#2. qualification

[soy-bean-factory]

Really self indulgent but the pathologic healers as dnd characters

[bobbinfire]

So I watched Beetlejuice Beetlejuice today...

[muninnhuginn]

The thought that goes into the fake science in dungeon meshi can be something so special actually. Using golems to explain crop rotation and how removing predators from an ecosystem can have knock-on effects. Talking about symbiotic relationships and parasites too! And characters are actually interested in the science so they keep explaining about it. Finally, some exposition I can get behind.

[cogentranting]

Political ads should be illegal.

Instead each candidate gets 2 pages or less to create a resume style document that lays out their basic positions and any relevant skills/experience/accomplishments and their education. They may also write a cover letter (no longer than one page) giving their best argument for why they should be elected. If they choose to add nuance to their positions or detail to their experience section, they may have a website to do so. Then a neutral third party should offer a fact check and performance review that (in as objective a style as possible) identifies potential detractors (including scandals, any accusations or legal trouble, or just poor job performance).

And all of these documents should be neatly compiled on a single website to see all the candidates. And that's it. That should be our election campaign.

[ghoulgeists]

*waves wand* BAM im putting him in more funny little outfits

[silverstark]

Heavenly Demon Baby Fever pt.5

BingQiu get baby fever. Tentatively rated M instead of T. Link to Part 4

x-x-x-x-x

The meeting finally, finally came to an end, and Shen Qingqiu was free to run back to the shelter of his Bamboo Cottage and Luo Binghe’s fastidious care.

He excused himself politely from Yue Qingyuan, pretended not to hear the various invitations for “shixiong” to come over, and managed to evade pursuit until he got to the main entrance. That was when he heard the sounds of battle outside.

“Shen-shixiong!” Mu Qingfang called out behind him.

But, nearly at the same time, he heard a young man shout, “Let’s get the demon!”

Many young voices replied in assent, some playful and some enraged. Shen Qingqiu knew the Bai Zhan mob well by now. He hurried outside to find, as he expected, Luo Binghe surrounded by an assortment of unruly Cang Qiong disciples.

“Binghe!” Shen Qingqiu called out.

It was a mistake. Luo Binghe obediently looked at him when called. In his moment of distraction, a determined knot of youngsters charged in and managed to hit Luo Binghe’s shoulder with a spiritual blast. Immediately after, Luo Binghe flapped a hand like he was shooing a mosquito and sent all the disciples flying. Shen Qingqiu knew they were fine because he could hear them shrieking in the ornamental gardens like wild monkeys. He rushed to Luo Binghe’s side to check whether he was injured.

“Binghe! Did that hurt?”

“No, not at all.”

Shen Qingqiu wanted to look at the impact point himself. Luo Binghe took Shen Qingqiu’s arm and gently held him in place.

“Shizun should not worry so much. This disciple is fine.”

Shen Qingqiu frowned and momentarily let himself pout a tiny bit. Luo Binghe usually let him fuss over him to his heart’s content, so why was he stopping him now? Then he remembered that they were on another peak in full view of many of the hooligans who had been bullying him. Shen Qingqiu realized that his disciple would risk losing face if he answered honestly.

“Let’s go home,” Shen Qingqiu urged.

He unsheathed Xiu Ya, bundled his disciple onboard, and flew them back to Qing Jing Peak. If he heard Mu Qingfang calling after him once more as he flew away, then that was a problem for later. He needed to get his disciple out of attack range of the wild monkeys first.

Luo Binghe was holding his waist snugly as they flew. He didn’t say anything until they were close to Qing Jing Peak. Then a dam of stickiness seemed to break.

“Shizun,”Luo Binghe practically cooed, nuzzling his face into the side of Shen Qingqiu’s neck.

Xiu Ya trembled slightly. Shen Qingqiu admonished himself to maintain focus. Luo Binghe knew better than to draw any attention to that little lapse, but after a moment he spoke as if he couldn’t help himself.

“How is Shizun feeling?” Luo Binghe asked anxiously.

“This master is feeling just fine,” he said out of habit, blushing slightly. “What about you? Did those Bai Zhan brutes hurt you?”

