#Landlocked Press

[uwmspeccoll]

Decorative Sunday

Michigan artist Pati Scobey (b. 1954) has always made prints that have a highly decorative but surreal quality. This can be seen in her 1986 color-linocut accordion book Mining of the Heart, printed in Madison, Wisconsin at Walter Tisdale's Landlocked Press. When this book was printed, Scobey had already received her MFA from UW-Madison in 1984 and Tisdale was still working on his BS there. Both were students of the infamous and legendary Walter Hamady and were part of one of the most remarkable cohort of art students to come out of Madison that also included Barbara Tetenbaum, Kathy Kuehn, Ruth Lingen, Jim Lee, and John Bennett, among others.

Our copy of Mining of the Heart is another donation from the estate of our late friend Dennis Bayuzick.

View other books from the estate of Dennis Bayuzick.

View more Decorative Sunday posts.

[gaytkachuk]

It's quiet, finally.

Truth be told, Leon should have left a while ago. He can hear the white noise of the vacuum in some other wing of the locker room, and he knows it's time to leave. He should have gone with Connor, when his hand had landed gently on his shoulder and squeezed, ever so slightly. But Leon had kept his head down, his eyes locked on the tv static carpet, and waited. Truth is, he didn't want to risk seeing Matthew. Didn't want to feel whatever he feels about him right now, because that would hurt more than anything, to know that he couldn't get the job done, that he'd been effectively shut down by his stupid fucking presence on the ice. And he knows they flow well on the ice together, so well that he doesn't want to go down that trail of thought, the one that leads him to sunnier pastures in coastal cities. He wants to stay landlocked, in life and internally with his emotions. There's a reason he's afraid of the ocean and its void.

He takes a breath, finally. Pulls on his suit jacket, and wanders out into the hall. He's fucked. Matthew's there, jogging towards the home locker room. Looking light and drunk and loose. And he sees Leon, runs a hand through his hair.

His smile is dopey. No hint of a smirk, just bliss. He says something like "forgot my phone" but there's cotton in Leon's ears and he can't stop staring at Matthew's lips. He's frozen like he was all series, can't do anything about it. Matthew's smile drops a bit, and he approaches Leon like a skittish horse. "I know nothing I say right now will help, but you put up one helluva fight." He sticks out his hand like he wants to rehash the short, jerky movement of their meeting in the handshake line. Leon looks at it and thinks those fingers have touched the cup.

He can't. Can't even look. He closes his eyes and hears the soft movement of fabric. Matthew's arms wrap around him, his hand settles on the back of his neck, like this is normal, like they've done it before. Leon lifts his head and presses his face into the side of Matthew's neck. He'll let himself have this, for a moment.

He can hear Matthew's breathing speed up, and that's when Leon pulls away.

He pats the scruffy cheek in front of him (too close), "Good work out there."

Matthew rolls his eyes, goes to say something, but Leon pulls away, shakes his head like he knows what it is, and walks.

He can feel eyes on him, but he refuses to look back.

The ugly side of his soul hopes Matthew feels like he lost something tonight too.

[indigosabyss]

Call Back A Warning AU

"Which branch of the US military did you say you were again?" Ukyo asked, timidly.

The man sitting across from him with his spine deadly straight stared him down, "Special Forces." He repeated what he had briskly said when they first met.

"Yeah, but is that like the Marines, or...?" Ukyo fumbled for an answer Stanley Snyder was not benevolent enough to give him. Okay then.

Everything about this was strange. A random Japanese sonar operator wasn't reassigned to a top-secret project that multiple nations were cooperating on. Not without much drilling and warning.

Yet he had received none of that. Just a rushed verbal handover. And now he was in the care of this crack team of soldiers, flying to Houston, Texas.

A landlocked city was a strange place to require a sonar operator's presence. So it definitely had to do with something that Ukyo might be able to do for them.

"Any briefing you need to get done?" He asked, hopefully.

Snyder looked away, "I don't think I'm cleared to talk about it."

It was when they made landfall that he finally got more context than what his anxiety-filled nerves cooked up.

"Ah, the second General, brilliant!" A man with a white pompadour greeted him the second Ukyo walked out of the jet.

"I'm just enlisted..." Ukyo tried to correct, only to be cut off.

"Not what I meant. I'm sure Stan didn't think of explaining the situation to you?" The man asked, pulling out a briefcase, "We would've taken more time, but once he made landfall and located you, things got more dire."

He opened the case to reveal a stone statue of a swallow. Ukyo remembered a picture of a whole flock left decorating a tree on his feed in the one second he got to check his phone.

"This is a warning shot." The scientist explained, cryptically.

And then, much less cryptically: "We want you to go to space."

"What." His ears had apparently chosen this exact moment to fail him.

"You'll be accompanied by a student of mine, and a young man I'm assured has remarkable instincts that we are currently trying to contact. We'll explain more at the JSC, but time is running drastically short-" The man continued to talk.

