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the-ace-with-spades · 6 months

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So, kinda Mav's POV of this silly Slimav fwb ficlet thingy?? who knows, maybe one day there will be Ice's part... (tw: non-descriptive/implied sex)

Things with Slider keep...happening? Mav isn't exactly sure this is the right word but they're certainly going well.

Contrary to popular belief, Mav isn't dumb. He knows what Slider is doing, he's just not sure it's actually working at all.

They keep on having sex, usually at Slider and Ice's house, usually at least twice a week and honestly, the arrangement is better than Mav suspected.

Slider is good in bed, he's Mav's type, at least physically — cocky, tall, blonde, smart-mouthed in all the meanings of the word, athletic, and willing to try to keep up with him — and he's by far the safest and the most convenient lay Mav could have with a guy. He knows he's clean thanks to military health regulations, he knows he's discreet, also thanks to military regulations, and he won't ever sell Mav out to his CO because he'd be selling himself out too. He's got a safe place no one is going to question them using — to the neighbors, they're just some bros from the Navy that probably get drunk together twice a week and that's why Mav is staying overnight — and their only witness is also gay and would be selling himself out if he said anything.

Now, Mav says he knows what Slider is doing because said only witness is literally an eyewitness of what they're doing and it can't be a fucking coincidence.

At first, it kinda seems to be a coincidence. Mav shows up for their scheduled sex night — what? it's not a date night, it's a sex night — and Slider doesn't wait until Mav is in his room before they start kissing and tries to pin him down to the front door. It's admirable, and so hot, that he tries, but Mav gets his arms around the back of his neck and steps in, leg wrapping around his hip a bit. Slider's hands go down, taking a resting spot on the curve Mav's ass as he leans down, kissing the corners of Mav's lips with fervor and then his arms go lower, pulling Mav's waist into an arch, and he—

He lifts Mav up by the thighs, fingers digging into his jeans, and his knees instinctively lock around his hips and Slider bounces him up in his grip like he weighs nothing. Just as he moves them away from the door, he stops the ever-going kiss and Mav leans away, enough to see behind his shoulder, and—

That's definitely Ice, standing in the living room door frame, book in hand, staring at them, frozen in a perfectly still position, but blinking rapidly, and that alone says a lot.

Mav snorts into Slider's shoulder and feels Slider's chest rumble underneath as he chuckles into his hair.

The world swirls, Slider turns around, hands suspiciously high under his butt, and takes a step and Mav is so focused on how fucking hot it is that he can carry him around like he weighs nothing that he almost misses the "Sorry, man, outta the way. Don't want to drop this idiot, won't get laid if he ends up in ER."

He bites down on his neck for the comment and Slider, like the sick bastard he is, moans a bit.

It keeps on happening, always 'on accident'. Slider tells Ice the wrong time of their meet-up so he's literally still on the couch Slider throws Mav onto first thing after he comes to their house, or he forgets to close to his bedroom and has hands down Mav's pants as Ice walks by to the bathroom at night, or Ice comes back from church and they're buck naked on the wobbly living room table, or in the morning, Slider and Mav go to take a shower, together, and once again the doors aren't closed so—

It has to be on purpose. Especially that on the one day Ice is actually out of the house the whole night — Mav has no idea where, but it's their third sex night that week so he probably is desperate enough to go to a hotel — Slider starts their second round in the morning, perfectly timed with Ice's return.

They're eating the french toast and scrambled eggs Mav made, not really that chatty, they're barely friends after all, and Mav is wearing one of Slider's giant band t-shirts, this time with Bon Jovi on it — it's comfy and this way, he doesn't dirt up his clothes, sue him — and his own white briefs.

He can hear Ice's old man car on the driveway just as Slider pushes away their plates, grabs Mav by the hips, plops him on the kitchen island's countertop like a doll, pulls his pants off, and starts trying to maul his neck, nicely prepared for him by already sticking out of the huge collar of his huge t-shirt.

Ice walks into the kitchen to see Mav splayed like a starfish on the counter, his briefs stuck on his ankles, his dick covered only by the hem of that godawful Bon Jovi t-shirt and Slider's massive hand, and he just stands there for a minute as they all just stare at each other to finally hiss through clenched teeth, "We eat on that counter."

And like, Mav is not complaining, it's just, well, whatever plan Slider has, it has some holes in it.

He tries to put a little bit of a stop to it, alright, he really does, he's not about to torture himself by reading too much into Ice's expression whenever he walks on them, fool's hope, dream on and all that shit. It's just—hard. He hasn't had such regular, good sex in since before college, and never with a guy, and Slider is fucking hot, okay? It's literally his only good quality — hot and good in bed.

So when one day, during their lunch break, Ice, who is sitting pressed into Mav, thighs, arms, elbows, it all touching, says, "Can we just have one night without you two—as friends, just three guys who are friends and—" Mav agrees to just have a chill night at their place.

It's a nice evening, in general. Slider fucks off god knows where for most of the time, leaving just Mav and Ice in the kitchen — Slider can't cook, the bastard just sponges off whatever they cook. They put the radio on, do some silly dances — okay, Mav does, but it makes Ice chuckles so it's almost the same thing — and just talk and talk, preparing food close to each other enough that their elbows touch. And Ice looks at him, just looks at him, with so much fondness, with so much vulnerability in his wide-eyed expression, with that soft blush and downturned face and it is almost enough for him.

But then he leans closer and closer and Ice is no longer there, turning away from him as if burned and Mav—Mav is not dumb enough to torture himself with this forever, at least not on purpose.

So Slider comes back when dinner is ready and Mav sits next to him at the table, even though he usually would sit next to Ice, and lets Slider steal bacon from his plate as Ice stabs the food with a little too much force to be fully cool about the whole thing — Mav isn't reading into it though, he's tried and tried and tried, and he won't make a fool out of himself, Slider's plan be damned.

They move to the living room, some action movie selected, Ice already sitting at one end of the couch under a cozy blanket, book in hand, Slider on the other end.

It's the beginning of September only, but the whole day was unexpectedly cold, with a storm picking up at various hours, and now that Mav isn't moving around the kitchen or hovering close to the hot oven, he's feeling a bit chilly.

He makes a small detour to Slider's room, to snatch one of his sweatshirts, way too big on him, sleeves covering his fingers almost completely, the hem pulling under his hips.

They both turn to him and the ugly beige sweatshirt is more than plain noticeable but he just gives them an innocent smile. "What? I was cold, I know where all of Slider's shit is."

"We could've just shared the blanket," Ice says, sounding as if his mouth is drier than the Sahara.

Mav raises an eyebrow at him, pointedly, as if to say, Could we really?

Slider doesn't smirk, exactly, but it's clear on his face his shit-eating grin is held up by his will alone. He props one arm behind his head and pats the couch next to himself with the other.

Mav plops next to him and Slider's arm wraps around the small of his back. Mav grabs the remote and turns on the movie, aware that Ice's jaw is clenched as he stares down at his book.

Mav—Mav clings. Slider is warm, really warm, he's always like a space heater, and he might as well use it to his advantage.

Not even fifteen minutes into the movie, Mav feels Slider's hot hand slip underneath the sweater and his t-shirt, scorching fingers dipping into his sides and bringing Mav closer, close enough that the leg he had crossed over his knee slides down onto Slider's thigh. Mav doesn't stay passive, seeking out skin, too, reaching into Slider's collar, and next thing he knows Slider leans in and kisses him.

And then does it again, and again, and again, until Mav is fighting for small sips of air in between.

(There's a tearing sound somewhere, but Mav is pretty sure Ice the control freak would have enough control not to tear his book pages out just because Mav is getting frisky with his best friend in front of him.)

Then Slider grabs him under his thighs, lifting him up and standing up at the same time, Mav's legs wrapping around him on instinct.

"What the fuck—"

"Oh, shut up," Slider cuts off and then slaps his ass and okay, maybe he squeals a little, sue him. "I know you like it."

Like hell he's going to admit but, yeah, he kinda does. He's starting to think Slider likes carrying him around and throwing him on different surfaces just as much, he sure does it a lot.

Ice clears his throat and cooly, voice too still to not be suggest how he feels truly, says, "I asked for one night—"

Mav almost — almost — feels bad but then Slider says, "Sorry, man, he looks too fuckable in my sweatshirt." Then, cheekily, as they leave the living room, Mav now held up in just one of his arms — and isn't that fucking hot? — adds, "You wouldn't understand."

And this time, he can't just pretend he doesn't know what's happening here.

