#but there’s so much to study!!! 🤯���

[cowboy-robooty]

it sounds like a joke but im 100% serious when i say that the shit im learning from ochem feels worth i think about how it helps me further my understanding of what love is (longtime running background thinking project)

[doodlingwren]

It's 2024 can we please stop saying it's normal to trace or copying an entire drawing and pretending it's 100% your work? Just bc you changed the character or added clothes on a base you found on pinterest it doesn't mean you created original art

[sa-banana-ana]

I got bored, frankly, it's annoyance if anything, of going to my university library. To remedy that I've been going to a public library branch and today it really made my day!

They had a display about book recommendations based on zodiac signs. I always find zodiac themed items a little funny, and naturally, I wanted to see what would be deemed a good Sagittarius, my own zodiac sign, recommendation. I had actually been looking for my libraries collection of Neil Gaiman books the day before and was disappointed when GO wasn't there. Well, now I know why. 🥰

Anyways I spent the last 30 minutes before I had to leave reading and giggling to myself. 🤭

[777rare]

ASTROLOGY OBSERVATIONS PT. 7

THESE NOTES ARE ONLY A STUDY OF MINE AND HAS/HAS NOT BEEN PROVEN YET, SO IF IT DOES NOT RESONATE WITH YOU, FORGIVE ME AS IT WAS ONLY A STUDY/OBSERVATION OF MINE.

I DO NOT PLAGIARIZE, COPY OR REWORD ANY OF MY FELLOW ASTROLOGY OBSERVERS POSTS AND I DEMAND THE SAME IN RETURN.

Also, trigger warning, I have mentioned s**ual harr**ment. You can skip the 6th point in this post if you are sensitive to these things.

• Taurus mercury natives have such elegant voices. My bestfriend has this placement too and my god, her voice is just so feminine and sweet you know, like it has a feminine touch, so soft and relaxing to listen to. Oh, these natives also sing beautifully, it just comes so naturally to them.🤌🥴

• Moon in 5th house individuals get into a lot of relationships in a lifetime. Most of them are unsteady and shortlived. This also makes the native end up in a lot of situationships. One of my friend has this and she faced this a lot too.😕

• My male friend has moon in 4rth house and he values his mother like a 100%.🤯 He always values her opinion on the decisions he makes. He really loves her. The same effect takes place with all men having moon in the 4rth house.😊

• This is just an observation of mine, just a reminder so if this does not relate with you, I apologise.🙏 I have observed that people whose ascendant falls on the 12th house don't really get seen by people as their ascendant. Rather they are seen first as the sign overlaying the 1st house.

>This happens as the native grows up. As children they behaved very much like their ascendant sign but mostly due to being taunted, commented on and so on, they began to hide this part of themselves (which explains the ascendant lying in the 12th house) and then they begin wearing the 1st house sign as a shield that hides what they actually are on the inside.😔😒

>The 12th house represents mainly what is hidden from everyone, mostly because of underlying fear of judgement and not meeting the expectations of others. So the ascendant overlaying here really explains a lot to us.

>For example:

✓ a few of my friends have this in their chart and they've told me how they behaved as kids but changed due to the reasons I mentioned above. The 5th house🤰does give us a picture of how our childhood was but this played a role too.

✓ Like one of my friend has her sagittarius ascendant in the 12th house. As a kid she was always jumping, could not sit still in one place, always laughed and so on but as she grew up, due to the negative commentary of many, she showed her capricorn 1st house side more to others and people began calling her boring or too intimidating to hang out with. She is a silent person now but when you get to know her better and become close enough for her to trust you, this sagittarius side of her naturally comes out and she's very playful with me.🤭🤠

✓ Even my other friend who has leo ascendant in the 12th house told me she was confident and very playful as a kid, quite headstrong when it came to her toys and the ones she played with too but growing up she faced harsh situations and now people see her as this extremely quite, soft and delicate person due to her cancer 1st house, but when she becomes comfortable with you, she shows this bright and creative side of hers. No one recognises how creative she is as well and those who are close with her always call her this ray of sunshine while those who are not, see her as this shy walking creature. We often even compare her to the sun saying she's like the sun in a dark room.🌻🌞

This can mostly resonate with those whose placidus chart resonates well with them because I have seen this more on placidus charts than whole sign charts.

• True node ☌ (conjunct) Uranus natives are extremely free- spirited people who will destroy anything or anyone who tries to take away their freedom, even if it's family.

(by destroy, I don't necessarily mean physical violence. I mean go against them and disturb their peace of mind and many a times even verbally wound them or just cut them off from their life)

They don't want to live by rules and norms of society often questioning it. They desire a life away from all the constraints that society has imposed upon humanity. They believe very much in the laws of nature and dislike the way humans restrict free-spirits like them.

They believe that they've come on Earth to fulfill their soul purpose alone and not to be entirely bound or tied down by the toxic desires desires and wishes of others, especially when it's control them. Now, these people are not savages or rouges. They are in fact very non-judgmental and offer you free space to be yourself.

They are the aliens in a world full of human beings. They have this very strong gut feeling that they have come on Earth to make a massive change. They are also usually lost in this world where everything changes in the blink of an eye, where the world evolves faster as the years pass by. They are also very good with technology I must say, they are very quick learners too, mostly with only what really grabs their attention because they cannot focus entirely on one thing.

They are curious souls longing for answers to their mind boggling questions. They are hard to figure out, hence I call them the Aliens on Earth and their minds/thoughts are UFOs. They can never settle, either physically or mentally or even both.

The depth of their mind and it's inner adventures are massive and eccentric in nature. They are amazing adventurers. Most of the time they really want to separate themselves from humanity and go to another planet.

They are also very very loyal and devoted lovers when they are 100% assured by their partner that their partner will be theirs no matter what. They do have a tendency to get flighty when they're afraid to invest completely only to be betrayed and cheated by their partner. This is all because of The impact of AQUARIUS features. ♒

• Natives with Black Moon Lilith (or any Lilith for that matter) ☌ (conjunct) Vertex can face significant fated events that target the darkest parts of themselves that they dont heal within themselves and are ashamed of.

These are the kind of events that can bring out or resurface shame and the unaccepted sides of themselves. There is also heavy risks of explicit exposure, se*ual harr**ment, being exploitated by both genders,etc. (how you are exploited can be mentally, physically, emotionally, etc and depends upon which house lilith sits in).

These individuals should be very careful about having their explicit stuff exposed to the public. There will also be an event that will completely change the native and push them to give 0 fucks about what society thinks of them, because all they've ever done was be kind, been taken advantage of in so many ways and no one stood up for them and even pretended to.

You must be careful wherever Lilith sits because this exposure and/or events will take place in those areas of your life.

Ex: 6TH HOUSE = colleagues, workplace, acquaintances, hidden enemies, innocence. When Lilith sits here be careful of those whom you are kind with and who are kind with you because in secret they may spread false rumours about you and even stalk you in order to expose you in some way. Your acquaintances may even blackmail you for various reasons so as to get you to do what they want you to do. These events can impact your health greatly.

I have this too and I have been through such shameful situations that I'm still working on healing.😮‍💨

• I have observed that once a fixed sign Mars (♉♒♌♏) native is done with you, they are DONE. If you do them dirty in any way, no matter how minor it is, they will never look at you the same way they did before ever again and they'll never apologise when they believe they've done nothing wrong.

They'll never beg you for forgiveness or run behind you when you stop giving them attention. They prioritize self-respect and don't feel the need to waste time with people or situations that cannot improve. Most of my friends have this and I've seen this in every single one of them.

"You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist". This is what they believe very much when it comes to dealing with people. If there is no reciprocation of respect, they will put their foot down, No doubt.

They are also very stern when it comes to making decisions. Very headstrong and you cannot convince these people easily. You will need a lot of evidence, proof and assurance to convince these natives about anything.🧐🥲

Like for example, if any or both of your parents have a fixed Mars, when you ask their permission to go out to a place with friends or ask them if you can go to that birthday party, or anything that requires their permission and consent, they will ask you so so many questions and even go the extra mile to make sure you are safe and that you are telling them the truth.😮‍💨 It is very hard to convince these natives when it comes to absolutely anything folks, you'll need an hour or two at least and even years at most lol.😭😂

My mom and sister, both, have a Taurus Mars and my god, they are so so hard to convince. They also are very stern decision makers and they value respect and boundaries which if messed with in any way, they will cut that person out so easily. 😶

Both of them are extremely overprotective of their loved ones and even very very possessive of the ones they love. This trait can be seen in the fixed sign Mars natives in general. They are so overprotective and possessive that it can become quite unbearable for the person experiencing it because the fixed sign Mars natives begin to check in on everything the person does.

celebrity examples:

•An actor named Ajay Devgn has his Mars in scorpio and his ex, Tabu, explained how Ajay's overprotectiveness and extreme possessiveness of her scared her and she left him because of it.

•Tom Cruise has his Mars in Taurus and his ex wives have told, the reason they left him was mainly due to his overhearing nature and how possessive he was of them so he would control what they wore and so on.

