#gg's hometown is so cool

[rainbowsky]

Fans have already created a check-in tour of some of the locations from GG's vlog. 😅

[wafflehousepancakes]

The Montague Siblings Series Fic Recs!

@em-gray pointed out how this fandom has no fic rec lists (tho we have one that they made now) so I thought I would help in alleviating that problem because i have a lot of strong feelings about a lot of fics!

Canon Compliant/Canon Era

Throughout All of Your Poorest Decisions by lady_flash. Pre- and post-GG. Various snapshots throughout Monty’s relationship with Richard Peele and, at the end, Percy. Sad but also wholesome and very cute at the end! 9.5k. 3/3 chapters.

Each Step is the Wrong Direction by TheWriterWhoNeverWrites. The scene in LG where Percy gets shot from Monty’s POV! This fic makes me very emotional. 2.9k.

not quite an epiphany by goldenthunderstorms. The scenes after Monty gets shot from Percy’s POV with a dash of religious trauma! Yes this is my fic but I’m very proud of it. 4.2k.

Any Sort of Magic by JustaHogwartsGirl. Sim and Felicity’s kiss in LG from Sim’s POV! This fic is very cute and the writing style is magnificent. 1.6k.

yours by pjobroadwayslut14. A fic written in verse(!!!) about Percy getting letters from Monty at Eton. A lovely quick read. 623 words.

The Gentleman’s Guide to Scintillating Conversation by doettes. A GL rewrite with bonus fluff and communication. Brilliant writing and a general good time. 9.9k. 1/2 chapters.

Full Circle by Random2002. An imagined NG scene in which Monty passes on Scipio’s punching lesson to Adrian. The wonderful big brother Monty content that we all need. 2.1k.

Let Me Look After You by HMS_Chill. Sickfic where Monty ignores his symptoms to take care of Percy. This fic made me feel very many things I love it. 6.5k.

Modern AUs

call me? by future_fae_king. Trying to get over his feelings for Monty, Percy slides into the DMs of a poetry account he really likes on Instagram, only to find out the poet, who writes to cope with being in love with his best friend, is Monty! Lovely writing and absolutely adorable. 1.4k.

Hospital Beds by Pink_Cactus. 5 times Monty and Percy spent in hospitals together. Very painful but so, so beautiful. Read the TWs! 27.4k. 4/5 chapters.

A Gentleman’s Guide to Divorce and Deceit by Pigzxo. When his estranged mother invites Monty and his husband over for dinner, Monty doesn’t have to heart to tell her that they had just gotten divorced. Instead, he enlists his roommate, Percy, to act as his husband. Hijinks, miscommunication, and confessions ensue. I read this whole fic in one sitting and adored it. 15.5k. 11/11 chapters.

A Bed Half Empty by SpiritsFlame. Percy wakes up alone after a hookup with Monty and makes some incorrect assumptions. Miscommunication and idiots in love doing their best. This fic is really sweet. 12.6k.

The road not taken (Looks real good now) by Random2002. Monty is an artist returning to his small hometown looking for inspiration. Instead, he finds his high school sweetheart who he never really got over in the first place. 21.9k. 5/5 chapters.

unknown by em_gray. Monty texts a random number during a depressive episode and an unlikely friendship forms. This is a comfort fic of mine, so sweet and poignant. 3.8k. 2/2 chapters.

don’t need a key (just your love to unlock it) by unremarkableworlds. A 5+1 Mercy neighbors AU! A wonderful balance of fluff and angst and beautifully written. 7.8k.

To the Letter by pinstripedJackalope. Monty is Adrian’s guardian and working at a bookstore where he meets trans musician Percy Nicks. This fic is gorgeous it makes me so emotional and is just so sweet!!! I need Kay to finish it please and thank you. 19.3k. 7/14 chapters.

Other AUs

Marks by em_gray. Canon era and compliant soulmate AU where you get magical marks on your skin that hint at who your soulmate is! A super cool concept and absolutely gorgeous fic! 3.7k.

lovers’ desire by goldenthunderstorms. A Hadestown AU in which Monty and Percy are Hades and Persephone! No Hadestown knowledge required to read it! Another one of mine that I’m very proud of! I am told it’s very painful. 11.4k. 2/2 chapters.

here’s the thing by coyotestoryteller. Part of a series of epistolary fics set in a universe with magical powers in which Monty fakes his death. Absolutely gorgeous and heart-wrenching. Good quick comfort reads. 1.5k.

shooting stars by em_gray. A loosely-inspired Cinderella AU! Monty is the prince, Percy is Cinderella, there’s magic and pining! This fic is so tender it made me cry in a bubble tea shop. Please read it. 18.4k. 3/3 chapters.

Bittersweet and Strange by crashingintothesun. Beauty and the Beast AU! Monty is the Beast, Percy is the Beauty, enemies to lovers goodness! The writing is gorgeous and I think this fic made me cry? 36.9k. 5/5 chapters.

The Bluejay’s Song by pinstripedJackalope. 1930s bank robbers with established Mercy! An absolute delight to read. 3.9k.

and indeed, there will be time by pjobroadwayslut14. Royalty AU with Prince Monty, court musician Percy, and established Mercy! This one is short, sweet, and fluffy. 2.6k.

Star Crossed by em_gray. A soulmate AU combined with a sci-fi AU! Monty is the prince of an intergalactic empire and is kidnapped by a member of the rebellion who turns out to be his soulmate that he’s been telepathically communicating with his entire life. This fic is full of political intrigue, cool space stuff, and ALL of the feelings. I could rave about this one for hours. A true fandom staple with multiple companion one-shots AND an ongoing sequel! 100.5k. 22/22 chapters.

[filthy-reckless-rp]

♛ Spotted on the Upper East Side…

Name: Jessica Knightly Pronouns: She/Her Age: 21 years old     Hometown: Upper East Side, NY   Occupation: Event Planner Social Status: Insider   Faceclaim: Natasha Liu Bordizzo

Who Is Jessica?

“I love the way she fills her clothes, I love those freckles on her nose, I love the way she plays it cools, I think that she is beautiful. She’s so lovely, she’s so lovely, oh she’s so lovely.”

