#Quandary Peak

[zendeedesigns]

(via "Quandary Peak, Colorado USA" Graphic T-Shirt for Sale by ZenDee)

[covrettcreative]

The Colors of McCullough Gulch

Seen near Blue River, Colorado.

[renmorris]

I’ll have to just take a closer look at this when I do a rewatch but is that bacon? Is Albert sneaking a little bit of bacon off Coop's plate?

[chocochipbiscuit]

piper/sentient deathclaw!! uh, please. :')

OKAY SO THIS IS NOT AS OUT THERE AS YOU MIGHT THINK!

Intelligent deathclaws were a real thing in prior games, and honestly if BG3 players can fuck a bear (or at least a druid in wildshape!) why can't Piper fuck a deathclaw!

Nutshell summary: Piper's investigating an old Vault that specialized in reproductive medicine and fertility treatments, and accidentally spills a vial of deathclaw mating pheromones. Lots of randy deathclaws start showing up, and Piper's rescued by Sentient Deathclaw (whom I abbreviated to SD, then Sid, then I couldn't help thinking of that stupid sloth from Ice Age so it's back to SD for now!) so they retreat into the Vault and lock the door.

...well, SD's ready to be a gentleman, but Piper can't help being curious, so.... :P

They fuck. A lot. Also while exploring the vault.

I can't help thinking about it with the actual vaults we've seen so far, the horrific experiments and the systemic biases of the prewar era and the eugenics of the actual 1950s and all the 'procreation is your civic duty,' there's just...something to be said about reclaiming those tools and medications and using it to help current settlements thrive. Though that's also rather heavy for something that's basically a smut fic.

Though on that note! Because I just wanna yell about smut!

THE HEMIPENES!!!! DOUBLE DICK ACTION AND BOTH PIPER AND SD BEING INCREDIBLY RANDY ABOUT IT

Also! the fascination of oral kink! both with small soft human mouths (because human teeth are NOTHING compared to deathclaw chompers!) and long slithery deathclaw tongues!

all I'm saying is that they should fuck so much about it!

[sonic-adventure-3]

the classic versions of characters, sonic and tails especially, are fucking adorable. i don’t much care about their rich inner lives but by god is it fun to see them in Situations

[magicdustsworld]

His Favourite

Ryomen Sukuna x Fem!Reader

Tropes: King x concubine, fluff to angst. (Just a drabble)

Tags: intention of impregnation, suggestive smut, heian era, no mentions of y/n.

________________________________

Being Sukuna's favourite concubine has its perks.

She gets all the special treatment. From the jewels decking her radiant form to the luxurious amenities granted to her by the lord, himself; she has it all. The mealtimes as well as place for all the other concubines are set in stone. For her, no. She dines with his lordship, indulging him in stories of her own while he indulges her like a artist to his muse.

Ryomen Sukuna is enamored.

Enamored by this woman who was offered to him by the second clan head of the village – a means to negotiate with his highness to not exploit their land. A negotiation upon which Sukuna took an keen interest.

However, may the tale of that burning village be kept out for another day.

For today- and for all the forthcoming days, are meant for this very woman who he keeps by his side while he lets the mortals entertain him with their quandaries.

It's his decree, for he is the King of curses and she – his cherished.

Everyone who visits him would and should know that she demands as much respect as him. That she is a force not to be reckoned with. That by his side, she doesn't cower to fear instead commands it.

That's satisfaction. That's fulfilment.

That very fulfilment isn't attained until the woman tenderly grazes her hand against his. Delicately she runs her fingertips over the ridges and callouses of his skin. However, the relief only courses in his veins when she presses her lips on his palm.

Glancing up at him from beneath her lashes, the suggestive glint isn't elusive to him. The mirthful curve of her lips to the innocuous mien oftentimes left him ensnared in a cage. A cage from where he deliberately wishes to never attain freedom.

This little minx...

Isn't it laughable? The haunting nightmare of humanity left to a crumbling mess in front of his precious, his cherished, his soon to be consort.

Hence, he indulges her.

Indulges her in a passionate evening where he trails warm kisses down her spine, hand resting on the dip of her hip while he curls his finger in her warm core. The ridges of his knuckles brushes her lips, grazing the sensitive space in her he draws out her salacious moans. Her face twists into a series of expression – ones which he etches on his memories with all the others.

It isn't enough. He needs more. He needs to know her. All of her.

Her lower body spasms as she hits the peak of her ecstasy. He doesn't stop there, he cages her again in his arms; her only home. Anywhere else isn't safe for her delicate essence.

He continues the passion filled dance, aligning himself with her entrance before he is pushing in. The difference in bodies is starkly evident, no amount of lubrication would ever help the initial pain. However, when Sukuna marks the traces of tears in her eyes, he is quick to caress her with affection. Adoration brims in his irises while endearments combined with encouragement are befallen on her parched ears.

