#Corona Latest News

[69yard]

Kajol-Indian Actress

Kajol, whose full name is Kajol Mukherjee Devgan, is an Indian actress who primarily works in Hindi cinema. She was born on August 5, 1974, in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Kajol comes from a family with a strong film background. Her mother, Tanuja, is an actress, and her late father, Shomu Mukherjee, was a film director and producer. Kajol made her acting debut in 1992 with the film “Bekhudi” but…

[indianfasttrack]

Mumbai मेडिकल कैंप घोटाला लाखों की ठगी

कोविड वैक्सीनेशन को लेकर मेडिकल कैंप घोटाले का अंबोली पुलिस ने खुलासा किया है। मुफ्त चिकित्सा के नाम पर 34.97 लाख रुपये की ठगी.. (Mumbai medical camp scam fraud worth lakhs) न्यूज़ डेस्कमुंबई- जोगेश्वरी पश्चिम के अंबोली पुलिस ने 52 वर्षीय डॉ. सुमन बंदोपाध्याय के खिलाफ एफआईआर दर्ज किया है। आरोप है कि डॉ. सुमन बंदोपाध्याय ने अंधेरी निवासी डॉ. दीपक चतुर्वेदी से मुफ्त चिकित्सा शिविर लगाने के नाम पर…

[thelocalreport8]

Covid JN.1 LIVE: 63 cases of new variant reported in 24 hours, Karnataka Cabinet sub-committee meeting today

COVID-19 JN.1 Variant News Live Updates: Amid growing concerns over rising cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1, a total of 63 cases of the sub-variant have been detected in India as of Sunday. Citing Health Ministry sources, ANI on Monday reported that Goa is the biggest contributor to the cases, where 34 cases were reported in a single day. Apart from Goa, nine are from Maharashtra, eight from…

[hindinewsmanch]

New variant of Corona : कोरोना के नए वेरिएंट को लेकर देशभर में हड़कंप मचा हुआ है। दिल्ली एनसीआर में गाजियाबाद के बाद अब गुरुवार को नोएडा में एक व्यक्ति कोरोना पॉजिटिव पाया गया। इसके बाद से स्वास्थ्य विभाग में हड़कंप मचा हुआ है। नेपाल से लौटे से एक व्यक्ति ने प्राइवेट लैब में कोरोना संक्रमण के लक्षण दिखने पर जांच के लिए नमूने दिए थे। जिसकी जांच रिपोर्ट पॉजिटिव आई है।

Noida News

पड़ोसी जिले गाजियाबाद में कोरोना के मामले सामने आने के बाद नोएडा में भी एक व्यक्ति में कोरोना संक्रमण की पुष्टि हुई है। सीएमओ डॉ. सुनील कुमार शर्मा ने बताया कि सेक्टर-36 में रहने वाले 54 साल के व्यक्ति की कोरोना रिपोर्ट पॉजिटिव आई है। वह गुड़गांव की एमएनसी में जॉब करता हैं। बताया जा रहा है कि वह व्यक्ति 15 दिलंबर को नेपाल से वापस भारत लौटा है।

[theswisstimes]

Swiss federal authorities have reported that 19 people died in 2021 due to the Covid-19 vaccine. However, the group responsible for approving the vaccine disputes this claim and says it is false. This conflicting information raises the question of who is telling the truth. The situation highlights the importance of accurate reporting and transparent communication to help people make informed decisions about their health.

[alwayslurkinginthebackground]

Lucky - A Pedrotober Drabble

Day 8 of Pedrotober: Corona Pedrotober hosted by @norththelemon and @alyssamariag. View the full prompt list HERE and view my entire Pedrotober drabble catalog HERE.

Pairing: Frankie Morales x f!reader

Rating: THIS IS FOR EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES IN LOVE. The briefest of mentions of unwanted advances in a bar setting.

Word Count: 2268

a/n: This is for @alyssamariag and she knows it. I legitimately blacked out writing this one and somehow it's now here.

"You'll find someone eventually, sweetie," your mom reminds you for what feels like the millionth time. "You just have to put yourself out there."

It's exhausting, really, these weekly phone calls where you're reminded time and time again that your brother is getting married. Five years younger and he was beating you to the alter the same way every one of your friends has. But he was lucky. He met his future wife in college when they sat next to one another in class. An organic meet cute that spawned into a flourishing relationship.

Meanwhile, your college boyfriend cheated on you the first chance he got.

"I have to go, Mom," you cut her off as Frankie walks through the front door. He gives you a knowing look when he realizes you're on the phone, moving through your house like he lives there. And these days, he basically does.

As the only single members of your friend group, you spend your time together while the others spend theirs with their partners. It was, at times, perhaps a little concerning how co-dependent the two of you were becoming, but seeing Frankie each evening was much better than the alternative of being alone.

And it wasn't like the two of you hadn't tried to find partners. You'd just never been in the right place at the right time. Frankie was fresh out of a long-term relationship when you met him, and starting a flight school had kept him far too busy for far too long. For you, moving across the country hadn't helped much. You'd had to start fresh. New city, new job, new home, new friends, all built from the ground up. Where the move had done little for your love life, it had brought you a sense of accomplishment, a wealth of new experiences, and, most importantly, your boys.

Which, you suppose, was a bit of good fortune. The way you just happened to walk into the same bar on the same night that they were already seated around a table celebrating Benny's latest win. The way your coworker ditched you early on, leaving you alone at the bar nursing a once-cold bottle of Corona. The way all four of them had jumped to your defense when a man tried to slip his arm around your waist.

But even they had found people to share their lives with while you and Frankie sat on the sidelines, doing your due diligence by downloading dating apps. You even dragged him along to a speed dating event that Santi had signed you up for, but the world wasn't what it once was. You couldn't just attend a cooking class and expect to meet your soulmate while roasting a turkey. And if you did manage to secure your significant other one side dish at a time, it was still because of luck.

"Your Mom again?" Frankie asks when you step into your kitchen, already feeling the urge to rant boiling in your veins.

You nod. "She's on me again. Reminding me that my biological clock is ticking and that I have to get serious about this before she's too old to play with her grandchildren."

Frankie scoffs, "You don't want kids though."

"That's what I keep telling her, but I don't know that it'll ever stick in your brain," you bite out as you help him unbag the Chinese food he's brought you for dinner. "But," you continue, conceding a bit, "she is also kind of right."

He pauses, staring at you with wide eyes until the heat permeating through the thin cardboard of the box of rice he's holding threatens to burn his fingers. He sets it on the counter with a wince and turns to you. "Don't tell me you're letting her get in your head."

You shrug, avoiding his gaze as you grab plates. "I don't know." You exhale heavily as you set the dishes down next to him, turning to lean back against the counter. "I just wish I could skip this whole dating thing and get to the happy ending part. It's just unfair, you know? How we're supposed to put ourselves out there on these apps when all anyone is looking for there is a good fuck. And if you don't rely on the apps, you're not trying hard enough. And if none of that worked, it's entirely up to fate to put you in the right place at the right time."

There's a beat of silence before he responds, his voice dripping with understanding. "I know what you mean." Of course, he does. Of anyone, he's the only one that does.

"It's like playing the lottery and losing every time," you sigh again, scooping rice onto one of the dishes. "Maybe I should just have Benny set me up on that blind date he keeps talking about or something."

"Are you sure you want to do that?"

You hand him his own plate of food. "It's better than not trying, isn't it?"

Frankie says nothing.

If you were serious about the blind date, I have someone I could set you up with. Better than Benny's guy.

His text feels like it comes out of nowhere. You're on your way home from work when you see it pop up on your car's notification system, and you swear you feel your stomach drop a little at the suggestion. You'd mostly been kidding when you said it, overwhelmed by the lecture you'd just been given by your mother, and there's something about Frankie making the offer that doesn't sit right with you. Sitll, you're curious.

Who is it? You text back once you've put the car in park, grabbing your phone as you head inside.

