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reasonsforhope · 10 months ago

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Article | Paywall Free

"The Food and Drug Administration approved new mRNA coronavirus vaccines Thursday [August 22, 2024], clearing the way for shots manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna to start hitting pharmacy shelves and doctor’s offices within a week.

Health officials encourage annual vaccination against the coronavirus, similar to yearly flu shots. Everyone 6 months and older should receive a new vaccine, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends.

The FDA has yet to approve an updated vaccine from Novavax, which uses a more conventional vaccine development method but has faced financial challenges.

Our scientific understanding of coronavirus vaccines has evolved since they debuted in late 2020. Here’s what to know about the new vaccines.

Why are there new vaccines?

The coronavirus keeps evolving to overcome our immune defenses, and the shield offered by vaccines weakens over time. That’s why federal health officials want people to get an annual updated coronavirus vaccine designed to target the latest variants. They approve them for release in late summer or early fall to coincide with flu shots that Americans are already used to getting.

The underlying vaccine technology and manufacturing process are the same, but components change to account for how the virus morphs. The new vaccines target the KP.2 variant because most recent covid cases are caused by that strain or closely related ones...

Do the vaccines prevent infection?

You probably know by now that vaccinated people can still get covid. But the shots do offer some protection against infection, just not the kind of protection you get from highly effective vaccines for other diseases such as measles.

The 2023-2024 vaccine provided 54 percent increased protection against symptomatic covid infections, according to a CDC study of people who tested for the coronavirus at pharmacies during the first four months after that year’s shot was released...

A nasal vaccine could be better at stopping infections outright by increasing immunity where they take hold, and one is being studied in a trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.

If you really want to dodge covid, don’t rely on the vaccine alone and take other precautions such as masking or avoiding crowds...

Do the vaccines help prevent transmission?

You may remember from early coverage of coronavirus vaccines that it was unclear whether shots would reduce transmission. Now, scientists say the answer is yes — even if you’re actively shedding virus.

That’s because the vaccine creates antibodies that reduce the amount of virus entering your cells, limiting how much the virus can replicate and make you even sicker. When vaccination prevents symptoms such as coughing and sneezing, people expel fewer respiratory droplets carrying the virus. When it reduces the viral load in an infected person, people become less contagious.

That’s why Peter Hotez, a physician and co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development, said he feels more comfortable in a crowded medical conference, where attendees are probably up to date on their vaccines, than in a crowded airport.

“By having so many vaccinated people, it’s decreasing the number of days you are shedding virus if you get a breakthrough infection, and it decreases the amount of virus you are shedding,” Hotez said.

Do vaccines prevent long covid?

While the threat of acute serious respiratory covid disease has faded, developing the lingering symptoms of “long covid” remains a concern for people who have had even mild cases. The CDC says vaccination is the “best available tool” to reduce the risk of long covid in children and adults. The exact mechanism is unclear, but experts theorize that vaccines help by reducing the severity of illness, which is a major risk factor for long covid.

When is the best time to get a new coronavirus vaccine?

It depends on your circumstances, including risk factors for severe disease, when you were last infected or vaccinated, and plans for the months ahead. It’s best to talk these issues through with a doctor.

If you are at high risk and have not recently been vaccinated or infected, you may want to get a shot as soon as possible while cases remain high. The summer wave has shown signs of peaking, but cases can still be elevated and take weeks to return to low levels. It’s hard to predict when a winter wave will begin....

Where do I find vaccines?

CVS said its expects to start administering them within days, and Walgreens said that it would start scheduling appointments to receive shots after Sept. 6 and that customers can walk in before then.

Availability at doctor’s offices might take longer. Finding shots for infants and toddlers could be more difficult because many pharmacies do not administer them and not every pediatrician’s office will stock them given low demand and limited storage space.

This year’s updated coronavirus vaccines are supposed to have a longer shelf life, which eases the financial pressures of stocking them.

The CDC plans to relaunch its vaccine locator when the new vaccines are widely available, and similar services are offered by Moderna and Pfizer."

-via The Washington Post, August 22, 2024

#covid #long covid #vaccines #vaccination #covid vaccine #covid19 #public health #united states #good news #hope

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sirfrogsworth · 2 months ago

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Understanding the Inverse Square Law

(Without Math)

When I was first getting deep into photography, I kept running into lessons about the inverse square law. They would always tell you the effects and the math but they never explained the cause. Why does the light do this?

It's like when the doctor gives you a pill to fix something. You swallow it, wait a bit, and eventually you feel better. But you rarely know what the pill is actually doing.

So when it comes to lighting, you have to decide if you want to be the doctor who understands the why or the patient who just swallows the pill and gets the desired effect.

Every tutorial will say if you double the distance of a light from a subject, the intensity will drop by 1/4. They will give you a formula so you can do exposure calculations.

Sometimes they will refer to somewhat helpful diagrams with clues on what is happening.

But most just teach the easy version.

If you move the light closer, you will get quicker falloff into shadow and the background will be darker.

If you move it farther back, everything will be more evenly lit, but the background will be lighter.

The teacher will shoot some examples and show you something like this.

By the end of this post, I want everyone who reads it to *truly* understand what is happening.

Because if you understand it on that level, it will change how you think about light and photography. It will have the added bonus of explaining magnets and WiFi and even the sound coming out of your speakers.

If I am an effective teacher, this is something you will think about in your everyday life, even if you don't care about photography.

In a previous post, I talked about how light was a bit like a shotgun blast. The closer you are, the more concentrated the pellets. If you are farther away, the shot disperses.

But this wasn't the analogy I wanted to use. It was just the easiest to find visual examples of.

My preferred analogy was spray paint. And I'm hoping with some janky home-made visuals, I can do a better job of explaining the concept.

Let's start by explaining the humble photon. It's the fundamental particle (or wave) of light. Think of them like individual tiny globs of paint in a spray can. A photon is emitted when something loses energy. And unmodified light sources typically shoot out photon globs in all directions.

A point light source is a theoretical concept where a single point in space shoots light evenly in every direction. For our purposes we're just going to imagine a basic light bulb as the point source.

But our eyes and cameras have a limited field of view, so from here on out we are going to think of the light emitting from the bulb as having a cone shape. We are just concerned with what a camera can actually see.

Well, well, well... what does that cone of light look like?

I'm sure we have all used spray paint before. So let's imagine we are spraying a white ball against a gray wall. We spray for 1 second and hold the can at different distances.

In each scenario we are spraying for the same length of time and the exact same number of photon paint globs are emitted from the nozzle.

Let's think about what each scenario would look like from the camera's point of view.

Here is our unpainted ball and wall.

Here is the spray can held at Distance 1.

Note how the red paint is very concentrated and appears bold and saturated.

Distance 2.

Now the same amount of paint is dispersed over a wider area. The bold red spot in the center is more muted. And some of the paint is spilling onto the background.

Distance 3.

Everything appears to have a light red tint. The background and the white ball appear to have similar intensities of red. The coverage is very even. The same number of photon paint globs are being asked to cover a larger area so they are spreading out and diluting the color.

Okay, now let's exchange tiny photon paint globs for real photons.

I'm bringing back my baseball and showing these same 3 distances.

The nice thing about eyeballs and cameras... they can compensate for different light intensities. Our eyes have night vision and cameras have long shutter speeds, large lens apertures, and ISO amplification.

And if we compensate for the dimming caused by the dispersed light...

Photography teachers will tell you that if you move the light farther away, the background will get brighter. In reality, everything is the same level of dim and the camera exposure is brightened.

What if we wanted to spray the same area from far away without losing as much of the red saturation? We could add a super nozzle to our spray can that emits a bunch more photon globs in the same span of time.

This would be like turning up the power of the light. You have to emit a bunch more photons in that same time scale to compensate. Then you don't have to adjust your camera settings when you move the light farther away.

Let's look at a practical example of when you might think about the inverse square law to help solve a problem.

You have two subjects in a scene, and you put the light just out of view of the camera. You might be thinking that a larger light source is softer, so you want it as close as possible.

Unfortunately only one person is lit in the scene. She is getting the concentrated photons before they can disperse.

So if we want both people to have similar lighting, we can move the light farther away. You will have to comprimise a little softness. And you will have to change your camera settings or increase the power of the light.

Note that the intensity of light in the area they are standing in is very similar now.

By using a large light modifier, the photographer was able to move the light back and keep its general softness, but also evenly light both subjects.

And now I need to talk about one aspect of my spray paint analogy that does not work with the inverse square law. And it has to do with the specular highlight on the baseball.

Spray paint does not reflect paint. It just sticks to things. And reflection throws a tiny wrench into my explanation. Because parallel light rays do not obey the inverse square law. When you light something, the most central photons from the subject's perspective are going to be traveling in parallel. They have a direct path from the light to the camera lens or your eyeball.

Now if the reflection material is perfectly matte, the light will disperse and act as the inverse square law suggests. But if the surface is even a little glossy, the most concentrated parallel rays are going to bounce directly into your eye as a bright white spot.

And if you study this diagram a little closer, you might figure out why specular highlights are usually white.

If you look at the specular highlight on the baseball, even though the rest of the image gets dimmer as the light gets farther away, that spot stays bright.

Though the spot seems to disappear at Distance 1. Curious, eh?

It's still there. It's still reflecting directly into your eyeball. But the light around it is so concentrated and bright, the specular highlight blends in.

Which means if you have some nasty highlights on your photo subject, moving your light closer might make them go away. If someone has a shiny forehead, this can equalize the overall exposure and hide the shiny.

This guy has a bright spot on his nose. It is there in both photos.

But his face is so much brighter in the left photo that the spot blends in. It's a bit of a mind bender because the camera exposure is adjusted so the finished photos appear the same amount of bright.

You have to remember if you only move the light farther away and don't increase its power or increase the camera's exposure level, the photos would look more like this.

So if you make the rest of the face as bright as the highlight, it blends in.

Neat!

So, was I successful?

Does the inverse square law make more sense?

This is why WiFi gets weaker at a distance. This is why magnets lose their attraction when you pull them apart. This is why speakers get quieter when you move away from them.

I can't tell you how much knowing the why has affected my thinking about lighting. I see so many video and photo people talking about lighting setups who are just following memorized placements.

"Put a light above the subject at a 45 degree angle to get Rembrandt lighting."

But the second they encounter light doing something unexpected, things fall apart. They resort to trial and error and brute force the solution.

Knowing how the pill works can prevent that frustrating process.