She smiles and may the lords be merciful...

He gains the signal and he keeps her in his embrace for how long no one knows. He jostles her body from one position to another, drawing out lascivious sounds from her as the wave of pleasure crashes over both of them simultaneously.

His seed drips out from her and Sukuna, for all is a twisted man, hence he can't help the pride that swells his chest.

One day, he tells himself. One day the very seed will grow inside her as his kin. One day, he will have her by his side as his queen.

Sukuna lets her rest in his chambers after the fateful display of lust and fire. She is fast asleep on the silken sheets and he finds himself, cleaning the mess – her. Verily, he has his servants but they don't get to see her like this.

This beauty, this vulnerability. All of its his and only his. She is his.

She has him enthralled.

Each glance, each smile, each honeyed word spoken to him, kindles a fire in the abyss of his existence. The unknown vulnerability ensnares him deeply, vexation causes the slight quirk of his brows when he observes her again – frolicking in the courtyard with the chosen mortals whom she calls her friends.

He scoffs.

The sun embraces her in its glows while the zephyrs play and curl her cascading strands. The butterfly perches on her bare shoulder while she feeds the pigeons in the courtyard. The daunting smile, the flicker of light, the luring whisper, even with all the evidences shouting at him, he tells himself that its only the nature.

The nature enthralls him, not her.

Yet, when the very nature decides to flaunt itself by rendering the land, the sky, the air in hues of the golden twilight, there's only one beauty he finds – her.

Ryomen Sukuna indulges what he desires.

He desires her, hence he indulges her as well.

From bringing her exorbitant jewels and fabrics to all the books she wishes to read, he does it all. She needs a relaxing bath after a day of endless toil? Uraume is ordered to watch over the luxurious bath. She craves for a certain kind of meal? Uraume must prepare it, no matter the situation.

At this point, Uraume just happened to be serving two masters simultaneously.

However, shimmering stoned and resplendent kimonos hold little light in front the affection she acquires. Little do his other consorts know about the poems he pens for her. Only her.

Yet, he is twisted. So is his affection. Therefore, he keeps the poems all around the map of his abode. For her to solve the mystery and finally gain the fruit of his affections.

If only... if only he wasn't such a twisted man.

If only, you never chose to step in this side of the garden. If only–

Under moonlit skies

Our fingers grazed, silent bliss

I knew that day, yet

Ignited hearts had senses merged

Melding in midnight's embrace.

Was it a cruel joke?

The knife twists itself into your heart, jabbing at the secluded corners with an intensity that physically hurt. Your shoulders trembles, nails dig into the flesh of your palm; so deep and so much that it draws blood.

The stinging pain of a pierced palm is negligible in front of a trampled heart. The pain courses through every vein, every pore, every inch. It's a kaleidoscope of memories that you're pushed in, fantastical memories with which you had always deluded yourself. The very pictures are running before your eyes as you struggle to breath, the lump forms in your throat as the tear pricks your eyes and yes– they tumble down. Smearing over your cheek and trails to your jaw.

Its almost like a concussion, the only difference is that your heart is hurting. A rippling pain grapples your entire being and then your knees give out.

You shoulders slump down so does all the breeze as the humidity causes your hairs to stick to your skin. You have your mouth agape, deep breaths for calming yourself down but it doesn't work.

Nothing works. Nothing works today. Nothing will ever work.

How could it when the man you love, loves someone else? How could anything ever be fine when the man you swore your loyalty to, never cared for it in the first place? How would you ever be alright knowing this is a grave you have dug for yourself?

You bring up the poem before yourself again. The very words swirling before your eyes akin bees near a flower.

Have you lost your sense or rationality? It hurts. It hurts so much. Yet, you read the poem again.

And again.

And again.

And then, you chuckle.

You bring your hand up to your mouth, suppressing the sounds which escape yet you keep reading. The chuckles continue with the streaming tears and finally, when the moisture in your eyes renders you incapable of proper vision, your laughs die down.

"Ah– just how foolish of me..."

Truly, so foolish of you.

After all, you're just another concubine while she is his favourite.

[clovermarigold]

Smoke & Ice chapter. 4

Masterlist

Thanks for waiting guys!

“Matron, I understand and admire your dedication to your people’s rules and protection. But do you not think there is any possibility of an audience in the near future?” Smoke asked as Calla was walking away from their camp, following her. It had been a week since they had arrived, nearly as long since Calla agreed to inquire a meeting with the council and hopefully the people of the Mangrove. 

Each day Calla would return at the same time to listen to their concerns and propositions, only to insist she would soon take them into the Mangrove. To make things worse it had been raining the past few days. And with the way the sky continued to darken, it was evident a storm was imminent. 

