#super bowl 2007

[fabiansteinhauer]

Vergleichende Meteorologie

1.

Der amerikanische football, also das Objekt, mit dem gespielt wird, ist unausgewuchtet. Er rollt und springt nur schwer bis nicht vorhersehbar. Wie der europäische Fußball ist er ein Polobjekt, er ist für Wenden, Kehren und Kippen da. Beide sind Kinder des Kultes um Fortuna, beide spielen, beider Reiz liegt in der Kombination aus Kontrolle und Kontrollverlust, Macht und Ohnmacht, Schick- und Kippsal und nicht zuletzt darin, dass nach dem Spiel vor dem Spiel ist, also die Zeit zwar nicht zurückgedreht, aber doch gedreht werden kann. Wenn schon nicht Walter Benjamin, dann wenigstens Günter "Meister" Pröpper. Wenn schon nicht CCCR, dann wenigstens WSV.

2.

Man spielt mit dem amerikanischen football auf einem Operationsfeld, das in seiner Rasterung einem Bratrost entspricht. Weil das Objekt des Spiels unausgewuchtet ist, ist es in der Form nach denjenigen Polobjekten identisch, aus denen heraus Aby Warburg sein Interesse für Polarität kultiviert. Wäre da nämlich kein Problem, gäbe es kein Problem, dann gäbe es keinen Reiz.

Nur das Spielprinzip stumpft mit seinen Greifmöglichkeiten und seiner direkten Orientierung an Raumgewinn und Verteidigung (statt, wie beim europäischen Fussball mit seinen Ungeifbarkeiten und seiner puren Orientierung am Einlochen oder Torschuss) den mit der Unwucht gesteigerten Kontrollverlust, also den eigentlichen Witz der Unwucht, wieder ab, gleicht ihn mit Kontrollgewinn wieder aus. Wenigstens gibt es (in beiden Spielarten) eine Gegenmannschaft, die stört.

Könnte man trotzdem einmal den amerikanischen Football eine Saison lang mit einem eingeölten oder eingeseiften europäischen Fußball und den europäischen Fußball dafür eine Saison lang mit einem unnützlich griffigen american football spielen, also nur die beiden Objekte einmal austauschen, eines davon noch glitschiger machen? Ist bestimmt schon passiert (ich kenn mich bei beidem nicht aus), aber könnte man das nochmal wiederholen, ich habe es nämlich verpasst, so wie ich leider alle Livekonzerte von Prince verpasst habe, und ich reagiere doch allergisch auf Irreversibilität.

[oktaviaslabyrinth]

Beach Bowl Galaxy // Super Mario Galaxy (2007)

[velveys]

Prince performing at the Super Bowl (2007)

[scoonsalicious]

Unwanted: Chapter 17, Unanswered - Pt. 3

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Avenger!Fem!Reader

Summary: When your FWB relationship with your best friend Bucky Barnes turns into something more, you couldn’t be happier. That is, however, until a new Avenger sets her sights on your super soldier and he inadvertently breaks your heart. You take on a mission you might not be prepared for to put some distance between the two of you and open yourself up to past traumas. Too bad the only one who can help you heal is the one person you can no longer trust.

Warnings: (For this part only; see Story Masterlist for general Warnings) Language, anxiety.

Word Count: 570

Previously On...: You met with the head of Galvin & Associate's, your PR firm, to make sure a statement went out refuting any relationship between you and Steve Rogers. Also, why the fuck isn't Bucky calling you back?!

A/N: SUPRISE THIRD DROP!

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You managed to keep down some saltine crackers and a bowl of chicken broth Sam had prepared for you for lunch, though it was difficult not to gag, what with all the sass he was giving you about the headlines. You were feeling a little less tired, now that you had some nourishment in your system, but you still found yourself lying in bed, listlessly checking your phone over and over again for a new message or call from Bucky that never came.

Lisa Galvin had been true to her word, at least; you began receiving Google Alerts linking to your statement. Of course, they weren’t getting as much traffic as the original articles had, but you were relieved to know that the truth of the matter was finally out there, and you could breathe easier for it.

You sent a link to your statement to Bucky, hoping that would entice him to answer you, but were only met with continued silence. You were becoming increasingly agitated by his lack of communication. Yes, you were worried about his safety, but as much as you were loath to admit it, Carthage was with him, and two super soldiers working together was a challenge even the more elite terrorist organizations would have difficulty taking on.

But then again, he was with Carthage. What if he had seen the headlines and believed them? What if he— no. You weren’t going to let yourself go down that path. He had been so dedicated over the last two months, working to prove he was worthy of your trust, cutting her out completely. He wouldn’t – couldn’t– betray you like that. He knew it would destroy you, destroy any chance the two of you had to make your relationship work. You had to trust him. That was the entire point of your separation. Rebuilding trust, and you had to believe in him.

You had to.

With a sigh, you put your phone back on its charger, battery already well depleted from all the web browsing and non-Bucky texting you’d done so far today. Maybe you would take a nap. While you were feeling a little better, you didn’t want to risk a repeat of last night, where you couldn’t even stand on your own without assistance, so you figured a little extra rest would do you some good. Besides, maybe you’d wake up and Bucky would have contacted you, and you could finally stop fretting over the entire thing.

Yes, a nap sounded excellent right now.

You woke up, a few hours later with a start. You’d had a nightmare. You couldn’t remember exactly what it was about, just that it had been about Bucky, and it left your heart aching. Rubbing your eyes and trying to shake the feeling of pain from your heart, you checked your phone again. Still nothing, but it was quickly approaching the designated time for him to call you– his “proof of life” communication that had become a standard, every day tradition when one of you was away. Surely, he’d contact you soon. So, you waited.

And waited. And waited. Then you waited some more.

Two and a half hours after the predetermined call time, you’d had enough. You could feel your stomach practically eating itself alive with anxiety, on top of the nausea you were already experiencing, and there was only one person who had the answers you were looking for.

<- Previous Part / Next Part ->

[vintagerpg]

OK, this is Expedition to the Ruins of Castle Greyhawk (2007), a late-in-3.5E campaign book. It is a return of sorts — in 1990, TSR released WGR1: Greyhawk Ruins, which was an earnest attempt at creating a published version that matched the vibe Gygax’s ur-dungeon. That remains a somewhat obscure supplement, but forms the basic foundation of this campaign.

There is a fair amount of material on the city of Greyhawk and some important world lore before getting to the ruins themselves. The upper works are the remains of three towers — Zagig’s, Magic and War — each with voluminous, interconnected subterranean regions. These are vast, and not fully detailed. Rather, the book employs a system of encounter spaces and connections that creates an illusion of endless detail without the slog (or the page count). It feels super usable, with all the information for a given encounter (attributes, maps, tactics) all laid out on one or two pages.

I don’t know how I feel about it, though. It feels very very 3.5, for better and worse. Even allowing for that, this all feels somewhat disappointing, if only because it is trying to reconstruct a thing that never truly existed. The original, likely lost or unpublishable Greyhawk dungeon wasn’t a sensible place to explore, with a cohesive plot or anything like that. It was irrational, built on the fly literally to test new mechanics during the development of the game. It had a bowling alley for giants, and a portal to King Kong’s Skull Island. This book is, weird to say, too cool to be Castle Greyhawk. Or, at least, the Castle Greyhawk I am interested in reading about.

I don’t find the art direction very helpful. Michael Komarck’s cover has baldy Mordenkainen pondering his orb, in which a not-nearly-ruined-enough castle appears. Its the most distinct piece of art in the book, the rest of which is done by a gang of artists whose names I don’t recognize; it’s all workmanlike and adheres closely to the 3E art direction.

I dunno, this is fine, probably.

[bsstories]

Teach Me?

Pairing: mikasa ackerman x fem!reader

Rating: nsfw, mature, 18+. MDNI

Word Count: tba, wrote this on mobile LMAO

Genre: smut, fluff, friends-to-lovers, modern au, college au

summary: you & mikasa were childhood best friends that told each other everything. mikasa opens up about her struggles with intimacy and you show her the ropes.

tags/warnings: friends-to-lovers, modern au, college au, fluff, smut (mutual masturbation, guided masturbation, kissing/making out, groping/heavy petting, fingering, oral (f. receiving), praise, light body worship, use of pet names (baby, beautiful, angel, etc.), blacking out after an orgasm) (as usual, if i missed anything, lmk!)

You and Mikasa have been friends since childhood. Ever since you had met, you were attached at the hip. And despite having ups and downs like anyone else, you found yourselves closer than ever during college.

Mikasa has always been the innocent one, the one with that soft, wide-eyed naivety that comes with inexperience. Despite being smart as a whip and wildly talented in everything she does, underneath her quietly dangerous facade is nothing but a quiet, blushing virgin. You, on the other hand, were full of knowledge when it came to sex and pleasure, and though your attempts to help your dear friend learn would suggest otherwise, she could never quite get past her fear of her own body and intimacy. You regularly discuss her hang ups with pleasure but Mikasa was still painfully clueless when it came to her own body.

You didn’t necessarily blame her; in all the time you’ve known her, she’s prioritized her studies and the people she loved above all else. Valedictorian, avid community member, and overall saint, Mikasa never had the time to unwind and explore herself. Sure, her diet was almost as clean as it could be and she was stronger than most of your friends in terms of physical strength, but she was never one to give in the curious voice in the back of her head that urged her to figure out what the hype around masturbation and sex was all about.

One day you’re hanging out together at home alone, trying your best to study but ultimately failing and instead favoring talking about anything and everything else.

You were sat cross-legged on her bed, snacking on some random trail mix you found in your pantry and listening to Mikasa rant about a god-awful date she had gone on the previous weekend. It seemed to only get worse the more she went on and on more than one occasion you had to stop her just to drop in a casual, “what the fuck” or “you’re kidding, right?”

