#table fans under 1000

[lilacgaby]

title: gala gone wrong?

pairing: prohero!bakugo x prohero!reader

katsuki was suddenly forced to confront his feelings for you, when you were put in the date auction for charity.

the heroes gala was something katsuki wouldn't look forward to normally. but this year he had a plan. he was going to ask you to be his date.

...originally. he chickened out last minute and owed kirishima 1000 dollars.

he was surprised to see you come alone though, opting to sit next to him which made him fist pump internally. you were a very successful hero who also doubled as a model. for what reason you ask?

none really, you just did it cause days off of hero work were boring. walking runways, topping charts, and beating villains with style was just another day for you.

you looked especially gorgeous this evening though, working with another up and coming designer to design a dress that perfectly complimented everything from your skin color, to you hair, to even references of your quirk.

katsuki suddenly felt underdressed in his suit, but to be fair every hero who was a man was dressed in a suit. except for monoma.

the auction portion of the gala started before the awards were to be given out.

the awards were pretty pointless in katsuki's mind. the only ones that mattered to him were the final rankings of popularity, efficiency, and the overall category.

"you nervous?" you whispered, talking over the first few lower ranked hero's to be auctioned for a date.

"nah, i know i won at least in popularity." he said, trying to keep eye contact with you without stuttering.

"hmm. what if i won? huh?"

"shut up."

she put a hand over her mouth, when suddenly-

"and the last date to be auctioned, a night with the top ranked woman hero [name]!"

"huh? oh that's me!" you said, collecting your dress as you walked to the stage, leaving katsuki blinking in confusion to himself.

you were in this? i mean it shouldn't have been a surprise, you had a rabidly loyal fan base, even since U-A. but what was he supposed to do? bid?

"the bid starts at.. 15,000 dollars." you rolled your eyes and gestured for people to go higher, and they did.

"17,000!"

"20,000!"

"30,000"

numbers were being shouted from all around the room, with the highest bids barely even being able to be tracked. the bids ranged from new heroes who definetly could not afford you, to old men who you really wish couldn't afford you.

you covered your mouth as you let a laugh escape you, this was hilarious to you, you'd have to do this more often.

after a bunch of back and forth, one booming voice cut all the others off.

"500,000 dollars. cash." to your surprise it wasn't an old creep. grand, also known as shindo yo, had suddenly bid. just as they were about to call off the auction and announce shindo the winner,

katsuki's internal dialogue won and 'forced' him to bid too. "750,000 dollars." he declared.

he doesn't think he'd have done it had it been any other idiot who wanted a chance with you, but that loser had to go.

"sold! to dynamite! we've broken a record here folks, 750,000 for the charity of --"

the words faded into the background as he looked up at you, smiling and walking over to him. he felt is heart speed up, his hands drown in sweat, his hair puff out.

"if you wanted to take me out you could've just asked katsuki." you joked, taking him by the hand as you pulled him back to the table towards the back you two were settled in on.

"whatever, now we have an excuse to."

"don't tell me you like me or something katsuki? how embarrassing."

"i told you shut it."

she laughed and settled down, poking him on the cheek. "its okay if you do, i like you quite a lot dynamite."

he flushed red at that, tiny explosions being let out from his hands inadvertently because of how caught off guard he was.

she held his hand under the table, before looking straight ahead to the ceremonies going on in front of them. he smiled and leaned back.

the awards were pretty boring when compared to the view of you, so until they had gotten to the cool stuff he just eyed you.. daydreaming about the life you'll have together someday.

he focused again when the top three heroes in popularity, efficiency, and overall were to be announced by all might.

at the end of the night, not only did he leave with a number one trophy with 'popular vote!' embedded in its side and an all-might signature at the bottom,

he also left with a lipstick mark from you right on his cheek, some flowers, and a small note that read 'see you tomorrow :)'.

[verstappensrealwife]

Cellophane - Charles Leclerc x Reader

angst, fluff.

approx. 1000 words

warnings : I wanted to do a pure angst but i just couldn’t, reader falls over, breakup (beginning) ¿happy? ending I guess. Use of Y/N, Y/L/N.

Can’t decide if I like this but I need to post 🥱

charles leclerc masterlist - here. f1 masterlist - here.

— September, 2023

The hate online isn’t nearly what made your heart into a thousand pieces, it was the lack of support from the one man you wanted support from.

“Why won’t you do this for me?” You asked Charles, a hushed tone of voice. “I- You can’t just ask them to stop?” You were almost begging for him to just… care.

“I can’t!” He shouted back- a harsh contrast to your own tone- “Fuck- You know this! They’re my fans!”

“And them telling me to die is what? Fan behaviour?”

He sat in agonizing silence, every word you spoke cutting deep because he knew you were right. But the thought of admitting it, of crumbling under the weight of his own mistakes, was unbearable. 

So, he clung desperately to his fragile pride, refusing to apologize, even as guilt gnawed at him.

“If you can’t handle it anymore, you…” His voice faltered, the words catching in his throat like shards of glass.

He couldn’t finish, and you could see the unspoken truth hanging between you, heavy and inevitable.

“I should what, Charles?” You demanded, your voice sharp and trembling. “Say it.”

His breath hitched as he forced the words out, each one laced with regret. “We… we shouldn’t be together.”

The confirmation of your darkest suspicions sent a wave of anguish crashing over you. Tears welled in your eyes, and you tipped your head back, desperately fighting them off before regaining just enough composure to meet his gaze.

“You’re a coward, Charles,” you spat, the accusation dripping with bitterness. Without waiting for a response, you spun on your heel, snatching your keys from the table by the door. The slam of the door echoed through the apartment, a final, resounding note to the shattered remains of what once was.

— April, 2024

“Come onnnn, it’ll be fun!” Lily exclaimed dramatically, waving the tickets in your face with a mischievous grin.

“Lily… he’ll be there,” you murmured, the hesitation clear in your voice.

Lily Muni He, your best friend and eternal partner in crime, rolled her eyes playfully. “And so will like ten other single drivers,” she shot back with a smirk, “Plus, a ton of rich, single men,” she added, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

You couldn’t help but laugh, giving her a gentle shove. “Fine, fine, I’ll come,” you groaned, snatching the paddock pass from her hand.

“For you, Lily— not the men!”

Saturday, 25th May 2024

Monte Carlo, Monaco.

The first few days had passed without a glimpse of him, and for that, you were grateful. Today felt promising, the crisp morning air in Monaco filling you with a rare sense of optimism. You decided to start your day with a leisurely walk through the city, a few good hours before qualifying, giving you plenty of time to grab breakfast and soak in the peaceful atmosphere.

But, of course, fate had other plans.

“Leo!” a familiar voice called out, breaking through your thoughts. You turned just in time to see Charles sprinting around the corner, chasing after his little dog, the leash flapping uselessly behind him as Leo seized the opportunity to dart away.

And then, before you could react, Charles collided with you, sending you sprawling onto the pavement with a startled yelp. The impact knocked the breath out of you, and before you could fully process what had happened, you felt a warm, wet tongue eagerly licking your ear and jaw. You couldn’t help but huff out a laugh as you sat up, only to find Leo wagging his tail furiously, clearly pleased with himself.

“I—I am so sorry,” Charles stammered, thrusting his hand out toward you. That’s when you looked up and met his eyes, and the surprise and awkwardness on his face softened a little. “Y/N?”

You hesitated for a moment, then chose to stand up on your own, brushing off the lingering embarrassment. “Charles,” you greeted, your voice tinged with awkwardness.

“S-sorry—he—he just ran off…” Charles fumbled, pointing to Leo, who was still beaming up at you, his tongue lolling out in delight. You noticed the slight stutter in Charles’ voice—something he never did in front of anyone. Then again, you weren’t just anyone.

“It’s fine,” you said, a playful smile tugging at your lips. “Not the first time you’ve embarrassed me.” You teased, watching as Charles forced a laugh and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “I’m joking,” you added quickly. “How’ve you been?”

“Good, good!” Charles responded a little too quickly. “I got a dog!” he announced proudly, then blushed as he realized how obvious that was. “But, uh, you can see that.” He laughed, a little sheepish.

“How about you? Boyfriend?” he asked suddenly, the question tumbling out before he could stop it. It was a little inappropriate, but the curiosity—no, the longing—was clear in his eyes.

You offered a shy smile, shaking your head. “No… I did, but we broke up.”

“Oh?” Charles tried to sound casual, though he already knew about your ex—he might have checked your Instagram a few times. “How come?”

You sighed softly, glancing away before quietly admitting, “He wasn’t you…”

A slow, hopeful smile spread across Charles’ face. It might have been a little insensitive to feel happy about your breakup, but he didn’t care. Maybe, just maybe, you still loved him.

“I can be better,” he blurted out, his voice tinged with desperation. “I—please…” He sighed, the words hanging in the air between you.

You looked at him, your heart caught between old memories and new possibilities. “Qualify P1, and I’ll take you up on your offer,” you said, a small smile playing on your lips.

Charles grinned, hope flickering in his eyes. Maybe this time, things could be different.

[sykokilljoyy]

hi lovely!! I absolutely love your writing, I was wondering if you could please write somethin fluffy about dating ksi? maybe just having a cosy night in with him or something. hope you're well!

a/n: hi darling <3 thank u for the req! i thought this would be better done in a headcanon style? hope that's okay! <3

DATING KSI - headcanons!

you were both childhood best friends - you, jj and simon growing up around the same place, going to the same school. you didn't end up picking up youtube yourself, but there's rarely been a video that you weren't behind the camera, helping somehow.

simon was tired after years of you both secretly (not so secretly) pining for each other, refusing to admit you were both in love.

he waited until after high school, set up a nice posh meal with the 3 of you, then cancelled last minute - basically forcing you on your first date

jj gave simon the biggest hug when you both returned hours later, hand in hand

as much as he would be absolutely obsessed with you, he would be insanely protective

all the fans knew about you, he posted you often, and would actively block or denounce any single bit of hate towards you

jokes about you in basically every reddit video

his hands would never ever leave you, especially somewhere like a youtube party or boxing celebrations

speaking of boxing–

you were SO proud of him and his boxing, literally more than anyone and anything, but holy shit it scared you–

early boxing days, he would come home with bruises and cuts on his face, sheepishly creeping his arms around you from behind whilst you were doing something, nuzzling his head in your neck in hopes you wouldn't notice

you did

"jj!"