There’s everyone’s favourite party planner! Hi Jess, how are you? I hear that you’ve fully put that mess with Oliver and Isobel behind you and are moving on to bigger and better things. Good for you. And we’re trying on being besties with the Ice Queen herself too? You really are something. You have always had a kind heart but I think we both know there’s a difference between forgiving and forgetting. Still, I’m excited to see you having a good time again. You’re the eternal optimist with a flair for the dramatic. You always have roughly a billion things to do and not enough time to do it but thankfully, shopping and a thermos of hot tea are a thing. You’re the one everyone whispers in awe about- ‘how does she do it?’- but you never slow down long enough to answer them. Personally, I’m still waiting to see if you... I don’t want to say explode, but, y’know. XOXO ---Gossip Girl

A Little Extra

Jessica Knightly was born to be the life and soul of the party. She has been the host with the most from the moment she was old enough to pick out a flower arrangement. Since she could colour-coordinate a chart. Jessica had the world’s most elaborate itinerary for even her stuffed animals’ tea parties. Some might say that she’s a little dramatic and they wouldn’t be wrong. Jessica lives life up at a ten, constantly on the move, with at least three people on hold and a thousands items on the to-do list. At Constance Billard, Jess and her two besties Ceren and Isobel (the then Queen B), were the most popular kids in school. Jess, as always, was a beacon of sunlight as the head of every committee, a cheerleader and the prom queen. You have to pencil in an appointment with her some days.

If something is worth knowing, Jessica knows about it. You can indulge in a little gossip even when you’re hosting a ‘can’t-miss’ party. That was her calling too- event planning. She loved all of it, the organising, the decorations, music and food. Jess’ creative spark lit the flame that is ‘Jessica Knightly Events’ which she committed to after graduating Constance. Jess might have her parents’ money to fall back on but she loves the business she’s building and all the results of her hard work. She’s still all about the fun as well but on her own terms. She always liked the idea of romance, in theory. Heartache in reality she definitely doesn’t recommend especially when it involves your then-boyfriend and best friend. It took a lot of time for Jess to get to a place where she could forgive Isobel and Oliver. She’s good now though, promise. This summer is all about moving forward, having fun in the sun with her besties and avoiding the drama.

What Does Gossip Girl Have On Them?

Jessica was not a part of the original takedown. While she wasn’t exactly a fan of Gossip Girl when she was being horrible about her and her friends, she did read it. Jess was only human, okay? GG’s return does threaten the drama free summer though so no thank you!!

Connections

Parker Knightly - the twin! Jess and Parker are really close and they’ve always been there for Jess. A best friend and confidante all rolled into one, Jess is really happy to have Parker back home.

Logan Hunter, Isobel Prescott and Ceren Celik-Montgomery - the BFFS. These four have been together for all of their lives and they mean everything to Jess. She loves them so much, they are her family! So yeah, when Isobel slept with her boyfriend, it hurt. What’s even worse is when she lied about it. Jess held a rightful grudge for a long time, furious and heart broken. Now, she’s ready to try again. Things aren’t how they used to be and they won’t be, as sad as that is, but maybe they’ll be better.

Oliver Andrews - the ex boyfriend. The last thing Jess had wanted her senior year was to fall for Oliver Andrews. She was busy and she was way too smart to be seduced by him. But...she did, fall for him. And they were good together until they weren’t. In hindsight, maybe the worst thing about it all was that Jess never really got closure.

Emmeline Fairchild - Jess’ event planning #inspiration. Emmeline is a wedding planner and her organisational skills were swoon worthy. She took Jess under her wing when she was first starting out in the business.

[zhansww]

Yibo has been a host on TTXS since 2016. His co-hosts are kinda like brothers. The two oldest ones, DaZhangWei and WangHan, are already married. QianFeng and GaoTianhe are single. Yibo is supposedly single, too - and yet, at some point in 2019, his brothers have stopped (even jokingly) setting him up with any young lady who visits their show. They do still play matchmaker for QF and GT but not for Yibo. Now, they usually purposefully exclude him from talks about relationships, saying things like “he is too busy” or “he is too young”... (even though he was obv younger before lol). There are also some other things that his brothers or Yibo himself have unintentionally said or done to further indicate that Yibo is... involved with a certain someone. This list is probably incomplete, it’s just all I could think of or find again. I didn’t feel the need to include examples but if you follow ggdd closely, you already know what everything is referencing.

—

180603 - Yibo: When I’m 40, I want to have a small yard and a dog. If I have a child, it would be nice for the child and the dog to play together. QF: Fence, woman and dog. DZW: No, he didn’t mention a woman.

190721 - WH suggested Yibo would be a cool/stoic husband. DZW: Actually, I think Yibo would have a lot to say to his beloved.

190728 - This is the episode in which gg was a guest. There are fancams in which you can see ggdd, discussing what team name to pick. According to fans who read their lips, dd asked gg “bojunyixiao bu hao ma? = Is bjyx not good?” - to which gg shook his head in reply.

190825 - DZW joked about how Yibo needs a boyfriend, not a girlfriend. This segment was cut from the actual episode. There are fancams, though.

191013 - When asked why he wants to sell his scented candles, Yibo couldn’t reply so DZW quickly joked about how he must’ve invited someone over who never made it - which got Yibo adorably flustered. In this same episode, dd had to go grocery shopping (sort of) and put a bunch of snacks - including Lays, which gg endorses - in the cart, even though he himself doesn’t like snacks.

191117 - Yibo: That’s how love is. You can’t control it.

191124 - Yibo asked one of the female guests why she is so pale (which is considered a compliment, tbc) and one of his brothers said “you shouldn’t say things like that anymore” before WH joked about how he should leave those kind of lines to QF. I’m not sure if that line was cut from the episode or not.

191208 - Yibo talked about how his parents don’t shop online but he himself buys shoes and clothes to share and has them shipped home. When QF asked “Your shoes and clothes??”, DZW jumped in to joke about how Yibo’s parents are cool dancers, too. Sidenote: Yibo hasn’t lived with his parents since he was 14 or so. They live in his hometown, Luoyang. His current residence is Beijing which is btw also where gg lives.

200209 - WH asked QF and GT “what romantic things would you do for your future other half?”. He put the question a little differently when he asked Yibo “In the future, what romantic things would you do for your other half?”

200517 - Yibo had to make a bouquet together with one of the guests and they named it 一期一会 yiquiyihui - which happens to be the title of one of the biggest bjyx fansites’ series of videos of ggdd, on the set of CQL.

