#national bat appreciation day

[considernature]

Batman (Homo sapiens)

- Critically Endangered

- World's greatest detective

Alt text: Batman from the animated series.

[4amdiego]

ITS BAT APPRECIATION DAY!!!

MY FAV ANIMAL OF ALL TIME!!!

for this special day i will now share my fav species of bats because i love bats very very much and im allowed to! <33

🦇🦇🦇

OK first we have the Eastern Red bat!!🦇

so small yet they love their solitude. also just look at them and tell me they aren't cute <3

NEXT we've go the Pallid bat!!🦇

they look absolutely adorable AND these lil guys eat scorpions along with the occasional little lizard or mouse

NEXT theres the iconic, Vampire bat!!🦇

i love these tiny little guys, and their little scamper they do is so cute <3 PLUS their teeth are one of my fav features along side their heat sensing nose

NEXT the awesome Honduran White bat!

the way they get their yellow from figs just like how flamingos are pink!! plus they look like this... ALSO THEY MAKE LEAF TENTS BY CHEWING THE STEM OF IT MAKING THE LEAVES WEAK

FINALLY a megabat, The Spectacled Flying Fox!!!🦇

omg i love their forever goggles that they sport!<3

OK thats its, thank you for reading.

NOW, GO APPRECIATE BATS!! !!!! :3🦇🦇🦇

[rabbitcruiser]

International Bat Appreciation Day

Bats can eat as many as 1,000 mosquitoes a day. Help preserve these crucial creatures by donating to a conservation, volunteering, or spreading awareness.

Bats have a terrible reputation among people because they’re seen as scary bloodsuckers that will spread diseases. However, according to scientists, very rarely do they spread diseases and few species drink blood, but rather eat fruit.

The population of bats has been depleting, and that is a problem because they contribute to the ecosystem more so than people think. International Bat Appreciation Day aims to show love for these flying mammals and teach people the importance of bats in today’s world.

Learn about International Bat Appreciation Day

On International Bat Appreciation Day, we are reminded of the important role that bats play in our day-to-day lives. You may not think that bats have any impact on your life at all! In fact, you may not really give much thought to this animal. However, did you know that bats can eat as many as 1,000 mosquitoes in an hour? That’s 1,000 fewer mosquitoes that could possibly bite you! As bats are insectivorous, they actually get rid of a lot of annoying insects, and so we have a lot to thank them for. They role in the circle of life definitely benefits us.

International Bat Appreciation Day encourages us to learn more about these species and the role they play in nature. It is a good opportunity for you to learn more about bats, and you will find plenty of information online and in animal textbooks as well. After all, there are some very interesting facts about this species.

You probably know that bats are able to see in the dark and that they use their extreme sense of hearing. But, did you know that they are the only type of mammal that is able to fly in a true and sustained way? Did you also know that bats are pollinators? This means that, along with the likes of butterflies and bees, they provide a critical link in our supply of food.

There are lots of other interesting facts that you can learn about bats on International Bat Appreciation Day. This includes the fact that there are more than 1,200 known species of bat. Around 70 percent of these bats are insectivores. Bats also grow in a number of different sizes. The Giant Golden-Crowned Flying Fox Bat is one of the biggest bats. It has a wingspan as big as five-feet, seven-inches, weighing up to four lbs. Bats also groom themselves constantly, making them very clean animals, which is something a lot of people do not realize.

In the United States, there are roughly 48 species of bats that call this their home. Three states in the U.S. also have an official state bat. The Virginia Big-Eared Bat is the state bat in Virginia. The Mexican Free-Tailed Bat is the state bat of Oklahoma. Finally, this bat – the Mexican Free-Tailed Bat – is also the state bat of Texas.

History of International Bat Appreciation Day

Bat Conservation International started International Bat Appreciation Day to focus on protecting all the different species of bats. Bats protect ecosystems and help make sure our planet has a healthier future.

Bat Conservation International was founded in 1982 by a group of scientists concerned about our planet’s bats. After lots of research, they discovered that bats are important to help keep nature in balance, and are important to a lot of industries.

Scientists such as Dr. Merlin Tuttle, a recognized authority on bats, formed the organization. He made important progress by teaching more sustainable uses of natural resources that benefit both bats and people.

Bats play a significant role in the ecosystem of the world. There are over 1,300 species of bats in the world. Bats helps control agricultural pests, pollinate flowers and fruit, and create rich fertilizer for landowners, farmers, and local communities.

Without these bats, plants would fail at providing food for other wildlife species and surrounding ecosystems. Bats are one of the most under-studied animals, even though many of those bats are considered critically endangered, threatened, or vulnerable.

Forest depleting, inappropriate guano mining and thoughtless tourism have caused a substantial decrease in the populations of bats everywhere. International Bat Appreciation Day aims to change the perspective on these misunderstood creatures and encourage people to help protect bats everywhere.

How to celebrate International Bat Appreciation Day

Want to celebrate these furry, flying creatures of the night? Help support your local bat conservation organization by donating or volunteering to protect these adorable creatures. Share your love of bats with your friends and family by sharing facts about the different kinds of bats out there in the wild.

Take the time to educate people about the importance of bats in the world’s ecosystem. If you’re looking into becoming a biologist to study bats, then organizations such as the Bat Conservation International for career opportunities to help protect the world’s bats from extinction.

You can also expand your knowledge by taking a look online and reading up more about the species. There are also some good bat documentaries, which you can watch online or on television.

Another fun way to celebrate International Bat Appreciation Day is to watch some of the Batman movies! This fictional superhero first appeared in 1939 in Detective Comics #27. There have been a lot of different Batman films over the years. This includes the 1989 Batman, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice from 2016, the 2006 The Dark Knight, Dark Knight Rises from 2012, and a number of others! So, get the popcorn in and celebrate this famous bat superhero!

