#south Florida bugs

[greenwallflower]

[have-you-seen-this-animal]

[artsysister]

My newest watercolor paintings and the reference photos.

Army Cutworm Moth and Gulf Fritillary Butterfly Watercolor Painting By Teresita Blanco (artsysister.com)

[doctorbeth]

Rabbit -- one of your cherished stuffed companions

Rabbit belongs to one of you dear people, and she gave me permission to share his story with you.:-) He was in the hospital about a year ago.

She initially wrote:

I live in South Florida and I am a big fan of your hospital! I have a stuffed rabbit plush animal, I believe he may have once been a Bugs Bunny plush, but to me he has always been "Rabbit" and I cannot find any leads online as to his "origins". Rabbit has been with me since I was 6 months old-- he's almost 24 years old! He's been my constant companion, and I still sleep with him and love him to this day. As you might imagine, this has led to many surgeries... 

Lately, Rabbit has had very thin fabric fur, and you can see through to the stuffing (mostly on his tummy). He's also in need of some new stuffing, as his current has gotten pretty clumpy over the years. My mom and I have talked about possibly giving him a  complete fur transplant on his tummy as we have applied patches before, but we aren't experts and don't want to cause him harm! He gets holes in his fabric very easily as he has become very delicate from love over the years... We are almost afraid to touch him with anything other than a hug! 

Now there were many photos attached to this note, and just fyi, for diagnosis the more photos the better, but you all don't need quite so many close ups... here are three critical photos from his diagnosis:

You can really see in the last two photos how thin his fabric was getting.... but he has such a cute face, and it's mostly embroidered, and I thought they may want to keep that, so.... there were many (actually 7!) options for his care. Keep in mind, he's over 2 feet long, too. Here were the treatment options (a spa could be added to any):

1) Given his style of fabric, and his artistic belly patches, and the fact that he has embroidered facial features, we could line his body with new fabric.  This reinforces his body and limbs while keeping his current appearance.  He would get all new body stuffing as part of this treatment, as the stuffing would need to come out for lining and it can't go back in.  But, a small amount of original stuffing would be preserved in a heart in his chest.  With this treatment, he could still wear, but you would see lining before stuffing.  Also, for future repairs, the lining could take the pressure of stitches away from his skin.  I would also minimize the older scarring on his side. 

2) I can do everything in option 1, plus line his head. 

3) I can do everything in option 1, plus line his head and ears. 

4) Instead of lining, we could recover just his belly and lower sides of limbs. His original skin (and old patches) would remain underneath, reinforcing the new fabric.  I would get as close as possible to his current fabric color and texture.  Perfect fabric matches are rarely possible, but if that is the case, I will send photos of him with transplant options so you can choose what you like best. I would also minimize his scars. 

5) I can recover his entire torso and limbs (leaving his head and ears as is). I would also minimize his scars.

6) I can recover his belly and lower side of limbs around his patches (keeping his artistic appearance). I would also minimize his scars.

7) I can recover his belly around his patches and recover the rest of his body and limbs. I would also minimize his scars.

His person thought about it, discussed it with her family, and ultimately decided on option 5: recover his entire torso and limbs but leave his head and ears as is. They also added a spa for Rabbit, which would treat the lumpiness of his stuffing as well as clean him.

So Rabbit flew to the hospital and began treatment with his bubble bath:

He got restuffed before recovering, so here is his heart being made and installed with a bit of his original stuffing:

I started by recovering his gray areas, leaving the white of his pawpads and tail original. At this point, I sent chubbiness approval photos and let his person decide whether she still wanted to recover the white (which was in better shape than the gray):

His person wrote: "Wow, he looks amazing!! His chubbiness looks perfect, I can't wait to hold him! I would like to recover his white patches of fur"

So Rabbit got closed up, and the white got recovered, and then he was ready to fly home!

Approved, Rabbit flew home to Florida. When he arrived back cross country, his person wrote:

Rabbit is home!! Thank you so, so much!! He looks amazing, he's soooo soft and cuddly, I can't wait to spend many many more years with my darling angel rabbit! I cannot thank you enough Doctor, you're truly an angel!! I'm so blessed to have found you and your lovely hospital!! My mom and I can't stop gushing over how soft and cuddly Rabbit is, he's like brand new! I'll continue to treasure him for the rest of my life with your help!

[onenicebugperday]

@transasahi submitted: could you ID some friends i found on a trip to south florida (USA)?

the lil guy really liked crawling all over my dress and moving too fast for me to get good pictures. he spooked me a lil bc it looked like he had something stuck to him and i wasnt sure what it was.

the orange grasshopper fellow i met on an early morning run and was very chill as long as i didnt put my phone too close to his face

the last one was a failed attempt to snag a pick of a very cool spider lol my camera couldnt focus on it, but it was very pretty and there were about 5 similar looking spiders spread out all over this plant! no ID needed since you cant see it for shit lol

love your blog! reading your posts makes me feel like a kid reading crazy bug fact books <3 captivated by the beauty and weirdness of nature. thanks for all you do!

Thank you for your kind words! I certainly can ID them. The first fella is a debris-carrying lacewing larva, so the stuff stuck to it was on purpose for camouflage. The grasshopper is an eastern lubber. From what I can see of the very blurry spider, I'd put my money on it being one of the orbweavers in the genus Argiope.

[todaysbug]

February 21st, 2024

Lovebug (Plecia nearctica)

Distribution: Native to Central America and the Southeastern USA (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas). Most common in Texas and Louisiana.

Habitat: Can be found in almost all habitats, but most common in grassy areas; most common around fresh-cut lawns, animal pastures and areas with decaying vegetation. Found at altitudes of over 450 metres.

Diet: Larvae feed on decaying vegetation; adults feed on the nectar of plants such as sweet clover, goldenrod and Brazilian pepper.

Description: This insect is called the lovebug because mated pairs often stay together for days at a time during and after mating, with flights of mating lovebugs sometimes numbering into the millions. These flights can be quite a nuisance to drivers, as they easily splatter onto windshields and hoods at highway speeds. The acidic body chemistry of dead bugs, left for even just a handful of hours, makes them incredibly difficult to scrape off car parts; what's more, they also have a tendency to cause pits in automotive paint when left untouched for too long, or can cause radiators to overheat. Because they're attracted to fresh paint, lovebug corpses are also a common sight in the dried paint on buildings.

There is many myths surrounding lovebugs, perhaps due to how common they are. One myth claims that these insects were genetically engineered by the University of Florida in order to control mosquito populations (disregarding the fact that they're herbivorous, and thus would make poor pest control!). Another myth claims that lovebugs escaped from the University of Florida after being transported there by scientists; while their original range includes only Louisiana and Mississippi, populations naturally spread north- and southward. For some reason, this insect has many University of Florida-related conspiracies!

Images by Judy Gallagher and Chris Rorabaugh.

[cypherdecypher]

Animal of the Day!