I no longer care about the math. I can just visualize the cone of influence and predict what will happen. Understanding the behavior of light and not just the end effects has made everything more intuitive. I just wish it hadn't taken me so long to understand this. But, hopefully, this post has shortened that journey for you.

#long post #photography #lighting #inverse square law

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gootarts · 2 years ago

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as of 8/3, the most recently updated version of this post is here (it's a reblog of this exact post with more info added)

as a lot of you know, limbus company recently fired its CG illustrator for being a feminist, at 11 pm, via phone call, after a bunch of misogynists walked into the office earlier that day and demanded she be fired. on top of this, as per korean fans, her firing went against labor laws---in korea, you must have your dismissal in writing.

the korean fandom on twitter is, understandably, going scorched earth on project moon due to this. there's a lot currently going on to protest the decision, so i'm posting a list here of what's going on for those who want to limit their time on elon musk's $44 billion midlife crisis impulse purchase website (if you are on twitter, domuk is a good person to follow, as they translate important updates to english). a lot of the links are in korean, but generally they play nicely with machine translators. this should be current as of 8/2.

Statements condemning the decision have been issued by The Gyeonggi Youth Union and IT Union.

A press conference at the Gyeonggido Assembly will occur on 8/3, with lawmakers of the Gyeonggi province (where Project Moon is based) in attendance. This appears driven by the leader of the Gyeonggi Youth Union.

The vice chairman of the IT union--who has a good amount of experience with labor negotiations like these--has expressed strong support for the artist and is working to get media coverage due to the ongoing feminist witch hunts in the gaming industry. Project Moon isn't union to my knowledge, but he's noted that he's taken on nonunion companies such as Netmarble (largest mobile game dev in South Korea) by getting the issue in front of the National Assembly (Korea's congress).

Articles on the incident published in The Daily Labor News, Korean Daily, multiple articles on Hankyoreh (one of which made it to the print edition), and other news outlets.

Segments about the termination on the MBN 7 o' clock news and MBC's morning news

Comments by Youth Union leaders about looking into a loan made to Project Moon via Devsisters Ventures, a venture capital firm. Tax money from Gyeonggi province was invested in Devsisters in 2017, and in 2021, Devsisters gave money to Project Moon. The Gyeonggi Youth Union is asking why hard-earned tax money was indirectly given to a company who violates ESG (environmental, social and governance) principles.

Almost nonstop signage truck protests outside Project Moon's physical office during business hours until 8/22 or the company makes a statement. This occurs alongside a coordinated hashtag campaign to get the issue trending on Twitter in Korea. The signage campaign was crowd-funded in about 3 hours.

A full boycott of the Limbus Company app, on both mobile and PC (steam) platforms. Overseas fans are highly encouraged to participate, regardless if whether they're F2P or not. Not opening the app at all is arguably the biggest thing any one person can do to protest the decision, as the app logs the number of accounts that log on daily. For a new gacha such as Limbus, a high number of F2P daily active users, but a small number of paying users is often preferable to having a smaller userbase but more paying users. If the company sees the number of daily users remain stable, they will likely decide to wait out any backlash rather than apologize.

Digging up verified reviews from previous employees regarding the company's poor management practices

Due to the firing, the Leviathan artist has posted about poor working conditions when making the story. As per a bilingual speaker, they were working on a storyboard revision, and thought 'if I ran into the street right now and got hit by a car and died, I wouldn't have to keep working.' They contacted Project Moon because they didn't want their work to be like that, and proposed changes to serialization/reduction in amount of work per picture/to build up a buffer of finished images (they did not have any buffer while working on Leviathan to my knowledge). They were shut out, and had to suck it up and accept the situation.

Hamhampangpang has a 'shrine' section of the restaurant for fans to leave fan-created merch and other items. They also allow the fans to take this merch back if they can prove it's theirs. Fans are now doing just that.

To boost all of the above, a large number of Korean fanartists with thousands of followers have deleted their works and/or converted their accounts from fanart accounts to accounts supporting the protests. Many of them are bilingual, and they're where I got the majority of this information.

[note 1: there's a targeted english-language disinformation campaign by the website that started the hate mob. i have read the artist's tweets with machine translation, and they're talked about in the second hankyoreh article linked above: nowhere does she express any transphobic or similarly awful beliefs. likewise, be wary of any claims that she supported anything whose description makes you raise eyebrows--those claims are likely in reference to megalia, a korean feminist movement. for information on that, i'd recommend the NPR/BBC articles below and this google drive link of english-language scholarly papers on them. for the love of god don't get your information about a feminist movement from guys going on witch hunts for feminists.]

[note 2: i've seen a couple people argue that the firing was for the physical safety of the employees, citing the kyoani incident in japan. as per this korean fan, most fans there strongly do not believe this was the case. we have english-translated transcripts of the meeting between the mob and project moon; the threats the mob was making were to......brand project moon as a feminist company online. yes, really. male korean gamers aren't normal about feminism, and there's been an ongoing witch hunt for feminists in the industry since about 2016, something you see noted in both the labor union statements. both NPR and the BBC this phenomenon to gamergate, and i'd say it's a pretty apt comparison.]

let me know if anything needs correction or if anything should be added.

#project moon #limbus company #obligatory text post tag #that's all i've got for now. highly encourage y'all to not open limbus until they make a statement

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uboat53 · 5 months ago

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You know, there's been a lot of liberal critique of The New York Times and other mainstream outlets lately accusing them of "normalizing" Trump. These outlets have generally responded that, in the interest of covering all sides, they need to publish pieces from a conservative viewpoint that liberal readers disagree with. They're both right and wrong when they say this and, to understand why, I need to explain how they're repeating exactly the same mistakes they made in 2016.

In 2016, you have to remember, Trump took the GOP by storm. The party itself tried to stop him with both the official party apparatus and peripheral apparatus like FOX News doing their best to diminish his support, but none of it worked. Instead, Trump won the primaries despite never winning more than a plurality in any contested state even while he was still opposed by a huge number of Republicans.

Of course, if you read or watched political news outlets in October of 2016 you wouldn't know any of that, because the immediate action of just about every political news outlet to Trump's nomination was to fire all of their conservative commentators who opposed him and hire a bunch of conservative commentators who supported him. By the time the general election debates were happening, you could be forgiven for thinking that all Democrats supported Clinton and all Republicans supported Trump.

(Note: Nothing similar happened on the Democratic side because nearly all liberal commentators already supported Clinton. Sanders' support in the primaries was surprising, but not overwhelming. He tended to win primaries or caucuses that limited turnout in some way to more enthusiastic supporters while Clinton tended to win primaries that were more broad-based and that was reflected in most of the coverage.)

In other words, by removing the many anti-Trump conservative voices from their air/pages, news organizations gave the impression that all Republicans supported Trump, effectively activating partisan loyalties and subtly encouraging Republicans with doubts about Trump to fall in line. This is what we mean by "normalizing."

They're doing the same thing today. They're not publishing articles where they examine the claims of their MAGA columnists (or their liberal ones for that matter!) and they're not publishing articles about the divides that still remain in the Republican Party and the conservative movement generally (Trump was consistently losing 30%-40% of the vote in 2024 even after it became clear he was going to win), they're just publishing articles arguing for/against Harris and Trump with no deeper analysis whatsoever.

This is why liberals are correct that mainstream political news organizations, even those like The New York Times which are often seen a liberal, are complicit in "normalizing" Trump. These outlets are correct that they need to cover conservative points of view which their liberal readers may find uncomfortable, but they don't have to present them as "the one true conservative" point of view.

By presenting Trump as if he represents all of conservatism rather than just the MAGA faction of conservatism which is staunchly opposed by more traditional conservative factions, these media organizations have fed fuel into a narrative us "us vs. them" which has done as much or more than partisan media to build the partisan polarization of this country.

#politics #us politics #news media #mainstream media #trump

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unsolicited-opinions · 1 month ago

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Have you followed the campus Hamasniks on a "Hunger Strike for Gaza"?

At Stanford, they demand that the University meets with them to discuss their demands...or they'll get sorta' lightheaded and cranky...! I mean...imagine threatening to make yourself slightly uncomfortable unless someone else gives in to your demands for attention. Nothing says "moral urgency" like a hunger strike you can end whenever you get peckish, amirite? It's barely a step up from a toddler who threatens to hold his breath until he gets a cookie, and it's ridiculous.

Stanford administration's response to their demands is professional, clear, and appropriate:

Dear students, I am writing in response to your May 10 communication regarding your plan to begin a hunger strike. The university does not intend to negotiate in response to your demands. We respect the rights of students to express their views in ways within the limits of our time, place, and manner of rules. At the same time, we urge students to consider forms of expression that do not jeopardize their health and well-being. If you do continue with your hunger strike, we strongly encourage you to take precautions to support your health. The resources of Vaden Health Services and Student Affairs will be available to you in this regard. Sincerely, Michele Rasmussen Vice Provost for Student Affairs Stanford University

You'd think that'd be where it ends, right? That Stanford students, studying as they are at an elite university, would understand that they have absolutely no leverage whatsoever.

You'd THINK that, but the folks at Stanford SJP are a special kind of stupid. They've managed to cram their heads so far up their asses that their small intestines vibrate when they try to pronounce "Gaza" as if they speak Arabic. (Do you think the same people, after returning from their semester abroad in the capital city of France, insist on calling that city "PAIR-REE"?)

This is real, not satire. Ready?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Stanford Students for Justice in Palestine (@stanfordsjp)

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I know what kinds of things I wrote when I was an undergrad. A lot of it was, in hindsight, ignorant and cringe.

But man, even I wasn't as ever as stupid as these children. "You’ve forced us to take this tactic"

Nobody forced you to perform not-eating for social media.

"You are responsible for the health and safety of these Stanford strikers"

WILD. Stanford didn’t ask you to starve. In fact, they asked you not to. The strikers literally wrote their own threat, carried it out on themselves, and blamed someone else for it. (Wow, they really do understand Hamas-style reasoning and propaganda methods.) Not eating is your plan, children - but sure, blame the school when you get dizzy trying to topple Israel with vibes.

"The only form of expression you respect is silence"

They’re literally reading their protest statement on video, on campus, after months of rallies, with media coverage. No one has silenced them - they just didn’t get what they wanted....and these privileged children hate when they don't get what they want!

You are responsible for our health!

Stanford Administration: Okay. Here's Health Services and a sandwich. Protesters: How DARE you!!!

"We do not take this lightly"

Even when it is juice cleanse week (not to be confused with Jew cleanse week)? Not when school is almost out and you need a beach-ready bod?

