#st johns ice caps

[negative-speedforce]

cute character questions for pippa? :)

the basics:

name: Penelope Amelia Lowe age: 21 zodiac sign: Cancer one good trait: Compassionate one bad trait: Overly idealistic

habits:

one bad habit: Giving too much of herself to others and getting burnout from it one good habit: always choosing to be kind to others, no matter what one habit they can’t break: Praying to St. Michael the Archangel before she goes out on patrol for protection, even if she's not even sure she believes anymore. one they’ve broken: The insane amount of Catholic guilt she used to feel just for existing as a queer person what they’re afraid of: Failing and destroying her parents' legacy

family:

their parents names: John and Therese their siblings names: John Jr. (older brother) favorite childhood memory: Going to the beach with her family and finding a bunch of jellyfish that had washed up on shore favorite childhood toy: A stuffed panda named Pandy embarrassing story: Pippa used to do ballet as a kid, and she pushed two other kids off the stage in 3rd grade for making fun of her weight (they deserved it tho) favorite family member: Therese, her mom, who died of sarcoma when Pippa was a little kid a story about that family member: Therese was the first family member to understand that Pippa was a girl, since she had been expressing that since she had

what they prefer:

coffee or tea? herbal tea, Pippa doesn't really do caffeine because ADHD showering in the day or night? Pippa prefers morning showers taking baths or taking showers? While she used to prefer to take baths, after getting struck by lightning in one, Pippa now prefers showers tv or movies? Movies, especially romcoms or period dramas writing or reading? Writing, especially fanfiction platonic or romantic love? she can't decide iced tea or lemonade? Lemonade, since caffeine makes her sleepy ice cream or smoothies? Depends on her mood. Depressed Pippa will eat a whole tub of ice cream as therapy, and happy Pippa loves a good mango smoothie. cupcakes or cake? Cupcakes, because they're fun sized beach or mountains? The beach, because it reminds Pippa of her family

favorites:

song: Bitch by Jessi Juno band: Jessi Juno (like most people, does not know that Jessi is evil) outfit: Pink puffy dress with pink and white striped knee-high socks and a crocheted beret that looks like a mushroom cap place: The roof of the community art center that she works at. She hangs out up there when she wants to be alone. memory: her parents taking her to get her hair braided like her mom's and to get her first dress after coming to terms with the fact that their child was a girl person: Onnie Thawne (but why tho-) movie: The Wedding Singer show: Downton Abbey

[papcrrings-arch]

Winter Event Starter Call

Under the cut, you will starter ideas for all my muses as well as a list of starters I need to post. I’m really up for making new connections as well as threads for current connections. I’m including a list of stalls and activities each muse would visit to help. Please specify who you want a starter for and from and it would be super helpful for a starter idea as well !! There is no cap so feel free to spam me !!

Alex Mercer

Stalls/Activities - Ice Skating Rink, Scarves/Mittens/Hats Vendors (he’ll forget), S’mores, Snowball Fight, Music (he’ll probably play himself if there are any open jazz sessions), Food

Starter Ideas - Someone to jam with/play for, karaoke threads, someone to enjoy Christmas goodies/drinks with, someone who tells him he needs to buy a scarf/hat or mittens and helps him pick, snowball fight teammate or rival, making new friend threads beacause he needs more.

Starters To Write (0/?) - Josh Washington, 

Caroline Forbes-Salvatore

Stalls/Activities - Absolutely everything, she will do all of them.

Starter Ideas - Someone to do any of the stalls/activities with, starters with friends she would give gifts to, helping someone pick out a gift, just help someone generally if they need it, just general threads. 

Starters To Write (0/?) - Enzo St. John, Bonnie Bennett, 

Catelyn Stark

Stalls/Activities - Ice Skating Rink, Carriage Rides, Bonfire/S’mores, Ballet, Music, Food/Drinks

Starter Ideas - Cat is celebrating legally changing her surname back to Stark (and an unoffocial vow renewal for her and Ned) so any GOT peeps who know her/Stark fam if you want one, or just any general threads celebrating that, anyone to join her for some of the activities, helping someone in need out, just general threads.

Starters To Write (0/?) - Ygritte, Ned Stark, 

Cato Hadley

Stalls/Activities - Ice Skating Rink, Gingerbread House Building, Bonfire/S’mores, Snowman Building Competition, Sled Races, Snowball Fights, Polar Plunge, Food/Drink

Starter Ideas - Anyone who may join him for any of the non-competitive activities if the bumped into him, teammates or rivals in the competitions, gym employees/clients, Hunger Games muses who remember him but he doesn’t quite yet, just general threads.

Starters To Write (0/?) - Rue, Billy Loomis

Fliss McKinnon

Stalls/Activities - All of it obviously and more

Starter Ideas - Someone she runs into at any of the activities/stalls, anyone who is willing to cause mischief with her because she is absolutely going to pull pranks, I def want several snowball fight threads going so gimme that, just general threads.

Starters To Write (0/?) - Oliver McKinnon, 

Finnick Odair

Stalls/Activities - Ice Skating Rink, Gingerbread House Building, Ice Bar, S’mores, Sled Races, Polar Plunge, Music, Food/Drink, Picture with Santa (regular one for Eaton)

Starter Ideas - Anyone he runs into at stalls/activities especially the Polar Plunge because we know he’ll be enthusiastic, anyone he might run into while with Eaton who he now knows is his son which he is super excited about, just general threads.

Starters To Write (0/?) -

Frank Longbottom

Stalls/Activities - Ice Skating Rink, Gingerbread House Building, Make Your Own Hot Chocolate Bar, Scarves/Hats/Mittens Vendors, Snowman Building Competition, Bonfire/S’mores, Music, Food/Drink, might be up for one of the others if someone convinced him

Starter Ideas - Someone who gets him to do something out of his comfort zone, someone he runs into at one of the stalls/activities, maybe someone he runs into doing something they shouldn’t, threads with colleagues (idk who all his work friends are but any police/detectives he might know), just general threads.

Starters To Write (0/?) -

Henry Turner

Stalls/Activities - Probably any of it

Starter Ideas - Someone to go with (likely platonic, he just needs friends), making new friends threads, anyone he would run into at a stall/activity, buying winter clothes threads, just general threads.

Starters To Write (0/?) -

Isaac Lahey

Stalls/Activities - Ice Skating Rink, Gingerbread House Building, S’mores, Ice Bar, Snow Ball Fight, Food/Drink, any of the others if convinced

Starter Ideas - Someone to convince him to do something out of his comfort zone, someone who helps him hide from his dad (who he hasn’t seen since becoming aware), any other Teen Wolf muses he hasn’t spoken to since becoming aware or just any of them generally, I’d love to do a few Gingerbread House Building threds because I think he’d be really good at it, just general threads.

Starters To Write (0/?) - Stiles Stilinski, 

Isabela Madrigal

Stalls/Activities - Running a flower stall, Ice Skating Rink, Carriage Rides, Clothes Vendors, Gingerbread House Building, Make Your Own Hot Chocolate Bar, Snowman Building Competition, Ballet, Music, Food/Drink, would only do sled racing if someone convinced her

Starter Ideas - Someone to go with her (likely platonic), anyone she runs into at stalls/activities, someone to join her for a carriage ride, someone who convinces her to do sled racing, she’s selling different floral arrangements with a winter theme (crowns, bouquets coursages, pressed flower bouquets, etc), making new threads stuff, just general threads.

Starters To Write (0/?) - Dolores Madrigal, 

Jessamyn Redfort

Stalls/Activities - She would be up for all of them except the Polar Plunge. Sled racing would take some convincing

Starter Ideas - Anyone she runs into at stalls/activities, someone to convince her into sled racing, someone to teach her how to make s’mores, anyone who would join her for a carriage ride (she will go loads of times), someone to help her pick out a present for Jeyne, anyone to join her in overeating Christmas goodies, just general threads.

Starters To Write (0/?) -

Kate Denali

Stalls/Activities - Literally all of them

Starter Ideas - Anyone she runs into at stalls/activities, I think a Polar Plunge thread would be entertaining because she would not be affected, any threads with fellow secret service agents because I don’t think she’s had threads with many, drinking buddy, just general threads.

