding the pillow over my face. Suddenly sun rays came through the window and pierced through the pillow onto my face. I turned my head and looked towards the window. At that moment a sharp pain striked me in the stomach and I closed my eyes. 

I blinked once then all of a sudden I was staring at myself. In disbelief I blinked again and I was still looking at myself. As if I was standing over the bed. I could not believe what I was seeing. The craziest part about it, is I was completely conscious of what I was seeing. There I was, looking at my body tossing and turning in agony. I was able to see myself from the outside looking in but I did not feel the physical pain. The more I blinked the more I started to rise above my body and move farther away. The further away I moved the less my physical body started moving. The vision of myself started to become blurry when suddenly I heard a loud knock

*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*

Aye cuz ! you good in there ? OY!

King  opened the door and my eyes suddenly opened and I felt pain again.

Yo whats up cuz, you good ?

I saw your clothes outside when I got in. I put them to be washed.

Yea. yea everything is good. My stomach is killing me though. Do you have any advils?

No cuz i dont use those things. I have some tea brewing right now. 

Man, I don’t know what happened. One minute I was sitting there having a drink of water and whisky then the next I was laying in a ditch. 

 Hahaha well yea i can see that. You wasted no time getting acquainted with the Mami Watas I see.

Hold on, you know about the mami wata too ??

 Of course, why wouldn’t I be. 

Why didn’t you tell me about them? Do you think that’s what happened to me. ???

When I left yesterday you were knocked out. I figured you would sleep all day but hahaha I also didn’t expect this to happen to you on your first day here. Well you must be lucky because you actually survived. Word of advice cuz, don’t get too caught up in looks. Looks can be deceiving.. A pretty face can kill you.

Too late cuz, I may have already died.

[bathroom-sand]

People are thirsting over Nick when Dem is right there. Dem is unproblematic and was a stripper. Also he is so in love with Ika??? He taught me how to trust a man

Yeah,,, wouldn’t be me. I respect the hustle to thirst but,,, Dem is literally right there. And you know the things he can do are better than anything Nick can dream off (flashback to him explaining to Christie of all people how to give head and saying she’s wrong)

[dontshootmespence]

The Shayna Maidel and The Yiddisher Kop

A/N: An anon request for a song fic with Matchmaker from Fiddler on the Roof, featuring Spencer x Reader set in the 1500s. (The matchmaker works a little differently than in the song just because that’s where my brain went, more like Mulan heading to her than having her bring the match.) P.S. I hope that I was able to incorporate this character we love into an authentic world.

“Papa, what do you think he’ll be like?” She asked, pinning her hair up with the decorative black velvet pin that her father had managed to procure from the market. He wanted his only daughter to be taken care of whenever he happened to pass on, so she needed to make the best impression. Paired with her deep purple dress that was only worn on special occasions, she was sure to make a good impression on the matchmaker.

Once dressed, she turned to her father nervously. “You look beautiful,” he said as he pushed a lock of her hair out of her face. “Hopefully, he’ll be a scholar. You were always smarter than the rest of us. You deserve to have a husband who can talk to you about important things.”

Her mother rounded the corner and gave her father a wink. “We have to make sure he’s rich too.” Though Mama would’ve married Papa over and over again despite the fact that Papa came from nothing, she wanted more for her only surviving child. Money brought a carefreeness to life that they had never been able to experience. “What do you hope comes of your match, Y/N?”

“I hope he’s handsome,” she said blushing furiously.

There was actually someone she had her eye on. Someone she hoped would be her match, but that’s not the way things worked around her. Just because she wanted Spencer Reid to be her match didn’t make it so.

As the hustle and bustle of the families going to the morning market continued outside, Y/N grabbed the sides of her dress and spun around, feeling very much like the princess she wasn’t. “You have someone in mind, don’t you child?”

“Yes, Mama.”

“He’s not rich though.”

She walked up to her mother and held her face in her hands. “True. But he isn’t poor either. Even if he was it wouldn’t matter to me. We’ve done okay for ourselves. I’ve had a happy childhood.”

For the most part at least. She’d lost her sister and two brothers to disease, but her parents did the best they could to provide for them and keep them fed - and they were never without love, so she was luckier than most.

After a quick bite to eat, Y/N made her way to the matchmaker with a basket and a few coins in tow to grab some food from the market on the way back. “Wish me luck, Mama! Wish me luck, Papa!”

“Good luck!” They called back simultaneously. 

Making her way through the town, Y/N found herself drifting off into dreams of who her husband might be. Thankfully, she had the backing of her parents; if she truly loathed the man she was matched with, then she didn’t have to marry him. They would continue to struggle, but they wanted her happiness above all else.

