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bemusedlybespectacled · 5 months

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Question: I enjoyed s1 OF OFMD, but for various reasons I never actually got around to watching s2 (pick up most of the plot from tumblr tho). What exactly went wrong in s2 that got so many people upset?

Oh, boy. Very long rant incoming.

So, for context, S2 had a significantly smaller budget, which necessitated moving the filming location to union-unfriendly New Zealand, reducing the number of actors/number of appearances of established actors, and cutting down the number of episodes from 10 to 8. In a show where each episode is only about half an hour long, that last one alone was enough to seriously hamper any character development or plot. I am very comfortable putting the vast majority of the blame on HBO because of these financial decisions.

The short version is that Jenkins et. al. needed to address and build on the problems left hanging in S1 while also getting the characters to the end of their character trajectories in case there was no S3 while also leaving room for additional episodes in case there was a S3, in a grand total of four hours, and failed.

The long version is that there were a bunch of what I'd consider small problems in isolation that came together and exploded in the S2 finale.

The reduced cast necessitated breaking up the crew (ex: having Swede marry Jackie and stay on land with her, so they don't need to pay Nat Faxon for all eight episodes) and not spending as much time on their relationships as S1 did.

The reduced time meant that the entire season was rushed (in contrast to S1, which takes place over at least several weeks if not months, most of S2 takes place in roughly five days), leading both to a lot of telling rather than showing (because they don't have time to show you), including vital character and relationship development.

This includes:

Having the Kraken half of the crew beat Ed to death after months of being abused by him – abuse that is clearly shown to have given them PTSD and a well-justified fear and hatred of him – only for them to be okay with him two in-universe days later;

On that note, having Stede dismiss the crew's concerns about Ed because he loves him and also we only have three more episodes left to fit in everything so we need to get over it really fast, even though Stede is supposed to be well-meaning and caring (even if he's not good at it all the time);

Resolving the issue of Stede abandoning Ed in one day, then having them "go slowly" in their relationship for two days and then have some spur-of-the-moment sex, and then the next afternoon have them break up over their diverging career aspirations, and then the day after that resolve that problem and retire on land while the rest of the crew sails off into the sunset;

Stede becoming a fantastic pirate captain over the course of one day, becoming wildly popular in the piracy world two days later, and then deciding the day after that to never be a captain again because he is retiring with Ed;

Having Ed and Stede decide to retire together as what is implied to be the end point of their relationship arc, when none of Stede's issues from S1, like his poor self-esteem, have been so much as mentioned by anyone, implying that he's either magically gotten over them or they don't matter all that much, actually, even though they were the catalyst for basically everything he did in S1;

Ed having two separate character crises – "I am an unlovable person" and "I want to do something with my life other than piracy" – not spending a lot of time on either one, having moments that clearly indicate he is still working on both problems and they have not been resolved, and then apparently having them both be resolved in the final episode despite nothing occurring to actually make that happen, and in regards to the latter, despite the story actively undermining it by repeatedly showing he can't do anything other than piracy;

Related to the above, Ed ending the series as allegedly being loved by the crew as a family (thus solving Crisis #1) despite this never actually being shown, demonstrated, or even fucking alluded to onscreen. If anything, it shows the exact opposite.

This last point is especially galling to me because of what is probably the most divisive issue in the fandom right now: killing off Izzy Hands after giving him seven episodes of character development.

The show begins with the Kraken crew clearly trying to use the skills they learned as part of Stede's crew to cope with their incredibly shitty situation and care for each other, which includes Izzy. Izzy, on his end, tries to protect the crew and speak up for them, which results in him being repeatedly hurt (both implicitly, as Ed at one point says "that's another toe" in response to Izzy advocating for the crew and we later see he's missing more than one toe already, and explicitly, as Ed shoots him in the fucking leg in front of the crew when he stands up for them).

This camaraderie is shown again and again and again. Frenchie, Jim, and Archie take care of Izzy while his leg is infected, at risk to their own lives. Izzy's misery over losing his leg is what unites the PTSD-ridden Kraken crew and the well-meaning-but-ignorant-of-PTSD marooned crew, who are initially at odds, to make him a new prosthetic leg. Izzy gives Lucius advice about forgiving Ed. Izzy is introduced to drag and opens up enough to sing at a crew party, and the whole crew is having fun together while Ed and Stede are in their cabin having sex for the first time. Izzy gives Stede pirate captain lessons and bonds with him when Ed leaves him. Izzy provokes the season's villain into focusing on him and then gives a big speech about how piracy is about belonging to something, giving the rest of the crew time to try to escape.

Recall that Season 1 had some pretty well-established universe rules, one of which was that it runs on Muppet physics/magical realism. People can jump off yardarms, hit the side on the way down, and be perfectly fine. People can get stabbed in the liver and it's totally okay because it's probably not that important, and even can stay pinned to a mast all night that way with only mild discomfort. Buttons can talk to birds and see long distances without a spyglass and put hexes on people. Good people can be hurt (Stede is stabbed repeatedly), bad people can die (the Badmintons, Geraldo), but no one we care about is ever killed.

This is repeated in Season 2: Ed is beaten into a coma with a cannonball and wakes up like Sleeping Beauty after a spirit journey, with no injuries to his face or body. Buttons turns into a seagull after spending an episode doing a magic ritual and is never seen again (because they couldn't keep paying Ewen Bremner due to the budget cuts). Jackie microdoses her husbands with poison to build up their immunity, so that she can later pull a Dread Pirate Westley and poison the British with shared drinks.

So: in the finale, the villain of the season is taken hostage by the pirates (for reasons? unclear how that fits in the plan), happens to have a gun on him (no one checked??), shoots Izzy on the right side and then leaves with no repercussions. The entire crew stands around silently doing nothing while Ed cries over Izzy and tells him that he's his only family.

And Izzy fucking Hands, the guy who just spent eight episodes bonding with and protecting everyone, uses his last words to reassure Ed that him becoming Blackbeard/the Kraken was Izzy's fault and that the crew is Ed's family and they all love him. No one else says anything to Izzy or tries to comfort him or help him in any way.

