#g: coral island

[myz-wykkyd]

Used my limited graphic design skills to make a chart of all the characters Rosalie has romanced in (almost) every farming sim I've played with her. Lol I'd always wanted to do something like this and I'm pretty happy with the result.

I made a free to use template of it on the right if anyone else wants to show off who they romanced. Feel free to decorate/doo what you like with it- just link back here if you use it so other people can find it o/

Brainrot Below<3

Now, though many of these games involved premade mcs- I've played as some variation of Rosalie in games for as long as I could remember.

I noticed there's a trend that popped up in her choices that I think is as interesting as it is amusing. Ofc, most of these choices were just my personal favorite bachelors of that game, but they were still used to devlop her, and I hadn't realized how much she leaned towards certain professions, personalities, ect. I've concluded my girl loves a hardworking boy whose brooding but sweet- or a golden retriever Marlin: Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life was my first Farming Sim. I didn't get to play the female version until much later in life. So my choice of who'd I/Rosalie married had been pretty decided lonnng before I finally got to play it. But honestly even though I like Marlin, he's kind of the default choice because I didn't care for Rock and Gustafa- and Rosalie wouldn't either. I think if I had ever gotten to play HMDS:Cute I might have liked him more- or she would have married Griffin-

Blue | Harvest Moon: Magical Melody / Friends of Mineral Town: Loved Grey/Blue. (Let's face it their pretty much the same character). Upset the remake took away his hat. Little off topic, but even though character customization wouldn't be a thing in these games for years- I'd used to imagine my character had pink hair like Popuri LOL

Vaughn | Harvest Moon: Sunshine Islands: Vaughn was the first time I ever was head over heels for a character in one of these games- I just adored everything about him and I don't think it's hard to see why. Once she got to know him better, Rosalie def would have been hella smitten for this cowboy- (Also Vaughn walked so Logan could run-)

Owen | Harvest Moon Animal Parade: So Owen is an unexpected deviation. Most of these choices are also my favorites, but when I first played through HM:AP Gil was actually my favorite bachelor. I could have made him and Rosalie work, but it just didn't feel right. So after looking them all over I think she def would have preferred Owen

Dylas | Rune Factory 4: One of my favorite games from the genre- and I think the cast of romanceable characters was STACKED. Dylas was my favorite because he was seriously SO damned cute in all his events 🥰 Also think it's kinda funny he's a horse guy and Rosalie has a lot of horse motifs herself-

Alex | Stardew Valley: REALLY unpopular opinion incoming! I've put over 500+ hrs into SV 😭 but in all that time, I've just never clicked with any of the characters. Which really sucks because this is the first game I ever got to play as Rosalie. Alex and Sam were my favs, but I think Rosalie would lean more towards Alex.

Logan | My Time At Sandrock: Logan 😍💖🥰Just, guh- I LOVE everything about him and MTAS so damn much. Especially because the hyper fixation I had with this game/character was what led me to finalize Rosalie's design/character at long last. I developed so much content for him and Rosalie I never got to share 😭hope I can someday!

Mark | Coral Island: God I love big men who love animals- and Rosalie does too. 💦🥰 Honestly, even though he started out as one of my favorites (later to be replaced by Shark man hoo hoo haw), I wished more of his heart events focused on his relationship with the player instead of the dog. It was really cute at first but like 6 of the 8 cutscenes were about it and most of the time he never even interacted with your character. Was disappointing ngl.

Nokk | Roots of Pacha: Now- Nokk is not currently a romanceable character, but I'm hoping the future update will add him to the roster. 🫠💔Cause this is another case where I LOVE the game to pieces but none of the characters speak to me- aside from the one I can't have- Hayden: Fields of Mistria: and last but not least- Hayden. He just completely encapsulates so much of what Rosalie finds attractive, it's a little funny. I'm waiting until the game is finished to continue playing and I can't wait to see what the future holds for him.

The following will include some honorable mentions that I didn't include because I didn't have anymore room on my template/they weren't a farming sim/ect.

First up! Nathaniel from Sunhaven!<3 Feel like this responsible captain of the guard would work well with Rosalie. Honestly, there weren't really any choices that felt right for her, but for once in many years my main playthrough of the game ended up being with a different character and I had someone pre-picked out for her. So there lots of great choices, just none that suit Rosalie well.

[fereldanwench]

i normally nope out immediately to male characters with a dead wife but GOD i really want to romance jim in coral island

let me show you you can love again, old man!!!!!!

[nocticulas]

pics that are just funnier side by side

[rrrrinmaru]

rin's side stories: 01 - where rafayel debriefs the flammula

wc: 1.2k rating: G brief: after rafayel's first meeting with mc, he decides to debrief someone he can trust. someone who can't spill his secrets to anyone who can repeat them to mc. notes: gender neutral!mc, fluff, comedy, canon-compliant

“I was rather suave, wasn’t I?”

Silence answers him. The man doesn’t seem deterred—he flips over on his couch, back lying flat on the sofa as one leg crooks at the knee and dangles off the edge. 

“See, you might not have gotten a good view of the scene, but I appeared like a knight in shining armor, okay? Exactly like all those fairytales. Picture this, the setting sun, a golden glow sinking over the city like a blanket. The light dancing off the water surface, making everything look iridescent and magical. The soft splashes of you guys, adding to the ambience of the place. It’s quiet. It’s picturesque. Am I painting a good picture for you?”

The red flammula circles around its massive tank. The tank is perched on the reinforced glass table, large enough that it practically takes up all the space. There are small underwater plants swaying with the ripples sent up by the portable water filter attached to the side of the tank. Sand and gravel sit at the bottom, with a few coral stones tossed in to add color to the place. 

Inside, the flammula spits out a string of bubbles.

“You don’t get it. So there they were, helpless and shaking, like a seal pup in front of a great white. The setting sun set their hair alight, awash with that orange hue—I really need to paint this before I forget it—and they were just standing there. Their eyes darted around, begging for help, and there I was! Right in their line of sight; tall, handsome, elegant. Offering a comment about your tragic lifespans on land so they know I’m intelligent.”

The flammula hides behind a particularly big rock. On the couch, the figure splutters, sitting upright. 

“Dropping an information snippet about the lifespan of aquatic creatures is not boring. It caught their attention. And then I took the net from their loose grip, emboldened by the hopeful gaze in their eyes, and swooped you up in one quick snap of my wrist. Really, you need to be better at running away from nets in the water. Is this how you got caught the first time?”

A long string of bubbles. The flammula swims out just to brush its underbelly against the sand before swimming back up to where the plants are swaying with the ripples. 

“After catching you, I proceeded to tell her about your historic legend—”

The flammula winds itself around a long, dark green plant. It flops over, the plant wrapped around it, and pretends to go still.

A hand reaches over, one knuckle knocking in irritation at the side of the tank, right next to where the flammula is.

“A little respect would be deserved,” Rafayel huffs, throwing his head to the side. “I didn’t have to save you, you know. I could have let you live up to your exceedingly short lifespan with the rest of your brethren in that tiny pool, at the mercy of small land children with sticky fingers and unwashed hands.”

The flammula revives long enough to flap a fin at Rafayel and breathe out bubbles before it returns to playing dead. 

Rafayel rolls his eyes. “Anyway, they then told me that Hat Island was closed off because of Wanderer sightings. Not that it would have stopped me, if I had really wanted to go, but—hey! This means they were concerned about me, weren’t they?”

The flammula doesn’t respond. 

“I mean, I picked a random pamphlet out of that booth near the place just so I had something to do with my hands, but what a stroke of luck!”

Rafayel dips a hand in the water, far enough to gently poke the flammula with the tip of his index finger. “Look alive, comrade. I’m not done here.”

The flammula twists its body, slapping Rafayel’s index finger with its tail. 

“They didn’t say it just because I’m a civilian and they were doing their job,” Rafayel shoots back, sounding miffed. “Well, whatever. Let’s move past that to the next important installation of our interaction, wherein I, very handsomely, popped you into the small container they were holding on to.”

A flurry of bubbles rise in the tank. The flammula seems to have a lot to say, reviving once more just to swim accusingly around Rafayel’s hand and bump angrily into his open palm. 

“You were not going to die from air exposure. I barely held you out for less than a minute. I wasn’t going to just let you die like that. And you are really detracting from my entire experience, here. Regardless, after you were finally allowed to breathe again, they told me to go to Whitesand Bay. How cute,” Rafayel remarks, a smile pulling at his lips.

The flammula scrapes its body against Rafayel’s fingers, nipping at his fingertips. 

“This level of aggression is seriously uncalled for,” Rafayel complains, poking the flammula’s tail. “I’m just trying to tell you about our meeting, and you’re acting like I tossed you into the middle of an oil spill. They told me to go visit Whitesand Bay, you know?”

He points outside the windows lining his wall, tempered glass from ceiling to floor, gesturing at the miles of paper white sand that stretch out before him. “How cute. Maybe I should invite them to walk with me at Whitesand Bay sometime.”

The flammula swings its tail, hitting Rafayel’s fingers. Once it gets the last word in, the flammula swims in a harried manner to the stone cave attached to the side of the tank, clearly ready to hide in there until Rafayel stops bothering it.

“You are no fun,” he tells the flammula, fishing his hand out of the water. There’s a brief flash and fire creeps up his skin, starting from his fingertips and crawling up his palms, the back of his hand, his wrist, his forearm—the flames lick at his elbow, and Rafayel shakes his arm out. 

Just as quickly as it appeared, the flames disappear. Rafayel slips his dry palm into his pocket and stands, turning to eye the view from his window. The translucent curtains flutter in the seabreeze, carried in through one of the open windows, and Rafayel tilts his head back, slowly breathing it in. 

“I’ll pack the rest of them and send them to where they should be,” he says, eyes closed, face turned to soak in the moonlight filtering through the glass. “I’ll send you along with them, I suppose.”

Bubbles escape the stone cave. 

“I’m not in the business of raising dependents,” Rafayel comments, looking back to eye the tank speculatively. “If I do keep you around, historic part of Lemurian culture or not, know that I may or may not end up using you as a midnight snack if I’m feeling peckish.” 

No response. Another round of playing dead. 

“How interesting,” he murmurs, bending down to tap the glass. “Well, if I ever come up with a use for you, I’ll let you know. Maybe I can trick them into thinking we’re co-parenting you. Heaven knows you need to learn some manners, disobedient punk.”

The thought makes Rafayel smile. They wouldn’t get it; they would likely be confused at the concept of teaching a fish manners, but it’s as good an excuse as any to get them into Rafayel’s home.

==

© rrrrinmaru 2024 | no unauthorised publication or reproduction allowed

[the-flower-ranchers]

It's finally time for a Beach Vacation Arc!!!!!

Jimmy felt his wings shake with anticipation as he and his partners exited the rift into the Limited Life server. The open air washed over them, shaking up the canary's feathers, flickering through Tango's flames, and ruffling Scott's dress. Just as he'd told 💜, he wore an elegant silver-sky blue sundress that came down to his knees.

"So we left the cattle in the pasture with the dogs to look after them, the chickens have enough feed and water to survive the till monday, I turned off all the redstone before we left... Oh! Did anyone let the Anons know we weren't gonna be home?"

"Of course, Jimmy. I left a note on the front door, the door to the Ranch, the barn door, the kitchen counter, the living room TV, the-"

"I get it, I get it- Thanks Scott." He took his boyfriend's hand as they walked.