"We will answer on Stanford’s behalf"

So...you're fasting...on behalf of a private university...and calling it "liberation?"

"We will escalate!"

To what, exactly?

"We’ve tried everything: rallies, proposals, noise, now this."

Have you tried reading history? Exploring multiple sides of the issue? Learning facts on the ground? Listening to protesters inside Gaza? Reading Hamza Howidy, John Aziz, or Ihab Hasan? Checking to see what Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates think? Listening respectfully to intelligent people with whom you disagree? No? Just vibes, white savior horseshit, and victim cosplay?

[Shrug] You do you, fam.

We’ve done everything we can!

Except making a rational point, learning history, or suggesting a policy beyond WE BIG MAD.

Our fate is in your hands!

Your blood sugar is your responsibility and Stanford offered you snacks.

Protesters: We demand to get what we want! If you don't give it to us, we’ll sit in the grass and get faint until you feel bad! Stanford: ...okay...?

They're not just ignorant and wrong. They're idiots.

#jumblr #israel #leftist antisemitism #i/p #Campus Hamasniks #stanford university #Instagram

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wandascosmic · 10 months ago

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get your humor like i do (3)

wanda maximoff x fem!reader

part three of 'you belong with me' series

summary: basically a wanda series inspired by jim and pam from the office

word count: 2871

tags: best friends to lovers, reader being completely in love with wanda, wanda's an oblivious best friend, i might mean oblivious to her own feelings as well but who knows, both of them being complete dorks, reader messing with sam with wanda as her pranking accomplice

part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4 part 5 part 6 part 7 part 8 part 9

“Last night, on trading spouses,” you told Wanda enthusiastically, leaning over her desk on your elbows.

“Uh huh,” Wanda nods, chewing on the end of her pen as she listens to your story with a smile.

“There was- oh, wait, have you seen it?” a look of realization comes across your face.

“No, actually, I have a life,” Wanda jokingly responds.

You laugh, “Interesting,” you played along, “What’s that like?”

“Fun, you should try it sometime,” Wanda quips back.

“Wow,” you said thoughtfully, staring off with a wistful look in your eye. “But then who would watch my TV?” you remark.

Wanda laughed agreeingly as she looked up at you from her chair.

“That’s sort of like a win-lose-” you continue until Tony’s voice interrupted your sentence.

“Y/N, can I see you for a minute please?”

Giving your favorite receptionist an apologetic look, you nod before following your boss into his office.

Wanda frowns slightly, sighing as she picks up her phone and gets back to work.

***

“I need you to help me decide on which healthcare plan the office should be on, then explain it to the rest of the office,” Tony says to you as you sit across from him at his desk, handing you the large stack of papers with the various healthcare plan options.

You nod slightly, “Wow, this is a great offer,” you point out, truthfully not believing your lie for a second.

“I’m glad you see it that way,” Tony replies with disinterest.

“But Tony, I really think I should be concentrating on sales,” you told him, holding back a smile at your plan. “I just don’t think this is a task that I’m well-equipped for, but I do know someone who is.”

“Wow, who’s that?” Tony answers monotonely.

“I think Sam would be great for this. You know, he’s smart, hardworking-” you sell your idea.

“Sure, yeah, whatever, go get him then,” Tony cuts you off.

You nod in agreement, smiling as you walk out of Tony’s office.

Sam was such a sucker.

***

“You did it again,” Wanda remarks, seeing Sam sitting in Tony’s office through the window, excitedly taking the papers Tony handed him.

“I did,” you admit, smiling at her as you're back at her desk once more.

“I can’t believe that actually works every time,” she says with a laugh.

You shrug. “Sam’s such a suckup that he’ll do anything to get on Tony’s good side. So, naturally, in his good nature he should be glad to do any task Tony gives him. Even the ones he gave to me first,” you say smugly, popping a candy from the dish at her desk into your mouth.

“You’re quite devious,” Wanda teases.

“All in a day’s work, Maximoff,” you reply with a grin.

***

Sam has fucked up awfully. You suppose it's no surprise since Sam has a limited understanding of natural human needs, however, his healthcare plan is basically as cheap as a gas station slushie. Everyone in the office is completely outraged.

You and Wanda have decided to attempt to convince Sam to fix his plan, as the health care coverage he’s chosen is basically second to none.

“Sam,” Wanda says as she opens the door to the conference room with you following behind her with your hands in your pockets.

“Wanda, haven’t you ever heard of knocking?! This is an office,” Sam says exasperated from the table he’s sitting at with papers scattered all over as you and Wanda stop to stand in front of him.

“It says workspace,” you point out, nudging your head toward the sign on the door, knowing Sam had argued toward the title of office, but Tony had told him no.

“Same thing,” Sam argues, reading over the papers.

“If it’s the same thing, then why did you write ‘workspace’?” you ask with curiosity.

“Just knock, Y/N,” Sam says frustrated. “It’s a sign of respect, and as your superior, I deserve that respect.”

“You’re not my superior,” you retort.

“Ok, well, then why do I have an office?”

You tilt your head slightly. “I thought it was a workspace, Sam?”

“Okay!” Wanda interrupts, putting a hand on your shoulder. “Sam, are you really in charge of picking the healthcare plan?” she asks the worker in front of her, crossing her arms over her button-up shirt.

“Yes, and my decision is final,” he responds with assertiveness.

“This is a ridiculously awful plan, Sam, you cut everything,” Wanda explains to him, her worry increasing at the fact that it might as well be considered as having basically no health care coverage whatsoever. You rub your hand slightly across her back, noticing the slight furrow in her brows indicating the fact that she’s worried.

Sam pouts in fake pity, ignoring the scene in front of him. “Well, times are tough, Wanda. Might as well get used to it.”

You narrow your eyes, his dig at Wanda irritating you slightly. “You cut more than you had to, didn’t you?” you cut in, knowing Sam’s lack of sympathy for anything related to the human race.

“Sure,” Sam shrugs without care.

“Well, why did you do that?” you ask, not understanding why he wouldn’t want health care coverage for himself as well. “You work here, Sam, don’t you want good insurance?”

Sam scoffs. “I don’t need it, Y/N,” he says obviously. “I’ve never been sick. I have a perfect immune system.”

You and Wanda look at each other in uncertainty. “Okay, well if you’ve never been sick, then you don’t have any antibodies,” you explain to him.

“I don’t need them. I have superior genes, I’m a Wilson. And on top of that, I have superior brain power. With extreme concentration, I can raise and lower my cholesterol at will,” he argues.

“Why would you want to raise your cholesterol?” Wanda asks, looking at Sam warily.

“So I can lower it, obviously.”

***

“Everyone, gather around,” Sam announces, stepping out of the conference room, looking frustrated.

You swivel around in your chair to face him, ready for whatever irritating thing will come out of his mouth this time.

“It has been brought to my attention that some of you are unhappy with my plan,” he says, his annoyance seeping through. “So what I’d like you all to do, is to fill out this form and write down any diseases you might be suffering from that you would like covered, and I’ll see what I can do, since you people are weak enough to get sick.”

You raise your hand, a clear issue in his plan sticking out to you. “Sam,” you cut in, and he looks at you irritated. “Well, we can’t write down our diseases for you because that’s confidential.”

Sam rolls his eyes. “Okay, well, I didn’t say to write your name down, did I?” he answers sarcastically. “You can fill it out, and leave it anonymous. Or, don’t write down any disease at all, and it won’t be covered. “Sam slams the forms on the shelf next to the wall. “Alright, I’ll be in my office.” He retreats back into the conference room.

“Workspace,” you remind him.

Sam slams the door closed.

***

You stand at Wanda’s desk, the two of you filling out your forms together in silence.

Looking over at Wanda, you notice her biting back a smile as she fills out her form.

“Wait, what are you writing?” you ask with curiosity.

She looks up at you with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Don’t write ‘Ebola’, or ‘mad cow disease’,” you tell her, her smile faltering slightly. “‘Cause I’m suffering from both of them,” you grin, showing her your paper.

Wanda laughs. “I’m inventing new diseases,” she reveals.

“Oh, great,” you lean further over her desk, intrigued.

“So, like, let’s say my teeth turn to liquid,” she describes. “And then, they drip down the back of my throat, what would you call that?”

“I thought you said you were inventing new diseases, Maximoff,” you wave your hand in an obvious gesture. “That’s spontaneous dento-hydroplosion,” you describe with a smile.

Wanda looks at you, impressed. “Nice,” she states.

“Thank you,” you respond, smiling as you watch her write down the fake disease excitedly.

***

“Y/N!” Sam growls from the conference room, rushing out the door. “All right, who did this?” he yells, holding up the forms.

“What are you talking about?” you ask with a tilt of your head, still standing at Wanda’s desk.

“Someone here forged medical information, and that is a felony,” Sam accuses, narrowing his eyes at every one of the office staff. .

“Whoa, that’s a pretty serious accusation there, Sam,” you warn, holding up both your hands in fake surrender. “How do you know that they’re fake?” you ask him.

“It’s obvious, Y/N,” Sam retorts. Reading out the diseases, he lists, “These hysterical diseases like, flesh-eating bacteria.” You snort. “Hot dog fingers.”

“Wow, that sounds awful,” you whisper quietly to Wanda who snickers at your dig.

“And my least favorite,” Sam reads out. “Government-created killer nano-robot infection.”

Wanda looks up at you cheekily, and you widen your eyes, impressed.

“You did this, didn’t you?” Sam accuses you, as you turn back around, narrowing his eyes.

“Absolutely not,” you answer calmly.

“Yes, you did.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“I know it was you,” Sam argues. “Okay, you know what,” Sam says frustrated. “I’m going to have to interview each and every one of you until the perpetrator makes him or herself known. And until then,” he pauses. “There will be absolutely no healthcare coverage for anyone!” Sam yells out, retreating back into his workspace and slamming down the papers in anger.

Holding in your smile, you ask, “Killer nano-robots?” you inquire to the receptionist in front of you.

“It’s an epidemic,” Wanda shrugs with a playful glint in her eyes, smiling at you.

You shake your head in amusement.

***

“The problem, Y/N,” Sam starts.

“Mhm,” you acknowledge, sitting across from him in the conference room.

“Is that the people who are really suffering from a medical condition won’t receive the care they need, because someone in this office is coming up with all this ridiculous stuff.” He picks up a form.

You listen with fake intrigue.

“For example, Count Choculitis,” he reads out.

