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chicken-fifi · 4 years

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Onset Visits - Kim Bum Imagine

Anon requested: Do you write for Kim bum? I've seen him in BOF and he is now on the tale of the nine tailed and I love him SO MUCH. If you do write for him, could you please write something about his fiancee visiting him on set? Thank youuuuu

Word Count: 800 words

When the word that Kim Sang-Bum - better known as Kim Bum - was engaged got out, everyone was wondering who the lucky person was. Though he never revealed you to his fans, Sangbum’s fans seemed to find you pretty quickly. Unlike what your mind was telling you how this would play out, his fans ended up sending nothing but warm greeting and support, congratulating the two of you on your engagement - for the most part at least. You two had only been engaged for about a month before Bum started filming for his new drama, Tale of the Nine-Tailed. Although he came home every night for dinner and the two of you did have plenty of moments to yourselves, you had decided you wanted to surprise him on set with his favorite meal after having heard about the countless stunts he had been doing over and again from him one night.

After seeing him off, you quickly went to work preparing each dish carefully. In between preparing and cooking the different dishes, you would sit down at the dining table doing some of our work as best as you could from home. As a marketing consultant, you had the benefit of being able to work from virtually anywhere, however, once you started a new project, it required nearly all of you attention. Checking each of the dishes that were cooking you quickly set to work making an outline for your current client before going and checking the food again.

Finally ending the outline, you turned off the stove and pulled out different containers and began filling them with the food you had made, carefully packing them into a tote bag. Quickly grabbing your jacket and purse, you took the tote and left your shared apartment ready to surprise your fiancé.

~~~

The set was gorgeous - something you were very glad to be able to say after having argued with security over your identity reassuring them multiple times that you weren’t a crazy fan or stalker, only to be saved by Sangbum’s manager.

“It’s so lovely,” you said aloud, earning a nod from the older male.

“I agree,” he said before leading you to a dressing room with your fiancé’s name on the door. “They should be going on break in a bit. You shouldn’t be waiting for long.”

You nodded thanking him before setting the tote on a small table and beginning to pull out the containers so he could eat as soon as he came in. Just as you took a seat in a chair after having taken out the last container, the door opened revealing your laughing fiancé.

“Jagi!” he exclaimed as soon as he saw you giving you a smile as he made his way over giving you a tight hug and pressing a light kiss on your lips. “This the best surprise I could’ve asked for!”

You gave him a smile kissing his cheek, before grabbing a container and holding it out to him with some utensils, “Eat up! Your break probably isn’t that long.”

He gave you a smile before beginning to eat moaning in delight, “Delicious, just like always.”

You smiled beginning to hold a conversation with him while he devoured his meal, feeding you at every chance he could get to despise your words that you could eat when you got home. He was in the middle of feeding you the last bite of some greens you had made when there was a knock on the door followed by a copper haired man’s poking in.

“We have five minutes left of our break,” he said, “just a heads up courtesy of the director.”

Bum nodded before motioning to you, “This is my fiancé, (y/f/n). She’s a huge fan of yours Hyung.”

You gave the man - Lee Dongwook, probably the biggest celebrity you would ever admit to having - a shy wave to which he responded with a smile and wave.

“Nice to finally meet the woman that Bum never seems to be able to shut up about.”

Your cheeks flushed red, as did Bum’s.

“I’ll be out in a few,” Bum said, waving him off shyly causing Dongwook to let out a laugh as he closed the door. “Well now you know how word about you might’ve gotten out to fans. Here, have the last bite so I can help you clean up.”

You shook your head turning the food he was holding out to you back towards him, “You have a long day of filming ahead, you need your strength.”

Giving you a smile, Bum ate the last bite, “I knew I made the right choice when I proposed to you. You take such good care of me, but that means I need to take better care of you in other ways.”

“Sangbum!”

A/N: So may or may not be in a Kim Bum mood now. Thank you anon for giving me a new person to check out and opening a door to more dramas that I will be crying over!

#kpop imagines #kpop scenarios #kactor imagines #kactor scenarios #soloists master list #soloists and actors master list #kim bum #kim bum scenarios #kim bum imagine #kim bum reactions #kim bum master list #kim sangbum

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thebtswritersclub · 3 years

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Happy Birthday Aditi!!!!

The BTS Writers Club is here to wish our lovely admin, @ditttiii a very happy birthday! Here’s all the messages we’ve collected, from admins and members alike for Aditi day (January 14)!

Aditi! Happy Birthday! Thank you so much for being an amazing Admin. The network would not be the same without you and all that you do. I mean, just look at the layout! You do so much for us and it’s 1000% appreciated. We’re so lucky to have you! Thank you for being with us from the start and being there to help everything grow. You’re such a valued and loved member and a wonderful friend. I love you so much. Even though this past year was an absolute garbage fire, I hope that next year will be much better. You’re going to do amazing things and I can’t wait to see them!

- Love, Eva @aroseforyoongi

PS: Please share more pictures of your puppy

Happy birthday, Adi!! Babe, you're an amazing person, a marvelous woman and an awesome friend. I wish you the best things in the world, that's what you deserve nothing less. I can't thank you enough for your love and support, always. Know that you'll always have in me a friend and a hype woman. Congratulations, Queen!

- Danna @unoriginal-username15432

Aditi! Though we have only known one another for a chunk of a year, I can safely say that you are one of the best people I could have met in 2020 and I am so glad I did! I think you have so much to offer the world in both intelligence and charm and you will go so far! Keep your head up through 2021 and never let anyone tell you you cannot do whatever you set your mind to. Keep writing and relaxing and enjoying life. Also, please remember to rest and sleep! Happy Birthday!!!

- Dean @eternalseokjin

Happy Birthday Aditi! You're so sweet and kind and I hope you have a great birthday!!!

- Donna @untaemedqueen

Aditi

I hope you have an amazing birthday. You deserve one. You’re so wonderful, sweet, hardworking, intelligent, caring, encouraging, talented, pretty... I could go on forever. In short, you’re awesome & held in high regard. Thank you for being you & thank yo for being a vital part of BTS Writers Club & its admin team. You’re an html goddess & a goddess of kindness and looks. Your presence brightens my day & I look forward to all of our conversations.

So, to BTS Writers Clubs’ resident Goddess, Happy Birthday!

- Lillia @moccahobi

Hello, luv

I remember the first time we talked. I had come to you asking for advice because I was thinking about posting on tumblr, and somehow we ended up talking for hours that day. Ever since then, you have been such an amazing and precious friend to me, and I am so incredibly glad that I decided to come out of my shell that day. I am so thankful for everything about you and our friendship, and also for you quite literally dragging me into this net to meet so many other lovely people I have the pleasure of calling my friends as well. I wish you all the best, today and every other day, and never forget that I love you very much!

- Keri @kerikaaria

happy birthday dearest aditi! i hope that you have the happiest, most wonderful, most magical birthday ever! you deserve everything good and more! sending you all of the love, hugs, and good vibes i can offer!

- Carese @honeyj00ns

Adiiiiii ily!! my lovely waifuuu!!! you work so hard and are so nice!! i married right keep doing what you love and remember to treat yo'self!!!!

- Dae @birbdae

Lovely! It's your birthday and I would be remiss not to let you know that you are so loved and so appreciated! I hope you have an amazing day with those you love (especially Toto), and get something you were hoping for, be that quality time or a nice gift! Happy Birthday Aditi!

- Day @baepsaetan

Aditi, my love, my darling, my honey, ily. You’re such a good friend and a good wine bibi, i love u muchly and appreciate u. I’d like to thank u from the bottom of my heart for being there for me when i needed u, ty for helping me with my writing and helping me be happy, you truly are the best and there’s only one u. Keep shining u star. Keep being u, you literally are so cute and adorable and pretty like words can’t even describe how amazing u are, happy birthday to u ma love, i hope u have the greatest day bc u deserve it! I can’t offer u a hug rn but i can give u a virtual hug (sending u the biggest virtual hug) i hope it sent!

- Ellie, signing off w a big big kiss for u @jungkooksbroski

Happy Birthday Aditi! I hope all your birthday wishes come true on your special day! You have such a hardworking and vivacious personality, it's no wonder why I admire you a lot I'm glad I can call you a friend of mine and I only want nothing but the best for you

- Gwen @prettyboongi

happy birthday aditi! although we haven't talked all that much, i'm glad to have met you through the net! you are such a caring and loving person and i hope you have the best birthday today and many more amazing birthdays! thank you for being you and happy birthday!

- Ivory @sunkissedjk

Aditi, you have the sweetest soul and the kindest heart, I love our chats and how helpful you are. You've given me so much confidence, right from the get go. You never stop believing in people and will bend over backwards to help them, even when you're ill. You're so freaking talented, honestly, I just can't praise you enough. Happy birthday my lovely hareem queen, hope you have the best day!

- Ley @pars-ley

Aditi! The beautiful, amazing angel! I'm so glad I have gotten to know you through this net and I'm excited to get to know you better. Thank you for always being available to read my crap and for creating amazing works of fiction. You are one of a kind and the world is so lucky to have you in it! Happy birthday

- Mars @joheun-saram

Hey Diti Darling, Apparently it's your birthday. Haps Borth! Ok, I know I give you hard time whenever we talk but that's because I am just a big nervous and confused mess all the time. We don't even talk that much. Even with that, I love you very much, as a chaotic sister. I just love seeing your name around. Every interaction I have with you is precious no matter how confused I come out of it. You are so sweet and so loving. I hope that you keep that light and keep growing. May this next year that approaches you is a fruitful one and bring you happiness in what ways that it can. Look up, smile bright.

-Your ever worried brother, Nep. :33 @dawndrms

lovely adi!! i'm so lucky to have met you this summer, because i'm pretty sure you're one of the first desi writers i met on tumblr i love seeing all your posts on my dash, you're really such a sunshine and happy pill on dumblr and i wish more people saw that. your style of writing is so so so enchanting, something i wish everyone would read. in the net, you're a ray of light on everyone and i can tell that bring you so much energy and liveliness wherever you go. have a lovely birthday aditi appi, and to many more!!

- Noor @papillonsgf

Happy birthday Aditi!! I want to say a massive thank you for everything you do for the net to make it what it is. you are so friendly and helpful, you really make everyone feel so at home there! I'm so happy to have joined and met you. I hope you have a great day because you deserve it xx

- Ru @btsmosphere

Hey Aditi! I just wanted to say, happy birthday from the bottom of my heart! You've made being in here so special, helping me with everything I needed! I remember the first person to say Hello to me in the net was you! You were also the one who told me I was accepted! Your really special to me! So is your hate for Mee6 Thank you so much for everything! I wanted to give you something special for your birthday so I'll be posting Transvaal Daisies very soon! Once again, thank you for everything

- Tailia @namyoongles

Hi Aditi!!! I hope you have a wonderful birthday I love how sincere and enthusiastic you are and how you’re always hyping us and all our ideas and i hppe your birthday matches how awesome you are

- Tanooki @crystaljins

Happy Birthday lovely Aditi! I hope this year brings a ton of happiness, positive growth, success and prosperity! I’m so happy we got to meet over this net. I love love LOVE gushing about Bollywood movies and Indian music with you and I absolutely love how supportive and helpful and kind you are. You are awesome, beautiful and just so lovely! I’m so happy that we get to celebrate your birthday together (relatively) and I’m wishing you all the best today and onwards! Cheering you on! Happy Birthday!

- Yours, Triv @purpletigertaetae

We love you, Aditi! Have an amazing birthday!!!!

All graphics and pictures used made with buckets of love by @kerikaaria

#birthday #happy birthday #birthday post #aditi birthday

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hopetofantasy · 3 years

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‘HUMO’s big youth survey - Sex, love and relationships’ - With Nathan Bouts

- TW: explicit content and mentions of sexual assault, intimidation, getting drugged, (internalized) homophobia, slutshaming, dubious consent, sexualization -

‘How does youth look at love? Do they go all out or keep it safe with a round of virtual sex? An experienced trio may reveal it all: Billie Leyers (25) is the third child from the well-known family Leyers and singer-song writer. Marie Van Uytvanck (21) recently kicked it off with her band Kids With Buns all the way to the semi-finals of ‘Humo’s Rock Rally’. For the testosterone at this table we’ve got Nathan Bouts (22), actor in the youth series ‘wtFOCK’. ‘I long for some spontaneity again. May I squeeze your butt?’

- Note from hopetofantasy: Marie is the same person who made the LGBT+ podcast, where Yara Veyt talked about her sexuality. -

The first number: 6 out of 10 youngsters think a serious relationship is important. Do you guys dream about that? Billie Leyers: “A lot of my girl friends are really looking for steady relationships. I’m not that type of person, I’d like to see what crosses my path. But for some kind of reason I still end up in one. Since I’ve been sexually active - soon it’ll be 10 years ago: huray! - I’ve had three long relationships. Now I’ve been together with Jasper (Maekelberg, from ‘Faces on TV’) for two and a half years. Coincidentally, it’s the man I wish to grow old with.” Nathan Bouts: “I think a serious relationship is a nice idea, but at the moment I don’t have one.” What kind of boxes should a potential partner tick on your list? Nathan Bouts: “Sounds pretentious, but I want someone with a certain intellectual level, someone I can talk to. She must be sure of herself.” Billie Leyers: “It’s the same for me. It doesn’t matter if someone is a good plumber, an actor or a musician, he should come home and talk about his day with passion. The biggest turn-off is someone who just smokes joints on a couch and doesn’t know how to handle his life.” Marie Van Uytvanck: “I might have a really weird box to tick: if I get to know someone, I want to see her Spotify-playlist. I can be really attracted to someone with the right playlist.”