Starters To Write (0/?) - Rosalie Hale, 

Kate Sharma

Stalls/Activities - Ice Skating Rink, Carriage Rides, Vendors, Snowball Fight, Ballet, Music, Food/Drink

Starter Ideas - Anyone she runs into at stalls/activities, making new friends threads/anyone to cheer her up since her husband and sister don’t remember her, teammates/rivals for a snowball fight, someone to watch the ballet with, anyone to join her on a carriage ride, just general threads.

Starters To Write (0/?) - Edwina Sharma

Marcus Flint

Stalls/Activities - All of them but mostly the active/competitive ones and the ones involving drinking

Starter Ideas - Anyone he runs into at stalls/activities with, teammates/rivals at competitive activities, childhood friends (unaware and grew up in a rough part of town), fans of his rugby team, drinking buddies, Christmas gift giving, anyone to get into mischief with, just general threads.

Starters To Write (0/?) -

Mark Sloan

Stalls/Activities - Ice Skating Rink, Vendors, Sled Races, Snowball Fight, Polar Plunge, Bonfire/S’mores, Snowman Building Competition, Ice Bar, Music, Food/Drink.

Starter Ideas - Anyone he runs into at stalls/activities, newly engaged and buzzing about it so he wants to celebrate with people, someone he helps out (physically hurt for doctor help or emotionally hurt for pep talk help), drinking buddies, anyone to help him pick out something nice for Lexie, just general threads.

Starters To Write (0/?) - Bucky Barnes, Lexie Grey, 

Morgana Pendragon

Stalls/Activities - Carriage Rides, Vendors, Ice Bar, Ballet, Music, Food/Drink.

Starter Ideas - Anyone she runs into at stalls/activities, drinking partner, anyone who has magic and is interested in talking about it because she is fascinated by all, any villain threads because we love villains spurring each other on, just general threads.

Starters To Write (0/?) - Ciri, 

Prince Phillip

Stalls/Activities - He’d probably be up for any of them really.

Starter Ideas - Anyone he runs into at stalls/activities, any threads with Disney characters because I think they’re fun, anyone to help him pick a present for Aurora, Christmas gift giving, teammates/rivals for competitive activities, just general threads.

Starters To Write (0/?) - Audrey Rose, 

Tiabeanie

Stalls/Activities - Ice Bar, Bonfire/S’mores first for sure then she’ll wander around the others.

Starter Ideas - Anyone she runs into at stalls/activities, as many drinking buddies as she can find, someone to rescue her from the Polar Plunge which she’ll inevitibly do (probably plastered) and screw it up, making new friends threads, just general threads.

Starters To Write (0/?) -

River Song

Stalls/Activities - You know she’ll be doing all of it,

Starter Ideas - Anyone she runs into/joins her at stalls/activities, people from different times/places to talk to her about because she loves that, anyone who is invested in finding a way out of the city who might want to help her, rivals during competitive activities (she works alone), drinking buddies, just general threads.

Starters To Write (0/?) - Dream, 

Salazar Slytherin

Stalls/Activities - Mostly drink/food, music and vendors but could be convinced into other activities. 

Starter Ideas - Anyone he runs into at the stalls/activities he’d definitely be at, someone who might convince him to do other activities, someone to help him with Christmas gift shopping for his friends, anyone from his criminal past who may or may not know that he’s leaving that life behind yet, just general threads.

Starters To Write (0/?) - Hunter, Helga Hufflepuff, 

[night-gay]

Into the Anthill pt 22 - The De Facto Leader

After Hawkeye left the West Coast Avengers they turned to Hank to fill the gap in leadership. Whether it’s a fissure that threatened to swallow all of LA or something as simple as Captain America’s crippling meth addiction, Hank was always the first one they called. Jan, who had been testing the waters for a while, even decided to give their love another chance now that he seemed to be in a healthier place.

I know nothing lasts forever, but this has been a really nice status quo for him.

🐜🐜🐜

Avengers West Coast vol 2 #53-55, Captain America vol 1 #366-367, Avengers vol 1 #312-313

In an effort to destroy the Avengers once and for all, Loki assembled himself a team of supervillains by manipulating Dr. Doom, Mandarin, Kingpin, Red Skull, Wizard, and Magneto into believing that each of them was secretly pulling the strings and leading the effort. While he did successfully damage public opinion toward superheroes, his plans fell apart because the villains kept betraying each other (my favorite was when Magneto left Red Skull to die a slow, agonizing death in a bunker because he was a Nazi. Very Satisfying.). Each villain manipulated others into attacking the Avengers for them, but Wizard accidentally gave Loki’s position away and he was swiftly dealt with.

Avengers West Coast vol 2 #56-58, 60-62

Wanda went a little crazy after all of her recent traumas and took most of her teammates hostage. As Hank’s previous tests had shown, her ability to manipulate probability had expanded into full-scale reality manipulation. When Magneto arrived to take her to Asteroid M, Pietro dashed in to join them and kept Wanda from killing Hank before they left. Acting as a double-agent, Quicksilver teleported Magneto and Wanda back to Earth using Lockjaw (who Hank had miniaturized and put in his pocket before they left). When Magneto fled, Immortus dragged them all into Limbo and summoned the Legion of the Unliving to kill the Avengers so he could have Wanda to himself. His plan to exploit her status as a nexus being to control every possible timeline failed when Agatha convinced her to forsake her new power and save her friends. This fucked the timestream up enough that the Timekeepers were forced to step in. They planted her excess power into Immortus as punishment, trapping him how he’d planned to anchor her. The team was then sent home with Wanda back to her senses. 

West Coast Avengers Annual vol 1 #5, Avengers Annual vol 1 #19

As Hank was reactivating Human Torch again, Quicksilver arrived to tell them that Hercules was fighting 150ft metallic monsters called Termini and Terminus and could use their help. Hank was able to distract them from each other by temporarily blinding them, but when the diversion ended they merged, heading for St. Louis to absorb the nation’s power and destroy the Earth. Now more than 500ft, Thor was barely able to guide Ultra-Terminus away from Earth. Without a constant stream of energy to absorb, it became a black hole.

Avengers West Coast vol 2 #63

While neither U.S.Agent nor Human Torch were adjusting well to life as an Avenger, John stubbornly refused to open up to his teammates. Hank had planned to look for Tigra (who was feral, shrunk to the size of a kitten, and lost on the Avengers Compound’s grounds), but when Jim flew off in a daze he left the search to Agatha. Living Lightning, newly empowered, started a fight with Jim so Hank and Wasp flew Rover out to assist him. Rover was destroyed in the struggle.

Captain America vol 1 #377-378

Hank was called in when Black Widow and Diamondback brought Cap into a hospital for treatment. Apparently he had been in a warehouse that manufactured “Ice” (really strong meth basically) when it exploded, pumping him so full of it that the only way to save him from the withdrawal was for Hank to give him a complete blood transfusion. This saved him, but his powers were lost as a result. He interrupted Kingpin and Red Skull fighting naked in a forcefield to settle their turf war (Kingpin won) and returned to the hospital, where Hank had filtered his super-soldier blood and prepared it for infusion. Cap declined, deciding to prove himself without it.

Avengers West Coast vol 2 #65-68

Hank and Jan took off for a scenic drive to rekindle their love, but got a flat tire near a wheat farm. After the farmers turned out to be robots they headed back and U.S.Agent told them about local pesticides turning people’s bodies metal. While Wonder Man fought the now-undead Grim Reaper, Hawkeye snuck out with Tigra and Quicksilver to investigate and found Ultron-13′s lair. His plan was to use the insecticide in conjunction with special crystals he’d infused into the wheat crop to turn humans into robots he could control. He converted Hawkeye’s team and sent them to attack Hank. Tony was able to turn them back by blasting them with infrared light.

Grim Reaper came up with a plan to beat Ultron, but he’d only go through with it if Wonder Man promised to let him kill and drain one person every day for the rest of his life. Reluctant to let his brother die, he agreed. Reaper and Ultron battled each other to a standstill until Wonder Man tricked them into knocking each other out. Hank and Tony then set out to cure those he’d infected.

