#Especially those who are very famous who spread this bs

[insanityisdivine]

important to share

[ID: A screenshot of a tweet by sapphic chaos that reads, "just came across this tiktok of a queer palestinian who has spent a lot of time in palestine explaining her experience with queerness in the west bank. please watch the video it is so important!". End ID.]

This is a link. Please click the link to watch video

[lilsnowpea93]

Essay time: I can pinpoint exactly why I’m frustrated w capitalism and this current system of how we work in the US. I’ve figured out my place in the world right, I figured out what my “work I should be doing” is (if that’s even necessary morally). But I’ve found the closest things to a typical capital earning career, things that I’m uniquely good at and have “something to offer society” (again just appeasing capitalists w this speak, I’m explaining how the system doesn’t work for some ppl who should be included in society actively doing their thing.) Ok so my shit is like, I do graphic design for friends, we make things. I also make affordable sliding scale art. I make music and encourage ppl to stream/download it for free. I make content online sometimes (way more of a hobby), and I also sell miniature skateboard decks for very affordable prices, or bartering. To summarize, I’m a creative person making stuff that handfuls of people enjoy. That is enough for me, I don’t care about popularity (now that I have other income thank you) and I just want to make neat things and be mentally and physically healthy. Not too much to ask you’d think. NOW, to make this all fit into the capitalist system we are in.. We can spitball, I would have to have so many design projects, from multiple wealthy clients. Or I would also have to somehow get lucky enough to become a somewhat recognized musician and/or artist. Maybe I would become a real content creator. Or I would make my hand crafted items full time. Probably a layering of constant monetary successes in these fields would have to happen for a livable income.

So let’s investigate my specific case. 1. my design caters to liiike, skaters, small brands, etc. You can’t invalidate those niches, they have influence on overall design and are where cool shit sometimes happens. So small doesnt equal bad, most of the time. But small DOES equal not having much money to spread around. 2. Getting famous from art or music is so bad. Trying to do it looks cringey, actually doing it probably sucks so much. Not caring about return is so much fuckinnnggg better !!! I cannot express this enough. U make better stuff. Maybe if u want to be creative, just making it and being proud of it should be the baseline, at least for me. And if a few friends like it, even better. There’s nothing wrong with aiming big I guess but, s2g if there was a way to know the likelihood of that shit, it’d be like wild disproportional. Fuck outta here with that “temporarily embarrassed millionaire” bs. And for me my art/music is kind of specifically me on purpose like I’m gonna do my thing and no one has to like it because I didn’t make it to be like other things or be palatable in a way we contemporarily think of as normal. 3. The content I make online is organic. It’s mainly centered around filmed skateboard tricks. I hope it’s entertaining, I try my best to come up with ones that I feel like doing and that not many people have seen before. I want to add to peoples inspiration when they’re choosing what tricks they want to try. Thinking up rare tricks isn’t something you can just “content” pump out, that would be so weird lol. Like ew being a content creator at shit ruins everything. It wouldn’t even be feasible to make money at that nuh uh. I did try YouTube art vlogs for a year or two but nahhh 4. Bruh do u know how many mini skateboards I’d have to make to equal even half a “normal” jobs pay? They take like an hour or two each no that’s not feasible. Especially the way I make them, more organic and less templates/fancy power tools. I prefer the result that way, it’s harder to get right and takes more time but it’s a skill I have and there’s an art to it so frick offff.

Ok having explained all that- I do believe what I do is a positive force in the communities I’m part of irl and online. I know for a fact that people interact with what I make and are happier because of it. That is very fulfilling. I make things to make them, typically, but that is a huge added bonus, and reason for living frankly.

U may also recognize the thread of affordability or free-ness that runs through everything I like to do. People don’t have random money for buying stuff that’s not for basic survival needs rn. Especially my friends. This is just realistic, like no one’s gonna buy my art if it’s over $50. They can’t afford it, hell I wouldn’t be able to afford it. I used to stress over this, now that I have a steady job I could care less. I’ll give things away for free idc. Cuz good creativity is worth so much and nothing simultaneously I guess lol.

Now, viewing all this from the American capitalist workforce etc perspective: all of these activities are difficult. I put a so much time and effort into each one. I’m kind of a perfectionist and I have very specific tastes. Not to say all my work is good or perfect, but just saying that typically I super care. So I’m passionate about my hard work that I do. A small but not insignificant number of people enjoy the work I put out. However, it does not make barely any income (not my motivation to do my life’s purpose lmao I just do the things I’m good at and like). SO, does that insignificant income part then mean that, I shouldn’t do this stuff? To certain people who understand creative careers they would say that my current path can be a stepping stone to a more real career. To that I say, I’ve been at this step permanently for 10 years, this is it. And also, how are people who are legit at the stepping stone thing supposed to survive?

Now, why I mention all this stuff super hinges on this reality: Currently I work a 30-35 hr full time job at 17/hr and that has made my life a bajillion times easier (I can’t express), but I can barely do the shit I actually want to do, and barely still have good personal and space hygiene and mental health and do easy hobbies like MAYBE sometimes playing a game. If I wanted my life to be upgraded like, having a car, buying a small house, being able to buy the clothes I want, eating out instead of only always spending time making food personally, etc., I would have to work 8 hr 9-5 and find a job that pays even better, but I doubt I could do that because my “real” skills are cleaning the floor/toilet and sometimes fixing things, I could easily get paid less for less hours. Working that 8 hr 9-5 job that’s in a different field I probably don’t like very much would 100% kill all the other things I do. I know this because sometimes I have to work that schedule. Nothing else gets done, apartment doesn’t get cleaned, I barely take care of myself, let alone express the skills that feel like my “purpose”. Maybe that’s a me mental health issue, it seems like some people can do it. Imagine having kids added on to that, this is why I won’t have kids. My past Christian culture really wanted me to have kids. Ur trippin. I regularly fail at taking care of myself.

So what all this tells me, is that my actual skills, which I am pretty good at due to years of experience, have succeeded at so many times in terms of people effected, measurable good done.. I kinda probably shouldn’t have done it, I’m getting good at the wrong thing, it doesn’t make money as its first goal. Meritocracy my assss bro. There’s worth in what I do. The things people like me do are part of the culture. Absolutely not saying I make any waves in that department lol, but I’m part of it, I add my two cents. The culture is what makes shit interesting, it’s what makes people happy, ppls days better, it’s human connection thru shared interests and progression of an art form. Like idk what to tell u I think it’s cool. But to the normal viewpoint, all my stuff is just hobbies. But they’re kinda more than hobbies right? Like I’m just trying to check the capitalist boxes, I don’t think everyone should have to hold their things they do to wild standards of almost fitting into capitalism like mine do. But still, I can’t do it in the way they want, even with the help of having the internet.. and I’m not about to ruin and taint what I love to make not even enough dollars to live from. I don’t even know what I want bro but all I know is that shit doesn’t woooork. Like for some people it does! But not for ppl like I’m describing, who are definitely worth having in society and letting flourish etc. To me creative ppl are a bajillion times more interesting than someone who works in business. Like they can do that sure, that’s probably their thing I guess, buuut idk what are u adding bro, when u die what will u have done. Better been like donating to charities or something. The ppl this system wants u to be are so boring and inhuman. It literally wants to suppress creativity. I hope I’ve proven that here, I know I’m a unique case w my weird shit I do that goes beyond music or whatever’s popular rn. Like I add to society in these ways.. and my regular job does too, I’ve always worked for non profits I like. But still, objectively trying to do both is really gnarly. If only I could be randomly famous for one of those things I like doing to support the rest, I say jokingly because it is not feasible and will likely never happen. Let’s be real there, for most creative people it does not happen. But they still add to their communities and are positive facets of life and society at large. They should be able to do their thing! I also recognize that this experience is very very common. Like I’m granularly describing mine but there are definitely so many ppl with similar things happening all the time. We’re not free to do what we want. The system tells u the opposite but eh there’s a big twist. Sure I could be less free. Literally hate that argument so much tho because it’s always in regards to human made systems like, yes, AND humans COULD fix the terrible instances where the poor people are mega oppressed. We should all be on a better page. We have the resources to be but we’re not. The system and ppl who control it aren’t interested in that I guess. Like, clearly, that’s the reason. Our lives are all a little or massively worse for it. Humans can’t human as effectively, society is less colorful and interesting. As humanity we have less to offer and show for our time on earth.. We don’t even have a clear reason to explain why we’re here or why we’re conscious entities. If I know one fact about reality, we’re not here to solely make money. I refuse to get obsessed with that. But we’re all coerced to be, and the system is built to clearly influence that desire, at the risk of punishment. Like, no, fuck u and fuck money. It’s so awesome that this attitude seems so worthwhile and also so antithetical to living within our system. Fuck all that man that’s terrible. Again, I’m sure we could figure out a way to fix this, but we don’t. We also have bigger problems we refuse to fix. Humans are so cooool hahaha I love us awwee. Sorry for cynicism lulz but it is worrying! Hard not to think about it all the time ya know.

[thelonesomequeen]

I tend to agree w all these posts about not defending celebs but I've yet to see some blind defense about CE in particular so far apart from the usual 'golden retriever in the body of a Greek God' kind... What I've seen especially in the past months when it comes to Evans is mostly character assassination. The relentless posting of made-up rumors and storylines, the ig stalking, the harassing of family members ranging from Scott to minors. The very intense narrative that he's in fact using insta to groom young girls, his 'fetish', while 'old' women (his age) are trying to clean his sloppy online thotting by saying there's no proof when all the 'evidences' are there. There are a couple of very annoying blogs on here, a certain forum, i don't need to give names b/c we all know who they are, who haven't thought twice before spreading fake news and unverifiable shit and claiming everyone calling them out and challenging their narratives were making fools of themselves and should stop DefENdInG Chris Evans... So I dunno if there are really so many ppl who think the man is a knight in shining armor or just folks fed up of the same BS about his private life. Also, i read somewhere that fans treat the fandom as reality tv but what i think now is that they treat Chris as a kardashian... To them, he's Khris. Granted he's not the most private actor out there (who is really?) BUT he's not a kartrashian type of celeb and never will be. He's never gonna provide daily content and the drama they crave. So they have to invent. And the toxicity and negativity aren't only about young women and his ig follows and likes but also about his posts. He posts a pool back flip and 'oh, he's so lame, a thirst trap for sad girls', he posts a piano vid 'look at how smug he is looking at the camera like that, I'd smack some common sense into him', the scare videos 'spoiled middle upper class brats', dodger in his bed 'just when he told his ons to leave', watching Snoopy 'to later on switch to porn'... These are TRUE comments and reactions I've read about his ig activity. I'm convinced one day he'll delete it and never come back. So, while I'll never defend him or any famous person for that matter, I'm also not gonna be dragged into the hating cycle some 'fans' have going on. If they don't really like him, they should just find someone else to stan

I do agree that there is a sector of the fandom that loves to make up drama and carry it on as long as possible in a weird attempt to destroy him. To those people, I have to ask why they’re still here and bothering instead of just moving on with their lives? You don’t need to make up an excuse to leave a fandom. You can just accept it’s no longer for you and simply move on. It really isn’t that hard. However, there are newer fans that do like to rewrite the history of things that have happened that they don’t like in order to defend him from it or call him out for things that land in morally gray areas. The biggest example of this I can think of is his relationship with Jenny. The truth of that situation is the relationship started when she was a committed, married woman and they were both very aware of her marital status. It was enough to make fans at the time leave the fandom or at least take a break. But new fans now love to tell false, elaborate stories about how Jenny lied to him, manipulated him, or tricked him into the relationship and he had no idea she was married instead of just coming to terms with the fact that he got involved with a woman who was very much married. They’ll do whatever they can to make him appear completely innocent. At this point it’s water under the bridge, but it’s not the only situation like that that exists. I’m not going to go further into detail on other situations because it’s old news at this point, but you all know where our archive is if you’re curious enough for old drama and gossip🦎

[heyitsyn]

Prove Me Wrong

M!Reader x Oikawa

a/n: SDKLFJSLDKFJDLSKF OKAY I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW ITS BEEN SO LONG SINCE I LAST UPDATED BUT I REALLY INVESTED MY TIME INTO RESEARCHING AND READING FANFICS WITH AN M!READER BC I REALLY DIDNT WANNA GET IT WRONG SO I APOLOGIZE IF I DID SOMETHING WRONG AND I HOPE THIS ANON LIKES IT!!!