Has Spotify provided you with a relationship yet? Marie Van Uytvanck: “Not yet. The fact that I was stuck in the closet for a long time, sure has something to do with that. I think a lot of people might have wondered for a long time if I was asexual. So, no. It just took me seven years before I was completely ready to share it with everyone.” You made a podcast about it: the ‘Uit De PodKast’. There, you talk about how you’ve told your parents. Marie Van Uytvanck: “Friends knew it already, but I waited a long time to come out at home. Actually, my parents just know about it recently: I’ve told them during lockdown, with a letter. Their reaction was really sweet. They mostly felt shitty for me, because I felt unhappy about it for years on end - I’ve known I liked girls since I was 14. I’ve never had a serious relationship, but I’ve dated someone for a long time. Even that was very complicated, because I was still in the closet. So we saw each other in secret at a café across the country (*laughs*). Ridiculous: two girls could sit next to one another perfectly, without people thinking they’d be on a date.” How is your relationship with your parents? I’m wondering, because there doesn’t seem to be a conflict between generations with the current one: four out of ten would even like to live in the same area as their parents. Marie Van Uytvanck: “Since I came out to them, our bond has strengthened. Right before my coming out, it was a bit weird. During that time we went on vacation together. I’ve never longed for my own dorm more than on that trip. But now, I like to hug my mom all the time. The big secret isn’t a road block between us anymore.” Billie Leyers: “I live with my partner, but I get a long with my parents very well. Sometimes too much, I guess. If I didn’t call them or one of my sisters by noon, then Jasper asks me what’s wrong. Why should we even rebel to our parents? I’ve got the impression that their generation was far more rock-and-roll than ours. My dad gets annoyed at the festivals nowadays: opening bags and searching people, what’s rock-and-roll about that? Back in his days, everything was far more relaxed. They were the generation of the orgies. I wouldn’t mind to go back to that. It’s all too goody-goody now.” RETWEET! Out of all the serious relationships between young people, one out of five people met online. Five years ago, that number was only 15 percent. Marie Van Uytvanck: “I’ve done it a few times, but I don’t think Tinder dating is pleasant. The idea that you meet someone and have to approve them, doesn’t feel right to me. Spontaneously meeting someone in-person with whom it clicks, seems way more fun. Even when it’s not that easy, since I fall for people of the same sex.” Billie Leyers: “I’ve got zero experience with Tinder. My relationships always started at school.” Like 1 out of 3 youngsters. Billie Leyers: “I’ve met Jasper at school too: he was the mentor for my thesis. So yeah, I’ve run off with the teacher (*laughs*). I’ve seen it in my environment though, online dating. They’d be chatting for weeks or months, eventually meet up and then find out that there is no spark between them. It’s a shame, three months of your life in the thrash.” Marie Van Uytvanck: “Of course: you’ve been idolizing them for a while. Also, in a chat conversation you can still think before you send something, so no mistakes either.” Corona has been an obstacle in the life of the single: 73 percent of them hasn’t had new dates since March. Nathan Bouts: “I didn’t experience the lockdown as dramatic. I just completely focussed on my music. With results, since my first single will be released soon.” Marie Van Uytvanck: “So you didn’t do anything the whole time? Not that I’ve done illegal dates during lockdown, but afterwards I’ve had some new dates. And no, it wasn’t always with social distance or face masks. Dating like that, seems a bit weird, no? (*Speaks to Billie*) Wasn’t it hard for you guys, as a couple?” Billie Leyers: “With a lot of couples it was the one or the other: they fell in love more than ever or it was over. It went surprisingly well with us: we’re perfectly in tune with each other. We give each other the much needed space.” Nathan Bouts: “That’s a great relationship you have! It seems fun to have something similar during the next lockdown, even though I’m kinda attached to my own independence. I’ve had a relationship of three years. If we were together for a week, I needed a few days to myself afterwards. Also, I think it’s terrible to sleep next to someone.” Marie Van Uytvanck: “Retweet! I’ve got the exact same. During the day, I’m already all over the place: I’ve got ADHD and talk too much. So when I get home, I’d like to go to bed, lay in my own smell.”

SQUIRREL IN BED Only 5 percent of serious teen relationship have met each other at a café. Do you guys walk up to someone at the bar? Billie Leyers: “Only the creepy types still do that. ‘You seem nice. Can I have your number?’ Then you leap back immediately, if you’re a woman.” Nathan Bouts: “Really? I think a guy could still do that though. I don’t - I hate flirting - but I see a lot of friends of mine do the same. They even use me. Then they pull me along at my arm, until the girl - they like to hit on - sees me: “Look, it’s my friend, Jens from ‘wtFOCK’. My character is a somewhat chill dude without any complexes, who’s seriously confident, so that resonates with the ladies. I don’t want to use that to impress them, but my friends don’t get it: ‘Why don’t you use that attention to sleep around?’.” That would be the 14 percent who fits the statement: if you’re young, you have to try as many sex partners as you like. Billie Leyers: “I’m not a guy, but the time you could dance with a girl and suddenly kiss her on the mouth, is completely behind us, I guess. If you’re not careful, they could accuse you of sexual assault afterwards. I long for a time we could do that again. Not that I’m pro-sexual assault, but a little bit of spontaneity is allowed, right? Everything has a question mark now: may I kiss you? May I squeeze your butt? Life has gotten less romantic.” Marie Van Uytvanck: “At parties, I still see - excuse me: saw - that happening, though: squeezing the butt. All my girl friends are bothered by it.” Nathan Bouts: “(*nods*) Some of my friends can’t go out for an evening of dancing without some dude grinding against them.” Billie Leyers: “But those are the creepy types. Only them still dare to try. Although: a while ago, I was walking over the Groenplaats with my bike in hand. Suddenly some guy asked me timidly if he could walk along. First I thought it was weird, but it was kinda cute too. He walked with me and said goodbye in a polite way. He probably noticed that my ‘I’m taken’-light was on. If I was single, I might have given him my number. That would be a nice story, right?” Do you think, just like almost one out of three young people, that #metoo is being greatly exaggerated? When asked the guys, it’s even 38 percent. Billie Leyers: “Difficult topic. I’m not that into hashtag MeToo, I guess.” Marie Van Uytvanck: “You have to be careful with statements like that. I do think people abuse the #metoo to get attention. It’s a small amount of people, but like that, they ensure that serious issues get cast into the shadow and that people even use the hashtag as a joke.” Something is happening though: 1 out of 4 girls say they’ve experienced sexual assault and intimidation. Billie Leyers: “Are those also the girls who get squeezed in the butt? For me, sexual intimidation resonates more with skewed balances of power at work. It’s still disgusting of course, but different than someone who puts his hand on your arm at the bar. I think we’ve gone too far in that issue. We’re all human and fumble about.” Marie Van Uytvanck: “You’re right in that. One time, there was a guy a few meters away, starting at a girl on the dance floor. Okay, that wasn’t nice, but it was the ‘Gentse Feesten’ (= a 10-day music and theatre festival in Ghent, known for its partying until the late hours) and everyone was drunk. Suddenly that girl said: ‘I’m gonna fix this.’ She went to get security and they tossed the guy out, while everyone was looking at him as if he was the biggest pervert, who assaulted her. On the other hand, I heard a lot of complaints of girls that they’ve been drugged at parties too.” Nathan Bouts: “Not only girls experience that. I was at a party once and a girl put a bottle of water in my hand, while asking: ‘You thirsty?’. I don’t know if that water was meant for me, but I’m sure they put something in it: I felt weird and dizzy afterwards, I barely made it home with my bike. At home, I sat on the toilet for three hours, not knowing where I was.” Of the girls who had sex, a third did experience it (once) against their wishes. 16 percent of guys state the same. Marie Van Uytvanck: “Last year I was on a trip to Berlin with my class. In the club a woman drugged one of the boys and got him off. If that’s not assault, I don’t know it anymore... But the weird thing was: the boy acted as if nothing was wrong. He even seemed proud of it.” Billie Leyers: “For men, the cliché still stands: every guy likes to get a blowjob. If the guy was proud for real, though, there shouldn’t be a problem.” Did you experience sex against your will, Nathan? Nathan Bouts: “Not really against my will, but it happens that I lose the desire halfway through. It’s my own issue: I get distracted really easily. I could be having sex and suddenly think: why did Nelson Mandela die? Or which color should I paint my wall?” Marie Van Uytvanck: “So relatable. Do you have ADHD too?” Nathan Bouts: “Could be: I’ve got the attention span of a squirrel. Sometimes I can get distracted by the abstract aspect of ‘sex’ itself: what in god’s name is my body actually doing? Then it suddenly gets too graphic.” Now I’m very curious of your first time. Nathan Bouts: “Terrible! When I was 14, I was going to, but then she changed her mind. I didn’t mind that it eventually took a few years: I was 17. What can I say about it? The expectations were high, but not a lot happened.” Billie Leyers: “Isn’t the first time clumsy for everyone? (*to HUMO*) Don’t you have any statistics about that?” Not about that, but I do have numbers about the age of young people when they first have sex. Guess. Nathan Bouts: “Pretty young, I guess. 14? 15? That’s what I hear around me.” 16,7. That’s barely a difference with 2015 (16,6) or even 2010 (16,8). And everyone keeps thinking that young people do it at a younger age. Billie Leyers: “I’ve had a false start, like Nathan: when I was 14, it almost happened. But as soon it was clear that he was going for more, I thought: ‘ho, we’re not going to do that!’ After that experience, it took me two more years before I went all the way. (*to Marie*) So, question: have you ever felt something for a guy?” Marie Van Uytvanck: “Yes. I can feel sexually attracted to a boy, but not romantically. I don’t get butterflies in my stomach for boys.” Five years ago 70 percent of girls thought love and sex should always go together, now only half thinks that way - just like the guys. Do girls have more meaningless one night stands too? Marie Van Uytvanck: “Just with someone random? I don’t like that at all.” Billie Leyers: “I think it might be something. I told before that I usually have long relationships, but in that period between two relationships my inner Samantha from ‘Sex and the city’ emerges and then I could go for a one night stand. When I’m single, I’m a different version of myself, more animal than human, and totally focussed on the physical.” Never had a bad experience? Billie Leyers: “Oh, I did. Once I thought, even before it ended: oops, I shouldn’t have done that. I didn’t stay the night, but I left at 6 o’clock in the morning. The regret already appeared. With a good one night stand, both parties are on the same wavelength: you both know it’s noncommittal, almost for sport.” Don’t you get looks for that, as a woman? Billie Leyers: “I’m not the last drunk girl on the dance floor and someone who sits on some other guys’ lap a half an hour later. If you go to your place with a one night stand in a discreet way, nobody will point fingers.” Nathan Bouts: “I wish I could do that, cut sex from love, but I’m too self-conscious for one night stands. Before I can be completely vulnerable, I have to know the other person through and through. Once, I’ve tried it, but as soon as we were laying in bed, I didn’t felt the spark anymore and I just wanted to leave. I couldn’t even get him up. I did went down on the girl and apologized: ‘Sorry, I don’t think more than this will happen’.” Marie Van Uytvanck: “Crazy that I heard that from a guy’s mouth, for once.” The young people who did have sex, have done it with an average of five different people. In 2015 it still was 3,3. With guys, the number is even higher than girls: seven compared to three. Nathan Bouts: “I’m far below that: I’ve only been with two girls in total.” Billie Leyers: “(*shocked*) Really? I’ve got more. That’s probably my Samantha that has something to do with that.” Marie Van Uytvanck: “I didn’t have that many sex partners either, especially with the whole closet-thing. If you have sex with a woman, then the question remains: what’s sex and what’s foreplay? Do you count going down as sex or foreplay? Even among us, dykes, we’ve got that kind of conversations. Everyone sees that differently.” Should you, as a girl, better name a lower number every time when it comes to sexual partners? Billie Leyers: “I guess you better not say a number higher than the average.” Marie Van Uytvanck: “I don’t have that impression. Don’t boys experience the same, nowadays? ‘He fucks everyone’.” Nathan Bouts: “Actually, yes. Men can be sluts too.” TRIO WITH A LOG From the survey we can conclude that girls go for partners of the same sex far more than boys. Billie Leyers: “Between my almost-first time and my real first time, I’ve been with a girl for a year. She was my best friend. Our first kiss was a joke, but soon enough it turned into something serious. We were in love, although you should take that with a grain of salt: we were in love like 15-year-olds could be in love. They didn’t know that at home: I only stayed over at her place for a suspicious amount. I can still feel attracted to girls, but I couldn’t be with a girl anymore. Emotionally, it’s too much and physical it’s too less.” Nathan Bouts: “Boys won’t admit quickly that they would like to try something with a boy. We still live in a macho culture.” The statistics are worrying: 1 out of 6 boys think it’s a problem if there’s a gay friend within their group. A quarter doesn’t think having a transgender between their mates is okay. Nathan Bouts: “I’ve kissed a dude before. I don’t think it’s disgusting at all. I can still look at a man and think: that’s a handsome man. Not that I have the desire to give him a blowjob, far from it, but objectively, I can still find a man beautiful. I think a lot of men think like that, but won’t dare to admit it. For me, that seems like bottled up macho frustrations. I’m not bothered by it.” Marie Van Uytvanck: “When I was prepubescent, I had a weird phase where I didn’t notice that I might be gay, even though it was as obvious as it could be. Not that I participated in gay bashing or made homophobic comments, but I pretended that I thought it was disgusting. I was probably scared of how people would look at me if they knew. (*to Nathan*) Did you know you’re in my podcast? I’m using a scene from wtFOCK where your voice can be heard. It’s such an amazing tv series for young people who are gay, because you guys treat it as a normal thing. As a teen, I missed characters or storylines where I could recognize myself in.” Nathan Bouts: “We’ve often received reactions from young people who are grateful for what we did. Because of us, they took that step to come out.” For the first time, we asked young people to define themselves. 