#but I really wanted him to go to UW

[breitzbachbea]

I thought so often about Paddy meeting Angus again, ever since the Derry Trio became a concept god knows when. Like. For YEARS I had a thousand different possibilities in my head. Even wrote one that is now lost to time. And the one I wrote tonight, who said that that one is canon. But it is the product of a long, long journey in my head and that is a journey that will continue long after, until I've forgotten all of my OCs.

[xazse]

not rlly a request but it can be if uw??

I can't stop thinking abt kitty hybrid user and some big cat hybrid gojo (snow leopard, tiger, lion, etc). Suguru originally had hybrid Gojo as a pet, but then found kitty reader and decided to adopt them, and the moment Gojo sees them, he instantly decides that reader is his mate, and just follows them around like a dumb puppy. He'll cling onto reader and groom them all day, licking their fur and their face and not stopping even when reader complains or when Suguru tries to step in. Gojo is super super possesive of reader, and insists on eating, sleeping and bathing with reader, and will start shredding cushions or other things if denied. He's a big cat, so his claws do some serious damage to furniture, so Suguru has no choice but to give in if he doesn't want to spend everything in his bank account to repair the damage. I'd imagine Gojo and reader would have a similar dynamic to your puppygirl and wolf Gojo fics, but Gojo is the one teasing and getting all over reader. Reader's just too innocent to realise what's going on, so they just let Gojo do whatever. Thanks for reading my little blurb, I just needed to get it out!! Hope u have a nice day ❤️

The Preakness in this needs to be studied omg

I want to expand.

KittyHybrid !reader x Tigerhybrid!Gojo

Satoru really thinks he owns you like literally thinks you were bought just for him when that’s not the case, well yeah you were bought for companionship but Suguru also got you because he felt the house was too manly? It would be nice to have a girl around. So he got ur little cute self, at the hybrid facility you were the sweetest thing ever, you’d lay yourself all over Suguru in a ploy to go home with him, he of course gave in.

The first few days he has to keep you separated from Satoru for obvious reasons, Satoru is extremely protective over the house, Suguru can’t have any company over besides Shoko who he tolerates in his space. When he first smelt you he was angry, he couldn’t tell you what you were so he was on edge, the thing is he had only smelled you not seen you.

Suguru has you in another room letting you get familiar with Gojos scent and also letting him get familiar with yours, Gojo really won’t leave the locked door you’re behind alone he’s constantly coming near it to sniff and try to unlock it, Suguru has to guide him to get away from it every single time.

When he does meet you a warmth blooms within his chest, women are such a rarity for Satoru especially other hybrids, you don’t come from the same family as him but he’s so obsessed.

He insists that he have an hour licking session of him using his slimy tongue to clean you even though you really don’t need it! Everytime you try to pry him off in a whiny tone he’s hearing none of it. It gets to the point where you have to whine for a suguru to help you: he does but Satoru has the meanest fucking expression on his face when you’re pried from his arms. He goes on to have an attitude for the rest of the day.

You’re so right about Gojo scratching couches with his sharp claws in retailiation, he gets soo clingy with you, so angry when Suguru separates you it’s so bad that like you said Suguru doesn’t want to deal with him ruining expensive things around the house, that doesn’t mean he’ll let Satoru do whatever he wants with you there are some limits.

Most of the time you’re nice and pliant in Satoru’s lap, you don’t fight back when he carries you around the house simply just letting the huge tiger do what he pleases.

You don’t seem to mind when he rubs himself all over you, purring so loudly because he’s just that obsessed with the docile kitty.

Tiger!Satoru loves your little cunt just as much as he loves the rest of you, he’s only gotten to feel your warm insides once because that’s where Suguru drew the line hard. It was the best day of his life, all you did was mewl below him while he stuffed you full of his fat cock, he came so quickly that night.

He craves to feel you again but Suguru stood his ground, he’d get rid of you if it came to that again (not that he wanted to, Suguru really loved having you around the house it was just an empty threat that seemed to work)

Tiger!Satoru will settle for licking and giving you nasty slippery kisses!

[starrvsn]

` ִ ꔫ ۫ ⊹ D.HUME ࣪ ˖ TWO HALVES OF ONE HEART.

﹙ MOVIE/FANDOM ⠆THE BOYS IN THE BOAT ﹚

PART 02 OF HEART AND MIND! READ PART 01 HERE.

PAIRING ⠆don hume x fem!reader.

WORD COUNT ⠆3,756 (well spent!)

ON ROTATION ⠆cheek to cheek by frank sinatra, head over heels by tears for fears, my heart it beats for you by grent perez, how deep is your love by bee gees.

CATEGORIES ⠆very fluffy!!! a long awaited lovers reunion!!!! the boys on crew being the biggest supporters as always, joyce being lovely, very comforting. loved how it came out... though i feel like it kinda dragged but i digress.

𝟒𝟏𝟏. a much needed reunion between two lovers.

you don’t think you’ve ever seen lake washington look so alive, there were swarms of crowds surrounding the lake. the day was sunny and bright with a slight wind whistling through the air.

full of supporters and spectators from both cal and washington alone. your heart raced with a mix of excitement and nervousness as you followed followed your parents through the crowd but ultimately separating from them as you made your way to the viewing deck. the thought of seeing don again— being in his presence again made you so excited yet so nervous. you were elated he made the JV rowing team, knowing how effortlessly he knew how to do things; basically being good at anything. you had a fairly good spot over looking the water; not realizing it’s a student only viewing deck (did those even exist..). you looked for a spot not to close to the front in case don ends up seeing you, you didn’t want to throw him off from their first race of the season. as you were getting settled in your spot you accidentally bump into someone.

“oh! i am so sorry!�� you apologize, pushing your hair away from crowding your face as you watch the girl in front of you stumble a bit.

“no! no it’s totally okay.” a blonde with short hair instantly assures, noticing as her eyes scanning over you.“i don’t think i’ve ever seen you around school before.” she adds, you found it bit odd she would say such a thing.

“ i don’t actually go here.” you affirmed, clearing your throat a bit. still confused on her sudden interrogation, she nods. taking in the newfound information before continuing.

“where do you attend?” you hesitate, suddenly noticing how everyone on the deck had UW flags and you didn’t have that, instead a berkeley flag that someone had given you after recognizing you from school. if she had seen the flag tucked behind you it would’ve given you away immediately.

“cal.” a slight cough out of the school name; there was no way in lying to her, suddenly feeling small amongst the groups of UW students. the short haired girl piques at your response “cal as in cal state berkeley— the rowing team the boys are going against?” you nod for her in clarification “how come you’re rooting for the opposite team?” fully facing you now. before you can tell her your reason she interrupts saying how rude it was for her to bombard you without asking your name, you weren’t offend at all and introduced yourself instantly as she does the same immediately after.

“my boyfriend is on the team actually.” you felt awkward telling her but also relieved, you don’t remember the last time you outright told anyone you had a boyfriend. ”oh really! who?” it crosses in joyce’s mind that it could be joe but she knows joe would never keep something like this from her and there was a massively rare chance it would be him so her mind briefs through the rest of the roaster. though she only knew their faces and not their names.

“don, don hume. you know him?” joyce ponders for a bit, the name sounding very familiar.

“i think joe mentioned him before…” you assume ‘joe’ is on the rowing team with don, further assuming she was here to root for joe but would’t say that of course… insisting she’s here rooting for everyone, not just joe.

“its okay, he’s not much of a talker anyways.” laughing it off, don wasn’t someone to put himself in the lime light, finding comfort alone or with you. a part of you hoping he’s getting along well with his teammates as he isnt the easiest to get along with because of how reserved he could be… you just want him to be happy.