“They really did not,” Luo Binghe reassured him.

With this, the two of them landed. Luo Binghe took hold of his hands as soon as Shen Qingqiu put Xiu Ya away.

“…What’s gotten into you today?” Shen Qingqiu asked, amused and charmed despite himself.

Luo Binghe lifted Shen Qingqiu’s hands to his lips and gave each of them a kiss. Shen Qingqiu’s breath caught. He stared at Luo Binghe’s gorgeous, adoring face for a long moment. Then he remembered where they were. He glanced around surreptitiously before scolding quietly.

“Binghe! Not where your shixiong and shijie can see!”

Luo Binghe didn’t need any further invitation to drag him into Bamboo Cottage. As soon as the door was closed, he was kissing him again. His hands, his neck, his forehead, his nose. Shen Qingqiu laughed against him.

“Really, Binghe, what is on your mind?”

“How is Shizun really feeling? Shizun did not look well this morning.”

“This master is fine,” he reassured him with a smile.

And he really was. Whether it was due to Luo Binghe’s distractingly glowing presence or simply the illness fading on its own, Shen Qingqui felt well.

“Now, will you tell his master what has gotten you all—”

There was suddenly a loud, clattering knock on the door. Shen Qingqiu scowled. Who in their right mind would knock in such a way? How dare they disturb the peace of Qing Jing Peak? How abominably rude! It had to be a completely new recruit. Uncouth, ill-mannered, and utterly lacking the bearing expected of Cang Qiong Mountain Sect disciples. Luo Binghe, ever the exemplary Qing Jing Peak disciple, gave the door a dark look like he wanted to teach that person some manners. Shen Qingqiu wasn’t sure he would stop him.

Then,

“Shen-shixiong!”

…

“Mu-shidi?” Shen Qingqiu called incredulously.

Who could have ever expected that Mu Qingfang would behave like this?

“Shen-shixiong, don’t go drinking tonight!”

Shen Qingqiu lightly pushed against Luo Binghe’s chest. Luo Binghe obediently let him go and went to open the door.

“Mu-shishu,” he greeted in a cool, complicated tone.

Mu Qingfang rushed inside with barely a glance at Luo Binghe.

“Close the door, close the door. Shen-shixiong, please forgive the urgency. I must tell you…well, your diagnosis before…”

Shen Qingqiu coughed in warning with a significant look at Luo Binghe. He didn’t wan Mu Qingfang to make his clingy disciple worry on his behalf. Mu Qingfang hesitated and Shen Qingqiu thought he might be able to gracefully shoo him out the door, but then Luo Binghe spoke brightly.

“Would Shizun prefer a set of gaiwans, or a teapot today?”

Shen Qingqiu looked at Luo Binghe in surprise at the interruption. Luo Binghe never bothered him over petty decisions like this, let alone interrupted a conversation between Shen Qingqiu and his fellow Peak Lords.

He was on the point of gesturing a subtle no to Luo Binghe, as in ‘I prefer NO tea with your shishu, thank you.’ But then Luo Binghe suddenly shifted his gaze to Mu Qingfang and smiled in an uncharacteristically welcoming way.

“Da-shixiong’s family just sent Shizun a batch of tea from their farm. Would Mu-shishu like to try it?”

Hold on…Why was Luo Binghe being such a good host? Wasn’t he taking his housewife roleplaying too seriously…?

No, Shen Qingqiu realized too late. He hadn’t asked Mu Qingfang whether he wished to try the new batch of tea because he cared about Mu Qingfang’s tea preferences. He did so to issue an indirect invitation. He had correctly understood that Shen Qingqiu didn’t intend to issue the invitation, so he intervened. In other words, he was deliberately preventing Shen Qingqiu from kicking Mu Qingfang out!

“Um….yes, that sounds good,” Mu Qingfang said, completely weirded out.

Luo Binghe smiled in satisfaction and only then met Shen Qingqiu’s gaze.

Shen Qingqiu could hardly keep his countenance. To think that his disciple would behave so rebelliously! But Shen Qingqiu would only make the situation more embarrassing if he rescinded Lou Binghe’s indirect invitation. He knew that he had been outmaneuvered. Shen Qingqiu admitted defeat by smiling graciously and then gesturing silently for Mu Qingfang to join him at the table.

