trying to figure them out is soooo hard........ anyways heres my (probably not final) jesse n lukas designs (theyre literally the same as the game okay)

Overwatch 2 Symmetra Legendary Skin Spotted in Hero Gallery

A new Overwatch 2 Symmetra legendary skin looks to be available, however the Blizzard FPS game hasn't yet put it up for sale. Since Overwatch was reimagined as a free game, replacing its loot box model with premium-priced skins and an Overwatch 2 battle pass, there hasn't been a shortage of discussion surrounding the character skins in Overwatch 2. In light of the fact that players will have to pay if they don't want to spend hours grinding to unlock the tank for themselves before he appears in Overwatch 2 competitive play, there have been worries raised that the new Overwatch 2 hero Ramattra dangerously approaches a "pay to win" paradigm. The other big question around Overwatch 2’s new model remains: will Blizzard stand by its premium pricing of 1900 Overwatch Coins for a legendary skin and 1000 for an epic? At $9.99 USD or £8.39 GBP per 1000 coins, fans are wondering whether paying close to twenty dollars for a skin is worth the value of a free-to-play environment. This has been raised once again after players spotted a new Overwatch 2 Symmetra skin called Art Deco present in the hero gallery. The skin gives the Indian DPS hero a rather stylish black and gold dress, complete with matching boots, a redesign to her prosthetic arm, and a snazzy new hairdo. It joins a Cyber Dragon Hanzo legendary skin featuring a horned, demonic black and yellow look for the archer, and a Prideful Reinhardt epic skin themed in green and white with a lion mask. All three skins look rather dramatic – but they continue to cause concerns over pricing. Most comments focus on the cost of the skins rather than their designs, with players admitting that they like the looks but that the cost is too high. Speaking to the cheapest of the three, one says that “The Rein skin is honestly pretty dope. I’m not gonna buy it though.” Another jokes about the Symmetra cosmetic, calling it “The roaring 20$.” Another says, “I actually love it but man.” The Hanzo skin comes in a bundle including a player icon, voice line, and spray for the same 1900 coin price, offering marginally more value. Of course, the players who are upset are likely to be the most vocal; if prices don’t change, that suggests there are plenty of players who are quietly buying the skins and continuing to play the game. Many fans say they recognise that this model falls somewhat in line with pricing in other recent free-to-play games including the likes of Fortnite and Apex Legends, but express that they’d love a way to actually earn a meaningful amount of in-game currency by playing the game. The Art Deco Symmetra skin has also sparked debate over what makes a skin ‘legendary’ – with some players complaining that it feels too close to her default look. Others note that, while the silhouette may be comparable, almost every part is a new art asset. Her dress has a similar form at the front but looks very different from behind, her boots are a new shape, and her hairstyle has an overhaul. Personally I’m a big fan of her new look – though I’m not sure I’m willing to pull my wallet out for it. Time will tell if players do, however. As the Overwatch 2 season two release date gets ever nearer, keep an eye on our Overwatch 2 tier list so you know the best characters to play in the multiplayer game. Meanwhile, the first season of Overwatch League on the new game wrapped up over the weekend, crowning the Dallas Fuel as the first Overwatch 2 champions but leaving fans convinced that Sojourn is OP in the current meta. If you’re looking to step your game up, ensuring you’re using the best Overwatch 2 settings is an oft-overlooked way to do so. Read the full article

Yeah... he is that good.

This is ALMOST as satisfying as watching Jusis hit Rufus in CS4 XD Some people just deserve a hard punch in the face ;P

Right! Give it to him! He deserves it!

Well it was supposed to hurt!

Imagin someone who can even surprise Cao... this woman is going to be dangerous as heck. And when she eventually marries that man and they work together... urg, what a nightmare! Heiyuu will be unstoppable!

I wonder if the symbols on that thing have any meaning. Like that every Genesis stands for something. And all those somethings together, will form whatever is necessary to stop the end of the world.

Or something along the lines like this.

Oh so we know that already? I totally forgot ^^' But... influence life... was does that even mean?

Uh... I am not sure if I am happy about that or not ^^' But my grudge is probably totally stupid anyway, if Rean shows up here will probably be all buddy-buddy with her and I will feel like an idiot for being salty when he himself isn't... so... uh... hurray? ^^'

Thats tough. Like to get chased around by a caused Celis or...

Walkthrough says we have to do them both anyway eventually, so let just start with the first one for once. Maybe we work with Towa again... because I am not homesick enough yet XD

Something tells me that as soon as the game reveals who she really is we will all be: "OF COURSE!" after being shocked for a minute or two that is XD But seriously, I am at a loss. I have a few ideas, but they all sounds ridiculous if you think about them a bit longer. But there is no way in hell this isn't someone we know.

I almost forgot that I have a doctors appointment tomorrow morning to check if my illness is better and because of that I have to wash my hair (I am a bit lazy with it when I am home sick, to be honest ^^') and then make my Steam Deck ready to be shipped, as I am sending it back because I am absolutely disappointed by it.

It was meant for gaming merly when I can not use my big (and expensive) tower-computer so I though around 700€ would spare me the money for a bigger and heavier gaming-laptop. However, I should have payed the extra money, as the Steam Deck is just... dare I say it? Cheap! From the 111 games I own (WOW!) only around 20 were Steam Deck compatible and there is no system behind it which one is and which one isn't. Cold Steel 1 is, but 2, 3 and 4 are not. Reverie is but Kuro 2 is not. Makes no sense whatsoever. ALSO Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons games who always come out for the Switch too, so should be ready for a Console like this, are not compatible either. Not to mention that it took my over half an hour to get that thing even running do to an issue that A LOT of people have for years now... this thing was just not worth 700€. So I send it back.

Eventually I will get a gaming laptop. Might be more expensive, but I will buy one for around 1000€ in a sale around black Friday or so if there is a good offer than and than at least I can not just play ALL Steam games, but also ones from the other platforms, like Sims 4 from EA for example. And I can use Tumblr for Live-Reactions and watch Videos and so on. Its really more convenient to begin with and thus probably worth the extra money.

Anyway, that said, I have to get the Steam Deck ready to get shipped back so this is were my little trip to Kuro 2 ends.

replica kelly bag 17

Replica Hermes Kelly Bag We met up as the conversation we had earlier I made it very clear that i wanted the absolute best quality and I was prepared to pay slightly extra to get what I was after and if she turned up with vague copies I was gonna walk. Lesson learnt and I even have been cautious of these so perfect photos and ig sellers, however of course there are exceptions to every little thing. So maybe you'll have a while to analysis and post some critiques of Instagram accounts. Copyright © Smartbuyfashion Group since 2005, All Rights Reserved. Unfortunately this site simply disappeared from the face of the earth. I don’t replace my earlier articles because it occur so often and I can’t search for new domains of the sellers. 2 years in the past I ordered a maxi off an ig seller and it turned out actually badly, on photos sent it was stunning but on arrival you would tell a mile off it was so pretend and badly carried out, not worth the 1800$ I paid. I bought from them earlier than, high quality is worth with the price, i believe is simply 3A products, however i used to be in search of premium quality, should you wanna buy with cheaper worth then pursevalley is the choice. Hermes back pack are extraordinarily classyhermes purses birkin "kelly" pack is a basic it baoyou coronary heart, want all types of color and bag type came to a, however its price but let particular person love doesn't rise. Faux hermes purses replica purses add so much to your fascinationhermes is a name which individuals would surely mention when they're speaking about purses. Hermes "new springs" handbag is the newest version of the classic hermes "springs" purse designed by jean paul gaultier, who was hired by hermes as artistic director in 2003. Heron Preston, Bianca Saunders, and, after all, Nigo at Kenzo rethought total-denim appears on the runway this season. A denim monogram brocade dotted with flowers at Louis Vuitton and the laser-etched Psycho scenes on the again of jackets at Undercover. To revist this text, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. This modern Hanger was meticulously handmade by grasp artisans one piece at a time. It is due to this fact fairly troublesome, if not inconceivable to mak... Could you please Yutopia tell us about your bag high quality if you ordered from hermessale.biz. Their replicas odor of P.u and they are not actual leather. I have a good quality replica bikini for sale… the place are you positioned. Although this Satchel bag doesn’t characteristic a plaque and sangles, it does mimic the identical construction because the Birkin bag. Guests will spot some acquainted options like the pink letterbox, bone-shaped chimney and bay window. This two-night stay, for one household of four, will take place from Friday February 18 to Sunday February 20 and value AU$20. Airbnb says booking will open 15 February and it will go to whoever will get in first. Nestled on a quiet, tree-lined street in certainly one of Brisbane’s most picturesque neighbourhoods, the house is a collaboration between Airbnb and BBC studios and took two years to construct. She complained to Dumas that she couldn’t find the best weekender tote bag to carry all her stuff. Every bag lover dreams of proudly owning an envy-inducing Birkin bag, but unfortunately, it's not really easy to purchase. © 2019 Designer Replica Hermes Handbags Store, Hermes Replica Online, Replica Hermes Belts. Listen reside on KEYN 103.7 FM and on-line at GoShockers.com/Listen. Division I faculty basketball's longest-tenured duo, Mike Kennedy and Dave Dahl are in their 41st season together on radio. Kennedy is in his 42nd season as Voice of the Shockers. I nearly at all times have access to my cellphone, however my schedule is wacky so my greatest communication problem comes when folks text me around midnight after which I see it 4 hours later once I wake up. The city has little elevation, and the tsunami that might accompany a 9.zero rupture would wash over all of it. In the Long Beach space of Washington, for example, several communities — house to 1000's — lie along a flat, slim peninsula that stretches more than 20 miles. Officials in recent years had thought of building a synthetic hill to help with tsunami evacuation but deserted the concept when modeling confirmed it needed to be a lot larger than was possible. A quake from the fault, positioned roughly 70 miles offshore, could trigger land alongside the shore to immediately drop by several feet. The sudden movement underneath the ocean would ship huge waves towards shore. high quality replica hermes kelly wikipedia handbags

Movies I watched in May

Sadly, I kind of skipped writing a post for April. It was a mad month with so much going on: lots of emails sent and lots of stress. I started a new job so I’m getting to grips with that... and even then, I still watched a bunch of movies. But this is about what I watched in May and, yeah… still a bunch. So if you’re looking to get into some other movies - possibly some you’ve thought about watching but didn’t know what they were like, or maybe like the look of something you’ve never heard of - then this may help! So here’s every film I watched from the 1st to the 31st of May 2021 Tenet (2020) - 8/10 This was my third time watching Christopher Nolan’s most Christopher Nolan movie ever and it makes no sense but I still love it. The spectacle of it all is truly like nothing I’ve ever seen. I had also watched it four days prior to this watch also, only this time I had enabled audio description for the visually impaired, thinking it would make it funny… It didn’t.

Nomadland (2020) - 6/10 Chloé Zhao’s new movie got a lot of awards attention. Everyone was hyped for this and when it got put out on Disney+ I was eager to see what all the fuss was about. Seeing these real nomads certainly gave the film an authenticity, along with McDormand’s ever-praisable acting. But generally I found it quite underwhelming and lacking a lot in its pacing. Nomadland surely has its moments of captivating cinematography and enticing commentary on the culture of these people, but it felt like it went on forever without any kind of forward direction or goal. The Prince of Egypt (1998) - 6/10 I reviewed this on my podcast, The Sunday Movie Marathon. For what it is, it’s pretty fun but nowhere near as good as some of the best DreamWorks movies.

Chinatown (1974) - 8/10 What a fantastic and wonderfully unpredictable mystery crime film! I regret to say I’ve not seen many Jack Nicholson performances but he steals the show. Despite Polanski’s infamy, it’d be a lie to claim this wasn’t truly masterful. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) - 8/10 Admittedly I was half asleep as I curled up on the sofa to watch this again on a whim. I watched this with someone who demanded the dubbed version over the subtitled version and while I objected heavily, I knew I’d seen the movie before so it didn’t matter too much. That person also fell asleep about 20 minutes in, so how pointless an argument it was. Howl’s Moving Castle boasts superb animation, the likes of which I’ve only come to expect of Miyazaki. The story is so unique and the colours are absolutely gorgeous. This may not be my favourite from the legendary director but there’s no denying its splendour.

Bāhubali: The Beginning (2015) - 3/10 The next morning I watched some absolute trash. This crazy, over the top Indian movie is hilarious and I could perhaps recommend it if it weren’t so long. That being said, Bāhubali was not a dumpster fire; it has a lot of good-looking visual effects and it’s easy to see the ambition for this epic story, it just doesn’t come together. There’s fun to be had with how the main character is basically the strongest man in the world and yet still comes across as just a lucky dumbass, along with all the dancing that makes no sense but is still entertaining to watch. Seven Samurai (1954) - 10/10 If it wasn’t obvious already, Seven Samurai is a masterpiece. I reviewed this on The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast, so more thoughts can be found there. Red Road (2006) - 6/10 Another recommendation on episode 30 of the podcast. Red Road really captures the authentic British working class experience. Before Sunrise (1995) - 10/10 One of the best romances put to film. The first in Richard Linklater’s Before Trilogy is undoubtedly my favourite, despite its counterparts being almost equally as good. It tells the story of a young couple travelling through Europe, who happen to meet on a train and spend the day together. It is gloriously shot on location in Vienna and features some of the most interesting dialogue I’ve ever seen put to film. Heartbreakingly beautiful.

Tokyo Story (1953) - 9/10 This Japanese classic - along with being visually and sonically masterful - is a lot about appreciating the people in your life and taking the time to show them that you love them. It’s about knowing it’s never too late to rekindle old relationships if you truly want to, which is something I’ve been able to relate to in recent years. It broke my heart in two. Tokyo Story will make you want to call your mother. Before Sunset (2004) - 10/10 Almost a decade after Sunrise, Sunset carries a sombre yet relieving feeling. Again, the performances from Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke take me away, evoking nostalgic feelings as they stroll through the contemporary Parisian streets. There is no regret in me for buying the Criterion blu-ray boxset for this trilogy. Before Midnight (2013) - 10/10 Here, Linklater cements this trilogy as one of the best in film history. It’s certainly not the ending I expected, yet it’s an ending I appreciate endlessly. Because it doesn’t really end. Midnight shows the troubling times of a strained relationship; one that has endured so long and despite initially feeling almost dreamlike in how idealistically that first encounter was portrayed, the cracks appear as the film forces you to come to terms with the fact that fairy-tale romances just don’t exist. Relationships require effort and sacrifice and sometimes the ones that truly work are those that endure through all the rough patches to emerge stronger. The Holy Mountain (1973) - 10/10 Jodorowsky’s masterpiece is absolute insanity. I talked more about it on The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) - 10/10 Another watch for Grand Budapest because I bought the Criterion blu-ray. As unalterably perfect as ever. Blue Jay (2016) - 6/10 Rather good up to a point. My co-hosts and I did not agree on how good this movie was, which is a discussion you can listen to on my podcast. Shadow and Bone: The Afterparty (2021) - 3/10 For what it’s worth, I really enjoyed the first season of Shadow and Bone, which is why I wanted to see what ‘The Afterparty’ was about. This could have been a lot better and much less annoying if all those terrible comedians weren’t hosting and telling bad jokes. I don’t want to see Fortune Feimster attempt to tell a joke about oiling her body as the cast of the show sit awkwardly in their homes over Zoom. If it had simply been a half hour, 45 minute chat with the cast and crew about how they made the show and their thoughts on it, a lot of embarrassment and time-wasting could have been spared. Wadjda (2012) - 6/10 Another recommendation discussed at length on The Sunday Movie Marathon. Wadjda was pretty interesting from a cultural perspective but largely familiar in terms of story structure.

