#coi 2019

[gameofthunder66]

The Deuce (2017-2019) tv series

-(finished) watchin' Season 1- 6/25/2024- 3 [1/2] stars- on Max

93% Rotten Tomatoes

[solokabuto]

I love these idiots so much

[deathshallbenomore]

so sorry the english equivalents of astio and rancore aren’t as powerful. how d’you even cope with that

[billys-slutcherson]

'I Always Knew You Were Needy'

18+ MDNI

Billy (Burn 2019) x F!Reader

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Oneshot:

Billy finally succumbs to your convincing, letting you tease him for a change. Reluctant at first, but it doesn't take long for him to start begging...

Tags:

smut/porn with mild plot, soft dom, sub/dom overstimulation, begging, switch play, orgasm, edging orgasm, denial, face-sitting face-riding, tongue-fucking, sloppy make-outs, wet & messy

────────────────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.───────────────

Your fingers rush through his curls as you lean in from behind. 

"Do you trust me?" You tease in his ear. Breath washing hot over his skin. 

Billy tensed slightly, to get him to this point took guts. He sighed softly, feeling the hair on the nape of his neck prick up. 

"Enjoying your little power trip huh? This is a one-off, and don't forget it." Though he was grumbling, the corners of his lips tugged upward. Apprehension yet desire boiled within him. 

"Before you know it you will be begging on your hands and knees.." He grunted. 

You reached round to cover his lips with your palm, gripping tightly. 

"Just be quiet for once, will you? For me?" You teased. As you step to the bed, you watch as he slouches slightly. His legs parted, in those tight jeans. The white tee was loose against his body, his stubble thicker than usual. You weren't quite sure when you'd last seen him shave. Not that you minded. 

A thick silken ribbon in hand you wander back over, sliding it between your fingers as you drag it against his eyes. Tying it against the back of his head. Folding it into a bow.

"Much better..." Kissing his cheek as you said it. Leaving a little red lip mark. 

"You just don't want me to see you blushing and whining, so needy. Isn't that right?..." Billy quipped.

You couldn't help but laugh. He wasn't wrong. Though you stepped around the chair, bending slightly to grip under his chin.

"Does pretty boy need to be muzzled too, shame if so. I can't wait to make you beg, cowboy.." You toyed with him, chewing your inner lip at his words. You snatched the cheap fuzzy handcuffs from his lap. You'd bought them in that little video store in town. 

"Oh, I would love to see you try.." He grinned, gripping the arms of the chair. Leaning forward to you. 

Your fingertips lingered on his thigh, catching him inhaling softly. Biting your tongue you watched him squirm. Your palm shifts to grip a fistful of his shirt and tug him forward off the velvet chair. Letting him feel your breath on his lips as you pressed your body to his. Tilting his head down to you with a coy smile against his lips as he gripped your wrist. Moving with you. 

You guided him towards the motel bed and shoved his back against it. 

His laugh was low, devious even. Leaning on his elbows.

You climbed against him till you perched against his waist.

He couldn't help but rub his rough palms over your smooth thighs, digging his fingers into your supple skin. Holding back your little moan. 

"Uh uh, behave.." You snatched his palms away, pushing them above his head. Soon, the fluff tickled over his wrists, locking the cuffs shut, one then the next. Pinning his wrists as you tangled a rope against the chain of the cuffs. Securing him against the headboard.  

"That's better.." Nestling his face in your palms as you say it. Tilting forward to press your lips into his. His neck craned upwards to feel your tongue on his, as you pulled back. Biting on that lower lip of his. Shifting your weight lower, until your hips met his. You bent your head once more, lower. Peppering his neck with kisses as his chest rose and fell under your palms. He was quiet, for once. Cupping the nape of his neck, you kissed his shirt. Staining it with red glossy lip marks.

"You better not have.." He growled. 

You laughed against his chest. Doing it again as he nudged up at you.

Shifting as you lifted the shirt you wore, only barely. You could still smell his musk against it, having stolen it the night prior. The soft linger of his aftershave and cigarettes. Beneath it, your panties were now showing. Slipping against him, you allowed your hips to buck forward. As if testing him. 

Watching his wrists jerk slightly within the cuffs. You had him where you needed him. Smirking as you continued, rocking your clothed mound against him. Feeling that bulge begin to swell. 

"Good boy.." You sneered, brushing your thumb over his freckles. 

His breath hitched as you said it, tugging the restraints tighter. 

"Don't..you dare.." He said in a husky groan. However, facing him you could see that sharp little stifled gasp. 

"Do you want me to stop?" You tilted your head. 

Hesitating at first, he shook his head. Feeling his hips drive up against you. 

You worked him, grinding deep strokes of your clothed sex slowly. Closing your eyes you let your head lull backward. Feeling your heart begin to race, he was intoxicating. More so, now that you finally had him at your mercy.

The denim causes the friction to rise, the zipper catching against the cotton. Almost fraying the fabric as you quicken your hips. 

"Fuck..don't..d-don't stop..".  He rasped. 

Flicking your eyes down at him, you caught the flushing of his cheeks and neck, still stained with your kisses. Tracing his sharp jaw with your fingertips as you cupped his chin. 

"Is that a beg I hear?.." You moaned, brushing up his cheek till your fingers entangled in his hair. The wetness pooled in the cotton now, lifting away from him softly to catch your breath. 

His hips jerked, thrusting for more. Dragging your nails over his t-shirt you found the buckle of his belt. Loosening it, pushing the denim downwards. Without a second thought, ensuring his boxers shifted with the jeans. Watching as he sprung free. His skin speckled with goosebumps. 

Moving from above him to your knees at the foot of the bed, you spread his thighs some. Pressing your lips against, working your way upwards, though stopping just before grazing his strained cock. 

Twitching against his stomach.  

"Fuck, please, please just.." Biting his tongue as he hissed. 

"Not yet." 

"I  ne - ..  I need it" He tried to refrain from saying it. You slipped the panties off, caressing over the slick excitement. Dragging your palm against your pleasure, as you playfully bit against his thigh. 

With your drenched fingers, you slipped them against his throbbing tip, dragging them down to the base.

He flinched, your touch so light. Whimpering as he tried to thrust upward for more pressure. 

"Such a needy, pretty boy.." You said without hesitation.

He scoffed, visibly biting his lower lip. 

"God, please, please get back on top.. you little fucking tease." He snapped. A scoff followed, seeing his smile, his pitiful desperation. 

"Oh I do love it when you beg, Billy... go on beg for me.." Letting your tongue flutter against his thigh as the words left your mouth. 

Soon your breath washed over his twitching excitement. Allowing your tongue to drag against the underside of his erection. He was like putty, as he trembled under you. 

You could tase yourself on him. 

Tracing your fingers against your clit, his stifled moan finally rushed from his lips. Kissing against him as he was throbbing. Leaking against his  own  stomach.  

"I..just.." Stuttering as he struggled, craving you. 

"Just what? I know you can do better than that, Billy.." Dragging your tongue further till it flicked over the pinkened tip. Tasting his excitement against your tongue, the salty musk lingered. 

"Please, p-please f-fuck..fuck I want you.." The chain of the shitty cuffs strained as he said it. The headboard shifted forward as he pulled, writhing beneath you. 

"Say it for me..."

"N-no...quit being such...such a little slut.." He snorted. 

Your fingers dragged once more against the beating cock.

"F-fine..I...I'll be a good boy.." Laughing softly. knowing exactly what you wanted to hear.

You slowly crawled over him, your hands padding against the mattress, not stopping at his waist. Resting your knees on either side of his head. He shifted, confused at first. An almost whimper left his mouth as he breathed heavily. Desperation on his quivered lips. 

Then he  realised , you could see him pursing his lips as he lunged his head upwards. You shifted slightly.

"So needy.." You teased him. As he hungered to taste. 

Palm gripping his head forward, as you slid against him. A gasp of relief falls from your lips. Billy's tongue dragging up along your drenched slit. Exhaling softly as you see him ball his fingers into fists. His wrists were marked from pulling on his restraints. 

Your fingers pushed through his hair, feeling his sweat brush over your palm. Fumbling as his tongue hunger for more, you allow your legs to loosen. Leaning your hips deeper, he spread you against the lapping of his tongue. Rippling over you, as he inhaled desperately. 