Source

[murderousink23]

04/17/2024 is Banana Day 🍌, National Espresso Day 🇮🇹, National Bat Appreciation Day 🇺🇸, National Cheeseball Day 🇺🇸, National Ellis Island Family History Day 🇺🇸, International Haiku Poetry Day 🇺🇸, Malbec Day 🍷🇬🇧

[arthistoryanimalia]

Its #BatAppreciationDay so please appreciate this awesome 19th century Japanese kosode decorated with embroidered lucky bats, photographed in 2019 at The Life of Animals in Japanese Art exhibition at the National Gallery of Art in DC:

Kosode with Bats Japan, Edo - Meiji periods, 19th century silk twill, paste-resist dyed, embroidery, 67⅜ × 48⅞ in. National Museum of Japanese History, Chiba Prefecture

“In the West, bats - nocturnal in habit and denizens of dark places tend to be viewed as unlucky, but in China they have long been considered an auspicious motif (one of the characters used to write the word "bat" is a homonym for good fortune). The Kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjüro VII (1791-1859) used bat motifs in his costumes, and the perception of these animals as a chic design element spread rapidly throughout Japan in the nineteenth century. Here a great number of them are arranged in right-left symmetry from the base of the collar to the hem.”

The above info is from the official exhibition catalog - this bat kosode is on p. 124:

The Life of Animals in Japanese Art (2019)

[kuerie]

appreciate them.

[etb-eg]

GUYS, HAPPY BAT APPRECIATION DAY!!

[atlaculture]

how do you think the calendar is organized in the atla universe? they have a twelve-month system like we do but what would those months each be called? do you think they have leap years?

Right off the bat, let me just say that hypothetical calendars and alternative timekeeping is one of my favorite topics to talk about so this reply is going to be lengthy.

First off, everything we know about the calendar system in Avatar comes from the planetary calendar room in Wan Shi Tong's library.

The innermost ring indicates the number of months in a year (12), the second ring indicates the number of days in a month (30), the third ring indicates the different Avatar eras (16 shown), and the outermost ring showcases all of the animals of the zodiac cycle (12). For this reply, we're only going to be focusing on the innermost and second innermost rings.

According to the episode, the ATLAverse appears to have only 12-month years, so no leap year 13th month like the East Asian lunar calendar. There also doesn't appear to be any months with more than 30 days, judging by the number of days shown on the calendar. This means that the maximum number of possible days for an Avatar year is 360. So it's safe to say that there are probably no leap years like ours in the ATLAverse. I guess their Earth's orbit is slightly shorter and more suited for timekeeping than ours.

As for what each month would be called in the ATLAverse, there's a couple of options. One option is to simply call the months by order: First month, second month, third month, etc. This actually ties back to Avatar's Chinese influence, as that's literally how months are named in Mandarin. This is straightforward, practical, and doesn't require any complex etymology or extensive worldbuilding.

However, I also think it would be fun to weave motifs into the calendar. Since there's so much emphasis on balance and cycles, why not divide the twelve months between the four elements? I imagine these months would be referred to as:

The 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Water Month

The 1st, 2nd & 3rd Earth Month

The 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Fire Month

The 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Air Month

For example, a person might say "I was born during the first water month, in the year of the rabbit." Naturally, there would be plenty of superstitions and horoscopes related to the combination of birth month and birth year.

The show also canonically mentions weeks passing by, although they never specify the number of days in their weeks. In a previous post, I mentioned that government officials during the Qin & Han Dynasty were given a day off every five days to bathe themselves. I think this would be a good basis for a week in the ATLAverse, four days of work and one day of rest. Each working day would be named after a cardinal direction (East-day, North-day, West-day, South-day) and the resting day would be called "Center-day", paralleling a compass.

In short, an ATLA month would be comprised of 6 five-day weeks and a year would be made up of 12 thirty-day months; the days would be themed around the cardinal directions and the months would be themed around the four elements. I think this would be a good way of adding texture to the world of Avatar, without weighing the setting down with too much worldbuilding or cultural baggage.

...And that would just be the default "world" calendar that spirit libraries and world travelers and international organizations would use. I think each nation would probably have their own unique calendar tailored to suit their own cultural and seasonal needs.

I might make a few posts on what each nation's calendar system might be, if anyone would like to read that.

Like what I’m doing? Tips always appreciated, never expected. ^_^

https://ko-fi.com/atlaculture

[aamircoeur]

Could you possibly write some headcanons for Kenji Sato with a s/o who's a figure skater that competes nationally?

Ken Sato with a figure skater lover ー hcs.

surely my love ! thank you so much for the request.

sfw. gn!reader. scenarios and situations are made up! happy reading 🤍 UNEDITED

warning: i have little to no knowledge about ice skating so i apologize if there's any incorrect information about what i've written! corrections are appreciated

baseball was ken sato's thing, so it would be unlikely that he'd show any interest towards other sports on a normal day

he went ice skating with his mom and dad when he was a child like two times and that's all he knows so far

but before he even started dating you, he willingly learned everything about figure skating to try and get to know more about you this way

he watched yuzuru hanyu's clips during the 2018 winter olympics and studied the rules, how the judging worked, different skills and moves, etc.

now that you're dating, you found it so cute when he told you that he learned all of that just for you

he comes to your competitions no matter where it was held, sometimes even asking coach shimura if he could be excused from one game of his just so he could watch you

he has never been allowed yet but he asks every time, saying that it was always worth the shot

he gets recognized by some fans when he's there because he doesn't wear any disguises to your games

you told him that he should so that he could at least have some privacy

but he declines, saying that he'd want everyone to know that ken sato is cheering on his lover

he's the loudest to cheer when you've successfully performed an axel, knowing how hard you practiced them alone

he buys two bouquets of roses whenever he comes to your games, one to throw into the rink when you've finished your performance

and the other to give to his baby after each competition

the two of you share your sports with one another, him letting you mark your initial on his bat while you let him wear your medals when photographers take your pictures after yet another win

he teaches you baseball, gives you access to mina's hologram so you can play and practice when you want

he buys you a bat in your favourite colour!!!!!