9 percent checked the ‘bisexual’ box, 4 percent call themselves ‘gay’ or ‘lesbian’. How do you guys define yourself? Marie Van Uytvanck: “I’m homo-romantic and bisexual, but you can call me gay. Rather that than ‘lesbian’, because that sounds ugly.” Billie Leyers: “I think all those labels are a bit tiring.” Nathan Bouts: “Me too. If I have to, I’ll define myself as heterosexual, but at the same time I think it’s difficult to label myself. Who knows if in one year, I’ll meet a man whom I could fall in love with.” Marie Van Uytvanck: “Nice that you can admit that, as a man.” Something seems wrong with the tolerance of boys: two girls who walk hand-in-hand, is a problem for 7 percent of them and 28 percent still thinks it’s weird. Marie Van Uytvanck: “I never walk hand-in-hand on the street, but I wouldn’t do that with a boy either. I simply don’t like it. From the girls who do, I hear that they keep getting sexualized: then they’ll get horny comments directed at them.” Nathan Bouts: “It’s because of porn: lesbian porn is the most viewed category - I read that somewhere.” Are you part of the 30 percent that has seen porn with their partner? Nathan Bouts: “With a partner, I wouldn’t do that. You still have each other?” Billie Leyers: “Nowadays everyone can admit that they watch porn. Watching it together has a certain thrill to it. You’re getting horny by watching the same thing, without touching each other. That’s part of the fun.” Nathan Bouts: “Hm, maybe I should try it.” Something else you could try: sex with multiple partners at once. 6 percent of the sexual active youth has done it. Nathan Bouts: “I don’t know if that’s my ambition, a threesome. It would make me even more self-conscious. And I would think of the practical stuff: how do I organize that? What’s my role? Do I have enough hands to pleasure everyone?” Billie Leyers: “(*laughs*) You’ll need a log!” Marie Van Uytvanck: “Nowadays you see that question pass by a lot on Tinder: couples seeking a third party.” Billie Leyers: “In that concept, I would only like to be the guest star. It’s probably terrible to be the girl in that couple. Immediately, the next day, you’ll think: ‘Will my partner think she was more pretty or better?’ I would only get more insecure.” RACY MATERIALS And what about virtual sex? Of the experienced youngster, a third has done it. In 2015, it was only a quarter of them. Marie Van Uytvanck: “I wouldn’t dare. I already think that people spy on me through my camera. I would be scared to end up like those three famous people.” (= Two months ago, the nudes from three famous Belgian people were leaked and shared without consent on the internet, causing a storm in their personal lives as well as their fanbase and the Belgian people.) Billie Leyers: “Every time the conversation comes up, I think: I’m so happy I didn’t have to go through that.” Nathan Bouts: “Absolutely. (*makes a cross for good luck*) I’ve send a nude pic once too, but never with my face on it. Even if that gets leaked, nobody will know that it’s me.” Marie Van Uytvanck: “Will we ever know what happened with those people? Who knows, it might’ve been a hacker.” Who of you have seen the images? Marie Van Uytvanck: “Someone pushed them in my face, but I’m kinda blind - my sight is 3 out of 10 - so I didn’t see a lot (*laughs*).” Billie Leyers: “I’m teaching at an art school and I’ve heard 13-year-old girls scream to each other: ‘I’ve got Peter de Veire!’ As if it’s about Pokémon cards you could collect. I corrected her: ‘It’s Peter VAN de Veire and don’t you have something better to do?’.” Do you still dare to do it, sexting? Billie Leyers: “Yes. If my partner is on tour for three weeks, then it might derail to sending each other racy materials. But our bond of trust is strong. Plus: it feels comfortable to know that you have as much incriminating evidence of the other on your cell phone as he has of you.” In ‘De Morgen’, there was an article about the sexting-scandal, with the headline: ‘The spread position between prudish and voyeurism.’ Which side is the youth leaning into? Billie Leyers: “I wouldn’t know. On the one hand, you’ve got Cardi B who’s rapping about wet ass pussy and that sex is the most normal thing in the world, but if you click on a clip of one of those famous people, you’re suddenly a criminal. A weird position, yes.” Marie Van Uytvanck: “Nowadays with every topic, you’ve got two groups. Is Cardi B now the ultimate feminist or is her song just vulgar? It’s the first one for me. I think it’s cool if women can sing about their pussy too, whilst men can rap ‘suck my dick’ for years and nobody bats an eye.” Nathan Bouts: “I’m not a fan of the song, but it’s good that they talk about it. Except: if I open TikTok and see 9-year-old grind on that song, then I think: what image are they growing up with? Two females with fake breasts and a collagen butt who roll over the floor: soon they’ll think that every women needs to look like that.” Let’s end with romance: do you see yourself ever getting married? Almost 1 out of 4 think marriage is outdated. Nathan Bouts: “I don’t think so. Too expensive and too much effort.” Billie Leyers: “It doesn’t have to be expensive? I see the principle of marriage starting a revival soon. I would like to get married.” And then get two children? An average of two, like most young people? Billie Leyers: “I used to say ‘when I grow up, I want to have 12 children’. That’s because I’m from a big family myself, as were my parents. When the Leyers-clan organizes a family day, we need our own venue.” Marie Van Uytvanck: “I want to have kids, I just don’t want to push them out myself. The idea that a child grows inside you, I don’t like that.” Nathan Bouts: “I want kids too. Two to start, and then we’ll see. Some time ago, I saw a kid on the tram and thought tenderly: ‘A child of my own...’ A slight surge of nesting instinct, I guess.”

#wtfock #wtfam #nathan bouts #jens stoffels #skam

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sunsetcurve · 3 years

Text

so...the last year has been rough. for everyone. but i’ve been lucky in a lot of ways, especially with the people in my life, and i wanted to take a second to thank some people on here. because genuinely, you guys mean so freaking much to me. i’ve had a lot of online friends in my life but none that feel so much like family. these are the people who have carried me through the last year, who’ve made me feel seen and heard and supported me in all my endeavors and just been wonderful to me all around. i love you guys, and happy new year <3

i’m about to get into it now. and i’ll try not to cry too much along the way.

@neshatriumphs nesha, when i say that you’re our fandom mom i mean that you’re my family, i mean that you’re my biggest supporter, my inspiration, my rock, the person who makes me want to be my best self, all the time. i can’t explain to you what your support has meant to me over the years. whether it’s leaving me incredibly kind notes on my fics that make me want to write more just for you, or sending me asks when you know i’m feeling down, or just making me laugh with your hilarious takes, you have always, always been there for me. you’re the toughest person i know and you make me want to keep pushing every day. you’re so incredibly talented; your ideas are just always stunning and inspired and despite being humble about it you’re amazing at everything you do. your art, your writing, your aesthetics, all of it. loeg and share-a-lair were just spectacular and such a show of how complex and original and smart your writing is. barring just your talent you’re also an inspiration in how passionate and kind and dedicated you are. you care for others everywhere you go. you come on here and constantly make me want to be a better person. it’s not just me, either—you’ve taken on the role of helping all of us in any way you can, and you just make us feel loved and supported and give us someone to always look up to. i love you. plain and simple, you’re my family, and i’m so, so grateful to have you in my life.

@juliesdahlias you know when you meet someone younger than you and you’re like how do they have this much talent in their body? and you can’t even be mad about it because you just want to root for them and you want good things for them and you think of them like a little sibling? that’s me around you all. the freaking. time. pearl, i’m constantly blown away by how smart and driven and passionate you are. you have so much talent to offer the world and i love seeing you thrive more than anything. you inspire me every freaking day; i mean, your tiara thief drabbles literally made me pull my fic out of my drafts for the first time in months. every time you post it’s something iconic and beautiful, whether its your fics or your edits or your headcanons. and not just that, but you’re so incredibly supportive of everything i put out there. like with ths, the way you latched on to it and are one of our biggest fans and made content for it literally as soon as we started!! that was amazing!! you’re just such an incredible person in every sense of the word; you’re talented and hilarious and kind and passionate and i love you so so much. i cannot wait to watch you do amazing things because i know you’re gonna be one of the greats. ily.

@ciara-knightly i can’t even put this into words. i’m sitting here trying to say it right and every time i start i just turn into “!!!!!!!!” cause i love you so much. i know i’ve said this before, but shona, you’re honestly like my older sister. this whole year of just, really getting to talk to you beyond tumblr has shown me how honestly kind, passionate, smart, and supportive you are. talking to you is one of my favorite things in the world, whether it’s rambling about tiara thief, or discussing feminism in media, or just getting life advice. you always know what to say to lead me in the right direction and reassure me that things are gonna be okay. i look up to you more than i can tell you; i’m constantly inspired by your talent and your drive. you’re endlessly supportive and you make me laugh all the time, and i hold literally every convo we have close to my chest because it means so much to me to just be able to have them with you. i’ll never be over the fact that you basically discovered jatp, or us talking and making predictions for weeks before it aired, or us plotting out the whole dystopia novel together—which, even though it didn’t really pan out, was such an amazing experience because i got to do it with you. and i absolutely scroll back through our convos on a regular basis to scream over our tiara thief headcanons. everything i’ve done with you has been incredibly fun and meaningful, so what i’m trying to say in this very long winded way is that i’m so, so glad i know you, and i can never thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me.

@bitchmilsky lizzie, i literally think of you like you’re my little sibling. my weird, crazy, hilarious, incredibly kind and supportive and creative and amazing little sibling. ever since i met you you’ve been nothing but fun and friendly and wonderful to me. your posts never fail to make me laugh and i love seeing whatever you’re up to, even if it’s video games that i understand nothing about. you have so many fun ideas and you’re so freely yourself, it’s honestly inspiring. the things you make are always adorable and every time we go live together and chat i always have so much fun, and talking and i just want to meet you in person so badly because i know we’d be an amazing, unstoppable duo and that you’d make me laugh until my sides hurt. i’m still waiting on that cross-country road trip. we could roll the windows down and belt our way through the entire hd musical soundtrack, and it would be epic. for real, though, you’re one of my favorite people ever, and i hope this year brings you nothing but fun and good things because that’s what you deserve. i’m sending you a million virtual hugs and also booty shorts that say poggers on the ass. i love you <3

@zackmartn i know i’m gonna start crying right now because i love you so much and i’m trying not to because i just did my makeup but dammit, nikki, i just love you so much. i remember when i first came on here and was afraid to talk to you because i was like “ohmygod she’s so cool she’s the king of this fandom she’s amazing” but i thank god that you reached out to me every day. i honestly can’t imagine my life without you; you’ve been such a presence in it for so long that you’re inseparable from it. even the times i’ve gone on hiatus i’ve been stalking your blog from a distance like “i just wanna know what she’s up to...”. you’re honestly like an older sister to me and you’re one of the people i admire the most; you’ve been through and continue to go through so much and yet every day you come on here and decide to be a freaking light to all of us, to make me smile, to support me literally endlessly. like, the amount of times you’ve driven me to near tears from your reviews of my writing is ridiculous. the freaking umana fan club?? the way ths is one of your top tags??? it’s just...insane and such a show of how boundless your support is. and that’s not even getting into how freaking talented you are!!! i stare at your gifsets all the time!! and your fics like....holy shit you literally created this whole universe that i’m so freaking invested in and is better than literally anything that canon could ever do, and i know i’m honestly terrible at responding to messages but i hope you know you never have to start holding back with me. most of the time when i get stuff you send i have to sit there and get my thoughts together and that takes forever, but i love love love reading it anyway. the way you get excited about the things you love is everything, it’s something that i really really love about you, and i hope you continue to keep that passion and love for everything. and i hope that this year brings you nothing but good things, because you deserve that more than anyone. i love you.

