#national kick butt day

[murderousink23]

10/10/2022 is Finnish Literature Day 🇫🇮, World Homeless Day 🌏, National Kick Butt Day 🇺🇲, National Online Bank Day 🇺🇲, Native American Day 🇺🇲, National Angel Food Cake Day 🇺🇲, National Cake Decorating Day 🇺🇲, National Handbag Day 🇺🇲, National Hug a Drummer Day 🇺🇲, Indigenous People's Day 🇺🇲, World Porridge Day 🇬🇧, World Mental Health Day 🇺🇳, Italian American Day 🇺🇲

[nationaldaycalendar]

October 10, 2022 - WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY – NATIVE AMERICAN DAY – NATIONAL ONLINE BANK DAY - NATIONAL WALK TO A PARK DAY – NATIONAL KICK BUTT DAY – COLUMBUS DAY – NATIONAL CAKE DECORATING DAY – NATIONAL METRIC DAY – NATIONAL ANGEL FOOD CAKE DAY – NATIONAL HANDBAG DAY

October 10, 2022 – WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY – NATIVE AMERICAN DAY – NATIONAL ONLINE BANK DAY – NATIONAL WALK TO A PARK DAY – NATIONAL KICK BUTT DAY – COLUMBUS DAY – NATIONAL CAKE DECORATING DAY – NATIONAL METRIC DAY – NATIONAL ANGEL FOOD CAKE DAY – NATIONAL HANDBAG DAY

OCTOBER 10, 2022 | WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY | NATIVE AMERICAN DAY | NATIONAL ONLINE BANK DAY | NATIONAL WALK TO A PARK DAY | NATIONAL KICK BUTT DAY | COLUMBUS DAY | NATIONAL CAKE DECORATING DAY | NATIONAL METRIC DAY | NATIONAL ANGEL FOOD CAKE DAY | NATIONAL HANDBAG DAY WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY | OCTOBER 10 Annually, World Mental Health Day on October 10th raises awareness and mobilizes efforts to…

[ami-ven]

Happy National Kick Butt Day!

[leahswife]

where do we stand

summary: you're tired of aitana's mixed signals and someone on the spanish team loves to get you all flustered. aitana is definitely not jealous.

spoiler alert: that someone is none other than jenni hermoso.

a/n: more like fulfilling two fantasies in one

prequel, part one, part two, part three

this national break had come in handy for you and lucy. england was set to play a few matches in spain, so you were able to sneak in a break between trainings to go see your club teammates and you managed to check in the same hotel as them for the time being. 

you were both getting antsy as the game was approaching its end and spain was in the lead by one goal. 

when the referee blows the final whistle, you exhale in relief and lucy stands up, cheering, quickly pulling you up to celebrate with her. 

it takes some time for the stadium to start clearing up, with both teams doing their laps around the pitch to thank the fans, but once it was empty enough you and lucy walked down to the field to congratulate your teammates.

you ran up to ona, the girl grabbing your waist so she could lift you up and down with excitement, "ayyy oni!!" you laughed at being manhandled, when you noticed aitana.

her smile was radiant as she was cheering with salma and mariona. you didn't know if you should approach her or not, your situation a bit complicated as of now. explaining it was no easy task either. 

you were shy around everyone when you first transferred to barça, although over time they managed to crack your walls and gain your trust. especially aitana, the girl getting closer and closer to you each day. you eventually became best friends, until one night aitana drunkenly confesses she wants to kiss you. so then, your friendship changes into a… situationship? the next day you talk about it, aitana doesn't know what she wants but doesn't want to lose you either. you go back to normal as if nothing happened. but something does happen. during movie night at mapi and ingrid's for team bonding, you and aitana are in the corner of the couch whispering to each other, in the dark, when the catalan tentatively kisses the corner of your mouth. when you drop her off at home later that same night, you kiss her. she brings you inside, which turns one kiss into multiple. what could be defined as innocent kisses in each other's houses eventually become not so innocent make out sessions behind closed closet doors at training. but you're not dating. aitana whispers into your secret kisses that she can't date, she doesn't have time, she needs to focus. so you wait, and wait, and wait. until she's pulling away again and national break comes and she barely messages you, apart from the friendly "good luck" message.

so now here you were, in close distance to her again. you were friends, right? so friends congratulate friends. that's what she wants, so that's what you'll give her.

you turn your attention back to ona and squeeze her shoulders, "best defender in the making! just you wait until you have to face our lessi russo." you tease her by patting her cheek. ona rolls her eyes with a smile, "voy a estar preparada, tonta. what did you think of the game?" she now asks both you and lucy, as the latter approached, having been talking to alexia. "ehh, más o menos." lucy answers, banter present in her voice. ona mocks her and you chuckle, leaving them to it as you walk over to aitana.

"nice goal, bonmatí." you lightly kicked her butt with your foot to get her attention. she turns to you and immediately launches herself into your arms with an infectious smile. it must have been the adrenaline of the win, you think, a bit surprised. nonetheless, you hold her in your arms. "i saw you in the stands." she affirms once she let go of the hug to look at you tenderly. "hm, i might have been your lucky charm then." you shrugged nonchalantly and whipped your hair over your shoulder. "sí, obvio." aitana went along with your joke, nodding with a fake serious expression. 

suddenly a body slammed into you both, one tattooed arm being wrapped around your shoulder and the other around aitana's. "entonces, chicas, vamos a celebrar la noche entera?" you look up to see jenni hermoso flashing you a dazzling grin.

you had met jenni a few times before, with her visiting alexia every now and then, but you were never brave enough to start a conversation with the tall woman. truth was, she was extremely intimidating to you, probably because she was also extremely hot. however, you had to admit that, as an opponent, she was in addition, extremely annoying. you'd had some interactions in the field whenever england had to play against spain and jenni knew exactly how you worked. it's like she would previously study your every move so she knew how to push your buttons. if you were trying to get the ball, she wouldn't leave your side, if you were getting ready to receive a corner kick with your teammates, she would stand behind you and place her hands on your waist, if she tackled you she would offer her hand with a smug smirk.

you were terrifically infuriated with how easily she could mess with your head on the field and outside the field after a game, often leaving a dm on your instagram saying she couldn't wait to play with you again, followed by a winky face emoji.

right now, her strong arm around you and the way she was grinning at you only managed to redden your cheeks as aitana took the lead in answering her question with a laugh, "pues claro!" jenni ruffled her hair in approval and turned to you, "can i count with you as well?" she asked with challenge in her eyes. "aren't you a bit old to be partying all night?" you challenged back, forcing yourself to keep a straight face and not smile with amusement. that only prompted her grin to grow even wider and her hand to relocate from your shoulder to the side of your neck, playing with your hair. your breath hitched and suddenly you weren't playful anymore, far too aware of jenni's touch and her gaze. "so you do have a mouth." jenni remarked, the stupid smirk never leaving her face. 

aitana caught notice of this flirty interaction between you two and felt something boil in her chest, an ugly feeling she couldn't quite tell what it was but didn't like at all.

–

the club was already full when you got in with lucy and ona later that night, music blaring and people filling the dance floor. you noticed aitana dancing with some of the girls, a little too close for your liking. but she didn't want you like you wanted her, that's what you needed to remind yourself of. therefore, you might as well find a way to have fun tonight without her. you three reached the tables where most of the girls were gathered to greet everyone. 

you swiftly made your way to the bar, ready to start your fun. you were waiting for the bartender when you felt a breath on your ear, "you know, standing behind you outside of a football field can be even more exhilarating than i thought." you recognized jenni's voice right away and a smile slowly formed on your face. this, whatever it was, could be part of your fun, right?

you turned around and ignored your instinct to take a step back out of surprise, given how close jenni was to you. your eyes naturally scanned her body before your brain could even scold you for it and force you to put on a nonchalant mask. they finally looked up at her face, blush already visible on yours. the always present and annoying smirk she had on when talking to you turned to the bartender to order you two a drink.

"you know, i always wondered when you were going to finally talk to me, princesa."

"why would it matter to you?"

she cocked her head to the side, eyeing you curiously.

"i like corrupting pretty innocent girls who look like they could rip my head off in the field but then avoid me like the plague." she bit her lip, trying to hold off an amused smile when you roll your eyes.

"why have you never done so before, then?"

"alexia doesn't let me get too close to her players – and it seems she's not the only one." she points her head towards aitana, who's been watching you two interact from the dance floor with a frown on her face. 

you turn back to the bar to grab your drink and begin gulping it down, trying to keep your mind off of the catalan that up to that point had you wrapped around her little finger. "maybe you just have a bad reputation." you bite on the piece of lemon it was given to you and lick the bitter taste off of your lips. you noticed that had caught jenni's attention and asked, now with a small smirk, "should i be wary of that?"

her eyes never left your face as her strong hand carefully moved up your neck to your jaw, pulling you closer. you could feel her breath on your lips when she goes "i want to do bad things to you but i think it's something you should test yourself." 

your heart starts beating faster, blood rushing to your cheeks and your thighs pressing together involuntarily. just one move and your lips would be touching hers.

all of a sudden, your body is jerked away abruptly from the bar and jenni by a hand grabbing your arm and leading you in the direction of the club's exit. you look up to see aitana and let yourself be dragged outside where you pull back your arm, making her face you. "what exactly do you think you're doing, aitana?!" the rush and amount of emotions you had felt in the span of a minute made you question her with annoyance in your voice.

