#Vacation Treaty

[fairy-lights-and-blobs]

For the next chapter of Vacation Treaty:

I have ideas for all of these forms, but I'm still undecided on which one I want more.

Some ideas down below.

When I say "Hoarfrost" I mean this stuff:

Imagine if a moth were covered in that instead of the usual fluff.

The Cockatrice form is going to be very feathery, and TALL. Like, Bruce Wayne tall when standing up.

The Butterfly Dragon I'm yet undecided if I wanna make it tiny and fairy-like or something a little bigger than that, maybe around the same size as Titus.

I don't think I'll do a complete description of what the full form looks like anytime soon, if ever because I like it when I can let my imagination fill in the blanks.

Just that Danny is going to have moments where he gets to be Weird and visibly non-human, and some things are gonna start peaking through at some points, which means the Batchildren are gonna start a whole list of moments where Danny felt at ease with being more visibly Other, either alone or in their presence.

Yes, this includes perched on the roof to watch the stars or the sunrise ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Also, these are all going to include something to do with space.

[rabbitcruiser]

The Treaty of Alcañices (Portuguese: Tratado de Alcanizes; Spanish: Tratado de Alcañices) was made in Alcañices between King Denis of Portugal and King Fernando IV of Castile on September 12, 1297. It reaffirmed Portugal’s possession of the Algarve and defined the modern borders between the two Iberian countries.

[seaseren]

I just wrote 1600 words of the most self indulgent nonsense

[glaivegirl]

that's her hand, my bunny ears

id never have been able to break free and begin seeing myself as a girl and as wanting that, wanting to be such a feminine beast

id never have been able to explore being trans without her

maybe not never, but she's why i got there sooner, she's why i could see myself in those early days, she's who had my back

she saw me being a woman, or whatever i am, as good and happy and beautiful. she was who made me really see it as something that could be good instead of something awful and a nuclear-level wrong.

she's why transness and me being a transfem, she's why i could see it without only focusing on the shame and the humiliation that comes with knowing how people react to trans people, and how people react to some lumpy, awkward fat dude saying he wants to be a girl

but she was there, and she loved me and how i wore dresses and makeup and how i still held some womanly way about me when i was in jeans and a hardhat or a green apron, trying to act like a normal masculine guy even at starbucks

she was all that let me stop being afraid juuuust enough to see myself, and i know i dont owe all my life to her

but i when i think if she wasnt there and i think of struggling with that any more than i already was, any longer than i already was; it sounds fucking horrific

and it sounds horrific because it was, and being in the closet is torture and agony and suffering; but being too scared or ashamed or guilty to see yourself? to see only a closet when you look at yourself?

fuck that was hell. even if everything just gets worse and even if id have had some cushy $40k/yr salarycock job rn, if i wouldnt be able to see myself, to really see her, that sounds like a hell i just couldnt handle. And i know, i handled it and it was worse than anything. And it broke me worse and worse every year

I cant imagine the hell i was in going on longer than it did, i cant imagine how much it would suck to live like that, the whole thing just getting worse

maybe its not like that for everyone, but i was breaking, all of me was just breaking, and i cant imagine my life if she wasnt there to help me slow down the breaking, i cant imagine how much life wouldve sucked so much worse if she wasnt there with me, noticing the things i was noticing, noticing other things i didnt see, trying to see the things i saw and she didnt and loving it, feeling the joy of it, excited to see whatever it was pop out suddenly like a rodent blending into some dirt and wood and then you see a cute animal out of nowhere, it was kinda like that

she really helped me see myself, i owe her my life for that, and her love was true and she knew me, all of me, and she was always ready to accept it and love it and grow with it

she was why it eventually felt okay to be trans and to be myself and live instead of something else that isnt quite death

she ended that hell early, she said it was okay for me to be girly

she made me believe it was okay for me to be womanly and a girl and it was a miracle that she pulled that off

she was an angel

she remains a miracle

ill always miss you more than i can fucking stand

ill never stop

ill never stop missing you, kat

i owe my freedom to you, i owe you my life

funny, ha-ha, stupid irony or coincidence always sucks so bad when it wraps around you

but its true

you saved my life, kat

you made me feel safe

[arcanesea]

train ride

PAIRING: lee jihoon x reader GENRE: fluff, slight humor, established relationship W.COUNTS: 569 w. WARNINGS: reader has motion sickness

Panting, Jihoon gave you the most offensive side-eye ever in four years of your relationship. You turned your head due to the negative energy he radiates, offering a timid grin.

“I will never let you plan anything, ever again,” he said as the train started to move.

“Agree, I never want to plan anything ever again,” you reassured. Holding his hands in yours as a peace treaty. He clicked his tongue, expecting some arguments from you who had been hell-bent on planning a vacation together for the past 6 months. Despite the meticulous planning, you're still human after all. You misread the train ticket for another 45 minutes, causing both of you to run from the check-in point to the train track. You're lucky that it's only a three-day trip, so your baggage is still bearable.

You look around the train, trying to squelch the queasiness. You're not one to have motion sickness, and you hate to point it out to Jihoon after the incident earlier.

“Your hands are cold,” Jihoon stated, catching your attention. You turn to him ever so slowly it's almost comedic. “Let's switch seats,” he said before standing up.

You look up to him before he pulls you up and guides you to the window seat. You quickly stick your head to the window, taking in the scenery as the train moves forward. Feeling better with each passing minute.