Thorn Bug (Umbonia spinosa)

(Photo in Public Domain)

Conservation Status- Unlisted

Habitat- Central America; South America; Florida

Size (Weight/Length)- 12 mm

Diet- Plant sap

Cool Facts- The Umbonia spinosa is a specific species of thorn bug known for their ability to blend into their surroundings. An elongated dorsal horn between their shoulders acts both as the ultimate defense and camouflage. Mass gatherings of thorn bugs can turn a plant prickly with their bodies alone. When overwintering, they can gather in such mass that they bend the branches of Persian silk trees. During the mating season, females bore small holes into their tree of choice. After mating, the thorn bug lays her eggs in the tree and peaces out. In certain cultures, juvenile thorn bugs are considered a delicacy while their shells are still soft.

Rating- 11/10 (I too wish I had a funky little hat.)

[no27-autonation-honda]

Every Current Formula 1 Driver But I Decided They Were All Bugs

No Thoughts, Head Empty, Only Insects I Enjoyed From My Single Entomology Class Several Years Ago. Sorry to folks from outside the states. Most of these are like. my local critters.

Max Verstappen - Appalachian Jewelwing, Calopteryx angustipennis I have no reasoning behind this one. He just gives me the vibes of a damselfly kinda man.

Sergio Pérez - Synoeca Cyanea, a species of warrior wasp, or just the Synoeca genus again, literally no justification besides he's on the dark blue team and I just really like these wasps. Please read the Synoeca wikipedia page. they are SO cool.

Lewis Hamilton - Violet Carpenter Bee, Xylocopa violacea fashionable! cool lookin bee!

George Russell - Blue Hawker, Aeshna cyanea

Charles Leclerc - Cattle Killer/Cow Killer, Dasymutilla occidentalis (letting my south midwestern hick jump OUT here. most folks call em velvet ants)

Carlos Sainz - Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta

Lando Norris - Walker's Cicada, Megatibicen pronotalis this is NOT meant to be a drag I actually love these freakishly loud animals but he just gives bright green cicada energy.

Oscar Piastri - Green Carpenter Bee, Xylocopa aerata cop out? yeah. good bee and something that feels correct? yes.

Fernando Alonso - Mourning Cloak, Nymphalis antiopa i love these fuckin bugs. absolute freaks of nature. they live for like a full year and they're always wandering around and getting up to something. plus they're very distinguished.

Lance Stroll - Common Buckeye, Junonia coenia I'm not even gonna elaborate on this one.

Valtteri Bottas - Eastern Cicada Hawk, Sphecius speciosus I just think they're neat!

Zhou Guanyu - Ebony Jewelwing, Calopteryx maculata blatant favoritism here. The ebony jewelwing is perhaps my all time favorite bug from home :) (its also v stylish)

Esteban Ocon - Chinese Mantis, Tenodera sinensis a noble creature that frequently scares the life out of me when i find one outside my window. Why the fuck are you so long. I appreciate u anyway.

Pierre Gasly - European Field Cricket, Gryllus campestris he just *feels* a bit crickety. Idk what to tell u man.

Kevin Magnussen - Halloween Beetle (or in America, the Japanese Lady Bug), Harmonia axyridis the most determined little bastard in the animal kingdom. They WILL get into your apartment through that microscopic sliver in the window.

Nico Hulkenberg - Green June Beetle, Cotinis nitida idk dude he just serves local scarab

Daniel Ricciardo - Black-And-Yellow Mud Dauber, Sceliphron caementarium im sure you are all noticing how much i love wasps by now. i was SO brave not making this a wasp only post. if ur american and a hick (hey girl(gn) hey) you'll know these guys From Constantly Being In Your Car's Inner Workings

Yuki Tsunoda - Bullet Ant, Paraponera clavata tiny but mighty!!!!! (short king solidarity)

Alex Albon - Great Black Wasp, Sphex pensylvanicus yet more blatant favoritism for my faves. Yes this post is so i can assign the williams boys and zg my fave types of local bugs. Anyway. this is one of the best wasps in the world. if u see her irl please stop for a moment to appreciate her. she's usually a docile species but she is very big and i love her. (good hunter too)

Logan Sargeant - Blue Dasher, Pachydiplax longipennis the ultimate late spring and all of summer insect of america. voted america's sweetheart of every local body of water eight millionth year in a row!!!! one of the best dragonflies in the country and i am serious!!! if u live in north america this summer, find a LAKE, a POND, A RIVER, perhaps even a CREEK!!!!!! A POOL WILL EVEN GET YOU! you'll find these folks. at current you might catch mating flight season!!! anyway. these are crazy good hunters and they're a beautiful little baby blue shade. anyway. logan and the rest of williams should go huntin for these when he gets back to florida. think it would fix em.

[inside0ut-dotnet]

Ready, Set, Pride! Last Minute Celebration Ideas

With only 24 hours left until Pride Month kicks off, it's time to start planning how you're going to celebrate with your fabulous love bugs! Are you hitting up a major pride celebration in a city near you, hosting a virtual pride event, or just keeping it low key with your partner or friends? Whatever your plans may be, get ready to show your pride and spread the love!

Join the Parade or Party

If you're lucky enough to live near a city hosting a major pride celebration, why not join the parade or party? Put on your brightest rainbow outfit, grab some glitter, and get ready to dance the day away with your LGBTQ+ community. It's a time to be loud, proud, and unapologetically yourself!

Mid South Pride (May 2-June 2) in Memphis, Tennessee: A huge celebration including Memphis Pride Fest Weekend, a Drag N Drive event, a Big Gay Dance Party, and a Pride Parade.

Gay Days at Disney World (May 30-June 3) in Orlando, Florida: Over 150,000 LGBTQ+ Disney fans attend this annual event at the Magic Kingdom, featuring parties, a Gay Days Expo, Bear pool parties, and special guest performers.

Provincetown Pride (May 31-June 2) in Provincetown, Massachusetts: Enjoy a Pride festival, Queer Comedy showcase, Feet Over Front Street Pride 5K, and more. This year, there’s also “Reimagining Queer Africa” with art, technology, and outreach from Lagos, Nigeria.

New York City Pride (June 30) in New York, New York: The largest Pride Parade in North America, drawing thousands of participants and spectators in Greenwich Village.

Washington, D.C. Capital Pride (June 8-9): Events throughout the month, including a Night of Queer Expression and a rooftop pool party.

Twin Cities Pride Festival (June 28) in Minnesota: Minnesota’s second-largest festival, featuring LGBTQIA+ entertainment, vendors, and community resources. These events celebrate our collective queer joy, honor LGBTQ+ activists, and provide safe spaces for everyone to express their queerness and sexuality. 🌈✨

Host a Virtual Pride Event

Can't make it to a physical pride celebration? No problem! Host a virtual pride event with your friends and loved ones. Get creative with rainbow-themed decorations, plan some fun activities or games, and don't forget to blast some empowering LGBTQ+ anthems. It's a great way to show your pride from the comfort of your own home!

Pride Summit 2024 by Lesbians Who Tech and Allies:

Date: June 11th - 13th

Description: A week-long virtual summit with thought-provoking discussions, learning experiences, and professional development opportunities.  Speakers include tech luminaries and cultural leaders like Gabrielle Union and Sam Altman.

WorkPride 2024:

Date: June 17th - 21st

Description: A global virtual Pride conference focused on workplace equality. It’s free for professionals, graduates, and inclusive employers.