Thats all for today guys! I really hope you enjoyed reading this and I pray you have a bright day ahead❤️🌻

Thankyou for tuning in!

[teeth-draws]

I’m ashamed at the difference in art style Liefred anyone would think you’re my favourite /// @shepherds-of-haven

Ohhh but he used to think nothing of it…

Torturing my fav RO again from @shepherds-of-haven

[f1rodrigo]

sweet relief | l. norris | part two

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ baby, i can't help myself...

summary: in which you fall for your best friend’s teammate and keeping it a secret proves to be harder than you intended. or when all you need is sweet relief the rest of the world fades away. pairing: social media au || lando norris x piastri bsf!reader fc: olivia rodrigo <3

inspired by the song ‘sweet relief’ by madison beer

ALL PARTS HERE

a/n : hi! thank you all so much for the love on part one!!! hope you enjoy this one just as much! this was supposed to be a bitttt longer but i hit the limit for photos i can add sooo this is part two for you all! part three will be more like part 2.5 but that'll be up sometime tomorrow! ENJOY<3

⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。 ﾟ☾ ﾟ。⋆⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。 ﾟ☾ ﾟ。⋆⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。

⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。 ﾟ☾ ﾟ。⋆⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。 ﾟ☾ ﾟ。⋆⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。

⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。 ﾟ☾ ﾟ。⋆⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。 ﾟ☾ ﾟ。⋆⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。

liked by yourusername, georgerussell, and 728,901 others

landonorris BRINGING THE HEAT

view all 782 comments

user1 its definitely hot in here now

user2 f1 drivers and their obsession with paddle needs to be studied

yourusername bringing the heat indeed

⤷ user3 PARDON? 😧 ⤷ user4 is this flirting... this has to be flirting ⤷ user5 yn bestie was that meant for ur priv.....

user6 please just give me one chance 🙏🏻

lnfour lets gooooo 🔥

⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。 ﾟ☾ ﾟ。⋆⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。 ﾟ☾ ﾟ。⋆⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。

liked by yourusername, mclaren, and 653,901 others

oscarpiastri ready to shine in Singapore 🇸🇬🤩

view all 567 comments

yourusername SHES GORGEOUS!!!! ready to watch you shine

⤷ user7 i am obsessed with them ur honor ⤷ user8 ughhh i know everyone wants her to be with lando but i am never giving up on my best friends to lovers

mclaren ✨✨✨✨

user9 oh my god i love him so much

user10 ITS SO PRETTY

⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。 ﾟ☾ ﾟ。⋆⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。 ﾟ☾ ﾟ。⋆⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。

liked by lnfour, team_quadrant, and 366,841 others

landonorris hang it in the Louvre @team_quadrant

view all 1,339 comments

team_quadrant So special to share this helmet with the fans! The Quadrant community designs are looking 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨

lnfour This is going to look crazyyyy under the lights 🤯

user11 THIS HELMET IS AB TO GET HIM ON THE PODIUM TRUSTTTT

user12 holy shit he always has the best designs

user13 just won the singapore gp before its even begun 🔥

user14 i couldn't love him more what a special & meaningful design

yourusername beyond sick wow

⤷ landonorris wanna try it on then? ⤷ user15 THIS IS IT IM SLEEPING ON THE MF HIGHWAY TN ⤷ user16 he-he's flirting back ⤷ user17 lando girlies we've lost him

⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。 ﾟ☾ ﾟ。⋆⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。 ﾟ☾ ﾟ。⋆⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。

⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。 ﾟ☾ ﾟ。⋆⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。 ﾟ☾ ﾟ。⋆⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。

liked by yourusername, oscarpiastri, and 212,853 others

mclaren Chillin' together pre-race 🥶

view all 567 comments

user18 if theres one thing all f1 teams are gonna do its post their drivers in an ice bath this weekend

⤷ user19 fr but i am NOT complaining 🤭

user20 room for one more or??

yourusername now i need an ice bath

⤷ user21 NAHHHH ARE YOU GUYS SEEING THIS ⤷ user22 she's about to get a call from pr ⤷ user23 and will we ever know which one of them shes thirsting over??? sigh

landonorris 🥶🥶🥶🥶

⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。 ﾟ☾ ﾟ。⋆⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。 ﾟ☾ ﾟ。⋆⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。

liked by yourusername, oscarpiastri, and 951,685 others

landonorris whattttttaaaaa weekend ❤️

view all 2,710 comments

mclaren UNREAL 🔥

lnfour best weekend 🫶🏻

yourusername congrats :') so extremely deserved 🧡

⤷ landonorris 🧡 ⤷ user24 stay calm stay calm stay calm its just a heart emoji its just a heart emoji its just a- ⤷ user25 SINGAPORE THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING 🙏🏻 ⤷ user26 its official i am obsessed with them they now own me ⤷ user27 this is great and all guys but i still need my confirmation that she was THERE ⤷ user28 pretty sure theres a video going around on twitter that people think is her with oscar and lando trackside before the race

oscarpiastri 👏

user27 carlando podium woah i am never getting over this🥹

user28 my heart i am so proud of you 😭

⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。 ﾟ☾ ﾟ。⋆⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。 ﾟ☾ ﾟ。⋆⋆。ﾟ☁︎。⋆。

liked by yourusername, mclaren, and 113,578 others

oscarpiastri +10 places. not a bad night's work 👍

view all 2,710 comments

user29 MY ROOKIE OF THE YEAR LFG

mclaren Unbelieveable job!

user30 MY driver of the day!!!!🫶🏻

yourusername LETS GOOOOO SO PROUD OF YOU THATS MY GOAT

⤷ oscarpiastri people are going to come for you for this you know that right ⤷ yourusername and i will fight them all i said what i said #mygoatfr ⤷ landonorris 🧍‍♂️ ⤷ user31 "thats my goat" pls she is so unserious😭 ⤷ user32 oh my gosh they're the best thing to ever exist its true ⤷ user33 NOT THE HASHTAG SHE IS SO????? ⤷ user34 losing my mind over "i will fight them all" ⤷ user35 LANDOS REPLY???? he really said hello what about ME

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

Rumor, what do you think happened with Sentebale?? You always have good intuition about everything.

So, disclaimer in advance: this is probably going to be rambly because I'm still processing.

I won't lie: My first reaction to the news - without having seen the chairwoman's statement and without having done any additional research - is that whatever the issues, they were related to the board all being in the UK while the chair and the work is all in Africa. I thought (and you can see it one of the comments I made) it was an accountability or a visibility issue. It's hard to provide oversight or give direction when the thing you're evaluating is halfway around the world.

But now having read her statement and done some research? Oh, man.

The first thing for me, right off the bat, is the American adage that "Black people must work twice as hard to go half as far." I don't know if that's true in other places around the world, but that's the deal here in the US and that's the perspective I'm looking through. So knowing that Dr. Chandauka is a Black woman, and that she studied, worked, and lived here in the US and have seen some of her CV, I feel pretty confident saying this woman is ridiculously overqualified for a chairwoman and she absolutely knows her shit.

She knows how boards are supposed to run. She knows how businesses are run. She knows that something is not right. Has she known all along? I don't know. Based on my own experience, I don't think she did. There's a lot you don't know as "just" a board member that when you step into the chair position, it's mind-blowing how much else is going on that you had no idea or awareness of. Dr. Chandauka may have had inklings that there's something else going on so she became Chair to see what's going on or perhaps she had no idea so she became Chair and it was just 🤯😲🤯.

And then the fact that she got the court - the whole real court - to stop the board from firing her? And the Charity Commission, an oversight watchdog, is investigating?

I echo again my comment that I made to Dr. Chandauka's statement: damning and damaging.

So to the anons who've said that The Times's story is preemptive spin by Harry and Prince Seesio, congratulations, take a bow. I think you're right.

Now for what the actual specific allegations are, I'm not sure. But there are a lot of them, and I want to wait and reserve judgment on what's actually going on until there's more information.

But knowing what we know about other charities of Harry's - African Parks, the Royal Foundation, Archewell, Invictus Games - I think it's pretty safe to say that Harry is completely checked out, despite claiming to be involved, which is an abdication of responsibility and accountability on his part as an involved founder and a patron, especially if there is significant, substantial, and widespread wrongdoing on the board's part.

(So quick aside: African Parks had the rape scandal; the Royal Foundation got audited after the Sussexes left over claims about how certain donations were made; Archewell can't file any paperwork on time; Invictus Games is bleeding money faster than a flesh wound.)

And let's not forget Harry's own racism, misogyny, and astounding ostrichism.