“does he know you’re here?” you shake your head in response but mention to her that you sent him a letter recently entailing that you were coming over to visit but it was safe to assume he hadn;t gotten it since he hadn’t called (knowing he only calls when he needs to respond immediately). an idea suddenly sparks in your new friends mind. she tells you there is supposed to be a party if the huskies win and she insists you surprise him then, it was such a spur of the moment proposition you accepted. she squeals excitedly, grasping your arm. she was so happy to meet someone new who wasn’t from washington, excited to make your acquaintance as she stays close to you, cheering on the boys.

the race was nothing short of a spectacle, no one was sure that the huskies would win but they had defied odds and won with an astounding outcome. you see dons face as their boat pushes to the finish line, time seems to slow when your eyes land on him. his hair is shorter and face slimmer from the last time you saw him, your heart swells seeing him so happy from winning, splashing the water and celebrating with the rest of the team. you don’t think you’ve seen anything more attractive, his muscles taught and defined in that fitting uniform he wore. a faint blush creeps up you neck as you watch his muscles flex under the sunlight, you couldn’t wait to be with him again, talk to him, be in his arms again. you eyes don’t leave him until joyce drags you away from the your spot, immediately talking your ear off about how well they did on the way to her dorm. don lingering in your mind the whole way.

the hall was loud and in high spirits after the win of the JV rowing team, don watches as george walks off hand and hand with a pretty brunette. sitting alone as the other guys sit in the paired tables in front of him, having their own conversations. don didn’t mind to be alone or away from the group; it would probably be expected of him to go off and talk to others but he really isn’t much of a talker and preferred to observe the scenes in front of him. he didn’t need to be apart of the fun to have fun- he was content knowing the guys were having a good time. it did get lonely at times though the guys kept him company and included him in conversation for a part but his mind kept lingering at the thought of you; being here with him— having fun of your own if you were here. he’s been thinking about you more lately, missing you more than he usually did. it was rough the first few months but he eventually got used to the fact that you weren’t around anymore and he had to carry on with his own life. its not to say he didn’t think of you at all; you were the muse of his dreams and he’d think about how you were sometimes and at times where he’s out, he’d something that reminds him of you. most of all, the jewelry you gifted him. he’d fidget with his ring and he’d think of you. ever since the night he told roger and bobby about you it feels like he’s back a year ago when you freshly left for california feeling incomplete without you, unbeknownst to when you’d retuen, wondering if you got his letter or if you wrote back to him.

your heart pounds in your chest as you walk with joyce towards the hall, her arm laced with yours. your heart races, full of emotion. memories of when you last saw don flooding your mind, you couldn’t wait to see him. you were nervous he wasn’t going to recognize you, it had been a year since you saw him and you weren’t sure if you look the same you did when you left, what if he didn’t feel the same way anymore after seeing you? what if he regrets waiting for you after a year of being apart? what if— as if she could sense your overwhelming nerves, joyce immediately assures you— insisting that don is gonna be elated to see you, especially after a big win. what worried you was the fact that you had sent him a letter, unveiling your news that you were coming up to washington. you were unsure if he’s received it yet and it drags your heart at the thought of him reading the letter and not caring; content with having a life of his own away from you. he would he awaiting your arrival wouldn’t he? looking for you. but there was no news up the grapevine about him from the passing hours as you got ready in joyce’s dorm but if you didn’t find out for yourself you’d never know. you can hear the music grow louder as you get closer, excitement bubbles as joyce squeals skipping towards the hall with you in tow, already feeling the warmth from the hall.

at the doorway is a tall blonde with his eyes fixed on your short haired friend, you look at her and see a faint flush on her cheeks. unlocking your arms she walks a few steps ahead greeting the man with a hug. standing a bit awkwardly before them as they speak, a mere moment later she turns around gesturing you over. from there you meet joe, the man she mentioned earlier during your first interaction. she introduces you fondly as a new friend, locking arms as she leans against you. she continues to tell joe how you’re visiting from california and she’s love to introduce you to the boys. joe has a hesitant look on his face, as much as he wasn’t opposed to the idea, he knew the boys would eat up a pretty face like yours without the slightest bit of hesitation. he wasn’t convinced from her persuasion but the look she gives him? how could he say no to her? heaving a small sigh, the blonde nods. further exchanging pleasantries as he tries to get to know you a bit better before gesturing for the two of you to walk inside, him following behind. you can't help but feel a mix of anticipation and nervousness as you walk into the bustling room, eyes instinctively scanning for don. your heart skips a beat when you finally spot him, sitting alone at a table. he looks even more handsome than you remember, you’ve never seen him in a suit before and he looks better than you could ever imagine. breath catching in your throat as you realize this is actually happening, the man you've missed so dearly, the one you've been yearning for since you moved to california. you’re so close to being in his arms again, in his presence again. before you can take in more of the lively atmosphere, joyce is dragging you to the refreshment table. you weren’t sure what she had in mind, she hadn’t told you anything beforehand and you were dying to know. she guiltily admits to you how unsure she is about her plan, though there wasn’t much to it in the first place. you immediately reassure her that whatever happens, you appreciate her effort, without her your surprise reunion with your lover could have gone completely differently.

don doesn’t know why or how but he feels as if you’re here, somewhere (his spidey senses are tingling) especially when joe had them gathered so closely, being sandwiched between roger and bobby as they all ask whats going on. joe casually relays that joyce had someone she wanted to introduce to them, making the advanced effort to note that the person is a girl. the group suddenly becomes boisterous and are quick to fix their suits and appearances. don has half the mind to entertain the thought the the person is you, though he thinks you would come straight to him if that were the case, so he makes himself comfortable sat down with his hands in his pockets awaiting their new guest- ready to watch what’s to come.

your heart flutters with nerves, as joyce tries are best to calm you down. there was only so much she could stall and soon joe approaches the two of you stating how impatient and restless the guys were, your mind is in a frenzy now trying to imagine how seeing him again will be, what you’ll say, how he’ll react. it overwhelmed you so, wringing hands and deep breaths as you gather yourself. it was now or never.

you pass through the throng of people, the atmosphere is charged with an electric energy, a complete contrast of the feelings that consumed you as joyce holds your hand comfortingly through the crows. joe walks ahead, gathering the boys as you approach them. trying your best to hide behind the small frame of joyce. for a moment don thinks he’s right, eyeing the girl standing behind joe’s girlfriend, as the boys stand ready to impressed. he also thinks he’s become delusional drowning in the thought of you— he can’t see the person well but with her frame peaking from joyce it makes him think its you, he tries to deny the thought in his head— trying to not physical head palm himself at such a stretch.

clearing her throat, joyce speaks “i made a friend from california and i just wanted to introduce her to the team that beat hers.” a small wave in her voice, seeingas don snaps his attention to her as she silently hopes she does this right. her words cause an immediate stir in the boys, ready to impress with their chests puffed. roger and bobby immediately share a look before looking down at their friend who’s now sat upright and at attention.

it can’t be…

you feel your hands tremor and a slight ring in your ears as your friend speaks but you can’t help the surge of adrenaline that runs through you knowing at any moment you will be face to face with your lover.

you feel a tug on your hand and soon enough you’re faced in front of your boyfriend among a sea of unfamiliar faces.

“this is y/n.”

before any of the boys can approach you, the sound of a chair screeching against the wood floor causes a pause through the group. turning their attention they see don stood up, eyes wide. all at once it feels as if time begins to slow, you’re stood before him looking beautiful as ever, like an angel sent from heaven. he feels like he’s dreaming— as if at any given moment he’ll be woken up from a painfully realistic dream. it isn’t until he feels a pat on his back, he breaks his gaze. looking over at roger who whispers a ‘lucky man’ with a giddy smile on his face. bobby and roger pass you last, having a small conversation with you telling you how you have a good eye for jewelry and realization on that you’re actually real, the locket on your neck further proving that. the group moves else where but close enough to see the lovers reunite.

his gaze is back on you, unbelieving the sight before him, you’re actually here— standing in front of you him with a wide smile on your face. you slowly walk towards him, meeting him until your inches apart. your hands comfortingly grasping his hands, thumb grazing his ring. you eyes take in his features that matured from the time you were away, he does the same drinking in the sight of you— guess his feeling wasn’t wrong. you were afraid he wouldn’t recognize you or look at you the same the same way he did before but the loving gaze is still strong through his iris’

"you're quiet. do i look bad?" trying to break the ice, words unsaid whilst you took in the sights of each other. you missed him more than you can recount, now that he’s in your hands again you cannot imagine being apart now.