"Xeno, you can't just spill state secrets in the open like this." Snyder frowned, guiding Ukyo along into an SUV anyway.

"Please, Stan, anyone with working braincells can piece together that these are real birds." Xeno scoffed, "And the radio transmission from the future? It doesn't belong to the state."

Snyder had the gall to laugh for the first time since Ukyo had met him, "Alright, you fucking commie. Kid, any pressing questions you wanna ask?"

"You know there's a difference between a submarine and a spaceship, right?" Was his first, panic-stricken question. Before he cringed and backtracked, "Also. Everything. I need to know everything. Been underwater for a really long time."

[typosandtea]

FALLOUTOBER DAY 3: TALL GRASS

[Just a little writing snippet since I didn’t get time to do anything yesterday!]

As a kid Murphy had always loved watching the wind ripple through the paddocks, there was always something so mesmerising the way they moved like swell out on the sea. Sail boats and sea monsters would follow them along in her minds eye as they rode into town on those windy days, oh how she misses the simplicity of it all. She smiles to herself at the warm memory as she glides low, low, lower untill her wingtips are in danger of distirbing the rolling sea of brown rushing below her. Overcast and dim day it is, they have opted to travel earlier with the remaining light unlike the usual night ops. On some level she knows that nearing these landlocked seas is a risk now, safely hiding friend and foe alike in their noisily rippling depths, but right now she doesn't care, lost in the dance of riding the air currents. The blustery autumn gale is biting at the exposed skin on her face and hands as she dives and swoops with the impending storm, she'll have to find some gloves soon for winter flying to be bearable she supposes. Being as distracted as she is she nearly misses a distant murmur growing over the wind in her ears, with a jolt of panic she recognises the distinctive sound of a far off vertibird. A quick flip around and she spots Danse among the neck deep grass, his demeanour unconcerned, he hasn't heard it yet! Louder the approaching 'bird roars but still out of sight over the ridge, she dives towards danse landing just behind for a running tackle into the grass. Evidently surprised at the sudden collision danse struggles for a moment, the danger nears, and he freezes as he hears it too. She's glad he's opted to travel todays short distance without his armour, she thinks. Or the gaudy orange jumpsuit, the brown flannel and jeans he's chosen is much less noticeable, (she does wonder how he isn't cold without a jacket). lying frozen still on the ground, her molted grey-brown wings hopefully adequately covering them. The wind ripples the grass. The engines near. They wait on baited breath. Pressed together in the grass as they are Murphy can't help but notice the closeness between them, she wishes she hadn't. Hearts hammering in time with the approaching propsync, the grass ripples with greater intensity. Louder louder it roars, damn thing must be nearly on top of them now! She isn't a praying woman but in that moment she throws a thought to the wind, pleading not to be found, to be overlooked. She can feel danse besides her, equally tense as she is, both looking up trying to watch and not be spotted in equal mesures. What feels like an eternity later the roar fades as the danger passes, and they breathe a sigh of relief nearly in sync.

[bigdumbbambieyes]

their first summer in Cali is full of sunshine, hot sand, and a seawater breeze

it’s ruffling Steve’s hair where he sits on the beach, watching his boyfriend paddle out on his board, the muscles on his back working to make Steve’s mouth dry (and it does)

he takes gulps of his warm water and gives the sky a pinched look, wiping the sweat from his upper lip and still tasting salt when he swipes his tongue across it

looking back at the water, he sees Billy catch a wave; swims with it for a moment, pushes himself up - and falls

Steve smiles only when Billy’s head pops back up and he can faintly hear the blond cursing the wax on his board, as if he hadn’t done it himself earlier that morning in their backyard

surfing is a waiting game, Steve’s come to learn. it makes Billy the most patient person he’s ever known. sometimes, his boyfriend waits all day, for nothing, and Steve wonders how that could be fun

but, he knows that Billy’s happier sitting on his board in a waveless ocean than he ever was for a second in Hawkins. and while Steve sometimes misses the midwest, with its comfortable, boring familiarity, the future that they’ve drawn out together keeps him from being too homesick

Billy comes back, dripping water all over their blanket and sticking his board into the sand where he knows it’ll give Steve some shade

“you’re looking hot,” Billy huffs with a smile, flicks his hands so water drops onto Steve’s face and chest

it’s a little refreshing and Steve reaches a hand out to him, “yeah, feeling it, too.”

Billy takes it and pulls Steve to his feet, doesn’t step back when his boyfriend is only inches away from his face now

Steve sees the freckles scattered across Billy’s nose and shoulders - they’ve bloomed right before his eyes under the hot sun for the past week

and where the sun carefully kisses a tan and freckles across Billy’s nose and shoulders, it bites Steve

“maybe we need to invest in an umbrella for your pale midwest ass,” Billy mutters with a smirk, presses his fingertip against Steve’s nose gently - and it hurts

definitely sunburnt

“yeah, think so,” Steve smiles, knowing he probably looks stupid with his red nose and cheeks but Billy still kisses him behind his surfboard, keeps him close until he’s had his fill

even gives Steve a little smack on the ass when he pulls away, hums, “still look good enough to eat.”

