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autism-princess · 11 days ago

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Secrets In The Night

College!AU (Abby Anderson x Camgirl/Roommate Fem!Reader) 18+

SYNOPSIS: Abby has an unhealthy obsession with watching your videos without your knowledge. She might be slightly in love with you too... but it all comes to a climax (pun intended) when she sees your most recent upload...

WARNINGS: Masturbation, strap-on use (ellie!giving), perversion, onlyfans referenced, exhibitionism, camera fetish, overstimulation, this one is just filthy...

A/N: Once upon a time, I posted this on my old account... We will see if you guys remember who I am.

Hands scrambled for something to hold onto. An iron grip was against the bed sheet underneath the glistening body that rippled with muscle and was shuddering in pleasure. Soft, desperate moans fell from her lips and she chased after that high she’s felt so, so many times before from this sinful little act of hers. Icy blue eyes brimmed with tears, and blonde wavy hair was a mess on the pillow laying next to her lit laptop screen.

She wanted to scream; she wanted to cry out and beg for something, anything, other than these feelings that just wouldn’t go away. She felt like some pervert, staring down at that LED screen and biting her lip raw as her fingers worked inside of her, stretching her out and making her give a shuddery little moan of excitement.

“So fucking pretty…” Her voice was choked and rough, an indicator she had been doing this for almost 2 hours now. She had already cum multiple times but she just couldn’t stop! It felt too good, and you looked too fucking gorgeous in this.

She’s never been a person to subscribe to these things… Not one for OnlyFans, or Patreon, or anything of the sort before. She watched porn for free like the totally normal human being she was. So why the fuck did she pay for this; pay for you?

The answer was simple… you slept twenty feet away from her in your own twin-sized bed. In the photos on your account, she could see her posters on the walls, and in those videos you made, she heard the sound of the TV playing from the other room where she was residing on a sofa and completely oblivious to what you were doing inside of your shared bedroom.

You had told her that the camera equipment was for a project… It was for some extra credit assignment from your photography professor and your parents lent you the money for the high quality camera. Was that even true? Did they lend you the money at all or did you pay in full? You must have; your parents never approved of your photography class and would certainly never entertain the idea of getting you the 4K camcorder.

That was the first red flag. If it was photography class, why did you need a video camera? On many occasions, She would come home to the bedroom door, or the bathroom door locked tight and she was so frustrated that she ended up using the toilet down the hall, or simply leaving again to go somewhere and kill time. She didn't know what you did behind those doors… but she did now.

So many pictures, so many videos, so many things that she didn't know happened only a few feet away from her! One video was even titled "Watch me cum in my roommate's car!" And she could hear her own fucking voice in the recording! You had snuck a remote control vibrator inside of yourself and she was simply holding a conversation with you while you squirmed and wiggled in your seat.

It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen… your eyes rolling back in your head while you tugged on the fabric of your skirt and gave a few series of whimpers that Abby simply ignored. How did she not notice it happening when it did?

It was never intentional for her to find out about it. She saw your 1099 Form on the countertop with your name on it and her curiosity was so overwhelming. Why did you have a 1099 form? As far as she knew, you worked your job at the college café, and she's been helping you with your taxes. Why didn't you tell her about it?

And then she saw the amount. $528,100.98?!?

What in the fuck did you do to make over five hundred thousand dollars last year alone?! Something wasn't adding up for her, and she was beyond concerned. What did you do to get this money?

She looked up the address of the location and found that it was tied to the headquarters for the OnlyFans website. And everything just spiraled out of control.

It was purely research at first. Hell, she didn't even expect to actually find your account. It wasn't exactly difficult, though. It was almost the same name as your Instagram, which did not mention the OnlyFans account. Makes sense, your family follows that account and the last thing you would want is for them to find your online video porn.

It was $10 to subscribe to your account. She paid for it, not really considering the consequences of her actions… she had thought you were attractive before. Every once in a while she would catch herself staring at your ass, or when you'd wear those short pleated skirts. You wore thigh-high socks once and she was convinced that you were trying to get a rise out of her…

And then she saw this side of you. The wild, aggressive side that no one knew about. You were so nice, sweet, and gentle. You wore soft colors and always cleaned your shoes when it rained. You baked muffins, and you would giggle whenever she told a horrendous dad joke that was too precious to not adore. You were her innocent little roommate…

In the days after, she had watched you do the most sinful things. Your toy collection was intense. One of your dildos was shaped like a horse dick, and you could take it all the way down to the hilt. All 13 inches fit inside of your cunt, and she had to cover her mouth after she heard your wetness slick across the surface and how you shamelessly cried out when she wasn't home.

All of your videos and pictures were solo. You did it all by yourself and made it well known that you were single by choice to her and to all of your friends.

Things had spiraled out of control, alright? Every night, the blonde would sneak off to the bathroom or hide in the laundry room as you slept peacefully and finger fuck the everloving shit out of herself while watching you either ride something, or simply touching yourself. In public, in her car, on the couch you two shared together, in the shower, anywhere you could imagine… It's where she found herself now.

You were staying with a friend tonight, and that meant she got to cum until she couldn't breathe. Those pretty noises that you made, how your thighs trembled as you held that vibrator against your clit, your eyed rolling back in your head as you grabbed at something on your mattress… oh fuck, you were holding onto her hoodie. You were burying your face into the fabric of her hoodie as you came on your bedsheets.

"Fuck… fuck! Nnnnnnn…" She saw stars go off behind her eyes as she ground down against her fingers, fucking down onto her hand and riding out that blissfully intense orgasm that almost made her heart stop. Her eyes filled with tears with how hard her orgasm rocked her, and she forced herself to remove her fingers from her cunt, angrily wiping them on her thigh and stuffing her face into the pillow. The sounds from your video continued to play and she angrily closed the window and then slammed the laptop shut.

She hated herself for this. It had gone from a simple look, to a complete and utter obsession. Her pillow was covered in a t-shirt… your t-shirt. She inhaled your scent, reveling in the sweetness of your body mist and remembering how it hugged you like a second skin… Sweet fuck, she loved looking at your body.

She had seen you looking in the mirror and hating what you see so many times before. She watched you drive yourself crazy, fussing over potential dates and whoever was lucky enough to take you out that night. You wanted to look perfect, and you had stated so many times how you were “too big” to look perfect in anything you wore.

How could she be supportive without giving away how fucking hot you really were? You were so beautifully soft and squishy, and she wanted nothing more than to hold you all night long and feel your softness against her muscular body. She wanted it so bad. You always complained about how cold you were… she gave you the hoodie to keep you warm in this shitty shared apartment.

And you hid your face in it as you climaxed all over your bed sheets. No wonder you washed them so often…

So lost in her train of agonizing thought, she almost jumped off the bed when she heard her phone buzzing on the table, charger attached at the port. With a shaky hand, she reached out and grabbed the phone, almost choking on her breath.

It was you.

Don’t miss me too much tonight Abby! I’ll see you in class tomorrow, okay? Don’t forget my Peace Tea!

Abby groaned, hiding in her sheets for a second and rubbing away her tears with the fabric on her pillowcase. She heard it in your voice and her cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. It was always so hard to talk to you right after she fucked herself stupid to your porn videos.

Don’t YOU forget to actually bring back my charger. Not a fan of charging my phone with the same cord I use to charge my controllers.

She slowly shut off her screen and crawled off the bed, her limbs still slightly shaking as she waddled into the bathroom to sort herself out. It took all of four minutes before she was flopping back down onto the bed, the blonde hair around her face slightly damp and her three fingers on her left hand were wrinkled and pruny… She had them inside of her cunt for at least an hour and a half.

Very easily, Abby drifted off to sleep with her nose pushed into the t-shirt wrapped around her pillow. So sweet and so cute… Abby remembered seeing the fabric of the shirt pushing into the pudge on your belly and it had her body tingle again.

“Want you,” Abby huffed at nothing. “Want you so bad…”

Absently scrolling through her phone on Instagram, Abby didn’t notice you running up behind her, almost pushing her out of the seat she was in by the courtyard fountain. Your hands grabbed at her shoulders and she jerked forward before turning her head up and looking to see your face. For a brief moment, Abby remembered how you looked when you went full ahegao for a photo and her cheeks warmed up. It was easy to blame the cold weather though.

“Yay, It’s my favorite person ever!” You cooed sweetly, sitting on the seat next to her and removing something from your bag. Before she could ask what it was, you placed her cord on the table and grinned. “I didn’t forgeeeet…”

“I didn’t either,” Abby placed a large orange can on the surface, seeing the label that read PEACE TEA, MANGO GREEN. You immediately cracked it open and took a very big drink from the can, moaning obscenely loud at the taste on your tongue. The blonde was immediately reminded of the many videos she saw last night. And once again, what were you wearing? That fucking hoodie…

Abby bit her lip and looked away for a second, but immediately tore her eyes back to you and stared at what she could see of your neck… the collar pulled down and Abby inhaled, hard. A large purple welt was inside of your skin, blistering that complexion and making her see red. Was that a fucking HICKEY?

“W-What is–” Abby reached out, grabbing the collar of the hoodie and tugging it down in order to see the bruise that was dark, angry, and had obvious teeth marks. You reacted like she just tried to stab you, grabbing at her strong wrist and jerking back enough that your ass slipped on the table. “The fuck is that?”

“Nothing!” You said, way too fast. “N-Nothing, I just uh… I burnt myself with my curling iron, that’s all.”

Abby scoffed. “Yeah, I said that too in tenth grade.”

“Dude, I’m serious!” You said, gently shoving her at the arm. Abby rolled her eyes and took a long drink from the hot coffee cup sitting on the table in front of her. When she didn’t respond, you pushed her again, and she simply shrugged her shoulders, trying not to look bothered. “Abby–”

“S’not my business,” She said flippantly, putting on a stern face. Of course, her cup crumpling under her grasp told a different story. “Can fuck whoever you wanna, I don’t care.”