[yyxgin]

dunnae worrae bestie ❣️ life gets in the way sometimes (and responsibilities)

okay so i just liked the kind of air to love alarm? idk it just made me feel like i was somewhere else bc i felt the production quality was that high. some of it was questionable i do agree w that but also song kang is total heart-eyes 😍 and meteor garden was sweet for like a minute each episode and the rest was me groaning in agony just wishing dong shancai would snipe daoming si’s mother. shancai did so much too?? like four episodes in she won a cooking competition against a girl who had literally been professionally training to impress one of the boys ✋ but shancai literally came from almost nothing. also — i’ve never been more frustrated w a drama than meteor garden like sis was literally dirt poor, came close to being evicted twice and her parents moved back to their fisherman hometown leaving her in shanghai (i think?) to make money bc they couldn’t afford the city but she had the newest phone 🛑✋

very early on in my kpop days i had no idea who to bias or however that worked and i was like ‘well i like stray kids i’ll just buy an album’ anyway one of the pc’s i pulled was a polaroid type thing for changbin and i said to my friend wow that’s such a boyfriend picture and that’s the story of how i ulted changbin. im so blasé about so much it’s worrying sometimes 🙀🙄✌️✌️ im not too bad about watching things. i used to struggle a lot but bc i’ve trained myself to read fast enough to see the subs and then flicker to the scene on screen so i don’t get bored. i do feel sometimes as if i am following when i’m looking at my phone but realistically i shouldn’t be this bold 😬

noice!! i’m still new to adulting but i’m p sure ive been at it for longer than i think. when i was fifteen and working in a hotel i was asked if when i was finished for the summer i was going back to uni 🤡 all i keep thinking about is finally having a job again and being able to spend an entire pay check on albums ngl i haven’t impulsively bought anything recently and i’m itching to be irresponsible w my money again 🤠 i know some girls who have preordered all the versions of dream and MAN am i tempted 😭😭😭 this is getting so out of hand at this point i’m going to have to strap myself to my bed until june this is not it ☹️

i have read for nct members certain members are more popular in like eastern us? i imagine it’s to encourage trading or to buy more albums so i could only guess that’s what’s happened to me w mamamoo 😭 theyre thé only gg i am properly into. i didn’t want to be thirsting over boys all the time bc... idk i just wanted some variation so mamamoo it was! twice is too many people for now (don’t even say but nct has 23, ik ik but i was only on my second group and i refused to acknowledge more than one unit for like 7 months bc i was scared) and blackpink has like 2 songs 🤡🤡 i added this bot called zephyr to my discord server and me and my friend roll for collectible kpop cards (it’s p neat and i’ve found groups i wouldn’t have been able to find myself otherwise) and she’s helped me discover so many groups! i think i was enjoying a fromis_9 song earlier <3

i’m always having good days these days 🥺 so i hope yours was good too!! also i don’t expect you to reply to these straight away (bc they’re unnecessarily long) i just try my best to reply straight away otherwise i’ll forget i even sent sumn in the first place! ~🌻

the production quality was definitely very high with love alarm, it looked so nice and aesthetic :(( but like,,the storyline ?? when they kissed in the first ep?? i- that was it for me. i couldnt watch it any longer. my best friend  finished it tho and i think she liked it,,so like-- fair.

PLEAAASE METEOR GARDEN SOUNDS SO MESSY i lowkey wanna watch it just for the shits and giggles now,,i can’t,,, like the cooking competition? that sounds like a fucking disney channel plot to a movie. i am all here for it tho

YOU HAVE A CHANGBIN POLAROID OKAY BESTIE I AM ON MY WAY TO ROB YOU NOW. DROP YOUR ADDRESS,,,DEADASS. AAAAH also i am bad at watching things to the point when i forget to turn on the subtitles sometimes and then get surprised when i dont understand a shit anD THATS when i realise somethings wrong. 

i am so new to adulting pls,, this is my first part time job and i also didn’t have a bank account until literally today. i am a babie,, i couldn’t even do things by myself like i can’t fucking order for myself in the restaurant because i am socially anxious hihi. bUT i figured working with people might help me get rid of that and i am also fullfiling my childhood dream of working behind the cash register now, so that’s cool. the only thing i need now is to graduate, go to uni and do my driver’s licence and then i’ll be adulting for real imo

i am really good with money surprisingly?? i dont spend much, because i dont have money lmao and when i do i keep it because i just like the thought of having money and not the actual spending. YOUR FRIEND BOUGHT ALL THE VERSIONS OF THE DREAM ALBUM??? LOWKEY ME FDKAJ no but fr i think i’m just gonna order the boring version once i start working because it fits my aesthetic the most and i love the concept photos. also if i pull that one specific renjun photocard i might just cry my eyes out but i’ll be happy with anyone bc i literally ult the entirity of dream at this point. 

ooh i dont really enjoy the sound of girlgroups i think ?? i need some noise if you know what i mean :( im not into like chill songs that much. bUT uhh i like itzy and i am gay for them pls. i also havent listened to their comeback yet so i am a fake fan i guess but i’ll fix that soon i prOMISE

i am doing well and i am also glad you are doing well !! <3 your asks make me so happy dfjka i finally dont feel as invisible on this stupid site lmao. also thanks for understanding that i dont reply that quick, but i tend to just uhh leave things be for a while ?? like i get a message and i dont always reply straight away for some reason. but yea. thank you !! <3

[mazojo]

Monday Chapters Rant

Okaaay so I’ve written this two times due to Tumblr deleting my post so hopefully this one uploads correctly -.-. This are my reviews and thoughts on Monday’s chapters and you’ve been warned that I'll probs rant ahead and have some opinions on some (high school story: class act). Enjoy the reviews <33

The Heist: Monaco - Chapter 5

Todays chapter was greattt! This book is so cool and refreshing that I love it and gahhhh the team dynamic is amazing!

So basically the chapter started with us being captured by Sonia and going away on her speedboat. A storm caught up to us and through mc ninja skills we are able to distract Ansel and also fall from the boat ;w;. We wake up later on an island rescued by Sonia and we start gaining her trust, so she definitely will be part of our team I am guessing. We spend the rest time on survival mode and get some diamond options to spend time with Sonia but I didn't take them. Later our crew rescues us and they are a bit on the fence about the Sonia issue but theres nothing much we can do at the moment. We get back on land and have the diamond option to go partay with the gang but didn't take it ;w;. The chapter ends with us arriving back to the warehouse only to find it on fire so thats great :)( I am guessing next chapter we will find a new safe house and the last member? maybe its a spy or something and we have the option to get Sonia? not sureee

Just as a final note, I love my team?? so much?? Jones and Anton are absolute baes? Like I am going for Fabian but I am playing for them?? Honestly one of the books with the best dialogue dynamic, gg Pb

HE IS SO SOFTTTT <333

Desire and Decorum - Chapter 3

Today’s chapter of desire and decorum was honestly a bit meh and short in my opinion... 