He replies instantly, doesn't that defeat the point of a blind date??

You roll your eyes and call him instead and he picks up on the second ring. "It does not defeat the purpose," you explain, "I just want to know what I'm getting into before I say yes."

Your best friend chuckles on the other end of the line. "It's just someone I work with. Nice guy, recently out of a relationship, tall," Frankie explains, well aware of your type.

"Is he a scruffy-looking nerfherder, too?" you ask, quoting The Empire Strikes Back. You'd once told him that that was your type. Harrison Ford saving Carrie Fisher from an icy planet.

"Maybe."

You ponder your options for a moment. You'd never actually texted Benny about the idea, but having it come out of left field on Frankie's part feels a little like a sign. Maybe this is the stroke of luck you need. A random introduction that would lead to a fairytale romance.

"I'll do it," you tell him, "on one condition. I get to set you up with someone, too."

Frankie's quiet, and you wish you could see his face right now because you can picture the panic you know is written on it. But you aren't about to find your true love and leave him in the dust. "Who is it?" he asks, imitating your earlier questioning.

"A friend from work," you reply sarcastically, even if it isn't a lie. "You'll like her. She's smart, a little quiet, and brunette."

"I really think you'll like her," you explain to Frankie as the two of you walk through the grocery store, a weekly trip you take together. "She works in finance, she actually knows something about how to fix a car, and she loves to travel." He nods along, pushing the cart as you grab things from both of your lists. "But what about my prince charming?" you inquire, setting a box of Cap'n Crunch in the basket. For all you've told him about his date, he's told you very little.

"He...." Frankie pauses for a second, "...he's..."

You tilt your head. "You're really selling him here, Morales."

He shrugs, "What am I supposed to say? He's the most attractive man I've ever met? You'll definitely be satisfied by him? I'm sure he has a big..."

A mother passing by with her daughter in the cart coughs before he can finish the sentence and you struggle to hold in a laugh as he apologizes. The two of you move further down the aisle, "Okay, maybe not that, but what's he like as a person? What does he do for fun?"

Frankie sucks in a breath. "He likes a lot of the same things I do, I guess. He's...nurturing?"

Your eyebrows raise as you lead him down another aisle. "Nurturing?"

"Yeah," he grunts softly. "Nurturing. Like, he's loyal. Cares about the people in his life. The kind of person that will take care of you when you're sick or watch that dumb Tom Hanks movie you love so much."

"You've Got Mail," you supply, causing him to roll his eyes before continuing, but it's obvious that he chooses his next words carefully.

"He's the kind of person who will be there for you even when it's two in the morning and you're up because it's storming. I guess he can be a little stubborn, but it's usually just because he cares too much." He pauses, and you open your mouth to respond, but then he keeps going and you can do nothing but listen, transfixed. "Loves movies and has his pilot's license like me. Quiet sometimes, but he can be a little mischievous, too. It's all in good fun, though. It just means he loves you."

You've stopped next to the pasta and are staring at him, eyes wide. "Is that all?"

He nods. "That good enough for you?"

"Yeah, that's good."

Your date comes faster than you anticipated. Frankie has you set up at a local bar to meet with his coworker, although per your agreement, you didn't even know his name. He'd be sitting, Frankie explained, at a table near the back and would be drinking a Corona. When you insisted that you needed more information, he asked if you'd prefer a rose in a book, but you'd simply hit his arm and grudgingly agreed to his plan.

His date, meanwhile, was set for the following evening. Your coworker hadn't stopped talking about it all week, excited about the prospect of meeting someone new. For someone who was usually quiet, she was obnoxiously loud when it came to Frankie, and you couldn't help but wince every time she brought him up. It wasn't that you were jealous, because you weren't. You and Frankie were never meant to be more than friends, and that was lucky enough.

So why didn't it feel that way?

As you check your makeup in the rearview mirror, you debate driving back home. It would be easy to leave. Easy to call Frankie on the way and tell him you didn't feel a spark and ask if he'd pick up a pizza and come over for a movie night. Cancel the whole thing and go back to your simple single life.

Your phone lights up on the passenger seat with a text from Frankie, as if he's heard your thoughts somehow. Have fun tonight.

Well, now you have to go inside. And maybe this wouldn't work out. Maybe Frankie was wrong and this guy wasn't for you, but you have to go for him. Because your best friend put in the time and effort to set you up with someone he genuinely thought you would like. And you trust his judgement wholeheartedly.

With one last breath, you step from your car, finding your confidence in your heels as you make your way toward the same bar you'd met the boys at all those years ago. It's crowded inside, more so than usual, and you have to apologize a few times as you weave your way through the mass of people. You can feel your heart pounding in your chest and your stomach feels like throwing up might be a preferable activity right now, but you press on until you can see someone sitting at a table near the back.

You try to make out his features through the dim light, but he's turned away from you. You know it's him though because the light above his table illuminates the Corona he's holding with one hand. When the song changes on the radio, Harry Nilsson's Somewhere Over the Rainbow playing through the speakers, you realize you've been standing there for too long.

That, actually, you don't want to go through with this.

What you want is to go home. You want to call Frankie. You want to curl up in his arms. You want...

"Frankie," you breathe out because he's there in front of you as he turns. Like you've summoned him.

He leaves the Corona on the table as he stands and takes a step toward you. He says nothing as he invades your space. You feel like crying, and maybe you are because he tells you not to, wiping the tears from your cheeks with his thumb.

"I wanted it to be you," you say softly, quoting Meg Ryan because, you realize, this is what it feels like to be lucky. "How did you..."

Frankie smiles. "You didn't think I'd actually let you end up with someone else, did you?"

"No," you tell him tearfully, "you're too stubborn for that." It's easy to melt into his embrace as he draws you closer. "And mischievous," you add, repeating what he told you at the grocery store, "but I guess that just means he loves me."

He nods, his lips a breath from yours. "He does."

[things-arent-what-they-seem66]

Hey-O! So about that Varian Reborn au, hm ok for an au let’s call it, The Prince of Hell au. second you wanna do a storyline of it? I’ll go first

Pain, pain was all he felt as he laid there in his machine. Gasping for air as the black rock stayed through his middle. He didn’t know how it all went wrong, his plan was supposed to be simple. Well as simple as a plan is when you kidnap a ruler of the land. He wasn’t going to actually harm her though he was only meant to use her as a means to get the princess to agree to his terms. 

His father would be set free, Rapunzel would get her mom back, they both would leave, never set foot in Corona again and live out the rest of their lives as if this incident never happened. Obviously that did not happen, as he and Rapunzel battled a large black rock, got him from behind and impaled him right through his suit. Now as he laid there taking in as many breaths as he could before his final curtain call all he could feel in his heart was regret. Regret for how his plan went, regret for trapping his father, regret for ever even going near the rocks, but most importantly regret for ever putting his trust and friendship into the princess! That horrible, backstabbing princess! 

Slowly but surely his breath became more shallow and his vision started to black. As his eyelids became heavier he heard the door to his robot suit rip open and someone started to yell. He couldn’t make out much words but there was one word he did hear before he closed his eyes for the final time

“VARIAN!!!” 

Finally he was in complete darkness. 

He didn’t know how long he was there, it didn't feel too long but then again it was hard to keep track of time in a void of complete nothingness. 

However, eventually there was a light at the end, however small. Varian felt himself go nearer the light even though he had no feeling or movement in his body, he just felt it. So as he got closer and the light grew he heard a voice, or well voices, multiple of them. they weren’t clear but he could hear them like they were speaking underwater. Then suddenly and without warning, he felt as though he was being grabbed and surged forward into the light.

Adam screamed, fuck this hurt so bad. It never got any easier.

Doctor: You are almost there your majesty, just a couple more pushes and your baby will be here.

Lucifer: Our boy is almost here love.

