#pristin 99 line

[katrinafaire]

Who would win: one missing curly boi } or 99 more pristine lines of code?

(Yeah it was the curly boi.)

[mamayan]

Yaannnn!! Congrats on your milestone! ʕ⇀ᴥ↼ʔ♡ This event is so cool!! It’s creative, I really like it kekeke

My prompts are 9, 67, 92, 99 for Nanami Kento please?? ( x fem!reader)

Thank yoouu ( ˘ ³˘)♥

Finally! Haha! Bang! You’ve been shot!

Nanami Kento

tw: NSFW • Obsessive/Possessive Themes • Implied Kidnapping/Imprisonment • Implied Forced Relationship • Dark Themes • Fem! Reader • Dubcon • Fingering (F) • Sex (M)(F) • Yandere • Punishment

wc: 1960

He sometimes wished it could be different.

The air is frozen as he walks farther into the room, the scent of chlorine overpowering and burning his nose as he clicks his tongue and moves towards the back wall. Hundreds of stainless steel metal doors rest closed, numbered placards to the right of each one. Most are blank, but a few towards the right hand side have a few code words scribbled in messy writing on them. Nanami strides towards one such door, your name standing out due to the pristine hand writing on the card.

He takes his time removing his jacket and tie, rolling up his sleeves before his glasses and wrist watch follow onto the table off to the side. The latch to the door clicks, audibly signaling it’s opening as cool air rushes out. He grips the handle that greets him as he opens it, pulling out the table hooked to a rolling system which allows it to be removed from the wall.

He really did wish it could be different. His stoic face almost bored as he gazes down at you, your body curled and shaking on its side while you whimper brokenly like a scratched record.

You flinch when a drastically different temperature touches you, his body heat almost burning against your chilled flesh as you cry out.

“Shh…” he hushes, voice low and soft as he gently helps you sit up, pulling your trembling figure into his arms as he slides one around your torso and the other under your thighs to lift you up into the air against him. “Good girl, I’ve got you now.” He recognizes the irony of his words, no doubt irritated he uttered them to begin with but… he can’t deny how good it feels to have you clinging to him like a life line at the moment.

He knows it won’t last. He’s not optimistic this alone is enough to crush your spirit in the slightest, though it truly is a grim punishment in its own uniquely sick way.

“Na-Nanami,” you croak his name in a voice clearly hoarse from screaming.

He hadn’t left you long enough for any permanent damage to set in, but you were certainly becoming feverish as he warms you with his body heat now.

He chose a plain metal folding chair to sit, positioning you to straddle his lap while he helped you lean against his chest. His large calloused hands card through your stiff locks, the cold having hardened the strands.

“—m’sorry…” he hates how it affects him, the little sniffle and your painful tone while you apologize. He wishes it were different, and it could be when you stopped being so stubborn. He’s silent as he rubs your back. The exposed skin darkened in some areas, chilled more than the rest, cold burns could hurt just as badly as those caused by heat. He was even more gentle as his fingers traced over those spots, already noting the supplies he’d need to to use to help you heal properly.

Your tears seemed to melt with the frost on your body as you sobbed, numb arms moving to curl around his thick neck where he radiated heat. Your face pressed into the crook of his neck, and he leaned down further to hold you close to him while you cried. He didn’t say a word, only lightly patted your head and listened.

“—sorry ‘Nami, please, don’t please, m’sorry, hck,” it broke his heart to hear you cry like so, made him feel sicker than he knew he already was as he placed sweet kisses to your temple while you soaked up the warmth his body offered. The only warmth he was offering to you.

When you began to feel your extremities again, able to shift and wiggle without feeling like a mummy encased in wrappings, you clawed at him. Arms too weak to actually drag him down, but he obliged when you tugged and allowed you to connect your cool lips with his own. His eyes narrow, hating how the tears on your face and the desperation in your gaze made his slacks tighter. You should be smiling and teasing him, whispering naughty words in his ear after he grumbles about his shit day at work.

That’s all he ever wanted truly.

Instead your actions are fueled by something primal and gut wrenching, a display of submission and asking of mercy he doesn’t stop. He lets you slip your tongue in his mouth, groaning and helping your eager little hand pawing at his belt buckle, lifting you into his arms so he could shift and drop his pants while still keeping your mouths connected. He keeps you pressed close, aware the chill still affects you and happy to grab his jacket and bring it over your shoulders while you tremble and pop the buttons of his dress shirt open. He sighs into the kiss, turning your eager desperation into a slow burn to warm you up and silently show the affection he wants to shower you in. He sucks on your small tongue, taking control as he settles your exposed cunt against his throbbing cock, the heat from it nestled against your folds while your hips twitch. He doesn’t move yet, just kisses you languidly while you sigh, taunt muscles slowly but surely relaxing as drowsiness sets in as the adrenaline and fear fade. He lets his hands move, careful for the areas tender from the chill, moving over your skin and heating you a little more as he squeezes and rubs you. It’s difficult not to like it, the way he smells and the warm muscular body you rest against weakly. Your mind is too fuzzy and clouded to fight or even want to as he slips both hands onto the globes of your ass, massaging gently and moving down to your thighs and copying. Eventually his fingers creep closer, mouth moving sensually against your own and invading your mind with lust and the promise of warmth and pleasure. He’s spreading your pussy open without resistance, feeling the front pressed against him while he runs two fingers down the back where your hole leaks pitifully.

“Such a good girl…” he murmurs against your lips, chuckling when you chase his own as he pulls back, “Getting wet just for me.” He resumes the kiss as you tangle your fingers into his hair and tug, his groan deep and reverberating into your mouth. He pressed one finger inside of you, swallowing your gasp of pleasure as he wiggles the digit deep and then joins it with another as he fills you.

Your back arches, bare chest pressing further into his own as he slicks his fingers with your growing arousal and fucks you with them, calculating each thrust with just the right depth and strength to have you mewling for him.

Nanami breaks the kiss to trail his lips lower, down your jaw to your neck where he sucks the sensitive skin into his mouth. Your breathy moans are music to his ears as the capillaries easily burst under his tender nibbles, marking you up as he curls his fingers and makes you sing.

“‘Nami, m’gonna cum—,” he knew even if you didn’t say it, but it makes him proud you remembered he likes it when you tell him.

“Cum for me sweet girl,” he whispers, groaning when you clench tight around his fingers and gush, making a mess in his lap as you sigh and wiggle your hips, fingers digging into his chest while he works you down from your high softly.

He pulls his fingers out slowly, your pussy eager to hold onto him still as brings the sticky coating on his fingers up to his mouth to clean noisily while you watch.

You always looked so adorable after an orgasm, watery eyes half lidded and face slacken.

“You did so good, baby, I’m very proud of you.” You shiver at his words, pupils dilating and it makes something dark inside him swell with pleasure. He’s cleaning his fingers and then kissing you, forcing the taste of your cum into your mouth now as he circles your hips with one arm. Nanami easily lifts you up, using his free hand to position the fat mushroom tip of his cock at your entrance and then allowing gravity to do the work.

You don’t have enough strength to lift up and off him, too weak to stop each thick inch from breaching your walls as you choke and gasp into his mouth.

He relishes the way you grip him, the intimacy and closeness of having you pressed so tightly against him. Nanami grunts as he bottoms out, as deep inside your pretty cunt as possible, while you whine and cutely nip at his bottom lip.

“That’s it sweet girl,” his hips jerk up, bouncing you as he nudges up against your cervix, “you took every inch.”

It’s slow, Nanami leaves you to breathe and merely hold onto him while he lifts your ass and fucks you. His mouth filthy as he kisses you and groans your name, heating your body inside out as he pushes his cock in and out you, dragging the girthy rod against your sensitive walls.

“We could’ve avoided all this you know,” he mumbles darkly, teeth skimming your ear as you gasp and moan, “I could’ve been running you a bath already after I made you cum until you saw stars, but you wanted to be a brat today.” He hisses it into your ear, uncaring as tears well and spill down your cheeks again, your little moans and sniffles not affecting your tight pussy wrapped around him.

His grip is firm as he snakes his free hand around your neck, grip loose so you could breathe unhindered as he tilts your head up to look him in the eye.

The submission in your gaze is addictive, but he knows it won’t last for very long.