"I know what you're doing," he tells Slider, just as he's thrown on his bed and swarmed by his long limbs.

Right before he dives lower, Slider remarks, "Eh, do you really though?"

"It's not going to work," he protests, even as he lets Slider bite down his neck, his hand arching his head back for better access, strong hold keeping Mav still and making him hornier. "Even if he was getting jealous—"

"He is."

"—I think he'd be past the boiling point now," he finishes.

Slider tilts his head back, meeting his eyes. "You don't know how stubborn he can be."

"So what? You're just going to fuck the guy he supposedly wants until he breaks?"

"Yeah, basically," Slider says, fingers still gripping his hair. "Just enjoying your tight ass until my best friend decides to think with his dick and not his brain, for once."

"Nice," is all Mav adds before they go back to business.

He'd be lying to say he doesn't care. He wants Ice to do something. He wants him to admit he doesn't like whatever deal Slider and Mav have going on, that he doesn't like it specifically because he wants Mav to himself.

He wonders if he and Slider talk about Mav. If he asks Slider what is going on with them, if Slider gives him the dirty details, if he gets pissed off at Slider for continuing to hook up with him, again and again. If all those little expressions he sees on Ice's face whenever he walks in on them, if they're louder and more pronounced when he leaves the house and it's just Slider to take them on.

But fool's hope and all that — so Mav claws at Slider's sweater and pops it over his head.

As time goes on, it just feels more and more as if he's wrong about the whole, that he just imagined the way Ice looks at him.

"So, Maverick," Slider begins when Mav and Ice are chatting at their cubicles, sitting down on Mav's desk like he owns it. "You free this Saturday? Ice is stuck at work so the house will be empty."

Right behind himself, he hears a snap. When he turns around, Ice's broken his pencil in half.

Interesting.

"I'm actually going with Bradley to the beach, I'm going to teach him to swim," he says slowly. "Or at least try. The kid's been getting panicky any time we leave him without the floaties."

"Ooof, that's tough," Slider says and he actually seems sympathetic because Bradley is everyone's favorite and everyone's weak spot. "You want a second pair of hands? Might make him feel a bit more secure if he's surrounded from all sides."

And why not? It's not like Ice has any more pencils to break.

It's a nice enough day, for one spent with Slider. Bradley can't swim by the end of it, but he can float in the water without screaming his lungs out, so Mav takes it as a win. Bradley giggles at their banter and finds their insults — dialed down, there's a kid with them after all — funny, and there's just something less irritating about Slider, like this, with Bradley as the buffer.

Mav drives them in Goose's old car to leave Bradley back with Carole, they chat for a bit, and then Mav takes his motorcycle and drives them to Ice and Slider's place. They're both in jeans and there's a lot of rubbing and some more-or-less intentional grinding, so by the time Mav parks on the driveway, they're both half hard and set on one goal. They pass Ice on the way to Slider's room, and maybe he's a bit red in the face and maybe Mav arches his hips with a bit of an exaggeration but well, he's having fun and it's not his problem Ice isn't part of it.

It happens again, mostly because Ice is fighting to get the upcoming promotion and often works on the weekends, Carole gives private lessons on Saturdays, and that just leaves Mav and Slider alone, usually with Bradley for most of the day and then alone and pent up in the evening.

Slider is good with Bradley, too. Baby Goose is a soft, sensitive boy, and many men would try to toughen him up, but Slider doesn't. No, Slider stops and holds him when he gets scared, carries him around when he gets tired or sleepy, can't resist the cow eyes almost as badly as Mav and buys Bradley anything he wants, and doesn't protest last all when Bradley asks if they can swing him around — just gives him his hand, waits for Mav to grab his other hand, and then just throws Bradley in the air as high as he can.

There start to be times when they don't even retreat back to Slider and Ice's place after, just say goodbye at the door to Mav and Carole's house — Bradley always insists Mav needs a hug goodbye too, Uncle Slider — and then Slider leaves without Mav.

"It kinda seems like you're dating him, Pete," Carole says one calm evening that Mav does not spend with Slider and Ice, after Slider took them back home in his embarrassing wagon BMW.

Bradley is already asleep and they're drinking wine (from normal glasses because they still haven't managed to buy the full dishware set).

Mav obviously finds it ridiculous. "You can't date someone you don't have feelings for."

Carole raises her eyebrow and takes a slurpy sip and yeah, fair enough, there's plenty of people who are married and hate each other, not to mention ones that are dating.

"Do you want me to stop?" he asks. There's a difference between having sex and dating, even if there aren't any feelings in either.

Carole has some—thing, for Slider, he knows. It's been over four years since Goose and he knows they won't ever fully move on but they have to at least try. He'd never hold it against her if she fell in love with someone, it's just—it's Slider of all people.

"Nah, have some fun," Carole sighs. "It's not like he'll ever see me anyway."

Slider's been equally dumb about all of Carole's flirting attempts as Ice was about his, which was an achievement in itself because Mav wasn't the subtlest, but Carole wasn't subtle at all.

"What a mess," he says and then pours more wine into Carole's glass.

@woodsywarbler, hon, I think you wanted me to tag you here? idk this is a bit disappointing b/c tumblr ate the longer draft and i had no energy to write it out in detail but 🤷🏻‍♂️

#okay there might a part 3 (ice's) that might or might not have ice's reaction to mav finally calling slider 'ron' and them going on a date #also this is the half-assed version bc tumblr ate the proper version and i didn't have the mental energy to write it all again #slimav #icemav #kinda? ice is still being dumb #i have no idea what ship name is there for carole/slider but there's a mention here #tropical heat and rick's ass are forever in my head so...#ron slider kerner #pete maverick mitchell #tom iceman kazansky

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iliterallydecepticanteven · 1 month

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Hey remember this post? Well the fic is finally finished and up! Enjoy!

#tfa #transformers animated #tfa megop #megop #megatron #optimus #optimus prime #my writing #fun fact i ate a whole box of tropical fruit tictacs while editing this #hozier got me again y'all #and he's likely gonna keep getting me

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anipgarden · 8 months

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Tropical Milkweed, Its Problems, and What To Plant Instead

I am writing this to atone for the sins of my past (handing out tropical milkweed cuttings to my friends and teachers before I knew better).

(Also let me make this clear I am Floridian I am writing this from the perspective of someone in the United States if you live in Tropical Milkweed's native range this doesn't apply to you go forth pogchamp)

Look online, on TV, in books, in newspapers, left, right, up, down, anywhere, and you'll see people talking about how planting milkweed is crucial, essential for the survival of monarch butterflies. Milkweed is the only plant that monarch caterpillars can eat as they're growing, and the loss of it in our wild spaces is one of the most direct links to the ecological extinction speedrun of not just monarchs, but dozens of other insects who rely on its abundance of nectar-filled flowers to survive. You'll be urged to run, not walk, to your nearest garden center, buy as much milkweed as you can, and hurry fast to plant it in your gardens and be part of the solution, not the problem. The issue is that, oftentimes, the milkweed you leave the store with is a vibrant red and orange, with pointed green leaves, dozens like it lining the shelves across stores all over the nation...

Tropical milkweed. Scarlet milkweed. Bloodflower. Mexican butterfly weed. Asclepias curassavica. This plant is a being of many names, and our culprit of the hour.

'Culprit? Culprit of what?' Culprit of enticing people to buy it under the guise of helping, only to possibly cause more harm than good.

Let's discuss.

Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) is a gorgeous milkweed (especially the yellow variety? ooh, that had me in a grip as a teen) that's easy to obtain--too easy. It lines the shelves of stores like Walmart, Lowe's, Home Depot, and even hundreds and dozens of smaller garden stores, and is sold for reasonably cheap because its quick and easy to grow from seed and eagerly roots from cuttings. It's extremely popular with butterflies too--in many scenarios, Tropical Milkweed will be preferred as host plants over other related species like Butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa), and its also popular with other species of butterfly, bees, and wasps as a nectar source. It lasts well into winter in some areas of the United States, is quick to regrow when cut back, and doesn't die back for periods of the season like some other milkweeds do. It's eager to reseed, creating capsules with tens of dozens of seeds and scattering across the winds with the help of little silky parachutes much like the ones dandelions are known for.

'Ani, what's the problem with that? This all sounds like its great for monarchs!'

See, here's the kickers. In fact, here's several kickers. Here's an entire mollywhopping of kickers.

