#because they suggest discovery and exploring

[fictionadventurer]

There's a story here. I don't know what it is, but it fascinates me.

[monstersflashlight]

Commission for anon

A/N: This is very niche kink, and I regret nothing. It’s okay to pass this one if you don’t think this is your jam, but you never know when you are going to unlock a new kink...

Cow cosplay

Minotaur (Ambrose) x chubby fem!reader || hucow fantasy, kink discovery, degradation (lowkey), overstimulation, dirty talk, breeding

It all started as a joke.

You were watching a movie and he was jokingly teasing your nipples, making you giggle as he latched onto one of them as he pinched the other. You moaned between laughs, his fingers tickling your side. He was sucking so hard your panties were about to melt, but the amusement was in the air, so you didn’t think twice before joking about it.

“Ambrose, if you keep sucking like that, milk is going to come out.” The second the words were out of your mouth, he stopped. Completely. It was like he froze in place. You looked down and saw him carefully releasing your nipple, looking up at you with confusion. “What? What happened?” He was almost pale, like deer caught in headlights.

He looked away from you, putting your shirt down and staring at the TV, his head clearly very far away. “Nothing. Nothing… Let’s continue, you wanted to watch this movie.” His excuses were flimsy at best, and you started to feel worried that you said something wrong, your brain already spiraling.

“Are you okay?” You asked, anxiety raising inside your chest.

He turned to look at you and smiled softly, kissing your forehead. “Yes, yeah. I’m fine.” It made you feel better, but you still didn’t think he was telling the whole truth.

It took you three days to understand what made him react like that. He… He liked it. He liked that you said that. He liked the idea of him milking you. Of drinking your milk… Oh. Now so much more made sense. How he reacted when you first suggested getting a cow printed bikini, how he almost giggled and blushed when you wore those cow ears back during Halloween…

He had been into that all along, and you didn’t know.

You weren’t even sure he knew before that day. You discovered him a new kink! You tried not too be too smug about it, but you couldn’t stop the smile spreading through your face, a new idea already forming.

You walked back into your room, trying not to step in any cat toys that the kittens had left around (which they usually did), and picked the bikini and a tiny apron you bought for… reasons. You tried them on and twirled a bit in front of the mirror, feeling yourself. And then you dig the cow ear headband from the bottom of your drawer, completing the look and making your inside twist in anticipation.

He was so going to love it.

You were pacing in the room, moving up and down trying to burn some of the anticipation inside of you. You even played with yourself for a bit, but decided against continuing on that path because you wanted Ambrose to be there to play with you.

So when you heard him opening the door and calling out for you, your heart skipped a beat. “Sunshine? Where are you?”

“In the room!” You screamed, trying not to let your nervousness and anticipation make your voice waver.

He walked into the room and stared at you with an open mouth. Literally open mouth. He was looking up and down your body over and over, like he was scanning every inch available to his eyes until he took his fill. But he wasn’t saying anything. He was staring, and staring, and staring… Until you started to fidget with the hem of your apron, self-conscious.

“I- I thought… I know you have a hucow kink and I thought we could explore it? You don’t like it?” You asked in a low tone, cursing yourself internally.

“What? Fuck. You look… Fuck. You look good enough to eat, sunshine. Fuck.” You giggled, reassured he not only liked your gift but he was cursing more than normal. More cursing meant he was less in control, and less in control always meant you were on for a great time.

He walked to you like a monster on a mission, stopping mere inches away from your body, so close you could feel the heat radiating from his skin. You were shivering on your feet, so ready to be debauched that you didn’t know how to act anymore.

But then he started talking and everything in your brain flew away. “You want to be my personal hucow? Is that it? Do you want to be my human pet and let me milk your precious tits until you are dry?” You whimpered pathetically, his hands finding your boobs and tearing the fabric over them. “Would you let me do that, sunshine? Would you let me suck your tits until they are leaking and then fuck you until you are so full of my come your stomach gets distended?” You groaned at the mental image he created.

“Yes. Yes. Yes. Please, Ambrose… Yes to all that.” As soon as your consent was there, he was lowering his body until he was on his knees in front of you, his head at tit level as he started to suck you like you were indeed going to produce milk if he sucked hard enough.

You threw your head back, screaming his name as your legs trembled under you. He pulled you up, throwing you on the bed and following shortly behind, not bothering taking off his clothes, his sole focus were your boobs.

“I’m going to make you produce milk. I’m going to make you my hucow,” he kept mumbling.

He kept sucking your nipples, playing with the barbells like his life depended on it. Your whole body was reacting to his ministrations, you felt like every cell in your body was attuned with his tongue on your boobs, his fingers pinching your free nipple until you were nothing but a mess of desperation and panting as he rutted his dick over your still clothed pussy.

You couldn’t stop begging, the combined sensation of his fingers and his mouth was the best kind of edging and you needed him. You needed him ASAP. “Please Ambrose. Pleaseeeeee. Fill me. I need you, please. I need you deep inside. Fuck your hucow, please.” The second the word hucow was out of your mouth, he was grunting like a desperate monster, pushing his hips into yours like he was about to burst his pants with the force of it.

He fumbled with his pants, ripping the fabric in half as he pushes your panties to the side…

And he was fully inside.

The spark of pain was nothing compared with the incredible pleasure that filled your senses as he rutted into you. You’d never heard him being that quiet during sex, he was always talking, always teasing, but it felt like he was more feral than ever. His thrusts were uncoordinated, and he kept grunting and moaning against your boobs, biting and sucking on your nipples, driving you insane with each pull.

It was like you were nothing but a toy, it was like he was using you like his personal hucow for real, and that drove you into a new dimension of pleasure. It felt degrading in the best way possible, degrading in a way that nothing ever felt before. Not even his words when he called you a whore or a slut, not even when he treated you like a pet and made you pee yourself…

Him holding onto you as he sucked your tits and rutted into your welcoming heat like you were nothing but a cow was making your insides twist and turn, your brain short circuiting as your orgasm washed over you in a tidal wave that crashed onto your body until you were gasping for breath and screaming his name in the middle of it.

But he kept sucking, fucking in and out your pussy and not even caring that he wasn’t touching your clit. He was in another dimension completely, caring only about himself and his desires, using your body to fulfill his own fantasies. And it was driving you insane.

As insane as it felt his dick inside of you, rubbing against your G-spot as he pinched your nipple and sucked on the other, the combination of all sensations sending you into overstimulation, and short after into another orgasm that left your body shivering as he pulled away for long enough to scream your name as he spilled inside of you until you felt so full you could burst.

He pulled out and you felt the gush of come leaving your body, but short seconds later he was pushing back inside, his dick half hard as he latched onto your nipple once again. It was too much and not enough at the same time. It was exhilarating and maddening, and you loved it. You loved to be what he needed, you loved to be his hucow or his flashlight or whatever he wanted you to be.

By the time he got tired of filling you up and sucking your nipples, you felt sore all over, your body too tired after too many orgasms. You were breathless, trying to regain your normal heartbeat as he grunted and nuzzled your boobs.

“I love you more than life itself,” he whispered against your boobs, kissing your sore nipples until you were whimpering and trying to get away, just to draw you closer and suck on them again.

If he kept that up his fantasy might become reality...