“If you pull another stunt like that,” he jerks you down onto his cock roughly, amused how you scramble and try to sit up from the intense pressure he placed inside you, “I’ll lock you in here for a week.” The threat snaps something inside you, clear as day to him your dislike for this space as you shake your head and murmur pleas while he bounces you on him. His pace not slowing as you cup his cheeks and promise to be good, “‘Nami I won’t again, be so good for you, I promise.” Your watery eyes and hips which struggle to gather the strength to meet his own are so precious it has his balls drawing tight, lips pressing together as he grips you tight and fucks you harder. He drinks in the moans you release and promises to him, feeling how your walls clench and pull him in deeper.

“M’coming ‘Nami, fuck, please,” you’re so desperate and needy like this he wishes you’d just stay this way forever, clawing at his shoulders and crying his name.

“Take it all baby,” he grunts, cock twitching and filling your cunt seconds later as you come apart around him.

He holds you close as you both come down, keeping your trembling body lifted against him to avoid your thigh muscles from straining too much.

You’re asleep a minute later, eyes closed and mouth lax as you pass out.

Nanami gently stands and begins cleaning up, keeping you in his arms the entire time as he fixes you both up enough to leave and return home.

He doesn’t believe this will be your last escape attempt nor trip to the morgue, he’s not optimistic like that unfortunately. He wishes this could be different though.

Post dividers/@cafekitsune

@desi-the-blue-eyed-kakushi

[tyranasauruslex]

Some of my burn survivor Thranduil H/Cs

The entire right side of his face and scalp are numb due to extensive nerve damage.  His hair that got burnt off grew back but any sort of tugging or even putting it up in a ponytail gives him a headache, so Thranduil wears it down 99% of the time. He also trims his own hair because having a sharp object near his face when he only has 50% vision makes him anxious. The doctors rebuilt his face using bits of his ribs and muscle from his leg and whilst his face is a picture of pristine porcelain, the same could not be said for the rest of his body. The burn scars run from his neck, chest and all the way down to his calf on the right hand side. The skin graft scars on his left leg have faded over time but there’s still a big dent from the missing muscle. Aside from his medical team, nobody has seen Thranduil without his clothes off for years so he tells himself he isn’t overly bothered by the scars on his body. 

The fire burnt away the internal lining of his nose causing it to bleed at random intervals. It also robbed him of his sense of taste and smell; everything tastes like cardboard to him now. Inhaling smoke from the fire damaged his esophagus which led to trouble swallowing and being unable to eat a lot of food in one sitting. His gag reflex is terrible and he’s often sick after meals which had led to people believing that as well as being an alcoholic, he also has an eating disorder. The fear of being sick in public has led him to avoid eating out which only added fuel to the “Thranduil is fucked up” rumours. 

His doctor has been trying to convince him to have his damaged eye removed for years. For starters he can’t see out of it, it constantly gets infected and causes him endless amounts of pain. Thranduil keeps avoiding the issue because he’s not quite ready to give in just yet. Being deaf in one ear doesn’t really bother him because its not something you can see but Thranduil has had a lifetimes worth of people staring at his face and adding a prosthetic eye feels like more than he can cope with. By far the worst is the migraines which can often leave him bedridden for days; huddled under his duvet as he tries to sleep away the pain.

He plans all his medical procedures and operations for when Legolas is either on a school trip or at a sleepover. Nor does he ever tell anyone that he’s going into hospital, even if it means having to look after himself and a small child until he feels better. He’s made it this far on his own and letting someone step in now and help seems pointless. Yes, it would be nice to be looked after and not have to go through everything on his own but that doesn’t seem to be Thranduils lot in life. 

It takes Bard months to convince Thranduil to let him look after him when he’s unwell but he remains resistant until he has no choice to except help when a particularly bad migraine lands him in hospital. Its nice being tucked into bed and fed soup knowing that Legolas is being taken care and he won’t have to drag himself out to do the school run. 

[just-here-with-my-thoughts]

Soup of the Day

A Bad Batch (Crosshair) fanfic for @ninjadeathblade​ in which Crosshair finally manages to finish his soup in peace (inspired by this YouTube video)

~1500 words

Rating: General

If you prefer, click here to read on AO3

It was lunch-time, and Crosshair headed on autopilot for the canteen. The usual cacophony greeted him, clone troopers and clone cadets all talking, laughing, calling out to their friends as they lined up at their allotted time slot to collect their midday meal. Chaotic, disorderly. Thin lips twisting into a grimace, Crosshair thought – not for the first time – that he was glad he was not like them. Wished – not for the first time – that he didn’t have to take his meals alongside them.

Sighing around his toothpick, he joined the queue. He was hungry, not that his mood was much altered by this. He always hated spending time around the regs, and lunch hour was an ordeal to be endured for the sake of fetching food.

At least he could look forward to his meal. Soup today.

If he had a chance to finish it.

At the serving counter he punched in his number, 9904, so that the system would dispense his rations. He reached for a tray from the stack, smacking away the darting hand of a reg who dared to try and snatch the top one before him. For a moment he thought the trooper was going to square up to him – it wouldn’t be the first time the regs had started trouble with the Batch. He narrowed his ice-cold eyes into a withering glare, top lip curling in an unconcealed snarl. The other clone turned away with a shrug, letting Crosshair take the top tray. Cross wanted to believe that it was because he was intimidating, but he couldn’t help but wonder if that was pity in the sniggers of the other clones.

At least before he had had his brothers.

Now he was alone, the sole Batch-99 clone in this facility full of perfectly similar faces.

He banged the tray onto the counter harder than he intended, snarling away the thoughts. He liked his solitude. Things were simpler this way.

The vending counter had ejected his meal, and he loaded it slowly onto the tray. One glass of water. One side plate with a buttered, crusty roll. One bowl, warm to the touch, chunks of vegetable swimming in hearty nutrient broth. A small meal, but nutritionally dense, carefully formulated to provide the clone troops with all the energy they needed for their busy training schedules.

He took his time moving across the canteen to find a table, sharp eyes darting across the sea of brown-haired heads to try and find an empty bench. Better that than to be forced to take a seat beside others and feel the scorn of their rejection as they moved away. He weaved his lean body between jostling troopers, tray perfectly level, gaze never leaving its target.

Crosshair reached the empty table at the same time as a trio of clone cadets. Their orange and white uniforms were pristine, each jaw unshaved, skin un-inked, hair a regulation crew cut so that even Cross’s enhanced eyesight would have trouble picking one from the other at this stage in their training.

They would develop their own styles and personalities as they went through training. For now they were young and earnest and seemed about to sit at the same table as Crosshair.

He could see it already. An older clone trooper, ready to tell the cadets to give him a wide berth. Heard the whispers at the edge of hearing – or imagination? – the sly, snide words, calling him defective, warning not to mix with him lest his sour demeanour or harsh manner rub off on the impressionable cadets.

Before they could reject him Cross slammed his tray onto the table, hard enough to slosh soup over the lip of the bowl. The noise didn’t ring far in the general hubbub of the canteen, but it was enough to get the attention of the cadets who stopped talking and stood straight and alert, wary of this scarred, sneering sniper.

“This table is taken,” said Crosshair in a cold tone, folding his long legs onto the bench and straightening up his tray, aligning the spoon and re-centering the roll where the force of slamming the tray had knocked them askew. He started intently at the tray, shoulders rising as tension thrummed through his frame, pointedly refusing to look at the cadets. With some confusion they left, and Cross let his shoulders relax just a little. His jaw loosened where his teeth were clamped around his ubiquitous toothpick, and he discarded it.

The last time he had eaten lunch with three cadets, they were his three brothers.

Crosshair dropped his head to one hand, fingertips finding as always the pitted scars on his right temple and he grit his teeth as he tried to banish the ghosts of his lost brothers. Not lost. They abandoned me.

Thumping his hand onto the table in a fist, he straightened and with a determined movement grabbed the bread roll from his tray, tearing through the thick crust and using a soft edge of bread to mop up the spilled soup. The roll was still warm and as he took a bite his stomach growled, reminding him how hungry he was.

Please, let him finish this meal in peace.

He took up his utensils and spooned soup into his mouth rapidly, hissing as the first mouthful scalded his tongue. It was hard to taste it around the burning feeling, and he bitterly washed it down with cold water. With the second spoonful he was more cautious, blowing gently on the spoon to cool the soup but all the while his anxiety rising. This was taking too long. There was bound to be some interruption, some call for his attention and he would have to abandon his meal half-finished. The spoon was halfway to his lips when the tannoy went and he flinched, waiting for his number to be called.

“CT-2306, report to med wing. CT-2306, report.”

