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cparti-mkiki · 2 years

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❤️ ranking all autonomic flags of spain ❤️

my expert opinion on all of the flags of spain. sometimes i know what the symbols mean sometimes i don’t — do not expect an informed opinion is the general rule. i will not look a single thing up. anyway here we go

andalusia

starting off strong i have to admit that putting semi naked twink hercules with pet lions front and center on your flag is a power move and i am unfortunately a sucker for pillars of hercules symbolism. i think it’s as neat as nationalist imagery gets but you do get points off for mentioning spain in a positive light in the inscription. at least the first statement is andalusia first and the font is charmingly outdated (vintage 1930s) so it ALL gets a pass — also medium dark green is an interesting & original color for your flag, looks harmonious with the white and small amounts of yellow, good job andalusia. not a very original (at all) three horizontal line format but still 9/10

aragon

sigh. if only catalonia hadn’t nicked the flag that is rightfully yours.…. you are reduced to having to slap an ugly coat of arms on this fine heritage layout… 😢 is the bottom left quarter like, sardinia? if so it’s nice that they’re reminiscing about their old possessions. wish i knew what the other quarters are but it doesn’t change them being kinda ugly unfortunately. what’s up with the cross springing from the tree? anyway the first of the four crown of aragon flags gets only a 5/10 even though it pains my heart.

asturias

yeah this is sick unfortunately. 10/10.

balearic islands

our second crown of aragon flag is one that confuses me a lot. the white castle on a purple field has always been the traditional arms of… valencia. i get that we’re neighbors but why is it on the baleares flag now (as i said i am not looking this up). suspicious. highway robbery aside this flag kinda slaps (but i am so, so biased towards all of the four red stripes flags you won’t even believe it) and we always like to see rare purple in flags. 8/10

canary islands

white blue and yellow has to be one of the most visually pleasant, underutilized flag color combos ever and i applaud canarias for this utterly charming flag. it knows what’s important (OCEANO) and it also has- check this out- dogs rampant. is this a reference to can / perro => canarias? no fucking clue. anyway 9/10

cantabria

im gonna be honest i hadn't seen this flag in my life. there are two parts to this flag: the two stripes (1) and the coat of arms (2). (1) has to be the most boring layout for a flag ever (like seriously horizontal half white half red??? hi poland monaco indonesia whatever) and (2) is seriously one of the ugliest coats of arms ive ever seen. it kinda screams graphic design is my passion. i like the emphasis on being an important harbor (tower and the chain in the sea) and the uhh. circular rune thing but with them all being thrown together in an elementary school-looking drawing with floating heads and everything it’s just not very good. 2/10 only because there is worse in this country

castile - la mancha

on an intellectual level i know i should levy the same criticism against this flag as i did against cantabria on account of this also being a supremely unoriginal half red half white flag but on an emotional level. this looks cooler. it has an actual symmetric castle and the whole thing is minimalistic and powerful. go castile the new 8/10

castile and leon

this one is such a classic im so sorry, im so sorry im gonna be a basic bitch but i cant help it this is our stereotypical medieval flag for a reason. you can just visualize this thing on columbus’ standard as he plants it on hispaniola in a bad illustration from a francoist children’s book. castles and lions rampant in a simple symmetrical layout and you know what, yeah, peak flag. it is my impression that some leonese don’t appreciate being shoved into this castile thing with them having been their own kingdom for way longer but what do i know. anyway go castile the old 9/10

catalonia

why is this their flag again. why do they get the og crown of aragon flag without any add-ons. is it because they got to choose first?? the flag itself is a 10/10 but this gets 6/10 out of spite.

ceuta

it’s. it’s ugly. it attacks my senses and yet i respect them for going very hard while doing their own thing. interesting color scheme and layout. the stark black and white diagonals give me a bit of a headache if i look at this for too long but it’s true that you’ll never risk mixing up this flag with any other. also the portuguese coat of arms is a very nice touch as indeed this was a portuguese settlement that remained loyal to felipe iv after 1640. uwu. for being the most loyal, ceuta and its disconcerting flag get 6/10.

#my posts

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sushinoriedamame · 1 year

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In week 10. IN THE EXHIBITION: Look carefully at all the artists' works. Then answer these questions:

In your view, which artist should win the competition? Why? Tom Smithe win the competition. The photograph is of a Music room in the old building, Rosebery Sixth Form College, Epsom, Surrey, 1969. Because, in my view, photographers crop from the frame a portion of the foreground or background. By doing so, this picture is the centre of attention of the photograph and any other window more Stand out.

What is the main message of this artist's work? The main message of this photograph is showing three people and the music room in the old building. Taking the subject from a part of the window or door is interesting and new. The way to take photography is a unique technique. It is vintage and natural photography.

How is this conveyed? (What techniques is s/he using?) Shapes are definite forms created by objects. Photographers make the exact balance and structure in the image. Shooting from eye-level angles draws your attention in specific directions. And this photograph is black and white. Naturally, therefore, photographers might pay attention to creating the tones in black and white.

Choose one of his/her photos and describe one compositional aspect or photographic attribute (e.g. framing, focus, point of view, shapes, lines, use of light, use of texture) that you think is significant to this image. And, Explain how this compositional aspect/photographic attribute influences how you see the subject in the photograph. The most important to this image is framing. Because the photographer is most obsessed with the photo's frame, this part is emphasised by probably shooting from the same highest as the three people. The photographer focuses on the three people in order to see from the window and the door, so the photographer removes what the photographer puts in the background.

Does the style of the photo remind you of anything you have seen before? (If so what and how, or if not how is it different?). This photograph is exactly aligned with the composition of the vertical and horizontal photos. This photograph is new for me.

Your cityscape photo accompanied by a text (between 100 to 200 words) that explains the choices you made when making the image and choosing a title.

The title is One Sunday Morning at Marylebone. Sunday is very tranquil and calm compared to Friday and Saturday in London. So that's why I want to take Sunday's cityscape. This photo includes someone's classic car, rain-soaked roads, British-like buildings, and a gloomy sky. The sky and buildings are indispensable to London's Cityscape. And some people use an umbrella but also don't use an umbrella on a rainy day. This culture is especially like it. The classic car is rare even in London. I always look at a standard car such as TOYOTA, NISSAN, BMW and Benz. Therefore, this photo has a classic atmosphere in order to include the old car. The colour of the buildings is beige, orange, brown and grey, which shows the British- like. This photograph was taken when I headed to the restaurant to eat Fish and Chips in The Golden Hind Restaurant. I took it from my eye level so that the car was at the centre, and the building and the sky occupied more than half.

Your cropped photo with an explanation of how this has changed its meaning.

This is the cropped photo. It excludes the old car, walking people and rain-soaked roads with an explanation of how this has changed its meaning. A very ordinary cityscape has changed from the atmosphere of classic cityscape. This photo focuses on the tree and the tiny light compared to the picture before cropping. From this, I can see that cropping will change what stands out and the focused object. For example, the taxi behind the old car stands out after cropping the photo.

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allstartrekgames · 1 year

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Star Trek Game (1967)

Original Release: 1967

Developer: Julie Cooper

Publisher: Ideal Toys

Platform: Board Game

The first Star Trek boardgame, which I have recreated in Tabletop Simulator. If it wasn’t from the box design and the name on the board, you probably wouldn’t even guess that it’s Star Trek related, as the ships are just regular pawns and the design of the fuel ship art is a very strange design. There’s a Starfleet delta on the mission cards, but that’s about it.

The game is set in a solar system that consists of Earth and six planets names after Greek letters. Your mission is to visit three planets (a card will tell you which ones and the order) then return to Earth, first one to do so wins.

Each turn you will play a fuel card and move that amount of spaces either horizontally and vertically. You start off with cards numbered 1-10 but as you refuel you can pick our of what everyone has discarded, so you need to carefully plan your route. Your target is the “Orbit entrance point”, which you need to and on exactly to start landing – once you land on a planet, you can refuel by picking three cards.

After you’ve made a movement, you roll the dice and move one of the two fuel ships that many spaces. If you manage to get it to land next to you, you can draw a fuel card. This is rare, though, as players are constantly fighting to move it closer to them. If you run our of fuel, you move one space per turn, making it very slow progress.

It’s existence of the game is interesting, but it’s ultimately quite boring to play.

#star trek #star trek the original series #the original series #star trek tos #board games

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beamloaddirective · 1 year

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B03: Soccer in a Football World

Author: David Wangerin

There’s a quote in this book, p. 117 in the edition I have, that sums up so much of what I find so interesting and so endearing about American Soccer — After a 6-0 loss by the United States Men’s National Team to the Scottish National Team in Scotland’s Hampden Park in 1952, officials from the US Soccer Federation who had attended the match telegrammed to their headquarters in New York: “107,765 in attendance; score secondary.”