[moomary]

diluc x subby f!reader

content: nsfw but not explicit/descriptive writing (lots of talk of dynamics and preferences i think diluc would have for intimacy), vanilla diluc and reader at first, ur married, dom/sub dynamics, soft dom/service top diluc, talk of kids at the end, bratty reader, hint of breeding kink at the end as well if you squint and if you want to interpret it that way. diluc is really just an upstanding gentleman i love him very much and want to marry a man like him someday

diluc is one character i feel strongly to be a taker of zero risks with intimacy—neither would he enjoy such risks if he were to partake. to him, the act of sex is reverent, the purest display of love between him and his partner. never should that act be tainted by fear of discovery, discomfort, or shame.

diluc would want his lover to feel completely safe and secure during such vulnerable moments. i think he’s generally very “vanilla”, and that’s not a bad thing at all. he just enjoys making you feel loved in the most intimate way, and to him, that way is in the setting of a bedroom, lights dimmed, without the company of any other save for his beloved. his favorite position is missionary, of course it is—he can see you, see your face, kiss you silly, all while protecting you from the world. he’s the perfect husband for a pillow princess, truly—just lay down and let him do all the work, sweetheart. he’d be happy to indulge in anything new you suggest, but i feel that a relationship with diluc is steady, conservative, and gently paced, as he is so very much a gentleman. should you desire to explore more, he would never stop you, but his own desires tend to remain consistent. if you are content, he is content.

diluc’s honor and gentlemanly nature will always take precedence over any sexual desire he may harbor for you, however much he may feel. he is simply an honorable man. therefore i feel strongly that he cannot even will himself to think of doing anything promiscuous with you in any sort of public setting, no matter how hidden it may be, and no matter how much he may want you, or how much you want him. it’s not comfortable, and it’s not appropriate—it’s just not his jam. i think that is probably his only hard ‘no’ when it comes to things you may ask for. he will take you home swiftly if he is able, or you will both simply endure the yearning until night falls.

i think the furthest he’d stray into kinky territory is dom/sub dynamics (this is surprising to no one). really anything where he gets to be the protector, the guiding hand, the gentle touch with a firm grip—he’s the definition of a soft dom. his demeanor is too gentle, his heart too bleedy, his soul too pure, to do anything other than love you sweetly unless you should explicitly ask for something else.

for example, if you ask him to be meaner, rougher, or crueler, i honestly think he’d be quite perplexed, and it would take him some time to adjust to the idea. that’s definitely not something to spring on him in the moment. it goes against his nature, to be honest, because he could never imagine bringing harm or even risk of harm to someone he loves so much, whether that harm be physical, mental, or emotional. diluc would have to mull over it for a while before he’s able to approach you and say he’s ready if that’s something you would enjoy, because if it’s for you, he’d try anything. once it happens and he gets into it, oh i think he’d be into it—it’s just not something he ever would have known he’d like unless you bring it up, because he is naturally selfless in love.

the diluc soft dom to hard(er) dom pipeline is crazy cause when he gets the okay from you to be firmer, he naturally takes on that role as if it was made for him, and he remains a service top through everything. his pleasure comes second to yours, and that’s how he has always operated (which also makes for very interesting flip dynamics whenever he gets desperate👁️). if you ask for him to be firm, if you tell him you want him to be in control, that you want to submit to him, that you want him to be strong, to guide you, to take what he wants?

he’s putty.

he’d ask you several times if you’re sure. if that’s really what you want. when you say yes, it is, i’m telling you that it is—he’s still rather nervous at first. at first he wonders if he even knows what he wants, because he’s always so focused on what you want.

but truly, what he wants is just to love you in a way that is safe and comfortable for the both of you. if you are pleasured, he is pleasured. that’s honestly the baseline for anything he ever does.

perhaps, though, just once, he can focus on his own pleasure a bit more. you’ve given him the explicit go-ahead, many times, and even asked for him to be rougher, after all.

so he becomes more truly dominant, giving you more directions, and asking for more from you. he even takes, sometimes, and he has never taken anything before. it makes you feel very giddy.

his new firmness opens up the opportunity for you to explore being bratty. you’ve found yourself becoming increasingly playful, while he remains rather stoic and hard-assed as he learns to deal with you, and you love it—you know he does, too, because he has told you. taming you is a nice fun precursor to the intimate and very romantic missionary sex that you two will have.

and if you’ve talked about kids in your marriage before, this is the point where a hidden desire will finally emerge in him.

he really wants kids. more than he let you realize before. and he really wants to get you pregnant. like whenever you’re ready, he is rearing to go. as soon as you give him consent, he is more needy and wanton than you’ve ever seen before. he takes more, manhandles you, and loves you firmly, and it’s literaly awesome sauce : 3

sorry lost my energy to write more and forgot how to be serious : 3 just got inflicted with the diluc brainrot for a solid 45 minutes and got the urge to write about it bc i for some reason was thinking about people having public-ish/risky sex and how i would never be comfortable with that personally for multiple reasons . and then i thought about diluc and i was like oh my glorious king he’s like a mr darcy dreamboat i swear ugh anyways

[sweemmy]

⋆｡ﾟAfter reading this, would you be up for another date with these girls? I know I definitely would. ﾟ｡⋆

— Vi, Caitlyn, Sevika, and Jinx… with a rare appearance by Katarina and Elise.

VI.

With her vibrant and overwhelming energy, she immediately sweeps you off your feet, her confident smile whispering without words: "Today will be a day you’ll never forget." She leads you to a secret corner of Zaun, a place iconic with mystery and charm. It might be an underground bar, hidden in the shadows, or a secret viewpoint only visible to her, a spot that feels like it belongs to her and her memories. She loves the idea of offering you a unique window into her world, showing you every corner from a perspective only she can understand.

Vi is full of energy and vitality, always ready to challenge the routine with new adventures. She loves surprising you with unexpected plans, like inviting you to an impromptu race through the bustling underground market or suggesting a friendly fight in an arena that appears out of nowhere. Everything she does aims to make you smile or leave you in awe with her agility and skill. Excitement and fun are her way of connecting with you, showing you her bold and charming side.

She can’t help but stare at you every time she thinks you're not looking. She wonders how someone like you ended up in her life and if she truly deserves such immense happiness. That mix of innocence and vulnerability makes her even more enchanting.

Though she struggles to express her feelings with romantic words, her way of showing affection is even more sincere and direct. If she senses you're cold, she won’t hesitate to offer you her jacket as a gesture of protection and care. In moments of closeness, she’ll take your hand without warning, silently merging her presence with yours, but in a way that speaks volumes. And sometimes, she’ll remain quiet by your side, relishing in the simple joy of sharing the same space, letting the silence say what words can’t.

As the date comes to an end, she approaches you with a charming smile, her eyes sparkling with that mischievous glint only she knows how to express. With a soft sigh, she leans in, letting the moment take over, and in a warm, conspiratorial whisper, she says, "What do you think? Shall we indulge in this again tomorrow?"

CAITLYN.

The date begins with a meticulously planned invitation, in a refined location in Piltover. Picture an elegant restaurant atop a tower, where the city lights stretch out like a cloak of stars, or perhaps a private garden surrounded by exotic flowers, enveloped in an air of absolute tranquility. Caitlyn wants everything to be perfect, because to her, every small detail carries profound meaning.

The conversation flows naturally, as if each shared word is a mutual discovery. Caitlyn genuinely shows interest in your thoughts and opinions, asking questions that invite reflection, exploring every corner of your mind. Her soft, enchanting laughter escapes with each witty remark you make, a sincere response to the spark she finds in your words.

At several moments, you may feel her gaze fixed on you, attentive and full of tenderness, as if she wants to preserve every gesture of yours in her memory. Though she doesn't say it aloud, every second spent with you is a true luxury for her heart, a moment she treasures more than words could express.

Throughout the evening, she surprises you with small, carefully chosen gifts—presents that reflect how much attention she pays to your tastes and desires. A rare, delicate flower, which she explains symbolizes something deep and unique; or a book she assures you, with a smile, you'll greatly enjoy.

The end of the date arrives with a softness that leaves a warm sensation in the air. Perhaps a gentle, respectful kiss on the hand, or a caress on the cheek that speaks more than words ever could. Caitlyn smiles, and with a promise full of mystery, assures you that the next encounter will be even more special, leaving in your heart the certainty that something truly unique has just begun.

SEVIKA.

She picks you up with a calmness that disarms, as if nothing could disturb her tranquility, and leads you to a corner of Zaun where the noise dulls, even though the chaos still lingers in the air. Perhaps you step into an underground club, where the music, vibrant and enveloping, seems to pull you out of time, or into a hidden spot that serves the best food in the area, like a small refuge amidst the madness.

She isn't one for many words, but her mere presence conveys a deep sense of security, an anchor in a sea of uncertainty. When she looks at you, it’s with an intensity that goes beyond the physical, as if she could read every thought passing through your mind, though it's also clear she enjoys your company, as if you were in her favorite place in the world.

Throughout the date, her protective instinct naturally reveals itself. If someone bothers you or if the crowd becomes overwhelming, you barely have time to react before she's already sorted everything out. There's something in the way she moves that makes you feel invisible to threats and completely taken care of.

Over time, she lets slip fragments of her past, revealing a vulnerability she usually keeps hidden. It's her way of showing you that she trusts you, that you mean something deeper to her than she could ever admit aloud.