When you finally turned your head to Jihoon, he was already looking at you. Hands propped on the armrest, supporting his head. The cherry on top was probably his sweet smile.

Your face turns hot as you try to assure yourself he is only looking at the scenery outside. But when you turn for the second time, he's still looking at you like that. All smitten, and if this was your room chat, he would be that one with hearts on the eyes and around the faces.

“It's really pretty, Ji,” you said, looking out again. He hummed in response, half agreeing. Because for you, he'd give up the window seat on the 6-hour train ride. Watching your beauty blend into nature's scenery. That's a thousand times more beautiful for him.

Every moment leading up to this day has been the most exciting time he had in his life. Instead of a surprise trip, like what a couple nowadays would do, you had told him early on that you wanted to go on a vacation with him. You're not that much of a planner, so you ask him to work together. Once you estimated the departure date, he immediately cleared his schedule. Both of you spent time researching places to go, food to try, and recreations to try.

He can't even stay mad at you for almost missing the train, imagining the upcoming three days when he gets to step out of his studio, with you, going to places you've never been, trying food you never had.

“Are you happy?” he asks finally. Hands reaching to yours. It matters to him. It matters that you know he'll still put you above everything else.

“I am!” you beamed at him. “It's gonna be so much fun.”

“I can already feel it,” he started. “But, genuinely, thank you for taking your time to plan everything. I appreciate it.”

“So, can I plan another one?” you grin sheepishly. 

“Don't push your luck just yet,” he laughs, ruffling your hair.

a/n. inspired by the fact that he hasn't got his driver's license yet bcs it's too much of a hassle. well, enjoy the long train ride then jihoon-a🥰

[anadiasmount]

tropical rains - jude bellingham x reader.

quick sum: when the tropical rain hits in the morning of your first day of vacation, that won’t let jude and your baby boy stop them from ruining their morning.

wc: 3k | masterlist | jude’s masterlist

psa 🗣️: tysm for the anon who sent this request! i love this so so much! and ik we know that jude is a girl dad but boy dad jude just makes me feel so soft 🥹❣️ also not proofread so i’m sorry! but i do appreciate feedback if you’d like ❣️🗣️

“ms. y/n! you have a meeting in 10!” your PA said over the phone. you quickly grabbed your laptop and sat on the couch with a sleepy 9 month old cairo, who kept drifting off to sleep but also fighting it too watch the movie. “you okay sweetie? want mama to hold you?” you say in a tiny baby voice to which he quickly gets up and lays in your embrace.

you quickly open the campaign presentation, and split your screen to have the notes on the other side. you kiss cairo’s head, brushing his curls back as he stares into your eyes, “mama is gonna be on a call, dada should be home soon okay?” although he was nine months, he understood everything you and jude told him.

“now you go to sleep child, you’ve been awake all day” you playfully scold and tickle his side, to which he giggles, snuggling into your neck further and falling asleep in an instant. you press join and talk quietly not wanting to wake cairo up. as expected this brand-ad person wanted it his way but you wouldn’t allow that, negotiating a better contract and prices, and if they didn’t want to comply, they could look for a different company.

you weren’t here to waste time, those who knew you, knew that you weren’t playing games. you worked too hard to get where you’re at. that’s why the company you worked for always succeeded. along that way people would dislike you, since the people above them always appreciated you. if they couldn’t hustle like you, then they shouldn’t talk. it’s one thing jude always loved about you.

but jude and you went way back…

you and jude absolutely despised each other from the start. you couldn’t stand being around him, and when you did see him, you’d tolerate it. the two of you always kept a ‘happy friendship’ since your families were close, but jude and you had much love for his little brother jobe. jobe saw you as an older sister role model and confided in you always, which always warmed your heart since jobe was a sweetheart.

those times you hung out with your families it put an awkward vibe because they didn’t have a single clue of you and jude hating each other. they on the other hand expected something more romantic to appear, but. they never forced upon you two because they wanted to see the two of you happy. it’s all what mattered to them. after a drunken kiss shared between you and jude, it’s where it changed everything.

but, there’s always a but. you had known jude being a playboy throughout his whole life, passed around like some may say, and you’d expected him to embarrass you or worse regret it if he did remember. but all you could feel when you suddenly moved out of england, was the softness of his lips and the fancy scent of his.

when your best friend announced her engagement, she made the decision where you were her maid of honour, and jude was the best man from the groom's side. arriving back to england you avoided jude as much as possible, not wanting to even bump into him. but the two of you were set to be the most important people for the wedding.

after argument and argument, the two of you settled with a treaty, being at peace where the two of you laid. planning the wedding with him was where you learned jude wasn’t bad as you thought, jude thinking the same of you. when meeting you’d go out together for dinner, sit on your porch where you had late night talks about your life’s, and even going together to pick out your bridesmaid dress and his tux, you realised how madly in love you were with him this whole time.

it scared you. because you’ve never felt the way you did. it was a deep connection to him, a meaning of feeling loved and safe in his embrace. adoring the way his nose crinkled when he smiled, or him always tucking your hair back, making sure you always carry some ibuprofen since you can get headaches frequently, the fact no matter where you were, he always checked up on you.

when you accidentally revealed how you felt to him, it wasn’t a shock to him. he sensed it too. promising he never meant to hurt you the way he did, and that this whole time you were apart it made him realize how badly he needed you. he made you his girlfriend the day before the wedding. and then 3 months later you revealed to jobe first, who jumped up in down in excitement, the. your families who were relieved and thrilled.

