#also if there's a completely different bird you feel like would fit feel free to send me an ask to plead your case asjdkjs | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

pavo-ocxllus · 2 years

Note

Hi there, congratulations on 100 followers! I just saw your post through a tag aaand it sounded really interesting, it’s a very cute idea! <3 anyways, if you aren’t flooded with too many requests or if you don’t feel like doing any, feel free to completely discard this ask! May I request to buy a ball ticket with inteyvat and a bird of paradise for Xiao? Once again, pls don’t pressure yourself, also I hope you have a good day, please take care, again! 💗

❝ 𝐥𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠... ❞

𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡… the traveler has different ideas regarding the ball when xiao unexpectedly comes to greet her. 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠… xiao x traveler!reader (can be read as xiao x fem!traveler or xiao x lumine), mentions of the yakshas (bosacius and bonanus), in direct mentions of zhongli (morax and rex lapis) 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠… a ball ticket (royalty!au), inteyvat (fem!traveler or lumine), bird of paradise (”let’s blow this joint, yeah?”), third pov, 1.9k, this was actually proofread for once *gasp* 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬… fluff, she/her pronouns used, traveler!reader, the yakshas are implied to be alive, probs ooc xiao 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐜𝐮𝐭… ahhh, thank you for requesting! also, in addition to being my first request for this event, it’s my first ever request as well! i hope i did this justice lol (i know i said this an event for drabbles but there was tornado warning in my area and i rushed to get this done before the wifi goes out and ended up with this mess lol-)

the vigilant yaksha would really, truly love to complain that this wasn’t part of his job description.

honestly, supervising the many members of elite society (in a seemingly out of the blue ball XIAO’S lord spontaneously decided to hold) doesn’t appear to fit his role as one of the many adepti that signed a contract under the emperor, morax. generally, after the archon war, uttering the word “adeptus” can usually only be heard through those sumeru scholars, or as words of the desperate. “adeptus”... a word faded into obscurity among the unsuspecting public, “knight” now being the more appropriate term. and a yaksha such as xiao wasn’t particularly any different.

as the citizens of liyue go about the their day to day lives, xiao operates in the concealing blanket of the night as per contract: to protect liyue in the shadows. in a time of peace, a civilian shouldn’t have to taint themself with the remnants of defeated gods still ravaging through the nation in the form of monsters. after all, the very first contract of liyue was to “cleanse the land and defend our safe harbor.”

well, now that he thought about it further, it does seems as this would count as a duty he was binded to via his contract. however, that didn’t stop him from hating the mere atmosphere of the gathering even more.

it seemed as though xiao was so busy loathing the event that he didn’t even notice the large shadow dwarfing his figure creeping up on him...

...and promptly zapping him.

it wasn’t anything more than a slight shock—really nothing more than he could handle. unfortunately, that didn’t make it any less jarring.

“!!” came out of his mouth, and it was more akin to some sort of gurgled scream of a creature rather than a comprehensible sound out of a (somewhat) human. his previous blank, brooding, deep-in-thought facial expression was instantly replaced by surprise. not too long after, xiao scrunched his eyebrows together, his slightly opened lips were closed, pressed into a thin line before darting his amber eyes around the area, then locking on to the culprit who couldn’t be able to keep his overly boisterous laughter in.

truly, he was worthy for the title “vigilant yaksha,” not whatever mixer he was currently stationed in, much less bosacius’s stupid antics.

after the older man’s seemingly endless guffaw appeared to settle down (not without fits of giggles spilling from his mouth every time he uttered a single word) and the guests prying eyes managed to look away and continue their prior conservations, bosacius coughed as if he was trying to rid his throat of an awful disease of hysteria and held two of his back arms up.

“why, don’t look at me like that!” the purple-streaked brunette complained, feigning innocence. the unfortunate downside to receiving the older brother you’ve never wanted was his—to put it bluntly—irritating behavior. “if i was aware that you were going to be so hot-headed about me letting a few sparks fly, i would’ve called in bonanus to help me cool you down a bit-”

bosacius was instantly cut off when he felt a little ‘thump’ in his chest, causing him to glance his eyes downward to find that xiao stuck the blunt end of his spear into the center of his bare chest.

“at least have the decency to wear... something,” he observed frankly, gesturing to people around them and his own attire. while everybody was wearing rather elegant robes (minus the few yakshas patrolling the room such as bosacius and himself), it seemed as though the adeptus in front of him was the only one who refused to adhere to the dress code, as seen through his completely invisible top.

cue the electro yaksha’s jaw drop.

“that’s what you care about?!”

xiao was quick to turn away from his co-worker, despite the latter’s verbal chagrin, then, attempting not to revert back into his embarrassingly distracted state, scanned his eyes around the venue. however, just as swiftly, he felt a muscular arm hook on to his neck.

“you need to loosen up!!” bosacius teased, ruffling his hair. to this day, xiao had no idea how this man was the leader of the five yakshas. “y’know... i’ve heard that rex lapis says we get to keep whoever catches our eye here~”

the smaller yaksha swatted his arm away from his neck, upturning his nose away from bosacius in disgust. “don’t be ridiculous. there’s no way the his majesty would allow, much less participate, in something so frivolous-”

the man tilted his head, letting out a sound of confusion as to what was the cause behind his friend’s sudden silence before tracing the line of his sight, widening his eyes.

an all-too recognizable outlander, xiao understood that she must’ve had better activities to attend to then attend such an impromptu event. despite that, the initial beliefs was far from his mind, with the way the white silk gracefully draped upon her figure—light blue and golden accents danced as she moved through the various eyes upon her. it was as if she were missing piece of the puzzle, even when not looking the part, somehow making this godforsaken ball a million times better with just her mere appearance alone. xiao didn’t seem to clock the tips of his ears suddenly feeling warm.

much to his terrible luck, it appeared as though bosacius noticed.

it was rather rare for his fellow adeptus to stop for anyone other than morax, much less through a complaint. though, ever since the traveler’s appearance in liyue, it seemed as if xiao suffered through somewhat of a change of heart for her. initially, he was under the impression that it was out of respect as a fellow royal guard; it was shocking enough when she decided to step down from the line of the throne to join her nation’s regiment in the first place, moreso to be great at what she did. nevertheless, as time passed by, xiao’s blatant fondness for the traveler seemed to grow outside of acknowledgement for her achievements.

“go on,” bosacius voice was laced in a rather suspicious tone; it seemed like was smiling even though xiao couldn’t see him. before he could ask about what in teyvat was going through his mind now, he gave him a small push in the direction he saw fit: figuratively and literally.

as one of the five yakshas of the royal guard of liyue, xiao was supposed to expect this—perhaps even suspect it. after all, bosacius and the rest of them are notably close with him. however, even for an almighty adeptus such as himself is flawed with the concept of off-days.

of course, he’s was able to get up back on his feet in no time... but not without it’s little tribulations to boot.

though it was rather remarkable how fast he was able to regain his composure, his methods were a little off. based from the way he fell forward for a good few seconds before realizing that the ground was oddly getting closer to his face to deciding to sprint to the front of the crowd at the very last second, the teal energy that trailed his figure as he did so understandably garnered the unwanted attention of the various company present.

at first, xiao couldn’t be confused—he was at the back corner of the hall, was he not? why were all eyes on him? the moment his golden eyes landed on the traveler’s, though, he already connected the dots.

now, this was definitely not part of his job description.

silence inevitably filled the venue, and rather awkwardly at that, much to his annoyance. he knew that his method wasn’t very common in the eyes of liyue society, yet he didn’t think it would cause so much commotion to the point everybody’s eyes appeared to be right on him and... the traveler?

at the small revelation, he moved his head towards the traveler, only to see nothing but a simple polite smile gracing her features as her arm was reached out towards the yaksha. naturally, his golden eyes wandered to the garments adorning it, then eventually arrived at her delicate hand. upon further study, his eyes met hers once again, still completely lost in this unfamiliar situation.

her smile refused to waver, even as she closed her eyes and shook her head in amusement. she then dipped her head, letting xiao to conclude that she was doing what he was supposed to do. before he could mirror her actions, she persisted, bending her legs into a slight curtsy, pulling her skirt slightly upward with one hand and taking his hand in the other. before xiao could say anything, the traveler’s lips softly came into contact with xiao’s gloved knuckles.

“it’s a pleasure to meet you again, general alatus.”

face erupting in red, mouth slightly quivering in astonishment, the boy’s almost comically widened eyes watched as the traveler stood up to her original position, giggling at his flustered state.

the unwarranted eyes on the two seemed to disappear entirely once again as they went back into their previous conversations once more, interestingly enough. xiao supposed this made his circumstances better—even when the stubborn heat refusing to alleviate from his cheeks.

regardless, it didn’t stop him from returning the gesture, albeit without the kissing part, “likewise, your majesty.”

the honorific simply slipped out despite the traveler’s position in her nation, but in this formal conversation, it only seemed fitting. though, weirdly enough, she seemed rather exasperated, if anything.

she let out a deep sigh before speaking up again, “you know... you don’t have to be so stiff around me, xiao.”

the yaksha couldn’t help but flinch at the sound the name rex lapis had given him, before relaxing not long afterward. it sounded... strangely pleasing.

“be honest... we both don’t want to be here.”

well, it wasn’t like she isn’t telling the truth. void of the knowledge of her intentions, xiao continued to stay silent as perplexity was adamantly displayed through his expressions once more. just before he was about to cross his arms and go back to his what he was supposed to be doing, he felt his arm suddenly yank forward to the traveler’s general direction.

his eyes flew open at the sudden motion as he felt forced wind from the speed they were going course through his hair. the only sight he was able to see as the crowd started to part to make way for the rushing pair and the waving fabric that danced as the traveler navigated through the guests.

the uncertainty that usually would’ve plagued his mind was replaced with some sort of unwavering spotlight directed on her as she guided herself and xiao across the hall, like the stars to a sailor sailing in the night, knowing that it would help them lead their crew to shore.

the trust he placed on her was unquestionable, and he couldn’t explain why. was it his burning desire to escape from the ball? the traveler’s contributions to his home nation? the blazing heat perched comfortably among his face that represented his beating heart inside? how it was the physical form for his unknown, though intense feelings?

actually, xiao took that back—the last one definitely provided the reason.

𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝. <𝟑

#𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞.!#𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞.!#𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞'𝐬 𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐞!#𝐛𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞.!#xiao x reader #xiao x lumine #xiao x traveler #xiao x y/n #xiao x fem!reader #genshin x reader #genshin impact x reader #genshin impact x you #genshin x y/n #genshin x female reader #xiao x female reader #xiao fluff #xiao drabble #alatus x reader

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lanternlightss · 1 year

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hi hi! for the bingo ask game:

nameless bard, venti, percy, and/or annabeth

(ask game)

OOOOOO the sillies….. let’s see…..

under the cut, as the rambles got a tad bit long XD

nameless bard -

….honestly not even half surprised there’s a bingo, this guy has lived in my head completely rent free for two years XD.