Tango smiled, gazing around at the server. "I'm gonna run ahead and see if I can spot anyone!" Without waiting for an answer, the blazeborn took off in a bounding sprint. Just as Jimmy and Scott caught up to him by the clock tower, Jimmy spotted the familiar frame of one of its former residents just a couple hundred blocks away. He dropped the bags he was carrying and clumsily flew after them. He exclaimed in delight as he slammed his entire body into Scar's muscular back. "BAM!"

"Oh my goodness!" Scar said quickly in his fright. "Man, you scared the living daylights out of me!"

Grian turned around, wincing as the startled cat on his shoulders dug her claws through his red sweater. "Yippee, Tim's here!" The three of them exchanged greetings for a moment as Jimmy's partners finally caught up to him.

"Sup G!" Tango fist-bumped the avian and immediately started petting Jellie. The five of them arrived at the small pocket beach just as the sun hit its peak in the sky.

Scott immediately began gushing about how much he loved the colors of the green grass against the crystal blue water, and how the rainbow tips of coral were like sprinkles. Joel must have arrived long before any of them, as he was already setting up a bed in the pavilion. Scott teasingly waved to him, and the man instantly rolled his eyes. "Heyyyyy Joeellll." Scott called. "Love the fake abs, did you borrow them from your hermitcraft skin?"

"These ones are real, you prick. Unlike your lashes!"

Scott gasped mockingly, but giggled to himself quickley after.

As Grian flew overhead and dropped off his and Scar's bags, Joel chuckled gleefully. "Oi! I thought you were a seagull for a moment there!"

"Haha." Grian landed next to him without warning, making the man flinch unexpectedly.

"Where's Lizzie? I-" Tango asked, coming up the the water line as he shouted for Joel's answer. He is was interrupted as Scar raced past him, flinging himself into to the water.

"Cannonball!!!!!"

Jimmy put his wing over Tango for a moment as some water splashed out of the river. "Maybe we should set up an umbrella for you, just in case." He jokingly suggested.

Joel called back to Tango. "Oh, Lizzie? You'll see her in a minute!"

Scar still hadn’t resurfaced, causing Grian to lean over the fencing of the pavilion as his eyes darted across the surface of the still water. "If I have to jump in after that fool- Scar!"

At that moment, the head of his partner popped out of the water. "W- woah woah woAH-" Scar's entire body was lifted out of the water by a giant blue hand. The three hermitcrafters were stunned as Lizzie, wearing her empires skin, surfaced.

Jimmy struggled to fly up and greet her while she held the very confused man."MY BAMBOOZLERS-"

"BAM!" She interrupted as she playfully knocked him out of the air. The canary and the vex-hybrid plunged into the water as she laughed somewhat maniacally.

"Wow, you are massive." Tango shook his head clear. "Is this an Empires thing?"

"Yup, I'm the Ocean Queen." She tried and failed to sassily flip her drenched hair. Joel called from the island, "You look amazing, babe!" He then turned to Grian and whispered something to him eagerly.

Jimmy crawled out of the water with his wings dragging heavy behind him, laughing and yelling with his Wild Life allies. Grian grabbed Joel's arm and carried him down to the beach. "Tim! Shake off and get over here, we got something for you!" Grian stood back as the canary shook buckets of water off his feathers.

"What's up?"

"Close your eyes." Joel said, taking something out of his inventory. Jimmy hesitantly obliged, and once he did Joel slid something onto the canary's face. "We figured it was gonna be fairly sunny while we're out here soooo-"

When he opened his eyes, all three of them were wearing mathcing black sunglasses. At first, Jimmy flinched, but he quickly lunged forward and scooped the other two into a giant hug.

"Ayyyyyy!!!! The bad boys are BACK!"

(Ooc: ASKS ARE BACK OPEN 🥳 I kid you not y'all, I was in physical pain going without posting on this blog for so long. We are in our beach episode arc, and I am so excited!)

[popcornforone]

The Bartender & The Billionaire

A Javi Gutierrez Fan Fic

Well it’s been a while. The Javi G chapters will continue but this is a one off & I just had an idea & went with it but it just grew & grew & i love Javi G even more than I thought I could now.

Synopsis:- You run the local bar, Javi is a member of the Ocean Club where the rich party, but one night he decides to see what is going on in this bar over the road.

Word Count:-8500

Warnings:- DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE UNDER 18! strangers to lovers,sugar daddy reference, unprotected PIV sex, sex in semi public, oral sex both, cum tasting, flirting, alcohol, swearing, teasing, nipple play, cum play, 69, some bitchy rude girls, exploting mentioned too & briefly money for sexual favours.

Thanks as always for the read peoples, I hope you all enjoy this. All feedback is welcome.

It’s the same faces every year & every night in your bar in Ibiza. You love it. Your regulars know what to expect & you know that they will keep coming back. They are mostly in there later 20s early 30s they want just drinks & a small dance floor. No mucked about with cocktails just the classics, decent beer & for it to not break the bank. It’s a long way away from the ocean club over the road. That’s for the other end of the spectrum. The influencers who fill up your TikTok feeds no matter how many times you try to get them off it, the trust fund bargain, the rich, the famous & the in people. They probably look down at your 2for1 beer night on Tuesdays, which is everyone’s quiet night on the island, if you sing karaoke without getting kicked off. It’s fun. You can’t sing but you always start. You might not have the world’s best DJ but at least your bar is real & is full of real people, be them tourists or locals. You know your place so do your staff & so does the bar, & everyone loves it.

It’s a Tuesday night right now. You look at your patrons & wonder who’s gonna be brave enough to get up & have a sing. You wait til it’s 11pm before you hop onto the small stage with the microphone & speak to the people in & around your bar.

“Ibiza can you hear me?” You screech & people in your bar cheer & a few people pop their heads into the bar to see what the commotion is . “It’s Tuesday & you know what that means, if you can do karaoke tonight without stumbling or getting embarrassed you get 2for1 on your beers tonight” wooohooo the place goes, a few more people step into the bar who are intrigued. “So as tradition I start, because let’s be honest it sets the bar very very low” everyone laughs & you look at the people who have just joined & are having a look”trust me newbies you might want your ear plugs” you know what your singing tonight & you giggle. “Right let’s do this” the track starts & your murder How Do I Live by Leanne Rhymes.

“See told you I was bad, who wants to do better” the room is laughing at your high notes & you step away from the stage & Mike the Pike(because he gets lots of fresh fish for the island) comes up next & sings Sweet Caroline which gets the bar going, as you head behind it. Your 3 staff on the bar are doing a good job & you tell your deputy manager to go have a 15min break, so you can serve some of the new people who have come in to see what’s going on.

After about an hour you see this guy with wavey brown hair come & sit up next to the bar. Leaning in a burgundy & striped shirt, coral swim shorts underneath, just casually admiring the singers. He’s got a rather magnificent side profile which is making you have a longer glance than you usually would. He’s rather handsome & very much your type, but you’ve never seen him before. He also only has a lemonade in his hand. So you decide to go & make conversation with this mysterious man.

“Sir, are you having a nice evening?” You ask as you come to stack glasses near him. He turns instantly & a little dimple appears as he smiles back at you. He has the most beautiful big caramel eyes you’ve ever seen, he’s got stubble & a moustache & a smile that you are sure would get any man or woman into bed with him. You know you’re probably blushing in front of him but he doesn’t seem phased. His eyes glance over your short bleach blonde bob with your mousey roots showing through, your low cut blue vest top & that orchid tattoo on your shoulder, he also likes what he sees.

“Yes I am, are you?” He seems genuine in his question.

“As long as people come in & have a good time then I am good.” You reply. “I’ve not seen you in here before, are you a karaoke king?” You smile.

“Ha quite the opposite, I’ve just always been on the other side of the road, but this place always has intrigued me so I thought I’d see what all the fuss was about” you turn to go get more glasses but roll your eyes, of course this man is from money & from the other side of the road. Your mum always said men wearing yellow or coral trousers or shorts were always rich. He’s just another one of those. But he seems nice & you fancy him so you’re gonna stop your presumed opinions of him & give him the benefit of the doubt.

“Oooh you frequent the Ocean Club, is it all it’s hyped up to be?” You say as you turn your head around before picking up the glasses.

“Who in Ibiza uses the word frequent?” He says & laughs. You almost drop the glasses.

“Fair point, clearly my literature degree has decided to show”

“Educated as well, hmm” he seems intrigued as you turn back to face him your smile is genuine. “Then how did you end up here, in Ibiza”

“It’s my Uncles bar, I come out here & run it for the summer then go back home & temp until May & then do it again. He can cope in the winter but knows he needs someone with a more youthful perspective to do the real season”

“You temp?”

“In administration yes”

“& yet you can take 4 months off to be here.” The man looks on in wonder.

“I’m always very clear that I spend my summers here & that it will only ever be an 8 month job. I know a day will come when I will need a stable income but until then, I’m here to enjoy the sun & night life”

“Impressive” he says. Both your eyes linger in each other for a small amount of time, both of you suddenly blush & snap out of it when you realise what happening.

“So sir what…”

“Javi” he interrupts. “My name is Javi” he then calls you by your name as it’s on your managers badge just above your left breast & you smile.

“So Javi what do you do then?”

“I’m a screen writer, I’m here in Ibiza for ideas for a holiday romance film”

“Ha” you laugh & he seems shocked. “Sorry, cute idea, but unless it’s a one night stand that then gets awkward no one’s going to believe that, & you won’t find any of those story’s at the ocean club”

“Do you always speak your mind?” He questions

“Yes, better to be blunt & honest than lead people on” you say “I am impressed though, that is a good career”

“Thanks” he says. Javi is running his long fingers around the top of his now empty lemonade glass.

“Can I get you a drink?” You ask.

“Actually I’d like a go at the karaoke”

“Really?” You say a bit to loudly & abruptly. “I’m not sure we’d have anything that you’d want to sing”

“Why because I’m from the ocean club?” He says raising an eyebrow at you & then he pours. Those lips are so plump, his puppy dog eyes glisten. He holds his chin with his large hand as he leans on the bar, mockingly. Yep you’ve fallen for Javi now.

“Maybe” you wink.

“Thought you spoke your mind”

“I do, so I’m gonna do you a deal.” You lean in & whisper against his ear, you don’t notice the goosebumps on his arms from your soft voice. “If you can find a song you like which isn’t boring you can have drinks here for free tonight. If you manage to last without laughing or falling apart or walking off the stage, you can have free drinks here for the next month” Javi raises an eyebrow at this, he then moves the strands of hair from your own ear & whispers back.

“& what do you get if I do walk off the stage or find a decent song?” He says, his voice is smouldering like him, so you reply.

“Your phone number”

Javi then gets his phone out & registers to go up & sing on your bars app. 20mins later he’s up on the stage & he selects a song. True to your promise he has picked a banger. Starships by Nicki Minaj. You stand there & watch this man from money have the guts to come up on the stage in your regular little slightly dodgy bar & sing a female rap song. He does laugh as he fails on the rap at points but he gets some crowd participation as well at points & the place cheers when he’s finished. You haven’t served anyone in the whole 4mins he’s been on stage. The man has charisma & despite mucking up & laughing did own it. He casually walks back up to you & smiles.

“Well?”

“Pretty good Javi” you smirk. You then freeze as he strokes your face affectionately. A simple touch electrifies your soul “so I…” but then you notice two guys getting in a fight. “Give me 5mins Javi” & you rush off to deal with the fight. It takes a long time & the police to sort the scuffle out & when your done Javi is long gone. Your face drops for all of 10 seconds before you return to flirting with the next guy at the bar to get him to buy more than just a round. It’s your job after all.