@willexs eliza, babe, i know we joke all the time that we were put on opposite sides of the ocean because we’d be too powerful if we were together but i really think it’s true. imagine us meeting. the universe just wouldn’t be able to handle it; it would implode. listen, you’re literally like my twin, my other half. we have so much in common that it’s honestly ridiculous. we operate on the same brainwave, and every time we talk i’m blown away by how easy it is and i honestly love it so much because i could not have picked a more talented and creative and fun person to work with. writing ths with you has literally been like...one of my favorite writing experiences ever. i can’t believe that it started on such a whim because it’s such an important part of my life now and getting to have you next to me while we figure this whole thing out is honestly the best part. it’s not just all the characters and dynamics we’ve created, it’s the fact that i can send you incoherent ramblings at ungodly hours and you’ll pick them apart, it’s the 3-hour phone calls to make playlists, it’s you always making me feel heard and inspiring me. it’s this like...excitement of building towards something amazing with someone i love. you understand me on this crazy and fundamental level, and sometimes it blows my mind how similar we are and how well you know me without us having even met. i feel like we’re the embodiment of “nobody gets me like you”. and i know i’ve said this before, but i really do think you make me a better writer. i love how you make me laugh, i love that you always have the best takes and i love how talented you are with your incredible adorable art and your fics and your gorgeous edits and i love that we egg each other on and hype each other up. i love that, despite being on opposite sides of the ocean, we’re still best friends. and i love you <3

@cactus-con lou!!!!!! i literally just...ahh i love you so much!! i know i’ve said this before but you were the first person i talked to in this fandom, and you made me feel so freaking welcome. and that has never changed. talking to you is so easy and natural, and you make me feel loved and heard all the time. i love getting to share stuff with you because you always always always hype me up. not just that but like...your talent?? literally unmatched!!! you’re amazing at everything you do it’s ridiculous. i love love love all your artwork, i could stare at it literally all day. you have so much talent and i literally cannot wait to watch you do such great things with it. i just...you’re such a wonderful person to everyone around you. you spread all this love and support and kindness and i think you’re one of the most genuine people i know and i’m so so glad i know you. i hope this year treats you so well because you deserve nothing but good things. i love you. <3

@owenjoyners where do i even start?? brooke, you’re like my other twin. i know i’ve said this before but it’s literally insane to me that we’ve known each other for less than a year because it feels like i’ve known you my whole life. you are such an incredible freaking person. you’re funny and you’re kind and you’re talented and you make me smile every damn day. i love getting post notifs from you because i swear to god i light up every time. your gifsets are always gorgeous, and i’ve watched you learn and improve and you’ve gotten so good, it makes me so happy every time. your art??? you say you’re just starting out but i can’t even tell you how much i love it. your fics!!! you’re good at everything and it’s honestly ridiculous. and it’s not even about your consistently amazing posts, i also just...i love talking to you more than anything, even if we’re just simping over owen together. you make me laugh all the time and you always hype me up; you’ve let me ramble about my fics and helped me get my ideas together, you’ve talked stupid life stuff like school and college with me, and you’ve given me someone to go to whenever i need it. i think of you as one of my best friends and i can’t get over how fast we clicked or how easy it is to talk to you. i need you to come visit me so i can give you so many hugs and we can have a sleepover and talk for literally hours on end. in the meantime, we need to call again sometime because that was honestly so much fun. i love you with all my heart.

and some people i want to say thank you to, because even though we don’t talk as often as i’d like you’re still amazing, and you make me smile all the time, and i love seeing you on my dash or in my notes: @taylorswiftrulestheworld @onplanetmars @dr-rigatoni @swellviews-finest @symphonic-concert @molinasmercer

#nikki tag! 💛#lizzie tag! 💜#nobody gets me like you tag ❣️#nesha tag! 💟#brooke tag! 💙#lou tag! 💚#shona tag! 🌟#heather tag!#otter tag!#jamie tag!#k tag!#faith tag!#monisha tag!#pearl tag! 💖

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alarriefantasy · 4 years

Note

hi, my pet rabbit just died so i’ve been pretty down. i don’t cope well if this type of stuff; i bottle it up cause i’m uncomfortable talking about it with anyone. do you have any feel good happy fics. that’s just a lot of fluff and happiness please? thank you

Darling, I am sending you the biggest virtual hug I can!!!!! I know how it feels, I lost my dog last year who was 16, and it was the most devastating heartbreak I had felt in a long time. Our pets become our family, which means it’s equally hard to let them go.

With that being said, there are great fluffy fics throughout all those sections below, even the VDay ones have none VDay stories that are just lots of fluff. But, I’ll add some more recent fluff fics below, too! I really hope this helps :) <3

Domestic Fluff

First Time Fluff

Valentines Day Part 1 and Part 2

Fluff Fic Rec

Stealing Flowers by lululawrence

Words: 4k

Or the one where Louis pines after the Sexy Stranger on the Subway and almost asks him out. That's when the strange posters start showing up around Brooklyn.

I think I'm falling (I'm falling for you) by Only_angel_28

Words: 6k

Louis is a disaster gay on a skateboard. Harry is a beautiful, quirky stranger on a bicycle. Their first encounter really makes a splash.

Yahoo! by musketrois (B_kate)

Words: 6k

I think I’m in love with my roommate???? Harry typed into the question box.

Oh, shit. Love? Did he love Louis? This question was already turning out different than he originally planned. He continued typing before delving into that thought process.

or Harry turns to the Internet for romantic advice.

I Wanna Bring You Home by AFangirlFantasy

Words: 7k

Or, an au where Louis pathetically pines over Harry, and Harry may or may not give him what he wants.

happiness comes in on tiptoe by scagnetism

Words: 9k

There is a supermodel standing at Louis’ door. He suddenly feels extremely insecure about his unwashed hair and clothes that have seen better days. He’s sure his mouth has fallen open, but there is a supermodel standing on his doorstep.

Or, the AU where Louis is new to the neighborhood and Harry is the angel living next door.

Home Is Wherever I'm With You by twoshipstiedup

Words: 10k

Louis attempts to meet a random hookup on an ordinary Wednesday night.

He goes home with Harry instead.

Featuring match making friends and the triumphant return of the flower crown.

You come in waves (we crash and we roll) by rainbowslovehl

Words: 11k

Three times Louis makes a fool of himself in front of Harry and one time he doesn't.

Kiss From A Rose by lovelarry10

Words: 15k

Harry is the quiet one in the office no one ever notices. Until Louis does, that is. When notes start appearing on Harry’s desk, he ponders who is behind the kind words, oblivious to Louis’ attempts to get his attention...

You Are My Sunshine by lovelarry10

Words: 17k

Charlie is a happy little boy, he smiles and waves at everyone around him, making Louis the proudest dad. Charlie’s spark of personality and a well timed hello brings a stranger into his and Louis’ lives when they least expect it...

Absolutely Smitten by MyEnglishRose

Words: 20k

Or. Louis is walking his dog. Harry is walking his cat. Leashes get tangled, and feelings too.

The Goat Guy of Bethlehem by lululawrence

Words: 25k

Or every year, Harry and his family attend a church festival called Bethlehem. Harry's freshman year of high school Bethlehem expands, bringing in new vendors, including one that just might change everything for Harry. But first, he has to see if Anne and Robin are willing to part with him for the price of a few goats.

A Road To Something Better by taggiecb

Words: 25k

Louis Tomlinson, famous romance novelist, has just had the rug pulled out from under his feet when his boyfriend leaves him without notice. What's the most appropriate response to this? Move a thousand miles away and seclude himself in a tiny lake town, of course. But nothing is as he expects it to be in the very best way, especially not the handsome mayor of McAll, Idaho.

lavender dreams by larrystylinsonkink

Words: 77k

Louis is an outgoing person that goes to school for educational psychology and Harry is a biology major who happen to run into each other... a lot.

to lure a hummingbird (you had me moonstruck) by justlikelouis

Words: 81k

Or: An enemies-to-lovers fic where Harry and Louis are neighbours who are forced to get along due to the inconvenience (or convenience) of a broken elevator.

knock knock, i love you by beautlouis

Words: 86k

[Harry and Louis get kicked out of a statistics exam for passing a knock knock joke note, and subsequently fall in love. Harry's a virgin, there's a cat, a hot cocoa date, a lot of sex, even more knock knock jokes, and everything is lovely and happy.]

♡ credit to the owner of the manip

♡ past themed recs here

#ask

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plus-size-reader · 4 years

Text

Hunting

Harvey Kinkle x Plus size!reader

Word Count: 1,697 words

Warnings: none

Summary: Reader is a witch hunter who wants to teach Harvey about where he comes from, and what his family used to be.

———————————————————————————————————

Sabrina had done all the hard work for you when she told Harvey what she was, and what she'd done with his dead brother. Her bad choices hadn't left her with any other options, but from your position, it could only be a positive.

He was a descendant of a strong line of witch hunters and ignoring that part of himself wasn't acceptable.

It was his blood right to be a hunter, to at least learn what he was. At some point, someone was going to have to tell him the truth and in this moment, that someone was going to be you.

You knew where he was coming from and you understood.

You were one with him, one of his kind and it was only natural that the two of you be together.

There was nothing natural about the coupling of a witch and a hunter. It was unnatural and unacceptable as far as you were concerned. Your kind and theirs were natural enemies.

It was the only way.

The gunshot could be heard all over Greendale.

To everyone else, it was probably easy to ignore, simply background noise to their alright quite noisy existences. But to you, it was something else entirely. That gunshot to you, signified the start of something new.

You were going to turn Harvey Kinkle into a regular witch hunter before the week was out...guaranteed.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" you asked, brushing your hand lightly along his back as you passed behind his locker. The two of you had never spoken before today but that was only circumstance.

Soon enough, you two would have more to talk about than there was time for in the day.

However, you were going to need to get to know him a little better first.

He looked confused at your appearance at his side, considering he'd never met you before. That being said, he didn't feel the need to question it. Whatever it was that you needed to say, he was all ears.

After everything he'd learned recently about the world around him, there was nothing you could say that would shock him.

"You're a Kinkle right? Harvey?" You checked, already knowing that you were talking to the right guy. You needed a way to break the ice and start the conversation, and that would be the perfect way.

He nodded, still unsure of what you were getting at. It didn't make any sense to him.

However, there was something about you that drew him in, no matter how much he didn’t really want it. Somehow, he felt like he’d known you all his life.

“My name is Y/N Y/L/N, our families go way back” You grinned, watching a wave of recognition wash over his face. He had never personally met another Y/L/N but his grandfather talked about them all the time.

Apparently, they had been his closest hunting companions back in the day. Of course, it wasn’t until recently that he learned what kind of hunting.

Harvey wondered momentarily if you knew what your family did in their spare time? Was it possible that you knew their secret as well?

He couldn’t be sure.

“Yeah, granddad talks about your family all the time...they used to hunt together” he said, placing special emphasis on the word as if to try and convey some kind of secret message.

It nearly made you laugh as you looked at his face. He had so much to learn about who he was. He was a Kinkle after all, he should have been proud to come from such a strong bloodline.

“I know, we come from some very skilled hunters” you nodded, sending a wink his way to let him know that you, in fact, knew.

That was quite interesting.

At the very least, you could be sure that Harvey knew that he came from a hunter’s family line but more difficult would be connecting the dots to right now.

Hunters were a bit of a dying breed but for the families that still practiced your traditions, it was very important to keep it going.

“Harvey, I would like to take you hunting, if you’d allow me too. Animals of course, I wouldn’t want to make you uncomfortable” you assured, knowing that with his history with witches, it would take quite some time to get him to work up to something like that.

You were no monster.

You wanted Harvey to know that you had his best interest at heart and that he could trust you because you two were of the same kind.

The hunting life was one that he should be proud of, abundantly proud of for all his life.

Though at first you could see that he wasn’t sure.

Harvey had only attempted hunting for the first time recently with his own family and that had went terribly.

He just had no idea if it was a good idea to try to do it again with a virtual stranger.

However, there was something about you that drew him in. You were the only connection he had to the part of himself that he’d never known.

At the very least, he wanted to see what you could teach him.

What could it hurt?

The two of you agreed to meet out by the mines at first before heading into the dense woods.

There wasn’t very much interference from people out here and it was nothing but trees for as far as the eye could see.

You had always found peace surrounded by woods. It reminded you just how small you all were and made you feel weightless, as if you were floating through the air, moving in unison with the leaves on the trees.

Every sense that you had was heightened, and every movement had intention behind it.

It was perfect, and you were so happy to be able to share a moment like that with Harvey.

The leaves crunched beneath your feet as you walked through over fallen branches and acorns. Behind you, you could also catch Harvey’s more tentative steps.

“There, do you see that?” you whispered, turning back to look at him. You’d been tracking a buck through the woods this entire time, and it was all coming together now.

Laying in the clearing with a single buck, his ears relaxed and his breathing steady. He had no idea that you were even there, which was perfect.

The brunette nodded, holding the shotgun tightly to his frame as he tried to decipher what your next move would be.

He had never been in this situation before, and he wasn't sure if he'd be able to go through with it. However, he didn't want to disappoint you. It was clear that you cared a lot about all this stuff, and he wanted to know as much about it as possible.

After all, it was in his blood.

It should have been easy. All he had to do was pull the trigger, and you would take care of everything else.

When he looked over at you for some guidance, you had your rifle at your side, the barrel in the dirt. You were waiting for him, this was some kind of test. Harvey took a deep breathe, trying to steady his heart as he raised the barrel up toward the animal.