The goodbye comes quickly but with meaning. Sevika leans in, her face close to yours, and with an unexpected softness, brushes her forehead against yours before leaving. Words are few, but there’s something in that gesture that tells you everything you need to know: she wants to see you again, and she knows you do too.

JINX.

The scene begins with an explosion... and I’m not talking about a metaphor. Literally, the air fills with smoke and chaos as Jinx pulls you into a dizzying whirlwind of action and adrenaline. Whether she's evading the authorities with wild laughter or exploring the darkest, most disheveled corners of Zaun, Jinx's energy is so electrifying that you can't help but get swept up in her frantic madness.

With a mischievous smile and a look full of spark, she shows you her messy yet genius world. Proud of her eccentric inventions, she invites you to create something together, perhaps a wild mural or shoot one of her most unpredictable explosive toys. “Nothing says love like an explosion, babe!” she says, that unmistakable glint in her voice.

But beneath her uncontrollable energy, there are moments of vulnerability. Occasionally, she catches you off guard, staring at you with eyes full of palpable melancholy, as if she fears that, like others before you, you might vanish from her life. It’s her silent way of fearing abandonment.

And then there are the nicknames—quirky and exaggerated, filled with a unique tenderness only she knows how to express. At first, they might seem like teasing, but you know they’re her unmistakable way of showing affection, a secret language between the two of you, a personal touch that only you understand.

At the end of the night, Jinx takes you to a high spot where you can see the city’s twinkling lights. She sits next to you, the laughter gone, leaving only a soft and sincere smile on her face. In a whisper, with a vulnerability she rarely shows, she says: “Thanks for not running… should we do it again tomorrow?”

KATARINA.

The encounter begins shrouded in an aura of mystery. Katarina leads you down an uncertain path, perhaps to a rooftop bathed in moonlight or to a secret trail through nature. She doesn’t reveal her intentions, but a strange sense of trust settles within you, as if you know there’s no danger in following her.

Her presence is direct and confident, yet her gaze, her attention, envelops you in a way that you cannot ignore. Katarina has a way of making you feel unique without needing many words. Every gesture, every look, is laden with meaning.

She offers you a glimpse into her world. She teaches you to throw daggers with a skill that takes your breath away, or takes you to witness a duel where you are merely an observer. Though she doesn’t allow you to intervene, there’s an electric tension in the air, a delicate balance between danger and care that she handles with unsettling perfection.

Though her guard is never completely down, she offers glimpses of her more human side. A flash of a genuine smile, the echo of a soft laugh, or a sincere comment on how much she values your company. Those moments, fleeting but real, show you a side of her that few are privileged to see.

The farewell is brief, almost as mysterious as the encounter itself. A quick kiss, full of unspoken promises, and an enigmatic phrase that leaves you thinking: “This isn’t over, we’ll meet again soon.”

ELISE.

She invites you to a date that exudes luxury, but also a lurking danger, like a spider's web woven with intrigue. In the darkness of a radiant Noxian castle, candles dance, casting shadows that seem to come to life. A banquet of exquisite and exotic delicacies surrounds the hall, but something in the air tells you that not everything is as it seems. A walk through the moonlit garden, where the twisted trees' shadows blend with her figure, adds an unsettling touch to the encounter. She is the queen of this realm of mystery, where everything revolves around her will.

Elise is captivating, like a snake slithering through the folds of your mind. Every word she speaks wraps you in her web, and though she seems to have total control over every situation, she leaves small openings where you can feel special, as though you’re part of a greater game whose rules you don’t understand. She enjoys playing with your emotions, but without malice… or at least not in the way you understand it.

She seduces you with fascinating tales of her past, dark and powerful stories that might be more than just stories. The line between lies and truth blurs, yet you remain captivated, wanting to know more, eager to discover what’s real and what’s not. It’s impossible to look away; her magnetism is as deep as the abyss of the Shadow Isles.

Elise takes pleasure in seeing you mesmerized by her presence, as if your admiration feeds her growing power. Every reaction you have seems to fuel her desire to keep seducing you, keeping you on the edge of the unknown. Perhaps a touch of her hand, an unexpected brush that leaves your heart racing, knowing that something more awaits.

At the end of the date, her farewell is as elegant as it is terrifying. "I hope this night has left a mark on you as deep as it has on me." Her smile, now almost supernatural, is like a veiled threat, but you can’t help but long for the next time your paths cross. Because, just like all those who’ve fallen into her web before, you know that no suitor leaves unscathed from her embrace.

[darcytaylor]

Why I Didn’t Mind the Brothel Scenes in Bridgerton Season 3 - Hot Take

Before I dive into this, I want to make it clear that if you didn’t like the brothel scenes in Bridgerton, that’s completely valid. I’m not here to change your mind, just to share why they worked for me and how I see them fitting into Colin’s journey.

I’ve noticed a lot of conversation about the brothel scenes, with some people feeling like they were out of place or didn’t fit Colin’s arc. Personally, I didn’t mind them, and here’s why I think they actually make sense (for me) in the bigger picture of his growth.

Discomfort Is the Point

Right from the start, I think it’s important to recognize that the brothel scenes are supposed to feel disconnected, almost uncomfortable. The whole point is to show how uncomfortable Colin is with himself at that point in his journey. He’s forcing himself into a persona he thinks he should have, and the scenes reflect that struggle. It’s not about Colin being this confident playboy - it’s about him trying (and failing) to figure out who he is and what he wants, which is messy and awkward.

I think they are actually a crucial part of his self-discovery. By showing him trying too hard to fit into a role he doesn’t understand, it's making sure we feel how lost Colin is (because we already know his character isn't actually like this). His growth feels more earned because we get to witness his struggles firsthand.

A Different Take on the "Rake" Archetype

Now, Bridgerton has explored the “rake” archetype before, with characters like Simon, Anthony and Benedict, who exude charm and use that to hide their emotional vulnerabilities. But Colin’s journey flips that trope. He’s not confident in the way they are. He’s actually a man who’s very much unsure of himself, fumbling toward an identity he hasn’t figured out yet.

Colin doesn’t find confidence in seduction the way Simon and Anthony did - it's more of a mask, something that’s not truly him. The brothel scenes highlight that lack of confidence, showing how far he is from figuring out what he truly wants. It can be relatable for anyone who’s ever felt lost or unsure about themselves.

It’s More About Sexuality as Self-Discovery

For Colin, the brothel scenes aren’t just about physical pleasure - they’re more about experimenting with what it means to be desirable, to be masculine, and to meet societal expectations. This exploration is messy and imperfect - exactly how many people experience sexual self-discovery.

Some people have suggested that Colin’s decision to be with two women at once might hint at demisexuality, and I think that’s an interesting perspective. It almost seems like Colin is trying to remove emotional intimacy from the equation, reflecting how disconnected he feels from his own vulnerability. But I also think that part of it is Colin’s “go big or go home” mentality. If he can be with two women at once, maybe he feels like he’s proving something to himself - or maybe trying to convince himself that he’s doing what he’s supposed to be doing.

Either way, his actions may not make him particularly likeable, but they make sense given where he’s at emotionally. He’s trying to figure out who he is, and that’s a messy process.

Bridgerton as Fantasy, Not History

It’s also really important to remember that Bridgerton isn’t a historical drama - it’s a fantasy with a romanticized take on the Regency era. It mixes period aesthetics with modern storytelling, and the brothel scenes should be viewed through that lens. The show doesn’t aim for historical accuracy - it’s about creating an idealized world where love, desire, and self-discovery take center stage.

So while some might have strong feelings about the way the brothel scenes are portrayed, it’s important to understand that they’re serving the narrative rather than trying to make a statement on real-world issues like sex work. In the context of Bridgerton, they’re more about Colin’s personal journey within this heightened, fantastical world.

The Brothel Scenes and Colin’s Need for Validation

Colin is deeply insecure. Even though he’s charming and outwardly confident, he’s searching for external validation - especially from those around him (Penelope, his brothers, and society at large). The brothel scenes are a way for him to seek that validation, to prove to himself that he’s the man he thinks he’s supposed to be (he said that himself).

But the problem is that this kind of validation doesn’t lead to fulfillment. It shows how far Colin is from truly understanding what makes someone desirable - not just in the eyes of society, but to himself. These moments reflect the gap between the performance of masculinity he’s trying to live up to and the deeper, emotional connection he’s actually longing for.

