#drop the qta+

[kikifem]

Asexual moid appreciation posts keep showing up on my timeline. I’m extremely “acephobic” and I hate men. Stop.

[a-small-batch-of-dragons]

QTA: Together

Hello! It's the time of year again where teachers talk about what to do in case of a school shooting, which is a big trigger for my anxiety, and when I'm anxious I like to project on Virgil, so I was wondering if you could do something with that — maybe in the homophobia ft. queer teacher alliance universe because that one already has the right set up. Sorry for rambling, and as always: I love your writing and feel free to ignore this. – anon

Read on Ao3

Warnings: discussion of school shootings

Pairings: none

Word Count: 2702

    Sometimes, there are things that surprise Virgil with how much they make him freak out. These can come in the whoa-didn't-know-that-was-a-trigger variety, the holy-shit-wasn't-expecting-that variety, and the for-fuck's-sake-how-are-you-people-this-awful variety. Unfortunately, lately, most of the things have been that third kind, because this is high school and apparently pretty much everyone else got the 'we're gonna be racist, homophobic, and otherwise bigoted now' memo and Virgil was skipped.

Sometimes, though, he knows exactly what's going to set off his…everything, and boy howdy, is today no exception.

Mr. Everheart gathers them all in right before classes start and Virgil can just tell that something's about to go horribly for him. It's a skill, honestly, something he's honed over the past few years of having his brain be an absolute nonsense machine that insists on being a shit. Mr. Everheart clicks a few things on his computer before he wheels his chair out to speak to them and yep, oh no, shit's about to go down.

"I won't keep you for long," he starts, and his voice is serious enough to make even the most rambunctious kids from interrupting, "but I've been informed that the next topic I have to discuss in these little homeroom talks is what to do in the event of a school shooting."

The room goes dead quiet.

Ooh, bad choice of words.

The room goes awfully quiet. Virgil swears he can feel the temperature drop a few degrees. He risks a quick glance around and sees that everyone's looking at Mr. Everheart, even though a few of them are still on their phones under the table. Across the room, he sees two of them reach out and hold onto each other, another few shuffling closer to each other as if the proximity will help keep the worst of it at bay.

It won't, his brain whispers, you know it won't.

Shut the fuck up, you.

While he's scolding his brain for being rude, he realizes he's missed a good part of Mr. Everheart's talk. A sinking feeling takes hold of his stomach when he tunes back in to realize that he doesn't need to have listened this time; it's exactly the same one they had last year. Some hysterical part of him wants to laugh; how rote have these fucking tragedies become that it's now rote? Like it's something to be read off like a fucking lesson plan, like it's something they just do now, just casually prepare for one of the worst things that can happen in a school, just accept that one day they all might walk in and not all walk out?

He squeezes the keychain on his backpack a little tighter and takes a shuddering breath.

"Mr. Everheart?"

Virgil looks up as Lily raises her hand. Mr. Everheart nods. "Yes, kiddo?"

"How likely do you think it is that a shooting will happen in our school?"

They all turn to look at him expectantly. He taps his fingers against his knuckles where his hands are folded in his lap. He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "I made a promise to you, didn't I, when these homeroom talks started?"

"Yes, Mr. Everheart."

"And that was that I would never lie to you, even if the curriculums tell me to say something different, I will do my best to be completely and totally honest with you."

The air conditioning hums and rattles in the background.

"I don't know, Lily," Mr. Everheart says after another moment, "I'd like to say I do. That I could read you some statistics and put your minds at ease, that I could say with confidence that I know that none of our students would ever do something like that, but…"

His voice cracks slightly on the last word and to Virgil's horror, he can see him hold back tears. A few other students aren't so lucky and sniffles come from the corners of the room.

"I don't have an answer for you," he says and it's the best and worst thing he could have said, "I'm sorry, Lily."

Lily shakes her head. "No, thank you, Mr. Everheart."

A small chorus of thank you, Mr. Everheart goes up around the room and Virgil watches his face crumple for a moment before manages to smile again. He frowns, wondering why it took him a moment, before the horrifying truth crosses his mind and he almost gags from the sudden sickness in his stomach.

In a school shooting, the teachers are prepared to die for the students. Mr. Everheart just had his homeroom thank him for being ready to die for them.

Holy fucking shit.

It's hard for him to tell who breaks first but then Virgil blinks and half a dozen students are up out of their chairs and hugging Mr. Everheart. He gets up with everyone else, crowding around to just be like I'm here, I'm with you, thank you, I'm sorry, I'm scared too, will you be scared with me? The horrible air conditioning buzzes and a few people sniffle and everybody just stays quiet until they feel like they're not about to be forgotten the moment they pull away.

"You're all wonderful," he hears Mr. Everheart manage, his voice slightly too thick, "you're all such wonderful people."

"You too, Mr. Everheart."

"You're the best homeroom teacher ever."

Please, they're all saying to each other without the right words, please don't die for me, I couldn't take it.

The bell rings a few moments later and regretfully they all pull away, swiping tissues from tissue boxes and patting shaking shoulders. Mr. Everheart ruffles hair and gets in one last hug here and there before sending them all off to class. Virgil manages to make it through the hallway without having a breakdown and all but collapses into his seat in the next classroom. His hands are still trembling.

For better or worse, it seems like the whole school is getting the school shooting talk today, because no one puts a fucking toe out of line for the rest of the day. There aren't any bullies or homophobes or anything, not even when things come up in class or he sees a few of them shooting looks at him. But nothing comes of it; he offers an awkward wave and they just nod back. Someone accidentally slams a locker and everyone in the hall flinches. A chip bag pops and the student next to Virgil starts crying. He sees one of his teachers pull their phone out and explain their saved information to a student who starts to make their own list. The buzz never leaves its place just under Virgil's skin and he drifts through the school.

Three days later, they have a drill.

He's out in the hallway. He's not supposed to be out in the hallway. He's supposed to be in class. But he had to use the bathroom. Now he's in the hallway. His classroom is on the other side of the school. The locks start buzzing all around him. The doors are locking. He can't get inside. He can't run. They'll think he's a shooter. He can't bang on the door. He can't get in. What if the shooter finds him?

"Virgil!"

He turns. Mr. Mackenzie waves at him. Mr. Mackenzie's door is still open. It's Mr. Mackenzie.

"Come on!"

Virgil blinks. He's inside Mr. Mackenzie's classroom. The door closes. The lock buzzes. He's huddled on the ground behind the desk away from the door. Mr. Mackenzie does something and then he's right next to him. Mr. Mackenzie is safe, right? He's been kind to him, he's been nice, he hasn't minded when Virgil gets all messy and upset, he's—he's good, he's fine, he's—he's—

"Shh," Mr. Mackenzie murmurs, his voice pitched low and his hands quiet in front of him, "it's alright, Virgil, you're alright. Can you look at me?"