Isn’t that just it? Hasn’t it always been ‘score secondary’ for American soccer? That is what’s defined my appreciation for the way that this sport has played out in the country in which I grew up. American Soccer has survived in spite of itself, and in spite of its spectators and media and surrounding culture, and though its history is fraught, inconsistent, often weird, rarely triumphant and never without caveat when it is triumphant, I remain enamored with it. I see a game that stumbles to achieve cultural and social footholds and survives more than anything else and I admire that more (and find it more interesting) than the self-sustaining machines that otherwise define major American sports. It’s paradoxical — we go years without a top division league and our men’s team inexplicably reaches its greatest height during that period. For years (it was a record still standing when this book was published in 2006, and I think it was only during the late 2010s emergence of Atlanta United that the record was broken), the highest attended club match in US Soccer history featured no American players. The team that drew so many people, the New York Cosmos, were so successful that they’re treated as the scapegoat for their league’s death. Major League Soccer never initially appealed to the fans they tried to court, and still struggles with that even now.

I’m not a ‘do or do not, there is no try,’ guy. Effort and intent matter. Trying hard matters, and so many people have tried so hard to make American soccer function and so many of them have failed in such fascinating ways. The section on the NASL has this unending whiplash between the Cosmos drawing 70,000+ to the Meadowlands, the Rowdies developing a professional sports culture in Tampa, and the Whitecaps getting parades in Vancouver, all the while there’s a team in Hawai’i that started and failed, and a team in San Diego named the JAWS, after the movie, the Minnesota Kicks more or less being an outfit to fund wild drunken and stoned tailgate parties in their stadium parking lot during the mild Minnesota summers, teams are springing up and folding constantly, it’s just so different from everything else, both in American (and Canadian) professional sports and in soccer on a global scale. It’s always like this with this sport, it’s constantly shifting, perennially (and I suppose ironically) relegated beneath the rest of the American sports landscape, treated as a fad or a novelty or a social movement but only every now and then as a sport.

We have few of those unquestionable moments of triumph, they’re all wrinkled and misunderstood and flukey — but they still seem to echo — The section on Belo Horizonte, the 1950 upset of England which was so monumental that its unbelievability was mostly understood in the denotative sense, moreso the point of ridicule thrown at England from its European rivals… Then in 1998, DC United beats Vasco Da Gama to win the intercontinental cup, a huge upset that regardless is seen by few in-person, not covered in the US Press, and is primarily celebrated by fans of Flamengo and other Brazilian rivals. Paul Caligiuri scores with an arcing, off-speed shot from long distance in 1989 in Port of Spain to send the US to the 1990 World Cup, one of the best moments in US Soccer history, and 28 years later and a few miles south in Couva, Omar Gonzalez puts another arcing, off-speed shot from long distance into the back of the net to knock us out of the World Cup — The success in making it to Italy was not as cementing as fans might have believed immediately following just as the failure in missing out on Russia was not so disintegrative as many of us thought, both matches met with confusion by most mainstream outlets, Bob Ley having to explain on ESPN that this mean’s we’re in next year’s world cup begets Max Bretos and Taylor Twellman having to explain on ESPNews that we won’t be in next year’s world cup. Even the USWNT’s World Cup wins get treated like novelties, 1991 in virtual anonymity and 1999 like a fad. 2019 had so much political drama wrapped around it that it felt like more of a rod for discourse to much of the mainstream media (2015 (and 2014) I’ll say felt like one of the few times that American soccer got to just be American soccer, for what it’s worth. Might’ve been that ESPN had the tournament rights and had to sell them on their merits.)

And there’s just the absurdity of it all — Why do two leagues always inevitably spring up to fight for the same spot? It happened in the 1890s, the 1920s, the 1960s, the 1980s with the indoor game, even the 1990s initially with the failed APSL merger, even after this book released in the early 2010s with the NASL/USL split in Outdoor Men’s Division II. It just keeps happening! This was still pre-NISA, MagicJack, Couva, the 2012 Olympic Semifinals, the Western New York Flash in the baseball outfield, the Galaxy losing by ten goals to Manchester United, Rafael Marquez, the NJ Teamsterz owner suiting up in goal, the San Francisco Deltas, nearly the entire existence of Chivas USA, Salt Lake City and Kansas City’s trading back and forth of an NWSL franchise, even the match I’m watching on the TV behind this laptop screen right now between Seattle and Al-Ahly, the first time an American team has ever appeared in the Club World Cup. Freddy Adu was still a prospect when this book was published.

In American soccer I see the weirdness and perseverance I like to believe I reflect myself, I see the wrinkles, eccentricities, quirks and features that I find enamoring about other people, and I see something more reflective of my experience as an American than I do in other sports. It would be wonderful to attend a UEFA Champions League Final at some point in my life, I suppose, or one of the historic European or South American derbies, but I found life in our 20,000 seater in Western Kansas City, and I’ve found it in little college stadiums on a cliffside in San Diego, in downtown Omaha, in Northwestern Lawrence, even on a practice field in KCMO. GOD I love American soccer.

#David Wangerin #Soccer in a Football World #MLS

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creditskili · 2 years

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Gpi ss4 no flycut

DOWNLOAD NOW Gpi ss4 no flycut

GPI SS4 NO FLYCUT PLUS

We are importing a library with which we can program the Raspberry Pi GPIO pins. In the opened Python console we first enter the following: import RPi.GPIO as GPIO Most tutorials do not use the pin numbering, but the GPIO number.Īs before, we open the Python editor via the Start menu > Programming. Always pay attention to whether pin or GPIO is used. This is important because you can address a GPIO via both numbers. There is also “Ground” (= ground connection) and the voltage pins (3.3V and 5V).Īs you can see, there are two pin assignments: First the ascending pin assignment (starting at 1 in the top left) and then the rather random numbering of the GPIOs. Raspberry Pi GPIO Pin AssignmentĪll pins that have “GPIO” in their names can be programmed. The left (green) side should symbolize the board of the Raspberry Pi. The following graphic lists the complete pins including functions and numbering. Not all of them can be read out or connected as there are also some voltage and ground connections. Since model B +, the Raspberry Pi’s have a 40-pin header. an LED can be inserted in two columns next to each other. The connections on the middle pins are vertical.

GPI SS4 NO FLYCUT PLUS

At the top and on the bottom, you can see two horizontal bars, to which you normally attach the plus and minus pole of a device. The lines show which of the holes are connected. The connections are marked in the schematic drawing below. There are breadboards in different sizes, but the structure is usually as follows: It offers great advantages especially when testing and designing. If you want to build more hardware projects, you will definitely need these accessories.Ī breadboard is helpful as by using it one is able to set up circuits quickly without having to solder them every time. Incidentally, these components are always needed. Male-female jumper cable for the connection between Raspberry Pi and the breadboard.Breadboard, the functionality of which is explained below.In this tutorial, we will need a few hardware building blocks. I will try to incorporate that in the future. For those who already have programming experience but have not yet worked with the GPIOs, you can start with this directly.īy the way: It would be great for the other parts if you have any suggestions or what interests you the most. If you have not read the first part and you still have problems with the basics, I would advise you to go through that one first. In addition, I will also explain how a breadboard works. For this we will write a Python program, on the one hand, we record inputs and on the other hand, we switch the Raspberry Pi GPIO pins so that we can switch other modules and sensors. These so-called GPIOs can easily be switched via a program, which we will go through in this tutorial. So hoping to get into the low 11s maybe 10s with whatever cam I go with.One of the special features of the Raspberry Pi is the programmable input-output pins. I have a dedicated drag setup (bias ply) and have shed some weight. Power wise is what I meant by saying they are stock. It's just to say that you can't just stab one of these cams in and expect to run 10s, there are a lot of other complimentary things to consider to get into those numbers on a NA SBE setup.Ī lot of that is why I lean towards the GPI team. That's not to take anything away from them, it's a BIG accomplishment. It's exceedingly rare to see it with stick cars, although a few have done it. They all have significant weight reduction, dedicated drag wheel/tire setups, big converters, and some have gone as far as to swap to the TH400 to get these cars that fast on the kind of power a stock bottom end car can make. I'm not sure that any of these guys running 10s with their NA stock bottom end cars can really be considered "stock". That combination of expertise and truly top notch service gets my nod every time. Not a shot at TSP, but I don't know if anybody has done more studying and tweaking of LS3 cam timing (within the realm of stock PTVC max effort) than Ryan Stevens. GPI has a really nice cam lobe that does a good job of being aggressive without totally thrashing the valve-train. The SS4 NFC is definitely a little bigger stick, and truly represents the very edge of a max effort cam (with respect to PTVC) you can stab into an LS3 without pulling the heads.

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#Gpi ss4 no flycut

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cheri-translates · 3 years

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[CN] Gavin’s Car Repair Date

🍒 Warning: This post contains detailed spoilers for a date, 修车之约, which has not been released in EN! 🍒

[ This was released on 13 August 2021 ]

Beneath the blue skies and white clouds, the meandering road stretches towards the mountaintop, and the roar of the engine is incessant.

