#monument to firefighters

[rabbitcruiser]

The Coit Tower was dedicated in San Francisco as a monument to firefighters on October 8, 1933.  

[sometimeslondon]

National Firefighters Memorial outside St Paul’s Cathedral

The monument was originally intended as a tribute to firefighters during the Blitz on London in World War Two but was extended in 1998 as a memorial to all firefighters in the UK who have died in the line of duty

[al-the-remix]

BuckTommy Positivity Week Day 1/3 : what they love most about each other/meeting the friends and family

Slowly making my way through the @bucktommypositivityweek prompts! I'm not normally a big fan of shovel talks, but I thought Tommy deserved his own moment where his friends show up for him and have his back (and so does his boyfriend).

The bar was pretty much exactly like Buck expected it to be: plastered with an assorted collection of knick-knacks, military plaques, and wall art that Buck will just call inspired–fighting each other for wallspace all the way up to the low T-bar ceiling. The main source of light came from the ionized glow of the neon beer signs and the stained glass fixtures over the billiards tables that looked like they hadn’t been updated since the 70s. Buck was pretty sure he’d spotted at least three fire code violations just walking through the doors–but that wasn’t what tonight was about. 

A small section tucked between the fleet of pool tables and the dart boards had been reserved for their party, and from his spot at the bar Buck had a clear view of where Tommy was leaning against his pool cue, his posture the most relaxed it’s been since they’d hit Grand Junction as he laughed with the group of men gathered around him. 

Buck couldn’t help but smile. The longer they’d driven, the more tense Tommy had become, and Buck had begun to worry that maybe this hadn’t been such a great idea after all. Now he felt like he could finally breathe; they’d booked it up the 15 and onto the 70 on the way here, and Buck was looking forward to taking their time on the way home, finding the scenic routes and exploring the one road towns and tacky tourist traps they stumbled across. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken a week off work that hadn’t been the result of a near-fatal injury. 

“You know you’re the only person he’s ever brought to one of these,” came a voice to his right, one that Buck had only recently become familiar with. 

With great pain, Buck drew his attention away from Tommy to the person settling in at the bar beside him. Dave. He was the only one of the guys here that had been with Tommy since Fort Irwin. He had a wife and two daughters and a boxer named Jones–all information Buck had learned, not from the man himself, but during their three day drive from L.A. to Colorado Springs–which Tommy had used to give Buck a rundown on pretty much everything he knew about his old battalion mates from their rank down to their dental records.

“I’m happy to be here,” Buck said, meaning it. He hadn’t been expecting an invitation, taken completely off guard when Tommy had asked him so casually, as they got ready to head out for work one morning. He’d presented it like it would just be a good excuse for a fun road trip and not what Buck was starting to piece together in his head was actually a monumental gesture. Either way, he’d agreed immediately.

Dave was watching him like he was trying his best to punch through Buck’s skull and peer directly into his brain. Buck had a feeling Dave hadn’t really made up his mind about Buck–yet–and if there was one thing he was going to change by the end of the night it was that.

“Tom said you’re also a firefighter.”

Buck twisted in his chair so they were facing each other. “Yeah, actually I’m at Tommy’s old station, transferred in not long after he left. Kind of funny how things work out, eh?”

“I’ve heard stories,” Dave said in a tone that implied not all of them were good. 

“It’s not like that anymore,” Buck assured. Gerard’s second reign of the 118 had been over for a while now and Buck had been informed by Hen and Chimney that although it had been unbearable, with more eyes on him, Gerard had not been nearly as bad as the first time around. 

“I’ve heard that too.” The corner of Dave’s mouth ticked up. That was the most charitable he’d been thus far. “Tommy has a lot of good things to say about the new crew there, especially you.”

Buck wasn’t above preening a little at that. He knew all about bragging about his partner to anyone that would listen. He was practically a pro at it at this point. If anything he and Tommy had a little competition going on at this point. 

Dave’s eyes flicked over Buck’s shoulder and back. “Listen, I don’t want to overstep here because Tommy will be fuckin’ pissed at me, and I’ll never hear the end of it–but, you seem like a nice guy, and I just want to make sure you know what a big deal this is. These shindigs used to host a few more bodies before Tommy came out. Just don’t hurt him.”

He could hear Tommy’s laugh, the full-bodied, knee-slapping one he only did when you really got him cracking up or he was about three pints in, or both, floating over the din of the bar. Buck could pick that laugh out of any crowd. He could follow it home.

Dave was watching him with a curious expression, and maybe Buck hadn’t totally won him over yet, but he had a feeling they were at least moving in the right direction.

 “I won’t. And I–I won't let him know you gave me the shovel talk if you rat me out either, because he doesn't know this yet and I want him to hear it from me first, but Tommy's one of the most amazing people I've ever met. He's one of the first people I've been with in a long time that makes me feel like I can be myself, unconditionally, and I just hope I make him feel the same way, because I love him.”

“I think it’s safe to say he does.” The corner of Dave’s mouth twitched up in the amused beginning of a smile. “But you should probably let him know that instead of me, just saying.”

Buck rolled his eyes as Dave clapped him cordially on the shoulder. It looked like he wasn’t off the hot seat yet. 

He held out his glass and was pleased when Dave clinked them together. It was progress. 

///

It was 1 am when they finally made it back to their motel, the latest Buck had been out in a good long while. He’d taken the keys from Tommy before they’d even left for the evening and now he was swooping around the cab of the truck to catch his boyfriend as he nearly tumbled out of the passenger side door. 

“Easy there,” Buck said as he tried his best to steady Tommy on his own two feet, a task more difficult than it sounded. 

“I think I lost my keys,” Tommy moaned as Buck grabbed his jacket and locked up. 

“No, see I’ve got them right here.” He jangled them in Tommy’s face and watched him grin before slipping them into his own pocket. “Don’t worry I’ll give them back to you later, here let me help you out.”

He slipped his arm around Tommy’s waist, pulling him a little tighter against his side than was probably necessary.

Tommy’s clutched at his shoulder, melting against him. “You’re so nice to me.” 

“What else would I be?” Buck chuckled as he steered Tommy towards their room. He was just glad that Tommy was a placid, happy drunk–if a little handsy. “Come on big guy, let’s get you to bed.”

It was a struggle to get the door unlocked and Tommy through it with two-hundred odd pounds of boyfriend hanging off him, trying to worm his fingers under Buck’s shirt and breathing hot and damp against the juncture of his neck.  

When they finally stumbled inside Tommy starfished onto the bed, the poor old motel mattress groaning in protest beneath his weight. 

At least he looked like he wasn’t about to try and get up any time soon. 

The soft hum of the window AC unit filled the room, a pleasant contrast to the guitar riffs of the hair bands the bar had played all night. Buck filled up two cups of water, leaving one on his bedside table before settling down on the mattress beside Tommy and nudging him until he sat up. 

“Here, drink this,” he said and helped Tommy tilt the glass up to his mouth without spilling it all over himself. 

Tommy was pawing at him as soon as Evan’s hands were free. “Evan, Evan–” he said, reaching out to grip Buck’s face with both hands, pulling him closer. The special smile Buck was beginning to learn was just for him, creasing his face. “You wanna hear a secret?”

“Of course, anything,” Buck said, letting himself be manhandled and feeling real goopy and affectionate about it. 

“I love you,” Tommy said, with a lot of eye contact and the sort of drunken earnesty that made Buck’s heart just about trip out of his chest. Then Tommy frowned, his gaze going unfocused. “I’m going to be really sad if we break up.”

Buck allowed himself a chuckle at the sudden, unwarranted disappointment in Tommy’s expression. “Me too, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.” 

“Really?” Tommy asked, perking up.

“Really. I love you too, and I’m going to remind you of that tomorrow when you forget all of this in the morning.”

“I won’t forget,” Tommy insisted. 

“Okay, whatever you say, boss.”

Buck went to the bathroom to hit the head and brush his teeth and by the time he returned Tommy had managed to wrestle out of his shoes and his pants, still spread out across the covers in his shirt and socks like a massive toddler. Buck shook his head, ditching his own shirt. Tommy reached out, making grabby hands at him as Buck kicked off his jeans and crawled under the sheets beside him. He was instantly wrapped in an only slightly sticky bear hug. 

He pressed a kiss to the cowlick at the top of Tommy’s head. “You’ve got some pretty great friends.”

With more awareness than Buck expected in his current state, Tommy said: “I hope Dave didn’t bother you too much tonight, I could tell he was giving you the third degree for a bit there.” 

“Dave and I are cool,” Buck assured. “I’m glad you have guys from back then who’ve still got your back.”

Tommy went quiet for a bit after that and Buck was just figuring out how he was going to wiggle out from beneath his boyfriend without waking him to turn off the lights when Tommy muttered, “I’m glad you came with me. I was tired of coming to these by myself.”

“Any time you want, I’ve got your back too you know,” Buck whispered, holding Tommy tight in the cradle of his arms. 

“I know,” Tommy said, and Buck fell asleep to the thump of Tommy’s heartbeat pressed against his own. 

[madlori]

Ship dysphoria

Ok so a bit of time has gone by, and the 9-1-1 fandom is settling into a bit of an...existential crisis?

Because 90% of this fandom is built on Buddie. Buddie has always been the strongest driving force. We love our other blorbos, but it's Buddie that usually drives us feral.

Except...Buck/Tommy. OMG. It is WORKING for a lot of fans. (and JFC we cannot settle on a ship name. Tevan? Kinley? I'm gonna stick with Buck/Tommy)

A LOT of fans are having a "I'm a devoted Buddie shipper, why do I like this so much??" moment and it can almost feel like a betrayal, or that you're deserting the ship (the ship that, remember, Oliver told us to stay aboard).