anon:

-heres an interesting thought. what about flamboyant oikawa with a cold boyfriend😳😳

YEYYY I FINALLY UPDATED

LETS GET STARTED SHALL WE?

okayokayokay

so in the request above

this is a m!reader

meaning you will be male in this one so hehe yep the story starts now

you are,,,

distant

and cold

but its mainly just because you were,,,

too tired to actually put in the effort of socializing

between bouncing between part-time jobs to care for your siblings and to schoolwork and book club

the mans can only do so much

so you spend most of your time in school just trying to catch up on sleep bc youre too busy studying up all night for exams since yanno

✨gRaDuaATiOn✨

unfortunately for you, your class had the famous manwhore oikawa tooru

why is that a bad thing?

well, imagine just trying to get some shut eye and suddenly, you just hear a bunch of screaming girls and it gets louder the closer the guy approaches your classroom and when he opens it,

the screams become 10x bass boosted

then imagine that with your sensitive hearing

now,,

it does bother you but it wouldnt bother you as much if he told them to leave

BUT NOOOOOO

he decides to let them in and chat with them and flatter them and continue with that bs until the bell rings

even then,

the girls in your class cant help but keep giggling at him and he always whispers in that obnoxious voice and youre just like two seconds away from ripping his tongue out

now

you dont hate him

you just genuinely dislike his way of living

and the way he talks

and the way he acts

yea see?

no hate

theres a difference

then there was that one time that you got so fed up with it that when oikawa settled on his seat and the fangirls circled him like some cult

they started talking to him all at once trying to get his attention

so it was a garbled mess of sounds and you growled, burying your face deeper in your arms because you would snap really really soon

then one girl shrieked when oikawa smiled at her and then you really just let go of all bearings

your chair made a squeak as you shot up, palms slamming against the wooden desk and your eyes glaring straight at them

‘go back to the farm, ya squealing pigs’

DSKFJLSDFKJSDFKDJS SORRY I LOVE TSUMU

this made everyone silent-even the others in the class just minding their own business

they all knew you as the quiet kid who didnt really talk much but those who did were really scared at you and the way you talked to them with such a cold and monotonous voice that they started spreading rumors about you

even absurd ones like your eyes are so cold bc youve killed so many people that you have no life and empathy left

LIKE WHAT THE HECK YOU STRUGGLED TO GET A SPIDER OUT OF YOUR SISTERS ROOM THE OTHER DAY LIKE EXCUSE YOU

but apparently they were just,,, so scared of you that when you finally got done with them and bursted out, the girls started crying

YALL KNOW THE SAYING LIKE HELL HAS STARTED WHEN THE QUIET KID SNAPS

the females run out of the room scared and the others nervously looks at you

your eyes sweeped through the room and each one of them flinched when you made eye contact with them

YES ASSERT OUR DOMINANCE M/N

the only who didnt was oikawa tooru himself

your eyes landed on him and he still had that stupid smug look on his stupidly gorgeous face and you wanted to ki-WAIT NO SLAP it off of him

‘the hell you looking at?’

you grumbled at him and he just merely shook his head with a smile

‘you remind me a chihuahua, m/n-chan. so cute when its angry’

‘HAH?!’

now it isnt a surprise to hear oikawa tooru say that to a boy bc wowza the school loves him so much that hes a bi icon in seijoh and hes such a king like who cares?

but they were surprised to see you turn red, the tips of your ears to the base of your neck were all flushed

‘see? so cute, right, everyone?’

KSDFJLSDKJFS

THE NERVE OF THIS MAN

the class didnt say anything except just put their heads down bc as much as they wanted to agree with oikawa at how suddenly hot you looked, they were too scared that you might plummet their faces to the ground

maybe thats when everyone started noticing you more

again, you were very quiet, you didnt talk much, you just sat there and listened so obviously you didnt really stand out but then that outburst made you more noticeable

you started seeing girls in your class staring at you then blush and look away abashedly

then the guys in your class started greeting you, even people in the hallways

ngl the attention you suddenly got was overwhelming

especially when oikawa seemed to call out to you all the time now

as you were walking down the stairs, hed see you and he’d shout and wave to you

‘m/n-chan! hiii!!!!’

his loud voice would make everyone turn and look at you and you dont do well with public attention so you turn red and you glare at him

‘shut the hell up, idiot. and dont call me by my first name. we’re not friends’

you turned to walk in the classroom but you looked at him again after taking a few steps

there he was

smiling and giggling with those girls

all he does is smile and giggle and shit

its so damn fake that you cant believe everyone fell for it and the worst thing is oikawa’s doing it to get everyone’s acceptance and validication

it was pathetic and disgusting

poor oikawa :(

now on to baby flatttykawa side,

he was kinda hurt by that

like how the heck are you not friends when youve been going to high school for 3 years?

sure, its only been casual greetings and him waving at you when yall made eye contact

but its still something, right?

right?

when you walked back into the classroom, tooru cant help but feel down at the declaration of the lack of friendship you had

his form slouched and his eyes trailed down but the voice of some girl brought him back to where he was and to fix his attitude

‘oikawa-san? are you okay?’

the others muttered in concern with her but they were eased when he raised a peace sign with the signature smile 

‘yep! all good!’

GOD I REALLY CANT STAND IT WHEN HE USES A FACADE TO EVERYONE BUT LIKE I LOVE HIM SO MUCH BC HES SUCH A STRONG CHARACTER THAT DOESNT BREAK AND HES SO INSECURE AND IT PAINS ME SO MUCH THAT HE FEELS THE NEED TO HIDE BEHIND A MASK EVERYDAY AND AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

truth be told,

oikawa has always noticed you

not only do you work at the one bakery with his milk bread but you also work at the convenience store that the team sometimes visits

then he also noticed you picking up your brother from the volleyball practice that takeru’s part of and he cant help but frown at the eyebags under your eyes that he always sees

he lies awake at night just thinking how you would look without those eyebags, without the sickly looking complexion, or even just the lack of life in your eyes

then during class, you sat by the window

tooru knows this bc his eyes always fixes itself on you whenever he opens that door and he has to hold in the need to hug you when he sees you sleeping on your desk

others might call you lazy

others might call you a video game all nighter kid

but they dont notice the things you do

the nervous habits hes seen from you at the times that tooru couldnt help but stare

he knew it was creepy to do it

but you were so silent

you blended yourself into the background and you made sure to stay there 

thats why nobody knows anything about you

with good looks like yours and a smart brain (he knew this from mattsun and makki being your students), why exactly were you not known?

maybe thats why it drew you to him

all his life he chased, 

but now hes the one chasing?

tooru knows that your left eyebrow lifts when sensei writes something you dont understands

tooru knows that you like to do sudoku in the convenience store while you worked

tooru knows you eat the same meal during lunch every day from the same lunchbox

and he also knows that your brother talks so highly about you from takeru

the little things your brother brags about like your ability to cook f/f or your weird ability to just assemble something without looking at the instruction manual

he notices and knows all these things about you

things that people never really even bothered to 

oikawa didnt even know he liked you until iwaizumi pointed it out during lunch

the third years liked to go and eat at the rooftop where it was nice and windy

oikawa was sitting and leaned against the tall wire fence, his eyes fixated on you down below on the bench as you ate your lunch

then you accidentally loosened the chopsticks causing your food to slip off

that made oikawa giggle

he was chuckling and giggling that the others noticed him when he suddenly went quiet

‘oi, oikawa’

makki nudged him back to them and tooru flinched before smiling at them

‘hm? so you do notice me!’

iwa glared

‘idiot. of course we do. youre laughing over there like some damn schoolgirl. did one of your fangirls posses you or something? if not, cut it out. its ugly’

oikawa shot him an offended look

‘what?! iwa-chan so mean!’

mattsun took the liberty to peer over the edge to see what he was looking at and smirked

‘eh? were you looking at l/n-sensei?’

oikawa blushed, feeling like he just got caught doing something bad

‘and what about it? im looking at you too, right now, mattsun!’

makki cackled at oikawa’s poor attempt of reasoning

‘i mean, i dont blame you. if issei wasnt here, id definitely get with him’

SEDKLFJSDLFISDKFJ MATTSUHANA YALL :”)

oikawa’s eyes wandered back down to you and he noticed you put the bento box to the side before sneezing

‘gosh, even his sneeze is cute’

he mumbled then jolted when he heard his own words 

iwa sighed

‘what are we going to do with you, shittykawa?’

‘what?! what did i do?!’

iwa’s eyes scrunched and he scrutinized his best friend

‘boke. i feel bad for that kid, doesnt know this stupid idiot likes him’

so thats how oikawa came to terms of it

he thought he was just interested and fascinated with you but he really does like you

and to be honest, he doesnt really want you to know that bc duh, you dont like him so why bother?

baby oiks doesnt interact with you much anymore bc he knows you get uncomfy with attention but he still does look out for you and decides he should just admire from afar

he will live every day just holding his feelings in for you and one day they will disappear

but today just wasnt the day

maybe today was the start of the worst yet the best part of your life

last night was particularly rough as the convenience store you worked in had a drunk person who wanted to fight with you and your manager had to call the police and it was just a mess

to add on to it, midterms were around the corner-like next week- so you were studying up for that

but your sister got sick so you were also trying to take care of her and making sure her fever was going down and her crying ever few hours about her tummy ache didnt allow you to sleep

hehehe single parent working late tingz

ALSO SHE DOESNT HAVE MISS RONA JFC

so yep haha you did NOT get any sleep

so you walked into school that morning, looking tired as hell and mad as hell but you just wanted to sleep bro

the one kid you tutor, matsukawa issei, and his friend who usually tags along, hanamaki takahiro, noticed you dazedly pass them in the hallway and poor dudes felt bad for you

mattsun actually pays you to tutor him bc he knows you need the money while taka preferred to buy you snacks and drinks as compensation

so it was normal that he had an energy drink in his bag that he was going to give you tomorrow during your tutoring day

‘oi! l/n!’

your head perked up at the call of your name and you nodded in greeting at the light brown haired boy

‘hey’

you muttered and mattsun placed his hands on your shoulder to keep you upright

‘oi, l/n, you sure you want to be here? you can go home and we can tell them youre sick or some-’

but you waved your hand

‘nonono todays an important lecture so i cant miss it’

the two guys didnt look convinced but they respected your need to be in school since they too need to be in class for midterms

‘here. at least take this’

makki placed a drink on your hand and you nodded and gave them a small smile

‘thanks’

you mumbled before wandering off

once they saw you at a distance away, makki wrapped an arm around issei to get his attention

‘ya think we should tell oikawa to keep an eye on him? make sure he doesnt keel over and die or somethin?’

mattsun stopped before nodding

‘yea thats a good idea’

SKLFJLSDKJFD NOT MATTSUHANA BEING YOUR PARENTS

oikawa was already in class when you walked in and he cant help but tear his eyes away from the girls to you as you sluggishly walked to your seat

the drop of your bag and the thud of your head meeting the desk made him worried bc you looked worse than usual

his phone buzzed and he checked it to see a message from mattsun

‘keep an eye out for your boyfriend. mightve been working late last night and yanno how he is. just watch out if he faints or something’

okay that made him super worried

totally ignoring what mattsun called you, oikawa knew he needed to talk to you

but these fangirls were the first problem

he shut his phone off and looked up at them with a grin that made them madly blush

‘ladies, class is about to start. oikawa-senpai would hate for you to be marked. so study hard for me, okay?’

like hypnotized cult members, the girls ran to their classrooms and tooru finally had the opportunity to talk to you

he stood up and walked over to your seat

‘m/n-chan’

he called out, looking down at you

‘m/n-chan’

he tried again and was about to put a hand on your shoulder when your hand snatched it

‘dont touch me, oikawa’

you grumbled and tooru furrowed his eyebrows

‘m/n-chan, i just wanted to ask if youre okay’

he whined and you didnt bother to look up but just let go of his hand

‘i was until you came over, idiot’

ouch

tooru was thankful that the teacher came in then and there bc he didnt know how to respond to that

he wanted to brush it off but it hurt him a little

and he knows he shouldnt entertain his crush on you but he couldnt looking at you and watching as you got up to use the bathroom 

as class went on, oikawa was starting to worry

now again, hes no stalker bc his observation skills were just phenomenal due to volleyball

so he noticed that youve been in the bathroom for like 20 minutes now

DONT JUDGE US, OIKAWA. WE’RE JUST TRYING TO PUSH OUT THE BIG PIECE OF-

okay nevermind

anyways

tooru, worried that something happened, raised his hand to go and use the bathroom and the sensei wasnt exactly paying attention so he just let him go

thank god he has long legs bc he was able to reach the bathroom quick and he stifled a shriek when he saw your passed out form inside

