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1ddotdhq · 3 years

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🐝Fri 13 Nov ‘20 Pt.1💃

Harry made (a whole lotta) history today by being the first man ever to be on the cover of American Vogue Magazine! Even the Daily Mail had to agree, with its shockingly on point headline, “Harry Styles wears a Gucci dress as he becomes the FIRST ever male cover star of US Vogue in groundbreaking gender neutral shoot”. As Oscar Wilde tells us, “you can never be overdressed or overeducated”. Well, HARRY said it in Vogue today: but Oscar said it first.

It’s a pretty standard Harry interview, except the fact that he met the Vogue writer at a bathhouse in Hampstead (I wonder if they wanted to take that chilly early morning swim with him, lol)- he talks about choosing to spend his quarantine with friends (first a pod in LA, then later with Mitch and Sarah, and always wearing sweatpants), about reading Alain de Boton (his takeaways are “being in a relationship with someone is a real skill” and “real friendship stems from being vulnerable with someone”. Yes, I hear it too, it’s fine, we’re not gonna talk about it), about potentially moving to Tokyo (“there’s a respect and stillness, a quietness that I’ve really loved every time I’ve been there”), that he loves “the feeling of nobody knowing where I am,” (poignant when you think how rare that is for him), and, of course (it's Vogue!), about fashion. Well, he’s certainly become a fashion icon: his Tik Tok famous JW Anderson rainbow cardigan has gone into the Victoria & Albert museum’s permanent collection as “an emblematic document of how people got creative during the COVID-19 era”. One of the most interesting moments was what he selected as a pivotal moment in his relationship to clothing; “I was really young,” he says, “and I wore tights for [a school play] - I remember it was crazy to me that I was wearing a pair of tights! And that was maybe where it all kicked off.” Listening to him talk about his own journey and self discovery is wonderful, but questions about his personal life and living situation are just prying and he’s not gonna give any straight (haha) answers, because he doesn’t want to, so can we please just let him talk about books and stuff instead of drawing the story about Ben Winston’s attic out yet again?! Anyway the text is followed by an video, maybe the best part of the whole thing-- it's him playing an acoustic rendition of Cherry (on a truly beautiful guitar) that has to be my favorite performance EVER of that song, where he adopted a twang that was reminiscent of Bob Dylan (Tangled Up in Blue, anyone?). It played over gorgeous behind the scenes content of them setting up the shoots, him moving around and laughing with everyone, and incredible shots of him bustling up the hill holding up his floofy skirts (yes he is absolutely personifying the wedding photoshoot cliché, fabulous indeed) and brushing his teeth while wearing the blue bandana with the “But Daddy I Love Him” T-shirt: now that's a LOOK. He just can't stop the larrie baiting huh? Our Harry, always so competitive!

But anyway, let's not forget the real point of any Vogue spread: the PICTURES! The cover shoot is Harry in a soft blue lacy Cinderella dress and bolero jacket blowing up a sky blue balloon and wearing his rings, including the peace ring. Amongst his other outfits, there was a pair of golden Bode pants, custom made to feature things personal to him, such as some of his tattoos and other elements that made him who he is: a Robin, his godsons names, the crest of Manchester, a bee named Hester, the word “Wolfie” (theories abound!), daisies, and a poem by Richard Branaugh (the author of the novel “In Watermelon Sugar”) called ‘The Wait’. “But the wait was worth it,” the poem reads, “because I was in love”. And we are certainly all in love with this shoot. Some other notable pictures include one with Gemma that was a surprise for Anne (“this is my sister from the same womb”, he said, making it awkward for everyone), a lot more with him in various skirts (maybe more than trousers? have we counted?), and every outfit featuring his beat up vans with the pink shoelaces and flattened heels. There doesn’t seem to be a way to buy the magazine online without a subscription yet, but if it becomes available I will be sure to let you know the details. Harris Reed and Gemma posted a lot of behind the scenes content on Instagram, as did Anne, who celebrated Harry’s accomplishment on her story. I hope she’s very proud, because so many of us certainly are.

#harry styles #gosh what else is there to say really #well i guess i have to say that he wouldnt look out of place at a DMAs concert with the green blue and red outfits he's wearing #in fact hed be repping their colors!#also uh...can i borrow that pantsuit under the petticoat?#that was gorgeous #anyways!#song of the day pt 1!#Tangled Up In Blue by Bob Dylan of course!#both the original and KT Tunstall's gorgeous cover

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jennibeultimate · 4 years

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So Russian test skates 2020 take 2

Sort of personal recap....

Men SP

Misha!!!! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ That was beautiful! Superb program!

Andrei Mozalev impressed me jump wise. He looks stable. Wow.

Petr Gumenik - well not a season without at least one POTO program 😂 but at least he sells it

Samarin - well I don't dislike it, that's something...could be a good program for him improving his projection...he seems to struggle a lot with the jumps...let's hope it gets better

Pairs FS

That James Bond program from Kozlovskii/Boikova is great! You can see they are confident with it. To keep it was a good idea.

Mishina/Galiamov have a Queen program, I think the first part was really good, the 2nd part needs some polish and the cut between the two parts should be changed

Pavliucheko/Khodykin - that French song is so beautiful! I think they can really grow with this program. They really leapt bounds with their presentation since January.

Ladies FS

So what's Russian ladies without some drama?

So Alena withdrew and probably should not even have started yesterday. She does not jump 3A atm and *drumroll* will get a free skate by Shae-Lynn Bourne. So please let it be good.

2nd drama - Sofia Samodurova skated with a damn fever! That's irresponsible. And also let's me question that RusFed is taking the measures against Covid seriously. Ppl are already not wearing their masks properly and even though I am sure athletes have been tested it's still not right to let someone skate with a fever. And this is really tainting my joyment for the return of competitions.

Trusova - musical connection still not found. Sorry you can see she is trying but there are just little glimpses of choreography on point with the music. I hope she can grow into it. And looks like she will stay with 3 quads, which would be good.

Kamila Valieva - still don't know why she is skating in seniors but anyway Bolero is a heavy music for such a young girl. I dozed off...it was just boring...the music is hard because you need to grab ppl's attention because the music isn't doing it for you. The only one pulling Bolero off was Carolina Kostner and she had loads of experience and maturity when she skated to it. That 4T fall looked so scary. I don't know why everyone is so hyped for, she is lovely and has gorgeous spins, but she ain't that special to me.

Liza Tuktamysheva - it could be interesting if she would do more in the program. The choreographic movements are nice I wish she would do more in the program. Let's see how they can improve it...

Anna Shcherbakova - beautiful skate but also a bit bland. She is very musical and actually skates to the music and not over it...I have the feeling she is not rushing and that Gleighenkauz does let her have more time for fluidity. The jumps don't look that convincing, but it's early in the season so hard to judge.

Zhenya Medvedeva - this program has a lot of potential. A lot of unusual moves. I liked it a lot. Actually the only program I enjoyed today of the ladies despite Zhenya definitely not performing well. Let's be realistic if this would have been a real competition she would have been last. There were reports on her being injured, which she didn't want to comment on, so I hope it's not the case. Also I can imagine it's taxing to be without a coach in a tank of sharks to prove yourself. So I still want to applaud her today. That cartwheel fail was super cute 🥰 just fingers crossed that she will be in better condition next week where she has to perform at the Russian Cup against Anna.

#figure skating #evgenia medvedeva #alexander samarin #alexandra trusova #anna shcherbakova #kamila valieva #mikhail kolyada #personal recap #russian test skates 2020

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thetravelerwrites · 4 years

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Cetzu (Reptilian Changeling)

Rating: General Relationship: Male Changeling/Human Woman Additional Tags: Exophilia, Lizardfolk, Changeling, Interspecies Romance, Monster Boyfriend Words: 4356

Part 1 of 5 commissioned by @ivymemnoch! A woman selling her father's merchandise has several issues as a lone person out on the road and decides to hire help. She's directed to Declan's farm to recruit a bodyguard. Please reblog and leave feedback!

The Traveler's Masterlist

When you decided to venture out on your own, you knew there would be hurdles and dangers, but you had no idea how bad it could be for a lone woman on the road.

Your father was a carpenter, specializing in sturdy, well-built pieces of furniture, like tables, chairs, chests, cabinets, and the like, and when you became old enough, you asked if you could help. You weren’t much of a carver yourself, as you were rather clumsy, but you could handle horses and drive a cart and covered wagon, so you offered to make his deliveries for him and set up a stall in various towns so that he wouldn’t be distracted from his work. After all, some of the pieces could take a week or more to make, and if he was gone to deliver his wares, he had less time to make them.

He was nervous about letting his only child go out into the world by herself, but you told him that you could take care of yourself. It took some convincing on your part. You were tall and well built, but you’d always been a little on the shy side and not what people would call a fighter. Although you were quick to warm up to people once you got to know them a bit, actually approaching them had never been your strong suit. You were also awkward and clumsy and prone to accidents. It was a hard sell, but he eventually agreed.