Lucifer kissed his husband's forehead, this was going to be their sixth child and the royal family couldn't be happier. Apple, Lily, Lucas, Thomas, and Avery were with Charlie as the latest addition to the family came into the world.

Adam: Ow! It fucking hurts!

Adam gave one last final push before all the pain stopped and their baby was here. The new baby boy cried to indicate that he made it.

Doctor: He's here!

Adam: Fucking finally.

Adam was exhausted and slumped in the bed. He smiled when he was finally handed his baby.

Lucifer: He's perfect.

Adam: Yeah.

Doctor: Have you picked a name yet?

Adam and Lucifer shared a look with each other and nodded.

Adam: Varian Morningstar.

((I hope this is what you were going for))

[lollygaggingloser]

"It's become a necessity... You've become a necessity."

💫Varigo mini fic ❤️

You like a flustered Hugo? So do I.

After another long day of research for Varian's latest invention, Hugo escaped the royal library with little breakthrough achieved. He sighed, flipping through a borrowed book as he slowly walked down the marble halls of Corona's castle. It's pages gave no more information than he already had and Hugo was certain that the only place left to search for answers would be the eternal library. His walking pace slowed as he began to dread telling Varian his failure to find what they needed within the royal palace. It was bad enough to admit he failed, but worse knowing they would need the help of the eternal library again. Entering the library wouldn't be difficult to him or Varian now, but neither enjoyed going there.

It's been a little over a year since their adventures and discovery of the eternal library with Nuru and Yong. Their journey had ended in success and now, Demanitus's grand library was available to them along with the select few of scientists, engineers, and scholars that could be trusted with the library's vast collection. Still, instead of being this great source of knowledge and advancement, the group would view it as the place their dearest friend (in Hugo's case, his boyfriend) got possessed and almost trapped inside forever. The library was able to give Nuru a solution to save her kingdom, teach Yong how to hone his craft for fireworks and pyrotechnics, and help scientists across the world advance the seven kingdoms, but all the good of the library could never mask the trauma all four of them experienced there.

Hugo closed the almost useless book in his hands and stared out one of the nearby castle windows. Seeing his reflection in the window first, he retied his ponytail to clean up the stray hairs that had fallen on his face during his work. Satisfied with his appearance, his gaze focused to the view outside. Below him, he could see the royal garden, its flowers blooming in deep shades of purples, reds and blues. The sun was barely beginning to set, giving the sky a calm orange hue. Beyond the gardens were the castle walls that stood tall, separating the palace from the bustling lively kingdom of Corona. Hugo had to admit he became quite attached to this kingdom after becoming Co-Royal Engineer of it. Its people may have celebrated too many holidays for his liking and its princess always had him on edge with her hyperactive cheery disposition, but during these quiet moments, he couldn't imagine a more peaceful place. It also didn't hurt that he got to enjoy this view from a castle. He'd never imagine being inside a royal palace he didn't need to break into, much less with such a lofty title, but here he was.

Not bad for a prior thief and conartist, he figured. Discovering the eternal library must have given his resume quite the boost.

Hugo laid the library book on the windowsill before resting his elbows on it, leaning his body to stretch out his back. Even with this easier job, his back still gave him trouble. It was probably due to all the abuse it went through from his time pulling jobs for Donella. He wondered how his old boss was doing now. Truthfully, Hugo hadn't seen her since the day they uncovered the eternal library and parted ways. There would be the occasional letter between them, but once Hugo was no longer her underling, the two felt no need to see eachother. After ending his ties with Donella, he wasn't sure what his next step was, but he knew it would include Varian.

Varian.

The blonde softly smiled, thinking about the short scientist that passionately vouched for him and got him this new position. Hugo couldn't help but think fondly of Varian's smile, the freckles on his cheeks, and the gleam in his bright blue eyes. Hugo yearned to see him after having his nose in books all day.

As if the world heard his wish, Hugo's eyes squinted as a flash of bright light hit them. The light derived from the reflection of the sun bouncing off a pair of goggles. Wearing those goggles has the alchemist he was wishing to see. Hugo grinned as he watched Varian stroll into the gardens, and sit on the edge of a large stone fountain. It was likely that Varian was taking a break from work too, seeing him stretch his arms as he sat alone.

Might as well join him, Hugo thought as he made his way toward a staircase and descended to join his partner.

Out of everything that occurred from their journey, meeting Varian was what changed Hugo. The funny part was, he didn't know when it changed him. The change was slow, unraveling at a snails pace, with Varian's kindness breaking Hugo's walls and infecting him. Then suddenly, it was all at once, like a firecracker bursting with intense heat and flair, and Hugo found himself longing to be the good person Varian and the others thought he was.

Hugo was annoyed by Varian when they first met. The freckled alchemist was the model of a goody two shoes know-it-all and it nerved him to see how careless Varian was in trusting others. It irked him even more to know he was one of the people Varian shouldn't have trusted so freely. And yet, that trust...that ability to see the good in others that people can't see in themselves gave Hugo this new life. There was something about Varian's genuine nature that was contagious and powerful. It tore him down and built him up multiple times. It was easily one of the reasons Hugo found himself falling for him.

He learned later that Varian believed in second and third chances after his own criminal past was forgiven. Now the two of them stood together, as lab partners and lovers, ushering a more scientifically developed Corona. It amused Hugo to realize how many previous criminals were not only living peaceful lives in Corona, but also within the palace.

The kingdom should have come with a slogan. Come to Corona. The capital of criminal rehabilitation. Includes royal titles!

Once in the gardens, Hugo crouched low and carefully stepped around the few twigs and leaves on the cobblestone steps toward the fountain. He quietly tiptoed his way to the fountain's right side before plopping down next to Varian in such a rush that he almost knocked him off the stone edge.

"Hey Goggles!"

Varian yelped at first before seeing Hugo's shit eating grin.

"Hugo!" Varian chided, slightly shoving him back. "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

The blonde chuckled, letting his partner collect himself from the scare, fixing his lopsided goggles.

"And what is Corona's Royal Engineer doing in the gardens?" Hugo inquired. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were slacking off."

"I could be asking you the same thing," noted Varian, quick to retort Hugo's remark. Over the past year, Varian had picked up Hugo's sense of sarcasm and comebacks. It was only fair that since the shorty had changed him for the better, Hugo could change him as well...for the worse. His sense of humor wasn't the only thing that changed. Varian had gotten taller, but was still shorter than Hugo. At least the blonde no longer had to be looking down or bend over so much when wanting to see eye to eye with him. Varian's skin was less tan due to all their inside work lately, but in the sun, his freckles continued to pop out more intensely. And so did his scars. They were from their adventures, and it made sense since Hugo, Yong, and even Nuru had scars of their own from travel mishaps and the occasional fight or explosion. But Varian had the most from putting himself in harms way to protect them. Hugo wondered if he wasn't such a coward or selfish if he could have prevented Varian from so many injuries.

The two locked eyes for a brief moment. It was insane how such a simple look could change the atmosphere between them. The look in Varian's eyes was a mix of joy, relief, and just a hint of annoyance. He truly new how to make this scrawny engineer feel special. Compelled by the unspoken fondness in his gaze, Hugo's smirk softened and he reached his hand up to touch Varian's cheek. Understanding what was to happen next, Varian smiled meekly as Hugo leaned in to kiss him. The alchemist's lips were soft and warm against his and Hugo felt like he could kiss them all day. Slowly pulling away, Hugo relaxed next to his boyfriend and the two leaned comfortably against each other, perched on the fountain.

"Did you find anything in the royal library?" Varian softly asked.

"Yes....No. I found nothing."

Hugo felt Varian tense up, knowing what it meant.

"Hey, hey, I can go on my own, Goggles," he assured, giving his boyfriend an encouraging smile. "I'll find the info we need, and we can go to our lab to finish up-"

"It's okay, Hugh," Varian interrupted, glancing up at him. "I'll be o-...I am okay. We'll go together tomorrow."