That Harry resigned from the charity too hints to me that whatever Dr. Chandauka discovered, Harry's implicated in it too or that Harry is aware that it's going to reflect poorly on him and he might not be able to wave the scandal away with a charm offensive like he did African Parks, which makes me think these are systemic problems like -- purely speculating right now:

are the funds and support Sentebale is distributing actually making it to the people in need?

are there bribes involved, or kickbacks?

has the board been bullying Sentebale staff to carry out certain activities?

are the people receiving the funds and support from the organization using the money correctly?

are the people responsible for distributing funds/services withholding them until other services have been provided?

are the board members using Sentebale as a slush fund for travel in Africa? Is Harry doing that and they're covering it up for him?

are the books/budget unbalanced?

is the board delinquent in their duties to the organization? E.g., are they missing meetings? not fundraising? giving inappropriate advice? have they turned a blind eye to reported abuse?

were board members inappropriate to staff, including Dr. Chandauka? (I think this one is 'yes' based on her statement.)

is the board properly documenting its work and meetings in accordance with appropriate laws? (I'm guessing 'no,' based on her statement.)

Again, all of that is speculation.

So I know this was rambly and it's kind of all over the point, so to wrap it up: TL;DR--

These are serious allegations. A court and the charity commission have both intervened so there absolutely is smoke here.

Dr. Chandauka knows her stuff. She's been chair for almost 2 years and was a board member for a long time before that. Trust.

But also verify - there's a lot being said and a lot being spun, but nothing specific has been explained yet. It does sound like both sides are setting in for a long fight.

More will come to light in the next few days/weeks/months, so I think this is one of those situations we'll need to watch, see what happens, and be mindful of our speculating.

[serqphites]

HEAR ME OUT….

Lee harker x single mom!reader 🤯🤯🤯🤭🤭🤭

STOP BC I COULDN’T IGNORE THIS UNTIL TOMORROW (yes it’s 2:40 while i’m writing this rn) you have given me such bad brain rot with this 😭

—✦—✦—✦—✦—✦—✦—✦—✦—✦—✦—✦—✦—✦—✦—✦—✦—

okay so let’s say you have a daughter around the age of 3. things had been rough before meeting lee, life pretty much being put on hold for you as you couldn’t go anywhere without your child.

you met lee in your local store, just minding your business when your daughter decides it’s time to play matchmaker!

despite calling for her as she runs and runs further away from you, she still doesn’t listen until she finds herself hiding behind a very stiff lee harker’s leg.

girly is stressed LMAOOO, like where the hell has this random child come from and oh my god why is her mother so beautiful??

“oh my god i am so sorry!” you’re trying your best to remove your daughter from lee’s leg, but apparently your child has super strength and forgot to tell you.

“no no-“ GULP, “you’re fine” you’d honestly think someone was holding her at gunpoint and forcing her to smile, why is she just showing off her teeth instead of smiling with them?

i can SMELL her gay panic.

once your daughter eventually lets go, you continue apologising profusely as you begin walking away.

“wait!” lee calls out, her voice shaky. she does an awkward little jog over to you, her arm extended towards you as she waves a small elephant teddy in the air.

oh yeah that’s when you decided to get her number. the baywatch jog to hand deliver the toy to you reallyyyy did it.

fast forward a few months and things are going great! lee comes over every friday after clocking out and doesn’t leave until she has to. your weekend sleepovers are consistently the highlight of her week.

she’s definitely… interesting when it comes to your daughter.

“sooo, this is your room.”

and your kids just sat in her bed like “ya.”

yeah you dragged her out of there. “lee you don’t need to talk to her like she’s a suspect, just be normal”

“that was me being normal” and she hits you with the :/

she defo sends you money for stuff like sitters and daycare to help with your part time job. it also frees you up for date nights!

(lee keeps tabs on the babysitter and every single person who works in the daycare your daughter attends, she came to stand on business)

when things start to get really serious between you two, lee decides to move you into her cabin! this cutie even changed her study into the cutest little forest themed nursery you’ve ever seen.

“lee it’s perfect! thank you” you’re literally on the verge of sobbing and she’s just stood in the doorway like 🧍‍♀️🙂

lee does become better around your kid, acting more loving towards her and not being as afraid of her LMAO

also she’s so fucking overprotective.

lee never asked why you were a single mother, she didn’t really think it was her place. it took you quite a while to open up to her about it, her holding you as you finally let out all of your emotions for the first time since falling pregnant. men fucking suck.

NSFW:

jumping straight into it, it turns her on so much that you’re a single mother.

i can picture her sat at her desk that’s now in the corner of your bedroom, her fingers hooked into the loop of your jeans as words of adoration spill from her lips.

“i think you’re so strong”, “it’s so hot that you did that all by yourself”, “you’re so amazing”.

before you know it she’s trailing kisses down your stomach, one hand coming up to rub the center of your chest as the other undoes your belt buckle…

[fleckcmscott]

Take a Step

Summary: Arthur and Y/N put away the mundane to create a memorable Valentine's Day.

Words: 4,785

Warnings: Smut, Swearing

A/N: A Valentine's story? In September? It's either really late or really early. ⏰ @jokerownsmysoul made this request over three years ago, the longest it has taken me to fulfill one. 🤯 That puts it in the really, really late category. 😂 Thank you so much for your patience! I hope you all like it!

If you have any thoughts or questions, please comment, feel free to message me, or send me an ask. Requests for Arthur and WWH are open!

Mint and sulfur straggled through the sterile air, an unpleasant mixture that tautened his thighs to tight ropes. Breath rushed through flared nostrils, like a bear wanting to be left the hell alone so he could go hibernate. Skip the dreary dread of winter right to spring. He pressed the crown of his head to the wall behind him.

How had she talked him into this. How had he let her talk him into this?

Arthur and the dental profession had never been friends. The last seven years had gone by without just fine, thank you very much. Gotham Dental School's discounted amalgam fillings remained intact. The hole left by his missing pre-molar was convenient, really. A good place to stick a straw.

This would be more of the same old, same old advice, all of which he'd ignore. Start flossing. Use alcohol free mouthwash for dry mouth. Chew sugar free gum after smoking - or better yet, quit that entirely. Now go pay the receptionist and pick a prize out of the treasure chest.

He supposed he should be happy to have a wife who took care of his appointments, who pushed him to take care of himself. Mostly he was. But Y/N had shoved him into this office with an appointment card and a kiss on the cheek. "Dr. Miles does good work," she'd said. "He'll keep that sunny smile sexy."

Compliments were a surefire way to talk him into this.

The memory was enough of a trapdoor to step through, a cubbyhole of comfort that slowed his pulse. In an attempt to ignore the whirr of the drill in the next room, he studied the blotted watercolor of a beach on the opposite wall. The pile of yellowed "What Does God Require of You?" tracts by the overgrown philodendron on the bookcase. Anything but the giant tooth model showing the stages of periodontal disease.

He rubbed the top of his legs to loosen them, crossed them at the knee. His foot bumped the round ottoman that doubled as a newspaper holder. A headline below the fold caught his eye: "Valentine's spending set to shatter records."

A sunny, sexy smile spread across his face.

As a child, the day had meant a break from schoolwork for cupcakes with pink frosting and valentines slipped into a decorated shoebox on each student's desk. Sure, he'd only received a handful. But that'd been enough. A nice change from the usual teasing. When puberty had possessed him, hair and sweat glands sprouting in new places, Valentine's Day had been his personal pining hell. Dates didn't happen. He'd misread basic politeness as flirting. No one invited him anywhere.

Adulthood had been more of the same.

Television was a reminder of what he couldn't have. Advertisements for housewares, for cars, for grape juice all featured couples. They all had an us. One had a pair playing tennis, scoring 40-Love and discussing Speed Stick for Him and Her. A man ran a palm along a woman's leg in another, a commercial for No Nonsense pantyhose.

When would he get to fondle a woman's leg, he'd wondered? When would he get to score Love?

Way back when, Arthur had imagined an imperfect but wonderful evening. An amalgamation of simple yearnings and being green. A homecooked meal with his beloved, a slow dance in the kitchen. The softness of her, the kindness of her. Beauty buttressed by kisses and the kind of infatuation found in storybooks. A break from the bitterness that lurked a heartbeat away.

Now that he had his special person to cook and dance with, it was a holiday to relish. On which to buy a gift for his one and only. To show her off and show off how much he loved her.

There were a million ways to say I love you. Perhaps he'd get her one of those cards edged in lace or a sateen box of gourmet chocolates. Not the Brach's brand from the drug store - those were dry and sour - but from Cane's Chocolatiers, filled with mousse.

He could write a bit for her, perform a private set over coffee and cake. They could stroll along the docklands and listen to the ocean. Watch the moon shine on the incoming tide and their wedding rings. He'd take her hand, lead her out onto the pier, where they'd dance, and her dress would billow in waves. Where he'd twirl her until fell into his arms. Where he'd slip eager fingertips through the slit at her-

"Mr. Fleck," called the dental hygienist from the doorway. Toothbrushes dotted her purple scrubs. "We're ready for your x-rays."