‘M/N-CHAN!’

he yelled and he cursed when duh you were alone and who knows how long youve been there

and ew bathroom floors is bleh

you were in no way light but you werent exactly heavy either so he was able to muster up all his strength and hoisted you on his back

tooru’s heart thrummed in his chest and he knew it couldnt be that serious but he cant help but think of the worst

and yep

the nurse just told him that your heartbeat was okay and you were snoring so you mustve been exhausted by the dark circles in your eyes

‘keep an eye on him for me. i have to tend to midoriya over there. the kid broke his arm again and i dont know how’

she grumbled at the end but tooru didnt care as he sat on the chair next to your bed

he sighed before laying his head on the cot by your hand

his eyes settled on your face and how peaceful it looked

gosh, you really were so cute

your personality just sucked ass

constantly telling him to shut up and calling him idiot

hmph

not long after oikawa fell asleep, you woke up and cursed, immediately realizing you fainted and you missed class

as you were going to rub your eye, there was weight on your hand and you looked down to see a head full of brown hair that could only belong to a certain someone

a certain idiot

‘oi. oikawa, wake up’

you shook his head and when he didnt budge, you just pulled your hand from under him making him jump awake

at first, he was confused

looking around like a lost puppy and his eyes bleary

yea it was cute and what about it

then he noticed you sitting up and he smiled

‘you feeling better, m/n-chan?’

he asked, leaning close 

but you placed your hand on his face to push him away

‘yea. and stop leaning so close, idiot’

you grumbled and he whined

‘youre so mean, m/n-chan! i was so worried about you!’

he complained and you rolled your eyes

‘i didnt ask you to be, idiot’

SLDKFJSDLKFJKL M/N IS SO MEAN WHAT THE FAK

oikawa frowned

‘i cant help it. i like you, m/n-chan’

you froze, looking at him with scrunched eyebrows

then you chuckled dryly

‘yea, okay sure. im okay now so you can go to class’

wOW OIKAWA DESERVES BETTER WHAT

tooru was taken aback

‘wh-what? thats it? after i just told you that i liked you?’

you blinked at him

‘what do you want me to say about that, oikawa? how do you want me to react? im not like your fangirls, squealing and shit’

your words cut deep in him and oikawa held your arm

‘no wait a minute. what do you mean by that? do you not believe me?’

‘who the hell believes something that’s fake?’

there was a snip in your tone and oikawa knew you were talking about this facade of his

‘what? i-’

‘you think i believe you? you telling me you like me? do you even know who you are?’

you asked and tooru sniffled, eyes staring at your chest

‘for years, you told people what you wanted them to hear, regardless if you meant them or not. not once have you ever told them no. who the hell accepts chocolates when they dont even like them to begin with?’

at that last part, oikawa snapped up to meet your eyes

‘how did you know’

you rolled your eyes

‘our brothers are friends, idiot. he gave him some of the chocolates you gave to takeru since the brat couldnt eat them all’

oddly, that brought some warmth in tooru’s chest

so he wasnt the only one who knows the stupid stuff

but you continued on your rant

‘for a guy who doesnt like sweet stuff, youve accepted their nasty treats all the time, like why? oh, wait i know why, because you want them to like you. it doesnt matter if-if this-this persona of yours isnt real because as long as they like you, you dont give a fuck. isn’t that true? am i right? because please, prove me wrong’

maybe your dislike for him came out at that tangent and you half expected him to cry but you were surprised when he glared at you with teary eyes

‘i will. ill prove you wrong, m/n, that i do like you and i will make you like me. ill make you like me with the real me. i swear.’

‘mhm. okay. sure, oikawa’

do you regret it?

i mean,,,

kinda?

but not really?

because you loved watching the girls faces fall when oikawa rejected their treats the next day

you were walking to class when you noticed him with his cult by the entrance and you saw him smiling at some girl before gently pushing away a can of cookies

‘gomen. i actually dont like sweets that much anymore. if you want, you can give me milk bread?’

you stopped and oikawa caught your eye and he grinned

you nodded in greeting before continuing to walk

but he noticed a small smile on your face and gosh oikawa sighed like a lovesick fool

it took iwaizumi to finally send him back and his fangirls were looking at him worriedly

‘could you be less obvious, shittykawa?’

rip iwaizumi hajime in episode 546546546 of daily adventures of oikawa tooru

you noticed that oikawa has started to become distant with his fangirls and hes been sticking to you during lunch, leaving behind the others

makki and mattsun looked like proud parents as they peered down over to you flicking oikawa’s forehead and they smiled

‘god, that kid deserves this’

‘hah? that sounds like more of a punishment to me. but i dont care. it takes him off our hands for a while’

IWA I SWEAR HES SO MEAN BUT HE STILL WUVS TOORU SO ITS OKAY

oikawa would pick your brother up and take him home when youre too busy to go get him yourself and sometimes, he even takes your little sister too which causes them to have a mini sleepover and you sleep there too

also, whenever youre working in the convenience store, tooru would buy sandwhiches and a drink just for you so you can eat them while youre on break and not have to waste money and you told himyou dont want him spending money on you but he doesnt wanna hear it

‘i dont want you buying me-’

‘ssshhhh dont. im doing this because i want to and becaus i care for you, m/n-chan’

overtime, 

yea

sure

youve started to like him

youve started looking forward to seeing his stupidly cute face and his stupidly cute giggle

you went to his games and gave him a tight hug when hes about to play as a ritual for good luck and you would open your arms for him wide whenever he wins

then he didnt

against shiratorizawa, you noticed how he was so disappointed

even as you walked home with him, he continued to smile and tell you how good his team played

until you couldnt take it anymore

you pulled him over to some alleyway and you pushed him to the wall

DSKLFJLSDKFJLSDFJ WOW WHAT

oikawa nervously fiddled with his jacket and gave you a shaky smile

‘m/n-chan, what are you-’

‘tell me what youre feeling right here, right now. no bullshit, no lies, tell me everything in that pretty head of yours’

you deadpanned and tooru looked away

‘im fine’

‘are you lying to me, tooru?’

your voice was even but he could tell you were serious

he gulped before taking in a shakey breath

‘im fine. so stop asking about it!’

he exclaimed and you sighed

‘listen, i know its not official yet but you want me to be your boyfriend right?’

tooru flinched before he flushed at the word ‘boyfriend’ 

then he nodded

‘as your boyfriend, you have to lean on me, tooru. i dont want you to hold it to yourself because i wanna be there for you and i want to go through everything with you because i,,,,,’

you stopped and hesitated, debating if you should say it or not

‘because i like you, idiot’

you confessed and swallowed thickly

oikawa met your eye and his eyes watered

‘im so angry! im so disappointed! but i know my team did their 110 percent! we’re just not strong enough! so its not their fault! but ushijima is such a freak and hes too strong and its not fair!’

he complained and he cried loudly

not once in the 3 years of knowing oikawa have you seen him cry and you were so proud of him for being able to trust you enough to show him being vulnerable

you rushed forward held him close to your chest

‘for what it’s worth, you looked so incredibly hot and cute playing’

you whispered and pecked his neck 

of course oikawa couldnt hold his surprise at the feeling of your lips on his neck so he squealed a little

you gigled and continued holding your boyfriend close, even if it was at some nasty alleyway

yall became official and ngl, they didnt see this coming

some nobody dating the grand king oikawa tooru?

what in the wattpad?

yall know that tiktok of like ‘guys you cant dm me anymore. i have a girlfriend now. what else? and i love her’

IF YALL DONT KNOW IM SORRY

but you totally made oikawa tell his fangirls that

YOU KNOW THE FUNNY THING?

when yall became official, you actually gained your own little fanclub

maybe its because you gained clout from your boyfriend but they started noticing you and wowza you were hot

before, it was you getting jealous over tooru but now, it was him getting possessive of you

hes such a brat that he sits on your lap before class and youre just all smirking and feeling all good bc your baby is so cute when hes jealous

YOU CANT DISAGREE THAT HE DOESNT RADIATE UKE ENERGY

but all oiks has to do is pull down your collar and expose your purple littered collarbones and they will know who you belong to

theres a reason why iwa-chan is now the kids babysitter

youre still kinda cold and distant to people but youre soft for your baby and you always hold him close when hes in sight and you just cant get enough of him

:’)

also!! 

your sister loves dressing you up and oikawa has his sisters makeup and they both do your makeup and you guys have tea party with the boys and just the cutest domestic stuff

you still call him idiot though

but like affectionately yanno?

and over the years youve turned it down to dummy

and ngl tooru loves it when you call him that

what in the dumbification-

because he knows that equivalent to babe from you and he absolutely just loves you lmao

youre def the more quieter and calmer one in the relationship like you absolutely dont react much

while tooru is the overreactor and hes very animated with his facial expressions and stuff

like the one time

he was cooking some chicken pasta and you cheekily grabbed a piece of chicken and he made a dramatic gasp

‘*le gasp* oikawa m/n how dare steal a piece of chicken!’

you cackled before crossing your arms at the sight ofyour lover with his pursed lips and hands on his hips

‘excuse you. its more of you who’d take my last name’

it was so easy to make him flustered and tooru quickly turned around to tend back to the food but he was really just hiding his red face

‘b-baka. thats not going to happen’

‘not if i do it first’

you shrugged and smirked, wondering if he will fall for it

and as expected with oikawa tooru

‘yea okay sure’

‘i will!’

‘prove me wrong, m/n-chan~’

‘turn around right now’

oikawa rolled his eyes playfully before turning with a smile

‘what are you-*le gasp part 2*’

his hands covered his mouth at the sight of you there in front of him, kneeling on your knee tightly clutching a silver ring between your thumb and index finger

your heart was thrumming in your chest but you gulped and smiled

‘i win. now marry me, dummy’

oikawa screamed

a/n: sorry if this sucked booty :((( but i just really like the thought of uke oikawa and just him with a cute boyfriend for a change like please we all know oikawa is a bi king and thats on docosahexaenoic acid

[tfw-no-tennis]

animorphs!!!

ok I read animorphs when I was 10 or 11 I think? and I only read it once, along w/the spinoffs and stuff, and I've always meant to revisit it...SO HERE I AM....

and oh MAN I forgot how good this series is. like I knew it was good but some things from your childhood don't hold up yknow? especially books aimed at younger audiences

but oh boy does animorphs hold up. they're easy to read and perfectly balance the line between dark/adult topics and more kid-friendly lessons. excellent 

so yeah I'm loving it so far. I forgot how fast some stuff happens lmao, like I forgot that tobias gets trapped as a bird in the FIRST BOOK 

also I just adore how realistically disorganized/confused the animorphs are. like, they got the elevator pitch version of the conflict from elfangor before my mans got eaten, and also they're middle schoolers. of course they’re always just like ‘wtf do we even do’ 

so like...their plans mostly don't work. and even when planning they run into tons of logistical issues w/morphing, traveling, communicating etc. 

and I love how they clearly need to maintain their normal lives as well in order not to raise any suspicion 

and I like the little details like them not spending all their time together at school because they didn’t before so that would be suspicious

oh man and I love the different family dynamics in the series. you have jake, whose family seems pretty normal until we find out that tom is a controller, and rachel, whose parents are divorced, and who has to deal w/the complications of that. and then cassie, who is an only child (I like that we have a mix, with rachel and jake having siblings), and of course marco...

iirc marco was one of my favs (if not my fav, but its hard to choose) back in the day, and I forgot how reluctant he was to participate in the animorphs thing...and the fact that he was about to quit the team and then runs into visser 1.....

another fucked up little moment I liked - when they morphed dolphin and marco had to morph back to human bc he gets injured and he was like ‘I cant swim, and my mom drowned, I don't want to die like she did’ I was like oooof

also on that topic I adore how little the animorphs know about how anything works. like they once wondered if there's a limit to how many morphs they can acquire and they were basically like ‘idk guess we’ll find out’ 

and then when marco got injured as a dolphin and they were like ‘morph back I guess and hopefully you'll be okay?’ like damn luckily that worked 

basically these books do The Most Excellent Job showing that these are just kids. like they're literally in jr high which is 90s speak for middle school....they're like 13???? at most???