You whistle. “Sounds tough.”

“Why did you write that down, Y/N? Is it because you know I love Count Chocula?” he says with seriousness.

“Do you?” you ask.

“I think you need to confess,” he explains.

“Mhm,” you nod, standing up out of your chair.

“The fact-”

“Yup.” You grab his keys from his desk.

“What are you doing?” he asks in confusion.

“What?” you ask, as you open the door and walk out.

“Those are my keys, Y/N,” he tells you, slowly standing up out of his chair.

“Good luck,” you tell him, starting to close the door on him.

“Y/N!” he sprints after you, the door closing before he can stop it from closing. “Damn it!” he slams his palms on the door window in frustration.

Locking the door completely, you hold the keys by their key ring to taunt him, then smile as you throw them behind your back where they land across the room.

“Let me out!” he bangs on the door.

“No, I don’t think I will,” you retort, plopping yourself down at your desk as you can’t stop the shit-eating grin on your face.

***

You smirk as your phone starts to ring.

“Y/N L/N,” you say mockingly as you answer.

“Let me out,” Sam says immediately through the phone.

“Who is this?” you reply, swiveling around in your chair to face him as he glares daggers at you.

“Let me out or you’re fired,” he fights back.

“No, you can’t fire me,” you say as you turn back around, putting your feet up on the desk.

“Yes, I can, I’m the manager for the day,” he retorts.

“Mhm,” you nod, not believing him for a second.

“Clean out your desk,” he continues.

“Ok.”you reply, when suddenly, your phone rings again. “Can you hold on one second?” you tell Sam as if you’re speaking to a customer. “I’m getting a, uh, beep.”

“No, don’t you dare put me on hold!” Sam shouts.

You ignore him, answering the incoming call. “Y/N L/N,” you introduce.

“Hey, Y/N, it’s Wanda,” you hear the smile in her voice.

“Hey, Wanda!” you say enthusiastically, “How are ya?” Wanda playing pranks with you was a long-time tradition in your friendship, and it was something you treasured very close to your heart. Plus, it made you fall in love with her even more every time.

Sam bangs on the door, interrupting your train of thought. “For god’s sake, Y/N, open the door!” he shouts from the conference room.

You ignore him, continuing your conversation with Wanda.

“I’m doing good, how are you?” Wanda answers, watching you with a grin on her face. Playing pranks with you was probably one of her favorite things in the world.

“I’m doing ok,” you respond through the phone. “Getting excited for the weekend though.”

“Yeah, same, oh, I’m not bothering you, am I?” Wanda asks, biting her fist to hold in her laughter.

“No, not at all!” You reassure, turning your chair to look over at Wanda as she looks back at you with her glistening smile.

“No? You don’t have anything you’re doing?” she says mischievously.

“I have absolutely nothing to do,” you shake your head.

“Y/N! Sam yells from the conference room, banging on the door once more.

“Yeah, no, this weekend, I’ve got nothing,” Wanda says on the phone with you. “I’m not really doing anything.”

“Y/N!” Sam shouts again. “Stop flirting with Wanda and let me out!”

“Might go to the mall,” Wanda continues.

“The mall,” you repeat.

“I need new shoes,” she tells you.

“Oh, interesting, what kind of shoes?”

Wanda finally breaks as she laughs.

You smile, wanting to mess with Sam a bit more both for your entertainment and Wanda’s, you hold up your eraser to show her and she nods as she knows what you’re about to do. Turning around, you show Sam the eraser as well, then throw it directly at the window where he’s standing with fury in his eyes.

“I tried being rational!” Sam shouts at you.

***

“Tony, why did you leave Sam in charge of the healthcare plan?” Nat asks Tony, as he steps out of his office, the rest of the workers surrounding their boss in a circle.

“What did he do?” Tony asks disinterestedly, reading over the magazine in his hands. .

“His plan is awful, it’s basically a pay decrease,” Bruce explains to him.

Seeing Sam walk out of his workspace as he finally unlocks the conference room door after trying to pick it for an hour, the workers start to shout at hiim in frustration.

“Sam, what did you do?” Tony interrupts. “Didn’t you raise benefits?”

“I most certainly did not,” Sam retorts, crossing his arms and glaring back at everyone who looks at him in anger.

Tony sighs, exasperated. “I should’ve never let you do this,” he puts his head in his hand. “Alright, everyone, go home, it’s after 5, I’ll call corporate and have this fixed by the end of tomorrow.”

The workers mutter their distaste for the awful day they’ve had, starting to scatter and pack up their things.

“This isn’t over,” Sam tells you as you and him both pack up your things at your desks.

“Can’t wait, Sam,” you smirk at him as he scoffs back, bumping into your shoulder as he starts to walk out with his briefcase in his hand.

***

After packing your messenger bag, you run up to Wanda’s desk, drumming your fingers on the ledge as you ask her if she would like to walk out with you.

“Sorry, Y/N,” Wanda apologizes. “Vision’s on his way up now to pick me up so we can leave together.”

“Oh, okay, no problem,” you assure, your heart slightly deflating as you hear about her fiance once more.

“Thanks,” Wanda smiles.

“Yeah, you too,” you respond. “Hey, uh, that was great, how you helped me out with messing with Sam.”

Wanda laughs. “Yeah, that was fun. You really got him today, it was awesome.”

“Well, I couldn’t have done it without you,” you tell her with a soft smile.

Wanda looks at you with affection, and you stare back at her, admiring the infinite green swirls in her eyes.

Clearing your throat you say, “So, um, I should probably head out.” You point to the door behind you.

“Oh, yeah,” Wanda nods with realization. “Have a good night, Y/N.”

“You too, Maximoff,” you bid her goodbye with a wave.

Closing the door behind you as you step out of the office, you sigh at the day you’ve had, chuckling slightly at how you messed with Sam.

As you descend the flight of stairs to walk out to your car, a small smile makes its way across your face at the thought of a certain green-eyed brunette who always managed to brighten your day with just a simple look.

part 4

#wanda maximoff x reader #wanda x reader #wanda maximoff #wanda maximoff angst #wanda maximoff fanfiction #wandamaximoff #wanda maximoff fluff #marvel mcu #mcu #wanda x you #wanda x y/n #wanda marvel

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literaryvein-reblogs · 2 months ago

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Writing Notes: Cold Case

Cold Case - a crime that investigators have not legally resolved.

Solving crimes requires clear witnesses, suspects, and evidence; without these factors, cases can become cold.

These cases can baffle police departments and thwart law enforcement agencies like the FBI.

Investigations that go on for more than a year without resolution can have a disastrous effect on the family members of a victim in an unsolved murder, sexual assault, or missing persons case.

Characteristics of Cold Cases

Cold cases are difficult to crack because they inherently involve some element of mystery and the passage of time.

Mystery: Cold cases might include violent crimes, where someone ensures evidence is hard to find, or serial killers who change their location and become a threat to public safety. Unidentified people, who may not have IDs or other easy ways to distinguish them, might also be cold-case perpetrators.

Time: Long periods between new evidence are also characteristic of cold cases. This is especially true of crimes committed years and decades ago that did not have the benefit of advanced technology to more easily identify a sex offender or locate an original suspect. In unsolved homicides and other crimes, victims’ families may request case reviews to check on investigative progress, and the reality is some cold cases are never solved.

Because of systemic inequities, cold cases about the disappearance and murder of white people, particularly white women, receive greater attention and news coverage than crimes against people of color.

Examples of Cold Cases

Detectives can solve cold cases through investigation, sound testimony, and helpful evidence. Consider these examples of unresolved cold cases and solved ones:

The disappearance of Shaun Ritchie: Ritchie disappeared in 2014 at age twenty, and witnesses last saw Ritchie in the Strichen area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland. His family believes someone murdered him over a debt, but the case remains unsolved.

The kidnapping of Tanya Nicole Kach: Eighth-grade student Tanya Nicole Kach went missing for ten years after a school security guard kidnapped her. The guard held her in his second-story bedroom, and she escaped after ten years. The guard, Thomas Hose, then pleaded guilty in 2007.

The murder of Morgan Harrington: Harrington, a twenty-year-old college student at Virginia Tech, disappeared at a Metallica concert in 2009. Police found her murdered six months later. Years later, forensic evidence and CCTV footage identified the culprit as Jesse L. Matthew, Jr., who also murdered University of Virginia student Hannah Graham, in 2014. Matthew pleaded guilty in 2016, closing the case.

Criminal investigations involving homicide, and sexual assault in certain states, are not subject to a statute of limitations and can take as long as necessary.

Cold case squads will seek new evidence (human remains, fingerprints, crime scene eyewitnesses, camera footage) to reopen case files.

Cold case units also rely on forensic science to better understand older cases and original investigations.

Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

#cold case #crime #writeblr #writing reference #literature #dark academia #writers on tumblr #spilled ink #writing prompt #creative writing #light academia #writing ideas #writing inspiration #writing resources

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detailtilted · 24 days ago

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New Enhanced Edition - Fangoria 2008 with Jared

youtube

Direct link to video. Link to YouTube channel. (23 videos available.)

My latest video is up. This was at Fangoria in Austin, TX in January 2008.

Footage Found/Recovered

My video is a little over 42 minutes long. There's uninterrupted coverage from the beginning of the panel up until 39.5 minutes in. After that, there are two gaps of unknown length that I couldn't fill.

Jewels667 on YouTube had 38 minutes' worth of great coverage for this event, but the videos had become private. (In 2021, YouTube automatically changed unlisted videos to private, so that might be what happened here.) I was able to make contact and they kindly made the videos public again, and granted me permission to use them for this project. I used 20.5 minutes' worth of their video and 31.5 minutes' worth of their audio. They had 3 minutes and 46 seconds of coverage that none of the other videos had and some of the better-quality audio. The videos have thousands of views, so a lot of you may have seen them before, but they were new to me and I was very excited about them.

@j2spntranscripts, who has incredible video-finding skills, also found two videos with 21 minutes' worth of coverage on DailyMotion that I hadn't run across myself. I didn't use a lot of content from them, but I did use a few minutes and it was very helpful to have another audio source to listen to when refining my subtitles. You can find the links on the aforementioned blog, or in the credits on my video description.

Audio

Jared called on fans in the audience to ask questions, and they didn't have mics, so they're usually very hard to hear. I determined which video source picked up the fan question the most clearly and included that in the audio. If it wasn't clearly audible in its original form, I increased the volume drastically and added some background noise suppression tools to try to make it as clear as possible. It helps a little, but there are still some fans who are nearly impossible to make out. You'll notice more audio fluctuations in this video than usual (mostly just when the fans are speaking) due to my sometimes-drastic audio manipulations to try to hear the fans.