"no. no, god, no.” shaking his head, gathering himself ”you left me speechless. in a good way, of course." (prompt from @novelbear) he would have never thought you could leave him speechless in a way you did now, looking breathtaking under the warm lighting of the hall, a soft laugh leaving you before giving his hands a gentle squeeze. your nerves dissipates into comfort as you look at him, a sudden wave of emotions coming over you. tears wake at your waterline and chin trembling as you look at your lover, your hand moving to his cheek caressing it gently— all your worries and doubts disappearing, grateful to whatever being upon the universe that brought you together again. don immediately noticing your change of emotion and he pulls you into a tight but comforting hug. the rest of the world fades away as you share that familiar embrace, the connection you once thought lost rekindling in an instant. your arms tightly around his neck, as his rest on your waist and a hand soothing at your back. he tries his best to hold back tears of his own as you softly sob into his blazer jumbled out “i missed yous” between hiccups and sniffles, he softly hushes you, comforting you the best way he can as he tries to keep it together but all at the same time reciprocating the same words to you like a soft lullaby letting your crying subside. you part from the crook of his neck, eyes puffy and tear stricken cheeks. staring down sheepishly at your sudden outburst. don takes it with open arms, grasping your face as he wipes the tears away and tucks fallen hairs from your face. so glad to have you back in his arms again.

“so, were you surprised?” you ask, straightening yourself up acting as if nothing happened— brushing your hair to your back as your hands go to fix his blazer, hand lovingly gracing his tie, evening the two pieces together. he looks at you with a crooked smile—

“surprised? honey you blew me away.” mimicking the way someone would be blown away from strong wind. his effort of making you laugh fruitful, as you giggle with hand coming to cover your mouth.

“but seriously, i’ve missed you so much. there wasn’t a day where i didn’t think of you, you’re the reason i tried out for the team..” his words coming out soft and sincere, standing close to you again. your heart swelled at his words, looking up at him with loving eyes. all while finding the words to describe how much you missed him.

“i couldn’t stop thinking about you when i was in cal, adjusting to the school was difficult; i felt like it would’ve been so much easier if you were there with me… i struggled so much but eventually i fell into a routine that felt empty because you weren’t in it. that’s why i came up to visit you; i didn’t mean for it to be a surprise— i wrote to you about it but judging by your reaction you haven’t received it yet.” don processes your words, thinking how the week has been so busy that he hadn’t had the time to go to the mail room to check for any response from you. you can see in his eyes a shade of guilt swirling through them, comfortingly you run a hand over his chest. grounding him. “but regardless, surprise or not. i’m happy to be with you again and to see you win.” you gleam, now filled with pride, squeezing his bicep gently. don flushes at the thought of you watching him win, in such tight and little clothing as well. you tease him about how much fitter he’s gotten and how he must give you a personal lesson on rowing soon. cooing at his flushed cheeks with proud words of praise as he thinks of taking you on a boat ride before you leave, when you leave.

“how long are you staying?” his face falling a bit but you lighten up.

“well… if you read my letter you’d know i’m transferring here as of next semester.” you say proudly, biting at your lip as you await his reaction. you watch as he tilts his head, a breathless chuckle of disbelief leaving him. then suddenly he wraps his arms around you, twirling you in his grasp making you squeal in surprise. he puts you down before pressing his lips to yours before you can catch your breath, chaste and content but relayed feelings and emotions not expressed through words said.

“you’re not joking right?” praying this wasn’t just some sick joke you were playing to get a rouse out of him, you wouldn’t do that to him right? the moment you shake your head no as a massive smile graces your face, he swears he’s never been happier. nothing could damper his mood, not even the words you said next.

“i’m staying for 2 more weeks starting today before i leave back to cal. but we’ll only be apart for a few more months before the semester starts again.”

he was elated at the news, once again pulling you into a content embrace telling you a few months was nothing. it was only a few months, if he could get through a year he could get pass a few months.

well, he better make the most of the two weeks then.

the rest of the night plays in a high note as you and don join the rest of the group, them getting to know the lover don had been hiding from them. bobby and roger seemingly more interested in the stories you told of don before college, even the most embarrassing ones and eventually convincing him to play a song other than the washington fight song when the party had died down, instead playing the lighthearted tune of cheek to cheek ( the original version was released during the 1930s but feel free to reference the sinatra version :] ) with soft hums of singing along as he plays. he watches as his friends dance on the floor beneath him, ever so often looking at you— watching him from the height of the piano, eyes full of love with your chin resting in your hand. content as ever.

the other half of his heart came back to him and he couldn’t be happier.

ownership of starrvsn. please do not repost, modify or translate.

[bitterkarella]

Midnight Pals: Cage Match

Stephen King: submitted for the approval of the Elon Musk: [busting out of the bushes] eyyyyy stephano king! you thinka you so smart Musk: you thinka you smart but elon muska he da smartest man inna world ey? oh!!! Musk: [steps on rake]

Musk: eyyyy paisano!!! Poe: steve who is this King: no one, just ignore him guys Musk: eyyyy ima pickle rick! Poe: steve is this a friend of yours King: no guys i just Musk: gotsa gitsa friggata!!! Poe: steve could you ask your friend to keep it down

Musk: eyyy stephano king you no lika you blue check? friendship witha stephano king ended! King: we weren't friends elon Musk: jk rowling issa my new besta friend! Musk: we onna da same page! JK Rowling: i want to eat your transss daughter too Musk: lika two peasa inna pod!

Musk: issa me elon musk! Musk: i bann da color yellow from my tesla factory cusa i no like it! Musk: eyy maybe i banna da color yellow from twitter! eyyy!! Robert W Chambers: but wait i need that color to live Musk: eyyy i say da color yellow issa slur!! ey!!!

Musk: eyyyy i fighta inna cage match witha mark zuckerberg! oh!!!  Musk: just lika my hero lowtax fighta inna cage match witha uwe boll! Barker: oh yeah? how'd that match go for lowtax Musk: eh i forgetta Musk: it probably go real good eh?

King: you really think you could take mark zuckerberg? Musk: ey!! i'ma pickle rick!! i beata da zuck cuz my meme game issa strong! King: zuckerberg literally has an arena where he hunts men for sport, elon King: i feel like you might not be taking this as seriously as you should

Elon Musk: eyyy!!! i maka da meme!! i lika da dogecoin!! Mark Zuckerberg: [with eerie robotic calm] i have no animosity toward mr musk, but i will make orphans of his children. before the sun sets, i will slake my thirst with his blood. death will be a mercy that shall not come

Elon Musk: eyyy!!! I puncha da zuck! Oh!! [Mark Zuckerberg immediately delivers killing blow] King: oh shit! Poe: oh no! Barker: hahaaha hope you got $10 dude!!!

[spicerackofblorbos]

i'm GOD AWFUL at answering my asks unless they're requests, I'm sorry a;sldkfjas;df but to everyone who has sent me hearts, good vibes, and sunflowers, I appreciate and love you all so much!! <3 i'm finally getting around to this one!

i've been ordered by kat to do 5 more so here's my top 10 favorite fics I've written!! These are ALL x reader!

1. Amethyst | Leon Kennedy 2. Unspoken Words | Levi Ackerman - Chapter One: November 3. Sunrise | Levi Ackerman 4. Home | Leon Kennedy 5. For You, I Would | Armin Arlert 6. Can I Go Where You Go? | Levi Ackerman 7. Are You There? | Levi Ackerman 8. Chasing Waterfalls | Toge Inumaki 9. You'll Be Okay | Levi Ackerman 10. What's Mine, Is Yours | Erwin Smith

And here's my answer to tay's ask about my fics!

❥ fic I loved writing the most

this will always be dependent on when you ask me, because right now it will have to be Amethyst. If y'all haven't noticed, my newest love is Leon Kennedy, and writing for him is so much easier than writing for Levi and I think it's because I understand Leon's personality more. He's just so fun to riff off of. Not that Levi wasn't!! He was just harder to put down for me, I guess. ANWAYS. I loved writing for Leon and I'm working on a part two!!