Not him. The tension in his shoulders eased a little. He waited for a moment before putting the spoon to his lips and taking a mouthful. This time the soup was cool enough to savour and he let it run over his tongue, avoiding the scalded area from the first spoonful. The veg chunks were soft and he chewed thoughtfully, enjoying the taste and the texture of a simple hot meal, something that the clones couldn’t always count on when they were on missions.

Unbidden the thought came to him – I wonder what the others are eating.

NO. He shook his head sharply, not wanting to think of it. Tech, neat and fastidious as he was in all things, choosing his foodstuffs methodically in even-sized forkfuls. The way Wrecker would hoover up any food left on their trays if they weren’t fast enough at eating – even though he was served a larger portion in the first place, to keep up with his metabolism. Hunter, making sure Wrecker didn’t snatch food away from Echo who as the newest of them was still settling into the routine of life in the ‘Bad Batch’.

They were gone now. No point dwelling on it. He’d given them a chance to join him – join the Empire. It would have been like old times, their squad being sent out on missions… No! He stopped the thoughts once more. His hand was trembling slightly and he dipped the spoon back into the soup bowl to still it.

He had been eating soup that day too. The day the kid came and sat at their table.

Everything had changed after that.

His left arm curled guardedly around his tray, remembering how the lunchtime brawl that day had robbed him of his meal, and his eyes darted suspiciously around the canteen. The other troopers were all engaged in convivial banter; none turned their attention to him.

Another spoonful of soup, and then he dipped the bread roll again and tore a chunk off with his teeth. He had made the right choice. They were the ones who were misguided.

They should all have been here, at the lunch table.

Clone Force 99, taking their rightful place in the new Empire.

His brothers, by his side.

“CT-4695, report to armoury. CT-4695, report.”

Another flinch, but still not his number. Crosshair realised that his bowl was getting empty – he tilted it now to scrape up the last spoonful, then wiped the bread around the edges to get every last scrap of flavour. Trying not to appear urgent he stuffed the bread into his mouth, the over-large bite filling out his usually hollow cheeks as he chewed rapidly. He felt sure that any moment he could be recalled to duty, and he had so nearly finished his meal.

And then he was done. The bowl of soup empty, side plate bearing nothing but crumbs, water drunk. Tension thrummed through his narrow frame, long fingers gripping the edge of the table so tightly that his knuckles whitened. He was waiting for the tannoy, sure it would call him to duty at any moment, and when no such summons came he couldn’t relax.

What was there for him to do with the rest of his lunch hour, except wait for the next order from the Empire?

Slowly Crosshair stood, picking up his tray and skirting the room to deposit it in the cleaning chute. He paused at the doors leading back to the rest of the Imperial complex, glancing up at the tannoy, waiting for it to call his number. When it remained silent he turned to stalk down the huge, empty corridors.

 What would he do by himself in the quiet hours of downtime, without the camaraderie of his brothers?

 ******

For context (do you need context?) the soup video is looping on repeat in my soul and I said to @ninjadeathblade​ that we needed a fix-it fic so that Crosshair could finish his soup. They challenged me to write it. I said I’m sure I could knock out 500 words about Crosshair eating soup.

I was wrong. Apparently I am unable to write 500 words about Crosshair eating soup. I have to write 1600 words of combined soup and angst.

(I have only watched TBB season 1 so don’t know if/how Crosshair will eventually reunite with the rest of the Batch! So this is just from season 1 and the soup video)

[newaestheticsblog]

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[adalidda]

Photo: Organic Honey Stick (Credits: Sahel Agri-Sol / public domain)

Unveil the Liquid Gold of Burkina Faso: Sahel Agri-Sol's Organic Honey

July 19, 2024

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Sahel Agri-Sol

Hamdallaye ACI 2 000,

« BAMA » building 5th floor APT 7

Bamako

Mali

Phone: +223 20 22 75 77

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[seomastersstuff1]

Exploring Malaysia: A Traveler's Paradise

Malaysia, a vibrant tapestry of cultures, landscapes, and experiences, offers an unparalleled journey for travelers. From the bustling streets of Kuala Lumpur to the serene beaches of Langkawi, the country is a treasure trove waiting to be discovered. Whether you're wandering through the historic Jonker Street in Malaysia or seeking thrill with adventure activities in Malaysia, this Southeast Asian gem has something for everyone. In this article, we'll take you through six must-visit locations that showcase the diverse beauty of Malaysia.

1. Kuala Lumpur

No trip to Malaysia is complete without a visit to its capital, Kuala Lumpur. This dynamic city is a melting pot of cultures, reflected in its architecture, cuisine, and vibrant street life. The iconic Petronas Twin Towers dominate the skyline, offering breathtaking views from their observation deck. For a taste of the local culture, visit the bustling Central Market and explore the many food stalls offering delicious Malaysian delicacies. Don't miss the Batu Caves, a series of limestone caves and temples just outside the city, home to a massive statue of Lord Murugan.

2. Penang

Penang, often referred to as the "Pearl of the Orient," is famous for its rich cultural heritage and mouthwatering street food. The capital, George Town, is a UNESCO World Heritage site known for its well-preserved colonial architecture and vibrant street art. Stroll through the charming streets and discover quaint shops, art galleries, and cafes. Penang Hill offers a cool escape from the city with panoramic views and lush greenery. Don't forget to indulge in the local cuisine, particularly the famous Penang laksa and char kway teow.

3. Langkawi

Langkawi, an archipelago of 99 islands, is a paradise for beach lovers and adventure seekers alike. Pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters, and lush rainforests make it an ideal destination for relaxation and exploration. Take a cable car ride up to Gunung Mat Cincang for spectacular views of the islands and beyond. For those seeking adventure, Langkawi offers a range of activities such as jungle trekking, zip-lining, and water sports. The Langkawi Sky Bridge, a curved pedestrian bridge high above the rainforest, is a must-visit attraction for its stunning vistas.

4. Malacca

Malacca, or Melaka, is a city steeped in history and culture, offering a glimpse into Malaysia's colonial past. Jonker Street in Malaysia is the heart of Chinatown, known for its antique shops, night markets, and delicious street food. The street comes alive on weekends with vibrant night markets offering everything from local delicacies to souvenirs. Visit the A Famosa fortress, St. Paul's Hill, and the beautiful Christ Church to delve into the city's rich heritage. A river cruise along the Malacca River provides a unique perspective of the city and its historical landmarks.

5. Cameron Highlands

For a refreshing change of pace, head to the Cameron Highlands, a picturesque hill station known for its tea plantations, strawberry farms, and cool climate. The rolling green hills and lush landscapes are perfect for nature walks and hiking. Visit the Boh Tea Plantation to learn about the tea-making process and enjoy a cup of freshly brewed tea while taking in the stunning views. The Mossy Forest, with its unique flora and fauna, offers an ethereal experience for nature enthusiasts. The region's colonial-style buildings add to its charm, making it a delightful retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life.

6. Sabah

Sabah, located on the island of Borneo, is a haven for nature lovers and adventure enthusiasts. Home to Mount Kinabalu, the highest peak in Southeast Asia, Sabah offers challenging hikes and breathtaking vistas. The Kinabalu Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, boasts diverse flora and fauna, including the rare Rafflesia flower. For a unique wildlife experience, visit the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre and witness these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. The pristine beaches of Sipadan Island, renowned for their marine biodiversity, offer some of the best diving and snorkeling spots in the world.

Conclusion

Malaysia's diverse attractions, from bustling cities and historical sites to pristine beaches and lush highlands, make it a true traveler's paradise. Whether you're exploring the vibrant Jonker Street in Malaysia or indulging in adventure activities in Malaysia, each destination offers a unique and unforgettable experience. Plan your trip today and discover the wonders of this enchanting country.

[kapsamagic]

Best Low Suds Laundry Detergent Pods And Capsule In Singapore

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[smara2001]

Exploring the Best Places to Visit in Langkawi

Langkawi, an archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea, is a tropical paradise brimming with natural beauty, cultural heritage, and exciting attractions. Whether you're looking for pristine beaches, lush rainforests, or rich historical sites, Langkawi has something for every traveler. Discover more about the Places To Visit in Langkawi and explore a broader range of attractions in the region by checking out Places to Visit in Malaysia.

Pantai Cenang

Pantai Cenang is the most popular beach in Langkawi, famous for its stunning white sands and clear waters. This lively beach is lined with numerous restaurants, bars, and shops, making it the perfect spot for both relaxation and entertainment. Visitors can indulge in various water sports, such as jet skiing and parasailing, or simply unwind and enjoy the breathtaking sunset views.