and the narrative reflects that perfectly!! all of them, even rachel who is pretty much the most gung-ho about fighting and stuff, have nightmares and all these terrible experiences bc they don't have basically any guidance 

and even with ax, it’s immediately obvious that he’s also just a kid, even though he’s this deadly alien....

also oh mannnn I love so much how we’re introduced to the andalites as this heroic race and how that slowly changes over the course of the story 

like, when elfangor introduces himself as ‘prince’ you assume he’s part of the andalite monarchy - but later we find out that ‘prince’ is a military rank, and the andalites are a lot more militaristic than we would assume at the beginning 

its so fantastic how it starts off as a fairly black and white conflict of andalites = good guy aliens and yeerks = bad guy aliens

and you even have some background stuff going on w/the taxxons being controllers by choice, and the hork-bajir being enslaved 

but as the story goes on, all of those lines get blurred in different ways...

also ooof the poor hork-bajir. I always felt so bad for them. it’s crazy that even in the first book, the animorphs are killing their enemies - at least I inferred that in book 1, but it becomes way more overt later on...the tough situation of them knowing that the hork-bajir are unwilling hosts but that they’re so dangerous that not killing them could be fatal to the good guys

and ngl this time around I have a lot more sympathy for the yeerks, even tho they don't really deserve it (at least in the early parts of the story where I am rn)

like...they're just these blind helpless slug creatures, but they're also fully sentient and intelligent? like, that's so fucked up. imagine yourself as you are now, but you're just a sensory deprived slug swimming in a pool. that's pretty fucked. and then the fact that the yeerks are biologically made to be parasites...its kinda no wonder that they ended up the way they are (and it also makes stuff like the yeerk peace movement really compelling)

also wow I kinda forgot about all the body horror w/the morphing. like ik that's one of the things that animorphs is known for but like. I forgot how much it happens and how creative the horrifying descriptions are. I love it

and omfg so when I first read this series the ellimist stuff confused me a lot bc I didn't read the books That closely (I mostly wanted to see what would happen next) but I loooove time travel bullshit so I’m really enjoying it so far

even tho tbh I think even if I had paid more attention as a 10 yr old I still would've been confused bc the ellimist stuff is kinda just inherently confusing lmao 

ok and I just love the characters,,,I love that the books switch perspectives, and KAA did such a masterful job of portraying differing and realistic reactions to their situation....like, all the animorphs react so differently to their circumstances, but their reactions are all so grounded in realism and also their personalities 

like man I love rachel. she was one of my favs as a kid too bc I always loved female characters and she was just so cool. and she still is, and so excellently written too 

liiiike the fact that even though she’s so tough and brave, she’s still a kid and has plenty of moments when she’s scared or uncertain...

and I just really like the fact that she out of all of them is the one who’s tough and loves to fight...and the fact that she also unapologetically loves shopping and stuff like that...its about the multifaced characters

just like how marco is the ‘funny guy’ but they make it very clear from the beginning that this is his way of coping w/shit like his family falling apart, and then alien BS 

and also marco is really smart? I kinda forgot abt that (sorry marco) but I like that bc that's uncommon to see with ‘funny’ characters

oh mannnn and ax. I love ax. I forgot a whole bunch about the early stuff w/him and how conflicted he was w/keeping secrets from the other animorphs

KAA did such a fantastic job w/ax - he really comes across as the perfect mix of ‘fish out of water alien’ and ‘young teen/tween’ and ‘alien from a strict militaristic society who is in training to become a soldier like his famous older brother’ 

n that was so sad n fucked up when he called the andalite home world and had to tell everyone (including his parents) that elfangor died, and then the elders or w/e forced ax to take blame for elfangor breaking their laws in order to preserve elfangor’s postmortem reputation, even at the cost of ax’s career/life :( 

and man I loved the part where ax is like ‘well, we didn't help the hork-bajir even tho we could have and now they're all enslaved. I'm not letting that happen to the humans’ and the council or w/e is like ‘well you should let it happen, don't interfere’ and ax basically realizes oh shit sometimes adults are wrong 

basically I love the conflict there, where the andalites are the ones who gave the yeerks the technology that led to them spreading across the galaxy like a disease, and now fight to stop them due to their guilt, but also refuse to directly help the less advanced species who are being invaded by the yeerks for fear of making a similar mistake like w/the yeerks....

ooooof and the part where ax is like ‘guess I have to go fight visser 3 and die’ :( he’s just a babyyyy

and augh when alloran asks them to kill him....geeeez there’s so much fucked up stuff already and I'm not even in the double digits yet 

oh my god and the brutally awful fact that any freed controller will just get tracked down by the yeerks and murdered so the secret invasion stays secret...and the animorphs think that by destroying the kandrona they've freed a bunch of controllers but really they just signed their death warrants - what a catch 22

oh and I love how even early on the yeerks aren't a completely unified force - we have the obvious rivalry w/visser 1 and visser 3, with visser 1 even arranging the animorphs release from visser 3′s prison bc of this, and that yeerk who told ax where to find visser 3 because he was pissed that his yeerk gf got killed by visser 3 - even though the reason she was killed was due to kandrona rationing, which was caused by the animorphs...i love the layers 

ok what else. oh yeah I love tobias sm, he was one of my favs as a kid too, his whole story is so deeply tragic but also interesting and we haven't even gotten into all the stuff w/his parents yet

the part where he’s freaking out as a hawk and he’s gonna fly into the windows even tho he knows it’ll probably kill him...christttt

also tobias and rachel are so romance aughhhh

ok also jake - he was never my favorite when I was younger bc I felt like he had Basic Protag Man Syndrome but now I can appreciate his character a lot more. like, he basically got elected the leader and he’s kinda like ‘guess I have to do this now.’ and that of course ends up fucking him up majorly in the long run bc even tho he’s more serious and responsible, he’s still just a kid too

and I loooove the horror of finding out that tom is a controller, and jake having to contend w/the fact that it’s very likely that he’ll have to fight and/or kill his brother someday 

also the book where jake gets infested w/a yeerk was one of my favs and still is. so fucked up and interesting. the fact that that yeerk was previously tom’s made it even more fucked, w/the yeerk taunting jake the whole time

and then the yeerk dying in jakes head...so messed up

omg and cassie too. I love cassie. I didn't appreciate her as much when I was younger bc I was a straightforward kid who liked action, and cassie is all about pacifism when possible and compassion, which I love a lot now that I Get it more. 

cassie being such a gentle person but still fighting in this fucked up war bc doing nothing would be worse is super compelling. plus the conflicts with her having to figure out where she and humanity fit in the circle of life and whatnot is great

I loved the contrast of her being very aware of how nature works bc of working w/her parents and all these injured animals, but also being so compassionate that it still bothers her to see death and especially participate in it 

like her feeling awful about killing the termite queen even tho its ‘just a bug’ and stuff

basically what makes the series great isn't that it’s got all these fucked up moments and horror elements and is overall quite dark - it’s that all of it comes together to make the point that war is hell, and child soldiers are gonna end up traumatized pretty much no matter what happens

it’s a very strong message, and the story never feels like it’s being dark just for the sake of being dark, but rather never letting the reader forget how awful things are

TL;DR: anirmorphs is to the YA genre what hunter x hunter is to the shounen genre

in animorphs, the heroes of the story are kids who get cool powers and get to fight aliens - in any other YA story they would have a bunch of fun adventures and come out on top most/all the time - things might get darker towards the end, but good would prevail. the evil yeerks would be stopped, and the main couples would get married and have kids and live happily ever after. 

however, war isn't like that, especially when the soldiers are kids. so instead we get animorphs, and it’s brutally realistic. they barely ever get to enjoy their powers - on the rare occasion that they get to, something usually goes horribly wrong

compare to hxh - it seems like a regular shounen story about kids participating in a fantastical mostly-adult world and being able to match the adults bc they're Special - but as the story wears on it becomes clear that the kids are just very traumatized. this all leads to gon’s berserker collapse in the chimera ant arc, which is led up to masterfully w/a bunch of adults treating gon as an adult even though he’s a child.

essentially the same thing happens in animorphs - with jake being shoved into the leader role and becoming a military general as a kid, which leads to him committing horrific war crimes because he’s been put in a position no child should ever have to be in

similarly, kurapika has what would be a very straightforward revenge plotline in any other story - but this is hxh, so the bad guys aren't just 2-dimensional evil caricatures, and the road to revenge just leads kurapika to ruin. we root for kurapika to win bc they’re a character we like, but it becomes clearer and clearer as the story goes on that getting revenge is not the path kurapika should be taking

nothing is ever as straightforward as we want it to be, basically. and the same applies to animorphs. so many times they're faced with conflicts that seem to have an obvious answer, only for it to be revealed later that the choices they made led to other unforeseen awful consequences

ok i need to stop rambling this is already super long. basically: animorphs good. I’ll probably do another post like this semi-soon as I continue reading (I'm partway thru book 10 now)

[fresh-outta-jams]

Life in Vivid Color

Life in Vivid Color Hoseok x Reader Soulmate AU

Author: Admin Mo Sequel to Rainbow Connection (Link in Masterlist) Word Count: 2.2k Genre: Fluffy Soulmate Fluff

You fired up your camera and focused the lens on Noodle, your adorable snake.

“Are you ready to meet Hobi today, Noodle?” You asked, reaching out to gently stroke his scaly white head with your index finger. “I think he’s ready. Now, if Hobi will be ready for Noodle is another question entirely. I may or may not have told him about my beautiful baby. But, uh, I’ll edit in the clip of Hobi’s previous experience with snakes later. This won’t be up until he’s here anyway.”

You laughed and turned the camera on yourself. It was obvious you were exhausted, given it was around 4am and you were up for a music video shoot. You checked your phone.

“It is...4:12 am at the moment. I uh, I have a music video shoot today and I have like two hours of makeup because we’re going for a mermaid concept for the Blue music video. Catch me falling asleep in the hair and makeup trailer.” You struggled to keep your eyes open, even standing up. “Stop 1: my coffee machine. Then work. And Hobi is meeting me on set because he may or may not have a teeny role in it. Maybe. Who knows? But yeah, I haven’t seen him since the Disney trip so I really just can’t wait for him to hold me.” You sighed, closing your eyes. “Hobi gives the best hugssssss…I’m so lucky, you don’t even know.”

You made your coffee and scrolled through some of the questions from Twitter you had screen-shotted earlier. ��Alright, so a lot of you are asking me if I listened to Hixtape and um, it’s my ringtone, it’s my text tone, it’s my alarm when I wake up. You think I’m exaggerating, but-” Your phone started ringing and Daydream’s chorus started playing. “See? Proud girlfriend.”

“Hey baby,” you answered the phone.

“We’re six hours away. I’m going to sleep but I wanted to say good morning to my rainbow girl.”

“Aww, well good morning, sunshine.” You smiled. “I can’t wait to see you today. I was just talking about you, actually. I’m filming a vlog.”

“Tell your subscribers I say ‘hi’.”

“He says ‘hi’.” You told the camera, causing Hobi to chuckle. “Get some sleep, alright? I’ll see you when you wake up.”

“I love you.”

“Love you too.” You hung up. “God, I love him so much. Listen, kiddos. Everything your parents and teachers tell you about soulmates that you kind of wave off and go ‘oh yeah whatever’, all of that is true. Seems like BS, but the minute I laid my eyes on him, I knew. Mostly because the world literally burst into color, but, yeah. There is so much love in my heart for this man.”

You finished off your vlog and drank your coffee and got to set in time for hair and makeup. The stylists worked, tying your hair back so they could layer the blue wig over top. Then, they created a scale effect on your face and arms, painted gorgeous silver glitter on your eyelids and cheeks. Next, you got into costume, silver shells and a huge sparkling silver tail. It was quite the look. The stylists layered crystalline jewelry on your neck, wrists, and fingers, finishing if off with a crown made of pretty shells.

You filmed most of the beginning of the video, in which you made a daring escape from a sea witch, whose inky black tentacles threatened to drag you into the deep. An analogy to your Gray Syndrome depression. And once you escaped her grasp, and burst free, so did a wave of color. You went through the ocean, slowly restoring the hues and life to the deep sea that had been darkened by her black magic.

