#Tornado Low Level

[nocternalrandomness]

Tornado GR.4 of RAF 13 Sqn using call sign "Marham 23" flies through the Cambrian Mountains

[bleachbleachbleach]

On the battlefield, the sense that serves as your first language will always be reiatsu. If you have them, vision and audition are key, too, but they are the harmonies, that which augments. You feel the pressure first and foremost, edges brimming over where reiryoku within becomes that pressure without. It would be easier if it were pressure like a headache, isolated in space and pulsing, but the pressure comes from everywhere at once—where you enemy is or has been, and if you are very skilled, where they intend to be. (If you don’t beat them there.) A million tiny pressures, streaking and fraying. The only time you can feel your own reiatsu is when the battlefield is so turned upside down it is no longer certain whose is whose. When you get lost in the cacophony.

Part of the reason the Academy teaches the crisp, hard binary of Hollows and otherwise, energy and blight, is because in real life, in the midst of that cacophony, it is so hard to tell the difference sometimes the only thing that saves you is falling back on your certainty: Know evil as an absolute, and purify it. (That it is so hard to tell the difference should not be taken as an insinuation that no difference exists. Perish the thought.)

Imagine fighting side-by-side, or trying to. Have you ever? Only those with incredible control and attunement to each other would attempt it: Reiatsu roostertailing from your adversaries and partners alike, pressure raining down so hard these giant things you know to be there blink out of existence, lose their edges, become everywhere and nowhere. And of course, bodies in flight, pressure fighting pressure, is a dance in itself. You’re used to it, the pressure, the fluctuations that make the reishi beneath your feet resonate and roll. But get enough bodies in motion and that can snap around on anyone at the wrong place, the wrong time, and all the while you never having touched each other.

Take care, shinigami.

[usafphantom2]

I loved the Tornado GR4 at low level , it was a beast , and it gave me the chance to get images like this . Staying low on a hill was always a gamble but a low pass from a GR4 was always welcome.

@gwjphantom via X

[retrocgads]

UK 1985

[reasonsforhope]

Since the 1960s, the world has seen a spike in the number of natural disasters, largely due to rising sea levels and an ever gradually increasing global surface temperature.

The good news? We’re getting better at helping each other when disasters strike.

According to a recent study from Our World In Data, the global toll from natural disasters has dramatically dropped in the last century.

“Low-frequency, high-impact events such as earthquakes and tsunamis are not preventable, but such high losses of human life are,” wrote lead authors Hannah Ritchie and Pablo Rosado.

To conduct their research, Ritchie and Rosado gathered data from all geophysical, meteorological, and climate-related disasters since 1900. That includes earthquakes, volcanic activity, landslides, drought, wildfires, severe storms, and mass floods. 

In the early-to-mid 20th century, the average annual death toll from disasters was very high, often climbing to over a million. 

For example, the study cites that in 1931, 2.7 million people died from the Yangtze–Huai River floods. In 1943, 1.9 million died from the Bangladeshi famine of 1943. Even low-frequency events had extreme death tolls. 

“In recent decades we have seen a substantial decline in deaths,” Ritchie and Rosado observed. “Even in peak years with high-impact events, the death toll has not exceeded 500,000 since the mid-1960s.”

Why has the global death toll from disasters dropped? 

There are a number of factors at play in the improvement of disaster aid, but the leading component is that human beings are getting better at predicting and preparing for natural disasters. 

“We know from historical data that the world has seen a significant reduction in disaster deaths through earlier prediction, more resilient infrastructure, emergency preparedness, and response systems,” Ritchie and Rosado explained in their study. 

On April 6, [2024],a 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked the city of Hualien in Taiwan. Days later, as search and rescue continues, the death toll currently rests at 16. 

Experts have praised Taiwan for their speedy response and recovery, and attributed the low death toll to the measures that Taiwan implemented after an earthquake of similar strength hit the city 25 years earlier. Sadly, on that day in 1999, 2,400 people died and 11,000 were injured. 

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Wang Yu — assistant professor at National Taiwan University — said that event, known as the Chi-Chi earthquake, revolutionized the way Taiwan approached natural disasters. 

“There were lots of lessons we learned, including the improvement of building codes, understanding earthquake warning signs, the development and implementation of earthquake early warning (EEW) systems and earthquake education,” said Wang. 

Those same sensors and monitoring systems allowed authorities to create “shakemaps” during Hualien’s latest earthquake, which helped them direct rescue teams to the regions that were hit the hardest. 

This, in conjunction with stronger building codes, regular earthquake drills, and public education campaigns, played a huge role in reducing the number of deaths from the event. 

And Taiwan’s safeguards on April 6 are just one example of recent measures against disasters. Similar models in strengthening prediction, preparedness, and recovery time have been employed around the world when it comes to rescuing victims of floods, wildfires, tornados, and so on. 

What else can we learn from this study?

When concluding the findings from their study, Ritchie and Rosado emphasized the importance of increasing safety measures for everyone.

Currently, there is still a divide between populations with high gross national income and populations living in extreme poverty.

Even low-income countries that infrequently have natural disasters have a much higher death rate  because they are vulnerable to collapse, displacement, and disrepair. 

“Those at low incomes are often the most vulnerable to disaster events; improving living standards, infrastructure, and response systems in these regions will be key to preventing deaths from natural disasters in the coming decades,” surmised Ritchie and Rosado.

“Overall development, poverty alleviation, and knowledge-sharing of how to increase resilience to natural disasters will therefore be key to reducing the toll of disasters in the decades to come."

-via GoodGoodGood, April 11, 2024

[writingsbychlo]

UNWIND | azriel

summary; azriel is caught up in his head, and needs to fuck out his frustrations with the woman he loves.

word count; 8543

notes; I can’t tell if this is hot or pure shit so lmk because this is a little more than my usual smut levels. also, this is a vague follow up to ‘focus’ but very very loosely. can totally be read as a stand-alone fic.

The lights were flickering in the halls as you walked along, the steady bursts of uncontrolled power bursting throughout the House of Wind, thrumming like an irrational heartbeat. The closer you got, the stronger the pulses became, the more frequent the flickering was, and the thicker the air seemed to get. 

You’d known Azriel for decades now, long enough to have seen these moods before. It wasn’t the worst one, not by far, nothing compared to the night Rhysand found himself trapped, or Feyre was taken back to Spring. Nonetheless, it didn’t make it any better. 

Cassian had fled after dinner with Nesta in his arms, the Townhouse looking like a very appealing prospect to visit for the night, and you knew that even though the ripples of his errant power never reached as low as the library, even the priestesses would be on lockdown from Azriel’s mood tonight. 

He’d never lay a finger on anyone, he never had, but it didn’t make the tumbling stones shaken loose from the mountainside any less scary, or the mass of writhing shadows and rage any friendlier.

It felt like plunging your head under water as you stood outside of his bedroom door; breath held, utter silence thick around your ears, heart beating so hard it was resonating audibly inside your skull. When your fist tapped against the wood, you barely heard the echo. A steady thrum of power was all you got in response. A warning, a threat, a question of who had dared come close, you weren’t sure. 

No more came. 

The bursts of power seemed to simmer, to become like a crawling, bubbling mess, so close to boiling over, spitting around your feet instead of steady pulses. The door finally creaked open, when you’d just about given up, wood scraping across the stone tiles to reveal the chaotic darkness inside.

As soon as you had cleared the entrance, the door slammed shut behind you. Only through the flickers of wild shadows could moonlight filter through, all of the lights on but none of the glow reaching you, and it was only by the one velvety shadow curling affectionately around your wrist that you were able to find any guidance through the onyx tornado at all. 

The shadow at your wrist dipped down, twirling between your fingers like the phantom touch of another’s hand in your own, leading you in slow stumbles through the room. The cold of the night hit you before any moonlight did, and it was only when you stumbled through the streams of shadows like a curtain that your lungs let you take a deep breath once again. 

Chilled, cold air wrapped around you like a blanket, bursting through your senses and renewing your mind once again. The touch at your wrist slipped away, a rogue tendril that rejoined the frenzy now that you were safely through the storm, and Azriel stood before you. Hunched at the waist, forearms braced on the stone balcony railing as he stared out at the endless distance. 

He was tense, built like stone and mountains, walls of solid muscle pulled so taut that his wings didn’t even touch the ground. His bare feet clung to the stone, skin pebbled in goosebumps everywhere except his covered legs, swirls of ink over his shoulders disappearing into the night sky. 