The next afternoon as you set up for the Wednesday night, a man in a linen suit walks up to you in the bar, asking you your name

“Yes that’s me”

“This is from Mr Gutierrez”Says the man & he hands you a large envelope. You’re worried it’s something legal that you might have to deal with. Maybe it was one of the men in the brawl from last night.

“I’m sorry who?”

“Mr Javi Gutierrez, he came to your bar last night, this is a thank you for a wonderful night” you take the envelope & look at it suspiciously. “Also please open this out of sight” then man then leaves. This all seems very suspect to you. You make an excuse & head to the break room & open the envelope. Inside is a pass for the ocean club to be cashed in for one day by this summer & a cheque for €10000. There is a note included with it.

Thank you for just treating me like a normal customer, as promised for laughing through the song is my phone number, let me know which night you have off so I can show you my world, the cheque can be for you or the bar, it’s your choice. Javi x

You blush looking at it. 10k would change your life, you could be pickier about temping next year during your return home. You smile & stash the envelope in your bag, & then check the rota & message Javi later that day.

The next Thursday is when you have the afternoon evening & Friday off from the bar. You uncle basically forced you to go & take the time off to spend with this man. He was very happy you have this opportunity. You stand there in your apartment you rent with a friend who works as a rep for Pacha & he helps you pick out your outfit.

“Girl I can’t believe you get to go to Ocean Club, you made it girl” says Justin.

“It’s just a one off Justin”

“But still you can slay, mix with the rich & famous & leave that Chav behind.”

“He’s not a chav, he’s called Javi” you tut.

“Oooh defensive of him already I see, damn how tight were his shorts”

“JUSTIN!”

“What!? I see a man I look at his cock & work out if he’s worth blowing or not”

You laugh at this response.

“That’s why you always have a sore throat”

“Girl how often have you had sex since you got here on the 2nd of June maybe 3 guys. & it’s now the middle of July. Go get your pussy stuffed, by some rich guy. I mean for €100 I’d fuck a tramp”

“I don’t want to hear any more Justin”

“No because you hear it don’t you” he jokes back & then looks at your outfit. “Slay girl, that dress is killer” you do a little twirl in your blue & white maxi dress.

“Thanks babe, it’s the most stylish thing I own”

“Have you got condoms & mace?”

“Justin!”

“You’ve got condoms though”

“Obviously & I’m birth control”

“Just want to make sure my best girl is alright”

“Justin if it’s not I’ll shout”

“Sure that won’t just be you in your bed shouting CHAV CHAV FUCK ME CHAV”

“It’s Javi”

“Just saying don’t do anything I wouldn’t do”

“Which isn’t much” you & Justin both laugh before you hug him & you head off to the ocean club to see how the other half live.

You are escorted to a sun lounger at 4pm, you have arrived before Javi & you slip off your sun dress & start to top up your lotion. Your not a size zero, but your not fat, & your tan is alright. You sit there in your sunglasses that cost €5 from a guy who sell them on the beach & in your binkin. It’s blue so it matches your dress. It’s not long before a waiter comes over with champagne.

“Ooh no thanks I can’t afford…”

“Champagne by the glass is complimentary for all visitors & member of the ocean club” they say & you take the glass.

“Erm then thank you, do I need to” but your bracelet is scanned.

“Tips are worked out on the braclet pass you have, the bill for your visit will be sent to the person at the end of their stay with us this season & by the looks of it…” they look at what appears on their screen they scanned it with. “Oooh your Mr Gutierrez guest?”

“Yes?”

“Mama im so sorry for being so rude” this waiter clearly now looks embarrassed.

“You weren’t, don’t worry about it” I check their name badge “Lucas, there’s no need to apologise at all, your exemplary” this makes Lucas smile that you bothered to look at his name.

“Thank you miss, if you need anything please just wave or buzz that button on the table” he then scurries off. It’s only after he’s scurried off that you realise how other people on loungers are treating waiters. They are all rude & demanding & upset if their drink isn’t toped up straight away. But your eyes are suddenly drawn to your left. You lower your glasses to look at the specimen of a man walking towards you. He’s well built & broad. He’s not got a 6 pack, but he has enough buttons undone of his floaty white shirt for you too see he takes care of himself a bit. You try not to look at the bulge in his blue swim shorts, but you can’t help but look. You then look at that tanned face, covered by sunglasses that would cost more than you could imagine. The world has stopped as Javi walks towards you. He’s too perfect.

“Enjoying the view?” He asks with a flirty smile & sits on the edge of lounger next to you before taking your hand to kiss it. You turn as red as a lobster & suddenly remember there are other people here. Eyes are watching you around the pool area.

“Sorry didn’t mean to gasp, but you are rather impressive mr Gutierrez”

“It’s Javi please” he says your name as he strokes across your knuckles. “So how long have you been here?” He says as he unbuttons his shirt buttons.

“About 30mins I like to get to places bang on time”

“So do I but when Nic called I had to answer”

“Oooh are they your partner ” you say withdrawing your hand to pick up your champagne.

“Oooh sorry, I meant Nicholas Cage” you almost spit out & choke on your fizz.

“What!” Javi laughs at how flustered you are as you try to calm down.

“Yea that new film he was in about a hostage, I wrote that”

“Fuck” you say & Javi looks at you in shock, maybe you didn’t like the film but he can soon see from the smile on your face it’s in awe. “You wrote that movie, The Cliffs Edge? It’s the summer blockbuster from last year, congratulations” Javi looks rather embarrassed at your praise, but you like the little pink cheeks he has rising to the surface.

“Thank you”

“I mean…” you’re a film nerd, so naturally you start talking about the film in so much detail, getting really animated about certain parts & Javi answers all of your questions. He’s impressed with your film knowledge, he’s found a kindred spirit in you. Someone he could call a friend at the minimum.

“You know your movies?”

“Yes it’s the only problem being here, we miss half the films of the summer, so then I play catch up for the rest of the year”

“What’s your favourite movie then? I know it’s a…”

“Reservoir Dogs” you reply before he even has a chance to say it’s a hard choice.

“Really” he smirks “I never had you down for that”

“I like the intensity & the drama & not knowing who to trust.” The two of you then talk your favourites for a while & both realise you share a film in the top 5.

“It really does make you cry Paddington 2” you say.

“Yes I always feel completely & at peace at the end”

“& then Hugh Grants Dance”

“Oooh don’t make me get up, I’ll do the whole routine” you both laugh as you sit there humming the tune to listen to the rain on the roof. His smile is infectious, it makes you smile more, which make his eyes soften. They are so deep & beautiful. There’s a small pause like the other day. A frozen moment of you both looking at each other no one else is around.

“Hiya Jav” someone shouts & your both snapped out of your trance & Javi gets up & hugs these two girls. Both fake Barbie blondes, skinny, full of Botox. One is in a red binkin which doesn’t leave much to the imagination & the other is just in her bottoms. Her large over the top fake boobs bouncing about as she hugs him while scowling at you.

“Ladies how are you?”

“You coming to the party tonight?” The one in red says.

“To Spaced? no, I’m hanging here today” Javi then introduces you.

“Oooh is she staff that gets to come & chill today Javi?” The topless one says as she dismisses you.

“No she runs the bar over the road”

“Urgh not that tacky one with regulars, I’ve heard there cockroaches in the bins” your trying to be nice & so you offer your hand.

“Well I wouldn’t know about cockroaches but we have some lively characters, maybe you should check it out one night”

“Urgh no thanks, would dream to be seen in there, what did she do Jav, did she give you a crap blow job behind the bar & now your taking pitty on her? What’s a decent night with an actual real woman worth around here€10k bet she took €100?” They both cackle & laugh at their insult of you. You lean back & sip your champagne. You then suddenly realise Javi did give your €10k. Your face drops. Is he expecting something in return for the money?

“Sorry I need the bathroom, it was nice to meet you ladies” you once again offer a nice hand & friends smile both scoff & you rush off to go cry in the toilet for a few minutes while Javi amuses the fake blondes.

On your way back to the pool, after walking past a lot of people tutting at you, you bump into Lucas. You’re doing your best to brush off these people looking at you judging,but even with your thick skin attitude it’s starting to still a little.

“Ooh sorry” you both say, he can see you looking down.

“Why so sad miss?” He asks.

“Do you ever get upset that a lot of people here are rude & judge?” You ask. You didn’t realise he had seen what was going on by the pool.

“Sometime, but the tips are worth it, & we can ban some of those who get too personal, especially with guests of full time memebers, when they are here as influences for free” he winks. “Don’t worry I’ve made a note, they won’t be allowed back for the next week, we can’t kick them out but they will always now have a mark by their name to warn others”

“Lucas you didn’t have to do that…” you say & he shakes his head.

“We’re both in the trade, we both deal with bad clients, I know you know” you smile back at him. “Plus mr Gutierrez pretty much ushered them along after you walked off”

“Did he?”

“Yes, they just want his money, they are those kind of girls”

“I guessed that, hang on what makes you think I’m not just here for his money?” You question.

“In the 3 years I’ve been here, Mr Gutierrez hardly ever talks to anyone or brings a guest, but watching the two of you speak earlier you have a connection”

“Really” you blush your face now completely glowing. “I just like the man I wouldn’t care if he had €5 or €50min”

“He’s got more than that”

“What,..” but then you feel a tap on your shoulder.

“You okay beautiful?” A Javi rests his head on your shoulder, his smell intoxicating.

“I am now, thanks Lucas”

“Miss… Mr Gutierrez” Lucas smiles & leaves you in Javis strong capeable hands & he slowly walks you back to the pool side.

“Sorry about the girls, they won’t bother us again” he says as he takes his shirt off & puts in on the lounger & then takes your hand to walk you to the edge of the pool.

“It’s okay Javi, I know I said I speak my mind, but that was just rude, the way they treated me, I can cope with a wolf whistle when I wear my shirt shorts at the bar on a Saturday night but here, I just felt judged”

“Hey hey” he says as you both sit down on the edge of the pool & dip your feet in. The water is just right “no one should wolf whistle you”

“You’ve not seen how short the shorts are”

“Fair point,” he says as a waiter who isnt Lucas brings you both over a cosmopolitan to drink. “But you have respect,personality, manners, money can’t buy you that, & out of all these “rich people” your the one who’s making an impact on my day for the first time in a while” he uses air quotes.

“So why do you come here Javi?” You ask bluntly. “You clearly have the cash, sorry if that’s too much, but why come here, with all the fakes & phoneys”

“Security, no one here is going to steal my Rolex, no one here is going to hold me to ransom. It never used to be like this here but since the pandemic & TikTok & people trying to be famous it’s become elitist, & a show off spot, people come for their 15mins of fame then bugger off” You sense the frustration in his voice.

“You know you don’t have to come to Ibiza?” You say in a friendly tone, “but I’m glad you are here”

“I like coming here, I used to as a kid & then in my early adult hood & now as someone who’s now in my 40s it’s a nice place to relax, I know I could go else where but if something went wrong at home I could be back in a less than an hour”

“You live here”

“No I live in Majorca”

“So you leave one Balearic island for the other?” You seem baffled by this.

“I do, home pressures & the community mean no chill time even at home” he says as he take a big sip of his drink. “Now that’s a good cosmo” you sip yours too. it’s a frozen one & sends a chill down your body as you adjust. Javi sees this. “Are you okay” he says & then his empty hand strokes the arm nearest which then fill with even more goosebumps.

“Yes, yes I am, are you” you raise your eyes above your sunglasses & Javi takes his own off.

