#multiple times over the span of 10 years

[gojoest]

oh i am sooooo confused 😖

[homo-house]

hey uh so I haven't seen anyone talking about this here yet, but

the amazon river, like the biggest river in the fucking world, in the middle of the amazon fucking rainforest, is currently going through its worst drought since the records began 121 years ago

picture from Folha PE

there's a lot going on but I haven't seen much international buzz around this like there was when the forest was on fire (maybe because it's harder to shift the narrative to blame brazil exclusively as if the rest of the world didn't have fault in this) so I wanted to bring this to tumblr's attention

I don't know too many details as I live in the other side of the country and we are suffering from the exact opposite (at least three cyclones this year, honestly have stopped counting - it's unusual for us to get hit by even one - floods, landslides, we have a death toll, people are losing everything to the water), but like, I as a brazilian have literally never seen pictures of the river like this before. every single city in the amazonas state is in a state of emergency as of november 1st.

pictures by Adriano Liziero (ig: geopanoramas)

we are used to seeing images of rio negro and solimões, the two main amazon river affluents, in all their grandiose and beauty and seeing these pictures is really fucking chilling. some of our news outlets are saying the solimões has turned to a sand desert... can you imagine this watery sight turning into a desert in the span of a year?

while down south we are seeing amounts of rain and hailstorms the likes of which our infrastructure is simply not built to deal with, up north people who have built everything around the river are at a loss of what to do.

the houses there that are built to float are just on the ground, people who depend on fishing for a living have to walk kilometers to find any fish that are still alive at all, the biodiversity there is at risk, and on an economic level it's hard to grasp how people from the northern states are getting by at all - the main means of transport for ANYTHING in that region is via the river water. this will impact the region for months to come. it doesnt make a lot of sense to build a lot of roads bc it's just better to use the waterway system, everything is built around or floats on the river after all. and like, the water level is so incomprehensibly low the boats are just STUCK. people are having a hard time getting from one place to another - keep in mind the widest parts of the river are over 10 km apart!!

this shit is really serious and i am trying not to think about it because we have a different kind of problem to worry about down south but it's really terrifying when I stop to think about it. you already know the climate crisis is real and the effects are beyond preventable now (we're past global warming, get used to calling it "global boiling"). we'll be switching strategies to damage control from now on and like, this is what it's come to.

I don't like to be alarmist but it's hard not to be alarmed. I'm sorry that I can't end this post with very clear intructions on how people overseas can help, there really isn't much to do except hope the water level rises soon, maybe pray if you believe in something. in that regard we just have to keep pressing for change at a global level; local conditions only would not, COULD NOT be causing this - the amazon river is a CONTINENTAL body of water, it spans across multiple countries. so my advice is spread the word, let your representatives know that you're worried and you want change towards sustainability, degrowth and reduced carbon emissions, support your local NGOs, maybe join a cause, I don't know? I recommend reading on ecological and feminist economics though

however, I know you can help the affected riverine families by donating to organizations dedicated to helping the region. keep in mind a single US dollar, pound or euro is worth over 5x more in our currency so anything you donate at all will certainly help those affected.

FAS - Sustainable Amazon Fundation

Idesam - Sustainable Developent and Preservation Institute of Amazonas

Greenpeace Brasil - I know Greenpeace isn't the best but they're one of the few options I can think of that have a bridge to the international world and they are helping directly

There are a lot of other smaller/local NGOs but I'm not sure how you could donate to them from overseas, I'll leave some of them here anyway:

Projeto Gari

Caritás Brasileira

If you know any other organizations please link them, I'll be sure to reblog though my reach isn't a lot

thank you so much for reading this to the end, don't feel obligated to share but please do if you can! even if you just read up to here it means a lot to me that someone out there knows

also as an afterthought, I wanted to expand on why I think this hasn't made big news yet: because unlike the case of the 2020 forest fires, other countries have to hold themselves accountable when looking at this situation. while in 2020 it was easier to pretend the fires were all our fault and people were talking about taking the amazon away from us like they wouldn't do much worse. global superpowers have no more forests to speak of so I guess they've been eyeing what latin america still has. so like this bit of the post is just to say if you're thinking of saying anything of the sort, maybe think of what your own country has done to contribute to this instead of blaming brazil exclusively and saying the amazon should be protected by force or whatever

[sweetteainthesummerx]

|◁ II ▷| down bad ! |◁ II ▷|

★・・・・★・・・・ ★・・・・★

nhl masterlist !

pairing: quinn hughes x famous singer! reader

warnings: fluff, smut is implied but not graphic!! use of y/n.

summary: your sister sends you an article of you and quinn being absolutely down bad for each other...

word count: 2.4 k

notes: saw one too many edits of my handsome boy on TikTok and this is the consequence :) also, this is sort of based off of taylor swift and travis kelce. enjoy!

★・・・・★・・・・ ★・・・・★

you're finishing up in the studio, just done tweaking one of your last songs on your new album when your phone dings! with a notification.

it's your sister, who sends a trail of emojis that don't really make sense and a link.

you press on it, confused and assuming it's something she wants for her birthday that's coming up soon.

instead it's an article that reads, TOP TEN FAN FAVOURITE MOMENTS OF NHL AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY'S ROYAL COUPLE.

you laugh, because the cover photo is one of you and quinn from last year when you took him as your plus one to the grammy's. you have to admit, you both look really good, and so, so in love.

so you nestle into your chair to read it.

TOP TEN FAN FAVOURITE MOMENTS OF NHL AND THE MUSIC INDUSTRY'S ROYAL COUPLE

one of Hollywood's up and comings, y/n l/n and quinn hughes of canucks and nhl fame have been dating for over three years, and have been public for two. we have complied a list of fan favourite moments of the couple over the span of their relationship that show their deep (and public) affection and love for each other

10. 2023 Grammy's Award Ceremony

picture: you are wearing a light blue floor length gown, hair loose and curled. your makeup is simple and glowy. quinn stands next to you, in a clean, slate grey suit with a hand wrapped around your hip, fingers nestled in the dip of your hipbone.

the award ceremony for the grammy's - where y/n won best album for the second year in a row - was when the famous couple first went public officially, not counting the many paparazzi pictures taken in both vancouver and Los Angeles.

sources show that the two could hardly keep their hands off of each other. they were seen kissing multiple times through out the night.

it was true, quinn had been extra handsy that night, and had all but ripped that dress off of you when you got back to the hotel. you sigh at the memory, stomach warm and a little achy. you can't wait for him to come back from the roadie he left for only two days ago.

9. y/n's tiktoks

despite their massive success in their respective industries, it is easy to forget that they are also part of gen z. y/n's TikTok page features fashion, her music and most popular of all, her boyfriend. here are only some of her most viewed and liked videos:

video one: you smile into the camera, fluffing your hair in a close shot. the subtitles read: fit check with my bf! quinn pulls you against him by your waist, kissing your face over and over as you laugh, pushing at his chest. over the song, you tell him to let go so you can show your outfits. he lets go reluctantly but holds your hand, spinning you around to show off your sundress. then he grabs you and dips you low, hands dangerously close to your ass, as you giggle into his cheek.

video two: the video is taken by one of your friends who took your phone. she's on the couch and you and quinn are in the kitchen cooking for the small get together in your vancouver apartment. you lean up to smile at him, and he bumps his nose with yours. some trending love song plays in the back.

you flush at the comments gushing about how he looks at you, the height difference and how cute you guys are. there's something so sweet at seeing the two of you from an outsiders perspective.

8. quinn knowing y/n's entire discography

during media days, one interview has elias petterson and quinn hughes guessing songs and the artists. the journalist managed to sneak at least four of y/n's songs in, quinn getting all four correct, with the full name of the song, name of artist and then album, all under 10 seconds of the song playing. now that's a supportive boyfriend!

you watch the video linked, your boyfriend sweaty and hair wet. the media person is impressed, and quinn just shrugs bashfully and offers a crooked smile. you look at the time stamp and bite a grin: it's from before you guys went public. no wonder all of your fans say you guys were obvious.

7. quinn hughes: nhl player and personal bodyguard

fame in hollywood forces many in the industry to have body guards, and y/n is not exempt. for many years before she started dating the canuck's defensemen, she's had many bodyguards following her around. now, it seems like her boyfriend has taken over that job.

video: your body guard, john moves to open the limo door as you and quinn arrive to an event, but your boyfriend crosses from his side of the car to open it himself, patting john on the shoulder and gently pushing him from the entrance and helping you out himself. he helps you balance on your heels as you stand and wave at the cameras, one hand on your waist as he maneuvers you to the other side of the sidewalk so he can block you from the cars. he keeps your hand cradled in his, his other arm around your waist as he shoulders through the paparazzi.

quinn looks so attractive and so masculine in this video. you've never had boyfriends who took princess treatment so seriously, but quinn has always been a defender, on ice and off. it was a little awkward and it took a long a while for him to get you, but ever since he had you, he's made sure he tried his very best to keep and protect you.

6. getaway in hawaii

although the couple hasn't had any announcement of engagement yet, early last year they were sighted in hawaii on a trip eerily like a honeymoon: here are some pictures.

picture one: you're in a tiny pink bikini and he's in board shorts. he's taken off his hat to give to you, and you're pressing on a pair of your too-small sunglasses onto his face while both of you laugh.

picture two: the two of you are standing in the water up to your calves. he's got his fingers tangled in the strings of your bikini bottoms, and yours are on his chest as the two of you look into the horizon.

picture three: quinn has you balanced on his shoulder, smiling as you clutch at his back. one of his forearms is possessively covering your ass from the camera, and his other hand is wrapped fully around your ankle to give you a semblance of balance.

you still smile every time you think of that trip, afternoons playing in the water, romantic dinners and nights with his head between your legs, your fingers tangled in his hair. you silently remind yourself to book a vacation back there the next time both of you are free.

5. the NHL award ceremony

the recent NHL award ceremony when quinn hughes received the James Norris award for his skills as a defenceman gave us another peek into y/n's relationship with hughes family.

video one: you're sitting between quinn and luke in your pretty dark blue gown. your hair is pulled back from your face the way quinn likes. he's got an arm thrown over the back of the seat, fingers rubbing your shoulder as you talk to Luke about his hair routine. quinn murmurs something the camera can't catch into your ear and you laugh, tucking your hand into the his that's resting on his lap. he leans back, stretching his legs as you absentmindedly rub his knee, leaning over his brothers to talk to his mom.

video two: his name is called, and you stand with him, clapping loudly. he hugs you first, and you press a kiss into the corner of his lip, but he plants a firm, real one on yours. your manicured, white nails contrast against the black expanse of his suit and broad back. you push him gently towards luke. when he's finished hugging everyone and comes back down the aisle, you quickly fix his tie and smooth down his lapels. he kisses your cheek again and goes down to the stage.

photo three: the trophy is in the middle, the whole family wrapped together. you're tucked between ellen, the older woman has an arm around your waist and your boyfriend's got is arm slung across you shoulders on you other side, everyone smiling big for the camera.

you still remember ellen and jim insisting that you get in the photo, because "you're practically family anyways," and "it's any day now" that their son proposes to you. the photo is on their fridge, to this day.