BUT. onto a bit of character dissection: truly and fully believe there is blood on his hands. sometimes he lays awake, feeling guilty, over whether or not a death was warranted or needed. sometimes he wonders how he could’ve made it more painful. it’s about the Duality. someone who would willingly raze down an entire city, but is also currently in the process of dancing with his little wisp friend.

however, on the other hand, he is just. he feels like a cringefail guy. the type of dude who would hit himself in the face trying to spin his weapon in a cool way. he would be the biggest dork <3. (also if you removed his cloak and unbraided him, he would look like a wet cat.) (so would venti—)

i just!!! think he would be going through it almost 24/7… not to bring up the old mond—cecilia connection/metaphor once more, but, if you put him in today’s mondstadt, he would struggle so much!!! constantly alert and looking for exits or the quickest way to take someone down, always on the watch for potential foes or friends, losing sleep over countless what-ifs and “is this real?”

(also adore anger being a big part of him. he is ultimately caring and kind, but there is so much rage towards decarabian, towards their situation……. also gently pushing the bard is a strategist agenda and he would have weekly meetings with timmy agenda. he rambles to venti about every species of bird there is. he has drawings.)

just a guy trying to see the birds fly ……

(the “he would’ve been a better character if handled differently”—so much of mondstadt is centered around him and old mond, yet there is!!! Almost Nothing!!!! On His Character!!!!!

honestly would’ve filled in the fanon is better slot but bard has so little canon. he has so much potential and i am and will forever be shaking the bars of my enclosure over that.

though him not having a name feels very fitting for a mondstadt character, especially one like him, being connected to venti and mondstadt’s history. it’s very <3 that people can chose names for him, based on different things.

on the other. please canon name….

also he and venti are autistic-adhd solidarity—)

percy -

percy….. percy beloved <3

genuinely still getting used to his character, but he is just. he is truly one of the guys ever.

his unwavering loyalty? (to the point that it becomes his fatal flaw?) his unrelenting care and love for the people around him? his anger? his decision to be kind? everything about him???

i am holding him in my palms and gently cradling.

(his desire to keep everyone safe and unharmed is also (mwah) So Much potential there. he wants to keep holding up the sky for everyone. he is so willing to be a shield and i am SHAKING my fists at son of neptune and the river.)

honestly though this guy needs a nap and some therapy, gods above! he has been put through so much (especially after house of hades, all three of them should have a sit down and talk, because holy shit.) he is so tired. he is trying to make it through highschool and graduate. he is trying so desperately to be a Good Kid and everything keeps trying to convince him Not To Be.

genuinely percy should be given the option to go off the shits. he should have a rematch with ares. he should be able to fight hera. hell, he should be able to call zeus a dick to his face, because seriously????? (i am also gesturing wildly to all the times percy got a little bit of bloodlust during fights. he can be unhinged, as a treat.) if percy killed a god i would cheer so loudly and celebrate for weeks because He Deserves It at this point (however he probably won’t because that would harm his loved ones in the process but he very likely has thought of it before.) (beat their asses, young perseus.)

also percy is just. a little head empty sometimes. he is very smart!!! and he also immediately went “Man Those. Cabin. Looks Nice.” when annabeth hugged him XD. honestly adore a big part of his narrations (especially the “i want food :(“ ones. he just wants to live a relatively normal life shsbdndn. rick let him bake with his mom!!!)

(the if he was handled differently is entirely biased and i am shaking HoO specifically by the shoulders. there are so many He Would Not Fucking Say That moments. i just. am Not The Biggest fan of how he was written in HoO, it feels like rick forgot a few parts of his character.

pjo is an absolute <3. seeing percy getting progressively fed up with everything and his struggles, how he refuses to harm any of the opposing demigods….. though if people would tell him things that would be !! lovely. please stop shoving him into the deep end—

again, would’ve filled in the like fanon better slot, but there are many fics + posts calling him stupid or horrifically mischaracterizing him to look like an absolute asshole (he runs his mouth and insults people but good gods he is not?? going to be Like That??) though fanon does a very good job at developing percy’s relationships, i owe all the fics about percy and sally everything.)

#UH #SO A BIT OF RAMBLING…..#thank you though :]#this was fun!!#lantern replies #mutuals !#APOLOGIES I ONLY DID TWO #i legitimately do not have enough thoughts on annabeth #and ven……….. need to go back and reread the source material XD #memory is a little wonky

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oh-katsuki · 1 year

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i finished songbirds and snakes and i can honestly say that i really enjoyed it except for like one major thing that bothered me through the entire thing.. so spoilers under the cut.

i understand that as a character.. lucy gray is a driving force for snow’s emotional changes away and eventually right back to the capitol but for the sake of this argument.. i’m going to ignore her as a narrative device (which she undoubtedly is) and look at her as a character overall and how she fits into the archetype of women in books, mainly the “manic pixie dream girl”.

i liked her but i also found the way she was written... deeply irritating. she’s essentially boiled down to a girl who loves music and freedom but who also falls deeply in love with one of the people responsible for her suffering in the games. she continuously ignores snow’s wrong-doings, makes passes and excuses for his (on occasion) cruel behavior, and then is glad when he shows up in district 12 to be with her? sure, he fed her bread through the zoo bars (while she was on display like an animal, mind you), but he also treated her as a spectacle and paraded her around without any real belief that she would win until she has to ask him outright.

i mean.. she had to ask him to be seen as someone capable of surviving and not just an animal to be paraded around. she had to ask that of him. and then still.. after he parades her around, feeds her through bars like he’s at a petting zoo, and repeatedly demonstrates that he thinks of her as nothing more than something that “belongs” to him.... she decides that she loves him? that she wants to be with him forever? that she wants to abandon her life with him?

and then at the end.. it is the fact that he betrayed sejanus that deters her from loving him (if that).. and not the fact that he is and always has been in favor of the oppression and punishment of the districts?? even if it was barbaric??? it makes absolutely no sense to me. she’s a woman who has been written into this story for the sole purpose of loving someone and being a “free bird” and being “strange” to snow.... like.. that’s her whole thing. she represents freedom, but all of that is lost on the way that she completely ignores how her humanity is disregarded in favor of falling in love with this man to serve as what??? a lesson to him??? i hated it.

now, i’m also aware that lucy gray is meant to be a compassionate force on snow. like her narrative purpose is to be the “what if” to his “what is”.. but that doesn’t really change the fact that she (a lot of the time) comes across as nothing more than a silly girl who likes to sing and be free, but can’t because of what the capitol and the people snow supports does to her. but then she LOVES HIM ANYWAY??? im sorry... i hate it when women are put into positions like that... like they’re too emotional to know what’s good for them. or like they become absolutely unable to defend, vouch, or think for themselves because a man is in the equation.

i also understand that because the narrator is snow.. it makes him unreliable. he’s an unreliable narrator and we only see lucy gray through his idealized view, one that includes her as something he “owns” rather than her own person. it makes the betrayal at the end feel all the more sudden, because snow may not have been noticing the things that hinted to her feeling that way... (and i could probably talk about this aspect of lucy gray for a while bc from this lens its more palpable to me) still though.. if that’s the goal, it doesn’t come across that way.

as i read the first two parts, i understood lucy gray’s flirting and return of snow’s affection as a survival tactic. ie; she pretends to love him so that he does a better job of ensuring her survival in the games. bc that is what made sense to me reading her as her own independent person. that would also absolutely fit with how katniss interacts with peeta in the first games (though the situation is different because snow and lucy gray are perpetrator and victim, while katniss and peeta are both victims). so i was absolutely SHOCKED to find that when snow appeared in district 12, lucy gray was glad to see him. it genuinely surprised me (in not a great way) to see that she was not only actually in love with him, but glad to have her time in the arena and her zoo keeper (bc that’s essentially what he was) follow her back to her home and her covey.

when it became clear that she DID value snow, she went from being a character who might have her own motives for things, to someone with very little actual motivation. she’s a girl motivated entirely by music and love... how dreamy :/ im going to be sick. i guess i was just off put because it seemed like she had no goal of her own outside of survival and snow, which are inexplicably intertwined even through “the peacekeeper”. this could be attributed to the book being told from snow’s point of view... or it could be attributed to writing a manic pixie dream girl into the series. compared to katniss and the other victors in the original series.. she falls so flat that it’s almost disappointing.

maybe tho... my problem isn’t really with any of that but just that i HAATEEE the whole “peace and love and music” and “can’t fight violence with violence” and “if we just loved it would be better” way of thinking in the face of that type of SEVERE oppression.

idk i just.. i have a lot of thoughts about it that im kinda conflicted with. i enjoyed it though and would def recommend it to anyone who like the original series.

#i only just finished the book right before typing this out #so my opinion may change #but that's what stuck out to me immediately #TBOSAS #TBOSAS spoilers #the ballad of snakes and songbirds spoilers

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balkanradfem · 2 years

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Okay, so, I need some advice. I asked the plant lady if she can find me a good old pan on the haggler’s market, because they’re selling second-hand goods, and I’m awful at haggling, and she’s great at it. She told me she already has a pan that fits my requirements (kinda?), and she got it for cheap, and she doesn’t need it, and I could get it for free if I could use it.

Now, what I wanted was an old, indestructible pan that would last me forever, that was made out of some metal that cannot be scratched or destroyed via cooking. What she got me was a pan, that is fairly big and heavy, but it has a layer of teflon on it, that is scratched off in the middle. Now, she told me she didn’t realize it was a teflon pan when she bought it, and that it’s okay because the teflon layer can just be scratched off, and whatever metal is under it, can be used for cooking. As a test of ‘whether it’s safe’, she said one just needs to press a magnet to the pan, if it’s non-magnetic, it’s safe to use. We check it, and it’s not magnetic. She claims it’s safe! (She’s generally very unconcerned with poisoning and will eat poisonous stuff on purpose, so I’m not feeling extremely secure here.)

So I come home, worried and fascinated, and here’s what we’re working with:

Now the layer of teflon is extremely easy to scratch off, it can be scratched off by fingernails, it’s all but falling off. But, the layer underneath could be absolutely anything, it can be a mix of two different substances, and some of it might not be safe to make food on. I don’t know how to check!

I google it, and I get the same answer: test using a magnet, but the internet says, if it’s non-magnetic, it means it’s not made out of iron. That means it could be containing nickel, and nickel is not food safe. So it’s pretty much the opposite of what I’ve been told by the plant lady.

I did also find a million articles about how teflon is poisonous, but it really can be scratched off completely. Now, is there any way to check what is that metal underneath and whether it’s food safe? It’s fairly heavy, non-magnetic. I checked all of the other pots and pans for magnetic activity, and found that even if they’re not magnetic on the sides, there’s some metal at the bottom. So I have not learned that much.

Did anyone have experience in scratching off teflon from a pan and then using it, and whether that is safe? I do dislike how it has two handles instead of one long handle, which would be more useful when stir-frying stuff in a pan. But I feel like I could make a long handle myself, if the pan is usable.

I don’t want to throw it away, so I figured, if it’s not usable for cooking, I could use it as a sink-replacement, when I’m out there in nature, I could keep it filled with water and wash my face in it. I could also, make a little bird-bath from it. I could bury it in my yard and fill it with rocks and sand and put some water in, to create a little pond for frogs! (Though I’m a little worried about whether that’s safe, if rainwater isn’t drinkable anymore, the pond would be catching the rain. Are the rivers safe? Rain falls into the rivers.)

If you have any alternative ideas about what a pan like this can be used for, please share it here! I accept all suggestions.