Tonight, Azriel wasn’t as flirty as he normally was. Tonight, he’d shut down entirely. That line that had been crossed weeks ago in the training ring felt like a million years ago now as he shut you out. He was so caught up in his own head that you weren’t even sure if he knew you were here. 

“Azriel?”

An answer to your question, as he jumped in shock, straightening to his full height, and twisting to face you. His eyes were dull and yet burning with rage, face contorted into a frown that you weren’t used to. Normally, he offered you a sweet smile, a smirk or a wink. A soft kiss to your forehead or cheek, a brush of one scarred finger over your blushing cheeks. 

None of it came now.  

“What are you doing here?”

You swallowed thickly, throat like sandpaper as you tried to form a response, to form words under the ire of his glare, but refusing to back down. He may be terrifying to the world, but he was the world to you. “Your shadow came when I knocked. I assumed you sent it to open the door.”

His gaze flickered angrily over his shoulder, like in the swirling mass he’d be able to pick out the traitor precisely, a snarl on his lips before he was looking back to you. “I didn’t. You shouldn’t be here.”

It was a dismissal, one he punctuated by turning his back on you and resuming his lean against the railing, breath clouding in the air as he let out a world-weary sigh. “Azriel…”

“Did you not just hear me?” His fingers clenched on the stone, so firmly that his knuckles turned white. The mountains practically shook again with his shout; “Leave!”

That power thrummed out again, heavy bursts that hummed over the building and rattled the glass windows as you stepped closer, flares of glittering blue from his siphons where they sat in a pile, useless to the rippling power now on a table beside him. Daring to take another step closer, he stiffened again.

You moved, closer and closer until you were within reaching distance, the space between you both swallowed up, but you didn’t dare to touch him. His wings twitched on either side of your body, tightening in like they did when he was preparing for a fight. Instead of reaching out, you cleared your throat softly, letting him know just where you were behind him.

He growled, turning slowly, cautious to ensure that no part of him touched any part of you, and the air was all but crackling with unshed tension around you. Insults, curses, harsh words were conveyed in his gaze, everything in an attempt to get you to leave that he had yet to say. 

Before he could say any of them, you raised your hands slowly, making sure he could track every movement as his eye widened, like taming a beast instead of a man. When your palms settled over his cheeks, the preternatural stiffness and stillness he’d taken on melted, his shoulders began to slump, like he was being dragged down into the very earth itself, even as he still towered over you. 

“Az, sweetheart…”

Still, he did not touch you. Even as the anger in his eyes only softened to pain, and the clench of his fists smoothed his hands out from fists by his sides. “You shouldn’t be here.” It wasn’t a threat this time, but instead was a plea, begging you to leave with a tenderness you were familiar with from him.

“Why shouldn’t I be?” You murmured, voice unable to reach above a whisper in fear of shattering the fragile peace. Sweeping your thumbs over his cheekbones, his throat bobbed, eyes held steady with your own. “Let me be here for you.”

“You can’t be here, because I’m not okay. If I hurt you, I don’t think I could ever forgive myself.”

Your heart shattered at the admission, his shadows pulling in closer and closer to you both, no longer afraid of their master but seeking to comfort, a blanket wrapping around the both of you at the base of your legs. 

You didn’t reply verbally, instead, you gave him every chance to pull away, to stop it, as you leaned up, taking your time as you rose, until the breath was shared between you both, his steady breaths now shallow pants. 

Your lips met his jaw first, just to the left of his chin, a soft kiss that wasn’t nearly enough. Another just a fraction higher, and another, until your lips were pressed to his cheek and he was letting out a shaky breath by your ear. 

“Baby…”

“Do you really want me to leave, Az?” Your lip skimmed over his, reciprocated by his pucker but you didn’t give into it just yet, sliding one hand to the back of his neck and the other up over his cheek. Slipping your thumb between your mouths, you stoked over his lips once, his haze fixed. “Tell me you don’t want me here and I’ll go. But, I don’t want you to be alone, when I’m here for you if you want me. I’ll always be here for you.”

The message was clear, and you gave him a single and fleeting kiss to his lips, tearing away from his space and falling back to the flats of your feet. One step back, just enough to think. 

Your foot lifted, never making it as far as a second step away, before he was finally reaching out. His hands gripped at your hips, yanking you forward roughly until you were falling into his body, colliding with cold skin and solid walls of muscle. 

“I don’t want you to go. I just want you here with me. I always want you here with me.” The confession sounded like it pained him, hoarse on a throat yelled raw already, the Azriel you know fighting the darkness enough to break through to you for a moment. “I don’t know if I’m ready to show you this part of myself, I don’t want you to be scared of me. I can’t lose you.”

The hands settled on your hips flexed, like he was trying to be gentler but they came back just as tight, spaces where there would be bruises in the morning. He’d tried so hard to resist touching you at all, but now, you weren’t sure you’d be able to break free even if you wanted to.

Tracing your arms over his arms, back up to hold his face, this time, he tipped into your touch, lashes fluttering shut for just a second as he sucked in a breath. 

“You don’t scare me, Azriel. No part of you scares me. Not your shadows, not your knives, not your moody scowl. I know every part of you, I care for every part of you. This isn’t about me, I’m not the one in need.” You weren’t sure what had happened in Hewn City, only that it must’ve been bad. Whatever he’d seen, whatever he couldn't stop, it was dragging him down into despair and rage. “So, tell me, do you want me to stay or do you want me to go?”

His forehead came down, leaning on your own. “I want you to stay.”

Your noses bumped, a smile forming on your lips as he nuzzled in as close to you a she could get, his arms wrapping around you and holding you firmly to his chest, until your heartbeats echoed together. “You didn’t come to dinner. I was worried about you. Maybe we should get you some food?”

“I don’t want to eat,” He whispered, the words like ice over you as the softness dropped from his tone once again, the wild animal rampaging in his mind taking over once again. One hand was sliding up from your waist now, loose enough to travel over the expanse of your body, across your torso and over your breasts until his fingers were flexing once again, but this time around your throat. 

In one swift movement, you were being spun, back pressing into the unforgiving stone of the wall railing, cold spreading along your skin as your shirt rose behind you. His eyes were darker now, the pretty caramel shade you loved so much almost swallowed entirely by the dark, his lips forming an equally dark smirk to match. But he waited, he was like a predator waiting for the prey to give permission to be hunted. 

And you did. 

A single nod was all it took, until he was surging forwards, lips crashing into your own, a kiss so urgent and fierce that the breath was knocked from your lungs. The implication was clear, everything about Azriel was an open book tonight, unlike his usual way of hiding his emotions. 

He didn’t want gentle, he didn’t need soft. What Azriel needed most was to let out this energy, to use it for something other than self-destruction and hatred, to burn off every angry part of himself in a way that would make him feel good. He’d once told you that your mind was unfocused, on everything but where it needed to be, and he’d helped you clear it with his fingers between your legs. 

His mind needed the opposite, needed to let go of what he was clinging to, to release it. He didn’t need to focus, he needed to let it all go. Perhaps a mindblowing orgasm would do the same for him.

His lips were unyielding against your own, a scrape of his teeth over your lower lip until you yelped, and his tongue plunged into your mouth at the opening. The hand on your neck flexed, your whimpers cut off by his lips and you had no chance at all, drowning in everything front he feel of him to the taste of him. Stolen kisses had nothing on this, this crescendo of overdue emotions and pent-up feelings, and despite it all, there was still a reverence underneath that told you your Azriel was fighting all the while to hold onto you.

Through every gasping breath you managed to take between assaults of his lips, you got less and less oxygen, vision spotting until you felt almost delirious from the burn of your lungs. When his hand loosened just fractionally, his mouth torn from your own only to leave wet marks across your jaw and neck, you heaved in breath while you had the chance. 

“Azriel, let me touch you. Let me help you, make you feel good…”

“Oh, you’ll make me feel good, baby. Don’t worry about that.” His voice was sharp and lethal, like a blade slicing across your skin where he mumbled it into the juncture of your neck. His teeth followed, a bite on your skin, your head tossed, back arching until you were dangling over the balcony, his hand at your neck all that kept you stable. 

You were on the tips of your toes, bared for the man he pulled back, licking over kiss-swollen lips and using a half-lidded gaze to take you in. 

“So fucking beautiful. Inside and out. So kind and sweet and godsdamned perfect. All for me.” He whispered, your heart skipping a beat in your throat because, despite the fire in his gaze, there was honey in his voice. “I hate myself for how much I want to fucking ruin you.”

“I want nothing more than that,” Your promise made his head snap up, his admiration and longing taken over by raw desire and anticipation. Once furrowed brows smoothed out, relaxing enough for him to raise one in solitary judgement. 