A light-hearted melody flows slowly within the car. Since we’ve already heard this song many times, Gavin and I find ourselves humming along to the music softly.

Gavin: Are you tired? I could drive next.

Sitting on the front passenger seat, Gavin turns his head to look at me.

MC: I’m not tired. I’m filled with energy right now~

I shake my head, gripping the steering wheel while my gaze focuses on the front.

Gavin and I had originally planned to go on a vacation in a neighbouring city today. However, sudden changes at work caused my vacation to shrink to half a day...

As such, Gavin suggested that we should change our plans to a drive, and that he’d take me to this mountain route he often drives on.

MC: I’ve already watched you driving down this road a couple of times. I’m more or less familiar with this route.

The corners of my lips curl upwards slightly, feeling the fresh breeze brushing my cheeks, along with the comforting and pleasant sensation it brings.

MC: I can now understand why you like going on a spin here. The feeling of rushing among the mountains feels really carefree.

Hearing this, Gavin’s lips hook into a smile.

Gavin: If you like it, we could come here often next time.

MC: Sure. But I’ll be the one to drive you, okay?

I speak with a teasing tone, and Gavin chuckles softly.

Gavin: Why not?

While we’re talking and laughing, a strange sound abruptly drifts to our ears. My brows furrow. Gavin also senses the problem.

Gavin: Let’s stop the car.

I nod, bringing the car to the side before stopping.

Gavin walks over to the front of the car, then opens the hood. Bits of sunlight filter through the leaves, casting a mix of light and shadows on his face.

MC: Should I call the insurance company?

Gavin: No need.

Gavin purses his lips slightly, then waves casually.

Gavin: The spark plug just needs to be replaced. This car’s pretty old, and it hasn’t been maintained much. It’s a good time to give it a thorough check.

MC: I see...

I glance at the long mountain road. Even if we were to head down the mountain now, there’s still a great distance between us and the city...

Gavin: It’s fine, there’s no need to worry.

As though seeing through my thoughts, he gives me a smile.

Gavin: There happens to be a shop I’m familiar with nearby. Since we’ve been driving for such a long time, we could head there for a short break too.

Gavin places his warm palm on the top of my head, rubbing it gently.

Gavin: In short, it isn’t a huge problem and we can continue driving. Let’s get in.

Halfway up this secluded mountain, Gavin stations the car outside a shop which looks pretty old. After getting off, what enters our vision is a tightly shut roll-up door.

Gavin: The boss might have headed out.

Gavin calls out the boss’ name several times, but doesn’t receive a response. Instead, the sound of barking drifts over.

MC: This is...

Gavin: It belongs to the boss.

Gavin takes out his phone and dials a number. At the same time, he strides towards a flowerpot at the side, retrieving a key from underneath.

Gavin: I’ve told the boss about our situation. He says we could head into the shop to repair the car ourselves.

MC: Ourselves?

I mumble in slight confusion, watching as Gavin lifts the roll-up door.

Before I can get a clear glimpse of the shop’s interior, a figure leaps out.

??: Woof woof!

A brown puppy circles around Gavin excitedly, nuzzling against him affectionately.

Gavin (voice clip here): Long time no see, Bean Bun.

Gavin squats down, patting its head. Then, he points at me.

Gavin: This is Big Sis MC. Say hello to her.

MC: Nice to meet you, Bean Bun~

I bend down. When Bean Bun sees me, the affectionate energy disappears instantly, and it hides behind Gavin timidly.

MC: ...I’m feeling a sense of déjà vu. Why are these dogs only close to you?

I pout, my tone laced with envy. Gavin chuckles softly.

Gavin: It’s just a little afraid of strangers. Once it familiarises itself with you, it’d naturally stick to you.

Watching as Gavin carries the puppy up with ease, I can’t help but ask curiously.

MC: Do you come here often?

Gavin: I guess so. I often go on drives on the mountain, and got to know the boss here. I’d drop by occasionally to modify cars with him.

Gavin places Bean Bun down, then gives me a slight smile.

Gavin: That’s why I’m more familiar with this puppy.

After saying this, he gets up and drives the car into the shop. I scan my surroundings in curiosity.

All of a sudden, a few photographs on the horizontally striped wall draw my attention-

The photographs feature customers of the shop with their beloved cars. Stepping closer, I find one figure particularly familiar...

MC: !

MC: Gavin, your photo is here too!

Pleasantly surprised, I point at that photograph. The Gavin in the photograph is even more youthful than he is right now. He’s leaning against the car, his amber eyes filled with unruliness.

This isn’t the only photograph. Next to it, there are several photographs of Gavin checking or fixing cars. However, they appear to be candid shots.

There are occasionally photographs of him looking directly into the camera. His brows are always furrowed slightly, reluctance written all over his face.

Thinking of the reasons why he was forced to have such photos taken, I find myself bursting into laughter.

Gavin: Cough...

An unnatural cough drifts to my ears softly. Without realising it, Gavin has come over to stand behind me.

Gavin: I once learnt how to repair cars from this boss.

He follows my line of sight, sweeping a glance at the photographs while explaining.

Gavin: But he’s very strange. He didn’t ask for fees, but just wanted to take some photographs of me to stick on the wall of the shop... he said that his business would be better this way.

Hearing this, the smile on my face grows even wider.

MC: Looks like this boss has pretty good taste. He knows that he can’t let this dashing “model” slip by~ If only I had such photographs of you...

I say this enviously while scrutinising the photographs on the wall. Gavin stares at the photographs of the youthful version of himself, and seems to understand my words differently.

Gavin: “Such” photographs?

MC: Mm!

Gavin: You could take a few photos later.

In a nonchalant manner, Gavin shifts to stand in front of me, and just so happens to block my line of sight.

Gavin: Stop looking. My skills from back then are far different from what they’re like now.

He arches his brows slightly, taking my hand in his.

While looking at the person in front of me, I find myself laughing aloud. A sudden realisation strikes me.

MC: Wait. You mentioned “car repair skills”... So other than motorcycles, you can repair cars too?

My eyes widen in astonishment.

In these photographs, Gavin is always driving a car. Even though I already knew that he can modify and repair motorcycles, I never thought that four-wheeled vehicles were an easy feat for him too.

Probably due to my exaggerated expression and tone, Gavin chuckles.

Gavin: Why are you so surprised? I had an interest in it, so I tried learning a little. It isn’t anything serious. Although cars and motorcycles are two different types of vehicles, the principles behind repairing them are more or less the same.

Gavin says this calmly while retrieving spare parts for the replacement from a cupboard at the side. I support my chin with a hand, eyes focused on him.

MC: You seem to know everything.

Gavin: That’s an exaggeration. It’s just a hobby.

With a faint smile, he walks towards the car while carrying the tools. When he walks past me, he taps on my cap gently.

Gavin: It won’t take long. It’d be fixed really soon. You can sit at the side and take a break for now.

After saying this, Gavin rolls his sleeves up to his elbows, revealing his contoured arm as he uses the tools seriously.

I watch on fixedly, realising that I rarely see this version of him. As such, I smile while shaking my head, moving a chair over and sitting down next to him.

MC: I just want to stay here. This is the first time I’m watching you repair a car for real. I want to protect this best observation spot~

Gavin chuckles softly, and doesn’t insist otherwise.

In the next second, something seems to occur to him. He stops in the midst of opening the hood of the car, then casts a glance at me.

MC: Hm? What’s wrong?

The corners of his lips hook upwards slightly, a gentle light overflowing in his eyes.

Gavin: Erm, MC. Could you help me out?

Hearing Gavin’s suggestion, I nod hurriedly.

MC: Of course I can. How can I help?

Gavin tilts his head crookedly and ponders over this.

Gavin: Could you hand me tools?

MC: Only handing you tools...?

Seeing that I’m slightly disappointed in this task which doesn’t require much skill, Gavin smiles as he grabs a clean apron from the rack and ties it on me.

Gavin: It’s inevitable to get grease on you when repairing cars. You’re dressed really nicely today, so don’t get yourself dirty.

The sudden closeness in proximity causes me to soften my breathing. I cooperate by lifting my hands, then sneak a peek at Gavin from my peripheral vision.

His eyes are lowered, and his expression is serious as he ties the ribbon of the apron into a knot. His warm breaths gently brush against my ear.

I blink and nod, my voice turning soft.

MC: Understood. In that case, I’ll be Officer Gavin’s little assistant today~

I say this with anticipation, and very soon grow accustomed to this new role.

While Gavin changes into his work clothes, I purchase two bottles of iced water from a nearby stall. After returning, the both of us take out the necessary spare parts and tools from a work cabinet.

Just as everything is going smoothly, a crisp sound drifts from the side, as though something has fallen to the ground.