It hadn’t gone as well as you’d hoped. The first time you went out, the entire wagon had been stolen while you’d gone in the woods to pee. The second time, you’d sold the merchandise like you were supposed to, but as you camped, bandits attacked and stole all your money at knife-point. On your way home, you’d heard tales from others about women who’d been taken in addition to the money and goods, sometimes never to be seen again and the ones that had been found wished they were dead. It scared you a little more than you liked to admit and it was at this point you decided you needed to hire help.

You stopped in Willowridge for the evening, which was larger and more busy since the last time you and your father had come through. At the tavern, you paid for a room and care for your wagon and asked the barkeeper where you could find someone big and beefy to scare off potential bandits.

With a sly grin, she said, “There was a farm in the woods where you might find such help.”

“On a farm?” You asked, uncertain.

“Oh, yes,” She said, cleaning out a mug. “Believe it or not, our highly lauded town’s sheriff, Feera, came from there. These are very helpful folk. Ask for Declan. He’ll take good care of you.”

“How do I find it? Is it hidden?”

“A bit, but look for the nectar flowers planted by the roadside. They’ll lead you to the farm.”

After a night at the inn, you hitched up your horse, got up on your wagon, and headed where the barkeep had told you to go. She said by wagon at a decent trot, it would take only an hour by road. Dubious but curious at the same time, you nudged your horse to the left, down the road toward the farmhouse and out of the town.

Sure enough, about an hour’s ride down the road, you found trumpet honeysuckle climbing up the trees and purple coneflowers and milkweed lining the road. As you got past the last bush, which had a little green hummingbird flitting here and there, you saw a smaller path branching off the main road, leading farther into the woods. Clicking your tongue and snapping the left rein, the horse turned and pull the wagon down this new unknown path. In no time at all, you saw a very large farmhouse and a similarly large barn just beyond it.

It was spring, so planting season was in full swing. You saw two centaurs hitched to plows, one piebald and one solid russet, pulling rows. Behind the tawny one, there were two cervitaurs, one male adult and one female child. The adult was steering one of the plows, while the little one watched him closely. He seemed to be giving her quiet, gentle instructions.

The second plow was being driven by a young, plump human woman with a third tiny cervitaur dancing around her legs, stumbling once or twice. Strangely, this cervitaur had two legs rather than four. You’d never seen that before. Though in fairness, it wasn’t all that common to see cervitaurs in the first place, as cruel, bigoted humans saw them as little more than animals and hunted them for sport.

Following behind the plows was a gnoll and another creature you’d never seen before, like a centaur but a dog on bottom, both using thick sticks to press holes into the rows at predetermined intervals and dropping seeds into them. Behind them was another human, though you couldn’t tell if they were male or female, as they had they had a very androgynous appearance, and a female faun. They were closing the holes and watering the spots with watering cans.

Clothing seemed to be optional here. Both of the humans wore clothes--one in a dress and the other in trousers--but very few of the others did. The only other creature in the planting field that wore clothing was the small cervitaur girl, who wore a green bolero jacket and a matching ribbon in her hair. The female faun was nude, and while everything below her waist was covered in oak-brown fur, her breasts were uncovered. You felt a vague sense of social mortification, but pushed it away when you realized no one else seemed to care.

Beyond the planting field, you saw an orchard of fruit trees, and among them were even more figures working. You saw two large bat creatures, a harpy, a kitsune, and a lizardman. They were all unclothed except the lizardman, who wore short trousers that were modified to accommodate his tail, and the smaller, redder of the two bat creatures, who wore a necklace of stones around its neck. There were also two more human women among them, wearing sensible pants and shirts. The winged creatures were up in the trees, pruning the dead or weak branches, while the others were fertilizing the soil at the base of the trees, raking and watering and spreading mulch.

You slowed your wagon to a stop near the front of the house and stepped down from the driver’s box onto the wood of the porch. You felt a little overwhelmed and weren’t sure which of the people to approach. Which one was Declan? Should you go right to him first? Was there some sort of hierarchy, someone you was supposed to talk to before you could meet with Declan?

Thankfully, before you could fret too much, an older human woman and the larger of the two bat creatures came walking up to the porch.

“Hello there, traveler!” The woman said, raising her arm in greeting. “What can we do for you?”

“I, um… I was told to find Declan?” You said uncertainly, wringing your hands a little. “I need help.”

“I’m Declan,” The bat creature said in a serious tone, stepping forward on all fours. Even crouched as he was, he was taller than you. “Are you alright? Has something happened to you? We can protect you, if that’s the case.”

Realizing how your words sounded, you clarified; “Oh, no, no, I’m fine. It’s just… I’m a merchant, and I’ve been having trouble with bandits stealing my merchandise. I was told you would know someone I could hire to guard me and my wagon on the road while I’m traveling.”

“Oh, I see!” The woman said. “You know, this sounds like a perfect job for Cetzu.”

“I think you might be right, Ryel,” Declan said. “I’ll go and fetch him.” And he wandered back toward the orchard.

The woman, Ryel, stepped up to the porch and asked your name, shaking your hand in the process. “I keep telling Cetzu he should sell his trinkets at market, but he keeps using the excuse that we need him on the farm. I think he’s just being shy.”

“I can relate,” You said, chuckling a little. “What sort of trinkets does he make?”

“Little carvings out of wood and bone. Jewelry boxes, children’s toys, figurines, amulets, religious totems, all sorts of things. He’s an artist, though he’d never admit it.”

“Oh,” You replied, marveling. “My father is a carpenter and woodcarver, too, and he does very good, sturdy work, but he’s not much of an artist.” You pointed to the wagon that had some of your father’s work on it, and Ryel went over to inspect it. You were proud of your father’s work, but you had to admit it was a little plain to the eye.

“You’re right,” Ryel said appraisingly. “It is very solid work, if a little rustic. Cetzu might be able to help with that.” She pointed at a little side table. “How much would you charge for that? My daughter Lymera’s birthday is coming up,” She pointed out to the faun still working the field. “And I’d like to build her a shrine to her patron deity so she feels close to him while she’s home. She’s a priestess in training, you see.”

Daughter? You looked at the faun again. She was a full-blooded faun, how could she be this human woman’s daughter?

As you were negotiating a price, Declan returned with the lizardman in tow. He was tall, taller than you by at least two feet, and barrel-chested with a slim waist. His eyes were like pitted silver, deep and reflective, with slitted pupils. His face was slightly elongated with his teeth settled on the outside of his lips like an alligator, alternating between upper and lower on the sides with the front of his snout toothless. His hands ended in four wickedly curved talons, though the toes on his digitigrade feet were straighter, though still sharp, allowing him to walk without difficulty. His tail was long and flat, looking like the tail of some sort of sea serpent.

His muscles were huge and broad and moved smoothly under his skin, with thick, wide scales across his back, looking sharp, but steadily shrunk in size as they drift inward toward his stomach and chest and down his arms and legs until it almost looked like smooth leather. The scales on his back were black with a silver one here and there, but his belly was white.

“Ah, here he is,” Ryel said, jumping down from the high porch, more spry than her age would suggest. “This young lady has come requesting help with her cargo. I thought you’d be perfect for the job.”

You were a little intimidated by his size and gulped. He also seemed a little awkward, fidgeting and not meeting your eye.

“Oh, stop being so shy,” Ryel said. “Shake the girl’s hand, at least, and introduce yourself.”

He looked down at your hands, and then his own. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Mama,” He said, his voice rough and gravelly. It surprised you to hear such a coarse voice call this woman Mama. “I don’t want to scare the poor lady any more than she already is.”

“No… it’s alright,” You said, a little more meekly than you would have liked, and extended a hand carefully.

After a moment’s hesitation, he took your hand, but only applied the barest amount of pressure, careful not to catch your skin with his claws, and let go immediately.

“I’m Cetzu,” He said quietly. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“You too,” You replied, and told him your name.

“Well, now that we’re acquainted, let’s go inside and talk,” Ryel said, taking her… son… by the arm and leading him inside. He seemed reluctant, but allow her to pull him along. “Would you like some tea?”

“Yes, thank you,” You replied. “But I should unhitch the horse first.”

“Sure thing, lass. Do you need help?”

“Oh, no ma’am,” You replied. “I can do this myself. Where should I take him to rest?”

“There’s a hitching post near the barn that’s got fresh hay and water,” She said, pointing at the big barn. “Feel free to come inside the house when your done. The tea will be waiting for you.”

“Thank you, ma’am,” You said, and started with the harness. After you managed to get the horse free from the wagon and lead it to the watering trough, tying it to the post there. You could feel the others in the fields eyeing you a little, but not paying that much attention. You had a feeling random guests showing up out of nowhere was a regular thing here.

As you stepped back onto the porch and approached the open door, you heard a conversation between Cetzu and Ryel.

“Honey, you know your father and I would never push you into doing anything you didn’t want to do, but this is an amazing opportunity for you! Your work is amazing and the world should see it!”

“But you need me to help with the planting--”

“Cetzu, you can’t keep using the farm as an excuse. Between Laefa’s brood and Rantha’s family, we have plenty of hands to handle the spring work.” Her voice became soft. “I know the outside scares you, and I understand. Everyone that lives in this forest understands. Not one of us hasn’t had some horrible experience outside of this haven. You know the story of how your father and I met. You know the gnolls’ story, and the centaurs, and Caeli’s and Yala’s and Reed’s and Sayo’s. We’re all runaways, cast-offs, and survivors. But you have a talent no one else on this farm has and that shouldn’t be hidden away.”

