#and so it's now clicking that this person didn't care at all about emphasizing the importance of people's humanities

[shenyaanigans]

you ever see a post that sounds REALLY good and you're super on board with it until one bit right at the end that has you go, "hey! that's a fucked up thing to say!" and so you check the original post and find that it's gone and then you go to the blog and notice even more dog whistles about it, and then you go to write a rebuttal on the post (bc you're me and you can't shut the fuck up) and then you go to add tags after and you see what the op wrote for their tags and you're like, "oh. i see. i get it now. this is not in good faith at all." and then you just delete your reply and make your own post where you talk about the experience of it all

[yumeka-sxf]

A chronological analysis on Twilight and Yor - Part 20

*This is part of an ongoing post series. If you missed the Introduction/Part 1, click here*

----------

After Yor meets Yuri on the train, she's reminded of the fact that he's "all grown up" and doesn't need her to take care of him anymore.

As I described in Part 8, earning enough money to support Yuri was the main reason Yor became an assassin. Since she didn't have the luxury to pursue anything worthwhile for herself, taking care of and being useful to others became her main focus in life. But since Loid and Anya don't benefit from her assassin work, and now Yuri doesn't either, she begins wondering why she needs to continue doing it. This question is reinforced a few times later: first, when they're on the train and she realizes how much she enjoys being with Loid and Anya as a family, without having to worry about work. And again, during her initial meeting with Olka.

When Olka tells her that she wants to get away from the dangerous life of a gangster to a peaceful, quiet life, Yor takes a moment to reflect on those words, as they were the same thoughts she had on the train earlier – thoughts of what it would be like to live a normal life with your family without all the fears and dangers that come along with being involved in the underworld.

Olka asks Yor why she's so worried about her family discovering her identity since they're just a cover-up family, which leads to a softly emphasized scene of Yor with a noticeably sad expression, as she reluctantly admits that, yes, they are a family just for show.

We know from previous episodes, like the cooking lesson and post-Fiona date, that Yor has since realized that being in the Forger family makes her happy, despite the fact that they're a "fake" family. However, she doesn't know if Loid and Anya feel the same way, especially Loid. For all she knows, he's letting her live with him as his wife more as a favor to her, and because it's convenient for their front at Eden, and not because he personally finds happiness in the arrangement. While he did tell her during their previous date that he wants her to continue playing the role of Anya's mother and his wife, Yor doesn't know whether he feels the same happiness being together as a family like she does.

Yor becomes even more motivated to help Olka when the latter mentions that she's left so much of her old life behind her now.

Perhaps her eagerness to help Olka comes from her sad resignation to the fact that she herself can't attain the kind of life Olka is heading towards, so at the very least, she wants to make sure Olka can attain it.

Meanwhile, we see just how much Twilight's spy work has "traumatized" him, to the point of being on total high alert on the ship even though Sylvia specifically ordered him to relax. Not only was he immediately suspicious of the lottery for the cruise ticket, but even after he's on the ship, his ever-calculating mind can't help but imagine the worst scenarios. He begins looking out for any signs of terrorism and dubious behavior, much to Anya's dismay.

However, thanks to her coaxing, he catches himself and makes a conscious effort to turn off the "spy mode" in his brain (as much as he can anyway).

Later, we see Yor being nervous when having dinner with the executives, obviously not comfortable in such a formal situation and still afraid that she'll be spotted by Loid and Anya. However, when given a task she knows best – assassination work – we get to see a side of Yor that has yet to be fully highlighted in the series…a side that's serious and confident, without her usual doubts and hesitations.

Her social awkwardness and uncertainties disappear as she takes on a total "in-charge" demeanor when guiding Olka and company back to the room. But Olka has spent enough time with the underworld crowd to see that, while Yor is very good at her work, it doesn't suit the sweet, gentle person that she really is. Even before the real danger starts, Olka tells her that she doesn't seem like the underworld type, and even suggests that she spend time with her family when the ship stops at the resort. Olka must have sensed from Yor's hesitation and sad expression in their previous conversation that she truly cares about them.

It's unfortunate that Yor doesn't have a permanent confidant like Olka – someone who not only knows her true identity as an assassin, but also senses that she has real feelings for what should be a "fake" family…and is supportive of that in her own subtle way. Twilight has Franky, and Sylvia somewhat, as people who know him as both a spy and as a (fake) family man. But even though they're not openly supportive of the fact that he's catching feelings for his family, they're still people he can not only confide in without having to hide his true identity, but they care about Anya's well being too. Yor doesn't have anyone like that. While Shopkeeper and McMahon know her true identity, her relationship with them seems to be strictly business. So, as brief as her time with Olka is, it was good for Yor to finally converse with someone who understands her inner feelings that she herself is having trouble realizing.

While Anya and Twilight are having dinner later, Anya mentions that it's been a while since they've eaten dinner without Yor, to which Twilight comments that it does seem lonely without her. He could have replied with any number of less melancholic responses ("It does feel weird" or "She must be very busy" to name a few). So the fact that his first thought was how lonely it felt does seem to indicate a momentary lapse in his spy facade, to which Anya rightfully calls him out and he immediately tries to deny it (with a slight but telling blush).

When they visit the gift shop, we see that Twilight is still having trouble learning how to find enjoyment on the trip, despite the fact that Sylvia made it an official mission. It's tragic to think that even when given orders to have a relaxing family vacation, he simply can't turn off the suspicions and anxiety in his mind. But his anxiousness about people potentially eavesdropping on him soon changes to concern about Anya's mental health. Similar to when he took her to work and had her play in the sandbox, he completely misinterprets her actions as displays of emotional trauma.

I love the interpretation from @sunfoxfic about this side of Twilight's character, to quote:

"His trauma really grounds every action he takes - everything he does is to protect others from experiencing the same trauma. Loid is a highly pragmatic and sympathetic man, and in that way, he's unwaveringly kind to everyone but himself."

Just like the sandbox incident, the scene with Anya at the gift shop is a prime example of Twilight's empathetic side that he keeps hidden from everyone else. Only we as the audience know how much he agonizes about the well-being of those who may have experienced similar trauma as he did. Since Anya's reactions make no sense to him, he can't help but conclude that she has her own share of deep-rooted trauma as well. And, as I've reiterated many times before, rather than express anger or blame her for anything, he puts responsibility on himself to do a better job at trying to understand her. And all of this relates back to what he told Desmond during their first encounter…that he won't stop trying to understand others.

While Yor is keeping watch that night, she has plenty of time to reflect on what happened the day before. As she sits there for hours in silence, we see that her expression has taken on the "robotic" look she had at the very beginning of the series "pre-family," back when her assassination work was all she focused on in her life. This is probably the longest amount of time she's had to continually concentrate on work since meeting Loid and Anya, so it makes sense that her eyes would start to harden like that.

However, when she realizes that she never tried to contact them, her eyes immediately light up as she imagines a scenario where she meets up with them on the ship.

She then starts to wonder why she was hesitating so much when fighting Barnaby. She thinks it could be because she was afraid, not of death or pain, but the fact that if she had gotten seriously injured, she may have had to leave the Forger family. This makes her think back to when Olka asked her why she was so concerned about them since they're just a cover-up family. As I've previously mentioned, Yor has come to realize that being with Loid and Anya makes her happy, but she's also resigned herself to the fact that that happiness can be taken away from her at any minute. So far the biggest threat to her place in the Forgers has been Fiona, but she was able to remedy that by talking with Loid. But this time the threat comes from something where talking isn't an option: an important job from Garden. This is why she tells herself that she needs to keep her priorities straight – as far as she's concerned, her personal happiness is secondary compared to the importance of the job at hand. As she continues to think about the people whose happiness she strives for – Yuri, Loid, and Anya – the same thought she had upon meeting Yuri on the train comes back to her…if none of the people she loves benefit from her assassin work, then why does she need to keep it up?

Continue to Part 21 ->

<- Return to Part 19

[imtrashraccoon]

The final Dust chapter...we're halfway through folks! I'm really happy with this one and it fills me with many fuzzy feelings.

@owl-bones

First Day, Previous Day, & Next Day.

Bad Sansuary: Dust - Tears

Word Count: 2,235.

It was a good day.

You were packing for college and you'd soon be halfway across the country far away from your insufferable family. You'd promised you would call, but had added that you may be too busy to do so. Psychology was a complicated subject and you would likely be swamped with coursework afterall.

They didn't care and neither did you for that matter. You gladly welcomed the chance to have a fresh start and freedom to live life the way you'd always dreamed to. You would be your own person and not just the lesser copy of your elder sister.

"Hey! Are you deaf or something?"