Matchmaker, matchmaker, Make me a match, Find me a find, Catch me a catch Matchmaker, matchmaker Look through your book, And make me a perfect match

She was aware of all the potential marriages in town. One man was nearly 65 years old; she prayed he wasn’t her match. There were also the drunkards - the ones she refused to marry with full backing from her parents. The town also boasted the rabbi’s son, the bread maker’s two sons, and a few other fairly eligible men. None of them held a candle to Spencer though. He was a few years older than she, but he was kind and sweet and intelligent and he had the prettiest smile and eyes. “Yenta! It’s Y/N Y/L/N!”

“Come in, child!” 

Everyone called her yenta, but the better word was shadkhen. A former noblewoman, she moved to town after her husband’s death and then served as the area’s matchmaker. She was a hard woman to impress, but if she liked you, a match was much more likely to be in your favor. “I’ve been looking in my book for you, but I want to know what you hope to obtain from this match I make for you, shayna maidel?”

It was risky to tell yenta what you hoped for, because if she didn’t like you, she could use it against you, but in Y/N’s case, she was fairly sure that yenta had a soft spot for her. “I do hope that he’s handsome, but that’s not the most important thing.”

“What is, child?”

“He should have a thirst for knowledge and a gentle hand.”

“You were always the smartest woman in town. Like me,” she smiled, pinching her cheeks.

For a few moments, yenta went about her business, leaving Y/N to contemplate the future in uncertainty. “Do you have anyone in mind for me?”

“I do,” she replied, her smirk leaving Y/N confused. “The bread maker’s eldest, Ancel, is an option. Very sweet boy and the talk of the town.”

He wasn’t very smart, but that wasn’t the worst thing. Y/N could absolutely do worse than either of the bread maker’s boys. 

“I’m also thinking of about one of the local farmer’s boys, Josef, and the other option is the lonesome boy on the outskirts of town who takes care of his mother, Spencer, very smart, quite a handsome boy, but quite picky too.”

“How so?” Y/N asked. 

Maybe he wouldn’t like her.

“He is very stubborn that anyone who does not accept his mother does not truly accept him, and he has already turned down a few matches, namely Goldie and Minah,” she said.

No wonder he’d rejected them; they were shallow shmendriks - not stupid in the bookish sense, that was no fault of anyone other than the world in which they lived, but in heart; they felt nothing for others. Spencer deserved more than that. Frankly, her other possible matches didn’t deserve to be stuck with Goldie or Minah either.

“Well, if you match me with Spencer, may your third match be the trick,” Y/N said casually, trying to hide the blush in her cheeks and failing. 

Yenta sing-songed, “Oh, so shayna punim likes the shy boy from the outskirts? I’ll be thinking things over, but I’ll be by your home later tonight to give you my match, child. Okay?”

“Yes, Yenta. May I ask a favor?”

“You may ask of course,” she said sarcastically.

Closing the door to the marketplace once more before she left, Y/N spoke softly. “My friend, Toiba. I know she doesn’t come from much, but she is a sweet girl who deserves to be happy. Can you make sure she has a good match?”

“I will, child. Toiba is a simple girl, but she is kind, caring and attentive. I will take care of her too.”

“Thank you, Yenta.”

Oh, matchmaker, matchmaker, I'll bring the veil, You bring the groom, Slender and pale. Bring me a ring for I'm longing to be, The envy of all I see.

The entire day passed slower than the pouring of molasses, but soon yenta would show up with Y/N’s match in tow. “Yenta is here!” Papa called.

Her heart started to pound frantically. “I’m so nervous, Mama.”

“He will be a good boy. I can feel it.”

As Papa opened the door, Y/N thought about all the possibilities that lie before her with each of her possible matches. If Yenta was telling the truth, then she knew she would be respected and taken care of, but her heart definitely wanted one man in particular. 

“Hello,” Spencer said with his hat in his hand. “Mr. and Mrs. Y/L/N, it’s nice to meet you.”

Her parents ushered her forward, though she nearly tripped over her dress in the process. “Hello, sir.”

“Spencer, please.”

She met his gaze and saw the smile in his eyes. “I hope to be a suitable match for you, Spencer.”

“Of course he will be!” Yenta exclaimed. “When I mentioned you as a possible match his ears perked up.” The ears in question were turning red, his face hot with embarrassment also. “Finally, this stubborn child has accepted a match from me. Third time is the charm.”

Spencer spoke respectfully. “I’m not stubborn. I just didn’t want to marry someone who couldn’t love the whole of me and not just bits and pieces.” He reached out and grabbed Y/N’s hand, pressing a kiss to the top of her palm. “I know everyone in this town. This is the only match I would ever accept.”