Basically we are chilling with Briar in our room when we she gets the idea in order to but time and stuff we go to Grovershire (your hometown). We get the option to buy this outfit to hide?? but I don't get it and we just sneak around the house. We get to the stables and meet with Mr. Harper who is accompanying you and Briar in your journey and you find out he is putting his job on the line and we get to find out more in a diamond scene I don't acquire. In the road we meet some guys who try to harm us but Mr. Harper is able to reduce us (we can also fight if we buy a diamond sword -.-) and we find out they have some sort of pamphlet critiquing the monarchy (I think? I didn't really understand lol) and the chapter ends when we arrive to Grovershire.

Like I said, the chapter was okay, but really nothing grand happens. Hopefully things spike up next chapter when others find out we escape and hopefully we are able to see Mr. Sinclaire or the other love interests although I do admit Mr. Harper deserved the screen time ~~ I hope whatever his reasons of coming with us it doesn't affect him too much D:

High School Story: Class Act - Chapter 13

I think I've been vocal about how disappointed I was in this chapter through my previous post about the episode but I'll try to see the best parts of it in the review...

So basically the chapter starts with Rory telling us all about their mother being sick and how they money reunited in the school play was supposed to go for her treatment due to the economical situation in Rory’s household. Danielle finally sees good enough and guilty to confess so she does. Then while I hold my breathe for the grand apology from the fakes and Ajay I am left with a transition to some days going by and I ???? So no one really apologizes for bullying and not trusting mc but pb just brushes it off as not important. Ahhh also! Danielle resigns his role in the play and Skye is left to be the witch which is kinda awesome and was nice in the turmoil that the chapter was. At some point we have the option to spend diamonds to hear Danielle’s side of the story and I am still like ???? so I obioulsy saved my precious diamond and went on with my life. We also get closer to Rory and as I said before, he/she gets the emotional depth he was missing which was nice and cute. We also get the chance to spend diamonds to go with Rory to visit their mom but I am broke so I didn't pay for it (but seeing some screenshots I thought it was very nice!). Finally we skip some days and its finally the big day and as I await the momentt I can at least speak to Ajay, the chapter ends.

I am not going to rant anymore about it becouse all of you must be tired but sighhh.... I am guessing next chapter will be the play and we’ll have the kiss with our love interest before going on stage (probs mc having a small breakdown and they helping mc out) and in the finale there will probably be some party with the old gang and everything to celebrate the play ending... I am still an Ajay Stan because we haven't even gotten a moment to talk to him and I'll forgive him and his neediness while I watch Trevor’s beanie burn in the background :)))

Anyways thats all for the Monday chapters and I just hope next monday HSS:CA doesn't disappoint....

[bunnyribbit-ow]

Tired...

Title: Tired…

Rating: K

Word Count: 2,961

Genre: Fluff and Angst

Ships: Bunnyribbit (Lucio/D.va of overwatch)

Summary: Often I see a lot of art and fics where Lucio comforts D.va about her PTSD, well now it’s Lucio’s turn. Also I got inspiration from this piece and this piece. *Edit* Oh yeah, I also headcanon Lucio as Catholic (like most Brazilians).

“GG team! That was great round!” D.va says into her headset. The chatter from her League of Legends teammates drones out as she reaches for her now cold insta-ramen next to her. Not minding the luke warm noodles she munches on while reading over the exp. she earned for…what the 17th round in a row so far? D.va then looks over to digital clock next to her on the desk and sees it reads 3 a.m.

“Yikes guys, I gotta get off. I gotta be up earl- er, be up later today, I guess.” Her teammates tell her goodnight as she signs off. She reaches over for her can of soda only to find that it’s empty. Ugh, the salt from the ramen made her throat thirsty. The young gamer walks across the room to her mini-fridge only to see it holds to-go ketchup packets and travel size mayonnaise.

“Drat…” This means she’s going to have to leave her room and go to the Overwatch HQ’s common area fridge to get something to drink. D.va donned on her bathrobe to protect her from the chill of wearing just a tank top and pj-shorts. Why does the HQ have to be way up in the mountains? D.va thinks to herself as she enters the dormitories’ hallway. As she nears towards the elevator she passes her boyfriend, Lucio’s room. The lights are on and the door is open, D.va smiles.

“It’s always good to have an extra set of hands…” D.va thinks to herself, “…think of all the junk food the two of us can carry back up!” D.va continues to fantasize about her and Lucio pigging out in his room until the two were stuffed, fall asleep on top of each other, and then to be comically chastised up by Winston to get ready for Overwatch’s morning briefings. However when she finally reaches his doorway, Lucio is nowhere to be found. 

“He can’t be at the studio…” she thinks, “…he just released his album. Lucio wouldn’t stretch his creativity that far.” D.va notes to herself that Lucio is a morning person. When D.va doesn’t have responsibilities in the morning her gaming marathons can go into 6-7 am and when Lucio wakes for his 7 am jog he’ll come into her room and playfully scold her about throwing off her sleeping schedule.

“I doubt he’d go jogging at 3 am…” D.va wonders, “…it’s pitch black out.” D.va passes Lucio’s room and heads toward the elevator. While riding the lift down she tries to think of other possibilities of where Lucio has gone. 

“Maybe he’s in lounging on a couch, drinking a decaf coffee or something.” D.va thinks back to times where she’s seen Lucio sit at the common area’s table drinking coffee, completely silent, eyes closed, and with a wistful smile on his face. After enough times, D.va finally asked him what he was doing. He’d slowly open his eyes, look straight at her as his smile widened,

“Just listening to the beat.” 

D.va shook her head and laughed at him,

“What beat, Lucio?”

“All of it.” D.va was still confused but she tried to relate.

“You um, mean like the birds chirping and the wind blowing? Nature’s beat?” Lucio gave a little chuckle.