Virgil looks up. His chest hurts. Why does his chest hurt?

"You're having an attack, Virgil," he says in that low, soothing voice again, "that's it, stay with me, now."

"I'm s—I'm so—"

"Shh, shh, don't apologize, it's alright, you've not done something wrong." To his horror, he feels tears start to well up and Mr. Mackenzie lets out a sympathetic noise. "What do you need, Virgil?"

"I can't—can't feel my hands."

"Here," and Mr. Mackenzie offers him a small teddy bear cold pack, filled with beads, "squeeze this, try and move the beads around. The feeling will start to come back."

Virgil looks at it blankly.

"Can you squeeze the bear's ear for me?"

Fingers that should be Virgil's that don't quite feel like they belong to him move to the black outline of the bear's ear and squeeze. The light brown beads move away from the pressure. One of them gets a little stuck and pops out later.

"Very good. What about his nose?"

The fingers move to the bear's nose and squeeze. It's in the center of the cold pack, so there are more beads that have to move out of the way. A few of them bump into the fingers. The top of the pack bulges out a little bit from so many beads filling it up.

"Excellent. Can you squeeze his left eye?"

The bear's eyes are closed. Why are his eyes closed? Is it dead?

"Stay with me, Virgil, squeeze the bear's left eye."

He moves his hands and squeezes. The beads squish together and move under his fingers. He does it again, watching them move around. And again, just to feel it on his other hand. Then his hands start to hurt, probably because he couldn't feel them for a long time, and he keeps going, pressing and squeezing parts of the bear's face. Belatedly, he realizes he's not following Mr. Mackenzie's instructions anymore and he looks up, only for Mr. Mackenzie to smile and shake his head.

"Go on, it's alright. That's what it's for."

He looks back down at the bear. He squeezes his ears, his nose, his eyes, his mouth. The bear is smiling with his eyes closed, maybe he's happy. He looks a bit like a children's book character. What's the last children's book he read? Was it one with a bear? Probably not. He did see a kid's cartoon show with a bear in it though. That bear was light brown too, just like this one. Did it wear a hat? Why does he have a memory of a bear wearing a hat?

He lets himself follow the train of thought through a weird fever-dream-like memory of a show he used to watch—or at least, a show he thinks he used to watch, until his hands aren't as sore anymore and he can take a deep breath without his chest feeling like it's going to explode. He lets his head tip back to rest against the wall, taking one big breath after another. After a moment, he feels the cold pack start to slip out of his hands and he sits back up. Mr. Mackenzie is still crouched in front of him, watching him carefully, but he smiles when Virgil manages to look up at him again.

"There," he murmurs, voice still barely louder than a whisper, "that seems like it's better, isn't it?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

"Of course, Virgil." He glances to his left—the door, that's where the door is—and comes to sit on Virgil's right.

Between him and the door.

Right.

Right.

"Hey," Mr. Mackenzie whispers, "stay with me, now."

"I'm here, I'm here." He shifts to ease a cramp in his leg. "How, uh, how long has it been?"

"About five to ten minutes."

"How much longer will this take?"

"I don't know."

He looks around the science classroom. Beakers stand on the side, ready to be cleaned. Three measuring cylinders still have a solution in them. One of the sinks has a thermometer balanced on the very edge. Several desks have bunsen burners set up in the middle, ready to go. Mr. Mackenzie's lab coat is still hung neatly over the back of his chair.

This should be a normal classroom. There should be students in here, messing about when they think Mr. Mackenzie isn't looking. There should be some people taking notes and some people playing with the spare test tubes. There should be someone miming pulling the emergency shower only to be cowed by a single raised eyebrow. There should be some people freaking out about open flame in a school and Mr. Mackenzie should be assuring them that it's perfectly safe, that he's taught them all how to deal with it and do experiments safely. There should be one time where someone turns the gas tap on a little too much and there's a moment of panic before calm is restored. There should be bad jokes and dramatic groans and the general hubbub of students learning in a school where that's all they're supposed to do.

But instead, the sink drips thunderously in a silent room and the only people here are him and Mr. Mackenzie.

"How are we supposed to do this?"

"Hm?"

"This," Virgil whispers, gesturing between them, the bear hanging lifelessly from his fingers, "how—how are we supposed to focus on learning like this?"

Mr. Mackenzie sighs, and it's the same weight as Mr. Everheart's was too. "I wish I had an answer for you."

"The counselor keeps saying that we just need to be smart and keep an eye out for each other," Virgil continues, "but how are we supposed to do that when we're so scared all the time?"

The bear twitches in his hands.

"I'm so scared," he admits, bringing it back to his chest and squeezing it again, "I'm so scared all the time. Do you have any idea how tiring that is? I'm supposed to—I'm not supposed to be scared for my life every time I want to go to the bathroom, I'm not supposed to know how to text like, 20 people my emergency info in three seconds, I'm not supposed to have a list of who I'm ready to die for."

Mr. Mackenzie is quiet for a long moment. Then he shifts and turns to look down at him, a solemn expression on his face. "I'm sorry, Virgil, I wish…I wish I could say something to make this better."

"Having you say it sucks helps too."

He huffs a small laugh. "It does suck. It's an awful situation, Virgil. It shouldn't be like this. And I'm sorry I can't fix it."

Virgil scoffs, leaning against the wall. "You can't be expected to fix this whole fucking mess by yourself."

"I suppose I'm not used to that either." He leans back too. "I'm used to being able to have an answer for everything in here, I have to be. When I have students handling dangerous things like open flame, or corrosive chemicals, I have to have an answer. But I can't have an answer for this."

The sink keeps dripping.

"My apologies," he murmurs after a moment, "it's not your responsibility to deal with my own emotional troubles."

"No, that was—it helps to know I'm not alone in feeling totally helpless, you know? So, thanks. It, um, it made me feel a bit better."

Mr. Mackenzie looks over and smiles at him. After a moment, he raises his arm and Virgil scoots close enough for him to lean against his side. He's given a gentle squeeze side hug and let go again, but they stay sitting close to each other.

We're here, they say to each other, I see you. I'm with you. We'll get through this, together.