"that's what i should ask you. que haces con jenni?" aitana looked at you incredulously, an angry scowl visible on her face. you had only seen her angry on the pitch, and even then those moments were rare. but now she was pissed at you? for what? that only aggravated you further.

"what do you mean 'what am i doing with jenni'? you and i are nothing. you made it clear yourself multiple times. you can't have me whenever you want me and expect me to wait when you don't feel like it anymore. so do not tell me who i should or should not hang out with."

"but it's not just hanging out, is it?" she puffs air out of her nose, the frown never leaving her face.

"do you actually care or are you just jealous someone other than you is getting my attention?" you bite back.

"i'm not jealous. i'm just curious." she mumbled, crossing her arms and looking away, doing everything now to avoid your furious gaze.

"oh, so you're just curious. that's why you dragged me away from her like that." you say, sarcasm on the tip of your tongue.

she finally looks at you with an exasperated sigh, "and i'm worried. of course i care about you! and i know jenni isn't looking for anything other than–" she cuts herself off for a moment, knowing what she would say next would make her sound like a hypocrite.

"well, then that makes two of you, doesn't it?" the anger in your voice subsides but your tone is still bitter. aitana furrows her eyebrows together, a sad frown taking shape in her face at your words.

"the difference, aitana, is that if you tell me, right here, right now, that you want something with me, that you're not going to rush into my arms one minute and act like nothing happened the next, i'll stay. i won't go back in there to jenni or anyone."

"i–" aitana stutters, you can see her eyes begging you not to go back but her voice can't say the same. "i--i'm sorry. tú sabes que no puedo hacerlo." she whispers, almost as if she's ashamed to say it. 

you nod, fighting back your tears. silence looms between you both before you finally answer back, "that settles it then." you clear your throat before your voice can betray you any further for showing so much vulnerability in that moment. you turn around and start walking away, picking up your phone to call an uber when you see a message.

"28A 3rd floor. i expect to see you there ;) - jenni"

you seriously couldn't understand how this woman was capable of exuding cockiness even through text.

–

you managed to stay in your hotel room for about 30 minutes before temptation and frustration got a hold of you and you marched your way to jenni's.

you take a deep breath and knock on the door.

immediately you can't resist the urge to roll your eyes when jenni opens the door with a smug smirk on her face, crossing her arms and leaning against the door frame.

"took you long enough."

"shut up." you pushed at her chest and made your way inside.

[sunnysidevans]

One Summer In San Diego

Summary: After being left at the altar by who you thought was the love of your life, your father talks you into coming back home with him to San Diego. All it takes is one summer to change the face of your future.

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Kazansky!Reader

warnings: 18+, swearing & some violence but mostly fluff nation.

authors note: I obviously can never write something short and sweet so please enjoy this novel of a fic.

The chapel was quiet. The once full pews just a few hours ago are now empty. You sniffle, surrounded by white, the bouquet of flowers sat in your hands. You really couldn't believe this had happened, you had your suspisions but never thought you'd be left at the altar on your wedding day. The doors open as you look up, mascara running down your cheeks.

There stood your father, a sad smile on his face as he took off his cap, making his way down the aisle. “I know baby” you sob, looking up at him as the tears flow freely. “What am I gonna do dad?” you whisper as he shakes his head, crouching down in front of you. He reaches forward, cupping your cheek and wiping the smudged mascara.

“Why don’t you come home with me?” he whispers with a sad smile.

Something about California was different. The sun was hotter and the people were in abundance. You sigh, standing on the sidewalk looking up at the house. How embarrassing was it having to fly back home as an adult and move in with your parents?

Rolling your suitcase up the walkway, the front door flies open. “You get your butt in here!” your mom yells from the top of the steps. “Honey!” she yells back to your dad as you pull the suitcase up the steps with a shy smile. Your father makes his way down the steps, smiling wide. “My little girl” he whispers, wrapping you in his arms as you sigh, falling into his chest.

He wraps you in his arms, watching as your mom shuts the door behind you. “Hi Admiral” you mumble into his chest, snuggling deeper into his cardigan. “Hi baby” he kissed the top of your head as you tried so hard to hold back your tears. “You are gonna find someone so much better than him” he mumbles against your hairline as you sigh.

“Thanks dad” you pull away with a smile as he nods, cupping your cheeks. “You are gonna thrive here I promise” he holds his pinky to you, wrapping your own around his, “thanks dad”. 

The childhood bedroom hadn’t changed from when you first moved to San Diego at 17. You stand in the doorway, looking at the posters that littered the walls. Pulling the suitcase in and kicking the door closed after you, falling into the bed with a heavy sigh.

“(Y/N)!” you groan into the pillow as your mom’s voice travels up the stairs. “We are having company over, come say hi!” you lift a hand and give a thumbs up even though you knew she couldn’t see you.

The opening of the front door and the muffled voices flow up the steps. Climbing out of bed,the smell of your fathers famous ribs seem to meet you at the end of the steps, you can't help but smile.

You take a deep breath and make your way to the kitchen. Maverick looks up from his drink with a grin, “(y/n)?”. You smile at your uncle with a sad smile, “hi uncle mav” he stands from his bar stool and walks around the counter, wrapping you in a hug.

“Good to see you kid” he mumbles, giving your shoulder a squeeze.

“Who’s this?” A female voice asks, making her way in with your mother. “Oh, Penny, this is (y/n)” Maverick moves to the side, smiling at Penny who smiles at you. “My oldest daughter” your dad speaks up from the patio doors. “Hi Penny, nice to meet you” the two of you shake hands as she smiles. 

Sitting on the back patio of your parents home, the thoughts are running wildly in your head. “Hey” you look over, Maverick stands beside you. “Hi uncle mav” you whisper, pulling your knees back to your chest. “What’s goin on?” he asks, sitting on the edge of your chair, arm around your shoulders. “Talk to Uncle Mav” you laugh, leaning into his side as you sigh.

“I’m surprised dad didn’t tell you” looking up at him, his face couldn’t hide his lie, “nope”. The two of you chuckle as you shrug, “Luke cheated on me, so much for a wedding as he left me there” you whisper, the engagement ring still sitting on your left hand.

“Sweetheart, if you want the truth” he says, sitting the beer bottle on his knee as he looks down at you. “Luke did not deserve your kindness and didn’t deserve the title of your husband” you chuckle softly, “your father and I both felt that way from the moment we met him” you nod. “I know, it just hurts a bit”. He nods, motioning to your hand, “I say you pawn that or even yet, I’ll take you to the beach and throw it in the ocean” you laugh, nodding.

“You think?” he nods, kissing the top of your head. “I think it’s a good idea, let me know” he smiles, standing and making his way to the doors.

“Don’t think I missed the band on your left hand either Mav” he grins, “Penny has put up with me a long time kid, you’ll find your person”.

Friday nights in Fightertown were big. Everyone made their way to the bars surrounding the base, including yourself. Penny invited you to the hard deck to get a feel for it as she then offered you the bartending job on the weekends until you found your feet.

The jukebox was soft as it flowed through the bar, it was still early in the evening. Pushing through the door, you hold the purse strap closer to your shoulder and make your way through the grabby hands and prying eyes. “You made it!” Penny yells with a smile, you nod, walking to the bar with a shy smile. “I did!” she grins, motioning you back as she takes your purse and places it under the bar.

“Penny!” you turn at the sound of the voice, a smile breaking out on your face as Bradley Bradshaw stands with a confused look on his face.

“Bradley Bradshaw?” you whisper, hand on your hip as his brows furrow. He tilts his head as the smile of realization makes its way to his face, “(y/n) Kazansky?”. You move around the bar, hugging him tightly. He laughs, hugging your body to his chest. “Last I knew you lived in Nashville?” he questions as you shake your head, “uh” you shove your hands into the back pocket of the jean shorts with a shrug. “I did'' you trail off as he raises his brow, "My fiance left me at the alter so dad packed me up and brought me home" he gasps with a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry to hear that Kaz '' you smile with a shrug, “As mav has told me, my person is out there” he nods, giving you a squeeze as his eyes fall to the pool tables. “My team is here, join us if you’d like! If I can steal her?” he questions, looking at the woman who was practically his step-mom.

“Go ahead” she grins, setting two beers in front of the two of you. You take the beers by their neck, following behind Rooster. “Rooster!” Phoenix is the first to acknowledge his presence, a smile on her lips. You follow behind with a shy smile, “hey guys!” He greets them, taking his beer.

“This is (y/n), an old friend” he introduces you to the squad. With a wave, you shake the hands of everyone.

“Oh, Married?” Phoenix questions, the bar was now brought to life, it had been hours of conversations with people you now can call friends. She notices the band on your left hand. “Oh uh” you look down at the engagement ring, “I was supposed to be..” you chuckle, looking up at her as you sip from the beer bottle, “I was actually supposed to be on my honeymoon right now, not back home with my parents”.

Her eyes widen, you stop her as her lips part, “do not be sorry, I should’ve expected it with the ring” you slip it off your finger slowly. She nods, “I am sorry, you seem great!” she encourages as you smirk, noticing the end of her drink. “Want another?” you ask as she nods eagerly “If you are buying” she smirks as you laugh, standing from the chair with a shake of your head.

“Obviously!” moving through the crowded bar, you make your way to the edge with a smile to penny. She smiles, giving you a one minute with her finger as you shrug. “What’s a beautiful thing like you doin up here by herself?” you cringe at the voice, looking over at the man who leans beside you. He was tall, dark hair with warm eyes.

“I’m not alone don’t worry” you mumble, smiling again at Penny.

