#hottest thing in our solar system? yes

[mushroom-through-the-stargate]

a video : scientists are stupid. they say the sun is the hottest thing in the universe, but obviously they've never met you 😏😏😏😏

me, a space ace : who told you our sun was the hottest thing in the universe? as far as stars go, our sun is weak af. there are SO MANY stars that are hotter and brighter than ours, and then there's neutron stars and black holes and gamma ray bursts and-

[chocoluckchipz]

Not a Spying, Not a Fake Date

The day Marinette met Adrien Agreste—the hottest supermodel alive, an only son of fashion icon Gabriel Agreste, and her long-time, embarrassing celebrity crush—was supposed to be the happiest day of her life. Instead, not only did she present herself as a total klutz, but his friend Nino had stolen Alya only two weeks later.

On a Saturday afternoon, no less!

Don’t get her wrong. Marinette was happy that Alya finally was interested in a guy more than the latest scoop. And she absolutely didn't mind skipping one of their weekly get-togethers in favour of her BFF going on a coffee date with their new classmate. Marinette wouldn’t be bored. She could work on one of her projects or play video games… if the day wouldn't be so perfectly gorgeous and sunny. Wasting it inside would’ve been a crime. A walk around a local farmer’s market, on the other hand, sounded just about right. And if said market happened to be across the street from where her friend was meeting Nino, that was a pure coincidence.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

Marinette was absolutely not spying on anyone, and if she glanced the couples’ way once or twice, it was only to appease her morbid curiosity. No harm done. She wasn’t interfering. She couldn’t even hear what the two of them were talking about. Surely not about Adrien. Or her. Or her and Adrien. Nope. No way. Impossible. She wasn’t curious at all.

“You know you aren’t very subtle?”

Marinette froze, her blood running cold. She knew that voice. It was ingrained in her memory by now. But there was no way Adrien Agreste was standing right behind her, whispering in her ear. It must be nothing but a product of her imagination. Yes! A hallucination of a post-pubescent girl with a crush of irrational proportions.

Still, she spun around just to check if it was time to make an appointment with a therapi—  

Her jaw hit the floor, eyes widening. The man in front of her sounded like Adrien, yet he barely looked the part. Most of his hair was hidden under a beanie, a pair of glasses framed his face. Baggy, black clothes covered his body. His chiselled jaw sported a light stubble, and a hippy backpack was slung over his shoulders. Not a shred of his classy self left, replaced by a sexy, casual chic version of the man.

“Adrien?”

He winked. “Looking beautiful as always, Princess.”

Her cheeks flamed despite her knowing better. He’d given her that nickname only because she was a clumsy mess, not because he was trying to flirt. Princess, aka "damsel in distress", someone in need of being saved. In her case, frequently being caught before she hit the ground as she kept tripping around him. Stupid Agreste and his stupidly handsome face.

A movement in the cafe caught her eye, and Marinette nervously grinned. Adrien was Nino’s best friend. There was no way he wouldn't know where Nino was taking Alya for their first date, which meant Marinette better be very careful in her words and actions, or else she wouldn’t be the damsel for much longer. The title of a “Creepy Stalker” didn't sound the bit least appealing to her.

“You look nice too,” she said, looking her best innocent self. “Different. I barely recognized you. I like the glasses. And stubble. Stubble is nice. Little of it. Not too much. Too much would look shabby. But yours looks good. Perfect. Not shabby at all.”

He chuckled, a corner of his lips curling into a smile. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“You should. It was one. A compliment.”

“Why, thank you.”

Another couple left the cafe, catching both of their attention. Marinette quickly shifted her gaze to the apples at the stall she was standing by. As long as she acted natural, Adrien wouldn't suspect a thing.

“So, what are you doing here today?”

She inwardly groaned and stashed a few apples in a paper bag. “Apples. I’m here for the apples.”

“What a coincidence.” Adrien picked one of the red ones and twirled it in his hand. “I’m here for the apples too. By the way… Nino just asked for the bill, so if you were planning to do more shopping in other places, I’d say that’s our cue to pay for these and get ready to leave.”

Marinette glared his way, her whole face burning up. That cocky smile, that glint in his eyes. Of course, he’d catch her. But she wouldn’t give up so easily or she wasn’t Marinette Dupain-Cheng: her papa’s pumpkin, her mother’s sweetheart, the future of Paris’ fashion! “I’m not spying on anyone if that’s what you’re implying.”

“I wouldn't dare to accuse you of such a thing.” He grinned, putting the apple back. “But… may I suggest a few tweaks to your disguise? You know, in case you’re still up for some non-spying activities today.”

“I don’t need any tweaks. I’ve been here for an hour, and they haven’t noticed me. I could tail them all day if I wanted to, and they would not notice me.”

She froze, the last of her hopes to escape this unscathed vanishing right before her eyes. Curse this man! It was his fault her brain was shutting down around him.

The corner of Adrien’s lips curled in a smile as he leaned closer. “You might be well hidden amongst the rainbow of produce here, but, believe me, as soon as you step outside, that bright red hoodie of yours will give you away instantly.”

“In your dreams,” Marinette huffed, folding her arms over her chest. “This hoodie is the only thing in my closet Alya hasn't seen yet. My sunglasses cover half of my face, and I let my hair down instead of my usual ponytails. They would never recognize me.”

“Well, I did, didn’t I?”

“That’s because you came close. They are at a distance.”

“Nino will notice someone trailing them in a bright red hoodie. Believe me, that man lets no detail escape him. But give me five minutes, and your own parents won’t recognize you even up close.”

She quirked an eyebrow. “What for? The date is over.”

“Far from it. Nino planned coffee, a walk around the city, and a movie. He bought the tickets this morning.”

Adrien seemed to be confident in what he was saying, but Marinette couldn’t trust someone she’d recently met over her best friend, even if she was in love with him. “I don’t believe you.”

“There is only one way to find out if I’m lying.” He stretched his hand towards her. “Shall we?”

Shall they what? Why was he even here? She had to get out of the house for physical rest and mental health. What was his excuse?

“And what are you doing here, M Agreste?”

“I told you already.” The corners of his lips curled up in a sly grin. “Apples.”

“Right. And you went all out on a disguise for that?”

“Precisely.” He grinned wider. “I also knew Nino was having a date nearby, and being the great friend I am, I didn’t want them to see me and think I’m spying on them.”

She wanted to smack that shit-eating grin off his face. But Nino and Alya were exiting the cafe, and Adrien tilted his head to the side, his hand still outstretched toward her. “So? Want to not spy on them some more, or do you have other plans for the day?”

No, she didn’t, and perhaps she should be smarter, but something inside her was melting by the second, Adrien’s smile slowly massacring any scraps of reason she still had. “If you tell anyone, I’ll deny every word.”

“No one shall ever know.” He grinned. “Now, may I suggest a few tweaks to your disguise? To minimize our chances of being discovered.”

“Fine, but be quick. They are walking away.”

Adrien nodded and pointed to her hoodie. “Take this off.”

There was no time for questions, so she silently obeyed. The moment Marinette removed the garment, Adrien was already pulling his black sweater over her head.

“Wait! What are you—“

“Black is less conspicuous.”

“But what about you? It’s chilly, and your shirt doesn’t look very warm.”

“I’ll be fine. I wore that sweater for fashion, not because I was cold.” Stuffing her hoodie in his backpack, he looked her over once more. His face suddenly brightened. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out to the street in the direction of the nearest convenience store.

“We don’t have time for this,” Marinette protested as they neared the door of said establishment. “We��ve already lost them.”

“No, we didn't. We might not see them, but I know where they are.”

“I know that, too,” she grumbled. “In Paris. Where else? Europe, Eurasia. Planet Earth, Solar system. Hard to miss if you fly toward the Sun. ”

Adrien laughed. Long and heartfelt, the sound of his laughter brightened the space around them. There was still a glint of joy in his eye and a hint of mischief in his voice when he recomposed himself. “Nino spent hours planning their route yesterday, and yours truly was helping him. I know where they are headed. We’ll catch up.”

Hesitantly relenting, she followed him in the store, and once inside, Adrien disappeared somewhere between the rows. When he walked out, he was carrying a hairbrush, a couple of pins and hair ties, a small mirror, a plastic tablecloth, and a can of temporary hair dye. Quickly paid for, Adrien pulled her into the nearby alley. "Do you trust me enough for a blind makeover?"

A loaded question. She hardly knew anything about the man behind the carefully crafted image of his public persona. But Marinette loved surprises, and it wasn’t like Adrien even had anything that could potentially cause serious damage to her appearance in his hands.

“You aren’t going to cut my hair, are you?”

“Wouldn’t dare to even think about it.”

“Strangle me with that tablecloth?”

“It’s to protect your clothes from the dye. And before you freak out, it’s a temporary one. It’ll wash out with the first shower.”

At least it was pink—her favourite colour. "Don't make me regret this, Agreste."

“I promise, you won’t.”

She sent a glare his way. “If I do, you’re dead.”

Adrien laughed and slightly bowed. “Your trust means the world to me, Princess. Now, if you’ll allow me, I shall start.”

Marinette nodded, removing the sunglasses from her face. Adrien quickly draped the plastic tablecloth around her shoulders. The moment his hands ran through her hair, her brain short-circuited. It felt like heaven. Pleasant tingles cascaded down her skin at every touch as he brushed, tied, and clipped for what felt like an eternity yet was way too short of a period before he whispered in her ear, “Close your eyes and hold your breath for me for a moment.”

That would not be a problem; Marinette wasn’t sure she was breathing for the last few minutes anyway. He was too close. She could feel the heat of his body, the warmth of his breath, and that was doing things to her she’d rather not experience in a random alley off a busy street in the middle of Paris.

Oblivious to her internal turmoil, Adrien sprayed her hair with the temporary hair dye and proudly pronounced his job finished. The plastic tablecloth off her shoulders, he pushed a small mirror in her hands. “You can open your eyes and look now.”

Her speech was gone the moment her eyes caught her reflection. Most of her bangs were pinned back in the middle, only some of the hair framing her face on either side. The rest was gathered in two cute, messy buns on top of her head that had pink highlights all over them, something the tips of her bangs sported as well. It was a look she’d never thought of doing herself, yet somehow found herself loving more with each passing moment.

“Not bad,” she said, a ghost of a smile on her lips. “Are you secretly a stylist by any chance?”

Adrien chuckled, putting her sunglasses back on her nose. “Nope. But I did grow up in a fashion tycoon’s house watching makeup artists transform people to an unrecognizable degree with simple tricks.”

“Well, you have a talent, M Agreste. I really like this.”

"Why, thank you." Adrien grinned. "I do like the outcome, too. You were always cute, but now you're straight-up adorable. Like a little mouse. An extremely lovely little mouse. ”

Marinette looked away, taking a step towards a street. He wasn’t flirting. He was just complimenting his own work. He wasn’t flirting. “As long as Alya doesn’t recognize me.”

“She won’t.” Adrien followed her. “Hey! Maybe we should hold hands and pretend to be on a date? They’ll never figure us out if we do that.”

Her eyes widened as he offered her his hand. “Are you… are you asking me on a fake date?”

“Do you want me to ask you on a fake date?”

“I’ve never liked anything fake,” she huffed. “Says a lot about one’s character.”

Adrien chuckled. “Then it’s good that all I’m asking is to hold hands. For a better disguise, of course. Not faking. Real hand-holding.”

An earnest smile on his lips, he stepped closer, silently waiting for her reply.

Marinette swallowed, her eyes falling to his outstretched hand, one that looked more and more appealing to hold by the second. How would it feel to have her palm in his? If she chickened out now, she might not get another chance to find out. “Only for the purpose of a disguise.”

"Only for that," Adrien assured, entwining their fingers together, his gaze on her soft and gentle. "Allow me to be your guide on this non-spying, not-a-fake-date mission, Princess."

His words fell on deaf ears as Marinette struggled to keep her composure. Big, strong, and very warm. Somehow safe and secure. Like a lover’s embrace. Holding Adrien’s hand was everything Marinette didn’t know she needed up until now.

He must have noticed something was amiss, cracking a dumb joke to break the awkwardness as they started their walk. Marinette tried her best not to laugh, but Adrien kept going, each joke worse than the preceding one. Ten minutes in, and she couldn't believe she ever had a crush on this… man-child. Adrien was the dorkiest dork she'd ever met. A dork who asked too many questions. So many it felt like he wanted to know everything there was to Marinette. She didn't mind. There were quite a few things she wanted to know about Adrien, as well, and what better way to ask if not as a retaliation to his inquiries?

About an hour later, they spotted Nino and Alya on a promenade by the Seine, walking hand in hand just like them. Her friend beamed, laughing so hard, Marinette could swear there were tears in Alya’s eyes. Nino looked no less happy, grinning at Alya with a satisfied look on his face. A smile found its way onto Marinette’s face. Adrien watched them mesmerized, slightly tightening his grip on her hand.

“Everything looks good,” he said, turning to her. “Their next stop should be a music shop a few blocks away, and there are a few cafes just across the street. Want to get a headstart and have an early lunch?”

Marinette nodded. She could use a drink or two right now. A nice large glass of the cold water because Adrien seemed to take their… whatever-this-was way too seriously, being all attentive and gentlemanly and extra charming, and if not for his assurance they were not on a date, Marinette would’ve surely thought otherwise. Just as she suspected, her silly crush on this man seemed to slowly be turning into something more than a simple attraction. Something different. Something deeper and more profound.