“I am now I’ve seen those beautiful eyes” his hand has stopped & is now holding yours. Fingers interlocked. You don’t look down you keep your eyes on his big brown eyes & that magnificently handsome face & that thick mop of hair.

“Javi…” it’s a whisper as you both fully face each other. He lifts your hand & kisses the back of it.

“I won’t do anything unless you don’t want to” he says clearly a gentleman.

“Same back at you Javi, you’re rather hard to resist” you blush as you remove your own sunglasses.

“So are you” you lift your head at that compliment & look at those pouting lips. You both just naturally lean into the gap between you. His lips latch onto your own for a small peck of about 5 seconds before he pulls away leaving you hanging eyes still closed.

“Mmmm” you softly moan. “You are a gentleman, most men would have taken full advantage of that moment”

“Invitation accepted” his lips reconnect to yours & a 10 second kiss followed by a break again is then met with one so passionate that your heart might burst out of the binkin you are wearing. He has a hand on your hip, while the other cups your face. His tongue grazes your lips & you let him in straight away, you want him to experience all of your own delights. Your own hands are firmly on his chest. It’s not photo shopped & the most worked out chest at the ocean club, hence he wore a shirt to start, but you are running your hand across it & his little tummy & you don’t want to be anywhere else ever again. Here with your feet dipping in the water kissing the most charming & handsome man you have met in your life. You ruffle his wavey hair too.

“Javi” you moan as you both eventually break the embrace. You softly laugh & so does he as his moves a piece of hair from your face.

“I wanted to do that from the moment I walked past the bar the night before the karaoke”

“Really” your insides jump excitedly. He clearly has had a crush on you from a far. “I’m flattered”

“& now I know you, & our interest match, I see no reason for me to not ask you out on a proper date, just you & me & no ocean club, we can just be us”

“You sure, I mean there’s 100s of…” he stops you from talking with a quick smooch that takes you off guard.

“Forget anyone else, your the girl I want to get to know”

“& what if…ahhh” splash. As you went to reply to him Javi put his arm around your shoulders, & dragged you off your seat & into the pool bellow. You had no idea you were sitting near the deep end. You go to swim back up but Javi holds you under the water & helps you wrap your legs around him, before you make out until you run out of air. You come out of the water like Romeo & Juliet do in the Baz lurman film, sopping but still making out, splashing anyone who walked by but neither of you care. You rest your head on his chest & pant.

“No one’s ever kissed me like that before Javi”

“& I’ve never attempted that with anyone” he kisses your forehead. It’s only now as you hold him that you realise several people & pointing staring & gossiping. This makes you feel uncomfortable & you suddenly remember you are at the ocean club & you don’t really belong. You wrap your arms around Javi even more for protection.

“Everyone’s looking Javi” you say shyly realising your place in this world.

“Let them look”

“No Javi” you eventually break saftey away from him. “Coming here is a mistake, thank you though it’s been nice”

“But you only just got here” you swim back to the edge of the pool.

“It’s not you Javi it’s me” you leap out of the pool & hear some of the girls snigger at you. You hear one of the blondes from earlier say whale as you grab your stuff. You dry your feet so you can go to the changing room & scuttle past everyone ashamed. You then suddenly realise you have no idea where you are going & crumple on the floor by a flight of stairs. A fast pace of sticky feet find there way to you & big strong arms pick you up.

“Maybe next time don’t run off without an exit strategy” Javi whispers & takes you into a private locker room. He hits the buzzer so someone can go fetch your belongings which will appear in the room in 5mins time.

Your arms once again wrap around Jacks neck as you shiver, from shame & embarrassment but also from his soothing touch as he strokes your back.

“Sorry Javi” you whimper. “I just don’t understand what you would see in a girl like me, I’m not from money, I barely have a cent to my name, I’m just little old simple boring me, who has a gay flat mate & works at her uncles bar”

“Everything you have said right there, is more interesting than any of those influences ever wish to be. They may snigger but this time next year they might not have daddy’s trust fund & might have to work for their summer” he says calmly which cheers you up. “& I don’t care that your broke, I can look after you”

“That’s the other thing Javi, I don’t want you to think I’m just with you or being nice to you for your money, I still want my life.”

“Then you shall still… wait…” he smirks”are you saying you want me, you want to be with me” you eyelashes flutter as your chest heaves in time with his. This is only the second day you have known Javi & yet your mind is contemplating what a life in Majorca would be like. How it would feel to be Javis girlfriend, even though you just ran out in him you did it because you are falling for him & didn’t want to get hurt any more than you already have by those sniggering fake blondes.

You nod “I think I do, at least to spend the summer as yours & no one else’s” you look up at this man & your lips meet. No longer waiting for permission anymore. It feels like he’s an old flame who you’ve not kissed for ages despite only having your first kiss only 30mins ago. You moan as you feel one of his wandering hands Grace the material of your still damp bikini bottoms. His long fingers want to be inside there but you can tell from how tentative they are that he wants you to say yes before he has his fill. You know you’re going to be his & he will be yours until you have to get in that flight home.

“Javi” you moan & do similar to his crutch that he is doing to yours. You can feel his excitement build. “Will we get in trouble for this Javi?” He then takes your hand & slips it inside his swim shorts.

“If your quiet then no, & if we do I’ll pay them off” he smirks, before he drops to his knees your hand leaving his length which you had started to attend to & he pulls your bottoms down with his hands admiring your shaven mound. “Oooh baby” Javi says nothing else. Your legs spread a little & he licks over the top of your clit as you try to grip the wall & he slips two long thick fingers inside you.

“Fuck Javi” your hips move. His tongue gets to work. Those fingers are vigours as he adds a third, sloppy noises from your slick & their movements echoing around this private changing room. You give up on the wall plunging your hands into his mop of hair. “Oooh fuck fucking fuck” you whine your voice getting louder. The gasp you make as you cum on his fingers, reverberates around the room. Your face in a trance as pleasure spreads through your body. “Javi oooh fuck Javi” he eventually stands up & keeps a thumb on your clit as you breath is restored. His face glistening as he sucks on of his fingers that are still damp from his little treat, into your mouth.

“Well baby, I had to give you a short preview of what your going to get, it only seemed fair”

“Javi” you scream as he lifts you up & carrys you towards the shore of the beach. You’d spent the rest of the afternoon with Javi at the ocean club, in one of their private hot tubs out of view & for a discretional fee. You wanted to repay the compliment of Javis oral expertise. His penis was huge, but your mouth took it well. He even joked that this had been the quietest you had been since you’d met as his balls hit your chin. The way his eyes rolled back as he spilled down your throat, as your own streamed with tears, is an image you will never forget. You then went back to your apartment to get a change of clothes before you arrived at Javis Ibiza villa. It was decedent & for just somewhere he went an each summer was completely unnecessary but you didn’t care about that, you adored the man who owned it. Money was just a nice bonus.

You both had dressed up for dinner. Usually your Ibiza dressing up would be fancy dress but not with Javi. You wore an off the shoulder red dress, which hugged your curves & had even done your make up properly. Javi wore a dark green suit jacket & trousers & a charcoal shirt, & he took you to dinner. The best tapas place in the island. There you were just a couple, not the bar tender & the billionaire. You sat drank ate chatted flirted & kissed all night. You’re already not looking forward to be able to spend as much time with Javi even when you do get the odd day off, it won’t be enough. You were walking back to his villa on the sand hand in hand, when he scooped you up into his arms & ran to the shore. He stopped just before the edge laughing his head off as he smacks your bum & puts you back in your feet.

“Another day we can do that” Javi smile & kisses your cheek. “Wouldn’t want to ruin that stunning dress, you really have been stunning to look at all night, bewitching.”

“Stop it Javi” you playfully push him as the tide comes in over your feet, your only a few meters to go before you get to his villa. The night sky scattered with stars, the sound of partying happing a mile or so away filling the air, & yet the only thing you can think about are his lips & how good the next kiss will feel. “

“So”

“So” you both giggle.

“Would you like to stay the night?” Javi asks as he pulls you close his hand rest on your hip as you start to walk up to his place.

“Hmm… I’m not sure”

“What”

“So you don’t understand sarcasm?” He darts his eyes. “Javi, I’ll stay if you want me to stay, but if I do stay I’m not sure we will get much sleep” you both blush red, his hand has now moved, it’s going around in circles over your arse, sending shivers down your spine.

“That’s why siestas exist,” he smiles & then turns. His other hand also graces your bum, skating over the material of your dress. You both look deeply into each others eyes.”god your perfect” he says as you hand cups his face. As your lips meet for the most succulent kiss you drop your heels on the floor. You don’t care that you’ll never get the sand out, your hands are in his hair, your tongue teasing his, his facial hair rubbing against your sking. You can feel the material of your short red dress rising, his own wondering hands have found your skin. He has a handful of your bum, before you then take your own hand to his & put it underneath your thong.

“Take them off Javi” you whimper, before reengaging the kiss. The lace slowly trickles down your thighs & legs. He breaks the kiss & moves your feet so his can take them off before they get covered in sand. He looks at the sticky arousal inside the red lace.

“Does your underwear match?” He asks as he sniffs your thong & this empty hand has an index finger trail across your chest.

“No they don’t…”

“Oooh” his face looks a little disappointed.

“… Javi… they don’t because this dress doesn’t need a bra” your suddenly lifted up again by him & you wrap your legs around javis waist. His eyes now wide & excited.

“Then why the fuck are we out here” he says as he spins you around a few time as you passionately kiss him. “I’m taking you to bed” he puts your down grabs your shoes & your hand & then runs up to his villa with you.

“Will we even make it to the bedroom?”

“Let’s find out”

You do make it to the bedroom. Making out all the way up the stairs. This is the first time you realise Javi has staff even if you are already blinded by lust & passion for you sexy Spaniard . The front door was opened for you both, & locked behind. Someone tried to offer him a drink upon his return but could see he was tasting you, your lips quenching his thirst for now. Your shoes & thong dropped in the entrance hall as Javis hands went back to your arse, his jacket thrown from the stairs, his shoes kicked off before he was through his master bedroom door. Wearing an off the shoulder dress was the best idea you had ever had, his hands only needed to slightly move the zip at the top of your dress, before it fell from your body pooling at your feet. Instantly feeling two fingers plunge deeply into your cunt as he walked your back towards his kingsize bed, his other hand caressing your face, mouths still entangled. You undo the first two button of his shirt before he withdraws his long fingers, sucks them & then tugs the shirt off over his head as you hurry to undo his belt & fly, realising that as your hands opened them, that Javi had been commando all night. As he steps out of his trousers & you once again drop to your knees lapping your tongue around his hardened penis, you glimps a look at his perfect peachy arse in the mirror, clenched & looking so good. It’s a davine sight as he starts to groan as you tug on his balls.

“Baby stop I don’t wanna come yet” he pulls back his hips were already wanting to thrust further down your throat. He lifts you onto the bed & lifts your legs up towards your head, to the side. He can see exactly what waits for him. A clit desperate to be strummed, your sex dripping, your arse puckering. It’s like he’s at a buffet, a sexual buffet. He leans over you, your near the edge of the bet, & his penis swipes down over everything, the feel of it has you gripping your ankles. He leans into his bedside table & then his face drops? “Youre on birth control right?” You nod.

“I got tested last week for STDs tooo… ooooh fuck” you are busy talking about that but then he slips his penis inside you, the stretch of this magnificent girthy cock filling you up, he slowly goes, making it feel deeper than any man has gone before or is it just the position you are in. He pushes down hard, his balls hitting you, as your legs stay back for you to hold, your palms sweating even more as you already pant as he slowly moves back out & then does it again leaning all of his weight on top of you.