When you got quiet, Abby realized her mistake but all too late. When she looked back up at you, she could see how your eyes glossed over and your bottom lip quivered. Why did she have to say it like that? God, she may as well have called you a slut! Her heartbeat raced all the way down to her toes as she went to apologize. “I didn’t mean–”

“I-I’ll uhm…” You stood from the seat, brushing your hands down over your thick thighs and readjusting the waist of your jeans. Abby gulped, trying not to stare at your soft figure. “I’ll s-see you in 3rd period, Abby.”

And as fast as you were here, you were gone. Her palms felt sweaty, and not from the drink she was holding… All it took was one wrong flex of her muscles and her triple-shot irish-creme latte was splashing all over her hoodie and down onto her legs. Abby jumped from the table, nearly falling in the process as the liquid burned through her sleeve and she immediately yanked off the hoodie.

“Goddammit,” Her words were harsh and angry as she slammed the hoodie onto the table, shaking out her forearm that was already turning red. That’s the last time she asks for them to make it extra hot.

“Drink much, dipshit?” Abby tensed at that voice. Her muscles bristled with hostility and she looked down to see someone skidding to a halt in front of her, kicking up a skateboard on the concrete and into her knuckle taped hands.

“Oh, fuck off, Williams,” Abby sneered at the auburn-haired girl. Ellie snorted, taking a step to her left and purposely standing as close to Abby’s backpack as she could. The one now covered in soy milk.

“Little bunny sure scattered fast,” Ellie tucked a hand into her baggy jeans pocket, her oversized t-shirt wrinkling on the side as she pulled down the sleeve of her black undershirt. How in the fuck did she ever stay warm? Abby had only ever seen her scrawny ass wear a jean jacket or the shittiest hoodie ever.

“What did you just call her?” Abby declared, her hostile side taking hold at defending you. Ellie smirked, stepping a little closer and showing off a very toothy grin.

“She’s like a bunny,” Ellie said. “Skittish and wide-eyed. And the cutest damn thing anybody gets to see. Especially when she wears those thigh-high socks? My god, just want to suffocate in her legs–”

“Don’t objectify her,” Abby snapped, coming to your moral rescue. It felt so fucking hypocritical now. She spent 2 hours fucking herself to your videos and now she was telling Ellie fucking Williams to not talk about you like that. Her rage was very misplaced. She wasn’t mad at you, or even Ellie, but at herself. She really fucked up now.

“Down, dog,” Ellie sat down on the table’s surface and laid her skateboard across her thighs, tapping her fingers against the checkered pattern deck covered in stickers. It was such a play at Abby’s ego to call her a dog. A rumor in freshman year spread like wildfire after an ex of Abby’s said she would growl when she fucked someone. Ellie never let her live it down. “Just saying your roommate’s hot.”

“Don’t you have someone else’s day to piss on?” Abby yanked her hoodie off the table next to where Ellie was sitting, resisting the urge to smack her with the wet fabric. Ellie simply leaned back on the table, her hands touching the surface of the wood and grinning.

“Aw, what’s wrong Abigail? Don’t miss me at all?”

“You were the worst random roommate I ever had,” Abby snapped, tying the jacket around her waist and cracking her knuckles. “I do not miss your midnight Dungeons and Dragons sessions with your fucking friends, nor do I miss the apartment reeking of marijuana.”

“Yeesh, don’t act your age now,” Ellie said. “Just call it weed.”

Abby ran a hand down her face, realizing quickly that this conversation was not worth the headache she was earning. She lifted up her backpack, shook off as much of the liquid as she could and carried it around by the strap. Before she could walk away though, Abby glanced at the table and then back up at Ellie’s green eyes with a grin on her face.

“Might wanna cover your ass, Williams. Now you smell like the shit you hate so much.”

The last thing Abby saw was Ellie jumping off the table and looking at her ass to see coffee stains smearing on her jeans and her thighs. “Fuuuuck!”

When 3rd period rolled around, Abby didn’t see you. Her nerves felt like they were on fire whenever someone would open the classroom door. She looked up, hoping she would see you, and then her expression would drop with defeat.

She had to apologize… Abby had to say she was sorry for what she said to you. But how could she if you had skipped the class?

Abby ended up texting you, fearing the worst.

Hey, you ok? Not like you to be late to class.

It took so much self control not to watch the screen and wait for your response. Her fingers twitched, tapping on the surface of her desk as she tried to focus on the lecture but just couldn’t bring herself to focus. Her phone buzzed and she opened the message, lightning fast.

Didn’t feel too hot. Went home early. Sorry.

It was short and concise… you were still very much upset. Abby turned off her screen and put her chin on her folded up hands, absently listening to what the professor was saying but not retaining any information given. And then her phone buzzed again.

Very slowly, she looked down and saw it wasn’t a text, but an alert from… OnlyFans?

Abby was scared to open it. She knew it was you, but it still made her nervous. Cautiously, she turned the brightness all the way down even though she sat in the back row and made sure her volume was all the way down before opening up the app to see the alert. What did you post this time?

Her stomach dropped and she felt like she could throw up. The title alone was enough to make her feel sick.

Fucked by hot skater girl!!

The thumbnail was enough for her to start screaming… It was you, and who was that on top of you? Ellie fucking Williams.

Abby doesn't have a clue as to why she watched this video. It was making her blood simmer with rage, unyielding jealousy burning a hole in her chest that just couldn’t be extinguished. You lied to her; you fucking lied to her and you had fucked Ellie Williams! AND RECORDED IT!!

It felt like watching a car accident. Knowing that the outcome was pure carnage, but too enthralled to look away from her phone screen as she hid in her car at the back of the parking lot. She felt like some horny teenage boy, sleuthing away from everyone and everything just to watch porn when she should be in class. Fuck fourth period! Abby had to see this!

The video started out tame enough. Abby recognized those stupid LED lights that lined Ellie’s bedroom walls, the brightness up and the hue set to a deep pink, your favorite color. Her fingers curled into the fabric of her shirt as she panted inside her freezing pickup truck. She could see her breath as it fogged up her windows from the inside, watching the video with painful intent.

Ellie was kissing you, and you were reaching up to remove the glasses from her face in order to stop the frames from digging into your faces. For a brief moment, Ellie chuckled and then she shoved you down into the mattress of her twin-bed. Ellie was slipping her hands under your hoodie– fuck, it was Abby’s hoodie too. It probably still smelled like her. Every once in a while, you would ask her to spray that pine scented cologne onto the hoodie so it would smell like her… you told Abby that her scent was calming. It made you feel safe.

Ellie’s long, dextrous fingers slipped under your shirt, her black-painted short nails raking over your soft tummy and squeezing at your thighs. The noise you made was making Abby blush from her ears down to her cheeks.

The process of the video was borderline hypnotic. It was a mess of wet lips, Ellie’s rough calloused hands on your soft skin, your back arching and your hips rising off the bed as Ellie pulled down your panties with her fucking teeth. Abby tugged at the front of her shirt, right over her viciously beating heart.

It should have been her. Abby should have been the one doing these things to you. Abby wanted to be the one that took those clothes off you and made you whimper for her, and for her alone. She was so fucking covetous of you. She wanted you to scream her name and to squirm on top of her as she forced you to sit on her face and ride her tongue to beautiful completion.

Ellie knew exactly what she was doing. She moved with fluidity and skill as her head dipped down between your legs and she immediately dived head first into your cunt, drooling all over you and making you grab at the fabric behind your head– that fucking hoodie again!

You sounded so breathy and beautiful. Ellie growled against you, drooling and slurping as she paused in her movements and zoned in on your clit, making you whine and whimper with pleasure that Abby was dying to see for herself in person.

Abby slammed her fist into the steering wheel, grabbing at the leather with her iron-like grip. The dampness was growing in her boxers and Abby carefully pressed into the seam of her jeans, grinding down against herself. Ellie slipped her fingers inside of you, and the noise you made was beyond perfect.

“God,” Abby gasped as she pushed herself into the seat. “Wanna fuck you…”

Ellie sped up, her hands moving at high speed inside of you and the sound of her fingers working inside of your cunt was enough for Abby to unzip her jeans and slowly push her hands inside of her boxers. She couldn’t stop herself, even if she wanted to.

The second her fingers touched at her clit, Abby was throwing her head back against the car seat, gasping and grinding up against her calloused fingertips. The video kept playing, and the sound of Ellie fucking you without so much as a restraint behind her motions. Abby knew the sounds you were making. Ellie was mere seconds from making you cum.

“Come on, bunny… that’s it, you gonna cum? Gonna cum for me?”

You cried out, pushing both hands into her hair and giving a soft tug to those auburn locks as she dived back down and gave a soft kiss to your clit. Abby wanted to feel your hands in her hair. Abby wanted to feel you grabbing her blonde hair and yanking on it as she ate you out.

“Fuck… Fuck, please daddy! Pleaaaase, l-let me cum– I-- ohmygooood..!”

It was so fucking fast. Ellie wrapped an arm around your hips and shoved you down into the bed. Abby could see the way her fingers indented into your soft flesh and she was practically drooling. She wanted to mark your hips with bruises from holding you down and fucking you senseless.

Her jealousy rose to a new level as she saw Ellie bring you to climax. You sounded so fucking gorgeous when you came, and Abby was so fucking pissed that her old roommate got a front-row seat to seeing her new roommate cumming. Her right hand fisted in her hair as she worked at her pussy with her left one, lifting her knees up onto the dashboard and swiftly shoving two fingers inside of herself. The video was almost an hour long, and Ellie made you cum in ten fucking minutes, flat.

Abby pumped her digits desperately inside of her cunt, watching Ellie unzip her jeans and saw that the girl was wearing a fucking 8 inch strap. She bossed you around, grabbing at your hair and dragging you to the camera’s view and pushing you down onto your hands and knees.

“Come on bunny,” Ellie sighed with that dreamy look on her face. “Suck on daddy’s cock like a good girl.”