Hugo nodded, both worried for Varian and relieved he wouldn't be stepping into the eternal library on his own. Varian's gaze turned toward the sky, taking in the vast view. The two sat in silence for a moment before Hugo broke it, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Penny for your thoughts? You got that eyebrow scrunch so it must be something serious."

Varian softly scoffed at Hugo, but rubbed his forehead as he answered.

"Well, if you have to know...I was thinking about you," he confessed.

"Me?"

Determined to lighten the mood, Hugo smirked and tilted his head to feign innocence.

"What about me were you thinking about?" he asked. "Nothing inappropriate I hope."

"Hugo-"

"No, I understand, Freckles. With my good looks, superior intelligence-"

"HUGO-"

"And! And my rougish charm, there's no possible way you couldn't think of me. So tell me, actually, let me guess...you were thinking... about how in love with me you are."

Hugo waited for Varian to quip back with a tender insult or another little shove, but was surprised when Varian turned to look at him, a soft blush radiating across his cheeks.

"Yeah...I was," Varian answered. An amused "heh" escaped Hugo's lips as his flirty facade faltered. While Varian was usually the more anxious and flustered one between them, there would be moments like these where he laid his heart bare, and it would strike Hugo to his core.

"I was thinking," he continued, looking back at the sky, "...about us. And how my life is so different with you."

"Cause I drive you crazy and make it a little harder?" Hugo joked, trying to regain composure. Varian chuckled, shaking his head.

"Of course not!" Varian scolded him. "You drive me crazy, yes, but you don't make my life harder. You make it easy. You make it-"

Varian paused, trying to find the best words to convey his feelings. All the while, Hugo struggled to keep his heart from pounding so fiercely from all the sincerity in his boyfriend's voice.

Calm down Rottwange, he thought to himself. Don't let some sappy words get the best of you.

"Loving you is like...like breathing."

"Breathing?" Hugo pried, finding the strength to tease Varian once more. To add to the dramatics, Hugo playfully rested the back of his hand on his forehead in a swooning motion. "Ah, so it's effortless? I'm such an amazing boyfriend that loving me is second nature to you, Sweetcheeks?"

At that, Varian laughed and gave Hugo a little shove.

"Well, that too I suppose," Varian giggled. He then took Hugo's hands and held them gingerly in his. "More like...I need it to survive."

Hugo swallowed, his throat feeling dry, not sure how much more of this sweet talking he could take. He didn't even realize that Varian had intertwined his fingers with his.

"Loving you is like oxygen, Hugo," Varian confessed, gazing at their hands with an intense stare . "Like food, or water, or sleep. I need it to live. I can't imagine living without loving you."

Hugo's ears burned hot red and he brought his and Varian's hands up to cover his face. He could handle these words if Varian was joking around or teasing him back, but the tender and true expression on his face and honesty made him melt.

"Geez, Var, you can't just say stuff like that without warning," he mumbled, his thoughts and composure becoming disorganized. Varian smiled, his own face blushing from the realization of his words.

"Sorry,"Varian apologized. Hugo shook his head and looked back at Varian.

"I can't imagine living without loving you either, Varian," he confessed, deciding to cave into the mushy sentimental atmosphere. "Loving you is like breathing for me too. It's become a necessity...you've become a necessity."

"Do you mean that?"

Varian focused on Hugo's face, searching for any hints that the blonde was jesting. And then, Hugo saw it. A flash of concern, doubt, and bashfulness? spread across the alchemist's features. Just when Hugo began to believe Varian held the spontaneous charisma to confess his feelings without care, he found himself corrected. Varian was just as self-conscious in disclosing these feelings as Hugo was receiving them.

Hugo held up his hand in a small fist against his chest. He began to list the things he needed to live, a finger popping up for each necessity.

"Oxygen. Food. Water. Sleep. Loving you. That's all I need, Sweetcheeks."

Now it was Varian's turn to be lost for words, only being able to let out a soft laugh. Hugo leaned in once more to kiss him, savoring the gentle silence, and keeping his boyfriend from saying any other words that could make him fall apart.

[umadosedepascal]

P E D R O P A S C A L

O N L Y

__ FIC REQUEST OPEN __

SERIES

(Banners are here)

NEW MEXICO(PART IX)- Pedro asks you to spend his birthday together with you. You just go.

W I N N E R(PART VIII) - You couldn’t attend SAG awards but Pedro meets you late in the night to celebrate.

O U C H (PART VII) - You are at the Golden Globes and meet Pedro over there, he didn’t win unfortunately but still, he is a winner in bed.

B O A T (PART VI) - Today is your last day in Malta. Pedro will be back to work, and you also need to return to your routine. Pedro wants your last day to be wonderful, nothing like a surprise with a perfect end. The three most intense days of your life.

COME FIND ME (PART V) - Pedro promised you a weekend, but an unforeseen event changes everything. Maybe he's a fan of surprises, maybe he can find you.

72 HOURS WITH HIM (PART IV) - The shooting in Malta keeps going, all Pedro needs is a weekend off, well…he got it. Would you go meet him for only three days? Hmmm yes!

PEDRO SOLO (PART III) - The days are long and exhausting, Pedro has a huge hotel room, hot tub ... But he is missing something, could you help him?

LOSING GAME (PART II) - You meet Pedro again not just to take back your panties. He wants to play a game, who’s going to lose?

HIGH MILES CLUB (PART I) - After partying hard at Met Gala making out with you in the bathroom and later taking you to his hotel room in NY, he finds something inside his red overcoat pocket in the middle of the airport. But it doesn’t stop, more unexpected and hot things happens during his flight back home.

ONE SHOT

(Banners are here)

🔥DIRTY HOLIDAY - You go with friends spend the holidays in Mexico, such a coincidence to be at the same resort as Pedro. What a world, so small huh?

MEET ME AT THE SET - Pedro is THE GENERAL, babe!

CORONA, MEXICO - You got invited by Corona to be an extra on the new “La vida mas fina” campaign at the beach. Even if was only one single scene, maybe just 10 seconds of screen you would be more than happy because the main reason was him…Pedro.

MASTERCHEF FAIL - With a busy schedule, Pedro finds some time to spend with you. You promised him to cook his favorite food. Maybe things get out of hand and dessert comes before dinner.

PURPLE IS THE HOTTEST COLOR - After having a difficult day, Pedro meets you, no patience, no time for conversations.Pedro only has one desire in mind: you here and now, no matter if anyone will see you.

————————————————

PEDRO I M A G I N E

It’s 3 in the morning…

Hey, I’m looking at you…

What a smile…

You wearing his purple shirt…

Pedro eat pussy drawing

Pedro eat pussy part II

————————————————

Who are Santa Trindade

Gringa is on her late 30’s totally addicted to Pascal for the latest years (she doesn’t know what happened) although she’s following his work since 2019 because she is a Star Wars nerd and fell in love with a mandalorian 🤷🏻‍♀️. Her favorite Pedro boy is Javi Gutierrez because he is chubby and funny (Pedro vibes almost 100%).

What makes her wet is when Pedro: slide his finger on his lips while giggling.

Good vibes: if she had a date with Pedro she thinks she wouldn’t be able to walk the next day 🥲

——

@missyorkswhore is on her late 20’s and noticed Pedro when her uncle was watching Narcos, she saw Javier and asked him “wow, who’s that stach guy?”. A couple years later she finally got into Narcos and you know…she still want to marry Peña.

She loves when Pedro raises his eyebrow, and when he speaks Spanish [she thinks she can get wet in a fraction of seconds if he speaks like that to her in bed] ah and of course when he screams WHAT TOWN!!! as Joel.

Fave character obviously: DAVE FUCKING YORK (killer king)

[maigeiko]

The look of… IX: Hakone-Yumoto Onsen

History Although it‘s likely that Geisha worked in Hakone since the late 19th century, not much can be found about their history. The current Kenban was built in 1950 [1]. In the early/mid 80's (before the bubble economy), 400-450 Geisha lived in Hakone [2]. The Otosan of Ikedaya Okiya reformed the traditional employment system and introduced benefits like pension plans and financial compensations for cancelled jobs [3].