“And then,” she huffed, frustratedly pushing her inky black fringe out of her face, “after making out for no more than ten minutes or so, the fucker goes, ‘can’t we just like… stick it in?’ Can you believe that? It’s the first fucking date! We’re in his mom’s 2007 Toyota corolla! And he wants to just stick his dick in me? He doesn’t even know my last name!”

A disbelieving but amused laugh escapes you as you listen to the animated re-telling of Mikasa’s quite tragic excuse of a date. “I’m assuming you didn’t,” you begin, “you know, just stick it in?”

Mikasa huffs out an airy laugh. “I- no. No, I didn’t. He- he did finger me though.”

Your hand halts halfway to your mouth, your jaw dropped in surprise. If you had loosened your fingers any more, the handful of trail mix you held would have made a mess all over Mikasa’s grey bedsheets.

“He- you let him finger you?” you repeat disbelievingly.

“Well, yeah? Sort of? I mean, he could only get one finger in because I was too squirmy to let him use any more than that. It didn’t last super long.”

“You were okay with it, right? You gave consent and everything?”

“I did, don’t worry. Honestly, I think I was just hoping that since I was kinda interested in the guy I’d actually feel something for once,” she said dejectedly, visibly deflating at the thought.

You sit up a little straighter, pushing the half-empty bowl away from you. “But you said you weren’t super comfortable with him, right? Mikasa, I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you’re hardly comfortable getting yourself off.”

She seemed to become very interested in her chipped red nail polish then, her head hung as she wrung her fingers together anxiously. “I know. I guess… I guess I was just hoping that this time would be… different? I wanted to feel normal for once, not like something’s wrong with me.”

The words barely leave her lips before you’re on your knees, pulling the girl into a tight hug. You feel her relax against you, arms wrapping around your shoulders. “Mik, I promise you there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. Nobody just knows what they like when it comes to sex; it’s a learning curve. There is absolutely nothing wrong with still figuring out what your body does or doesn’t like and clearly this guy wasn’t the right person to help you discover those things.”

Mikasa seems to freeze up a bit at that, slowly pulling away from your embrace. From behind her bangs, you can see how pink her face had gotten.

“Okay… um… I’m going to say something, and before you react, let me finish first, okay?” the words come out in a rush, something you’re not used to when it comes to Mikasa. She was strikingly well-spoken, incredibly intelligent and articulate. It was rare to see her stumble over her words the way she was right now.

“I- yeah, of course. Go ahead, love.”

Mikasa sucks in a breath. You can’t tell if it’s to mentally prepare herself from whatever it was she was going to ask you or because of the affectionate pet name that happened to slip out when you responded to her. “So… I was thinking… You’ve been trying to help me with this whole sex thing for a long time now and you’re the only person I have ever been comfortable talking to about all of this… You’re my best friend and the person I trust more than anyone… and I don’t want what I’m going to ask to change or ruin anything at all, but I’m getting a bit desperate and -“

“Mikasa, you’re starting to freak me out. What is it?” you interrupt. And you weren’t lying. Her rambling was so out of the ordinary that it was probably way more concerning than what she was so scared to ask.

“Canyouteachmehowtomasturbate?” she rushed out finally.

You sit there for a moment, processing. It takes a second to understand what she said since it all came out in one breath, and then another second to recognize what it was she was asking you to do. And for the second time tonight, you feel your jaw drop.

“I- what?” you say intelligently.

Mikasa avoids your gaze but you can still see the embarrassment in her expression and the nervous fidgeting she’s doing with her hands. It’s rather cute.

You raise your eyebrows at your own thought. Where the hell did that come from? Your best friend asks you to teach her how to masturbate and immediately you’re attracted to her?

But… how immediate was it really? Mikasa was objectively very beautiful. She had a kind heart and intelligence beyond words. Her physical beauty only reflected how gorgeous her soul was. Sure, you’ve always admired her, but it was never anything more than a friend appreciating a friend… or was it?

Mikasa was your rock, the person you cared about more than anything. You didn’t think something like this could ruin the relationship you two had, but who knows? All you knew was that you’d be damned if you lost her just because of some sort of post-vulnerable-moment awkwardness.

You brushed your thoughts away and grounded yourself by pinching your thigh. Mikasa was your best friend. And she needed your help.

“You know what, never mind. That was such a stupid thing to say, I’m so sorry I even mentioned it-”

“Okay.”

This time, it was Mikasa’s turn to freeze up. You almost laughed at how cute she looked completely and utterly shocked. Her mouth opened and closed a few times as if she was trying to find the words to respond but couldn’t.

Eventually, “I- okay? Okay, like…”

“Okay, like, I’ll help you.” You said.

Mikasa stared at you like she couldn’t believe you had agreed.

You take a deep breath. This was going to be interesting. “Um… I guess the absolute first step is going to be getting yourself into the mood.”

Your ebony-haired friend seemed to suddenly snap out of her disbelief at your words. “Woah, we’re gonna start right now?”

“I’m sorry, did you want to postpone this to later? Do you have somewhere else to be right now?”

Mikasa shoves your shoulder, face red-hot with embarrassment. “Oh, fuck off. You know I’m awkward with these things.”

“That’s what we’re trying to fix right now, babe,” you answer smugly. The girl across from you rolls her eyes.

“Fine. How do you suggest I ‘get in the mood’?”

“I mean personally, I’m always horny,” Mikasa snickers in response. You decide to ignore her. “But to get me going I usually will read some smut or just start teasing myself if I have the time and patience.”

“Sure, but… I get horny too and nothing really comes from it. Literally, I guess.” You both giggle at her unintentional pun. “My biggest problem is that I don’t know how… I don’t know what…”

“You don’t know how to touch yourself?”

Mikasa flushes, avoiding your gaze. After a beat or two, she nods in affirmation. You suck in a breath.

“Do you want me to show you?”

Silence.

And then, “Yes.”

Time freezes for a moment and you find yourself unable to breathe. You certainly weren’t expecting your study date to be productive, but there was no way you could’ve guessed it was going to turn out to be a tutoring session for masturbation. But looking at your best friend now, all pink-faced and embarrassed, big doe eyes wide with incredulity and chest heaving in anticipation, you can’t say you’re disappointed with how the day turned out.

Wordlessly, you start to shed your jacket, letting it drop off the side of the bed with a near-silent plop. Mikasa watches you intently as you go to grip the hem of your t-shirt and then nods when you look at her questioningly, a silent request for permission.

You’ve seen each other in only underwear - sometimes less - countless times. This wasn’t new or different for you two by any means. But the context, the atmosphere, could not be less similar.

“I’m going to show you what I do, and then if you’re comfortable with it, you can start to copy me.” you say softly.

“Okay.” Mikasa responds almost breathlessly, watching as you continue to strip until you’re left in only your underwear.

You had to admit, there was something strangely erotic about the situation you found yourself in right now. Thinking about your frustratingly attractive best friend watching you as you got yourself off was more hot than you’d thought it would be.

“I always get myself comfortable. I don’t like being fully dressed when I masturbate if I can avoid it… it gets too hot. It’s also just easier to tease and work yourself up if you have easier access to your own body,” You explain. You lean against Mikasa’s headboard clad in only your bra and panties and slowly begin to trail your fingertips over your breasts and stomach.

“This would probably be around the time I get some reading material or porn out if I’m feeling frustrated. But I don’t really need it right now,” you’ve started to ramble as you realize just how quiet and focused Mikasa had become. Her gaze was locked on to your hands, watching with an unreadable expression as you traced the cups of your bra and underwire. You clear your throat and continue, “I’m not the most sensitive around my tits unless I’m about to get my period. So right now, for instance, they’re a lot more tender than usual.”

You take a deep breath before finally pulling the cups of your bra down, exposing your chest to your best friend and to the cool bedroom. Your fingertips instinctually travel to your nipples and begin to play around with them, rolling them between your thumb and forefingers and giving them an occasional tug. “I kinda skip this bit when I’m super sexually frustrated but for the sake of… what would you even call this? A demonstration?” You giggle nervously for the sake of it, Mikasa half-heartedly joining in. Her bottom lip was caught between her teeth in a way that almost seemed painful. “You okay, Mik?”

Dark brown, almost black eyes snap back up to meet yours. Her cheeks flush pink as if she just realized that she had been caught staring. “Oh… yeah, yeah I’m good.”

You nod slowly. Without even really thinking about it, you reach around your back and unclip the restrictive garment, sighing in relief as it loosens and falls to the top of the bed. “God, I hate those things.”

Your fingers find their way to your mouth as you subconsciously wet them and bring them back to your hardened nipples, a small gasp escaping you at the feeling.

“Now is usually about when I get myself more… wet, I guess? Jeez, it’s so weird saying this all out loud,” you comment quietly. “I love lightly stroking my inner thighs. They’re super sensitive and usually get me going the quickest.”

You shift a bit more in an attempt to get yourself comfy. Then you realize that you literally have to spread your legs in front of your best friend, who you realize, again, has fallen uncharacteristically silent for the nth time that evening. But the familiar warmth in your lower tummy and the thrumming in your veins prevents you from thinking too much of it, rather encouraging you to get on with the demonstration.

You were so consumed with the details that you hadn’t even realized that your attempts to get yourself horny had worked just as well as usual, if not more so.

Without any further hesitation, you spread your legs, essentially presenting your absolutely sopping pussy to your best friend. You follow through with your own instructions, carefully tracing your inner thighs with your fingers and gradually getting closer and closer to your core.

“At this point,” you breathe out. “I may start teasing myself over my underwear.” Your fingers dance over your panty-clad clit and you sigh, your hips pushing forward into your hand. You can feel the way your body reacts to even the slightest touches, your chest heaving and breath quickening, and you forget to say any sort of bullshit before you strip off your panties completely.

Your fingers find your opening almost out of instinct and you’re startled by how slick you’ve become; you were positively gushing, your arousal covering every inch of your folds and dripping down your labia. “I always start with clit stimulation,” you say quickly, fingers finding the bud with practiced ease and beginning to rub slow, steady circles around it. You hum contentedly. “If I’m too lazy to use my fingers or just wanna blow off some steam, I’ll just use my vibrator. But my fingers almost always give me the best orgasm.”

