#UP Board Time Table 2020

[xxepherr]

.ೃ࿐ELECTION DAY | HP

summary — in which austin accidentally lets it slip that hasan’s faceless (yet public) girlfriend is the woman they’re currently watching analyse the maps on CNN. 

pairings — hasan piker x politicalcorrespondent!girlfriend!reader

pronouns — she/her

word count — 1893

note — i personally would have “6’4 jacked boyfriend” as his contact name so that whenever weird men try to hit on me they see that but thats just me (and this reader insert ofc) (also this is nothing special just me rambling tbh — what’s to say this political!reader doesn’t become a mini series)

THE DAY WAS HERE. election day. not only was it the day your boyfriend had spent hours upon hours preparing for for weeks, but you, too. you were a political journalist and correspondent currently working the map for CNN during the weeks in the lead up to the election. 

it was a big day for you. four years ago you were streaming your own map coverage to fifteen thousand people on twitch, accessing your sources across multiple states to provide statements on what was going on nationwide. being asked a couple months ago to run the maps in front of millions was certainly a step up, but it gave you control to speak objectively without bias unlike most of the other news anchors and correspondents that were pushing right-wing sentiment over any other coverage. 

you hadn’t seen hasan in a few weeks now unless you counted facetimes and tuning into his streams. you’d get texts while he was streaming and the occasional kaya video ( because apparently she’d been whining with your leave ). it wasn’t the same, but you were both incredibly career-driven people, so being hours apart by plane wasn’t as daunting as it probably should’ve been.

“you’re gonna be late to stream,” you laughed softly, fiddling with the cap of the bottle of water someone had gotten you. endless tabs were open on your laptop in front of you, following aspects of every state because there was still hours to go before the polls closed, so you were only needed in short segments for now to go over 2020 and 2016 county votes in particular states at a time. 

“you’re right,” hasan’s voice was slightly staticky through the phone. “i might have to focus on kornacki or fox news so that i don’t spend too long staring at you.”

“aw,” you let go of your phone, holding it between your ear and shoulder to screw the cap back on the bottle. one of the directors caught your attention across the room, holding up his hand to say that she had five minutes before they were back on air again. “i’m back on in a few . . . i’ll have your stream open on my laptop, though!”

“good luck today,” hasan said softly as he started his stream, leaving it on his opening scene while his mic was muted. people were already flooding in by the thousands. “i’ll talk to you in, what, twelve hours? i love you.”

“twelve hours,” you hummed in agreement, “i love you more,” you sighed softly, noticing that the twitch tab was reloading to take her to his ‘starting soon’ overlay. “good luck.” you ended the phone call first, quickly putting it back on do not disturb and placing it over on the table that was full of analytical notes. the board that now had the map of the united states of america was lit up again, an empty canvas waiting for you to load up the old votes to load up projected blue and red areas.

TOO MANY HOURS TO count and three hundred thousand viewers into the election, hasan was still going strong. despite the pull to watching CNN more than he probably should, he managed to force himself to switch between fox news to laugh at republican propaganda and msnbc. though, he would one hundred percent lying if he said he didn’t have CNN up on his second monitor. 

things were steadily climbing, and josh ( ettingermentum ) was back after mike from PA left the call. josh, who had been raging on ( no seriously, no one had really heard him be that loud all day ) about how the democrats fucked up was finally broken up when austin joined the call, the atmosphere shifting.

christmas sign in full view and a cold slab of a slice of pizza being shoved into his mouth, austin’s discussion on if he was being sent to prison if the republicans dominated was dwindled until josh left the call to analyse the polls for twitter. 

“ugh, can we watch something else?” austin asked, barely swallowing his mouthful of pizza first. “all i’ve done is watch fox today.”

“yeah,” hasan chucked humourlessly, clicking around mindlessly between tabs as he tried to find msnbc’s coverage. because the tabs were so small thanks to the fifty million twitter tabs he had open, he almost groaned in frustration when he accidentally clicked on the CNN tab.

 the tab where you were conveniently fiddling with the data of state of pennsylvania. it was already a dangerous game having you on screen when the chat knew what the silhouettes of you looked like — photos from behind of you walking with hasan, photos of your eyes after he tried to do your makeup, mirror fit checks with your face covered by the phone . . . chat only needed to be railroaded enough to work it out. 

just as he was about to switch tabs again, austin opened his mouth. “oh, man, i miss her,” there was a shift in his tone, more than just him speaking without thinking. familiarity shone through. from the way he casually uttered your nickname to the sigh, it was probably worse than railroading. it was the train forgetting to slam the brakes on worthy. 

hasan wisely kept his mouth shut as he switched to fox news — anything was better than CNN currently — and his eyes slowly zeroed in on the chat. question marks upon question marks until it eventually morphed into ‘holy shit she looks familiar’ and ‘girlfriend reveal????’ to ‘omg face reveal’ and his breathing faltered. 

someone switched the chat to emote only mode in the few moments he was silent for, austin thankfully following suit. glancing at his second monitor, you were still doing your thing, this time discussing the iowa flip from blue to red, completely oblivious. 

“austin,” hasan finally said, tone flat. there was no use making a big fuss out of denying it — that would just make it more obvious. 

austin chuckled nervously, awkwardly. “uh . . . sorry, hasan. i didn’t think about it . . . awkward.”

“clearly,” he grumbled, digging his fingers into his hair for a moment as he thought. the election was put on hold in his mind for a moment as he switched the screen to the full facecam. he wasn’t going to directly deny or confirm anything, so instead he said, “take what you will from what austin said. in saying that, don’t go harass her, clearly she was faceless for a reason. anyway,” hasan cleared his throat, “moving on, back to the election . . .” and he swiftly moved on like nothing ever happened ( while the mods were timing out anyone who asked about it for an entire week ).

“PENNSYLVANIA AND NEVADA ARE expected to be the closest as of currently,” you gestured to the map that demonstrated the slight wave from the blue shift. “we’re looking at about half a percent, but election night is full of surprises so . . . we’ll continue to keep an eye on that for now.” the directors in the back signalled that the camera was no longer live, and you nodded and took a deep breath. the polls weren’t looking as good as everyone had expected it would look for the democrats.

finally off the air for a much needed break, you wandered back over to your little table off to the side. notes were piling up, but upon noticing the spam of notifications flashing across your phone. weird, you thought, your notifications usually not showing up unless it came from verified accounts across all social media platforms . . . until you noticed that it was coming from your private instagram and twitter account. super weird. 

and then the text from hasan. 

6’4 SUPER JACKED BOYFRIEND: uhhh so austin accidentally told 300k people we’re dating 

6’4 SUPER JACKED BOYFRIEND: call me when ur done? so sorry

oh. on one hand the first part was exciting. three hundred thousand? it was a new viewership record for him. on the other? that means a shit ton of people knew the secret you guys had spent almost two years safeguarding. you’d wanted to keep your face out of everything because you had your own career and didn’t want his to intertwine with it. a healthy work-life balance was keeping that shit separate, but it was only really time until people found out anyway. it wasn’t the best kept secret, anyway. 

still, you weren’t mad. you sent off a quick text saying ‘it’s alr’ with a smiley face emoji and shut your phone off completely, shoving it off to the side and turning your laptop back on. you’d be back in california tomorrow, anyway, it could be dealt with then.

THE AIRPORT WASN’T AS secretive anymore. tired after only getting a couple hours of sleep because you got back to your hotel at some god awful hour this morning, it was an instant relief to see hasan waiting for you, dresses comfortably to not draw too much attention to himself — which was difficult because he was fucking huge.

either way, you had no energy to do anything but collapse into his waiting arms, letting him engulf you until you were suffocating. “this is nice,” you mumbled. “sorry i didn’t call, was so tired.”

“you’re fine,” he promised, pulling you back slightly to look at him. “i missed you,” he slipped his hand into yours, and he took your suitcase with his other hand. it was nice to be able to publicly be in his presence without worrying, so much so that you leant into his arm, tiredness dragging your feet.

