Do you think Smitten would just. Look very closely at Cold and Hunted in an attempt to try and figure out what they’re feeling at the moment. Like beak to beak. Trying to look for micro expressions and shifts of his facial expressions just to try and figure them out.

Cause. If there’s one thing Smitten understands most it’s emotions. That’s the guy that had successfully read Thorn’s expressions as permission to kiss her. His thinking is like. Emotion based instead of logic based like Skeptic.

So I think after the flock got their own bodies the first thing Smitten would try to do is to read the flocks’ expressions. Cause before that the only thing they could perceive the others are through their voices. Both Cold and Hunted have very non-expressive/monotone voices, so I think before all that Smitten would have a hard time reading these two specifically. Having a body and a face makes things a bit easier for him me thinks.

Here’s a Smitten and Cold interaction as a demonstration (because I am biased)

beak to beak you say... and yes definitely he would do that, to Cold, Hunted and Opportunist (or try at least, only Cold lets him touch beak-mask because he doesn't care that much)

Congrats to our Cold Sexyman Semi-finalists! To commemorate such an occasion they have been hit with the plushie beam. Congrats to @phantasmatoucan @stoned-frog @spupulum and @glitchh1337 !

Of course who would I be without extensive details about hypothetical logistics for all of them

Make sure to put in your votes @voice-of-the-sexyman to show your support! There's still plenty of time left and who knows, maybe a special edition run of the finalists will be made too...

Best of luck to the competitors!

Joke entirely stolen from @forgottensoulsart , thanks for letting me draw this!!!

turned that drawing of the den in my sketchbook into my phone background, and you may too :)

someone said "two bellies to rub" on that first post and now when I swipe my phone that's all I think about lmao

Breaking News 🥺😢💔💔💔

Gaza under fire again‼️‼️

✅️Vetted by @gazavetters , my number verified on the list is ( #523)

We wake up afraid from bombing and unfortunately the war return again. 💔💔💔

I'm so afraid about my family and my kids please help us evacuate from this place we are crying now and screaming because of the strength of bombing around us.

please help us everything is very dangerous and we return to the killing people. you can support us and my family by donating or sharing my compaign.

I hope you don't; for me this is our reality. Every day we lose someone we love 💔😔

Last year I lost my uncle and his entire family in a missile attack on his displacement site in Rafah, and Al Jazeera YouTube reported.

Today, I am in pain as I miss the dearest to my heart, my father, who suffered from a stroke that caused him quadriplegia. He could not cope with the catastrophic life as we lived in a tent that was like a grave. His weak body was exposed to malnutrition as a result of not providing the necessary food for his condition, and the severe cold caused him to have a heart attack that led to his immediate death.

I wake up terrified every night. I check on my family, whom I fear will die of cold 🥶😰

And it was not limited to this, but our tent that shelters my family, children, and my brother Samer, who suffers from a chronic illness, was flooded and swept away under the dirt as a result of the heavy rains. Our tent has become worn out and does not protect us from the winds and rain ⛈️⛺

Please save What's left of us, share with us, and if you can, a donation can save an entire family from death ❣️🙏

My campaign verified by:

@dlxxv-vetted-donations & @a-shade-of-blue

@gazavetters , my number the list is ( #75 )

paliliberation , my number the list is ( #171 )

Our important links here

My favorite trope is characters who don’t know what it’s like to be treated nicely, and how they react when they meet kind/decent/non-asshole people.

-the look of surprise when someone brings them a cup of tea, unasked for, just saying they thought they would enjoy it.

-breaking a glass on accident and panicking, expecting terrible, terrible things, but a caretaker just bumbles over with a broom, pulling on a pair of slippers and telling them not to move, not to step on anything.

-being given an unexpected hug, and stiffening, then melting into it.

-relaxing slowly, until one day they’re surprised at how comfortable they are with these new people.

-latching onto the roughest, meanest of the bunch, because that’s who they were familiar with, and the gruff, tough, scary person ending up softening up to them.

-always waiting for the other shoe to drop, even though it doesn’t.

-when someone says good morning to them first, and it startled them because they’re used to being ignored at best.

Yup…this is the stuff.

-when they distrust kindness because they are sure there must be a price or a catch of some kind

-maybe they are constantly trying to repay it or one day become angry because they can’t keep up and don’t want to be indebted

-when they mistake kindness for mockery or a cruel joke

-when they reject kindness because they are afraid of how it makes them feel

-when unexpected kindness causes them to question their own past experiences and expectations

- when consistent kindness and compassion finally makes them realize this is how it should be, they deserve good things and they begin to grieve for their past self

-when they become increasingly fearful of messing up and proving caretaker is wrong about them… because they’re sure they’ve somehow deceived the caretaker this whole time

-and then the conflict of feeling bad for “lying” to caretaker but at the same time knowing they just can’t go back to the way things were, it’ll ruin them

Call for help from Gazan people

Trying to help family trapped in Gaza for 10 months

Hello everyone, and hope you read my story.

I am Ahmed Barakat, I am 37 years old and I have 4 children. I am an engineer and university lecturer at several universities in Gaza.

I'm trying to get funds for my family of 6members

Now my family and I are living in difficult circumstances in Khan Yunis, and the fear is between the plastic walls that do not protect from the summer flames or the cold of winter.

