#kite flying behaviour

[picturekites]

Coracias - Flying Behaviour

This kite is an excellent kite for reading wind speed and condition. It moves almost instantaneously to any change in wind speed or direction. When the wind speed increases the kite visibly moves upwards and responds fast enough to show gusts in the air. I have flown this kite in very low wind speeds (5km/h) and it is very stable, a short drop in wind speed, however, may land the kite. The kite can also fly in moderate to strong wind, however, the pull on the kite line is strong, the spars start to bend drastically and it fights its way sideways out of the wind window.

When I have flown this kite in good wind conditions, it is capable of being used for KAP (Kite Aerial Photography) with a light camera and will fly at a relatively steep angle. The Dopero kite, which comes from the Roller design, is an excellent kite for KAP and provides excellent stability.

[krispycreamcake]

Laito Sakamaki bf headcanons♤♤

🃏- Ok so uhhhhh let's all just be honest with ourselves

🃏- I really really do enjoy his character and its development, but this man would not exactly be the best boyfriend

🃏- Obviously all diaboys have their extremely toxic flaws, so I'm gonna be as unbiased as I can and give him a worthy depiction

🃏- Depending on your personality and how you've acted towards him, I see him as someone who usually seeks out your comfort in trying times

🃏- It's moments like these where he's so unaccustomed to being vulnerable that he'll have a slight panic attack that you'll betray him

🃏- Luckily however, the more your relationship grows, the less that feeling will be there, but it will definitely take time

🃏- He's definitely asked you to shower with him multiple times, but for different reasons

🃏- Like sometimes he's genuinely so at peace to finally be naked and not hate himself after, or to share something so intimate with you that isn't sex

🃏- Let's be real, sex isn't something special for him, it's just a regular Saturday night

🃏- But knowing that he gets to share it for the first time in his life with someone who he feels safe around, is something he can get behind

🃏- Has you sit on his lap while you both do crossword puzzles together

🃏- Doesn't seem like the type who enjoys making big meals, so he prefers to take you out to eat if it's a special occasion

🃏- Honestly loves talking to you late at night(?) Or morning or whatever it is

🃏- He enjoys the honesty of the conversations and the fact that he doesn't need to see through you, you're just reading to him the pages of your mind

🃏- Watches shows like NCIS, Law and Order, Dexter, etc. He begssss you to watch it with him and catches you up to speed with the episodes

🃏- Realistically, he doesn't always want to cuddle and be in your space. Some nights he just needs time alone for whatever reason and teases you when you get lonely

🃏- Extremely clingy when he's having a hard time keeping his mask on so he tries to play it off as just his normal behaviour (if you know him well enough, you'd immediately catch on)

🃏- Give him well thought out gifts and he'll start planning your future together

🃏- Talks about growing old together and having kids

🃏- Speaking of, you're not dying to old human age on his watch. Whether you want to become a vampire or not, he will turn you into one, you are not leaving his side

🃏- Dry ass texts when he's fully awake and long ass convos when he's about to pass out

🃏- Helps you learn how to play sudoku but will purposely give you wrong tips the first time around so he can flaunt how good he is

🃏- Doesn't understand why you like it when he wears his glasses and insists he looks like an otaku

🃏- Late night walks away from the manor so you both can moon gaze and enjoy the serenity of nature

🃏- One time when Ayato bit you, you insisted that instead of causing drama, he try something more civil (He put laxatives in his Gatorade before a basketball match against another school)

🃏- Also on a related note, really enjoys pranking you and encourages you to prank him back

🃏- For some reason I can imagine him getting really into butterflies and their anatomy. I personally think he has his own sketchbook where he draws them and makes notes on the different species

🃏- Loves to fly kites, he does not care whether you're with him or not, will fly a kite because why not

🃏- Watches mukbangs with you and even chooses the next couple videos

🃏- Jokes about you starting an OF, but had a nightmare that your dream partner found you and whisked you away from him like a prince in shinning armour

🃏- He enjoys playing hand games with you. Yeah idk why I thought about this but it seems to fit

🃏- Enjoys seeing you wear modest clothes. Not because he's picturing the underneath, but he knows you're gorgeous because you can pull being modest AND being naked off

🃏- Wants a Shiba Inu as a pet someday

🃏- He really tries to love you even if he does hurt you from time to time

[worukin]

Hello! Thank you so much for writing my last request,im so in love with the way you write and your characters 💞

If you can and want to,could I please have more of yan!prince?If prince!reader wanted to adopt a toddler/baby to be part of their family once they marry,would he agree on it or is he more on the selfish yandere side?How many children would he agree on if he does want kids in his family?

-⚘️ anon

╭୨୧︰ prince yandere x prince reader

・✦⇢ after a few visits around town, you found yourself fond of children. seeing them run around without a care in the world warmed your heart to the point where you thought of adopting one.

︰꒰1・ ( warnings ) — possessive behaviour, yandere themes, clinginess, pet names, typical prince yandere behaviour, baby fever.

︰꒰2・ ( notes ) — haha haven't seen you guys in awhile :sweat: how are you?? MERRY CHRISTMAS !!

( if u are uncomfy, kindly block instead. enjoy !! )

You just got back from town square for the Royal announcement of the Annual ball— a time where the Kingdom celebrates the founding of it's roots.

Eyes couldn't help but follow the children at the back who were too careless to even listen, playing tag or flying kites. You're sure you looked like a fool during the entire thing.

But prince found it endearing. He saw the way your face warmed, how your lips curved into such a beautiful smile that made him feel that happiness too.

"My love, is something bothering you?" He said, placing his hand on your shoulder. His gentleness still leaves shivers on your skin— no matter how much he does it.

You chuckled, "No, I'm alright." A sheepish smile made it's way onto your face, and Prince wrapped his hands around your waist. "Really now? I thought we were past shying away from each other?"

He leaned to your neck and placed kisses, mumbling words between each one. "Why not tell me?"

You sighed. "Mm, It's ridiculous." Prince scoffed. "Darling, you? Ridiculous?" He seemed even more offended pnce you hummed in agreement. "Such nonsense you speak sometimes, but I'm here to deal with it aren't I?"

"I just..." You bit your lip and met eyes with your lover. Prince was always so understanding with you— despite his 'odd' behaviour. Your lover was just a fan of romance.

His gaze softened on you. "Aw," he cooed. "My love is so shy sometimes." Prince giggled, "But that's what I love about you." Arms wrapped around your torso when he buried his face on your chest.

It was so nice to be entangled with him like this— warm and intimate.

"What if I said... I wanted children?" You mumbled. Heart racing when Prince froze. "I mean— not until we're married of course! I wouldn't force you to if you don't wan—"

Prince kissed you on the lips, an action that always managed to relax you. "Dear, you do know I'd do anything you'd ask of?" He was so utterly devoted to you. Everyday he cherishes the fact that he's your sworn lover, and you're his.

"So you agree?" He rolled his eyes. "I'll always be on your side no matter what. Yes, I would love to."

What shocked you wasn't the fact that he did want to have children, but the fact that he suddenly sprung from your embrace and skipping around you.

"Oh! This means we have to get married! That's what you said, right? We have to get married first." It was as if Prince had stars in his eyes at the mere thought of getting married.

He grabbed your hand, dragging you to your quarters. "Come come! We have to plan it now!"

Truth to be told, Prince never really thought of having children with you. It's not like it was a problem— it's just children was something he didn't prioritize.

Obviously it sparked jealousy at first, what if you pay more attention to your children than him? But he reassured himself knowing the love you'd give to them would be a different love for your... husband's.

Oh the thought of you two getting married sent him to the moon! He felt so giddy, like the first time he fell in love with you!

The wedding would be grand, with all the food you want and eye catching decor, accompanied by the best music.

Prince can't wait, but for now he's content with the thought that you're willing to marry him.

ʚ ﹒ ﹕ ̟乀 all works belong to @worukin, do not repost on anywhere else with or without credit, do not plagiarise. ty!

[cityzenshark]

Full draft for Book Two: Unity | Firsts to Grow Up

May or may not change the outline.

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1 – Happy Birthdays: Celebrations

The Malto Terrans have been training for months to prepare themselves to travel the globe. Before the day of departure, the family and town celebrate Twitch & Thrash’s first birthday. But the party is being targeted by a mysterious new Terran who has a shard of the Emberstone as his spark.

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2 – Happy Birthdays: Farewells

Suspecting Meridian is well and active again, Hashtag changes her mind about travelling. She gets unexpected help from Skyfire while her siblings meet their travel guides, Powerglide and Inferno.