You pick up the pace, rubbing diligent circles around your clit and melting into the bed beneath you. The pleasure is so intense that you lose yourself in it, wholly forgetting that your best friend is there.

But Mikasa?

She is far too invested in the sight in front of her.

Mikasa has always found you stunning. The first time you guys met was when she first asked her mother if she could marry a girl one day if she wanted to. And while she never actively pursued anything past friendship with you, she still loved you dearly. Her attraction to you was just simply never enough to get in the way of your relationship.

But now? Watching you, in your birthday suit, getting lost in your own pleasure and body with little care or hesitation? She’s not sure she can justify putting that attraction on the back burner any longer. The way your back arches off her lush comforter, the way your hips buck every so often when you hit your clit ever so perfectly, the way your nose and eyes scrunch as you let bliss overtake your senses… Mikasa can’t honestly say she has ever seen anything more beautiful.

The little whimpers and sighs that fall from your bitten lips are music to her ears, a song she wants to listen to on repeat until the end of time. When you open your eyes once more to look at her and say, “eventually… eventually I’ll slip a finger or two in”, Mikasa nearly ascends.

The lips and folds of your pussy are absolutely soaked, puffy and swollen from arousal and stimulation. They were drenched in your juices and glistening like gems. When your middle finger finally slips into your waiting hole, Mikasa can’t help the moan that leaves her lips and mixes in with your own, a perfect harmony.

Whether you hear it or not is irrelevant, especially when masturbating has almost never felt this intense. Mikasa watching you has had a much stronger affect than you could have ever anticipated. Thinking about how she looks at you, imagining that your hand was her own has you squirming, your walls clenching and contracting with every new image your mind conjures up.

Suddenly, you’re broken out of your own daydreams by the sound of a zipper being undone. Your eyes snap open in time to see Mikasa shakily pulling off her jeans. The blush that had stubbornly remained dusted on her nose and cheeks had spread down to her chest, which was now flushed a bashful pink. Her tits - ones you’ve always envied for their sheer perfection - were hardly contained by the pathetic excuse of a shirt she wore, nipples hard and poking through the thin cotton. You’re about to beg her to take it off when she shucks it off with the same urgency her jeans came off with.

“Gonna join me?” You smile softly, slowing your fingers but not ever stopping. Mikasa looks at you, pupils blown wide and chest heaving.

“I… I can’t just watch. Feels like torture,” she answers quickly. You suck in a breath as she situates herself opposite of you, spreading her legs in similar fashion as you and never breaking eye contact. It takes herculean effort to not ogle at her chest, but you know that if you even snuck a peak, you wouldn’t be able to stop yourself from sucking one of her tits into your mouth. Instead, your gaze drops to her pussy, which looks almost as, if not more, wet than your own. Her pastel pink panties were nearly sheer from her arousal. “I don’t think I need to do any of the teasing,” she says bluntly. You nod your head eagerly in agreement.

You dip two fingers into your hole at that point and can’t hold back the moan that leaves you. The stretch was delightful, the curl of your fingertips even more so.

Mikasa’s patience snaps. Her panties are off in a flash and her hand snakes down to her core. She’s pleasantly shocked by how wet she’d gotten, but she hardly has enough time to register the satisfaction before she hears…

“Mikasa…” you sigh.

Your best friend whines in desperation after hearing the way you moaned her name, starting her first attempt to mimic the motions you showed her earlier. Her middle and ring finger trace clumsy but eager circles around her clit… or at least the general vicinity of it. You watch in fascination as the ebony-haired girl takes her bottom lip between her teeth in concentration and quickens the pace of her fingers.

“Whoa, okay. Slow down a bit, Mik, it’s not a race,” you chuckle lightly, your own motions slowing down to prevent yourself from cumming too quick. “Slowly, gently… Okay?”

Mikasa hums in affirmation, slowing her circles just a bit. You watch as her slender fingers play with her simply stunning pussy with both a sense of teacher-like criticism and lust-induced arousal.

“Your clit’s gonna be a little higher than that. Right about,” you draw out the vowels, reaching to grab her wrist with your clean hand and directing it a bit higher. “here.”

At that moment you both look up, realizing how startlingly close you were. Though she was leaning back on her one free hand, you were practically hovering over her; your faces were mere inches apart, so close that you could feel the light puffs of her exhales on your burning face. Mikasa’s eyes dart between your own before falling to your lips. Your tongue subconsciously darts out to wet them.

The girl across from you groans, hanging her head. “You… you’re gonna need to stop doing that,” she sighs. Her head drops to avoid eye contact, out of embarrassment or frustration you don’t know. You raise an eyebrow, tilting your head and trying to regain eye contact with her.

Your words die in your throat. The gaze you’re locked in with your best friend is way more than just intense. You can’t seem to look away, not that you’d really want to in the first place. Mikasa looks desperate in a way you’ve never seen before, pupils blown out completely and breath coming out in short pants.

You can’t resist dragging your eyes over her figure this time; her whole body was covered in a light layer of sweat and glimmered under the purple LED lights in her room. The hand you had a hold on was trembling slightly and you moved to grab on to it reassuringly. It’s quiet enough in her room that you can still hear the sound of her gulping over the low music you had switched on earlier. You couldn’t seem to take your eyes off of her, letting your gaze move back up to her eyes. “Mik…” you call out softly.

The nickname seems to be her breaking point. Without any apparent hesitation, Mikasa sits up and presses her lips to yours, locking them in a gentle yet searing kiss. You can’t help but make a small noise of surprise in the back of your throat, but as her previously busy hand slowly travels up your arm to cup the back of your neck, you find yourself melting into her body.

Her lips are some of the softest, if not the softest, you’ve ever felt in your whole life. As she began to move her mouth against yours it took everything in you to not audibly curse yourself out for holding back for so long. You let your body react the way you’ve always wanted it to, your arm snaking around Mikasa’s waist and pulling her body flush against your own. She gasps into your mouth but you silence it almost immediately with your tongue, trying to memorize the feeling and taste of hers. She clings to your shoulders as you lean back, propping herself up on your lap with your chests pressing against one another’s.

Every inch of skin that makes contact with Mikasa’s feels as if it’s aflame, each matching heartbeat sending blood rushing to your head and heat spreading down to your pussy. Your hands are insatiable, never lingering in one place for too long and desperately trying to feel every dip and curve of your best friend’s figure. They eventually settle in her unusually wild ebony hair, tangling up in the soft strands and gently maneuvering her so you had access to her neck.

You find yourself pressing frantic, open-mouthed kisses along her jugular, nipping and sucking more and more as you make your way closer to her chest. Her sweet moans and little whimpers spur you on, motivating you to wordlessly worship every bit of her body.

“Mikasa,” you breathe, pulling away for a moment. You heard her whine quietly and see her try to chase your lips with her own, but your tightened grip in her hair stops her. “Baby… please let me help you make you feel good.”

The girl in your arms freezes for a second, processing your words. Maybe it’s because even after making out with you for a few blissful moments she still isn’t sure how she found herself in this situation, or perhaps she was still nervous about her past experiences getting in her way of having a good time. But after a moment of thinking about it, however, she nods eagerly. “Please,” she finds herself whispering against your lips, feeling the wetness between her legs grow exponentially just thinking about what you wanted to do to her.

You grin and kiss her again, this time long and slow… it’s sensual, the way your lips slide against one another’s, the way her fingertips lightly trace the curve of your chest and stomach. Your hands find their home on Mikasa’s hips and you gently guide her off of your lap.

Long, lean legs fall open for you almost as soon as Mikasa finds herself on her bed again. You vaguely register her getting herself situated, leaning back on her elbows and readjusting her hips, and instead find yourself (once again) being absolutely entranced by her pussy.

“What do you want, Mik?” you ask quietly, shifting your gaze up to her own as you lowered yourself to your stomach. Your face was only mere inches away from Mikasa’s dripping hole and it took some of the most intense self control of your life to stop yourself from diving straight in. You could hear Mikasa’s breath hitch as you let your hands rest on the insides of her thighs, your fingers kneading at her soft skin.

“You already know.” she says shakily, gripping on to her bedsheets in anticipation as your touch moved closer and closer to where she wanted you most.

“I need to hear you say it.”

Mikasa feels trapped in your stare, like your eyes were boring into her soul. But, strangely, she didn’t feel nervous or scared. Instead, all she felt was intense longing and lust, want that scratched at her heart and throat and threatened to come spilling out the more you worked her up. She takes a deep, shuddering breath before finally admitting, “I- I want you to make me cum.”

From between her legs, you smile up at her fondly, feeling both proud of her courage and endeared by her desire.

Wordlessly, you lower your face down to her cunt, and without breaking eye contact you take your first confident lick.

Both of you groan in unison, Mikasa in response to the most intense and pleasurable sensation she’s ever felt and you in response to how damn good she tasted. You can’t seem to stop yourself anymore now that you’ve finally gotten a taste of her, eagerly beginning to lick her out.

Mikasa is in heaven right now. She’s convinced that you’re an absolute goddess, a gift from above sent to her for… well, she can’t even begin to imagine what she had to have done to deserve you as she watches your eyes unfocus, losing yourself in her pussy. She feels like she can barely breathe while you have your mouth on her, the tip of your tongue prodding at her entrance and flicking at her clit. When you wrap your perfect lips around the bud and give it the first little suck, she has to bite down on her tongue to prevent too embarrassing a sound from coming out.

You’re not the tidiest person to begin with, but you eat Mikasa out like a starved woman, your spit and her slick absolutely soaking the bottom half of your face. You can’t help yourself. Not when Mikasa makes the prettiest noises and pulls on your hair the way she does.