“Awesome!” Adrien grinned, turning back to the town. “I’ll buy us movie tickets once we’re there. Where do you want to sit? I prefer the middle, but I’m pretty sure Nino got the middle row seats, so that’s a bit risky. Shall we try for the back row?”

A pinch of guilt nagged at Marinette. Another glance at their friends in the distance and she stopped, slowly pulling her hand from Adrien’s grasp, mourning the loss with every inch lost. “Perhaps, we should stop here.”

He halted his steps, looking down. Seemed like she wasn't the only one feeling guilty about this. “You’re right. This wasn't a good idea.”

“They deserve more than two stalkers for friends.”

“They do. I was just too curious. This is the first time Nino’s been so crazy about someone.”

“So you decided to secretly third wheel them?”

He gave her an unimpressed look. “You don’t get to judge me. We’re in the same boat in this. Apples and all.”

Marinette couldn't hold back a snicker.

Adrien interlocked his fingers behind his head, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes. “I was really looking forward to that movie, though.”  

“You’ll live.”

“Will I?”

“Absolutely, you big baby. Just go watch it by yourself if you want it so much.”

“But that’s not fun.”

“Better than stalking your friend on his date.”

“Then perhaps I should get my own. A date, I mean. For the movies.”

Marinette fell silent, her chest tightening. A guy like Adrien could have any girl he wished. And while she didn't think herself to be worse than anyone else, what were the chances he’d want her when girls like Kagami Tsurugi openly confessed their love to him?

“I guess you could,” she said, pulling out her cellphone to get an Uber.

“Then will you?”

“Will I what?”

“Go to the movies with me? Lunch and movies. A date. A real one. Nothing fake about it.” He was looking straight at her, a trembling smile on his lips, a soft glint in his eyes.

She blinked once. Twice. Her ears must be deceiving her. “Me?”

He nodded. “You.”

“But… Why?”

“Because I like you.” He stepped closer. “Because ever since you fell into my arms that first day, I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

“Excuse me, but I did not fall into your arms!” Marinette huffed. Amazing or not, she wouldn't allow him to trample her reputation like that. “I just tripped, and you happened to stand in the trajectory of my fall. Or rather, you moved into it because, if my memory isn’t failing me—and my memory never fails me—you almost ran across the room to catch me.”

Adrien laughed. “Guilty as charged, but can you blame me? You’re amazing, Marinette. You’re smart and brave and confident and so very beautiful. A guy like me could only dream of being worthy of your attention.”

“You kidding me, right? A guy like you can have any girl he wants.”

“But there is only one I need,” he purred, leaning closer. “Her name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and I’d be the happiest man alive if she’d give me a chance. I’m prepared to beg on my knees if that’s what it’ll take.”

Somehow, her hand was in his. He brought it to his lips and laid a lingering kiss on her knuckles. How could she say no to those eyes and that confident smoulder with a hint of childish worry behind it? The way she felt about him, she wouldn't want to say no even if her life depended on it. Marinette kept her eyes on Adrien's when she shifted her hand in his grasp, entwining their fingers together. "Only if we go to a different movie theatre. I don't want to run into Alya and have to explain things."

“Sounds good to me.”

“And we’re getting soulmate ice cream at Andre’s before that. I want to check if we’re meant to be before I commit to anything.”

Adrien laughed, pulling Marinette into a hug. “I’m pretty sure I won’t even have to bribe the man to get the result I want.”

“You’re way too confident, M Agreste, you know that, right?”

“Only when it really matters.”

“And is this one of those situations?”

His gaze soft and loving, Adrien leaned down, his lips gently brushing against the flustered skin of her cheek. “You’re at the top of my ‘Really Matters’ list, Mlle Dupain-Cheng.”

Another kiss to her nose, he lingered for a moment before whispering, “May I kiss you the way I know you want me to kiss you now? Or shall I wait until the end of our date?”

There was only one answer Marinette could give him. “Right now would be perfect.”

***

This is a reworked chapter from my upcoming "Dreams of You" story. If you're planning on reading it, don't be surprised to see part of this as one of the chapters. Hope you'll enjoy both of them!

[onlyfreds]

Blue Skies and Calm Waves | F.W.

Title: Blue Skies and Calm Waves

Requested: Yes/No

Summary: Fred and Y/N return to the beach where they first confessed their feelings. Fred will be trying his luck at something else.

Warning/s: alludes to sex, mention of crashing a car into a tree

A/N: This is basically part 2 for “Sand and Sea” because I couldn’t help myself

Part 1

“Well, with the holidays coming up, why don’t we go to the beach?” Ginny suggested as all of us nodded in agreement.

“That’s a wonderful idea!” Hermione said, “It’s been a while since we last went to the beach.”

“Is it the same beach we went to last time?” Fred asked, he and Ginny exchanging a look I couldn’t exactly read.

“Yep.” The youngest Weasley confirmed, “The exact same one.” She said, giving a subtle wink to her brother.

“So, when are we leaving?” George asked, clasping his hands together.

Ginny smiled, “The best time to go would be next week.”

--

“Is that everything we need?” I ask as Fred and I finish packing our stuff for the trip.

Fred nodded, “Yes, that’s everything.” Then he wrapped his arms around my waist, pressing his chest against my back, “Unless I can also stuff you into the suitcase.” He joked as I smacked his arm.

“Hey, just because you’re taller than me, doesn’t mean I’m that tiny.” I said.

I glanced at the clock that was in our room, we needed to be at the Burrow in ten minutes.

“Freddie,” I said, stepping out of his grasp, “as much as I want to keep on cuddling with you, we need to be at the Burrow in ten or else your sister will never let us hear the end of it.”

He pouted, “Fine.”

We then took our bags and immediately apparated to the Burrow.

“Thank goodness!” Ginny breathed a sigh of relief as she engulfed Fred and I into a hug, “I thought you two were going to be late.”

Fred chuckled, “Wouldn’t miss it for the world sis.”

“What are we waiting for then?” George asked, “Let’s go!”

As the boys loaded the bags into the Ford Anglia we were taking, Hermione asked, “Who’s driving?”

Ginny smiled as she threw the keys at me, “Y/N is! She’s the only one I can trust who won’t crash the car into a tree.”

I laughed, “Wow, thanks Gin!”

I then climbed into the driver’s seat, the rest of the group following suit, Fred sitting next to me.

Fred held my free hand the whole journey, rubbing his thumb along the back.

The beach was a bit far from the Burrow so it was a long hour drive.

It was around late afternoon, George and Ginny were debating about the latter’s latest Quidditch match, Hermione was reading a new book that she got while Ron and Harry were both asleep.

I noticed that Fred was a bit quieter than usual, I managed a quick glance at him, “Hey Freddie, is there anything wrong? You seem quiet.” I asked.

He shook his head, offering a reassuring smile, “Everything’s fine Princess.”

“You sure?” I said.

He nodded, leaning slightly and pressing a kiss on my cheek, “Positive.”

After few more long hours later, we arrived at the beach and were able to get settled into our rooms.

“You know what I just realized?” I said, as I sat down on the edge of the bed.

“What?” Fred asked, coming out of the kitchen.

I smiled, “This was the exact same room we slept in the last time we were here.”

His eyes widened before checking our hotel card, “You’re right.” He said with a small chuckle.

“Funny.” He said with a small smirk, resting his hands on the space by my side, trapping me in. “Since we are at the exact same beach where we first got together and we’re staying at the exact same room where we had to deal with the ‘one bed’ situation.”

I giggled, looking right into his eyes, “Yeah, I wonder if Ginny had anything to do with this.”

He licked his lips, “Who knows? Maybe Ginny isn’t the only one.” He said before leaning forward and capturing my lips into a hot kiss.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, laying back down onto the bed, bringing him down with me.

“Oh, you’re so in for it sweetheart.” He whispered as he trailed kisses down my neck, sucking on my sweet spot, “You might not be able to walk tomorrow once I’ve had my way with you.”

--

“Oh Merlin.” I groaned as I rubbed the remaining sleep out of my eyes, my body feeling a tad bit sore after last night’s adventure.

“Tired you out, didn’t I?” Fred asked, his morning voice laced with a bit of smugness as he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer to his chest.

“Hm, A perfect ten out of ten.” I mumbled, burying my head into the crook of his neck.

He hummed, his fingers trailing down from my arms to my waist, “Ten out of ten? You always say that.”

I giggled, “That’s because you always manage to reach that and more.”

After cuddling for a bit longer, we went down to meet the others for breakfast.

The whole time we were walking, I was being careful with my legs and may or may not have a small limp in my step. To which Fred just smirked smugly at.

“Morning guys.” Fred and I greeted as we joined them at the table.

“Are you okay Y/N?” Hermione asked, looking a bit concerned.

Fred grinned, “She’s fine ‘Mione, she just didn’t get much sleep last night.”

George groaned, “That’s it, I don’t want to hear the rest of that story.”

The group bursted out into laughter, feeling my cheeks grow hot as I buried my head into Fred’s shoulder out of embarrassment.

After having breakfast and changing into our swimwear, we then headed down to the beach to go swimming.

Fred wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder, “You look absolutely sexy love.”

Ginny smacked Fred on the shoulder, “Hey! We came here to have fun. Not for you to seduce Y/N every single minute.”

She then looped her arm around mine, pulling me out of her brother’s gasp, “Now come on, let’s get away from that idiot.” She said with a small smile while George, Ron and Harry were laughing so hard as Fred glared daggers at them.

Ginny, Hermione and I were sitting in the sand, building a sand castle while the boys chased each other around in the water.

“So,” The youngest Weasley said, giving me a mischievous smile.

I looked at her, a bit confused, “So, what?”

She and Hermione exchanged silent message as the latter said, “Well, it’s been years since you and Fred first confessed your feelings, so, why not tie the knot already?”

I giggled, looking down, trying to hide a small smile, “Well, Fred hasn’t exactly proposed yet.”

“But, if he did, would you say ‘yes’?” Ginny asked.

‘Of course, I would.” I answered without hesitation, “Being with Fred has been the happiest memories of my life. I couldn’t imagine a future without him in it.”

I then raised a brow at the both of them, “Why suddenly the talk about a proposal?”

They laughed nervously, “Oh, nothing, we were just curious.”

I sensed that there was a lot more to the story than they were letting on. But I decided to let the matter drop.

--

“Princess, princess. Wake up.” Fred whispered, tapping my shoulder.

I pulled the covers higher, “What do you want Freddie? I’m still sleepy.”

“Please princess.” He pleaded, “I want to watch the sunrise.”

“Fred, we watch the sunrise almost all the time.”

“Yeah, but we rarely watch the sunrise at the beach.”

He kneeled down in front of me, giving me his best puppy dog eyes, “Please.”

I opened an eye to look at him, “Fine. You’re lucky you’re cute.”

He sprang up from his position excitedly, stuffing me into one of his sweaters the moment I had got out of bed as he dragged me out of the room and down to the beach.

We sat down in the sand, while I rested my head on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around my waist.

I am sure glad that Fred dragged me out to watch the sunrise, because it was the most beautiful one, I’ve ever seen.

As the brightest star in the Solar System painted to sky red and orange, Fred stood up as he gestured for me to do the same.

He smiled sheepishly, “I may or may not had a hidden agenda when I wanted to bring you out to watch the sunrise.”

I moistened my lips, “And that is?”

Fred pressed a kiss onto my forehead, before getting down on one knee, pulling out a small, velvet box and opening it to reveal a glimmering diamond ring.

I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth.

He started his speech, “Y/N L/N, you are the most amazing, the sexiest, the hottest, the kindest, the sweetest, and the most intelligent woman I’ve ever met. I have absolutely no idea how I manage to live my life before I met you. I messed up a lot of stuff in my life, but you were the one thing I got right. I’ve been indecisive a lot of times, but I am more than sure that I want to have my future with you, I want to grow old with you. I don’t ever want to let you go. I asked you to be my girlfriend on this exact spot years ago and you said yes. Now, I’m willing to try my luck again, will you give me this honor and marry me?”

The words died in my throat, I managed as small nod as Fred grinned, slipping the ring onto my ring finger before pulling me in for a kiss.

We pulled apart as Fred lifted me up and spun me around in a circle, “I love you.”

“I love you more.”

--

“You two are up early.” Harry said as we met the group at breakfast.

Fred then took a glass, dramatically tapping a spoon against it, causing everyone’s attention to be directed towards us.

“We have an announcement to make.” Fred said in a as a matter-of-fact tone.

“Will you hurry up because I’m hungry.” Ron said, causing Hermione to smack him on the arm.

“Y/N is no longer my girlfriend.” My fiancée said.

Everyone was stunned. Ginny was the first to break the silence, “You broke up with her? Why?”

Fred and I exchanged a look, trying hard not to smile, “That’s because,” he started to explain, “Y/N has been promoted to my fiancée.”

I grinned as I held up my left hand, the ring sitting proudly on my finger.

Everybody cheered as Ginny ran forward and engulfed me into a hug, the force enough to have me stumble backwards.

“I finally have a sister.” She said with a smile.

𝚃𝚊𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝:

@lumosandnoxwriting​ @wand3ringr0s3​ @famdomhideout​ @nova-darling @gaycatlord-stuff​  @pandaxnienke​ @escapingrealitybyreading​​ (If you are crossed out, that means I can’t tag you)

[fyrapartnersearch]

I have several aliases I’ve used in the past, but right now, I go by Mack. I’m over 24+, looking for a few roleplayers of the darker and uninhibited variety. I’m on the search again after having a couple of my stories kinda slow down, so hopefully I can find some other things to keep me occupied and to keep my writing sharp. I work part-time while going to school, and even with the pandemic situation making my classes online for the time being, I can still be a bit streaky with my replies and such. Therefore, I would like a partner that can roll with the motions and allow me some patience as we craft our story. And yes, I would like to craft an overall story, despite the raunchy things I’m going to request, so someone who has no problem helping with world-building and stuff like that.