Abby huffed, watching your pretty lips wrap around that strap and take it halfway in your mouth, drooling and slurping on the silicone and looking up at Ellie with wide, sparkly eyes. Abby wanted you to look at her in that way…

“Fuck, baby… Just like that, yeah? Want me to fuck you?”

Abby was hanging on Ellie’s every word, basking in her own pleasure as she pushed a third finger inside of her cunt and clenched on the digits stretching her. Fuck, she was so fucking sick for this.

Lost in the pleasure, Abby looked back down at the video when she heard you scream. Ellie had you on all fours and her strong, veiny hands grabbed at your plump, soft rear as she slammed her hips forward and shoved that black, sparkly cock inside of your pussy with one swift motion. You went silent for a second, head back and arms trembling before you started to gasp and exhale, hard.

It was like you had never felt something like this before in your fucking life. Abby paused her finger’s movements, waiting for Ellie to start fucking you… And oh boy, did she fuck you.

Her hands gripped at your hip bones, slamming that toy dick into your weeping pussy like it was what she was made to do. One hand was on your hip and the other slid up your back, grabbing a fistful of your hair and letting your sounds echo into the room. Ellie’s roommate must have been pissed.

Abby knew it was fucking depraved… She knew that it was twisted and an obsession, but she couldn’t stop. She was addicted to this– addicted to you. Her wrist was screaming for her to stop but Abby refused to let up.

She watched the entire video, and came three times inside of her car.

Abby didn’t know what to expect when she returned home, but seeing you nowhere in sight was not it. She frowned, searching the entire apartment for any sign of your presence… All the lights were off. You didn’t turn on your aroma diffuser, and the window was still shut… You always do the same thing when you come back home. You fill the diffuser with peppermint oil, turn on the lamp next to the sofa, and open the window a crack to let the fresh air in.

Even when the temperature was bitingly cold and you complained about it, you still wanted the window open a little. Abby teased you, but you didn’t care and proceeded to do it until she would close it at the end of the night.

Her heart sank as she pushed her bedroom door open, dropping her backpack and cringing at the scent coming off it. If she didn’t wash it tonight, it would be unbearable by the morning. She slowly pulled out all of her school stuff, placing her laptop on the bed and carrying the bag to the laundry room.

Abby got lost in her head again, fingers twitching a little as she scrubbed at the soy milk stain on the black mesh. Her hands gripped the strap and she inhaled hard… Her mind drifted to Ellie. How Ellie called you bunny this morning, and then how she said it in the fucking video…

“Ride daddy’s cock, bunny… Pretty fucking girl.”

Hands flexed hard enough to tear the fabric in her hands and she slammed the backpack into the washer. Fuck it, she didn’t have to scrub it. Just soak the shit off.

Abby drizzled the soap over the bag and slammed the lid shut, putting it on a delicate setting and letting it run. Fuck, even her shirt smelled like irish creme. Abby ripped the long-sleeved compression shirt off her body, adding it to the washer and walking away from the room. Her skin felt tight on her body, and she just wanted to curl up on the blankets on her bed and sleep until the sun came up again.

Her heart stopped for a second as she paused in the doorway, her hand grabbing the frame as she scowled. What if the reason you weren’t here… was to be with her? What if you were with Ellie right now? What if you were being railed by her all over again? Would you record this one too?

Abby felt dirty. She had to shower.

As quickly as she could manage, Abby was stripping off her clothing and heading into the bathroom where she cranked up the water as hot as she could handle, jumping in and washing away the filth of today.

When she closed her eyes, she thought of you. The way your eyes roll back in your head, the soft giggle in your voice when she tells you something funny, how your legs quivered when you climaxed, the way your head rested on her leg when you fell asleep watching a movie with her… Your soft breathing when Abby would stare at you and dream of how your lips would feel against her own.

Abby wanted to cry. She was no better than any of those other fucking creeps on that website. She was no better than some gross man watching you get fucked by Ellie fucking Williams, getting off to it and then feeling guilty about it afterward.

Everything was a fucking mess. And for some goddamn reason, she just couldn’t fucking stop!

Even after her shower, Abby was right back to square fucking one. Fingers moved against her cunt, focusing on her clit this time around and watching Ellie rail you all over again. You were sitting in her lap as she watched you bounce on her strap, holding you at the waist and digging her fingernails into that soft body of yours.

It gave Abby a new reason to fucking hate her. She takes everything that she wants. Freshman year was spent in torture. Ellie would eat the stuff she labeled in the fridge, would never return her movies, used her Xbox… stole her girlfriend right out from under her. Yeah, Abby and Nora broke up, but Ellie swooped down immediately and Abby felt so fucking replaceable that it hurt.

This was the one thing she didn’t want Ellie Williams to fucking have… and she got you. She got you in her bed, and Ellie left her fucking marks all over you. Bruises on your ass, hickies on your neck, claw marks on your back.

“F-fucking hate you,” Abby huffed into the pillow that your shirt was still wrapped around. She looked at her phone and seethed with rage. You kept calling her “daddy” and kept making those fucking noises that Abby loved so much that she felt stupid. “Little whore…”

Abby had left the bedroom door cracked, convinced that if you came home at any moment, she would notice… but that has never, ever worked before. You were so damn sneaky that you made Abby scream on multiple occasions.

You slowly opened the front door, placing your keys on the hook next to it and peeking inside. The apartment seemed quiet… that was good? Maybe Abby went to sleep or something. With a little breath through your nose, you closed the door as quietly as possible behind you, brushing off the snow on your outfit and in the midst of removing the hoodie from your body.

It was then that you heard it. Hands stopping halfway through taking off her sweatshirt at the entryway, you heard a soft moan come from the bedroom. Abby? Maybe she was sleep-talking again.

You ignored it at first, but then it happened again, and it was followed up with words that felt so heavy and gravelly, you felt color rise to your cheeks. “Gonna f-fucking destroy you… fuck you, bunny…” Abby then breathed out your name… your fucking NAME!! You felt like you were gliding.

Before you know it, you were standing in front of your shared bedroom door and you peeked inside of the room. Your eyes widened and you had to cover your mouth to hide the noise you made. Sweet fucking god, did you die and go to heaven?!

She was watching it… Abby was watching your video that you posted this afternoon… Abby was watching you get fucked by Ellie, and she was fucking touching herself while watching it! The sound of her fingers slipping all over her cunt before they plunged inside of her pussy had your eyes rolling back, the wetness growing between your legs and your fingers twitching on your face as you kept your hands over your mouth.

Ellie’s voice echoed in the room. “Come on, baby… bounce on daddy’s dick like the little slut you are!” It was demeaning and depraved, but hearing Ellie say those words to you last night, you almost felt your heart stop. That skater girl, fuck… Ellie was so hot, and she knew it. Her taped fingers adorned with silver rings, her grunge aesthetic, those black framed glasses, that undercut, and those freckles.

The woman was a walking wet dream. Ellie was hot as fuck, and when you asked her about this, she was all to happy to oblige. She’d never done porn before, but Ellie would do anything you asked if you looked at her in that way that made her stutter.

At some point in the night, you forgot the camera was even there… You were simply in the moment with her, pretending like this wasn’t a way for you to make money but your raw, carnal desire for the delinquent to fuck your brains out.

And then, there was Abby… Abby saying you could fuck whoever you wanted and that she didn’t care. It left such a hollow feeling in your chest. She seemed so flippant, and so unconcerned. Abby didn’t care who you fucked… why did that bother you?

Well, the answer was obvious now.

Your hands trembled as your fingers slowly slipped inside of your jeans, watching Abby with burning intent as she practically rode her fingers to your video. Ellie continued that hot talking, but the words Abby said was what made your cunt throb with pleasure. God, her hands were so fucking big and so strong; Her ass looked so good. And fuuuuck, those back muscles that glistened with sweat.

Why did Abby have to be so fucking hot? And why did she have to flaunt it all the time? Seeing her fresh back from the gym was borderline torture. You wanted her to grab you, pin you down, and fucking destroy you, just like she said she wanted to. How depraved were you?!

“Come on… come on!” Abby huffed through clenched teeth, clearly nearing her orgasm as your loud cries of pleasure echoed in the room. You blushed, pressing your fingers against your clit overtop the cloth of your panties and slowly rubbed. You kept a hand over your mouth, drooling as Abby came closer and closer to completion… It would have been so fucking easy to watch her like this forever. She was so fucking gorgeous.

Oh, but fate was a dirty whore. Your phone slipped out of the front pocket of your jeans and hit the floor. It was so loud in the quiet that you reacted to the noise like a gunshot, stumbling backward and feeling your face go pale.

Abby’s movements came to a screeching halt, sitting up from the bed and looking over her shoulder while putting an arm around her chest to try and hide herself from whoever was behind her, like it was someone other than you. The video continued to play until Abby all but broke her phone’s power switch with how hard she squeezed it, throwing the device away like it was on fire.

In your haste, you had pulled your hand free from your jeans, but the zipper was still down and the denim was squeezing against your lower hips. It was clearly obvious what you were doing, and if that wasn’t an indicator, the slick on your fingers was.

You were frozen in place, body shaking as you looked at Abby’s eyes that refused to look away. She looked as if she could cry at any fucking second. You bit your lip and stepped forward, nerves on fire and hands twitching. Abby immediately backed up, her spine meeting the wall as she grabbed the blanket from her bed and pulled it close to her skin.

“N-no, no, fuck,” Abby immediately started rambling. “M’sorry. I’m sorry, I didn’t think you would… god, I’m so fucking sorry! I know, I know I’m fucked up and I shouldn’t have–”

“Abby,” You tried.

“I’m not… I’m not like this with other people, I don’t–”

“Abby.”

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me! I don’t know why its like this with you, I just–”

“Abby!” You slapped your hands against her face, squishing her cheeks and slightly crouching down. From here, Abby could see the many hickies that Ellie left on your neck from the night before. The rage began to return at seeing those marks, wishing that it was her that gave them to you. “Stop talking.”