❥ fic others loved that I didn't care for

okay so this might come as a surprise because it's my ultimate comfort fic, but it would have to be Sunrise. tbh, I don't know what loved the most means here but I'll equate it to notes. Sunrise is precious to me because it holds so many of my favorite things. BUT I really feel like I could have done so much better. The plot is there, the scenario and surroundings are perfect. but the WRITING?? I could have done better. don't get me wrong though, I still love it and I am very happy so many people liked it!!

❥ fic I had fun writing

definitely my For You, I Would fic. I don't have very many Armin fics but I enjoyed writing for him a lot because he's just such a shy little bean and so full of wonder and love. I could really see myself wanting to take him out on a date. This was also a request for my friend Tay and it was fun catering her interests within the story and how it works well with Armin!!

❥ fic I'm most proud of

for sure it would have to be Unspoken Words. I'm proud because it was the first time I've written something for myself in a long time. I didn't think I would care as much about fanfic until I fell in love with AoT, now look at me LMAO. UW helped me become a better writer as well as be more confident in areas I thought I lacked. I quite literally used it as a way to be better, and I'll always be proud of it. My first ever full and finished fic, I'll never forget it <3

❥ fic I wish got more recognition

probably Can I Go Where You Go? mainly because I really liked writing the semi plot twist at the end. like if you were caught up with season 4 of AoT, you would know what I was alluding to and it's like a kick in the gut LMAO. but also I thought I did pretty well with the descriptors, not to brag ofc. :3

❥ my happiest/saddest/most comedic fic

I SPENT 30 MINUTES LOOKING FOR THIS. but the saddest will have to be this short drabble about Levi losing you in an expedition and him coming to your old room, reminiscing. I don't know what brought it on but I was like, huh. let's just be SAD.

if you're interested, my fic masterlist can be found here!

finally, thank you so much for the asks @kingkonoha, @youre-ackermine, and @humanitys-strongest-bamf!! I love y'all a lot <3

[jessbakescakes]

Potential AU - Donna didn't join the campaign, but instead Josh meets her in WI.

I know you sent me this ages ago (I'm sorry!) and I've been sitting on it for FOREVER trying to figure out what to do with it. So I'm wrapping it into the AU game because I know it will end up a sweeping epic AU I'll never finish if I don't do it this way:

Josh first meets Donna on the UW Madison campus. Abbey is part of a panel of med students, doctors, and political activists discussing reproductive rights. He thinks she's a med student at first, and she clarifies as she does in ITSOTG for him. (He meets Dr. Freeride on the way out. He doesn't get Donna's information.)

Josh thinks about her sometimes (okay, a lot) -- Sam never stops giving him shit over how he's comparing every woman he meets to Donna from Wisconsin. Every rally they have in Wisconsin, every stop, he's always on the lookout. He doesn't run into her before election day, or for the next four years.

He does, however, run into her around re-election. She's just about to finish law school at Georgetown, and she's working for Andy Wyatt's office. Andy brings Donna to Debate Camp and Josh, newly broken up with Amy, having just heard Toby and Andy are having twins, and recently reunited with a woman he's pined for literally for years, is Going Through It.

Josh and Donna flirt during the transition -- Josh is released by Leo and Bartlet on Christmas Eve and he calls Donna up to see if she wants to meet him at the Hawk n' Dove (Yes, he's aware it's snowing, she's from Wisconsin). They really get to know each other on a deeper level on this night. There is no Jack Reese, at least not in a dating Donna capacity.

They finally get together on inauguration night. (She's only going to one of the balls, but that's all he needs to finally, finally pull his head out of his ass.)

send me an au and i’ll give you 5+ headcanons about it

[arokel]

Catfooted

Fandom: The Boys in the Boat Pairing: Don Hume/Bobby Moch Words: 804 Rating: G Notes: Bobby really was on the UW fencing team! I took one three-week fencing unit in middle school PE so I am of course an expert in the sport as you can see from this fic.

Don knows he sticks out like a sore thumb in this crowd. He’s clearly not a fencer - he’s got the wrong proportions, for starters, and the UW fencing club is small enough that he’d stand out as a new face anyway - and he’s even more clearly not a fencer’s girlfriend.

Not that all or even many of the women dotted among the seats in the fencing courts have boyfriends among the team, unless fencers have a much more bohemian understanding of relationships than rowers do. But most of them seem to have at least inclinings that way, if the way their eyes track the lithe bodies of the fencers as they shake out their wrists and push their sweaty hair off their foreheads is any indication.

Don only has eyes for one of them.

He’s always known Bobby is athletic - Bobby keeps up with the rest of them on their training runs when his lungs allow, and what meat there is on his slender limbs is mostly muscle. But he’s never seen Bobby move like this. Graceful, predatory, catlike in the way his feet barely touch the ground before he’s bounding away with a delighted laugh, challenging his opponent to give chase. The wire helmet obscures his expression, but Don can see it perfectly in his mind’s eye: bright grin flashing, cheeks flushed in triumph and exertion, eyes alight with the thrill of the game. It’s beautiful.

Bobby’s opponent does something complicated with his foil and the girls beside Don murmur in appreciation, but Don’s attention is fixed on the way Bobby twists easily out of reach and parries with a direct, no-nonsense block. It’s so very much like Bobby that Don can’t help but laugh quietly to himself, even if it makes the girls glare at him. Let them think he’s amused by their sighing and pining; they can’t know that he’s just as besotted.

He and Bobby aren’t dating, per se. Don doesn’t know how that would even work, given how dangerous it would be for them to be seen in public that way, or to spend any more time sequestered in Bobby’s room with the door locked than they already do. But they’re doing everything else. So even though he’s only attending Bobby’s match as a friend, he feels a kinship with those girls in the stands who do have a sweetheart in the running.

Except that unlike them - Don can only assume - Don has felt that wiry body under his hands, has seen just how far those flexible hips can bend and twist and writhe atop Don’s. Bobby’s sweat-soaked hair and flushed face is familiar to Don for far more intimate reasons than fencing. Watching him now with that knowledge is mouth-watering.

Bobby looks like a wet dream come to life when he bounds off the court, shaking his hair out of his eyes and pushing the sleeves of his jacket up to his elbows. His gaze seeks out Don in the stands and he grins as he makes his way over. He, too, has no eyes for anyone else.

Don wants to tell him congratulations, or even a simple hi, but his mouth is suddenly too numb to form words. Up close, he’s almost too beautiful to look at.

“Cat got your tongue?” Bobby says, coming to a stop at Don’s feet. His chin is tipped up in teasing challenge, his lips chapped from breathing so hard, and Don can do nothing but nod. Bobby smirks. “Well, tell her to give it back. I’m kind of fond of it.”

“You were,” Don manages, face flaming. “You were. Out there. Very…”

Bobby’s laugh is delighted. “Why, thank you. I’ll take that as the compliment I assume it was meant to be?”

“Very much. Thank you for letting me come,” Don says. He feels on firmer footing with pleasantries rather than the veiled but very public flirting Bobby started them out with.

Bobby’s grin softens and his eyes dart down to his feet for a moment, shy, before he looks back up.

“Thank you. It was - I’m glad you could make it. I’ve got no girl to cheer me on, so…” He clears his throat. “But who needs a girl when I’ve got you, right?”

It should sound like a consolation, and it does hurt a little to hear. But Don also hears in it the truth of what Bobby really means: Bobby would date Don too, if they could. He’s fond of just a bit more than Don’s tongue.

"Yeah. You've got me."

Bobby beams. Then, alerted by some noise, he looks back over his shoulder and sighs. “I have to go change; I’ll see you back at the house. Find that cat in the meantime, maybe?”

Don watches him go, smiling like a fool. He knows the girls can see it, but he doesn’t much care.

[fitzrove]

Every time i look at 1992 uwe tod i come away thinking that tod just..... should be weird. We can't be having normie tods running around... I want him to be this completely inhuman figure who tries to get close to humanity (because how do you personify death??) but deeply misunderstands some things, especially things like human behaviour and emotions. Máté is good at this too, he just did it in a different way, but after those two the effect is never really potent enough again. I mean, there is something to say for prods with humanized or gentle etc tods, at least theyre doing something else than mrak seiber, but it's not quite it for me at least. He needs to be weird because Elisabeth is weird and, dissatisfied with her life, craves a poem in the flesh.