General Taglist: @frxgprince@potereregina@gattonero17@iamhereforthegayshit@thefingergunsgirl@awkwardandanxiousfander@creative-lampd-liberties@djpurple3@winterswrandomness@sanders-sides-uncorrect-quotes@iminyourfandom@bullet-tothefeels@full-of-roman-angst-trash  @ask-elsalvador @ramdomthingsfrommymind@demoniccheese83@pattonsandershugs @el-does-photography @princeanxious@firefinch-ember@fandomssaremysoul@im-an-anxious-wreck@crazy-multifandomfangirl @punk-academian-witch@enby-ralsei@unicornssunflowersandstuff@wildhorsewolf @thetruthaboutthesun @stubbornness-and-spite @princedarkandstormv  @your-local-fookin-deadmeme @angels-and-dreams@averykedavra @a-ghostlight-for-roman @treasurechestininterweb @cricketanne @queerly-fluid-fan @compactdiscdraws@cecil-but-gayer@i-am-overly-complicated@annytheseal@alias290@tranquil-space-ninja @arxticandy @mychemically-imbalanced-romance@whyiask@crows-ace @emilythezeldafan@frida0043 @ieatspinalcords @snowyfires@cyanide-violence@oonagh2@xxpanic-at-the-everywherexx@rabbitsartcorner @percy-07734@triflingassailantofmyemotions @virgil-sanders-the-gay-emo@cerulean-watermelon@puffed-up-bees@meltheromanstan@joyrose-fandomer@insanitori@mavenmush@justablah65@10paradox10@uhhh-hi-there-i-am-nervous@cutebisexualmess@bella-bugatti-frogetti-baguetti@ultrageekygirl

[arthenaa]

hellAURRR delulu feeder, i miss u (SHDJDBSJSHA???) wala nagdrop by lang BECAUSE well i’ve been listening to tingin by coj and when im singing along sa bandang chorus WALA NAG FLASH SA UTAK K SI MIZU AND I WAS LIKE AAAAAAAAA KINILIG AKO MALALA HSAKDBWKWEHAJSJA LIKE YK college au and then nasa iisang campus and just with mizu along the vibes of DI PINAPANSIN INGAY SA TABI MAGULONG KAPALIGIRAN SAYO LANG ANG TINGIN DI PINAPANSIN IKAY PAIIKUTIN NG DAHAN DAHAN LANG SA GITNA MAN NG DAANNNN (kumanta si ate ??) HAHSSKDKEHSIAB baka naman... baka lang naman, fave author ko... ☺️ ANW I HOPE YOURE DOING GOOD THO STAY HYDRATED AND HEALTHY 🫶🏻

YIEE mizz ren qta,,, sige bae lagay ko yan sa priority list k ,,, DROP @ NMN OH ,,, para matag kita pag nilapag ko na HSHAHAHHAHAHA

[trans-rights-gastly]

Anyone else disappointed with Blacksad; Under the Skin?

I’m a huge fan of the comics so a game was music to my ears. Due to a technical difficulty it was released a week earlier than planned on the Playstation store and I had my pre order so it started downloading as soon as it got put online.  I’m actually so disappointed I’ve requested a refund I really hope I get it.

It’s not the story, the story is fine but this is a 2019 game that I played on the PS4. The graphics look more PS2 era and half of the time the textures didn’t even load. The voice acting is stiff and it’s so obvious when you pick a choice it branches into a different story path because the game will hang for a bit before continuing.

I guess it should play like a Telltale game but it doesn’t, every action is done with the X button and if you’re not close enough you just press X without anything happening. Unlike Telltale games your character won’t quip that ‘there is nothing here’ but instead you’re left figuring it out yourself.

About 10 minutes into the game I went to a rooftop and saw some planks leading to the next balcony over, that’s a clue, right? I guess the game didn’t think so because no matter what... It refused to give me a prompt to investigate it. So I went back into the building and the whole movement of all the characters is stale. They’re slow and have no emotion when they walk. Their eyes are also soulless and the voice acting matches. The acting on Blacksad himself is okay but your first client, Miss Dunn, gets the honor of saying ‘yes’ four times in a row and it’s the same voice clip. Also the mouths don’t really match what they’re saying which makes them look silly.

I haven’t figured out a running or sprinting button yet so everything is so slow, the game hangs every other second when it needs to load something and rarely it loads at all, I was investigating a billboard and the graphic on it just stayed blurry. Again this is a game I played on the PS4 and it isn’t even played online.  

The gameplay itself is a joke, you pick choices and the QTA are so slow it’s almost insulting. This should’ve been a visual novel, then it would’ve been fine but instead it’s this.

My verdict? I’m really disappointed especially for the price they are asking. Mind you, i’m a fan of the comics and I TRIED to like it..  You’re better playing a game that’s like it like Grim Fandango, L.A. Noire or The Wolf Among Us, which both have that Noire feeling but with actually good and engaging gameplay.

Please wait till the price drops or they patch it.

[achelei]

Vamoose.

With multiple people leaving recently my beloved company, I keep thinking if the next person will still be from QTA department. It seems everyone is rushing to get out because the extra money has been secured. How horrible is the situation in their ohh so technical world that has driven most of the subordinates to just drop and leave?

[coalcreekarmoryz]

7 Best Scopes for Deer Hunting – Reviews & Buyer’s Guide

7 Top Picks For Deer Hunters In 2019

Deer hunting is a pastime that Americans have enjoyed for generations. Deer hunting is also an activity that many Pygmies and Native Americans rely on to supply food for themselves and their families. In America, the most popular deer to hunt is the Whitetail Deer. America’s deer population is thriving, and deer can be found in abundance all over the country.

The population once suffered due to over-hunting. But now, the amount of deer is higher than ever due to the conservation efforts of many hunters. Deer hunting isn’t just enjoyable. It has proven to be a viable way of regulating the overpopulation of deer. This is necessary because an overpopulation of deer can affect the ecological makeup of the areas they inhabit. 

However, to effectively hunt deer, you must be equipped with the right equipment. One of the most essential pieces of equipment to consider if you plan on hunting deer is your scope.  Scopes come in a range of magnifications and lens types, offering varying levels of durability and eye comfort.

Finding the right scope for your gun and your caliber rounds can be daunting because of the many options on the market. In this buyer’s guide, we’ll show you some of the best scopes for deer hunting and help you narrow your search based on a variety of factors including price. Here are some of the best scopes for deer hunting.

 1- Simmons Rifle Scope 8-Point 3-9x50mm with Truplex Reticle

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This 8-point rifle scope by Simmons is not only affordable, but it offers several features unlike others in its class. This model boasts a fully-coated optic lens, which makes for a crisp, high-contrast image. 

The ¼-MOA SureGrip audible-click windage and elevation adjustments allow you to customize the scope according to your preferences. These adjustments will stay locked in regardless of the environmental conditions. With the Simmons QTA eyepiece, you can easily hone in on your target.

Another stand-out feature of this model is the 50-millimeter objective lens with 3-9x magnification. With this scope, you get a field of view of 31.4-feet at 100 yards and 10.5-foot field of view at 100 yards. To keep your eyes from getting tired, this scope also has a 3.7-inch eye-relief. It is both fog-proof and recoil-proof.