“No, no, I need to explain–”

“You really don’t, honey,” You said in the sweetest tone ever. Abby forgot her point for a second. “You have no idea… how fucking hot that was, do you?”

Abby didn’t say anything until you pinched her cheeks again. “I… I uhm…”

You chuckled, eyes closing for a moment as Abby stared at you. Those beautifully long lashes of yours and that soft blush that decorated your cheeks… She could smell the mixture of your body mist, and her cologne. Abby whined. You looked so gorgeous in her hoodie…

“Honey,” You made her brain skip like a scratched record disk. Her heart sped up and she very cautiously reached out to grab you. Her huge hands hovered just above your hips and you pushed her damp honey blonde hair away from her icy-blue eyes. It just took one glance down at her lips and Abby was done for.

“W-What about–” Abby choked, sitting back for a second to keep you at bay. “What about Ellie?”

You blushed a deep red, and Abby didn’t like that. But your answer was quick and concise. “Ellie isn’t you. She can never be you, Abby… Who do you think I imagine when I make those videos, huh? Why am I always wearing your hoodie in all of them…”

Her icy blue eyes trailed down to your body under the hoodie, seeing how it was loose around you but still so fucking beautiful against your skin. Abby looked at you like she wanted to eat you alive and ruin you until you were sobbing.

“Abby,” You whined desperately. “I can’t take it anymore… please–”

“P-Please what?” She tried to sound dominant, but your presence was holding so much power over her that she ended up stuttering over her words. A blush decorated her cheeks as she felt you slide the pad of your thumb across her pouty bottom lip.

“Please. Kiss me.”

And when she did, there was no going back.

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sometimesoliloquy · 2 months ago

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The Handmaid’s Tale 6x02 - “Exile” (or "Yeah, Yeah, We Knew They'd Be Back")👀

Damned if this show doesn't have a tight stranglehold on my brain, here I still have to file my taxes and a million other things and keep blowing them off to ramble on more about June and Nick and the Gilead gang instead. So sue me, the story is just so much more interesting than 1099's and laundry! Anyway.

Note: for this recap (as with 6x01) I've largely consolidated plotlines by character/location/plot chronology in favor of how scenes are presented chronologically in the episode. Obviously the editing/placement of scenes is an important part of the experience of watching the show but this just helps me keep my thoughts better organized and hopefully be a little (maybe tiny bit) more concise lol. Not sure this will stay consistent, may depend on the episode. As always, screencap & captions are my own.

The opening of the episode "Exile" presents like the prologue of a gorgeously dark fairytale in the the nighttime woods, with floating leaves that almost looks like tiny glowing orbs of light. I'm just waiting for an ethereal voice to start narrating "Once upon a time", but the only thing we hear aside from the fairytale prologue score is the creature sounds of the forest, the rustling of the wind and the increasingly distant train engine as it travels far into the west, leaving us behind. Then, a baby cries. A woman breathes in pain. The exiled queen and her little prince Serena and Noah have, perhaps miraculously, survived the jump/fall (helpful push, no?) from the train intact and uninjured (although Serena does seem to be limping a tad?) and of COURSE the first building they come upon in this wilderness is a freaking church, just so Serena gets to continue feeling justified in her faith that she is God's very favorite special child. Unfortunately, though, the church seems to be locked up tight so there go Serena Joy's romantic fantasies of dramatically throwing the doors open, yelling “SANCTUARY!” (just me?). Fortunately, they are come upon by a woman just heading out, who hears them and asks if help is needed. Serena awakes in the car to daylight, having arrived at her sanctuary in the form of a religious faith-based farm cult community they call Canaan, "still in Canada", we are reassured. Honestly it's really a bit hard to tell at first if they are Gilead-religious or just “regular” religious (props to Gilead I guess for by comparison making even some of the more wacky extremist religious groups irl look, idk, pretty chill actually?) The leader, Abigail, seems to know there's something more to "Rachael's" story (really Serena? Subtle as ever), but still she warmly welcomes the newcomers into their women-and-children only community. I mean Serena does infer she’s not a “regular refugee” (I’m a cool refugee) so I guess there's that.

In Alaska, we are treated to another super sweet “let me be your mirror" parallel/callback, this time with granny Holly singing to baby Holly, as June slowly rouses (ostensibly the morning after arriving). Holly immediately clocks that her granddaughter is SO smart (a little genius!), bittersweetly calling to mind Nick's words way back in season 2 (nah, she's too smart, like her mom). June doesn't want her handmaid ear tag out (not until all the handmaids are free) but she will take some pancakes (another Osborne tradition/callback). June and her mom catch up about what has happened: where they've been and how they survived. It would seem like Holly WAS the "doctor who gave a shit" at the liberated agricultural colony the refugee on the train was talking about... except that the timeline seems off: Holly says her colony was freed 6 months ago and I swore the woman on the train said for her it was just one month, so perhaps it's just a coincidence. Regardless, it is good to know the army may be fairly prolific in liberating multiple colonies (although this also does seem to call into question somewhat Mark's statement that their military is essentially fully depleted?). Anyway. June recounts her and Hannah's harrowing capture and her current state "She's healthy and so, so beautiful. And I've really tried to save her, I really tried to get her out." And then, heartbreakingly, "But the last time I saw her... she didn't remember me..." Holly is oh so gentle and empathetic in this scene, and June gets some long-awaited comfort and validation (that she never thought she'd be able to get) from her mother, who tells her "oh you are tough" and that she knew June would survive (it was what kept her going) *sob*.

(Holly squared💕)

Luke is being freed from jail and god does this show love a cool shot of puzzle-like stairs or what?--as he descends (interestingly) his way to freedom (for now at least). Mark has gotten him out on bail but it seems he's still some long months away from a trial. At least he finds out that the train with June and Nichole made it safely to Alaska, but he's still on the very verge of LOSING it given everything going on--namely his arrest from defending June from the murder attempt, and importantly, Hannah still being trapped in Gilead and inching ever closer to "marriageability" age. Now there are some that may say to Luke's raging "she's getting older EVERY DAY" that, well Luke, she hasn't been frozen in time before, she's has actually been getting older every day for the last 7 years now and it hasn't seemed that urgent to you til now, but to that I would say... actually nothing, because that would be accurate. Still I suppose that maybe somehow the urgency didn't hit him as hard until he saw her in purple and June freak out about the purple, or that until June came home wanting to fight and make Gilead pay he didn't realize there was any other way of fighting back besides going to the overworked overwhelmed embassy saying "a little help please?" But now that I'm reading this back it doesn't sound like a great excuse either. Listen, IDK what does on in the man's head but he is clearly just a ball of rage and nerves right now so when Moira lets it slip that "Mayday is doing something" he spits out "I'm in" with nary a question asked (really, I think there should have been at least one or two questions, Luke). As Moira says "you don't even know what that means" which again he blows off but we shall see there may be consequences later.

Back in good old Gilead, Commander Lawrence has maintained his same signature snarky brand of humor since we last saw him but also, my goodness, is he also not downright jolly(?) this season? (and praise be, the fun neck cravats are back!) At first blush one might say it must be the influence of his new bride and the honeymoon period but no, it seems the imminent success of launching his pet project NB to the world is what has him in such high spirits, even in spite of having to endure Naomi's expedited and determined efforts to fully redecorate his haunted gothic mansion. (I have a confession: I realized I am actually both these toxic people in the relationship, 1. "but it's ugly and it's ruining the room! AND variably also 2. I have this room to keep my things in! All the things! None of my things are ugly though of course!). This odd couple dynamic is great fun to watch and as finally an official series regular this season, Ever Carradine's fantastic comedic leaning into Naomi's newly wedded "bliss" (and later her on-and-off rivalry with Serena) was a real bright spot of levity for me here.

As Nick retraces the steps of his epic wedding reception punch and to his great amusement comes upon the happy honeymooners' little lovers' spat, Lawrence greets him with a … "hey Champ" (lol) and takes the excuse to withdraw to the study for a boys chat (but not before reminding his bride "don't touch these, please!.... “I’m a… commander”. But Lawrence hasn't safely escaped the disrespect yet because as he implores the younger commander "I didn't have anything to do with (the attempt on June's life), you believe me?" Nick hits back with a smirk:"I don’t believe you have the power or the capability" OH SNAP. Again, the sass at peak levels, season 6 Nick does NOT give a fuck anymore and I’m here for it. Just full of snark and (sexual) frustration. Our boy, fuck yes. Daddy Wharton suddenly joins them and commences a congratulatory chat on New Bethlehem, which so far seems to be a great success due to bougie-ass commanders loving their foreign cars and Rolexes or somesuch. Sure, I guess that tracks (but I think at lot of them have still got to be nervous their favorite toys--the handmaids, of course--could be taken away if NB reform becomes to popular and spreads, which is as WE know of course, Lawrence's whole long-term plan). Wharton wants to know where Mrs. Waterford fits into this (who, Serena??) and Lawrence has to divert with some vague excuse of postpartum "lady stuff" to obscure the fact that he actually has no idea where she is--Side note: "The Wheelers turned out to be...problematic" cracked me up. You mean, operating exactly like every single wife and commander couple in Gilead who's ever had a handmaid or stolen someone else's child to raise? Problematic like that?--Well, Wharton thinks they would want her there for diplomatic visits--and at this moment baby Angela performs the most adorable jump scare "No!" (apparently she doesn't have the highest opinion of Serena Lol) and (grand)Daddy Wharton kindly spirits her off to find her "mom". Lawrence confirms that yes, he will jump just as high as the high commander asks him to so he asks Nick to have the Eyes track down the former Mrs. Waterford, despite Nick being quite reluctant and generally agreeing with Angela--he's like, fuck, Serena? Really? Can we just not and say we did??--Either Nick, like June, also has a weird undeserved soft spot for his former mistress (and lest we forget, his rapist as well) or he just really doesn't want to deal with her again (and who could blame him for the latter).