“God baby, so tight, so perfect, I’m gonna cum so quickly arghhhhh” his hand firmly grips your breast as he goes in again.

“Javi I’m in no rush, ooooh fuck.” His other hand is rubbing your clit now, ferociously, friction that if you were not shaved down there that could cause a Forrest fire. It quivers as you do. No man has ever, be it in Ibiza or anywhere, been this attentive. It’s like he somehow knows that when you pleasure yourself, it’s all about the pulses with your vibrator on your clit that makes you cum & clamp. He can feel you squeeze him each time he drags in & out of you.

“Fuck baby, oooh fuck yes” his rhythm is speeding up. You see his eyes dark with desire, he watches each time as he sinks all the way into you, the feel of your walls has him licking his lips, wondering how long he can last. “Best cunt ever baby, you take me so well”

“Javi, yess, oooooohhhh my my oooohhhh hmmmmmm” you can no longer say full sentences, as he starts hitting the spot, you can feel your own euphoria want to take over. “Baby bay oooh Javi more more”

“Fuck, oh Jesus” he growls. Your legs bent all the way back as he pounds you deeply, hips that have never moved faster, filling you up, making you breathless, watching as his thick hair starts to drip with sweat that runs down his neck & chest. Your own pelvis, rocking around him, feelings sexy, & magnificent as the tension, friction & pleasure builds ready to explode into a million diamonds.

“Javi yes yes yes I’m gonna cum, fuck fuck fuck fFGfFFfFUCK!!!!!” The last fuck comes out so high pitched as you release you inner pleasure. Your orgasm send Javi over the edge too.

“Fuck yes oooh baby girl” he fills you up, mixing his seed with yours. Wondering how he kept going for so long. You are bent in half & eyes still rolling on the back of your head when you feel his lips kiss you, still so soft, but now a more treasured kiss. You suddenly realise that this is your summer fling. The man who when you message him to say you are free will likely drop everything to come & satisfy your needs, because as you flicker you eye lashes open & softly smile moving that one random curl out of the way, the look he’s giving you without saying a word says the same thing. He’s still semi hard inside you as your hand rubs his face.

“Hello my sexy stranger”

“I don’t think I’m a stranger anymore” he whispers. He kisses you a few times more times on the lips before allowing your to move your legs before he withdrawals his cock, lies down next to you & then rolls you on top of him. His mouth sucking your nipples in seconds as you position yourself, gladly taking his cock inside you once more. Soft bounces down to his base moving slowly, taking him all in, anti clock wise motions you roll, he feels like he’s in your belly. He’s groping your arse cheeks as you eventually move faster no longer able to contain the slow sensual pace you both set to start with. You know Javi is still incontrol of this despite being on top. But as you sit up and his hands trail over your tummy as you caress his chest, you wonder how long this man really can last.

“Look at you, fucking sexy goddess, taking me so well, you know what you like”

“Oooh Javi yes, I do”

“Then be a good girl for me & cum quickly so I can lick all of your arousal away & I can them cum down your throat.” It sets you off. You’re soon slurping Javis cock, his own cum tasting salty as you 69. He laps always at all of your holes tutting. “We made a mess baby, I think we’re going to have to go again” before he slaps your arse firmly. You shimmy off him & it’s not long before you are back on your back as he’s back inside your pussy, making you both cum long into the night, louder than the parties going on in the distances.

11months later.

There you stand opening night of the bar for the season. Now the owner, you saved the money Javi had given you & offered to buy part of the bar off your uncle, who then practically said you could be full incharge & would make all the profits form it now. It’s been redecorated durring the off season, with new staff & with a new idea to keep the regulars happy but to bring in new people too. Justin smirks at you.

“To us”he says as he raises you a shot, the one you are both allowed a night.

“To us” you reply

“To us” says Lucas. The guy who had looked after you all of last summer at the ocean club when you had been there, when the season was over, you told him things were changing & you offered him a job, he is now the bars manager. “& it’s already been worth it”

“Yes it has, they had it coming” you’d been reading resumes for new staff & two of the girls you had turned down for jobs here this season, were the two girls at the ocean club who were judgemental & bitchy towards you last year, clearly being an influences doesn’t get you everywhere.

“& can I just say” Justin says once his shot is drunk “that it’s nice that I won’t have to hear you scream in pleasure in the shower now every other morning.”

“Justin!”

“What?! He clearly knew what he was doing, mr Chav”

“It’s..”

“Javi…” the seductive voice comes behind you, his hand grips your waist instantly, his lips always so soft. Javi had made sure you didn’t need to temp, you’ve promised to pay him back, after spending the entire winter in Majorca at his compound, but he’s point blank refused. You both got in trouble for missing a few key things he had to do due to how much sex you’d been having. The summer fling had become a relationship & you were both head over heels in love.

“Alright” says Justin.”I have to say the water bill is less too now already”

“Anyhow don’t you have reping to do for us?” Lucas asked him.

“Bloody hell even the new guy has picked your side” he says before Lucas smacks Justin’s arse & winks. “Ooh he can stay”

With the bar almost filled on opening night you step on to the stage.

“Welcome to the new season for Ibiza this year everyone. For those of you who have or haven’t been here before karaoke Tuesdays are still a thing & I always do the opening song to make the night well only improve” the room cheers. “But tonight I would like my partner in crime to get up here,” Javi almost spits his drink out, you hadn’t told him this yet. He looks shocked but Lucas all but pushes him onto the stage. He’s blushing & you give him a polite look & whisper. “€10000 euros pays for this & a blow job once it’s over baby” his eyes go wild & he squeezes your bum.

“Okay”he can’t get anymore words out, as his hand slips inside your short shorts & realises you have no knickers on.

“Right” you also look a little flush. “You ready?”

“Wait what are we…” & then the music starts & he smiles. “Seriously?”

“Yes” & the two of you do a rendition of listen to the rain on the roof from the end of Paddington 2. Including some bad dance moves & it’s met with rapturous applause. You do a little bow. But then Javi grabs the main microphone from you & talks.

“Thanks everyone for coming but there’s one more thing that needs to happen before we get the show on the road properly.” Javi drops to one knee & produces a small blue box.

“My sweet beautiful sexy señorita” he says followed by your full name, “please would you do me the honour of making this the fling of a life time, & agree to be my wife” Javi opens the box, as your jaw drops. Inside is a simple one stone diamond ring, nothing flashy, very classy, very you. Javi learnt very early on he didn’t need to flash the cash to impress you & this shows that he just wants you for who you are. Your eyes spill with tears as you reply with a yes, before he is up & sweeping you off your feet spinning you around, as all your patrons cheer. The ring fits perfectly as he puts you back on your feet, before you passionately kiss him on stage in front of everyone. He moves your hair which is no longer dyed blonde but is your natural mousey blonde colour, out if the way of your ear, so he can whisper.

“Let’s go make sure the vip bathroom is okay shall we” he says. “I think we need to more private celebration, so your eyes can keep streaming.”

[kinaesthetiqueer]

meet the artist! kina

okay, real talk. that dragonfly elytra is the coolest thing i have ever designed on the fly. i'm obsessed with it. i want to make it so badly. i've already been thinking about patterns and fabric choices. i meant to give myself fairy wings but this was soooo much cooler. anyways. i wanted one of these because i hadn't done in a while. click to zoom in or read the transcription below!

kina [kinaesthetic/kinaesthetique/ kinaesthetiqueer] - they/them - usian - black - late 20s (July 3rd) - neurodivergent rainbow infinity symbol + lesbian flag + nonbinary + asexual flag

fave colors - pthalo green, seafoam, jade green, sky blue, honey mustard, prussian blue, pastel blue, blueberry purple, forgetmenot lavender, orchid, moss

likes - birds/birding, cats, dogs, learning languages, tea, good chocolate, all caps, all lowercase, fae, supernatural creatures, thunderstorms, snow, libraries, wearing cat ears, breakfast foods, snuggly blankets, the ocean

dislikes - 100F/38C+ temps, ice storms, early mornings, deciding where to put stickers, generative AI, asparagus, stick/gooey things

hobbies - writing, drawing, reading, baking, cosplay, sewing

fave tropes (to write) - slowburn, mutual pining, wings, nonhuman transformations, deep character dives, [gay realization], us against the world, unexplored neurodivergence

media i enjoy - RWBY, overwatch, minecraft, paleo pines, pikmin, g-witch, stardew valley, guild wars 2, animal crossing, iron widow, jurassic world: camp cretaceous, coral island

[sanguinesorcery]

ohlookitthat! First category of the rewrite has finally been completed, the Introduction! A look into the surface levels of Sidhe and the Three and Ten.

I'll be posting categories as they complete to keep track of things on my end, as well as assure people that it is being worked on. There may be art and stuff later on, but for now the writing is the heft of it. The closer we get to the end of the writing beast, the closer I get to announce Big Surprises!

In the meantime, enjoy this introduction to Sidhe. Some information you may recognize, some will be new.

O P E N I N G _ T R A C K

------------------------------------------

INTRODUCTION

Summary

Far to the south, where the seas turn crystal blue and the wind is humid and fragrant, sits a paradise heralding itself as the bastion of south tropic civilization.

Four days from the mainland's southern coasts by steamship, a week away by wind-and-sail, it is a feast for the senses. Awash with bright colors and savory scents and playful friendly folk, this is the capital center of The Empire of Sidhe. A political and cultural powerhouse, it is the first nation those of the Hylian mainland enter when passing unseen borders into the scattered nations of the south tropics.

All activity in Sidhe (pronounced 'she') dispatches from the Three and Ten Archipelago, a collective of three central islands encircled by an uneven ring of ten other islands, bound together by the expansive engineering project that is their strictly maintained network of bridged highways. Sidhe influence extends passed the archipelago's immediate borders into the waters around it, effectively cutting off the tropical world around them from the mainland's influence and just as effectively protecting their neighbors from any harm that may come to them from the northern parts of the world.

The fortress at the gate, albeit amiable and glittering.

Geography

The Three and Ten is the remains of an ancient crater, created when a meteoric rock struck the planet at a time when life as is presently known was non-existent. There is not a person alive that would remember the event, an impact that likely caused the extinction of most life and was catalyst to the landscape that would later fill with ocean water.

Over many eons, the crater has eroded from time and weather and the natural shift of the surface of the planet, crumbling sharp sudden angles and steep walls into the thirteen islands of the archipelago now. The jagged variegation of the land still remains in noticeable sweeps and the direction of the impact is still seen today. As the rock struck the surface at an angle, all land north-northeast of the impact zone rises in sharp slopes and sheer cliffs, fanning out to show just how much the land was changed. Reefs off the north coasts show just how much landmass was displaced, as the foundations beneath them are debris cemented together over time from the original hole created. The dramatic upslopes begin to even out as one moves further east or west, replacing cliffs and ragged upheaved mountains for rolling hills and easy terrain. Although the southernmost portion of the archipelago was pointed away from the direction of impact, it still drove the land and debris up into an iconic circle, part of which still remains as the south Ring islands.

The crater basin is still visible after passing through the boundary created by the Ring. While the water is still quite deep between the islands, the clear blue-green properties of it create the illusion of the floor of the archipelago being closer than it actually is, even along the turbulent boat lanes designated for travel back and forth across the span of the archipelago. The seafloor is still darkly colored, a testament to the blast that unearthed and fractured the bedrock. While there are patches of lighter-colored stone and sandpits pulled from other currents, the exposed rock has been a prime ground for coral while the sand deposits scattered in splotches have given aquatic flora a place to root and thrive. Over the millennia that the basin has been submerged, water currents have worn away noticeable paths in the rock between islands, giving the underwater landscape an ancient roadmap of its own to read where the water is flowing. The same cannot be said for the space around the crater space, however, as tropical coral and visible seafloor gives way into a steep drop passed the outside rim of the Ring on all sides into dark unknown waters.

