#I think kc and saints

[despazito]

The Nenetskaya Laika or Nenets herding laika is a landrace reindeer herder from northern Russia kept by several indigenous peoples. In the 1890s the Norwegian Fram expedition to the antarctic purchased 33 nenets dogs for their journey, and the white surviving dogs became the foundation stock for the modern Samoyed breed.

Many dog breeds have a breed mythos that is varying degrees of truths and some almost completely fictitious to explain where the breed came from, what it does, and why they look the way they do. I think it flatters some people’s egos to imagine they own a piece of history. For instance I think the Shih Tzu or Pekingese becomes more appealing once you explain that they were bred by imperial royalty. Particularly egregious examples are the myths like bloodhounds and bassets having long dragging ears to "pick up" a scent, or that excessive 20th century wrinkling on the bulldog was somehow useful in bull baiting.

The Samoyed story is mostly true, the Nenets and Samoyed people do rely on these dogs for herding and companionship, but if you're imagining the large plush white dogs you see in the suburbs you're being a bit misled. This disconnect wouldn't matter if it weren't for the breeders espousing the breed myth as sacred text to justify purity above all else for breed preservation. But the dogs they are preserving are so often completely different from the dogs written about in the origin stories! It's the Nenets people of the 21st century who are more closely preserving the true spirit and image of the historic Samoyed dog.

So many breeds in their current state were invented by the kennel clubs then retroactively labeled as unchanged for hundreds of years. The Saint Bernard as we know it now is another good example of a kennel club fabrication.

After a century of pedigree breeding with a small founder population the Samoyed has an inbreeding coefficient nearing 30% (Dreger et al 2016) despite the UK KC listing 8.5% (because they measure COI by reading registered pedigree ancestry instead of genetic testing). 12% of tested dogs were heterozygous for the mutation linked to enamel hypoplasia. They're still pretty healthy dogs, but again it could be better.

Similar dogs from the same family and region get repeatedly subdivided up into separate, smaller groups who are then banned from mixing outside their small gene pool. Compound it with bottlenecks, overrepresented sires, and the sterilization of most offspring, and you're left with a gradual loss of diversity and an accumulation of deleterious mutations. This is why even purebred dogs who don't have exaggerated physical deformities still have higher rates of many hereditary disorders.

Selective breeding can be very useful and you can selectively breed for healthier dogs, but the overwhelming majority of dog breeders put more weight on either breeding for looks or obeying artificial parameters set on gene pools than breeding for welfare and long-term breed health.

  -The Invention of the Modern Dog: Breed and Blood in Victorian Britain

[lostfollower]

Giving mutuals music that reminds me of them :)

@kc-form-the-stars - Obviously a Mitski song. You’re a huge fan of hers but also the vibes match. Choose any song you like, I suppose? @thatoneguyfromtheantivoid - Okay, you give those indie rock songs that are fun to listen and head bop to but can also make you really emotional. A fun summer vibe Any song I try to think of like this has super depressing lyrics so

[Hidden in the Sand by Tally Hall]

@intothevoid125 - melancholic but very beautiful. You would be a very poetic or soft song. [Reading in Bed by Emily Haines]

@3dogbones

??? Techno? Electronica? Not for any particular reason. You’re really cool and seem really fun

@21ducky

A chaotic classical piece. No further explanation given.

[Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns]

#If I forgor to mention you just say so and I’ll update the list #Rambles

[offsidekineticist]

So I've been thinking about what KC Qweck would look like...under a cut because spoilers for the WOTR secret ending

I have a fairly detailed idea of how some parts of her crusade would go, but it would take awhile to explain all of it, and it might shift once i get around to her playthrough, anyway. Instead I will say she will be my ascension run, and here is my first draft of what she's like as a god.

Qweck (also called the Profane Saint) the goddess of family, rage, and protection, a being of demonic and angelic power in one. Her followers include people who struggle with self-control, especially when related to innate powers or outsider influence. Others of her followers are those seeking power to protect loved ones. Qweck teaches a kind of balance: using the power available to you to protect the ones you love, but never allowing that power to consume you to the detriment of your loved ones. Her followers often practive forms of meditation that use anger or rage as a focal point, and her paladins are granted the ability to turn their righteous anger into power in the form of a berserker rage.

Her domain is called the Fortress, and is a place of shelter, reprieve, training, and preparation guarded zealously by sentries both angelic and demonic, neither of which are permitted inside. Only her fallen followers and closest allies (those she elevated when she ascended) are permitted in the Fortress, for only they are worthy of her highest protection. The souls of the worthiest of her followers, after much preparation, ascend to become one of the Fortress's protectors, sacrificing their place in the Fortress to preserve it for the sake of others.