She watches closely, “can I at least buy you a drink?” you sigh, taking a deep breath. “C’mon” he moves closer brushing his fingertips along your bare shoulders.

“Hey sweetheart” you jump at the warm arm making its way around your waist and the southern accent attached. Looking up at the man to the opposite side of you, he smiles down at you with his green eyes. “Hey babe” you grin, leaning into his body slightly, looking at the man beside you.

“This guy bothering you?” he asks, you chuckle as the man now shrinks in on himself, looking the two of you up and down. “No” he mumbles, walking away from the both of you. You turn to face the blonde, looking at him ready to tear into him.

He smiles, holding his hands up in surrender. “I come in peace, Trace sent me” you look over his shoulder, Phoenix  waves. “Are you in the squad?” he nods, holding his hand out with a smirk, “hangman, at your service madam or you can call me Jake” he brings your connected hands to his lips, kissing your knuckles. “Thank you for saving me.. Hangman” you smile at the grin that breaks out on his lips. “Of course, I love saving a damsel in distress"

The Hard Deck was always peaceful in the hours leading up to opening. You pick up the case of beer to set onto the shelves. “So” You look over at Penny's voice with a raised brow, smiling. “I noticed you got rescued last night” you chuckle, turning to face her. “I did by Jake?” you question as she smirks. “Hangman” she nods, following you out the swinging doors to the bar.

“I saw the smile on your face” she comments as you giggle, looking at her. “I was grateful that he helped me out” she nods, eyes falling out the window. “I know Hangman, he is a true southern gentleman” you nod, chuckling as the bar door opens. “Pen!” Rooster’s voice can be heard from the bar deck as his face is peaking around the door.

“Hey Kaz” you smile, looking over at him, waving. “Yes, Rooster?” Penny asks, pushing off the bar to walk towards him, “can we have some beers out here? We would come in but we’re covered in sand” he smiles sheepishly as she has her hands on her hips.

She chuckles, ‘yes darlin” the grin breaks out on his face as he turns and shuts the door. “Would you like to take some beers out to them?” she asks as you smile, nodding.

You pull out seven beers and pop the tops off all of them, carrying them by the necks as you pass a smirking penny. Pushing the door open, you stop short at the group of Aviators sitting on the back deck of the hard deck, panting and covered in sweat. You think you’d be used to it growing up around the Navy but they take you all by surprise. 

“Kaz” Rooster’s voice pulls you from the daze you were in, smiling wide at the group. “Sorry” you chuckle, walking to them and setting the beers down at the table. “Hey gorgeous” Phoenix pipes up from her seat, reaching out to give you a squeeze. “Hi” you chuckle, giving her a side hug.

“What did I miss?” you turn at the voice, the words on the tip of your tongue are gone.

Jake stands at the edge of the table, shorts low on his hips and aviators perched on his nose. “Hey” he nods to you with a grin, you smile back at him slightly.

You hadn’t felt the flutter in the pit of your stomach in years, a feeling you didn’t expect.

“If you guys uh- uh need anything let me know, i’m inside” you quickly move from Phoenix’s side and make your way inside. Penny is standing at the bar with a smirk on her face, she can see the flush of your cheeks from where she stands. “Penny!” you scold moving over to her at the bar, she holds her hands up in defense. “I know a crush when I see one” she whispers, as you look up at her through your lashes.

“He’s very handsome that’s all” you grin, turning around to walk back towards the coolers. “Whatever you say young lady!” she yells back, smirking as she looks out the window, Jake’s eyes following your movements behind his aviators.

“Tread lightly” Rooster says beside him, Jake turns to him with a raised brow. “Why’s that?” he asks as Rooster grins, “let's just say… hurt her, your military career is over” Jake nods slowly, looking back into the bar as you stand beside Penny.

The back door opens again and you turn to face a smiling Jake. Taking the glasses off his face his eyes land on your own. “Hi” you smile, looking at him as he makes his way in front of you. “Hi again” he grins, leaning on the bar with his aviators in hand. “Can I get you another beer?” he moves closer then and that's when you get the fresh smell of beer and you couldn’t pick up what his cologne smells like but it was almost intoxicating.

“Actually,” he grins “I was thinking maybe a date” you raise a brow, setting the rag down on the counter with a grin matching his own. “A date huh?” he nods, “if you want to, that is” he adds with a raised brow. “I think” you pull the quarter out of your back pocket with a grin. “That's a deal but on one condition” he eyes the quarter and nods slowly watching the smile grow on your lips again.

“Heads or tails?” you ask and he chuckles, watching the look of seriousness on your face. “I mean it, heads or tails” he thinks slowly and nods, “tails”.

You flip the quarter off your pointer finger and grin as it lands on the back of your hand. “Heads' ' you show him as he nods slowly, “means I get to pick our date” you smirk grabbing a napkin from beside you and scribbling on it delicately to not rip it.

“Here” you hand it to him as he smiles at the small heart attached to the 10 digits. “Text me yeah?” you grab the rag and make your way into the back office with penny. Stopping in the doorway of her office, she grins and looks up from her paper. “What?” she asks as you are standing there wide eyed, “am I crazy or did I just agree to a date?” she laughs, setting her pen down.

“With Hangman?” you nod as she grins. “Oh I can’t wait to tell Pete” she sits back in the chair with a grin. 

The closing shift was never bad at the hard deck, usually quiet with the soft stroll of the jukebox. You locked the door behind you, not alarmed to see the truck still parked, assuming someone took a cab home after having one too many.

Until the engine roars to life and you can hear the gravel under someone's boots. “Woah woah” The southern drawl is almost comforting as you face Jake at the bottom of the steps. “You scared the shit out of me” you whisper-yell as he grins. “I’m sorry beautiful, I just thought maybe you’d need a ride home” you smile, adjusting the bag on your shoulder as you look him up and down.

He stood in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt that practically was stretched to its limits over his arms, “I uh, I do actually” you whisper, looking at him through your lashes. “But, I was actually thinking” you mess with the jacket in your arms as you walk down the steps to meet him at the end. “Wanna take a walk with me on the beach?” you raise a brow as he grins, holding his arm out to you, “lead the way”.

Linking your arm around his, you smile and slide the sandals off your feet and walk through the trail leading to the beach beside the Hard Deck.

The silence was comforting with Jake, he held you close as your arm stayed linked with his own, his other arm now carrying the sweatshirt you had brought with you. “What brought you to San Diego?” he looks down at you and immediately notices the shift in your shoulders. “It’s a long story” you admit, looking over to see his green eyes. “I have time” he grins as you stop in the sand, looking up at him, “then we may want to sit down”.

He sits beside you, leaning back on his hands as you sit tucked into his side, “I was supposed to get married two weeks ago”. Jake’s shoulder tense as he looks from the ocean over to you. “Luke, my ex-fiance, '' he nods in understanding, watching the way the moon lit up your features. “He cheated on me with a woman in his squad, left me at the altar. My dad found me and offered me to come home, so I packed up my life and moved back home with him” Jake grunts with a shake of his head.

“I can’t believe he did that, can I ask, is he Navy?” he asks as you shake your head with a laugh. “Weirdly enough, he’s Air Force” Jake scoffs with a smirk, “I should’ve known, those are the ones you gotta watch out for '' you giggle, head falling to his shoulder.

“I should’ve listened to my dad and Mav, they told me and I just thought” you trail off, looking out at the water, “thought maybe they were wrong but they weren't and that hurt more” he nods, resting his head on top of your own. “I understand. I can’t say I’m not happy this happened, then you would’ve never met me” he smirks with a confident smile as you laugh, nodding. “That is totally true” you smile, thinking back on it.

Just in the week you’ve been in Fightertown, you have met old friends and made new ones so maybe Luke’s mistake was your gain.

“This was a perfect first date” you say, looking over at Jake in the driver's seat. He smirks, “does this mean I get to pick the next?” he asks as you nod slowly. “I think so” you lean over, kissing his cheek and climbing out of the Chevy.

“Thank you for the ride” you say, leaning against the door frame as he grins, “anything for a pretty lady, that's what us Navy men do” he smirks as you giggle and look away from him, under the early hours the blush creeps up your cheeks. “Let me know when you have the time and we’ll” you shrug with a smile, “go on another” he grins as you wave and shut the door behind you.

Jogging up the steps of your parent’s home, turning back as the Chevy sat on the curb. You shut the door behind you and push the curtain aside and watch as Jake’s truck pulls away.

“You are home late” you jump at your fathers voice, turning to face him as his face remains stone. “Dad, I’m an adult” you add, moving to the end of the steps as his face breaks out into a grin, “I know, just like to give you a hard time” he holds an arm out towards you as you make your way up the steps. “Who brought you home?” he asks as you link your arm with his outstretched one, “uh” you hesitate as he smirks. “You can tell me” he adds, looking down at you with a raised brow. “Jake?” you question as he nods, face almost stone.

“Hangman..” you add, looking up at him through your lashes. “Jake Seresin?” he adds as you bite your lip and close your eyes. “I don’t like that you know his whole name, makes me think he is bad news” he shakes his head stopping outside your bedroom door, cupping your cheeks.

“He is an exceptional pilot. I think that’s nice” you nod, reaching up to hug him tightly. “Makes me feel better my dad might like this one” you whisper as he laughs, giving you a squeeze. “Go to bed” he laughs, nudging you to the bedroom. Laying back on your childhood bed,the phone buzzed beside you. You felt like you were in highschool again, smiling at the bright screen.

unknown : I had a nice time tonight, but don’t you worry I am sweeping you off your feet for the next one ;) 

You giggle, saving his number quickly to your contacts. Maybe coming home to San Diego wouldn’t be so bad.