OE Infections

In the temperate areas that it doesn't die back over winter (or even, in some cases, where it doesn't die back during the season like other milkweeds), it can become a host for OE. OE is short for Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, and its a protozoan parasite that can and frequently does infect monarchs. As infected monarchs visit different plants--whether its to drink nectar, to lay eggs, or even just doing a fly-by of the garden--they drop spores from their wings that can then fall onto the leaves, flowers, and even any eggs already on the plant. As caterpillars hatch and begin to eat the plant, they ingest the protozoan, which begins the cycle anew. High OE levels in adult monarchs have been linked to lower migration success, reductions in body mass, lifespan, mating success, and flight ability. And that's if the caterpillars don't succumb prematurely to the infection, or if they're able to even exit their cocoon and fly once they finish pupating--deformed wings are frequently a result after infections. Now, OE is a parasite that's evolved alongside monarchs--and monarchs are usually able to handle an infection just fine, but if they're carrying a high load? That's where the problem lies.

What role does tropical milkweed play in this? Most milkweeds die back after blooming, at least once or even twice per season--and the parasite dies alongside them. As native milkweeds push out fresh foliage, its parasite-free, offering a healthy new buffet for caterpillars. Tropical milkweed... doesn't do that. If nothing's done, (at least in my state of Florida) tropical milkweed will stay fresh and green all the way up until the first real frost hits way in December--and that's if there's a hard frost, when you travel farther south. And during all that time, OE levels are building up on the leaves, so any future caterpillars that feed on this plant are doomed the instant their egg is laid on a leaf.

Its not that it's utterly impossible for a monarch to get infected with OE on any other kind of milkweed--monarchs are known for their traveling habits, and the chances of them happening upon a different milkweed plant than the tropical milkweed in your backyard is pretty high. But whereas native milkweeds die back and essentially reboot their system with fresh, disease-free leaves at least once a season, tropical milkweeds are like downloading a virus onto a USB and then passing it to your friends.

But that's not all, either. Time for kick 2.

Migration Interruption

Sit with me a moment and imagine you're a monarch butterfly. You're hardwired to know that as your food source starts dwindling at home, its time to get a move on and fly on down to the family's vacation home in Mexico for the winter. The buffets shut down, you exit stage left. But on your way to what's essentially a season-long smorgasbord with friends, you find... a buffet is still open. You're supposed to leave when the buffets are shutting down, but this one's up and running, lights are on, and plenty of people are there having fun, so you step in to relax. You'll take your trip later.

Now imagine a bit after you entered that buffet, the staff stuffed the guests into the walk-in freezer, locked the door, turned off all the lights, locked up the building, and left.

That's basically what tropical milkweed being 'evergreen' is doing to monarch butterflies in the fall and winter seasons. In areas up north where it can stay growing far later into the fall/winter months--or worse, in the south, where it can basically be evergreen until a hard frost (if one even happens), it can interrupt the monarchs' iconic migration cycle. They'll stay in place and continue breeding, living life like they aren't supposed to be a country away--until a frost hits, and they're dead in a snap. And if there's not a frost, you're getting a bunch of OE spore-ridden monarchs flying around a bunch of OE spore-ridden milkweed plants that the butterflies who followed the rules and overwintered in Mexico are gonna be returning to. POV you're starting a family in a house so laden with asbestos and black mold that there's practically black dust floating around.

This is already pretty bad. Can it get worse? Absolutely. Kick number 3.

It's Pretty Invasive (in the US)

It's fast growing, its eager to go to seed (so eager that it can flower and produce seed at the same time), its growing all throughout winter--which would be great, if it were native to the United States. Unfortunately, it isn't! As one could imply from the name, Mexican butterfly weed is native to--well--Mexico, as well as the Caribbean, South America, and Central America.

Further North into the states, and it's more of an annual--a plant that lasts maybe a year tops, dies back permanently, and you go buy more next year, or start from seed. Further south? It's a perennial, baby--which means its got even more time to spread its seeds and really thrive in the warmer climates of places like Florida, Texas, California, etc. Not to mention, as climate change makes temperatures rise, places where tropical milkweed is an annual may quickly begin seeing it stand strong all year...

I won't pretend to be a Professional Milkweed Identifier. I'm getting better at it with time, but I'm not a pro. But most of the time I go outside and I go 'oh, that's a milkweed!' its tropical milkweed. I've seen it grow in the sidewalk cracks of a gardening store I go to--its a clean four feet tall, always flowering, always making seeds. Tropical Milkweed is eager to escape the confines of your backyard, or make more plants in your backyard--I started with 5 plants one year, and the next year I had seven, then twelve, and that's just the ones that didn't get mowed over in the seedling stage...

But wait, that's not all! Kick number 4, baby!

Toxic to Monarchs????

According to the Xerces Foundation, emerging research suggests that tropical milkweed may become toxic to monarch caterpillars when exposed to the warmer temperatures associated with climate change.

'What the fuck, I thought milkweed was good for monarchs! How the hell does that happen?!'

All milkweeds produce cardenolides in their sap--a type of steroid that are toxic to most insects (and even people). Milkweeds create it to repel herbivores that would munch on it otherwise--except for milkweed butterflies (Danainae family), like our legendary monarch, as well as the queen and plain tiger butterfly. Larvae eat up milkweed leaves like there's no tomorrow, to stock up on those cardenolides and become toxic to their vertebrate predators--except for a few species that have evolved to become cardenolide-tolerant (black-backed orioles and black-headed grosbeaks). But, when cardenolide concentrations are high enough, it's too strong for even monarch butterflies to withstand--they die because of the very plant that's supposed to give them life. Kinda fucked up. Comparatively, many native species have lower cardenolide levels--and don't immediately go into flux at higher temps like tropical milkweed does.

'Wait, Ani, if there's all these problems with tropical milkweed, why is it sold everywhere?'

Capitalism. The answer is capitalism.

Well, actually, its a bit more complicated than that but it's also still capitalism.

The very same things that make tropical milkweed so invasive and such an issue are what make it so incredibly popular to sell. It's fast growing, and eagerly starts from cuttings as well as from seeds--which is perfect for growing tons of plants in quick and easy batches to send to vendors all over and get a quick profit. It's easy to grow from the home gardener too--its resistant to most diseases, looks gorgeous almost year-round, is quick to return in many areas without even the slightest sign of a die-back, and is popular with monarchs and other pollinators. Want to start a pollinator garden with quick results? Plant milkweed--and when tropical milkweed is all that you see available when you walk into your beloved store, it's what most people are going to get without thinking twice. Not to mention, when you hear it starts quick from cuttings, and you really wanna get your friends and loved ones into pollinator gardening, well... you get well-meaning people sharing invasive plants with their homies, like I did in high school. I've been pollinator gardening for around sixish-sevenish years (I think) and I didn't even catch wind that tropical milkweed was invasive until three years in! To say I was mortified doesn't describe it fully.

'Wait, three years ago? So information about this has been out awhile! Why aren't more places selling native milkweeds by now?! Why are people still buying this invasive milkweed and not native ones?!'

It's capitalism again! But in a different way.

Compared to tropical milkweed, many other milkweeds are a lot more... finnicky to get started, or grow in general. Many of them are a lot slower to germinate, are more prone to failing as seedlings and falling victim to things like 'dampening off' or 'too many aphid' or 'the vibes were wrong.' If they do germinate, they're slower to get to size too--I've grown tropical milkweed from seed in solo cups and gotten something about four inches tall within maybe a month and a half. Some other milkweeds I've grown from seed take about a month and a half to get more than four leaves, or even poke their little green heads out of the dirt. In addition to this, milkweeds have taproots--and some are a lot more friendly to the concept of 'transplanting from a pot to the ground' or 'growing in a pot at all' than others, and tropical milkweed ranks at the top of that list again. Not to mention, their willingness and ability to overwinter in pots--many native milkweeds fail that test, meaning that even if all the resources and efforts are put into getting a milkweed to grow from seed, it won't survive longer than a year in that pot. Considering most milkweeds don't flower until a year or so into their growth, and it's easier to sell plants that are flowering... many plants are a tough sell.

Another reason? Some native milkweeds are way more picky about when they want to make seed pods, or what conditions their seeds want to be grown in. If the seeds are hard to obtain? Good luck growing them in a production greenhouse. Let alone finding seeds for sale to grow them yourself at home--in my hunt for native milkweed species, I've seen packets of ten seeds sold for twenty bucks, packets of 25 seeds sold for anywhere from 50 to 100--meanwhile, you can find dozens if not hundreds of tropical milkweed seeds sold in a pack for maybe a dollar or five.