“You’re going to regret saying that, sweetheart.” Unlike when you’d said it, the pet name was laced with venom and rough promises, coated in something that made your skin break out with a shudder once again. He closed in on you, even closer, until your toes were hardly touching the floor at all, dangling at his mercy entirely as he hummed to himself, eyes scanning along you as he considered to himself just how he wanted to proceed. “I bet you’d do anything I asked of you right now, wouldn't you? Would you get down on your knees for me, pretty girl?”

“Yes.”

“Would you let me fuck your pretty mouth until I was satisfied?” Your legs clamped together, one of his fingers dragging your lower lip down, biting his own eagerly, before he was slipping two fingers into your mouth, cutting your answer off. His smirk told you he already knew the words you’d have uttered, anyway. “Show me. Show me how good you’d be if it were my cock in there, instead.”

Your lips sealed around his fingers, your tongue dragging along marred and ridged skin within your mouth, as far as you could go until your eyes watered and you were suppressing the urge to gag. His lips parted, gaze fixed on where his digits disappeared between your lips, the thrill of it sending a shock of electricity down your spine, coiling at the base of your stomach with hot need. 

The look on his face was nothing short of worship, even if he was in control, you still held the power. 

Lapping at the skin, you grazed your teeth lightly over his knuckles as you pulled back, his soft growl your only clue of his reaction before bobbing your head back down again. Before you could repeat the motion, however, he was tugging his fingers back, a wet pop and a trail of saliva snapping, and the hand on your throat tightened to lift your head up for him again. Your sights clashed, and he already looked about as ruined as you felt. 

He was shaking with need, you could see the vibrations in his shoulders, the hum of the occasional shadow that darted up high enough to dance over his shoulders, before joining the pool at your waists. 

Those two wet fingers dragged down, a shock of coldness over your bare skin before his fingers were snapping the elastic of your leggings against your hips. He only chuckled at your gasp, before his hand was dipping under this time, fingers teasing down between your legs until he was dragging a moan from you at the featherlight touch over your clit. 

“Oh, look at that. You didn’t need to get my fingers all wet for me after all, you’re fucking dripping for me.” Swirling two digits through the wetness already accumulated, your head fell back, a whimper of his name carried away on the winds. 

“You once told me that I was too in my head. You helped me focus, just like this. Let me help you unfocus now. Let me touch you, let me make you feel good.” One hand gripped at his forearm around your throat, gentle but firm, holding you secure where you all but balanced over the edge. The other reached for his hand, hidden under your leggings and the swirl of shadows as he dipped one finger into your core, sinking it slowly into you. “Az…”

“Making you feel good, sweetheart, watching you come undone is what’s going to help me. I want you to scream my name so loud I can’t hear any of the bad thoughts, just you.” As he spoke, he pulled his touch back, only to snap back in with both fingers instead of one, and your back arched again with a cry of his name. 

Again and again, his fingers dragged over every spot within you that made yous hake only to snap back against you, not letting the limits of your clothing stop him at all. Then again, it never had before, either. Just like in that training ring, he started to tease. The palm of his hand over your clit, grazing with each thrust that was never quite enough. Your hips rolled down to meet him, scrabbling, desperate for more, and his condescending laugh was hidden in your skin, but you felt every piece of it. 

Heat flooded your skin, the begging you were rapidly approaching sitting like bitter acid on the tip of your tongue. Your fingers scratched anywhere you could reach, clinging to him while demanding more, thanks and request all in one. You could feel it, the whisper of pleasure over your nerves, so close but not enough, and a sob fell from your lips as his taunting. 

He knew exactly what he was doing.

With a simple flick of his wrist, he was twisting his hand, reaching deeper, using all the things he’d learned about you like muscle memory to find every spot that he needed to.

“Please, Azriel!”

“Please, what?” He echoed, pulling back enough to set his forehead on your own again, lips brushing, feeling your pants wash over his face, letting him taste everything he did to you from your needy whines and gasps. “Tell me what you want.” He threw your own words back in your face, you’d made him ask you to stay, and now he wanted you to ask him to make you come. 

Your lips stopped the words, another cry of his name, shaky and pathetic as he held your orgasm just out of reach, his fingers slowing to almost a stop, barely moving at all, and your frustration was so palpable you felt like electricity was jumping from your skin to his own, every hair standing on end. “Azriel! Please, please, let me come!”

“There’s my good fuckin’ girl.”

With the perfect crook of his fingers, Azriel had you shaking, hurtling towards an orgasm that would leave your mind spinning, head empty when that was what you were supposed to be doing for him, but the pleasure was too heady for you to care. 

His fingers buried deep in your cunt, his lips on your neck, tongue and teeth stinging and soothing as he marked you, mumbled praises interspersed with filthy promises, it was all too much. With a heavy swipe of his thumb over your clit, his name finally fell in a true scream from your lips. 

He didn’t let up, not when your clit began to throb or walls pulsed. Not until you were shaking so hard through your orgasm that you were all but crawling up and over the edge of the balcony did he stop, leaving you unable to breathe for an entirely different reason as he wrung your body out for pleasure.

His hand finally left you, catching you at the waist when your knees buckled, his fingers tucking into his mouth to suck the taste of your from them, a lewd act that had your cheeks flushing with heat and your stomach tingling with need again already. Clinging onto him, your nails left crescent moons in the exposed skin of his chest, red marks on his forearms where you’d clawed at him, but he didn’t seem to care. If anything, he looked wilder now then he had before. 

“That… that was even better than last time.” You panted out. He’d used all those tips and tricks he’d learned about your body from the last time to play you like his favourite game this time, driving you to an earth-shattering orgasm with a few touches and buttons pushed, knowing you too well.

Your only reply was a harsh kiss, his tongue forcing its way between your lips to let you taste yourself as he held you solidly to him. Your lips were slow and languid where his were hurried and desperate, mind still working far too quickly, still holding onto so much, the night nowhere near over if he hadn't started to let it go. 

A shadow swiped across the back of your legs, your body sinking slowly towards the ground as this time he doesn’t bother to correct you, this time, it was intentional. Your lips are torn apart, your knees meeting the stone as he sets you down, with enough care that your teeth don’t clatter and your knees aren’t cut, a flash of your love in there despite the monster taking over his body. 

“Gods, I knew you’d look good on your knees for me. Always so pretty, baby. So fuckin’ pretty.” He swept your hair over your shoulders, a finger under your chin to tip your head up, shadows so high around you that if he willed it they’d go over your head entirely, smothering you within them and taking you prisoner. “Bet you’d look good if your mouth was stuffed with my cock too, huh? Shall we find out?”

Your legs clenched at his words, a dizzy wave of arousal slamming into you at full force. You’d thought about Az bossing you around before, the voice he used at training or on missions, hoping he’d one day turn it on you between the sheets too. This was so much colder and crueller than that, it was almost mocking, like he truly was taking you for the toy you’d offered yourself up to be, his to use for the night until he felt better, and he wore that role like a second skin.

His leathers sit low on his hips, sharp hipbones exposed to you along with the deep dip of his muscled stomach, trailing down with a patch of hair from his navel to disappear between the laces. Leaning in, you left a light kiss over the soft hairs just above the hemline, a hiss on his lips as he watched you, and you watched him through your lashes.

Another kiss, this one to his hipbone, and then to the other, his hand clenching and unclenching by his side as you left scattered kisses along the base of his stomach, tongue occasionally flicking out to tease. When he’d seemingly had enough, his hand settled on your head, fingers weaving into your hair, gathering the strands up threateningly in his fist but not tugging yet, just making his presence known, taking back every shred of that power. 

Sliding your hands up his legs and over the front of his trousers, he let out a low moan at the pressure of your palms, his hips rolling into your touch as his erection strained against the fabric underneath. Your fingers toyed with the ends of each lace holding them shut, barely managing to contain him now. 

“Go ahead, pretty girl.” His words were powerful but his voice was straining, watching through hooded eyes as you undid the laces slowly, unable to hide the smirk on your face as you teased him. Inching them down a little at a time, more and more of him was revealed to you, until the leathers were tight around the middle of his thighs, his cock red and angry, standing tall before you, shining with the smears of precum that already escaped him. 

When you leaned in, hands still clasped at his thighs, only to leave a tantalising lick from his base to his tip, he growled. You did it again, enjoying the way the danger of riling him up anymore seemed to make you tremble with want. You cleaned the taste of him from his skin, salty and rich, merely a hint of what he’d truly taste like and yet your mouth was already watering, begging for more, needing it more than you needed air to breathe. 