“I only have talent because of what I am,” Cetzu grumbled sourly.

“So what?” Ryel retorted. “That’s like saying Soraya, Sayo, and your father can fly only because they have wings. It’s the simple truth, nothing more, and the same goes for you. There’s nothing wrong with who you are, my boy, any more than there is with any of your family. You are made how you are made and there’s nothing wrong with that. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Mama,” He replied mechanically. It sounded like he’d heard this speech innumerable times.

“Give it thought, love,” Ryel said. “You have potential and opportunity. I don’t want you to look back with regret someday because you didn’t act on it.”

Cetzu sighed. “I’ll think about it.”

“Good,” Ryel said. “Now help me with the tea.”

You heard dishes clinking and decided to stop shamelessly eavesdropping and go inside. Cetzu nodded at you politely as he exited the house to continue helping with the pruning of the fruit trees.

You sold Ryel the table and helped her stash it away out of sight as it was meant to be a surprise, and she insisted you stay for lunch with the family. Strangely, or perhaps appropriately considering the motley crew that lived here, meals were not taken in the house, but in the barn.

The barn itself was built like a half stable, half house, with a kitchen area, common lounging space, and a storage loft above the stalls. A large table was placed in the space between the stalls, which were larger than average animal stalls and served as bedrooms for the four-legged family members, complete with large sleeping cushions on the floor with blankets and shelves built onto the walls to hold personal effects. The stalls had solid doors rather than gates, and they all had locks on them for privacy.

Lunch was a variety of foods, including dried and fresh cooked meat, dried and preserved fruits, and spring vegetables. You noticed that while a few of the family were omnivorous, some members only ate meat, some only ate vegetables, and the bats only ate the fruit. You were able to meet his family and learn their names, though you didn’t ask about how they all came to be here. You imagine the stories couldn’t have been happy ones if all these various creatures had somehow come to call a human woman and a giant bat creature mother and father.

After lunch, you took your horse, Jackdaw, behind the barn, where there was an actual stable for mounts and work animals. He was due for a good brush down, and as you were working, you saw the lizardman, Cetzu, coming out of the forest carrying a yolk on his shoulders with six large buckets of water slung on it. As intimidated as you were by him, the raw, brute strength of his body made you raise an eyebrow.

He nodded again as he passed you, and you debated with yourself for a long moment before calling out, “wait.”

He stopped and turned his head to look at you. “Do you need help?” He asked.

“No,” You replied, gulping down your heart and gathering your courage. “No, but… I was hoping I could talk to you for a moment? If you’re not too busy? I--I mean, I can see--I know you’re in the middle of something, so I can wait--”

“No, it’s alright,” He said, pushing the yolk off of his shoulders and carefully setting the buckets down. “What can I do for you, miss?”

“I--I was wondering… could I… if it’s alright with you… could I see your carvings?” You sort of shrugged your shoulders up around your ears, which you tended to do when you were nervous. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

“Oh,” He said, surprised. “Oh. Sure. Lemme just…” He motioned at the water.

“Yes, of course,” You replied. He shouldered the yolk again and took it inside the house, emptying the buckets into a reservoir in the bathing room. He then stored the buckets and yolk on a hook in a closet.

“There are some in here,” He said, leading you to the common area. “Mother displays the ones she likes best.”

In the room, you saw a few shelves on the wall that held a number of different carvings, from animals to plants to symbols. The one that caught your eye the most was a monarch butterfly carved of bone, life-sized, with wings carved so thin that light passed through them.

“Wow,” You breathed. “Is it alright if I pick one up?”

“Yes,” He said, watching you with slight apprehension.

You picked up the butterfly and examined it closely. You could see the segments of the legs, the veins in the wings, the thin antennae and proboscis. It looked as if a real butterfly had somehow been turned to bone.

“This is absolutely beautiful,” You told him in wonder.

“Thank you,” He said, ducking his head bashfully.

You replaced the butterfly back on the shelf and sighed. “I know you’re reluctant to leave here, and I get it. I really do. I was scared to death to leave home, too. You have this big, amazing family, but back home, it’s just me and dad, and I just want to help him.”

You turned to him and looked into his face earnestly. “Look, I’m going to be completely honest with you. I’m not very good at much. I can’t carve like my dad can. I’m clumsy and prone to knocking things over and accidentally injuring myself. I’m not artistic or coordinated. I can’t cook or sew all that well. I’m not much use to my dad, or to anyone, really. But I’m good with horses, and I can drive a cart and a wagon. I figured I could sell and deliver his goods so that he didn’t have to travel as much, but I’ve managed to cock that up, too. The first shipment was taken, wagon and all, and I had to walk home with nothing but the clothes on my back. I was held at knifepoint while bandits stole every penny I had. There are horrible tales about awful things that can happen to women who travel on their own, and… I’m scared. I’m scared to do this alone. I need help.”

He listened quietly, not interrupting. “From me?”

You held out your hands in an I don’t know gesture. “How about this: come with me on this one trip. I’m selling bits that my dad made that weren’t commissioned at market in Coleville. Coleville is a day’s ride from here. We’ll stay in Coleville for three days, and you can sell your pieces along with my dad’s furniture. Hell, I’ll let you use one of Dad’s tables to display them. Then you escort me home with whatever money I’ve earned or goods I have left. At the end, if you decide you absolutely hate it, that it’s just something you can’t do, then we part ways, no hard feelings.”

“And in the unlikely event I actually enjoy it?” He asked.

“Then when I need to hire you on again, I’ll send you a letter and you meet me at my home, and we’ll go on another trip. I won’t keep you away from your family or anything. You only have to escort me when I’m out selling or making deliveries.”

He looked at the shelf that held his creations on it in contemplation before looking back at you.

“Can you give me a day to think it over?” He asked.

“Of course,” You said. “It’s your choice. But… even if you say no, thank you… for listening.”

He nodded and attempted a smile, though you could tell he was feeling nervous. You passed him to go back outside and finish brushing down Jackdaw when Cetzu called out to you.

“Wait,” He said softly. “If I don’t go, what will you do?”

You laughed a little helplessly. “Give up? Go home with my tail between my legs. Find some other way to not burden my father any more than I already do. Maybe marry some man before he finds out how useless I am. I don’t know. I really don’t.”

Shrugging, you left the room and walked out of the house back to the stable.

Ryel and Declan were happy to put you up for the night at no charge. You got a room to yourself; most of the rooms seemed to be for visitors. Caeli and Soraya, who were married, you learned, had their own room. Sayo and Lymera bunked together. All the two legged boys slept in a pile in one room, which you thought was adorable. Laefa, the other older woman helping with the orchard, had gone home to her husband and twelve children. So many people. You wondered what it would have been like to have such a big family like this. Frowning to yourself about dwelling on what ifs, you turned over and tried to sleep.

The next morning as you were coming out of your room to head down to breakfast, you accidentally bumped into Cetzu on the way out of his room, knocking you to the floor.

“Oh, gods, I’m so sorry!” You said, rubbing the back of your head. “I told you I was clumsy.”

“I should be apologizing,” He said, reaching to help you up. “I should have watched where I was going.”

He pulled you up with one hand, and it’s only then you noticed the large trunk he was holding on his shoulder.

“What’s that?”

“Oh,” He looked at it, then you, then away. “I’ve packed.”

“Really?” You said, naked hope in your voice. “You’ll come?”

“You need help,” He said. “Mama and Papa always tell us that helping people is the best use of our strengths. I don’t want to disappoint them.”

“I understand,” You said. “I’m glad you’re coming. I didn’t know where else to go for help.”

“I’m happy to be of use,” He said.

You sighed heavily. “You know, I’ve lived secluded with my dad for most of my life. He’s a bit of a hermit and doesn’t leave the house unless he has to, so I know what it’s like to be isolated and scared of going out into the world, but I didn’t want to be underfoot all the time. I wanted to be of use. You’re helping me do that, and I’m really grateful.”

He didn’t seem to know what to say to that, so he sort of bowed a little and continued down the stairs.

After breakfast, Cetzu loaded his trunk into the back of your wagon as you hitched Jackdaw back into his harness. Cetzu dropped down to say goodbye to his family, putting his little kitsune brother on his shoulder. His shoulders seemed able to carry anything.

“I’m proud of you, son,” Ryel said, pulling him into a hug, though with her height, she could only hug him around the waist. He put his large arms around her and hugged her tight.

“As am I,” Declan said. “You’re braver than I am, Cetzu. I’ve not left this farm since I met your mother. I’m happy here, but the world is bigger than our home. You should see it.”

Cetzu heaved a big sigh and nodded. “I can’t promise I’ll like it, but I’ll try to make you proud.”

“You already do,” Declan said.

Cetzu hugged all of his siblings, except for Sayo, who he ruffled the feathers on her head, making her hiss and swipe at him. He chuckled and snapped back at her.

Ryel surprised you by giving you a hug as well. “Take care of him for me, would you?” She said into your ear. “He’s special.”

“I’ll try, ma’am,” You said softly.

“Good.”