Minor/Cameo appearances from this period:

Avengers vol 1 #314, 329, 332

Amazing Spider-Man Annual vol 1 #24

Avengers Spotlight vol 1 #30

Avengers: The Korvac Saga

Fantastic Four Annual vol 1 #24

Namor the Sub-Mariner vol 1 #12

Captain America vol 1 #383

Iron Man vol 1 #263

The Impossible Man Summer Vacation Spectacular vol 1 #2

[whileiamdying]

The Shipping News: Moderate or good?

Our voyage into Annie Proulx is under way, but the outlook for a satisfying read remains unclear

📷 Kevin Spacey as Quoyle and Judi Dench as Agnis in the film version of The Shipping News

There was a mixed reaction when The Shipping News was announced as this month's Reading Group choice. Plenty seemed pleased. But many were disappointed.

As expressed by Lobster1: "Oh gosh … I really didn't like the book … eeek … I enjoyed the story but I had problems with her prose style … I found it annoying."

This prose style seems to be the sticking point. Even many of those that like the book seem to find it difficult. Shavedlegs wrote: "I agree with the comments about her writing style. I found it really hard work and it took me ages to really get into it. It's worth sticking with it as the description of a bleak Newfoundland winter and the emergence of the key characters is beautifully done. Definitely a slow burner."

MajorWhipple too had worries about the pace, saying: "It's a terrific work although the pace might not suit everyone." Although he went on to note: "For me it was the perfect marriage of style and setting. Excellent characterisation and plotting too."

Kendrew agreed: "I fell out of love with fiction for many years and it was this book that persuaded me to fall again. Many people have told me that they find Proulx difficult and hard going but I found her quite the opposite. I have since read Postcards, and after Cormac McCarthy I find Proulx wonderful when describing landscape."

So what is it about the style in the Shipping News? Is it (as Partridge says of one of Quoyle's early pieces of journalism) "like reading cement"? Or, as that line might suggest, is it rather witty?

Personally, at just over halfway mark, I'm on the Kendrew-MajorWhipple side of the fence – although it took me a while to get there. At first I wondered what Proulx had against relative pronouns and conjunctions. I stumbled over sentences like the following:

"But Partridge, dribbling oil, said 'Ah, Fuck it.' Sliced purple tomato. Changed the talk to descriptions of places he had been, Strabane, South Amboy, Clark Fork."

I also wondered if I was going to find the imagery heavy going:

"As she spoke she changed in some provocative way, seemed suddenly drenched in eroticism as a diver rising out of a pool gleams like chrome with a sheet of unbroken water for a fractional moment."

Because that passage came early in the book, it got me worried. I spent a long time starting at it, sometimes thinking it sounded quite pleasant, other times thinking "but divers rising out of pools don't gleam like chrome" and "how long is a fractional moment"?

As it turns out, nothing since has tripped me up. Like many of the best books, The Shipping News has taught me how to read its rhythms, cadences and how to take in its imagery. Now, I'm racing through and enjoying every word. I can't verbalise why those sometimes clipped, sometimes languorous sentences fit the setting so well – it's more of a feeling. Is it too much to suggest that those waves and troughs, ebbs and flows, fogs, clouds and moments of piercing brightness in the prose are right for Newfoundland? Perhaps. But I'm sure that Proulx's prose is an admirable tool for conveying the tough poetic speech patterns of local characters like Billy:

"'Tis a strange time, strange weather. Remember we had a yellow day on Monday – the sky cast was an ugly yellow like a jar of piss. Then yesterday, blue mist and blasting fog. Cap it off, my sister's youngest boy called up from St John's, said there was a fall of frozen ducks on Water Street, eight or ten of them, feathers all on, eyes closed like they was dreaming, froze hard as polar cap ice. When that happens, look out boys."

I could read passages like that all day. Annie Proulx, it's fair to say, knows her weather. Wind, snow, rain, lots of rain, storms, odd strange moments of sunshine and then, fog: "Fog against the window like milk..." "The sullen bay rubbed with thumbs of fog" … "green of grass stain, tilted in fog."

There are masterful descriptions of the elements – a pleasure in and of themselves – although, of course, there's more to them than mere decoration, as this early description of the strange hero Quoyle indicates:

"His thoughts churned like the amorphous thing that ancient sailors, drifting into arctic half-light, called the Sea Lung; a heaving sludge of ice under fog where air blurred into water, where liquid was solid, where solids dissolved, where the sky froze and light and dark muddled."

Fog again. A splendidly-worked pathetic fallacy. Or at least, that's how I've been reading it. I should state again here that other opinions are available. I've just spotted this New York Times review stating: "Weather offshore or overland can often seem chokingly imbued with portentousness."

So there you go. As we already know, this isn't a book that pleases everyone. Although it's definitely keeping me happy. Whenever I come back to it, the strange rhythm and texture of the prose transports me straight to Newfoundland. It's one of those books that's enjoyable enough to make me resent the rest of my day. How mundane doing the dishes seems when I could be reading about Quoyle. I'm even feeling antsy writing this piece. In fact, I think I may slope off and read some more now …

Before I do, I'd just like to solicit opinions. How do you find the weather? Hard going? Bright and clear? And what is it that is so unusual and appealling/unappealling about the prose? Oh yes, and one last thought from cutta:

"Christ it's dull. Haven't read it but it's been Book at Bedtime on Radio 4 for God knows how long and still nothing's happened. All that 'low, Biscay, deepening rapidly' or 'southeast Iceland, good, becoming poor, 7' etc etc. Occasionally there's an exciting bit about hurricane warnings but I still struggle to stay awake till the end each night."

There's no pleasing some people...

[womenties]

Kayak Fishing - Catching the Perch and the Waves

The last time I approached Sandy Pond it was a blustery day in February and the beautiful blue waters were transformed to harden white turf. Ice fishing in Upstate New York is a pastime adored by my husband so every year I venture out with him bundled up ready to face the wind, cold, and prospects of catching perch. What else is a winter sportswoman to do?

Yesterday approaching the same body of water on Father’s Day with the father of my two sons who couldn’t make it home for the holiday, I wore bright pink shorts, a tank top, and water shoes ready to try Kayak Fishing for the first time. I already experienced deep-sea fishing and fly fishing, why not kayak fishing? I grew up on a lake with boats so this kind of fishing was going to be my favorite.

As the calm waters enveloped my pink kayak (of course I have a pink kayak), my spirit settled and the old familiar comfort and serenity of being on water embraced me. As we paddled out of the cove into deeper waters with a fairly calm breeze blowing, I hooked my first worm and let it drift into the water as far as it would go, and then reeled it up two times to the perfect location, per my husband.

Boom (well, maybe a small boom) the fishing pole dipped and I yanked hard enough to pull up my first small perch. Deciding I wouldn’t be too afraid to take the fish off the hook this time, I gently started to, when my husband said, “here let me help you.” I agreed of course since I’m not that tough of a fishing gal yet.  I re-launched my pole and almost immediately got another bite and up came another small perch. These small perch were not big enough to keep so we set them free. This happened again and again until I caught six of them. I can see how fishing becomes addictive in the sense of trying to see if you can catch just one more.

Alas, the wind picked up and we decided to “ride” our kayaks back to the cove onto of the white capping waves which felt like we were surfing. It was a really fun unexpected addition to the adventure. So even though we didn’t catch enough big perch to bring home some dinner, the thrill was definitely found in the experience of doing a new sport and comparing it to my other fishing experiences. Deep Sea Fishing can be exciting if you land a big salmon like I did years ago but you weather bigger waves and need to wait sometimes to share the poles with other boat mates. Our last deep sea fishing experience in St. John’s landed my son a shark – a 4-foot, 400-pound shark – that took over an hour to pull in and then release.

Ice Fishing is cold but somehow enjoyable because it breaks up doing nothing in the middle of winter when one is longing for summertime and all it brings with it. Plus, my husband is a talented fisherman so he always brings home enough fresh perch to satisfy our palettes. We know when ice fishing is done, spring is on the way. If I had to say, I love kayak fishing the most because you are on the water catching rays, bobbing along in the sun, not truly caring if you catch a fish or not, because the environment is so soothing. So cheers to kayak fishing something I will do again, and again when I can. Give it a try.