Herald: the Pale One and His Shadow. The herald of the Profane Saint embodies the duality of their goddess. The Pale One is compassionate and comforting, sometimes appearing to followers of his goddess in times of great loss when anger is not enough, helping them to find the peace and strength to carry one. He takes the form of an unnaturally pale, white haired old man of whichever ancestry his charge would find most comforting. But when the Pale One walks among those who would harm his goddess's followers, all those whom His Shadow crosses are stricken dead. When His Shadow crosses the goddess's faithful, they are filled with empowering rage and zeal which they use to pursue and strike down their enemies.

Edicts: protect and care for your loved ones, embrace your power, learn to harness your rage

Anathema: prioritize rage or vengeance over loved ones, refuse to use your power out of fear or pride

#pwotr pals #pathfinder wotr #oc: theoven derenge #oc: giliys #oc: qweck #knight-commander oc

[socially-awkward-skeleton]

Tagged by: @corvosattano @solstheimtxt @kyber-infinitygems @nightbloodbix @adelaidedrubman and @simplegenius042 this week thank you all so much!!

Tagging: @shallow-gravy @cassietrn @strangefable @stacispratt @eclecticwildflowers @poetikat @florbelles @direwombat @v0idbuggy @josephseedismyfather @theelderhazelnut @marivenah @josephslittledeputy @peppertheferalraccoon @neverthesameneveranother @strafethesesinners @clicheantagonist @inafieldofdaisies @voidika @roofgeese @confidentandgood @derelictheretic @trench-rot (no pressure) and anyone else with something to share :)

So now that I've spoiled the plot point of the scar on Jacob's chest via art work, guess I might as well share the scene where it happens (warnings for knifeplay and a scene where cutting someone sounds more like smut...if this ain't your jam, i'm sorry, feel free to ignore)

Saint Francis was utterly silent, so quiet only the sounds of the boughs of the trees rustling with the wind and the few calls of nocturnal animals outside could be heard. Deep in the darkness of the night there was only one light left on in the entirety of the building (as it was on most nights) and while Kit and Jacob would normally be busy at work, planning and preparing as any good soldier was known to do, tonight that was not the case.

Jacob lay sprawled out on the too small cot in the corner of the room, his arms folded behind his head, and eyes gently shut as Kit lay curled up beside him, her head resting on his shoulder. Whatever formal agreement had been made between them had just been consummated for what would certainly not be the last time that evening. 

Her fingers trailed through the red hair on his chest, caressing gently over the scars and raised skin that tracked over and marred his flesh, her warm breath fanning against him until  she sat up on her elbow, his dog tags jingling together against her chest as she moved and brushed flowing waves of copper hair over to one shoulder.

“I was thinking, I still need to give you something too.”

He cocked his brow but didn’t open his eyes. “Oh yeah, like what?” he asked, voice thick with the heady fog that came as he relaxed during his refractory period. 

The bed creaked and her weight shifted from the cot, the springs relaxing back into shape only to squeak once more as she returned and straddled herself over his thighs, her weight pressing down upon him like an iron anvil of muscle.  

Opening his eyes he was met by her smirk and the blade of her hunting knife twisting between her fingers. “Just what d’you think you’re doing with that, kitten?” He asked with a cock of his brow and a too smug grin on his face.

Bringing the knife down against his skin, she dragged the point of it down from his throat to the breast bone, a long red scratch left in its wake and it was sure to welt. Scoring the skin across his peck, Kit rested the tip of the knife just above where his heart beat below. With a coy grin, her lower lip pulling between her teeth, she husked, “Marking what’s mine.”

Jacob shifted, sitting up on his forearms, his eyes widening as she pressed down with the sharpened edge of her knife, cutting through layers of skin. Hissing as his blood bubbled up to the surface, he bared his teeth as she slit through old scar tissue to carve her initials into his chest. 

Kit’s pale eyes stayed focused on him and the reactions he gave more than on her penmanship, her stare tracking every flinch and curling of his lip, every tightening of his jaw and flaring of his nostrils like she was trying to commit it all to memory. 

Looking down at his chest, between the streams of scarlet that flowed from him, he could make out the letters KC cut into him. There was no going back now, she already had his number and knew exactly who his heart belonged to. 

With a toss of the knife to the floor, she leaned down and kept her eyes on him as she braced her hands on his shoulders, licking up the blood that had spilled down the curves of his peck.  The way the light hit her, making shadows around her eyes, her icy stare peering out from the dark made her look more animalistic than human as her tongue lapped at him, collecting the warmth from within his veins upon it and then devouring it like a lioness at a watering hole. She had that same bestial quality to her that she had after tearing out a man’s throat and consuming him in her cage, that moment when he knew she was just like him.

Swallowing heavily, his throat bobbing at the intensity of the way she scrutinized him, he was captivated entirely by her and the way her tongue dragged across her lips staining them with reddened saliva until they were the same shade they became when she was under his thumb. His hand quickly flew to the back of her head, and collecting a handful of her hair in his grip, pulled her towards his mouth to kiss her. The salty, metal tang mixed in their mouths as he drove his tongue in past her lips and nearly lost his mind, willing to suffocate himself to taste more of her. 