I repeat: in a show predicated on the idea that bullies and bigots die stupid deaths while queer people and POC are basically magic, a show that was praised for being kind to queer people by not making them worry about their faves suffering or dying, a show founded on the strength of the relationships between the characters, the guy who went through a season-long arc of learning to embrace his pirate found family and his own queerness is shot for stupid reasons on the side we're told isn't important and dies while everyone just stands there. His last words are about the whole crew loving Ed when the only person that the whole crew has loved all season is him.

Anyway, never mind all that, let's cut to Lucius and Pete getting married and Stede and Ed retiring!

Complicating all this is that people who liked Izzy (or even said anything insufficiently mean about Izzy) were harassed for months in between seasons with insults, slurs, and actual fucking death threats. Izzy's growth was kind of a vindication for liking him: it meant that, despite all the harassment, we were right to like him and care about him as a character. Even people who didn't like him initially started to like him during Season 2.

And then he dies, and now there's a bunch of people saying that Izzy fans are big whiny babies who can't handle fictional death, and actually his death was so meaningful and beautiful and the only logical end to his arc, and it can't be bad writing because people die in real life all the time, and also he admitted he fed Ed's darkness so actually he was a terrible person all along anyway and they were right to hate him (and his fans)!

So, yeah, there are a lot of reasons why it's so hated, and I'm probably only addressing the problems of the pro-Izzy people (from what I can tell, BlackBonnet shippers who don't like Izzy think Ed and Stede's relationship is fine and dandy, but I'm sure that there are other criticisms they have that I have not addressed). I'm not even addressing the issues with Jim and Oluwande's relationship this season (and whooo boy are there issues).

It wasn't a universally bad season. There were episodes I really loved and still do. But the finale was a train wreck, and because it was a train wreck, a lot of people are looking back at what happened before the wreck and realizing that, oh, the train lost its brakes and steering because of the budget cuts and the engineers kept throwing fuel in the engine to make it go faster, and huh, now that I think of it, that part earlier in the trip was really wobbly but I didn't pay much attention to it at the time because I was sure the engineers had everything covered.

#ofmd critical #our flag means death #writing #izzy hands #ofmd meta #askbox #personal

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fionajames · 1 month

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anzac day -> lest we forget

I would like you to do me a favor, and try to picture a scene in your head. Attempt to picture a land of mud and heat, blistering your skin as you merely stand. Head to toe in thick uniform, you and your troops stand in preparation for the landing. Imagine the moment you receive the order, sent to run over those muddy hills, bullets flying your way as they seek to kill.

This is what the landing of Gallipoli felt like for the 16,000 ANZACS on the 25th of April, 1915. The conditions of Gallipoli of course grew worse over the time of the campaign, with the heat or cold, disease, unsanitary conditions, terrible food and of course, the daily deaths of fellow soldiers taking its toll.

I figure I ought to explain what ANZAC means before anything else. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, and was the title given to the armed forces who fought in the Gallipoli campaign during World War 1.

ANZAC Day is held on the 25th of April, the same day the ANZACS landed in Gallipoli that fateful morning. 2,000 soldiers were killed or wounded upon the first day, and those who weren’t killed were left weak.

The Gallipoli campaign lasted until the eighth of January, 1916. A total of 8,159 ANZAC troops lost their lives. As sick as it sounds, the death toll isn’t very high. Gallipoli was important for many reasons, including that it was the first major amphibious assault in modern warfare. But it’s also so important because it was seen as a failure, and yet the troops kept going. The soldiers were seen as the bravest of them all.

ANZAC Day is held all over Australia and New Zealand, ceremonies and marching alike to remember the fallen and the serving. We do many things to commemorate the soldiers fallen and alive, some being the Dawn Service and the other numerous marching and ceremonies of course.

Another thing about ANZAC Day are the flowers. Most notable of these are poppies, famous among Australians and New Zealanders for ANZAC Day. Poppies were among the first flowers to grow back on the Gallipoli front, and ever since then they have been a symbol of hope and remembrance for the ANZACs. Another is rosemary, which means fidelity and remembrance. Many people will be wearing poppies and rosemary on ANZAC Day, a sign of their remembrance to the fallen and those who served.

This is a poem by John McCrae called 'In Flanders Fields'.

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

Something that happens here is we play a song called ‘The Last Post’, which is then followed by a minute of silence. During this minute of silence, we remember the fallen, dead, wounded and survived.

It would be a great favor to me if you could reblog this, no matter if you're Australian or New Zealand. No matter where you're from. ANZAC Day is about remembering war, the fallen and the survived.

Lest we forget.

#australia #new zealand #anzac #anzac day #poppies #rosemary #lest we forget #australian and new zealand army corps #gallipoli #gallipoli campaign #aussie #the last post #Spotify

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phdmama · 1 year

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1D Wankfest 2023

Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson - ~2200 words, Explicit

It’s not easy, the life of a long-distance trucker, but Liam wouldn’t change it for the world. The money’s decent, he’s got his own rig (courtesy of a buddy who’d moved to New Zealand), he’s in charge of his own destiny, and he gets to listen to all the weird podcasts he wants to. He’s also gotten to see some truly amazing things. Sunsets over the mountains. Bison in Montana and moose in Maine. Bald eagles and double rainbows. Beautiful sights, at times even awe-inspiring, but they pale in comparison to the car driving next to him.

Read it HERE on AO3!!