Purchasers of this scope say that the zero on this scope holds up between uses, which is a fundamental characteristic of a high-quality scope. Some people say that there is a slight blur around the edges, but nothing that will affect your sight. 

This scope by Simmons is a durable and lightweight scope for deer hunting. Considering the low price tag, you’re getting a lot of value for your money.

Specifications:

    Coated optics for high-contrast imagine

    Waterproof, recoil-proof, and fog-proof

    QTA eyepiece for easy target acquisition

    Weight: 13.2 oz

Pros

Sharp image

Easy adjustments

Consistent zero

Durable

Affordable price

Cons

  N/A

 2- Ledsniper Riflescope Adjustable Intensified Rifle Scope

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This scope has many features you’d find in a more expensive scope but at an affordable price-point. The model is extremely durable and will hold up well even after hundreds of rounds. The lighted reticle on this model works well for low-light situations.

A lot of more affordable scopes will weaken after extended wear or lose their zero, which can be frustrating since it affects your accuracy. Some users do say that the glass quality of this scope is not up to par with other models, but it is still good considering the low price-point. Overall, this scope is a solid option for people who want a high-quality scope that lasts a long time but don’t want to spend an absurd amount of money.

 Specifications:

    Red and green mil-dot reticle with illumination and 3 in sunshade

    Fog-proof, shockproof, and waterproof

    40mm tube for a prime light gathering of up to 5 levels

    Adjustable reticle brightness for each color

    6-24x magnification

    Objective diameter: 32mm

    Tube diameter: 25.4mm

    Field of view: 16.1-4 ft at 100 yds

    Eye relief: 2.5-4.25 in

    Exit pupil: 8.3-2.1mm

    Click value: ¼ ft at 100 yds

    Rangefinder reticle

    Weight: 23 oz

    Length: 15.8 in

    Included accessories: 1x protective cap, 2x scope rings for weaver/ Picatinny rail

Pros

Durable

Lighted reticle

Holds up well after extended use

Cons

  Glass quality can’t compete with higher-end models

3- Leupold Rifle Scope VX-2 3-9x40mm, Duplex Reticle 110797, Matte Black

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 This scope by Leupold has an aluminum body for maximum durability. The matte black finish on this scope makes it a classic and sleek choice that will mesh well with most gun types. Its resilient structure keeps the scope stable and recoil proof.

With this scope, you’ll also find that there’s minimal glare, making it ideal for tactical shooting. The diamond coating on the lens makes it scratch-resistant. You can also choose from 7 different reticles.

Leupold’s quantum optical system makes for a sharper image and better light transmission. It has a magnification range of 3-16x, making it perfect for long-distance shooting. The non-critical eye relief feature is handy for users who suffer from eye fatigue and strain.

This scope for deer hunting offers something a lot of other models don’t. The Leupold Lifetime guarantee. Leupold stands by their products. With this guarantee, you can be confident in your purchase.

 Specifications:

    Fog-proof and waterproof

    Versatile 3:1 zoom ratio erector system

    DiamondCoat lens coating protects your lens from scratches or abrasions

    Index Matches Lens System for optimal brightness and resolution

Pros

Aluminum body provides max durability

Recoil-proof

Minimal glare

Sharp image

Lifetime guarantee

Cons

  N/A

4- Bushnell AR Optics 3-9x/40mm BDC Reticle Riflescope, Drop Zone with Side Parallax and Target Turrets, Matte Black

Y

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Good accuracy in any tactical scenario stems from a durable and reliable scope. This Bushnell scope is not only precise but performs well in all settings. It maintains peak performance even after extended use.

The target turrets in this scope enable exact adjustments for optimum accuracy. This model zeros at 100 yards and with aiming points out to 500 yards. The multi-coated optics provide high brightness, and the fast focus eyepiece makes it simple to locate your target quickly. 

This scope is nitrogen purged to block out internal moisture. An O-ring seal ensures no dirt or debris enters. The body is made of aluminum alloy with an anodized finish. The rust-proof and scratch-proof body is beautifully finished to complement all rifles nicely. Some users do complain that the scope is a bit heavy, but most people quickly adjust to it after using it repeatedly. Bushnell does mention that the erector cap assembly may not allow for the use of extra-low or low scope rings.

Specifications:

Riflescope of 3-9x40mm

Multi-coated optics

Compatible with many different hunting rifles

Drop Zone-223 BDC Ballistic Reticle with 55-62 grain calibration

500-yard aiming points with 223 REM/5.556 loads with

Side focus parallax adjustment for optimum accuracy

Fast-focus eyepiece

Target turrets (1/4 MOA click value) for precise adjustments

Pros

Target turrets help with accuracy

High brightness

Stays clean because of nitrogen purging

Affordable

 Cons

Heavy

  5- Zeiss Conquest V4 3-12x56mm Riflescope, Capped Turret, Z-Plex Reticle, Black

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This high-quality scope by Zeiss utilizes all of the brand’s popular optics technology. With a 4x zoom and carefully crafted mechanics, this scope out-performs many other scopes in its class. The craftsmanship on this scope is excellent. The sleek design is as beautiful as it’s tactful, and Zeiss does a good job of minimizing weight without sacrificing any important features.

The 3-12×56 scope makes this a prime choice for both day and night hunting. A large-diameter lens coupled with an illuminated reticle make for ultra-accurate shots regardless of lighting.

Something unique about this model is the parallax compensation. High magnifications sometimes can skew the field of view. This scope combats that with the parallax compensation feature, so you never have to worry about losing accuracy.

Zeiss designs all their products with the average hunter in mind. Bulky products can significantly impact your hunt, so this scope is lightweight and easy to maneuver.

One downfall of this product is the high price point. While it certainly isn’t as expensive as some other models, it still may be inaccessible for your average hunter. However, some argue that while it is expensive, it’s worth investing in a quality riflescope that will last you a long time.

Specifications:

    4x zoom

    90% light transmission

    Full target acquisition

    Second focal plane reticle changes

    Highly repeatable turret

    Ballistic stop

    Large adjustment range

Pros

Lightweight

Ideal for daytime and nighttime use

Parallax compensation

Large-diameter lens

Cons

High price

6- Vortex Optics Viper HS Second Focal Plane Riflescopes

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The advanced optical system and 4x zoom range of this scope equip you with a versatility necessary for hunting at varying ranges. The 30mm one-piece machined aircraft-grade aluminum tube is hard-wearing and designed to last.

This model offers a dual-use system, so you can switch between tactical shooting and hunting. The dead-hold BDC MOA reticle with a customized hashmark design can help you avoid errors when making holdover and windage corrections.