“I guess that’s a nuanced way of looking at, Hana. Though I’m listening past that.”

“Sorry Frog Boy, you lost me at this point.” D.va said with a shrug. Lucio gave a heartier laugh this time as he got up from his seat. 

“C’mon…” Lucio said as he took her hand and lead her outside. That day was nice, it was a little cloudy but still warm out. Lucio lead her to a grassy area next the Overwatch HQ’s communal garden. Then he stopped, got on his knees and laid his ear to the ground. D.va furrowed her brow in confusion which only got worse when he motioned at her to do the same. D.va sighed and did as he asked. The ground was cold and slightly wet being pressed up against her ear, which made her made her shiver a little with discomfort. 

“Hear it?” Lucio asked.

“All I can think about is a worm popping out of the dirt, slipping into my ear, burrowing into my brain and mind controlling me.” Lucio laughed again.

“Eh, it’s possible but try not to think about that. Listen, can you hear that beat?”

“What? You mean the earth’s beat?” 

Lucio’s eyes lit up.

“Yeah that! Can you hear it?” D.va shook her head. Lucio gave her an encouraging smile and then closed his eyes again.

“I can hear it clear as day, babe. Just close your eyes, Hana. Try to drone out everything else, even still your breathing. Go past the dirt and try to listen to it as a whole.” As ridiculous as D.va felt, she tried again. She closed her eyes, cleared her mind and relaxed while slowing her breaths. Then faintly, almost like an echo she heard a “thum” in the earth. D.va’s eyes shot open.

“I heard it! I heard it! It was really soft, but I heard it!” D.va sat up excitedly.

“Aye! There you go, meu coelhinha!” Lucio applauded sitting up as well. As D.va came down from her congratulated high, her face went pensive. 

“What was that, Lucio? And don’t tell me you could hear that standing up and through the concrete floor while inside?” 

Lucio shrugged.

“Who knows. Some Indigenous call it the earth’s heartbeat, some people in Africa say it’s God beating a drum, I’ve even read that some monks in Asia  believe it’s another monk under the earth striking a gong and that allows them to meditate.”

“And what do you believe?” D.va asked. Lucio gave another nonchalant shrug.

“As far I’m concerned, they’re all right. I just call it: This-Really-Cool-Thing-My-Father-Showed-Me-As-A-Kid or The Beat if you’re in a hurry. And to answer your second question, yeah I can feel it through my feet, even when I’m inside a building or surrounding by a lot of other noise. I can always pinpoint it out from some reason, it’s kinda comforting.”

“Feel?”

“Yeah y’know, like vibrations. That’s all sound is.” D.va tried to focus for a moment on the earth pressed against her knees.

“I can’t feel anything…” D.va said defeated. Lucio scooted closer and put his arms around her.

“Awww it’s okay, Hana. I’m talking about years practice here. I’ve listening to this beat everyday since I was four.” D.va flatten her palm against the earth, trying again. However she came to a small epiphany.

“You base all your music around this, don’t you?” Lucio smiled, so proud of his girl.

“You know me too well.”

D.va comes back to the present after reliving that memory. She then realizes she was so lost in it that her body was on autopilot and it took her right in front of the HQ’s refrigerator. She didn’t even remember getting off the elevator. “Oh well,  at least I took myself to the place I wanted to go.” she thought taking a couple of sodas out. She looked behind her hoping to see Lucio sitting at the kitchen table ready with a smart comment about her acting like a robot, but he wasn’t. D.va then looked the communal lounge area, he wasn’t there either. Worry started to creep into her gut. Where on earth could he be? Lucio wouldn’t leave with out telling her or at least someone at the HQ. D.va started walking towards the intercom button to connect to Winston’s room.

“No stop it, D.va! Let’s not do anything drastic here.” she muttered to herself. Suddenly her overact imagination decided to take that as a challenge by giving her scenarios of Vishkar stealing Lucio away, ready to do who-knows-what to him. Her finger instantly hit the intercom button, a long electronic beep followed but she couldn’t say anything. 

“H-hello?” Winston said groggily on the other line. D.va felt like an idiot.

“Uh, whoops sorry, Winston! I accidentally hit the intercom looking for a light switch.” D.va ends the sentence with a half-hearted chuckle. 

“S’okay…” Winston yawned, ending the call. D.va slapped her forehead in embarrassment. 

“Stupid…” She sat down at the communal table and opened her soda trying to slow her mind. 

“Stay calm, Hana. Lucio’s a big boy. I’m sure he’s fine…” Suddenly the young gamer hears a tapping. She looks at the nearby window and sees Ganymede. The E-54 unit’s favorite friend. Much to D.vas’ dismay, Winston recruited the wandering omnic a while back, but this strange bird seemed to always tag along. The two had a strange relationship. It was clear the bird wasn’t the robot’s pet. It didn’t keep the yellow bird in a cage, in fact it flew away every night only to return in the morning of it’s own free will. Ganymede (which the robot wrote in the dirt when asked about it’s companion) was the only thing D.va liked about the E-54. D.va opened to window, indicating that the bird could come inside, but it flew away to a nearby branch and then stared at her. D.va’s puzzled for a second and then realizes.

“Dude, does it look like I want to go outside?”  Ganymede chirps in response and then points it’s head towards the left. D.va follows his gaze and notices a dim source of light within the communal garden. 

“Lucio?” D.va asks the bird with hopeful eyes. Ganymede stares at her and tilts it’s head. D.va rolls her eyes and mentally berates herself for asking about her boyfriend to a damn bird. 

“Aaaaaaand yet, I’m still gonna go outside and check it out because I’m now a 바보야 apparently.” she mutters picking up her soda. 

While D.va didn’t like E-54, she did have to admit it was useful. It seems to really like vegetation so during it’s free time, it worked on a plot of land devoted to flowers, long stalk vegetables, and saplings. It was such a feat that other Overwatch members started to join in. Each member had their own little plot. McCree grew cacti native from his hometown in Arizona, Reinhardt grew vegetables that he’d use when it was his turn to cook dinner, Genji and his master Zenyatta grew juniper bonsai trees and even made a little sand meditation area. Lucio of course was part of it too, trying to use the garden to help D.va warm up to the E-54. While the soil wasn’t rich enough to grow mangoes and papayas, which Lucio missed of home. He grew other fruit such as oranges, grapefruit, and grapes to compensate. For the finishing touches Lucio placed a knee high statue of Saint Fiacre and chest high statue of the Madonna. D.va admitted that she had a black thumb so the most help she could do was pull weeds. Still, she cherished the moments of talking with Lucio while helping with his plot. 