What's Next?

I'm moving on to the Los Angeles convention from March 2008 next! While searching for more videos from this convention, I learned through an old post on LiveJournal that a fan going by the name of Candygramme had recorded some great videos from this event that aren't on YouTube. I was able to make contact and she generously sent me everything she had, so I'm excited to share them. The biggest treasure is the full video of the main J2 panel. She also caught about half of Jensen's solo panel and 4.5 minutes of the Breakfast. Her video quality was much better than the other videos I've found from this con.

For the parts of the panels not covered by her videos, the video quality will be very low and I expect there to be some large and frustrating gaps in Jared's solo panel. But the existing YouTube coverage of this con is limited and pretty difficult to watch, so I'm excited to put together something more coherent than what we have today, and I'm especially excited about the footage from Candygramme that newer fans have likely not seen.

Before/After Comparison Photos

The Fangoria videos didn't upscale, and the original colors weren't too bad, so you won't see a big improvement in video quality on this one.

A recap for anyone not familiar with this project…

In December 2023, I started a project to enhance old convention videos. The project is mostly focused on Jared and Jensen, but there will occasionally be videos with other actors. I'm upscaling the videos and making other visual improvements, adding extra content to clarify various references, and adding human-generated, color-coded subtitles so you can better understand the sometimes-chaotic audio. The subtitles can be auto-translated to other languages via YouTube.

My goal is to publish the best, most complete, and most watchable versions of these older convention panels yet seen, but this is only possible thanks to the fans who captured the footage in the first place and were generous enough to share it with other fans. My video descriptions on YouTube will always credit my sources.

If you have any old convention videos you'd be willing to contribute to this project, please message me! I can also be reached at [email protected]. If I can get them to upscale (I can't always), I'd happily send the upscaled files back to you for your own collection whether I use them or not.

#jared padalecki #fangoria #fangoria 2008 #enhanced edition con video #spn family #spn #supernatural #supernatural convention #Youtube

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wardensantoineandevka · 1 year ago

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With all of the new CritRole stuff coming out, like Re-Slayer's Take and etc etc, I do wanna say: if you really enjoy the coverage at Encyclopedia Exandria, the Critical Role wiki at Miraheze, please, please, please know that the regular volunteer pool at the wiki is literally like twelve people. Our resources are so limited, and as the scope of Critical Role Productions increases, so too does our scope as a wiki.

I can say as an admin (though please know that this post is in my capacity as an individual, and not an official wiki correspondence), we're currently thinking of ways to make onboarding simpler and learning the more esoteric elements of editing easier, but please do understand that there aren't "qualifications" to edit. It's an open wiki, and if you want to make updates, we welcome any and all good faith editors.

If you're uncertain about something, you can state what help you need in the edit summary. If you don't know how to format references, just add them in whatever format you know how, and someone will come re-format it eventually. If you don't know how to do proper wiki formatting, don't worry about it, someone will eventually wikify your addition. If it's a small thing, it's very appreciated, even the small stuff is important. If it's just typo fixing and clarity fixes, we very much value editors who are focused on that as well. If you want to propose an edit but aren't sure how to do it, you can post to the talk pages that every article has.

If you are interested in editing, but don't know how? Just do what you can, someone else will come help you (especially if you indicate in an edit summary that you need some extra help). It's an iterative process, so don't worry about trying to be immediately perfect. It's always a work in progress, so don't worry about trying to be immediately complete. It's a collaborative process, you are not doing it alone, and we need the help.

But, genuinely, if you have ever thought about editing or contributing to Encyclopedia Exandria, even in a small capacity. We always need more editors because our existing pool is very small.

#Critical Role things #Critical Role

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mush-dooms · 9 months ago

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MISSOURI VOTERS!!!

ABORTION RIGHTS ARE OFFICIALLY ON THE MO BALLOT THIS NOVEMBER 5

I know tumblr dot com doesn't give a shit about rural, deep red states, but this is HUGE. Missouri has one of the most restrictive abortion bans in the US, allowing exceptions only "to save the pregnant person's life" or "to prevent serious risk to the pregnant person's physical health," and even these have stipulations requiring a mandatory 72-hour waiting period and counseling, parental consent for minors, as well as banning Medicare and insurance from providing abortion coverage

WE CAN CHANGE THIS

Ammendment 3 would change the Missouri constitution, effectively reestablishing reproductive freedom. More specifically, this includes "the right to make and carry out decisions about all matters relating to reproductive health care, including but not limited to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion care, miscarriage care, and respectful birthing conditions."

Ammendment 3 also only allows for future legislation restricting abortion access after fetal viability. While this is less than ideal, you have to understand that this is Missouri we're talking about, a state where Trump won in 2020 by a 15% margin. Republicans have already tried (and failed!!!) to have Ammendment 3 removed from the ballot-- they're scared, but we HAVE TO SHOW UP.

A "Yes" vote on Ammendment 3 is in favor of amending the MO constitution and restoring the right to choose what happens to OUR bodies.

WE HAVE A CHANCE TO FIX THINGS

- - - - -

Voter Resources:

October 9 is the deadline to register to vote, and you can do so here: https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/register

Find a polling place: https://voteroutreach.sos.mo.gov/portal

Online: https://www.vote.org/absentee-ballot/missouri/

By Mail: https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/goVoteMissouri/howtovote

Confirm your registration status: https://voteroutreach.sos.mo.gov/portal/

Accepted Forms of Voter ID (required in MO): https://www.sos.mo.gov/voterid

REBLOG TO SPREAD AWARENESS

#us politics #politics #pro choice #abortion #2024 elections #missouri #vote blue #vote democrat #vote harris #vote kamala #vote #feminism #right to choose #harris walz 2024 #harris walz #signal boost

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felassan · 7 months ago

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This post is a collection assorted DA:TV info/news snippets. it's under a cut due to there being some spoilers in places.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is reportedly currently $20 off on Xbox or PlayStation on disc, at QVC through November 30th (on purchases of over $40). [source and details]

This article also describes another way to use a discount for the game [source and details]

Metacritic gave a statement to Eurogamer about DA:TV review-bombing -

"In a statement to Eurogamer acknowledging the backlash to Dragon Age: The Veilguard on its site, a spokesperson for Metacritic parent company Fandom said its site was a "place of belonging for all fans". "We take online trust and safety very seriously across all our sites including Metacritic," the spokesperson said. "Metacritic has a moderation system in place to track violations of our terms of use. Our team reviews each and every report of abuse (including but not limited to racist, sexist, homophobic, insults to other users, etc) and if violations occur, the reviews are removed."" [source]

DA:TV contains a reference to Elden Ring [source and details]

Apparently players have discovered in DA:TV an infinite money exploit [source and details]

The BioWare Gear store looks to have restocked the BGS-exclusive variant of the DA:TV art book [link]

Solas & Varric's inaudible conversation from the prologue was decoded by ThedasWolves [source, via] -

Varric: "So how is this time gonna work out for the better? Can you tell me that?" Solas: "I understand your hesitance, but what I do now must be done. Despite it being past your comprehension." Varric: "I'm not saying you're evil, but if you truly believed what you were doing you'd be able to give me a straight answer." Solas: "You would rather cast aspersions than admit that this is mine to solve!" Varric: "C'mon Chuckles, who are you trying to convince here? Me, or yourself?"

DA:TV is reportedly EA's most successful singleplayer game on Steam, overtaking Star Wars Jedi Survivor and Mass Effect Legendary Edition in terms of all-time peak of concurrent players and at one point knocking Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 off the top as current top seller on the platform [source].

Larian's Swen Vincke downloaded DA:TV [source]

Coverage notes that DA:TV is a smooth-performing release in terms of the technical side of things [source]

DA:TV contains a heartfelt memorial tribute in honor of late BioWare developer Bruno Hayne: [link]

#dragon age: the veilguard #dragon age: the veilguard spoilers #dragon age: dreadwolf #dragon age 4 #the dread wolf rises #da4 #dragon age #bioware #solas #video games #long post #longpost #mass effect #finally safe to look through social media and news headlines

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yeoosaangg · 2 years ago

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៹ LOVE ME HARDER || KINKTOBER — DAY 30

➛ PAIRING:: CHOI YEONJUN × FEM!READER × CHOI BEOMGYU

➛ NOW PLAYING:: LOVE ME HARDER — ARIANA GRANDE, THE WEEKND

⤷ ❝IF YOU KNOW ABOUT ME AND CHOOSE TO STAY, THEN TAKE THIS PLEASURE AND TAKE IT WITH THE PAIN.❞

➛ GENRE:: NON-IDOL!AU, SMUT

➛ WARNINGS:: BONDAGE, BREEDING KINK, DADDY KINK, DUMBIFICATION, FINGERING, FREE USE, GAGGING, PRAISE, SPANKING, THROAT FUCKING, VOYEURISM

── ⋆ ⋆ ── 𔘓 ── ⋆ ⋆ ──

You are a young reporter that was assigned to do a story on bondage and BDSM, so you've agreed to be a bondage slave for a week to see what it's really like.

So far, you've read and signed three different contracts: one for consent, another for safety, and a third listing different kinks that you've modified to your liking.

Yeonjun: Before we start, I have some things to go over with you.

Beomgyu: Me too.

You smile at both men, thinking they look great together. There's so much love between them, it makes you wonder why they accepted the offer.

Yeonjun: I'll be giving you a rundown of the seven days you'll be living here and what to expect to avoid accidentally triggering you.

That's very considerate of him.

Beomgyu: But before that, I wanted you to know that it's been a while since I've let my dominant side take over. I may take it too far, so I want to let you know in advance that using the safety cues we've established is very much encouraged.

You nod slowly, registering the information in your head. You can tell he's genuine and truly does not want to scare or hurt you at all.

Beomgyu: I've been with Yeonjun for a long time, but he's a true dom while I'm a switch. It's difficult to navigate around it because there are days where I'm feeling particularly dominant myself but have no way to release it.

Yeonjun: It's true. Those days it's hard to figure out if he's just resisting to be a bratty sub or if he's just not feeling particularly submissive.

Beomgyu: Those days I have to call out the safe word so he knows not to push me. So when we saw your advertisement online, we thought it'd be a step in figuring out if a polyamorous relationship is what's needed.

That's a lot to take in, but it at least gives you insight to why they accepted this arrangement.