As a reference point for magnification setting, this scope comes with a MAG-View Fiber Optic. The fast-focus eyepiece is perfect for convenient and easy reticle focusing. To ensure ease of adjustment, this scope also uses a precision-glide erector system.

The rugged construction of this scope helps withstand recoil and reduce impact. Capped quick-reset turrets allow you to re-index your zero quickly and efficiently. Users of this scope attest to its powerful color rendition and unobtrusive tactical reticle. What this model does well is simplicity. Many hunters have a hard time adjusting to scopes with features that are too complicated or even unnecessary.

The price point of this model is high but nowhere near the price point of some higher-end models. For hunters who want something practical and reliable, this model is a powerful option.

 Specifications:

    XD glass for sharper image

    XR multi-coated lens for prime light-capturing

    30mm main tube for increased elevation and windage travel

    Scratch-resistant Armortek coating on exterior lenses

    Argon purging for fog-proofing and waterproofing

    Sleek hard-anodized matte black finish

Pros

Dual-use system (easy to switch between tactical and hunting)

Custom hashmark design

Easy reticle focusing

Good color rendition

Cons

  High price

7- Nikon Buckmasters II Matte Riflescope 3-9x40mm BDC 1in, Waterproof

Check Current Price

This model by Nikon is one of the most trusted rifle scopes among deer hunters. The clarity and brightness of this scope are unmatched, and users are always impressed by the generous eye relief. 

Some other useful features of this model include the 100-yard parallax setting and the fully multi-coated lens for which Nikon is famous. These features provide superior accuracy compared to models that use lower-quality materials. 

Nikon’s dead-hold BDC reticle makes it easy to stay focused while shooting. The see-through ballistic circles are ideal for long-range hunting because they don’t skew your sight at all, no matter the distance. Anti-reflective compounds on the glass surface keep the image clear, vibrant, and well-lit.

Positive-click reticle adjustments zero in quick and stay that way, even if you are experiencing a lot of recoil. Like all of Nikon’s scopes, you get a lifetime warranty that protects against any manufacturer defects.

For hunters who want something lightweight, accurate, and thoughtfully designed, this model checks all the boxes. At its affordable price point, there’s no reason not to give it a try. 

Specifications

Optimum brightness and image sharpness

Fully multi-coated lenses

Nikon’s patented BDC reticle

Fog-proof, waterproof, and shockproof

Pros

Clarity and brightness

100-yard parallax setting

Dead-hold BDC reticle

Warranty

 Cons

  N/A

FAQs

How much magnification is needed for long-range shooting?

It can be challenging to decide on the proper magnification for long-range shooting because you must consider many factors like scope/glass quality and shooting conditions. Also, it is possible to have too much magnification and to skew your field of view. That said, a 3-18x is a solid option for most distances. 

Does magnification change MOA?

Scopes that operate in the first focal plane don’t affect your MOA no matter what magnification you use. Usually, your MOA is correct at your optic’s highest magnification setting. Once you’re in the second focal plane, magnification does start affecting your MOA, and you must learn how to compensate. Let’s say you’re using an optic with a 10-power magnification. With your magnification set at 10x, you have a 1 MOA at 100 yards.

What is the best scope power for deer hunting?

You don’t need a scope with absurdly high power for deer hunting. Anything over 10x will likely just add bulk to your rifle and cost you more money than necessary. When shopping for a scope, choose a scope with a high sharpness so you’re able to make out a deer against backgrounds of a similar color. Also, make sure your scope is durable and doesn’t break its zero. This will throw off your accuracy, sometimes dramatically.

What is the best scope magnification for deer hunting?

Don’t opt for anything with a magnification of less than 8x. This is because deer tend to be jumpy and will easily be scared off if you get too close. Something else that will help you at long distances is a parallax adjuster that will remove the parallax, which tends to appear at long distances.

What is the best rifle scope under $500?

Scopes can be an expensive piece of equipment, sometimes costing thousands of dollars. Luckily for hunters, many affordable options come with a lot of the features that higher-end models boast. While it sits right at the $500 mark, we do think that the Vortex Optics Viper HS Second Focal Plane Rifle scope is the best value scope because of its durable design, sharp image, and accuracy.

What’s the best scope for a 6.5 Creedmoor?

The best scope for a 6.5 Creedmoor is the Zeiss Conquest V4 3-12x56mm Riflescope, Capped Turret, Z-Plex Reticle, Black. Although the price is a bit high, it’s an investment you won’t be sorry you made. This scope has full target acquisition, 90% light transmission, and is ideal for both nighttime and daytime shooting.

 Conclusion

Finding a quality scope that works well for your lifestyle is important, so we hope that this guide aided you in your search. When looking for the best scope for deer hunting, remember to find something with a high magnification range, a sharp lens for easy discernibility, and a lightweight build.

Deer are fast and intelligent creatures. A scope that is accurate and easy to adjust is essential if you want to do well during a hunt. Don’t feel like you need to spend an absurd amount of money on a scope. There are plenty of accessible options that have features comparable to higher end models. 

Ultimately, it’s about deciding on your priorities and finding a model that suits your hunting style. For more content about hunting and to read some of our other buyers guides, click here.

  The post 7 Best Scopes for Deer Hunting – Reviews & Buyer’s Guide appeared first on Coal Creek Amory.

[newstfionline]

How An Attempt To Isolate Qatar Has Made It The Easiest Country To Visit In The Middle East

Dominic Dudley, Forbes, Sep 4, 2018

When the quartet of Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE launched an economic and diplomatic boycott of Qatar last summer, they hoped to swiftly force Doha to change its behavior in a whole host of areas, from closing down the Al Jazeera television network to cutting ties with Iran and Turkey.

It hasn’t quite worked out as they hoped. Instead of bending to the will of its four neighbours Qatar has fought back, building new trade links with other countries and fighting a canny diplomatic battle against its adversaries.

One unexpected consequence of the dispute is that Qatar has become one of the most open countries in the world to visitors. Soon after the boycott was launched, Qatar began to reform its visa rules, expanding the number of countries it offered visa-free entry to and extending the time period of transit visas for passengers wanting to take a look around between flights.

The changes were an effort to fill more seats on the expensively-assembled fleet of Qatar Airways and to ensure passengers kept using the country’s vast new airport, Hamad International. As a result, Qatar has now become the easiest country in the region to visit.

In its latest Visa Openness Report, published on September 3, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (WTO) said Qatar now ranks as the eighth most open in the world in terms of visa facilitation. As recently as 2014, it was down in 177th position in the world. This is despite the fact that the Middle East is the least open region globally when it comes to visa requirements for travelers.