“F-fuck, baby,” she swears under her breath. You hum in response, looking up at her with wide, doe eyes, at which she promptly curses again. It’s a difficult task, pulling yourself away from her, but you manage. Mikasa whines but you shush her softly, your hand moving from her thigh to her folds to keep her stimulated.

“How’re you feeling, angel?” You ask gently, fingertips rubbing slow, tight circles on her clit.

Mikasa looks positively wrecked. But she attempts a weak smile. “You’re too good at this,” she replies. You chuckle, letting your middle finger slide down her folds and push into her hole. Your best friend sighs, letting her head tip back.

“Well, it’s not hard when the company’s good,” you say. She laughs a bit at that but it’s cut off by a strangled moan when you finally let yourself play with her tits. You decide that this is your new favorite spot: two fingers in your best friend’s cunt with your lips wrapped around her nipples.

Your fingers feel around and curl to find the spot that you know will make Mikasa see stars. You know you’ve found it when she cries out, hips jumping off the bed and back arching. The grin that spreads on your face is uncontainable.

“There we go,” you sigh, quickening the pace of your fingers and making sure you hit that same spot over and over again.

Mikasa isn’t sure she’s ever made this much noise with a partner but she can’t bring herself to care in that moment. She can’t seem to control her body anymore either, her hips seemingly working as if they had a mind of their own. The sounds of your fingers sliding in and out of her pussy are downright lewd, and the rhythmic squelching mixed with her moans is pornographic is every sense of the word.

When you trail kisses down her navel and back onto her cunt, Mikasa’s world explodes. Your fingertips are hitting the same delicious spot over and over again and your lips are busy with her clit, tongue sweeping harsh and deliberate licks on it in time with your fingers. An unfamiliar feeling fills her lower stomach, a warmth that travels down her legs and up her torso. It’s like a rubber band growing more and more taut, seconds away from snapping. And with one particular hand movement, it breaks.

Mikasa bites her lip so hard it bleeds as she cums more violently than you’ve ever seen before, her whole body shuddering like… well, like it was finally releasing two decades of built up tension. You’re deliberate in your movements, riding out the most intense orgasm you’ve ever seen as you savor the taste of her release and gently remove your fingers.

You look up and almost panic when you see Mikasa limp on the bed before you, but you’re reassured by her quiet, indiscernible murmuring. When you finally realize what had happened, you can’t stop yourself from laughing a little bit.

She passed out.

Oh, you are never gonna let her live this down.

~

Somehow, Mikasa finds herself laying in her bed with you laid out right beside her. She frowns; both of you are still as naked as the day you were born, but you had the courtesy to throw one of Mikasa’s homemade quilts over your bodies to conserve a bit of her remaining dignity.

“Wait… What just-”

“Think you might’ve blacked out for a second,” you giggle. Mikasa gapes at you and you can’t help but laugh harder. Your amusement seems to bring her back to the present though and she slaps your arm with a scoff.

“Shut up.”

“Oh, so now you wanna act all tough, huh?” you tease, nudging her with your elbow.

“Fuck off, I don’t have to tell you that was great.” she says. You smile at her, hand reaching over to push some of her hair out of her face. Your grin only grows when she lets her head lean into your palm.

“You certainly don’t.”

“You are insufferable.”

“You love me.”

“You’re right, I do.”

Now, that seems to catch you both off guard. Mikasa flushes bright red and avoids your eyes as you stare at her.

“What?”

“I- yeah, I mean. I thought that much was obvious?” It doesn’t seem to be a question but it comes out like one. Mikasa still won’t meet your gaze.

“Mikasa, if it were as obvious as you think it was I don’t think it would’ve taken nearly this long for anything to happen between us.”

Mikasa’s eyes widen in realization.

“You’re probably right.”

“I know I am. Looks like both of us are just a little hopeless when it comes to some of this stuff.”

You both snort at the vast understatement.

A beat of silence passes before you add. “I love you, too.”

When you turn to look at the girl beside you, you find that she had already been staring at you, looking very deep in thought. Your face burns at the intensity of her stare and you clear your throat. Mikasa’s gaze refocuses instantly and she blushes, knowing she absolutely got caught.

“What, something on my face?”

“No, I guess I just wasn’t expecting…”

“Expecting me to say it back?“

Mikasa nods solemnly. Your heart swells, a cocktail of different emotions swirling around your chest like a hurricane. But somehow, it doesn’t feel overwhelming or bad. It just sits there, stalling.

“I think I only just figured it out for myself, to be honest,” you admit. “‘Cause I never wanted to jeopardize our friendship over a crush. But I guess it’s more than that. And I think it’s always been more than that… I’ve just been…”

“Scared?” Mikasa finished.

Now it’s your turn to nod. “I don’t regret it though. Any of this,” you say firmly. “In fact, I think this may be one of the best things that has ever happened to me.”

Mikasa smiles, a beautiful, real grin that lights up her equally stunning face.

“We can definitely agree on that.”

Silence again. Relieved, comfortable silence. It’s rather comforting.

“You’re so fucking pretty,” Mikasa sighs, meeting your stare again. You blush, opening your mouth to respond before she continues, “And… I was thinking…”

“By all means, keep doing that. If this is anything like the last time I’m sure I’ll like whatever you’re coming up with,” you joke, playing with the hand that wasn’t currently pillowing Mikasa’s face. Her skin is pretty tough, calloused and strong from years of lifting and working out. But somehow her hands still seemed delicate, almost doll-like. You couldn’t help but be fascinated by them, interlacing your fingers together in wonder.

Mikasa’s heart stutters at the tender gesture but she’s not deterred by it anymore. “I’d really like to return the favor, if you’re up for it.”

Almost immediately your movements stop. You think your heart stopped as well, for a moment or two. When you finally stop short-circuiting and turn your face to stare at Mikasa in shock, you sputter, “W-wait, return the favor? Like, right now?”

She laughs. “I’m getting deja vu,” Mikasa muses to herself. She sits up, leaning over you and caging your body in her arms. “It’s only fair, dontcha think?”

You feel your whole body burn, desire pushing its way through to the front of your awareness. “I mean… I’m not gonna stop you, but are you sure you want to?” Mikasa chooses that moment to dip her head and nuzzle your cheek, nosing her way to your neck to press soft kisses down your throat.

“I’m sure,” you gasp when you feel her teeth nip the sensitive skin around your collarbone and her lips suck a hickey on to it. “I’m a fast learner but I always pick things up better when I try them hands-on.”

A curious tweak of your nipples makes you moan, back arching into Mikasa’s playful touches. “Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?” you ask breathlessly, watching the ebony-haired woman play with your tits with a fascinated looked on her face.

Mikasa lets out a low, dare-you-say sexy chuckle that makes you want to press your legs together. “Still here, love, don’t worry.” Her right hand slides up from your chest to your jaw, pulling you into a deep, sensual kiss. The action has her thigh bump into your cunt, the tiny bit of contact against your aching clit making you gasp and moan into her mouth. You feel her grin into your mouth before trailing hot kisses along your jaw, her left hand going to cup your pussy. Your hips push into her palm on their own accord, chasing the feeling of her touch on your most sensitive spots. Mikasa leans into you, lips brushing against your ear. “I want you to tell me how you like it, okay?”

Your eyes widen at her words, feeling more turned on than you had ever felt in your entire life. Nodding, you arch your body into your best friend’s. “Please, Mik,” you whimper.

Wordlessly, the ebony-haired beauty begins trailing wet, open-mouthed kisses down the column of your neck to your chest, sucking little marks as she went. When she finally reached your tits, she glances up at you with a devious little gleam in her eyes before sucking a hard nipple into her mouth. You gasp, hand reaching up to card your fingers through Mikasa’s hair as the woman toys with your breast. Her tongue traces slow, deft circles around it before lightly sucking, her right hand going to play with your other breast.

You twitch in surprise as you feel Mikasa’s left hand beginning to wander, deft fingers curiously gathering your wetness and spreading it around your folds. The action is welcomed, though, as you find yourself utterly melting into her embrace. She giggles against your warm skin and you gasp at the vibrations it creates against your nipple.

“You’re so cute,” she coos, pulling away from your chest to look at you affectionately. She moves on to lavish your other breast with the same thoroughness as the first one and you keen, fingers tightening around her dark strands. You knew you shouldn’t ever underestimate Mikasa, no matter what, but you still found yourself floored at the total 180 she took from being a blushing, scared virgin to this self-assured, dare-you-say erotic woman in front of you in a mere hour. Your best friend was smart beyond words, and her ability to pick up new skills and execute them flawlessly the first time will never cease to amaze you.

Your train of thought is abruptly cut off when Mikasa begins pressing increasingly fast, sloppy kisses from your chest, down your stomach and finally to your inner thighs. A surprise nip to the sensitive skin there causes you to yelp and then giggle, equally aroused and endeared by this new side to the beautiful girl laid out in front of you.

Mikasa was having the time of her life teasing you. She basked in your little sounds, the little gasps and whimpers that escaped you as she marked up your pretty thighs music to her ears. And when she snuck a peak up at your face, watching how your brows furrowed and chest heaved in anticipation, she could feel her stomach clench with the need to please you the way you were able to please her.

As she brought her gaze back down to your center, Mikasa had to bite back a groan. Your pussy was practically begging to be touched with the way it was leaking, the wetness soaking even the delicate skin surrounding your swollen folds. She almost felt bad that you had gotten so close to a release only to stop and help her, but she was determined to fix that for you.

A gasp tore out of your throat when Mikasa finally placed a soft kiss to your clit. After your own attempts to get off and then experiencing something as sexy as watching your best friend come undone for the first time, to say that you were desperate was a bit of an understatement. You spread your legs wider in encouragement, resisting the urge to grab her by the hair and push her closer to you.

When Mikasa’s tongue darted out and took it’s first little lick to your clit, you had to slap your hand over your mouth to stifle the moan that threatened to escape. Mikasa, meanwhile, groaned at your taste and latched her lips around the nub. Her hands gently kneaded at your thighs, keeping you spread for her.