[southernontariovacation]

What is the distance between Ontario Vacation Rentals and Niagara Falls?

Surrounded by 3 marvelous Lakes South Ontario is Canada’s most visited vacation destination. The natural beauty of South Ontario comes to life at popular tourist destination like Point Pelee National Park, Wasaga Beach, and Niagara Falls.  Whether, it’s a day trip to shop and dine in one of the Southern Ontario’s quaint rural towns or a weekend sunbathing on golden sandy beaches, South Ontario is the perfect destination for memorable vacationing. South Ontario encompasses vast expanses of wilderness & pristine lakes, and contains one of Canada’s most visited natural attractions, Niagara Falls. There are abundant of fun, adventure and entertainment for vacationers in South Ontario. Picton part of Prince Edward County is called the gastronomic Capital of Ontario is beautiful region in South Ontario renowned for its colorful  shops, boutiques, and Sandbanks Provinicial Park provide great beaching along the Lake. Some of the hidden gems in this beautiful region include Paris, Niagara on the lake, Simcoe, Alexandria, Dorchester, Newcastle, Napanee, and Goderich. The pristine Lakes in the region create great waterfalls and scenic sites which attract tourist to come for incredible vacation experience this South Ontario supports. Southern Ontario vacation rentals by owner are spacious, furnished, well-decorated, and luxurious and provide the best of hospitality services and amenities to the guests. These fully furnished vacation rentals in South Ontario are nestled in close proximity with the Niagara Region.

Niagara Falls is the most appreciated natural fall in this planet. Niagara Falls is located on the Niagara River which flows along a part of the US – Canada border. It is located in New York State on the US side and in the Ontario province on the Canadian side. The spectacular Niagara Falls is just over 12,000 year old. It is located in the namesake cities of Niagara Falls located on either side of the Niagara River. Clifton Hill is Niagara Falls top destination for attraction, restaurants, entertainment & more. Niagara Park Butterfly Conservatory features more than 200 exotic butterflies is located in close proximity with Ontario vacation rentals. It is a luxury vacation rental within 25 minutes to Niagara Falls. The beautiful Southern Ontario vacation accommodations are nestled near Puslinch Lake. Biking & hiking are popular tourist activities in the region. This South Ontario region is renowned for its outdoor fun, adventure and entertainment activities.

Scenery, Ice Hockey, Maple Syrup, Great Lakes, Lush green Hills, Snow-capped peaks, and world famous Niagara Falls are some of the top tourist attractions in Canada. Tourism had popularized this beautiful country in North America. Cities and sites such as Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Banff National Park, the Yukon, St. Johns, Ottawa, Victoria, Quebec City, Whitehorse, Whistler, Tofino, Reveelstoke, Winnipeg and Algonquin Provincial Park, are some of the tourist attractions in Canada. Southern Ontario is the province of Ontario, Canada renowned for its picture perfect sites, vacation friendly climate, and tons of outdoor recreational activities. Niagara Fall is the most visited tourist site in Southern Ontario beside this there are plentiful of tourist location and things to do in this part of Canada. Fully furnished Southern Ontario Family Vacation Rentals are dotted in some of the pristine destinations, offering numerous outdoor recreational activities in the region.

[pernellkarl]

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jhanz44: That Playoff Feeling! 👌🏼🚨 #winsong

[titchymitchy16]

An epic Russian bromance...

So today Fishy (@fishylife) and I stumbled across the adorable friendship between two baby Russians, one belonging to the Leafs, and one belonging to the Habs *le gasp* So here are the fruits of my stalking or as fishy so eloquently called it ‘sleuthing’ of the relationship between Rinat Valiev and Nikita Scherbak :P

So first we saw these, which made us curious on how well they knew each other!

Then googling their names gave me this - so they definitely played AGAINST each other but so has like, everyone, so...

Then we delved into Instagram and Twitter where they adorably support each other even after being drafted to rival teams and this is where I got very emotional... 

... #bestboysyouwilleverhave...

... summer training together...

GET THIS CUTENESS AWAY FROM ME! They both posted this photo and this was Val’s caption “valei61 Little talk before the game with my buddy @nikscherbak #InstaSize#brothers”

... Nikita retweeted the callup tweet and then wrote another tweet to say congrats to his BEST FRIEND - fyi the tag says ‘#master’...

... yes, this is a team photo but they’re sat next to each other...

... Val’s draft day...

... rival team caps but still bestest buds... 

... the return ‘1st NHL game’ post...

... they both look hilarious but it’s cute...

Alas, we reach the end of the photos... BUT WAIT THERE’S MORE!

An interview with Val from just after the draft:

– Did you enjoy the draft ceremony? Nikita Scherbak said that he was so worried that he didn’t know what to do once he heard his surname. Well, he got picked during the first round. In the third round it’s not as shiny as the first, therefore I had nothing to worry about. (Laughs.) By the way, me and Nikita are friends, we congratulated each other after the draft.

– And now you can play against him in very meaningful games. After all, one of the top NHL rivalries is between Montreal and Toronto. Yes, it would be great. I would be very glad to “greet” him with a big hit. (Laughs.) 

IN CONCLUSION! They’re freaking adorable and I love them and their friendship and so have spent this evening getting very emotional over supportive, rival-team BFFs and spamming Fishy (and now all of you) with my findings and feelings :P I hope you enjoy :)

[daisiesmakingchains]

fucale in a galaxy [click to enlarge]

(pls like/reblog if you use!)

[johnstavares]

zachary april 11th

[csykora]

Ooh, ooh. Please tell me all about TJ and how he turned the Caps into a buttsmack-loving, hansy, "babe"-ing team.

Ah, you are asking the NHL’s eternal question:

“Wait, why did the big men just highstick each other in the nuts?”

Ball torture is a big part of a game that’s supposedly played with a puck. 

We can thank the tireless work of the league’s spanking expert, Timothy Lief Oshie (Keeway Gaaboo in Anishinaabemowin, or “TJ”, after a character in 1979’s The Champ, a sports movie that the New York Times once described as “unholy” and “these movies don't mean to deal with the world as it really is, but as it should be, a place where there's no pile-up of emotional garbage too big that it can't be washed clean by a good cry. My problem with 'The Champ' is that I didn't cry. The garbage accumulated."

Clips of the character TJ crying have been found to be “one of the most depressing movies” you can show somebody, and are used in psychological studies. His mom thought Oshie looked like child actor Ricky Schroder, though.)

He is best known as Osh-Babe, like a Pokemon, for the sound he makes.

TJ was born in Everett, Washington, but moved to his father’s hometown of Warroad, Minnesota when he was fifteen to train with his father (Coach Osh) and cousin (Olympian and Red Wings star Henry Boucha).

I have a duty to show hockey tumblr pictures of Coach Henry and Coach Henry’s mustache every year.

He is also cousins with Gary Sargent of the Minnesota North Stars and great-nephew of local legend Max Oshie, because Warroad is a town of 1,700 people who are all cousins and also all Olympians.

For new hockey fans: Warroad is called “Hockeytown USA” because the US men’s team has never won gold without a player from Warroad on the roster. The reason for this is that the town has three rinks (two indoor, one outdoor) and ice time is free. Apparently the only barrier is that sometimes people forget who has the town key to the rink and they have to jimmy the door. 

Little TJ went from having to drive across the Washington/Canada border and paying $20 dollars per hour to skating every day of the year. The first thing Coach Henry did when TJ arrived was make him scrimmage against his local star player. They got so frustrated at not being able to beat each other that they sat down on the ice and burst into tears. The other player is now US Olympic, Boston Pride, and PWHPA star Gigi Marvin.  

Anyway, TJ played college hockey, then for the Blues and for Team USA in the 2014 Sochi Olympics, where he became famous for being a statistical freak and loving his teammates very, very much.

Here he is haring off the ice and all the way down the hall to crush Vladimir Tarasenko after his first career hat trick. After crushing Tarasenko’s Team Russia in 2014, TJ stopped to comfort him.

I don’t have video of TJ’s involvement with Vladimir’s butt, but there were at least a few proto-smacks.