All he had to do was pull the trigger, but he couldn't.

He didn't want to kill an animal if he didn't have to. It just wasn't something he ever thought he would have to do.

"Steady Kinkle, you have a clear shot" you encouraged, already knowing well enough that he wasn't going to take it. You knew from the moment you met him, but you weren't upset.

Harvey had a trait that most other witch hunters didn't, he cared. He cared about the well being of other living things, and he wouldn't even hurt a fly if he could help it. It was strange to you but in some way, you admired it.

You had never stopped to think before pulling the trigger. Perhaps you were distant from it, too distant. All you did was shoot and watch something die a few feet away, all without blinking an eye...

But maybe you didn't have to be that way.

"I'm sorry, I can't do it" he huffed, after a few seconds. He had just been watching the deer through the scope of his gun and he'd made his decision. There was no way that he was going to kill it.

He just couldn't.

It wasn't as if he was doing this out of necessity. He didn't have to kill it to survive or for food or anything like that. There was absolutely no reason he could think of other than impressing you, and if this was what it took, it wasn't worth it.

However, you weren't angry like he thought you would be. Instead, you had a smile on your face...which he just didn't understand.

"I know, I'm glad" you hummed, taking his gun and laying it on the ground with your own.

Once they were safely out of the way, you threw your arms around his neck, giving him the biggest hug in the world.

He had been given a choice that you never were, and you were so happy with his choice. No one had ever asked you if you wanted to hunt and kill witches. It was never a matter of what you wanted, but Harvey did get to choose.

...And he'd made the right one.

"I'm lost, I thought you wanted me to hunt with you?" he wondered, shocked that you were now changing your tune. He thought for sure that you would be angry with him like his father was when he couldn't do it.

But you were still smiling.

"I did, but I would never make you...it's not who you are" you hummed, finally stepping away from him once it donned on you that you face was still a few inches from his own.

Harvey had a better way and maybe, in time, he could teach you.

#Harvey kinkle #harvey kinkle x ps reader #harvey kinkle x plus size reader #caos #caos x ps reader #caos x plus size reader #the chilling adventures of sabrina #the chilling adventures of sabrina x ps reader #the chilling adventures of sabrina x plus size reader

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northpolenotes · 6 years

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Auntieviews Volume 7: Laurie Mathisen – The Pizza with Lots of Toppings Aunt

Hello there fellow Aunts and Aunties. Welcome back to Auntieviews. I recently had the pleasure of virtually meeting Laurie Mathisen through a FaceBook Group for Aunts. I thought Laurie would be a great person to interview for 2 reasons. First, she’s been an Aunt since she was 12 years old! Wow! That must have been a fun childhood. And second, she’s also a Great Aunt now since her nieces and nephews have started families of their own. I thought that dynamic would be fun to hear about so I just had to pick her Auntie brain.

Background

Laurie was born and raised in small town of Eagle River, Wisconsin. She loves it there because she’s surrounded by her entire family and gets to enjoy all four seasons. She’s a self-proclaimed “homebody”, but does enjoy a night out every now and again at a concert or comedy club. If you’re ever in the area, you might also spot her at the local art studio enjoying an instructional paint night. If not, that means she’s probably partaking in one of her hobbies at home. She loves to read, journal, and watch a movie while snacking on her favorite treat, Twinkies.

Before I began the interview, simply asked Laurie, “What’s something special or unique about your relationship with your nieces and nephews?” To which she replied, “With no kiddos of my own, I treasure the relationships I have with my nieces and nephews. My oldest nephew is 31, is married and has 2 kids of his own. They live about 30 minutes from me but I see them often. I love being around the next generation of nieces and nephews. When I spend time with them, my own problems disappear for a while. It’s a nice escape for me and they remind to just be in the moment, not to stress about things, and to laugh…a lot of laughing.” That put a smile on my face. Laughter is some of our best medicine, and who better to share it with than family?

Now let’s get on with Laurie’s Auntieview.

The Interview:

1.) Please describe your background as an Aunt. What are the names of your nieces/nephews? Are you an Aunt by relation, choice, or both? How many do you have? How long of you been an Aunt? How old were you when you first became one?

I first became an aunt when I was only 12 years old. My sister is 10 years older than me and was married at 19. She & her husband lived in CA when my first nephew was born; the rest of the family on both sides were in WI. My sister needed gallbladder surgery about 5 months after Ryan was born so I was able to spend the summer out in CA helping her take care of him. I was the first person in the family to meet Ryan; when I got off the plane and saw just my sister standing there my first question was “where’s Ryan?” (he was with my BIL at baggage claim).

I have 5 nephews, 1 niece, 1 great-niece & great-nephew. They are all by relation.

Ryan is 31, is a guidance counselor at a local high school and married to Sara who is 32, and works at a local technical college. They were high school sweethearts so she has been part of the family for 14 years. They have blessed me with a great-niece, Emma who is 4 and a great-nephew Jack who is 1.

Zachary is 24, lives in LaCrosse, is gay and the sweetest young man I know.

Aaron is 22, lives in our hometown, and works construction. He is tough on the outside, but a heart of gold on the inside.

Nicolas is 25. He recently moved to Nevada to work on the Hoover dam for 3 years. He is the one nephew I could count on if I needed anything done around my house, I miss him, but I’m proud of the responsible adult he has become.

Carter is 23, lives in our hometown, and has started working construction. He is slowly finding his way in the world but would give you the shirt off his back if you asked.

I loved those 5 boys so much; even though at times I wanted to strangle them…boys can be little monsters! Haha!

2.) Are you also a Mother or are you a childless Aunt?

Childless

3.) If you are childless, is that by choice or by chance?

I’m not sure if its choice or chance. I never married and now being 44 I know biologically I won’t have a child. I’ve thought of adoption or even fostering kids, but at the same time, I’ve realized I’m a bit selfish with my free time. I love being an aunt because I can take the kids for the day, yet give them back and have my own life.

4.) If you can think back to when you were first told you were going to be an Aunt, what were some of the emotions that you felt? For example, pure excitement? Anxiety?

I may have only been 12 years old, and my sister was 10 years older than me, but we were close. When she told me she was pregnant, I was ecstatic!!

5.) What do your nieces or nephews call you? Did you choose it or did they choose it for you?

My mom started calling me “Mouse” shortly after I came home from the hospital because I made squeaking noises more so than crying. The nickname stuck with family and close family friends. Around the time I was in middle school, I didn’t want to be called Mouse anymore. Then my oldest nephew was born when I was 12 and I didn’t want to be called “Aunt Laurie”, so I said that Ryan could call me Aunt Mouse. It stuck with the nephews that were born after him. Even now that all of them are grown men, I am still Aunt Mouse. My great-niece Emma calls me Mousie.

6.) Many Aunts are often looked at and referred to as second Moms to their niblings. Do you feel like that’s a fair way to describe your relationship?

To my sister’s 3 boys, I am definitely the second mom. I was a little closer to them while they grew up and involved in their lives a bit more than my brother’s 2 boys. My brother’s wife isn’t always the easiest to get along with and her side of the family was always put first over ours. I’m close to all my nephews, but I have different relationships with all of them.

7.) Do you live close to your nieces and nephews or are you a long-distance Aunt?

2 of my nephews live in the same town as I do; 1 nephew & his family live about 30 miles away; 1 nephew is about hours away, and 1 nephew is living in Nevada but only for 3 years, then he will be moving back to our hometown.

8.) As an Aunt, what do you consider to be the biggest value you bring to your family?

I love the kids unconditionally. There’s really not much that I wouldn’t do for them, within reason, and they know they can count on me.

9.) In general, why do you think Aunts are important within families?

Aunts are an extension of the parental units. We can offer advice, talk honestly with them, and give them the support they need.

10.) Even though your niblings needs have evolved from when they were very young until now, is there anything about your relationship with them that has remained constant?

We still celebrate all the holidays together. I still send or give birthday cards with money in them, even though most of them have better-paying jobs than I do. In this day and age of social media and technology, I’m in touch with most of them on a daily or at least weekly basis.

11.) I make it a point to schedule “just us” time with my niblings. Do you do the same? If so, what are some of your favorite activities to do with them?

When the boys were little, going to the movies or arcade was a thing we did often. When I spend time with my 4-year-old great-niece, we like to do arts and crafts. I also take her and her brother to the park a lot.

12.) What is one good piece of advice that you would give it to any new Aunt?

Don’t step on the parents’ toes, but love that little person with all you have. They’ll return that love in ways you never knew possible.

13.) What is one of the biggest difficulties you’ve experienced as an Aunt? How did you overcome it if at all?

When my one nephew came out as gay it was hard for him to admit, though honestly, I knew from the time he was about 2-3 years old. I never judged him, but he judged himself harshly and tried to hurt himself as he wasn’t sure how some of the family and his friends would react. It was a stressful time but he gained strength from knowing he had everyone’s support.

14.) What’s your proudest moment as an Aunt?

Seeing all of my nephews grow up to be caring, strong, hard-working young men. They are all far from perfect, but I am proud of each of them.

15.) If you could go back in time and give your younger Auntie self a piece of advice but would it be? And why?

Enjoy the times when they are little and want to spend time with you. Savor the snuggles and kisses, because the day will come that you’ll be lucky to get a quick hug or 5 minutes alone with them.

16.) I was once told that being a Mom is all cake and being an Aunt is like icing on the cake. How do you feel about that comparison?

I think that’s true. Mom’s have so much more responsibilities than Aunts do. We can love and support the kids just as fiercely as they do, but at the end of the day, the moms are the ones that have to make the tough choices and decisions. As aunts, we get to be the ones who swoop in and offer mom a break, play with the kids, share laughs and jokes, then leave.

17.) If you had to compare your role as an Aunt to one food what would it be and why?

I would say pizza with lots of toppings. Everyone loves pizza, and there are many different varieties; just like there are many different varieties of aunts and their relationships with their nieces and nephews.

Would you like to share your story of Aunthood?

Use the contact form below and I’ll email you back to get your Auntieview started!

[contact-form-7]

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mysticalreadingnerd · 6 years

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Daisies Blooming by the Sidewalk (Credence Barebone x Reader Imagine)

Words: 1424

Summary: You have always felt insecure about yourself and when some local girls taunt you over your looks you turn back to old habits. Credence decides to show you that being plain doesn’t mean you are any less remarkable in his eyes.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fantastic Beasts or any of its characters, much to my regret. GIF credits to the owner.

Triggers: SELF HARM, mentions of bullying, blood.

You stared at your reflection in the bathroom mirror, the bright lights bathing you in a warm glow. But the eyes that gazed back into yours were dull, lifeless. As if a Dementor had sucked your soul and left an empty husk in its place. Ugly. That was the word which reverberated in your skull as you analysed your features. Pallid skin, with an off centre nose and stringy hair that hung limply around your head. If God was a generous being who created things of beauty, then he was definitely in a bad mood when he created you. At least that’s what the girls from the neighbourhood said. Weird, ugly Y/N L/N who always caused things to go wrong. Who couldn’t attract a guy even if her life depended on it.

A sigh escape your chapped lips. Where was the lie in that? The cold metal of the razor blade brought an odd comfort to you, almost bringing relief with its familiarity. You pulled back the long sleeves of your shirt. The skin on your arms was littered with jagged white lines, a testament of years spent in the comfort of the blade, of years being picked upon and called unflattering names. A misfit among your peers. You placed the tip against your skin gazing at the unmarred patch that would relieve your internal agony, even for just a while. Drops of red oozed out of the cut and you pulled it with calculated precision, the pain calming the fire that had erupted in your soul.

“Y/N… I was just wondering if you have some milk? We are out…” a soft voice trailed off, its owner looking at your deer caught in the headlights expression with confusion. Shit! You had forgotten to lock the door and Credence had chosen this very moment to enter unannounced. His eyebrows knitted and eyes widened in shock as he took in the image of you standing at the sink, a blade clutched in your fingers with blood pooling in the basin. “You are hurt!” he rushed to take the blade out of your reach but you were faster and hid it behind your back. “Y/N? What…?” You merely shook your head, ashamed that of all the people to see you in this state it was Credence who had found out.

Just your luck that the beautiful boy next door with the shy smiles and soft words, upon whom you had been crushing on from the moment your brother Jacob introduced you two, would be the one to discover you at your lowest. Credence Barebone. He of the strong jaw line and model like features. If looks could kill, you would have been six feet under ages ago. The guy who carried a weight in eyes from a dark past but still managed to bring sunshine in everyone’s life. Hot tears trailed down your cheeks as you refused to let go of the sharp instrument, your lone stress reliever ever since the mocking had started. Your bleeding hand hung limply at your side, staining the floor with drops of dark crimson.