You hope one day they'll be able to establish a system that coincides with their needs. This makes good coverage for your article as well.

Yeonjun: Monday will be your trial run. You'll get to sit back and watch how Beomgyu and I navigate our relationship with each other. This is the only day we won't be sexual with you.

Sounds fair.

Yeonjun: The two days following, you'll be splitting chores and wearing matching clothes with Beomgyu. This is when I get to play with both of you sexually. But it'll start off lightly as to not push your limits.

You nod.

You read the contracts and it was clear they did, too. You trust them to treat you well.

Beomgyu: The following three days, you'll be my personal human fuckdoll. I get to dress you, feed you, and bathe you - basically take care of you as I wish whether it's sexual or not. Yeonjun will not be joining us until the very last day.

Wow, okay.

The room was suddenly getting hot.

Yeonjun: And for your last day, we'll both be fucking you. You will be ours to use however we see fit. This will possibly be the most extreme we'll be, so make sure to remember you have options to opt out.

Y/n: I understand.

Yeonjun: Great. We've already got your room situated. It's late, so we'll let you get some sleep.

Y/n: Thank you.

You stand up and bow before heading upstairs to the guest room. Your name was written on a white board, which hangs off a hook.

You have to remind yourself that this is for your job, nothing more.

Monday:

Beomgyu knocks on your door at 7AM on the dot. You were already showered and dressed in the clothes labeled for the day.

They definitely prepared everything in advance, which must've taken a lot of work.

Beomgyu: Good morning, Miss Y/n.

He giggles as he shows off his pink dress.

He had his hair in pigtails with pick ribbon wrapped around the band.

He looks adorable.

Y/n: You look pretty, Beomgyu.

Beomgyu: Thank you, Miss Y/n. And please, call me Beomie.

You nod while smiling.

Y/n: Well, Beomie, let's go eat breakfast.

He intertwines your hands together and walks with you down the stairs.

You both are greeted with the smell of pancakes and a shirtless Yeonjun. He was wearing grey sweats and an apron.

Yeonjun: Good morning, Y/n. I see my princess has grown attached to you already.

Beomgyu: Miss Y/n called me pretty.

Yeonjun: And she's right. Come give Daddy a kiss.

Beomgyu skips to his boyfriend and gives him a deep kiss, bodies pressed up against each other.

Yeonjun: Sit down with Y/n so she's not lonely.

Breakfast was comfortable to say the least. They included you in the conversation and kept you entertained until Yeonjun inevitably left for work.

You spent the next few hours watching Beomgyu clean the house and do the laundry. He did everything with a smile on his face, almost like he enjoyed being a housewife.

Beomgyu: Miss Y/n, would you like to watch some movies with me?

Y/n: Of course I would.

He let you choose what to watch and loved every single one.

He got a few texts from Yeonjun, mostly to check up on him.

Beomgyu thought it'd be fun to rile him up, so he asked you to take pictures of him in very provocative poses to send.

And Yeonjun's response got Beomgyu all hot and horny.

He was advised not to touch himself, but that only made the younger want to do it even more. And now that you're here, maybe he won't get as bad of a punishment.

So he spreads his legs open, holding his panties to the side as he works himself open. You only watched and filmed him, sending the videos when he asks.

So when nighttime comes and Yeonjun gets back home, he's got his boyfriend bent over the couch with his cock deep inside him.

This was after a series of intense belt whoopings.

Yeonjun: Such a fucking brat. Think Y/n's gonna stop me from fucking you stupid? Of course not.

You just watch them from the other end of the couch. Beomgyu was bent over the arm rest, dress still on as he gets drilled from behind.

Yeonjun didn't even strip down, work pants open enough for his cock to spring free.

You can see drool falling out of Beomgyu's mouth as Yeonjun slams his hips harder against his ass.

Yeonjun: Look at you, a whimpering mess for my cock. You like the idea of being watched by Y/n, don't you.

Beomgyu nods, looking up at you. This only make his back arch more. Yeonjun's cock hits his prostate, making the younger scream.

Yeonjun: Gonna cum for me, princess?

Beomgyu: Yes, Daddy.

Yeonjun chuckles and reaches around to pump his boyfriend's aching cock until he dirties the couch. He cums deep inside Beomgyu not too long after.

Beomgyu: I love you, Daddy.

Yeonjun: I know, baby. Sorry if I was too rough on you.

Beomgyu: S'Okay. I love when you fuck me like a slut.

They both clean each other up, getting ready for bed. You dismiss yourself and spend the rest of the night masturbating.

All of that riled you up more than you thought possible. You can't wait for what tomorrow will bring.

Tuesday:

Beomgyu once again knocks on your door right on the dot. But this time, both of you were wearing matching blue dresses with blue ribbons in your hair.

Beomgyu: You look pretty, Y/n.

You giggle and give him a spin. A fond smile pulls at his lips.

Y/n: Thank you, Beomie.

Beomgyu once again holds your hand as you walk down the stairs to the kitchen. Yeonjun greets both of you with a kiss on the forehead.

Yeonjun: Good morning, my little doves. I'll be working from home today.

Beomgyu: Really?!

Yeonjun: Yes, my precious baby. That means I get to be with you two all day.

Y/n: Sounds wonderful, Mr. Yeonjun.

You guys sit down and eat the eggs and sausage he's prepared. After finishing, you and Beomgyu wash the dishes; he rinses and you dry.

Halfway through, you feel Yeonjun press up against you from behind. His cock was out, rubbing in between your thighs.

Yeonjun: Look at you, being a good girl and washing the dishes.

Beomgyu giggles next to you. He can see you getting shy and needy.

Yeonjun bends you over the sink just enough so you can still dry the dishes. He pulls your panties to the side so his cock slides up and down your folds.

He slaps your ass, watching it bounce back.

Yeonjun: Want me to fuck you, darling?

You grab the plate from Beomgyu's hands and try your best to dry it. But you just feel so good.

Y/n: Yes, Mr. Yeonjun.

And who is he to deny you?

Yeonjun: Princess, why don't you stop for a second to kiss my darling? I bet you want to drink up all her moans as Daddy pounds into her cunt.

Beomgyu dries his hands before pressing his chest into your side. He pulls your face closer to him and kisses you at the same time Yeonjun shoves his cock inside you.

You moan into Beomgyu's mouth, his tongue exploring every inch of your warm mouth.

Yeonjun pulls your dress underneath your braless tits, squeezing them. He lightly smacks your nipples, moaning against your ear.

Yeonjun: Play with her pussy, baby.

Beomgyu's right hand travels down to your clit, swallowing a whine that slipped out from the back of your throat. The stimulation from both men was sending you over the edge.

Yeonjun: I think she wants to cum, princess. Let me hear her beg.

Beomgyu steps back from you, hand still rubbing your pussy.

Y/n: Can I please cum, Mr. Yeonjun. Feels so good.

Yeonjun: What do you think, Beoms? Does Y/n deserve to cum yet?

Beomgyu: She does, Daddy. She's been good.

Yeonjun: You're right, baby, she has. Go ahead, darling. Cum all over my big dick.

Beomgyu presses his finger against your clit to help you cum while Yeonjun rams his cock along your gummy walls. The knot in your stomach undoes itself, leaking around the thick cock inside you.

Yeonjun pulls out of you and has you fall to your knees in front of him. He pumps his cock a few times before cumming on your tongue.

Yeonjun: Swallow it.

You gulp down everything, showing him a clean mouth.

Yeonjun: Good girl.

You get up and get back to doing the dishes.

Beomgyu easily continues his task while Yeonjun fucks him. This must be a regular occurrence on the days Yeonjun stays home.

Beomgyu walks around with Yeonjun's cum leaking down his legs as you both split the chores. You're on laundry duty while Beomgyu cleans the bathroom.

Yeonjun sits in his office doing paperwork for his company. He honestly doesn't have to be there all the time given that he's the CEO.

Both you and Beomgyu come together to make Yeonjun lunch.

He has you two ride him when the stress gets to him. You both cum on him, leaving him a gasping mess. He still has to finish work, but he wants more of you two.

Yeonjun: Princess, please help Y/n into some rope. I'll meet you downstairs in fifteen minutes. You two better be on your knees when I get down there.

Beomgyu: Yes, Daddy.

Beomgyu grabs your hand and leads you down to their basement.

Y/n: What's downstairs?

Beomgyu: Daddy's Red Room. He built it himself.

You tilt your head, following behind him until your socked feet land on soft material. He switches the light on and the sight shocks you.

It was a BDSM sex dungeon with all sorts of thing.

Beomgyu: What color of rope would you like?

You look at the four options in his hands and decide to keep the theme of the day: blue.

He takes both of your clothes off, his touch lingering on your body as he takes in your fully naked body for the first time.

He can't wait until his turn with you.

He starts wrapping the rope around your body. He obviously knows how to make sure it's tight enough to stay on your body, but loose enough to not cut your blood circulation.

Beomgyu: You look beautiful, Y/n.

You smile shyly, looking away slightly.

He helps you onto the very comfortable bed, sitting you on your knees. You watch him tie some rope around himself, kneeling right next to you.

Yeonjun's footsteps eventually echo down the stairs until he makes it to the bottom.

He takes in the sight of you two pliantly waiting for him. You walks over and pulls Beomgyu into his chest by the ropes.

Yeonjun: Suck my cock.

His boyfriend kneels down, immediately taking his cock and deep throating him.

Yeonjun: Come here, darling.

You walk over to him and gasp when he bends you over Beomgyu's head. His fingers work you open, knuckles deep inside your swollen pussy.

Yeonjun reaches down with the other hand and pushes Beomgyu's head all the way down, tip hitting the back of his throat. You can hear him gag while you squirt on Yeonjun's fingers.

Y/n: Feels so food, Mr. Yeonjun.

He smacks your ass twice before making you stand properly. He cums down Beomgyu's throat, pulling him up by his throat.

Yeonjun: Both of you get on the bed, on all fours.

You two immediately do as he says, backs arched for him to see your holes.

He grabs two different hooks, and brings them down to both of you.

Yeonjun: This might be uncomfortable. Feel free to say the safe word if it's a no-go.

It was an anal hook.

He covers your hole in lube, using his fingers to work you open. He doesn't stop until you're gaping.

Beomgyu watches as his boyfriend slowly inserts the hook, your hole closing in around the end.

Yeonjun: God, that's so beautiful.

Beomgyu: So perfect.

You whine at the new feeling. Yeonjun presses a button, the chain rattling as it suspends your lower half in the air. You let out whimpers of pain, worrying both men.