Speak of the devil and she shall appear. You dropped a folded shirt onto your suitcase and turned to the doorway of your bedroom where your sister was standing impatiently. She was wearing a new dress and expensive shoes, again, and her face was practically caked with designer makeup.

"What do you want now?" you heard yourself grumble.

Your sister rolled her eyes. "I asked what do you think you're doing? Mom needs you to watch the house for the next week while they're away, you can't just leave!"

You frowned and crossed your arms. "We've been over this at least a dozen times. I'm leaving tomorrow morning to catch a plane so I'll have time to get settled in the dorms before the first semester starts. I can't just rebook the flight now as they won't refund me."

Her face contorted into a snarl and she crossed her arms. "Fine, go and abandon our parents for a stupid degree. You'll come to regret it one day!"

She turned to leave and as the clicking of her heels on the laminate flooring started to fade, you darted to the door to stop her. "Hold on! Why can't you watch the house? You're not going to college right away..."

Your sister scoffed and flipped her long hair behind her back as she turned around again. "Who needs college? All I gotta do is bag some rich idiot who'll bend over backwards for anything I want."

"Gross."

"And what, working every day for the rest of your life is somehow better?"

"At least I'll have something to fall back on while you'll be left high and dry when he dumps you." You crossed your arms and glared at her. "And you didn't answer my question, what are you doing that is keeping you so busy?"

"The girls and I are going on a trip to Vegas to celebrate graduating." She narrowed her eyes at you and poked your chest with one of her too long manicured nails. "And no, you're not invited, you fun sponge...."

"Double gross. I wouldn't be caught dead with your 'friends', not after all the crap they put me through." You made air quotes with your fingers to emphasize that word specifically.

"Ugh! Mom was right, you're way too sensitive."

You clenched your jaw and took a slow, deliberate breath. Once you had calmed down and weren't about to clock your own sister, you asked another question. "How are you even affording a trip after you were fired? Surely, mom and dad aren't bankrolling this too?"

She rolled her eyes, "Idiot, I'm temporarily borrowing from my inheritance that Grandma left. I have plenty of time to put it back if I actually decide to go to college anyways."

You frowned as she turned and left the house. Something about how she'd said that didn't sit right with you. Your grandmother had left both of you money for college and you had decided long ago to keep it just for that. Your sister was as careless as ever though, but what right did you have to judge her foolish spending habits? It would undoubtedly come back to bite her one day and by then you would be financially secure with an amazing career.

You also didn't like how your sister had seemingly ignored all the times you'd told your family your plans over the past few weeks. You weren't going to give them up now, not even if she begged you to.

If only it had been so simple...

"What do you mean the money's gone?! That was meant to be for my college!" you remembered shouting.

Your mother didn't even turn around and continued packing her suitcase. "Remember when your sister was in that car accident a year ago? We needed to get her corrective surgery and the money had to come from somewhere. It's just money and family is more important. Besides, it's not even like it was actually yours and we'd only briefly talked about it."

It's not fair...

You woke with a heavy heart. Why had your brain chosen that particular memory to fixate on? It had been years since you left home and cut contact with just about everyone you ever knew.

Sitting up in bed, you wrapped your blankets around your shoulders and took deep breaths to try and relax. No matter how much time passed, you couldn't seem to forget about them, even though you'd tried.

There was no way you could forget about the nightmare and go back to sleep now either. Your mind was simply too jumbled to rest and it felt like you were reliving the painful emotions you'd experienced back then all over again.

It was way too early in the morning to stay up though. Maybe a snack and a drink of water would help calm your frayed nerves? If not, there was always the option of binging some historical romance shows until you fell asleep on your own. With your mind made up, you steeled yourself for the trek to the kitchen.

You didn't get far though.

No sooner did you flip on the hall light, did your gaze settle on a familiar sight. Dust was hunched over in an almost fetal position on your couch with his hood covering his face. His skull was buried in his hands and from the way he was heavily breathing, you knew he'd been crying.

Your original mission forgotten, your heart immediately went out to him. Being careful not to startle him, you made your way over to the couch and sat down next to him.

The only acknowledgement he gave to signify that he was aware of your presence was a brief glance in your direction from beneath his hood.

"Is it one of those times again?" you asked softly.

He didn't answer.

"Can I give you a hug? You look like you could use one right now."

You waited a few seconds just in case, but when he didn't say no, you figured he at least wasn't opposed to the gesture. You wrapped your arms around him and sat there quietly, just holding him close for a while.

At some point, he shifted and tentatively wrapped his arms around you as well. He managed to give you a slight squeeze and murmured a very soft, "...thank you."

He seemed exhausted and in no mood to talk about whatever had bothered him to the point of tears. That was fine, you weren't exactly in the mood to dwell on whatever negative emotions your nightmare had dredged up either.

"Are you going to be alright now?" you asked.

He shrugged and you could feel his gloved phalanges mindlessly draw circles across your shirt. He didn't say anything for several seconds but you waited patiently in case he changed his mind.

"i'll be okay... just, i don't want to go back there right now..." he muttered.

"Well, I actually had a bad dream...and I really don't think I can go back to sleep anytime soon anyways." With a sigh, you loosened your hold on his body and asked, "Wanna just hang out with snacks and watch whatever trash happens to be on tv right now?"

"eh, beats being dead i guess..." he grunted and somewhat reluctantly let go of you.

You rolled your eyes at how snarky his tone of voice was. It seemed that his sass meter was always dialed up to eleven whenever he was exhausted, but you didn't mind in the slightest. His comments never came across as malicious anymore and you actually welcomed his often blunt jokes. It was better than when he used to ignore your questions at least.

You didn't have a whole lot of snack foods save for a bag of dill pickle chips and a pack of store bought chocolate chip cookies. Meh, they were still worthy choices in your opinion. Once you were both settled on the couch again with the snacks and some water, you flipped through the channels before settling on a rerun of an old western movie.

Only a few minutes into the film though, Dust decided to slink his arm around your shoulders and scooted closer until you might as well be cuddling. You didn't mind in the slightest and neither did you acknowledge that this was technically the most he'd willingly touched you before now.

"Can I ask you something, Dust?"

He hummed quietly and tilted his skull to look over at you.

"Is there a reason you wear gloves all the time?"

He glanced down at his left hand and tentatively flexed his phalanges in a thoughtful manner. "i just don't like getting my hands dirty...it's irritating..." he murmured.

"Ah, I wondered if that could be the reason."

"it's also good so i don't leave evidence laying around," he added with a dry chuckle.

You gave him a blank look but you couldn't tell if he was serious or not. "Now I know you're pulling my leg, skeletons don't have fingerprints..."

"...that you know of," he finished for you. There was a mischievous glint in his eyelights and you noticed his smile was slightly wider than usual.

"I...don't think I want to continue this conversation... I really don't need to know why someone like you worries about leaving evidence at crime scenes, okay?"

Dust chuckled quietly and squeezed your shoulder a little. "yeah, you already worry about enough as is, bean," he said.

"Huh... Why do you call me that anyways?" you asked. "It seems so random..."

A soft violet glow briefly flickered across his zygomatic bones and he glanced away from you. He made a sound of clearing his throat and tapped his phalanges nervously against the couch cushions.

"it's, uh... actually it's sort of a pun..." he muttered.

"Really?" You tilted your head thoughtfully as you tried to rack your brain for any kind of word it could be referring to. "I don't get it...?"

"well, it'll sound really lame if i explain it..."

"No, please tell me! I promise I won't laugh, okay?"

He chuckled and nodded, although you noticed his cheekbones were still that lovely shade of purple. "okay, okay... you're a...?"

"Woman?"

He shook his skull and vaguely gestured with his free hand. "a human...what?"

You narrowed your eyes in thought. "A human being..."

"now say it quickly and in an exaggerated voice."

"Human bein'...human bean..." You crossed your arms and fixed him with a "Really?" look.

Dust nearly dissolved into a fit of laughter, which made it really hard to keep a straight face but you had unfortunately promised not to laugh at him. Still, you were going to make it known how disappointed you were right now.

"i told you it was lame..." he finally managed to say once he'd calmed down again.

"you were right!" you grumbled and gave his knee a playful punch. "Axe was at least more creative that you."

"what, he didn't just pick something food related like, i dunno, pumpkin?"

You shook your head. "Nope, he calls me lil' chip. I actually never asked him why though..."

"huh... you're right, that is pretty creative," Dust muttered thoughtfully. "i still prefer bean though..."

You sighed and flopped your head against the back rest. "Suit yourself then..." you grumbled.

The movie turned out to be more boring than you'd thought it would be and you soon found yourself struggling to keep your eyes open. After you'd jolted yourself awake a couple of times when your head started to loll to one side, Dust seemed to get an idea.