Prying herself free of him, she smiled against his mouth and peppered his lips with gentle kisses. “You’re mine,” she whispered.

“Goes both ways, Kitty.”

“I know.” 

#wip whenever #wip wednesday #tagged #american beasts #jacob seed #oc: kit cross #ship: the wolf and the wildcat #kit x jacob #tw knives #tw blood #also let it be known this is the way these two decide to get engaged

[creesask]

"We..."

"Shut up, there's no we, your brother's dead, get used to it, it's just you"

"..."

"So, wanna be redeemed?"

Monty is such a bitch sometimes (always) that I can’t help but understand Bloodmoon. I know they say that they just don't want to be redeemed but looking at the way main characters act sometimes I wonder if they really think they're on the good side. It's great when a show doesn't make their heros pure and flawless and their villains blank and unreasonably evil (world isn't black and white and all) but somehow sometimes I have this feeling that Main characters act even worse than antagonists

Look at Bloodmoon's life from their perspective:

1) Born and MADE to be a certain way and then get hated for it even by their creator

2) Help main characters to get rid of their enemy but instead of gratitude they only receive more hate and "heros" are now trying to find a way kill them. TWICE

3) Got killed for a stupid cruel joke and don’t understand what they did wrong

4) Got abandoned by Eclipse, Lunar, Monty, Ruin, KC, Solar

And it's not even a full list!! I'm not trying to make Bloodmoon a poor little saint who just was mistreated badly (even though they were), they are literal killers after all and they killed so many people. But then again, Eclipse made them that way and they feel pain when they don't consume blood. It's just a need, the same way eating for humans or charging for robots is a need. And we even saw that they're perfectly fine with just drinking blood bags without killing!!

I'm just... Ooof... I understand why they don’t want to be redeemed

#Sams #Bloodmoon

[mathlann]

10 characters | 10 fandoms | 10 a negotiable number of tags

Tagged by @poetikat! Thank you!

1. Selina Kyle/Catwoman- DC. One of my oldest faves, even if I don't talk about her much on here. Something is happening in Gotham City? Is Catwoman going to be there? If not, then I don't care! It's rare that a Batman writer can be normal about her but I'd rather suffer through badly written Selina than no Selina (and God have I suffered).

2. Matilda- The Monk: A Romance. One of the best villains I've read this year, I adored every page she was on! The scheming! The seduction! The audacity! She worked hard for her place in Hell and I hope Satan gave her a promotion!

3. Yennefer of Vengerberg- The Witcher 3. Ever since Geralt showed up Skellige and she gave him those party outfits knowing damn well she wasn't going to like either one of them... I loved her. I immediately got back on the boat to find the right merchant to buy the correct outfit so we could coordinate. Never made the same mistake again.

4. Arthur Morgan- Red Dead Redemption 2. My sweet cowboy! He was awful at crime and riding horses but I kept him clean, fed, and dressed in the finest Cowboy Gucci 1899 money could buy. He rode his white mare off to the Big Train Job in the Sky years ago and I still can't finish the epilogue because I miss him too much.

5. Daeran Arendae- Wrath of the Righteous. Every blessing in his life has turned out to be a curse and he deals with that by being just ....the pettiest asshole. He actively makes my KC a worse person by association but he is never allowed to leave my party. To avoid a dissertation level essay....I just think he's neat!

6. Aloth Corfiser- Pillars of Eternity 1 and 2. My favorite Team Nerd. This elf has never met a crack in the ground too small to dramatically hurt himself on, but also is regularly one of the last ones standing during boss fights. He hates me in Deadfire as of now but his general wizardly wimpiness is so endearing I can't be mad about it.

7. Alicent Hightower- House of the Dragon. Owner of the biggest, saddest eyes in Westeros. She should have been allowed to kill that old man. I wanted her to kill that old man so badly.

8. Maeve Millay- Westworld. Her and Hector altered my brain chemistry for a straight month back in 2021 (their intro! The tent scene!). That show did not do her right because Maeve should've been the special main character android rather than Dolores. The whole narrative ~bullshit~ just makes more sense if it was Maeve. I said it then, I say it now, and I'll be saying it again on my deathbed.

9. Johnny Gat- Saint's Row II. Johnny, my best friend Johnny! He never stops criticizing my Boss's driving but I take him everywhere all the same. Accidentally launched him out the front of a car so bad he didn't come back for what felt like a week. I thought I'd killed him for real and was devastated! Saints Row III is so boring without him.

10. Morrigan- Dragon Age Origins. Still one of my favorite video game character arcs. Platonically. Romantically. To me, she can do no wrong.

If y'all are up to it! Tagging @babeoffrontiers @neocores @feluka @bhaelspawn @gojuo or anyone who wants to!