And for me personally (this is not me saying gender non conformity is weird or inhuman btw, it's not, it's just hot and looks good) i want back the mayerling dress and all that, and the actors should be styled accordingly, if he's not going to put on eyeshadow and blush and get dolled up to kill rudolf then don't fucking cast him?? There are enough musical actors out there who like straying from the mold, the overlap between drag performers and musical artists is not insignificant. Hell, if despite your best attempts macho guys are still the only guys you can find, then cast a woman (trans or cis - for a trans woman the role might be easier/not require rewrites, because of vocal range), cast a nonbinary performer. You don't really have to change stuff in the script, someone who's not a man can still be a "prince" if the styling is androgynous. It really is that simple...

also this should maybe be a separate post but 1992 is so iconic for portraying mayerling as a romance, rudolf running to embrace tod, twirly dancing, Big Damn Kiss (rudolf barely notices the actual act of shooting himself, he's so busy making out) - up until the very end, when rudolf is dumped unceremoniously on the floor. symbolism. It's such a better deeper way to tackle the subject. Suicidal ideation doesn't just beat you over the head violently, mental illness/depression lures you in with promises of a "solution" but actually only offers a miserable nothing.

This is also why it's so important for Elisabeth to get dumped on the floor as well - there's more care in that than in how Rudolf is treated, Tod is obviously distraught, but that's the point and the tragedy of the show!!!! Freedom is fleeting, dreams are fleeting, emotion is fleeting, but yearning for them is what makes us human!!

If he carries her away the moral of the story becomes "if you die you get a hot supernatural partner that's obsessed with you!!!" No!!!!!!! The romance narrative is a big lie, suicidal ideation is a big lie, history is a big lie, it's all connected, but we always cover shit up with kitsch because some people prefer a simple romantic reading to the degree that they warp the rest of the story around it. I stg people have just replaced sissi movie trilogy fairytale prince FJ (1950s) with elisabethdasmusical fairytale prince modern peugeot king mark seibert leather tod (2020s) or insert whatever other boyfriend death you prefer

[richarlotte]

How I got into University!

Demographics:

Gender: Female.

Race/Ethnicity: African-American

Residence: Michigan.

First Generation; Super Low Income.

Underrepresented Minority (and Woman).

Intended Major:

Psychology, Sociology, or Public Policy/Health.

Academics:

(UW/W) GPA: 4.0/4.75.

Large Public High School.

Ranking: 25/750 or similar.

0 AP classes, mostly honors.

I took 2 Gaps and applied at 20.

Standardized Testing.

I applied test optional to most but got a 33 on my ACT.

Extracurriculars.

1. President of Women in STEM Club.

2. I created my own zine promoting women’s health and wellness.

3. I interned and volunteered at a gynecology clinic for my last 3 years of high school.

4. I worked shifts in the labor and delivery unit at my local hospital.

5. I worked with at a low income women’s clinic for my two gap years.

6. I cheered and danced throughout all four years of high school.

7. I was a part of a few other groups in HS such as Science Olympiad and similar .

Recommendation Letters.

My School Counselor.

I read this letter and it was good! I ate lunch in her office a lot and felt that we had a connection and this letter showed that I wasn’t tripping lol. She celebrated my achievements, used quotes from my classmates and teachers to show who I am as a woman, and said I exceeded my own circumstances and was extremely capable. I’m happy that she wrote the letter and that she asked that I be given opportunities and given the chance to succeed in higher education.

My Boss.

This was a necessity. My boss went to Harvard Undergrad and Harvard Med and he has told me that I have potential since the day I started working for him. I wasn’t supposed to read the letter he wrote on my behalf but he was heartfelt, only spoke praises, and made it clear that he believed that my future will be bright. He wrote two long pages and described my emotional maturity, intellectual drive, and commented on my commitment and compassion towards people.

My Science Teacher.

He wrote the best letter of them all and made it clear that I’d worked my ass off to get where I am today and really pursued every path I’ve wanted to walk. He was kind, he wrote some of the nicest things I’ve ever read about myself, and he wrote about how I made Science Olympiad and STEM Club into a whole new world.

How I applied:

Major shoutout to the Coalition App.

Essay.

I wrote my personal essay on childhood illness and what it meant to me. I had a lot of experiences and I made a point of talking about how growing up poor and sick made me want to become a doctor and bring affordable healthcare to minority and low income women. It sounds convoluted but I promise it was a good essay and I was so proud of it. The only feedback I got was on my grammar and it took me two months to perfect each line.

Acceptances.

UMiami

Southern California

Columbia (+Barnard)

NYU

Brown

UChicago

Washington

UCLA

Princeton

Georgetown

Stanford

Dartmouth

(Foreign Schools)

Waitlists.

None!

Rejections.

Harvard (Elle Woods was wrong, it is hard lol)

It took me a year of really working hard to prepare myself to apply and then actually do it. I was terrified of rejection going in and really self conscious of myself when entering the process as I had minimal support as I was in foster care growing up and I’m happy to say that I will be attending college without having to worry about the price of where I’ll be going. I’m so excited to finally get to go somewhere fun and do something with my life; I feel like I’ve been waiting for this forever and I’m happy that move in day is so soon.

Richarlotte x

[thingstrumperssay]

I'm getting stupid mild anxiety over not being at UW in a "what kind of genocide-hating leftist are you?!" kind of way. "Are you really going to prioritize your pets over a protest?" was a thought I had just now. Like two more people who won't stand out is going to make all the difference in the world.

It'd especially be a really inconvenient time to get arrested, which is a really stupid thing to say, but it's true. Both of our dads are in serious medical conditions and nobody seems to give a shit about my father-in-law where he lives. (At least my dad has my uncle.) I'm going to take charge in relocating him but I can't do that if I get arrested!

I think my personal reasons are justified but I'm still getting the dumbest intrusive thoughts in the world. I haven't been to a protest in seven years and even then I was barely there.

This is dumb. My feelings are dumb. My husband's not even home right now so I can't go over there even if I wanted to until after 5 PM.

[maah-long]

I read TSaTS, and loved every second of it

I disappeared from social media to do that, and seeing things now, apparently people are hating on the book??? I honestly have no idea why, and honestly, it makes me sad. I wrote those notes as I read it, and never felt the book was weak or messy, and I'll stand on that boat, 100%. I LOVE this book with my entire existence now, and what people are thinking about it won't affect that, I truly hope.

And I've been binge reading all of Riordanverse in the last month, so everything is fresh on my mind.

Anyways, I'll just leave the notes I did here while I read it. Of course, SPOILERS! I read it without getting even one spoiler, and that made the experience unique and much more enjoyable than others I had in the past.

• I LOVED the silly star war discussion in the beginning, even not quite understanding it xD It was so cute and genuine, maybe with some probably thinking it’s cringy!

• WILL TALKING ABOUT HIS PAST 🫶🫶🫶🫶 I really wanted to see more of him and his story, so they just there, chilling and talking about things, forgetting, even if for only a few seconds, how their situation is so cruel… It made me really happy! Hope they’ll be back soon to just relax and be cute… (haha...)

• I hope the tiny snippets about the water Nymph will have its own scene!!! I was dying to know how their love story start, so it needs its own full chapter!!! (now finishing it, that didn't happen, but the scenes got longer!!! So, victory!!!)

• Now the first POV switch (ch 10) …. Sus. Is pretty weird that the what they see does not seem reliable, and right after it each one of them shares a vision were they’re suffering, but the other one is being kinda “selfish”, and not like themselves. I totally think what they’re “living” is not true, but I don’t know when they stopped seeing things right, or what happened to them. Where? Weird. I do know Will wouldn’t just give up, “I can’t be here”, or Nico going “Coward!”. The POVs don’t match, and I’m CONFUSED.

