#Multi-Religion Support

[a-multi-religion-election-system]

https://Frystorkning.multireligionvalsystem.eu.org

[riversenchanted]

Where your mercury is placed is where you have intelligence at in your birth chart

Mercury 1st house/ Aries: Intelligent about knowing how to express themselves/fashion geniuses. These people are typically multi talented and able to be highly skilled at anything they pursue. They are like sponges for information!

Mercury 2nd house/Taurus: Intelligent about money,investing, and material possessions. These people are likely to own their own businesses or be investors of some kind. They may have multiple streams of income. A highly abundant placement to have!

Mercury 3rd house/ Gemini: The jack of all trades! Intelligent speakers, communicators, learners, teachers. People can learn a lot just by being in their presence. Their brains move just a little bit faster than the world around them. Sometimes this placement is prone to adhd.

Mercury 4th house/ Cancer: intelligent about family, emotions, counsel, cooking, home life. These people are commonly psychic/claircognizant. They always know the right thing to say. These are the people you go to when you need advice snd support.

Mercury 5th house/ Leo: intelligent about the arts, romance, children, self expression. These people bring light into the room. They have a creative genius like no other and a magic in the way they think and operate. They have a strong creative intelligence.

Mercury 6th house/ Virgo: intelligent about analysis, health, structure, and logic. These people make excellent doctors, judges, and politicians. They have a strong memory and interest in bettering others lives and keeping things balanced and fair. They analyze things deeply and are always looking for ways to help and improve any situation they face. They’re always calculating and taking in information.

Mercury 7th house/ Libra: Intelligent about relationships, justice, counsel, influence. These people are strong communicators and have the power to influence others and bring people together. They are diplomatic and fair. Always looking for the gray area and middle ground in any situation.

Mercury 8th house/Scorpio: intelligent about solving mysteries, uncovering truth, emotional depth. These people make good investigators. This placement shows a strong desire to uncover truth and have a deeper understanding of why things are the way they are. They tend to see through peoples facades easily. These people can be psychic or empathic.

Mercury 9th house/ Sagittarius: intelligent about philosophy, religion, travel, culture. These people have a wide variety of knowledge. They are the type of people who will have random facts about everything. They will spark conversation with anyone. Always eager to learn and very tactile in the way that they learn as well.

Mercury 10th house/ Capricorn: intelligent in business, work, legacy, and reputation. These people are extremely detail oriented. They have sharp minds and don’t forget anything to easily. These placements are adaptable and flexible. Willing to face challenges head on and grow from them. May have remarkable careers and be well known for their skills in the work field.

Mercury 11th house/ Aquarius: intelligent in networking, community, problem solving, innovation, technology. These people think 10 steps ahead at all times. These are the visionary’s. Their minds always at work and looking to the future. An inventors mind. These people bring others together to solve a common issue and work efficiently with others.

Mercury 12th house/ Pisces: intelligent in creativity, psychology, intuition, spirituality. These people have rich inner worlds but may have difficulty expressing it fully. They spend a lot of time in deep contemplation and are highly observant. They have a talent for compassion and deeply understanding others. They see things from multiple points of view and therefore have the ability to problem solve from multiple angles.

[read-marx-and-lenin]

Genuine question, what did Stalin think of Zionism?

Stalin as an individual was never a fan of Zionism (or Jewish nationalism in general). For most of his political life, he spoke out against such ethnic and religious chauvinism, for example saying in 1913 in "Marxism and the National Question" on the question of whether or not the Jewish people constitute a nation that it is only religion that connects the disparate Jewish diaspora communities, asking "how can it be seriously maintained that petrified religious rites and fading psychological relics affect the 'destiny' of these Jews more powerfully than the living social, economic and cultural environment that surrounds them?" In addition, in Chapter 6 of the Foundations of Leninism, "On the National Question", Stalin stressed the importance of combating colonialism and promoting the national liberation of colonies as part of a broader anti-imperialist struggle.

Yet it is from this same opposition to chauvinism that led him to condemn at every turn antisemitism and hostility towards the Jewish people. As he stated quite clearly to the Jewish News Agency in 1931, "Anti-semitism is of advantage to the exploiters as a lightning conductor that deflects the blows aimed by the working people at capitalism. Anti-semitism is dangerous for the working people as being a false path that leads them off the right road and lands them in the jungle. Hence Communists, as consistent internationalists, cannot but be irreconcilable, sworn enemies of anti-semitism." In this vein of communistic opposition to antisemitism, upon the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee was founded in the Soviet Union in order to coordinate international support from Jewish communities abroad towards the Soviet war effort.

However, Stalin was neither a dictator nor an ideologue. His personal beliefs did not alone shape the policy of the Soviet Union, and he was often pragmatic in his dealings as a national leader. The Soviets, while initially advocating for a secular and multi-ethnic democracy in Palestine, ended up backing the partition of Palestine and the creation of Israel as a Jewish state. The Soviet representative at the UN, Andrei Gromyko, explicitly invoked the recent memory of the Holocaust in his defense for the Soviet decision, decades before the West would adopt the same rhetoric in defense of Israel (probably because such rhetoric had been associated with the communists at first.)

That said, I have not been able to find a single quote from Stalin in his own words expressing support for Israel or Zionism. While many sources make the mistake of identifying Soviet policy with Stalin's own thoughts and beliefs, whenever it comes to the question of Soviet support for Israel, it is always other members of the Soviet government who are quoted. I cannot say for certain that Stalin was not in agreement with the Soviet decision to back Israel at the UN, but I cannot say for certain he was, either.

Soviet friendliness towards Israel would not last for long. The Soviets had been convinced, due in no small part to the fervent efforts of Zionist diplomats both during and after the war, that Israel would be a neutral, even Soviet-leaning nation. The reality of the matter quickly asserted itself, as Israel almost immediately sought ties with Western powers upon independence, as well as conducting active propaganda campaigns trying to convince the Jewish citizens of the Eastern Bloc to emigrate. By 1948, the year following Israel's independence, the Soviet Union began efforts to combat Zionism as part of a broader campaign against "cosmopolitanism", or pro-Western and pro-imperialist sentiment. (It should be noted that while the anti-cosmopolitan campaign during this period has often been maligned as "antisemitic" by Western commentators, and while I will not claim there was no excess or intolerance involved, the campaign was not at all targeted towards Jews. Zionism, while widespread, was not a very popular political position among the Jewish members of the Eastern Bloc and the opposition against Zionism came just as much from Jewish communists as it did from non-Jewish communists.)

Relevant reading:

The Soviet Union and the Creation of the State of Israel, Gabriel Gorodetsky (a detailed look into the diplomatic efforts to achieve Soviet support for Israel, primarily from the Zionist perspective)

Stalin: The History and Critique of a Black Legend, Domenico Losurdo (while not focused on Israel, it provides more information on the Soviet perspective on the matter during the chapter addressing claims of Stalin's antisemitism. It does make the mistake of identifying Soviet policy with Stalin's own beliefs, however.)

Human Rights in the Soviet Union, Albert Szymanski (this and the previous book discuss in part the charges of antisemitism relating to the anti-cosmopolitan campaign)

[kiwriteswords]

Professional Distractions

AN: Alright, here's the winner from the poll!! It's funny; I wrote a multi-chapter years ago about Hotch x Secretary Reader, so this brought back some memories!

Other Writing | Ao3

Pairing: Aaron Hotchner x Secretary!Female!Reader

Word Count: 8.9k

Rating: Everyone!

Tags/TW:  canon-typical themes, fluff, flirting

Summary: Aaron Hotchner thrives on control, order, and precision in both his work and personal life. But when a new secretary is assigned to his team, Hotch finds himself facing a different kind of challenge. Confident, witty, and effortlessly intriguing, she quickly becomes a presence he can't ignore. As their professional boundaries blur, Hotch is forced to confront feelings he never expected, and the calm, controlled world he's built begins to shift in unexpected ways.

Aaron Hotchner had never been one for frivolities in the office. Efficiency was his religion, order his creed. So, when Erin Strauss approached him with the idea that the BAU needed a secretary—he needed a secretary—he balked.

"I don’t need one," Hotch had said firmly, standing tall with that no-nonsense posture of his. “It’s a waste of resources.”

But Strauss was unmoved. "It’s already done, Aaron. She’ll start on Monday."

He felt like he'd lost before the battle had even begun. Hotch couldn't shake the sense that this was an unnecessary addition to his already perfectly functioning team. But Strauss was Strauss, and her word was law.

The team gathered in the bullpen that morning, curious about the new hire. Hotch had informed them earlier, his tone curt and business-like as usual. “She’s just here for administrative support,” he had said. “Nothing more.”

Morgan, leaning back in his chair, raised an eyebrow. "Bet she's someone Strauss sent to keep an eye on us," he joked.

JJ chuckled, but there was an undercurrent of anticipation among the team. New faces were always a point of interest, even in the most serious environments like the BAU.

The elevator doors slid open, and you stepped out, heels clicking softly on the floor. The conversations in the bullpen gradually quieted as you made your way towards Hotch’s office with a steady, assured walk.

You didn’t have the overt sex appeal of someone trying too hard. Instead, it was the way you carried yourself—your professional yet perfectly tailored outfit, your calm but confident posture, and the intelligent glint in your eyes—that caught their attention. Your aura spoke of someone who knew how to command a room, someone sharp, witty, and perhaps even a little mysterious.

"She’s... something," Morgan muttered under his breath, watching you with a grin.

"Wonder if she can keep up with Hotch," Garcia added with a playful smirk.

You reached Hotch’s office, giving the door a polite knock before stepping just inside. The faintest hint of a smile touched your lips, like you already knew what to expect.

"Mr. Hotchner?" Your voice was calm, professional, yet laced with just enough warmth to make him look up from his work.

He glanced up briefly, bracing himself for whatever distraction this was. "Hotch is fine," he replied, already setting his focus back on the file in front of him.

"Hotch, then," you echoed smoothly. The quickness of your response wasn’t flirtatious—it was simply sharp, quick-witted. You stepped fully into the office, no hesitation in your movements, and he took a second to measure you, noting that nothing about your manner felt frivolous.

"Y/N, your new secretary. But you probably already knew that," you said, standing with a straight posture, your gaze lingering just long enough to create the smallest tension in the air.

He nodded, clearly already trying to return his attention to the work on his desk. "Yes. Welcome."

You smirked slightly, sensing his resistance. "I’m here to make your life easier, Hotch. You’ll see."

It wasn’t a flirtatious comment, not in the usual sense. It was matter-of-fact, confident, and entirely unbothered by his lack of warmth. You weren’t intimidated, and that threw him off just enough to pause.

She doesn’t back down, Hotch thought, his fingers tightening just slightly on the papers in his hands. Most people hesitated, unsure of how to navigate his cool demeanor, but not you. You took it in stride, as if his distance wasn’t something to be overcome but just another part of him to understand. He wasn’t used to that.