Freddy Got Fingered (2001) - 2/10 A truly terrible movie with maybe one or two scenes that stop it from being a complete catastrophe. Tom Green tried to create something that almost holds a middle finger to everyone who watches it and to some that could be a fun experience, but to me it just came across as utterly irritating. It’s simply a bunch of scenes threaded together with an incredibly loose plot. He wears the skin of a dead deer, smacks a disabled woman over and over again on the legs to turn her on, and he swings a newborn baby around a hospital room by its umbilical cord (that part was actually pretty funny). I cannot believe I watched this again, although I think I repressed a lot of it since having seen it for the first time around five years ago. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 - (2011) I have to say, these movies seem to get better with each instalment. They’re still not very good though. That being said, I’m amazed at how many times I’ve watched each of the Twilight movies at this point. This time around, I watched Breaking Dawn - Part 1 with a YMS commentary track on YouTube and that made the experience a lot more entertaining. Otherwise, this film is super dumb but pretty entertaining. I would recommend watching these movies with friends. Solaris (1972) - 8/10 Andrei Tarkovsky’s grand sci-fi epic about the emotional crises of a crew on the space station orbiting the fictional planet Solaris is much as strange and creepy as you might expect from the master Russian auter. I had wanted to watch this for a while so I bought the Criterion blu-ray and it’s just stunning. It’s clear to see the 2001: A Space Odyssey inspiration but Solaris is quite a different beast entirely. Jaws (1975) - 4/10 I really tried to get into this classic movie, but Jaws exhibits basically everything I don’t like about Steven Spielberg’s directing. For sure, the effects are crazily good but the story itself is poorly handled and largely uninteresting. It was just a massive slog to get through.

Darkman (1990) - 6/10 Sam Raimi’s superhero movie is so much fun, albeit massively stupid. Further discussion on Darkman can be found on episode 32 of The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast. Darkman II: The Return of Durant (1995) - 1/10 Abysmal. I forgot the movie as I watched it. This was part of a marathon my friends and I did for episode 32 of our podcast. Darkman III: Die Darkman Die (1996) - 1/10 Perhaps this trilogy is not so great after all. Only marginally better than Darkman II but still pretty terrible. More thoughts on episode 32 of my podcast. F For Fake (1973) - 8/10 Rewatching this proved to be a worthwhile decision. Albeit slightly boring, there’s no denying how crazy the story of this documentary about art forgers is. The standout however, is the director himself. Orson Welles makes a lot of this film about himself and how hot his girlfriend is and it is hilarious.

The Mitchells vs. The Machines (2021) - 4/10 More style over substance, Sony’s new animated adventure wants so much to be in trend with the current internet culture but it simply doesn’t understand what it’s emulating. There’s a nyan cat reference, for crying out loud. For every joke that works, there are about ten more that do not and were it not for the wonderful animation, it simply wouldn’t be getting so much praise. Taxi Driver (1976) - 10/10 The first movie I’ve seen in a cinema since 2020 and damn it was good to be back! I’ve already reviewed Taxi Driver in my March wrap-up but seeing it in the cinema was a real treat. Irreversible (2002) - 8/10 One of the most viscerally horrendous experiences I’ve ever had while watching a movie. I cannot believe a friend of mine gave me the DVD to watch. More thoughts on episode 32 of The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast. Don’t watch it with the family. The Golden Compass (2007) - 1/10 I had no recollection of this being as bad as it is. The Golden Compass is the definition of a factory mandated movie. Nothing it does on its own is worth any kind of merit. I would say, if you wanted an experience like what this tries to communicate, a better option by far is the BBC series, His Dark Materials. More of my thoughts can be found in the review I wrote on Letterboxd.

Antichrist (2009) - 8/10 Lars von Trier is nothing if not provocative and I can understand why someone would not like Antichrist, but I enjoyed it quite a lot. After watching it, I wrote a slightly disjointed summary of my interpretations of this highly metaphorical movie in the group chat, so fair warning for a bit of spoilers and graphic descriptions: It's like, the patriarchy, man! Oppression! Men are the rational thinkers with big brains and the women just cry and be emotional. So she's seen as crazy when she's smashing his cock and driving a drill through his leg to keep him weighted down. Like, how does he like it, ya know? So then she mutilates herself like she did with him and now they're both wounded, but the animals crowd around her (and the crow that he couldn't kill because it's Mother nature, not Father nature, duh). Then he kills her, even though she could've killed him loads of times but didn't. So it's like "haha big win for the man who was subjected to such horrific torture. Victory!" And then all the women with no faces come out of the woods because it's like a constant cycle. Manchester By The Sea (2016) - 6/10 Great performances in this super sad movie. I can’t say I got too much out of it though. Roar (1981) - 9/10 Watching Roar again was still as terrifying an experience as the first time. If you want to watch something that’s loose on plot with poor acting but with real big cats getting in the way of production and physically attacking people, look no further. This is the scariest movie I’ve ever seen because it’s all basically real. Cannot recommend it enough. Eyes Without A Face (1960) - 8/10 I’m glad I checked this old French movie out again. There’s a lot to marvel at in so many aspects, what with the premise itself - a mad surgeon taking the faces from unsuspecting women and transplanting them onto another - being incredibly unique for the time. Short, sweet and entertaining!

Se7en (1995) - 10/10 The first in a David Fincher marathon we did for The Sunday Movie Marathon, episode 33. Zodiac (2007) - 10/10 Second in the marathon, as it was getting late, we decided to watch half that evening and the last half on the following evening. Zodiac is a brilliant movie and you can hear more of my thoughts on the podcast (though I apologise; my audio is not the best in this episode). Gone Girl (2014) - 10/10 My favourite Fincher movie. More insights into this masterpiece in episode 33 of the podcast. Friends: The Reunion (2021) - 6/10 It was heartwarming to see the old actors for this great show together again. I talked about the Friends reunion film at length in episode 33 of my podcast.

Wolfwalkers (2020) - 10/10 I reviewed this in an earlier post but would like to reiterate just how wonderful Wolfwalkers is. If you get the chance, please see it in the cinema. I couldn’t stop crying from how beautiful it was. Raya and The Last Dragon (2021) - 6/10 After watching Wolfwalkers, I decided I didn’t want to go home. So I had lunch in town and booked a ticket for Disney’s Raya and The Last Dragon. A child was coughing directly behind me the entire time. Again, I reviewed this in an earlier post but generally it was decent but I have so many problems with the execution. The Princess Bride (1987) - 9/10 Clearly I underrated this the last time I watched it. The Princess Bride is warm and hilarious with some delightfully memorable characters. A real classic!

The Invisible Kid (1988) - 1/10 About as good as you’d expect a movie with that name to be, The Invisible Kid was a pick for The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast, the discussion for which you can listen to in episode 34. Babel (2006) - 9/10 The same night that I watched The Invisible Kid, I watched a masterful and dour drama from the director of Birdman and The Revenant. Babel calls back to an earlier movie of Iñárritu’s, called Amores Perros and as I was informed while we watched this for the podcast, it turns out Babel is part of a trilogy alongside the aforementioned film. More thoughts in episode 34 of the podcast. Snake Eyes (1998) - 1/10 After feeling thoroughly emotionally wiped out after Babel, we immediately watched another recommendation for the podcast: Snake Eyes, starring Nicolas Cage. This was a truly underwhelming experience and for more of a breakdown into what makes this movie so bad, you can listen to us talk about it on the podcast.

Long-distance relationships suck

So, some inspiration hit me last night & I wanted to get some good rest tonight so I had to write it down. Maybe my brain shuts up tonight.

Here is some O'Darwin for you!

Thank you @asunshinepuff for proof reading ❤️

All characters belong to @lumosinlove 🥰

~~

Alex looked at his phone as it started ringing. It was Finn.

“What's up?” he said, answering the phone.

“Hey Alex. Just wanted to give you a call. You good?”

Alex smiled. He and Finn haven't talked in a while, both of them pretty occupied with the ongoing hockey season, but talking with his brother was always a good thing.

“Yeah, sure. Bit busy, you know. How about you? Everything's alright? How are Leo and Logan?”

“We're good, really. Leo's in the kitchen, preparing dinner, and Lo is with him. I'm sure he's trying to distract Peanut but he’ll disguise it as helping him. So everything’s pretty normal.”

Alex could hear the smile in his little brother's voice, he could hear the love he had for his boys and he knew the look on his face when he talked about them.

He felt his heart clench. He was happy for Finn, of course he was. His little brother deserves the world, that much is sure, but he couldn't help it but feel a sting in his heart when he heard the happiness in his voice. That was because Alex partners where so far away and he missed Kasey and Nat dearly. He hasn't seen them in a while now as the hockey season was in full swing right now, as already mentioned.

They talked of course. A lot. But it was something totally different to actually be with them and everytime they ended the calls he needed some time to patch his heart back together.

To be honest: Long distance sucked. It really sucked.

Alex was so lost in his thoughts, he hadn't noticed the silence on the other end of the phone.

“Alex, what's wrong? Come on, tell me.”

“Why do you think something's wrong?”

“Well, for once you didn't send me any annoying snaps in 7 days now and besides I do know you. So?” his brother insisted.

Alex sighed. He didn't know how people around him could call Finn oblivious. He definitely wasn't when it came to Alex and he knew Finn wouldn't shut up until he told him. Maybe it was a good idea to talk about it.

“It's just… It's Nat and Kase. I miss them. Fuck, I miss them so much, Finn. And it hurts, like physically, you know?” Alex swallowed. 

Speaking it out loud didn't make it any easier, it just made it more true.

There was a short silence.

“I already figured out it might have something to do with them. Kasey’s have really been down the last few days. You know they miss you too, don't you?”

Alex nodded though Finn couldn't see it, so he said:

“Yeah, I know that. We talk a lot. It's not that I think they don't miss me or anything, that's not it. It's really only the fact that I miss them so much and I hate the distance and I hate hockey. No. Scratch that I don't hate hockey, of course. I only hate that we have so little time to see each other right now because of the season. And I know I should be happy to have these amazing two people actually love me, but right now it feels like everything sucks and I know it's wrong, but...” Alex rambled.

“Hey, it's okay to feel that way. It really is. I bet it isn't easy to be apart more often than not.” Finn said in a soft voice, then he laughed.

“I always freak out when Leo and Logan are gone for a couple of days, I really do. I'm sorry. I know it's different… Just… I want you to know it's okay. It sucks, yeah, but you three are so good for each other. You make them so happy, it's almost hilarious how Winter’s  face lights up when he mentions you, his goalie face isn't so unreadable anymore then.”

“Thanks, Finn. I know it's going to be okay. Its just a lot right now and, god, I hate being all this emotional.”

“Yeah, me too. But it's worth it for the right people. It really is.”

Alex sighed.

“I know.”

There was another moment of silence.

“Hey, when do you have the next weekend off?”

“In three weeks. Why?”

“Why don't you just pay them a surprise visit?”

That was a fantastic idea and Alex's mood lightened up immediately with the thought.

“Can you make sure they don't make any other plans?”

“Sure. We have a game that weekend, so they can't go anywhere. I won't tell them anything, I promise. Just… please don't do anything in the locker room, I don't want to walk in on you again.”

Alex laughed.

It happened some months ago. Alex was at Gryffindor to visit them. The thing between him, Natalie and Kasey was relatively new, but Finn already knew, thank god. He had watched their match, against whom he couldn't remember anymore, but it was a bad loss and he wanted to check on Kasey when everyone else was already outside and he still was in the locker room. So he went inside, where Kasey was sitting, still damp from the shower, wearing nothing but his towel. They talked for a while, but talking turned into kissing rather quickly, and that was the moment Finn chose to come back. All he could see was an almost naked Kasey and Alex with his hands on his bare chest, making out right there.

“Nothing happened there. I already told you.”

“Yeah, yeah. Sure. Mhm.”

Alex laughed again. 

Talking to Finn was a good idea.

~

Alex grabbed his bag and stepped out of the cab. He pulled the beanie more over his head, the wind was pretty cold and it was about to snow soon in Gryffindor, he could already smell the snow. He walked the two flights of stairs up to Kaseys and Nats flat fast, his heart beating fast but not from the little exercise.

He was standing in front of the door, trying to calm down. He was excited and maybe a little tired from not sleeping much last night.

After a short knock on the door it was opened by Natalie. She looked up at him, her facial expression changing quickly between confusion, doubt, and then, finally, happiness. A huge smile spread across her face. She threw herself at him and Alex pulled her in close, he wished he never had to let her go.

“Surprise.” he whispered in her ear.

Nat placed her hands around his neck, pulling him down a little bit so she could kiss him.

Oh, Alex had missed her.

He followed her inside, not letting go of her hand. She took his bag from him just to let it fall onto the couch.

“Why didn't you say anything? I could have picked you up from the airport! Oh, Kasey will be so happy. I can't wait to see his face.”

Alex pulled her closer again, his hands on her waist.

“I've missed you and I wanted to surprise you.”

“It worked. God, I'm so happy right now. I just thought about calling you, to be honest, but this is so, so much better.”

Her hand was on his cheek now, trailing his cheekbone gently. He looked into her eyes, slowly getting lost in them. 

Alex leaned down and placed another kiss on her lips, softly and innocent.

“Kasey is still at the rink. He'll be back soon.”

“Yeah, I know. I've talked with Finn.” he smiled and she flashed a smile back.

They went to sit down on the couch together, pushing his bag carelessly to the floor so they had the full length to stretch out. Natalie was lying in Alex's arms, her head on his shoulder, giving small kisses to his neck every now and then. Alex trailed his hand along her spine, up and down, holding her as close as possible. They were just lying there enjoying the proximity after being way too long without it. 

Alex could feel how the stress of the last days began fading away immediately. Kasey will be here soon and he really couldn't wait for him.

20 minutes later, 20 minutes he spent cuddling with Nat on the couch just holding her and listening while she was talking about her day, Alex heard the key in the main door. 

Natalie sat up on the couch and Alex did the same, looking at Kasey, who stared at him blankly.

“What… What the fuck?”

He walked over to them quickly, sitting down next to Alex and kissing him again and again.

Alex laughed under his lips.

“Slow down. I'm not going anywhere the next 2 days.”

But Kasey didnt stop and Alex was glad. He pulled him closer, their kisses becoming more passionately soon.

Kissing Kasey was different. Nats lips were all soft and she was gentle, Kasey was more forceful and Alex loved both. He loved Nats slim fingers in his and he loved to feel Kaseys rough hands on his skin. They were two totally different people and they were perfect for him, they made him feel complete.

“Aren't you going to say hello to me, love?” Nat said teasingly.

Alex felt Kasey smile under his lips and he let go of him a little bit. Kasey looked at Nat, both of them smiling. He leaned over to kiss her and Alex never wanted to be somewhere else.

Kasey sat back and looked at Alex, holding Nats hand now with his one hand and his other hand lying on Alex's thigh.

“Since when are you here?”

“Maybe half an hour.”

“Finn knew, didn't he? That’s why he was looking at me before he left, grinning like a maniac.”

Alex grinned at him.

“Exactly! That's the same grin!” Kasey exclaimed.

“ 'Course he knew.”

“ 'Course he knew.” Kasey repeated after him.

~

Alex and Natalie were in the stands, Nat wearing a Winter jersey, of course she did. Alex didn't though, he didn't want to bring any bad luck for his own team. He wasn't superstitious, but he didn't have to provoke anything.