As D.va got closer to the communal garden she saw the light was coming from Lucio’s plot no less. Getting closer, she finally saw him. Lucio on his knees -two lit candles beside him- praying in front of the Madonna with rosary beads clasped in his hands. D.va had seen Lucio pray many times; a quick one before eating, one where that he grumbles under his breath to keep himself calm around people that annoy him, and then the slow and compassionate one that he prays for her when asking for protection when she goes off for duty. This one looked much different. 

Lucio’s body was tight, head bowed, and his back was so hunched over that D.va could bones from the curvature of his spine. His hand were shaking while clutching the rosary beads so tightly, D.va thought the thread would snap. But what drew her attention was his tone. He spoken hurriedly as if he was trying to say his prayer in one breath. While he was speaking in Portuguese, by his inflections he sounded panicked, but what worried D.va most was that he sounded…penitent. Lucio wasn’t always upbeat, he had his down days, but this was something D.va had never seen. D.va made sure she was still so she couldn’t make any noise and listened. While the two of them hadn’t taught each other their mother tongues, both picked up bits and pieces from just the exposure to one another.  D.va knew Maria is ‘Mary,’ cansado meant ‘tired,’ D.va  was pretty sure me perdoe meant ‘forgive me’, but wasn’t quite so sure. “’Me dê força was ‘give me strength’ which was a phrase Lucio said frequently, so that one was easy. However he was saying the word pecador a lot and his inflections stressed on the word as well so while D.va didn’t know the translation she knew it was important. Then Lucio suddenly started repeating a phrase. Lucio kept repeating it so quickly D.va thought it was one word and it didn’t help her brain kept on switching from Korean then English and so forth to find the translation. She kept hearing the word, sacrifício which was easy to translate, but the words before it weren’t.  She started to sound out the phrase to help herself.

“ayy ooh soooow saaay ooooo, sacrifício?” thought to herself, “What does that mean-” Suddenly it clicked, and it scared her.

“L-lucio…you okay?” D.va said cautiously. Lucio’s fervent praying stopped and he slowly lifted his head as he turned around. Lucio tried to put on a smile, but D.va could see he was failing. His eyes had fresh wet streaks. 

“H-hey Hana, why you out here? Everything okay?” D.va gives him a pitiable laugh. 

“I asked you first, dummy. And no, everything's’ not okay and it’s sitting right in front of me.” Lucio gives a defeated laugh while wiping his eyes.

“Yeah I do look like a mess, huh?” D.va walked towards her boyfriend. He was still on his knees so his face came up to her stomach. D.va used the loose part of her bathrobe to delicately wipe his eyes and nose, like a caring mother would to her child. Lucio stayed silent and closes his eyes, he enjoys her soft touch. Once D.va is finished she cups his face with both her hands, and looks down at the man she wants to help desperately but isn’t quite sure how so she says silent. The silence is awkward to Lucio and he tries to break it.

“Heh, sorry for getting snot on your bathrobe.” D.va doesn’t say anything, she just gives a gentle smile. Lucio hangs his head, he knows his comment to fill the silence was inappropriate and useless. He doesn’t feel like talking yet so he just presses his cheek against her stomach and wraps his hands around the small of her back. D.va relocates her hand to the top of his head and she slowly strokes his locs. The two of them stay quiet for what felt to them an hour, but was more likely 20 minutes. Not removing his cheek her stomach, Lucio says,

“It’s just getting a bit much, Hana. Sometimes I feel like a martyr for a endless cause. Vishkar’s like a hydra, I knock ‘em down then two more of ‘em pop back up. I ask the Lord for guidance, but sometimes I feel like I’m falling on deaf ears. I’m not Christ, I don’t want to be Christ, but I think…” Lucio pauses, “…I think this fight with Vishkar won’t end till I’m dead and if that’s God’s plan that I must abide by it. But I don’t want to, Hana. I don’t be forever locked with Vishkar, but I don’t want to disobey God. I want to protect my people and protect others, but I’m just…really tired, Hana. I’m really tired.” D.va stays quiet still stroking his hair, trying to come up with something so say. Finally she kisses the top of his head and whispers,

“Remember how you said you find The Beat comforting because you always know it’ll be there?”

Lucio gives a small “Mhmm.”

“Well I’m that way too. Got that, Lucio?”  D.va can feel Lucio’s lips smile against her stomach. 

“Got it.”

[2017miamiteentour]

Day One

Today has been a lot of fun. We got to go to a local farm/ garden and help out with the crops and plants that needed to be planted and taken out of the ground. I personally learned a lot about nature and what to do to help your soul stay healthy. After that we went to FIU and it looks nice and I learned some about the college itself, but next we are on the way to University of Miami. I can't wait to see what it's like there. -Dylan B.

Today early in the morning we went to go and help some farmers plant some seeds. We've toured 2 colleges so far that i've liked so far. They have good activities as well as the scenery. Now i'm happy to say we're going to the hotel to freshen up and relax or go out and have a good time. Jayden M.

Today I learned a lot about working hard and thinking about the future. Though I don't plan to go to the colleges it still makes me think about where to apply. I also learned that one mustn't sit too long our their feet get swollen and it's not a fun experience. And, today, I also found out that I do not like sugar cane juice.

Even though I'm no stranger to hard work, I have a great appreciation for those who still maintain the lands and lost souls. And I felt truly blessed to be a part of a bigger picture. This heart is grateful. -Cheryl J.

After sleeping through much of the night, I woke up at about 6 before we pulled into Mcdonalds to have a "bright" start to the morning. We were able to participate in an interesting service project where we had to dig large enough holes to put the wood posts in the ground. To end the day, we were able to get a good workout in at the gym and eat a nice meal at Hard Rock before the night ended. -Matthew M.

I had a good day in Miami with all the events we did while helping to garden and the college tours. Exploring after all the activities was what I enjoy d the most. I hope to more things like that tomorrow when we get the chance again. -Nolan J.

Today was so much fun. Meeting new people is an amazing experience. When we were working on the Empower Farm it was a lot of fun making sugar cane juice and planting seeds with a purpose. -Rodney T.