This is for Lauren ( @kingsofeverything ) for being just a truly amazing person and wonderful, wonderful friend. Not to mention, such a gift to fandom. I haven’t been writing much (at all) lately so it was so exciting to actually bang out this lil guy! Not beta’d, SOOC, almost no research done about the life of a long distance trucker (well, I did some of course), etc etc. This fic does not reflect best driving practices so do not take any real life inspiration from it, please and thank you. xox

#my writing #1D wankfest 2023 #implied lilourry #so don't read if that's not your thing #i think it's sweet though

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sitting-on-me-bum · 10 months

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Sunset over Lake Taupo on the way to the Tongariro National Park

New Zealand

NomadAsaurus

#nomadasaurus #photographer #sunset #landscape #lake taupo #tongariro national park #new zealand #travel #nature

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omg-im-such-a-masochist · 2 years

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Good Boys Go To Hell

Summary: Blame whatever this is on @letsgivethisonemoreshot 😌

Word Count: 875 words

Pairings: Nick Jackson x Reader

Warnings: +18

UNEDITED (this took over me and I couldn’t stop it)

Tag: @theworldofotps , @writtingrose , @aerynscrichton , @daddyhausen , @damnnhausen , @starwithaheart , @unoficialy-married-to-ace-austin , @sophiewolfheart-blog , @sultryfandoms , @new-zealand-chic , @crowleysqueenofhell , @thealliasylum , @cuzimacomedian , @thebestintheworld , @josiewrites , @seeingstarks , @irish-newzealand-idian-dutch

He was the safe bet. Innocent looking face, no curse words, church boy, hard working man, well-behaved, soothing voice, easy on the eyes…the perfect example of what a safe husband material looks like.

That’s why you chose him, because unlike his brother, Nick was predictable.

Unlike Matt - with his devious smirks, playful eyes and bedroom skills that would make you unable to walk for a week - Nick was soft, caring, gentle and loving.

Exactly what you needed in order to forget Matt and what he did to you. What his body and words could do to you.

You needed someone who played safe, someone unsurprising and steady. You needed the soft cornflower blue orbs to make you forget about the fiery chocolate ones.

Nick spent two months on the road. For two long months the only thing you could do was wait for him. Your hectic schedules rarely met and you ended up talking through text or quick phone calls that lasted less than five minutes. Now, as you smoothed the sides of your white dress you can’t help but laugh at the fact that the first time you’ll see your fiancé in eight weeks is when he’s about to become your husband.

The soft sunset light made the dark wooden doors of the church appear ethereal somehow. Your soon-to-be husband stared at you as you began to walk on the red aisle runner. There was something different about Nick, not only the full, thick beard he grew it out made him somehow appear more serious and manlier than the soft, boyish version of his clean shaven face but he also seemed more dangerous. Something about the look on his face and eyes were slightly shifted into something aggressive and predatory-like.

Perhaps you were seeing things…maybe all those months apart made you see Nick under a new light. At least that’s what you tried to convince yourself of…until you finally walked inside the small Sheldon Chalet in Alaska.

The northern lights and its shades of green lit up the sky, inside the chalet the lights were dim and dull. The night was particularly cold and the wind howled outside, making an uneasy feeling install itself inside of you. “Nick?” You called, while turning around to find your husband sitting on the foot of the bed with his gaze fixed on you.

Anxiety crept up your being at how intense he was staring at you. His hands slowly began to untie the light blue tie around his neck, “Come here, angel”.

Something in his voice made you feel unsure about approaching him for the first time in your relationship.

Your voice was soft as you asked “Are you ok?” Without moving an inch. Nick placed the tie on top of the mattress and began to undo the small buttons of his white dress shirt “I said come.here” His eyes instantly became a deeper shade of blue, completely losing their light and innocence “Don’t make me repeat myself again”.

Goosebumps rose on your skin as you walked towards him and subconsciously knelt down at his feet, eliciting a grunt of approval from the man in front of you “So perfect”.

His expert fingers quickly undid the neat bun at the nape of your neck and soon he began massaging your scalp, easing the soreness from the updo and countless bobby pins.

“You have no idea, do you?” He grinned “Did he ever tell you that everything he did to you he learned from me?”

“I don’t understand-“

“The punishments, plays, techniques, kinks…all that shit he learned from me. But of course you didn’t know that! How could you?”

The sudden tug on your scalp made a small gasp escape your lips. A sharp, burning pain crossed your scalp and somehow found its way down your body until it settled between your legs as a throbbing need for something else.

“No” He tsked his tongue “Soft Nick could never do such a thing, right? Too much of a good boy to make you cum. Too innocent to make you beg and too naive to treat you like a cheap slut”.

“Nicky, I-“

“Shhh, shut up!” He grabbed your cheeks and turned your face to the side so he could whisper in your ear “Shut.the.fuck.up. I didn’t tell you to speak”. Nick pulled back and turned your face back to its original position so you could face him again.

“You wanted the good, christian, innocent, soft boy to make love to you on your honeymoon?” He pouted in mockery “The shy little boy who can’t even say ‘pussy’ without blushing?” A small hint of innocence covered Nick’s eyes before pure mischief took over them “Aww, too bad he’s far gone now” He chuckled “You’re stuck with me, angel. You’re stuck with the real man” Nick closed the distance between you until his lips brushed yours with every word “The man who will make Matt look like an amateur boy who doesn’t know which hole he’s supposed to stick his dick in”.

A soft moan of anticipation left your lips as Nick’s free hand closed around your neck “You’re at the real Nick’s mercy now, my angel. And I promise you won’t regret choosing the good boy”.

#nick jackson imagine #nick jackson x reader #nick jackson fanfiction #nick jackson #young bucks imagine #masochist writes

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dumbass-tumbler-cryptid · 5 months

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Any snippet please? Preferably a flashback or something from Quaritch and Spider's trip

Sure!

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

They arrived in New Zealand in the afternoon. After leaving Brown at the airfield, they went to a nice restaurant for an early dinner where they tried some delicious local delicacies. Later they ran to the grocery store to buy enough food for the next few days of sailing and hiking. They rented their boat, setting sail an hour before sunset, floating down Milford Sound as the sun sank over the horizon, its light glittering off the water, the various shades of pink, purple, and orange in the sky looking absolutely mesmerizing against the endless open expanse of mountain ranges. When the moon came out and the heavens opened up blanketing their world in billions of stars, father and son simply laid out on the deck of their boat, gazing up in reverent silence.

They could have stayed out there all night but unfortunately the fatigue from their two days of constant travel caught up to them, forcing them to move below deck to a small shared bedroom. There was only one bed but neither minded. Pa wrapped an arm around Miles holding him securely against his chest, bringing his other hand up to card through his son’s curls. Miles had still been buzzing from the excitement of the day when he’d laid down but with his father steadily stroking his hair, and the rhythmic rocking of the boat, he relaxed, falling asleep in moments.