It was last period, only 5 minutes left in the game. The Lions were leading with one goal, but it was a tough game. The opponent’s number 23 stole the puck from Finn, who didn't hesitate for a second and went after him. Probably beating himself up a bit for not blocking good enough, or for not shooting the puck to Tremblay, who was right next to him. Number 23 took the puck over the ice towards the Lions goal, passing it to his teammate. He had a clear shot on the goal, but Kasey saved it, catching it with his glove.

Cheers erupted from the fans, shouting Kasey’s name and Alex and Nat joined in.

Alex leaned down to her so she could hear him through the noise.

“I hate it when Kase gets that look, that stare when I come close to his goal. It freaks me out so much. He's unreadable, I swear.”

She grinned at him.

“It works.”

Alex nodded.

“Hell yeah, it does.”

The Lions won 4:2. Black made another goal in the last minute. Kasey looked up to where they were standing and both of them gave him a thumbs-up, smiling.

~

Alex sat next to Finn on a couch, Logan on his lap. They were waiting for Leo to drive home after the game and Alex waited for Kasey. More team members joined them, they were talking about the game enthusiastically. Natalie was standing aside, talking on the phone to her mom.

“Hey Harzy.”

Both, Alex and Finn, turned around to Kasey.

He stood next to Natalie, holding her hand, and smiled.

“I mean my Harzy.”

Alex got up and Finn pouted.

“Why am I not your Harzy? I'm your team mate. He's only your boyfriend.” Finn gestured at Alex and tried to look offended, but the smile on his lips gave him away.

Alex ruffled Finns hair.

“See you tomorrow.”

He walked over and gave Kasey a kiss on the cheek, which was still flushed from the shower.

“You did an amazing job out there on the ice, Kase.” Alex said and gave him another kiss, this time on the lips.

Alex loved them both. He loved them so much and he wished he could stay forever. But he knew he had to get back to Florida rather sooner than later.

He pushed the thought aside. The only thing he wanted to do now was to celebrate Kasey and spend time with the two of them, as long as possible.

Alex kissed Natalie, then took her hand and, laced together with their hands, the three of them made their way home.

I saw in your tags that there’s some old destiel fic you like on ffn. Do you have any recs ? :)

omg I haven’t been on there in years! like last time I read anything on there was like in 2014 lmao xD

32 fics total - I just checked and all of them are still up...there’s like 30+ more that I bookmarked that isn’t on the list cuz I’m not sure if they’re destiel fics or not so I gotta re-read them

all the ones below are fics that I’ve recced before in the past

1. All Angels Need Their Wings - RATING: NC-17 | LENGTH: 29,784 (2012)

Dean never thought that Castiel would ever return. And when he did, he came in a very unexpected way, a very horrifying way. SLASH Castiel/Dean. Wing-Kink. Takes place in season 7. AU.

2. Heart Trouble - RATING: NC-17 | LENGTH: 74,320 (2011)

Dean's having a harder and harder time of denying what he feels for a certain blue-eyed friend of his. And it's making him a little ornery, and a lot confused.

3. It Hurts - RATING: NC-17 | LENGTH: 29,963 (2013)

Inspired by the S9 Trailer Cas had watched the angels fall and with them, his self worth. Now human facing the challenges of navigating mortality he also tries to find a place for himself in this new world. It is a hope he has to find without the Winchesters, without Dean. So now he runs, from both Heaven, Hell and from Dean. 

4. Small Problem - RATING: NC-17 | LENGTH: 13,310 (2011)

A cursed artifact has made Castiel miniature, it's amusing for the Winchesters at first until they realize he might stay that way forever. Slash Dean/Castiel Please R&R

5 My Broken Angel - RATING: M | LENGTH: 24,999 (2010)

When Castiel disappears from his vessel, Dean is concerned. But when Castiel reappears and seems to avoid him, Dean is heartbroken. Set mid-season 5. 

6. A Hand - RATING: M | LENGTH: 23,474 (2010)

Dean/Cas, multichapter, slight AU. Dean's busy trying to re-soulify his brother, but Cas needs help. Maybe it's time Dean gave it to him. Ch. 15: Dean glared indignantly. "I find the term 'lovebirds' to be offensive. We prefer to be called 'sex-falcons.'" 

7. Saving Grace - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: 38,602 (2010)

With everything that was going wrong in Dean's life, it took him a while to realize that the person close to him that really needed the most help was Castiel. 

8. Candy - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: 98,068 (2013)

The Fall from Heaven changed everything. The supernatural no longer hidden. Angels roaming the planet. Sam and Dean's immediate concerns were on a smaller scale. What do you do with the former King of Hell? Where is Castiel?... Destiel/Mute!Human!Cas/Angst!Dean

9. Dude, Dean Looks Like a Lady - RATING: M | LENGTH: 20,774 *gen/pre-slash* (2013)

Sam's good, Cas has been found, and demons everywhere seem to be on hiatus. Seems like things are looking up for Team Free Will that is until Dean wakes up with his very own vagina anyway. Warnings: Fem!Dean, Destiel, female masturbation and S8 spoilers.

10. Evil Intent, Trials of Love, & Finding My Angel - RATING: NC-17 | LENGTH: 36,729, 70,453, & 59,941 *rape, graphic torture, violence* (2009)

Anna rapes Castiel and uses a method that torments him more than anything imaginable. WARNING: Rape and Castiel/Dean makes sense when you read it . If you don't like then don't read!

11. Cascade - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: 44,626 (2013)

"And if you fall as Lucifer fell, you fall in flames!" An 8x23 coda. 

12. Count The Cracks, Hear The Shatters, Feel The Insanities - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: 44,626 *gen/pre-slash* (2013)

They've walked miles on gravel roads that led to hell and back but the journey never quite ends. This is the story of Castiel and the Winchesters after the angels fell from heaven. Post Season 8. 

13. Damn Straight & Wait Wait Wait - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: about 21,000 (2010)

Humorous Cas/Dean, with multiple POVs. Slight AU. Fluffy. Ch. 5: Sam sat in the Impala in the motel parking lot, praying that three and a half hours at the library had been long enough.

14. Entertaining Angels - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: 43,659 *gen/pre-slash* (2008)

A strange boy shows up at Dean and Sam’s motel room. Maybe he needs help, or maybe he’s there to help them—they can’t quite tell. Spoilers through 4.10. Not an OC. 

15. Happy Friggin’ Valentine’s Day - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: 22,771 (2010)

SLASH. It all started with Dean's perfectly healthy hatred of frivilous holidays and a much-coveted sack of dust. Poor Castiel doesn't fully understand 'romance' to begin with, and this crash course is most unwelcome. 

16. I’m Just a Love Machine - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: 29,200 (2011)

The Impala finally gets the chance to love Dean back. The problem is, Castiel seems to be in its way. 

17. It’s The Great Destiel Shipper, Sam Winchester - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: 49,641 (2012)

What's Sam really doing all that time on the computer? Fangirling. Over Chuck's Supernatural books. Now Wincest might be a bit too much to deal with, but Destiel he might be able to get on board with... Especially after being around the two people involved for three days straight. 

18. Pain in the Head - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: 78,771 *character death* (2011)

It started out slow. "Since when do angels have headaches?" "Since they become human." Established Dean/Cas. Sort of AU. PG-13. Complete. 

19. Sleep in Heavenly Peace - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: 45,517 *christmas fic* (2013)

Dean wants to have a nice, peaceful Christmas for once, but it seems like the universe won't let him. Dean/Castiel. Post-8.08 (Hunteri Heroici) AU. First in "Holidays With the Winchesters are Always Fun." 

20. The Shattered One - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: 94,021 *grace mpreg* (2012)

When it struck Castiel, it dropped him out of the sky. He set down the first place he could find. He stood in a field in Switzerland, swaying on his feet and staring down at his body, dazed by what it had just done.

21. This Cupid Isn’t Stupid - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: 41,572 (2012)

Dean receives a shock when he wakes up to discover Castiel has returned. Why is the angel suddenly back? Why have his powers dimmed? And.. Why are he and Dean joined together by an invisible rope!

22. Wild Horses, Cas - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: 23,505 (2013)

(S8 Spoilers (story is set in S9), Sickfic! Destiel, Minor Sabriel). When Cas comes down with a bad case of Pneumonia it leaves Dean feeling more protective over his friend than ever, but will it also lead to Dean's admittance of his feelings towards his friend? 

23. Wrong - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: 51,384 (2010)

Angels are not supposed to drop out of the sky into motel rooms, broken and beaten. They're not supposed to bleed like that. It was all wrong. 

24. The Reluctant Contestant - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: 50,502 (2012)

AU When Gabriel is hired as a new host for a dating show, Cas has no choice but to follow his brother along as part of the camera crew. Forced at the last minute to be a contestant, he is shocked when Dean Winchester continually refuses to eliminate him. 

25. The Ugly Duckling - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: 81,676 (2012)

Castiel: a nerdy, skinny thing with a crush on the the most popular guy in class. Being unpopular isn't easy and it's worse when the homophobic school figures him out. A small struggle to be noticed by his crush is turned into a huge struggle for himself and his dignity. But bullying can get the better of anyone. Slash. Destiel rated M for later chapters. 

26. Nameless - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: 77,882 (2013)

AU. Everyone has the name of their soulmate written on their wrist at birth. Well, everyone except Dean Winchester. Complete. 

27. Cufflinks - RATING: M | LENGTH: 61,845 (2012)

The world is full of creatures that prey on humans. It is up to 'Hunters' to fight against the dark. Lucky Hunters rely on the help of angels they have bound to their service. Sam and Dean may be good Hunters, but they have yet to capture an angel. One day, Sam finds an angel and seizes the opportunity to bind the angel to himself. Little did they know what they were getting into. 

28. Angel Training - RATING: M | LENGTH: 95,700, Angel Training 2: Save Us - RATING: M | LENGTH: 76,888, & Angel Training 3: Uprising - RATING: M | LENGTH: 89,512 (2011)

In a world where angels are common and the most privileged or skilled people are able to own one; the world's angelic hierarchy is about to change when Dean Winchester receives a wild and recently caught angel.

29. Chasing Your Shadow - RATING: M | LENGTH: 92,077 (2012)

The prophecy says that when Castiel turns twenty-three winters old, a stranger will come into his life and bring a lot of suffering. But do prophecies always come true? Demon Dean/human Castiel AU 

30. The Holiday - RATING: M | LENGTH: 32,088 (2011)

Castiel and Sam are unlucky in both life and love, so they swap houses for the holidays. Both find the experience highly...interesting. Dean/Castiel Sam/Gabriel

31. And In Your Arms I Shall Find Shelter- RATING: M | LENGTH: 33,824 (2012)

Dean Winchester is a long forgotten painter who suddenly receives an order for a painting from a rich man - Crowley. He is about to start painting when Castiel - his personal reaper visits him. The main question is: Will Castiel give Dean enough time to finish the painting? 

32. Jar of Hearts - RATING: PG-13 | LENGTH: 127,192 (2013)

February being the supposed 'month of love' people seem to forget that it's also one of the coldest times of the year. Valentine's Day themed events in a cafe turned bar is how Dean managed the courage to speak to the locally famous singer and somehow score a date, a relationship, and a man he didn't deserve out of the deal. Destiel college/uniAU some Sabriel 

Fate and Phantasms #115: Sakata Kintoki (Rider)

This time on “Fate and Phantasms”: We’re always trying to make the best build possible. Little do we know that we’re about to face our greatest challenge yet: building a goddamn motorcycle. Join us as we build: Sakata Kintoki (Rider)!

(As usual, his build breakdown is below the cut, or you can check out his character sheet over here!)

Next up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8WvSGNEV24

Race and Background

Yes, we’re still doing that bit from the first time. This means Kintoki’s still a Golden Dragonborn, gaining +2 Strength and +1 Charisma. This also gives you a fiery Breath Weapon once per short rest and Fire Resistance. That’s not very in character, but you’re gold, and that’s good enough!

As a motorcycle delinquent/Kamen Rider expy, you’re a Folk Hero, giving you proficiency with Animal Handling and Survival. You can literally talk to animals. Handling them shouldn’t be an issue.

Ability Scores

You’re pretty strong, which is probably why your Strength should be as high as possible. Your preferred method of fighting is crashing into people with your motorcycle, so your Constitution should be pretty high as well. Third is Charisma- bad boys are in these days. Your wisdom isn’t that bad, we’ll need it for multiclassing and also you know animals well enough to speak to them. Your Dexterity isn’t great; despite wearing leather armor, your main defense is your bike being faster than the enemies. Finally, we’re dumping Intelligence. Changing classes didn’t turn you into a professor.

Class Levels

1. Fighter 1: Getting your ride is our top priority, but that’ll take a couple levels. In the meantime we should make sure you’re at least a bit competent off the bike. Your fighting style is Unarmed Fighting, giving your unarmed strikes more power and letting you deal damage by grappling. I’d think grappling someone and running your bike would already deal damage, but now it’s RAW. You can also use your bonus action to gain a Second Wind for a smoke break.

You also get proficiency with Strength and Constitution saves, as well as Intimidation and Athletics. Bikers are scary, man.

2. Bard 1: Okay, now we can get that bike. If you want justification for the class, you did mistake the Rider class for Kamen Rider, so there you go. You’re powered by Saturday morning kid’s shows.

Becoming a bard gives you one skill proficiency of your choice- I’m gonna say Insight. You look like you can read the room pretty well. You can also cast Spells using your Charisma, and you can give Bardic Inspiration to another creature as a bonus action a number of times per long rest equal to your charisma modifier. This is a d6 that the creature can add to an attack roll, skill check, or saving throw within the next ten minutes. You’re a nice guy like that.

This Kintoki’s a bit more thunder than lightning, so for your spells grab Thunderclap and Thunderwave to stay on brand, Friends and Animal Friendship to talk to squirrels, and Heroism and Longstrider to protect your wheels and give them a nitro boost.

3. Bard 2: Second level bards are Jacks of All Trades, giving you half your proficiency bonus on any skill check you’re not proficient in. This includes initiative, so even with your +0 dexterity modifier you can be a bit faster out the gate. You also gain a Song of Rest for extra healing over short rests if you like that sort of thing.

Also you can Speak with Animals now, so they can tell you how much faster you are than them.

4. Bard 3: Time to make some golden creations! As a Creation bard, you’ll find your inspiration dice are a bit more golden thanks to your Note of Potential, gaining extra effects. If used on an ability check they can roll twice and take the higher number, on an attack roll they force an constitution save (DC 8 plus your proficiency plus your charisma modifier) or creatures around them take thunder damage, and if used on a saving throw the creature gains a bit of temporary HP. 

The bigger draw this level, however, is the Performance of Creation. As an action, you can create a medium or smaller item worth less than 20 times your bard level in GP. It lasts a number of hours equal to your proficiency bonus, and you can use this once per long rest, or by burning a second level spell slot to use it again. It’s not enough to make a motorcycle just yet, but you can at least make that cool belt buckle.

Finally, you get Expertise in two skills, doubling your proficiency bonus. I’d go with Athletics and Animal Handling. You’ll need some lower body strength to hang onto your bike while fighting.

You can also cast second level spells now, like Enhance Ability to give a creature advantage on a kind of skill check. Give yourself a constitution boost to help with those Thousand Mile Drives.

5. Bard 4: Use your first Ability Score Improvement to round out your Strength and bring your Wisdom up to multiclassing minimums.