“missed you more,” you said honestly, but there was more on your mind than just small talk. “where’s austin? motherfucker’s been blowing up my phone.”

hasan chuckled, “if i hear him apologise one more time i’m gonna commit a hate crime.” he then shook his head, “he wanted to stay at the house but i told him to come ‘round tomorrow . . . want you to myself first.”

you knew what that was code for, so you shook your head with a silent laugh. “let me sleep first, god.”

and sleep you did. the house was silent thankfully so you were content tucked up in hasan’s arms, stealing him from clocking in with his twitch chat for ten hours in a fit of selfishness that you were entitled too.

“austin might’ve saved our relationship,” you teased, trailing your fingers up his arm that was tightly wrapped around you, both on the verge of falling into dreamland. “now we can go out on proper dates again.”

“you can tell him yourself,” hasan’s arms tightened around her a little bit more, so full of warmth that the blanket was starting to render useless. “when he knocks our door down tomorrow morning.”

“aw, come on,” you tapped his arm a little harder, fighting the urge to gnaw on his forearm. “you love him.”

“i love you, he’s just my side piece,” he kissed the side of your neck tenderly, “night, baby.”

“g’night,” you mumbled back with a soft smile, the world drifting away for just that little bit longer until tomorrow rolled around. you could deal with your very public relationship then.

[scuderiasundays]

time after time

summary: years of yearning ending in a fiery release 🧨 written with lennon stella's cover of "time after time" (one of my all-time favorites) on repeat!

words: 1315

a/n: those b/w milan photos gave me the final push i needed to get this out into the world! the first time i've written anything this long so i would appreciate any and all feedback 🫶🏼

September 2012

"I bet you could convince my mom to let me go." It was a picturesque night in Madrid as the words slipped out of his mouth. Gathered around a table adorned with colorful tapas, Carlos and his friends celebrated his and Y/N’s birthdays over Gambas al Ajillo and pints of Estrella Galicia. Sat across from Carlos was Y/N, his best friend who he had grown up alongside. The aspiring Formula 1 driver had been away for months, leaving behind his beloved hometown. Tonight, their tight-knit group had unanimously agreed to refrain from discussing anything related to motorsport, but Carlos couldn't help but come up with hypothetical situations that ended in successfully persuading his mother to allow him to race in Macau, a city an astonishing 10,497 kilometers away.

Would Y/N ever gather the strength to say no to those velvety brown eyes? The evening had quickly gone by, and Carlos and Y/N bid farewell to their friends, commencing their walk back to the Sainz residence. “Mama, look who I’ve brought home.” Reyes’ face lit up upon Y/N’s arrival at the front door. If ever a motherly instinct surged within Reyes, it was when she witnessed the two little ones growing up, sensing deep down they were destined to end up together. Reyes had been like a second mother to Y/N and had always gotten her a birthday gift of her choosing. “So, what shall it be this year?” Reyes beamed. “I want to use this year’s wish for Carlos, if that’s alright. He’s worked tirelessly this season and it would kill me if he didn’t get to race in Macau.”

“Carlitos put you up to this, no?” Reyes chuckled. Drawing Y/N into a warm embrace, she assured Y/N that Carlos could race at the Macau Grand Prix, so long as he stopped pressuring his best friend to speak on his behalf. To make up for her son’s foolishness, Reyes allowed Y/N to blow out the candles on the birthday cake she’d made for Carlos since she had virtually used up her birthday wish on him. Y/N closed her eyes, silently praying that this would be the year Carlos would come to his senses and realize she’s been madly in love with him this whole time.

July 2020

"You're not coming to Mallorca this summer?" Y/N could sense Carlos’ frustration seeping through the phone. It wasn't that she didn't want to go, of course she did. Summers in Mallorca were pure bliss. The refreshing gazpacho Reyes prepared, the laughter-filled board game sessions with Carlos' grandfather, and the exhilarating late-night padel matches with Carlos, Ana, and Blanca. There was cause for additional celebration this summer as Carlos had made it through the treacherous F1 silly season unscathed, securing a seat at McLaren. However, a mixture of the demands of residency and an unspoken truth kept Y/N from wanting to spend even a single moment with the man she had termed “Summer Carlos.”

Summer Carlos was carefree, bronzed, and exuded warmth. Summer Carlos was the Carlos who had drunkenly kissed her three summers ago, leaving her heartbroken when he acted as though nothing had happened the following day. The memory still stung, and Y/N wasn't sure if she was ready to face those emotions once again.

July 2022

Caco, Carlos' older cousin, had graciously invited Y/N to join them at the Silverstone Grand Prix. After managing to secure a weekend off from work, Y/N was euphoric escaping the sterile confines of the hospital. As she walked into the motorhome, a mix of emotions swirled within her. It had been months since she had last seen her best friend. Her job kept her tethered to the emergency room, while Formula 1 had taken Carlos across the globe.

The initial words that escaped Carlos' lips were, "You look pale, like you could use some Mallorcan sun." Y/N couldn't decipher whether he genuinely wanted her there or not. The uncertainty lingered, leaving her unsure of where they stood after all this time apart.

Eager to avoid being in anyone's way, especially Carlos', Y/N decided to take a stroll around the paddock. Lost in her thoughts, she ran into Lando, Carlos' former teammate, who recognized her immediately and approached with a friendly smile. "How've you been, Y/N? We miss you over at McLaren.” Y/N had tended to Lando after his Eau Rouge crash during qualifying in 2021, forging a close bond between them.

A faint smile appeared on Y/N's face as she replied, "Maybe I'll seek refuge at McLaren's hospitality this weekend since it seems like Carlos doesn't want me here." Lando chuckled in his characteristic way, the sound putting Y/N at ease. "You and I both know the man is terrible at expressing his feelings. He's probably just yearning for you because you've been too busy saving lives. Trust me," Lando reassured her. "I'm running late for a meeting, but I'll catch up with you later, okay?"

Y/N's mind was filled with curiosity, trying to make sense of Lando's words. Carlos pining for her? It seemed impossible, given their history and the distance that had grown between them. Yet, a flicker of hope ignited within her, and she couldn't help but wonder if there was more to Carlos' aloofness than she had initially assumed.

Y/N's phone buzzed, and her heart skipped a beat as she read Carlos' message: "You and me in my driver's room now." Her hands shook as she knocked on the door, waiting for his response. "Come in," he replied, and as she entered, she couldn't help but notice how he made the fiery Ferrari red his own.

"You can't just waltz back into my life whenever you feel like it, Y/N. Race weekends are sacred to me, and you showing up out of nowhere is a distraction. It's not like you even care about me or my career anyways. When was the last time you watched a race, hmm? Dr. Y/N is always too busy at the hospital."

Y/N wouldn't allow Carlos to lash out at her like this, not after all the sacrifices she had made. Countless sleepless nights on call, choosing to stay awake to watch Carlos race in distant cities. Collecting every article featuring him since his karting days, carefully preserving them in a special scrapbook. Being there for him in his darkest moments, answering late-night calls when the pressure almost crushed him.

"You can't push me away that easily. We both know I've always been there for you, to the point where I didn’t even know who I truly was when you reached Formula 1 and left Madrid," Y/N said. "I only bury myself in my work to avoid facing the emptiness that hangs over the city when you’re not around."

Carlos felt a pang of pain as he witnessed his best friend break down in front of his eyes. Had he truly misunderstood everything all along? Y/N's words pierced through his heart. "I’m all yours. I always have been," she said, her tears dampening her sleeves.

In an attempt to console her, Carlos whispered softly, "Don't cry, princesa. Mama will kill me if she finds out I made you so upset."

Y/N couldn’t help but giggle through her tears. “Well, go out and win this race for me, and I'll promise not to snitch.”

“For you, anything,” he said.