Anyway, that summer TJ was traded away to the Washington Capitals, and the spankings started.

Several people deserve credit for the Washington Capital’s complete lack of personal space before TJ arrived. The first, of course, are Alexander Ovechkin and Alexander Semin, who shared everything from their name through their bubblegum, clothes, and chairs.

The next is Nate Schmidt, who at the time was d-partnered with John Carlson. John Carlson once hugged Nate Schmidt so hard it felt “like getting hit by a linebacker” and “I really felt I was going to eat popcorn with the people in the third row….It was awesome.” Nate Schmidt decided to express his love by composing a Carly Dance, which he would perform for Carlson before every game.

Then backup goaltender Philipp Grubauer told Schmidt he worried Nate was making the Caps’ other senior defenseman, Matt Niskanen, feel less cherished. Together they created a Matty Duet, which they performed at Niskanen while, I assume, the rest of the team had to hold him down.

There was also Tom Wilson, who also hits people very hard. After his first season Alexander Ovechkin was so impressed with Wilson that he nicknamed him “Destroyer”. Tom Wilson I guess blushed and said “No, you!” because started calling Ovechkin “Destroyer” right back. It’s since been shortened to “D”, so if you’re listening to pregame or bench chatter and hear someone yelling that it means either of them.

Since his arrival, TJ has adopted and escalated Schmidt’s pregame dances into elaborate dance-handshakes.

First, and this isn’t directly relevant but it kind of is, TJ is a really big fan of electrotherapy and brought it with him from St. Louis. So before games he and John Carlson like to go into a dark training room and stick electrodes on each other. TJ especially likes putting them on his face. 

(via the Washington Post)

(He uses an Accelerated Recovery Performance machine, or ARP, which is just a TENS unit you can get at CVS. I quite like TENS for pain and it can be very relaxing, so I think it does help him in that sense, but the company selling it as ARP for training purposes is some vintage 19th century snake oil. At one point TJ also stuck electrodes on long-suffering family dog Jay Beagle, who was gracious to his face but concluded, “I just don’t know if it actually works. I don’t like doing things that don’t help, you know what I mean?”)

Emerging from his electric dungeon, TJ has a unique dance-handshake with every member of the team. Each one is based on a joke or something he’s noticed about them, and they are expected to perform it with him in order before every game.

After that, they break out into secondary traditions as TJ supervises: Wilson and Ovechkin bodyslam and scream “D!” onto each other’s faces, during the playoffs John and Ovi square up and hit each other in the jock a ritual number of times, and so on.

...in retrospect maybe I should have pinned John Carlson for more of this, or at least that the Washington Capitals like it when John Carlson humiliates them physically. John Carlson now thinks he can demand his D-partners dance for him, much to Kempny’s confusion.

Anyway then they go out to the ice, where Kempny gamely tows TJ into position for Tom Wilson to whale on his ass and/or balls with his stick. The force and placement of blows vary depending how they’re feeling tonight. TJ returns the favor until they fall to the ice in fake or sometimes maybe not so fake agony. 

When TJ recovers enough he’ll sneak over and steal a spank of the plushest and most precious hockey butt of all: goalie butt.

According to Lars Eller, “it’s little things we have fun with. We don’t do it for anybody else, but for us as a group…just a good way for us to start practice off with a laugh and smile.”

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Monday 29 September 1834

7 5/..

12

No kiss fine morn[in]g F[ahrenheit] 59 1/2° at 11 1/2 – ready in an h[ou]r - br[eak]f[a]st at 9 1/2 in the blue r[oo]m - bef[ore] and aft[e]r

siding – fill my new dress[in]g r[oo]m clos[e]t w[i]th boxes brown carr[ia]ge cap-case etc. etc. – out at 11 35/.. - Mallins[o]n and 2

men and 2 boys finish laundry chim[ne]y and beg[a]n flagg[in]g bef[ore] n[or]th parl[ou]r wind[ow] and sett[in]g firegrate in n[or]th parl[ou]r

Ch[arle]s and Ja[me]s How[ar]th putt[in]g up doors at Whiskum cot[tage] in the morn[in]g and putt[in]g up tab[le]s at side of

and finish[in]g new china clos[e]t th[i]s aft[ernoo]n – Pickells and John tak[in]g up old setting oppos[i]te new c[oa]ch

h[ou]se door and cart[in]g away clay fr[om] th[e]re and bring[in]g sand for repav[in]g - w[i]th th[e]m all - fr[om] Whiskum

walk[e]d b[a]ck as far as Pump w[i]th John Oates – If I meant to get coal w[oul]d loose it right

169

1834

Sept[embe]r

Vc

+

fr[om] below (n[ea]r Tilley holm style I suppo[se]) - on[l]y ab[ou]t an acre to get where I talk[e]d of putt[in]g

the pit d[o]wn, ev[e]n if th[a]t w[a]s n[o]t gone § - c[oul]d n[o]t get mo[re] w[i]thout pump[in]g - ask[e]d wh[a]t sort of pump

own[e]d th[a]t perh[aps] a hand pump m[i]ght go 1/2 d[o]wn the pit - n[o]t m[u]ch of wat[e]r on the coal - recomm[ende]d

the men fr[om] a dist[an]ce th[a]t h[a]d been sink[in]g for Wilson, and w[oul]d  be at lib[ert]y in a m[on]th - s[ai]d all

I wish[e]d w[a]s to get the pit sunk – well th[e]n I sh[oul]d bind th[e]m to work doub[le] shifts (2 shifts)

per day - s[ai]d Mr. Rawson c[oul]d ver[y] well get Mrs. Machins’ coal - w[oul]d get d[o]wn to it by

th[a]t clough below Joseph Hall’s - th[a]t belong[e]d to Sammy Hall all of wh[o]se coal R- [Rawson] h[a]d b[ou]ght

d[i]d n[o]t kno[w] at th[a]t pr[ice] –

§ gone bef[ore] they (i.e. John Oates and Green and Hinscliffe and c° h[a]d an[y]th[in]g to do w[i]th it) –

saunt[ere]d ho[me] al[on]g the walk fr[om] the bot[tom] of it - ca[me] in at 2 1/2 – A- [Adney] h[a]d just h[a]d Miss Atkins[o]n

and h[e]r broth[e]r Ch[arle]s – and ab[ou]t 3 or aft[e]r ca[me] Mr. Plowes and Mrs. Dyson for 1/2 h[ou]r or mo[re] –

I kept out of the way, n[o]t, of course, being ask[e]d for by eith[e]r p[ar]ty - look[in]g ov[e]r old mus[i]c

ca[me] to my study at 4 3/4 - r[ea]d fr[om] p[age] 212 to 230 Boase - h[a]d 1/2 h[ou]rs’ nap - wr[ote] the ab[ov]e of

today till 6 10/.. – Mr. Sund[erlan]d here whi[le] I w[a]s out - s[ai]d he nev[e]r in his life saw A- [Adney] look[in]g

bet[ter] or so well - th[ou]ght h[e]r gett[in]g fat – she cert[ainl]y looks hap[py] and in excel[len]t sp[iri]ts –

out n[ea]r 1/2 h[ou]r - din[ner] at 6 3/4 in the blue r[oo]m - coff[ee] – A- [Adney] look[in]g ov[e]r Leeds Intelligencers all

today for bind[in]g – I look[e]d ov[e]r my drawers to see if I h[a]d any th[e]re – 1/2 h[ou]r w[i]th my fath[e]r and Mar[ia]n

and nearly as long w[i]th my a[un]t till n[ea]r 10 – A- [Adney] n[o]t in bed till 5 min[ute]s bef[ore] 11 - rubb[e]d h[e]r back w[i]th brandy 10

min[ute]s till 11 5/.. – fine day - F[ahrenheit] 59° now at 11 10/.. p.m. – the 2 sewers mak[in]g blue r[oo]m curt[ai]ns –

[scotianostra]

On December 27th 1904 J M Barrie's play "Peter Pan" premiered at the Duke of York Theatre, London.