4. quinn's y/n shirt

another video from y/n's tiktok. during the christmas season, she spent the holidays with the hughes family. her future brother in law (hopefully), jack hughes got quinn a pretty special present.

video: jack is holding the camera, and it pans to you and quinn. your holding a giant sushi stuffed toy (long story) from luke on your lap as you sit next to your boyfriend.

"here," he extends a hand holding a bag to his older brother.

Quinn smiles in thanks and digs into it, retrieving shirt. but it's no ordinary shirt. it's one of those old, retro looking ones with your face blown out all over it.

pictures from red carpets, your album covers, and in gaudy, shadowy text, it reads: IF LOST, RETURN TO Y/N L/N.

Luke cackles as you bury your face in quinn's shoulder. he's letting out a deep, belly laugh as his parents smile and take pictures of it when he holds it out.

he immediately pulls off his sweatshirt and tugs the shirt on. it fits a little tight.

"merry christmas!" jack yells as he gives you a high-five.

he still wears that stupid shirt around the apartment, just because he knows you like the fit and your face plastered all over his chest.

3. y/n's songs about her boyfriend

through many new releases, we have determined a list of songs about quinn from her new album, lover.

sweet nothing

paper rings

lover

daylight

I think he knows

afterglow

good looking

wow, you think. these people must not have lives if they're rummaging through your digital footprint and media presence with your boyfriend just to link them with your songs.

2. quinn's interview

since the couple has gone public, y/n has been seen at Canuck's games with family and friends. since she's from vancouver, born and raised, she is passionate about hockey and fits right in.

video one: the jumbotron flashes your face an name; you're wearing quinn's canucks jersey, hair loose. you smile and flutter your fingers at the crowd that's going crazy. one the ice, quinn's teammates jostle and holler at him, and you blow him a kiss. he pretends to catch it, and the screaming in the stadium reaches a new level as the screen pans to him: he's pink and all smiley.

video two: the ref makes a call and you stand, throwing your hands up in the air, exasperated. you huff, sitting back down with your head in your hands. your friends watch on with disappointment, and the three of you let out complains.

video three: quinn grins while looking off camera in the middle of an interview, and the journalist laughs.

"your girl?" he asks, and quinn nods shyly.

"yeah, it's real nice to see her here supporting. I mean, she's really busy too with her tours, but it's nice to have her on my turf."

"I saw! she got really riled up for the penalty during the second period. she's wearing your jersey as well."

"yeah," he scratches his neck, scrunching his nose to hide the big ass smile on his face, "she looks great, eh?"

"glad to see her in her hometown, too."

"right. yeah, I love her so much."

you snicker at how love sick he looks, because early on in the relationship he followed you around like a clingy, lost puppy. he still does sometimes after a roadie or one of your tours. you love it.

1. karma is the guy on the rink, coming straight home to me

the internet broke when y/n changed one of the songs on her song list for her tour last year at rogers arena in vancouver: instead of "karma is the guy on the screen, coming straight home to me", which is a reference to her ex, she changes it to better fix her new romance.

video: you dance through the song, your backup dancers clueless as you reach the line.

"karma is the guy on the rink, comin' straight home to me!" your voice breaks a little in a giggle at the end, your dancers shocked laughter and gasps visible from their faces that even an iPhone camera from 25 meters away can catch.

video two: quinn's in the tent with your parents and some of his teammates and their girlfriends, all of them are vibing to the music and dancing, most holding drinks in their hands.

when the line hits the speakers, everyone is screaming so loud and filming him, and he blushes so red that it spreads to his ears and neck, even in the dim light. his boys are slapping his back, and your dad gives him a high-five. he just smiles at you, dopey and deliriously happy in his shirt of your face and the 20 friendship bracelets your fans had made for him.

you remember that show perfectly, and the night after even better. you barely got any sleep because of his attentions, and your makeup artists spent nearly half an hour covering up the bruises on your neck and chest the next morning.

all in all, we can come to the conclusion that quinn hughes and y/n l/n are completely down bad for each other, like she teased in the song list of her unreleased album. we only hope for good things in the future for this famous couple!

you smile at the closing statement, sending it to quinn to read later in his hotel room.

he facetimes you that night, hair wet and eyes sleepy.

"that article was absolutely right. I am so down bad for you." he tells you seriously, with the promise of lots of love when he comes straight home to you.

★・・・・★・・・・ ★・・・・★

© sweetteainthesummerx.tumblr. all rights reserved. unauthorized copying, translation, or claiming of my writing or any works as your own is strictly prohibited.

[devildomsoup]

Silly little headcanons #2

Silly Little Headcanons #1

Lucifer

He sleeps with socks on.

Has on multiple occasions carried a crying Asmodeus around.

His home screen on his phone is a picture of his brothers with a poorly edited Cerberus in the background.

Can sing the entirety of Bohemian Rapsody without missing a note.

Mammon

Has a drawer with all the things Luke has given him. There's a lock on it.

Stands with one foot on his thigh when preparing noodles.

His keys are attached to his pants because he kept forgetting them.

Ruffles his brothers' hair. All of them.

Leviathan

Remembers everyone's favourite shows so he can buy them merchandise for their birthday.

Makes stickers so he can decorate Henry's fish tank.

Brings glowsticks to Beel's Fangol games.

Wears wrist warmers during winter.

Satan

Has kicked Lucifer in the balls more than one time.

He has a tendency to bump his hip into tables and chairs, you name it

Really good at jump ropes. He can even do tricks.

Has a secret stash of catnip.

Asmodeus

Ran a marathon in heels out of spite.

Had a slime Deviltube channel back when it was trendy.

Very skilled at origami. Made a bouquet for MC's birthday.

Has fallen down the stairs quite a few times.

Beelzebub

Ate the slime Asmodeus made for his Deviltube channel. It's a mystery how he didn't end up sick.

Kicked the front door off its hinges by accident 13 times in the span of 5 days.

Eats most fruits without peeling them first.

Makes a buzzing sound when you scratch his head.

Belphegor

Will take naps on any bed, but it has a tendency to not be his own.

Almost drowned in a bowl of soup once because he fell asleep.

This man never wears matching socks.

If he moos at cows, they will come running to him. He is the cow summoner.

Simeon

Falls for clickbait at least twice per day.

Accidently ordered 100 spoons online instead of 10. He won't run our spoons any time soon.

Likes to make flower arrangements.

Sleeps with a giant Teddy bear that takes up half the bed.

Raphael

He sounds like he's about to keel over and die every time he coughs.

Brings Solomon's cooking with him for lunch.

Forgot Luke in a supermarket.

Randomly brings animals with him to Purgatory Hall.

Luke

Has a hard time telling left from right.

Owns multiple kazoos.

He will never admit but he really enjoys shoulder rides.

Likes to spin around on office chairs. Sometimes he does it too much and ends up extremely dizzy.

Solomon

He once caused a chemical reaction with his cooking that forced the residents of Purgatory to live at the castle for a week.

Has no feelings in his pinky toes. He will ram them into a table leg full force and not even flinch.

Falls asleep on the couch all the time.

Can mimic animal sounds like a pro.

Thirteen

Falls out of her bed all the time. She moves a lot in her sleep.

Her very first trap was a bucket of water on a door. It hit Solomon straight on the head.

Really good at acrobatics.

Had a pet squirrel for many years. It died of old age and Thirteen was devastated when it happened.

Diavolo

Almost broke Barbatos' hand out of excitement when going to the cinema for the first. He apologised for weeks after the incident.

Skilled at climbing. It really comes in handy when he wants to sneak out of the castle.

Likes to do rubber duck races.

Hits his head on doorframes all the time.

Barbatos

Will randomly just do cartwheels.

Slides down the railings in the castle when there isn't anyone around to see it.

Likes to play the piano with the Little D.'s

Don't be surprised if you see birds or other animals help Barbatos. Demon Snow White.

Mephistopheles

He can and will destroy you in Uno.

Helps Luke with homework from time to time. Don't tell anyone though.

Has high kicked a demon into the ceiling because he heard them conspire against Diavolo.

He has a great singing voice.

[azzibuckets]

Paper Rings [Part 6/10 | Paige Bueckers]

paige bueckers x fem!reader

summary: the road to recovery

word count: 1.4k

masterlist w/ all parts

PRESENT DAY

You wrung your hair out with a towel, trying to get the chlorine out. You played for the club water polo team at UConn since they didn’t have an official, NCAA-organized team. You knew this sport didn’t hold much weight when you told others you were a student athlete, but water polo was what you loved, and you threw yourself into it, always being the first in the pool and the last to get out, swimming the extra laps, and bringing the energy to every game.

Ella, one of your teammates, snuck up from behind you and wrapped you in a hug. “Good job today,” she giggled, water from her hair dripping onto your shoulder.

Today had been the last tournament game of the season, and your last ever game with the seniors. Ella was one of your closest friends on the team and unfortunately one of those seniors, and you knew that you were going to miss her bad.

“Please don’t graduate,” you groaned, returning her hug. “Don’t leave me here.”

“As much as I’ve loved playing with you, I’m ready to leave college,” Ella admitted. “Once my finals are done, I’m out.”

Soon her family joined you two, congratulating you two on our big win. They adorned Ella with candy leis and stuffed bouquets of flowers in her arms, then squished the two of you in for a picture.

“So cute!” Ella’s grandma, Lily, gushed. She came over to squeeze your cheeks. “You’re such a darling. Where’s your family?”

You blushed at the attention. Lily was one of the sweetest women you’d ever met. “I’m not a senior, so I told them not to worry about coming out,” you explained.

“Oh?” Lily quirked her eyebrow. “That’s too bad! It’s still the last game of the season, which is pretty important. Good thing your friend came to cheer you on!”

You tilted your head quizzically. “What do you mean? My friends couldn’t make it.”

Lily looked taken aback. “Oh, I must’ve gotten things mixed up. She didn’t say she was your friend, but she’s been to several of your games, and she knows so much about you, I just assumed!”

“She?” you furrowed your eyebrows, not really understanding what Lily was saying.

The older lady nodded enthusiastically, wrapping her hands around yours. “I always forget her name, honey, but she’s a very nice girl, very tall with blonde hair. I recall her saying once that she plays basketball here!”

At that, Ella nudged you, a confused look in her eyes. “No way. Is she talking about Paige?” You blinked in disbelief before you swiveled back to her grandma.

“Wait, I’m sorry. You said she’s been to multiple of my games?”

“Well, she always comes a little late and leaves a little early, but she’s been to at least five games,” Lily responded. “I didnt talk to her until the third or fourth game, until I overheard her explaining to someone else about how the game worked. She talked about you, said you were amazing and worked so hard. She always knows how many goals you scored too!”

You froze, your mind a whirlwind of thoughts. You and Paige had talked last week for the first time in a year, but from what Lily was saying, she must’ve been at your games spanning across your season from the last few months. You weren’t sure what to do with this piece of information. Paige had been so dismissive of you that night you’d gotten into an argument, made it seem like she wanted nothing to do with you. And now she’s been attending your games? She obviously hadn’t wanted you to find out, which she had done a pretty good job of. You’d told her before that you don’t ever look at the audience in the stands during games; the people there made you nervous, and it was hard to see in the water anyways. So she’d taken advantage of that, coming in late and leaving early. So if she didn’t want you to know, why come?

As these thoughts plagued your mind, Ella gently laid a hand on your elbow. “I gotta go with my family now, but call me later, alright?” she said gently.