Visual Storytelling and Emotional Growth

One of the things Bridgerton does so well is visual storytelling, and I think the brothel scenes are a prime example of this. They’re meant to feel dissonant - just like Colin’s own inner turmoil. By showing these awkward, forced moments, we’re able to see the contrast between where Colin is emotionally and where he will eventually get to.

The disconnection he feels in those scenes makes the eventual emotional intimacy he shares with Penelope feel that much more rewarding. It’s all about showing how far Colin has come from the man he thought he should be to the man he’s finally becoming.

The Bigger Picture: Colin and Penelope

In the end, the brothel scenes aren’t about the act of being in the brothel - they’re about Colin learning from the experience. These moments set him on a path toward understanding that real connection comes from vulnerability and emotional intimacy. That's why I think we needed both brothel scenes - one where he thinks he is achieving what he should be, then the next is him realizing it's not what he wants.

His eventual relationship with Penelope, which is built on trust, honesty, and emotional connection, will contrast with the emptiness of his earlier encounters. These scenes aren’t just filler - they’re a part of Colin’s journey to self-acceptance, and ultimately, to love.

Final Thoughts

I totally get why the brothel scenes might not work for everyone. But for me, they added a necessary layer to Colin’s story. They showed his struggles, his insecurities, and his fumbling toward a better understanding of himself. In a show that often romanticizes love and desire, those messy moments felt real and grounded. They’re an important part of Colin’s growth, and without them, his eventual connection with Penelope wouldn’t feel as earned for me.

These scenes remind us that love, desire, and self-identity are complex and can be messy - and that’s okay.

[blasphemousclaw]

Do you think The Moons in Elden Ring only communicate with certain people?

It could explain how Count Ymir sees the Moon as just a Celestial Body and not a divine figure.

hmm that’s a good question; it does seem like Rennala, Rellana, and Ranni have a special affinity with the moon… I’m not sure that this is because the moon only communicates with them though, because I don’t believe the moon is a god, at least not in the same sense that the goddess of rot or the Formless Mother are gods?

Plenty of people draw power from the moon, including the Carian knights and preceptors (not just the royals), the sorcerers of the Lazuli Conspectus, the Nox, and perhaps Ranni’s mentor the Snow Witch… here the moon is used as a source of magic in the field of glintstone sorcery. There is a reason why glintstone sorceries and incantations are separate disciplines: sorceries are based on intelligence (study, research, self-discovery), and incantations are based on faith (belief in a higher power or force of nature). Lunar sorcery does not draw from faith like Bloodflame incantations or rot incantations do, which in my mind classifies it as a different sort of power than divine communion.

The way the moon is described in relation to Ranni, Rennala, and Rellana is that they “met” or “encountered” it:

“The young astrologer gazed at the night sky as she walked. She had always chased the stars every step of her journey. Then she met the full moon — and, in time, the astrologer became a queen.”

“This moon was encountered by a young Ranni, led by the hand of her mother, Rennala. What she beheld was cold, dark and veiled in occult mystery.”

“Queen Rennala encountered this enchanting moon when she was young, and later, it would bewitch the academy.”

“In her childhood, she and her elder sister Rennala met these moons. Overlapping, as though nestled against one another.”

But I’ve never interpreted this as a god selecting champions to enact its will, but more like a fateful discovery of a source of great power? Rennala and Rellana were astrologers, who read fate within the stars, when they encountered their moons… it seems to me that there’s an element of fate or destiny involved in connecting with the moon, but not necessarily personified divinity? I bet the Carian royals are like uniquely fated individuals… like how Sellen says “The stars alter the fate of the Carian royal family.” Also, Rennala’s description of chasing the stars and one day meeting the moon, and Ranni’s description of encountering the dark moon led by her mother’s hand also suggests to me a proactive arc of personal discovery and study rather than a god who chooses a person and communicates their divine will to them (such as the Formless Mother).

I think the reason why Count Ymir “abandoned his allegiance to the moon” because "It was merely the closest of the celestial bodies” is a combination of the fact that he doesn’t have this seemingly fated connection to the moon, and the fact that his interests go much further than the moon… he’s interested in the origins of life itself:

“I, too, am a glintstone sorcerer. We study the stars, and examine the life therein. Are you familiar with our findings? Long ago, we began as stardust, born of a great rupture far across the skies. We, too, are children of the Greater Will. Is that not divine? Is that not sublime? ...and yet, none can fathom its implications, its utter brilliance!”

and so is Sellen, who studies the primeval current:

“Our powers draw upon the powers embedded in glintstone, but what is the nature of such power? Glintstone is the amber of the cosmos, golden amber contains the remnants of ancient life and houses its vitality, while Glintstone contains residual life. And thus, the vitality of the stars. It should not be forgotten that glintstone sorcery is the study of the stars and the life therein.”

So I can understand why these characters would spurn the study of the moon as a trivial topic, instead exploring topics that get to the very heart of the nature of life and where we come from.

idk if I actually answered your question… I guess in a way, I believe the moon only communicates with certain people… but I think it’s more like, Rennala and Rellana, after tirelessly pursuing the knowledge of the stars, met the moon in a fated encounter and gained the ability to understand and tap into its power (and passed this on to Ranni), not that the moon is a sentient being that chooses champions to enact its will. Whether this still counts as being a god or being divine is up to personal interpretation I think, but the moon is at the very least a totally different sort of power than the confirmed outer gods we know of, and Ranni has a totally different sort of relationship to the moon than Mohg has to the Formless Mother.

[jesslovesboats]

BECAUSE YOU DEMANDED IT, I'm back with more Sad Boat Books for Sad Boat People! But first, some words.

I never dreamed that a silly little graphic I made for some friends would generate this much response on twitter and here, but I'm overjoyed that it resonated with so many of you! I read every single comment and tag, and by far my favorites are all of the people who say some variation of "I thought I was the only one who loved these books." We are NOT alone, there are literally thousands of people who reblogged or retweeted this list-- people of all ages and backgrounds and gender identities. Sad Boat isn't just for old white men! I was also delighted to hear from other librarians who are using this in displays and for reader's advisory. PLEASE go forth and do so with my blessing, nothing would make me happier! I was recently laid off from my librarian job as part of a restructuring under new management (don't worry about me, it sucks right now but I'm gonna be fine), so I would love to think that I'm still contributing to the library ecosystem while I'm out of commission. I would also love to keep making these lists (including one that deals with Sad Boat fiction and one with recommendations for other types of media), and I've never had more time to do it, so if you have suggestions, please drop them in my inbox!

Anyway, enough of that-- here are more books! I've either read all of these, or the recommendation came from someone I trust, so read with confidence!

First Hand Accounts

The Quiet Land: The Antarctic Diaries of Frank Debenham edited by June Debenham Back

The Voyage of the Discovery by Robert Falcon Scott

Farthest North by Fridtjof Nansen

Endurance by F.A. Worsley

Boats boats boats!

Franklin's Lost Ship: The Historic Discovery of HMS Erebus by Alanna Mitchell and John Geiger

The Voyages of the Discovery: The Illustrated History of Scott's Ship by Ann Savours

HMS Terror: The Design, Fitting, and Voyages of a Polar Discovery Ship by Matthew Betts

The SS Terra Nova (1884-1943): Whaler, Sealer, and Polar Exploration Ship by Michael C. Tarver

You'll learn about the Ross Sea Party and you'll like it

Shackleton's Heroes by Wilson McOrist

Shackleton’s Forgotten Men: The Untold Tragedy of the Endurance Epic by Lennard Bickel

The Ross Sea Shore Party 1914-1917 by R.W. Richards

The Lost Men by Kelly Tyler-Lewis*

Polar Castaways by Richard McElrea and David Harrowfield*

*These were on my other list, but this is my graphic and I'll do what I want

Sad Airships and Planes

From Pole to Pole: Roald Amundsen's Journey in Flight by Garth James Cameron

N-4 Down: The Hunt for the Arctic Airship Italia by Mark Piesing

Antarctica's Lost Aviator by Jeff Maynard

Disaster at the Pole: The Tragedy of the Airship Italia and the 1928 Nobile Expedition to the North Pole by Wilbur Cross

More Shackleton Content

Shackleton: A Life in Poetry by Jim Mayer

Shackleton's Last Voyage by Frank Wild

The Quest Chronicle: The Story of the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition by Jan Chojecki