You got up into the driver’s box, and Cetzu popped up next to you. You snapped the reins and Jackdaw started forward. The two of you disappeared down the road to a chorus of people shouting their goodbyes.

Since my work is no longer searchable, please do me a favor and reblog this story if you enjoyed it. Help me reach a wider audience!To help me continue creating, please consider buying me a Kofi, becoming a Patron, or donating directly to my PayPal!

Thanks for reading!

My Masterlist

The Exophilia Creator’s Masterlist

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hazelandglasz · 4 years

Text

OMG They Were Zoommates

Based on this post

I really couldn’t resist, and like @tchrgleek said, “Everything is a Klaine prompt”!

On AO3

All things considered, yes, this quarantine is a huge hassle.

Kurt doesn’t particularly like to be forced into confinement, and while he can put on a professional face like pretty much any thirty year-old, he doesn’t like being forced into social interactions through video conferences.

He may be an introvert, but even he needs more than this second-best choice to get in touch with his colleagues and partners.

Speaking of which.

“Mrooow?”

“Oh, stop being judgmental, Wildcat Jackson,” Kurt tells his cat, who is sitting on his bed and looking at him with what is, truly, a judging look. “At least I put on pants.”

The cat looks down at his legs before rolling herself into a ball, away from him.

“They’re pants,” Kurt mumbles. Yoga pants, sure, but they are still pants.

And Kurt put on his pristine pink shirt and his brooch.

From the camera’s point of view, he’s every bit the professional he needs to project for this meeting with their new partners.

The Zoom meeting is not planned before 2pm, but it’s 1:50pm when Kurt logs in, because that’s just the kind of person he is. And yet, he’s not the first one in the Zoom.

“Um, hello? I just logged in.”

The person was away from his computer, and Kurt had just enough time to see a bookshelf filled to the brim with books, manuals and several Funko Pops.

Nothing unusual from a company specialized in developing educational apps for teenagers and young adults.

But then the man slides back in place, and wow, that is not how Kurt pictures Dalton's CEO.

“Hi. I’m Blaine Anderson.”

The man looks like a lot of things—a model from the 1950s, a romantic male lead, a wet dream in the flesh, your pick—but not like the man who sent several emails regarding the intellectual property of both parties and who was a stickler for proper language.

Kurt waves. “I’m Kurt, Pavarro’s founder and CFO.”

Mr. Anderson smiles, waving back at Kurt. “Looks like we’re the early birds.”

“I always prefer to be early. Fashionably late is too 1990s.”

Blaine nods, waving his hand toward Kurt. “Though you seem to know a thing or two about fashion.”

Kurt looks down at his (visible) outfit and cocks one eyebrow at Blaine. “So do you,” he replies appreciatively, swallowing whatever flirtatious sentence was about to follow when other participants join in the conference room.

Blaine straightens up, his hand smoothing down his tie, before smiling to the camera.

Kurt can’t help but notice it is a very different, tighter smile than the one he had before.

“Now, I want to begin this unusual meeting by thanking all of you for agreeing to the accommodations we all had to make…”

---

They are at the very beginning of the negotiations to include Pavarro’s music sheets and vocal coaching videos to Dalton’s latest app, designed for high school students wanting to focus on the Arts.

After a dozen or so Zoom meetings involving different members, it quickly comes down to only Kurt and Blaine meeting through Zoom, either to explain the technicalities ...

“No, Kurt, I’m not saying this coaching lesson is wrong, all I’m saying is that maybe the coach shouldn’t look …”

“What.”

“Constipated.”

... or to compare their business models and projected numbers.

“Blaine, if I may …”

“Of course, Kurt.”

“You seem overly enthusiastic about the potential breakthrough we would have in the Midwest.”

Through the meetings, both Kurt and Blaine have relaxed, both in outfits and composure.

Kurt is this close to say that they’re friends (for want of anything closer).

Blaine sighs and leans back in his chair, his yellow polo slightly stretched over his chest causing a hitch in Kurt’s heartbeat. “It’s where I’m from, Kurt. I need to be optimistic about my home state. I need for it to grow to become a place of origins for artists.”

“Midwest, uh?”

“Ohio.”

Kurt sits up, leaning toward the screen. “Ohi--no way! Me too!”

Blaine looks startled. “Really?”

“Lima!”

“Westerville!”

They both start laughing, before Blaine returns his attention to his notes. Kurt takes advantage of the moment to admire Blaine’s face so close, his eyelashes casting a shadow over his cheeks in the soft glow of his screen.

“We may have been just a teensy weensy bit enthusiastic, though,” Blaine finally says, looking up and surprising Kurt who can feel his face heating up immediately. “I’ll get over it with Wes and we’ll have to meet again in a couple of days.”

“Ah, the hardship.”

“Ha, ha.”

Blaine has mastered the art of talking with his eyebrows, and his cocked one clearly says “I see through your bullshit, Hummel”.

“I’ll let you set up the next meeting, then,” Kurt rushes to conclude the meeting before he lets himself blurt something totally unprofessional and embarrassing. “In the meantime, Tina will send David the singing coaching videos we developed while in confinement, so please disregard the poor quality and focus on the subject, ‘kay?”

“Will do. Take care, Kurt.”

“You too. Good evening, Blaine.”

As soon as the conference window is shut, Kurt picks up Wildcat and screams into her soft belly.

This crush has to stop.

…

It won’t stop, will it?

---

Kurt knows that he’s in the right conference Zoom, because he clicked on the link Blaine sent.

That’s the only element he has to know that he didn’t get “lost”.

Because right now, filling his screen, is not Blaine’s gorgeous mug.

An adorable mug it is, sure, but not the one he was expecting.

“Blaine?”

“Oh shit, ‘Gana, move!”

Blaine rushes into the screen, picking up the smiling corgi and unceremoniously pushing her away. His shirt is opened and Kurt wants to thank whichever deity is having fun right now for the sight, both of Blaine’s chest and of his blushing cheeks.

“I am so, so sorry for that, Kurt,” he whines softly. “I don’t even know how my dog came up here.”

“That’s a cute corgi you got here.”

Blaine runs his fingers through his hair and smiles, obviously relaxing. “She is very cute. And very stubborn.”

“What’s her name?”

Blaine’s blush is back at full force. “Um …”

“Come on, I promise I will level the field.”

Blaine cocks his head to the side and shrugs. “Fine.” He moves away before returning with his dog in his lap. “Kurt, meet General Pupgana Anderson, leader of the Resistance.”

On the Corgi’s collar, Kurt does notice a couple of buttons that give clues about Blaine’s political leaning.

Particularly, a rainbow one.

Interesting.

“Your turn.”

Luckily, Kurt’s cat was just out of frame, lying on his desk to catch the afternoon Sun. He picks Wildcat and presents her like an offering. “Here is Wildcat Jackson Hummel,” he says, and Blaine frowns, resting his chin on top on his dog’s head before snapping his fingers.

“Hey look me over, lend me an ear

Fresh out of clover, mortgage up to here

Don't pass the plate folks, don't pass the cup …,” he sings, not even off-key.

Wildcat opens one eye and bats the camera, interrupting Blaine’s singing in favor of laughter.

Kurt really doesn’t know which sound he prefers. All he knows is that he should have recorded it.

“I didn’t know you were a singer too,” he comments, letting Wildcat walk away in a huff.

“Oh, yeah,” Blaine says, absentmindedly fluffing up his dog’s already fluffy ears. “I was the leader of my school’s choir, back then.”

“Choir?”

“Ok, Glee club. Happy?”

Kurt beams at the camera. “Would be if you had proof.”

“No.”

“So you tell me if I search Blaine Anderson choir on YouTube, nothing will come up?”

Blaine mumbles something.

“Beg your pardon?”

“It. Better.”

Kurt bursts out laughing. “Okay, fine. I won’t look it up.”

Blaine cocks one eyebrow.

“Okay, maybe I will look it up, but I won’t bring it up.”

“Hm-hm.”

“I won’t make it a big deal.”

“Right.”

“Pinky swear.”

Blaine smiles crookedly at the camera, a look of disbelief on his face, before he does hold up his pinky in front of him.

Kurt mirrors him, all while quietly and internally losing his shit over how cute Blaine is.

That level of cuteness and geekiness and just gorgeousness should be illegal.

“Now, back on the matter at hand. Let me show you the new numbers we cranked up for our Midwest penetration …”

Oh Lord, Kurt thinks while putting his glasses on, do not let me focus on the idea of penetration for the next hour.

…

Try again.

---

“I’m sorry, Kurt, but the files have been compromised in the transfer.”

Tina looks like on the verge of tears, and Kurt himself is this close to cry.

“How did it happen?” he simply asks.

“Artie is looking into the tech of it, but in the meantime, we, um …”

“What?”

Tina glares at him. “Don’t bite my head off, Hummel, I can smack you down via video and we both know it.”

Kurt takes a deep breath. “What?” he repeats, softer this time and with a smile plastered to his face.

“We need to re-record the songs we planned to send to Dalton.”

“You know what we could do, instead?”

“Fling ourselves through the window because nothing matters?”

Kurt blinks. “Err, no. No. We’re not going to do that. What we are going to do, is mirror what the musicians from the National French Orchestra did.”