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3 – Kindle & Ember of Sunlight

Twitch flies to Peru with Powerglide, an Autobot who is on the fence in joining G.H.O.S.T for years. They meet a tribe who cares for twin Terrans name Kindle and Ember with the help of Slingshot – who supposedly to have died in the war.

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4 – Kite Flying

Nightshade and Bumblebee travel to the freezing deserts of Mongolia. The Terran who resides there have trouble speaking after nearly getting taken by “monsters” if it were not for Clobber, a Decepticon outcast.

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5 – Icy Shields

Jawbreaker braves a vicious snowstorm to confront the giant ram Terran who had attacked their G.H.O.S.T guide, Inferno, and stole Thrash’s shield.

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6 – The Math on Spitting Fire

Back home in Witwicky, Hashtag messes around with Twitch’s modified drone only for it to be scanned as an alt-mode for the new Meridian Terran. Meridian does not drink enough coffee to handle the mess caused by ... his Terrans. Ugh!

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7 – Hiding in the Dark

Agent Bagheri faces familiar troubles with her new station when a man-sized leaf mantis kept playing with the computers. Surprisingly, the troubles point a lead to a strange object hiding on the Earth’s orbit.

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8 – Hiding in Plain Sight

While trying to convince Aftermath and Spitfire to leave Meridian, Hashtag and Mo stumble upon a strange creature lingering at the destroyed Emberstone cave. Terratronus feels threatened by it.

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9 – Irony of the Creator: The First Terrans

The Terrans gather at Terratronus’ Core and learn about the early generations of Terrans born thousands of years ago that was wiped out by their “cousins”, the Quintessons.

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10 – Irony of the Creator: Quintesson

Conflicted over Terratronus’ wish, the Terrans split into two groups: one wants to keep the Emberstones intact while the other respects Terratronus’ wish to destroy them. Meridian and his Terrans cease the opportunity to steal the relics. Unbeknownst to the three, they are being observed...

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11 – Conjoining

In meaning & literally. Twitch faces a reflection of herself through Kindle after Ember’s injury, Thrash eases Ice Mirror’s wildness, Hashtag and Nightshade help Kites with her speech, and Jawbreaker accidentally unleashed a freaky ability on Aftermath. Spitfire wishes she can drink alcohol, driving the Megatron crazy.

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12 – Not a Happy Birthday

The Malto farm and their guests prepare to celebrate the triplets’ first birthday before Hashtag’s departure. Terrible heatwaves kept changing the party’s plan, and Ice Mirror’s erratic behaviour causes Jawbreaker’s patience to snap.

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13 – As Dark as a Starlit Sky

Hashtag, Twitch, and Skyfire head for the island of Borneo to meet the mantis Terran and the Terran who swims with the Bajau Tribe. Stardeep shows Hashtag the beauty of underwater to ease her anxiety. Back home, a guilt-ridden Jawbreaker accepts the Meridians’ offer.

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14 – A Family Team

The town searches for Jawbreaker who is spending time in the Meridian Lair, realising that despite their rough behaviour towards each other, Meridian, Aftermath and Spitfire truly care for each other and only wanted to save Earth.

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15 – Float & Sting like a Mantis

Twitch, Leaflet and Ember sneak into the Meridian Lair to rescue Jawbreaker. They then discover the Quintessons are targeting the Meridians with the help of Croft.

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16 – Planet Traitor

At G.H.O.S.T Prison Base, Schloder is alarmed by the prisoners that his men were suddenly, mysteriously replaced by droids without his knowledge. Croft has betrayed G.H.O.S.T and has bargained with the Quintessons to wipe out every Transformer-kind on Earth by whatever means necessary.

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17 – Choices

At Terratronus’ Core, the remaining Terrans and doctors from Witwicky discover the possible cure to energon poisoning via Emberstone freshwater. Not wanting a chance for humanity to perceive the Terrans in a good light, Croft takes the town doctors hostage, forcing the Terrans to choose them or the Emberstones.

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18 – Arriving Threat

G.H.O.S.T Autobots discover a functioning Spacebridge beneath the memorial, swarmed by the Quintesson legion led by the Executioner who had taken over Meridian’s body along with his formulas to mind control and eradicate energon-based lives.

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19 – Battle for the Emberstone – Part 1

The Quintesson ship crashes in Wiwicky’s mountains, preventing any life from leaving or entering its dome. Having captured Aftermath and Spitfire, using the shards in their chests as a beacon, they mind-control G.H.O.S.T Autobots to hunt down the remaining Terrans and the last Emberstone. The Terrans and humans turn to the closest available yet most distrusting people for help: the imprisoned Decepticons.

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20 – Battle for the Emberstone – Part 2

The Terrans join hands to save every life on Earth, energon-powered and tainted, to foil the Quintesson’s plan for conquest forever.

       (Twitch and Thrash die as they are at the point of the blast; AM and SF are barely alive from spark strain | The Terrans gather round the combined Emberstone and powers it up | Emberstone power infused with the rain, reviving the dead bots, heal every injury and cured people with energon poisoning. | Twitch & Thrash revives and they got upgrade, twice the size than their original bodies)

[quinnred]

KITE-PEOPLE Non-sapient relatives of the Kind-People race, Kite-People have been selectively bred for loyalty and strength to fly and carry passengers and weapons alike. In nature the Kite-People would nest on cliff sides and catch large prey, dragging them high into the sky and dropping them on hard rocks. The Augean stables have re-purposed this behaviour to takeout enemy vehicles from above, as well as capturing enemy equipment and dropping bombs. They are often dressed and painted by the factions that buy them in their own styles.

[rowonlgc]

TM015 , WC359 › reflection solo

  his breath steadies, shoulders back. the arrow lifts. ready. aim. bullseye. again. ready. aim. bullseye. again. set. the bow lowers. he makes his way across the empty archery range to retrieve the last of his arrows.

  it’s not too different from tuho, which he had played for the first time a few weeks ago. that – along with yutnori – were the games he turned out to be best at and, subsequently, the ones he’d enjoyed the most. ( he likes having a target. he likes it when they move. it’s the challenge of observation, the change of behaviour – learning their habits, predicting their next maneuver. that’s fun. )

  the other traditional games were – fine. entertaining. a nice, well-needed break from their saturday training. he quickly came to the conclusion that he’s much better at mental games than physical ones. kite flying was supposed to be the exception, but mother nature was far too unpredictable. it was more work than it was worth, and he didn’t like putting in a lot of effort for little return. never again.

  ssireum was his least favourite, though.

  it’s not so much the wrestling – he’s fine with throwing others and being thrown around – no, his dislike of the game comes from a specific incident dating back to high school. he was paired up with a scrawny boy that day. it was the kid’s first ever match, and he looked mortified when their names were drawn. rowon felt for him, he really did, so he made up his mind to take it easy and let him win.

  but his brother, dear robin – caring, compassionate, overly considerate robin – volunteered to take the boy’s place.

  the match ended in less than a minute with robin on the ground, grasping at his ankle. everyone flocked to him despite his insistence that he was fine, it’s just a strain. later that night, he came home with bandages and said that he had simply tripped.

  whatever happened after, rowon doesn’t remember.

  his breath stifles, shoulders braced. the bow lifts. ready. aim. missed. again. ready. aim. missed. again. he closes his eyes and imagines a moving target, running, running – his lips curl in delight.

  bullseye.

[aeoki]

Machina - Test World: Chapter 1

Location: ES Courtyard Characters: Mika & Sora

Mika: There’s still a bit’a snow left.

Uuu, it’s cold… Maybe I should’ve warmed up a bit more before comin’ outside.

No. That sorta lazy behaviour is exactly what Oshi-san is worried ‘bout! I’m gonna get this art goin’ without takin’ any detours…!

…I say that but I can’t come up with anythin’.

Ngh~ Is there anythin’ interestin’ out there…?

Sora: HaHa~! Outta the way! Please get outta the way! Sora is coming through!

Mika: Ngh, Sora-kun? You were runnin’ about near me, but whaddya doin’!?

Sora: Flying a kite! HiHi~ you can see what Sora is holding, right?

Mika: Ohh, flying kites, huh.

That’s a pretty refined way to have fun. Were you flyin’ kites by yerself all this time?

Sora: HuHu~ Sora had a stockpile of games Sora was planning on playing, but Sora wanted to move about today~

Sora found a kite outside Seisou Hall, so Sora decided to borrow it for a bit ♪

Mika: I see. People tend to hole up at home in winter, so it sounds like a good change of pace.

Kites, huh. Hmm, kites… I wonder if that’ll give me some good ideas?

…Ngh~ I can’t come up with anythin’.

Sora: ? Are you looking for ideas?