You nodded distractedly, rushing to gather my things and go home so you could process in peace.

—————————

“Where were you?” KK questioned as soon as Paige walked into the lounge. The shorter girl was sprawled out on the couch, a pillow supporting her chin as she scrolled through her Tiktoks.

“Are you ever not on Tiktok?” Paige teased, slapping her on the head before plopping down next to her.

KK guffawed. “I know you’re not talking. I might have to block you with all the thirst traps you’re posting. The edits are getting less and less cordial.”

Paige rolled her eyes, grabbing KK’s phone before throwing it to the end of the coach. KK shot her a menacing glare before crawling to retrieve her phone. “You didn’t answer my question, P Boogers.”

“I was just walking around campus,” Paige replied. It technically wasn’t a lie, because she had walked from the pool deck to Werth.

“Lies.” KK regarded her with a confident smirk as she wagged her phone. “I checked your location.”

Paige didn’t like where this was going.

“I checked your location,” KK repeated, “and you were at the pool!” She smiled triumphantly at that, as if she had just caught Paige red handed.

The blonde rolled her eyes. “Okay, so what? I was walking by and I saw a game going on, so I decided to watch. I watch basically every women’s sport on campus.” When KK continued to look at her with that infuriating smirk on her face, Paige started rambling. “I mean, it would be discrimination by not going to the game. You know I’m the biggest supporter of women in sports. Water polo is so underrated and-,”

“Okay, chill out,” KK interrupted, holding her hands up in surrender. “But you seem to be at the pool deck a lot. Like it’s getting borderline creepy.”

The taller girl shrugged. “It’s not like Y/N knows I go.“ She perked up, as if she just remembered something. “She played so good today, KK. She scored three goals, and one was from half, and it was a buzzer beater lob.”

KK shook her head. “Damn, P. This girl’s got you wrapped around her pinky, and you guys don’t even talk any more. Which kinda sucks.” KK flopped backwards, staring up at the ceiling. “We were just getting close when you guys broke up. She was really cool.”

Paige bit her bottom lip. She hated herself every day for how your friendship had ended, and she didn’t need her friends on her ass about it too. “We didn’t break up,” she corrected. “We never dated. And yeah, I know it sucks bro. I miss her too.”

“Why don’t you guys just talk it out? Like, you guys were best friends. I’m sure she misses you too,” KK advised, a hopeful look in her eyes. Paige felt a wave of guilt crash over her. She always thought about how the end of your friendship affected her, but she always forgot about how it impacted her teammates too. They had absolutely loved you, the way you showed up to all their games to support them and brought them freshly baked cookies to practice during hell week. You were funny and quick witted, and they truly saw you as one of them. And all of that Paige had ruined.

“I’m sorry, KK,” Paige apologized. “It’s just really fucking hard.”

KK nodded slowly. “Okay, good thing she’s coming to senior night then! You can talk to her then.”

“She’s what?” Paige lurched up, rigid.

“Nika said she wanted to go to senior night but tickets were all sold out, so she had to ask Nika if any of us had leftover family tickets. And I do,” KK gleefully informed Paige, pleased at her shocked reaction.

“You guys are actually gonna drive me insane,” Paige breathed out, slumping back in her seat. She could feel a migraine coming on.

“You better make a move or something at the game, Paige. I’m serious. We’re tired of you pining over her like this,” KK said.

Paige slowly exhaled. The thought of seeing you again filled her with a sort of nervous excitement, like a school girl counting down the minutes to see her hallway crush. But anxiety pooled in the pit of her stomach. You hated her, Paige was sure. She wasn’t used to rejection, and you gave it to her so easily last week. But Paige knew she’d have to suck it up if she’d want you back. And God, she wanted you.

——————-

1 WEEK LATER: SENIOR NIGHT

Paige dribbled the ball between her legs. She closed her eyes, trying to relish the feeling of being here in Gampel on her senior night. She wasn’t too worried about the actual game; they were only playing Georgetown. But today she would be announcing her plans on returning next year. And today, there’d also be you.

As much as she wanted to see you, Paige hoped that the family ticket that KK gave you weren’t court side. She would have a difficult time focusing on the game if you were right there, studying her every move.

After the senior night ceremony wrapped up and the game began, Paige forced herself to block out all the noise in her mind. This was basketball, and she just needed to come out and do what she normally did. She remained focused while playing, and she only saw you towards the end of the third quarter when she got subbed out for a break. She almost lost her breath when she saw you, casually sitting court-side (damn you KK). You weren’t looking at her, but were focused on the game. You stood up and cheered in excitement when Aaliyah scored a layup, and Paige admired how naturally gorgeous you were, with your eyes sparkling and mouth turned up into a bright smile. Her fingers itched with the urge to touch you, to hold your cheek in her hand and dig her nose into your hair to smell your sweet vanilla conditioner and nip the sensitive skin right under your ear. She wanted to kiss away the smile on your lips, kiss you til neither of you could breathe. But she couldn’t.

Soon the game ended, but Paige didn’t head back to the locker room with the rest of the girls. Mustering up her courage, she tried to walk as confidently as she could to where you were packing up your things from your seat.

“Hey.”

You froze at her voice. Pursing your lips, you looked up.

Paige stayed silent for a moment, unsure of what to say. After you raised an eyebrow expectantly, she rushed to say, “You like the game?”

You smiled genuinely then. “Course I did. The team played great, as always. Aaliyah was killing it out there.”

Paige had always loved how you loved her teammates, but now she felt nothing but jealousy, that the only reason she could get you to smile was by talking about the team. Paige bit the inside of her cheek. “Thank you for coming.”

Irritation flooded your face. “I didn’t come for you.” That was a definite lie. You had wanted to come watch Paige on senior night. You knew how important this was to her, how much she loved playing for UConn. You wouldn’t have missed it for the world (and definitely not because you realized Paige had been silently supporting you at your games this entire time) which is why you had to awkwardly reach out to Nika to beg for tickets like a dog with scraps.

“No yeah, of course,” Paige stumbled over her words. “I was just saying, you know, thanks, in a broad sense from the entire team?”

You almost giggled as you observed Paige’s nervous behavior. But you didn’t want to give her any false hopes that you guys were okay, so you bit your lip to stop your laugh.

“Listen, I know we’re not…” Paige vaguely gestured between the two of them. “But the team’s really missed you, and I know they really want you to come to Nika’s tonight to celebrate. The coaches will be there, so there’s not gonna be any drinks or funny business.”

“Yeah, I know. Nika texted me,” you sighed, fiddling with the ends of your hair. “But it’s been a really long night.”

“You don’t have to stay for long,” Paige said. “And I’ll like, stay away on the complete opposite side of the room, if you want me to. But come for KK and Nika and the rest of the girls. Please.”

You melted under Paige’s hopeful look, and ducking your head, you said shyly, “Okay, yeah. I’ll be there.”

Out of reflex, Paige reached up to touch your elbow in gratitude, but you quickly dodged, lamely covering it up by swiftly gathering your hair and putting it in a ponytail. The light in Paige’s eyes dimmed, and she crossed her arms awkwardly. You cursed at yourself for making things so tense.

“Well, I gotta do some press then change. I’ll see you later maybe?” You only nodded in response, and Paige gave you a weak, half hearted smile before jogging off.

[scotianostra]

Thomas Sean Connery was born in the Fountainbridge area of Edinburgh on 25th August, 1930.

Big Tam, as he was affectionately known around Fountainbridge in his youth, well he was Tommy until his teens, when he shot up in height and stature, at one point he entered a bodybuilding contest, he was 6'2″ at the time, weighed around 14 stone, had a 48-inch chest, 25-inch thigh, and his arms were 15.25 inches.

His first job was as a milkman with the St Cuthbert’s Co-Operative Society in Edinburgh. I would think he would have delivered the milk on a horse drawn carriage, the stables for these horses was in the are he grew up, were in Grove Street, where I used to live the main offices for St Cuthbert’s still stands round the corner on Fountainbridge.

Connery also played football at junior level for Bonnyrigg Rose, my cousin played for them too for several years.

A few more facts about Sean are he has a tattoo on his arm that state “Scotland Forever” he got when he enrolled in the Merchant Navy, he was discharged from that job due to stomach ulcers, between jobs he was a nude model for art students at Edinburgh College of art, again not to far from Fountainbridge. Other jobs he took up were, a lorry driver, a lifeguard at Portobello swimming baths,a labourer and a coffin polisher!

I think it is interesting Connery never strayed far from Fountainbridge in his younger days, indeed when he decided that acting was a career he was going to pursue, it was the nearby Kings Theatre he got a job helping backstage, he was also competing in bodybuilding competitions at this time and while at an event in London he learned that there were auditions being held for South Pacific, he was picked to appear on the chorus line but as the production toured the country he was making his way up the ladder.

By the time it hit Edinburgh he had the part of Marine Cpl Hamilton Steeves and was understudying two of the juvenile leads, and his salary was raised from £12 to £14–10s a week, when the production was reprised the following year he had the lead role on the tour, taking over from the actor Larry Hagman, who played the part in London’s West End.

Connery never looked back from there and of course the role of James Bond catapulted him to international stardom, Ian Fleming though was against him getting the part initially, he said Sean was “unrefined” and not what he had in mind, Sean soon won him over though and Fleming later admitted he was an “ideal” Bond.

A few of the parts Sean either didn’t get or turned down are Gandalf, in the Lord of the Rings series of films, he said he never understood the books and also wasn’t keen on 18 months of filming in New Zealand. He also turned down the chance to play the role of the Architect in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. Sean was asked to portray King Edward I in Braveheart, but was too busy working on Another film at the time, Patrick McGoohan took the role instead, I’m sort of glad he never played Longshanks.

His 93rd and last film was 2003’s The League of Extraordinary Gentleman - although he officially retired in 2006, although he was temporarily tempted back to do the voice of Sir Billi in the animated adventure comedy of the same name.

Sir Sean Connery passed away in his sleep on 31st October 2020 at his home in the Bahamas, his son said he had been unwell for some time. The official cause of death was pneumonia, heart failure and old age, his death certificate revealed.

In a career spanning over 50 years, Connery earned an Academy Award, multiple Golden Globes, including the Cecil B. DeMille and Henrietta Awards, as well as two British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) awards.

I've posted more pics than I normally would, firstly to show that Sean was much more than the first Bond, but also because the Scottish public, had and still have a big connection and love for the big guy.

Sean Connery 25th August 1930 – 31st October 2020.

[youryurigoddess]

A nightingale sang in the London Blitz

When exactly was that certain night, the night Aziraphale and Crowley met — and spoke for the first time in 79 years in the midst of the London Blitz?

And what’s the deal with the nightingale’s song, really?

Grab something to drink and we’ll look for some Clues below.

The night they met

The Blitz, short for Blitzkrieg (literally: flash war) was a German aerial bombing campaign on British cities in the WW2, spanning between 7 September 1940 and 10 May 1941. The Luftwaffe attacks were carried out almost non stop, with great intensity meant to force a capitulation and similarly strong impact on British life and culture at the time.

Starting on 7 September 1940, London as the capital city was bombed for nearly 60 consecutive nights. More than one million London houses were destroyed or damaged, and more than 20,000 civilians were killed, half of the total victims of this campaign.

