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seat-safety-switch · 6 months

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Couple weeks ago, I was watching the evening news when a commercial came on. Usually, I skip those suckers. Change channels. Couldn't do that this time, though, because the television I was watching was in my neighbour's living room. And although the binoculars I was using to look into said living room are exceptionally high-tech, they do not contain a television remote. Always leaving something on the table for the 2.0 version, those fucking scam artists.

Here's what the commercial was: a prayer line. You could dial in and pay nine cents a minute to have a group of folks working in a call centre pray for you. The handsome-yet-celibate dude wearing an insanely expensive suit droned on about something I couldn't hear, but the message was obvious. If I got them to get their god to do my bidding, then maybe I'd be able to win at a salvage auction for once.

The only higher power I believe in is the universe's ability to put its thumb directly on me as soon as I start to get a little smug, almost as if my hubris leads inevitably to a moderately funny downfall. Couldn't hurt to bring in another guy and make them fight.

Thing is, I don't have a phone. Sure, I have a smartphone, everyone does, but it can't make phone calls. Or send data. Or light up more than about half the screen. So I had to help myself to one of the public-use phones at the police station, pretending that I was calling home to my wife to come bring my insurance card. I think the precinct desk clerk was starting to get suspicious around hour two, but she went on break shortly after that and was replaced by someone who I could repeat the same bullshit story to. Four hours in total of god-bothering, I figured, would at least score me a low-mileage Intrepid with subframe damage.

Friends, it did not work. Well, it kind of worked. I ended up with a recent Mercedes luxobarge that was running perfectly well, had low kilometres on the clock, and was immaculate inside and out. Exactly the opposite of what I was looking for. Repulsed, I immediately put it back up for auction and got several thousand worthless dollars of profit, instead of a cool shitbox. That's what you get for trying to mess with the fates.

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sixosix · 5 months

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5k event request :P

Kazuha, light stick, and fluff please

a/n hi anon! when i saw light stick, i instantly interpreted it as those kpop light sticks,, im not sure if u meant something else like those glow sticks, so i am hoping this was what u meant HAHA

wc 700, idol!kazuha/fan!reader, im sure u guys have heard of the 6REEZE group somewhere, meet-cute; disclaimer i only know how auction works from my classmates roleplaying them so ignore accuracies for fic’s sake. bless.

5K EVENT SPECIAL | EVENT MASTERLIST

Kazuha, to be frank, felt a little embarrassed.

His features stood out too much, his friends told him. To go out and enjoy the fresh air of the day, he had to not enjoy the fresh air with a face mask, conceal his red streak of hair by clipping it back and burying it under a cap, and wear green-tinted sunglasses (also to disguise the red of his eyes) that he was struggling to get used to.

In his defense, His friends weren’t any better. Aether’s braid could be recognized with only that, Venti’s glowing braids weren’t any better, Heizou’s shade of hair and green eyes would stand out—if not his unique voice, and everyone knew Xiao even if he were to shave all his hair off. Scaramouche could be salvageable, but one word from his mouth and his fans would fall to their knees—it could be his voice, but it would be the attitude.

Kazuha felt a little too hot with his disguise, but he wanted this, so he would go through with it. He tugged his mask under his nose, relaxing at the scent of the open air. The mall had an open area with trees all over; the leaves fell to the ground, and the wind brushed past. Kazuha couldn’t feel it, having been stuffed under layers, but he was satisfied.

Although it felt embarrassing to be clothed in this disguise, he couldn’t go outside this freely before. He was going to make the most of it.

And then he passed by a stall that had him doing a double take. Kazuha took a few steps back, lighting up with recognition. He couldn’t be mistaken, not with that familiar symbol of Anemo. The stall displayed a light stick of their group, released only a few days ago.

His friends would have a blast if he came back with it, most likely, Kazuha mused. Maybe he could bring it back as a gift.

A hand shot out from the side, blocking his view of the light stick. Kazuha blinked, a little surprised. He followed the arm's stretch and came face-to-face with an angry stranger.

“Hey, you!” you said. Kazuha felt like he needed to stand straighter at the tone. “I had my eye on this one first, ‘kay? Whatever number you have in mind—keep it. I finally get my hands on one of these; I’m not letting it go!”