Blinking, he rose and straightened his cardigan. Once the hygienist rounded the corner, he snatched the paper, folded it into thirds, and stuck it in his jacket pocket.

~~~~~

Meanwhile, Y/N waited at Gotham Savings Bank, paycheck and checkbook in hand. With the line a twelve-person-deep swarm, it was doubtful her errands would fit into her lunch hour. She adjusted her purse. Bounced between toes and heels. She'd have to steal bits of an Italian Style Swanson over her typewriter.

As she advanced through waves of mumbling and murmurs, a buoyant post came into view. Pink as an orchid, covered in enough silver glitter to give the janitor a headache, it advertised the Valentine's Club, a special savings account just for the holiday. Perfect for a cruise on the Finger River, starting with a candlelight dinner and ending with an engagement ring. A flash of a smile ruffled the corner of her mouth.

Though a decade had passed since she'd last celebrated, the day was nothing new. In elementary school, the teachers had passed out candy and cards. "I think you're sharp," they'd said, or "You pass the test!" Beyond the chance to eat sweets and the peril of cooties, none of the six-year-olds had really understood what it'd meant.

Despite being serious and stuffy, not one for grand romantic gestures, her ex-husband Jeff had been good at Valentine's Day. He'd eschewed Boonville's diner, pharmacy soda fountain, and immortal dive bar Fogey's in favor of a reservation out of town. Pulled her chair out for her, placed a respectable kiss on the cheek. At the end of the night, he'd given her carnations in the privacy of their living room, even when they'd been too distant to share the depths of their hearts.

One year, he'd whisked her away for an overnight at the Windsor Hotel, a three-story joint on the outskirts of St. Louis that featured coin-operated vibrating beds and a heated pool. They'd been stuck in a single directly under the hotel bar, a place filled with lonely hearts on the hunt for Cupid. Every laugh and every sob had penetrated the popcorn ceiling. Each footstep a bass drum threatening to crash through.

They'd tried to distract themselves with a quickie, but the bed's whirring motor had added to the racket rather than drowned it out. A bath in the jacuzzi was the next attempt to salvage the evening. But when she'd turned on the jets, the pipes squeaked and squealed as if mice ran through them, sprinting towards an entire wheel of cheese. She and Jeff had barely gotten dressed before racing home.

Last year, Valentine's wasn't a priority. She and Arthur were so busy with his move, it hadn't been a blip on her radar. He hadn't exactly been comfortable living together. Not yet. Akin to an anxious guest, he'd hesitated to touch anything. To affect the space that was now his. And he hadn't had access to all of his medications, refusing to elaborate on the cost besides a discouraged, dismissive "expensive."

Arthur's face had been a mask of embarrassment when he'd apologized over evening dishes. "For once in my life, I have someone who needs me. And I- I didn't do anything."

"Did you sample my Stevie Wonder record?" she'd asked. An inner joy had sprung at the progress that represented.

Arthur had dried his three-tone brown mug, set it next to hers on a one shoulder shrug. "Yeah."

"We took a big step in our relationship." She'd scrubbed the frying pan with firm, circular motions. "We stepped towards each other. What could be more of a celebration than that?"

"Okay, but-"

She'd pressed a sudsy hand to his sternum. "I know you love me. I love you, too." She sought to brighten him, to lighten him, and settled on another track he might have heard. "Either way, Arthur, signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours."

The sigh of his entire frame as he'd dropped the dish towel and gathered her to his chest had made her love him all the more.

A middle-aged man in a threadbare beret shuffled forward, making Y/N next in line. The teal and peach lovebirds riding his shoulders pooped streaks of white and brown down the back of his suede jacket. She stayed in her spot and stayed silent. Nothing in this city surprised her anymore. At least he sounded polite.

She eyed the poster anew. This being the first Valentine's Day since marrying Arthur gave it an air of distinction, of specialness she was happy to embrace. Especially for him, her romantic at heart. Maybe they could go ice skating in the park, or take a carriage ride through Gotham, replete with flannel blankets and hot chocolate.

She smiled at the way he conjured such images, how he'd taught her to enjoy the special gestures she hadn't thought necessary.

"Next, please!" From the teller on the right.

Y/N scanned the floor for white and brown splats. At the window, she straightened and said, "Hi, I'd like to deposit this into my checking account." She pushed her paycheck under the glass. But her current preoccupation with Arthur stalled her hand. "Actually, I have to correct the cash back form. I'll need an extra fifty."

~~~~~

A blizzard had rolled in Saturday, bringing Gotham to a standstill under twenty-six inches of snow. Most trains were back on schedule by Sunday evening, but on Monday all city parks remained closed. Waltzes on the pier and carriage rides would have to wait.

What they settled on was closer to Arthur's humble fantasies of yore. He was fine with that - it'd be easier to make reality match the movie in his mind. Gifts after breakfast that her office's delayed opening had turned into brunch and catching Singing in the Rain at the Monarch that night. A flick that guaranteed they'd wear themselves out laughing (or fooling around in the back row if the mood struck).

And an afternoon delivery, a cliché and a classic he prayed would work despite the frost.

Their home was tranquil, serene, the only sounds their hushed voices and gentle conversation. Court for the next three days was sure to be cancelled, so Y/N planned to review older cases, ensure their documents were in order. Arthur would head to the children's clinic with heart-shaped lollipops tomorrow. He'd salted the building's entranceway while she'd showered. ("I got out your boots," he told her. "It's slippery out there." "You take such good care of me," she said.)

The familiarity of their everyday discussions was a comfort, as cozy as a well-tended hearth. Yet, lovely though it was, he wanted less everyday, more play. Less work and chores, more Us.

He eyed the fruit plate. Fresh pears were new to him, and a lifelong dislike of canned made him skeptical. He went for the cantaloupe. "What was the first thing you noticed about me? When we met?"

Y/N munched at her cinnamon oatmeal. "Your hair."

"My hair?" People tended to comment on his laugh or skinniness, if they noticed him at all.

"There's a confidence to keeping it long. And it was obvious you used conditioner. That told me the rest of you was well kept, too." She wet her lips between each spoonful. "How about you? What did you notice about me?"

"That you blushed." He took a cautious nibble and frowned, a taste he could only describe as sweet garbage swamping his mouth. He laid the slice politely in his bowl. Cleared his throat, chugged the rest of his coffee. "Other woman don't do that around me."

"Well, they must be blind, Mr. Fleck, because you're gorgeous. That's the second thing I noticed."

Ducking his chin, he thumbed the handle of his mug. Fitting that she'd see beauty in him he hadn't realized existed.

A sudden anticipation seized him, the urge to shove his gift at her mid-bite. He excused himself, hurried to his desk. Retrieved the key from under the desk lamp. Pulled open the bottom drawer.

The bundle covered in red tissue paper dared him to do it.

He held it with both hands. Reverently, as if it could singe. He wasn't certain what had loaned him the panache to buy this. Maybe being a husband had made him a new and improved Arthur. This felt more daring than marrying her. Than sleeping with her. Solicitation shielded in scarlet.

She was scooping the last morsel of oatmeal in her mouth when he set it beside the fruit plate. Perched on the chair diagonal from her, he rubbed sweaty palms under the table.

Frantic tearing at the paper, her smile rounding to a pleased O. "Oh, Arthur…" She hooked her fingers through the babydoll's straps. A laugh bubbled up, fresh color flooding her cheeks. "I have to admit I'm surprised you got me something like this. But I'm happy you did. Come here." She leaned forward and grabbed his chin.

Deep satisfaction eased his nerves, while her firm, wet kiss sparked others anew. He held her forearm. Parted her lips with his own.

Quick as a flash, she broke away. "I'm gonna try it on," she said, and sprinted in the direction of the bedroom.

His gaze followed her until she was out of sight. A pleasing lightness coursed through him. Lifted him from his chair. Drove him to move, turn on one foot from the table to the sink to rinse their bowls.

Less than a minute later, she'd returned. "What do you think?"

He glanced towards the kitchen entrance, over his shoulder. Registered what he'd seen and glanced again. A knot rose in throat, that glance becoming a full-on stare.

Powder blue chiffon draped over her form, the hem floating below her hips in a soft sway. Dainty white flowers trimmed the v-neck, starting at her breasts, climbing along the halter straps that disappeared beneath her tresses and were tied in a bow at the nape of her neck. Brown aerolas were brazen pendants beneath the lingerie. The strip of mesh that ran under her bust drew his stare downward, to the outline of her comma shaped navel.

"You…" He gulped. Below was a silhouette of dusky hair, a demure triangle at the apex of her thighs. The nightie was more diaphanous than the sales catalog had led him to believe. He lowered the bowl like a man hypnotized. It met the bottom of the sink with a soft clink. "You're beautiful."

A giggle as she covered her face. "You make me feel beautiful."

She went to him, the air around her electrified, sparking with each footfall. She pulled a red envelope from behind her. "Happy Valentine's Day."

With the care of a curator of rare antiquities, he slid his fingertip under the flap. The lilac greeting card had a tic-tac-toe game in which the Xs had lost, and the Os were a horizontal line of three hearts. "You won my heart," it said. Y/N had added a short note in her rounded script: "(You made it a very easy game.)" He traced the letters, his chest swelling with pride. Inside, he found a perforated certificate, akin to an old movie ticket, where a couple tangoed across a black background and gold cursive declared, "Good for three lessons at Arthur Murray Dance Studios."

His fantasy of them on the pier flashed behind his eyes. Had she misread is mind? "But I don't need lessons."

"No," she said, and closed the gap between them. "But I do."