“And for the first time in Formula 1, Carlos Sainz is victorious! He wins the British Grand Prix!” The electrifying announcement filled the air as Y/N ran from the garage to the podium. As Carlos emerged from the car, his eyes searched for one face in particular. With both hands, he gently caressed Y/N's face. Without hesitation, he pressed his lips against hers, years of longing exploding in a passionate release. The two of them radiated a golden glow, as if destiny herself had brought them together, time after time.

[absolutebl]

My Top 60 BLs - The Elite 10% of 600 Watched

It's happened again, another year, another 100 BLs watched. We have just tipped the BL tracking spreadsheet over into 600 BLs watched. (by moi).

SO after watching 600 BLs, here are my top 60:

Seven Days - Japan 2015 (oldest BL on this list, also holds #1 spot, cute)

We Best Love: No. 1 For You & Fighting Mr. 2nd - Taiwan 2021

Semantic Error - Korea 2022

Light On Me - Korea 2021

Until We Meet Again - Thai 2019

Our Dating Sim - Korea 2023

To My Star - Korea 2021

Color Rush 1 - Korea 2021

Old Fashion Cupcake - Japan 2022

Takara-kun and Amagi-kun - Japan 2022

Minato’s Laundromat - Japan 2022

My Beautiful Man - Japan 2021

Cherry Blossoms After Winter - Korea 2022

HIStory 2: Crossing the Line - Taiwan 2018

Cherry Magic - Japan 2020

The Eighth Sense - Korea 2023

Bad Buddy - Thai 2022

A Tale of Thousand Stars - Thai 2021

My School President - Thai 2023

Love Tractor - Korea 2023

The New Employee - Korea 2023

Oxygen - Thai 2020

Be Loved In House: I Do - Taiwan 2021

Lovely Writer - Thai 2021

He’s Coming to Me - Thai 2019

Blueming - Korea 2022

Unintentional Love Story - Korea 2023

Step By Step - Thai 2023

My Ride - Thai 2022

La Pluie - Thai 2023

Wish You - Korea 2020

Our Dining Table AKA Bokura no Shokutaku - Japan 2023

Not Me - Thai 2022

Nobleman Ryu’s Wedding - Korea 2021

Love By Chance - Thai 2018

See You After Quarantine? - Taiwan 2021

Addicted - China 2016

Long Time No See - Korea 2017

My Tooth Your Love - Taiwan 2022

Why R U? - Thai 2020

The Tasty Florida - Korea 2021

About Youth - Taiwan 2022

SOTUS - Thai 2016

DNA Says Love You - Taiwan 2022

My Love Mix Up - Japan 2021

Roommates of Poongduck 304 - Korea 2022

The Eclipse - Thai 2022

Dark Blue Kiss - Thai 2019

Oh! Boarding House - Korea 2022

My Day - Pinoy 2020

Ocean Likes Me - Korea 2022

Bed Friend - Thai 2023

Cutie Pie - Thai 2022

Life: Love on the Line - Japan 2020

Love Class - Korea 2022

Restart After Come Back Home - Japan 2020

Tinted With You - Korea 2022

2gether - Thai 2020

Choco Milk Shake - Korea 2022

Destiny Seeker - Thai 2023

600 BLs - My Top 60 Notes

Bold = 10/10 (#1 … #8)

Italics = 9/10 (#9 … #33)

everything else is 8/10 (there are more 8/10s)

These are my personal preferences. If you don't see one of your favorites there it may still have scored an 8 just not made it onto the list.

Or... I didn't like is as much as you think I should.

Relative ranking isn't fixed. I basically just asked myself which ones would I want to rewatch right... now.

Absolute BL not included because it’s parody

Love is Science? & Puppy Honey not included because BL is a B-plot

Word of Honor has been censored off the list. Fuck that noise.

The following are my top 3 shorts:

A First Love Story - Korea 2021

Just Friends? - Korea 2009 (would have been the oldest on the list)

Some More - Korea 2018

This is as of the Aug 2023.

Not responsible for any additional awesome BLs that have aired since then.

Next up... 700 BLs. Expect me to do this again - next year. Unless I'm dead of course.

(Here's the last time I did this.)

[anncanta]

Mirror, mirror on the wall

Fandom: Dracula (2020)

Characters: Dracula, Agatha Van Helsing

Relationship: Dracula/Agatha Van Helsing

Rating: Teen and up audiences

@alma37 @hopipollahorror @moremoveslessannouncements-blog

Read on AO3

Or read below

‘What happens if I win this game?’

‘I beg your pardon?’

Agatha leaned forward and rested her hands on the table.

‘We both know this is not just a chess game. I don't know what you have in mind, but the fact is …’ she glanced briefly at the pieces. ‘You are clever, cunning and competitive. But that is not the case here. You took me from the convent – kidnapped me – and brought me here. You could have locked me in a box, you could have raped me or tortured me –’

‘Agatha, your expectations exceed my wildest –’

‘Yet you offered me a game of chess. And I want to know why.’

There was silence for a few seconds.

‘The fact that I am here is enough to consider you the winner,’ said Agatha.

‘Are you so sure?’

‘Yes.’

For a while, Dracula silently looked at the table, the chessboard, the waves of hair falling over her shoulders.

‘Maybe I am not,’ he said suddenly.

The room changed so abruptly that Agatha did not have time to understand anything.

…They were standing on a castle tower, on a small platform, and far below them stretched the valley, the forest, and the river.

Agatha went to the parapet. She rose on her toes and looked over the edge. Jonathan must have jumped from here.

‘This is that very tower,’ Dracula said from behind her shoulder, confirming her guess.

‘Do you want to show me my future?’

Agatha turned around.

‘I don't know what I want anymore.’

He stood in front of her, very close, and the sunlight touched his face. Agatha was surprised to discover that he had long eyelashes. She raised her hand and touched his cheek.

‘It's not real,’ she said.

‘No, of course not.’

Agatha nodded.

‘Then kiss me.’

…

‘What happens if I win this game?’

The pieces were all mixed up. Agatha's lips were burning.

‘I'll lose,’ Dracula smiled.

‘I couldn't wish for more.’

***

The Demeter arrived at Whitby Harbor right on schedule. After making the last entry in the logbook, Captain Sokolov put it in a drawer and left the cabin. The autumn sun that greeted him on deck was cold and unfriendly, but after long weeks of sailing in fog, the captain was glad to see it.

Everything was fine, he assured himself. The voyage had gone well. No storms, no incidents. The passengers were happy, the cargo had been delivered safely.

And yet something was bothering him, stubborn and persistent. Elusive, like a pebble in a boot.

‘How many passengers did we have?’ Sokolov asked Valentin, standing nearby, looking at the rigging and ropes, muttering something under his breath.

The old sailor frowned.

‘Six. Three men, a child, and two women,’ Valentin spat discontentedly on the creaking boards.

The captain nodded.

‘Six.’

He waved away the images of a tall man in a black top hat and a thin woman in a nun's robe that appeared in his head.

When the captain went ashore, he no longer remembered them.

‘And the king had a daughter, with skin as white as snow and lips as red as blood,’ said Agatha, watching the captain's retreating figure. Dracula, who had followed her down the gangway, threw a warm cloak over her shoulders.

The sun had almost disappeared behind the horizon, gilding its edge.

Dracula leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

‘I heard she was the most beautiful of all. No woman could compare with her. I think that's why her name meant “morning dawn.”’

[dr-spencer-reids-queen]

Only Just The Beginning

Pairing: Jennifer Jareau x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~900

Warnings: implied smut

Request by anon: Could you write a jjx fem reader where they can’t take their hands off each other on a night out so they have to excuse themselves to handle it 🫣🤭

Summary: This girls night is the opportunity you take to show JJ just how much you like her.

Square Filled: free space (2020) for @cm-kinkbingo

Author’s Note: any and all comments are appreciated <3

x

This girl’s night out is supposed to get you out of your shell with JJ. Everyone knows you have a major crush on her, and they tell you she has a crush on you. However, she’s never told you herself so this night is supposed to bring you two closer so you can find out for sure if she does.