The night of 29 December 1940 saw the most ferocity, becoming what is now known as the Second Great Fire of London. The opening shot of the S2 1941 minisode is a direct reference to recordings of that event, with the miraculously saved St Paul’s Cathedral in the upper left corner.

The actual raid lasted between 06:15 and 09:45 PM, but its aftermath continued for days. The old and dense architecture of this particular part of the city turned into a flaming inferno larger than the Great Fire of 1666. Multiple buildings, including churches, were destroyed in just one night by over 100,000 bombs.

Incendiary bombs fell also on St Dunstan-in-the-East church that night, the real-life location of this scene as intended by Neil. It was gutted and again claimed by fire in one of the last air rides on 10 May, when the bomb destroyed the nave and roof and blew out the stained glass windows. The ruins survived to this day as a memorial park to the Blitz.

Such a delightfully Crowley thing to do: saving a bag of books with a demonic miracle adding to the biggest catastrophe for the publishing and book trade in years. 5 million volumes were lost, multiple bookshops and publishing houses destroyed in the December 29th raid alone.

Even without this context, judging by the seemingly unending night, overwhelming cold and darkness, broken heating at the theatre, and seasonal clothing (like Aziraphale and Crowley’s extremely nice winter coats), it’s rather clear that it was the very beginning of the year 1941.

Everything suggests that Aziraphale and Crowley’s Blitz reunion happened exactly 1900 years after their meeting in Rome — which, according to the script book, took place between 1 and 24 January 41 (Crowley was right: emperor Caligula was a mad tyrant and didn't need any additional tempting; there's a reason why he was murdered by his closest advisors, including members of his Praetorian Guard, on 24 January 41).

Interestingly, both events involved a role reversal in their otherwise stable dynamic, with Aziraphale spontaneously taking the lead instead of letting the demon be the one to do all the tempting and saving, and ended with a toast.

The S2 Easter Egg with the nuns of the Chattering Order of St Beryl playing table tennis at the theatre suggests that the Blitz meeting happened on a Tuesday afternoon, which doesn’t match any of the above mentioned days, but sets the in-universe date for 7 January 1941 or later.

The Chattering Order of Saint Beryl is under a vow to emulate Saint Beryl at all times, except on Tuesday afternoons, for half an hour, when the nuns are permitted to shut up, and, if they wish, to play table tennis.

The nightingale

January means one thing: absolutely no migratory birds in Europe yet. They’re blissfully wintering in the warm sun of Northern Africa at the time. But, ironically, when the real nightingales flew off, a certain song about them suddenly gained popularity in the West End of London.

It might be a shock, but A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square wasn’t a hit from the start — even though its creators, Eric Maschwitz and Manning Sherwin, were certainly established in their work at this point. The song was written in the then-small French fishing village of Le Lavandou shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War with first performance in the summer of 1939 in a local bar, where the melody was played on piano by the composer Manning Sherwin with the help of the resident saxophonist. Maschwitz sang his lyrics while holding a glass of wine, but nobody seemed impressed. It took time and a small miracle to change that.

Next year, the 23-year-old actress Judy Campbell had planned to perform a monologue of Dorothy Parker’s in the upcoming Eric Maschwitz revue „New Faces”. But somehow the script had been mislaid and, much to her horror, replaced with the song A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square. She had never professed to be a singer but even so, she gathered her courage and went out onto the moonlit set dressed in a white ball gown. Her heartfelt rendition of the now evocative ballad captured the audience’s imagination and catapulted her West End career to stardom.

It was precisely 11 April 1940 at the Comedy Theatre in Panton Street and the revue itself proved to be a great success — not only it kept playing two performances nightly through the Blitz, but also returned the next year. And the still operating Comedy Theatre is mere five minutes on foot from the Windmill Theatre, where Aziraphale performed in 1941, and not much longer from his bookshop.

Now, most Good Omens meta analyses focus on Vera Lynn’s version of the song from 5 June 1940, but it didn’t get much attention until autumn, specifically 15 November, when Glenn Miller and his orchestra published another recording. And Glenn Miller himself is a huge point of reference in Good Omens 2.

According to the official commentary the infamous credits scene is establishing Aziraphale and Crowley’s final resolve for the next season using the same narrative device The Glenn Miller Story (1954) does in its most crucial scene. It starts with the tune (and audio in general) totally flat, then adds a piano on one side, and gradually becomes fully multidimensional. The Good Omens credits not only emulate the same sound effect, but bring it to the visual side of the narrative by literally combining the individual perspectives of the two characters together. Even though they’re physically apart, their resolve — and love to each other — brings them even closer than before. Aziraphale smiles not because he’s being brainwashed, but because he knows exactly what to do next.

Some of you might have noticed that Tori Amos’s performance for Good Omens is actually a slightly shortened version of Miller’s recording — much less sorrowful than Vera Lynn’s full lyrics that include i.a. this bridge:

The dawn came stealing up

All gold and blue

To interrupt our rendez-vous

I still remember how you smiled and said

Was that a dream or was it true?

Which is a huge hint when it comes to what we can expect from the main romantic plot line in the Good Omens series. The original song introduces an element of the doubt — it seems like there was no nightingale at all, only the mirage woven by the singer clearly intoxicated with love, much like Aziraphale and Crowley for the length of the last six episodes. Crowley’s comment in the season finale might allude to that interpretation, stating that there are no nightingales — never have been. It was all a dream. But the version we’re working with here is short and sweet, and devoid of that doubt. In the Good Omens universe angels were actually dining at the Ritz, the streets were truly paved with stars (or will be shown as such in the next season), and a nightingale really sang in Berkeley Square, as the omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent narrator, God Herself, had shown us.

All in all, it’s not an accident that the “modern” swing ballad activating Aziraphale’s memory and opening the 1941 minisode is the Moonlight Serenade by Glenn Miller. It’s a track naturally associated with A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square when it comes to music style and the sentiment in the lyrics.

But why the sudden popularity? In the great uncertainty and hardship of the Blitz, A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square provided solace and escapism for listeners, offering a glimpse of hope and love amidst the darkness of war. It became a universal anthem of resilience and a reminder of the power of love transcending difficulties. By January 1941 the whole city knew this tune by heart, including a certain West End aficionado with a cabinet full of theatre programs in his bookshop. Thanks to Maggie’s grandmother, he most probably had a record at hand to play during his spontaneous wine night with Crowley. We can only suspect the details, but it was was mutually established as their song exactly at that time or soon afterwards. Pretty sure we will see a third installment of that minisode for many, many reasons, but especially because of this “several days in 1941” answer by Neil:

The Man Hunt

In 1941 A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square gained even more popularity as the romantic theme of the Fritz Lang’s newest film Man Hunt. The 1939 story by Geoffrey Household first appeared under the title “Rogue Male” as a serial in the Atlantic Monthly Magazine where it received widespread comment, soon becoming a world-wide phenomenon in novel form. Its premise criticizes Britain's pre-war policy of appeasement with Germany, ready to sacrifice its own innocent citizens to the tentative status quo. Sounds a bit like Heaven's politics, right?

Yes, I'm trying to make you watch old movies again — like all the other classics, Man Hunt (1941) is easily available on YouTube and other streaming websites.

The next part will include spoilers, so scroll down to the next picture if you prefer to avoid them.

The plot of the movie seems simple enough: the tall, dark, and handsome Alan Thorndike, who nearly assassinates Hitler, narrowly escapes Germany and back in London continues to evade the Nazi agents sent after him with the help of a young trench-clad “seamstress” named Jerry, bridging the class divide and becoming unlikely friends-partners-romantic interests. It doesn’t end well though.

Jerry's small London apartment serves as a hideout for Alan when he was being followed by Nazis, similarly to how Aziraphale's bookshop is a safe haven for both Crowley and Gabriel in S2. She helps the man navigate the streets and eventually out of London — by sacrificing herself and getting forcefully separated from him by a patrolling policeman. The last time they see each other, Alan watches Jerry look back at him yearningly and disappear in the fog, followed by the elderly officer.

Unfortunately in the next scene we learn that the latter is a Nazi collaborator and helps the agents apprehend Jerry in her own flat. Staying loyal to her love and uncooperative, she’s ultimately thrown out of a window to her death, but posthumously saves Alan once again — through the arrow-shaped hatpin he gifted her earlier that is presented to him as the evidence of her off-screen fate.

Long story short, thanks to Jerry’s sacrifice Alan not only survives, but is able to join the war that broke out in the meantime and go back to Germany, armed with a rifle and a final resolve to end what he started, no matter how long will it take. The justice will be served and the dictator will pay with his life for his sins.

I wouldn’t be myself without mentioning that the main villain has a Roman chariot statue similar to the one in Aziraphale’s bookshop, an antique sculpture of St Sebastian (well-known as the gayest Catholic Saint) foreshadowing his demise, and a chess set symbolizing the titular manhunt/game of tag with the protagonist.

Aziraphale’s song

Will Aziraphale sacrifice himself as well? Or has he already? If his coin magic trick can be any indicator, we should expect at least a shadow of a danger touching the angel’s wings soon.

Let’s sum up the 1941 events from Aziraphale’s perspective: the very first time they’ve interacted after almost a century, Crowley actively sabotaged his entire existence twice by stepping onto a holy ground and by being outed by agents of Hell, both on the very same night and both because of his undying dedication to the angel. That’s enough of a reason not only for performing an apology dance, but also maintaining a careful distance for Crowley’s sake for the next 26 years. Only when he heard that his idiot was planning to rob a church, he gave up since he “can't have him risking his life”.

That’s when Crowley, sitting in a car parked right under his bookshop, offered him a ride. It wasn’t even subtle anymore. It was supposed to be a date, this time both of them understood it. But Aziraphale wouldn’t risk Crowley’s safety for his own happiness, especially not when he can name his feelings towards him and knows that they are reciprocated — the biggest lesson he learnt back in 1941.

So he did what he’s best at, he cut Crowley off again, but this time with a promise of catching up to his speed at some point. Buddy Holly’s Everyday, which was originally planned to play afterwards instead of the Good Omens theme, adds additional context here:

No, thank you. Oh, don’t look so disappointed. Perhaps one day we could... I don't know… Go for a picnic. Dine at the Ritz.

Aziraphale, carefully looking around and feeling observed through the whole conversation in the Bentley, consciously used the “Dine at the Ritz” line from A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square, from their song, as a code only the two of them understand. Not as a suggestion to go out for a meal, but a promise. A hope for the privilege of being openly in love and together — maybe someday, not now, when it’s too dangerous — even if it leads to a bad ending.

Fast forward to 2023 when for one dreadful moment Crowley’s “No nightingales” robbed Aziraphale even of that semblance of hope. He looked away, unable to stop his tears anymore. Only their kiss helped him pull himself together and make sure that a nightingale did sing the last time he turned — just like in their song — this time without a smile, as a goodbye.

[yeetmeoutthewindowdaddy]

A deep dive into Zevlor's devotion (Part 1) Everybody hates tieflings, and how discrimination impacted a young Zevlor:

THIS POST CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR BG3.

These series of posts were originally one loooooong post— but apparently Tumblr has a character limit, and I found it; so now it's been split into several parts/posts.

((Part 1, this post, is mostly to give context to the discrimination faced by tieflings in Faerûn. The third part is where the meat of my Zevlor analysis is.))