Brooklyn Pride Virtual Drag Bingo:

Date: June 4th

Remember to check out these events and celebrate Pride Month! 🌈

Keep it Low Key

Not in the mood for a big celebration? That's totally okay! Pride Month is all about celebrating love and acceptance in whatever way feels right for you. Whether you're spending a quiet evening with your partner, having a small gathering with friends, or simply reflecting on what pride means to you, there's no wrong way to celebrate.

Pride Month is a wonderful time to celebrate the beautiful spectrum of gender and sexuality while advocating for equality and justice in the LGBTQ+ community. Here are thoughtful and meaningful ways to celebrate Pride Month at home:

Decorate with LGBTQ+ Art and Decor:

Refresh your home’s interior design by proudly hanging a rainbow flag in your front yard or windows. You can also support LGBTQ+ interior designers by incorporating their art and decor into your living spaces.

Create an Outdoor Cinema:

Set up an outdoor movie night in your backyard or balcony. Choose LGBTQ+ films or documentaries that resonate with you. Invite friends or family (virtually, if needed) to share the experience.

Design a Reading Nook:

Curate a cozy reading corner with books by LGBTQ+ authors. Dive into their stories and explore diverse perspectives. It’s a great way to celebrate Pride while enjoying some quiet time.

Get Creative in the Kitchen:

Use your culinary skills to make festive creations. Bake rainbow-themed cookies, cupcakes, or a colorful cake. Share your delicious treats with loved ones or enjoy them yourself.

So, tell us, how are you planning to celebrate Pride Month this year? No matter how you choose to show your pride, remember that love is love and you are valid, fabulous, and deserving of all the happiness in the world. Happy Pride Month, love bugs!

[lukin08]

Up In The Air Chapter 9

Kristanna Modern AU

Rated T

WC 3048

Summary: Tired of her nomad lifestyle, traveling nurse Anna Arendelle on a whim picks Pensacola Florida as her new town to try find a sense of home. Meanwhile, Navy Pilot Kristoff Bjorgman has accepted a dream position at the Naval station in the same town. After a chance encounter goes south, the two of them find their lives entwined, with neither of them all that happy about it!

Also Available on AO3

Previous Chapter

“Anna!” Nicole exclaimed for the fifth time as Anna tried to justify another clash she had with Kristoff from the last year.

Kristoff couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across his face listening to Nicole reprimand Anna.  They were sitting on opposite ends of the couch with Nicole pacing in front of them.  He almost jumped out of his seat when Nicole directed her ire at him.

“I don’t know what you think is so funny.  You’re just as bad as Anna.”

Kristoff’s eyes went wide with the weight of Nicole’s words directed at him.  From the corner of his sight, he could make out the scowl on Anna’s directed at him.  It baffled him how someone as small as Anna could be so intimidating.  It made him slump down against the couch to minimize the space he was taking up.

After a while, Kristoff grew weary of hashing out the last year with Nicole.  All the arguments, his justifications, Anna’s wild versions of what really happened; it all brought back his annoyance again.  Kristoff laid his head against the back of the couch.  He knew all this was childish, but there was something about Anna he couldn’t shake and he was almost ashamed to admit he liked getting a rise out of her.  But now he was done for the night and looking for a way out.

“So,” Nicole finally said, putting her hands on her hips. “Do you think you can both be adults and make up?”

Anna sat back, crossing her arms.  “We’re all good as long as he stays away from me.”

“Don’t need an invitation for that,” Kristoff interjected, making his eye roll obvious.

“You see,” Anna said first looking at Nicole then focusing on Kristoff.  That look was back and he knew she was incapable of letting this go.  “I feel like you do.  It’s like you can’t stay away from me.”

He turned and glared at Anna.  “Yeah, like when you see a car wreck on the highway and can’t look away.”

“Kris!” Nicole reprimanded.

Anna shot forward, her arms out in a plea to Nicole.  “This!  This is what I’m talking about!  He doesn’t leave me alone.  He continues to bug me over and over like the mosquito he must have been in a former life.”

In the background, Sven was trying to stifle a laugh.  Kristoff shot Sven a stare and noticed Camilla was also laughing.

“Anna, I don’t think- “

Anna cut Nicole off “Or maybe a gnat. Whatever is more annoying.”  Anna flung herself back on the couch, her eyebrows scrunched together.

“Alright, that’s enough.”  Kristoff slapped his thighs and stood up.  His eyes scanned the group in the living room. “It’s been fun, but I realized I don’t have to sit here and take any of this.”  He started to move towards the door. 

“Kris, come on.  Don’t leave,” Nicole implored.

Kristoff paused, quickly shaking his head as he looked over at Nicole. “Nah, I think I will.  Enjoy the rest of your evening and your new friend.”  He turned back and took several large strides towards his exit.

“That’s not fair.  Please- “

Kristoff was already out the door slamming it behind him before Nicole could finish her sentence.

“…come back.” Nicole turned back to Anna, a defeated look across her face.  “I’m sorry.  That’s not what I wanted to happen.”

Anna waived her off, pretending Kristoff storming off didn’t bother her.  “I’m used to it.  People have been doing that all my life.”

********************

The light raps on the door made Kristoff flinch.  He jumped up hoping it wasn’t Boss coming to reprimand him for not joining the group for dinner.  He wasn’t in the mood to be around anyone, the madness from Monday still a fresh wound.  Kristoff was hoping that leaving for the show would give him some reprieve, but it didn’t look like that was going to happen.

Sven was on the other side grinning from ear to ear. “So, this is where you’ve been hiding.”

Kristoff sighed.  “What do you want, Sven?”

“Can I come in?  Thought we could watch a movie.”

Kristoff took a step back and gestured for Sven to come into the room.  “Is Boss pissed?”

��Nah.  He gets it.  We all have our off times.  But you missed a hell of a dinner.  What did you do anyway tonight?  Sulk in here?”

“I went for a run if you must know.”

Sven shrugged and looked around.  “At least you weren’t hanging out at the bar alone.  Which bed are you using?”

Sven jumped on the opposite bed that Kristoff pointed to and started scanning for movies.  Kristoff went and sat in his own bed against the headboard.  Thankfully Sven picked a comedy he didn’t have to think about.

“I wasn’t hiding.”

“Ok.”

“I just didn’t want to be around anyone.”

“If that’s what you say.”

“There’s a difference.”

“Is there?”

Kristoff didn’t respond.  Thankfully Sven let it drop and focused back to the TV.  After the movie, they switched on a game from the West Coast that was still on.  In as bad of a mood Kristoff had been in all week, he was still grateful for moments like this.  To have his best friend come in and do something as simple as watching a movie with him was something Kristoff didn’t take for granted.  They had spent the last ten years seeing each other a few times a year and it was nice not to have to worry about that for at least a few years.  

But Kristoff knew Sven also had an ulterior motive.  They needed to talk about what happened on Monday.  Sven wasn’t going to let Kristoff get away with that, but he was giving Kristoff the space to bring it up.

Finally, Kristoff relented.  He couldn’t take the dead space between them. “How angry is Nicole with me?”