#pan #cooking #advice needed #second hand pan #second hand stuff

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teaandatale · 1 year

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I posted 969 times in 2022

45 posts created (5%)

924 posts reblogged (95%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@theawkwardterrier

@captainjimothycarter

@steggyfanevents

@agentsweetdreams

@lyrslair

I tagged 428 of my posts in 2022

#steggy - 88 posts

#peggy carter - 18 posts

#tessa virtue - 9 posts

#about me - 9 posts

#to read - 8 posts

#meme - 7 posts

#the most wonderful time of the year - 7 posts

#the wheel of time - 7 posts

#personal - 6 posts

#awesome art - 5 posts

Longest Tag: 135 characters

#like i said this is more of a test preview but i really like some of the ideas i came up with even if i didnt finish them to completion

My Top Posts in 2022:

Last day of April check in @steggyfanevents! I have not been able to complete my #steggyfanficchallenge like I expected but I did manage 4 bingos!

I didn’t realize how much I never got around to reading while fighting with my own writing muse, but I tried to really widen my reading and hope to continue it on. I also planned to leave comments on every fic, and a few of you are still owed some AO3 comments from me ASAP 😉

I have tried to tag everyone’s tumblr I could find below. If you haven’t been tagged and see your fic, feel free to let me know to tag you.

Less than 10k Words

Five Times Steve Did Not Realize Someone Was Trying To Pick Him Up (And One Time He Did) by @buckywiththegoodhair86

Comments: A great use of the 5+1 fic trope, where the different situations are written with so much humor and pitch perfect voices.

Baby Fic

Build Ourselves Together by fluffernutter8 / @theawkwardterrier

Comments: An incredibly thoughtful, warm, and fun Modern AU where Steve and Peggy have an odd meetcute that turns into a wonderful show of love and community.

“Best Girl”

There is nothing for me but to love you by AnaRose

Comments: This may be an unfinished fic, but it doesn’t leave you on a cliff hanger, and provides a lovely chance for Steve & Peggy to get their dance.

Multichapter Fic

Stork Sweet Shoppe by CapandCarter

Comments: An incredibly fun AU where Peggy goes to visit her Aunt in Brooklyn for the summer and befriends Steve throughout their childhood and beyond.

Mutual Pining

A HUGE misunderstanding by @captainjimothycarter

Comments: A lovely little one-shot where both Steve and Peggy are pining idiots

Post-Canon

The Competition by KorrohShipper

Comments: Steve and Peggy one up each for the significant days in their lives, because they got their second chance, and it’s worth living live to the fullest.

Published in 2021 or later

That Red Dress by @elzibub

Comments: A lovely one-shot revisiting our favorite pub scene in CA:TFA

Skinny Steve

Lightning Strike by Brenda / @brendaonao3

Comments: A Skinny Steve & Peggy meetcute that is both sweet and very fitting of their characters.

Letters

so I wait for you like a lonely house by @whilewewereyetsinners

Comments: Tony Stark hatches a plan, Natasha is impressed by a 1940s SSR Agent, Howard writes a faithful (if perhaps poorly judged) letter, and a lovely Steggy reunion of course.

See the full post

40 notes - Posted April 30, 2022

Return to Sender

Steggy Week 2022 – Day 3 (Tuesday): Headcanons and Meta

Headcanon: A stolen (with permission) but very beloved headcanon from @dorrinverrakai1, that at the end of Endgame, when Steve returns to Peggy, in his impatience to see her, she is most certainly just awake still in her robe and curlers.

Title: Return to Sender

Summary: Steve tried hard to be patient, to wait until an acceptable hour of the morning, one that could not be deemed inappropriate. But the sun was shining bright if only still beginning to rise, the birds busy with their morning songs, and though many human beings were fast asleep, Steve couldn’t bear to wait another minute to be reunited with Peggy.

READ IN FULL AT AO3

Sneaking around in the bushes is not exactly how he would ascribe his behavior on a pre-dawn Sunday morning, though if presented with the facts, it wouldn’t be far off.

It had taken a little time for him to get here, but now, with nearly a day to get his feet under him, finding the right place, he couldn’t wait any longer. Not this time. No longer.

No, this was specifically his plan, and for a former man-with-a-plan, he was putting off his well laid plans for nothing and no one.

40 notes - Posted July 26, 2022

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43 notes - Posted July 30, 2022

OMG DERRY GIRLS IS TOO GOOD. I AM ALL FOR SHOWS ENDING ON ITS OWN TERMS BUT CAN LISA MCGEE PLEASE GET ALL THE MONEY TO MAKE MORE SHOWS BECAUSE THIS SEASON IS FIRE AND I NEED MORE OF THIS JOYFUL NONSENSE IN MY LIFE

105 notes - Posted April 21, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

get yourself a woman who can do both

156 notes - Posted May 19, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review #late but it's still 2022 here

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adamgant · 6 months

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Friday Faves 11.17

Friday Faves 11.17 https://ift.tt/bgEUtsB Hi friends! Happy Friday! How are you? I hope you’ve enjoyed the week. I feel like it was our first *real* week back in the world. I started to ease my way back into workouts, the girls were back at school, and we got to celebrate my birthday with the fam. I just wanted to get together for brunch, so we had a lovely brunch at First Watch with our small party of 15 🙂 We had the BEST gluten-free funfetti cake from Lovin’ Spoonfuls with buttercream frosting: (fun inside scoop: I went to high school with their pastry chef and we order the cake from her every year. I also look forward to it all year! My favorite cake in the world.) And the rest of the day was perfect and low-key. I read a book, we had a Pilot-cooked dinner here at home, and watched Home Alone. The rest of the week has flown by in a blur and I’m looking forward to the weekend! Liv has a birthday party and one of her friends is sleeping over, I’m getting a much-needed mani pedi, we’re going out to dinner, and decorating for Christmas. Since we’re traveling next week, my favorite grinch gave the green light to decorate early. Usually he’s the captain of team “Honor the Bird” but he’s making an exception this year. Flashback to our enormous tree! Frida is too big to move her now. 😉 I’d love to hear what you have going on! It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party. This is where I share some of my favorite finds from the week and around the web. I always love to hear about your faves, too, so please shout out something you’re loving in the comments section below. Friday Faves 11.17 Fitness, health, and good eats: SO many Black Friday deals are happening early. Here are some of my faves so far: – You can use XOGINAH for 25% off Sakara. I LOVE their meal delivery – it’s something I do to treat myself once a month – and their snacks and supplements. The meals are fresh, vibrant, energizing, and beautiful. I highly recommend giving it a try — this is their best sale of the whole year. – FITNESSISTA20 will get you 20% off at HigherDOSE. (My regular code is FITNESSISTA15 for 15%.) I use their sauna blanket, PEMF Go Mat, Red Light Face Mask, and Red Light Neck enhancer on a regular basis. I’ve notice a huge difference in my energy, mood, skin, and sleep since I’ve started implementing their amazing products. Check it out here and you can read a roundup of my favorite HigherDOSE products in this post. – My favorite rower is on sale for the only time this year. If you’ve been wanting to upgrade your home gym, I highly recommend Aviron. It stores vertically and is the best quality rower I’ve used. You can stream Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and play games while you row. I’m totally going to row and watch some Friends episodes this weekend. (If you’re curious about the rower and have questions, send me an Instagram DM. I’d love to help! My full blog post review is here, too.) – If you have anything in your cart from EquiLife, wait until Monday! Same goes for Organifi. 😉 Read, watch, listen: I started Fourth Wing to see if it lives up to the hype, and while fantasy usually isn’t my go-to genre, I’m completely sucked in. The writing is excellent and it’s super intense so far! The only problem is that I read it before bed and have weird dragon dreams lol. Check out this week’s podcast episode here! We’re chatting about immune system tips and food allergies. What holiday coupons would your kids love? FINALLY. Sheesh. Fashion + beauty: I have to admit that Nap Dresses 100% live up to their reputation. (They’re 30% off right now!) It’s super flattering and comfortable and now I want every color. (I’m trying to decide if I like this style or the Somerset more) Wore this slip dress this week with a cardigan and GG low-tops. The quality is excellent and they have so many colors. Happy Friday, friends! Did you decorate already or are you waiting until after Thanksgiving? xo Gina The post Friday Faves 11.17 appeared first on The Fitnessista. via The Fitnessista https://ift.tt/SxsXZeq November 17, 2023 at 10:03AM

#The Fitnessista

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frogtuba5 · 2 years

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South Lake Tahoe Vacation Rental

Often the owner will charter for the minimum number of days essential to retain professional status and cover may differ mooring and maintenance costs of the yacht.

There are many who rent boats in the Lake of Ozarks to simply enjoy the bird watching options. The trees from the boat rental places near me circumference be able to kinds of birds, and when you certainly are birdwatcher they'll keep you occupied for many pleasant long hours. Every bird watcher here dreams capture a glimpse of the bald eagle, or maybe even lesser seen golden eagle. The particular is the location of many such birds that you'll never possess the to see anywhere else in the entire world. In this sense is actually important to a place which has rightly been called a mixture of of natural splendor enhanced by human intervention. You may rent a boat and take against each other on your personal personal. Those with some experience will find this approach to be terrific. You can take it in want to and feel the type of angling such as. This may also be one of the easiest ways to do a little peace and quiet if you're traveling. Usually a great family trip, too, if you want include anybody. Yet advertising research good Florida vacation destinations, plus it really can continually talk to that D-word. You know. Disney. There is nothing wrong using a Disney vacation, but sometimes you want something would definitely be a. grown-up. That's when you consider a yacht charter, and South Florida is a hot destination for motor and sailing yachts cruising all over the blue fishing holes. And on a yacht charter, there are no mice allowed - Donald duck or if you're not. Pensacola's National Naval Air Museum: Upward close and personal with the usa Navy's Blue Angels. Seeking go on Wednesday (and the Blue Angels are in town), you are even get the pilots' signed items. Sorry, they won't let you fly these fantastic jets, but a stop at the Naval Air Museum offers interactive displays that are almost just like. Plus, you can interact with some true naval history. Of course buying residence yacht is unusual strategies. Buying your own yacht is often a once in the lifetime experience provided you need to upgrade your yacht. If you want to buy your own yacht, here are some of the helpful guidelines that you should use in order to go that perfectly fit your requirements wants. Comprehensively understand to be well guided when buying your individual yacht so that you can be delighted by what you buy and get as you utilize it. With this sort of of charter you possess the boat completely provisioned with food and drink anyone decide to set sail. lakes with boat rentals near me and cleanup is up to you. There are a associated with provision features. You can policy for food for breakfast and lunch, leaving you free for having hour dinner's at a different local restaurant evening.

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finelinevogue · 3 years

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he’s so vogue

Description - you are the journalist for the new Harry Styles December Vogue Issue

A/N - how is everyone doing? hope you enjoy! if you have any requests please feel free to ask. love you all and have a lovely rest of the week!

warnings: swearing

[masterlist]

Being a journalist for Vogue was probably the biggest flex you could ever make.

After 3 years of studying English Literature at Surrey University, you never thought, only a year after, you'd be working as an apprentice at Vogue UK. If it weren't for your Aunty, who worked in the fashion design section at Vogue HQ, then you'd no doubt still be a broke-ass, single, lonely student. Ok, lonely you still were but your job was so full-on that you didn't have time for a relationship.