“I understand your haste, but I really must be going” she quickened her pace only for him to as well. “Matron, I must insist–”, “I will handle it” she held up a hand as to end the conversation. “She is wasting our time” Tomas frowned at the sound of Bi han’s gruff disdain. “And what would you have us do?” Bi han only uncrossed his arms and walked away. 

“He’s got a point,” Johnny said, wringing the water out of one of his shirts. For once, Kenshi didn’t attempt to argue with him, too caught up in his own wet belongings. “It would not hurt to create a plan of action,” Raiden said, folding the others dry wears. Tomas looked at the woman’s frame leave his line of sight completely. They had a point, it had been a week and they had gotten nowhere. 

“Perhaps if Bi han were to apologize she would feel more inclined to accept our quandary,” Raiden said. It was a reasonable suggestion, made empty by the fact that the grandmaster was nowhere to be seen. He couldn’t blame him though. Kenshi and Johnny had been in a cycle of bickering, ignoring one another, and returning to their usual dynamic of finding the other entertaining as well as infuriating. 

A faint crack in the distance drew the group's attention, but it wasn’t the crack of a branch or a stick, no. It was a rumbling sort of crack, it was thunder. The rain had subsided for the past few hours allowing the group rest. But one look at the dark clouds surrounding them as well as the near black ones approaching, only illuminated by seconds of light, told them that it would soon end.

The Mangrove was bustling, clothes being brought in and loose items being tied down. “I take it our ‘guests’ are still with us?” Cypress asked standing beside Calla as the two of them watched the last of the [reparations for the storm be wrapped up. “Stop it with the english, I’ve been speaking it enough as it is” Calla sighed. “It is a beautiful language,”  Cypress said, “granted its rules are foolish at times”. “I don’t understand why you insist on teaching it” she gave in, choosing to match Cypress’ choice.

“Did our parents not insist we do the same? They knew that it was impossible to seclude ourselves from the rest of the world” Calla’s attention peaked. “Wait, you’re not saying we listen to them!” Cypress turned at that. “I would never demand anything of my Matron. But, if history teaches us anything, it is that no eden will go untouched”. Any rebuttal she would have said was cut off by the sound of sighting striking the ground not far from the Mangrove. “The storm will be attacking our lighting rods soon” Cypress said, yielding to Calla and returning to their native tongue. “....I hate that you act older than me” Cypress laughed at that, “I don’t, you’re just worn out from 11 years of parenting”. 

Thunder continued to ring out as Calla approached her home, the moon blocked by the thick raining clouds left the path dark and wet. After the banning of fire, the Hamadryad had to resort to more ancient practices of illumination, relying on the ability to grow bioluminescent plants. Were it not for the oversized glowing leaves she and other members of the Mangrove had spent weeks growing she would be unable to see. From her small home nestled within a large tree atop the Mangroves highest vantage point she was able to see the glow of the paths and homes beneath her. Faint yellows, greens, and blues netted through the Mangrove like veins… But, Calla didn't just see yellow, green, and blue veins. She saw a red and orange glow… Fire!

The sounds of yells and screams had spread throughout the Mangrove by the time she had made it to the bottom. Buckets with water were being passed around as they struggled to douse the flames. The Mangrove had been built specifically for the day this would happen and flames would engulf the village, so the siblings’ resting grounds would be protected. And while she had no doubt that they would be safe, the rest of the village still needed to be guarded. The innerness of the Mangrove, where the Hamadryad lived, ate, and taught was the only place to use wood. The fire appeared to be coming from the children’s home. Wait… Miche! 

“Where is Miche!?” Coriander, who was shoveling two buckets at a time onto the building, only shrugged,before finally processing her question “He’s not here?”. The two looked to the flaming building. In dryadian culture, it was the responsibility of the community to raise children without parents until they chose a guardian. Miche was the youngest of the Hamadryad, and the only one young enough to be fostered by the Mangrove. Hence why he called the children’s home his own. 

Large vines and thick roots tore into the building without rhyme or reason, intent on pulling the boy out from the flames no matter the cost. It had been years since Calla had lost someone as the Matron. Those were the bad years, when the Hamadryad were without a home and Calla did not yet know how to lead. “Miche!” the sound of a crack sounded before the burning roof gave way, falling from the pillars of the building, leaving the front half of the home caved in while the other burned. Had it not been for a thick arm forcing her back she would have been swallowed by it. 

Looking at the children's home, shards of ice spiked across the roof, leaving no room for the fire to spread. Bi han continued to put out parts of the fire bit by bit. “Apologies, Matron, but we acted on instinct” the voice of the man who had pushed her back was Tomas, who bowed his head momentarily before rushing into the building. 