Let's be real. Producers haven't figured out the magic ticket to pumping out native milkweeds like they have with tropical milkweed--as such, finding native milkweeds for sale is rare, and they're often pricier. And as someone who's been to a native plant sale and found the stands sold out of milkweeds not even 30 minutes into the event--you are likely not the only person wanting native milkweeds. It is war out there in the garden parties.

And that's assuming you've actually found native milkweed for sale! As you get better with milkweed IDs, you'll be able to clearly identify the liars who are telling you they've got something that they don't, but for those who aren't In The Know--if you see a milkweed labeled like a native milkweed and want to buy native milkweed, it might be too late by the time you realize you just got sold tropical milkweed with a mislabel. Whether its on accident or on purpose, it still bites.

I've asked some of my favorite, smaller greenhouses if they'd be willing to start selling native milkweeds. Most of the time I get an exasperated 'I would love to.' But they can only sell what the vendors can produce--so if they can't find a vendor that's selling swamp milkweed (or at least reliably), then they can't give me swamp milkweed when I poke my head in asking if they have any in stock. Of all the times I've gone to dozens of different green houses and gardening events, in different cities even, to see if they have any native milkweeds I've only had success a few times--one small vendor who only has them in stock at events sometimes (and that's if I don't show up late), and the one time I rolled into a not-big-box-but-not-small gardening store near my friends house after being sad that I couldn't find it at a different gardening event. And the one I found there was the last one they had in stock for the next month or two. Until The Vendors get better at growing native milkweeds, your best bet is going to be growing it from seed yourself, getting a start from a friend, or dumb luck at smaller nurseries and events. It's rough out here, friends.

Granted! Keep in mind! That whole last paragraph was personal anecdotes. It's entirely possible that other places' greenhouses have already caught on, and I'm simply in the shadowlands where nobody's selling native milkweeds except for once or twice a year and selling out within 20 minutes of opening their damn booth. And I've heard tell of people getting milkweed popping up willingly in their backyards by doing things as simple as not mowing. I pray you have better luck than I do, young Padawan.

Now, keep in mind, there are people actively working on this. Whether its a team of university scientists dedicating themselves to a project, or a few home-growers in a sunny backyard and a greenhouse doing their damn best to grow native milkweeds as efficiently as possible for themselves and their friends, there are people working on this, sharing advice and communicating online. This isn't some unresolved issue that no one has noticed. We just... aren't at the end post yet. Until then, we scrounge for what we can.

'Oh no, oh god, I have a bunch of tropical milkweed plants in my garden!! Am I a bad person?!?!'

No You Are Not A Bad Person For Growing Tropical Milkweed

And I'm perfectly honest about that. Because I'm here telling you this and I've still got tropical milkweed plants in my backyard. As that one comic once said, about 10,000 people learn something new every day, and unfortunately today that 'new thing' is a bit sad and a bit untimely. In full honesty, oftentimes in my brain I refer to Tropical Milkweed as Starter Milkweed--its what a lot of pollinator gardeners end up starting with, because its just so available! But! There are things that you can do to mitigate the Damage that tropical milkweed can bring to your backyard butterflies.

Step One: Cut back your milkweeds! At least once a year, maybe even twice a year if you want. This will force them to put out new growth, which will be free of OE spores and give monarchs on it a good head start against the Disease. But for sure, for sure, cut your milkweeds back in the fall--once October hits, I go into the backyard and I snip down everything that's tropical milkweed. Usually at this point (at least for me), the milkweeds don't try to grow back again until spring. This is to prevent monarchs from seeing a buffet and getting locked in the freezer.

Step Two: Cut back seed pods! You would not believe how many seed pods milkweed makes. You see those little green footballs? You wanna snip these back ASAP. Even if they're tiny, but especially if they're bit. In peak flower production times, I'll go out there at least once a week and just do a look-back and cut them off. You can even yoink them off with your hands if you're in a rush--just don't get that sap into your eyes. If you do this, you're stopping seed production in its tracks--and don't forget, these plants want nothing more than to split those pods open and unleash a hellfire of flying seeds all over the place. They'll float on air, they'll float on water, they'll do whatever until they land on a prime patch of soil and get started.

If you see these you're a tinge too late. But also still yoink that off and Dispose of it.

Step 3: Don't give cuttings to your friends. It's tempting. If you're raising caterpillars in a little enclosure and see that every time you refresh your cuttings, the old ones have tons of roots and are ready for a little pot of soil and a name tag? Don't. Resist the best you can. Dispose of your cuttings whenever you go in for a trim.

Step 4: Consider replacing them with something else! I know I already went off about just how hard it was to find native milkweeds for sale, how expensive and difficult they can be to grow--but they're not impossible to grow, and putting in the effort could be worth it! Even as I speak, I'm trying to add as many native milkweeds to my garden as possible--and when I've got something that grows reliably in my backyard, I will eagerly rip up my aging tropical milkweed plants and promptly toss them in the bin so i can put a new, better milkweed in its place. Native milkweeds are more likely to be suited to your environment, making it easier to maintain and more welcoming to the pollinators we gardeners want to help. Not to mention, a lot of them are way pettier than tropical milkweed (in my opinion). Do some hunting online to see what's native to your area--your state's extensions office will likely be great for this! You've likely got great variety--the state of Florida has 21 native milkweeds! Who knows how many your state has! (Not me, I am Floridian, and I am already getting dizzy trying to learn about all 21 of our milkweeds).

Conclusion!

Anyone who knows me knows I'm not gonna be the one to discourage someone from starting a garden, especially a pollinator gardener, and especially growing milkweed. But avoid tropical milkweed when you can--the harms it can cause far outweigh the quick satisfaction of a busy garden it can bring. Take some time to select a native plant more suited to your area, give it some friends and some time, and soon you'll have an amazing pollinator garden that'll be teeming with life!

#milkweed #tropical milkweed #asclepias curassavica #asclepias #outdoor gardening #succulents #bloodflower #pollinator garden #pollinator gardening #monarch butterfly #ani rambles #out of queue #what was it three hours ago that I was declaring that I wasn't gonna write up a long research post again?#now here i am at 3:30 am ranting about milkweed with like a dozen sources #granted this is nowhere NEAR as long as the biodiversity saga was BUT STILL #i told myself i was gonna write today... i meant one of my novels NOT RANTING ABOUT MILKWEED #if this post blows up this is gonna go on my wall of 'posts that i thought of on the toilet that got way more popular than I expected'#there's not a lot of posts on that wall maybe 2 or 3 but its weird that its happened that many times already

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fruitsofhell · 5 months

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Yall, its time to ramble about visual/environmental storytelling cause this is silly article is driving me insane.

I won't argue for if the game should have had more constant and involved cutscenes like Robobot or Star Allies, but what I will say is that this game is VERY rich in story through the world design. The Forgotten Land as opposed to say the Land of the Sky in TD or the entire galaxy of Star Allies is like, DROWNING in writing and narrative. It builds so much mystery and intrigue through the theming of every world and even individual levels, with exploring both how the people of the land originally lived and how it's being reclaimed by nature and the animals.

I think the closest things maybe is Robobot and Halcandra in RTDL, the former having great little designs that key you into WHAT Haltmann is doing and what makes it so toxic. Halcandra though is the ultimate grand-daddy, the contrast between it and the Lor, and Egg Engines and Dangerous Dinner is full of theming and clues about the nature and history of the planet. AND THAT IS STORY, THAT IS WRITING! Especially when compared to say Star Allies, where most of the levels of the levels are just ye average Kirby themed fluff with little to say about the Jamba or the state they've left the galaxy in. But when you play through the casino levels of Robobot, as well as delightful theming and level design, you see that Haltmann is erecting literally the most predatory entertainment centers imaginable. When you step off the sleek futuristic Lor into the scrapyards and wastes of Halcandra, you get fun intimidating final worlds, and a good grasp on *why* the people who made the Lor aren't around anymore, and may even start questioning why Magolor made such a great fuss of dragging you to this horrible place. Music is also deeply important to this storytelling. Each of the factories/towers erected in ever world of Robobot's theme is a remix usually of themes related to older mechanical levels, subtly clueing you into where Haltmann go their technology from. Outside the Lor rather than the comfortable motif of Green Greens is this almost comically suspicious and disoriented theme once you're stuck on Halcandra and returning to Magolor with more doubts about his words. The final level inside of the volcano house a theme that is teasing the twist to come, and the theme for fighting Landia before the big reveal is less triumphant, and more majestic and pensive. Possibly trying to evoke more hesitance than confidence, even if most people wouldn't catch on to that on a first run.