Sven waived his finger, smiling as he looked at the TV.  “Now that is who you need to be worried about.  Not Boss.  Glad to see you finally figured that out.”

Kristoff winced.  “That bad, huh?”

Sven turned towards Kristoff.  “She’s more disappointed than angry.” He stared over at Kristoff for a few moments before breaking out into a grin.  “How was that? I was practicing my dad voice.”

The pillow hit Sven square in the face. He yelped as he fell back.  “Damn, Kris,” Sven said as he rubbed his nose.  “You didn’t have to throw it that hard.”

Then don’t be a smart ass all the time.”

Sven laid there for a few minutes looking over at the game again.  He let out a small chuckle before he spoke.  “Look man, I think this is funny as hell.  I mean what are the chances?”

“Just my luck.”

“You know, I think there’s a part of you that actually enjoys all the bickering with Anna.”

“Yeah, ok.”

“No really.  She keeps you on your toes. A little bit of a challenge.”

“Can we not talk about Anna. I’m more concerned about Nicole and the possibility of never being allowed to step foot at your doorstep again.”

“Nicole’s not mad at you.  She’s frustrated with the situation.  If I had to describe it, she’s more sad than anything.”

That wasn’t the response Kristoff expected. “Sad?”

“Yeah, you know,” Sven’s arms fell to his side. “She really likes Anna and you’re like a brother to her.  She was hoping everyone would get along.  Now it’s all fucked up and if you two are going to butt heads all the time…”  

“I don’t have to go to anything that Nicole wants Anna at. If it makes it easier, don’t worry about me.  I’m fine.”

Sven shifted again and looked Kristoff in the eyes.  “No, that’s not ok.  I’m asking you as my best friend. Don’t make Nicole choose.  Don’t do that to her.” 

Guilt washed over Kristoff.  He knew Sven was right, but all he could do was nod back.

“As entertaining as it is, can you at least try not arguing with her as much?  Maybe keep it to a light banter around Nicole.”

Kristoff wanted to scoff at the request, but he held it in.  “Yeah, bud.  I’ll try.”

Sven smiled and sat back. “Good, because Nicole invited Anna to the Memorial Day remembrance.”

“She what?!”

“Hey, you’ve been warned with plenty of advance notice.” Sven pointed a finger at Kristoff.  

It was enough for Kristoff to only let out a small grumble before turning back to the tv.  They settled back into watching the game a now comfortable silence between them.  After a few minutes Sven spoke again.

“I have to ask you something.  I’ve held back asking you forever, but now you owe me.”

“What?”

“If that night you met Anna hadn’t gone to shit.  Don’t tell Nicole this by the way, but I’m on your side with that.  But if things hadn’t gone sideways, would you have asked to see her again?”

The question hung out between them. Kristoff could feel the weight of it in his chest.  He didn’t want to answer, didn’t want to say it out loud.  But Sven was right.  Kristoff owed him.

“Yes,” he said flatly not taking his eyes off the TV.

********************

The wing was void of any activity as Anna walked down the corridor.  The hospital was inching closer to the pediatric wing opening and it was exciting to see it start to take shape.  But the walk to the new wing was quiet and it felt lonely with all the lack of activity.  Anna did her best to shake off that isolating feeling that always seemed to be stalking right behind her and walked faster to the last set of doors

The committee was meeting to take a tour of the progress. She couldn’t wait to really get to work, making the area an inviting place for the children and their families.  Beyond the state-of-the-art equipment, there were murals, decorations, books and toys all waiting to fill up the space. She walked through the doors and into an open space that would be a staging and area for families waiting for doctor appointments.  The whole room would be lined with bookshelves and interactive toys.  

Anna stopped when she noticed Kristoff sitting on one of the benches, hunched over with his back turned to her.  It was just her luck that he’d be the first one here.  He looked towards Anna briefly as she started walking again only to turn back without any acknowledgement.

She rolled her eyes.  Kristoff was not going to get under her skin today.  At least that was the mantra she had been repeating to herself all day.  It was the first time they had seen each other since the incident, as Anna referred to it, at Nicole’s and there was no way she was going to let him think it rattled her.  She threw her shoulders back and purposely walked over to a chair near him.

He nodded her existence when she sat down.  Anna quickly pulled out her phone after a quick hello.  She did a good job ignoring him for all of thirty seconds when she noticed something in his hands.  He was flipping through note cards and when she looked closer, she could see handwriting on them.  Anna was intrigued.  Studying him closer, Kristoff was not his usual cool collected self.  In fact, he almost looked nervous.

With a sly grin, Anna leaned forward, getting closer to Kristoff.  “What’cha got there Cap?”

“Huh?” Kristoff glanced up at Anna, almost startled before he was able to put on his emotionless mask on his face.  He quickly cleared his throat. “Nothing.”

Anna grinned.  “Come on, share.”

“It’s none of your business.”  He sat back against the bench, looking towards the entrance like he was willing someone to walk through.

Anna didn’t relent. “What is it? Top secret?”

“No.”  He looked back down at the cards he was holding, tapping them on his thigh.  “Why do you care anyway?”

“Just curious what’s making you so nervous.”

“I’m not nervous.”

“Right.”  Anna shook her head.  “Then why do you look like your about to be called into the principal’s office?”

He let out a loud sigh, slumping his shoulders.  “It’s that obvious?”

“Yes, unless you’re going for the about to yack up your breakfast look.”

Kristoff chuckled and it almost made Anna smile knowing she cracked what she thought was the impervious shell he wore.  “I, uh, have a presentation to give this afternoon.”

Anna sat back, crossing her arms.  “And?”

“I had to do it last year too and let’s just say it could have gone better.”

“Who’s it for, the head of Navy or something?”

“Worse.  It’s for a bunch of high schoolers. 

Anna burst out laughing envisioning Kristoff giving some dry speech to a group of teenagers. “Oh, they ate you alive, didn’t they?”

“No, but only because it was the ROTC and a group of the sports teams.  This year I’m in front of a whole auditorium of these kids today. I’m toast.”

“It can’t be that bad.”  Anna held out her hand. “Gimme.”

It took a moment, but Kristoff finally relented and handed his notecards over to Anna.  She flipped through them, before stacking them together and handing them back to him.  “I take it back.  It is that bad.”

“Fuck.  But I have to cover certain topics and- “

Anna held out her hand to stop him.  “You fly jets for a living.”

“So?”

“So?!” Anna’s arms flew up in exasperation.  “You have the coolest job in the world!  Tell them about it.”

“It’s not really that glamorous,” Kristoff said, brushing her off.

“I don’t buy that for a second.  Come on, tell me something.”

Kristoff tilted his head at Anna. “Like what?”

“Like something about what you do.  What’s the best flight you ever had?”

Kristoff thought for a moment then broke into a small grin.  “It had to be dancing with the Northern Lights at 40K feet while flying North of the Artic circle.  I’ve never been so in awe of anything in this world as I was that night.”

Anna nodded in appreciation trying to imagine what Kristoff saw.  “And what’s the scariest thing about flying?  Teenager approved answers only.”

“That’s easy.  Night carrier landings in a storm with the carrier pitching and rolling.”