#tag games #that was so hard omg

[houseofbrat]

LOL at the Wales Wailer blog that you posted speaking about Charles & Camilla and their “PR saturated fingers” when W&C have the most tightly controlled, PR and focus group tested image in the family. Or their delusion that C&C are the only people in the family to employ PR when any public figure does, the sainted Diana definitely did as did QE2. Charles is a human who is comfortable in his own skin and has accepted that he is what is, some people will always live in the past and that as he’s said “history will judge him”. Anyone who actually observes him past the veneer of a pretty wife and a similarity to Diana, can see that William has a temper and a thin skin. He can’t handle his world view bumping up against reality (see photos of him with the Jamaica PM on tour).

Let’s compare KC’s most recent environmental initiative Terra Carta v Earthshot Prize. One you’ve probably never heard of but has aligned big business to accelerate funding to climate change as part of their daily operations and the other finances worthy initiatives yes, but is more synonymous with the founder giving People Mag exclusive access for a BTS photo spread after an award show that has the nominees sitting at home so celebs can be in the room. Who is really PR saturated?

People seriously need to give their head a wobble if they think public servants should not be expected to work, especially if that’s the reason they criticize Meghan Markle. I prefer Charles because I actually look at the work and the direct impact his work has done which William will never match. He’s too old to live up to that. That doesn’t mean Charles will be as loved as him because it’s clear that royal watching and public perception is shallow, based more on whose photogenic than actual service. But the impact Charles has made can never be erased, and after his death one day in the hopefully distant future, people will realize just how much those contributions were hidden and taken for granted.

[ask from 23 April 2023]

[related post]

#ask #my gif #King Charles III #critique #Wales Wailers #crazy cambridge stans #charles haters #Workshy Will

[newsiesreference]

introducing: me

everybody screams in fear

welcome to my mismatched, disorganized mess of a profile!

i’m fin, any pronouns

here, i post Whatever I Want (that mostly consists of fanart, incorrect quotes, web weaving, and just silly thoughts that i happen to have)

my favorite colors are blue and orange (could you tell?)

my favorite animals are sharks and cats !

theatre kid here,, these are some of the musicals i like please talk to me about them pretty please with a cherry on top

newsies / tuck everlasting / dear evan hansen / hadestown / heathers / moulin rouge! / hamilton / the prom / the lightning thief / west side story / into the woods / tick tick boom / bonnie and clyde / mamma mia! / the who’s tommy / aladdin

and here are some of the shows i like! talk to me about these too please i beg you

gravity falls / scott pilgrim takes off / inside job / unbreakable kimmy schmidt / schmigadoon / a series of unfortunate events / wednesday / no good nick / dhmis / nrdd / tua / kc undercover / jessie / liv and maddie / kickin’ it / pjo / daybreak / stuck in the middle

here are some of the movies i like! i’m really indecisive but pls talk to me about these too

scott pilgrim vs. the world / middle school: the worst years of my life / bolt / wreck it ralph / tnbc / tangled / frozen

and some bands / artists i like! again. indecisive

twenty one pilots / saint motel / mother mother / lovejoy / ben folds five / lemon demon / kaden mackay / ajr

some books i like! too indecisive for this

salt to the sea by ruta sepetys / dear evan hansen by val emmich, steven levenson, benj pasek, & justin paul / will grayson, will grayson by john green & david levithan / in limbo by deb jj lee / they both die at the end by adam silvera / the fault in our stars by john green / middle school: the worst years of my life by james patterson

here are my tags!

asks: #fin gets asks !!!

art: #fins art: gone wrong

this is just me talking into the void: #fin talks

i weaved the web!: #web weaving

feel free to send silly messages / asks / art requests :)

umm that’s all i think

#introductory post #pinned post #pinned intro #newsies #tuck everlasting musical #hadestown #gravity falls #scott pilgrim takes off #kc undercover #scott pilgrim vs the world #fin gets asks !!! #fins art: gone wrong #fin talks #web weaving

[thisisyourdriverspeaking]

Part 6 of my 'motorsport number ones' post. This time it's the random bunch of drivers edition

Sebastien Loeb - (26th February 1974) - Suzi Quatro - Devil Gate Drive

Juan Pablo Montoya - (20th September 1975) - Rod Stewart - Sailing

Mark Webber - (27th August 1976) - Elton John & Kiki Dee - Don't Go Breaking My Heart

Jenson Button - (19th January 1980) - The Pretenders - Brass In Pocket

Felipe Massa - (25th April 1981) - Bucks Fizz - Making Your Mind Up

Heikki Kovalainen - (19th October 1981) - Dave Stewart & Barbara Gaskin - It's My Party

Pippa Mann - (11th August 1983) - KC & The Sunshine Band - Give It Up

Robert Kubica - (7th December 1984) - Frankie Goes To Hollywood - The Power Of Love