“good thing we packed a lunch,” he replies dumbly, but Billy still humours him with a little laugh

easy and familiar

“wanna go for a dip before we eat?” Billy asks, trailing his cool fingers down the side of Steve’s arm

and Steve swears his boyfriend is part fish, with how much he loves the water. he can’t even begin to imagine how badly he’d missed the ocean during that year and some months in Hawkins

landlocked. like Steve had been all his life, until he’d met the ocean in the form of angry blue eyes in 1984.

and the ocean is vast and demanding but Steve knows he’s safe with Billy, so he nods, mutters, “yeah,” and watches a grin bloom on that handsome face just for him

the heat of the sun is worth it, even later, when Steve is red and hot and whining about his burns while Billy carefully rubs aloe onto his skin and promises a beach umbrella

[beardedmrbean]

Ethiopia and Somalia have agreed to end their bitter dispute over Addis Ababa's plans to build a port in the breakaway republic of Somaliland following talks in Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the "historic agreement", which he said would eventually ensure landlocked Ethiopia's access to the sea.

At the press conference he held hands with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who both agreed to respect one another's "sovereignty".

The two neighbours have been at loggerheads since January when Ethiopia signed a maritime deal with Somaliland - which Somalia considers as part of its territory.

It prompted fears of a wider regional conflict as Egypt has been backing Somalia - largely due to its anger with Ethiopia for building a dam on the River Nile.

Turkey has in recent years become an important geopolitical player in the Horn of Africa as it has close economic ties with Addis Ababa and security deals with Mogadishu.

Ethiopia-Somaliland deal: Can the Horn of Africa rift be healed?

Ethiopia warns against invasion amid regional tensions

Why Ethiopia is so alarmed by an Egypt-Somalia alliance

Erdogan said the agreement - announced on Wednesday night in the Turkish capital, Ankara - was "the first step towards a new beginning".

"I congratulate both my brothers for reaching to this historic reconciliation with devotion and thank them for their constructive attitude," he said.

President Mohamud said his country was "ready to work with the Ethiopian leadership and the Ethiopian people".

While Prime Minister Abiy insisted Ethiopia's efforts to secure and reliable access to the sea did not threaten Somalia and the two had "addressed the misunderstandings that have occurred over the past year".

The feud began on New Year's Day, when Abiy signed a controversial deal with Somaliland to lease a 20km (12-mile) section of its coastline for 50 years to set up a naval base.

In exchange, Ethiopia - the world's most-populous landlocked nation - was to reportedly recognise Somaliland as an independent country, although Addis Ababa never explicitly confirmed this.

Somaliland, which broke away from Somalia more than 30 years ago, has long been pushing for recognition - but Mogadishu described the move as an act of "aggression".

According to the Ankara joint declaration, the two Horn of Africa neighbours are to reconvene in February to hold "technical talks".

In the interim they will strive to reach "mutually beneficial commercial arrangements" to ensure Ethiopia gains access to the sea "under Somalia's sovereignty".

It is not clear if Ethiopia has discarded the deal it signed with Somaliland - something demanded by Somalia at earlier mediation efforts.

Last month, Somaliland elected a new president - former opposition leader Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi - who promised to "review" the maritime deal.

During his inauguration speech on Thursday morning he made no mention of it.

Somaliland is located in a strategic part of the world, and is seen as a gateway to the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea.

[erisenyo]

"what happened doesn't change anything" with zukka ;))) i love denial

For this prompt game!

Sokka finally clears his throat into the stunned, heavy silence, needing to try a few times before he can actually get the words out. “What—what happened doesn’t change anything.”

His whole body feels like it’s buzzing with a distant kind of numbness as Zuko just stares back at him, pale-faced and eyes too wide.

“Right?” Sokka presses, digging his fingers into the couch cushion as something desperate squirms in his chest. “It’s—it’s fine.”

“Fine,” Zuko echoes, toneless, hands pinned between his knees in that way he does when he’s trying to ground himself.

“We can just—it was just an idea, right?” Sokka says, flailing for the words that will take the shocky look off Zuko’s face, that will silence the little voice saying he never should have opened this door, never should have even thought about stepping through it. “It’s nothing we have to do, it’s just…”

Zuko is still staring at him and Sokka trails off, unsure which of them he’s trying to reassure right now.

“Nothing has to change,” Sokka finally says again, firmer, like he can will it into being. “It can just—we can just be exactly the same.” Zuko twitches a little. “We don’t—just because it happened doesn’t mean…” Sokka drifts off again, unsure what to say next, because it did happen, it’s still happening, and he can see that knowledge in the slow, deliberate breath Zuko finally takes.