And I think I can probably speak for everybody when I say that the last thing we want or need is a ship war in this fandom, something we haven't ever really had but which has torn other fandoms apart.

So I'm gonna put on my veteran-of-many-fandoms hat for a second and tell you a thing:

It's okay to ship Buck and Tommy. It's ok to do that and still ship Buddie. It's also okay to leave Buddie behind if it's not working for you anymore. It's okay to just tolerate Buck and Tommy and not really care about it, and stay focused on Buddie. You are allowed to ship however it works for you, and you are not limited to one and only one ship. If you decide you don't think Buddie will happen and you're going to cut your losses, that's okay, too. It is not a reflection on your character or something. You don't swear an oath of fealty to a ship.

We don't know how long Tommy will stick around, but Buck will still be bisexual. He may date another man. He may date a woman again. You can ship those things too.

But why is this ship hitting me so hard? I never thought I'd like Buck with another man! I'm so confused!

I get that. There are some reasons why that might be.

There is something very appealing about a ship that's canon. Some of you might never have had a canon queer ship, but the pull is strong. There's no guessing, no interpreting, no subtext-examining. It's there, it's real, you don't have to wonder if you're just overinterpreting things. Yes. Buck and Tommy kissed and are going on a date. Even if that's all it ever is, you'll never be accused of "seeing things that aren't there." Don't discount that.

Tommy, even in just 1.5 episodes, is a LOT more integrated into the firefam than any of Buck's previous girlfriends. Tim talked about not wanting him to be "siloed off" away from the main cast and that was exactly the problem with his prior girlfriends. Tommy is friends with Eddie. He knows Christopher and has hung out with him. He spent most of that loft conversation reassuring Buck that his place in Eddie's life was secure. He feels more like part of the gang than any other ones. That makes it easier to see him in Buck's life.

The mere fact of Buck's queer awakening is so monumental for so many of us that the character who helped him get there is going to naturally earn our affection immediately, and it's going to make you want that relationship to succeed, even if it's ulitmately not endgame for Buck. You want to see Buck have a good experience the first time out with a man. Of course you do.

And we just want to see Buck make out with a hot beefy firefighter. That is so valid of us.

Anyway. There is no need for a crisis. You can love Buddie with your whole heart and still be excited about this pairing, and want to see how it goes, and read fic about it. I may be writing a lil something myself.

You're good, fam.

[alicentsultana]

Calling all besties to debate with me!

Hotd modern!au, what would Criston work with?

I particularly see him in something like military official or a firefighter, lieutenant or capitan, something that involves fighting and security of some sorts.

In the same au, what would Alicent do?

In my head, she probably would divorce and have to redo her life, she's very clever, and I believe that she well versed in history, culture, knows a little bit about language and dialects, so I see her as either a professor or a tourist guide, I totally can see her showing monuments and explaining it, and I also can see her doing a slide presentation and telling students to write an essay for next Tuesday.

I also think about the children, Aegon would totally try to drop out of high-school and give up college, furthermore as a way to help his mother after the divorce. However, Alicent would force him to finish school and tell him to get a half-period job (maybe in mctargaryen), but I think he would try to take care of his siblings so his mother wouldn't worry.

Helaena and Aemond would clean the house and attempt to make some food (pasta, that's a lazy home alone sibling food), and I picture they would fight over who's turn it is to change Daeron's diapper (he only begin to walk recently).

Anyway, tell me you guys opinions and hc, I need some ideas.

[gemsofgreece]

Do people say "happy Oxi Day" in Greece? I'm Greek American and have very little idea how people actually celebrate today

Hello and χρόνια πολλά! This is our go-to wish for every occasion, including the Ohi Day. For non-Greek speakers, it means "(here's to) many years". Before the day arrives we also wish "Καλή επέτειο!" which means ¨Happy Anniversary¨, meaning the Anniversary of Ohi (No).

The day is one of the two (or two and a half to be exact) national days Greece has. It is a national holiday, only restaurants and cafes are open for the people to celebrate. This day museums and archaeological sites are also open and they have a free entry. Everything else is shut down though.

The most notable thing about the No Day is the school and military parades that take place all over Greece. Remote areas with little population may only have school parades. Larger areas have a mixed school and military parade. Athens and Thessaloniki, the two largest cities, have separate parades for convenience. It is customary that on October 28th, the major military parade takes place in Thessaloniki and on March 25th it takes place in Athens. So today it was in Thessaloniki. The major military parade includes heavy artillery and shows from the air forces. Sometimes on these days surviving historical warships from the 40s are moored to the big ports for people to see and visit.

Photos from the military parade in Thessaloniki and an evzone who went viral for tearing up.

And one from the school parade in Athens.

This day most TV channels have a thematic Ohi program, featuring movies, documentaries and talk shows about WW2 and Greece's history in it.

Now the working day before the October 28th (and the March 25th) is also a school holiday, however students still attend the school and have celebrations there which they prepare with their teachers for quite some time. This school celebration includes reciting poems, speeches, theatrical plays and music choirs. The best student (aka the one with the highest grades) of the school is announced and receives the flag, which they will use on the national day because they become the school's σημαιοφόρος (simeofóros) flagbearer in the school parade. The next five best students become the παραστάτες (parastátes), who join the flagbearer in a parade formation a little in front of the rest of the school. Between the flagbearer and the parastates and the rest of the school there is often a διμοιρίτης (dimirítis) marching on their own sort of guiding the rest of the school, who is singled out for their stature and / or their good march, so they give the rhythm to the rest of the kids. The school march is joined by the physical exercise teacher who is responsible for it and walks on the kids' side.

Oh also early in the morning, before the parade starts, the students and the authorities of every region and I assume representatives from the military as well lay wreaths at associated monuments, usually monuments to the Unknown Soldier.

Of course, I forgot to say that aside from being a school and military parade, the parade also features surviving war veterans, folklore and traditional associations from all around Greece, the scouts, the Red Cross staff, the students of the military schools, the police, the firefighters and more.

Happy rest of the October 28th!

[m3r1m4r5u333]

Look. I'm fucking done here.

I'm fucking furious. I've had ENOUGH of people shit talking Kristen Reidel for being "antibuddie".

Newsflash you imbecils, it's OBVIOUSLY blatantly untrue!! She's been here for us, from the very start, to lay out the foundation for queer Buck and Eddie. She's written, directed and been the executive producer for some of the most monumental buddie moments!!

Maybe take a moment to understand that these shows are huge and one person does not have all the say for how things work out. These people do not work in isolation, doing whatever they like!

Let's remember that the show used be on Fox, which is arguably one of the most conservative networks there are!!!

The show already had several main queer characters and romances when Eddie's character entered the show in season 2. We also know that the main target audience is fairly tradional, and the show is freaking expensive to make without a huge profit in return. We KNOW it has repeatedly struggled to get renewed due to that.

Let's remember that creating a show like this is not an existence of stress-free creative indulgence - you are actually responsible for HUNDREDS of jobs! The show's survival! People's income! The crew isn't just a couple of known actors, it's also everyone else making the show, and these productions are HUGE. It's so many families income at stake.

So WAKE UP and realise what they've been against, creating this show.

I'm like obnoxiously queer but even I would get nervous at the idea of similtaneously airing several queer ships on a show about emergency responders, on freaking Fox!

Seriously, just stop to think. What if they had gone for blatant buddie early on?

The show would have had to juggle... let's do some math...

Hen, Karen, and Eva being queer and raising a rainbow family,

Michael's coming out storyline, then his and David's romance, Josh being very much gay and dating men... Add to that Buck and Eddie, and that's MANY prominent queer characters, story arcs and romances trying to compete for air time... ON FOX, in a show about firefighters!

The risk of the the largely conservative, homophobic audience on a conservative channel going "it's too much" and abandoning the show was REAL, don't you pretend otherwise.

Sure, there are other less easily intimidated audiences, but how would they know if the leap into the unknown would pay off?

I think in those circumstances they made a very sensible decision to focus on the other queer characters anf storylines first.

Again, it's hundreds of people's incomes at stake!!! There must have been people, funders, bosses voting against adding more blatantly queer storylines to the current situation because it was just not the right time.

So Kristel Reid was CAUTIOUS when she gave interviews. Remember, the future of the show has been uncertain from the start with how expensive it is to make!!

She did not want to give false hope to the viewers hoping for buddie come true. She did not want to be accused of queerbaiting. She very sensibly made sure to appear neutral about buddie, and give the UNTRUE impression that her head canon is that meh, they're just straight friends to her.

Quite frankly folks... NEVER PLAY POKER WITH THIS WOMAN, I think she'd eat you in a minute!!

She LIED. Fucking absorb that information. Breathe it in! You can do it! She's been obviously rooting for Buddie to happen for AGES.

Why do I say this?

Well here's my fucking powerpoiny about it!!! Read this and take a minute to consider her innocent "oh they're the very bestest of friends"-front against her actual work on the show!!

She WROTE 5x18, you know, with Ravi's line to Hen:

"I think it's sweet that Karen was defending you. I mean, isn't that what we all want in a partner, knowing they have your back?"

She's no spring chicken, she wrote this fully knowing the memory we buddie shippers possess!!!

She WROTE the scene in which Eddie comforts Buck at the hospital after Maddie's kidnapping.

She WROTE 3x01, that's the scene in which Eddie bursts into Buck's apartment when Buck's feeling down and has Chris hang out with "his Buck".

