#Build Your Own Networking
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Creators I love you but it's time to wake up
Among rumors about our tumblr user data being sold off to Midjourney/Generative AI, recent Extremely transphobic events (that have been ongoing) coming to a head, another extremely concerning internet censorship bill being pushed in upper levels of government, and a general air of frustration over how the site belongs to and is operated by perhaps the second stupidest CEO (second only to twitters own) of our age, I'm very done with the last few vestiges of what the old internet held for artists.
And if you're reading this, you probably are too.
I know we're tired. We are all tired. It is not always viable to pack up shop and move, again and again and again.
From tumblr to twitter to anywhere else we've ever grown up posting, things no longer work. Our audiences are kneecapped by aggressive and hostile algorithms, our reach is abysmal - if we aren't shadow-banned or silenced for one (transphobic) reason or another, we're thrust into an ever growing pit of hostility where the only thing that drives clicks is fighting and contention.
We're tired. We're so fucking tired. We aren't businesses, we aren't content mills, we cannot keep this pace that modern social media has set for us, to wring every ounce of creativity out of us to profit from and leave us rotting.
The key to staying afloat here, and I cannot stress this enough, is to stay connected to your peers.
Pack up and move as units if you must. Exodus from the sites that are killing us. Push your entire friend group of artists to move from one site to the next that promises you a kinder experience.
Art drives movements, it drives change, it is all that encompasses being human. If you take that away from the shitty places, they will be left with nothing but a cesspit of inhumanity and the people who follow you will be more incentivized than ever to move with you.
Yes, this is terrifying. There are no guarantees. There never was, and never are, and never will be.
But stay connected. Stay human.
Support each other and be willing to hold hands and jump when we all - as a group - need to jump from the flames we're all trying to convince ourselves wont kill us before rescue comes.
Rescue isn't coming, rescue will be found hand in hand with each other. I'm offering you my hand, please take it. There's always a new start, there are always helping hands reaching for you. You have to look up from the doom-scroll long enough to see and take them.
#art communities#art community#teo talks#sorry I have a Lot of opinions about posting art online I've been doing this since I was 14 and I'm 28 this year#I have watched the rise and fall of social media titans and you have to understand the ONLY thing that will keep you afloat#is keeping connected to your peers#we have to move as units and we have to stay together and we have to support each other#your following is not stability. your friendships are.#thats why you hear about networking. thats ceo talk for friendships. connections.#you have to have enough connections to build your own support web on the chance that everything goes to shit. yes its hard work. it sucks.#but it is a necessity. twitter isn't getting better. its not going back to how it was. neither is DA or tumblr. its not happening.#If you put all your eggs in one or two precarious baskets and both fall. you will be shit out of luck! thats reality#there is hope to be found but you have to be realistic and understand that you NEED to build up a presence elsewhere. even if its hard.#I want to help you if I can!!!! bluesky is a really solid twitter alternative!!!#ive heard good things about cohost as a tumblr alternative!!!!#sheezy and inkblot are both indie sites currently being developed by and for other creatives. support them!#they won't be perfect until - and UNLESS - you do!#anyways sorry I will step off my soapbox now Im just frustrated with the state of everything
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finally checking out the Snowpiercer series and so far my main take away is that a 90 minute film is just about the perfect amount of space for grappling with "apocalypse death train" as a serious grimdark dystopia concept, and more space than that gives the audience time to realize how silly "apocalypse death train" is when you think about it for too long.
#yeah yeah yeah they must keep moving or else theyll freeze. simple & effective world-building! but still kinda silly lol#honestly i think im just bitter over the idea of north america having sufficiently functioning & connected rail networks#also mark another tally for 'lesbian cop' in media. genuinely has to be the most common job for wlw in film/tv. even in the apocalypse!#tbh im not the biggest daveed diggs fan. he's too imprinted on me for his cringe hamilton role#layten will start talking 'revolution' and it gives lin-manuel miranda lyrics every time lol#also the 'our own little north korea' line 🙄 uh-huh well you should BE so lucky if your apocalypse train were to run on juche#juche would actually be the ideal ideology here. much better than the eugenicist libertarian wetdream that it actually runs on#no class stratification. education & jobs for all. radical self-sufficiency. NOW we're saving humanity!#snowpiercer 2013 is one of my favorite movies so this version is interesting. i still really need to read to original graphic novel#dani talks about tv
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“Consistency” Isn’t the Strategy — It’s the Trap (Why Chicago Creators Are Building With CLVR Instead)
🧩 Ecosystem: “Just be consistent.” That’s the advice creators get from every podcast, panel, and pitch deck — usually from someone who hasn’t built what you’re building. But here in Chicago, the ones actually winning aren’t just posting consistently — they’re building with consistency. With strategy. With people. With ownership. That’s why CLVR LABs™ exists. It’s not an app. Not a summit. Not…
#alternative to mighty networks#anti-algorithm strategy#build your own platform#burnout recovery for creatives#chicago creator events#clvr labs#creative entrepreneurship#creative networking chicago#creator summit 2025#free events chicago 2025#networking events chicago#pop up events chicago#real community over clout#yacht networking chicago
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A Sermon for April 30th: The Strength to Withstand
Brothers and Sisters in the Atom, the world is shifting beneath our feet. Tariffs, once abstract concepts on a page, now reach into our wallets, our cupboards, and our communities. Food costs rise. Materials become scarce. Medications, parts, and everyday goods are harder to come by. The burden of these policies does not fall evenly. It falls most heavily on those already working hardest to survive.
But hardship is not new. History shows us that we are not powerless, even when the systems around us falter. When governments fail to meet the needs of the people, the people turn to each other.
What the Atom Teaches Us
The atom is not stable without structure. Without balance, it breaks apart. But from that break, energy is released—energy that can warm homes, power cities, or illuminate a path forward. So too can hardship be transformed into action when we rely on community, foresight, and care.
We do not have to endure in silence. We endure together.
Practical Ways to Adapt and Support Each Other
1. Mutual Aid and Community Care
Find or start a local mutual aid group. Many operate through neighborhood groups, libraries, or social media.
Offer what you can—whether it’s food, transportation, translation, skills, or simply listening.
Accept help when needed. Mutual aid is not charity—it is solidarity.
2. Food Security
Preserve what you can. Learn or return to skills like canning, drying, or fermenting food to reduce waste and build resilience.
Start a garden, even if it’s just a few containers. Herbs, leafy greens, and potatoes grow well in small spaces.
Community gardens and seed-sharing networks are often free or low-cost resources.
3. Skill Sharing and Resource Swaps
Organize or participate in a skill-share circle. Learn how to repair clothes, cook creatively, or fix small electronics.
Use buy-nothing groups or local exchange networks to pass on what you no longer need and find what you do.
4. Financial Resilience
Look into credit unions, worker-owned cooperatives, and barter systems as alternatives to exploitative banking or commerce.
Track your spending, not out of guilt, but to identify patterns and opportunities to conserve.
If you’re comfortable, consider forming a micro-saving group with trusted friends or neighbors.
5. Emergency Preparedness
Keep at least two weeks of essential supplies: canned food, clean water, over-the-counter medications, batteries, and hygiene products.
Have a written list of community resources: food pantries, clinics, legal aid, local representatives.
Make plans for power outages, supply disruptions, or job loss. Plans provide power.
6. Advocacy and Policy Engagement
Tariffs and austerity are policy choices—not natural disasters. Contact your representatives, and speak out at public meetings.
Vote, but also organize. Change happens when communities rise together, not only at the ballot box.
Amplify the stories of those most affected. Let no one be invisible in this hardship.
We Have Endured Before
The Church of the Atom remembers the past not as nostalgia, but as instruction. In the Great Depression, people grew food in vacant lots, repaired their clothes again and again, and relied on one another when systems failed them. In wartime, victory gardens bloomed beside city sidewalks. In nuclear fallout shelters, communities gathered and planned for continuity—not just of survival, but of meaning.
We are heirs to this resilience. Let us revive it, adapt it, and pass it on.
Resources for Resilience and Community Support
If you’re unsure where to begin, these resources can help you take the first step:
Mutual Aid 101 Toolkit (Big Door Brigade): 🌐 https://bigdoorbrigade.com/toolkit/
Mutual Aid Hub (Rally): 🌐 https://mutualaidhub.org/
National Low Income Housing Coalition – Rent Assistance: 🌐 https://nlihc.org/rental-assistance
Feeding America Food Bank Locator: 🌐 https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank
Freecycle Network: 🌐 https://www.freecycle.org/
Buy Nothing Project: 🌐 https://buynothingproject.org/
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT): 🌐 https://www.ready.gov/cert
Frugal Living Reddit Community: 🌐 https://www.reddit.com/r/Frugal/
These links are not exhaustive—but they are a start. Start small, but start somewhere. You are not powerless. You are not alone.
Closing Words
Brothers and Sisters, when the world narrows, we must expand our care. Let us be like the stable atom—balanced by connection, by intention, and by shared strength.
When hardship rises, so too must our compassion. Let us care for one another, prepare with foresight, and build communities strong enough to outlast exploitation.
You do not need to do everything. You do not need to do it alone.
Go forth with wisdom. Go forth with courage. Go forth, and be radiant.
#church of the atom#nuclear semiotics#economic hardship#mutual aid#community resilience#cost of living crisis#inflation tips#tariffs#prepper#preparedness#emergency preparedness#budget living#solidarity not charity#food security#grow your own food#resilient communities#mutual aid networks#can i eat this#anti austerity#financial resilience#community building#knowledge preservation#church for the future#go forth and be radiant#tumblr mutual aid#frugal living#alternative economy#support each other#spiritual survival#post capitalism
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Engaging in escapist fantasies by looking at Masters degree programs
Systemics and evolution... Fine arts.... I want to go back to school so bad... If I didn't have to work and could just focus on learning, researching, experimenting, producing.... I wish i could i wish i could I WISH I COULD!!!!
#I have to wait for my partner to be a permanent resident and get settled#and then for him to go and do his degree and find and follow his own dream#and then find a job he loves#and then i can go#and I'll be 48 years old :)#i just wish!!!#i could go back to school#i love school#but i cant afford to go back#student loans wouldn't be enough to support me the way it was back then#and I'm too socially inept to do the social networking required to become a really good grad student#im terrible at making work connections and lowkey maybe I'll always be unsuccessful and not reaching my full potential because of it#i just hate STAGNATING#but its not forever#hopefully soon my partner can work and be confirmed a permanent stay here and we can stop surviving and start building a future#its hard because when you dont make enough to pay your bills you cant really focus on anything else#if he gets a job i could reduce my hours a bit and focus on my other passions#i was much happier when i was working to fund a Good Life and not just Stay Alive#a Good Life in the philosophical sense#i want to feel Fulfilled
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In the wake of the TikTok ban and revival as a mouthpiece for fascist propaganda, as well as the downfall of Twitter and Facebook/Facebook-owned platforms to the same evils, I think now is a better time than ever to say LEARN HTML!!! FREE YOURSELVES FROM THE SHACKLES OF MAJOR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AND EMBRACE THE INDIE WEB!!!