(Part 2) Elturel's history and culture, the Hellriders, and Zevlor's paladin oath. (Part 2.5)

(Part 3) Zevlor's actions during Act 1, an analysis of a man who is barely holding on.

(Part 4) Zevlor's actions during Act 2, an analysis of a broken man.

(Part 5) Zevlor's actions during Act 3, an analysis of a man with his faith restored.

(Part 6) Zevlor's actions during/ after the epilogue, not all endings are happily ever after— especially not for a tiefling.

(Part 7) Zevlor in a romantic relationship.

I don't think many bg3 players understand just how dedicated and loyal of a person Zevlor is. This ADHD hyper-fixation fueled multipart-thesis is meant to show how Zevlor's past is as tragic as any of the origin characters'/ Durge's. It's meant to show how horrifically broken Zevlor was when he "betrayed" the other tieflings. It's also meant to show that our beloved blorbo would probably be fervently obsessive if he was in a romantic relationship.

Most importantly: It demonstrates how our favorite man Zevlor was most likely a fanatical religious zealot my dudes. He was (probably) a part of the Faerûn equivalent of the Spanish Inquisition lite.

I have kept this as factual as I am able to. Please keep in mind that Baldur's Gate 3 plays it fast and loose with the DND/ Forgotten Realms canon and lore, on top of DND/ the Forgotten Realms itself regularly disregarding and changing it's own lore and canon. DND lore and canon as a whole is a mess. It has multiple universes that sometimes interact and are maybe separate from each other. Full disclosure; I've mixed 1e-5e lore together FUCK 5.5e, because parsing through what is currently considered canon is a nightmare. As far as I'm concerned, as long as a piece of lore was canon at some point in the past 50 years— it's fair game. @y-rhywbeth2 in this post has a more in depth disclaimer. Also please check out their headcanons and lore breakdowns, they're so good.

THIS PROJECT TOOK ME OVER A MONTH TO WRITE. I've tried to find all grammatical and spelling errors. I've tried to ensure that I've cited the correct sources in the correct places.

I have given up on trying to understand Tumblr's inconsistent post formatting. Why does the 'small' option for text sometimes actually make the text smaller but other times it makes the text larger???

______________________________________________________________

● (Section 1) The Origins, Anatomy, and Physiology of Tieflings:

AN: It used to be that tieflings could only breed with other tieflings and humans. This seems to have been changed recently— one no longer has to have a demon somewhere in their genetic lineage to be a tiefling, one of their ancestors having contact with a demon is enough to produce a tiefling descendant. Which has interesting implications for Warlocks. There are also special versions of elf and orc tieflings.

(From what I can tell) tieflings live for about the same amount of time, maybe ~10 years longer than, humans do. (AN: Remember how I said the Forgotten Realms loves to retcon and disregard it’s own lore? The wiki states that their life span is from 90–150 years, but this source is from 2004 and the lore has greatly changed in the past 20 years. I am choosing to ignore the wiki here for my own sanity.)

Tieflings were humanoids with fiendish ancestry. They came about due to one of their ancestors (even many generations prior) getting freaky with a demon being "touched" by the evil planes in some way.

"Tieflings... were infused with the touch of the fiendish planes, most often through descent from fiends—demons, Yugoloths, devils, evil deities, and others... Although their evil ancestors could be many generations removed, the taint lingered."

Before some warlock shenanigans happened, tieflings had a much wider range of appearances than the ones we generally see now.

"In 1358 DR, a warlock coven...the Toril thirteen performed a ritual that cursed most tiefling lineages... [changing] their original lineage with that of the archdevil... Asmodeus [who] became a god... giving most tieflings... a similar devilish appearance... [whereas before] infernal blood could be diluted through intermarriage... afterward, the union of a tiefling with another race always produced a tiefling child."

Their infernal ancestry gave them some very powerful abilities.

"Tieflings had a number of abilities gifted to them by their fiendish heritage... an innate resistance to heat and... a hint of bloodlust that gave them a slight edge in combat. Tieflings also had access to an ability known as infernal wrath, which channeled their innate rage and potential for evil into their attacks for added effectiveness... [they] tended to have better reflexes than their human kin... [Tieflings are] alluring and intelligent creatures, with a seductive aura in spite of their obviously evil ancestry...

Along with some not so great traits that fed into the prejudices against them.

"Other, more unusual characteristics included a sulfurous odor, cloven feet, or... an unsettling air about them... a general aura of discomfort they left on others... most people were uncomfortable around them, whether they were aware of the tiefling's unsavory ancestry or not... Tieflings were carnivores. They consumed blood, blubber, bone, gristle and meat... [and] raw bone marrow..."

Tieflings tended to be resolute and tenacious, with a strong internal drive to rise above their circumstances.

"They are adaptable and resilient to hardship, and possess strong aptitude at whatever pursuit they dedicate themselves to... When facing adversity, the tiefling instinct is not to withdraw from the world, but rather to challenge it head-on... Tieflings seek to make their own fates, defy the odds, and take risks that... most... would not dare."

For some awesome insight on tieflings check out this post [alt] by @gortashs-skidmark, it's a good source on tiefling appearances and traits. Along with this post [alt] by @pikapeppa providing evidence-based headcanons on tiefling appearances. And this post [alt] by @y-rhywbeth2, which talks about how a tiefling's physical traits are influenced by their specific infernal heritage.

Their infernal appearance and weird vibes are why almost

● (Section 2) Everybody Hates Tieflings:

Even before Elturel's Decent into Avernus, and subsequently the events of BG3 (both of which I will cover later), Tieflings faced an incredible amount of discrimination— even from their own kind.

"Few tieflings were raised with the love a normal human child might expect to receive... Tieflings who had strikingly inhuman features were often killed at birth by their horrified parents or others. Only those tieflings with subtle features or born to someone indifferent to their appearance, either out of acceptance or cruel purpose, were likely to reach adulthood... Tieflings often distrusted one another, sometimes even casting the same preconceptions on one another that others did on them."

This post [alt] by @underdark-dreams highlights the discrimination tieflings face in game. And how the Flaming Fists should be called the Flaming Shits, but I'll get into that in another part of this series.

Understandably, they didn't easily trust others. But once someone did earn a tiefling's trust, they were an incredibly loyal friend.

"…[Tieflings] expected eventual rejection from all... However, members of other races would find that once they demonstrated friendship and trust towards a tiefling, it would quickly be reciprocated in full. Once that bond was forged, it was rarely broken."

While some tieflings wholeheartedly embraced the preconception that all tieflings were evil, others would endeavor to prove it wrong.

"Their attitude regarding their heritage... while some tieflings embraced it, others were repulsed by it... tieflings, who were proud of their fiendish past... chose to... thwart... dark plots and schemes. Others sought to... emulate these evil deeds. Other tieflings were ashamed or even frightened of their heritage and wished only to escape the shadow that lurked over them... Some did this through constantly doing good, as though to make up for the evil that begot them. Others instead hid [their heritage]…"

Looking like devils made people think they were devils, or acted like devils.

"Tieflings are widely stereotyped as wicked, cruel, and criminal individuals... [with] a tendency to be solitary loners... known for their quick temper, stubbornness, self-confidence, and fickleness in relationships."

And since people thought tieflings were, or would act like, devils they treated them like devils.

"The social rejection they typically face often leads tieflings to enter a life of crime, which furthers social prejudice against their race." 

"We're distrusted and viewed as evil malcontents for so long that we start to believe it ourselves. It's hard not to try to live up to the hype, eh?"— Enkillo the Sly, tiefling

It's not a stretch of the imagination to assume that people would believe that: the more devilish a tiefling looked = the more they'd behave like devils (evil). It's also safe assume: that the more infernal traits a tiefling had = the more, harsher, discrimination they'd face.

This leads into my next topic,

● (Section 3) Zevlor's Infernal Appearance:

He looks like a combo of Sylvester Stallone and Willem Dafoe.

He and his Habsburg jaw lookin ass face seems to always have a 5 o'clock shadow. (Probably because he's a refugee struggling to survive, so his personal grooming habits have taken a back seat.)

Zevlor has more infernal features than the other tieflings do in-game. (As shown in this post [alt] by @lolliputian and @haru-sen) He has very prominent cheekbones, a thick brow ridge, and BIG horns. (Look at @cinnasalmon's post [alt] on Zevlor's horn anatomy.)

HC: The reasons his face bones are so protuberant is because they need to support the weight of his huge horns, as without them his (face) skull would fracture/ cave in from the constant pressure. Poor guy probably lives with a perpetual headache.

Zevlor's prominent infernal facial features make him look older than he probably is— as they emphasize the traits we humans commonly associate with aging; such as defined nasal labial folds, a lack of facial fat, and big ears. The striations by his eyes look like wrinkles, but I think that they're mostly infernal markings.

Stress prematurely ages people, and Zevlor had multitudes of stressors throughout his life: Contending with the discrimination from being a tiefling with prominent infernal traits, joining an elite military unit at age 12, rising through its ranks to become a Commander of said unit, having his city dragged into the literal Hells (more on that in part 2), defending the civilians/ city trapped in the hells, surviving the hells, then being stripped of his rank and banished from his home because of racial prejudices, and then leading a group of (mostly civilian) refugees to Baldur's Gate— all while desperately trying to keep them alive in the face of Faerûn's many, many, dangers.

Combining all the factors above would make any man look 10+ years older than he actually is.

Zevlor looks scary. His irises look like they're on fire, and his teeth are scarier than Astarion's. I was browsing Tumblr alone in my room, at night, 😳 and this photo of Zevlor popped up on my feed giving me a good scare. I have an unhealthy obsession with Zevlor, he's made it onto my official husbando list! And yet, I can't look at certain screen shots of him at night because they scare me. I'm a wuss.

I simp hard for this man, and yet I am still frightened by his appearance sometimes. Imagine how people in Faerûn react when they see his sleep paralysis demon lookin ass him in person? Screaming and running away is completely understandable.

Which brings us to,

● (Section 4) How Discrimination Impacted a Young Zevlor:

Even as a young child Zevlor would've know that his appearance othered him.

"Most tieflings were aware from an early age that they were different from others around them..."

Even as a child Zevlor most likely knew that many people would dislike him and refuse to trust him because he was born a tiefling.

Tiefling families in the traditional sense are rare. Many tieflings, born to human parents who possess a latent infernal bloodline, are abandoned at birth and raised by a monastery, church, orphanage, or adoptive parents.

I headcanon that he had at least one loving parent—before he was orphaned, but it's entirely possible, and likely, that he was abandoned at birth.

Young Zevlor would've known that he would have to work very hard to be seen as something other than a criminal or evil monster.

"While some [tieflings] would... [turn] towards evil, others rejected it wholeheartedly and sought to make a good impact on the world around them, sometimes becoming the most heroic characters of all. Few could maintain this discipline however."

AN: Elturel was a theocracy (more on that part 2)— Zevlor likely grew up in a deeply religious family/ community.

All these factors combined would lead to a young Zevlor who:

Was determined to prove his goodness and rise above the adversity he faced. The force of will and work ethic he needed to become not just a Hellrider— but a Hellrider Commander, while being a tiefling, meant that he would've grown into a stubborn man. (See this post [alt] by @ohsayit)

Was so deeply religious and devoutly pious that he became a paladin. (More on this in part 2)

Internalized the impossible standards he was held to.