You can also cast Mending for another way to fix up your bike, or Shatter to break everything else.

6. Bard 5: At fifth level your inspiration becomes d8s, and you become a Font of Inspiration. This means you regain inspiration dice on short rests as well as long ones.

To celebrate, you learn how to put on a proper tokukatsu Motivational Speech from Acquisitions Incorporated, giving up to five creatures temporary hit points, advantage on wisdom saves, and advantage on its next attacks after its hit. The spell ends on a creature once the hit points are removed, otherwise it lasts for an hour.

7. Bard 6: Now we’re cooking! Now you can finally use an Animating Performance to make your motorcycle, a large Dancing Item. The item stays dancing for an hour, and you can use your bonus action to command it. You can animate an object once per long rest, or by burning a 3rd level spell slot to do it again. Plus, your Performance of Creation can make large items now, so a motorcycle is totally on the table!

The movement speed on a dancing item’s only 30′ which isn’t ideal, but on the plus side your bike can fly, so... I’d say it balances out the cool factor.

Sadly bards don’t get Haste, but if we can’t speed up your bike, at least we can Slow down your enemies.

Oh yeah, you also get Countercharm, spend an action to give allies advantage against being charmed or frightened, not really great but you can always use it for an “I know you’re in there” fight.

8. Fighter 2: Now that that detour’s out of the way, we can get back to fighting. Second level fighters get an Action Surge, tacking an extra action onto your turn once per short rest. Cast two spells, multitask with healing and hitting, or just hit people over and over again. It’s pretty versatile.

9. Fighter 3: Cavaliers get an extra skill proficiency, and Performance will really help you sell your Kintoki action figures. You’re also Born to the Seat, giving you advantage against falling off your mount and mounting/dismounting your cycle only costs 5′ of movement.

As a hero of justice, you can also apply an Unwavering Mark to a creature when you hit them that lasts until the end of your next turn. If the marked creature is within 5′, it will have trouble hitting other creatures, and if it still does you can make a special attack against the creature next turn as a bonus action. The attack has advantage, and deals extra damage as well. You can make these attacks a number of times per long rest equal to your strength modifier.

10. Fighter 4: Speaking of advantage and being good at riding things, use this ASI to become a Mounted Combatant, giving you advantage on attacks against creatures smaller than your mount, the ability to redirect attacks to you instead of your mount, and giving your mount evasion, meaning it takes half damage on a failed dexterity save and no damage on a success.

11. Fighter 5: Fifth level fighters get an extra attack each attack action. It’s not very complicated, but it is very useful.

12. Cleric 1: Your dad’s a god, you get more thunder powers. As a cleric, you can cast and prepare spells using your Wisdom. As a Tempest Cleric, you can channel the Wrath of the Storm. When a creature within melee range hits you with an attack, you can react to blast lightning or thunder back at them with a dexterity save attached. You can use this a number of times per long rest equal to your Wisdom modifier. (So if you’re using the standard array, once.)

You can also cast Thaumaturgy for more dramatic entrances, Resistance so you’ll wipe out less often, and Light because every motorcycle needs a headlight. You can also kick up some dust with your domain spells, Fog Cloud and Thunderwave. You already have a better thunderwave from your bard levels, but hey why not be redundant. 

13. Cleric 2: Second level clerics can Channel Divinity in two ways. You can either Turn Undead to make walking corpses into running... away from you... corpses... (not my best work), or you can channel it into Destructive Wrath, allowing you to deal maximum damage when you deal lightning or thunder damage. Your spells are pretty low level, so the extra efficiency is appreciated. You can use this once per short rest, or you can burn your channel divinity use to Harness Divine Power, refilling a spell slot that’s less than half your proficiency modifier as a bonus action.

14. Fighter 6: Use your next ASI to boost your Charisma for stronger spells and more inspiration.

15. Fighter 7: As a more seasoned cavalier, you could react to add a bonus to a nearby allie’s AC when they’re being attacked a number of times per long rest equal to your Constitution modifier. You could, but unfortunately Warding Maneuver requires a melee weapon or shield, and you do things barehanded.

16. Fighter 8: If your hands are going to cause you this much trouble, they’d better be good at their job. Use this ASI to max out your Strength so they’re great at their job.

17. Fighter 9: Ninth level fighters are Indomitable, letting you re-roll a failed save once per long rest. You probably shouldn’t use this on your intelligence saves, you’re not making those either way.

18. Fighter 10: Tenth level cavaliers actually get something we can use, the ability to Hold the Line. This means your opportunity attacks can activate on a creature moving within your reach, and they also reduce the target’s speed to 0 on hit. A good hero keeps the villains focused on them.

19. Fighter 11: We’re almost done, but first you get another Extra Attack for even more punching goodness.

20. Fighter 12: Use your capstone ASI for more Constitution to get more HP and better concentration. You only have so many spells, you’ve got to make the most of them.

Pros:

Thanks to Animating Performance, you can literally make your motorcycle out of anything, as long as its large enough to ride. It also means you’ve got a flying bike, though if you want to keep it closer to canon you could flavor it as having the ability to ride up walls.

You can deal very consistent damage thanks to your high number of attacks and free advantage from mounting your bike. You’re also able to make your limited spell slots count, maximizing their damage with channel divinity.

Your skills as a cavalier make you good at getting enemies’ attention and keeping it away from squishier party members. Mix in a bit of healing from your cleric levels, and you can be a surprisingly good tank in a pinch.

Cons: 

You like to ride on things, and you also use a lot of spells with indiscriminate damage. That’s not a good combination, especially since your bike is a construct.

Having, at best, a leather jacket and a +0 to dexterity means your AC is pretty low. Your best defense is not being near the enemy when they get a chance to hit back.

Having to command your bike eats up all your bonus actions, meaning you’ll have to chose between using your unwavering mark or riding.

Because Two People Got Drunk: 8

Series Masterlist

A/N: Italics indicate flashback. I honestly think there is a better chance of Seattle drafting him, then him signing in Pittsburgh (or any team really). I haven’t followed much of the Kraken and potential draft picks from each team so I went with the option of him going to Pittsburgh so I could add in some of the wags and players from that team.

Summary: When Freddie returns back a few days after he begins training for the next season he seems slightly on edge, but you associate that to him not having a contract. You haven’t had any major conversations about your trip to Denmark and some of the events that transpired. You are nearing the 30 week mark of your pregnancy, beginning to get slightly more uncomfortable and begin to feel really unprepared. You gave your landlord notice thinking that a 1 bedroom wouldn’t work with a baby. Now you have less than 90 days to find somewhere and you are stressed. 

 Warnings: Smut, swearing

Word Count: 2605

August 28, 2021

 Fred shows up with very little notice, alerting you to something. He pulls you in for a brief hug before leading you to the couch.  

“So I’m not re-signing” he starts. “Toronto has traded for a new goalie the news will break soon. I’ve been contacted by some teams since free agency started, but I didn’t give an answer because I was hopeful of staying. Even with a short term deal for now.” 

You sit there processing everything in silence. “Pittsburgh let Murray go; I think I’m signing there.” 

At least it’s an eastern team you think to yourself. Slightly shorter flight, more games against to see him during the season.  

But still your son won’t have much of a relationship with his dad, only seeing him for what 20 days maybe 30 days throughout the entire season. Then you split the off season time? Not ideal, far from it. 

Fred waits for you to respond and begins looking around the apartment noticing the boxes “you moving?” he asks touching your wrist. 

The contact brings you back around. “Uh yeah I thought with a baby I’d need more space so I gave up my lease with thoughts of getting a 2 bedroom. But I didn’t consider I’m pregnant and uncomfortable and only going to get worse so packing will suck. And that I might not find a decent 2 bedroom around this neighborhood. I should have waited until after he was born. Added unnecessary stress to myself.” 

“Why don’t you take my condo? Its 2 bedrooms and I won’t need it since I don’t live here anymore” he offers.

“I can’t afford that.” 

“I would pay for it, I mean it’s not that much an-" 

“Fred, no you can’t. I won’t. I can’t be that girl?” 

“What girl?” he asks confused. 

“The girl that gets pregnant by someone with money and uses him for his money. Like everybody already thinks I’m using you for your money, to get a payday or something.”

“Nobody thinks that.” 

“Your dad does!” you exclaim. 

“My dad does? What do you mean?” 

“Shit I didn’t want to say anything. Just nothing” you try to get up as he grabs your wrist.

“Tell me (y/n). Now”

 After eating dinner the first night, Charlotte is cleaning dishes. Fred and his siblings have wondered off. You sit at the couch as you hear someone sit beside you. It’s Ernst, Frederik’s dad. He is slightly drunk from wine with dinner. He hasn’t really spoken much since you arrived.

“How have you been handling everything? Have there been any media stories or anything?” 

“Uh no, not that I know of. But Fred and I don’t hang out and go to restaurants or anything. The only time we go out together is to doctor’s appointment and they are discreet. I don’t think there are any rumblings of this" you say rubbing your stomach. 

“I see” He takes a sip. “How do you feel about the attention the baby might have once born?” 

“I mean Fred is pretty private to begin with and doesn’t draw much attention which is shocking in Toronto. But even if the media does learn of this I can’t see it becoming a big thing since Fred keeps his life pretty private. But obviously Fred can handle this however he feels is best in the media.” 

Ernst nods “still all this must be nice." 

“All of what?” you question tensing slightly.  

“This, the money the lifestyle. Even if you don’t have the fame and people don’t know or care about you, it must be nice knowing you are set for life." 

“Excuse me" you exclaim. 

“I’m sure your parents would have been happy about this situation” he scoffs.

“First of all I do not care about the money. I told Fred at the beginning I don’t need his money or his help.  I just wanted him to know so he could be involved in this child’s life if he wanted.” 

Ernst begins to talk as you hold a finger up “I’m not done. Second of all if my parents were alive they would have been disappointed at first with me not being in a relationship with the father. But they would have gotten over it, and became supportive, and would help me in any way possible instead of attacking the father of my child.” With that you get up and leave. 

Fred stares at you before saying “just because my dad thinks that doesn’t mean me or anyone else does. He’s an idiot.” 

“But you did think this! You accused me of this exact thing!” you shout. You stand up to leave when Fred gently reaches for you wrist “(Y/N)” he says softly. “You have to know I don’t think that, and I was idiot for ever saying that before. I didn’t handle this best at first. I honestly hope you know I don’t think that, I never did.”

“When we first met up I said I can do this on my own and I meant it. I don’t need you paying for me” you huff. 

“I know you don’t, and you haven’t asked me for anything.” Fred pulls you onto his lap “besides you aren’t asking me to do this, I want to do this. I’m going to ensure this child is taken care of while I’m away. If I wasn’t a professional athlete I would still pay child support because it’s the right thing and I’m not a jackass. For now instead of support let me do this. I will feel better knowing where you guys are living, knowing it’s comfortable, safe and sufficient. Let me do this in lieu of child support, for now at least. Let me do this because it is right and don’t worry about what my dad or anyone else thinks.” 

“Okay fine” you reluctantly agree. 

“And we aren’t done with the child support discussion; I will be paying on top of the apartment.”  

You groan “you are ridiculous.”

“Me, I could say the same about you” he laughs as you smack his arm jokingly.

“So Pittsburgh?” you finally ask.

“Yeah, it’s not too far. Only an hour flight" 

“Yeah but an hour with a baby, and the time to pack get to the airport; get to your place from the airport. Customs, baggage claim. One hour can easily be 3 for one flight. And you’ll be busy for most of the time we’re there, and then a few days later I turn around and do it all again coming back” you say, his expression shifts. “And it’s not like you can come here, you only get a few days off during the season, by the time you fly in and have to leave it could be like 8 hours. It’s a lot of travel time.” 

“You saying it’s not worth it? To make these sacrifices and maybe only having 8 hours isn’t worth it for me to see my son, for my son to know me?” His tone shifts as he speaks louder “to me the length of time isn’t important as long as I get to see him and watch him grow up”

“No Fred. I’m not saying that at all. Any time with you would be amazing, I would kill for 8 hours with my dad. Any time with you will be good for both of you. Just that this would be easier if we were in the same city, you in Toronto or…” you immediately trail off. 

“Or what?” he asks. “If you were in Pittsburgh?” 

“I mean yeah that would be easier obviously but I live here, I work here.” 

“Except you’ll be on maternity leave.” You fall silent. “I’m not saying you stay for the entire thing but you could come for some of it and instead of making weekend trips to Pittsburgh you make weekend trips to Toronto.” 

“Fred mat leave in Canada last between 12-18 months, that’s a long time for me to crash your life” 

“Think of it, I can get a 3 or 4 bedroom in Pittsburgh. I can be there for milestones and not have a virtual relationship with my son until the summer comes around. You can even just come for times I’m at home and I can fly you both back when I have road trips. We can do this together, figure out how to be parents, learn from each other’s mistakes. You don’t need to answer now but promise you’ll think about it please" 

You smile and kiss him on the cheek “promise I’ll think about it. So when do you leave?” 

“Tomorrow" he whispers putting his arm around your waist. 

You shift so your mouth is breathing on his neck as you turn to straddle; he groans “that’s so soon” you whisper leaving light kisses on his neck. 

You lift his shirt off, moving your hand down his chest. He lifts his hips causing you to moan as you feel his hard member brush against you. You slide off him and onto your knees as you pull his shorts and boxers down. His hard cock springs up slapping his stomach.  

You wrap your hands around it and begin to stroke it as his head falls back, precum dripping down him. You moan as you lick his tip tasting him. You lick your lips looking up at him and quickly replace your hand with your mouth.

“Oh fuck babe” you hear him mumble as you begin to bob up and down. You use your hand to cup his balls as you slide all of him in your mouth hitting the back of your throat. Tears begin to pool as you hear “Babe. Fuck you can’t keep doing that" 

You should let up but that only encourages you. You pick up your pace, deep throating him as you continue. He begins to lift his hips pushing further into your throat. You moan around him encouraging him to continue. He keeps lifting his hips as you swirl your tongue and hollow your cheek for him. His hangs grip your hair and pull tight; soon you feel warm spurts spill down your throat.

“You didn’t have to do that” he says pulling you up to your feet.

“I know, I wanted to. Not going to see you for a bit.” You say moving to straddle him. He tangles his fingers in your hair bringing his face to yours. Your tongue slips into his mouth as you fight for dominance. He pulls back sucking on your bottom lip.

“You’re right it could be a bit. Guess I better treat you right tonight so I know you are gonna make it these next 9 or so weeks without me.” He lifts your dress up and slides your underwear to the side, slipping two fingers in. He uses his left hand to brace your hips as you put your hands on his shoulders. He uses his hand to start rocking you on his hand, and you feel him grow hard under you. You pick up the pace, your hands tightening on his shoulders. You continue rocking, as he pushes his fingers in and out, using his thumb to rub circles on your clit.

“Mmmmm.”

“Kom nu skat” he whispers. “Kom nu”

You keep riding his hands as your orgasm rips through you; you fall forward leaning your head on his shoulder as his pace slows. He brings his lips into your hair placing light kisses. As you finally come down you tilt your head to look at him as he brings his fingers to his mouth sucking on his fingers.

“You good babe?” he questions “it’s not too much?”

“No, not enough” you say as a smile comes across your face.

He grabs you flipping you over so your hands and knees are on the couch. You feel the couch shift behind you as his hard cock brushes your folds. He pushes in causing you to scream out.

He pulls back and thrusts back in, you feel his balls push against you. He keeps up the pace as you scream under him “Freddd, fuck Fred!”