“I don’t think,” Zuko says, low and just a bit more hoarse than usual, “That we can pretend it didn’t happen.”

Sokka closes his eyes, aware of the truth of Zuko’s words but needing to believe that they can. “Change is a choice, right?” he tries, hearing the words come out shaky and desperate.

Zuko gives him a sideways look. “And we just choose not to change?”

“Exactly,” Sokka says, trying to sound confident and not like he’s stiff and upright on his couch cushion when normally they’d both be sprawling, leaning, relaxing, slumping into each other, Zuko frozen too like they’re both afraid that if they move it will somehow make it—

“…Okay.”

Sokka twitches a little in surprise. “Okay?” he repeats, unsure if he actually heard it right.

“Okay,” Zuko says, nodding once, like it’s decided. Then, after they both let out a shaky, relieved breath, “Who’s going to tell Azula and Katara that?”

Sokka opens his mouth and slowly closes it again, panic climbing back up into his throat as Zuko just looks back, wordless.

“I’m sure Azula isn’t…totally attached to a seven-course formal dinner,” Sokka finally says, weak, both of them digesting in the ensuing silence the idea of Azula not being totally attached to anything she’s already planned.

“And Katara wasn’t…” Zuko takes a bracing breath. “She wasn’t serious about the colors being green and...bright pink?”

Sokka swallows hard as he weighs Katara’s seriousness against her binder stuffed to the brim with mood boards, sample fabrics, and clothing ideas. The number of electric pink suits she’d managed to find…

“And there are still beaches there, right?” Sokka says, feeling that desperate thing in his chest getting a little bigger.

“It’s landlocked,” Zuko says, faint.

“Like on the sides of—of rivers, or ponds, or—it’s a fancy resort, right? There has to be water features?”

“There’s sand,” Zuko finally says, “In the golf course.”

“That’s…that’s beachy,” Sokka tries, hearing how thin the words sound even before he sees them reflected back in the uncertainty on Zuko’s face, both of them sinking back into the stupor they were left in behind the organizational juggernaut of Katara and Azula deciding to team up, heavy silence sweeping back over them.

“It’s fine,” Zuko finally says, determined.

“Totally fine,” Sokka agrees, bright.

“This doesn’t have to change anything.”

“Not at all.”

“Not the important stuff.”

“Right,” Sokka nods, putting every bit of conviction he has into it.

Another long, tight silence as they both weigh the words against the combined momentum of Katara and Azula sharing a vision.

Then, “We should just elope, right?”

“Yes, definitely yes. When does city hall���”

(Can be read as a follow-up to this and this)

[thoughtlessarse]

Ethiopia and Somalia have agreed to end their bitter dispute over Addis Ababa's plans to build a port in the breakaway republic of Somaliland following talks in Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan welcomed the "historic agreement", which he said would eventually ensure landlocked Ethiopia's access to the sea. At the press conference he held hands with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who both agreed to respect one another's "sovereignty". The two neighbours have been at loggerheads since January when Ethiopia signed a maritime deal with Somaliland - which Somalia considers as part of its territory. It prompted fears of a wider regional conflict as Egypt has been backing Somalia - largely due to its anger with Ethiopia for building a dam on the River Nile. Turkey has in recent years become an important geopolitical player in the Horn of Africa as it has close economic ties with Addis Ababa and security deals with Mogadishu.

continue reading

[hpsaffics]

🏝️ WLW Wed: Hot Girl Summer 🏝️

A biweekly HP femslash rec list made by the lovely members of the HP SAFFICS (18+) discord server. See all previous rec lists in the WLW Library.

Currently: Hot Girl Summer Previously: Bellamione (see list & list)

—

🍹 Long (>10k) 🍹

hard feelings of love by thelibraryofsappho [Mary/Lily, M, 23.4k]

It's the Summer of 1978. A time for getting wine-drunk, sunburnt and falling in love. Lily Evans has suceeded at doing all three, however the girl she loves doesn't love her back (or maybe she does?)

Icarus by @thistlecatfics [Parvati/Millicent/Pansy, M, 20.0k]

A year after the war, Parvati runs into Pansy and Millicent at a club in Ibiza and finds herself embedded in their debauchery. None of it’s healthy, and it works until it doesn’t.

Time After Time by @thesleepiesthufflepuff [Luna/Ginny, T, 13.1k]

A few weeks after the Battle of Hogwarts, Luna buys an ice cream truck.

—

👙 Medium (3-10k) ���

Landlocked, Oceanbound by @nanneramma [Luna/Pansy, T, 7.5k]

Luna has her birds, her secret, and the sea. What else could she possibly want?

Eternal Placeholder by diplobeanz [Hermione/Pansy, E, 7.4k]

Girls just wanna have fun…and maybe a little bit more.

between burning and blooming by @evadwrites [Daphne/Pansy, T, 5.5k]

There are traces of laughter in Daphne’s smile, and she is the embodiment of summer, insisting on wearing sundresses even though all the locals are still donning jeans. Pansy catches herself staring at Daphne’s lips... there’s no coming back from what she’s about to do, yet she still does it, enchanted by the possibilities of a shared forever, of their lives changing (yet again).