You can host a website on Neocities for free as long as it's under 1GB (which is a LOT more than it sounds like let me tell you) but if that's not enough you can get 50GB of space (and a variety of other perks) for only $5 a month.
And if you can't/don't want to pay for the extra space, sites like File Garden and Catbox let you host files for free that you can easily link into NeoCities pages (I do this to host videos on mine!) (It also lets you share files NeoCities wouldn't let you upload for free anyways, this is how I upload the .zip files for my 3DS themes on my site.)
Don't know how to write HTML/CSS? No problem. W3schools is an invaluable resource with free lessons on HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and a whole slew of other programming languages, both for web development and otherwise.
Want a more traditional social media experience? SpaceHey is a platform that mimics the experience of 2000s MySpace
Struggling to find independent web pages that cater to your interests via major search engines? I've got you covered. Marginalia and Wiby are search engines that specifically prioritize non-commercial content. Marginalia also has filters that let you search for more specific categories of website, like wikis, blogs, academia, forums, and vintage sites.
Maybe you wanna log off the modern internet landscape altogether and step back into the pre-social media web altogether, well, Protoweb lets you do just that. It's a proxy service for older browsers (or really just any browser that supports HTTP, but that's mostly old browsers now anyways) that lets you visit restored snapshots of vintage websites.
Protoweb has a lot of Geocities content archived, but if you're interested in that you can find even more old Geocities sites over on the Geocities Gallery
And really this is just general tip-of-the-iceberg stuff. If you dig a little deeper you can find loads more interesting stuff out there. The internet doesn't have to be a miserable place full of nothing but doomposting and targeted ads. The first step to making it less miserable is for YOU, yes YOU, to quit spending all your time on it looking at the handful of miserable websites big tech wants you to spend all your time on.
#this is a side point so it's going here but I really think tech literacy should be a requirement in schools like math grammar history etc.#we live in a world so dominated by the stuff and yet a majority of the population does not understand it at even the most fundamental level#tiktok#tiktok ban#indie web#neocities#web development#current events#twitter#facebook#meta#amazon
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Good News for New Writers & Bad News for Established Ones
But Both Can Be Winners with a Strategic Approach I am pleased that my new account, with 100 followers, now gets more visibility than my old account, with 101835 followers. Here is what new and established writers could do to adapt. Today, I experienced a mix of emotions when I discovered that my new Medium account, created out of necessity after being targeted by scammers, organically gained…
#Boost program on Medium#Building your own platform for grwoth#business#Freelance writing strategy#Growing audience on Medium#How to build an audience without Medium#How to integrate Substack and Patreon#Medium#Medium publication growth#Medium vs. Substack#Network distribution analysis#No network distribution on mediim#Organic growth on Medium#Paid subscribers on Substack#stories#Substack success tips#Why not to trust Medium#Writer community insights#writers#writing#Writing strategy for established writers on Medum#Writing strategy for new writers on medium#writingcommunity
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dear americans,
as a polish queer woman and human rights activist, i know exactly how you're feeling right now and what to expect from these elections. i lived through the 2015-2023 regime of pis, a right-wing populist party that divided families in the same way trump did. i’ve experienced the rise of fascism in poland, the influence of far-right parties like konfederacja, and their “santa’s little helpers”—ordo iuris, an ultra-conservative catholic organization (banned in many countries, mind you) that helped enforce a near-total abortion ban and runs anti-queer campaigns in public spaces. i supported the black protests in 2016 as a middle schooler when they first tried to ban abortion. as an adult, i actively participated in the 2020 women’s strike, running from police tear gas daily after they finally passed the ban. i supported friends who faced charges.
i’ve lived through intense homophobia in poland as a queer teen and adult. i survived the first pride march in my hometown, where far-right extremists threw stones and glass at us. i endured the anti-queer propaganda spread by the ruling party in state-owned media. i survived the “rainbow night,” poland’s own stonewall moment in summer 2020, when police arrested around 50 queer activists following the arrest of margo, a nonbinary activist. i survived the "lgbt-free zones," the targeted violence, the slurs from strangers on the street, and the protests i held against queerphobia. it was hard as fuck, but i survived.
but just because i survived, it doesn’t mean others did. many women died because of the abortion ban—marta, justyna, izabela, dorota, joanna, maria, and many others who didn’t survive pis’s draconian anti-abortion laws. milo, kacper, michał, zuzia (she was 12), wiktor, and other queer and trans kids and young adults took their own lives because of the relentless queerphobia.
despite all of this, our experience in poland can serve as a guide now. here are some tips for staying safe and how we, polish queers and women, organized under the regime:
safety first, always. if you know someone who’s had an abortion, no you don’t. if you know someone is trans, no you don’t. if you know people who help with safe abortions, no you don’t—at least not until you know it’s 100% safe to share. if you are queer or have had an abortion, only share this with people you trust fully. most importantly, not everyone has to be an activist just because they’re part of a minority. if it feels unsafe to share that you're queer, trans, etc., then don’t. it doesn’t make you any less queer.
use secure, encrypted messaging like signal for conversations on potentially risky topics, such as queerness, abortion, organizing counter-actions, protests—anything that might be used against you.
stay anonymous online. if you want to research or report something without surveillance, do not use regular internet. get a vpn (mullvad is affordable and reliable), download the tor browser (for both onion and standard links), and if you plan to whistleblow, consider using a riseup email account.
organize and build networks. community is everything now. support each other, foster independence, because your government won’t have your back. set up collectives, grassroots movements. create lists of trusted professionals—lawyers, doctors, etc.—who can offer support.
to lawyers and doctors: please consider pro-bono work. this is what got us through poland’s hardest times. your work will be needed now more than ever.
for protests or risky actions: always write a pro-bono lawyer’s number on your arm with a permanent marker.
get to know the anarchist black cross federation and other resources on safety culture: "Starting an anarchist black cross group: A guide"; Still We Rise - A resource pack for transgender and non-gender conforming people in prison; Safe OUTside the system by the Audre Lorde Project;
for safe abortion info or involvement: get familiar with womenhelpwomen.
stay radical, stay strong, stay informed: The Anarchist Library
if i forgot to (or didn't) include something, don't hesitate to reblog this post with other resources.
#kinda heartbroken i've gotta post something like this#but now my experience is needed more than ever and i AM going to share it#we are going to get through this#together#activism#anarchism#grassroots#anarchist#resources#useful#helpful#human rights#abortion#abortion rights#reproductive rights#queer#trans#transgender#lgbtq#us politics#usa#us elections#america#donald trump#kamala harris#stay safe#moira speaks
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one goofy ass thing i like about my job is we all really like having staff feedback after programs (like after in service, after summer reading, etc) because it just makes it easier to make it actually helpful and easier next time around and that’s all we want right, like PERSONALLY i don’t want to be anxious about a program and dreading it all year, which means i get to do what i Love which is offer my opinion constructively so i can be like “i think some people just don’t understand paylocity, it is a little confusing & for them, going through that app is this scary time sink so they don’t open it ever.” and no one is taking it personally because five other people wrote in “beanstack scares me” and “i’m not using teams” and we can just adjust our expectations of our older coworkers instead of writing people up for it akskd.
#i was like “’not me tho i get it but maybe ask [tech person] to do an explainer? i believe they have a whole bit about this’#and then we get a explainer on it the next in service and all the tech afraid people are like ‘oh you can turn it on on the desktop?’ yes 😭#we had a whole thing about office bc they’ve tried to explain they pinned the ‘POLICIES AND PROCEDURES ON REPORTED LOST CHILD’ on the#share point bc it’s a library that’s something that happens on a semi regular basis and we live off a busy street it’s important to make#sure the kid didn’t wander out of the building those cars Will mow you down.#and the collective ‘OH!’ when they showed us how to get to the sharepoint. i figured that out day 2.#i bookmarked the page and added my own books marks. like half of them were shocked.#they have been here 10 years or more. 😭#i like to say ‘i love hearing about what the director does during the day i think the projects are all fascinating’ bc i think phrasing a#compliment for like ~admin transparency~ as a compliment is imo the best way to reward admin transparency.#also tbh yes it Is interesting to me like being a director is honestly a lot about Building Maintenence as it is budget and networking and#managing big problems with staff etc. it’s honestly fascinating how much she has to know about upkeep as director.#also. listen i’m sorry i love being bribed with food. have office hours with snacks. give me an excuse not to work.#i loved staff day at goodwill too i loved not dealing w work and badgering the corporate guy while the managers worked the front#and then getting pizza. they would grill for us on employee appreciation day.#do u know what my department store did. they gave us a payday bar.#that shits insulting like just don’t do anything? u Kno u pay shit and have is on these ass schedules what’s your problem why are u gloating#now ya closed!#it’s karma!#anyways this one is nice i think my manager is really bad at schedules and this is a gripe i’ve heard from wveryon so it’s not just me but#it’s other wise as everyone puts it ‘not nearly as toxic as other libraries’ like no one here is actively committing psychological warfare#over some office job nonsense. our patrons aren’t actively trying to get us shut down. that’s a nice change.
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BAD BOY DOWN!
s. on one of your usual days at work as an art seller for a luxury agency, a cocky and devilishly handsome sukuna meets your acquaintance, sparking a feeling you just can't ignore and neither can he.
w.c. 11.7k
w. fem! reader, mafia!sukuna! x reader , strangers to lovers! fluff!, smut! barely there angst! ermmm mentions of murder and crime? errr he eats your ass a little hehe because of how down bad he is
a/n: im feral for the thought of mafia sukuna. hope ya'll enjoy, as always it's not well enough proofread but ill do it as I reread it and catch the off stuff. hehe I really liked this and might want to write more instances of him. (also creds to the artist of this art of him! I did not make it or own it!)
"do you need help ma'am?"
there's a hobbling elderly lady struggling to walk across the street, what with the slightly heavy bag of vegetables she's trying to haul with her and her cane in her other hand.
she looks slightly ashamed that someone's offering help, probably the reminder that she's a bit dependent on others now. but when she looks up to make eye contact with you, wide young eyes in worry that only a grandchild could carry, her gaze softens and she bashfully hands you her brown paper bag.
she giggles a little when you carry it on your hip and have one careful hand out in case she needs extra physical help on the walk across.
when you finally cross the street, she motions for you to give the bag back, textured small hands opening and closing in your direction. you lean back a little with the bag in your arms, not thinking it a problem to accompany her further, you didn't have to go work for at least forty more minutes.