(what, is this a bad time?)

Sorry but I've just gotta say, Mark is definitely getting desperate if he's sending this current antsy, agitated version of Luke in to do important rebel spy work... I get that he's restless waiting for his trial, worrying about Hannah and missing June and Nichole, but seriously this man needs to try and meditate or something. Maybe, you know, do some training and mental work to try and be at least somewhat prepared for what he's getting himself (and Moira) into. At least Moira's got a little bit of subterfuge experience under her belt even if it's been a while (solo at that). And Moira of course can make her own decisions but I'd certainly be worried if this was the mental state my mission partner was in--his twitchy impatience is really giving me anxiety. And him telling Moira "don’t say anything about what we’re doing (to June) ok?" WTF, Luke this isn’t a fucking surprise birthday party you're planning, she needs and moreover deserves to know what your unqualified ass is doing ffs!! After everything she's lost and survived and what you both have been through the last few seasons you're really going to go all I know what's best for June again and keep this from her--ostensibly either to keep her from being mad (at least in this moment) or to "save her from herself" in case she would (rightly, as it seems) panic and leave her current safety in Alaska (which, SPOILER ALERT) she's gonna have to do anyway? He knows it's wrong too by the guilty look on his face as they hang up. Apparently he's just so completely confident (for no historical reason, mind you) that he'll pull off this mission flawlessly and be back before she noticed he was gone. But of course instead, just leaves her to blindly worry. Really, after all of Luke's self-absorbed whining in s4 about June "choosing" to stay in Gilead instead of "return to him", and after Moira spending most of s4/5 treating June as a reckless liability I find it insanely hypocritical they didn't tell her about the mission, instead leaving her to grow increasingly more worried when she can't get ahold of them on the phone. I mean it's not exactly as if June could have rung them up when she was on the run in Gilead, but they certainly had that chance and decided (seemingly on Luke's lead) to leave her in the dark. On a happy note, during this first phone call June gets the relief that Luke's out of jail for now, and the joyful opportunity to break the news of her and Holly's incredible reunion, putting her mom on the phone to say hi (Rita's reaction never having met Holly was adorably endearing, I half expected her to blurt out "I love you!" too).

TWO MONTHS LATER--

Our two female protagonists seem to be a bit more settled in to their new digs, with June still kicking it in Alaska with Mom Holly and the adorable baby Nichole/Holly, meanwhile Serena's picks tomatoes on the commune with (a pretty cute as well) baby Noah. The gardening causes her to flash back to distant pre-Gilead times with her father, a seemingly kindly but ostensibly right-wing preacher who approves of the type of views ("a new eden") that Serena outlined in her book and became the blueprints for Gilead itself. Sadly, Papa Joy also seems to have Parkinsons, although he seems spry enough as he herds her off to find some lemonade and gossip about her new boyfriend, FRED (hoo boy!).

At first I'm not really sure what the purpose of Serena’s daddy flashback is besides try to give her more humanity and tug on our heartstrings--I mean after meeting Serena's mom in s3 clearly her dad was the "nurturing" parent and she likely didn't get much parental warmth after he died. There does seems to be a real ongoing theme this episode of parental relationships. There is also some irony in her wanting to create Gilead (a “new garden of Eden”) for her dad and then was so busy making it happen that she may have missed out on the last good days she would have with him. Maybe it's mainly to show Serena finally looking back on her role in the rise of Gilead in perhaps (dare I say it) a somewhat self-reflective way? And then of course we have the commune leader reveal she’s always known who Serena was and does not seem to approve (although thankfully for Serena, unlike the train goers has decided to offer her some grace)... Perhaps it is Abigail's faith that leads her towards extreme forgiveness as Serena admits "It (Gilead) all went wrong" and she gently chides back, “all by itself..?” Lol

Enter… Commander Lawrence (good day, Joseph) of course, pulling up in his shiny car with a shiny new quip (or two). And of course, the new “Mrs. Lawrence”, as she smugly corrects Serena LOL. I guess she just couldn't bear to be apart from her new hubs. Lawrence asks Serena for a little stroll to give her his best pitch (and mea culpa): seems there is a place for her in Gilead after all (or Gilead 2.0 at least). Serena plays coy and hard to get ("Men make a mess of things”, after all--which I generally agree with but she does a pretty good job of that all by herself as well). But I think we all know where this is going (as Lawrence counters “You’re bored out of your mind”--which I also have to concur he has a point). Even without the threat of the Eyes and the baby-snatching wanna-be Wheelers, I have a hard time believing that Serena’s ego and ambition would ever really forgo this opportunity to play Gilead’s (or New Bethlehem’s) Sweetheart, in favor of quietly and anonymously living out her days as a farmer trad wife without a husband in this religious reenvisioning of "Herland". Symbolically, Serena has been sheltered in this garden of Eden of sorts; offered a new kind of peace and penance, but she's now tempted by the snake (Lawrence) holding out the apple that is NB and her “special role” in it, and really it's only a matter of time before she caves.

Listen, I still contend the 5x03 post funeral repast at Lawrence’s house where Mackenzie casually spoke of assassinating June over mashed potatoes while Nick desperately tried to control his face in front of his wife and colleagues was The Most Awkward Dinner Party Ever, but this one has to come in close second. "I’m more of a pray in silence kinda guy" Lawrence quips (seriously how has this man survived in Gilead for this long, they must really really admire him for his mind or they are really just that stupid) and their second choice Naomi comically flubs it (she must have failed grace at wife school). Luckily Serena Joy is there to take over and she just can’t miss the chance to upstage poor Naomi. She is. That. Bitch. (God Ever is fucking funny though). The very picture of smug self-satisfied piousness, Serena effortlessly rattles off a prayer that is very clearly, all about her. Some key words? “Justified” (yes, check--she loves that one), “glorified” (check--glory?? even better!) And upon finishing with a triumphant “and he will bring us back from exile!” Serena knows that yes, in fact she WILL be going back to Gilead, and she’s gonna be a STAR (more false piety and humility etc. etc. because GOD HAS A PLAN etc.). She is on the same plane as Moses and Elijah and Noah and will heal this broken world, goddamnit. I’m a little surprised she didn’t throw Jesus in the mix there too but then again we know the Gileadeans love their Old Testie the very bestie!

(it's me, hi, I'm the savior, it's me)

Back in Gilead, it's another season/another ominous father figure fireside chat for Nick. And uh oh, Daddy Wharton seems to know all about Nick’s daddy issues (is that in Nick's permanent Gilead record or has he actually been vulnerable enough in the "better times" to share his past with Rose, who has now shared with her father??). And then shits on his mom for having been a working parent. Rude, sir! Poor Nick, we knew his dad was not a good provider or support system from his s1 flashback but just how “difficult” was he? Wharton continues: "Waterford, Lawrence. You’ve let these men come into your life and guide you”(and here I just want to point out, more like he "guided" Fred into his early grave if ya know what I mean... the omission of Pryce here is also striking but then I guess that relationship was well on the hush hush given the secrecy of his Eye status)… and now apparently it’s Daddy W’s turn and I am more scared for our boy than ever. Nick says he was never confused about these men's role in his life but I just have to hope he doesn't let himself get confused with Wharton, who just may be the slickest of them all (not a hard bar to beat with Fred at least). "You’ll be a father yourself soon" he says, ironically echoing similar words from the ghost of Fred (and again to that I say um EXCUSE ME SIR, HE'S ALREADY HOLLY/NICHOLE’S FATHER THANK YOU) and harps once again on good choices and high potential, and once again I really do not think that his idea of these things for Nick mesh with mine (also, NOooo he did NOT call Nick "son", I am cringing at yet more involuntary Fred flashbacks). I believe we are getting subtle signs that Nick is more stressed/affected by his father in laws words than he would like to admit, as he seems to be drinking more than we’ve ever seen(?). Whether because he is moved by the speech or more likely just more wary than ever due to the scrutiny he's under, he throws Mark Tuello's spy sim card into the fire then sits back down to do some more sexy brooding and perhaps think wait, fuck what did I just do? And then becomes a Dark Sith Lord (just kidding, you might not know it from the score and the lighting though so that was a pretty neat trick). It's the sudden switch to slow motion as the camera rotates and the music begins to distort that REALLY gives the feeling of an ominous shift happening, as Nick's face is slowly consumed by the shadows.

(shit, guess I better remember to pick up my hooded cloak at the dry cleaners tomorrow)

Meanwhile, June is trying to get hold of Luke (again) SERIOUSLY DOES THE MAN NOT REALIZE HOW FUCKING HARD IT IS TO MAKE A PHONE CALL HERE, THEY HAVE TOLD HIM THIS FFS! Just how long did she have to wait in that super long phone line just to get the answering machine? Just rude. We can see her trying to stay calm but she's clearly getting concerned. Finally, desperate with worry after what has to be weeks of no reply, she cuts the phone call line again and this time dials Mark. She gets through and he must waste no time in telling her that weeelll, there may have been just one little thing Luke didn’t tell her and now something has gone wrong best and her best friend and husband are stuck in imminent danger while she's stuck in Alaska (or is she, we'll see about that!).

“MAYday??” Holly exclaims back in the house (he did WHAT now??) I know, Holly I know. She is incredulous that June seems to be jumping up to head back in "you're not a spy, you're not a soldier!" which really kind of just undercuts how much of June's story since Gilead Holly has yet to learn lol. “Ehhh you don’t really know how much of a badass bitch your daughter is now what I’ve done, Mom”.