Freshly pressed sugarcane juice. Guava. Praying hands bananas. You can't buy this at Walmart. Not fresh like this. Empower Farms was amazing. Or maybe... empowering.  -Malachi W.

Day one in Miami was a good day. The community service work we completed was a wonderful experience, and we were able to try things that I never have. The FIU college campus was nice, and they had literally just about everything far as necessities on their campus. The second day is now upon us, and with Dr. Weaver & Mr. Gibson I don't expect anything less than having a good time as usual. -Charles H.

Today was really fun. I was introduced to something I had never done before which was gardening and farming.  It was awesome.  The sugar cane juice that we made from the plant was so good and healthy.  The lady that spoke about her homeless clinic she started made me say wow.  l also enjoyed being able to walk around and see some of down town Miami last night. This trip has been an amazing experience so far!  Thank you. -Brooke B.

I had a great time on yesterday. I participated in an effort to support a farm and and learn about various types of plants. Also a businesswoman named Gigi had a very interesting presentation regarding her homeless shelter in her non-profit organization. Lastly I had a chance to meet up with one of my family members by sheer coincidence. I was reintroduced into Miami night life after so many years of absence when I lived here. -Keyev B.

Empower farm was a great experience. I liked the motive that they had. The college tours were entertaining. Yesterday was a fun time for me. Gigi had a great presentation. I loved it and how Gigi trys her efforts for the community and keeps an open mind about less fortunate people. Julian B.

Had a great time working Empower garden, planted some mustard seeds and hopefully I can go back and see it a year from now. UM was an interesting campus, heard so much about it and now got a chance to see it. Thank you Dr. Mike for this great learning service so far. -Rania A.

Never actually been to Miami so the heat really caught me off guard . The hotel is amazing ! I've really met new people & made awesome connections. -Iman M.

Today was a great day. I really enjoyed planting the new trees at Empower Farms. The weather honestly wasn't that bad. I really liked how they went about the organic process to treat and cultivate their crops. I learned some new things about the certain plants that they had and I was glad I was able to help out! -Kristen L.

Working on the farm was awesome experience and I really enjoyed spending time there. I can't wait to come back one day and hopefully help out again. Also visiting the colleges were really amazing. FIU had a beautiful campus and I'm surprised I never heard of that college. Can't wait for what tomorrow holds. -Jeremiah B.

Today was a long eventful day. There was alot of hardwork and sweat put into the day but it was all expected. Even though i know what to expect, I still enjoy doing volunteer work. Both the FIU and UM campuses were amazing and beautiful. The FIU campus was a sight to behold since it had so many other college campuses on it. -Javon B.

Today was a beautiful day of helping continuing the development of Empower Farms. Though this type of work is not foreign to me, this area is, and knowing that I was able to expand my service to a place outside of my hometown lets me know that impact is needed and can be made anywhere. I can only look forward to tomorrow service and leadership opportunity. Though I'm helping better communities, these opportunities are bettering me as an individual and leader. -Dajane M.

In volunteering at the garden, I had new experiences. For example, I learned how to set up poles for a future project that pertain to chickens. I ate natural foods native to Florida. These foods were sugar cane and the guava fruit. In walking around Miami, I realized that knowing your way around a city is important because it prevent you from getting lost. I admire the culture of the city and I am looking forward to our trip to South Beach tomorrow - Cabral J.

The first day of the Miami volunteer trip was very successful. I met new faces, explored two colllege options, and volunteered. I enjoyed the volunteer work because it was hands on although I’m covered in bites. I really liked the lake view at university of Miami. -Jordan C.

Today the volunteer work was a great experience!! The working environment was really beautiful just seeing the trees and all the nature was a great experience. I enjoyed myself a lot!! -James H.

Volunteering at the farm, getting to know others in the group and visiting the colleges was definitely the highlight of my day. Watching everyone work together and learn from each other is always encouraging and empowering. I feel blessed to be traveling with an awesome group of people. -Liz M.

On our first day in Miami was great! I got to see real everyday people trying to make America great by there works and not by words! First the empower farm and then GG with the Caring Place Clinic that help over 10,000 homeless peoples at no cost. And continue to work hard to increase that amount. -Daniel M. Sr.

Today was a really good day for me. I got to meet a lot more of the amazing people on this trip. I also liked the community service it was something new and different that really intrigued me. -Malik P.

I loved Friday! I never had gone to a farm like Empower Farms. I enjoyed meeting the farmers and learning more about agriculture while working with the teenagers. I also enjoyed walking the campus of FIU and University of Miami seeing the campuses, while answering questions from the teenagers based on my college experience. -Steven V.

Today we went to empower farms and helped out we visited amazing colleges and the hotel was cool. -Jaylen N.

We started off the day at Empowered Farms. We got to help out the people that ran the farm. Then we went to visit Florida International University, and the University of Miami. I appreciated the the experience of visiting two college campus just so I can have exposure. From there we checked into the hotel. The hotel is very impressive. Later, I traveled with a group to get some food, and explore downtown. I enjoyed my night. -Noah W

Today was great minus the sweat and hot sun but i was already ready for that . The community service we did wasn't that bad at all, and I loved both colleges. I had a very great experience yesterday! -Jada H.

The work we did today was great. We were really working hard to try to finish fast but still make it look good with the task we had at hand and Miami is a beautiful place when we went out. -Toby H.

I had an amazing time at Empower Farms. I learned how to plant native trees which was very informational. I am looking forward to going home and possibly planting a garden of my own! -Kimberly M.

I really enjoyed volunteering at the farm! It was my first time ever gardening, and I am now inspired to create my own garden. The last time I had sugar cane was 9 years ago with my father, so I enjoyed the sugar cane water more then anything. I tried new fruits, smelled some amazing plants, and met the most giving people. Therefore, I am very grateful for this trip, and I can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring. -Fredericka T.

I enjoyed empower farm as well as touring the campuses. Empower farm made me realize how important it is to give back to the community as well as the preservation of nature. I also enjoyed Ms. GiGi presentation about her free clinic as well as sport teams for the homeless. -Sha'Bria D. J.

Volunteering at Empower Farms made me feel like I was making a difference because we were planting and restoring the habitat that was once there. I realized that much more needs to be done if we want to save our planet and have promising futures for generations to come. We toured Florida International University and the University of Miami. They are both great schools and the campuses are beautiful. -Robert M.