Luo Binghe had no shame. He widened watery eyes at Shen Qingqiu behind Mu Qingfang’s back in a faux-innocent expression. Shen Qingqiu wanted to roll his eyes. He joined Mu Qingfang at the table as Luo Binghe prepared tea within easy earshot.

“You must be wondering why I didn’t tell you as soon as I knew,” Mu Qingfang ventured.

“Hm?”

Mu Qingfang looked momentarily confused.

“Oh, that,” Shen Qingqiu remembered.

The incident at the Peak Lord meeting had completely slipped from his mind after he’d reunited with Luo Binghe. Definitely after being attacked with all that…stickiness.

Mu Qingfang’s brows seemed to twitch, watching the changes to Shen Qingqiu’s expression.

“It’s nothing to worry about,” Shen Qingqiu reassured him. “It’s gone away on its own already.”

Mu Qingfang made a strange noise in his throat.

“I assure you, it has not.”

Oh? Like he had assured him that Without a Cure had no cure?

Shen Qingqiu smiled.“Thankfully, my health has been excellent since that poison cleared out. My husband has been able to provide me with medicines very rare outside of the Demon Realm.”

“…I’m sure,” Mu Qingfang said.

He suddenly looked at Luo Binghe in a wary manner. Luo Binghe was approaching with a tea tray looking like a dutiful little housewife. He didn’t pay any attention to Mu Qingfang’s expression as he poured them each a cup of tea. After a moment, Mu Qingfang cleared his throat.

“If this is not a presumptive request…May I speak with Shixiong privately?”

Shen Qingqiu raised his brows as he took the teacup Luo Binghe had poured for him. The petty part of him wanted to agree to send Luo Binghe away. But the first sip of tea softened his heart somewhat. It was a mild, refreshing tea that didn’t irritate his stomach. Exactly the kind of tea he had wished for earlier during the Peak Lord meeting where, he remembered, Luo Binghe couldn’t serve him because he’d been excluded by Cang Qiong Mountain Sect rules. It would hardly have been fair to kick Luo Binghe out once again, and from his own home this time.

“Thank you, Binghe,” he said quietly.

Then he smiled at Mu Qingfang. “Shidi may speak freely whenever he wishes.”

Mu Qingfang huffed in apparent exasperation.

“Fine. Shixiong is pregnant.”

Shen Qingqiu paused in raising the teacup to his lips again.

“What?”

Luo Binghe, meanwhile, dropped the teapot onto the floor.

“Binghe!” Shen Qingqiu said, shocked.

“Shizun! I—”

Shen Qingqiu set his teacup down and rushed over to check whether Luo Binghe had splashed himself with hot water or cut himself with teapot shards. He grabbed Luo Binghe’s hands first intending to check for any trace of injury on Luo Binghe’s palms. However, when he tried to flip them over, Luo Binghe grasped Shen Qingqiu’s hands.

“Shizun,” Luo Binghe cried.

Shen Qingqiu’s heart jumped and beat faster in response to Luo Binghe’s sudden anxiety.

“What is it, Binghe?”

Luo Binghe looked between Shen Qingqiu’s face and Mu Qingfang, somewhere behind Shen Qingqiu.

“…Did shixiong not hear what I said?” Mu Qingfang asked.

It wasn’t like Shen Qingqiu hadn’t heard what Mu Qingfang said. It was just that there had been something more urgent to take care of, and anyway, it was too ridiculous to consider.

Luo Binghe looked pale and increasingly confused. Shen Qingqiu stroked his hands with his thumbs in a soothing manner and partially turned to face Mu Qingfang.“Shidi, did you perhaps drink from that new batch of wine?”

“No—”

“I think there was something wrong with it,” Shen Qingqiu continued. “Shidi should ask his disciples to take a look at him.”

Mu Qingfang sighed.

“There is nothing wrong with me. Shixiong truly is with child.”

Shen Qingqiu involuntarily squeezed Luo Binghe’s hands.

“How can that be possible?” he muttered. “I am a man…”

“Perhaps that is a question for shixiong’s husband,” Mu Qingfang said significantly.