You felt your chest grow flustered. Tugging on his hair tighter, smothering him with your starved sex. 

Using your free hand you loosened the buttons of the shirt you wore. Pushing your hair back, as you called out his name. Forcing your hips back and forth. Riding his face. His moans cast against you, as you used him like that of a toy. Merciless. 

Hearing the creak of the mattress louden, he was writhing. Fidgeting beneath you. Tongue swirling over your clit, softly dipping inside your clenching cunt.

"Fuck,  Billy ... yes baby...just like that...God you are so pretty under me.." You groan. Pulling your sweat-coated hand from his hair as you lean your palms back into his chest. Letting him support your weight. Leaking against his lips, riding that edge. 

You felt him jolt under you. Peering back at his body over your shoulder. 

Whimpering some, as you see him. So perfectly pathetic. His knees bent, as his hips thrust at the air desperately. Practically begging for your attention, to be touched. The hemline of his t-shirt splattered with sticky excitement, purely from pleasuring you. 

He was fucking the air, longing for relief. He craved  you .

Hearing his whimpering nearly sent you over the edge, huffing against you as he lunged as far as he could, feeling your hesitation. As your hips yanked upwards, close. So very close. 

"Please.. l-let  me.." He whined out, his throat tight. Feeling you tremble over him. 

Slathering against your clit, greedily. Forcefully tugging those flimsy cuffs one last time. Grunting loudly. As the weakened metal links snapped, under the pressure of his flexing forearms. His veins pulsating as he reached around your thighs. Gripping his fingertips into them roughly. Marking against them as he whimpered. 

"I-I'm sorry, I need... you ..  god I fucking need you.." Growling as he groaned against your spread folds. 

Feeling yourself fold forward as the pressure swelled. Gripping his hair in your fingers. Hyperventilating. Your thighs beginning to clench against his red sweaty cheeks. 

Like he was in a frenzy, his hips pounded at the air pervertedly. Crying out your name as his orgasm bubbled, his lips wrapping against your clit. His climax spluttering against his shirt, and your lower back. Dripping against your ass. 

One last pull of his hair as you screamed out. Tensing against him as your eyes press shut. Speckles of star-like patterns flashed across the darkness of your eyelids. Feeling as you drown his lips with your orgasm, your body hunched against the headboard.

The grip of his fingers digging into your thighs softened, slithering his palms to your hips, then waist. Tickles of the furry cuffs grazing your glistening skin. Lips kissing against your folds. 

"G-good boy.." You whined. Shuddering. "Such a good boy."

He softly laughed against you as you leaned back some, shifting. Catching your heavy breaths. 

"You alright baby girl.." He whispered with a coy smirk and wetted lips. Showing off his drowned flushed pink cheeks.

You could only muster a gentle nod, your chest feeling like it could burst as it trembled beneath the unbuttoned shirt. His hands slithered from your waist back to your thighs. Caressing them softly as you made attempts at composing yourself. 

"You got, so... greedy ..  you owe me new ones.." You stammered pointing to the bent and snapped cuffs. He bellowed a deep grumbling laugh as he gripped and rolled you beneath him. Inches from your face, still smeared with your mess on his lips. 

"I will buy you as many as you need, though ..  I can't promise I won't break them again." His mouth pressed to yours, teasing as he let you taste yourself on his lips. 

Flickering your eyes open, you pursed your lips playful-like. 

"Again?.." You questioned, as he covered your mouth jokingly. Reaching to pull his hand away. 

"I knew ..  I knew you were a needy desperate little puppy.." You sneered, pointing in his face. He scoffed, then proceeded to roll off of your body laughing. Pulling you into his embrace, as the warm haze streamed through the dingy curtains. 

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hope anyone who read, enjoyed! cringing at my own smut but was desperate to share anyway lmao ( ﾉ ﾟｰﾟ)ﾉ

[sunniewr]

o𝔩𝔡⠀⠀⠀𝖒o𝔫𝔢𝒚⠀⠀⠀محبو⠀⠀⠀!!⠀⠀⠀🌟。 ⠀𝗁𝔢ɑrt

como começ⍺r esse texto . . eu estou no tumblr desde 2019 e eu nunc⍺ im⍺ginei que ⍺lgum blog meu cheg⍺ri⍺ ⍺os 3k. chegou ⍺ minh⍺ vez de comemor⍺r ! eu nunc⍺ fui bo⍺ edit⍺ndo, ⍺té hoje me considero péssim⍺, porém estou sempre tent⍺ndo ⍺prender e evoluir, por isso peço p⍺ciênci⍺ comigo ! :( f⍺zer moods sempre foi muito divertido e é por isso, que mesmo já est⍺ndo n⍺ f⍺culd⍺de e qu⍺se não tendo tempo p⍺r⍺ n⍺d⍺, ⍺ind⍺ continuo f⍺zendo moodbo⍺rds. é ⍺lgo que eu me divirto muito f⍺zendo e me f⍺z fugir do estresse. tudo começou com pesso⍺s que eu er⍺ próxim⍺ em 2018/2019 e isso só fez eu me ⍺profund⍺r m⍺is nesse mundo do tumblr e mesmo flop⍺ndo muit⍺s vezes, eu não me importo. eu estou feliz do mesmo jeito ! por receber pedidos, por receber comentários elogi⍺ndo meu tr⍺b⍺lho . . pequen⍺s cois⍺s me deix⍺m feliz pr⍺ c⍺r⍺mb⍺ ! ♡ então termino ⍺gr⍺decendo por todo esse c⍺rinho d⍺s pesso⍺s que me seguem e me ⍺poi⍺m todos os di⍺s. espero algum di⍺ ser ⍺ inspir⍺ção como pesso⍺s já for⍺m pr⍺ mim. m⍺is um⍺ vez, obrig⍺d⍺ por f⍺zerem eu re⍺liz⍺r meu sonho de ter um blog "gr⍺nde" no tumblr. nyny ⍺m⍺ vocês! 🤍

aqui alguns dos blogs que eu mais gosto! óbvio que tem muito mais, porém iria ficar muito extenso colocar todos aqui, mas cada blogzinho é muito especial para mim. <3

@soocats @flubbe-web @harumi-web @tata-kitty @charlieweb @rubyjane @jjkills @nick-web @02h00mn @moonygx @louiseffetin @max1mus @ph4sies @eoante @rennezinha @bonnie-bweb @dakorai @rmarlt @d-aezs @bunnilyz @strllar @devil1sh @kooprrhia @tsuki-web @bloomnshie @lestrange-or-xuxu @lizzie-attack @hykali @k1rsos @zuhahana @rubyjane @chaemingly @taevvvvvvv @delistelar @vvampics @skyierl @alekaos

[olderthannetfic]

https://www.tumblr.com/olderthannetfic/663370772509802496/do-you-know-what-the-origin-of-the-sold-to-one

So I was looking at this old post of yours (in your fandom meta tag) and has anyone else noticed that Hogwarts AU fanfic and meta about if this or that character from another fandom would be Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw has completely disappeared? I assume that this is related to JKR’s transphobia making her (understandably) persona non grata to a lot of online queer people of the kind who dominate fanfic fandom at least on AO3 (I’m less familiar with Wattpad or other corners of fandom that are overwhelmingly cishet and writing het, and the Bridgerton drama has taught me a lot about just how out of pace a lot of them are with even elementary queer stuff, yeesh). but I was wondering if others have noticed that. It did seem to really start to crater around 2019-20 when she stopped being coy and blaming it on “middle aged moments,” and started openly making transphobic tweets and writing essays about it rather than just “liking” others’. Like when I was into Yuri on Ice circa 2016-18, it was still all over that fandom, even though people were already souring on the actual official franchise stuff such as those terrible Fantastic Beasts movies.

So I’m mostly active in anime, JRPG and Western genre TV fandoms so I was curious if this was also happening elsewhere. I’m also wondering if the fact that actual HP fandom seems to be increasingly divorced from canon (like fanon pairings of characters who never interacted in canon being the most popular lately) is related to this too.

Cuz having a Hogwarts AU used to be a sign that a fandom had Arrived. I remember in 2016 you saw people doing house sortings for the people on the frickin 538 political podcast. Now I never see any of that even with huge fandoms.