It would be safe to say that you were losing your mind, at least a bit. If you hadn’t known any better, you would’ve thought that the beautiful girl lapping at your folds was a literal pro at eating pussy, her tongue and lips bold in their movements and somehow managing to bring you right to the edge in less that a minute.

“Shit, Mik, you’re a fucking natural,” you sighed, breath hitching when the raven-haired beauty let the tip of her tongue prod at your entrance. She looked up at you through dark, full eyelashes, already dark eyes nearly black with desire.

“I had a good teacher,” she breathed out, a devious smirk playing on her glistening lips as she dove back in with somehow even more enthusiasm than she had originally.

This time, you couldn’t stop yourself from grabbing the top of Mikasa’s head when she wiggled her tongue into your leaking hole, experimenting with different movements and speeds to see what you reacted to.

Truthfully?

You didn’t care what she did. It all felt amazing. The pleasure coursing through your veins was white-hot and suffocating, leaving your brain blissfully empty, aside from the lingering thought of your talented and gorgeous best friend.

She was working magic on you. It was fucking insane to you that she was working you up this well and it was the first time she had ever done it. Though, you supposed it shouldn’t have been too shocking; Mikasa was naturally gifted in basically everything she did. Eating pussy was no exception.

Her lips and tongue were exceptionally soft yet firm, tracing unrecognizable shapes and patterns on and around your clit, alternating between playing with the sensitive bud and sucking at your entrance.

It was like she was everywhere, and in an essence, she was. Her mouth was occupied, but her hands were adventurous and worshipping, running up and down your legs and torso with something akin to reverence. You couldn’t take your eyes off of hers, not that you wanted to to begin with. The adoration and love in her eyes filled you with indescribable warmth, which when paired with some of the most intense pleasure you’ve ever felt in your life, catapulted you to the best orgasm you’ve ever had in minutes.

You came with a cry, thighs threatening to trap Mikasa’s head between them as your body shook from the intensity of it all. She worked you through it, keeping your legs wide open and eagerly lapping up everything that you gave her.

When you finally came down from your high, you felt your arms go limp, hand leaving Mikasa’s head and dropping to your stomach as you tried to catch your breath. Mikasa sat up, licking her lips before wiping the excess away with the back of her hand. She gazed down at you lovingly and crawled over you, capturing your lips in a soft kiss.

“Good?” she whispered questioningly as she pulled away, resting her forehead on yours.

You laughed in disbelief. “Good? Mik, that was the best orgasm I’ve ever had. If that was your first time, I’m almost scared to see what you’ll be like with practice.”

Mikasa laughed, loud and boisterous, hiding her face in the crook of your neck. You smiled to yourself, wrapping her lithe body in your arms and pulling her in closer.

“Well, only one way to find out,” she murmured in your ear, nipping at your earlobe.

“I’ve unleashed a monster,” you breathed out in mock-horror.

Both of you erupted in giggles, holding on to one another tightly.

“Thank you,” Mikasa said, pressing a kiss to your cheek.

“I feel like I should be thanking you, love,” you responded, brushing her bangs out of her face. She smiled softly, kissing your palm.

“I think we both got pretty lucky.”

a/n: long time no see, lovelies! hope you enjoyed this :,,) i’ve been working on it for a long, LONG time because my writer’s block has been awful. i’m praying that it was worth the wait. if there are any mistakes or errors, just comment and i’ll try to fix them! <3

mikasa masterlist

aot masterlist

[fatehbaz]

Avocado orchards had carpeted the gently undulating hills around the sacred lake of Pátzcuaro with stodgy green bushes. Here, before the cataclysmic arrival of the first envoys dispatched by Hernando Cortes from the Aztec capital over the mountains to the East, [...] the Purépecha had sown maize, amaranth, zucchini, cacao, cotton, tomato, beans, a dozen types of chili, and much more.

Now the monotonous “green gold” of the avocado boom had colonized the entire Mexican state of Michoacán. [...] [I]t was shocking to think that the cause of the disaster was America’s great patriotic party: the National Football League’s Super Bowl. A flurry of advertising creativity on behalf of the Mexican avocado was unleashed every year during the multi-million-dollar sports broadcast. [...] “Is your life just terrible?” asks the comic actor Chris Elliott, star of Scary Movie 2 and Scary Movie 4, in the 2019 spot. “You deserve more! Spread an avocado on top of everything!” [...] A few days before the Super Bowl, the domestic diva Martha Stewart [...] had released on social networks her latest recipe for guacamole [...]. Guacamole was now an obligatory snack for the 100 million or so Americans who watched the Super Bowl. In February of 2017, 278 million avocados -- most of them from Michoacán -- had been sold during the days before the game in [the US] [...].

---

The avocado had become the star product of Mexican food production in the age of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) [...] since NAFTA was signed in 1994 [...]. [Mexican] farmers produced 16 times more than the formerly dominant Californian growers. [...] Moreover, the avocado was now classified as a “superfood” [...].

It had not always been like this. In the 1950s, the avocado was known unsentimentally as the crocodile pear [...]. Imports from Mexico were banned until 1997 [...] . When complete liberalization was announced in 2007, Michoacán had become an unbeatable competitor for the Californian avocado growers. The Mexican producers specialized, like their Californian rivals, in the Hass variety of avocado, more meaty than those that the Purépecha had [...] consumed over the millennia, and with a tough skin that protected the pears during long hauls in chilled container trucks to El Paso or Tijuana and then beyond to the big US consumer markets. [...] [T]he Hass avocado was perfectly suited to the global market [...]. Michoacán, whose crystalline lakes had earned it the name of the “land of fish” in the indigenous language of Tarasco, would never be the same.

By 2020, 80 percent of the avocados consumed in the United States came from Michoacán [...].

---

Now in the 21st century, on the outskirts of Uruapan, the frenetic capital del aguacate, the new economy of agribusiness took shape [...]. Further west on the shores of Lake Pátzcuaro, the monoculture had not yet colonized the entire landscape, but the advance of the avocado seemed unstoppable. [...] “Practically everybody here wants an avocado orchard [...],” explained [FFB], a resident of the Purépecha indigenous community of Jarácuaro on the shores of the lake. [...] [H]e was horrified by the extent of environmental destruction. “They pump water from the lake to water the avocado orchards [...]. It’s pillage. [...]”

The falling water level, together with the introduction of the rapacious predator tilapia, had wiped out almost all the [...] [native] fish species. Of the cornucopia of marine life that had fed the Purépecha cities, only the diminutive silvery charal remained. The same occurred at other great freshwater deposits in Michoaczán. [...] The Purépecha communities on the shores of the lake, a landscape of stunning beauty where dense pine and ilex oak forests met white nymphaea lilies floating on turquoise water, were girding themselves for the arrival of the aguacateros, avocado producers [...].

---

“They put a gun to your head and tell you to sign the deed before the notary. That’s how the transfer of land is agreed upon,” explained [GV], a sociologist at the University of San Nicolas de Hidalgo in Morelia [...].

Meanwhile, large exporters and avocado brokers -- some of them international brands like Del Monte -- were profiting by purchasing from producers at dirt-cheap prices and reselling to the US supermarket chains at very attractive ones. “They pay a dollar per kilo of avocado here and sell it for eight at a Minnesota W*lmart,” said [GV].

In order not to squander such a reliable source of profits, “transnational corporations, just like the Canadian mining companies in Zacatecas, pay the extortion money [...],” he continued.

---

Text by: Andy Robinson. Gold, Oil, and Avocados: A Recent History of Latin America in Sixteen Commodities. 2021. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks added by me.]

[ultra-francesca-mercury]

february 4,

2007

Prince wows at the Super Bowl halftime show, closing with an otherworldly rendition of "Purple Rain" in the rain.

[roe-and-memory]

im in a silly mood, was watching the ending of the 1994 coca cola 600 in which jeff gordon had his first official win. it got me thinking about how objectively heartbreaking lightnings cars 1 celebration was when he won (jeffs celebration was great btw, he was so so loved by everyone in the pits - it just got me thinking because lightnings celebration was nothing like it).

lightning didnt have a crew or crew chief that cared about him - not like he really wanted that anyways - but the sheer fact that almost everyone on the track had a negative feeling towards him and he got no appreciation, just ended up talking to kori about the win and then arguing with chick, and then his quite short congratulations in his sponsor tent + with mack… creating feelings about that compared to how jeff gordon reacted to his own first win (which was happy tears that got me sobbing too) had me wondering if lightning had ever gotten to celebrate like that beforehand. do you think his crews always kind of disliked him and he never had much attention after races? do you think that harv wanted him to be collected because he wanted lmq to have “good impressions”, but those “good impressions” were just making him seem cold and careless about the fact he won a race?

do you think, the first race he ever won in the 2007 season, with no harv and just a family of a pit crew, he celebrated like he won the damn super bowl? he may have been 18 still, but he would have pulled out the champagne and he would cry because god for once in this damn life he can be like the people around him and be someone. he didnt have to be what anyone else wanted him to be, he could celebrate and hug his crew members and his friends and have the time of his life like a racecar driver is supposed to.

[imhoser]

My personal suggestions for lovejoy alternatives:

On my first post, I mentioned that I listened to one lovejoy song once…and did not like it. I grew up with indie music so I consider myself to be quite qualified in recommending music.

If you want real life stories paired with sorrowful guitars:

The Decemberists

What a Terrible World, What a Wonderful World - 2015. 12/17/12 always makes my ugly cry.

Florasongs (EP) - 2015

I’ll Be Your Girl - 2018

Traveling On (EP) - 2018

Burial Ground (Single) - 2024

They’re coming out with a new album soon! In Burial Ground, James Mercer from The Shins sings the back-up vocals…<3

The Shins

All of the albums are great and fit under this category. My personal favorites are:

Wincing the Night Away (2007)

Heartworms (2017). Mildenhall…mildenhall…I don’t think there’s a more beautiful song by James.