“Damsels in distress, my specialty” Johnny said, he and Kenshi grabbing pails of water “Shut it Cage!”. Raiden and Kung Lao were quick to cut the branches of the trees close to the home, preventing the fire from spreading to the others. 

A few moments passed before a large plume of smoke bursted out from the building, and for a moment Calla thought it had caved in, only for Tomas to be there instead, the unconscious Miche passed out in his arms, covered in soot and ash. “Do you have a doctor?” He asked frantically, and she realized that he wasn’t breathing. “Here!” Running to Thyme the two laid the boy onto the ground. 

The two watched as she pressed her ear to his chest, before beginning to do compressions. Miche continued to lay on the ground still, save for the near bone crushing pressure applied to his ribs, until he burst out into a fit of coughs. “Miche! You’re ok!” The boy gulped in uneven breaths of air, struggling to focus his eyes, tears and soot blinding him. The group, minus Bi han who was finishing off the last of the fire, watched as Calla pulled him into her chest, “Thank you”. 

“Is the boy ok?” Tomas asked, pushing Miche’s bangs out of his face and wiping some of the tears and soot out of his eyes. In a swift motion, Miche lept from Calla’s arms into Tomas’, “Thank you!”. Surprise dissipating, Tomas hugged him back, patting lightly. “Is there anything else we can do to help?” Raiden asked. 

Calla looked to Cypress who stood next to the kneeled Thyme, who only gave a knowing look. Taking a deep breath she wiped the ash off her hands and onto her dress and stood, “Yes. You can move your things to our school”. Looks were exchanged between the men as if doubting they had heard correctly. “Are you saying we may stay, Matron?” Kenshi asked.

“You have done us a favor today, it is only right I repay it” Bi han, having finished putting out the last of the fire had joined his compatriots and decided not to stare daggers at you for once. The men bowed, only to be beaten by the people of the Mangrove. 

Cypress, as well as two others volunteered to help move the group's belongings as well as lead them to the school, where they would be allowed to stay. Before they left however, Bi han made eye contact with Calla. As enraging as it was to do, she owed him. The fire would likely have spread had it not been for his cryomancy. So, swallowing her pride, Calla lowered her head to the man who had been nothing but a thorn in her side for the past week. Despite his mask being in the way, Calla could tell Bi han was smiling smugly underneath the blue fabric, as he walked past her without saying a word. 

She was going to regret this, wasn’t she…

Tag list

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

@whore-of-many-hot-men

@cherryblossomly

[tgrailwar-zero]

... your mercy is much appreciated, Emperor Nero. As for the 'why didn't you summon me immediately' quandary, well. After our big mistake with Lucius, I think a lot of us wanted to avoid fumbling the bag again, so to speak. Not to mention Father Kotomine and Jaguar Warrior seemed like they were looking forward to getting a fellow Monitor back, but... it seems like you don't share the sentiment?

NERO: "Did I ask for your excuses? Or for you to barrage me with questions? And this nonsense… 'War Monitors', 'Origins', 'Priests'… and you all, begging me for information like this. You and this 'Solar Cell' are both causing my head to ache."

She had asked for an explanation, though pointing that out seemed like a poor decision.

Additionally, it seemed like unless she wanted to elaborate further, you may not get any much regarding her manifestation outside of 'she did it', in a manner as natural as breathing. Though her stance regarding the Solar Cell seemed readily apparent.

NERO: "And what's this about worrying about some other Servants? Am I not threat enough? Am I not important enough? My needs are exigent! Did I not declare you my Ensemble? And yet you dance to the tune of others? Should my punishment be harsher?"

CONSTANTINE: "And yet, their 'punishment' so far is simply you joining us. It seems like your mind was set from the beginning, wasn't it?"

Rather boldly, CONSTANTINE spoke up. NERO's expression wavered slightly, her attention focusing intently on him.

NERO: "Mmnn… that 'know-it-all' tone, why are looking as if you figured something out, Constantinus-- or, 'Constantinos', was it?"

CONSTANTINE: "Nothing, you're just a bit gentler than I expected. Or more discerning than you may act. As you said, crimes against the Emperor are a grave offense, and there's no shortage of Servants willing to undercut or slaughter my Masters."

…So this was her being kind? I guess comparatively, people have tried to kill you, so this was 'nicer'…

And, in her verbal tempest, she essentially just vented about her frustrations regarding your actions, and then essentially declared her intent to journey with you.

It seemed like she was someone who trusted her judgement and her judgement alone, for whatever reason. Traveling with CONSTANTINE and KUKULKAN, a king and a god, you felt the most pressure emanating from this Servant alone. While the two of them wore their 'doubt' openly, it seemed as if this Servant was almost devoid of the concept of 'doubt' altogether.

