#mikkeli of all places??

[mikkeneko]

Or to use a more modern idiom, "Why pit two bad bitches against each other?"

[jedibinx]

Okay so here’s my theory surrounding the Trafik! music video. I haven’t seen anyone else’s takes on this so I apologise if any of what I say has already been said but I have been pondering for many weeks and forming my theory in my mind until it was coherent enough to let loose haha:

Okay, so, overall, I think that Trafik! is a commentary on life and the ‘rat race’. In the video we have pretty much every demographic covered within the cars. We have the elderly, the single people, families and Joost and his friend represent the working class. I think they represent the working class because they’re in a beat up car, it’s old, fast food wrappers, they’re car pooling and Joost’s friend is reading a porno which is a nod towards a stereotypical view of the working class (example, construction workers wolf whistling at passing women). 

At the start of the video we see a really nice car let through a construction site. This would, theoretically be the boss of the site who would represent the richer classes and the workers (H, Mikke etc) are the people who work for this rich person. The road works represent a barrier to a better life the traffic jam represents how everyone is stuck in the rat race, unable to get to a better life, and the workers represent how the higher class people use the lower class people to turn against one another and place barriers in place for them, keeping their hands ‘clean’, as it were. Okay, premise set up.

Enter Kaarija. He’s in a nice car, dressed nicely, representing the more privileged as he manages to get to the front of the queue by skipping over everyone else and gets right to the front. At the front of the queue he meets Joost and they begin to converse, Kaarija being somewhat antagonistic, using his ‘privilege’ in order to piss off Joost and everyone else but also showing how he has more power because he is able to touch Joost but Joost is stuck behind his windshield, or rather, he’s been trained to ‘stay in his place’ as the window is open but he doesn’t reach out for Kaarija despite being able to. 

Everyone within the queue are getting pissed off at one another, the children beginning to learn the same thing; get pissed at one another instead of at who they should be targeting their anger at, the one in charge, the one with power, the one who placed the barrier there in the first place. Representing how in society, we all turn on one another, media distracting us enough to separate us by class, race, whatever, so that we’re so busy hating each other that the culprits are left alone to carry on with what they’re doing. 

As the video goes on, Kaarija turns from antagonizing Joost to actually getting angry himself, almost like the realization has hit him, and Joost and the workers and everyone become friends, dancing and being chaotic together (protesting together?) and banding as one.

The end, I think that the thing in the sky is supposed to represent the better life. Like, look, you’ve realized that the rat race is a scam, you’ve banded together to make something happen, you’ve shown initiative and a brain so… here’s your better life. BUT… the ominous music? It may look attractive and shiny and amazing but underneath is a darkness that will easily consume you, if you don’t have numbers. Everyone is running scared at the end, and it’s just Kaarija and Joost, not enough people to fight against it, fight against the good fight or take it on from the inside, so they end up running from it as well, not having a choice. Therein the cycle starts again. 

So in conclusion: a commentary on how society is constructed and manipulated by the faceless people in power and how we are not strong enough to take it on alone, we have to band together and move the barrier as one. Especially if we no longer wish to live within Trafik.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk. 

[nicoleheichou]

Girl Of My Dreams - Chapter 57: KOZUME KENMA

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Synopsis: Sakusa was the type to always get things done on his own, but now that he's forced to juggle between his successful pro-volleyball career and being a single dad, what happens when he enrolls his daughter in a new preschool and meets his daughter's new teacher? Will their relationship remain professional or will it evolve into something more?

There's just something about Ran that everyone likes. Lmao.

Hinata is having a crisis rn because he thinks Ran is taking his place lmao

As usual, let me know what you thought! Leave a comment or send an ask.

TAGLIST IS OPEN. Just comment or send an ask.

Taglist: @taelia15 @dorkange @sexyandcringe @szeonn @natriae @whore-for-anime @diestheticu @loveinhaikyuu @youraggedybitch @mikk-o @erenisms @akisrandom @confusion-lord @aikochan4859 @trashy-simp @somniari-94 @pillboxmb @astrrnmy @all-in-the-fandoms @mattsunnn @kunikame @daninaninani @juniorhooter @crayonwriting @sosiegate @grassbutneo @saaraunicorn @lalalemon101 @sunahyejin @sugusshi @roselleviennesstuff @queen-aria-things @hello0i @oopskashish @wolffmaiden @shakesqueer444 @julia-1901 @blkladyelle @marinarihearts @oikawas-toris @carlgrimm @zekeslefttit @rory-cakes @nomnom21 @noayuusukki @yukimaniac @the-jester-calamity @everytimeswift @morpheus-rex @buns-inhiding

[sc0tters]

Fights and Feelings | Mikko Rantanen

summary: when Mikko sees you with one of his teammates he realises that he wants to be more than just your friend.

request: yes/no

trope: friends to lovers

warnings: swearing

word count: 1.36k

authors note: here is the first avs player I’ve written for and I’m happy to say that this was really cute. If you want to read more of the celly then you can check it out here!

Mikko didn’t know how much longer he could keep quiet.

Tonight was the third night in a row that you were coming home because you were spending the night with Nathan. The Canadian had gotten the chance to take you on a date and he made sure to make the most of it before Mikko changed his mind.

The two of you had been living together for the last year and a half after your lease on your previous apartment ended. In 2017 your coffee order got mixed up with his and from the moment he offered you a conversation whilst you both waited for the second one, you haven’t looked back.

Your giggle could be heard from down the road as Nathan shut the passenger door to his car when you got out “you don’t have to walk me back again!” You smiled as the Canadian wrapped his arm around your shoulders “but I liked doing this.” Nathan shot back as he helped you back up the steps.

It was icy in Colorado not just because Mikko had seemed to be avoiding you but also because it was reaching the end of October so with that the cold front was rolling over Denver “I should go so I don’t wake Mikks up.” You sighed knowing that your best friend was still awake as he couldn’t sleep without knowing you were in the house.

Nathan nodded ignoring the disappointment that coursed through his veins “I’ll see you sometime soon?” His voice was hopeful as you smiled “of course, have a nice night MacKinnon.” You mumbled leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek.

That broke Mikko’s heart as he watched you through the ring camera as he sat on the couch “have a nice night?” Mikko repeated your words as he watched you walk into the living room.

You nodded as you slid your sneakers off of your feet “you finally done being an ass?” You shot back raising your eyebrow as you hinted back to the entirety of the morning.

Mikko hadn’t spoken to you at all, and if he did it wasn’t more than basic conversation. To you it seemed that he merely didn’t like that you were going out with his teammate. Once Nathan was a good friend of his but now Mikko couldn’t say two nice things about the Canadian as he seemed to worry that he would break your heart “I am just looking out for you y/n!” Mikko groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

He watched as you crossed your arms “I’m not twelve Mikko.” Very rarely did you ever call him by his actual name as you usually settled for a nickname “besides he’s a good guy.” The addition was softer as you looked at the ground.

It made Mikko get up from his seat “he’s my teammate, I know him better than you do.” If his mother knew what he was doing she would have been on the next flight over from Finland “there it is again!” You complained shaking your head.

You felt hurt that your best friend couldn’t be happy for you as you finally found a guy who could treat you well “I am sorry but why can’t you just act like you are happy that I’m happy!” You felt like you were going in circles with him as you weirdly craved his approval.

The hockey player groaned “because I don’t want to stand here and watch you get hurt!” Mikko yelled causing you to shift back a few paces “then you don’t have to.” Venom laced your voice as you turned around and marched yourself to the front door.

Mikko sighed as he watched you open the door “where are you going?” The hockey player asked as he placed his hand on his hip “far away from you.” The response came from your lips as quick as you shut the door behind you making sure that you grabbed your car keys beforehand.

Tears clouded your eyes as you drove off not really knowing or caring where it was that you landed up at. Rain began to fall around you all as you continued until your eyes couldn’t take it anymore “I know it’s late but can I come in?” You begged knocking on the door as tears streamed down your face.

It might not have brought you as much comfort as he might have thought but Mikko had the worst night of his life. He slept on the chair in your room as he hoped to see you if you came back. Right after you left was the first time that he truly realized the potential for consequences due to his actions. The hockey player called Emily, a girl you worked with in the hopes that she could tell him where you were. Of course she didn’t but rather left him with the message that if he truly had no clue where you were then maybe he wasn’t as good of a friend as he once thought.