he gives you his jersey and even buys you a custom-made one with your surname and preferred number

on the other hand, you go on ice skating dates with him sometimes

he absolutely sucks ass though icl

he'd fall down multiple times a mere second after stepping into the rink

he'd semi-crouch as a way to maintain balance

and you'd just skate around him teasingly

you hold his hands while skating around the rink

although he doesn't enjoy not immediately being amazing at something, he likes learning from you

and being with you

and having you

ok he loves you whatever

mf installs an ice rink in his big-ass house just so you could spend more time with him by training there on your free time

[jnnul]

I JUST READ THE DATING RINA DRABBLE AND DIED HEADASS……………… do u have any thoughts for dating ning? :3

word count: 933 words a/n: LMAOOOO that's so real anonnie that's me with ningrina on any given day tbh genres: fluff and nsfw content

ningning is THE girlfriend tbh

very feminine, very princess vibes

but i feel like ningning is the epitome of a 50/50 girlie

she will definitely expect princess treatment but she will also def be giving princess treatment

it doesn't matter age, gender, race, nationality

you are her princess™️ just like she is your princess™️

for example, she might be the one to ask you out on a date

but once you hit it off, she'll expect you to be the one to make it official

i honestly feel like ningning would ask you out within like a couple hours of meeting you

she gets your number, thinks you're cute, and then asks you out on a date

and on that first date, she puts her expectations for a relationship out in the open and highkey she's just so confident in what she wants that you're like ???

i'm??? in love with her???

(she knows you are)

once you ask her to be your girlfriend, she absolutely dotes on you

there's a new side of her that you've never seen before

she's like a sweet best friend that also drops 2 grand on w/o batting an eye bc she saw you eyeing a pretty watch and what her baby looks at, her baby gets

and she expects that you love her like that too!!

not monetarily, but definitely at least in emotional aspects

affirm her feelings, express how much you love her, initiating dates, buying her flowers randomly to surprise her

but outside of that, she wants you to be her best friend and vice versa

like she genuinely wants to have inside jokes w you, do stupid things w you, and lowk wants to be your absolute best friend

def isn't very controlling and she herself has a lot of friends

but she def prioritizes you the most out of everyone

and kinda wants you to do the same (or at least have her in the top 3)

is actually the best person to rant to bc she'll just listen to you like this 😍 while you're swearing like a sailor

will def join in and bash whoever's making her bb feel bad

but thinks you're so incredibly lovable regardless

lowk loves showing you off in public?

like she doesn't care when you're wearing revealing clothing or when ppl are checking you out, in front of her, mind you

bc she knows that you're hot and she appreciates you knowing that too

what she draws the line at tho is literally anyone threatening her spot in closeness to you

lowk will get toxic abt it too

like if she feels like you met someone who's able to make you laugh like she does, she immediately brings it up to you

and asks you to distance yourself from them

unless she's 100% sure that it's platonic from their side

bc she trusts her baby

but not the rest of the world

hand in hand w the whole showing you off/best friend thing

she loves going clubbing w you!!

the best thing abt dating ningning is that she makes you embrace life to the fullest

genuinely 0 shits given to the world

you're violently drunk after 12 shots at the club? she's holding your hair/clothes back as you hurl your guts out and she's still having the time of her life

will take so many pics of you two together

like actually she has to upgrade her icloud storage every 3 months

bc she doesn't want to delete a single picture of you

or the two of you tgt

probably singlehandedly supporting apple atp

so incredibly in love w you <333

[NSFW CONTENT BELOW]

ik so many ppl hc her as a pillow princess

and she def has her moments!! where she just wants to be spoiled rotten

but she love love LOVES putting in the work when y'all are getting nasty

highkey that's one of the only things she'll rlly go 75/25 on

she has an y/n fixation so you can expect her to go down on you (wtv that looks like for you!!) 25/8

you're watching tv? her hands are in your pants

you're washing the dishes? she's backhugging you and her hands are in your pants

you're breathing? her hands are down your pants

NINGNING JUST WANTS TO MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD ALL THE DAMN TIME

i don't rlly think she's into power play

but she's def prone to 'taking the lead' in bed

i also think that once you guys get more comfortable w each other, she lets out her inner freak

like i genuinely think that she'd leave you tied to the bed w a vibrator at your core and just watch you

she thinks you look gorgeous when you cum

and therefore, overstimulates you whenever she can

not a fan of edging bc she hates seeing you cry

but she will use it against you if she ever feels like you're not loving her as hard as she wants to be!!

also lots of romantic, heated sex

where she pushes you up against a wall and kisses the shit out of you

and then takes you to the bedroom where she has a bunch of fairy lights and candles lit

she's v v spontaneous tho so she can flip the vibe however you want!! will never do the same thing twice!!

aftercare has to be 50/50 tho!! she runs you a bath and massages all of the sore spots and you make her cheese toasties <333

overall, ningning who is your needy/sexy/silly best friend and girlfriend all in one!!

[strwbrryeyes]

𖦹°｡⋆ sugawara as a best friend

⟡ cw: fluff, growing up together, friends to lovers, tiny angst, lmk if i miss anything

⟡ a/n: nshgbdhjkfb i didnt do them in college this time bc my ideas when kapurt

⟡ best friend series: nishinoya, tanaka, asahi, daichi, yamaguchi, tsukishima, kageyama, hinata || masterlist

best friend sugawara who you've known since birth as your mothers were best friends so naturally, you became best friends right off the bat.

best friend sugawara who you did literally everything with, you guys were never seen apart from each other.

best friend sugawara who was teased along with you by all the adults in your life daying you two would end up marrying each other.

best friend sugawara who in middle school dragged you along to his volleyball tryouts as emotional and moral support because he was panicking.

best friend sugawara who made the team and automatically ran to you in the bleachers excitedly.

best friend sugawara who always asked you to come to his games but didn't even need to because you would drop everything to go out and support him.

best friend sugawara who from a very early age made sure to keep you in check over everything because he didn't really trust you to do anything on your own (its his fault though, he spoiled you your entire lives)

best friend sugawara who you went to high school with and went straight to the principal's office when he saw you weren't in the same class as him.

best friend sugawara who let you nap on his shoulder during lunch because you spent all night spamming him with memes.