There are islands along the southern Ring that have spring-fed lakes and a few of the larger ones of those even have their own river systems. Of the Inner Triad, the Harbor Isle houses the most lakes and a full river system of its own, and the Cultural Isle sports a few large lakes and streams. The Imperial Isle does not have any spring of its own, owing to its impressive sweeping spike as it is direct north to the impact point. The more ragged and rocky the terrain, the less likely they are to have a spring bubbled to the surface.

The Clouded Isle is the rock. The original meteorite that hit the ground, it acted as foundation for both the piling of displaced debris of its own impact, as well as sturdy beginnings for the sediments that would pile on it over time and harden into the rocky formation it became. By the time people were living on it, it had a substrate of crumbling sedimentary rocks and a decent layer of dirt and sand across the top. Owing to the instability of the sedimentary layers that hold it up, it is hard to build anything of substantial weight across it. Somehow, perhaps due to its nature being between worlds, there are small springs that have surfaced around the island. None who live on or visit the island understand how or why, but it is a phenomena simply accepted as well as the eternal mists that enshroud it.

Climate

As expected of tropical climates, the Three and Ten can be described as anything between balmy and sickeningly humid, breezy or stiflingly hot. It never drops below 50 degrees Farenheit, even in the height of their winter months, but can exceed high temperatures of 110 degrees or more in the high summer months.

The weather is fairly varied, from sunny days to spotty clouds, overcast to drizzles to warm rain to torrential downpours. It never snows in their part of the world, but during particularly heavy storms, small hail has been present. It never stays around for long and melts almost immediately, and more often than not falls out of the sky as slushy balls. The weather is stable and predictable for the most part, rarely changing on a whim.

The change of seasons are denoted by two major events. Springtime in the southern hemisphere comes along with drought in the later season, as summer's encroaching presence becomes hot and dry, or hot and stiflingly humid. Rainfall is rare in the late spring season, which causes some problem for the Ring islands that have no springs of their own for planting and must rely on other means to keep their crops irrigated through summer. Waterworks built on these dry islands are powered to give a surplus of purified water to make sure people and crops can live comfortably by decree of the Imperial during the Ring Run at this time of the year, but it is easier for the people on these islands to get their water from step wells built in strategic places to gather and hold water from rare rainfall.

On the opposite side of the calendar, autumn brings the monsoon season, a destructive stormfront heralded by the coming of the Storm Spirits, the Harpies.

As summer comes to a close, the air begins to cool and stormclouds and thunderheads can be seen rolling in the far distance, giving a brief timeframe for those in their path to prepare for the onslaught. The lack of moisture of the seasons before are equally opposed by the constant torrents of rain and wind in the autumn months, battering cracked earth and swelling over embankments to cause damage to anything in its way for nearly two months with little cease. During rare days of little to no rain, damages are taken note of on all islands in the archipelago and seen to in order to make sure the next round of storms do not cause too much damage more than they already have.

As destructive as both the dry and wet seasons can be, however, they are still easy to predict and prepare for. A testament to the longevity of the people who live across the archipelago to know and survive anything otherwise uncontrollable that comes their way.

Locations of Note

Visitors to the Three and Ten are very rarely aware of how early on they enter it, given that it expands into open waters far beyond the islands. This is to better regulate traffic in and out of the south tropics as a whole.

::Imperial waters are always the first sphere of influence encountered, from the waterways in the inner crater to an invisible barrier set ten miles in all directions from the outermost coastlines of the Outer Ring, where the crater falls away into the depths. It is designated by the range of the light seen from The Lighthouse at the Summit, the largest mechanical light in the region that can be seen in its rotations even in brightest daylight. Imperial waters are always patrolled on the open water beyond the Ring by patrol ships that are manned and supplied by the Imperial Navy. These smaller ships are lighter and faster on the water than the armada ironclads, capable of escort or holding their own against anything that may threaten the archipelago further in until heavier support can arrive.

::The Outer Ring, or The Ten, is the first of the archipelago to be seen on entry into Imperial influence. What remains of the crater's original rim, they surround the Inner Triad and the Clouded Isle in a circle made uneven by time and erosion. The terrain among them varies widely depending on which direction they face. It defines what the islands are used for, as the Outer Ring is where industry and agriculture thrive. Four islands are dedicated to agriculture, including crops that are both planted yearly and vast forests of fruiting orchards and industry trees; three islands are dedicated to animal husbandry and livestock products; three islands are dedicated to industry such as metal working, forges, refineries, and textile mills. While ferrying is a common transportation between the islands, most population flow follows the Ring Highway, bridged roads that span the water-space between all islands in a singular circle. Considered one of the greater feats of the Middle Age, they remain a part of a much larger network of bridged roads that connect all mortal islands in the archipelago together.

::The Inner Triad rests at the center of the crater, three massive islands surrounded by the Outer Ring. Where industry and agriculture comes from the Ring, it is politics and culture that govern the Triad. As with the Ring Highway, there is a network of bridged roads that extends in all directions from each of the main islands to points on the Ring, making travel time between the thirteen main islands easier for travelers. -The Imperial Isle -or Central Isle- rests just north and west of the Clouded Isle, the closest to it and one of the Inner Triad that surrounds it. One of the islands where the impact was the greatest, it is not the largest of the islands but it is the tallest. It is the home of the Imperial family as well as the Imperial Palace Complex, a white marble masterpiece that uses the natural fortifications of the mountain around it as structure and safety. Although it glitters due to culturally-aesthetic architectural embellishments, it stands as a monument with its three lookout towers and the Lighthouse At the Summit, or the Summit Lighthouse. Its only engineering rival to date is The Waterworks, the main facility for such is built and operates from the Imperial Isle as it is nearly direct center of the archipelago and therefore provides the shortest distance to any one point in the island cluster to mitigate transportation decay. The Imperial Isle is also home to the only dock that ferries to the Clouded Isle, since one needs permission from the active Imperial to go there legally. -The Harbor Isle is a fair distance from the impact, some south and east of it. While it has its fair share of mountainous terrain, it is not as dramatic as the Imperial Isle, as the force of impact was away from it. It does have some of the flatter coastlines, however, and so has the most harbors in the area, giving it a symmetrical clover appearance with the larger curved breakwaters, a hub for every major direction. It also is home to the largest number of lighthouses and each lighthouse is timed meticulously to run the same timing with each other, while simultaneously running the off-beat of the Summit Lighthouse for ease of vision. The crew that runs the lighthouses has its own specialized corps, a branch off the Engineering Corps known as Lamplighters, knowing if even a single light is off-time it could cause problems. As it is the center of transportation, it is also the center of commerce, sporting the largest known market in the Three and Ten, as well as a number of shopping districts. The largest market on the island is on its capital, Muhrti, a hub settled in a natural valley at center of the island itself. It is also where almost all major holidays are celebrated en masse, a hub of culture as well as trade. -The Cultural Isle is the last of the Inner Triad, south and west of the Clouded and Imperial Isles. Like the Harbor Isle, it formed away from the force of the impact and so shares a similar terrain of sweeping hills and small mountains. Of the Triad, it has the highest concentration of residential neighborhoods spread with a few shopping districts and smaller markets, making it the most populous of the inner islands. It also shares its space with a number of institutes, however, and so caters more toward education and the arts than the others. Everything from engineering to sciences to dance to art is represented here, and it is from here the richness and progression of Sidhe culture originates. Akama is the central capital of sorts on the Cultural Isle, and while it doesn't house very many residents compared to the rest of its territory, it is where the largest campuses for higher learning are built.

::The Clouded Isle is the rock itself that hit, and it is considered by many to not be a proper island in the cluster. Not because of its composition so much as it no longer rests in the realm of mortal life. It is nearest to the Imperial Isle, the only island in the cluster with a dock that ferries directly to it, since traveling through the mists is a dangerous affair for those who are not given permission. The mists act as a defined barrier between the mortal plane and the Gods' Realm, where the rock currently rests just within its thresholds. The only ones allowed to live on the Clouded Isle are those closest to the native religious pantheon and visitors are advised to not tarry too long. The Imperial Family finds its roots on the Clouded Isle and always returns to rest. There are no named settlements on the Clouded Isle, save for the Imperial Mausoleum that houses a most sobering lesson for any and all blood mages.

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Taming the Tiger Shark

The tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) is a common sight for divers, fishermen, and tourists in the tropical waters of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. They are often found around sea grass fields or coral reefs, and tend to prefer warm, shallower waters near the coastline or surrounding atolls and islands. The northern end of their range extends up to the northern borders of the United States and China, while their southern range reaches down to Brazil, Madagascar, and the eastern coast of Australia.

While they're slightly smaller than great whites, G. cuvier is still one of the largest carnivores in the ocean. Adults can grow up to 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) long and weigh between 300 and 900 kg (700 and 2,000 lb). Females tend to be larger than males, but the two sexes are otherwise indistinguishable. Individuals are typically bluish gray or green, with a white or light yellow underbelly; this provides them with camouflage, as fish swimming overhead or below are unable to pick out the shark's silhouette against the dark or light background, respectively.

As an apex predator, G. cuvier has few predators of its own. Juvenile tiger sharks will often fall prey to other sharks, including adults of their own species. Orcas are also occasionally known to prey on tiger sharks, but these occurrences are rare. In their own food chain, G. cuvier has a large appetite and will eat almost anything. Coral reef fish are a common target, though their speed and small size makes them harder to catch. More often tiger sharks will prey on cephalopods, crustaceans, sea snakes, turtles, sea birds, and a host of marine mammals like dolphins, dugongs, sea lions, and young, injured, or dead whales. Inadvertently, tiger sharks will also consume garbage such as bottles tires, earning them the nickname 'The Garbage Can of the Ocean'.

Tiger sharks are primarily active at night. Contrary to other sharks, G. cuvier has excellent eyesight, as well as a keen sense of smell. In addition, tiger sharks have two special sensory organs. The lateral line extends down the length of the body and can detect minute vibrations in the water. Ampullae of Lorenzini are small electroreceptors located on the snout; these detect the weak electrical impulses generated by prey. All these features make it easy for tiger sharks to find a meal, and once located their body shape allows them to put on a burst of speed and make quick turns to catch their target. Most of the time, this hunting practice is done alone, but occasionally groups of tiger sharks will gather to scavenge a large carcass or for the mating season.

Male tiger sharks mate every year, while females only reproduce every three years. Breeding seasons differ based on location; in the Northern Hemisphere mating occurs between March and May, while in the Southern Hemisphere it's between November and January. During this time, dozens or even hundreds of sharks may gather to find mates. Females carry their young for up to 16 months, at which time they give live birth. Tiger sharks are ovoviviparous, meaning that eggs are fertilised and hatch inside the mother; this species is also unique in that they employ a technique called embryotrophy, in which young gestate in sacks which are filled with an embryonic fluid. A single litter of tiger sharks may contain between 10 to 80 pups, and each one may live up to 12 years in the wild.

Conservation status: The IUCN has classified the tiger shark as Near Threatened. While exact numbers are unclear, a great many tiger sharks are killed each year for their skin, fins, and liver. This species also has a reputation for vicious attacks, and while they can be aggressive when threatened, only a handful of shark attacks occur each year.