Practice had gone horribly as Nathan made sure to go tough on the boy until Gabriel was there to put an end to the fight that the boys almost had “enough you two!” He groaned standing in between his teammates in order to stop them from hitting each other.

All they did was glare at each other as their drama went beyond the team dynamic “what the hell are you playing at today!” Mikko grumbled as he spat at his teammate “maybe you should be asking y/n that.” As those words left Nathan’s lips Mikko’s clenched fist swung at his teammate.

You made your way into the arena as your sandals hit the floor “what are you doing here?” Mikko looked up from his icepack to see you stood there “Gabriel didn’t want you going home alone.” You grumbled crossing your arms .

It took him seconds to get up and follow as you spun on your heel “wait up!” He complained grabbing his duffel bag as he made sure to follow you “look let’s just get you home so I can leave again.” You should have said no to the captain, you would have told Gabriel that you had better things to do but instead you didn’t want to say no because you didn’t want to leave Mikko.

Even as you were irritated at him you watched his bruised hand brush over your thigh “I’m sorry.” He mumbled locking his pinky with yours.

The gesture made your heart swell “for punching him or for being a dick?” You sent him a glare as you pursed your lips together.

Mikko felt his heart pound as you walked back to your car. He weirdly didn’t have an answer for you which caused you to both sit in pure silence.

Orange and yellow leaves painted the windows of your car all the way until you drove him back to the house.

You chewed at the inside of your cheek as you turned to Mikko “I think we should take some time apart.” You gripped your hands around the steering wheel as you sighed.

The hockey player clicked his tongue “wait.” He stopped himself as he looked at you “I love you.” Mikko blurted out causing you to go silent.

Scanning his face for any part of a lie yet it was clearly all true “I’m should go.” Mikko sighed as he went to unlock his door but you were all too quick and beat him to it as you kept it locked.

Mikko furrowed his eyebrows as he frowned “look you clearly aren’t interested in what I said so just let me-” his complaint was short lived as your lips locked into his.

It took him a few moments before Mikko kissed you back letting his hand hold your head as it kept you there “Mikks-” you moaned as his tongue slid over your lower lip.

You felt his other hand go to your waist “wait,” you pulled away “I love you too.” Your words made him laugh “you think I didn’t get that from the kiss?” Mikko ran his fingers over your cheek.

[white-shadow25]

Getting Back

Tyki Mikk x Fem!Reader

She squeezed her eyelids tightly, but the intensity of the sunlight that had appeared so suddenly was unavoidable. As her eyes adjusted to the landscape in front of her, discomfort gave way to confusion. She was standing outdoors, in the full light of day.

The warm rays of the sun caressed her face and slid over her shoulders, creating a stark contrast to the wintry cold she had felt before lying down in her bed just moments ago. Because it's winter, she thought.

She looked around cautiously. She was on a path in the middle of a forest. She could see the end of the trail from where she stood, and overcome by confusion, she began to walk towards it. It wasn't until she took a step forward that she realized she was carrying a backpack on her shoulder. With desperation, she checked its contents: two changes of clothes, her glasses case, a toothbrush, medication, a charger, and her phone.

She took the small device, still bewildered, and attempted to locate herself on the map. "No signal," she murmured as she sat on the ground, observing her surroundings. The breeze gently swayed the leaves of the trees, and the sound of the forest was comforting. Could I be dreaming? The idea began to solidify in her mind. I must be! There's no other logical explanation!

She jumped to her feet, Not to mention that my dreams have always been strange. Feeling more relaxed and now filled with a new and insatiable curiosity, she cautiously descended the path.

The only thing that doesn't make sense about this is that I don't usually question my dreams until something truly impossible happens, she thought, remembering the dream where Circus Baby was chasing her, and she was flying away. Now, that was a weird one.

Upon reaching the end of the trail, the trees gave way to a picturesque village that stood, warm and welcoming, taking center stage.

It was indeed a small village, but there were three important things to note. First, the image before her eyes was that of a landscape she had never seen before; it wasn't awe-inspiring or magnificent, just entirely unfamiliar. Second, everyone in the village was dressed in accordance with a bygone era, something resembling the 19th century. And third, despite never having been there, something about this place felt eerily familiar. It was hard to describe. She had never set foot in this village, but there was something about the colors, the buildings, the attire, and the sounds of the people that felt strangely familiar.

It looks like something out of an anime, she thought as she debated whether to enter or not. In my dreams, there's always something chasing me, whether it's a forest animal or a mob of outraged fanatics.

She walked along the outskirts of the village, casually hiding among the trees to avoid prying eyes, exploring the small town that stretched before her.

In the distance, there was someone, a figure that stood out from the crowd. A tall man dressed in period attire, with a top hat and a coat, set him apart from the rest. But whether in a suit or rags, from afar or up close, there was no way she couldn't recognize that silhouette.

"No way...," she whispered, hiding behind a tree as she watched the man calmly walk away from the village entrance. It is a dream after all! She silently slipped closer to him. I never manage to control the dreams where Tyki appears; I have to take this opportunity.

She followed the man closely, calculating her steps and making sure to produce the least noise possible. There are two possibilities, she deduced, observing the man's attire and maintaining a prudent distance. He has just met with the Earl, or he's about to meet with him.

What do I do? Where do I steer this dream? I mean, it would be nice to spend time with him; becoming his friend would be a dream come true, literally, she sighed, her eyes glued to the ground. But how do I get closer? It's not like I can surprise him; the man would kill me befo—

She came to an abrupt halt. Her eyes widened as she realized her mistake. Her breath caught for a moment and then became slow and heavy. Her hands began to tremble as she somehow summoned the courage to lift her gaze. She cautiously scanned the path as it stretched out before her, praying that the lethal man was still in sight. When she finally raised her head fully, she couldn't see him. He wasn't there.

She took a step back, fear trembling in her legs. Her back felt the impact of a solid surface, and, as if knowing what would happen, she opened her mouth reflexively, inhaling as much air as she could until a warm and firm hand cut off her airflow. Instinct led her own hands to try to free her throat from the attacker, who, with his other hand and without the slightest effort, managed to immobilize her completely.

"So," [Name] felt the soft caress of his lips on her ear, "who are we looking for?"

She remained still, cold and static. Relax, she thought. Choose your words carefully and appear harmless. For now, regaining oxygen is a priority.

[Name] gently caressed the back of Tyki's hand with her pinky. He opened his eyes and almost dropped his cigarette, but of course, being behind her, [Name] wasn't able to notice it, though she could sense the slight murmur of confusion, even though he refused to let it escape from his throat.

"I would like to answer," she said with great effort; her throat was beginning to burn. "But you see, it's kinda hard when you can't breathe."

Tyki responded with a small "mhh" and loosened his grip on her neck. "Alright, missy. Now, if you don't mind, I'll take the liberty of asking for your name."

"[Name] [Last Name]," she replied instantly, with an attitude that tried to appear cooperative. "Although everyone calls me [Name]," she added after a few seconds.

"Well, [Name], I'm—"

"Tyki Mikk, the Earl's third disciple," Tyki officially dropped his cigarette. In the split second it took him to realize, he grabbed the young woman by the jaw and forced her to face him. For a moment, she thought he looked younger than she remembered. "What?" she asked innocently. Her big, bright eyes locked onto his, golden and icy.

"What's a little creature like you doing alone in the forest?" the noah asked after a while, once he had made sure that the figure clinging to him carried no innocence.

"I got lost (and I'm not that small, you barely top me by a head)."

"Oh, is that so?"

"That's right."

"And were you following me because you were lost?"

"Yes," she looked him in the eyes. "I was following you because I wanted to ask for directions, but," she shrugged, "I'm a bit shy, so I was gathering courage. And... trying to find the right words so you wouldn't kill me."

"Although it seems I failed miserably."

Tyki looked at her impatiently. Oh man, please, at this rate, I'll wake up from the scare, she thought before adding, "I'm looking for the Earl." Tyki's fingers tensed.

"Why?"

"Well, that's the thing. You see when I said I was lost, it wasn't just a figure of speech. I think he can grant me asylum."

Tyki looked at her bewildered. If I remember correctly, Katsura said that during the early phases of D. Gray-man, Tyki expressed his thoughts with his face. Seeing him like this, up close, I have to admit he's quite transparent, she reflected. He must think I'm stupid. It's not really a lie, but it still hurts.