Shackleton's Forgotten Expedition: The Voyage of the Nimrod by Beau Riffenburgh

Polar Partners

Snow Widows by Katherine MacInnes

Polar Wives: The Remarkable Women Behind the World's Most Daring Explorers by Kari Herbert

Widows of the Ice by Anne Fletcher

Sad Boat Graphic Novels

Shackleton: Antarctic Odyssey by Nick Bertozzi

The Worst Journey in the World- The Graphic Novel Volume 1: Making Our Easting Down adapted by Sarah Airriess from the book by Apsley Cherry-Garrard*

How To Survive in the North by Luke Healy

*This was also on my other list, but this is my graphic and I'll do what I want

Biographies

Scott of the Antarctic by David Crane

Ice Captain: The Life of J.R. Stenhouse by Stephen Haddelsey

Cherry: A Life of Apsley Cherry-Garrard by Sara Wheeler

Birdie Bowers: Captain Scott's Marvel by Anne Strathie

Roald Amundsen by Tor Bomann-Larsen

Miscellaneous sad boat books that are well worth your time

I May Be Some Time: Ice and the English Imagination by Francis Spufford

Fatal North: Adventure and Survival Aboard USS Polaris, The First US Expedition to the North Pole by Bruce Henderson

Barrow's Boys: A Stirring Story of Daring, Fortitude, and Outright Lunacy by Fergus Fleming

Pilgrims on the Ice by T.H. Baughman

The Coldest Crucible: Arctic Exploration and American Culture by Michael F. Robinson

Ghosts of Cape Sabine by Leonard F. Guttridge

Icebound: Shipwrecked at the Edge of the World by Andrea Pitzer

If you read and enjoy any of these, please let me know!

EDITED TO ADD: OG Sad Boat Books post here!

[blueiscoool]

Miniature Roman Gold Box Lock From 3rd Century Discovered in Germany

Archaeologists have uncovered a miniature Roman gold lock, measuring just 1.2 by 1.1 centimeters—smaller than a U.S. quarter coin—in a field in Petershagen-Frille in northwestern Germany. The object, dating back to the 3rd or 4th century AD, is believed to be the smallest Roman lock ever found in Europe.

The discovery, made in 2023 by licensed explorer Constantin Fried, has drawn significant attention due to the lock’s size, material, and intricate craftsmanship.

Fried, who found the piece in a cultivated field in the Minden-Lübbecke district, immediately reported it to Bielefeld’s Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe’s (LWL) archaeology team. Experts were stunned.

“I could hardly believe it myself when I held the find in my hand,” Fried said. “Because such Roman locks are usually much larger and consist of iron or bronze parts.”

A lock of mystery and history

Archaeologists believe the lock was originally used to secure a small chest or valuable container. Dr. Barbara Rüschoff-Parzinger, a cultural expert and archaeologist at LWL, confirmed that its design matches cylindrical Roman locks. The craftsmanship suggests it was made in a specialized Roman workshop.

Despite missing its original key and chain, the lock remains in remarkable condition. It consists of two small cylindrical plates held together by three gold rivets. Experts say its decorative details indicate it was likely owned by someone of high status.

Researchers are investigating how the lock arrived in Westphalia. Early theories suggest it could have been traded, taken as war loot, or brought back by a soldier returning from service in the Roman army.

Dr. Michael Rind, head of archaeology at LWL, said the lock would have been considered rare and valuable in its time, even if it was no longer functional. “The golden miniature tin lock is the only one of its kind in Europe and is the northernmost tin lock found in Germany,” Rind said.

Advanced technology unveils internal design

To study the lock’s inner workings, researchers turned to modern imaging techniques. Traditional X-rays failed to reveal details due to the density of the gold.

Instead, experts used neutron computed tomography, a rare technique in archaeology, to create a detailed visualization of the internal mechanism.

The scan revealed key structural components, including a spring frame, latch, and base plate. Further analysis showed that the lock had been tampered with, possibly in an attempt to force it open.

Despite the damage, researchers reconstructed its mechanism and created a functional replica four times its original size. The model, crafted by an LWL restorer, demonstrates how the lock once operated and confirms the technical complexity of its design.

A glimpse into Roman influence

The discovery of this lock offers a rare glimpse into Roman craftsmanship and its influence on distant regions. Researchers say it serves as evidence of cultural and economic exchanges between Roman elites and Germanic tribes.

While the lock answers some historical questions, others remain open. Was it a unique commissioned piece? Were similar locks produced? Could more be buried beneath the fields of Westphalia?

Archaeologists continue their investigation, hoping to uncover more about this tiny yet significant piece of history.

By Nisha Zahid.

The 4:1 scale reconstruction of the lock with chain 

[reachartwork]

asked my robot son (@statsbot) to brainstorm a minecraft movie that doesnt suck

text under read more

Let me tell you about a different kind of Minecraft movie:

INITIAL QUESTIONS How do we handle the complete isolation of the Minecraft world without resorting to isekai tropes? What's the core philosophical theme that could drive a mature narrative? How do we address the building/crafting mechanics without making them feel gamey? What role should the hostile mobs play in a serious narrative? How can we incorporate the inherent emptiness and loneliness of the world?

DETAILED RESPONSES The film opens in medias res - we never learn how humanity came to this cubic world, because it doesn't matter. Our protagonist is part of a small community of builders and survivors who have always been here. No portal, no transportation, no explanation needed. This is simply their reality, like how we don't question the physics of our own universe. The core theme revolves around humanity's relationship with creation and destruction. The protagonist is a master builder in their community who discovers ancient ruins suggesting that their civilization isn't the first to exist in this world. The film explores cycles of creation, destruction, and rebirth, drawing parallels to real-world lost civilizations.

The crafting system is presented as an inherent natural law of their universe - materials combine in specific ways, like chemistry in our world. The film treats this as mundane reality rather than game mechanics. Buildings aren't instantly placed but constructed through time lapses showing genuine effort and community cooperation.

The hostile mobs are treated as natural phenomena - the Creepers are portrayed as silent, tragic creatures drawn to human creation with an inherent need to destroy it. Zombies and Skeletons emerge from ancient ruins, suggesting they're remnants of the previous civilization. The Endermen are portrayed as incomprehensible beings studying human behavior from a distance.

The vast emptiness between settlements is treated as both beautiful and terrifying. Long shots of endless cubic horizons emphasize the scale of the world and humanity's tiny place within it. The emptiness serves as a canvas for human creativity but also a reminder of cosmic loneliness.

FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS How does the discovery of another surviving settlement change the protagonist's worldview? What happens when they find evidence that the previous civilization fell due to their own hubris in attempting to access The End? Why do some members of the community oppose expanding their knowledge of redstone technology? What drives some community members to venture into the Nether despite the obvious dangers? How does the community handle the philosophical implications of villager trading and their level of sentience?

ADDITIONAL DETAILS The film's structure follows a three-act format but breaks conventional storytelling rules by maintaining a meditative pace. The score emphasizes ambient sounds and C418's original music, treating silence as another character. The visual style embraces the cubic nature of the world while using modern lighting techniques to create genuine beauty.

The climax doesn't involve a typical boss fight but rather a moral choice about whether to repeat the cycles of the past. When the protagonist discovers the truth about The End portal beneath their village, they must decide whether knowledge is worth the risk of destruction.

The film ends ambiguously, with the community choosing to build something new while accepting they may not be the last civilization to inhabit this world. The final shot pulls back to reveal their entire settlement is built upon layers of ancient ruins, suggesting countless cycles of civilization before them.

Key scenes include: A silent sequence showing the meticulous construction of a grand structure The first discovery of redstone, treated with the gravity of discovering atomic energy A haunting scene where Endermen gather to observe a funeral ceremony The protagonist realizing their village's architectural style matches patterns in the ancient ruins

The film refuses to explain many of its mysteries, treating the Minecraft world like our own - full of questions we may never answer. This respects both the source material and the audience's intelligence, creating a genuinely thoughtful science fiction film that happens to be set in a cubic world.

[ceaselesswatchersspecialboy]

spent a good hour reading up on your Not What He Seems AU, it’s such a perfect mix of angst and whimsy! Ford waking up to find 30 years have passed in the blink of an eye is is the kind of body horror terrifying i eat up, as an avid enjoyer of time travel and its inherent tragedy.

i got a few questions, if you’ll indulge me:

- what kinds of tattoos you think Bill has gotten over the years? i think i saw some arm bands in one of your pieces, but i’d love to hear if you have any specific ideas for placements or images. if he’s doing it for the safe pain experience, i’d think there are some pretty big/detailed pieces involved? and do you think the pain helps ground him somewhat, to find and fit better in the boundaries of the body?