Nico Rosberg - (27th June 1985) - Sister Sledge - Frankie

Jerome D'Ambrosio - (27th December 1985) - Shakin' Stevens - Merry Christmas Everyone

James Hinchcliffe - (5th December 1986) - Europe - The Final Countdown

Oliver Turvey - (1st April 1987) - Ferry Aid - Let It Be

Sebastian Vettel - (3rd July 1987) - Pet Shop Boys - It's A Sin

Alexander Sims - (15th March 1988) - Kylie Minogue - I Should Be So Lucky

Molly Taylor - (6th May 1988) - S'Express - Theme From S'Express

James Calado - (13th June 1989) - Jason Donovan - Sealed With A Kiss

Daniel Ricciardo - (1st July 1989) - Soul II Soul & Caron Wheeler - Back To Life

Simona De Silvestro - (1st September 1988) - Yazz & Plastic Population - The Only Way Is Up

Brendon Hartley - (10th November 1989) - Lisa Stansfield - All Around The World

Cristina Gutierrez - (24th July 1991) - Bryan Adams - (Everything I Do) I Do It For You

Abbie Eaton - (2nd January 1992) - Queen - These Are The Days Of Our Lives

Reema Juffali - (18th January 1992) - Wet Wet Wet - Goodnight Girl

Timmy Hansen - (21st May 1992) - K.W.S - Please Don't Go

Daniel Abt - (3rd December 1992) & Alice Powell - (26th January 1993) - Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You

Christine GZ - (22nd July 1993) - Take That - Pray

Alex Lynn - (17th September 1993) - Culture Beat - Mr Vain

Bubba Wallace - (8th October 1993) - Take That & Lulu - Relight My Fire

Naomi Schiff - (18th May 1994) - Manchester United Football Squad - Come On You Reds

Jessica Hawkins - (16th February 1995) & Beitske Visser - (10th March 1995) - Celine Dion - Think Twice

Nicholas Latifi - (29th June 1995) - Robson & Jerome - Unchained Melody

Jack Aitken - (23rd September 1995) - Simply Red - Fairground

Oliver Askew - (12th December 1996) - Boyzone - A Different Beat

Louis Deletraz - (22nd April 1997) - Michael Jackson - Blood On The Dance Floor

Catie Munnings - (15th November 1997) - Aqua - Barbie Girl

Cem Bolukbasi - (9th February 1998) - Aqua - Dr Jones

Jamie Chadwick - (20th May 1998) - All Saints - Under The Bridge

Kevin Hansen - (28th May 1998) - The Tamperer & Maya - Feel It

Mick Schumacher - (22nd March 1999) - B*witched - Blame It On The Weatherman

Max Fewtrell - (29th July 1999) - Ricky Martin - Livin' La Vida Loca

Robert Shwartzman - (16th September 1999) - Vengaboys - We're Going To Ibiza!

Bent Viscaal - (18th September 1999) - Eiffel 65 - Blue (Da Ba Dee)

Felipe Drugovich - (23rd May 2000) - Billie Piper - Day & Night

Marta Garcia - (9th August 2000) - Robbie Williams - Rock DJ

Liam Lawson - (11th February 2002) - Enrique Iglesias - Hero

Olli Caldwell - (11th June 2002) - Will Young - Light My Fire

Doriane Pin - (6th January 2004) - Michael Andrews & Gary Jules - Mad World

Bianca Bustamante - (19th January 2005) - Elvis Presley - One Night

All added to this playlist 😊

#music #songs #f1 #fe #super formula #extreme e #jenson button #nico rosberg #sebastian vettel #daniel ricciardo #jack aitken #louis deletraz #mick schumacher #felipe drugovich #liam lawson #motorsport number ones

[eclipsedcrystalstar]

Where I think each dead SAMS character would be based on the hell/purgatory/heaven model {note this is not in character w/ April fools, it’s just ramblings I thought of now not very coherent}

Old Moon- Purgatory Eclipse V1 - Hell KC - Purgatory OG Bloodmoon- Hell Eclipse V2 - Purgatory Solar Flare - Heaven Solar - Heaven but Saint Peter made him feel like shit over Jack’s treatment beforehand

[the-al-chemist]

The Beginning of a Symphony - Chapter 32

A/N: a bonus chapter this week in honour of Héloïse’s birthday, and to continue on from yesterday’s mess…

OCs featured/mentioned: Ivy Anders, Shiv Llewelyn, Brady Pendleton @kc-and-co, Gwen Archeron, Adelia Selwyn @thatravenpuffwitch, Henry Lovecraft, Carolyn Nyberg, Selene Fraser @lifeofkaze, Lysander Mercury @slytherindisaster, Maxwell Pembroke @unfortunate-arrow

Warnings: more of the idiots, this time they’re being cute.