"I live right here." she smiles, hoarse voice happy when she lightly juts her head to the doors to an apartment building right next to you.
"oh," you sigh and hand the bag to her, slightly embarrassed that you kept her groceries from her, "I can still open the door for-"
"the doorman can do that." she fwips her hand
then she stares at you, her crows feet pronounced as she grins at you.
"pretty pretty girl." she says warmly, reaching a hand up to softly pat your cheek.
you're at work later after helping that lady cross the street, warm feeling bubbling in your body at the compliment and caress she gave you.
you sell and manage art for an exclusive agency/musuem. and today you so happen to have a large silent auctioning event for some pieces from the heian era. not your preferred range, but hey there's a lot of people here now that are willing to pay a lot for some of them.
it's also a great networking event for artists of the agency too, wandering around and hoping someone as rich as the Medici's can keep them as a little pet.
you've done your more than fair share of repeating the same monologue and facts over the pieces to some clients when you wander and head over to one of the art pieces on the wall. it wasn't part of the auction, but it was your favorite here at the museum, perfectly distanced enough from the crowd so that you wouldn't have to really interact with anyone before you went back to working.
you wish you could afford it
the paycheck plus commission from working at a prestigious place like this was hefty, but not that much for a luxury like that.
it's none of that abstract emotion crap.
yes you know everything could be art, but hey you have preferences.
it reminded you a lot of Monet, so pretty and elegant. it was even more disheartening when it had two sister pieces from the same line by the artist too. the only three from that artist that had such a magical heart to it.
"this not part of the auction is it?" a gruff voice speaks
now, you don't like judging people based on their looks. you're a very liberal person. some artists and uptight rich people that shop here wear and decorate themselves in the most peculiar way, but you're slightly taken aback at this man.
he has these lined tattoos on his face.
face tattoos. and you're NOT judging, but it's just not a casual thing to see. you don't mind tattoos, but nobody really tattoos their face unless it's for cultural reason, they're involved in the wrong circles, or just kinda dumb.
he looks far from dumb though.
he's very handsome actually.
"n-no," you answer quickly once you realize you've taken a little too long to answer him. nonetheless, you quickly regain your posture and stick your hands behind your back, he's a customer either way, you have to do your job.
you enter customer service mode and reach a hand to motion towards the pieces for auction, "but the heian pieces we have are right over there, I can tell you-"
"I already placed my offers earlier," he does a slight tch with his mouth, a personality tick of his probably, and he stands still where he is, still looking at the painting in front of you.
"that's good to hear," you gulp, caught off guard by how dense his presence is, "we have a similar collection coming in-"
"you really like this one?" he completely ignores you and juts his chin towards the painting, looking at your for a few seconds before looking back at the painting.
and those few seconds were so blissful.
his eyes are really pretty, they're an intense red, but you felt enraptured being held in his gaze.
"I do." you breathe, nervously shifting so that you can look at him and the painting at the same time.
"I was in a gang when I was younger," he says curtly, so freely aired to you
your jaw drops a little and you're confused as to why he would-
he peers over at you a little from his spot towering over you, an eyebrow slightly raised at you in a sort of knowing.
"the tattoos, they're from before."
"oh! I wasn't! no! it's not-"
"you go out makin friends with face tattoo guys?"
and again he has you speechless, mouth opening and closing to say something
"you'd be stupid if you did." he does that small tch again, looking over at the painting again, "shit's not normal."
"I don't." you regain some confidence, bashing yourself in the head wondering where the yapster in you went.
"good." he gruffs
"how much this worth anyway?" he seems a little unimpressed by it when he points his jaw towards it
"150,000." you chirp, gazing at the painting again with appreciation.
when you look at him, he looks slightly confused and disgusted by the price. and you know its just because he really doesn't like it a lot, its a girly painting and he's well...
he's got a sharp undercut, dirty pink hair spiked back. there's black studs on his ears, the obvious face tattoos and probably more beneath the dark black suit he's wearing, which is nicely tailored because you can make out his beefy lean build through it.
but you figure he's probably spending the same if not more on those heian artifacts if he's here.
"everyone has different taste," you shrug, "I'm not really a fan of the heian stuff."
he hangs his head when he looks down at you, almost a bit sassy?
"I know. never seen a pretty face look so empty talking about a thousand year old tapestry."
when did he see you explaining the pieces? how'd you miss him in the crowd? oh no, you internally groan, if he could tell then so could everybody else-
"nobody cares that much," he says, fully turned to you now, tilting his head when he sees just how panicked you look, almost as if he can tell what's on your mind, "the riffraff here only care about playing their ballbusting competition between each other."
"and you're here because?" feeling your heartbeat stabilize at his weird reassurance
"I like it and I can afford it"
another tch.
you're starting to really like that habit of his
wait, how can he afford it? what does he work in? as far as you know getting a high paying job with visible face tattoos is well, kinda close to impossible unless you're some rap artists or in the mafia...
one of your eyebrows is softly quirked up and you're about to open your mouth, but he beats you to it.
"you let everyone read your face this well?" he cocks his head to the side, observing you with amusement as he opens his mouth just a little, his sharp tooth biting down on the tip of his tongue in what you think is a weakening type of smirk, "waste management and a couple of bars is what I do, angel face."
you can't even act like this is a regular interaction with how not regular he's speaking to you, your usual work attitude towards guests washing away with him.
you pucker your lips a smidge and your eyebrows furrow in a playful curiosity as you side eye him a little, "do you interrupt everyone this often?"
he lets out a singular laugh, bearing his fanged smile at you when it dissipates, "only the ones easy to mess with."
your jaw drops a little, for the nth time
the audacity!
"I'm at work and you're saying all these things that aren't a regular interaction for me here!"
"and what were you working on all the way over here?" he retorts leaning down into your space
you fight the urge to roll your eyes and take a deep breath, steadily digging your heel into the hard floor as a way to stabilize yourself.
"taking a small break."
"aw don't look so mad at me," he tuts so endearingly, " 's cute but I don't want to stress that little heart of yours."
you feel yourself growing soft at the words, stomach feeling fluttery and like a fairy threw up in it.
but no no. you can't flirt with a client. much less one with face tattoos. it's just. it's not viable. this isn't a movie and your mom would sooooo kill you for even considering it. and even if he has clean money, he looks like bad news, like he'd just want you as a plaything.
"I appreciate the flattery mister..."
"sukuna." he smiles so handsomely
"mister sukuna, but this is a work event and I really can't be-"
he stands tall all of a sudden and puts his hands in his pockets, motioning with his head towards the painting, "put that on my account."
"HUH?"
he gives his back to you and starts to walk away, "you heard me angel face."
later, after everyone’s left, you’re left to look at the auction paperwork leftover with your boss
"mister sukuna requested that all of the heian artifacts be sent to his estate..." your boss worriedly reads to you from his paperwork, "and for the peony in night painting be sent your address."
"what?!"
you dash to his side to read the document with him.
there was your name and the request for it to go wherever you lived. when did he even get your name?
"you didn't know?" he looks at you, wide eyed.
"no!" you quickly answer, heart beginning to race, overthinking brain running wild that people will think you seduced him or did something else to have such an expensive piece sent to your home, "I didn't do anything! I swear! We just talked about the painting and he asked me how much it was, said he was going to buy it and then he left!"
"well whatever you did was good enough for him to gift you such a piece," he pushes his glasses back up, tired eyes skimming over the rest of the document to make sure everything else was in place. your boss then picks up another paper from his desk and pushes it towards you, "doesn't matter anymore, sign off on these and put your address."
you're on the phone with your best friend satoru after the painting gets moved into your apartment by the delivery workers of your agency later that week.
"okay and why aren't you hopping on his dick????" he asks crudely, unphased as you can hear him trim his finger nails through the phone
"he's like, not presentable satoru," you breathe, stressed as you brush your hair back, "he had a bunch of tattoos on his face and had that whole playboy thing going on."
satoru hums in response, too focused on what he's doing
"this is too much money spent on me by a stranger, I feel guilty, what if he thinks this is going to get me to sleep with him? what do I do?"
"okay chilllllllll," he drags on, "tattoos aside, was he hot?"
you stay quiet, knowing where this was going.
"oh ho hooooo you think he's hot. what's wrong with letting him get a taste then?"
"because I'm not like that." you say firmly, patience being tested by the white haired fiend.
"you're sooooo boring," he sighs before taking your side, "the guy can't force you to sleep with him, he already signed it away to you. and it'd be pretty distasteful to harass you at your place of work for some pussy."
in the process of biting the skin at the edges of your nails off you look at the new painting hanging on your wall.
"okay, you're right."
"besides what kinda face tattoos were they? was he on some lil xann shit?"
"no," you exhale, recalling his face, "they were like these sharp lines outlining his cheeks."
"he in the mafia or something?"
"no he said he does waste management and owns a couple of bars."
"don't know why you're so opposed to riding that then, you sound way too dreamy talking about him."
"I ALREADY TOLD YOU WHY!"
and so what if mister sukuna's become a little fantasy of yours as the days go by? being with him isn't feasible, but that doesn't mean you can't be flattered by his advances towards you.
you're just a girl after all.
he hasn't come back, something you shouldn't really allow yourself to be bummed out about, but you still feel hopeful everyday before work.
stop, it's not going to happen.
it's what you tell yourself as you walk into a fancy nightclub kinda bar with your coworkers one friday. one of them sold a 500k dollar vase from the victorian era and said drinks were on them tonight. free drinks were free drinks and you really wanted to see if this bar would make lychee martinis.
although not vip, even the normal tables were expensive looking. there wasn't that horrible packed stench of vape smoke and sweat. this place smelled lingering cigarette smoke and expensive cologne, something like guerlain.
you've entrusted your bag to one of your coworkers by the time you've headed off to the bar real quick to make your order.
they don't make lychee martinis
but at least they had espresso martinis
so you're sipping on one within a few minutes, seated comfortably on the luxury couch to your table as you look around the club/bar.
it's so pretty and classy.
there's chandeliers that somehow don't clash tackily with the slight colorful low lighting pulsing with the music. the floors are clean and the seats are made out of soft leather. even the people here are dressed accordingly. no girls were wearing sneakers here, so magical.
and when you look straight ahead, there's some sort of vip room aside from those at the balcony. must be a fortune to expense. one of the curtains shuffles and you can only make out a little bit of the inside.
its dimly lit by red chandeliers and the couches are-
the double doors open as a group of men walk out. and as they move out, a face goes immediately detected by you.
seated at the end of the room, smack right across from you, is sukuna.
who immediately detects you.
his face had been so stern the split second before he spotted you. and now it was smirking at you, mischievous glint fading away when the doors finally closed.
argh, you forgot he owned a couple of bars!
you don't know if you feel nervous or excited he saw you.
well, you do.
both.
but the overlapping combination had you picking up an adrenaline rush, your flight instinct screaming at you. but you were among coworkers and couldn't act on it like a second grader running away from their crush.
so you chug the rest of your drink and flee to the bar, hoping you get lost among the crowd if he was going to go up to you.
"an espresso martini please!" you pipe up, drumming your fingers on the bar countertop nervously before unlocking your phone and sending a distress text to satoru
you SATORU SATORU SATORU SATORU SATORU PAINTING GUY HES AT THE CLUB MY COWORKERS AND I ARE AT I THINK HES THE OWERNER AND HE SAW ME EING GKJE IM GOING TO KILL MYSEF
satoru jeez im here oh no ahahahahahahaaha good luccccckkkkkk remember to wrap it before you tap it kiddo ;)
"trying to hide?" a low voice teases in your ear
you basically jump at the intrusion, fumbling with your phone and catching it before it falls.
sukuna's there when you hesitantly turn
it's so hard not to faint out of sheer infatuation with his presence.
he's closer to you than when you met at work. his cologne infiltrating your senses and his hard chest right smack in front your face.
"not funny." you breathe, putting a hand over your heart and giving him a soft glare
"I'm sorry sweetheart," he smiles down at you condescendingly, leaning closer to twirl a strand of your hair around his finger before letting go of it
why is he so hot?
"you like your gift?" he jeers
you deadpan a little and tilt your head at him, peering up at him through stern eyes, "if that was an invitation or incentive for me to sleep with you or do anything remotely-"
"can't I spoil a pretty face?"
sukuna leans on the countertop and sets his arm down so his hand can hold his face as he looks at you. he's still taller than you like this and its so frustrating for your nether regions.
"well," your eyes flee away from his, looking at a specific point to the side from pure nerves, "although I really appreciate the gift, I had already made it clear that I wasn't interested."
"you're breakin my heart angel." he pouts at you in such a fake manner before standing up straight and reaching a hand out to you, "not even interested in a dance?"
you close your hand in a careful fist to your chest when you look down at his own, thinking about the offer.
"the least you could do for that pretty present of yours." sukuna smiles, knowing you wouldn't be able to say no to him out of guilt.
you press your lips together and look at him with awkward 'really?' eyes before hesitantly putting your hand in his.
the difference between your hand and his was enough to send you into a coma.
sukuna's twirled you into his embrace at the center of the dance floor when he begins to tease you.
"if you don't like me why's your hand sweating balls?" his canines gleam under the lights
you bashfully look to the side to avoid his gaze, instead coming to find that your coworkers have spotted you dancing with the handsome figure that is sukuna. many of them, mostly the women are drunkenly giving you excited thumbs up and big smiles, fangirling for you.
"I just have sweaty hands." you quickly peek at him before going back to looking anywhere else but him.
"and you can't look me in the fuckin face because?"
the vulgarity makes you squash your nervousness and whip your head around to face him.
"I'm looking you in the face." your eyebrows are knit and your mouth is a little tight pressed, your bottom lip starting to defiantly jut out in a pout.
he smirks down at you and it's not as evil as the other times he's done it.
"what?" you say defensively when it carries on a little too long, almost feeling insecure when you start to worriedly look for what he's not saying in his eyes
"stop letting me press your buttons," sukuna teases, "I told you its bad for your blood pressure."
you feel like that's not all he wanted to say, but you move on and try to remain calm while you hold his gaze and mention something else.
"how did you know my name? back when you signed off for the painting to be sent to me."
sukuna shrugs
but then he laughs when you glare at him and answers you
"heard you introduce yourself to some sleazeballs asking about the yamato paintings."
that was wayyyyy before you gave that monologue on the tapestry he had also seen you talking about.
"how long were you watching me?" you give him a quizzical investigative face.
"why're you asking?" he leans down next to your ear, "trynna flatter yourself knowing how long you had my attention?"
"you're impossible." you puff, feeling your face heat up at the question and the proximity
"now that's where you're wrong," sukuna tuts, swirling you around so swiftly and quite literally sweeping you off your feet
"how?"
the hand that he has on your waist drops and moves up to softly hold the underside of your neck and reaching all the way to your cheek, his thumb fondly gliding over it.
"what's impossible about a guy spending 150k on you angel face?"
fuck, you're actually melting like this
but no no no no you're still trying to be stern with him
"what are you trying to get at?" you softly glare, face slightly mushed in his large hand
his eyes look dense and full of something warm when he peers down at your lips, your nose, your eyes, everything.
but he ignores your question
"did the bar have what you wanted?"
taken aback, you wait to see if that's actually what he said and when you realize he did, that's when you answer.
"no."
"what shit were you lookin for?" he says, visibly curious and looking for your input
"a lychee martini..." you're a little confused
he hums in recognition before letting his thumb make a quick swipe on your bottom lip and letting go of you completely after, only holding on to the tips of your fingers.
you feel a little empty? when he lets go
"I have to finish some paperwork beautiful," sukuna plays a little with your index and middle finger, letting them go when he continues to say, "don't stay too late."
"or you'll have to get a ride back home in my car." he almost bites, teasing you basically for your fear of proximity with him
and then he leaves, large v-shaped back breaking through the sea of people and going back into his lounge room.
and the next morning well...
"satoru...you won't believe this," you start through the phone the moment your friend picks up, pacing through your apartment in your nightrobe as you eye the two newly installed sister pieces on your apartments walls.
"you're at his place and his place looks like you're in american psycho?"
"ugh no," you groan, starting to nervously twirl your hair in your hand,"he sent me those other two painting from the same line as the first one he bought me."
"no way."
"yes way."
"he wants youuuuu bad."
"argh stop." you flop onto your bed, letting yourself ricochet in it
"this guy is like wrapped around your finger and he's rich. I'm kinda offended you haven't even entertained it at least give me some bedtime stories."
"but what if he's just throwing money at me like im some expensive call girl????" you run your hand down your cheek and mouth in peril
"um, he could get one for like 40k, the guy's practically spent half a million to make you happy."
you huff, still worried as you stare at the paintings from the open door in your room
"and who cares about the tattoos at this point. if I were a girl id dream about a hot sexy tattooed bad boy throwing cash at me and eating my ass."
"ugh satoru, when have I ever talked about him eating my ass."
"oh he's going to try to when he's whipped like that."
and you put some thought into sukuna later that night when you're taking a bubble bath.
it's actually kinda plausible to see something serious with him...
your perspective shifts when you imagine the end game you've always wanted and he fits into it. you can see that handsome inked face holding one of your babies.
to be honest, it turns you on.
and how you deal with that...you know how
it's the following monday, two days laterish, when you've gotten back from work and sit there staring at the number you're about to dial.
it's sukuna's number.
and even though you feel really weird/guilty about taking a quick picture of it behind your boss' back from his files to have gotten it, you push the feeling down.
"hello?" a mean gruff voice picks up
"mister sukuna?" you peep, adding your name in case he didn't recognize the voice
his tone suddenly changes when he hears you speak
"now where'd you get this number bad girl?"
you want to bash your head into your table because how can you hear his smile through the phone?! and how is it making you nervous like this?!
"from my boss's file for you at work, but please don't tell him-"
"you get the gifts I sent you?"
straight to the point like always, so you might as well get to it
"yes, I called because I wanted to say thank you."
the paintings do really look beautiful in your apartment
"I really appreciate them and the fact that you went out of your way to get them for me."
"You're welcome angel, wanted something to remind you of me."
you giggle a little at his flirting
"oh? did I say something funny?"
"no," you breathe through a grin, "I just felt flattered."
"now you're flattered huh? all I had to do was buy you the set? this part of your little plan?" he jeers
its all obvious teasing, but you still want to clear the air
"no, I just..."
and you can't put it into words that 'hey I thought about it and I'm actually into you and wouldn't mind more of your flirting' without getting embarrassed
"just tired of playing hard to get like you're scared of me huh?"
"ye-yeah," you nervously sigh, clicking your heels on the floor, "something like that."
"don't be scared pretty face," sukuna reassures you, an air of self assurance still there, like you're sure it'll always be, but nonetheless still soft enough to calm you, "I don't bite."
"unless you want me to."
you scrunch your nose, laughing a bit through it, "why did I know you were going to say that?"
"doesn't sound like you were saying no."
"stop thinking about that." you tut, embarrassed that he's touching such a topic
"as long as you do."
caught off guard, you go quiet, mind quickly racing to when you were servicing yourself to the thought of him the other day in your bath
"just teasing you sweetheart," he laughs, adding, "I'll ask you for permission next time I want to think about that. how's that sound?"
"okay." you almost stutter
"and how does picking you up at your apartment tomorrow for dinner sound?"
if you didn't know any better, you'd think he sounds unsure of your answer there even though he sounded so secure before.
"that sounds good too."
"alright. I'll pick you up at seven. I have to go now and do some business angel face."
"that's fine too."
"and send me your address. okay?"
"okay."
"bye angel."
"bye"
the moment you get home from work the next day, you are bussing it to the restroom to start getting ready.
now, you didn't plan on getting fucked. you were going to resist the ministrations of that man, especially if you didn't want to overthink the next day and somehow convince yourself all he wanted was sex from you and he ended up getting it. but you wanted to feel sexy and confident with him. because these last two times you had seen him were child's play. yes you were always polished, but this was making yourself perfect, layering everything together.
hell, you even shaved down there. you weren't going to have sex, you weren't! butttttt if his hand wanted to do give you a little...
stop stop! that's a thought for another time if this date ends up being good.
anyways...
so, when you look at yourself in the mirror, you're very proud of yourself. you even give yourself a hmph of approval.
this is gonna shut him up
you're pristine.
sukuna waiting for you outside angel
you inhale deeply when you see the text.
maybe, just maybe you were still nervous. and you couldn't exactly take a couple thirty minutes to run laps around your apartment right now to exert the energy of embarrassment.
but you put on your brave face and find yourself shakily opening the double doors to your apartment complex a few minutes later.
sukuna's already leaning against his very expensive looking car and you try not to look so bashful when you approach him because he hears the moment you open the door and smirks so devilishly handsome upon looking at you.
"all this for for me hm?" he bares a fangy smile at you as he gathers both of your hands in his.
you're about to faint, his mouth does the indent thing at the edges like the guy who plays finnick in the hunger games when he smiles.
your back shivers, but you hide it.
"why can't it be just for me?" you retort, turning your head to give him a playful side eye, "I like to dress up."
"then share a little bit with me sweet angel." he playfully pleads, making these obvious fake eyes of desperation while swiveling his head in 'agony' into your couples hands
but the way he nuzzles into your hands for just a split second is so tender that you're fighting the urge to backflip across the entire city.
"what restaurant are we going to anyways?" you scrunch your nose happily at his previous playfulness
sukuna starts to maneuver you towards his car, opening the door, and buckling you in while he answers, "it's a surprise."
then he shuts the door and winks at you while walking to his side, relishing in the way you cross your arms and squint at him from inside the vehicle.
"that's cheesy," you say when he sits in the driver seat
"good thing we're on a date then sweet thing." he smirks while starting the car, suddenly and quickly pinching your cheek before backing out of the parking space.
and the thing is there's not one not hot thing about him.
you wish you could record the way he drives so you could watch it later at home by yourself to fangirl to while playing hot music over it.
he drives so well with one hand and its no surprise considering how massive it is and overtakes the wheel. and its the ringed hand that's the one driving. two large silver rings, one on his thumb and the other on his middle finger. the veins scattered around them make you want to clench your thighs too. if he's this veiny on his hands, then he must-
"take a picture, it'll last longer." he laughs, cocky smirk decorating the just as cocky glint in his eyes when he peers over at you for a split second.
"just keep driving." you huff, cheeks hot while you cross your arms to yourself and turn yourself towards the opposite direction, gazing out the window as you beat yourself up for staring at him for too long.
"here."
you look over and sukuna's holding his phone out for you, eyes still on the road when he says, "take a picture of that pretty face for me."
"huh?"
pit-pat pit-pat goes your heart
"what's so confusing about wanting to see your face on my phone?"
hesitantly, you take his phone, "but that's a little awkward to do in front of you...and-"
"do that little shy smile." he winks at you and cocks his head as if to already say thank you
feeling like you're unable to say no because what he wants you to do is actually really harmless and super sweet, you click on the camera button of his phone.
and against every bone in your body getting second hand embarrassment, you raise the phone in both of your hands, and do that 'little shy smile' he asked for, which does come naturally because you're feeling soooo shy right now.
you press on the middle center
then suddenly sukuna's squishing your cheeks between his hand
flash!
and he snatches his phone back, tucking it back in his pocket while he keeps driving, eyes forward but still drenched in mischief along with his evil grin
"hey!"
"got a complaint?"
"what was that?!"
"thanks for the picture beautiful."
"ugh that better not be my contact picture!"
"good thing this phone's mine ain't it?"
letting out a strong huff, you sink into your corner of the car, resting your elbow on the car door and placing your cheek flush against your hand.
to say the surprise was a surprise is an understatement. a surprise would have been a really expensive restaurant you'd never be able to afford. but this?
this is the entire rooftop lounge of a skyscraper all to yourself with sukuna.
and the sky's barely turning orange, the sunset near.
he knows what he's doing oh my god you want to jump him so bad and climb himwkefnejfegerg
"you like it?" he's leaned down and swerved his upper body a little to face you, haughty smile giving away that he knows you're impressed.
"yes..." you exhale, impressed, marveling at the whole thing. your brain doesn't even think twice to follow sukuna when he gently takes your hand and puts a light hand on the small of your back to lead you to the dining table.
and you're still too busy taking in every detail when he pulls out a chair for you and helps you sit down.
"is this one of those custom menus with the private chef and everything?" your jaw is a little dropped and you're nerding out over this whole extravaganza
sukuna just stares at you for a few seconds, signature confident grin only tightlipped and gingerly upturned at the end.
"you gonna sound this surprised every time I take you out?"
nobody's ever done anything like this before.
sure nobody's ever bought you half a million in art pieces before either.
but this was in a way, his own form of art. the attention to detail with what time he was coming to pick you up so you could catch the sunrise. making it private and just intimate for the two of you...
you delicately fwip the menu to your chest and smile at him like a little girl who's just been told she can whatever she wants from the store.
"thank you, mister-"
"thank you ryomen." he corrects you, the corner of his mouth fully upturning
"thank you, ryo," you beam, "words aren't enough to explain how grateful I am for this."
and maybe its the shortening of his name, but????
his eyebrows raise a little, as if he's rarely surprised, and a warm color matching the sunset blossoms slightly on his cheeks
"oh." your mouth forms an o shape and your eyes widen a little, "are you blushing?"
but just as fast as it appeared, sukuna furrows his brows to regain his cool facade and starts clearing his throat
"take a look at the wine options."
turns out, just as handsome as his face is, so is his ability to converse and listen.
for every moment you forgot what you were yapping about, he was quick to remind you what is was. the smallest details you mentioned, he was asking questions about when you finished talking.
"can I have more win-"
"ah no," a tch comes from sukuna when he talks to the waiter, "I had a special drink for her with the dessert. can you just bring it now?"
"yes sir." he bows and heads off
two thoughts:
one: you started to notice that sukuna made that tick whenever he was in a serious mode or regarding people that werent??? you??? possibly??? it was hot if that was even more the case.
and two: what special drink?
"what special drink are you-"
"here you go madam."
as quickly as sukuna sent off for it, was as quickly as it came.
there's a lychee martini in front of you
your eyes can't help but widen in awe at him, "you remembered?"
"you think there's anything I won't?" he quirks a brow at you, offended even you might say
a breeze comes and you shiver when you respond to him through a grin, "no, I'll make sure to know that now."
he observed the way your body rattles because no sooner is he standing up and picking up his coat from his chair to drape over you. as he's leaning down to do this, you bite the bullet and do what you've been dying to do since you got over your fears about him.
after placing a hand on his forearm to keep him in place, you pick your head up and place a soft kiss on his lips as a thank you, letting your lips mold onto his for a fleeting moment before letting go of his arm and the kiss.
his eyes are closed when you pull back, and he's inhaling and exhaling calmly. he tightlips his mouth too, almost as if savoring and memorizing what just happened.
"you're a tease, angel" he gruffs before heading back to his seat.
a few weeks later, sukuna's cooking for you for your date. he's an excellent cook and plenty of successful dates with him have allowed for you to finally accept an invitation to his very expensive penthouse.
you've kissed plenty of times by now and been on the precipice of heavy make out sessions.
the precipice
so you're soooooo eager to sit with him on his couch after a glass of wine with your very tasty dinner and very good conversation
you've purposely worn a skirt too. not that you want to have sex (well you do) but just to tease him for when you know you'll inevitably be on his lap.
"what're you doing angel?" he asks when you take his whiskey glass from his hand and place it on the coffee table in front of you.
"I wanna kiss," you breathe, already straddling him and putting your arms over his shoulders.
sukuna quickly places his hands on your waist and leers at you with a mischievous smile, "what's taking you so long then sweetheart?"
you giggle before swooping in for his mouth.
it's probably the fact that you're both finally under the shield of privacy, but sukuna pushes you flush against him, holding onto you tightly. and you cling onto him just the same
he kisses so sensually and wet, you're on cloud 9. fuck you wonder if this is how messy he'd be with your pussy.
you whine when sukuna dips his tongue into your mouth, flicking at yours as an invitation to play. he's evil at this, you find out when you try to flick at his tongue and end up with him sucking on it with his teeth. you can feel him laugh in throat when you moan and squeal at how much it hurts but turns you on all the more.
just the act of asserting his dominance over you during the kiss has you growing needy and small under him. because you've already started to mindlessly grind and bounce on his lap, scratch that, his very prominent boner.
"shit." he growls when he looks down at your panties being the only barrier you have against his crotch.
"feel me, please." you pant, placing one of his hands on your ass, the other on one of your tits.
sukuna's eyes grow dark when he watches you do this, immediately squeezing hard to watch for your reaction.
he seems to be in a daze when he sees your eyebrows furrow and your eyes form an o to let a moan out. immediately dipping his head into your neck, lapping so languidly at a spot on your jugular.
it's all too much, so hot, you need more, you want to do more
your mind is so hazy
sukuna stops you right when he feels you begin to fiddle with the top button of your shirt.
his breathing is labored so much as a testament to how much restraint he's showing.
"let's remember what you said before angel face." he huffs out, struggling to speak at the feeling of your pussy pulsing on top of his bulge.
that's right
you told him you appreciated a grand gesture to make things official and only then would you allow yourself to sleep with someone.
you groan, closing your eyes and smushing yourself against his chest.
"just hurry up," you whine, grinding a little on him in desperation to which his response is to pinch your butt.
"don't be a brat baby."
you're pretty sure sukuna's going to do his grand gesture and make you 'officially his' in Paris. (even though you both know he's wrapped around your finger and you're too crazy about him)
why, you ask?
because you just got to paris in a private jet with him.
it's like a fifty shades of grey movie, you fear (not)
he has you go on a shopping spree at galaries lafayette with him as your audience for any try-ons. he's bought you so many things, some just because you stared at it for too long, others because he thought you'd look pretty in them.
he then has you dress up in any of the many choices for dinner at a michelin star restaurant, which was spectacular and not one of those avant garde graham cracker for dinner dishes.
and you can't help but be so giddy when you get to your ultra special room at the ritz and find it covered in pink rose petals. the balcony was open with a table covered in gifts you hadn't seen him get for you. another smaller cart next to it had an assortment of chocolates and small sweets, and a large metal can with two champagne bottle poking out of it.
and sukuna being him, he timed it so that the Eiffel Tower was sparkling when you got there.
"you still trynna hurry me up now?" he looks down at you with a knowing cocky brow quirked up.
you shriek, jumping up into his arms and giggling through the many kisses you begin to place on his face. sukuna lifts you up into his arms like it's nothing, inviting your kiss attack until he somehow brings you to lay across lap on the bed.
"patience isn't fucking easy with a brat like you angel."
slap!
you squeal again and feel sukuna hike your skirt all the way up.
but what you don't anticipate is for him to rip your lace thong apart with both of his hands.
gasping, you turn around worried, "I had that thong ready for weeks!"
"shut up."
another slap
"don't talk about shit when we both know I'll get you the same pair again."
you like how foul mouthed he is now, and you haven't even gotten to the good part
exposed to the air, you feel yourself getting drenched more than you already were in anticipation earlier.
sukuna notices, a low grumble resonating from his chest when he pries your ass and thighs open. you can't see, but you can feel your slick covering you all over like some vulgar cobwebs at the separation.
he squeezes hard as a warning when you wiggle your ass out for him, desperate for some relief.
"I want you, please, ryo," you beg, turning around to bat your lashes at him
"fuck, baby, let me fingerfuck you first." he growls, not even looking at you, still deeply concentrated on your wet pussy.
with his right hand, he slides three fingers back and forth across your folds, spreading your slick, getting you even messier. and when you're moaning softly in relief, melting into his touch, he just slides all of those three fingers in. squelches ricochet in the room and you're far from embarrassed now, trying to fuck yourself back on his hand.
then he brings in a fourth finger, and you're squealing. your brain can only process the repetitive delicious intrusion of fingers into your sticky hole.
"I-" you begin, numb on the only words you can think, "I-i lov-"
your now official boyfriend muffles you with his hand, continuing to destroy your pussy with his other hand and leaning close to your face to smile so evilly at the way you're jolting and furrowing your brows with every thrust.
"ah-ah not now." sukuna roughly grabs your face, squishing your cheeks to forcibly make you look at him.
"you're only allowed to say that when this tight pretty hole's finally wrapped around my dick. are you listening pretty baby?"
"mhm" you nod eagerly, eyes rolling back when his thumb joins the party and starts rubbing against your clit roughly
before he lets go of you, sukuna presses his mouth against yours and gives you the most rated r kiss ever, letting his spit drip and mix with your slobbering mess from the heaving you've been doing.
it doesn't take long before you feel that knot start to tighten up, body starting to twitch against your will, which causes your boyfriend to pound you harder with his hand.
"ryo," you squeal, subconsciously trying to escape his grasp, "I-im gonna-oh my god oh my god, I can't I can't I can't."
you're basically screaming when one of ministrations pushes so hard against your gspot that you're making a mess on his hand and arm automatically, hell you think you've squirted all over his clothes too.
“atta girl atta girl.” he groans, still messily fucking your pussy and sloshing your juices around
you're still in the aftermath of your orgasm, shaking when sukuna manhandles you onto the bed and fixes you so that you're face down ass up.
the only recovery time you even get is the moment it takes for him toss away his coat away and hurriedly unbutton his shirt off. if you're not mistaken he gave up and tore it off by the time he got to the middle.
before he pushes your face back into the bed, you make out that he does have more tattoos. the moment is brief but you see lines wrapped around his arms and others dragging down to his abs all the way from his shoulders.
and satoru, to your very big surprise, is right when, with no shame, sukuna licks a long fat stripe all the way from your clit to your asshole.
shocked, your eyes widen, but you can't help how you become putty in his hands at the way he so sloppily interchanges between your pussy and your other much lewd hole.
pants keep heaving from your mouth, short circuiting on the way he was just spitting on your asshole and then started to suck on your clit while finger fucking your pussy again.
squealing and banging your fist on the bed as exertion, sukuna doesn't really care, because he's no sooner just decided that the proximity he has with your pussy isn't enough. now he's wrapped his arms around your thighs and diving his face into your pussy, sharp nose stimulating your lips while he mouths and slobbers all over your little clit.
"ryo!" you squeal, trying to pull away because it's too much and resorting to contorting yourself around in order to pull at sukuna's hair
his reaction? he growls from the euphoria of your nails digging into his scalp while he gets to makeout with your pussy.
too hot, you think
you feel the twitching start again in your body, the mushy sloppy feeling on your clit becoming just enough for you to start getting there again
and get there you do, quickly, because sukuna spits on your clit and immediately starts sucking on it harshly, the perfect mix for you to start coming undone again.
not as severe as coming from your g-spot, you make a small spurting mess compared to when sukuna had you keening on his fingers.
you're fucked out already and he hasn't even put his dick in yet.
“fuckin come here and taste yourself.” sukuna growls, dragging you towards him by the ankle until his hand makes his way to the back of your neck, tilting your head to look up at him.
he goes in to basically fuck your mouth with his own. crudely separating briefly between kisses to push accumulated saliva between your lips, relishing in the way you’re practically begging for it and being so pliant for him. all the meanwhile he pushes yours dress down and off of you, even smoothly unclasping your bra.
"get on your back, nice and pretty on the pillows angel."
sukuna's stood up at the edge of the bed, undoing his pants roughly and quickly
and eagerly you scramble to the head of the bed, turning around and laying down, only picking your body up a little by leaning up on your forearms to watch him.
you rub your thighs together at the sight of him.
there's a thick line wrapped around both of his thighs. and you almost would've been entranced by it if it were't for the massive length between them.
sukuna's thick, long, and veiny. his tip looks angry, leaking globs of precum. his happy trail is mouthwatering with the way it leads to his trimmed bush. and-
oh! it twitched a little
"you stare enough?" sukuna exhales through a haughty smirk, getting on top of you in the bed, which subsequently means he opens your legs so he can settle between them.
you watch in lustful agony when his dick bobs against your pussy and grazes it, which only lasts a second because your boyfriend obstructs your view by initiating a makeout session with you. but where your previous kisses during this encounter had been been vulgar and inappropriate, this one was deep and sensual.
unable to do anything but be at the receiving end of his work on your mouth, you feel as if you can't get any closer to sukuna, wrapping yourself around him as if that'll subdue your need.
like he's able to sense it, he softly lets his hands wander, finding your calves and guiding them up, up, up until his hands are under your thighs and you're pressed open so lewdly. a tiny whine escapes you when you feel his entire length slap against your folds, sliding between them and making your heat pulse even more in anticipation.
when he separates from the kiss, one of your hands is pressed against his chest, being held by him by the wrist gently, while the other is wrapped over his shoulder, that hands of yours mindlessly scratching at his undercut.
"look at me," he grumbles, crimson eyes boring into your own when you make eye contact with him.
"you want this?" he lewdly slaps his cock against your puffy lips.
with a shiver, you nod your head earnestly, "please."
sukuna's chest rumbles with something dark at the sight of you so innocently desperate for him.
shortly after, with one hand, he positions his tip at your entrance and then uses that same hand to hold onto the side of your face fondly when he starts to push in.
he stares intensely at you, analyzing every contortion of your face at the way he starts to fuck himself into you.
it feels like the air's been knocked out of you with every thrust he uses to ease into your pussy.
"ah ryo," you let out a combination of a squeal and a pant, head lolling to side
"keep fuckin looking at me," he says so meanly, love tapping your cheek to turn you back to him.
chest heaving, you keep your half lidded eyes on him, too conscious of the way he's just bottomed out and beginning to slide out. the way he drags out of you is so delicious.
but it's even better when he pushes all the way into you, his fat tip working past the ridges of your insides, pushing against the way it tries to hug him rightly.
although the pace is slow, sukuna presses hard and evilly against you with each thrust, making sure to kiss your cervix with his tip. it's not anything too hardcore and you know that you're perfectly capable of cumming from just this at the way you start to lose yourself.
you love it
you love him
and you can say it now.
"r-ryo," you moan through furrowed brows.
"mm" he hums, still focused on you.
you gulp, body strung out, "I love you."
nothing's changed, he's still boring into your soul, which inherently makes you insecure because he hasn't said it back.
"ryo," you begin to whine, exasperated and flustered that you just declared your love to him and he hasn't, "I said that I-"
"yeah I heard you," he says, pushing your legs further back, "I fuckin love you too angel."
"have for a while," he mutters, his pace is ruthless all of a sudden and he rolls his eyes in ecstasy before leaning down and harshly sucking on one of your nipples.
you can't take what he's giving you without screaming, essentially.
he's big everywhere and he's completely overtaken you.
thoughts can't even process in your head, only able to process the copious amounts of pleasure he's giving you and babble out whatever's on the tip of your tongue in the the moment.
"it's so-so much ryo," you moan, "ah-ah 's so fucking big, your cock's so fucking big."
"yeah and you're fucking taking it all baby." he angles his hips to start hitting up at your g-spot, "tight little pussy's sucking me back in like a good girl."
"hngh IloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyouIloveyou." is all that squeals out of you in response
and if you weren't getting destroyed before, you definitely were now.
drool spills from the side of your cheek in the absence of your words as sukuna's just dragging you onto his cock mercilessly like a fleshlight. which apparently is what starts to bring you to your third orgasm of the night.
so mustering all the strength you can, you pull your boyfriend against you by wrapping your arms around his neck.
"I want you to cum with me so fuckin bad ryo," you whine, forehead pressed against his, "please please please please cum with me, I want it so bad, I wanna milk you, pleasepleaseplease."
he growls, "fuck."
"don't talk like that baby," his eyes close for a moment as if he's trying to calm himself down, but he keeps the same rhythm
"please," you plead again, forcibly pulsing against him when you fear that your orgasm is already around the corner, "it's all I want, I'll be so good, I'm so good for you, pleasepleaseplease."
sukuna's breathing labors heavily as he listens, but ultimately ignores you as he grips you harshly and bullies his dick against your walls.
all until you just
release
your pussy pulses and clamps around him sporadically, juices spurting all over sukuna's abs, thighs, everywhere.
which he ends up not being immune to
"shit!"
considering the way he starts cumming so much inside of you, mean thrusts twitching inside of your ruined hole. every spurts spilling from his tip has you wishing for more and more.
he falls on top of you after, hugging you to him and nuzzling into your neck tiredly. one of your hands is swiping across the expanse of his back slowly in exhaustion.
"fuckin tease," he nips at your shoulder, obviously bothered you made him cum so quickly.
when you wake up the next morning, you're so very sore and you want to nuzzle into sukuna for the serotonin burst as medicine.
but he's not there.
your upper body sticks up as you look for him
oh, he's on the phone in the balcony
he's got some black sweats on, hanging deliciously off his hips and paying homage to this v-line.
you want to jump on him as soon as he gets off the phone.
he hasn't noticed you're awake, turning his back to you as he continuous talking. which you take advantage of, quickly rummaging through one of the shopping bags at the side of the bed from yesterday and finding one of the sexy slip gowns he bought for you.
sukuna's dragging a stressed hand through his hair when you open the glass door a little. he still hasn't heard you.
'tch'
"the fuck you mean that patch-work fuck raided the warehouse?"
he sounds so angry
'tch' and then an exasperated sigh
"no don't fucking do shit. can't even leave you shit faces alone for a second before shit falls through."
"wait until I get there. put twenty men at the other warehouse, urame's in charge of them."
"and keep the motherfucker you found alive. I'll deal with that fuck face when I get back."
"yeah well if he's one of those shit sniffers, he's not leaving alive. don't scare him yet, let him think we'll keep him off the hook. yeah okay, don't fuck up again."
not
leaving
alive?
sukuna turns a little to the side after ending the call and you can see him pinching the bridge of his nose from stress, eyes closed.
until they're not, and he spots you from the corner of his eyes, face dropping, panic setting in, both of you for very different reasons.
"angel face, how much did you hear?"
your throat feels dry
are you even mad? fuck fuck fuck fuck you're so stupid. every single emotion is being thrown at you. mad because he lied to you, so much so that he got you in bed with him. you shouldn't have given him a chance. but you're so sad, so heartbroken. you really really love him, so much you can't breathe right now at the thought of leaving him. but is he even a good person? was he one of those mafia men who abused girls like you? you can't you can't-
"sweetheart sweetheart," he's rushing to you, voice beginning to plea as he cups your hands into his, keeping them close to his chest and crouching a little to your height, "it's not what you think."
you're struggling to breathe, scared of who you're with
"what's," you start weakly, in shock almost, "what's not what I think about you saying a guy can't leave alive."
it pains him, you can see it in his eyes when he presses his lips together and tries to think of something to say
"are you actually in the mafia?!" you spit out, confused, "this entire time you had this sketchy vibe and said it was just your stupid waste management and bars?"
"I do own those baby." he sighs, wincing a little
the back of your mind notes that your previous thought about him being an abusive mafia man is a farce, he seems so...defeated that you know now. he's not threatening you.
"what exactly do you do." you say through gritted teeth, stressed at the situation and still trying to decide which of your instincts you should follow.
sukuna, hands still clasped with yours, gets on his knees and brings his forehead against your fingers, "doll, let's just go inside and I'll explain to you. I'm not as horrible as you're starting to think I am."
it's a little true considering he wiped a previous thought off your mind earlier, but still
this is dangerous
this is bad
but you nod your head, still angry, telling my the knit of your brows, "fine."
sukuna eyes you carefully as he gently closes the glass door to the balcony, you're already seated at the center of the bed, arms crossed over each other as you glare at him.
he wants to shoot his foot for the sole fact that he's made you so mad at him and that even that's not enough for him to not want to kiss that angry pout off your face, no matter how upset it is.
"so," you start, "how many people have you killed?"
its so venomous that sukuna closes his eyes in defeat.
"princess, that doesn't matter." sukuna sighs as he sits at the edge of the bed, facing you.
"what do you mean it doesn't matter how many people you've killed?! wouldn't it matter if I had a kill count of-"
"all you need to know is that it's not over thirty," he exhales and licks his lips, "and that every single one of them were some of the most shitty evil scum there is."
"and who do you work for?" you grumble
sukuna avoids your eyes when he answers, "people work for me."
you're still looking at him so sternly.
sukuna says your name and reaches his hand out towards you, planting it on the sheets right in front of you as an act of begging for your mercy
"I do bad things," he begins, eyes begging when they look upon you, "but I don't do them to good people."
but you're still numb because
"I can't-" your eyes water and your bottom lip wobbles, "I'm involved now! I-i want to be with you and marry you and everything! and you're stuck in this!"
sukuna's eyes widen at your burst
you feel a panic attack incoming as you keep speaking, your heartbeat escalating by a million and body starting to shake.
"you're a criminal! and you've probably got so many charges waiting on you! this isn't good! it's illegal and I don't want to go through seeing you in jail! I dont want to go to jail if I get caught in the mixup!"
and all sukuna does upon seeing your reaction then is lean forward, encroached on the bed as he grasps your feet fondly, placing tender yearning kisses on them.
"I'm not going to jail my love."
he places another kiss on your ankle
"and you aren't either."
"how do you know that?" you ask, still angry teared
"there's a system, there's people, I know too much."
ugh, you're still so mad at him,
so overwhelmed
you gently push him off, making a sound of frustration, and stomp over to the bathroom.
unable to completely shut him out, you leave the door slightly ajar as you take a bubble bath to soothe your body, both mentally and physically from last night.
there two soft rasps on the door before the door swings open a little and sukuna enters a bit awkwardly, slightly braced for you to suddenly kick him out.
his shoulders drop and relax when he sees that you just stare at him as he walks in, getting closer and closer to you.
"do you want me to order lunch in?" he sits at the edge of the tub cautiously, watching for any distress from you
serious and mildly stressed still, you couldn't deny how much your stomach was starting to hurt out of hunger.
"what's there for lunch..."
"anything you want."
you're looking up at sukuna sternly at the same time he's decided to move back a piece of stray bubbly hair from your bun away from your face
"well I don't know what kind of food there is here..." you huff a little, not denying his touch
"there's this uh," he thinks for a second, swirling your hair around his finger gently, swallowing before continuing, "the place with truffle pizza we watched on the tv nearby."
it's so confilcting to still feel so mad at him even when he's being so charming like this, he remembers everything you like.
"that a yes?"
"yeah." you look to the side feeling flustered at how tender he is with you
"I love you." he says, hand caressing your cheek and his face near yours so he can convey his sentiment wholeheartedly with his eyes.
you stare at him for a second
this is all such a whirlind for your mind, but
"I love you too."
it's not as lovey dovey as he just said it, nor as calm, but you mean it, even if you're irritated.
tentatively, he places a gentle, sensual kiss on your lips.
which you instinctively reciprocate, tilting your head up for more.
your boyfriend isn't kissing you as roughly as he was last night. these kisses were full of yearning and the plenty apologies you'd get tired of hearing if he were saying them into your ear again and again.
you moan softly into them, your breath starting to labor from need.
the hand that sukuna had on cheek starts to caress your knee gently. maybe he intended for the following or maybe he didn't but he understands you and your body when you spread your legs open under all the bubbles.
you sigh in relief when he starts fondling your folds under the water. and you can feel sukuna kiss you only a smidge harder at your reaction.
he slides two fingers in softly, hooking them thrush against your gspot instead of pummeling you like the night before.
you stop kissing--you're unable to kiss back when he starts to repeatedly press against the spot, hard, again and again.
"ah-ah," you pant, nails digging into his neck while he places loving kisses on yours
you cum hard, scratching hard down sukuna's neck, but he doesn't say anything, watching you in desperation as you come undone.
you're holding onto the edge of the tub for your life when sukuna drags his fingers out. you're still shaking terribly from the aftermath.
exhausted and gulping, you watch as he licks off his fingers what wasn't washed away by the bath before placing both of his hands on the underside of your arms.
"you wanna get out?"
"mhm." you nod shakily
you're still a bit serious throughout the next couple of days. not as pissed off as the first day, but you find it hard to wear down all your worries so quickly.
yet you manage to enjoy the little things sukuna had planned out and taken you to do.
so even though you're a little grumpy, you're not as grumpy as when you first found out, clinging onto him without a word as you both fly back home on his private jet and then on the car ride to his place.
"when we get there," sukuna begins to eye you tentatively, holding onto your hand harder while the other mans the steering wheel, "I'm going have to leave to deal with some things, but I'll be back for dinner."
knowing what you know, you carefully ask, "you mean deal with that guy?"
"yes," he exhales awkwardly, "the people he works with...they're not safe. I wouldn't be able to sleep if he was walking the same streets as you."
"well..." you start, looking at the road nervously
"just be safe. please?"
it's the first time you've shown any sort of conciliation with what he does and sukuna knows it, eyes widening and exchanging between you and the oncoming cars.
"yeah, I will sweet face," he kisses your hand, calmed features suddenly furrowing and tensing when he spots something he doesn't like.
'tch'
sukuna pulls over in a familiar area, parking perfectly before he starts to get out of the car. "it's nothing bad," he says, a little exasperated, "you can stay in the car, just let me help real quick."
and he dashes out of the car, jogging towards-
he's helping that elderly lady you helped so many weeks ago. except she has more bags on her this time and sukuna's stolen all them from her to help her cross the street.
now that you think about it, you're parked in front of the same apartment complex she lived in.
quickly, you get out of the car too, meeting them halfway, marveling at the both of them in confusion.
she smiles when she sees you, happy eyes looking between you and sukuna.
"h-hi." you try to greet her, still confused
but she's looking between you and sukuna like she knows something, more so him, like they have an inside secret between them.
head popping out from the many bags engulfing him, you see your boyfriend shake his head at her in a panic, eyes widening and trying to express the well known symbol for 'don't say anything don't say anything.'
you're really confused now and you're about to ask a question when the old lady bonks sukuna's head with a store magazine and it illicits an answer out of him for you
"this is my grandmother." he huffs, grumpily looking down at her from the corner of his eye
"what?" you're quick to try and polish yourself in front of her, leaping foward to shake her hand with both of yours, "I'm so sorry, I didn't know. It's so nice to meet you, I'm ryomen's girlfriend!"
she laughs a little, and it kinda reminds you of mama odie's mischievous laugh from princess and the frog.
"I know," she giggles a little before walking towards her apartment complex, motioning for the both of you to follow her inside.
so you follow and
"babe, is that a gun sticking out her purse?!"
#sukuna smut#sukuna x reader#jjk x reader#jjk smut#sukuna ryoumen x you#sukuna ryoumen smut#sukuna ryomen#sukuna x y/n#sukuna#jjk x you#jjk#jujutsu kaisen x reader#jujutsu kaisen smut#sukuna ryoumen fluff#ryoumen sukuna
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Relationships in Midlife
Relationships in Midlife: Challenges & Opportunities The midlife years bring many changes, including shifts in relationships that have been established over the years. As we age, our priorities and perspectives change, leading to a reevaluation of our relationships with partners, family members, friends, and colleagues. In this blog, we will talk about the challenges and opportunities that come…

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#a systematic review of longitudinal studies conducted by social scientists revealed that having expansive social networks in midlife is asso#adaptability#allowing individuals to prioritize their own needs without feeling guilty or selfish. There&039;s no rush to enter into a new relationship#allowing their adult children to express their needs#allowing you to approach a new relationship with a better understanding of your needs and expectations.
Effective communication is crucial i#and a commitment to understanding#and a supportive network to navigate the journey of midlife and beyond.
Family Connections
Midlife is a phase that often involves caring for#and access to new and exciting opportunities.
In midlife#and aspirations. Building trust through effective communication strengthens the connection between parents and their adult children#and build new friendships. Self-care becomes a priority#and career advancement. They can provide individuals with a sense of belonging and purpose#and colleagues. In this blog#and companionship. Additionally#and concerns without fear of judgment or rejection. Honesty#and conflict resolution. Additionally#and create new friendships. Quality#and creating lasting memories and traditions#and emotions#and engaging in activities that promote physical and emotional health. Through self-care#and enhanced mental well-being. By actively nurturing these connections#and experiences. Addressing conflicts in a constructive manner#and family dynamics.