“Oh, this was an auction?” he asked curiously. The stall didn’t seem to be being run by anyone at the moment, and no one else was there.

“Well, no,” you sniffed, “but I would win. I already told the seller I called dibs on this one—wait until she gets back.”

Charmed, Kazuha smiled. “Two thousand.”

“Three.”

“Three-thousand, five hundred?”

“Five-thousand, three hundred.”

Kazuha had to wonder: “How much do these usually cost?”

“Five thousand, if you’re lucky. I’ll make it ten thousand, easy. Are you still not backing down?”

Kazuha laughed under his breath. Were you serious? Were you actually willing to drop that much for this? “Alright, I cede. I apologize for attempting to defeat you.”

You grinned, eyes sparkling quite literally as your gaze slid back to the lightstick. You were very pretty. “Yeah, I thought so.” You eyed him curiously; Kazuha suddenly felt a little shy. “Are you a fan as well?”

Kazuha nodded, unable to tear his eyes away from your genuine smile for a few moments. His eyes drifted down to your shirt, which had the same Vision of the lightstick—but there was something else. “You could say that.”

Your shirt had maple leaves swirling around the logo, and Kazuha could recognize it all too well because he was asked to sit down and draw it for their merchandise—something personal for each member. Did Kazuha have the right to suspect what it meant that you were wearing his?

Emboldened, Kazuha gestured at the lightstick. “As a fellow enthusiast, may I extend my offer to cover this purchase?”

You blinked and stuttered. “W-What— You don’t have to! I literally stole it from you!”

“So you confess that you pried it off of me?” Kazuha teased.

“That’s not—Listen—” You stared at him, then got flustered. “Hold on, are you hitting on me?”

“Yes.” He took off his sunglasses and tugged down his mask, flashing a sweet smile that he knew was utterly unfair. Your face bluescreened out of pure shock. Without the mask muffling his voice, it was clear as day. “So, will you let me?”

#606: 5K EVENT #genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact x you #kazuha x reader #kazuha x you #kaedehara kazuha x reader #kaedehara kazuha x you

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hometoursandotherstuff · 1 year

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I was completely unprepared for the interior of this 1990s 5 bd. 2ba home in Jennapullin, WA, Australia. $499K. The description says it was "painstakingly crafted from the ground up by our visionary client who sought to blend the past with the present." Nah, this is a WTH House.

The realtor says, "Prepare to be captivated as you step into a world where magic and charm intertwine." So we enter. Uhhh. Okay...it's huge, but it does look like a DIY job. There are 14 stunning chandeliers, all sourced from Government House- you can see some of them in the hall.

What is up with the carpeting? It looks like he bought a bunch of area rugs on clearance. Forget the carpet in this house, it's too big for that- just roll it up. The columns are 150 year old dragon columns obtained from Foo Lok Restaurant.

It goes on to say, "the epitome of extraordinary living! If you're tired of cookie-cutter homes and crave a dash of pizzazz, sprinkled with oodles of character, then this property is your dream come true."

I'm speechless. It's gigantic and the ceiling looks like a bowling alley's. But the pressed tin formerly adorned the ceilings of houses and hotels throughout Perth. So, this is the main living area with kitchen. But, why does it look like the decor isn't secure- the ceiling looks to be peeling off. The phoenixes once graced the dining hall of the Hills Street Chinese restaurant.

Look at the proportion of that exhaust hood to the double sized stove. That's a commercial exhaust, but it's way too big. I kind of like the touch of fancy framing around the windows and the large black tiles.

Now, this could've been elegant, but it's grimy looking, not well crafted, and appears to be falling apart in places.

He tried to make an elegant bath, but everything looks so grubby. Of this, the realtor says, "Picture this: fixtures and fittings lovingly sourced from iconic buildings scattered throughout our vibrant State of WA."

So, he fashioned a double sink, but the counter is just a 2"x4" (see the knot in the wood coming thru?) with gold taps in the wall, exposed old pipe, and ornate metal grates on each side. The floor looks like remnants and the panels don't fit flush around the tub.