A Cliff in July by Miss M (missm) [Marietta/Millicent, M, 5.0k]

A chance meeting at a remote Muggle hotel, the summer when everything changes.

Sand (in my heart) by illustrating_writer [Luna/Pansy, T, 4.6k]

Pansy and Draco spend a day at the beach. (A day at the beach more like a day at the great gay panic)

Midsummer Night's Magic by @kiertorata [Lavender/Parvati, T, 3.8k]

An ancient midsummer night's rite doesn't work, or maybe it does. Obliviousness, magic, summer and wine, and post-war vibes.

—

🩳 Short (<3k) 🩳

MILF by @luxuriousmalfoy [Astoria/Narcissa, E, 2.7k]

Astoria is faced with past hurt and temptation when she agrees to go on a family vacation with her best friend—and his mother.

Love Me Meow by ??? [Arabella/Minerva, E, 2.6k]

After the students leave for the summer, Headmaster McGonagall and the new Muggle Studies professor have a chance and sensuous encounter at the beach.

Pin Drop by @hazellepotter [Minerva/Dolores, T, 2.2k]

Dolores would always be the one that got away, but at least Minerva never lost herself like Dolores did and became who she was destined to be.

the press of heat by @ebp-brain [Luna/Ginny, E, 1.8k]

It's summer, it's late, it's hot, and Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood touch each other for the first time on the front porch.

Life Is Good by @siriusly-sapphic [Hermione/Narcissa, G, 1.2k]

Narcissa surprises herself with the number of times she thinks that little sentence, surprises herself with how genuinely happy she is with the way her life turned out, even if she’s no longer surprised at all by the person who gave it to her. She’s happy.

—

👡 Want more Hot Girl Summer fics? 👡

Tags on AO3: Summer | Beaches | Swimming | Camping

WLW Library: Tumblr | Tag | AO3

[fiiirsthero]

@query-bot asked: Do you know how to sail? If so, how did you learn? If not, why not?

Well that certainly seemed like a question that had come out of thin air. Link blinked for a moment before pressing his lips together tightly, mulling over the question to come up with an answer to it.

"Not really. I've had to be on a boat only once or twice in my life; I've always felt far more comfortable with solid ground 'neath my feet. Doesn't seem to hard an' I'm sure I could figure it out, push came to shove, but I'm content bein' landlocked."

The ocean was far too big and it had far too many monsters that dwell beneath the surface. Exploring it could be left for adventures braver than he was.

[bigolemantiddies]

@vanleebogdan

Billy is a sealkie, his mom was one too. Neil has his skin, that's why he controls so much of Billy, and one of the reasons why they came to Hawkins is too keep Billy away from the ocean too

----

It would have been bad enough losing his coat to Neil forever, but losing the ocean? He couldn't see it, and the wind didn't even bring the smell of it in. He was landlocked, he was alone, and he couldn't run. Didn't have anywhere to run to.

No wonder he bit. No wonder he snapped and pushed back, refused to fit in and defied the man who stole his coat in anyway he could.

He was going to be stuck here forever, Neil leeching his magic to keep himself young, surrounded by /dirt/.

Until.

Until a set of big brown eyes looked right through his human form.

Billy's inherent charm didn't work on him. Eddie didn't seem to be easily seduced, at least the usual selkie tricks wouldn't cloud his eyes over the way Billy wanted. Seduce and lose, that's how he did it.

But Eddie stuck around. His music was enchanting to Billy, and he wondered if this human was more magical than he initially thought.

He was just a human. Just a very, very annoyingly nice human. Refused to leave Billy alone, even when Billy started fights and threw nasty words, Eddie hung around.

So Billy let him. He was the best damn thing about this dry town.

Eddie knew what he was, told him so, promised him through kisses that he would steal Billy's coat from his awful father and then they'd be free from this town. Billy just smiled and held him tighter, untrusting of this human man but charmed by him. There was no way Eddie could get his coat, and even if he did Billy was sure he would keep it for himself. Trapped again in another man's control.

Then it happened. One night Eddie was banging on his window, told him to hurry, they needed to go. Billy obeyed, unsure but unable to stop himself from clambering out the window in his room and tumbling into Eddie's arms. His van was running, packed it seemed, and Eddie rushed them into it, peeling away from the trailer park and towards the highway.

It wasn't until the got passed the Hawkings town line that Eddie relaxed and responded to Billy's demands for an explanation, reaching into his backpack and handing Billy a dark and shiny pelt.

His coat. Eddie just handed it back to him.

"You could use this to keep me. I'd be your wife and would do whatever you said if you had this."

"I don't want that." Eddie's brown eyes were soft as they looked at each other. "I stole it for you. It's yours. We're going to California and you're getting back to the ocean."