She co-wrote Eddie's disgusted reaction to meeting Abby, she co-wrote Buck hearing that Chris is going on a two-week school trip and freaking out like a mother hen,

She WROTE freaking 4x14 - You know, the episode SURVIVORS, in which Eddie is shot by a sniper!! In the queerest way possible!!

She WROTE Desperate measures, you know - the episode in which Eddie breaks up with Ana, freaking oozing repressed queer subtext all over the place!!

Have you even watched the talk Buck and Eddie have before the breakup?!!! It's INSANE.

---

Buck: Ah. I thought you'd be the first one out the door. Christopher know you're coming?

Eddie: Not yet. I haven't figured out what I'm going to say when I get home. To Ana.

---

Try telling me that "door" isn't the door of a closet, I challenge you!!

She freaking co-wrote 5x17!!! The META of Taylor, in 5x17 "promising" she won't "run the story", and then breaking that promise.

That same episode has Eddie visiting his home btw, and paints a very illuminative picture of the environment Eddie grew up in - it practically spells toxic masculinity, compulsory heterosexuality, catholic guilt. Really, that episode basically screams "This is why Eddie is such a repressed onion."

THAT episode also has THAT insane closet door scene, Eddie opening a closet door as Buck says:

Buck: You know, your parents will understand!

Eddie turns to stare at him.

Buck: ...They should understand. *Plays with a toy dinosaur as he's talking, and pretends it bites his finger.*

... And again, after that episode she wrote 5x18, the one with "Isn't that what we all want in a partner, knowing they have your back?"

An obvious parallel to Buck and Eddie meeting and promising to have each other's backs!!!

....

Seriously, Kristel Reidel has had our back from the very beginning and I'm fed up with people talking shit about her!! I think it's no coincidence that one of the emergencies she wrote was "someone stuck in a freezer", that's fucking meta. I bet she's wanted to fucking hit the pedal but she's been forced to bide her time, and it's been fucking agony at times.

And don't even get me started on Tim fucking Minear, who people have ALSO shit talked because "hE jUst liKes tO QuEerBait".

BE FUCKING GRATEFUL FOR KRISTEN REIDEL, YOU utter... *censored*.

BE GRATEFUL FOR TIM MINEAR. They are our freaking GOATS and they deserve our love!!!

Edit. After reading up some more about the power structures of media networks like these... I would really not be surprised if it turned out that the people running this show (such as Reidel and Minear, the people listed next to the episodes) have had even less say on what sort of stories they get to do than I've thought.

After all, these people we fans focus on and know by name... They're really not nearly as influential as we think. There are still plenty of big chiefs higher up in the food chain. I've heard some vague rumours before that the network has meddled with the show's creative decisions a lot in these past years, and would not be surprised if it was true.

[bracketsoffear]

Vast Leitner Reading List

The full list of submissions for the Vast Leitner bracket. Bold titles are ones which were accepted to appear in the bracket. Synopses and propaganda can be found below the cut. Be warned, however, that these may contain spoilers!

Abedi, Isabel: Forbidden World Adams, Douglas: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Asimov, Isaac: Nightfall

Borges, Jorge Luis: El Aleph Bradbury, Ray: Kaleidoscope Bradbury, Ray: No Particular Night or Morning

Caine, Rachel: Weather Wardens Clarke, Arthur C.: Maelstrom II Clarke, Susanna: Piranesi Coates, Darcy: From Below Coleridge, Samuel Taylor: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Curtis, Wardon Allan: The Monster of Lake LaMetrie

Foster, Alan Dean: He

Gardner, Martin: Thang Godwin, Tom: The Nothing Equation Gonzalez, J.F.: Clickers Gorky, Maxim: The Song of the Stormy Petrel Grant, Mira: Into the Drowning Deep

Hawking, Lucy and Stephen: George's Secret Key to the Universe Hardinge, Frances: Deeplight

Inglis, James: Night Watch

King, Stephen: The Jaunt

Lewis, C.S.: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Liu, Cixin: The Dark Forest (Three Body Problem Book 2) Lovecraft, H.P.: Dagon

Macfarlane, Robert: Underland Marquitz, Tim and Nickolas Sharps, ed.: Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters Melville, Herman: Moby Dick Mortimore, Jim: Beltempest

North, Claire: The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

Oesterheld, Héctor Germán: El Eternauta

Poe, Edgar Allen: A Descent into the Maelström Pratchett, Terry and Steven Baxter: The Long Earth series Purser-Hallard, Philip: Of the City of the Saved...

Reed, Robert: An Exaltation of Larks Reisman, Michael: Simon Bloom: The Gravity Keeper

Sanderson, Brandon: Firefight Seuss, Dr.: Horton Hears a Who! Simmons, Dan: The Terror Swift, Jonathan: Gulliver's Travels

Tennyson, Alfred: The Kraken Tolstoy, Leo: War & Peace

Verne, Jules: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Abedi, Isabel: Forbidden World

"Reginald has gained a dangerous power. He can shrink anything he likes. And he wants nothing less than the world's most famous buildings. The originals in miniaturized form, of course. Gradually he builds up a huge landscape in his cellar. But Reginald has overlooked something, or more precisely someone. Otis was locked in the Statue of Liberty and Olivia had fled from the police into the famous Berlin department store KaDeWe, when suddenly at night the buildings shrank. Now the children are the size of a fingernail... While they fight for their lives, chaos breaks out in the world outside: where have the monuments gone? And who has stolen them?" Vast stuff: Otis' fear of heights is a huge plot point and he was born on a plane. While Olivia wants to become a pilot. Many scenes of being in high places and terrified, and focus on being very small in a big world.

Spoilers: This book contains two Djinns one that can change the sizes of things one that can make them small and one that can make them big. But they are running out of magic fuel so staying small is the big fear of the characters.

Adams, Douglas: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The series swings wildly between cosmic dread and comedy, from the insignificance of the Earth's destruction to the chaotic results of the Infinite Improbability Drive to the very notion of the Total Perspective Vortex, the story hammers home again and again the infinitesimal nature of our existence in the vastness of the universe.

***

"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy": Seconds before the Earth is demolished for a galactic freeway, Arthur Dent is saved by Ford Prefect, a researcher for the revised Guide. Together they stick out their thumbs to the stars and begin a wild journey through time and space.

"The Restaurant at the End of the Universe": Facing annihilation at the hands of warmongers is a curious time to crave tea. It could only happen to the cosmically displaced Arthur Dent and his comrades as they hurtle across the galaxy in a desperate search for a place to eat.

"Life, the Universe and Everything": The unhappy inhabitants of planet Krikkit are sick of looking at the night sky- so they plan to destroy it. The universe, that is. Now only five individuals can avert Armageddon: mild-mannered Arthur Dent and his stalwart crew.

"So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish": Back on Earth, Arthur Dent is ready to believe that the past eight years were all just a figment of his stressed-out imagination. But a gift-wrapped fishbowl with a cryptic inscription conspires to thrust him back to reality. So to speak.

"Mostly Harmless": Just when Arthur Dent makes the terrible mistake of starting to enjoy life, all hell breaks loose. Can he save the Earth from total obliteration? Can he save the Guide from a hostile alien takeover? Can he save his daughter from herself?

The incomprehensible vastness of the universe is a theme repeated throughout the 'Trilogy". Notable examples include the guide initially describes Earth as 'harmless", after being stranded there for several years, Ford revises this to "mostly harmless". The Total Perspective Vortex, a machine that extrapolates a model of the entire universe, along with a microscopic dot labeled "you are here" this sense of perspective destroys the victim’s mind.

Asimov, Isaac: Nightfall

Lagash's six suns means an Endless Daytime, except for once every 2,049 years, when five suns set and the only sun left in the hemisphere is eclipsed by the moon. The scientists are trying to prepare civilization and themselves for the upcoming nightfall, but when it does occur, no-one is prepared for the thirty thousand stars that suddenly appear in the night sky. This leads to the far more devastating revelation how tiny and insignificant they are by comparison.

"Aton, somewhere, was crying, whimpering horribly like a terribly frightened child. 'Stars — all the Stars — we didn't know at all. We didn't know anything. We thought six stars in a universe is something the Stars didn't notice is Darkness forever and ever and ever and the walls are breaking in and we didn't know we couldn't know and anything —'"

Borges, Jorge Luis: El Aleph

In Borges' story, the Aleph is a point in space that contains all other points. Anyone who gazes into it can see everything in the universe from every angle simultaneously, without distortion, overlapping, or confusion.

Bradbury, Ray: Kaleidoscope

First published in the October 1949 edition of Thrilling Wonder Stories this describes a scene where a spaceship is hit by a meteor and torn apart – ejecting the crew into space. Each astronaut flies off on his own trajectory, hurtling to his doom. For a time they can all communicate through their helmet comms, but slowly, as the separation becomes millions of miles apart, they wind up as solitary figures, alone with his thoughts.

Bradbury, Ray: No Particular Night or Morning

This story takes place during a long interstellar journey. The destination and purpose of the journey are unclear. There are many men (it seems only men) on a large ship. Among them are friends Hitchcock and Clemens. Hitchcock begins to struggle with the idea that there is anything that exists outside of him, that none of it can be proven to exist. Clemens tries to argue with him until Hitchcock is finally treated by the ship’s psychiatrist with the captain’s knowledge, but to no avail. He finally dons a space-suit and leaves the ship. Over the radio he can be heard muttering about how even his own body does not exist.

At one point, Hitchcock is asked why he wanted to go on this journey in the first place. Was he interested in the stars? In seeing other places? In travel? He responds that “It wasn’t going places. It was being between”

Caine, Rachel: Weather Wardens

A speculative fiction series about the secretive bureaucracy that controls the weather. Consequences of this include severely pissing off Mother Earth, sentient storm fronts, and falling from great heights. Often.