"here..." He grabbed one of the throw pillows you had lying around and set it on his femurs. "if you're that tired, you should at least lay down so you don't hurt your neck or something.

You hesitated for a split second but realized that it couldn't hurt at least. So, you shifted your body until you could lay down comfortably with your head on the cushion in his lap. He spread a blanket over your body before flashing that more genuine smile of his at you.

"comfy?"

"Very..." you hummed in response.

Dust nodded and turned his attention back to the movie again. You tried to focus on it as well, especially when the more action packed scenes came on, but you couldn't seem to resist the pull of sleep any longer. It really didn't help when he started absentmindedly playing with your hair as well.

The next thing you knew, the sun was out and you were safely tucked back into your own bed. The only evidence that he'd been there at all was the couch pillows being slightly askew and the snacks being gone that you'd both consumed in the night.

[oldsweetchildomeow]

Reviewing GG character design part #2 GGX 2000 Johnny

This is for everyone who said I can't talk about other men. Hah... (no one ever said that).

This one will be long since he has one of my favorite designs.

Beforehand, Johnny's FINAL designs of choice has always been absolutely immaculate (except, obviously, for that ugly horrible gross design he has on that pachinko game for fuck sake please never put that in my sight ever). It never changed much, actually, if you look superficially at every appearance of his, you will notice no difference at all. Daisuke knew what he was doing from the start to the LGBT community and the straight females who had too much pride to admit they found him attractive.

From XX to Strive, it barely changed. But his first appearance (in-game) is the most different one.

Also I'm sorry for the amount of "whore" usage here. I just wanted to shame on him because he himself doesn't do it.

Now, again I will be using the same structure;

1. What does it tell you about him? (Johnny's case whore)

2. Is it aesthetically appealing artistically?

3. Would it be actually comfortable to fight with that?

GGX 2000

I know this is from petit but it's so cute I had to put that here for click baiting. He looks edible being this minuscule, no joke.

What does it tell you about Johnny?

Actually, many things. I must confess, the first time I played GG (which was GGXX) my eyes were LOCKED on him (and Testament, but that's for another post). He was one of the ones I played the most just because of how stylish and cool he is. That's the power of character design; I didn't know shit about this guy and suddenly I was using him to beat the shit out of my brother with his coins for hours.

I can say, even from personal experience: he exhales flamboyance, style and charisma. The guy CARES about his looks and there's no denying about that just by a mere glance. His hat matching his trench coat and pants... the small details on every bit of it, matching. The SHADES... you know only stud mfs wear shades for no reason. The shades gave it all, and there's not even a reason for him to use that if not for appearance (proving the point he cares a lot about it), because his hat is already bigger than mother Earth, big enough for the sun to not reach this guy's whore face with his whore clothes. I mean, when you see a character showing this much skin for no reason it must only mean that he has absolute no shame about it... then he's a... well.

Him being muscular isn't something unique since almost all FG male cast would be like that too (specially during that time), but his build is something that is smoothly different. He has a whore's waist. Thankfully just like Sol. But that's just because Ishiwatari has good taste in men.

He COULD button his coat but he visibly chose to have it open to show his body. Even small things like his pants being well-fitting tells you that he has some vanity to him and that he loves to show-off shamelessly. Like a good w

As for his background, he clearly reminds you a bit of two things; a tiny mix of a pirate and a cowboy (or that he's just pretending to be both). When the traditional cowboy comes into mind, the first thing I think about is big hats and flashy belts, and guess what, he has both. I think the color palette gives more the idea of a pirate, due to mostly being referenced as black and brown colors in clothing. Most pirates representation on media has unnecessary belt that they wear for no reason but to have this hugeass thing heaving your movement (because it's stylish and I admit it is, damnit).

Furthermore, the golden details around his design show wealth, which greatly emphasizes the pirate concept.

But what's the most interesting part about all that? It's his weapon of choice.

It's not even remotely something a cowboy would use, and pirate swords are definitely not like that by far. He simply uses a japanese traditional sword and fights with battou style.

This is the most unique thing about him that makes him stand out even more, specially when you compare him to any other pirate or cowboy character. Not only that, but think about other characters that you will see fighting the same style as he does, like Ukyo Tachibana from Samurai Shodown.

And just like Ukyo, he also does iaido, one of the most fascinating fighting styles; it's filled with grace and precision, and yet it's that same flamboyant whore guy doing it. That's what caught my attention the most about him, easily. It raises tons of questions about him, and you start thinking that he has more depth than simply being a cowboyish pirate.

His hair... his god bless long hair... that is no longer with us nowadays. Oh pity on me... pity on silly me who is a sucker for long haired dudes. I can't tell much. I know pirates mostly used to have long hair too, but I wanted to hold him by his ponytail and shake him from side to side, hitting every possible corner. dearly. as a love language.

Is it visually appealing overall?

YOU BET it is. Oh, how it is. It's immaculate. It's perfect. It's so simple in color choice but it's so visually functional I start trembling. I want to kiss Ishiwatari's mouth so bad for this.

Firstly, just LOOK at how smoothly his cape always flows with his movement. When I was a teenager my jaw DROPPED everytime. The black, the brown, the white, in perfect harmony... oh my god *starts trembling viciously*

It's perfect.... why did Ishiwatari have to go this hard... he was so inspired when he gave birth to Johnny.

There's a detail that's also curious. When you wear clothing that covers too much of a part of your body, it's always a more pleasurable and classy highlight, even in a sensual manner, to have an exposed area to contrast that.

An example of this would be a super long dress that covers a lot, but that same dress having a cleavage on the chest or being open in the back. Just think that if you wear very short shorts with a top that is just as short, there will be a lot of skin and little idea, little emphasis. Now if you wear long pants and a short top, you will only be showing a fraction of your body, and this is more aesthetically pleasing. It's a matter of fashion.

Johnny's case has a lot of this in an intelligent way: he wears long pants, gloves, and you barely even see his face, but he doesn't wear a SHIRT. There's a whole open area in the center of his body, which is a very well used of exposure in fashion (I even marked it in the second image)- which, also, gives emphasis to the idea of him caring about his image and being a stylish character. The fact that it's even congruent with his personality just shows how very professional Daisuke is.

Is it actually PRACTICAL to fight with that figurine?

Well, there's nothing too harmful about that overall. The fabric his pants and trench coat seems to be made of doesn't look that heavy, and he not wearing a shirt and having his coat unbuttoned gives him more mobility. And sex appeal, which can be useful if you try to distract your opponent.

His fighting style does not necessarily require movement with the entire body, so it's not an obstacle in any way. His fingerless gloves can be quite helpful due to his style as well, since holding a sword can hurt your hand a lot in the long run.

Conclusion

men's waists be so small like what do u need that small waist for? for other men to grab it? whore.

Bonus content

This is me trying to explain everything I said here to my girlfriend sometime ago, and she was in such disbelief that she took this screenshot.

[mareastrorum]

i thought matt said essek's goal was to ingratiate himself to guide the nein away from the truth of his crime, not to kill them?

Correct! He did! I also realize looking back at my post that I didn't quite elaborate on something--mostly because I did not realize just how many people would read it. I'll take this chance to clarify a few things.

First, context. A short while ago, a post cycled a few times through my mutual group, many of whom are Essek fans/lovers/haters for various reasons, before I added in some sauce. For those who don't want to click, here's a screenshot:

Then I received an ask noting that they didn't think it was proven that Essek had given the Scourger a shiv:

Then I received another ask, which was the long post about why I thought Essek would have wanted to give the Scourger a shiv:

Which led to a bunch of other asks because, despite main tagging the characters, I didn't actually expect anyone to pay any mind to the post. I don't usually do meta posts, so I didn't anticipate all these responses. That's how we wound up here.

All that said, because my focus was on making a persuasive case for why murder was one of the options available to Essek and therefore why he had motive to ensure the Scourger had a shiv available to attack Caleb, I did not do the best job at emphasizing that murder was one of the options available. I don't think killing the Nein was the only option, the first option, or even the favored option. I think it was one of many and the Scourger just happened to be convenient.