June adds that "there's a commander" working for the Americans, who has gone dark but "he'll respond to me". Holly gives a knowing look, immediately clocking that this is Nichole's father, but incorrectly assuming he was "June's commander" and June merely "did what she had to do". June's amendment that he was the driver at her commander's house does not bring much comfort though and Holly's distrust only seems to deepen. Her math: the drivers are Eyes; Eyes are all bad. All monsters. Not to be trusted. And could be setting a trap to get Nichole. June fiercely denies this characterization of Nick "No, not him. He loves Nichole". The irony is that now that June wants to step up and fight "it's what you taught me!", Holly just wants June safe. “I was wrong! I lost!” She can't bear the thought of losing her daughter once again. She insists “All you can do is survive and protect the people you love” to June shoots back “That is what I am doing! (and ironically it’s also what Nick has been doing this whole time). And YES, HOLLY, NICK IS INCLUDED IN THE PEOPLE SHE LOVES, SHE LOVES HIM OK). The heatedness comes to a boiling head when Holly finally flings out "my daughter fucked a nazi and is running across the country to see him" (OH NO SHE DIDNT).

Her words hit like a slap in the face to June and the viewer. But thinking on it in the full context of character history, the argument isn't really that surprising. June and her outspoken radical feminist/activist mom have always been somewhat at odds (even if June's now caught up to the larger fight), and to Holly, men have been--at best--a likely distraction from your true potential, and--at worst and especially now after all she's seen--monsters, all of them. Holly's outburst is a deeply emotional reaction coming from a place of long-held black-and-white biases and worry for her daughter, but moreover her recent trauma over the last long several years, suffering and watching her friends be killed. My first instinct was of course screaming for June to defend Nick's honor more vehemently, offer the concrete examples that we know prove he's a good guy. But I think I get it. She's exhausted, scared and flustered at the reemergence of this old (but long buried) dynamic with her mother. She feels the familiar resentment of her life choices being constantly questioned and judged and, overwhelmed, resorts to her old standby of lashing out in her own personal attack when Holly insists she leave Nichole there: "why, so you can abandon her too??" She's of course immediately regretful of her rash words as her mom walks out, stunned, though still no doubt is also stinging from Holly's. Deep down though June probably knows nothing's going to truly change her mom's mind but time and seeing for herself. I can only hope that June and Holly do get to have that deeper (and calmer) conversation about Nick: everything he is to her and everything he's done for her and baby Holly (he helped me to survive). And that maybe one day, she gets to actually meet Nick and--if very likely give him a fair amount of shit (we'd expect nothing less!)--eventually see and accept him for the good man he is (and good for June). That'll be my headcanon anyway!

Sitting outside, June and her mom make up, and June tells her "I know you didn't abandon me". Holly once again implores June (but in a gentler, more diplomatic manner this time) to leave her Nichole in her care her while Junes heads off back to No Man's Land and I swear to god if this whole "this is for her safety, it could be a trap” thing turns out to be foreshadowing for Nick doing something he would NEVER DO (like put his beloved daughters safety and/or freedom in jeopardy) I WILL RIOT. That said I would certainly not begrudge Holly getting some familial bonding time with her adorable little granddaughter namesake, and as much as I want Nick to be able to see his bb girl again I DO think it’s probably best not to take that sweet innocent little baby toddler into a dangerous rescue mission so close to Gilead, no? And of course if June had left her with Mark to babysit I’d just be left to obsess over my on-again/off-again Testaments conspiracy theory… again. So it’s probably for the best. Probably thinking the same thing (about the time the Hollys have missed together and rescue mission danger, not the conspiracy theory), June agrees. Her mom saying the name "Nichole" then seems to trigger a memory, and June smiles at the secret she now reveals, telling Holly how she actually named her daughter after her when she was born, "her real name's Holly". Ok so then I have a bone to pick back up with you, June, why TF not use her real name then?? Wouldn't it in fact be safer because Gilead knows about "Baby Nichole", they've never heard of "Baby Holly"! Is this like a fae thing where they can't use her "real name" because it holds too much power and gives too much of her power away to the people who know it? OK I know, I know, it's because of Margaret Atwood and the Testaments. It's just funny to me whenever they bring up "Holly's her real name" just to ignore it again while she's young enough to not know the difference and there's no reason to "honor" Serena's legacy of "motherhood" anymore. Poor kid, Holly/Nichole/Daisy/Jade is gonna be so confused. Well, at least mama Holly knows now that June was thinking of her and missing and carrying on her legacy in this way. AND we baby Holly truthers get to feel re-validated. Speaking of which, GEEZ BB HOLLY/NICHOLE IS SO FREAKING CUTE, I'm not even a "baby person" and that little smile when she looks over to June, my heart MELTS. June and mom Holly share a tearful and touching embrace, and soon it is time for June to say a bittersweet goodbye-for-now to her sweet daughter as she plays with some blocks--little Holly: BB GENIUS, amirite? (ok but why does that toy kind of look like a dick though. Really. Just me???)

(the bwitch is back)

The closing sequence is a great split/multiple perspective parallel montage of June and Serena's respective returns from "exile", set to “Burn the Witch”: Serena as Gilead Boss Bitch Barbie dressed in her mauve power suit/power trench and preparing for her star turn (It's interesting that this mauve kind of pinky purple seems to be the “designated color” for single women in NB?? I guess we can infer it’s similar to the “plum” the pubescent girls in Gilead as “future wives in training” wear, since even though they are in fact children, according to Gilead they technically are single, or rather “eligible yet unmarried” “women”. Kinda fun and unexpected that we get a bit of somewhat unexpected new world building at this point in the show with NB, since Gilead proper world has been so well established for seasons now!). June suited up in black (or dark colors anyway) and a backpack, striding determinedly through a darkened field (at dusk or dawn?) while her mom and daughter look on in farewell . Serena on the private jet like the royalty she knows she is (for some the NB brochure really made me lol). June in the back of a military truck. Serena in a van pulling up to the gates of NB (there are definitely some very Stepford/uncanny valley vibes about this place, in a way it’s almost more disconcerting than Gilead proper in that it has the same unsettling quality but it’s a bright beautiful suburb where people seem to be happy and smiling), then sauntering up to her shiny new beachside property. June looking up at the massive Mayday safehouse, which appears to be a former resort/lodge or country club of some sort(?) and following Mark through a maze of hallways and stairs to the final big reveal: a seeming shit ton of uber drivers and pharmacists and teachers, all hanging out just waiting for her!

I loved the slow motion shot (is it just me or is there a LOT of slow motion used so far this season?) of Nick turning his head but standing standing his ground as Serena walks up, contrasted with the civilian mayday fighters one by one turning and falling in line behind June as she walks though the safehouse (ball?)room. HI THIS IS THE TWO HALVES OF OUR ALPHA REBEL POWER COUPLE OK? And soon to reunite (Hallelujah, amen). Honestly I feel like I’m left a little confused by this whole mayday plot thing… so there is a whole building full of people who are somehow involved in the baddie commanders info mission but Moira and Luke are the only two stuck behind and in trouble? What are they all doing there in that building if June's the one going in, for solidarity? Or is this a more long-term Mayday operations base so they're waiting for other missions/phases of the mission? What is going on. Am I missing something? Clearly. Anyway, maybe we'll find out later. What really matters right now is NICK AND JUNE ARE MEETING UP(!!!). IMMINENTLY. Someone's gotta go save her feckless dummy of a husband, after all.

#osblaine action spy flick incoming #osblaine #nick blaine #nick x june #the handmaid's tale #the handmaids tale spoilers #tht s6 #tht s6 spoilers #tht 6x02 #tht recaps #tht s6 recaps #my silly little recaps

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girderednerve · 5 months ago

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[aging userbase alert]

i got my W-2 today & i was like 'yaaay i will file my taxes while i am thinking of it, i now live in a direct file state! it will be easy & not involve handing my information over to some third-party company that might have terrible data handling practices,' because i like to file taxes as early as possible a) so i do not have time to misplace my W-2 and b) because my employer withheld tax for me, so i have functionally been giving the government a free loan & can i just say i do NOT like what uncle sam has been doing with that money, give it back you fucker!!! unfortunately you cannot direct file in my state if you contributed to an IRA (i know this sounds bougie but it is a very common & widely encouraged form of retirement savings, even if you've only got a little bit to sock away), or if you have cash tips, or if you worked as an independent contractor (so, like, gig work; the only 1099 it can handle is a 1099-INT, for interest on bank deposits).

& i hate that! i hate that a lot. the IRA thing is annoying for me but the part where it can't handle cash tips or independent contractor income is actually really bad in my opinion because this excludes a pretty big number of lower income american workers, who are more likely to be taken advantage of by tax preparation companies that will not protect their data & will often attempt to shunt them into confusing paid filing options. or they end up going with scummy irl tax preparers, who make a killing on low income people's tax returns! the IRS desperately wants everyone to e-file because it is much faster & more efficient & in many ways less error-prone, but the free file program has enriched tax preparation companies at the expense of american workers who were underserved & misled, and now direct file leaves out a bunch of basic stuff & excludes people who need it. if you want to e-file for free, supposing you cannot direct file (if you are reading my tumblr blog & need to file taxes in the united states i am sure you fall beneath the income threshold for the free file program), you must go to the IRS's page of free file partners, then shop around to find one that can handle your tax situation & hopefully doesn't have too terrible a track record with customer data. it's stupid & i'm mad about it! there should not be a united states & there absolutely should not be any government of human persons which comports itself with such ridiculous stupidity

#im mad about TAXES!!!! again

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houseofbrat · 9 months ago

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youtube

It's not really a "bizarre twist." It's the likely outcome if Harry has always been in the US on an A-1 visa.

Immigration experts have suggested to Dailymail.com that he may be on an extremely rare A-1 Head of State visa. [...] If he is on a diplomatic visa then he would be taxed, including on that windfall, under the U.K. system. He would only be subject to U.S. income tax on his earnings in America, such as his deal with Netflix, which would have to be reported on an IRS Form 1099-NR. 'The Royal Family wants him to stay on the A-1,' international tax expert Clayton Cartwright told Dailymail.com. 'I think they have common ground wanting him to stay on an A-1. If he's consulted tax advisers then he will be staying on an A-1. 'The A-1 is his golden ticket. If he's on an A-1 he can sit here (in the U.S.) forever. The U.S. would not care.' He added: 'The US has a foreign policy interest in not triggering U.S. tax residency for diplomats. It is good diplomatic practice. 'It keeps private to Great Britain, not just the foreign assets Prince Harry owns, but also other assets of the Royal Family on which he is listed.'