J.M. Barrie created his character based on his older brother, David, who died in an ice-skating accident the day before his 14th birthday. His mother and brother thought of him as forever a boy. The "boy who wouldn't grow up"

The story of free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical island of Neverland as the leader of the Lost Boys, interacting with fairies, pirates, mermaids, Native Americans, and occasionally ordinary children from the world outside Neverland.

Peter Pan has become a cultural icon symbolizing youthful innocence and escapism. In addition to two distinct works by Barrie, the character has been featured in a variety of media and merchandise, both adapting and expanding on Barrie's works. These include a 1953 animated film, a 2003 dramatic/live-action film, a television series and many other works.

J. M. Barrie first used Peter Pan 2 years before, as a character in a section of The Little White Bird, an adult novel where he appears as a seven-day-old baby in the chapter entitled Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. Following the success of the 1904 play, Barrie's publishers, Hodder and Stoughton, extracted chapters 13–18 of The Little White Bird and republished them in 1906 under the title Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, with the addition of illustrations by Arthur Rackham. Barrie never described Peter's appearance in detail, even in his novel, leaving it to the imagination of the reader and the interpretation of anyone adapting the character. In the play, Peter's outfit is made of autumn leaves and cobwebs. His name and playing the flute or pipes suggest the mythological character Pan. Barrie mentions in Peter and Wendy that Peter Pan still had all his "first teeth".He describes him as a beautiful boy with a beautiful smile, "clad in skeleton leaves and the juices that flow from trees"

Traditionally, the character has been played on stage by a petite adult woman. In the original productions in the UK, Peter Pan's costume was a reddish tunic and dark green tights, such as that worn by Nina Boucicault in 1904. This costume is exhibited in Barrie's Birthplace museum at Kirriemuir.

In the Disney films, Peter wears an outfit that consists of a short-sleeved green tunic and tights apparently made of cloth, and a cap with a red feather in it. He has pointed elf-like ears, brown eyes and his hair is red. In Hook ,  the character is played as an adult by Robin Williams, with blue eyes and dark brown hair; in flashbacks to him in his youth, his hair is light brown. In this film his ears appear pointed only when he is Peter Pan, not as Peter Banning. His Pan attire resembles the Disney outfit (minus the cap). In the live-action 2003 Peter Pan film, he is portrayed by Jeremy Sumpter, who has blond hair and blue-green eyes. His outfit is made of leaves and vines.

Barrie commissioned a statue of Peter Pan by sculptor George Frampton which was erected overnight in Kensington Gardens on 30 April 1912 as a May Day surprise to the children of London. Seven statues have been cast from the original mould, they are in, Egmont Park, Brussels, Belgium, Bowring Park, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, Bowring Park, Johnson Park, Camden, New Jersey, USA, Queens Gardens, Perth, Western Australia, Sefton Park, Liverpool, and Glenn Gould Park, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Various other statues have appeared around the world, including three in Scotland, the first is at  Mearnskirk Hospital for children in Glasgow, the first superintendent of the hospital, Dr John A Wilson, was a school friend of Barrie, the other one in Scotland is of course in Kirriemuir,  one in the main town square and the other in the Peter Pan Garden by Barrie's Birthplace, now owned by the National Trust of Scotland.

The most famous of the other statues is at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, who JM Barrie gifted the rights to the play in 1929, the copyright first expired in the UK (and the rest of Europe) in 1987, 50 years after Barrie’s death, but the government of the day made an amendment to the copyright act giving Great Ormond Street Hospital the unique right to royalties from stage performances of Peter Pan (and any adaptation of the play) as well as from publications, audio books, ebooks, radio broadcasts and films of the story of Peter Pan, in perpetuity.

[passingthetime]

l-appreciate-you-and-wanna-know-you-better-through-completely-random-questions (tag)

Tagged by @0mmadawn, thank you!! ☀️

1) Zodiac sign: Gemini Sun Pisces Moon Cap Rising

2) A city/country you'd visit if you could leave right now: Granada! It's not my own dream destination, but we discussed hitchhiking there so much with my man I'd be ready to leave any moment I could by now.

3) Languages you know: Hungarian, English, a bit Spanish (and I wanna say a bit Japanese and a bit Chinese, but those would no longer be true)

4) Favourite hot beverage: Nicaraguan tobacco coffee!! Also St. John's wort tea for the effects...

5) Favourite cold beverage: Iced coffee, piña colada, lemon balm syrup (people abroad also mix it with cold water, right? Cuz the photo of syrup on Wikipedia is not what I mean)

6) Favourite salty food: Makizushi, chili and lime crisps

8) Favourite candy: Gummy candy!! Especially the kind with that sour candy powder on it. Also pop rocks!

9) Favourite color: That nice warm shade of yellow

10) Favourite flower: Dandelion!

11) Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (if known): The quiz keeps giving me ISFP and INFP, but I don't trust it, because I know for fact I'm extroverted not introverted.

12) Your OTP: I don't ship...

I tag @taliesin-dapple, @groupie-goddess and @candyandcurrantbun! 🌼

[zashamalkin]

Translation of Anna Kasterova’s live interview on 5/29/20.

Thanks to my amazing Gino Anon, the entire interview is translated below the cut. Final word count, btw, is 2405 so like, send big thanks their way. Holy shit! 

Anna got sick few days before the interview. Not covid, just a cold, that later turned into otitis. It was very painful, but now she’s feeling way better, though she still has some trouble hearing with her left ear. They talk a bit about the weather in Miami (it’s been raining there for a few days, but it’s still pretty hot). Igor asks if they’re allowed to swim during the quarantine. Anna says that the 1/ 

beaches were recently open, but there are obviously rules about keeping the safe distance. “Is Zhenya a good swimmer?” “Yeah, he’s great. He’s spending a lot of time with Nikita, teaching him how to swim. More in the pool though, than in the ocean.” “How do you and Zhenya feel about the latest news in NHL?” “I think, the idea is pretty good. Everyone has been waiting on some news about this season. I asked Zhenya if he preferred for the season to be cancelled. He said, he wanted to finish it 2/ 

properly. This season has been great for him, he’s in a great shape. And even though he hasn’t been skating for 2 months, he’s still been training pretty hard, running, roller skating and he didn’t lose his shape.” She thinks everything is turning pretty good so far and it’s great that the teams will have a time for training camps and a chance to go to playoffs.“In your opinion, were the players mentally prepared to continue the season?” “I think, those, who genuinely want to go to playoffs, 3/ 

have been working very hard to be ready, when the time comes. But, for sure, there are some players, who spent more time relaxing, rather than training. A lot of teams are asking their players to come back and start training on the ice and not all of the players follow their instructions.” “What are the rules about practice right now? Are they allowed to train in groups or…?” “There are no details about it yet. It haven’t even been decided yet, what cities will be chosen as Hub cities. So far 4/ 

the coaches are asking players to stay in shape. They have video calls together, where they go through different footage every time. But, as far as I understand, the organization and the coaching staff are ready for the players to come back.” “How do the players feel about the new rules for playoffs this season?” “No negative feelings. They’ve been under a lot of mental pressure, not knowing anything about the season and the playoffs. Everything seems pretty logical and they’re very happy to 5/ 

get back on ice and to have a chance to fight for SC.” “Is there any inside information about what cities will be chosen as Hubs?” “No one knows anything for sure. But I know that they’re very carefully considering epidemiological situation in the cities and will choose the safest options. ” *I SUCK at translating hockey terminology from Russian to English, so I’m sorry if anything is incorrect.* “Do you think it would’ve been fairer to include the numbers of “play-in” (I have no idea what he 6/ 

means by “play-in”) as well as the Robin Rounds into the statistics of regular season? Because it would give the players, like Ovechkin and Panarin, and Malkin to gain more points.” “It’s a very difficult question. But I’m sure NHL and NHLPA have gone over all the possible scenarios and have chosen the best one.” “How has Geno been handling the quarantine?” “He’s been very calm and collected. He’s been doing great mentally, smiling and cracking jokes, and keeping us safe and happy.” “Why did 7/