Beomgyu: Are you okay? Should we take it off?

You shake your head, biting your bottom lip.

Y/n: Feels good.

Yeonjun massages your ass to soothe your aching pain.

He suspends Beomgyu by the ropes, ass hanging in the air. He reaches over to hold your hand.

To keep you grounded!

Because he saw the glazed look in your eyes.

At least that's what he told himself.

Yeonjun takes turns in fucking both of you to exhaustion, watching slump down while he fucks you two dumb.

Yeonjun: Should I breed the new pet, princess? Watch my cum spill out of her hole then fuck it back into her womb? Or should I spill it into your greedy asshole?

Beomgyu whines, Yeonjun's cock repeatedly hitting his prostate.

Beomgyu: Breed the angel.

Yeonjun: You like the idea of me fucking my babies into someone else?

Beomgyu: Yes, Daddy.

Yeonjun: Then cum for me so I can fill her pussy with my seed.

Beomgyu tiredly reaches for his own cock and uses Yeonjun's thrusts to spill his cum all over the satin sheets. He just slumps, Yeonjun unhooking him.

You scream when he suddenly slams his cock into you. His balls hit your clit, hips stuttering when he feels you squeeze around him.

Yeonjun: Can't even make sounds anymore, too far gone to even move. But your cunt is still hungry for my cock, darling. Why don't you cum for me, hm?

It was an automatic response, pussy squirting on his big and veiny cock. He spills inside you, fucking it as deep as he could.

You don't even register when he frees you from the hook, cleaning both you and Beomgyu up with a towel.

He carries you both upstairs to the main bathroom where the tub was big enough for both of you.

Beomgyu was coherent enough to help wash you up, but you were out of it. Everything felt fuzzy and tingles ran up your arms.

Your entire body hurts, but mostly your lower half. If you're already this far gone, how the hell were you going to survive the rest of the week?

═══

a/n: decided to make this a two parter since i'm sleep deprived. thank you for reading ‹𝟹

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nebulablakemurphy · 2 months ago

Note

I would firstly like to say how dare you put me though that in exile. I was so heartbroken I almost didn’t read the next part. Thankfully I did, so now I must ask do they ever make a reappearance? If not do they at least know that she’s living a good life with a man and babies who she loves as much as they love her? I feel like her finding out that she named her first baby after her son would make her sad and so happy to know. I think it would give them peace of mind knowing they made the right choice.

I’m so glad you kept reading, it was a necessary evil. In regard to where the Carell family ends up, we’ll only ever know as much as Y/N does. Which is unfortunately nothing.

We know they’re not in district 13 as they aren’t mentioned in Moves & Countermoves. Someone suggested that they found sea and sailed away, which is a great theory and what I would like to believe happened.

Either way, she did lose her relationship with them and a lot of people she’d built connections with, like Cecelia and the people in her district. It’s called exile for a reason, like her life with Haymitch in victors’ village is supposed to be very isolating and lonely.

I think a lot of people don’t understand what’s really going on between Y/N and Haymitch because #1 it’s dangerous for them to tell people. #2 it’s not something either of them are proud of. But Y/N does tell Coin much later how much Haymitch has done to keep her safe, without going into detail. Most people never have any idea what was going on behind closed doors.

Even Katniss and Peeta talk about how confusing their relationship is during Moves & Countermoves. It’s very complex.

So assuming that Cherry, Tucker and the kids completely escaped Panem, I’m sure they get as much information as they can about Y/N. But I also assume it’s very limited to the lens of media coverage. So they probably do know that she’s still married to Haymitch and that they have children.

They probably know Everest and Arista’s names at least. They were pretty public. Daisy and August weren’t, so who really knows.

In the next and final chapter of Exile, Haymitch hopes the letter that gets stuffed through the mail slot is some kind of news about Tyson’s family…but we know it’s not. It’s the letter from President Snow that rolls over into Twenty Questions.

Idk guys, as Dr. Aurelius later says “The greatest tragedies ever written are love stories, after all.” Unfortunately that’s very true for the course of their entire relationship.

#haymitch abernathy fanfic #exile

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fratboykate · 2 months ago

Note

You sort of hinted at the fact that before Yelena walked in on Kate and Eli they'd been having some sort of issues? What did those last few months of the marriage before the divorce look like?

Kate has never seen her name on a deck like this.

The campaign brief is slick, minimal, embossed. Her face on the first slide: black-and-white, studio-lit, cropped just shy of her wedding ring. That omission isn't an accident.

The brand is the kind you don’t say no to. The kind that calls once…if you’re lucky. Legacy money. Private jet, Hermès wall, double lifetime supply of relevance kind of money. The kind that makes people stop talking about your stadium tours and start whispering about you being cast in Oscar bait alongside Cate Blanchett.

Kate’s agent is vibrating with excitement. Her manager already popped champagne. It isn’t just a win. It's elevation. A yearlong global campaign fronting their women’s line: billboards, Vanity Fair spreads, Paris, Art Basel, Cannes. Ascension into the pantheon.

She’s the dream. Almost. There’s a clause, of course.

They don't call it that. It’s buried thirteen pages into the contract under 'Brand Adjacency & Talent Alignment Parameters'. Legalese for: "we own the version of you we can sell".

Her agent flips through it with the casual speed of someone skimming a familiar minefield.

“It’s standard,” she chirps. “Posting parameters, wardrobe approvals, and this thing…” she taps a page, almost carelessly, “…about public appearances.”

Kate frowns. “What about appearances?”

A hesitation. A fraction of a beat. Enough.

“They’re asking you to keep +1s limited to official talent or brand-approved individuals during campaign windows. Red carpets, galas, press runs. Anything where there will be coverage tied to them.”

Kate stares. Not getting it. Another pause. Then:

“They’d prefer it if it was just you at events.”

Kate chuckles, confused. “Who else would I bring?”

The agent is delicate now, trying to find the words. It clicks for Kate first.

"No."

“It’s about optics. Luxury sells aspiration. And she doesn’t…test aspirational.”

“She’s my wife.”

The agent shrugs. Business, not cruelty.

“She doesn’t photograph the way they want. It’s not a criticism. It’s just data.”

Kate feels the heat rise in her chest.

“She’s not a prop.”

“I know.” A softer tone now. “But this campaign changes everything. It's prestige. Just for a year. A few appearances…And don’t post anything about her immediately before or after sponsored posts.”

Kate looks at the clause again. Yelena’s name isn’t on it. But it doesn’t have to be.

After many angry meetings and calls, Kate relents and signs it. Doesn’t tell Yelena.

Kate is Kate. So she brings Yelena to the first event anyway.

Her reps don’t find out until Yelena is already in the car, black suit pressed, security detail reassigned, glamour haphazard but present. Damage control starts immediately.

The first time Yelena notices, it’s small. A look. Hushed huddles and frantic texting.

The publicist pulls them aside just before the carpet at an event where Kate is head to toe in the brand. Rushes through the request with a syrupy smile.

"Just talent, if that’s okay."

Kate pastes on a tight, media-trained grin. Then gives Yelena a tighter one.

"I’ll be two minutes," she adds right before kissing her.

Yelena nods. Says nothing. Not because she doesn’t understand. Because she does.

Yelena didn’t want to be there anyway. Kate was who insisted. It damn near started an argument so Yelena ultimately gave in. She would happily avoid these things altogether if she could. She hates carpets. Hates the way people stare. But this one feels different. It's one thing when you don't want to be somewhere. Another entirely when everyone else doesn’t want you there either.

Kate catches it. The hint of something behind Yelena’s eyes. The cold mask slotting into place.

It unravels faster than Kate expects.

She asks Yelena to skip a press day. "Long and boring," she says, too breezy.

But Yelena knows that. Which is why she'd scheduled no meetings that day. Press days are agony for Kate. She loathes being rushed between interviews then stuck in those junket rooms alone. She usually begs Yelena to be there. Which is why the blonde now reconfigures her life around being there to run interference, to ground her, to drag her out of rooms when she starts getting punchy.

But this is the first time since they've known each other that Yelena's presence hasn't been borderline demanded. "You're off the hook," Kate says.

Then it’s a charity gala. One they were both invited to. Yelena is certain of it because it’s on her calendar. It’s always been on her calendar. But on the day, as Yelena walks into the chaos that is the glam squad living room take-over to ask when she should be ready…she's told Kate doesn't have a +1. Yelena doesn't question it. Must've been her mistake. Was it?

Then a pre-Golden Globes mixer. Kate tells Yelena she’s not feeling well. She's definitely free to go to the office and deal with the client mess she's been fielding calls for all day. Two hours later, Getty Images posts solo shots of Kate looking rather healthy on a carpet.

There was no anger from Yelena. That would be easier. She just got quiet. Withdrawn. A cool, practiced professional civility creeping into their nights. Yelena stops reaching for her. Stops sitting close enough to touch. The silence starts filling whole rooms.

Kate feels it. But she doesn’t ask. Doesn't want to open a door she knows she locked herself.

Until the email.

Yelena wasn't supposed to see it. Neither of them were. Some junior publicist cc’d Yelena by mistake on a scheduling chain with Kate's glam team.

An internal memo was attached. Brand guidelines. Included: a mandate breakdown. Optics guidelines. Key terms. Something clearly breaking down what the brand was REALLY asking for in that contract clause.

"Prioritize solo imagery where possible." "…and avoid red carpet shots with spouse present." "…pre-approval of any of talent's guests to ensure alignment with brand ethos." "…is too severe." "…not the dream."

Kate comes home that night to dinner half-cooked, plates untouched. Yelena seated at the table, elbow propped, iPad glowing across from her.

Kate rushes over to Yelena. Drops into her lap. Wraps her arms around her neck. Kisses her slow. Yelena barely moves.

"Come on," Kate murmurs. "I need a sloppy makeout after the day I've had."

"Surprised you want to touch someone 'not aspirational.'"

Kate freezes. Watches the flatness in her wife’s face.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don’t." Yelena’s voice is low. Controlled. Dangerous.

"I've been gone all day. How could I possibly know what you're mad about?"

Yelena flips the iPad. The email gleaming like a gun barrel. Kate reads it. Goes pale.

“Oh," she says, small. "Fuck."

Yelena says nothing. Kate doesn't move from her lap. Reaches for her hand. Yelena pulls back, just an inch.

“I didn’t want to upset you," Kate adds, desperate.

"You signed it."

"I fought it. I swear. We had meetings…"

"You signed it."