Langkawi Sky Bridge

For a truly unique experience, the Langkawi Sky Bridge is a must-visit. This curved pedestrian bridge, suspended 700 meters above sea level, offers panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and the Andaman Sea. Accessible via the Langkawi Cable Car, the journey to the Sky Bridge is an adventure in itself, providing spectacular vistas of the island's lush landscape.

Kilim Karst Geoforest Park

Nature lovers will be captivated by the Kilim Karst Geoforest Park, a UNESCO-recognized site known for its stunning limestone formations, mangrove forests, and diverse wildlife. Visitors can explore the park through guided boat tours, which often include stops at bat caves, fish farms, and eagle-feeding spots. The park's rich biodiversity and unique geological features make it a fascinating destination for eco-tourism.

Tanjung Rhu Beach

Tanjung Rhu Beach is one of Langkawi's hidden gems, offering a more tranquil and secluded experience compared to the bustling Pantai Cenang. The beach is surrounded by limestone caves and dense mangroves, providing a serene backdrop for sunbathing and swimming. The crystal-clear waters and soft sands make Tanjung Rhu an idyllic spot for those seeking peace and natural beauty.

Langkawi Wildlife Park & Bird Paradise

The Langkawi Wildlife Park & Bird Paradise is a fantastic destination for families and animal enthusiasts. Home to over 150 species of animals and birds, the park offers interactive experiences such as feeding sessions and close-up encounters with exotic creatures. The well-maintained enclosures and informative exhibits provide an educational and entertaining day out for visitors of all ages.

Underwater World Langkawi

Underwater World Langkawi is one of Southeast Asia's largest marine and freshwater aquariums. Located at Pantai Cenang, this attraction features a variety of marine life, including sharks, rays, and turtles. The highlight is the 15-meter-long walk-through tunnel, which offers a mesmerizing view of the underwater world. Educational displays and interactive exhibits make it a fun and informative experience for all.

Dataran Lang (Eagle Square)

Dataran Lang, also known as Eagle Square, is an iconic landmark in Langkawi. Featuring a magnificent 12-meter-tall statue of a reddish-brown eagle in flight, the square is a symbol of the island. Located near the Kuah Jetty, it offers stunning views of the waterfront and is a popular spot for photography. The surrounding area has shops, restaurants, and beautiful fountains, making it a great place to relax and take in the scenery.

Langkawi Art in Paradise 3D Museum

The Langkawi Art in Paradise 3D Museum is an interactive art gallery that brings paintings to life with three-dimensional effects. Visitors can immerse themselves in the artwork by posing creatively with the exhibits, creating fun and memorable photos. This museum is a hit with families and anyone looking for a unique and entertaining experience.

Langkawi is a destination that promises an unforgettable experience with its diverse attractions and natural beauty. From stunning beaches and adventurous activities to serene spots and family-friendly destinations, Langkawi has something for everyone. Plan your trip and immerse yourself in the enchanting allure of this Malaysian gem.

[amanatertech]

Unveiling the Power of Pure: Aman Water Tech's Industrial RO Plants Demystified

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[evermourning]

𝐩𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 - lee felix

pairing: lee felix x gn!reader, lovertober entry vii

genre: non!idol au, fluff, royalty!au

wc: 5.9k

warnings: prince!felix, baker!reader, language,

a/n: idk if you can tell, but this one has a bit different of a writing style? this fic is a mini-experiment. tell me how you like it! also, sorry if the ending is rushed, i'm so busy right now and have like no time to write </3

growing up in a fucking castle, felix spent 99% of his life sheltered. he had a strict schedule, one that stuffed all royal training he needed into a day's work? it didn't matter if his muscles were sore from sword fighting and whatnot, it was the same routine, again and again and again.

felix always wished for more.

he knew he was extremely lucky, yes. not everybody is born into a prestigious noble line, and not everybody has a loving family to help them become the person they were destined to be. felix loved his parents and his brothers, but he always longed to see the world.

some days, his mind would drift off to another universe where he could travel the world as he wished. if it were under his control, felix would sail the seven seas. he'd walk along the pristine beaches, the sun kissing his tan skin and the waves lapping against his bare feet calmly. he'd stare with awe at the vibrant, rolling hills and meadows, the snowcapped mountains sprawling across the earth.

it would be such a beautiful sight, felix thought. to see the unrivaled beauty of mother nature at its very finest? he'd only ever seen those sights in his books, hastily scribbled in black ink to create a drab, monochrome image. disappointing.

he never brought these desires up to his parents, of course. he knew he'd be shot down immediately, and he didn't want to seem petulant one bit. but his eldest brother chris, the crown prince, would tell him stories of when he studied abroad.

"it was beautiful, lix! the mountains are so peaceful at night. you can see every star in the sky shining back down at you! the moon is much prettier there than it is from the window of our home. it isn't blocked by anything at all. it's sacred and pristine." chris had said, his warm brown eyes bright and starry.

every single time from that day onwards, whenever felix stared at the moon from his bedroom window, he felt some sense of irritation. what was so special about the moon that it had chris gallivanting off to gaze at it every time it was full? it was just some big fat sphere that glowed. nothing special.

felix decided to find out what the big deal was, as well as explore the kingdom his brother would rule, so he began sneaking out. the first time he successfully did it, he was eleven years old.

his parents had been on some diplomatic trip and his brothers were tasked on watching him. of course, they had other things to do and didn't give two shits that they had to watch their little brother, giving felix the perfect escape route. don't worry, he left a note. it was small and neat. it read:

"the lands outside of this walled city sound very pretty. i'm going to go see them. be back by midnight. - lix♡"

he certainly was eloquent for an eleven year-old. it was probably his noble genes. once he snuck out, he effortlessly navigated the twists and turns of the cobblestone roads. felix slipped out of a small hole in the wall, and was absolutely taken aback by the view in front of him.

there was beautiful green grass, bright and fresh, littered with various types of flowers. all of them were blooming beautifully, the sun's rays reflecting off of them. the hills sloped down to meet at a wide lake with pristine blue waters. as he carefully made his way down, he noticed something peculiar.

someone his age was sitting at the shore of the lake, dipping their small toes into the cool water. he couldn't make out their features from a distance at all. once he got closer, however, he could very clearly make out the appearance of the mystery child.

they were around his age, he determined. and...they were beautiful.

felix knew beauty, yes. his mother was revered as the most beautiful maiden in the kingdom, and she was very humble about it, regardless of her lovely physique and warm eyes.

"remember this, honey." she'd whispered one night, tucking him under the covers in his enormous bed. this was one job she never let the maids do. until the end of time, she'd care for her sons. "true beauty does not just apply to whether or not society thinks someone fits their messed-up standards. true beauty is confidence and self-love, expressing yourself whether it's natural or enhanced by makeup. find someone who radiates the aura of venus herself, and then you can call them truly beautiful."

"but mother," felix began. "venus is merely a cheap copy of aphrodite, and you're our generation's aphrodite! that right there is substantial proof that nobody can outdo you."

felix's mother laughed, an angelic sound leaving her lips.

"no, my boy. you're actually quite wrong there. venus is ethereally special in her own way, she is no cheap copy! when you see an armless statue, you don't think of aphrodite, no, you think of the venus de milo. and the birth of venus? the iconic picture of her standing in all her glory upon that shell? they may be similar goddesses of love and beauty, but they are very different. if you do think of me as aphrodite, which is a lovely compliment, might i add, i guess you'll search for someone like me. however, when you find your venus, keep them for life."

those words appeared in the back of his temporal lobe the first time he saw the little one by the lake.

"hi," he breathed as he sat down beside them. they looked up at him, eyes wide.

"i....know you from somewhere. where do i know you?" they murmured, blinking a few times. "are you a celebrity?"

felix laughed. they were so sweet and funny. their voice was gentle, soft-spoken.

"no...i don't know how you must've seen me....i don't go out much." he decided it'd be best to lie. "and i'm from another country..."

the child laughed heartily, the first remotely loud sound to escape their lips.

"for a foreigner, you're so sweet and kind. we should be friends...what's your name?"

felix kept up his ruse.

"let's use code names! i'll be apollo, cause he's the god of the sun and he's super cool, and you can be venus, cause you're super pretty." he suggested, and their eyes lit up.

"oooh, okay!"

hours and hours passed as felix and his new friend played in the water and upon the fertile land. eventually, the sun began to dip solemnly below the mountain peaks. felix's friend pouted as they realized the time.

"awww...i have to go. my mom and dad are gonna be worried if i'm home too late. will i ever see you again?" they fiddled with the scrap of newspaper hastily tied around their finger, a paper ring to symbolize their friendship with felix, who had an identical one on his ring finger.