If you like what I do, consider leaving a tip or buying me a ko-fi!

Photos

Neil Hammerschlag

Brian Skerry

David Snyder

[cornyonmains]

Okay, gonna be real honest, there's a lot of emotional connecting that didn't happen to justify the events in episode 3. I'm also confused as to whether the monetary arrangement is a kink thing, Rak trying to emotionally distance, or actually a serious thing that's going to create issues later on.

That being said, I guess I can buy that these two accidentally dickmatized each other when they had literally nothing else to do but fuck and eat in an island paradise all day, while also being incredibly good looking.

Also, the islanders are the real MVPs of this show, because they heard everything, and then had to look Mut in the eye the next day like they didn't while he was talking about coral. And with Rak in the back one hickey away from needing a welfare check no less. It could not be me. The second he said anything about sea cucumbers, I'd have lost my mind. I have no self control.

Once again disappointed with what's looking to be another vanilla g/g ship after all the godless whoring GMMTV has been letting their boys do as of late, but I honestly think queer female content is always going to be about 10 years behind everything else. At least MAME puts it in her stuff. It's more than a lot of BL directors do, and I'm pretty sure she's straight, so I mean, extra bonus points.

[vdoesstuff]

Fic #26 (Zosan)

Sanji leaned overboard, staring off into the horizon. The sun had just risen. It wouldn't be long until Luffy woke up and started asking for breakfast. Nami was already awake, skillfully steering the ship to get them to the next island. Robin sat on the deck, reading, Chopper leaning on her arm. Usopp was tinkering with a new star he was working on. Zoro was up in the crow's nest, probably just enjoying the view. Sanji smiled. It was sort of an unspoken rule, the early hours of morning, they all kept quiet, to enjoy the peace that came with the sunrise.

The boat hit a wave. Sanji fell overboard. Usually not a big deal. They'd laugh at him for a few days, but nothing bad.

But not this time.

He hit the water hard. He tried to swim back up, but another wave pushed him back down. Once again, he tried to swim back up, but he couldn't. He looked down, realizing his foot was stuck in a piece of coral. He could feel his consciousness slipping. He managed to free his foot, kicking the coral, snapping the fragile rock in half, but the waves were not kind today. He was pushed down yet again. He came up, for a brief moment, only to see the Merry much farther away than it should be. Riptide, he thought. The wave that carried you out to sea before you even knew what was happening. His head dipped below the surface once more.

Zoro watched from the crow's nest as Sanji fell overboard, flipping over the rail. He expected him to come back up pretty quickly. Any second now, he thought.

He didn't come up.

Zoro knew something was wrong. He knew Sanji would never have this much trouble coming back up on his own. He dove directly from the crows nest down to the water. He couldn't waste any time. He looked around, searching for any sign of the cook. There he was, tangled in a patch of seaweed, the air slowly escaping his lungs. It was clear there had been a struggle, and this wasn't the only thing g that happened, but this wasn't the time. Zoro cut the vines off quickly, bringing Sanji back up to the surface. He laid him down across the deck, soaking the floor.

He wasn't breathing.

He wasn't breathing.

Zoro panicked. He thought back to something Chopper had taught him a while ago, when he had given the crew a mandatory CPR lesson. He closed one hand around the other, placing them both over Sanji's chest. Please, he thought. Please breathe.

He pressed down.

It felt like every second was an hour, every painful second he wasn't breathing was one second closer to death.

He pressed down.

It was a blur. Like everything outside of him and Sanji had been muted, blotted out. He could vaguely hear Nami yell for Chopper, the sound of Choppers hooves across the deck as he ran to go get his medical supplies.

He pressed down.

Sanji gasped, sitting bolt upright. Zoro gently held back Sanji's as he coughed up water. Chopper took over, bombarding Sanji with questions about what happened, how he felt, how much water did he inhale. Zoro stayed next to Sanji, clutching his hand as if he would fall again at any second. After asking nicely, several threats, and finally, force, Chopper managed to get Sanji in his office. Zoro still refused to leave Sanji's side.

"Y'know mosshead, you don't have to stay here," Sanji said, smiling softly.

"Yeah I do," Zoro said. "Gotta make sure you don't fall again." Sanji rolled his eyes.

"Never gonna hear the end of this one, am I?" He said, faking disdain. Zoro grasped Sanji's hand in his.

"I almost lost you, Curly." The whole incident truly scared Zoro. And he wasn't scared easily. Sanji pressed his lips against Zoro's.

"Then don't, marimo." Sanji smiled. Zoro laid down next to Sanji, who clung to him like his life depended on it, resting his head on Zoro's chest. They fell asleep like that, together.

---------------------------------

Credit to @alohaags22

[usafphantom2]

2nd September 1937. First flight of the Grumman XF4F fighter, which would become known as the Wildcat. Its performance was initially inferior to the rival Brewster Buffalo, and the aircraft required an extensive redesign before being put into production. Despite this unpromising beginning, the Wildcat would prove crucial in the early stages of the Pacific war. Though less manoeuvrable than the Japanese Zero, it was well armed, rugged and a capable adversary in the hands of a skilled pilot.

The Wildcat’s first combat sorties were actually flown by the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm. Named Martlet in British use until 1944, the type’s first victory was a Junkers 88 over Scapa Flow on Christmas Day 1940. Martlets went on to serve successfully on the first Royal Navy escort carrier, HMS Audacity, in 1941. They continued in this role until the end of the war, scoring their final victories in Fleet Air Arm service by shooting down four Bf 109s in March 1945.

Wildcats first flew in combat against the Japanese during the attempt to take Wake Island in early December 1941. Four Marine F4Fs mounted a heroic defence, breaking up several air attacks as well as sinking a destroyer and submarine with 100lb bombs before the island finally fell on 23rd December. Wildcats served in all the key early engagements of the Pacific war, including Coral Sea, Midway and the defence of Guadalcanal.

Wildcats quickly established a reputation for toughness, able to absorb far more punishment than their Japanese opponents, and had an impressive kill/loss ratio. Wildcats were credited with destroying over 1,000 Japanese aircraft for 178 aerial losses, 24 to anti-aircraft fire, and 49 to operational causes. One Navy and seven Marine Corps pilots would earn the Medal of Honor in Wildcats.

In early 1943, Wildcat production was taken over by General Motors under the designation FM-1 and later the improved FM-2. Though replaced by the more powerful Hellcat on American fleet carriers during that year, the Wildcat’s small size and light weight made it ideal for use on escort and light carriers. With the addition of folding wings, they were well suited to the limited hangar and deck space available.

As in Royal Naval service, they remained in use until the end of the war. For example, during the battle of Leyte Gulf in October 1944, Wildcats mounted strafing runs against Japanese warships, helping to buy time for their parent escort carriers to escape.

Pictured:

1) First prototype Grumman XF4F-2 in flight. Note the cowling machine guns, forward radio antenna mast and telescopic gunsight, none of which featured on production models.

📷 thisdayinaviation.com

2) Grumman Martlet of 888 Squadron NAS warming up on board HMS Formidable prior to takeoff.

📷 IWM (A 11640)

3) Wrecked Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat fighters of Marine Fighting Squadron 211 (VMF-211), photographed by by the Wake airstrip sometime after the Japanese captured the island on 23rd December 1941. The plane in the foreground, 211-F-11, was flown by Captain Henry T. Elrod during the 11th December attacks that sank the Japanese destroyer Kisaragi. Damaged beyond repair at that time, 211-F-11 was subsequently used as a source of parts to keep other planes operational. Elrod received a posthumous Medal of Honor after leading a beach defence unit during the final Japanese assault.

📷 NHHC 80-G-179006

4) FM-2 Wildcat over the escort carrier USS Santee during the Leyte landings on 20th October. Santee would survive a kamikaze attack and a torpedo hit from a Japanese submarine 5 days later.

📷 NHHC 80-G-287594

@JamieMctrusty via X

[fereldanwench]

!!!!!

I haven't played coral island since last summer (it was my comfort game after we put ares to sleep) so i haven't seen any of the updates since then

Just saw there's a hangout option now which is so cute

[dmwrites]

2023 fic roundup! Thanks for reading my stuff this year!

Below is all of the fic links, summaries, and any additional notes (in chronological order) from yours truly:)

NPC Bdubs: an in-game explanation to why Bdubs didn’t upload his Limited Life pov- Cleo notices that Bdubs is acting a little weird, almost like some kind of non-playable character.

The Coral Kids’ Keeper: Martyn and Scott live out on a island on the sea on the Limited Life server, and a sea creature that calls himself xbcrafted take interest in them. He protects them. He is here to protect them, right? (Dm note: oh my goddd I love this one still I love the horror at the end [I may just be biased to xb tbh lol])

Impulse’s post-death affirmation: Impulse got second place in Limited Life, and Skizz is so proud of him.

Clock Full of Love: Impulse gave Bdubs a clock in the beginning of Limited Life. At the end, Cleo adds her own touch to it.

Grian and Scar’s punishment: It all started when Grian and Scar touched his (Doc’s) redstone (tunnel bore). Their punishment? Zombiecleo scolding them.

Talks of Adoration on the Tower of Team TIES: Etho and Impulse have more in common then they think, and reflect on it all one sleepless night in the Team TIES base

Big and Handsome God Has A Big Sad: the empires s2 server can’t be empty, right? Sure, Joel hasn’t seen anyone in forever, but people still love him, surely, right? They wouldn’t all leave him. They wouldn’t. Right? (Dm note: this idea wasn’t executed as well as I would have liked, but I really like the crumbling reality vibes of this one)

Cuddling with the Homies: Grian, Impulse, Scar, and Skizz playing Sons of the Forest. They get one tiny-ass tent to all sleep in. It’s if the “only one bed” trope was four dudes being idiots in the woods in a tent.

I know how to keep you warm;)): the new life smp folks wonder if Chillager Martyn will freeze up if he gets flustered. Scott is up to the task. It’s all silly.

Copper Pearlo takes on The Button (2): Grian and Mumbo stumble upon copper golem Pearl

One Year Later: Double Life ended one year ago (when I posted this fic lol). Impulse makes Bdubs another clock

The CuteGuy Who Stepped Up: Scar needs a CuteGuy sidekick, and Grian does not want to be a sidekick in the slightest. Enter Joe Hills from Nashville, Tennessee. (Dm note: the CuteGuy main character was decided by a poll. This is also my second most-liked fic of 2023)

The Slime Code: Gem is a slime in New Life! She calls Jevin on Hermitcraft to ask about any slime rules she now needs to follow

A Dream of Pink: Joel has a dream of showing a pretty girl with pink hair (who roasts him) his hardcore world builds. She seems familiar…

3rd Life x NightVale: the radio transcript when Cecil Palmer from the town of NightVale interviews a strange man with a red sweater and split knuckles and keeps talking about something that happened in a desert. (Dm note: love this one, definitely caters to a very specific audience, but this one shows up in my notifs almost every day. I think I did a good job at the ad breaks and such.)

Sacrificial Impulse: Grian, Scar, and Skizz died while hunting ghosts with Impulse. Impulse wants to bring them back, no matter the cost. Also, EvilNotion is the ghost hunters’ boss.

xB’s Revenge- a Blood on the Clocktower story: based on the first session of hermitcraft’s BOTC, Iskall accuses xbcrafted of being the demon, and xB becomes the first innocent to die. But xB sticks around after death, and wants the sweetest revenge on Iskall. (Dm note: this one is long as hell but man the concept was so good. Drowned!xb is so good.)