There was something sharp about his tone. Shen Qingqiu narrowed his eyes automatically in warning. He wouldn’t stand for anyone else scolding his disciple on his behalf.

“Shizun, I promise I didn’t—”

“Of course you didn’t,” Shen Qingqiu said, extracting one hand so he could pat Luo Binghe on the head.

If it was anyone’s fault, it was Airplane’s.

“I hope that shixiong will allow me to conduct a more thorough examination.”

“Hmm. No,” Shen Qingqiu decided.

“If shixiong truly does not know how this happened, or if he truly believes that my diagnosis is wrong, then that is even more reason to do further examinations. If something is wrong with shixiong, or with the child—“

“Fine,” Shen Qingqiu said with a huff.

He briskly extracted himself from Luo Binghe’s grasp and walked over to Mu Qingfang himself. He had no intention of being dragged to the doctor like a silly cat again.

x-x-x-x-x

[there-are-many-ways-to-smile]

 did you know?

 That Tiana

Princess Tiana

Disney Princess Tiana has the biggest wardrobe of all the Disney princesses

[moreaugriffins]

[elizabethkitley]

https://x.com/wta/status/1821216731316285782?s=46&t=fDPa1S4D4jK6dR0rAau7kA

Iga qualified back in June after her 5th slam win at 23 years old (!!!) but I will allow the late news because she looks yummy in this video

yes i think she already qualified after RG but the acknowledgement is nice  😭 

[vitamin-zeeth]

I'm on exam leave atm and it's soo telling that even tho I'm literally a week away from my first exam this is the best I've felt the whole school year. Like yeah I have a ton of revision to do but also I just made brownies yesterday. Like I just went "I wanna make brownies" and I did. I can just fuckin do that now. This is amazing.

[blondiest]

okay later today remind me to give my pro tips on managing cold symptoms. but really i need to clean more and write first. 🤝❣️

[tony-andonuts]

God I wish I didnt get ostrasised by all but like 4 of my peers because holyfucking shit am I overworked and need a hug

[musubiki]

does lime retire from the m34th post canon?

i think he would stay for the foreseeable future.,. (i dont like to think too far ahead because the notion of them getting older makes me unbelievably sad)

i have yet to flesh out the social atmosphere after the events of the final boss battle, but i imagine the m34th would be on at least slightly better terms with the witches (maybe), but in any case they have good benefits and a pension plan and dental and he actually kinda likes it there, so he would stay!!!

[voxxcd]

((btw if any1 wants to run their own hunger games event- muse centric or general and needs any advice plz feel free to hmu))

[vertonghen]

i think they should let me manage belgium

[maaaxx]

Ten grandparents?! Colour me curious. If that's not too personal, of course.

Its not too personal!

So a little bit of context:

My step dad and mom have known each other since they were like 5 and so my mom and my step dads family have always been close so like i do consider them my grandparents, ive seen them more than ive seen my biological grandparnts on one side. (Thats not to say i like them lol i cant stand ny step dads dad)

My moms side:

1. My bio grandma

2: my bio grandpa

3. After my bio grandpa my grandma got with this other guy, Larry, (weve also known larry our whole lives and hes always been like family (hes actually used to be married to my bio grandpas sister (so my great aunt) so ig he is famiky)) (small town things)

Im closer with Larry than my bio grandpa so i do consider him my grandparent)

Dads side:

This gets really complicated lol

My dads biological dad was never in my dads like at all and my grandma got with this guy, jim, when she was pregnant was my dad and so jim raised my dad. (Like me and my siblings have jims last name and everything)

Jim and my grandma got divorced when my dad was like 5 and my grandma got with this guy named larry (a different larry lol) who i see more than i see jim so like that counts to me.

So we have

4. Paternal grandma

5. Biological paternal grandpa (ive never met this man but i count him bc hes biologically related to me)

6. Jim (he had a lot to do with us when we were small but after my dad died him and my mom had a falling out but i do remember him so he counts)

7. Larry. (I dont like him hes pretty apathetic towards my siblings and I but he counts because ive known him my whole life)

Step dads parents :

8. His mom

9. His dad