+

Jake knew your second date had to be perfect. He had planned everything down to the minute. He took a deep breath and made his way up the steps of your home, knocking on the front door. Stood in a pair of jeans and a black button up, the bouquet of wildflowers in his hand as the door swings open, his mouth goes dry.

“Lieutenant'' He looked like a deer in the headlights as your father grinned from the front door.

Admiral Kazansky was your father.

Rooster's words finally made sense, “Admiral Kazansky '' he breathed. Iceman was a well respected man in the Naval Academy, Jake even looked up to him when he first enlisted. “Call me Tom '' he grins, motioning him in the house.

Jake nods slowly, walking into the foyer as he looks around the home. He couldn’t believe he missed all the clues of who you were or more of who your father was. “Honey!” Iceman yells up the steps as he turns to Jake. “Now” he crosses his arms over his chest and Jake can feel the fatherly chat coming. “I’m just looking out for my little girl okay?” Jake nods eagerly looking at your father. “I completely understand, sir" Jake is smiling at him, which takes your father by surprise.

“I know what she’s gone through and why she's here in San Diego. I also know how hard it was for her to agree to this date” Iceman nods as Jake continues. “I just want to show her how a real man is supposed to treat a lady, sir” he coughs slightly looking up at him.

You smile at the top of the steps, Jake proved himself so far almost perfectly, prove to dad. Taking a deep breath, you make your way down the steps, signaling both men to end their conversation. Jake makes his way to meet you at the end of the steps, holding a hand out to you. Taking his awaiting hand, you smile at him “hi” he grins, as he holds the flowers out to you.

“These are for you” smiling, you take the bouquet looking over at your parents as your mom now stands beside your father. “I’ll take those, I have a vase, '' she smiles,taking it from your outstretched hand.

You turn to Jake with a furrowed brow as he looks you over, “Jake?” he blinks, smiling. “Sorry, you look.. So beautiful” he whispers as you blush. “Let’s go” you smile, opening the door and leading him outside.

The sun was setting over the ocean, leaving soft pink hues in the sky. Sitting beside Jake on the small blanket as the breeze was slowly picking up. The restaurant he picked for dinner faced the ocean as the sand seemed so inviting.

Jake proved to you that it didn’t take much to make you happy, a simple meal and listening. “What’s goin on up there?” he asks as you look up at him with a raised brow. “You seem awfully quiet” he notes as you smile nodding. “I didn’t expect this. Not in a bad way but dates with Luke were… I paid for dinner and I made the plans” you lean into his shoulder, head falling into that space between his shoulder and jaw.

He scoffs, moving his arm to wrap around you. “I can’t get over this man. The more you tell me the more i hate him” you giggle with a shrug. You wanted to tell him he didn’t compare to him, in the few weeks you’d known Jake he didn’t ever compare to Luke. “Thank you” you look up at him, sitting up. “You’re welcome gorgeous" you blush, looking back out to the ocean as you stand. “I don’t want to talk about him anymore Jake” he nods with an understanding smile.

“What do you wanna do?” he asks as you back up towards the shore line. “Skinny dip” you admit with a grin, pulling the shoulders of your dress down as you soon let it pool into the sand.

Your back is to him, you don’t see him make his way up behind you, a smirk on his lips as he grabs you by the waist running to the water. You squeal, holding onto his arms tightly. Gripping his shoulders, you push his now wet hair out of his face. “Jake?” you whisper, legs wrapping around his waist as his arms link under your thighs. “What’s on your mind?” he asks as you smile, “you are the handsomest man I think I’ve seen in a long time” you admit as his smirk grows. “You are the most gorgeous woman I have seen in forever” he grins, nudging your nose gently. 

The sun was now set, cupping his cheek you can’t help the smile that matches his own. “You’re proving to me how a man should treat a lady” you whisper, his eyes widening “you heard that?” he looks away from your face, a slight blush on his cheeks. “Are you blushing?” you gasp as he shakes his head, “no I am not!” he laughs. “Oh my god Jake Seresin is blushing!” you squeal as he pulls you closer to his body, leaning in slowly. “Fine” he whispers against your lips, eyes looking from your lips to your face. “I was, you bring out the best in a man I suppose” you giggle, leaning down to connect your lips. 

The sun was peeking through the curtains as you groaned. The bed was comfier and the comforter seemed softer than the one in your childhood bedroom.

The weight of the arm across your waist brought you to the night you spent with him. Jake groans, rolling over onto his back. “For a man who wakes at a moment's notice for the Navy, you can’t for me?” you grin at the smile on his lips, kissing his jaw gently. “For you, anything” his voice was deep and full of southern drawl. You knew at that moment you wanted to hear it forever.

“Sleep okay?” you ask, head resting on his shoulder as he grins, “I did, how did you sleep?” he turns his head, lips resting on your hairline, hand seeking your own. “For the first time in a few months, almost perfectly” he grins against your skin.

The room fell silent in a comforting way as you snuggled closer to his body. “I can’t believe you got me in bed on our second date” you mumble with a smirk as he laughs. “I’m just that smooth gorgeous” he can’t help but to laugh as you giggle.

After your morning with Jake, you knew you were making the right choice. Standing at the shoreline behind the hard deck, you twirl the engagement ring around your finger slowly.

“Hey sweetheart” you jump, looking behind you as Maverick makes his way down the sand, “don't be mad” he says as you smile at him. “Why would I be mad?” he smiles “penny sent me down here with you” he admits as you shake your head. “I actually am glad she did, I-I need your help” he moves beside you. “Uncle Mav, I went out with Jake” you look over at him as he smiles, nodding slowly.

“How’d it go?” he asks, standing beside you as you turn back out to the water, “perfect”. He smiles, nodding slowly “so why do you need my help?” he asks. “Am I making a bad decision?” he bites his lip, “do you want the truth?” he asks as you nod eagerly.

“Complete truth” he nods, “Hangman is similar to your father. He’s cocky and a bit arrogant and I can say this about him, your father because he’s my best friend” he points out as you giggle, nodding. “But he’s also kind and gentle and takes care of the one he loves, when your father met your mother I saw a shift in him and I have seen a shift in Hangman”  you smile, moving closer to the other pilot as you take a deep breath.

“Okay” you smile, walking closer to the sand and taking a deep breath. “You got it!” maverick yells as the metal slips from your fingers and makes a small plop in the ocean.

“Luke is your past, I see Hangman as your future” Maverick smiles at the smile on your face.

+

It had been months since you landed  in San Diego.

Jake made it his mission to continue winning you and your father over. Jake always made his presence known at the Hard Deck so you knew he was always watching. “Gorgeous" You smile at the sound of his voice, looking over your shoulder as he stands in his service khakis. “Handsome” you grin, grabbing him two beers, one for him and one for Rooster.

He grins as you set them in front of him, “on me” you grin as he leans over the bar, kissing your forehead gently, “thanks beautiful”.

Turning back to the bar you lost track of the time, a usual occurance with a Friday night in the bar.

In seconds the atmosphere can change in a bar and within a millisecond, it did. The door opened and your eyes locked on his, Luke stood at the door with a few members of his squad.

Jake’s shoulders tense as he looks up from the pool table, he notices the tension in the bar as his eyes then fall to you. “(Y/N)?” Penny questions as you look at her with wide eyes. “Its really bold to be an Air Force pilot and walk into a Navy bar” you mumble as her eyes widen. “You okay?” she asks as you nod slowly, taking a deep breath. “He’s always been kind of an idiot, '' you mumble, turning to the customer in front of you.

“What’s goin on?” Rooster asks, standing beside Jake as he huffs slightly. ``I'm guessing, and this could be a long shot. I’m pretty sure that’s Luke'' Jake puts a hand on his hip as his green eyes follow the pilots. “That’s kinda stupid  to come into a Navy bar…” Rooster notes as Jake nods slowly. “Yeah, well it’s really stupid to cheat on your beautiful fiance but yet he did ''.

You don’t notice the brunette at your side, the woman who held a grin on her lips as the squad surrounded her. “Excuse me” she asks and your head snaps to her, her face falls at your face. “(Y/N)..” she breathes as you smile, watching the face of every other pilot around her. “Hi Katie” you smile, “what can I get you?”. Penny tries to hide her laugh as you put on the most bull-shit smile ever.

“Oh uh- Titos and soda please” you nod, turning to grab a glass. The whispers weren’t subtle as the rest of the squad realized who you were by the time Luke made it beside his now girlfriend. “Your tito’s, opening a tab?” you avoid his brown eyes as she nods slowly, handing a card over. “Perfect” you set it beside the register with her name, walking to penny.

“I need some air” you whisper, tossing the towel aside and making your way past Jake and the Dagger Squad, ignoring the voice of both men. “(Y/N)” you could throw up at the sound of his voice. It was almost as deafening as nails on a chalkboard. “What do you want?” you turn to face him, your face almost as stone. “What are you even doing here? Don’t you know this is a Navy bar?!” you seeth, as he holds his hands up in defense.

“I heard great things.. I thought i’d check it out” he looks over your shoulder as Jake makes his way out the door, beer in his hand as he stands behind you. Luke chuckles, “need a guard dog?” you follow his gaze, looking at Jake with a small smile as he watches your face almost shift.