jude was your first everything. your first kiss, your first boyfriend, your first time, your first love. and you wouldn’t have had it any other way. fast forward years later you were blessed with a healthy but chunky baby boy. and it brought the two of you closer than ever. as a first time mom, you just wanted to keep your baby safe and private, as selfish it may sound it was a bundle of joy you and jude always came home too.

after his approval to real madrid, it opened a new chapter. and it’s starting off bigger and greater than you imagined. you felt at home, and nonetheless jude too. his team welcomed him with open arms and he quickly became one of the best players of the start of the season. jude earned it, he deserved all of it.

after your zoom call you set cairo on the couch, putting pillows around him since he had a habit of rolling and turning in his sleep, just like jude. after setting your laptop in your office you quickly ran into jude’s open arms waiting for you at the door. he picked you up swiftly, your legs wrapping around him, while snuggling closer to him. all he could do was laugh and kiss your collarbone.

jude set you down and grabbed your cheeks, quickly pulling you into a heated kiss. “missed you so much. i hate when you have away games,” you pouted and kissed the small scar on his temple, pulling back. “i know baby, but i'm back now. and after today i’m all yours and cairo’s for the week,” jude said setting down his bag and taking his shoes off, slipping into those slippers.

“but then you go away again longer for the england camp… sorry if i sound so clingy or needy. i just feel like we haven’t spent as much time together you know?” you said, pulling your hair into a messy bun. “don’t apologise for that. i love you’re communicating this with me about this, and believe me i feel the same way. but that’s why we’re having this small holiday okay. and you’re all to me, just like right now.”

jude went up and hugged you, making you smile and lean in for a kiss. “thank you for all this. i truly can't thank you enough for what you do for me and cairo, we love you so much you know? even if you hate my fall candles…” you tease to which he groans and scoffs.

“listen, i have a point when it comes to smelling the same-”

“dada!” cairo bursts out, hair messy and face slightly puffy from his nap. jude quickly strides over and picks him up, kissing his head and cheeks, the sound of your sons giggles filling the room making you smile harder “hi my little man! i missed you so much little one! are you ready to go to the beach, yeah? mama showed me your new toys too!” jude said in a full baby voice, not hiding his adoration for his son at all.

since this would be his second time on a plane, you wanted to keep him distracted while he travelled. already filling up his snacks, his favourite teddy and toys in his small carry on bag. “oh you’re still sleepy, my poor baby, let’s go set you down for your nap. to give mama some time to finish work,” jude said placing cairo on his hip and walking up the stairs, not before sending you a wink and mouthing an ‘i love you! be right back.’

after spending the evening finishing cleaning the house, making some dinner, prepping last minute diapers and baby wipes, and watching a movie, the three of you headed upstairs to sleep. jude had already fallen asleep on top of your left side, his head on resting on you chest one arm draped around your middle. cairo slept peacefully on your right side, hugging your arms as his breaths got deeper and deeper.

the next day was spent mostly travelling. from madrid to costa rica was about a 13 hour flight, so you had to get to the airport early, go through security and then walk to jude’s private jet he insisted on taking, and then the long drive down to the beach. during that time, you fed and changed cairo, making sure the heat wasn’t bothering him.

jude was over the moon when you arrived at your destination, kissing you over and over as you saw your view. after taking a nap, you decided to eat at the hotel’s restaurant not wanting to travel after the day you had. you settled with something simple and easy, not wanting your stomach to react differently. “ew,” you say scrunching your face when you saw jude had ordered a seafood plate.

“it’s so delicious, watch!” jude bit into the shrimp and took a bit out of the lobster, which made you internally gag. “dada is nasty right?” you asked cairo who looked at the two of you confused before clapping his hands on the table. you kissed his head and dove back into the plate attempting not to get grossed out by the smell of seafood.

later at night you made it to the beach, where jude carried cairo on his shoulders, showing and pointing around at the different palm trees and decorations outside. you walked closely behind them, taking small pictures of the view and items you liked to save the memories. “it smells like it might rain,” you tell jude to which he playfully rolls his eyes and slightly smirks at you.

“okay ms. weather reporter. whatever you say,” jude teased.

but you weren’t wrong. the next morning jude stood by the balcony watching as it poured down, the palm trees swaying side to side, as the rain and lightning came down harder. jude scoffed and quietly told himself ‘she was right. it did rain’ but would never admit it. he looked over at you sound asleep on your side, one hand resting on your check while the other one rested around your rib cage.

cairo was about to squeal but jude quickly shushed him. putting the baby on his hip and walking into the bathroom where he brushed his teeth and did some skin care. he changed cairo out his pj’s and into a new diaper, slipping him into a cars ‘lighting mcqueen’ shirt.

jude understood how much stress you were in the past few days, how tired and exhausted you were from working and being a mom at the same time. he truly valued what you did, because it wasn’t easy, yet you managed to make it seem like it was. jude wanted to spoil you, so he quickly went down quietly with cairo and grabbed your favourite coffee, some eggs and pancakes to share between the three of you.

jude also knew how you loved to take pictures of anything, so he made sure to decorate the plate with some fruit as well. jude managed to carry cairo on his hip and the tray of breakfast all the way back to your room. it still continued to rain though, which slightly irked him since all he wanted was the head down to the beach or pool and began his vacation.

jude walked back in quietly yet slight panting, and set the food down on the desk. he kissed cairo’s cheek over and over, making the baby laugh and squirm around. “let’s wake up mama. i miss her and i know you’re hungry too,” jude said, brushing his sons curls back and picking him back up.

you could feel soft kisses being placed all over your hair, face and even arms as you woke up. you tried to adjust to the brightness of the room but that’s when you heard the thunder and rain come down. “good morning beautiful. how’s your sleep?” jude asked, his voice still deep and groggy to which you smiled and hugged him as he towered you on the bed. “so good. haven’t sleep like that in so long, i needed it,” you say, covering your mouth.