JJ is in the corner of the bar playing darts, Penelope grabs a nice booth for everyone, and Emily is getting the drinks. You grab your drink when Emily comes and down half of it immediately.

“Whoa, pace yourself there,” Penelope chuckles. She notices you staring at JJ and she nudges Emily with a smile. “Whatchu looking at there?”

“I’m going to do something about it. Watch my drink.”

Emily and Penelope watch you head over to JJ with smiles on their faces. JJ looks at you and gives you a flirty smile as she picks up another dart.

“You’re really good at darts. Teach me to play?” you ask even though you’re pretty good at it.

“Sure.” She hands you the dart and moves behind you so she can position you the right way. She runs her hand down your arm to your hand so she can position it the right way, and her other hand rests on your waist. She is so close that you can feel the heat through your clothes. “Right there. Perfect. You’re doing really well.”

“I have a good teacher,” you smile.

She pulls your hand back and the both of you throw the dart at the board. It’s not a bulls-eye but it’s very close to it.

“See? You’ll get the hang of it. You’re a natural.”

“I think I only do good when you’re holding me like that.”

“Come on, let’s get drunk,” she laughs.

She moves away from you but her hand brushes against your ass. Whether it was on accident or not, you’re not sure but you’re going with on purpose. You two walk back to the other girls who have ordered some food for the table.

“Fries. My favorite.” You and JJ reach for it at the same time so your hands brush against each other. “Sorry, you take some.”

“No, you go.”

You grab some fries and you hold one out for her to taste. She looks at Em and Pen to see them not doing a very good job at not watching, and she leans forward to bite the fry. She bites it so close to your fingers that her lips touch your skin. If the other girls weren't here, you’d be her out back and give her something to blush about.

“Here’s to us,” Penelope toasts. All four of you grab your drinks and raise them. “Here’s to all women just out looking to have a good time with their friends. I love you guys.”

“To us!”

Your glass meets the others in the middle before all four of you take a drink. You turn to scan the dancefloor when you end up knocking into JJ. Her drink is spilled all over her shirt, and she gasps from how cold it is.

“Shit. JJ, I am so sorry.”

You grab some napkins and dab the shirt so the stain doesn’t set. She grabs some more napkins to wipe her skin, and you move up to her chest where most of the damage is. You dab over her breasts, and she locks eyes with you.

“I’m sorry,” you whisper.

“Don’t worry about it. I can do this,” she chuckles. “You just wanted an excuse to touch my boobs.”

“Maybe,” you shrug and pull away from her. There is clear chemistry between the two of you and as confident as you have been tonight, you’re kind of nervous about it. If you do something about it, it becomes real. If it becomes real… You glance at her lips and completely pull away from her. “Excuse me. I need to use the bathroom.”

You’re not even gone for ten seconds when JJ turns to the group.

“I have to use the bathroom as well.”

It takes Emily and Penelope five seconds to realize what’s really going on here.

“They’re fucking, aren’t they?”

“With their chemistry? Obviously,” Pen giggles. “Want to make a bet to see how long it takes them to come out?”

“Yes. Twenty bucks say they last ten minutes.”

“Ten? That’s generous. I say they’re out in five.”

You and JJ don’t come out until thirty minutes later with messed up hair, makeup that looks like it’s been cleaned up, and a very thin layer of sweat on both your skin.

“I was closer,” Emily says.

“Fine,” Pen laughs and hands over a twenty.

“You made a bet on us?” you ask.

“Did you wash your hands? I don’t want pussy juice on the table.”

“Emily!” JJ gasps and blushes hard.

“You know what? I think I’m going to call it a night. Yeah, I have a pet at home I need to feed,” you say and grab your things.

“Aren’t you allergic to all animals?”

“JJ is the pet,” Emily giggles.

“Goodbye, ladies. JJ, would you like to come and help me?”

“Oh, she’ll love to come,” Pen smirks.

Both girls’ laughter follows you outside as JJ calls for an Uber. You didn’t have a lot to drink but Penelope is the one who drove so you’ll have to catch your own ride home. Once the Uber comes, you two slip in the back and enjoy the quiet ride home. You’re not for giving the driver a free show so you’ll compose yourself until you get to your place.

However, JJ’s hand slides over your thigh and grips your inner part. She rubs your skin to let you know that what she did to you in the bathroom is only just the beginning.

x

Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary​​​​​​ where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)

[pedripics]

https://www.tumblr.com/pedripics/759636813878099968/imagine-there-wasnt-snow

what’s the backstory to pedri’s signing? 👀

this is a bit of a longer story but i am gonna try and sum it up under the cut

When Pedri was still playing for Juventud Laguna in Tenerife (he was 13/14 years old back then) various clubs across Spain were interested in him including Real Madrid, Villarreal, Atlético Madrid and Deportivo de La Coruña. He did some trials at CD Tenerife, but they told him that he was too skinny and small. He also had a trial at Real Madrid, but they ended up telling him that he wasn't good enough yet and not on their level. CD Tenerife ended up being interested a year later, but Pedri chose Las Palmas over them in 2018 (by telling them that "he is still skinny and short" lmao). Back when he was doing the trials at Real Madrid, everyone at his family's Peña tried to contact Barça to tell them that they had a player who is basically Barça to the core, but Barça's scouts weren't interested in him for whatever reason. Toni Otero, Las Palmas' technical secretary at the time, who also signed Pedri's first contract at Las Palmas, had worked at Barça as a scout for two years prior to joining Las Palmas. He decided to contact former Barça midfielder José Mari Bakero, who was the head of the youth academy at Barça at the time, after seeing Pedri play for just ten minutes because he was convinced that Pedri needed to be a Barça player. He told him, that even if Pedri is just 16 years old, he needs to fly to Gran Canaria to check him out because it will be easier to sign him now instead of in a few years as there were multiple other clubs interested. Bakero flew to watch Pedri play and was instantly convinced, so he contacted Ramón Planes, Barça's technical secretary at the time, to tell him about Pedri. Planes had simultaneously also been contacted by Rocco Maiorino, Las Palmas sporting director at the time, because Maiorino was also convinced that Pedri was made for Barça. Ramón Planes decided that they had to sign Pedri quickly and basically begged Bartomeu to pay the money for Pedri as there were several board members who didn't want to take the risk and invest in a 16-year-old boy who had barely made his debut in the second division. He created a WhatsApp group chat with scouts, executive members and people from the board and after every match Pedri played for Las Palmas he would send in videos of Pedri's performances to try and convince them. Even after he managed to convince them, he kept on sending videos of, in his words, "every good shot of Pedri" to convince them that the investment was worth it. By the time Barça got involved, there were various offers from other clubs on the table (some with more money involved as well) but Pedri only wanted Barça. The original plan was for Pedri to do the pre-season in 2020 with Barça and then go out on loan, as Koeman thought that Pedri was still too young for the first team. He had offers from various teams including Bayern, PSV Eindhoven, Ajax and Dortmund, and Bayern even sent in an offer to buy Pedri for apparently €12 million just two days after the 8-2 but Pedri and the club refused. However, Pedri managed to convince Koeman during pre-season and well, the rest is history.

[hockybish]

It's a Boy + Jack finding out

l West Winds au l dad!trevor au l masterlist l

June 2020

tilly bean: it's a boy! you should have seen in z. it was so funny. you know how he were being a little elusive at the last appointment? well he was no longer shy and decided to go full spread eagle, showing everything. maybe we have a little goalie on our hands.

"Bean messaged you." Jack used the fork to push around the remaining food left on his plate. he suddenly lost his appetite.

Trevor snatched his phone off the table, a goofy grin spread on his face reading what she had sent. A little boy, his little guy. But a goalie? Not if he had anything to say about it.