"The Earl?" he scoffed. "Why would h—"

"Because," [Name] cut in, elongating the "a" in a childish chant, "I have information." She took note of the smug look he had acquired upon hearing her feeble excuse.

"Listen, you don't have to trust me, just confirm that I'm weak (which is true) and I pose no threat of any kind. I promise I won't waste your time, and I know that Adam will find what I have to say interesting enough to at least warrant an audience with him. You can kill me at any time if you think I'm up to something suspicious," Tyki pierced her with his gaze, there was no other way to put it, he was trying to intimidate her, although, to his surprise, she smiled genuinely at him. "Literally," she added, "I have no innocence, and even if I did, I know full well I stand no chance against you in combat, let alone you and the Earl."

Tyki considered the possibilities and came to the conclusion that she was right. Whether she was a deserter from the Order or whoever, she wasn't dangerous, and if she did have valuable information, he had nothing to lose by bringing her to the Earl. Not to mention that she not only knew he was a Noah, no, she was more specific than that, ‘the Earl's third disciple,’ she had said. He didn't even remember that about himself. At the very least, he could confirm that she did indeed know a thing or two.

"Very well," Tyki released her slowly, took off his hat, and made an incredibly graceful bow. The man moved with feline fluidity. "Tyki Mikk, at your service."

[Name] raised an eyebrow as she rubbed her newly liberated wrists. "How gentlemanly," she recalled.

It wasn't until that moment that he took the time to observe her. A young woman, probably not older than twenty-three, she wasn't ugly, nor would he say she was a beauty. The lady in question was quite average, from her height to her features. She had nothing outstanding about her, although he admitted, to himself, that she had a charming sparkle in her gaze. He didn't have much time to think about that; his attention was completely and utterly stolen from her face to her attire. She was wearing strange clothes, and although he had never seen anything like them before, he noted that they eerily resembled something familiar.

"If I'm not mistaken," [Name] said abruptly, shaking him from his trance, "your memory should have records of this clothing." He looked at her with wide eyes and a dropped jaw. She just shrugged. "You couldn't stop looking, and I'm aware that the local fashion doesn't resemble it. I assumed it would catch your attention sooner or later."

This is the most narratively coherent dream I've ever had, she noted in her mind.

Tyki took another cigarette from the pack in his pocket, still not taking his eyes off her clothes, then nodded. "How do you know?"

"I don't. It's just a theory for now," Tyki raised an eyebrow around her to prompt her to elaborate, but [Name] just looked away, slightly embarrassed. "I'll tell you after I talk to the Earl."

"How mysterious."

"I'd prefer to keep it while I’m around you," Tyki responded with an inquisitive "mh," offering her his arm like the gentleman he had been taught to be. "Well, if you find me interesting, there are fewer chances you'll kill me on the spot. If you get bored of me, on the other hand, well... I don't see a tomorrow in that."

Tyki smiled to himself. "You seem to know me quite well, and yet, you're not as scared as most people."

[Name] chuckled softly. "By most, do you mean exorcists?" she asked. "You know, those who are your enemies? Those you're supposed to exterminate?"

Without looking away from the front and with a charming smile on his lips, he asked, "What makes you think your situation is different?"

"That you have no reason to kill me. Not yet, at least."

"Not yet?"

[Name] shrugged. "The Earl might not like me, then you'll have a reason to want to eliminate me, or to be ordered to do so."

They walked the rest of the way in silence, mainly because [Name] was trying not to reveal information until she deemed it appropriate, meaning once she decided what to tell the Earl. They covered a wide stretch of the forest until they reached what appeared to be an abandoned train station. [Name] could see the chubby, green figure of the Earl knitting on a bench.

Tyki noticed how [Name] tensed her muscles and relaxed them with each breath.

Well, this is it. This is the moment, she thought. I guess based on this, the rest of the dream will be decided.

"Tyki, good—" the Earl stopped himself when he saw her. His ears perked up and then lowered as he tilted his head, like a confused dog. "Who is that?"

Tyki let go of her arm and placed her in front of him, resting his hands on her shoulders to respond, "Good morning, Earl. This young lady next to me is [Name][Last Name]. She said she had 'information' that might interest you."

The Earl lifted his head slowly, examining the young woman from head to toe. "A deserter from the Order, perhaps?"

[Name] took a step forward. "No," she took a deep breath, "I'm going to reveal something to you. Something important," she added, "And all I'm going to ask is that, before you decide whether to believe me or not, you allow me to state my case."

Tyki raised an eyebrow skeptically while the Earl carefully set his needles and yarn next to him on the bench.

Now or never, she encouraged herself.

"I probably shouldn't start like this, but I can't think of any other way to say it... Well, I'm almost certain that I come from the future."

[Name] could hear Tyki trying to stifle a laugh behind her.

The Earl, on the other hand, didn't find it funny. "Miss, you have a very poor sense of humor."

[Name] frowned. "Actually, you're right, I do laugh at very bad jokes, I won't lie, but that’s not related to what I just said."

Adam lowered his head and shook it slightly. "You've brought me an unfunny clown."

Tyki removed his hat and made a very slight bow with an amused smile on his face. "Yes, it seems so. My apologies, let me—"

"Wait!" [Name] approached the Earl and looked into his eyes. "I know it's hard to believe, to be totally honest, I'm more inclined to think this is a dream than reality." She sat down on the bench next to the Earl. "So, I don't really care much about the consequences of my actions, but I prefer to stay asleep a little longer, and I'm sure that if you execute me in the dream, I'll wake up (and I don't feel like studying for my exams or looking for a job right now)."

Tyki was leaning towards believing that the woman he had found in the forest was crazy, and Adam almost agreed with him. However, there was something about her that left him unsettled. He decided that trying wouldn't cost him anything, so he added, "Then, Miss [Last Name]..." She raised her hand and cut him off before he could finish the sentence.

"I’m sure I said, let me finish stating my case before deciding whether to believe me or not." She leaned closer, closing the distance between her and the Earl. "May I?"

The irreverence caused him a nervous tic, but out of sheer curiosity, he gestured with his hand to invite her to continue speaking.

[Name] let out a breath through her nose and relaxed a bit. "Now, here's my evidence, because, of course, I don't expect you to simply believe me (I wouldn't)."

She turned in her seat toward the Earl. "As I've told Tyki, I have information from both the past and the future. If you promise not to get defensive, I will reveal something from your past and something from your future, so you can draw your own conclusions."

The Earl's ears perked up again, and he chuckled softly. "Very well."

[Name] reached out her hand. "Deal?"

"Deal," said the patriarch, shaking the offered hand.

"Okay."

Now, the question is, what do I tell him? I can't tell him anything he doesn't know about himself, like that he split in two about fifty years ago, no, or that he's actually Mana Walker.

Tyki decided to approach to observe the scene. The young woman who had presumably lost her mind was looking at the ground at her feet while playing with her fingers. She seemed truly lost in her thoughts until a spark lit up her face when she met the Earl's gaze.

"You killed Nea D. Campbell around thirty or forty years ago, and you're looking for the musician who can move the Ark."

The Earl stopped breathing for a moment, and both [Name] and Tyki noticed the tension in his body. Tyki, in particular, could detect the slight nervous tremor in the patriarch's hands. As he had suspected, even if this girl was crazy, it was evident that she had information. Not even he knew about that. He didn’t even know who Nea D. Campbell was.

"While that is confidential information—"

"Cross Marian also knows about it, yes. And he could have told me if he knew me. I don't really think he would, but it's a logical conclusion that I could find out about this from someone else. That's why I'll add a detail about your future. To place me in time, tell me, have you happened to meet any cursed exorcist recently?"

The Earl looked expectant, she was managing at least a bit of information; that seemed to be true. "No."

[Name] nodded. Then it's safe to assume I'm somewhere before the original story begins, she thought.

"You'll hear about Nea again. Since I don't know exactly what year it is, I'll take a risk and say it will be in about three or four years... Although, well, since you all reincarnate, I don't know if that's something you wouldn't know..."

The Earl stopped hearing the woman in front of him. Yes, it was true that he had suspected he would see Nea again, but he hadn't dared to guess a date.