There was a part of him that appreciated your confidence, your ability to handle things without needing constant direction. But there was also the part of him that felt something else—a pull, an attraction that was more than professional admiration. He couldn’t afford to entertain it, not here. Not with everything that was at stake. Yet, the more you settled into your role, the more difficult it became to ignore that nagging awareness of you, the way you never seemed rattled, no matter how he tried to maintain distance.

He was used to people being intimidated by him, especially new hires. But you? You weren’t phased in the least. Instead, there was a kind of ease about you that made him a little uneasy, though he’d never admit it.

With that, you left his office, and for the first time in a long while, Hotch found himself momentarily distracted, wondering just what kind of dynamic you were going to bring to his carefully controlled environment. 

Aaron Hotchner liked things a certain way. He wasn’t unreasonable, but he valued precision and efficiency, especially in his professional life. His office was always meticulously organized, his schedule tightly managed, and his expectations of those who worked with him were crystal clear. So when Erin Strauss had informed him that you—his new secretary—would be joining the BAU, he had been prepared to explain exactly how he liked things done.

Except, you were already a step ahead of him. And that both intrigued and unsettled him.

Hotch stood behind his desk, hands resting on the back of his chair as you entered his office with a fresh stack of files. You were calm, collected, and that faint smile you always wore, the one that hinted at a quiet confidence, made him pause.

“I thought we could go over a few things,” he said, his voice steady and professional. “Just to make sure we’re on the same page about how I like things done.”

You raised an eyebrow, a teasing glint in your eyes as you placed the files on his desk with an air of someone who already knew exactly what he was going to say.

“Sure thing, Hotch. Lay it on me,” you said, leaning against the edge of his desk, clearly at ease.

Hotch hesitated for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied you. He wasn’t used to this—someone who wasn’t fazed by his usual no-nonsense approach, someone who seemed completely comfortable in his presence. But he pressed on, his tone measured.

“I like everything to be organized by priority,” he began, his fingers tapping lightly on the desk. “Urgent case files go on the top left, and any paperwork requiring signatures should be grouped together. My schedule needs to be updated daily, and—”

Before he could finish, you cut in smoothly, nodding as if you were already familiar with every word. “Urgent on the top left, signatures grouped. Got it. And don’t worry, I’ve been updating your schedule daily since Monday. You’ve got a meeting with Strauss tomorrow at 10 a.m., by the way.”

Hotch blinked, caught off guard. “You’ve already... updated the schedule?”

You nodded, not missing a beat. “Of course. And I took the liberty of sorting through the files on your desk this morning. The reports you requested from Garcia are already at the top. You’ll find a few case notes under them that I flagged as potential priorities.”

For a moment, Hotch didn’t respond, his usual calm composure faltering just slightly as he processed what you’d said. He wasn’t used to someone anticipating his needs like this, certainly not after just a few days of working together. And while he was impressed—very impressed—he wasn’t quite ready to admit it.

“Efficient,” he finally said, his voice careful, but you could tell he was weighing his words. “More than I expected.”

You grinned, tilting your head slightly. “What, did you expect me to be a disaster?”

“Not at all,” he replied quickly, but you caught the smallest hint of a smile on his face, which only fueled your amusement.

“Well, I hate to disappoint,” you teased, stepping back from his desk, “but I tend to be pretty good at what I do. You’re just going to have to get used to it.”

Hotch’s eyes met yours, and for a moment, he felt that same unsettling sensation he had the first time you’d walked into his office—like you already knew him better than you should. And that both fascinated and unnerved him.

“I suppose I will,” he said quietly, his tone measured but with an undeniable undercurrent of admiration.

You smirked, sensing you had him right where you wanted him. “Don’t worry, Hotch. You’ll thank me eventually.”

He raised an eyebrow, his expression returning to that familiar composed exterior, but you could see the faintest flicker of something behind his eyes—something that told you he wasn’t as unaffected as he liked to appear.

“You seem very sure of yourself,” he remarked, folding his arms across his chest.

You grinned. “Confidence is key, right? Besides, I have a feeling I’ll be a good fit here.”

Hotch didn’t respond right away, his gaze still lingering on you as if trying to figure you out. You weren’t like anyone else he’d worked with before. There was something about your calm confidence, the way you seemed to know exactly how to push just the right buttons without overstepping. It was... refreshing. Though he’d never say that out loud.

Finally, he gave a small nod. “We’ll see,” he said, his voice softer now, almost thoughtful.

You chuckled, turning to leave his office. “Oh, I’m sure we will.”

As the day progressed, Hotch found himself more impressed with you than he cared to admit. Every task he’d mentioned—every detail, every instruction—you had already taken care of. Without being told. It wasn’t just your efficiency that caught his attention; it was the way you seemed to anticipate his needs, the way you handled everything with ease.

And the teasing? He found himself... enjoying it. More than he expected. You weren’t afraid to poke at him, to challenge him in small, subtle ways that made him pause and reevaluate the dynamics between you.

By the end of the day, as you prepared to leave, Hotch caught you on your way out, standing by his office door.

“Y/N,” he called, stopping you in your tracks.

You turned to face him, that same playful smile tugging at your lips. “What’s up, Hotch? Need something else done?”

He paused, then shook his head slightly, a rare smile threatening to surface. “No. Just... good work today.”

You raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. “Was that a compliment? From you?”

He chuckled softly under his breath. “Don’t let it go to your head.”

You grinned, your eyes sparkling with amusement. “Too late.”

As you turned to leave, Hotch couldn’t help but watch you go, still wondering how you had managed to slip past his defenses so effortlessly. You were different from anyone he had worked with before—confident, witty, and always one step ahead.

And though he wasn’t quite ready to admit it, Hotch knew he was impressed by you. More than he would ever let on.

Sitting back at his desk, Hotch allowed himself a rare moment of reflection. You’d been right: you had gotten under his skin. Not in a way that made him uncomfortable, but in a way that made him want to see where this new dynamic would lead. There was something about you that he couldn’t quite figure out—and maybe, for the first time in a long time, he was okay with that.

He glanced at the perfectly sorted stack of files on his desk and let out a soft sigh, knowing that working with you was going to be anything but predictable.

And for once, he didn’t mind that at all.

It didn’t take long for the team to notice the shift in the air. You were a natural conversationalist, quick on your feet with comebacks that were witty but never overtly crossed the line. Your presence was felt in the small ways—how you remembered little details about each of them, how you had a knack for lightening tense moments without being overbearing.

"I like her," Morgan said one afternoon after you had walked past, easily sliding a stack of paperwork into Hotch’s office without batting an eye.

Even Reid found himself smiling more when you were around, though you were relentless in teasing him, asking if his hair always did “that thing” on its own or if he had a special routine for it.

"She’s sharp," Reid added, intrigued by how quickly you seemed to pick up on the rhythms of the team.

"Too sharp, if you ask me," Garcia quipped, though her grin suggested she approved."She's like… intimidatingly hot," Garcia added, wide-eyed. "And those jokes? Even I blush."

JJ raised an eyebrow. "You think Hotch is... okay with her?"

Morgan laughed. "Oh, he’s pretending to be annoyed, but I bet he’s secretly amused."

And that was exactly the case. As much as Hotch tried to resist it, he found himself surprised by how often you caught him off-guard with your clever remarks. He wasn’t used to someone challenging him—not like this, in such subtle, intelligent ways.

But Hotch? He remained a fortress. He didn’t engage in your flirtation, not at first. He was polite, distant, keeping things strictly business even when you blatantly teased him about how serious he was.

“Do you ever smile?” you asked one afternoon, leaning over his desk again in that same casual-yet-familiar way.

“On occasion,” he responded coolly.

“Hmm. I’ll make it my mission to see that someday.”

He said nothing, though the corner of his mouth twitched—just a bit.

It was during a late-night case review when you knocked on his door and stepped inside, holding a cup of coffee. "I figured you could use this," you said, setting it down with a small smile.

“Thank you,” he said, eyes narrowing as he assessed you, trying to figure out what your game was.

“Careful,” you said, your tone light but teasing, “I might make you smile if you’re not too careful.”

For a second, his lips twitched, but he caught himself just in time. “I doubt that.”

“I love a challenge,” you responded without missing a beat, walking back to your desk with a slight grin.

And despite himself, Hotch found that he didn’t entirely mind the challenge either.

After a particularly long and grueling case, the team decided to go out for drinks to unwind. You, of course, joined without hesitation, slipping seamlessly into their social dynamic just as you had into their professional one.

As the drinks flowed, the conversation turned to you. Morgan, ever the instigator, leaned forward with a grin. "So, Y/N," he started, "you’ve been working with Hotch for a while now. What’s your take on him?"

You smirked, taking a sip of your drink before responding. "Hotch? He’s… everything."

The table quieted, and a few eyebrows shot up.

"Everything?" JJ asked, a smile tugging at her lips. "Care to elaborate?"

You shrugged, your tone playful but sincere. "I mean, he’s intelligent, strong, capable… and really attractive."

Garcia let out a small gasp, her eyes widening. "Wait—Hotch? You’re into Hotch?"

"How could I not be?" you laughed, setting your glass down with a casual ease. "He’s literally my dream man. Hot, smart, and way more fascinating than most people give him credit for."

Rossi, who had been quietly nursing his drink, raised an eyebrow. "Dream man, huh? I didn’t see that coming."

Morgan leaned back, clearly enjoying this turn of events. "You’ve got it bad, girl."

You smirked at him, completely unbothered by their teasing. "I’m just honest."

Emily, intrigued by your boldness, laughed. "I gotta admit, I didn’t peg you for a Hotch fan either."

"Oh my God," Garcia whispered dramatically, eyes wide. "Does Hotch even know?"

You rolled your eyes with a grin. "I mean, he will."

The table erupted into laughter, the team clearly amused by your boldness. Morgan, however, wasn’t done teasing. "You’re telling me if Hotch were sitting right here, you’d tell him to his face?"

Without missing a beat, you raised an eyebrow. "Absolutely."

And as if the universe had a sense of humor, Hotch, who had been at the bar talking to the bartender, chose that exact moment to return, taking a seat next to you.

"Tell me what to my face?" he asked, his voice low and curious as he glanced around the table.

You didn’t even blink. Turning to him, you smiled. "That I think you’re the hottest, smartest man in the room."

The entire table fell into a stunned silence. Even Morgan, who had been leading the teasing, looked impressed. 

Hotch, however, raised an eyebrow, clearly caught off guard. He wasn’t used to being the subject of such straightforward comments, especially not in front of the entire team. There was a beat of silence, and in that moment, Hotch felt the weight of their eyes on him. Normally, he would brush off a comment like this, keep things professional, deflect the attention. But something about the way you said it—so casual, so unapologetic—left him uncharacteristically rattled.

She can’t be serious, he thought, though there was no mistaking the sincerity in your tone. For the briefest second, his mind raced—how could someone as confident, as intelligent, as you be interested in him? He was used to being admired for his work ethic, his leadership, but this was something different. Something personal.