It took a bit for the words to sink in. Billy's coat dampened as tears dripped onto it, grateful, happy tears. Relief that he had his life back. Sadness his mother never got to see the ocean before she died.

They drove and drove until they finally hit the coast, and by then Billy couldn't help himself. It had been years since he swam, but his body would never forget. The ocean welcomed him like the arms of his mother, his coat wrapping around him until he was free. Home.

But, Eddie.

Billy's head surfaced near the edge of the dock he had dove off of, leaning into Eddie's hand as it reached down to pet him, tears splashing into the water. They couldn't be apart, not now. Eddie drove hundreds of miles for him, touched his coat and didn't demand a thing from him.

Billy's arms shot out of the water and around Eddie's neck, dragging him into the water and to the bottom. He struggled, but Billy held tight, pressing their mouths together until finally his body stilled. The ocean would take him, she would make him one of her own.

Their bodies settled to the sandy ocean floor, and Billy began to tear at his own skin, stitching it to Eddie's, melding them. Eddie's eyes shot open, he coughed out the rest of the air from his lungs, and took a deep breath of the water.

Together. Forever. The ocean would be their home.

[eorziapple]

7) finding a somewhat private area at a fancy party to fuck (coat closet, empty office, secluded corner on the big balcony, hedge maze if we wanna get dramatic, etc)  :3c

It was truly an honor to be invited to the Admiral's Table. Of course, it wasn't her -actual- table, but adapting the old sailor's tradition into Limsan Politics was a natural fit, and it worked well. For Apple, it was the first time she'd merited an invite herself, and for most participants, an invitation for advancing the understanding of Anthropological Magics wasn't quite as sexy as monster slaying or finding new trade routes and inviting fortune amongst the merchants.

She really did not wish to be there, as social as she had become since her near death experience, there were limits to her extroverted tolerance, and being in a room with roughly a thousand was quite a bit over it. She caught up with a few family friends, mostly asking after her mother, including the boisterous and excitable Immovable Rod. "Apple! Lass ya sprouted up like a damn tree since I last laid eyes on ya! Come 'ere an' give ol' Uncle Rod a big 'ug ya landlocked rodent!" Apple grimaced, It wasn't entirely -unpleasant- to see "Uncle" Rod, one of her mother's old crewmates that also survived her encounter with Leviathan, but he had a habit of not having any idea what propriety meant and it wasn't long before the stories came. It was deep into the -third- tale about her mother's shore leave sexual conquests when Apple spotted a lifeline. Klynt, looking out of place wearing a well pressed outfit and a rather handsome overcoat, she seemed to be flirting with an elezen man, who, from the looks of it, seemed more and more out of his depth as their conversation carried out, indeed, he seemed to have mounted a hasty retreat, leaving Klynt nursing a drink and her pride a bit, it seemed. "Sorry Rod, meeting up with a friend over there! Gotta go." She interrupted his current horrific tale and made for Klynt. "Hah! Dont gotta lie to me, lass. You've got that Mercer blood in ya, you 'ave fun with tonight's piece, ehh?" Apple groaned, as always, to his teasing.

For once though, he wasn't -entirely- wrong about her intentions.

Meeting up with Klynt was like coming up to the surface for air after an entire evening of drowning, for both of them, she suspected. They quickly found a table, grabbed drinks and appetizers, and settled in for the formalities of the evening. It had been a few months since she'd seen Klynt, even longer since they'd shared a bed, life had seen them both quite busy, it had seemed. Apple found in their reunion that she'd missed her terribly. After all that had happened between them, there was a connection between them that was comforting, she was a trusted friend, and someone she felt she had a genuine amount of love for. Her mind wandered to the past, long conversations, arguments, tears, laughter and joy. She felt Klynt's hand pressing against the fabric of her dress, running along her thigh, dipping in over her crotch. Apple whimpered and looked around, terrified that anyone could see... no one took notice. Her memories turned to those of passion and pleasure, night making love under the stars, admiring her lover's body, watching her writhe. A whisper was all it took to steal away Apple's good sense and sanity. "Wanna find a closet?" Yes. Yes she very much did want to find a closet. They hurried away from the stately ballroom to the stately hallway, a decent crowd was still amassed around so they ducked into the stairwell leading up, pausing midway to alleviate their need with a passionate kiss, both of their hands wandered with abandon, she was almost tempted.. almost. but instead grasped Klynt's hand and hurried along, finding the door marked 'Storage', a beacon of light in the darkness at the moment. She grasped the door knob and flung it open, expecting Klynt to fling her inside and get to work. Instead, she found the site of a rather burly looking Raegadyn, a Sea Wolf, from the looks of it, and she certainly got a look of all of it, stark nude and enjoying the rather talented oral ministrations of a lithe and slender Viera, also quite nude, and tending to his own erection as he was working on his lovers. Though the both jumped a bit and paused to look at them, once the two realized they likely were not to get turned in, and indeed, the two ladies had the same idea that they had, the Viera simply shrugged and wrapped his lips back around his lover's cock. "Sorry luv's" the Roegadyn spoke "Men's only function 'ere, i'm sure you'll find one fer the ladies." The words snapped Apple out of her slack jawed surprise and finally made her avert her gaze. For Klynt's part, she seemed a little disappointed that women weren't allowed before remembering what she was trying to do. Carefully closing the door, the looked around. Apple jumped a bit as Klynt grabbed her from behind, and begain to kiss along her neck, hands wandering and groping as they saw fit. "I kin take ya right here lass, I'm sure no one'll show..." 'Bullshite' Apple thought, though her thoughts were getting a bit scrambled... she pulled away, somehow, and walked down the hall a bit, to the very end, a double door, nice looking finish on the wood as well, even a gold trim. "Fuck it." the rare curse escaped Apple's mouth "I'm desperate." She gave the door a few knocks to make sure no one was in there. Muttering and tracing a arcanic circle on the door frame, Klynt looked as Apple's eyes darkened a bit and her shadow seemed to stretch underneath the doorframe. About a minute passed before a satisfying click was heard on the other side, and the shadow returned and Apple's hazel eyes returned to their natural hue. "We've got 30 minutes before the event ends." she warned Klynt as she opened the door.