best friend sugawara who was nervous to start his high school volleyball journey but was reassured that everything would be fine by you.

best friend sugawara who asked you to be manager but was bummed when you declined because you wanted to join another club. ultimately he was okay with it since you enjoyed your clu.

best friend sugawara who you walked home with after both your after school activities. you got to meet the other volleyball players in your year during this time too.

best friend sugawara who made sure you were in the same 2nd year class again by once again complaining to the principal.

best friend sugawara who tiredly introduced you to the new first years on his volleyball team and asked you to help calm them down.

best friend sugawara who slapped every said second year when they all started hitting on you.

best friend sugawara who excitedly told you that he was going to be vice captain next volleyball season.

best friend sugawara who you stargazed with in your backyard after all of his games in your second year to make sure you guys were still keeping up.

best friend sugawara who was excited to start his third year of high school volleyball but came to you on the verge of tears when he realized that he wouldn't be the main setter for the team anymore.

best friend sugawara who you helped soothe when he was feeling down or stressed about this fact since it was his last year.

best friend sugawara who told you how happy he was to set in a game when he got a chance because this year's team was really amazing.

best friend sugawara who you supported all through nationals and who appreciated you.

best friend sugawara who admitted his feelings for you the day after his volleyball game when you both were setting up an end of season party for the team at his house.

best friend sugawara who panicked when you reaction was to drop the tin of cupcakes you were holding.

best friend sugawara who was relieved when you ended up just running over to him to kiss him on the cheek and tell him that you felt the same way.

best friend sugawara who is now boyfriend suga who made the end of year party all about the both of you.

[arkangelo-7]

Okay, but, what are the Batfamily’s favorite tv shows? It’s hard to find time between saving the world and curating their civilian identities, but when the Bats do have the chance to sit down and watch tv, they typically default to a certain genre.

Bruce by far has the weirdest taste in tv shows. Its why no one ever watches with him, because he’s the type to pick some random, obscure show that literally no one has ever heard of and is dubbed over in French or something. However, he does get kudos because he was the one that got everyone hooked on Squid Game.

Dick and Cass 100% watch American Ninja Warrior together. Dick started watching it when it first came out, and tunes in weekly for the new episodes. One day Cass walked in and was hypnotized. So now they watch it together and occasionally set up their own courses in the Batcave to have competitions on. Dick usually gets his ass beat but it’s still fun.

Jason watches period dramas. (This might actually be canon? I’m not sure?) He’s made his way through the Gilded Age, Downton Abbey, The Crown, and annually rewatches the ultimate cut of Pride and Prejudice. No one would expect the terrifying Red Hood to tear up watching Little Women, but man does that shit get to him…

Tim watches reality tv. The Kardashians, The Real Housewives, The Bachelor—he eats that shit up. Listening to other people’s problems and watching them deal with them in a removed way takes him back to his stalker days, and, hey, he appreciates some mind-numbing drama. Tim’s brain is like a whirlpool; sometimes it’s nice to just conk out thinking about what Kim said to Courtney, instead of that new project at WE or that new gadget he needs to work on for Young Justice.

Steph does not watch TV. She watches clips of TV shows on TikTok. (Particularly, those Young Sheldon clips that come up on everyone’s for you page.) On the rare occasions she actually does turn the TV on, it’s usually turned to Gossip Girl or a cartoon, and she doesn’t actually pay attention—it’s just background noise.

Damian is enthralled with National Geographic. He’ll deny it till the day he dies, but he loves those five-hour documentaries on rhinos and whale sharks or whatever. The problem is that he records everything, so the Manor’s DVR is always full, and it drives everyone crazy. Especially Dick, because by God, if there isn’t enough storage for next weekends episode of Ninja Warrior—

Duke likes comedy shows. Abbott Elementary, Parks and Rex, and The Good Place are just a couple of his favorites. He’s currently rewatching The Office with Barbra and they’ll quote it at each other during patrol.

[dfortrafalgar]

Gift of Belonging

Luffy x GN Reader

Life didn't have a purpose without Luffy.

Warnings: Fic from my 100 followers poll!!! can be read as either platonic or romantic, mentions of self deprecating thoughts but nothing too severe, just some short, feel good, reassuring hugs from our favorite straw hat-wearing captain <3

Taglist: @bokutosbiceps | @luffy0s | @surgeonoffish

You were at the end of your rope when you joined the straw hats, but who wasn’t?  You weren’t special in the grand scheme of the world’s most infamous pirate crew.  You couldn’t compare to the tumultuous lives of the rag-tag bunch that had quickly become your lifeline, you had nothing on being the child of an abusive royal family, or the last survivor of a decimated nation, or the unfortunate witness to the killing of a friend or parent, or a literal god.  You weren’t a cyborg or an animal or a reincarnated being hundreds of years old.  You were just… simple.

And yet, the Straw Hats made you feel accepted.

They made you feel wanted.

And no one had wanted you more than Monkey D. Luffy.

You still struggled to accept the boisterous boy’s words when he welcomed you aboard his grand ship.  You had put up an argument, insisting that you would only get in the way, that your strengths paled in comparison to the rest of the crew, that you had no business being a part of the inner circle of one of the Emperors.  But not a single eyelash was batted in the direction of your plight.  Simply endless stares of patience, waiting for you to finally bite the lure and climb up the gangway and officially join the Straw Hats.  And when you finally did, Luffy had said the words that had stuck with you since then.

“I don’t care who you are.  You’re special and you deserve a spot in my family.”

It was as if the world opened up around you for the first time.  Instead of seeing your surroundings in black and white, colors infiltrated your retinas in ways you had never experienced.  Suddenly, the sunshine that beat down on your skin felt like a pleasant hug from the world, rather than a punishing burn against your weary being.  Food you ate and drank every single day tasted extra good because it was always cooked with love and affection, the flirtatious cook not caring at all where you had come from.  Luffy and his crew made it known from the second they met you that you were deserving of love, respect, and friendship.

And you couldn’t lie… the first few days were overwhelming.