"i'm sorry! it's not as bad as it looks"

"shut up and let me clean you up"

says he's sorry, but secretly loves when you're propped on his lap, face knotted in concentration as you tend to the cuts on his face

he loves knowing you care for him, knowing you're there

and he supports your passions 1000%

sometimes he seems more excited about your goals than you are – he just loves how expressive you get when you talk about it all

you both make sure to save one night every week free for each other, to either go out on a date or stay in and spend time with just the two of you

jj's favourite is quiet nights in, which surprised you at first

for a man who spends his entire life in flashy clothes, concerts, fights, audiences of millions, you'd expect him to adore taking you out to expensive restaurants or snazzy nightclubs

but no

he always said he spent half his life in front of an audience, his favourite moments are when its only you there to witness him

his person

most weeks find the two of you curled up, passed out, snoring on the sofa with a tv show playing like white noise in the background, empty takeout boxes on the coffee table, you on his chest and his arms wrapped around you tightly

waking up with back pain and noticing you slept through like 3 entire seasons of the show you wanted to watch

"do you remember what episode we were up to?"

"um the one where the main character was talking to that other character..."

"ok so every episode, thank you jj"

"you're welcome, baby"

coming home from a shoot without him one night, you were tired and your social battery was nonexistent

dropping your stuff at the door, heading towards your shared bedroom

he's at his pc, editing or playing overwatch or something

notices you and how tired you are

"come here, baby"

shifts his chair to give you room and gestures towards you, you walk up and sit on his lap, wrapping your arms around him softly and pressing your face into his neck

he always smelt really nice

kissing you gently on the forehead, he carried on with what he was doing, occasionally stopping to rub your back or play with your hair

you were so tired

"i love you, y/n" you hear before you fall asleep there

"i love you, jj"

waking up the next day, tucked into bed with his strong arms around your waist, chest pressed against your back, legs intertwined under the covers

"good morning, baby"

"morning, jj"

he was just so happy to have you, all the time

a/n: oh em gee headcanons are so fun what to anon, if you wanted a full imagine version, lmk!! i just liked the idea of trying a headcanon style for the first time with this request! thank you darling <3

harry smut out this week!

[hbnjhgv]

Aot characters favorite Alchoholic drink

(I am under 21 and don't drink so I'm sorry if I get any of the tastes or drinks wrong) (all characters are after the time skip so they are all 18+)

Eren Jeager: Jeager Bomb. Fitting and he likes the act of dropping the shot of Jagermeister into an energy drink. He also tells people sitting around him that the Jeager Bomb was named after his family, in hopes of getting a free drink.

Mikasa Ackerman: Traditonial Mead. Likes the balance between the sweet honey but also the slightly acidic taste of fermented yeast. She mainly drinks it for the sweet edge of honey.

Armin Arlert: Malibu Sunset. Doesn't really like the taste of alcohol but seems like the kinda guy who really likes the taste of pineapple. Can only have like 1 or 2 drinks before he switches to some kind of juice (normally apple juice).

Jean Kirstein: Manhattan. He enjoys the slight bitterness and I don't see him as a big sweet tooth. Also eats any garnish that comes the drink.

Marco Bodt: May Day Cocktail. He likes the 'explosian of flavors' he also like the sweet but tart taste to it.

Connie Springer: Beergarita when he's not drinking with Sasha. He likes the mix of sweet, sour, and bitterness.

Connie and Sasha when they're together: They both get Scorpion Bowls. They both LOVE the super strong taste. Thinks it feels like getting a slap in the face. Also slaps eachother in the face after the first sip.

Sasha Braus: Blue Hawaiian. She enjoys the sweet tropical flavor. Defiantly acts like a "cool surfer dude" after she drinks one.

Annie Leonhardt: Sea Breeze. Likes the grapefruit taste. Also not the biggest vodka fan so enjoys how she cant really taste the vodka and likes the fruityness of it.

Reiner Braun: Vodka Cranberry. Thinks its the most perfect drink ever and doesn't think its too sweet or too tart. But if he's not feeling like he wants to wait long or had a bad day just White Rum.

Bertholt Hoover: Bellini. Thinks its super refreshing and enjoys the fruity taste of it. He also 1000% is a brunch guy.

Ymir: Irish Coffee. Probably the type of person to be drinking coffee all day every day. When she finishes the drink though she just gets what ever Historia is getting.

Historia: Wine. She is a total wine drinker. Her favorite is Riesling but it kind of varies. She also very much prefers white wine over red wine.

Hange Zoe: The Batanga. Thinks its fun to say the name and really likes the sweet and tart flavors that come with it. Theyre also the type of person to order a drink thats on fire.

Moblit Berner: Will drink literally anything. He drinks sp much be he always loves Irish Mule. Is also an avid Ginger Beer drinker. (me too) Type I'd person to just eat straight ginger. (me too)

Levi Ackerman: Just a Vodka on the rocks. Nothing too complicated.

Miche Zacharius: His go-to is always any type of whiskey, but if there isn't any whiskey he'll just drink vodka. Drinks beer casually. He will also drink wine when he's at some sort of fancy event. When he drinks wine he does the whole swirl the wine while the glass is on the table to "awaken the aromas", sniff it up close AND from a distance tilt the glass to check the wine, then drink it. But that's only at fancy events to "edicet" when he's no where fancy it's whiskey. He can also tell what type of whiskey it is just by the taste.

Nanaba: Any wine or vodka. It really depends on the day and how she's feeling but normally goes with wine.

Gelger: Litterally anything. Typically likes a super strong vodka but if it's not he'll still drink it. Grabs the first thing he finds and drinks it.

Erwin Smith: Kinda has what ever Miche has cause they go bar hopping together but he'll have Abstinthe as his go-to.

[wolfram-but-art]

new NEW intro post WOAUW

ABOUT ME: Hi! I'm Wolfram :3 I use he/him, and ve/vim pronouns i'm a silly little guy

ABOUT BLOG: I post my art on this blog!! shocker i know!! i don't go for consistency, quntity or quality; it's simply blog where i post art that i like making and i'm proud of, i'm not here to please anyone but myself. this blog is 16+, i don't draw anything explicit, but you may encounter gore or a shirtless engie from time to time. though i usually tag things like that (see tag section under cut for specific tags).

DNIs: Terfs, HP fans/apologists, MAPs, Zoophiles, gender/sexuality criticals (that includes bi/trans/aroace/pan/neo pronouns and gender ect. phobes, do the bare minimum and don't be an asshole), racists, natzis, zonists for all those people 1000 lead hammers to the head.

AND PLEASE MAKES YOURSELF LOOK LIKE AN ACTUAL PERSON, CUSTOMISE YOUR BLOG DAMNIT!!

ART REQUEST/ASK RULES:

NSFW, any incest/non-con/pedo is categorially off the table.

but that's pretty much it for the limits. you're welcome to request any ship/headcanon/scenario and ocs you want as long as you keep it respectful THIS SECTION MAY BE UPDATED IN THE FUTURE

as per general asks, you can come chat about anything, i'll try my best to not take too long to answer your ask (which may happen, sometimes i take 3 months to answer an ask but thats just my bad)

TAG LIST AND OTHER: I usually try to tag triggering/more nsfw stuff on my blog, but feel free to ask me to tag stuff, or remind me if i forget

#sugestive - tag for stuff like sirtless engie #gore / #blood / #injury - self explanatory #flashing / #gif / #flashing video / #flashing cw ect. - photosensitivity warnings

#wolfart asks - tag for all my asks #wolfart speaks - tag for all the random stuff i say #doodle dump - tag for.. well.. doodles #fanart - tag for fanart people have drawn for me :3 (ty) #tf2 oc / #human!archimedes - self eplanatory + my oc tag

you are permitted to use my art for profile pictures/banners/ blog customisation, as art studies or as inspo for your own art. you are not permitted use my art in ai training, don't repost it or try to pass it off as your own or try to monetise my art. if you do any funny shit without my permission i own your liver and i will come to collect it.

deviders credit!

dancing computer deviderWindows elements UI

[qqtxt]

[🌸] infatuation w/ txt.soobin [1/5]

✿ pairing: soobin x reader / idol!txt / employee!you / fluff ✿ mini-fics with each member for the same situation / less than 1000 words for each member [word count: 1,026 words i tried lmao] ✿ in which they have the biggest crush on you and they try to take the first step in letting you know... [masterlist 🌸] / other members will follow suit!

a/n: this... this was supposed to be less than 500 words per member but here we go, my hands SLIPPED again...

you have a motto that you live by and that is: if it can kill me, i’ll kill it first. well, that used to work if you’re going to... y’know, hunt a bear or fishing or something related to survival. no one quite prepared you for how it would be working under a big corporation; much less hybe corporation.

were you a slave to the corporate world? not really... but you weren’t the type to succumb to just anything... but this job was important to you and you know it. it pays well, it teaches you new skills, it allows you to transfer to different departments to get a change in perspective, so in all, it’s a pretty good job. sometimes, the job gets to you a bit too much that you focus on it to the point your tunnel vision zones in, and you can’t quite notice...

[🐰] soobin soobin clears his throat and tries to get your attention once more, this time noticing how you flinch out of your reverie to look up after he calls your name a third time, “y/n?”