I love this album, but I want to specifically highlight No Way Down from the Port of Morrow album!! I listened to No Way Down on loop for a week a few months back. It’s chef’s kiss

Fish in a Birdcage

Once again, all of the albums are great. My favorites are:

Through the Tides (2016)

Waterfall (2020)

If you want dramatics and folk tales:

The Decemberists:

The Decemberists used to focus more on folklore and stories about people being swallowed by whales and all that jazz. My favorite albums from this era are:

The Crane Wife (2006) - I cannot begin to tell you how amazing this album is. This is one of my favorite albums of all time. Crane Wife P1, 2, &3 are eternally beautiful. After the Bombs snd Sons & Daughters always give me chills.

The King is Dead (2011) - This is the album I remember the most…this was my favorite album of theirs when I was a kid! My favorite song as a kid was June Hymn. June Hymn and the song Use It by The New Pornographers were my favorites. The New Pornographers aren’t super similar to the type of indie that Lovejoy was, TNP is power pop!

A Bit o’ Everything:

Mumford & Sons

That one song I listened to…I immediately thought it was a worse version of a Mumford & Sons song…so here’s some of my favorites of theirs.

Sigh No More (2009) - Winter Winds, Dust Bowl Dance, and After the Storm are my favorites from this album. Outside of the ones that were all over the radio (The Cave/Little Lion Man)

Babel (2012) - Holland Road…I love you <3

Bastille. I always get Mumford & Sons and Bastille mixed up for some reason, so I HAVE to mention them.

Wild Wood (2016) - Good Grief…Snakes…save me

Want to dip into Americana?

The Avett Brothers

Another band I grew up with…they’re from my home state. They’re a very nostalgic band for me.

Mignonette (2004) - I only recently started to appreciate this album a lot more! It’s very wicked. It gets spooky towards the end and I love that. It’s similar to the Hazards of Love album by the Decemberists, in that it tells a full story in the course of the album.

I and Love and You (2009) - Kick Drum Heart and Tin Man ;-; they still make me cry.

[maturemenoftvandfilms]

My Top 10 US Senators (2023)

This post is for 'My Top 10 US Senators' I'd like to fuck and is purely based on appearance, not politics. If you don't agree, either scroll onwards, post your own idea or try another blog.

#10. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI)

An American lawyer and politician serving as the senior United States senator from Rhode Island. Cute little guy whose diminutive height 5 feet 7 inches on a good day, makes him a perfect pocket daddy.

#9. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL)

A former American football coach, former player, and Republican politician. He’s what you think a senator would look like. I’d love to fuck around in bed with him for a weekend.

#8. Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI)

An American politician and businessman serving as the junior United States Senator from Michigan since 2015. A bearded, buttoned-down genial Midwesterner known in the Senate mostly for steering as far clear from the spotlight as he possibly can. One ally calls him a “worker bee,” while a Republican describes him as “about as exciting as a bowl of cold oatmeal.” I’d call him hot as hell.

#7. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) 

An American politician serving as the senior United States senator from West Virginia, a seat he has held since 2010. Another politician who has a lot of political hate, but I fuck him. And if I’m the only one who wants to ride him till he busts. So be it. If Virginia is for lovers, I say West Virginia is for fuckers.

#6. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)

An American lawyer and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Virginia since 2013. Just by the look in his eyes makes me think Tim could be a hell of a good fuck. Nothing to base that on.

#5. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

An American politician serving as the senior United States senator from South Carolina, a seat he has held since 2003. Of course I’ve got my senate bottom bitch, Sen. Graham here. I kinda understand all the political hate, but I think he’s a mature southern gentleman from my state and I’d love to beat his ass like he stole something from me. And when I’m done with him, I’ll send him over to the next guy as I know I’m not the only one who’d fuck him.

#4. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD)  

An American businessman and politician serving as the junior United States Senator from South Dakota since 2015. I need to give Sen. Rounds, who I affectionally call “Mike Pounds” some more love. Because he could get “The Dick,” some ass or what ever he wants from me.

#3. Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MI)

An American lawyer and politician serving as the junior United States senator from Missouri since 2023. The newest senator is tall at At 6’6”, handsome and wears boots. That's enough for me to want more of him.

#2. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)

An American politician and attorney serving as the junior United States Senator for Texas since 2013. Honestly, Ted's here and this high only to piss off liberal, super political fuckers who can't separate looks from politics. Now that doesn't mean I don't want him naked in my bed with my jizz all over his face.

#1. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT)

An American politician serving as the senior United States Senator from Montana, in office since 2007. If you didn’t know that Jon would be my #1, you must be a new follower.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse Sen. Rand Paul Sen. Ron Johnson

[dugdale100]

CBS is embracing the Piano Man.

Ahead the Super Bowl, the network announced it would stream Billy Joel’s 100th concert at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, April 14 at 9 pm ET/PT. The two hour special, titled The 100th: Billy Joel at Madison Square Garden — The Greatest Run Of All Time, marks the first time a Billy Joel concert will air on a broadcast network. It will be filmed at his March 28 show, and will also be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.

The news comes as Joel is set to end his MSG residency this July with his 150th career performance at the New York arena. His first came in late 1978, when Joel, who was touring on behalf of his 52nd Street album, headlined the venue for his first time. In early 2014, he began a monthly residency as MSG’s first “music franchise,” and has sold out every show since. He’s shrewdly changed up his set list from performance to performance, and recruited special guests like Tony Bennett, Bruce Springsteen and Olivia Rodrigo.

The final show of his residency is set for July. It will be his 104th show in the series, and his 150th performance there. “I’m kind of flabbergasted that it lasted as long as it did,” Joel said at a news conference last year. “My team tells me that we could continue to sell tickets, but 10 years, 150 shows — all right already!” All told, the record-setting residency is expected to gross more than $250 million, according to Pollstar. Joel has no plans to retire, however; in fact, he’s scheduled to criss-cross the country later this year, headlining baseball stadiums with opening acts like Stevie Nicks, Sting and Rod Stewart.

The televised concert announcement arrives a week after Joel premiered his new single, Turn the Lights Back On, live at the Grammy awards, also on CBS. The romantic ballad, produced by Freddy Wexler, was the 74-year-old singer’s first original song in 17 years. Sample line: “I’m late / But I’m here right now / And I’m trying to find the magic.” Despite prolific stage work, the last time Joel shared new music was way back in 2007, when he released the love song All My Life and protest tune, Christmas in Fallujah.

The CBS/Paramount concert special is a co-production of Sony Music Entertainment and Enliven Entertainment. Steve Cohen, Barry Ehrmann and Paul Dugdale will serve as executive producers, with Dugdale also set to direct. Sony Music Vision is the distributor. It follows other popular televised concert events, including those featuring Elton John, Adele and Taylor Swift.

[girlschasinggirls]

Retired NFL player Michael Oher was not adopted by a rich white family as depicted in the 2009 movie "The Blind Side," according to a Tennessee court filing obtained by ESPN on Monday. Instead, they allegedly manipulated him to become more wealthy at his expense.

The petition was reportedly filed in Shelby County, Tennessee, probate court. In it, Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy are accused of taking Oher into their home as a high school student under a conservatorship they tricked him into, which granted them legal authority to make business deals on his behalf.

Oher, 37, is reportedly asking the court to end the Tuohy family's conservatorship, stop them from using his name and likeness and provide a full account of their earnings from using his name. In addition to unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, he is also reportedly seeking a "fair" share of profits.

Oher: I didn't receive money from 'The Blind Side'

"The Blind Side" saw wild success from Oher's poverty-to-Super-Bowl-champ story — but the report says he didn't see any funds from the movie.

The Tuohys are also accused of using that power to negotiate a deal that made them, including their two birth children, millions of dollars in royalties from the Oscar-winning film. They began negotiating a movie deal about their relationship with Oher shortly after the 2006 release of the book "Blind Side: Evolution of the Game," according to the filing.

Members of the family were each allegedly paid $225,000, plus 2.5% of the film's "defined net proceeds." The film earned more than $300 million.

An additional 2007 contract allegedly gave 20th Century Fox Studios the rights to Oher's story without any payment, according to the filing. He alleges that he doesn't recall signing any such contract or was misled to think he was agreeing to something else.

Family lie 'devastated and wounded [Oher] deeply'

…

[scoonsalicious]

Unwanted: Chapter 16, Unaccompanied - Pt. 1

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Avenger!Fem!Reader

Summary: When your FWB relationship with your best friend Bucky Barnes turns into something more, you couldn’t be happier. That is, however, until a new Avenger sets her sights on your super soldier and he inadvertently breaks your heart. You take on a mission you might not be prepared for to put some distance between the two of you and open yourself up to past traumas. Too bad the only one who can help you heal is the one person you can no longer trust.

Warnings: (For this part only; see Story Masterlist for general Warnings) Language, Vomiting 🤮

Word Count: 1k

Previously On...: Jade's been trying to get into your head about Bucky, but he assured you she was just trying to cause trouble between the two of you.

A/N: We are officially half way through the story, lovelies! I'm so happy to be on this journey with all of you! NOTE! The tag list is a fickle bitch, so I'm not really going to be dealing with it anymore. If you want to be notified when I update, please enable notifications from my Blog page!

Banner By: The absolutely amazing @mrsbuckybarnes1917!

Thank you to all those who have been reading; if you like what you've read, likes, comments, and reblogs give me life, and I truly appreciate them, and you!