"i don't know, i live pretty far away." felix sighed. he knew if the aides told his parents of this adventure of his, he'd be locked away forever. however, the gears in his head started turning, and his eyes soon lit up. "i have an idea! we can be pen pals! we can send each other letters as we grow up together, even though we're apart."

"that sounds so good! you're so smart, apollo." they cooed, leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek. "there. it's sealed. that's how my family seals unbreakable promises, anyways."

the way felix looked in the fading rays of light would be burned into their memory as he smiled and dreamy words escaped his lips.

"i swear on my life i'm going to marry you someday. i promise i will."

twelve years passed.

felix stared at himself in the mirror. he'd grown into a fine young man in his eyes. his hair was bleached to a sandy blonde now, wispy and soft in a mullet of some sorts. his eyes were still a deep, soulful brown, though. they still held all kinds of secrets and promises in them. his freckles were just as visible as ever.

every single week for the past decade, felix wrote venus a letter. sometimes, he slipped little presents into the envelopes. it wasn't stupid at all to him, that he was quite enamored over a person he'd met once, because as time went on and he got older, his feelings and emotions developed and matured.

when they were sixteen, venus confessed that they'd developed real feelings and since he had too, he'd accepted their love graciously. now, he eagerly awaited the day he had absolutely no grueling work from his mother or brothers so that he could write.

felix ran up the stairs once lunch with his family ended, his mother, the dowager queen, exasperatedly calling out after him.

"young man, you're twenty-three now! show some etiquette, damn it!" she sighed, eliciting a laugh from chris. ever since the unfortunate passing of their father when the brothers were younger, chris had officially been crowned king. he was benevolent and wise beyond his years, gracing the throne with his brilliant ideas.

the second eldest, minho, was an ingenious and astute strategist with a knack for swordfighting. not only that, he was fawned over by so many of the country's citizens for his dark, mysterious air. (quite frankly, it was all a complex ruse. show minho a cat and he turns into the epitome of a sweetheart.)

because felix was the youngest, he often felt unvalued as opposed to his talented brothers. however, he soon learned that what he lacked in strategy and decision-making council skills, he made up for in generosity, kindness, and beauty. he had inherited his mother's looks and his father's personality, making him the kingdom's golden boy. he was essentially the face of the royal family. when chris' advisors realized this, they deduced that they could take advantage of it.

"prince felix is beloved everywhere he goes! why not give him free rein to travel where he wants?"

felix was rather ecstatic at the news. would he finally see venus again?! however, he came to one puzzling conclusion. he didn't exactly know venus' address or anything. there was a special messenger that delivered messages between them. felix had been paying him handsomely for his services and silence for years. so his mission was to search as if venus was cinderella herself and he held the glass slipper. the letters would be the key to solving this mystery.

he sat down at his desk, pulling out a neat piece of stationary paper and getting to work. he adorned it with cutesy stickers that he knew they loved, and began writing about his week.

"dear venus,

i had a rather uneventful week. i was kept busy, restricting me from sending messages to you. it wounded me. (figuratively, of course) god, the things i would do to feel your lips on mine just once. to kiss you until you can't think of anything else except my name. not apollo, my real birth name. i'd much rather have you adoringly murmur that with your alluring lips. i know, i know. there are barriers between us that i would much rather spend my life trying to take down. but i've been praying to the deities above a lot more recently. i'm praying we meet by chance once more, so i can marry you for real this time. my apologies that my letter is extremely short this week. i'll try to make it longer next time.

all my love and devotion,

apollo."

smiling softly, he pulled a pressed rose from his desk and slipped it into a cream-colored envelope. he then inconspicuously made his way out of his luxurious home to a small, lesser-known postal office on the east side of the capital city.

when he slipped inside, he was greeted with bows and warm welcomes.

"your royal highness," a young woman said, inclining her head kindly. "what do you need?"

felix's lips curled upwards into a charming smile, the woman almost instantly turning into a stuttering mess at the sight of it. she shoved all of the customers out of the shop with a quick "sorry!"

"i need to see changbin."

at the sound of his name, a well-built, muscular man peeked out of the back.

"hi, felix!" he beamed, giving the smaller man a hug. changbin was a longtime friend of felix's. he didn't hold a job at the postal service, he worked as a knight for the royal family, but his sister owned the place and they lived right above it together. since he was incredibly loyal to felix especially, he was the perfect secret messenger for felix and venus. changbin had never seen the mysterious venus, either. all he knew was what postal service in the city to hand it off to. "another letter to your love?"

"shut up." felix said, groaning with mock irritation. "but yeah. i wasn't able to send a message to venus any earlier, so now is the time. can i trust you with this?"

changbin places a saintly hand to his toned chest theatrically.

"of course you can. it'll get to venus in no time."

"great!" felix grinned. he wanted to crush changbin into a bear hug as thanks, but he knew because he was nobility, he had to push down his urges of physical touch. "now, i must be going. i have somewhere i need to be."

your day was nothing short of routinely.

you'd wake up mid-morning and eat breakfast before getting ready for the day. you'd visit the markets for new ingredients and tools and whatnot. and then, the store opened and you got to work.

being the most accomplished and popular bakery in the capital, so much that the royal family shopped there, was an achievement for the record books. you had a reputation to uphold.

at 9:00am, after the periods of time you'd set aside for your shopping and personal hygiene, prep began. you'd make batter, frost cakes and cupcakes, intricately decorate cookies, and put the finishing touches on the pastries. it was grueling, but it was worth it to be doing something you loved.

at 9:30am, your only co-worker, your obnoxious and admittedly amazing cousin named seungmin, came in. as always, he was still yawning and muttering about how he could've been doing anything other than work. you playfully reminded him that it was his choice to work here, and he rolled his eyes while not-so-inconspicuously taste-testing a few of the pre-made delicacies.

"the beignets are much too large." seungmin mused, standing beside you as you artfully doused them in a snowy layer of confectioner's sugar. your hands moved nimbly as you lined them on trays to place neatly inside the glass display cases. at seungmin's words, you frowned.

"what do you mean? they're a perfect size, the customers will be full in no time." you shot back, crouching to slide them into their temporary resting place.

"that's exactly the problem! if you make them smaller, the customers will buy more to fill themselves up. it's a genius marketing plan." you rolled your eyes at his comment, patting him on the shoulder.

"i get that, but we're already pretty well off, minnie. plus, i'm not selling them just for money. this business is to sell delicious treats baked with love, not greed." you reminded him. he sighed, knowing you were right.

at 10:00am, the bakery opened, customers flooding in.

it was always very busy in the mornings, being so critically acclaimed by the public. you were used to being asked all kinds of nonsensical questions by customers of all ages. it was a whirlwind that you loved, and seungmin was so good at customer service, as much as he whined.

at 1:00pm, three hours later, a distinguished guest arrived.

it was the youngest prince of the royal family, felix himself. your cheeks felt warm as he entered in all his glory, surrounded by aides preactically falling over themselves just to assist them. with that beautiful smile of his, he politely asked all but one to wait outside.

"yn, my favorite baker in this country. i hope you're having a lovely day today." he smiled.

"your highness!" you exclaimed, allowing yourself to politely greet him. "what may i get for you? i'm afraid we're running low on fruit tarts, but anything else is completely in stock."

"hmm..." felix mused, trailing a slender yet small finger along the cool glass of the display case. he paused. "i'm afraid my mind is crapping out on me, i can't seem to decide. it all looks absolutely mouthwatering. do you have any recommendations?"

"well, i shared a lemon meringue pie i made with my cousin a few days ago, and it was heavenly, so that's definitely one. i'd also recommend the brownies."

felix tilted his head, a puzzled look upon his pixie-like facial features.

"a...brownie? i apologize, we don't really have those in the caste us nobles reside in. what's in them? i'd assume, erm, chocolate?"

you smiled sweetly. you were about to change his life.

"it's a delicious chocolate confection that's simultaneously cakey and fudgey. i recommend it to you wholeheartedly." you told him to wait patiently for a second or two before slipping into the back to grab a fresh brownie from a cooling rack. placing it carefully onto a small porcelain plate, you brought it back out to the prince. "here, try it."

the room was silent, and the only things you could smell were felix's incredibly strong cologne and the baked goods around you. you watched intently.

cautiously, felix bit into the brownie, expecting it to be tough for the firm feel of the exterior. however, his eyes widened once he tasted the chocolate delight upon his tongue.