But the cooler thing, is that while Robobot has this cool theming at key levels, and RtDL does at the end, this type of shit is pervasive ALL throughout Forgotten Land. Every world and nearly every level is a unique, well thought-out set piece! You get to see abandoned towns, cities, malls, stores, factories, resorts, and an amusement park, each which serves as more than just a fun location, but a clear picture of the world and the state its in. This intent is made clearer through the music and tone that goes out of its way to not highlight the destruction of these areas but their beauty, wonder, and mystery through the eyes of an clueless animals and our favorite pink alien. The abandoned Alivel Malls theme is a track as upbeat and peppy as what must've played over it's speakers in it's hayday, because the hustle and bustle breathed back into it by the animals and Kirby just exploring this mysterious complex is just as lively. The theme of the Everbay Coast is peaceful and sunny despite the Holine ruins because it's as part of the scenery to the animals and Kirby as the picturesque palms and sands. And Wondaria!!!!!!!!! OMG WONDARIA WHERE TO EVEN BEGIN WITH EVERY FUCKING LEVEL AND THEME IN WONDARIA!!! THIS IS WHY I CAN'T TAKE THAT CLAIM SERIOUSLY - y'know when I cried at Forgotten Land? In world 3. Not because of a cutscene or a line of dialogue, but just from the sheer emotion the setting evoked in me. The sweet, laid-back, starry-eyed wonder that it expressed from Kirby mixed with my own sense of nostalgia being aware of what that place was, and how beautiful it was to see it rediscovered and adored by Kirby and the animals of the Forgotten Land. It evokes such a strong feeling of bittersweetness, of existential dread comforted by the knowledge that the simple joys and memories we create places like amusement parks to share will continue on as long as there is life in the world. And unlike some of my musings about past games, this was explicitly intentional. What truly brought the tears to my eyes was remembering an interview where the devs were explaining how they were trying to keep the tone light and Kumazaki said specifically they wanted to evoke peace and beauty rather than loss.

LIKE THIS IS WRITING! This is storytelling, this is intention. It's just subtle, but not at all unimportant, and it ties into the more overarching plot. It raises the question constantly of where the people went that is answered by Forgo, and expresses the dichotomy between the simple innocence of the animals compared to the ambitions of the people who abandoned them and that is now possessing their leader. It creates stakes for Elfilis and Forgo's intentions to destroy everything so beautiful and pure about the current world, but as it absolves the current world of guilt, it puts into perspective JUST HOW LONG Forgo must have been locked away that things changed so much. And as softly as the exploits of the original people are portrayed by the game, knowing their treatment of Eliflis and Forgo as a thing of entertainment and tool for innovation is sickening placed in contrast with it. Like back to Wondaria, the way it shows how much space travel must have pervaded the imagination and escapism of the people either before or after Forgo's arrival is insanely smart. And it gives me chills in the best way seeing Kirby run around images of cartoon aliens from a civilization who would never meet him. Of Kirby, Elfilin, and Bandana sticking their head into a cardboard cutout of an astronaut meeting an alien, with the text "wish you were here" above in a script they don't even understand. A SCRIPT THE WRITERS MADE FOR THIS GAME SO THAT THEY COULD ADD MESSAGES LIKE THAT INTO THE WORLD FOR KEEN PLAYERS TO NOTICE AND MAKE CONNECTIONS. Like it's insane. The dedication the Hal Labs has to stuff like this is maddening! It's so sweet and heartfelt and crafty, I'm so pissed off how little respect it gets because people don't understand visual storytelling!!!!! Saying Forgotten Land is light on story is preposterous, it might just be one of the most finely crafted stories the series has had to date, and is just a really solid piece of science fantasy writing in general honestly. It is packed with environmental storytelling that drives me Up The Fucking Wall, Man.

#kirby #kirby and the forgotten land #katfl #elfilis #forgo #kirby lore #shut the heck up #media analysis #GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH (i love kirby)#im in my “writing is more than text” essay warrior era #this is part of me collecting stuff for a bigger essay though :3c i just got so distracted by this take #also i started this cause i though this article was from a bigger outlet than it was #so now i feel like my intensity is unjustified but idrc cause as i said: warrior essay era #OO ALSO I MISSED TALKING ABOUT THE LATER WORLDS #THE CITY IN WINTER HORNS FEELS LIKE A BIOME THE DELAPADATED RESORTS OF WASTES ARE NOW OASES IN A DRIED UP TROPICS-#-AND THE FUCKING CITYSCAPE OF REDGAR FLOODED WITH LAVA IS LIKE ITS OWN PART OF THE MOUNTAIN ITS SO BEAUTIFUL #its a fun twist on the typical final lava world that also gets to do double duty with evil industrial looking shit ARGFDSH so cool #tag talking

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thirdity · 11 days

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I am a free man ― and I need my freedom. I need to be alone. I need to ponder my shame and my despair in seclusion; I need the sunshine and the paving stones of the streets without companions, without conversation, face to face with myself, with only the music of my heart for company. What do you want of me? When I have something to say, I put it in print. When I have something to give, I give it.

Henry Miller, Tropic of Cancer

#solitude #freedom #reflection #despair #suffering #writing #creativity #expression #quotes #Miller #Henry Miller #Tropic of Cancer

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merakiui · 10 months

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azul has that single dad on vacation vibe nailed to a T in that new card and i’m going insane. i will be his wifey so he never again has to be a single dad on vacation

He's literally this:

But it's okay because he makes it look so good. orz I will also be his wifey so that when he has his next vacation trip he won't be alone. <3 anything to make dilf Azul happy hehe!!! >:3c

#twisted chit chat #there's the most terrible itch to write summer smut fics for the cast of the event...#those summer outfits have me in a chokehold #i want to write a silly fic where ace and floyd have a competition to see who can rizz up the most people on their tropical vacation #but floyd takes it too far and it goes from a rizz competition to seeing how many people you can kiss/fuck in a day #and poor riddle doesn't want to lose because the loser has to drink whatever alcoholic beverage of the winner's choice #and everyone assumes riddle will lose so they're all planning to make him drink this huge margarita #that will definitely give him a horrible hangover so he tries to rizz you because you seem nice enough to reject him #but maybe you like his sincere awkwardness hehe #it's a very silly plotless idea but the cast swearing on 'whatever happens on this tropical vacation stays at the tropical vacation'#is a fun mindset that they all agree upon #maybe it's a fic where they celebrate after they've graduated so it's one final trip of silly antics before they all have to focus on life #omg maybe they're drinking and daring each other to do silly things and everyone (except for jack) is dogpiling on riddle with absurd dares #like 'i bet you can't get that person's number' or 'i bet you can't get them to fuck you' T_T leave riddle alone everyone!!!!!#i have too many ideas in my mind orz #i'll stop rambling before these tags become far too long ;;;;;

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tropicalscream · 2 years

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i wrote a thing!

#destiny 2 #eris morn #toland the shattered #omar agah #eriana 3 #sai mota #vell tarlowe #tropical writing

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aprilblossomgirl · 9 months

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flower/plant in dramas

Prompted by the conversation I had with @colourme-feral about plumeria and jasmine being featured in the first episode of I Feel You Linger in the Air (and also, plumeria was featured in KinnPorsche during the scene with Khun Spikes our beloved), I was tempted to write this post. Honestly, I always love to see how flowers or plants or even parks (not theme-parks) are used in dramas. Flowers and plants give visual localities and in many cases it's a part of natural and cultural elements of a place where the drama is set. And for me, it is always interesting to see how people 'place' their priority on parks, or to some extent, forests, through a piece of media; are they treated just as a side / decorative elements (as an escapade, or simply a break, destination, maybe), or as center stages? (Sorry, I was once an architecture/landscape architecture graduate and still, until today, have this default interest towards these living elements -- tropical flowers and forests my beloved! --, and since I LOVE watching my Asian shows, how they were presented there - will I always write about them, though, that's another case.) So, I am thinking of making some posts about flowers in dramas (specifically in Thai dramas). As I focused more on the Southeast Asian context, I might miss some facts about of the flower(s) from the perspective of other regions, but hopefully I didn't leave out anything significant.

part 1 - plumeria/frangipani

Plumeria (or also popular as frangipani) is a genus of flowering plants native to the Neotropical areas (including Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, Brazil, and Florida in the US) but had been spread throughout the warm tropical regions as ornamentals. I'm not going to list its different types of species but given that Plumeria is known more as a common name, here's a list of how the flower is also called across Southeast Asia's region: Frangipani, Cempaka, Kemboja, Bunga kubur (Malaysia); Kamboja (Indonesia); Kalachuchi, Kalasutsing-puti, Kalasutsing pula (the Philippines); Lan-thom-khaao, Lam-thom-daeng, Lee-laao-dee (Thailand); and Dai (Vietnam). Please feel free to correct me if you see any of these names to be wrong.