“Tell them that. Tell them about a time you had to do that.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes.  Tell them what scares you, a funny story, why you love flying. Mix them into your presentation.”  Anna stood up, noticing some other people enter the room.  Then she added, “They’ll love it, and you might trick them into thinking you are actually human, not just a robot spitting out facts.”  Anna walked away, not giving Kristoff an opportunity to respond.

*******************

The tour went by too quickly for Anna.  Her head was filled with ideas on how to make the pediatrics wing an inviting space for the children and families.  There was a twinge of disappointment when the tour was over until the administrator giving the tour asked if anyone would like to visit the current pediatric area.  Anna lit up, jumping at the opportunity.

Unfortunately, everyone had to bow out except for Kristoff.   She was surprised he agreed to go over to the floor, convinced he would have ducked out at the first opportunity.  They followed the administrator until she said she needed to stop at her office and asked Anna to show Kristoff the way to the floor.

They walked in silence down the hallway, Kristoff keeping a step behind her.  

“Can I ask you something?” Kristoff asked, breaking the silence.

“Ask away, Cap.”

“Why did you decide to be nice to me earlier?”

A small grin came over Anna’s face.  “I don’t know if I was being nice.  Helpful, yes.  But they aren’t the same thing.”

“Ok fine.  Why were you helping me?”

“Pity.”

She saw Kristoff pull a face at her, but he didn’t say anything.  After a few moments, he responded.  “You got the talk, didn’t you?”

“Maybe.”

“I knew it.  Guess we need to be on our best behavior.”

“Nicole is my friend and Sven too…don’t give me that face.  I’m not going to lose her because of you.  If it takes putting on the air of civility with you, then fine.”

“You stay in your lane, and I’ll stay in mine?”

“Exactly.”

Kristoff pondered that for a second before saying.  “I can live with that.”

The time on the pediatric floor flew by for Anna.  She was in her element stopping to talk to the children.  She made sure to talk to each of them, not leaving until she got a smile or laugh.  She even promised to come back to visit a few of the children on her breaks at work.  It was something she was looking forward to.

As she was getting ready to head out, she realized she hadn’t seen Kristoff.  He had come into a few of the first rooms with her not saying too much until a small child they met in the hall, enamored by his uniform, took his fingers in their hand and led him away.  He’d been gone since, and she figured he must have made his escape some time ago.

Anna did a double take, stopping quickly to back up when she swore she saw something out of the corner of her eye.  When she went to peer into the common play area for the children, there was Kristoff, sitting on the floor with a group of children surrounding him.  A young boy was pointing to his shoulder boards, asking about them and the service ribbons on his shirt.  

She leaned against the doorframe in disbelief.  “Wasn’t expecting that,” Anna said to herself.

Another nurse saw Anna and walked over, a large smile on her face.  She looked back at Kristoff. “He’s got a big group of fans.  Been here over an hour with all the kids.”

Before she could say anything, Kristoff caught her eye.  He gave her a small wave and a sheepish smile and Anna couldn’t help but return a warm smile.  Maybe she didn’t have Kristoff Bjorgman completely figured out.

[greenwallflower]

[posttexasstressdisorder]

If you want to see what the GOP has in store for the rest of America, visit the Old South

Thom Hartmann

June 27, 2024 5:42AM ET

Photo by Miltiadis Fragkidis on Unsplash

Today is the first Biden-Trump debate and many Americans are wondering how each will articulate their ideas for the future of America.

Republicans have a very specific economic vision for the future of our country, although they rarely talk about it in plain language: they want to make the rest of America look and function just like Mississippi. Including the racism: that’s a feature, not a bug.

It’s called the “Southern Economic Development Model” (SEDM) and has been at the core of GOP economic strategy ever since the days of Ronald Reagan. While they don’t use those words to describe their plan, and neither did the authors of Project 2025, this model is foundational to conservative economic theory and has been since the days of slavery.

The SEDM explicitly works to:

— Maintain a permanent economic underclass of people living on the edge of poverty, — Rigidify racial and gender barriers to class mobility to lock in women and people of color, — Provide a low-cost labor force to employers,

— Prevent unions or any other advocates for workers’ rights to function, — Shift the tax burden to the working poor and what’s left of the middle class while keeping taxes on the morbidly rich extremely low, — Protect the privileges, power, and wealth of the (mostly white and male) economic overclass, — Ghettoize public education and raise the cost of college to make social and economic mobility difficult, — Empower and subsidize churches to take over public welfare functions like food, housing, and care for indigent people, — Allow corporations to increase profits by dumping their waste products into the air and water, — Subsidize those industries that financially support the political power structure, and, — Heavily use actual slave labor.

For hardcore policy wonks, the Economic Policy Institute(EPI) did a deep dive into the SEDM last month: here’s how it works in summary.

Republicans claim that by offering low-cost non-union labor and little to no regulatory oversight to massive corporations, they’re able to “attract business to the region.” This, they promise, will cause (paraphrasing President Kennedy out of context) “a rising tide that lifts all boats.”

Somehow, though, the only people who own boats that rise are those of the business owners and senior executives. The permanent economic underclass is key to maintaining this system with its roots in the old plantation system; that’s why Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina have no minimum wage, Georgia’s is $5.15/hour, and most other GOP states use the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour and $2.13/hour for tipped workers.

It’s thus no coincidence that ten out of the 20 Republican-run states that only use the federal minimum wage are in the Old South.

Anti-union or “right to work for less” efforts and laws are another key to the SEDM; the failed unionization effort last month at the Alabama Mercedes factory was a key victory for the GOP. Unions, after all, balance the power relationship between management and workers; promote higher wages and benefits; support workplace and product safety regulations; advance racial and gender equality; boost social mobility; and have historically been the most effective force for creating a healthy middle class.

Unionization, however, is antithetical to creating and maintaining a permanent economic underclass, which is why, as EPI notes, “while union coverage rates stand at 11.2% nationally, rates in 2023 were as low as 3.0% in South Carolina, 3.3% in North Carolina, 5.2% in Louisiana, and 5.4% in Texas and Georgia.”

Unions also make wage theft more difficult, essentially forcing government to defend workers who’ve been ripped off by their employers. That’s why Florida doesn’t even have a Department of Labor (it was dismantled by Republican Governor Jeb Bush in 2002), and the DOLs in Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina no longer bother to enforce wage theft laws or recover stolen money for workers.

Another key to the SEDM is to end regulation of corporate “externalities,” a fancy word for the pollution that most governments in the developed world require corporations to pay to prevent or clean up. “Cancer Alley” is probably the most famous example of this at work: that stretch from west Texas to New Orleans has more than 200 refineries and chemical plants pouring poison into the air resulting in downwind communities having a 7 to 21 times greater exposure to these substances. And high rates of cancer: Southern corporate profits are boosted by sick people.

Between 2008 and 2018, EPI documents, funding for state environmental agencies was “cut [in Texas and Louisiana] by 35.2% and 34.8% respectively.… Funding was down by 33.7% in North Carolina, 32.8% in Delaware, 20.8% in Georgia, 20.3% in Tennessee, and 10% in Alabama.”