“Play Ravel’s Bolero?”

Kurt shakes his head. “No, but we can have a Zoom conference with Blaine and David--”

“Blaine, uh?”

“Yes, Blaine.” Tina’s smile could rival the Cheshire’s. “What?”

“Nothing. I’m glad you and Blaine managed to build such a good relationship while apart.”

It’s Kurt’s turn to glare. “I see what you’re trying to imply, Cohen-Chang, and it’s not--it’s not that.”

“Uh-huh.”

“I may wish it was that, but it’s not, so can you please drop it and brainstorm something with me for a good …”

“Audition?”

“Kind of, yeah.”

Tina’s smile is softer as she ends the call, promising to come up with a list of songs they wanted to add to their catalogue anyway.

As the call ends, Kurt swirls around in his chair, worrying his lower lip.

Has he been so obvious?

Does every participant into their Zoom meetings see how he feels about Blaine?

Does Blaine know?!

Blaine must know, oh shit.

“Goddammit,” he mutters, pushing himself off his chair to get a well deserved homemade pumpkin spice coffee because he needs it and he’ll be a cliché in his own damn home if he so chooses it.

“Blaine?”

For once, Blaine seems very unfocused today on their meeting. He frowns into space, asks Kurt to repeat what he just said and just seems … upset.

“Yes, sorry. I’m here.”

“Wanna talk about it?” Kurt asks, pulling Wildcat into the frame.

Somehow, along the weeks, adding their respective pets to the discussion has become a signal that the meeting is about to take a turn for the more personal.

Blaine hesitates, before leaning down and picking up Pupgana, who seems delighted to see Kurt.

“So, what’s going on in that cute head of yours?” Kurt continues, throwing caution to the wind, mostly because Blaine doesn’t react one way or another to his little flirting.

Which is both a blessing and a curse for Kurt’s mental well being.

“I had tickets for a play for tonight,” Blaine says softly. “And I understand the lockdown, I understand the quarantine, I understand the necessity and the safety of it …”

“But.”

“But,” he repeats, smiling sadly at Kurt. “There is no way to be sure that the play will be reprogrammed for a later date. I have been reimbursed and everything, but still.” He sighs. “I was looking forward to it, and it may make me sound like an entitled white man, but …”

“But,” Kurt echoes. “I had tickets for an opening last week, too. One of my best friends plays in it, so I had first row tickets too.”

“Oh? Which show?”

“Six.”

Blaine straightens up immediately. “No. Way.”

Kurt can feel his jaw clicking open. “No.”

“Yes!”

“You--”

“And you!”

Kurt leans back in his chair, a startled, breathless laugh escaping him. “Wow.”

“Took the word out of my mouth.” Blaine chuckles. “Which part was your friend supposed to play?”

“Ah, Mercedes was supposed to be Queen Catherine of Aragon herself.”

“Mer--your best friend is Mercedes Jones?!”

Kurt preens a little. “Yep. Since high school.”

“Wow. You keep getting more and more interesting, Kurt.”

His face heats up enough to make him worried about getting a fever, but Kurt knows it shouldn’t have anything to do with the pandemic. “...Oh.”

Blaine’s cheeks do pink up too, but he doesn’t lose his composure. “I mean it, Kurt. You’re probably--no, without a doubt, the most interesting man I have ever met.”

“And we haven’t even met yet.”

Blaine leans his head against his closed fist and stares into Kurt’s soul--that is, into his camera. “Do you really feel that way?”

Blaine’s voice is soft and low. Intimate, in a way Kurt cannot comprehend or translate or interpret in his emotional state.

“I …” he starts, ready to deny whatever Blaine is imply, but he can’t.

Kurt can’t lie to those golden green eyes.

“No, I don’t. Feels like we have known each other forever.”

“It does.”

Kurt sighs, and Blaine follows.

When Pupgana imitates them, they chuckle and look away, focusing once again on arranging Pavarro’s demonstration for Blaine’s board.

---

It goes pretty well, if Kurt may say so himself.

Adding the Beatles has always been a goal of his, if only because his dad loved the British band so much, and performing “Blackbird” to the camera, while Tina provides backup and Artie plays the guitar, along with their teaching methods, was a stroke of genius.

Everybody agrees that the demo is a success. Wes, David and Trent leave the Zoom chat first, having another appointment with investors, and Artie spends some time talking to Blaine about how their codes could be more compatible--a conversation that flies over Kurt’s head--but after a while, it’s just the two of them, alone again in their Zoom meeting.

Blaine seems thoughtful as he looks at Kurt every two seconds, his eyes and fingers otherwise busy typing away.

“I could get used to this,” Kurt says to break the heavy silence.

“Hm?”

“You, me, working together. It feels right.”

Blaine bites his lip as he nods before pushing his keyboard away. “Kurt, I have to tell you …”

This is it, Kurt thinks. He’s going to tell me that I have been inappropriate, that we’re barely friends, that we need to stop talking to each other every day…

“... I didn’t expect to feel so emotional about your performance.”

Ah.

Ah?

“I mean, I heard recordings of you singing before, but that was … You moved me, Kurt.”

“Oh, really?”

“I had to restrain myself from clapping when you were finished.”

“Blaine …” Kurt takes a deep breath. “You know that a lot of the subjects we talked about during our meetings were not my forte.” Blaine cocks his head to the side with a frown. “Why did you decide to have them with me anyway?”

“Oh.”

“Not that I mind, but it just feels …,” Kurt hesitates and lets his silence fill in for him.

It just feels … odd.

Abnormal.

Surprising.

Like it’s leading to something else, please tell me if there is something else, because I am feeling that “else” too.

“You know, Kurt, since we’ve been in lock down, I didn’t think I would--,” Blaine pauses, looking away and muttering something Kurt doesn’t catch. And then, Blaine looks back up, jaw squared as if getting ready to enter battle. “Kurt.”

Kurt has never been more focused on the sound coming from his speakers.

“There are some people you meet along your Life’s journey, and it doesn’t feel like a meeting but like a reunion with someone you already know. When we first met, I thought “oh, there you are”, like I had been looking for you forever, like all my decisions ever since Ohio were meant to bring us back together.”

Ho. Ly. Shit.

“And I know it may sound like a rehearsed speech, and yeah, I did, a little,” Blaine continues, running his fingers through his curls and chuckling self-deprecatingly, “but I didn’t have to look for the words. I had to rehearse to be able to say it all without stuttering over my own heart. Because he’s in charge here, and he told me to do anything necessary to spend more time with you.”

Kurt is about to faint, and he doesn’t even care.

“I know we met in an unconventional way, but I can tell you that all I want right now is to kiss you, if you’d let me.”

“I would.”

“Oh,” Blaine blushes, looking surprised (and, really? Surprised? So he didn’t know?), relieved and, well, ecstatic, really. “I guess we both know what we’ll do the first time we meet without cameras between us.”

“Oh, I do. Describe it.”

Kurt knows he’s pushing his luck, but a cute, intelligent guy just made him the most romantic love declaration, he is high on feels.

Blaine cocks one eyebrow, his smile turns into a slightly cocky one and he leans closer, describing in excruciating details all the micro-actions that would lead to their kiss.

Truth be told, Kurt is no longer a blushing virgin, but it still leaves him blushing fiercely and hot all over.

And that was just a virtual first kiss.

They don’t know how long this confinement is going to last, but Kurt knows one thing.

It won’t be boring with his new boyfriend.

Wildcat Jackson Hummel

General Pupgana Anderson : https://www.reddit.com/r/corgi/comments/b11ngx/pancake_would_like_to_facetime/

#sometimes i write #klaine au #covid-19 au #colleagues to friends to lovers #mutual unrequited pining #fluff #adorable pets

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cateringisalie · 4 years

Text

Aerti Week 2020 Day 1

Written for the prompt ‘arcadian: idyllically innocent, simple and untroubled by fear or worry’