The Straw Hats were loving.  They were really loving, and their unique ways of showing they appreciated you were slowly building up in your veins like a disease until one night, when you were on watch, you cracked.

You broke down.

You sat on the stern of the Thousand Sunny, gazing out from the white-painted railings and over the vastness of the dark ocean and seamlessly blended in with the sky above you, the only light shining on you being from the twinkling stars millions of light years away.  Quiet, salty tears flowed down your cheeks, your shoulders clenched as you wrapped your arms around yourself, sniffling into the collar of your shirt.  You loved your crew, you really did.  You began to realize that you loved them more than you ever loved anyone else in your life, and that thought somehow scared you.  Like you were unprepared.  Like your heart had been so deprived of love for your whole life that the overabundance of it in such a short time caused your brain to short-circuit.  And you cried.  You weeped on the Sunny’s back deck, into the calmness of the night.

Until the sound of clopping flip-flops climbing the steps to where you sat alerted your attention, causing you to freeze up, holding your breath, wishing your tears could evaporate away.

“Hey, what are you doing up here alone?”  It was Luffy, his usually exuberant voice a rare form of calm as he approached you.  He wasted absolutely zero time in plopping himself onto the hard deck beside you, extending his legs and holding his arms out, hands behind his head.

You stayed hunched into yourself, trying to hide your shame in your hands.

“Hey… are you alright?” he asked, his voice somehow even softer.

A faint sniffle from you was all your captain needed to hear.  He sat up with a start and grabbed your shoulders with his calloused hands, yanking you around to face him.  Your eyes were wide with shock at his actions, but you stayed frozen.  It’s not like you could run anywhere, the man was made of rubber.

“Why are you crying?” he asked, his eyes narrowed and eyebrows furrowed, an intense stare that bored into your skin.  “Did someone say something to you?  Did someone hurt you?”

You shook your head, wiping your tears away on your arm.  You took a deep, shuddering inhale before finally forcing your shoulders to relax.  “No… no one said anything to me.”

“Then why are you crying?”

Luffy, despite not being overly emotional in normal circumstances, was scarily good at reading people.  It didn’t matter if you couldn’t outright say what was bothering you, he would eventually figure it out with that convoluted tunnel system of a brain.  His adorable lips curled into a pout as he analyzed your face, picking apart every twitch of your muscles.

You inhaled once more, turning your face away from him slightly.  “I’m just… not used to this.”

“Not used to what?”

His questions, and the feigned clueless tone of his voice almost made a smile crack onto your face.  Another talent of Monkey D. Luffy: he was like a wrecking ball for the walls you built up around yourself.

“I’m not used to… this.”  Your hands circled around you, gesturing to the ship, causing Luffy to finally drop his hands from your shoulders.  “Being a part of a crew.  You guys are… too nice to me.”

Luffy was ready with a response immediately.  “We could never be ‘too nice to you.’  That’s impossible.  We love you.”

Your lip quivered slightly.  “That’s what I’m not used to.”

“Being loved?”

There it was.  You feebly nodded.  “Yeah.  That.”

Your captain scooted across the deck closer to you, if that was even possible.  He was basically flush against you at this point.  He wrapped his arms around your shoulders, pulling you into a warm bear hug, his fluffy black hair tickling the skin of your cheek.  “We love you because you’re special to us, we don’t need a reason for that,” he described.  His voice faltered, as if he wanted to say something else, as if he was trying to add to his words.  Instead, he squeezed you into him, closing his eyes as he felt your muscles grow limp.  ‘We love you, but I love you more.’

“I just wish it was easier for me to accept that,” you whispered into his shoulder, struggling to hug him back.

Luffy’s embrace didn’t relent.  If anything, he tried to pull you in closer.  The force of his hug made you lose your balance on the floor, falling over on top of him, your chin hitting his shoulder.  But he still didn’t let up.  He held firm, squeezing you as if you would fade away into dust if he let go.

“Luffy–” you wheezed against his skin.

“What?”  He sounded completely oblivious.  “I’m going to keep hugging you until you don’t feel sad anymore.  No more crying,” he demanded.  “Captain’s orders.”  His last sentence held a hint of playfulness, the smile he surely wore on his face coming through the sound of his voice.

He must have been contagious, because your own grin slowly grew on your lips.  After what felt like hours, you finally reciprocated his hug, curling your arms under him and letting yourself finally relax in his embrace.  You knew Luffy had odd ways of showing he cared, but this was definitely unexpected.  Unexpected, but not necessarily unappreciated.  His presence emitted a warmth akin to summertime air, his existence like the calming breeze of the open ocean that wafted around you and circled you in comforting drafts.  Luffy never judged, never wavered, never ceased to let his crew, and now you, know how truly grateful he felt to be able to live his life with his favorite people.

You made a slight movement to stand up, but Luffy’s arms tightened their hold around your back.  “Not yet,” he grumbled.  “I don’t wanna stand up yet.”

“Is this how you comfort everyone on the crew?” you asked, your voice coming out muffled as you spoke into his neck.

“Hmm… not necessarily.  Everyone’s different.  Chopper really loves hugs, and Zoro lets me hug him, but sometimes Nami and Robin can take them or leave them.  Usopp likes hugs but doesn’t like to admit it.”  A smile crawled to your face as your captain rattled off the preferences of your fellow crewmates, the ways in which he perceived their unique and individual personalities bringing a comforting reassurance to your heart.  “I feel like you really like hugs, and you clearly needed one right now.”

You bit the inside of your lower lip, trying to bite back the tears that formed in the corners of your eyes.  The tension escaping your body dissipated in large waves, leaving you with nothing but warmth and comfort in the arms of the man who had surely saved your life.

And for the first time since officially joining the Straw Hats, you began to feel truly, unconditionally loved.  It was miraculous.  All it took was a single hug from the nicest, most selfless person you had ever met.

Someday, you’d be sure to return the favor for Luffy, even if he wouldn’t accept.

[blackbullet99]

Debunking The Stupidest Pro-Zutara Claims.

Howdy y’all.