More pieced area rugs in the primary bedroom. There's some sort of pattern in the floor under those carpets. Maybe it was some kind of sports facility, but apparently he bought the tiles at auction.

Here's the 2nd bath. Mirror looks like it's shimmed up to be flat against the wall. Don't like any of this, with the possible exception of the floor and tub.

He must've gotten some deal on these rugs.

In this 1/2 bath, he fashioned an unusual sink. Clearly, he doesn't understand the concept of a pair of curtains, b/c the windows all look to be adorned with a single stretched panel.

Here's another bedroom with silk curtains that previously hung in the Melbourne Hotel, hangin' like rags. It all just looks like a real hack job, though. He bought nice stuff, but the execution sucks.

He tried, bought some cool architectural salvage, but he just wasn't able to pull it all off. Here's a cute sink, but what's going on underneath?

Even the pool looks DIY with corrugated metal.

10.29 acres.

The property's pretty messy, though.

There's a creek, too. The whole thing really needs work. Maybe a new owner can make something nice out of it, but it will take a lot of money. To me it looks like a knockdown.

https://www.domain.com.au/406-frenches-road-jennapullin-wa-6401-2018641496

#WTH House #salvaged house #DIY house #houses #house tours #home tour

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literary-illuminati · 1 month

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2024 Book Review #40 – Dead Silence by S. A. Barnes

This was yet another book that has been on my TBR list for so long I had entirely forgotten what the actual pitch was – I went into it pretty much entirely blind, just ‘sci fi horror’ from the glanced over marketing copy on the back. Which is really the best way to go about reading(/watching/playing) horror, anyway. It was an entertaining enough read? If an uneven one – the first half was really incredibly better than the second, unfortunately.

The story follows Claire Kovalik, the ‘team lead’ of a maintenance crew repairing com relays in the ass end of the solar system – at least until they finish this last run and are officially rendered obsolete. Too psychologically fragile for her corporate masters to trust her with an actual ship, the only future she has to look forward to is a deskbound sinecure revising training manuals on Earth. She’s seriously considering killing herself instead, when their sensors detect an archaic distress signal past the edge of charted space – the Aurora, first and last space liner for the rich and famous, vanished with all hands on its maiden voyage decades ago. The finder’s fee and accumulated bounties would be enough to set everyone on the team for life (not even counting any artifacts they pocket to auction on the side), so the five of them board and reactivate the old hulk, exploring its galleries and aiming it towards Earth. Just a 60 hour burn to reliable communications with the rest of the system, totally worth it for fame and fortune. Even once they start discovering the state of all the former passengers, and figuring out what happened in those last hours aboard the ship.

So! This is Event Horizon but with the Titanic. It’s other things too, but that’s the pitch. Now, I like Event Horizon, and adore exploited corporate serfs being slowly suffocated by looming dread as they explore the gore-stained ruins of past decadence, so that’s no bad thing for me. But still, even from the outset this is not a work that tries to break any molds. This honestly becomes much more of an issue in the third act, when the book basically shifts genre and also has to come up with answers and a resolution to the whole thing and just does not land it for me.

The main twist on the formula is that Claire is the only survivor of a Martian colony that was annihilated by plague (and a missed resupply) when she was a child, the physical and emotional trauma of which left her partially deaf in one ear, terrified of emotional connections and (most pertinently) already possessed of significant experience with hallucinating the bloody corpses of people she cares about wandering around when she’s stressed. Which turns out to be a very useful life skill, when they turn the ship back on and everyone starts having to deal with that. Which is mostly pretty fun! The paranoia and terror as everything goes to shit at the end of the first act are great. Sadly, the book then decides to keep going.

The first half of the book is the story of the initial salvage crew’s discovery of the Aurora, as relayed through Claire getting debriefed/interrogated by a couple of corporate goons after being found half-dead in an escape pod. The latter half is those same corporate goons conscripting her for a return journey to the ship, now guiding three platoons of mercenaries. It’s like if you watched a double-feature of Alien and one of its bad sequels. The book slips from well-executed to paint-by-numbers, and the big reveal is basically the most boring possible answer you could imagine. This is not helped by the book’s action sequences just not being very...good.