With narrowed eyes, he returned his attention to the girl who was still babbling, now lower, definitely more for herself, and asked her one more thing: "How do you know?" he demanded, shaking her out of her monologue and bringing her back to the conversation.

"I read it," she answered immediately, without even thinking about it. "You see," she scratched her neck and looked at the ground, as if trying to find the words in the earth to explain, "where I come from, there's something like a history book."

"In fact, it's more like a biography than a neutral textbook about the war, so I lack details, especially about the noah. It's fair to admit from the start that most of the information I have comes without exact dates and is very centered on this specific exorcist, so everything I know revolves around him. Still, I have vague details about your past and future. The thing is," she explained, gesturing with her hands, "I didn't finish the book, so I have very limited information.

"More specifically, two years of events from when this exorcist joins the Order."

Tyki unconsciously bit the filter of his cigarette. What this woman was telling him sounded unreal, impossible, but somehow, feasible. No wonder she thinks it's a dream, he thought. After all, if what she said was true, he wouldn't believe it either.

The Earl was beginning to open up to the possibility that everything [Name] was telling him was indeed real, but he remained skeptical.

[Name] noticed it instantly and, looking at Tyki, jumped from her seat.

"You!" she pointed with a shout. "I have an idea," she said, still pointing at Tyki. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but Tyki can pass through anything, right? Anything belonging to this world, which is why you can't pass through innocence because it's not from 'this world'."

The Earl chuckled softly. "What are you suggesting?" he asked, having a light idea of where she was going.

"Well, I'm not sure if it will work, because the future still belongs to 'this world.'"

Since I definitely didn't come from the future, if this dream remains as coherent as it has been so far, it should work without any issues, she thought.

"But I understand that it's physically impossible to travel back in time, so what about," [Name] raised both index fingers in parallel and separated them a bit, "instead of coming from the future, I come from a parallel world with a different time?"

Adam arched an eyebrow, hidden under his hat. His eyes fixed on the finger a few inches from his face.

"Come on, don't make that face. You came here somehow, right?" The Earl raised his head suddenly to face her. "Yes, I know about that too. Now, back to the important, if my conclusion is right (which I doubt), Tyki shouldn't be able to pass through me. In fact, I'm inclined to believe that if Tyki can't pass through me, Wisely won't be able to read my mind, Sheril won't control my body, and Road won't be able to take my mind anywhere." She looked at the Earl with determined eyes. "And since I'm betting on all or nothing, I'll also say that you won't be able to absorb me."

Adam pondered it for a moment; in a way, everything she said made sense.

"And what if you're wrong?"

[Name] smiled. "All or nothing, sir. If I'm wrong, Tyki kills me."

Tyki watched her with wide eyes and a mouth that looked somewhat like a nervous smile. She's insane, he thought. He looked over the young woman's shoulder at the Earl, who gestured for him to come closer.

“Tyki, may I entrust you with this task?”

The Noah sighed in resignation and shrugged. If she really didn't care for her life, there was nothing he could do about it.

[Name] and Tyki stood facing each other, less than a meter apart, with the Earl watching from the bench.

"You know? Maybe if you beg a little, you might save yourself from this."

[Name] shook her head, and Tyki noticed the excited smile she was trying hard to hide. “Honestly, I think I'm more curious to know if this will work out than he is.”

Totally out of her mind… but 'I'm more inclined to believe this is a dream than a reality' that's what she had said. She really thinks she's dreaming, he concluded. Well, is better to die like this.

Tyki decided to be merciful and handle things delicately. He brushed the fabric of her shirt with just two fingers and looked her in the eyes. "Any last words?"

She gazed at him with an intensity he couldn’t recall ever seeing. After a cute mouth twitch and a glance around the place, she looked back at him.

“Did you hear about the Italian chef who died?” Tyki frowned, totally bewildered. “He pasta-way.”

Officially, the noah lost his second cigarette of the day. He bit his lip trying to restrain himself from smiling, but failed. The absurdity of the moment overwhelmed him, and he burst into laughter that he could barely control.

When he had finished, he straightened up and caught the young woman looking at him with soft eyes and a gentle smile played at the corners of her lips. A faint pink covered her cheeks, and she let out a small giggle.

"You have a really lovely laugh. It's a pleasure to hear it before I die."

Tyki blinked with a silly smile on his face, unsure of how to react. While he was used to flirting, this was different. And absurd. Absurd above everything else. Although he couldn't deny that it was the nicest compliment he had received in a while.

Tyki sighed. All of a sudden, he no longer felt like killing her, but a job was a job. He placed two fingers above her heart again, with every intention of making it as painless as possible, and swiftly pierced.

He withdrew his hand immediately and shook his wrist as he felt the sudden pain in his fingers. [Name] was on the ground in front of him, gently rubbing the area where he had just hit with a wince curving her lips and furrowed brows.

"Ouch," she whimpered, still softly rubbing the spot where he had poked her just a moment ago. "I didn't think that if it didn't work, the impact would hurt."

The Earl interlaced his fingers and watched the scene without a word.

Tyki glanced at his hand, then at the young woman on the ground. His eyes widened again, and he was thankful he didn't have a cigarette in his mouth, as he would have lost it once more time. He leaned down next to her and grabbed her arms, applying force in an attempt to pass through her.

"Hey!" [Name] called, trying to break free from his grip. "You can do the same without hurting me, you know?"

From the future, Tyki saw the young woman in a new light. Does she really come from the future?

"Very well."

Both [Name] and Tyki turned their heads abruptly toward the Earl, realizing they had forgotten about him.

The Earl kept his gaze fixed on the scene before him as [Name] and Tyki interacted. The situation was incredibly strange, but the young woman had provided evidence that was hard to ignore or completely dismissed.

"As difficult as it may seem, I am inclined to think that everything you say is true," the Earl declared finally, breaking his silence. His voice was calm and thoughtful as he continued to watch [Name] and Tyki.

[Name] jumped up. "Really?" Adam just nodded. "Well, that's good news," she said, placing her hands on her hips. "I can't even fully believe it myself," she added, her laughter fading as she noticed the persistent pain in her chest. It wasn't unbearable, just what you'd expect after someone forcefully jabbed two fingers into you. But there was something unsettling about it.

The noah, who had noticed the nervous and almost hysterical atmosphere surrounding the small figure, stood up and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Missy?" he asked, watching as she rubbed the area where he had tried to penetrate. Just as he started to wonder if he had hurt her too badly, she murmured, "I've never felt pain in a dream before," she turned slowly to see his hand on her shoulder,  “nor… warmth."

She opened her eyes wide as acceptance settled into the depths of her mind. A wave of nausea washed over her, and her vision blurred. Her heart adopted a dangerous rhythm that threatened to burst out of her chest, and her legs turned into jelly, barely able to support her weight. It felt as if the ground had been ripped out from under her feet. She clung to Tyki's arm for support as she struggled to breathe.

Tyki witnessed the scene in slow motion and managed to catch her before she completely lost consciousness. It's not a dream anymore, is it? he thought. He held her in his arms and looked at the Earl.

"What should we do with her?"

Adam looked at the unconscious body in Tyki's arms. "We'll take her with us for now. That's what she wanted, right?"

Tyki nodded. "She mentioned needing a place to stay."

"Very well, then. It's settled," the Earl said, his ears twitching up and down one last time. "Let's go. We're already running late, and on top of that, we'll have to add an extra seat at the table."

The Earl made a mental note to find some proper clothes for their unconscious guest. He watched as Tyki performed a complicated maneuver to lift the young woman's backpack and added, "Be careful. You're carrying a very special guest."

[frikatilhi]

"There are canon events that if I just read them in fics I would think were totally unbelievable and unrealistic"

no but this is so true! like what do you mean bojan didn't even wait a month after eurovision to go to finland to spend some of his free days there? and after knowing jere for like what? only 2 months? and being comfortable enough with him already to join him on stage and take part of the piggy train!

and we all joked about bojan spending the night with the finns after the final and that's were he lost his phone, people even wrote that on their fics… and then mikke posted a photo that kinda proves it

and like joking that bojan was not gonna stay at his hotel after tavastia 2.0 and was going to jere's place instead? and then we got confirmation of that as well… and he fucking left his underwear there for jere to wash them?

or bojan running to the dj stage in that serbian festival where they were playing chachacha just to record it and send it to jere?? he even told a fan who asked for a picture that he had to hurry lmao

Yes, some definite highlights of "too unrealistic to put in a fic"!