• Of course it’s a demon! And I do think it hilarious how they’re discussing gender norms while the demon is trying to strangle Nico…,,, normal day, I guess? And Will immediately saying sorry to them like, LMAO

• Man, playing Hades and seeing Nyx like this on the Riordanverse is PAINFUL. She’s so gorgeous (STUNNING), calm and mother-like there. And she always has this kinda insane-y vibe here.

• Ah, “‘I’ll always be here”. There it is, they’re getting separated.

• AGAIN? “if Nyx wants your darkness so bad, you can just leave some of it with her! That wouldn’t be so bad.’”. IDK man, I’m thinking this will be more true than they think, I just feel it 😭😭 And more literal than that, too. (here I was thinking about Nico leaving his powers there. I was pretty wrong on that xD)

• I think that addressing Will’s irk towards the underworld is pretty important. I really like how both of them are on different, but pretty understandable sides. After everything we know about the UW, it’s hard to be open and accepting to it. Nico is super related to it, and he knows his father’s palace, so he has a completely different view of it. Will is all about life and light, so it should be even less appealing to him. Man, he NEEDS sun to live, it's literally part of his being. It’s easy to understand his side. But there are good people and beings living there too. It’s almost another universe. It’s Nico home, past, family and history. It probably hurts a lot to see his boyfriend being so contrary to it, basically negating a part of him, and kinda making his thoughts of Will “ignoring the “””bad and scary””” “ parts of him to be able to accept Nico hold place. It’s sad, hope this will get a good development and closure. Too bad I’m pretty sure it won’t be soon….

• Okay! The farm commentary! That made me sad. I think here Nico was a tiny bit too much. I felt the “People farm here?” from Will was genuine confusion. I would picture on my mind automatically growing crops underground. Hey, I killed (and it still saddens me) succulents by keeping them inside my no-that-sunlit bedroom. How would people grow things successfully on the underworld? That totally very much probably is not included in common sense! Will most certainly was not trying to stab Nico or the UW life, just would like some explanations.

•The Mythomagic story in Nico’s past 😭😭😭 The feels, I swear. It was pretty relatable, poor boy. And that was on the last century, too, and I can't imagine how hard it would be to deal with being queer at that age.

•But hey, is Will talking about Hermes’ card there? Does he play Mythomagic?? Do they together?? That would be cute as hell, I hope they do.

•The canoe scenes make me so happy! I loved SO MUCH how they put them in between some painful scenes. It made it easier to breathe and take on the hard parts. One of the things I wanted the most was the backstory of their relationship, and being given ALL the details like that was definitely not what I expected. They’ve been amazing, super super cute.

• And hey, Paolo is queer?? He’s one of my fave background characters, and I really liked that 🫶🫶 Nice rep for us Brazilians, I really appreciate that, lol Really missed seeing more of him! Seeing a mention on this book was unexpected, but nice! Hope he’s getting better at communicating with everyone, hahah

• I LOVE MENOETES! The way this book is showing the nice parts of the underworld too, on contrary of house of hades that was pure hOrOR and pAIN. It was not what I was expecting, and I totally appreciate it, it’s cute. And wait does he grow the nectar and ambrosia? That’s genuinely impressive. He's a pretty cool guy.

• BUT HEY, GERYON? Sorry friend, I’m judgin here. Do hope you’re right saying he’s a changed man……,,,

• Now Persephone’s Garden…. One more time, they’re showing the nice parts of the underworld, and that’s super interesting.

• And the Persephone’s scene? I LOVED it, I think it was so necessary. My image of her was kinda bad ngl, remembering about her older appearances. She seemed a little crazy. But at that scene, the way she spoke with fondness and clarity… It was exactly what Will needed to hear, and it makes me happy to see that she’s much more accepting of Nico. Good times.

• But Anphistemis? That was one hard scene. They getting separated and all, but the worst part was the chaos when they reunited, and how the poor guy was used. I totally see why Will did that, hell, I’d do the same or worse, when it comes to surviving. I just hope that that was not the last time we see Amphitemis.

• COCOA PUFFS!! I love them too!! I kinda thought they were cute since they first appeared, and that made me feel weird. Good to see that they really are nice and petable!!

• The last fight made me so anxious. I'm just happy it's over. I really wanted for Nyx to chill and find some other purpose at the end, but I don't think that would be believable. Kinda sad. And I always liked those children of hern on their other book appearances too!!! Especially Nemesis.

• Bob, oh Bob. He's precious. I truly like this crew SO MUCH. Him, Small Bob, Nico, Will and and the Puffs. They just finally relaxing, free. Oh, that was so rewarding. Good for them!

• I CRIED with Nico's dream. All of his family... That was so warm. Nico deserved that, I really loved it. And good to know Amphis was not forgotten!!

• Nico hugging Chiron!!!! Mr D. being actually super nice!!!! Aw really, I loved this entire ending too. Everyone happy, talking, healing. Endings make me worried, sometimes my judgment of the work changes completely if the ending is bad. This one? No. It was a super nice wrapping.

• PIPEEERRRR!!!! Nico and Piper friends ? I'm super behind that, I love them a lot. I missed Piper! And her talk was so genuine. Full of worries that are pretty relatable too. Very sweet, wish the best to her too. I thought it was me expecting too much to see Piper, but I'm glad to be proved wrong.

• I'm sad Bob already left... I hope it'll still be possible for them to meet sometimes, Bob deserves the best in this new chapter of his life!! While writing this I noticed I didn't mention anything about the trogs. I guess my main impressions about them happened already on Apollo Trials, hahah. But I like them a lot too!!! I was very happy to see they're happy building their little world and society, and making even tastier dishes. Hiss-Majesty is amazing too, and I loved their closure working at the farm xD

• Plus Nico and Will at the ending. Very heart warming moment. Their relationship is super healthy, and I do NOT believe in anyone who says the contrary. Both of them clearly saw where they failed, communicated about that, and deeply, honestly, said that they would seek to do their best. Isn't this the most important thing of it all? They're super happy together, love each others' presence, and looking at their future together fills them with hope. Man, they just left TARTARUS. And now they're stronger, filled with joy about what is to come.

And that's it. Been reading through some other people's thoughts, and well. Sometimes I even wonder if we read the same book. Like people saying the writing is the worst thing they ever read. I literally spent the last 3 days finishing the 3 last ToA books and this one. My friends, it was NOT that different. In particular, comparing to HoO, of course, because of the third person narration.

The only thing different for me was the direct approach about feelings, and about being queer too (probably thanks to Mark Oshiro), and I definitely enjoyed those. Probably because of seeing myself in them too.

I think people are being way too judgemental of Will. You can for sure say he was too impulsive when he was so determined and stubborn about going to a place that would be literally poison to him. But people complaining he was already drained before getting to Tartatus, as going though everything he did was easy? That place was his antithesis. I was actually shocked he didn't crumble at the first step into the Underworld. But he went through it, with Nico always on his mind. I don't know, I can't understand the hate. And of course they would not be bubbly and fun, they were going though HELL. Did anyone really expected them to be on their best there?

And I think both of them are very misunderstood characters. I was in the fandom for like, almost no time, thus, idk much about the fanon interpretation of them. But after everything I read about Nico and Will on the books, nothing felt out of place here, no. And it reminded a lot of ToA too.

All in all, awesome book, was even more awesome than what I was expecting, and I was totally not disappointed. I will hold this book dear, close to my heart, and I wish people were more accepting of it. There's even an anti tag for it? I made the mistake of scrolling through it (I'm the type of person that gets sentimental when people attack something I love), and yes, people definitely have different experiences while going through works.

[averagejoesolomon]

Okay, not really an ask (this is about to be SO long, I'm so sorry)... but I thought I'd say that, as I suspected, Full Circle has made my GG reread even harder. In the best way possible. There are just so many moments that have even more depth to them after reading this fic.