Part of that is just the book’s complete lack of faith in its audience, or understanding of subtlety. Several twists are telegraphed so obviously that it’s hard to believe Claire is actually surprised by them, and character beats are just repeated so often you want to grab the author and scream you get it already. Claire’s tragic backstory is repeated something like half a dozen times, and the surprise villain spends half the final confrontation basically giving a monologue about how he’d drown a nursery full of babies if it topped up his 401k.

Villains aside, the supporting cast is mostly fun-if-one-note. Decently executed, but all very much walked out of sci fi central casting. Which more or less works, in that they’re all energetic and mostly fun to have on page. The unfortunate and singular exception is Claire’s love interest, the team medic. Whose...nice? Has a daughter back on Earth? Might as well be a statue carved from literal white bread? You know the cliche about hollywood action movies where the hero’s girlfriend has zero personality or arc and mostly exists to be hot and motivate him by being imperilled? Basically the gender-flip of that.

One thing the book kind of teases but absolutely never really explores or tries to resolve is the fact that in addition to all the hallucinations and madness with (boring, but) mechanistic and materialistic explanations, ghosts might also just be real? There’s several points in the book where Claire sees the body she doesn’t recognize hovering around someone, and when she describes it to them, they know who it is. It’s also a recurring thing that her visions of her dead mom are supposed to be how she even knew how to send out the SOS that got her rescued from the dead colony as a child. You might expect that this would eventually build to something, or be key to the final resolution. You would be incorrect.

So yeah, would have been a very solid horror novella if it just cut the entire second act. As is, I mean I’m not angry I read it, but not sure I’d go out of my way to recommend it either.

#book review #sff #horror #dead silence #S. A. Barnes

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sirthisisa-wendys · 2 years

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I'll be patiently waiting for the alpha keizo fic👀❤️❤️ lol

Doing it RIGHT NOWWWWW

Little One (Part 1): Alpha!Keizo Arashi x Fem!Reader

wc: 1.6k

tw: omegaverse!, smut

masterlist

"Your scent glands are incredibly swollen. Who neglected you like this?" The burly Alpha's fingers swipe over your neck, and your body responds to the touch with a jolt. "I can't believe Omega auctions still exist... and they treat you like meat."

You want to question why the man is so surprised; he bought you from the auctioneers. But now you're sitting on his lap, shivering from the cold... or the fear.

"You paid for me..." you whisper, and he smiles, trailing his fingers down your thighs.

"I did, I did." He seems to be in thought, ice-blue eyes drifting to the ceiling.

"W-what are you going to do with me?"

"I did not buy you to force you into mating with me. Or with anyone, for that matter." Your core loosens a bit. "I bought you to salvage you from the hands of others who would wish such a thing upon you." The bidding had gone upward of three million yen, and you'd been stunned when the giant beside you had outbid everyone with his five-million yen. However, the difference between the salivating crowd and him was his calm demeanor.

"But... you could set me free."

"And have you be recaptured by omega-less packs?" He chuckles, and your stomach leaps at the sound. "No, little one. You can join our pack."

"Do you have a mate?" The question prickles your skin, but the man seems unphased by your apprehension.

"No," you reply, looking down at your lap. "No pack. No mate. No pups." When your eyes look up at him, he nods solemnly. You catch the whisper of a scar on his neck - right where his scent gland should be - and reach out to touch it. "What--"

He smiles sadly at you, then shakes his head. "Nothing you need to worry about. Are you sleepy, y/n?"

Even though your scent glands drive you insane and you want to sleep, you attempt to refute his question with a simple statement. But your "no" is replaced with the Alpha's hands holding your head against his chest, where muscles are bundled into pectorals. "Shh, shh..." Then a soft rumbling sound emits from his chest. You slump into his frame, feeling the soothing effect sink into your bones.

"What... what's your name?" you murmur drowsily, trying to blink away the grips of sleep.

"Keizo," the Alpha replies softly, stroking your hair. "Just relax, y/n. Get some rest."

You shoot up from the bed in shock, holding your chest as you recover from a nightmare. Sweat rolls down your spine, and your breath can't seem to come fast enough, but the light in the corner gives you something to focus on.