Mika-chan-san, you have a gloomy “colour” about you~ Sora can tell your worries are pretty big!

Mika: No. I’m happy you’re worried for me but it’s somethin’ I gotta take care of it myself…

(Ah, that’s right. Maybe I should ask Sora-kun what’s trendin’ nowadays.)

(Sora-kun looks like he knows a lot ‘bout new devices and stuff. Maybe that’ll give me some good ideas.)

Hey, Sora-kun. Can I ask you somethin’?

Sora: Sure! If you’re fine with Sora, then Sora will be happy to answer!

Mika: Great~ I was in quite a pickle.

To tell the truth, I don’t know what I should make for my next piece of art. It’s gotta be somethin’ good I can show Oshi-san.

I figured if I learnt what’s popular nowadays it might make a good reference for my work.

Sora: Something popular nowadays… Hmm, there’s a lot and it’s hard to just pick one.

Sora has been having a lot of fun building towns in “SSVRS” lately!

Mika: Buildin’ towns!?

That’s a huge hobby… You mean you’re makin’ towns inside the game world, right?

Sora: Yes! Sora is playing inside the VR town while developing it with a person from the company. They helped develop “SSVRS”~♪

And in the new “Test World”, you can open shops using money or buy furniture and live in your house!

It might give you some good ideas for your work, Mika-chan-san ♪

Mika: I see, makin’ somethin’ inside a game world, huh… It’s amazin’ what technology is like these days.

Ngh~ But now that I think ‘bout it, I tend to get dizzy when I have the “SSVRS” goggles on…

You gave me a nice idea, but I’m sorry. If my body was fine with it, I’d have loved to visit yer town, Sora-kun…

Sora: HeHe~☆ You don’t have to worry about that!

The VR goggles have had some improvements made to them based on the previous data we got, so Mika-chan-san shouldn’t have an issue with them now~

Mika: Y-You did that too…!? You guys work so fast. I wonder if I can keep up with how quickly technology is advancin’?

Sora: You’ll be fine, Mika-chan-san – you’ll get used to it in a blink of an eye!

Right now, Yuuki-sensei is playing in the “Test World”, but do you want to come in too?

Sora would also feel helpful if Mika-chan-san takes a look inside the digital world and gets inspiration for your work~♪

Mika: R-Right. I’m a bit nervous ‘cause it’s a world I’m not familiar with, but I might not be able to make anythin’ new if I don’t take this first step here…

I’ll do it, Sora-kun! I’ll get some sort of inspiration from the digital world!

Sora: HoHo~ Mika-chan-san is pretty greedy when it comes to art, huh~♪

Then, Sora will take you to see Yuuki-sensei who’s playing in the “Test World” right now!

Let’s all have a good time in the fun “SSVRS” world ♪

Two’s better than one and three is better than two!

Sora thinks it’ll be way more fun that way in the “Test World” and the town will be a lively one~♪ HaHiHuHeHo~☆

← Previous Chapter ᠂ ⚘ ˚⊹˚ ⚘ ᠂  Next Chapter →

[deerydear]

I actually find this really interesting, in the context of "progressive politics".

-- How many caucasian people I've seen talk about how "every white person is racist, they are raised racist, and they absolutely cannot help themselves. 'They are doomed to it'.".

"I will forever be repenting in 'unlearning my white privilege'".

I've spent a lot of my time reading other people's political opinions on tumblr. Okay... So I have this anthropological interest in it. I really just have enjoyed trying to figure out "why people think the way they do", "why they write what they write", "what motivates them", but there's always this invisible spirit behind the opposing computer screen. -- The ineffable human spirit!

Always capable of changing its mind! Always capable of renewing itself, but each one is under its own dominion.

I believe that if the larger conversation about "white privilege" was much more empathetic, instead of an excuse to lash out venomously into the anonymous void... there would be much more progress.

but then again, I know there may always be pain, hurt, anger, and venom in the world. The real issue I find is that "support structure" that holds up the angry, hurt people as if they were infallible messiahs -- paragons of humanity --- rather than people who are trying to communicate with the world. We're all only human.

I think I've seen people complain about this, in a different way: "Ugh, those damn white people keep dehumanizing us by putting us on pedestals. Instead of seeing us as normal people, just like them."

I think I'm trying to come back to the idea of "white guilt" and "the white savior".... but I want to do it with empathy.

I want people to know that they're not fucking doomed to unconsciously be a racist. That's a vicious lie. That's horseshit. The act of thinking that actually reinforces the behaviour within you. It makes it worse.

It's good to keep an open mind... but you need to keep your scales in the center. Don't swing your sword wildly at every little movement. Wait for it to even out... and then fairly give a verdict, or else you are not a rightful judge: you are a murderer. You are a bull in a china shop. You are a squanderer.

...but is it all a dressed-up excuse to revel in madness?

-- to drink deep of a wellspring of bloodshed -- to believe you have the best of 'both worlds': getting to "look like a fair person", while doling out carnage by the scoop.

As if tumblr is your electronic prison-camp in your mind, and you're serving at the cafeteria, today. "Eat your fucking slop. I poured it out for you. Eat my bullshit. Hahahahahaha!"

Imagination.

I'm just fucking talking to myself.

"I love to insult myself, so I will take on every madman role I am offered. I will be your madman, yes madame!"

....but anyways, it isn't all just "all the fault of white people", in being dehumanized as a prized messiah....

People of the same race as you can be culture-vultures. They can act the same way. If you're only learning about these issues through tumblr, then... you're missing a lot of the humanity.

These afflicted "white guilt-sufferers" can psychologically injure other caucasian people with their bullshit, too. If they're unpleasant for you to be around, then other people of other races probably find them unpleasant, too. Framing every single social issue as "white people vs. other ethnic people" doesn't really do justice to the human spirit or potential.

Sometimes people are just assholes because they're assholes. I think all of this is just subtext that I missed because I wanted to be Ms. Little Goody Two-shoes and play by the rules, and fit through the hoops, so I could laugh at everyone who didn't run the obstacle course.... goddamn.

"Give me some rules, and I'll run with them. I'll run it like a kite, and get it flying so high! Yeah!"

Many of our uncertainties about freedom amount to uncertainties about our fundamental being. Science books and magazines bombard us with the news that we are out of control: that we amount to a mass of irrational but statistically predictable responses, veiled by the mere illusion of a conscious, governing mind. They tell us that, when we decide to sit down, to reach for a glass of water, to vote, or to choose whom we would save in the ‘trolley problem’, we are not really choosing at all but responding to tendencies and associations that are beyond the reach of both reason and will. Reading such accounts, one gets the impression that we take pleasure in this idea of ourselves as out-of-control mechanical dupes of our own biology and environment. We claim to find it disturbing, but we might actually be deriving a kind of reassurance from it — for such ideas let us off the hook. They save us from the existential anxiety that comes with considering ourselves free agents who are responsible for what we do. Sartre would call that bad faith. Moreover, recent research suggests that those who have been encouraged to think they are unfree are inclined to behave less ethically, again suggesting that we treat it as an alibi.

Sarah Bakewell, At the Existentialist Café

[gennie123]

Celebrating Makar Sankranti 2023 Safely: Expert Tips for a Fun and Accident-Free Festival

Makar Sankranti is a Hindu festival that marks the arrival of spring and the end of the winter solstice. It is a time of joy and celebration for many people in India and Nepal, and is marked by a variety of traditional activities such as flying kites, bathing in holy rivers, and offering prayers to the sun god.

Be aware of your surroundings: Large crowds and high winds can make it easy to lose track of your surroundings. Make sure to stay alert and be aware of your surroundings at all times, especially if you are flying a kite or participating in any other activities that may take you into the air. If you're flying a kite, be mindful of your surroundings and avoid flying your kite near power lines, buildings, or other structures that could potentially pose a danger.

Wear appropriate clothing: The weather can be quite chilly during the winter months, so be sure to dress warmly to protect yourself from the elements. It is also a good idea to wear closed-toe shoes to protect your feet from any sharp objects that may be lying on the ground. If you'll be participating in activities that require a lot of physical exertion, such as kite flying, be sure to dress in comfortable, breathable clothing to help keep you cool and comfortable.

Protect your eyes: The sun can be very bright during the winter months, so be sure to wear sunglasses or a hat to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. This is especially important if you will be flying a kite or participating in other activities that may require you to look up at the sky for extended periods of time. If you're participating in activities that involve direct sunlight, such as bathing in a holy river, be sure to use a good sunscreen to protect your skin from sunburn.

Stay hydrated: It is easy to get dehydrated during the winter months, so be sure to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. This is especially important if you will be participating in any physical activities or if the weather is particularly hot and dry. Make sure to bring plenty of water with you and take regular breaks to hydrate.