It’s interesting to me given that it feels like her transphobia hasn’t dented much of her popularity with non online nerd culture. Like the third Fantastic Beasts movie failed but those had never been good and had been declining in box office numbers already. But the Hogwarts Legacy game sold really well. You still see HP in stores all over the place with other nerd culture staples like Star Wars and Marvel. Still constantly see brands doing collabs. I often find non online friends and family, including many who are genuine allies to the trans people in their lives, who have no idea about her transphobia. Or they’ve only heard a little and assume it’s some weird insular online culture thing that is just fans nitpicking, maybe having heard about some other Twitter “canceling” over nothing and figuring it’s like that. They’re always shocked and horrified when I tell them what she’s actually saying and doing.

--

Interesting question.

For me, as an Old, it just feels like Hogwarts AUs are part of my childhood, and why wouldn't they be less common now? But realistically, if they actually are declining, it does mean something.

There's no way for us to know if the "Would X be a Hufflepuff?" posts are really a thing of the past. That could be a question of whom one follows or of fans leaving one's platform. But we can at least poke at some AO3 tags and see if they show a pattern.

The relevant tags are Alternate Universe - Hogwarts and its metatag Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting.

There are 21,426 works in the metatag. Obviously, not everything uses the tag, but it's a starting point. (Some cursory playing with filters on big tags makes me think that maybe around 3/4 of HP AUs are actually tagged with a relevant AU tag.)

If we look at the AU tag itself, the numbers have come down in the last few years. (This year is obviously only half over, so we'd expect those numbers to be smaller.)

But we have to take into account how big the archive itself was. It's been growing significantly since it opened to staff accounts in late 2008 and then more widely in late 2009, so the overall rise doesn't mean much, but the recent drop might.

It does seem like there's a downward trend lately, but it doesn't look like it's falling off a cliff.

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

tuesday again 8/13/2024

i think i'm going to take a break from scifi written by men for a bit

listening

Ahmed Malek's Les Vacances de L'inspecteur Tahar, from the 1972 film of the same name.

if i can be really really real for a minute here the only thing i've listened to more than twice this week is GUESS by charli xcx but i don't want to have the same tuesdaysong twice in a row. this would make for an annoying end of year playlist.

i got an ad for a collected set of Ahmed Malek's Algerian jazz music on instagram. a session musician in Algiers, he made his name as a soundtrack composer with this comedic detective movie and was in demand for the rest of his life-- he's still really beloved in the African jazz scene, his works are super collectible, and his daughter gifted all his masters to a tiny record company so they could rerelease and preserve them.

it sounds exactly how you think a 70s cop movie should sound. impeccable example of the genre. instantly evocative. i wonder if it influenced the wider cop drama soundscape or if it's just an early example?

-

reading

many books disappointed me a great deal this week.

thank you philip.

the only comic i did like was Marauders (2019-2022), trying to get a little bit more into the xmen since my bestie has decided we're watching all their movies. this is really fun bc i knew who kitty pryde was, and she's a privateer captain who looks beat to shit the whole book. extremely fun and gay and swashbuckling, i placed holds for the other volumes already.

the two rogue and gambit books assumed i knew more about those characters than i already did, and had a heavy reliance on flashbacks and references to other issues.

the magic order was insufferable and did not stick its landing. made me worry about the characters and then feel really fucking stupid for worrying about the characters. i don't know why i keep trying mark millar books and thinking i will like them.

HOTELITOR had a very fun concept (mech hotel), but was a little more middle-grade than i was expecting, even from a teen book. very calarts visual style. very power of friendship will undo an evil corporation, which, i wish.

this little mermaid manga was not for me. and that's fine. most manga isn't for me.

we have to take a brief detour into how i store my books (poorly). these big middle shelves hold an unsorted mass, mostly of stuff i'm not sure i want to keep. i'm trying to be more thoughtful about which books i keep bc realistically i do not reread very often (if at all) and i am running out of space. as much as i love weird little scifi and fantasy paperbacks it would be cool if they all fit on one shelf.

here are four books i rapidly cycled through this weekend that are going to be donated.

Michael Moorcock's The Black Corridor, 1969, about a man slowly going insane in a spaceship fleeing a politically violent Earth with his friends and relations in cryosleep. not a very beloved Moorcock book among the Moorcock fans. this has a heavy focus on the rise of British fascism and i'm not now, nor will i ever be, in the mood for this. a shame bc this slim hardcover has proportions that were very nice to hold.

Thomas Burnett Swan's Where is the Bird of Fire?, 1970, three not quite short stories but not quite novellas about mythical creatures at the founding of Rome, Xerxes the Great's empire, and Britain near the fall of Rome. states very clearly exactly what it is on the tin and delivers it, unfortunately i don’t like any of the flavors on offer. every single one of these has the half-coy kind of sex scene common in historical fiction, where in order to represent the past accurately and with full verisimilitude we Must convey that they fucked nasty and had fun doing it. many times. unfortunately a middle aged man wrote these and our erotic sensibilities are Very far apart.

Glen Cook's Cold Copper Tears, 1988, a noirish urban fantasy. there are fourteen books in this series so clearly people like them. i found a lot of the Noir Similes a little tortured. "but kay isn't that the point--" yes but these annoyed me. also there's a rape joke i didn't enjoy on the fourth fucking page. i have very few hard outs in fiction and one of them is on-screen or on-page sexual assault or rape jokes in chapter one. i am slightly less likely to drop a book if it has rape jokes in chapters that are not the first but like. it’s still almost a flat line at 100%.

and the only one i got two-thirds of the way through, and which i partially liveblogged here,

Eric Kotani and John Maddox Robert's Between the Stars, 1988, the third in their Island Worlds series. it stands alone fairly well, which is impressive.

this book is good at differentiating a very large, very clannish cast, which is a hard thing to do in a political opera. people are often differentiated by little physical movement quirks, which a spy later uses to identify someone. it’s a lovely bit of business and definitely the authors’ strong points.

also props for two of the most capable people, an ill-liked matriarch/scientific genius and a femme fatale Russian, for being two of the most interesting characters with the most screen time, both on their own and in other character’s thoughts. unfortunately, with such a large cast and so many factions, the action is often split and meandering. racist in the very specific orientalist way cyberpunk eighties fiction often is, but uncommonly, they remembered Turkey existed and included in the orientalism?

severely suffered from a second act where it tripped over its own feet a lot instead of continued forward motion, quite honestly i got bored and tired of being hit over the head with various points. a very whedonesque quality of needing to comment on the political implication of something the instant after it happens.

this is not a subtle book, and it smacks less of an urgency to get a point across in as few words as possible and more an uncertainty in the authors of getting their point across at all. this is confusing to me bc this was their fourth book together and the third in this series. have some more confidence in your writing abilities. like, if you've already established your baddie as a fascist torturer who literally owns slaves and plans on taking over earth, you don't need to have him also say "Hitler was much-maligned" at a dinner party he's holding in a room full of hunting trophies where the only things on the table are red wine and whole game birds. you've more than established him as evil. the whole book is like this. it's exhausting.

not a book for me! many such cases!

-

watching

my brother was really singing the praises of vampire hunter d's animation and i was like, postapoc roaming vampire bounty hunter? say less! im already getting in!

i watched the 1980s version with some bemusement until he was like "why did you watch that and not the 2000 version." well that would have been so cool of you to be more specific, my boy!!! vampire hunter d (1985, dir. Toyoo Ashida) was still fun but clearly had way less of a budget than Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust (2000, dir. Yoshiaki Kawajiri)

i enjoyed bloodlust a little more bc it had a postapoc style i enjoyed a little more: showed me big manta rays that hide under the sand, big ruined radio dishes, and lots of beautifully ruined skyscrapers and fucked up highway overpasses. every time you see me post about a BIG!!! FUCKING!!! DISH!!! you should hear this schoolchildren "YAAAAAY!" sample from Jet Set Radio

-

playing

nothing much to report, a lot of grindy genshin impact shit as i try to clear all my map markers before the new nation drops at the end of the month.

-

making

the girls have three litter boxes available to them (laundry room/spare bathroom/utility closet), all in the correct and recommended locations, all with good sightlines and escape routes and all out of the main hustle and bustle of the apartment, all open top, all with the same kind of litter and the same kind of litter mat. they only use the one in my laundry room. since phil has had free roam of the house she has not used the one in the office bathroom. i asked my vet about this and sent her pictures to make sure i was doing everything right and the diagnosis was "yeah that's a little weird of them". can we spread the wear and tear out a little more, girls? so i don't have to deep clean the same litterbox every week?