"You didn't look, did you?" a thought ran across the dad to be's mind. The fork scrapping against the porcelain plate gave him his answer. "Jack, I I can explain."

"Explain what? How you fucked Bean and she's having your kid? What were you thinking dude." Jack rolled his eyes at the irresponsibility that his friend showed on his end. "yeah, that's what I thought. You weren't. This could ruin your future and her's. You're nineteen." Jack continued to lecture Trevor.

"Stop, you wouldn't understand." Trevor had already gotten part of this talk from Cole and Alex the night she had told him. They had been a lot nicer about it then than jack was being now. "it was a mistake on both our ends and we're taking responsibility for that." Trevor explained what the young parents had talked about so far.

"Kay. But what's the plan when you go to California and she's still in Boston?" Jack posed the one thing they hadn't talked about yet.

"Bean's taking at least next semester off. I'm gonna to try and convince her to transfer out west. It'll be a bit of a drive if I'm in San Diego, but I'll get called up to Anaheim at some point in time and I can be closer." he hadn't figured it all out yet, but he was going to make this work. He was willing to anything to ensure his family was near.

"I still think you guys are making a mistake with this. but-"

"I don't need or want your opinion Jack."

"will you let me finish?" Jack scowled at Trevor. "I was going to say if you guys need anything let me know. Don't fuck this up. And eventually when Q and I get that lake house we've been eyeing up you guys and the little dude are always welcome."

"Thank you. That means a lot." Trevor laughed. He was happy Jack was on board, even though everything would have been the same if he wasn't.

"I have one more question though. Can I be a godfather?" Jack smiled along with his friend.

"Sorry, out of everything that has been already decided." He declined the devil's player. It was true, god parents were discussed almost immediately. Jack raised his brows. "Cole and Quinn."

"That's nice. Wait a minute, Quinn knew before I did?!"

"Oops"

[leos-soggy-wolf-nuts]

Green Flag: Leo x Kinda-self-insert Episode 1

I'm deciding to write these in many short bursts rather than in a few long stories. My need to write these is fleeting but powerful, like passion itself. Or that handjob in Carl's route.

Also, when I say "kinda-self-insert" I mean that the main character won't be me/my fursona, but he'll act generally the way I would in his situation. He's like if I was cooler.

This takes place a few years after Leo's good ending. Maybe...2019 or 2020 (the pandemic will not be included in this Echo AU.)

Final disclaimer: this is almost totally self-indulgent. Okay, thanks, enjoy.

Final final disclaimer: I don't know how car insurance works.

"Goddamnit." echoes through my bathroom as it dawns on me that I'm out of antler polish. It's snake oil, of course. I fidget with my glasses in frustration. Antlers don't need polish, it's just something that makes me feel better, like if I bring them into the realm of mundane self-care, they'll stop seeming so wild. That's what I don't like about the desert. All the heat and sunlight makes them awkwardly big. To me, anyway. Everyone else seems to like them.

Regardless, they clatter against the doorframe as I exit the bathroom to get my wallet and keys. My apartment is 3 rooms. The living room/kitchen, where I've lined up a few of my dirty novelty mugs on the coffee table, always just forgetting to take them to the sink. Then my bedroom, a windowless cave of iniquity, and finally the bathroom, which I keep comparatively nice and neat. My keys and wallet are on the dresser next to the front door, and I feel complete as they fill my pockets. More powerful. Like boarding a mech.

The Payton sun is...aggressive. I always fantasize about wearing leather jackets, right up until I exit my front door. I jog awkwardly to my car, un-relieved as I find each time that the inside has been cooked like a thanksgiving turkey. Wincing against the heat, I jam the key in the ignition as fast as possible to crank the AC, furrowing my brows as the engine stutters but won't go over the edge into a full start. This shit has been going on for weeks.

vp vp vp...vp vp vp...vp vp vrrMMMMMMM....

Fuck, finally. I've had to save up a little cash before going to the mechanic, and it seems like I'm bringing it just in time. It's never taken that many tries before.

Lo and behold, the AC isn't working either.

I ride slowly, with the windows down, through the busy main street of downtown Payton. My car creaks and sputters awkwardly as I reach the shop.

ALVAREZ AUTO REPAIR

I pull into their lot on a low incline, nearby a canine in a white t-shirt holding a clipboard. I open the door and step out, the hot air still cooler than the inside of my car. I drag my shoe idly across the asphalt. It's now I realize I don't know how this works.

"Hey, uh..." I say, my words hanging flaccid in the air. The canine continues facing his clipboard, but his eyes look up at me. He has a sort of...amused smirk on his face.

"Do you have insurance?" he asks me.

I think on it for a moment. "I do, yeah."

"Good."

CRASH!

I whip my head around and see the trunk of my car crumpled against the base of a tall street light.

"Fuck!" I shout. I didn't put the fucking car in Park. It rolled right down. The canine sauntered after me, grabbing a pen from his pocket and biting off the cap.

"Name?" he asked, voice slightly muffled with the cap still in his mouth.

"Lionel." I replied, exasperated, blood pumping as I watched smoke billow from my car. The canine shifted his stance, pulling the cap from his teeth.

"Do you have a last name?"

"Shit, sorry. Uh, C-E-I-R-W."

"Key-err-wuh?" he tried to pronounce. I laugh, despite the stress.

" 'Kayroo'. " I corrected. He nods, then takes a pensive breath.

"I think your car is broken."

I laugh again. "Oh really?"

He scribbled a little more on his paper, then clapped me on the shoulder. His paw is heavy, the type of weight I'd expect from someone resting a booted foot on my shoulder instead.

"I'll tell insurance it did that on its own. If they ask."

I turn to him, head on a tilt, keeping my antlers from hitting him.

"Thanks-" I pause, reading his name tag. "-Leo."

Shit, he's got a nice chest.

I clear my throat, pushing away the perverted thought before it becomes a problem. He smirks a little wider. "Of course. But I doubt you came here for the crash. What else is wrong?"

"Oh, it takes a while to start the ignition. And just today, the AC broke."

A sympathetic look crossed his expression.

"In this weather? Come on, let's get you inside the office."

I nod, and let him lead me there, my eyes wandering to his backside. Damn. I physically shake the thought away as he leads me into the shop's office. It's delightfully cool. Invoices, to-do lists, and part orders litter the sides of the desk and various bulletin boards, not to mention the file cabinet in the corner. Leo sits down behind the desk, and I sit across from him.

"So." he begins, "a slow start could be a bad battery, a problem with the starting circuit, a problem with the connection cables, a bad alternator, and a few other things. The point is... we'll have to keep it here for a little while."

I scratch the back of my neck. "Does Payton have like a, town car or whatever? So I could get to work?"

He taps his fingers on the desk. "What time do you go to work."

"8:30."

The wolf looks me up and down. It turns my face a little hot.

"I could give you a ride."

[kick-the-clouds]

The Ultra-Wealthy are Parasites

The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer. It's not just a saying; it's a harsh reality that's tearing our society apart. Imagine a world where a handful of people have more money than they could spend in a thousand lifetimes, while millions struggle to put food on the table. This is our world, and it's getting worse every day.

Billionaires aren't just wealthy; they're wealth hoarders. Since 2020, the top 1% have snatched up nearly two-thirds of all new wealth created globally. That's like taking 63 slices of a 100-slice pie, leaving only 37 for everyone else. And this pie isn't getting bigger for most people. While CEO pay skyrocketed by over 900% from 1978 to 2018, regular workers saw a measly 11.9% increase. The math is simple: the gap is widening at an alarming rate.

The damage spreads like a disease through generations. Children born into poverty are likely to stay poor. Their parents can't afford good education or healthcare. They grow up in neighborhoods with fewer opportunities. The cycle continues, and the wealth gap becomes a chasm. It's a mathematical certainty: compound interest works for the rich, while compound disadvantage crushes the poor.