Clarke, Arthur C.: Maelstrom II

This short story revolves around an astronaut named Cliff Leyland drifting in a low orbit around the moon after an accident with his capsule's launch. Much of his time is spent waiting to see if he can be rescued and reunited with his family, or is doomed to crash and die.

Clarke, Susanna: Piranesi

Piranesi lives in a place called the House, a world composed of infinite halls and vestibules lined with statues, no two of which are alike. The upper level of the House is filled with clouds, and the lower level with an ocean, which occasionally surges into the middle level following tidal patterns that Piranesi meticulously tracks. He believes he has always lived in the House, and that there are only fifteen people in the world, all but two of whom are long-dead skeletons. The status that decorate the halls and walls of the House are all gigantic and the halls themself are immense and bigger than what any human would be able to build on their own.

Coates, Darcy: From Below

"No light. No air. No escape. Hundreds of feet beneath the ocean's surface, a graveyard waits... Years ago, the SS Arcadia vanished without a trace during a routine voyage. Though a strange, garbled emergency message was broadcast, neither the ship nor any of its crew could be found. Sixty years later, its wreck has finally been discovered more than three hundred miles from its intended course...a silent graveyard deep beneath the ocean's surface, eagerly waiting for the first sign of life. Cove and her dive team have been granted permission to explore the Arcadia's rusting hull. Their purpose is straightforward: examine the wreck, film everything, and, if possible, uncover how and why the supposedly unsinkable ship vanished. But the Arcadia has not yet had its fill of death, and something dark and hungry watches from below. With limited oxygen and the ship slowly closing in around them, Cove and her team will have to fight their way free of the unspeakable horror now desperate to claim them. Because once they're trapped beneath the ocean's waves, there's no going back."

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

This epic poem of a sea voyage beautifully encapsulates the horrors of the ocean, from the terrific force of horrific storms and whirlpools to the unsettling infinity of life, both beautiful and strange, that inhabits the depths below. Most of all, however, it shows the horror of being stranded at sea as the ship is becalmed in the doldrums.

"Day after day, day after day, We stuck, nor breath nor motion; As idle as a painted ship Upon a painted ocean. Water, water, every where, And all the boards did shrink; Water, water, every where, Nor any drop to drink. The very deep did rot: Oh Christ! That ever this should be! Yea, slimy things did crawl with legs Upon the slimy sea."

The crew perish one by one, apart from the narrator. He, by killing the albatross, invoked the wrath of the sea. He alone must live on while the others are permitted to escape in death.

Curtis, Wardon Allan: The Monster of Lake LaMetrie

The story of Dr. James McLennegan and his sickly companion Edward Framingham who travel to a lake high up in the Wyoming mountains. When they reach the lake, McLennegan discovers it is home to an Elasmosaurus which attacks him, but he manages to kill it and removes the brain. Shortly afterwards Framingham seemingly commits suicide and McLennegan decides to place Framingham’s brain into the body of the Elasmosaur, as one does. While this works for a bit, the remainder of the story explores the horror of scale as Framingham's inability to adjust to his new size results in him snapping and devouring his now-insignificant former friend.

Foster, Alan Dean: He

A short story detailing an oceanographer's encounter with the last megalodon, a colossal shark that has lived for millions of years. He is feared by all other creatures and the sight of him installs a primal terror in humans.

Gardner, Martin: Thang

https://vintage.failed-dam.org/thang.htm The titular creature is large enough to grasp Earth between two fingers. It clears off all water and ice before chewing the planet, core and all, before it, in turn, is also eaten by a planet-eater eater.

Godwin, Tom: The Nothing Equation

A short story about how being stationed alone in an empty section of space drives a man mad. Like stories about lighthouses, but bigger. Short enough to link a complete ebook.

Gonzalez, J.F.: Clickers

"Phillipsport, Maine is a quaint and peaceful seaside village. But when hundreds of creatures pour out of the ocean and attack, its residents must take up arms to drive the beasts back. They are the Clickers, giant venomous blood-thirsty crabs from the depths of the sea. The only warning to their rampage of dismemberment and death is the terrible clicking of their claws. But these monsters aren't merely here to ravage and pillage. They are being driven onto land by fear. Something is hunting the Clickers. Something ancient and without mercy."

Basically, kaiju crabs invade the land -- because they're fleeing from something even bigger.

Gorky, Maxim: The Song of the Stormy Petrel

"A short poem, text can be found here. It describes the storm, vast and careless masses of water, roaring and ruthless skies, and a mighty storm petrel fearlessly taking on both elements. it even dares the tempest to get more intense, as all other oceanic forms of life (seagulls, grebes, a penguin) hide in horror before the face of the storm. stormy petrel in russian (буревестник), if translated literally, means 'the announcer of the storm'. there is a short old cartoon which depicts how this poem would function as a leitner, although the cartoon is very comedic and lighthearted. unfortunately, i wasn't able to find a version with english subtitles, but i think it would be clear just from the visuals"

Grant, Mira: Into the Drowning Deep

Seven years ago, the Atargatis set off on a voyage to the Mariana Trench to film a “mockumentary” bringing to life ancient sea creatures of legend. It was lost at sea with all hands. Some have called it a hoax; others have called it a maritime tragedy. Now, a new crew has been assembled. But this time they’re not out to entertain. Some seek to validate their life’s work. Some seek the greatest hunt of all. Some seek the truth. But for the ambitious young scientist Victoria Stewart this is a voyage to uncover the fate of the sister she lost. Whatever the truth may be, it will only be found below the waves. But the secrets of the deep come with a price.

Hawking, Lucy and Stephen: George's Secret Key to the Universe

The space aspects of it, as well as the fact that a character gets trapped in a black hole at one point, gives off Vast vibes to me. Synopsis for more info: The main characters in the book are George Greenby, Susan Bellis, Eric Bellis, Annie Bellis, Dr. Reeper, and Cosmos, the world's most powerful computer. Cosmos can draw windows allowing people to look into outer space, as well as doors that act as portals allowing travel into outer space. It starts by describing atoms, stars, planets, and their moons. It then goes on to describe black holes, which remains the topic of focus in the last part of the book. At frequent intervals throughout the book, there are pictures and "fact files" of the different references to universal objects, including a picture of Mars with its moons.

Hardinge, Frances: Deeplight

"In the old days, the islands of the Myriad lived in fear of the gods, great sea monsters that rose up from the Undersea to devour ships and depopulate entire islands. Now, the gods are no more. They tore each other apart in an event known as the Cataclysm. Fragments of their bodies (known as godware) are dredged up and sold. Hark and his best friend Jelt are petty criminals. When they embark on a dangerous scavenging expedition, they stumble across a strange, pulsing piece of godware and things begin to go very, very wrong."

Gods, the ocean depths, and poverty all play into the themes of insignificance in this novel.

Inglis, James: Night Watch

Concerns an interstellar probe which is still functional when our Galaxy is dying. The story ends with the community of probes launched by various races and drawn together by the fact that very few stars are still shining, setting out on the long voyage to a distant and still-young galaxy as the last star of our galaxy burns out behind them.

King, Stephen: The Jaunt

“As a family prepares to be "Jaunted" to Mars in the 24th century, the father entertains his two children by recounting the curious tale of the discovery and history of this crude form of teleportation. He explains how the scientist who serendipitously discovered it quickly learned that it had a disturbing, inexplicable effect on the mice he "sent through"—eventually concluding that they could only survive the "Jaunt effect" while unconscious. That, the father explains, is why all people must undergo general anaesthesia before using the Jaunt.

The father spares his children the gruesome semi-apocryphal account of the first human to be Jaunted awake, a condemned murderer offered a full pardon for agreeing to the experiment. The man "came through" and immediately suffered a massive heart attack, living just long enough to utter a single cryptic phrase: It's eternity in there...

The father also doesn't mention that since that time, roughly thirty people have, voluntarily or otherwise, jaunted while conscious; they either died instantly or emerged insane. One woman was even shoved alive into eternal limbo by her murderous husband, stuck between two jaunt portals. The man was convicted of murder; though his attorneys attempted to argue that he was not guilty on the grounds that his wife was not technically dead, the implications of the same argument served to secure and hasten his execution.

After the father finishes his story, the family is subjected to the sleeping gas and Jaunted to Mars. When the father wakes, he finds that his inquisitive son held his breath in order to experience the Jaunt while conscious…Hair white with shock, corneas yellowed with age, clawing out his own eyes, the boy reveals the terrible nature of the Jaunt: "Longer than you think, Dad! It's longer than you think!"”

Lewis, C.S.: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

"The Dawn Treader is the first ship Narnia has seen in centuries. King Caspian has built it for his voyage to find the seven lords, good men whom his evil uncle Miraz banished when he usurped the throne. The journey takes Edmund, Lucy, and their cousin Eustace to the Eastern Islands, beyond the Silver Sea, toward Aslan's country at the End of the World."

I mean it's a story about trying to get to the end of the world. What's more Vast than that?

Liu, Cixin: The Dark Forest (Three Body Problem Book 2)

I considered other books in the series but this book more than the others deals with the impact of discovering there is other life out in the universe and the distance between worlds as humanity learns an alien fleet is approaching earth at near-light speed. This book is both vast in the scale of the universe but also on a time scale as it covers the 400 years between the fleet’s departure and arrival at earth.

Lovecraft, H.P.: Dagon

Link

The narrator tells of being on a cargo ship that was captured by a German sea-raider in the Pacific. He would eventually escape and drift until he found himself a “black mire”, which was full of rotting fish and more foul stenches. The things that he witnesses in the vast expanse drive him to madness, and eventually he kills himself rather than face the creatures he witnessed there.