[...] London-based US Immigration lawyer Melissa Chavin has previously told Dailymail.com the Duke could have been on an A-1 Head of State visa, which is used by heads of state and royal family members, since he is fifth in line to the throne. 'It's just extremely special,' she said. 'And the security check is not the same. It's a lower security check. It's a visa especially for members of royal families.' Such individuals are only vetted for espionage, terrorism and 'activities contrary to US foreign policy,' rather than drug use.

The A-1 'Head of State' visa is distinguishable from the A-1 visa, which is for senior diplomats. Holders of an A-1 visa, such as an ambassador, are supposed to come to the U.S. to work as a senior diplomat. But an A-1 Head of State visa holder is free to come to the U.S. without working as a head of state or royal family member.

[archive link]

Of course, keeping Harry on the UK system makes any future divorce more difficult for his wife. It makes it more difficult for the divorce to be governed by California law. Harry while being on a diplo visa in the US makes him not subject to US law, just like the rest of the diplo visas in the country. All of his banking and tax obligations would be under UK law, not US or California law.

#Black Belt Barrister #Daily Mail #usa #law #immigration #my gif #prince harry #IRS #california #Youtube

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wuxiaphoenix · 4 months ago

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Stray Thoughts: The Cost of Making a Living

Yes, it’s that time again. Tax season!

Needed caveat: I’m no tax lawyer, just someone who’s done this more times than I like to think about. And gone through more paper than I like to think about doing it, because the IRS does not make it easy to be a self-employed person. And if you’re making any money as a writer, any at all, you count as self-employed.

So. What you’re going to need if you made money from books in the U.S. is probably going to include:

Standard 1040, or whatever version of it you use.

Schedule 1, for various self-employment taxes/income from royalties.

(The info you need for this will likely be on the 1099 form you got listing your royalties, if for example you get paid through Amazon. If you have some other side gig self-employed stuff like selling crafts, those calculations are on you... and mostly go on Schedule C.)

Schedule 2, ditto, other aspects of the self-employment tax.

Schedule C, for being a self-employed business person - book royalties count for this. Note, if you get royalties some other way that you are not self-employed but still get the royalties as part of your job, that’s apparently schedule E. But everything I can find says that’s not what applies to writers, even if you have another paying job.

(Also note that part of the info you need for Schedule C is the business code; the one for writers is also shared with acrobats and other “performing artists”. So I guess it is our circus, and our monkeys.)

Schedule SE, for calculating self-employment tax. Which you have to pay no matter where the whole of your income falls otherwise. Pfui.

The 1040-V, if you reach the end of your calculations and still owe the government money.

Scrap paper, plenty of.

Calculator.

Writing implements.

Caffeinated drink. (Anything alcoholic comes after the number-crunching, not during. Trust me on this.)

At least an afternoon free so you can crosscheck all the forms. Because they nest in aggravating and unexpected ways. You will pretty much end up doing the 1040 last, because it needs numbers from allllll the others.

Yes I do this by hand with paper and calculator. I don’t trust online tax programs to get everything right for writers. And I definitely don’t want someone else’s free program having my tax info. Meh.

Most effective order of operations I’ve found is: Gather all income info. Do the Schedule C. Then SE, then 1 and 2, then the 1040, then the 1040-V as needed.

But do them all on scrap paper first.

Work all the numbers out, put them together and leave the pile aside for a day. Or however long it takes to have a clear head.

Then redo all the calculations and check that you get the same numbers.

Checked and double-checked? Good. Fill out the forms, make copies of everything, then mail off the originals. It is possible, even likely, you will need extra postage beyond standard letter rate due to how many forms there are. I tend to bring the sealed envelope right to the post office and pay for postage there. I do not want to get this stuff back for insufficient postage!

File the copies where you can find them, labeled with the year. In case.

(And please, don’t make the check out to the Infernal Revenue Service. They will send it back, and hit you with late fees for nonpayment. No, I didn’t do this. Yes, I had to deal with the fallout from someone who did. Oy....)

If you make lots and lots of money from books - then go you! Remember you’re succeeding. Just don’t forget to pay your estimated taxes on a quarterly basis on top of this.

Off to fill out more paperwork!

#us taxes #writer problems

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pico-digital-studios · 8 months ago

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Into, Across and Beyond! Scripting: Paying Taxes

(Based on this)

Sometime following Tails of Trials, OMT!Tails and OMT!Mina were just spending some time in the former's home, when Mr. Needlemouse came a-knocking.

Mr. Needlemouse: Tails!

OMT!Mina: Wha-?!

Mr. NM: My taxes are due today, and I have no idea how to do them!

OMT!Mina: Erm, okay?

Mr. NM: You gotta help me!

OMT!Tails: How do you know I'm not busy with my own?

Mr. NM: Cuz I know in da back of my thumb ya didn't do 'em last minute!

OMT!Tails: I mean, I had to wait 'til January 22nd before this year's 1099 forms all came in, but...

Mr. NM: Please, bub! Ya gotta help me! I'd be on my knees if MCStudio had the drawing skills for it!!!

OMT!Mina: *sigh* Alright.

OMT!Tails: I'm sure with my brains we can get this sorted out in no time!

They headed inside.

Mr. NM: (So boooring...)

He followed them in.

OMT!Tails: Okay, so, first order of business. How much did you make last year?

Mr. NM: Wait, I was supposed to be countin'?

OMT!Mina: Didn't you get a W2 from your employer?

Mr. NM: Employer...?

OMT!Mina: Well, what do you even do for a job?

Mr. NM: ... Does robbing Melody Hill Zone and framing Beeman for it 24/7 count as a job?

OMT!Tails: Like, stealing money slash rings regularly?

Mr. NM: Yep!

OMT!Mina: Who even makes it that easy to rob?

Mr. NM: Easy! I have a professional conman disguised as a lawyer freeing my bum every time!

OMT!Mina: Well, I doubt we'll be getting a 1099 from said lawyer.

OMT!Tails: It's okay, though! We can still fill out the 1040 using your own accounting.

Mr. NM: So I was supposed to be countin'!

OMT!Tails: You haven't been keeping track? NM...

Mr. NM: Okay, okay relax! I got 540 something in Emerald Hill... stole 250 from the local retirement home... stole 25 thousand worth of gold in Calteron... and stole some of Aureya's tech and sold 'em for 20 bucks!

OMT!Mina: I seriously doubt the IRS is gonna tolerate that.

Mr. NM: It was in three different dimensions! Whatever crimes I'm accountable for there, I'm not accountable for here!

OMT!Tails: Anyway! Let's talk business expenses. Do you even have those?

Mr. NM: Well... I did sell Beeman to the Dark Webz and passed him off as a rare species of bee. Does that count?

OMT!Mina: The dark web?!

OMT!Tails: Why did you go selling stuff on there?! And that's not even an expense!

Mr. NM: Well, where else can you sell someone? The other markets deemed it "illegal" for ridiculous reasons!

OMT!Tails: You can't put illegal purchases and selling on your federal tax return!

Mr. NM: Why not?

OMT!Mina: For Gaia's sake...

A few minutes later, everything was sorted out and the signature was put on the sheet.

Mr. NM: Phew! That took forever...

OMT!Tails: You're welcome.

Mr. NM: Now all I gotta do is put it in the mail, yeah?

OMT!Tails: Those were the federal taxes. The dimension taxes should take no more than 5 minutes to-.

Mr. NM: Actually, I think I'm good!

He started walking to the door.

OMT!Tails and OMT!Mina: Huh?!

Mr. NM: I've decided I'm not paying taxes!

OMT!Mina: Needle, you have to pay your taxes!

Mr. NM: Why? It's not like they do anything.

OMT!Tails: Star Light was literally built with the funding from taxpayer rings and coins.

Mr. NM: Yup. And they used the money to build loop-de-loops and floating platforms. Which, granted, cool as hell for me, but hell for the chumps that wasted their sweet time paying for 'em!

He prepared to leave through the front door.

OMT!Mina: I mean, he got a point there.

OMT!Tails: Still, if you don't pay your taxes, the IRS will come after you, Needlemouse!

Mr. NM: And I'm a living cartoon character! They can't catch me!

Cut to him now thrown in prison for planned tax evasion.

(AoSTH Robotnik sprite by Soap Surfin' and XtremeXavier)

Mr. NM: Oh, damn... Guess they caught me. (looking to his right) So what you in for?

AoSTH Robotnik: I placed a bunch of golden rrrrrrrrings on the ground, and they told me to send the proper 1099 forms to people who picked them up. I didn't just to be diabolical, and, well... I've been serving my time here since before Across All Worlds.

Mr. NM: Call me Judge Doom, cuz you're getting the Dip!

AoSTH Robotnik: No, stop!

Mere seconds later, he was pulled from his jail cell after serving his time there.

IRS Member: Alright, you're free to return to your dimension.

AoSTH Robotnik: Anything to get away from that hedgehog, er... rabbit, erm... whatever that thing is! He's worse than Sonic, and that says a lot!

Dr. Beeman: You think that's bad? Try living in his world mindin' yer own business!

IRS Member: Well, the rabbit-hog's gonna be staying there for at least the next six months for planned tax evasion.

Mr. NM: Aw, really? I can get my lawyer to bust me outta-.

IRS Member: And you have charges of selling a half-human on the dark web, robbery, framing for said robbery, evading court through your properties, using a conman to get yourself out of jail, vandalism, disorderly conduct, parking illegally, amongst too many other offences to list here. And if you don't pay the legal fees out of the money you stole, which will all go back to the places you stole them from, you'll be here for at least 70 more years.