Environmental devastation follows the money trail. The wealthiest 1% produce twice as much carbon emissions as the poorest half of humanity. Climate change hits the poor hardest, creating a vicious cycle. Floods destroy homes. Droughts kill crops. The rich can adapt, but the poor suffer. Over time, this environmental injustice multiplies, creating climate refugees and exacerbating global inequality.

Democracy itself is under siege. Billionaires buy influence like it's on sale. They fund campaigns, lobby for laws, and shape public opinion through media ownership. One dollar, one vote becomes the unspoken rule. The will of the many is drowned out by the wallets of the few. Year after year, this erodes the foundation of our society, turning democracy into a plutocracy.

The numbers are staggering, the human cost immeasurable. A mere 5% tax on the ultra-rich could raise $1.7 trillion annually. That's enough to lift 2 billion people out of poverty. Instead, we watch as the middle class shrinks, with their share of income falling from 62% to 43% in just five decades. Each year this continues, millions more fall into despair.

It's not just inhumane; it's mathematically unsustainable. Like a game of Monopoly, it ends with one player owning everything. But unlike a game, we can't just reset the board. The devastation accumulates, compounding like interest on a debt we can never repay. Families fall into poverty. Communities crumble. Entire regions become wastelands of lost potential.

We must act now. Every day we wait, the problem grows exponentially. The math is clear, the story it tells is heartbreaking. We're not just losing money; we're losing lives, dreams, and the very fabric of our society. It's time to rewrite this story, to use math for good, to calculate a future where everyone has a chance to thrive. The alternative is too cruel to contemplate.

[annieqattheperipheral]

Why the Maple Leafs went off the board to select "Cowboy" Easton Cowan

Treliving was working the phones & did try to trade down bc they knew they were picking this projected 2nd-rounder high but no bites. But i suppose in turn it puts a nice spotlight on a swell fella we should get to know

the cowboys've got The Passion™️

farmboy, loves naz, AND ✨stylin✨ has more than got the goods to fit right in w mitchy & auston

full article about cowboy:

___

Moments after he first met Dale Hunter, the longtime Knights head coach gave Easton Cowan a nickname that stuck.

“Cowboy.”

Born in Strathroy, Ont., Cowan comes from a farm in nearby Mount Brydges where his family farms cash crops like wheat, corn and soybeans. When the pandemic hit in 2020 and Cowan’s time in high school classes became limited, he began working on the farm from 6:30 in the morning till 9 at night during the busy farming seasons of spring and fall, driving a tractor beside the massive combine his father Chris uses to transfer crops.

“It’s the time you have to put in to succeed in the cash crop business of farming,” Chris told The Athletic.

That time on the farm helped instill a work ethic, as well as good ol’ farm strength, that Cowan has made his hallmark as a Knight. Ahead of the draft, Clark was clear: The Leafs wanted players who had intelligence, competitiveness and who could “influence winning hockey.”

Clark and the team’s scouting staff appear to have found a player who ticks those boxes.

“It’s a great picture of what (Cowan) could be in the NHL,” Knights associate general manager Rob Simpson said. “His motor and his engine on the ice, he is relentless and never stops working. And he’s the type of player that if you want him to play higher in your lineup with skilled guys and bring competitiveness and forechecking and skill, he can do that. If you want him to play a defensive game and play the penalty kill, he can do those things.”

That versatility was evident as the Knights went to the OHL final this season. During that playoff run that Simpson called “impactful,” Cowan’s game shone. The Leafs valued how he played in the playoffs, lapping up the spotlight and the pressure while leading all OHL rookies in playoff scoring with 21 points in 20 games.

It was his hockey sense, which shined with quick passing in the offensive zone, that popped in the playoffs. That hints at his potential for producing offence as he continues to develop.

Even though his smallish frame may remind some of past Leafs picks, it’s the fact that he’s become known as a “puck hound” according to Simpson that might well separate him from those picks. His competitiveness is well-established.

Cowan grew up a Leafs fan and said he models his game after Nazem Kadri.

Simpsons remembers games this year where Cowan would pinball from one defenceman to the other on the forecheck. He wouldn’t stop there. He chased after the puck wherever it went.

“He’s just relentless all over the ice at trying to get the puck and when he has it, he doesn’t want to give it up,” Simpson said.

He also appears pretty comfortable in his own skin.

“How’s it goin’?” Cowan, wearing black suede shoes with no socks, said as he took a seat in front of more cameras and reporters he’s likely ever faced.

Cowan beamed when he described FaceTiming with Mitch Marner.

“Happy you’re part of the Buds,” was what Cowan remembered hearing from Marner.

“That was pretty cool,” Cowan said. “(Marner) competes all over the ice. He’s a great player and a great guy. You look up to that.”

Cowan listed Knights equipment managers and trainers as people who helped propel him being an unlikely first-round pick.

Before leaving a table at the end of his media availability, he asked politely if he could take a box of Biosteel sitting in front of him.

“He’s so kind to everyone around him,” Cowan’s father said. “Not a lot of people know that about him.”

The long-term projection:

Cowan can play both centre and the wing but the Leafs likely see him more as a wing in the pros. While it’s remarkably early to start forecasting where Cowan might fit in an NHL lineup, it is fair to say the Leafs valued his sharp progression this past season and believe that he may just be scratching the surface of what type of player he can be.

His standout playoff performance especially, fueled by that tenacity, may have really struck a chord.

“The biggest thing that’s going to translate the best is his motor, his engine and competitiveness,” Simpson said. “You look at the NHL playoffs, you have to have players like that to be able to win these days.”

Cowan, who just turned 18 in May, will likely begin his time in the Leafs organization at the team’s development camp, set to begin July 3. It feels likely that Cowan will return to the Knights, not just next season, but for multiple seasons. He’s already intent on adding the kind of strength to his frame that will be necessary for him to one day join the Leafs in the NHL. That and improving his shot.

The Leafs appear comfortable making Cowan a long-term play for the organization.

“We’re trying to take the best player available, not today or tomorrow, we’re looking at the long run,” Clark said ahead of the draft.

But what Cowan could become in the long run is intriguing enough for the Leafs to have made perhaps the most surprising pick on day one of the draft.

[azaleayoung-blog]

What is dark academia and what does it have to do with social media?

A deep dive into the genre and why it has become so popular.

Dark academia has recently been seeing a growth in popularity across social media, with its aesthetic being displayed in movies, television shows, and primarily novels. 

The year 2020 marked some significant changes in our media landscape. That may seem like a bit of a nonpoint, but the rise of TikTok coupled with the number of people inside due to pandemic restrictions saw an irreversible change within popular trends and aesthetics.

In the literature community, one such trend was the rise of dark academia. Though the subculture primarily exists online, the term is slowly creeping into the mainstream.  In 2022, it was defined by Collins Dictionary as “a social media aesthetic and subculture concerned with higher education, writing and poetry, the arts, and classic Greek and Gothic architecture,” which is somewhat of a broad interpretation. To uncover what makes dark academia such an appealing genre today, one needs to trace back its history; starting with, perhaps most famously, The Secret History by Donna Tartt. 

Published in 1992, the novel is what some point to as the first dark academic novel. A pioneer of its time, it is still quite relevant today — it can almost always be counted on to be present on #BookTok recommends tables at bookstores. Set at a fictional college in New England, the novel follows a group of students studying ancient Greek. The narrator, a student who joined the group after its initial formation, unveils how one of them was murdered by the group’s original members. As far as dark academia goes, it’s got it all — murder, Greek aesthetics, a fancy, secluded college. Unsurprisingly, many elements of Tartt’s magnum opus can be found in other books within the genre.

One of the first notable pillars of the genre is right in the name — academia. These novels typically take place in an academic setting; whether this is at a private boarding school or around a college campus. Still, dark academia wouldn’t exactly be academia without some form of academics. Typically, these characters are often studying Ancient Greek, Shakespearean theatre, or English literature — fields that are, for lack of a better word, pretentious. These topics are absolutely for everyone but are not necessarily accessible things to learn about and interact with, or make a living out of. This does not necessarily mean that if a character is studying one of these topics the novel they are in is a dark academic novel, but a character’s field of study, such as these examples, will often add to the atmosphere of dark academia. 