So time to finesse. Next, yes, Matt absolutely chimed in on Essek's motivations of getting to know the Nein in the Campaign 2 Wrap-Up:

Marisha: Well, I'm curious, because-- and you've kind of loosely touched on this before-- that Essek was kind of supposed to be a bad guy, and then we made friends with him, and his heart grew three sizes that day? Matt: Yeah, you totally Grinched that motherfucker. ... Marisha: What was his plan? Matt: Essek-- Essek was designed not to be a major antagonist but an antagonistic force in the world. You guys kind of barged into the Kryn Dynasty and gave this extremely sought-after, thought-lost artifact that is intrinsic to their entire culture and religion. And as soon as you did that, Essek was like, "Well, first off, I know how they got that beacon, and I'm attached to this. I'm the one that smuggled it out, so I need to get in real close with these people and keep an eye on everything they do, because they're now the biggest loose end on my guarded person." You know, like-- like-- you know, if-- it's like committing murder and someone walks in and is like, "I found a boot in your yard," and he's like, "Fuck, fuck, fuck fuck!" You guys brought this in, and he was like, "I have to get to know them well." He immediately was like, "I'll take care of them. I'll work with their business. I'll figure out what they're going, and I'll be their-- their--" you know-- Laura: Liaison. Matt: Chaperone, essentially. And so it was him just trying to cover his ass while also trying to figure out what you were up to, what your connections were, how much you knew. And then the more he got to know you guys-- because his whole goal was just to keep this thing going with the Dynasty. He was fed up with a lot of the political structure of the Dynasty, or-- come to think of it, sorry, with the-- with the Assembly. He was fed up with a lot of the Dynasty's zealotry and he doesn't really have any formal interest in the Luxon, and he thinks that it's misguided. He thinks that there's a lack of interest in seeing what Dunamancy can actually do because everything is regimented instead by the cultural history of it, and he just wants to advance to see what is possible, and he found partnership in the Assembly in that way. But you guys kept, like, inviting him over for dinner, and asking about his-- Liam: We really scrambled his eggs. Matt: Yeah! Liam: For real, when we left him, I was like, "Well, I really hope that-- I see things that I have in common with him and I empathize, but he's going to need years to unpack his shit, or he's not, or he's just going to bend back and do all the things he was doing before without us." And then the time we met up with him again, he was a changed man. Matt: Yeah. Well, he was still struggling. He didn't know who he was, and at a certain point, your guys' interaction kind of showed him that he could be better, and he was struggling with the-- with being convinced that it was too late for him. And so it was this idea of like, "I've already fucked up my entire life, and I didn't realize it until I found people that actually cared to look past my position and my abilities." And he'd been a solitary figure his whole life except for his relationship with his brother. He didn't get along with his parents. He didn't get along with most people in the Dynasty unless they helped him maintain and advance his position of power and influence, and so you guys fucked him up. ... ... a large part of his early times was just trying to deflect and misdirect and like, "Don't look at me. I'm just here. Just here paying attention. I got nothing to do with any of this. That's weird, huh?" Then the more you got to know him, he eventually let that fall away. Yeah, I was not expecting any of that.

That's all the stuff from the wrap up specifically on Essek's intentions with the Nein. (I trimmed a bit about consecution since it's not directly relevant to this topic.) Note that, among all the things Matt said, he didn't write off any particular option that would have been available to Essek, but at the first interaction, he knew he needed to keep the Nein close. However, close doesn't necessarily mean friendship, and considering his position, experience, and cold attitude, Essek probably intended to foster a more formal and politically-minded relationship from the start.

Rather than restate everything from my earlier post that I should have finessed, the part that I really should have fleshed out was this:

Regardless of which situation this is, the best outcome for Essek would be neutralizing the interlopers before they come upon, intentionally or not, his involvement in the theft of the beacons.

By neutralizing, I meant specifically making sure that the Nein were no longer a threat, not necessarily killing them. That could have been sabotaging their status as Heroes of the Dynasty, distracting them, getting them out of the Dynasty permanently, setting up a scapegoat, or any other option of ensuring that these specific people--who somehow obtained a beacon he stole and returned it--would not further jeopardize his situation.

Still, the rest of my post focused on why and how killing them--specifically, setting up the Scourger to attempt to kill Caleb--would have been possible and even likely because the history of the posts I had been responding to were questions about why and how I thought he would. Unfortunately, I got so wrapped up that I failed to notice some (though not all) of my language dipped into sounding like I thought that was his plan all along.

No! I thought that was one of many potential moves Essek was arranging as an attempt to keep the Nein off his trail without losing control of their presence in the Dynasty. As their liaison, they went to him for help and advice even though they clearly didn't trust him. He had a position of power over them and used it well. He racked up favors so he'd have some leverage to pressure them if he so chose. He directed them to Waccoh, who had nothing to do with the beacons and would certainly request things of them that would help the war effort because her job was designing war machines. He encouraged them to investigate the Angel of Irons because that wasn't related to the Beacons either. Neither was their quest to the forge in Caduceus' s dream in the Flotket Alps nor the trip to Mythburrow.

You want to risk traveling to Bazzoxan and didn't even ask me to teleport you to save time or avoid risk? EXCELLENT, have fun on the death trip, make me proud! You want to go investigate a volcano in bum fuck elsewhere? EXCELLENT, have fun maybe freezing or burning to death. You want to find a dragon? EXCELLENT, have fun maybe getting eaten and/or frozen. You want to talk to the Scourger that hates you? EXCELLENT, gimme some time, I need to get that bitch a shank.

I'm sure that every time the Nein went off on a dangerous mission that had nothing to do with the beacons, Essek was relieved and hoped that some of them would die along the way. It was a temporary distraction and hopefully a permanent solution.

And it wasn't until episode 77, right before Essek escorted the Nein to see the Scourger again, that Essek told the Nein that the Bright Queen wants them to find the other beacon in the Empire. Whether you agree with me or not that Essek arranged for the Scourger to have the shiv, at that point, the risk the Nein posed to Essek had risen greatly when she made that decision. That mission inherently carried risk that they would learn about what he had done because it necessitated investigating the Cerberus Assembly. Time and time again, they had demonstrated their skills by doing all these missions in the Dynasty. We don't know exactly when the Bright Queen told Essek her wish, but considering the timing, it wouldn't surprise me if that was one of the reasons that Essek shifted from hands-off options to setting up a potential assassination.

All that is to say that I don't interpret Matt's exposition in the Wrap-Up as Essek wanting to be friends with the Nein. I interpret it as attempting to keep them from fucking him up, and as much as Essek makes a turn around in Eiselcross, he got the title of Shadowhand and the Bright Queen's trust for a reason. He was evil for a reason. And that would include the willingness to risk someone else's life for his own sake.

[necroneos]

The Observations of An Italian Man (2k words), Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli x OC (Patricia Abbandonato)

Summary: Caesar Anthonio Zeppeli met Patricia Abbandonato in a small cafe he frequented. Her sourpuss attitude towards him was intriguing, but as he learned more about her he felt the desire to protect.

A/N: I wrote this fic as a way to get into Caesar's head and his point of view with Patricia. It's to help readers understand how their relationship really is instead of seeing things just from Patricia's point of view.

 When Caesar Zeppeli first met Patricia Abbandonato, the first thing he noticed was that she was polite, yet curt. That she had a natural womanly beauty to her. Almost untapped, if not for the slight amount of mascara emphasizing her lashes and the bright red lipstick that made others look twice at her slightly plump lips. But to him, all women are beautiful. Whether they were thin with no curves to speak of or were thin and had all the right curves in all the right places. If they had some more on their body, it mattered not to the Italian male. All women were goddesses that should be treated as such.

    “Hello. I'll be your waitress for today. My name is Patricia. You only need to call my name and I will come to take care of your needs. What would you two like to drink?” Her voice almost had no emotion. But he could still hear her efforts to sound polite.

    “I'll have a water.” Caesar told Patricia.

    He looked over to the girl sitting across from him who was blushing in clear infatuation.

    “The lady will have a water too.”

    “Got it. I'll be back with your drinks in a moment.”

    “Now, now my dear...you needn't be so shy.” He said with a smile towards the girl.

    He reached over to the necklace around her neck and toyed with it a little.

    “You need only to wear this at night and we'll see each other in your dreams...then no longer will you be so shy to see me...”

    He gently dropped the necklace around her neck and looked into her eyes with a warm smile. He reached over again, only this tip to grip her chin. Patricia had hesitated leaving in curiosity, lingering to see what Caesar would do.

    “You don't have to be afraid my little flower...” He whispered.

    Without hesitation, he leaned over the table and captured her lips in a passionate kiss. The girl didn't resist, instead closing her eyes and her blush growing dark.

    Though he was kissing the girl, he heard the waitress click her tongue quietly. She turned around to start working on their order but he heard something interesting.

    “Disgusting,” she muttered quietly as she walked away,”Does that guy have no shame? How can that casanova spit all that out with a straight face?”

    Although Patricia had been speaking very quietly, the blond still heard her. It didn't bother him, as he's had people ask him how he can spew such lines with a straight face and had angry boyfriends corner him because he flirted with a girl he didn't know had a boyfriend. To him, she was another among many.