The Mythril mines were behind them and the world out in front of them. Amongst them, only Barret seemed comfortable or at least familiar with the scenery. The vast acres of grassland, the huge spaces, the clearer skies and air. But Barret still would marvel at the world, talk about how he would let Marlene experience this soon – once the mess with Sephiroth was resolved. Cloud barely seemed to notice any of it, gaze always on the horizon, towards their destination. Junon based on the words the Turk let slip. It made sense for Aeris to revel in every little detail out here. The garden Cloud described from her church, the flower beds surrounding her home in Sector Five; outside was similar but more. So much more. For Tifa the experience was new and strange. She might well have travelled this same route years before, but remembered nothing of it in the aftermath of her confrontation with Sephiroth. Someone, something, some group possibly ferried her back the other way and to Midgar. Why Midgar? Why had she wound up there of all places? In the belly of the beast. It allowed the opportunity to strike back, and she might have made the decision on the spur of the moment, her rage hot, her hands aching from grasping the sword. Go to Midgar and tear the company down. Potentially not a stance she might have held in the aftermath, in the slow convalescence required if it had occurred somewhere other than the city. Too late to rewrite the aspect of her past. Dwelling on it again; she shot a curious glance to Cloud. His mystery did not lessen. Deepened somewhat. He knew nothing of this terrain; which might imply he got to Midgar via some other means, but he insisted his approach to the city had been on foot. Yet somehow he remembered nothing of this landscape. So much like her oddly. “Tifa!” Aeris was close at hand, beaming. The woman had been gorgeous on Tifa’s first meeting with her; in a stunning dress, hair styled and carefully made up. But her beauty never lessened once those components were removed. The woman had been bewitchingly attractive when back in summer dress and bolero jacket – chunky boots at odds with the implied delicacy of her outfit. She was more attractive too after leaving Kalm; the sun caught the auburn of her hair and lightened it. Her irises caught the sun; the brilliant green so different to the malevolent gaze Sephiroth once directed at her. And her skin- The skin pressing against Tifa’s hand, hands rough and calloused from gardening, from wielding her staff. Almost as rough as Tifa’s over time. But away from her hands, Aeris near glowed in the sunlight and when surrounded by greenery. Impossible not to remember back to the President’s words, to Aeris’s confirmation in the cell. She was an Ancient, a Cetra. In-tune somehow with the Planet. Perhaps enhanced by it- “Tifa?” Aeris frowned, head cocked to one side. Tifa had been staring. Heat rose in her cheeks and she sought out Cloud at the head of the group. “Sorry, day-dreaming. I-” “Oh! About me?” A clench of her stomach and a new flash of heat in Tifa’s face. Tifa dithered; Aeris seemed to take pity. “Or something you don’t want the boys hearing-“ Aeris shot the nearby Barret and Nanaki suspicious looks; Tifa managed a smile. “It’s fine. Sorry. You wanted something?” “I did.” She pointed ahead. “There’s a copse – at least it matches the definition of a copse – ahead. Figured we could stop there for lunch. Assuming we can reign Cloud in?” The group of trees Aeris indicated did seem to offer some shelter from the sun in the otherwise open grassland. “Sounds good. Could do with a rest.” She caught Barret’s gaze. “As long as no one has any objections?” Barret shook his head. “Fine with me. Still don’t quite get his hurrying but-“ Aeris cupped her hands around her mouth. “Cloud! Slow down! We’re going to have some lunch. Cloud?” Cloud reacted at the second call of his name, stumbling to a halt and for a beat seemingly mystified as to where he was. It passed. “Lunch? Yeah. Good plan.” “Over there-“ Aeris pointed; Cloud nodded and made his way to the treeline. But his gaze still wandered, towards their destination. Towards Junon maybe? Aeris, Tifa, Barret and Nanaki changed direction, moving to meet with Cloud right in front of the copse. No sooner did they arrive, when a masked figure wielding an enormous shuriken burst from the trees. Lunch would have to wait.

#aerith gainsborough #tifa lockhart #aerti #aertiweek2020 #final fantasy vii #ffvii #final fantasy #my ffvii fanfic

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woodwind-sensei · 4 years

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Russian Test Skates and Dreams on Ice

This was an abnormally busy week in the COVID-19 figure skating season, as both the Russian and Japanese national teams held showcases in the form of the Test Skates and Dreams on Ice, respectively. Several top skaters were in appearance, and we got a sneak preview at new programs as well as what kind of technical content they are capable of as of now.

All eyes were on the Test Skates this weekend, as the rising coaching war between Eteri Tutberidze and Evgeni Plushenko would be reaching its first major peak. And the winner? I have to say, I think Plushenko came away in a pretty good position. Alexandra Trusova, who I have been critical of in the past for her lack of skating ability, showed a remarkable improvement. Much better glide, really nice presentation, and some of the jumps had the impact that could give her a major championship. Alena Kostornaia, the undeniable star of last season, struggled, however. She withdrew before the free skate. And the short program, after further review, is probably the worst of her career thus far. It is said that her FS will be choreographed by Shae-Lynn Bourne, so I will be waiting to see what that yields.

Tutberidze only had two students here this year, a far cry from her previous seasons of absolute dominance. Anna Shcherbakova had amazing programs. Not without flaws, as she is still overusing that damn spiral as if it’s the only move she knows, but she is such an elegant and musical skater. The jumps are hard to watch, as all of her limbs seem to travel in opposite directions while she takes off. Both Anna and Kamila Valieva have gotten really tall. Valieva in particular looks like she’s a good foot and a half taller. She had an okay outing this week, but the programs she has this year are absolute garbage. Bolero is an iconic piece. And her choreography does negative justice to it.

And then came Evgenia Medvedeva. Technically, she seems a little in over her head. She missed a double axel in the Free, and her skating seems to have gotten slower and more labored. However, her programs were the standout of the Test Skates for me. Cirque du Soleil programs are either tacky or artistic masterpieces (see Akiko Suzuki’s 2012-13 FS for the latter), and I think she does some really interesting things here. It has a lot of room for growth. However, with the lack of technical precision, I can’t really see her take back the helm of Russian skating any time soon.

The men were my other highlight in Moscow, especially with the return of Mikhail Kolyada, who is now training with Alexei Mishin. He looked spectacular this week, and looks to be in the best form of his life, as far as I can tell. I’m in love with his Free Skate, as his pure skating skills are on full display for the entirety of the program.

Dreams on Ice was a more socially-distanced, and overall better prepared event. All the skaters looked fit and ready to compete in whatever season happens in the next few months. We saw Kaori Sakamoto debut her new short program, which I’m really excited about. It’s much like her Piano FS from a few seasons ago, which starts delicately and builds to some real powerful moments. The construction of both of Kaori’s programs make me think a triple axel or a quad might be in the works. Wakaba Higuchi also looked in good form this weekend, and even though she will be recycling her programs, they look as refined and polished as ever. Other notable skaters include Tomoe Kawabata, who won a surprise bronze at Nationals last year. She’s one of the most beautiful skaters of this generation, so I’m glad she’s finally on the senior ranks. Keep in mind, we didn’t see Satoko Miyahara, Marin Honda, Mai Mihara, or Rika Kihira. So there is potentially a lot of depth on the Japanese team.

Speaking of triple axels, we saw a few from Wakaba and Mana Kawabe here. Though some were more successful than others, they look well on their way to becoming a consistent part of their jump arsenal. I didn’t really watch the men skate in Japan, but I did catch the junior dance team Utana Yoshida/Shingo Nishiyama. I fell in love with them on the JGP circuit last year, and they still have that joyous charm with their Don Quixote FD. Shingo is a particularly gifted skater, but he never outshines Utana, and their energies are almost completely in sync most of the time.

However this season unfolds, this will be a crucial time to develop before the 2022 Olympics, if they are even happening. At this juncture, it’s hard to tell. But the sport must continue, and a lot the skaters that we saw this weekend will definitely factor into the Olympic picture come Beijing. Russia, a country who has been on the top of the rankings for a while, looks to be at a crossroads, while Japan, whose dominance in the sport seemed to be in decline last season, is surging forward once again.

#figure skating #russian test skates 2020 #dreams on ice

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xiubaek-13 · 4 years

Text

Nimble Wrath

Prompt: Kihyun + “I don’t want to be lady-like. I want to lure men to their death.” + “Just pretend to be my date.”

Setting/AU: Assassin

Warnings: none - it’s not a great drabble but I tried. I hope you enjoy it. Oh, crossdressing I guess, and mentions of violence.

Word Count: 1,692

“I swear to god Kihyun if you don’t keep your legs closed I will turn you into a eunuch.” You said through clenched teeth, trying not to draw attention to yourself. The last thing both of you needed was to be made before the mission even began. “You are supposed to be a lady, fucking act like one.” You hissed as you waited for your drink to be mixed.

“I still don’t understand why I had to be the lady when you have all of the correct parts.” He grumbled as he crossed his legs. He wasn’t wrong, anatomically speaking you were a better fit for the flirtatious damsel role but you were better suited to hiding in the shadows and moving through crowds unnoticed until you found your opening and struck. No one knew what you looked like but everyone feared you. Children told tales to scare their siblings about how the faceless assassin, The Nimble Wrath, would kill them in their sleep. First off, you didn’t kill kids. Well not unless they were truly beyond redemption and even so, that had only been once. The world was a dark and twisted place, you were more than aware of that but nothing had prepared you for the horrors that the child King had brought about.

“I don’t want to be lady-like. I want to lure men to their death.” you replied which only served to piss Kihyun off some more. Ki had lucked out this very eve and had to play the part of a young woman looking for love. He fit the part almost too well. After the illusion had been perfected he had stood before you and Shownu in billowing skirts that showed just the right amount of leg (Kihyun was not impressed when he worked out that his leg hair had to be removed), a corset and bolero. The wig was a near perfect fit and his long brown curls framed his elfin face wonderfully. A touch of makeup here, a choker (to hide the adams apple) and a few lessons in being a lady there had completed the process. And now? Now you were both at the bar. You were dressed in such a way that no one would spare you a second glance, which was the whole point. You had to drop Kihyun off, wait for the bartenders to switch so that Shownu could take his place and then you were to make your exit and find a place to observe and wait until it was time to strike.