One of my favourites is Jere wearing the ARE YOU bracelet for ICIP music video. And watching fucking Twilight at two am. And Jere joining the tour as their little mascot? Remember how in advance we all thought it was pretty unrealistic to expect that?

[beardedmrbean]

Over the past few weeks, suspicious drone sightings have been made near infrastructure sites in various parts of Finland, reports Ilta-Sanomat.

According to the paper, sightings have been made, often at night, by members of the public in Mikkeli and Savonlinna in the eastern part of the country, and at Mynämäki in the southwest.

Leena (no surname given), who was staying at her cottage in Mynämäki in the Southwest Finland region, told IS that she and her husband spotted a drone in the middle of the night from their terrace. While sitting there, the couple noticed a drone flying from the direction of a neighbouring cottage.

"We were very surprised to see that a few moments later it flew over us again in the same way. It was pretty low both times. All we could see were the lights," Leena said.

According to Leena, there are transmission lines owned by the Caruna power company near the cottage.

Rene in Savonlinna, also reported drone sightings near a large power line close to the Russian border. What makes the sighting so unusual is that the drone flight took place in the dark at midnight, according to Rene.

He says there have been similar sightings in the area before, especially shortly after Finland joined Nato. He said he reported the sightings to the authorities.

In addition, there have been drone sightings in Mikkeli in recent weeks. Sirpa, who has a cottage at Haukivuori in Mikkeli, told IS that she had also seen a drone.

A rail line is located nearby, with regular timber and freight shipments.

The Caruna power utility told Ilta-Sanomat that it has received reports of "several sightings" of anomalous activity near its electricity networks over the past year.

According to Jarmo Ström, the company's operations manager, in addition to drone sightings, some of Caruna's remote sites have even been broken into. Other suspicious activity has also been seen near electricity distribution points.

Ström declined to give IS details of the dates or the exact number of break-ins. He did say that since the start of Russia's war against Ukraine, Caruna has stepped up its own surveillance around electricity its power network.

The Finnish Border Guard has not commented these drone sightings.

"The Border Guard does not comment publicly on individual sightings made by its own surveillance operations or reported by the public, unless they require wider security communication measures," Kimmo Ahvonen, head of the Border Guard's communications unit, told IS.

The Eastern Finland Police Department, on the other hand, confirmed that the police have received and are receiving a steady stream of sightings of various drones in their area.

80 years since Moscow Armistice

Savon Sanomat is among the papers carrying a brief STT news agency item which notes that Thursday marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Continuation War, Finland's 1941-1944 conflict with the Soviet Union.

The war between Finland and the Soviet Union officially ended on 19 September 1944 with the signing of the Moscow Armistice, although a ceasefire had already come into force on 4 September.

Under the terms of the armistice Finland ceded to the Soviet Union not only the Karelian peninsula, the outer islands of the Gulf of Finland and the Salla-Kuusamo area, which had been lost in the Winter War, but also the Petsamo area and leased the Porkkalanniemi peninsula to the Soviet Union for 50 years.

In addition, Finland was obliged to pay new war reparations. The agreement required Finland to pay a total of 300 million US dollars in reparations over six years. The payment period was extended to eight years at the end of 1945.

The Moscow Armistice also obliged the Finns to remove the remaining Germans troops in Finland, leading to the Lapland War, September 1944 – April 1945.

Homeowners' costs skyrocket

Homeowers' expenses in Helsinki rose by more than 40 percent between 2020 and 2024, according to the economic and business daily Kauppalehti.

The property owners' association Kiinteistöliitto, the Finnish Real Estate Federation, provided the paper with a breakdown of its recent report that showed a sharp rise in costs of home ownership for all items measured, with the exception of the price of electricity.

A calculation based on a 90-square-metre flat in the capital found that annual homeowners' expenses went up 1,407 euros between 2020 and 2024, which is more than 117 euros per month, around 43 percent over the period.

The calculation includes property taxes, district heating, water, electricity and waste costs, but excludes private services such as management, accountancy and cleaning.

According to the federation's chief economist, Jukka Kero, the rise in recent years in Helsinki can be attributed in particular to increases in district heating, property tax and water costs.

"In 2022 and 2023, during the inflationary boom, private service companies also started baking increases into the prices charged to housing associations. Construction costs have also risen by almost 20 percent since the beginning of 2020. This is reflected in renovation costs for housing associations of all sizes," says Kero.

Lottery vs inheritance

Large numbers of Finns believe that winning the lottery is a more acceptable way to get rich than inheriting wealth, according to a study reported by Maaseudun Tulevaisuus.

A survey of more than 3,000 respondents by Danske Bank found that winning the lottery was cited by 29 percent of respondents as the most acceptable way to get rich. Entrepreneurship came second, with 22 percent of respondents saying it was the most acceptable path to riches.

Getting rich through inheritance was considered acceptable by only 18 percent of those polled.

The survey also shows that more people (39 percent) think that winning the lottery is the most likely way they will ever get rich compared with those (37 percent) who believe they can build wealth through regular savings and a frugal lifestyle.

[mikkeneko]

Mikke’s SVSSS recs (for @cerusee) below the cut --

Authors for whom all their SVSSS stuff is worth reading: miscellea / The Feels Whale  x_los  feynite 

Individual stuff I liked: The More You Don't Know by Neery  - SQQ manages to avert the Abyss Arc, but with some consequences 

and judgment is just like a cup that we share by Kieron_ODuibhir (whetstonefires) - my favorite of the Identity Reveal genre so far, SQQ and SQH get outed by a third party; has a sequel where they don't succeed in Communicating Well but it's incomplete 

write me well by AMereDream - what if Shen Yuan was another creation of Shang Qinghua, who just wanted a friend 

Celestial Afterglow by elanor_pam - an alternate outcome of the Huan Hua Palace arc, my favorite Shen Yuan voice 

Spill the Tea by tabulaxrasa - another Identity Reveal fic, this one voluntary, plus some kidnapping sideplots 

Master of Dual Cultivation (series) by esama - a sort of New Game Plus where SQQ gets to go back to the start of the series from the end and do better this time around

That's NOT A REAL TROPE you Hack Author! by Boom_After_Dark (Boomchick) - a very cracky, slice-of-life and meta one; after the main series ends they start getting "extras" that Shang Qinghua wrote on commission for trope prompts. Very silly, and some chapters are better than others, but there were some very sweet moments in there and Shang Qinghua has a surprisingly melancholy emotional arc towards the end 

Benign Deviations by benwisehart - Bing-ge and Bing-mei swap places again and get stuck that way; Shen Qingqiu has to deal with Original LBH while LBH has to deal with the original setting and its fallout. 

Three Wishes by Kasasagi - this author is a real Shen Jiu fan, I'm not so much but I really got into this one. Shen Yuan accidentally rescues Original Shen Qingqiu out of the Water Prison back to his world and then has to deal with an extremely traumatized ex-peak lord in his apartment. 

*Recommended with caveat - I Just Wanna Be Yours by chaoticgoodlawyer, starts with some of the characters time traveling to bring warnings of the future to their past selves and continues with a fix-it of the main timeline. I liked this one especially for the way it handles Tianlang-jun's story, but this author really has a knife in for Yue Qingyuan for some reason, so I don't so much like their handling of his character in this 

[electron-road-suspect]

Hihi, I'm back for more Bojan Jere prompts if youre still doing them ahajhsjw 1, 19, 21, 24, 30 💜💜 tjank you!

1. What’s their love languages?

I mentioned this in my Jere/Jukka answers, but Jere loves to get little gifts from his partners. He even likes to get gifts that are about his partners, even if they're not from the person in question - the "Show a heart if you think Bojan is hot" sign is still prominently displayed in his fan room. Bojan's is physical touch.

19. How do they silently/subtly express their love for each other?

They always send each other good morning and good night texts, even when they're living in the same place. It's a habit that started when they were long distance that they have kept up because it ended up being super meaningful to them. Bojan also makes sure to buy Jere's favorite things from the grocery store and display them prominently on the kitchen table so Jere will know that Bojan was thinking of him.