    The only thing that made her stick out were her light green eyes. Not for how pretty they were, but for what was hidden in them. At first glance they didn't show anything special. Just that of a quiet and polite individual. It wasn't until the second time they met that he truly saw what was hidden inside those depths.

    The second time Caesar saw her was when Suzie-Q was sent to the same cafe he went to before to pick up some of their pre-packaged coffee grounds. He decided to accompany her for fun, as Lisa-Lisa had granted him a rare break from training. Patricia was sitting on a chair behind the counter, talking to the person at the register until Suzie-Q walked up.

    “Oh, Trisha, it's you! Are you on your break?” She asked with a beaming smile.

    He saw her first smile since meeting her. It was small and soft as she lazily waved to the blonde girl standing in front of him.

    “Hey Q. Yeah, I'm on my break. What's up?”

    He immediately noticed the slight change in her demeanor and the way she spoke. It was more casual and friendly compared to his first meeting with her. He shifted so he stood next to the maid and noticed another change. Her face went from friendly to sour. But with his position, he got a better look at her eyes. What he saw was a bit close to home.

    Empty. Cold. Resenting. But also disgust. The emotions he saw reminded him of his own delinquent self when he was just 13 up to 16. Unlike himself though, she held no out of control temper. She was calm and collected. Her way of carelessly hurting others was through her words and the way she spoke to others. Always an arms length away and seemingly impenetrable. He wondered how the woman behind the counter and Suzie-Q had managed to pierce that barrier. Instead of curt, polite, and empty eyes, it was replaced with casual words and way of speaking as well with a slight glow in her eyes and her expression.

    Just seeing some of his old self in Patricia made Caesar want to know more. But also made him want to protect her from the things that could hurt her. She didn't seem weak like Suzie-Q was but she was by no means physically strong enough to last if she was jumped by multiple people.

    This was no love. It was a desire to protect, to help a person who seemed to be where he was all those years ago with no emotional support. But it was clear at the time that she didn't like him. If he had to guess, it would be his words and actions from their first meeting. As well as the words she spoke so quietly to herself.

    And just like their second meeting, she was continually in a sour mood around him and rude when he'd come by for a cup or to accompany the island's maid to get coffee grounds. Always curt towards him, yet polite as well so she could keep her job. It never bothered him, and knowing that she was the blonde's friend brought upon a little teasing and flirting. His words were always brushed off, but he didn't mind. She was just a closed-off individual.

    About a few weeks before Patricia's arrival as the new and second maid on Air Supplena, the female blonde on the island disclosed to Caesar a small bit of information.

    “I feel bad just telling you this, but I also feel so bad that she treats you like this and you don't even know why...”

    “You don't have to feel bad Suzie-Q, I'm sure she'll understand.” He assured gently.

    “Well, Trisha told me once that she hates people who have had it easy in life. She dislikes people who aren't working hard and are being lazy. She also said entitled people and the rich.”

    “Um...when you weren't with me one time to get the coffee grounds, she told me that she doesn't like you. I'm sure you know that already, though. She hates that easy going attitude of yours and how you can keep flirting with girls so shamelessly. She told me 'He must have it easy if he can come by this cafe so often and sit with a new girl every time he decides to come with one.'.”

    Suzie-Q looked guilty but Caesar gently stroked the hair on top of her head.

    “Don't feel bad tesoro. You just want to help.”

    “I think she says all of this because she's judging a book by its cover...I don't see her talking with people much. It's like every time she's formed her first impression of somebody that's what decides how she'll treat them.”

    If that was the case, it definitely helped him learn a bit more about her. Even if it was a vague clue, it gave him more insight.

    When Patricia did arrive on the island those weeks later, he was treated the same as always. Taking Suzie-Q's speculation in mind, he watched the raven-haired woman's behavior and the words she chose when she talked to him. It was nothing different from the typical. But with his new knowledge and this speculation, he was able to understand her behavior just a bit more. A person could judge another by just the first impression they got of them. It was a trait some people held. But not every individual would hold a distaste for people who had it easy, were lazy, or were rich. People like that did certainly get some resentment from others.

    But it wasn't often that they'd see a hate so strong. Caesar knew already – a person like this wasn't reacting normally. No, only those who have suffered deeply and had to work hard during their life would treat individuals opposite of them like dirt. While they suffered, some other people had an easy life. Her resentment towards those individuals was strong.

    And he knew. If he was ever going to be even remotely treated with respect by Patricia, he'd have to prove to her that his life wasn't as easy as she thought. He'd have to tell her what he went through. As much as he didn't like telling others about his rough experiences in life, he also wanted to help this woman.

    A week after she arrived, he had finally decided to tell her. While they were both the same age, it was almost like looking at a small child when he looked at her sometimes. He fist gently knocked on the door to her room, the entire building nearly dark.

    “...Come in.”

    She'd never know who was behind the door, usually, unless they decided to speak. But he didn't and let himself in. Upon seeing him, she instantly frowned.

    “What do you want?” She asked, light exasperation in her voice.

    He sat on her bed while she sat laid-back against the window seat, staring out the window at the stars.

    “If you'd humor me, I'd like to tell you a story.”

    “A story? I figured that by now you'd be asleep in your room, not coming over to me to tell a story.”

    Caesar smiled in amusement at her choice of words. “'Coming over to tell me a story.'?”

    He repeated her words with his smile still on his face. She turned her head to look at him.

    “What are you implying Signorina? It's almost as if you're saying you don't mind if I tell it.” He teased.

    She sighed and waved her hand dismissively. “Just tell your story.”

    And so he did. And at the end, his face was serious and her's shocked. It was then that he saw something in her eyes. It looked like a slight change, as if something inside her had changed. She was quiet, however, probably processing everything he told her.

    After a minute or two of silence, she finally spoke up.

    “...I'm in a good mood. How about I tell a story?”

    When she did, Caesar could feel his heart breaking. As he assumed, a struggle was the core of her resentments. Her mother resented her existence only a couple years after her birth and beat her. Talked her down. Accused her of things that weren't her fault. Her father took her away from his wife and threw them into the poor class, all for his daughter. He worked hard so they could stay afloat. And she took up that torch when he fell ill, working day in and day out to keep them not only afloat but to pay for the medicine that kept him alive. Only two years ago he died. All she had left of her family was gone. As far as she was concerned, her mother didn't exist.

    And Suzie-Q? She approached Patricia the day after her father's death. The kind maid had noticed the struggle inside her that she was fighting to keep inside. In the end though, the blonde became the pillar that got her through her father's death. Despite her easy life, the green-eyed woman didn't hate Suzie-Q. Because it took her a while to work through her father's death, she got to know the cheerful girl and became her friend.

    Caesar stood up silently from the bed and walked over to the window seat where she sat. Without a word he pulled the raven-haired woman into his arms. She stiffened at first, but then relaxed. Knowing now, she knew she had no reason to really hate him. He struggled just as much as she.

    “I'm sorry...Caesar.” She said quietly.

    “It's alright piccolo. Starting now, i'll protect you.” He whispered.

[all-about-seggs]

False Love-

Rating: ❌ 18+, Explicit ❌

Pairing- Timeskip! Yandere Oikawa Tooru x fem reader

Word count- 1.8 K

Warnings- Aphrodisiacs, fingering, dub-con, vaginal sex, Oikawa is delusional and sad.

A/n: This is my fic for the Valentine's day Collab that @ultimate-astridwriting hosted. I hope I was able to live up to their expectations (ᗒᗩᗕ).

Roaming around the busy streets of Palermo, ginormous heart shaped props occupying the narrow lane paints Oikawa's vision in scarlet. Love is in the air, as they say, was quite literally true for the beautiful city of Argentina.

In the midst of giggling couples and warm twinkling lights, the annoyed click of his tongue gets drowned out; Unnoticed ;making him recognise his own solitude.

Normally he'd have hoards of girls vying for his attention, trying to take him to their place but maybe it was because of his age, or the mountain of experience with the momentary flings that made him want to search for something deeper.

He used to be fine with superficiality of his relationships, the repeated cycle of getting himself off of any faceless women who came onto him then forgetting her existence the next day was fulfilling in itself. Afterall, his career has always taken priority.

Though the last remaining brain cells of his body tries to rationalise the situation he is getting himself in, Oikawa had already decided what kind of connection he wanted and and was just going to let himself have that. Selfishness is not something he ever disliked anyway.

He felt no need to hide his disdain, Oikawa wasn't one to be subtle about his pettiness either, that's why the contrasting emotions of his own, clashing with the jubilant ones of his surrounding annoyed him to no end.

The chocolates wrapped up neatly in his hand felt heavy, causing his fingers to tremble slightly. It wasn't the weight of the box but what he intended to do with the said item that made his insides twist with excitement.