[onecornerface]

Guinness World Records' lies in support of Billy Mitchell's fake scores

Guinness World Records’ editor-in-chief Craig Glenday intentionally made false public statements about an investigation and evidence which he knew did not exist.

After Guinness World Records removed Billy Mitchell’s fake videogame high scores, Billy somehow got Guinness to reinstate them, in violation of their own usual procedures. From then on, Billy went around saying Guinness did a new rigorous investigation and confirmed they were real. Guinness themselves made a public statement saying they investigated and concluded that the evidence against Billy wasn’t decisive.

Around the same time, Billy was in a lawsuit against Twin Galaxies. In a lawsuit deposition (whose release Billy illegally tried to prevent), Billy admitted there was no new investigation. Billy’s own lawsuit discovery also ironically led to the public release of all emails between Billy’s lawyer and Guinness’s lawyer.

This is what happened: Billy’s lawyer threatened to sue if Guinness didn’t reinstate his records. Guinness’s lawyer basically said (in only slightly more coy wording) “We don’t believe your scores are legit, but we will reinstate them to avoid being sued.” In fact, Guinness even explicitly offered to make a bogus public statement saying there was “compelling new evidence” for Billy’s scores—immediately after privately emphasizing that there was no such evidence. This admission to dishonesty is very clear in the emails.

It has long been somewhat well-known that you can get a contrived record of dubious importance (albeit maybe not outright fake) if you have thousands of dollars to pay for their bogus adjudication process. What hasn’t been as widely publicized is that you can also keep proven fake records if you threaten to sue Guinness, as Billy did. This happened in 2019-2020, and was proved in 2022, but it undermines Guinness’s credibility forever. Guinness knew Billy had no chance of winning a lawsuit against them. Billy himself has also admitted this—essentially confessing to threatening to file a frivolous lawsuit to get what he wanted. Guinness is a wealthy organization that had the resources to fight the lawsuit, but they rolled over anyway just to avoid the hassle. This emboldened Billy’s frivolous lawsuits against other innocent people.

[ilsalvagocce]

È finalmente spuntato come un fagiolo magico (coi pantaloni in tartan, che scrive sui muri) il 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 per la Fondazione Policlinico Sant'Orsola, coi disegni e le parole dell'anno di ninetta (alias Francesca Ballarini, alias @ioenina, alias io).

Molto cuor d'insieme, sinfonia d'insieme, sinfonina dicevo un tempo e il tempo continua, con lo stesso credo.

_

Il Calendario illustrato è dono solidale per la Fondazione Policlinico Sant'Orsola, che dal 2019 rende reali progetti di cura e abbracci che non hanno mai fine.

Il calendario è disponibile in due formati, da tavolo e da muro, ed è ordinabile online oppure nella sede della Fondazione a Bologna e in giro per la città bella fino a Natale!

[canonicallyobserving911]

WIP Wednesday

Fanonwriter2023 on AO3

Where CANON and FANON collide!

This is an EPIC LOVE STORY!

Season 7 FANON Speculation: Buddie Multi-Chapter Fanfic - Hiatus Reading: “I’m still in love with you but... I needed to learn how to love myself too!”

Chapter 20 is already available on AO3 and Chapter 21 will be posted soon.

Currently 20 chapters completed: 757.3K Words; Rated: Mature

One chapter will be posted at a time.

[Previous snippet from Several Sentences Sunday linked here.]

____________

I'm excited to finish writing Chapter 21 because there are only 7 days left until Buck and Eddie get married.

For anyone who hasn't read Chapter 20, here's a brief overview: Eddie completed his Paramedic Certification Course and he started planning a surprise for their wedding evening, night and the morning after. Buck asked his bio dad if they could meet in-person while they're in London. Eddie and Buck had an important early morning conversation about the way they'll make decisions for their family. They went to the Italian Consulate in Los Angeles with their two witnesses and now they have all the legalized documents they'll need to get married in Rome. Also, they tied up a lot of loose ends by verifying their 'To Do' Lists along with reviewing all of their documents.

Buck and Eddie will tie the knot before Christmas 2023 but they are NOT getting married in the U.S. and they won't have a wedding ceremony until May 2024. They've revealed their relationship, their engagement and the fact that they're going to Europe to their found family during the 118's Thanksgiving dinner (Chapter 17), to Eddie's parents, his sisters, his abuela and Tia Pepa (Chapter 18) and Buck told the Buckley parents he's getting married and that he has a son (Chapter 19). Only three people know they're getting married in 7 days and they are Chris, Carla and Malone. They told Carla and Malone (Chapter 19) because they asked them to be their witnesses at the Italian Consulate and they told Chris (Chapter 20) that evening after they got the "Atto Notorio" (Declaration) signed but no one else knows.

Now that Buck and Eddie have their signed Declaration and everything else is in place, will they be able to leave Los Angeles Friday afternoon headed to Rome, Italy without anyone else finding out they're getting married in Chapter 21?

___________

Here's a snippet from Chapter 21 of Buck and Eddie being romantically fluffy and intimate while they're in the loft for the last time.

__________

While he positions Eddie so that he’s standing in the same spot he stood in that night, Eddie raises his eyebrows at him but he doesn’t say anything.  Even as Buck attempts to recreate one of their emotionally intimate encounters, he notices they’re still in sync because Eddie automatically leans his back against the counter like he knows what’s going to happen next.

Buck shakes his head because other than the fact that the loft is completely empty now and they’re both a few years older, Eddie’s even more beautiful than he was back then.  The only major difference between that night and now in Eddie’s appearance is he’s not wearing his hair buzzed cut anymore.   

He leans against the edge of the island that’s directly in front of him and situates himself so that he’s in the same half standing and half sitting position he was in all those years ago.  He lowers his head, smiles then lifts it and gives Eddie the same cocky and confident grin he wore back then and it’s laced with a challenge just like it was that night in November 2019.

He knows he’s playing with fire but he’s ok with it because they’re engaged now, they’re getting married in 4 days and he’s 100% certain any challenge he presents in this moment, will be fulfilled on their wedding night.

Eddie tilts his head to the side and in a playful tone of voice, he asks, “My love, what are you doing?”

With a coy smile, Buck replies, “Surely you remember everything that happened the night after the lawsuit.  You know… it was right after Halloween.  We made up and I apologized for not being there for you and Chris.”

He fondly rolls his eyes like he doesn’t remember but the truth is he does except he doesn’t want Buck to know, so he questioningly raises one of his eyebrows and waits for him to continue.

“You were standing right there… um exactly where you are right now and you were holding your bottle of Genuine beer.  I was right here and while we were talking, I said, “I thought for sure that day in the grocery store you were going to take a swing at me.”  And then you said, “But you didn’t deserve it.  I wouldn’t do that… you’re on blood thinners.”

Eddie slowly nods, then he gives Buck a once over like he did that night as he looks at him from his feet to his head and replies, “I do and if I’m remembering correctly, I think you said something about taking me”.

Buck raises his eyebrows.  “You’re right… I did say that.  And I know I still can… take you that is.”

With a big devious smile, Eddie asks, “You still think so?”

“I knew then and I know now!”  He admits, then he stands up to his full 6’2-inch height, strolls over and stands next to his fiancé, looks him up and down with his hand where his belt buckle would be if he was wearing one and asks, “You want to go for the title?”

Eddie confidently chuckles but he doesn’t take his eyes off his fiancé. He raises up from the counter, moves so close to him that their lips are mere millimeters apart, he wraps his arms around Buck’s waist then he leans in and places a soft kiss onto Buck’s lips that makes Buck shiver.  He wants to feel him do it again, so he kisses him once more then he talks against his lips and says, “On September 2nd, I won something more valuable than the title to that video game.”

Buck already knows the answer to the question he’s going to ask and even though he’s breathless from simply looking at the love of his life, he whisper asks, “Oh yeah… what did you win?”

What did Eddie win on September 2nd and how is he going to respond to Buck's question? 👀

___________

This is an EPIC LOVE STORY!