When it comes to choosing the right outfit for Makar Sankranti, comfort and breathability are key. For men, t-shirts and polos are always a good choice. Or, opt for a more formal look with a cotton shirt. Lining shirts are also a popular choice for a more stylish look.

In addition to choosing the right outfit, there are a few other things to keep in mind as you prepare to celebrate Makar Sankranti 2023. Make sure to bring any necessary supplies with you, such as water, snacks, and any items you may need for specific activities (e.g. kites for kite flying). If you'll be traveling to a different location for the celebration, be sure to plan your transportation in advance and consider any potential safety concerns (e.g. traffic, weather conditions).

Finally, be respectful of local customs and traditions. Makar Sankranti is an important cultural celebration for many people, and it's important to show respect for their beliefs and practices. Follow any guidelines or rules that may be in place, and be mindful of your actions and behaviour while participating in the festivities.

In conclusion, Makar Sankranti is a time of joy and celebration, but it's important to keep safety in mind while participating in the festivities. Whether you're flying kites, participating in puja, or just enjoying the company of loved ones, be sure to follow the safety tips outlined in this blog to ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable celebration.

We hope that this blog has provided you with some useful information and outfit ideas for Makar Sankranti 2023. But we want to hear from you too! Do you have any additional safety tips or outfit ideas that you'd like to share? Let us know in the comments below. And don't forget to share this blog with your friends and family to help spread the word about staying safe during Makar Sankranti.

[picturekites]

Little Star - Flying Behaviour

As with the majority of diamond kites, Little Star will only fly with a tail attached. The tail I made for it is a bit shorter than required, the kite spins in the sky and flies sporadically. However, during one flying session, I thought I would weigh the kite tail down to improve the kite's stability. I reached into my pocket and pulled out a (clean) handkerchief, why not tie this to the tail I thought. It would be funny, right? Well, it was both funny and the ideal tail improvement, it provided both weight and drag to the tail to allow the kite to fly incredibly stable. Since that day I will only fly this kite with two handkerchiefs, one for the kite and an additional one to wipe the tears of joy from my eyes.

[aghostshipontheblue]

Sometimes when you’re like four you model for a kids clothing company and 20+ years later someone finds a picture of you and sends it to your mother so you’ll never hear the end of it.

[nepentheisms]

It gets even better - "Tombi" is the Japanese name for the black kite (Milvus migrans). It's the call of this bird that is the one featured in the song. It does sound similar to the red-tailed hawk scream that's used as the stereotypical bird of prey sound effect, but it's distinguishable by the more whistley and trilling quality to it. Check out this article on the bird from BirdLife International.

"Reviled in Japanese culture and beyond for its scavenging behaviour, the Black Kite is a misunderstood raptor."

In the Freed Bird chapter, we see this silhouette of a bird flying overhead:

It has a notched tail like that of a kite.

I don't know if the bird Wolfwood discusses here is meant to be the same bird we see flying in the previous page, but it also looks like it has a notched tail, and the appearance of its head makes it clear that this is a bird of prey of some kind.

Hey is anyone up for more suffering? Because I noticed something that is... probably very obvious and I'm sure many of you have already noticed, but I, a first time manga reader, am kind of freaking out.

[ID: A set of two panels from Trigun Maximum Volume 8. A young Wolfwood sits next to baby Maylene, who is sleeping. He looks up at the sky. The next panel shows the distant silhouette of a bird. End ID.]

Birds are now associated with Wolfwood - he's carved them ever since he was a kid, and the entire theme of this chapter revolves around his musings of the price one pays of having the freedom of a bird - that is, that the bird struggles just to survive; that freedom has a cost. I have some thoughts on this, and Wolfwood's relation to it all - I daresay he's not the bird himself, and is caught in some mid-way hell where he receives the worst of both worlds: the struggle to survive while also denied his own freedom - like a bird with clipped wings. He looks up at it as a kid and starts to make his carvings, where I think the implication is, at some point, he used to look up and feel envy himself, before he became too jaded to see it as anything other than a pipe dream or a childish naivete. I could just keep rambling about the symbolism here but I want to get to the point.

Birds -> associated with Wolfwood. We agree?

This is also the volume where Wolfwood, in the present time, decides to act on his own will and free Vash, where Vash decides that "someone like him is all the reason I need to keep fighting". In the very next volume, Wolfwood will similarly find conviction in Vash. So basically, Vash helped this man, and it was enough to get him back on his feet - "if I could save just one person...". Wolfwood thought the world to be hopeless but just barely dares to believe in something brighter because Vash is still fighting; a spark of hope in the dark.

We're clear?

Great. Now go listen to the bridge of Tombi.

Hey, hear that bird call at the end? That stereotypical "bird of prey call"? Like... like the bird of prey in this chapter?

Hey. Look at the translated lyrics here if you don't know Japanese.

"If I could do one thing now

Until this life burns out

For someone in the dark

I want to be a small light"

This. This has to be intentional, right?

[rhymingslangsblog]

Art is subjective

Love magnetic magnificent

Like attracts like

Dog knows dog

Vibrations highly objective

Everything is energy

Mindfully reprogramming myself

Erasing learnt behaviour

Espose self esteem

Metamorphosis become unassuming

Cartwheel and dance

With mauve castanets

Meander into grace

Skip in meadows

Fly kites dangerously

Howl in moonlight

Surge forward bravely

Know your shadow

Grandeur in nihilism

Everything's corrupt so

Make way for

A new dawn

[otonymous]

“The Most Beautiful Girl In The World”: The Guys As Fathers (MLQC Headcanon)

Hi dear Nonny!

What a wonderful idea!  We could all use a bit of fluff every now and then 🤣 I hope you’re doing well too!  Sending you much love along with these headcanons!  Hope you enjoy the read! 🥰���� 

Victor:

Daddy’s little princess - this little girl is the CEO of Victor’s heart

She is also the unofficial CEO of LFG: Victor loves to bring her to work with him every now and then, and all the office staff go absolutely ga-ga over her

Goldman.  Is.  Smitten. (Especially since she has a way of softening Victor’s hard as nails exterior)

Victor likes to front like he’s strict, but he’s not fooling anybody.  Just one look at the tenderness in his eyes when he’s looking at his daughter would tell you who’s really the boss

Psst!  He loves to spoil her!

And by spoiling, we don’t mean that she gets whatever she wants, all the time (although daddy’s heart DOES thrill a little inside to see her all bubbly with happiness after he presents her with a gift) — Victor will also ensure that he carves out time from work to spend with his family (there will definitely be a shift in work-life balance)

He won’t let her get away with everything though!  The man will still insist that she be on her best behaviour when necessary, but he is a lot more lax than you would’ve expected from him

Family time would consist of: horseback riding lessons, teddy bear picnics and tea parties (best believe she will be sending an actual invitation in the mail to Mr. Mills) — you will absolutely melt the first time you see Victor perched uncomfortably in a tiny chair, holding a mini plastic teacup to his lips and asking a stuffed cat if it would like another scone

She LOVES to be Victor’s sous-chef in the kitchen, and when she gets a bit older, she’ll also become daddy’s jogging buddy

Victor will always, always read her a bedtime story, even when he’s away from home on business, even if it means interrupting a meeting (Victor will establish a new norm; his peers will come to respect his family values)

The absolute apple of the eye of Victor’s father and aunt: this munchkin can do no wrong.  If she is to be spoiled rotten by anyone, it would be by these two.  

Every time you go over to their place for dinner, it’s pretty much guaranteed that you’ll be leaving with a trunkful of new toys

This little girl would be a good mix of her mother and father: she’ll inherit her father’s jet black hair, but the intensity of her eyes will be softened by your genes

In spite of all this generosity, your little girl will grow up to be far from spoiled

She will be incredibly compassionate, and will go from donating her many, many books and toys to other less fortunate kids as a child to organizing charity functions, etc., as a young adult.  

Victor couldn’t be more proud.