Mr. NM: Oh, COME ON!!!!! >:(

(Confirmation from @mcgamejolter himself: Mr. Needlemouse preferred the 70 extra years in jail over being a decent person, but of course, they made him send back the stolen goods whether he wanted to or not. Him trying to evade his taxes was just the last straw that got him tossed behind bars.)

#sonic the hedgehog #sonic exe #sth #sonic #sonic fandom #spider verse #sonic au #sth au #spider man #please don't commit tax fraud or tax evasion #what mr. needlemouse does is illegal #pay your taxes

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posttexasstressdisorder · 1 year ago

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https://thehill.com/business/4694024-irs-direct-file-free-tax-filing-permanent/

The free online tax filing program piloted this year by the IRS will be made permanent and its scope will be expanded, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced Thursday.

Known as “Direct File,” the online platform will be integrated with state tax systems and expanded beyond the limited number of deductions that it can currently process, Yellen and IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel told reporters.

“We’re making Direct File — the new product we piloted this year — permanent,” Yellen said, touting the boost in IRS funding from the Inflation Reduction Act.

Werfel said that the size of the expansion hadn’t yet been decided but that it would gradually become larger over the coming years to include most common tax situations, focusing on those of “working families.”

Currently, the system can only process income earned in the form of W2 wages — the way most U.S. workers are paid — along with a handful of credits like the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit.

Werfel mentioned a number of tax situations where the IRS saw demand for inclusion in direct file, including health care and retirement tax credits.

“The premium tax credit — under the Affordable Care Act, those that get their health insurance in the affordable care act marketplace and therefore receive a premium tax credit. That was something that was not in our eligibility scope this year,” Werfel said.

“There were other refundable tax credits that were out of scope. There was certain retirement income that was out of scope,” he added.

Republicans and the private tax preparation software industry have railed against the new program. House Republicans voted to rescind funding for Direct File as soon as they took control of the lower chamber in 2023.

“There are also significant questions as to whether the IRS has the legal authority to implement such a program without congressional authorization,” Senate Finance Committee ranking member Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) said in a statement last year.

Werfel did not talk Thursday about additional types of income that could be made eligible for direct file, such as investment returns, rental property income, or independent contractor income filed on 1099-Ks.

The process of expanding Direct File will begin with figuring out which additional states will be included beyond the initial 12 where it was available this year.

“It really depends on state readiness,” Werfel said. “There will be no limit to the number of states that can participate in the coming year.”

The cost of the program for next year could be up to $75 million as outlined in the IRS’s strategic operating plan annual supplement, a sum that Werfel said the IRS would not “significantly or materially exceed.”

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paystubusa · 25 days ago

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The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Right 1040 ES Form Creator

The IRS requires these payments using Form 1040-ES, which can be complex and time-consuming to prepare manually. A 1040 ES Form Creator automates much of this process by calculating your tax due, generating accurate forms, and tracking your payments.

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orthodoxydaily · 1 year ago

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Saints&Reading: Sunday, April 28, 2024

april 15_april 24

The Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem.

THE HOLY WOMEN MARTYRS BASILISSA AND ANASTASIA DISCIPLE OF THE HOLY APOSTLES ST PETER AND PAUL (1st C.)

The Holy Women Martyrs Basilissa (Vasilissa) and Anastasia lived in Rome and were converted to Christianity by the holy Apostles Peter and Paul. They devoted themselves to the service of the Lord.

When the emperor Nero (54-68) persecuted Christians and gave them over to torture and execution, Saints Basilissa and Anastasia took the bodies of the holy martyrs and gave them reverent burial. Rumors of this reached Nero, so Saints Basilissa and Anastasia were imprisoned. They subjected them to cruel tortures: they scourged them with whips, scraped their skin with hooks, and burned them with fire. However, the holy martyrs remained unyielding and bravely confessed their faith in Christ the Savior. By Nero’s command, they were beheaded with the sword (+ ca. 68).

HOLY NOBLEBORN GREAT PRINCE MSTISLAV VLADIMIROVICH OF KIEV (1132)

Holy Nobleborn GreatPrince Mstislav Vladimirovich (in Holy Baptism Theodore, or Feodor) was born on 1 June 1076. When he was 12 years old, his grandfather, the Kiev Great Prince Vsevolod (1078-1093), sent his grandson to be prince of Novgorod. The Novgorod people loved the young prince. In 1995, they expelled Prince David, who withdrew to Smolensk, and they went to Rostov specifically to seek Prince Mstislav.

After his grandfather’s death, Saint Mstislav occupied his appanage-land, the Rostov throne. At 19 years of age the young prince gained a brilliant victory over his uncle, the Chernigov prince Oleg. Prince Oleg had killed his brother Izyaslav and attacked Rostov and Suzdal', which belonged to Prince Mstislav.

The saint did not want to shed innocent blood. He wanted to make peace with his uncle and besought him to be satisfied with the rights to the city of Ryazan'. But Oleg had already gathered forces on a campaign against Novgorod. Prince Mstislav thereupon defeated him in a battle (1096), and Oleg, having lost out at Suzdal' and Rostov, barely managed to hold on at Murom.

Saint Mstislav again offered peace and asked only for the return of captives. Oleg agreed under a ruse, so Prince Mstislav dispersed his army. On the feast day of the GreatMartyr Theodore of Tyre, on Saturday of the 1st Week of Great Lent, he was quietly sitting down at Suzdal’ to eat when messengers brought him a word that Prince Oleg stood at the Klyaz'ma with an army.

In one mere day, Prince Mstislav regathered his army, and when his brother arrived 4 days later, he gave a new battle. Oleg, in fear, fled to Ryazan’, and Saint Mstislav set free the captives, went through the Murom lands, and he then reconciled Oleg with GreatPrince Svyatopolk (1093-1114) and with his own father, Vladimir Monomakh.

Thankful for the mercy of God, the saint in 1099 pledged to build a temple in honor of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Mother of God at Gorodischa near Novgorod. And especially just for this church was written the reknown Mstislavovo Gospel, the precious adornments of which were wrought at Constantinople.

In 1114, the saint pledged at Novgorod, a church in the name of Saint Nicholas. This temple was in gratitude to Saint Nicholas for his healing. During a grievous illness, the prince called out for help to Saint Nicholas, whose relics had been transferred to Bari shortly before this in Italy (1087, Comm. 9 May). Saint Nicholas, in a vision, gave orders to send to Kiev for his icon, indicating its form and measure. The people sent to bring back the icon were detained on the Island of Lipna by a storm raging there on Lake Il'men.

But on the 4th day, they found that same circular icon in the water, as indicated in the vision. The sick prince gave a kiss to the icon and received healing. And afterward, at the place of the icon’s appearance, on the Island of Lipna, a monastery with a stone church was built in the name of Saint Nicholas.

In 1116, the holy prince again campaigned against the Chud people. After a victory, he restored Novgorod the fortress – "he made a guarantee of Novgorod the Great" – and extensively built out the lodgings for the Novgorod principality. Then at his orders, the posadnik-mayor Pavel situated a fortress at Lake Ladoga, where a stone church was built in honor of the great martyr George.

In 1117, Great Prince Vladimir Monomakh (1114-1125) summoned his son to him as an assistant and transferred him to Belgorod. In 1123, holy Prince Mstislav confronted the Volynian prince Yaroslav, who was attempting to seize the Kyiv principality by leading against Rus’s Polish and Hungarian army.

In 1125, Great Prince Vladimir Monomakh died, and holy Prince Mstislav occupied the Kiev throne. During this time he gained a brilliant victory over the old enemies of Rus' – the Polovetsians, driving them beyond the Volga. Those of the Polovetsian princes, who refused to ally with Mstislav, were dispatched to Greece.

In 1127, Saint Mstislav swore to defend the Chernigov prince Yaroslav, who was banished by a nephew. The clergy and all the people besought him not to spill Christian blood. The holy prince obeyed, but until the end of his life, he bewailed that he had violated his kissing of the cross in this oath.

In 1128, GreatPrince Mstislav set the foundations of a stone church in the name of the GreatMartyr Theodore of Tyre (his patron saint) in memory of a victory gained over the Chernihiv prince Oleg. And in 1131, after a successful campaign against Lithuania, Saint Mstislav laid the foundations of a temple in honour of the Pirogoschsk Icon of the Mother of God. Holy Prince Mstislav died on 14 April 1132 during the Paschal Week, and he was buried in the temple of the Great Martyr Theodore, which he had built.

The holy prince was venerated even during his earthly life. The copyist of the Mstislavovo Gospel called him noble and a lover of Christ. The preparer of the settings of the Mstislavovo Gospel, Naslav, wrote about him: "Much toil and tribulation I experienced. But God did comfort me through the prayer of the good prince... God grant his prayer for all Christians". The vita-life of the holy prince was set under 15 April in the Serbian Divine-service Prologue of the XIII-XIV Centuries.

This Prologue was transcribed from the much earlier Bulgarian, the source for which was the Russian original. Likewise, under 15 April, Prince Mstislav’s vita-life appears in the Bulgarian Synaxarion of 1340. (Investigations have shown that the source of this synaxarion was likewise Russian).

In these Prologues, the memory of holy Prince Mstislav was placed alongside such reknown Russian commemorations as that of holy Equal-to-the-Apostles GreatPrincess Ol'ga (Comm. 11 July), and the holy Passion-Bearer Princes Boris and Gleb (Comm. 24 July). These facts testify to the wide veneration of holy Prince Mstislav in the Slavic lands.

PHILIPPIANS 4:4-9

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things. 9 The things you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

JOHN 12:1-18

1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. 4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, 5 Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor? 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. 7 But Jesus said, "Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. 8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always. 9 Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus. 12 The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: Hosanna! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' The King of Israel!" 14 Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written: 15 Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey's colt." 16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him. 17 Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. 18 For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.

#orthodoxy #orthodoxchristianity #easternorthodoxchurch #originofchristianity #spirituality #holyscriptures #gospel #bible #wisdom #faith #saints

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