Miles woke the next morning to find the room deserted, feeling the boat moving underneath him. He moved to the top deck, breathing in crisp clean air, staring out in utter awe of his surroundings. Green mountain ranges surrounded them, each housing a forest of its own, the foliage so large and dense that it hung over the rock formations, close enough for him to touch from his spot on the sound. The deep blue water peacefully rocked their vessel, birds calling to each other overhead. Miles still couldn’t believe that he was really here. That his father had taken him here.

“Mornin’ son,” Pa called from the steering wheel. Miles gave his father a sleepy smile. “Go grab yourself some breakfast. We got a big day ahead.” He did as told, settling into the boat’s gallery as he munched on an apple and dry cereal, peacefully watching nature as they drifted by.

He heard it before he saw it. A waterfall. The first of two that they’d be seeing on their boating excursion. Miles sprang to his feet, rushing over to the ship’s railing to get as close as possible as they approached. Mist from the rushing water clung to him, cooling his skin. He faintly felt the rumble of the boat's engine cut under his feet, his father joining him. Matching content smiles graced their faces as they took it all in. This is real, Miles thought, Pa really kept his word. Miles hadn’t needed this trip to change his opinions of his father. Pa was a good honest man, who loved and cared for him unconditionally. He had never lied to him and so he’d had no reason to doubt that this day would eventually come but still. It was all just so amazing. Miles playfully bumped his father’s shoulder with his own, earning a little huff of a laugh and large grin in response. Pa slung an arm around him, pulling him in close. They stayed like that as they watched their surroundings drift by, their boat gently propelled down the water by the force of the waterfall.

#spider socorro #miles spider socorro #miles quaritch #colonel miles quaritch #cabin in the woods #avatar fanfiction #my fanfic

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randomberlinchick · 1 year

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Jacinda Ardern: political figures believe abuse and threats contributed to PM’s resignation | Jacinda Ardern | The Guardian

In 2022, New Zealand police reported that threats against the prime minister had nearly tripled over three years. While police could not determine motives for every individual threat, documents they released showed anti-vaccination sentiment was a driving force of a number of threats, and opposition to legislation to regulate firearms after the 15 March mass shooting in Christchurch was another factor.

A weeks-long anti-vaccine-mandate occupation of parliament’s lawns descended into a violent riot in early 2022, with protesters calling for the prime minister’s execution. The protests, coupled with increased threats and abuse against the prime minister and other MPs, prompted New Zealand’s typically open and accessible parliament to up security measures.

Over the past year, a number of men have been arrested, formally warned or faced criminal charges for threatening to assassinate Ardern, with one found guilty of sabotage in an attempt to destroy the country’s power grid connections. Public appearances by the prime minister increasingly attracted small, at times abusive groups of protesters.

In one ugly incident, protesters in a car chased the prime minister’s van, shouting obscenities and screaming that she was “a Nazi”, at one point forcing it on to the footpath, and in February 2022, shouting protesters again chased the prime minister’s van down a driveway as she visited a primary school.

This is disgusting. No wonder she said, "fuck it," and rode off into the sunset... And "Nazi"? Who the fuck are these inbred idiots?

#jacinda ardern #new zealand #is apparently populated by people who have no idea what a nazi is

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holidayvisa · 3 months

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22 February 2024 - I woke up at 6:30 am in the back of the AWOL van, parked in from of my house in Henderson. I woke up to the sound of Jimmy turning his car on. I looked up and saw the house was open, and I went in and went straight to bed. I slept until around 9:30 am. I had a lazy day. I chatted with Judah for a while and played some age of empires with him. That was a blast! He told about his days with Mason. He'd had one day where he and Mason went to pickleball together, and Judah was just helping out. Judah also had a day where he and Mason volunteered together at a volunteer community garden, weeding and gardening. I was so excited to hear Judah's stories!

I drove the motorbike to the liquor store and bought two bottles of champagne to bring over to Elise's. Elise flew back to Auckland today from Wellington, where she had competed in the women's nationals spearfishing competition. Elise got the results from the New Zealand women's nationals spearfishing competition - she got third place!!! 🥳🥳🥳 The competition was the day before, but results only just came out today. So, I made sure to get some champagne so we could celebrate! I drove to Piha, and Elise wanted to go on a sunset hike to a place she called "the gap." We drove to Piha Beach south, where I'd never been before; every time I'd been to Piha Beach, I'd gone to Piha Beach North. We walked from the car to the gap, which is this really cool cave that goes through the rock from the shore out to the ocean. It looked like some fantasy landscape out of a movie! We kept walking south along the beach and passed the blowhole. We couldn't see the waves crashing at the blowhole, because the waves were hitting the opposite side of the rock, but we could see the huge spray of water when the waves would hit and shoot up through the blowhole! We hiked up from there up to a really cool viewpoint; we had the place to ourselves, and it felt like the entire Piha beach and sunset was ours. We hung out up there and had a little picnic celebration. I popped open a bottle of champagne, and we poured it into some fancy wine glasses. We sipped on our champagne and talked about the spearfishing competition, family, friends, and other stories. We laughed and talked for a long time as we watched golden hour turn into sunset.

After the sunset, we decided to pack up and head down from our viewpoint in the twilight before it got too dark. We got down to the beach and walked along the beach with a dark night sky overhead before heading back to the car. We drove to Elise's and put on some Brooklyn 99 before heading to bed.

I'm grateful for Judah. I'm grateful for good chats with Judah, and I'm grateful to hear his stories and catch up with him. I'm grateful for Elise. I'm grateful for sunset hikes and stunning views at Piha Beach.