“gimme a kiss,” jude whines, but you kept swerving his pouty lips, insisting on brushing your teeth first, which you ended up doing. as you walked back in, cairo crawled over to you, you picked him up, grabbed his head and placed small kisses on his temple, but his hand was tugging on your neckline of the black night goen you were, wanting to be fed. you sit on the bed with cairo who’s feeding, and watch as jude placed the tray of food.

jude leans down and kisses you softly, your hand coming up to his cheek and thumb running softly along his skin. “i got us some breakfast so you wouldn’t have to go down. i also picked some fruit for him but it seems like he’s already busy,” jude says pointing to cairo on your chest. jude brought up the glass of coffee and you took a sip as he held it for you, you thanked him and grabbed his hand, kissing his knuckles.

jude settled next to you and quietly ate the croissant and sunny side up eggs. while you dug into the pancakes and hash browns. after you fed cairo, you offered him some juice and fruits so he did have some sort of solids in him. “did i not tell you it would rain,” you say, grinning at jude to which he narrows his eyes at you.

“you jinxed it!”

“yeha whatever you say. deny deny deny, that i was right,” you begin to joke to which he gasp and stutters but he knows you were right all along. “let’s dance in the rain,” jude randomly says, you stare at him confused but when he suddenly urges you to get out of bed, you knew he wasn’t joking. “jude wait- what do you mean? what if we get sick?” you say.

“then we get sick. we have natural remedies surrounding us, we’ll be fine. this rain isn’t gonna stop me or us from our first day here. just take my hand and i’ll guide us okay?” jude’s voice turned soft, bringing you outside. it only took a minute and then you were completely soaked, you laughed and spun around, enjoying what mother nature brought in first things first in the morning.

jude brought his hands and gripping your waist as you danced, swaying side to side, your foreheads resting with each others, smiling like idiots at what you were doing. but in all honesty, it felt nice, a relief, you let the rain carry away the built up stress and frustration you held from work, slowly letting loose into the movements.

jude kisses your temple and spun you in a circle, and due to the height difference, you were dancing on your tippy toes, giggling as he told stories of how and when he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with you. he praised you for being a hard worker and an amazing mom to cairo, protecting him at all cost. he kept pecking your lips and whispering ‘i love you… i love y/n’.

jude continued to guide you as your danced, his hand resting low on you back, as your rested around his neck. when lighting struck nearby, the two of you took it as a sign to go inside where cairo continued to watch his cartoons on the tv. when the small brown eyes stared at the two of you drenched he squealed, signalling grabbing hands. jude picked him up and held him close to him.

“i wouldn’t have it another way. we’ve been through our ups and downs but if it meant doing it all over again to be here like this with our little family, i would do it without hesitation…” jude says. you smiled with teary eyes, a tear slowly falling on your cheek where you leaned into jude’s touch as he brushed it away. “give mama a kiss! but not too many because she’s still mine,” he tells cairo.

“if you haven’t noticed jude. this, us and our little family, means the world to me. i can’t wait for more that's yet to come in the future, especially now that i'm expecting our second baby…” you say, a hand coming down and running along the small bump. jude steps back, his eyes roaming down at your figure before setting cairo on the bed and kissing you passionately. “you serious? we’re having another baby?” he asked with tears running down his face.

“yes jude! im 13 weeks… found out last week when i went for my yearly check up. baby is doing well and healthy…” jude gets on his knees and hugs your waist, his head resting right on your bump then kissing the wet material still. he glances up at you, and whispers a small thank you. jude stands back up and holds your bump with his hand.

“you hear that cairo? you’re gonna be a big brother!”

[sillylotrpolls]

(Context below poll)

It's mentioned a couple places that the Nazgûl/Ring-wraiths spent up to 949 years (!) preparing Mordor for Sauron's return.

The Fellowship of the Ring: Part 2: Chapter 2: The Council of Elrond

Sauron also had watched us, and had long prepared against our stroke, governing Mordor from afar through Minas Morgul, where his Nine servants dwelt, until all was ready. Then he gave way before us, but only feigned to flee, and soon after came to the Dark Tower and openly declared himself.

The Lord of the Rings Appendix IV: Gondor and the heirs of Anarion

Turgon followed Turin, but of his time it is chiefly remembered that two years ere his death, Sauron arose again, and declared himself openly; and he re-entered Mordor long prepared for him. Then the Barad-dûr was raised once more, and Mount Doom burst into flame, and the last of the folk of Ithilien fled far away.

[fairy-lights-and-blobs]

Long Haired Danny is an amazing visual and needs more appreciation.

I need more Long Haired Danny in fics.

[florgenborgen]

Wings of Fire IceWing Headcanons!