You covered your mouth and coughed, covering the scoff that almost escaped at his words. “Ladies, we’ll have all the time in the world for you both to have a catfight after we complete our mission. You glanced up ever so slightly as Shownu placed your drink in front of you. He placed a colourful mixture in front of Kihyun and smirked. “From the gentleman at the end of the bar, he’s not our target but he will be watching your every move sweetheart.” He didn’t take his eyes off Kihyun as he spoke to you. “Final report said that he’d be here within the hour, flanked by at least four of his cronies. He always has a sniper with him so best check the roof first and take care of that otherwise this whole thing will go to shit.” You placed your coins on the bar, finished your drink and took your leave. Now the real fun began.

You’d hidden yourself in a dark corner of the roof so that you’d be able to spot the sniper if they climbed up here. In the middle of the roof there was a flat glass ceiling that provided a perfect view of the bar. You figured it was a prime spot for the sniper to keep an eye on their charge. Another difference between yourself & Kihyun? Kihyun would kill the sniper as soon as they appeared while you were content to watch them as they plotted out the route they’d follow when their charge left the bar. Even then you didn’t kill them, no you shot a sleep dark at them which found its mark in their neck. Once you were certain that they were out cold you stripped their most damaging weapons from them and tied them to one of the iron posts, making sure it was far enough from the glass ceiling that they had no way to see what was going on in the bar or the streets below.

After that you waited for Kihyun to work his magic and charm your target out of his mind.

It took longer than expected all thanks to the gentleman at the end of the bar. He had decided that just because the pretty lady he’d taken an interest in was flirting with another man, a dangerous looking man with bodyguards, that he still had a chance to win her over. You rubbed a hand over your face. This was exactly what you didn’t need. You were more than capable of taking the target out from here but the mission was to do it without any witnesses. The sleep dart would buy you another 20 minutes tops then the mission would go awry.

You hastily made your way across three rooftops and into the back of the nearby brothel that affiliated itself with the assassins guild, quietly of course, and searched for Minhyuk. You found him in a room with a couple of working girls just as things were beginning to heat up. “Don’t look at me like that. I know we weren’t supposed to involve you but we have a lingerer who is preventing Ki from reeling in the target.”

Minhyuk sighed and stopped undressing. “I warned you that he’d turn heads.” He headed over to a closet and started to rummage through its contents. “Let me guess, you need Dior to otherwise distract this aforementioned lingerer?”

“Please.”

“Give me five minutes.” He turned to the two working girls. “New plan. Jade you’re on make-up and Sunmi, you’re on hair.” When he turned back to you he grinned. “While you were studying the blade, I was studying the pleasures of the flesh.”

Not wanting to waste time you told him which bar to head towards and described the gentleman he was to distract then made haste back to your rooftop. The sniper should still be out cold but you were reluctant to have him out of your sights any longer than required.

The mission was simple: seduce the target so that he leaves the protection of his guards and goes off with Kihyun to a secluded building. Ki keeps up the charade as long as possible so that you can appear from the shadows and eliminate the target. Put the body in the wagon so that Shownu can dispose of it. Then you help him change out of his damsel getup and the two of you wander back out into the streets, a happy couple out for a stroll.

The gentleman at the other end of the bar was seriously screwing with the plan. If he spooked Ki or the target then the whole mission could potentially be blown and you had no intention of not completing it. The guild had a 100% success rate and you were not about to change that.

Thankfully Minhyuk was fucking good at his job. The guy was no assassin but he was a world class seducer. If you were infamously known as the Nimble Wrath then he was equally known as the Sapphire Cat. The name was fitting what with his piercing blue eyes, wicked smile and his ability to play cat and mouse so well that the mouse never even knew it was in a trap. It did not matter who he set his sights on, they always fell for him. In fact, you and half of the guild had bets on how long it would take for him to have someone wrapped around his finger. You once asked him what he whispered in his target’s ears before their defenses visibly crumbled around them but he refused to tell you. “Oh honey, I have to keep some trade secrets. After all, you don’t tell me everything about your secret tricks now do you?”

The gentleman who had taken interest in Kihyun didn’t know what had hit him when Minhyuk set his sights on him. He was dolled up as his alter ego Dior and unbeknownst to the gentleman what Dior wanted, Dior got. The only reason Shownu hadn’t asked him to perform the role that Kihyun currently was was due to the fact that Kihyun’s close combat skills were second to none. If everything went pear shaped Shownu could count of Kihyun to not only eliminate the target but also the bodyguards.

***

“That was touch and go for a little while.” Kihyun sighed as he unlaced his corset, relief flooding his features when the constricting garment was separated from his body. “Did we really need to bring in Minhyuk though? His services don’t come cheap.”

You chuckled as you tossed the discarded ladies garments into the carriage. “He agreed to give us a freebie as long as we made sure to feed the grapevine. The sapphire cat and the nimble wrath in the same town at the same time? Scandalous!”

When you finished putting everything in the carriage you sealed it up so that all Shownu had to do was jump in and go when you caused a distraction a few blocks away. You made the final adjustments to your outfit and waited for Ki to finish buttoning his shirt. He rolled his eyes when he saw the adjustments you’d made to your coat. “Now who looks like a lady?”

“Ah, but I don’t want to be lady-like. I want to lure men to their death.” You grinned, pulling a dagger out from one of the many holsters you had hidden under your flowing coat.

“Oh shut up.” He groaned, extending his arm so that he could entwine yours with his. “Just pretend to be my date.”

#kloversnet #thekpopnetwork #kpopwonderlandtag #kwordsmiths #monsta x scenario #monsta x imagine #monsta x fic #monsta x drabble #kihyun fic #kihyun drabble #kihyun imagine #kihyun scenario

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geejaysmith · 5 years

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"Would You Fuck an Alien?" The Goddard Futuristics Approach to Party Comp

beep beep guess what time it is, it's Kat and Gill's Wolf 359 Discord Shitposts time!

Kat [09/23/2019] we've done the 'would you fuck your clone' thing but I feel like before you go to space the question of 'are you an alien fucker' comes up Eiffel: has jokingly said he'd fuck an alien, is now less enthused Minkowski: said she would not fuck an alien, is now conflicted Lovelace: is an alien now. unsure if that means liking humans makes you an alien fucker Maxwell: came here to try to fuck aliens, discovering them has only encouraged her

Gill [09/23/2019] Rachel, during Lovelace's polygraph test: Are you an alien? Lovelace: Uh, no? Rachel: Would you fuck an alien? Lovelace: alternatively "the ethics of extraterrestrial contact" is a self-paced packet they give you during the training process it looks official and stuff but then there's a section in the back titled "So you want to fuck an alien"

Per Kat: “Goddard ensures there is at least one alien fucker and one person who errs on the side of shooting first and asking questions later on each ship, it's standard party comp”

During training/job orientation the on-boarding questions include: "thoughts on alien fucking?"

a) Aliens are an existential threat to humankind and so I would not fuck them.

b) Aliens are an existential threat to humankind and so the best solution is to fuck them.

c) I thought this was a Wendy's interview, can I leave

d) Aliens aren't real stop being stupid

It's standard protocol to have a balance of each

Gill: “if you select C you are automatically relocated to the Wendy's AU”

Answered “A”: Hilbert, Kepler B: Eiffel, Maxwell D: Minkowski, Jacobi

Eiffel and Minkowski later have second thoughts about their choices for completely opposite reasons

Kat: “Jacobi also answered D and when he's complaining post bolero that 'I didn't know what I was getting into' they're like 'the form DID specifically mention aliens Daniel' 'It also asked if we'd committed any war crimes and if so to list the really cool ones, I thought it was just Goddard being Like That'”

Lovelace's first crew had two of each, a full set for the science team and the operational team.

A: Lambert, Selberg B: Fisher, Hui D: Lovelace, Fourier

Kat: “Given Lambert's extreme readiness in the simulation to take down Lovecraftian monsters, I feel like he has been preparing for potential alien invasion his entire life”

Gill: “I find it fun to imagine Lambert answered A but deep, deep down inside he's a B and isn't ready to confront that part of himself”

Based on how Lovelace made fun of Lambert for taking his job seriously we settled on her answering D, though I personally think it likely she might also have put down B as a joke, a la Eiffel (per Kat: “how the tables have tabled”).

Based on how she’s not familiar with Lovecraft, Fourier likely isn’t much of a sci-fi person, but is level-headed enough to know that life elsewhere in the universe is a "when" question, not an "if". That said, she likely didn’t feel adventurous enough to put down B as her answer.

Fisher answered B, although he’s choosing to interpret “ the best solution is to fuck them” very... liberally. Sure, making genuine connections with any new community you find yourself meeting is the best way to co-exist peacefully.

ANGST BONUS: Gill: “Lovelace 2.0 trying not to overthink these answers (bc you know it came up at dinner at some point) in relation to the ‘how would the crew react if they met me now’ question” Kat: “selberg would've killed her while she was human #equality”

Full chat transcript below the cut:

Kat [09/23/2019] Goddard ensures there is at least one alien fucker and one person who errs on the side of shooting first and asking questions later on each ship It's standard party comp onboarding questions like: thoughts on alien fucking a) Aliens are an existential threat to humankind and so I would not fuck them. b) Aliens are an existential threat to humankind and so the best solution is to fuck them. c) I thought this was a Wendy's interview, can I leave

Gill [09/23/2019] if you select C you are automatically relocated to the Wendy's AU

Kat [09/23/2019] d) Aliens aren't real stop being stupid Hilbert Eiffel and Minkowski answered a b and d Eiffel like can I change my answer now that I’m taking this seriously

Gill [09/23/2019] Minkowski, initially: I would not have sex with an alien, why is that even an option for your initial concerns in the event of contact with an extra-terrestrial intelligence?? Minkowski, later, making sure Lovelace is out of earshot: So I might be, hypothetically, interested in aliens, but I'd need to discuss it with my husband first.