“Yeah baby, you like that?” he pushes in deep, gripping your hips forcefully. You’re definitely going to have marks and a noise complaint tomorrow. His one hand slips around to your clit as he keeps pounding into you. He rubs your sensitive bud. “Cum for me skat, cum for me.”

He keeps up the pace and you fall apart, he moves his hand from your clit to wrap around you holding you up as you come undone. You come back around as he is still pounding into you, both his hand gripping your hips tightly. One hand leaves to smack your ass causing you to yelp.

His pace continues, his hand stroking your ass. He pulls his hand away to his lips and sucks on it, quickly bringing it down to your ass to put his index finger in. You keep up the pace groaning loudly. “Shitttt.” He briefly stops and flips so he is on his back with you straddling him. He returns his hands to your hips as you place a hand on his chest starting a quick pace.

“You look so good on me,” a hand coming up to rub your nipple. You rock your hips against his as he slaps your ass. You bring your other hand down to your clit as he fucks up into you. You can feel him becoming sloppy “you gonna cum again babe?” he questions.

You nod, unable to speak. He pulls out and thrusts fully into you. He sits up to change the angle, causing you to instantly come undone. You clench around him “fuck” he says as his warmth begins to fill you as you pace slows, “you feel so good.”

“So do you. You have no idea how good. I wouldn’t have survived this pregnancy without you.”

“Yeah you have really needed me, three orgasms eh?”

You look towards him and chuckle “the pregnancy has had me pretty sensitive, they come easily” you start saying.

“Well I remember the night I made this” he says rubbing your stomach “there was 4 then, no hormones then.”

“I mean yeah I wouldn’t have survived my hormones” you laugh “but having you be around has helped to keep me sane. Not being alone.”

He pulls you into his chest as he lies back wrapping an arm around you. “You’ll never be alone, you need to know that. I’m always with you in this.”

“What am I going to do for these next 10 weeks without you?” you whisper. He kisses your hair as you doze off for a nap.

You wake up a few hours later in bed, but you feel Fred’s tongue gently licking your folds. “Mmmm Fred” you moan. “Smuk” he mumbles gently nibbling the inside of your thigh “du er smuk” as he dives back in. The rest of the night was spent with the two of you trading orgasms and cuddles.

You wake in the morning reaching over to feel it’s empty and cold. You get up and find Fred shirtless, his track pants hung very low in your kitchen making you breakfast. His back is to you as he stands at the stove, unaware that you have woken up. You walk up behind him wrapping your arms around him “thought I would have more time to get this done.” You walk over to the island sitting down, “no worries I don’t mind the view.” He laughs turning back to the stove finishing breakfast for you both.

Next Chapter

Secret Agent Elf

Here is my @mlsecretsanta fic for @xiueryn! I really hope you enjoy it!

Read on AO3

"Let me understand what you're saying." Alya stirred her hot chocolate languidly. She furtively looked over Marinette's shoulder to find the boy in question. He seemed innocent enough as he bagged his customer's purchases. "You believe that Adrien is an elf? Not even a Lord of the Rings elf, but one of Santa's helpers!" She could barely keep her laughter contained.

Marinette shushed her. "Not so loud!" She took her own look to make sure no one, especially not Adrien, heard her. If she lingered a little longer than necessary, Alya thankfully did not comment.

"Marinette, you've had a few too many late nights. Adrien is not magical to anyone except you." Alya raised a knowing brow. "Is this an excuse to avoid talking to him?"

"No! I talk to him all the time." Marinette maintained eye contact with her best friend. Her tiny crush on Adrien had nothing to do with her suspicions. If anything, the only thing holding her back was her certainty of his elfin origins.

She made the connection three weeks prior, at the start of the Christmas season for Agreste Fine Goods. One of the largest department stores in the city, Agreste Fine Goods catered to every need of the Parisian family. From couture to off the rack, from interior design to furniture kits, the store had it all.

"It all" included the opportunity to intern directly under Gabriel Agreste. Out of the entire city, Marinette was chosen to be the fall intern. Unlike past interns, Gabriel chose her himself. As part of her course, he guided her through everything from designing to marketing to in-store operations. Personally.

She did not mind the extra scrutiny. Gabriel built the business from a tailor's shop to its current state. Any knowledge she could glean from him was worth it. Even if her internship coincided with the dreaded retail season of Christmas.

Gabriel, the Mentor, was tough, but when it came to Gabriel, the store owner, and the Christmas season, he took no chances for disaster. It was the most profitable time of year. Thus he took on dozens of new employees in preparation. Adrien was one of the seasonal hires. He arrived at the store with a cheerful attitude on November 1st.

(Marinette should have started suspecting then; what retail worker was cheerful during the Christmas season?)

"Magical things happen when he's around!"

Alya snorted. "Fine. If you can bring proof that he's a "Christmas elf", then I will believe you. But!" She held up a finger. "If you can't, because he's a human being, you have to ask him to our New Year's Eve party! Either way, I win."

--

Observation Report 1

Date: December 20

Subject: Adrien

Setting: Santa's Workshop

21:00 - Subject observed tinkering with the decorations in Santa's Workshop. I put up those decorations. What did he feel like needed to be fixed? Could those sparks be coming from his fingers?

Note – Upon his exit from the workshop, collided with the subject. The subject smelled of peppermint and marshmallows.

Observation Report 2

Date: December 22

Subject: Adrien and Staff

Setting: Break Area

12:00 - Subject brought copious amounts of hot chocolate to the common area for staff only. Two hours later, the normally hectic, frantic, and grumpy restockers wore grins of joy. The cashiers did not shed one tear that morning. A peek into the customer service room indicated that there was some magic afoot. Upon entering, they wished Gabriel and me a "Merry Christmas". (The last time we ventured to Customer Service, even Gabriel hesitated to cross the threshold into their lair)

Note – he brought me a personalized mug of the chocolate, and there was no aftertaste of any added ingredients. Thus, it must have been magical to calm the staff in their mania.

Observation Report 3

Date: December 23

Subject: Adrien

Setting: Loading Dock

22:00 – Subject found with a large sack of packages in the trunk of his car (a rental). The packages did not have the AFG logo on the wrapping, and thus not packages from the store. When Subject was approached, he had a bashful grin. The packages were going to a local homeless shelter.

Quote: "A benefactor asked me to drop these off to make sure the children have presents to wake up to on Christmas morning. Every kid deserves to have a present to unwrap. Please don't tell anyone you saw me with these gifts." Sidenote: The look in his eyes was heart-melting; how could I not listen to him? Second Sidenote: His ears were looking pointier than normal. Could it be a side effect of Christmastime?

22:45 – After helping Subject stuff the gifts in the car, I returned home to find a similarly packed gift in my purse. Upon inspection, it was far more delicate than the other gifts in his car and had a note attached to it.

[Attached Note Contents]

Marinette,

For all of the cherished memories you’ve helped make since we met. You were the best part of my Christmas, by far.

Love, Adrien

--

She reached the logical conclusion the next night in her makeshift office.

Adrien was definitely an Elf.

Marinette wanted more than anything to inform Alya of her observations. After all, she was right, was she not? Telling Alya was the whole point of the investigation. Still, there was something that held her back.

After all, if Adrien was an elf, then it followed that Santa was also real. Santa Claus, the same jolly fellow that sorted the people of the world into two distinct lists. And if she outed one of Santa's actual elves, then there was no doubt which Marinette would be on for the rest of her life.

Her eye caught the package he had given her the night before. Inside had been a lovely pair of jet earrings. More importantly, she thought as she ran her hand over the note, what would he think of her?

Well, that only left one option didn't it?

--

To tell the truth, he hadn't expected anyone to follow him out of the store on Christmas Eve. At this point in life, Adrien knew better than to lose track of his surroundings. Even in the safety of such a nice neighborhood, anything could happen. Though he could admit, if he had to choose someone to accost him in the street, it would be Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

A surprisingly strong arm looped through his elbow and pulled him close. "I've been waiting for you!" Marinette gasped.

He looked down into her wide eyes. "Why?”

She furtively glanced around. The back alley of Agreste Fine Goods was not the best place for a conversation. "We need to talk. We can go to my parent's bakery." She tugged him toward Rue Gotlib. "They're closed for Christmas Eve, and we'll have privacy there."

Adrien would have lingered longer on the privacy if the thought of delicious pastries had not intruded. In any case, his feet were following her lead.

Before he realized what was going on, she had him settled in the bakery with two steaming mugs of coffee and the end of day croissants.

“Sorry, it’s not much.” She grinned and took a sip.

On a cold and snowy night like this, he was in a cozy bakery with the cutest girl from work. He thought it was perfect.

They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes. "Adrien." Marinette placed her mug firmly on the countertop and sighed. "I need to confess."

He met her gaze. She seemed burdened by something. What on Earth could she need to confess? On Christmas Eve no less?

"I know your secret."

In hindsight, maybe drinking something hot was not the best choice when having such a conversation. "My what?" He choked. How could she have found out? He thought he had been so careful.

To be fair, he wasn't surprised Marinette found out. Over the last few weeks, she paid closer attention to him than any of the other seasonal workers at the store. Only… Only he hoped it was for a more affectionate reason.

"I figured out your identity. I didn't mean to, but it was so obvious. After all, when you're around everything seems more magical," she blurted out.

Magical? "I'm not sure I follow," He said slowly.

Marinette began to pace back and forth. "Alya said I was being silly, but now I know I'm not. You're so beyond my reach, especially with my internship ending and you leaving. I don't want things to change between us."

He felt his stomach hollow. "Does the truth really have to change how you treat me?"

"I don't want it to change," she repeated softly. "You're wonderful."

He grabbed her hands and stopped her pacing. Pulling her close, he gently said, "Marinette, look at me. Does knowing the truth make a difference of how you feel?" Adrien hoped more than anything that she would deny it.

"Feel?" Her breath smelled of mint chocolate.

"Knowing the truth shouldn't change how we feel about each other." He leaned closer and placed his lips on her cheek. "My feelings certainly won't change."

"This probably won't work. The geographical distance is too large." Marinette sighed.

"I won't be that far away."

She giggled. "The North Pole is pretty far Adrien."

"That is true- Wait what?!" He wrenched back.

"The North Pole. Where you live? Isn't that what we've been talking about?" She sat down on a barstool.

This girl had a way of knocking his world off-axis in more ways than one. "Not to my knowledge." His voice came out higher than he expected. "What exactly did you find out?"

To her credit, she turned redder than a tomato. She mumbled her next words, but he could swear he heard "elf" somewhere. Were his ears deceiving him?

A small spark of mischief entered his voice. "Come again?" He teased. He had a feeling they would enjoy this in future Christmases.

"That you're a Christmas elf on assignment from Santa Claus. Now I realize that might sound far fetched, but I had my reasons!" Marinette quickly said. She narrowed her eyes and held up a finger before he could speak. "And before you say a word, Mister-" The fire from her voice died down. "What is your last name anyway?"

Oh this was going to be great. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and leaned down to her ear. "I realize that I never properly introduced myself. My name is Adrien Agreste."

Her body stiffened in his embrace. He slowly turned her around to see the dumbfounded look on her face. Adrien took the few moments of silence to study the enigma of Marinette. He saw the gears working behind those expressive eyes of hers. She blinked once, then twice. He braced for anger and possibly humiliation.

But Marinette never reacted how one would expect. Her mouth widened into a grin. "It's slightly disappointing, to tell you the truth." She batted her eyes at him.

He scrunched his mouth in confusion. "Disappointing?"

Marinette grabbed him around the waist and pulled him closer. "Don't you think flirting with a Christmas elf would be rather exciting?" She heaved a sigh. "I guess I will have to settle for the boss's son. Although, I did hear a rumor that he was some kind of model."

If he hadn't seen the wink, he might have taken a bit of offense. Instead, he played along. "Take me out of my misery, Miss Dupain-Cheng! I adore you."

"I might adore you as well. But please explain a few things to me before we continue with all our adoration." She released him, and patted the seat next to her.

“Ask away, milady.”

She pulled out a small notebook from her bag. Flipping to the back, she began, “What were you doing in Santa’s Workshop four days ago?”

He was impressed. She had notes. Real notes. Only Marinette, he thought with a smile. “I was fixing the lights on the chair. The photographer was complaining that the bulbs were interfering with his “art.” It made more sense to rewire the lights to not twinkle.”

“That explains the sparks…” Marinette murmured.

“What else do you have for me, Secret Agent Elf?”

“What about the hot chocolate?” She smirked.

Adrien felt his ears burn. He had heard enough about that from his father that day. “I… Um…”

“Yes?”

“I brought spiked hot cocoa to the break area. My roommate wanted to play a prank on my dad, and there was some collateral damage.” The Customer Care department in particular was hit hard. Their antics tipped Gabriel off to what happened.

“I drank the same cocoa, and nothing happened to me!”

Marinette stared him down with her big blue eyes, and he couldn’t help but tell the truth. “I made yours by hand,” he mumbled and dropped his face in his hands.

“That is so sweet.” She rubbed his shoulder. “One more thing, and then we’re done. Where did all the gifts come from?”

He groaned once more. “You really can’t tell anyone about this. Father and I use the “wages” that I earn to send those gifts to the shelter. My mother, she used to volunteer there. He does not want anyone to know we are the donors.”

“Why not?”

Adrien lifted his head and shot her a cheeky grin. “To be fair, in any other conversation, the explanation wouldn’t be nearly as funny. He made a deal with the director at the shelter. They would keep his name private, and instead, I would deliver the gifts dressed as an elf in lieu of Santa Claus.”

She snorted, which led to her bursting into laughter. Even her laugh was enchanting. Before long, he joined in, thinking of the silliness of it all.

When they had a chance to relieve all their tension, Adrien wore his jacket and scarf once more. “I should probably head out. Your parents probably want to see you at some point this evening.”

“If you must,” she wistfully said, walking him to the door.

“Hey.” He lifted her chin and leaned close. “Since I will be closer than the North Pole, would you like to go on a date? A real one? A date nowhere near Agreste Fine Goods?”

“Of course I would. I still need to ask you to Alya’s New Year’s Eve party.” She tilted her head higher.

“Two dates!” Adrien laughed. “Miss Dupain-Cheng, I would be delighted.” With those words, he lowered his lips and spun her around.

PoliticsStatistical Afternotes: TMC May Have Won Bengal, but BJP Did Not Do BadlyAlthough TMC has been able to script a resounding victory in Bengal, looking at the finer statistical details shows how BJP's vote share has jumped from an indifferent 10% to 38% in the space of a single election.2 hours ago | Prashant Iyengar The West Bengal assembly election has been cynosure of all eyes with BJP raising the stakes. Illustration: The Wire/PTI.

As the din and drama of election season begin to wind down, there are a few points to ponder that statistics from the West Bengal elections bring into view. Statistics, of course, vastly deplete the sensory richness of an event like an election.

Catcalls like ‘Didi O Didi’ and bellows of ‘Jai Shri Ram’, backstabbings and paybacks, the true stuff of elections are statistically ‘mute’ phenomena. Fortunately, we have, by now, several extremely penetrating accounts that have interpreted the West Bengal electoral outcome for us in terms of its discourse and dramaturgy. To this corpus of opinion pieces, which tells us the real story, let me add a few statistically-founded afternotes.

The BJP did not do ‘badly’…

We begin with the obvious. How we assess the BJP’s performance in these elections depends, of course, largely on where we set our expectations. Compared to the men, the muscle, the money and, allegedly, even the Election Commission that the BJP poured into their Bengal campaign, and especially measured against their campaign boasts, 77 seats must seem like a poor return indeed.

Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah during an election campaign rally in support of party candidates for the West Bengal Assembly Polls at Buniadpur in South Dinajpur district, Thursday, April 22, 2021.

However, this is still a party that grew from three seats and an indifferent 10% vote share to a staggering 77 seats and 38% vote share in the space of a single election. These advances have been fairly well-reckoned with in the commentary that has followed the election.

Also read: West Bengal: Of 19 Turncoat MLAs Contesting From BJP, 13 Lost

But let me add another telling statistic to this picture – among the 291 constituencies that the BJP contested, it won 77, and came second in 200, and finished third in 14 constituencies. That is, it was never ranked lower than third in a single constituency that it contested. This ought to convey a sense, not fully captured in this round’s tally of seats, of the inflationary presence that the party has acquired across the state within a short span of time.

But it could easily have done a lot worse

Notwithstanding the party’s impressive turnout, the BJP will feel fortunate to have ended with the tally that it did. While Mamata Banerjee’s narrow loss at Nandigram has captivated media attention, there were at least 20 constituencies where the BJP won against TMC candidates with extremely slender margins between 500-5000 votes, and where a single third party like the Left Front, Congress or Independent also polled a substantial number of votes.

Illustratively in Balarampur, the incumbent TMC candidate lost to the BJP by a margin of 423 votes. The Congress candidate in this constituency polled over 8,000 votes – votes that, the TMC might legitimately feel, cost them the seat. Ironically, this means that the BJP owes 20 of its seats to the presence of its most bitter opponents, the Left and the Congress.

To be sure, the TMC also had its share of close shaves – 12 seats where their margin of victory was less than 5,000 votes, and where a third-placed party/candidate polled enough votes to play spoiler.

For instance, in Tamluk where the TMC candidate beat the BJP candidate by a margin of 793 votes, and the CPI(M) candidate polled over 14,000 votes. Could the BJP have won here, had the CPI(M) not contested?

It depends on whether you think it likely that more than half of these 14,000 CPI(M) voters might have voted BJP. This seems improbable. Speculations of this kind are only worth so much, but with the polarising campaigns that the BJP runs, votes cast for any other party in the fray are quite likely to be affirmative votes against the BJP. Consequently, in these seats that the BJP lost narrowly, one gets the impression that the absence of a third party would only have extended the magnitude of their loss.

Also read: ‘Didi, Oh Didi’: How BJP Crafted Its Own Humiliation in Bengal

Does this mean that the CPI(M) and the Congress ought to have either vacated the field or swallowed their pride and stitched together an alliance with the TMC, their most bitter rival in the state? There is a vital difference between merely mathematical possibilities, such as the kinds I have outlined above, and the intricate real world of political negotiation that must be borne in mind before making any such assessments.

For a string of state elections now, though, Congress’s electoral strategy appears to have been organised around the question of how to ally themselves so that they cause the least possible damage to regionally competitive parties. This is prudent, and answers the call of the times, but cannot but enfeeble the party in the long run and nationwide. Curiously, one senses the exasperation of their position most acutely in Prashant Kishor’s barbs directed at Rahul Gandhi.

A polity that de-fragments itself

One striking feature of this election was the consistency with which this remained a two-way fight between the BJP and the TMC despite the presence of other influential parties (Congress/Left), independents and NOTA (the most underrated political force in this country).

As is well known, an important weapon in the NDA/BJP election arsenal has been the splintering of the opposition vote. The innovations of ‘Mahagathbandhans’ in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar are attempts to counter this, although they have only succeeded to a degree.

In last year’s Bihar elections, for example, Independents, ‘Other Parties’ and NOTA absorbed a staggering 20% of all votes cast. The Mahagathbandhan there lost over 25 seats in close contests (

Related Articles

'No to BJP, But Yes to What?': Why Bengal’s Decisive Mandate Reflects Courage

Bengal: Key Factors That Led to TMC's Defeat of the Modi-Shah Behemoth

Amidst Reports of Deaths in Post-Poll Violence in West Bengal, Banerjee Appeals for Peace

Pandemic and Elections in West Bengal: Modi's Conjoint Failures

Bengal: Mamata Banerjee to Be Sworn in as CM on May 5, Favours United Fight Against BJP in 2024

Fake News and Communal Incitement Add Fuel to Post-Poll Fire in West Bengal

BJP Will Do All it Can to Ensure West Bengal Remains on the Boil

Bengal: How BJP Leaders Used Fake News to Build a Communal Narrative on Post-Poll Violence

How West Bengal Halted the BJP’s Chariot

Watch | 'Violence in Bengal Isn't Communal, But It Is Violence Nonetheless

The land of beautiful sunsets : Bir

"The gentle wind kissed my cheeks softly the pristine meadow had a sight to behold My heart fluttered hard This time, the grass was greener on my side "

                                            Crack of Dawn

Everyone comes across a moment in their life when they gather the courage to do something for the first time in their life and I did it too. City and college life had me gripped in the continuous loop of tiring schedule and my head in between books. I chose to travel solo for a few days. Choosing a particular place was a real struggle but after a lot of internet surfing and considering  numerous factors I settled for a beautiful place famous for its sunsets, cafe's, monasteries, and paragliding :- BIR.

REACHING BIR

The lively colors, flags, and the mountains had a perfect chemistry together

I had booked a semi-sleeper Volvo from ISBT Delhi Kashmere gate to BIR. The bus departed around 9 in the evening and reached Bir around 7 in the morning at the nearest market to The Hosteller in which I had booked a bed in an 8-bed dormitory. I called and asked for the directions and it was quite easy to locate my hostel. The view from The  Hosteller was spectacular, the lush green mountains, open grounds with flags, and the cold breeze it all had my heart at the very first sight.

TIP:-There are other options available too, either you can book a direct Volvo according to your budget or you can book a train from Delhi to Pathankot, take another toy train to Ahju which is only 3 km away from Bir.

DAY 1: "FINDING A HIDDEN GEM"

                      The sky had its own charm that day

I was welcomed by Joey the doggo. After having an omelet, strong coffee, and stuffing my backpack into my bed I was ready to start my day. The hostel was all empty except me, the staff, and 2 other guys. I was amazed to hear their traveling stories. Our host joined us and told us what could be planned for the day. We decided to go for a hidden spot that our host had discovered on his own. We rented 2 scooters from a nearby dealer, put on our helmets and started our Journey of the day.The day was bright, the sun was sparkling over our heads and the wind  cold but soothing. It was a sort of day you can mold into anything and we all were effortlessly making it the best. I won't reveal the spot, it would be better if you discover it on your own. ;)                            (It was a mountain with a small room on top which enabled us to have a 360-degree view)

 It took us around 15 minutes, the next task was to climb around 200 steps and then climb on a not so steep mountain. Finally, after 25 minutes we stepped on the top of the mountain. My mouth fell open at the sight of whole Bir-Billing, marked by monasteries,clouds, and the sun still making it through the gaps in-between "bright". We played some songs and sat there silently for about 2 hours looking at the wonders of nature.

DAY 2: “PALPUNG SHERABLING MONASTERY”

Breakfast and meeting new travelers 

       A strong coffee, a good book, and light rain; What else do you need?

Next day we had our breakfast at the hostel only, as it was raining heavily and we sat with three new comers who had been traveling for about 2 weeks in the  Himalayas and had booked beds in the same dormitory as ours. As it was the starting of September and the paragliding sessions had still not started the whole BIR was quiet and ours to explore. The afternoon went by talking and listening to the music of heavy rain and the wet leaves reminding us of the existence of little things we usually forget to appreciate in our daily life.

Visiting the Monastery in the rain

                                             “Peace”

The sun was starting to fall and the rain had almost stopped, we picked our scooters and departed for the Palpung Sherabling Monastery, the way had become more beautiful because of the rain. The small huts on the way with small streams of water by their side, mountains in the background and small drizzling had held my eyes tight. It took us 10 minutes to reach there. The monastery had a beautiful view of green grass around and monks moving around with books in their hand pressed against their chest. It was all surrounded by the sounds of children playing, woman chatting and birds chirping. The prayers had been done so we went inside the monastery and enjoyed the peace and  beautiful carnation. We directly went to nearby Cafe and had our dinner.

TIP:-  Bir is famous for its monasteries, there are many monasteries like Chokling monastery, Nyingyang monastery, Tsering Jong monastery so you can visit as many as you like. Do you love exploring cafes? Bir is THE PLACE with amazing cafes like June 16, ara cafe, Garden cafe and many more to satisfy you stomach with tasty food and your heart with amazing views.

DAY 3:"LOOSING TRACK AND ENDING UP AT A BEAUTIFUL PLACE"

Accidentally finding a spot

                               Mountains covered in Green

                            Can you hear the rushing of water?

After a decent breakfast in the hostel as it was raining a little in the morning, we sat for a while, talking. Then we picked our scooters and went to find the Gunehar waterfall our host had told us about. We parked our scooter where the road ended and walked by the side of village locals, sheep, chickens. We asked the locals and decided that it would not be difficult to locate. Once we crossed the Gunehar village, the mountains were more close, and the east and west sides of the open valley were divided by a river. We climbed on a small mountain and enjoyed the super green view, the cold breeze, and the peace. We couldn't find the waterfall and in the end, we all laughed for we had seen the eternity and natural wonders but the goal, well unsuccessful yet happy with a day so wonderful we went again to the hostel to have some light food and some rest.

A night worth remembering with fellow travelers

Around 10 in the evening we all sat together with joey dosing off by my side and our manager telling tales about his experiences and amusing stories in The Hosteller with some local drink dangling somewhere in between our hands and our smiles. We all sang, shared music, and poetry. The sleep was nowhere around us so we decided to take a walk up to the paragliding site which was a kilometre away. We picked a light bag with the necessities and reached the site in 20 minutes. We couldn't locate a single soul apart from us and the peace around us was loud. The paragliding site was stretched in front of us in an open meadow. We laid there by the side of road starring at the stars and the site stretched in front of us, feeling the biting night wind, listening to music for 2 hours. 

TIP:- The paragliding season generally starts from the 15th of September and is a busy and wonderful season to be in Bir. You can enjoy the paragliding tournaments too.

DAY 4: “MUST VISIT PLACES”

Gunehar Waterfall

                    Not even one of us could take our eyes of this beauty

We still had a curiosity for Gunehar waterfall so we decided to go with our host. We booked a cab and departed again. It started to rain lightly and the weather turned amazing. Finally, we reached THE WATERFALL, it was a spectacular view. We spotted many butterflies, dipped our legs in the super cold water, and sat there. One of us took a bath too, the water was so cold I didn't dare to even think of taking a bath. Once we reached and enjoyed a cup of coffee we bid goodbyes to our 3 friends as they had to leave for another journey.

The Northern Cafe

                           Cafes and books have a history in common , I think :)

Once the sun was nowhere to be seen we went to The northern cafe to have SIDDU, the traditional Himachali cuisine, also the view of The Northern cafe had my heart and is my favorite place in Bir. Also KARA and BUDDY, the golden retrievers welcomed us with love. All thanks to the fellow friend who suggested me this beautiful place.

DAY 5: "THE BIR MONASTERY"

Either the borders of a white sari or stupas, that’s where I like golden the most

                     When life gives you lemons, just sit and relax 

Everybody left, except me and a friend whom I meet the first day We went to Glider's Pizzeria near the paragliding site but this time with us was joey too. We had a decent Pizza and cold coffee served by a beautiful lady in her late 40's who turned out to be the manager of the Cafe. After a little chit chat, it was time to visit a monastery, led by a narrow alley with one side lined by mountains closing it and the other by an open valley. Joey sat in between my legs with his face out of in the air to enjoy the beautiful way. The Bir Monastery has an amazing vibe with monks making their way peacefully around. The interior is different and there is also a shop within the boundaries where you can buy colorful prayer flags, bracelets, and Buddha figurine. At 6 in the evening I bid goodbye to my last fellow traveler and enjoyed the evening reading and scribbling.

DAY 6: "LAST LAZY DAY"

                         Travel far enough, you meet yourself

                                                                          ~      David Mitchell

I didn't want to move my lazy ass on the last day, so I spent it with joey, The Hosteller's staff playing cards, cricket and went to have lunch at The Northern cafe again with my diary to enjoy the view and my last moments in Bir. As I was sitting there I realized how these little steps can move your life, can shift your mind and change how you look at people around you.The staff, my fellow travelers and the beautiful Bir itself made my heart want to have more experience in travelling and surely has a major hand in my other solo trips. It made me trust strangers, laugh with them, and forget about my worries. I came back not just to have a fresh start in my life but also with memories.

TIP:- You can also enroll yourself in other activities like camping, shopping on Bir road, mountain biking and most importantly go to billing which is 14 km away from Bir.

You can rent mixed bed dormitory room in hostels like Zostel, The Hosteller, goStop, the bunker Bir or you can book a private room too in the hostels or hotels around.

In love with sunsets? Bir is especially famous for its sunsets, the sky changes color magnificently and let you have one of the most memorable sunset views.

~Song of the trip: My other side by Taba Chake

~Book of the trip: Forty rules of love by Elif Shafak

Lesson 6 from arrogance to destruction

"Memory Text: “And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding” (Daniel 2:21, NKJV),

"In Daniel 5, the Word of God gives us a powerful example of human hubris that ends in a stunning and dramatic way. Though one could say that it takes Nebuchadnezzar a long time to learn his lesson, at least he learned it. His grandson, Belshazzar, does not. In using the temple vessels in a palace orgy, Belshazzar desecrates them. Such an act of desecration is tantamount not only to a challenge of God but an attack on God Himself. Thus, Belshazzar fills up the cup of his iniquities, acting in ways similar to the little horn (see Daniel 8), which attacked the foundations of God’s sanctuary. By removing dominion from Belshazzar, God prefigures what He will accomplish against the enemies of His people in the very last days. The events narrated in Daniel 5 took place in 539 b.c., on the night Babylon fell before the Medo-Persian army. Here occurs the transition from gold to silver, predicted in Daniel 2. Once more it becomes evident that God rules in the affairs of the world."

Belshazzar's feast:

"Read Daniel 5:1-4 along with Daniel 1:1, 2. What is Belshazzar doing that is so bad? How does it reveal his true character? Compare his actions with Revelation 17:4-6. What parallels can you find?"

"The king commands that the sacred utensils of the Jerusalem temple be used as drinking vessels. Nebuchadnezzar seizes the vessels from the Jerusalem temple, but he places them in the house of his god, which shows that at least he respects their sacred status. But Belshazzar turns the sacred vessels into drinking utensils in a most profane way."

"While drinking from the sacred vessels, Belshazzar’s lords “praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone” (Dan. 5:4, NKJV). It is worth noticing that six materials are mentioned. The Babylonians used the sexagesimal system (a system based on the number 60) in contrast to the decimal system used today (based on the number 10). Thus, the six categories of gods represent the totality of the Babylonian deities and, therefore, the fullness of the Babylonian religious system. Interestingly enough, the order of the materials follows the order of the components of the dream statue of Nebuchadnezzar, except that wood replaces the clay. As in the dream, stone appears last; although here it designates the material composition of idols, stone also evokes God’s judgment upon worldly empires (see Dan. 2:44, 45), which Babylon symbolizes."