21. Which of their friends/family pokes fun at them for them getting flustered/affectionate?

All the Joker Out boys make fun of Bojan for being so gone on Jere. Kris is the worst offender. In an inverse of my Jere/Jukka ask, only Mikke makes fun of Jere about how sappy he is about Bojan, and that's mostly because he had to deal with all the pining for so long.

24. What are their favorite places to kiss on their partner(s)? What are their favorite types of kisses?

These two love to kiss each other. Bojan loves to kiss Jere on the forehead. Jere loves to kiss Bojan's neck.

30. Free space! Say something about this ship that you want to say!

Despite the number of chapters in my universe dedicated to them, I feel like they are one of my more under-developed ships, and I'm hoping to really get into them and their relationship a lot more in future installments.

[faeriexqueen]

Songbirds in Winter (Update: 5/18/23)

Title: Songbirds in Winter. Fandom: D. Gray-Man. Pairings: Alma Karma/Tyki Mikk, Kanda Yuu & Alma Karma (One-Sided/Unrequited Yulma), Lavi Bookman/Allen Walker. Rated: Explicit. Words: 109.4K+. Tags: Romeo and Juliet AU, Omegaverse, Alpha/Omega, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Royalty/Nobility, Renaissance/Renaissance Era, Medieval, Slowburn, Romance, Drama, Angst, Forbidden Romance, Secret Relationship, Eventual Romance, Pregnancy, Hints of Incestuous Feelings/Incest, Family Drama, NSFW, Lemon/Eventual Lemons (Please see AO3 for full list of tags and warnings). Chapters: 14/?. Summary: They had always known that their lives would be planned out for them. For Tyki, it is to eventually become the head of his family as the next alpha in line, despite his wishes for otherwise. For Alma, it is to be married off for the benefit of his kin — to be bred for political gain, regardless of his own feelings on the matter. The stage is set, and they have their parts to play. But being in the crossfire of a dangerous rivalry among noble families is never easy — not when the person you love is the very one you’re forbidden from being with. Chapter 14 Excerpt — Young is the Night:

The omega looked up, opening his mouth — though Tyki answered. “Mystery Boy is someone I met recently. Hasn’t been to a tavern before and wanted to come to one, so I brought him here.” Allen’s brow rose. He leaned onto the counter, looking over. “You brought him here of all places? That’s a shitty date, Tyki.” The omega’s face flushed, completely taken aback. “It—it’s not a date,” he said, words tumbling out fast. “I, uh. This is just a one-time thing.” Lavi’s green eye flashed to Tyki, wary. “Uh huh…” He turned his body, lowering his voice as he whispered to the alpha. “Can I pull you aside for a minute?” Tyki blinked, confused. He looked back at the omega, then back to Lavi. “It’d be a bit rude to leave Mystery Boy when I just brought him here, wouldn’t it?” “It’ll be quick,” Lavi said, before glancing back toward Allen. “Al can keep him company.” Tyki looked as though he were about to say something, but his expression turned dumbfounded as Lavi stood, the tall beta jerking him by the sleeve of his tunic. Tyki didn’t even get a chance to say anything to the omega before Lavi had tugged him a far enough distance from the bar, the two of them stopping near the wall and where it wasn’t as crowded. As soon as they were out of earshot, Lavi whipped his face in Tyki’s direction. “Alma Epstain?” he asked, unable to hide his shock any longer. “Tyki, what the hell are you thinking?”

Read on AO3.

[lcs-library]

I’ve been really unmotivated and tired for no reason recently, so I skipped the past few days(though I might go back to do Retro) but I’m back!!! And I’ll go back to doing it mostly consistently!!!

Safeshiptember Day 10: Falling Asleep

Taglist: @dango-daydreams

Another long rehearsal, and another late night.

After it all ended, Lu and Sakuya had decided on staying together for the night, leading the pair to regroup at Lu’s place, quickly finding themselves in bed after Sakuya’s arrival. After a day of hard work, it’d be expected that the two would fall asleep easily.

Apparently, not for Sakuya. It was always easy for him to fall asleep next to someone he trusted. In fact, he started to find himself unable to sleep without it, but this was a new sensation.

They had slept together before, sure, but that was onstage, not in her bed! What if he messed something up in his sleep? What if he broke a part of it, or worse, her?

He rolled over, letting go of Lu’s hand so he didn’t have to look at her sleeping so peacefully.

Unfortunately, this was what woke her.

“Saku…?” She murmured groggily as she sat up.

He jolted.

“Yes?”

“What’re you doin?”

Shit. An excuse, an excuse…

“I just needed to change position, don’t worry!” He whispered as cheerily as one could this late at night.

“Mm. Okay.”

Lu scooted up to him, draping an arm across his waist to hold him against her large frame.

“Can’t sleep?” She asked.

“That obvious?” He replied with a dry giggle.

“I know how you are, Saku. You’re allowed to rely on me, you know.”

“I know, I know. Don’t have to be strong and smile all the time, yeah?”

“Yeah…” she murmured, her breathing slowing as she buried her face in his hair.

Soft, thick fluffy, all the things she liked. She gently carded her fingers through the thick mess, making sure to occasionally scratch his head, the same way he’d do to her after a long day.

Sakuya felt the tension melt away as he relaxed under her touch, becoming putty in her hands. It was always nice to see, given how stiff he was, no matter how bright his demeanor was.

“Saku, I’ve been thinking…”

“Hm?”

“We should get a cat.”

“Are Mikke and Kuro not enough?”

“But they aren’t ours, y’know?”

“Fair, but they’re still cute!”

“They are.. maybe we can steal them?”

“I’m sure Misumi wouldn’t like that very much,” he said with a chuckle, with Lu joining.

“I guess you’re right. You sleepy yet?”

“A little.”

“Can I help with anything?”

“I think I’m good.”

“Sakuya.”

“What?”

“Are you sure?” She asked skeptically.

“Im sure.”

“If you insist. Good night, Saku, love you,” she whispered, placing a kiss to the back of his head, and he was forever grateful they were spooning.

“G’night Lu, love you too,” he sighed, closing his eyes to drift off.

[faux-fires]

From the "40 Questions — Meme for Fic Writers": 7, 28 and one of your choice!

Thanks Holly! For the 40 questions for fic writers meme:

#7: Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

this dumb fucking joke from my dragon!fai/kurogane fic, Your Princess is in Another Castle. it's like 10 years old and I don't think anybody following this blog (except my fav scrublord, @mikkeneko) was in it with me, but i still smile to myself reading this fic and if u can't smile at ur own fic, what else is it FOR:

"Oh my god," Kurogane said, automatically, because like most dragons Ashura wasn't wearing any clothes. His knees suddenly felt very weak. "Um," said Fai, his glib tongue seeming to have deserted him. "Hello?" "Can I go?" Yuui asked Ashura. Despairing it was, then. At least he wasn't naked. It was a low bar to meet in terms of presentation, but so far two of the six people in this room weren't making it.

#28: Share three of your favorite fic writers and why you like them so much.

Easy peasy! #1, montparnasse, because i adore their poetic prose (as exemplified by the intro to my fav of their fics, the Hawkebella On Southerly Winds):

Once, lost-but-not-lost on a windless night at sea, Isabela told a young sailor, “You’ve got to live like everything can hurt you.” The sailor, new and green as a beansprout, said it was sound advice. She didn’t understand that it was not. It was fact, like iron in the blood.

#2, Spicyshimmy - handers fandom will know why, but i love their clever playing around with tone, their Hawke characterisation is so fun and sad, and Fareweel Regality remains one of my fav unreliable narrator stories. I also enjoy their larger ensemble pieces particularly in the Mass Effect fandom.

It didn’t take Bethany long to corner Garrett in the den, after he’d seen both the seneschal and Saemus out with a wink and a nod and a sigh of relief. ‘What on earth was that all about?’ she demanded, eyes alight with pure irritation, the mark of a truly loving sister. ‘Do you want the viscount’s son to think there’s madness in our family? Because that’s certainly how you were acting tonight.’ ‘Better madness than magic, I’d think,’ Garrett said.

And last but not least, #3, mikkeneko, my favourite scrublord. she can be ur angle:

"Hawke, what's going on here?" Merrill took in the scene with wide green eyes. "What did you do?" Hawke's expression was insufferably smug. "I found out how to use the Mirror of Transformation to make extra copies of myself," he said. "And... viola!" "That's the instrument," Varric muttered out of the side of his mouth.