Twisting our heads to look, we realise that Bean Bun, who had been drinking water obediently at the side earlier, has moved over to the car, pawing at the tools on the floor.

Gavin: A spare part probably fell underneath the car.

As though punishing it, Gavin rubs Bean Bun’s head. Then, he leans over to look below the car. He supports himself on the body of the car with one hand, attempting to reach for the spare part which rolled underneath the car.

Looking at his tall frame and the amount of effort he’s exerting, I can’t help but chuckle.

MC: I’ll do it.

Without waiting for Gavin’s response, I squat down, reaching out to feel underneath the car.

Gavin: ...do it slowly.

A large hand is lifted up, carefully protecting my head.

After feeling around the darkness beneath the car, my fingertips suddenly bump into something icy cold.

MC: Got it!

Seeing how happy I look, the corners of Gavin’s lips lift into a smile.

Gavin: Looks like having an ‘assistant’ around is much more convenient.

He takes the spare part from my hand.

Gavin: I’ll have to trouble you again later.

MC: Mm, leave it to me!

Gavin removes his cap. After using a hoisting jack to prop the car up, his movements are nimble as he burrows underneath the car.

In the meanwhile, I tidy up the tools that Bean Bun had messed up earlier. Occasionally, the crisp sound of clanking metal can be heard.

Bean Bun: Woof!

After a moment, I hear a sudden sound.

Turning my head over, I spot Bean Bun wagging its tail, running towards the car.

MC: Wait, Bean Bun!

Worried that it’d disturb Gavin while he’s repairing the car, I attempt to pick it up. However, Bean Bun manages to evade me nimbly again and again.

In the blink of an eye, it slips underneath the car. I hurriedly bend down, looking underneath.

MC: Bean Bun, come here...

My voice abruptly halts, and my line of sight is involuntarily drawn to the image before me-

Gavin is lying on the ground, his gaze focused as he makes replacements to the car.

His head is tilted upwards, revealing his sculpted lower jaw. A droplet of sweat slides off his face, plunging into the collar of his slightly open shirt.

Despite the grease and dirt on Gavin’s face, it does not minimise his dashing spirit at all.

Bean Bun: Woo...

Bean Bun’s bark returns me to my senses. It’s currently lying at the side, looking at Gavin a little pitifully. It’s as though it wants Gavin to play with it.

I wave at Bean Bun, pretending to look stern.

MC: Bean Bun, come here. I’ll give you delicious, delicious food!

Bean Bun: Woo woo...

Gavin: [laughs] It’s okay, he won’t disturb me.

Following the sound and looking over, I realise that Gavin had stopped his work at some point of time, and is currently looking at me with a shining gaze.

My face flushes, and I avert my eyes while using this opportunity to pick Bean Bun up, who is stuck to his side.

MC: Reporting to Officer Gavin - I’ve successfully kept this Little Rascal under control!

My dead seriousness tickles Gavin to laughter. He plays with Bean Bun while it’s in my arms.

Gavin: Mm, not bad. My assistant is indeed competent.

After this, he continues with the work on hand, just that the smile at the corners of his lips curls at a greater angle than before.

Gavin: MC, stay here and talk to me.

MC: Mm, sure~

I blink, then retrieve a small electronic fan from my bag at the side. I point it towards Gavin, wanting him to feel a little more comfortable.

Gavin: Come to think of it, do you know why I wanted to learn how to repair cars?

I look at him with curiosity, and Gavin continues.

Gavin: When driving, I’m the first person who can understand the overall situation of the car. To me, fixing the car myself is most convenient. Also, I can make detailed adjustments based on my own preferences. It takes a little more time, but the process is very interesting.

Gavin’s tone is gentle as he speaks, the corners of his lips lifting involuntarily.

Seeing the bright lights in his eyes, I feel a certain part of my heart being stirred.

MC: So that’s the reason why you like modifying and adding new coats of paint to vehicles? I know how that feels.

I nod while chuckling softly.

MC: Whenever I finished my handcrafts in the past, I’d draw all sorts of doodles on them... It was akin to leaving a mark belonging exclusively to me on the things that I liked.

I mumble to myself, not noticing that Gavin has paused in his movements. After a moment, he slides out smoothly from underneath the car.

Warm yellow sunlight lands on Gavin’s face, smoothening his sharp edges.

My heart stirs slightly. Supporting my hands on my kneecaps, I bend over to ask him a question.

MC: Are you done repairing it?

Beneath the mottled light, Gavin lifts his eyes to look at me, arching his brows.

Gavin: Not yet. There’s still the final step. I’ll need your help.

He pulls me over to him. Amid the hot and dry air in the surroundings, Gavin’s scent and the smell of engine oil blend together.

Gavin places a tool in my hand. Together, we screw the spare part I had picked up earlier.

Gavin: Done.

His scorching breaths land on the nape of my neck. I turn my head, watching as a large patch of sunlight spills on Gavin’s back.

Scattered dust floats in the air, reminiscent of mayflies as they land on the car, which has already been covered with a layer of dust.

The person in front of me has a bright and clear smile which is even more dazzling than sunlight. I blink gently, tugging on Gavin’s hand and swinging it to and fro.

MC: Gavin, there’s something else I might be able to help you with.

“Splash...”

I retrieve a towel from the pail, leaning over and meticulously wiping the car which has already been rinsed once.

In the next moment, Gavin stands behind me, grabbing my hand.

Gavin: It’s best to start from the roof of the car. That way, we wouldn’t have to wipe and wash it again. Like this.

MC: Mm...

I cooperate, standing on my tiptoes. Due to our difference in height, I find it a little strenuous.

Gavin: [laughs] Let me do it.

While saying this, Gavin takes the towel from my hand.

I nod and turn around. Only then do I realise that we’re only a finger away from each other.

Stray hairs on his forehead sweep against the tip of my nose, and I can see each one of his eyelashes distinctly.

Warmth climbs up my cheeks gradually. Just as I plan to slip out of this tiny space, my wrist is suddenly tugged on.

MC: A-aren’t you washing the roof of the car...

Lifting my head, I see an imperceptible smile flashing past his eyes.

Gavin: Before washing it, I have to ask for a “reward” from my little assistant.

After saying this, he leans down, cupping a hand against my ear.

Then, he leaves a gentle kiss on my lips.

I hold my breath. The only thing I can feel is my slightly increased heart rate.

On this scorching summer afternoon, the whirring fan moves continuously, and the sunlight along the horizon turns from a dazzling gold into a warm yellow.

Without even realising it, we’ve already wiped off all the soap bubbles on the car, and the body of the car is as shiny as the surface of a mirror.

MC: Done! Is Officer Gavin satisfied with this little assistant’s performance?

I turn my head towards Gavin excitedly. When I see the white soap bubbles on his face, I laugh aloud.

Gavin: What is it?

Under Gavin’s confused gaze, I turn the sprinkler to the lowest level, then head over to Gavin.

MC: Don’t move.

I dab some water on my hand, wanting to brush off the soap bubbles on his face.

MC: Gavin, squat down a little.

Gavin: Mm, okay.

Gavin nods in understanding. Following my instructions, he bends down. In an instant, his sculpted face draws close to me.

Beneath the gem-like and dazzling sunlight, the beads of sweat on his skin reflect light, causing me to be slightly engrossed in the sight.

I brush off the soap bubbles on his face gently. A damp yet soft sensation drifts from my fingertips. Gavin’s eyelashes quiver slightly at the touch.

Gavin: ...are you done?

I turn my head, realising that the tips of Gavin’s ears have turned an unnatural red.

MC: ...nope. There’s still a little bit on your nose.

Suppressing my laughter, I continue caressing his outline, deliberately leaning in closer.

Gavin’s breathing seems to become heavier. His eyelashes quiver slightly, before his eyes open right in front of me.

Gavin: [breathing noises] ...

Our breaths mingle with the heat waves of midsummer, and our eyes reflect each other’s faces clearly.

After a short while, Gavin seems to react. His lips move, as though he’s about to say something. However, two crisp barks interrupt him.

Bean Bun: Woof! Woof!

Bean Bun, who has been neglected by us, releases unhappy sounds of protest. It hops up continuously, pawing against Gavin’s leg.

MC: Sorry sorry, we seem to keep forgetting you today.

Lowering my head, I pat Bean Bun’s head.

Gavin: [sighs] ...

As though not wanting my attention to continue getting diverted by the puppy, Gavin suddenly carries me in one swoop, placing me on the car as he looks directly at me.

Gavin: I haven’t answered your question from earlier.

MC: Huh?

Gavin leans in close. I have a clear view of the smile overflowing in his amber eyes...

Gavin: I’m very satisfied with the “little assistant’s” performance today.

The faint scent of sweat and the fragrance of soap meld into my breaths. Only after listening to him do I recall the question which was interrupted earlier.

Despite the smile surfacing on my face, I pretend to be dissatisfied while speaking.