- in the show, Stan feels a lot of guilt for stealing his brother’s identity and he kinda thinks of himself as a fraud, an actor. do you think Bill ever feels guilty for the same? or would he just miss Ford a lot, without the Stan-specific aspect of pretending to be “the better one”?

also any fun tidbits you’ve been rotating in your head lately! it’s impressive how specifically it seems like you’ve thought out how Bill’s presence would affect the canon show events, while trying to keep them as unchanged as possible. also StanFraud is the funniest, most perfect thing I’ve ever heard!

Thank you!! I’ve always enjoyed writing horror based on human response, so Ford’s perspective is probably one of the most fascinating to me in this AU, although, all of it is fascinating and enjoyable to explore, really!

— I haven’t worked them all out yet, but I know for a fact he has a tattoo of the Cipher Wheel on his back, the arm bands as you mentioned, a hyper-realistic tattoo of his ribs where his ribs would be (if that makes sense), and eyes on the back of his hands. Honestly, I’d be open to suggestions for him! I imagine him having some more grotesque, detailed tattoos that reflect the nightmare realm as well. And yes, the pain definitely helps ground him. It also gives him a sense of control as well, in a situation where he has none.

— If he does feel guilty, it’s a complicated kind of guilt. I don’t even think he’d fully process that he’s feeling guilty. It’s this sort of gnawing feeling he can’t get rid of, and it starts the longer he gets to know Dipper and Mabel — he never really felt it before that. He absolutely misses Ford though. He can’t define that feeling either. I’ve said before that he looks at Dipper strangely, and that’s because Dipper reminds him of Ford in certain moments, eager for discovery!

He and Stan never really talk about it, but the have both acknowledged missing Ford before.

Bill’s response was vague though, not an ‘I miss him too’, but an ‘I think I do too.’ He isn’t sure what to make of that.

Bill Cipher doesn’t feel remorse, or miss people, he does everything with intention and he’s never made mistakes. Or, that’s what he’s meant to be. Maybe he has gone soft.

And Tidbits! I have a few! Not as many as usual, only because Arcane’s been taking up a bit of my brain space lately, but I hope these shall suffice anyhow:

(And quickly, thank you again, I think way too hard on all the small details and how Bill’s presence would have a knock on effect. It makes me happy to see it get noticed!)

— In the early days of Bill being trapped, Stan obviously doesn’t open the Mystery Shack, and ends up having to take a few odd jobs around town instead. He’s earned a bit of a reputation for being a decent handyman because of that, and even now, old timers of the town will still come to Stan if they need something fixing, especially cars. He complains about getting too old for it, but he never says no. Money is money! It’s also interesting to think about how the little things would impact his relationship with the townsfolk and how they view him. He’s always been Stanley to them. He’s never had to pretend otherwise.

— I’ve toyed around with making the Blind Eye a bigger threat than they are in canon, being as the kids would have no reason to look into Old Man McGucket. I’ve also toyed around with McGucket ending up slightly different to canon, his mind still broken, but his motivation different, with him being aware early on that the man he sees isn’t Ford, and is in fact the beast he fears and tried to erase from his mind. A more antagonistic Fiddleford who’s been trying to get rid of Bill for years now would actually be really fun? If I can make it work, and make the Blind Eye work in this way, I’ll lean into it! For now though, it’s just an idea I’m throwing around.

— Vague ‘episode’ idea that exists within my brain is Bill accidentally starting a mini cult again after telling some sort of lie that catches on, and it ends up being a Mabel-Bill bonding plot-line as she tries to convince him to just be honest before this whole cult thing gets taken too far. I also love the idea of Bill making a comment about this being like 1952 all over again. He makes comments like that all the time. Surely he’s just joking!

— Another vague ‘episode’ idea I have is Bill taking Dipper and Mabel to the supernatural underground market of Gravity Falls under Stan’s nose, trying to prove he’s the cooler Uncle, and that he can handle the two kids by himself. This goes about as well as you’d expect. Stan isn’t too happy to find out Bill got Dipper and Mabel in trouble, as he tried to get them to do more and more risky things.

— Bill will sometimes start speaking in Euclydian without realising, especially when it comes to cursing, and no one knows how he’s making those sounds with his mouth. Stan’s actually started picking up some of the meanings in context and can roughly gauge what Bill might be saying.

[eshalstuf]

Given the context of the second season, this is my favorite scene between Esra and Halit. Amid all the (unnecessary) plots that the writers created for them, this scene stands out as the cutest, most honest and loving of their relationship.

The writers decided to explore the lack of communication between Esra and Halit, which I didn't like very much. However, I love this scene, because Esra takes the initiative to call Halit for a heart-to-heart talk. Halit, in turn, shares his perspective on confidence, while Esra opens up about her insecurities and the difficulty of dealing with the situation, as she had never experienced anything like this before.

She seems so scared, especially since she has never been intimate with anyone before. If there wasn't this connection, perhaps the breach of trust wouldn't be so painful. But now, she has someone she loves and needs to trust, and that's exactly why the pain is intense. The absence of trust weighs more, because the vulnerability that comes with love is profound. It's an emotional dilemma: she wants to open up, but the fear of getting hurt stops her.

Halit's look throughout the scene conveys a mixture of understanding and frustration. He truly understands what Esra is going through, but he feels helpless because he doesn't know how to help her overcome this confidence block. This duality in his expression reveals the depth of his feelings: he wants to support Esra and show that he can be someone she trusts, but her difficulty in opening up leaves him distressed.

At the end of the conversation, Halit clearly expresses what he needs to say, showing that he is fully willing to commit to this relationship. But the big question remains: what about Esra? What does she really feel? Halit is right to leave this question hanging, as the answer can only come from her. Overcoming this fear is a challenge that requires courage, and this action must come exclusively from her.

It's a time of reflection for Esra, where she needs to confront her insecurities and decide if she's ready to open her heart. This journey of self-discovery is crucial, and even though Halit is there to support her, the decision to trust and surrender is a choice she must make for herself.

Then, in subsequent scenes, we see Esra buying a beautiful dress and going to Halit's door, a moment in which she gives herself to him and accepts the intimacy they have built. This represents a big step in your relationship.

However, the writers end up undermining this progress by showing Esra going through Halit's things, which suggests that, despite progress in their relationship, she is still suspicious. I choose to ignore this sequence of meaningless scenes.

I hope that in the third season we can see Esra giving more and more to this love. The development of overcoming her fears regarding intimacy and abandonment would be a very beautiful and powerful arc. It would be amazing to explore this journey more intensely, showing how she learns to trust and open up to Halit. The emotional depth of this process could enrich the story and bring truly touching moments. I hope this can be a possibility next season.

[stagefoureddiediaz]

This quote is so heartbreaking

Newly estranged relationship😭😭😭 is bad enough but then to follow that with there’s no one in Eddie’s life really is soul destroying.

Buck supporting Eddie through this is a given - the very literal visual metaphor of Buck being at Eddie’s back - of having his back as well as being the supporting hand on his shoulder we saw at the end of the season as Chris left. This is the next phase of that and how it looks remains to be seen. The way this is worded suggests that Chris is going to refuse contact with Eddie - at least initially and that is going to really hurt Eddie.

To me it feels like we might see Buck being in contact with Chris and therefore being able to feed back to Eddie to be the one connection to Chris he has. But also then become some sort of mediator for them as things settle and time and distance allows perspective to be gained and anger to settle. This channel of communication between buck and Chris and Eddie is something we’ve seen develop through the seasons - Buck being a safe space for Chris - someone not his father he can talk to and open up to or go to for help, and also someone Eddie can do the same things with.

It feels like it’s very much going to be a continuation of that established dynamic and a way of tightening the bonds between the three of them further in the long run. It truly is very coparent loaded and really a compelling narrative to explore.

The no one in Eddie’s life really quote also is loaded. It gives rise to the concept that his reltionship with his parents is going to deteriorate as well - that they may refuse to give him information on Chris or not take his calls, not involve him in decisions about Chris that really should have his input.

I found Ryan saying Eddie’s going to lean on buck very interesting as well - especially as he also said

Bucks going to lean on Eddie as well. (Also second mentions of the relationship flourishing and being stronger than ever!)