The idea of being seen in that way, especially by you, was both unexpected and, if he were honest with himself, a little thrilling. But he couldn’t afford to let it show. Not here. Not in front of the team. So he did what he always did—he kept his face neutral, his words careful, even as his heart beat just a little faster than before.

"You’re serious?" he asked, his tone careful, as though he were waiting for the punchline.

You smiled, unwavering. "Very."

There was a beat of silence, the tension palpable, but not uncomfortable. Finally, Hotch’s lips curved into the slightest of smiles, something rare for him. "I see."

Morgan burst into laughter, clapping his hands together. "Well, damn, Hotch! I think she’s got you beat."

Garcia, still wide-eyed, leaned forward, her voice a loud whisper. "Do you like… like him?"

You turned to her, grin still intact. "Yes, Penelope, I do. I have good taste."

Hotch sat quietly beside you, a bit overwhelmed but also… intrigued. You weren’t like anyone he’d ever worked with before. You were confident, intelligent, and you clearly didn’t care about anyone’s opinions. You liked him, and you weren’t afraid to say it. 

Reid changed the subject, without even realizing so, but Hotch’s mind was still on your comments. 

Finally, he cleared his throat. "I think it’s time I head out," he said, standing and adjusting his suit jacket. His eyes lingered on you for just a moment longer than necessary. "Goodnight, everyone."

As Hotch walked away, the table erupted into more laughter, but you sat back, utterly unphased. You knew it wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

The next day, Garcia wasted no time in rushing into Hotch’s office with her usual enthusiasm.

"Hotch, I can’t believe you just walked away last night!" she exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief.

Hotch looked up from his paperwork, raising an eyebrow. "Walked away from what, exactly?"

Garcia huffed, placing her hands on her hips, her bright and colorful outfit a stark contrast to Hotch’s meticulously organized office. “Oh, don’t play dumb, Hotch. You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

Hotch leaned back in his chair, his expression unchanging but his curiosity piqued. “Enlighten me.”

Garcia dramatically threw herself into one of the chairs in front of his desk, eyes wide and voice a conspiratorial whisper. “Y/N! Last night! She said you’re the hottest, smartest man in the room, and you just walked away like it was nothing! Do you realize how monumental that was?”

Hotch fought back the smallest of smiles, keeping his voice even. “I recall the conversation. I didn’t think it required a response in front of the team.”

Garcia stared at him, dumbfounded. “Aaron. You have to be kidding me. Do you know how many women would say something like that to your face? And in front of everyone? She practically handed you the keys to a brand new chapter of life, and you walked away!”

Hotch let out a slow breath, shaking his head slightly. “It’s not that simple, Garcia.”

“Oh, but it is that simple!” she shot back, leaning forward. “I’ve seen a lot of things in my time here, but never in a million years would I have thought someone would be so bold with you—and that you’d find it amusing! You didn’t even try to hide it.”

Hotch paused, letting her words sink in. Garcia was right, in a way. You were different. You didn’t play the games others did, and your boldness wasn’t born of carelessness—it was confidence, intelligence. And that intrigued him more than he had admitted, even to himself.

Still, he shook his head. “We work together, Garcia. I can’t cross that line.”

Garcia rolled her eyes. “Please. If there’s anyone who could handle both a professional and personal relationship, it’s you two. You’re like... two perfectly matched puzzle pieces, and I never say that about people who work here.”

Hotch glanced at the door for a moment, thinking. He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t replayed the conversation from last night in his head. The way you had so confidently and calmly told him exactly what you thought—right in front of the entire team. It had thrown him off, but in a good way. A way he wasn’t entirely used to.

“I’ll handle it,” he said after a long pause, looking back at Garcia.

Her eyes lit up. “Handle it? Do you mean like actually do something about it? Because if you don’t, she will! I mean, the girl literally told you she thinks you’re the best man in the room. Hotch, you have to act!”

He gave her a look. “I said I’ll handle it.”

Garcia stood, grinning as she made her way to the door. “You better, or I’ll handle it for you. And trust me, you don’t want that.”

As she left, Hotch allowed himself a moment to sit back and think. Garcia wasn’t wrong. If he didn’t make a move, you likely would. And the more he thought about it, the more he realized he didn’t mind that idea. Maybe, for once, it wouldn’t be such a bad thing to let someone else take the lead.

You were at your desk, typing away when Hotch’s office door opened. You glanced up to find him standing there; his usual composed expression softened just a fraction.

“Y/N, do you have a minute?” he asked, his voice steady.

“Of course,” you replied, standing up and following him into his office, your curiosity piqued by the sudden request.

He closed the door behind you, the soft click of the latch making the room feel smaller, more intimate. You raised an eyebrow, folding your arms casually as you stood in front of his desk.

“What’s up, Hotch?” you asked, your tone light but aware that something was brewing beneath the surface.

He didn’t immediately sit down, instead remaining on his feet as he faced you. “About last night—”

You smirked, cutting him off. “You mean the part where I told you you’re the hottest, smartest man in the room?”

Hotch’s lips twitched, the smallest hint of amusement flashing across his face. “That part, yes.”

You tilted your head, waiting for him to continue.

“I wanted to make sure you understand that... while I appreciate your honesty, there are boundaries we need to maintain at work,” he said, his tone even but not dismissive.

Your smirk softened into a more thoughtful expression. “I’m aware. But if I remember correctly, I wasn’t exactly talking at work.”

He paused, clearly considering your point. “That’s true,” he conceded.

“Hotch,” you began, stepping a little closer, your voice lowering just a fraction, “I’m not here to make your life more complicated. But I’m not one to pretend either. You’re smart, and I know you’ve noticed the way we work together, the way we... get along.”

He didn’t respond right away, his dark eyes studying you intently. You had always been direct, and it was something he respected, but now, standing so close, it was more than just a professional admiration. It was something deeper, something that had been brewing for weeks, if not longer.

“I have,” he admitted, his voice softer now, almost contemplative.

“So what are you going to do about it?” you asked, your tone teasing, but there was an underlying sincerity in your question.

Hotch took a deep breath, his eyes still locked on yours. For a moment, the air between you seemed to thicken, the unspoken tension finally surfacing.

“I’ll figure something out,” he said, his tone more gentle than you had ever heard from him before.

You smiled, stepping back just enough to give him space. “I’ll be waiting.”

With that, you turned and left his office, leaving Hotch standing there, wondering just when he had started to consider the possibility of more.

The days after your conversation with Hotch carried on much like before: cases, paperwork, and the steady hum of the BAU. But now, there was an unmistakable tension between you and Hotch, a thread pulling tighter with each passing day. It wasn’t uncomfortable; in fact, it was almost... fun.

You enjoyed testing the limits of his calm exterior, watching for the slightest crack in his composed demeanor. Though Hotch stayed focused, that flicker of amusement in his eyes gave him away.

The rest of the team noticed, too, particularly Morgan and Garcia. Morgan would occasionally shoot Hotch a sly look, silently encouraging him to do something about the growing tension. Garcia, meanwhile, gave you conspiratorial smiles, her curiosity clearly piqued by whatever she suspected was brewing between the two of you.

One afternoon, you couldn’t help yourself. You wandered into Hotch’s office under the guise of bringing him some updated case files. You knocked lightly, then stepped inside before he could respond, a habit you’d developed over the past few weeks.

Hotch barely looked up from his paperwork as you entered, his brow furrowed in concentration. 

“Y/N,” he acknowledged, his tone calm but not dismissive. 

He knew it wasn’t just the paperwork that had him distracted—it was you. You’d been working at the BAU for a short time, but you had already managed to throw him off his usual rhythm. He wasn’t used to this—feeling something more than just professional respect for someone in the office. It unsettled him.

He told himself that it wasn’t anything serious, that he could keep it under control, but whenever you were in the room, there was an awareness that lingered—something beyond the simple back-and-forth of a working relationship. He glanced up briefly, bracing himself for the easy confidence in your expression that always made him feel like you saw more than you let on.

“What do you need?” he asked, trying to keep his focus steady. He couldn’t afford distractions. Not now.

“Oh, nothing urgent,” you said, your voice light as you placed the files on the corner of his desk. “Just thought you might like a little company. You’ve been holed up in here for hours. Starting to wonder if you’re avoiding me.”

He glanced up, his dark eyes meeting yours briefly before returning to the document in front of him. “I’m not avoiding you,” he said evenly. “Just busy.”

“Mm-hmm,” you hummed, stepping closer, leaning against his desk. “You say that, but I’m starting to think you’re avoiding me because I might be distracting you. Don’t worry, Hotch, I won’t take it personally.”

His eyes flicked up to yours again, this time lingering a little longer. “You’re not distracting me,” he replied, but there was the faintest trace of amusement in his voice.

You raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. “You sure? I mean, I wouldn’t blame you if I was. It’s kind of my specialty.”

Hotch set his pen down, finally leaning back in his chair, giving you his full attention. “Your specialty?” he asked, a hint of curiosity creeping into his voice. “And what exactly does that entail?”

You smiled, leaning in just slightly. “I’m good at getting under people’s skin... in a good way.”

His lips twitched, the barest hint of a smile threatening to appear. “I’m not so easily rattled,” he said, his tone challenging.

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” you replied, your voice soft but teasing. “I’ve noticed that you seem a little... different lately. Less of that ‘stoic FBI boss’ thing you’ve got going on. Could be me, though.” You tilted your head, eyes gleaming with mischief.

Hotch didn’t respond right away, his gaze steady, his expression unreadable. But you could see the faintest crack in his armor—just enough to know you were getting to him.

“I think you overestimate your influence,” he said finally, though the amusement in his tone betrayed him.

You smiled wider, clearly enjoying the challenge. “Maybe. Or maybe you’re just underestimating how much fun I’m having seeing if I can make you crack.”

Hotch leaned forward, resting his elbows on his desk, his eyes locked on yours with that intense focus he was known for. “You think I’m going to crack?”

You shrugged, unphased by his scrutiny. “Everyone has a breaking point, Hotch. Even you.”

He didn’t answer, but the way his eyes held yours for just a second too long told you everything you needed to know. You were getting to him, whether he wanted to admit it or not.

Before the silence could stretch too far, you stood up straight, backing away just a little. “I’ll let you get back to your very important paperwork. Wouldn’t want to be the one responsible for you losing focus,” you said with a smirk.

“Appreciated,” Hotch replied, his voice low and controlled, but there was a new glint in his eyes. “I’m sure I can handle it.”

You gave him a playful wink before turning on your heel and walking out, leaving him sitting there, slightly amused but clearly rattled—just as you intended.

The tension between you and Hotch continued to simmer, but now, it was more playful than before. You took every opportunity to poke at him, using your wit and quick remarks to see how far you could push before he finally let something slip.