“oh,” your eyes soften at the sight of him by your desk, “soobin! hey,”

you watch as he fidgets with something behind his back and he licks his lips before he manages to say: “i... i uh, wanted to give you this.”

he reveals he’s holding a small envelope in his hands and reaches out for you to take from him. when you have the letter in your possession, you’re about to ask what it’s about but homeboy makes a bolt for it. you even try to stand and call for his name, but he’s long gone by then, darting down the hall and making a sharp right turn, probably towards the lift to head back to his dance practice room.

with a sigh, you sit back down and start to read the letter, all while soobin’s shifting back closer to the corridor he disappeared from to peek at your expression. he doesn’t know if it’s a smart idea to do this or not but... he can’t take it. his heart is about to explode, and he’ll take any sign as a way to ease his anxiety. be it crush his hopes before it transpires for the worst or... or... was–wait a minute–is that a smile?

y/n,

this is going to be a bit weird but this is the only way i could see myself doing this. i like you. a lot. since the day we talked near the dance practice room, since the day you got me a bottle of orange juice to boost my vitamin-c, since the day i fell sick and you made a care package for me. i like the way you’re passionate with your work and how you don’t settle for anything less when it’s not up to standard. i like it when i can make you laugh even when i don’t think i’m being funny. i like how i can be real with you, and it feels like you know me more than i know myself. take the time you need, i know this is quite sudden but i just had to do something about it. 

hope to hear from you soon, soobin. :)

soobin has to rub his eyes a couple of times when he sees the way you’re grinning at the letter and then you’re using the letter to cover your face. he inches up a little to get a better look, and sighs when you’re a giggling mess, using his letter to fan yourself as your cheeks feel hot.

he watches as you place the letter down on your table, and you cup your face in your hands to stop yourself from smiling. soobin didn’t realise that he’s smiling from seeing how wide you’re smiling.

then, you officially send him straight to heaven when his phone vibrates in his pocket and he leans against the wall, still crouched on the ground to fish out his phone. his fingers immediately tap onto your message, heart stopping when–

[y/n 🐰] thank you for your letter, soobin :) i actually have a letter for you too but if you’re free after practice, let’s get ice cream from the convenience store around the block?✨ [5:32 pm]

soobin gladly lays down on the floor with his phone pressed to his chest. bacteria, germs and dust be damned because choi soobin is walking on cloud nine.

((just as soobin makes his way back to the dance practice room, he steps in and closes the door. when he turns around, the tension in the room is heavy when all members fall quiet and they stare at him in anticipation.

normally, soobin doesn’t share this kind of information. he’d want it to be private for just you and him but... he knows the members have been worried for the longest time since he said he’ll try to initiate the first step. you sure, soobin-ah? are we gonna start writing break up love songs again? you better not skip any meals because you’re heartbroken. yah, he can only do that after he actually gets together with–okay, i’ll shut up.

but you get the gist. soobin’s a hopeless romantic, and he knows the boys know that. 

he looks up to see his members are staring at him, but they don’t press unless he’s actually willing to share. all four of them are sprawled out on the floor, but all eyes are on soobin as he makes his way towards them. as he stares at the top of the chat with your name on it, along with a bunny emoji (because you said it was cute he’s a bunny, and he said you would be cute as a bunny, thus, the matching emoji names for each other), and he turns the phone around so the boys can scramble about to read your message.

soon, loud cheers start erupting and they grab soobin to start hitting him as he defenselessly, teasing him on when the wedding invites would start to roll out as soobin lays on the floor with a shy smile on his face.))

[sunlightandsuffering]

https://www.tumblr.com/sunlightandsuffering/743958271343427584/i-actually-tried-to-read-the-comments-but-past

I don’t deserve you 😭❤️ I actually just commented on your newest drabble on the dark blog!! My guilty pleasure would be under the table shenanigans during the dinner double date in MM but I know you haven’t written that yet so don’t worry!! I’m just curious about your ideas 👀

BABY ILY U DESERVE EVERYTHING! I HAVE TRIED LIKE 1000 TIMES TO WRITE THIS FOR U I HAVE LIKE 6 ITERATIONS SO ILL GIVE U MY BEST ONE SO FAR 😭😭 I’m having trouble with the tension or something it just keeps turning into a meme instead so I think after this scene where like they fight that Eren is gonna pull out the big guns under the table! HES GONNA STEAL COLTS CHAIR NONCHALANTLY !! AND THEN THE HAND ON THE THIGH ACTION WILL START! And after that it’ll be all magic 😈😈 and Mikasa will be forced to react but we’ll see my writing usually gets away from me 😂😂

“I hear seafood can be a real aphrodisiac,” Hitch says breathlessly as Eren hands her another oyster, her face flushed and Eren smiles wickedly at the change in conversation.

“I guess later on we’ll find out.”

Mikasa restrains herself from reaching across the table to stab Eren with her fork. Their plates are thankfully cleared before Mikasa can follow through on the desire.

Because Eren’s hand is grasped in Hitch’s, and she’s smiling up at him with such adoration, Mikasa can barely take it. The entire restaurant suddenly seems too suffocating, and she stands abruptly before she can do something stupid like strangle the blonde girl.

“I’m going to wash up before dessert,” She excuses herself and without another word she’s gone, off towards the bathroom without a look back.

Even the women’s washroom seems too cramped, and she bypasses it entirely to head out the large fire exit a little past the kitchen where chefs are barking out orders. The cold air is a relief as she steps outside into the brisk winter air, she hadn’t realized just how hot she’d been inside.

Mikasa fans herself lightly, flushed from emotions other than just her raging jealousy, fuck her stupid sex magic, fuck all of it.

Her musings are interrupted by none other than the problem himself, the back door slamming shut behind him, and immediately she greets him with a murderous glare.

“Antagonizing me during dinner, really, Eren?”

Eren shrugs casually, unphased by the accusation, “It’s not antagonizing, I was trying to make you jealous.”

Mikasa scoffs, looking away from him to stare out into the dark alley, a few dumpsters and a stray cat their only audience.

Before she can respond she can feel Eren’s dark presence looming behind her, his breath at her pulse, “And it’s working.”

Mikasa refutes this vehemently, “It’s not–”

She is cut off by a kiss that goes straight to her head, so ruinous that all protests leave her mind at once, the harsh possessive grip of his hands at her hips, lips bruising her own.

He’s walking her back towards the wall of the alley, and she’s sealed between cold brick and the addictive warmth of Eren’s body, caging her in. He kisses her like he’s trying to convince her of something and fuck it whatever it is she’s convinced, her hands knotted in his hair, yanking him closer.

They go blow for blow, he squeezes her ass, hauling her up into his arms, she pulls his hair, pulling it from its tie. Let him explain that to Hitch, the hair she’s been covering all night, she was the one who got to touch it first, mess it up.

They kiss like they fight, with more passion than she’s ever felt in her life and probably more aggression than is appropriate.

He slams her back into the brick wall so harshly that for a moment the breath is knocked out of her but there is no reprieve, Eren stealing the air from her lungs as he follows her with kisses.

But she’s not to be outdone, bites his bottom lip so hard she draws blood, digs her nails into the firm muscles of his shoulders.

“Fuck Mikasa,” he grunts shoving the hem of her shirt up, rough hands hungrily exploring soft curves, mapping out every inch of smooth skin

[natalynsie]

Never Had Nichelle Ever (Nichulia Oneshot)

[request from anonymous]

“We should have a day out!” Julia exclaimed, bumping shoulders with Nichelle. “Famous girl with famous girl. One on one.”

Nichelle rolled her eyes. Her lunch table usually consisted of her fans. Her classmates often asked her for an autograph, or sat at the table silently watching Nichelle. There were only two students who sat at her table consecutively without being awkward or quiet. Axel, who had no judgment in general, and barely even acknowledged that she was an actress, and all she did was crack a few jokes or threaten to pummel someone to the ground. The other was Julia, who wouldn’t give up on trying to convince Nichelle to hang out with her. Nichelle knew that it was because it would be good for Julia’s image on social media.

Julia was… interesting, to say the least. The first day Nichelle showed up in Julia’s history class, Julia had to tell her she was famous herself. If she really was famous, Nichelle would think she wouldn’t need to announce it. It wasn’t long before MK filled her in- Julia wasn’t famous, she just had a few hundred thousand followers on Instagram or something from posting clout-chasing mindfulness videos. She acted nice to figures of authority, her followers, and Nichelle. However, Nichelle knew for a fact that Julia was very much an asshole. She spent most of her time at school making fun of people for having under 1000 followers, bad style, and overall not caring about what others thought. Even if she thought Nichelle didn’t notice, she did. She was brutal, and Nichelle kind of respected it.

“What about Saturday?” Julia continued, ignoring Nichelle’s silence. “We could go to that new boba place. Then go on a nature walk. Post some pics. What do you say?”

“I have auditions Saturday,” Nichelle made an excuse.

“Sunday?”

“I have a photoshoot.”

Neither of those statements were true. She had been taking a short break from acting to focus on her junior year of high school. She just really couldn’t outright reject Julia’s offers. Maybe one time she would have to accept, just to make fun of her or something.

Okay, so maybe she wouldn’t do that. It was bad for her image. And making Julia look like a fool wasn’t her top priority.

“You’re always so busy,” Julia complained. “It isn’t good for your mental health. You should take a break day. And get boba with me.”

“Take a hint, Julia,” Axel butted into the conversation. “She doesn’t want to hang out with you. She thinks you’re a bitch- sucking up won’t fool her. She talks shit about you just like the rest of us.”

Wow. Thanks Axel.

She wasn’t wrong- Nichelle poked as much fun at Julia as the next kid. What could she say? Julia was very easy to make fun of, being a bitch and calling others wannabes when she was the real wannabe.

Julia looked very offended. “Well, Axel, I’ll have you know that your hair smells worse than the expired tomato surprise they’re serving today. And if you have a nose, you know how bad that is.”

Axel sniffed her hair and shrugged.

“And Nichelle, if you have something to say, say it to my fucking face.”

“I could say the same to you,” Nichelle responded. She wasn’t dumb. If Julia had something to say about everyone else in the school, she sure as hell had something to say to her.

“I’ll have you know that I’m… mostly honest with you.”

“Uh huh. So you really want to hang out with me, not just boost your followers.”

“Well obviously I want to hang out with you!” Julia threw her hands up in the air. “You’re like… the coolest girl in this school besides me.”

Nichelle didn’t reply.

“Well. Fuck you both then.” Julia stood up and walked away from Nichelle’s table.

Axel rolled her eyes. “Asshole.”

You’re like… the coolest girl in this school besides me.

Nichelle replayed that phrase in her mind. She was in her bedroom doing history homework. But she was just a tad distracted.

You’re like… the coolest girl in this school besides me.

Julia didn’t compliment people like that. She complimented her teachers and acted like she cared about their home lives with ‘Aw, your baby is so cute’s and her followers with ‘You guys are the sweetest, my favorite people ever’s but never had Nichelle ever heard her compliment someone like that. When she was being her real self.

It was a genuine compliment.

Nichelle wasn’t used to that kind of compliment, never mind from Julia. She got ‘your work is so amazing, you’re truly so talented’s and ‘your hair is so pretty, what type of special stylists do famous actors get’s but never never had Nichelle ever gotten complimented like that. Not from people who didn’t compliment people, not from people who actually liked Nichelle for her flaws and all.

It was so unnatural. But it felt so natural.