There's no clear evidence on how and when exactly the plants came to Southeast Asia, however, two temples in Indonesia (one built in the 9th century and the other in the 14th century before the European came to the region) had the flower trees depicted in their relief.

In Southeast Asia, both the flower and the trees of Plumeria are considered sacred. The flower is strongly associated with religion and temple life in both Hindu and Buddhist cultures, for examples, it is used by the Balinese Hindus in their temple offerings.

The Plumeria is also linked to ghosts and graveyards in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia where the trees are often planted at cemeteries both to give shading and to function as signage. Bunga kubur, one of the known names of Plumeria in Malaysia, literally means cemetery/graveyard (=kubur, or kuburan in Indonesian) flower (=bunga). Locals believe that the flowers give shelter to ghosts and spirits. In Malaysian-Indonesian folklores specifically, the flower's fragrance is even associated with a certain type of mythological creature that is a vampiric spirit (who likes to hang out on the trees), thus the flower often perceived as bad luck.

However, on the other side, Plumerias are also commonly used as ornamental plants in houses, parks, parking lots, and other open area as part of the elements of modern landscaping.

This interesting article compiles five interpretations of Plumeria flower meaning across various cultures, those are: (1) Peace, joy, and warm welcomes; (2) Openness to new relationships or loyalty to existing ones; (3) Ties to death and immortality; (4) Fertility, rebirth, and femininity; and (5) Medicinal healing powers.

The article above, with additional information taken from here, said that in Thailand, the way they would say Plumeria (ลั่นทม / lân-tom) was similar to the word for 'sorrow', or 'gloomy, sad, and depressed' (ระทม / rá-tom). This might be why the flower had a negative meaning to the people or community in the past and considered an unlucky plant. However, this perspective is changing and now Plumeria (or Frangipani) has a new name that is ลีลาวดี / Lii-laa-wá-dii/Lee-laao-dee.

Lastly, here's another article that talks more about Kalachuchi (another name for Plumeria) flower.

the flower in dramas:

KinnPorsche -- Remember our Khun Spike. Plumeria flowers here were used as offering or signage on top of the grave.

I Feel You Linger in the Air -- A Plumeria flower here was used as a prop, depicted falling from the sky onto the top of a plate of jasmines. It might hold some symbolisms: a welcome, an openness, or transfer of 'spirit' or soul across the time dimension.

Next, I plan to write about jasmine (Part 2) and hibiscus (Part 3).

Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] and the book "A Field Guide to Tropical Plants of Asia" by Engel & Phummai, 2008.

#flower in dramas #flowers #tropical flowers #plumeria #frangipani #i feel you linger in the air #kinnporsche #i'm tagging the shows for organization purpose #*this is why i don't write much here it took me so long to compile things i wanted to say :')

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baileypie-writes · 14 days

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~My Controversial Pretty Cure Color Opinions~

~~~🎀~~~🎀~~~🎀~~~

Disclaimer: Like the title says, these are my opinions! If you don’t agree, just scroll and move on!

~~~🎀~~~🎀~~~🎀~~~

~What Determines A Cure’s Color?~

I believe that the color of a Cure is determined by their outfit. A lot of times, people think it’s determined by their hair color, but that’s not how it words for me. If it was determined by their hair, a lot of Cures would be labeled differently. So that’s the rule I stick by.

~Relabeling Cure’s Colors~

~Cure Black~

Change: Pink to Black

It’s always made me upset that Cure Black is labeled as pink. Pink is her accent color, not her main one. I get that they did that because she’s the only black colored Cure, but still. If she’s pink, then Cure White would be blue.

~Shiny Luminous~

Change: Yellow to Pink

Another one that’s always bothered me. I mean, she’s clearly pink. I get that she has a lot of yellow hair, but like I said, I believe it’s the clothes that make the color.

Pretty Cure probably also labeled her as yellow because Cure Black was already labeled as pink. But since I made her black, Shiny Luminous can now have pink.

~Cure Moonlight~

Change: Purple to Blue

I’m probably gonna get some hate for this, but hear me out!:

The only purple thing about Cure Moonlight is her hair. Other than that, her outfit is pretty much all blue. You might not be able to tell, but the “white” parts on her outfit are actually a really light blue. And the accents are, wouldn’t you know it, also blue.

But Cure Marine is already blue, so I get why Pretty Cure had to do that. But I’m not changing canon here, just stating my opinions.

~Cure Parfait~

“Change”: Green to Rainbow

So this isn’t technically an opinion, but I’m gonna say it anyway, because it might inform people.

Cure Parfait is definitely rainbow. Her Glass Animal might be green, but making it rainbow might’ve been too much, so Pretty Cure just made it one color. But I believe that she’s canonically rainbow now. But people still see her as green, and it doesn’t make sense to me.

~Cure Soleil~

Change?: Yellow to Orange

So I’m pretty sure her canonical color is yellow. After all, her Star Color Pen is. But I strongly believe she’s orange. The majority of her dress is orange. That’s all I gotta say.

~Cure Summer~

Change?: White/Pink to Rainbow

I’m pretty sure Cure Summer might also canonically be rainbow, but whatever.

And yes, I know a lot of her outfit is white. However, a lot of the Tropical Rouge outfits have a lot of white. So since Summer’s has a lot of other colors, I think she’s rainbow. I think the white is there to make all the other colors pop.

~Cure Yum-Yum~

Change: Yellow to Orange

I know in my “Favorite Cures of Every Color” post, I said that Cure Yum-Yum is my favorite yellow Cure. But I was just going off of their canon color. But I personally see her as orange.

Really, the only yellow part of her is her hair, and it’s not like she has a ton of it.

~Cure Finale~

Change: Purple/Gold to Rainbow

So I have no idea what color she canonically is. It’s implied in the show that she’s purple, but apparently her designer says she’s gold?? Not like it matters though, because I see her as rainbow.

There’s a lot of colors going on, so I don’t think it’s outrageous that I think this.

~Cure Nyammy~

Change: Blue to White

I’m so confused as to why Cure Nyammy is sorted as blue. Like, literally most of her design is white? Even Cure Wonderful and Cure Friendy describe her as white.

Sure, she has blue accents, but so does Cure White. And what do you know, she’s labeled as white. So I don’t see why Cure Nyammy would be blue?

~~~🎀~~~🎀~~~🎀~~~

Well, that’s all. I appreciate it if you read all this. Let me know if you have your own controversial Pretty Cure color options!

~~~🎀~~~🎀~~~🎀~~~

~~baileypie-writes

#baileypie-writes #pretty cure #precure #controversial opinion #futari wa precure #futari wa precure max heart #heartcatch precure #kira kira precure a la mode #star twinkle precure #tropical rouge precure #delicious party precure #wonderful precure

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mjjune · 10 months

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Taglist for my new wip!

So I am working on a new wip intro! I am currently drafting it and want to get a bit further into it before I officially announce anything.

BUT if you would like to be tagged in the intro (and subsequent posts) reply to this post or message me!!

General vibes:

Literary-ish high fantasy, so leaning prose/exposition heavy

Dragons (asian-inspired so water, not fire)

Tropical island kingdom

Magical jungles

Amphibious humans who waterbend

Evil lizards

Bioluminescence

Eldest Daughter™ syndrome

Genderless by default

Asexual reproduction

Fucked up family dynamics

Short blurb below!

When their farm is raided by strange poisonous creatures from the sea, Sasha’s sister is poisoned. She must journey into the deadliest monster-infested island in the world to find a cure. But the only person willing to help is a mysterious traveler—who she suspects is lying about who they are. She treks into the jungle and must uncover the truth of both the poison and the stranger, or else it might be not only her sister who suffers, but the entire island.

Tagging those below who are on my general taglist (meaning I tag you for all my wips). If you don't want to be on it for this wip, let me know.