Fic Summary: Months after Buck and Eddie were hit by the same lightning strike; they’re still struggling with the aftermath of it.  But before they make their love confessions, they’ll spend time getting to know themselves as individuals first. Eddie learns to enjoy the simple things in life as he participates in activities on his own and with new friends while Buck learns the rest of the 31-year-old deep dark family secret about his conception and birth. Their journey to forever is still a work in progress but once they finally admit they’re in love with each other, everything that follows their love confessions will be spectacular.

__________

Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1 - Eddie makes a new friend while Buck receives devastating news regarding the sperm donation he made for Connor and Kameron.

Chapter 2 - Buck does a lot of research to learn more about the abnormalities found in his red blood cells and Eddie starts a new therapy journey that’s all about him and not the traumas he’s experienced.

Chapter 3 - After more than a month, Buck and Eddie finally spend time together outside of work but it doesn’t end well and they part with a lot of uncertainty regarding their places in each other’s lives.

Chapter 4 - Eddie has a few realizations about his life which causes him to consider moving back to El Paso, TX while Buck continues to be reminded of his past which causes him to take an impromptu road trip across America.

Chapter 5 - Both Buck and Eddie have difficult conversations with their parents and Buck finally learns the truth behind the reason why his mother despised him while Eddie finally tells his mother about the way she tries to control him.

Chapter 6 - More than two weeks after Buck pushed Eddie away after suggesting they needed a break; Eddie decides to try again. Eddie’s there for Buck when he’s at his worst just like Buck was there for him when he was at his worst and he won’t let Buck give up.

Chapter 7 - After Buck’s mental breakdown, Eddie has his back the same way Buck had his when he had his own breakdown more than a year ago.  They share several vulnerable and emotionally intimate moments with one another and they begin to realize their small, sweet and caring gestures matter just as much if not more than any grand gesture ever could because these are the foundations of a long-lasting love relationship.

Chapter 8 - Buck, Eddie and Chris all have their own therapists and during their sessions, they reflect on their pasts while they’re in the present so they can prepare for their future together as a family.

Chapter 9 - Buck and Eddie are there for each other when Buck has to testify as a witness during the trial.  But by the end of it, they’ll both realize their individual and shared traumas are going to keep resurfacing until they talk about them, deal with the fact that they’re in love with one another and face the fact that they can’t live without each other.

Chapter 10 - As Buck and Eddie finally begin to confront their past traumas, they realize how much they need each other to fill in the gaps of their memories.  Additionally, the universe screams at them for what appears to be the one hundredth time so Buck can realize he doesn’t have to ‘find it’ because he already ‘made it’ and Eddie’s reminded tomorrow isn’t promised and he doesn’t have to die alone if he doesn’t want to.

Chapter 11 - A “virga” or dry thunderstorm is in the forecast but once the rain starts, the thunderstorm happening outside won’t be able to match the storm brewing inside between Buck and Eddie.  It’s the universe’s final scream and when the tumultuous winds begin to blow, they’ll have one last chance to hold onto everything they’ve built over the last six years or they’ll lose it all forever.

Chapter 12 - Buck and Eddie have always shared a deep physical attraction and an emotional intimacy that’s unmatched but now that they’re in a relationship, they’re learning how to navigate the romantic intimacy they’ve been waiting for six years to explore. The love they have for each other is a once in a lifetime, soulmate, love of their lives type of love that transcends space and time.

Chapter 13 - While navigating the newness of their romantic relationship, Buck and Eddie take advantage of every moment they spend together. As their individual lives, people from their pasts, time constraints and the possibility of losing each other again make attempts to interrupt and interfere with their journey to forever, they love, care for, support and hold onto each other even tighter to withstand it all.

Chapter 14 - Buck and Eddie can see the lights at the end of the tunnels regarding the results of Buck’s Cancer Screening along with everything else they’re dealing with. But are the lights they see exits to the tunnels or are they headlights on different runaway trains that are speeding towards them in an effort to interrupt their forever?

Chapter 15 - Buck and Eddie have known they were exactly who the other one wanted in a partner since they met six years ago when they agreed to have each other’s backs. They’re in a romantic relationship, they’re both preparing to ask the other one to spend forever with them and by the end of the seventh week into their relationship, together they will plan their most important and greatest adventure for their future.

Chapter 16 - As Buck and Eddie begin to prepare for their marriage ceremony that will take place in Rome, Italy in December 2023, they start planning their first international adventure as a romantic couple. Even though Chris is still the only person they’ve told about their relationship, several people who know them have already witnessed the love they share and as the days continue, others will witness it too.

Chapter 17 - As Buck and Eddie get closer to departing Los Angeles for their international adventure, a moment in time will remind them; life is fragile, tomorrow isn’t promised and every second of everyday should be cherished because everything can change in an instant. The result of that realization will cause them to hold onto each other even more.

Chapter 18 - As Buck, Eddie and Chris prepare for family gatherings before and during the Thanksgiving holiday, the “Santa Ana Winds” start to blow and all sorts of expected and unexpected familial drama ensues.

Chapter 19 - As Buck and Eddie get closer to their wedding day, the universe begins to align everything so that some of their parent and children's relationships are strengthened while others come to an abrupt end.

Chapter 20 - With only 14 days remaining until Buck, Eddie and Chris depart Los Angeles, CA traveling to Rome, Italy, for their first family adventure, an early morning conversation about “tying up loose ends” helps Buck and Eddie realize there are still several things left unfinished on their ‘To Do’ lists. The question is will there be enough time to complete all of them?

Chapter 21 - Will be posted soon.

__________

Read chapters 1-20 are available on AO3.

Continue reading on AO3

Chapter 21 will be posted soon.

[gameofthunder66]

The Deuce (2017-2019) tv series

-(started) watchin' Season 2- 7/2/2024- on Max

[dailytomlinson]

One Direction certainly made some midnight memories.

But Louis Tomlinson tiptoed around the subject of just how many naughty antics he and his former bandmates got into as teenage heartthrobs in a new interview with Page Six.

“We were all lovely boys,” he deadpanned. “Lovely, lovely boys we were.”

Tomlinson, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne and Zayn Malik made up the boy band, which was formed on Britain’s “The X Factor” in 2010.

The quintet behind hit songs like “What Makes You Beautiful” and “Story of My Life” went on to sell over 70 million records worldwide and was adored by hordes of shrieking young fans.

Tomlinson, 31, admitted that despite being “lovely boys,” they still managed to get into some mischief.

The “Bigger Than Me” singer added that he feels grateful to have gone through the experience.

“There was something very beautiful about going through that stage of our lives [together],” he explained. “We were all very young, 16 to 18. So to be young lads and to go through the craziness together at that young age …”

Since then, Tomlinson has endured personal tragedy, losing his mother, Johannah Deakin, to leukemia in 2016 when she was 43 years old and his younger sister Félicité Tomlinson to an accidental drug overdose in 2019 at the age of 18.

Despite this, the “Kill My Mind” crooner describes himself as a “massively” optimistic person.

So much so that Tomlinson has named his latest album and world tour “Faith in the Future.”

“I think it’s a good, positive message to spread,” he explained. “And yeah, I’ve been lucky enough to always be an optimist in life. So I just kind of wanted to show that.

Tomlinson loves being on the road but does miss some things from home.

“The food,” he enthused. “Like Greggs sausage rolls. I f–king love Greggs [a UK bakery chain]. We often get a lot of s–t in England [about the cuisine]. We have s–t food apparently, but I love English food! I just had an English breakfast today actually for the first time on this American tour, so I’m a very happy guy.”