Kat [09/23/2019] Minkowski on day 3 of the mission: Did you get that alien question? Ridiculous, right? Eiffel: yeah lol I answered b Minkowski: They put the guy who said he would fuck aliens in the role of trying to contact them? Eiffel: I take my booty call job seriously

Gill [09/23/2019] Eiffel, on day 200 of scanning the void of empty static for alien signals: yup, just like my teenage love life

Kat [09/23/2019] Jacobi also answered D and when he's complaining post bolero that 'I didn't know what I was getting into' they're like 'the form DID specifically mention aliens Daniel' 'It also asked if we'd committed any war crimes and if so to list the really cool ones, I thought it was just Goddard being Like That'

Gill [09/23/2019] he knows how Kepler would answer so he's like, "Ok, Eiffel, you answered B, right? Would you be down to clown with my alien doppelganger?" any amount of time Eiffel spends thinking over his answer is too much

Kat [09/23/2019] Every ship gets an A B and D them's the rules gotta balance the party was lambert an A or a D... he DID take his job seriously so I guess A

Gill [09/23/2019] Eiffel: ...now, before I explain my thought process, keep in mind I have put a lot of things in my body I'm not terribly proud of. the pre-scratch crew had double the amount of people, plus Rhea, so it makes sense you'd have two of each Hilbert's still an A, so there's gotta be one other A-answer on Lovelace's team

Kat [09/23/2019] Given Lambert's extreme readiness in the simulation to take down Lovecraftian monsters, I feel like he has been preparing for potential alien invasion his entire life they're mentioned as a possibility in the rulebook, he will be prepared Hui is one of the Bs

Gill [09/23/2019] Lambert is probably it, although I find it fun to imagine he answered A but deep, deep down inside he's a B and isn't ready to confront that part of himself oh yes Hui is a B for certain Lovelace I can see answering B as a joke bc she's not taking it that seriously when she could kinda go either way

Kat [09/23/2019] she doesn't seem to believe in them considering her mocking Lambert for doing his job how the tables have tabled

Gill [09/23/2019] Ok, so that's one D Leaving Fisher and Fourier as our remaining B and D Whichever way around that falls

Kat [09/23/2019] feel like that's a tossup Fourier's unfamiliar with lovecraft so maybe she's not a scifi person

Gill [09/23/2019] Both of them are level-headed enough, I feel, to know that life elsewhere in the universe is a "when" question, not "if", but it's such a big place that the odds of finding life at all are incredibly remote, never mind sentient life that's technologically advanced enough to make contact And Fourier doesn't strike me as being quite that adventurous, so D Fisher is enough of a peace-and-love kinda dude that, sure, he'll answer B, even if he's choosing to interpret "the only solution is to fuck the aliens" as "forming relationships with the aliens as one would with members of any new community you may happen to meet" Also; this way it breaks down so that you have an even mix among both the science team and the operational team (w/e you want to collectively call navigations/commanding officer + communications + engineer)

Kat [09/23/2019] 'I would not be opposed in theory but I'm in a stable monogamous relationship’

Gill [09/23/2019] bonus points: Lovelace 2.0 trying not to overthink these answers (bc you know it came up at dinner at some point) in relation to the "how would the crew react if they met me now" question

Kat [09/23/2019] selberg would've killed her while she was human #equality

#wolf 359 #conversations with kat #deliverusfromsburb #long post

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sionnach-uaine · 5 years

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Nebris Analysis: Iceni Queen

Ahoy-hoy bitches and boatswains; Boudica’s the second ever subject of my ensemble inquiries.

Things to note, I’m skipping her first ascension because there’s no way anyone can convince me that this is a full outfit, and no one should need someone else to tell you what’s wrong with that. I’ll also skip her second, because all it does is add clothes that remain there in her third. As a result, the actual analysis portion of this addition will be shorter than some other potential future FGO entries (by that I mean specifically a character’s ascensions; not separate CEs). For reference, I used this sprite. A bit of a minor thing here, but for whatever reason Boudica’s final ascension shown above tints all the brown (presumed) leather blue, so there’s that.

It’s interesting to note that, clothing-wise, Boudica and Nero share an almost exact color scheme. The main differences being that for Boudica, white is the dominant color with red as an accent, the opposite of Nero, and she also includes brown in her clothing. Aotsuki Takao likely did this as a way to indicate the fact that the two are directly tied together. I would say that the inversion of the red and white from Nero is more symbolic than it is, but I don’t think it goes beyond “since Nero wears red with white; Boudica will wear white with red.” Although it could mean something along the line of “innocence stained with blood”. The addition of brown makes the red more indictive of one willing to do whatever it takes to provide/care for those close to them. The breakdown of that is simple; red is a passionate color and brown is most often symbolic of stability. The gold, while a bit of a leftover from Nero, does good as a reminder that she is indeed royalty.

Not much to speak of for fabric and materials. It’s likely all made from leather, wool, fur (of what kind I couldn’t tell you beyond definitely not hare), gold, and iron.

So starting from the top, I like her crown a lot as it reminds me of a sort of simpler and bejeweled version of Artoria’s. Granted, I can’t recall Brits of the time making crowns in such a style, but they also didn’t make miniskirts and tops with built in corsets.

The fur-trimmed cape is nice looking, but she’s an Iceni queen dammit; she should have a giant, furry-as-fuck cloak befitting Celtic royalty! The brooch used to keep the cape on is very much inline with what she would’ve worn, so that should be carried over.

The bolero she wears serves as another tie to Nero, as the one she wears is quite similar. Really my only gripe with Boudica’s is that it’s a bit too short, and makes it look like they’re basically just sleeves, however frankly put; that’s kind of just a nitpick.

The corset-like top she has needs to be replaced. It really only serves to achieve “maximum tit”, and in no way, shape, or form would be capable of providing the support she, as a warrior, undeniably needs. There is a reason why regular and sports bras are two very different, separate things. If she wasn’t a warrior however then my only issue with it is that the neckline a just smidge (probably like 2 cm) low.

For some reason, the only thing even remotely resembling armor she has on is that sort of leather belt/faulds that, as far as I can’t tell, won’t really aid her any. She’s definitely not the only servant to bear a single piece of armor protecting on odd spot (I.E. Cu wears only pauldrons), however I’d rather see it replaced with a regular belt. Just a feeling I have, but to not have anything separating the top and skirt wouldn’t look as good.

She could do this by adjusting the belts she has on her thighs for literally no reason. If they had something akin to a carving knife sheathed on one of her legs, then yeah that would make sense. However since they don’t, they instead are a bit distracting and really don’t need to be there.

Very much unlike last time, Boudica’s sock are a pretty addition to her overall outfit, and makes it so her boots don’t darken her lower half to aid in unifying all of her clothes. Absolute territory is a favorite style of mine, as it does a damn good job at making one’s legs look amazing.

Alright I’m sorry, but I can’t be very objective when it comes to tall boots, because! I! Love! Them! Aside from that, they’re clearly made to be practical, and adding more of a heel would aid this, since heeled shoes were made with the intention of preventing the foot from slipping out of stirrups. Boudica doesn’t necessarily fight on horseback, but it would be a nice little detail considering the fact that she is a rider.

A possibly overlooked detailed is Boudica’s sword, “the Sword of Unpromised Victory”, changes colors from matching Boudica to matching Artoria, who wields “the Sword of Promised Victory.” It’s because of this; I feel like it be appropriate to tweak Boudica’s design a bit to further allude to Artoria. I would do this by swapping out her skirt for a pair of leggings (unfortunately this would remove the absolute territory effect somewhat) and give her longer studded leather faulds, going just above her knees, that lay over top of a tapered waist coat. For Fate fans, that would be similar to Emiya’s “butt cape”, but rather than even in length, the front would sort of fade away, so as to never get in the way while fighting. I’d also fuse Boudica’s bolero and top into one piece, or at the very least connect the two so she has better support. Finally, while not technically clothing, I would either keep her hair shorter like in her first and second ascensions, or braid her long hair into twin tails, as either can invoke hare imagery. Her short hair already mimics a hare’s tail and the braids would be reminiscent of a hare’s ears. For those who don’t understand why I want hare imagery specifically, it’s because it’s believed that the hare was one of the symbols of Andraste, and Boudica would often unleash a hare before battle as a form of fortune telling to see how well the upcoming battle would go. At least, that’s what I gathered from my research. I’m a bit mix and match with all of the suggested changes mentioned through out this, so you should very much take them the same way.

With that, this analysis is over. If there’s any recommendations or errors (most likely in relation to Boudica’s lore. A bit hard to find concrete information on her in a week :P), please let me know.

#nebris analysis #fgo #Fate Grand Order #Fate series #boudica #outfit analysis

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