In DJGC it was seeing the Circle start to come after Cammie after seeing Matt start to go after the Circle, and how he never wanted it to get to that point (or even imagined it would). Also I feel like Macey's character development was somehow touched by how you've written the Cameron sister's background, especially with regards to Abby, her and Macey's connection has another layer to it now. And after rereading Full Circle and seeing Matt's unwavering loyalty to Joe and the lengths that he's gone to protect him, seeing the intelligence world turn on Joe in OGSY was just heartbreaking to say the least because it's everything Matt was trying to spare him from. And THE JOURNAL!! I'm not even gonna touch on that. And in OSOT...... yeah, I'm actually still recovering from that. Haven't reread UWS yet, but I'm assuming that will also wreck me.

I guess what I'm trying to say is thank you for making this series an even more interesting read. The sad moments are even sadder but it's fun in every way and it's made me love these books even more. I really didn't think that was possible. Anyways, I just enjoy reading Full Circle so much and appreciate all the work you've put into it!!

P.S. I also noticed that your blog is down and with it the "Will Full Circle update tonight?" button. So I was wondering if I could ask when the next update will be? Again, love this fic!

This is SUCH a compliment and the highest praise a fic writer can get—thank you, thank you, thank you. That is always the goal with what I write. I view fic as such a powerful too for adding depth to stories and taking more time to explore the human experience than one might find in a traditionally published book. It is seriously such a privilege to do exactly that for the GG series.

You've touched on so many points from the original series that I think about when writing Full Circle, and it's so fulfilling to know that they hit like I hope they do. Macey and Abby definitely have a deeper bond when you give Abby an heiress background (and, btw, so do Rachel and Macey—because it's Rachel who lets her in). Matt and Joe are the driving force being the whole story and it does hurt to see what's left of them in the original series. And the journal is the thing that made me want to write this story all those years ago.

Ultimately, I write Full Circle because I can't help myself. This story was going to come out of me one day, one way or another. But I am so so so happy that it happened now, when I could share it with others who are also amped about adding depth to this beloved series. Thank you, seriously, thank you for sharing this one with me.

[mercurygray]

hiiiiii you know i have to ask about the bitb/rowing idea!! dick taking up rowing is something i never knew i needed until now haha

She never thought she'd see another regatta.

College felt impossibly far away from where Joan was sitting in the grandstands of the Potomac Rowing Club - the sweaters, the flags, the weight of Ben's fraternity pin on her jacket. The world had looked different, in 1939 - and while she remembered that she liked a great many things about Bennett Hilliard, she also remembered being quite sure that becoming Mrs. Hilliard while he want to law school wasn't in her cards. Still, he'd come from the right sort of family and danced well and she'd liked the way she felt in his arms. Everyone at Poughkeepsie had been talking about Helsinki, and how it was a shame no one would be able to follow up the miraculous success of the UW team at Berlin.

The river in front of her today, however, was not the Hudson, and ten years was a long time in between races - a lot of water under many, many oars. Bennett Hilliard had gone on to marry some other Goucher graduate and she had gone to war.

Someone cleared his throat - a well-dressed man in glasses and a Syracuse scarf. "Captain Warren, it's so good of you to come out today. Your husband said we'd be seeing you. Usually we have to save Go Army for the football season. I like Dickie's chances - he's got to be one of the most natural rowers I've ever seen. It's Mort Greenstan," he said, holding out a hand for her to shake.

Joan finally placed the name, and abbreviated the smile that sprang to her lips hearing him called Dickie, a name he never owned to if he could help it. "The club chairman, yes, Dick mentioned you might stop by."

"Do you mind if I join you? I brought binoculars, in case you forgot."

"Thanks, I have my own," Joan said, patting the well-worn pair that had seen her through most of Europe.(She'd noticed the woman down the row a little had a lovely pair of pearl-handles on hers, but now wasn't the time for getting self-conscious. Joan Warren didn't follow things like fashion and if she wanted to bring her army binoculars to a regatta, she was damn well going to bring her army binoculars.)

"My, those have really been through the war, haven't they?" Mort said, trying to make a joke as he made himself comfortable on the seat next to her. Joan nodded serenely.

"Three campaigns in Europe and two combat jumps," she said, and smiled even wider when Mort went silent.

Down at the dock, the competitors were just getting into their sculls, each man wearing the colors of his own home club. A few colleges, here and there, Georgetown and Harvard and even Greenstan's Syracuse colors, and the other out of towners, Hudson and Annapolis and Newport. And there was Dick in his racing singlet and shorts, arms and legs all whipcord and muscle, and she allowed herself a good long look at the man she married. He caught sight of her in the stands and smiled, waving. She touched her hand to her lips, a small personal symbol of a kiss, and watched his smile widen.

The announcer was blazing through the names of the competitors, and she caught, almost missing it as it blew by, "-Colonel Richard Winters, rowing today for Potomac in the single men's sculls."

She had been just as surprised as anyone else when she'd came home from an assignment and realized there were muscles under his suitcoat that she'd hardly noticed when she left. "I joined the rowing club," he'd explained. "They were talking about it at lunch and Ken's a member, so I started going on Saturdays. It's a lot like running - the way you can lose your mind in it."

She'd nodded and agreed and made a joke about other things he could lose his mind in that required stroking, and that had been the last they'd talked about it for several hours, at least. But he'd kept at it until it was silly calling it a hobby, and now they were here, at a regatta, in the starting heats of a crowded and talented field.

The sculls were at the starting line, the rowers crouching into position at their oars, eyes ready for the flag. Joan tightened her grip on her binoculars and waited for the starter, her feet yearning for starting blocks and racing spikes, and a sudden surge of energy filled her as the flag dropped down and the race was on, and she was right there with him in his boat, shouting for the pace.

[monkey-network]

Good Stuff: Unicorn Warriors Eternal

or How to Not Worry and Relish as the Enigma

I don't like to put famous creators on pedestals, the expectation can dwindle the moment you know they're noticeably fallible, but I'll say Genndy Tartakovsky has earned his keep. Killing it directing both banger shows and quality Adam Sandler movies, you could say Unicorn Warriors Eternal is a victory lap considering that was a project years in the making and Primal being successful enough for the network to have the unfathomable idea of giving it more than two seasons. But for UWE, this is the prime project for Genndy and now that it's out, does it soar like his previous works or does it feel like something's missing for it?

Just as good question: Can the Popeye movie have another chance too?

Unicorn I'll say has a good unique idea being a mix between high and low fantasy. We got dark magic, elves, and cosmic psychonauts taking place in a steampunk version of the UK. The main crew live beyond time and as Genndy puts it, any further season can be a jump into another period. The team themselves I feel come together as well as the trio from Sym-Bionic Titan. What I'm unfortunately going for is that there is good to be had, but the execution of things... I dunno, isn't as satisfying?

Except Copernicus. Literally the best.

I feel Genndy understands that there can exist consequences, but the main idea of throwing everlasting souls into still breathing humans is something I feel is not explored well. We grasp the struggle Emmelinda has with basically living as two people in one body, but nobody really concerns about how Alfie might've been feeling having the ability to feel eternity and infinity all at once or that Edred is more clear minded but can't read the room of the team not being on the same page as him. This being a supposed mini-series, things aren't allowed to simmer and beats that do you're just expected to accept when they immediately move on. I can remember Merlin acknowledging his notable negligence toward Melinda, but it didn't resonate as well as it could have. The kitsune exists for a few moments and then *POOF* were we meant to keep June Way in mind? Who knows? We get moments and revelations with hardly the satisfaction.

Winston's the one consistently good part of all this

I'm not saying Unicorn is bad with pacing, but it's an enigma figuring out the flow of the narrative as I felt it was spinning its wheels for half the show. They make up for it by having good characters and animation, it does have its endearing moments because I like Emma's journey, Winston is more of a chad than Edred, and it is just great seeing a fantasy action series for once. What hurts it I theorize is the episode limit. While Genndy of course had everything planned, ten did not feel like enough to have everything wangjangled well compared to the final season of Samurai Jack which had an ongoing narrative too. Fact that the longest episode was purely about exploring Edred's past tells me that this could've worked with either one more episode or a few more months with story revisions. I'm saying Unicorn could've been given better time to breathe while the quality of direction can remain the same. Otherwise, it's at least good seeing Genndy's dream project evolve and finally realized with the style he appreciates the most.