Developed a guilt complex (my "grew up Catholic" is showing)

Viewed any mistake he made as a personal moral failure, and as an indication of his inherent evil nature. (Hello again, Catholicism)

Would be hyperaware of how he's perceived by others.

Would learn how to read people's true intentions/ motivations.

Learned to vigilantly monitor, and strictly control his facial expressions and body language. (Is my autistic masking showing?)

Learned how to show deference to others through body language.

Leaned how to make himself appear smaller and less threatening.

Figured out how smile and laugh without showing his teeth.

Mastered the awkward and tight-lipped polite smile.

Figured out how to intelligibly speak with a tight jaw and lips so that his teeth wouldn't be seen by others while he spoke.

Developed self worth/ self esteem issues. Even other tieflings would've looked at him with suspicion and maybe even disgust.

That's it for part 1, here's another link to (Part 2) Elturel's history and culture, the Hellriders, and Zevlor's paladins oath. (Part 2.5)

and the other parts,

A deep dive into Zevlor's devotion series (master list)

[still-cookiedough]

Last year in January I got COVID and I was looking for things to watch. I ended up doing a Prime trial and I started watching The Legends of Vox Machina. I knew that it was based on a D&D Campaign that spanned multiple years and was thousands of hours long, and usually I find that length of content to be overwhelming. But after I finished the animated show I decided to jump into the critical role campaign 2 because - well there were lesbians.

Over the next 10 months I fell in love with The Mighty Nein, but as I was nearing the end I was getting so sad that I found it hard to watch and one day while on YouTube it just so happened to be Thursday night and CR was live with Bells Hells.

Now I had not watched by of campaign 3 but I was aware of the Bells Hells characters and I knew that Imogen and Laudna were shipped, but I also knew it was not cannon. Frankly I was debating on whether or not to watch campaign 3 at all because subtext sapphic relationships that aren’t actually together drive me crazy and I tend to avoid them for my own well being.

But it just so happened that the night I tuned in for my first ever live CR episode and the first episode of Bells Hells I had scene was episode 65. Thats right, while I casually had the show on in the background Imogen asked Laudna to kiss her. I was shocked and immediately wanted to rewind but I couldn’t because it was live! Was I wrong were the characters actually together and I didn’t know it? But no my first ever live episode was when Laura said “Can I kiss you?” to Laudna for the first time.

I explained this lovely coincidence to my girlfriend who has never seen an episode but knows all my favorite characters in what she calls “my nerd show” and it honestly just felt perfect.

In a world where shows are coming with shorter and shorter episode counts and all the shows with sapphic characters are canceled being able to nestle into the thousands of hours of critical role has been a gift. I’m finally caught up on CR 3 and all I can feel is gratitude 💜

[morbidology]

Over a span of just 10 days in August 2013, Nikko Jenkins unleashed a wave of violence that left four people dead in Omaha, Nebraska. His crimes, which he claimed were carried out under the influence of an Egyptian serpent god, have sparked intense debate about the criminal justice system, mental health, and the death penalty.

Nikko Allen Jenkins was born on September 16, 1986, into a family with a long history of criminal activity. Raised in a chaotic and often violent environment in Omaha, Jenkins was exposed to crime and dysfunction from a young age. By the time he was a teenager, Jenkins had already begun his journey into the criminal justice system, with numerous arrests and convictions for robbery, assault, and weapons charges.

Jenkins' time in prison only seemed to deepen his violent tendencies. During his incarceration, he became known for his erratic behavior, frequent outbursts, and disturbing beliefs, including his purported devotion to the Egyptian serpent god Apophis. He spent significant time in solitary confinement, where his mental health reportedly deteriorated further.

After serving more than a decade in prison, Jenkins was released on July 30, 2013. Less than a month later, he would begin his brutal killing spree.

On August 11, 2013, Jenkins committed his first murders. The victims, Juan Uribe-Pena and Jorge C. Cajiga-Ruiz, were lured to a park in Omaha under the pretense of meeting women. Once there, Jenkins shot and killed them both, leaving their bodies in a white pickup truck. The crime shocked the community, but it was only the beginning of Jenkins' rampage.

On August 19, Jenkins struck again, murdering Curtis Bradford, a man he had met in prison and briefly reunited with after his release. Jenkins lured Bradford to a location where he shot him in the back of the head. The next day, on August 21, Jenkins committed his final and most high-profile murder, killing Andrea Kruger, a 33-year-old mother of three. Kruger was abducted at a traffic intersection, and Jenkins later shot her multiple times before leaving her body on a rural road. He then stole her car, which was found abandoned a short time later.

Jenkins was arrested on August 30, 2013, during an investigation into a separate assault. Once in custody, Jenkins quickly confessed to all four murders. His confessions were chilling, as he claimed that he had been commanded to kill by the serpent god Apophis, whom he believed required human sacrifices. He described the murders in graphic detail, showing no remorse for his actions.

During his interrogation, Jenkins also made disturbing statements about his intentions to continue killing if he were released. These confessions, coupled with the brutality of his crimes, led to widespread calls for the harshest possible punishment.

Jenkins' case quickly became a lightning rod for controversy, particularly regarding his mental state and the handling of his incarceration. His defense team argued that Jenkins suffered from severe mental illness, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and that he was not competent to stand trial. They contended that his prolonged time in solitary confinement exacerbated his mental health issues, leading to the violent delusions that fueled his crimes.

Despite these arguments, Jenkins was found competent to stand trial. In 2014, he was convicted of four counts of first-degree murder, along with several other charges related to his killing spree. The trial was marked by bizarre and unsettling behavior from Jenkins, who repeatedly insisted that he was acting on the orders of Apophis. He even attempted to mutilate himself in court. Jenkins carved 666 into his forehead, and sliced his penis and tongue up the middle, believing it would make him appear more serpent-like.

In May 2017, Jenkins was sentenced to death by a three-judge panel.

[mariacallous]

In Hollywood, the present is the future is the past.

Twin strikes shut down production for six months last year, and with its workforce still on ice, the entertainment industry has been slow to recover. Domestic box-office revenue is expected to be 30 percent lower this year compared to 2019. By 2028, cable TV subscriptions are expected to decline by 10 million. And with the looming acquisition of Paramount Global by Skydance Media, the future of Hollywood is as it ever was: reliably uncertain. As one studio executive described it to the Los Angeles Times, it’s “something of an existential question mark.”

Of course, this isn’t Hollywood’s first—or second or third, for that matter—financial reckoning. “When we look closely at history, we realize that all the negotiations we have to make about character, about financing, about representation and all these things have been asked before,” says Maya Cade. “Ego tells us that we must be the first, but why would we want that to be true?”

This, in part, was Cade’s mission when she launched Black Film Archive in 2021. At a “moment when people were demanding the full totality of our lives to be represented in media,” she says, “they felt as if Black film could not hold the capacity for Blackness.” Cade knew better. So she got to work and built what is now the most exhaustive online database of Black cinema titles, spanning diverse, obscure, and well-known films.

A former audience development strategist at the Criterion Collection, she tells me people were missing a larger context to the issues at hand. The archive, which celebrated its third anniversary this August, features more than 300 films released between 1898 to 1999, with each title available to stream online. What Cade has accomplished is both rare and essential: She has indexed a century's worth of Black moviemaking and made it free to access.

Anxious to learn more, I reached out to Cade to help make sense of what’s happening in Hollywood. Over the phone from Los Angeles, where she recently relocated, Cade and I talked about the fate of the entertainment business, the grave implications of the Internet Archive lawsuit, and how we can better preserve history on an internet that likes to forget.

Jason Parham: Is it true that the idea for Black Film Archive sprang from a conversation on Twitter?

Maya Cade: I was on Twitter in June 2020, and I saw a lot of people talking about how racist or dramatic Black films are as a way to dismiss them. So instead of shaming people for that opinion, in my mind I was like, OK, how do I make an offering for people to discuss that belief, to contrast that belief, and also move us past it. I don't want to dismiss the truth because it's harsh. And I know there are many ways to get to the truth. I also don’t want to dismiss people who feel that way. But I want to offer another lens of how they're seeing it. Because when we talk about Black films as only being traumatic, we're reducing the art form in a very minuscule kind of way. This idea of like, “Oh, all these films are about slavery. All of these films are about trauma porn.”

Which, of course, isn’t true.

I did the calculations of how many films are about slavery—and they were quite few across time. But I understand that at the same time, what does it mean when a white decisionmaker wants to see Black people in a specific way? They have the power of how we're told in media. I also understand that film becomes the dominant narrative of how history is told. So there are multiple truths to contend with. But I think we're better prepared to contend with those things when we have a full look of what Black film’s history can offer.

The Internet Archive recently lost an appeal, which could have major ramifications to how we access information. Resources like Black Film Archive and the Wayback Machine are also part of this conversation. This is a bit of an abstract question, but how do we better hold on?

One goal of the early internet was to democratize knowledge. Whether everyone agreed with that is a different point. And the Internet Archive is one of the only things from the early internet to still exist in its same way. Wikipedia, too. These two things are constantly under attack, because to share knowledge freely means that someone wants to come in and control the free flow of knowledge. They want to profit from that.

In so many ways greed has become a default response to various public resources.

With that being known, what do we do? The world has been upended. The only truth that we know is in books. On the internet, AI has turned knowledge upside down. AI leaves out the essence of truth. For example, through summary, it assumes who you are and what you want to know quickly about something, which isn't the same as a human would do it. That process can remove layers of truth at a very basic level. With that being the foundation of the internet of the future, the Internet Archive is essential. In the last 10 years, we have moved away from the internet as a service to the internet of things. An internet as service—it was a destination. It was a place that you could freely roam, explore, and use as a guide.

Is there a way back to that?

If we want places on the internet that aren't run by AI, where knowledge is freely shared, where we can explore as we desire, then we must invest our time, our coins, we must advocate and protect as much as we possibly can. There’s so much on the internet that would crumble if the Internet Archive or Wikipedia falls. That's a threat to many people because, ultimately, when you control the flow of knowledge, you control everything.

The consequences would be extraordinary.

It's almost as if the basic concept of the library would be a pie-in-the-sky idea today, because someone would ask, well, how could I make money from that? When Black Film Archive launched, many people wanted to profit off of it. Many people asked to sponsor it. The thing is, once you create something that becomes a front line of culture, the question isn’t “How do I help sustain you?” The question is “How do I own you?” I said no because I’m firm in Black Film Archive being free.

On the subject of money and ownership: Earlier this year, following the cancellation of several Black TV shows, you wrote, “Studios and streamers no longer care about loyalty or enduring legacy.” Why does Hollywood, in 2024, still have such a difficult time aligning its legacy with its business?

Well, here's the thing, the legacy business, they feel as if that work is behind them.

But isn’t that what Hollywood is built on?

Yes, but to create new legacy and new inroads, to them, that is less important than extracting every possible dollar from existing IP. It’s more “expensive,” quote-unquote, to create something than it is to rest on existing laurels. The beginning of the end of this, to me, was when Warner Brothers and UPN merged into The CW. Now, 20 years later, the CW is a shell of itself. In mergers, you're no longer competing with someone to make the best content. With the merger of Warner Brothers and Discovery, they own, what, one-fourth of TV? That competition era of television—it's over.