Another lick, and his restraint finally snapped. A shocked sound left your lips as he yanked your head back hard by the first in your hair, taking his cock within his other hand, and slapping it against your cheek. “Open up, before I fucking make you.”

Your jaw fell open of its own command, lips parting and tongue sitting flat, and there was far too much pride in his gaze as he grinned down at you, letting the head of his cock hover millimetres from your lips. 

“Say please.”

“Please.” You were breathless, the word rushing from you, and the grin on his face was wild enough that your stomach felt like you’d fallen through the sky. The same flipping and turning that Azriel would do when he carried you through the air, just to get a rise out of you. Somehow, he managed to do the same thing when you were on the ground, too. “Please, Az, let me make you feel better.”

“Alright, baby, I’ll let you help.” With that, he was pressing himself between your lips, hot skin sliding across your tongue, the taste of him the only thing you could focus on as he slipped into your mouth. He didn’t stop, not until he was tapping against the back of your throat, a deep moan falling from his lips as he struggled to keep his eyes open, to keep his focus on you as your lips sealed tightly around him. “Fuck, sweetheart. I’ve always dreamed about what your mouth would feel like, but this is so much better than all of it.”

Your moan was muffled around him, tongue tracing the throbbing vein along the underside of his cock, and the hand in your hair tightened until tears were lining your eyes. 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” His hips rocked a little, pulling back only to push back in, setting a slow pace, fucking your mouth a little more each time. He built back up again, his smirk growing with every gag you gave him. He was teasing himself and you, never daring to push any further but showing exactly what he wanted, exactly where he wanted to be, and with another sharp pull of your hair to angle your head up for himself, he took it. 

Pushing himself in, he kept going, until your nose was brushing against the base of his cock, and breathing became impossible. Choking around the thick length filling your throat as he held you there, his other hand came to cup your face, squeezing roughly until he was pulling out entirely, giving you a few seconds to gasp for breath, lungs burning and head spinning.

“Is this what you wanted, huh? When you offered to help me? Wanted to cry, choke on my cock in your pretty mouth?” He was trying to scare you, to see if it was all too much, to see if you would go back on your words and leave him. His face was like stone but he couldn't hide the flash of insecurity in his eyes, and you shook your head. This time, you moved before he could control you again. 

Surging forward, you pushed past everything you knew, nails digging into his thighs and his knees shaking as you caught him by surprise, burying his length down your throat once again, and the stream of shaky curses left his lips. With a weak growl, he scrabbled to regain control, to think around the smooth of your tongue at his base, the lips sealed tightly, the tight swallows at his tip as salty precum filled your mouth. 

Tugging on your hair, the muscles of his legs tightened, all the way over his ass and up to his wings as he pulled them taut to his body. Stroking his thumb over your cheek, he pressed against himself through the skin, holding you in place even as you tried to pull back. “Shit, sweetheart, look at you. You even look pretty when you cry.”

Catching one tear with his thumb, he raised it up, licking it from his finger and allowing you to pull back, to free one hand and stroke his spit-soaked length as you caught your breath. “Just for you, Az.”

Your voice was rough, croaky as you tries to speak around the dull ache so worth it, when he looked down with heat in his eyes and parted lips in shock. “Better be. You’re my girl.”

You lapped at him, using your fingers for everything you weren’t mouthing at, alternating between teasing his head until his legs shook before working your way back down, until your tongue was smoothing across the tops of his balls and he was letting out breathy sighs of your name, only to repeat it all over. Again and again you went, until a steady line was flowing from his tip, every drop being caught as he leaked, your scalp stinging from the grounding grip he had on you.

He was growing more and more impatient, no longer the patient man you fell for as he tried to guide you to where he wanted you, adoring gaze turning wicked once again. “I’m gonna’ cum, and if you keep teasing me, you won’t be getting the same pleasure again.”

You stilled, the promise in his gaze of more was enough to make you give in, the tone of his voice a dark threat underneath. Remaining still, your lips parted, tongue hanging a little before him and the widening of his eyes was enough to show his arousal at your obedience. With a single move, he was back in your mouth, fucking at a sloppy pace as he chased his high, your nails clawing at his thighs to keep him in place, your name an endless moan on his lips, curses and praises thrown in as his head fell back. 

Once taut wings were now hanging loose, his entire body shaking, before he came; “Don’t swallow yet.”

Hot bursts of cum coated your tongue, and he held you in place, his body jerking through the intensity of his orgasm, until it was all too much, and he was pulling back. The last of his release spattered across your lips, sitting heavy in your mouth as he panted. The hand in your hair finally slipped out, your eyes almost crossing at the relief of it, and his hand slipped down to rub at the pearly beads coating your lips, pressing them into your skin before tipping your chin up.

“Let me see it.”

Parting your lips, he let out a broken moan at the sight, the coat of his release over your tongue, and nodding his head. His cock twitched, never softening but only bouncing more, an angry red beginning to take over as his need still recessed evidently, watching you swallow before helping you to your feet. 

As you stared up at him, he smiled, dipping down to kiss your sticky lips, licking the taste of himself from them as you panted against his mouth. He said he wanted to ruin you, and yet you’d never expected this. You were taken apart, piece by piece until you were nothing but a shattered mess in his hands, and he was all that was holding you together. 

Your thighs were slick with your arousal, rubbing together unashamedly as he kissed the taste of himself from your tongue, a soft contrast to the bruising grip he’d had on your hips, your neck, your hair, only moments ago. His mouth trailed up, a sweet, wet kiss left on each cheek, before his nose was coming back to bump with yours. 

“You’re so fuckin’ perfect.” The words came with a sharp smack across your ass, the skin stinging, threatening to leave a mark there too, and your body jolted into his. “Since you’ve been so good, I’ll let you choose how you take my cock first. You’ve got one minute, and I expect you naked on my bed, in whatever position you want it.”

Another smack, and you were being dismissed, stumbling over shaky legs as excitement coursed through your body. Stripping your shirt off and over your head, you left a trail of clothing as you went, bra next, then your leggings, shoes and socks gone and panties last, until you found yourself at the baseboard, staring at the large bed designed for maximum Illyrian comfort, threatening to swallow you whole when you crawled onto it.

Shadows swirled around you, traces up your legs until you shivered, a cool swipe over your heated core, through your messy hair, tweaking at taut nipples until you whimper, mind a frenzy as you tried to work out what to do.

Azriel moved like water in the night, silent and invisible, until he was pressed up behind you, one hand splaying over your waist and the other shifting your hair over one shoulder. A disapproving noise left his mouth as he lowered it, pressed a kiss to your skin, and your head fell to the side to give him more space, eyes fluttering shut.

“What did I say?”

Your lips fell open to respond, to explain yourself, but all that came out with a surprised cry of his name as his teeth clamped down against your skin, pain and pleasure blurring into one. He licked across the mark, before doing it again, never enough to break the skin, but enough to leave his imprints on you. Marked, bitten like two wild creatures in the heat of it all, and that was exactly how you felt. Trembling in his arms, he shushed you quietly. 

“I told you where I wanted you, you didn’t listen.”

“I couldn't decide!” His lips were skimming your skin again, the other side now, teeth grazing, but pausing at your words. “I’ve thought about you so much, about this, I didn’t know what I wanted most.”

He pulled back, kissing his way back up your shoulder until he was nuzzling a hot kiss into the skin of your neck, your panting the only sound to fill the room as he turned your face towards him with one finger. A soft kiss was placed on your lips, no tongue or teeth but full of emotion, and he barely even pulled back to speak, “I love you.”

Your eyes snapped open, meeting his as a cold shock broke through hot, hazy lust, but he wasn’t ready to linger. The darkness still had a tight grip on him, those few words breaking through didn’t stop the tidal wave of need, because your mind had yet to catch up before your cheek was pressing into the bedsheets, hips being pulled up as Azriel manhandled you to the centre of the bed.

Your fingers grasped at cotton sheets, knees digging in for purchase on the soft fabric, as he layered himself over you, kissing at the top of your spine and surrounding you entirely. His wings were like a blanket, covering you on either side, his arms on your hips, gripping tightly. Now, you could feel all of him. He must’ve shed his clothes when you did, because that thick length was pulsing against your core, pressed up and rocking in slow motions as he created the most delicious friction, your eyes rolling.

When the head of his cock bumped against your swollen clit, a pornographic sound left your lips, something sinful and dark, and he chuckled as he left little nips along your skin as he shifted back. 