Other than the Alpha peering at you while sitting in a leather recliner.

"Bad dream?" Keizo wonders, sitting his book down and getting up. You still attempt to catch your breath while he approaches you, wiping your hair from your forehead and sniffing. Keizo climbs into the bed beside you, watching your face for signs of distress.

"Yeah. I'm okay." This is your usual arrangement - Keizo reads out loud until you fall asleep, lulling you into dreamland with his sonorous voice. Once you fall asleep, he stays for a while to ensure you're fully settled and then leaves but lets the small lamp in the corner remain on in case you need to get up for anything.

You suppose you hadn't been asleep long when you awoke from your nightmare, but Keizo doesn't seem to mind. In fact, for the past month, he'd been overly caring. Nights weren't so hard anymore, but if you had a bad dream, he'd lull you back to sleep with a few minutes of talking and holding you close.

"How long has it been since you've had an Alpha's influence?" he'd asked one evening, his fingers moving across your back tenderly.

"I haven't been around an Alpha since I was a small girl," you admitted. "My parents were cast out of the pack and never rejoined one."

"How long have you been alone?" You closed your eyes, trying to forget the years of foraging, narrowly escaping hungry and savage Alphas and suffering through your heats alone.

"Long enough."

As you lay in Keizo's arms tonight, you know your heat isn't too far away. Somehow, he senses your unease and stops his stroking as you stiffen up. "Talk to me, little one." Your stomach flips as it always does when he calls you 'little one' and you melt into his embrace.

"My heat is coming soon."

"I can smell it," Keizo notes, nodding. "It's very close."

"I..." You pause, frowning. "I'm scared."

"Don't be," Keizo whispers, resuming his gentle touches. "I'll be here to help you through it."

"I've always been alone through my heat," you breathe. "I was always--"

"That was then. You don't have to worry anymore, little one. I'm here now."

But you don't really understand how an Alpha could help you through something he'd never been through. And as the symptoms of your heat begin to manifest, you begin to build your first nest. It's in the corner of your room and composed chiefly of pillows, blankets, and one of Keizo's thieved t-shirts (hidden at the bottom so he couldn't see it during his stays in the room).

But all of the preparation falls by the wayside when your heat builds to its crest, making you weak in the knees and foggy-headed. "This is different," you say to no one but yourself, looking between your legs and noticing the slick smeared against your thighs. "This isn't... the same..." You frown, standing up and making your way toward your door as if you were in a dream: light steps, slow movements, and thoughts of only one thing: Keizo.

"Keizo," you call out, shuffling down the stairs. "Keizo, can you help me?"

"I can," he replies, appearing at the bottom of the stairs. "What do you--" You see the look on his face change from concern to something less confused as you get near him. He blinks once, then steps back, holding his hand up to stop you.

"Keizo?"

"Little one, stop there." You hold onto the stairwell carefully, inhaling his scent deeply.

"Keizo, I need--"

"Go back upstairs and nest for me. I'll bring you something to eat soon."

"I'm not hungry," you insist, taking another step. "I need you." Keizo flinches, stepping back.

"I said I wouldn't forcibly mate with you," he whispers, gritting his teeth. "I will keep my word." Mate. Your fingers slip down the railing a little more.

"Not forcibly," you feel your lips utter. "Not against my will." Keizo seems to be unraveling before you, his body tensing as he nods twice. "But what if I asked you?" Keizo's blue eyes dart away, but you see his natural reaction in his sweatpants.

"Please, little one," he begs you, clenching his fists. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't," you reply, quickly closing the gap between you. Keizo stands before you, shaking as he attempts to maintain his self-control. "I need you, Alpha." He breaks instantly, grabbing your face and kissing you roughly. You tangle with him, helping him take his shirt off, then assisting him with his pants. Keizo takes no time ripping your clothes from you, leaving them behind as he presses you to the wall, lifting you into his strong arms.

Your fingers dance along the swirling patterns on his chest and arms, but his fingers probe your entrance and distract you from your musings. They dance around in your slick and swipe at your clit feverishly, urging you to breathe Keizo’s name over and over again.