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maypearlss · 11 months

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thanks @jiya-jale for the tag!!

song stuck in my head: keep me comin' by kiss

last song i listened to: mr. brownstone by guns n' roses

top 3 foods: spaghetti, french fries, cookie dough

last thing i googled: "black hair"

dream trip: so many tbh, alaska (i've been there before but the trip was lowkey a disaster so i want a do-over), the sunset strip in california, new zealand, iceland, i could go on

anything i want right now: to be done with work oh my gOD

tagging @camillenrose and @1carusflew if you guys want to :)

#tag games

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garbagegirlblog · 1 year

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27 club part 2 ☆

Gary Thaine 1948-1975 (Uriah Heep)

he became a member of the band "The Secrets", which eventually dissolved in 1966. Later, Thain was part of the rock trio The New Nadir, and with the drummer Peter Dawkins, he traveled from New Zealand to London, and once jammed with Jimi Hendrix before the trio split in 1969. Thain joined the Keef Hartley Band, performing at Woodstock in 1969 and, in 1971, they toured with Uriah Heep.

Alan Wilson (Blind Owl) 1943-1970

The "rural hippie anthem" became the unofficial theme song for the Woodstock Festival where Canned Heat performed at sunset on August 16, 1969. Although Canned Heat's live performance was cut from the original theatrical release of the Woodstock film, they were featured in the 25th anniversary "Director's Cut."

Leslie Harvey 1944-1972 (Stone the Crows)

In 1969, Harvey joined Scottish band Cartoone to record some tracks for their second album. He also accompanied Cartoone on their live tour of the United States supporting Led Zeppelin. Harvey was a co-founder of Stone the Crows in late 1969. While on stage with Stone the Crows at Swansea Top Rank in 1972, he was electrocuted when he touched a microphone that was not earthed while the fingers of his other hand were holding the strings of his guitar.

Ron “Pigpen” McKernan 1945-1973 (Grateful Dead)

He founded the Grateful Dead band, who he played for between 1965 and 1972. McKernan was close friends with American singer-songwriter Janis Joplin due to common musical influences and lifestyles, particularly a shared love of alcohol over other drugs. While his bandmates and friends were using cannabis, LSD, and other hallucinogenic drugs, McKernan preferred alcoholic beverages. friends and band biographers have described McKernan as a quiet, kind, and introspective person. Hart later said "Pigpen was the musician in the Grateful Dead." Kreutzmann said McKernan was "the sweetest guy anybody had ever met."

Dave Alexander 1947-1975 (The Stooges)

The Stooges’ founding bassist Dave “Zander” Alexander had the reputation of being a loose cannon before the group even came together: He dropped out of high school 45 minutes into his senior year to win a bet, and he and Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton once traveled to England with hopes of running into the Beatles. Alexander was fired from the band in August 1970 after showing up at the Goose Lake International Music Festival too drunk to play.

#the stooges #grateful dead #Stone the Crows #dave alexander #Ron McKernan #alan wilson #Leslie harvey #led zeppelin #woodstock #the beatles #Gary Thaine #uriah heep #vintage #50s 60s 70s

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lordeemailarchive · 2 years

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PART TWO: A little spiel and a REINTRODUCTION!!!!

(09/11/2022) (Solar Institute Bulletin No. 20) (From Rio de Janeiro)

In São Paulo, running towards 26. Photos by Lauren Tepfer

Good morning cuties… or should I say Oi!!!! I landed in Brasil a few hours ago. The pop star river runs — stumble half asleep into a waiting car, get to a lovely hotel room, eat some papaya off a gorgeous fruit plate, shower, crash out. I sit typing this at a wooden table near a window, looking out over Sao Paulo. A security guard waits in the hall outside my room. In total there are five men being paid to protect my body this week. I love coming to Brasil, and South America in general, and look forward to it for years. I can never believe the way the Brasilian kids took to my music, this kid from so far away somehow making sense to them, and the shows are totally electric and emotional and play on a loop in my brain for years. I love the food and the architecture and the trees. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a completely surreal feeling getting on a plane in one country with relative physical anonymity, and getting off in another to literal flash-using paparazzi and gorgeous crying kids. It happens for all of 10 days of a year, so I still think it’s sort of bizarre and eerie and a little bit fabulous, someone else’s life. I’m struck by how truly odd the notion of having a security guard is, still like something out of a movie to me, and how inextricably linked it is with coming to America. My first security guard met me at LAX and guided me through a scrum of autograph hunters with a gun tucked into his belt. Proper Dorothy not in Kansas any more moment. Today I feel like an exotic tropical fish, big slow blinks and gorgeous fins, and I’ll swim around and around in my little bowl until showtime.

My pretty fishbowl

When you read this, by the way, I’ll be twenty fucking six. TWENTY SIX! Kinda can’t believe that, but on the other hand, absolutely can. It’s been a lifetime already, you know? Besides, the lines are only fine, my body’s fitter and stronger than ever and the spiral winds around in ways I’m finding more and more rewarding. Happy to be in this beautiful country on the day the portal opens.

Taken at sunset on birthday eve

So. Tour update incoming. But first, a spiel! I don’t know how much you’ve been following the live music industry conversation, but lemme hit you with a five minute explainer, cause I think it’s interesting, and good to know about if you’re going to concerts at the moment. Basically, for artists, promoters and crews, things are at an almost unprecedented level of difficulty. It’s a storm of factors. Let’s start with three years’ worth of shows happening in one. Add global economic downturn, and then add the totally understandable wariness for concertgoers around health risks. On the logistical side there’s things like immense crew shortages (here’s an article from last week about this in New Zealand), extremely overbooked trucks and tour buses and venues, inflated flight and accommodation costs, ongoing general COVID costs, and truly. mindboggling. freight costs. To freight a stage set across the world can cost up to three times the pre-pandemic price right now. I don’t know shit about money, but I know enough to understand that no industry has a profit margin that high. Ticket prices would have to increase to start accommodating even a little of this, but absolutely no one wants to charge their harried and extremely-compassionate-and-flexible audience any more fucking money. Nearly every tour has been besieged with cancellations and postponements and promises and letdowns, and audiences have shown such understanding and such faith, that between that and the post-COVID wariness about getting out there at all, scaring people away by charging the true cost ain’t an option. All we want to do is play for you. Profits being down across the board is fine for an artist like me. I’m lucky. But for pretty much every artist selling less tickets than I am, touring has become a demented struggle to break even or face debt. For some, touring is completely out of the question, even if they were to sell the whole thing out! The math doesn’t make sense. Understandably, all of this takes a toll — on crews, on promoters, and on artists. You’ll notice a ton of artists cancelling shows citing mental health concerns in the past year, and I really think the stress of this stuff is a factor — we’re a collection of the world’s most sensitive flowers who also spent the last two years inside, and maybe the task of creating a space where people’s pain and grief and jubilation can be held night after night with a razor thin profit margin and dozens of people to pay is feeling like a teeny bit much. Me personally? I’m doing pretty good. You guys have come to the shows in such mammoth numbers (we sold almost 20,000 tickets in London, like what the hell) and not having crippling stage fright hanging over me for the first time is such a fucking blessing that you could tell me I had to cycle from city to city and I’d still be loving it. But I’m not immune to the stress — just a month ago I was looking at a show that was pretty undersold and panicking, only for it to sell the remaining 2000 tickets in ten days. Wild stuff. I wanted to put all of this in your minds to illustrate that nothing’s simple when it comes to touring at the moment, and if your faves are confusing you with their erratic moves, some of this could be playing a part. So, without further ado, some updates:

I know it seemed extremely sus that the Down Under edition of The Solar Power Tour would ever happen. But it's almost that time! I'm honestly really glad it worked out this way, we're playing so well, and I have so much to bring to these shows now I know it inside out. So consider this a REINTRODUCTION to the tour. We're coming. It's happening. Lesgo.

-- We are thrilled to be adding a show at the Adelaide Festival on March 16th. I’m psyched about this, haven’t played in Adelaide since 2014! -- We have to cancel New Plymouth. I would love to wrap it in something to save face but honestly, it’s a pandemic and we haven’t sold enough tickets! I’m bummed, I love that venue, and I hope to play it some day in the future :—) -- Conversely, we are adding a second show at Black Barn. Yes, I know this sounds insane but the powers that be are telling me that’s what we should do. Can’t wait to find out if this was a smart move in real time alongside you, lol! This show will take place on March 2nd, and if you come, I promise you something special and completely one-off, how’s that? ticket info here. pre-sale code: strangeairlines -- I’m EXXXXTREMELY thrilled to announce the support acts for these shows - Fazerdaze and RIIKI REID in Aotearoa, and the absolute huns MUNA in Australia!!! The sublime Laura Jean will join us for Perth — you know how I feel about Touchstone and now I raise you Girls On The TV. You’re welcome. I’m really excited to play in this part of the world — it’s always a super special time for me coming home. Makes it more real. I hope I’ll see you there. We’re gonna do a little flash sale on tour merch — fab quality, fab designs, would cop if I were you. To finish, some recent Mexico pictures I loved, from Lauren’s clever lens.

Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love (twenty six times!), L x x x x x x x PS:

(source: received this email)

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bignaz8 · 2 years

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Blazing Sunsets over Moke Lake, New Zealand 📷 Nick Crarer

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gunelle · 6 months

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Photos and texts: @craig.holloway

1-. A rainbow over Selfoss in North East Iceland

2-. A ruined jetty in the town of Puerto Natales in Chilean Patagonia

3-. Acueducto Segovia

4-. All that remains of an old jetty on Lake Wakatipu, half way between Queenstown and Glenorchy, South Island, New Zealand

5-. An abandoned farm near Hofn, East Iceland

6-. An abandoned house on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, Wester Iceland

7-. y 8-. Australia

9-. Cathedral Rock at Mt. Buffalo. Victoria, Australia. As sunset was approaching, the rock was enveloped with a fast moving cloud, giving only fleeting moments of visibility such as this one.

10-. Cerro Fitz Roy just after sunrise, standing behind a frozen tarn on an icy cold morning in Los Glaciares National Park, Argentine Patagonia.

11-. Cerro Fitz Roy. Argentine Patagonia

12-. Cradle Mountain reflected in Dove Lake at sunset. Tasmania, Australia

13-. Cuernos del Paine and Paine Grande sitting behind Lago Pehoe, Torres del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia

14-. Dawn at Laguna Torre in Los Glaciares National Park. Argentinean Patagonia. The red glow of first light is starting to strike Cerro Torre in the background

15-. Europe's most powerful waterfall, Dettifoss, as seen at sunrise in Northern Iceland

16-. Kirkjufell on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula in Western Iceland at sunset

17-. New Zealand

18-. Sun reflects onto the rock giving it a stunning glow. Australia

19-. The Church of the Good Shepherd at Lake Tekapo. South Island, New Zealand

20-. The Cuernos del Paine are lit by a pre-sunrise glow, as seen from the rapids near Salto Grande, Torres del Paine National Park, Chilean Patagonia

21-. A calm winter morning at Lake Wanaka, New Zealand

22-. A colourful lenticular cloud sunset near Refugio Paine Grande in the Torres del Paine National Park

#photohgraphy #paisajes #Australia #world

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pianocat939 · 2 years

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Yandere!Kiwi headcanons?

Fuzzy.

Tw: kidnapping

Yandere Kiwi Hcs

• If you get this guy’s attention you are screwed. Well, if you like staying at home at least.

• Let’s say you live in a very small town, only about 100 cookies. You once lived in the city, but life was too stressful so you moved to the nowhere land.

• It wasn’t so bad. There was all the basic shops and things, and if you ever needed something that wasn’t available you could go to the city nearby.

• The locals all knew each other, and seeing a new face made a big riot. The day you moved in they brought desserts and big bowls of food to welcome you.

• Until quite the rowdy cookie stopped by while adventuring. His name is Kiwi cookie.

• Of course, your townspeople greeted him with great joy. They would ask about his adventures, and try to advertise the local shops and merchandise.

• But this cookie has quite the eyes for a hermit.

• He would approach you and ask what you’re doing while standing a little bit too close for a stranger.

• Everyday he would talk about his adventures and bring jewelry he’s collected.

• You of course ignored him and continued on with your work.

• “Sugar won’t you take this fine necklace? I think it would suit you.”

• “No thanks, got to finish an upcoming project.”