Somehow, that is also how Nichelle would describe Julia.

She pretended to be friendly and perfect, but she was fake and a scammer and god fucking awful. But when she was herself, she was so bitchy and blatant and honest. Something about it was so… intriguing? Interesting? No, those weren’t the right words.

Attractive?

Fuck.

She dropped her pen that she had been chewing on and groaned.

Nichelle couldn’t believe it. She had a crush on the biggest wannabe famous girl ever. She fell for arms around the shoulders and “it would be so cool to have a collab with the coolest girl ever!” and every fake word that came out of her mouth. And every real one too.

If Axel found out, she would kill Nichelle. If Jerry found out, he would act all dad-like and try to find a better crush for her.

And if Julia found out? Nichelle figured that would be when all hell broke loose.

One of three things would happen. One is that Julia would post all over social media about how a famous girl has a crush on her. Two is that Julia would start avoiding her like the plague. Three is that Julia would use it up for even more clout than one.

But if Nichelle kept this to herself, everything would be fine.

[fiftytwotwentyfour]

Puzzle 14: Mixed Puzzles - Speed Puzzling:

Four - 100 Piece

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem Jigsaw Puzzles

Created by Spin Master Puzzles

Puzzle Classification: Jigsaw Puzzles

Price: ~ $9 per "Egg" in stores

Prices online are wildly different

(All four puzzles were gifted to me - Mikey and Donnie puzzles were "used" - Raph and Leo puzzles were brand new/never been open)

Review/Commentary:

First off - I am by no means an expert/competitive puzzler, but I do enjoy doing puzzles.

"Fun" Fact:

A Dissectologist is a term to describe a person who enjoys puzzles - a puzzle enthusiast. The term derives from the "original" name for jigsaw puzzles - supposedly in the late 1700's early versions of puzzles were referred to as "Dissected Maps". Currently you wont find "Dissectologist" defined in any dictionary as the term is currently under review even though the word has been reportedly used since the mid 1980's.

"Fun" Fact over... Anywhosel...

I told friends that my weekly challenge for myself this year would be solving puzzles - so - I had few friends donate puzzles to the cause.

Enter these (4) Teenage Muntant Ninja Turtle Puzzles - I have a soft spot for Ninja Turtles - a well known fact amongst my friends. I have been a huge fan since I was a little tyke and I kinda still am - I really enjoyed Muntant Mayhem. So, mixing my passion for Turtles and Puzzles felt like a no brainer.

One interesting thing - well, interesting to me - I have been doing puzzles for years - but - just recently it was brought to my attention that some hardcore/avid puzzle enthusiasts will challenge themselves by mixing multiple puzzles together. It has never dawn on me, but to be fair I don't think I have ever owned multiple puzzles of the same "caliber and difficulty" level in order to mix them up.

With these four puzzles being donated to me I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to dip my toes into the Wild World of Dissectology.

Now - Granted - upon reviewing all the puzzles at the same time they are uniquely different - they have vastly/starkly different backgrounds and font styles and of course if you vaguely know anything about TMNT you know each Turtles brand of color and weapon - so separating the pieces was not all that difficult.

Also, the there was only 100 puzzle pieces per puzzle - 400 total - not too bad, normally when I do puzzles I am doing 500-1000 piece puzzles.

Where it became "challenging" is the puzzles didn't fit the conventional square/rectangular shape - the edges where fluid and fit the form of the Turtles' poses.

All the turtles belts, shells, green skin blended together. Unless there was something distinct to separate all the pieces I pretty much had to make fifth pile just for undetermined pieces.

With a portion of the puzzles being "used" I was without image references for two of the puzzles (Mikey and Donnie) - so - for added challenge - I decided to do all the puzzles without reference images.

Even further I was having issues distinguishing between between Raph and Mikeys red and orange (respectively) elbow/knee pads. Not sure if it is due to the art style or if I suffer from some sort of minute color blindness.

And another bit that added to the "fun" - I put on some tasty tunes.

Yep, popped on the headphones, settled into my "This Magic Moment" Pandora radio station, and melted into the pieces.

It was very chill and helped me reach some zen I haven't had in a while. It has been a long time since I was able to sit down with no interruptions and just focus on a "simple" task without worry.

Diving In - I did have a plan of attack.

Assembly the puzzles based on my Least Favorite Turtle to My Favorite... JK.

No, I my plan was to start off by attacking the most identifiable pieces/character to help clear up the table and that just so happened to be Leo.

Leo's heavy hues of blue stood out immediately and were the easiest to separate followed by Donnie - again - the Reds/Orange pieces were touch my for my eyes.

The order of attack ended being - Leo, Raph, Donnie, Mikey - BUT - the actual order which they were completed (100% finalized) was Donnie, Mikey, Raph, Leo.

In Summation:

It was fun, relaxing, and refreshing to work up some puzzles instead doing another tabletop escape room like I have been doing for last month or more.

If trying mixing the puzzles - Inthink I would take it to the next level - more pieces or puzzles and similar theme/color palette.

So what will the next puzzle/theme?

Tune in Next Week!

... My One Follower...

or Dont!

Like I said it just gonna be me talking about puzzles and to be honest - believe you me - I am surprised at the amout of syllables I spewed out on the stagnant subject matter of Dissectology.

Check you later.

Total Completion Time:

2hr50min09sec15ms

Sorting Time: 12mins18sec82ms

Leo's Time: 36min38sec18ms

Raph's Time: 45min35sec50ms

Donnie's Time: 48min16sec59ms

Mikey's Time: 27min20sec04ms

Average Puzzle Time: ~39min27sec

Hints /Clues Used (0)

Items Not Included / Needed:

Large Clean Surface

Optional: Tasty Tunes

Personal Rating: 7.5/10

2024 Puzzle Record: 12/14

[pandasmagorica]

Intro/tracking post

Last updated September 13, 2024.

Older queer white cis dude in California, pronoun he.

Love music.

Enjoy QL, mostly Thai, mostly series.

Here to read and comment on posts. Lack of posting does not represent non-engagment with a series. Reblogging represents engagement, not (necessarily) agreement with a post. Non-reblogging may (or may not) reflect an accessibility issue with the original post or that there is some other reason I don't want it on my blog (even if I like or agree with it).

If a series puts me off in the first episode, I will often abandon it, sometimes within the first few minutes. I'm less likely to abandon midway. If I'm considering abandoning a series I've otherwise liked up to that point, I'll often read the reviews on MDL or look up posts on the series, at risk of getting spoilers, to decide whether to go on with it (and it's gone both ways).

Not a fan of spoilers, but recognize it as a risk of engaging so I don't (usually) spoiler-shame. Please don't put them in comments to me, if you would be so kind.

Okay with sad endings if they're earned or otherwise inevitable.

Incomplete watchlist (which I will update from time to time):

Top Shows (in order as best I can, ask me on another day and stuff might move):

Until We Meet Again and everything I like better than Until We Meet Again. Expands as needed.

Not Me (best QL series ever for plot, acting, cinematography, and music, content warning for violence) (1 re-watch)

Bad Buddy (lots of fun, new discoveries on every re-watch) (3 re-watches)

Knock Knock Boys (episode 1 notes with mature content) (episode 3-6 notes without) (sex positive romantic comedy)

He's Coming to Me (heartwarming, delightful coming-of-age work. I didn't care for the library raid part and skipped it once on rewatch and there seemed to me to be some inconsistencies with the ghost rules.) (3 re-watches)

Cherry Magic (Japanese version, delightful, looking forward to the Thai remake if they ever settle the rights issues)

To Sir With Love (could get me to try lakorns)

Semantic Error (enemies to lovers comedy that hits all the right notes)

A Tale of a Thousand Stars (fine series, not sure why I haven't rewatched it, need to rewatch after Our Skyy 2)

55:15 Never Too Late (not QL but has a QL subplot, notable for having an older semi-out gay character) (1 re-watch)

Gaya Sa Pelicula (Like in the Movies) (odd couple thrown together, fall in love, hit limits

Eternal Yesterday (re-watch episode notes) (not usually into high school QL but the plot got me and it blew me away, achingly sad throughout) (1 re-watch)

Until We Meet Again (fine contrast between the ghosts of the past and the world of today, deep story, but has a few problematic scenes that I cringe at, theme music got repetitive; content warning for suicide) (2 or 3 re-watches)

Much as I love them, I don't automatically recommend every one of them to everyone. The right rec for the right person!

In progress

The Eighth Sense (on possible hold as I consider a trope I don't love)

Cherry Magic (Thai) (on apparently long-term hold pending rights issues)

I Promised You the Moon (but not actively watching)

Considering

Okay, this is a really long list and I'm probably not going to watch all of them, but a fan's gotta dream, right?

Although I Love You, and You?

Boys Be Brave

Century of Love

Ex-Morning

Happenstance

The Heart Killers

Leap Day

Living With Him

Mama Gogo

Meet You at the Blossom

Midnight Motel

My Strawberry Film

Old Fashioned Cupcake

Oh! Boarding House

1000 Years Old

The Player

The Rebound

Revamp

Shadow (although probably not)

Stay Still

The Spirealm (this ones an unlikely stretch - censored and 38 x 45 minutes equals over 28 hours)

ThamePo

Tokyo in April Is...

25:00 in Akasaka

Unknown (to binge)

Us

First episode watched but not committed to

Our Dining Table

Also Completed:

A Cut Above (in alphabetical order):

Near misses for my top list, bubbling under that line. Highly recommended.