But I guess before I go into any talks of world-building, I should describe what I like and what I’m looking for. I write exclusively male characters in heteroseual pairings, so there wouldn’t need to be any worry about switching off genders if we go that route. In terms of genres - Right now, supernatural genres are the best bet to keep my interest. For the most part, anything with demons, vampires, witches, werewolves, gifted humans, anything of the like are pretty good with me. I like to have a dark, big-city type of atmosphere to have our characters in. I’m also into science fiction, cyberpunk-like things, where we can kind of just do what we want, make our own rules and such. Can go as massive as crafting entire solar systems, or just futuristic tech, either-or. I haven’t had as much success with crafting a good post-apocalyptic story that doesn’t include anything zombie-related, so I’d like to do that as well.

Also, another bonus if you’re a wrestling fan. 

I hope to bring a good deal to the table in terms of writing, and though I’d like to think of myself as pretty creative, sometimes I’ve gotten into the lull of crafting a story for the sake of smutty adventures. Which, hey, I never mind it, and if you don’t, all good. But sometimes I get inspired and I would really like to sit down and hash out ideas we’d love to incorporate, or just things we like to do. Writing-wise, I like to have both quantity and quality, but admittedly, I do find a longer post, somewhere in the 700-1000+ word range aesthetically more pleasing. Of course, if there are mistakes on end and the quality isn’t particularly appealing, then I would lose interest. Another particularly appealing thing I like to do is running multiple stories with our characters and creating an expansive cast, or at least running a main protagonist/antagonist of mine in different stories interacting with different characters.

One thing I’d also like to say is that I do enjoy mature plots with few limitations. Smut, gore, violence, crazy horror themes, body horror mixed in with supernatural stuff, anything like that is fair game for me. Yes, I enjoy writing smut, I know that might paint me out to be some sort of weirdo, and I’m perfectly fine with that. I enjoy thai milk tea as well, and I’m perfectly fine in being a weirdo for that. So something very comfortable in that regard would be great. I expect to have stories on the kinkier side of things, and stories on the more action-packing side of things. Some kinks I love include BDSM, incest, the unholy trinity (oral, anal, and such), dubious consent, hair-pulling, those sorts of things. A particularly darker kink that is not explored enough for me is pregnancy/impregnation/breeding. Also, since I love things like psychological trauma and experimentation (in science fiction and supernatural context), those are also highly desired. The manipulation of someone’s mind, body, and soul, combined with elements of corruption and body alteration/transformation – love.

Medium-wise, this will be over Googledocs. But we can use Discord to communicate and plan out things.

A few traits in a partner that I’m looking for, just to recap:

Ideally, someone who enjoys both quantity and quality, and who doesn’t mind being aesthetically pleasing. Like I said, Googledocs is my medium of choice, and you can do a few fancy little things in that.

A person willing to use various types of face claims, from alternative models to adult models/pornstars and not just traditional actors/actresses/musicians. I have a bevy of faces that I would love if someone used them against my characters. For an example, faces like Ellie Rayne (if you’d like to google her) are some of my favorite faces. Curvy, voluptuous, and tattoos. Just inquire about it if you’re unsure.

Someone who doesn’t shy away from porn-without-plot. Most of my stories will have plots, but sometimes, I enjoy a smutty one-off just for shits and giggles.

Someone with few to no limits. Can’t stress this enough. 

Someone who doesn’t come off as a total stick in the mud during conversation. I get politeness, but as of late, I’ve come across people who just didn’t seem all that excited, and their words kinda showed it. Getting one-word responses and things of that nature are clear turn-offs.

If you’re also open to potentially joining with a writing partner of mine, that would be a bonus as well. At the current moment, I only have two consistent partners, and as such, there are a lot of ideas that could use a third person to really flesh things out.

I’ve also been intrigued and have dabbled in the idea of playing a singular character and sort of starring them in their own story, so to speak, populating the sphere of our plot with secondary characters, or even other starring characters as enemies/rivals, friends/allies, lovers/frenemies, things like that. So someone willing to play multiple characters without hesitation or too much delay would be great as well.

I know I’m asking for quite a bit, but I am looking to be rather selective and picky about potential partners, and I would like not to feel that I have to compromise too much in order to find one. So if you are interested, I would like to know a little more than just “hey, I’m interested to roleplay”. Really sell yourself!

But yeah, feel free to hit me up through my email, razeyourminds@gmail.com. Also, let me know if you find Ellie Rayne to be the hottest of the hottest in the world, or even suggest a few gorgeous tattooed models to gawk over. Hope to find a few interesting partners!

[rimmers-swimming-certificate]

Red Dwarf Fanfic - Names (2/2)

Part 1

“Sirs, you do realise that you’re not actually married, don’t you?” Kryten told them.

Lister and Rimmer glanced at one another. “That’s not the point,” Rimmer told him.

Kryten nodded. “Of course not, sir. It’s just that even if you wanted to get married, technically you wouldn’t be able to, so I really don’t see why you’re both getting so… so argumentative about it.”

Lister frowned. “Hang on, why wouldn’t we be able to?”

Kryten glanced from Lister to Rimmer and back again. “Well, for various reasons. One of which is that it isn’t legally permitted for holograms to marry.”

Lister hadn’t known that, actually, but he didn’t care. He glanced at Rimmer and shrugged. “Well, yeah, but that’s discrimination, isn’t it? We’re not into that round here, so we decided to ignore it. Anyway, we know we’re not married, but we’re as good as, aren’t we?”

Kryten hesitated. “I suppose, looking at it from a certain point of view. But still, it is the law. Or at least it was the law, at the last point in history from which we encountered an updated guide to legal practises on the inhabited worlds of the solar system. None of them allowed deceased people to marry, therefore, legally you are not permitted to marry someone who is dead.”

Lister shuddered at that. “Don’t say it like that, Kryten. You make it sound like I tied the knot with a corpse or something. Just say hologram, okay?”

“Why should he?” Rimmer asked. “I am dead, after all. If that makes you uncomfortable, maybe we need to apply for an annulment.”

“You can’t,” Cat interjected. “Didn’t you hear him? Nobody tied any knots with anybody.” He looked at Lister. “That’s a good thing, by the way, imagine being tied to this guy for the rest of your life.” He indicated Rimmer with a wave of his hand and pulled a disgusted expression. “What would you do if you needed to visit the litter box?.”

Lister sighed. He was beginning to wish he hadn’t bothered. “Cat, there’s no actual tying of knots involved,” he said.

“Well, sometimes there is,” Rimmer corrected, with a sly smile.

Lister looked at him sharply.

In swift response to Lister’s reaction, Rimmer immediately sprung to his own defence. “Uh… I didn’t mean that how you might have taken it,” he said. He spoke far too quickly and a hint of a blush spread across his face. “I just meant some marriage ceremonies involve knot… Pagans! They tie knots I think.” He frowned. “Don’t they?”

Lister shrugged.

“Unless you’re into that kind of thing,” Rimmer continued. “Tying knots, I mean. Because if you are, then maybe we could… I mean, just to try it out. I really don’t mind…”

Lister sighed and ran a hand over his face. He shot a glance at Rimmer that he hoped communicated that they could talk about that later, then turned back to Cat and Kryten. “Guys, you’re missing the point,” he said. “All we’re doing is trying to figure out what we should be called. You know, theoretically. If we got married. Rimmer thinks one of us needs to change our name, but I don’t want to be a Rimmer and he doesn’t want to be a Lister.

“That’s easy,” Cat told him. “Do away with them altogether. I never understood you monkeys with your name obsession anyway. And you don’t just have one, either. You gotta have two of them. Goalpost Head even has three, and now you’re thinking about swapping them around? What for? Dump them, problem solved.”

Rimmer shook his head. “No, you moronic moggy, that doesn’t solve anything.”

Cat shrugged. “Fine, you love your names so much, keep them. But why not squish them together?”

Rimmer frowned. “What?”

“You know, like…” Cat paused, frowning thoughtfully as he tried to puzzle out what he was trying to say. “Like Rimster, or Limmer, something like that.”

Lister shook his head.

“Not bad, actually,” Rimmer said, nodding appreciatively. “Not bad at all. We still keep elements of our names. It would have to be Rimster, obviously. Limmer just sounds ridiculous.”

“Rimmer, ‘Rimster’ sounds like…” Lister smirked. “Well, like something you wouldn’t want as a name.”

“Why not?”

“Because…” Lister shook his head again, “never mind. And yeah, I’m with you on Limmer, it’s terrible. But you know, depending how you do it, it’d be possible to combine our names together and get ‘Lister’ or ‘Rimmer’, so how about we do that? I’ll take Lister, you take Rimmer, problem solved.”

Rimmer shook his head. “Problem not solved. The whole point was to have the same name. Not the same names we already have.”

“Sirs, you haven’t even had a marriage ceremony,” Kryten said, continuing his train of thought from earlier in the conversation. “Some form of exchanging of vows is traditionally required in every single culture in order to seal a marriage.”

“Alright,” Lister said. “Let’s do that, then. You know the words for a wedding, right Kryten? If we just do it, then will yo let us talk about this?”

Kryten hesitated.

Rimmer raised a finger. “Hang on a minute, Listy,” he said. “What kind of a proposal is that? Like I told you earlier, I consider myself a fairly traditional guy. If we’re going to get married, at least one of us should be getting down on one knee, holding a ring and popping the question. ‘Oi Kryten, you can marry us,’ just doesn't cut it for me, miladdo.”

“It’s a moot point anyway, sirs,” Kryten told them. “I do know the words I would be required to say, but I’m not qualified to perform a marriage ceremony.”

“Does that really matter though?” Lister asked him. “I mean, it’s not like someone’s going to show up and arrest you, is it?”

“Well, probably not,” Kryten agreed, “But still, it seems wrong, somehow. Anyway, even if I did agree, you would still need two witnesses, and you only have one.”

“They don’t even have that many,” Cat told them. “Ain't no way I’m accepting a wedding invitation without at least a month to plan what I’m going to wear. What if there was some cute bridesmaid there and my badly planned outfit put her off?!”

“There’s not going to be any bridesmaids, you idiot,” Rimmer told him. “There’s not going to be any bride.”

“There’s not going to be any wedding,” Kryten added. “Although, if you would like me to pretend to marry you, I would be willing, though it would be a purely symbolic act.”

Lister glanced at Rimmer. “What do you think?”

Rimmer shook his head. “Not until we sort out this name thing. And not without a proper proposal.”

“Well, I’m not changing my name to Rimmer, and I’m not changing it to smegging Rimster either.”

Rimmer folded his arms defiantly. “Well I’m certainly not changing mine to Lister. I’m not going to let you win this.”

It always had to be about winning and losing with Rimmer, didn’t it? Lister sighed. “That settles that then, doesn’t it?”

Kryten stepped forward. “Sirs… If I might make a suggestion, if you are absolutely adamant about having the same name…”

“We’re not,” Lister interrupted.

“I am,” said Rimmer.

“Well, how about an entirely different name. Something unrelated to either of your existing names, that way there are no winners or losers.”

Rimmer pulled a face. “And how would we come up with this name? Just pluck it out of the air, I suppose?”

“Well, there are ample numbers of worthy people throughout history whose name it would surely be an honour to take,” Kryten told him.

Lister frowned. Kryten was probably right, but the chances of them agreeing on one were practically zero. And even if they did come up with a name they both liked, it didn’t change the fact that Lister didn’t want to change his name. He didn’t even want Rimmer to change his name. Things were fine as they were.

Cat grinned. “Hey, that’s a great idea! Can I pick the name?”

Rimmer and Lister looked at each other and shook their heads simultaneously. “No,” they both said.

“We’d never agree anyway,” Rimmer said. “I’ve got an idea. A contest! The winner gets to pick the name.”

Lister folded his arms. “But you’d pick Rimmer,” he said.

“Yes, that’s the point. And I assume you’d pick Lister, ergo the winner of said contest gets to impose their name upon the other.”

Lister shook his head. “That’s stupid, Rimmer. I don’t want to impose my name on you.”

“Yes,” said Rimmer, “But I want to impose mine on you. So, what do you say? Settle it with a game of Risk?”

“No way. I don’t even know how to play that, and from hearing you go on about it, it sounds more boring than an evening listening to your hammond organ music collection.”

Rimmer nodded. “I know you can’t play. That’s why I picked it.”

“Yeah well, in that case, how about the one that can eat the hottest curry wins?”

“Absolutely not,” Rimmer told him. “I can’t stand spicy food.”

Lister grinned, “I know.”

Rimmer pressed his lips together thoughtfully. “Fine, fair enough. It needs to be something that we’re equally good, or equally bad at. Something that we both at least have a chance of winning at. How are you at chess?”

Lister shook his head. “Pool?”

“Backgammon?”

“Twister?”

“Poker?”

“Snakes and Ladders.”

Rimmer frowned. “Actually… that’s not a bad idea,” he said. “I mean, it’s down to pure chance, isn’t it? Who rolls the best numbers, who’s unlucky enough to land on the big snake right at the end… There’s no skill involved at all. So at least neither of us could claim that the other has an advantage.”