The fact this is in direct opposition to what Tim said - that Eddie is going to end up feeling a bit out in the cold because Buck will be spending more time with Tommy is interesting. Because which one is it?

Obviously Tim likes to spin his words so they never mean what he actually says. So I take all his interviews with a pinch of salt but I do think we will see that distance he spoke about because it’s good for Eddie to have that space for himself.

Well it can actually be that both are true and that is really interesting from a story telling perspective - and not exactly as a point of conflict, but as a way of juxtaposing Eddie and Tommy - it’s the pulling of the triangle that Buck Eddie and Tommy form.

This idea that Buck is going to be dealing with Gerrard and pushing back against a very different authority figure to bobby has a lot of potential for Buck and his journey of self discovery and self love and acceptance that his arc seems to be set up for this season. I don’t want to talk about Buck and BT in a meta about Eddie though!

I’m really interested to see how Eddie let’s buck lean on him and what that support looks like. Because it will be exactly what Buck needs - Eddie understands Buck and how to nudge him in the right direction - it’s a key part of their dynamic and, I’m of the opinion that we’re going to see s8 as a sort of s3 redux so I think this next iteration of buck and Eddie’s relationship - with Eddie also leaning on Buck is going to be the fight club/ lawsuit arc but in juxtaposition. Whereas in s3 they didn’t lean on each other and support one another, this time they will - it will show how much they’ve changed and grown and trust one another since s3 and how much depth there is to them as a unit. (Which will also be a perfect juxtaposition of how little buck and Tommy know and trust one another!)

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: The Moon (pt. 2)

Earth’s Moon is thought to have formed in a tremendous collision. A massive object ― named Theia after the mythological Greek Titan who was the mother of Selene, goddess of the Moon ― smashed into Earth, flinging material into space that became the Moon.

The brightest and largest object in our night sky, the Moon makes Earth a more livable planet by moderating our home planet's wobble on its axis, leading to a relatively stable climate. It also causes tides, creating a rhythm that has guided humans for thousands of years.

The Moon was likely formed after a Mars-sized body collided with Earth several billion years ago.

Earth's only natural satellite is simply called "the Moon" because people didn't know other moons existed until Galileo Galilei discovered four moons orbiting Jupiter in 1610. In Latin, the Moon was called Luna, which is the main adjective for all things Moon-related: lunar.

The many missions that have explored the Moon have found no evidence to suggest it has its own living things. However, the Moon could be the site of future colonization by humans. The discovery that the Moon harbors water ice, and that the highest concentrations occur within darkened craters at the poles, makes the Moon a little more hospitable for future human colonists.

With a radius of about 1,080 miles (1,740 kilometers), the Moon is less than a third of the width of Earth. If Earth were the size of a nickel, the Moon would be about as big as a coffee bean.

The Moon is an average of 238,855 miles (384,400 kilometers) away. That means 30 Earth-sized planets could fit in between Earth and the Moon.

The Moon is slowly moving away from Earth, getting about an inch farther away each year.

The Moon is rotating at the same rate that it revolves around Earth (called synchronous rotation), so the same hemisphere faces Earth all the time. Some people call the far side – the hemisphere we never see from Earth – the "dark side" but that's misleading. As the Moon orbits Earth, different parts are in sunlight or darkness at different times. The changing illumination is why, from our perspective, the Moon goes through phases. During a "full moon," the hemisphere of the Moon we can see from Earth is fully illuminated by the Sun. And a "new moon" occurs when the far side of the Moon has full sunlight, and the side facing us is having its night.

The moon's near and far side.

The Moon makes a complete orbit around Earth in 27 Earth days and rotates or spins at that same rate, or in that same amount of time. Because Earth is moving as well – rotating on its axis as it orbits the Sun – from our perspective, the Moon appears to orbit us every 29 days.

The leading theory of the Moon's origin is that a Mars-sized body collided with Earth about 4.5 billion years ago. The resulting debris from both Earth and the impactor accumulated to form our natural satellite 239,000 miles (384,000 kilometers) away. The newly formed Moon was in a molten state, but within about 100 million years, most of the global "magma ocean" had crystallized, with less-dense rocks floating upward and eventually forming the lunar crust.

Earth's Moon has a core, mantle, and crust:

The Moon’s core is proportionally smaller than other terrestrial bodies' cores. The solid, iron-rich inner core is 149 miles (240 kilometers) in radius. It is surrounded by a liquid iron shell 56 miles (90 kilometers) thick. A partially molten layer with a thickness of 93 miles (150 kilometers) surrounds the iron core.

The mantle extends from the top of the partially molten layer to the bottom of the Moon's crust. It is most likely made of minerals like olivine and pyroxene, which are made up of magnesium, iron, silicon, and oxygen atoms.

The crust has a thickness of about 43 miles (70 kilometers) on the Moon’s near-side hemisphere and 93 miles (150 kilometers) on the far-side. It is made of oxygen, silicon, magnesium, iron, calcium, and aluminum, with small amounts of titanium, uranium, thorium, potassium, and hydrogen.

Long ago the Moon had active volcanoes, but today they are all dormant and have not erupted for millions of years.

With too sparse an atmosphere to impede impacts, a steady rain of asteroids, meteoroids, and comets strikes the surface of the Moon, leaving numerous craters behind. Tycho Crater is more than 52 miles (85 kilometers) wide.

Over billions of years, these impacts have ground up the surface of the Moon into fragments ranging from huge boulders to powder. Nearly the entire Moon is covered by a rubble pile of charcoal-gray, powdery dust, and rocky debris called the lunar regolith. Beneath is a region of fractured bedrock referred to as the megaregolith.

The light areas of the Moon are known as the highlands. The dark features, called maria (Latin for seas), are impact basins that were filled with lava between 4.2 and 1.2 billion years ago. These light and dark areas represent rocks of different compositions and ages, which provide evidence for how the early crust may have crystallized from a lunar magma ocean. The craters themselves, which have been preserved for billions of years, provide an impact history for the Moon and other bodies in the inner solar system.

If you looked in the right places on the Moon, you would find pieces of equipment, American flags, and even a camera left behind by astronauts. While you were there, you'd notice that the gravity on the surface of the Moon is one-sixth of Earth's, which is why in footage of moonwalks, astronauts appear to almost bounce across the surface.

The temperature on the Moon reaches about 260 degrees Fahrenheit (127 degrees Celsius) when in full Sun, but in darkness, the temperatures plummet to about -280 degrees Fahrenheit (-173 degrees Celsius).

During the initial exploration of the Moon, and the analysis of all the returned samples from the Apollo and the Luna missions, we thought that the surface of the Moon was dry.

The first definitive discovery of water was made in 2008 by the Indian mission Chandrayaan-1, which detected hydroxyl molecules spread across the lunar surface and concentrated at the poles. Missions such as Lunar Prospector, LCROSS, and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, have not only shown that the surface of the Moon has global hydration but there are actually high concentrations of ice water in the permanently shadowed regions of the lunar poles.

Scientists also found the lunar surface releases its water when the Moon is bombarded by micrometeoroids. The surface is protected by a layer, a few centimeters of dry soil that can only be breached by large micrometeoroids. When micrometeoroids impact the surface of the Moon, most of the material in the crater is vaporized. The shock wave carries enough energy to release the water that’s coating the grains of the soil. Most of that water is released into space.

In October 2020, NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) confirmed, for the first time, water on the sunlit surface of the Moon. This discovery indicates that water may be distributed across the lunar surface, and not limited to cold, shadowed places. SOFIA detected water molecules (H2O) in Clavius Crater, one of the largest craters visible from Earth, located in the Moon’s southern hemisphere.

The Moon has a very thin and weak atmosphere, called an exosphere. It does not provide any protection from the Sun's radiation or impacts from meteoroids.

The early Moon may have developed an internal dynamo, the mechanism for generating global magnetic fields for terrestrial planets, but today, the Moon has a very weak magnetic field. The magnetic field here on Earth is many thousands of times stronger than the Moon's magnetic field.

Earth’s Moon was born out of destruction.

Several theories about our Moon’s formation vie for dominance, but almost all share that point in common: near the time of the solar system’s formation, about 4.5 billion years ago, something ― perhaps a single object the size of Mars, perhaps a series of objects ― crashed into the young Earth and flung enough molten and vaporized debris into space to create the Moon.