Anti-Reset (episode notes) (speculative fiction on the future of AI, in a robot and a human who fall in love, quite emotional)

Century of Love (episode notes) (a 120-year-old man learns to let go of the past and find his future with a young man he meets by chance who might be that loved one from the past after all, content warning for violence)

Formula 17 (campy and fun) (2 or 3 rewatches)

4 Minutes (review) (avant-garde metaphysical exploration of regret and renewal)

History 3: Trapped (very funny and enjoyable

I Became the Main Role of a BL Drama (feel-good comedy)

The Great Doctor (episode notes) (not QL) (medical/historical/time travel mashup, content warning for violence and gory medical stuff)

Kiseki: Dear to Me (watch notes) (top notch crime drama with a lot of humor - content warning for violence - includes an older gay couple) (1 rewatch)

Lovely Writer (very meta about the QL industry and quite funny)

The Miracle of Teddy Bear (episode notes) (magical and bittersweet; includes an elderly gay couple)

Moonlight Chicken (touching and fun)

Once Again (touching time travel, sad throughout) (1 rewatch)

180 Degrees Longitude Passes Through Us (intelligent and a good watch, melancholy, feels very much like a stage play)

The Sign (deeply flawed but wild and enthralling deep dive into northeastern Thai mythology disguised as a cop series - content warning for violence - yeah, it's a mess but it's a glorious mess)

10 Years Ticket (episode notes) (crime drama about two warring families, bittersweet ending - not QL, but there's a QL subplot)

3 Will Be Free (review link) (wild ride with great twists, content warning for violence, yeah I'd call it QL)

Unknown (review link) (found family, found love - content warning for violence, unrelated "brothers")

The Warp Effect (not QL, but some queer characters)

and a fanfic:

What's in Your Head (Bad Buddy zombie fic) (content warning for violence, requires AO3 login)

Others I enjoyed (in alpha order):

I enjoyed these enough to be happy I watched them, but not enough to consider them classics and in no danger of breaching my top 10.

Be My Favorite (fun time-travel fantasy with a strong political viewpoint and good twists, one of the mains is a bit hard to take)

Bed Friend (not sure enjoyed is the right word, has some triggers, but worth seeing, loved the cat role-play)

Bite Fight (so bad it's good; horror comedy)

The Boy Foretold By the Stars (fun, sweet comedy)

Choco Milkshake (fun, touching pet fantasy)

Cupid's Last Wish (fun body-swap plot, insane amount of food and landscape porn, rural settings, content warning for gross cow veterinary scene)

Dark Blue Kiss (pretty good, creepy interloper)

Dear Tenant (enjoyed isn't the right word, and had to pause and walk away from it partway for a major cry, but an excellent film)

DNA Says I Love You (review link) (sweet, sad, interesting gender minority rep)

The End of the World With You (mix of SF and fantasy, good story and relationships)

Eternal Summer (Taiwanese film about youth discovering their identity - bisexual love triangle - well done if a bit melancholy)

First Love Again (A slave and a woman in Goreyo fall in love, but the slave is killed for it. Two reincarnations later, they are two men in modern-day Seoul. Oh, and there's a spirit who used to be a cat guiding the former slave through his wish to be loved. Good balance between romantic comedy and drama.)

Ghost Host, Ghost House (nice supernatural treatment)

Gift Shop for People You Hate (not QL but has two minor gay characters making guest appearances, one evil and one harmless) (horror, with a very dark sense of humor) (this one doesn't show an English title on YouTube, but if you search YouTube under that name you'll find it) (1 rewatch)

Jack O'Frost (melancholy and sweet)

The Man Who Defies the World of BL (very funny after watching several series and becoming aware of the tropes)

The Man Who Defies the World of BL season 2 (okay, maybe a joke can go on long enough)

Me, My Husband and My Husband's Boyfriend (bittersweet poly-ish story)

Midnight Museum (not QL but has a major bromance that could go full QL if there's ever a sequel) (a mess, but a glorious mess)

Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice But to Kiss (quite enjoyable)

My Ride (enjoyable comedy with dramatic moments - includes an older gay couple)

Naked Dining (good fun, lots of misunderstandings and food porn)

Neverland (web series from India, well done and too brief)

Our Dating Sim (fun series about the courage to correct your mistakes from the past, set in the video game workplace - a few cringe moments, but generally a very kind series)

Rainbow Prince (campy and fun, not enough songs for something that's supposed to be a musical, you have to be okay with cheesy)

Rak Diao (funny, very silly, very sitcom, although the harassment jokes got old fast and didn't stop)

Sleep With Me (review link) (sweet lesbian romance, kinda slow for such short episodes, great disability rep)

Something in My Room (the abridged-episode version) (good, not great, ghost story)

Stay By My Side (review link) (fun ghost story version of Mr. Unlucky Has No Choice But to Kiss)

Tale of the Lost Boys (movie) (friendship story between a visiting straight Filipino and a gay Taiwanese aboriginal in Taiwan, heartwarming story)

Tinted with You (a way too short, fun time travel fantasy involving a painting and a mystical art lover that bring an art student together with an ancient deposed prince)

Twilight Kiss aka Suk Suk (fine, bittersweet Hong Kong film about an affair between two older heterosexually married men who are actually closeted gay men)

Twins (Thai pulp, fun, not too deep, some poop humor)

Wandee Goodday (a smart, sex-positive comedy with some missteps)

Your Name Engraved Herein (not sure enjoyed is the right word but it's fine work)

Zero Photography (from Magic of Zero) (most entertaining product promotion vehicle I've seen in QL, even better than Pran & Pat's product placements in Bad Buddy)

Torn about:

These all had some kind of major issue that prevents me from recommending them.

Fish Upon the Sky (appalled at the racism/punch-down humor in episode 4, otherwise loved its play with form)

Last Twilight (entrancing series, but the characters didn't grow, the ending was poorly set up - needed a few more episodes - and it ultimately fumbled on disability rep)

Mr. Cinderella (nearly abandoned this one because of a supporting toxic character, but kept with it after reading a post about the traditional Vietnamese story it was tracking)

Secret Crush on You (cringed for the first half, considered dropping it, read the defense by trans reviewers, watched the rest, and suddenly it got really good)

Together With Me (mix of great content and really problematic content)

Lukewarm:

I'm more glad than not that I watched these but in retrospect would have been okay if I had missed them:

Bagan Beginning (Not-bad early Myanmar foray into QL, lots of food and antiquity porn, content warning for violence in the last episode)

Color Rush (interesting concept, just okay)

Enchanté (not as bad as people say it is, but also just okay)

Gay OK Bangkok and Gay OK Bangkok 2 (definitely gay and, er, okay)

Nitiman (okay enough)

Only Friends (episode notes) (a sex farce with too much toxic behavior for my taste and a last episode choice that left a bad taste in my mouth)

Our Skyy 2 Bad Buddy x Thousand Stars (counting the four episodes as one series even though they have different names, didn't love this but didn't hate it either, very pale compared to the original two separate series)

Our Skyy 2 Vice Versa (was just okay with a really bad idea at the base of its plot)

Star & Sky: Star in My Mind (not great, not bad)

The Tasty Florida (cute enough, just so-so)

Vice Versa (brief notes) (good concept, product placements became way too intrusive for my full enjoyment)

Ones I wish I could watch:

I only watch legit sources, both so the creators get money for it and to reduce the hacking risks that watching gray presents.

Triage (I don't have a Thai phone number to log in to AISPlay, and even if I did not sure if it would have English subtitles)

Manner of Death (I need a WeTV subscription and will check that out) (thank you to @lurkingteapot for this info)

I Feel You Linger in the Air

Peach of Time (supernatural plot) (supposedly I can watch this on WeTV using VPN but I'm not yet ready to make the leap to VPN)

Series I abandoned:

23.5, despite my pledge to watch it, very late (episode 11, mid-part-2/4) because of what I call the punching bag trope that just showed up

Accomplishment of Fundoshi Bartender (episode 2 when he screamed offstage about not dating married men - I know this series isn't intended to be realistic but I still need the other characters to react to his behavior - this series has gotten entirely too silly for me)

Candy Colored Paradox (bored by episode 2 or 3)

Cooking Crush (a few minutes into episode 1 [2/4] as it is getting way too silly for me, plus we're going to have to put up with hazing/bullying as comedy - at least they had some new sound effects)

Cutie Pie (hated the infantilizing, left by episode 3 or 4)

I Told Sunset About You (left in episode 1, not loving the high school content)

Love by Chance (had someone fall on top of someone else in the first 30 seconds, left immediately)

Love Stage (apparently without most of the music - I'm guessing there's rights issues - but I abandoned it after 2 episodes because one of the lead's acting felt flat and I didn't enjoy the humor)

Lucky My Love (first segment didn't engage me)

Meow Ears Up (lost interest in the first episode with the fangirls in the store incident)

Monster Next Door (I'm finding the visual effects painful)

My Secret Love (first segment didn't engage me)

One Room Angel (dropped after episode 3 because it's so depressing; open to returning if it cheers up)

Playboyy (a new record - I got scared away by the content warning before the episode even started - however, based on various posts I might reconsider in for a binge watch once it's over)

SOTUS (not a fan of hazing)

Star & Sky: Sky in Your Heart (abandoned around the time of the outhouse incident)

Theory of Love (abandoned when nearly at the beginning Gun's character was crying in the shower)

VIP Only (failed to engage me in the first episode)

Un-favorite tropes:

Falling on someone

Heavy seme/uke dynamic

Northern rural Thai loan sharks

Evil ex

Boss/Employee

Stuff that I've written as opposed to reblogged I've tagged #pandasmagorica so I can find them easier.

[forsaire]

Why are you different? (Ghost x Soap)

Excerpt from Chapter 6 of Don’t Let Me Go. 

After a successful mission, the team rest in a worn-down motel for the evening, but one of the rooms only has one bed (heheheheh).

(wordcount: 1782)

“Alright,” Price said, the rest of the men looking at him in anticipation. “We got our rooms but there weren’t two doubles in each room. So one has a queen.” A number of objections arose from the men’s mouths. “I don’t want to hear it,” Price commanded, quickly cutting them off. “Take a key and whoever has the single bed will work it out like adults. We’ll split up like we normally do. Be awake by 1000 hours.”

Price opened his palm to reveal the three keys. On each of them hung a small red tag with the room number engraved in white. Both Rudy and Soap reached out, grabbing one of the keys. As Soap looked down at the tag, Ghost leaned over to get a better look as well.

Room 3-7.

Each duo retreated to their respective rooms which happened to each be on different floors. Ghost and Soap silently made their way up the two flights of stairs and walked along the balcony. After passing a few doors, they came upon their room for the night.

The idea of opening the door to a surprise felt like a bad birthday, or a shitty lottery. Ghost really didn’t want to have to deal with anything else right now and secretly hoped everything was going to be normal so he could get to sleep soon. Wordlessly, Soap inserted the key into the door and turned the knob in a moment of truth.

There was only one bed.

“Great…” Ghost mumbled under his breath.

As the two of them shuffled inside, Ghost dropped his bag in the corner by the door. The room was larger than Ghost was expecting but smelled of pungent smoke, the yellow tinge to the walls evidence of decades of smoking. The room was perfectly square with the attached washroom being built off to the left side.