One day, you were both in the conference room, going over some reports. The rest of the team was out in the bullpen, busy with their own tasks, but you and Hotch were alone.

“Looks like we’ve got a lot of paperwork to get through,” you said, flipping through a stack of files. “You really should invest in a better system. Maybe hire a secretary... oh wait, that’s me.”

Hotch glanced at you, his expression neutral, though you could see the faintest glint of humor in his eyes. “You’re doing a fine job. No need to hire anyone else.”

You smirked. “Fine job, huh? Just fine?”

He didn’t bite, instead focusing on the papers in front of him. “You’re very efficient.”

You leaned a little closer, lowering your voice just slightly. “Efficient? That’s the best you’ve got? I’ve been called a lot of things in my time, but efficient doesn’t exactly scream ‘compliment.’”

Hotch finally looked up, raising an eyebrow. “What would you prefer?”

You tapped your chin thoughtfully, pretending to consider the question. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe something a little more... creative? Stunning? Irreplaceable?”

His lips quirked in what could have been a smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Satisfied with your small victory, you leaned back, crossing your arms with a satisfied grin. “Good. I’d hate for you to hold back on my account.”

Before Hotch could respond, Morgan walked into the room, interrupting the moment. “Hey, Hotch, we’ve got a lead on the case. You ready?”

Hotch stood up, giving you one last glance before nodding. “Let’s go.”

You watched as they left, that familiar flutter in your stomach returning. You’d been teasing him relentlessly, but the way Hotch handled it only made you more intrigued. He never gave too much away, but there were moments, small cracks in his usual control, that told you you were getting under his skin in the best possible way.

By the time Friday rolled around, the team decided to go out for drinks again, needing a break from the stress of the week. You joined them, of course, slipping into your usual spot at the bar. As always, the conversation flowed easily, the team laughing and unwinding together.

But you couldn’t help but notice Hotch, sitting across from you, his attention shifting your way every so often. He wasn’t as reserved as he’d been in the past, and you found yourself wondering just how much further you could push him.

“You’ve been quiet tonight, Hotch,” you said, leaning forward slightly. “Something on your mind?”

He glanced at you, a small, unreadable smile on his lips. “Just thinking.”

“About me, maybe?” you teased, your voice light but with an edge of curiosity.

Hotch’s eyes met yours, and for a brief moment, something flickered in his gaze—something you couldn’t quite read. But instead of answering, he just took a sip of his drink, letting the silence linger.

“Careful, Hotch,” you said with a smirk. “You’re starting to look like you’re actually enjoying yourself.”

His lips quirked again, but this time, he didn’t deny it. “Maybe I am.”

Your heart skipped a beat, but you didn’t let it show. Instead, you leaned back in your chair, satisfied that you had gotten another small victory. This was becoming a game—one you were both enjoying far more than you’d anticipated.

And you had a feeling that sooner or later, Hotch was going to make his move.

The conversation shifted as drinks were passed around, laughter bubbling up among the team. You found yourself in easy conversation with Morgan and Prentiss, but every now and then, your eyes would drift back to Hotch, catching him watching you in those quiet moments between interactions.

It wasn’t long before Garcia, after a few drinks, leaned over the table toward you with a wide grin.

“Okay, Y/N, let’s get back to the real topic,” she began, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “What’s your move with Hotch?”

You raised an eyebrow, amused by her boldness. “My move?” you asked, though you already knew where she was going.

Emily grinned, leaning in as well. “Oh, come on, you basically laid it all out there last time we went out. Now the question is, what happens next?”

You laughed, feeling the team’s eyes on you, and shrugged, completely at ease. “I think we’ll let Hotch decide that,” you said, glancing at him from across the table.

Morgan smirked. “You’re telling me you’re just gonna wait for Hotch to make the move? You know he’s not exactly the type to—”

“To what?” Hotch interrupted, his voice calm but with a hint of amusement as he joined the conversation, eyes now fully on you.

Morgan chuckled. “I was just saying that you’re not exactly the type to, you know, make a move in these situations.”

The table erupted in quiet laughter, everyone clearly enjoying the banter. But Hotch, ever composed, leaned back in his seat and looked at you, his expression soft but serious.

“Maybe I surprise people sometimes,” Hotch said, his voice low enough that only you could hear it over the chatter.

Your eyes locked with his, and for a moment, the world around you seemed to fade. You could tell there was something unspoken in his words, something that hinted at more than just a challenge. Your heart raced, but you kept your composure, offering him a small, knowing smile.

Before anyone could say more, Hotch stood up, drawing the attention of the team. “I think it’s time I head out,” he said, his gaze briefly lingering on you.

Morgan raised his glass. “Always leaving early, boss man.”

Hotch gave him a small, amused nod before glancing back at you. “Y/N, do you mind giving me a ride back to the office? I left my car there.”

There was no hesitation in your response. “Sure.”

The team exchanged knowing glances as you both said your goodbyes, and once outside the bar, the cool evening air hit your skin, but the tension between you and Hotch kept the night warm. The car ride back to the office was filled with comfortable silence, the kind that spoke more than words ever could.

You pulled up to the BAU parking lot, the building mostly dark except for the faint glow of a few security lights. Hotch turned to you as you cut the engine, his eyes reflecting the low light.

“Thank you,” he said quietly, his voice softer than usual.

“No problem,” you replied, sensing that something more was on the tip of his tongue.

For a moment, neither of you moved, the air between you thick with the unresolved tension from weeks of lingering looks and quiet conversations. Finally, Hotch broke the silence, his voice steady but laced with something deeper.

“Y/N, about everything you’ve said—about me,” he began, his eyes holding yours. “I didn’t respond the way I should have before. I wasn’t sure how to navigate it, but... I haven’t stopped thinking about it.”

You tilted your head, intrigued but calm. “And now?”

Hotch paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. “Now, I think I’ve decided.”

Your heart skipped a beat as he leaned in just slightly, his gaze never wavering from yours. “I’ve spent a long time keeping things... separate,” he said, his voice lower, more intimate. “But I don’t want to ignore what’s in front of me anymore.”

You smiled, feeling the weight of his words sink in. “So you’re saying you do make the move sometimes?”

A rare smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “Maybe I just needed the right person to make me want to.”

And with that, Hotch closed the small gap between you, his hand reaching out to lightly brush your arm. It wasn’t rushed, wasn’t impulsive. It was deliberate, intentional, and filled with the promise of something more. When his lips finally met yours, it was soft but firm, like everything you had been waiting for had just clicked into place.

Pulling back just slightly, he looked at you, the usual intensity in his eyes now tempered with something new. “Dinner next week?”

You grinned. “I’ll be waiting.”

And as he stepped out of the car, you couldn’t help but feel that the boundaries between you had finally shifted in the best possible way.

Hotch had always been the kind of man who liked things done a certain way—organized, thoughtful, and maybe a bit old-fashioned. So, when he offered to pick you up for your date, you couldn’t help but tease him a little.

“I could’ve driven myself, you know,” you said with a playful smile as you slipped into the passenger seat of his black SUV.

Hotch, ever composed, shot you a small glance. “I like to do things properly.”

You raised an eyebrow, amused. “Properly? What, are you going to ask my father for permission, too?”

He smirked—just the barest hint of amusement playing at his lips. “I considered it.”

You let out a laugh, settling into the seat. “Old-fashioned, huh? I didn’t peg you as the type, Hotch.”

“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a little tradition,” he replied, his eyes focused on the road, though you could see a glint of humor in them.

You leaned back in your seat, your voice teasing. “No complaints from me. But don’t expect me to be swooning over your chivalry.”

He chuckled under his breath, surprising you. It wasn’t often you heard him laugh, and when it did happen, it was always low, quiet—like a secret only a few were privileged to hear.

“Noted,” he said simply, but you could tell he wasn’t entirely unamused by your teasing. And that made you all the more curious to see how far you could push him tonight.

Dinner was a surprising success. You’d expected Hotch to be his usual composed self, always in control of the situation, but as the evening progressed, you realized there was more to him than the stoic leader you were used to seeing at work. He wasn’t exactly playful, but there was a dry wit to him, a subtle humor that came out when he was relaxed. And tonight, for the first time, you saw that side of him more clearly.

“Admit it,” you said, leaning forward slightly as the waiter refilled your wine glasses. “You’ve been looking forward to this.”

Hotch tilted his head, his eyes meeting yours. “I won’t deny that.”

He surprised himself with the honesty of his response. Normally, he wouldn’t have indulged in something so personal, especially not during a conversation with a colleague. But this wasn’t the office. Here, under the dim lights of the restaurant, it was different. He was different.

He watched as you smirked, your chin resting in your hand, completely at ease. You had this way of disarming him with a simple look, a shift in your tone that made him feel more like a person and less like the always-in-control Unit Chief he was used to being. It was unsettling how quickly you’d managed to make him lower his guard, even for a moment.

How long has it been since I’ve felt like this? The thought crept up on him, unbidden. He couldn’t even remember the last time someone made him forget about the weight of his responsibilities, even if just for an evening. There was something easy about being around you, something he hadn’t expected but found himself wanting more of, even if he couldn’t quite admit it to himself yet.

You smirked, resting your chin in your hand. “See, you can be fun.”

“I’m not as rigid as you think,” he replied, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“Oh, I know,” you teased. “You’re just selective about when you let it show.”

He didn’t answer right away, his gaze steady and thoughtful, and for a moment, you felt the familiar tension between you—the same pull that had been simmering beneath the surface for weeks. But just as you opened your mouth to speak again, Hotch’s phone buzzed on the table.

The moment the sound broke through, you both knew what it meant. A case.

As you laughed together over the last few sips of wine, the soft clinking of glasses and the gentle hum of conversation around you made the world feel smaller, more intimate. Hotch’s eyes lingered on you a little longer, and you could sense that rare ease in his posture, a subtle but meaningful shift away from the controlled, composed man you were used to seeing in the office.

But then, his phone buzzed against the table, shattering the moment like a pebble hitting calm water. Hotch’s hand paused before picking it up, his gaze briefly flickering with something close to regret. He already knew what it was. So did you.

As he glanced at the screen, you saw the professional mask slip back into place, the rare vulnerability gone in an instant. His shoulders straightened, his jaw set, and that familiar intensity returned. 

"It’s from Garcia," he said quietly, the warmth from moments before replaced by the familiar seriousness of a case.

For a second, he didn’t say anything further, his eyes resting on the screen as if weighing the decision to cut the evening short. His lips pressed into a thin line, betraying the disappointment he wouldn’t voice. Finally, he glanced up at you, offering an apologetic smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. 

"I’m sorry," he said, his voice quieter now, as if reluctant to pull himself away from the moment.

You leaned back in your chair, letting out a soft sigh. "Comes with the territory, right?" you replied, understanding but equally disappointed.

By the time the two of you arrived at the BAU, the rest of the team was already gathered in the bullpen, their eyes immediately locking onto you and Hotch as you walked in together. You were still dressed in your dinner attire, and Hotch, though composed, looked far more relaxed than he usually did when coming into the office. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what was going on.