“I need you,” you mutter, and Keizo litters kisses and pecks down your neck and face, marking you as his. “I need you.”

“I’m right here,” he pants eagerly. “I’ve got you.” His cockhead swipes at your entrance and presses against it, easing into you without pain.

“I’ve only ever felt painful heats,” you moan, wrapping your arms around his shoulders. “This is different.”

“It’s not a dry heat,” Keizo murmurs, sinking into you more. “This is a real heat.” You gasp when he pushes his entire length into you, opening your mouth to take in whatever air you can while he presses his forehead against yours, shaking feverishly. “Tell me if it hurts, little one.”

“Keep going,” you urge, feeling your back scrape against the wall. “You feel so good.”

“Yeah,” Keizo whimpers. “You do too.”

You never thought you’d lose your virginity to an Alpha who purchased you from an Omega auction and that you’d want it. But this… Your breaths mingle in the charged air, groans and moans replacing curse words and sweet nothings. “I’m… I’m…”

“You’re going to cum,” Keizo advises, looking you in the eyes and holding your legs up a little more. “Just let it happen, little one. I’ve got you.” Keizo’s reassurance lets you let go of a deeply-desired release, each pulse around his cock pulling him in a little deeper. Keizo shudders, then his hands tighten around your thighs. “This might hurt a little,” he grunts. “I’m sorry….”

The base of his cock flares up inside of you, stretching your pussy wider as he stills. You shiver around him, and the haze lifts briefly before you feel Keizo peppering your chest with tender kisses. “Oh, god, I’m cumming.” The Alpha’s hips jerk once, twice, and a third before settling down to mini-thrusts, each dumping more seed into you until he stops.

Keizo pulls you away from the wall and holds you in the same position, walking toward the couch in the living room. “I’m going to lay here, and you can rest on top of me until my knot goes down.” You nod, leaning on his bare chest as his breathing slows. “Do you feel alright?”

“I feel better than alright,” you reply softly, eyes glittering closed. “I feel incredible.”

“Good,” Keizo sighs, putting his hand on your head and kissing it. “You’re safe here, little one. Don’t forget that.”

#arashi keizo #arashi keizo smut #arashi keizo x reader #keizo arashi x reader #keizo arashi smut #keizo arashi #benkei smut #tokyo revengers x reader #Tokyo revengers smut #Tokyo revengers benkei #tokyo revengers omegaverse

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foridesautomobiles · 3 months

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The Best Off-Road SUV with Luxury in India

When searching for the best off-road SUV in India, several models stand out for their rugged capabilities and reliable performance. The Mahindra Thar is a top contender, known for its durability and exceptional off-road prowess. Another favorite is the Force Gurkha, which offers impressive ground clearance and a robust engine, making it ideal for the toughest terrains. The Jeep Compass Trailhawk combines luxury with off-road features, providing a premium experience for adventure seekers. The Toyota Fortuner is also a popular choice, thanks to its legendary reliability and 4x4 capabilities. Lastly, the Isuzu D-Max V-Cross is perfect for off-road enthusiasts with its rugged design and versatile performance. These vehicles are the best off-road SUVs in India, ensuring thrilling and memorable adventures.

#suv #diesel cars #salvage auction #used cars

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salvageboatsauction · 12 days

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Top Mistakes to Avoid When Bidding on Damaged Boats

Avoid costly pitfalls with our latest video guide on bidding for damaged boats! 🚤 We highlight the most common mistakes buyers make and provide expert advice on how to avoid them. From misjudging repair costs to overlooking essential details, this video ensures you’re prepared to make smart, informed bids. Whether you're a first-time bidder or a seasoned pro, our tips will help you navigate the damaged boats auction process with confidence.

Catch the full video now and start bidding smartly! Don’t forget to check out Salvage Boats Auction for top deals on damaged boats and more!

#Damaged boats auction #Salvage houseboats #Boat auctions USA

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ridesafelyauction · 2 years

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Learn more: http://rdsf.ly/V1m8

#buy car #car buying #damagedcars #onlinecarauction #auto salvage #auctioncars #auto auction #ridesafely #onlineautoauction #salvagecars #usedcarauction

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roll-of-royces · 6 months

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HC: How the LaDS Celebrate Trans Day With You (A Trans Person)

Happy Trans Day to all you lovelies out there! I tried to make this one as gender neutral as possible. I want all Trans people to feel included!