Taglist: (Sadly, tag list is closed; Tumblr will not let me add anyone new. If you want to be notified when I update, please Follow me for Notifications!) @jmeelee @cazellen @mrsbuckybarnes1917 @blackhawkfanatic @buckybarnessimpp @hayjat @capswife @itsteambarnes @marygoddessofmischief @sebastians-love @learisa @lethallyprotected @rabbitrabbit12321 @buckybarnesandmarvel @fanfictiongirl77 @calwitch @fantasyfootballchampion @selella @jackiehollanderr @wintercrows @sashaisready @missvelvetsstuff @angelbabyyy99 @keylimebeag @maybefoxysouls @vicmc624 @j23r23 @wintercrows @crist1216 @cjand10 @pattiemac1@les-sel @dottirose @winterslove1917 @harperkenobi @ivet4 @casey1-2007 @mrsevans90 @steeph-aniie @bean-bean2000 @beanbagbitch @peachiestevie @wintrsoldrluvr @shadowzena43

Tumblr will not let me directly tag the following: @marcswife21 @erelierraceala @jupiter-107 @doublejeon @hiqhkey @unaxv @brookeleclerc

The day you and Bucky were scheduled to leave for Moscow, you went to the dining room to say your goodbyes before boarding the Quinjet. The team was gathered around the large dining table when you walked in, plates of Thai food spread across the space. 

“You ordered Thai?” you moaned. “Knowing that I’m about to spend hours in a tin can, stuck eating MREs for who knows how long, risking my life for truth, justice, and freedom, and you order Thai just as I’m leaving? I thought you were my friends! My family! Do I mean nothing to the lot of you?!”

“Relax, drama queen,” Nat said. “I’ll fix you a to-go container.”

“Thank you, Natasha,” you said. “You are a true friend.” You glared around the room at everyone else, pointing an accusing finger. “The rest of you, however… I will remember this.”

Bucky wrapped an arm around you and squeezed your shoulders. “Maybe we can make a detour in Thailand and get it straight from the source, doll,” he said with a laugh.

“I like your way of thinking, Barnes,” you said. Natasha handed you the to-go container and you did a little happy dance. “Thank you, Natty!” you squealed, opening up the container to take a sniff of the deliciousness contained within. 

As soon as the scent of Khao Soi hit your nostrils, you were overcome with a wave of nausea. “Oh my God,” you groaned, shoving the container into Bucky’s arms and throwing your hands over your mouth. You sprinted toward the nearest bathroom and barely made it to the toilet before you were vomiting into the bowl.

As you heaved, you felt a cool, metal hand pull your hair away from your face and a warm flesh hand rubbing circles on your back. “You okay, doll?” Bucky asked, his voice full of concern as you heaved up the contents of your stomach. 

“I think there’s something wrong with that Khao Soi,” you told him once your stomach muscles had stopped spasming. “Maybe the coconut was bad?”

Bucky grabbed a few squares of toilet paper and gently wiped at the sides of your mouth. “Gotta say, it smelled all right to me.” He placed a palm to your forehead. “You’re feeling a little warm. You sure you’re not comin’ down with something?”

“Maybe,” you said, giving it some thought. “I have been feeling really tired lately.” 

“If you’re sick, you know can’t I can’t let you go on this mission,” Steve’s voice came from where he was standing in the doorway. “It’s a liability.”

This was the first time Steve had spoken to you in ages, and you couldn’t help but wonder if it had something to do with the fact that you and Bucky weren’t technically in a relationship anymore. 

“I’m fine, Steve,” you said, but before you could further protest in favor of your good health, another wave of nausea overtook you and you were once again vomiting into the toilet bowl. 

“It’s alright, baby,” Bucky said. “I can do the mission solo. It’s more important for you to rest and get better.”

You nodded, feeling miserable and completely drained now. “Will you help me back to my room, Buck?”

“Of course, sweets.” You flushed the toilet and Bucky helped you stand up. In an instant, he’d scooped you up, carrying you, bridal-style, back down to your room. He deposited you gently on the edge of the tub in your bathroom and poured you a cup of water.

“Here, rinse your mouth,” he said, offering you the glass, and you accepted gratefully. You swished the liquid through your mouth, rinsing away the acidic taste of bile before you spat the water out in the sink. While you were doing that, Bucky brought you a change of clothes, helping you out of your tac-suit and into one of his tee shirts and a pair of pajama pants. 

“Better?” he asked as he tucked you into your bed. 

You nodded, burrowing down into your scarlet comforter. Wanda had been right– it had been permanent, and it was now your favorite bedding. “Thanks, Buck,” you murmured. “I’m sorry we won’t be going on the mission together. I was really looking forward to it.”

“Me, too.” He pressed a kiss to your forehead. “But you’ve got nothing to apologize for. I just want you gettin’ better.” You smiled at him as he grabbed your hand and kissed it. “I hate leaving you like this.”

You laughed. “It’s just a stomach bug, Buck,” you said, squeezing his hand in return. “I’ll be right as rain when you get back, promise. But you better go before Steve comes banging the door down for you.”

“Is there anything I can get you before I go?” he asked, brows furrowed with worry. “I could make you some tea.”

“No,” you stifled a yawn. “But thank you. I’m wiped; I think I’m just going to take a nap. Puking is exhausting. We gonna do our calls?” you asked him. Each time one of you was away on a mission, you would call the other once a day, a kind of proof-of-life to ensure to the other you were safe. If a call wasn’t possible, you’d make sure to at least send a text, never wanting the other to worry more than necessary.

“Of course,” he said. He leaned down to kiss you, but you pulled away.

“Buck,” you whined, “I just threw up. You don’t want to kiss me right now.”

“Always wanna kiss you, Pocket,” he said, leaning in again. This time you let him, though you kept it from getting too deep. Yes, you knew you were blurring the lines of the new parameters you had set up for your relationship, but successful missions were never something to be taken for granted, so you would never pass up the opportunity for what could possibly be a last kiss.

“Alright, Barnes,” you said when the kiss broke, “get outta here before Steve comes in and drags your ass out.”

With a final wave, Bucky departed, leaving you alone to drift off, the discomfort in your stomach temporarily forgotten.

<- Previous Part / Next Part ->

[total-drama-takes-takes-2]

tti episode 25 - version 2

“For the past eight weeks, you have been watching Fren, Joner, Peter, Kitty, Mal, O, Sha-Mod, Frollo, Caesar, Austin, Scruffy, Kelly, Courtney, Scary, Max, Staci, Patrick, Bonnie, Ass, and Julia compete in the most heinous, disgusting, dangerous challenges reality TV has seen since 2007. You have watched them laugh, cry, love and receive various injuries, and it’s all come down to this! Two campers remain, and by sundown, only one will be left standing! That winner will go home with a check for one million dollars and the pride of having survived this crummy camp. Our two final campers are about to fight it out in a battle of the exes here on Total! Takes! Island!”

“Welcome back to the island. It's been a grueling past two months for our finalists, so we asked them to record their thoughts before the final challenge,” Chris smiles, pacing around the currently-empty mess hall. 

---

MCLOVIN: “I guess I had a good time. I made a lot of new friends,”

---

MICHAEL: “Now people hate my existence and want to kill me! Great job at making new friends, Michela!"

---

MCLOVIN: “I’m not too surprised I made it this far. It’s like my mom always says, a positive attitude can get you anywhere!”

---

MICHAEL: “I’m honestly shocked I haven’t given up yet. I mean, I was so sure I’d be a mid-season boot and now I’m a finalist!”

---

MCLOVIN: “The food? It was okay... when it wasn’t trying to kill me,”

---

MICHAEL: “Don’t even get me started on the supposed “food” we had to eat. It’d probably be inhumane to serve that stuff to dogs,”

---

MCLOVIN: “The rats in the kitchen wouldn’t even touch it,”

---

MICHAEL: “And the people?”

---

MCLOVIN: “The people were awesome! Sure, there were some fights, but I’ve never met so many amazing friends than on this island!”

---

MICHAEL: “-a bunch of lazy, stubborn, self-centered jerks who only cared about themselves,”

---

MCLOVIN: “Sha-Mod and I share a psychic bond! We’re soulmates- bromates! I meant bromates!”

---

MICHAEL: “Max is probably one of the most stubborn, rude, unapologetically mean people I’ve ever met, and… I am so glad I met him. I couldn’t have asked for anyone better.”

---

MCLOVIN: “Courtney has the coolest hair ever, Julia is super smart…”

---

MICHAEL: “I guess that’s about it, really,”

---

MCLOVIN: “What will I be remembered for?” he pauses to think. “My personality!”

---

MICHAEL: “Um… my hair?”

---

MCLOVIN: “Or maybe these!” he stands on the toilet and stomps, his light-up Sketchers blinking.

---

Chris leaves the mess hall after announcing the final curtain call will be in thirty minutes. Michael sighs and slumps forward. 

“What’s the matter?” McLovin asks, spooning their final crummy camp meal. 

“I guess I’m just kind of disappointed I didn’t accomplish anything I came here for,” 

“What do you mean? We did lots of awesome stuff and met tons of awesome people!”

“No,” Michael frowns at him. “You did tons of awesome stuff and met tons of awesome people. I just made a bunch of enemies and humiliated myself on national television hundreds of times.”

McLovin’s smile drops and he looks at her. “That’s kind of a depressing way to look at it,”

“That’s reality, dude,”

A silence falls over the two McLovin sighs. 

“Do you think anything’s gonna be the same after we go home?”

“Honestly? Not at all. I just don’t know if I can stay friends with you and Joner after everything. I’ll be alone, but maybe that won't be such a bad thing,” she says, kicking back and putting her feet on the table. “I’ll be putting myself first for once, anyway.”

“Well… I kinda understand. If that’s what you want, then that’s cool. I respect that,” McLovin says, saluting her. “I just wish we could’ve made up.”

“Sometimes that’s too much to ask. I wish you would’ve shown you’ve changed instead of just apologizing,” she stands, leaving her bowl behind half-empty and her former friend with a contemplative look on his face.

---

“Alright, campers!” Chris says, leading the two between a pair of wooden bleachers out in the forest. Michael and McLovin can see a track extending into the woods, and both know without saying that that’s where they’re heading next. “Time to welcome back the twenty losers who did not make it here with you today!”

The former competitors walk from the docks. McLovin waves to his friends, who merrily wave back. No one even looks at Michael as they pass to the bleachers. 