All of Pyrrhia has been rotated very slightly so that the IceWings are the northernmost, not equal in latitude to the SkyWings. Sorry, that just bothered me.

can. can the icewings have fur (guess what its MY au so yes they will)

icewings are known for their seafaring and navigational skills! maritime hunting is a pretty big thing in north icewing culture and there's an established tradition of going out to sea and just boating for days to find whales and other aquatic megafauna.

speaking of megafauna, they aren't extinct in this au!! (yippy) and THATS why humans are so small compared to everything else.

for the more inland icewings, mammoth and woolly rhino hunting is also common (though not as culturally important as whaling expeditions)

scavengers are pretty rare in the north with the exception of the great ice cliff-- the human and dragon governments signed a long-forgotten treaty a few thousand years ago confining all human settlements to a huge defensive strip of land around the ice cliff.

most of the time, dragons die from the local humans before any icicles pierce their hearts. (they just got some new guns from the night peninsula humans and they are NOT putting it to waste.)

the ice kingdom can actually get pretty warm in the summers, with the eastern pine forests becoming a prime vacation destination for any noble who wants a little getaway from the ice.

the alliance with the rainwings has given the icewings some sweet new imports recently, including mangoes, papaya, and paralyzing venom darts!

(already mentioned in the rainwings post) a large rainwing diaspora lives in the ice kingdom, in what's known as "pearl neighborhoods"! they're mostly refugees from the seventh rainforest kingdom, which was destroyed in the last mudwing-rainwing war. they're allowed free heating and housing, as long as they pay with a few eggs for the army...

[nimuetheseawitch]

SGA Summer Vacation Recs

So, a few weeks ago, a friend asked for longfic recommendations to read while on vacation, and I did not really realize how many I was recommending at the time. Seemed like a good idea to make a post about it.

Time in a Bottle by astolat, 14K (not originally on my list because it was too short, but it's too perfect for a summer reading list, so I added it), McShep, Rated E, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings To see a World in a Grain of Sand / And a Heaven in a Wild Flower / Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand / And Eternity in an hour.

The Long Dark (series) by @logicgunn, 141K, McShep, Rated G-E but the first is M, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings An astronomical event causes two strangers to crash land on a remote island in the frozen Canadian north. Cue a fluffy slow burn in a survival setting.

Lord John Sheppard Versus Earth by LitGal, 61K, McShep, Rated M, Graphic Depictions of Violence Canon diverged before Jackson found Atlantis. The IOC stepped in and decided to make things more efficient. A gene testing program brought Major John Sheppard into the program earlier, but budget constraints and international treaties have kept Dr. Jackson out of the antarctic. So now John has to find his own team--and his own geek--or he's in danger of being stuck in the mountain forever as a light switch. However, as the universe changes, fate forces some things to return to proper form, and other things… they get wildly out of control. John isn't sure how he came to be Earth's enemy, but he's going to have to deal with the cards he's dealt.

Teamwork by onthewaters, 24K, McShep and others, Rated E, Graphic Depictions of Violence There is an Earth where things have turned out a little differently, and the people who go to Atlantis aren't quite the ones we know. AKA The one where Rodney is a Mountie.

The Doctor and the Sheppard by @hero-in-waiting, 70K, McShep, Rated E They've been in Pegasus for a year before Rodney is finally allowed to go off-world to meet with the mysterious leader of a group of allies against the wraith. The first meeting goes well, sending them down a path none of them could've foreseen, and leaving Rodney with thoughts of the mysterious leader with his bright eyes and dark hair.

The Hard Prayer by Rheanna, 30K, McShep, Rated M One year after the end of the world, John meets another survivor.

In Sickness and in Health by @a-storm-of-roses, 31K, McShep, Rated E "So I told a little lie, just to get you back to Atlantis. It was the only way, so try not to get too mad. I told them we were married.” When John suffers a major, life-changing injury on Earth, Rodney must pretend to be his husband to ensure his return to Atlantis. As he struggles to navigate recovery and accept his new reality, John must also come to terms with his new role as Rodney's husband and the new dynamics in their relationship. A story of healing, recovery, loss, love, and acceptance.

Enigma by sgamadison, McShep, 32K, McShep, Rated E, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings During an off-world mission, a piece of Ancient technology transports Rodney and John on a one-way trip to a deserted airfield. Working together to get back, it takes a vivid dream to make Rodney realize what's been in front of him all along.

Bridges by bussaiko, 52K, McShep, Rated E Engineer Rodney McKay went to North Carolina's Crystal Coast to help his sister design a series of bridges. He hoped to rebuild his career following a professional disaster; he didn't expect to be drawn into the small community of Athos Island, where he found friendship and perhaps something more with helicopter pilot John Sheppard. But when Rodney tries to learn more about John's past, what he discovers might tear them apart. (non-Stargate AU)

Apocalypse Rising by sian1359, 81K, McShep, Rated M, Graphic Depictions of Violence The Goa'uld are not the only ones who covet Earth.

Zen and the Art of Jumper Maintenance by Indybaggins, 39K, McShep, Rated M The one where Rodney gets sucked in and John… follows. Featuring a quirky John, Rodney in orange robes, crazy Ancient-worship, sheep milking and jumpers that aren't broken but need to be fixed anyway.

Black Helicopters (series) by whizzy, 141K, McShep, Rated T-E but the first is M, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Screw the bet. Rodney was going to prove the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence. Oh, and incidentally, he might just catch the United States Air Force with their pants around their ankles.