Kate’s voice cracks. “It’s just a few appearances. It doesn’t mean anything.”

Yelena’s eyes are glacier-calm.

"It doesn’t mean anything to you."

"You hate carpets. You hate all of this. I…"

"It’s not about that." Yelena’s voice doesn’t rise. Doesn’t need to. "They said I wasn’t 'the dream'. And you agreed."

“I didn’t…"

"You accepted." Kate’s mouth works. No words come out. "It's our life. And you signed it away for a fucking ad."

Yelena removes Kate from her lap, stands. Walks out of the room without looking back. Kate stays seated at the table, the cold screen still lit up with the words she can’t unsee.

The fight doesn’t start on the red carpet.

It starts the way all their worst fights do. With stillness. Silence.

The premiere is for Silent Lane. Kate’s first serious critical darling in years. She admittedly hasn’t always picked the best projects. Always box office mega hits but there have certainly been some critical failures as of late…but this was her way back to proving why she got that Oscar nomination at sixteen. Why she deserved it. Why she should be seen as a serious actress again. This is her redemption arc waiting to be written. She should be on top of the world. Instead, she’s in the back of a black SUV, staring out the window while Yelena sits beside her, stiff as stone.

After all the strangeness, Yelena asked days earlier if she should come. Kate hesitated. Big event. Certainly a brand appearance. She’d be dressed by them. But this was also HER movie premiere. She should have her wife there if she wants. She'll fight with her team about it later. So Kate tells her to come. Of course she should.

But now, here they are. Beside each other in the limo, but not together. Yelena’s body is angled away. Legs crossed toward the door. Hands loose in her lap, too still to be natural.

Kate looks immaculate. A navy satin column of a dress, minimalist glam, a sleek bun so tight it aches. Everything styled, pre-approved, polished within an inch of its life. Everything perfect.

Yelena didn’t even try to match her. Black suit. No tie. Boots polished enough to pass but defiant in every step. She looks exactly like what she feels like: a security guard. An accessory. An afterthought.

They barely speak on the ride. Logistics. Traffic updates. A clipped "you want me to take your phone?" that Kate answers with a nod.

Kate reaches for her hand once. Yelena pretends not to notice.

When they pull up to the carpet, Kate flashes her camera smile. The one that never quite touches her eyes anymore.

The carpet is a machine. Publicists, handlers, photographers barking orders. Kate does her job. Smiles on cue. Turns on the charm. Shifts her body to the best light. Pretends to not be affected by the comments of how luminous, elegant, and statuesque she looks.

Yelena steps back. Keeps behind the line. Where she apparently belongs. She’s never loved being photographed. But Kate always asked. 'Pesters' would be a more appropriate word. Kate is annoying. No two ways about it. And Yelena almost always refuses. Insists it's Kate's moment. Her thing. But more often than not, Kate always teased her into at least one shot. Tonight, she doesn’t.

As uncomfortable as Yelena feels in these places, being asked to be a part of it is nice. Not even being asked felt worse.

Yelena doesn’t push.

When a reporter asks Kate who she brought as a date, she smiles wide and says something charming about bringing nerves as her date tonight. When another asks about her famous ex, arrested for public intoxication last week, Kate gives a tight smile and moves on.

She never once glances at Yelena.

Yelena stands in the background. Watching. Quiet. Armor back up.

Kate feels the coldness like a physical thing.

The screening itself is a blur.

Kate sits in the front row with her castmates. Yelena quietly removed herself. Opts to pace the lobby, earpiece in, like an assignment instead.

They walk back to the car hours later in brittle silence.

That's where it broke.

Yelena has one hand on the door when the words come out. Sharp. Petty.

"Could you maybe not look like you’re casing the perimeter for five seconds?"

Yelena freezes. Turns slowly.

"I was casing the perimeter."

"You’re not working tonight."

"I’m never not working."

Kate laughs under her breath. A bitter sound.

"Yeah. I know. Trust me."

Yelena’s jaw flexes once. Twice.

"You've got something you want to say to me?"

Kate turns. Faces her. On the curb, under a battery of hidden lenses and half-dimmed streetlights.

“Why did you even come?” Kate spits. The second she does, she wants to snatch it back. Too late.

Yelena’s mouth twitches. Not a smile. Something sharper. Meaner.

"I came because I was invited." A pause. Soft. Icy. "Barely."

"I said I wanted you here."

"No." Yelena shakes her head once. "You allowed me."

The SUV idles beside them. The driver stares straight ahead. Pretending not to hear.

Kate feels something awful rising in her throat. Fury, shame, heartbreak. Indistinguishable.

"You could’ve said no."

"So could you. When they told you I wasn’t 'the dream'."

"What do you want from me? Huh?" Her voice pitches higher. "I’m sorry the world doesn’t bow down every time you scowl into a camera. I’m sorry luxury brands don't think PTSD chic is aspirational."

The words come out before she can think. A direct hit. Too cruel even for her. Yelena doesn’t move. Doesn't blink.

"Fuck you," Yelena says, dead calm.

Kate steps closer.

"You hate all of this. You hate being with me in public. So what the fuck are we even fighting about?"

Yelena lifts a hand, about to run it through her hair. The motion is caught mid-air. By a camera lens two hundred feet away, the frozen frame looks like a slap waiting to land.

Kate recoils instinctively. Flinches back. Not because she thinks Yelena would hit her…never…but because years of fight training taught her body to react to any sudden movement.

The flash is almost silent. The click isn’t. Neither of them notices. Not yet.

Two days later, the photo is printed by a gossip rag.

The captions are merciless:

"Bodyguard Wife Snaps at Kate Bishop During Heated Clash."

"Trouble in Paradise? Kate Bishop Seen Flinching at Premiere Fight."

"Fans Raise Alarms Over Concerning Body Language."

By the time Kate’s team calls an emergency PR meeting, the image has been dissected by strangers in every timezone:

The angry curve of Yelena’s mouth. The frozen tension in Kate’s shoulders. The grainy, damning silhouette of one lifted hand.

It doesn’t matter that no one raised a hand. It doesn’t matter that no one even shouted.

The story’s already written.

Kate doesn’t even want to do the profile.

It was supposed to be fluff. An awards season soft-serve. Glossy photos, pithy quotes, a paragraph about how Silent Lane “marks the triumphant return of Kate Bishop’s serious actress era.” Same shit as always.

But then the photo hit Twitter. Then the gossip sites. Then the hashtags.

Kate Bishop and the Ice Queen. Kate Bishop flinching. Kate Bishop and her terrifying wife.

Then came the studio’s calls. Her publicist’s texts. The agent's gentle knife-twists.

"Spin it." "Humanize it." "Own the narrative." "Get ahead of it."

It takes six days of pressure, but Kate agrees. On one condition: It had to be a real journalist. No gossip vultures. No TikTok puppet. Someone serious. Someone she could actually talk to.

They send a Pulitzer winner. The kind of journalist who always gets The Quote.

The interview is at Kate’s house. No stylists. No handlers. No lighting crew. The photoshoot isn't scheduled until the next day.

Kate wears an oversized vintage sweater. No makeup. Hair in a messy bun. She brews the tea herself. No assistants. No staff. She's trying to seem like a real human being. Because she is.

The questions start safe. The film. The stunts. The preparation. The scene everyone can’t stop crying about.

Then the pivot:

"Some people say you act from a place of personal memory," the journalist says, voice gentle. "Was there anyone you thought about when you filmed that scene?"

Kate could lie. Could deflect. Could smile.

Instead, she says: "Yes."

A beat.

"Who?"

Kate stares at her tea. The steam curls up like smoke. Her throat tightens. She speaks. Not all at once. Not smoothly. Broken. Halting. Like confession.

She says Yelena taught her everything about stillness. About silence. About what it meant to hold pain without speaking it. About how some kinds of trauma make you quieter, not louder. About what it means to hold grief in your body like a second skeleton. About holding your ground even when the world wants you to move.

The journalist puts down her pen.

"You know they’re going to print that, right?" She declares, almost apologetic.

Kate nods.

The piece runs three weeks later.

"Truth Hurts: Kate Bishop Gets Honest" was the headline.

The cover image is raw: just her face, up close. No filters. No retouching. It looks like she might cry if you stare at it long enough.

Inside, the quotes are like gunshots.

"She taught me stillness." "I learned how to survive watching her survive." "Loving someone who doesn't want to be seen is like shouting into a vacuum."

Taken alone, the words cut one way. Taken out of context, they bleed another.

The internet feasts on it.

Was Kate calling Yelena controlling? Distant? Abusive?

Was she finally speaking her truth?

Was this the first crack in the perfect popstar-actress power couple?

#KateDeservesBetter trends by noon.

But buried in the interview, missed by most, is the line Kate meant to matter most:

"I never felt safer in my life than I do standing behind her."

Behind. Not beside.

That word lodges itself into Yelena like a splinter. She reads it once. Then again. And again.

Not beside her. Behind her. The same way she stood when she was paid to. When she was security, not a wife.

It doesn’t matter how many times Kate said "safe."

The damage is already done.

The real detonation isn’t the article as a whole. It’s Kate’s final quote. The one that wasn’t buried at all.

It hits the internet at 8AM. By 8:02 it’s viral. By 10:00, Kate Bishop and Yelena Belova are trending in fifty-two countries.

The quote:

"I’ll say it once, and I won’t say it again: If the price of staying palatable is pretending I’m not in love with a woman, then I don’t want to be palatable anymore."

Raw. Defiant. A scream wrapped in silk.

It reads like a declaration. Like a middle finger to everyone. The brand, the media, the industry, her team, the world.

It should be triumphant. But all the internet sees is blood.

Paparazzi camp outside their home by nightfall. Headlines shift from scandal to tragedy. Speculation metastasizes: Breakup? Divorce? Infidelity? Domestic violence?

Every ugly whisper finds a microphone.

Kate stays home. Turns off her phone. Sits in the quiet wreckage she built.

Yelena’s inbox explodes. Calls, threats, attempts to doxx her family. Her reputation, once quiet and bulletproof, dissolves in real time.

And worst of all?

Yelena doesn’t call Kate. Doesn’t text. Doesn’t come home.

#kate x yelena #bishova #bishlova #katelena #kate bishop #yelena belova #enjoy messy 3k #trying to catch up on the stack of prompts just to take a break #cnat promise ill do a billion of them today but ill try to get out at least the 2 of the three that i got at 90%#this is the first one #kybgau #kybgaup #anonymous #answers

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