Tender adoration flooded his frame, a gooeyness starting in his scalp and ending in his toes. She was timid about dancing, insecure in the way he was about too many things. And here she stood, willing to take part in one of his passions. To be the center of attention. To get out there in front of everyone to learn to dance. With him. Simply because she loved him.

With a woman like her in his life, it was easy to be a new and improved Arthur.

Relaxing into a grin, he grabbed her hand and snatched her about the waist. She yelped, her palm flying to his bicep. A step forward with his left foot, a slide to the right with his right. He led her through the passthrough galley in a sort of jogging quickstep. His uneven shoulders shimmed, a happy tune behind his teeth.

"What are you humming?" Y/N asked.

"'You Were Meant for Me.'" A number from the flick they'd catch tonight. He lifted their arms above their heads, tried to ease her into a natural spin turn.

Her toes collided with his, her weight off balance as she floundered. She laughed a nervous laugh. "Even though I don't have your grace?"

"But you're the prettiest," he said, and bent to kiss her. His fingers splayed on the elegant curve of her back. "The sweetest." Her form pressed closer, soft curves on hard angles.

He traced a path down her arm, gaze falling to the slopes of her breasts. Fabric obscured the faint stretchmarks, her puffy aerolas now tight dots. Their steps slowed, their dance burgeoning to a dire need for friction. He guided her jaw upwards, his voice velvet edged. "The sexiest."

Her eyes softened, gleaming garnets worthy of song and Solomon. "I love you."

"Shameless," he rasped, thin lips claiming hers.

Her arms flew about his middle, mouths meeting and parting with languorous urgency. Stirring below his waistband swelled to an assertive ache in his abdomen. Heavy and full, he strained against the seam of his pajamas.

She writhed against it, ground her hips into his. Wanton fingers cupped him through the thin cotton. Squeezing, scorching, a fervent up and down. Clasping her upper arms, he walked her backwards, erection bobbing with each step.

When he lifted her onto the counter, lusty laughter filled her throat. Sultry, silky, a sound he longed to wrap himself in. To draw from her tongue. Her knees fell open at his hips. She scooted forward, away from the microwave and upper cabinets. Her breasts jostled with each movement. He cupped one, jiggled it until she snorted and dug her toes into his leg.

Gauzy fabric caught on her nipples. He drew one downward with his thumb, watched it spring back. Gently, he rolled it between his fingers. Pinched and groaned as it grew harder. On a choked cry, she arched into his touch. Reached to tug at the strap by her neck.

He caught her wrist. "Leave it on." Touching her directly was intoxicating, a liquor he preferred to wine. But something about her nightie separating them gave the encounter an illicit air, like he was privy to a secret. A green light of want that flashed only for him.

She leaned back a bit, just enough to loosen the tie of his pajama bottoms. Slide them past his pelvis. The thin cotton pooled at his skinny ankles. She whispered caresses along his ribs, teased the hollows of his hips. The hem of her nightie crept to her waist. He was fully aware of his cock brushing her inner thigh.

She grasped his shaft, ran the tip in a line along her slit. Smeared his arousal from her clit to her plump lips. Pleasure spiked through him. A flinch and a gasp as he sprang to his toes.

Her bedroom eyes met his. "Make love to me."

He breathed a shivering breath. This was more than he'd imagined, yet exactly what he'd yearned for.

He slid into her deliciously. She was fiery, like a furnace, heat radiating from each cell. From this angle, he could see every detail of her sex. The pretty pink, the glistening want of him, her creases and fleshy folds. It was incredible, exciting, and with a hungry grunt he filled her anew.

Peeking out from its hood, her bundle of nerves begged for his touch. He dragged the pad of his thumb across it. Did so once more. Nails biting his shoulders, she jolted, cried out. Another sweep and a canyon formed between her brows. She tossed back her head without a care-

Bang!

A yelp cut off her mewling. Arthur halted mid-thrust, hands hovering by her ears. "Are you okay?"

Laughter cracked out of her. She grabbed the crown of her head. "The cabinet is more dangerous than it looks."

He chuckled along with her and pecked her hair. Scooped her up by the waist and spun them around. The pajamas at his ankles forced his walk to a scuffing. He set her on the dinette table, on the side free from coffee mugs and sickly sweet melon.

Laying down, she stretched her arms out behind her, grasped the edge of the table. Diaphanous blue rode further upward. Gravity flattened her stomach. Her legs dangled over the side.

He rocked into her again, and she smiled his favorite kind of smile. Wide and open, built from love and delight. One hand ran from her shoulder, over her breast, to her hip. Then lower and lower still. Her fingertips quivered at her clit, short strokes that made her thighs twitch. "Just like that," she said, ending on a whine.

He plunged faster, her quickening fingers a guide. Strained to bring her to completion. She bucked lightly, a subtle circling that struck a vibrant chord within him. He bent forward, pressed a palm to her sternum. Urged her to take all that she needed. All that she wanted. All of him.

Ruddy patches bloomed across her chest, crept up her neck, tinged the shells of her ears. A heady moan slipped from her. The rise and fall of her ribs went herky-jerky, her head craned back. Her walls spasmed, clutching and groping him in a rhythm that doubled him over. Warm and nimble, the kind of dance she excelled at. The dance for which she'd taught him all the steps.

"You're so good at this," she purred once her shakes had abated.

A smug smile spreading wide. "Am I?" He flexed the muscles of his pubis, watched her eyes widen with delight.

Her hand went from her center to trail tickling fingers up his spine. "You fuck me like you mean it."

Bottomless contentment unfurled in him, enveloped the peaks and valleys of his soul. "I do mean it," he said, and rotated his pelvis into hers.

Arching to meet him, she tugged at his tousled curls. "Like I was meant for you."

Delving deeper and deeper with each push. "You were."

Managing to be tender and firm at the same time, he cupped her face with both hands. Today was a day for romance, and he wanted to kiss her when he came. The touch of her lips was a thousand-volt shock. His tempo quickened, breath emerging in short, desperate pants. A sudden burst within him, his whole being flooded with besotted bliss. His hips stuttered, every pulse a pierce of pleasure. Eyes screwing shut, he whimpered into her mouth.

Peaceful, warm, and tired, he slumped on top of her. Basked in her smooth skin. Her fingers in his hair, his arm pillowing her head, the sweaty press of their stomachs. He could've stayed in that naked reality forever, signed a lease and moved right in.

But Y/N kissed his shoulder and said, "I should get ready before Phil has to ask why I'm late to work." Her free hand felt around for the fruit plate.

Arthur groaned and propped himself on an elbow. Fumbled with a flower on her neckline. "Well, what would you have said?"

She took a bite of pear, munched thoughtfully before replying. "That my husband had me in flagrante delicto." She pressed the rest of the pear to his mouth. He closed his lips around her fingertips, took the juicy morsel with tongue and teeth. "That you caught me in the act," she said, brows arching twice. His belly tightened on a breathy laugh.

Combing through her bedhead, she scooted to stand. Pulled the nightie down to her hips. Arthur bunched up his pajamas and briefs, held them in front of his thighs. Just as she was about to exit the kitchen, she stopped and turned back. "You make me so happy, Arthur. There's no one else I'd rather have been meant for." A peck to his cheek and she left.

Say something, he thought. Say anything! But his mouth was a stubborn seam, and it was only after the bathroom door had shut that he could even move. That he could even breathe. He fell back against the counter, grasped the edge for purchase. Dropped his clothing and rubbed his hand over his heart.

This damned life had brought so much pain, but then it'd brought her. It was almost enough to forgive and forget all those wasted Valentines.

The rush of the faucet brought him back to the present. He marched to the phone and dialed. Even if he couldn't find the words, this was something he could do.

"Hi, this is Arthur. Arthur Fleck. Is it too late to change the delivery for Y/N Fleck? At Dube and Ellis?" The phone cord curled around fidgeting knuckles. "Okay, good. Can I make it two dozen?"

~~~~~

"Could you fax that attention Y/N Fleck, please?" Y/N said into the phone. She hadn't gotten a chance to shower after this morning's impromptu rendezvous, but she'd run a washcloth over the vital parts and didn't seem to smell of sex. A pity, really. She wouldn't have minded a hint of her husband's piney scent as a private perfume. She'd nuzzle him tonight at the movies to make up for it.

Y/N, you're at work. Stop it.

She crossed her legs and ran a finger along her collar. "No, not Flick. Fleck. F-L-E-C-K."

Terry swaggered through the firm's door and in her direction, carrying a looming bouquet of roses and baby's breath in a fluted vase. Had he forgotten today? Was he on his way over to celebrate a last-minute victory?

"Yes." Again into the receiver. "Thanks a lot. You, too." Once she'd hung up, she relaxed into her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. "You made it just under the wire," she told Terry. "I'm surprised there were any flowers left in the city. Your wife'll love them."

"Are you kidding? And risk my hide like that?" He stopped in front of her desk. "I made a reservation months ago. These are for you."

She squinted in confusion. "What?"

"At least, that's what I assume." He made an exaggerated show of reading the floral card. "'To my saucy and sweet Y/N.'"

"Oh my god." She shot upright, her head a fireball.

He surveyed the office. "I don't see any other Y/Ns around here."

"Give me that." She snatched the card from him.

A goofy snicker left Terry, a barrel of ha-has. "Now I know your secret." He squeezed the vase between her typewriter and coffee mug. "Remember that during fundraising season."

When he took off towards his desk, she called after him. "Bribery is illegal." He waved her off with a So Sue Me gesture.

Spicy floral caught her nose, not on par with Arthur's scent but lovely all the same. She traced a bloom, cupped one in her palm. After ensuring the coast was clear, she pulled the card away from her chest. She read the courier font, her smile soaring to an all-out beam:

To my saucy and sweet Y/N, Everyone should know we make a great pear. Your valentine, Arthur.

She made a soft sound, ran her thumb over his name. The salutation was corny and charming and embodied everything she'd come to appreciate about him. To love about him. A declaration as proud and plain as their wedding bands, the last name on her name plate, the photo on her desk.

One more example wouldn't hurt.

Careful not to a disturb a petal, Y/N stuck the card back in its holder. Stood and slid the vase to the outer corner of her L-shaped desk, a vibrant and happy display.