Which has a direct impact on the creative side.

The legacy-driven model only happens now in vanity. So a lot of stars are using their own distribution or first-look deals to produce things. And these are the majority of people who are allowed to create. So what does Hollywood mean when the only people who are given freedom are people who have already done the taxing work—if they have at all—to become stars? Hollywood is not in the business of guarantee. Everything must be proven before it's even created.

And if that’s the case, so many people get left out.

And if everything must be proven before it's even created, then Blackness never had a chance. It doesn't have a chance. The fight for nostalgia as currency comes in a moment where some of the highest rated things are non-white. That's not an accident. It’s as if television, media, and filmmaking are becoming manifest destiny in the wrong ways. And there's nothing sadder.

Perhaps we need better frameworks.

People have upended industries to chase Netflix. And no one has caught up. Everything has fallen in this chase. What’s happening now is, people are only duplicating the best and the most watched. There is no diversity in how things are being delivered.

You once described “post-2020 Black media as akin to a modern day blaxploitation boom.” It got me thinking about platforms like Tubi and AllBlk, which are sometimes mocked as being a kind of streaming ghetto, but those same streamers have also given opportunities to young creators.

Blaxploitation, as I was saying, makes way for Spike Lee, it makes way for the '80s independent Black movement that, of course, shapes everything we know about modern Black film and modern Black media. At every valley, there is a peak. It’s the nature of life. So what do I think is ahead? We should be thinking about independent models that have existed before our current era. There are many ways to make media. With pilot season essentially dying, as the studios have announced, what are some ways that Black creators can forge together to make what they desire?

I mean, I don't know if I have the answers, but I do have the curiosity. And oftentimes curiosity and care—and leading with them—can transform how we understand history and the future.

[chroniclesofbts]

Break my Walls P. 4

Genre: A/B/O, Poly BTS and Reader

Warnings: angst, omegaspace, eventual smut, slow burn, angst, fluff, polyamorous relationship, sexual themes, implied sexual interactions.

If you’re not 18+ please, do not interact.

As always, my works do not represent BTS in any way, this is purely a work of fiction.

Part 3

Y/N's POV

Waking up, I am met with a feeling I haven't had in a long time. Happiness. I wonder if the pack sleeping just downstairs knows the impact they had on the useless omega for the Kang pack. Around me, the other omegas sleep soundly. That will be me soon, sleeping unless called on by the alpha I am assigned to. For now, I must prepare breakfast with the other omega caretakers. Quietly getting out of bed, I am met with the brisk chill of the attic air. Winter is close, which means the alphas will start to hit their Ruts. The winter Ruts are the worst, the alphas are almost fully aligned in the pack. All of the omegas that are of age are put on standby, as a backup option for any alphas who push their regular omegas past their limits. Thinking about becoming a primary or even a secondary omega for an alpha fills me with dread. Sometimes, secondary omegas become the primary omega for an alpha, if they show that they can handle their ruts. Once, Alpha Dae's father went through five omegas when he was Pack Alpha. That was four years ago, and his last year as Pack Alpha.

I continue my path down the guest hallway, when the opening of a door startles me. I am suddenly pulled into a dark room, bombarded with multiple sets of arms wrapping around me.

"Y/N! I missed you" Jimin's angelic voice came from behind.

"We all missed you, did you miss us?" Taehyung shared, pulling me closer by my hips, my face sitting just inches from his. His eyes shinning in the dark room, lit by moonlight. Standing this close, his mesmerizing almond eyes look like they're glowing. I begin to get lost in his gaze, feeling myself slipping. My sense of reality growing hazy.

"Your Pack Alpha allowed us to have you last night, meaning you're ours for as long as we like this morning." Jungkook's voice floated into my head, as I struggled not to fall into the haze.

"God, you smell so good" Jimin whispered, his nose running along the column of my neck. His lips brushed my scent gland, causing a whine to be pulled out of me. His lips curved into a smile, pleased with himself for being the cause of my sweetening scent. The door slamming open had me jerking away from the three, scent souring from fear.

"Hyung, why?" Jimin whined, looking at Namjoon who was slamming the door closed behind him.

"I can smell her from outside Jimin, now is not the time to be creating such a sweet smelling omega to fall into omegaspace." He chided, walking over and pulling me into his arms.

"Morning Y/N, I hope you slept well."

"I did, thank you." I responded, soaking in the warmth the alpha radiated before pulling away, uncomfortable with all of the touching that has happened in the span of 10 minutes.

"I need to go help prepare breakfast" I say, beginning to panic. "I am late, I need to go" before I am punished, I finished in my head.

"Woah, we just said you're ours for as long as we want this morning" Jungkook soothed, pulling me back against his chest. He began nosing at my scent gland, desperate to make the panic go away. Jimin began guiding us to the bed, my feet beginning to feel sluggish with all of the emotions I have been experiencing this morning.

The view of his breathtaking nest had me freezing in my steps. My body feeling like it was doused in ice water.

"What is it little one?" Namjoon's voice came, full of concern at my frozen state bordering panic.

"You... nest" I stutter, brokenly, confusing the pack. Jin, who just entered with the rest of the Kim pack, sucks in a sharp breath at the statement, beginning to piece together how omegas are truly treated in the Kang pack.

"Omegas are meant to nest, baby" Jin said carefully, "Omegas are supposed to nest."

Namjoon begins to understand what his Pack Omega is doing, stepping back to allow Jin to come closer. He pulls Jungkook away, letting his omegas coddle you.

"Jimin made his nest special last night, just for you. It has the nicest sheets and blankets from the Omega Store" Jin begins, "Do you want to try it? Our Alphas will stand guard, nothing can hurt you"

As tempting as it sounds, you know a trap when you see one. Alpha Dae must have planned this whole thing, including the food, which you were sure you would pay for today. You knew it was too good to be true, the pack was testing you to see if you were a good Omega. You back away, body beginning to tremble. With a hand over your mouth, you flee, willing the tears not to fall. How could you be so stupid, you chastize yourself, ignoring the pleas from the Kim pack. You rush back up to the attic, feeling last nights dinner coming back up. The attic is empty when you arrive, breakfast must be ready. You run into the bathroom, not stopping to close and lock the door, barely making it to the toilet in time. Overwhelmed, you don't hear the door closing behind you, or the footsteps coming closer. Only realizing you are not alone when a cool, wet cloth is placed against your neck. You heart beating fast, you glance over your shoulder with tears in your eyes. Jin had followed you. Why can't they just leave you alone, you think as a lone tear falls down your cheek.

"No omega should have to live how you do, ever" He whispered, tears gathering in his own eyes. Jimin appeared behind him, carrying a water bottle and package of cinnamon bread. Jin helped me stand, flushing the toilet. I brushed my teeth and met them in the room.

“Which, uh, bed is yours?” Jimin asked, glancing around at all of the mattresses on the ground with small clothes chests in front.

“The one in the corner, I um, I don’t like being in the open.” I walk towards it and sit down, looking up at them standing at the edge of the bare mattress as if they were waiting for something. “You have to invite us into your nest sweet girl” Jin said.

“It’s not a nest” I reply instantly, without thinking.

“Okay, invite us into your not nest, baby” Jimin spoke with ease.

“Why?”

“Why what, baby?”

“Why do I have to invite you in? Is it because you’re from another pack?”

“You have to invite us into your nest, uh, not nest, because it’s your space baby. No one should ever enter your space, especially your nest, um not nest, without you allowing it. That’s means you in your right mind, not under the influence of anyone else’s pheromones, okay?” Jin spoke softly.

“Okay, um, come in?” I say in question.

“No baby, you have to mean it” Jimin responded, “be a good girl for us, yeah? Say what you want”

“Please come sit down on the bed with me”

They didn’t need to be told twice, instantly entering the bed and sitting so close they were touching.

“Good girl” Jimin hummed, holding the water to my lips.

“I can do it, Jimin” I insisted, but the omega just shook his head with a smile, waiting until I gave in.

“A very good omega” Jin agreed, making my omega preen for the first time. Jimin continued to feed me, his fingers consistently grazing my lips and sometimes tongue. Each time his mischievous smile would grace his face.

“Come to my nest, let us show you what you’re missing. I promise you won’t be in trouble, your pack alpha will not find out. Joonie has requested you for our entire stay, you don’t even have to leave our nest.” Jimin begged, leaning close and pulling puppy dog eyes.

“The minute you are uncomfortable you can leave, or you can go to my nest in the next room” Jin promised.

“Okay,” I agreed, “but I can’t make any promises about staying”

Jimin smiled so big his eyes disappeared, my heart began to race just looking at him.

“I don’t think you’ll want to leave, and I can’t guarantee the rest of the maknae line will let you leave easy. They haven’t stopped talking since we told them you agreed” Jin said.

“Told them? How, I just agreed?” I questioned, unknowingly giving them the final piece they have been searching for.

Taglist Open:

@braveangel777

[writergeekrhw]

Can you tell us a bit about what the current climate is like for screenwriters in regards to the WGA strike?

ISSUES FOR WRITERS THAT ARE DRIVING THE WGA STRIKE:

I wrote about this when I ran for the WGA board, so this is mostly a cut and paste from my candidate statement. That said, some of the most pressing issues as I see them:

DECREASES IN WEEKLY PAY

Many TV writers are suffering financially due to shorter episodic orders. Twenty years ago, show orders were for 22, 24, or even 26 episodes per season. For producer level writers paid by the episode, this guaranteed a comfortable wage. Now season orders, especially on streaming, can be for as few as 6 episodes and are commonly for 8 or 10 episodes. Yet writers are still employed to work on these shows for months at a time. As a result of pro-rating episodic rates for a reduced number of episodes over a significant span of time, many mid-level writers now earn a fraction of the wages they would have gotten 10 or 20 years ago. In other words, per-episode pay rates have become outmoded and disadvantageous to writers.

STAFF WRITER SCIPT PAYMENTS

Little known fact: Staff Writers (the lowest ranking writers on a tv show) don't get paid extra for their scripts, which are charged against their overall pay. With shorter orders, Staff Writers often get hired for many less weeks, and sometimes they have to repeat Staff Writer multiple times before getting promoted. Staff Writers need to get paid script fees to shore up their salaries.

LOW STREAMING RESIDUALS

Streaming services currently pay much lower residuals than networks or traditional syndication, both on features and television episodes. This practice undermines the financial stability of writers and also reduces payments to our pension and health funds. When I started in this business, writing several episodes of a successful show, or writing a successful movie, guaranteed years of future income, helping plug the gaps between jobs. Streaming has greatly reduced this income source.

The Guild is fighting for significantly higher streaming residuals, to bring them closer to parity with traditional network reruns.

LACK OF PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE FOR NEW WRITERS

Twenty years ago, a lower level writer might work on several scripts a year, supervising and rewriting freelancers in addition to writing or co-writing episodes of their own. Today, lower levels on streaming shows are lucky to write a single script a season. Often this script is shared with a senior writer. As a result, these writers are missing out on valuable writing experience as they rise through the ranks.

Unfortunately, this lack of opportunity extends to all aspects of production. In streaming, lower level and mid-level writers are often no longer with the project by the time prep begins. This means they get no experience in vital aspects of production, including rewriting for production and working in post. As a result, up-and-coming writers are often underprepared when they reach upper levels or sell their own shows. Compound this with a rise in “director driven” streaming shows, and the power and authority of television writers is under significant threat.