To keep income taxes low on the very wealthy, the SEDM calls for shifting as much of the taxpaying responsibility away from high-income individuals and dumping it instead on the working poor and middle class. This is done by either ending or gutting the income tax (Texas, Florida, and Tennessee have no income tax) and shifting to sales tax, property taxes, fees, and fines.

Nationally, for example, sales taxes provide 34.4% of state and local revenue, but in the SEDM states that burden is radically shifted to consumers: Tennessee, for example, gets 56.6% of their revenue from sales tax, Louisiana 53.3%, Florida 50.9%, Arkansas 49.6%, Alabama 48%, and Mississippi 45.5%. Fees for registering cars, obtaining drivers’ and professional licenses, tolls, traffic and other fines, and permits for home improvements all add to the load carried by average working people.

Republicans argue that keeping taxes low on “job creators” encourages them to “create more jobs,” but that old canard hasn’t really been taken seriously by anybody since Reagan first rolled it out in 1981. It does work to fill their money bins, though, and helps cover the cost of their (tax deductible) private jets, clubs, and yachts.

Another way the SEDM maintains a low-wage workforce is by preventing young people from getting the kind of good education that would enable them to move up and out of their economic and social class. Voucher systems to gut public education, villainization of unionized teachers and librarians, and increasing college tuition all work together to maintain high levels of functional illiteracy. Fifty-four percent of Americans have a literacy rate that doesn’t exceed sixth grade, with the nation’s worst illiteracy mostly in the Old South.

Imposing this limitation against economic mobility on women is also vital to the SEDM. Southern states are famous for their lack of female representation in state legislatures (West Virginia 13%, Tennessee 14%, Mississippi and South Carolina 15%, Alabama and Louisiana 18%), and the states that have most aggressively limited access to abortion and reproductive healthcare (designed to keep women out of the workplace and dependent on men) are entirely Republican-controlled.

Perhaps the most important part of the SEDM pushed by Republicans and Project 2025 is gutting the social safety net. Wealthy rightwingers have complained since FDR’s New Deal of the 1930s that transferring wealth from them to poor and middle-class people is socialism, the first step toward a complete communist tyranny in the United States. It’s an article of faith for today’s GOP.

Weekly unemployment benefits, for example, are lowest in “Mississippi ($235), Alabama ($275), Florida ($275), Louisiana ($275), Tennessee ($275), South Carolina ($326), and North Carolina ($350)” with Southern states setting the maximum number of weeks you can draw benefits at 12 in Florida, North Carolina, and Kentucky, 14 in Alabama and Georgia, and a mere 16 weeks in Oklahoma and Arkansas.

While only 3.3% of children in the Northeast lack health insurance, for the Southern states that number more than doubles to 7.7%. Ten states using the SEDM still refuse to expand Medicaid to cover all state residents living and working in poverty, including Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, and Texas.

The main benefit to employers of this weak social safety net is that workers are increasingly desperate for wages — any sort of wages — and even the paltriest of benefits to keep their heads above water economically. As a result, they’re far more likely to tolerate exploitative workplace conditions, underpaid work, and wage theft.

Finally, the SEDM makes aggressive use of the 13th Amendment’s legalization of slavery. That’s not a metaphor: the Amendment says, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” [emphasis added]

That “except as punishment for crime” is the key. While Iceland’s and Japan’s incarceration rates are 36 for every 100,000 people, Finland and Norway come in at 51, Ireland and Canada at 88, there are 664 people in prison in America for every 100,000 people. No other developed country even comes close, because no other developed country also allows legalized slavery under color of law.

Fully 800,000 (out of a total 1.2 million prisoners) Americans are currently held in conditions of slave labor in American jails and prisons, most working for private prison corporations that profitably insource work and unfairly compete against normal American companies. Particularly in the South, this workforce is largely Black and Hispanic.

As the ACLU documented for the EPI, “The vast majority of work done by prisoners in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas is unpaid.” Literal slave labor, in other words. It’s a international scandal, but it’s also an important part of this development model that was, after all, first grounded in chattel slavery.

The Christian white supremacist roots of the SEDM worldview are best summed up by the lobbyist and head of the Southern Committee to Uphold the Constitution, Vance Muse — the inventor of the modern “right to work for less” model and advocate for the Southern Economic Development Model — who famously proclaimed in 1944, just days after Arkansas and Florida became the first states to adopt his anti-union legislation, that it was all about keeping Blacks and Jews in their places to protect the power and privileges of wealthy white people.

So, if you want to see what Republicans have in mind for the rest of America if Trump or another Republican becomes president and they can hold onto Congress, just visit the Old South. Or, as today’s MAGA GOP would call it, “the New Model.”

[fishfingersalad]

oughhh i am feeling so normal about Ct <- lying

She got done so dirty in the show... her entire character arc was her setting up Tex and Wash's arcs and dying... and even in the fan space people tend to take her and South and make them background lesbians rather than giving them attention (I have a whole rant about the background lesbians trope in fanspaces, it sucks.)

Anyway I think we need to make Ct weirder. She should get to be unsettling. I've already talked about her and Florida being friends, I think they should be weird together. Florida teaches her how to get blood out of clothes and pin bugs and in return she teaches him how the internet works and how to hack into peoples accounts. She should hang out in the vents. She knows all the gossip and has blackmail on just about everyone on the moi. Too many people make Ct Wash's responsible best friend/sister figure and I'm like no! Shes just very very good at pretending she's not a part of whatever silly schemes they get into!

I think her and York and Wash are pranksters and troublemakers. York is the only one who gets in trouble though because the second an alarm trips or a door handle starts turning Ct and Wash just split. Both of them are good at climbing and hiding so they can 'disappear' within seconds. York has awful perception skills and will not notice they're gone until hes alone in a room he shouldn't have access to with Carolina.

Ct much like Florida is also an intel specialist to me. I think she can pick locks better than York. I think all of alpha team has skillsets that aren't utilised bc pfl sucks and makes them focus on one skillset each.

And don't even get me started on her boyfriend guy. Her and Allison are so fucking detective movie dead wife movie montage its ridiculous ToT

[onenicebugperday]

phone tumblr isnt letting me submit posts again so here’s some silly guys found in northern Florida for ID! (ik the pictures are kind of bad, unfortunately the bugs ran away fast so it was hard to get clear pics 🥲). The plant theyre on is nonnative to Florida, it’s actually an ornamental plum pine from south japan, so i was wondering what these bugs are and why they love it so much. thanks!

It's a red-shouldered bug, Jadera haematoloma. They feed primarily on seeds in the soapberry family, Sapindaceae, but will feed on other stuff when it's what's available.

[libraryofmoths]

Moth of the Week

Southern Flannel Moth

Megalopyge opercularis

The southern flannel moth is a part of the family Megalopygidae, the family of flannel moths or crinkled flannel moths. It was described by Sir James Edward Smith in 1797. They get the name “flannel moth” from being covered in setae, hair like bristles that give them a fuzzy, soft look.

Description Adult moths have round, hairy bodies ranging in coloration from cream at the bottom to yellow or light brown at the head. It’s legs are the same brown as the body with black feet. The forewings fade from a darker brown to cream with black/dark brown at the top edge or “costal margin.” The outer margin is white and the middle of the forewings have white patterning. The hindwings are fully cream or have a similar gradient. The antennae of females are thin and white, while males have feathery yellow antennae. Males and females may have differing coloration. Females are larger than males.