He wasn’t serious, was he? Lister looked Rimmer up and down, trying to decide. He looked serious. He looked exactly like a man who was willing to bet his name away on what was essentially a game of chance. “Really?” he said.

Rimmer hesitated. He folded his arms and stared at Lister as though trying to decide the same thing about him. Finally, he nodded. “Yes,” he said. “Really. Unless you want to back out, of course.”

Lister considered it. He really did want to back out, but he couldn’t. Not if Rimmer wasn’t going to. Not unless he wanted to be subjected to months of insults and snide comments about how he had chickened out., and he really didn’t want to have to put up with that. Anyway, he had as much chance as Rimmer did of winning. “This only counts if we actually get married,” he said. “Right?”

Rimmer nodded. “Only if,” he agreed.

“Fine. Snakes and Ladders. One game, no do-overs. Winner gets to pick our name.”

Cat grinned as he placed a hand on each of their shoulders. “Alright, great!” he said. “I love Snakes and Ladders. I get to be red, okay? And I already chose what name I’m gonna give you guys if I win!”

“Er, no…” Rimmer’s eyes widened in panic. “Cat, you don’t get to… Lister, tell him!”

Lister shook his head. “He’s right, Cat, it’s only me and Rimmer that… Wait, what name did you choose?”

“I’m not gonna tell you guys,” Cat told them. “So, shall we play?”

Lister hesitated as an idea occurred to him. It was a gamble, but it might just work... “You know, Rimmer,” he said, “maybe we should let him play. I mean, why not? It might be fun to have a mystery third option.”

Rimmer swallowed slowly. He walked across the room, turned, and walked back again. “Actually,” he said, “now that I think about it, maybe you’re right, Lister. Maybe there is something to be said for both of us keeping our original names. I mean, there’s much less paperwork, for a start. I think if we did get married, I’d be willing to forego that one tradition.”

“You sure?” Lister asked him.

Rimmer nodded. “Definitely. Just that one tradition though. All the rest, that would be non-negotiable.”

“The down on one knee stuff, and the ring and all that?”

Rimmer nodded.

“Okay then, problem solved.” Lister turned and headed for the door.

“Hey, where are you going?” Cat called after him. “Are you going to get the game?”

Lister shook his head. “I’ll be back in a minute,” he said, and headed in the direction of the crew lockers. All he needed now was a ring, and he knew just where to find one.

[miladycrystalplume]

Have you met the crystals behind the universe?

Physics is one of my favorite subjects and I know that a lot of people find it boring. Therefore, today I came to show how this subject does not return to just a boring teacher consuming formulas that you can't even spell. Today I'm going to focus more on astronomy! And I will show that the universe is not only flat stones, but also beautiful crystals!

Who has never had to remeber the order of the planets? “ My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Noodles ” The planets are much more interesting than just this sentence. So here you go: 7 curiosities about the planets! ✨ Even though it is so tiny, mercury has wrinkles. Yes, wrinkles! This is due to its giant mountainous irregularities.

✨Venus is the twin of Earth and the hottest in the solar system. He believed that he had water one day and many scientists also claim that colonization of this planet is possible!

✨Mars is a favorite of scientists, it is not new that it can be colonized one day, but did you know that it is almost possible to have agriculture on Mars? Yea! Plant things there on Mars.

✨ Jupiter is a very rebellious giant, with an irregular atmosphere and endless bad weather, however, Jupiter has beautiful colored bands. Color differences are explained by chemical differences and chemical reactions between elements in the planet's atmosphere.

✨Saturn is one of the most interesting planets, it was difficult to choose just one curiosity. Well, Saturn has 82 moons and one of them can contain life! You haven't heard it wrong, the moon Enceladus has features for extraterrestrial lives.

✨Uranus is our golden rosemary, unlike any other, it has an inclination of 97.7 degrees, that is, it rotates on its side!

✨I confess that Neptune is my little baby, but he really is wonderful! In addition to being extraordinarily beautiful, it has spots, which are nothing short of giant storms! And one of them is bigger than the Atlantic Ocean, and most of them are over 30 years old.

🌷Leave questions and random things for me to answer! Don't forget to share, like and comment!

[bestkgamer]

Lena: So I was reading some articles about the universe and stuff...

Amelie: Did you like it?

Lena: Ehh, kinda...

Amelie: What didn't you like?

Lena: Well they said the Sun is the hottest thing in our solar system...

Amelie: Yes...

Lena: BUT HOW CAN THEY SAY THAT IF THEY CLEARLY NEVER MET YOU?!

[king-mike1]

Hot

Remus: So I was reading some articles about the universe and stuff.....

Deceit: Did you like it?

Remus: Ehh, kinda....

Deceit: What didn't you like?

Remus: Well they said the sun is the hottest thing in our solar system....

Deceit: Yes....

Remus: BUT HOW CAN THEY SAY THAT IF THEY CLEARLY NEVER MET YOU?!

[good-times-with-theo]

You ship Sun x Pluto?

If you don’t see Pluto as a kid, yes. The Sun is the hottest thing in our Solar System and Pluto is the coldest. Opposites attract.

[starlight-drive-in]

All My Life, for You - Ch. 2

This chapter: Saeyoung Choi/MC (named), Saeyoung Choi/OC Saeran Choi/OC

Fic Description: Mi-Cha and Saeyoung have been happily married for 5 years and their lives have never been happier. The same could be said for Saeran who is now in a much healthier place than he was a few years ago. The twins are close once again, their lives are healthy and normal for the most part. It would seem the picture perfect happily ever after, if it weren’t for the fact that someone who has been looking for them for a long time is about to make an unwelcome appearance.

Saeyoung has two things in this world he has sworn to protect, and nothing is going to stop him from keeping his promise this time.

Chapter Description: Saeran takes a little alone time, which subsequently gets interrupted. He may or may not be happy about this.Mi-Cha and Saeyoung attempt to be sneaky.

AO3 Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19773562/chapters/46928929

Saeran sits cross-legged on a large rock that marks the summit of the mountain trail he's been working his way up for the past 40 minutes. Slightly winded, he takes deep breaths and focuses on recovering himself. "Whew, I need to work out." He tells himself.

He takes another deep breath of fresh mountain air and savors the way it fills his lungs. It's been years since Mint Eye, even longer since he was trapped in that God-forsaken excuse for a house. Even still, the feeling of freedom manages to take him by surprise. The sheer fact that he's allowed to do this, allowed to do what he wants when he wants. It still feels foreign.  Some things will haunt him forever, he knows that. But being able to have a life is more than he ever hoped for.

He pointedly takes a moment to fully absorb his surroundings. To his left, he can see the hotels, restaurants, and shops that line the edge of the beach below him. The beach has mostly cleared out by now although he can spot a few couples taking sunset strolls along the water’s edge. He scans the length of the beach, searching for his brother’s telltale red hair, wondering if one of the couples on the beach might be his brother and sister-in-law.

Ahead of him lies the reason he made this hike to begin with - a beautiful sunset painted in reds and purples, quickly taking over the blue that was there before. Long strings of clouds run the length of the horizon as sun meets ocean, light dancing on the waves. He takes another deep breath and smiles. He’s always loved the sky. When he had nothing else he still had the sky. Even when all he had was one small window to look at it through, the sky was always there. Always beautiful and always breathtaking, a faithful companion when all else was lost.

He remains for the next hour or so until the sun has all but finished its decline below the horizon. Taking the flashlight out of the small pack on his back he begins decent back down the mountain to the hotel. On the way down he contemplates what to do when he gets back to his room. He’s pretty hungry, grabbing dinner himself seems to be a good place to start.

He stops at one of the many restaurants on the way back, opting for a bar seat instead of a whole booth with him being only one person. He orders and then takes his phone out while he waits, seeing he has a few new messages.

Saeyoung: Don't get up to too much trouble without me now, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do ;)

He scoffs. What exactly is that supposed to mean anyway? He thinks, not bothering to actually respond

Mi-Cha: Sorry about leaving you on your own tonight, if you need us to come back just say the word!

Mi-Cha is way to considerate. She always has been, always. Everyone knows this about her- it’s immediately obvious to most upon meeting her for the first time. Ah. but he’s known that about her longer than any of their friends, or even his own brother. It was specifically the reason he had chosen back her then. He shudders then, slightly embarrassed at his past behavior. In the end, it would seem that he inadvertently played matchmaker for Saeyoung. He’d have to remember to give his brother shit about owing him one later. Thinking about how much things have changed, he smiles.

He’s so absorbed in his own self-reflection that he doesn't even notice a woman sit down next to him.

“You must like her a lot.” She says, grabbing his attention finally.

He’s caught off-guard for a moment and stares blankly at her blue eyes.

“W-who?” he stutters embarrassed.

“Your girlfriend, or whoever's making you smile like that.” She giggles.

“Oh, I wasn’t. I don’t. Uh, I don't have a girlfriend.”

“Oh?” She asks.“A boyfriend, perhaps?”

“Oh, no - uh- not that either, I’m single.” He clarifies.

Her face brightens visibly. “Is that so? Well in that case, whatcha drinking? Vodka soda?” She motions exaggeratedly to his glass.

Am I being hit on right now? He thinks to himself Probably not right? She just wants someone to talk to he’s sure of it.

He chuckles.“Seltzer, I- uh don't really drink.”

“Damn, I’m not doing too good here tonight” She giggles. “I guess it’s true what they say about making assumptions.”

“It’s fine.” He says, not really knowing how to respond but smiling politely.

She twists a finger around a lock of dark hair nervously, the boost of confidence she inspired in herself a moment before coming over here quickly wearing off. “So - uh, you here on vacation?”

“Yea, with my brother and sister-in-law. Family bonding ya know?” This conversation isn't the most comfortable thing for him, but it’s not entirely unwelcome either. “How about you?”

“Girls weekend out.” She says, a slightly sarcastic tone in her voice. “Which apparently turned into ‘Let's all get drunk and pass out and leave Jisun on her own’ weekend.”

“Ah. Yea that doesn't exactly sound like what you signed up for.” He responds empathetically. His food arrives and he thanks the server quickly, then turns his attention back to her.

She scoffs. “You've got that right. Eh, it’s whatever. Kinda needed a break anyway. Not that I don't love them. It’s just sometimes their energy is a little much for me. I’m sorry that probably doesn't make any sense.”

He understands completely though. “It does. I feel like that a lot with my own friends, especially my brother. Too much energy for his own good. Sometimes I just need to get away from him.”

“Yes! Exactly! Ugh, feels nice to talk to someone who gets it.” She smiles earnestly, feeling a lot more comfortable than before.

He returns her smile also feeling a tad more relaxed and truly takes in her image for the first time. Her hair is actually a very dark violet and comes just to her shoulders, her eyes a deep blue. A swath of freckles dots her nose and upper cheeks. She’s wearing a simple dress with a large floral pattern - Hibiscus - he recognizes them as, how ironic. He takes a sip of his drink and decides he agrees with the sentiment.

His phone beeps with a new notification, Mi-Cha checking up on him, of course. He takes a moment to reply before setting it back down.

She shifts slightly in her seat, “Anyway, I didn't mean to interrupt your meal-”

“You’re not interrupting” He interjects, feeling slightly rude for being on his phone. “I-It’s nice to talk to someone new.”

“Yea? Yea, I agree” She says.

“You said your name was Jisun?” She nods affirmatively. “I’m Saeran.”

“It’s very nice to meet you Saeran.”

Just then her own phone begins to ring in her clutch purse. She answers it and immediately her eyes go wide at whatever the person on the other end has said. "Yea, yea ok I'll be right there." She ends the call and looks over at him looking a bit disappointed.

"Ugh, I'm sorry. Duty calls looks like I've gotta go babysit some sick drunks."

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't also feeling disappointed. "Ah well, I wish you good luck then. You might wanna pick up some cleaning supplies, and maybe some painkillers on your way back?" He offers.

"Looks like someone has experience." She notes.

"Ha, yes, unfortunately."

"Well, I hope you have a good night, Saeran."

He smiles. "I'd say the same but."

She laughs at that and begins to retreat toward the door.

"And lots of water!" He adds over the din of the restaurant.

She gives him a thumbs up on her way out the door. She was going to have to give her friends a long, loud talking to in the morning about how they inadvertently pulled her away from a very cute guy.

Saeran watches wistfully out the window as she proceeds down the sidewalk. He dares to hope they’ll meet again, however unlikely that may be.

-

"It’s the hottest planet in our Solar System, which is a little weird when you think about it because it's not the closest to the sun. Mercury is, but guess what?" Saeyoung explains excitedly, holding Mi-Cha's hand while the two of them walk back to the hotel.

Mi-Cha smiles thoughtfully, enchanted at how enthusiastic he gets over things he's passionate about. Suddenly a familiar shock of red hair catches her eye through a nearby restaurant window.

"Saeyoung." She says, releasing his hand as she peers through the window, trying to stay close to the side as not to be noticed by the current object of her attention.

"Mercury has no atmosphere to regulate its temperature. So. Its temperature fluctuation is all over the place and you know what else?."

"Saeyoung!" She says louder this time.

"Ya?"

"I-is that Saeran?" She says in a hushed tone, pointing to a man at the far corner of the restaurant's bar.

Saeyoung's mouth falls open when he spots his brother.

"Yea but who is that?" He ducks around her to try to get a better look but she pulls him back.

"Don't! He'll see you!" She scolds in a whisper. "We’ve got to be sneaky!.

"Why are you whispering?" He whispers.

"Why are you?" She retorts.

"Just following your lead, boss." He answers.