"oh my god. how is this so good? you've made it heavenly, yn." his eyes were sparkling with excitement. "i beg of you, you must make more of these! see, it's my brother minho's birthday soon, and we were looking for desserts to bake. please, you have to make some treats for us...wait. i'm the prince of this country, and as your prince, i commend your culinary talents. please, i implore you to come and work an evening or two for us. you'll be rewarded handsomely."

you waited a moment or two, allowing yourself to think his offer through. a little extra money from catering never hurt...

"deal! just have a messenger let me know the details of where and when. thank you so much for granting me this opportunity. i'm excited to do this!" you shook his hand, gasping slightly when you felt the warmth emanating from it. he chuckled in that beautifully rich voice of his. before you could even think anything at all, you felt blood rush to your cheeks.

"i'll order a dozen of those brownies and a key lime pie for my mother, you know how she loves those. and here." out of his pocket, he pulled a handsome wad of paper cash. "i'll pay a little extra. you deserve it."

"you are too kind, your highness." you murmured, taking the money into your hands and staring at it in wonder. "whoever you settle down with will be very, very lucky." your heart filled with longing of your own at your words, but you shook it off.

surprisingly, felix's face fell a bit as well, but it was for a millisecond before his sweet, beaming smile was plastered across his face once more. how odd.

he waved goodbye and left not long after, and seungmin dashed out of the pantry (where he'd been quite conspicuously eavesdropping) and flipped the sign on the door over to say "closed". he eagerly grabbed your hands.

"we are going to be soooo rich! do you know what this means?" seungmin exclaimed, but you were hardly paying attention. it was probably 1:30pm or 1:45pm, meaning the postal service would be coming around. while he was rambling on and on about what he was planning to do with the money, you kept your eyes on what was going on outside the window, searching for a certain dark-haired man wearing a navy uniform. and like clockwork, every week, he showed up at the door, knocking. you practically shoved seungmin out of the way to get to it.

the middle-aged man with kind green eyes gave you a jolly grin as he fished through his leather bag for a cream-colored envelope, the name so foreign yet so familiar signed in calligraphy. "i believe this is yours, my dear." he pressed it into your hands before moving on to the next building.

seungmin raised an eyebrow at you as you slipped the letter into your back pocket.

"and what might that little thing be?" seungmin teased you mercilessly every single time the mailman came, but he didn't have a clue what was really inside the envelope. but he didn't continue to dig once you shot him a look.

you quickly made your way up to your bedroom, where you dove into bed so you could open the envelope and pull out the crisp paper inside. reading apollo's sweet words to you made you want to giggle and roll around, hugging the letter tightly to your chest, but you wanted to reply as soon as possible.

sliding into the seat at your desk, you began drafting a response.

"my dearest apollo,

i too am disappointed for our shortened conversations these few weeks. you're certainly busy, aren't you? unfortunately, i'm about to get much busier as well, so i may struggle in responding too.

your words are filled with so much passion in them i cannot help but feel so desired whenever i read your letters...i wish that i had the ability to love you truly, for my lips to travel the expanse of a body i only saw once in a blue moon. you enchant and enthrall me every single day.

i pray for your utmost health and wellbeing, my love. our lives are picking up and we have to distance ourselves because of it? i truly hope we are not like parallel lines. i need you, apollo. a piece of my spirit resides within you.

i was thinking about us settling down together one day earlier. i hope we meet again, okay? stay safe. i love you endlessly, to the moon and to saturn.

eternally yours,

venus."

the next week, you arrived at the royal castle. it's architecture was exquisite. everything about it screamed nobility and an entire look at me, look at me, i'm rich aura. you were honestly intimidated. how would you navigate it? thankfully, one of the aides dutifully led you to the enormous kitchen we're you'd be operating from.

it had the newest and most high-end equipment, not to mention it boasted numerous ovens that were good quality and cooked fast. it was clean and well-organized. after placing your things down, you decided your next step of action was to go to the market and collect some necessities you didn't bring.

coincidentally, you bumped into felix on the way out.

"where are you going?" he'd asked politely, placing a soft hand on your shoulder to steady himself. he was wearing dark pants and a white linen shirt, an outfit that looked lovely on him. although you'd never admit that out loud. you loved apollo, not some prince you hardly knew...who was incredibly endearing and funny...ugh!

"just down to the market, it's nothing much." you stammered, trying to form coherent words. the face he was making, of interest and peace, made you want to rip your hair out.

"that sounds very nice, yn. may i join you? i've been itching to get out of my home for a bit." he replied carelessly, and you were astounded. why would he ever want to leave a place as grandiose as this? when he saw your expression, he was quick to explain. almost as if he'd read your mind. "don't get me wrong, i'm absolutely blessed to be waking up in a palace like this, but i've been stuck inside it my whole live. as a kid, i almost never was allowed to leave. so now that i have all this freedom, i'm taking advantage of it, yeah?"

that did make more sense, you concluded. and plus, a little company never hurt…

now, you were awkwardly standing beside actual real life nobility as you shopped for flour. fucking flour. the worker's mouth was gaping open (which was actually really funny), stumbling over his words left and right. as of right now, he was begging for felix to take the goods for free.

hm. you could get used to this.

felix's heart was cracking more and more each passing day. standing beside someone as ethereal as you was divine. he'd known you for a year or two, with various meetings and many words exchanged. he felt like he was falling for you.

but he didn't want to hurt venus, still waiting everyday for him to send a letter proposing. a love like his and venus' was embarrassingly finite, he realized. his mother had found his stash of letters, and with a sigh, she'd looked him in the eyes and said words that skewered felix's heart.

"lix, look at me. i love you, and will support you in anything you do. but this isn't going anywhere, dear. you can't marry some kid you met once twelve years ago. think rationally."

so he was looking back at his options, and reevaluating them.

after a strenuous day of shopping and prepping all kinds of baked goods, you clocked out and decided to go on a walk to clear your head. slipping out of a small door on the outskirts of the city, you jogged for a little while until your place of solace arrived on the horizon.

it was the lake you'd visited ever since you were small, the lake where you'd met apollo for the first time. its blue tourmaline waters lapped against the rocky shoreline languidly, a beautiful contrast to the array of wildflowers on the surrounding hills. you took off your shoes once you reached the bottom, your feet comfortable against the smooth stones. you dipped a cautious toe into the water before putting both feet in.

you were ecstatic for the day you'd see apollo waiting for you by it, his ebony hair wavy and well-styled, a loving smile upon his face. perhaps you'd even get married here....

you shook off that thought. it would never happen anytime soon, because your lover was hundreds of miles away and there was nothing you could do about it.

"what a lovely coincidence." felix said from behind you, surprise painted delicately across his features. "i didn't think anyone ever came here. may i...join you?"

you nodded, scooting over a little bit so that he could sit beside you.

"i used to come here all the time as a little kid." you reminisced, laughing softly. "i'd play in the water, lie in the fields...you know."

felix nodded.

"i've been here once or twice when i was younger, but today, i just felt like it. i don't know, there was some string pulling me to it." he murmured.

and you sat there with him in silence, neither person wanting to break the tranquility of the scene. you were starting to lose yourself by staring at him. it was getting harder to stay faithful to apollo, the love of your life who was only ink on parchment when this fallen angel was right in front of you.

felix noticed you staring, and leaned in to teasingly stare back. however, something changed in his expression as his eyes fell to your lips. and before you knew it, he'd kissed you.

it was like asking a question, soft and sweet, waiting for you to decide whether or not you wanted it. and you fell whim to it in the blink of an eye, your hand shakily moving to rest upon his shoulder.

and then, it hit you.

what the hell were you doing? this was a prince, and you loved apollo.

you pulled away, embarrassment written all over your face. you didn't want to look at him. you didn't want to see the confusion and hurt upon his fairy-like features.

"is everything okay?" he asked. "did i do something wrong?"

you shook your head frantically.

"no, of course not! it's just that i've gotten way too ahead of myself. i'm so sorry. i should get going, have a great night." you dashed off, hiding your face in your hands.

everything fell apart after that.

a day or two later, you received a letter from apollo that you'd been dreading since you were making rings out of newspaper scraps as a kid.