At first Xavier doesn't remember what day it is until his Hunter's Watch beeps and reminds him. Then he panics. He's out of his apartment racing toward the closest store as soon as he's awake, which is already the middle of the morning. But he can still salvage this!

He rushes into the general store, scanning the aisles for some of your favorite snacks, grabs you a coffee, and is racing back (his Evol saves him precious time) toward your apartment door. Hands full of last minute goodies he forces himself to relax and not look like he just ran there and back, before knocking with his shoe.

You open the door, spot him standing there, and smile. You always look so wonderful when you smile, Xavier smiles back. "Happy uh Trans Day, starlight. Do you want to celebrate with me?"

He's had the day marked on his calendar for months, so of course he's prepared. Zayne has taken the day off work, had a special bouquet of flowers (whites, blues, and pinks) prepared at a local flower shop, and is sitting in his car outside your apartment complex. Flowers have always meant something special to him so he figures this is a good way to show that he supports you.

When you slip into the seat next to him he holds the flowers out, watching the way you brighten and take them. "They suit you." Zayne says quietly.

He starts his car and pulls into traffic, "Breakfast first, and then would you like to see a movie? I know a theater that's running a few specials today with trans actors."

You nod, looking down at your flowers, "Thanks, Zayne."

To say he's been preparing for months wouldn't actually be an exaggeration this time. He's been working on this project in secret every chance he gets while still squeezing out his normal works so you wouldn't be suspicious. Thomas is thrilled, of course he is, because Rafayel will actually be attending for once.

He's given you strict instructions (texting you twelve times) to come to a specific building at a specific time. He dresses in a white suit, adorned with blue and pink accents, because he may as well match and waits for you to arrive.

When you do you're met with tons of people all clustering around an art auction. Art all by Rafayel. Art all themed around being trans. He's not trans himself, but he listens when you talk and so your feelings are across the canvases.

They're not just flag colors and basics, some of them are beautiful and painful, and raw. He holds your hand as you look at them all.

You're awoken to a pounding on your door. When you open it, fresh and early in the morning Caleb is standing there, stuffed animal in hand. He thrusts it out to you so quickly you barely notice it's holding a little trans flag before your hair is being assaulted by his hand as he barges inside.

"So what are we doing today?" He asks, shoving his hands into the pockets of his trousers. "I'm sure you planned something right." He's teasing you, soft toned and grinning as you rub sleep from your eyes.

"Did you have to get here so early?" You grumble.

"We've only got a day to celebrate your transness." He jokes, "Figured we should get started."

"I'm trans all year long you know." You mumble walking to put on coffee.

"Huh, I never noticed." He says with a smile.

#l&ds #love and deepspace #lads #xavier love and deepspace #zayne love and deepspace #rafayel love and deepspace #caleb love and deepspace #lads headcanons #Happy Trans Day #trans pride

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scotianostra · 8 months

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On February 5th 1941 the S S Politician, with a cargo of whisky, ran aground of the North Shore of the Island of Eriskay.

The SS Politician was an 8000-tonne cargo ship which left Liverpool on the 3rd February 1941 laden with amongst other things 260,000 bottles of whisky, bound for Kingston in Jamaica and New Orleans. The whisky was for the American market and therefore no duty had been paid. She sailed up past the Isle of Man towards the Hebrides where the winds increased to gale force.

On the morning of 5th February a young man was combing a beach in South Uist when he saw the ship in trouble and beginning to list. After a valiant struggle by the Captain, Beaconsfield Worthington, to keep his ship on course, the SS Politician eventually ran aground in the storm onto sandbanks off the Isle of Eriskay where she began to flood. Unfortunately as the ship had veered off course an incorrect location was given to the lifeboat crew on Barra. Local islanders were roused and they set forth in a sailing boat to offer assistance to the crew. The lifeboat finally reached the ship and all the crew were rescued.