"Don't you forget it." She mumbles. "Ok, ok but seriously who is she?"

"The girl reading this" Saeyoung says dramatically. Before laughing at his own joke.

Mi-Cha snickers "Saeyoung!"

"Hehe." Is his only response as the two of them sneakily peek through the window again.

"She's pretty." The pair say in unison.

"Like really pretty! Has he said anything to you about a girl?" Mi-Cha inquires.

"No, you?"

"Mm-mm" she shakes her head back and forth.

"I'm calling him." Saeyoung says pulling his phone from his pants pocket.

Mi-Cha quickly plucks his phone from his hand. "Wait, don't."

"But MCeeee he could be in danger!" He begs.

Mi-Cha looks again at the two of them through the window. The girl says something and Saeran smiles brightly, seemingly at ease. "Oh, yea he looks like he's in a lot of danger."

"That's just how they get you."

"Sae, come on. Let him have a little fun. He's not a kid, he can take care of himself."

"It's my sworn duty to protect him as an older brother!"

"You know you're twins right? You're only like 3 minutes older or something like that." She says, taking her own phone out and quickly typing a message. She watches through the window as Saeran’s phone lights up. He looks down at it and picks it up, eyeing the girl apologetically before taping a couple times and setting it back down.

Her own phone vibrates confirming what she already knew was true.

Mi-Cha: Heading back to hotel, you all good?

Sae2: All good, out getting food.

"See? You worry too much!"

"I can't help it!"

"I know Babe" she responds, taping him lightly on the nose before offering him her hand. "Come on, let's go! Your brother left us alone on our date, let's leave him alone on his!"

"Do you really think it's a date?!" He asks, wide eyed taking her outstretched hand.

"I have no idea," she laughs. "But If it is, he deserves some privacy. Plus I have other plans for you.” She gives him a devilish smile.

“Oh?” Saeyoung replies, completely forgetting his prior mission. “In that case, lead the way!”

---

The Victorian Flower Language meaning for Hibiscus is 'delicate beauty', :) (Or at least that's what google told me so that's what i'm going with.)

[nasa]

Solar System: 10 Things to Know This Week

January 8: Images for Your Computer or Phone Wallpaper

Need some fresh perspective? Here are 10 vision-stretching images for your computer desktop or phone wallpaper. These are all real pictures, sent recently by our planetary missions throughout the solar system. You'll find more of our images at solarsystem.nasa.gov/galleries, images.nasa.gov and www.jpl.nasa.gov/spaceimages.

Applying Wallpaper: 1. Click on the screen resolution you would like to use. 2. Right-click on the image (control-click on a Mac) and select the option 'Set the Background' or 'Set as Wallpaper' (or similar).

1. The Fault in Our Mars

This image from our Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) of northern Meridiani Planum shows faults that have disrupted layered deposits. Some of the faults produced a clean break along the layers, displacing and offsetting individual beds.

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2. Jupiter Blues

Our Juno spacecraft captured this image when the spacecraft was only 11,747 miles (18,906 kilometers) from the tops of Jupiter's clouds -- that's roughly as far as the distance between New York City and Perth, Australia. The color-enhanced image, which captures a cloud system in Jupiter's northern hemisphere, was taken on Oct. 24, 2017, when Juno was at a latitude of 57.57 degrees (nearly three-fifths of the way from Jupiter's equator to its north pole) and performing its ninth close flyby of the gas giant planet.

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3. A Farewell to Saturn

After more than 13 years at Saturn, and with its fate sealed, our Cassini spacecraft bid farewell to the Saturnian system by firing the shutters of its wide-angle camera and capturing this last, full mosaic of Saturn and its rings two days before the spacecraft's dramatic plunge into the planet's atmosphere on Sept. 15, 2017.

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4. All Aglow

Saturn's moon Enceladus drifts before the rings, which glow brightly in the sunlight. Beneath its icy exterior shell, Enceladus hides a global ocean of liquid water. Just visible at the moon's south pole (at bottom here) is the plume of water ice particles and other material that constantly spews from that ocean via fractures in the ice. The bright speck to the right of Enceladus is a distant star. This image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on Nov. 6, 2011.

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5. Rare Encircling Filament

Our Solar Dynamics Observatory came across an oddity this week that the spacecraft has rarely observed before: a dark filament encircling an active region (Oct. 29-31, 2017). Solar filaments are clouds of charged particles that float above the Sun, tethered to it by magnetic forces. They are usually elongated and uneven strands. Only a handful of times before have we seen one shaped like a circle. (The black area to the left of the brighter active region is a coronal hole, a magnetically open region of the Sun).

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6. Jupiter's Stunning Southern Hemisphere

See Jupiter's southern hemisphere in beautiful detail in this image taken by our Juno spacecraft. The color-enhanced view captures one of the white ovals in the "String of Pearls," one of eight massive rotating storms at 40 degrees south latitude on the gas giant planet. The image was taken on Oct. 24, 2017, as Juno performed its ninth close flyby of Jupiter. At the time the image was taken, the spacecraft was 20,577 miles (33,115 kilometers) from the tops of the clouds of the planet.

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7. Saturn's Rings: View from Beneath

Our Cassini spacecraft obtained this panoramic view of Saturn's rings on Sept. 9, 2017, just minutes after it passed through the ring plane. The view looks upward at the southern face of the rings from a vantage point above Saturn's southern hemisphere.

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8. From Hot to Hottest

This sequence of images from our Solar Dynamics Observatory shows the Sun from its surface to its upper atmosphere all taken at about the same time (Oct. 27, 2017). The first shows the surface of the sun in filtered white light; the other seven images were taken in different wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet light. Note that each wavelength reveals somewhat different features. They are shown in order of temperature, from the first one at about 11,000 degrees Fahrenheit (6,000 degrees Celsius) on the surface, out to about 10 million degrees in the upper atmosphere. Yes, the sun's outer atmosphere is much, much hotter than the surface. Scientists are getting closer to solving the processes that generate this phenomenon.

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9. High Resolution View of Ceres

This orthographic projection shows dwarf planet Ceres as seen by our Dawn spacecraft. The projection is centered on Occator Crater, home to the brightest area on Ceres. Occator is centered at 20 degrees north latitude, 239 degrees east longitude.

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10. In the Chasm

This image from our Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter shows a small portion of the floor of Coprates Chasma, a large trough within the Valles Marineris system of canyons. Although the exact sequence of events that formed Coprates Chasma is unknown, the ripples, mesas, and craters visible throughout the terrain point to a complex history involving multiple mechanisms of erosion and deposition. The main trough of Coprates Chasma ranges from 37 miles (60 kilometers) to 62 miles (100 kilometers) in width.

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Explore and learn more about our solar system at: solarsystem.nasa.gov/. 

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space: http://nasa.tumblr.com.

[titusreno]

titus and reno

new first chapter draft idea

Reno

The sun was in my eyes as Benja launched his elbow into my solar plexus. His mask was sagging down the side of his face with sweat, the nylon snake eyes staring unnervingly at me, hollow with shadows. Behind him, the trees rose up from the swamp that had swallowed the old neighborhoods of Cypress Hills. I could hear the cry of seagulls and the thrum of cicadas. I stumbled backwards, trying to catch myself before I fell against the rough pavement of the road. I wrapped my arms around Benja’s neck and shoved hard with my knee into his stomach. He hadn’t expected it, and he lost his footing enough that I was able to hook my arm under his throat and spin him backward, moving fast enough that my momentum carried him. Benja was bigger than I was, but I had enough leverage that it just barely worked. I kicked him again in the chest as he fell backward, landing on his ass. I followed him down, grabbing for his mask and just barely getting it up over his eyes. I tried to let out the kind of howl that Benja did when he was competing, deep and guttural. I bent over him with my knee in his chest, pressing his face into the pavement. I could feel his breathing, fast and ragged. Benja coughed and looked up at me.

“Okay, fuck, time. Uncle. Whatever.”

Behind me, I heard Pancake laugh. He and Rustler were sitting at the edge of the practice ring, smoking, their legs extended just over the yellow line on the pavement.

“Was that your frog yell, Reno?” Rustler asked.

Benja laughed. “He’s learning from me, he’s gonna yell. I’m gonna teach him to yell. It’s cool.” He sat up, rubbing the blood from under his nose with the back of his hand.

“You aren’t mad that he’s stealing your thing? Your whole trademark?” Rustler let out a long puff of smoke. The smell carried over to me, pungent and green.

“You might wanna work on a kind of loud ribbit,” Pancake said. He snorted and tried to approximate the noise a frog makes.

I helped Benja up.

“I’m gonna get you back next time,” he said, reaching up to yank the frog mask off my head. “But that was pretty fucking good. You stepped it up since last time.”

I laughed. “That’s because you nearly killed me last time. I had to protect myself.” We walked over to where Rustler and Pancake sat. Overhead, the clouds moved faster and faster over the edge of the horizon, leaving the late afternoon sky a thin, dirty blue. The double electric fences at the edge of the facility reflected the light back in large flat gleams of yellow. I had to squint to see anything. “When am I going to fight you, Rustler?” I thumped him on the back as I sat down.

Rustler grinned, in the slow, half-lidded way he has. His eyes are darker than most other people’s at Auxie Mautlin, and his hair is almost as long as mine. He’s strong and about as beautiful as any of us here get. His legs are half the size of my torso. “You may need to wait a little. You get a little bigger or I get a little sicker. One of the two. If you wait about six months you’ll be able to pulverize me.”

“Don’t say that,” Pancake said. “You have at least a couple years.”

“Dude,” Rustler said. “Don’t bullshit. I’m eighteen already.” His voice was still measured, but his tone shifted a little. “You know I don’t have that long.”

“I bet you’re still gonna be the strongest Fore for a little longer, though,” Pancake said.

“Well, let’s hope.” Rustler offered me his joint, avoiding Pancake’s eyes. I took a hit and passed it to Benja, whose nose was still bleeding.

It isn’t a total taboo to bring up the worms when you’re hanging out with friends. Obviously, we all have them. But talking about death is something else. I remembered Rustler’s friend Foz, who was the biggest Fore when I first came to Auxie Mautlin with a selection of other piggos from my work camp. He had won sixteen matches my first year in the dorms, before the boils under his skin got larger and he started having seizures and was removed to the late-term infirmary. We don’t know how long he lasted after that. We aren’t allowed to visit the hospice units—they’re three miles away.

I got infected when I was two or three, which means I probably have longer than Rustler and definitely longer than Pancake, who had the worm in him already when he was born. They take about sixteen years to start affecting your central nervous system in a serious way, though some piggos start getting headaches at age fifteen.

“Do you guys wanna go take some K-po with me in Caldegot?” Benja asked, after a couple minutes of silence where the only noise came from the seagulls and the sound of the distant gymnasium, where the letlets were still having their phys-ed class.

Pancake laid back on the pavement. “Nah, I hate the stuff it makes me see. It’s all like, purple dripping. Like every time. And those weird stars. It makes me feel all weird and out of it.”

Benja looked at me.

“I haven’t ever taken it,” I said, which was true. I’d had hits off joints that Rustler got from the truck driver that brought the cricketbev and frozen chicken, but never anything else. K-Po was newer, rarer. I wasn’t exactly sure what it was. “It’s like LSD, right?”

Rustler laughed. “It’s just fertilizer.”

“No, man, it’s real,” Pancake said. “You do really see shit.”

“No, I know,” Rustler said. “But it really is just fertilizer. Potassium, you know. Potash. It only works because potassium makes the worms in our guts release weird chemicals. It does it to anyone with the worm. If we were healthy, it wouldn’t do anything.”

“Is that true?” Pancake said. “I for sure thought it was like, a party drug someone snuck in.”

“Pancake, you’re a dumbass,” Rustler said. I couldn’t tell what his tone meant. Pancake looked a little hurt, but he might have just been out of it.

“I wish I knew where they got it,” Benja said. “I guess it’s from the garden sheds. But those are locked down. It’s some girl in Caldegot. She’s got like a total monopoly.”

“It can’t be Kacky,” Rustler said. “I thought she got sicker.”

“No,” Benja said. “Her name’s Jenny.”

“Huh.” Rustler stretched and stubbed the joint out on the pavement. “Well, you know, whatever. I’ll go over there with you if you’re going. Reno, you wanna see some weird purple stuff with us?”

I shrugged. I wasn’t really sure if I wanted to eat fertilizer. “Does it do anything to like, hurt you? Do you get like hungover or strung out or anything?”

“If you take too much,” Benja said. “But we won’t. You have to stay in top shape if you’re going to be able to beat Fib.” He punched my shoulder hard. I flinched a little, but less than I used to when I first was training with him. Benja tries to act tough and rowdy all the time, like he’s so strong he doesn’t know his own strength. I guess sometimes I do too.

As we walked over to Caldegot, I felt the sweat prickle uncomfortably down my back and run down my face. My hair melted against my ears and the back of my neck with sticky intensity. January isn’t the hottest season, yet. That’s still July and August, when temperatures can get into the middle hundred-forties and we all have to stay in the underground dormitories where the air conditioning gets pumped in through dry metal vents. But January is hotter than it was when I was born. I’ve heard that in the part of the country where Auxie Mautlin is, it used to get down to ten degrees in winter just a hundred and twenty years ago. There would have been snow. In the history classes we take, they show pictures of it. Once Mrs. Y showed us a picture of Queens, New York during a blizzard in 2015, the old cars buried in feet of snow, a bicycle completely cemented onto the sidewalk by mounds of shellacked ice. Now, January is hot, and it gets hotter every year, but they don’t let the older piggos go inside for gym because it is still supposed to be winter. When we ducked into Caldegot through a side door, the rush of cold air made me breathe a heavy sigh of relief.