Klynt clearly took that as a challenge, for as soon as she locked the door behind them, Klynt had Apple tossed onto the rather decadent bed, her dressed hemmed up over her knees, and her head locked in between Apple's legs. Apple had never been so turned on. Breaking into a room, overcome with pure lust, reuniting with her friend and lover after all this time?

She was undone in less than a minute.

Right as she was recovering, the stars fading from her eyes, she was taken aback as Klynt grabbed her forcefully, rolling over the side of the bed, and then underneath, she then realized why. There was a clinking at the door. As it opened they heard voices, a conversation already in motion, a dim light illuminating the room as the first lamps were turned on. "Seems a bit early to leave, don't you think so, marm?" Apple didn't recognize the voice, of course. "I think we're a little past 'Marm'?" That voice she did recognize. "I've been traveling all across the city states for three weeks, I'm overdue some indulgencies, do you not think?" there was the clink of belts, and a long overcoat dropped to the floor. "Don't answer that. We've done plenty of talking for one evening as it is. Put your mouth to other uses."

Anyone would have recognized -that- voice. Admiral -bloody- Bloefhiswyn. Apple tensed up, and felt Klynt do so as well holding her protectively, the only thing keeping her from panic, though, panix soon turned to something else entirely. Gasps, chuckling and giggling. Hungry moans, the site of clothes thrown about the room with reckless abandon. A thump on the mattress above them, then another.

Apple was terrified, mortified, and aroused all at once. She could hear Klynt holding back a disbelieving chuckle from behind and then.

Oh no... Klynt... no.

She dared not actually say anything as the mischievous woman moved her hands hiking up Apple's dress once more, snaking up to tend to the poor Hyur's very aroused need. A slight, panicked, pleasured whimper escaped Apple's lips before Klynt gently put her other hand over them. "Shhhh." she heard whispered into her ear. She could picture the grin from behind. This was insane, idiotic, imbecilic, -dangerous-.

But in the end, she shifted her legs just so.

She swore on the Thirteen that she would make Klynt pay for this.

She also thanked them that the Admiral was a rather vocal lovemaker, it turned out.

[mariacallous]

VVP v ICC: Vladimir Putin will test the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for the first time on September 3 when he visits Mongolia to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the Battles of Khalkhin Gol, which resulted in the USSR’s victory in the undeclared Soviet–Japanese border conflicts. Mongolia is a signatory to the so-called Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which formally obligates the nation’s authorities to arrest Putin as soon as he sets foot in the country on ICC charges issued in March 2023 for alleged war crimes related to the unlawful deportation and transfer of children in occupied Ukraine. (Mongolia is landlocked between Russia and China, making it virtually impossible to extract Putin to The Hague, even if the local authorities decided to honor the country’s Rome Statute commitments. The Kremlin’s press release says Mongolian President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh invited Putin.) 

[readyforevolution]

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT LESOTHO 🇱🇸

1. Lesotho was formerly known as Basutoland. The country’s full name today is ‘The Kingdom of Lesotho’ and it gained independence from the UK in 1966 after 100 years of colonial rule.

(Source: BBC)

2. The Sani Pass in Lesotho has been named one of the world’s most dangerous mountain passes. The hairpinned pass connects Underberg in South Africa with Mokhotlong in Lesotho.

(Source: Smithsonian)

3. Lesotho is a landlocked country: a country surrounded by land with no access to the sea. There are currently 45 such countries and five partially recognised states. The vast majority of these countries suffer economically due to the drawbacks caused by a lack of access to the sea.

