#alarici

[whencyclopedia]

An infographic of the seven times the city of Rome was sacked. Across more than 1,900 years (390 BCE–1527 CE), the sacks of Rome reveal not a single moment of collapse, but a recurring pattern of vulnerability shaped by shifting political systems, military power, and imperial overstretch. From the Republican era through the Western and Eastern Roman Empires and into the early modern period, Rome’s fortunes rose and fell with the structures meant to protect it.

[neallo]

ficlit request meronia do a sport uwu

HI thank you for the request >:) idk if this counts fully because it is. not actual Competitive Sports [officialstyle] & it's secretly maybe possibly part of something larger [unfinished] [unclear if/when it will be finished] but. here you are!! :3

“Ready?” Mello says. “Let’s do a count of three.”

“On three, or after three?” 

“On three. One, two—”

Near jumps him before he even fucking starts to say three, launching himself at Mello and latching onto him like a koala with separation anxiety. Mello staggers, stumbles. Tries valiantly to pry Near off of him, only to end up on the ground, somehow, with Near perched on his pelvis.

Before Near can start the count, Mello flips him over. Near claws aimlessly at him— something Mello is fairly certain you are not supposed to do in wrestling— but is ultimately no match for Mello’s strength. He gets both Near’s wrists in one hand and holds them against the floor, sitting on Near’s legs as he uses his free arm to keep Near’s torso flat.

He counts, out loud, grinning as Near struggles uselessly, his pink little face screwed up in determination. Mello reaches ten.

“I win,” he coos. “Better luck next time.”

“Best two out of three,” says Near, breathlessly. 

Mello rolls his eyes. “You’re joking. Since when are you a sore loser?” 

“I’m not a sore loser,” Near insists. “I just want to try again. It was fun. Wasn’t it?” 

“Uh,” Mello says, considering. “I guess?” 

“It was fun,” Near insists. “Two out of three.”

“Jesus Christ. Fine.”

They get to their feet again. Mello counts them down again. This time, Near darts behind him and jumps onto his back, his knees clamping around Mello’s hips as he puts Mello in a headlock. If they were fighting somewhere suitable, like a gym mat or perhaps a mattress, Mello would swing Near over his head and flip him flat onto his back. If he did that here, in the middle of the fucking floor, he could really hurt Near. This is why, instead of doing the dignified thing and slamming Near to the ground, Mello has to settle for cussing him out and trying to grab a fistful of the twerp’s hair. 

“Fucking— watch it, hey, come on—”

“Do you surrender?” Near asks. His breathing is harsh and fast against Mello’s neck.

“That’s not how this fucking works,” Mello hisses. “You have to pin me to win. Those are the rules.”

Near sticks his tongue directly into Mello’s ear.

[blondiest]

23 & 27 for meronia

HI. these are great, thank you <3

(23) What are the defining characteristics of their relationship?

I am going to answer this from a perspective of canonverse post-kira because i the shape of their relationship changes substantially over time, and I think it depends on when they get together, too.

Near's steadfast, quiet devotion to Mello. He has seen Mello at his worst and defended his every move, even those that directly impacted or threatened Near.

Mello's lifelong fixation on Near. His envy and admiration. The way he can't hold onto his resentment forever, no matter how he tries. His need for Near's attention and approval. His need to be needed.

Their history. The fact that their life experiences are so unique and fucked that the other is the only person who will ever understand them.

Near's willingness to forgive time and time again. Near's ability to set boundaries, extract apologies, and reign Mello in when necessary. I think Near is willing to put up with a lot of nonsense, but he isn't a doormat by any means.

In a similar vein: Near's belief that Mello can do better. Mello likes to think himself damned, irredeemable, wretched, monstrous, cursed, etc. Near strongly disagrees. He expects Mello to try to be good. Not perfect. But better. I think he's quite patient with Mello and understanding of his shortcomings and low moments, but he does not act like they're inevitable. It's harder for Mello to stay on his "I'm irreparably damaged and incapable of being good, or even good enough" bullshit when Near sharply and clearly just does not believe that to be true.

(27) How do they say “I love you” non-verbally?

It is my strong belief that Mello has the potential to be deeply caring / nurturing (though I think his care / nurture is often either bossy or a little abrasive). In my mind, this has to do with his need to feel needed; I think in some ways he would prefer to be needed than loved, because it feels more secure. All this to say, I think Mello has the potential for tenderness, even if (at least at first) it's coming from a somewhat dysfunctional place (feeling like he has no value outside of what he can do for Near).