Tomlinson will be performing at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, NY, on Saturday, July 29

[cellythefloshie]

ＩＭＡＧＩＮＥ: Being Jon Cooper's Daughter and Dating Sidney Crosby Celly’s 300 Follower Appreciation

NOTE: mentions of the pandemic/lockdowns.

when you have been invited to join your father at the 2019 NHL Awards in Vegas you had merely been excited to experience the city with the greatest nightlife in America

but it also left you nervous

you hadn’t attended an event of such scale before

there were players from all over the league who were nominated

all of the NHL’s elite to be honoured

and it left you surrounded by stars

as you walked the red carpet with your father you couldn’t help but feel a little star-struck when you caught sight of Ryan O'Reilly with the Stanley Cup

and you couldn’t help but be a little tongue-tied when you found yourself in an awkward conversation with generational talent Conner McDavid and his girlfriend as you went looking for a drink

but the overwhelming feeling was but at ease when you found familiar faces

Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Victor Hedman had all been nominated along with your father for awards that year

seeing them all brought you instant relief

the team was like a second family to you 

having them all there together put you at ease 

making you a little too comfortable

it left you cheering a little too loud for Andrei as he took the stage to accept the Vezina Trophy

and louder again when Nikita accepted the Hart trophy to add to his already impressively earned Ted Lindsey and Art Ross Awards

you were standing right up out of your seat

your hands sore from the applause when you felt a pair of eyes on you

scanning the room casually from where you stood your eyes were quick to find Sidney Crosby who was all too shameless about his stare

he wore a coy smile

one that only grew as he realized you had spotted him

not once did he look away until the crowd had begun to calm and his attention returned to the stage

settling back into your seat he remained on your mind the rest of the night

and you could feel his eyes on you on occasion

you didn’t need to look his way to know it was him that was staring

you didn’t know why he would be staring

but the fact that he was left your mind to wander with curiosity

Sidney was older, very handsome, and undoubtedly the greatest player of his generation

and that night he only had eyes for you

or at the very least it seemed that way 

and it became all too clear at the after party

you should have been disappointed that your father had lost the Jakc Adams to Bary Trotz

but you had your father’s sportsmanship

you would always respect those who were victorious even when it meant taking a loss

and so you mingled at the after-party offering your congratulations to those who had taken a trophy or two home that night

you enjoyed a drink or two

and the finger food that was served

it was when you were out mingling

and your father was distracted by an enthralling conversation with Ben Bishop that Sidney approached you

he was nothing but respectable

not even touching you when the media came by taking some candid shots of you both in casual conversation before asking for a photo together

it was just when you thought you had gotten ahead of yourself in thinking that Sidney Crosby might have - at the very least - been interested in you

because the conversation was much too respectable and intelligent to be fueled by attraction

that he surprised you by asking to get away from the party

you were taken back by how forward he was about it

but you didn’t decline

it only took a moment for you to make an excuse 

you slipped away for only a moment to feed the excuse to your father who gave you a quick hug and a kiss on your temple

then you snuck out of the party with the Pittsburgh Penguins Captain

he was nothing but a gentleman as you took to the city together

finding a place to eat a real meal together 

and enjoying some of the nightlife before ending up back in his hotel room

you were sure it was going to be a one-night stand

because you didn’t leave him your number when you snuck out of his room at an ungodly hour and back to your own

and you didn’t hear from him again for weeks

not that you had given him many ways to reach you 

but somehow he had managed to get ahold of your phone number

you didn’t believe it was him at first

he was very much out of your league

older, and could get any woman he wanted with ease

plus, it was just a number on the screen after all

but when he texted you the ungodly things he had done to you in that Vegas hotel room you knew it was him

and not only was it him, but he also wanted to see you again

when you had hooked up with him you didn’t even think it was a possibility 

and yet you were making plans to see him again during the summer

A secret meet-up or two during trips that you claimed were girl’s trips were spent on private all-inclusive resorts where Sidney got to know you better than anyone

but then the hockey season came

his time was focused on his team in Pittsburgh while you were in Tampa

and you were ready to accept that it was just a crazy summer romance that only the two of you knew about

but by some chance, your paths crossed in New Jersey

you were on a work trip

and he was set to play the Devils

you convinced your colleagues to go to the game

and by the end of the night, you were in his bed

and suddenly the season was halted

put on pause as a pandemic consumed the world

and you were stuck in Jersey

flight cancellations left you grounded, unable to return to Florida without having to get a rental car and make the drive

before you could make the arrangements to get the car your company had already agreed to work from home

and you were suddenly not needed in Tampa beyond your parents insisting that you return home

but instead, you were faced with another option you hadn’t even considered could be a possibility

Sidney offered his home in Pittsburgh to you

it was a grand home, with only him to occupy and with no one knowing how long it would all last he wasn’t going into it without company

and you couldn’t stay no

at first, you had to make excuses

telling your mother and father that you were still with your coworker in a place you were able to rent in Newerk

but in reality, you were in Crosby’s home playing house

you worked from his office while he worked out in the gym

the two of you cooked your meals together 

and you kept yourself with busy with Netflix and your antics in the bedroom

but soon the secrecy was becoming too much

and your relationship with Sidney was becoming more than just killing time when he let the first “i think I’ve fallen in love with you slip”

you knew you had to tell your dad but you were worried about just how he was going to take it

telling him over a zoom call just didn’t seem right

yet that’s how it was done

and your dad was furious

not solely at the fact that you had been “dating” a hockey player

because he had always warned you to stay away from dating them

but that you had kept it a secret from him

and while your relationship with Sidney was long-lasting

your father still was never very approving of him

And neither was the team

fast forward to March 3, 2022

you returned home to Tampa to watch the Pittsburgh vs Tampa game

and you had an announcement to make over dinner before the game

Sidney had proposed

your parents couldn’t have been happier

but the Tampa Players were less than enthused

maybe it was the timing of it all

but they were all very protective of you

you were like a little sister to them and you deserved the world

they didn’t doubt that Sidney was going to be able to give that to you

but that didn’t mean they weren’t going to give him a hard time as you would forever have a roster of 22 - and alumni of big and little brothers to look out for you

when it came to game time Tampa found itself in familiar turmoils 

they went down 2-0 early in the first

and by the end of the second period, things were heated

a scrum broke out in front of the net with Cirelli going after Sidney only to face Rust instead

no one got to mess with the Captain

and when penalties were handed out and the Bolts took an extra penalty the overprotective nature of your father mixed with his passion for the game and there was no controlling him 

he was yelling so loud that the whole arena could hear it, and the officials weren’t having it

and your father was ejected from the game before it could reach its halfway point

leaving your seat you moved through the halls of Amalie and found your father alone in the locker room

he was still pretty red in the face but calmer now

you couldn’t help but feel a little responsible for his outburst as you moved to sit on the bench beside him and wrapped him in your arms

he welcomed your embrace

his cheek coming to rest against your hair

and it was there holding you that he apologized

for the outburst and for how he has been throughout your relationship with Sidney

always supportive but not always approving

because you were his daughter 

he was always going to be skeptical of a man’s intentions with you

and the engagement left him relieved but saddened

you weren’t his baby girl anymore

you were all grown up

and he couldn’t be more excited to walk you down the aisle

[tomorrowxtogether]

TOMORROW X TOGETHER: How K-Pop’s Lost Boys Found Themselves — And Global Stardom

The Umeda neighborhood of Osaka, Japan is a trendy place. In recent years, the entertainment district has become home to a number of top restaurants and luxury stores surrounding the already legendary jazz clubs for which the port city is known. With its wanderable alleys lined with abundant food marts and vintage shops, Umeda is on the forefront of culture – making it the perfect place to meet up with one of the most voguish musical acts currently working.

The members of South Korean pop group TOMORROW X TOGETHER are in Japan smack in the middle of their 2023 “ACT: SWEET MIRAGE” world tour. It’s mid-morning the day before the show when the group rolls into a cozy hotel suite one by one, picking from the mountain of snacks and juices in the corner and bowing politely as they sit.

There’s Soobin, the soft-spoken, painfully endearing leader of the group, who reaches for a small bag of candy upon entering; Yeonjun, who can deliver a wink or a wave with professional precision; Beomgyu, the contagiously cheerful baritone; Taehyun, strikingly smart, with wide eyes constantly monitoring his bandmates; and Hueningkai, the sweet-voiced, hardworking youngest.

During our two hours of individual and group interviews, the members of TOMORROW X TOGETHER (often referred to as TXT) are markedly unguarded — it’s the most relaxed I’ve ever seen a K-pop group. Soobin’s hair is still tousled from sleep; Yeonjun is lounging on the couch in a loose-fitting black tank top. More than one member appears to have slid into the hotel slippers in lieu of footwear, and all are bare-faced. It’s a rare level of vulnerability and trust in an industry that values highly intentional aesthetics for its stars. The members appear not as the coiffed performers they can also become, but simply as five young men who just woke up, chatting about a particularly thrilling chapter of their story.