• Finally after a week, while you were sitting outside enjoying the sunset he stops right in front of your house with a cocky grin on his face.

• “Wanna come with me? You look so lonely and sad moping around your house.”

• “No thanks. I moved out here to get away from the city anyway.”

• “Well at least give me a good bye.”

• He opens his arms out in a hug, which you reluctantly gave into his request.

• “Good bye, Kiwi Cookie. Hope someone else will come along.”

• “Haha! Who said I’m gonna give you a choice?”

• He’ll somehow manage to haul you over his shoulder and settle you on his bike before racing off.

• “Wha- Take me back! I don’t wanna go anywhere!”

• “Stop whinin’ Sugar! You’re gonna have to get used to me, cuz’ you’re gonna be my little darlin’!”

• “Fuck you.”

• From then on your life was traveling with this maniac and getting coddled like a pet.

• Wherever you go he’ll always buy or find accessories or jewelry for you. Gift giving is one of his love languages.

• Don't try to escape, he rides a motorcycle at a high speed so there's no chance you'll get far.

• He loves taking photos with you, especially when you're unaware. (Yes he will take embarrassing and ugly facial expressions)

• At night he likes laying beside you on a blanket while star-gazing, he stares at you more than the stars though

• You're allowed to talk to other cookies but he gets jealous quickly so be careful.

• If you're being difficult he'll just hold you tight or carry you. (Depends on what you're being difficult about).

• Yes he will yell to wake you up in the morning.

• If he calls you by your name that means he's pissed.

———————————————————

I honestly think he's an Australian/New Zealander.

Idk why he just fits the vibe.

- Celina

#cookie run #yandere cookie run #cookie run ovenbreak #yandere #yandere x reader #kiwi cookie

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itjazzbicch · 2 years

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Need For Speed

Pairing: Giovanni Vinci x Fem Reader

Summary: Having to go back to the arena later in the day, the reader has some fun when she gets the opportunity to race her sports car against a Ferrari, surprisingly ending up in the same location, beating the driver, she learns that it is someone she has some heat within NXT, Giovanni…

Warnings: SMUT! (18+ ONLY!)

First time writing for Giovanni, so I hope that I did well!

Word Count: 2.2k

Tag List: @demonqueen29 @peachy-satan00 @new-zealand-chic @crowleysqueenofhell @unoficialy-married-to-ace-austin @thatpanpal @damnnhausen@irish-newzealand-idian-dutch @linziland13 @xxx-jazz-xxx @writtingrose @cuzimacomedian @april-jeanette-wagner @starwithaheart @seeingstarks @rubyred1980

I DO NOT OWN THIS GIF:

The sunset was beautiful with the day almost over. Unfortunately, not escaping some time at work as there were things I needed, but with some good music, the air conditioner helping with the heat of the day, and a straight road in front of me.

One little trip to the arena wasn't going to hurt, but something else was on my mind when I came to a stop light, a red Ferrari with blacked-out windows next to me.

It was a sexy car, but not like my Porsche 911. I paid it no mind, focusing on the light taking forever till the car revved its engine at me.

Looking over quickly, I revved back just for that driver to do the same. There was no traffic around us and a straight shot down the highway. That Ferrari sure could make some noise, but so could my Porsche and when that light turned green, we were off!

Whoever was driving was good and the car was faster than I thought, but I was always the kind of person with a card up my sleeve, in this case, turbo.

I let him think he had the advantage, then hit the turbo and blasted off, engine roaring from it and laughing while watching the car disappear in my rearview mirror.

Races always pumped me up, shaking from the rush while having to slow down and enter the arena. Shaking off the small adrenaline jitters that I had, I grabbed my phone and keys and when I got out of the car, there was that red Ferrari next to me.

Giovanni Vinci. How did I not realize that it was him?! This was too good now. That Ferrari was like his child or something and I beat him in a race? Even with sunglasses on, I could feel the beam in his eyes like he had laser vision.

"You know," I just had to tease him about losing, showing off my Porsche, "I got this straight from Germany. Flat six-cylinder engine and-"

"Twin Turbo," He finished, taking his sunglasses off to really beam his glare.

"And my oh my does it go!" I laughed, looking at his Ferrari and digging, "It doesn't have turbo?"

His silence only made me laugh more, fixing my own sunglasses and shaking my head:

"What a shame. But, not the first time I one-upped you in something. It's why I have a bigger contract."

Giovanni and I were like oil and water. We just didn't mix. When he learned that my debut got more attention than his, having the highest point in views on television, he envied me for some reason. Not saying that himself, his actions said it all.

I had my fun poking at him and after finishing up things in the office, the night sky was full of stars and while unlocking my car, I hopped in ignoring my surroundings, till Giovanni's window rolled down.

He was still here? Rolling mine down, I listened to what he had to say:

"I can beat you."

"You sure? Because you couldn't earlier," I laughed, sticking my tongue at him a bit, starting my car and he did the same:

"Oh, I'm sure."

"You know what?" My engine was so silent you couldn't tell my car was even running sometimes, I was down for another race, but I wasn't letting him off easy, "We're not too far from the beach. You know where-"

"The finishing lot?"

He has definitely raced around here. That's where a lot of racers used their finish lines practically.

"Ohhhh, you've raced around here before?" I smiled, my hand low enough and so quiet that I shifted gears without him knowing, "Have fun trying to beat me there!"

Unlike him, I had a clear shot out of the parking lot and I took off, blasting some music always made it more fun, getting such a good head start, till I saw lights right behind me.

My jaw dropped at how fast he caught up, even passing me! We had some distance and no cars? He was in for it, shifting gears and really pushing it by going on the other side of the road to pass:

"Oh, no you don't!"

No one has ever had to make me actually try like this. Some traffic heading toward the beach slowed the both of us down and I wasn't afraid to go around it then I learned that Giovanni felt the same, following me through a massive drift past a red light.

I was praying no cops were around but determined to win, so close to the parking lot and when I drifted in and hit the brake to stop, Giovanni was right next to me, stopping right next to me. We tied?!