"This feast serves as an apt representation of end-time Babylon as seen in the book of Revelation. Like Belshazzar, the woman in endtime Babylon holds a golden cup and offers polluted drink to the nations. In other words, by means of false doctrines and a distorted worship system, modern Babylon lures the world into evil (Rev. 17:4-6), oblivious to the judgment that will soon fall upon her. One day judgment will come."

An uninvited guest:

"Read Daniel 5:5-8. What happens, and why does the king respond as he does? In what ways does this account parallel Daniel 2, and why is that parallel important? (See Ps. 96:5 and Col. 1:15-17.)"

"As Nebuchadnezzar does in previous crises (Dan. 2:2, 4:7), Belshazzar calls the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers to clarify the mysterious writing. And to make sure that they give their best, the king promises them extravagant honors: (1) purple clothing, a color worn by royalty in ancient times (Esther 8:15); (2) a chain of gold, which was a sign of high social status (Gen. 41:42); and (3) the position of third ruler in the kingdom. This last reward reflects accurately the historical circumstances of Babylon at that time. Because Belshazzar was second ruler as co-regent with his father, Nabonidus, he offers the position of third ruler. But despite the tempting rewards, the sages once again fail to provide an explanation."

"On top of all his sins, then, the king attempts to find wisdom in the wrong place. The Babylonian experts cannot uncover the meaning of the message. It is written in their own language, Aramaic, as we shall see tomorrow, but they cannot make sense of the words. This might remind us of what the Lord speaks through Isaiah: “For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden” (Isa. 29:14, NKJV). After quoting this verse the apostle Paul states: “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1 Cor. 1:20, 21, NKJV)."

"Some truths are too important to be left for humans to try to figure out for themselves. That’s why God, instead, reveals these truths to us."

Enter the Queen:

"Read Daniel 5:9-12. What does the queen say about Daniel that the king should have known already? What does it say about him that he seems ignorant even of Daniel’s existence?"

"As the banquet hall is thrown into confusion because of the mysterious message on the wall, the queen comes and provides direction to the befuddled king. She reminds the king about Daniel, whose ability to interpret dreams and solve mysteries has been demonstrated during the time of Nebuchadnezzar. If Belshazzar were as smart as his predecessor, he would have known where to turn to find the meaning of this mysterious writing. The intervention of the queen proves necessary for the king, who at this point seems utterly at a loss as to what to do next. Her words sound like a rebuke to Belshazzar for having overlooked the only person in the kingdom who can interpret the mysterious writing. And she also gives the king an oral résumé of Daniel: the prophet has the Spirit of the Holy God, light and understanding and divine wisdom, excellent spirit, knowledge; he is capable of understanding, interpreting dreams, solving riddles, and explaining enigmas; he was chief of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers in Nebuchadnezzar’s time (Dan. 5:11, 12)."

"At this point, we again wonder why Belshazzar had ignored Daniel. The text does not offer a direct answer to this question, but we presume that at this time Daniel, after serving the king at least until the third year of his reign (Dan. 8:1, 27), is no longer in active service. One factor could be Daniel’s age. He is probably around 80 years old, and the king may have wanted to replace the old leadership with a younger generation. The king also may have decided to ignore Daniel because he did not want to commit himself to Daniel’s God. But whatever the reason or combination of reasons, it remains striking that someone with such a portfolio as Daniel’s could be forgotten so soon."

"Read Romans 1:16-32. In what ways do we see the principle expressed in these texts manifested, not just in this story but also in the world today?"

Weighed and found wanting:

"Read Daniel 5:13-28. What is the reason Daniel gives for the soon-to-come demise of this king?"

"Forced by the circumstances, the king resorts to consulting Daniel, but he seems to do so with reluctance. This may tell more about the attitude of the king toward the God of Daniel than toward Daniel himself."

"In turn, Daniel’s response to the king’s offer of reward says a lot about Daniel’s priorities and character. It also is likely that Daniel, knowing the meaning of the mysterious words, realizes just how worthless the reward really is."

"Daniel then indicts the king on three counts.First, Belshazzar totally has ignored the experience of Nebuchadnez-zar. Otherwise he would have repented and humbled himself like his predecessor."

"Second, Belshazzar has used the temple vessels in order to drink wine and to praise his idols. Here Daniel mentions the six kinds of materials used to make idols in the same order noted previously."

"Third, the king has neglected to glorify God, the One “who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways” (Dan. 5:23, NKJV)."

"Having addressed the failures of the king, Daniel proceeds to the interpretation. Now we learn that the divine graffiti consists of three Aramaic verbs (with the first repeated). Their basic meaning should have been known to the king and his sages—MENE: “counted”; TEKEL: “weighed”; and PERES: “divided.”"

"With the Medo-Persian army at the gates of Babylon, the king and the sages must have suspected some ominous meaning in that writing, but the sages do not dare to say something unpleasant to the king. Only Daniel proves capable of decoding the actual message into a meaningful statement in order to convey its full meaning to Belshazzar: “MENE: God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it; TEKEL: You have been weighed in the balances, and found wanting; PERES: Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians” (Dan. 5:26-28, NKJV; emphasis supplied)."

The Fall of Babylon:

"Read Daniel 5:29-31 along with Revelation 14:8, 16:19, and 18:2."

"What can we learn about the fall of Belshazzar’s Babylon that points to the fall of end-time Babylon?"

"Whatever his faults, Belshazzar is a man of his word. So, despite the bad news, he is satisfied with the interpretation given by Daniel, which is why he bestows upon the prophet the promised gifts. It appears that by admitting the truth of Daniel’s message, the king implicitly recognizes the reality of Daniel’s God. Interestingly, Daniel now accepts the gifts he has refused before, probably because such gifts can no longer influence his interpretation. Besides, at that point such gifts are meaningless since the empire is about to fall. Thus, probably as a matter of courtesy, the prophet accepts the rewards, knowing all the while that he will be the third ruler of the kingdom for only a few hours."

"Exactly as announced by the prophet, Babylon falls. And it does so quickly; while the king and his courtiers drink, the city falls without a battle. According to the historian Herodotus, the Persians dug a canal to divert the Euphrates River and marched into the city on the riverbed. That same night Belshazzar is slain. His father, King Nabonidus, has left the city already, surrendering himself later to the new rulers. Thus, the greatest empire humanity has ever known to this point comes to an end. Babylon, the head of gold, is no more."

"“Belshazzar had been given many opportunities for knowing and doing the will of God. He had seen his grandfather Nebuchadnezzar banished from the society of men. He had seen the intellect in which the proud monarch gloried taken away by the One who gave it. He had seen the king driven from his kingdom, and made the companion of the beasts of the field. But Belshazzar’s love of amusement and self-glorification effaced the lessons he should never have forgotten; and he committed sins similar to those that brought signal judgments on Nebuchadnezzar. He wasted the opportunities graciously granted him, neglecting to use the opportunities within his reach for becoming acquainted with truth.”—Ellen G. White, Bible Echo, April 25, 1898."

Further thoughts:

"Large feasts were common in the courts of the ancient world. Kings loved to throw parties with extravagance and luxury to show their greatness and confidence. Although we do not know all of the details of this particular feast, we know that it took place when the Medo-Persian army was poised to attack Babylon. But humanly speaking, there was no reason for concern. Babylon had fortified walls, a food supply for many years, and plenty of water, because the Euphrates River flowed through the heart of the city. So, King Belshazzar sees no problem in having a party while the enemy surrounds the city. And he orders a momentous celebration, which soon degenerates into an orgy. What a powerful testimony to the hubris of humanity, especially in contrast to the power of the Lord. Through Daniel, God tells the king that despite the opportunities he has had to learn truth, “the God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways, you have not glorified” (Dan. 5:23, NKJV)."

"“The history of nations speaks to us today. To every nation and to every individual God has assigned a place in His great plan. Today men and nations are being tested by the plummet in the hand of Him who makes no mistake. All are by their own choice deciding their destiny, and God is overruling all for the accomplishment of His purposes.” —Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 536."

Nothing is as it seems.

I've talked about this away from social media at length, but wanted to just put the thoughts down properly about the overall Supergirl Season 5 plot - not about cast or characters per se, since I have covered this a few times in numerous posts.

Supergirl was touted as being a Black Mirror season, where nothing is as it seems, and the dangers of technology and certain social media platforms.

I was excited for this. As my husband can attest, I love these kind of puzzles or plots in TV or film (hello, Interstellar anyone? Or 12 Monkeys. Or from books, the likes of Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder, or Shutter Island - I've not seen the film so, no idea if it follows the book closely. Or TV, Black Mirror).

So much to my husband's annoyance I often will catch onto clues long before he does when watching things (I do try to keep quiet when I watch things with him so as not to spoil it, but I slip up and suddenly say 'did you see that?' As he gives me a bemused look and the 'no.' falling from his lips with practiced ease). I might not always know the full relevance to certain things, but I see cohesion that I can then map towards a conclusion, or it helps me understand if an ending is more open to interpretation.

Supergirl this season has left me struggling to catch any clues or their relevance. Sure they're there. Hope offering to kill Kara even though her prime directive was to do no harm in episode one for goodness sake, as an immediate red flag went up for me, plus Lillian and the Earth they controlled comment to Lex suggesting she wasn't Earth 38 Lillian, particularly with Lex's reaction, Leviathan leader is female - not a surprise if they're following the comics, but it feels far more weighted as a clue than that. Lena decidedly working against Lex (including appearing to press the button on the cube as he walked away, facial expressions as he leaves or has left etc). These are the most immediate things just off the top of my head.

So I know if I'm struggling to bring things into any cohesive threads, then I can only imagine some are struggling to do even that and can't get anything of the whole season plot from the episodes thus far.

I think this would be fine over a short run, but the problem seems to have become 2 fold.

The first is, Black Mirror or most films of a similar ilk only last around 60 to 90 minutes on average. Perhaps a little longer, sometimes less.

That's all well and good, but to then try and bring that over to around 20 hours of television?

Think of this another way. Black mirror has had 5 seasons. The same as Supergirl. However, it has only had 22 episodes in all that time, so only one seasons worth of episodes compared to Supergirl. Each Black mirror episode was self contained. Plus any Easter eggs or themes they brought into later episodes were done in such a way, that knowing earlier episodes wasn't essential for understanding any new episode.

While the premise was sound for Supergirl, I think now the execution has suffered because it is over too many episodes.

Add in the Crisis episodes and then 2 hiatus' coming in almost on top of one another, and that has been compounded. It has made it far harder to remember nuances that might have been given in the early episodes, that would now make more sense. Because they haven't been outright smacks over our heads with a piece of 2x4 in terms of how clues have been given, or even which scenes might actually be relevant and others have no real meaning to the later plotline.

Behind the scenes, they know how this is going to play out (or at least, they have a broad arc outline), but the viewer doesn't have that. It is one thing to watch back once all pieces are in place, to understand it. It is entirely another when you expect an audience to understand what you are trying to achieve when there is so much that is confounding people.

This is leading to frustration. Add in other issues being raised, and it can only compound the situation.

Truly I want nothing more than to be able to get the full season screened, to look back and finally understand what it all entailed, and hopefully say: Shit okay, so that was how it was. Well done. It frustrated me all to hell, but damn you pulled it off. *applause*

But honestly, to have it over a full season feels excessive. I think it would've been far better served to have more of Crisis in the lead up into those episodes, and allow the 2nd half of the season deal with everything else. Just compact it up a bit more. It feels far too complicated for far too long.

Plus I'm also just not sure how they're going to be able to bring it together with the number of episodes left, especially if it is a shortened season number as being suggested.

Remember I am saying this is as someone who loves this kind of thing!

We are now at the stage of the season where we need more than subtly on how this is going, but good solid moments of momentum that we know are part of the ending somehow, even if we still don't have full context. Otherwise I sense the discomfort for viewers in not understanding what is trying to be shown to them will become even more discord.

Right now it feels messy. I've not felt this adrift on the overall plot in previous seasons of Supergirl as I have in this one. Sure we know, nothing is as it seems. We have some puzzle pieces outlining certain things. We know Leviathan are involved. We know Lex has a part to play. We even know Lena has a part to play (you can tell she is looking to take Lex and Lillian down, let alone the other problems with Kara that are nowhere being addressed either). We know Brainy has a part to play. We know the broader strokes. But the middle is still a jumbled mess of pieces that have nothing that looks even remotely like the picture on the box.

I want nothing more than the season to succeed. The earlier half of the season had overall solid views. Since Crisis it has suffered (and let me tell you, if you think SuperCorp can reach across a 200k to 300k drop in viewership *after* the last episode began airing, you are completely blinded by your desire to blame them for everything. It might be a big fandom, but it is nowhere that large. Step back and at least acknowledge that is not logical or feasible).

So. I think they had a great idea, I really do. I think though the length of time to try and make it come to fruition has been detrimental overall.

I truly hope the rest of the season pulls back what it did earlier, and it solidifies the whole season as it reaches its conclusion.

FIC WRITER MEME

Tagged by @prince-luffy

AO3 name: DarkwingSnark

Fandoms: ...SEE, I’m in lots of fandoms. Or at least, I’ve written for them during hyper-fixation periods. Let’s see what AO3 says...

Batman: The Animated Series (20)

Batman - All Media Types (7)

Wander Over Yonder (Cartoon) (6)

DuckTales (Cartoon 1987) (5)

Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero (5)

Penguins of Madagascar (3)

James and the Giant Peach - Roald Dahl (3)

Darkwing Duck (Cartoon 1991) (3)

Disney - All Media Types (3)

Dan Vs. (2)

Milo Murphy's Law (2)

Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja (1)

The Batman (Cartoon) (1)

Lady and the Tramp (1955) (1)

Looney Tunes | Merrie Melodies (1)

Winnie-the-Pooh - All Media Types (1)

Alice in Wonderland (1951) (1)

Gummi Bears (TV) (1)

Winnie-the-Pooh (Disney) (1)

.... Honestly, I feel like there’s more that this list isn’t covering. Like Phineas and Ferb isn’t here and I wrote for that show too. And many of these can be simplified and condensed because they belong to similar fics.

Tropes: Depends on the fic. But as a whole, tend to write Romantic Comedies with a lot of slow burn. Mostly because... struggle is funny. People being dumdums and oblivious to the obvious is funny. Aaaaand also because it allows the episodic quality of shenanigans to occur.

Number of fics: Up and posted on AO3? 53. Does not include stuff on FF.net or that’s sitting in google docs begging to be finished.

Fic I spent the most time on: Not sure how to read this. Does it mean active man hours? Or does stuff like having a hiatus in-between count? Because TECHNICALLY ‘Real Value’ was started in high school, and I didn’t rewrite it and carry on the series (with Moonie) until many years later. There are also fics like ‘Growing Love’ or ‘Priorities’ that took a lot of time to do research. Like learning how to build a lawn mower so I could have a character believably break it apart for repairs.

....God I do a lot of research that doesn’t go into the actual fics. Because all I need, really, in the confidence of what I’m doing to be the character and describe an action here or there. 

Fic I spent the least time on: Probably something drabble related? Or maybe the fic I did that was just me venting out emotions because I was feeling guilty? ‘A Mother’s Intuition’ was written and posted within a couple of hours.

Longest fic: Complicated. The longest thing written is technically an RP, NOT a story. (Different, trust me.) ‘What Happens in Gotham’ has a word count of  207,413. But fic wise at 89,022 word would be ‘The Constant Gardener’ . 

Runner up being ‘Priorities’ at little over 87k.