Two years into your apprenticeship you were promoted to an official member of the team, and then another two years later you got promoted to team leader in your department of journalism, and editing; The Media - or as you like to call it - "The Celeb Goss". You were beyond happy with your job and found such passion in every article your wrote. Whether it be about a new celebrity romance or the collapse of one, you found a way to story-tell in such a meditated way that everyone loved your pieces.

That's why the Harry Styles had requested you to be the one to interview him.

Of course you'd written about A-list celebrities in the past, producing articles on pregnancy rumours, or engagements, or breakups, but you'd never met them before authoring an article. You'd met plenty of D-list celebrities who thought they were mega famous, but if you mentioned their names people would turn around and ask "who?".

This is why interviewing Harry Styles was a massive thing for you.

Not very often did you get to do work out in the field, especially in these covid infested days, but nevertheless it was your favourite part of the job. Getting to meet the people you were writing about was completely refreshing, allowing you to obtain a clearer outlook on which direction to take on your journal piece.

You were asked to go to Stonehenge, where the photoshoot was being filmed, as your office of interview. Even though you'd lived in the UK all your life, you'd never actually been to Stonehenge. It wasn't really on your bucket-list, but it was a pleasure to get to see it all the same.

Being the prepared interviewer you were, you'd prepared an array of questions that you were set on asking Harry. You'd never met him before, but after much googling and youtubing of him prior to meeting him today you would already be confident in saying he's the most brilliant man to ever exist. You were really nervous that you were going to screw this interview up and make a terrible mess in front of Harry Styles.

"Lisa! What if I accidentally say something I shouldn't?" You ran your stressed hands through your hair.

This whole morning had been frantic. It had started off by you waking up late, no thanks to Lisa, your best-friend and co-worker, pressing snooze on the alarm. You wanted to look professional today so you'd put on your best shirt - only to spill coffee down it ten minutes later. So now, you smelt of coffee and were wearing what was left in your wardrobe - and it wasn't much. The only things left clean were a pair of pink corduroy flares and some, pastel coloured, graphic t-shirt to go with it.

"You won't. Stop being so negative." Lisa rolled her eyes, probably fed up with the amount of winging she'd heard from you this morning - and you'd only been awake an hour.

"My outfit is hardly professional either." You huffed, pouring the rest of your, second, coffee down the drain.

"Well I think you look gorgeous." Lisa stated, whilst putting her breakfast bar wrapper in the bin.

You and Lisa were back and forth about you stressing, and such, for about half an hour before you had to leave. You had a great panic about losing your glasses too. You could see without them up close, but for long distance viewing and reading you were practically blind. You were taking Lisa's car, since she didn't think you were emotionally stable enough to drive. Lisa was the creative director on the set, and thank goodness she was so you could at least ramble to someone.

After a two hour drive up from London, you arrived at Stonehenge and it was freezing. Although the sun was out, it did nothing to keep your body heated. The journey up had been nice because you sat in your nicely heated car, chatting away with Lisa and blasting some Harry Styles out of the speaker. You'd made it through the first album, and the second one up to Canyon Moon before reaching your destination.

Upon arriving you could just about, without glasses, make out about 15 other cars, arranged at the bottom of a hill. There was an array of Audis and BMWs, a few Range Rovers, which you placed your bets on one was Harrys, and a green, vintage, Jaguar which was most likely belonging to the fashion editor or something. There was also a modern barn, perched at the foot of the hill, which was where Harry would be getting changed in to his various different outfits.

It took you a moment to register that Lisa had parked and was already clambering out of the car, making you look a little idiotic still blankly staring at the beautiful scenes in front, and around, of you.

But it was still bloody freezing.

You jogged a little to the boot and whipped out your white cardigan. Originally you'd thought that this would've been enough to keep you warm, but now you were starting to think otherwise.

The atmosphere here was amazing. People were rushing around left, right and centre loading, and unloading, various pieces of equipment and clothes. You caught sight of brightly coloured fabrics being carried to and from various places. There were the camera crew, and presumably director, all chatting amongst themselves. The smell of the very fresh air was so lush that you'd forgotten what it smelt like - especially after years in London.

You grabbed your bag from the boot, which had your notes, recording kit and laptop stuffed inside, before locking the car and following Lisa in to the barn.

It was lovely and warm inside - a completely different climate to than the outside. It was as if it was Bali inside and Antarctica outside. Better Bali than Antarctica though.

"Ok. Let's put our stuff down over here and then go find people we need to meet and such." Lisa instructed, you still too in awe of the place to fully comprehend what was going on.

You followed Lisa and you two ended up dropping off your stuff next to some other bags. You took a liking to the purse next to your stuff. Next to your bag, it made yours seem ancient - like it was worth nothing more than a penny. It was luscious and a beautiful baby blue colour. You softly ran your hands over it, finding satisfaction in how smooth and subtle it was.

"Hope you're not planning on stealing that, love." A manly voice appeared from behind you. You whipped around to see who's bag you'd been messing with, and it was just your luck that it was to be Harry Styles'. Of all the people's it could've been it had to be his.

Perfect.

He looked dashing. He was in black flares and his iconic 'But daddy i love him', t-shirt, along with a huge green anorak. His hair was prettily clipped back with a pink clip, presumably placed there to gave his curls greater volume. In his hand he had a pink toothbrush and you guessed he'd come back over to put it away in his bag - only to find you caressing it instead.

"Oh - no, no. Not at all. I - uh - I just thought it was beautiful." You stammered over your words, choosing them carefully to try and make you look less like an active criminal.

"Mhm." Harry nodded whilst looking you up and down, most likely judging why a peasant like you, in comparison to him, was touching his expensive property. "Well, I love your flares darlin'." Harry looked down at your trousers, his compliment making you blush a little.

"Thank you. That wasn't professional, and neither is my outfit, I know, and I apologise." You added, because you knew that if your boss knew you turned up today the way you did she would give you a right bollocking - and potentially even fire you.

"Never apologise for flares. You look amazing." Gemma perked up, making you feel more self conscious surrounded by all these other beautiful women. Gemma was in a slouchy, knitted, jumper and basic jeans - no doubt all from shops beyond your budget - and yet she looked like a model fit for the runway for Vogue.

"Okay, sorry." You apologised again, to which you, creepily, got the exact same, stern, look from the Styles siblings at the same time.

"My stylist, Harry, introduced me to big pants. He offered whether I wanted to try a pair of flares, and I was like, 'Flares? That's fucking crazy'!" Harry laughed as he told his story, earning a laugh out of you too. "Now they're my favourite item of clothing. Have a whole wardrobe dedicated to them."

"I wish he was joking." Gemma laughed at her brother and his flare obsession.

"Well you do look handsome in them, so I understand why." Your words rolls off your tongue before you could even comprehend what you were saying. Only after you finished your sentence did you completely intake what you'd just said.

"Good start." Lisa giggled to you, before turning to walk over to the coffee station. It was a help-yourself coffee bar and you knew that you were going to bed at least five cups to get over the last five minutes alone. You'd probably drain the station before letting anyone else have any.

"Oh god." You awkwardly mumbled, not daring to see how weirdly Harry would be looking at you, before walking off outside.

You had spent less than 10 minutes here and yet you'd never felt like a bigger clown. Joining the circus had never been so easy.

The outside wind hit you like a powerful leaf blower, and your hair blew around like crazy - most likely compiling into a birds nest on the top of your head.

Today was supposed to be the start of something great. Your hopes were set on a promotion from your written masterpiece, whilst enjoying the company of one of the most handsome, most lovely, most talented men of this century. Those hopes seemed a little too distant now. They seemed to mock you, as if to laugh at how you ever thought you were going to be any more successful. You'd completely, in more ways than one, made a fool of yourself in front of your interviewee, you were so underdressed, you were caught fondling his Gucci purse and you were still bloody cold.

It all felt too unprofessional for a job where professional was practically the driving force of the company.

You leaned against the barn, taking a deep breath to try and calm yourself. You were a master in over-thinking, but unfortunately that wasn't something you could add to your resumé. You let your eyes close and the other senses come alive for a few moments. The sounds of distant sheep and the smell of the cold wind were just two of the senses that allowed you to take a step back for a minute, and breathe.

"Thank you." A voice interrupted you from your attempt of quick meditation. You looked to your left and noticed Harry standing there, still in the same outfit as before.

"I'm sorry?" You asked confused, taking a step away from the barn to considerately pay more attention to him.

"Thank you - for saying I look handsome in flares." He repeated, smirking when he added the second part.

"Oh." Was all you could respond, feeling too embarrassed to take the conversation any further. "I should—" You pointed back to the barn, using it as an excuse to leave before yet screwed up anymore.

"Lisa told me you're the interviewer." Harry added, and it only occurred to you that you'd never actually introduced yourself. "So it's lovely to finally meet you Y/N." He stuck out his hand for your to shake, which you did willingly. His hands were a lot softer than you'd expected.

"Ho... You know my name?" You asked surprised.

"Of course. I also know you're the best writer in Vogue right now." He flattered you, which made you blush. You had a feeling he'd make you do that a lot today.

"Sure." You rolled your eyes as you spoke sarcastically.

"Well I chose you for a reason, didn't I?" He rhetorically asked.

"I mean.. I, well.. I don't know?" You stumbled over your words, making yourself look like a larger fool than you did already. Today was just turning out to be exactly what you didn't want it to be. "Sorry."

"Stop apologising. You do it too often." He told you, nearly making you apologise again but he gave you a jokingly stern look, as if he knew what you were going to say, and so you decided otherwise.

"Harry!" You both turned to see there was a man waving towards you both, but specifically to Harry. "Come get changed!" The same man shouted. Harry lifted his thumbs up, as if to signal he'd be there shortly.

Harry turned back to you and noticed you shiver a little.

"I'll start the interview after I come back from the dressing rooms, yeah?" Harry asked, taking off his, khaki green, trench-coat in the process. He handed it to you before you could oblige against it.

"Wait what?" You confusedly looked down at the coat and back up to Harry.

"Gives me a piece of mind knowing my interviewer isn't going to die of hypothermia before actually interviewing me." He smiled, obviously attempting to crack a joke and you have to admit you did laugh.

"Thank you." You say, before he runs off to where he's being called to.

••••

You'd been sat inside for a little while, waiting for Harry to come back. It gave you time to perfect your questions though.

Thinking up questions to ask Harry had been a challenging task, but one that you'd been fully invested in. You loved creating questions to ask him that were going to get to understand him on a deeper level. He was a very private man, and you completely respected that. If you crossed any boundaries, with the questions you'd ask, you would write them out of the interview. You liked to think you hadn't thought up a question that would make him feel uncomfortable though.

Pissing off Harry would be on another level of shame.

"Coat kept you warm?" Harrys voice disengaged you from your notebook.

"Hm?" You asked then replayed what he'd just asked in your mind. "Oh, yes. Thank you very much." You stood up, from where you'd been perched on the floor, picking up your nearly finished green tea as you did so.

Only when you stood up did it come to your realisation that Harry was now in costume. He was dressed in luxury. Each item looked like it cost more than your rent, and that was saddening. He looked rich and luxurious. To be quite honest, you were finding it rather difficult to take your eyes off him.

"You think the outfit is Vogue enough?" Harry asked, striking a few poses, which made you laugh. It was refreshing to see him act so relaxed and carefree, rather than a stuck-up-prick you knew some celebrities to be.

"Completely. I love it!" You exclaimed, appreciating the twirl he did for you.