Yes. It was excitement. Happiness and pure bliss that he felt when he rang the doorbell of your modest appartment in the costal side of the city. Despite having the sea right next to your place, the cold February air still made you shiver as you opened the door to see Oikawa standing at your doorsteps, all smiles with a dash of extra in his typical 'hand on the hip' pose.

Surprised wouldn't even being to describe your current state of shock. You spend the next few seconds just starting at his ever confident form before his voice brings you back to your senses.

" Yooohooo~ babe, I'm sure I don't look 'that' good. I just finished with practice so my hair's probably a mess right now", he continued on with his cheery tone,

" Come on, It's not like you have anyone else to spend Valentine's with, so why not just let me in already and look", dangling the expensive looking bag in front of your eyes, his expression took on a slightly sinister turn in their features, the kind that went away as soon as they appeared not leaving any trace of its original condescending vibes.

" I made these chocolates for you", emphasizing on the made part he stares right into your eyes, as if waiting for his well earned praise. Heaving a sigh of defeat you release the door know you didn't knew you had in a death grip, opening the door completely in a gesture to usher him inside.

Oikawa quickly makes himself at home, plopping down on your couch with his long legs stretched.

This was the first time you had seen him after the rejection of the high in demand position of his girlfriend. The face he made when you turned him down was of utter disbelief so much so that you almost reconsidered your decision. But you weren't that wishy washy in your opinions and his was a type you made sure to ignore.

You were aware of his salty personality and the habit of holding grudges, so you thought after that fateful day he'd ignore you like the plague, but for all his arrogance Oikawa's face was the epitome of gleeful.

" Soooo", starting off with an awkward note you casually try to sit on the furthest arm chair from the couch Oikawa was currently occupying and tried to ask what exactly was he expecting out of his current visit but he quickly cut you off by his own booming voice.

" Before all that, why don't you try these?", Pointing to the chocolates he starts unwrapping them, as he pulls the decorative ribbon, two rows of brown, heart shaped delicacies appeared.

"Don't be shy, I made these for you afterall", he remarked, pushing the box on your side of the table.

You didn't think much of it, afterall, 'making' chocolates just means buying store bought ones and just melting them into different shapes right?

Popping one small cube in your mouth you let it dissolve, your taste buds filling up with the sweetness of the treat. Just as it finished you heard Oikawa speak again.

"You probably know why I'm here, but I'll tell you again", readjusting his posture, he sits straight, both the look in his eyes and tone taking a more serious turn.

" I thought about why turned me down that day and I finally realised......You were just scared weren't you?", rather than upset he sounded relieved as he continued with self assuredness ,

" Of commitment? Or because of my job? Either way I can already assure you that I was already prepared to put you above everything else if the situation calls for it".

You were just sitting, listening to his outrageous conclusions when you felt your heartbeat increase. The sweaty palms of your hand to the moistness in your core, your entire body started reacting in ways you'd never experience before.

"You thought that I'd keep our relationship on the back burner and only focus on my career? You were just lonely weren't you?", With every passing second his delusional words seemed to work with more and more intensity that didn't helped your hyperventilating state at all.

"And you rejected me because you didn't wanted to have an absent boyfriend right? So in reality-", by the time he finished he was already in front of you, the fire in the depths of your core made your mind hazy and eyes unfocused. You wanted to ask what was happening or what he put in those chocolates but forming any coherent words was a feat on its own in your current condition.

He smoothly takes one of your burning hand in his cool ones, the contact making you instantly lean onto him for more. You're sitting in a daze when he pulls you up from the arm chair and places you on his lap back on the longer couch.

In your already aroused state, the soft strokes of Oikawa's fingers on your scalp made you succumb further into the need for release as you sit on his lap with your head resting against his shoulder. The room was now quite safe for his soothing voice that came from right about your head.

"You love me right?", the words that come out of his mouth in the heated moment betrayed all his attempts at feigned composure. He may have spiked the chocolates with some sort of aphrodisiacs but the way your heart hurted after hearing this made it seem more like a love potion.

With his barely audible voice they sounded almost like a plea, another desperate measure to get what he wanted.

Before you could even notice, your vision tilts and you find yourself pinned to the couch, with Oikawa hovering right above you. His hands on your sweatpants, lowering them all the way to your ankles. And the weirdest thing?

You didn't wanted him to stop.

Not when he spread you out completely in front of him. Not when he was shamelessly staring at your naked pussy with a maniacal glint in his eyes and definitely not when he shoved two of his thick digits up your leaking pussy that covered his entire palm in your slick at the slightest of contact.

Your soft walls clenching around his fingers was all he needed before he stared unzipping his own pants. He gazed at your panting body while he pulled his cock out, flipping you on your stomach with your ass up and face shoved down.

You barely cared about anything but getting fucked good at this point when you heard some rumbling behind you, as soon as Oikawa was done putting on a condom he lined himself up against your entrance.

Not wasting any more time he slips past your folds until he is buried to the hilt. The feeling of being stretched out and filled to the brim coaxed out a few lewd moans from your mouth.

Your slick was enough to make Oikawa pick up a hard and fast pace, your entire body shook with every thrust of his. He kept his hands on your waist, pushing himself as deep as he can before pulling out until only the tip remains. Your own orgasm started building up with his every action.

His member throbbed against your insides and the moans that slipped past his gritted teeth indicated he already came but his cock showed no signs of softening as he kept going with his brutal pace.

You bury your head sideways, tongue lolling out and covering the fabric beneath it in your drool as Oikawa lodges his cock further into your pussy from behind. He moves in and out of you with ease, the slick from both your pussy and his previous release was more than enough to keep his memeber going.

Gripping your ass cheek in one hand, he trails his other one in between your thighs. Quickly his digits grazes your clit, the pressure they added along with the heavy thrusts pulled you closer to the edge. The anticipation of your impending release was all your lust laden head could think about the feeling of ecstasy that you desperately needed.

The intensity of your orgasm made your eyes roll back, and if it wasn't him holding you firmly in place, you probably would've fell down the couch. With your entire body shaking your panted heavily from your mouth to calm yourself.

Oikawa doesn't make any attempt to pull out or move and even after your breathing becomes even his member is still lodged deep inside you. He gently starts gyrating his hips against your pussy again and it becomes obvious that you weren't the only one under the effects of aphrodisiacs.

As cum trickles down your inner thighs, all you could decipher was the overwhelming bolts of pleasure Oikawa's cock provided and the sounds of your skin smacking against eachother's.

With his hands on both of your sides, he lowers himself down until your back was flush against his toned chest, his raspy voice rumbled through your ear as he spoke in a dark possessive tone,

"Don't forget..... we are in love"

[boop-le-snoot]

PARTY FAVOURS I CHAPTER 34

💖 first time reader click here 💖

A little bit of plot, but mostly ironstrange x reader filthy porn. Bukkake stuff. Stephen finally opening up a lil bit, I mean... I've slept through a 1/3 of a hospital and lemme tell you, doctors are kinky bastards. On the same note, there's definitely going to be a chapter where all three men are involved after the plot shit is resolved.

There was something big brewing. I had a hunch... which was more like a strong sense of doom... hanging over me and the rest of the world. Peter also had noticed the sudden spike in anxiety, quoting the sudden disappearance of many low-tier mutants from the streets. Usually, Peter dealt with at least a few enhanced enemies during his patrols but the closer it got to Christmas, the less enhanced bothered with small-time crimes, the more intense the buzzing of his Spidey sense became.

Now that my immediate lack of income wasn't a problem anymore, I set business onto that damn mercenary. I was no spy, I was no SHIELD operative but... I could be very clever.

First things first, I had to make sure I would stay alive no matter what. A subdermal tracker was a good guarantee of security and I spent many hours making one - having to keep it a secret was incredibly hard, I hated lying to my loves and I hated avoiding Wanda even more - I was constantly on the edge around the telepath, hyperfocused on keeping up the pretense of normalcy.

I wouldn't be me if I couldn't successfully pull off a whole ass façade. Unfortunately, the continued failures of the people searching left and right for the mercenary only fueled my strength for the inevitable fuck-fest that I would have to create in order to make sure my people get the peace they fucking deserve. The web of lies grew in size every damn day.

Subdermal tracker, an implant that reports directly to Friday upon activation. It hurt like a bitch - I had cut myself open, an inch wide gash on the inside of my forearm - and put it in without any anesthesia in my own bathroom, not even thinking twice before making up a lie that I had been careless in the lab and hurt myself.