Unable to accept that, I quickly hopped out and claimed:

"Again, a loser!"

"Ah, ah! I got here first!" He hopped out too, the two of us meeting between our cars and I gave him some props:

"I'll admit, that Ferrari is better than I thought. But I won."

"But you didn't," He smirked, leaning in my face a little, "The only thing that's fast is that mouth of yours that you like to run."

"And you like it," I flipped around, causing a stir and teasing, "Because every time I talk, I almost always leave you speechless."

Laughing at me, I took another chance to stir, flipping the collar of his shirt and smirking, "Don't deny it, Gio. I leave a lot of people speechless so you're not alone. And much like our cars and wrestling, I steal all the spotlight."

"I'd watch it if I were you," He glanced at my hand then stared into my eyes, "You never know when someone might leave you speechless for a change."

"Oh my dear, Giovanni. Stop," I laughed, gripping his collar to establish some seriousness, "Like that'll ever happen."

I didn't expect him to take a handful of my shirt, bringing me so that our noses were almost touching. Something was different, his whisper showing that bit of change:

"It will happen, because of me."

His behavior towards me always lead me to believe that we were rivals and now, with him kissing me? I was speechless. Lips so good that I had naturally kissed back, smiling because of how I gave in so quickly, but something else was there, especially when I got a little bit of tongue and it sent a tremble through me.

"See?" He snickered, kissing softly, "Speechless."

"Did-" I had to register this, nearly glitching, "Did you just kiss me?"

"Was one not good enough for you?" He kept laughing at me and while thinking about us, his behavior, and how he handled things with me, I was the one smiling. Putting the pieces together, his laughter stopped, and mine began:

"I understand now."

"Understand what?" Leaning against his car, he tried to act all tough. Little did he know, I was so good at making people crack, and after that kiss? Doubts were out the window, getting right against him, raising my thigh between his, stroking the roof of his car, and smiling:

"Finally found a girl that can get your engine to go? And I'm not talking about the Ferrari. Is there any other reason why you would kiss me?"

"It's a good way to get a woman like you-"

"Spare me the nonsense," I took the chance to kiss him this time, this one progressing much more than the first, raising my leg more and feeling a slight hard-on, rubbing my thigh to harden it, giggling at him, "More like a good way to turn you on."

Holding my tight, he squeezed it hard, trying to deny, "I just drive women crazy. It's a good way to throw them off."

"You're not throwing anything off of me," I smirked, annoyed with his denial, "Just admit it. You did because you like me, not the whole player mentality."

"You never stop talking, do you?"

Kissing me again and hoping it would leave me shocked like before, only drove me further. Gladly returning his kiss, I made sure to move my thigh again and it triggered him to start moving his hands around me, whispering a suggestive off to see if this was serious:

"If you want to keep moving fast, we should probably get in the cars, hm?"

"The only time you'll be in my car," He stood up and flung the door open, sitting in and dragging me in with him.

I didn't care to even pay attention to his car, only wanting more thrills because there was no denying all of the lust that he built up in me, and not afraid to acknowledge how handsome and sexy he was in every aspect.

"You weren't wrong in a way," Stradling him and rising on my knees, I was ready for what was about to happen, fixing my skirt and panties, having him watch with a bigger smile, tongue swiping those pearly whites:

"About?"

It was hard to confess due to my ego, but I let him have his moment to be right:

"You do drive me crazy."

"Should've known that I wasn't lying," He kept smiling, throwing his hips up to shoot me upward a bit, really throwing me a curveball, putting me in the passenger side, putting the seat back as far as it could go, climbing over and finding his way with my legs up wide, fixing himself to take me, "Don't try to make a mess when you lose yourself."

"Lose myself?" He made it so hard to keep up my smart, sarcastic ways, humming at the feeling of the tip of his cock entering me, realizing myself how wet I was, holding his shirt with two hands, "Can't make any promises."

That was more truthful than a joke, chest filled with trapped air that made me a bit lightheaded because I didn't let it out, not wanting to praise him so early because he was giving me every inch, wanting to see me under him and submitting to him.

"You're already messing up my shirt," He kissed clenched fist, warning but also giving rapid thrusts, "You better not mess up my car."

"Can't you hear yourself?" I couldn't take it anymore, gasping for air and all of the moans pour out of me, "You expect me to stay proper when you're going like that?"

"Want to be more specific?" He knew exactly what he was doing to me, adding to the stimulation with a finger going at my clit.

I was trying so hard to keep myself together that I ripped his shirt open, feeling all over to take my mind off of how steaming hot my body was becoming, the friction with his cock pounding and making my seams split bit by bit, quicker and quicker.

"You've never had it as good as me," He smiled and leaned to whisper in my ear, "Never been this loud, never so close to such a good thing so quickly. Is that why you can't stay 'proper'?"

"Giovanni! If you don't shut up and keep going!" I was nearly in tears from the burn, trying to hold back just for my hips to keep bucking, holding the back of the seat and raising my legs higher at my spasming walls.

"Why don't you tell me first?" Of course, he would slow down, keeping the same strength so I didn't die down too quickly, "Can't know what you want if you don't use words."

He just loved laughing at me, how I became so tongue-tied, giving up on words for a comeback and biting my lip so hard that I whined at it, one speedful thrust making it pop free along with my defeat:

"I'm so close to cuming, Gio! Now, just keep going, please!"

"That wasn't hard, now was it?" He brought all of that intense speed back, getting me right back into a crazed state, losing all sense and arching off of the seat, holding his shoulders for dear life and crying out:

"G-Gi, I'm cuming, Giovanni-!"

Even he had to watch for himself, all of the slick between my thighs surely messing up my skirt, still taking his cock through it all, the friction having me ache some, taking me out and having me drop into the seat barely able to breathe, hearing under his breath:

"I'll let you get away with that just this one time."

"You like that?" It was so nice to breathe, even better to get back my own little confidence, winking at him when I opened my eyes, noticing as well, "And just this 'one' time? You wanting more?"

Knowing what I meant, he rolled his eyes and didn't shut me down completely, winking back with his smart lip, "Maybe if you can actually beat me next time."

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