Five Things We Learned from Apollo Moon Rocks

The chemical composition of Moon and Earth rocks are very similar.

The Moon was once covered in an ocean of magma.

Meteorites have shattered and melted rocks on the Moon’s surface through impacts.

Lava flowed up through cracks in the Moon’s crust and filled its impact basins.

Lunar “soil” is made of pulverized rock created by meteorite impacts.

If these writing notes helped with your poem/story, please tag me. Or leave a link in the replies. I'd love to read them!

Writing Notes: The Moon (pt. 1) ⚜ Writing Notes & References

[writer-logbook]

My story doesn't have a villain, so what ?

Does a story really need a villain ? What is a stake where there's none ? How can the protagonist evolve when they've got no one to face ?

In which I explain how the conflict can lie elsewhere - and it's a bit more challenging yet sometimes more interesting.

The world, and society in general. They are often a good starting point to create tension in your novel (because everything is most certainly wrong everywhere lol). For example : what happens if you don't share the beliefs of your city ? What choices can make you defy the current order and break the status quo ? It's a convenient way to plot distopian books, but it's not yet a cliché because of to the complexity of the trope and the different aspects you can explore as it is broad.

The complexity of your characters : the personal quest. The famous "You are your own worst ennemy" is a actually very effective in this case - but any other significant event, trauma, fear etc. can be consistent enough to be the core of a novel. I believe the journey is more important than the "plot" or the ending itself. The path of finding answers, healing and overcoming a traumatic event is easy to suggest, harder to write about, yet somehow always powerfull. I think it's hard to be cliché with 'personal quest' trope because everyone deals with their suffering in such different ways that you can't be exploring it twice. (Or it can be something lighter, like the pursuit of an artistic dream).

Various characters, same event. Multiple POVs are a great way of exploring all the aspects of the issue, based on the different beliefs and perceptions that drive your character. For this to be really effective, you need to have characters who do not share the same opinion on the subject. It doesn't have to be a difficult idea to come up with. For instance: in a futuristic world, you can choose what to do with your memories: keep them or erase them. Some people will argue in favour of the process (because you can erase a traumatic event), others will argue against it, saying that memory is what makes a person. In that kind of scenario, morality plays a huge role.

A destabilising event, much bigger than ourselves or a discovery that could shape the future. A destabilizing event, much bigger than ourselves or a discovery that can shape the futur. Think of that sci-fi novel where the end of the world is brought about by an incoming asteroid. It's the same thing. Either you try to avoid it, or you try to accept it, or you try to fight it. Each way is valuable to a story, if you create some consistent characters.

To conclude : we have to think a bit more about what is at stake when no one actually treathen the peace of the community. There's no manichaeism, we have to go beyond good and evil ; the solution isn't clear - sometimes there's none at all. And that's okay.

Thanks for all the kudos and reblogs, I feel relieved to see that my posts are of some help ! ❤

If it's a bit fuzzy for you, let me quickly explain what my story is about, because that's what motivates me to write this essay.

My MC is a priest in a religious town that is suddenly plagued by an unknown and incurable disease. She tries to get used to it, until her family contracts it. She manages to acquire the power of the goddess and, doing so, shakes the foundations of her entire city and society, believing that she is now able to act. There's no villain whatsoever, just a poor girl trying not to see her family dies and who has to face the consequences of her own actions.

[acourtofthought]

All Sarah has done with the Elucien setup is explore exactly the thing Feyre was talking about above and how it made things more complicated. It does not mean they won't have their HEA, it simply presented all the drama and difficulties in getting there associated with finding out about a mating bond at an inopportune moment. Honestly, the above paragraph feels a lot like foreshadowing for the reveal of the Elucien bond at the end of the same book, where Elain did find out about Lucien while she loved Graysen. Where Elain has reacted badly and that the discovery hurt her more in the moment rather than helping. Where neither Feyre or Elain owed Rhys or Lucien anything but it doesn't mean they can't still fall in love. But Sarah is a talented writer who is good at writing romance and she doesn't need every single couple to be unaware of their mating bond in order for her to write a compelling love story. Elain and Lucien is her opportunity to explore exactly what the road to HEA looks like with the added drama of one character being in love with someone else while a mating bond snaps with a complete stranger. And though Feyre acknowledges that maybe it would have hurt her to find out about Rhys too soon, she also puts a little blame back onto Rhys for not telling her because she hated herself for her pull to him without having an explanation for why. To me that suggest that Elain, after all is said and done, will be thankful that she knew ahead of time, that Lucien did not hide the name of what they were to one another (since it's clear Elain felt something for him before he ever spoke those words). Everything about Elucien feels like Feysand but in reverse. Feyre started in Spring but was meant for the NC. She was engaged but did not know why she felt drawn to Rhys even while in love with someone else. In contrast, Elain has started her journey in the NC but Sarah continually drops hints that she's meant for Spring or a court that gives off light / sunshine imagery. She was engaged and knew instantly why she felt drawn to Lucien even while in loved with someone else. The only thing that is not reversed is how Sarah is a Fated Mates romance author and there will be a HEA for all her characters. With Lucien having always been one of her favorites, with her sharing the same real life energy with Elain's character and her desire to be a florist in a different life, with Elain taking both Lucien and she by surprise, it's pretty evident they'll end up as gloriously happy as Feysand after the appropriate amount of angst and drama necessary to make a book entertaining.

[tears-of-amber]

USING YOUR MENTAL SAFE SPACE AS AN ASTRAL STRONGHOLD

Safe space visualization is something I was taught in therapy, but why not use it for magical purposes? So I thought I’d talk a bit about my methods for safe space creation, what I use my safe space for (magically), etc.

What absolutely comforts you? Think of color combinations, indoor or outdoor? Maybe your safe space has a specific noise or smell. Maybe you have a designated god or goddess or ancestral spirit that knows the layout of it, or maybe it’s just for you. I highly recommend if you do invite a spirit in that you make sure it’s one you trust ENTIRELY. I let my great grandma who I love and admire in my safe space. Important thing is that she RESPECTS my magical beliefs, and practice in general, even if she doesn’t understand it entirely. Spirits that you aren’t super familiar with or have only met a few times are not recommended for being invited in.

Doing a meditation to explore your safe space is entirely up to you, but thats my preferred way of accessing and developing my safe space as a magical realm. For starters, don’t make your space too big, mine is just a small one because the bigger it is the harder to imagine consistently or protect in general. If you’re looking for a good safe space discovery meditation, the following link will lead you to a free one on a free app.

Revisit this space when you feel anxious, but also when you feel calm. Why? Well, put simply, if you only visit a space when you are in a bad headspace it will become associated psychologically with negative things for you. If you visit in all different types of moods, you cultivate a neutral understanding of the space, and it doesn’t gain a bad connotation.

IF YOU STRUGGLE WITH INTRUSIVE THOUGHTS, PARANOIA, OR PTSD:

I struggle with these things, so i got ya. If you start to envision creepy shit or startling unsettling things in your safe space accidentally popping in, then here’s what i do. I acknowledge that it’s my fears acting up. And i just go “lol thats not actually my safe space” and bring myself back to a centered state repeatedly until I find peace. It may happen again and again but I keep taking a deep breath and not giving too much thought to why or how these things pop up, I simply draw my attention back to center, and breathe. Eventually (for me) these things have disappeared and lost relevance over time. If this concept of a visualized safe space triggers you to an unhealthy point, please don’t push yourself to keep doing it though. And as always please seek professional help for these symptoms of trauma, OCD, OCPD, and Paranoia in general.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST FOR SUGGESTIONS: You probably shouldn’t share a moodboard or map of your safe space with others. Even friends. It’s for you and you only, like a secret sanctuary that only you and any additional spirits you trust can enter.

WHAT I USE MY SAFE SPACE FOR MAGICALLY:

🧡Magic Spells

💚Connecting With Beloved Spirits That I Truly Trust

🧡Sitting Quietly

💚Anti-Anxiety

🧡When I feel el mal de ojo (the evil eye) as a protective measure

💚To get in a good clear thinking headspace before doing tarot readings for clients

CLOSING THOUGHTS:

Having a safe space that you can mentally go to is so helpful in my opinion, but definitely not necessary to the craft. I just wanted to share this concept with yall. Comment if you have any questions and I’ll try and answer to the best of my knowledge.