The old dorms at the edge of Auxie Mautlin are different from the ones on the south side of the facility. The south dorms used to be a community jail, so they’re built with thick, bunkerlike cement and heavy doors. The Caldegot and Armistad dorms are just big brick buildings that used to be warehouses, and are almost three hundred years old. They remodeled them inside with the same fabric walls and florescent lighting as the other dorms, and they still have checkpoints and cameras, but they’re lower security than the Bertol or Musk buildings that the letlets live in. I was lucky to get in Armistad when I moved last year. It’s easier to get out to the roof or sneak to matches. I’ve heard older Fores say that things used to be stricter, but the facility is getting harder to staff and the older minders care less and less what we do. I guess that’s good luck.

Jenny’s room, a triple on the third floor, was already full of people when we got there. At least three of them were girls I knew from class. I hadn’t seen Jenny before except from a distance. She was oddly sinewy and sharp-looking, with long hair plaited into two braids that fell across either collarbone. Her uniform was opened to her belly, and I could see the faint sweat gathered at the top of her stomach. She was wearing one of the regulation bras, but pulled down a little, and I could tell that some of the boys were looking at her chest. She sat on the edge of her bunk bed, counting out small packets of something wrapped in brown paper towel. It felt so shady that I almost left then, but Benja moved to sit down next to one of the younger Caldegot girls and raised his eyebrows at me, so I moved inside the door and stood there.

Jenny looked at me. “You with Benja?” Her eyes were as black as Rustler’s. I figured she must be from the Arizzy worktown. I didn’t know any of those piggos very well.

“Yes,” I said.

Jenny nodded. She looked over her shoulder at the bunk above her and craned her neck. “Titus, get three more sets going,” she said. For the first time I noticed the scrawny boy in the bunk above her. He was hunkered down, portioning powder out into the paper packets. His dark hair was almost as long as Jenny’s, and fell across his face. His uniform shirt was open in the same way Jenny’s was, exposing an expanse of pale brown-pink skin that went down to his belt line. He grunted in response to Jenny’s command. Then, in a single long, lazy motion, he wrapped what looked like three packets of the orange powder. He tore each packet off after pouring the fertilizer—or whatever it was—onto the paper, and folded them into little squares. He licked the edges of the squares to make them stick, then looked up directly at me with a strange, unreadable glare. He was so delicate-looking that for a second I wondered if I was wrong about him being a boy.

“Here,” he said, and tossed one of the packets at me. I caught it and looked to Benja, who reached his hand up for his packet. Rustler, who still stood next to me, laughed, maybe at my expression. He ruffled my hair. I would have bristled if we hadn’t all just smoked together. I knew he was trying to be friendly.

“Reno here is going to be taking K-po for the first time today,” he said to Jenny. “Let him know what to do so he doesn’t make a fool of himself.”

Jenny looked at me closely, then nodded. I felt like I was being assessed. She stood up and brushed off her pants briskly. “Do you know what I do here?” she asked me.

“Um,” I said. “I guess I’m not really sure. You give people fertilizer to eat?”

One of the Caldegot girls snickered. The scrawny boy on the top bunk tensed, and I wondered if I might get myself in trouble if I sounded like I was insulting her business model.

“Well, yes,” Jenny said flippantly. “It’s fertilizer. But it is very important, cool fertilizer, because it lets the worms in our bodies show us things.” She smiled at me. Her canines were sharp, like Rustler’s or Pancake’s. Fighters do that to make themselves scarier. “The hallucinogens that the worms release are remarkably consistent. Right, Pozzlin?” She looked at the girl next to Benja.

“Yeah,” Pozzlin said. “You always see the purple planet.” She turned to me.

“The purple planet,” I said. I had heard people say it in classes. I assumed it was an in-joke in some clique that I wasn’t in on. There were a lot of those kinds of things. Everyone had their groups, their own special language.

“It’s like, a theory, right, that we all see the same waterfalls and birds and stuff—the stars and the sky with two moons and all that. And it’s a theory that that’s because it’s the planet the worm comes from. And it looks like it does because it’s an alien planet. It’s not just an acid trip. And sure it’s all like wavy gravy and you see like paisley and stuff too and colors move and distort, but you always see the same kind of cliffs and oceans and always two moons in the sky.”

Pozzlin let that sink in, smirking smugly at me. Benja was playing with a strand of her hair, and she didn’t seem to mind. I looked around the room for confirmation. People nodded.

“It’s like, maybe crazy,” Benja said, “but it’s like, it is sort of interesting. It’s true that you always see the same stuff. And it looks alien.”

“And we know the worm is alien,” another girl with long tight braids said. “It came here on a UFO.”

“A ship,” Benja corrected her. “A ship with a dead mummified humanoid alien on it. If you’re gonna say it, you gotta say the full crazy thing.” A few people laughed. When the doctors first announced that they were able to confirm the thing about the dead humanoid, back when I was still a letlet, everyone had taken bets on whether or not it was true. It was accepted fact now, but it still sounded crazy. Especially because the pharma companies and the state agencies had been insisting for years that the worm was a mutation of a tapeworm that had been bothering pigs for eons on Earth.

Jenny nodded and looked back to me. “So, it’s fun, right, and it is fun. But the real reason I do this is to get as many people as possible to document, to write down, what they’re seeing. Because I think it really might be the world that the bug came from. And if that’s true, it’s data. Important data.”

“Question,” I said. “How would that work? The hallucinations being like, a message. That’s like. Telepathy, right?”

“Yeah, something like that,” Jenny said.

“Do you think the worms are trying to send it to us?”

Jenny shrugged. “Fuck if I know. That’s why we’re out here. More data the better.”

“Hey Jenny,” a boy I didn’t know said from a corner. “You could get more data if the stuff was free, you know.”

“I have to make a living,” Jenny said. Her voice was mild but firm. “I don’t see you guys sneaking into the garden sheds at night to get this shit, so I can charge whatever I want. And it’s more affordable than it was when Kacky was here.”

I looked over at Benja inquiringly. I didn’t have that much to trade for shit. He shook his head and waved me off as if to say I have this one.

A girl laughed. “Bottoms up for science,” she said, and tipped her orange powder back into her mouth.

“Not yet,” said another girl. She looked at Jenny. “Is it okay to start?” The orange sun filtered down through the window and I felt for the first time how warm the room was. I was sort of thirsty.

“Cheers,” Jenny said. “I’m going to put out the paper and markers in the middle of the floor. When you come back up, draw or write what you saw, okay? Nobody leaves without at least one detail.”

“How long does it last?” I asked.                “Like twenty minutes,” the boy sitting on the top bunk said. I looked over at him and he stared back, unblinking, for a second, before he gave a small grin, as if he had just remembered that it might be a nice thing to do.

I saw Rustler raise his hand and dump the powder into his mouth. After a couple seconds, I did the same. I felt someone watching me and looked up to see the scrawny boy on the top of the bed staring me down. When he caught me looking, he looked away. I noticed that he wasn’t taking any K-po. For a second I thought about saying something to him, to try to ask a question or seem cool. But I wasn’t sure what to say. And then my vision started to swim. It was so instantaneous that I sat down against the door heavily, in shock.

At first it was just colors, and this sense of weird peace bubbling up in my stomach. I felt for a second like looking at the scrawny boy on the top bunk and telling him that I wanted to kiss him—which was weird, though I realized that I sort of did. But then I sank deeper, and the colors started to condense and drip and I started to see real pictures. The room in front of me completely vanished, and my hands and arms felt dense and numb and like they were made of fragile glass.

I saw four figures walking on a moonlit landscape, tall and strangely stretched. I couldn’t see their faces, but I knew they weren’t human or piggo. I felt a cold sensation in my gut at the strange trancelike way they walked, and I tried to turn away, but I couldn’t. I was stuck watching them until they vanished over the edge of the horizon. Then my vision danced again, dissolved into colors, and melted into a new scene. I was on a hill, looking out at a sky of strange stars and a red sun. There were flat plains of weird plants, and spires stretching up that might have been stone or vegetable. I couldn’t tell. Spinning above me were two flat blue moons, and under my feet was an ocean of clear water. When I looked at the ocean, I moved toward it, into it, falling down from the hill so fast that I stretched out my hands to catch myself, sure that I would be dashed against the ground, that the pink rocks at the shore would tear me apart. But they didn’t, and I landed in the water. Worms swam around between my toes, the light shimmering off their opalescent bodies. The sensation was still peaceful, sensual. It took several minutes before occurred to me that these were the worms inside me. The ocean rose up under me and I got cold, as if it were really there. The sky went yellow, blue, deep pink, red. I felt a little nauseous, but somehow was having a really good time.

And then I started to come out of it. The ocean stopped feeling cold and I could feel the hot sweaty dorm room and the bodies on either side of me. The moons above me splintered and vanished, and I felt the floor under me for several minutes before I opened my eyes. As I did, I realized that the boy –Titus—was still staring at me from the top bunk. I felt too dizzy to sit up, and closed my eyes until I felt the world settle. When I sat up again, Titus was gone. Around me, other people were already awake again. They were writing and drawing with the markers that Jenny had provided. As the light stopped hurting my eyes, I looked around and realized they were all drawing basically the same things I had seen—everyone focusing on different aspects of the scenario. Jenny approached me and gave me a pen and a marker and a piece of paper that I realized was someone’s old medical form.

“Draw on the back,” she said. “Emotional woo woo stuff is fine for writing but try to draw as literal as you can.”

I’m not a very good artist, but I tried to draw the hill and the two moons. I tried to describe what I saw. I didn’t want to put any more effort into it than anyone else, but I felt profoundly changed and—I guess disturbed—by the whole thing, and suddenly it felt very important that I be honest and try to actually talk about what it had been like. I thought, well, maybe this is a real thing, a real project.

[fyrapartnersearch]

[ the crooked ones go. ]

I have several aliases I’ve used in the past, but right now, I go by Mack. I’m over 24+, looking for a few roleplayers of the darker and uninhibited variety. I’m on the search again after having a couple of my stories kinda slow down, so hopefully I can find some other things to keep me occupied and to keep my writing sharp. I work part-time while going to school, and even with the pandemic situation making my classes online for the time being, I can still be a bit streaky with my replies and such. Therefore, I would like a partner that can roll with the motions and allow me some patience as we craft our story. And yes, I would like to craft an overall story, despite the raunchy things I’m going to request, so someone who has no problem helping with world-building and stuff like that.

But I guess before I go into any talks of world-building, I should describe what I like and what I’m looking for. I write exclusively male characters in heteroseual pairings, so there wouldn’t need to be any worry about switching off genders if we go that route. In terms of genres - Right now, supernatural genres are the best bet to keep my interest. For the most part, anything with demons, vampires, witches, werewolves, gifted humans, anything of the like are pretty good with me. I like to have a dark, big-city type of atmosphere to have our characters in. I’m also into science fiction, cyberpunk-like things, where we can kind of just do what we want, make our own rules and such. Can go as massive as crafting entire solar systems, or just futuristic tech, either-or. I haven’t had as much success with crafting a good post-apocalyptic story that doesn’t include anything zombie-related, so I’d like to do that as well.

Also, another bonus if you’re a wrestling fan. 

I hope to bring a good deal to the table in terms of writing, and though I’d like to think of myself as pretty creative, sometimes I’ve gotten into the lull of crafting a story for the sake of smutty adventures. Which, hey, I never mind it, and if you don’t, all good. But sometimes I get inspired and I would really like to sit down and hash out ideas we’d love to incorporate, or just things we like to do. Writing-wise, I like to have both quantity and quality, but admittedly, I do find a longer post, somewhere in the 700-1000+ word range aesthetically more pleasing. Of course, if there are mistakes on end and the quality isn’t particularly appealing, then I would lose interest. Another particularly appealing thing I like to do is running multiple stories with our characters and creating an expansive cast, or at least running a main protagonist/antagonist of mine in different stories interacting with different characters.

One thing I’d also like to say is that I do enjoy mature plots with few limitations. Smut, gore, violence, crazy horror themes, body horror mixed in with supernatural stuff, anything like that is fair game for me. Yes, I enjoy writing smut, I know that might paint me out to be some sort of weirdo, and I’m perfectly fine with that. I enjoy thai milk tea as well, and I’m perfectly fine in being a weirdo for that. So something very comfortable in that regard would be great. I expect to have stories on the kinkier side of things, and stories on the more action-packing side of things. Some kinks I love include BDSM, incest, the unholy trinity (oral, anal, and such), dubious consent, hair-pulling, those sorts of things. A particularly darker kink that is not explored enough for me is pregnancy/impregnation/breeding. Also, since I love things like psychological trauma and experimentation (in science fiction and supernatural context), those are also highly desired. The manipulation of someone’s mind, body, and soul, combined with elements of corruption and body alteration/transformation – love.

Medium-wise, this will be over Googledocs. But we can use Discord to communicate and plan out things.

A few traits in a partner that I’m looking for, just to recap:

Ideally, someone who enjoys both quantity and quality, and who doesn’t mind being aesthetically pleasing. Like I said, Googledocs is my medium of choice, and you can do a few fancy little things in that.

A person willing to use various types of face claims, from alternative models to adult models/pornstars and not just traditional actors/actresses/musicians. I have a bevy of faces that I would love if someone used them against my characters. For an example, faces like Ellie Rayne (if you’d like to google her) are some of my favorite faces. Curvy, voluptuous, and tattoos. Just inquire about it if you’re unsure.