MC: Is that all? Officer Gavin’s assessment seems a little superficial.

Gavin laughs. He lowers his head to nuzzle the tip of my nose while he continues.

Gavin: This is how satisfied I am.

After a long while, he draws away from me slightly. With an upward tilt of his lips, he reaches out to leave white soap bubbles on the tip of my nose.

Gavin: [laughs] ...there you go. Now, the both of us have soap bubbles on our faces.

Watching as the smile deepens on his lips, I’m in a daze for a few seconds. Then, I recall how I had toyed with him earlier.

MC: Gavin, you did that on purpose, didn’t you?

Gavin: Mm, this is a counterattack.

Gavin admits it with ease.

MC: I didn’t expect Officer Gavin to launch such a childish counterattack.

I can’t help but laugh. Gavin looks at me, happy warmth reflecting in his clean and clear eyes.

He lowers his head, leaning his forehead against mine affectionately.

Gavin: MC, what you said earlier was very accurate. When there’s something I like, I’d want to leave my exclusive mark on it.

With his gaze, Gavin traces the contours of my face. Along with the warm breeze, his tender words land in my ears clearly.

Gavin: Which is why, over here...

He tilts my chin upwards gently, his voice softening.

Gavin: Let me leave a mark.

The scent belonging exclusively to Gavin wafts over. A soft sensation seals my lips shut.

MC: Mm...

Without giving me any time to react, Gavin rolls my breaths in between my lips and teeth in an overbearing manner.

The sound of disordered breaths dissipate at my ears. I support myself weakly on Gavin’s arms, feeling as though the temperature of my surroundings is rising.

After an unknown period of time, Gavin releases his hold on me. His arms remain tightly wrapped around my waist.

I pant slightly, allowing my breathing to regain some composure. As though I’m unwilling to admit defeat, I lean over towards him, giving him a light peck on his chin.

MC: ...Gavin, me too.

I stare at Gavin, my fingers caressing his outline before sliding down slowly, stopping at his chest.

MC: On you and your heart... I want to leave even more marks belonging exclusively to me.

The light in Gavin’s eyes stir for a moment. Then, he brushes aside the hairs on my face, pressing his lips to my forehead.

Gavin: MC.

I hear him calling my name.

Gavin: Actually, you already did that since a very long time ago. You did it effortlessly.

Reminiscent of a gust of summer breeze, his voice brushes my heart, filling it with a sweet emotion.

I wrap my arms around his neck, feeling the mingling of our interlaced breaths as they melt into the rapidly increasing temperature of the surroundings...

Gavin’s Post: The breeze on the mountain is really comfortable. Next time, I’ll bring Sparky here.

MC: I want to learn how to ride a motorcycle from Officer Gavin!

Gavin: Sure. MC’s private lessons will begin next week.

Minor: Bro Gavin, can I tag along?

Gavin’s Post: The breeze on the mountain is really comfortable. Next time, I’ll bring Sparky here.

MC: Can we drive down different routes next time?

Gavin: Sure. Until you have your heart’s content.

Minor: Bro Gavin, can I tag along?

Gavin’s Post: The breeze on the mountain is really comfortable. Next time, I’ll bring Sparky here.

MC: Sparky: I’ve fallen out of favour.jpg

Gavin: It’s okay, I’ll coax it when we get back.

Minor: Bro Gavin, can I tag along?

💧 Phone calls: First l Second

💧 Translated comic based on this date: here

💧 Support the cafe by dropping by the tip jar!

#mlqc #mlqc cn #mlqc spoilers #mlqc gavin #THIS IS SO WHOLESOME AND BEAUTIFUL AND HAFEWJKNDE

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audreydoeskaren · 3 years

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Abridged history of early 20th century Chinese womenswear (part 1: 1890s)

*Disclaimer: I mostly talk out of my bum so don’t ask me for academic sources, I would love to know where they are but I haven’t found any reliable ones. I only share my own observations so please read me for filth if I’m wrong.

*There are almost no public domain images I could use because this topic is too obscure so I have to use random images that work and link the sources.

Context

I think there’s not enough content about Chinese fashion history on Tumblr and the Internet in general so I’d like to share my personal knowledge (which is not a lot, but more than nothing). I only know about Chinese fashion history 15th century onwards, the more recent the more I know, so I’m gonna start with the early 20th century.

The 1890s were a very underrated decade in Chinese fashion history. The republican 1920s and 30s are usually credited as the beginning of modern Chinese fashion, mostly because people only consider cheongsam to be valid modern Chinese clothing, which is a bogus claim as aoqun and aoku were just as popular and actually endured longer than the cheongsam. The process of women’s emancipation and the simplification of women’s fashion had already began by the 1890s (perhaps even earlier to a smaller extent) when the monarchy was still around. By the 1900s women’s clothing in China had already been much simplified and modernized, so the 1890s acted as an important transitional period for Chinese fashion.

In order to understand early 20th century Chinese fashion we have to go back a bit into the past to have some clue about the context. Since the establishment of the Ming Dynasty in the mid 14th century Chinese women wore 袄裙 aoqun, a two piece ensemble consisting of a robe and a skirt. At first the robe had a y shaped “kimono collar” as the style is commonly known in the West, then in the late 16th century the 立领 or standing collar was invented (this was different to standing collars used in the 20th century and nowadays, I might explain this later). When the Manchus conquered China and established the Qing Dynasty in the mid 17th century, Han Chinese men adopted Manchu style clothing but Han Chinese womenswear remained independent and separate from Manchu womenswear until it started taking inspiration from Manchu fashion in terms of decoration in the late 18th/early 19th century. However, Han Chinese women retained the habit of wearing a two piece ensemble as the outermost layer, unlike Manchu women, who wore a single floor length robe.

In the second half of the 19th century, the aoqun had a very generous and roomy cut, with huge sleeves in the robe and many pleats in the skirt. The collar of the robe is very low, only providing enough space for one button, a style in fashion since the early 19th century. The robe is closed with frog closures, a braided/knotted style of button which is also somehow the closures used on European hussar uniforms? I don’t know the connection so if anyone has an idea please enlighten me. The robe closes at the side, usually at the right side, however examples of robes with closures on the left or both sides also existed. Before the 19th century, Han Chinese women’s robe sleeves were usually very long, longer than the actual arm of the wearer, but since the 19th century sleeves adopted a more practical length, which was at the wrist.

The skirt was usually of a style called 马面 mamian, a long horizontal pleated piece of fabric with four flat sections, which women wore by wrapping it around their waists twice and tying the tie strings at the waistband. This skirt became very decorative in the 19th century, full of embroidery, tassels and elaborate trim, sometimes giving the illusion of a separate apron being attached (I’ve seen this weird stereotype that traditional Chinese womenswear has a separate apron at the front this is complete bogus). The robes were likewise heavily decorated, sometimes so full of embroidery that the original fabric could hardly be seen; this was especially true of wedding dresses or other ceremonial outfits.

Source: https://www.chinasage.info/women.htm

In addition, pants were also often worn by Chinese women and 袄裤 aoku, the combination of robe and pants, was socially acceptable.

Another noteworthy custom was bound feet, although I don’t know so much about it. The 19th century was the pinnacle of foot binding and fashionable women had incredibly small feet, dubbed “lotus feet”. Women wore baggy stockings underneath their shoes, tied up with garters below the knees. I’m not as knowledgeable about other undergarments of this period unfortunately...

Source: https://www.hpcbristol.net/visual/ch-s03

Silhouette

In the 1890s, the cut of the aoqun began to become more slender and form fitting as a result of increased westernization. The robe was quite long, usually knee length. The sleeves became slimmer and the collar grew taller, being able to accommodate three or more buttons. Pants seem to be very popular in this period, as I have probably seen more contemporary artworks depicting fashionable women wearing pants than skirts. I speculate this may be due to a rising interest in feminism and women wanting more mobility, but that’s just my opinion. The pants were still straight cut but were less roomy than earlier 19th century models. Women began campaigning against bound feet in this period and many drawings depicted women with natural feet. However, if a woman had her feet bound since childhood it’s difficult for them to return to their natural size, so some women who were born in previous decades would still have very small feet, even if they began to reject it at this time. Plain black flats were popular in this time, I have no clue if the construction is Chinese or Western if someone has any idea please enlighten me.

Source: https://www.nas.gov.sg/archivesonline/photographs/record-details/d0743ec7-1161-11e3-83d5-0050568939ad (I think this was photographed in Singapore but the fashions were accurate to mainland China of the period as well)

Design details

The 1890s saw the mass disappearing of wide, elaborate trims around the seams, popular throughout the 19th century. Trims became smaller and more toned down, sometimes being of geometric design. Embroidery on the robe and skirt/pants was rare, if it was done it was usually very small and in a diamond pattern, instead of the more freeform patterns of the previous centuries. The fabrics often had woven in, tone on tone decorations, usually tiny floral motifs or geometric shapes. A general air of simplicity and practicality dominated the fashion of this era.