your family (meaning Geno, Anna and Nikita) decide to do a covid testing in early April?” “I had a pneumonia in November and wanted to find out for myself, if it was covid-induced, if I had any antibodies for the virus. But all the testing came back negative. None of us had it.” “What books did you and Zhenya read during the quarantine?” “Zhenya likes to read fantasy books. He’s been reading “Quantum Warrior: The Future of the Mind” by John Kehoe.” “Does he read in English?” “No, in English 8/

he’s mostly watching TV shows.” “I was very impressed by the story, that after his 1st season in NHL, Zhenya hired Russian language and literature teacher.” “He’s had a lot of free time these past 2 months and he’s hired 2 tutors: English language tutor to work on his grammar and Russian language tutor. (*Sorry, I don’t know if I need to explain this, but Geno obviously knows how to speak Russian. What I think Anna means here, is that the pronunciation of the words in Russian changes depending9/

on where the person is from. Every region has its own accent. I think, what Geno is trying to do, is lose his Magnitogorsk accent and start to speak clearer Russian, like ppl in Moscow of St. Petersburg do.*) He has classes with his tutors Monday to Friday. I’m very happy for him.” One of Geno’s friends in Russia has been robbed recently. Igor is asking Anna, if they ever considered buying a gun, since it’s allowed in US. Anna says no, they feel safe and they live a good neighborhood. She 10/

doesn’t think it necessary or appropriate. They talk a bit about Ovi’s second child being born recently and if Geno and Anna are planning on having a second child any time soon. “Of course, we wouldn’t mind having another child. If it happens, we’ll be very happy. I would like to have a girl, though.” “What’s the best way to describe Zhenya’s and Ovechkin’s relationships today? Are they friends or rivals” “Both. And healthy rivalry is very important in order to reach their personal goals.” 11/

“When Caps and Pens play each other, is it possible for them to go have dinner after.” “No.” “What can you say about the relationships between Zhenya and Sidney Crosby? When we talked with Zhenya last year, he said very nice and kind things about him. Even though Zhenya is in Sid’s shadow a lot of the time.” “I can talk about it for hours. They push each other and make each other stronger. But they also can step in and do more than anyone, when the other is hurt and not playing. Off the ice, 12/

they are very good friends and they support each other. Have I ever thought about what his life would be like, if he was the only star player in a team? I think, he’d be the best player in the whole NHL. He’s very intelligent in terms of building a game, always plans 2-3 steps ahead. He’s very fearless in his game, very talented and vey multilateral player. He’s very unique. They won together THREE STANLEY CUPS! No one's saying Crosby is less talented. He’s an incredible player, he works very13/

hard every day. They are 2 number 1 players in this team. If Zhenya ever asked me if I’d like him to play in New York, f/e, I’d say, no. Pittsburgh is his city, his home. And management and coaching staff are also a very important part of team success. The relationship inside the team is very important. And Pens are the best in that, imo.” “You two watched Super Bowl at Sid’s place. What’s it like there?” “It’s a tradition. Every year Sid invites the team with their wifes/gfs/kids to watch 14/

Super Bowl. His gf Kathy does all the cooking. She’s a very geart person, very hospitable. *omg, this is the first time I hear any1 talking about Sid’s gf 😀, aww* Everyone on the team is very open, very kind, they are great guys. It’s the best thing about Pens. So we’re always happy to accept Sid’s invitation and we always have a great time.” “Do you want Nikita to become a hockey player?” “We’re not gonna push him to it. If it’s something he wants, sure. But I have big plans for his 15/

education. I’d like him to know 2 languages, (English) and Russian, especially grammar, not just being able to speak it freely. I’m studying with him and for an almost 4 yo he already knows quite a lot. And it’s always very hard for a child of a parent, who has achieved so much, to surpass that kind of success. And I don’t want my son to have this kind of pressure on him. I don’t want him to be known solely as “Malkin’s son”. For me it’s very important for him to get a good education and to 16/

choose his path in life.” “Talking about the tv series about Michael Jordan, would you like a bio series to be shot about Zhenya?” “I know he wants to act, in a tv series or in a movie. He talked about it many times. As for a biopic, of course I would like that. He has a huge success story. A man from a simple, working class family. It’s very expensive to play hockey. And he was so talented even in a young age, that his coaches would sometimes bring him a puck, or a stick, or a uniform, for 17/

free. Add to that a story about him finally getting to NHL.” “Zhenya said once in an interview, that you fight sometimes about him not being open enough w/ you, not sharing his problems etc. Has it changed during the quarantine?” “Everything’s been great during quarantine. During the season, he’s under a lot of pressure and always takes it hard if the team loses or if he doesn’t score. Right now he’s very calm and happy, and everything is great.” A question about a conflict around Geno having18/

a USA passport (a lot of people in Russia, his celebrity friends especially, weren’t happy with that, and judged him for that). What does Anna think about it? “He’s a patriot. He loves his country and his city. We were in a hopeless situation, when I needed to get all the documents ready ASAP, and we needed to get married, and him having a US passport would speed that up. You could say, he did it for me. On the other hand, America is his 2nd home. He spends here more time than in Russia. He’s19/

been working here for years. Why is that such a big problem? It’s not like he turned his back on Russia or anything.” Then she talked about Geno’s donation to families in Magnitogorsk, who suffered bc of explosion that happened there in December 2018, and how much he gives to his community in Russia, that ppl don’t know about, bc he prefers not to advertise it. Then Igor keeps asking political questions and Anna is getting more and more irritated by them. Geno publicly supported Putin’s 20/

reelection whenever that was, and interviewer is asking whether him having an American passport is appropriate, considering that he’s a part of Putin team? “Why is it inappropriate? America and Russia are not enemies. Yes, there are some unresolved political issues. They are 2 huge countries, of course they will always feel threatened by each other. But I don’t see any serious political confrontation. Maybe bc we’re in US right now. But Zhenya has a great respect for his president. *bleh, I 21/

don’t like Putin. I know, she has to say nice things about him, bc as long as Geno is a part of Team Russia and wants to have a life in Russia, they can’t be openly against him. But both Geno and Anna don’t strike me as ppl, who will support Putin’s ideals. Sorry for me butting in w/ my opinion*” Question about Geno’s new diet after 18-19 season. “He never drinks alcohol during season. He doesn’t eat potatoes anymore. It’s very hard to cook him a soup w/o any potatoes in it. No sweet things,22/

no gluten. Now before games, he eats gluten-free pasta.” “Is he very superstitious? Do you try to wean him off some of them?” “No, if it makes him feel comfortable, why would I do that?” She declined to name any of them, bc it’s a personal thing for Geno. “Do you put in any work in Zhenya’s image and style?” “I think so, a bit. His sense of style has become better, his taste in literature.” “Zhenya’s favorite music?” “Russian pop-music mostly.” Question about Geno’s gaming habits. Anna 23/

doesn’t try to control him or tell him not to play, bc for him these computer games are a way to relax. She doesn’t mind. It’s his personal time. He doesn’t have his computer in Miami, so he found another way to spend time – studying with his tutors. Question about Olympics. “Yes, he’d like to win a gold medal with Team Russia, when the time comes.” He doesn’t feel jealous about Datsyuk or Kovalchuk, who have an Olympic gold. “Do you think, Zhenya’s last hockey season before retirement will 24/

be in Magnitogorsk?” “Sure, I don’t see why not. He’s very grateful for everything Metallurg gave him and it would seem logical for him to come back there before retiring.” “What is Zhenya’s biggest motivation right now?” “He’s very self-critical (she means Geno’s words about his skills in 18-19 season). He always has a high bar for himself and je always tries to reach it.” Question about Geno reaching 1000 pts. “It was a very big moment for us and a big win for him. He was very inspired 25/

by it and it gave him a lot of self-confidence.” ‘Was Zhenya mad about not making NHL’s 100 players list?” “I was. I was very angry. But he knows his value and what he’s achieved as a player. But it was very strange for me.” “Who do you think Zhenya wil be after his career ends? And how will your life together change? Will you spend more time in Russia or in US?” “It’s a tough question. I imagine a house by the lake, in Russia, with kids and, later, grandkids. With a big fireplace. I think, 26/

after finishing his career, we’d like to travel a bit. But I don’t know. It’s something you should ask him.”

[oisugasuga]

the fall

"You should not be here."