Lucien:

The shift is seismic the very first time Lucien holds his newborn daughter in his arms

“She looks just like you,” he whispers to no one in particular, careful not to wake you as you get one night of precious sleep immediately postpartum before your nights become interrupted by endless wake-feed-soothing back to bed cycles

Lucien doesn’t sleep that first night in the hospital; he spends it cradling your daughter by the light of the moon seeping in through the thin slats of the blinds

The cool rays illuminate every single feature that Lucien sets his mind on memorizing: her eyes — still a little bit swollen, the flare of those tiny nostrils, the sharply defined cupid’s bow of the most perfectly shaped lips

He is putting his face to the downy soft hairs on the crown of her head, nose pressing to cheek to inhale the scent of his newborn daughter

A tiny seed of anxiety begins to sprout from deep within Lucien to know that he will never have this moment again with her, and it feels like time is already slipping from the tight grasp of his hand

But then suddenly, she opens her big, bright eyes.  Quietly, she stares at her daddy, her irises the same colour as the ones drowning in her gaze, and the nervous clench in Lucien’s gut dissolves

And when she opens and closes her mouth in a soundless gape as if to say that everything will be okay, Lucien knows he would give his life in a heartbeat to protect hers

This little girl is wise beyond her years, and will often say things that surprise the adults around her; family friends will refer to her as an “old soul”

She is far from a little chatterbox, preferring instead to listen and observe those around her, her big, bright eyes patiently taking in every detail

Initially, you’ll be concerned that she isn’t speaking as much as other children her age.  Lucien will take his time reassuring you, an almost knowing smile on his lips.

When she does finally speak, she blows everyone away with the relative complexities of her sentence structures

Little genius: your daughter shares her father’s intelligence and can often be found snuggling up under her favourite camphor tree, books and sketching pencils in hand

She loves flying kites with her mommy and daddy

Quiet but kind, she’ll have no shortage of friends and admirers

You might be surprised, but she also has a wicked sense of humour.  Enjoys delivering jokes with the cutest wink in the world.

Her favourite place in the world is daddy’s laboratory.  The noisy whirs of those big, fancy machines make her jump for joy and Lucien cannot help but smile

There are times — especially when you guys are at your happiest as a family — that Lucien has to fight back the anxiety that all this could be taken away from him.  The melancholic tinge in his smile is so slight that even you could miss it at times.  But your daughter will always catch it.  And when she does, she’ll slip her tiny hand within her father’s much larger palm, look up and give him the biggest smile she can muster.  It’ll always bring him back to the moment.

Little though she is, she gives him strength beyond compare

And on the day of her graduation from university at the top of her class, she’ll be given a priceless gift from her parents: a silver pen named Iridescent.

Gavin:

Usually so calm, cool and collected in even the most stressful of situations, Gavin is a nervous wreck when you go into labour

He is pacing back and forth and back and forth in the hospital room.  You almost want to send him on an errand to get some popular street eats with a guaranteed long line up just so he can calm TF down and not get in the nurses’ way

He is offering you ice chips before you even ask for it, patting at your forehead with a facecloth even though you’re not sweating, giving you his hand to hold every two minutes even though you haven’t started pushing yet

When you mention that he should probably try to calm down since you likely have at least another hour to go before your cervix is fully dilated, he nods in agreement and starts doing push-ups and sit-ups on the floor

The battery of Gavin’s phone dies from all of Minor’s messages asking if the baby has arrived yet

Birdcop is fit to burst from all the joy his body just simply cannot contain the moment his little girl arrives

Because now he has not just one, but TWO of you!

Your daughter will be the splitting image of you, except for her striking amber eyes

The names she gives her stuffed animals will be strangely familiar: Fluffy, Softy, Pearly Jr., etc. (you’ll have to ask her whether daddy helped with the naming 🤣).

Minor’s enthusiasm cannot be dampened: he is over so often with food, diapers and offers to do the housework that you basically have to make him your child’s godparent LOL

Gavin is a giant teddy bear when it comes to your daughter: he cannot say no to her and lives to see her smile

She is gifted with her father’s athleticism, and Gavin won’t hesitate to personally instruct her on the art of self-defence starting at a very young age (needless to say, any future suitors will be given very intense once-overs by Gavin, even little boys at the playground; you can never let your guard down)

Eli is on Gavin’s watch list the moment G-man overhears her shyly asking you about “daddy’s handsome coworker” the year she turned 8

Yes, she will also be getting a bracelet with a GPS tracker LOLOL

She is incredibly strong: could probably toss Minor around like a burlap sack by the time she’s 12

This little girl is all about the thrills, screaming, “Go higher, daddy!  Higher!” in Gavin’s ear as he flies with her on his shoulders

He will take her to the BEST places for stargazing at night (when she’s old enough to stay up) — best believe this is something G-man will lament the loss of when she’s all grown up

Yes, the motorcycle will be her ride of choice the moment she gets her licence (much to her parents’ chagrin)

Gavin cannot help but tear up every time he watches her play the piano, especially if she plays with her mother at the same time

Psst!  He has a photo in his study of the two of you sitting next to each other on the piano bench, the late afternoon sun streaming in through big, French windows, dappled by leaves falling from the ginkgo tree planted in the backyard

He only wishes his mother could’ve been there to see his beautiful baby girl

Kiro:

This little star charms absolutely everyone at first sight: the doctors and nurses that help deliver her are completely enamoured with this little bundle of joy

Tears are streaming from Kiro’s bright blue eyes the moment she is placed into his arms for the first time; he’ll bend over to give you the biggest kiss while gently cradling the baby, the salt of your tears mixing together

This little girl has the best laugh: clear and bright and like music to the ears of anyone lucky enough to hear it.

And she laughs often — daddy is hell-bent on filling her childhood with love and joy and will do anything to make her smile

You’ll often see Kiro crawling around the house on hands and knees, your daughter shrieking with laughter as she tugs on his golden hair, yelling “Giddy-up!” over and over again

Genetics aside, let’s just pretend that her hair is long and golden like her father’s.  At times, she literally looks like a doll come to life, especially with those azure eyes

Budding superstar: this girl has inherited her father’s talents when it comes to acting and music.  She is hitting those high notes, projecting that beautiful voice and basically hamming it up all the time just to get a laugh from her adoring family.

Kiro will “complain” about double standards because Savin will always have a tasty treat for her whenever he sees her, saying “Make sure your daddy doesn’t get any, okay?” LOL

At the same time, Kiro decides to (gasp!) cut down on his junk food habit when his daughter is born.  He actually already started out of solidarity during your pregnancy, and wants to be healthy so he can have as much time as possible with his beloved family

Kiro also cuts back on his workload when his little girl arrives.  This daddy is super involved in all aspects of taking care of his baby and his wife.  You’ll never hear him complain about having to change a dirty diaper.  In fact, he even does it better than you do — no leakages here! LOL

Kiro LOVES to dress his daughter up and will often wear matching outfits with her.  Baby and daddy denim overalls?  Check.  Father-daughter couture?  Check.  

Baby globetrotter: you guys will tag along with Kiro when he flies overseas to shoot on location.  Kiro loves having you and the baby near.

When she gets a bit older, you can bet that they’ll be the best gaming buddies (you’ll insist on her having completed her homework first, but Kiro will secretly let her play one game before she starts - “just don’t tell your mom, or else we’ll both be in trouble!”)

Charming and bright, your daughter is also a bit of a tech wiz.  Learns to code at a very young age under her father’s tutelage, and enjoys building computers from scratch as a hobby.

This little girl carries joy with her wherever she goes, spreading it around like warm sunshine

Shaw:

Shaw is soft, soft, soft the moment he becomes a father

He could be blasé about everything else, but not when it comes to his daughter, the absolute treasure of his heart along with his wife

There will be times that you wake up in the middle of the night and find his side of the bed empty.  You’ll hear his footsteps, softly pacing back and forth before a large window as he tries to sooth your infant daughter back to sleep.  Shaw will look like he literally stepped out of a ‘90s Calvin Klein ad campaign, topless and clad only in low slung pyjama bottoms as he cradles your daughter in his arms, the muscles of his biceps bulging in the pale moonlight that casts a silvery glow on his lavender hair.

(Example of a Calvin Klein ad from the 1990s)

Guess your thirst will have to wait till your daughter falls asleep again to be slaked LOL

This little girl will have her father’s amber eyes as well as the fine features of his face — she will slay all the kids in school with her beauty

Loves to snark her dad but is all sweetness to you (Psst! Shaw (not-so) secretly loves it!)

A fast-talker and quick-witted: sometimes, you think you can actually hear her mind working

Absolutely loves her daddy’s skateboard and would much rather learn new tricks on her own board than play with more age-appropriate toys

She is also a bit of a bookworm: loves to read and is often surprising you with new topics of interest, everything from ancient civilizations to meteorology

Your little girl will often snuggle up to him and ask him what he is reading.  Shaw will then proceed to read to her, even if it’s a paper or a textbook.  Her quick mind has been able to grasp even abstract concepts from a very young age.  She’s a bit of a genius in that respect.