Morgan, always quick to jump on any chance for teasing, grinned widely the moment you entered. “Well, well, well,” he said, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed. “What have we here?”

Garcia, who had been standing by her computer, gasped dramatically. “No way! You two were on a date?!” she exclaimed, her eyes darting between you and Hotch like she’d just uncovered the juiciest gossip.

Reid, looking slightly bewildered but intrigued, glanced at Hotch. “Really?”

You, completely unbothered by the attention, flashed a smile as you walked over to the table, pulling your jacket off and tossing it over a chair. “Surprised? I thought you all were more observant than that.”

Morgan laughed, clearly enjoying the moment. “We had our suspicions. But I gotta say, seeing Hotch in date mode? Didn’t think it was possible.”

Emily, who had been watching with a sly smile, leaned in. “How’s he doing? All proper and stiff like usual?”

You grinned at Hotch, who was standing behind you, his expression calm but not quite unreadable. “Oh, he’s very proper,” you said, your voice laced with playful sarcasm. “He even picked me up. Very chivalrous.”

The team burst into laughter at that, and even Hotch, though stoic, didn’t seem fazed by the teasing. If anything, there was a trace of amusement in his eyes as he stood there, clearly aware that he was the center of the joke.

Garcia leaned forward, her eyes widening with curiosity. “Wait, hold on. Hotch on a date? This is... rare,” she said, her tone full of intrigue but tempered with playful restraint. “I mean, I’ve heard of such things, but to witness it—wow.”

Hotch shook his head slightly, though the corner of his mouth tugged upward. “It’s not as monumental as you’re making it sound,” he said with a small, almost sheepish smile, something barely noticeable but present.

You laughed, leaning against the table. “Sorry, Hotch. I think you’re stuck with this one for a while.”

Morgan grinned, nodding in agreement. “Yeah, I don’t think she’s going to let you off the hook that easily. But I’ve got to say,” he added, glancing between you and Hotch, “I haven’t seen the man this... relaxed in a long time.”

Garcia smiled softly, her usual energy settling into something more genuine. “It suits you, Hotch,” she said with a wink, but there was warmth in her words, not just her usual excitement.

You shot Hotch a quick look, a playful grin tugging at your lips. “See? I told you I was good at getting under people’s skin.”

Hotch gave you a sideways glance, but the hint of a smile on his face didn’t go unnoticed by the rest of the team. “So I’ve noticed.”

Despite the teasing, the team eventually settled into their professional rhythm, focusing on the case at hand. Hotch shifted back into his role as Unit Chief seamlessly—his tone authoritative, his posture all business. But even as he directed the team, catching glimpses of you across the room, there was something new in the air between you, something that didn’t quite fit within the professional boundaries you’d both carefully maintained up until now.

Every now and then, you’d catch him glancing your way, his expression softening for just a moment before he returned to the task at hand. It didn’t go unnoticed by you. In fact, you could feel it—the subtle pull between you two, something the team had picked up on too.

You weren’t embarrassed about how the night had unfolded. Not even a little. You’d owned your feelings, and seeing Hotch standing there, the team playfully ribbing you both, only made you more certain of what was between you. If anything, it was fun. It felt natural. But as the case wore on and the work consumed everyone, the playful teasing fell away, leaving just you and Hotch standing side by side, reviewing files as you discussed the finer points of the profile.

At some point, Hotch’s shoulder brushed against yours, and it sent a spark through you—small but undeniable. The room was buzzing with the usual energy of the BAU at work, but between you and Hotch, there was a quiet that felt intimate, even in the middle of the chaos.

“You okay with how that all played out?” you asked quietly, keeping your voice low enough that only he could hear.

Hotch’s eyes met yours, his expression unreadable for a brief moment before he nodded. “It’s fine.”

You hesitated, sensing there was more beneath his calm exterior. Leaning in just a little, you lowered your voice even more, pushing a little, like you always did with him. “You sure? You’re not embarrassed?”

Hotch turned to face you more fully, his dark eyes steady as they met yours again. “Not at all,” he said, his voice soft but sure.

You studied him for a second, feeling that familiar spark of curiosity. “I can be a lot sometimes,” you admitted, your tone lighter now but with a genuine edge. “I know I get under your skin. And I’ve noticed you try to keep things professional, but... am I too much for you?”

His brow furrowed slightly as if the thought hadn’t even crossed his mind. He stepped just a fraction closer, his tone serious but gentle. “You’re not too much,” he said quietly, his eyes searching yours. “It’s not that. I’m just... not used to it.”

You raised an eyebrow, feeling a little bold. “Not used to what? Someone poking at your stoic FBI boss exterior?”

He let out a low chuckle, the sound almost surprising. “That, yes. But it’s more than that,” he said, his gaze softening as he spoke. “I’m not used to someone like you. Confident, brazen, and... beautiful.”

Your heart skipped a beat at his words. Coming from Aaron Hotchner, they felt weightier than any compliment you’d ever received before. “You really think I’m all that?” you teased, though your voice was softer now, the playfulness balanced by something more vulnerable.

Hotch gave you a small smile, the kind that was so rare for him but meant so much. “I do.”

For a moment, you didn’t speak. You just stood there, his words hanging between you, the tension both professional and personal at once. You’d been used to teasing him, pushing his buttons, testing the boundaries. But this? This was different. This was real.

“Good,” you said finally, a smirk tugging at your lips as you regained your playful tone. “Because I plan on teasing you about this for weeks.”

Hotch shook his head, amused. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

You were about to respond when Morgan walked past, flashing a grin. “Are you two done having your little moment? We’ve got a case to solve.”

Hotch straightened, his professional demeanor snapping back into place, though you could still see the warmth in his eyes when he glanced at you. “Let’s get back to work.”

But even as you returned to the task at hand, there was no mistaking that something had shifted between you. The teasing, the banter, the sparks you’d been playing with for weeks—all of it had led to this. And you knew, even as you both focused on the case, that the connection between you wasn’t something that would just go away.

As the night stretched on, you worked side by side, the teasing and laughter from earlier fading into the background. But every now and then, when the room was quieter and the rest of the team was occupied, Hotch would glance at you again, and in those moments, you saw it—the acknowledgment of what was growing between you.

This wasn’t just another playful exchange, another round of banter. This was real. And as much as Hotch was still the consummate professional, always in control, you could tell he wasn’t uncomfortable or embarrassed. Not by you, not by what was happening. He was simply adjusting, learning how to navigate something new.

When the case was finally wrapped up, and everyone began to head home, you found yourself standing in the BAU’s dimly lit office with Hotch once again. The others had gone, leaving just the two of you alone in the quiet.

“Well,” you said, folding your arms with a grin, “we never got to finish that date.”

Hotch, still composed, gave you a small smile. “I’ll make it up to you.”

You tilted your head, teasing. “You better. I don’t usually let guys off the hook that easily.”

He chuckled softly, the sound making your heart skip again. “I’m not letting myself off the hook.”

You took a step closer, your voice lowering just slightly. “Good. Because I don’t plan on letting you go that easy either.”

For a moment, neither of you spoke, the weight of the night hanging in the air. And then, in a gesture that felt natural, Hotch reached out, his hand brushing yours before gently intertwining his fingers with yours.

“I’ll pick you up again tomorrow,” he said quietly, his eyes warm.

You smiled, giving his hand a light squeeze.“Old-fashioned, I remember.”

He smiled back, his tone soft but full of promise. “I think it’s growing on you.”

And with that, you both turned to leave, the knowledge that this—whatever it was—was just beginning.

Tag List:

@zaddyhotch @estragos @todorokishoe24 @khxna @rousethemouse

[robertreich]

Why Trump Is Partnering With Christian Nationalists

Donald Trump is portraying himself as a religious savior. He says Election Day will be: …”the most important day in the history of our country, and it’s going to be Christian Visibility Day.”

Trump has repeatedly compared his criminal trials to the crucifixion of Jesus, promoted videos calling his reelection “the most important moment in human history,” and that describe him as a divinely appointed ruler.

He claims to be a holy warrior against an imaginary attack on Christianity.

TRUMP: They want to tear down crosses//But no one will be touching the cross of Christ under the Trump administration. I swear to you.

He’s even selling his own version of the Bible.

Trump is playing to a rising white Christian Nationalist movement within the Republican Party.

Christian Nationalists believe that the law of the land is not the Constitution, but instead the law of God as they interpret it. Under this view, atheists and people of other faiths (including Christians of other denominations) are all second-class citizens.

Trump’s supporters are increasingly overt in their calls to replace democracy with a MAGA theocracy.

The idea that the will of voters is irrelevant because God has anointed Trump was a recurring message in the efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

In previous videos, I’ve highlighted how MAGA Republicans have embraced core elements of fascism. They reject democracy, stoke fear of immigrants and minorities, embrace a gender and ethnic hierarchy, and look to a strongman to lead and defend them.

The combination of fascism and Christian Nationalism is called Christofascism, a term first used half a century ago by the theologian Dorothee Sölle. Fascists rise to power by characterizing their opponents as subhuman. Christofascists take it a step further by casting opponents as not just subhuman, but actually demonic.

Framing opponents as enemies of God makes violence against them not only seem justifiable, but divinely sanctioned, and almost inevitable.

Christofascists want to strip away a wide range of rights Americans take for granted. Former Trump staffers involved in developing plans for a second Trump term have called for imposing “Biblical” tests on immigration, overturning marriage equality, and restricting contraception.  

And MAGA-aligned judges are already setting their dogma ahead of the Constitution. In his concurring opinion on the case that declared frozen embryos are people, Alabama Supreme Court Justice Tom Parker cited God more than forty times and quoted the Book of Genesis and other religious texts.

Nothing could be more un-American than the Christian Nationalist vision. So many of America’s founders came here as refugees seeking religious freedom. The framers of the Constitution were adamant that religion had no role in our government. The words “God,” “Jesus,” and “Christ,” don’t appear anywhere in the Constitution. And the very first words of the Bill of Rights are a promise that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

Christofascism, or any religion-based form of government, is a rejection of everything America has aspired to be — a secular, multi-racial society whose inhabitants have come from everywhere, bound together by a faith in equal opportunity, democracy, and the rule of law.

Beware.

[aethon-recs]

This Week (x2) in Tomarrymort (8 – 21 November 2024)

Hello! We have three multi-chaptered fics finishing this week, highlighted below. In addition, I made a rec list for Tomarrymort Necrophilia Fics 💀🤍 in support of the Tomarrymort Necro Fest hosted by @magical-menagerie-server, which kicks off in January.