A significant number of these stories see characters marked by tragedy, mystery, or both at the same time. Whether that involves crime (see If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio) or a mystery to solve (see Truly, Devious by Maureen Johnson), the characters are typically caught up in a problem larger than themselves, like solving a murder (or, in the case of The Secret History, getting away with one). 

Some authors have utilized the genre and its traits to call out and criticize these academic settings which have been historically open only to white and rich individuals, see Babel by R.F. Kuang. 

The novel is set in 1828 in Britain and follows Chinese-born Robin who is forced to give his help to an institution that will only use his work to further their goals of colonization. At school, he and members of his friend group continuously face racism as students of colour. Although Robin is a member of this school community, it is clear that many do not want him there, and he, like many of the other students of colour, are viewed as disposable.

As Lenore Sell puts it in her article Beyond the Aesthetics: An Introduction to Dark Academia, “Some of the novels blame elitist structures at educational institutions for the ensuing destruction, or even a dysfunctional academic landscape as a whole, although this connection is not always the object of overt criticism or satire.” 

For example, in The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, the characters are not directly opposed to their wealth, but Wilde uses them and their lifestyles to highlight the inherent lack of morality present in these structures. This novel is an interesting case as it holds elements of magical realism and gothic literature as well as dark academia, but its traits allow it to somewhat fit into both genres.

As more dark academic books continue to be published, their popularity seems to grow. However, sometimes what its readers are chasing is more of a feeling or an aesthetic than quality literature. 

Dark academia is directly linked to an old-fashioned kind of style, with modern technology rarely, if ever, appearing in many of its most famous works. The fashion choices of the characters—such as blazers, woolen sweaters, tweed patterns, and just generally darker colour palettes—all contribute to the finely curated aesthetic of dark rooms, classic novels, candles, and typewriters. Sure, these things are all technically dark academia-inspired, but they do nothing more than just scratch the surface of what the genre purports to actually be about: learning, higher education, and literature. 

A genre based purely on its aesthetics and vibes might at first seem to be only superficial and provide no substance. It can, however, encompass an idea or way of life that some crave. Sell writes in her article, “The rise of dark academia can be an expression of the longing of younger generations for a lifestyle temporarily or permanently inaccessible to them.”

This longing could especially be felt by those who are unable to afford post-secondary education, or those typically excluded from higher academic circles. Attending a post-secondary institution comes with a sense of community, particularly for those who live on campus and broaden their experiences by participating in new activities and meeting new friends. These institutions, while being flawed, are incredibly important because of this, as they provide something that many of us want. Following this logic, it’s possible then, that the boom in dark academia’s popularity was a result of people longing for these institutions that were closed during the pandemic or are unavailable to so many people. 

Racism and class inequality contribute to the lack of diversity seen in higher academic settings, particularly because of how expensive post-secondary education can be. It’s why turning to social media to fulfill these dreams is easier for many.

Katie Xu (@katiexsocials), a TikToker who posts about building your personal brand and learning how to market yourself, posted a video on TikTok’s ability to foster human connections, stating, “People on TikTok are connecting to people. When I see someone on my For You page, I listen to what they have to say … I’m listening to them as a person, and I’m trying to understand them as a person.”

While she does not make any reference to dark academia, her idea has merit because of the way platforms like TikTok are designed to make sure you interact with people who share the same interests as you. Social media itself is perhaps the largest and most influential community there is, so for individuals to turn to that at times of uncertainty and find solace in a niche like dark academia is reflective of the weight the genre held then and still holds today.  

Currently, TikTok has over four hundred thousand posts under its dark academia tag, based on videos about the aesthetic and the books that fall into its category. While the majority of the hype (at least in my opinion) has died down a bit, it is still a genre that is very much relevant outside of social media. For example, outside of the literature community, other mediums have used the dark academic aesthetic to tell stories, such as podcasts like The Alexandria Archives or The Magnus Archives. The aesthetic is also present in TV shows like Wednesday or A Series of Unfortunate Events. It can even branch out into music with a more recent example being Taylor Swift’s THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT. 

But to bring it back to literature, one of the most recent books on the scene is Curious Tides, by French-Canadian author Pascale Lacelle. 

The novel has all the most familiar trappings of a dark academic book, but with a magical twist in line with stories in the fantasy genre. Set at a fictional college, the protagonist has to investigate the secret society that seems to be connected to her classmates’ mysterious deaths. Only, these deaths of which she is the only survivor have left her with heightened powers. Similar to Babel, this blend of a different genre with dark academia prolongs the genre’s lifespan and takes it to places it has not traditionally been. 

Like all other trends, the dark academia one will most likely not have wide-ranging impacts outside of its small niches, but I’m talking purely about its aesthetic sense. In the literary market, it looks like there are still plenty more stories to tell that can deviate from the traditional dark academia novel while still using its most popular elements.

[dailyrandomwriter]

Day 726

So apparently the Steam Next Fest is back, and I’m not sure when that happened. I could have sworn there was one during the summer, or maybe it was the other game fests hawking their wares at me during the summer.

Oh well, time hasn’t gained back its meaning since 2020.

I certainly couldn’t say no to a few (or more than a few) game demos. Not only because it allows me to know what I’m wishlisting, but it allows me to experience the things other people have made, whereas, even if I wishlist it I might never get around to it. There is a reason why it has taken me… over a decade to play Cult Simulator. 

Here are the games I’ve played so far…

Trash Goblin

Trash Goblin is where you’re a goblin who cleans up, fixes trash found and re-sells it in their shop. There doesn’t seem to be much of a story at the current moment, but the mini games that allow you to discover your treasures among the detritus and clean them up work very well, are satisfying to play and I like discovering all the items you can find in this game. I will say, for myself, beyond discovering what items I can uncover, there isn’t much driving the game. There is a potential game loop in the ability to buy visual upgrades to your shop and living space, but it’s very small at the moment.

I still have this one on my wishlist, because it’s a very adorable idea and I’m rooting for it.

Pairs and Perils

Pairs and Perils is fascinating, because it’s taking the concept of the memory game where you find cards in pairs and turning it into a combat mechanic. The idea is that the game board has pairs of cards, adventurers and their weapons. You have three tries to pair up the right adventurer with the weapon to defeat the monster. Failing three times will allow the monster to attack you. Adding a bit of complication to this, is sometimes the board will have traps, and you have to remember where the traps are to avoid them. There are also power ups for your player character to help as you do a dungeon so you’re not completely left to the whims of your memory. 

I tried this one because the idea was fascinating. Though I will admit, unless you naturally have a very good memory, this is the kind of game you want to play in the right headspace. If you’re not in the right mindset while playing or having a bad run, this game can get frustrating. This idea is really neat, I don’t know if it’s for everyone.

Lost But Found

It’s rare I get to play hidden object games that are not just point and click narratives, or where I’m looking at a complex picture to find objects hidden within. In Lost But Found, you’re playing the role of a person who mans the Lost and Found of an airport, and it’s your job to reunite passengers with their lost items. Items arrive on a conveyor belt, which you then put onto your table, and wait for people to come claim them. 

While it has some time management to it, it becomes a hidden object game, because as you progress, more and more items are piled onto your table, forcing you to rearrange those items so you can find them easier when someone comes calling. Complicating matters is that sometimes people will come, the object isn’t there (as far as you can tell) and you have to tell them. They’ll leave their number for you to call them back once you find the object.

It was a lot of fun to play. As much as I hate to admit it though, I think this game could use a fail state. There isn’t really any repercussions for not servicing a customer (only you just get less money at the end of the day to buy upgrades). Because this is a game dependent on the player to be effective in how they arrange their items as they learn what these items are, a fail state can drive a player to be better and last longer next time.