If you follow me, you know I’m a Kataang truther and a Zutara hater. I always thought Kataang was cute as a kid, but I honestly didn’t appreciate how mutual and well developed their relationship more until I was older. By contrast, I didn’t think much of Zutara initially, I knew it had a huge following and I kinda got why, they have a very interesting dynamic that drastically changes and them becoming friends is heartwarming, but I never got the hype. Then I saw this…

And I was utterly baffled at the mischaracterization, media-illiteracy, Zuko dickriding and Aang demonization on this post. Let’s have a look…

See what I mean about the Zuko dickriding and Aang demonizing. You compare one scene of Zuko making tea for everyone in Book 3, to Aang showing off in Book 1. Need I mention that Aang later apologized for getting big-headed by the end, and later episodes show that Aang (and the rest of the group) all work together. Right off the bat and we get this dumb Katara/Cinderella narrative.

Not another Dadko. Momtara I kind of get, but Zuko is not a father figure. Zuko himself is still young, still growing, still capable of being immature. The first moment isn’t even a parental thing, it’s more Zuko stopping Katara from confronting Aang because he somewhat understands Aang’s frustration of being unsure and conflicting about a huge decision, because he’s been there not long ago.

Comforting someone when they’re worried or grieving isn’t parental responsibility, that’s being empathetic and good friend. Katara comforts Zuko when he’s worried about comforting Iroh and these people lap that scene up.

“Aang acts like Katara’s son” is such a baseless argument. Ignoring the fact that Aang canonically has romantic feelings for Katara and vise-verse, the first moment was a one-off joke about Katara being motherly, the second was also a joke where Katara PRETENDS to be Aang’s mom and her brother’s husband, the last moment is Katara telling Toph how she TRAINS Aang because she’s his Sifu and so it Toph, does that mean Toph is also Aang’s mom?

Let’s go over this for the umpteenth time: Aang kissing Katara was wrong, it was bad, we should’ve seen him apologize, but he immediately regretted what he did, he knew he messed up, he’s not a sexual-assaulter, blah, blah blah. The problem with this is that these are both completely different situations and also Zuko had to be told to get off Katara, so not only is this point meaningless, but it doesn’t even support Zutara.

This has gotta be one of the dumbest arguments here, Aang has always seen Katara as an ally and dear friend first and foremost since day one. Admittedly Aang was somewhat possessive here, but him nodding mean he literally though Katara was his possession, more so him thinking Katara returned his feelings (which she did). But throughout the entirety of the show Aang sees Katara as not only an ally, but a friend, a fellow waterbender, Zuko only saw her as a friend and ally near the very end of the show, before that he simply saw her as a peasant in the way of his goal.

Again, both of these are completely different contexts and both Aang and Zuko were pretty adamant about how Katara feels about them. Zuko frustratingly confronts Katara about why she’s mad it him, he wants to earn to trust and sleep deprives himself so he can resolve this as soon as she wakes up. Katara asks why Aang is so crestfallen, he explains part of the reason, Aang (while being somewhat pushy) wants to know how Katara feels before he confronts Ozai in life or death.

Both are different situations and really I wouldn’t say either is better than the other.

Okay, there’s a lot wrong with these points, lemme go over them as best as I can.

Aang has put his needs over Katara’s several times, just to name three: he gave himself so the Fire Nation would spare her home, was willing to forgo his own Waterbending because Pakku wouldn’t train her, willingly put aside mastering the Avatar State because SHE WAS IN DANGER!

Aang understands the importance of Katara’s family, he leaves so as to to come between Katara and her family when she threatens to leave, he brings back her necklace knowing how much it means to her.

In both of mentioned Aang instances, he realized he was wrong and he and Katara reconciled, the first instance was out of a misguided attempt to set things right after he was killed, and the former is something Aang would never do again, in a later episode he actively takes Sokka to his father and Aang is content for he and Katara to go their separate ways for a while. I find it utterly hypocritical to be a Zuko dickrider while bashing Aang for mistakes he regrets, apologizes for and learns from, you know who else does that?

Once again, THE CONTEXT! In the first scene Katara mentions her mother’s death in a more matter of fact way to explain to Aang that the Fire Nation have killed a lot of people including his own. Aang however in a state of denial dismissed the idea of his own people being killed. In the second scene Katara lashes out at Zuko for all the trouble he caused and Zuko after going through some development prior empathizes with her in a way to get Katara to understand he means no harm.

Aang also empathized with Katara’s loss. In this same episode, he himself says he knows what it’s like to feel the pain and rage Katara feels, specifically when he found out all his people were dead and encouraged Katara to confront the person who caused said pain.

I REALLY HATE making a Katara centric episode about shipping, I really do, many people say Zuko was right Aang was wrong, or Aang was right Zuko was wrong. Neither side was entirely right or entirely wrong.

Zuko was right to take Katara to confront Yon-Rha and this was when he truly began to understand what Katara had been through and see her as an individual, while Katara comes to see Zuko as a friend and forgive him, however he had no idea what Katara was going to do and didn’t think of toll this would take on Katara if she did end up choosing violence.

Meanwhile Aang not agreeing with Katara and confronting her isn’t a bad thing, he understands just what it’s like to lose someone close to you and to feel unbridled rage and hate, he’s been there, he also knows Katara isn’t cold-hearted and she could come to regret seeking violence. He actively encourages Katara to face Yon-Rha without killing him, which she does and as Zuko says he was right about what Katara needed. But as Katara points out she didn’t forgive Yon-Rha, forgiveness wasn’t the right choice, and you know what, this is something Aang accepts.

These points in particular really highlight the stupidity and hypocrisy of the OP. For one, as we can literally see Aang ignored his training specifically because Katara was in danger and he wanted to save her, this is no different from Zuko sacrificing himself to save Katara, in fact Aang has put his life on the line for Katara multiple times. Furthermore OP gets on Aang’s case for leaving Katara to fulfill his duties in the Book 3 premiere, but then praises Zuko for leaving Mai to fulfill his duties. They’re literally praising Zuko for doing the same stuff Aang’s doing and whining about Aang whether he chose to ignore his duties to be with Katara or if he leaves Katara to fulfill his duties, you can’t win!