And for good reason- this was an Emperor of the Julio-Claudian Dynasty, from the era where 'Emperor' and 'God' were nearly synonymous. To many, trying to contradict the decree of an Emperor was like trying to argue with the rotation of the sun.

NERO cleared her throat, turning away from CONSTANTINE in a huff.

NERO: "Mm. Well, I have not forgiven them, so they should not feel relieved yet."

NERO: "Ah, yes! Those are the cheers I desire! My mood is already beginning to brighten! If you simply wish for more of my art, then ask, and I will indulge! My catalogue on the Solar Cell is sparse, but grant me the time, and I shall have a thousand scripts worth of beautiful artistry!"

It seemed like the best way to get on her good side was praise. An artist at heart, it seemed as if she could not deny any form of applause.

NERO: "The peak of artistry! Beloved by all! One who takes the stage, and has their crafts praised by their audience, immortalized forever!"

She declared, definitively.

NERO: "Unfortunately, I cannot share the next act, as I do not remember it. I do not recall what came over me when I first wrote it, just that I was truly pulling the artistry from my heart. My 'beautiful memories'. I wish to find them as well. Without them, it is like sailing through a fogged ocean."

She smiled, somberly.

NERO: "I was a Servant of the Lunar Holy Grail War... I know that, and I know I had a Master. We fought a good war together, against many opponents. Though now, their faces are all blurs to me. Even his. But I remember something, before our 'ending'."

So it seemed like she didn't have her entire set of memories back either. Perhaps more than the average Servant did when they were restored from an Origin, considering her outburst, but it was still limited.

Her expression grew dour.

NERO: "...I do not wish to talk about it right now, it makes my heart ache and my head hurt. I have just been summoned, and was in a pleasant mood. Am I not allowed my own peace for a moment?"

Abruptly, she expressed her desire to change the subject, moving on quickly. Perhaps that's something she'd be open to sharing later.

NERO: "Aha! Now that is a good change of pace! A splendid, beautiful vision indeed! Though that Avenger is a musician, you say? Then he simply has no choice but to join us! Welcome, my new composer!"

It seems as if AVENGER has been/is being conscripted to join your team.

Well, no point in arguing against an Emperor.

AVENGER: "Pardon?"

[covid-safer-hotties]

COVID-19 vaccination mandates boosted uptake among health care workers - Published Aug 30, 2024

Should health care workers be required to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine? A new study examines the effectiveness of COVID-19 mandates

At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, governments and health care centers across the country faced a difficult but important question: Should health care workers be required to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine?

It was an economic quandary as much as an ethical one. Vaccine mandates could cause reductions in staff, either from workers missing time due to recovery from the vaccine or from opting to seek employment elsewhere. Additionally, health care workers are highly educated on the value of vaccines and had seen firsthand the perils of COVID-19, reasons to think them capable of making the best decisions for themselves and their patients.

Now, a new study from researchers at Tulane University has found that state-level COVID-19 vaccination mandates successfully increased vaccine rates among health care workers, a finding that, while perhaps unsurprising, provides evidence that the policy can boost vaccination rates even among a highly vaccinated, highly educated population.

The study, published in JAMA Network Open, examined vaccination rates among more than 30,000 health care workers in 45 states, 16 of which issued COVID vaccination mandates. Researchers found a 3-4% increase in vaccinations among the group, an improvement on an already lofty baseline vaccination rate of 86%. The study only found increases in vaccination rates in states that required vaccinations and provided no option to opt-out.

“It’s great from a government perspective to see this policy increase vaccination rates in an already very highly vaccinated population,” said corresponding author Charles Stoecker, a health economist with Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. “These results also show that how we craft these regulations matters. States that provided an option to take a regular COVID test in lieu of getting vaccinated didn’t see the same impacts as the strict mandate states.”

The findings provide valuable insight on the role vaccine mandates can play in the event of a future pandemic and why such mandates may be justified.

“The federal government has shown that it will defer to the states on this issue, and states have rolled back their mandates, but now we know we have this toolkit,” Stoecker said. “In the event of a new pandemic, this shows we’re leaving some vaccination coverage on the table if we let even highly educated health care workers decide for themselves.”

The vaccination increases were primarily seen in health care workers between the ages of 25-49 years. The 16 states which passed and upheld vaccine mandates without opt-outs were California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Washington, and Washington, DC.

Stoecker said the next step would be to examine how these mandates affected disease transmission, which could help quantify the economic impact such policies have.

“The ultimate goal would be to be able to assign economic benefits to the vaccinations that happened because of the mandates,” Stoecker said.

jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2822221

[one-thousand-cuts-game]

Welcome to One-Thousand Cuts!