When other time am I gonna get badass Betty Boop?

I wanted to review this series before the finale to see how well this would turn out after finally premiering. One-half remained gleeful over the Tezuka and Fleischer influence that makes the blood of this show's visuals and the elements of action and character don't miss. This is Tartakovsky's project, through and through. The other half isn't calling this Genndy's all time greatest purely because it was his passion project because not everything clicked storywise. I would not binge this either, the week by week release kept the tension and intrigue better than I thought. Overall, I'm mixed. I recommend it definitely, but after Primal it isn't as jawdropping a banger as I hoped. I'm nonetheless happy Genndy finally got this off the ground, and if the finale promos are anything to go by this might be able to stay off the ground. Let the hope be strong, but I want to be honest and say...

7.5/10; Strong in style but rough in being resonating

[leonsliga]

Do you think Kimmich will really leave Bayern?

That’s a damn good question, anon! Maybe it’s a hope more than a firm belief, but I think he’ll stay. Love him or hate him, Jo has ambition in spades. He doesn’t strike me as the type of person to walk away when the going gets tough. Many underestimated him throughout his development as a footballer (even some of his own Bayern teammates didn’t expect him to make it as far as he did); he was always seen as too small—too physically weak—to really succeed. I think it’s that anger that fuels him. Sure, he’s had a dry spell by his standards and isn’t performing at his best, but I feel like he’s typically at his best when the chips are down. When others would hit rock bottom, he keeps digging. That’s always been his greatest asset, and that’s why I’m confident he’ll find a way to turn it around this season.

Now let’s talk rumors. Last I heard, Jo has been looking for an agent, which would definitely be a big step, especially when you consider that not too long ago, he was considered a vital part of Bayern’s future. Not only that, but this is a player who’s used to negotiating contracts himself, at least with Bayern. Actively seeking out an agent suggests he wants to keep his options open, at the very least. It’s also worth nothing that back in late November, he was linked with a Barcelona transfer. Manchester City is also a possibility, according to reports earlier that same month. Finally, and most recently, it’s been reported that Bayern can now imagine selling Kimmich in the summertime. However, from everything I can find about this last bit of news, it’s mainly just BILD reporting it, at least as of now.

Here’s the thing: if there’s anything I’ve learned from my time following transfer rumors, it’s not to jump the gun. It can be easy to get bogged down in all the possibilities and all but accept that there’s no chance of the player in question staying. I’ve been guilty of that plenty of times 😭 😂 I honestly don’t think he will leave Bayern though. He has a great relationship with his teammates and is considered a leader within the club hierarchy. He’s suffered a bout of poor performances recently, but I see Jo as a player fueled by the desire to prove his critics wrong. I mean, his go-to slogan is literally “believe in yourself.” After all, at the end of the day, you have the power to determine the way others perceive your worth, and that all starts with self-belief. Recently, the vice president of the DFB, Ralph-Uwe Schaffert, criticized Kimmich in an interview, saying that recently he’s failed to provide proof that he’s a leading German player, even at club level. I’m inclined to believe that should he see it, criticism like this will only further drive Jo to get back to his best.

Honestly, if he does leave Bayern, I could see him going to Barcelona, especially given the extent to which he idolizes their manager, Xavi. But given his long history with Bayern and the opportunities he has to shape the future of the club, I can’t envision him transferring out just yet. Only time will tell what he decides to do though.

[arokel]

hello esteemed arokel it is i, your mysterious and anonymous secret admirer. could you pweaaaaase write canon era chugger? something silly & cute mayhaps pre olympics island vacation era? just some fun chill summer vibes while it's still 30+ degrees outside 🌅 thank youuuu :)

if you really wanted to hide your identity you should've converted the temperature to fahrenheit 😎 but here you go! it is very likely I'll follow this up with something smutty (you'll see why) but for now it is just silly :3

Title: Strawberry Sunscreen Pairing: Chuck Day/Roger Morris, Chuck Day & Roger Morris Rating: G Tags: Ice Cream, Pre-Slash, Fluff, just silly times with the boys Read on ao3

It’s something thrilling to be just a young man for a little while, Roger thinks. Life has been trial after time trial since he joined the UW crew team close to three years ago now, a constant pressure in the back of his mind to be good, be just a little better than he was the day before, and to live a life deserving of the faith that he’ll succeed.

For the most part, he’s done pretty well with that last one. He doesn’t drink, he doesn’t smoke, he mostly keeps on top of his coursework, and he only cusses where his coaches can’t hear. Letting loose like this, even for a week, is unfamiliar.

It’s a little easier with Chuck Day at his side - Chuck, who smokes Lucky Strikes and tells off-color jokes in the shell and out of it without a care who he might scandalize. Chuck, who makes Roger want to let his hair down, just a little bit.

So when Bobby suggests a detour to the ice cream stand across the boardwalk at Coney Island, it’s Chuck’s infections enthusiasm for the idea that persuades Roger to abandon his diet plan for just one day and follow.

They must make an odd picture, the two of them towering over the crowds of children and mothers as they cut across the stream of parkgoers towards the stand, Bobby leading them like an eager child himself. Chuck grabs hold of Bobby’s hand so as not to lose sight of him despite Bobby’s protests and, with a crooked grin over his shoulder, grabs Roger’s hand as well.

Roger likes to think he can maintain a tad more dignity in public than Bobby can, so he simply rolls his eyes and lets himself be tugged along. Chuck’s hand in his is nice - it feels illicit in a childish way, like two boys sneaking off to steal sweets from the drug store. Roger would never have done that as a child and he probably wouldn’t do anything like it now, but the idea of pulling harmless mischief with Chuck is an enticing one.

The ice cream feels illicit enough, anyway. It’s criminally sweet and perfectly cold on his tongue after an afternoon among the crowds in the stifling air of an east coast heat wave. Roger wants to savor it, let it melt in his mouth and fill his senses with sugar and the giddy rush of rule-breaking, but it is already beginning to drip down the coe and over his knuckles even as the salesgirl hands it over. Indulgence it is, then.

In the spirit of indulgence he forgoes his handkerchief in favor of licking the stray trails of sugar and cream off his fingers, ignoring Chuck’s raised eyebrow and Bobby’s “there are ladies present, you know.” He almost feels like he can do anything, say anything, like the rules have been suspended for just this one afternoon.

It’s probably the heat.

Bobby wipes his fingers on his own handkerchief with a pious air, though his twitching lips betray him. He turns to Chuck.

“Well? Will you behave like a civilized person or are you joining Roger among the ranks of heathens?”

Chuck considers for a minute, hand held up in front of him to protect his sleeve even as a drip of strawberry-flavored cream makes its way down his thumb towards his wrist. Then, with a movement too quick for Roger to block, he wipes his sticky palm on the side of Roger’s neck.

Roger yelps, both at the sudden cold and at the shock of it overall. “What was that for?”

“I lost my handkerchief,” Chuck says, with an unapologetic grin. “You’re the next best thing.”

Bobby is in fits of laughter, and even Roger can’t be angry. It’s silly, and it’s childish, but right now they’re just a gaggle of boys on an adventure. It’s alright to be silly.

He affects a pout. “Well, what am I supposed to do now?”

It’s the heat getting to him, and the sugar, and the mischievous light in Chuck’s eyes as Bobby’s laughter quiets into giggles. Because, as Chuck offers up the suggestion of, “dare you to dip your handkerchief in the water off the pier,” Roger says, “dare you to lick it off me.”

Chuck stares. So does Bobby. Roger’s sunburned cheeks burn hotter. Finally, thankfully, Chuck bursts into guffaws.

“Morris, you scoundrel, you’ve been holding out on us. And here I thought you had the driest wit of any man I’ve ever met. You should have told me you’re a prankster too.”

Roger grins, not a little relieved. There’s such a thing as too uninhibited, he knows. But with Chuck, it always seems worth the risk. “It’s only for today, so enjoy it while it lasts.”

“Well, you know me. I love a challenge,” Chuck says. There’s not a single hint of inhibition in his sticky-lipped smile. “The day’s young yet.”

Surely Roger can break the rules a little while longer.