The playback footage was amazing. It really got your message through. You had been stuck in that deep pit for so long that even watching it like this really hit home. It was sure to be even more beautiful and powerful once the effects were put in.

“(Y/N), Hoseok is here.” One of the producers told you. You moved to get up but remembered that you were trapped in place by the large silver mermaid tail currently binding your legs together.

“Can someone bring him to me?” You asked, laughing. The crew laughed too, one of the interns running off to find him. “HOBIIIIIIIII!”

“I’m comINGGGG!”

You heard a call steadily growing louder as your soulmate ran to you. He nearly knocked you off of the fake rock you were sitting on and both of you erupted into a fit of giggles. He kissed your cheeks a million times before his lips found yours.

“There’s my rainbow girl.” He smiled and it felt like you were staring directly into the sun.

“I would get up to hug you, but uh-” You motioned to your tail. “I’m stuck.”

“Then I’ll come to you.” Hobi wrapped his arms around you tight, kissing your temple. “I’m ready to be your handsome prince.”

You reached up and gently stroked his cheek with your thumb. “You already are.”

***

Filming went (no pun intended) swimmingly. Hobi filmed his scene and then you filmed your scene together for the ending, and finally, you got out of the tail and back into your leggings and flowy flowery top. As soon as you were free from the wig and makeup and everything else, you ran to where Hobi was standing and jumped into his waiting arms, wrapping your legs around his waist like a koala.

“Much better,” you whispered into his ear, leaning in to peck his cheek.

Hobi’s arms tightened around your waist and he laughed. “I missed you so much, jagi.”

“I missed you too.”

Once you grabbed your stuff, the two of you went through the Panda Express drive-thru and back to your place. You sat at the dining room table across from each other and ate lunch, talking about all of the little things you had forgotten to mention over the phone or in your texts to one another.

As soon as you were finished eating, you headed out onto the town and picked up some of your other musical friends for a beach day adventure.

“So this is the famous J-Hope I’ve heard so much about.” Your friend Natalia slid into the back seat and finally made eye contact with your soulmate. “(Y/N) never stops talking about you.”

“Really?” Hobi smiled and put a hand over his heart, smiling wide. “Awww! Babyyyyy!”

Your face went red and you hid behind your hands. “Don’t look at me, I’m so red.”

Hoseok gently moved your hands away from your face and kissed your cheek. “A beautiful color for my beautiful girl.”

“Aaaaaah, hushhhhh…” You blushed deeper, laughing as he carefully tickled your middle with one of his long fingers. “Hobiiiiii!”

You picked up three other friends and then arrived at the beach in the middle of a perfect, sun-filled day. After pulling your keys out of the car and getting out, you pulled on your white sun hat and shades. A loose white BTS shirt hid your rainbow one-piece, and on your back, it said ‘J-HOOOOOOPE!’ in bold black letters.

“I like your shirt, jagi.” His finger traced a line across your shoulders and then he wrapped his arms around you from behind, kissing your cheek.

“Gotta show the world I’m yours somehow, right?” You grinned.

He laughed and tightened his grip, lifting you off of the ground and into his arms. Hoseok was smiling so bright and the sky was so blue and you swore you had never been happier in your entire life.

Hobi ran over to the umbrella your friends had set up, yelling the whole way while you laughed at him. God, you loved the noises he made. But when he got closer to the water, he ran right past your friends and out to the ocean.

“Hoseok…” You looked up at him with a warning in your eyes. He laughed mischievously. “Hoseok, I swear to God.”

“It’s just water.” He grinned.

You squirmed, trying to escape his grasp before he dropped you into the water, but it was no use. He was stronger than you and determined to put you in those waves.

“You little- aaah!” You shouted as you hit the water. He laughed, getting in the water himself. He didn’t care that his shirt was getting all wet, nor that your sun hat was floating helplessly while you splashed back to the surface.

As soon as you were both above water again, you splashed him, laughing while he did the same. Eventually, you went back to the umbrella and put on sunscreen. Hobi helped get the spot between your shoulder blades and you slathered the thick white cream all over his back, laughing as he squirmed and shrieked at your cold touch.

“(Y/N), did you bring a speaker?” asked Alex, one of your friends from your recording studio. He was the owner’s son, and he and his girlfriend had come to spend the day at the beach with you and the others.

“Should be in my bag. It’s the big Beats pill.”

“Oh, found it.” He pulled it out of the bag and you connected it to your phone through bluetooth.

You clicked on your beach playlist and Katy Perry’s ‘California Girls’ started playing. Hobi began dancing. He spun you around and then pulled you into him. You weren’t all that confident in your dancing, especially compared to your soulmate, who was quite literally a god at it, but you were getting better since you and Silence and Red had been practicing together for a surprise for the boys.

After a while, the six of you started playing a lively game of beach volleyball, and right as you served the ball, a very familiar song started playing. The ball hit the sand on the opposite side of the net and Hobi stopped to listen as Daydream started playing from your speaker. You watched, a grin on your face as he started dancing and excitement spread through him.

“This is your playlist?” He asked.

“Of course this is my playlist.” You laughed, standing on your toes to kiss him. “It’s a bop, babe, of course it’s on my beach playlist.”

“Y’all are too cute.” Natalia turned the volleyball over in her hands. “But that doesn’t mean I’m going easy on you.”

“Bring it on.”

***

You went back to your place later that evening sunkissed and tired as all hell. Hobi carried your stuff inside, despite your offers to help him. He just grinned a sleepy grin and took your big bag from you. You unlocked the door and turned on the lights of your large LA home.

“Jagi, where’s your bathroom?” He asked after setting the bag on the dining room table.

“Down the hall, second door on the right.” You pointed, still half-asleep. It didn’t even occur to you what else was down the hall until you heard his blood-curdling scream.

Noodle.

You sprinted to where Hoseok was frozen, horror in his eyes as he looked at the adorable white scaly creature. “Baby, it’s okay. It’s just Noodle.”

“I-I h-hate s-s-snakeu.” He shuddered.

You wrapped your arms around him from behind and pulled him back, further away from Noodle’s tank, speaking softly as you did so in an attempt to calm him down. “It’s fine. You’re fine. It’s fine. He can’t get the lid off of his tank. Believe me, he’s tried. And even if he did, he doesn’t have fangs.”

He was still shaking, but less now. “Sorry, jagi…” he apologized softly.

“It’s okay to be scared, baby. You don’t need to be sorry.” You walked in front of him and reached up, turning his face down towards yours. Your smile was soft, head tilting to the side and looking over him with concern. “You okay?”

“Mmhmm…” He bent down and buried his face in your shoulder, wrapping his arms around your waist. His arms were still trembling a little bit, but the jitters were slowly seeping out of him as he inhaled your scent and pulled you close. “I’m okay.”

“I’ll make dinner if you want to use the bathroom upstairs instead.”

“I love you,” He whispered, arms holding you just a little tighter.

“I love you too.” You gave Hobi directions to get there and then put a pot of water on the stove.

Around fifteen minutes later, you were sitting at your dining room table, a few candles flickering in the dim room and a large plate of spaghetti sitting between you. Hobi smiled mischievously as he watched the tail end of a long noodle swerve across the plate. While you were distracted by the stars outside, he picked up the end and put it in his mouth. You didn’t even notice until you felt a soft pair of lips against yours and then his large hands framing your soft cheeks.

You kissed him back and both of you stood up from the table, meal long forgotten as you got lost in each other’s touch. It didn’t matter how much you saw him or how often, you realized. You would never get enough of this. You would never get enough of him. 

[countrymadefoods]

What is Kinoko (mushrooms)?

“Although there are many varieties of edible mushrooms, generally they can be divided into saprobic fungi and mycorrhizal fungi. Saprobic fungi include wood-rotting fungi, which grow out of the trunks of living trees.

Most of the mushrooms that can be cultivated are saprobic fungi; they break down fertilizers and the trees on which they feed. Wood-rotting fungi include shiitake, maitake, nameko, enokidake, buna-shimeji, hiratake, and eringi. White mushrooms and Agaricus do not grow out of trees but are still considered saprobic fungi.”

“Matsutake is a mushroom belonging to the class Basidiomycetes. It lives on the roots of Japanese red pine and grows wild on the ground in forests of red pine during autumn...Moreover, matsutake cannot grow unless specific natural conditions are miraculously met. The environment must have just the right sunlight exposure, temperature, humidity, amount of soil microorganisms, and various other conditions.

Kinkatsu refers to a healthy way of eating based on fermented foods Japanese people have long incorporated into their diet many fermented foods produced by microorganisms. The health benefits of these fermented foods have recently garnered attention. Mushrooms are the only fungi that can be consumed as food. They are low in calories and rich in immune-boosting nutrients such as dietary fiber, vitamin Bs, vitamin D, beta-glucan, and ornithine. The dietary fiber in mushrooms can absorb cholesterol and lipids in the intestines and remove them from the body. At the same time, they help create a healthy intestinal environment by increasing good bacteria, which can improve the complexion.”

(via What is Kinoko (mushrooms)? | We Love Japanese Food)

7 Popular Japanese Mushrooms That Are Both Tasty and Healthy

“Japanese mushrooms – the first thing to know is that “take” means “mushroom” in Japanese.”

“Shiitake is the one Japanese mushroom that most people will have heard of. “Shii” is the Japanese word for one of the trees this healthy treat grows on. Combined with the Japanese for mushroom, you’ll get the word “shiitake,” or shii mushroom. They are packed with healthy nutrients, have relatively large brown caps, ranging from tan to dark in color, and white stems.”

“You might know it as Hen-of-the-wood or even sheep’s head, but in Japan, this funny looking mushroom is called maitake. Literally translating to “dancing mushroom,” this healthy fungal delicacy can be found in Japanese hardwood forests, as well as in parts of China, Europe, and North America.”

“Eringi, King Trumpet, King Oyster, and French Horn. Eryngii go by many names and are the largest of all oyster mushrooms. It doesn’t only grow in Japan and other parts of Asia, but also in Mediterranean Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. You can easily recognize it by its characteristic meaty, white stem and relatively small, brown cap.”

“These little mushroom clusters called enoki or enokitake are thin, long, and fragile, much like little flowers. They’re a well-used ingredient not only in Japanese cuisine but also in Chinese and Korean, and because their main season lasts from September to March, they are sometimes called “winter mushroom” in English.”

“Mushroom lovers are sure to know matsutake, a prized, sought-after mushroom that is famous for its characteristic spiciness. While it grows in Asia, Europe, and North America, it can prove extremely hard to find, as it requires a very specific kind of forest and terrain to grow. In Japan, they can mainly be found under red pines and the first matsutake harvest in fall can fetch prices of 1,000 dollars or more per kilogram! According to historical documents, matsutake picking was also a favorite pastime of samurai.”

“Nameko is a curious little mushroom. In nature, it appears as a cluster of small mushrooms with orange caps that have a characteristic gelatinous coating. In Japanese pop culture, they’re a fairly famous comic character that first appeared in the DS game “Touch Detective” – you might know the little fellow as “Funghi.” Now, Nameko has his own mobile game called Mushroom Garden. The mildly nutty taste makes the mushroom a staple ingredient of Japanese cuisineand you’ll often see it used in stir-fries and for noodles...You’ll also encounter nameko as a popular and healthy ingredient in sushi rolls. In the States, this little orange delicacy is also called “butterscotch mushroom.”

“Found in East Asia and Northern Europe, shimeji is actually a group of mushrooms that come in different shapes and colors. They all have a similar texture and taste, however – while the raw mushrooms are slightly bitter, this unpleasant aroma disappears entirely when cooked, leaving you with a delightfully crunchy texture and mild, nutty flavor. As far as dishes go, shimeji can be used for pretty much anything. From stir-fries to soups, from hot pots to pasta dishes, and even as a side or sauce...”

(via 7 Popular Japanese Mushrooms That Are Both Tasty and Healthy | LIVE JAPAN)

The Shiitake Mushroom- A History in Magic and Folklore

“The shiitake is vastly popular as a dietary choice in China and Japan. In Japan, the creme de la crème of shiitake crop is called donko. In China, it is known as shanku and dongo...Tapestries and Chinese manuscripts depict deities holding several species of medicinal mushroom, including the shiitake, which finds applications in Chinese culture as an aphrodisiac and a promoter of youthfulness and virility.