To that point: Mello shows his love for Near by meeting his needs. He knows which foods Near likes best, knows the specific brands, knows that the only raw tomatoes Near likes are the cherry ones, extra-sweet, and he knows the two or three varieties of apples Near eats.

Honestly, early-on, I think he tries to conceal all of this a little. He gets the exact right kinds of apples, peels and cuts them, and when Near makes an offhanded comment about how thoughtful it is, Mello acts like it was total coincidence that he prepared it exactly how Near likes. The next time it happens, Near doesn't make a comment. He just smiles and thanks Mello. Mello still gets embarrassed about it.

If he's not minimizing his little expressions of affection, he swings wildly in the other direction and acts like he deserves an award of some kind for excellence in boyfriending for THEE smallest of gestures.

As for Near, I think he predominantly shows Mello affection by seeking closeness. Once their relationship is established / secure, Near is not only the one to generally seek out physical affection, but usually the one to initiate sex. I think the combination of non-sexual physical affection and clear sexual desire/attraction from Near helps to alleviate Mello's "no one will ever truly want or love me" derangement. Similarly, I think Near indulges Mello's possessiveness to some degree as an expression of love (also because he's into it probably. sorry.); this is, I suppose, verbal at least some of the time, but it's not I love you exactly, so I'm counting it.

ship asks

[lightyaoigami]

top five passenger planes (ie A320, B787)

you get me so well i am a plane autist lets fucking go

the concorde. sorry this is cheating probably.

embraer 175

airbus a320

airbus a350

boeing 747

ask my top 5 anything

[buoyantsaturn]

ive been on a trying-to-do-art-again kick and read your most recent fic this morning. i know singers dont typically wear headphones for stadium concerts but when i realized it was too late. hope you're well!

SCREAMING CRYING THROWING UP

[dgalerab]

alarici replied to your post: the hargreeves siblings as the killers songs

…. I started a list of this a month ago and all I got to was Luther - Spaceman

fjdkfjdfd spaceman is a five song and i WILL die on this hill

[whencyclopedia]

Orosius

Paulus Orosius (usually given as Orosius, 5th century CE) was a Christian theologian and historian who was also a friend and protege of St. Augustine of Hippo (l. 354-430 CE). He is best known for his work Seven Books of History Against the Pagans in which he argued that the 410 CE sack of Rome by Alaric I, King of the Goths (r. 394-410 CE) had nothing to do with the Roman adoption of Christianity, a claim popularly supported among the pagans of the day. He was encouraged to undertake the work by Augustine whose book City of God was inspired by the same event. Tracing the history of the world from creation to his own time, from a Christian perspective, Orosius' work was immensely popular with followers of the new religion and became a standard history referenced by later writers. Following the publication of his book, he disappears from the historical record.

Life & Career

Little is known of Orosius' early life. He was probably born in Portugal to an upper-class family in c. 380 CE and entered the priesthood at some point in his early years, probably before the age of 20. In 414 CE he was forced to leave his home in Hispania quickly (for unknown reasons) and booked passage on a ship to Hippo in North Africa to meet Saint Augustine. He seems to have made a good impression on the older cleric because, the next year, Augustine sent him to Jerusalem to debate with the heretic Pelagius, author of the Pelagian Heresy, which claimed that man was capable of individual salvation without the church's intercession.

In Jerusalem, Orosius conferred with Saint Jerome and John, Bishop of Jerusalem and faced Pelagius at a synod called to discuss the heresy. The outcome was inconclusive but, in the official report sent to Rome, Orosius' own orthodoxy was questioned. This charge prompted him to write his defense in the book Liber Apologeticus contra Pelagianos (Defense against Pelagius) maintaining his orthodoxy while condemning Pelagius.

Orosius left Palestine at some point in early 416 CE, having been given the relics of the first Christian martyr Saint Stephen (from the biblical Book of Acts 6 & 7) to bring back to his home in Portugal. He stopped first in Hippo to deliver letters to Augustine from Jerome, and it is generally thought that Augustine approached him at this time regarding writing his history.

Most scholars agree that Orosius' history shows signs of being written in haste and perhaps Augustine wanted it finished quickly so that he could use it as a resource in completing City of God. Other theories suggest that Orosius assisted in writing City of God and his history is written quickly because he was working on two pieces at once. All of this is speculation, however, because all that is really known is that Orosius left Hippo and returned with St. Stephen's relics to Portugal. He then wrote his history and, shortly afterwards, disappeared.

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[neallo]

trick or treat :3333

HI HELLO please have some mellonear postkira elevator tension as a treat :3c

inbox trick-or-treating <3