Qatar now allows nationals of 88 countries to enter without a visa and without paying a fee, including the likes of China and Russia. In some respects, the reforms have paid off. According to the Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), arrivals from India grew by 18% in the first half of 2018 compared to the same period last year, while visitor numbers from China increased by 43% and from Russia by 366%.

However, the broader picture shows an industry that is still struggling. The QTA says total visitor numbers to the country have plunged by a third over the last year, with 945,000 coming in the first half of this year compared to 1.46 million in the same period of 2017. Most of the fall is a result of neighbours steering clear of the country, with arrivals from the rest of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries collapsing by 84% to just over 100,000. Visitors from other Arab countries also fell by 45% to around 63,000.

Hotel occupancy rates also slipped slightly to 60% for the first half of 2018 and Qatar Airways says it has had to cope with substantial financial losses.

Qatar’s travel industry is not the only one taking a hit as a result of the boycott though. The latest financial report from Dubai’s Emirates airline noted that 4,658 fewer flights were handled at Dubai’s two airports in the 12 months to the end of March this year. The drop was “mainly due to the termination of flights between Dubai and Qatar,” it said.

Qatar’s visa reform process actually began before the economic boycott was launched against the country, with the government commissioning the WTO to prepare a study on its visa system in 2014. However, the dispute with its neighbours appears to be a key factor in pushing forward with changes above and beyond what the WTO had advised.

[sunnywonie]

Terima kasih buat hari ini!!!! Sampe ketemu di Osaka !!!!! ♡♡♡♡♥♡♡ Terima kasih buat para fans yg berbagi pic, video ... sNgat bisa bikin qta girang g ketulungan... #smtownseoul #yunhofrom東方神起burningdown #monstercomeback #drop #solostage

[a-small-batch-of-dragons]

QTA: Queer Teacher Alliance

so, homophobia ft. queer teacher alliance? incredible fic, I have gone back and reread that thing at least five times becuase the comfort is immaculate 👌 anyway, becuase of that, I have returned with another lil request for u to consider! after the whole homophobic argument mess, virgil has to get his class switched, and surprise surprise, his new teacher for that period is one of the other sides! (idk which one, any would be chill) I was thinking a couple little snapshots (maybe a sort of 5+1 deal except I dont know what the +1 would be haha) of v in that class, possibly a little h/c sprinkled in becuase i am a weak man with a primal need for soft things :) thank u very much for considering! I love reading your works, and I geeked out a totally reasonable amount when u answered my last request <333 - vinbee631

Read on Ao3

Warnings: homophobia

Pairings: none

Word Count: 3666

Virgil doesn't really expect much to change

Virgil doesn't really expect much to change. Come on, it's high school, they don't do much to take care of you. He thinks he'll be lucky to get away with that one day of being slightly coddled by his surprisingly accommodating also gay teachers and then it'll be back to grind.

But he gets taken out of all the classes he has with that teacher, Kyle, and Leslie.

He still has all the same teachers, just at different times. It's…honestly?

That would've been enough.

But then this week happens.

It starts off with art class. Mr. Dagenheart's introducing a new unit that's supposed to be about 'identity' or something super vague that's basically just an excuse for people to do whatever they want and bullshit something at the end. Of course there are gonna be some try-hards and people that are actually good at art that are gonna be amazing, but Virgil's just looking to coast through this and not try too hard.

Then come the whispers.

Gossip in high school spreads like wildfire, so it's no surprise that everyone knows why Virgil was transferred out of the other class. Don't get him wrong, some people came up to him and were very much all that was shitty and fucked up and I'm sorry, tell me if anyone else does that and I'll kick their asses, which was nice, but this is still high school and his standards are practically nonexistent after everything.

So when 'identity' gets dropped as the new theme, he's not surprised in the slightest when people start giving him little looks.

Fuck. Is this where I have to embrace my identity as the Gay Kid? Am I expected to make some big thing about how my 'identity' is being gay and all that shit?

I don't even like rainbows that much.

Even so, when everyone splits up and starts brainstorming ideas for what sort of art piece they want to create, Virgil finds himself idly writing the words 'gay' and 'rainbow' down on his piece of paper as he starts randomly sketching something reminiscent of all the actual good pieces of art he's seen.

"Virgil?"

"Oh. Hey, Mr. Dagenheart."

He takes a seat on the stool next to him. "That looks cool."

"Thanks. Totally didn't steal the idea from something sick I saw on Instagram yesterday."

Mr. Dagenheart snorts. The scratch of Virgil's pencil occupies him for a little longer before he silently points to the two words. Virgil glances up to see a silent expression that definitely means are you sure?

Glancing around to make sure no one else is looking at them, he lowers his voice. "Aren't I…supposed to?"

"Supposed to what?" Virgil nods to the words. "No, Virgil. You're not 'supposed' to do anything. If that doesn't feel like you, don't do it. That's the whole point."

"Really?"

"Yeah, really. This unit's supposed to be—well, it's supposed to help keep the art budget low—"

Virgil snorts.

"—but no, it's you. Whatever bits of you that you feel comfortable putting into the world and sharing in this classroom. There's no right way or wrong way to do it."

He glances around too and leans a bit closer.

"And there's no one way to be gay, V," he says quietly, "it's okay."

Virgil looks back down at the piece of paper and slowly erases the word rainbow, but leaves gay.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Mr. Dagenheart nudges him. "What medium do you think you wanna work with this time?"

"…not gonna lie, I'm really tempted by your suggestion of just throwing paint at a wall."

"Now you're speaking my language."

2.

But, sure. Mr. Dagenheart is Mr. Dagenheart. He's an art teacher, he can get away with being…well, himself.

But Mr. Mackenzie? Virgil expects it to be the whole 'we don't talk about this, we don't acknowledge it, we just be professional and don't concern ourselves which such things.'

So when quantum physics rolls around and Virgil's frantically trying to remember the difference between a quark and a lepton, he's really not expecting one of the other students to ask Mr. Mackenzie to make good on a promise.

"Come on, sir, you've been saying you'll explain why classical mechanics is heteronormative since we did constant acceleration!"

Hold up.

What now?

Mr. Mackenzie sighs, adjusting his glasses. "I did promise that, didn't I?"

A general clamor goes up around the classroom and he chuckles, raising his hands for quiet and moving through the presentation until he finds a slide on the double-slit experiment.

"Now," he says, "I cannot take credit for this idea or explanation. It belongs to an incredible person named Amrou al-Kadhi, who is also a drag performer under the name Glamrou."

"Go off."

"Oh, hell yes."

"I didn't have talking about drag queens on my science-class bingo card but I'm not complaining."

Virgil sits up a little more.