Macfarlane, Robert: Underland

A series of essays on "deep time" - that is, viewing the world over timeframes of billions of years, rather than the shorter timeframes we live within & understand. It is essentially the vastness of time. This concept stretches eons into the past and future and is very daunting to read about. The essays all revolve around things underground and often focus on how they're so much larger than us, existing far before us and stretching far beyond.

Also there's a chapter where the author talks about a calving glacier he saw surge upwards hundreds of feet from the sea, unbelievably huge. He recounts how the ice at its base hadn't seen sunlight in eons, and had never even been seen by human eyes, it was so ancient - it then sank underwater again, to once more be hidden. And if that doesn't sound like the origin of a vast avatar idk what does

Marquitz, Tim and Nickolas Sharps, ed.: Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters

From the forward: "Enter Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters. This collection of Kaiju shorts continues the traditions begun by Kaiju pioneers, bringing tales of destruction, hope and morality in the form of giant, city destroying monsters. Even better, the project was funded by Kickstarter, which means you, Dear Reader, made this book possible. And that is a beautiful thing. It means Kaiju, in pop-fiction, are not only alive and well, they’re stomping their way back into the spotlight, where they belong. Featuring amazing artwork, stories from some of the best monster writers around and a publishing team that has impressed me from the beginning, Kaiju Rising: Age of Monsters is a welcome addition to the Kaiju genre and an anthology of epic proportions. My inner nine-year-old is shouting at me to shut-up and let you get to the Kaiju. So, without further delay, let’s all enjoy us some Kaiju Rising."

Notable for the fact the majority of the stories within are downer-ending horror short-stories versus more upbeat monster-fighting ones. Several also tackle concepts of an unstoppable, implacable force, themes of religious horror, and other Vast-aligned concepts.

Melville, Herman: Moby Dick

Okay so Ahab is Hunt, but the thing he's hunting is 1000% Vast. The book is very detailed in its descriptions of the enormity of whales and of the sea. Also, Moby Dick is basically outright stated as being God.

***

We all know what The Whale is about. Ahab has beef with Moby Dick, so he vows to hunt it. This is a particularly intelligent, huge whale that everyone advises to steer clear of, and possibly an allegory of God. The book itself is large, it's 135 chapters and a lot of pages and for some reason mandatory reading in some schools. It's a classic and rightfully so. Trying to read it in one sitting is like trying to hunt the proverbial whale, a foolish endeavor no mortal man should attempt. Infinity is best consumed one day at a time, and so is the book. Otherwise you'll drown in (mostly descriptions of) whales.

***

Man attempts to fight a giant whale that apparently is representative of the unfathomably great and terrible power of nature/fate/God, and thus almost everyone on his crew ends up drowning.

Mortimore, Jim: Beltempest

Synopsis: "The people of Bellania II see their sun, Bel, shrouded in night for a month following an impossible triple eclipse. When Bel is returned to them a younger, brighter, hotter star, it is the beginning of the end for the entire solar system...

100,000 years later, the Doctor and Sam arrive on Bellania IV, where the population is under threat as disaster looms — immense gravitational and dimensional disturbances are surging through this area of space.

While the time travellers attempt to help the survivors and ease the devastation, a religious suicide-cult leader is determined to spread a new religion through Bel's system — and his word may prove even more dangerous than the terrible forces brought into being by the catastrophic changes in the sun... "

Why it's Vast: The main conflict revolves around the massive natural disasters caused by changes to the Bel System's sun. Moons are ripped from their orbits, gravity waves create planetary earthquakes, and the void of space is rocked by solar flares. In response to these unstoppable disasters, a religion springs up in worship of the star -- as Simon Fairchild noted, religion was once a strong vector for the Vast, though it wasn't explored in much depth within the podcast.

North, Claire: The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

"The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August" is about the titular protagonist Harry August. He is born, he lives, he dies... Except he does this a lot more than most regular people. Harry is a kalachakra (or ouroborus, the names are used interchangeably), a member of a select few people who, upon dying, simply return to when they were born with all the memories and knowledge of their past lives. This is all well and good until, while on the deathbed of his eleventh life, Harry is warned by a little Kalachakra girl that the world is ending, and he must stop it from doing so."

Vast realised in endless lives of the characters stretching before them till infinity. Vast realised in the perfect endless memory of the main character and some others. Vast realised in eternity.

Oesterheld, Héctor Germán: El Eternauta

Juan Salvo, the inimitable protagonist, along with his friend Professor Favalli and the tenacious metal-worker Franco, face what appears to be a nuclear accident, but quickly turns out to be something much bigger than they had imagined. Cold War tensions, aliens of all sizes, space―and time travel―this one has it all.

Poe, Edgar Allen: A Descent into the Maelström

Inspired by the Moskstraumen, it is couched as a story within a story, a tale told at the summit of a mountain climb in Lofoten, Norway. The story is told by an old man who reveals that he only appears old—"You suppose me a very old man," he says, "but I am not. It took less than a single day to change these hairs from a jetty black to white, to weaken my limbs, and to unstring my nerves." The narrator, convinced by the power of the whirlpools he sees in the ocean beyond, is then told of the "old" man's fishing trip with his two brothers a few years ago.

Driven by "the most terrible hurricane that ever came out of the heavens", their ship was caught in the vortex. One brother was pulled into the waves; the other was driven mad by the horror of the spectacle, and drowned as the ship was pulled under. At first the narrator only saw hideous terror in the spectacle. In a moment of revelation, he saw that the Maelström is a beautiful and awesome creation. Observing how objects around him were attracted and pulled into it, he deduced that "the larger the bodies, the more rapid their descent" and that spherical-shaped objects were pulled in the fastest. Unlike his brother, he abandoned ship and held on to a cylindrical barrel until he was saved several hours later when the whirlpool temporarily subsided, and he was rescued by some fishermen. The "old" man tells the story to the narrator without any hope that the narrator will believe it.

Pratchett, Terry and Steven Baxter: The Long Earth series

Blueprints for an easily to build device that allows people to "step" into a nigh infinite series of alternate earths get published online. The series deals with the exploration of these alternate earths, and the way their existence and accessibility changes human society over the next 50 or so years. The earths next to our own are similar to ours except that there are no humans, but further earths diverged from our own earlier in geological history; millions of earths away are worlds where the KT extinctions never happens, billions of earths away there are worlds where jellyfish live in the sky. It's emphasized throughout the books that all of these earth's are entire planets with billions of years of history that no one will ever fully understand because there's just too much space.

Purser-Hallard, Philip: Of the City of the Saved...

It's set in a city where every human or descendant of humanity who has ever lived has been reborn all at once, and the book makes sure you understand the scope of that. To pull out a few statistics, the city is the size of a spiral galaxy and has a population of a hundred undecillion - or 1 followed by 38 zeros. There's a watchtower at the city's centre which is the width of a continent and the height of one astronomical unit (the distance of Earth to the sun), and a city council ampithetre the size of a gas giant. When I think of a book emphasising physical vastness, I think Of the City of the Saved, because it doesn't just gloss over the size and call it incomprehensible, it makes sure you begin to grasp the scale of things. And that every character in the book is just one person on that scale.

Reed, Robert: An Exaltation of Larks

The book shows the heat death of the universe, where the stars have long since burned out, and stellar formation ceased, leaving behind a dark, cold, and empty universe. Time travelers from the end of time have steadily been working their way back to the Big Bang to prevent this gradual death from happening by turning the universe into an effectively Perpetual Motion Machine that expands, contracts, and expands again.

Reisman, Michael: Simon Bloom: The Gravity Keeper

A boy inadvertently discovers the book that controls the laws of physics and learns to play with gravity and velocity, which on multiple occasions results in him taking an uncontrolled fall into the sky.

Sanderson, Brandon: Firefight

This is the second book in The Reckoners Trilogy, which is about the eponymous group hunting Epics--people who were granted superpowers by the mysterious red star Calamity, but also turned evil and destroyed society as we know it.

In this one, the Reckoners go to Babylon Restored, a.k.a NYC. The city was flooded by the hydrokinetic Regalia, killing thousands and leaving the survivors to inhabit the rooftops of the sunken buildings. Regalia has immense control over water, able to manipulate it on both a mass scale and in a more precise way to attack with tentacles and create clones of herself. Most terrifyingly, she can see out of the surface of any exposed water--which means almost nowhere in Babilar is safe from her eyes.

The fact that the city is flooded is especially problematic for protagonist David, who can't swim and discovers he has a fear of drowning--especially after he is nearly executed in this way. To make matters worse, the Reckoners' base of operations is an underwater bunker with a window open to the water. This culminates in him facing his fear in attempt to save his love interest by shooting at the window to get out of the bunker. While Regalia saves him for her own ends, she also reveals something even more grand and incomprehensibly terrifying--Calamity itself is sapient and apparently malicious.

Seuss, Dr.: Horton Hears a Who!

Hey kids! Take a minute to think about what would happen if the whole planet existed on a single speck of dust, and how easily everything you know could be eradicated by complete cosmic accident!

Simmons, Dan: The Terror

Being trapped in the Arctic? Not just in the Arctic but in the middle of an ice sheet on the ocean? With the only land being a 3 day trek away? So all you can see before you is open plains of snow and ice and knowing underneath you is also the cold, uncaring, freezing ocean? That's not even taking into account the monster hunting you and your men is easily the size of 3-4 polar bears

Swift, Jonathan: Gulliver's Travels

Plays a lot with perspective -- Gulliver is a giant on one island, and an ant on another. There's also an island that flies and blots out the sun to conquer the lands below it.