He approached you with the caution of a wounded animal, gently taking your hand in his and loosening the grip on the blade. He kept it away before carefully caressing your bleeding arm, the cut sealing itself as if it had never been there. “Y/N, what happened?” He placed a finger under your chin, pulling your face upwards so that you were staring in his chocolate brown eyes. Three simple words were all it took to open the flood gates. Now you openly sobbed, burying your head in his chest, clutching his shirt with your recently healed hand. His hand tangled itself in your hair, stroking it gently while he returned the hug. “I just…I just can’t take it anymore. I can’t take the pain clawing at me, without feeling like it will tear me apart if I don’t find an outlet for it.” You pulled away from the embrace to stare in his confused eyes. A finger traced your scars, almost mocking you like the neighbourhood girls. “Look at me. Why am I so…ordinary? So plain? They call me the ugly duckling whenever I cross paths with them. Maybe they are right… maybe I’m just a waste of space.”

On hearing the words said in such a helpless tone, Credence’s heart broke at the pain you had been holding onto for so long. His fingers replaced yours, and he traced your scars with own calloused ones, gently gliding over your skin with his warm touch. Despite yourself and your recent outburst, you relaxed under his touch. It had always been so easy to be comfortable in his presence. “Y/N. I don’t know who these people are… who are blind enough to call you such horrid names but, I don’t think you are ugly.” You scoffed at his words. A part of you knew that he meant it to be comforting but you had been suffering from bottling it up for too long. “Ugly, plain, ordinary, average, unremarkable. You can try to soften the blow but that doesn’t change the truth.”

The tears gleamed on your cheeks which had become red and puffy from crying. Credence placed his hands on both of them, cupping your face so that your eyes wouldn’t escape the hypnotic trance of his gaze. He had your undivided attention. “You know, when we first met, you reminded me of daisies.” You idly wondered where he was going with this and what it had to do the current situation. “People often think that daisies are plain and unassuming, weeds that are meant to be uprooted. But their resilience in never giving up despite the world being against them is something that I really admire. It is also something that I find similar to you.” He tucked a stray lock of your hair behind your ear. “And besides, I like how they bloom even in the harshest places, brightening up dull corners. Such innocent little ones that always take people by surprise.”

You stared at him, awestruck by his words. Never had anyone made plainness sound so desirable. He took your hand in his, bringing you closer and intertwining his fingers with yours. He stared at your joined hands and you were struck by the way in which the scars on his hands seemed to merge with your own. Almost like magic had left its mark in tangible form, transforming the scars into a thing of beauty. “I used to think on similar lines, that I would always be a tarnished boy who deserved the beatings that he got.” He whispered softly and you were taken aback by how close he was standing to you. The warmth of his body radiated towards you, engulfing you in a sense of security. You couldn’t believe what you were hearing. How could someone as pure and wonderful as Credence deserve being beaten up so much that it left a lasting mark on him?

“But I have found that there are always things that we deserve far more than any pain we receive.” He looked up at you and it felt as if he was staring in your soul. Credence took another step towards you, so that you were standing an inch apart. His next words fanned your face with his warm breath. “Love is something that we all deserve.” His gaze drifted from your eyes to your lips, making his intentions clear. And as his lips descended on yours, warm and feather light in the faintest of touches, you couldn’t help but respond in equal fervour. You two broke apart and he bumped his forehead onto yours. “I love you, my daisy.” He brushed his nosed against yours, a small smile playing on his lips.

An hour back you would have never thought it possible. But now, the biggest grin you could manage stretched your cheeks into expanses of joy. “Finally!” You both jumped and stared up to see Queenie and Jacob standing at the door smiling at you two. “The two cuties are finally together! Don’t they look perfect with each other?” the chirpy blonde gave a cheer. “Young love”, Jacob shook his head, sighing wistfully. You grinned at their words, placing a quick kiss on Credence’s cheek as he took your hand in his. His calluses brushed roughly against your hand reminding you that not all scars were reminders of pain. Some were signs of strength and resilience. Maybe being plain wasn’t that bad after all.

A/N: This has taken ages for me to write not because I didn’t want to write it but because I’m a procrastinating little shit. Anyway, I hope you like this lovely anon. And never believe the haters, every person is beautiful in their own way. It just takes a while and the right person to discover and enhance it. I’m pretty sure you are just as beautiful as our lovely Credence basking in some well deserved love. With that wonderful imagery in mind, I send loads of virtual love!

~ Mystical Reading Nerd

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silverbulletsama · 6 years

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I'm desperate Nicole. When I found out my grandma and grandpa used to have cancer, then my mama's cancer and now papa's it too, I start to believe that if one day we're able to know exactly what gene fault cause cancer, ppl carrying it shouldn't procreate. I'd fight anyone says it's their right or inhumane. No they don't understand or never will till their loved one diagnosed with cancer. I call them selfish if they know their kids have high risk of inherit fault gene and still they wanna "try"

It’s very difficult for me to answer this question because this is such a sensitive topic and I worry I might upset anyone without meaning to. So I will go ahead and apologize in advance if something I say here upsets anyone: I really do not mean it.

I am also very sorry that you have to go through such a cruel experience. Losing members of your family or watching them suffer while you sit around, unable to do anything is the cruelest thing anyone can go through... and I have personally been through this and it left me with scars that will never, ever heal. This is why I relate to your feelings and I send you the biggest virtual hug out there, in hope that it will, even if slightly, help you feel better... just a little bit. Please know that you are not alone and if you ever feel like you want to talk off-anon, I am more than happy to listen.

That being said, and jumping to your main ask... please know and be sure that no one would ever want their children to witness such a horrible experience. There are many parents who are selfish, yes indeed... but when it comes to Cancer... things are different.

Cancer is a genetic disease. This does not mean that Cancer is hereditary. It means that Cancer is caused by a dysfunction in genes. Cancer may be hereditary in some minor cases (aka transmitted in the family), but in 90% of the cases it is not.

The problem with Cancer is that... it is inevitable. Research estimates that everyone would eventually get Cancer if they live long enough... but often, people die of other causes much sooner.

Since Cancer is a dysfunction in genes, it is due to mutations that affect multiple genes at the same time. Because those genes are very sensitive, when you mutate them, they stop regulating the cell division in the body, which leads to more mutations going un-repaired, and cancer eventually becomes worse. This is why Cancer is inevitable... it is also why Cancer is a very complicated genetic disease.

Please note that when we say a Cancer is hereditary it can mean two things:-The same Cancer is in the family aka some/all members will eventually have it depending on which genes are involved.-The mutated genes are available in the DNA of the family in one copies. Aka the family doesnt have Cancer but it is highly susceptible to developing Cancer.

Sadly, not until few years ago did Science manage to track down the genes involved in Cancer and figure out the pathways that get messed up. This is why... it is sadly too late for the people of earlier generations. Nonetheless, today, it is easier for families, through genetic counselling, to know if they are susceptible to Cancer and to what extent. It is now easier for them to know beforehand what they are committing themselves to.

If the same Cancer runs in the family, or if the family is susceptible to Cancer, preventive measurements should be taken before attempting to procure. Of course Science still needs a long way to make this possible.

I don’t want to start an ethical debate about this issue, but from my understanding, people who interbreed (aka marry close relatives) are often subjected to genetic tests to determine if their offspring will get any diseases. This often, in my country at least, decides whether the marriage should occur or not. It’s mostly for blood diseases such as sickle cell disease. However, if the couple realize that there is no way that their children will be born healthy, they are often separated and do not get marry to spare their children the disease.

Since Cancer is highly unpredictable, there is no guarantee that healthy individuals won’t get offspring with the disease. Nonetheless, genetic testing is now able to determine if the children have a high risk of developing Cancer if the parents are susceptible or if a Cancer runs in the family.

Most of the time, ignorance and poverty block the way. Every time a new development in the genetic field arises, it brings about a huge ethical and social debate about the accessibility of the population to the invented methods. Genetic counseling is too expensive. Most of the population can’t seek it. Only the rich can and those are the minority. Since governments still haven’t realized the importance of the field and did not support it financially to make it accessible for everyone, for free... there are hundreds of children born every year with diseases and defects that could have been prevented had the parents sought genetic counselling. I can’t blame the parents much. I follow the party that blames the Governments in that debate.

With the rise of CRISPR as a genetic tool that can alter the genome - and its ability to, one day, cure the diseases that the newly-born children might suffer, by just editing their DNA when they are in the womb, new opportunities arise. This is, however, still unethical at this point. Nonetheless, even if, decades from now, this becomes possible, I highly doubt it that it would help prevent Cancer much. This disease is so complicated that preventing it at birth will not be enough to fend it off forever... sadly, without a way to reverse the mutation effects (that keep building up), there is no way to stop it.

I understand your frustration. Please know that millions of people around the globe share it. You are not alone. I know it’s difficult, but please remember that at the time you were born, and at the time your parents were born... they had no way of knowing... I know this is not enough to give you closure...but please understand that this decision is within a huge ethical, social, and economic debate that... unfortunately, won’t be resolved any soon.

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mliknhoney-blog · 6 years

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16 - Update + February Trends

New Year, new blog post. Happy 2018 lovelies! Sorry for going MIA on my blog, but I’m finally back and I decided because it’s a new year, I want to incorporate another aspect to my blog. My blog leans towards the girly and feminine side of fashion. From here on, I am also going to be posting about the fashion world of men. That may include hypebeast brands and styles that are arising. Not only that, but I want to hit every aspect of fashion including sneakers and their releases. I want my blog to be the center of all your needs in the fashion and clothing world. I really look forward to branching out my blog to an even bigger retrospect. I want everyone to be welcome and not just have a one sided audience.

Also, thank you to every single one of you guys who actually keep up with my blog posts. It truly means a bunch to me that there are people out there who enjoy reading my content. If I could I would literally give you the biggest hug ever, but because I can’t really do that, I’ll send you a virtual one instead. :)

I didn’t want this post just to be dedicated on an update on my blog so, to start off I’m going to quickly share a few of fashion trends that I have been digging this month.

Transparent Clothing

Recently I have seen quite a lot of people styling sheer shirts, whether it’s just a solid color or has some sort of pattern on it. It has really been quite a piece to look into having. You can wear these shirts on top of a really cute bralette, sports bra, or just a plain undershirt. But, you can also layer an oversized shirt over on top if you want to go for a more vintage and a different take on styling it. Either way, you can easily get complimented for whatever look you were going for.

Primary Colors

This trend is one of my favorites. Lately, I have really been drawn to the use of incorporating bright colors into my looks. It started when I started wearing the color yellow and from there I began wearing brighter shades of red and blue. One of my favorite YouTubers, Conan Gray, is the ultimate persona of styling primary colors. He has a really good sense of fashion that is very vintage and retro. I have been really inspired by his looks on a daily basis and try to create that vintage-mom look he goes for.

Track/Sport Pants

If you haven’t seen or even own a pair of the iconic adidas trainers/track pants, where have you been all this time? The past couple of months track pants have been gaining in popularity and have been worn out. Some other brands that have been releasing good pairs are Fila, Nike, Puma, and Kappa. I feel like this is will be a trend that should be around for a while, so you can still invest in a pair and you’ll still be in trend with everyone else. But, who am I kidding, you don’t have to own a pair to be “cool” or in “trend” because you can decide what you enjoy and feel comfortable wearing.

Just a reminder, you don’t have to go out and buy expensive new pieces of clothing just to “fit” in with everyone else. Everyone has their own style and you just need to find out what works for you. If anything, you can go to your local thrift shop and find a true gem to add to your closet. I will be posting every Saturday, so stay tuned for another post next week. I’m excited to start writing about fashion again and I hope that you have a beautiful magical wonderful day! <3

#fashion #trends #conan gray #kappa #champion

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cookiecielo · 6 years

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My Heart is Still Full

This is a long overdue thank you post I have been wanting to write since deliberation day in law school (which is May 2016, I’m bad I know!!). Not that I have been less thankful as each day pass by, I cannot write because my heart is so full of emotions that I feel like I cannot think of a word, a phrase or a sentence to capture how I am really feeling.

It was May 19, 2016 when I learned that I will be graduating from law school. It was five years of sweat and tears. I was a working student. How could have I done it? I was at awe. Until this day, I still cry when I remember sending a text message to my Nanay, Tatay and my brother saying “graduate na tayo!” Graduation day was all blur because I was already starting my bar review at that time. The four or so months of bar review was like walking on thorns everyday. I laugh and then I cry then I laugh and cry at the same time. Crazy, right?

Then Novembar came and I was at my lowest of lows. First week was devastating. Second week was haunting (Civ is still haunting me until this day). Third week was heart breaking. Fourth (and last week at last) was surrendering everything to some One bigger than any one of us. My biggest surprise is to see my whole family in the Salubong. I am having the chills again just remembering that.

These things all led to the day that the bar exam results came out. I might need another post just to detail how that day unfolded for me. It was a roller coaster of emotions. And until that day, I never knew that I was capable of being that happy.

With that too long of a back story, let me start my sending my thanks and love to the following:

To the Lord Almighty, thank You for giving me just the right amount of everything in my life that made me who I am today. This is all according to His unending grace. To St. Augustine, St. Jude, St. Isidro, St. Padre Pio, Our Lady of Manaoag, Our Lady of La Naval, Pink Sisters, St. Raymond, St. Thomas, St. Pope John Paul and to all the Saints and Blessed in heaven, thank you for the intercession and for praying for me to God.