"But what the gist of their explanation is this: Newtonian physics—classical mechanics, is very strict and regulated. If I do A, B happens, and so forth. It's why I had you all study those formulae until you were sick of them." He smiles as a general grimace forms. "But once we get to subatomic particles, quantum physics, everything gets thrown out the window. It's why I told you to be prepared for me to make you angry when I explain how everything I just taught you was wrong."

He points to the slide.

"Now, we've just gone over this experiment, yes?"

A general 'yes' and Virgil nods.

"A key component of it is that electrons, which are particles, seem to behave like waves. Light behaves like both a particle and a wave depending on how it's examined. Classical mechanics tells us that it should go through either the left slit or the right slit but sometimes…" He gestures to the picture. "It goes through both, and we don't really understand why."

Something in his face softens.

"What al-Kadhi explains is that as queer people, we are constantly defying these sorts of regimented rules and 'laws,' so to speak. We question and search for answers in a world that doesn't want to make it easy for us to find them. So when you study quantum physics and find that the most fundamental of particles disrupt and disobey all the 'natural laws,' it can be somewhat comforting."

His eyes meet Virgil's for a moment and he almost smiles.

"Besides, I think it's far more interesting that explaining that if you push something off a bridge, it's going to hit the ground very hard."

The class laughs and Virgil laughs too. Huh…nonbinary physics…

"I definitely recommend looking up the video where they talk about it. It's an excellent understanding of a rather complex idea and they articulate it wonderfully."

"You should make that our next homework assignment."

"You know what, maybe I will."

3.

But...sure. Okay. Fine. It's just an explanation or a one-off thing, right? It isn't like they're actually being taught that it's queer, it's just, y'know, a cool way of thinking about it.

History class isn't Virgil's favorite class, but it isn't his least favorite either. Maybe 'cause Mr. Everheart has this way of explaining things that actually makes it seem like one, he understands what he's teaching and two, that he respects you enough as an adult to tell you the truth.

"If you study history, there will be times when you're uncomfortable. There will be times when you're outraged. There will be times where you really don't want to study the things that you're studying," he'd said once, "and if you never have any of those feelings, you probably aren't studying history."

They're talking about recent American history and they get onto the topic of Reagan. Virgil mentally wills himself not to whisper what the fuck every two seconds as they start going through things, and then someone says this:

"Why is everyone so upset about Reagan's presidency? I mean, we survived it, didn't we?"

Mr. Everheart gets quiet. He takes his glasses off and polishes the lenses before putting them back on.

"You're right," he says lowly, "people did survive Reagan's presidency. In fact, most people you hear about survived Reagan's presidency. But what have we repeatedly said about history?"

"It's written by the victors?"

"Yes, but also by the survivors."

He sits up a little more and nods to the syllabus in front of him.

"I was planning to wait until we got there to bring it up, but I suppose we can do a little bit now. How many of you know about the AIDS crisis?" A few hands go up. "How many of you know how bad it was?"

Some of the hands go down.

"How many of you know what AIDS used to be called?"

The two hands that had been raised are lowered slowly. Mr. Everheart hums.

"Who can tell me what AIDS stands for?"

"Uh," says one of them, "it's like, autoimmune deficiency syndrome?"

"Close. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. This name came into popular use in 1982 when it was coined by the CDC. It went by a few names before then, but the most widely used—including by government officials and mass media outlets, was GRID. Any ideas as to what that stood for?"

A few people shook their heads. One person raised their hand. "General-Related Immune Deficiency?"

"No. Anyone else?"

When nothing follows, Virgil's grip on his pencil tightens.

"GRID stood for Gay-Related Immune Deficiency."

Shocked noises come from around the room and he holds up his hand.

"And because it mainly affected the queer community, people of color, and other disadvantaged socio-economic groups, almost no one took it seriously. The reason it still has the stigma it does is because of that. So we don't have a lot of that history because the people who would be a part of it, died."

Silence.

"Now, don't get me wrong. There are still people that lived and tell their histories. I encourage you to seek them out. I don't want to sound as if I'm saying that everything was lost, but I want you to think about why we don't hear about it. And why when we say we 'survived' things like Reagan's presidency, it's because the people who did, by and large, weren't at risk from it at all."

4.

By the time he gets to Mr. Prince's class, he's just waiting for it to happen.

One of his favorite things about learning with Mr. Prince is that the man will go on tangents that have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with whatever he's supposed to be teaching them and then, fifteen minutes later, find some way to link it back to whatever they're studying and it is some kind of witchcraft. He also encourages people to just kind of talk at him when they think they've got something, which means everyone is taking notes from each other as much as they are from him.

But he wasn't exactly expecting it to come up like this.

"So," Mr. Prince says, "The Gay Gatsby—wait."

The whole class explodes into laughter as Mr. Prince pinches the bridge of his nose. Virgil can't help it, he joins in too, watching the shake of his head as he smiles sheepishly at them.

"Freudian Slip?"

"I mean," another student manages, "you're not wrong."

"No, I'm not. Matter of fact—how much time do we have left?"

"Like, ten minutes?"

"That's good enough. We're on schedule." He claps his hands and sits on the desk. "Gatsby: Gay or Not Gay? Discuss."

"Oh my god," Virgil's friend scoffs, "so gay."

"Pink suit? Fancy parties that he personally invites just Nick to? A weird compulsion to be with Daisy even though he obviously doesn't love her anymore?" Someone else throws their hands up. "That's a gay if I've ever seen one."

"Excuse you, this is disaster bisexual erasure and I will not stand for it."

"Also," another friend says, "are we gonna talk about how Nick and Jordan are gay-lesbian solidarity? They're both each other's beards."

"Wait, Nick's gay?"

Mr. Prince sighs. "Okay, honey, if you can give me a heterosexual explanation for whatever that missing scene is with Mr. McKee, I'll give you a 100 right now."

"No, no way, that's the most not-a-sex-scene sex scene I've ever read."

"Also, no straight man talks about another straight man like that."

"Isn't there a line where Jordan says that Nick looks like he's 'having a gay time' and then the next page is all about Gatsby's smile?"

"Putting aside the other use of the word 'gay,' yeah, no, this man is not straight."

"Pink suit, guys, pink. Suit."

"Also Tom hates him for some other reason."

"Wait, hang on." Virgil steeples his fingers in front of him. "Who's seen the movie?"

"Me."

"I have."

"Leonardo De Caprio's in it, of course I've seen it."

"Do you guys remember the scene with the party in New York with Tom and Myrtle and everything? You know that one line that Tom says about knowing Nick likes to watch and remembering that from college?"

"He says what?"

"Wait, wait, is that in the book?"

"No, it's not. They just put that in for the movie. What the f-heck was that all about?"