Tennyson, Alfred: The Kraken

Link to the poem

Vivid imagery of deep-sea colossi and the enormous weight of the ocean and eternity.

Tolstoy, Leo: War & Peace

real world leitner - inspires dread and fear in the hearts of millions of russian high schoolers with its enormous page count, oppressively large cast of characters and incomprehensible fragments of french inserted directly into the narrative

Verne, Jules: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

Themes of insignificance and descriptions of colossal terrors abound.

[rabbitcruiser]

The Coit Tower was dedicated in San Francisco as a monument to firefighters on October 8, 1933.  

[biboybuckley]

okay but this is SUCH A BIG FUCKING THING. we’ve all speculated and we’ve talked and we’ve joked and we’ve hoped but the fact that they actually DID IT??? that buck is CANONICALLY QUEER??? that this big macho firefighter reformed playboy is going to have a relationship with a MAN????? this is fucking monumental and i don’t know how im ever going to fully process it. i am crying i am shaking i am overwhelmingly happy. i was NEVER convinced this would actually happen and i do not know how to breathe now that it has.

[howlingday]

Jaune: So, Nora... How many laws have you broken?

Nora: That depends. Whose laws? Yours? Nature's?

Jaune: Answer the question.

Nora: Okay, fine! So... Allegedly... There's jaywalking, loitering, littering, looting, double parking, impersonating a police officer, impersonating a headmaster, destruction of private property, destruction of public property, defacing a national monument, arson, reverse arson-

Jaune: Reverse arson?

Nora: Yeah! You know, when you put out a fire you started?

Jaune: Nora, that's not reverse arson, that's just firefighting!

Nora: Yeah, except that trying to put out the fire you started doesn't negate the fire starting charge.

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

Goodwitch: NORA VALKYRIE! LAY DOWN THE HOSE SAFELY AND ALLOW THE PROFESSIONALS TO DO THEIR JOBS!

Nora: NAH, IT'S COOL, PROF. G! I GOT THIS!

[brookston]

Holidays 9.8

Holidays

Actor’s Day

Asturias Day (Spain)

Blondie Day

Blue’s Clues Day

Colorism Awareness Day

The Commemoration of the Two Sieges (Malta)

Community Day (Extramadura, Spain)

Coronation Anniversary of Vytautas the Great (Lithuania)

Day of Aid Workers

Day of Asturias (Spain)

Day of the Battle of Borodino (Russia)

Extramadura Day (Spain)

Father’s Day (Latvia)

Festa Della Rificolona ends (Paper Lantern Festival; Florence, Italy)

Fiestas de Santa Fe begins with the burning of the Zozobra (New Mexico)

Financier’s Day (Russia)

Grandparents’ & Family Caregivers’ Day (Florida)

Hazelnut Day (French Republic)

Iguana Awareness Day

International Day of Journalists

International Literacy Day (UN)

Kosrae Liberation Day (Micronesia)

La Vierge de Meritxell (Feast of Our Lady of Meritxell; Andorra)

Mariä Geburt (Liechtenstein)

Martyrs’ Day (a.k.a. Massoud Day; held on Shahrivar 18) [Can be 9.8 or 9.9]

Matki Boskiej Zielnej (a.k.a. Fest of Greenery; Poland)

Meritxell Day (Andorra)

National Actors Day

National Ampersand Day

National David Day

National Dog Walker Appreciation Day

National Double Merle Awareness Day

National Essential Medicine Shortages Awareness Day

National Iguana Awareness Day

National Lissencephaly Awareness Day

National Neighborhood Day

National Pardon Day

908 Day

Nuakhai (Odisha, India)

Onam ends (India)

Pardon Me Day

Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses Day

Pledge of Allegiance Day

Sirona Asteroid Day

Solidarity Day of World Heritage Cities

Star Trek Day

Tank Crewman’s Day (Russia)

Turkmen Bakhshi Day (Turkmenistan)

Victory Day (Malta)

Volunteer Day (Spain)

World Gravity Day

World Physical Therapy Day

Worldwide Cystic Fibrosis Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Bacon Burger Day

Date Nut Bread Day

International Day of Papaya

International Food Delivery Day

National Merlot Day (South Africa)

Independence & Related Days

Alsann (Declared; 2022) [unrecognized]

Andorra (Nation founded, 1728)

Macedonia (from Yugoslavia, 1991)

Seybold (Declared; 2018) [unrecognized]

2nd Sunday in September

Auditor's Day (Scientology) [2nd Sunday]

Day of Lake Baikal (Russia) [2nd Sunday]

Day of Open Monuments (Germany) [2nd Sunday]

Day of the Homeland (Germany) [2nd Sunday]

Education Day (UK) [2nd Sunday]

Family Day (Kazakhstan) [2nd Sunday]

Fjord Day (Denmark) [2nd Sunday]

Grandparent's Day (Canada) [Sunday after 1st Monday]

Great Procession of Tournai (Belgium) [2nd Sunday]

Hug Your Hound Day [2nd Sunday]

Joust of the Quintana: La Rivincita (The Rematch; Italy) [2nd or 3rd Sunday, Pt. 1 in July]

National Bilby Day (Australia) [2nd Sunday]

National Dementia Carers Day (UK) [2nd Sunday]

National Education Sunday (UK) [2nd Sunday]

National Firefighters’ Memorial Day (Canada) [2nd Sunday]

National Pet Memorial Day [2nd Sunday]

PBC (Primary Biliary Cholangitis) Awareness Day [2nd Sunday]

Racial Justice Sunday [2nd Sunday]

Remembrance Day for Victims of Fascism [2nd Sunday]

Road Workers Day (Tajikistan) [2nd Sunday]

Sandwich Sunday [2nd Sunday of Each Month]

Sleepy Sunday [2nd Sunday of Each Month]

Seven For Sunday [Every Sunday]

Sundae Sunday [Every Sunday]

Sunday Funday [Every Sunday]

Survey Sunday [2nd Sunday of Each Month]

Sustainable House Day (Australia) [2nd Sunday]

Turkmen Bakshy Day [2nd Sunday]

Vanavanemate Päev (Estonia) [2nd Sunday]

Workers of Natural Gas and Petroleum Industry Day (Ukraine) [2nd Sunday]

Weekly Holidays beginning September 8 (2nd Full Week of September)

Folic Acid Awareness Week (thru 9.14)

Healthcare Environmental Services Week (thru 9.14) [2nd Full Week]

International Housekeepers Week (thru 9.14) [2nd Full Week]

National Arts in Education Weeks (thru 9.14) [From 2nd Sunday]

National Assisted Living Week (thru 9.14) [2nd Full Week]

National Beauty and Barber Week (thru 9.14) [2nd Full Week]

National Biscuit and Gravy Week (thru 9.14) [2nd Full Week]

National Compassionate Leadership Week (thru 9.14) [2nd Full Week]

National Environmental Services Week (thru 9.14) [2nd Full Week]

National Nephrology Nurses Week (thru 9.14) [2nd Full Week]

National Suicide Prevention Week (thru 9.14) [2nd Full Week]

Festivals Beginning September 8, 2024

Austin Chronicle Hot Sauce Festival (Austin, Texas)

Bean Soup Festival & Fair (McClure, Pennsylvania) [thru 9.14]

Bloemencorso Lichtenvoorde (Lichtenvoorde, Netherlands)

Bloemencorso Loenhout (Loenhout, Belgium)

Cambridge Carnival (Cambridge, Massachusetts)

Fiddles Vittles and Vino (Colorado Springs, Colorado)

Heritage Fire (Willamette Valley, Oregon)

International Alexandrinsky Theatre Festival (Saint Petersburg, Russia) [thru 10.30]

Manifesta [European Nomadic Biennial] (Barcelona, Spain) [thru 11.24]

Feast Days

Adrian and Natalia of Nicomedia (Roman Catholic Church)

Adrian of Nicomedia (Christian; Saint Feast Day) [brewers, middle England's brewers guild] *

Ann Beattie (Writerism)

Archie Goodwin (Artology)

Carnot (Positivist; Saint)

Corbinian (Christian; Saint)

Disibod (a.k.a. Disen or Disbode; Christian; Saint)

Eusebius, Nestablus, Zeno, and Nestor (Christian; Martyrs)

Feast of Honor for Lada and Leda (Bread & Harvest Festival; Slavic Pagan/Asatru)

Feast of ‘Izzat (Might; Baha’i)

Feast of Papa-Lea (God of Kava Drinking)

Frédéric Mistral (Writerism)

Il-Vittorja (a.k.a. Feast of Our Lady of Victories; Malta)

Jill St. John Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Mead Day (Pagan)

Michael Frayn (Writerism)

Mimi Parent (Artology)

Monti Fest (Mangalorean Catholic; Parts of India)

Morty Moot Mope (Muppetism)

Nativity of Mary (Roman Catholic Church, Anglo-Catholicism)

Our Lady of Charity (Christian; Saint)

Our Lady of Covadonga (Christian; Saint)

Our Lady of Good Health of Vailankanni (Christian; Saint)

Our Lady of Meritxell (Andorra; Christian; Saint)

Ozias Humphry (Artology)

Paradoxically Non-Paradoxical Day (Pastafarian)

Sergius I, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Theosophy Day

Vicious Sex Day (Pastafarian)

Virgin Mary Day

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Fortunate Day (Pagan) [36 of 53]

Prime Number Day: 251 [54 of 72]

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

Ally McBeal (TV Series; 1997)

Betty Crocker's Cookbook, by the Betty Crocker Editors (Cookbook; 1950)

Blue’s Clues (Children’s TV Series; 1996)