Good morning Vietnam! After a night full of rest, I have the opportunity to reflect on the first day of the WeCCAAN tour in Miami. First, even with a late start, we still arrived to volunteering ready to get to work. This type of volunteerism was something I was a novice to, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. While the mosquito bites, hot sun, and various bugs made planting the aloe leaves a little more difficult, I realized how purposeful the job was. In addition, I enjoyed visiting the campus of Florida International which was led by an informative tour guide. The campus of University of Miami was quite peaceful. Lastly, I spent my evening exploring the 5 star hotel with old and new friends alike. -Frelicia T.

My first day in Miami our first volunteer site was at Empower farms. I enjoyed planting seed on the "assembly line" with a group of great hard working people. I sampled sugar cane juice, fresh guava and banana which was good . FiU was nice with everything under one roof. The University of Miami pond was very relaxing I sit there all day. The speaker from the Miami Rescue Mission story was very touching. I had  a wonderful time catching up over dinner with old friends. -Pamela G.

Day 2 of our service learning trip exposed us to a new adventure. Volunteering at Empower Farm introduced us to the farming industry highlighting produce without pesticides and the segment of community they impact including the disabled and low income. The day was elevated when we were introduced to GeeGee who shared her story of serving the homeless population through her medical initiative called the Miami Rescue Clinic and basketball team called the Mission Warriors. It was a balanced day of work, learning, culture, introspection and bonding with the group. -Jakki G.

EMPOWER FARMS!!😊 They have a noble mission of sustainable, pesticide free, free range farming!  Using volunteers, locals buying into the program to get fresh veggies and fruits, and  the services of special needs groups, the farm is bustling with activity on a daily basis.  The service learning project for each of our WeCCAAN tours is always on e of my favorite parts of our weekend together!!!  Gigi from The Miami Rescue Mission Clinic was an inspiration to me.  Hearing her story about her education and mission with getting the homeless people of Miami medical care, and their basic needs met is awe inspiring!!!  Another AWESOME day on the WeCCAAN Miami 2017 tour!!😎—Debbie

 I thoroughly enjoyed volunteering at Empower Farms on Friday. Every year has built upon the strong foundation and plain vision of Dr. Mike Weaver. I appreciate the progression in capacity of the sites we have been able to serve in; from small gardens to community gardens and now a full-sized rustic, natural farm. -Mark G.

Getting the opportunity to work at Empower Farms was great. It was pretty hard work but I really enjoyed the fellowship and learning more about the organization's mission. I was also awe-stricken by the many accomplishments made by Gigi and her caring place clinic team in providing free healthcare to those in need. Her story was very inspiring and really spoke to the importance of things like giving back. -Daniel A M.

After a LONG bus ride from Aiken, SC and Atlanta, GA - we finally MADE IT TO MIAMI! In summary, FIU (Florida International University) was fantastic. FIU is such a beautiful campus and I have to thank Mark's niece for the informational tour. Though, the college tour was mainly for the high school students - as a college student the tour gave need a lot of much need information. University of Miami surpassed all expectations, the environment was such a calm place and I'm so grateful to have bonded with Dylan, Jayden, Joshua, Jaylonne and a few others. These young men are young leaders and have shown great humility. Special thanks to Debbie and Roy for funding our stay at the Intercontinental of Miami! -Anthony M.

Today was a lot of fun. We started the day by eating at McDonalds. We then went to the farm and helped them plant a lot of plants. After this, we went to 2 colleges and relaxed. For the rest of the day, we stayed in our rooms and relaxed. -Joshua B.

Today was fun. I enjoyed the work we did with the farm and hearing how they went about their business there. The college tours were fun as well. I particularly liked the U campus more. While looking for a place to eat my group almost got lost, but that's just part of the touring experience. -Isiah F.

I was introduced to something I had never done before which was gardening and farming.  It was awesome.  The sugar cane juice that we made from the plant was so good and healthy.  The lady that spoke about her homeless clinic she started made me say wow.  l also enjoyed being able to walk around and see some of down town Miami last night. This trip has been an amazing experience so far!  Thank you. -Brooke B.

[rainbowsky]

GG Chongqing Vlog Eng Subs

[rainbowsky]

💛❤️💚.

[rainbowsky]

Happy Hometown!

[rainbowsky]

Turtles are so amazing

On the final closing day of Brother Jun's bookstore hundreds of turtles showed up to say goodbye and it turned into a huge turtle gathering. Brother Jun has said he's going to dedicate a wall in his new location to turtles, turtle art and photos. 🥲

[rainbowsky]

Brother Jun's Bookstore

Some of you might not be aware, but sadly Brother Jun's bookstore in Chongqing - one of the locations that GG visited in Marvelous City: Chongqing - is slated for demolition on 16 March.

Here's the episode, for those who haven't seen it yet (the bookstore visit starts at 15:25):

Many turtles have been visiting it while they still can, and sharing photos on Weibo. Here are a few of them:

It's sad to see such special and unique locations disappear in a world where everything creative and unusual eventually fades away to faceless metal and glass. 🥺

Thankfully there are still plenty of special locations in Chonqing, and the city does seem to value its unique qualities.

[rainbowsky]

GG Chongqing Vlog

The long alleys of the market, when gathered together, are fireworks, and when spread out, are the human world. Share the mountain city worth recording and the "happy hometown" Xiao Zhan, good night 🌒

[rainbowsky]

GG Chongqing Promo Video

Xiao Zhan recorded a video to promote his hometown Chongqing! Chongqing is a magical city with beautiful mountains and rivers. Everyone is welcome to visit Chongqing.

[rainbowsky]

Hehe, GG's power to drive an economy! From Chongqing's International Media Center Twitter account:

Thailand's public TV reported on the mutual visa exemption between China and Thailand, and they surveyed Thai netizens on their dream destination post-exemption. Surprisingly, most said Chongqing! Reason? It's Xiao Zhan's hometown, and with his massive fan base in Thailand 🇹🇭, many are eager to visit! Love for a person extends to yearning for a city, indeed! 🌟

For those who are interested in Chongqing I recommend checking out the Twitter account. They post some really beautiful photos and video and interesting tidbits about the city. As some of you might already know, I have been somewhat obsessed and curious to go there someday. I've been following that account for a year or two now, and they do occasionally post about politics (which I don't like reading about), but mostly it is just about the city itself. If you are able to ignore the political content it's an interesting account.