To my Nanay and my Tatay, thank you for always believing in me and supporting me every step of the way. Getting me through law school is never easy but you never gave up on me. I appreciate all the things you are willing to do for me- preparing my baon, waking up early, ironing my uniform, picking up calls and then letting me cry over the phone, telling me I’ll pass, believing in me when I don’t even believe in myself- the list is endless. To my brother Owie, thank you for always having my back and front and side. Thank you for being whatever I need during the whole bar review. I could not ask for any better brother than you already are.

To UST Law, my professors and the Dean Nilo, thank you for the five years of carino brutal. I will not go back to law school even if I get paid a million for every year that I enrolled. Everything I learned and applied in my bar exams I learned from this institution. I wish I could go on, one by one, with how each of my professor helped me understand the concepts of law but that would take an entirely new post. This is just a general thank you for helping me become a Thomasian Lawyer.

To UP Diliman and the Department of Political Science, thank you for opening my eyes to the real world. Thank you for showing that I should not see things as they are but rather I should see things as how they should be. I know I fail most of the time, but thank you for teaching me that before my self, I should give back to my country. I may have finished my law studies in Espana (Manila) but in my heart malayong lupain akin mang marating, hindi rin magbabago ang damdamin.

To my Ninang Che, thank you for the endless times you re-assured me of your support and love. I was so scared when I resigned to focus on my bar review, but you made me feel safe knowing I could always run to you when I have problem or if anything goes wrong.

To my Revilla family, thank you for the support and prayers and virtual hugs you sent me. I know that we stormed heaven with prayers. You guys are family to me, always and forever.

To my Santos family, thank you for all the prayers you are sending my way. I appreciate all of it.

To my bestfriend Eman, thank you for listening to my endless rants. I know I sound crazy most of the time but you listened anyway. Thank you for sponsoring a part of my hotel fees. I will be grateful for the rest of my life.

To my girleys and boylets and the rest of my high school bunch, thank you for forgiving me for everything I missed and for still loving and supporting me anyway.

To my DFBF JM, thank you for showing yourself up during the most troubled time of life. I appreciate your messages and all the support you showed me.

To Anj, thank you for showing up when I needed you most. How could have I survived law school without you? I never want to know.

To JP, thank you for the virtual barops. Thank you for sending some sense in my life. You are always a kuya to me.

To Krae and Hazel, thank you for the friendship that goes beyond being classmates or seeing each other too often. I sent my tears and my smiles through text and chat but I still feel your love just the same.

To Angel, Mila, KC, Leslie, Tel, Mariole and Jill, thank you for bearing with me in our “roommates” escapades. We could have met each other at a different time but it surely is more meaningful having you gals around through five years of law school.

To Alain, Edu, Doy , Jeff and Krem, I am grateful for everything we had to go through together. Law school was so much more fun having you guys around.

To Vic, Chie, Yeh, Nars, Rainier, Leo, Monique and Justice, I am thankful for the fun you added into my crazy law school life.

To 1AA, 2AA, 3AA and 4C and another 4C, thank you for being the best classmates ever! I don’t know why you trusted me to be your class president for two years. But thank you!

To Ate Lovely, Dani and the rest of my MMC family, thank you for letting me take the first step on this working student thing. I found real friends in you mga ‘te.

To my SPD, OJ5, co-RAs and the rest of the AFP friends, thank you for letting me do the things I always wanted to do and paying me for it. Had things gone differently, I would still very much be with you. You are all family to me.

To my team and the rest of Legal GSC, thank you for letting me do my thing and accepting me back like nothing has changed. Your support means the world to me.

To Fr. Henry, thank you for praying me and guiding me to believe in God with all my heart.

To my go to person, thank you for getting me through bar review, bar exams and waiting for the bar results.

To the rest of my friends, my family’s friends, the St. Augustine Parish community and the whole community who raised me and prayed for me, thank you very much!! My whole family is thankful for having you guys in our lives.

To everyone I may have unintentionally missed mentioning here, know that I am thankful and appreciative of all that you have done for me. This is a momentary slip of the mind, not because you are not important, but because I am getting old like that.

Sending you all the love, peace, prayers and happiness from my full heart to yours.

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canyousevmyheavydirtysoul · 7 years

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I Prefer The Drummer. (Part 2) (Josh Dun x Reader)

Note: I am sincerely sorry about the non-existent updates lately, but things are quite hectic. I promise that the next time I post, it will be bodyguard!Brendon. x

The wonderful aromas of cotton candy and fresh popcorn wafted through the air, and the gleeful shouts from people occupying the various carnival rides could be heard all throughout the fairground.

As you made your way through the entrance and towards the carnival’s many attractions, you turned to smile at the pink-haired man walking next to you.

“Gosh, I haven’t been to a carnival in ages. Everything looks so gorgeous,” you marvelled, eyes scanning over the beautifully decorated area. “I’m glad we came here, Josh.”

“Me too,” he returned your smile, eyes crinkling.

“Althoughhhh,” you added, shuffling anxiously and fiddling with the sleeves of your t-shirt. “I’m not too thrilled at the thought of seeing clowns at such a close distance.”

“Oh,” Josh frowned, his heart dropping at the sight of your scared expression. While he’d never told anyone besides Tyler, Josh himself was terrified of clowns. There was just something about not knowing who was underneath all that make-up and silly costumes that brought a feeling of dread to his stomach. His fear was never something he’d bring to light during a conversation, especially now that he knew how much you were scared of them. “Well, don’t worry. I’ll make sure they don’t get too close to you.”

You stood gazing lovingly at a giant stuffed dolphin that hung in the stall in front of you, where a group of kids were desperately trying to gain enough points to win a prize.

“Here ya go,” Josh piped, handing you the sugar on a stick. “One cotton candy. With extra cotton candy.”

“Thank you,” you giggled, shoving a portion into your mouth and returning your eyes to the dolphin.

“You like that one?” Josh asked, noticing your gaze and pointing to the stuffed animal.

You nodded in response, eyes still not wavering from the dolphin.

“Well, then come on,” he said, gripping your wrist and dragging you towards the booth, the few children slinking away empty-handed, kicking at stones on the ground disappointedly.

“What are you doing?” you questioned with an amused smirk as Josh handed the necessary amounts of tickets to the grouchy booth attendant.

“I’m winning you that dolphin.”

“As sweet as that is, no one ever wins at these things,” you waved your hand around the booth, where a few rows of multi-coloured glass bottles stood on a platform, and the rings you were meant to toss at them in a bowl in front of you. “It’s rigged.”

“Are you doubting my sick ring-tossing skills?” Josh mused, cocking an eyebrow at you as he twirled a ring around his finger.

“No, of course not,” you rolled your eyes and chuckled. “But there’s a very slim chance that you’ll win.”

“Your lack of faith in me is disappointing, (Y/N),” Josh tsked, shaking his head disapprovingly before turning to face the bottles.

“You get 10 tosses,” the attendant said lazily, slouching against the edge of the booth. “Different bottle colours have different point allocations. Yellow is 10, red is 25, green is 50, and blue is 150.”

“How many points for that dolphin, there?” Josh asked, once again pointing at the object of your desire.

“1000 points.”

Josh nodded in acknowledgment before he raised his hand slightly and closed one eye, trying to gouge how he should toss the ring in order for it to land around the bottleneck. He took a deep breath, rolled his neck side to side, then flicked his hand, sending the ring flying across the booth and landing smoothly around the neck of one of the blue bottles with a clunk.

“150 points,” the attendant said nonchalantly, lounging on a flimsy white plastic chair that looked like it was about to snap any second under his weight.

Josh gave you a smug smirk and you made an impressed face, applauding his conquest. “Wow. Maybe you’ll get that dolphin after all.”

“Damn right I will.”

The next nine tosses went as follows: blue, blue, blue, green, blue, green, blue. You don’t know how he did it, but Josh managed to get the blue almost every time, and with every toss he made, you squeaked in excitement, applauding dramatically. Needless to say, he racked up more than enough points for the dolphin.

You gasped happily, your face immediately lighting up and the biggest smile gracing your face as Josh handed you the prize, wearing a huge smile of his own as he saw your reaction. You hugged the animal closely against your chest, the soft material feeling incredible against your cheek as you moshed your face into it.

“It’s so fluffy, I’m gonna die!” you beamed, Josh giggling at your words. “Thank you!” you flung your arms around your date’s neck and hugged him tight, pulling away a little bit so that you could peck his cheek.

“Your-you’re welcome, (Y/N),” he stammered, a blush creeping onto his cheeks from when you pecked him.

“Where to now?” you asked, bouncing on your feet eagerly.

Seeing how happy you were made Josh feel amazing. He loved that you were having a great time, because he sure as hell was having the best time he’s had in years. Just being in your company was enough to create a constant flurry of butterflies in his stomach, and being able to make you smile the way you were right now was blissful. He hoped that he’d do a good enough job as your date tonight so that he’d have as much time as possible to make you happy in the future.

“Uh, we could go on some rides?” he suggested with a shrug.

“Yeah! Let’s go.”

You started heading in the direction of the rides. The two of you walked in silence at first, until you felt Josh’s fingers graze yours. He wanted desperately to hold your hand – he’d wanted to all night – but he was afraid you’d pull away, so his fingers grazed lightly over yours first as he waited for your rejection. But it didn't come, and after a while, he worked up the courage to fully envelope your hand in his bigger one, making you look down at the new physical contact you were sharing.

“Is this okay?” he questioned, and you could hear the nervousness in his voice as well as see it on his face as he tried to read your blank expression.

“Yeah,” you smiled sweetly at him, squeezing his hand gently.

Suddenly, the piercing sound of a horn vibrated through your ears, startling the both of you and causing you to come to a standstill as a clown emerged seemingly out of nowhere, jumping into a pose in front of you.

“AHHHHHH!” Josh let out a rather high-pitched shriek; one that would’ve suited one of your baby nieces much better than it did him. He cleared his throat once he’d realised exactly how high his voice had gone. “Ahh!” he tried again, this time in a much lower voice as you turned to him with raised eyebrows. Noticing your gaze on him, and remembering his earlier promise to you, he straightened up and cleared his throat once again, shooting a glare at the clown. “I mean... what do you think you’re doing?”

The clown didn’t reply. Instead, he stretched his face into a ginormous grin as he squeezed the horn for a second time, the sound vibrating through your ears once again. You were sure that this was meant to make you laugh, but it did nothing other that disturb you while creating an unsettling feeling in the pit of your stomach. Subconsciously, you tightened your grip on Josh’s hand, making him rub his thumb over the back of your hand soothingly as he continued staring down the unwelcomed carnival performer.

“Yeah, ha ha, that’s real funny,” Josh said. He tried his best to come across as tough and unafraid, but there was a slight hint of nervousness that came across in his voice. “But you’re kinda making my girl- uh, date – uncomfortable. So if you’ll excuse us…” he tugged on your hand gently, dragging you around the clown’s stationary frame and away from him as quickly as possible.

“Thank you,” you smiled up at the pink-haired man, scrunching your face lightly.

“You’re welcome, (Y/N). Anytime.”

Giggling deliriously as you and Josh stumbled through the ride’s exit gate, you clutched onto his bigger frame in order to support yourself, your equilibrium still out of balance from the effects of the roller coaster.

“Wow, it’s been so long since I was on one of those things. I forgot what it felt like!” you laughed, almost falling over your feet; Josh steadied you just in time.

“Yeah, I can tell,” he chuckled. He was perfectly fine; the roller coaster hadn’t affected him at all and he gripped you tightly until you could regain your own balance.

You continued giggling elatedly as Josh watched you with a smile on his face, your laughter being music to his ears. His smile got wider and wider with every sound that escaped your mouth, and your laughter started dying down as you took in the way he was looking at you.

It made you feel… invincible.

Your (e/y/c) eyes stared back into his intense chocolatey-brown ones, and it felt as if time was standing still. You’d dreamt about experiencing moments like these with him before, back when the two of you hadn't met each other yet, but now that it was actually happening, it felt more amazing than you could’ve ever imagined.

“(Y/N), I-“

“JOSH! (Y/N)!”

It all went downhill from there. It was like a domino effect; as soon as your names had left the girl’s mouth, it rolled off the tongues of virtually everyone else in sight, along with a symphony of screams.

“Oh no,” Josh squeaked right before a stampede of fans ascended upon the two of you, wanting to get a picture or autograph.

“Josh! Josh, please!”

“(Y/N), could you sign this?”

“Can we get a selfie, Josh?”

The mob lasted for a solid ten minutes, during which time Josh signed countless items of clothing, carnival tickets and any other objects fans jutted at him, and took multiple pictures with virtually everyone.

Once Josh had become a bit ticked-off, he apologised to everyone and said that he’d really appreciate it if you two could get back to your date. After his little speech, he scanned the crowd for you, but came up short.

You weren’t anywhere to be seen.

During the mob, you’d somehow managed to get carried away by the hoards of people to somewhere out of Josh’s general vicinity. Or anywhere as far as his eyes could see.

The thought of being separated from you sent a wave of nausea through Josh’s stomach, especially since unrespecting, pushy fans that don’t know when enough is enough were undoubtedly bombarding you. He started panicking, and immediately set off in a run to try and find you.