Y/N’s heart felt light. “Thank you, Spencer. Would you like to come in?”

“I would love to.”

With Yenta smugly walking away, Y/N new that Toiba would be taken care of as well. She always thought that Toiba would be well-matched with the bread maker’s boy. 

Spencer sat down across the table from Y/N. “How do you want to live life, Y/N?” He asked softly. 

“I would like to see the world, though I know it’s likely that I won’t. I also want to learn to read and write better than I do. And I’d also like to live a happy life with a couple of children to speak of.”

With her parents making something to eat in the background, Spencer smiled. “I could teach you to read better. I have a whole room with books I’ve collected.”

That sounded like heaven. 

“I may not be able to take you all over the world, but I might be able to do the next best thing through books.”

Y/N smiled. “I would love that.”

All of a sudden, Y/N’s parents popped back into the room. “So when is my shayna punim getting married?” Mama asked.

“Mama! He’s barely walked in the door!”

Spencer watched on as Y/N went back and forth with her parents. It was much like him and his mother. This was a perfect match.

@kalie-bee @jamiemelyn @coveofmemories @iammostdefinitelyonfire26 @unstoppableangel8 @rmmalta @veroinnumera @lookwhatyoumademequeue @hogwarts-konoha @bitchinprentiss @captainreid

[smokeybrand]

Gun-Fu Hustle

It’s your boy, back again with another manga suggestion and this time, it’s not a goddamn Isekai! I’ve been following this one since the first chapter and, let me say, it has been a real pleasure to read. Ender Geyster is a whole ass experience. This one really surprised me because, after that first chapter, i was hooked. Usually, it takes a few to really get me to commit but not Geyster. This motherf*cker hits hard, fast, and leaves you wanting after those first few pages. Fortunately, when i started, there was three or four chapters available so my thirst was satiated until the next update. It’s up to fifty-one chapters now so, if you want to pick this one up, you have a considerable backlog to work with. You definitely should because it’s dope.

Ender Geyster follows Akira, and S-Class exorcist, and his partner Chikage, as they travel across the world, defeating all of the things that go bump in the night. In the past, Akira was sacrificed in order to save his team and as assimilated by an extremely powerful entity, granting him insane powers and, on occasion, a new form that literally destroys everything with a touch. Baraggan Louisenbairn from BLEACH but with the added ability to create almost anything out of thin air. Akira is ridiculous and it’s awesome seeing him overcome the many challenges he faces while experiencing the world with such childish enthusiasm. I don’t want to really get into the plot because it’s actually some of the best character work I've ever read, but it’s well worth the the read. I know fifty chapters is a lot, but i can almost guarantee you’ll be hooked after the first one.

The narrative is on point, true, but more than that, the art is spectacular! Yomoyama Takahashi really put his best foot forward with this sh*t. It's a weirdly detailed, yet, very manga style to draw the human form. It reminds me a lot of Kangoku Gakuen or Prison School for those of us here in the West. I can't say it's a direct emulation of Hiramoto Akira but it hits a lot of the same notes. These characters look like they can be real people. Generally speaking, I like my manga with a less realistic look, think Dragon Ball Super or Tsugumomo, but Takahashi has a way about a pencil so it's never really an issue for my eye. I'm particularly fond of the character designs, themselves. Akira is just a dude and most of the antagonists are, too. One is just a fat old man in khakis and a button down. I respect that. I draw my characters that way as well. I never really like all of the flamboyant costume protagonists wear, especially in, say, American comics. I adore Spider-Man but f*ck if his sh*t isn't gaudy! Hell, there's even a little fan-service throw in. Now, keep in mind that this is a horror manga, even if it's heavily action oriented. There is some really graphic gore scattered throughout this thing so go into it knowing that. If you are squeamish, prepare yourself.

Outside of that, I just really like the world. It's subtle but you definitely get a sense of how outside forces shape these characters. The world building is legit and you understand exactly how out protagonists fit within. There is a ton of potential for greatness and, as that chapter count grows, we're seeing more and more of it. Just recently, certain circumstance introduced a clandestine cabal of sinister overseers which guide vents from the shadows. That sounds like a cliches, for sure, but the devil is in the details. The execution of said trope was brilliant and I can't wait to see where they take that thread in future chapters. That said, the detailed universe crafting would be dick if not for compelling characters to populate it and Geyster definitely delivers on that front. Seriously, this book has some of the best character work I've seen in a manga. They don't skimp on the growth and even the antagonists get that loving touch. There are a few enemies that I ended up liking more that our heroes and that is definitely to the incredibly strong writing. Personally, my favorite character so far is definitely Chikage but a few have challenged her for that title.