~~~~~

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[finnlongman]

Hi, I was reading about Gaelic evolution, today, kind of on accident, and I came across this discussion of o-stem and s-stem verbs(?) (Might have been nouns?) changing their conjugation/declension (i think they were talking about like 800-1200 more specifically, im not totally sure though) except none of the words had any o or s in them that I could see and I was wondering if you knew anything about this

Ah. Stems. If they're o-stem and s-stem they're probably nouns. Theoretically, I was introduced to the concept of stems as an undergrad. Nobody, however, ever thought to explain what the stems were for and why we might need to know them -- I suppose they thought we might have learned this in previous language studies at school, but I did French the usual English way, and thus learned very little grammar and no linguistics. So I treated this as fun but ultimately irrelevant bonus information and spent most of my undergraduate years deeply confused.

Five years later I was sitting in a modern Irish class with a teacher who also taught Old Irish and she was explaining declensions in the context of the genitive case. "This is the first declension, and therefore behaves like this," she said, and looked at me: "Finn, that's like an o-stem masculine in Old Irish."

Me: 🤯 Me: Wait. That's what the stems are for?! That wasn't just fun bonus information??? They actually tell you something?!

So that... cleared a few things up.

Anyway, when I was doing my MA, I had to actually learn them, and have subsequently figured out they can be pretty handy when you're staring at a word trying to work out what case it could possibly be in and whether it should be behaving like that. Who knew. It's almost like a proper understanding of grammatical principles is more helpful than just giving people a textbook from the 1970s and a set of paradigms from the 1920s that were both written with the assumption that the person would have studied large amounts of Latin.

But yes, very often you will look at a word, and it claims to be an o-stem, and you're like, but there's no o here, what is this about?? So what's that all about? Well, I believe, based on the little I've gleaned from hearing people who actually understand linguistics talk about them, that this reflects the word endings in a much earlier stage of the language development -- like, way earlier, we're talking Proto-Celtic, so by the time it's Irish that's already usually gone. For example, fer 'man' from Proto-Celtic *wiros. There's an O there! Or carpat 'chariot', from Proto-Celtic *karbantos. There's an O there too. Now both of these being o-stems makes more sense.

(That said, all the s-stems also seem to end in -os in Proto-Celtic, so what makes some of them o-stems and some of them s-stems when they both contain both of those things, I could not tell you. Frankly, I zone out whenever people start offering me reconstructed forms with asterisks in front of them, so I am the wrong person to ask for more detail on that 😅)

The person who is really into all this stuff is David Stifter, who wrote Sengoidelc, among other things. He's always talking about the linguisticsy side of things! But if all you want to know is why they're called that, I think "there used to be that letter there a long time ago even if now it's gone" is probably the important part, and as for why you need to know what stem it is at all, it's because that decides how it will behave in different cases. Which is a piece of information I really would've benefited from being given five years earlier than I was actually given it.

(In fairness to my Old Irish teachers, I think if they'd realised I hadn't grasped this concept, they would have explained it. I just hadn't even understood enough to realise that I was missing a crucial piece of information, and so didn't know to ask. I was, put simply, not very good at Old Irish in undergrad, and survived purely because our language exams were also literature exams and my essays pulled my overall marks up. This did not work during my MA, when language was a separate exam. I had to (re)learn so much grammar 😞)

[cosmicdream222]

The time I woke up in the void, before I even knew what the void was

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・。.。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

As mentioned in this post, here is the story about how I woke up in the void before I knew what it was.

I came across @ellequarius success story on entering the void while falling asleep in class and I got major chills and a flashback to when something similar happened to me in HS. I didn’t even know about manifesting or the void at the time but now I realize I woke up in the void 🤯 It was such a strange and memorable experience, I still remember it vividly (I’m an adult, I graduated HS long ago lol).

It was my senior year, I was in science class and we had a substitute who gave us a free study period and dimmed the lights to put on a movie. I was exhausted so I just crossed my arms on my desk, put my head down and fell asleep.

Idk how long I was out, but before waking up I found myself in a weird kinda state. I thought I was dreaming, although nothing was happening. Everything was dark but it wasn’t like being in a dark room - it felt like looking at a TV or computer screen that was turned on but not showing a picture, there was some static and a sense of depth. A bit like outer space.

I had been thinking about my friend in Japan who I hadn’t talked to in a few weeks. I guess because she was on my mind, I imagined seeing a notification pop up on the “screen”, saying I had a new email from her. Then I woke up and went to my next class.

When I got to a computer, I found that I had indeed received an email from my friend, around the exact time I had “dreamed” it. I always thought it was a psychic dream, or just a freaky coincidence. But now I’m sure I manifested it in the void.

I was totally mindblown as since I found out about the void last year, I’ve been endlessly researching, wondering if it’s really real and trying different methods wanting to experience it for the first time - when I had already experienced it so long ago? 😭 It’s like I found an Easter egg in my brain!

I’m theorizing that sleeping position can have an effect on the ease in which you enter the void. Since it’s happened to several people while sleeping in class, taking naps, and there is also the popular recliner method, it seems that unusual sleeping positions put you in a lighter sleep, which can help access alternate states easier.

I’ve also realized since I figured this out a couple weeks ago, pretty much every time I have a natural awakening in the early morning, I do wake up in the void. It even happened this morning (2/27 as I type this) early in the morning after several hours of sleep, and I was lying on my back which is not my most comfortable sleeping position.

It’s the same kind of experience, and I don’t hear anything, but my first natural instinct when I wake up is to wonder where the sounds of my environment are. So I end up tuning in to my room to try to hear things, and snapping out of the void.

Only a matter of time before I figure out how to remain there aware long enough to affirm for my desires 😭

[pyr0x10n]

alr yk I gotta ask to do a horny reader wit kyle 😋🗣

OR..

him being horny and he's NEEDY (so needy like whiney whore) and thenn you go on from there (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ

Hehehe 😈

————

Gimme

————

Genre: smut..???

Synopsis: reader is a little whore 😈

Kyle Broflovski x reader

————

Kyle sighed as he looked at you, who was literally on her knees, begging for attention.

“What do you want?”

“Your dick.”

“WHAT.”

You fluttered your eyelashes at him and tucked a piece of your hair behind your ear (which literally ended up falling back two seconds later). He just stared at you. It was pretty much normal behavior from you but can you blame him? That is random.

“Babe I’m trying to study.”

“PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEE” you put your hands together and begged.

He couldn’t deny that he was hard. From the way you begged.

“….no.”

“KYLE DONT DO THIS TO MEE”

“You always ask this!”

“GIMME OR ELSE ILL BE SAD.” You frowned.

“(Y/n).”

“Hi.”

“…what?”

“I said hi?” You smiled innocently at him. Why were you so.. random?

————

-bro does NOT know how much of a whore he’s dating.

-the first time you asked, he was just like “😨 BABE??” And you just acted all like “🥰😇”

-since you’re horny 24/7, he can NEVER catch a break.

-when you actually decide to leave him alone about being horny, expect a treat. 😇

-he is most likely used to it, but he will forever side eye you whenever you say such vile things.

-one time, you actually decided to listen to him (because you’re such a good girl fr) and this was the interaction:

“Babe, please, I need to finish my work.”

“Okay fine…”

“Wait seriously? Sweet!”

“Like this pussy”

“(Y/n).”

“😚🥰😝”

-canon, why? Because I said so.

-but if you’re horny, like REALLY HORNY, you won’t even think about leaving him alone.

-you will actually start moaning things into his ear, and getting bro all flustered.

————

“Babe, I’m just trying to chill..” Kyle sighed as you got onto his lap.

“Kyle please I need you so bad..” you moaned into his ear, and his face grew red, and you could feel his erection growing under you. And the little whore you are, you just start grinding.

“Fuck…”

————

Currently 12:43 AM, and I have school this morning.