In 2000 latest, the Hakone Yumoto Kenban launched its own website [4], creating a space for Okiya to advertise and look for new members [5]. In 2001, the Okasan of Wakita became the current head of the Geigi Union. In order to ensure the survival of local Hanamachi culture, the Kenban became open to public in 2008, and the Geisha band Basara (婆娑羅) was founded in 2009. [2]

In the late 2010's, around 150 Geisha from age 18 to 80 lived in 32 Okiya. Lack of work during the Corona pandemic reduced their numbers to 109 in 2021. The amount of Geisha working in Hakone has increased meanwhile, with 140 of them active in January 2024, but still hasn‘t reached its pre-pandemic levels. [2]

The look of Hakone Maiko

Local term: Kirariko きらり妓

※ Hairstyle: own hair, Shimada mage and Hanaogi mage ※ Kanzashi: Kushi, maezashi, non-seasonal hana kanzashi ※ Make up: western make up or light oshiroi, both lips painted from the start ※ Kimono: Furisode mostly without tucks (rarely with sleeve tucks) ※ Eri: white, white with embroidery (red, red/pink) ※ Obi: Koken musubi ※ Obiage: tied and tucked in, red ※ Obijime: red with simple, rectangular Obidome ※ Footwear: white or black Zori

The look of Hakone Geiko

Local term: Geisha

※ Hairstyle: Taka shimada or Tsubushi shimada Katsura ※ Kanzashi: Taka shimada: Kushi, Tama in the back, Kogai in the back, and sometimes in the front too. Tsubushi shimada: Kushi, Tama ※ Make up: Oshiroi ※ Kimono: Mostly Homongi/Tsukesage, sometimes Hikizuri. Kuromontsuki for Tachikata is always a Hikizuri ※ Eri: white, rarely with white or pink embriodery ※ Obi: Yanagi musubi with Kuromontsuki (white/blue Hakata ori), otherwise Otaiko musubi ※ Obiage: always red with Kuromontsuki, otherwise white, pink or light blue. Usually not patterned. ※ Obijime: light-coloured. No Obijime with Yanagi musubi ※ Footwear: Zori, Geta with white or blue Hanao

Casual/Jikata style

※ Hairstyle: Yohatsu ※ Kanzashi: usually none, maki (蒔絵) kanzashi at best ※ Make up: western make up ※ Kimono: Kurotomesode, otherwise Homongi ※ Eri: white ※ Obi: Otaiko musubi ※ Obiage: mostly warm pastel colours, but basically anything goes. Not patterned. ※ Obijime: Sometimes with Obidome ※ Footwear: Zôri

Tachiyaku style

※ Hairstyle: Maeware Katsura ※ Kanzashi: Tama pin in the back ※ Make up: Oshiroi ※ Kimono: Hômongi ※ Eri: white ※ Obi: Koken musubi with mint/light green Kakae Obi (抱え帯) ※ Obiage: red, white, pink or light blue. Obidome not uncommon ※ Obijime: light-coloured

Notes

Arts: The schools taught in Hakone are Nishikawa 西川 (dance), Honjo 本條 (Kouta, Hauta and Min‘yo), Kineya 杵屋 (Nagauta) and Tosha 藤舎 (Hayashi). [6]

Kirariko is a newly coined term in use since 2003 to call junior Geisha in the age group from 18-30. [7] Upon turning 30, Kirariko have to take either a „dancer grade B“ or „dancer grade A“ test. To pass the B test, she has to perform two dances. For the grade A test, she has to perform three female style and three male style dances. [8]

Companions: Okiya recruit and employ companions as well as Geisha. Companions receive a fixed wage, which is usually lower than that of the Geisha, but the customer pays the same price. Companions can be requested to wear either western clothing or Kimono. Western clothing is a business suit provided for free by the Okiya, Kimono can be rented for a set fee by the Okiya as well. [9] Companions receive professional names like Geisha. They don‘t study performing arts and can work part-time. Their job is to serve drinks and food and engage in „pleasant conversation“ with customers at banquets. [10] In my opinion, a good entry-level job in the Karyukai – some companions became Geisha later in their carreer. [11]

Becoming independent: after being Geisha for seven years, you have the opportunity of opening a branch of your debut Okiya. In all cases I know, the new Okiya takes one or two characters from the original Okiya. For example Ikedaya 池田家 → Wakita 和喜田 and Yukieda 雪江田 (田 Kanji is part of the new name). Wakita 和喜田 → Suzuwa すず和 and Yukiwa ゆき和 (和). Kitami 㐂田見 → Kisaya 㐂茶家 (㐂).

Changing Okiya registration: only possible when becoming independent, or when your (biological) mother, sister, or daughter opens a new Okiya.

Sources

[1] https://note.com/meetgeisha/n/n1cc907ffd4c9. [2] https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/301712, [3] https://conex-eco.co.jp/hakonesaisai/71824/ [4] https://web.archive.org/web/20000919171055/http://www.geisha.co.jp:80/ [5] https://web.archive.org/web/20001017234326/http://www.geisha.co.jp/okiya-name.htm,[6] https://geisha.co.jp/kenban/, [7] https://web.archive.org/web/20040408030159/http://www11.plala.or.jp/fukunoya/what_is_kirariko.html,[8] https://konohanasakuya.blogspot.com/2012/03/dance-performance.html,[9] https://yukieda.com/kyuujin_answer/, [10] https://yukieda.com/recruit/companion/,[11] https://web.archive.org/web/20080220191156/http://www.00wakita.com/hyousyou.html

Picture sources: Group picture 2024, Hakone Odori, three Kirariko 2023, Kirariko back view 2023, Geisha dancing, Geisha preparing Tosenkyo set 2019, Sumomo with a dancer 2009, Anzu and Yuho 2023, really nice picture of Yumiko with Kokyu 2022, Chacha dancing 2022, Atsumi and unknown Tachikata 2019, Natsumi 2022, Matsuyoshi new year's picture 2023

[justforbooks]

Nasa probe successfully completes closest-ever approach to sun

Parker solar spacecraft got the closest any human-made object has ever come to the star

Santa and his reindeer were not the only bodies making a celestial journey on 24 December: Nasa has revealed that its Parker solar probe successfully completed its closest-ever approach to the sun and remains in good health.

It is the closest any human-made object has ever come to our star, with the probe experiencing temperatures of up to 982C (1,800F) and intense radiation.

Dr Nicola Fox, Nasa’s head of science, said: “It is 3.8m miles from the sun’s surface. It is breaking all of these records and it’s a just a total ‘Yay, we did it!’ moment.”

Launched in 2018, the Parker solar probe has spent the past few years completing 21 orbits around the sun, with flybys of Venus gradually shifting its path closer to our star.

The probe, which is the size of a small car, has been designed to make observations of the sun’s upper atmosphere, known as the corona, and carries four instrument suites.

According to Nasa, the probe is protected from the extreme environment it is encountering by a 4.5in 11.43cm carbon-composite shield, allowing it to survive temperatures up to 1,377C (2500F).

The probe first “touched” the sun in 2021, yielding new insights into the magnetically intense region, but the latest achievement brought the solar probe closer than ever before.

Nasa said: “This closeup study of the sun allows Parker solar probe to take measurements that help scientists better understand how material in this region gets heated to millions of degrees, trace the origin of the solar wind (a continuous flow of material escaping the sun), and discover how energetic particles are accelerated to near-light speed.”

Solar wind has important implications for life on Earth: while it is typically deflected by Earth’s magnetic field, the particles can interact with atoms and molecules in the atmosphere to produce the phenomena of the northern and southern lights. However, large ejections of particles from the sun can be problematic, interfering with the Earth’s magnetic field and disrupting power grids and communication systems.