I’ll post part 2 whenever I want.

#historic fashion #qing dynasty #19th century #vintage fashion #chinese fashion #chinese history #aoqun #abridged history of early 20th century chinese womenswear

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angel-tries-to-write · 2 years

Text

Paint

Fandom: Shingeki no Kyojin/Attack on Titan Rating: Explicit Pairing: Jean Kirschtein x Marco Bodt Word count: 2157 Genre: smut

Marco loves to watch Jean paint. Why wouldn't he want to have a special portrait then? Tied to “The Name of Music”.

It was the first time in ages when Marco was able to leave his office earlier, no counting the times he was sick and his friends had to forcibly remove him from his own office, even though they were the one working for him. Since he was elected, he struggled a lot with self care. He was slowly turning into a people pleaser and worked hard to prove he deserved all the trust his voters put in him. But when Hitch pointed that out loud, he started wondering if he maybe pushed himself too hard. After all, people chose him for a reason and he felt he slowly started to lose his goal. And who was he without it? Just another politician, nothing special. So he decided to put more thought in taking care of himself and go back to his old habits of bringing everyone comfort. He started talking loud about the importance of mental health, about unrealistic goals and pressure people were putting on themselves and how it was destructive to both individuals and society. He decided to set new standards, to be a role model for people, and it worked so well. He gained even more love and even his opponents couldn't say much about it, because his narrative was clear: that system doesn't work, it's hurtful and it needs to be changed, because happier people were building a better society, worked more efficiently and were making the country prosper. It was hard to argue with that in a sensible way.

So he decided to take a break and cut his work hours to spend some time with his boyfriend. Jean came back from another tour just a few days ago and he was staying for a while. They should really use that time well, with their tight schedules it was difficult to make some time and long distance relationship could be tiring sometimes. Marco even started to have intrusive thoughts that maybe this wasn't what Jean wanted. On his way home, deep down he worried that maybe, since Jean didn't expect him to be back this early, Marco might catch him in their bed with a cute girl. He would never say it out loud to anyone, Jean once punched him for doubting his loyalty, but Marco knew that anxiety wasn't rational. It would create unreal scenarios and fixate on them, driving him crazy. So he tried to keep it down, to cling onto logic and explain to himself that it was only in his brain.

But only when he stepped through the doorstep of their apartment, he was able to chase away these thoughts. There was one particular thing that made him sure Jean was all alone, very busy, but alone: the omnipresent smell of paint. Jean was painting very rarely, he didn't have much time for that, but when he did, Marco loved to watch him create. So he quietly took his steps to Jean's workshop and the view took his breath away for a moment. His beloved boyfriend was there in his old sweatpants, his chest was bare, marked with paint. He was kneeling on the floor with paint brushes in his mouth, pallette in one hand and the currently used brush in the other, and he was just painting. Marco could watch him for hours, just stare and marvel at the act of creation. Sometimes Jean liked to work with his canvas lying horizontally, he claimed the paint was spreading better this way. He was completely focused on his work, unaware of Marco's presence. It was probably good, because he looked so hot, that Marco instantly felt his arousal rising. His clothes started to feel tight and uncomfortable, his mouth watered and an interesting idea came to his mind.

“Hey” he said quietly, drawing his boyfriend's attention.

“You're early” Jean said in response, looking up at his partner.

“Yeah, I decided to spend some time with you” Marco answered, loosing up his tie. “Unless you’re too busy.”

“No, actually I’ve just finished” Jean stood up and wiped his brushes. “It just has to dry. I’ll go shower and we can do whatever you would like to do.”

“Actually… I thought that maybe we could do something else.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’d like you to paint me.”

“That’s your idea? You know it’s boring, right?” Jean made sure his boyfriend knew what he was getting himself into.

“Don’t worry, watching you work is entertaining enough” Marco smiled, taking off his jacket and tie.

“Alright, if you really want to, you can even choose a pose” the artist said, preparing a new canvas. His partner approached the fancy chair Jean used sometimes as a prop, it was styled to resemble old furniture and quite comfortable, perfect for sitting for hours and posing. Then he started to unbutton his shirt, earning just a raised brow from Jean.

“What? Is there something you don’t like?” he asked teasingly, opening also his belt and pants.

“On the contrary, but I’m worried where you want to take it” Jean answered, trying to stay calm. It was the last thing he expected today, but not unwelcome. He got ready himself as Marco proceeded to strip off his clothes and put them away from paint. He felt himself getting nervous, but he had no idea why. He had seen Marco naked on multiple occasions, they were dating for quite a long time, but art had always been something extremely intimate to him, even more intimate than sex. And having his boyfriend there, in his private space where he could be vulnerable and stripped of all barriers and masks, where he was fully himself… it was something new. He obviously painted Marco before, but usually from a photo or his memory. Never like this. It was making him really nervous.

Marco experienced similar things. There was a difference between undressing in the bedroom, bathroom, or in some other places, and here, in this small atelier. But he had always wanted to do something like this, so after a moment of hesitation he slid down his boxers, remaining completely naked.

“Are you sure you want this?” Jean asked with concern and Marco smiled, feeling his nervousness melt away a little. Jean was always so kind, caring and thoughtful, it was one of the reasons he fell so hard for him.

“Positive” he turned around confidently and sat down on the chair, leaning comfortably on it. Jean took a sharp breath and bit his lower lip.

“Brush your hair” he directed with a husky tone. Marco smirked and lifted one of his hands to slowly ruffle his slicked back raven hair. Jean swallowed hard, watching his boyfriend sitting confidently on the chair with a sly smirk on his face, piercing gaze and that toned body. The lifted hand accentuated the muscles of his chest and stomach, as well as his nipples, hardened from the cold. The other hand rested on his thigh, his legs were spread comfortably and it was hard to miss the erected cock, standing proudly and shamelessly. This man was gorgeous, incredibly sexy and confident, there was no slightest shade of pink on his face, like he was completely fine with posing for such a portrait. Jean loved him so much.

“Like this?” Marco asked seductively, knowing fully well what he was doing to his partner.

“Perfect” Jean whispered, voice stuck in his throat. He prepared the canvas and looked at Marco again. “So this is the exact portrait you want to have?” he asked to make sure his boyfriend knew what he was doing.

“You don't like it?”

“I never said that. I just need to know if you really thought this through.”

“I wouldn't phrase it exactly this way, but why not? Besides, I can't help it, you look so hot when you paint.”

“Do you want me to paint you or fuck you, because now I'm confused.”

“We can do both.”

“No, we can't.”

“If you say so” Marco sighed with slight disappointment. “You can paint me and we can discuss the other suggestion later” he smirked. Jean shook his head and took his phone. He took a quick photo for a better reference and started to do what Marco asked for. If this was really what he wanted, Jean couldn't refuse him, so he got to work. He still wasn’t sure if it was a good idea, after all, painting was not a quick process and it was going to take at least several hours until it’s ready, but at least he needed Marco just for the basic sketch and later, for the details. Which meant he could use the remaining time in a better way. A smirk appeared on Jean’s lips when he came up with this idea. He did his best to do the right base for the rest of his painting, but it still took some time.

“Looks like you’re tired already” he said playfully, noticing that Marco looked quite uncomfortable. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea.

“I’m not tired” he protested. “But I admit, it’s getting uncomfortable. Maybe I should reconsider this. It’s a pleasure to watch you paint, of course, but I wonder how much time I have left until this starts to be painful” he said, pointing at his crotch.

“We can do something about that.”

“You said–”

“Yes, I did. But we’ll have to wait until the first layer of paint dries anyway. Painting is a long process and you don’t have to be present in every step of it. Once I’m done, I won’t need you here until I start to work on details. Which means we have some time for each other” Jean explained, not stopping painting. Marco didn’t say anything, just watched his boyfriend, thinking about what he said, but he decided to wait until the process was done, to see what he had in mind.

Finally Jean put his brushes away and took a rag to wipe his hands. The first layer was done and they had to wait until it dries to continue working on the painting. It meant they could at least have some fun in the meantime. With this in mind, he approached his model.

“Have you finished?” Marco asked, watching his boyfriend carefully.

“For now, yes. But it’s going to take even a few days until it’s finished and I don’t want you to see it when it’s not ready. So if you don’t mind, I kindly ask you to not look at this painting” Jean answered, standing between Marco’s legs and forcing him to tilt his head back and look up.

“I assume you know what we could do in the meantime?” he asked with a playful smirk.

“You can say that” Jean said and leaned down to support himself on the chair back, which made his lips end up just a few inches from Marco’s, who wasn’t wasting his time, he closed the distance and kissed his partner. They remained in this position for a while, until Jean moved with his kisses on Marco’s neck.

“Jean…”

“Mmm?”

“Don’t tease me too much, okay?”