But I hope this is good enough cause this may or may not be my first time writing suggestive themes 🤯

[dianadov]

Oh my god, I was busy and couldn't watch live and finally finished rewatching and now I have so many thoughts🤯

- That Žaba jump first round?!?

- Janja😭😭 i love her actually

- Domen already said in an interview that he's super happy to win in front of the home crowd but "honestly, he actually wished Anže would've jumped further, and Domen himself would be 2nd, because he knows how much it would mean to Anže and how long he's been wanting it"

- Peter said in the convo with slovenian TV that he told the Germans after yday's 123 that they should enjoy it, bcoz it's not gonna happen again this weekend 💀💀

- Cene shared that both of Nika's crystal globes are in his old room in their parents house (+ all their medals and trophies are just packed in boxes cause there'd be no room in the house anymore otherwise)

- Also heard an interview snippet where Domen said that he was most surprised when he came home 2 days after Nika returned from Lahti and found her studying for university

- Peter's been defending Nika & Tschofi in interviews all weekend (cause they asked him about Nika and how she wasn't in "top condition" at the beginning of the season - she was 2nd😭🤯) (And how Tschofi's jumps "declined" in second part of the season - he said that for no one who wins a globe can realistically be said that they had a "bad" part of the season)

- Also FIS had a meeting this morning and apparently came to the conclusion that there aren't gonna be any rule changes until after the Olympics season

- seeing all the ppl and the retired sjs in Planica gives me so much fomo omg I gotta figure out a way to be there someday😭😭😭

- one last thing lmao (this got long) - that Sandro & Peter moment😭😂😂😂😂 Slovenian comms said that they hope Peter isn't getting disqualified💀😂

[aleksa-sims]

RL Story

3 weeks later

Unfortunately I still wasn’t feeling better, instead I got (even more) sick.

Two weeks ago I got a high fever and had pain when breathing. After seeing a Doc, I got antibiotics. Diganosis was: chronic asthma bronchtis. Some days later, despite antibiotics, my condition did not improve. I had a constant high fever for over a week. I was really broken. First these pains that have tormented me for weeks and now this! However, I got another antibiotic and actually had to stay in the hospital for some tests. Since the new antibiotic helped and the infection went away, my Baby and I were back at my parents' place. My Mom took the remaining 2 weeks off, to take care of me and my son. After that, Philip helped me with Lucas. 😌He picked us up and took us to his place.

P. worked from home this week. He looked after the kids, while I was studying for my exam. 🤯 Only 4 months left and I had to go back to work. Since I was on leave for the last 18 months, I could not go to class and had to prepare myself for the exam. But that was my own decision! I could have repeated the last year, but I didn’t want to.

Annabelle was so sweet! She had a lot of fun taking care of me. She made me tea with her Dad. And while I was lying on the couch, she constantly covered me, with several blankets!! 😄 I swear I had 5 blankets and a pillow on top of me. Spending time with Annabelle made me feel a bit better and distracted me from all my other probs. The little girl just made me smile. 🥰

While I was studying earlier, Bianca also droped by. Somehow I had the feeling, Bianca was annoyed with me? She wanted to be alone with Philip, which is understandable, but I talked to her about this yesterday. She didn’t mind Philip helping me. She was more upset about Nico. In her opinion, Nico only cares about himself and his soccer career. I have to admit, maybe Bianca was right. But I also think it still bothered her, when she saw me here again today. 😔

That’s why I asked Philip to drive me home. He was completely against it. He also told me that it’s easier for him when I’m here. Annabelle gets bored most of the time while he is working. But since Lucas and I are here, the little girl's in a much better mood. She enjoys taking care of me but also Lucas. For Annabelle it’s a nice change, like... a game. So I stayed.

Also Nico will come home soon, because I wanted to break up with him. 😭 Why I wanted to do this and what exactly happened, I’ll tell you next time.

Previous/Next

[djarins-cyare]

Be-All Bonus Feature: Creating the Chapter Photos (part 1)

Happy two-year anniversary to my magnum opus, Be-All And Endor! I can’t believe it’s been that long, and I’m so thankful for all the friends I’ve made in this community through it 💚🧡

Not only that, a couple of weeks ago, it reached 100,000 hits on AO3!!! 🤯

To celebrate these two milestones, I’ve prepared a little treat for the visually inclined among you. So, without further ado, please enjoy some behind-the-scenes examples of how I created the chapter photos.

If I went through all 40, this would end up suuuper long, so I’ve narrowed it down to my top 10. Even so, I still have to split it into two parts because there’s a limit of 30 images per post.

🟢 Chapter 3: The Covenant

Reader’s shiv started as a Google search for knives with wrapped handles. There were numerous “show similar images” searches based on vaguely suitable things I found until I finally came across one I thought would be good. Step 1 was to smooth the blade and remove the serrations and dips. My first attempt, which I can’t believe I actually published when chapter 3 went up, was terrible...

That’s after colour replacement and filters, etc., but I wanted to show you how awful the blade part looked before I revisited it.

When I started thoroughly editing the chapters one by one, I also reworked many of the photos, and this was one of the ones that got a significant overhaul. I started from scratch with the original image, and this time, I smoothed the whole blade but took the ridge you see at the tip all the way along to the handle, making sure I kept the light and shadows going. Much better than the flat grey blade I used to start with.

Next, I used colour replacement (a tool I’d discovered on my first attempt at this) to paint some of the threads on the handle blue.

In the story, Din slides it across Reader’s metal table, but this is obviously on black leather, so I did a load of blurring of the leather pattern and stuck it through some filters. It doesn’t take away the pattern, but compared to the shiny leather in the originally published image above, it could at least now be a pattern in the metal.

Then, finally, I went in close and did a load of detailed tweaking, which involved adding extra blue threads in the handle, making the blue pop more, and giving the overall image a reverse vignette and smoky blur. The result is the first chapter photo in which I felt I’d come close to actually depicting what I’d described in the fic:

It’s an impressive piece, and you’ve seen many shivs throughout your life. Normally custom-made by stripping down larger knives, the weaponsmith will start by removing the guard and much of the hilt’s bulk before installing a slim blade. Then, to complete their handiwork, they’ll securely wrap the handle frame with a sturdy fibre thread for grip and comfort. The result is a dainty yet deadly weapon favoured by smaller-handed assassins and criminals alike. This piece is no exception. The expertly woven cerulean and black threads zigzagging across the hilt are eye-catching additions alone. It was clearly assembled by a weaponsmith with an artistic flair and exquisite taste. You activate the vibration and find it balances perfectly in your grip. Switching it off, you weigh it between your hands, passing it back and forth a few times. As you hold it up to let the light glint off the blade, you notice no flaws across the flat planes. Then you look along the cutting edges, pleased to behold the smooth lines of a perfectly sharpened blade. “Beautiful…” you murmur, hypnotised by its elegance. Mando just sits and watches you examine his gift, a blurry background to your focused study of its nuances. A tiny part of your brain notes the blur moving as he nods in agreement.

🟢 Chapter 6: The Groundwork

By this chapter, I had already figured out how to remove backgrounds and stick Din into other surroundings, but they’d only been silhouettes so far. This was the first time I blended different elements effectively using Photoshop’s layers function, managing to make them look like they belonged together.

I started with Din reclining in Mos Pelgo and then got myself a Shutterstock subscription to get a high-quality photo of a forest through a window.

I made several initial attempts to figure out positions and proportions, though none bore any fruit because (a) I needed to get the lighting right and (b) Reader’s quarters are not wood-panelled!

Eventually, I chose the two left panes, photoshopped out the dividing line, and cropped it so you could only see the wall beneath and the frame on either side. I then decolourised the wood and smoothed out the grain until it looked like grey paint.

I initially put it up like that, but when I came to rework it, I colour-matched Din with the background, giving his beskar a slightly golden tint from the rising sun. I then added shadows on the wall beneath his arm where he’s leaning, and I also played with the light and shadows elsewhere.

Ultimately, it turned into something I’m pretty happy with:

Carefully switching it off, you run through a few manoeuvres for Din, who now reclines against the windowsill with a thumb hooked in his belt. He’s blatantly enjoying the show. The shock baton is about two-thirds the length of your arm, shoulder to wrist, and you easily fall into more of your old drills. Energised, you twirl and wield the metal cylinder as if it were a short sword, parrying imaginary blows with gusto. You even throw in some flashier moves just for fun. Given the lack of space, your final step brings you directly in front of the hunter, and you twist and swing the weapon at his helmet. It’s an obvious action, and you slow it down on purpose, but you’re curious to see whether he blocks you. Surprisingly, he doesn’t, and you arrest the baton’s movement a second before it impacts the beskar, hovering in place. Kriff, he didn’t even flinch! Your eyes lock onto the black T of his visor, and you catch your lip between your teeth again, waiting for his reaction. You get the feeling he was testing your control as much as you were his trust. You both passed, right? Points to both of you.

🟢 Chapter 9: The Hide

This one had a lot of different elements and took a while to get right.

I started with a Shutterstock photo of a giant redwood and (shoddily) Photoshopped out the tourist. Then, I located a promising-looking photo of a survival shelter built from branches, and again, I went wild in Photoshop to erase the elements I didn’t want.