General taglist: @artbyeloquent @bebewrites @cljordan-imperium @elijahrichardwrites @eventideintrigue @faithfire @flowerprose @isabellebissonrouthier @lexiklecksi @little-mouse-gardens @mr-writes @thyroidhormones @wildswrites @wip-nook

Other friends I want to see this lol: @jamieanovels @garthcelyn @vacantgodling @vsnotresponding

#writers on tumblr #writer community #writers of tumblr #writeblr community #writeblr #writblr #wtwcommunity #fantasy writing #fantasy #tropical fantasy #writing #wip intro #wip #w: ds #mj posts

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bradshawswife · 2 years

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Play it Again | B.B

based on Play it Again by Luke Bryan (just heard it on the radio and instantly thought of Bradley lol)

w/c: 2,507.

description: You and your friend visit her boyfriend, whos stationed in San Diego. While at a party, a tall sandy brunette haired Aviator takes a special interest in you.

pairing: Bradley Bradshaw x fem!reader

warnings: some suggestive themes, allusions to sex towards in the middle & towards the end. MINORS DNI 🔞 please. Bradley is adorable as ever.

a/n: one of my favorite songs ever and I just NOW realized this would work wonderfully with Bradley.

──────── ･｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─────────

You and your bestfriend were from out of town visiting her boyfriend of a few years, on a whim. Her boyfriend was a naval aviator who was stationed here in Miramar, San Diego, more known as "Fighter town USA". You practically knew everything about him because your friend wouldn't shut up. And here you were, on the back of her boyfriends truck, all alone. Despite the fact that there were dozens of people surrounding you, the feeling of loneliness, due to knowing no one besides your friend and her beau, was overwhelming.

Peering up from your drink, which you resorted to staring at rather than look at everyone having fun, you notice a tall, sandy brown haired man with the stupidest mustache you've ever seen, stare at you. After about 2 minutes of noticing him stare you down, you looked behind you, wondering if his friend or girlfriend was behind you. Nope, no one. He was still looking at you.

Bradley got invited to his friend, Jakes, party one night. They rarely got together after work, but Jake emphasized that Bradley must meet his girlfriend. Hesitantly, he obliged. After meeting her, she mentioned that she brought a friend and before Bradley knew it, 1 drink quickly turned into more.

♬ She was sittin' all alone over on the tailgate

♬ Tan legs swingin' by a Georgia plate

♬ I was lookin' for her boyfriend

♬ Thinkin', "No way she ain't got one"

He found his way through the crowd, stopping a few feet away from Jakes truck. He noticed one of the most beautiful girls ever, sitting on the back of his tailgate, drinking from her solo cup. Her legs were swinging back and forth. She proceeded to focus on her drink, not engaging with anyone. How could a pretty girl be all alone like this, he thought. Quickly figuring out this was Jake's girlfriends friend, he proceeded to eye her up wondering if he should go sit with her. She looked pretty lonely. He assumed you knew no one else here, which was accurate. After a few minutes she turned around, probably looking for someone. She looked confused as to why he was staring at her.

──────── ･｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─────────

♬ Soon as I sat down I was fallin' in love

♬ Tryin' to pour a little sugar in her Dixie cup

After Bradley worked up the courage to walk up to one of the prettiest ladies he's ever laid his eyes on, he quickly made haste and sat down next to her on the tailgate.

You were beyond confused as to why this hunk of a man sat down next to you rather than all the other prettier girls, but you decided to not question it much, and just let this once and a lifetime experience happen to you. Having guys come up to you like this or pay even a little bit of attention to you was rare to say the least. You only had 1 serious relationship, which you felt was embarrassing seeing as it's been years since you've been in bed with anyone.

"Hey pretty girl, what's your name?" he asks, as your cheeks go bright red at the compliment. How was this happening to you? He's even more beautiful up close. Continuing to stare at your cup, which is nearly empty despite savoring it for this long so you wouldn't have to get up.

"Y/N," you say shyly, "What's yours?"

"Rooster" he says, grinning.

"Rooster? Did your mother not like you or something?" you ask, giggling. Bradley swears his heart just skipped a beat. You have the most contagious little giggle ever.

"Oh no, Rooster is my call sign" he says, looking nervous after your face made an expression to the word 'call sign'. "My names Bradley."

"Call sign? So you're in the Navy too," you ask, sighing because you knew all about dating military dudes. You see your friends relationship and what deployments do to her. Spending numerous days with her, after Jake left for a deployment. She was depressed and wouldn't get off the couch for days. You were always there putting her back together.

"Yes, I'm a Naval Aviator, is that a problem pretty girl? he mutters, nervously playing with his hands. Shit did he really just manage to blow his shot? Good going.

"Well, I don't mingle with Naval Aviators, I see what that does to my friend every time her guy leaves." you confess, chugging back whatever's left in your cup.

"Well darlin', this doesn't have to be a permanent thing. You're friends with Hangman's girlfriend aren't you?" he asks, already knowing the answer but didn't want to seem like he was stalking you.

"Yes. I'm assuming you're friends with Jake then?" you chuckle. Jake got on your nerves quite frequently. He was always one of those show boat kind of guys, who you absolutely couldn't stand. But, he was your bestfriends 'soulmate' as she said, so you tolerate him.

"Oh yea, we go way back." he admits, smiling. He has a pretty smile. You could be fine with a one night stand with this man, if that's what he meant. You never did these things, so this was all new territory for you.

♬ Talkin' over the speakers in the back of that truck

There's music blaring from Jake's truck, he turned the music to his favorite station before he left with your friend. It's loud enough to hear the music clearly, but not too loud that you can't hear Bradley. You loved his voice, it was like music to your ears.

♬ She jumped up and cut me off

As soon as you heard the beginning beats to "Great Balls of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis, you quickly slid off the tailgate. Oh my god, this was your absolute favorite song. You probably look insane leaping off the truck that quickly, but who cares.

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♬ She was like, "Oh, my God, this is my song

♬ I've been listenin' to the radio all night long

♬ Sittin' 'round, waitin' for it to come on and here it is"

Bradley looked at you as you slid off the tailgate, your sundress slightly getting caught on the end of the truck. He quickly looked away as you turned around to look at him. He hopes you didn't catch him glance at you. His cheeks turned red almost instantly.

"Oh my goodness I love this song. I've been waiting for it to play." you state, dancing with the beat. You start singing along with it, realizing Bradley is also singing it. Little did you know, this was also his favorite song.

♬ She was like, "Come here boy, I wanna dance"

♬ 'Fore I said a word she was takin' my hand

♬ Spinnin' me around 'til it faded out

You decided to go out of your comfort zone, and grab Bradleys huge hand, making him stand up with you. "Let's dance Rooster." you say, smiling as you spun around with him. You both quickly fell into rhythm.

Bradley can't believe this seemingly shy girl just pulled him up to dance. How he's here dancing with the prettiest lady ever, to his favorite song, is beyond him. He's starting to worry that his "this doesn't have to be permanent" stance won't last long, if she keeps twirling with him like this.

♬ And she gave me a kiss

You can't tell if its the alcohol or your attraction to Bradley, or both, but you quickly pull his shirt in to kiss him. His lips were just as soft as you imagined.

"Wow, that was unexpected," he begins to say, "but I'm glad you did that before I was going too" he laughs as you rest your head against his chest. The height difference is pretty cute, you're about eye level with his chest.

♬ And she said, "Play it again, play it again, play it again"

"I hope that song plays again." you grin looking up at him. You're both swaying even though the song is upbeat.

He has his arms wrapped around your waist, staring down at your smile. You have the most beautiful smile he's seen. He becomes painfully aware of how 'whipped' he is.

"Me too, precious." he says, laying his head against your shoulder as you continue to dance. You too become painfully aware of how quickly you're catching feelings for him, wondering if you should just forget it all and risk it for this tall, handsome man.

♬ And I said, "Play it again, play it again, play it again"

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♬ I'd a gave that DJ my last dime

♬ If he would have played it just one more time

After you realized how long you two had been swaying, you pried yourself off of him. He looked sad at the sudden loss of comfort. You felt so safe in those few minutes, safer than you felt in years. Bradley wished the song would play again, just so you'd try and dance with him. It was getting kind of late, you haven't seen your friend in god knows how long, losing track of time with Bradley. Realizing you had no ride home if she left in her car with Jake, you contemplated asking Bradley to bring you home.

"Bradley, would you want to come back to my place?" you ask, hoping he said yes.

"Of course pretty girl" he says, placing a kiss to your lips, sending butterflies to your stomach. You loved when he called you that. It turned you into a giddy school girl. You turned Jake's car off and grabbed the keys, reserving them in your pocket for him to retrieve tomorrow morning.