His slap across your ass was electricity sparking over your skin, continuing to abuse your clit while giving you nothing at all, clenching emptily as he left a matching spank to the other side. “You look so good decorated with my handprints.”

“Azriel, please, stop teasing, I need you.” Your cries only made him laugh, holding you firm as you rocked back to meet him, desperately seeking something more, and embarrassed heat flushed over your cheeks, blending into tear-soaked skin and pretty love-bites. 

“You don’t need me, you need this,” He taunted, lining himself up and fucking into you with one quick thrust. A scream left you as he did, stretching you so perfectly that your eyes crossed at the intrusion, a burning as he let you settle, to adjust to his length, that left you squirming, hips rubbing against his as he sat at full depth. “I bet you feel better now, sweetheart, full of my cock. Does that make you happier?”

“So, so happy…” Your babble was senseless, tailing off into more pleas of his name as he set a steady rhythm. 

The last of that feral anger came through, unhinged and needy as he fucked out every bit of pent-up anger. His thrusts were brutal, hips snapping into yours hard enough that you were pushed up the bed, gripping at the bedsheets to hold steady. Everything else in the room, in your mind, slipped away, until you could only focus on the sloppy rhythm of his pounding into you, every connection, every thrust as he hit spots inside of you that made you see stars. “So godsdamned wet for me, so warm and soft. If my heart gave out from fucking you, and I’d die happy.”

“Oh, gods…” 

“No gods are watching over you now, my love, just me. If you’re gonna’ moan anyone’s name, I want it to be mine.” Your toes were curling with the pleasure, the knuckles in your fingers aching as you clung onto the sheets for strength, body shaking. He left kisses up and down your spine, bites and spanks until every part of your body felt like it had been touched, been played with, another part taken away only to be put back better. 

He was breathing just as hard as you were, moans of your name coming out in broken sighs, his hand closing over your own as he fell atop you with the sheer intensity of it all. Your bodies were moulded together like you were made for it, his face tucked into the crook of your neck, skin covered in a light sheen of sweat that made everything so much more erotic. 

The scent of him overwhelmed you, stronger and deeper with his arousal, the smell of sex in the room thick and heavy, and you cried out his name as it all blended into something indescribable. 

Reaching his other hand around you, scarred fingertips skimmed over the apex of your thighs, a few messy circles was all it took to send you spiralling over the edge. “Oh, fuck, Az!”

When you came, it was like a storm crashing onto the beaches, your body spasming until not even your knees could hold you up, collapsing down into the bedding and freeing yourself of his movements for only a second, before his body was following you down. His hand, still trapped under your body kept going, until moans turned into cries and sobs, pleasure you couldn’t take anymore, it was so good. 

Your body was lax, pliant in his arms as he flipped you over, his for the taking as he pried your shaking thighs apart to bare your sopping cunt to himself again. 

“Need y’to give me one more, my love. Can’t get enough of your pussy, can you give me another?” His lips closed over your own, and his tongue playing with yours could barely count as a kiss, your mind hardly worked, just a filthy collision of his lips with your own. “One more, yeah?”

“Yeah, Az, I can do it. I want it…” Lifting up your legs to latch at his hips, your heels dug into his firm ass, pressing him forward again, and he took the hint. In one easy movement, his hips were cradled between your legs, his hands on either side of your head and he was sheathing himself inside of you once again. 

Your back arched, a scream in his ear as his head fell forwards, damp foreheads pressing together as he dove back into a messy pace. What had already been uncontrollable before was now a chaotic mess, jerks of his hips as he frantically followed his own high, curses spilling from him and muscles tense.

When he couldn't hold himself up anymore, he dropped to his forearms, putting everything he had into those final movements, the grinding of his body lighting you up. Your nipples scarped his chest, the base of his cock thumping your clit with every sporadic movement, and your screams became silent as white-hot bliss flooded your body. 

He gave your front the same treatment, teeth and lips leaving no spot untouched, committing you to memory with his mouth as he left stains and splotches across your skin with his rough touch. 

“Azriel, Azriel, Azriel!” Like a chant, you were incapable of saying anything else, even your own name escaped you as you focus on him, the vision of him before you, jaw clenched and eyes sparkling, never looking away from you for even a second. Your body was utterly boneless, your finger shaking as you reached up over his shoulder, clamping your teeth down against his shoulder the same way he had done to you, and brushing your lips down over his wing.

That was it, a soft stroke and a cruel bite, and he was shattering above you, a burst of power unlike any of the others, the door rattling and the winds trembling as he came. An explosion, the feeling of his heat filling you up sent another orgasm cresting through your body, shuddering up your spine until your head was pressing into the bed, his head in your neck. He never stopped moving, riding both of you through your peaks until it was too much, finally coming to a stop, still tucked deep inside of you, and his body collapsed down on top of yours. 

His head remained where it was, breathing evening out as he took steady breaths. His heart was pressed to your stomach, the beat of it synching to your own as both of you began to even back out. The chill from the open patio doors finally started to take effect, swiping the heat from the room and taking the intoxicating smell of sex and your combined scents with it, leaving only the palpable tension between you both. 

Your body was still trembling, still spasming with the occasional twitch, a feeling flooding your body that you knew would take hours to go away as you pulled yourself back together from the way Azriel had torn you apart. 

Your fingers were tracing up and down his spine when you felt him stiffen, when the shallow breathing that had almost convinced you he’d fallen asleep was a ragged gasp. He lifted his fingers, pulling back a fraction only to push your jaw to the side, tracing across your skin slowly, from one patch to another, the more he distanced himself. 

Rocking back onto his knees, his length finally pulled from your sensitive core, a sound of true pain now leaving you as the soreness began to kick in, and he winced as he settled into with one hand holding him up above you. He didn’t look down, not for a second to the seed of his own dripping from you and ruining the bedsheets, but instead, an anguished look took over his face as he traced softly over your skin. 

Propping yourself up weakly on your arms, you watched him, brows furrowed in confusion as he became more and more hurt. 

“Oh, fuck, baby. I-I’m so sorry…”

Now you understood, watching him trace the tip of his index finger over a bite on your shoulder, down to a bruise on the side of your breast, made by his lips in the throes of passion. “Azriel-”

“What did I do to you?” His voice cracked, the spiralling already starting, and you freed your arms, collapsing back into the bed only to pull you with him, ignoring his resistance and tugging his body back against your own. 

“You didn’t do anything I didn’t want you to do!”

“I hurt you!” He sniffed, the outburst watery and broken, and your head shook urgently, leaving kisses dotted along his cheeks when he pulled back enough to look at you.

“Stop it, stop it right now, Azriel.” You rarely took such a tone with him, the pain on his face only worsening with confusion as he stared. “You didn’t hurt me. You gave me every chance to leave and I chose to stay. What we just did was fucking fantastic, and even if you were locked up in your head, you were here with me the entire time. These marks mean nothing, because every touch was so full of love, Azriel. I could feel it. These marks don’t mean you hurt me, they show me just how much you love me.”

His lips were pursed tight, still attempting to pull away, and you had no choice. Using all that training he’d put you through, in the midst of his distraction, you flipped him over, cautious to avoid catching his wings, and leaving him sprawled out on his back. Settling into his lap, your hands found his shoulders, pinning him to the bed and pressing your forehead to his.

“I love you, Azriel.” His eyes widened, swollen and kiss-bruised lips parting, and a smile finally tugged at your own. “I love you. I love you so much, and I wanted to be here for you. If you don’t stop, you’re gonna’ break my fucking heart, because it’ll mean you don’t trust yourself for me, to know what we need.”

“Of course, I trust you.” His whisper came immediately, setting hesitant hands over his marks on your waist, holding you reverently instead of demandingly now, tugging you a little closer to his chest. “I just… fuck, seeing you like this at my doing-”

“I think I left my fair share of marks on you too.” You dragged one finger over a scratch on his bicep, a hiss through his teeth as he looked down at it. Looked down at all of them. His marks would be gone by morning, that Illyrian healing already kicking in, but the look of awe growing on his face would never fade.  “This one,” Tracing your finger beside the scratch instead of over it, you drew his attention back to you, “I gave you this one because I love the way you smile at me.”

You moved to another, tracing a bite on his shoulder where your teeth had sunk in to hold back a scream. 

“I gave you this one because you never let me feel sad or alone.”

“I gave you this one,” He cut off, voice a little shaky as he tried to rewrite hatred to love, running his thumb over a kiss by your nipple, but never dropping your gaze. “I gave you this one because I love how brave you are.”

You smiled, his own smile coming back, as you looped your arms around his neck. “See? These are not marks of hurt, they’re marks of love. They’re called love-bites for a reason, you know?”