Do you enjoy challenging retro-style video games? How about political intrigue and bloody inter-generational conflict? Or maybe you're into complex moral quandaries that leave you struggling to tell the difference between 'right' and 'wrong' ? If any of this interests you, we've got great news!

One-Thousand Cuts is a pixel-art side-scroller about a young samurai torn between loyalty and honor. In a dark fantasy world heavily inspired by Japanese history and folklore, this game has a strong design emphasis on simple-yet-satisfying combat, deeply consequential choices, and lore-rich storytelling.

We started developing concept art for this game in the early days of 2020, and starting late last year, we moved into full-time production! Our team is very small--just our lead pixel artist, two dedicated coders, and a begrudging social media manager (who honestly doesn't know much about this whole "tumblr" thing, but is doing her best).

We're planning to host our Kickstarter for One-Thousand Cuts in April 2024 (that's next month!!) so we're trying to get the word out everywhere we can! If you'd like to support some aspiring indie game developers, check out the free Demo of our game, now available on Steam! You can also Wishlist the full game (also on Steam) slated for release in early 2025.

Want to learn more? Our Steam page is full of details about our game mechanics, world building, and much more. If you're interested in getting regular updates about our game's development, or you want to get up close and personal with our designs, animations, and sneak peaks at the full game, you can find much more about us on our official Instagram @one.thousand.cuts ! (P.S., we've got a little DTIYS going until the end of March over there, too!)

Thanks for reading! Happy playing :- )

[covrettcreative]

Quandary Peak Dressed In Its Finest

Seen near Blue River, Colorado.

[sunburnacoustic]

‘Survival’ makes a lot more sense in the context of The 2nd Law, an album which encompasses the global economic crisis, peak oil theory, food security, evolution, the taxation proposals of 19th-century economist Henry George and the concept of the "stress nexus". "It's talking about the second law of thermodynamics and how, as a limited ecosystem, we are on the verge of needing an energy revolution in order to sustain the way that we're living," says Bellamy. "This inner strength we have, this desire to evolve and expand and explore, I do love that about humanity. At the same time it's scary what it does on a global scale. I'm very much caught between the two."

Bellamy is self-aware enough to have considered the quandary of criticising overconsumption while traversing the globe in a gas-guzzling stadium rock band. "Exactly! We're all a function of the world. I think for every finger you point out there should be three pointing back at you."

Matt Bellamy on The 2nd Law, ‘We like pushing it as far as we can’, Guardian interview, 2012

[scvlly]

I was tagged by @sgt-farron <3

Rules: shuffle your repeat playlist and post the first ten tracks, then tag ten people.

I rotate short playlists so idk how im gonan do this but

bodyache by Purity Ring (this song changed the way my brain works so that's. appropriate.)

Zimzalabim by Red Velvet (iykyk)

Drowning by Mick Jenkins

GIRLS GIRLS by GIRLS GIRLS

Sunny Side Up! by Red Velvet

Boys Wanna Be Her by Peaches

Are You Hungry by EXID

ICE CHU by OGUOGU

Sirens by Lola Marsh (my honorheart playlist)

the fruits by Paris Paloma (this song slaps actually)

i will certainly not tag ten people but @quandary-peak @danza-alla-daggers @lifesizehysteria @dearsheroozle @indexcard if u guys wanna do it im a nosy bitch xx

[chocochipbiscuit]

1, 2, 14, 15 (for fun and flavor), 37 & 38 if you'd like!

1) Describe your comfort zone—a typical you-fic.

Gonna repeat what I said before, but:

Warm sensual smut with feelings, with an emphasis on oral sex and maybe some size kink. Or general shippy nonsense, usually femslash. <3

2) Is there a trope you’ve yet to try your hand at, but really want to?

I’ve written most of the tropes I’ve wanted to try already, is the problem!!! (Or maybe the joy of cutting my fandom teeth on a kink meme!)

But…I’ve never written sex pollen before, and there is a certain fic that’s been kicking its way in my brain for a while, so….

14) What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever come across?

Oh my fuck, there was this snippet I read once, I forget what book it was in! It was a bunch of creative types talking about their process, and this section was about structure. A lot of people did the typical ‘lay out scenes/summaries on notecards, shuffle around to see if it makes more sense.’ Which also happens to fit my own process and why I love Scrivener!

Except…this one person claimed that they actually printed out their entire manuscript, then scattered/shuffled the pages around so that they were all out of order. Then they would pick them up and sift through them, figuring out if a better flow emerged. They claimed that it helped them pick through themes and arcs by seeing them in a nonlinear order, and maybe that’s true for their process! But that gave me such a visceral NOPE that it still makes me inordinately upset!!!

15) If you could choose one of your fics to be filmed, which would you choose?