The caterpillars are known for their long stinging hairs and their unusual amount of prolegs. Flannel moth caterpillars have 7 pairs of prolegs, while all other butterfly and moth caterpillars have 5 or fewer.

Average wingspan: 30 mm (≈1.18 in)

Diet and Habitat This species live on oak, elm, and wild plum as well as many garden plants such as roses and ivy. Adult moths do not feed.

It’s distributed across the eastern United States/Gulf Coast. They range from New Jersey to Florida and west to Arkansas and Texas. It is common in Florida but reaches its greatest abundance in Texas. They can reach further south to Mexico and Central America. They are commonly found in wooded areas like deciduous forests but can also be found in urban and suburban gardens.

Mating This moths has 2 generations per year, one in the summer and one in the fall. Late larvae may overwinter in their cocoon and emerge in late spring. Females usually mate the night of they leave their cocoons and lay their eggs during the first two nights following mating. Eggs are laid in single or double curved rows and occasionally in patches on foliage or small twigs and are covered with hair from the under side of the female to protect them. Eggs hatch in six to eight days.

Predators Observations of this moth’s predators is lacking, but there are a few reports of lacewing feeding on their eggs and a lizard eating a later instar. It is assumed they are preyed on by other common predators of moths like birds, bats, praying mantises, lady beetles, and ants. At least four species of tachinid flies and two species of ichneumonid wasp have been reported to parasitize the flannel moth larva. The caterpillar protects itself with long venomous spines. When touched they cause severe skin irritation, described as like a broken bone or blunt-force trauma, or even white hot. The reaction tends to spread:

“The reactions are sometimes localized to the affected area, but are often very severe, radiating up a limb and causing burning, swelling, nausea, headache, abdominal distress, rashes, blisters, and sometimes chest pain, numbness, or difficulty breathing. Sweating from the welts or hives at the site of the sting is not unusual.”

Fun Fact The caterpillars are covered in long setae, making it resemble a tiny Persian cat, which is where it is assumed the name "puss" comes from. Some of the many names for the larva include: puss caterpillar, asp, Italian asp, fire caterpillar, woolly slug, opossum bug, puss moth, tree asp, and asp caterpillar.

(Source: Wikipedia; IFAS Extension, University of Florida; Missouri Department of Conservation; AZ Animals)

[idontgiveaflyinggrayson69]

Author: Nat / @idontgiveaflyinggrayson69​

Tagging: @ryanpulock​ @suitandtys​

Relationship: Andrei x Kat

Word Count: 2.6k

Comments: I wrote this specifically for Katie and Tiff and the anon messages I got about how Kat told Andrei he’s gonna be a dad, so here it is 😌 Drei is officially in his DILF era in the When it Gets Crisp in the Fall universe! I had way too much fun writing and writing them again and hmmm maybe keep your eyes peeled for more Kat and Drei in the future 👀

(c) nat g. 2023 // do not repost, do not claim as your own

Andrei instinctively reached out to Kat when he woke up, the Florida sun peaking between the hotel curtains. But instead of his girlfriend’s soft skin, he found cold sheets and he frowned as he opened his eyes. The bed was empty which forced him to lift his head and look around, his eyes were still blurry with sleep and his hair was messy from the long night before.

“Kisa?” He asked as he rolled onto his back.

“Right here,” Kat smiled. The hotel robe was wrapped loosely around her and her hair fell messily around her shoulders while she curled up on the couch with a cup of coffee in her hand. Despite how long the night before had been, between the game in Buffalo and flying out to South Florida and everything that happened after… Kat had still woken up early that morning needing to throw up the contents of her stomach, another reminder of the baby she was growing, the baby Andrei still didn’t know she was pregnant with.

It had been a week since she found out. At the time, she was supposed to go out to dinner with Andrei, Elena, Geno, and Geno’s girlfriend, but after a long day of nausea, she just couldn’t muster it, the thought of dinner making her stomach twist enough she went running to the bathroom, again.

Being pregnant honestly wasn’t even on her mind despite them actively trying since November. Between work and the team playing so well and Andrei going back to the All-Star Game and Elena being in town, Kat really didn’t have the time to think about herself. Plus, a bug always seemed to go around the team at least once a season so she had brushed everything off as a stomach bug she just couldn’t shake for the last month.

It was only when she went rummaging through the bathroom cabinet looking for more antinausea medication that she stumbled onto the several packs of pregnancy tests she had bought when they were on sale back in November and she froze, the gravol abandoned as she took a sharp breath in and picked a box up.

Nausea, vomiting, swollen, sensitive breasts, fatigue, mood swings, no… no period.

“Oh my God,” she whispered to herself and gripped the edge of the bathroom sink to steady herself. Could she? Could she really?

Her hands shook as she opened the box and took both tests out before hurrying to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of water. She knew it was supposed to be taken in the morning, but she had to know now, and if it was negative, well, then she would try again in the morning.

It took way too long for her to have to pee and she paced up and down the hall until she had to, and then it was the longest three minutes of her life as she waited for the results, her hands still shaking.

But sure enough, they were both positive. She was pregnant. She was pregnant with Andrei’s baby.

They were having a baby.

Part of her wanted to tell him as soon as he got home. She wanted to throw herself into his arms and tell him they were having a baby, that he was going to be a dad, but she didn’t. They were a week away from their second anniversary and they were going back to the All-Star Game where they had first gotten together. It would be perfect to tell him then, so Kat had to restrain herself.

So, instead of telling him as soon as he got home, she fought her smile and told him she was feeling much better, and when Andrei was at practice the next day, she swung by the team store to pick up the smallest jersey she could find and had them customize it to ‘DADDY 37’.

Kat smiled to herself as she held the jersey before she hugged it to her chest. They were having a baby.

The hotel bed sheets pooled around Andrei’s waist as he slowly sat up and he frowned as he ran his hand through his hair to push it out of his eyes. “What’re you doing up?” He asked, sleep making his words slur together.

Kat shrugged and gave him a soft smile before she moved to sit on the edge of the bed, the neck of her robe falling down a little more, exposing her shoulder. “Couldn’t sleep, don’t worry about it.”

“Gonna worry, Kisa,” he frowned and ran his hand up and down her thigh, looking at her like she hung the stars in the sky. “It’s our anniversary, I wanted to wake up with my sexy girlfriend in my arms and make sweet love to her until I absolutely have to be on the beach,” he hummed and pulled her onto his lap so he could kiss her neck.

Kat laughed as she blushed and sat her nearly empty cup of coffee on the bedside table before she looped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him properly. “Sorry,” she hummed. “I woke up and couldn’t fall back asleep so I slipped out so I wouldn’t wake you. You need rest, Drei, you had a long week and have a long weekend ahead of you.”

“Need you more, Kisa,” he whispered and kissed her again. Kat smiled into the kiss and softly cupped the back of his neck as she pressed herself closer to him, but when Andrei began to trail his hands down to her ass, she pulled back from the kiss and tapped his chest, pulling a frustrated groan from him.