"venus, the light of my life, the stars in my sky,

it is with a heavy heart that i must deliver these news to you. for twelve years, i have loved you with everything i have and feel, but our time must come to an end. my mother wants me wed and because you have remained anonymous time and time again, i am afraid i cannot envision a future with you.

i really got to know someone close to me, and now i want them to love me like i've loved you my entire life, forever and evermore. please, i beg of you, i wish we have no hard feelings between us and we may remain friends for a very long time. that's what we were before we were lovers, after all.

i will always look back on our memories with utmost fondness for you. have a lovely life, my dear. i hope you find someone who makes you happy.

all my love,

apollo"

you sobbed into your pillow. night after night. it was affecting you at work, too. losing someone you loved eternally hurt. did he somehow know about your kiss with the prince? that couldn't be possible. you shook it off, rubbing the dark circles under your eyes.

however, felix began visiting you a lot more, one thing that was making your day better bit by bit. sometimes he'd bring little gifts, like a flower or some trinket he said "reminded him of you". and with each loving present, you felt more butterflies appear in your stomach.

you didn't want to move on so quickly, but it was some sort of coping mechanism while you were reeling from apollo's betrayal.

day by day, things got easier, and you got closer with felix. you were something more than "friends" now, but you felt an aching pang in your chest every time felix was remotely kind to you.

you were eating dinner with felix one starry night, wearing nice clothes you'd never even dreamed of being tangible when he cleared his throat.

"um, yn...i have a question." he asked awkwardly, and you tilted your head in confusion. "how do you deal with...ending things with someone you really care about?"

you wanted to sob. how ironic that he asked you that.

"it's really hard. you tell yourself you're fine, that what's past is past, but then the littlest things tick you off and you want to scream and cry. it's hard to explain, but you never really get over them."

he shook his head, sighing.

"i get it. see, i love that i'm getting to know you, but i'm still hung up on my first love. my mother told me that a relationship with them was going nowhere...since we were simply pen pals and nothing more...i wanted to say all these horrid things to her but i couldn't and you were already making my feelings all askew. so...yeah. look, i truly care about you, i really do...but-" you didn't need to hear anymore.

"was your pen pal named...venus, by any chance? and when you sent them messages, were you under the pseudonym of apollo?" you asked quietly, praying that you were right. if not, you were about to make a huge fool out of yourself.

felix's face paled.

"how do you know about that? did changbin say something to you?" he asked frantically. the tears began flooding from your eyes as you wept with happiness. you were ashamed of your oblivious eyes, but now, you knew apollo's identity and everything was going to be okay. "what?! did i say something to make you sad? i'm so sorry..."

"no, no...it's just that...i'm venus. i'm the one you've been writing to all these years." felix's jaw dropped. "if you don't believe me, i can lead you myself to my bedroom and show you the stacks of letters, each and every one. your latest one, to the first one you sent as a little boy. and...i guess since i'm not anonymous anymore, you can marry me..."

felix wrapped you in his arms tightly, beginning to cry tears of absolute joy.

"i'm so sorry i ever thought about leaving you for well, yourself? but this was such a stroke of fucking luck. looking at you now, you really do embody the name venus. you're so stunning..." you wiped his tears with the back of your hand, capturing his lips in a loving, intimate kiss twelve years in the making.

you had been waiting your entire life for this day.

beautiful arches and tables were set up by the clear blue lake, tents looming over ecstatic guests. you took a deep breath, looking in the mirror at yourself. you were wearing shades of white in a beautifully intricate outfit that probably cost more than your entire house. seungmin stood beside you, smiling mischievously.

"who knew you were out gallivanting with a prince? what really was in those letters? was he like- trying to seduce you in noble terms?" you rolled your eyes, gifting seungmin with a playful jab to the shoulder. he yelped. "you can't accost me like that! what would the royal family say?"

you smiled, and the melodious sound of an orchestra beginning to play the wedding march signaled your cue to begin walking. seungmin was your closest family, so it was only natural he was to be the one who gave you away.

as you walked down the flower-littered aisle, your arm tightly around seungmin's, you couldn't help but feel a little misty-eyed. but seeing your prince standing at the altar, a flower the color of blue tourmaline tucked into his lapel, you knew that the road ahead of you was going to be somewhat smoother.

"you're absolutely gorgeous, you know that?" he'd whispered into your ear once you reached where he stood. "so damn perfect. i'm absolutely blessed to call you my own."

once the ring-bearer arrived as well, holding two lovely matching rings, you slipped felix's ring onto his finger with shaky hands at the same time as he slid yours on. he tutted, reaching into his pocket.

"one more thing before we truly do this." he said with delight, pulling out of his pocket two paper rings made of newspapers. they were yellowed with age, and crinkled but in a great condition. "it might not fit you now that you're all grown up, but it might be nice to keep."

maybe miracles really could happen, after all.

taglist: @darkypooo , @hyunbae-35 , @kpopmenace143 , @stateofdelicategrace , @elizaschuyler18 , @lillithathecat , @imastraykidsfan , @nightimescapes , @mal-lunar-28

@evermourning, ©2023. all rights reserved.

[travel-in-kerala]

Best hill stations in kerala

MUNNAR

This quaint hill station in Kerala, perched at an altitude of 5026 feet, is all about lush green forests, extensive tea plantations, pristine valleys, vantage points and exotic flora and fauna. Munnar, also known as the “Kashmir of South India” is an excellent choice for a family vacation or a romantic escapade.

Popular Places to Visit: Mattupetty Dam, Eravikulam National Park, Attukad Waterfalls, Tata Tea Museum, Dream Land Fun and Adventure, Photo Point, Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary

Things to Do: Boat ride on Kundala Dam Lake, enjoy boating, skating, ATV bike rides and cycling at The Blossom International Park, take a stroll through the tea gardens, try rock climbing, paragliding and other thrilling activities

Best Time to Visit: October to April

Nestled among the Western Ghats, this beautiful hill station in Kerala is a treat for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts. The best thing about Wayanad is that it has a variety of attractions for different types of travellers, such as serene hills, spice plantations, waterfalls, lakes, pre-historic caves, and diverse flora and fauna. What’s more, visitors to the hill station can engage in trekking, river rafting, and other adrenaline-pumping activities.

Popular Places to Visit: Edakkal Caves, Soochipara Waterfalls, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Tholpetty Wildlife Sanctuary, Meenmutty Waterfalls, Thirunelli Temple

Things to Do: Trekking, boating and birdwatching at Pookode Lake and Banasura Dam, enjoy boat rides, rafting and nature walks at Kuruva Island, try kayaking, row-boating, rock climbing and other activities at Karlad Lake

Best Time to Visit: October to April

How to Reach:

Nearest Airport: Kozhikode International Airport (96 km)

Nearest Train Station: Kozhikode Railway Station (90 km)

3. Vagamon

Popularly known as the “Scotland of Asia”, this off-beat hill station boasts a wonderful amalgamation of verdant hills, lush green plains, waterfalls and sparkling rivers. Vagamon is also a popular adventure destination in the country, owing to the variety of sports activities available to tourists.

Popular Places to Visit: Marmala Waterfalls, Karikadu View Point, Ulipooni Wildlife Sanctuary, Murugan Hill, Pattumala Church, Echo Point

Things to Do: Spend serene time at Vagamon Meadows, walk into the woods at Pine Hills, enjoy trekking, rock climbing and paragliding at Barren Hills

Best Time to Visit: October to May

How to Reach:

Nearest Airport: Cochin International Airport (99 km)

Nearest Train Station: Kottayam Railway Station (63 km)

4. Thiruvambadi

Thiruvambadi, situated on the banks of the Iruvanjippuzha River and surrounded by verdant green mountains, is a preferred destination for nature lovers and honeymooners. There are so many things to do here, from relaxing and admiring the beauty of the valleys, waterfalls, and beaches to visiting temples and wildlife sanctuaries.

Popular Places to Visit: Tusharagiri Waterfalls, Arippara Waterfalls, Malabar Wildlife Sanctuary, Varakkal Temple, Kadalundi Bird Sanctuary

Things to Do: Enjoy surfing, parasailing, skiing, kayaking and other activities at Beypore Beach, spend some time in the beautiful surroundings of Mananchira Square, engage in fishing, birdwatching and photography at Mavoor Wetlands

Best Time to Visit: August to April

How to Reach:

Nearest Airport: Kozhikode International Airport (35 km)

Nearest Train Station: Kozhikode Railway Station (35 km)

5. Lakkidi

Lakkidi is a must-visit if you want to connect with nature and explore places on foot. The hill station has a pleasant climate and is well known for its stunning landscapes and tranquil environment. Despite its small size, Lakkidi is among the most famous hill stations in Kerala.