He was wearing a kilt-like skirt and he looked beyond beautiful in it. Fuck toxic masculinity. Fuck being a manly man - like what does that even mean? Harry was embracing gender fluidity and experimenting the ways in which there was no definitive line between men and women's clothes anymore, and you thought it was marvellous. Revolutionary, for times as politically and socially troubled as these.

You started removing the coat in attempt to give it back to him, but he refrained you from doing so by holding on to your forearm.

"Keep it. I thought we could go outside to start the interview, so you'll be needing that." Harry told you, and you agreed - however reluctantly that was. You couldn't really complain though, because the coat did kept you warm and, what's better, it smelt divine - just like you'd imagine Harry to smell.

"Okay. Thank you. Do you want to go now?" You asked hesitantly, not knowing whether he was busy for someone else right now.

"Whenever you're ready, love." He answered, making you feel more relaxed. He was going at your pace and was making you feel settled - he was even more of a gentleman than people described him to be.

The two of you had walked around the backside of the barn in silence, enjoying the comfort of each other's presence. Well, at least you were. It was a blessing no one was back here. It was just you, Harry and the scenery that surrounded Stonehenge.

You approached a bench and you plopped yourself down on one end, whilst Harry sat on the other. He respected the fact that there was a pandemic going on, and didn't want to make you uncomfortable in any way. You still had your mask on, so Harry had taken that as you were very conscious about the virus - which he admired.

You pulled out your glasses, from the depths of one of the coat pockets, and placed them on your face, probably making yourself look even geekier than you already felt. Today was just one of those days you wished you had good eyes...

You opened your spent notebook, musty pages practically falling apart, and turned to the section of questions you needed for that interview. You were so nervous already and you hadn't even asked anything yet, all because of the previous interactions with Harry today. Your shaky hands shuffled through the pages and you cursed under your breath when you struggled to find what you needed.

"Shoot. Come on." You mumbled quietly under your breath, hoping it would make this terrible situation end faster. You mustn't have been as quiet as you thought though.

"Y/N." Harry's name broke through your clouded mind of self-disappointment.

You looked up at him to see him softly smiling at you, blowing all worries away from you away with the wind. "Yes?" You timidly asked, pushing your wind-swept hair out of glasses - where it'd gotten caught.

"You’re alright, love. You don't have to be professional around me, alright? We're just two strangers having a conversation, to get to know each other, okay?" If his words didn't calm you enough, the soothing sound of his husky voice certainly did.

"But that would mean you asking me stuff too?" You replied, confused at his implications of the phrasing 'getting to know each other'.

"Mhm." Harry nodded his head.

"Oh I don't know Mr Styles, i'm not a very interesting person." You answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, pushing your glasses back up the bridge of your nose from where they'd fallen.

"I refuse to believe that." Harry chuckled, making a quick smile appear on your face. "And please call me Harry. Just Harry." He begged, obviously finding it weird you calling him by his professional title. All you wanted, ever, was for your interviewee's to feel comfortable and safe, so if Harry wanted you to call him Harry then so be it.

"Ok, Harry," you sarcastically said, earning a shake of the head on his behalf, "you can ask me a few questions throughout the day." You told him, but you knew he'd struggle to find even two questions when he realises how bland you are.

"Does that mean you only get to ask me a few as well?" Harry smirked, already knowing the answer to that question. Unlike Harry, you had to write an article about today when you got home and so he knew that you'd have to dig as much dirt as possible from him.

"No, sorry. I don't particularly want to lose my job." You paused to look down at your notes, squinting a little as you did to see better. "Okay. Tell me your experience with corona virus."

"Sorry I didn't quite catch that, love." Harry apologised, leaning in slightly to see if he could hear you a second time around.

"Sorry." You looked down to fiddle with your fingers - a habit you'd undertaken when you're embarrassed. "Um..," you cleared your throat, "would you mind if I took off my mask?"

Your timid voice sent tingle down Harrys spine. He didn't think anyone could ever be this sweet. "Not at all, ‘course you can." He replied, again, wanting to make you feel as comfortable as possible.

You hesitantly took off your face mask, feeling like you were in some dramatic movie where they face revealed someone. You kind of liked having the mask on, because, for one, it kept you warm, and for two, you were a little self conscious with how you looked compared to all the other women here today. You shoved the mask in your pocket, with trembling fingers, before looking back down to your notes.

"Woah." You heard Harrys voice being mumbled under the wind. You eyes shot up to his and you noticed him staring right back at you.

"W-what? Is my acne playing up? I knew I should've—" You self-consciously run your hands over the areas you know you got acne. The masks really didn't help when it came to skin care.

"Hey, stop. No. You just... You look beautiful." Harry complimented you, and a roaring blush arose on to your cheeks. You'd never been called beautiful before, and so you were taking the compliment like such a 13-year old.

"Oh, uh, thank you." You awkwardly answered, not really having any other words come to mind in that moment. Harry chuckled under his breath, still keeping eyes on you for some reason.

"Would you mind repeating your last question, I didn't quite catch it?" Harry asked politely.

"Sure. Um, tell me how you've experienced corona virus." You repeated for him, gripping ahold of your pen to start copying what he says and pressing start on your recording device in case you needed it later.

"Well, it's been tedious that's for sure. However, I just want people to be safe and for life to return back to normal, so therefore i've been very MIA for a lot of the time. Keeping to myself mostly. I only went out for hikes or bike rides. All my meetings were online, so it's been very lonely." Harry kept eye contact with your figure the entire time, and if it weren't for you concentrating on writing what he was saying then you'd probably melt away under his gaze.

For such soft eyes he sure was intimidating.

"I presume the loneliness sent you crazy at times." You laughed, because you sure felt that way through lockdown. Curse being single.

"You have no idea." Harry laughed along with you, making you, slowly, feel more at ease.

"Actually, you'd be surprised." You looked at him unsure, before returning down to your notebook.

"Okay then, first question from me," Harrys words made your head shoot up, "How can someone as amazing as yourself be lonely?" He asked and you made a mental tally of how many questions he'd asked.

"Could ask you the very same question, Harry." You slyly replied, avoiding the question by answering with another question. It was a tactic you'd learnt, throughout your years of journalism, when you wanted to dismiss something .

"That's cheating." Harry pointed at you and raised his eyebrows, but you couldn't take your eyes off the big, cheeky, smile perched on his face. You shrugged you're shoulders in defence and returned to your questions. "But you did just call me amazing, so I think i'll let it slide this one time." You blushed, again, when you understood what he meant.

He was amazing though - that was the truth.

"You were in L.A. for the majority of quarantine, am I right to say?" You already knew the answer but your manager had just wanted confirmation.

"Yeah, but L.A. feels like holiday, whereas London feels like home." He answered, which you appreciated. He hasn't got lost in the way that Hollywood could let people. He'd stayed grounded.

"So what did you entertain yourself with during quarantine?" You asked curiously, slightly side-tracking from your pre-written questions - just because you were intrigued (nosey).

"Not much, not to be boring. I ate a lot of bread. I worked out pretty much every day. I wrote quite a bit actually." He used his fingers to pinch his bottom lip, something you'd noticed he did in interviews.

"Does that mean a new album on the way?" Your inner fangirl was screaming at the thought of HS3.

"Can neither confirm nor deny." Harry smirked to himself, like the cheeky bugger he is.

"That's a yes then." You joked, pretending to write it down in your notes.

"You're impossible, you." Harry laughed and shook his head. It made you feel all funny the way you could make him smile like that. You were the source of his happiness for just that moment, and that was enough to make you feel happy for a lifetime - not that he felt the same.

"Next question," you stated, moving swiftly on because you knew you had limited time, "How's your experience with Vogue been so far?"

"Wonderful. Everyone has been so welcoming and that makes it so much easier for me to have fun. It's daunting going at things alone, but i'm getting slowly used to it now." Harry sniffled a little, probably due to the freezing cold weather here.

"Must be strange, not having four best friends around you, all the time, anymore." You stated rather than asked him, sure that he was missing his bandmates. I mean, you were - so he definitely would be.

"Brothers." Harry replied, making you look up at him confused.

"I'm sorry?" You asked, giving him your full attention.

"You said four best friends. Well, actually they're my brothers." His words actually caused a rift in your heart. You could feel it being pulled apart and torn in to two. If you wrote this in to the magazine the fans would have a worldwide passing-away-party.

"Harry." You said softly, slightly tearing up at his words. "God, I swear i'm not normally this emotional." You chest your throat and try to establish your dignity - however there wasn't that much left anymore.

"Oh shut up." Harry looked away obviously trying to hide the fact that he was tearing up too. You laughed at him but didn't draw any more attention to it than you guessed he would've wanted.

"They mean a lot to you then?" You asked, hopefully not treading on any unwanted territories.

"Much more than a lot, yeah." Harry nodded his head, turning it back to face you. He could tell this conversation was now off-the-record because of your closed notebook, your undivided attention towards him and the fact you’d turned off the recording device. He liked being able to look at you, rather than the top of your head. He swore you were the prettiest girl he'd ever seen.

"You still see them often?"

"Not as often as i'd like. Niall did come around the other week to drop off some old guitars he didn't want anymore, and then we ended up playing around with some music for a bit." He admitted, which stitched your heart back together.

"So does that mean a Narry collab?" You teased, biting your bottom lip in anticipation.

"Narry? You so are a directioner." He laughed along with you.

"And you just avoided my question, therefore there is a song out there written only by you and Niall." You concluded, which shut him up.

This conversation was going a lot better than expected. Certainly a lot better than earlier. You will be permanently scarred by the way you spoke to him and handled his belongings. It was going to haunt you forever - and yet he'd forget about it by tomorrow. Or maybe he wouldn't, which is why you felt the need to apologise.

"Harry?" You asked, clearly indicating this was still a conversation away from the interview.

"Yes Y/N?" He watched you intently, listening to your every word.

"I, um, just wanted to apologise for my behaviour earlier. I was just really nervous to meet you, and to be honest still am. I didn't mean to touch your stuff without your consent and I certainly didn't mean to make you uncomfortable with any of my comments. So, i'm sorry. I can only imagine the awful, yet true, things you must think of me." You rambled really quickly, that you were uncertain whether Harry even caught one word of what you'd says.

"Do you know why I asked for you to interview me Y/N?" Harry asked, which wasn't the first thing you expected him to say after your apology.

"No. I...well Lisa told me it was because I can write well or something." You suggested, not wanting to sound egotistical.

"I mean you do write perfectly, but no." You were intrigued now. "I asked for you because I, and this is not for your magazine, have a secret - but not-so-secret - crush on you." This time it was Harrys turn to blush.

"Harry... you don't have to say that to—"

"I'm not saying it for anything. I sincerely think you are the most delightful, most prettiest, most fucking sweetest person i've ever met." Harry exclaimed, which you were taken aback by. Never, ever, did you think that Harry Styles would proclaim his likeness towards you. Ever.

"Harry don't mess with me, please." You shyly spoke, tilting your head down in disbelief that the Harry Styles was smitten about you.

He shuffled along the bench, stopping a little way from you but close enough to reach out for you. Your heartbeat increased when you noticed his hand move closer towards you. It didn't stop till he reached your face. He took his time, courteously, pushing your hair behind your ear before removing you of your glasses. He held the right-eye frame and slowly pulled the glasses off your face.

Once he'd successfully taken them off he folded them up and placed them alongside your closed notebook.