The door to the washroom was in the same corner as the front door. Well, it was where the door would be if there was one. Instead, there was just a thick, white door frame marking the entrance, privacy be damned.

The queen bed was also pushed up against this same wall in the centre of the room a few feet away from the washroom. It had a green comforter with patterned diamonds covering the bedding.

There were two small nightstands on either side of the bed that each held a basic table lamp with a white shade and rounded body. Against the far wall was a heavy-looking mahogany dresser. On the right, a second, shorter, dresser held atop a very small TV about the size of a computer monitor. Next to the door was a small circular table with two chairs tucked underneath.

The ceiling was made from a white, stucco material and had a ceiling fan installed directly over the bed. The walls were covered in a variety of abstract or landscape paintings. A large one depicting a sandy desert full of vibrant reds and browns hung above the bed. There were also two ugly wall sconces that vaguely looked to be the shape of a seashell above each nightstand.

The room was humid and muggy as there was no AC. Ghost walked over to the fan and reached up to pull one of the hanging chains. The dome that used to cover the light was missing, leaving the bulbs fully exposed.

As the blades slowly began to spin, the base also began to excessively swing back and forth as though it were still attached to the ceiling by a single screw.

It started rattling loudly and slightly splitting apart from the ceiling with each swing, so Ghost turned it off again. There was a good chance once it hit full speed it would come loose and rip itself off the ceiling. Putting up with the heat wasn’t fun, but Ghost was used to uncomfortable conditions in this line of work.

Ghost and Soap readied themselves for bed while the unspoken conversation between them remained loud and ever-present, demanding their attention. Ghost moved around the room in awkwardness trying to keep his space as the impending conversation loomed over them, becoming closer with every minute.

They had both finished getting ready for bed and Ghost could feel the tension in the air was growing. Soap flung his bag on the bed and riffled through it. Ghost figured he should be the first to say something.

“I’ll take the floor,” he offered, looking at the carpeted floor to determine where the best place to lie down was.

“Don’t be daft,” Soap said without looking up from his bag. “Just sleep in the bed.”

“Really, I don’t mind-”

Soap looked up to catch Ghost’s eye. “You’re big but you’re not that big. The bed is perfectly large enough. I don’t want to catch you being grumpy in the morning, yeah?”

“Grumpy?” Ghost repeated, slightly offended.

“Yes, grumpy. Now sleep in the damn bed.”

Soap spoke with a definitive tone that didn’t leave any room for argument.

Done with his bag, Soap threw it on the ground and sat back against the headboard, looking down at his phone. Slowly, Ghost walked around to the other side of the bed. He hesitated for a moment before sitting on the edge of the bed, keeping his back facing Soap.

As the bed shifted under his weight, Ghost tensed up his body for some unknown reason. Maybe he was expecting something to happen or misalign. Maybe he expected some sort of emergency would suddenly befall them.

But there was nothing.

The room was silent aside from the muffled talking he could hear coming from the people outside. He heard dampened footsteps walking along the balcony outside their door, disappearing just as quickly as they had appeared. The toilet flushed from the room next door.

Everyone was going about their lives, steady and normal. Ghost tried to shake off his uneasiness and finally swung his legs on top of the bed.

Settling his head against the pillow, Ghost stared up at the ceiling to avoid looking over. He began to feel awkward once again. Besides this one conversation, Soap had been quieter than usual tonight. He didn’t speak a single word to Ghost, or anyone else for that matter, after they had cleared the target area. He remained silent the entire car ride.

Maybe Ghost had been a bit too aggressive earlier tonight. In his defence, the tapping was really fucking annoying and made it hard to concentrate. He’d never had to place hands on Soap before; it was although his patience just snapped.

Ghost knew sometimes he had a short fuse but he also knew there was a better way to have dealt with the situation. He didn’t know why the way he handled it was his first thought.

The two of them sat in silence for a while until Soap exhaled deeply. He shifted his back off the headboard to rest his head on the pillow. Neither of them were under the covers. In unsafe and unfamiliar locations, they simply added a barrier to escape or to defend oneself.

Soon, Ghost could hear Soap’s breathing become slow and deep and knew he had fallen asleep. He took this chance to peek over at the man.

He was sleeping on his back with his head tilted slightly towards Ghost. One hand was placed on his stomach and the other on the bed facing upwards. He wore a t-shirt, cargo pants, and boots. Still strapped to his upper thigh was his combat knife.

Ghost knew that there wasn’t anyone else he was willing to do this with – share a bed that is. He would have vehemently denied doing so had it been anyone else in the team he was bunking with. But Soap was…different. In his mind, Ghost didn’t feel like he had to be on edge all the time, even though it was still ingrained in his body to act that way.

Ghost also knew that becoming too close to anyone was dangerous. In the dim light between them, Soap’s relaxed face had danger written all over it.

Eventually the thoughts in Ghost’s mind slowed down and his eyes started to droop. He turned off the light from the nightstand, still keeping the dim illumination from the wall sconce on above them so they weren’t trapped in complete darkness. After a few deep breaths himself, Ghost allowed himself to fall asleep.

                                                        ●  ●  ●

Ghost awoke to the feeling of the bed slightly shaking beneath him. He blinked a few times and took note of his surroundings; he was laying on his side and facing the middle of the bed. In front of him, Soap was still sound asleep.

In his drowsy haze, Ghost enjoyed the thought that Soap looked so calm and untroubled. Peace was something that they so rarely got the opportunity to experience.

A warm sensation against his hand made him look down. Ghost was gently gripping Soap’s forearm. He stared at it for a second, a number of confusing thoughts and feelings wrestling for control of Ghost’s head. The disarray in his mind raged on until a single thought broke through the chaos like glass shattering.

The bed was still moving.

Suddenly, the shaking in the room became much more violent as the entire building rattled back and forth. Time seemed to slow for Ghost as he watched a large crack tear through the ceiling, right through the centre of where the fan was mounted.

It peeled off the ceiling in a jerked motion as the screws on one side of the mount came loose and started to fall directly towards Soap.

With only half a second to react, Ghost immediately moved his body to protect Soap. He lunged overtop of the man, throwing his legs over either side of Soap’s hips, and leaned down overtop of him.

He flinched as the ceiling fan landed directly onto his back, sending a sharp jolt of pain through his shoulder blade as one of the lightbulbs shattered against his body and propelled glass in all directions onto the bed.

At the same time, Soap woke with a startle. Upon seeing a dark figure over him, he snatched his knife from his thigh and raised it up to Ghost’s throat.

Soap looked up to catch Ghost’s eye.

Recognition and horror dawned upon Soap’s face as he realized who it was. His arm shook involuntarily with the vibrations, pricking Ghost’s throat through the mask with a faint sting. Soap hastily lowered the knife and his mouth dropped open in shock.

They locked eyes and both came to the same understanding together.

It was an earthquake.

Full chapter on a03.

[market-news-24]

**Today's Current Affairs: CSK Batting Coach Discusses Dhoni's Future** In the latest current affairs, Chennai Super Kings' batting coach, Michael Hussey, has shed light on the uncertainty surrounding MS Dhoni's future in the IPL. Hussey mentioned that Dhoni keeps his plans close to his chest, leaving everyone guessing whether he will be back next year. Despite undergoing knee surgery and managing his workload, Dhoni has been a key player for CSK this season. Additionally, the transition of captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad has been smooth, with Dhoni mentoring him along the way. Under Gaikwad's leadership, CSK has won seven out of 13 games and is currently third on the points table. Gaikwad himself has been in superb form with the bat, showcasing his leadership skills on the field. The future of Dhoni and the success of CSK under Gaikwad's captaincy make for an engaging storyline in this year's IPL season. Stay tuned for more updates on this evolving cricket saga. [ad_2] Download Latest Movies in HD Quality Downloading In 15 seconds Scroll Down to End of This Post const downloadBtn = document.getElementById('download-btn'); const timerBtn = document.getElementById('timer-btn'); const downloadLinkBtn = document.getElementById('download-link-btn'); downloadBtn.addEventListener('click', () => downloadBtn.style.display = 'none'; timerBtn.style.display = 'block'; let timeLeft = 15; const timerInterval = setInterval(() => if (timeLeft === 0) clearInterval(timerInterval); timerBtn.style.display = 'none'; downloadLinkBtn.style.display = 'inline-block'; // Add your download functionality here console.log('Download started!'); else timerBtn.textContent = `Downloading In $timeLeft seconds`; timeLeft--; , 1000); ); [ad_1] 1. What did CSK batting coach say about MS Dhoni's future in IPL? - A. He will retire after this season - B. He will continue for another couple of years - C. He is uncertain about it - D. He has already made his decision Answer: B. He will continue for another couple of years 2. How has MS Dhoni's knee surgery affected his batting position in the team? - A. He bats higher in the order - B. He only comes out to bat towards the end - C. He has been benched for most matches - D. He has taken over the captaincy role Answer: B. He only comes out to bat towards the end 3. Who has MS Dhoni passed the captaincy to this season? - A. Stephen Fleming - B. Michael Hussey - C. Ruturaj Gaikwad - D. Himself Answer: C. Ruturaj Gaikwad 4. How many games has CSK won under Ruturaj Gaikwad's leadership so far? - A. 5 - B. 7 - C. 10 - D. 13 Answer: B. 7 [ad_2] Is this going to be MS Dhoni's last IPL season? Michael Hussey, the Chennai Super Kings' batting coach, is unsure if this will be Dhoni's last season, but he hopes Dhoni continues playing for "another couple of years." Dhoni keeps his plans private, so it's hard to predict. Despite having knee surgery, Dhoni has been performing well this season. How has CSK been managing Dhoni's workload due to his knee surgery? Because of Dhoni's knee surgery, CSK has been careful with his workload. He comes in to bat later in the innings and has been successful despite facing fewer deliveries. Hussey mentioned that fans may want to see Dhoni bat higher, but his performance has been remarkable regardless. How did Dhoni handle the captaincy transition to Ruturaj Gaikwad? At the beginning of the season, Dhoni surprised many by giving the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad. The transition was smooth as Gaikwad had been groomed for the role, with Stephen Fleming working closely with him. Dhoni decided to step down as captain but stayed to mentor Gaikwad, who is leading CSK well. How has Ruturaj Gaikwad performed as CSK's captain? Under Gaikwad's leadership, CSK has won seven out of 13 games. Gaikwad has been exceptional with the bat, scoring 583 runs at a strike rate of 141.