Popular Places to Visit: Chain Tree, Pookode Lake, Lakkidi View Point, Thusharagiri Waterfalls, Ananthanatha Swamy Jain Temple, Wayanad Tea Museum

Things to Do: Boat ride on Pookode Lake, enjoy picnics, hiking, bird-watching, zip-lining and other activities at Heart Lake Conservation Area, trek to Chembra Peak

Best Time to Visit: October to April

How to Reach:

[weedits]

･.｡.ʚ pristin (99 line♡) matching icons ┊reblog/like if you save, ᵖˡᵉᵃˢᵉ♡

[honeyvernon]

Schmood

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Machine learning's crumbling foundations

Technological debt is insidious, a kind of socio-infrastructural subprime crisis that’s unfolding around us in slow motion. Our digital infrastructure is built atop layers and layers and layers of code that’s insecure due to a combination of bad practices and bad frameworks.

Even people who write secure code import insecure libraries, or plug it into insecure authorization systems or databases. Like asbestos in the walls, this cruft has been fragmenting, drifting into our air a crumb at a time.

We ignored these, treating them as containable, little breaches and now the walls are rupturing and choking clouds of toxic waste are everywhere.

https://pluralistic.net/2021/07/27/gas-on-the-fire/#a-safe-place-for-dangerous-ideas

The infosec apocalypse was decades in the making. The machine learning apocalypse, on the other hand…

ML has serious, institutional problems, the kind of thing you’d expect in a nascent discipline, which you’d hope would be worked out before it went into wide deployment.

ML is rife with all forms of statistical malpractice — AND it’s being used for high-speed, high-stakes automated classification and decision-making, as if it was a proven science whose professional ethos had the sober gravitas you’d expect from, say, civil engineering.

Civil engineers spend a lot of time making sure the buildings and bridges they design don’t kill the people who use them. Machine learning?

Hundreds of ML teams built models to automate covid detection, and every single one was useless or worse.

https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/02/autoquack/#gigo

The ML models failed due to failure to observe basic statistical rigor. One common failure mode?

Treating data that was known to be of poor quality as if it was reliable because good data was not available.

Obtaining good data and/or cleaning up bad data is tedious, repetitive grunt-work. It’s unglamorous, time-consuming, and low-waged. Cleaning data is the equivalent of sterilizing surgical implements — vital, high-skilled, and invisible unless someone fails to do it.

It’s work performed by anonymous, low-waged adjuncts to the surgeon, who is the star of the show and who gets credit for the success of the operation.

The title of a Google Research team (Nithya Sambasivan et al) paper published in ACM CHI beautifully summarizes how this is playing out in ML: “Everyone wants to do the model work, not the data work: Data Cascades in High-Stakes AI,”

https://storage.googleapis.com/pub-tools-public-publication-data/pdf/0d556e45afc54afeb2eb6b51a9bc1827b9961ff4.pdf

The paper analyzes ML failures from a cross-section of high-stakes projects (health diagnostics, anti-poaching, etc) in East Africa, West Africa and India. They trace the failures of these projects to data-quality, and drill into the factors that caused the data problems.

The failures stem from a variety of causes. First, data-gathering and cleaning are low-waged, invisible, and thankless work. Front-line workers who produce the data — like medical professionals who have to do extra data-entry — are not compensated for extra work.

Often, no one even bothers to explain what the work is for. Some of the data-cleaning workers are atomized pieceworkers, such as those who work for Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, who lack both the context in which the data was gathered and the context for how it will be used.

This data is passed to model-builders, who lack related domain expertise. The hastily labeled X-ray of a broken bone, annotated by an unregarded and overworked radiologist, is passed onto a data-scientist who knows nothing about broken bones and can’t assess the labels.

This is an age-old problem in automation, pre-dating computer science and even computers. The “scientific management” craze that started in the 1880s saw technicians observing skilled workers with stopwatches and clipboards, then restructuring the workers’ jobs by fiat.

Rather than engaging in the anthropological work that Clifford Geertz called “thick description,” the management “scientists” discarded workers’ qualitative experience, then treated their own assessments as quantitative and thus empirical.

http://hypergeertz.jku.at/GeertzTexts/Thick_Description.htm

How long a task takes is empirical, but what you call a “task” is subjective. Computer scientists take quantitative measurements, but decide what to measure on the basis of subjective judgment. This empiricism-washing sleight of hand is endemic to ML’s claims of neutrality.

In the early 2000s, there was a movement to produce tools and training that would let domain experts produce their own tools — rather than delivering “requirements” to a programmer, a bookstore clerk or nurse or librarian could just make their own tools using Visual Basic.

This was the radical humanist version of “learn to code” — a call to seize the means of computation and program, rather than being programmed. Over time, it was watered down, and today it lives on as a weak call for domain experts to be included in production.

The disdain for the qualitative expertise of domain experts who produce data is a well-understood guilty secret within ML circles, embodied in Frederick Jelinek’s ironic talk, “Every time I fire a linguist, the performance of the speech recognizer goes up.”

But a thick understanding of context is vital to improving data-quality. Take the American “voting wars,” where GOP-affiliated vendors are brought in to purge voting rolls of duplicate entries — people who are registered to vote in more than one place.

These tools have a 99% false-positive rate.

Ninety. Nine. Percent.

To understand how they go so terribly wrong, you need a thick understanding of the context in which the data they analyze is produced.

https://5harad.com/papers/1p1v.pdf

The core assumption of these tools is that two people with the same name and date of birth are probably the same person.

But guess what month people named “June” are likely to be born in? Guess what birthday is shared by many people named “Noel” or “Carol”?

Many states represent unknown birthdays as “January 1,” or “January 1, 1901.” If you find someone on a voter roll whose birthday is represented as 1/1, you have no idea what their birthday is, and they almost certainly don’t share a birthday with other 1/1s.

But false positives aren’t evenly distributed. Ethnic groups whose surnames were assigned in recent history for tax-collection purposes (Ashkenazi Jews, Han Chinese, Koreans, etc) have a relatively small pool of surnames and a slightly larger pool of first names.

This is likewise true of the descendants of colonized and enslaved people, whose surnames were assigned to them for administrative purposes and see a high degree of overlap. When you see two voter rolls with a Juan Gomez born on Jan 1, you need to apply thick analysis.

Unless, of course, you don’t care about purging the people who are most likely to face structural impediments to voter registration (such as no local DMV office) and who are also likely to be racialized (for example, migrants whose names were changed at Ellis Island).

ML practitioners don’t merely use poor quality data when good quality data isn’t available — they also use the poor quality data to assess the resulting models. When you train an ML model, you hold back some of the training data for assessment purposes.

So maybe you start with 10,000 eye scans labeled for the presence of eye disease. You train your model with 9,000 scans and then ask the model to assess the remaining 1,000 scans to see whether it can make accurate classifications.

But if the data is no good, the assessment is also no good. As the paper’s authors put it, it’s important to “catch[] data errors using mechanisms specific to data validation, instead of using model performance as a proxy for data quality.”

ML practitioners studied for the paper — practitioners engaged in “high-stakes” model building reported that they had to gather their own data for their models through field partners, “a task which many admitted to being unprepared for.”

High-stakes ML work has inherited a host of sloppy practices from ad-tech, where ML saw its first boom. Ad-tech aims for “70–75% accuracy.”

That may be fine if you’re deciding whether to show someone an ad, but it’s a very different matter if you’re deciding whether someone needs treatment for an eye-disease that, untreated, will result in irreversible total blindness.

Even when models are useful at classifying input produced under present-day lab conditions, those conditions are subject to several kinds of “drift.”

For example, “hardware drift,” where models trained on images from pristine new cameras are asked to assess images produced by cameras from field clinics, where lenses are impossible to keep clean (see also “environmental drift” and “human drift”).

Bad data makes bad models. Bad models instruct people to make ineffective or harmful interventions. Those bad interventions produce more bad data, which is fed into more bad models — it’s a “data-cascade.”

GIGO — Garbage In, Garbage Out — was already a bedrock of statistical practice before the term was coined in 1957. Statistical analysis and inference cannot proceed from bad data.

Producing good data and validating data-sets are the kind of unsexy, undercompensated maintenance work that all infrastructure requires — and, as with other kinds of infrastructure, it is undervalued by journals, academic departments, funders, corporations and governments.

But all technological debts accrue punitive interest. The decision to operate on bad data because good data is in short supply isn’t like looking for your car-keys under the lamp-post — it’s like driving with untrustworthy brakes and a dirty windscreen.

Image: Seydelmann (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GW300_1.jpg

CC BY-SA: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[supersuperroa]

yehana perfectly describes pristin’s concept of power & pretty ♡