"Can see those pretty eyes now." He whispered quietly, but loud enough for you to hear.

"Don't lie. They're so dull." You mumbled, lifting your head up slightly. His face was still away from you.

"Not to me they're not." He retaliated, looking deep into your eyes as you did his. "I hate this corona virus."

"Why?" His words were so out of the blue sometimes, it gave you whiplash.

"Because I can't be as near to you as I want to be." Harry told you. And yeah, you hated corona too. It was getting a little laborious now.

"Smooth, Styles." You chuckled. You wondered how many new and weird pick-up lines could be made from covid.

"I know." He winked, which honestly would have made you throw up if it were any other man on the planet. Somehow, though, Harry just made it seem attractive - along with every other thing that man ever did. "After this, would you like to come back to my house for a cuppa tea?" He asked sweetly, like a five year old asking whether you wanted to play together.

"Okay. Lisa was my ride though." You said more to yourself than anything else, debating on how you'd even get to Harrys. Uber? Taxi? Lisa? Walk?

"I'll drive us, it's fine. I have to drop Gem off, but i'd be more than happy to chauffeur you." Harry kindly offered, to which you were internally screaming about. You were literally, and metaphorically, having a field-day with all this Harry content and interview.

"Are you sure? I don't want to be a burden." You question politely, not wanting to overstep any boundaries - especially in these covid infested times.

"Of course. I wouldn't have offered otherwise." He protested, waving his hand at if to say it was no bother. You were already trying to work out, in your head, how much petrol money you were going to owe him.

"Then i'd be honoured to have a brew with you Harry." You giggled at how cringe you were being, even if this was just your normal self speaking.

"Great." Harry genuinely smiled, teeth and all. "My shoot should take a couple of hours, but feel free to continue to write and journal. I'm looking forward to reading this particular article." He winked at you before standing up.

"Wonder why?" You sarcastically asked, knowing full-well it was due to his exposure of his own feelings towards you. Even though you'd never says anything back you were quite in agreement on how you felt about him, like he did you. He would be a narcissist to say he knew you liked him the same, out loud, but he knew. And you knew that he knew.

"Wonder why indeed." He gave you one last smile before he'd disappeared for the rest of the afternoon, leaving you to digest and relive the past half an hour or so.

Being Harry Styles' crush was probably the biggest flex you could ever make.

••••

After Harry had finished up his shoot he was quick to come find you again.

You'd watched parts of his shoot and he looked magnificent. There wasn't a good enough word to describe how amazing he looked. Harry, his stylist, was probably the best stylist out there. His fashion choices were unmatched and you wanted him to be yours. You were not rich enough nor fashionable enough, ironic for working in a a fashion company, to hire a stylist, but you would if you could.

You were so proud to see what he was achieving now as the person that he was. Harry was just being Harry, without the devilish control of shitty managements or ridiculous amounts of PR stunts. Harry was more free than ever, and it definitely showed just how much he was enjoying it.

You were certain that this Vogue magazine would break the internet - his fans were good at doing that. This could be a turning point for many people, with their outdated and ignorant views. There was no room for people with racist or homophobic or transphobic or xenophobic - and the list does go on - views anymore.

You were waiting by the front door of the barn, to catch Harry as he walked past. You caught sight of him in a white robe, presumably to get changed back into his everyday clothes. He looked really pretty in the robe - very domestic actually.

Today had been a good day.

Harry asked you to send over the more specific Vogue questions to him via email, so he could devote more time in to answering them in a lot more depth. You thought he meant you'd be sending them to some PA in his team, but you were shocked to understand he'd given you his personal email.

People were walking back to their cars and packing away the filming kit. You saw Lisa and the director talking to one another, no doubt discussing some in-work gossip.

"You ready?" Harrys voice reminded you that you'd been waiting for him. You looked to see he was back in the same clothes as this morning, only this time without his coat.

"Here?" You offered, having him over the coat once again but he declined.

"Looks better on you anyways." He winked at you, before walking through the car park and to his car. You were very surprised when you found out Harry was the one to own the green Jaguar. You assumed all celebrities drove the Range Rover, but no. The vintage car added to Harrys immaculate vibe and just made him that little bit more hot.

Harry properly introduced you to Gemma, who was equally as lovely as Harry. They were both amazing people and they were crazily alike. From the way they looked, down to the way they phrased their words, they were mistakingly twins. Gemma explained how Anne, their mum, didn't know they were doing this photoshoot and that it was going to be a surprise, which you thought was so cute.

Gemma spilt a lot of gossip on Harry, to which he got very embarrassed over. You learnt that Harrys first word was Cat. You learnt that Harry is godfather to multiple children, which you found heartwarming. You learnt Harry used to be a baker - which was something he elaborated on for a good half an hour. Harry was just a fountain of memories and Gemma was the one sharing them all with you.

The drive back to London was relaxed. You sat in the back, listening to Harry and Gemma pointlessly argue whilst an Arctic Monkeys album played in the background. You forgot that people like Harry drove, and listened to music, just like other regular people. You often misplaced celebrities in society, thinking they had everything done for them but in reality that (often) wasn't the case - at least not for Harry.

Gemma was dropped off quickly before Harry drove to his. It was no surprise that the Styles siblings didn't live too far away from each other. Harrys house was beautiful. Bigger than anything you could ever dream of buying. It was a palace compared to your cupboard-sized house. You were unbelievably jealous. He gave you the tour of the house, showing you where the toilets were, and even his panic room if necessary.

You migrated to the kitchen for a bit, talking about anything and everything. Getting to know the minuscule pieces of information that no-one else was trusted with, made you feel special. Harry made you feel special - even if he weren't meaning to.

Every moment held a spark. Every touch set off a firework. Every laugh was an electric burst. He made you feel so alive.

"We can go to the living room after this has boiled." Harry said, pointing towards the streaming kettle. He wanted to show off his fancy tea collection he had, and let you have a try if you wanted to. Harry was boring and chose the basic green tea, but, after much deliberation, you chose the cranberry green tea. It intrigued you and it sounded delicious.

"Why the extensive tea collection?" Not even you, a certified caffeine addict, had this much tea in your house. Coffee was a different story and one in which you didn't want to talk about.

"They help me with my meditation." He took the teabags and placed them in his glass mugs. They had a delicate Gucci stamp on them, and you just imagined that they probably worth the same amount as your daily salary.

"You meditate?" You were slightly surprised that he did.

"I try to yeah." Harry nodded, focusing on pouring in the boiling water into the mugs. "I've got very tight hamstrings and so it helps if I meditate twice a day."

Harry finished making the tea, in the light-filled kitchen, before showing you around to the open-lounge area. Everything was modern and chic. It was exactly how you imagined it, but better. The open, red-brick, wall was a beautiful feature and one that you were a whore for! It reminded you of New York and the memories you'd made there one summer.

The sofa was a beautiful velvet, green, sofa. It was soft and gentle, a lot like Harry when you thought about it. The whole house was an architectural masterpiece and you'd be lying if you said you weren't jealous. You sat on one end and Harry went to go and sit on the other end.

"I don't bite you know?" You joked, self-consciously wondering whether he didn't want to be sat near you.

"I know, I just don't want to step on any of your covid boundaries - which is perfectly fine by the way." He added, apprehensively taking the spot next to you.

"No, not at all." You ushered him to sit next to you, as you took a sip from your steaming hot cup of fruity tea. "If I smell though, do tell me!"

"Yeah, you smell bloody awful!" Harry sarcastically remarked, but laughing afterwards to assure you he was joking. The atmosphere went quiet for a minute, only the sounds of passing cars and deep breaths being heard.

"Y/N can I ask you something?" Harry turned the tone of the conversation. It sounded like he wanted to be more serious than you two were being beforehand.

"Anything." You encouraged him to continue. You placed the cup of tea down on the table, deciding it was too hot to drink right now, and gave him your full attention.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" Harry questioned. You didn't think you'd be having a conversation this intense - especially if you had different opinions - on your first day of knowing each other, but here you were.

"I believe you can love someone at first sight. I don't believe you can be in love with someone at first sight. Why?" You were curious as to how his brain had journeyed to this particular topic. You'd never really had this conversation with anyone before, mainly because you were unaware of the true power, and meaning, of love.

"It uh... It doesn't matter." Harry shook his head and you could tell by his body language that he was shutting you out. Maybe you'd made him uncomfortable.

"Sorry I didn't mean to—"

"No, no. Please don't apologise. It's just - I like you a lot more than you may think." Harry shyly told you, which made you all soft inside. He was being vulnerable and that was something you admired in a partner. You didn't just need love, affection and trust in a relationship. No. You needed vulnerability and heartbreak too, and Harry was revealing that part of him to you.

"I like you a lot more than you think too." You repeated, not because you felt bad for him but because you truly did like him a whole lot. Love was a weird yet wonderful thing, and if you were to hazard a guess you'd say you loved Harry.

You couldn't wait to be in love with him.

"Does that mean I get to crown you my girlfriend?" Harry excitedly asked. Harry happy was something that should be made a constant, and you were more than happy to be in control of that.

"At least take me out first." You bargained, wishing for nothing more than to go on a date with Harry. Where you'd go, you had no idea. Everything was closed right now and there was still the chance of becoming sick with corona, but no doubt Harry would think of something not only clever, but special.

Of course you'd love to be Harrys girlfriend. However, you wanted one more, official, opportunity to really get to know him - unprofessionally. You wanted to make sure that you knew, and he knew, that you wanted to be with him because he was the charming Harry you've come to love, not because he was Harry Styles.

"So you're allowing me to take you on a date?" Harry smirked like a little child, your heart fluttering at how excited he was to be able to treat you to dinner.

"Yes, Harry. Yes I am." You answered sweetly, offering him the cutest smile you could.

You can't believe what a turn of events today has been. You've gone from nearly writing yourself on Harrys enemy list to writing yourself on to his 'people he's dated' list. Who knows what the future would offer you. At the start of the day you had wished this whole day to end and for the ground to just swallow you up, now you never wanted it to end. It was too perfect to be true and yet it was.

Harry was the most wonderful human to exist and you were beyond surprised to be the one to catch his attention. You didn't understand why you were so special, but it was nice to feel like this for a change. It was nice to feel wanted.

••••

A few months later and you were officially Harrys girlfriend.

It had been such a crazy few months. Harry religiously took you out on dates every week. Whether it be to grab a hotdog at a local diner, a coffee from a quaint cafe, a walk in Hyde Park or a late-night drive around London - which normally ended up with you falling asleep before you could make it back to yours. On sleepless jet-lagged nights he'll still drive through London's quiet streets, seeing neighborhoods in a new way, just as an excuse to spend time with you.

Harry often stayed over at yours. Even though you looked like you lived in a shoebox compared to Harry, he liked it. He liked the subtly and normality of it all. He wanted your life to remain as normal as possible and, apart from the occasional paparazzi incident, it did. You never had anything to complain about. Of course the online bullying created emotional wounds, at the start of your relationship, but it was nothing that Harry couldn't repair with a bit of love.

Lisa has nominated herself to be maid-of-honour when the day comes - if the day comes. Harry has already pinky sworn that you are it for him. The one, as some may say. You were utterly flattered, but you certainly unsure of what the future help for you both.

You loved Harry, you do love Harry and you will forever always love Harry.