When the locals learned from the crew exactly what the ship was carrying, a series of illegal salvage operations took place at night, before the customs and excise officials arrived. The islands supplies of whisky had dried up due to war-time rationing, so the islanders periodically helped themselves to some of the 260,000 bottles of whisky before winter weather broke up the ship. Boats came from as far away as Lewis as news of the whisky travelled across the Outer Hebrides. No islander regarded it as stealing, as for them the rules of salvage meant that once the bounty was in the sea, it was theirs to rescue.

This of course was not the view of the local customs officer, Charles McColl, who was incensed at the blatant thievery that was going on. Not a penny had been paid in duty for this whisky so Mr McColl whipped up a furore and made an official complaint to the police. Villages were raided and crofts were turned upside down. Bottles were hidden, secreted, or sometimes drunk in order to hide the evidence.

On 26 April at Lochmaddy Sheriff Court a group of men from Barra pleaded guilty to theft and were fined between three and five pounds. Mr McColl was furious at the leniency of the men’s sentences, but the police, being mainly locals themselves, were tired of the bothering the locals who had not, in their minds, done such a bad thing. However, Mr McColl continued his crusade against these illegal salvagers and some of the men were sentenced to up to six weeks in prison in Inverness and Peterhead.

Back at sea, the official salvage attempts were not going too well, and it was eventually decided to let the Politician remain where she was. Mr McColl, who had already estimated that the islanders had stolen 24,000 bottles of whisky, ensured that there would be no more temptation. He applied for, and was granted, permission to explode her hull and as one islander, Angus John Campbell, commented: “Dynamiting whisky. You wouldn’t think there’d be men in the world so crazy as that!”

In 1987 Donald MacPhee, a local South Uist man, found eight bottles of whisky in the wreck. He sold them at auction for £4,000.

The wreck of the SS Politician still lies off the coast of Eriskay, although it is below the water line as winter gales have destroyed the deck and cabins. In 1988 the island got its own ‘legitimate’ pub, named ‘Am Politician’.

The story was used by Compton Mackenzie for his book Whisky Galore, and later for the Ealing Studio comedy by the same name.A remake was released in 2016 starring James Cosmo and Gregor Fisher amongst others, I didn't expect it to be any good, but was pleasantly surprised.

#scotland #scottish #history #outer hebrides #ship wreck #whisky

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seat-safety-switch · 2 months

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Have you considered purchasing an "investment property?" A lot of folks are doing it these days, buying a second or third building that they then rent out to other people. Problem is, being a landlord is unethical and may even be a crime against humanity! Don't worry, we have a solution.

One of the fastest-growing businesses in America today is the humble storage locker. We got too many fucking things, it seems, and we don't want to throw any of them out, so we will instead pay someone else a couple hundred bucks a month to keep them on their property. Until our credit card expires, that is, and then they sell all of our shit to some television bargain hunters.

Here's my proposal. Instead of giving those people money (and eventually the salvage rights to your aunt Edna's leg lamp,) just give the bank money instead. Buy distressed commercial properties. It's extremely cheap if you shop at the right foreclosure auction, and you'll be bailing out our most important citizens: overleveraged wannabe real-estate moguls. Hey, they're four payments behind on their own Mercedes, so you're really helping the whole economy by keeping that thing out of the repo lot.

Now, you might be doubtful. What am I going to do with this disused office in the middle of nowhere that nobody wants to buy or even rent? Easy. Commercial districts often have extremely permissive rules about what you can do with "your" property. That means that Peggy Bylaw and Eric Zoning-Laws can't come by and hassle you for keeping, oh, forty cars lying around the place. Look, dude, I don't know what to tell you. It's an investment property that is currently whatever business it has to be in order for you to fuck off. Some eccentric rich dude is paying me to keep his shitty cars here. Yeah, I think he golfs with The Mayor. Surely there's someone with a loud exhaust or the wrong colour of dog that you could be bothering instead.

The best part is saved for last. When you forget to pay the property tax, the city gives you at least a year of increasingly-angry letters before they start seizing your stuff and selling it off. Much nicer terms than the storage locker fascists, and the folks who shop at those auctions are only looking for old cop cars to buy, so you can probably buy back your own stuff and get excited about it all over again.

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