Someone who doesn’t shy away from porn-without-plot. Most of my stories will have plots, but sometimes, I enjoy a smutty one-off just for shits and giggles.

Someone with few to no limits. Can’t stress this enough. 

Someone who doesn’t come off as a total stick in the mud during conversation. I get politeness, but as of late, I’ve come across people who just didn’t seem all that excited, and their words kinda showed it. Getting one-word responses and things of that nature are clear turn-offs.

If you’re also open to potentially joining with a writing partner of mine, that would be a bonus as well. At the current moment, I only have two consistent partners, and as such, there are a lot of ideas that could use a third person to really flesh things out.

I’ve also been intrigued and have dabbled in the idea of playing a singular character and sort of starring them in their own story, so to speak, populating the sphere of our plot with secondary characters, or even other starring characters as enemies/rivals, friends/allies, lovers/frenemies, things like that. So someone willing to play multiple characters without hesitation or too much delay would be great as well.

I know I’m asking for quite a bit, but I am looking to be rather selective and picky about potential partners, and I would like not to feel that I have to compromise too much in order to find one. So if you are interested, I would like to know a little more than just “hey, I’m interested to roleplay”. Really sell yourself!

But yeah, feel free to hit me up through my email, razeyourminds@gmail.com. Also, let me know if you find Ellie Rayne to be the hottest of the hottest in the world, or even suggest a few gorgeous tattooed models to gawk over. Hope to find a few interesting partners!

[ulfwolf]

Big Bang--Musing 204

The one thing   Science does not   want to face: The Cause of the   Biggest Bang

Yes, of course it’s all very well, and impressive, this Big Bang theory and all, and for many, especially for those in the scientific community, it holds a lot of water. And no, I’m not here to argue against the theory as such, for I’m certainly not qualified to, no, I’m here just to point out that this theory skirts (and not very gracefully) the even Bigger Question: what caused the Big Bang?

Another way to put it: What, exactly, Banged?

It remains one of those imponderables, for no one will (most likely because no one can) give us a straight answer. It seems up there, rubbing elbows with the answer to, “If God is goodness and love personified, how come there is so incredibly much suffering (both just and unjust) on this earth, among the people he made in his image and professes to love beyond human comprehension?”

The way this question is skirted, and not very elegantly either, is that His ways are capital-M Mysterious and it’s not our place to reason why. And even if we knew, you would not understand anyway.

Skirting indeed.

So, what about this Big Bang. Let’s see what Google has to say about it.

Scientists believe, says Google, that the universe began with every speck of its energy compressed into a very tiny point. At some point, this packed point, stationed at—or, more accurately, just before—the very beginning of Time—this extremely dense (think head-of-a-pin dense) point exploded with unimaginable force, creating matter as it propelled outward to form the billions of galaxies of our universe.

Astrophysicists calls this titanic explosion the Big Bang.

A quick note on the unimaginable force. From other accounts of the Baby Universe’s expansion rate at the infinitesimal moments just after ignition, it expanded far, far, far faster than the speed of light (see below). Doesn’t that violate Albert Einstein’s relativity theory? one is forgiven for asking. I’ve asked that myself more than once, before I realized that the universe was not, in fact, expanding within itself, i.e., the universe where Einstein’s theory applies but into the primordial Emptiness beyond, where Einstein would not apply.

And I notice a clever and probably unintended sleight-of-hand here: with every speck of its energy compressed into a very tiny point. A very, very tiny point. Again, think pinhead. But don’t swallow this sentence before you chew, for here’s the enormous assumption: All this compressed energy existed, in toto, before time. There’s no getting away from that assumption. It’s there, in plain daylight.

But let’s return to Google and our birth story:

Astrophysicists tell us that all matter found in the universe today—that we now find in people, plants, animals, the earth, stars, and galaxies—was created at that very first moment of time, thought to be about 13 billion years ago.

Note: at the very first moment of time—again underlining that all this pin-head sized, compressed energy already existed prior to time itself, which clock started with a Bang, as it were.

Google goes on to tell us: The Big Bang was unlike any explosion you might witness on earth today. Take a hydrogen bomb explosion, for instance, whose center registers approximately 100 million degrees Celsius, and moves through the air at about 300 meters per second. In contrast, cosmologists believe that the Big Bang flung energy in all directions at the speed of light (300,000,000 meters per second, a million times faster than the H-bomb—see note, below, though) and estimate that the temperature of the entire universe was 1000 trillion degrees Celsius at just a tiny fraction of a second after the explosion. Even the cores of the hottest stars in today's universe are much cooler than that.

Important Note, and do follow me on this: Wikipedia begs to differ with Google on expansion rate. Google’s initial answer (see above) was that the universe expanded at the speed of light. Wikipedia, on the other hand, states that, according to current theory, during the inflationary epoch (which lasted about 10-32 of a second after the Big Bang, which obviously is not very long) the universe suddenly and violently expanded increasing its volume by a factor of at least 1078 (translating to an expansion of size by a factor of at least 1026 in each of the three dimensions), equivalent to expanding an object one nanometer (about half the width of a molecule of DNA) in length to one approximately 10.6 light years (say 62 trillion miles) long. That is 10.6 light years in the tiniest micro-fraction of a second. I’d say that beats the speed of light by a comfortable margin.

By the way, in physical cosmology the inflationary epoch was the infinitesimal period in the evolution of the early universe when, according to inflation theory, the universe underwent its rapid exponential expansion.

After this initial 10-32-of-a-second rush, a much slower and gradual expansion of space continued until around 9.8 billion years later when it began gradually to pick up expansion speed again. This expansion is still accelerating.

Back to Google, who now has decided to agree with me: There's another important quality of the Big Bang that makes it unique. While an explosion of a man-made bomb expands through air, the Big Bang did not expand through anything. That's because there was no space to expand through at the beginning of time. Rather, physicists believe the Big Bang created and stretched space itself, expanding the universe.

I can safely rest that particular case, then.

Note: Still, there must have been some existing space, if only the space needed to house the energy pin-head, right? The space that the Big Bang expanded, no?

Still, this is why Einstein still holds true—there was no space, no universe for the universe to expand into, no gravities, nothing. Sheer emptiness, and I’m not sure there can be anything such as laws governing sheer emptiness.

Google continues: For a brief moment after the Big Bang, the immense heat created conditions unlike any conditions astrophysicists see in the universe today. While planets and stars today are composed of atoms of elements like hydrogen and silicon, scientists believe the universe back then was too hot for anything other than the most fundamental particles—such as quarks and photons—to exist.

Also, as the universe expanded, the energy of the Big Bang became more and more “diluted” in space, causing the universe to cool.

Rapid cooling allowed for matter as we now know it to form, although physicists are still trying to figure out exactly how this happened. About one ten-thousandth of a second after the Big Bang, they believe protons and neutrons formed, and within a few minutes these particles began sticking together to form atomic nuclei, mostly hydrogen and helium. Hundreds of thousands of years later, electrons stuck to the nuclei to make complete atoms.

About a billion years after the Big Bang, gravity now compelled these atoms to gather in huge clouds of gas, which eventually collected into stars which in turn gathered to form the collections we now call galaxies.

Where do planets like earth come from? Over billions of years, giant stars have baked hydrogen and helium atoms in their hot cores to form heavier elements like carbon and oxygen. These large stars eventually exploded, blasting these new elements into space.

This matter then re-condensed into both new stars and planets (with their satellites) that now make up solar systems like our own.

As for proof, Google goes on to say that over the past one hundred years, astrophysicists have uncovered a great deal of compelling evidence to support the Big Bang theory. Among this evidence is the observation that the universe is, in fact, still expanding. By looking at light emitted by distant galaxies, scientists have found that these galaxies are rapidly moving away from our own galaxy, the Milky Way. An explosion like the Big Bang, which sent matter flying outward from a point, explains this observation.

Another critical discovery was the observation of low-level microwaves permeating space. Astronomers believe that these, literally minute waves, whose temperature hovers around -270 degrees Celsius (which is only about three degrees Celsius above absolute zero) are the remnants of the Big Bang and the extremely high-temperature radiation (since cooled, obviously) it produced.

Interestingly, astronomers can estimate how hot the universe used to be by looking at very distant clouds of gas through high-power telescopes.

Since the light from these clouds can take billions of years to reach our telescopes, we see such bodies as they appeared eons ago. And, conforming to theory, these ancient clouds of gas seem to be hotter than younger clouds.

Scientists have also been able to support the Big Bang theory by ascertaining the relative amounts of different elements in the universe.

In fact, they've found that the universe contains about 74 percent hydrogen and 26 percent helium by mass, which are the two lightest elements. All other (heavier) elements—including those common on earth, such as carbon and oxygen—make up just a tiny trace (a small fraction of one percent) of all existing matter.

This data in hand, scientists have shown, by theoretical calculations, that these abundances could only have resulted in a universe that began in a very hot, dense state, and then quickly cooled and expanded, which is exactly the kind of universe that the Big Bang theory predicts.

All right, thanks Google. Still skirting, though.

My question is: Where did all this energy, so incredibly compressed that letting it loose created the universe, come from? For this entire theory rests on the assumption that it already existed—outside of, or just before time.

I’d like to think that if there’s matter, even in the form of dense energy, there is also time, for they come as a pair, time and matter, along with space—even if microscopically small in this case.

So small, perhaps, that we can simply overlook its existence and pretend nothings there? So small, anyway, as to be virtually nothing? Is that the sleight-of-verbal-hand lesson we’re supposed to take away from this?

It’s not nothing today, though, is it?

I obviously don’t have the answer, but I do have the question.

Apropos of which, I wrote one of my innumerable Wolfkus (Haikus by a Wolf) the other day, which said:

If nothing were ever hidden—Every question would have an answer.

Based on which (and I do hold this to be a very much true Wolfku), since my Big Bang question doesn’t have an answer, there must be something hidden, and very well at that, somewhere. Methinks.

And Mankind (along with the Wolf) ponders on.

::

P.S. If you like what you’ve read here and would like to contribute to the creative motion, as it were, you can do so via PayPal: here.

[junker-town]

5 winners from the final week of the NFL season

Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

In the final week of the regular season, Jaire Alexander’s meaningful penalties and rushing god Ryan Fitzpatrick: both great.

The 2019 NFL regular season is officially over. This means the march to Super Bowl 54 has officially begun. It also means, mercifully, there will be no more Bengals, Jets, or Washington games to muddy our national broadcasts.

In honor of their selfless decision to leave January to the good teams, the NFL’s contenders spent much of Week 17 playing like losers. The Patriots, needing a win to clinch a first-round bye in the playoffs, collapsed in upon themselves against the Dolphins. The Chiefs, in place to leapfrog New England, traded the lead with the Chargers before finally putting away their division rival and securing the conference’s second seed.

The Packers, firmly in the race for the NFC’s top seed, got roasted early by a David Blough receiving touchdown — especially notable because Blough isn’t a receiver (and is, barely, a quarterback). They needed a furious comeback and a game-winning field goal from Mason Crosby as time expired just to escape with a win. The 49ers and Seahawks went down to the wire, and a literal inch of field, to complete the NFC postseason picture.

In the middle of that chaos, the Titans and Eagles claimed the league’s final playoff spots in what turned out to be comfortable wins. And while they may have gained the most from Sunday’s action, they weren’t necessarily Week 17’s biggest winners. Instead, those honors go to ...

It wasn’t: the Browns, who finished 2019 with their worst loss yet

Cleveland didn’t have much to play for in Week 17. The playoffs, once a shining beacon of hope in the preseason, were officially out of reach. All that was left for the Browns was pride and a potential resume-building point in favor of embattled first-year head coach Freddie Kitchens.

This was not nearly enough to carry the team to victory over the previously one-win Bengals. Cleveland squandered an early 7-0 lead and gave up 162 rushing yards to Joe Mixon en route to a 33-23 loss.

Baker Mayfield, who ended 2018 as one of the league’s hottest quarterbacks, finished his season with 21 interceptions and would have led the NFL in picks if not for the continued existence of Jameis Winston. Kitchens lasted exactly 16 games as a head coach before getting fired.

Conversely, Andy Dalton went from getting benched on his birthday to staking the Bengals’ claim as Ohio state champions in what will likely be his final appearance in tiger stripes. An often toothless pass rush got to Mayfield for six sacks. Mixon also deserves credit, not just for a career-best performance, but for innovating this “accidentally assault a ref” postgame celebration.

@Joe_MainMixon bowling down the ref for the W @EvilAndyDalton @CincyProblems pic.twitter.com/X6Uz67nJxS

— chase. (@ChaseLaub1) December 29, 2019

and now, on to ...

Week 17’s actual winners

5. The Bears, who might as well give this rugby thing a shot

Chicago and Minnesota — the latter locked into the NFC’s sixth seed and thus starting a handful of backups — put together a stirring throwback to 1920 with their meaningless Week 17 showdown. The first 30 minutes of play saw the Bears take a 11-6 lead into halftime despite neither team scoring a touchdown.

The Bears broke that streak in the third quarter, but they kept up the “dawn of football” cosplay in the process. David Montgomery scored his team’s only touchdown in a play that wouldn’t have been out of place in the New Zealand All Blacks’ highlight reel.

smh pic.twitter.com/L5TvTzKPp8

— Arif Hasan, nondenominational holiday supporter ⛄ (@ArifHasanNFL) December 29, 2019

Chicago held off a Kirk Cousins-less Vikings team 21-19 to even its record at 8-8 on the season. Mitchell Trubisky, in a performance endemic of his disappointing third year as a pro, needed 37 passes to throw for 207 yards without finding the end zone once.