He only chuckled, tracing his fingers over the reddened skin of your ass, still raw from his palm. “I gave you these spanks for making cheesy jokes.”

“You love them.”

“No, but I love you.” He spoke, catching your lips a second later in the gentlest kiss yet. He leaned back, taking you with him, his mouth never leaving your own as he settled back into the pillows, shadows closing the balcony doors and settling like a blanket around you both. “Thank you for being here for me.”

“I’ll always be here for you, Az.” You shifted, settling your cheek on his shoulder, and pulling the real blankets across your bodies for warmth, his arms curling protectively around you to hold you there. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No. I don’t want anything like what happened to ever touch you.” His lips brushed your forehead, and you pressed a little further into his embrace. “I feel better, though. So much better, just for having you here in my arms. I don’t want you to ever leave them.”

“I guess I could stay for a while.”

“I want you to stay forever.” His mumble came through a lazy breath and the cloud of sleep hanging over you both, exhaustion weighing in at last, but you smiled despite it all.

“Forever it is, then.”

[brittle-doughie]

Hello! 7th time i've sent this ask sorry if I seem impatient. Just wanna speak out my idea here lol.

Just imagine, y/n cookie has the ability to control the winds and joins in gingerbrave's and his friends journey/journies. After a while, throughout their adventures y/n somehow gets seperated from the group and sees a tornado, it's not like the average tornado the cookies know, but a tornado at the same size of an average tornado size, like from irl.

When they saw it they where amazed and in awe, and from there on they would study these tornadoes and their different types in secret, knowing that the other cookies wouldn't allow them to do so as they would dangerously get close to it leading to many close calls.

So in the fight between the dragons ensue and the cookies fighting of the eye thingies(idk what their called i'm so sorry) y/n gets an idea and immediately uses their abilities to swiftly get to the dragons whilst the cookie protests are left unheard. Once they reach their they talk to pitaya and ananas saying they have a destructive plan, before pitaya says that they want to join in y/n immediately tells them to bring the cookies with them then go as far as they can and don't come back until the plan's done.

After a few seconds of persuasion the dragons go back to the cookies and tell them to get on their backs, lychee secretly follows them out of curiousity. Y/n watches them as they dodge longan's attacks to their best of their abilities(idk how but plot). Once they deemed they are at a safe distance they enact on their plan.

They swiftly recreate an irl size F6 tornado in the area as quickly as possible. Everyone, including lotus,snake fruit, and the other cookies back at the lotus palace looked towards the location of the longan palace and saw that the entire area is engulfed by the tornado that y/n cookie made. They and especially lychee and the rest of the cookies were glad that they left but are now incredibly worried for y/n's safety.

Longan struggles inside the tornado as the wind speeds exceed 300 miles per hour at maximum. this alone would be strong enough to lift up houses from their foundations and they're having difficulty in balancing themselves as they're being thrown around and hit by multiple debris from their now broken palace and from the ocean floor in the tornado.

despite the destructive nature of the tornado, y/n cookie floats calmly in the center of the tornado in a sitting position with their eyes closed. The center of the tornado is called death zone due to low temperatures and oxygen levels which makes it hard to breathe, it's a miracle that they are even alive at all.

And with that, could we get the characters mentioned in the ask and wind related cookies(not limited to ovenbreak cuz y'know, wind deity cookie) reaction to this cenario? Oh and sorry for how long this ask is.

Gingerbrave was completely flabbergasted at how large and deadly of a tornado you could create, one that could even make Longan struggle a bit. Were you always capable of this?

Were you holding out on Pitaya this whole time?! They would’ve fought you so much if they knew you were able to do powerful twisters like this! Don’t think you’re in the clear once the Longan deal is over!

There it is, Snakefruit thought to themself. You had finally decided that the dragons won’t leave it alone and went all out on your power. They had a suspicion that there was more to you than meets the eye. They expected it, but are still impressed by just how immense your tornadoes can be.

While unexpected for a cookie, Lotus might be a little iffy when it comes to you drawing attention to yourself like that. The plan they had in place kind of leaned towards the opposite, until you intervened. It does do the job of weakening Longan for the others, Lotus still wished the plan went as directed so you wouldn’t make yourself a spectacle.

Longan themself, while frustrated during the whole thing, had a sense of relief and maybe a little bit of excitement. This was the first in a long time that a mere cookie had given them a problem. It really makes you a spectacle in their eyes, much to Lotus’s fears of Longan having this exact reaction. You may be strong, but can you keep up that strength for a whole fight?

Ananas being the most sentimental towards cookies, would have more worry compared to Lotus. They know what Longan might do if they ever got their hands on you, so you putting on that giant tornado pretty much painted a target on your back. It was annoying, annoying and worrying that Ananas now had to make sure you didn’t fall into Longan’s grasp.

Lychee knew it! They knew you weren’t the weak and pathetic cookie that the others cookies in your group were! You HAD to be different somehow and they got their wish with that little tornado you cooked up there! Which means they don’t have to hold back either!

[lumi-klovstad-games]

Why are the Helldivers 2 loading screens so good

This is a verr advanced tip. Not sure you rookies have the experience needed to really get this one.

I had no idea!

THOSE GIANT BONES CLEARLY CAME FROM A CREATURE THAT HATED FREEDOM AND THE UNIVERSE IS BETTER OFF WITHOUT IT, CADET

Really this is just solid advice for all of life's problems.

I AIN'T NO COWARD SARGE

The tenth turned out to be a goddamn COMMUNIST so we had him executed in the town square.

Heavy is the burden of Democracy Distribution.

'Nuff said!

Any man, woman, or child over 7 who panics will be shot so that the children under 6 will learn appropriate Super Earth-approved levels of courage.

Super Earth cares deeply for the mental well-being of ALL our citizens. Now back to the land of fire tornadoes filled with bugs the size of skyscrapers that spit metal and flesh eating acid.

Don't drink and dive, either.

I reported the ship's cook just this morning for not using enough cooking oil. He claimed it was because we were low on supply, but clearly he was an Automaton Sympathizer.

It can't be addictive if you don't live long enough to become an addict, right?

Would the Ministry of Truth lie to you? Of course not! Truth is literally in their name!

Gotta stay strong trooper. DEMOCRACY NEEDS YOU.

No permits needed for swallowing though.

Or as we vets in the service like to call it, "Colonial Diplomacy".

This tip written by Death Captain Steve "Three Fingers" Jameson.

[emin-folly]

Imagine that there's this person whose whole thing is being without fear and the fandom decides he's afraid of a dude in a fursuit.

Fandom Logic (tm)

I think it comes down to primarily two reasons, one being because people think it's funny

They think it's funny that this character without fear can suddenly be afraid of this human Bat guy. If it was just a few people in the fandom doing this, it wouldn't be nearly as bad; people are after all allowed to do whatever they want, even if we don't like it. The problem lies in where the actual comic writers start adapting this as canon as it's a huge disservice to Hal's character

The second reason is just basically these people legitimately think Hal should be afraid of Bruce because he's ~The Batman~ (which, again, you're allowed to think that, just know that's not really in character for Hal....like at all)

The whole deal with Bruce is that, both in universe and in real life, he's designed to terrify low level criminals: thugs, crooks, any unsavory person who wanders the Gotham alleyways. That's the environment Bruce works the best in. Where he can easily slip into the shadows, where he can become the night and make himself out to be a monster he wants to be. The only people who should be afraid of Batman are the ordinary hoods and criminals that infest cities

But when you suddenly stick him in a brightly lit room like the Hall of Justice next to all these colorful superheroes, that's where his effectiveness pretty much stops. All his tactics and methods to scare people don't really work here. Suddenly, he's just some guy in a bat getup with a scowly mask on. And these are seasoned superheroes, they don't scare easily, especially the ones with powers like speedsters or Kryptonians. Bruce is out of his element. Everything he does to try to act scary should look comical and silly at best

And as for Hal, I think we can all agree that Hal has definitely seen some shit. He goes off into deep space, for months up to a year or so. Who knows what kind of unimaginable horrors he's had to deal with?? Going a bit into headcanon area, but I think that if Hal wasn't desensitized before, he definitely is now. He's not afraid of space Cthulhu and he is not gonna be afraid of a bat furry who furrows his eyebrows really hard. Hal isn't scared of anything--physical, that is. And I feel like Hal is definitely the kind of person who sees straight through Bruce's BS posturing, Bruce's whole act just doesn't work on Hal.