“As you wish” Jean muttered against his skin and kept kissing him, leaving a wet trail of kisses until he knelt in front of the chair.

Marco bit his lip with anticipation and excitement, but then he immediately opened his mouth, gasping loudly when Jean licked his cock. Such a long lasting erection made him sensitive to the slightest touch. He put his hand on his partner’s head, moaning softly with every suck. Jean was really careful and gentle, fully aware that he might very easily hurt his boyfriend and he did best not to, after all his goal was to cause pleasure, not harm. It was funny, a few years prior he would be disgusted at the thought of even kissing another man and now he was on his knees for one, doing his best to make him happy. And he was thrilled to do so, he loved to watch Marco enjoy blowjobs this much. So even though initially reluctant, he embraced his sexuality and discovered there was nothing wrong with sucking dick, unlike he used to think. So he did his best to make his boyfriend feel good, and he knew that with every lick, suck, and the slightest movement, Marco was closer and closer to his climax. He could feel it by the tension of the muscles of his thighs, by his shallow, uneven breaths and by his fingers tightened firmly on Jean's hair. And it didn't take long for him to come with Jean’s name falling from his lips. He leaned back on the chair, breathing heavily.

“You were amazing as usual” he said, giving his partner a look of bliss and exhaustion.

“Want to move to bed and continue there?” Jean asked with a smile, satisfied with the result of his actions.

“I hoped you would ask.”

#shingeki no kyojin #attack on titan #jeanmarco #jean kirschtein #marco bodt #my fic

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z-elziard · 3 years

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RETROSPECTION

While this may seem short, the journey of being a child is never easy for any parent who goes through it. Bunda told me that morning when the two of them were sitting on a small foothold, in Grandpa's yard, on the side of a small village, on the edge of the Netherland city, Kampen. This is a relief, around the age of eighteen Elziard, went to his mother's hometown, where their grandparents and parents were.

“Bun, Zidan dari dulu emang anaknya gak aktif-aktif banget, ya?” He asked, without looked at his mother, then took a sip of his drink.

“Kenapa nanya gitu?”

“Kayaknya enggak jago berbaur aja kayak anak lain.”

There was a brief pause between their conversation. Maybe Bunda were thinking. “Kalau kamu dikasih kesempatan sama Tuhan buat dilahirkan lagi, kamu pengen jadi anak yang kayak gimana?”

Not immediately answered, Zidan thought hard about this question. It might also be difficult because he doesn't know much about the games he wants to play with his friends.

“Yang seneng aja Bun, enggak disuruh les ini atau itu, pengen main bareng-bareng temen yang lain, kayak anak-anak Indo.”

Bunda realized that this is something that her children rarely do when they are young, because of their family's constant nomadic situation, and it doesn't stop. This made it difficult for her child to adapt and Bunda did not try too hard to be close to her neighbors, so she relied on tutoring and only tutoring could help Zidan. At that time, he thought so.

“Kamu pengen main apa aja emang sama temen kamu, Nak?”

“Kelereng.”

Bunda smiled. “Okay, kenapa kamu pengen main itu?”

“Karena itu favorite kaum Zidan?” He was silent for a moment. “It's nice to be able to make strikes, get Kelereng into the circle, and make the Kelerengs ours.”

“Terus, Engklek.” Zidan pauses, swallowing his saliva. “The players can start by drawing boxes and a half-circle. The boxes are drawn to be in a T shape with three horizontal boxes, one vertical box, and two horizontal boxes.”

Zidan smiles. “We must-plays with our leg and cannot step on the line or out of the box. It must be fun, because if the player falls or step on the lines, then their turn ends.”

“It must be fun. There is also a game like that here, we often play it in some celebration events.” Bunda commented with her eyes smile.

“Ya, Bun, there are so many games I want to play and they are very popular, like Ular Tangga.” Imagined himself in childhood, playing with his friends, making several stairs with their small hands, and surrounding their friend in the middle. “I imagined and it was so much fun.”

Bunda did not respond so much but asked questions, to be interested in this chat. “Kalau Hide and Seek gimana?”

“Suka, it's very challenging and also fun. I have to find a good place to win and hard to find.”

Bunda laughs. “Tapi, kalau susah dicari nanti diculik setan, lho.” Bunda teasing him.

“Hah, enggak lah, Bun, itumah kalo sompral!” Zidan shouted and mocked his Bunda.

“Bunda tau Water Gun?” Zidan looked at his Bunda who looked thoughtful. It must sound unfamiliar to her. “Itu Bun, mainan yang pake tembak-tembakan terus diisi air, Zidan pernah main itu sama Arsyad.” He explained while mention to their cousins from the father's line. “Permainan itu juga menarik banget, soalnya bisa bikin sebaju-baju basah.”

The morning chat ended by talking about the game Bentengan, which most young children had rarely talked about. However, times have changed, children are starting to not recognize the traditional game. This phenomenon occurs because of the rapid development of science and technology in Indonesia. Because of science and technology children are more interested in more interesting online games.

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a-forlorn-soul · 3 years

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Prompt #15: Surpassing the Master

Prompt: Thunderous

Character: Akihide Shibata

Time: Past

The air was alive with tensions as onlookers followed the movement of the two swordsmen on the field below. It was a rare time for those who focused on more martial skills in Sharlayan to have such a demonstration of prowess. Especially in the arts of a Hingan Samurai. So many had gathered to witness the two squaring off against each other, trading blows easily as they examined each other's defenses to look for an opening. Out of this crowd one person was a bit out of place, a small raen woman whose scales were shining like pearls that matched one of the fighters.

Another clang of metal on metal echoed through the air as katanas clashed before the two fighters broke apart yet again. Both raen were smirking at each other as they appeared to be almost evenly matched. Neither one of them was willing to give the other an opening or the open hand.

“Careful Father, you seem to be slowing in your old age,” Akihide taunted with a laugh, “It almost looks like you are struggling.

A loud scoffing laugh escaped Kazuna. “Oh please boy, I was just entertaining our guests. Now the real fight begins.”

When Kazuna came in at him this time it was far quicker than any of the other blows. So much so that he almost missed the movement entirely. Thankfully for him he had his own tricks up his sleeve. The man’s blade tore through an image of Akihide, dissolving an illusion instead of striking him.

“Clever, but will it be enough?”

The following exchange of blows were enough to boggle the mind. One of them using strikes that were blindingly fast while the other resorted to illusions to mask their true movements. To make it even harder to follow, Akihide was constantly changing whether his movements were faster or slower than the movement of the images. Kazuna was able to keep up with them for the most part, but it was clear that he was struggling to do so and was often parrying blows at the very last moment. Which, surprisingly, caused him to smirk.

“Not bad, you’ve got your mother’s talent with illusion. But it defies all the traditions of our fighting style.”

“Weren’t you the one who told me that tradition should only ever be a foundation to grow from, not a restraint to keep us stagnant?”

“True, but can you defy tradition and win?”

“We’ll have to find out, now won’t we?”

Kazuna suddenly backed off from Akihide and slid his katana back into its scabbard. The stance he then took was similar to iaijutsu, but there was a slight difference that told Akihide that this was going to be his father’s own personal style of a strike, one that was passed down for generations and perfected. Like most iaijutsu it was a quick draw technique, but this one was at such a high speed that it was imperceptible to the naked eye and created a massive shockwave in a full circle around him. The only real counter that had been designed was the same move executed at the same time.

At least that is what his father and grandfather thought. Aki was of a different mind and took a new stance. The air around them shimmered to make it difficult to see what was going on, only for there to be several images of Akihide surrounding Kazuna and they were all taking the same stance. They were leaning back slightly with their katana horizontal to the ground and one hand sliding down the length of the blade.

“Interesting…” Kazuna muttered with a slight pause, “A perfect illusion. They have the same aether signature, make sound, and even give off a presence. I have no way to tell which one is the real you. But it won’t be enough.”

As expected, both samurai moved at speeds that few could follow, if any could follow it. For a moment it looked like Kazuna had succeeded in having the upperhand, with all the images of Akihide having been slashed through. Then the images shifted to show they were all illusions. This then led to two additional images having come in from above and below. Kazuna couldn’t tell which was real and which was fake and went with his instinct to block the blow from above. In the end it turned out the one coming from below was the real Akihide who now held his blade to his father’s throat.

“I agree, it wasn’t enough. Which is why it was just a diversion.”

His father suddenly laughed before putting his blade up and clapping. This then prompted a thunderous applause to come from their audience, drowning out all else. No one had expected any of this to happen, and on the sidelines the small raen was smiling brightly as her husband and her son offered each other a bow. There could be nothing more pleasing to see her son find his own way while still honoring the beliefs of his father.