Inherits her dad’s love of music.  The two of them will enjoy rocking out in the basement the moment she is big enough to properly hold an electric guitar (with you sneaking peeks every 5 minutes to make sure she’s still got her protective headphones on LOL)

She’ll take after her dad in that she’ll seem uncomfortable with the concept of authority starting at a very young age.  She questions nearly everything and will drive many of her teachers up the wall, although they will also recognize the extent of her incredible intellect.  She’ll set herself apart at school as a leader, having also the charisma to charm those who would wish to follow

Her dad, of course, is absolutely ecstatic to have a daughter capable of thinking for herself instead of blindly following others (and you will be too!)

🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣

Thanks so much for reading!  Check out more of my work here! 📚 

(Please do not copy/alter/edit/repost my work - thanks!)

[forasecondtherewedwon]

The Great Madripoorian Snake Off

Fandom: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier Pairing: Sam Wilson/Bucky Barnes Rating: M Word Count: 3950

Summary: All Sam argued was that Bucky shouldn't have to pretend to be the Winter Soldier. He never suggested Bucky pose as his husband instead.

The Baron—with his garage of vintage cars and his popped-collar bullshit—starts getting a little too comfortable. Somewhere between his prison cell and his private plane, he begins to act as though he’s the one running the show, so when he states, despicably blasé, that Bucky will need to go undercover as the Winter Soldier, Sam tells Zemo no. Not as forcefully as he forbade him from speaking earlier, but firmly enough that Sam thinks it’s clear that he won’t be changing his mind.

“But it’s the only way,” Zemo says, spreading his hands. “As the Winter Soldier, he is a very believable bodyguard.”

“Maybe he doesn’t need to act like a bodyguard,” Sam argues.

“A show of strength is—”

“Is that really what we need? I thought we were trying to fly under the radar. If we’re advertising Bucky’s capabilities like that, doesn’t that make us a target?”

“Yes,” Bucky mumbles, mostly staying out of it.

Sam’s irritated that Bucky’s not standing up for himself, not pushing back against Zemo’s half-baked plan. Having Zemo here is a lot to deal with, Sam gets that, but if they don’t fight him on this shit now, he has a bad feeling they’re going to regret it when they end up in a firefight. Whatever. He’ll speak up on Bucky’s behalf to save them both grief in the near future. He hopes Bucky would do the same for him.

“Whether or not you acknowledge what he is…” Zemo begins again.

“Who,” Sam says, gaze flicking to Bucky’s face, which is tilting down as he avoids eye contact. “Who he is.”

“…you have the risk of aggression.”

“Buck?” Sam checks. He stares until Bucky’s eyes dart up to meet his. “You gonna keep your cool in there?”

“Best behaviour,” he promises. His blue eyes are suspiciously steady, like always.

“That means,” Zemo translates with a finger raised to complement his interjection, “he’ll react whenever and however he feels he needs to. There is no guarantee it will align with your own conduct.”

“Yeah, man, I know,” Sam snaps.

Like he needs Zemo to explain Bucky to him; Sam knows Bucky. He knows he’s stubborn at best and a reckless hot-head at worst, but he also knows Bucky’s working on that. There’s no need to state how little Zemo expects from Bucky right in front of him. If anybody’s gonna complain about Bucky’s aggravating habit of doing the opposite of whatever Sam wants him to, it’ll be Sam.

He’s still glaring at the Baron when Bucky shifts in his seat, hands clenching in his lap. Sam’s eyes go to the fists, then up to Bucky’s face.

“You see that?” Zemo asks, sounding deeply amused as he nods towards Bucky. “He’s going to insist on playing a bodyguard.”

“What do you mean?”

“Ignore him,” Bucky says, quick and low like a kick to the ankle.

“He’s ready to jump to your defense,” Zemo says. He’s grinning, propping his elbows on his armrests and lacing his fingers—looking like the villain he’s already been sentenced for being. “He shows a strong instinct to protect you.”

“Put Bucky with me then,” Sam says reflexively. He glances at Bucky. “If that works for you.” His gaze slides back to Zemo after Bucky’s subtle nod. “If you don’t dress him up like he’s the Winter Soldier and make him act like he’s the Winter Soldier and have him take goddamn orders from you like he’s the Winter Soldier, who’s gonna know? We’re counting on people not being too perceptive, right? That’s why I’m using this Smiling Tiger dude’s identity instead of a made-up one.”

“That’s true,” Bucky says. His tone is gruff as he backs Sam up. “You can’t have it both ways, Zemo. Either we’re both pretending to be real people or neither of us is.”

“I don’t understand,” the Baron says affably, looking between them with a smile. This plane’s gotta hurry up and land before Sam gives in to the urge to stick Zemo’s head in the toilet and flush. “Smiling Tiger and the Winter Soldier are both real people.”

“No. They’re not.”

The silence strains with the pressure behind Bucky’s words. It feels to Sam as though Bucky’s just thrown up a forcefield between himself and Zemo, forbidding him access to the Winter Soldier. Sam can see the disappointment on Zemo’s face, but that asshole will have to wait to express it because the plane’s easing into its descent, circling over Madripoor before setting down on a private airstrip outside the city.

From the hangar, Zemo conducts a short, hushed phone call while Sam watches him with crossed arms. Doesn’t seem to be anything sinister for the moment, because the only result of the call that he witnesses is the arrival of a narrow selection of men’s clothing—including a pair of garish suits. The man who brings the garments laughs with Zemo while Sam and Bucky change in the bathroom off the hangar’s office.

When they see each other, Sam appraises Bucky. His outfit is dark and nondescript. Pricey in its details, but forgettable to anyone who doesn’t have good reason to look closely. (Sam tears his eyes away.) In contrast, Sam’s been urged to choose between the brightly-patterned suits. Layers of fabric and layers of necklaces to top it off. Not exactly Sam’s choice if he were to dress himself in anything on Zemo’s dime, but the Baron insists, flashing him a photo of Smiling Tiger to strengthen his case for bold fashion choices.

“I thought we were making characters up,” Sam says when he looks away from the screen, fiddling with his jewellery.

“This will be easier,” Zemo swears.

He dismisses his contact and the three of them—Zemo, Sam, and Bucky—walk out of the hangar, heading for a bridge with swooping arches and the lights of Madripoor beyond. Apparently, a car will catch up with them. They have until that time to work out their cover without anybody listening in.

“So I’m supposed to be Sam’s bodyguard?” Bucky checks. “Is that what’s happening?”

“You can’t be Smiling Tiger’s bodyguard,” Zemo answers, dismissing it with a wave of his hand.

“Why not?” Sam demands.

“Smiling Tiger is never seen with a bodyguard. Everyone knows he has them, but they remain at a distance.”

“Why’s that?”

“Arrogance, most likely,” Zemo says with a smile that Sam would definitely call arrogant. “Smiling Tiger affects an untouchable persona. The presumption of invincibility may not allow him to enjoy a terribly long life, but what committed criminal does?”

“You’re doing alright so far,” Bucky remarks flatly.

Sam sighs and gets them back on track. He’s already fed up with Zemo and these heeled shoes suck, so he’s losing what patience he had.

“What’s Bucky’s role then?” he asks. “We’re sticking together. If you get us some clandestine meeting with somebody who can tell us about the super-soldier serum, we’ll have to be able to explain who Bucky is.”

“Whoever he is, he’s in your orbit, not mine,” Zemo says. “That’s what you decided on, even though my plan would have worked flawlessly—”

“I don’t have any sympathy for you not getting to play puppet master with the Winter Soldier. It’s not necessary, just you looking for any chance to fuck with Bucky’s head. How about you get over it and show a little of the craftiness that helped you break out of prison?”

“Thanks to me,” Bucky notes.

“You want a new plan?” Zemo asks. “Ok. You’re together.”

“No shit we’re together. Like Sam said.”

“No, no,” Zemo says, smiling like he’s about to be a real dick. “You can be Smiling Tiger’s boyfriend. No—husband. That could be useful.”

Bucky stops in his tracks and Sam grips Zemo’s arm to force him to halt as well.

“But...” Bucky says.

“Yeah,” Sam agrees, though Bucky doesn’t get any further in words. His eyes are considerably more expressive, but Sam can’t read them, the emotions flying past too quicky, a kite flipping around in a strong wind.

“It allows James to be near you,” Zemo tells him, “and would explain any protective gestures. It’s the simplest solution. Tell me I’m wrong. I know you enjoy doing that.”

“You’re wrong.”

But Sam isn’t so sure about that. They all begin walking again and, by unspoken understanding, allow Zemo to drift slightly ahead. Bucky moves silently to Sam’s side.

“You think this is a good idea?”

“For the record, I don’t like it,” Sam says.

“Neither do I. We’re almost outta time though.”

Sam looks sideways and narrows his eyes at Bucky’s determined expression.