The group’s most recent mini-album, January’s The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION, finds them stepping into new adventures. The album’s closing song, “Farewell, Neverland,” ties together the effort’s concept and styling, inspired heavily by the story of Neverland’s very own Lost Boys. The Lost Boys, notably, are not Peter Pan, a figure alluded to in the song “Devil by the Window” — “Temptation touched my tongue, spread the wings of desire/ He's whispering, ‘Give up, don't you put up a fight.” Rather, the story of the young adventurers surrounding Pan does feel like a better analogy for this moment in TXT’s story: Lost Boys are brave and individually talented, defined by their camaraderie, and, in some tellings of the story, they eventually choose to leave Neverland and grow up.

Asked how they’d explain this new era to fans, Beomgyu points to the lyrics of the The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION anthem “Happy Fools” featuring Coi Leray, with its chorus of, “Even if it’s a little delayed, I’m not afraid/ I’m happy every day.” Says Beomgyu, “I really want to tell them that we once wandered, and overcame this teenage phase, and are still growing. Those are the stories and messages we want to convey.”

K-pop’s Lost Boys are indeed growing up — and blowing up in the process. The quintet arrive in Japan at the top of the steep and steady upward trajectory they’ve been on over the last few years. It began with their 2019 debut, The Dream Chapter: STAR, which introduced the world to a refreshingly joyful sound from a group ready to explore the highs and lows of youth through a different lens than many of their K-pop peers.

While some other groups at the time leaned into rebellion in their lyrics and noise elements in their sounds, TOMORROW X TOGETHER arrived on the scene with hopeful, playful pop. Their very first release, “CROWN,” takes the stress of feeling different and turns it into a strength: “There's a horn rising out of my head/ But I love it/ You became my crown.” Some artists distance themselves from early material, but that first EP’s “Cat & Dog” and “Our Summer” both appear on the set list for this year’s “ACT: SWEET MIRAGE.”

Even the screeching halt of 2020 didn’t prevent the members from building on the momentum from their debut. Although they couldn’t connect with audiences in person, their sparkling pandemic-era release, minisode1: Blue Hour, with its particularly addictive title track, helped the group find a footing in the global market.

By the summer of 2022, they’d stepped onto a yet larger world stage. They became the first K-pop act to perform at Chicago’s Lollapalooza, delivering such a successful set that they’ve already been bumped up to headliner status for 2023. The “ACT: SWEET MIRAGE” tour, which arrived in America in early May, is also an exciting step up from the group’s previous trek, 2022’s “ACT: LOVE SICK.” While the last tour had TXT in theaters that sold out comically fast, this year sees the group upgraded to arenas.

“I can feel that there are literally more MOA in numbers, right in front of my eyes,” Soobin says, referring to the shorthand for the group’s beloved fandom, Moments of Alwaysness. “The scale is bigger — I think it’s flashier.”

“Since we have more MOAs this time, we can have even more fun,” confirms Yeonjun.

The day after our conversation, the members take the stage at the 10,000-capacity Maruzen Intec Arena, where deeply immersive sets, dramatic lighting, pyrotechnics, moving platforms, and dazzling costume changes make for a hypnotic three-hour spectacle. When they return for a recently announced Osaka show in July, they’ll be at the Kyocera Dome, which has more than triple the capacity at 36,000.

Speaking to how the show will translate to their upcoming Lollapalooza set, Taehyun shares, “There’s still time to set some specifics, but you’ll get a lot of hints from this tour.”

​​”When we were performing for the first time at Lollapalooza last year, I felt a little pressured and worried, rather than excited, because I had to perform in front of a lot of people that don’t know us,” Soobin recalls. “But last year, I saw that people were just there to enjoy, and they enjoyed our show — so now that we’re going back with the title of headliner, I’m not worried this time. It’s also a good opportunity to present ourselves to people that don’t know us, so I think I’m going to enjoy myself even more this time.”

There’s a palpable sense of excitement among the bandmates around that idea of headliner status. “When I saw our name the biggest it could be, I thought, ‘Could this be real?’” says Beomgyu. “When I was performing there last year, I remember thinking, ‘Could there be more people than this?’”

Considering half of their four-year public existence was during lockdowns, TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s ascension has been remarkable. As K-pop has become ingrained in the musical mainstream and the crowd of idols continues expanding, there’s a clear global demand for TXT: Not only are they major festival headliners, but The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION was the group’s first project to land at No.1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. “I think I got more confident in our next album, and promotions, too,” says Taehyun of this latest achievement.

TOMORROW X TOGETHER formed through the former Big Hit Entertainment, which now exists as BIGHIT MUSIC under the umbrella of HYBE. If those names ring a bell, it could be due to the fact that HYBE is also the company behind BTS — but, although the members of TXT would be the first to heap glowing praise and thanks upon the artists they refer to as their “seniors'' in the industry, the two groups don’t have much in common beyond the offices they all share in Seoul.

HYBE founder Bang Si-hyuk, a businessman with an evident passion for songwriting, oversaw the formation of TXT and even co-penned the lyrics to that first track, “CROWN.” Under the direction of Bang, HYBE grew from a humble underdog running behind the other major K-pop players into an international force. The corporation has been named on Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential Companies list two years in a row now — and TXT’s own story is a major part of that journey.

“It's incredible to see how much they have grown to be incredible artists over the years,” shares HYBE producer Slow Rabbit when reached over email. He calls it “an honor” to have been working with TXT since before they were introduced to the public. “Looking back, it's surreal to think that they were the last group to debut in a small office building in Gangnam before moving into the HYBE headquarters in [the Seoul neighborhood of] Yongsan. It feels like we've been preparing for their success for a very long time, but it's all been worth it.”

As K-pop has broadened its global reach, it’s arguably become more competitive, too. With all the varied sub genres, aesthetics, team dynamics, and performance styles, fans can practically cherry-pick their ideal group. Ask MOA, and they’ll say there are a few things TXT does exceptionally well: There’s an unabashed joy woven into their sound, from the dreamy haze of 2019’s “Our Summer” to the infectious cheer of the dance break in 2021’s “No Rules.” As for their performances, TXT engender a communal feeling through constant engagement and communication with the audience, enticing their fans to join their young crew – if only for the duration of the show.

Since first coming together in 2017, the members have developed a tight-knit dynamic that makes them that much easier to root for, and makes MOA feel like more than just supporters. It goes beyond “fan service,” as TXT is always striving for authenticity in how they communicate with MOA. Beomguy notes the members “get a lot of energy from Weverse,” HYBE’s proprietary communication platform allowing direct communication and media sharing between artists and fans.

TXT’s pixie-dusted team dynamic, immediately discernible, also differentiates them from other K-pop projects. There are some that operate playfully, displaying their rapport through good-natured teasing. Others take a strictly professional approach, reasonably regarding their teammates more as coworkers who clock in, put on great performances, and clock out. TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s relationship could best be described as familial, displaying a reassured ease that stems from years of safety and trust. It’s a camaraderie that begets fearlessness, knowing that members of this brotherhood have each other’s backs.

“When we are on standby behind the LED screen between sections of the concert, I’m so out of breath,” says Soobin. “But when I hear the members’ voices in my in-ears, saying, ‘Hold on, we can do it, we’re almost there,’ they cheer me up and bring strength to me.”

“I’ve started leaning on my members,” explains Beomgyu. “Rather than feeling the strength of just one member, I feel the strength of the team.”

Throughout an incredibly demanding tour, which has a set list of over 25 songs (most requiring intense choreography), that reliance on one another is essential. “The things we have to do every day are not easy,” says Taehyun. “There are challenges on this tour that we can only do as a team.”

Hueningkai, who was only 16 years old when the group debuted, describes his bandmates as his “second family.” “Since we are five different people with five unique strengths, there are so many things to learn from each other,” he says. “I think I learned from Yeonjun how to use the stage as a whole and enjoy it — I don’t think I actually had a good sense of how to do that during the ‘ACT: LOVE SICK’ tour, but I learned from watching Yeonjun.”

Taehyun immediately jumps in, ready to hype up his bandmate: “Since our set list this time is so demanding with a lot of dances, I see Hueningkai and realize that he’s stronger than I thought — he has a lot of stamina.”

The members often spend their downtime with one another, too. Beomgyu shares that they enjoy going shopping and swimming, despite the fact that studio time, rehearsals, dance practices, and press moments already require them to be together nearly constantly. When asked what part of their work they most enjoy, dance practice or recording new music, Beomgyu goes with option C.

“Being home, in the dorm,” he says. Across from him, Soobin nods. “That’s a perfect answer.”