"Now, now," Mr. Prince says as the class starts to debate what implications that has, "let's cite our sources, shall we? Do we think this clip exists on YouTube?"

"Oh, it totally has to."

"Wait, can we watch it? Hell yes!"

5.

He's staying behind on a Friday again, just to finish up this last part of the art thing he's doing for Mr. Dagenheart, when he looks up to see the rest of them come in.

"Uh. Hi?"

"Virgil, yes, Remus said you'd still be here." Mr. Prince waves. "How's it coming along? It looks great!"

"Uh, yeah, sure."

"Are you working through lunch?" Mr. Mackenzie tilts his head. "Have you eaten already?"

"Well, no, but Mr. Dagenheart said it was okay if I—"

Of course, then said teacher bursts out of the supply closet and scares the hell out of him.

"You guys brought food, right?"

"It's your week, Re."

"Oh, shit."

"Language!"

"Virgil," Mr. Mackenzie says quietly, "would you mind if we ate in here while you work?"

"Uh, no, that's fine, I don't care. I can, um, I can leave if you—"

"No, no, you're working. We'll try to be as minimally disruptive as possible."

Mr. Prince snorts. "Speak for yourself."

Mr. DeLuca smacks his shoulder and Virgil quickly tries to focus on his work again.

This is fine. This is fine. This is so fine.

"Virgil," Mr. Dagenheart calls, "remember, you can work in here as long as you eat, so chomp, chomp over there, yeah?"

"I remember!"

"Good."

Sure, Virgil thinks as he gets politely mother-henned by his queer teachers into eating lunch and taking a break from his work, this might as well happen. This week's already been so goddamn weird.

+1.

Mr. DeLuca is fucking scary.

He doesn't get mad in the I'm-gonna-be-loud-and-shouty way but he gets really quiet and really serious and cold, like he's gonna rip you apart with just his words and death-stare. And he's currently shredding two of Virgil's classmates over throwing temper tantrums about the homework.

Just shut up. Don't look up. Don't fucking move. Just stare at the numbers. Just look at the numbers.

"I have yet to behold mature and reasonable students," the icy voice says, "what I see are petulant, rude, obnoxious, ill-behaved children."

He's not talking to you. Just shut up and don't move and he won't look at you.

"Now that didn't have to happen in front of all of your friends and peers, but it did. Because you had to make fools of yourselves. Now, I understand that you have some studying to catch up on and all of you—"

Virgil just manages not to flinch.

"—have a test next week. I presume I don't have to tell you that it is mandatory."

A few brave souls whisper 'no, sir,' and there's a faint rustling from people shaking their heads.

"Mm. I suggest you get to it, then. You two—" don't flinch, not you— "will go and speak with Mr. Johnson, and I will join you in half an hour. Virgil?"

What the fuck did I do? Did I do something wrong? Shit, fuck—

"Stay behind for a moment."

A few of his friends shoot him pitying looks as they flee from the classroom. He takes a deep breath and squares his shoulders, sitting up straight as he puts away all of his math stuff. He's frantically running through his head of anything he could've done wrong—maybe his grades weren't as good as they should be, maybe he made a dumb mistake on the last homework—shit, was he talking too obviously in class? He was just trying to explain a thing—

He jumps when Mr. DeLuca sits down across from him.

"Did Mr. Everheart speak to you this morning?" Virgil nods. "So, you understand that the others are currently in a meeting with the Dean to discuss repercussions for the teacher who encouraged and participated in the homophobic bullying."

He nods again.

"What would you like to see happen?"

What? Excuse him? He doesn't fucking know. He shrugs.

Mr. DeLuca raises an eyebrow. "Conversations do work best when both participants speak."

"Sorry, I, um, I don't know, I—I didn't think anything would happen, so I, um, didn't think about it. Sorry. I don't know."

There's a pause, then he leans forward. "Are you alright, Virgil?"

"Huh? Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, I'm good."

"Don't lie to me."

There's nothing in the world that could've stopped Virgil's flinch at that. He stares down at his hands. Fuck, fuck, what do I say? I can't tell the truth, what the fuck am I supposed to do? He's gonna fucking eviscerate me, he's gonna say I'm being dramatic, I can't—I can't—

The sudden scrape of a chair makes him flinch again, head jerking up to see Mr. DeLuca getting up and walking toward his desk. A hysterical part of Virgil's brain sees his hand flash near the ruler and truly panics, only for him to pick up a tissue box instead. He walks back over and places it on the table before crouching—crouching next to Virgil.

"What's wrong, sweetie," he asks in a soft voice that gives Virgil whiplash, "tell me?"

Don't cry. Don't fucking cry.

"I—I—um, I—"

"You look scared," he says when Virgil can't do anything more than stutter. Virgil nods shamefully. "Yeah? Is that it, you're just scared?"

Not much of a 'just' about it, but yeah.

"What's scaring you?"

Now, this is a trap. He has no idea what the actual fuck he's supposed to say, so he just stares at him. When Mr. DeLuca raises an eyebrow, he gestures feebly around at the classroom.

Confusion flickers across his face until Virgil sees him realize what he's so afraid of.

"Is it me," he asks quietly, "are you scared of me? Because of what just happened?"

Shame burns his face and he nods, trying to hide. Mr. DeLuca makes another one of those confusing soft noises and rests a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Virgil, I didn't mean to scare you. You're not in trouble, I'm not mad at you."

"I-I know." He sniffles and quickly wipes it away. "Sorry, I promise I'm not doing this on purpose. I'm not trying to be dramatic."

"I know, sweetie. It's okay." He nudges the tissue box closer. "If you need to cry, it's okay. Go ahead. Do you want a moment?"

"N-no, you can—you can stay."

And he does, gently rubbing Virgil's shoulder and letting him be a total fucking mess all over his table. It's weird and confusing and so at odds with the scary teacher who just humiliated two students for crying too and he's not gonna question it anymore.

"Listen," he murmurs when Virgil's all done with his meltdown, "I get mad when students throw fits and do things on purpose to try and get their way or draw attention to themselves. I do not get mad when people get upset and need to cry. And if anyone ever gives you a hard time or makes fun of you for needing to cry, you come and you tell me and I'll be scary at them, alright?"

"Okay."

He smiles and ruffles Virgil's hair. "Good. Why don't you and I sit here for a while and calm down, then we can talk?"

"…don't you need to go be scary?"

"You're more important right now. Mr. Johnson's used to handling those two. And, Virgil?"

"Yeah?"

Mr. DeLuca gives him a look. "I am happy to be scary for you if you ever need it."

Virgil frowns. "For me?"

"Yes, Virgil, if anyone ever decides to be an ignorant bigot, I am more than happy to be scary for you."

Okay. So.

Maybe things can get better after all.

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