February 1897

Now that she had been at Hogwarts long enough to have made friends, Héloïse’s birthday was shaping up to be far better than the year before. The festivities had started at precisely midnight, with Gwen and Siobhan staying up long into the early hours to celebrate with her, and once they awoke at sunrise, they had warmed themselves against the cold February morning with hot chocolate whilst Héloïse opened the small flurry of gifts and letters from her grandmother and other friends.

“Look like someone else has something for you,” whispered Gwen, nodding her head in the direction of the entrance. Héloïse looked up from the book of folktales she had been given by Henry and followed Glen’s line of sight to see that Jim Hexley was making his way towards them, the corner of an envelope poking out of his breast pocket.

Héloïse’s heart gave a small flutter. She had not even told Jim that it was her birthday, but it appeared that he had discovered the fact himself, and gone to the effort of finding or making a card or small gift for her. The very idea of the gesture made her lips curve upwards, but as she directed her smile at Jim himself, he stopped abruptly in his path, jerked his head, and turned and sped away, leaving the Great Hall entirely.

“Oh,” said Héloïse, her smile faltering and chest tightening. Shiv and Gwen both exchanged looks of confusion and concern.

“What a strange man,” Shiv muttered. “Matilda, are you-”

“I am alright.”

“Are you sure? You seem-”

“I have said this already, no?” Héloïse said, sharper than she had intended. She took a breath and returned to her book. “I am content.”

This was, of course, untrue. She had been perfectly content until several moments earlier, but now she was confused, disappointed, and more than anything, frustrated. After all, she had been having a perfectly wonderful birthday until a few moments previously. She had several friends to celebrate with, why was she so upset over just one of them not joining in?

Still, Shiv and Gwen did not push the matter, and so they spent the rest of breakfast quietly drinking hot chocolate and tea, until they were joined by a rather windswept-looking Ivy Anders, who took the seat next to Gwen with her wide eyes fixed on the pile of gifts in the centre of the table.

“Oh my,” she said breathlessly. “Someone has a lot of admirers!”

Shiv wrinkled her nose. “What are you havering about?”

“The gifts, of course. It is Saint Valentine’s Day, after all.”

“Aye, but these aren’t Valentines. They’re for Matilda’s birthday.”

“It’s your birthday?” Ivy turned to Héloïse, who nodded her head silently. Ivy beamed at her. “Many happy returns. Are you having a party?”

“I do not think so, no.”

“Well, that simply will not do. We shall have a tea party later. Greenhouse One at three o’clock? I’ll prepare the refreshments. What sort of cakes are your favourite?”

The look in Ivy’s eyes was earnest, and when Héloïse looked at Gwen and Shiv, they were already nodding their heads in agreement. Héloïse sighed. She had never really liked parties, but she did not want to be ungrateful, either.

“Chocolate,” she told Ivy. “If it pleases you.”

And so, just before three o’clock, the Ravenclaw girls bundled themselves in cloaks and scarves and made their way down to the greenhouses. Inside the first one, several banners had been strung up across the large windows and between the plants, and the workbenches had been cleared of plant pots and soil to make way for several large plates of sandwiches, cakes, and pastries. Héloïse’s eyes widened. She had not expected Ivy to have arranged quite so much in the space of only a few hours.

Héloïse found herself enjoying the party far more than she had expected, too. It was as if Ivy had known that she did not like large crowds, as the group of students gathered in the greenhouse was relatively small, mainly consisting of the other Ravenclaw girls, Henry Lovecraft, the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, Bradford Pendleton, the girls from Adelia and Carolyn’s dormitory, and Jim’s sister Ethel Hexley and her friend Selene. There was only one person not in attendance who Héloïse would have liked to have been there, and that was Jim himself.

“I am afraid that I haven’t the foggiest where my brother is,” Ethel told her, unprompted and through a mouthful of scone. “I expect that he is off sulking somewhere. But really, it is no loss. He is a frightful bore at parties, even more so than the rest of the time. I hope that you are not too disappointed. I should not be if I were you.”

With that, Ethel stuffed the rest of the scone in her mouth and left to have an argument with Lysander Mercury, leaving Héloïse alone, and quite disappointed. Perhaps Jim had not known that morning that it was her birthday, but surely he must have known by now? Ivy was his cousin, and Ethel was here, and Lysander and Maxwell, so why was he not?

Several pots of tea later, the sandwich supply had dwindled, and still there was no sign of Jim Hexley. With each passing minute, Héloïse’s sense of disappointment grew, until, with the sun setting and less than half an hour before the party was due to finish, the door of the greenhouse swung open, and Jim stepped inside, his cheeks flushed pink, fingers gripping the lapels of his coat, and eyes fixed on his shoes.

“Jimmy, you made it!” Ivy exclaimed, picking up a pastry and rushing towards him. “Here, you must try one of these. It’s a pain au chocolat."