Travelling at 430,000mph (692,000km/h), the Parker solar probe was out of contact with scientists during its closest approach to the sun. However, scientists at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Maryland in the US received a signal from the probe just before midnight EST on Boxing Day indicating that it was in good health and operating normally. Detailed data on its status is expected to be sent back to Earth on New Year’s Day.

The probe was expected to complete 24 orbits of the sun over a seven-year period, meaning the mission is now nearing its conclusion. The probe is named after the late Dr Eugene N Parker, who first proposed the theory of solar wind.

Dr Julia Stawarz of Northumbria University described the probe’s closest approach to the sun as an amazing achievement. “The measurements from Parker solar probe will help us to answer some of the most fundamental questions about how the sun and its extended atmosphere behave that we have had since the very beginning of the space age,” she said.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[pedrito-friskito]

Hiya! New to tumblr here, and I just saw your list! Hmmm I’ll go with 🎲 ROLL FOR FIC 🎲: Jack Whiskey Daniels & Fluff. ❣️ Thanks! 💓

hi lovely!!! thanks for the request!

full disclosure: this is the first time I’ve written dear ol’ Jack! put a bit of my own twist on it (and obvious canon-divergence cuz that’s just how we roll) - and the prompt I rolled was “is that my t-shirt?”

enjoy! xo

a promise - jack “whiskey” daniels x fem!reader

word count: 2.5k

warnings: a bit of heartbreak, we kick canon to the curb, fluff and fluff and sweetness and fluff

You never thought you’d see him again.

That was the long and short of it. You knew him before, before he became one of the top agents for some secret service he wasn’t allowed to talk about. When he was just Jack, eldest son of the farmer that owned the ranch down the lane from the one you’d moved to after your parents inherited it. He was a few years older than you, all broad shoulders and cow-licked hair hidden beneath a dark suede hat. 

You still remember the first day you met, the way he’d grinned at you from behind silver-rimmed aviators and tipped the brim of his hat in your direction. 

“Well, hey there, darlin’.”

It was never a dull moment, with Jack Daniels living right across the way. He flirted with you endlessly, and you brushed him off more often than not. He was nice, and you got on well, but you weren’t blind or deaf; you knew he had a different flavour of the week that he brought home well, every week. While the rest of his family lived in the ranch house, Jack had taken it upon himself to turn the upper level of one of the barns into his own bachelor pad. 

You saw it yourself at the tail-end of a Fourth of July barbeque, a few too many beers and a little too much sun clouding your judgment. Jack was fresh off his latest fling with some sweet little blonde thing, and you were about a month out from your breakup with your college boyfriend — to him, graduation equaled ending things. It was hot, sweat pouring down your back and not even the shade was enough to escape the humidity. 

Stumbling a bit, you wandered the Daniels ranch on your own, a Corona dangling from your fingers, flip-flops thwacking against the grass with every step. You’d been gone maybe ten minutes when the barn came into view, you spotted the AC unit in the second-storey window, and found your destination.

You didn’t expect to find Jack sitting inside, mumbling to himself, and as you climbed the steps to his space, gripping the rail like a lifeline, you heard your name mumbled amongst his words.

“Just talk to her, ya big coward. You talk to girls all the time!”

As soon as you reached the top step, the blissful cool air from the air conditioner lifted your hair, and you nearly tumbled back in relief. Your gasp caught Jack’s attention and he shot to his feet, rushing forward and grabbing you, pulling you up and onto the solid floor. “Easy there, darlin’.”

His hands on your waist felt like fire, and he flinched away from you, the tips of his ears turning bright pink and his cheeks following suit. You couldn’t help your chuckle as he rubbed the back of his neck, staring down at his boots.

“You’re cute when you blush, Jack,” you grinned, sipping your beer. “I mean, you’re cute all the time, but especially when you—”

“Can I kiss you?” he blurted, and you were sure you hadn’t heard him right.

“Huh?”

“Please?”

Wordlessly, you nodded, your lips parting slightly, head whirling as you tried to catch up with what was happening. Jack took your beer, setting it safely on a desk near the staircase. There were all kinds of books scattered across the desktop, words you could barely make out. He put one careful hand on your waist next, ducking his head slowly, treading carefully, like you were a horse that might spook easily. In a way, you were; you knew his reputation, your heart was still on the mend. But in that moment, none of it mattered.

You hooked your fingers in the collar of his t-shirt and pulled his face down to yours.

Kissing Jack Daniels was like watching a fireworks display. Bright lights exploded behind your fluttered eyelids, replaced your blood with sparks of excitement. His lips tasted like whiskey and cinnamon and his hands moved to your hips, long fingers nearly meeting at the small of your back. The tip of his tongue touched the seam of your lips and you sighed into his grip, melting as you let him taste you, revelled in the girlish thrill that zipped through your entire being.

Despite the alcohol buzzing in your brain, the sun warming your cheeks, your body begging for him to give you more, you pulled back.

“I don’t wanna be another notch in your bedpost, Jack,” you murmured, your voice suddenly small, the confidence you’d tried to pour into your kiss slipping away like a summer breeze.

“You won’t be,” he assured you, shaking his head, tipping his forehead against yours. “I’ve been…I’ve been thinkin’ about you, darlin’, a lot lately. Lot more than usual.” The corner of his mouth lifted. “Was tryna pluck up the courage to come talk to ya before you found your way up here.”

Your grin matched his. “Must be fate, then.”

“Fate, kismet, call it what you want, sugar, but I know one thing for certain: I’d like to spend the rest of this night kissin’ you, then maybe you let me take you out on a real date tomorrow night?”

You linked your fingers together at the back of his neck, his wayward curls tickling your knuckles. “Promise me something, Jack.”

“Anythin’.”

“Don’t break my heart.”

He leaned in and kissed the corner of your mouth. “As long as you don’t break mine.”

You woke up in his bed that next morning, the warmth of him curled around you. Despite the heat in the air, you basked in it, pushed yourself against him in all the right places until he was rousing beside you, hands starting to wander and lips finding yours again.

“Mornin’, sugar.”

The summer evolved from there. The majority of your time was spent at the Daniels’ ranch, following Jack around like a little lost puppy. He took you on long rides on horseback, exploring the hills and valleys that sprawled behind both your family ranches. 

You watched him in the pastures, galloping along on his horse, Whiskey, lasso in hand, corralling the cattle back to their barns. He was a sight to behold, but watching him with that lasso was another thing entirely. His skill was something you’d never seen before. Jack tried to teach you, and by the end of the summer you were able to rope a cow from the back of your own horse, but you knew you’d never be as good as Jack.

Fall crept in, and there was no stopping the pair of you. You crept out of your own house and across to Jack’s barn nearly every night, the pair of you falling asleep in each other’s arms, waking the next morning to do it all over again. Rinse and repeat, there was no end in sight, and you silently berated yourself for every time you’d brushed off his flirting before the Fourth of July.

And then everything changed.

It was an unseasonably warm week. Mid-October and just as hot as it had been in July, and you’d planned a ride to the lake not far from the ranch. You’d packed a picnic, donned one of Jack’s plain white tees over your bikini, and headed over to the barn to start saddling the horses while Jack showered.

When he finally met you in the stables, you knew something was wrong. There was a pinch to his brow you’d never seen before, some unknowable spark behind his eyes that made your gut twist.

“Jack, baby, what is it?” You cupped his cheek in your hand, swiped your thumb across his skin.

“Nothin’, sugar,” he answered, shaking his head and pulling out of your grip, pushing his aviators up his nose.

Whatever it was, he hid it well as you rode to the lake, and it was another blissful day. The lake was quiet, secluded, and when Jack rolled over you on the blanket, planted his hands either side of your head and lowered his body to yours, your forgot any worry you had. You never made it home that night, instead following Jack up to the barn, your fingers twined together.

But when you woke the next morning, he was gone.