An antidote to common tranquilizers, creating it gave me a headache the size of Moscow but I'd been successful; Tony assembled the whole team when he found it out, offering me a ridiculous amount of money for the formula. It was weird. SHIELD was interested, too, and I had to witness Tony and Coulson argue. Apparently, the agency wanted to recruit me and Tony was adamantly against it, totally forgetting the promise Natasha had given me. In the end, the spy and Coulson shared a quiet conversation and the man left, respectfully complimenting my skills.

I sold the formula to Stark Industries, unable to get rid of the weirdness of the situation. I had to shake hands with my own boyfriend and his ex-girlfriend... In a business setting. What. Just what. Bucky and Stephen couldn't stop laughing at the face I made all throughout that day - and Clint even went as far as to bake me a gag cake, a cartooney handshake drawn in frosting on top of it. I hit him with a spatula, Loki smiled in his direction for the first time in, like, ever. It was a trip and Tony had way too much fun with the incident.

Perhaps, turning myself into a cyborg stew wasn't the best plan that was possible to think up in a few weeks' time but I've never claimed to be exceptionally intelligent; if anything, I've always considered myself to be a moderately educated idiot. It is common knowledge that there are two halves of a whole idiot: my second half was on his way from California, having had received my very detailed e-mail about the whole cursed box fiasco and the consequences that followed. I could barely contain my excitement at the prospect of seeing uncle Eddie and his symbiote again.

Tony wasn't even half as excited; if anything, he bordered on outright hostile, bickering, and sassing everybody left and right. It could have been the situation at hand finally getting on his last nerves. It could have been his jealousy, the same that appeared every time I paid extra attention to someone that wasn't him, Bruce or Stephen. Either way, Bruce was sighing all the time now and Stephen's remarks began to fill with poison once again.

Just like the good old times, I guess. I was forced to pull a Me over and over, interrupting their petty arguments with increasingly absurd remarks. I felt like everybody was laughing at me these days, which ended in only one way it could have...

"Brat," Stephen's patience was paper-thin and, being forcefully distracted from yelling at Tony, he directed his angst at the nearest person - me. "I oughta put you over my knee. I swear to Cosmos..."

"Blah, blah, blah. Don't you ever get tired of listening to yourself talk?" I raised my eyebrows, tone deceptively calm. "You're talking too much for someone who can't even..." I didn't get to finish my sentence, suddenly finding my mouth firmly glued shut. It was magic - the sensation was pulling, but not unpleasant. Reminded me of a ball gag Tony had used on me in the early days of our relationship.

"Now, Dumbledore, hold your horses..." Tony interjected looking none-too-happy. The engineer placed a warning arm on the sorcerer's bicep, their little spat seemingly forgotten.

"What, Tony? She's been nothing but a mouthy urchin the past few days, I can't stand it anymore," They shared a meaningful look; no matter how much Tony wanted to argue, he knew Stephen was right. What he didn't know was that there probably have been a magic versus science altercation... Or worse. Humiliation was a small price to pay for some (relative) peace.

I did what I do best. I annoyed them further, throwing up a juicy middle finger to the two men and turned around with a huff, mind set on finding Loki to undo the mute ban Stephen gave me. Needless to say, I didn't make it very far.

In mere seconds, I was sandwiched between the two men, Stephen's finger delicately holding my chin to force me to look into his eyes. Tony was holding onto my shoulders from behind me - I could feel the tension, my engineer was almost buzzing with it. I was pretty sure my eyes were laughing anyway because Stephen's frown slowly transformed into a coy smirk once his stormy blues focused on my face.

"Brat," He repeated once again. "She's doing this on purpose."

"I can't say I'm surprised," Tony's breath tickled the nape of my neck. "That does sound like our little Princess," Apparently, it took all of a 0.1 second for Tony to switch from annoyed to horny. Men, they were so easy to play. "Baby, if you wanted our attention you could have just said so," He chastised me, hands sliding down to my waist.

I hummed, and then aggressively hummed some more until Stephen removed the magical gag. "Not like you'd notice it, being occupied with tearing each other's hair out," I pouted.

The sorcerer briefly averted his eyes, leaning down to softly kiss my pout. It was very unlikely I'd get an actual apology but a kiss I won't be complaining about either. "So, your best tactic was to annoy us even more? How does that work out for you?"

I pulled on the tied fabric around his waist, bringing him closer to me. "Pretty good, if I'm being honest. You're exactly where I wanted you to be," Carelessly, I began untying the layers of silks and cotton I had become intimately familiar with over the course of the past few weeks. Most of the time Steph wore his wizard garbs and while figuring out how to undo them was a trip at first, I had gotten him desperate enough a few times, for him to show me a few tips and tricks for easier access.

Tony snorted somewhere behind me. "You just want us for our bodies," His hands wormed their way under my shirt, brushing the underside of my breasts. Bra? Hardly know her. "Our beautiful, sexy bodies." Yes Tony, very humble.

"When will you learn, people?" I asked rhetorically, simultaneously leaning into both Tony's and Stephen's touch. "Why fight each other when you could be fucking me into oblivion instead?"

Stephen snorted, still not completely used to the at times crude things that left my (and occasionally Tony's) mouth. I had a hunch the sorcerer was holding back somewhat - for whatever reason - and I was eagerly waiting for him to get comfortable enough to reveal that special part of himself. Whatever it was, I just knew it was delicious and sinful and-

"Do you really think I will be giving you what you want after your little... Stunt?" Steph went balls out; his voice dropped and the intensity of his stare left me breathless. The hand that was stroking my face wrapped around my throat as he had some sort of a silent conversation with Tony.

"Yeah," I emphasized the word with an inaudible 'duh' behind it but obediently trotted along as Stephen backed up towards the couch, leading me by the throat like a pet on a leash. I was steadily going into 'no thoughts, head empty' territory.

"I like it when you get all bossy," Tony remarked casually but he was close enough for me to hear the strain in his voice. Every time we fucked, Tony eagerly gave up the control to Stephen. I definitely saw the appeal. Stephen Strange demanded authority effortlessly, his stern but fair attitude simply demanded to kneel.

That's just what I did. As soon as Stephen made himself comfortable on the Italian leather couch, I dropped to my knees, looking up at the man with big round eyes. Just like Tony and Bruce, Stephen had his own weaknesses when it came to moi and I wasn't ashamed to exploit them. Steph's stroked my hair, carding careful fingers through it, slowly unbuttoning his pants with his other hand.

"If you insist on being mouthy, I have a better task for you," He husked, pulling me closer towards him. I called it his doctor voice. Honestly, I don't have a clue how his surgical team could be around him with their pants on back in the day... The man was a snack on a silver platter.

Steph's erection sprang free. I didn't hesitate to wrap my hand around it, stroking the underside of his glans just like he liked it, looking to the side where Tony landed on the couch next to Stephen, a curious look on his face. Yeah, Tony liked to watch. Me and Stephen or me and Bruce... Me and Stephen and Bruce? That's an idea for later.

"Don't mind little old me," Tony smirked his trademark Stark mischief, getting comfortable, ditching his oil-stained shirt and unbuttoning his pants to lazily palm himself through his boxers. "Carry on," The smirk only grew when Tony noticed both me and Steph eyeing him with amusement.

I hid my grin, nodding my head, before wrapping my lips around the tip of Stephen's cock, relaxing my throat to prepare for the intrusion. Sweet and salty, the slit on his cockhead was mercilessly teased by the tip of my tongue.

Stephen murmured encouragements under his breath as I began to bob up and down, him controlling the pace with a hand in my hair, just the right balance between cruel and gentle. The sorcerer was always too good to me, bringing me to the point of overstimulation and instantly soothing the ache afterward; "Fuck, darling, your mouth feels like heaven," He groaned as I snuck a look upwards to see his lips parted and a steady flush crawling up his neck.

"She knows how to work a man, doesn't she?" Tony's lust had him panting, hips moving into his own hand. He leaned closer to Stephen, brushing my hair behind my ear with a tender hand. "Merlin needs to share," Tony began pulling me in his direction. I reluctantly let go of Stephen's cock, keeping up the pace with my hand as I scooted closer to Tony to be able to mouth at his stiff erection.

Watching me suck cock always got Tony hard enough to pound nails with. I couldn't blame him, I knew what I could do and did well; by the time I made my way down his thick flesh, drool was dripping down my chin and the make-up around my eyes was surely smeared by tears. My engineer was much less gentle than Steph, pounding my face without reservations.

"I know you can take it, baby girl, fuck," My face was held in his strong grip, thumbs digging into my jaw. "Such a good girl," The two words went straight down to my pussy and I had to squirm and clench my thighs together, whining at the lack of friction.

The air was pierced by a low moan - Stephen was fisting his erection almost desperately now, almost as desperately as I was humping the air, whining like a bitch in heat at the taste of Tony's cock in my mouth. I knew neither of the men would last long, not with all that pent up tension running through their minds and bodies.