4. Jaire Alexander, whose mistakes somehow sparked a Packers comeback

Danny Amendola has always been one of the league’s more underrated pot-stirrers. The journeyman wideout is a chippy presence on the field. A first-quarter touchdown throw to quarterback David Blough only increased his volume.

Amendola’s flexing was nearing all-time non-Patriot highs in Week 17 ... until Alexander sent him to Suplex City.

yes, it was a penalty. but i still admire the form on the Jaire Alexander belly-to-back suplex pic.twitter.com/xp5QCG7lkk

— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) December 29, 2019

That suplex drew a flag and gifted the Lions seven yards, but Alexander earned every one of those yards with his perfect form. While Detroit would go on to score a touchdown at the end of the drive, Amendola wouldn’t have another catch for the rest of the game. The next time he’d have his name called on the broadcast would be after getting flagged for a late hit on another Packers defensive back he’d been jawing with — this time, safety Kevin King.

This, somehow, wasn’t the only penalty on Alexander that seemed to have a net benefit for the Packers. Alexander was shadowing Chris Lacy in man coverage without any safety help when he tripped while tracking down a Blough deep ball. Rather than let Lacy get away for what would have certainly been a breakaway touchdown, the second-year corner grabbed the Lions wideout and intentionally drew a pass interference penalty.

Jaire Alexander with the "welp, i'm screwed" PI here. saved a touchdown, too pic.twitter.com/CvqcS0HD6l

— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) December 29, 2019

Detroit’s drive would stall out soon after, ending with a 56-yard Matt Prater field goal instead of a touchdown.

Those points were crucial for Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers, on a day when he struggled to connect with his wideouts downfield, found his rhythm in time to lead the Packers back from a 17-3 deficit with 19 minutes to play. Mason Crosby’s 33-yard field goal as time expired sealed a 23-20 win for the visitors and a first-round bye in the postseason.

More importantly, it made Green Bay 2-0 against the Lions in 2019 when the Packers led, technically, for zero seconds of game time.

3. Shaquil Barrett, officially better than Warren Sapp (in one specific way)

The Buccaneers ended 2019 in the most Jameis Winston way possible: on a pick-six. Bruce Arians summed up the finale in the most Bruce Arians way possible.

#GoBucs coach Bruce Arians on Jameis Winston throwing a pick six to end the game and the season with a loss in OT. “It smells as bad as it could possible smell and it’ll smell that way for a long time.''

— Rick Stroud (@NFLSTROUD) December 29, 2019

In the midst of that lesser Lynyrd Skynyrd song were other reasons for optimism. Mike Evans and Chris Godwin emerged as the league’s top wideout tandem, and Breshad Perriman balled out once injuries took each of them off the field. Young cornerbacks Carlton Davis and Sean Murphy-Bunting took the first steps necessary to repair one of the league’s worst secondaries.

But no Buccaneer had a better year than Barrett, who came to Florida on a one-year, $4 million contract and gave Tampa Bay roughly $20 million of value as a pass rusher. The former Broncos rotational piece — he had just 15 starts in 61 games in Denver — went from afterthought to Defensive Player of the Year candidate as the keystone of Arians’ defense.

He had so many sacks in his first four games (nine) it prompted SB Nation’s own Stephen White to write about how absurd he was three different times in the first month of the season. On Sunday, he passed Sapp as the Buccaneers’ all-time single-season sack leader by bringing down Matt Ryan in the second quarter.

Your NEW franchise leader! That's 1️⃣7️⃣.5️⃣ sacks on the season for @MOOCHIE048. pic.twitter.com/80ofRPvJon

— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) December 29, 2019

That wasn’t enough for Barrett. He’d add two more sacks to bring his season total to 19.5. That’s 5.5 more than he’d had in five total seasons as a Bronco. It’s also enough to tie for 13th-most in a single season in league history, joining names like Bruce Smith, Robert Mathis, and Mark Gastineau among players with at least 19 sacks in a season.

Barrett may have come to Tampa on a prove-it deal. Keeping him there is going to cost the club significantly more.

2. Christian McCaffrey, the NFL’s third-ever 1,000/1,000 man

Unlike the Buccaneers, there haven’t been many moral victories for the Panthers this fall. Cam Newton played in just two games, and while Kyle Allen was able to rally Carolina to a 4-2 start, that lack of talent manifested in a 5-11 season that led to longtime coach Ron Rivera getting fired.

There was one bright shining star in the Panthers’ dim constellation, however. McCaffrey claimed his place as one of the league’s best dual-threat tailbacks by rushing for 1,387 yards and hauling in 1,005 receiving yards from Carolina’s depressing lazy Susan of underwhelming QBs. This 17-yard reception — buried in the latter half of a 42-10 loss to the Saints — launched him into the eight-digit stratosphere.

This is the play where CMC makes HISTORY ⤵️@CMC_22 | #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/06EwirDDUI

— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) December 29, 2019

Only two other players in NFL history have matched that feat: Roger Craig and Marshall Faulk. The former was an All-Pro on a team that won three Super Bowls. The latter won 2000’s MVP award and is now a Hall of Famer.

Pretty good company to keep!

Carolina stands on the precipice of a rebuild. Team owner David Tepper will have to hire a new coach and make a choice when it comes to retaining former MVP Cam Newton or letting him go. Other expensive veterans like Dontari Poe and Greg Olsen could be on the chopping block as well.

McCaffrey will be the sun around which the rest of the Panthers’ solar system rotates, though.

1. Ryan Fitzpatrick, officially the Dolphins’ 2019 rushing leader

The Patriots’ problem isn’t that they missed out on a first-round bye because they lost as a 17-point favorite Sunday afternoon. Their problem is that they lost to a team whose top runner was a 37-year-old quarterback.

Trades, injuries, arrests, and general ineptitude left Miami’s year-end rushing stats look like this:

Holy crap.

That ground game FitzMagic was on full display Sunday. His scramble on first-and-goal in the third quarter pushed the Dolphins out to a 17-10 lead.

Grit, determination, and a great beard #MIAvsNE #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/bXhlWW2QLZ

— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) December 29, 2019

His ability to keep plays alive — he was only sacked twice against a defense that came into Week 17 ranked fifth in the NFL in sack rate (8.4 percent) — gave the Dolphins just enough latitude to hold off the Patriots’ comeback efforts and drive a final nail into the AFC East champion’s bye week hopes. New England will play in the Wild Card Round for the first time since 2009, and it’s at least partially thanks to a Miami team whose top running threat was an aging dropback passer.

[armmotorsports]

How to Stop Your Car’s Interior from Overheating

Summer is most definitely on its way. Whilst the sunshine might be great whilst you’re walking on the beach or lounging in front of the pool, it’s anything but fun when you’re trapped inside a car with the inside turning into a sauna. We have previously talked about how to stop your car’s engine from overheating and looking after your air con, but how do you ensure that your car’s interior is cool, bearable and fresh during the hottest months?

Why Do Cars Heat Up?

The simple answer is that your car acts like a greenhouse. The short waves of the sunshine can easily pass through the windows, which is in turn absorbed by the car’s surfaces, such as the seats, the dash and carpet. These materials harbour the heat energy and slowly radiate it back into the car. Because this heat energy is longer wave forms, this can’t penetrate the glass of the car and gets trapped inside the cabin, seriously warming it up. And the darker the colour of your interior, the better it is at storing the heat.

How to Stop Your Car from Getting Hot

One of the best ways to stop your car from getting hot is to prevent those short heat waves from the sun ever getting into your cabin. There are several ways you can block these rays, with some of the most popular including the following…

Use a Sun Visor, Windscreen Shade or Window Curtains

One of the classic ways of blocking out the sun is by using a barrier in front of the window glass. Popular methods include large foil reflectors that can be placed behind the windscreen, which is great for keeping your steering wheel, gear stick and seats from becoming painfully hot Additionally you can keep your car even cooler by placing a similar guard on the rear windscreen whilst pulling the side curtains into place. Want to know where to get these accessories? You should find them at most motoring shops and stores.

Parking in the Shade

This is one of the easiest ways to keep your car cool and works wonders during the warmest part of the day. In the city it might be hard to find parking that’s got a good level of cover, but it can be worth the walk if you value a well-chilled interior. Look for space under a tree or canopy and if you can’t get the whole car under shade, at least try to get the driver’s seat so the darkness protects it from the warmth of the sun. Best of all is to hire a garage, which will have the added benefit of keeping your car clean as well as cool. And if you can’t find anything first thing in the morning, then don’t worry, you can always get out later and find an alternative shady spot.

Leave Your Windows Open Slightly

Even the smallest opening between your car’s body and the glass can allow air to circulate, giving you that vital ventilation to keep the vehicle cool. We’re talking about a small gap that’s not enough to allow access by hand, but will allow the air to get around. You can do the same with the sunroof if you have one and of course, don’t forget to activate the car alarm.

Cover Your Vehicle’s Interior Parts

Help keep the inside of your car cool by using an upholstered dash cover, which stops surfaces from getting too hot, which also has the added benefit of preventing interior plastics from cracking and fading. One cheaper option is to place a towel over the dash, steering wheel and other exposed areas to stop the heat getting through. Leather seats can get particularly hot, but you can keep them cool with fabric seat covers or use towels again.

Check Your Air Con

Regular checks on your air con will ensure it is in working order, helping it stay well maintained. The refrigerant gas usually depletes over time and the belts will periodically need tightening or replacing. When dealing with this system it is always best to check the car handbook and stick to the prescribed service schedule. For more information about keeping this system fully operational – check our useful guide.

Cooling Down an Overheated Vehicle Cabin

Of course, it’s not always possible to stop a car from getting too hot. However, there are plenty of steps you can take to restore a nice lower temperature in your interior if the heat does get too much. Try some of the following actions:

Fan the Car Doors

Use airflow to blow the heat out of the car by fanning the doors. It’s a simple enough process where you wind down the windows on one side of the car and fan the door on the other side, which forces the hot air out and brings in colder, fresher air from outside. Any worries you might have about looking odd or sweaty when performing this process should be over-ridden by the benefits, but if you are too self-conscious then you can get a lesser effect by leaving the doors open for a short while before getting into the car.

Wipe Down Any Hot Surfaces

In the sunshine its possible for the steering wheel, gear stick and handbrake to become painfully hot to the touch. In such cases wiping the hot surfaces down with a damp cloth can work wonders. The heat will make the water evaporate, taking away some of the heat and you can even wipe down leather seats for a similar effect.

Use Your Air Conditioning

Whilst this might sound a little like we are stating the obvious here, there are ways of using your air conditioning that are more effective than others. Ideally, you’ll leave your windows open for a few minutes to let the hot air escape whilst leaving the air con on the coldest setting. If your car gives you the option then select the external air setting, which is usually denoted by a symbol on the switch showing an arrow entering the car, rather than the air re-circulation, often denoted by a circular arrow symbol.

And once the air conditioning has reached a cold, comfortable temperature then all you need to do is close all the windows and make that switch over to the recirculated air function.

Point the Vents Downwards

Whilst it is undoubtedly tempting to point the air vents in your face so you can benefit from cooling effect of the moving air, it’s actually more effective to pump the air into the footwells. This process forces the hot air already in the car upwards and out of the open windows. You can even shut off the upper and window vents to force more cold air into the footwells, speeding up the cooling down of your vehicle’s interior.

Cooling Technology and Modifications

Yes, we do live in the 21st century and there’s now a gadget to help you out with pretty much everything. Getting the cold comfort back into your car is no exception, so you may want to try out some of these cool products…

Cooling Car Seat or Cushion

Keep your rear end cool and reduce the stress of long driving sessions with a cooling car seat or cushion. This cooling gel filled accessory works by creating small channels between your body and the seat allowing you to cool down through increased air circulation. If it works well then you can even remove it from the car and use it in the office or at home.

Solar Powered Fan

This little gadget is an excellent investment. There are a variety of models available with some of the most popular working by sitting on the edge of a slightly opened window. Power is provided by small solar panel that drives the fan, expelling the hot air, which in turn pulls colder air into the car lowering the ambient temperature.

Tinted Windows

We’ve talked about presenting a barrier to the sun’s beams in order to keep your car cool, well putting tinted windows on your vehicle is not unlike wearing a pair of sunglasses. These darkened windows will allow some light to penetrate the car but much of it will bounce off the surface. You’ll make the interior significantly cooler and even though these windows tend to be expensive, if you live somewhere that’s constantly exposed to bright sunshine it may well be worth the investment.

Air-Conditioned Seats

Experience the ultimate in-car comfort with air-conditioned seats. Obviously, you’ll have to choose these when you purchase your expensive, luxury car, but if you’ve got the option then why not go for it? They give you a nice, cool, refreshing experience no matter how hot the rest of the world might be.

Remote Start

And you can even use the power of remote control to make your car cool before you get in. If you have the money then why not purchase a car with a remote start control for your air conditioning and you could trigger the system from distances up to a mile away, giving you plenty of time to cool down the car before you even unlock the doors.

And Finally…

Stepping into a hot car is one thing, but being trapped inside a hot vehicle is another thing entirely. Never leave your children or pets in a hot car as this could be extremely dangerous or even fatal. It’s not impossible to leave your dog in a car in the summer – just make sure you follow some of the basic rules. And until next time, keep it cool.

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