His dresser drawers hung open, their contents emptied. His favourite lasso was gone from the hook on the wall where he kept it, his hat beside it also missing. The side of the bed he’d occupied all night was cold, and a piece of paper with your name scrawled across the front sat on his pillow.

Inside, only two words: I’m sorry.

Tears in your eyes, your head spun. Anger spiked — more with yourself than with him — and silently, you told yourself that you had been right all along. You never should have let him in, let yourself get close to him. You’d only ever asked him for that single promise, and he’d broken it the first chance he got.

You collected your things from the barn, realizing you were still in his t-shirt, and walked back home in a blur. It took a few days for you to find the courage to go talk to his parents, if they knew where he had gone, if he was coming back.

“Oh, sweetheart, he didn’t tell you?”

That was the beginning of the secrecy. Even his own family didn’t know exactly where he’d gone, but that he’d been chosen specifically and that he’d be trained to become one of the best. It was what Jack had always wanted, they told you, and with every word, you felt like you knew him less and less.

You thought you were what he always wanted. He’d told you so.

 Resigned, you pushed him from your mind as much as possible. It wasn’t easy, with the Daniels’ ranch always within view, a summer full of memories tugging at you every time you set foot outside your front door. You decided not to let it ruin you, and dove into working on the ranch, helping with the cattle and the horses and using what Jack had taught you.

Before you knew it, years had passed. You knew he came home for Christmas and his mother’s birthday each year, and you made it a point to make yourself scarce. Christmas was harder, especially when your families started celebrating together on Christmas Eve. The first year he was there, you’d nearly burst into tears when he cornered you in the kitchen and called your name softly, but instead, you pushed past him and spent the night in your room with a bottle of whiskey.

He didn’t come on Christmas Eve again, and now, it’s been nearly ten years. Ten.

Ten years, and yet when you gallop toward the road that cuts between the Daniels’ ranch and your own, broad shoulders come into view, and you know it’s him. Same hat on his head, mirrored aviators glinting in the sun, plain white t-shirt that strains in all the right places.

It’s been a decade, but as your horse gallops another few feet closer, you know instantly that something is wrong.

Your brow furrows as you get even closer to the fence separating you from him, tugging the reins until your horse halts, sliding from the saddle. Your chest is tight, your heart racing as you close the distance.

“Hi.”

“Hey there, sugar,” he drawls, and you inhale deeply, ignoring every girlish instinct you’ve buried so deep over the years. “Been a long time.”

“What are you doing here, Jack?” you ask, your voice blunt. You feel uneasy, unsure what’s going on, and you don’t have the time — or the emotional space — to beat around the bush with him.

He reaches up and pulls the aviators from his face. Those bottomless brown eyes are on full display, and in an instant you can feel yourself getting lost in them, but then something catches your attention, just beside his left eye. A scar of sorts, round and raised.

Following your gaze, he rubs at the mark. “I…I messed up, darlin’. Made some big mistakes, took a big hit, and they put me on leave, sent me home.”

“What d’you mean, a big hit? What happened to you?” The curiosity is obvious in your voice.

“I got shot,” he says, blunt as you’d been, and your heart skips in your chest. “M’alright, sugar, I swear. I’d lost some of memory when they woke up, but they found a way to bring ‘em back.”

Your brow lifts. “And how’s that?”

The corner of his mouth quirks, but it’s a ghost of the Jack Daniels smile you fell for that summer. It’s different, softer, sadder. You watch as he reaches into his back pocket and pulls out something square. He hands it to you.

It’s a polaroid picture.

A picture of you.

You recognize it. The day at the lake. You’re sprawled back on the picnic blanket, your hair a fan around your head, Jack’s t-shirt covering your top, bikini bottoms peeking out beneath. You remember him standing over you, camera in hand. Is that my t-shirt? Smile, sugar, c’mon and gimme a good one.

You don’t know what to say. The words swirl around in your brain, some anger and some happiness, some relief and some fear. You just stare down at the photo, the younger version of yourself grinning back. “I…”

“You brought me back,” he says, and leans forward, resting his forearms on the wood of the fence. “More than once, I might add. But this time…this was different. I’m done, I think. For a long time, maybe forever. And I…”

“You thought you could waltz back into my life?” you snap, your fingers bending the edge of the photo. The anger has won out. “After what you did?”

“No,” he replies instantly, staring up at you from under the brim of his hat, “I don’t. I know what I did, how I hurt you. I know tellin’ you that what I did broke my own damn heart worse than anything I’ve ever experienced before doesn’t make up for it.”

There are tears brimming along your lash line, and you blink furiously, trying to force them back, but one betrays you, slipping down your cheek.

“I’m not askin’ for you to give me your forgiveness, sugar, but I am askin’ if you’d let me try and earn it.” He shakes his head slowly, and you can see the sheen in his eyes, made worse when he sniffs and rubs at his nose. “I know I don’t deserve it, but maybe if—”

You reach out suddenly, two fingers pressed to his lips, cutting him off. You know you should be angry, you know you should be a lot of things, but now… “Promise me something, Jack.”

“Anything.”

Another tear slips down your cheek as he wraps his fingers around your wrist lightly, squeezes his fingers at your pulse.

“Don’t break my heart again.”

You see his sharp inhale, the sudden lift to his chest. “Never, sugar. Never again.”

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

Wednesday SpaceTime 20241127 Series 27 Episode 143

A new study shows our Milky Way galaxy isn’t typical

A new study surveying our part of the universe has discovered that our Milky Way Galaxy isn’t typical but an outlier among similar galaxies.

Proba-3's journey to study the Sun's corona

All systems are go for next month’s launch of the European Space Agency’s new Proba-3 mission to study the Sun.

Australia’s secret military satellite launch

SpaceX has launched a classified mission for Optus and the Australian Defence force.

The Science Report

Measles cases have surged across the world.

A large icefield in Alaska is now losing ice at an accelerated rate since 2005.

Study shows cats associate human words with images without prompting or a reward.

Alex on Tech: new cyber security warning

SpaceTime covers the latest news in astronomy & space sciences.

The show is available every Monday, Wednesday and Friday through Apple Podcasts (itunes), Stitcher, Google Podcast, Pocketcasts, SoundCloud, Bitez.com, YouTube, your favourite podcast download provider, and from www.spacetimewithstuartgary.com

SpaceTime is also broadcast through the National Science Foundation on Science Zone Radio and on both i-heart Radio and Tune-In Radio.

SpaceTime daily news blog: http://spacetimewithstuartgary.tumblr.com/

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SpaceTime -- A brief history

SpaceTime is Australia’s most popular and respected astronomy and space science news program – averaging over two million downloads every year. We’re also number five in the United States.  The show reports on the latest stories and discoveries making news in astronomy, space flight, and science.  SpaceTime features weekly interviews with leading Australian scientists about their research.  The show began life in 1995 as ‘StarStuff’ on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) NewsRadio network.  Award winning investigative reporter Stuart Gary created the program during more than fifteen years as NewsRadio’s evening anchor and Science Editor.  Gary’s always loved science. He studied astronomy at university and was invited to undertake a PHD in astrophysics, but instead focused on his career in journalism and radio broadcasting. Gary’s radio career stretches back some 34 years including 26 at the ABC. He worked as an announcer and music DJ in commercial radio, before becoming a journalist and eventually joining ABC News and Current Affairs. He was part of the team that set up ABC NewsRadio and became one of its first on air presenters. When asked to put his science background to use, Gary developed StarStuff which he wrote, produced and hosted, consistently achieving 9 per cent of the national Australian radio audience based on the ABC’s Nielsen ratings survey figures for the five major Australian metro markets: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth.  The StarStuff podcast was published on line by ABC Science -- achieving over 1.3 million downloads annually.  However, after some 20 years, the show finally wrapped up in December 2015 following ABC funding cuts, and a redirection of available finances to increase sports and horse racing coverage.  Rather than continue with the ABC, Gary resigned so that he could keep the show going independently.  StarStuff was rebranded as “SpaceTime”, with the first episode being broadcast in February 2016.  Over the years, SpaceTime has grown, more than doubling its former ABC audience numbers and expanding to include new segments such as the Science Report -- which provides a wrap of general science news, weekly skeptical science features, special reports looking at the latest computer and technology news, and Skywatch – which provides a monthly guide to the night skies. The show is published three times weekly (every Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and available from the United States National Science Foundation on Science Zone Radio, and through both i-heart Radio and Tune-In Radio.