Bone Machine, by Tom Waits (Album; 1992)

Boys Town (Film; 1938)

The Breadwinner (Animated Film; 2017)

Brigadoon (Film; 1954)

Carnival Courage (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1945)

Cat's Cradle, by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (Novel; 1963)

Catty-Cornered (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1966)

Cold Comfort Farm, by Stella Gibbons (Novel; 1932)

Cosmicomics, by Italo Calvino (Short Stories; 1965)

The Cyberiad, by Stanisław Lem (Short Stories; 1965)

The Eagle Has Landed, by Jack Higgins (Novel; 1975)

Everglade Raid (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1958)

Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely, by Frank Sinatra (Album; 1958)

God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (Novel; 1965)

Havana, by Camila Cabello (Song; 2017)

Hitchhiker, by Neil Young (Album; 2017)

Hold Your Fire, by Rush (Album; 1987)

iCarly (TV Series; 2007)

I Just Can’t Get You Out of My Head, by Kylie Minogue (Song; 2001)

It (Film; 2017)

Jeannie (Animated TV Series; 1973)

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke (Novel; 2004)

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles, by Julie Andrews Edwards (Children’s Book; 1974)

Lost in Space (Hanna-Barbera Animated TV Film; 1973)

Lovelorn Leghorn (WB LT Cartoon; 1951)

Make Me, 20th Jack Reacher book, by Lee Child (Novel; 2015)

Mouse-Warming (WB LT Cartoon; 1952)

Never for Ever, by Kate Bush (Album; 1980)

Nurse Betty (Film; 2000)

The Oprah Winfrey Show (Daytime TV Series; 1986)

Psycho (Film; 1960)

The Pure and the Impure, by Colette (Novel; 1932)

Purr-Chance to Dream (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1967)

Scalp Treatment (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1952)

Second Foundation, by Isaac Asimov (Novel; 1953) [Foundation #3]

The Sirens of Titan, by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. (Novel; 1959)

Slicked-Up Pup (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1951)

Song of Victory (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1942)

Star Trek (TV Series; 1966)

Suffer, by Bad Religion (Album; 1988)

Today’s Name Days

Adrian, Mariä Geburt (Austria)

Hadrijan, Maja, Marija, Sergije (Croatia)

Mariana (Czech Republic)

Maria (Denmark)

Mariann, Marianna, Marianne (Estonia)

Taimi (Finland)

Adrien, Béline (France)

Adrian, Mariä Geburt, Otmar (Germany)

Despoina, Genethlios, Skiadeni, Tsampika (Greece)

Adrienn, Mária (Hungary)

Immacolata, Maria (Italy)

Amirs, Ilga, Ilgonis, Nelda (Latvia)

Daumantė, Klementina, Liaugaudas, Vytautas (Lithuania)

Allan, Alma, Amalie (Norway)

Adrian, Adrianna, Klementyna, Maria, Nestor, Radosław, Radosława (Poland)

Natalia (Russia)

Miriama (Slovakia)

Cinta, Covadonga, Fuensanta, Meritxell, Natividad, Nazaret, Nuria, Sagrario, Sergio (Spain)

Alma, Hulda (Sweden)

Maria, Mary (Ukraine)

Adria, Adrian, Adriana, Adrianna, Adrien, Adrienne, Hadria, Hadrian, Hadrien, Joachim, Joakima, Joaquin, Joaquina (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 252 of 2024; 114 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 7 of Week 36 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Muin (Vine) [Day 8 of 28]

Chinese: Month 8 (Guy-You), Day 6 (Yi-Hai)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 5 Elul 5784

Islamic: 4 Rabi I 1446

J Cal: 12 Gold; Fryday [11 of 30]

Julian: 26 August 2024

Moon: 25%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 28 Gutenberg (9th Month) [Mont]

Runic Half Month: Ken (Illumination) [Day 2 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 81 of 94)

Week: 2nd Full Week of September

Zodiac: Virgo (Day 18 of 32)

[almadesarrollo]

ANALYSIS OF MIRACULOUS LADYBUG.ORIGINS PART 1 LADYBUG AND CAT NOIR (PART 6, T6 and LOCATIONS, Notre Dame Cathedral and Sorbonne University)

ANALYSIS OF MIRACULOUS LADYBUG. ORIGINS PART 1 LADYBUG AND CHATNOIR (PART 5)

4 THE NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL: the NOTRE DAME cathedral is one of those monuments that has appeared in the background, but it has not played as active a role as the Eiffel Tower or the Place des Vosges, we see it only in the movie, and that's because this location is entirely felinette, and the creators reserve it for the big reunion between these two. That's why it only comes out in the background, the bond between Felix and Marinette will be planted in season 6 onwards (remember that Felix was barely introduced and fully known in season 5 and even then it came out in just a few chapters).

Ok to start, the cathedral is active in the film at the time of the ladynoir encounter, but also, where they have their first battle together and experience what it is like to work as a team for the first time.

It's also where Chatnoir proclaims his love for Ladybug.

The film is born from the pv, Who is chatnoir in the pv? Felix, so this ladynoir encounter is with Felix being chat, the cathedral appears again here in the form of a seal along with wayzz, who represents the care of Marinette by Felix as chatnoir, so this confirms what I said in the opening.

Now, we say in that fragment that it is a second encounter, because the first is with Adrien, so will Félix be a second stroke of luck? As I continue above, because the color of the seal confirms it, navy blue, the kwami ​​sass, who represents the 2nd opportunity, a 2nd opportunity in the heroic field, a 2nd opportunity to have a strong, loyal and, above all, protective companion.

And to top it off, this seal appears below the one from the Trocadero (which represents Chatnoir being Felix replacing Adrie) so it is very clear.

-NOTRE DAME CATHEDRAL: LADYNOIR/FELINETTE LOCATION, 2nd CHANCE FOR MARINETTE AT HEROISM AND LOVE (FELIX AS CHATNOIR)

5 SORBONNE UNIVERSITY: (Place de la Sorbonne) in this case it is not a monument but rather a university called Sorbonne.

This university appears in the background in some episodes (such as Siren season 2 or Passion season 5).

but it does not play an active role, that is why I think it is a case similar to the Notre Dame cathedral, we will see it more active in season 6 onwards, since it is when our protagonists pursue higher education, we will then try to see what This seal tries to tell us what clue it leaves us for the following season (6 and 7).

researching this university, certain modalities are currently being studied.

Based on this we have 2 possible options, of those who can study there.

marinette / kagami

This is where confusion arises, none of these are related to art, exactly what Kagami and Marinette are dedicated to, and I emphasize this, since I thought that this would be the 1st option since the seal is red.

This color is representative of both, but seeing that this type of modality is not currently studied, there is little probability that this is the case, but there is always the possibility that they change, after all this is a fictitious series and it is invent said data. (like the case of Marinette's bakery, which is inspired but there are things changed)

Adrien / Félix.

ust as confusing, because to begin with we have no idea what Adrien wants, with Félix we can have a slight idea from the clues they have given us, it is wishmaker, it talks about the profession of firefighter or magician,

We know that the magician is Félix, so by that rule of three the profession of firefighter would be referring to Félix, we also know that he likes reading, so being a writer could be another option, this is more aimed at what It would be studied at a university like this.

We know that Félix will surely stay in France for Adrien after the tragic events to protect him and also now that he is Kagami's boyfriend. So in theory it would also fit perfectly for someone to study here, but of course the red of the seal is what puts me off.

WHICH OF THE 4 WILL IT BE? THEN I PUT MY HAND ON THE FIRE By Adrien And Felix, the clue is in Mermaid season 2.

Mermaid is the first chapter where this square and university appears in the background, but also, the roof and dome of said university is where the discussion between Chatnoir and Ladybug takes place and more importantly, where Chatnoir ALMOST GIVES UP his Miraculous! !!

To begin with, this chapter, the highlight is the resignation of Adrien as chatnoir and what we have talked about above in relation to the Notre Dame cathedral and the other monuments, the replacement of Felix to Adrien as chatnoir!!! So this is connected, and you can see why he gave up and left Ladybug behind, the lies, (this is something that many of us already theorize today) the fact that he can't stand the lies, this occurs here in the university so for me, it is a clear clue that he studied here and therefore also Félix, (since he is his protector)

But also, what does not cause his resignation? Aha, teacher Fu, through Fu they tell us about Félix, so the fact that he is present there would confirm that they studied together.

Now we don't know what Adrien would study, but we do know what Felix would study, and again this same scene gives us the clue, what is this chapter about? of the new aquatic powers, try to figure out the formula, mix and experiment.

The fact that they are aquatic powers connects with the sea, and the water, and this, the emotions, and therefore with argos and the sentisers, it may be that Félix decides to study science or health to help them, or understand them better. This world, being sentiser and never having help, we know that he has made it clear that he fights a lot for those of his own kind, he is like a leader, but a good leader.

But above all, he would do this to protect Adrien. The fact that in that chapter he was precisely given a pipette with the potion is quite scientific, so he would focus on the area of ​​health and to confirm this, he himself Fu is dedicated to topics related to this, only focused on the natural and spiritual field, for example meditation, palmistry, reiki, etc...

So the thing is clear, this will be the university where Félix studies health, literature or science.

So how is red justified? well this is the best.

Because another of the people on whom his care is going to focus is Ladybug, and at this point, this is already more than known with the amount of clues that they have given us in the last scenes, and here the resignation and justice would also be justified. about Adrien, Adrien is not going to know how to take good care of Ladybug, and Félix does, it's like he's going to be on top of everything, he's going to accept that, for example, Ladybug lies to him, understanding her role as guardian and so on, and this goes to be a healer for Marinette. That's why the seal is red.