Bdoubledown? How Cute: a brief conversation between Impulse and Skizz about Impulse’s brand new soulmate in Double Life

GIGS gets another G: Gem is jealous that Grian, Impulse, Scar, and Skizz are hunting ghosts, and wants to join in. Pearl, local odd woman, has a way. Possession is fun among friends! (Dm note: this is the most liked fic of this year, which is definitely not what I expected lol)

The Dungeon Is Hungry: Hypno thinks all the superstitions around the Decked Out 2 dungeon are stupid. That is until everything goes sideways and Cub is covered in sculk and pointing a sword at him down in level 4.

The Impossible Task: Martyn gets a very simple, two-word task in Secret Life: find RenTheDog. But Ren isn’t here… right? (Dm note: when I thought of this idea I literally said “ouch!” in my head lol)

GIGGS Hunts a Ghost!: the GIGGS crew gets called on by Zedaph to find and capture evidence of a ghost he claims he has seen haunting hermitcraft. (Dm note: the b-plot grian and zed rivalry is so funny to me idk why I decided they hate each other lolll)

A Moment of Peace: Martyn and Cleo are estranged soulmates in Double Life, and they take a moment to drink some tea and talk about what soulmate they’d like to have if they had a choice.

It Feels Different Now (and that’s a good thing): Pearl has to hurt people on the Secret Life server as part of her task, but she takes no joy in it now. She harkens back to what has changed between Double Life and now.

Jimmy’s Grave: Cleo made Jimmy a grave before he died in Secret Life. He did end up dying that very day, and a mourner comes by his grave when it’s all said and done.

Red: Pearl’s favorite color is red. She is made to be a red name, even when she’s not.

Becoming the Villain of the Server: (secret life) Scar digs up Jimmy’s grave to take his spine, to sell it to Joel, pretending that it’s Lizzie’s. Hey, what else is a man to do? (Dm note: this one fucks so hard, i love how fucked up the idea of it is, what Scar would have to do to make it happen. Eating this.)

From One Lonely Winner to Another: Scar wins Secret Life. Sunflowers grow from his skin to be with him as he goes to succeed the final task. (Dm note: another one I love, I just love the aesthetic of it all.)

[shadowphoenixrider]

Get To Know Me Game

Thank you @elfgirl931 for tagging me! ^^

Last song: Don't Stop the Music by Dave Rodgers (2019 remix), mostly it's the soundtrack inspiring a certain fanfic of mine where I weld X-Men, Star Wars and VR games together because I can

Favourite colour: I'm a sucker for red, honestly

Last book: I...do not remember! XD I think it was So Let Them Burn by Kamilah Cole. Very good, highly recommend. Currently reading The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire by Dr. Chris Kempshall, because I am a slut for Star Wars lore.

Last movie: Sonic the Hedgehog 3. Amazing film, really liked how the interpreted Sonic Adventure 2 into it. Teenage SPR would have lost her SHIT about this movie, and I'm happy for her.

Last TV show: Skeleton Crew! I watched its finale last night, and it was amazing! I'd definitely recommend it - it's aimed for kids, but there's stuff for adults too (there's an episode where less abled characters are taken care of by the other kids and my hEART)

Sweet/spicy/savoury: I have a sweet tooth, I think, but I have a liking for them all. Except spicy. I'm a wuss in that regard

Last thing I searched for online: What skin conditions glow under UV light. I was worried someone in our friend group was geniunely unwell until he added the additional information that he was painting with fluorescent paint. We were extremely annoyed that he hadn't led with that information first.

Current obsession: Coral Island. After modding the game so bug catching doesn't make me want to eat my own skin, it's very enjoyable and I'm happily losing hours to it. Also I'm still very obsession with an X-Men whose name begins with 'G' and ends in 'ambit'. I am not immune to that Cajun charm.

Looking forward to: The weekend, and also the release of Civ 7 in February.

Tagging: @starrypawz, @hello-i-am-ber and @manyothermusingsofmine (no pressure to any of you!)

[leonbastralle]

part 2!

sticky business: the other game of my wife's that i played on my wife's deck! you run a sticker business in this one. the concept and the vibe of this is really cute, i love the sticker element options (though most of my favorites were from the pride update ksdfhksjdfs) i love that you can buy different paper to wrap the orders and also put in extra gifts! just generally such a lovely time just making stickers, putting them on sheets, printing them, packing them up, mailing them....i love that everything needs time so you need to structure your day or you will miss orders, it just feels really immersive. also the characters and stories are rly sweet and queer, though keeping track of active quests is really difficult because your progress isn't really marked anywhere and you can miss out on new developments for a long time. sometimes also there just aren't developments for an age kjdsfhskdfsd

été: i have been waiting for this one to come out for a long time and it kept its promises to me: you're just a painter staying in montreal for the summer finding inspiration around town. it did have some performance issues and bugs, but from what i saw they got worked on quickly. the characters you meet and their questlines were really interesting and diverse, and i love the stamp system and the gratification that comes from painting your surroundings (this is how you discover the stamps you build your art from), especially when you can afford a big burst! towards the end it started to drag because the main questline requires you to make more and more art without a given theme, but i did also avoid continuing in favor of exploration, so it might have been on me. don't do that skjfhsdfs

coral island: oh man this was my biggest disappointment i think, which is really sad considering it was my first game on my own steam deck. i love farming sims and i loved the concept of this one (farming sim in a different environment! a different culture! different festivals! different mechanisms!) but i do not think they embraced those differences at all and instead tried to streamline it as much as possible. we have a whole new exploration area with the ocean but we still need to have 100+ mine levels plus a late game endless dungeon? and what do you mean there's still snow in winter!!! that makes no sense! and the grindiness of it all drove me crazy. every bit of story is locked behind soooo much grinding it's unbelievable. be it 25 mine levels or several ocean areas or 100+ levels of the late game dungeon or several town ranks (that are impossible to level easily). also yes, the cast is diverse, but it feels very performative at times, and i honestly would have much preferred a smaller cast for some depth and more than one (1) romance line. same with how i really, really would have wanted the game to lead with what makes it unique and embrace it, dropping the "farming sim staples" in favor of that. not pushing all the most interesting content to late game. i ended up not finishing the story of this one for obvious reasons

leaving lyndow: eastshade is one of my favorite games so i enjoyed playing this prequel because it brought me back to eastshade during a different time and it was cool to see how things were then and how they changed until the start of eastshade, the game. and then going back and getting the references. it didn't do much more for me, but if you're an eastshade fan you will probably like it. it's only like 30 mins worth of content though, so best gotten on a sale.

book of hours: wowie this is one of my new all time favorite games. you're a librarian in this one, returning to the abandoned hush house and trying to restore it and catalogue the books. for the longest time i had no idea what my end goal truly was but i didn't mind, time really passes quickly as you're trying to unlock rooms and cataloguing books and reading books and learning skills and so on. this game is so pretty and vibey in an unsettling way, it's the only game i've played from this universe so i missed a lot of the lore, but what i did grasp from reading book summaries and descriptions was super interesting (though absolutely fucking wild). i enjoyed the card mechanics with memories and weather boosting certain aspects and the skills you slowly amass, upgrade and commit to certain parts of your soul and the way you need to pass checks to read the books. i enjoyed gambling with that and sometimes being lucky and sometimes failing and getting every disease aksjhkajhsja also the endings were banger. i love this game. i already started a second playthrough and i got so many new books and events, there truly is so much replayability in there. i will keep enjoying it and i'm looking forward to the next release!

saltsea chronicles: post apocalyptic little sailing game! this one has a whole bunch of branches (both for routes you take and for team composition) which i thought was cool. i enjoyed the art style and the characters, especially the main characters and their struggles all felt very real to me. also a fan of the diversity regarding gender/sexuality and the way it's handled in the universe. all the choices and management of squad issues can get overwhelming, but it felt realistic and didn't really hinder my enjoyment. overall cool universe with interesting lore. i enjoyed the main storyline, though it did get a lot heavier than what i was prepared for. however it did handle those heavy topics with a lot of care. i liked the open ending too, though i've seen people complain about that. truly heartbreaking to see die gute fabrik go. they were making great games.

no longer home: a surreal little game about transitional periods in your life where you don't really know where you're going. i really enjoyed this one and related a lot to it, though that might also be because it follows the two main characters as they leave their shared apartment/time behind and move towards a long distance relationship and as an ldr girlie i felt that ksjfhkajshfa either way i really enjoyed the game, the whole thing is quite disorienting and inconclusive but honestly to me that felt intentional considering the themes of it. i do know this game was not that well received so maybe i just am being too kind to it. but anyway, i liked it, and the ending rly hit me in the feels.

skyrim: honestly just here since i wanted an even number of games. picked this back up on my own deck and was delighted to see the improvement in quality! i was super happy to finally enjoy it again after the especially bugged experience i had on the switch. 10/10 will pick up again soon.

elsinore: i love a good time loop game, and this definitely was one. i'm not familiar with the original hamlet so i can't say anything about how accurate it is or how much it respects the source material, but i enjoyed this version of it- or versions, since there are a whole bunch of endings, one more tragic than the other. there's always a lot happening, many leads to follow up on and many events, but the game has a bunch of systems to make it easier to stay on top of things, plus you can always rewind/speed through the loop if you miss something. and if something goes wrong, usually you can use the rest of the loop to figure out a bunch of other shit. i loved the diverse cast, too, the main character of this is a mixed bisexual woman and there are a bunch of other lesbian, bi, and gay characters and even a genderfluid characters. plus a whole bunch of different ethnicities. also, let's not forget about the tragic time loop yaoi........i'm always weak for the tragic time loop yaoi.......then again, everything is tragic in this game. and i like that, too, i like that there isn't any ending that truly feels satisfying, it's a good kind of sadness you feel when you finish the game. however i am force uncloseting hamlet. go and be happy good sir

pentiment: oOF i truly had a streak of bangers. this game absolutely wrecked me. the first act was interesting, the second unsettling, and the third absolutely heartwrenching. this game so clearly was made with love, as a german i usually am very suspicious of games featuring germany but this one didn't make me cringe at all. i loved the very accurate medieval art style complete with shittily drawn cats (that you can pet!). i loved the bits of history and the portrayal of the struggles people were facing. i loved the main character(s), flawed as they may be. maybe exactly because of the flaws. i loved how unsatisfying the choices feel and how much you miss (i'm going to replay it soon, making some other choices). i especially loved the meal scenes ksjdfhskdhskd they looked soooo yummy. and it was so cool to see the town change with every time skip, though not necessarily for the better. the whole last half hour of this absolutely killed me. i could not recommend this game enough

little kitty big city: great palate cleanser after the heartbreak that was pentiment. just a little kitty trying to make its way back home and meeting a bunch of other wacky animals around town on the way. the cat content was sublime, you can hunt birds, meow, nap, clean yourself, steal fish, be petted by random people on the street, you can make them stumble, you're scared of water, dogs and cucumbers, and just all the noises and animations of the main character were delightful. also there's 40+ stupid hats for you to collect and wear!!! what more do you want!!! honestly this game was far too short to me. i would have really expected it to be longer, especially considering the price. also got stuck quite badly early on because you're so restricted at first. definitely pick this one up on a sale!

birds organized neatly: as an enjoyer of cats and dogs organized neatly, i already kind of knew what to expect, and this one delivered, too. the levels are all quite doable (though i haven't played the final chapter), the birds are funky and their descriptions funny and relatable, the music and sound design is great (so many chirps!). just another great little puzzle game at a low price (even lower if you already have the others!)