The words hissed from behind him were angry and hot-blooded but cold — like silver, black ice, the moon in the sky in the dead of winter.

Oikawa had been expecting them to be. Still… his heart leapt a little, up into the base of his throat.

That voice.

That voice haunted his nightmares, his dreams. That voice seeped and bled into every inch of Oikawa’s body every time he heard it, melting like poison — like sugar — into his veins.

That voice held everything Oikawa wanted in the shortest of syllables.

He turned around. It wasn’t hard to do, despite the goosebumps crawling up Oikawa’s arms, breathing down the nape of his neck.

It wasn’t hard to do because when he turned the world spun in cold and shadow… but it was the burning, ragged silver at the middle of it all that held Oikawa down and saved him from drowning in hoarfrost and ice, corpse-white fingers and the harshness of sharp piercings and drops of blood on pale lips.

Oikawa’s gaze fastened on it and really, it was no surprise when the breath stopped dead in his lungs.

Sugawara Koushi never failed to stop the breath dead in Oikawa’s lungs.

It wasn’t his beauty… though he was undeniably stunning in the way that destruction could be breathtaking. His voice was the distant cry of a train at midnight, calling out, lovely and haunting. His eyes were the glow of headlights down an empty interstate and they held the depths of everything humankind feared and wanted in the same moment… and his hair…

It was much more than that, infinitely more. Words that had no language to communicate them in — a soundless noise on the bitter kiss of winter’s winds, a poem cut ragged and unreadable by rime, the most fleeting of fingertips down the knobs of a cold spine.

Oikawa exhaled, damp and quiet. A thousand hungry, malicious eyes clung to his words as he spoke them… but Oikawa only looked at Suga.

"I wanted to see you."

That mouth — thin and honest, brutally so — twisted and curved with distaste - no, with regret. Oikawa glimpsed it, that remorse. It flickered once, twice, over teeth too sharp to pass as normal and so undeniably foreign on such a face.

Then it was gone.

"You must go." Train wheels on a track, unstoppable. Oikawa was powerless to resist as chilled fingers wrapped around his right bicep and pulled. Suga’s grip was like steel. Oikawa would’ve followed anyway.

They moved — past the things that lurked in the shadows and those that stood in full view and Oikawa avoided his eyes from the figures in the red haze, sneakers scuffing over the cracked marble beneath his feet. A laugh like dead leaves over frozen ground whispered through the air, amongst the crowd of gleaming hair and predatory eyes, fangs and claws and cold, twisted, beautiful faces with large pupils swallowing up any possible trace of brightness.

And down on the ground where Oikawa trained his gaze carefully, like he had been taught, he still couldn’t help but see out of his peripheral — the twisted statues once alive and the oily shine of nightshade bushes under the frost, the sparkle of dark jewels and hidden alcoves behind thick curtains, and somewhere down one of the endless, twisting halls, someone was singing… a plaintive wail that made Oikawa’s nape sting with horror and his blood rush with need.

Oikawa knew the stories. He knew the temptations.

He knew Suga was the only reason the Unseelie Court hadn’t already eaten him alive, trapped him forever, tricked him into giving away his soul willingly. He was a guest, a pet, of one of the princelings. He couldn’t be touched.

Suga loathed it, Oikawa knew. That word, pet… but Oikawa had been stupid and reckless and unheeding and Suga had warned him and now it was the only way to keep Oikawa safe from the others.

It was the only way Oikawa could get in.

They kept going. Suga didn’t speak. He didn’t relinquish the bruising hold on Oikawa. His subjects parted before them, in case Suga unleashed his wrath. Oikawa had seen it happen only once though he knew it hadn’t been the first or the last time.

He saw it even now, at night while he slept — a bloody affair with a red cap who got a little too close before he was ripped apart brutally by Suga’s own elegant, beautiful fingertips.

The same fingers that were still wrapped so lovingly tight around Oikawa’s all too human arm.

Their path was unobstructed…

… until a familiar figure loomed up out of the haze.

"Move, Suguru. Now."

If a blizzard — subzero and deadly — could be translated to words, it would be the sound of those leaving Suga’s lips. Oikawa’s arm was released, his body half-blocked from view by a tiny instep of the fae prince in front of him.

Still… Daishou was shadow. Where Suga’s hair was bright and burning star-fire, Daishou was the crash of dark waves in a winter storm, the dread of nightfall and the endless cavern down a wet, gaping throat.

Daishou still saw him, Oikawa… and unlike the others, he wasn’t afraid to edge close, dig deeper, push and push until Suga snapped.

Oikawa’s free hand slipped into his hoodie pocket, fingers skating over the cold kiss of an iron cross he had tucked there… further still to the careful, little bundle of St. John’s wort, the velvet petals sticking to his fingertips. He knew the stories, the temptations.

He knew how to protect himself when it was necessary.

"Now, now. I’ve never had to suffer a greeting as cold as yours, Koushi. There’s no need to rush. After all, your pet has only just arrived. Let him have the joy and promises we have to offer.”

Oikawa grit his teeth but stayed still. This wasn’t the first — or the last — time he had crossed paths with Daishou Suguru. He was all too familiar with this little game.

A ripple of whispers and murmuring swept the court. They were excited, all of them. Their anticipation — the thirst for blood or ice, broken skin or the sound of bones cracking — prickled over Oikawa in static.

"I said move," Suga repeated — ice breaking in a frozen stream.

For a terrifying moment — bone-chilling and horrible — Oikawa thought he wouldn’t. Thought that this moment would crack and fracture and be reduced to violence and bloodshed and death. The tension was so thick it coated the entire court in silence. So thick Oikawa wanted to gag on it.

But…

But Daishou exhaled first. He smiled then and it was terrible, beautiful in a way that chilled Oikawa’s blood. Still, he made no move forward. He only stepped to the side, mock-bowing to Suga.

Suga’s eyes flashed in the gloom. The insult in the gesture was clear enough, the way Daishou bent lazily at the waist still wearing that smile while his pale hands beckoned Suga and Oikawa forward with a crude flick.

Oikawa felt the new wave of rage that emanated from the set of Suga’s shoulders. It was like snow in the middle of winter — quiet and slow but steadily growing into something that could prove deadly. A slick of black ice on a winding road, or an impenetrable curtain of white where there had once been landmarks.

But Daishou had stepped aside… and Oikawa was here, where he should never be. Too much was at risk. Suga moved forward and Oikawa followed.

The chill of Daishou’s eyes didn’t leave the back of Oikawa’s neck until the doors of the hall slammed shut behind them.

---------------------------------------------------

“Go home.”

Oikawa paused in the dark of the street. Somewhere, the ocean crashed and broke on the shore and the sound carried under Suga’s words. It enforced them.

“Why?”

Oikawa knew the answer. He just didn’t believe it.

Suga sighed. It was the first moment of hesitation — of weakness — he’d shown all night and Oikawa couldn’t help but drink it up. Here was a prince of Faerie, so out of place in the human world, arguing with Oikawa because he loved him.

Because they loved each other.

Oikawa’s life hadn’t been easy. Growing up with the Sight had been anything but easy.

But right now — watching Suga’s hair ruffle in the breeze off of the sea, his face an unearthly assortment of angles and lines and curves — Oikawa wouldn’t take any of it back.

“Because it is dangerous,” Suga answered finally. He wasn’t looking at Oikawa. His eyes gazed out over the bluffs, like he could see the water and all of the secrets it had accumulated over the years. His eyelashes were spiderwebs spun at night. His face was ageless. “You know that.”

“Anything worth something in life takes risk.”

Oikawa stood with his hands shoved into his pockets and he held his breath after he spoke, waiting, looking, searching…

… and there it was. There it always would be.

The gentlest curl of a smile at the corner of Suga’s mouth.

Six months ago that smile had been Oikawa’s complete and utter downfall. The last nail in the coffin. The second it took for a person to not be looking — at the road, at the signs, at the thing that mattered most — before that car swerved and tipped and everything resting on the fulcrum of their life tipped towards something unstoppable.

This was unstoppable. It always had been.

And when Suga finally looked at him, Oikawa knew he wasn’t alone in the fall.