Ivy rose onto her tiptoes to mutter something to Jim as she handed him the plate of pastry, and Héloïse averted her eyes. It was strange, but although she had been upset at Jim’s absence and had felt a swelling sensation in her chest at his arrival, this was now giving way to a deep annoyance at his lateness, which she decided to show by stubbornly refusing to talk to him now that he was present.

The party finished without her saying a single word to Jim. Once it was over, however, she stayed to help Ivy tidy up the plates and teacups, and left the greenhouse only to find him waiting outside.

“Sorry, I… I did not wish to give you a fright,” said Jim. Héloïse pursed her lips tightly and said nothing in response. He cleared his throat. “I, um… Happy birthday.”

Héloïse exhaled through her nose before answering, “Thank you.”

“I… I am sorry that I did not wish… that I did not say anything to you earlier today. I did not know that it was your birthday, I thought… Well, I would have said if I had known.”

“Oh,” said Héloïse.

“And I am sorry for my… that I was late to your party,” Jim continued. “I, um, had to… I did not wish to arrive empty-handed. I, er, wanted to get you a gift.”

He reached inside his coat, and pulled out a scroll of pale parchment tied with brown string. Héloïse frowned.

“This is for me?”

“Yes. I am sorry that it is not… Well, it is the best that I could do at short notice. I am afraid that it is not much of a present. It is not framed, but I can always get a frame later if you would like. You may not want one, though, because it is not all that good...”

Héloïse unscrolled the parchment, her eyebrows still furrowed. As it rolled open, it revealed a pencil sketch of a girl with dark hair tumbling over her shoulder in graceful curls, deep concentration etched into her dainty facial features, and dark, curious eyes. The portrait did not move like the ones on the walls at Hogwarts, but every now and then, it seemed that the girl in the drawing’s hair lifted slightly, as if moved by a gentle breeze, and her eyes seemed to sparkle as if they had caught in the light.

“Not so good?” said Héloïse, incredulous. “Jim, this is more than good. It is…” She tilted her head. “Is this me? This girl in the picture?”

Jim nodded. “Yes. It is supposed to be you, anyway. I, er, did not quite manage to capture… The likeness, it is not quite perfect. Something about it - I don’t know what - is, um, not quite right, I know.”

“No. This is not it,” Héloïse shook her head. “I can see that this is me, but…”

“But?”

“But you have made me look beautiful.”

“That’s because you are beautiful.”

Héloïse looked up at Jim, unable to hold back a smile. He had not stuttered at all, and for one single moment that seemed to last an eternity, he held her gaze unwaveringly, his face passive and the look in his eyes sincere.

She felt herself start to blush, and in that moment, the world - like her cheeks - seemed to glow in the hues of soft roses, just as beautiful as she was in the picture Jim had drawn of her.

#the hexley legacy #the beginning of a symphony #heloise perrault #jim hexley #ivy anders #siobhan llewellyn #ethel hexley

[this-daydream-is-dangerous-13]

TK post but do you think this is how it really went down? People saying the pod may have been soft launch to see feelings.

https://twitter.com/MrSunshine911/status/1714105154369167476?t=Knt4AY76mn98jTaNhSrwew&s=19

Aww…beloved Kam. His brother Khalen left the Chiefs to play with the Saints in the spring, so by early July was probably dealing with integrating into his new life in New Orleans and fitting in with that team.

Now an interesting twist? The Saunders are from Missouri (St Louis) and Kam went to college in KC. He has his own connections in that city, maybe also to Chief players.

Do I think Kam is the ultimate connector, as per the tweet, below? Not necessarily. But I do think that TK used every avenue available to him to get her attention: he followed Taylor Lautner (who followed him back) after the KC concerts. His brother is connected to Ryan’s business partner bc of the Eagles fandom. He put a bunch of stuff out there in public and basically called her out to come see his game. But the ground softening didn’t start on earnest until September.

This guy seems relentless in his pursuit. He has the Super Bowl rings and she might just be his newest shiny prize. Whether she wants to play that role long term? Remains to be seen.

Thanks for the ask.

[heartbreakprincewille]

I think most people missed it, but the costume ball didn't happen on valentine's day, S2 is set in 2021 and february 14, 2021 was a sunday and the Hillerska ball was on a wednesday, we know this because when Simon asks mar(kc)us to the Ball he says it's next wednesday.

Ooooh anon I really appreciate your eagle -eyed observation because I for sure missed that! I had to rewatch the scene where Frederika and Sara talk about the Ball.

I mean, Frederika does say that it's not the same as "Valentine's day" as we know nowadays, it's more about commemorating Saint Valentine. So it can be a possibility that it wasn't on February 14, but even if it is about commemorating Saint Valentine, it would make more sense if it happens on February 14th instead of some other day around it, right?