Unfortunately, just like a tornado, any character who comes close to a Bat gets dealt major damage and we're still picking up the pieces and trying to set things straight again OTL

[radiojamming]

Hey guys! We're looking at another severe weather outbreak tomorrow evening/night and it's shaping up to potentially get nasty. Like, bad enough that storm chasers I know are already either leaving for southern Kansas and northern Oklahoma, or backing out entirely because they're worried about what's going to happen. Last time, the post I made got a little bit of traction, so I thought I'd go for it again on the off chance that it's helpful at all.

Here are the following regions currently set to be impacted, according to today's (5/24) outlook from the Storm Prediction Center:

MODERATE (MDT): Oklahoma City, OK; Tulsa, OK; Wichita, KS; Norman, OK; Lawton, OK

ENHANCED (ENH): Kansas City, MO; Overland Park, KS; Kansas City, KS; Topeka, KS; Olathe, KS

SLIGHT (SLGT): Lincoln, NE; Springfield, MO; Abilene, TX; St. Joseph, MO; Fayetteville, AR

MARGINAL (MRGL): Dallas, TX; Columbus, OH; Fort Worth, TX; Cleveland, OH; Omaha, NE

The SPC will update this forecast tomorrow (5/25) morning and will monitor it throughout the day and make changes if need be.

Here are my tips (as well as @fruitsmother's great advice!) from the outbreak two weeks ago.

Another great resource for right-to-the-minute weather updates is Ryan Hall, who will more than likely livestream tomorrow and is great about providing watches and warnings as they come in and giving advice about what to do. He also runs a 501(c)(3) non-profit The Y'All Squad that provides assistance and relief in areas hit by severe weather events.

Just to hit some key points for this forecast and reiterate the biggest pieces of advice:

These storms are forecasted to produce damaging winds, large hail, and potentially strong or violent tornadoes. These storms may hit during the night, meaning there will be low visibility. Do not just rely on sight to monitor the weather; rotation may occur right above you and not all tornadoes are immediately visible. Listen to NOAA weather radio, news stations, or any other resource you may have.

If the weather gets bad, go to a basement or the lowest level of a building. If the building doesn't have a basement, go to the most interior room (usually a bathroom or closet) with no windows. If in a bathroom, consider bringing in couch cushions, pillows, or a mattress to cover yourself in case of falling debris.

Stay away from windows, especially with the potential for high winds and hail. Do not open your windows (see: common tornado myths).

DO NOT GO OUTSIDE TO WATCH. Even if there isn't a tornado, flying debris and huge pieces of hail falling at incredible speeds are a real issue! If you've never gotten clocked in the head with an ice chunk, now is not the time to find out how it feels!

If you haven't already done so, now is the best time to consider your severe weather plan and set up your safe place. Some items you might want to have on hand are things like flashlights or lanterns, extra batteries, phone chargers, food, water, clothing, blankets, several days' worth of medicine if needed, and a first aid kit. If you have pets, it might be best to put pet carriers, extra food, water, leashes, or anything else you may need in this area as well.

Review some basic first aid skills and tips.

If you're on the road, do not go up under an overpass. This is very '90s advice and has been proven either ineffective or outright dangerous. Go into a ditch and try to get yourself as low as possible.

In the worst case scenario of a tornado or other destructive event (microbursts, derechos, etc.), be a help, not a hindrance! Don't clog roadways; allow emergency personnel to get where they need to go!

Just as well, this is not a day for amateur storm chasers. Chaser convergence has been a real problem this year and as we've learned (unfortunately) in the past, tornadoes don't always follow their usual rules, which can put even the most seasoned chaser in danger. This is going to be a great day to watch Pecos Hank or Skip Talbot videos while being as safe as possible.

I'll keep you guys updated as the models from the SPC change or if anything else comes up. Mostly, stay safe!

[nocternalrandomness]

RAF Tornado GR4 navigating Cadair Idris Pass

[lilliths-httyd-blog]

Fuck it. Earthquake Drill/PSA time.

If you see this post, AND:

A: You are in a setting in which it is socially acceptable for you to do so without reason, i.e. you are alone in private (pretty much the only acceptable setting actually XD)

B: You are capable of doing so without causing yourself pain, discomfort, ailment or inconvenience due to a disability, injury etc.

Drop, Cover and Hold

Move no more than a few steps - the fewer, the better. Move away from any tall objects like bookshelves or TVs which could hypothetically fall on you.

Immediately drop to the floor, onto your knees. This controlled fall will prevent you from being knocked to the ground by an actual earthquake and gives you more control over your movements as well as faster reaction time. You want to avoid being knocked down by an earthquake where at all possible.

If there is a sturdy desk near you, crawl and get under it. If not, stay where you are, so long as it is a safe place.

Cover the back of your head and neck with your hands and form the turtle position, like you'd do in a tornado or if a nuclear bomb went off.

If you are under a sturdy table, keep your neck covered with one hand and use the other to hold onto one of the legs of the table if you can. This is a critical in an actual earthquake, as in a strong earthquake the table will most likely move (esp if it has wheels on it). You have to be prepared to move with your table when it does so. If it is jolted to the left by shaking, you crawl to the left with it.

If you are NOT under a sturdy table, keep turtle-ing.

Stay in this position for 20-30 seconds if you are practicing, or until you are sure that the shaking has stopped in a real earthquake. Check that your surroundings are safe before standing up again and for the love of fuck be careful not to hit your head on the table on the way out.

If there's just been an actual earthquake, turn on the radio for further instruction. If you're just practicing, find out what station you should tune into in the event of an actual emergency. If your area doesn't utilise the radio as a means of post-disaster instruction, what the fuck??

Congrats! You just practiced what you should do in an earthquake. These steps should come to you automatically, you should know them by heart and be able to immediately leap into action when the ground starts to shake. If you don't, practice every now and then until you're do.

ALTERNATIVE STEPS:

If you have a disability, you should have your own set of personalised earthquake safety steps that you can take. These steps will be unique to you and your needs.

If you are driving, slow down, pull over and stop until the shaking stops. Stay in your car. After the shaking has stopped, you need to assess your own situation. How bad was that earthquake? Is it safe to continue driving? Are the roads damaged? Will emergency services need the roads to be clear? Before an earthquake hits, you should think about what you'd do in these types of situations.

If you're in bed, use your pillow as a shield for your head and your blankets to shield your body from flying glass, etc.

If you're on the beach, Drop, Cover and Hold until the shaking stops and then fucking run (DO NOT PANIC) as tsunami may be imminent. If the earthquake was light, you should be fine as the risk of tsunami is low, but get out of there anyway just in case. If the shaking made it hard to stand up or lasted longer than twenty seconds, get the fuck out of there as fast as you can because those are tsunami conditions, motherfucker. You need to reach high ground or be as far inland as possible. If you can reach high ground (at least 75-100 meters above sea level) within five minutes of running/walking, then go on foot. If there will be traffic congestion, go on foot. Only go in your car if it will get you to higher ground faster than running would AND if it will not cause congestion (e.g. your beach is in an area with a low population). Unsure? Go on foot. Do not enter alleyways or narrow streets unless it is absolutely critical to your survival and you can exit them again with haste. Best to stick to wide-open areas such as paddocks, fields and wide streets.

Your school, workplace and other facilities that you use will have their own specialised earthquake safety protocols. Follow the instructions of the authority figures in these settings. If you are in a supermarket or a similar retail setting, leave your trolley behind when you evacuate the building, I beg of you. You'd be surprised how many people (boomers) will throw hissy fits at having to leave their groceries behind in events such as fire drills and building evacuations. Please don't be one of these people.

Assess other setting you may be in and determine what you would do if an earthquake hits. As I live in earthquake-prone New Zealand, I've made it a habit of mine to assess the settings and locations that I frequent and determine the best course of action.

DO NOT:

Run outside. Running outside in an earthquake is your cheat code to immediate death. Falling signage, building facades, chimneys, scaffolding and other hazards could, and do kill people. Stay where you are. If you are walking outside a shop with a facade above the street and an earthquake hits, step away from the facade immediately.

Panic. Earthquakes are not the end of the world, they're just the ground having a bit of a rave. If you can react calmly and efficiently to take the appropriate steps, you'll be fine.

Seek shelter in your doorway UNLESS you are absolutely certain that it really is safer than the rest of the structure of your house. In all likelyhood, your doorway will be no safer than the rest of your house, and then there's the combined hazard of swinging doors to worry about as well. You'll probably be safer to just Drop, Cover and Hold. It really does depend on your house, and this is something that you will need to assess for yourself.