The Japanese developed a convenient method to cultivate mushrooms. Called the ‘soak and strike’ method, it involved inoculating a tree log with collected spores, and leaving them out in a moist atmosphere. The logs are cut from a tree and placed horizontally, followed by an injection of spores. In fact, this method was synonymous with a development of a male child into a man.”

“Logs inoculated during a child’s birth would mature with him till he attains manhood, and inherit the ‘fortune’ in his backyard. Thus, the shiitake was a prized possession, and people went to the extent of robbing them from one another, leading to what was known as a ‘shiitake war’.

It is clear that the Orient deems mushrooms, in general, as storehouses of the power of healing. As compared to the depiction of the mushroom as a ‘quaint fungus’ in the West, what is known as the ‘Orient’ holds the mushroom in high esteem...Today, the shiitake is grown in several parts of the world. The United States, for instance, cultivates mushroom in several states, including Indiana and Pennsylvania.”

(via The Shiitake Mushroom- A History in Magic and Folklore | goUNESCO)

Chinese History - Southern Dynasties Period Economy

“The first real porcelain was produced in the southern facilities during the time of Eastern Jin. Green glazed porcelain (qingci 青瓷) and imprinted ware (yinwen yingtao 印紋硬陶) with brown dots (jiangseyou caiban 醬色釉彩斑) were produced in the kilns of modern Jiangsu and Zhejiang Prov. Paper (zhi 紙) totally replaced the use of silk and bamboo slips as writing material. Other trade and commercial products of the Southern Dynasties were lacquerware (qiqi 漆器) and tea (cha 茶).”

“Fabric, especially silk, was not only an important item for direct cloth production, but also for tax in kind. For daily use, it was still too expensive to be affordable for the average population. The production of silk was in the hands of the state, like salt production (sea salt in Jiangsu and well salt in Sichuan) and mining and metallurgical engineering.”

(via Chinese History - Southern Dynasties Period Economy | ChinaKnowledge)

History of silk

“Silk cultivation spread to Japan around 300 AD, and, by 522 AD, the Byzantines managed to obtain silkworm eggs and were able to begin silkworm cultivation. The Arabs also began to manufacture silk at the same time. As a result of the spread of sericulture, Chinese silk exports became less important, although they still maintained dominance over the luxury silk market.”

The Crusades brought silk production to Western Europe, in particular to many Italian states, which saw an economic boom exporting silk to the rest of Europe...Techniques of sericulture were subsequently introduced to Japan on a larger scale by frequent diplomatic exchanges between the 8th and 9th centuries.”

”Starting in the 4th century BC silk began to reach the Hellenistic world by merchants who would exchange it for gold, ivory, horses or precious stones. Up to the frontiers of the Roman Empire, silk became a monetary standard for estimating the value of different products.”

“The church manufacture in the Byzantine Empire was thus able to make fabrics for the emperor, with the intention of developing a large silk industry in the Eastern Roman Empire...These gynecia had a legal monopoly on the fabric, but the empire continued to import silk from other major urban centres on the Mediterranean. The magnificence of the Byzantine techniques was not a result of the manufacturing process, but instead of the meticulous attention paid to the execution and decorations. The weaving techniques they used were taken from Egypt.”

Map 1-1

Japan (500-1200 AD): A Brief Introduction

“During the fifth and sixth centuries, a three-cornered military balance developed on the Korean peninsula between the states of Paekche in the southwest, Silla in the east, and Koguryo in the north (see Map 1-1). Japan was an ally of Paekche and maintained extensive trade and military relations with a weak southern federation known as the Kaya Federation (States). Scholars ask whether there was a cultural basis for these ties—like those of Norman England to Normandy.”

”Paekche also served as a conduit for the first elements of Chinese culture to reach Japan. Chinese writing was adopted for the transcription of Japanese names during the fifth or sixth century. Confucianism entered in 513, when Paekche sent a “scholar of the Five Classics.” Buddhism arrived in 538, when a Paekche king sent a Buddha image, sutras, and possibly a priest.

In 665, Silla conquered Paekche. Japan feared an invasion by Silla, its erstwhile enemy, but an invasion never came. In the end, the rupture of ties with Korea was less of a loss than it would have been earlier, for by this time Japan had established direct relations with China.”

(via  The History Of Japan 500-2000 AD | Subratachak blog)

The Kikuchi clan and Baekje

“There are theories that the Kikuchi clan of Higo Province (Kyushu) are from Baekje. They have found a golden statue in the ruins of the castle that is from Baekje and there are records saying that the founder of the Kikuchi, Kikuchi Noritaka (菊池 則隆) is the son of Masanori (政則) and grandson of Chikanori (親則).”

Kikuchi clan

“Japanese genealogist, Suzuki Matoshi claimed the clan was from the Korean kingdom of Baekje while Oota Akira, Japanese historian, claimed the clan originated from Ki clan. Many famous warriors have come from this family such as Kikuchi Takanao, Kikuchi Takefusa who stopped the Mongol Invasions of Japan, Kikuchi Taketoki and Kikuchi Takemitsu whose stories have become some of the most colorful in Japanese history.”

 Kija's Tomb

“Jizi allegedly fled China to Korea, where he founded the state of Gija Joseon and eventually succeeded the Dangun as king of Gojoseon. Legend says that Gija brought to the Korean people many skills from China, such as agriculture and weaving; he is also credited with founding the city of Pyongyang.”

”The site of Gija's burial mound was identified during the Goryeo Dynasty by King Sukjong, who constructed the first mausoleum at the 1102. A memorial temple was later added and the mausoleum was enlarged and repaired in 1324 and again in 1355.

In 1570 King Seonjo of Joseon erected a monument at the site requiring all people riding past to dismount out of respect. When Korea was under Japanese rule, the site was heavily promoted as a tourist venue by the Japanese, who tempered Korean ethnic nationalism by pointing out that the first "Korean" kingdom was founded by a foreigner.“

[news4dzhozhar]

**“Danny” just happens to know the GPS tracking # of his car off the top of his head? Seriously? The director also accidentally caused more minor things to be questioned…like his assumption that the brothers drove to the marathon and back to, at least their neighborhood Whole Foods, in under 25 minutes when tons of streets were blocked off for the race not to mention the detours created by the mayhem of people trying to get the hell out of the area along with emergency vehicles into the area. Considering Karima was working the day of the marathon his comments in this article just perpetrate the BS he put in the movie to make her seem like some kind of accomplice. In this piece when he’s talking about the milk buying video and says, as if fact, that Karima was the person to send Dzho back in the store to exchange the milk despite the fact that CCTV footage inside and out never showed who was driving the car...to say the least is irresponsible esp when he's constantly blowing smoke up people's asses about how dedicated to detail & accuracy he supposedly is. SMH**

BOSTON — Let me say up front, I am not a native Bostonian. I pronounce my “Rs,” have not gotten used to snow that doesn’t melt until July and am not inclined to shell out for a pair of Tom Brady infrared pajamas.

But when two bombs exploded at the marathon finish line in 2013, killing three people and wounding 264 others, we were all Bostonians.

As the New England bureau chief for The New York Times, I covered that terrible week of the bombing and manhunt for Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and endured the grueling trial in 2015, watching in awe as survivors hobbled to the witness stand. Not many of us in the press section were able to hold back tears.

Now the inevitable movies are starting to appear. A much-acclaimed HBO documentary that focused on the survivors aired in November. The film “Stronger,” starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Jeff Bauman, who lost both legs in the blast, is due later this year. And “Patriots Day,” which follows the bombing and investigation through a fictionalized cop played by Mark Wahlberg, opened here and a few other cities in December. It goes nationwide this weekend.

Reviewers outside New England — including critics for The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times and Variety — have generally given the movie positive notices. But those in this area — including writers for The Boston Globe, NorthShoreMovies.net and The Patriot Ledger — have been far more critical. (An exception is The Boston Herald, which gave it a glowing review.) As The Patriot Ledger said, the movie was “a cold, calculated re-enactment bordering on exploitation.”

I asked Peter Berg, the director of “Patriots Day,” what he thought accounted for the disconnect between critics at home and audiences farther away. He said some people here had made up their minds in advance not to like the movie, possibly because they felt it was being made “too soon,” or were too close to the actual events.

He did allow that some people might simply have thought the movie wasn’t very good, but his bottom line was: “These are people who were probably going to write a bad review before they ever saw it.”

Well, maybe. But what I’ve found is that moviegoers outside New England pretty much accept the film on its own terms, as entertainment, and Bostonians do not.

The biggest point of divergence concerns Tommy Saunders, the character played by Mr. Wahlberg, a Boston native. People elsewhere have not really questioned why this composite character is guiding them through the mayhem. They may even appreciate him as a narrative device.

But the hometown crowd is a tougher sell. They know the real events and people in granular detail. Some are offended that Saunders is both made up and, implausibly, present at every key development. As the critic Ty Burr wrote in The Boston Globe: “We don’t really want to see people who weren’t there. Especially when they’re everywhere.” The focus on the Wahlberg character flies in the face of what happened that week, when the entire city — not just one guy — rose to the occasion.

Viewers might find themselves wondering about a few other aspects of the movie. So I asked Mr. Berg about some things that Bostonians especially are likely to notice — for better or worse.

CHEETAH ROBOT - Sean Collier, a charismatic Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer killed by the bombers, is shown making a security check of classrooms and labs. Mr. Berg said he decided to convey Mr. Collier’s appeal by showing him flirting with a pretty female student, although a romantic relationship did not actually exist. But I was fascinated to see what was inside the lab: a famous M.I.T. invention, a four-legged robotic cheetah that learned to run and jump hurdles. Mr. Berg said that M.I.T. gave him rare access to the robot as a way of honoring Mr. Collier.

TRANSIT - The movie shows the bombers driving to the marathon. But it was never publicly explained how they got there and returned to their apartment in Cambridge so quickly, considering the Marathon Monday street closures. Mr. Berg said he assumed that they drove, partly because surveillance video outside a Whole Foods in Cambridge showed their car shortly after the bombing.

THE WRONG MILK - At the trial, the prosecution showed surveillance tape of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev buying milk at Whole Foods just 23 minutes after the bombing — and then, oddly, returning a short time later to exchange it. The point was to show Mr. Tsarnaev so unrepentant that after the bombing, he could do something as ordinary as buy milk. But we never learned why he exchanged it. The movie posits that Katherine Russell, his sister-in-law, had asked him to pick up whole milk for her toddler but that he mistakenly bought 2 percent. Mr. Berg said that’s the only reason he could think of for why she might have forced him to go back.

SALUTING MARTIN - In the movie, a lone state trooper stands guard over the sheet-covered body of Martin Richard, the 8-year-old killed in the bombing. It was actually Boston police officers who stood watch while forensics units sifted the scene for evidence. Was showing a trooper just an innocent mistake? Mr. Berg said that the film was dedicated “to all law enforcement” and that “we tried to spread the wealth around to each of the different departments without being overly concerned about which department did what.” Martin is never named at the request of his family, which declined to participate in the movie.

GPS - A big break comes when Dun Meng recites the GPS tracking number of his S.U.V., which the bombers have stolen. This actually happened. Without that number, the cops may never have found the bombers, who were heading to New York to blow up Times Square. Mr. Meng has said in interviews that the portrayal of his time with the bombers was totally accurate, down to Dzhokhar’s asking whether the car had a jack so he could play his music. The episode was filmed at a different Shell station, not the one where it happened, but the carjacking and Mr. Meng’s escape are riveting, especially because we never saw this on the news.

WATERTOWN SHOOTOUT - The movie has been criticized here for overdramatizing the shootout. But this scene does capture something very real — when word went out that the bombers were in Watertown, more than 2,500 law enforcement officers from across the region converged on the suburb. Hundreds of them “self-deployed.” Mr. Berg said that the female cop from Framingham, who stakes out a rooftop position, was not real but was meant to represent the gung-ho spirit that brought all that firepower to the scene.

INTERROGATION - The movie all but indicts Ms. Russell as a knowing accomplice, an insinuation that her lawyer has sharply disputed. But she was never charged. Did the moviemakers know something law enforcement didn’t? “It’s just very hard to understand how a woman living in that small house could not know what was happening,” Mr. Berg said. He said he researched her role extensively and that the F.B.I. vetted the scene in which she refused to cooperate with an interrogator who asked if there were more bombs.