Pegasus Purgatorio by MrsHamill, 127K, McShep, Rated E, Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings It is difficult to write a paradise when all the superficial indications are that you ought to write an apocalypse. It is obviously much easier to find inhabitants for an inferno or even a purgatorio. (Ezra Pound) Yeah, I'd say that about covers it, Ezra. John and Rodney are left behind when Atlantis (and, by extension, Pegasus) is evacuated. While returning to the Milky Way, they decide to bring a few friends along.

What A Wonderful Bunker You Would Make by ocdindeed, 50K, McShep, Rated M Summary in simple words: Rodney is recluse and John has a kid. Summary in not so simple words: Rodney McKay has given up on the world, living a simple life up on a mountain devoid of people. He likes it that way, at least he did until a kid with a full head of dark hair ambled up his dirt driveway and changed his sequestered life forever. (AU - Set during SG1 & Pre-SGA timeline.)

G******, Tramps, and Thieves* (series) by auburn, 372K, McShep and a whole lot more, Rated T-M, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, later fics Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Vala Mal Doran and her partners, renegades Jehan abd-Ba'al and Meredith McKay, hijack the Tau'ri ship Prometheus and leave the Milky Way behind in search of the Lost City of the Ancients, Atlantis.

*I censored this title due to a common racial slur

[theoceanoasis]

Rodimus accidentally being inseminated with Soundwave’s sparkling

With the end of the war everything was changing one of those was his medic. He'd always had Ratchet as his medic but now he was looking into finding someone else.

Ratchet was great but he had other options now and wanted to try a... Nicer medic.

He was a little nervous going to his first appointment with his new medic. Ratchet had sent over all his medical information which was good.

He was probably glad it was one less person he had to deal with. Ratchet mentioned wanting to have more personal time now that the war was over.

His new medic used to be a Decepticon, but he was also a race car and had a shiny finish.

Since the war was over and a peace treaty had been signed. He thought it couldn't hurt to help blend Cybertron together. Even though the war was over they were still divided.

Walking into the clinic he was a little nervous because it was mostly Decepticons. However the appointment went well. Until he learned that he'd have to come back for his interface equipment to be looked at.

He always hated those appointments and he put it off for as long as possible. Which caused him to have a different medic since Knockout was on vacation with his Conjunx.

Even though he didn't want to do this. Especially when his medic wouldn't be there he forced himself to go.

The medic treated him strangely which he already didn't like making a comment about his looks.

He didn't know what to expect since this wasn't his usual medic but he didn't remember it hurting so much. He assumed the Decepticons didn't mind how rough their medics were but Ratchet never caused him pain like this when he was examining his array.

When it was over he felt sore down there and was happy to be done with it.

Days later and he started feeling sick. He'd throw up in the morning and then be fine for the rest of the day. He was also tired all the time, his moods fluctuated frequently and he was always hungry constantly having cravings. Even the energon he usually drank was now disgusting and he'd started drinking something else.

He was looking in the mirror noticing some weight gain when his comm rang. He quickly answered it confused when it was Knockout and he sounded stressed.

"Please come to the clinic immediately."

He then hung up leaving him alone to wonder what was going on. He took one last look in the mirror and then drove over. Afterwards he planned to hit the tracks to hopefully lose the weight he'd gained.

When he got there the clinic was quiet and he was quickly ushered into a room.

Knockout stood there looking nervous and trying to hide it. The medic who did his interface equipment exam looked terrified and was shaking. Ratchet was also there looking mad and Soundwave was there for some reason, but it was hard to tell what he was thinking.

"Sit down."

He did as he was told shifting in discomfort from everyone looking at him.

"There was a mix-up during your appointment."

"A mix-up!?"

Ratchet looked mad glaring at Knockout.

"What kind of clinic is this? How could something like this have happened?"

"What's going on?"

He gave them all a nervous look and Knockout sighed.

"You were supposed to get an exam done on your interface equipment which is standard procedure. However there was a mix-up."

Ratchet huffed and Knockout ignored him.

"Our medic here."

They froze staring at him in fear.

"Made a mistake."

Ratchet glared.

"They accidentally inseminated you with Soundwave's transfluid."

It was quiet for a long moment as he struggled to digest what he'd just been told.

"What!"

He shouted looking at them in shock.

"How could this have happened?"

"They thought you were Soundwave's surrogate and inseminated you. Now the question is if you're sparked or not."

He froze spark pounding as he thought about his recent symptoms. He rubbed his tanks and Ratchet shoved the other medics away grabbing some equipment.

"Let me do it and after this I want you to become my patient again."

"If he's sparked with Soundwave's..."

"Soundwave will just have to deal with it. If he's sparked Hot Rod would be carrying the sparkling not him and he doesn't get a choice."

Ratchet glared at Soundwave who remained silent. He didn't look at him instead he stared at the equipment. Shivering when Ratchet rubbed cold gel on his belly.

He then put some kind of stick against it and they all watched on the monitors as the beginnings of a sparkling appeared.

His optics widened and he felt like he was going to be sick. Ratchet grabbed a bucket passing it to him just as he threw up.

The medic responsible for this mess looked horrified and Soundwave glared at them while rubbing his back. He leaned into it for a second before remembering who was touching him and quickly moved away.

He found himself shaking crying as he begun to have a panic attack especially with everyone talking at once.

Ratchet kicked everyone else taking over as his medic.

"This is your choice. You never wanted this and I want you to take a few days to think things over."