A Most Edible Thistle!!! It was written to be more of a rom-com, and I would especially love to see the last chapter play out as a movie; the ludicrous assassination attempts! Josephine and Yvette squabbling and Josephine chasing her around the office! The entire chase scene with the goat!

37) Talk about your current wips.

OHOHO I SEE WHAT YOU’RE DOING!!!!

Awoo AU is my most active WIP, and it’s got the Cassandra/Leliana modern werewolf vibes up the wahoo!!!! It’s also the first fic (in a long time!) that I tried launching into without an extensive outline first, so…uh. It’s gonna be a real rough draft when this first draft’s done. It’s already teetered between horror/suspense vibes, family comedy, romance, and now I gotta finish this and get everything in harmony!

Originally I was thinking about ‘monstrousness’ as an allegory for queerness, and the way that we so often find refuge in loving the ‘other’ we have been taught to fear, but along the way it’s made me think about Leliana’s own relationship to femininity and the ways she performs those rituals and the contrast between how deliberately rich tourist femme she is in human form and the sleek monster of her wolf form. I’m just now writing the scene where she first lets Cassandra see her change into a wolf (she knows she’s a lovely human and a lovely wolf; those in-between shapes???? NO) and thinking about the tremendous vulnerability and acceptance there and how Cass has just begun to accept that she likes girls (and Leliana in particular) and loves the ‘monstrous’ parts of Leliana that are neither soft or delicate, and just!!!!

I HAVE FEELINGS OKAY!!!!

if you love me (let me go) is the super-indulgent short post-RE2 fic where Ada doms Leon! If only because I love Ada and she deserves to have a good time bossing around this rookie cop!!!

It’s super short, the first draft’s already done, and I’m holding out for it until after finishing Awoo AU because I think it’ll be an easy revision. Just something to build up my confidence after all the longfic hell. :’)

Fallout Necro AU is the other WIP that’s been on the backburner, and I plan to make revising that my next longfic project after I finish writing Awoo AU’s first draft!!! It’s a Locked Tomb/Fallout fusion, where basically necromancy mushroomed like bioluminous fungi after the bombs dropped, and cav/necro pairs work as a sort of shitty soulmates AU. The right cav/necro pair can access greater power than either can individually, but oh boy! There are some toxic relationships there too!

Long story short: Hancock accepts Danse into Goodneighbor after Danse is kicked out of the BoS. They realize (to their mutual horror) that they are a perfect cav/necro match. Danse pledges himself to be Hancock’s necromantic juicebox (“one flesh, one end”) because he’s desperate to be useful. Desperate to be used. And Hancock accepts because fuck it, even as Goodneighbor’s most powerful necromancer, he’s running on fumes these days and wants to build a neighborhood (a future) that will outlive him.

Feels! Cool necromantic battles! Undead armies! Skeletal automatons tending the crops! And then the Brotherhood marching on Goodneighbor, and all the Goodneighbor citizens rising up to take a stand!

It’s. Uh. Over 40k words as a rough draft, and I’m both terrified and excited for when I dive into revisions.

38) Talk about a review that made your day.

ALL OF THEM!!!!

But I will confess….there’s a special delight to the comments that read like book reports, where someone picks apart themes and character arcs or points out key parts of the dynamic that I love! Or when I’m in an exchange and assigned to one of my friends or a writer I greatly admire (senpai notice me~!) and they write a super-nice comment while we’re still in the anon period!!!!

I just! At the end of the day, one of the reasons I post fic is because I crave that moment of connection, of knowing that the words resonated with someone else. In that sense, while I appreciate kudos, they don’t start a conversation in the same way. It’s a way of saying that I’m not entirely alone in this vast ocean of feels provoked by this one ship or character dynamic.

Thank you for the questions!!!! I’m gonna go roll in feels now!

(Asks are from this meme!)

[charliethomascoxuniverse]

Charlie Cox's 'Boardwalk Empire' Performance Prepared Him to Play Daredevil

By Liam Gaughan  December 31, 2022 (X)

By elevating one of the greatest shows of all time, Cox signified that he was ready to lead a gritty series of his own.

It’s Charlie Cox’s world right now, and we’re all just living in it. 

Although many Marvel fans feared that Cox would never get the chance to play Matt Murdock again after Daredevil was shockingly canceled on Netflix, Cox returned for a surprise cameo appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home. It wasn’t just a brief wink to the fans; it was an announcement that the devil was back. Cox returned for a featured role in She-Hulk: Attorney At Law and is prepping work on the upcoming Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again. In the meantime, he already has another hit series on his hands with the Netflix spy thriller Treason. It seems like Cox had returned out of nowhere, but anyone who watched him on HBO’s Boardwalk Empire knew that he was always destined to be a star.