Okay, screw this guy, this has nothing to do with the Zuko saving Katara, OP just wanted to bitch about Aang not wanting to kill Ozai as if this supposedly makes him selfish even though Aang is literally facing Ozai to save the world and is simply trying to find a peaceful solution, it’s like the theme of this show was lost on this dude.

This was the creep who made weird comments about Katara’s appearance wasn’t it.

I really don’t get what this final point is trying to prove. The first scene is Katara happy that Zuko is alive, the second is Katara happily gazing at Aang, who never at any point tried to change Katara, at all. Point me to one scene, one moment. If this is about how Katara looks, she doesn’t look that different, at the very least, her eyes are slightly bigger in the second pic because she close to someone she loves, but even then it’s a lot of whining from this guy about nothing.

Case in point, this is when I realized Anti-Kataang Zutara shippers have are media-illiterate morons with not a single good take, fake-fans who only care about mischaracterization for the sake of a mid middle-school ship.

Maybe I should make a counter post about what Katara gains from Kataang.

[murderousink23]

04/17/2023 is National Espresso Day ☕🇮🇹, National Bat Appreciation Day 🦇🇺🇲, National Cheeseball Day 🇺🇲, National Ellis Island Family History Day 🇺🇲, International Haiku Poetry Day 🇺🇲, Patriots' Day 🇺🇲, Malbec Day 🍷🇬🇧

[violentdelightsandviolentends]

Yes, Mr President.

There's an endless amount of things you shouldn't do as the President of the United States. Defiling the Oval Office is definitely one of them.

Author's Note - oh boy. buckle in. this is entirely inspired by the fitz / scandal edits that are all over my tiktok currently. i'd be very interested in politics if javier was my president <3 as always, reblogs and comments are always greatly appreciated x

Pairing - President!Javier Peña x Female Reader

Age Rating - 18+

Warnings - smut!! + cursing

Word Count - 2074

Masterlist. Requests.

You've always been a sickeningly good liar.

"I'm just bringing some papers he requested," is what you tell the security guard at the end of the hallway as you push past.

I'm about to get railed by the President of the United States in the Oval Office, is what you mean.

Your kitten pumps click against the wooden floors as you stride fiercely towards the heavy wooden door. Luckily, security posts themselves at the end of the hallway. Javier has told them time and time again that he feels smothered when they stand right outside his door. It works in your favour, anyway.

You knock four times in quick succession - your secret code.

"Come in."

His low, booming voice permeates through the wood, settling in your bones. Oh, that voice.

You enter the room and lay eyes on him immediately. He looks so broad, sat in his leather chair. His shoulders fill it out completely, dwarfing the back of it. His shirt sleeves are pushed up and over his forearms, the top few buttons undone. He looks delectable.

"Hi, hermosa," he drawls. "You bring me those papers I wanted?"

"Sure did," you purr, making your way over to him. You throw the documents onto his desk and hitch a leg over so you're straddling his lap on the chair.

"Missed you," he mumbles against your lips, warm hands grabbing at your hips to pull you closer so you're chest to chest.

"You saw me this morning," you chuckle, resting your forehead against his.

"I saw you in a foreign affairs meeting this morning. It's not the same."

He leans in and presses his lips to yours, revelling in the content sigh you let out. You tangle your fingers into his hair, tugging gently. He groans, and the vibrations of the sound settle in your core.

You grind your hips forward, searching for any friction you can find. Javi helps you, rocking you over his lap.

"Oh, you look so pretty like this, honey," he drawls. "You love this, don't you? The thrill of being caught turns you on, doesn't it?"

All you can do is whine in response.

"It'd be a national scandal," he continues lowly. "I bet they'd all think I seduced you. But that's not the truth, is it, baby?"

When you don't answer, he grabs your hips roughly, holding you so you are no longer able to move.

"Answer me, pretty girl. That's not the truth, is it?"

"No," you whine.

"No, what?"

"No, Mr President."

Hearing his title fall from your lips all pretty makes him moan, head thrown back and gorgeous neck exposed. You lunge forward and attack it, pressing kisses into the spots you know he likes.

"Walking around here in your tight skirts, those button up blouses. Batting your eyelashes at me like butter wouldn't melt. If only they all knew, huh? If only they knew how filthy you are."

Your hands fly to his shirt, fingers trembling as you try to undo the buttons. He chuckles as he watches you struggle, making no move to help you.

"You need help, sweetheart? All you have to do is ask. I'll give you anything you want. Anything."

You know he means it.

"Yes, sir. Help, please."

"Good girl."

He makes quick work of his shirt, shrugging it off his shoulders before doing the same to yours. He presses you into him, revelling in the skin on skin contact. He's so warm and you're so soft and you both sigh at the feeling.

"Been thinking about this all day," he mumbles against your neck. His hands trace patterns up and down your spine, enjoying the feeling of your skin underneath the rough pads of his fingers.

"Me too," you whine. "You looked so big stood up there today. So broad and powerful. Wanted you to bend me over the desk in front of everyone."

He groans at your confession, and the vibrations settle in your core.

"Come here, honey," he half requests, half demands, grabbing your thighs to hoist you onto the desk in front of him. He remains sat on his chair, wheeling closer to where you're now spread out, legs apart.

"God, you look good enough to eat," he winks, rucking your skirt up and over your hips.

Javier leans forward and presses his nose into your core, inhaling deeply. It's so filthy and so intimate that you'd be cringing if you weren't so turned on.

He sucks at you through your underwear, groaning at your muffled taste. It's the one thing he can never get enough of.

"Fuck, you're so sweet," he sighs. "And to think that I'm the only person in the world that gets to taste you like this. Such a shame."

"It's not a shame," you whimper breathlessly. "It's all yours. All for you. No one else."

He moans unashamedly, gripping at the waistband of your underwear to pull them down and off. He tucks them into the pocket of his slacks, revelling in the way he can feel how wet they are against his thigh.