He nodded still shaking and crying. Ratchet let him stay there until he was ready and when he left the room the clinic was empty and he didn't have to worry about anyone bothering him.

He went home and curled up in bed trying to figure out what he was going to do.

[fairy-lights-and-blobs]

Third chapter of "Tired mornings and new beginnings" has gone live just now.

You'll notice a new tag has made itself known from the last chapter until now.

Hope you enjoy the new chapter :)

[rabbitcruiser]

The Treaty of Nymphenburg was a treaty between Bavaria and Spain that was concluded on May 28, 1741.

[ed-recoverry]

Some good news to get you through

As someone super into history and current events, everything always sucks so I just want to make a little masterlist of some glimmers of hope. Will try to make multiple of these.

I shopped around for all of these, but this website and this website offers happy stories all in one place for those who don't have the time.

Colombia outlaws child marriage after 17-year campaign

Jordan Recognized as First in the World to Eradicate Leprosy

Norway, Paraguay, Antigua and Barbuda join the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty

Orran Gala Raises $400,000 for Armenia’s Most Vulnerable

Hanover firefighter creates ‘Belize Heroes’ to donate lifesaving equipment to home country

‌Norway’s Kon-Tiki Museum returns artifacts to Chile’s remote Easter Island

Minneapolis man's murder conviction vacated after 16 years

Hiking group for Muslim women breaks barriers as hundreds flock to the outdoors

Scientists find a 35,000-year-old saber-toothed kitten in the Siberian permafrost

Tupelo Preschool Teacher Donates Organ to Student

Author Katherine Rundell donates royalties to climate charities in Trump protest

Pan-Mass Challenge Raises Record $75 Million for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Texas woodpecker no longer endangered after 54 years

Researchers discover 'lost' frog species in the Andes after over a century

More states are adopting laws to protect children of family vloggers

A 19-Year-Old Who Spent Her Childhood In Foster Care Was Finally Adopted By A Former Caseworker

Dolly Parton Gifts $4.5 Million to Nashville Public Library

New Mexico sees nearly 10% more first-year college students, bucking national trend

21-Year-Old Raising His 4 Siblings Since Their Mom Died Surprised With $40K and a New Car

Easy-fit prosthetics offer hope to thousands of Gaza amputees

UNM alumni hike tallest peaks in Ecuador to make prosthetic care more accessible

London charity helps young mums thrive

Italian charity sends 15 tonnes of humanitarian aid to Gaza via Cyprus

Climate report shows the largest annual drop in EU greenhouse gas emissions for decades

Washingtonians defend the Climate Commitment Act

Voters decide MN Lottery will keep funding environmental causes

Finnish fathers taking nearly double length of paternity leave since 2022 reform

Oysters reintroduced to Firth of Forth appear to be 'thriving'

German union says auto and engineering workers to get 5.5% wage rise

Seaweed farming brings hope to Kenyan villagers hit by climate change

Previously extinct Cape Water Lily restored at False Bay Nature Reserve

From landfill to limelight, Ghana waste entrepreneurs win Earthshot Prize

A derogatory term for Native women will be removed from place names across California

Texas Native Health expands facility to better serve the state's Indigenous community

Borneo’s ‘omen birds’ find a staunch guardian in Indigenous Dayak Iban elders

African cinema takes to global stage with diverse storytelling

Maori haka in NZ parliament to protest at bill to reinterpret founding treaty

Animal welfare group works to rescue lions, pets in Lebanon

Inside a Massachusetts studio showcasing the work of artists with disabilities

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Jesse Duquette

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

July 11, 2024

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

JUL 12, 2024

Yesterday, Raw Story reported that Ivan Raiklin, Trump’s self-declared “Secretary of Retribution” has compiled a “Deep State target list” of 350 people he wants to see arrested and punished for “treason” if Trump is reelected. The list includes Democratic and Republican elected officials, journalists he considers to be Trump’s enemies, U.S. Capitol Police officers, and witnesses against Trump in his impeachment trials and the hearings concerning the events of January 6, 2021.

Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD) told Raw Story: “His hit list is a vigilante death warrant for hundreds of Americans and a clear and present danger to the survival of American democracy and freedom.” The Trump campaign did not respond to requests for comment. Raiklin said the list was just the beginning. “This is the scratching of the surface of who is going to be criminalized for their treason, okay?” 

Former president Donald Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, has tried to distance himself from the radical extremist blueprint outlined in Project 2025, spearheaded by the Heritage Foundation. Today, videos surfaced of Trump cheering the project on from the start. At a Heritage Foundation dinner in 2022, Trump, slurring his words, said: “Our country is going to hell…. This is a great group and they’re going to lay the groundwork and detail plans for exactly what our movement will do...when the American people give us a colossal mandate to save America. And that’s coming.”

On a right-wing podcast yesterday, Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts said that Trump’s agenda and Project 2025 have “tremendous” overlap. “There are some quibbles and differences of opinion here and there, which not only is okay, but it's actually good,” Roberts said. “I mean, we're gonna be able to sort those out once the presidential administration declares what their priorities are.” He said that Trump’s attempt to distance himself from the project was “a political tactical decision.” Media Matters uncovered a video in which Project 2025 director Paul Dans said that Trump is “very bought in with this.” 

The Heritage Foundation, the key author of Project 2025, is a sponsor of the Republican National Convention. 