“I don’t need a guard dog no, but it’s good to have someone who cares about my well being, someone to protect me” you mumble, head snapping back to Luke.

“You don’t need protecting from me (Y/n)” he says as you almost seeth at his words. “Oh? I don’t? I don’t need protection from the man who left me at the altar for another woman?” you question as his gaze falls. “I know you slept with Katie almost every single mission you flew, every deployment” you spit.

He raises his eyes as he smirks, “but yet it didn’t take you long to crawl into someone else’s bed” he eyes Jake who stands taller behind you. Moving closer to him, you let out a deep breath. “It didn’t. He fucks me better than you ever could, Katie can have you all to herself” you smirk at the raise of his eyebrows. “I suggest you leave” you chuckle as Luke shrugs, “why? What are you and the sea boy back there gonna do?” before you could think your hand connected with his jaw.

The doors fly open then, Rooster is moving in front of you as the rest of Luke’s squad makes their way outside. “I suggest you leave, now” your voice is almost deadly, dripping with venom. He looks at you, holding his cheek as you grin. “I always knew you were twisted. '' Laughing, you move from behind Rooster. “Don’t you know you never fuck with an admirals daughter! Cold as ice, Bitch” you spit as Katie is pulling him back.

“Go running back to your bitch” you walk back to Jake, who can’t help but grin behind his beer bottle, waving to the rest of the squad as they are helping Luke down the steps. 

“That was stupid” Jake looks up at you in sympathy as he applies the bag of ice onto your knuckles. “It gave me so much closure though” you smile, looking up at him as he stands between your thighs. “It was hot” he admits with a grin as you giggle. “I hope I didn’t upset you” he furrows his brows as he pulls the ice off your knuckles to look over the busted skin.

“Upset me?” you shrug, looking down now at your knuckles. “Saying I didn’t need you to protect me..” he shakes his head, “you’ve had to protect yourself for a while, I understand'' he admits as you nod, “You have your very own Doberman who will always protect you. If or when you need him” he winks as you laugh.

“I hope you know, I will always protect you. I vowed that the moment I met you” he admits, kissing your hairline gently as your eyes fall closed. “I will always protect you my love” you whisper back, looking up at him with a grin. “My love huh?” he smirks as you laugh,slapping his chest gently. “I like that one” he admits, leaning down closer to your lips with a smirk.

“Get over here” you smirk, pulling him into you by the collar, kissing him as if he’d slip away. “Let’s get you home my big bad lioness” he smirks, picking you up and over his shoulder.

+

Three years later.

The church was perfect. You stood outside on the sidewalk as you heard the motorcycle pull up. Looking over your shoulder, mav is dismounting the bike and pulling the helmet off his head. “There’s my girl” he grins as the tears well up in your eyes. “Uncle Mav” your lip quivers as he’s wrapping you in his arms. “Dad’s on his way, needs a moment to compose himself” Mav says with a laugh as you smile. “I know, he’s a big ol softy” he grins as the escalade pulls up to the curb and your father steps out.

“Are you waiting out here for me?” you smile, holding a hand out to him with a nod. “I need my dad to walk me down the aisle don’t i?” you ask as he grins, taking your hand. Walking inside, the two of you stand by the two double doors.

“It’s different this time,” you whisper, looking up at him. “It is, you are marrying a good man” he smiles, kissing your head as the doors open and music begins. “And i can’t be more proud of you” he smiles, facing the end of the aisle where Jake stands.

Jake’s lip is quivering, looking down to avoid more tears but his eyes fall back to you just as quickly. “Dude” Coyote whispers to him as he looks over at his best man, “You can cry '' Coyote adds as Jake nods, a sob falling from his lips. By the time he looks back down the aisle you are almost in front of him.

He looks over at your mom, who sits proudly waiting for the two of you. “Hangman” Iceman grins as he is handing you over to the pilot, who smiles at him in a nod of thanks. The ceremony was beautiful, the soft hues of orange sat along the venu.

Everyone made their way to the reception as you sat down on the end of the aisle. This time, Jake stands at the end at the double doors with a smile on his face. “What is my beautiful bride doing in here?” he asks, hands in his pockets as you smile, looking up at him.

“Thinking” you admit, standing to meet him halfway down the aisle. He smiles, making his way down to you and wrapping you in his arms. “Thinkin about what?” he asks as you smile, running your hands along his arms. “How I saw myself here three years ago except, it wasn’t this beautiful, wasn’t this perfect” you smile up at him as he grins. “Three years ago you were expected to marry a boy,” he says as you giggle.

“Yet, I married a man who showed me the right way to love a woman” he grins, leaning down to kiss your forehead as your eyes fall closed. “I am just a man who wanted to give the beautiful woman the world” you smile as his forehead falls against your own.

The day your father picked you up from the altar floor played in your mind. His kind words and his encouragement to come back home with him to San Diego would've never had you end here, in the arms of someone who made you his world.

You couldn’t be more thankful for that summer in San Diego.

--

Hi there! ! If you enjoyed this fic, you can find all my other work in The Library.

[namazunomegami]

emperor!sukuna x imperial concubine!reader

a/n: part 2 of my self-indulging mess. I had a lot of fun writing him and his drabble got finished way before I developed the whole plotline for Geto lol. I'll try to complete Gojo today or tomorrow and Toji is in the works yaaay!!

Also, I'm so surprised my Geto drabble got so many notes in such a short time!! I wouldn't expected people to be remotely interested in my writing but now I'm getting confident.

And finally, I can guarantee that this reader is gender neutral.

Likes and reblogs are appreciated <33

wc: 674, I know, I know, Geto got the princess treatment from me but sometimes less is more <333

cw: historical AU, scheming, mentions of pregnancy, mentions of sudden infant death syndrome, betrayal, accusations of abortion, execution, nudity, mentions of poisoning, suggestive

credits: i used a colored manga panel instead of a fanart but I have no idea who did the coloring so feel free to help me credit their work. And again, my precious @notveryrussian did the proofread, luv ya mwah <33

MDNI PLEASE! I'm gonna find you and kick you in the butt if you do. If you’re not comfortable with dark content or anything mentioned in the warnings just scroll, there's nothing wrong with that.

His mandate of heaven is very different from Gojo and Geto. Sukuna is a ruthless tyrant, he enjoys crushing any nation he deems either threatening or undeserving to even exist next to his borders. His palace is a snake pit, full of betrayal and backstabbing. Executions are frequent and he needs no valid reason to sentence someone to death, he enjoys the bloodshed and the sight of lifeless bodies. You can’t survive that place acting kind and humble. Sukuna specifically torments his concubines physically and mentally for the sheer enjoyment of it.

His court is probably the most competitive. You need to be as ruthless as he is, you need to become a schemer. One of his high-ranking consorts takes you under her wing. She lets you spend leisure time with her, and somehow, she ends up telling you way more sensitive information than she should. She once managed to give him a child, but the infant sadly died days after they were born. She complained about how hard that pregnancy was and that she’s afraid of going through it again, even though she’s attached to him. And not long after this conversation, she fell ill. Retching out everything she ate, her stomach burned and ached. She was so weak her cycle was two weeks late. She trusted you enough to have you fetch her a specific herbal tea to ease her pain and grant her some dreamless sleep.

And that’s the moment you decide you’ll use everything you know about her to cast her down and take her place.

You accuse her that she’s pregnant but wants to abort her baby. Your story is so intricately constructed from all the details you knew that his officials are on your side without hesitation. She watches you horrified, desperately telling him that nothing could be so far from the truth. Sukuna decides to believe in your words and orders for the consort to be executed. Finding pure joy in how she wails and begs for forgiveness. At the execution, he studies your face, every little detail and reaction and you were aware of that. It’s time to impress him. Your face is still, you don’t even flinch when her head is severed by the neck. The eunuchs come for you at night.

He loves and loathes this tradition at the same time. The servants want to protect him, so they deliver you stark naked to ensure you won’t carry any weapons. Fools, as if a weak and trembling creature like you could ever hurt him with a mere dagger or a sharpened hairpin. Yet it makes you look like an offering. A sacrificial lamb. Maybe because you are.

Some primal instinct tells you to balance your inner strength and innate fear of him. Pull back your shoulders, straighten your back, don’t even think to conceal your private parts. Let your fingers quiver and the sheer dread in your eyes seep through. He mocks you. Almost laughs at you while sitting comfortably on the intricately carved shelf bed, wearing a loose bright yellow robe, leaving almost nothing to the imagination. There’s no reason for him to not do this though, he’s a god, the son of heaven, therefore, everything about him is perfect.

The first thing he asks you is if you’re satisfied with your pathetic attempt to improve your position. You don’t dare to tell him that you feel the guilt rotting your insides. He confesses that he was poisoning her meals, he wanted to watch her wither away slowly and enjoy her suffering, but you ruined his plans. He might spare you, you’re a stupid little thing, you couldn’t have known. He warns you that you need to do so much more if you want to be on his good side. You need to be absolutely despicable to earn his praise. Though you feel content having reached your goal and getting to spend a night with him, somewhere deep down you hope you can leave his chamber in one piece or, at least, alive.

[talkinfanfic]

Episode 307 - Interview with HeyJulien, Football RPF and Carraville writer

🎧 Episode available on any podcast app, Spotify, or stream here!

Like a bicycle kick goal at minute 95, Sara finally completes editing on a much overdue interview with fellow Carraville author @heyyjulien ! 