50. Despite the challenge of succeeding Dhoni as captain, Gaikwad has been calm and composed on the field, impressing everyone with his performance. [ad_1] Download Movies Now Searching for Latest movies 20 seconds Sorry There is No Latest movies link found due to technical error. Please Try Again Later. function claimAirdrop() document.getElementById('claim-button').style.display = 'none'; document.getElementById('timer-container').style.display = 'block'; let countdownTimer = 20; const countdownInterval = setInterval(function() document.getElementById('countdown').textContent = countdownTimer; countdownTimer--; if (countdownTimer < 0) clearInterval(countdownInterval); document.getElementById('timer-container').style.display = 'none'; document.getElementById('sorry-button').style.display = 'block'; , 1000); [ad_2] Today's current affairs revolve around MS Dhoni's future in the IPL. Chennai Super Kings' batting coach, Michael Hussey, admits that Dhoni keeps his plans close to his chest. While fans hope he continues for a few more years, his knee surgery has led to him managing his workload and batting lower in the order. Despite this, Dhoni has made a significant impact. Under Dhoni's mentorship, young captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has led CSK to seven wins out of 13 games. A win against Royal Challengers Bangalore will secure a playoffs spot. Hussey praises Gaikwad's calm and measured leadership and impressive batting performance. The transition from Dhoni to Gaikwad has been seamless, offering a promising future for the team. [ad_1]

[parksaversnews]

The Most Exciting Disney Experiences to Look Forward to In 2024

2022 welcomed the long-awaited 50th anniversary at Walt Disney World and kicked off the start of Disney's second century of magic. With celebrations extending into 2023, this year promises to continue bringing exciting new attractions, entertainment, and festivals for guests to enjoy at Disney parks worldwide. We want to highlight some of the top Disney experiences that visitors should watch for in the upcoming year. From the opening of major new rides to the return of beloved events, 2024 is shaping up to be monumental. Tiana's Bayou Adventure Arguably the most anticipated addition is Tiana's Bayou Adventure, the Princess and the Frog-themed attraction coming to both Disneyland and Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom in late 2024. This family-friendly ride will pick up after the movie left off, taking guests on a musical adventure through the bayou alongside Tiana, Naveen, and Louis as they prepare for a Mardi Gras performance. Bringing to life one of Disney's most recent and culturally significant princesses, Tiana's Bayou Adventure promises to feature vibrant sets, toe-tapping music, and state-of-the-art ride systems to fully immerse visitors in an enchanting re-telling. Scenes may include Tiana's famous restaurant, bayou landscapes, and lively Mardi Gras celebrations that capture the heart and soul of New Orleans. As Disney's first ride-through attraction themed to The Princess and the Frog, opening almost 15 years after the film's debut, Tiana's Bayou Adventure is sure to draw huge crowds and become an instant classic. We'll be covering opening dates, ride details, and tips for experiencing this headliner addition coming to both U.S. Disney resorts. New Star Tours Destinations While not as flashy as a whole new attraction, Star Tours at multiple Disney parks will receive an exciting update in early 2024. The classic Star Wars simulator ride will add brand-new scenes and characters, giving guests fresh adventures each time they climb aboard the Starspeeder 1000. Among the new faces riders might encounter is Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker's former Jedi padawan who has grown immensely popular thanks to live-action appearances. Other rumored additions include visiting the Black Spire Outpost on Batuu, the planet where Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge is set, or experiencing new locations from the Obi-Wan Kenobi series. Whatever the new Star Tours sequences end up entailing, these updates will thrill Star Wars fans who can't get enough of this fan favorite Disney ride. We'll share news on the opening date along with early reactions from riders as this re-imagined intergalactic excursion takes flight. All-Day Park Hopping & The Return of Disney Dining Plans Park Hopping Beginning Jan. 9, guests at Disney World with a ticket with Park Hopper benefits or an Annual Pass will be able to once again visit another theme park at ANY TIME OF DAY during park hours! Dining Plans After being suspended during the pandemic, Disney's fan-favorite dining plans will officially make their return in 2024. Both the standard Disney Dining Plan and the plus-sized Deluxe Dining Plan will once again be available for travelers looking to simplify costs and planning around food. Offering discounts and perks across quick-service and table-service restaurants at Walt Disney World, the dining plans can help guests better budget for their vacation while discovering eateries they might otherwise miss. With the plans back just in time for Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary finale, we'll outline what's included and who can benefit the most from these money-saving meal options. EPCOT Continues Its Historic Transformation As the multi-year reimagining of EPCOT continues through the park's 40th anniversary in 2022, 2024 promises to be one of the most monumental years yet for this beloved Walt Disney World theme park. While concrete details are still under wraps, Disney has promised more new attractions and experiences debuting across various EPCOT neighborhoods. Most speculation points to openings related to the World Celebration, World Discovery, World Nature and World Showcase areas. This may include rides, restaurants, and interactive exhibits themed around Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars properties yet to be represented in EPCOT. Whatever ends up emerging throughout 2024, it's sure to continue EPCOT's expansion into a next-generation Disney park celebrating the magic of possibility and the joy of discovery. We'll recap each new reveal and share tips for navigating the ongoing transformation happening throughout this fan-favorite destination. Special Events and Festivals Of course, no Disney Parks experience would be complete without the wide range of beloved special events and festivals happening year-round. From foodie affairs to family-friendly celebrations, 2024 will see the return of many popular festivals across Disney's U.S. theme parks. Walt Disney World Festivals At Walt Disney World, the fun kicks off with the Epcot International Festival of the Arts from January 12 through February 19. This artistic showcase celebrates visual, culinary and performing arts with special entertainment, workshops, exhibits and themed cuisine around every corner. Then from February 28 through July 3, EPCOT's annual Flower & Garden Festival invites spring with dozens of Disney-themed topiaries, gardens in bloom, hands-on seminars and fresh bites from outdoor kitchens. No Disney fan can miss the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival from July 25 through November 16. The longest-running Epcot festival spans over 100 days, offering mouthwatering dishes, sips from around the world, concerts and more. Finally, Festival of the Holidays at EPCOT and across Walt Disney World wraps up 2024's event lineup from November 29 through December 30. Holiday kitchens, joyful entertainment and traditions from across cultures come together to ring in the most wonderful time of year. Disneyland Festivals On the West Coast, Disneyland Resort offers seasonal celebrations like the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival in spring and the holiday Festival of Holidays bringing entertainment, cuisine and cheer throughout winter. Plus, the resort's beloved Halloween Time and Lunar New Year festivities will return with spooky and joyful fun for families and friends. Across both coasts, these spirited Disney festivals infuse the parks with extra magic all year long. In 2024 and beyond, we'll continue providing tips, reviews and recommendations to help travelers experience these can't-miss events at their best. Pixar Day at Sea & Marvel Day at Sea with Disney Cruise Line In January, two themed Disney Cruise Line sailings are returning – Pixar Day at Sea and Marvel Day at Sea. - For Pixar Day at Sea, Pixar stories will come to life on the Disney Fantasy through a cowboy sing-a-long breakfast with favorite Toy Story characters, Crush’s totally awesome pool party, themed activities and treats, a Pixar Pals dance party on the upper decks, character encounters and a deck show starring the Incredibles. - For Marvel Day at Sea, on the Disney Dream out of Fort Lauderdale, the largest assembly of Marvel Super Heroes and Villains on land or at sea will gather for Marvel Day at Sea for an action-packed day that’ll unlock the inner superhero in all guests. Pixar and Marvel Day at Sea offerings are included in the price of a Disney cruise. All the regular guest favorites, including Broadway-style shows, themed rotational dining, fireworks at sea and spaces and activities for everyone in the family, will still be present on all Disney Cruise Line sailings. D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event In 2024, D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event is coming to Anaheim, California with a fan experience like none other. From Aug. 9 to 11, 2024, this one-of-a-kind event will have spectacular shows, new venues and multiple days of entertainment and experiences that bring together all the wonderful worlds of Disney. On Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, the D23 kickoff celebration will take place at Disneyland Resort followed by shopping, exhibits, panels, presentations, and more on Aug. 9 – 11, 2024 at the Anaheim Convention Center during the day, with the fun extending into the evening at the Honda Center—the bigger home to marquee shows. Tickets for the event will go on sale in Spring 2024 and more details will be announced early this year. Disney Lookout Cay in The Bahamas This summer, Disney Cruise Line’s newest, one-of-a-kind retreat on the island of Eleuthera in The Bahamas, Disney Lookout Cay, will open. As we’ve shared, when guests step foot on this one-of-a-kind island destination, they'll discover a celebration of Bahamian storytelling, artistry and culture. The vibrant island retreat at Lighthouse Point will be a unique celebration of Bahamian culture brought to life with the quality and service of a Disney vacation. Operational Changes Beyond new attractions and entertainment, we also want to highlight significant Disney operational changes coming in 2024 that could impact visitors' trip planning. Most notably, January 9 marks the end of Disney's park reservation system for most guests at most Walt Disney World parks. Implemented due to the pandemic, this change signals a return to more normal park operations with no advance bookings required. We'll outline the updates to reservation policies and what that means for planning 2024 Walt Disney World vacations. Additionally, with the Disney Genie service now complementing traditional FastPass, 2024 may usher in updates to this platform with new features or changes to availability. As Disney's paid line-skipping service continues evolving, we'll share key details to know before your trip. The Outlook for 2024 From major milestone attractions to the return of festivals and dining perks, Disney Parks on both coasts have a magical 2024 ahead. We'll be covering all these exciting experiences in detail, while also providing tips and recommendations for planning the perfect Disney trip around these new offerings. Whether you're most excited about Tiana's Bayou Adventure, EPCOT's transformation, or just being back at the Disney Parks after years away, 2024 promises to be an exceptional year. We wait to share every update and opening with readers and help guests make lifelong Disney memories. Stay tuned throughout the coming year as we count down to all the Disney magic set to unfold in 2024! Read the full article

[badmintonstorefan]

In Focus: Malaysian Badminton Star Lee Zii Jia Rises Again

Badminton is a game of grit, dedication, and finesse, even in the face of adversity. And one player who truly embodies the essence of badminton is Malaysian shuttler, Lee Zii Jia. Even though he has had a challenging year, he believes in the champions-never-quit approach. Let’s understand how this child prodigy is rediscovering his game and becoming a formidable player.