Thrown together, they still needed extensive blending and adjustment. First, I used the patch tool to fill the gaps in the tree and shelter. Next, I found some forest undergrowth in another photo and extracted it into a third layer to place in front. Lastly, I played with light, tone, and colour until I had something I was initially pretty proud of.

The originally published image is the second one below.

When I came to do the edits, though, I added wisties (bioluminescent insect-sized creatures on Endor) in the narrative, so I also added them in the photo. Plus, I fixed the poor Photoshopping job where the tourist used to be. I also realised that the sun was about to set in the story, so the original image was far too light. Incorporating the wisties allowed me to darken the background and light it slightly differently.

What I ended up with is something I’m now delighted with:

After agreeing to each observe one side of the trail for signs of a hide, progress is slow for the next ten minutes or so. Finally, Din draws your attention to the right, and you bring the bike to a stop as he indicates a particular area of undergrowth. For a second, you think he’s just pointing out the bioluminescent insects flitting through the foliage… until you focus beyond them. A construction similar to what you described earlier juts out from the base of a giant redwood several metres off the main path. It’s well-disguised and covered by living vines, and if you hadn’t known what to look for, you wouldn’t have spotted it. “Good timing, the light’s almost gone.” The relief in your statement is palpable, and your hunting partner echoes it with a grunt as you both dismount. He then pushes the bike through the foliage, concealing it from view behind the colossal tree. As he stashes the speeder, you examine the hide. The glowing insects depart en masse as you gently agitate the leaves and vines to identify the entrance, and you eventually locate it on the right side near the trunk. Lifting aside the woven branch panel concealing it, you crouch down to get a better look inside. Yup, cramped as expected. It’s built for Ewoks and barely exceeds a metre in height at the half-dome’s apex. But as you shuffle into the gloomy interior, you’re pleased to find just enough space for you and your broad-shouldered warrior to rest here for the night.

🟢 Chapter 10: The Beast

Now that I’d figured out how to effectively blend layers, my next challenges were (a) how to include a CG image as one of those layers without it looking obviously out of place and (b) how to effectively light a nighttime scene.

I started with the CG image of the gurreck from Wookieepedia and what I thought was a good forest photo. However, I quickly realised I needed something with more appropriate lighting since this chapter takes place at night.

Fortunately, I found a far better background. After some jiggery-pokery, I managed to isolate some of the foreground foliage into an extra layer, allowing me to insert the gurreck behind it.

Next, I had to make it properly nighttime, so I added a foreground layer of midnight blue and used the ‘darken’ blend option. This tinted the whole image but kept the hazy feel.

Then I needed to add the Darksaber, so I pulled that from Din’s duel with Paz, flipped it upside down, and added it as yet another layer. The trouble was, having been cut out, most of its glow had gone with the background, so I needed to learn how to put that back in after the fact.

There followed viewings of YouTube videos on how to make things glow in Photoshop, and I gained a new skill!

I also had to horizontally flip everything because, in the story, Din approaches the gurreck from the left and draws it right.

When I later edited it, I worked even harder on the lighting to ensure that the light and shadows on the gurreck and surrounding foliage originated from the appropriate sources, i.e. the small amount coming from the planet above and the glow cast by the Darksaber.

Although the end result is extremely dark and probably doesn’t show up that well on devices with the brightness turned down, I’m actually really happy with the cumulative result:

He grunts his accord, then begins to weave to the right, stepping in front of the hide. As agreed, you stay motionless by the side of the giant tree. His steps are loud and determined, trying to draw the creature’s focus. It works. You can just make out the massive black shadow drifting back to the right, its attention caught by the closer target now backlit by the faint glow from your shelter. A full-bodied and menacing roar reverberates from the gurreck’s throat and licks at your nerves. You recognise it as its final attempt to scare its intended meal into a chase. And your partner knows it too. You hear a soft beep as he touches his vambrace to deactivate his helmet tech, and then there’s a strange, low whine. And, holy shit… he’s ignited a weapon unlike anything you’ve seen before! It’s… crackling white energy surrounding a fearsome black blade, almost a void in the universe. A beautiful sort of deadly. But adrenaline focuses you, and you manage to avoid gawking, taking your cue and activating the vibroblade at the end of your lyaer’tsa. The beast lunges forward, its target made more visible by the weapon’s glow, and you move at the same moment. Rushing out and around to approach it from the side, you take determined steps to avoid tripping on the thick foliage.

🟢 Chapter 12: The Storm

As explained in my chapter notes, writing this chapter involved extensive research, and I discovered that quartzite is a very safe type of rock to shelter under from a lightning storm. As I was writing, I started looking for photos of quartzite to help me better describe it, and I eventually found the perfect one (thanks, expensive Shutterstock subscription!).

When creating this chapter photo, I had to liberally utilise Photoshop’s editing tools, as I needed to smooth out numerous elements in the original image.

First, I flipped it because, in the story, I describe the flat rock Din eventually leans his back against being on Reader’s left when she’s crouched under the slope as he pulls the blanket across in front of her.

Then, I smoothed out the rocks and made the ground flat.

Next, I needed Din in the foreground, contemplating the outcropping’s suitability as a shelter, so I found a nice HD version of the lovely pic where he’s meeting the massiffs, did the ol’ background removal thang, and popped him in place.

But it was all too bright and cheerful. Din and Reader are looking for a place to shelter in the middle of a terrible storm.

After adjusting the lighting, tone, levels, saturation, and colour-matching Din to the background, I was happier, but I still needed rain.

I watched some YouTube videos to find out how to add rain and made a few attempts that came out decent enough... but then I stumbled across a site that would add animated rain! I love how it turned out:

It’s a further ten minutes of pressing through thick foliage and flinching at the cracks of thunder, and your nerves are getting frazzled. But soon, the space between the trees increases, and the vegetation begins to thin out, making you feel less trapped. As tangled roots make way for a slippery carpet of leaves, your companion leads you to the base of a steep ridge. Several sharp rocks and boulders protrude from it at odd angles, and a few almost overhang, creating shallow yet vital sources of possible shelter. However, the ground below them is a quagmire of mud and leaves, and you’re not keen to sit in it. He soon finds a suitable location: a shallow outcropping at a right angle with a vertical face, forming a corner alcove. The planes of the rock are oddly smooth and look almost carved. “Stay back; gonna use my flamethrowers,” he warns. Once you’re crouched a few metres away, grasping the backpack he just shoved into your arms, you discover the purpose of his pyrotechnics. He angles both vambraces at the spot beneath the rocky overhang, and twin jets of fire incinerate the damp leaves, baking the mud into a hardened seal. Smoke billows off the ground as the rain cools the superheated earth, and when he’s deemed it safe, he beckons you closer. There isn’t room for both of you under the jutting rock. In fact, there’s barely space for you on your own without a broad man in beskar. Plus, it doesn’t protrude far enough to keep either of you completely dry. But Din seems to have a plan, and you value his survival skills even more. “Crouch down there and give me your cloak. I need your vibro-shiv too,” he instructs, speaking directly toward your ear. The sky flashes bright with lightning again, making you close your eyes against the reflection in his armour. Between peals of thunder, he urges, “Now.” You duck under the low, shallow overhang and follow the instructions as fast as possible. Squatting on the baked clay-like spot, you bemoan the loss of your waterproof covering until you realise what he’s doing with it. He jams his vibroblade through the blanket’s corner into a fissure just above you, then pulls it across and secures the other corner using your vibro-shiv. It’s low enough to connect to the ground with plenty of excess, and from inside your narrow refuge, you watch him pull it outward a little. Then the fabric goes taut, and you surmise he’s heaved some smaller boulders onto the lower edge to prevent it from whipping about in the wind. You’re now veiled from the elements by a vertical stone wall on your left, plus an inclined rock roof/wall behind and above you. The waterproof blanket creates a mirrored sloping fabric roof/wall at a narrow angle from the lip of the outcropping to the ground in front. A small opening remains at the end for lookout purposes, downwind so the gusts won’t blow inside. Using only two blades and a blanket, he’s constructed a tiny mixed material cave-tent. And he’s done it with such nonchalance – as if keeping you both safe and dry amidst a monster storm isn’t an outstanding display of skill.

Be-All Bonus Feature: Creating the Chapter Photos (part 2) →

[rizdoodles]

AAAAARG!!!🤯🤯🤯

I have so many drawings to do since I brought the Azuly AU out of the closet!

I'm preparing so much :⚠️‼

Andy's possible futures (post-NRC)✒🖤🐙🐲

Azuly at NRC (non-canon/canon) + post-NRC (non-canon)🐙🦐

Azul's jealousy🖤

Baby Lazuly 🐙🎀(their child)

The exhaustion of being parents😵🍼

Andy's🦐 indirect confession🗣

A funny and silly moment between them when they're married💍💥

Canon Azuly playing the piano together and getting along 🎹💫

Haha! But you'll have to wait! I'm in the middle of exam season and need to focus on my studies. 💯👓

Don't worry, though, it'll come out eventually!😄💫