Sara and Julien talk about the world of football RPF (as in soccer, for all you Yankees); specifically the delightfully odd-couple rivals-to-lovers ship of English football pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher. Other talking points scattered across the pitch include: football as war, derby days and football rivalry; the joys of local non-league football, the Bundesliga and fußballkultur; to switch POV, or not to switch POV; the annoying beauty of David Beckham; and of course, we discuss the tragically under-utilized in fic friendship of Paul Scholes and Gary Neville (or, Scholesy as the Kermit to Gary Neville’s Miss Piggy). 

Join us, if you like!

Correction - at 03:27:40 we incorrectly refer to our wonderful fellow Carraville author as ‘player1604’-- their handle is @player1064, which is a reference to Gary Neville’s England legacy number. Gary was the 1,064th player to play for England’s National Team. More notes, references, and time caps below the cut.

Contact and Credits:

Intro Theme: Kyle Laurin "Oasis Supersonic Theme" (Twitter: @cobrakylemusic)

Tumblr: talkinfanfic.tumblr.com 

Instagram: @talkinfanfic

Email: talkinfanfic@gmail.com 

Time caps:

00:10:39 - Chelsea v Liverpool result in the Carabao Cup Final AND “Football and Butts”

00:13:17 minutes - Picking an English team as an outside fan, local rivalry in sport, and the mechanisms of tribalism

00:21:10 - Football pride as a substitute for national pride in Germany

00:22:57 - League structure in european football, the purity of the local club, financial doping, and German “fußballkultur”

00:32:57 - A late introduction to HeyJulien ! Julien’s earliest reading and writing memories.

00:36:36 - First encounter with fanfiction and Youtuber RPF

00:42:11 - Path into Sports RPF

00:45:28 - The specific allure of Hockey RPF

00:53:54 - Getting into Football RPF and Carraville

01:11:07 - Carraville fic, start of “Zombies” discussion, and Julien’s real-life plot inspiration

01:20:04 - Excerpt 1, from “Zombies” 

01:39:12 - Strategy and instinct of switching POV’s 

01:59:50 - “The Victorian Era” 

02:06:13 - Excerpt 2, from “The Victorian Era” (apologies from Sara for the botched English accents)

02:23:17 - Cat cameo by Daniel Pickles - and the theme of power in “The Victorian Era”, Gary and Victoria’s friendship, and writing moments that “show” instead of “tell”. 

02:32:27 - The fun of writing about “bad people”, and recurring themes popping up in our works; AND the specific joys of fanfiction enriching “real life”

02:40:36 - “Tasting Syrup On My Tongue”

02:50:45 - The joy of Stevie G and Scholsey in Carraville fics

03:00:46 - Sara’s childhood soccer experience

03:02:49- Rapid Fire Questions!!! 

03:17:21 - Michael Owen Quotes

03:31:00 - Coffee Shop Scenario

03:37:32 - Julien’s fic recs

03:43:11 - Final question- “What do you think it is about sport that lends itself to fiction and fanfiction?”

Episode References

FIC - ‘These zombies in the park, they're looking for my heart’ by HeyJulien 

FIC - 'The Victorian Era' by HeyJulien 

FIC - ‘Tasting Syrup On My Tongue’ by HeyJulien

https://www.fanfiktion.de/ - Julien’s first fanfic site!

CBS Champions League Today "Best Of" - Youtube video, example of CBS crew compilation, ft. Jamie Carragher, Micah Richards, Thierry Henry, and Kate Abdo

"Gary Neville & Jamie Carragher's BEST moments! 👀🍿"   - Youtube video that Julien sent Sara to kick off the Carraville spiral

Gary Neville’s interview with Jamie Carragher on The Overlap - Youtube

"Neville and Carra - the perfect TV double act make their Monday Night Football debut" - Daily Mail article from August 2013, describing Jamie’s MNF debut alongside Gary. 

And another 2013 article, this one from Stretty News on the Carraville punditry duo, described as “a dream pair”. 

‘Tasting Syrup’ reference - Footage of John Terry head injury  in the 2007 League Cup Final, Chelsea v Arsenal - Youtube

‘Tasting Syrup’ reference - Footage of Jamie Carragher head injury in a match against Arsenal in April 2011 - tumblr link

Fanart - Man United v Liverpool lineup as envisioned by the genius k-ky - tumblr link

Article - "Bastian Schweinsteiger dragged the modern Germany to ultimate glory with blood, sweat and tears" - on Schweinsteiger’s heroic and gritty performance in the 2014 World Cup Final (October 2019)  

Some more brilliant Michael Owen quotes (unverified but highly entertaining)

Julien rec - Sara's fic, [the gap between crack and thunder] WIP! 

Julien rec - Quell the Tide by Imnotreallyhereatall - the hockey RPF julien mentions loving (Ao3, locked)

Julien rec - Take a Chance on Me by @zevons, @jjjat3am (Ao3, locked)

Julien rec - keep your silver, give me that gold by @thesecretdetectivecollection (Ao3)

Julien rec - Gary Neville is Still a Red, Just a Different Shade by @fanficburner (Ao3) 

[imaredshirt]

When Stan and Ford were 11, a storm hit Glass Shard Beach with winds that were two miles too slow to classify as a hurricane. So it converged over the New Jersey shoreline as a furious tropical storm, turning the sky grey and pulling and pushing the ocean over the beach in high, crashing waves.

The state had strongly recommended evacuating to safety. It was such a fierce storm that the governor even briefly considered making it a mandatory thing. But only briefly. 

And because he didn’t, nobody in Glass Shard Beach left the little beach side town. Nobody wanted to. Or saw the need to. This was especially true for business owners, who scoffed at the thought of leaving their storefronts and tourist traps abandoned for any amount of time, even for a little bit of rain and wind. 

The Pines family was no different. They locked the front door of their store, boarded up all the windows, and hunkered down in the main bedroom to wait out the storm. 

Pops was asleep in bed, snoring loud enough to put the wind to shame, and Ma was next to him, reading through her Psychics National Weekly, snorting at all the news from the Hush, Much? New Gossip! column that she claimed she’d already seen with her psychic powers three days ago.

The twins had taken their favorite quilted blanket and draped it over the back of Ma’s armchair and one corner of the bed, creating a fort that made waiting out the storm a little more bearable. It didn’t do much to muffle the howling winds or the rain pelting the boarded windows or Pops snoring louder than his car could rumble, but there was something about forts that was always comforting to the 12-year-olds. 

They’d set Pops’ metal flashlight in the middle of the fort, shining a bright light up into the quilted canopy. Stan lay on his back and stretched one arm up to wiggle his fingers in the light and throw shadows against the triangular patches of red and orange fabric overhead, eyes wide as he listened to Ford read from his favorite collection of maritime fiction.

“Suddenly,” Ford read aloud, eyes glued to the open book in his lap. “The ship was launched out of the water! A massive tentacle curled around it, and the three sailors saw the monstrous head of the Kraken emerge from the waves! It peered at them with one bulbous, angry yellow eye. Lightning flashed as it opened its sharp, grisly beak to devour them whole.

“‘Oh no!’ Cried the Captain. ‘I’ve steered us right into the beast’s dastardly grip! I’ve doomed us all!’

“‘No,’ said his First Mate. ‘We are not doomed yet, Captain. We’ll get through this. We always do!’”

“Do they?” Stan asked before Ford could continue. He sat up and tried to peek at the book. “Do they make it out alive? Do they get eaten? What happens?”

“Hey!” Ford laughed and tilted the book so Stan could only see the front cover. “Let me finish reading and you’ll see if they live. Only,” he paused and flipped through the book. “Only 19 and a half more pages to go.”

“Aw, Sixer, come on,” Stan groaned. He flopped back onto the floor and threw an arm dramatically over his eyes. “Just tell me! What if the storm pulls me out through the window and throws me into space and you never see me again? Then I’ll never know the ending!”

“First of all,” Ford said, “That’s impossible. Second of all, we need to study these stories as closely as we can, even if they are fictional. It could help prepare us for our adventures across the sea! What if we run across a hungry Kraken, you know?”

“We’d kick its slimy butt,” Stan said. He balled his fists and aimed two uppercuts at an imaginary ocean behemoth. “No dumb octopus is gonna take the Stan o’ War down with us on board!”

“Yeah!” Ford cheered, then he bit his lip and continued in a more subdued voice. “Hey, Stanley?”

Stan stuck his tongue between his teeth as he aimed another bruising punch into the imaginary Kraken above him. “Yeah?”

“Would you be mad at me if I accidentally steered us into dangerous waters?”

Stan went quiet for a moment, flailing fists falling to his sides. He sat up and  watched his brother fiddle nervously with the corner of one page. Then, with a laugh, he elbowed Ford and said, “Are you kidding me? Dangerous water is where all the fun is! What’s the point of sailing if you’re just gonna stick to boring places? Pirates hide all the good stuff where the monsters hang out! Besides,” he added with a smile, “I trust you with my life, Sixer. Wherever you steer us has gotta be the right way.”

Ford smiled bashfully at the book. “Aw, you’re just saying that.”

“Nah, I’m serious! You’re the smartest kid I know, probably the smartest kid anybody knows. You’re gonna steer us towards all the coolest stuff out there using the stars and maps and math and whatever it is sailors use, I don’t even know! And me? I’m gonna protect us from everything.”

Ford flipped to the next page in the book. “Everything?”

“Yeah,” Stan said. “Everything! Giant squids and undead pirates and--and--and undead giant squid pirates!”

“Undead giant squid pirates?” Ford laughed and flopped onto the floor next to his brother. “That’s crazy! I gotta draw it.”