Shortest fic: Drabbles? Uh, let’s see.. Probably from ‘Beauty and Your Worth’, as i think one was literally a paragraph long. ... Speaking of Gummi Bears, I wonder if I still have my notes on the GruffiGusto fic I wanted to write. Something to look into.

Most hits: Apparently ‘Fallen Hard’ at  5354

Most kudos: Also ‘Fallen Hard’ at 518. There... were more fans of Milo Murphy’s Law than I realised. 

Most comment threads: ‘Fallen Hard’, 193 comments. ‘What Happens in Gotham’ following at 185.

Most bookmarks: .... that’s something people care about? I hardly ever bookmark things, since I read it in one go. But... I can look?

Ah.... ‘Fallen Hard’. 63

Total word count: 971,833 Oh hey! Almost a million. That’s something to celebrate.

Favorite fic I wrote: 'Knights of Dobenshire’. Hands down. (With ‘Heart of the Cards’ being very close.) I like writing road trip styled stories. It allows many things to happen within the narrative. BUT, ‘Knights of Dobenshire’ wins because it was such a satisfying conclusion of this build up, you know? Scrooge is finally no longer just putting up with the relationship with Fenton, but fully embracing it. That surprise feeling that hits him when he realizes, dear lord, he IS attracted to Fenton beyond affection. 

It hits me more than a mutual pining because there I KNOW they will get together. But here? While writing with Moonie? I DIDN’T KNOW! I was worried in the end we’d have to write another fic to finally reach that step. Scrooge is stubborn and does what he wants, let me tell ya.

Fic you want to rewrite/expand on: 'Fallen Hard’, ‘Season of Miracles’, ‘Going with the Flow’, pretty much anything that isn’t complete. BUT, not posted, I really want to get back to more of the stories planned in the McCrack series. It was a ship I kinda made from the ground up, with nobody caring about it in the beginning. So it feels very important to see that series through.

Share a bit of a WIP or a story idea you’re planning on:

... Actually, I can share something from 'Donald’s Party (Working Title)’. @swampy-tiefling and I started. Just the first scene to get you guys hooked.

Donald took a deep breath of air from the doorway of the house and sighed, once again pleased to find himself at his home away from home. Traveling the seas and exploring the world with the navy were its own rewards, he supposed, but there would never be anything quite like the countryside-- the middle aged mallard having practically been raised on Grandma Duck’s farm. Donald Duck was happy to be on shore-- his naval carrier being docked for the week in Duckburg as they replenished supplies and took care of whatever repairs that were needed. Whatever excuse his bosses wanted to use were fine by him, he was just happy to not be scrubbing decks for a change!

That didn’t, however, mean he was able to rest and relax-- as the duck was startled out of his thoughts as somebody bumped into him. That somebody was his grandmother as she came to, just having caught her plate of cookies before they fell.

“My land, Donald! What in the world are you doing hiding here when you should be meetin’ and greetin’ the guests?”

Donald ignored the woman’s soft glare as he waved her off, using his other hand to steal a cookie in the process. Stuffing it in his mouth, he murmured out a response.

“Phooey, they’re just relatives.”

“Even more of a reason to go out and talk to them.” Before the sailor could argue, Grandma Duck placed the plate of treats into his hands. “And put these out on the snack table while you’re at it. Poor Fethry is looking peckish.”

Donald rolled his eyes, but otherwise did as he was told. Wasn’t it just like life to make him work at his own welcome home party? Walking towards the open yard where the party was taking place, it didn’t take long to reach the table, where his cousins were already gathered around as they chat.

This instantly caught the attention of the lankier duck, his gaze zoning in as he smiled widely towards Donald in greeting.

“Well if it ain’t the guest of honor, with snacks to boot!” Fethry leaned closer, his red hat wobbling with him as he continued to inquire. “Say, cuz, ya wouldn’t happen to know if these are gluten free, would ya?”

Donald gave him an unimpressed look. 

“You’re not going on another crazy diet, are ya?” Though, in all honesty, he was more worried his looney cousin might try to drag him along-- and after months of eating nothing but mush, he would NOT miss out on his first chance to pig out on actual home cooked meals.

"Not crazy at all, actually!" Fethry grinned that goofy grin. "See, it's all right here; Gluten Free; It's the Way to Be' !" he shoved a rather lengthy-looking hard cover book in Donald's face. Donald had no choice but to stare at it, the words all blurring together from its close proximity to his eyes. The offending object remained there for only a second, however, before it was yanked back, the nutty mallard already busy flipping through it.

"Let's see, here, there's a fascinating chapter I think you should-- Don?"

Phew, that had been close. Donald was still in sneaking away mode, and jumped and yelped when he was tapped on the shoulder. Oh no. He'd been caught, after all. He slowly turned, with a forced, toothy grin, to face his fate.

A wave of relief washed over him when he saw his girlfriend, Daisy, smiling sweetly at him, instead.

“And where do you think you’re sneaking off to, Mister? You’ve been gone for so long, and here we are, with you haven’t even given me a kiss ‘hello’ yet.” 

Now there was something Donald didn’t mind doing, as his girlfriend leaned in her face for her reward. Wrapping his arms around her, he planted the biggest of smooches to her temple. 

“Gaww, I’m sorry Daisy. I really did miss you.”

This earned him a soft smile, as it was Daisy’s turn to kiss him on the forehead.

“And I missed you, hun. Now, tell me… why WERE you sneaking around?”

“Grandma put me on entertainment duty.”

“Well, “ his girlfriend began, “it IS your party, after all. They came to see you, seems fair to me.” This made the sailor groan as she looked at him unsympathetically. Rolling her eyes, the reporter sarcastically patted her boyfriend in comfort. “There there. Now don’t go sneaking off for real, the boys will be arriving soon. And Grandma tells me Uncle Scrooge will be bringing along a special guest.”

“Special guest?” Donald asked incredulously. “Like who?” This caused Daisy’s eyes to glimmer all the more in mischief, a look that told him that she knew something he didn’t know. And that something was big news, if he was reading her right.

“Oh, nobody TOO special, I suppose,” Daisy was stalling, and it was driving Donald up the wall. The duck woman continued her teasing. “Nobody except your uncle’s new date friend.”

"Date friend?" Donald practically exclaimed, prompting Daisy's grin to grow all the more smug.

"Yep! You've missed quite a bit since you've been away, you know."

"No kidding...well I'll be..." Donald was shaking his head, but he was smiling. Uncle Scrooge, dating, at his age... it was nothing short of a miracle. It was about time, too!

"Meanwhile, why don't you go say hi to the rest of the guests? I know it's hard..." she rolled her eyes. "but at least make an effort, okay? Thanks, hun!"

Donald's heart fluttered as she smooched his cheek, and left. He glanced out over the yard, and saw quite a few familiar faces; Gus, Ludwig, Gladstone... heck, even Gyro Gearloose had shown up!

He sighed, but this one wasn't a sigh of pure despair. It did feel nice to be home, surrounded by people who most likely cared, and his nephews were even going to show up soon. Not to mention, he'd get to tease his uncle for finally taking his advice on the whole dating thing. 

That alone gave Donald the pep in his step he needed as he threw himself back into the party-- where he knew his crazed family would be waiting for him. 

it’s late, and I do have to get up in the morning, though I may just go back to sleep afterwards. my church has been having very limited gatherings over the past few weeks, and in March they’re planning on opening them somewhat more, and restarting our kids program as well, so kids have somewhere to go while their parents are in the service, and tomorrow morning we’re having a training on how that all will take place, I’m assuming it’ll mostly be covering new protocols and the technicalities of how everything will work. They are holding it in person at the church but also on Zoom, and I’m just going to do Zoom of course because I am still always hesitant about going out, and an uber down to where it is is going to run me at least $25 each way, but I’m definitely not at a place where I can go back to public transit, not just because of the pandemic but more because of my stupid, not working legs that would definitely not cooperate with the distances of walking required to use public transit, even if it’s just a few blocks, it’s too much. I am still concerned that being at church and with the babies isn’t going to work well- that things are going to go wrong, like they did with soccer, and it’ll just be a dismal failure and I’ll be even more frustrated and upset with myself, but I have to try. I have to at least know there’s a reason I’m not doing something, not just too scared to take a chance and wind up stuck in my apartment for the rest of my life. I just hope nothing goes wrong especially when I’m with the babies because that concerns me greatly, but it’s really not like it would pose an actual risk to anybody, even if I’m like holding a baby I can control it enough that I can get to a sitting position and stable before I let it go and let it flail around until it gets its fill. I’m sure I’m going to have to give the other workers a disclaimer at the beginning of the service so they won’t be super alarmed or concerned if something happens, though I’ll still be pissed as hell that it did happen because I just hate feeling helpless oh so much, and just being in positions where I have to rely on other people to help me just drives me nuts, I don’t like sympathy I don’t like pity, don’t feel bad for me please, I’m fine, I’m fine. I’ll be fine, I can control this. I’m in control. 

sigh. that’s what I keep telling myself at least. I should probably actually get to describing my day now that I went on a whole rant about that. Alarm went off at 8:30 because it’s the Saturday of our once a month church legal clinic, which starts on Zoom at 8:45 for a brief powwow with everyone, then at 9 we start the consultation with the client until 9:45 at which point we go back and chat with everybody, and end roughly around 10. my friend from school that I know has been going to the same church as me for some time but of course between pandemic and everything else I haven’t actually seen her face to face, but I knew she was doing the justice center too and we were both in the general zoom room before we started so I private messaged her just a few things saying hi haha so that was cool. The actual consultation was fine, I’m always so anxious they’re going to ask me about stuff I don’t know about, but I did know this was another divorce case, and while I definitely don’t handle divorces at my actual work, it coincides with my work a lot of the time and from being in family law focused spaces I’ve learned quite a bit about it, so I know my way around it fairly well. this was a bit more complicated case so I did recommend she consult with a legal aid attorney to hopefully help her file things, because this was fair beyond what a self-represented litigant could handle, even with a legal advice clinic and the great resources we have to help pro se litigants, it was just way too much. but we got a start on things so she can at least have something to take to the attorney, so all of that was easy peasy. the notes we got prior to the consultation were from the client coordinator speaking to her earlier in the week, and also included a line that was like “I need a divorce, I know it’s wrong but...” and went on to cite spiritual and cultural baggage surrounding it, so when we were at the end of the session I just told her that something we say a lot in my work (we don’t actually say it a lot, generally just when spiritual concerns are interfering with a victim’s safety, which thankfully isn’t often, but the point is the same) is that people are more important than institutions, and that her worth as a person is much more important than the existence of a marriage that has clearly broken down beyond a state of repair by so much mistreatment and bad behavior from her spouse. And I really just felt like it was important to tell her that she is doing the right thing here, and that she should not feel guilty about doing this, even that it is explicitly stated in the bible (by Jesus, no less) that divorce is allowed when the woman (or either spouse practically) is being abused, and that emotional abuse is just as valid as any other type of abuse, and taking steps to protect herself was the best thing she could be doing right now. so I clearly had a lot of feelings about that, and our client support coordinator (that’s not what their actual title is but that’s what we call their equivalent at my job so it’s good enough) really echoed it and affirmed it from a cultural perspective as well (coordinator was Asian, client was South Asian) and the client ended up in tears and I just felt satisfied that I was able to get that message across, because very few things truly piss me off more than “Christians” trying to “save a marriage” at the cost of the safety of one of the parties, and it’s been well documented that abusers can very easily manipulate counseling situations and paint the other party out to be the one that is being ungodly because they want out of the marriage, and it’s a giant load of bullshit that loses sight of the importance of a human being and it’s such a perversion of what God actually wants for his children and is just the result of legalism taken to an extreme and people’s welfare not actually taken into consideration, only the rules. Thankfully I haven’t run into this situation too many times while doing this work (I can think of two off the top of my head, and both of those very clearly stuck with me, even several years later), and I have encountered a very opposite situation of a pastor being incredibly supportive and even accompanying the client to file and for court dates, and it was just so heartening for me to see- the pastor wrote me an email later that night saying thank you again, and I just expressed that as a Christian myself, I had so much gratitude at seeing his supporting a member of his church so strongly. so that positive experience has stuck with me at least. anyway. we wrapped things up and I did consider going back to bed lol but ended up choosing to stay up, I’ve had such a baking itch and now have a lot of things I have to eat haha but I had seen something a while back about caramelizing white chocolate, which sounded super intriguing and I really wanted to try it, but it very strongly focused on having high quality white chocolate for it to work, so I tried to get the fanciest I could from my instacart order and I couldn’t find the cocoa butter percentage listed (that’s apparently the most important part) so I thought it probably wasn’t good enough, but I was going to try anyway. it basically involves a low-temp oven (like 250f) with it being spread out on a baking sheet, and every ten minutes taking it out and like spreading it as it darkens and such, for like an hour. so I had started doing that but it was pretty obvious from the start it wasn’t going to work how it should, it was very grainy and just not cooperating, at around that same time friend messaged and asked if I wanted to do one of our taco bell and target runs that we’ve been doing lately like right then, and there wasn’t much else I could do with the chocolate at that point so I left that and got real clothes on and left for taco bell and then target. I was disappointed to find out taco bell’s build your own cravings box could only be ordered from their mobile app and not the drive-in, but as a result I ended up with chicken chalupas instead of my regular “seasoned beef” (because you know that’s deff high quality stuff) and they were actually really good, so I may continue those in the future, lol we’ll see. so we sat in the home depot parking lot to eat like we normally do then drove over to Target (the taco bell is farther away, so we have to drive there and then back to the Target) and go from there. I didn’t need too many things, mostly just toilet paper and a few random food items, and I ended up with toilet paper, a pint of my super favorite ice cream that’s like $8 but is so damn good it’s worth it, some actual popsicles, some lemonade (my sodastream canisters are MIA at the moment so I needed something else to make my water at least somewhat appealing), and these little frozen crushed garlic cubes that are each equal to one clove of garlic and I’ve heard very good things about, so I wanted to try that since I couldn’t find any garlic while making the chicken scampi the other night. so we checked out and I ended up obtaining a watermelon mountain dew, because I saw that and knew I needed to have it, though I still had baja blast left from taco bell, so the watermelon one is in my fridge yet to be opened (it’s a 20 oz bottle, not like a 2 liter). from there I got dropped off at home and put some stuff away and worked on a few things, eventually watching a few episodes of Scrubs before remembering I had some stuff recorded still that I hadn’t finished, so I watched 9-1-1 and 9-1-1: Lone Star, which were of course very good, and while viewing was looking at various recipes for oreo rice krispie treats which I’d had a random craving for and bought supplies from instacart the other day, and after reading a few I decided to just kinda make up my own rules and go with it haha I had to revive some slightly stale marshmallows (put them in a ziploc and then in a bowl of hot water until they soften) as well as some stale oreos (350f in the oven for 3 minutes), though there only ended up being like 4 left in that pack and the rest from the new one, so that worked. I browned like 6 tablespoons of butter in a skillet and then transferred it to a big pot, addedt the old marshmallows (like 3/4 of a bag) as well as a bag of new ones, then crushed up most of the oreos and mixed them with a good amount of rice krispies and went from there. when I first dumped them into the pan it was just like this giant blob and I was like welp perhaps I made too much but then it kind of settled down to a more reasonable size, just still pretty large but that’s fine. I went back to the tv and watched For Life, and then to the news and SNL for a bit before getting in the shower and getting ready for bed, and of course now it’s almost 2 am and I am oh so tired, so I’m going to go to bed now being that I have to wake up at 10:15 (much better than 8:45 for work, but still). Goodnight friends. Hope you had an awesome Saturday.