To top it all off, this one is next to the black Trocadero seal (chatnoir/felix) and navy blue Notre Dame (2nd chance/chatnoir/felix) it's like Félix is ​​going to know how to win it over.

To finish this post, notice that the sequence of stamps begins with the pink Eiffel tower (Marinette) and ends with the red university (Ladybug), this could be summarized as Felix's presence, his affection, his friendship It will help Marinette to carry and accept that duality that she has and her double life,

which we have seen is currently difficult.

-SORBONNE UNIVERSITY: SELF-LOVE, ACCEPTANCE OF LADYBUG, PLACE WHERE FELIX STUDY.

Follow me for more content of this type, like and reblog. Thank you very much and see you in the next post.

NEXT PART--------

[wtfuckevenknows]

<…on a scar.> for Tarlos?

Hiiiii :))) Thanks for giving me another reason to not start on the smut prompts. This really is the last one now, I guess...unless someone wants to send me more?! 👀

Sorry to everyone who's sent me a smut prompt, I will get to them eventually (maybe) 😬😂

20: on a scar 

It took a couple of weeks after the solar flare for TK to heal enough to be cleared for light duty and other extracurricular activities. 

Carlos didn't mind that their usually very active sex life was put on hold, because it gave them time to get to know each other better outside of the bedroom (or the couch, or the floor, or the kitchen counter...). 

They spent a lot of their waking hours together because TK was still recuperating at home and Carlos would come over after his shifts. He either stayed with TK when everyone else was at work or he picked TK up, who had started spending the night at Carlos' place every now and then, which was a monumental step for them in Carlos' book.  

But not only was the staying over new, Carlos also learned that TK, who had been so skittish when they first met, was a cuddler. As soon as Carlos sat down next to TK on the couch or lay down next to TK in bed, his boyfriend scooted as close as possible and cuddled into his side. More often than not, he found himself with TK’s head pillowed on his shoulder, his fluffy hair basically in his mouth, but he didn’t mind. Having TK snuggled up to him was EVERYTHING to Carlos. 

Sometimes the roles were reversed and Carlos was draped over TK’s body, still mindful of his healing body though. It was during one of those occasions, when TK was wearing one of his patterned shirts, the top two buttons undone, that Carlos first saw the scar from the shooting. 

He knew TK had gotten the stitches taken out earlier that day, so there would be no more bandage across his chest. 

Seeing the scar took him back to the moment he heard the gunshot, standing outside with Bruce and his wife, feeling absolutely helpless. The bullet nearly took TK away from him before he was ever really his, but he had still, without a doubt, already known back then that he was head over heels in love with the brave firefighter. 

Coming back to the present Carlos lightly brushed a finger across the scar, before pressing a gentle kiss to it and squeezing TK a little tighter, so grateful he was with him now.

You can find the other prompt fills here or on ao3.

Send me a Ship and a Number and I will Write a Kiss

[xtruss]

Hajj 2024, Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦! Mount Arafat, Saudi Arabia. Muslim pilgrims pray at dawn on Mount Arafat, also known as Jabal al-Rahma or Mount of Mercy, during the climax of the hajj pilgrimage. The death toll from this year’s hajj exceeded 1,000, with more than half of the victims unregistered worshippers who performed the pilgrimage in extreme heat. Photograph: Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images

Khan Younis, Gaza, Forever Palestine 🇵🇸! Palestinians gather to perform Eid al-Adha prayer among the rubble of buildings destroyed by the Terrorist, Fascist, Genocidal, War Criminal Isra-helli 🐖 🐷 🐖 🐗 Forces. Photograph: Ali Jadallah/Anadolu/Getty Images

Deir al-Balah, Gaza, Forever Palestine 🇵🇸! Palestinians walk out of a building after an Isra-helli attack on the Abu Aisha family house. Photograph: Ali Jadallah/Anadolu/Getty Images

Pyongyang, North Korea 🇰🇵, The American Nightmare! The Russian 🇷🇺 President, Vladimir Putin, and North Korea’s Leader, Kim Jong-un, attend the official welcome ceremony at Kim Il-sung Square. In his first visit to the reclusive country since 2000, the Russian president flew to Pyongyang to be greeted by huge welcome banners, cheering crowds and Russian flags. Photograph: Vladimir Smirnov/Sputnik/AP

California, USA 🇺🇸! A tree continues to burn after the Post fire swept through Lebec. Firefighters in California battled blazes in challenging conditions after several wildfires broke out. Photograph: Marcio José Sánchez/AP

Stonehenge, UK 🇬🇧! People gather in the centre of Stonehenge. About 15,000 people greeted the sun with cheers, smiles and prayers as it rose over Stonehenge for the summer solstice, days after the ancient monument was sprayed with orange paint. Photograph: Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images

[arunikas]

10 first lines Tag Game

Thanks for the tag @sessakag and @bunny-hoodlum 💕💕💕

Rules: share the first lines of ten of your most recent fanfics and tag ten people. If you have written less than ten, don’t be shy and share anyway!

OLGAMI 

That one time Hinata let herself act impulsively, she never thought it would cost her a bombardment of constant, overwhelming desires she never allowed herself to think of dwelling into.

Being a college student is hard enough. But being a broke college student is on another level of headache, not to mention that her college life is basically hanging on the thin thread of her scholarship. It's always so packed with endless assignments, nonstop pulling all nighters, and part time jobs at one place after another.

And when her body betrayed her into refusing to work due to the excessive amount of labor hours and then the stress level hit its peak; Ino had successfully convinced her to do that one thing she always cringed out whenever Ino brought it up during their pillow talk session in their bedroom dorm.

THE FALLEN GOD

The blazing on his eyes were as crimson as the blood tainting his armor.  

The originally white fur of the horse he was riding now smeared with the concrete evidence of their triumph on the battlefieldㅡred burning blood screamed of the anger and desperation of the defeated alliance; black ashes and dust personified the life of the enemies killed and dragged down past the walls of the afterlife.

His face was stoic, emotionless, and even cold. Not even a hint of pride adorning his sharp gaze over winning another warㅡemphasizing their kingdom's dominance in the upper world yet again. He remained quiet, not even fazed by the clamorous noises hanging in the air, as though the troops he was leading along with his best friend weren't even there to glorify their another absolute victory.

FRIENDS

It wasn't something they thought would happen.

On the top of Hokage’s monument.

When the time was too late to be called night and too early to be called morning.

When the stars still watched over the sleeping village.

And the moon still hung so proudly on the sky, showering its gentle light to cast away the darkness that almost swallowed the world below.

When nightmare knocked her front door and greeted her again, and she decided to walk it off aimlessly while succumbing herself in the solitude and serenity the universe seemed to accompany her with.

BURNS FOR YOU

When she decided to choose the firefighters for this month’s theme of “I Want To Be A….” event for her class, she didn’t expect this kind of firefighters to come.

I mean, she managed to get her favor granted for them to do a day visit at kindergarten and give some mini demonstrations for the kids through one of her student’s parent’s help. This event was done on a monthly basis that she set up for her class as an attempt to plant some tiny seed in their heart to grow a conscious sense of willingness to be the person who can give a good contribution for the society, by learning the various essences of kindness held beneath each different job.

STEEL UNDER HER VELVET

"Haahh...hahhh...okay...hahh... enough…" Boruto panted so heavily from his training with Kawaki. He bent forward, both his hands were supporting his body on his knees. Few droplets of sweat were trailing down from his forehead, to his cheeks, until it finally dropped by the tip of his chin.

"Let's take...a small...break," Kawaki replied while trying to lay down on the ground. His voice was no better than Boruto's, disjointed by the need of oxygen supplying his lungs. He could feel how his muscles burnt by the excessive usage during their session, and how a few parts of his body were giving signals of the upcoming bruises that would surely appear by the end of the day.

It’s not even 10 fics I put here, so is it ok to add a two wips? I’ll just take it as a yes 😂😂😂

AMONG THE STARS

(High school AU, Multi chapters, rate T, heavy angst)

Spring, 7 years ago. Konoha High School.

It was magical. Spring had always felt so magical. After months of crisp, clean-white snow covering anything our sight could fall onto, spring was like a gift. A sweet gift of enduring the cold world. 

When the snow melted and the cold air was swept away, colors bloomed into the monochromatic world like wonders; we witnessed nature get revived and reinvigorated. Dormant plants began to grow again, new seedlings sprouted out of the ground; they flourished ardently in such abundant lush. As if they had been yearning to bloom.

In the distance, the world hummed in awakening. Little animals emerged from their den after months of being cradled by their small warmth. Snowmelt made the rivers pulse like wondrous veins. The pumping heart of nature was beating again, a pleasant reminder of what a vibrant world to be alive.

Everything felt so alive. Just as lively as how youth should be. But those weren't the reasons why my youth was so vibrant.

It's because she was there. Because she was there and made my life so vibrant and radiant.

SUMMER PARADISE

This one is not really a fic, but a socmed-au format one. It’s actually a remake of my unfinished fic lmao I’m just trying to reexperience the fic so that maybe I could find the vibes to finish it. But, here I am playing with this socmed-au-thingy lolol never thought it’d be sooo exciting to do! 😂😂 So, I’ll just drop some shots I have in my draft!

Once upon a summer day...

The next day...

Meanwhile, on the other side...

And this makes me miss Trinity's works so much, nothing can top her socmed aus for me. I hope she's doing well somewhere out there🥺♥️

I saw many already did this tag game, so I'm gonna tag those who haven't @secrettastemakerland @ellaroundpanda @narutosgirl7 @truebkgirl @powerful-niya and anyone who's interested! ☺️