Although they enjoy their spare time, the boys come alive on stage – though the Japanese crowd behaves differently than what an American might find familiar. A concert here, even one at an arena like Maruzen Intec, is treated more like a Broadway show; upon checking in, a staff member explains that there is absolutely no video or photography permitted.

The lights go down and the Twitter meme “not a cellphone in sight” becomes unironic reality; throughout the nearly three hours the members spend onstage, I don’t spot a single mobile device or camera. The staff don’t even feel the need to lock up phones or provide the magnetically-sealed Yondr pouches you might see at certain shows in the US. People respectfully keep their technology tucked away.

I’m told to expect a difference in the way Japanese concertgoers interact with artists compared to crowds I’m more familiar with, and it’s distinct. There’s polite applause and a smattering of cheers between songs, but the audience often quickly falls silent enough that the sound of the members’ shoes squeaking across the stage is audible. While it might not have quite the adrenaline rush associated with a US show – “American MOAs really know how to party during a concert,” according to Yeonjun – there’s something undeniably intimate and sweet about the experience, a personal aspect that’s all too rare in the digital age.

As performers, understanding nuances like this and being able to tailor a meticulously planned show to global audiences requires hard work. The day before the concert, following our chat, TOMORROW X TOGETHER hold an extensive rehearsal in the empty arena. They run through almost the entire show, choreography and all, carefully preparing their comments in Japanese. (The members’ native language is Korean, and they’re also practicing their English, making this the third language they’ve worked with in just a few hours.) The concert’s Japanese lift includes introductions and opening comments, transitions between songs, audience interactions and games, and heartfelt closing remarks. While the bandmates take turns with the phrases, Taehyun diligently watches the monitors, quietly noting errors and helping when someone encounters a linguistic challenge.

In contrast with our time at the hotel, where only an interpreter and single HYBE employee accompany TXT, the arena is a flurry of equipment and criss-crossing staff. Despite their age — even the oldest of the group, Yeonjun, is just 23 — the bandmates move through the backstage maze of scaffolding and string lights like the seasoned professionals they are.

Throughout the days spent with their camp, staff members in their closest orbit speak of the group with utter fondness and pride. When showtime comes, and the same boys who took turns finding their light during rehearsal transform and step onstage in princely outfits, not a hair out of place, it’s easy to see why the people around them find such satisfaction and joy watching this young group of men band together and flourish.

TOMORROW X TOGETHER are similarly diligent in all elements of their career, particularly songwriting. As with past releases, the members were heavily involved with the development of The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION, which isn’t always the case in K-pop. That personal touch paid off in an album brimming with maturity, audible evidence of the group’s continued evolution.

The focus track, “Sugar Rush Ride,” is a high-octane jolt of adrenaline with eye-catching choreography that feels urgent and fresh, a true accomplishment for a group that has conditioned fans to expect top-tier performances. “Devil by the Window” kicks off the album with a throbbing dance beat and pushes the members into their lower registers to deliver lyrics wary of “a wolf in sheep’s clothes” seducing them to “stay when you’re tempted to leave.” “Tinnitus (Wanna be a rock)” is an exceptionally smooth bossa-nova bop delivered with bewitching confidence.

“When I look at the individual members, I see that they are all improving in their own unique ways,” observes Slow Rabbit. “Their songwriting, lyrics, and producing skills continue to mature with each project they undertake. They are constantly striving to get better at what they are good at… They have the confidence to experiment with bold ideas.”

“We’ve been performing a [new] song called ‘Blue Spring’ during our tour,” shares Beomgyu. “We started from toplining and incorporated the lyrics the members wrote, and the entire process was so fun and interesting. In the future, I hope I can write an entire track myself and continue to grow.”

Hueningkai wants to do more songs in the future that have a “band vibe” — think the group’s stellar track “0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You)” featuring Seori. Yeonjun and Beomgyu want to dig into the hip-hop sound they played around with more during their debut era. Taehyun thinks the members would do a great job with a jazz song. He’s also grown to love toplining and lyric writing, and shares that he wanted to lug his production equipment on tour with him (it was, unfortunately, too heavy for his carry-on).

Following an album inspired by one of the most famous stories about fighting the temptation to never grow old, the group is determined to keep developing as they leave their “teenage phase” further behind. It’s only by maturing that they’ll continue to find new ways to explore the wide-reaching experiences faced not just by the group, but the audience growing up with them. Receiving the reactions to The Name Chapter: TEMPTATION has invigorated them and filled them with hope for the next stage of their career.

“I think right now, this moment, is TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s momentum,” observes Taehyun. “All five of us are ready — and we are confident.”

American fans who snagged tickets to the “ACT: SWEET MIRAGE” tour will be taken on a journey through TXT’s discography: the energetic, youthful Dream Chapter; the hard-hitting, sprawling Chaos Chapter; a dip into the playfully bad boy era of Thursday’s Child; and the recently introduced Temptation Chapter. With the setlist weaving in and out of these different periods, we witness firsthand how their various chapters are all part of an epic that’s still being written.

As Soobin mentioned, there are instances between dance numbers where the members are heard trying their hardest to catch their breath, offering the briefest glimpse of the hours of hard work required to pull off such an intense production. Details like the orchestral flourishes added to “Blue Hour,” a new dance solo for Hueningkai, and backdrops that wouldn’t feel out of place in a Disney theme park create an otherworldly, mystical atmosphere.

Eventually, though, the lights come up, the show ends, and the crowd begins to spill out as the streetlights of Osaka flicker on. By morning, the last few scraps of confetti on the arena floor will be the only indicator that the members of TOMORROW X TOGETHER were there. But that doesn’t mean our Lost Boys have returned to Neverland, never to grow up. They have too much still to learn and too many stories still to tell for that.

They’re only flying higher.

[ceasarslegion]

You've been kicked out of an Applebee's? That's possible?

(Also do not take a yellow cab in New York. Please. Those things are not a viable option for anyone)

i got kicked out of the worlds largest applebees specifically. in times square. because of a stupid tourist moment that in hindsight is quite funny

we took an overnight bus to NYC in november of 2019. We were second year uni students at this point and all 20 years old. So, well past the legal drinking age in canada. We had been going to bars and ordering drinks at restaurants for a bit at this point. First proper day there, we wanted to get lunch while we were in times square, and saw the worlds largest applebees, and thought it was funny, so we went there.

Ordered our lunch, saw a very yummy looking cocktail on the menu, went "ehhh we're not driving and we're on vacation, why not!" and ordered a round of it for the table not thinking twice about it. Asks for our IDs, we pull out our clearly canadian IDs that clearly stated we were 20 at the time, and got "whaddaya tryna pull here, ya think yer bein' funny?" from who was obviously a VERY local new yorker who was also VERY sick of canuck tourist bullshit trying to play coy about the US's insanely high drinking age.

So we got booted out for trying to illegally order cocktails at the worlds largest applebees in times square, when we had all legitimately just forgot that you can enlist in the military and kill foreigners in the states but you cant have a beer for the next 3 years.

[lil-gae-disaster]

Spidersona Timeline (Novah- Centric)

31st July 2006 - Novah's birth

2011 - Novah, Natja and Natasha move to the US

2011 - visit in Natashas lab, freeing of Coy

31st July 2018 - visit in Natasha's lab, the spider bite

01st August 2018 - start developing of superpowers

Early August 2018 - Nathaniel N.s death

Mid August 2018 - debut as Spiderweb

Late September 2019 - first kidnapping, death of yet unnamed past best friend

Early summer 2020 - second kidnapping, death of Doc Oc / Gwen Stacy

Early autumn 2020 - Coy comes to Novah's class

Early autumn 2020 - Deadpool debut

16th December 2020 - Coy and MJ get together

Late December 2020 - Black Cat debut

January 2021 - Black Cat identity reveal

September 2021 - MJs disappearance

October 2021 - Remarriage of MJs mom

February 2022 - MJs reappearance

01st August 2022 - Recruitment into Spider Society

Summer 2023 - Miles Chase

Winter 2023 - Natasha and Natja fly to Germany

24th December 2023 - Christmas celebration of Spider Society

24th December 2023 - discovery of Noah N as a spider person

Canon drawings(not including the dates of my first attempt of a timeline):

I have told @ashlamsms a more detailed version in her ask 😌😊

Also: You're free to draw my spidersona if you want I can give you color palettes n designs I've worked out if you need