Ms. Russell’s lawyer, Amato A. DeLuca, told me: “If they had information that she was involved, they would have charged her, but they didn’t. And she cooperated every single time.” And while investigators did find “explosive residue from the bombs” at the Tsarnaev home, the trial never established where the bombs were actually made.

CAMEO - At the end, the movie shows a small photo of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in jail. When this security footage aired during the trial, everyone in court gasped because he thrust out his middle finger to the camera. I asked Mr. Berg why he did not show that dramatic gesture.

“I don’t have any respect for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev,” Mr. Berg said. “To allow him to have a moment of defiance doesn’t interest me. He doesn’t deserve that moment.”

[eat-travel-live-repeat]

  U.K. Travel Bucket List – Best National Parks

  The month is May and the year 2020, the World as we know it, has been in lockdown mode for the better part of the year now, as COVID – 19, is spreading like wildfire everywhere. The silver lining is that Mother Earth is healing, and while the world heals from this Pandemic, with all of us Staying at Home, we all can make the most of this Quarantine Life by adding different destinations to our Post COVID – 19 Travel Bucket List. Which in reference to this blog post is the Best National Parks in the UK.

  More than 10 Travel Experts have contributed their suggestions about the Best National Parks in the United Kingdom, that I have curated and compiled for your ease, in alphabetical order, in this UK Travel Bucket List – The Best U.K. National Parks.

  [toc]

  Brecon Beacons National Park

  The Brecon Beacons National Park is one of the three national parks in Wales. The park is home to the famous Brecon Beacons range of mountains in the south of Wales, These mountains are the highest ones in southern Britain and they are famous for its magnificent upland formations. 

This National park is less than 30 miles from Cardiff and 100 miles from Birmingham in England, and just a three-hour drive from London. Its outstanding waterfalls, caves, ancient landscape and beautiful lakes attract adventurers and nature lovers from all over the world. Here is where you can get active and create some unforgettable memories.

There are numerous walking routes and hiking trails for any fitness levels. If you want to take your hike an extra mile, you can go rock climbing on some amazing spots in the park, where you have a coastal view. 

Cycling and mountain biking are also a great way to explore The Brecon Beacon. Some cyclists like to enjoy riding peacefully on a canal path next to the river while some prefer to go for more challenging climbs. There is different terrain in the park, including roads, lanes and hillside tracks. 

If you are looking for a fabulous place to mountain bike you can head to the south to Bike Park Wales, where you can find several downhill tracks of varying difficulty.

The national park is also a great destination for horseback riding. There are bridle paths and tracks. Some people might say The Brecon Beacon is one of the best ridings in Europe. 

There are many brilliant organised group activities like Canoeing, Kayaking, Paddleboarding and White Water Rafting in the national park. 

You can stay in Parkwood Outdoors Dolygaer which offers different types of accommodations such as cottages, lodges, and chalets. This centre also offers different activities including caving, stand up paddleboarding, and canyoning. 

There are also various caravan and camping sites in the park. Make sure stargazing when the sky is clear. Here is one of the best locations in the UK to watch the sky during the nights. 

While in the Brecon Beacons, make sure to take the Four Falls Walk which takes you to four amazing waterfalls.

By Mansoureh Farahani from Travel With Mansoureh

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  Cairngorms National Park

Cairngorms National Park – Largest National Park in UK

  If you’re an outdoor/ nature lover, you need to put the Cairngorms National Park onto your Scotland Itinerary. This incredible place is the largest National Park in the UK and was voted one of the top 20 places to visit IN THE WORLD by National Geographic!

The park is 4500 sq kms (which is bigger than the whole of Luxembourg) and contains mountains, valleys, castles, distilleries and watersports. There’s something to do for everyone.

One of our favourite things to do was hike. There are multiple trails and walks within the park (guides are available from the tourist offices if you’d like one), or you can just turn up and wander wherever you fancy. Dog walking is encouraged, but the area is full of wildlife, so please be aware and obey local signage. 

It’s possible to walk for a short time, find a quiet spot and enjoy a picnic, or plan a more advanced hike right up into the mountains, where the views are breathtaking. A word of caution- the weather can change VERY quickly in this area, so please carry appropriate equipment/ clothing.

If hiking isn’t for you, how about some sport? Within the Cairngorms you can enjoy cycling, skiing or play golf at one of the 12 golf courses! There’s also a bungee-jump (the first permanent one in the UK) and a sled dog centre. 

For water lovers, there’s fishing, kayaking, windsurfing, rafting, swimming or gorge walking. There are several watersports centres in the park and they offer lessons, hire or even wildlife watching tours from the water- where you can glide quietly past local birds and animals as they sit on the river banks- a magical way to start the day.

If you’re not travelling Scotland in a motorhome or camper, there are plenty of places to stay within the park, including local B & Bs, hotels, hostels, campsites and log cabins. You need to stay for at least 3 days to really experience everything the park has to offer. 

If all the sport and hiking sounds utterly exhausting, many of the hotels offer beauty/ spa services and pools, so you can relax and unwind as much as you like.

There are many places to eat and drink within the park- restaurants, cafes and shops are plentiful, but there are also farmers markets, local artisan shops, food and drink workshops and of course the distilleries, where you can enjoy a ‘wee dram’.

By Kathryn Bird from Wandering Bird

    Exmoor National Park

  Exmoor National Park is located in the South West of England on the borders of Somerset and North Devon.  It was designated as a National Park in 1954,  It is located south of Minehead between Taunton and Tiverton and its outer boundaries are just a short distance from the M5 motorway.  It has a wide range of landscapes from high moors including Dunkery Beacon.  This peak is the highest point in the south of England outside of Dartmoor.  From the moorland farmland tumbles down to the Somerset Coast.  This is unique in the UK and was one of the reasons for the National Park designation.  The moorland reaches the coast in spectacular 400m cliffs with Great Hangman being the highest sheer sea cliff in England and Wales at 244m.  

Dotted through the landscape are small villages with old cottages with thatched roofs and beautiful gardens.  The landscape is ancient with archaeology being present in the form of hillforts and Norman Castles including the stunning red Dunster Castle.  Tarrs Steps near Dulverton is an ancient clapper bridge and is believed to have been in place since the Bronze Age.

Exmoor is wild and remote with a wide range of nature.  In the autumn it is one of the best places in the country to experience the red deer rut.  Stags battle for territory, battling with other males to win the right to mate with their hinds.  Their deep calls can be heard echoing across the landscape and the clash of antlers is a sight to be seen.  Finding this behaviour is not easy but there are a number of ‘stalkers’ who can help you find and watch the stags. 

Exmoor also has its own Exmoor Ponies.  These are small, stocky ponies that have roamed the landscape for over 50000 years and are documented in the Domesday Book in 1086.  They have a dark bay colouring with a lighter mealy colour around the muzzle and underbelly. They are semi-feral and roam across the moorland helping to conserve the landscape with their grazing.  Completely silent they have a gentle and docile attitude to life and will slowly saunter off if they are disturbed.

    Exmoor has beautiful walks, some of which can be quite technical, especially in the winter months.  The coast is perfect for rock pooling and sea kayaking although access down the steep cliffs has to be planned at access points.  

Exmoor can be visited at any time of the year.  In winter the higher points near Dunkery Beacon can have a dusting of snow and driving can be hard.  In the summer months the moor can be busy with visitors but there is enough space to escape and be alone in the landscape.

By Suzanne from Meandering Wild

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  Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park

Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park – The 4th Largest National Park in UK

  Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park in UK is a relatively young park with its birthday/confirmation of formation date being 19th July 2002.

It is the 4th largest national park in the British Isles and it covers 1,865 square kilometres of Scottish Highlands, and is an integral experience of your Trip to Scotland, when you plan your 7 Day Scotland Travel Itinerary. The park is easily accessible by car, or public transport from Perth or Glasgow with many accommodation options all around the park.

An outdoor enthusiast won’t be bored visiting the area, in fact rather opposite; be prepared to be spoilt by a choice of activities.

Those who love walking can find 21 munros (Scottish mountains with a summit of more than 3000ft), with Ben Lomond being the most southerly munro. But this is not the end yet, the park is home to 19 corbetts (mountains over 2,500ft), with Ben A’an being our all-time favourite due to its amazing views over Loch Katrine.

For experienced climbers, The National Park offers many multi-pitch routes and bolted sport climbing, with the iconic mountain The Cobbler (or Ben Arthur) in Arrochar Alps. If you have  no previous climbing experience but are keen to try, visit McLaren Community Leisure Centre in Callander for an indoor climbing wall and/or get lessons from a qualified instructor.

Cyclists can enjoy many car-free routes, including a route along Loch Katrine, suitable for the whole family. Within the park borders one can find routes at different levels of difficulties, suitable for road and mountain bikes.

Since Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park is also a home to the largest lake in the UK, and over 20 stunning lochs (Scottish word for lakes) opportunities for water sports are endless as well. If you dare you can dip for a swim in freshwater, but it is Scotland after all, so expect the water to be very cold.

Kayaking, canoeing or paddling are very popular activities. The park provides opportunities for each level; try smaller and sheltered Loch Lubnaig if you are a beginner. Love the challenge, then enjoy amazing Loch Lomond or try open water at Loch Drunkie. The options are endless!

Even windsurfing lovers won’t be disappointed visiting the park as Loch Lomond is a popular windsurfing destination.

It is not common to find golf courses in a national park. But we are talking about Scotland, the home of golf. So you probably won’t be surprised to learn that there are 7 golf courses within the borders of the park.

By Beata from Stunning Outdoors

    Longshaw Estate

  When looking for the best national parks in the UK, the Peak District springs to mind. After exploring some outdoor spots in and around Sheffield I went to look for the closest places to visit in the Peak District from Sheffield. The residents of South Yorkshire will tell you just how lucky they are to have the Peak District on the doorstep. However, with the Peak District covering such a large area you can’t explore all the sites in the national park within one day. Because the park stretches over many counties, depending on where you are on the map, your experience will be completely unique. From Sheffield, you can easily visit the Longshaw Estate. 

As part of the National Trust, this charity is set up specifically to conserve historic and natural landscapes, and own a percentage of the land in the Peak District National Park. These are landscapes that makeup and can be seen from the Longshaw Estate and bordering footpaths. This gives nature lovers an opportunity to be amongst some of the most preserved nature in the UK. Arriving at the visitor center of this National Trust Property you can start your route at the in house shooting lodge offering spectacular views of the rolling hills of Desert Valley. Following the windy trails, you discover unusual sites here such as millstone quarries to packhorse routes. If you are located in the nearby city of Sheffield you can arrive here by means of a car or public transport. 

The Peak District and estates like Longshaw offer visitors looking for things to do in Sheffield and want to escape to the outdoors in a short space of time. Like most of the national parks, there are many things you can get involved with. Many visitors come here for hiking, abseiling, bouldering and even camping plus there is even more you can get up to. The grounds are open all year round apart from the 24th to the 26th of December. The area has total access including disabled toilets and available wheelchairs. Fox house pub is also another popular local stop which serves a traditional 

British lunch located along the walk nearby, this is also a great starting point to get to the Longshaw Estate or walk further in the Peak District. So when looking for a national park in the UK to get outside and enjoy the crisp taste of air, head out to Sheffield’s peak district and the Longshaw Estate.

By Daniel James from Urban Road

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  North Yorkshire Moors National Park

  The North Yorkshire Moors National park is a beautiful national park in the north of England. Famous for moody landscapes, pretty purple heather, old steam trains and beautiful coastal villages there is so much to see and do in this wonderful UK national park. It is perfect for adventure and nature lovers alike!

The North Yorkshire Moors was one of the first national parks in the UK. It is easy to see why with its wonderfully varied landscapes. Nature lovers can choose from 3 main types of landscapes in the North Yorkshire Moors: woodland, coastal and moorland. There are also many ways to explore these Yorkshire landscapes. 

The North Yorkshire Moors is a hiker’s paradise. You can climb wonderfully named peaks such as Roseberry Topping or walk along the coastline. There are also strange features such as the Devil’s Punchbowl to wander in! For many though, just wondering amongst the heather in August is a highlight of any trip to the North Yorkshire Moors national park. Also, the abundance of rain in this national park means there are some wonderful waterfalls! The waterfalls in Yorkshire are spectacular and you must add Old Meggisson and Falling Foss to your waterfalls in the North Yorkshire Moors bucket list!