Ender Geyster is a fun ride with dope art, great world building, and impeccable character work. It has a decent backlog so there's a ton of content to lose yourself within and none of it is a terrible read. I really enjoy this title and I think, given  chance, more people will, too. It feels like Ex-Arm but in a completely different direction. What happened to that franchise is a travesty so, I implore you to check this one out before some less-than-scrupulous animation company gets a hold of it and f*cks up all of the shine. We don't want another modern Bernese adaption for Geyster but you never know? Id this hidden gen is ever properly discovered, we might be in for another Dragon's Dogma or Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045. Netflix should really stop doing that sh*t. Partner with actual animation houses like they did with Fate/Extra. I would hate to see Ender Geyster f*cked up in the name of skimping on a budget.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

5th March >> Mass Readings (Europe, Africa, New Zealand, Australia & Canada)   for Monday of the Third Week of Lent (optional commemoration of Saint Kieran, Bishop ~ Ireland)

(Liturgical Colour: Violet) First Reading 2 Kings 5:1-15 There were many lepers in Israel, but only Naaman, the Syrian, was cured Naaman, army commander to the king of Aram, was a man who enjoyed his master’s respect and favour, since through him the Lord had granted victory to the Aramaeans. But the man was a leper. Now on one of their raids, the Aramaeans had carried off from the land of Israel a little girl who had become a servant of Naaman’s wife. ‘She said to her mistress, ‘If only my master would approach the prophet of Samaria. He would cure him of his leprosy.’ Naaman went and told his master. ‘This and this’ he reported ‘is what the girl from the land of Israel said.’ ‘Go by all means,’ said the king of Aram ‘I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’ So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten festal robes. He presented the letter to the king of Israel. It read: ‘With this letter, I am sending my servant Naaman to you for you to cure him of his leprosy.’ When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his garments. ‘Am I a god to give death and life,’ he said ‘that he sends a man to me and asks me to cure him of his leprosy? Listen to this, and take note of it and see how he intends to pick a quarrel with me.’    When Elisha heard that the king of Israel had torn his garments, he sent word to the king, ‘Why did you tear your garments? Let him come to me, and he will find there is a prophet in Israel.’ So Naaman came with his team and chariot and drew up at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent him a messenger to say, ‘Go and bathe seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will become clean once more.’ But Naaman was indignant and went off, saying, ‘Here was I thinking he would be sure to come out to me, and stand there, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the spot and cure the leprous part. Surely Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, are better than any water in Israel? Could I not bathe in them and become clean?’ And he turned round and went off in a rage. But his servants approached him and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had asked you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? All the more reason, then, when he says to you, “Bathe, and you will become clean.”’ So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, as Elisha had told him to do. And his flesh became clean once more like the flesh of a little child.    Returning to Elisha with his whole escort, he went in and stood before him. ‘Now I know’ he said ‘that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel.’ The Word of the Lord R/ Thanks be to God. Responsorial Psalm Psalm 41(42):2-3,42:3-4 R/ My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life: when can I enter and see the face of God? Like the deer that yearns    for running streams, so my soul is yearning    for you, my God. R/ My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life: when can I enter and see the face of God? My soul is thirsting for God,    the God of my life; when can I enter and see    the face of God? R/ My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life: when can I enter and see the face of God? O send forth your light and your truth;    let these be my guide. Let them bring me to your holy mountain,    to the place where you dwell. R/ My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life: when can I enter and see the face of God? And I will come to the altar of God,    the God of my joy. My redeemer, I will thank you on the harp,    O God, my God. R/ My soul is thirsting for God, the God of my life: when can I enter and see the face of God? Gospel Acclamation 2 Corinthians 6:2 Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! Now is the favourable time: this is the day of salvation. Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! Or cf. Psalm 129:5,7 Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! My soul is waiting for the Lord, I count on his word, because with the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption. Praise and honour to you, Lord Jesus! Gospel Luke 4:24-30 No prophet is ever accepted in his own country Jesus came to Nazara and spoke to the people in the synagogue: ‘I tell you solemnly, no prophet is ever accepted in his own country.    ‘There were many widows in Israel, I can assure you, in Elijah’s day, when heaven remained shut for three years and six months and a great famine raged throughout the land, but Elijah was not sent to any one of these: he was sent to a widow at Zarephath, a Sidonian town. And in the prophet Elisha’s time there were many lepers in Israel, but none of these was cured, except the Syrian, Naaman.’    When they heard this everyone in the synagogue was enraged. They sprang to their feet and hustled him out of the town; and they took him up to the brow of the hill their town was built on, intending to throw him down the cliff, but he slipped through the crowd and walked away. The Gospel of the Lord R/ Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ.