#Check Website Authentication

[authenticate01]

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[asterdeer]

“why does no one tell the musicians they can just write songs about made up things Like They Used To Do” you’re getting angry at one singer’s marketing persona and then acting like that’s how all music is Nowadays as if “singer-songwriter” isn’t an entire genre because most (pop, at least) artists just Acquire their songs and have done for literal decades. tons of singers don’t write their own songs at all. all due respect, what are you talking about

[furby-organist]

// WORKERS PARTY? WORKER'S PARTY, ANYONE?

[crazy-hazy-sims]

Hey everyone it seems there a malicious individual trying to hack the sims cc community again and fill it with malware you need to stay vigilant as a creator and a downloader so

i have some tips for both to stay safe while downloading:

1- sims cc file extension is always .Package never download anything that is .exe

2- do not auto unpack zip files and rar files into your mods folder directly, open each zip or rar individually check the file extensions and drag them to your mods folder one by one

3- the only mods that have a .ts4script extension are ones that affect gameplay or how the game works, understand that if you are downloading cas or bb items you shouldn't have a .ts4script file

4- if you are downloading gameplay mods that do have .ts4script make sure that A) the creator hasn't announced on their pages that its infected B) you are downloading from a link provided by the creator of the mods themselves not something off of google or a link you got sent and make sure dates of upload match dated of announcements

5- if the mod or cc creator has retired and hasn't posted for a while LOOK AT THE DATES OF THE UPLOAD if it has been "updated recently" after the creator has left the community its most likely re-uploaded by a hacker and infected

6- download mod gaurd by Twisted mexi and keep it updated and keep your windows defender or malware detector Program up to date and always running do not disable it

7- make sure everything you download comes from a direct link from the cc creator, in this day and age do not trust link shortners, adfly, linkverse, etc get the universal bypass extension and ublock extension to stay safe but genuinely NEVER CLICK ON THOSE no matter how much the creator reassures you its safe it. is. NOT.

8- this is more of a general saftey precaution but, create a system restore point weekly before you run the game with new mods that way if anything happens you could have a chance to restore your windows to an earlier date before you downloaded anything.

9- BACK UP YOUR SHIT im serious right now either weekly or monthly put your files somewhere safe like a usb a storage card a hard drive even an online cloud if you dont have any of the previous.

10- files you should back up are your media from games and media everything else, any mods, games saves, work files, passwords, saved bookmarks, any documents txt files word files pdfs, links you saved, brushes or actions for Photoshop if you have any, any digital bills or certificates if you have any, and keep a physical list of all programs you have installed and where you installed them from

11- turn on any 2 factor authentication and security measures for any account you have

12- google and firefox have the option to check your paswords and emails against any data leaks USE THIS FEATURE and change any leaked passwords

13- regularly check your logged in sessions to make sure all the logged in devices or computers are yours and log out any that aren't and any old devices or unused sessions do this for every website and app you have an account on if available

14- change your passwords often. I know this is a hassle i know its hard to come up with new passwords but changing your passwords every few months will help you against anything mention previously that wasn't detected.

15- and as a cc creator check your cc and the accounts you host cc on and its uplaod and update dates make sure nothing has been changed without your permission :(

16- generally try not to get swept up in the "i must get it" fever you do not need to "shop" for mods weekly or monthly you do not need to download everything by that one creator you do not need to download new cc everytime you want to make a sim, im guilty of this so i know how hard it is to resist but take a breath and think "do i want this or do i need it" before downloading.

These are prevention methods i cant claim they are 100% will prevent any hacking but its better to be safe than sorry and these do keep you safe so

Brought to you by someone who has had their laptop ruined and data leaked from downloading cc once upon a time

[cherrygirlfriend]

─── YOU'VE GOT MAIL .ᐟ

...or how reader made a friend in the most unconventional way.

★ pairing.ᐟ frat!rafe x nerd!reader

★ summary.ᐟ rafe cameron is the golden boy of kildare university; certified frat boy, captain of the football team, relentless party animal with lines of girls to sleep with.

reader couldn't be more different; while she has the best grades in the whole school, she suffers from social anxiety disorder, and her social life is limited to her three best friends and the cat she secretly snuck into her dorm room.

both of them decide to join the anonymous chatroom for their campus, and start talking to one another,, a friendship starting to form between the two; but neither of them know how different the other is.

★ author's note.ᐟ NOW A SERIES! i hope you guys like this! i'm considering making this into a series; if i do, i think i'd do it the same way this fic is, aka some narration but mostly 'chatting' between rafe and reader. anyway, let me know if you want it to continue!! i've been feeling down for a few weeks now, so something simple and fun like this was a good way to get back into the flow of writing.

i thought about making this a smau, but doing the chats like this feels more authentic to the 2000s chatroom experience y’know

you were sitting on your bed, your laptop open on a website called KildareUChats, a website that was apparently meant for the students of your university to be able to anonymously chat with other students, your friend having told you to give it a try, knowing that it’d be difficult for you to do in person.

you didn't really see the point of it; although your social circle was in no way huge, you were happy enough with it, really. never having been great with new people, you'd made three friends on your freshman year of college and simply stuck to them. it didn't help that whenever you tried to talk to someone new, it felt like someone was choking you.

but this was online. the person on the other side would never know who you are, and you'd never have to actually be face-to-face with them. your cursor moved to hover over the 'REGISTER' button, and you filled the page out with your basic information, name, school email, birth date... but when the website asked for a username, you couldn't help but purse your lips as you looked around your dorm room, from the fairy lights you'd hung up on walls that now glowed in a yellowish hue, to the several books stacked on the floor, to the dead roses on your desk...

but when your eyes landed on your nightstand, you spotted a book of poems by edgar allan poe, and your lips quirked up into a small smile. after you typed the name 'AnnabelLee' into the username field, a green check mark appeared next to it to signify it was available.

after setting a password, you were redirected to a page that said 'WELCOME TO KILDAREUCHATS AnnabelLee! CLICK HERE IF YOU WISH TO CONNECT WITH A RANDOM STRANGER!'. you clicked the button, your cursor turning into a circle for a moment as it loaded, before you were redirected to a chatroom with a pop-up.

KILDAREUCHATS IS CONNECTING YOU TO A STRANGER...

KILDAREUCHATS HAS CONNECTED YOU! REMEMBER TO TREAT OTHERS THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE TREATED <3 SAY HI!

you stared at your computer screen, biting into your lower lip. you had no idea what you were supposed to say; outside of the people you already knew, you were helpless when talking to people, the words always getting stuck in your throat, or vanishing from your mind. angel's white fur blended in with your white sheets as your hand moved to absentmindedly stroke her, the little cat purring in her sleep. but before your hand could dart out to type something on your laptop, a message appeared on the screen.

STRANGER: heyy

taking in a deep breath, you shook your head, as if shaking all doubts and worries out of it. the site was anonymous; that was the whole point. and your therapist told you, that for your social anxiety to get better, you should try go socialize. mingle. you took the bottle of cheap white wine you'd snuck into your dorm, taking a large swig straight out of the bottle before setting it back down, your hands flying to your keyboard.

YOU: hi :)

STRANGER: wsp?

YOU: ...wasp?

STRANGER: lmao no... what's up?

YOU: sorry, i'm not good with that kind of lingo haha. YOU: nothing much. i'm hanging out with my cat.

STRANGER: damn, do you have an off-campus apartment or something?

YOU: nope :) YOU: don't tell my ra.

STRANGER: shit you have a CAT in your dorm?

YOU: if you tell on me, i'm gonna have to hunt you down and kill you.

STRANGER: lucky for you this is anonymous STRANGER: and i'm not a snitch lmao STRANGER: so, what are you doing on this thing at 12am on a friday night? no hot parties?

YOU: honestly, i think i'd rather put a noose around my neck than go to a party. YOU: i'm just in my room drinking wine. decided to try this site after my friend suggested it. YOU: what about you?

STRANGER: damn, kinky STRANGER: i do have a 'hot party' to go to but i also have an essay due in nine hours and the prof already hates my ass

YOU: so you decided to not write your essay and instead procrastinate by chatting with some random stranger?

STRANGER: exactly! you get it STRANGER: if i even have my laptop in front of me, i'm counting that as me writing my essay

YOU: what's it about?

STRANGER: what kind of a role religion has when it comes to politics and shit

YOU: and let me guess, that's not a topic you enjoy studying in your free time?

STRANGER: you know me so well already

YOU: if it helps, i'm also studying. or, procrastinating studying. YOU: i have a chemistry exam on monday :(

STRANGER: ...and you're studying for it on a friday already? STRANGER: i just read for exams a few minutes before they start STRANGER: compared to me you're like a genius

YOU: eyeroll. YOU: and that's why you have trouble writing an essay! YOU: you're probably missing out on a keg stand at your 'hot party'.

STRANGER: i can't believe you're making fun of the art of the stand

YOU: you'll live.

STRANGER: how do you know? maybe i'm the god of the kegstand and every time a human loses faith in me, i grow weaker

YOU: are you? YOU: oh sacred frat god? YOU: shall i make an offering for you at your altar? would that appease your distaste towards me?

STRANGER: you shall

YOU: okay, how about these for an offering: YOU: a white claw, a buzz ball, a red solo cup with a strange mixture of different kinds of alcohols, and a vape pen?

STRANGER: those appease me much, mere mortal STRANGER: also mango-flavored juul pods

YOU: you're so weird.

STRANGER: says the person who's hanging with her cat on a friday night

YOU: how do you figure i'm a her?

STRANGER: oh please STRANGER: no man would disrespect the fine art of the keg stand

YOU: got me there, frat boy.

STRANGER: that's very presumptuous STRANGER: i could just be a tomboy

YOU: please. YOU: if you're a girl then i'm sasquatch.

STRANGER: don't worry, i don't mind a little body hair

YOU: i hate you.

glancing at the clock on your wall, you'd realized that thirty minutes had already gone by. you let out a small sigh, rubbing your eyes.

YOU: i should get going. i can't keep procrastinating.

STRANGER: already?

YOU: what, are you gonna miss me or something?

STRANGER: hey, if i get a pic of bigfoot i'm gonna be making millions, i just have capitalistic tendencies

YOU: fair point.

STRANGER: you should add me as a friend

YOU: you can do that??? i thought this was an anonymous chat.

STRANGER: yeah you can lmao why else would you need to set a username STRANGER: i'll just do it

and soon enough, a pop-up appeared on your screen, with the text 'STRANGER HAS REQUESTED TO ADD YOU AS FRIEND.' along with the buttons 'ACCEPT' and 'DENY'.

you pursed your lips, your finger lingering over the touchpad, first dragging it over the button reading 'DENY', before you let out a sigh, taking a large swig from the bottle of wine, moving the cursor to 'ACCEPT' and pressing it before you could regret it.

the pop-up was now replaced with another one, reading 'CONGRATS AnnabelLee YOU ARE NOW FRIENDS WITH MalachiConstant' and when you read the stranger's name, you couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. you clicked the red 'x' that closed the pop-up, and the word STRANGER in your chat logs was now replaced by MalachiConstant.

YOU: really? vonnegut?

MalachiConstant: what? i don't seem like the type to read?

YOU: just surprising!

MalachiConstant: says the girl with the hard-on for poe MalachiConstant: which isn't surprising at all

YOU: har har. YOU: goodnight, weird vonnegut frat boy.

MalachiConstant: goodnight, weird poe girl

YOU HAVE LOGGED OUT OF KILDAREUCHATS.

[mangocityithjhg]

https://mangocityit.com/service/buy-angies-list-reviews/

[imaella0]

𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬, 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬! Available all in Imaella and on our website. Feel trendy. Feel authentic. Best Price & Good Quality COD AVAILABLE SHOP NOW To place an order visit www.imaella.com or WhatsApp on 7000838022 or DM! Tag us in your photos to get featured Check out our stories for the latest offers and discounts"

[felassan]

Dragon Age: The Veilguard info compilation Post 1

Post is under a cut due to length.

There is a lot of information coming out right now about DA:TV from many different sources. This post is just an effort to compile as much as I can in one place, in case that helps anyone. Sources for where the information came from have been included. Where I am linking to a social media user's post, the person is either a dev, a Dragon Age community council member or other person who has had a sneak peek at and played the game. nb, this post is more of a 'info that came out in snippets from articles and social media posts' collection rather than a 'regurgitating the information on the official website or writing out what happened in the trailer/gameplay reveal' post. The post is broken down into headings on various topics. A few points are repeated under multiple headings where relevant. Where I am speculating without a source, I have clearly demarcated this. if you notice any mistakes in this post, please tell me.

as this post hit a kind of character limit, there will probably be at least 1 more post. :)

Character Creation

CC is vast [source] and immensely detailed [source]

We will enter CC straight after Varric's opening narration [source]

You are given 5 categories to work your way through in CC: Lineage, Appearance, Class, Faction, Playstyle. Each of these has a range of subcategories within them. There are 8 subcategories within the "head" subcategory" in "Appearance" alone [source]

Lineage dictates things like race (i.e. human, elf, dwarf, qunari) and backstory [source]

Backstories include things like factions. Factions offer 3 distinct buffs each [source]

There are dozens and dozens of hairstyles [source]

There are separate options for binary and non-binary pronouns and gender [source]

"BioWare's work behind the scenes, meanwhile, goes as deep as not only skin tones but skin undertones, melanin levels, and the way skin reacts differently to light" [source]

CC has a range of lighting options within it so that you can check how the character looks in them [source]

There are a range of full-body customization options such as a triangular slider between body types and individual settings down to everything from shoulder width to glute volume [source]. There are "all the sliders [we] could possibly want". The body morpher option allows us to choose different body sizes [source]

All body options are non-gendered [source]

They/them pronouns are an option [source]

Rook can be played as non-binary [source]

Individual strands of hair were rendered separately and react remarkably to in-game physics [source]

Special, focused attention was paid to ensuring that hairstyles "come across as well-representative, that everyone can see hairstyles that feel authentic to them, even the way they render" [source]

The game uses strand hair technology borrowed in part from the EA Sports games. The hair is "fully-controlled by physics," so it "looks even better in motion than it does here in a standstill" [source]

The ability to import our choices from previous games is fully integrated into CC. This will take the form of tarot cards - "you can go into your past adventures" and this mechanic tells you what the context was and what decision you want to make [source]

In CC we will also be able to customize/remake our Inquisitor [source]

A core tenet of the game is "be who you want to be" [source]

There are presets for all 4 of the game's races (human, elf, dwarf, qunari), in case detailed CCs overwhelm you [source]

Story

The story is set 9 years since Inquisition [source]

The Inquisitor will appear [source]

Other characters refer to the PC as Rook [source]. This article says they are "the Rook" [source]

The ability to import our choices from previous games is fully integrated into CC. This will take the form of tarot cards - "you can go into your past adventures" and this mechanic tells you what the context was and what decision you want to make [source]

The prologue is quite lengthy. A narrated intro from Varric lays the groundwork with some lore and explains about Solas [source]. In this Varric-narrated opening section, the dwarf recaps the events of previous games and explains the motivations of Solas [source] (Fel note/speculation: this sounds like this cinematic that we saw on DA Day 2023)

What happens first off is that Rook, who is working with Varric, is interrogating a bartender about the whereabouts of a contact in Minrathous who can help them stop Solas. The bartender does not play nice and we are presented with our first choice: talk the bartender down or intimidate them aggressively [source]

The first hour of the game is "a luxurious nighttime romp through a crumbling city under a mix of twinkling starlight and lavish midnight blue" (Minrathous) [source]. The game begins with a tavern brawl (depending on dialogue options) and a stroll through Minrathous in search of Neve Gallus, who has a lead on Solas [source]. Minrathous then comes under attack [source] by demons [source] (Fel note/speculation: it sounds like the demo the press played is what we saw in the Gameplay Reveal). Off in the distance is a vibrant, colorful storm where Solas is performing his ritual. [source] Eventually we come upon Harding. [source] and Neve. Rook and co enter a crumbling castle, where ancient elf secrets pop up, "seemingly just for the lore nerds". [source] Then we teleport to Arlathan Forest, have a mini boss fight with a Pride Demon, and there is the climactic confrontation with Solas. After a closing sequence, at this point it is the end of the game's opening mission. [source] (Fel note/speculation: So the Gameplay Reveal showed the game's opening mission)

The action in the story's opening parts starts off quite quick from the sounds of things: the devs wanted to get the player right in to the story. because, “Especially with an RPG where they can be quite lore-heavy, a lot of exposition at the front and remembering proper nouns, it can be very overwhelming.” [source]

BioWare wanted to make the beginning of Dragon Age: The Veilguard feel like the finale of one of their other games [source]

Rook's Faction will be referenced in dialogue [source]

Minrathous is beautiful, with giant statues, floating palaces, orange lantern glow and magical runes which glow green neon. These act "like electricity" as occasional signs above pubs and stores [source]

The story has a lot of darkness tonally. These dark parts of the game contain the biggest spoilers [source]. However, the team really wanted to build in contrast between the dark and light moments in the game, as if everything is dark, nothing really feels dark [source]

Our hub (like the Normandy in ME or Skyhold in DA:I) is a place called The Lighthouse [source] (Fel note/speculation: I guess this screenshot shows the crew in The Lighthouse? ^^)

Each companion has a very complex backstory, their own problems, and deep motivations. These play out through well-fleshed out character arcs and missions that are unique to them but which are ultimately tied into the larger story [source]

We will make consequential decisions for each character, sometimes affecting who they are in heart-wrenching ways and other times joyously [source]

Decisions from previous DA games will be able to be carried over, it will just work a bit differently this time [source]. The game will not read our previous saves. For stuff pertaining to previous games/choices, players will not have to link their accounts [source]

Characters, companions, romance

Varric is a major character [source]

Every companion is romanceable [source]

BioWare tried to make each character's friendship just as meaningful, regardless of romance [source]

If you don't romance a character, they may end up romancing each other [source]

There will be some great cameos [source]. Some previous characters are woven into the game [source]

Companion sidequests/optional content relating to companions is highly curated when it involves their motivations and experiences [source]

We could permanently lose some companions depending on our choices [source]

Our choices can influence if characters get injured and what they think about us [source]

The bonds Rook forges with companions determine how party members grow and what abilities become available [source]

Each companion has a very complex backstory, their own problems, and deep motivations. These play out through well-fleshed out character arcs and missions that are unique to them but which are ultimately tied into the larger story [source]

We will make consequential decisions for each character, sometimes affecting who they are in heart-wrenching ways and other times joyously [source]

Gameplay, presentation, performance etc

Each class (warrior, rogue, mage) has 3 specializations. The ones for Rogue are duelist, saboteur and Veil ranger [source]. (Fel note/speculation: Veil ranger reminds me of Bellara. Maybe this is her 'spec' too?)

Duelist gameplay involves a sharp combination of dashes, parries, leaps, rapid slashes and combos [source]

Faction-related buffs include being able to hold an extra potion or do extra damage against certain enemies [source]

Individual strands of hair were rendered separately and react remarkably to in-game physics [source]

Playstyle settings include custom, distinct difficulty settings for options as granular as parry windows, meaning "players who might fancy that playstyle but typically struggle with the finer points of combat can give it a go" [source]

Combat mechanics is a mix of real-time action and pause and play. Pausing brings up a radial menu split into 3 sections: companions to the left and right, Rook's skills at the bottom, and a targeting system at the top which helps get in focus on certain enemies. [source]. In the pause system you can queue up your whole party's attacks [source]

Tapping or holding the shoulder button pauses the game, allowing us to stop the action and issue orders to companions [source]

There is a system of specific enemy resistances and weaknesses [source]. Weaknesses and resistances plays a big role in combat and abilities are designed to exploit these accordingly [source]. An example is that "one character might be able to plant a weakening debuff on an enemy, and another enemy might be able to detonate them" [source]

There is a vast skill tree of unlockable options [source]

You can set up specific companions with certain kits, e.g. to tackle specific enemy types, to being more of a support, or as flexible all-rounders [source]

Healing magic returns [source]

Abilities can change together with elaborate results, e.g. one companion using a gravity well attack that sucked enemies together, another using a slowing move to keep them in place, and Rook using a big AOE to catch them all at once [source]

A shortcut system lets you map a few abilities to a smaller pinned menu at the bottom of the screen [source]

There are class-specific resource systems. For example, Rogue has "momentum", which builds up as Rook lands consecutive hits [source]

Each class will always have a ranged option [source]

Rogue Rook can do a sort of 'hip fire' option with a bow, letting you pop off arrows from the waist [source]

Warriors can throw their shield at enemies, and can build an entire playstyle around that using the skill tree [source]

There is light platforming gameplay [source]

The game runs on the latest iteration of the Frostbite engine [source]

The game targets 60 fps

On consoles it will feature performance and quality modes so we can choose our preferred visual fidelity [source]

The game is mission based [source]. Some levels that we go to do open up, some with more exploration than others. "Alternate branching paths, mysteries, secrets, optional content you're going to find and solve." [source]

Everything is hand-touched, hand-crafted and highly curated [source]

Some sidequests and optional content is highly curated, especially when it involves the motivations and experiences of the companions. In others we may be investigating for example a missing family, with an entire open bog environment to search for clues and a way to solve the disappearance [source]

Gameplay, presentation, performance etc continued, after the above bullet list hit a character limit

There is sophisticated animation cancelling and branching. Gameplay is action-like, and the design centers around dodging, countering, and using risk-reward charge attacks designed to break enemy armor layers [source]

The dialogue wheel returns [source]. It gives truncated summaries of the dialogue options rather than the full line that the character is going to say [source]

The bonds Rook forges with companions determine how party members grow and what abilities become available [source]

For stuff pertaining to previous games/choices, players will not have to link their accounts [source]

We can play the game fully offline [source]

There are no microtransactions [source]

The game itself is not as cell-shaded in look as the first trailer looked [source]

[☕ found this post or blog interesting or useful? my ko-fi is here if you feel inclined. thank you 🙏]

[gazagfmboost]

Created a spreadsheet for families reaching out to track what funds are vetted/verified & where -

The goal of this blog is to share some of the funds/families in my DMs on IG who may not otherwise be seen here on Tumblr; Each post will have the details of what official groups they've been verified/vetted by- any without official verification has any humanizing details listed so that you can donate using your own discretion. While time is taken to check for the humanity & authenticity of the fundraisers of any posted fund & many i can vouch for via IG live content & stories or chatting- I do not have the resources to be an "official" source of verification. If you are seeking verification or assistance- Please refer to this Post with links to open intake forms for groups verifying Palestinian fundraisers. If I've been tagged, please check their post for another source of official verification- many of the groups are listed below & feel free to ask me about any funds I've been tagged in.

Please consider taking a look through this Tumblr, or any of the official verified fund lists below & supporting a family or person in need!

--- Fund Highlights --- updated oct 21/2024 1. Needing Help to be Seen -

Tumblr post - Nour (33) & Bahaa (37) & 4 children; Ahmed (10), Zeina (9), Aseel (6) & Jinan (1) Fund Currency: $ CAD. 4% Funded gofund.me/047fa814

Tumblr post - Raed & Sherine Zaharna, & 5 small children Fund Currency: € EUR. 14% Funded gofund.me/fad68744

Tumblr post - Yaser & Alaa, children Laila(1.5) & Jehad (4, injured) + parents & 3 other families Fund Currency: $ CAD. 13% Funded gofund.me/368443d2

Tumblr post - Mahmoud & Hadeel Mousa, children Mohammed (3) & Adam (2) Fund Currency: € EUR. 19% Funded gofund.me/4151df0b

Tumblr post - Jbreel, Sister & Diabetic Mother Fund Currency: € EUR. 23% Funded - gofund.me/a8ffe422 ---- 2. Fundraisers nearing goal -

Tumblr post - Karim Azzam & Family only $790 remaining! 94% Funded! gofund.me/41745890

Tumblr post - Ahmed Younis (24) only €1210 remaining! 94% Funded! gofund.me/15e0d6e0

Tumblr post - Muhammad & Mom Najiyya Abdelhadi (63) only £3145 remaining! 69% Funded! gofund.me/b70e992e

Tumblr post - Khaled Sultan only €2940 remaining! 71% funded! gofund.me/5918716f

Tumblr post - Aseel Kuhail (22) only €4899 remaining! 51% Funded! gofund.me/b8d62269

Tumblr post - Karam Rafiq Al-Nabih (23) & Mother Tahini only £4177 remaining! 40% funded! gofund.me/e5106d4a

--- Palestinian Accounts on Tumblr sharing trusted & Verified* fundraisers; *- el-shab-hussein *- nabulsi Vetted Gaza Evacuation Fund list: google doc - ibtisams - palipunk - 90-ghost - sar-soor - fairuzfan Official Lists of verified fundraisers;

Operation Olivebranch IG / Website Fund list: tinyurl.com/opolivebranch Disabilities Fund list: google doc Perinatal Fund list: google doc Medical Staff Fund list: google doc Press Heros Fund list: google doc Operation Poppyflower IG / Website Fund list: operationpoppyflower.com/full-campaign-directory Project Watermelon IG / Website Fund list: google doc

SteadfastforGaza IG / Website Fund list: steadfastforgaza.super.site/fundraisers StrawberrySeedCollective IG: Strawberryseedcollective Fund list: google doc Ottawa4Palestine Fund list: google doc Camp Breakerz Crew IG / Website Fund list: google drive Hearts in Gaza Project IG / Website Fund list: google doc

TheLastTurtle / GofundWatermelon IG / Website Fund list: google doc

Flowers from Falasteen IG: Flowersfromfalasteen Fund list: linktr.ee/HoldPalestinianHands

Funds for Gaza IG / Website Fund list: google doc Butterfly Effect Project IG / Website Fund list: google doc Funds4Gaza IG: Funds4gaza Fund list: google doc Other ways to help; ESims for Palestinians gazaesims.com/ Crips for ESims chuffed.org/project/crips-for-esims-for-gaza Raffle & handmade goods for Palestine makers4palestine.com Free - Arab.org "Click to Help Palestine" Canadian government Petitions linktr.ee/prudenthermit * Post with links to open intake forms for groups verifying Palestinian fundraisers. My spreadsheet; (IG Prudenthermit)

[tepkunset]

Are you interested in supporting authentic Mi'kmaw artists, performers, and knowledge keepers?

Check out the brand new website, Mi’kmawitasik: Mi'kmaw Made!

With Mi’kmawitasik you can find a diverse range of the best Mi’kmaw offerings in accommodation, arts, food, entertainment, and more. Our curated listings include everything from cozy, culturally-inspired lodgings to dynamic arts and crafts workshops. Each product and experience is an invitation to immerse yourself in the authentic Mi’kmaw way of life. By choosing Mi’kmaw services, you are not only enjoying a unique experience but also supporting the local Mi’kmaw community and economy.

[mygaynesshasnolimits]

How to watch UCONN WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GAMES (streams added below)

NOTE: Watching via SNY or FOX, you will need to sign in through a tv provider/cable.

To watch SNY:

Source: https://sny.tv/info/live-faq

You must be in their broadcasting territory. you can't watch SNY outside of its regional territory, which includes New York, Connecticut, parts of New Jersey, and parts of Pennsylvania.

you must also be an SNY subscriber through a participating TV provider. List of providers: https://sny.tv/watch-now

If you meet these conditions, you're good to go!

To watch on FOX Sports (if you don't have SNY or live outside of tristate area):

Out-of-market fans (those who don't have SNY from tv providers and people who live outside broadcast region meaning other states) you will be able to stream UConn's SNY games at no additional cost to authenticated subscribers who have FOX as part of their television package. Users will need to sign in with their TV provider credentials at https://www.foxsports.com/ or in the FOX Sports app. The games can also be accessed at www.fox.com/sports or in the FOX Now app. Source:https://uconnhuskies.com/watch/search

Source:

About UCONN+ (website and app)

Unless noted UCONN+ (web and app) will ONLY have audio. This is because they do not have rights to broadcast games. And to my knowledge they also do not have rights to post replays either. They will live stream post game conferences though (not sure if for all games though.)

For everyone without access to SNY or FOX and international fans:

Theres no hope. lol just kidding. There is some hope. As of now (8am est) I've checked a few popular sports streaming sites(vipbox, methstreams, NBAstreams, sportsurge, crackstream, streameast and some iptv channels for sny) and unfortunately they don't have the game listed on their upcoming events but these sites do sometimes put up links under "basketball" and/or "NCAA" but those links only go up around game time (~30 min before tip off). unfortunately women's college isn't as popular as the men's 🙄 so it's hard to find. If I do find anything, I will post

Edit: stream links

This one has replay available:

Sidenote: please save and use the following uconnwbb's tv schedule to see which networks will air the games throughout the season

(thank you to the anons that shared the streams)

[authenticate01]

Protect Yourself Against Fraud By Using Website Authentication

Protecting your business from fraud means ensuring that every single transaction that comes through your website is legitimate. This can get complicated as swindlers are constantly on the lookout for new and creative ways to fool customers into losing money. However, there is no doubt that the best way to protect yourself against fraud is by ensuring that you have a strong User Authentication system in place.

If you are looking for a Web API Identity Authentication, then Authenticate is the best choice for you. We at Authenticate are professionals in website authentication. Our team of professionals ensures that your website is safe, secure and working all the time with our best check website authentication services. By using our quality Check Website Authentication services your website can be readily available to your visitors thereby helping you to build a strong brand image for your business.

As a business owner, it is crucial to have the assurance that your website is secure and safe from fraudulent activities. At Authenticate, we understand the importance of having a reliable Website Authentication Check solution for websites. Our team of experts provides top-rated services and excellent customer support to help you protect your business from fraud. With our cutting-edge technology and advanced algorithms, we ensure that all incoming traffic is scrutinized before allowing access to your website.

The Check Website Authentication feature enables us to verify user requests and analyze their behavior, including identifying bots or malicious activities on your website in real-time promptly. This not only prevents potential attacks but also protects confidential information such as usernames and passwords from being compromised by hackers. At Authenticate, our goal is simple: provide the best and Real Authentication solutions so you can focus on growing your business with peace of mind knowing that your online presence is secured at all times. For further info give us a call at +1 833-283-7439 or visit us at: https://authenticate.com/   

[writers-potion]

How do I accurately include diversity, and not make it look like I’m just putting it in there for the sake of it?

Writing Diverse Characters - Things to Remember

Honestly, there's no definitive answer to this.

Your characters are people with clear goals, desires and a role to play in the plot. As long as they aren't just sitting there with little else but their race/gender/disability, etc. as their ONLY personality trait, at least you're on the right path.

As for representing a diverse character realistically, here are some things you can consider to get started.

Do's

RESEARCH. There are plenty of blogs/YT vids/websites that exist to help you! Meet people!

Get beta readers.

It doesn't have to be explicit. Racial identities become quite clear early on through the setting, name, and initial description(hair, eye/skin color, body shape, etc) without having to drum it into the readers each time. Gender diversity can be conveyed through the use of certain pronouns without awkward declarations.

Character first, diversity second. Please don't intentionally create a diverse character and then think about how you can push them into the cast. Have a working character, who happens to belong to a particular group.

Read works that have represented a group well. There are plenty of non-fiction works, movies and documentaries that capture the lives of people around the world with a good eye.

Use the correct terms/language

Include different types of diversity

Don'ts

Race/gender/diability is NOT a personality trait. Please. Telling me that you have a Korean girl tells me next to nothing about the character herself.

Using sterotypes. Now, it's all right if your character has a few sterotypical traits, but definitely not if sterotypes are the only thing they have.

Diversity is not a "shock factor". Suddenly revealing that a character is actually gay and has been in the closet all this time as a refresher so that it draws readers' attention? Not a good idea.

One diverse character does all. This can often be seen in female characters of slightly dated works where one woman will play the role of supportive mother, sister, femme fetale and sexy Barbie at the same time. Don't write a diverse character who basically does everything a diverse character can possibly be. All that it proves is that the writer is lazy.

Things I personally hate seeing:

Weird pronunciation of languages. As a Korean person, I always get turned off by works (mostly badly written fanfics, yes, I read those...) that try to transfer Korean dialogue directly onto the page without even checking for the correct way to spell them out. A similar example would be pinyin for Mandarin. Please, this makes the character sound stupid throughout...

Character sticking out almost painfully. If your character isn't from the region but have lived in it for a long time, what reason do they have not to blend in?

Relying on variety shows/dramas as reference. Media representation of diverse characters that are meant for entertainment is not the best source for authentic research. I die every time someone lists a number of Korean rom-coms they've watched for "research". IT DOES NOT COUNT.

As a last note, remember that there's no limit to the kind of characters a writer can writer. Accept that our job as writers is to step into other people's heads, not seeing things from one (our) perspective - and it is not going to be easy.

Hope this helps :)

[hungermakesmonsters]

(It Is) What It Is

Chapter Seven

Plot Summary : When Billy Russo realises that there is a certain class of wealthy clients who refuse to contract with Anvil because of his playboy reputation, he decides to alter their perception of him. You’re just a down on your luck PA, just trying to get by so when Billy offers to pay you to pretend to date him, you can’t refuse. But the last thing you expect is for Billy to pull you into his secret world of lust and debauchery.

Pairing : Billy Russo x Reader

Story Rating : R 

Warnings : [This is a fic for 18+ only, minors DNI] Very minor smutty mention at the end. There will be smutty themes throughout the story. Please check the warnings on each chapter if you choose to follow this story. 

Word Count : 5.5k

A/N : Oh hello, hi, it's me the person who can't follow her own chapter plan... 😅

CHAPTER ONE | CHAPTER TWO | CHAPTER THREE | CHAPTER FOUR | CHAPTER FIVE | CHAPTER SIX

Master List

Chapter Seven

You’d felt a strange sort of giddiness after Billy had dropped you off at home, though you couldn’t rightly say why. Exhaustion, hangover, or maybe it was the thought of having dinner with him on Sunday. Whatever it was, you looked forward to it, from the moment he called on Saturday evening, to the very moment you were standing outside the restaurant he’d picked.

When he’d told you that you didn’t have to dress up for dinner, you were a little surprised but you didn’t question it. You were just glad you could just wear your normal, comfortable clothes. But it wasn’t until you saw the little Thai restaurant that you understood why.

It was a quiet little place, practically a hole in the wall joint, so small you doubted it even had twenty tables. Strange. Not the sort of place you expected Billy to take you, the kind of place where you’d be seen together. Instead there was an authenticity to the restaurant that had your mouth watering when the scent of food greeted you at the door.

Billy stood and gave you a wave as you stepped inside and, immediately, your thoughts were confirmed; it was small, cosy, almost... romantic.

Despite the strangeness of the last few days, you felt your lips instantly pull into a smile at the sight of him. Like you, he was dressed casually, wearing black jeans and a red sweater. He looked...

Normal. 

(He looked... good.)

Billy moved around the table to pull out your seat for you, before helping you shrug off your coat. Your cheeks heated at the gesture - not because Billy wasn’t always incredibly polite and respectful while you were out in public together, but because he didn’t have to be. There was no one watching, no one around to witness the gesture or the way he pressed a gentle kiss to your cheek before you sat. 

No one cared if he was being the perfect gentleman and there was no one to run to the gossip blogs if he didn’t behave in a chivalrous way. He was just doing it because that was who he was. At least, that was who he was when he was with you.

You got comfy in your seat while he returned to his, and you let your gaze wander around the little restaurant, taking in the potted plants and decor, and all of the other couples that sat quietly enjoying their meals.

Part of you wondered if he’d chosen to take you there because he knew how uncomfortable you got in the bigger, fancier places that he was used to. Or had his decisions been more pragmatic? It was private enough that the pair of you could talk and scheme without anyone overhearing or caring.

It was the perfect place to plan for your dinner with the Van Der Koy’s.

Not long after the pair of you were both seated, a bottle of wine was brought to the table and two glasses were poured.

White wine, you thought to yourself. He always ordered the white, ever since that first night at Bianchi’s.

You’d never thought to ask him what wine he preferred...

Lifting the menu, you were shocked to find reasonable prices listed, the sort of prices that even you could afford. (You even made a little mental note of the website listed on the menu - if the food was as nice as it smelled, you’d definitely add it to your take-out rotation.)

Something about the whole situation had you smiling across the table at him, watching as the flickering candle light caused shadows to dance across his face. It conjured memories of the other night, watching him in his bed and -

“What?”

Billy’s voice pulled you out of the thought before it got out of control. You shook your head and held back a laugh.

“Nothing, it’s just... well, this doesn’t exactly seem like one of your usual places,” you answered.

“No?”

The look on his face had your smile widening and you didn’t understand why.

“I mean... does this place even have a Michelin star?” You asked, very obviously teasing him.

Billy laughed, smiling in a way that reached right up to his eyes and causing the slightest crinkle on his nose. And you felt - fuck, it felt good being able to make him laugh like that. Every time he did, it felt like you were getting a glimpse of something precious, something that few others had seen.

You didn’t know what it meant that he was so willingly sharing it with you. You didn’t even dare want to think about it, or the rational voice in the back of your mind that was reminding you that none of it was real. (It was easy for him to lie. You made it easy - wasn’t that what he’d told you?)

“Maybe not a Michelin star, but they make the best Pad Thai,” he answered.

So, he’d definitely eaten there before, probably more than once if he felt confident enough to say that.

“That’s good to know,” you said, putting the menu down, your mind made up. You’d trust his judgement.

Your attention returned to him. He seemed... different, though you couldn’t quite put your finger on why. Maybe it was the change of clothes and the setting, knowing that you wouldn’t have an audience. But that didn’t explain the strange nervousness that seemed to wash over him whenever his eyes caught yours.

“How was your day?” He asked, putting his own menu down and reaching for his wine glass.

That one little question had butterflies taking flight in your stomach. You could tell from the way he was looking at you that he genuinely wanted to know, that he wasn’t just asking to fill the silence or put on a show. It was just you and him, and he was choosing to show an interest in your life.

Still, you hesitated a beat before answering.

“It was okay,” you said, considering your next words for a second more. “I spent a couple of hours with my brother at Saint Martin’s.”

There was a flash of surprise on his face but he quickly got it under control. You didn’t think too much about it. In fact, it was understandable. You didn’t volunteer information about your brother as a rule so, of course, it surprised him.

You knew that Billy had questions, at least a hundred things he wanted to ask and know.

But he kept them all to himself.

Instead, he asked; “did you have a nice time with him?”

You smiled softly, conveying your gratitude, wanting him to know you appreciated him not trying to pry information out of you about your brother’s condition.

“I did. We got to sit out in the garden and watch the birds together for a couple of hours.”

Billy smiled another smile that reached his eyes, and it had you paying far too much attention to his face, to the way it held a boyish charm but also a hint of masculine maturity, an almost dangerous darkness that lingered just beneath the surface.

You weren’t an idiot, it had never eluded you why so many women were willing to throw themselves at Billy Russo despite his well-documented reputation as a serial womanizer. He was a handsome guy, beautiful even - you’d realised it the moment you’d first laid eyes on him, but you’d also very quickly come to realise that Billy knew it too.

But when you looked at Billy, you saw more than the lean and athletic body, the perfect hair, or the attractive face. You saw the warmth that was so often hidden away, the spark that he seemed almost scared of sharing but that sometimes managed to shine through when he was with you.

Beneath the table, you realised that your thighs were clenched and you couldn’t help but feel incredibly silly. All the thoughts and feelings that were slowly starting to bubble up inside of you were ridiculous. This thing between you, it was fake, and you knew that the best you could hope for at the end of it was to at least be his friend.

And, honestly, you thought that would be enough. You wanted to be his friend, wanted to keep him in your life after the whole thing was over.

“That sounds nice,” Billy said.

You nodded. It had been nice. It was alway nice when you got to have a good visit with Seb.

“What about you?” You returned his question before taking a sip of wine. “What did you get up to today?”

Another strange look flickered across his features, something you hadn’t seen before and, once it had passed, you found yourself questioning if you’d even really seen it at all.

“Not much,” he answered, shrugging. “I spent a couple of hours with a friend.”

“Oh, that sounds nice,” you said without thinking. 

But when you did start to think about it a second later, you found it strange. Billy knew a lot of people, but you didn’t think that there were many that he called friend beyond Frank and maybe Karen.

Then the unsettling paranoia started to quickly take hold. Maybe it wasn’t a friend at all, maybe it was another woman. Maybe that was why Billy seemed strange, more relaxed but somehow still nervous; maybe he’d spent his afternoon in someone else's bed.

“Did you... do anything?” You asked, suddenly feeling almost desperate for more information. “Or did you just hang out?”

If the question struck him as odd, Billy didn’t let it show, he simply took another drink and then answered; “we just hung out.”

The unsettled feeling started to grow in your gut and you couldn’t rightly say why. 

You weren’t jealous. You couldn’t be jealous. Billy wasn’t yours and, besides, had you really expected him to forgo sex for six months - or however long it took for you to help him get the VDK contract?

Yes.

No. That wouldn’t have been fair. You had to assume that Billy was... well, a very sexually active person, if all the different women he took out were anything to go by. 

Still, it unsettled you for more pragmatic reasons; everything would fall apart if he was caught ‘cheating’ on you. And, if things fell apart, you’d be the sad little PA that Billy Russo cheated on. You’d be a laughing stock.

But you couldn’t say any of that to him, not when you didn’t know for certain. (For all you knew, Billy and his friend hadn’t done anything other than have a coffee together, and you were just blowing things out of proportion.)

Before you could even think about speaking again or asking any more silly questions, the waiter arrived and you both placed your orders. It gave you time to recalibrate, to force aside the silly and fanciful feelings. Whatever you might or might not feel for Billy - and whatever he might or might not feel for you - ultimately, your relationship was fake.

“You still with me?”

You gave a hum in response, eyes snapping back to Billy. “Sorry, what? I was miles away.”

Billy smiled. “Yeah, I noticed.”

“So,” you said, taking a breath, deciding to address the elephant in the room, “the VDK dinner...”

He looked blank for a second, almost as if he’d forgotten that that was the reason he’d asked you to dinner.

“Right,” he said but let the word hang between you for a few seconds. You watched he licked his lips before continuing. “Are you okay with it? I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

Was he talking about Friday night and the discomfort you’d clumsily tried to explain to him after Frank and Karen had left.

“It’s just a dinner party,” you answered without really answering the question.

Billy seemed to hesitate, like he was reluctant to continue that line of conversation but he obviously felt like he had to.

“I just don’t want things to get awkward again,” he said. “I think we work better when we’re on the same page and you trust me...”

It was the last part that had you practically squirming in your seat. He looked almost pained by the thought that you might not trust him, and - it wasn’t so much that you didn’t trust him, was it? It was more the uncertainty you sometimes felt when you couldn’t figure out when he was lying. And it was the way you couldn’t always trust yourself and what you felt in the moments when his hands were on you.

“I do trust you,” you were quick to answer. “The other night, I was... I was worried because, even though we’ve been doing this for a few weeks now, we never really set boundaries, and I know that you’re -”

You stopped abruptly, realising what you were about to say and how it would sound to him. But it was too late, you’d piqued his interest.

“I’m what?” He asked.

You shook your head, barely able to look at him as heat licked across your face.

“What?” He prompted again. “Just tell me, I’m a big boy, I can take it.”

“You spend all your time with so many women, so obviously you... y’know...”

How had your life come to this? How were you trying to have a serious conversation with your boss about the many, many women he’d fucked?

You weren’t sure what response you were expecting from Billy, but he surprised you with a laugh - not the kind that made you feel light and happy, but the kind that left you feeling empty and cold.

“I like sex, if that’s what you’re trying to get at,” he said flatly and unapologetically.

Biting the inside of your cheek, you tried desperately to not let the extent of your discomfort show.

“Sorry,” you said.

“What are you sorry for?” He asked. “You’re right, we didn’t set boundaries and I can see how, with my reputation, that might have made you nervous.”

“No, I -” you clumsily tried to explain, “- I mean... I was nervous. But I shouldn’t have been. I know you wouldn’t - I mean, not with me...”

Because that was what made it so ridiculous. You weren’t some heiress or some runway model, and there was nothing you could offer a man like Billy Russo. You had nothing that he wanted. You were nothing that he wanted.

He opened his mouth, about to speak, but you cut him off.

“It was just a blip - I was being dumb,” you said, forcing a smile to your lips. “But I’ll be fine for dinner with VDK, now that we’re both sure where we stand.”

His lips stayed parted for a few seconds as if he was going to say something but, instead, he just nodded and reached for his glass.

You did the same, taking a big enough gulp to drain the glass.

Fortunately, before you could say anything else embarrassing, your food was brought out and gave you the perfect opportunity to go silent for a few minutes, allowing the tension to slowly melt away. But you knew you couldn’t sit in silence for the whole meal. It wasn’t fair on Billy and, as you’d come to realise, he liked to talk, liked the attention that conversation offered him. 

“You were right, this is amazing.” You smiled up at him, wanting him to know that you really were enjoying it.

“Told you,” he said, smiling right back at you.

“How did you even find this place?”

“Karen used to work near here, she started bringing Frank and...” he trailed off into a  shrug, letting you fill in the rest.

He’d brought you to somewhere he shared with his friends. You weren’t sure why, but it made you happy and, before you knew it, you were picturing the three of them sitting at one of the tables, talking and laughing.

“Do you -” you started to ask then stopped yourself. Billy fixed you with a look, silently telling you to continue. “Sorry, I was going to ask if you usually invite a date along when you hang out with them, or if you just third-wheel.”

Billy smiled between mouthfuls. “You’re very curious about my dating history tonight.”

The heat instantly returned to your face and started to spread down your neck and over your chest.. You did your best to remain calm and not let him see just how much you were struggling. 

“I think I should be prepared if anyone from VDK asks,” you said. Lied, really. You hadn’t been thinking about VDK at all. No, your only thoughts had been on the man opposite you and wanting to know more about him.

“Oh,” he said, and you dared to wonder if he was disappointed. “I suppose you’re right. We should know about any skeletons in each other's closets.”

You nodded, filled with dread at the thought of being asked questions about your own dating history, but it was only fair.

“To answer your question; no, I don’t usually bring dates when I hang out with Frank and Karen,” he said easily, obviously not caring what you might think of it.

“Why not?” Again, it slipped from you before you had the chance to stop it.

Billy continued to smile and simply shrugged. “There’s never really been any point. The women that I date aren’t around long enough, so it’d be a waste of time letting anyone get to know them.”

There was an awkward pang of something in your stomach. He spoke about them like they were nothing, like they didn’t matter, and that hardly seemed fair. It conflicted with what he’d told you - at least, what you’d assumed - during your first date. He’d suggested that some of them had meant something to him.

“Just ask,” he said. You shot him a questioning look. “I can always tell when you’re thinking about something; you get a faraway look in your eyes.”

The heat that had spread from your cheeks enveloped your whole chest and you were certain you were about to burst into flames. You had so many questions that you weren’t even sure where to start, so you opted for the most obvious.

“Why?” You asked. “Why live like that? Don’t you want to... I don’t know, settle down? Fall in love?”

A laugh slipped from his lips and instead of directly answering he asked you; “is it really that easy?”

He was teasing you, mocking you even, and the heat continued to fill your body. You knew he wasn’t saying it to be mean but that, to him at least, it must have seemed like nothing more than a fanciful notion.

“I don’t know,” you answered, forcing yourself to take a breath. “But I think it would be a shame not to try...”

The smile on his lips softened a fraction - or, maybe it was just a trick of the candlelight. He took a moment before speaking again, taking his time to consider his words.

“I did try,” he confessed, and suddenly it felt like all the air had been sucked from the restaurant.

“What - what happened?” You dared to ask, not sure he’d even be willing to share the story with you.

Billy sighed. “I fell in love - at least, I thought it was love. But, it turned out that she didn’t trust me. She thought I was capable of awful things and, after that, it became harder for me to trust anyone.”

It was barely even half of a story, and you were desperate to ask about the missing details, wanting him to fill in all the blanks, but you didn’t ask. It wouldn’t have been fair to. He’d told you all that he seemed to be comfortable with.

“So, you don’t trust anyone?” You asked. “You don’t let anyone get close?”

You didn’t expect Billy to smile at you.

“No, I trust plenty of people...”

“You just don’t trust them with your heart,” you said, filling in the blanks.

He nodded and you decided to leave it at that.

“What about you?” He asked. “How are you single?”

It wouldn’t occur to you until much later that he asked how and not why.

You shrugged. “It’s been... difficult over the last few years.”

“Because of your brother?”

“No,” you were quick to answer. “Because none of the guys I’ve dated have understood that Seb is my responsibility. I love my brother and I can’t be with someone who only sees him as a burden.”

“He’s lucky to have you,” Billy said softly, almost reassuringly.

Again, you shook your head. “I’m lucky to have him.”

You doubted that you’d ever tell Billy why but you wanted him to understand at least that much. Seb meant the world to you and you’d never be able to repay your brother for all he’d done for you and, more than that, you wanted Billy to know that Seb would always come first.

Billy kept his questions to himself and, instead, continued; “so there's no jealous ex’s I should be worried about?”

That brought the smile back to your lips.

“Why? Scared you’re going to get your ass kicked?” You joked.

“Why?” Billy countered. “Do you usually date tough guys?”

“Oh, the toughest,” you retorted, barely keeping yourself from bursting into laughter.

And, just like that,  things were back to some weird sort of normal between the two of you. You’d reached a new sort of understanding of each other and, while you both still had questions about the other, you’d said more than enough.

You both return your attention to your food, giving the delicious meal the attention that it rightly deserved (and, already, you were thinking about what you’d try when you inevitably ordered takeout from them). And, after finishing your main course, you both opted for dessert; you ordered some mango sticky rice, while Billy had a pineapple fritter.

As his dessert was placed in front of him, you dared to lift your phone to snap a picture of him. Billy’s grin widened and you felt a warmth spark in the pit of your stomach again. You looked at the picture of him for a moment, before setting it as your lock screen, explaining to Billy that it would make things more believable.

By the time you’d finished, you were slumped back in your chair, feeling like you were bursting at the seams.

Billy, likewise, sat back in his seat, cradling his wine glass. At some point you’d ended up with a second bottle and you each still had a full glass before it was finished.

“Thank you,” you said without prompt or cause. “This was really nice.”

His smile was short-lived.

“I, uh -” he started then hesitated, the nervousness that you’d noticed at the start of the night seeming to creep back in, “- I should tell you that I had an ulterior motive for asking you out tonight.”

Your heart began to pound wildly in your chest, your mind started to race, not knowing what his ulterior motive could possibly be. A dozen or so ridiculous thoughts started screaming in your head, each more worrying than the last.

“An ulterior motive?” You repeated, somehow managing to keep your voice from trembling. (you could probably thank the wine for that.)

He took a breath and his eyes dropped to the table between you as if he thought he might find the words he needed among the empty dishes. While he did, you took a slow drink to try and steady your nerves and steel yourself for whatever he might say.

“Okay,” he started again, blowing out his cheeks a little, “I know this is going to sound crazy, so I don’t want you to answer straight away, but I think you should move in with me.”

You almost choked on your wine.

Of all the things he could have said, all the things you were worried he might say, that was not one of them.

“What?”

Surely you’d misheard - Billy Russo couldn’t possibly be asking you to move in with him.

“I know, I know it sounds insane, but I think it could help,” he explained. “I know you like your apartment but... with me you wouldn’t have to pay rent, so you wouldn’t have to worry about money as much.”

Your heart continued to race a mile a minute.

Billy Russo, your boss, the man you were faking being in a relationship with was asking you to move in with him.

“I don’t -” you weren’t even sure what you were going to say, so you were almost glad when Billy interrupted.

“Don’t answer now, just think about it,” he told you.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to think about anything else,” you said, barely reining in your confusion.

While he wasn’t wrong - living rent free for a few months would take a lot of financial pressure off you, and Billy’s penthouse was definitely big enough for two - you still barely even knew each other beyond the surface level things that you’d dared to share. There was so much more to you, and to him, and you didn’t know if it would cause difficulties.

“I know that it seems like a major thing, but since it’s not real, it should be pretty simple,” Billy said.

Right. It wasn’t real, and you’d shared apartments before. Admittedly, you’d hated sharing apartments before, but Billy didn’t seem like the sort of person to drink all the milk and not replace it.

You remained silent, still reeling from the offer.

“Sorry,” he continued, “I didn’t want to just spring it on you like that. I had it all planned out, what I wanted to say... I just thought that it would be a good idea since I’ve got all that space and, honestly, I don’t usually even spend much time at home, and -”

Without thinking, you found yourself reaching across the table and covering his hand with yours, cutting him off.  

“It’s okay,” you said, finally finding your voice again. “I get why you offered it’s just... it’s a lot, Billy. I’d need to really think about it first.”

Your thumb tenderly brushed over his knuckles, and you watched as the tension started to slowly drain from him. You didn’t want him to feel bad about the offer, especially when you could tell that it was coming from a good place, and that he was trying to help you (even if he was also trying to help himself by making the lie more believable).

“Okay,” he said and followed it with another few seconds of silence while you kept your hand on his. “Are you doing anything else tonight?”

It was almost nine, so there wasn’t much of the night remaining, but you got that feeling that, even though the meal was over, he didn’t want the evening to end.

Or, maybe that was just wishful thinking. He probably just didn’t want to go home yet . The more you got to know him, you started to realise that Billy wasn’t really the sort to enjoy being sat at home on his own.

You shrugged. “Probably not. Why?”

“They have The Omen movies on Disney plus.”

You smiled at the offer that was hidden in the statement.

“I have work in the morning,” you reminded him. “And so do you.”

“Well, as the boss, I don’t mind if you’re late,” he answered, smirking that ridiculous smirk again.

“I’ve told you, I can’t have any preferential treatment. It’s bad enough knowing that everyone at work is whispering behind my back.” As you spoke, you watched the corners of his lips droop a little. “But, if you want a coffee...”

His smile brightened again.

The check was paid and his driver was called and, in the light nighttime traffic, it only took fifteen minutes to get from the restaurant back to your apartment. And it only took five minutes more before you were sitting together on your sofa, each of you holding a hot mug of coffee making small talk about the meal and how you’d both enjoyed the evening.

You made plans to watch the second and third Omen movies with him the next weekend, as long as nothing else came up. He didn’t bring up his offer again, instead he left you to think about it, leaving you to imagine what it might be like if you could spend every night sitting on his sofa and sharing a hot drink with him.

It was a surprisingly pleasant thought.

He lingered for over an hour - though the conversation was so easy between the pair of you that you hardly noticed any time had passed at all.

When it finally came time for him to leave, you followed him to the door as he pulled his coat back on but, instead of leaving, he paused, his attention on you.

“I really like you in that colour,” he said.

Your cheeks warmed as you looked down at yourself, at the sweater you thought he hadn’t noticed, the one in that rich purple he claimed brought out the colour of your eyes. You weren’t even sure why you’d chosen to wear it, but seeing him looking at you, his dark eyes seeming to glint playfully, it had your heart pounding in your chest.

“Thank you,” you said softly, little more than a whisper.

Then he reached for you, his hand cupping your cheek as your breath caught.

“What are you -” you started but stopped the second you noticed him leaning towards you.

“Practice,” he offered softly, an excuse for what was going to happen, “we should get used to this.”

Rationally, you knew it was ridiculous. You’d kissed him more than enough times to be used to it. Maybe he was still concerned about the other night and your reaction when he’d pulled you onto his lap, maybe he needed you to reassure him that you wouldn’t panic the next time he kissed you in public.

Rationally, you knew a lot of things.

But you weren’t feeling rational, not when you had his dark eyes burning into yours and his thumb gently tracing your lower lip.

It certainly wasn’t any sort of rationality that had you nodding and wrapping your arm around his waist as he stepped closer.

Your heart pounded and rattled against your ribs as he closed the distance and kissed you. His tongue parted the seam of your lips with no resistance, and you could still taste the wine on his tongue. But it wasn’t the wine that left you feeling intoxicated. It was Billy.

You barely noticed when he moved you, pressing you back against the wall. You let him crowd you and hold you there with the weight of his body, leaving no space between you. But, still, your arm pulled him closer.

There was something almost frenzied to it, something inside of you that wanted and wanted and wanted. Everything was Billy, every fibre of your being was singing for him, desperate for any and all attention you could get. His hands felt hot through your clothes and he grabbed your waists, your hips, simultaneously pushing you back and pulling you close.

It was insanity. Just pure insanity. 

A moan escaped you, spilling from your lips and into his, the sound muffled by his tongue, but it was enough to bring him to his senses.

He pulled back a fraction, his forehead pressed to yours as you both caught your breath. You wanted more but didn’t dare ask for it - you didn’t know how to ask for it.

His throat bobbed as he swallowed and you found yourself wanting to sink your teeth in, wanting to grip him and hold him in any way that you could. 

But, still, you didn’t move.

“I should,” he said softly, his breath hot against your face, “I should go. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Again, you found yourself nodding. Then, before you knew it, Billy had pressed a tender kiss to your forehead and had stepped through the door, leaving you alone, slouched back against the wall with legs that felt like jello.

Later that night, after a long, cold shower, you found yourself in bed thinking of the kiss. You couldn’t sleep because every time you tried to close your eyes you saw his eyes burning into yours, and every time you moved your thighs would shift and you’d be reminded of the way you’d wanted more.

Eventually you found yourself staring at the picture you’d taken of him, your vibrator pressed against your clit. It felt wrong but, at the same time, it felt right. No one had ever made you feel the way he did when he looked at you. And when you came, you couldn’t stop yourself from moaning out his name.

A/N : Anyone expecting the VDK dinner this chapter... join the club because it was supposed to be there but, instead, I got carried away prolonging this terrible slow burn trainwreck 😅 next chapter we will have the VDK dinner and the chapter after that is where things are going to take a very interesting turn and there's literally no way I can go off track. You'll all be happy to know (or sad, idk??) that this has gone from a planned 16 chapter fic to at least 18 or 19 chapters. I don't know why I even bother to plan anymore 😅 Anyway, hope you enjoy this one!

As always you likes/comments/reblogs and support are always appreciated, can't wait to see you losing your minds in the comments over that kiss. Have a great weekend everyone!!

If you'd like to be tagged, please let me know! Otherwise new chapters will be posted around 7:30pm GMT on Fridays.

Tag list :

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@jazzclubprincess

[hearts4golbach]

if you do requests can you do any Johnnie Gulibert x fem reader fluff please 🙏🙏

Somethin’ Stupid.

Johnnie Guilbert x Fem!Reader.

sorry if this isn’t fluffy enough, i had this idea and song stuck in my head and thought it’d be perfect!

Johnnie sat in the living room on his phone as we waited for Jake and Tara to come over. the four of us frequently had dinner together, at least once a week. this week was at me and Johnnie's shared apartment. it was small but cozy. the faded maroon couch creaked as I plopped down next to him.

"You gonna help me cook? I was thinking we could make, like, lasagna or something. I don't know, I want pasta." I rambled, running my fingers along his tattoos.

"Of course," he kissed my forehead before checking the time on his phone. "it's only 3, they won't be here until 5:30."

"Well, yeah. i was thinking we could make everything from scratch. I know you're not a huge person on cooking, but it'd be fun if we did it together." I say shyly.

"you really trust me in that fucking kitchen?" he laughed, "I'd probably burn this place to the ground."

"yeah, right." I roll my eyes and stand up, gripping his arm in an attempt to pull him up. "Come onnn!" I whined, "we have all of the ingredients and everything."

he sighed dramatically. "fine, only because I love you."

"lazy bitch." I teased before making my way to the kitchen, johnnie not far behind me.

I listed the ingredients we needed off some random website so he could gather them. he was already moaning and groaning about how he's going to fuck it up.

"well, since I'm here, you can only fuck shit up if you try really, really hard." I tilted my head, putting my hands on my hips.

he waved his hand around. "whatever you say. let's do this shit authentic, dump the flour straight on the counter."

"johnnie, do no -" before I could protest, he had dumped a cup of flower onto the counter. "I'm not fucking cleaning that up."

johnnie giggled and finished putting the correct amount of flour into our freshly cleaned counters. “okay, maybe we should mix the wet ingredients in a bowl first and not dump them on the counter like an idiot.” I rolled my eyes.

he fluffed his hair. "but that's so boring."

"at least it's somewhat practical. also, I hope you remember what has happened on that counter between us, just saying." I grabbed a bowl out of the cabinet. his face flushed light pink as he smiled. "wanna mix?" I handed him the whisk after I had put all of the wet ingredients in.

as he mixed, I cleaned up after him. I grabbed the flour and began to walk back towards the cabinet whenever johnnie moved and bumped into me, causing flour to go all over my face and stick. "...johnnie!" I scolded.

he whipped around and laughed at the sight. "sorry, babe." he cheezed.

"not funny, get me a towel or something. be a good boyfriend." I pestered, attempting to seem angry but not being able to manage it. i let out a laugh as i looked at myself through the reflection of the microwave. i watched as johnnie wet a towel before coming over to me and wrapping his arm around my waist. he pulled me close and began to wipe off my face. “thanks, baby.” i smiled, pecking his lips before pulling away and getting back to work.

he finished mixing and looked at me for permission to dump the shit on the counter. i rolled my eyes once more and nodded, “go ahead. it’s too late now.”

he giddily dumped the wet ingredients on the table, clapping and acting like a child with excitement. he began to mix everything with his hands and i helped him. “this feels so weird.” johnnie snickered.

i giggled, “well, yeah.” i lifted my hand up and wiped egg residue on his face.

he hunched over, gagging before wiping himself off with the towel. “ugh!”

“love you.” i smiled, wrapping up the dough and putting it in the fridge.

he grabbed the ingredients for the sauce as he read them from my phone. meanwhile, i began to shred cheese. “i don’t even eat half of the shit on this list. mushrooms?!” Johnnie joked, making me roll my eyes.

“mushrooms will be on the side, mainly for Jake and Tara if they want them. we can have a fancy dinner!” i protest, putting the cheese off to the side as i began to cut the mushrooms. Johnnie came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist as i cut. “you already done putting the sauce together?”

“yeah, it was easy.” he smirked, resting his head on my shoulder,

“did you do it correctly?” i emphasize, scooping the chopped up mushrooms into a pan to cook them.

he snorts, “i hope so.”

i triple checked to make sure everything was running smoothly before starting the oven. i hummed along with the Frank Sinatra record playing quietly in the background. i stirred the mushrooms, adding seasoning and singing to myself. “and then i go and spoil it all by saying somethin’ stupid like, ‘i love you.’”

“you’re so beautiful,” Johnnie commented, stirring the sauce before walking off to set the table.

i blushed just as hard as i had since we first started dating, things Johnnie said to me never got old. i continued humming along with a smile on my face. Johnnie began to wash plates and utensils, which were matching matte black with silver accents. i turned to look at him, unable to hold back a smile when his gaze met mine. i had always hated singing in front of people, but Johnnie loved it.

we quickly assembled the lasagna, as our time was running out quickly, it was already 5. we had lost track of time talking while everything cooked. after putting it in the oven, Johnnie kissed my forehead. “we did great.”

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