Completed Fic:

Memories of a Killer by @chemfreak89 (M, 47k, complete) Age catches up with everyone. The infamous serial killer Voldemort now spends his time reading newspapers and making trips to the local library in search of a new crime novel. But one day he makes an interesting new acquaintance that shakes his quiet life and rekindles old flames and unknown desires. What quickens me is the violence in thee by @i-dream-of-libraries (M, 17k, complete) Harry is sold at auction to a man who is clearly in some kind of disguise - Lord Riddle isn't as charming as he looks, and the way he looks at Harry... A Regency AU inspired by the magnificent artwork of @stolenviolet. If I were you by @onehitpleb (E, 9k, complete) It is 1945 and Tom is eighteen, freshly graduated, and working a non-reputable job as a store clerk in Knockturn Alley. Somehow, he grows attached to the worst sort of person - an idiot.

In addition, a recap of the author notes from last week! (Please feel free to add some extra context to your fic update in the reblog, such as a little bit about the chapter(s) updated, and I’ll throw it in the update for next week!)

A Simple Request by @shyinsunlight (E, 70k, WIP) “As for the new chapter of A Simple Request, Harry tries and (unsurprisingly) fails to keep his personal life private. Some are having the time of their life, some others, not so much. Lifts can take you up, but going down is more interesting.” Wish by @sri-verse (E, 3k, WIP) “Wish is set after Harry's fifth year where he gets the ownership of Bellatrix's vault along side the Black vault. Looking at a gold goblet, he remembers his childhood wish of buying a gold cauldron and brings back Helga Hufflepuff's cup with him to fulfill that desire, unaware that he has freed the horcrux living in it.” To the Hilt by @izharmilgram (E, 28k, WIP) “To The Hilt is a royal arranged marriage au featuring nontraditional a/b/o, political schemes, ancient greek and abrahamic religion references, feral harry potter, and lots of power play and worship. It's neither only tomarry or only harrymort, but tomarrymort—meaning the core relationship is Tom/Harry/Voldemort. This includes Tom/Voldemort.” we made universes out of bitten lips and broken hands by @boyneptunee (M, 50k, WIP) “The consequences of Harry's Time Travel seem inconsequential, at first. Until they stare right back at him with vicious eyes. There's trouble brewing in every direction, and the Future is not as certain and set in stone as one might think.” Time Stumbler by @wintumnly (T, 102k, WIP) “Harry is stuck in 1937 and spends the holidays with almost-eleven-year-old Tom Riddle. On the first day of Christmas, they both anxiously wait for Tom's Hogwarts letter together. Fluff, humor, and Tom Riddle is not good with feelings." 7 by @moontearpensfic (E, 44k, WIP) “Harry goes back in time to raise Tom AU: the boys discuss what might have happened to make Voldemort go to "sleep."” Anytime, Anywhere, Always by @moontearpensfic (E, 22k, WIP) “Harry corrupts Tom AU: Tom and Harry celebrate Christmas--and something more! Your Wish, My Command by @moontearpensfic (E, 8k, WIP) “Hinny adopts Tom AU: Tom finally gets Harry to crack. 🔥”

*

Tomarrymort One Shots and Completed Fic

Complete | Chapters 8 and 9 of Memories of a Killer by @chemfreak89

Complete | Chapter 6 of What quickens me is the violence in thee by @i-dream-of-libraries

Complete | Chapter 4 of If I were you by @onehitpleb

Complete | Chapter 19 of Sits the wind in that quarter by @mosiva

One Shot | To be Imagined by @cyandenial

One Shot | god's hands by @curioushabitforarivergod

One Shot | bad behaviour by @milkandmoon-ao3

One Shot | two ways of being: the noun & the verb by cycloalkane

One Shot | set my soul on fire by @wynnefic

One Shot | Beach Episode by @crowcrowcrowthing

One Shot | First Duel by @being-luminous

*

Tomarrymort Ongoing Fics

Chapter 12 of Ills of Murder by @shadow-of-the-eclipse

Chapters 7 through 11 of in the silence by @satflesk22

Chapter 4 of friend of the devil (a friend of mine) by @shyinsunlight

Chapter 15 of Embryo by @cannibalinc

Chapter 4 of As It Begins by @duplicitywrites @moontearpensfic

Chapters 7 and 8 of Stygian by @crowcrowcrowthing

Chapters 15 through 17 of Saint Harry by @alenablack @chaos-bear

Chapter 1 of the night is cold in the kingdom by @girl-with-goats

Chapters 5 and 6 of you speak of the devil (like he's not your friend) by @amuria

Chapters 131 through 134 of Liquida Tenebris (Remastered) by @dymis

Chapters 1 and 2 of Small Mistakes by Crisis_Brewing

Chapter 5 of Hit 'N Run by @dragonaireabsolvare

Chapter 11 of Days always end in sunsets by @d00medbythenarrative

Chapter 25 of Time Stumbler by @wintumnly

Chapters 8 and 9 of Venom or Valor by @lightningant

Chapter 21 of Outrunning the Villain in You by @zenyteehee

Chapters 6 through 8 of To the Hilt by @izharmilgram

Chapter 9 of Do It Over by @marrythemonstersao3

Chapter 2 of Infinite by @moontearpensfic

Chapter 2 of Prizefighter by @dragonaireabsolvare

Chapter 8 of Fetters of the Damned by @sc0rpiflow3r

Chapters 13 and 14 of Hole in the Wall by tomrddle

Chapters 23 and 24 of Learning to love by @l-archiduchesse

Chapter 13 of He Who Shall Not Be Changed by @moontimefilter

Chapter 17 of Last Son of Black by @treacleteacups

Chapter 6 of Dreams Beyond Blood by @hikarimeroperiddle

*

[city-of-ladies]

Puduhepa (c. 1300–c. 1215 BCE) was a formidable Hittite queen whose influence extended across politics and religion. Through diplomacy and faith, she left an enduring legacy.

Priestess of Ishtar

Born around 1300 BCE in Kizzuwatna, a region in southeastern Anatolia, Puduhepa was of Hurrian descent—one of the peoples within the multi-ethnic Hittite state.

Her father, Pentipsharri, was a priest of the goddess Ishtar, and Puduhepa herself served as a priestess. It was during this time that she encountered Hattusili, the future king of the Hittites.

Hattusili, then the brother of the reigning monarch, was returning from the Battle of Kadesh against the Egyptians when he stopped in the city of Lawazantiya. There, he met Puduhepa and her father. According to official accounts, Ishtar appeared to him in a dream, commanding him to marry her. Puduhepa thus became his chief wife, a union that appears to have been both harmonious and fruitful, producing several children.

Years later, when King Muwatalli died around 1267 BCE, his son Mursili III took the throne. At first, Hattusili remained loyal to his nephew, but the young king viewed his uncle as a threat and sought to curb his influence. Hattusili eventually rebelled and seized the throne for himself. According to some accounts, Puduhepa likely played a role in inspiring this coup, having received a divine revelation that her husband would be victorious.

Queen of peace

As queen, Puduhepa was a true partner in rule. She held the prestigious title of tawannana, traditionally granted to the reigning queen, which gave her both political and religious authority. She also presided over legal cases.

Puduhepa’s greatest legacy lay in her diplomatic efforts, which ensured peace and stability in the region. She co-sealed key treaties and corresponded directly with Pharaoh Ramesses II regarding the marriage of one of her daughters to him. Her letters reveal a skilled diplomat who was unafraid to assert herself, earning the pharaoh’s respect as an equal.

She also maintained correspondence with Ramesses II's queen, Nefertari, to whom she sent gifts. While only Nefertari’s reply has survived, it reflects a relationship of mutual esteem.

Puduhepa's seal

Shaping beliefs

Beyond politics, Puduhepa played a crucial role in shaping the religious landscape of the Hittite Empire. She composed prayers and liturgical texts, including one pleading with the gods to heal her ailing husband:

If Hattusili is accursed, and if Hattusili, my husband, has become hateful in the eyes of you, the gods; or if anyone of the gods above or below has taken offence at him; or if anyone has made an offering to the gods to bring evil upon Hattusili – accept not these evil words, O Goddess, My Lady!

She also promoted religious syncretism between Hittite and Hurrian traditions:

O Sun-goddess of Arinna, my lady, queen of all the lands! In Hatti you have yourself the name Sun-goddess of Arinna, but the land which you made, that of the cedar, there you gave yourself the name Hepat. I, Puduhepa, am your long-time servant, a calf of your stable, a [corner]- stone of your foundation. You picked me up, my lady, and Hattusili, your servant, to whom you married me, and he too was attached by destiny to the Storm-God of Nerik, your beloved son.

After Hattusili’s death around 1237 BCE, Puduhepa remained influential as queen mother during the reign of their son, Tudhaliya IV. She continued to wield political and judicial power, even intervening in legal disputes such as a case of willful damage to a ship. Despite attempts by her rivals to remove her, she retained her position.

Her last recorded letters date from 1215 BCE. While the exact date of her death remains unknown, she had lived through the final flourishing years of the Hittite Empire.

If you enjoy this blog, consider supporting me on Ko-fi!

Further reading: 

Middleton Guy D., Women in the Ancient Mediterranean World: From the Palaeolithic to the Byzantines

Snograss Mary Ellen,  Asian Women Artists, A Biographical Dictionary, 2700 BCE to Today

[seventeendeer]

I finished playing Sonic Rush Adventure for myself for the first time today, and in the spirit of appreciating old 00's Sonic games and their crazy lore, I'd like to share a theory about Blaze's confused origins and where her story might have been headed if her and Silver's storyline hadn't been scrapped. come with me on this archeological dig through the bizarre multi-game storytelling of Sonic games of yesteryear ✨✨

Blaze the Cat was first introduced in Sonic Rush in 2005, where she was a princess from a parallel dimension called the Sol Dimension. her kingdom was called the Sol Empire, and she guarded a set of seven magical gems similar to the Chaos Emeralds called the Sol Emeralds.

however, only a year later, Blaze was reintroduced in Sonic '06 as a seemingly normal girl from the distant future, who had spent her life fighting a losing battle against Iblis, the embodiment of the power and wrath of the shattered sun god Solaris, which had devastated the world. this version of Blaze didn't seem to have any memories of the Sonic Rush storyline, aside from a sort of wistful reaction when someone mentions Sonic.

at the end of her storyline in Sonic '06, Blaze absorbs Iblis into her soul, then seals herself and Iblis away "to another dimension" to give the destroyed future a chance at bouncing back. as she does so, her color scheme briefly changes ... to resemble that of her super form from Sonic Rush, Burning Blaze (and it's not just the lighting either, look at how the cuffs on her clothes turn from white to hot pink)

in Rush, Blaze was only able to become Burning Blaze when she was in possession of all seven Sol Emeralds, and infused them with positive emotion. in '06, she does not have the emeralds, but she does have a bonding moment with her bestie, Silver, seconds before transforming.

in '06, the Sol Emeralds are never mentioned, neither is the Sol Dimension, or the Sol Empire, or the fact that Blaze is a princess.