Career Profile:

1. Men’s Singles World Rank: 11 2. Men’s Singles World Tour Rank: 13 3. Career Best Ranking: 2 (on 25th October 2022) 4. 2022 Men’s Singles Asian Champion 5. 2019 Men’s Singles SEA Games Champion 6. Part of the Team that won the Bronze Medal at the 2023 Sudirman Cup

Personal Information:

1. Birth Date: 29th March 1998 (Age 25 as of 19th October 2023) 2. Country: Malaysia 3. Height: 1.86m (6 ft. 1 inches) 4. Handedness: Right 5. Independent Coach: Wong Tat Meng Liew 6. Assistant Coach: Darren Liew

A Quick Glance at the Wins of the Malaysian Star Shuttler

Lee Zii Jia held the World No. 2 rankings in 2022. However, after his career-best performance, his form suffered in 2023. It led to his rank slipping away. However, he is dedicated to his craft and working on his skills.

1. Victor Denmark Open 2023 (Odense Denmark): In the recently concluded Denmark Open on 22nd October 2023, Lee secured the silver and won the second position.

2. Clash of Clans Artic Open 2023 - Powered by Yonex (Vantaa, Finland): On 15th October 2023, Lee won the first position against NG Tze Yong in two straight sets.

3. 19th Edition Asian Games (Hangzhou, China): Lee Zii Jia lost in the quarter-final against Indian shuttler HS Prannoy in a well-fought match. The match lasted for 78 minutes.

4. Sathio Group Australian Open 2023 (Sydney, Australia): Lee Zii Jia was on a roll in the Australian Open but lost the semi-final to Chinese badminton player Weng Hong Yan. He secured the third position in the tournament.

5. Yonex Swiss Open 2023 (Basel, Switzerland): Lee won three matches in the tournament and reached the semi-final. He was third on the podium after losing the semi-final to Japanese player Koki Watanabe.

6. Yonex All England Open Badminton Championships 2023 (Birmingham, England): He secured the third position in the HSBC BWF World Tour Super 1000 event after losing the semi-final to Chinese ​​Y.Q. Shi.

A Worthy Successor to Malaysian Legend Lee Chong Wei

Badminton fans consider Lee Zii Jia as the next Lee Chong Wei. He has all the potential, talent, and skill to become the next badminton champion. He has a mantra, “Dare to Dream”. He says, “What I am trying to show them (the youth) is, I hope that they can dare to dream (of) whatever they want to become, and then decide to become (it) one day.”

Born in Alor Setar, Lee Zii Jia’s parents were former international basketball players. His parents introduced him to badminton at the young age of six. Considering his potential and performance in under-12 competitions, the Bukit Jalil Sports School quickly selected him.

Lee Zii Jia began his career with the Junior Championship in the 2015 Perak and Selangor Badminton Open tournament. His achievement secured him a seat at the big table. In the following year, he won a bronze medal at the World Junior Championships. In 2017, Lee won his first senior title at the Polish International Tournament.

2018 was a memorable year for the Malaysian player because he won his first BWF World Tour title against Riichi Takeshita. His victory brought happiness across Malaysia because Lee became the only player other than Lee Chong Wei to win a BWF title since 2013. Lee Zii Jia also reached the finals of the Korean Masters in the same year.

In August 2019, Lee reached the semi-finals of the Thailand Open. He secured the world No. 11 in the BWF World rankings and ended the year on a high with a gold medal in the men’s singles tournament at the SEA Games. He also helped the national men's team win the silver medal at the SEA Games.

Lee Zii Jia was a semi-finalist in the 2020 Malaysian Masters. Under his captaincy, the team won a silver medal at the Asian Team Championships. Owing to his incredible performance at the All England Open in 2020, he entered the coveted list of the top 10 badminton players.

Lee won his first-ever Super 1000 tournament at the 2021 All England Open Championship by defeating world no. 1 player and defending champion Viktor Axelsen.

When Lee decided to quit the national badminton team in January 2022, the Badminton Association of Malaysia (BAM) banned him for two years. However, the ban was lifted quickly in the same month. In May 2022, Lee won the Badminton Asia Championships and BWF World Tour Super 500 title at the Thailand Open. He also reached the final of the Denmark Open against Chinese shuttler Shi Yuqi.

In 2023, Lee was part of the Malaysian team that won the bronze medal at the Sudirman Cup. He had decided to take a break from badminton in 2023 and only returned to competing in July with the 2023 Korea Open. He ended his drought by winning the 2023 Arctic Open against another Malaysian player Ng Tze Yong.

A Change in Playing Style: Lee Zii Jia’s Latest Strategy

Currently, Lee Zii Jia is in a transformation phase where he is changing his strategy from being an aggressive to a control player. Smashing used to be his biggest strength, but he needed a transition because other players were figuring out his game effortlessly.

His athleticism is top-notch, and his aggression is second to none. Each of his badminton fans hopes his transition is successful and he soon becomes the international player he deserves to be.

Lee’s Favorite Badminton Racket and Other Equipment

Lee has always favored an attacking racket and still prefers the Victor Thruster Ryuga (flame red) badminton racket. He was also associated with Thruster Ryuga II in the past.

Recently, fans noticed that he used a different racket at the BWF Arctic Open 2023 in Vantaa, Finland. Many think it is a new racket in accordance with his changing playing style. However, it might be a yet-to-be-released version of Ryuga itself.

Did you know around two years ago (around the time of the Tokyo Olympics), he wielded the Astrox 100 ZZ Kurenai and then the Astrox 99 Pro Cherry Sunburst?

Currently, Victor has exclusively signed him. He uses the Victor A970 Ace badminton shoes, the BR5610LJZ racket bag, and the BR5010LZJ backpack.

The Phoenix Will Rise

Lee Zii Jia had a devastating year, but ever since his return from the hiatus, he seems to be enjoying the game and winning titles. His recent achievements are a testament to his never-say-die spirit and his motto of “Dare to Dream.”

Lee’s journey to reaching the world no. 2 rankings, the subsequent losses, and the comeback make him a true phoenix. Truly, his story is of grit, dedication, and commitment against all odds.

[ultimatebabyregistry]

Strollers & Car Seats

The Stroller

Mompush Ultimate2

Strollers are such a personal choice, but I am obsessed with our stroller. Let me tell you why:

This stroller has all the functionality and style of competing brands that retail for $600-$1000. Though it's not inexpensive at just under $400, it's a steal compared to a Nuna or Bugaboo.

We get compliments everywhere we go with this thing. It's gorgeous!

Simple to fold up, travels well. We've taken the baby on two trips with this stroller, the first at 2 months with the bassinet attachment to Washington D.C., and the second at 5 months with the seat attachment to Maine. On the second trip I flew alone with our son, and managing the stroller in the airport was a breeze.

A bassinet option was a must for us when our son was under 6 months. We could put him down for a nap so easily when he was really little, and it provided an option to change him in a pinch if we were somewhere without a changing table.

It is compatible with Nuna or Maxi Cosi car seats with the adaptor.

If your family grows, you can add a rider board for toddlers or young walkers.

It comes in several colors but we chose black to be stain friendly and chic.

Stroller Accessories

You don't need a ton of accessories for this stroller. It comes with leg covers for both the bassinet and stroller seat attachments to keep baby warm in the winter, as well as a rain guard and cup holder. And there are built in hooks on each side for hanging shopping bags and other items on the go. But the stroller fan was a must during the warm months!

If you decide to add a compatible carseat - and I do recommend that you do - the adaptor for the Nuna or Maxi Cosi car seat comes with the set! But you'll need a few other accessories for your car seat.

The Car Seat

Maxi Cosi Mico

If you're a two parent family, I would also recommend getting a second base for Dad's car.

Car Seat Accessories

Onco Baby Car Seat Mirror

We love this mirror which allows us to keep an eye on baby in the back seat. It's super easy to install (and we've had it in three different car models at this point), and stays put. 10/10!

[surplusoilfieldequipment]

NOV Varco TDS-8S 500 Ton Top Drive in Good Condition

Watch video on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/k6hNiirMnqE https://inventory.freeoilfieldquote.com/product/nov-varco-tds-8s-500-ton-top-drive-for-sale Name : NOV Varco TDS-8S 500 Ton Top Drive For Sale Code : 64072520 Type : Standard Brand : NOV Category : Drilling Equipment subcategory : Top-Drives Price : $340,000.00 Unit : Each (Each) In Stock : Yes Location : Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai UAE Condition : Good Available Quantity : 1

NOV Varco TDS-8S 500 Ton Top Drive For Sale Notes: Certified By Top Oilfield 2014 , Unused After Certification. Complete With Electric Motor and Fan Blower.

A top drive is a mechanical device on a drilling rig that provides clockwise torque to the drill string to drill a borehole. It is an alternative to the rotary table and kelly drive. It is located at the swivel’s place below the traveling block and moves vertically up and down the derrick. The top drive allows the drilling rig to drill the longer section of a stand of drill pipe in one operation. A rotary table type rig can only drill 30-foot (9.1 m) (single drill pipe) sections of drill pipe whereas a top drive can drill 60–90-foot (18–27 m) stands (double and triple drill pipe respectively, a triple being three joints of drillpipe screwed together), depending on the drilling rig size. Handling longer sections of drill pipe enables a drilling rig to make greater daily progress because up to 90-foot (27 m) can be drilled at a time, thus requiring fewer connections to add another 30-foot (9.1 m) of drill pipe. Another advantage of top drive systems is time efficiency. When the bit progresses under a kelly drive, the entire string must be withdrawn from the well bore for the length of the kelly in order to add one more length of drill pipe. With a top drive, the draw works only has to pick up a new stand from the rack and make up two joints. Making fewer and quicker connections reduces the risk of a stuck string from annulus clogging while drilling fluid is not being pumped. Several different kinds of top drives exist, and are usually classified based on the Safe Working Load (SWL) of the equipment and the size and type of motor used to rotate the drillpipe. For offshore and heavy duty use, a 1000 short ton unit would be used, whereas a smaller land rig may only require a 500 short ton device. Various sizes of hydraulic motors, or AC or DC electric motors, are available.

from Oilfield Equipment Manager https://rignetwork.wordpress.com/2023/02/14/nov-varco-tds-8s-500-ton-top-drive-in-good-condition/