... she can be ur deville....

"Promise me," Kurogane insisted. "I promise," he said. "I'll... do what I have to, to stay alive." So that you'll have something to come back to.

... but mostly, she's ur mikke.

Somewhere lost in the clouded annals of myth, in the vague spaces beyond the edges of the map where only dragons lie, in places unknown and untread by mortal feet, (do not pass Go, do not collect $200), in just such a dim and murky place, resides a tavern. This mysterious inn can only be reached by -- "How did you lot all get here, anyway?" Wei Wuxian asked. "Unmapped tributary of the River of Souls," mumbled Harrowhark Nonagesimus, Ninth Saint to the Serve the King Undying, the Reverend Daughter of Drearburh and Heir to the House of the Ninth. "Secret paths of Yggdrasil," murmured Loki Laufeyson, Shape-Changer, Sly-One, Wizard of Lies, Thief of Giants, Foe of the Gods and Forger of Evil. "Experimental portals powered by the Elder Blood," said Yennefer of Vengerberg, court mage of Aedirn, hero of Sodden, refugee of Nilfgaard, mother of Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, Lady of Space and Time. "I mean I came here on a donkey, but your things are cool too," said Wei Wuxian.

And ladies' choice, #1: Describe your comfort zone—a typical you-fic.

happy endings. eventually. 😎

[instablamwriter]

A3! | Hisoka/Sakuya

Rating: G

Summary:

Sakuya goes to his usual spot where he feeds stray cats and finds an unexpected person there.

A/N: gift for yuva!

After almost a year of living at Veludo Way, Sakuya has more or less found the shortcuts and alleyways that help him get to where he needs to go. There's a pathway around the busy market area that helps in circumventing the crowded area right next to the bookstore, the road near the donut shop is the safest to go through as a commuter at night back to the residential area without worrying for cars, and there's a street on his way to school where all the stray cats hang out during the day.

Before officially joining Mankai, Sakuya liked spending his time there the most. He had named a couple of the cats - just names that came to mind without any particular theme – and fed them regularly. He still does so, but not as often as he used to before he started acting.

Moving from one family to another and only staying at each school for a while doesn’t give time to make close connections with anyone. However, he did bond with the stray animals he would find at parks and libraries, his go-to places since he never felt welcomed at his foster homes.

And so it became habit to seek them out and feed them when he could. He decided long ago that besides savings for the future, he would use his meager allowances to buy cat food to share amongst the furry creatures that kept him company.

Sakuya turns the corner and sees his usuals already perched up on something.

Okay, that’s Mikke, Kuro, Spot, and...Hisoka?

Indeed, right at the corner of the street, the sleepyhead of the Winter Troupe was sleeping sitting down by the wall, surrounded by the stray cats that Sakuya was planning to feed.

He crouches down and inspects his company member.

As easy as it would be to wake Hisoka with a few pieces of marshmallows, it feels wrong to interrupt Hisoka’s slumber. He just looked so peaceful, as if he weren’t in the middle of the street in the middle of the day, with cats sitting comfortably on him and around him.

Anywhere else, this would be a picture of cat lover’s dream.

But if Sakuya starts to feed the cats, won’t their movements shake him awake? He doesn’t want that.

Staring, he is reminded that he’s never seen Hisoka’s other eye and it is always covered by his hair. He has an air of mystery around him as the resident amnesiac and Sakuya cannot help but be curious, especially how it’s like it just came out of a story.

The Winter Troupe is hush hush about their members’ personal affairs and out of respect, Sakuya never pries. It’s not that they aren’t open to talking about it either; it’s just that they won’t ever volunteer information unless asked.

And Sakuya will never ask. He’s the same as them in that respect.

It hits him that he doesn’t know much about Hisoka beyond the marshmallow addiction and the unexplained reflexes and acting skills.

He now wonders what he even wants to know.

When he looks back at Hisoka’s face, he yelps as he sees Hisoka’s blue eye open and stare right back at him. He loses balance and falls backwards.

“Oh, it’s Sakuya.” The cats that were previously on Hisoka’s shoulders jump and gather on his lap. He yawns for a few seconds, his head bobbling forwards and backwards. “What are you doing here?”

Sakuya blinks. Oh right! “I wanted to feed the cats! They’ve been a great comfort to me so this is my thank you.”

Oh. Didn’t he just think about how he doesn’t easily give information to others? The surprise must have stirred him up more than he thought. Hisoka hums and starts petting the cats’ fur. They purr in satisfaction, rubbing themselves on his hand.

“Do you want to feed them with me? I have another can,” Sakuya offers, taking out the food he had prepared beforehand.

The smell of the pate wafts through the air and instantly attracts the attention of the cats. One by one they approach Sakuya, eyes shining.

“There, there. There’s enough for everyone!” He lays the can on the floor and the cats waste no time eating.

“Cats can recognize a good boy. That’s why they like you.” Sakuya’s head jerks up, seeing a hint of a smile on Hisoka’s face. He said such an embarrassing thing with a straight face, making Sakuya’s cheeks tint pink.

Mustering his courage, Sakuya returns the smile and says, “Then maybe that’s why they like you too.”

Hisoka cocks his head, and then dusts off cat fur off of him. He goes towards Sakuya and pats his head. “Thanks, Sakuya.”

For a second, Sakuya thinks his heart stops beating.

Later, the plastic bag once filled with cans of food is now filled with empty tins.

Hisoka keeps his hands in his pocket and gestures with his shoulders. He asks with his steady voice,“Let’s go home?”

Running towards Hisoka’s side, Sakuya answers a cheery ‘Yes!’

He doesn’t know much about Hisoka now, but he hopes that will change soon.

[mariacallous]

Stressing laissez-faire economics at the expense of ultra-nationalism, the two young leaders of Confederation have made the far-right alliance popular enough to be the probable ‘kingmaker’ in October’s parliamentary election.

Dressed in a perfectly pressed white shirt that almost glows under the neon lights, 36-year-old Slawomir Mentzen, the most popular of the two young leaders of the far-right Confederation (Konfederacja) alliance, is pacing up and down at the side of the stage rehearsing his upcoming speech.

Taking place on August 18 in an exhibition hall in Kielce, a town of 180,000 in southern Poland, this is the first event in an election campaign (dubbed “concert tour”) that the two leaders of Confederation, Mentzen and 41-year-old Krzysztof Bosak, are planning to keep up until the general election set for October 15.

As multiple speakers take their turn on stage, the audience keeps an eye on the pacing Mentzen – he is without doubt the star of the night. Mentzen has built his popularity largely on social media: in January, his posts on TikTok garnered a staggering 40 million views, compared with just 5 million for the politician in second place, Janusz Korwin-Mikke, an older politician also from Mentzen’s party.

When Mentzen’s turn comes, he doesn’t disappoint. His speech can be better described as stand-up comedy, with self-deprecating images or memes about his political rivals projected on a large screen behind him as he cracks joke after joke. The audience, made up primarily of young and middle-aged men (though there are some women in the hall), is visibly excited, laughing out loud with each snarky remark.

Mentzen, a tax adviser and craft beer producer, advocates for radical cuts in tax and social security contributions, and an associated reduction in the size of the welfare system. At one point during the evening, he pulls out a thick stack of 10,000 pages on which he says is printed the text of all Polish laws setting out taxes on companies, and then tosses them into the air in a grand gesture.

“If you work hard, then you will be free,” Mentzen tells his audience, describing his vision of the future. “Rather than depend on bureaucrats, you will be free and dignified. This is a beautiful idea.”

Support for Confederation entered double digits at the turn of 2023, and by the beginning of summer the alliance, which is made up of three different extremist parties, was polling around 14 per cent. Because of Poland’s particular form of proportional representation (the d’Hondt method) and the overall balance of power between the governing Law and Justice (PiS) and the liberal opposition, Confederation could find itself in the position of ‘kingmaker’ after the election. Both PiS and Civic Platform are reported to be considering adding MPs from Confederation if that is what it would take to form a governing majority.

Given how close the alliance is now to power, some observers say it’s important to emphasise that Confederation is still very much a radical far-right political force, despite the ‘civilised’ face adopted by its young leaders. And one of the areas where Confederation in government could have its biggest impact is Poland’s unwavering support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.