You both made haste to Bradley's Bronco. You loved his truck, it was very unique. Seemed to fit his personality somehow.

Showing him the directions to your Airbnb, his hand rested on your thigh, just below where your sundress lands. Butterflies are going crazy in your stomach, and you can tell Bradley knows what he's doing to you.

"Stop teasing me, Roo" he grinned at the nickname from his call sign, also grinning because he's making you squirm over the littlest touch.

"Oh darlin, just you wait." he chuckles, moving his hand just a bit further. You were close to your place, hoping he'll step on the gas a bit.

♬ But a little while later we were sittin' in the drive in my truck

After he pulls into your driveway, your lips are attached once again. Breaking away from this steamy situation, Bradley turns up the radio. Hoping maybe your guys song will come back on and you can end the night even better.

♬ Before I walked her to the door

♬ I was scannin' like a fool AM, FM, XM, too

♬ But I stopped real quick when I heard that groove

♬ Man, you should have seen her light up

Scanning through the radio, hoping your song will come back on, Bradley starts to get defeated. You slouch back in the seat, not wanting this night to end. Once he got to the last station, preparing to turn his car off, by all odds you both heard the beginning of the song again. Your faces light up in happiness, the night doesn't have to end just yet.

♬ She was like, "Oh, my God, this is my song

♬ We've been listenin' to the radio all night long

♬ I can't believe that it came back on, but here it is"

"Oh my god it's our song again. What are the odds?" you beam, opening your door and meeting him in front of the beaming headlights.

♬ She was like, "Come here boy, I wanna dance"

"Dance with me again, Rooster." you grin, jumping at the beat of your song.

She had the biggest grin on her face, radiating pure sunshine. The headlights amplified her beauty even more. Bradley couldn't believe just how gorgeous she was, and here he was, standing with her in the driveway, a scene straight out of a fairytale.

♬ 'Fore I said a word she was takin' my hand

♬ Spinnin' in the headlights she gave me a goodnight kiss

Before he could say anything, you grabbed his hand and started spinning around with him in his headlights. It was a very romantic scene to anyone watching from their house.

Once the song was done, you kissed him again. This time, a goodnight kiss. He didn't want to let you go, nor did you. You gave him your phone to put his number in, once you finally parted your lips. After he returned your phone, you gave him a toothy smile. You were quickly falling more in love with a guy you swore you wouldn't.

♬ And I said, "Play it again, play it again, play it again"

♬ And she said, "Play it again, play it again, play it again"

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♬ The next Friday night

♬ We were sittin' out under the stars

♬ You should have seen her smile

♬ When I broke out my guitar

The following Friday, you two had plans to go out for dinner and sit by the beach. You weren't planning on staying in San Diego this long, but for Bradley? Anything.

You two quickly became close over the last week ish, texting and calling almost always when he was too busy to head over to you and your friends Airbnb. If you weren't convinced you were in love with each other, after tonight there would be no questions.

After dinner, which was lovely, you two laid on the back of his Bronco, staring up at the stars. You feel Bradley shift in his spot, reaching behind him. What you didn't know, was he was pulling out his guitar.

a/n: hi besties, I'm not sure if Great Balls of Fire can be played on the guitar, so just pretend that it can please lol

"Hey baby, I have a surprise for you." he states. As you sit up, you notice he's sitting on the edge of the tailgate with a guitar. As if this man can't get any more dreamy, he knows the guitar.

He starts playing Great Balls of Fire on his instrument. Which has absolutely captured your heart, even more than he already did prior to this stunt. You both sing along as he strums his guitar.

Once he's done, you feel the need to confess something you've been mustering up in your brain.

"Rooster," you grin, grabbing his hand to hold, "I think i'm falling for you, you big stud" you say, eyes watering.

"Oh darlin, so am i." he laughs.

"Take me to bed, or lose me forever." you exclaim, laughing as he tugs you off the tailgate.

"Show me the way home honey." he smiles, pressing a kiss onto your lips.

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TAGLIST:

@katiemcrae <3

@thesewordsareallihavetogive <3

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laundrybiscuits · 1 year

Text

(grace coming out of the void tag)

He mixes Eddie a passable gin and tonic, adding a little squeeze of lime and a couple cucumber slices, while Jeff heads back out to the party.

“So, you and Helen…?” Steve asks. He thinks he sounds totally normal. Casual, even.

Eddie laughs, then stops abruptly. “Oh, shit. You’re serious? I’m gay, dude.”

“Oh.”

“I—huh. I really thought you knew.” Eddie looks thoughtful. He’s frowning a little. “Guess this puts a few things into context. Gonna be honest, I’m surprised you missed it. Hell, I’m surprised Robs didn’t spill the beans one way or another. Love her to death, but our girl’s not the greatest with keeping a lid on things.”

Steve feels a wash of heat in his face, and he’s not even really sure why. “I mean…it’s not like I didn’t guess you were, y’know, something. I thought—bisexual, maybe?”

It’s not totally true, but it’s not totally false, either. Steve hadn’t gotten so far as putting any specific words around what he thought Eddie might be or what Eddie might like, he’d just wondered in a formless sort of way.

“Nah,” says Eddie. “I mean, never say never, but. Historically, no.”

Steve lets the word historically roll around in his jaw, in his back teeth. He feels okay about it, he decides. He knows it’s not—Steve had a serious long-term girlfriend less than a month ago. He’s just always been the jealous type, even when he knows it’s not right or fair. He’s working on it.

Steve gets these stories in his head, is the problem. He gets to thinking like everything’s going to work out because it has to; like all the pain and bullshit will all make sense someday and be worth it.

It’s kid stuff, thinking that way. Sometimes things just hurt, and there’s no point to it. Sometimes pain’s just pain, and Steve Harrington is single at Christmas again, dying slow in a one-horse town.

“Hey, this G&T’s pretty good,” says Eddie. He grins all bright and boyish, looking nineteen again for a second. “Thanks, man.” He tips his glass towards Steve in a little salute, then saunters out of the kitchen.

———

Once, Steve had asked his mom: why didn’t you guys ever move out of Hawkins?

I don’t know, Steven, she’d said. Well, your dad’s job was here. We thought it was a nice safe town for you to grow up in. Don’t you like Hawkins?

Steve had shrugged and said sure and that had been the end of it. He does like Hawkins. He likes seeing familiar faces around, though it seems like there’s fewer of those every year. He likes how safe it feels, because he’s made it that way. He’s bled for Hawkins. Feels like that’s some kind of bond he can’t break. Sometimes at night when he can’t sleep, he grabs his old nail bat and goes to stand out in the woods, breathing hard, waiting for something anything anything to come at him.

Nothing ever has, not since 1986. It makes him feel a little crazy to remember that the time when he fought monsters and Russians was only about three years all told. It had felt like forever at the time. He really had thought that that was going to be his life, his real life. Everything else—school, work, girls—had felt like stuff he’d been doing in his downtime between the real stuff: hauling around ungrateful brats and beating the shit out of the forces of evil like something out of Saturday morning cartoons.

But it’s been six years of downtime, and lately he’s been wondering if that’s just how life goes. Vivid and wild at the start, but then the colors fade.

Last year, he’d gone to Christmas at Laura’s parents’ house. It had been a big house that looked almost exactly like the one he’d grown up in, with twinkling white lights outside; inside was a big tree by a crackling fireplace. There’d been an Irish Setter named Dooley who was pretty great. All the ornaments had matched. He’d had two glasses of white wine and went home by nine to have perfectly good sex with Laura and go to sleep at a reasonable hour.

He’d woken up at two in the morning for no reason. He couldn’t grab his bat and go into the woods because Laura had been right there sleeping next to him, so he’d just stared up at the ceiling not thinking about anything as his heart beat faster and faster for a very long time. He’d known then that he had to break up with Laura, even though they’d only been going out for a couple months, but he kept putting it off because it just hadn’t seemed worth it to end things. There hadn’t seemed to be any point.

#fic: grace coming out of the void #this is increasingly unseasonal and idc #something I have discovered about myself is that when I am on a cold damp island I write about morose winter angst #and when I am on a sunny tropical island I write about sassy summer shenanigans #who could have predicted!! wow!! I need to leave this country.#anyway I also wrote the ending to this fic today so it'll be finished for sure at some point.#I think I have...maybe three more scenes until the end? depends how long I spin out Steve's Depression Hour.#just gotta post the scenes so I stop fussing at them

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