Middle adulthood#and fears#and finding companionship and emotional support are all important aspects of this stage of life. By prioritizing personal happiness and buil#and foster deeper levels of understanding. Effective communication also enables couples to make decisions together#and foster understanding and intimacy. By prioritizing healthy communication#and friendships and social circles in midlife. So whether you&039;re navigating your own midlife relationships or are curious about what th#and histories. This can lead to conflicts and tensions if not properly addressed. However#and honesty form the foundation for building trust#and improved immune function.
In conclusion
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I am very wary of people going "China does it better than America" because most of it is just reactionary rejection of your overlord in favor of his rival, but this story is 1. absolutely legit and 2. way too funny.
US wants to build an AI advantage over China, uses their part in the chip supply chain to cut off China from the high-end chip market.
China's chip manufacturing is famously a decade behind, so they can't advance, right?
They did see it as a problem, but what they then did is get a bunch of Computer Scientists and Junior Programmers fresh out of college and funded their research in DeepSeek. Instead of trying to improve output by buying thousands of Nvidia graphics cards, they tried to build a different kind of model, that allowed them to do what OpenAI does at a tenth of the cost.
Them being young and at a Hedgefund AI research branch and not at established Chinese techgiants seems to be important because chinese corporate culture is apparently full of internal sabotage, so newbies fresh from college being told they have to solve the hardest problems in computing was way more efficient than what usually is done. The result:
American AIs are shook. Nvidia, the only company who actually is making profit cause they are supplying hardware, took a hit. This is just the market being stupid, Nvidia also sells to China. And the worst part for OpenAI. DeepSeek is Open Source.
Anybody can implement deepseek's model, provided they have the hardware. They are totally independent from DeepSeek, as you can run it from your own network. I think you will soon have many more AI companies sprouting out of the ground using this as its base.

What does this mean? AI still costs too much energy to be worth using. The head of the project says so much himself: "there is no commercial use, this is research."
What this does mean is that OpenAI's position is severely challenged: there will soon be a lot more competitors using the DeepSeek model, more people can improve the code, OpenAI will have to ask for much lower prices if it eventually does want to make a profit because a 10 times more efficient opensource rival of equal capability is there.
And with OpenAI or anybody else having lost the ability to get the monopoly on the "market" (if you didn't know, no AI company has ever made a single cent in profit, they all are begging for investment), they probably won't be so attractive for investors anymore. There is a cheaper and equally good alternative now.
AI is still bad for the environment. Dumb companies will still want to push AI on everything. Lazy hacks trying to push AI art and writing to replace real artists will still be around and AI slop will not go away. But one of the main drivers of the AI boom is going to be severely compromised because there is a competitor who isn't in it for immediate commercialization. Instead you will have a more decentralized open source AI field.
Or in short:
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One worldbuilding thing that's always fun to do is take something you've encountered in the real world, and apply something similar with the same logic into your own. Like those sayings that have two halves, but people usually only know the first half and misunderstand the saying - like "birds of a feather flock together (until the cat comes)" or "great minds think alike (but fools rarely differ)." So I came up with a few for The Book I'm Not Writing:
Hungry dogs are loyal dogs (until someone else feeds them) - neglecting and mistreating your underlings may work as a short-term tactic for making them obey, but it's also a guarantees that they'll betray you at first chance.
The mouth of an idiot is as loose as the strings of their purse (so be there when gold may drop out) - just because nine out of ten things that someone says are completely useless doesn't mean you should dismiss them altogether. They might still know useful things, even if they can't tell it's useful.
Blood makes a foul dye (it stains, but it won't last) - here "foul" is often interpreted as "brutal" or "gruesome", when it's meant as "of low quality". Using violence as your way to establish dominance and maintain authority because it's easier than building networks of mutual trust and respect is as stupid and short-sighted as using blood to dye clothes because it's cheaper than proper pigment.
A fool will starve to death while waiting for grain to grow (but it is also a fool who'll slaughter an ewe an hour before it lambs) - Immediate problems require immediate solutions, but you'd better make sure that your drastic emergency solution is the right one.
A blind horse will go as you guide where a half-blind one dare not (both through the darkness and down a cliff) - an agent who doesn't know the purpose of their task will obey blindly, where one that knows some part of it might disobey out of distrust, but neither is as reliable as one that does see the big picture, can draw their own conclusions from the information they gather, and adjust their plans accordingly.
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A Humanitarian Appeal from the Depths of Suffering🥹:
The War on Gaza, Our Losses, and the Struggles We Endure



In these difficult and painful times😔, I find it hard to find words that truly express the depth of the suffering I, 💔😓
along with my family, am going through. I am writing this message from a place of desperation and need, as a doctor working in a hospital in Gaza. Life here has become a constant battle for survival, and each day brings new challenges that test our will to continue😭.



We were once living a peaceful and stable life🙂, building our hopes and dreams😥, working towards a future for ourselves and our loved ones🥺.
However, the recent war on Gaza has turned our world upside down😢. I have lost my job💔,
and with it, my only source of income, due to the destruction of the facilities where I worked😭.
The physical destruction around us has been devastating😓, and many projects I was involved in to support the families of patients have come to a halt😢. The economic losses are staggering, and the road to recovery seems almost impossible😥.



The war on Gaza has not only taken our peace of mind but has also brought with it an unbearable level of suffering😓.
The cost of living has skyrocketed,
and we are struggling to meet even the most basic needs of daily life😣.
The situation has become unbearable, and it feels like we’re trapped in a vicious cycle of poverty, fear, and despair.
How can a family survive when they cannot even afford food, let alone the necessities of life?😭😥💔
As a doctor, I stand at the frontline, trying to save lives amidst the wreckage of war😢.
I treat the injured, manage critical cases, and do my best to bring comfort to those who need it most. 🥹
However, at the same time, I face personal struggles that are just as overwhelming😢. The hospital is in dire need of medical supplies and personnel, and we are doing all we can to save lives with limited resources. But the pain of seeing my own family suffering while I try to help others is a constant burden.
How can I help those in need when I cannot even provide for my loved ones?😣😣


Today, as I face this immense struggle😔,
I turn to you, dear reader, with a plea for help🙏🏻😥.
This is not just a request for personal assistance🙏🏻🥹, but a desperate call for hope and a chance to rebuild my life and support my family.
I need your help to share my story😓, so that it reaches as many people as possible.
Your support, through donations and sharing this story, will allow me to help my family escape the horrors of war and start a new life abroad, where we can live in safety and dignity🙏🏻🥹❤️.
I need the resources to travel abroad to continue my education l😔and provide a future for my family🙏🏻😓. Pursuing my studies and advancing my career in medicine is my way of ensuring that I can make a lasting difference, both for myself and for the people of Gaza. But I cannot do this alone.
The funds I am seeking will help me cover travel expenses, medical costs for my family, and the basic needs that we are struggling to meet each day😥.



The financial burden is overwhelming😭,
and without your support, I fear that my dreams, and the future of my family, will slip further out of reach😥😭💔.
Every donation, no matter how small, will make a difference.
Every act of kindness, every person who shares this message, will help light the way for us in this dark time🙏🏻😢.
I humbly ask you to help me spread this story. Share this story with your friends, family, and networks. Let it reach those who have the means and the will to help🥹🥺❤️.
Together, we can make a difference. Your kindness, your generosity, and your willingness to stand by us will mean the world💝🥹🙏🏻.


In these dark times, solidarity is the light that can guide us😔💔. Your support is not just an act of charity; it is an act of humanity❤️❤️.
You are not only helping an individual, but you are also supporting a family in dire need of hope and a better future😃❤️.
I will forever be grateful for any assistance you can provide, whether it’s a financial contribution, sharing this story, or offering a kind word of encouragement.
Your help will give us the strength to continue, and it will remind us that in the midst of all this suffering, there is still hope, there is still kindness, and there are still people who care😃❤️.


Thank you, from the bottom of my heart❤️❤️, for your time, your attention, and your compassion.
Together, we can create a future where we can live with dignity, rebuild what has been lost😔, and give our children the hope they deserve💝🥹🙏🏻.
Solidarity is Hope, and Helping is Life💚❤️💛🖤🇵🇸 .
vetted by \
@90-ghost (number 212)
@mangocheesecakes ,
@sayruq
@el-shab-hussein
@nabulsi
#free palestine#palestine#free gaza#palestine news#gaza genocide#palestine genocide#gaza#i stand with palestine#palestinian genocide#viva palestina#long live palestine#all eyes on palestine#free palastine#palestine will be free#end the genocide#stop the genocide#genocide#gofundme gaza#gofundme#gaza news#gaza strip#gazaunderattack#free free gaza#help palestine#pray for palestine#support palestine#strike for palestine#save palestine#palestinians#free plaestine
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i strongly encourage all trans men and transmasc people to go out to your local pride parades this pride month and build community with people offline
please seek out a support network offline with people and make yourselves visible
i know a lot of us struggle with anxiety or other disabilities that make socializing difficult, but it is so important to do this right now in our current political climate
organize, seek help, build connections, make yourselves known to your allies, help contribute to change within and outside of the queer community, but also make sure to keep yourselves safe while doing so
i will be battling my own anxiety to participate in my first pride parade too
we can do this
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for everyone asking me "what do we do??!??!"
The Care We Dream Of: Liberatory and Transformative Approaches to LGBTQ+ Health by Zena Sharman
Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (And the Next) by Dean Spade
Cop Watch 101 - Training Guide
The Do-It Yourself Occupation Guide
DIY HRT Wiki
The Innocence Project - helps take inmates off of death row
Food Not Bombs
Transfeminine Science - collection of articles and data about transfem HRT
Anti-Doxxing Guide for Activists
Mass Defense Program - National Lawyers Guild
How to be part of a CERT (Community Emergency Response Team)
Understanding and Advocating for Self Managed Abortion
The Basics of Organizing
Building Online Power
Build Your Own Solidarity Network
Organizing 101
How to Start a Non-Hierarchical Direct Action Group
A Short and Incomplete Guide for New Activists
Eight Things You Can Do to Get Active
Palestine Action Underground Manual
How to Blow Up a Pipeline by Andreas Malm
Spreadsheet of gynecologists that will tie your tubes without bothering you about it
COVID Resource Guide
Mask Bloc NJ (find one near you, these are international!)
Long Covid Justice
Donate to Palestinian campaigns (2, 3, 4)
Donate to Congolese campaigns (2, 3)
Donate to Sudanese campaigns (2, 3)
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