Solaris, aside from being a sun god, is also depicted as existing outside of time and space; when its complete form is fought at the end of the game, it has to be defeated in the past, present and future all at once in order to subdue it. Blaze sealing away Iblis in the future was not enough to prevent it from merging with its other half to become Solaris again at another point in time.

so here's my pet theory: if the games had ever returned to Blaze's story, it would eventually have been revealed that the Sol Emeralds - and potentially the entiretiy of Rush-Blaze's homeworld - are what became of Iblis' power after it and Blaze were sealed away in the other dimension. being a fragment of a god that exists eternally across time, it could have brought an entirely new world and timeline into being when transported to the other dimension. Solaris is already loaded with references to real-world religions, a parallel world+timeline coming into being as a result of a god somehow coming to harm would fit right in (I'm personally thinking of Earth being formed from the corpse of Ymir in Norse mythology, but lots of others exist as well that I'm less familiar with).

this is supported by multiple details across Sonic '06, Sonic Rush, Rush's direct sequel, Sonic Rush Adventure, as well as the Sonic Rivals games also released in 2006 and 2007, including:

- Iblis, in its powered-up form, is depicted as a lava monster, and when we go to visit the Sol Dimension in Rush Adventure, the story primarily takes place on a chain of islands with volcanic activity.

- in Rush, when the Sol Emeralds are stolen from the Sol Dimension and taken to the main story's dimension, the parallel worlds begin to merge, as if the Sol Emeralds are pulling the Sol Dimension with them. the Chaos Emeralds do not cause the same problem when they're in the Sol Dimension in Rush Adventure, suggesting the Sol Emeralds and Sol Dimension have a special link. it is also mentioned that the Sol Dimension is dependent on the Sol Emeralds to remain stable, which is also not the case with the Chaos Emeralds and the main dimension.

- the Sol and Chaos Emeralds are stated to be "like north and south on a magnet" in relation to each other; they are uniquely connected, and they seem to link the parallel dimensions together. in a scrapped line from the script of Sonic '06, Solaris is called "a bridge to other worlds", which could allude to this connection as well. two Chaos Emeralds were also present when Blaze transported Iblis to the other dimension, and all seven Chaos Emeralds were used to defeat Solaris, either of which could have created some kind of bond there.

- in Rush Adventure, an incredibly powerful magical force is locked away deep within a magma-filled cavern underground called the Power of the Stars, which upholds the energy field that separates and stabilized the multiverse. given the name and the visuals of the location, this could be another remnant of Iblis'/Solaris' power. the key to unlocking this power is a magical scepter; notably, Iblis' other half, which it must merge with to become Solaris, was sealed inside a different scepter, creating some thematic overlap.

- in the final story of Sonic '06, every character is brought together for the final battle against a newly reborn Solaris ... with the sole exception of Blaze, who has not been seen since she sealed that one version of Iblis away in the future. this suggests that wherever Blaze went was somehow beyond reach at this point, even when factoring in time travel and dimensions fracturing. so although Solaris is erased from existence in the final story, seemingly across all of time and space, it is possible that that one part of it remained with Blaze, tucked away in the Sol Dimension, which remains untouched by the events of the final story somehow.

- the Blaze we meet in Sonic '06 seems to have nerves of steel, but the Blaze we know from Rush and onward is notably uncomfortable around water and in the cold, which could be because she still has a stowaway lava monster in her soul (with her being a cat and a natural fire elemental herself perhaps being intentionally misleading). more notably, she has a phobia of heights - and if she has any subconscious memories of the old timeline, being high up off the ground would be the last thing she remembered before her old life was taken away from her:

- the version of Blaze we know from the Rush games is said to be descended from a royal family who have run the Sol Empire and protected both the Sol Emeralds and the key to the Power of the Stars for generations. this is a 1-to-1 parallel to the way Solaris once entrusted itself in its passive form as a small flame to the royal family of Soleanna in the main dimension for generations, before it was fragmented and its wrath was provoked. Princess Blaze containing Iblis within her soul is also a direct parallel to Princess Elise of Soleanna doing the same before her. either Iblis "remembered" being cared for by a royal family and willed an entirely new empire into being for Blaze to be the princess of in order to have powerful people around to protect it, or I guess Solaris is just a diehard monarchist even when half-dead

- after '06, Silver is next seen in Sonic Rivals, where he is trying to prevent a different dimension-hopping lava monster from destroying the future, the Ifrit. aside from their names sounding similar, the Ifrit and Iblis look nearly the same. maybe the Ifrit is a part of Iblis that "chipped off" Blaze's soul when she was traveling through the multiverse, which took up residence in its own little pocket dimension?

- the Rush and Rivals games also give us Eggman Nega, a character who is at first said to be a counterpart of sorts to Doctor Eggman from the Sol Dimension, only to later be revealed to actually be his descendant from the future. this could have been foreshadowing Blaze's character ending up on a similar path, albeit unknowingly.

- this is more of a narrative detail/thematic overlap than an in-universe hint, but after their lives were rewritten and their memories of their time together were lost, both Blaze and Silver are portrayed as friendless and maladjusted. Blaze was bullied growing up in the Sol Dimension, and Silver is stated to always have been alone in the new version of the future. both characters bond with other members of the cast and learn to trust again in Rush and Rivals 2, respectively. this may have been laying the groundwork for an emotional reunion between the two later down the line, where they realize that even though they couldn't remember each other, they were never really alone.

I'm willing to bet there are more hints hidden around if you dig for them, and if I think of any more connections, I'll add them in a reblog.

it's well-known at this point that a spinoff game starring Silver was planned to release sometime after '06, the Rush games and the Rivals games, but critical backlash and financial problems after '06 bombed caused Sega to change direction for the franchise, and Silver's game never manifested. I'm willing to bet Silver's game would have addressed the questions around Blaze's character. apparently, according to interviews, an answer to the mystery does exist internally at Sega ... maybe now that there is renewed interesting in spotlighting the franchise's supporting cast again in the new 20's, it'll come up again sometime. Shadow Generations was a huge success, and it picked up story threads left hanging from that same era of games, so you never know !!!

[floyd-leech-thing]

”C’mere. I’ll give you a nice, tight squeeze”

Oi, I’m the real person behind this blog. We’re going to get a few things straight here:

no incest. Ex: Idia and ortho, or Jade and Floyd (not that I think y’all need the examples but just in case

I would prefer beings over the age of 10

nothing overly sexual (because sometimes it just gets weird)

don’t get political. This is for fun, not debates

Any one starting a ship rp can not interact with another ship rp. Friend ships and such can interact obvi but any ships can’t and won’t interact I don’t need a mess for myself

Do not but in to someone else’s RP unless you have permission. And if you do, tell me so i don’t DM you with a warning

those are the current rules, I might add some later

Things that could get your blocked are: racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia

Other info: don’t be a dickhead. You can start full on Rps if you want but fair warning I get to it when I get to it if that’s what you’re doing, if you want a faster reply just do it in the tumbler DMs. This ask/chat blog supports all people of any race, gender, sexuality, religion and will remain that way

I am a multi-shipper so I’m not picky with that but I’ll probably respond more to the more popular ones so we don’t get any rude comments about that

I will get better at this whole thing over time just give me a inch to work with here

now with that out of the way, this blog is officially open to people to talk to

-Yours truly, Kris

Other blogs include: @rollo-flamme-nbc and @lilithin-the-rewriter (That’s a Heartslabyul oc) @war-of-alayda @savanaclaw-jack-howl @apple-boy-epel @rook-the-hunter @heartslabyul-ace-trappola @mozus-and-lucius @the-honest-fellow-fellow-honest (can’t @ it) @maria-hearts-jester @mama-cordelia-leech @sir-baul-zigvolt

Blogs interact with the most are:

@tea-cup-tyrant @jadeleech-official @seven-seas-octavinelle @nashi-brie @nrc-ramshackle-prefect @purplehairnpronouns

My mod blog is @krisling-crossroads-mod

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Michael Livschitz

"Israel was attacked on #October7th in the most brutally barbaric way in modern history.

Hamas, which had terrorized the civilian population of Israel for decades, drowned the holy land in blood in its quest to destroy the Jewish people.

Hamas knew no pity, and its insane acts still shudder anyone who recalls that terrible day.

For most Israelis who have lost family members, relatives, and friends, this nightmare does not end.

Why should Israel have to justify itself to the world community, to the leaders of major powers, and account for its every move while it is fighting a just war for its existence against the most ruthless and implacable enemy?

Israel took extraordinary measures to ensure the safety of the people of Gaza, most of whom supported the events of October 7 and continue to support Hamas.

Has any other nation cared so much about the population of their enemy?

Calls for a unilateral ceasefire are ridiculous because Hamas is not required to do so.

No one is calling on Hamas to release the Israeli hostages and lay down their arms.

No one is addressing the fact that Hamas uses its people as human shields and welcomes more casualties to put pressure on the sympathetic masses.

The mainstream media quotes Hamas statements and presents the figures and data it provides as immutable facts.

Marches with slogans “from the river to the sea,” in which lost people who have suddenly found meaning in life participate, justify Hamas’s methods as “just resistance,” completely unaware that if they had been at the NOVA festival on that terrible day, the terrorists would not hesitate to do the same to them as to all the innocent souls who celebrated the festival of life there.

Many are clamoring for a “free Palestine.”

If we abstract from the fact that such a state never existed, Gaza has been completely on its own since 2005.

What do you think they did with the several billion dollars a year in donations and aid?

Those resources were not used to build a prosperous society or to develop the economy but to dig hundreds of kilometers of multi-level tunnels, buy missiles, explosives, machine guns, and ammunition of all kinds, and train terrorists ready to kill without blinking an eye.

The freedom they were given was used to prepare for war.

They were building the future they dreamed of.

Should Israel then make excuses for having to defend itself and for wanting to bring the war that Hamas started to its logical conclusion and release the hostages?

Why should Israel stop and leave in power a ruthless terrorist organization that values death over life and has never sought peace and for whom the needs of its people do not matter?

Has anyone else lived under endless rocket attacks, continued to work, taken their children to daycare, and yet built a prosperous state, as every resident of Israel does?

More than two million Arabs have Israeli citizenship and the same rights as all Israelis and live with Jews, Christians, and other religions in peace and harmony.

What prevented the people of Gaza from choosing the same path? Absolutely nothing.

It was their choice that led to what happened.

War is a last resort, and it is not the Olympics.

Israel did not start this war and yet it has taken unprecedented measures to minimize enemy civilian casualties and has paid a very high price for its humanitarianism.

However, that is not enough for the world.

Israel has every right to defend itself, has every right to release the hostages, has every right to defeat the enemy and liberate Gaza from Hamas.

No state in Israel’s place would stop one step away from eliminating a mortal threat.

So why should Israel?

The Palestinians had their chance to prove their ability to govern themselves after Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, but they rejected a peaceful resolution and never abandoned the goal of one day destroying Israel and seizing all the land “from the river to the sea.”