The fail state doesn’t have to be not servicing a customer, it could also just be reaching a certain amount of money at the end of each day.

Those are a few (but not all of the games) I’ve played so far. I also still have more demo games, but I have other things to do…

[georgefairbrother]

Remembering British film director and writer Sir Alan Parker CBE, who passed away July 31st, 2020, aged 76.

Born to a working class family in Islington, North London he made his early reputation as a pioneer of creativity in television advertising. He formed a creative partnership with David Puttnam and went on to become one of his generation’s most accomplished film directors.

He directed Jack Rosenthal’s television play, The Evacuees, for the BBC (BAFTA and International Emmy), and his first international cinema success was Bugsy Malone (1976), a musical gangster pastiche featuring a cast of children, including Jodie Foster, Scott Baio, Andrew Paul (The Bill), Bonnie Langford and an uncredited Phil Daniels. He said that he wrote Bugsy Malone out of frustration, as his work was constantly being rejected on the grounds of being 'too parochial'.

He went on to create a commercially successful, diverse and at times controversial body of work, including Midnight Express (written by Oliver Stone: they didn’t get on), Fame, Pink Floyd-The Wall, Mississippi Burning, The Commitments, Evita and Angela's Ashes. His final feature film was The Life of David Gale in 2003.

According to his official website;

"...In all, his films have won nineteen BAFTA awards, ten Golden Globes and ten Oscars...In January 1998, Parker took up his post as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the British Film Institute and in August, 1999 he was appointed first Chairman of the UK Film Council; a position he held for five years...In November, 1995, Parker was awarded with a CBE by Queen Elizabeth II for services to the British film industry and he received a knighthood in 2002. He is also an Officier des Arts et des Lettres, awarded by the French Government..."

He was also fascinating to listen to on the subject of the film industry generally, and gave a number of entertainingly grumpy interviews over the years. In the mid 1980s, his Thames TV documentary, A Turnip Head’s Guide to the British Film Industry, which according to his own website ‘lambasted the British film establishment and film critics’, seemed to upset just about everyone but won the British Press Guild award for the year’s best documentary.

He was interviewed by Warner Brothers executives as a potential director for the first Harry Potter, however during a teleconference (from his kitchen table at home) didn’t seem to express enough interest or gratitude at being asked. When a Warner exec told him that lots of directors would just love to do it, Parker said, 'Well go and ask them, then', and that was the end of that.

In conversation with David Puttnam for a BFI function, Alan Parker explained why he gave up making films, and talked a little about his art and drawing.

"…I’m out of it, I’ve had enough, I think it’s time for someone else to do it. I get more pleasure out of doing my art…I’ve been directing since I was 24, and every day was a battle, every day it was difficult, whether you’re fighting the producer who has opinions that you don’t agree with, the studios or whoever it is, because film, unlike art, pure art, film is hugely expensive, and the moment it gets expensive, you have people you have to serve…I’ve been punching out, all my life…to fight for the work…for our right to make our movie, the way we want to do it, and that’s hugely difficult, because it seems that you’re forever punching out. There comes a time, when you think, I don’t want to do that…I showed (a friend) one of my art works, and he said, who’s your audience here? Because that’s what film people think. I said the audience is me, and that’s all I care about, if someone likes my art, fine, if they don’t, fine…If they don’t like my movies, I want to kill ‘em…"

He was Michael Parkinson's first guest on Desert Island Discs in 1986, (a great interview) and featured once again 14 years later talking to Sue Lawley.

[38sr]

Meet the Artist & FAQs (2023 Edition)

Hey everyone! Just wanted to do an updated FAQ post for those new and long time followers of this blog~

QUICK ARTIST FACTS

• My name is Li Cree

• My birthday is August 3rd (yes I’m a Leo)

• I’m originally from New York but now currently live in California as of 2020

• I am VERY short (barely 5ft/152cm)

• My favorite food is strawberry shortcake

FAQs

What do you do? 

I’m a professional 2D animator and storyboard artist for TV animation for both American and international productions. I've recently also started working as a character designer!

What shows have you work on? 

There's too many to count now since the last FAQ haha. But you can see a more detailed list over on my website.

What program do you use?

For storyboarding work: Storyboard Pro 

For animation: CLIP Studio Paint EX, OpenToonz, After Effects, Audition

For illustration: CLIP Studio Paint EX 

What tablet do you use?

Cintiq 22HD (No Touch)

What art college did you attend?

I attended Montserrat College of Art as well as Niigata School of Art & Design.

Can I ask questions about the animation industry?

Absolutely! I want this blog to be a space where I can share knowledge about the industry to those who are interested in working in this field. So please don’t be shy and drop an ask if you are every curious about what’s like being a board artist and animator for TV animation.

Just please behave and do not ask any questions in regards to projects I am legally contracted to not talk about until the official release. As well as bringing up any sort of rumors/gossip about productions. This space is meant to be educational and not a drama stirring blog. If anything, I will delete these kind of questions with no hesitation and zero tolerance.

What does 38sr mean?

38sr is the 38th element of the periodic table, strontium. The element is actually used for pyrotechnics and gives off a red color when ignited. It’s simply my favorite element. 

Can I use your art as my dp (profile picture)?

As long as you give credit in your bio or somewhere I can see it, then yes you can.

Can I repost your artwork?

No. Please don’t ever repost my work. I will find you. It’s not that hard. 

Do you do AI or NFT work?

ABSOLUTELY NOT. Sorry, I don't wanna get into the crosshairs about this. Just know it's a nah from me.

Do you do requests/commissions (illustration or animations)?

Not really. It’s hard to explain but if you wish to hire me as an animator or artist for a project (animated productions, zines, etc), please send a business inquiry to my business email. But if you’re looking for just regular commissions where it’s more open to the general public, then no. My work schedule is quite packed so I don’t have the capacity to do commissions like I used to years ago. 

[ffloorageorge]

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[kaiasky]

Tagged here by @bakersfield-row! thanks for the tag:

Are you named after anyone? In IRL, no. Kaia is a two-letter shortening of Kanaya the homestuck troll

When was the last time you cried? Fully cried, march 2020. I teared up a little earlier this month listening to an episode of friends at the table (spring in hieron the one with Tell Me)

Do you have kids? Nope. Not opposed to it in the longterm but i have enough trouble w/ managing myself currently.

Do you use sarcasm a lot? i honestly have no clue. do i?? it feels like it depends on context.

What sports do you play/have played? I play volleyball and I like distance running. I did fencing for a while pre-high-school but never took it seriously.

What’s the first thing you notice about people? man idk. superficial details. hair color. gender presentation. the one thing i apparently *dont* notice is height, and my internal idea of how tall people are is off by 5+ inches in either direction.

What's your eye color? Green.

Scary movies or happy endings? I'm a wuss for actual horror it needs to be something I'm bullied into. but i do love tragedy

Any special talents? I pride myself on knowing the secret techniques to making sandballs (like snowballs but of sand) that are hard as rock, extremely large, and perfectly round. i am banned from throwing them at people (or at least i was banned when i was 12. haven't checked in with the parents to see if im allowed now...)

Where were you born? California

What are your hobbies? right now, it's volleyball, poi spinning, and go (board game). I also really like podcasts/youtube series and keep up with far too many of them. this fucking site probably counts unfortunately.

Do you have pets? The family has two dogs, but they're far away. (i miss them!)

How tall are you? 5'9" or something?

Favorite subject in school? In high school, I liked math. In college, I really enjoyed my English humanities and the theoretical CS classes (computability/complexity/algorithms stuff)

Dream job? I think it'd be cool to go to grad school and do R&D stuff about computer graphics or some other aspect of CS. sometimes i am like alright what if i hard-pivoted to astrophysics but i think that ship has sailed

If you're interested, tagging @thealleycat, @gemsweater72, @boot2004, and @ballofstress9 (no pressure to if you don't want to!)