“You’re not fighting this very hard. Is it because you and Zemo have been in cahoots since the prison?”

“We’re not in cahoots.”

“Then why are you so fine with this?”

“It’s better than being the Winter Soldier,” Bucky says.

“The nickname’s a downgrade though,” Sam quips back. Could be a bad time for a joke, but if they’re doing this he can’t have Bucky going into it with that bleak attitude. They need to be more at ease with each other.

The thought alone makes him want to shove Bucky from this bridge and lean over the side to watch the splash.

“Mr. and Mr. Smiling Tiger,” Bucky says miserably. “Fuck.”

“For all I know, Zemo’s making this guy up,” Sam hisses, glancing at the Baron’s back, “so I have to use a stupid name and wear a stupid suit.”

“Seems a little petty for Zemo.”

“He’s gonna try to break us with the small stuff, just you watch.”

“You’re being paranoid,” Bucky tells him.

“That’s exactly what somebody who’s in cahoots with Zemo would say,” Sam accuses. “He’s been working on you since you left me out in the hallway and went in to meet him in his cell alone.” He tugs on the hem of his fitted jacket. “Gotta be vigilant.”

“Whatever you say, Smiling Tiger.”

“You know, I don’t want to hold hands with you, but I’ll do it just to irritate you more than you’re irritating me.”

Bucky glares at him.

The hand-holding is supposed to begin and end as a bluff, but when they get in the back of the car together and Zemo twists around in the passenger seat to give them a significant look, Sam figures he’s trying to get some show of affection out of them. Zemo’s obviously paid the driver—and the hired guns flanking the car on their motorcycles—but this is Madripoor, where competing interests pay competing sums for tip-offs; Sam can admit to himself that, not too far from here, multiple somebodies probably already know Baron Zemo and Co. are in the city. Any one of Zemo’s hires could be reporting on them. He swallows and inches his hand across the middle seat towards Bucky’s.

Zemo gives him an approving nod and a dorky ok sign that makes Sam roll his eyes. When he’s facing forward again, Sam bumps his hand into Bucky’s. With a jerk, Bucky goes from staring out his window to down at their hands.

“Just do it, man,” Sam says under his breath, glancing at the side of the driver’s face.

“Nothing I want more,” Bucky says with zero enthusiasm. He flips his hand over for Sam to grasp and adds, “Babe.”

Just for that, Sam intertwines their fingers to make the hold as intimate as possible. He sees Bucky’s jaw tighten, but before he can probe his staring eyes for meaning, Bucky’s looking out the window again.

Not letting go immediately goes from part of the act to a competition between them. Sam catches the driver peering at the two of them in the rear-view mirror and yanks their joined hands over so the back of Bucky’s rests on his thigh. In obvious retaliation, Bucky clamps Sam’s hand securely when the car rolls to a stop in Low Town, forcing Sam to scoot across the back seat and climb out Bucky’s door.

“You could look a little happier about this,” Zemo suggests, motioning to their rigid arms while they maintain a squeezing hand-hold, as if the Baron’s about to attempt to red-rover his way between them.

“That better not be you telling me to smile,” Sam warns.

“I thought Sam’s nickname was supposed to be ironic,” Bucky says.

“What do I know,” Zemo says. He raises his hands in a gesture of harmlessness—that Sam absolutely does not buy—and leads them up the street.

“He’s not wrong,” Bucky turns his head to mutter as Sam’s gaze roves over a series of seedy deals conducted right out in the open. “You could loosen up a little. You look mad. It’s suspicious.”

“Oh, I could loosen up?” Sam shoots back. “Try wiping that death-stare off your face for five minutes.”

“Hey, I’m allowed to look like this. I’m acting protective, remember?”

“Well, maybe I look mad because your hand’s all sweaty.”

“It’s your hand that’s sweaty!”

“Uh, no.”

“You want me to switch hands?” Bucky asks, eyes boring into Sam’s and startling him because, beneath the exasperation, there’s unmistakable fear. Could be the situation, or the fact that they’re kinda putting their lives in Zemo’s hands here, or that he expects Sam to recoil at even the suggestion of clasping his Vibranium hand like a lover would.

“Yeah,” he says. “Gimme the other one.”

They stare each other down until Bucky shrugs it off, refusing to switch. Sam hopes he knows that he would’ve, that it doesn’t need to be a big deal, and that it’s probably just all Zemo’s talk of manipulating Bucky into playing the part of the Winter Soldier that has him extra wary of his own prosthetic. His Vibranium hand is currently covered by a leather glove and Sam’s glad the Baron can’t see the sleek metal when he looks back at them with greedy eyes full of an agenda Sam’s certain they only know a piece of.

“Almost there,” Zemo tells them.

“I’m gonna try not to attract attention,” Bucky says quietly, making Sam stop with him before they can enter the bar. “I might not talk much.”

“That’s fine,” Sam assures him. “We’ll let Zemo take the lead. You just stay close, alright?”

Bucky nods and they duck inside, following the back of Zemo’s high collar as they weave through a crowd of disreputable characters. It’s packed in here. Sam tries to keep his chest out, his head up, his body moving like this suit is type of thing he wears all the time. Bucky releases his hand to walk behind him, leaving Sam’s palm clammy and cold.

When Sam stops abruptly to let Zemo reach the bartender first, Bucky walks into him. Honestly, his solid presence is a relief and Sam shuts his eyes to reset for a second before turning his head partway.

“That a knife in your front pocket? I thought we were being inconspicuous.”

“It is inconspicuous,” Bucky replies, brushing past him to stand at his side instead of right against his back. “Nobody’s gonna know it’s there unless I have to pull it out.”

“I know it’s there.”

“I wasn’t counting on you pressing your ass against it.”

Sam opens his mouth, but all he can do is make a disgruntled noise before Zemo’s turning away from the bartender with a smile to wave Sam and Bucky forward.

“Ah,” says the Baron. “Will you join me, Smiling Tiger?”

Repeatedly telling himself to keep his shit together, Sam comes up to the bar, leaning an arm on the surface. He isn’t expecting pushback from the bartender, but maybe Zemo doesn’t have quite as much clout in Madripoor as he imagines; the bartender holds Sam’s eyes for a moment before glancing pointedly to Bucky. Sam can feel Bucky hovering at his back.

“My husband,” Sam states. Probably best to keep his answers short. He might look like the real Smiling Tiger, but he has no idea whether or not he sounds anything like him.

The bartender just stares back, then drops his gaze to Sam’s hand, splayed on the bar top. Shit. He knows what the man’s thinking: no ring. Although Sam’s totally good with leaping out of the back of airplanes, being required to improvise with words has him panicking. If he and Bucky had thought to come up with an excuse for why a guy like Smiling Tiger—who’s evidently comfortable being decked out in jewellery—wouldn’t wear a wedding ring, he could deliver it now, but without rehearsing? He’s not a smooth or practiced liar.

Defensively, he draws away from the bar and feels his shoulder hit someone. Bucky. Sam looks from where his shoulder is pressing into Bucky’s chest, then up to his eyes. Wordlessly, he asks for assistance. Bucky leans forward to make his voice heard over the noise of the room and Sam exhales slowly in swift relief. But that’s until Bucky says to the bartender, “Just between you and me, Smiling Tiger says he won’t wear a ring until I find him something that looks better wrapped around him than my mouth.”

The bartender doesn’t react. Sam’s trying not to either, but the expression Bucky petrified onto his face when he spoke can’t look natural. He glances at Zemo, who appears to be unequivocally enjoying their sloppy storytelling. Lifting a glass, the Baron toasts Sam and Bucky.

“Newlyweds,” he says.

With titanic effort, Sam manages a tight approximation of a smile, then angles his face away to speak to Bucky.

“Why the hell would you say that?” he groans.

Bucky gives him a brief glance before returning his gaze to the inscrutable bartender. He fucking beams at him, at the same time replying to Sam from between his clamped teeth.

“Because we’re deeply in love.”

“According to you, the only thing I’ve been deeply in recently is—”

“The usual, Smiling Tiger?” the bartender asks, cutting off Sam’s mumbled conversation.

He nods and the man puts his back to them as he prepares whatever Smiling Tiger’s signature drink is.

“I believe it,” Zemo offers, murmuring into his drink as he tips it back.

“We didn’t ask,” Bucky tells him.

Sam can still feel Bucky standing there, making casual contact that alters slightly as he speaks. What is he doing? Shifting to put himself between Sam and Zemo? The Baron might’ve been right about his protective instinct, though Sam’s sure as hell never noticed this before. No, Zemo’s gotta be wrong. These are extreme circumstances—stressful circumstances—and he and Bucky are just putting their backs together (figuratively), ready to defend against an attack from anyone but each other. That doesn’t mean anything except that they’ve been in combat together and developed a certain amount of dependability and, alright, trust.