Today the Heritage Foundation preemptively accused the Biden administration of cheating in the 2024 election and warned that Biden might try to hold the White House “by force.” It said that Biden and his administration could “circumvent constitutional limits and disregard the will of the voters should they demand a new president.” 

There is no indication that Biden, who has repeatedly said he will accept the election results, will try to launch a coup against the United States government. In contrast, Trump, who has refused to say he will accept the election result unless he agrees with it, has already done exactly what Heritage is trying to pin on Biden: Trump tried to stay in office against the will of the voters in 2021. 

Trump is currently under criminal indictment for that attempt, although the Supreme Court’s eye-popping July 1 decision in Trump v. U.S. declaring that a president cannot be prosecuted for crimes committed as part of a president’s “official duties” means Trump can challenge those indictments. Indeed, in the wake of that decision, Trump’s lawyers have filed a motion to vacate the jury’s conviction of Trump on 24 felony counts related to the falsification of business records in his attempt to skew the 2016 election, and to dismiss the indictment. 

While the U.S. and our allies celebrated the seventy-fifth anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Erin Banco of Politico reported yesterday that Trump advisors have told foreign officials that Trump plans to scale back U.S. cooperation and support for NATO, including reducing the sharing of intelligence with NATO countries.

This seems likely to be related to the news that the U.S. intelligence discovered a series of Russian plots to assassinate executives from European defense companies that are supplying arms to Ukraine. Americans took that intelligence to Germany and foiled a Russian plot to kill the chief executive officer of a German arms manufacturer. 

Trump has stayed home playing golf for the past two weeks, but on Tuesday he held a rally at his Doral golf club outside of Miami, where he kept the audience waiting outside in 90-degree heat before he showed up an hour late. His 75-minute speech was, as The Guardian’s Richard Luscombe reported, “full of evidence-free claims that his 2020 election defeat was fraudulent; baseless accusations that overseas nations were sending to the US ‘most of their prisoners’; and a laughable assertion that a gathering of supporters numbering in the hundreds was really a crowd of 45,000.” He also claimed that Biden had quadrupled the price of bacon and said, “We don’t eat bacon any more.” 

Trump did not mention his vice presidential pick. For the first time since 1988, it appears the Republicans will go into their convention without knowing who that pick will be. 

Luscombe reported that the crowd “appeared mostly subdued,” yawning and playing on their phones. 

Today, the editorial board of the Los Angeles Times wrote that Trump is “the only candidate in the race who is patently unfit for office—any office—and an imminent threat to democracy.” “If the [Republicans] had any decency left,” it wrote, they would dump him. Voters, the board said, must see the election as “a referendum on our 248-year democracy, and a choice between a trustworthy public servant who upholds American values and a serial liar who wants to push the country into authoritarianism.”

Almost two weeks after calling for Biden to step out of the 2024 race for the presidency, the editorial board of the New York Times also said that Trump is unfit to lead the United States of America, and urged voters “to see the dangers of a second Trump term clearly and to reject it.”

There was continued good news today about the American economy. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) had collected more than $1 billion in overdue tax bills from millionaires. That crackdown was possible thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, which funded an initiative to pursue high-income, high-wealth individuals who have an income of more than $1 million and owe more than $250,000 to the IRS. 

Republicans have repeatedly tried to cut the funding that made this enforcement possible. 

Today’s inflation report for June showed that inflation continues to cool, falling in June for the first time since the start of the pandemic. It declined in June by –0.1%, as gas and electricity prices dropped and as rent had its smallest monthly increase since August 2021. Statistics also show that workers’ wages continue to grow more quickly than prices. 

Yesterday, the AFL-CIO executive council voted unanimously to reaffirm its support for President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, saying: “Unions have never wavered in our support of them because they’ve never wavered in their commitment to working people.” The Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Union quoted that statement and added: “BAC is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters across the labor movement in supporting the Biden-Harris re-election campaign.”

In a press conference this evening, Biden championed the economic boom his policies created for the middle class and reminded attending journalists that “none of you thought that would happen.” 

In that press conference, held after he presided over the three-day NATO summit and thus focused on foreign affairs, Biden answered press questions directly and fully, not only on his health but also on foreign affairs. He reiterated the importance of NATO and reminded reporters that he was key to reinforcing the alliance after Trump weakened it, then went on to talk about foreign affairs more broadly. He also noted that “I’ve spent more time with Xi Jinping than any other president,” adding: “And by the way I handed in my notes.” This was a reference to the fact that in an unprecedented move, Trump infamously refused to disclose the notes from one of his conversations with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

At the same time that Biden was holding a press conference that focused on NATO and foreign affairs, Trump was meeting at Mar-a-Lago with Putin ally Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán. On social media this evening, Trump indicated that he is trying to conduct his own foreign policy, although the Logan Act prohibits private citizens from negotiating with foreign governments, and reiterated his support for Putin’s call for “peace” in Ukraine. Their plan calls for giving Putin the western regions of Ukraine that were central to his 2016 support for Trump; Trump’s 2016 campaign manager promised Trump would look the other way as Putin absorbed them. 

Orbán, who has openly called for Trump’s reelection, posted: “Peace mission 5.0[.] It was an honour to visit President [Trump] at Mar-a-Lago today. We discussed ways to make [peace]. The good news of the day: he’s going to solve it!”

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[stickyfrogs]

Long Frog is away on vacation, but if you have any spare Treaties you can leave them here next to this Very Handsome Leg!