Plus YR is a fictional universe. Yes, it draws heavily from the elements of the real world, but the setting is very much fictional. I mean, S1 happens during 2020 and S2 happens during 2021, and we all very well know that those were the COVID years, but Covid doesn't exist in their world. I mean, I finished a show called The Bear recently(a 1000% recommended, what a great show) which is set in 2022, and they do mention COVID once. So it depends on whether the show chooses to address the events of real world or not. Which YR doesn't, and it makes sense for the way they want to tell the story.

So, I think an inconsistency in the days of week is sort of a creative liberty, I guess? But I really love that you noticed the detail tho!

#young royals #ask

[finelinevogue]

i have two, one is a 7 year old black and white goldendoodle (poodle + golden retriever) named kc and a 1 year old brown and white saint bernard who literally 150 lbs (we weighed her) and still thinks shes a lap dog😐

-🪩

awweeee they both sound so cute 🥺🥺🥺🫶🫶

#🪩anon

[jrpneblog]

Draw your own conclusions

A disappointing week, it has to be said, for North End with just two points from the two home games against Millwall last Saturday and Southampton on Wednesday evening. I thought that the Millwall game was the usual low key early kick off and that a draw was the right result. However on Wednesday evening I thought we were a tad unlucky to only take a point from the Saints, in a game that we were probably the better side in. Certainly in the second half on Wednesday we provided the best forty five minutes we have produced for a few weeks and with a stonewall penalty not given before the break I think we can count ourselves a little unfortunate not to have two more points on the board. This weekend we really could do with a win over on Humberside as the gap we created with those early wins has now evaporated and the clubs are squashing up below us in the league table.

Reflecting, firstly, on the game against the Lions last Saturday and a drawn game that North End should really have won on paper. We scored within three minutes of the start and never really hit that peak again allowing Millwall to get an equaliser and take a point back to South Bermondsey. I must admit to getting a little frustrated during the second half of the game where I thought North End lacked energy and the so called leaders on the pitch were nowhere to be seen once again. North End have played too much of that kind of low energy football in my opinion recently and we seem to be a much better team when we take the game to the opposition.

The game against Southampton on Wednesday evening proved to be a much tougher encounter but North End rallied after the break and took the game to the visitors. In fact in the first half we played some decent stuff but just lacked that clinical finish. Southampton went one up with their first shot on target but two excellent goals early on in the second half from Osmajic and Potts gave us the advantage. Unfortunately we capitulated in the final minute of added time from a corner on the left hand side and were left to rue what might have been in a game that was a very decent advert for the Championship in my opinion.

On Saturday we travel to the KC Stadium for a game against a Hull City team who have now found their feet this season after a slow start. A win at Birmingham in the week will have boosted confidence for the home side but perhaps North End need a game like this to get back on the winning trail. A sell out 2,200 will be backing North End and I fully expect Ryan Lowe to adopt a more attacking style against Leroy Rosenior`s charges in a game that is certain to be full of atmosphere. North End are winless in six games now in the Championship having take only three points from a possible eighteen, however we still lie fourth in the table and a win at the KC may well set us on the road again after a very sticky October,

And finally this week:- the world lost one of its greatest ever footballer`s in the early hours of last Saturday morning when Sir Bobby Charlton passed away at the age of 86. Bobby was, of course, famous for his exploits for Manchester United and in helping England win the World Cup in 1966. He was also the manager of North End form 1973-1975 and made a playing comeback in the 1974-75 season after North End had been relegated from the Championship at the end of his first season in charge. Bobby was a gentleman and a gentle man to all who knew him but on a football field he was one of the greatest the world is ever likely to see. If I had to pick one goal that stands out it is the one against Mexico in the Group stage of the 1966 World Cup. "What a beauty" said Kenneth Wolstenholme as the ball flew at 500 miles an hour past Ignacio Calderón in the Mexico goal. It even stopped the traffic in Mexico City. Farewell Bobby, you are the greatest English player I have ever seen and I very much doubt we will see your like again.

.

MATCH PREDICTION -

HULL CITY (League) A - Away Win

.

JR`s HIGH FIVES

Wigan to beat Shrewsbury 21/20

A £5 Stake returns £10.25 on bet365

SEASONS STATS

Returns £52.00 Stake £60.00

Percentage profit+/-loss - 13.34%

Predictions 12 won 5 lost 7

[realhankmccoy]

Q: Hank, so i mean, don't you ever worry about getting murdered, you are living in the 6th most homicidal city in the USA you know, and Americans are typically a homicidal bunch who don't take kindly to queers...

A: Ok, well, yes, cuz there certainly is enough crazy in the water here that yeah, murder's a concern. But I've been to all 16 of the country's most murderous cities, including 3 trips to Saint Louis and 4 to Detroit, and this seems safer than that? This also seems safer than Memphis, where I lived for a while, and probably safer than Cincinatti. I think KC had murder fall a lot last year or something.