This is how my family and I struggle daily to obtain their most basic rights

We urgently appeal to your moral and financial assistance to help me reach the goal in order to secure the life of my family, and the beginning of a new life. Every help or donation through you makes a big difference. Do not underestimate how the difference is for someone who needs your support

Thank you for complete reading

a cycle of 4-7-8

Inspired by @writingdevil 's ability to write beautiful shorts, I decided to try and do something of my own💚

Hope you like the little Smitten x Broken hurt/comfort(mostly comfort) I scraped out of my head:

Broken was so unbelievably adorable, Smitten thought. It wasn't a rare thought, but it sometimes filled his whole mind and he just couldn't rip his gaze away from the creature he grew to adore so much. He was asleep in Smitten's bed, murmuring and groaning in his slumber. Much to his lover's disappointment, he was facing away, he must've turned during the night. Broken twitched again and huffed. Smitten leaned in, trying to get a glimpse of his face, he couldn't. He closed his eyes and breathed in the air. It wasn't a pleasant smell, exactly what you could assume it smelling like after a good 10 hours of sleep, but it reminded him that he's here, that this is real. Right, he'd already been sleeping for too long. After a long sigh he turned to get off the bed.

"Noo... don't.." a low voice broke the silence. Broken, still laying down, reached out to grab his lover's arm. He missed completely, only slightly brushing against Smitten's feathers. He let out a groan at his miscalculation, opening his eyes for more than a few seconds would probably help his aim. Smitten turned around, confused. He was certain Broken was still asleep but apparently his touch starved sensors were greater than the desire to rest.

"Don't worry my dear, I'm just headed to grab a snack and I will be right back in your embrace. Want me to bring you anything?"

Smitten already assumed Broken would stay a sad little ball in bed for at least a couple hours, so bringing him breakfast seemed like the best option to get him to eat anything. The sad little ball still tried to reach his hand to the other, so he finally grabbed it, stroking his thumb along the trembling hand. He had hoped it would calm Broken's stressed mind enough to at least grab some water and something capable of being a breakfast. Unexpectedly, the already hard grip tightened like his life depended on it. It started to hurt. Smitten almost ripped away, but Broken's tone made him stop.

"Don't go... please" he kept his face hidden now, muffled by the sheets, but the desperation in his voice was very noticeable.

"Now now, I'm the dramatic one here, I promise I won't take long. You can keep the bed warm and cozy for us, alright?" Despite being worried, Smitten tried to crack a joke. Some mornings were just more difficult for them, they both learned how to soothe each other in these moments, yet this time Broken seemed dead set on not letting go. Usually some words of reassurance worked, usually he let go easier. Usually... he didn't cry. Broken's body trembled slightly when a long held sob broke out of him. He sat up on his knees and clutched Smitten's hand in both of his, digging his talons in soft flesh.

"Please..." he started, another defeated sob shook his body, giving up to his emotions. "I feel like I'm gonna die" He didn't look up, god, he must sound so desperate right now. But he just couldn't stop. Smitten didn't respond, didn't move, it almost felt like he disappeared for a moment. A sharp and hot pain broke out the little one, mind screaming at him to do something, at the thought of loneliness.

"-Like if I let you go, if I'm left alone, I'm gonna crumble into pieces and become nothing again. That every sensation will turn into burning pain." He started spiraling. Not good. "My insides hurt, my heart wants to explode I can't-"

"That's quite enough!" Smitten closed the distance between them, hugging Broken tightly. He hated when his partner went off with his horrible visions or nightmares regarding the princess, unfortunately mostly for selfish reasons, but it didn't matter right now. This wasn't about him. Smitten could feel the other's heartbeat. It was unnaturally fast. He exhaled soundly, then took a deep breath. Again, slow breaths, to force Broken into matching his rhythm, little by little, taking their time to calm down the distressed little voice. He was desperately clutching at Smitten, careful not to scratch him, shifting his hands awkwardly from time to time when he felt he could hurt the one willing to take care of him.

"I know she hurt us because she was hurting too-" Broken felt so stupid, so pathetic for breaking down like this. He tried steading his wobbly voice but it only made it even more squeaky.

"-But I'm still so scared. I never want to be so hurt again, or hurt someone else." He loosened his grip on the other's back and let the last of his tears fall on his shoulder.

Smitten looked at his hand, where Broken held him, there were four little wounds from his sharp talons. He wasn't going to tell him, Broken didn't need another thing to worry about today. For Smitten it was a sign of how much he's needed and it was enough to make the pain go away.

They finally laid down again, Broken's head snugly placed in Smitten's soft chest feathers. He sniffed for the last time and cracked a small smile, but it quickly disappeared.

"I'm sorry."

Smitten's ears perked up, glancing at the bird on his chest.

"Never be sorry for opening up about your feelings." His unwounded hand gently stroked Broken's cheek, smoothly brushing through his feathers.

“But it feels so- idiotic- to still feel like I'm about to die. Will it always feel like this?”

Both went silent for a short while. Broken was starting to regret his question but the latter spoke up.

"Someone really close told me that feelings pass, they always do." He turned his head away and closed his eyes, letting his words flow. "-And as hard as it was to accept at the time, it was true, in a way. These emotions that overflow you, they will let go someday, but you have to let them be seen and understood." his tone lacked his usual passion and energy, it was almost cold. Broken looked up, Smitten's expression seemed blank, he was looking across the room, lost in thought.

"Are you already there? Free?" The blunt question brought him back to reality.

"Oh, you flatter me so, love. I have a long way to go, but I hold onto this hope, that we can both let go someday."

Broken hummed in agreement and yawned.

"That seems.. good enough.”