Go anywhere near fallen, exposed or otherwise sketchy powerlines, or just powerlines in general. Treat all wires as live at all times, even if there's a power outage.

Go near the beach shortly after an earthquake. Wait until you've received an all-clear from your local authorities before going near the beach.

Light candles. If your house uses gas for a stove, heating, etc, do not light candles, matches, lighters or anything which can produce a spark or open flame. Turn off the gas at the mains after any strong earthquake. You won't know if there's a gas leak in some instances. Best to get out of your house if a gas leak seems likely, or if you start to suffer the side effects of gas inhalation. And if you smell gas, turn it off at the mains if you can and/or get the fuck out. Only light candles when it's absolutely necessary (ALWAYS DEFAULT TO TORCHES/FLASHLIGHTS AND HEADLAMPS) AND only if you live in a house like mine where there is no gas usage, AND only if you are capable of extinguishing the candles at a moments notice. Best to only use tealights or candles with sturdy bases, and never leave a candle out of arms reach (never leave a candle unattended, earthquake or not). In general, avoid needing to use candles at all: have enough spare batteries for your torches to last until power can be turned on again (could be days or weeks).

Walk in floodwater, drink floodwater, drive in floodwater, etc. After an earthquake, you may experience flooding from ruptured water pipes, etc. I will be frank: This water may contain shit and piss in it. Also glass, metal, other harmful chemicals, a bunch of stuff. You can't see through floodwater due to its murky properties. There could be gators in there and you wouldn't know it. Don't touch it.

Open your fridge or freezer door. Food in there can keep for hours when the power goes out, so long as you keep the doors shut.

Go barefoot after a strong earthquake or if there's glass/debris etc. Find shoes, put the shoes on. Wear the shoes.

Also many other 'don't do's' but this post is getting too long so please go read up on these yourselves. What you should and shouldn't do depends on where you live. Go research it for yourself, it may save your life. Also put together both an emergency kit and an evacuation kit: you'll find plenty of guides online for how to construct these.

Earthquake safety is fucking important, and you should know how to react in an earthquake even if you are not living in an earthquake prone area - you never know when you're gonna be caught out, as fault lines can often remain completely unknown and invisible until they strike. I've met immigrants who have come to New Zealand from non-earthquakey countries and haven't known what to do (babe how do you come to the shaky isles and not know what to do if the ground starts to shake omg). Plate tectonics, volcanoes, explosions, meteor atmospheric entries (lol shockwaves), mine bumps, shitty ground infrastructure etc can all cause minor to severe earthquakes (or similar shaking effects). If nothing else, keep in mind Drop, Cover and Hold. That shit's lifesaving.

And yes I have a hyperfixation on these things, don't judge me. Kid-me grew up during/post Canterbury Earthquake Sequence, no wonder my ADHD ass started obsessing over these things.

[usafphantom2]

RAF Tornado GR.4 when they went low level "Mach Loop"

Credits: leighton owen photography

@CcibChris🇬🇧 via X

[retrocgads]

UK 1985

[polposting]

So, last week in Warsaw we had an all-time low water level in Wisła, the main river of Poland — in some places it was only 20 cm deep

(usually it's between 2-7 m, depending on a time. Again, normally when the water levels are low they are still 10 times higher)

So! Warsaw has a drought, the summer was hot and now we have a big flood at the south of the country. Nothing weird about that, what do you mean there is a climate change? /s

(We also had ~7 tornados this weekend but I genuinely don't know if that's a lot, internet says that apparently we usually get like 15 a year)

I heard that the this flood is comparable or will be even worse than the Millennium Flood, but hopefully the water won't get too far because of the new Racibórz Dolny reservoir. Let's hope it lasts and reduces the further demages... Otherwise Wrocław and Opole are fucked

(Not that that would help Stronie Śląskie where the dam has already burst and made the town impossible to get to. The videos from there are awful)

And, yknow, I think I prefer droughts+floods over wildfires in terms of climate change side effects but still it would be great if all those things just. Didn't happen. Every year we hear about droughts and record-breaking low levels of rivers and heatwaves and other anomalies—

And sure we do make steps forwards but it's like pulling out teeth. I wonder if it will influence the conversation around climate change in the following months or if the first snow this winter will make people forget (if we will get snow of course)

[redd956]

Tornado Safety

This year’s tornado season prediction for the united states is looking quite grim, so I decided to make this lil tornado safety post.

Difference between Warning and Watch

First you need to know the different between a tornado warning and a tornado watch. 

A tornado watch means there is a potential risk for tornadoes.

A tornado warning means that server weather as bean spotted.

The real one you know to get going for is the tornado emergency which means that there is truly something heading your way. However you should respond to all of these appropriately, and if one is issued keep watch for the weather.

What to look out for

The calm before the storm is a real thing. The wind may die down, and the air become still. Everything might fall silent for a moment

The sky is turning dark really fast, or green, or both.

A roar similar to that of a distant freight train. Tornado’s sound like freight trains.

Fast moving and rotating clouds, especially if they’re making a funnel shape

Obviously tornado watches escalating for tornado warnings

What to do

Let’s say the tornado warning is now issued, and eventually a tornado is coming your way. What do you do? Well the situation depends on how immediate the danger is, and what your circumstances are.

First let’s start with the “average”  American advice. Go to the lowest level of your home, and hopefully a basement or storm shelter. 

Now if that isn’t an available option, there’s no need to fear or panic. The lowest level of your home is advised. Try an small enclosed room, with low to minimum windows, such as a bathroom, closet, or center hallway.

If you are in a mobile home GET OUT OF THERE. 

WHY DOES THE UNITED STATES HAVE THESE, WHEN THEY’RE OVERPRICED ANYWAY, DEATH TRAPS, AND ITS THE COUNTRY WITH THE HIGHEST TORNADO RATES.

Let’s say there’s nowhere to go.

Go to a safe available nearby building, especially if it has a basement. However if that is still not an option lie in the nearest ditch (I know it sounds crazy but it works) and shield your head/neck with your hands

If taking shelter in a home, make sure everyone is with you. That can include pets, but if you’re in a super emergency situation it is better to leave them and get to shelter as quick as possible.

If you can get low and shield head, or body with a mattress, blanket, etc.

Natural Disaster Safety

Doesn’t matter where you live, you should probably have an emergency kit, especially one attuned to the climate of your area. This doubles if you’re in a natural disaster prone area.

Many of those in the United States have learned lately what the consequences of not having the proper equipment on hand are.

So what should you have for a tornado?

Battery Powered Radio

Flashlight

Extra Batteries

First Aid Kit

Water & Canned Food

Emergency things tailored to people of household (medical problems, etc)

If you live in a cold region also have cold safety materials too

What NOT to do & Extra

Don’t disregard the watches, and especially the warnings. They are there for a reason, and you should really keep an eye out. You might even want to head to shelter anyway if the wind is crazy strong.

Don’t stand near windows, or be that classic midwesterner who is on their porch getting a good shot of that swirly cloud of death. I know its fun...but its not safe.

If the situation is an absolute emergency don’t take time to grab your valuable. Its devastating to lose them, I've been there, but you can replace most tiny things and not a life.

Make sure any invalid family members have their own viable tornado plan. My grandma lives in a tornado prone area, and the plan has completely changed since she’s been confined to a walker. Make sure your family members like that have a plan.

Being in a car during a tornado is not safe at all. Drive to nearest shelter, or get out and hop in that ditch.

If the tornado looks like its standing still, it’s not. That shit is heading towards you.

Always be sure to remember to cover your head, or help shield your children.

Myth Busting

Overpasses are not safe shelter for when you’re in a car. It’s a myth, take that ditch instead if need be, or drive to a shelter.

Hiding under your car is dangerous. Tornados can drop on your car, either crushing you or sucking you up into the air along with your vehicle

Cars cannot outrun tornados

Don’t open your windows. It’s not going to stop the tornado from blowing your house over, instead it may even help it. It will allow for debris to enter your home easier, and cause the wind to be able to tear your house apart from the inside out.

Aftermath

It’s hit now, maybe your house was safe or not. Keep track of watches still, tornados can return, or could be apart of a tornado outbreak, meaning a second or even third tornado can hit the area. 

Assume all downed lines are active and dangerous, try not to use the gas, electricity, and water til you’re sure its safe.

If you’re not home return home once it’s deemed safe

Keep aware of damaged buildings, glass, debris, etc. 

If you want to and have the chance help your fellow man, lost animal, and etc. Checking on people is a kind and lifesaving thing to do, as well as securing people’s pets.

All of this from a person who lived in a tornado prone area growing up, to you.