It was ridiculous to think that all this stemmed from you working at Vogue. From you studying English Literature in a city away from London. From you dedicating you extra hours gaining work experience and money to be able get in and afford university. So many moments in life have you stopped and said 'i wish i hadn't have done that', but now you were convinced that they were the best things to have happened to you - because they lead you, all, to Harry.

And, being Harry Styles girlfriend was probably the biggest flex you could ever make.

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the-hot-zone · 3 years

Text

Too Old To Play With Toys: The Sad Truth Behind Sokka's Boomerang

This is Sokka’s boomerang:

[ID: a screenshot of Sokka’s boomerang from Avatar: The Last Airbender. It has just been thrown, and it whips through the air in a rapid, whirling motion. End ID.]

And as we all know, it always comes back. This characteristic makes Sokka’s boomerang a returning boomerang, rather than a hunting boomerang. This is an important distinction to make, and it’s where the heart of this headcanon lays. Let me explain.

Accuracy: What’s the Difference Between Hunting and Throwing Boomerangs?

There are three types of boomerangs: the hunting boomerang, the returning boomerang, and the cross boomerang. We’re only going to be discussing hunting and throwing boomerangs, but feel free to learn about cross boomerangs and their construction--they’re really cool. As a general note: the following sources and information pertain to Aboriginal Australian cultures. Boomerangs were used elsewhere, but mainly as throwing sticks, not returning boomerangs.

So, hunting boomerangs, also known as throwing sticks or kylies, have this basic shape:

[ID: a black silhouette of a hunting boomerang. It is shaped like a skinny tear drop, with a slight curve along its form, and it widens asymmetrically at its ends. End ID.]

[ID: an overhead shot of three hunting boomerangs. They are carved from glossy, light-brown wood. End ID.]

Artist: Aboriginal Elder, Joe Skeen Snr. Buy here.

The hunting boomerang is straighter, larger, longer, and deadlier than the returning boomerang. “With it,” states the Britannica, “animals were maimed and killed, while in warfare it caused serious injuries and death.” This is due to its shape, which allows it to travel in a relatively straight line. With its capability for distance and force, the hunting boomerang is a very powerful tool.

According to Boomerang: Behind an Australian Icon by Philip Jones, a hunting boomerang can travel around 100 meters. If the boomerang is heavy enough, and the throw forceful enough, large prey, like kangaroos, can be killed. If you want to see a hunting boomerang in action, watch sections of this Youtube video. The range and accuracy of this tool are amazing.

The returning boomerang, which was used in eastern and western parts of Australia, is very different:

[ID: a black silhouette of a returning boomerang. It has two arms that widen towards the middle and connect, forming an angled shape, like a triangle with two sides. End ID.]

[ID: a painted returning boomerang. The base is formed from a smooth, light-colored wood. Designs are painted at the end of its wings, in the middle of its wings, and towards its center. At the center is a stylized turtle. End ID.]

Artist: unknown, but sold by Aboriginal-owned business Murra Wolka. Website here.

As you can see, the returning boomerang is shorter, smaller, and angled sharply. The shape of it allows it to trace an elliptical path, thus returning to the thrower. But this property is not without its drawbacks:

“A hunting boomerang needs to fly well and nearly straight to strike prey some 200 metres away. The trouble is that the best-flying boomerangs tend to return, rarely departing beyond fifty metres from the thrower. With the returning form ‘there is no certainty of hitting the mark. It may come back too quickly and may hit your own friends standing near you.’ While recognising that the best-flying boomerangs do return, Aborigines defined a technological problem. They needed to strike a compromise between flying ability and hunting requirements...” (Australian Museum).

Now, the returning boomerang could still be used to hunt, but not to kill or maim prey. Its application was craftier:

“When hunting ducks, for example, nets were set up at either ends of a creek or river. A boomerang was then thrown out over the ducks which gave them a scare so that they took off up the river and flew directly into the nets. From there they were collected. At other times during the hunting of birds the returning boomerang was thrown horizontally along the ground into a flock, and, as they took off the boomerang would follow them into the air. This may or may not kill the bird and a harder way to hunt” (murruppi.com).

Still, this wasn’t the main application of the returning boomerang. In actuality, it was used as a toy:

“The returning boomerang was not primarily designed for hunting as it is too light and wouldn't guarantee a kill. Rather, it was designed as a toy for young aboriginal boys. The toy would allow a youngster to practice throwing skills but still make it fun” (murrippi.com).

So, Sokka’s boomerang? A plaything.

Let’s Bring It Back to ATLA: What Does This Mean?

With the above information, Sokka’s use of his boomerang in canon becomes almost tragic. His boomerang was probably given to him by Hakoda when he was very young. He used it to learn how to throw; one day, when he was older, he would have carved his own throwing stick, and used it to hunt alongside his dad and the other adults of his tribe.

Instead, Sokka’s boomerang is another aspect of his childhood that was twisted by the war. His boomerang is--should have been--nothing more than a toy. He shouldn’t have had to use it to fend off Zuko, attack Azula, and defeat Combustion Man. Regardless, it did become a tool he used to help defeat the Fire Nation, and that’s pretty fitting when it comes to ATLA’s ideas of childhood and war: Sokka spent years acting as his tribe’s protector; Katara spent longer acting as a mother. Thus, his use of his boomerang throughout the show displays how Sokka was forced into a war-torn world at an incredibly, unfairly young age. As a result, he was forced to adapt in ways that took from him.

And we’ve all seen Sokka’s boomerang in action. Here’s a video of his greatest hits--literally. His accuracy is insane, and he catches his boomerang every time. He’s more than ready to have a hunting boomerang, yet we see him use his returning boomerang throughout the show, and long after he earns his ice dodging mark. Tbh? I think that Sokka didn’t want to carve a hunting boomerang without his dad guiding his hands.

So, you might be wondering, what happens post-war?

Eventually, I think Sokka retires his returning boomerang and carves his own hunting boomerang, but the shape of it is particular:

“Some scientists argue that a throwing-stick, commonly used by indigenous hunters around the world, is the precursor of the boomerang... Through trial-and-error the boomerang was refined to a point where the most desirable size, proportions and curvature were established. This refinement brought one serious problem: any improvement in flying resulted in a tendency to return. There is little doubt that indigenous hunters brought this experiment to its ultimate conclusion, by producing the perfect returning boomerang” (Australian Museum).

In short, making a good hunting boomerang is hard. Lots of trial and error, and still, hunting boomerangs come in a wide array of shapes. Thus, I headcanon that Sokka carves his hunting boomerang differently, as compared to the other members of his tribe--it’s more curved. This would show that although he's grown up and is in a post-war world, he's changed in some ways that can't be completely undone.

In other words, Sokka eventually moves on, but the way he throws and uses his boomerang is going to be a little different.

Conclusion

TL;DR: Sokka’s boomerang is a plaything, and this has sad implications. But also? He never should have had one in the first place. Firstly, boomerangs were traditionally made from green hardwood, which I don’t believe can be found in the South Pole. I on god can’t find any authentic sources for bone or metal boomerangs. To be more accurate and still keep with the trend of throwing weapons, I would’ve given Sokka a nuqaq and darts or a bola.

Also, as far as I can tell, Sokka’s boomerang is the only aspect of Aboriginal Australian culture Bryke used in ATLA (I can’t get a confirmation on Hakoda’s name). This is cherry-picking to the max, and it perpetuates the harmful ideas of pan-indigeneity wrt one large, singular culture.

So, if you enjoyed this, please consider supporting aboriginal artists and charities. You can buy aboriginal art from murrippi.com and Murra Wolka. This article here provides a list of charities as well as active GoFundMe’s for families affected by police brutality against Aboriginal Australians. Thank you.

Sources

“Hunting Boomerang - Extreme Range - The Aboriginal Karli” by Throwsticks Channel

“Boomerang Information“ by Murruppi, Djirrbal/Ngadjonji Tribe

“Boomerang” by the Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors for the Encyclopaedia Britannica

“It Comes Back ... What a Nuisance!“ by Stan Florek for Australian Museum

Boomerang: Behind an Australian Icon by Philip Jones from Wikipedia

Murra Wolka

Gonna tag @atlaculture because I think this is of your interest. <3

#atla #avatar the last airbender #sokka #atla meta #atla headcanons #atla hc #YES this is angsty shhhhhhh #am I doing meta right?

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lipstickbisous · 3 years

Note

for hc night!! ransom slowly realizing he and his girl are starting to adopt each other’s habits (vocabulary, interests, schedules, etc!) 🤍💐

ouu i love this!! added in a little bit of angsty spices for tonight's theme skfjs but this is so sweet! esp because it's for ransom!

warnings: minor angst, fluff, lovesick ransom

it started when ransom noticed himself waking up at six in the morning. you were the morning bird and it was usual for him to sleep until his alarm rang at eight am. but the countless mornings you'd tried to stay quiet while getting ready for work when the sun had barely risen were starting to take their toll.

now, his eyes would open the same time as yours and once you left, it was impossible for him to fall back asleep.

he then began to notice the change in your cursing behavior. before, it was completely unlike you to curse out any stranger you didn't know. now, he found that anytime an employee at the grocery store was rude or a clerk at the mall was irritating, you'd whisper just underneath your breath, "eat shit."

it was adorable but also terrifying.

ransom was his own person, that was for sure. he wasn't going to change for anyone. he saw how both of his parents molded into different versions of themselves as year passed just to salvage what was already a rocky relationship, and ransom had vowed to never allow himself to do that. for anyone.

he had kept a good streak of thirty-two years. he's been with a countless number of girls, and not one of his relationships had lasted over two months.

and then, of course, you just had to squeeze your way into the tiny space he'd opened in his heart. he didn't think anyone was willing to fit themselves inside, but you'd prodded and poked around until he was hopelessly in love with you.

"i was thinking we could take a visit to brooklyn next week," you gave mindless domestic talk while you were hunched over your desk, typing away at your computer. "we're both free and it's been a while since our last vacation."

he looked behind him to you, noticing how your eyes were completely glued to the screen. your tongue stuck out between the corner of your lips and you'd occasionally blow away any loose strands of hair that fell in your face.

"yeah," he hummed, smiling at your stature. the feeling of love really was rotten. it was a sugar rush and crash in his chest, tooth-rotting sweetness that he was addicted to.

"or maybe even the cabin upstate?" you offered without looking away from your work. you were hellbent on having it finished before the night ended.

ransom closed the fashion magazine he'd been looking over and completely turned towards you. "anything you'd like, baby."

finally, the clacking of your fingers against computer keys and you caught his lovesick glare towards you. you blushed, "what's going on, rannie?" your nickname for him ruptured butterflies in his stomach.

he chewed on his bottom lip and smiled. it was strange to do so, considering you were the only person he really ever smiled at. forming his lips into a curve was foreign, but it felt right with you. "nothing, princess," he stood and placed a kiss on your forehead, holding the back of your head with his hand. "nothing at all."

#how could i not include eat shit skdfjs #this was just short and sweet #cuppy! <333 #headcanon night! ｡.｡:+ ʚɞ #ransom drysdale fluff #ransom drysdale angst #this SUCKWED #ransom drysdale x reader #ransom drysdale x fem!reader #ransom drysdale one shot

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brattyfics · 3 years

Text

I want to give writing some seasonal pieces a try this year, so I'm opening up requests! I'd also love to read some so feel free to join me! Please read the guidelines below.