Nature lovers will enjoy the beautiful landscapes whether on foot or by train! The North Yorkshire Moors Railway is a heritage railway that runs through the North Yorkshire Moors national park. It was closed but has reopened and is now a major tourist attraction in the area. Therefore, if you don’t fancy getting muddy boots, you can sit in the warmth and admire the beautiful landscape from the comfort of your train seat. If you would like to admire the coastline why not hop on a boat?! There are tours of Whitby harbour or you can join the Three sisters boat trip for the chance to see whales, dolphins and sea birds! 

If you are an adventure lover you might enjoy an adrenaline rush at Dalby forest! Dalby Forest is one of the biggest trail centres in England which offers trails for all abilities. If you are looking for an adventure in the North Yorkshire Moors this is a good place to find it!

There is so much to see and do in this magnificent UK national park. Both adventure lovers and nature lovers will love visiting the North Yorkshire Moors. 

By Anna from My Travel Scrapbook

    Northumberland National Park

Northumberland National Park – England’s Northernmost National Park

  Northumberland National Park is England’s northernmost National Park connecting the area between Hadrian’s Wall and the Scottish border in the north.  Northumberland National Park is all the more stunning as its one of the least visited and populated of England’s National Parks.

The park covers more than 1,000 square kilometres and includes historic houses, like Cragside, to the immense Kielder Water reservoir and the incredible Hadrian’s Wall, which runs from the east to the west coast of the country.

Northumberland National Park is an outstanding park to visit for adventure and nature lovers because of the outdoor activities it offers.  The Park is a Dark Skies site and I can think of nowhere better to get a great look at the night sky without light pollution.  There are many holiday cottages that can be rented within the park areas that are literally in the middle of nowhere, so if it’s splendid isolation you’re looking for, then it’s here you need to come.

There are more than 700 miles of walking paths in the National Park, with trails for all standards – including the Hadrian’s Walk trail from coast to coast and sections of the Pennine Way.  The Kielder Water National Reserve, which is entirely within Northumberland National Park provides for canoeing, sailing and water skiing and is surrounded by glorious walks.  For history lovers, the iconic Hadrian’s Wall is a fascinating trail to talk, either in bite-sized daily pieces or in its entirety – the 135 kilometres route goes from east coast to the west coast.

As one of the least populated and least visited National Parks, Northumberland National Park is a fabulous place to see the natural world.  Here many rivers are home to salmon and trout and annual salmon leaps – where salmon’s return to their spawning ground to breed is a sight to behold.  And when it comes to animals Northumberland has one of England’s secrets.  The park is one of the few places that is still home to the native red squirrel.  In most of England, you can only see the grey squirrel, introduced from the United States, but the red squirrel has made its home here in the woodlands and forest of the National Park.

Northumberland National Park is a stunning, vast area that is all the more special because there are very few visitors here, so head north and experience this amazing place!

By Sarah from Let’s Grow Cook

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  Peak District National Park 

Peak District – The first National Park in the UK

  The Peak District was the first national park in the UK, and still remains one of the most visited. The national park spans 555 square miles and is located within five counties, Derbyshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire, Yorkshire and Greater Manchester. It is one of the most accessible national parks in the UK as it is within a four hour drive for 80% of the UK, making it no surprise that over 10 million people visit a year. The Peak District has 65 miles of off road cycling trails, and 1600 miles of hiking paths and even one of the longest walking trails in the UK, the Pennine Way passes through the Peak District.

The landscape of the park is made up of moorlands, hills and farmlands, and the highest point, Kinder Scout is 636 metres above sea level.

One of the quaintest villages in the Peak District is Castleton in Hope Valley. It has long been a hotspot for hikers, outdoor lovers and history buffs. Situated in Derbyshire, the village can be reached by car or train. The train journey from Sheffield is only half an hour, making it highly accessible.

The charming village of Castleton, is known for being home to Mam Tor, also known as Shivering Mountain. The top of Mam Tor provides dramatic views of the Peak District, and the hike takes only two hours from the village centre, making it a popular amongst families as well as seasoned trekkers. 

Looming high above Castleton is also the 11th century ruins of Peveril Castle, one of England’s earliest Norman fortresses. The castle makes for another great hike in the area as it is perched well above Hope Valley. 

For those who would rather take in some history, Castleton is home to some of the best show caves and caverns in the country, such as Speedwell Cavern, Peak Cavern and Treak Cliff Cavern. To end your visit a traditional afternoon tea or a pub lunch is a must, especially when visiting this beautiful English village in the Peak District.

By Roshni from The Wanderlust Within

    Pembrokeshire National Park

Pembrokeshire National Park – The only coastal National Park in UK

  The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is unique among all UK National Parks, as it’s the only coastal National Park in the country. Most of it is concentrated around the coast of the county of Pembrokeshire in south-west Wales, with a small section inland encompassing the Preseli Hills, a wild, remote range in the north of the county.

Pembrokeshire has always had something of a historic divide, between the Anglicised south and the Welsh-speaking north. The coastal scenery is often wild throughout the county, but it’s more rugged in the north, and there are also far less beaches than the south.

As far as adventure goes, one of the best things to do in Pembrokeshire is the coastal walking. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path was always a bit of a holy grail for long distance walkers, keen to cover the 186 miles (299 km) – this has since been incorporated into the Wales Coast Path, of which it’s one of the best two or three sections. I’ve walked most of the Path, just not in one go.

If you’re a beginner, an 8-mile (12 km) circular walk starting and finishing in the tiny city of St David’s, with the golden sands of Caerfai Bay your first stop. If you’re a more seasoned walker, the final northern section of the walk, from Newport to St Dogmaels, is one of the best coastal hikes you’ll ever attempt.

There are plenty of other activities for the adventurer in Pembrokeshire. It’s one of the places where coasteering – navigating the coastline at sea level – began, and St Non’s Bay, to the south of St David’s, is a great setting for this. You can also try your hand at sea kayaking at nearby Porth Clais, or surfing 6 miles (10 km) east at fantastic Newgale beach.

Pembrokeshire is also known throughout the UK and beyond for its beaches. Barafundle Bay, in the south of the county, is one of the most popular, and I’d also recommend Whitesands Bay near St David’s and Freshwater West, in the south of the county. As for a base to explore Pembrokeshire, St David’s is great, with a medieval cathedral that is the most impressive church in Wales. The seaside town of Tenby is another favourite, with three awesome beaches and one of the most picturesque harbours on the planet.   

By David Angel from Delve into Europe

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  Snowdonia National Park

  The Snowdonia National Park is located in a mountainous region in the Northwestern part of Wales. It has a total size of 823 square miles and was actually the first to be designated as a national park in Wales in 1951. It is home to some of the highest peaks in the UK outside of Scotland. 

Why should you visit? Well, Snowdonia is a dream. It consists of lush green hills, picturesque villages, lots and lots of fluffy sheep and a totally romantic scenery. Still, there is lots of adventure waiting to be discovered – from intense hikes over mountain biking at Coed y Brenin to trying out the longest zip line in Europe at Zip World Velocity. There is really so much to see and do!

But there are also a few hidden treasures that you should put on your list: The South of the park in particular is still a real insider tip away from the hustle and bustle and the demanding tours on the ridges of the Cader Idris is amazing as well as Bodnant Garden, which is one of the most beautiful British gardens.

Even if Snowdon can be overcrowded at times, you shouldn’t miss the highest mountain in Wales. There are many paths to its summit in various degrees of difficulty and it does give you the best feeling to actually reach the peak, feeling super tired but also super proud.

A trip to Newborough Warren, one of the most beautiful dune landscapes in Great Britain, is also worthwhile. This patch of Earth is very popular with the Welsh. The beach is full of families and youth groups splashing, grilling and/or drinking beer in the water. We suggest taking a leisurely stroll to the tidal island of Ynys Llanddwyn. According to legend, Dor founded a monastery at Dwynwen, the patron saint of Welsh lovers.

Not an insider tip, but the hike up to the Cnicht is still nice and quite lonely! The Cnicht is often referred to as the “Matterhorn of Wales” due to its striking shape. According to our hiking guide, the tour to its summit should last 6 hours, whereas it took us 3 hours to make it to the top. I don’t know how we did it, but I guess we found a secret shortcut, which is so secret that we met no one but dirty sheep. We won’t tell you where it is, but we’re sure you’ll find it!

By Clemens Sehi from Travellers Archive

    South Downs National Park

South Downs National Park – Youngest national park in Great Britain

  South Downs National Park is located in south-east England. This is the youngest national park in Great Britain. It covers an area of approximately 1,600 square kilometres and stretches over 140 kilometres between the city of Winchester in the west and Eastbourne in the east. South Downs National Park was established only in 2010. Although its creation was recommended in 1947, it took the authorities 52 years to make a decision. Implementation of the plan took another decade. Finally, the park opened its doors officially only on April 1, 2011.

The park stretches across three counties: Hampshire, West Sussex and East Sussex. It covers the range of Cretaceous South Down hills, which terminate in the chalky cliffs of Beachy Head in Eastbourne, and much of West Weald, which is characterized by heavily forested sandstone and clay hills and valleys. Visiting this part of England is a must! Our favourite place is Seven Sister Cliffs – one of the most stunning landscapes in Southern England. 160 km South Downs Way runs through the park, which is one of the National Trails long distance routes in Great Britain and the only one that lies entirely within the national park.

Thanks to very good train connections with London, the area is the favourite destination for weekend getaways for the residents of the British capital. The hills are a great place for walking, cycling and horse riding. There are as many as 3200 kilometres of well-marked paths throughout the park, so everybody will find a suitable trial.

South Downs is not only nature, but also history. Man has already inhabited these lands in prehistoric times. Most archaeological finds come from the Roman period. However, the most famous is Cissbury Ring – the second largest fort in the UK and one of the largest in Europe. The chalky cliffs of Beachy Head attract not only tourists but also film crews. It was here that he reached the shore after the crusade “Robin Hood Prince of Thieves” played by Kevin Costner. 

If you love nature and plan visiting one of the National Parks in the UK, start with South Downs. It really is one of the most stunning parks in the United Kingdom!

By Darek from Darek and Gosia

    Yorkshire Dales National Park

Yorkshire Dales National Park – One of the Most Stunning National Parks in UK

  Yorkshire is the largest county in the UK so it is no surprise that it is also home to one of the most stunning National Parks in the UK. The Yorkshire Dales National Park was formed in 1954 in recognition of its extraordinary natural beauty and was extended to reach further into Cumbria, Lancashire and more of Yorkshire in 2016. 

The Yorkshire Dales National Park is a vast and interesting place to visit and can occupy any outdoor enthusiast for months with an array of activities, sights to see and more. You won’t just be filled with natural beauty and stunning views but also warm welcomes and kind hearts welcoming you into their homes and villages. 

Depending on what you love to do will depend on where in the Yorkshire Dales National Park you want to go. Though anywhere you go you will find something to do. If you like to visit film locations then the Yorkshire Dales is a place for you, with scenes from Harry Potter films at Malham Cove’s stunning limestone walls and villages such as Kettlewell playing a big role in the 2003 Calendar Girls film starring Dame Helen Mirren and Julie Walters. 

One of the biggest challenges for hiking enthusiasts is the Yorkshire Three Peaks, a 24-mile hike up three of the biggest hills, Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales. This can be done as part of a tour, by yourself (there are some rules before taking on the challenge) or as part of fundraising activity. 

One of my favourite activities to do while in the Yorkshire Dales is walking and hiking. There are stunning views and walks around the villages, to waterfalls and by rivers. Visit some of the stunning limestone features with the most popular being Malham Cove and don’t forget to see the peaceful reservoir of Malham Tarn.

Other activities include rock climbing, nature works and visiting some of the many waterfalls in and around the hills and villages. Many of the local village pubs have beer gardens that back onto rivers and streams so you can spend a sunny afternoon having lunch by the water. Along with visiting places above ground level, you can also explore some of the natural caves such as Yordas Cave or Ingleborough Caves. 

There are so many diverse activities you can do in and around the Yorkshire Dales National Park that it would take a lifetime to see and do them all. 

By Helen & Cora Harrison from Inside Our Suitcase

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Best National Parks in the United Kingdom (UK) U.K. Travel Bucket List - Best National Parks The month is May and the year 2020, the World as we know it, has been in lockdown mode for the better part of the year now, as COVID - 19, is spreading like wildfire everywhere.