While Cox had been positioned as the lead of Matthew Vaughn’s Stardust in 2007, the film unfortunately failed financially, despite promising reviews for the exciting Neil Gaiman adaptation. It would be almost a decade before Cox stepped into the role of “The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen,” but he wasted no time by stepping into playing one of the best characters in Boardwalk Empire. The HBO crime saga was one of the buzziest shows of the early “peak TV” era, and Cox was already stepping into a critically-acclaimed hit that featured one of the all-time greatest television characters in Steve Buscemi’s Nucky Thompson.

Cox first appeared in Season 2 as Owen Sleater, a young IRA volunteer who comes to join Nucky’s enforcers in Atlantic City. While adding another face to the rich tapestry of characters could have complicated a story that was already dense, Cox was able to explore the all-consuming nature of the criminal lifestyle with his emotional performance. Owen is an endearing, spirited idealist who serves as a bright spot in a very bleak series, and his grasp on reality evolves in utterly heartbreaking ways. With charisma, moral ambiguity, and romance, Boardwalk Empire’s Owen Sleater set the precedent for Matt Murdock.

When you’re acting alongside an actor as legendary as Buscemi, you have to differentiate yourself in order to stand out. Cox doesn’t look or act like any of Nucky’s other goons; he seems like a straight-laced political revolutionary who is willing to sacrifice his life for a good cause. While he easily charms Nucky’s wife Margaret Schroder (Kelly Macdonald) and the housemaid Katy (Heather Lind), he doesn’t leave his initial meeting with Nucky without making a promise that he can handle the rougher sides of the bootlegging business. These are quickly shown to be no false claims; Owen brutally stops Commodore Louis Kaestner's (Dabney Coleman) men from disrupting Nucky’s casino in a shocking moment of violence.

It could have been hard to relate to Owen after seeing what he was capable of, but Cox shows how his blissful ignorance has led him to this line of work. He’s grateful to prove himself to someone as influential as Nucky, and he takes every opportunity possible to show that he will follow his duty to the bitter end.

Nucky finds that he’s willing to confide in Owen because of his loyalty, and makes the decision to give him the role of his personal driver and bodyguard. It’s here that we see how ambition corrupts Owen’s soul; by being so close to Nucky’s inner circle, Owen begins to pick up on the skills that could make him a career criminal. He deals with some of the same moral quandaries and Catholic guilt that made Daredevil one of the MCU’s most interesting heroes.

Owen’s Importance to Nucky Is Clear

Owen is particularly needed in Season 2 as Nucky begins to distance himself from Jimmy Darmondy (Michael Pitt), his previous protégé. Jimmy turns from gratefulness to resentment, betraying his former mentor in order to make a bid at leading his own crime ring. It feels like Nucky has a paternal role to fill (as he’s sworn to keep his own children out of harm’s way), and Owen’s dedication gives him a new potential heir. Boardwalk Empire is rarely heartwarming, and while it’s clear that Nucky still sees Owen as a pawn. However, there’s a tenderness to their conversations that has become absent from his relationship with Jimmy.

Owen shows his fierceness when he cuts down the traitor Del Grogan (Gary Tory) in “Peg of Old,” which only makes his disruption of the Thompson family unit more interesting. Despite his romantic fling with Katy, Owen is unable to deny his attraction to Margaret, who is similarly helpless to resist his charms. Margaret and Owen are two outsiders who haven’t totally figured out their futures; Owen is still an immigrant who isn’t used to American culture, and Margaret has had to set aside her concerns about her children’s safety in order to stay with Nucky. They’re two young members of the faith who must deal with never having a normal life again; this was one of the essential elements of Daredevil, as Matt found that he would never be able to restore his romance with Elektra (Elodie Yung) or Karen (Deborah Ann Wolf).

Owen Ultimately Reaches a Heartbreaking End

This doomed romance serves as one of the critical plot points of Season 3. Despite saving Nucky’s brother Eli (Shea Whigham) and landing a critical deal with Arnold Rothstein (Michael Stuhlbarg), Owen finds comfort in his breaks from duty in the moments he gets to share with Margaret. Despite everything that he has seen, Owen still holds on to the dream that one day they will be able to run away together. If Matt’s belief in the goodness of people served as his moral compass in Daredevil, Owen’s faith that his romance will be lifelong only signifies his destiny. His death in “A Man, A Plan…” is jaw-dropping, but it comes as a needed shock to finally show the splintering of Nucky and Margaret's relationship.

Boardwalk Empire never returned with the same vigor after Cox’s absence; Seasons 4 and 5 failed to introduce new allies for Nucky that were able to show the complexity of criminal duty. While Owen’s death is shocking, it’s an effective moment in the series that sets it forward toward a path of no return. By elevating one of the greatest shows of all time, Cox signified that he was ready to lead a gritty series of his own. It finally feels like his continued excellence has been appreciated.

~*~