[yourgamemasterthewhiterabbit]

It's 2025 and the world has freshly proven that they cared more for getting their dicks wet than stopping the spread of a deadly plague, even in the face of any law or sense of decency, proven that "getting back to normal" was more important than whoever was sacrificed.

Trans and women's rights have taken a leap backwards in North America. Anti-autonomy rulings are on the rise as well as all sorts of laws that can be used to criminalize anyone not adhering to their assigned gender. [our character] was having flashbacks to an earlier decade.

Trump [or stand in] is due to be sworn in as president. Yes, him, again, of all people, republicans and the rich alike are openly celebrating our loss of freedoms and no one is even really acknowledging the ongoing destruction of lives caused by the continued spread and mutation of the corona virus... broadly speaking.

Joke's on them all though. There's a new contagion in town. An alien parasite that chooses the dominant species on a planet -by some mechanism- to help it breed. Everyone who's anyone already has it, and according to the latest leak, Trump and Elon musk [or stand in] are no exception. Apparently, a prostitute with a vendetta, a petite body, and an alpha symbiot decided there needed to be a couple top ranking male Omegas in the world. Men can get pregnant now and there's a whole new array of sexes and genders happening all on their own to, often unsuspecting, hosts.

To think everyone just brushed this off as a new covid variant when it started and went about spreading it as much as they apparently would any deadlier plague.

The potential hilarity in the situation was not lost on ____[character], who had been quietly reveling in it -for months- in the privacy of thoughts, but [he] didn't have time to worry about -or delight in- the implications of it, anymore, because last week [he] had made one crucial mistake.

[dispatchdcu]

Gunslinger Spawn #25 Review

Gunslinger Spawn #25 Review #gunslinger #gunslingerspawn #spawn #spawnuniverse #toddmcfarlane #IMAGE #imagecomics #comics #comicbooks #news #art #info #NCBD #comicbooknews #previews #reviews #Amazon

Writer: Todd McFarlane Artist: Dexter Soy Inker: Adelso Corona Colorist: Ivan Nunes Letterer: Tom Orzechowski Cover Artists: Dan Panosian; Kevin Keane Publisher: Image Price: 2.99 Release Date: October 25, 2023 Gunslinger hungers for vengeance, leaving a trail of blood in his wake. Who’s his latest target? Let’s leap into Gunslinger Spawn #25 and find out! If you’re interested in this comic,…

[black-arcana]

WITHIN TEMPTATION's SHARON DEN ADEL: 'The New Album Is Gonna Be Quite Different From What People Are Used To From Us'

During a June 17 press conference at Hellfest in Clisson, France, WITHIN TEMPTATION singer Sharon Den Adel spoke about the progress of the songwriting and recording sessions for the band's upcoming studio album. She said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We always try to evolve musically. And the things we're trying now [are] really challenging for us. The new album is gonna be quite different from what people are used to from us, I guess. It's old and new again, but we are implementing… We're inspired by new bands that are really actually doing a new sound now and trying to implement that in our music. And it's quite technical. It's a little bit more technical, the songs we're gonna release on the new album."

Asked whether WITHIN TEMPTATION would ever consider releasing only singles in the future or they prefer to stick to the album format, Sharon said: "Well, I think, if you look at dance music, and other genres sometimes as well, they only release singles. And I think they have an advantage and they have a disadvantage. For us, the reason that we wanted to [release several singles prior to the new album] is that you have a longer time spent for media to be talking about your music. Because a lot of times, when you bring out a record, it's, like, [you release] three singles and then you bring out the album, and then you have a media span of, well, let's say, a few weeks, and then it's gone. And now we try to drag everything out of you guys [in the media]. [Laughs] Because we've been working on songs also for such a long time, it is nice to have a little bit more media attention towards it. And besides that, I think with the singles, you can also write in the moment and then release it, instead of having to wait two years before it finally ends up on an album."

Last month, WITHIN TEMPTATION released a visualizer for its latest single, "Wireless". The AI clip was by created by Adriano Theel of Titanfilmmedia.de.

WITHIN TEMPTATION first released "Entertain You", "The Purge" and "Shed My Skin", singles that have all thrilled their fanbase, had great critical reception in Europe, peaked in the Top 20 of the U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Indicator charts and topped the official German charts. In July 2022, WITHIN TEMPTATION also released the official Jeb Hardwick-directed music video for the "Don't Pray For Me" single. It was the fourth single of the band's independent releases and will lead up to WITHIN TEMPTATION's next studio album.

Last December, WITHIN TEMPTATION released the official music video for "The Fire Within" single. The clip was filmed during the band's "Worlds Collide" European tour with EVANESCENCE. "The Fire Within" seven-inch single featured both the single version and instrumental version of the track.

This past May, Den Adel told Germany's Rock Antenne about WITHIN TEMPTATION's decision to shift its focus from releasing albums to releasing a series of singles, enabling the bandmembers to indulge themselves in their creative processes thus delivering freshly inspired music. Asked if this new process has resulted in each song requiring much longer to complete, Sharon said: "Well, to be honest, for us, this time, since we started doing only singles, it takes so much more time, so much more effort, because every single is a single. It's not just a random song on the album, where you also have, like, one or two or three in the end on the album, which are good but are not singles. But now we've been releasing a lot of songs that we think are singles and that we like ourselves very much. And of course, it was a way of releasing our stuff since just before corona started, actually. [We thought], 'What we're gonna do [this time] is different. We're not gonna release an album. We're just gonna do singles every time, just for the fun and see how that works.' And also with media attention and stuff, because a lot of times when you've recorded the single, they have the attention for that specific single, and then the next one, and then the album comes out and nobody talks about you anymore. And it goes a lot of effort and a lot of attention and time into a whole record. And now we get certain media for certain singles and other media for other singles, because it depends when they think it's something for them, then when they will join you on that adventure. So that's interesting to see that there's a different way of doing that. And I think in a way, especially during the corona time, it was the best thing for us to do, to stay in contact with everybody and to give people who like our music something and for us to stay sane while being locked up in our houses, of course. So it was a double win-win situation."

In an interview with Barbara Caserta of Linea Rock, Den Adel spoke about WITHIN TEMPTATION's new approach to making its music available. She said: "We already decided before we had the pandemic to do it this way. A lot of music scenes already do this — music genres, actually — but in the rock [world], we still do a lot of the traditional way of releasing albums. And we just wanted to try this out. And then the pandemic happened, and everybody started doing the same thing. Which is a good thing, because you live in the moment and you write something and you release it… So this is really how we feel at the moment, and it's what we re reflecting with our music, I think. It's a good thing."

Regarding the differences between recording and releasing singles and concentrating on making full-length albums, Sharon said: "We put a lot of time extra now into every single, where normally this is the maximum of singles that we release, and we're gonna release more. So I think there's more time spent to it. But it's scattered all over a time, so it's really sometimes difficult to get back into the flow of writing again; that's the negative side of it. So it has its positive and negative sides. And with a whole album, it takes sometimes two years when you've written a song that it finally gets released, and it already feels outdated sometimes. So now it's really [easy to give each track] a fast release."

WITHIN TEMPTATION's last album, "Resist", was released in February 2019 through Spinefarm Records, the specialist hard rock label of Universal Music Group.

"Resist" featured guest appearances by PAPA ROACH's Jacoby Shaddix, IN FLAMES' Anders Fridén and ARID's Jasper Steverlinck.