“The chemistry is there,” Zemo continues casually, dissecting after being blatantly told not to. “The history, the tension. It’s absolutely electric.”

Zemo is spared the merciless comeback forming in Sam’s mouth when the bartender slaps an entire dead snake down in front of them and starts to gut it. Even Bucky flinches against him. Sam can’t remember the last thing he ate, but he has a bad feeling he’s going to be reminded any second when he ralphs it up between his fancy shoes.

“Hey,” Bucky says, grabbing his arm and turning him away from the bar.

Sam wants to knock his hand away because he can’t break character now. This could be some kind of test, ordered by the person Zemo brought them here to make contact with and carried out by the bartender. Sam needs to be unfazed by this and he’s taking shallow breaths through his mouth (because what he doesn’t need to do is find out what that snake’s corpse smells like), striving to regain his composure.

And Bucky… well, Bucky just has to fuck that up for him.

Vibranium fingers take gentle grip of Sam’s jaw as Bucky tilts his head and plants a firm kiss on his lips. Sam hates that this is easier to improvise than a spoken lie. And he’d be lying to himself if he couldn’t admit that he’s thought about this. A dozen times, just today. He grabs Bucky by the hips, hauling him against him. In his head, thoughts and stimuli are unfolding and collapsing like his wings—the thick slicing sound of the bartender’s knife, Who the hell does Bucky think he is, kissing me out of nowhere?, the puff of air leaving Bucky’s nose and hitting Sam’s cheek, All of this is Zemo’s fault, the soft feel of Bucky’s bottom lip between his teeth, Fuck that, Zemo’s not getting credit for this, the ridge of the knife in Bucky’s front pocket as it pushes against Sam’s thigh. That is still the knife, isn’t it?

When Bucky breaks it off, he looks a little dazed. Sam wants to laugh and tell him, Hey, that was your idea, but there seems to be a lag in his ability to banter. At the sound of a glass being set on the bar behind him, he recalls what was going on right before Bucky initiated that kiss and from what, therefore, Bucky was trying to spare him.

“Thanks,” Sam mouths.

Holding his gaze, Bucky nods.

Sam rotates to find a shot glass with something distressing floating inside. His stomach lurches like a student driver’s ride as he stares at the slimy lump in the glass. Bucky moves around him to prop an elbow on the bar, excitement in his eyes, clearly ready to watch Sam swallow whichever organ the bartender just harvested for his consumption. What a dick. So much for Bucky protecting him.

It makes Sam shudder just to close his fingers around the glass, but when he catches Bucky looking like he’s suppressing a laugh, he suddenly knows exactly what’ll make him feel better.

“I hate for you to waste a good snake,” Sam tells the bartender. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Bucky’s face fall. “You’ve got plenty of choice pieces left. Pour another one of these for my husband.”

With the final word of his order, he takes his hand from the bar to smack Bucky’s ass.

“I was just starting to think about forgiving you for breaking Zemo outta prison and you had to look at me like you can’t wait for me to down this snake drink,” Sam says, focusing on Bucky while the bartender takes his knife to the snake a second time.

“So this is the punishment?” Bucky asks.

“I believe it’s more of a trust exercise,” Zemo offers. Oh, that’s right, he’s still here. Between the nastiest drink-making process he’s ever witnessed and making out with Bucky, Sam actually stopped being aware of Zemo. “Really, it’s symbolic, James. Sam would like for the two of you to go through this together, to strengthen your bond with a shared experience. The gesture is quite moving.”

“Can we get one for the Baron too?” Bucky requests as the bartender sets his drink in front of him. “Wouldn’t want him to feel left out.”

Zemo attempts to wave it off, but Sam piles on with an “I insist,” and apparently an insistence from Smiling Tiger is worth more than the manners of a backpedalling Helmut Zemo in this city. Or the bartender doesn’t like the Baron either.

“We’re gonna talk about that kiss later,” Sam informs Bucky, ignoring Zemo’s expression of pure dread.

“Why don’t we talk about it now and skip the—”

“Because I said so.” Sam raises his shot glass in Bucky’s direction. “Cheers.”

Watching Bucky reluctantly lift his own drink from the bar, Smiling Tiger finally smiles.

[dansnaturepictures]

17/09/21-Hawk Conservancy Trust: Part 1 of 2

Today we did one of the trips we had hoped to during our week off which was something a little bit different, which was threatened by the car trouble my Mum has had this week, but we just about managed for me and her to do it today. This was visiting the brilliant Hawk Conservancy Trust, something we had done since I was a boy and try to do as much as possible but hadn’t done since an evening event in 2017. They are a charity doing vital work on the ground to help many endangered species of birds of prey across the world as well so it meant a lot to pay the entry fee to support their wonderful work especially after the pandemic.

And the day out was as brilliant as ever. As I detail in this post and my next one a second post about the day due to another high photo yield so I wanted more than ten pictures different to ones I tweeted to keep the number of tweets down to upload we thoroughly enjoyed watching the breathtaking flying displays with a range of sensational raptors they have, narrated and led fantastically by a skilled and enthusiastic team who allow you to get so much out of the day. It was very fun wandering around the site and seeing the various birds they have too. It was all such a feel good atmosphere and the day literally flew by (no pun intended) with us having so much fun. It was a fantastic way to spend a day and I also learnt a lot and was in my element here.

We arrived just in time for the first flying display a brilliant look into some birds of Africa always a great start to the day just in time to see an African Fish Eagle flying around and spectacularly diving in the pool. A brillian Verreaux's Eagle Owl was next up and smashing to see which I took the first picture in this photoset of. Then for one of the highlights of the whole day always when a quirky and beautiful Secretary Bird entered and they showed us perfectly using a plastic model one of the most fascinating pieces of natural behaviour I think how they stomp on their prey venomous snake’s heads. I took the second picture in this photoset showing this. Then the first of many intimate moments of the day arrived with birds sailing right over your heads in the audience with vultures birds I think we should all love a few Hooded Vultures then an exquisite White-backed Vulture which I don’t believe is a bird I’ve seen at the Hawk Conservancy before and really struck me as beautiful. Then it opened into the end of the display one of my favourite bits of the day which I had seen once before when they fully transport us to Africa with rousing music which they use so well in all the displays and imitation of a bush fire from a storm and the renewal after that. It’s then so mystical to see a team of Yellow-billed Kites soar overhead and ibis and some divine looking White Storks emerge. The White Storks I do love seeing and it felt especially amazing to see them with them now starting to get back into the wild in the UK thanks to Knepp with many of then reported in Hampshire this week. I took the third picture in this photoset of one of they flying a key moment for me today.

Before getting into the display I saw a lovely wild Kestrel hovering and one was visible in the second display later too. We always see wild birds of prey coming over here as it is a wild area too and that’s very often two of my favourite birds which I saw for the first time ever here on our first visit Buzzard and Red Kite which we did also see very well during and after this display and later on. But whilst I had seen Kestrels especially in Reg’s wildflower meadow on days here before I had never seen this many I don’t think so this felt great. On the pond used in the display as well as a crocodile model was a bright red darter and mysterious blue hawker dragonfly looking great I couldn’t quite tell the species for either.

Either side of lunch we wandered around the site and it was very enjoyable seeing a wealth of the fantastic birds. I especially liked seeing the iconic Bald Eagle which I took the seventh picture in this photoset of, a mesmerizing Snowy Owl as shown in the fifth picture I took in this photoset today and attractive Black-chested Buzzard Eagle one I really liked on my last day visit here in 2016. It was also brilliant to see they have a new enclosure set up for the pretty Burrowing Owls where you can walk through a tunnel as though you are in their burrow something I really love at these types of places and you could learn so much about them. I took the fourth picture in this photoset of two. I also enjoyed fantastic views of four of my favourite bird species that they have here; Peregrine Falcon, Barn Owl, Tawny Owl as shown in the tenth and final picture I took in this photoset the famous Troy who we have seen before here who is known as the owl afraid of heights we spent a glorious few moments with this stunning bird a species in the wild that has helped define my year and a gorgeous Golden Eagle which I took the ninth picture in this photoset of one I had not seen here before so I was able to get nicely so close to. It was also an honour to spy a wild Goshawk they are rehabilitating through a spy hole in the hospital area an epic bird to see but also amazing to witness another aspect of the precious work they do. I took the sixth and eighth pictures in this photoset of a beautiful African Fish Eagle and another lovely falcon. 

My next post details the rest of the day with a summary of the wildlife seen and some bits at home tonight.