‘Gays’ over taxes

Mentzen and Bosak used their respective speeches in Kielce to talk mostly about economics and system change; they presented Confederation as a third party challenging the political status quo that is dominated by PiS and Civic Platform. Yet, from time to time, they let slip phrases that, like a nod and a wink to the audience, betrayed their ultra-Catholic and ultra-nationalistic values.

“I prefer even gays to taxes,” Menzen said after explaining some tax reform he would introduce that would collaterally benefit unmarried people too.

“I am not racist or xenophobic,” Bosak said in turn, “but it cannot be that after one week of living in Poland one gets the same rights and privileges as Polish people who have lived here for generations.”

Bosak began his political career over 20 years ago in All-Polish Youth, an ultranationalist group, and now leads the National Movement, an alliance of nationalist and ultra-Catholic groups which co-organises the annual Independence Day march on November 11, at which anti-Semitic and racist slogans are the norm.

His wife works for the ultra-Catholic organisation Ordo Iuris, which spearheads attempts to restrict reproductive and LGBT rights in Poland.

Mentzen is newer to politics. He sparked controversy in 2019 during the campaign for the European Parliament when he described the five objectives of his group: “We don’t want Jews, homosexuals, abortions, taxes and the European Union.”

Mentzen defended himself by claiming his words had been taken out of context, as he was merely explaining what would theoretically work to garner support. However, numerous statements made by Confederation members, widely available online, show that these are indeed key topics for Menzen’s political movement.

Rafal Pankowski, head of the Never Again anti-racism group in Poland, told BIRN it would be a mistake to judge Confederation by the tamer type of discourse that Mentzen and Bosak have indulged in lately. Pankowski said the Confederation electoral list is full of “known hardcore extremists”, pointing out the key role in the far-right alliance of two notorious politicians, Grzegorz Braun and Janusz Korwin-Mikke.

Braun heads the Confederation of the Polish Crown, one of the three parties in the far-right Confederation alliance in addition to Mentzen’s New Hope and Bosak’s National Movement. As BIRN has previously reported, Braun is known for opposing the opening of Poland’s border to Ukrainian refugees at the start of the war and expressing support for vigilantes who attacked non-white refugees from Ukraine on the streets of the border town Przemysl in early March 2022. He has also been central to the Polish anti-vax movement.

Korwin-Mikke, who was formally replaced as leader of New Hope by Mentzen but is still active in campaigning for the party, is described by Pankowski as “the politician with the longest record of making outrageous statements about every minority and in praise of Vladimir Putin”.

War weary

Despite a majority of Poles maintaining support for Ukraine and its refugees, anti-Ukrainian feelings could still prove to be a trump card for Confederation in the upcoming election.

Among those attending the Kielce event interviewed by BIRN, most said they were there because they shared the economic or worldview goals of the two leaders. Yet some expressed interest in a separate issue.

“Confederation is the only party in Poland to have a different position on the war in Ukraine,” 21-year-old Tomasz told BIRN. “I count on an open discussion today to be able to ask questions about this. I think we should be watching out for our own interests and stay neutral in relation to the war in Ukraine.”

Some studies and commentators have noted a sense of gradually rising fatigue in Polish society with helping Ukrainian refugees and supporting the war effort. And provocations from Russia and Belarus, such as the two Belarusian military helicopters crossing into Polish air space in August, are aimed at accentuating that trend. Confederation is well positioned to take advantage if that happens.

“Confederation made a decision early on to hold an anti-Ukrainian refugee position, which at the start cost them a lot, as their support was at below 5 per cent,” Pankowski explained. “But it may have been a clever decision to play a long-term game and they are now reaping the benefits.”

“Confederation plays a role in accentuating anti-Ukrainian feeling and is benefiting from that,” he added.

Katarzyna Zimolag, who is running for parliament on the Confederation list, denied that her party was anti-Ukrainian. However, the politician told BIRN that the support Poland has provided to Ukraine should be reassessed, as the economic situation in Poland means Poles are struggling too and their needs need to be put first.

When asked what could be the policy implications of having Confederation in government, Pankowski replied it was hard to say, as Poland is already ruled by a party with very right-wing views, even if there’s always room for more.

“Confederation in government could really have a negative impact on how comfortable Ukrainian refugees feel in this country and could also undermine Poland’s overall support for Ukraine,” he said.

[piduai]

top 5 character designs/outfits?

sesshomaru hands down i still think he's got the bestttt design ever like uncontested... white hair+yellow eyes is a winning combo at any rate but the overall aesthetic is top notch because it's a lot of white with poignant vivid accents, such as the red face markings and eye-liner and sleeve hems, and the yellow +purple on the armor. i just find him so pleasant to look at, the color balance is impeccable. i usually HATE pointy elf ears but his are so appropriate because they emphasize the fantasy feel. i really am really fond of his aesthetics

not design overall but outfits, mai and dai li soldiers from atla, mostly because that's how i would dress if it didn't look weird irl. i looooove the áo dài/quing dynasty-inspired silhouettes, i love the flowy fabrics with dramatic sleeves and large pants that are cinched in strategic places, the form is stylish and beautiful but not impractical, it looks easy to move in, and it's full coverage! i wish it was possible to dress like this

nezuko from kny, i hate the orange ombré and the mouth gag but love the combination of black hair and pink eyes, which is super rare for some reason? it gives her a really pretty and delicate look (eyes complimented by the ribbon), she's pleasant to look at (when not gagged and from the waist up)

cithis from dungeon meshi, dark skin + white hair + yellow eyes is 10/10, very beautiful. complimented by the forehead markings, though i'm not a fan of the nose tattoo

tyki mikk from dgm, WITH LONG HAIR ONLY. i watched dgm Only because i saw a screenshot of him from the new anime and loved his design soooo much. and it has Over 100 Episodes, all of which are bad. but everyone in his evil family or whatever is slay after slay, dgm in general has very good character designs, as much as it's lacking in plot

[beardedmrbean]

As the new year began, responsibility for providing Finland's public healthcare services were transferred from the country's 293 municipalities to 21 self-governing wellbeing services counties, with the capital, Helsinki, forming its own services unit. Additionally, social welfare and rescue services are now the responsibility of these regional authorities.

After decades of political wrangling and planning, the operations of the new wellbeing services counties apparently kicked off smoothly.

There were no reports of problems with IT systems which had been a worry during the transition.

In general, administrators in the South Savo wellbeing services county woke up on the first day of the year with a sense of relief.

"We held a management team meeting in the morning and it seems that everything went as planned without any problems. The patient information systems also work," Kimmo Kuosmanen, director of health services in the South Savo region told Yle on Sunday.

Immediate changes

Some key figures give a sense of the scale of the reform. The South Savo wellbeing services county, just one of the 22 national administrative units, has 8,000 employees, a budget of 800 million euros, 190 offices and 850 data systems.

The biggest challenge facing these wellbeing services counties is money - their combined first-year deficit is projected to be well over one billion euros.

More online services are being rolled out to cut costs. The main goal of the reform is to provide basic healthcare at a lower cost in order to reduce pressure on more expensive specialised medical care.

"The change started right at the beginning of the year. We are introducing digital services, which allow residents to access a nurse or a doctor remotely for minor medical issues without the need to visit the office," Kuosmanen explained.

With around 130,000 inhabitants, South Savo is one of the smallest services counties. But, because of long distances between population centres, and a large increase in seasonal residents during the summer months, there are two central hospitals in the region.

New Year's night was quiet in Mikkeli Central Hospital's maternity ward.

"Everything is working as it should and it seems to be that way for the rest of the hospital," Midwife Anne Pikkarainen told Yle.

As of Sunday afternoon, South Savo's first baby of 2023 was still being eagerly awaited.

"There are a few candidates, but it is impossible to say whether they will be born on the first day of the year. I didn't get a crystal ball as a gift this Christmas either," Pikkarainen said.

Rescue services ready to go

The first day of the year, and first day of the new system reform, was also quiet for the South Savo rescue service. Even with the New Year celebrations, and the fact that the region's secondary roads were full of snow on Sunday, there were few alarms.

"All of our systems were tested the previous week and the transition took place a few days in advance. Everything works," said Fire Marshal Joni Himberg.

On the first day of the new year, the only jobs for South Savo rescue services were responding to a call of one car off the road, and a strange smell in the stairwell of a block of flats.