#ffxivwrite2021 #ffxiv #ffxivwrite #Sharlayan #raen #akihide shibata

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rosesmith18 · 3 years

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(PnF) Headcanon #11 Thomarie Nitpicks #2 Pt.1 Clothing

This is sort of a sister post to post #6 & #7, it mentions characters from post #6, and is connected to my current series of post about the problems I have with the MnT(Marie and Thomas) Universe. I want to make it clear that I like these characters...to an extent, but to another extent I don't. I want the best for them as they were a big part of my childhood, and so in this post I want to make some tweaks to their clothing and personalities, as I find them currently sporadic and dated.

*Disclaimer: The MnT Universe is centered around (OC)Maria Flynn & (OC)Thomas Fletcher. Marie belongs to angelus19 & sam-ely-ember deviantart. Thomas Belongs to Melty64.

Maria's Child Clothing: Okay, so a lot of people have made the claim that Maria's design is generic which I will not deny. It's a blatant ripe off of her mothers clothes with a change of color palette, and while I enjoy the idea of Phineas designing her clothes to be that way, it's a waste of potential(as are most things I will mention in this post). Maria canonically adores France, and in my headcanon was born there, so I think some Parisian style could be added to this design. I'd draw instead of writing about this, but I have no artistic talent. For starters, based on my research(as I myself am not French)puffed sleeves are a common occurrence in French clothing culture, so giving Marie puffed sleeves in place of her mothers regular ones would be nice. Instead of basic shoes, ankle boots are also a common item in French clothing followed by white and/or black tights. Now, ironically enough the style of belt Isabella has on her clothes is similar to a French Skinny belt called a Maison Boinet, so just change it from being one color to a light brown with a metal clip, and it can stay-as can the main outfit. Lastly, to quote https://leoncechenal.com/french-girl-style-guide/ 'And I think the ultimate goal of all French girls is to find their own style (what they like and what they don’t) and to stick to it.', so in summary this doesn't need to look perfect or fancy it just needs to look natural.

Maria's Teen Clothing: Okay, this one is even worse in my opinion, but the whole one color thing is killing me! So, for this I did a COMPLETE recall and came up with this; A purple beret, orange bow wrapped around her neck mimicking a Parisian scarf, dressed in an orange & purple horizontal striped sweater dress that hangs off her shoulders, and a pair of black single buckle ballet flats. She would have a gold chain-link belt to replace her Maison Boinet one, a cameo necklace of the Virgin Mary, and a gold choker with small bells. Based on my research actual Beret's aren't that common in French culture anymore, though ironically striped shirts and dresses are, but Marie's is canonically the one her mother wore in the episode 'Summer Belongs to You' and familial connection is super important to Maria-so I decided to keep it. I kept her Garcia-Shapiro bow as I am appalled they tried to get rid of Isabella's in AYA(Act your Age)! Vivian clearly still has her from when she was young, and I believe every Garcia-Shapiro who wants one should keep them to some extent throughout their life! Off shoulder tops and dresses are pretty common in France as are sweaters, so I gave Maria an off shoulder sweater dress. And, ballet flats are some of the most common footwear for woman in France, they have many styles like the single buckle that don't actually look like ballet flats we American's would usually associate with ballet. The jewelry wore by French woman is wore all the time, and is rarely below the quality of 10-carrot gold. Layering necklaces of different sizes such as a cameo necklaces and a choker is normal, and chain-link belts are considered appropriate for any and every outfit. Chokers are a bit longer than some might expect them to be, and I went with a cameo necklace of the Virgin Mary as I headcanon Maria to be a serious Jew. Lastly, make-up in the French world is some of the most neutral in color and shade, so I gave Maria a soft pink lip and nose bridge blush at best.

Thomas' Child Clothing: I heavily dislike Thomas' child design. It lacks any personality in my opinion when compared to Ferbs or Vanessa's. I appreciate that it isn't a ripe off like Marie's, but that doesn't make it good or interesting. Also, this ties into my biggest problem with Thomas, but he's too...boyish. There is nothing wrong with having a practically boyish character, but that kind of personality and style is better used on a character intended to be boyish, and not characters who happen to be boys. I mean Thomas is the son of one of the most headcanon'd nonbinary characters in the whole show, and one of the most headcanon'd bisexual's in the whole show. This is why I mentioned these characters being a bit dated. They definitely came out before LGBTQ+ representation became popular in the fandom-at least compared to the extent of today. So, for Thomas I want to propose a few heavy changes to his child design, starting with...SKIRTS. I petition Thomas to have an either black & white(or purple and green), plaid skirt that reaches his knees. This style of skirt is popular in both British and German(Drusselstein) clothing culture, and is something his family would so support! I mean the potential Thomas has for normalizing clothing as gender neutral is being completely wasted! A white polo shirt inspired by his fathers and his original design underneath. A tweed blazer-of the same color scheme-which is considered always in style in Britain, and the Haferlschuh which are the most popular type of shoe found in Germany-and suit any outfit. Add some tracht socks in white and you have the perfect style!

Thomas' Teen Clothing: This design wasn't horrible, I actually quite like the overall vibe it was going for, but it's not specific enough. I don't find this design to be more than a vibe; It doesn't go deeper than that when it could. So, I summarized it into this; Ripped up, leather pants, sleeveless, white turtleneck, high-heeled, black boots, and to top it all off a trench coat and leather satchel. Considering Thomas is the lead singer and bass guitarist for a classic/heavy rock band I think some ripped leather pants with a bell bottom are perfect. I kept the sleeveless, white classic turtleneck that came from his original design as I do think it's appropriate. I also wanted to pay homage to his mothers almost iconic heels by giving Thomas a similar pair himself; A pair of black, over the knee boots, with a stiletto heel. The trench coat MADE his original design, and the traditional leather satchel is a perfect accent to it, both are British classics in the world of fashion.

Thomas' Rock Outfit: I'm added a subsection for Thomas' clothes as we NEED to talk about his band outfit. I want to say this first, I don't like the original name for the band. Clair is a generic name that doesn't sound too rock-ish in my opinion. It's supposed to represent Maria as it is a French girls name, but it's too simple for someone like Thomas. So, I changed it to Église des Gémeaux which represents Maria in more ways. The name literally translate to Church of Gemini from French to English. It represents Maria's French heritage, her connection to her Jewish Religious roots, and contains a reference to her birth month of June-her birth sign Gemini. The band in itself is canonically represented by The Spill Canvas which is an American Alternative rock band which I also changed. I gave the band a more Eisbrecher/Queen style as Thomas is German(Drusselstein)/British. Eisbrecher is a German Neue Deutsche Härte rock band(translating to New German Hardness aka Industrial Rock), and most of us know Queen the British rock band known for helping to start the rock genre making them a Classic rock band. Major headcanon to this band I want to add, Thomas primarily sings in German(Drusselstein) as he himself has a heavy German(Drusselstein)/British accent. His canonical outfit is a leather top similar to his mothers teenage attire, some basic jeans, and some black boots. I have rewritten this design as such; Ripped up, bell bottom, leather pants, long-sleeve, purple, deep V-neck top, covered by a studded, leather jacket, and keeping his pair of black, over the knee boots, with a stiletto heel. Accent this outfit with some studded, leather cuff bracelets, silver chain choker, and industrial piercing as well as some crescent moon 2nd/Upper lobe piercings. Now, the style of rock/punk is highly personal and changes heavily from generation to generation, but as someone whose family is highly involved in the antique business; It can be expected that Thomas would have a classic rock style inspired by the band he loves such as Eisbrecher, Queen, The Rolling Stones, Mozart L'Opéra rock, Amon Düül II, etc. Some of the elements of his outfit repeat such as his pants and heels, though his deep V-neck is inspired by a picture of Queen. His studded jacket is inspired by MANY rockers of the past. And, his jewelry has a very punk aesthetic. His make-up can be expected to be heavy with intense eyeliner, mascaras, and aided with a plum lip to match his V-neck. While I do enjoy the Grunge style take for Fred & Xavier; I personally find it underwhelming for someone such as Thomas.

I'll end the post here for now as it's getting pretty long. I'll make a post about personality changes at a later point(likely my next post). If you have any questions, comments, etc about what changes I've made feel free to share them! If you have any expertise with French, German, British, or Rock attire and believe I've been misinformed than please tell me! I remind you I am not an expert on fashion, character design, and am only aware of American trends. These changes are entire based on what knowledge is available to me, and my own personal feelings about clothes and characters, but I'm open to learning! I apologize if my opinions come off as harsh, I am merely opinionated about things I enjoy, but I hold no ill-will towards anyone who thinks differently. At the end of the day, I don't own Marie or Thomas or Phineas and Ferb, and am merely expressing my freedom to make or suggest changes. I encourage anyone reading this post to do the same, and be has intense as you feel, of course WITHOUT being insulting of the people you disagree with. Thank you!

#phineas and ferb #marie and thomas #headcanon #oc #clothing #marie flynn #thomas fletcher #phineas flynn #isabella garcia shapiro #ferb fletcher #vanessa doofenshmirtz #next gen #phinbella #ferbnessa #pnf

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