“Don’t forget to draw ‘em in giant pirate hats,” Stan said. “That’s how you know they’re pirates.  And draw some of their tentacles falling off! That’s how you know they’re undead.” “Noted,” Ford said, tapping his temple to signal that he was making a mental checklist for later. Then he nudged Stan with his elbow. “I trust you with my life, too.”

Stan nudged him back and laughed to hide his own bashfulness. “C’mon, tell me the rest of the story before the storm quits on us. Cause then it’s back to boring ol’ school. Yuck!”

With a grin, Ford held the book above their heads so they could both see the text and the intricate woodcut illustrations. He cleared his throat and began in the most dramatic voice an eleven year old could muster, “Before the Captain could respond, the ship tilted, and the three sailors fell towards the open maw of the Kraken!”

Stan listened in rapt fascination as Ford read on. Next to them, the flashlight threw their shadows against the blanket, making them seem larger than their eleven year old selves, as if they were old enough to set sail for adventure the very next day. 

But they were just kids, with many years ahead of them before they would ever be ready to take to the sea.

The storm raged outside. In their fort, the boys nearly forgot about it, lost in tales of daring adventurers and monsters lurking beneath the waves.

[On ao3]

[paint-pot-pete]

So, I meant to take tons of TFN pics this year; there were SO many amazing cosplayers, artists and traders.

But I was too busy living in the moment like a fucking nerd so I forgot 🤣 I’ll be posting my art haul over the next… whenever but I wanted to share the couple of pics I do have - check out the TF Nation page for more and better photos 🤣

Thank you to the fantastic organisers and my fellow volunteers for putting on a blinder of a convention, the artists and forgers who came and shared their peerless talent with us all, the vendors who made sure everyone had some fun new toys, Toy-Fu for being their usual butt-kicking selves and raising over £35,000 for Mary’s Meals, our guests for being fun, engaging and delightful to chat with & spend three days being silly about robots with us and FINALLY, to all attendees; you came with love, passion and cosplay and made it a convention to remember 😁 Till All Are One 💜

[babyhatesreality]

Not sure if this has already been asked, but how would Stevie and Bucky be with a day of playing outside with their little? 🥺

Oh man. Best Day Ever.

You loved playing outside. The smell of the dirt grass, the feel of the dirt flowers, the insatiable call of the dirt sunshine.

They tried to make sure that you all went on walks or at the very least to the rooftop playground that Tony had created for all the littles up there as often as possible.

They would plan a whole outing outside whenever they could.

They would never tell you in advance- too many things could interfere and they hated disappointing you.

But at least once a month, they got a whole day off, and if there was no rain that morning, oh- it was ON.

Bucky had a special outdoors backpack for you, complete with bug spray, sunblock, sunglasses, hair ties, pail and shovel, ball, sidewalk chalk, wipes, and of course, a mini first aid kit.

Steve was in charge of snacks and meals, and he could pack a picnic lunch that was better than any of the fancy restaurants you'd ever been to.

They would begin dropping subtle hints at breakfast..."Wow, sure is nice outside today." "I don't think there's a single cloud in the sky this morning." "Sure would be nice to feel some sun, wouldn't it Baby?"

At first you didn't get it, but after a time, you started to clue in, and your little butt would start wiggling with excitement in your chair.

They always had to wait until you'd eaten all your breakfast before breaking the news, because the second you realized you were all going on a day trip outside it was impossible to get you to sit back down.

They would dress you carefully in your favorite cotton teeshirts and denim shorts that could take a dirty day and still come out clean after washing.

Bucky would plait your hair into the two braids that you loved so much and let you pick out which hair bobbles you wanted on the ends.

Steve would carefully tie your favorite sneakers with the light up features (just in case), then swing you up into the air and kiss your nose for being so good and still while he was tying them.

You loved the bustle of Central Park, you loved the privacy of the little playground outside the city, you loved the big national parks that you all drove to, you loved playing in a patch of grass. In short, it didn't matter where you were, so long as you were outside with the people that you loved.

If there was a swingset- forget it. The day was planned.

Steve and Bucky loved playing the game of who could swing you higher, partially out of a playful competitive nature between them, and partially because you were so damn happy, reaping the rewards of their competition.

Jungle gyms- oh man, those were awesome. You could pretend like you were Petey (without making Daddy grumpy) and scale up the rope nets and climbing walls and monkey bars. You took great delight in the day you managed to climb up the slide backwards. One of your greatest achievements.

If it was a big field or an open meadow, you and your daddies would kick around the bright pink ball from your backpack, not really following any rules or sport- just kicking it back and forth to each other, causing you to run around screaming with joy at your nonsense game.

They would find a shady spot for lunch, and you were usually pretty tuckered out from your activities as well as hungry, so it never was too much trouble to get you to stop playing and come eat. Besides, the day wasn't done.

After eating your delicious picnic lunch, you'd be a little more mellow (definitely NOT SLEEPY BECAUSE NO NAPS but you were totally sleepy). You'd play on the swings gently, or go down the slide over and over again, or pick all the prettiest wildflowers you could find.

Sometimes, you'd lay on your back snuggled in between your daddies and you'd all point out the different shapes in the clouds.

Eventually, you would tire yourself out to the point where they'd pick you up, lay your head on their shoulders, and you'd fall asleep instantly.

They'd quickly and quietly pack up and take you home, letting you snooze in your car seat. They'd lay you down on the couch on a blanket when you got home, since you'd gotten all sweaty.

When you woke up, it was straight into the bath. You'd chatter endlessly about all the activities, recounting them with giggles while Papa or Daddy washed all the dirt and grass away.

The three of you would make dinner, you still chattering away nonstop, making them both grin.

Since you'd already had your bath, it was a full on movie night with lots of blankets and cuddles on their bed.

And just like earlier in the day, you'd eventually just drop off to sleep, dreaming sweet dreams of beautiful meadows and fluffy clouds and colorful butterflies.

[opencommunion]

"A Palestinian paramedic based in Gaza has shared horrific details of his detention and torture including threats of rape at the hands of Israeli forces.

Walid Khalili, 36, was arrested after being dispatched to the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza City on November 10 to rescue four wounded men, according to a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report on Monday. But when his ambulance reached the location, 20 meters from the Labor Ministry building, he saw the men surrounded by Israeli forces.

'I saw the four men being executed in cold blood,' Khalili said. 'I saw it with my own eyes, I was three meters away. When they were shot, I hid under the ambulance, and next to it there was a building, so then I ran inside the building. The Israeli forces raided the building and started yelling at me to raise my hands.' Soldiers kicked and beat him with their rifle butts, breaking his ribs.

HRW said Khalili’s subsequent ordeal – including deportation from Gaza to detention facilities in Israel, torture, and denial of medical care – was consistent with the abuses in Israeli detention described by seven other healthcare workers who were interviewed. His account is also consistent with reports by other rights groups, the United Nations human rights office, and journalists, the report said.

Khalili said the soldiers forced him to strip naked in public, zip-tied his hands behind his back, blindfolded him, and took him to another location. 'They kept telling me, ‘Say you're Hamas,’' he said.

The father of three recalled the bitter November cold, the report said, when soldiers placed him in an open-back military vehicle, hit him, and drove him to an open area, where he was forced to lie face-down on sandy ground. Soldiers repeatedly shoved his face into the sand with their boots and threatened to kill him, Khalili said.

He was even doused with gasoline, as a soldier threatened to set him on fire, and others drove a military vehicle quickly toward him as if to run him over apparently to terrify him into confessing to being a member of Hamas, said the report. This was a tactic that another former former detainee separately described to HRW.

At the notorious Sde Teiman detention facility, about 30km from Gaza, in southern Israel, Khalili described being held in a large building 'like a warehouse' with chains hanging from the ceiling. He said Israeli soldiers dragged him on the ground, removed the cuffs on his ankles, dressed him in adult diapers, and removed his blindfold.

Dozens of detainees, also in diapers, were suspended from the ceiling, with the chains attached to their square metal handcuffs. Khalili said he was hung up, dressed in a garment and a headband that were attached to wires, and shocked him with electricity.

'The world was spinning around, and I fainted. They hit me with batons. I kept fainting and hallucinating. He kept asking me about the hostages, and moving Hamas hostages, and where I was on October 7. With every question I was electro-shocked to wake me up. He told me confess and we will stop torturing you,' he told HRW.

Khalili said he was given electric shocks every second day in addition to being suspended in stress positions and having cold water thrown on him. At three-day intervals, he was taken from the 'warehouse' for interrogation and before each ordeal, a soldier administered an unknown drug to him in pill form. 'The pill made me feel weird, it was the first time I have felt like this, as if my inner mind was speaking what was in my heart, not me. I felt like I’m flying. I saw hallucinations.'

An Israeli official who spoke fluent Arabic 'told me how many children I have, all their names, my address,' and threatened they would be killed if he did not confess. Khalili shared the abuse and torture of other detainees as well, saying one 'had his leg amputated' apparently as a result of prolonged shackling and exposure to cold.

He saw a detainee in the 'warehouse' experience what he believes was cardiac arrest; a soldier brought in an Israeli medical worker who confirmed the detainee was dead. Israeli forces brought the dead body of another detainee into the warehouse, Khalili said.

After 20 days, he was transferred, in a wheelchair and unable to stand, from Sde Teiman to a detention facility he called 'al-Naqab' prison. He was cuffed and blindfolded and said soldiers threatened him with rape while he was being transported.