“Everyone who is not competing, please take a seat in the peanut gallery of failure! The side you choose should represent who you’re rooting for in the finale,” Chris says, directing the crowd to the bleachers behind him. Each has a large banner with either contestant's face on it. 

Sha-Mod and Courtney are the first to sit on McLovin’s side, followed shortly by just about everyone else. Only one person is sitting in Michael’s gallery. 

Max waves from the empty bleachers. Michael smiles and waves back. 

“Okay, a little surprising, but wow,” Chris says. “Can we get a few more volunteers to pity-join? Makes it more suspenseful.”

“Come on, guys!” McLovin yells to his supporters. “Michael is really… cool and nice and stuff!”

A few contestants raise eyebrows. He sighs. “Staci, Scruffy- um, the tall one- Peter, Kelly,”

Much to their annoyance (and McLovin’s surprise at having people actually listen to him) all of the selected losers get up and move without complaint. Michael rolls her eyes, but she still gives McLovin a slightly grateful look. 

Max hops down from the bleachers and runs over to her, ducking under Chef before he can stop him. “You got this, okay?” he says, holding her hands. 

Chris rolls his eyes and jabs a thumb in their direction, sending Chef over to collect him. Chef grabs Max by the back of his collar and drags him back to the stands. “I believe in you!” he yells before he’s promptly sat down. 

Frollo sits in the middle space between the bleachers on the ground, eternally reading his Bible. 

Chris walks over. “Um, dude, you gotta pick a side,”

He rolls his eyes. “Both of these players are sinners, and-”

Chef walks over, picks him up, and tosses him onto Michael’s side, the few losers already there ducking to avoid him as he shrieks and flies across the screen. 

“Go, MC!” Courtney shouts. 

“Yeah, go support the endless cog of capitalism!” Ass says sarcastically. Courtney smacks them upside the head. 

“McLovin, this is your chance to tell the peanut gallery what you would do with the money if you won,” Chris says, pointing at him. He smiles. 

“I’ve had a lot of time to think about it, and I finally chose just two things I’d want to do with the money,” he says. “First, I’d save half of it for art school and my future living expenses.”

Joner and Michael both raise an eyebrow. 

“And then with everything I have left, I would give everyone who competed on this show an even portion of the money. Including Michael!” 

Everyone aws at that, and everyone on Michael’s side aside from Max silently gets up and walks back over to McLovin’s. Even Frollo’s unconscious body slumps off the stands and rolls over to the other bleachers. Max groans and smacks his forehead. 

“Michael?”

“I would probably save most of it in a secure bank account for my future. And maybe get new skates,”

Everyone stares at her blankly. She sighs. 

“Alright, it’s time for the final challenge: the rejected Olympic relay race!” Chris shouts. “There are three parts: first, each of you has to put on one of these,” he smiles, holding a chicken hat in his right hand and a cow hat in his left. He hands one to each. “Dressed in your very special uniforms, you will run to the first location and shimmy up the pole to grab your flag. Next, you’ll cross a 300m balance beam suspended across a massive gorge while carrying an eagles egg. After is a long distance run back to this location. Whoever gets here first wins!”

The peanut galleries cheer as Michael and McLovin look at each other. 

“Good luck,” he says, adjusting his chicken hat. “You deserve to win.”

Michael stares. “I don’t need your pity,”

“Go, McLovin!” Sha-Mod shouts from the stands. 

“Kick her ass, MC!” Julia yells before a large rock from Michael’s bleachers hits her in the back of the head. She slumps onto Scruffy in the row below, unconscious. 

“Anyone else?!” Max yells from offscreen. 

“Ready!” Chris shouts, waving around a checkered flag. “Set? Go!”

McLovin and Michael start off, the latter in the lead. Michael reaches the flagpole first and takes a leaping jump to the base, scaling it with ease. 

The pencil arrives next and attempts to inch his way up the pole like a worm. “Use your freakishly long limbs!” Ass yells from the stands, still dizzy from Courtney's blow. 

McLovin whimpers and extends his arms higher, grabbing the flag at the same time Michael hops off. 

“How do I get down?!” he yells. 

“Figure it out! You got this!” Courtney yells back. 

McLovin frowns and jumps down, landing on his butt. The crowd winces. 

“Get up, dude!” Sha-Mod yells. “She’s not far ahead!”

Michael approaches the gorge and peers over the edge, where sharks are swimming in the water below the thin, rickety planks of wood. She swallows nervously but runs back around to the eagles nest behind her, grabbing an egg and hiding it in her parka before she begins to cross. 

McLovin follows, snatching an egg and holding it above his head while closing his eyes and screaming, running across the thin plank of wood. 

“You might wanna look where you’re going, dude!” Chris shouts. “Those eggs weren’t for nothing!”

A few campers catch up to the players, stopping behind Chris and looking around the skies nervously. 

Scruffy yells from the edge of the gorge. “McLovin, there are eagles! Huge eagles! And-” another rock hits them square in the temple and they fall backwards. Max tosses another stone from one hand to the other while glaring at the other losers. 

“What did they mean by-” Michael starts before a massive eagle swoops down and lunges for McLovin's exposed egg, talons extended. 

He barely manages to duck, but is thrown off-balance and wobbles around on one foot. The peanut gallery (now on their feet) gasps and watches in terror as he falls to his butt on the plank, but manages to keep himself out of the shark infested waters. 

Michael reaches the other side, pulling the egg out of its hiding place and setting in the nest on stable ground. She starts running again, McLovin (still shaking) not far behind. 

The track takes the two right through camp. “Almost there!” Max yells, one of the campers running behind the contestants. 

“Come on, MC, you got this!” Sha-Mod shouts, a few steps behind Max. “This part is the easiest!”

As he says that, McLovin steps over a suspiciously elevated dirt mound and a huge explosion lets off behind him. 

“What was that?!” Michael shouts as another explosion sounds. 

“Oh, yeah, we had some leftover landmines!” Chris shouts into his megaphone from a safe distance. “Enjoy!”

“Jerk!” Michael snaps, narrowly dodging another massive landmine explosion that takes out the confessional booth.

"Watch out!" McLovin yells, pointing out various lumps of dirt ahead of her.

"I don't need your help!" she snaps back. "I'm not your pity case!"

"What is it gonna take for you to forgive me?!"

"Move. ON!" she shouts, speeding up ahead and jumping over every landmine visible. Another one explodes, sending McLovin backwards.

He screams in terror, covering his eyes and running blindly when he gets up. 

“Get a grip!” Ass yells from behind. “Stop being such a coward!”

“No!” he shouts back. 

Scary scoffs. “Why don’t you just let her win then, nice guy?!”

McLovin frowns and whimpers, standing and stumbling forward. "I can do this!" he affirms himself, a few cheers sounding from the sidelines.

He runs up to Michael, shoving her out of the way as the finish line comes into sight. She falls on her butt and yelps.

"This is pointless!" she yells, refusing to stand. "Who even cares!"

A voice from the sidelines sounds out. "Chel!"

She turns. "Max?"

He waves from off the course, avoiding the landmine-covered track. "You can't give up! Remember what I told you! You didn't come here to make friends!"

Michael sighs. She closes her eyes and stands shakily, clenching her fists. "I want to win,"

"More enthusiasm!"

"I want to win!" she starts off running.

"Yes!"

"I WANT TO WIN!" she yells, catching up to McLovin and shoving him.

"There's my girl!"

His thin body shudders like a piece of paper in the wind and he flies backwards from the force of the push as she crosses the finish line seconds before him.

The peanut gallery cheers, abandoning McLovin on the dirt trail and surrounding Michael.

Max forces everyone in the crowd out of the way, throwing his arms around her and kissing her. The peanut gallery oohs and he glares.

"Mind your own business!"

"And Michael is the winner of Total Takes Island!" Chris says, walking over with a huge check. "Congratulations, camper!"

Chef nods. "Could've seen that one coming,"

Sha-Mod manages to squeeze through the crowd and run over to McLovin, still flat on the ground. He helps him up and hugs him.

"You did good!"

"Yeah, but not good enough," McLovin coughs, wiping the dirt off his pants.

Sha-Mod shrugs. "So? We'll have to work a little harder for our dream house. But we're still getting one, there's no way I'm giving up on a mansion with my boyfriend,"

McLovin blushes and looks over. “Did you mean bromate? Cause I made the same-”

“Nah,” Sha-Mod says, leaning on McLovin’s shoulder. “Bromate’s platonic.”

The crowd continues stirring with excitement as Michael walks past, hand-in-hand with Max. She smiles and gives one last wave to McLovin, who waves back, before the two part ways. 

---

“Here we are at the last TTI bonfire ceremony ever,” Chris says, smiling at the entire cast as they sit around the pit. “After eight brutal weeks of torture, infections, and drama, our season winner is Michael!”

The campers cheer, congratulating Michael as she sits near the center of the group, Max leaning his head on her shoulder.

“Michael, the final marshmallow,” Chris grins, tossing her the treat. She catches it and smiles. “A symbol of prosperity. Treasure it for the rest of your life.”

“Sure," she says, tossing it into the fire seconds later. Max laughs.

The crowd returns to talking amongst each other as Chef comes out of the mess hall with more marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers for s'mores.

“I don't think I did so bad for last place,” Fren says, kicking back. 

Staci (now bleach blonde, thanks to Kelly’s handiwork) shrugs as she sits between their two friends. “You survived, at least,”

“And we got a right groovy finale, baby!” Austin says, patting her on the back. “Great season, baby!”

“Thank you, Austin,” Chris says smugly. “And to all you viewers at home- thank you for supporting us here at Total Takes Island! We all hope you had a good time watching these teens fight to the death, and we can’t wait to see you next season!”

Everyone turns to him. “NEXT SEASON?!”

[realjaysumlin]

Prince - Super Bowl XLI 🏈 | Halftime Show 2007 FULL SHOW HD

The greatest halftime performance ever in history. His purple majesty Prince.