“Soon, big boy,” she smiled, and her smile widened at the way Andrei scrunched his nose up at the nickname. She hadn’t let him live it down since he uttered those words in that post-game interview. “I have something for you first,” she continued and bit her lip as she pulled back from him and walked over to her suitcase, laying it down before she unzipped it and pulled out a neatly wrapped box.  

“Oh?” Andrei hummed and sat up a little straighter as he ran his eyes down her body and licked his lips. It had to be lingerie, he thought to himself, already imagining what the latest addition to her collection could be. Black lace? Sheer? 37 embroidered above her pussy? Crotchless panties? He hummed as he thought about it. He could be a little late to media day, couldn’t he?

“It’s not what you think it is, Drei, but you’ll still love it, I hope anyway,” she laughed nervously as she walked over and sat the box on his lap before tucking her leg under her as she sat on the edge of the bed.

“Not what I think?” He scoffed, so sure it was lingerie. But maybe not a set, he thought, a babydoll? A teddy? A chemise? And if not lingerie… Oh a toy for them? Like one of those vibrators he could control from his phone? He bit his lip as he thought about it. He could mess with her from the ice during the skills comp, know he was making her feel good while he put on a show for the fans, fuck yeah that would be fun. His cock definitely liked that idea and he wasted no time untying the bow Kat took ages to tie and shredded the wrapping paper with a smirk.

But his as soon as he saw what was in the box, his grin dropped in shock as he saw “Daddy” and the top of what was surely his number on a little jersey with a test on top. He was gentle as he picked it up, his eyes widening when he read “pregnant 3+” on the little screen. “Are you serious, Katarina?” He asked breathlessly as he looked up at her with wide eyes.

She bit her lip to contain her smile as she nodded, “I’m pregnant, Andrei.”

His smile grew as he dropped the test back into the box before he pushed it aside and pulled her back onto his lap so he could hug her, burying his face into her neck as he clung to her. Kat laughed as she hugged him back just as tightly and ran her fingers through his hair as she cradled his head. “God, I love you so much,” he told her, his voice muffled by her shoulder. “We’re really having a baby?”

“We’re really having a baby,” she nodded and pulled back to look at him, her smile widening at how soft his eyes were as he looked back at her. He didn’t think it was possible for him to fall more in love with her, but he was falling deeper in love with her every minute.

His shook his head, wondering what he had done to be so lucky to have her before he kissed her, pulling her closer to him by the small of her back, but he couldn’t stop smiling so he had to pull back and his smile widened as he quickly rolled them over so she was below him, pulling a laugh from her. God, her laugh was his favourite sound. Or maybe second favourite, her moans were music to his ears.

Andrei peppered her cheeks with kisses making Kat laugh harder before he moved down her body and pulled her robe open before he pressed a soft kiss to her stomach. “Hi Baby Svech,” he said and kissed her stomach again before he gently laid his hand over her belly. Their baby was in there, he put their baby in there.

Kat’s smile softened as she looked at him and she covered his hand with her own. “Our baby, our little Baby Svech,” she whispered and started to tear up, so indescribably happy.

“Our little Baby Svech,” Andrei echoed and kissed her belly again before he moved back up her body and kissed her again, both still smiling too hard for it to last longer than a second and he rubbed his nose against hers as his smile widened. “And now I get why your tits have gotten so big.”

Kat laughed so hard she snorted and she shoved his shoulder hard. “Seriously? I tell you I’m pregnant and your first comment is my tits?”

He laughed deep in his chest as he shrugged. “Can’t help it, I love your tits,” he replied shamelessly before he leaned onto his side so he could push her robe open a little more and squeeze her breast softly.

“You only like them now because they’ve gotten big and they’re just gonna keep getting bigger,” she replied and knocked his hand away before pulling her robe back over her chest.

He groaned as he toyed with the edge of her robe before he looked back up at her. “I’ve always loved your tits,” he told her. “I just enjoy how full they are. I mean, they’ve been spilling out of your bra lately. And fuck, how I love when you moan when I play with them,” he groaned at the thought and slipped his hand back under the edge of the robe and tweaked her nipple between his fingers.

He was rewarded with a soft moan as she arched into his touch, and his eyes darkened as he looked at her. “Shut up,” she rolled her eyes, but didn’t push his hand away. “But I did order some new bras the other day.”

The corner of Andrei’s lip twitched up before he bit his lip, “Oh, did you now? Did they come in? Did you pack them?”

Kat shook her head, “no, none of them came in… But don’t worry, I packed a lot of tiny sets and bikinis for you, Drei.”

He groaned before he kissed her and quickly deepened it as he ran his hand down her body to her thigh and pulled her closer before he returned his hand to her stomach. When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers and his voice softened, “I can’t believe we’re really having a baby.”

“Neither can I,” Kat whispered as she returned his smile. “We’re gonna be parents, Drei.”

His nose scrunched up as his smile widened, “you’re gonna be a mama and I’m gonna be a papa. God, I can’t wait.

“I know, neither can I,” she hummed and wrapped her arm around his shoulder to pull him closer, hooking her thigh over his hip as she hugged him tightly. Andrei held her just as tightly, his hand spanning her lower back. “How am I supposed to do anything today when now I know you’re carrying my baby?” He asked with a soft laugh, this was the happiest day of his life and he didn’t ever want to let go of her, let alone be paraded around the beach for media.

“I could have told you earlier, but I wanted to wait to tell you for our anniversary,” she laughed and kissed his jaw.

His eyes darkened as she continued to mouth at his jaw and he slid his hand down to squeeze her ass, “God, you make me want to ravish you, woman.”

His words had heat pooling between her thighs and Kat bit her lip before she gently pushed him back so she was straddling him, her robe slipping down to her elbows as she rocked her hips into his, making Andrei groan loudly as he reached out to cup her breast. “Think we have time for—” she started before her eyes widened and she clamped her hand over her mouth before she pulled back from him and rushed to the bathroom to throw up.

Andrei groaned under his breath and closed his eyes before he pushed the covers back and followed her into the bathroom where he knelt beside her and gently pulled her hair back for her. “Oh, Kisa,” he said softly and rubbed her back with his free hand.

Kat threw up again before she flushed the toilet and rested against the toilet, “I cannot wait for this morning sickness thing to pass.”

Andrei winced and stood up to get her a glass of water before he knelt back down and handed her the cup. “But at least it’s not a stomach bug?” He tried before furrowing his brows. “Well, I guess it kinda is a stomach bug… But you know what I’m saying.”

Kat gave him a tight lipped look. “Yeah, a stomach bug I caught from you,” she told him before standing up to rinse her mouth.

Andrei followed her up and wrapped his arms around her waist, his hand covering her stomach as rested his chin on her shoulder. “A bug you asked me to give you,” he corrected her and kissed her cheek.

Kat smiled at him through the mirror before reaching for her toothbrush. “Yes, a bug I asked you to give me,” she agreed as she leaned back into him and covered his hand with hers. “Baby Svech.”

She watched as Andrei’s smile widened and he kissed her cheek again. “The first of many,” he hummed, pulling a laugh from Kat.

“Yes, the first of many, many Baby Svechs.”