CHALLENGE MASTERLIST.

Personally, I'd like to stick to writing for the Mayans M.C. and Black Panther fandoms during this time, but you can write for any character from any fandom that you want.

There is no word count. Your response can be 100 or 100,000 words. I'll be writing until I feel the story is complete rather than trying to achieve a word count. I encourage you to do the same.

This is a Fall Fluff Challenge, but feel free to write smut and yes, even angst, if it fits the prompt. I'd just ask that you make sure there is some element of fluff.

Even though it's a seasonal challenge, there is no deadline. Post when you feel good about what you've written.

The premise of this 'challenge' is to pair a touch prompt (listed on the original post by @creativepromptsforwriting) with a fall-inspired word. For your convenience, here are some September and October words, plus another set of words created by me underneath the cut. Don’t see anything on these lists you like? That’s fine, use your own fall-inspired word. Fall means different things/traditions/activities/etc. to each person, so just do your thing. Don't spend too much time worrying about the word.

Just for clarity, here's a few examples: "grabbing the other’s hand to pull them back from something" + 'rosebushes'. You can write about Muse A tripping/falling into a prickly rose bush while chasing an excited child they are babysitting. Have Muse B offer a hand to help them up. OR "only realizing it when they have to let go" + 'cave explorations'. Have your Muses meet while on a cave tour. They grab at each other when one starts to slip on the slimy cave floor or bats start swarming, and don’t realize they’re still connected until the end of the tour. Your muses don't have to be in an established relationship for there to be fluff. Just have fun, be creative, and think outside the box.

If you do participate, please tag me and tag it #BFFF Challenge, so I can find, read and reblog it. It would also be helpful if you bolded the prompt and fall word you choose within the text, or highlighted it in the summary so that I can tag it properly when adding it to the challenge masterlist. Thanks!

If you wish to send me a prompt to write for this challenge, please keep these guidelines in mind.

Thanks in advance to anyone who chooses to participate in any way. I'll create a master list of responses to the challenge as needed. If all goes well, I'd like to try this again for Winter.

Additional ‘Fall’ Words:

Bat(s)

Glove

Silk

Velvet

Corduroy

Lace

Mesh

Moon

Crescent

Wool

Boot(s)

Leather

Smoke

Fog

Garden

Pumpkin/Cinnamon/Nutmeg

Tree Stump

Core

Cat(s)

Black Ice

Headlights

Laterns

Fireplace

Trinkets/Vases/Knick-knacks

Football (American)

Soccer

Basketball

Volleyball

Softball

Candles/Candlelight

Pattern/Print

Snake

Gust of Wind

String Instruments

Abandoned Bird’s Nests

Glitter/Shimmer/Sparkle

Berries

Stitches

Tea

Mugs

Sleeves

Book Case/Library

Centerpiece

Fuzzy Socks

Braids/Buns/Ponytails

Headbands/Beanies

Lighter

Stained Glass

Shopping/Mall

Orange

Blood

Green

Black

Grey

Silver

Mermaid/Vampire/Werewolf/Whatever Mystical Creature Flats Your Boat

Tagging: @tchallasbabymama

#for anyone who cares #mayans mc #black panther #BFFF Challenge

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youarejesting · 3 years

Text

Sly like a... ? - Part 1

[Master list] [Sly Master List] Beta: n/a (at the moment) Rating: All Pairing: Hybrid!BTS x FailedHybrid!Reader Genre: Hybrid au, fluff, action, adventure, angst, drama, slice of life. Some marked chapters will contain mature/smut scenes, BUT they will not have plot in those scenes and are 100% skippable without losing your place in the story. Words: 1.6k

Summary: Human’s strive to be better, faster and stronger looking to animal DNA. Thus Hybrids are born. As the rise for designer and Pedigree Hybrids increase, so do the failed attempts. There is one species scientists are unsuccessful in creating, but, folklore says they have been here all along, hiding and blending in with the humans for many millennia. How clever they are.

[First] [Next]

Humans always strived to be better, faster, and stronger. So it was only natural for them to turn to genetic manipulation. Splicing the human DNA with that of animals. Bringing about a new half-human, half-animal race called Hybrids. They were like most things humans deemed different, scary, and an abomination. They were not allowed to be independent in fear of rebellion against the elite pure humans. These Hybrids were soon seen as lesser compared to the pure humans and were quick to be sold as servants to the rich and shady, and pets to the common families. The only problem was when the families no longer wanted their designer pedigree hybrid they were either abandoned, sold, or worse.

Hybrids didn’t have a voice. They were not allowed to live on their own unless they were fully educated with a bachelor’s degree. Due to these standards, many were sent back to the adoption agencies to be rehomed again and again until they reached a certain age. Then they were put down to make room for more returned hybrids.

You were working with the government on a program that could fix the hybrid rehoming issue. Having presented your idea to the board they seemed interested and were willing to grant you a small fund if you could give them the results they needed. They gave you a handful of Hybrids, one being Jimin the poster boy for the government. He was genetically modified to create a male calico with the classic calico print which was only found on females.

They succeeded and though Jimin was a male his features were more on the feminine side making him seem too androgynous but not what the market wanted. He was left to be used as a model on new billboards and television advertisements for government services and legislations regarding Hybrids.

Another participant was your neighbor’s hybrid, Taehyung. He was a golden retriever and was volunteered by his owner, an older gentleman who recently lost his wife. He was worried for the young hybrid that one day when he shall pass he will be alone and scared. You were quick to guarantee him a place in the program to help him become more self-sufficient in case anything should happen.

You were currently packing your things, not that there was much, living in such a tiny apartment. However, you were preparing for a call within the week regarding moving into a larger government-funded home where you could comfortably house the number of new participants of your trial program. The place was fully furnished with everything a large family of hybrids would need, all you had to bring was your clothes. Everything else was paid for to create the perfect environment for the hybrids. Rent, utilities, food, and anything the hybrids needed were all reimbursed by the government.

Since it would be a few days before you would hear anything, you thought it was best to start thinking of activities for the hybrids to get to know one another. Whilst also basking in your last moments of freedom before devoting yourself to the program.

On that note, you had finally finished packing and decided to spend your hybrid-free moments treating yourself to some food. Pulled from your thoughts of a delicious omelet by a loud ping from your jean pocket. A reminder on your phone in bold letters.

H-week!

Today marked the first day of your heat, this explained the nagging twinge in your back you had been ignoring, you thought it was from hunching over to pack. Searching your top draw you saw the empty blister packet of heat suppressants, great another thing to add to your ever-growing to-do list. The pharmacy was a little further than the restaurant you wished to visit but not too far out of the way. So you set off hoping to get back in time before it gets too dark, your eyes did funny things at night.

See you weren’t exactly human yourself, you were an experiment. The world was creating new hybrids and well, you were genetically modified within the same year as Jimin. Supposed to be the new designer breed the ‘Fox-Hybrid’. The problem was it didn’t work, you were born entirely human. Sure you were a bit more agile, and your ability to hear and smell things was better than normal. You were still essentially human.

Once a month since you were thirteen, you would get a strange feeling in your lower abdomen. When you discussed it with the scientists for your check-up, they had explained it was a heat. Whilst foxes usually had a heat once a year lasting three days, yours would happen once a month lasting three days but a lot milder.

Since that day you have taken a low dose heat suppressant to nullify any pheromones. You were grateful because it wasn’t as painful or as long as a human period, but it wasn’t as debilitating or humiliating as a real heat.

You had grown up seeing Jimin on occasion and were familiar with how debilitating hybrid heats and ruts were. Even so, the two of you became friends, both failed attempts at modification.

Though you never understood why they said fox hybrids didn’t exist, you had seen them. Sometimes in grocery stores, restaurants, or nightclubs. They would be there, they would wink at you or wave, give you a smirk with a twitch of their ears or a swish of their tail. Were they mocking you for being a defect?

The only good thing accompanying your long journey was the music humming softly in your headphones. Used to drown out the loud sounds of the city, as your ears were sensitive. It also helped you ignore the side-eyes from Hybrids who would not so subtly sniff the air as you passed.

You caught a flash of orange and looked across the street. A simple fruit shop that had a colorful awning flapping in the gentle breeze.

Moving around the store was a shopkeeper in a green apron, shirt, with his bronze hair sticking out underneath a matching cap. He was putting down a tray of banana’s and as he stood, a pair of ears and a bottle brush-like tail were visible, he turned as if sensing your presence and locked eyes with you, tipping his cap. He dusted his hands on his apron, leaving you shocked. A Fox hybrid in public! No one else seemed amazed or even spared him a glance. How could no one see this?

It was like a scene from a movie, as a truck drove past leaving the man looking completely innocent and human talking to a few ladies. He was quite good-looking and charming, but there was no sign of a tail. The women were quick to fall for him, purchasing an oddly large selection of fruits and vegetables. You turned back to the path ahead of you shaking your head in disbelief, before continuing on your way to the pharmacy.

The pharmacy catered for humans and hybrids alike and was never too busy. Which made it your favorite store to collect your script from, as there was little to no waiting time. Handing over the script, you strolled around the store wondering what you would need for these Hybrids. Toothbrushes? Combs? If they had a lot of body hair would they need the silky coat shampoo formula or the soft fur body wash? Placing the hybrid shampoo and body wash back on the shelf you shook your head honestly this was overwhelming.

Rubbing your aching stomach, you were too uncomfortable to really get into hybrid care right now. You wouldn’t have to worry about any other heats apart from your own as it was decided with the board they would all be male hybrid participants. This stemmed from Taehyung being already a willing participant from the start, they thought it best not to mix male and female hybrids.

You would however have to deal with their ruts, albeit once or twice a year. You chewed your lip in thought pausing in the makeup section of the store. You caught your reflection in the small mirror and preened thoughtfully, your eyes were expressive and angular, your hair due to the modification was a brilliant copper.

You were quite beautiful, eerily so, like the man at the fruit shop. Your features were so similar. Even though you were a defect and he was the real deal. “Ma’am your order is ready.”

Turning surprised you grew hot in embarrassment, stammering to make an excuse, “Sorry, I was just thinking about a really strange fox hybrid at the fruit shop.”

Many occupants in the store turned confused and you heard an old man say, “Fox hybrids don’t exist, they are sinister creatures and not to be meddled with”

“She must be a conspiracy theorist,” one woman whispered to her hybrid snake who was donating venom for anti-venom.

Paying for the medication you left quickly and took one of the small pills as you stepped out of the store. Why didn’t anyone else see them?

You headed back towards your home, not forgetting the reason for your trip. You were excited about an omelet at your favorite restaurant when two apples came rolling across the pavement.

They rolled towards you, quickly picking them up you carried them inside the store, “excuse me, sir you dropped some of your apples,” You saw his shadow in the darkened store, two pointed ears, and the flick of a tail.

“Are you a fox hybrid?” You asked curiously and he laughed. It was strange like snickering but at a pitch that was not fit for a grown man, like a child’s giggle sharper with a few squeals, or like a bird chittering. You know the sound. He was Gekkering like a fox.

“Thank you,” he took the apples gesturing you over to the side, “let me get you some blueberries, they are my favorite.”

“Oh thank you, sir, how much do I owe you?”

He shook his head, thrusting a black plastic bag into your hands, “It’s okay, we have to look out for one another.”

What a strange man…

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