The Guild made several proposals to ensure that the future generations of writers get the skills they need to thrive, steer their own creations, and continue our success as a union. The studios rejected them all.

PROLIFERATION OF FREE WORK

This has long been an issue for screenwriters, and it’s increasingly becoming a concern for television writers as well, especially in streaming. More and more, producers secure established intellectual property as source material, then engage in protracted audition processes during which dozens of writers are asked to pitch their takes on I.P. they do not control, often over the course of multiple meetings for months on end.

Even for the winner of a pitch sweepstakes, actual payment can be months or even years away, and it’s almost always contingent on a network sale or securing financing and distribution. Which requires more pitching and more unpaid work. In short, writers are spending enormous amounts of time developing pitches, often paying for visual materials out of their own pockets, all just to secure if/come deals, many of which never bear fruit.

Finally, writers that do win sweepstakes pitches are often only paid for a single draft, while having to execute multiple unpaid "producer drafts. This is driving down writer wages in features and development.

MINIROOMS

Over the past few years, the companies have institute a practice called "mini-rooms" wherein they hire a handful of writers to start working on a show before it's greenlit or picked up for another season. Mini-rooms only pay scale, meaning a pay cut for most writers, and they come with no guarantee of future employment. The WGA wants the studios to pay a higher rate for mini-rooms.

TEXT GENERATING PROGRAMS

Falsely labelled "A.I." Text-Generators like ChatGPT could become a fundamental threat to human writers. These programs are essentially plagiarism machines. They are programed on our writing, then chop it up and spew it back out in a kind of algorithm driven version of the proverbial infinite monkeys with typewriters. We need to restrict the use of Text Generators and to protect human writers.

Hope that helps! Please note I am not a WGA board member and am not part of the negotiations. These are the issues as I see them. Opinions expressed are solely my own.

[bingebuddie]

Here... We... Go...

Hi all,

Well, so far, 2024 has sucked for me... but anyway...

I've been feeling pretty out of sorts mentally, and depending on where my head is at, I've been bouncing back and forth between Fics and my Wes and Cole novel.

I am going on a writing retreat May 4-12th... so... expect some major movement...

I wanted to provide a few updates on where I am with my Fics and other works.

Sideways:

Published updates here have been slower than I wanted or anticipated. This has nothing to do with the story, as I have this outlined for Arcs 6-10... Yes, up to Arc 10.

My personal life has gotten in the way a lot over the last few months and has just eaten up my time to write.

Now, Arc 6 will lead right into Arc 7 and 7 into 8. You will want to throw some stuff at me for some of the wtf moments and having to wait between arcs... but it's all coming. Anyone new to the series has had the benefit of reading five fully finished-out arcs that took me about a year to write. Have some patience with me. It will be worth it.

Arc 6, Into The Unknown, has multiple chapters drafted. I just need to clean up some edits from my beta, and they will be posted. May is going to be a big month for this arc.

This is a pivotal point in the series. It spans Chapters 37-48, making it the longest arc so far. This installment will delve into the Seals' backstory, their connection with Buck and Eddie, and much more. It’s a substantial piece of the puzzle that you won't want to miss.

This one does have some heavy moments...

This does end with a cliffhanger... But I promise, it's not our boys directly you are left wondering about...

Arc 7—Strong—Eddie will need his friends and family like never before. This is a heavy Diaz family arc. The outline is eight Chapters.

This also ends in a cliffhanger and that promise I made above... does not apply here.... insert evil laugh...

Arc 8 Genesis—This is the big one. It all comes together here, and it is the part I am most excited to write. It is also the longest, with an outline of 16 chapters. You will find out more about Genesis in Arc 6.

This arc will change all of their lives and the status quo as we know it. Grab your seats and tissues. The previous title for this was Unleashed...

Arc 9 - Experience/Circles - Tentative Title - No tease, as it will spoil what's to come...

Arc 10 - My All - googles Mariah Carey ...

Sideways isn't going anywhere...

Shifted:

Volume 1: Nevermore

This was originally planned to be 30 chapters. I have 20 published right now. The rest of this is outlined, and chapters 21-25 are written and ready to be published. I haven't posted these because Chapter 25 ends on a massive cliffhanger, and I don't want to leave you all hanging. I will be finishing this... after Arc 6 of Sideways ...

I have a plan for the second arc... but that's all the way behind everything else on my docket...

Impossible:

If you have read this one, I have yet to post the last chapter...

This has an MCD, and while I was writing this, I lost a friend. It was hard to finish. I have finished the outline, and this will be completed soon.

Run:

This is on hold. I have too much else to focus on. Consider this on hiatus until I say otherwise. It might even be scrapped... will see...

Would You Mind:

This one was a lot of fun... The wrap-up/epilogue is done; it's with my beta...

Lap Dancing Eddie will return... in Sideways...

I Don't Want To Be Your Freind:

As of today, 7 of 11 chapters are posted. This is all outlined. I have drafts of chapters 8-11 done. Going to beta and will be posting soon...

I started this leading up to Season 7; it was my mind dealing with all the rumors and leaks... In my mind and my group chat, I was calling this my Anti Tommy and Marisol fic...

This got way out of hand and became a monster of a fic...

Now... on to what else I have brewing...

Future Shock - 3 Part Series - Magic/BAMF/Mayhem/Found Family/Soul Mates/Redux/Ryan Throw's The Timeline Into A Blender and Tada...

As It Is - 2030 and the 118 have been a fractured team since the lawsuit. When members of the team start to be picked off one by one, Hen, Chim, and Bobby, have no one to turn to until friends and family return in their most desperate hour.

As It Was - Details what led to the fracturing of the 118. A retelling of Season 2 and part of season 3...

As It Was Always Meant To Be - Now reunited, will the 118 be able to rally around each other, or will their painful past be too much to overcome.

This has a loose outline and it's very large ...

Depressed, Devasted, and Destroyed aka Something To Hold On To:

I keep calling this Triple D or DDD... This is a pure angst fest... major whump... like I'm mad at myself for the whump here ... seriously...

This has an outline...

Relationship Goals—In an effort to rebuild their friendship after their recent relationships crash and burn, Buck and Eddie join a local hockey team along with some of Buck's old seal friends. This was pure fan service to myself and a way to get Buck, Eddie, Wes, and Cole to play hockey and not have to do it on Sideways. This currently sits around 60 pages.

Stolen - A stolen kiss changes everything between Buck and Eddie... This angst fest is somehow incredibly soft... This is about 35 pages right now...

The Ties That Bind - Buck breakdown fic... This might get scrapped and merged into DDD from above...

All I Want for Christmas - Think Scrooged Vs. It's A Wonderful Life Vs 911... This won't be posted until holiday time...

The Wes and Cole novel is still moving along... it's my refuge when the show does something stupid...

I should probably get to writing... it's not like I have nothing to do....

[always-is-always]

I have a question that I'd love some feedback on. This comes from my experience with music over many, many years, here in the US...

Why do they (HYBE? BigHit? K-Pop in general?) come out with multiple versions of a song? And, why do they literally do it within a short time-span after the original is released?

In my experience from a young person up to my current age, all of the many many bands and musicians that I loved released single versions of songs, about 80% of the time... I'm leaving room for corrections, as I cannot say absolutely that they didn't have more than one version. This expands decades, here. I'm that far along in life.

When HYBE releases 5 or so versions of a song, it kind of feels like they are doing so because they can, and because they know it will generate profits for the company. They KNOW that ARMYs worldwide will support someone like Jimin, if they release multiple versions of a song, simply because it is Jimin.

Sometimes, it feels like they are milking it for all that they can get..... you know?

This commentary isn't a reflection on Jimin, in any way. 💜 It is about the people who are in position to make decisions about what is released, and such...

Somehow, I just don't get it.

Instead of releasing a mini-album with 7 tracks, then releasing multiple versions of a song, why not simply produce a FULL ALBUM with 12 songs? That's what they used to do....

As I mentioned above, this is not about Jiminie. I just sit and wonder sometimes, why HYBE and BigHit do some of the things that they do. Maybe it is because I am old school, and grew up in very different times. Maybe it is because I actually would love a full album with 10-12 different songs, by Park Jimin....😁

Maybe I just need to stay quiet, and just hold space for whatever.... I mean, we could just blame my Mercury in Aries here (it's need for understanding and truth!!).... lol... I digress...🙄

I'm open to commentary that helps me understand, as I obviously need it. It's just sometimes, I realize that I need to reach out to others who actually understand the why's, so that I can too.

Thanks, a bunch!

PS: Stream Muse!! 🥰

[scotianostra]

Today marks a year since we lost the legendary actor Sean Connery.

Born Thomas Sean Connery, in the Fountainbridge area of Edinburgh, Big Tam, he was known growing or as Tommy.

His first job was as a milkman with the St Cuthbert’s Co-Operative Society in Edinburgh. I would think he would have delivered the milk on a horse drawn carriage, the stables for these horses was in the are he grew up, were in Grove Street, where I used to live the main offices for St Cuthbert’s still stands round the corner on Fountainbridge.

Connery also played football at junior level for Bonnyrigg Rose, my cousin played for them too for several years.

A few more facts about Sean are he has a tattoo on his arm that state “Scotland Forever” he got when he enrolled in the Merchant Navy, he was discharged from that job due to stomach ulcers, between jobs he was a nude model for art students at Edinburgh College of art, again not to far from Fountainbridge. Other jobs he took up were, a lorry driver, a lifeguard at Portobello swimming baths, a labourer and a coffin polisher!

I think it is interesting Connery never strayed far from Fountainbridge in his younger days, indeed when he decided that acting was a career he was going to pursue, it was the nearby Kings Theatre he got a job helping backstage, he was also competing in bodybuilding competitions at this time and while at an event in London he learned that there were auditions being held for South Pacific, he was picked to appear on the chorus line but as the production toured the country he was making his way up the ladder.

By the time it hit Edinburgh he had the part of Marine Cpl Hamilton Steeves and was understudying two of the juvenile leads, and his salary was raised from £12 to £14–10s a week, when the production was reprised the following year he had the lead role on the tour, taking over from the actor Larry Hagman, who played the part in London’s West End.

Connery never looked back from there and of course the role of James Bond catapulted him to international stardom, Ian Fleming though was against him getting the part initially, he said Sean was “unrefined” and not what he had in mind, Sean soon won him over though and Fleming later admitted he was an “ideal” Bond.

A few of the parts Sean either didn’t get or turned down are Gandalf, in the Lord of the Rings series of films, he said he never understood the books and also wasn’t keen on 18 months of filming in New Zealand. He also turned down the chance to play the role of the Architect in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. Sean was asked to portray King Edward I in Braveheart, but was too busy working on Another film at the time, Patrick McGoohan took the role instead.

His 93rd and last film was 2003’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Sir Sean Connery passed away in his sleep on 31st October 2020 at his home in the Bahamas, his son said he had been unwell for some time. The official cause of death was pneumonia, heart failure and old age, his death certificate revealed.

In a career spanning over 50 years, Connery earned an Academy Award, multiple Golden Globes, including the Cecil B. DeMille and Henrietta Awards, as well as two British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) awards.