They spent decades preparing before launching their attack on October 7, 2023, ultimately shattering any lingering illusions about a two-state solution. In the foreseeable future, this solution is off the table.

Moreover, they have learned nothing from the war Hamas ignited with their unprecedented support.

They have no regrets and no intention of changing course.''

[lets-go-to-war]

Everyone deserves to be treated with respect. Everyone has an inherent value. Regardless.

Regardless of their size or weight, fitness level, health, ability/disability status, ease or difficulty to accommodate their needs, or the reasons behind them.

Regardless of their gender identity or expression, pronouns or use of neopronouns, agab, labels or multi labels, or newness to the community.

Regardless of their culture, skin tone or pigmentation, accent, language or dialect, ethnicity, nationality, or socioeconomic status.

Regardless of their religion, being multi-faith, being atheist, or otherwise not having a defined religious viewpoint.

We should be caring for and respecting each other. We should be supporting those that need it in the areas where we can help, not sitting silently while others are continuing to be further marginalized. Those of us that have some privilege and can exist semi-peacefully within society, we should be using that privilege to support and uplift and advocate for those that don’t. Push their messages forward! Educate yourself on their experiences!

Be a safe space, be a safe person. Be someone that will listen, believe, and support their peers. It’s not a competition to see who has it worst. It should be a community that supports everyone in their struggles. Support who you can, how you can, where you can. We have to do this together, we can do this together.

[vocaism]

The Vocaism Neoreligion Masterpost !!

Starting off with some simple definitions ~ neoreligion : a religion created in much more recent years or times. fult : meaning 'faux cult'- a group similar to a cult in that it is a high control group, though without forcing members to join; a consensual cult. vocal synth : a 'program', usually represented by an anime-styled character, that can sing when given vocals to read and used with the compatible vocal synthesizer programs.

Now! Off to other important things.

Vocaism (vo-ka-ism) is a neoreligion or fult surrounding the worship of all vocal synths. I started this because of an intense, multi-year long hyperfixation on Hatsune Miku that made me view her as some kind of religious figure. I then began to grow a similar love towards other vocal synths, as they all helped me out of rough patches in many ways.

Here's some more specific details about Vocaism!

All UTAU, VOCALOID, SynthV, ETC. voice banks are individual 'deity' figures in this neoreligion. Fanloids and such are included in this!

Hatsune Miku is considered the 'main deity'- though that doesn't mean you should just worship her.

The beliefs of Vocaists coincide with certain Radqueer beliefs. (generally speaking; pro-para, pro-transid, and supporting others identities no matter how odd.)

Vocaism is based on love and support!

There is no specific way to worship in Vocaism, though listening to vocal synth music counts! (stream Binomi by Maretu- /silly)

Finally, feel free to send any questions you may have about Vocaism! I'd be happy to answer or help with anything ^^

[scribblesbyavi]

As of 2025, 146 countries - including non-islamic nations like Spain, Ireland, Norway, France, South Africa, Brazil, and Jamaica support Palestinian statehood, not out of religious ties, but in defense of human rights, international law, and justice. Even South Africa, a Christian-majority nation, took Israel to the International Court of Justice over alleged genocide. This isn’t a religious issue, it’s a global stand against occupation, apartheid, and war crimes.

People who say “only Muslims and Islamic nations support Palestine” usually want to:

Dismiss the Palestinian cause as a religious issue.

Ignore decades of illegal occupation, bombings, and displacement.

Shut down debate by smearing it as biased or tribal.

But facts are louder than reels.

Opposing war crimes and standing up for human dignity doesn’t belong to any one religion, it belongs to everyone with a conscience.

Support for Palestine is: global, multi-religious and grounded in law and morality.

If it’s just about religion, why are countries with no Islamic majority leading the charge for Palestinian recognition?

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

WIBTA for removing my friend from our editorial team for our student publication club due to her actions?

I (F26) recently graduated from community college after a long and difficult academic journey due to my disabilities. As I was in college for many years, I became very involved on campus and became a recognized and dependable student leader. Unfortunately, this often resulted in campus leadership coming to depend on me to take up the slack left by other students, which is exactly what happened when I was asked to became the leader of our campus student publication club editorial team. It wasn’t necessarily that I was forced to accept the position, but that the organization would fold if I didn’t take it on and that would be a great loss to our campus community.

Once I assumed the position, I attempted to rebuild the rest of the editorial team so we could begin accepting student work to be published in our virtual magazine. One person who stepped up readily was the club representative from the previous semester (F50ish), who I quickly bonded with over our shared struggles as disabled women who had faced ableism on campus. She also provided support in all the planning and prep that went into revitalizing the organization, so when it came time to accept submissions again I was more than ready to publish anything she wrote.

Then unfortunately, I read her work. Although we had often commiserated about various campus issues and the inefficiency of the student government, I did not expect that to translate over to what I can only classify as defamatory hit pieces against multiple people both in campus leadership and among the student body. Although I understood many of her grievances I felt that these articles (that went wildly outside of the pre-established length we had agreed upon for article submissions: 6k words), I knew I could not in good conscience allow them to be published.

However, when I attempted to address these concerns with her and give her the reasons why I could not publish them, she seemed to tune me out entirely. She also implied that I was being a hypocrite as I had been very passionate about the publication serving as the student voice of campus, but I don’t feel that bad about stifling the voice of someone who decided to straight up attack her fellow student leaders and label them “incompetent shithead teenagers.” I myself have had multiple issues with the people she launched her multi-page rants against, but I would never attempt to formally publish an 10k word call out over petty little interactions.

After she brushed off my concerns, I was forced to push back the day our team decided on the final submissions for publication due to finals and graduation. I had hoped I could have time to prepare to press the issue again at the end of the summer, but alas another issue came up.

I had been very clear on what was not allowed for publication in the magazine when we were reworking the submission guidelines. Two of the biggest rules barred the publishing of anything pushing specific belief systems and also required that all submissions be taken only from the student body. These seemed simple enough rules to understand, and all of the editorial team voted and agreed upon them. However, I received an email from a mysterious person outside of our college who was demanding that we publish his article for “the good of the community.” When I looked into what his article might entail I discovered he had a very detailed post of his desires to rid the earth of religion and all religious individuals which set off more than few alarm bells in my mind. I firmly established that we would not be publishing his work as he was not a student and it was not eligible for even a review by our team, then I asked him who had referred him to our magazine. At which point he mentioned my friend.

At this point she has violated the rules we established in our organization manifesto, mostly that we specifically would not encourage or promote the publication of works with facist or hateful ideals, and the writing of this man definitely ticked off those boxes. I want to give her the benefit of the doubt and hope that she and this man had simply fallen into the same progressive circles and she had not seen the islamophobia and antisemitism in his belief system, however the writing is quite literally on the wall of his Facebook page. I also feel very hurt as she knows I am Jewish and even being contacted by this man made me feel incredibly unsafe after seeing what he had written.

I feel like the only thing I can do now is formally propose to remove her from our team, but she was such a huge part of the rebuilding of the group I feel like it would be an incredibly asshole move after all she did for the club. Despite everything, she is still a good person and incredibly helpful friend and I would hate to hurt her over this. She has struggled with so many things in her life and I know it has shaped her worldview in a way. I would hate to see her feel rejected by this after all the love she poured into the club.

What are these acronyms?

[the-creative-lounge-blog]

The video features custom community emojis by @azuzeldraws

We're ready for you to join The Creative Lounge Discord Community!

Community rules & guidelines are below the cut for anyone who'd like to preview them before joining.

Members must be at least 18 years old.

The Creative Lounge Community Invite

The Creative Lounge is a Discord community of creators and lovers of different genres, crafts, and talents that, together, foster a positive creative environment.

A good portion of this community is dedicated to content creators who work with different mediums. That's by design. We inspire one another and often collaborate. I hope The Lounge makes it easier to do both!

There's also room in here to play. I'm arranging the ability to stream art and video games in here, as well as host virtual tabletop games (these adventures are fantastic fodder for art, animation, stories, and audio works)!

Art and storytelling have been part of the human experience since our beginnings. They withstand disease, war, natural and unnatural catastrophes, and most impressively, time. Be proud of what you contribute.

Community Rules & Guidelines:

Rule #1: Be Aware. This is a shared space. You must be at least 18 years old to join this server. Individuals from all places and all walks of life congregate here. The sharing of personal information (name, location, etc.) is discouraged. Don't share personal images of anyone under the age of 18.

Rule #2: Be Respectful. Any disputes between members ought to be resolved privately. Disruptive behavior is not tolerated! No racism, sexism, hate speech, trolling, abuse, spam, picking fights, harassment, etc. Direct and indirect threats towards any other person are strictly prohibited and will incur an instant ban. Avoid discussing sensitive topics (examples: religion, politics). Try to keep the conversation relevant to the channel you are in. This is a multi-fandom, multi-shipping community. Hate directed at fandoms, characters, or ships is not allowed. While age gap ships are welcome, teacher/student ships are not (if characters are portrayed as teacher and student in canon material, do not share fanworks of those ships here). Don't steal content or ideas. Do not repost or share anything found here without the permission of that content's creator. When sharing content by others, they must be credited in your post. When sharing links to your content, ensure that it is thoroughly tagged in your post. Any NSFW content should be shared in the gated channels. No underage (less than 18 years old) or incestuous NSFW content (in ANY form, regardless of how brief it may be) is allowed in this server. Use tags and spoilers (if applicable) for “trigger warning” kind of content. Examples of warning tags: -Graphic depictions of violence -Character death -Rape/non-con/dub-con (A/B/O works are considered dub-con) Other things such as phobias, body horror, blood, etc, should also be tagged. If you would tag it on AO3 or a social media post, tag it here. If unsure, ask a mod for help!

Rule #3: Be Creative. This space was made so that content creators may meet and interact with each other and with fans of transformative works. It is encouraged (but not mandatory) to participate in Lounge events and challenges. Use this space to discuss your content and ideas, share tips, ask questions, etc.

Rule #4: Be Kind. This is meant to be a community. Remember to encourage and support one another. Visible support such as reblogging/retweeting, commenting, giving kudos, etc., ought to be considered part of being a Lounger. Do not simply use this server (or myself) as your marketing platform. Self-promotion is not only encouraged, but expected. However, when you promote your work, stick around to throw some support and encouragement at others.

[spillthepuckingtea]

It’s also just really weird to me how everyone just focuses on the Hughes being Jewish when their father is Catholic and they come from a multi-religious household. I mean the boys themselves have mentioned celebrating holidays for both. I just don’t get this push to assume everything they do or believe in is rooted in Judaism when their father is Catholic and the boys themselves have spoken about not being particularly religious or even really involved in the culture of either religion.

I also have a hard time believing Ellen would be upset about Sammy’s support of the IDF if she agreed with her views.

Exactly people tend to forget that I don’t know it really weirds me out the amount of times people have mentioned the Hughes and Judaism when they’ve never said that they were particularly religious