The other detainees at al-Naqab were also sick and wounded, he said, and a man who was visibly 'bleeding from his bottom' was brought in and placed next to Khalili. The man told Khalili that before he was placed in detention, 'three soldiers took turns raping him with an M16 (assault rifle). No one else knew, but he told me as a paramedic. He was terrified. His mental health was awful, he started talking to himself.'

After more than 30 days at al-Naqab, Khalili said, he signed release papers at the prosecutors’ office and was given back his Palestinian ID document, but not his phone or cash (the equivalent of US$1,250) taken from him during his arrest in Gaza. Four days later, in late December 2023, he was released without charge at the Kerem Shalom (Karam Abu Salem) crossing. He had weighed 80 kilograms when arrested, and now weighed 60, he said.

The World Health Organization arranged for permission for him to be transferred for care to Egypt in May, but Israeli forces closed the Rafah border crossing on May 7. HRW said Khalili was sheltering in the al-Mawasi area near Khan Yunis, and still awaiting possible transfer to Egypt for medical care, separated from his family who are in northern Gaza.

'I cry every day without my family,' he said. 'I’m alone in the south, I have no one. I swear I don’t need anything but to be with my family.' He has not yet met his youngest son, who was born in Gaza while he was in detention.

HRW said he still loses consciousness and feels 'something in my head like microwaves, a loud sound,' and his hands cramp up. The pain from his broken ribs makes it difficult for him to sleep, and when he sleeps, he has nightmares, the report said."

28 August 24

[murderousink23]

10/09/2023 is Leif Erikson Day 🇺🇲, National Moldy Cheese Day 🧀🇺🇲, National Kick Butts Day 🇺🇲, Native American Day 🇺🇲, National Online Bank Day 🏦🇺🇲, Indigenous People's Day 🇺🇲, World Post Day 📮🇺🇳

[kricketbee]

Character Introduction

I'm not sure why but I've always struggled to summarize my characters or stories into bite sized descriptions. It's something I've been thinking about lately because it would be a lot easier for people to get to know my little brain babies without having to read 72k words first.

So I'm using the Creator's Clubs "meet the character Monday" (by @bardic-tales) to finally kick myself in the butt and write up a character profile.

Introducing: Princess Dai Yu, my main Atla OC from my fic Black Jade.

(While a big point of her story is about growing up, I'm writing most of this with her 16yr version in mind. Since thats where she is when the canon timeline starts.)

Hobbies: playing pipa, writing songs, sewing, studying history and reading.

Likes: music, dancing, singing, festivals, plays, babies, cute animals, sweets, makeup, fashion, romance novels and erotic art prints. 

Dislikes: sand, spicy food, combat and training, bugs, and reptile

The daughter and only child of King Janyu of the Earth Kingdom province of Nanfang and Zara, a fire nation woman from the colony of Yu Dao. Despite the fact that no one on her mother’s side is a bender, and many on her father’s side can earthbend, Dai Yu turns out to be a firebender.

At twelve years old she agrees to marry Prince Zuko, believing that it will bring her country peace. She gets along well with Zuko and is more upset about leaving her home and family than the idea of being bound to him.

Dai Yu loved her father probably more than anyone else in the world, and is particularly sensitive to other people bad mouthing him. She struggles to acknowledge his faults even to herself as she grows and her outlook on her situation changes. He was the one who taught her how to play pipa, starting a lifelong love of music they shared.

Not having had the opportunity to learn before moving, she isn't a skilled bender at the start of her story and starts training mainly out of nessesity to control her bending and defend herself. She's competent enough by the time Sozin's comet comes around, but never manages to come anywhere near the ability of most of her bending contemporaries, which she is just fine with.

[bumblebeehug]

I wish you good health 🗣️🗣️🗣️ hope the runny nose and the fever heal up asappy

wooo thank youuuu 🥳 the fever was gone the same day (took a trillion medical pills of all sorts and slept for a couple of hours and boom, no longer dizzy) and the runny nose is manageable 🤧 but headaches and scratchy throats are kicking my butt so gonna rest the entire day tomorrow so I can terrorise tumblr nation

[qedmirage]

Episode 10! This one took me a while. I got distracted by all sorts of things. The stage mechanic is a pain in the butt!! Even having had pre-prep with it from CC events, it is depressingly common for the artillery to switch targeting at the last minute because you missed one enemy in the pile of guys coming at you.

This little scrimblo is the face of evil. Cause of many leaks. If you're kind of sleepy or out of it or tired after a long day of work the Second Defense Artillery mechanic turns into a slot machine that sometimes just kills your clear for no apparent reason (you forgot that this character had 1 higher block than this other one) Story thoughts and unmarked spoilers after the cut!

I'm slow to get to Act 2 of the Arknights story. Over the time I've seen people in various fan communities talk about how they don't like it, how it feels slow to them, or how they think all the Sarkaz are irredeemable bastards. Well now with episode 10 I'm into it proper and while I see the complaints I like the story! I like reading academic works about military history and the history of genocides now and again, so, I'm definitely not the 'normal' audience. But the Kazdel Military Comission is very familiar and 'realistic'.

Theresis and his bros. There's not many...

First off it doesn't have the support of all, or even necessarily most Sarkaz. There's the Confessarius, a small secretive organization that's hung around the crown like ivy; the Sanguinarch of Vampires and the Nachzehrer king, two absolute freak monsters; the Damazti Cluster, who's just One Slime. Certainly Theresis has a lot of soldiers; but of the political leaders that make up Sarkaz politics, he essentially has the trust only of the most violently extreme half of things. Theresis's plan seems to be to simultaneously wage war on the nations of Terra, to restore Sarkaz glory or at least give teeth to their anger at constantly being persecuted. And man I don't think that's gonna work out very well for you! But the nature of the KMC and its job brutally occupying Londinium will drive away any moderates on its own. The KMC is radicalizing itself, from an attempt at governing Kazdel to what is functionally a murder cult, focused on just killing the highest number of non-sarkaz possible. It's not a happy story! And not one that, I think, is going to be 'fixed' by Amiya doing some cool sword magic. Victoria is on a fast track to becoming a failed state, and that's not going to be good for anyone around. Character thoughts! Blunted by having taken months and months to finish this. -Misery, it's cool to see another RI elite and this one's kinda, shifty? Behavior, is fun. Not a pillar of gung-ho courage, but he Gets The Job Done. -Mandragora, poor little meowmew. I do wonder if she'll turn out to have survived, I do feel some sympathy for her after the chapter was her getting kicked in the face repeatedly as everything goes wrong and her one friend dies -Manfred, this is the kinda guy who goes on trial at the Hague, but he's actually trying to like, run a country, so he ends up being one of the more reasonable KMC people. Yikes! -Damazti was very fun, their curiosity in meeting the Eartha crew is neat. Look forward to seeing more of the tricky slime. Closure is a great addition to this chapter, because you have the KMC and all the problems Sarkaz are causing and then RI sends in their Sarkaz and she looks like this:

How could anyone hate that face. Rita is another favorite from this chapter because she is just Not Having A Good Time, and it seems to only be getting worse. Is she coping healthily? Not really!

I think the Glasgow gang wasn't much of a draw. They're dancing around it, but it doesn't really seem like Vina wants to go kickstart the Victorian monarchy again, nor does the game seem to think that would fix things. So they end up kind of spinning their wheels, as the lion gets poked and prodded towards a thing she doesn't want to do.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

I'm on tour with my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me in TUCSON (Mar 9-10), then SAN FRANCISCO (Mar 13), Anaheim, and more!

#20yrsago EFF is suing the FCC over the Broadcast Flag! https://web.archive.org/web/20040314151119/https://www.eff.org/IP/Video/HDTV/20040309_eff_pr.php

#20yrsago ICANN’s tongue slithers further up Verisign’s foetid backside https://memex.craphound.com/2004/03/09/icanns-tongue-slithers-further-up-verisigns-foetid-backside/

#20yrsago Nader kicks Mastercard’s ass in fair-use fight https://web.archive.org/web/20040401171817/http://lawgeek.typepad.com/lawgeek/2004/03/nader_wins_pric.html

#15yrsago AIG has insured $1.6 trillion in derivatives https://web.archive.org/web/20090312010613/https://www.scribd.com/doc/13112282/Aig-Systemic-090309

#10yrsago Putin your butt https://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/1zrchl/check_out_my_3d_printed_putin_butt_plug/?sort=new

#10yrsago Public Prosecutor of Rome unilaterally orders ISPs to censor 46 sites https://torrentfreak.com/italian-police-carry-out-largest-ever-pirate-domain-crackdown-140305/

#5yrsago Palmer Luckey wins secretive Pentagon contract to develop AI for drones https://theintercept.com/2019/03/09/anduril-industries-project-maven-palmer-luckey/

#5yrsago Pentagon reassures public that its autonomous robotic tank adheres to “legal and ethical standards” for AI-driven killbots https://gizmodo.com/u-s-army-assures-public-that-robot-tank-system-adheres-1833061674

#5yrsago Elizabeth Warren reveals her plan to break up Big Tech https://medium.com/@teamwarren/heres-how-we-can-break-up-big-tech-9ad9e0da324c

#5yrssago The US requires visas for some EU citizens, so now all US citizens visiting the EU will be subjected to border formalities too https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/us-citizens-need-visa-europe-travel-2021/

#1yrago The AI hype bubble is the new crypto hype bubble https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/09/autocomplete-worshippers/#the-real-ai-was-the-corporations-that-we-fought-along-the-way

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