(Source: The Economist)

4. Being surrounded entirely by South Africa makes Lesotho not only landlocked but also one of just three enclave countries. The other two are San Marino and Vatican City (surrounded entirely by Italy).

(Source: Britannica)

5. Lesotho roughly translates as ‘Land of the Sesotho Speakers’.

(Source: CIA World Factbook)

6. An individual in Lesotho is known as a Mosotho, the people (as a collective) are called Basotho and the official language is Sesotho.

(Source: Oxford University Press)

7. Lesotho is the ‘world’s highest country’… sort of. It has the ‘highest lowest point’ of any other country: 1,400m (4,593ft).

(Source: The Commonwealth)

8. Lesotho is also the only independent state which exists entirely above 1,000m (3,281ft), hence its nickname, ‘Kingdom of the Sky’. Additionally, Lesotho is one of only two countries that lie on average above 2,000m (6,561ft), the other being Kyrgyzstan.

(Source: The Telegraph)

9. Lesotho is one of a handful of places in Africa where it’s possible to ski. Afriski is located in the Maluti Mountains with a maximum altitude of 3,222m (10,571ft).

(Source: The Atlantic)

10. Lesotho is home to one of the scariest runways in the world.

[honestlyyoungtyphoon]

Did you know that western country is a landlocked country? I mean if that's the case why didn't birdface tried to take over smaller countries that had ports. How can his country be powerful without marine power? Every landlocked country I've seen are small and dependent on their neighbouring countries. Why the hell did he try to take over Eastern kingdom instead of Ergi's country or that smaller countries that had ports?

Cause birdbrain, that's why. Why do you expect anything else from that butterface? If he was really that tactical, he'd have aimed for as you said, smaller countries with ports and try to take over them. Those neighboring countries aren't fan of birdbrain. So if Eastern Empire went against western kingdom, they would have gladly helped Sovieshu. Birdface really thought of winning war against a superpower nation without no marine power and with no ally.

And you're right, no landlocked countries are considered powerful nation. That's why many war happened throughout the history over sea access. Heck it's still going on right now with China and other east Asian countries.

I'm actually surprised western kingdom didn't even make a move to gain port access directly.

Whenever author said, western kingdom was a powerful prosperous nation I was like "press X for doubt".

As I said before, plotforce really is stronger than thanos snap.

[rom-e-o]

I know Connie loves flowers, but the idea of her being all "Eh" about sunflowers until Ebenezer starts calling her after them and then they become her favorite (or close second) is turning me to mush.

OWWWW THATS CUTE. That’s so cute AJDBDJDN.

Okay, this idea has officially inspired:

Sunflowers don’t grow in New York

The flower markets rarely carried them, as they were expensive and see as loud, boisterous, inelegant blooms that had to be shipped from landlocked fields.

Sometimes Constance saw gentlemen chew and spit out the flower’s seeds, which hardly prompted any further curiosity.

She sometimes saw sunflowers in books, where nature fairies danced on their spacious platforms like ballerinas in a stage. Yes, they were pretty, but they were distant. She was much more personally preoccupied by the daisies and begonias that bloomed in Central Park or on cafe window-boxes. As she grew older, shades of rose donned her lips, and the nectar of lily blossoms became her perfume.

Sunflowers had never been a favorite of hers. They didn’t bloom in New York.

<><><>

When Ebenezer first called her ‘Sunflower’, it gave her pause. She was hardly offended, but moreso curious.

“Why a sunflower?” she asked with a light giggle.

Tipping his head to hers, a hand reached out to caress her bare shoulder, then drifted up to her face. The gesture was made all the more intimate by the fact that their nude bodies were still pressed together beneath the covers, the duo having just finished a morning romp in the halo of sunrise that illuminated them.

“You are the embodiment of radiance.” He explained. “Bright. Sunny. Proud. Beautiful and rare.”

He bent his head and kissed her lips, which were held in stasis by his words.

“To me, there is not flower that suits you more. The way you glow. Your strength. The way you can light up even the darkest room just by standing there, and if you smile? Helios could not compete.”

Blushing but beaming all the same, she savored the words like candy for her mind.

Then, something strange started to happen.

Sunflowers began to fill the vases in the mansion. Embroidered versions of the sunny blooms began to decorate dresses, curtains and table runners.

Sunflower-butter candies and chocolates became commonplace at dinners and parties.

Ebenezer imported bulbs from the central United States to decorate the back garden for summer, which brought joy to Constance and all that attended parties at the Scrooge mansion.

Then, when a little star was born in the house, she adored the flowers even more.

“Mama, you’re a sunflower!” Starla Scrooge said, rosy-cheeked from joy as she noted her mother’s yellow gown and sun-bronzed complexion. “Those are the pwettiest ones!”

At that moment, when Connie traded lovestruck glances with her husband, everything coalesced, and she was transported back to that first time he’d called her that name years ago.

Perhaps sunflowers didn’t grow in London…but they certainly bloomed there.