He ran for what felt like hours, his heart rate increasing dramatically whenever he couldn't find you in an area he’d searched. His breathing got heavier as his panic heightened, still searching desperately for you amongst the sea of strangers.

Josh searched the entire carnival for you, even going as far as to check with the clowns whether or not they had seen you anywhere. They hadn’t, and at this point, Josh was so worried he had tears in his eyes.

He lost you.

He couldn't believe that he’d lost you.

Josh came to a halt in the middle of the fairground, hands gripping roughing at his hair while his breathing continued to come out as laboured and hoarse. His head pivoted left and right, eyes still frenziedly searching for you.

And then he found you.

You were standing close to the entrance, next to a lamppost. Your eyes were hurriedly surveying the area too as you bit your lip anxiously, snapping a few more pictures with the last little bit of fans surrounding you. Even in your anxious and noticeably tired state, Josh still thought you were the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen, and the relief he felt from finding you was overwhelming. So overwhelming, in fact, that he found himself once again running, this time towards you. With a relieved laugh, he fast approached you and your face instantly lit up upon seeing him.

“Jo-“

Josh gripped your sides tightly and raised you into the air before crashing his lips onto yours in a vehement kiss. Under any other circumstances, Josh would never have done what he just did. He would’ve asked for permission first, and it definitely wouldn’t have been on the first date. But considering that he’d genuinely thought that he’d lost you, paired with the fact that you were the most incredible person he’d ever come across, he couldn't help himself.

When you finally broke apart, you were speechless. Josh had kissed you with so much emotion; it had taken your breath away.

“Oh… wow,” you panted, forehead pressed against Josh’s as he still held you in the air.

“’Wow’ is right,” he smiled, pecking your lips once more.

“I SHIP THEM SO MUCH!”

“THEY’RE PERFECT!”

“THAT WAS SO ADORABLE, I THINK IM GONNA CRY!”

The remainder of the fans continued to yell out approvals and cute comments your way while snapping hundreds of pictures. Some of them had even recorded the entire thing.

“Looks like we’ve got the fans’ approval,” Josh smirked.

“Yeah,” you laughed, smiling at them. “And to think we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them. Maybe fan questions aren't that bad after all.”

_______________________________

Thank you for reading x

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osimint · 7 years

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Ghosts of 1962 can be laid to rest at Doka La, says Shiv Kunal Verma, author of '1962, The War That Wasn't'

Shiv Kunal Verma, author of highly acclaimed books like 1962: The War That Wasn't and The Long Road to Siachen: The Question Why and a trilogy on the Northeast, is intimately aware of the ground situation in both Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Speaking about the stand-off between India and China at the tri-junction border, he said, "If you are familiar with the terrain around the tri-junction, there is no way the Chinese can try and cut off the Siliguri Corridor from that axis."

Here's the full interview.

Do you see any similarity between what happened in 1962 and the situation presently unfolding vis-a-vis China?

The answer is both yes and no. Let's be very clear about one thing: The army even in 1962 was quite capable of taking China on. In fact, wherever they were allowed to fight — Rajput Regiment at Nam Ka Chu, Sikh Regiment at Bum La, Garhwal Rifles at Nuranang, Kumaon Regiment at Walong, and Jat Regiment in DBO and the Galwan Valley — they gave an excellent account of themselves. It was the senior leadership, both civilian and military, that imploded. Also, had the Indian Air Force come into play, it would have been a different story. In my mind one thing is quite clear: This army is no pushover. I filmed the Kargil war and the thing that impressed me the most was the fact that every man was moving forward, going about his job with no panic or fear. Not just soldiers, even civilian truck drivers, Ladakhi porters, everyone. It was fantastic.

But yes, there are similarities. We still continue to play around with our military leadership and at times we are too passive in our approach. The Chinese for a long time had been playing the probing game. And this time they probably cut too close to the bone. The way I see it, we had to react. Fifty-five years ago, when USSR started installing missile sites in Cuba, everyone was freaked. In this case, the tri-junction virtually overlooks the corridor. The Chinese wanting to push the road up to the tri-junction was uncalled for; India had to put its foot down.

You had said earlier that it's like putting your hand in a hornet's nest.

It most certainly is. It's imperative that we are prepared for all eventualities. The Chinese have always been unpredictable and you cannot make the same mistake twice. It would be ridiculous to assume that they will not do this or that. But if they do push for a border engagement, I think they are in for a shock. It may be a hornet's nest, but at the end of the day, you should make sure you are the guys who get to eat the honey.

So you think a border clash is a possibility? Would the Chinese follow up on their threat to throw the Indian Army out of the Doka La plateau?

They are welcome to try, but that would be suicidal in my opinion. Firstly, the Doka La plateau is purely an ego issue for them; in reality, it serves no actual military purpose. If you are familiar with the terrain around the tri-junction, there is no way the Chinese can try and cut off the Siliguri Corridor from that axis. It would mean an all-out war and it would require a major logistic exercise to do something like that. If they have to do something to save face — since they have been making a lot of aggressive statements — they'll try and spook you by moving troops in other areas and hope the Indian public and the media panic.

On the other hand, I don't think India has a choice. Strategic value or not, we simply cannot allow the road to be built. How this plays out will also decide how the India-Tibet border issue is eventually settled. Equally importantly, it will also impact the future defence of the subcontinent. And it's important for us as a people to understand that Nepal and Bhutan, by virtue of being on the southern side of the watershed, are also key players in the overall defence of the subcontinent.

China can be expected to do the unexpected, but just what do they gain by actually getting into a border scrap with India? The trade equation is extremely lopsided in their favour. Not only is India a huge emerging market, we are also an emotional people. Already, comments on social media and other networks about boycotting Chinese products are giving them the heebie jeebies. The moment the first shots are fired in anger across the border, be it at Ladakh, Himachal, Garhwal, Kumaon, Sikkim or Arunachal, I think there will be a tsunami of anti-Chinese sentiment which could result in massive economic losses for them. And plus, let's not forget the rest of the world still views China with suspicion and most countries would become even more wary. As time passes and the matter lingers, the danger for the Chinese leadership is that the Doka La issue may become more and more internalised.

There is talk of the US not sitting idle if there is indeed a clash between India and China. The Malabar exercise's timing was interesting in that regard.

Frankly, even though the general impression is that we have been getting rather cosy with the Americans of late, let's not be under any illusion. They are nobody's friends. In the build up to 1962, they played a fairly provocative role. Take the supply of weapons through Sikkim, the CIA's not so covert role in helping the Dalai Lama escape, and U-2 flights over Tibet. Bottom line is, we shouldn't need anyone else to fight our battles for us. And I think it's time our politicians developed a spine and trusted our own army, air force and navy.

Of late, if you listen to various think tanks, one would get the impression that they are getting carried away with the so-called improved geo-political ties between the US and India. So long as Pakistan with its umbilical cord intact exists as a key ally of the Pentagon, it does not really matter if Donald Trump has this mad desire to hug Prime Minister Modi and everything 'Hindu' or not. In fact, Russia still remains the key player as far as we are concerned and it saddens me to see so many of our experts turn their backs towards Moscow. Vis-a-vis China, Russia will always be India's greatest counter-balance and the fact that the Russians are the immediate northern neighbours of the Chinese certainly puts them in a far better position to deal with Beijing than the United States does.

So how do you see this play itself out? What should India do?

Nothing really. Doka La is Bhutanese territory and the standoff costs us nothing in real terms. China has to give an undertaking that they will not build roads, be it for sightseeing or for military purposes. The day they revert to the standstill status which they had earlier agreed upon with Bhutan, the impasse will end.

At least in the case of Doka La, we have the ability to stand up and say enough is enough. The Malabar exercise was probably aimed at sending out a message to China by the Americans and the Japanese, but there is nothing much happening in the Indian Ocean to stop China from doing what it jolly well wants to do. Take the case of Sri Lanka for example. After getting into a hole where it borrowed recklessly from China, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is now having to brush aside all opposition and consider handing over the Hambantota Port on a 99-year lease. Though India along with the US and Japan and the people of Sri Lanka are protesting, the Sri Lankan government is caught on the horns of a dilemma. I think it's important for all countries in Asia and Africa to see for themselves just how China is operating.

This has been China's modus operandi for decades. From India's point of view, Hambantota isn't any different from the Doka La plateau. The security of South Asia is already in tatters, with Pakistan virtually being a province of China. It is therefore vital that all countries — Nepal and Bangladesh in particular — keep the security of the subcontinent in mind and watch each other's backs.

What about the land border between India and China?

The border with Tibet is what you mean. China has been playing games since 1949 and it's a pity that no one ever challenged their interpretation of history. Mao made the biggest landgrab of all time when he annexed Sinkiang and Tibet in 1949 and 1950. Suddenly India had the Chinese on our entire northern frontier and all existing treaties with Tibet went out of the window. Someone needed to challenge Mao's narrative. But nobody did it then, and we seem to hesitate to take the subject head on even today, for reasons I cannot understand.

If you really see how things developed in the first and second decades of the 20th Century when the border between India and Tibet was being drawn up, be it the Morshead-Bailey expedition or the Simla Agreement of 1914, everything is there in black and white. What's more, the Chinese have none of the original documents, for they went with the Kuomintang government to Taiwan. We also have the Dalai Lama sitting in India for five and a half decades. He may be a man of peace who does not want to ruffle Chinese feathers, but he can easily ratify what the Tibetan Kashag and Lõn-chen Shatra agreed to in Simla vis a vis Tawang.

Much the same can be said for the existing boundaries with Kashmir. India has to aggressively put out the counter-narrative for its own people, and also for China and for the world. If you don't do that, the Chinese will continue to dispute every grazing ground and tree in the Himalayas.

I come back to the importance of developing the counter-narrative. The exaggerated China-centric version of history doled out ever since Mao came into being has a basic flaw; a lot of it is simply not true! There have been times when Chinese emperors have bowed their head before the Mongols and the Tibetans and paid tribute. But that means nothing in today's context. The McMahon Line for example was drawn up based on a physical survey of the watershed, backed up by a demographic and historical analysis of the entire belt extending from Burma to Nepal. That the Southern Himalayas have nothing to do with Tibet is a fact and I see absolutely no reason to be defensive about it.

I've been moving around quite a lot on the eastern sector and it's obvious that our road infrastructure is far from adequate. The other side has excellent communication network as well. Does that put our army at a disadvantage?

The northern side of the Great Himalayan Range — call it the Trans-Himalaya if you like — on the map looks more daunting because of the height. However, the watershed acts as a massive rain shadow and the Tibetan plateau in comparison to the southern side is a lot more stable geographically. The terrain on our side is far more complex, but over the years our defence planning has vectored all those factors in. The advancement in rotor wing and fixed wing technology has also changed the equation quite a bit. I personally think we do not have to try and match the Chinese road for road, rail for rail. Ecological factors must be kept in mind and at the end of the day, the Himalayan belt has to be protected. Look at what happened in Kedarnath? In fact, the maniacal need to develop the areas on our side is killing the Himalayas. We may even need to learn from Bhutan and restrict entry into these areas completely.

You've also been critical of the Indian media in the past. You even told Maroof Raza on Latitude that the Chinese probably looked at Indian television channels as force multipliers.

In this case, I think the Indian media has been a lot more restrained and I'm happy to see that. The Doka La story was kept under wraps for nearly two weeks, and it was eventually the Chinese who broke the news, and they have been getting shriller and shriller. Having said that, whichever way the Doka La story plays out, I think it's important for the Indian side to not get carried away. There are no brownie points to be scored here. We have to just do what we have to do, and that's to stand our ground and if necessary, fight to protect it. What is absolutely vital is for every soldier manning the bunkers facing either China or Pakistan to be secure in the knowledge that every man, woman and child stands firmly behind him.

In the middle of the standoff, Eastern Command is seeing a change of guard. With General Pravin Bakshi retiring in the next 24 hours, there will be a new army commander holding the baton.

To me it seems that the man who has been the army commander for the last two years and who knows the ground situation better than anyone else should stay there for a while. At least until the situation on Doka La steadies out. It is unfortunate that games being played at the top level continue to be played and appointments today are seen to be more and more political. I think Doka La should also sound an alarm pertaining to the state of our armed forces. You actually have CAG in the middle of all this going on record to say we have ten days' ammunition reserves.

I think that was the main reason for all the hullabaloo, around a former army chief's khulasa in 2012. At a very basic level, Doka La underlines the fragility of geopolitics. Here are two nuclear armed countries ready to go to war over a desolate, godforsaken plateau that borders Bhutan. To me, it brings to mind what President Roosevelt is quoted to have said: "When you walk alone, just carry a big stick". And it's up to our politicians and bureaucrats to ensure that the danda isn't hollow.

Published Date: Jul 30, 2017 09:28 pm | Updated Date: Jul 31, 2017 11:33 am

Rajeev Bhattacharyya

http://www.firstpost.com/india/ghosts-of-1962-can-be-laid-to-rest-at-doka-la-says-shiv-kunal-verma-author-of-1962-the-war-that-wasnt-3874349.html

#doka la #doka la crisis #doklam #south asia #india #china #border dispute #1962 war

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