Without a second thought, he dives into you, tongue licking an eager stripe from bottom to top. You jolt upwards when he sucks on your clit, propping yourself up on your elbows to watch him work.

You've always been turned on by the way Javi enjoys himself when he eats you out. It's as if he enjoys it as much as you do. He hums and groans in contentment the entire time, and the vibrations drive you closer and closer to the edge.

You can feel your climax licking at the base of your spine, warming you up from the inside out. Javier can feel it too, doubling down on his efforts. He's always taken pride in how easily he can get you off with just his tongue, no fingers needed.

"That's it, pretty girl," he mumbles into your core. "You're almost there, I know you are. You can do it. Come for me, honey."

You tip over the edge, back arching and hips canting. He uses a strong hand to push you back down, fingers splayed over your stomach. The other hand keeps your thighs apart, determined to prolong your orgasm for as long as possible.

You finally come down, slumping back against the desk. Your chest is heaving, breath coming in quick pants. Javi stands up and leans over you, kissing your lips gently.

"Such a good girl," he praises. "You'd let me do whatever I wanted, wouldn't you? As long as you get to come, you don't care."

As humiliating as it is, he isn't wrong. It's nothing to do with the fact he's the most influential man in the world. No, it's more to do with the fact that you feel like you've known him your whole life. The minute you met, the two of you clicked. There's always been an undeniable, unavoidable chemistry between you, buzzing away underneath everything. You're genuinely surprised no one has caught on yet.

"Javi," you whinge, grabbing at him to pull him closer.

"What is it, hermosa? What do you need, huh?"

You thread your fingers through his hair, ignoring the way your heart sings when he leans into your touch like a puppy.

"Need you," you mumble against his lips.

He kisses you again, tongue sweeping into your mouth. He bites your bottom lip, making you gasp in surprise. Chuckling lowly, he unbuttons his suit trousers, reaching into his underwear. You watch his every move, practically salivating. When he doesn't immediately do what you want, you whimper, trying to get his attention.

"You need something, pretty girl?"

You roll your eyes, unimpressed by his arrogance. You'd think that being the most powerful man on the planet would get exhausting, and that he'd want to give it up in his downtime, but no. He loves to have all the power in the bedroom, his authority not relenting for a minute.

Javier moves back to standing in between your legs, grabbing your hips and pulling you forward so you're at the edge of the desk. He swipes his length through your folds, seeing how far he can tease you before you'll break. You wiggle your hips, willing him to get the message.

"You want me to fuck you, sweetheart?" he asks, condescension dripping from his tone.

You nod your head frantically, but Javier won't let up.

"Beg."

You think, for a second, that you've misheard him. Usually, all you have to do is whine a little, pout your bottom lip, look at him with your big doe eyes. His long day has clearly taken its toll on him.

"... What?" you ask meekly.

"You heard me. Beg."

If this was any other man, any other situation, you'd be laughing in his face and storming out of the room. But this isn't just any man. This is Javier. Javier Peña, President of the United States of America.

You relent embarrassingly quickly.

"Please," you whine. "Please, Javi, baby. Fuck me. Please, I need it. I need you."

His gaze sweeps you up and down slowly, surveying you carefully. He must be feeling generous, because he decides to take mercy on you.

"Okay, sweet girl. Only because you asked me so pretty."

He slides home in one smooth thrust, connecting you in more ways than one. He rests his forehead against yours, kissing you gently, tenderly.

"There we go," he coos. "That's what you needed, isn't it?"

"You're a menace," you laugh breathlessly, adjusting to him.

"You wouldn't have it any other way," he teases, kissing you again before withdrawing his hips and slamming forward.

Javier sets a steady, bruising rhythm, fingers digging into your hips to stop you from sliding off the desk. You're suddenly very grateful security are at the end of the hallway, and not directly outside the door.

One of his hands moves to rest at the base of your throat, holding you in place. As if you'd want to be anywhere but here.

"Fuck, princesa," he breathes. "Can never get enough of this. Of you."

His hips pick up in pace, fingers tightening on your neck. The lack of oxygen is making your vision fuzzy around the edges, allowing everything to feel more intense. Your climax is building rapidly, racing through your veins.

"Can feel you squeezing me, honey," Javier groans. "You're so close. Almost there, baby, come on. You gonna come with me? Want me to fill you up?"

"Yes, Mr President," you pant breathlessly. "Please, Javi. Please."

"Come with me, pretty girl. Let me feel you. That's it, atta girl."

Javier releases his grip on your neck at the exact moment your orgasm hits you. The oxygen rushes back into your lungs and you see stars, gripping onto his biceps for dear life. He finishes with you, groaning as his head falls forward to rest on your shoulder.

The two of you are panting, chests heaving and sweat dripping down your backs. You run your fingers through his hair, revelling in how soft it is, how the ends are curling because it's getting longer.

After a few minutes, you come back to reality, realising it's probably much later than you initially thought.

"What time is it?" you whisper against his temple.

He pulls back to check the clock on the wall behind you.

"11:18pm."

"Shit," you groan.

"Yeah," he agrees.

Javi pulls out of you with a wince, and tucks himself back into his trousers. He wraps a strong arm around your middle and helps you off the desk, setting you on shaky legs. He finds your shirt and buttons it up for you, before doing his own. Sitting back down in his chair, he runs his fingers through his hair.

"I should go," you admit reluctantly. "We've got an early morning tomorrow. I can't meet the Texan Senator looking like I haven't slept."

Javier chuckles, eyes boring into yours. He smiles at you so genuinely it makes you want to cry.

"Goodnight, hermosa."

You gather your stuff and slip your shoes back on, making your way towards the door.

"Oh, and Mr President?"

His head immediately whips around to look at you, giving you his full attention.

"Yeah, baby?"

You turn around, one hand on the door knob. Flicking your hair over your shoulder, you rake your gaze down his body and back up again.

"Say hi to your wife for me."

@not-a-unique-snowflake-blog

@soaringcloud

@reuss7

@pedrobaby

@mrsquill