"Fuck, come here, baby girl," The engineer yanked me off his cock, gripping the base of it so forcefully his knuckles turned white. I was all but dragged into the space between them; still kneeling, barely seeing with snot and tears smeared all over my face, I couldn't hold in the broken moan as the realization set in.

"Keep your eyes open!" Steph instructed furiously, scooting to tower over me. Tony followed in his steps as I obediently lifted my eyes to their cocks and then their faces; nearly identical furrowed brow expressions stared back at me, lips moist and eyes wide. Both men stroked themselves with renewed vigor.

I hummed softly before sticking out my tongue; their reaction didn't let me wait long. Strings of pearly white cum landed in my hair, on my face; I felt the warmth on my skin and tasted their salt and musk on the tip of my tongue, reflexively swallowing each and every drop that landed in my mouth, savoring it just like I savored the sinful groans that left their mouths.

"Fuck, you're so good to us," Tony panted, gracelessly falling backward onto the couch.

Stephen, however, didn't hurry to catch his breath, giving me a thoughtful look. His fingers shook more than ever but he paid no mind to the discomfort, gathering the cum dripping down my face with two fingers and offering it to me, holding them up to my lips as I gently cleaned them off. And he did it again, and again, until Tony gave a weak moan of recognition, throwing an arm under his head.

"Be polite, Princess," Stephen's voice hadn't lost the lust in it just yet.

"Thank you, sir," I mumbled, utterly captivated by the way he was looking at me. Stormy blues radiated a strong sense of intensity, devotion perhaps, that I wasn't ready for.

Stephen smiled at me, almost coyly, before kneeling right next to me and bringing me over the edge with a few sharp, clever movements of his hand. I held onto his shoulders for dear life, barely noticing Tony's reaction - if there was one - my other lover seemed to be as surprised as I was, choosing to hang back and observe the unusual situation.

I had a feeling that whatever it was, it would make another appearance during our playtime. It wasn't just sex, it wasn't making love - it was... Something. I loved every second of it.

@another-stark-sub ​ @mostly-marvel-musings  @vozit ​ @littlegasps ​ @pilloclock ​ @shereadsinquiet @downeyreads @hermione-grangers-wife ​ @individualistfem ​ @sleep-i-ness @capbrie @lillsxd @agustdowney @dee-vn @justanotherblonde23 @fanngirl19 @persephonehemingway @softie-socks @schemefrenzy @letsby @romeo-the-cactus @jelly-fishy-babie @mikariell95 @gladiosamicitias @toomanyrobins @i-cant-hangout-im-drumming

[bobohunn]

Title : Big Chance

Genre : fluff(?), angst

Pair : baekhyun x reader

Warnings : language, cheating (not between the pair), and mentions of alcohol

Word count : 1.3k

xx

You gulped the last drop of your vodka and slammed your hands on the counter as you stood up from the stool on which you have been sitting for about 2 hours. When you finally decided to turn and move away from the cold surface of the bar, a warm hand snaked around and rested on your waist.

”Don’t,” the owner of the hand whispered to your ear over the loud music playing somewhere in the living room, his voice all too familiar for you to spend even a second to turn and confirm who he is.

As if showing no interest, despite him looking like an entire sumptuous meal, you returned his gaze with half-lidded eyes. ”Then what should I do? Just watch them rub themselves to each other until his dick is finally fucking her vagina?” you scoffed.

Baekhyun only smirked at your words. He lowered himself and pressed his lips against the shell of your ear as he shifted his gaze towards the crowd of drunkards in the living room. His hand left your waist to move to the dip of your lower back. ”You won’t be watching them if you keep your eyes on me, sweetheart.”

You raised a brow in amusement, ”Oh my, what is this, I sense? Some alcohol-induced confidence?”

”We can give them a show tonight, baby. One that would rile someone the fuck up,” Baekhyun whispered to your ear once more before standing up straight again. He pushed his brown hair back and placed a hand in his pocket, ”only if you’re interested, though.”

The edges of your lips rose to your cheeks as you let out a small laugh at his idea. You stared at him for a while and asked for the second time but in a different context, this time, ”Then what should I do?”

He took one of your small hands and kissed the back of it before saying, ”Just relax and go with the flow.”

Baekhyun then pulled you gently to the dance floor, making sure that you were somewhere along the vision span of your apparently cheating boyfriend who was taking the time of his life feeling up the body of one of your best— now fake, friends. He moved so that your back was directly against his chest as he once again brought his lips to your ear, ”Dance for me, baby.”

You swayed your body to the music as if there were no tomorrow. You didn’t care about how your skimpy dress was riding up your thighs or how awful the smell of people’s breaths around you were. You just let your body move how it wanted to, wild and free. You just didn't give a fuck. Not anymore. Certainly not about your almost 1-year relationship with your now ex-boyfriend nor your 5-year friendship with your best friend, that was about to go down the drain tonight. It’s so easy to stop giving two shits when you know they’re wrong, after all.

All that mattered at the moment was how Baekhyun’s hands were roaming around your body as he rolled his hips to the melody of the song; how he stared down at you with his bottom lip trapped between his teeth, sweat trickling down his temples; and how he made you feel so good about yourself. Oh, what you would do just to be this way every day. You were enjoying yourself a little bit too much that you didn’t even notice your boyfriend coming up to you.

“What the fuck is this?” Dylan shouted over the loud music as he pulled you out of Baekhyun’s personal space. You clicked your tongue and turned your head to the side, a grin growing on your lips.

You started to laugh sarcastically at your boyfriend’s face, clutching your stomach in your hands to emphasize how fake it was. Your voice was so loud that the people around stopped dancing, confused at the scene right in front of them.

Mina, who reeked of sex and your ex-boyfriend’s body spray, grabbed your wrist as she said, “[Y/N], stop people are watching. It’s embarrassing.” You abruptly stopped laughing and yanked your wrist from Mina’s hold, all while staring at her bloodshot eyes.

”I was watching you both basically having sex with clothes on,” you paused to look at your boyfriend. ”Honestly, it was embarrassing how you cheating sluts couldn’t even get a room. But did I tell you to stop?”

You weren’t very sure how it happened, but a hand landed on your right cheek.

Only after a few seconds did you realize that Mina slapped you. She hit you with all her might. She slapped you as if her life depended on how prominent the red mark on your face would be. She slapped you so hard that you would have ended up on the floor if it wasn’t for Baekhyun’s reflexes. She slapped you like you were wrong.

Your blood rushed to your face, and your nails dug into the soft skin of your palm.

You wanted to scream, to shout, and to curse the hell out of your burning chest. It was so unfair. You got cheated on by both your boyfriend and your best friend together, the two people you poured your love and time to. But why did you have to get slapped in front of many people? Why did you have to lose more of your non-existent dignity? Why did it suddenly feel like it was your fault? Why?

The next thing you knew was that Baekhyun was dragging you past the crowd towards the front door.

You were sure you heard your name with a couple of ’wait’ and ’please’ from behind you, but you didn’t bother turning around anymore. It’s not that you didn’t want to, though. You wanted to know their side. You wanted to hear their explanations and give them the benefit of the doubt, but you just ran out of energy. It sounds dumb—of course, it is, because it was what your heart wanted.

The heart always makes dumb decisions. Always.

Which is the main reason why you are now kissing Baekhyun inside his black Audi. You both know that you aren’t ready for this yet, considering that it hasn’t even been 3 hours since you broke up with your boyfriend, but here you were savoring each other’s mouths as if you starved on tongue and saliva.

The kiss was bitter, like a mixture of all the alcoholic drinks you can find at the liquor section of the supermarket as if mocking the painful situation you were in. However, it felt good. With his teeth constantly tugging at your lower lips and occasionally biting your tongue, you couldn’t help but let out soft moans. He made you feel so good, as always, and you returned the favor by reaching all the corners of his mouth.

After a few good minutes of making out, you finally pulled away and caught your breath. He kissed the tip of your nose before leaning back.

Baekhyun rested his head on the headrest, showcasing the smooth and very tempting skin of his neck. You look back up at him again, taking in his facial features like it was food for the eyes. Though this is not the first time that you studied his face like this, your heart still skipped a beat at first glance. You have seen his face too many times before that you could point where every single one of his moles rested with your eyes closed. And if you tried harder, you would probably be able to tell precisely how many lashes h frame his brown orbs. You can’t help but smile at the sight.

“Look, I don’t want to be a rebound,” he said without looking at you.

You slowly nod your head, already prepared for when this would happen, “Sorry for bringing you into this, Baek. Just drop me at the next bus stop. I’ll hail a cab there,” you fumbled with the slit of your dress, avoiding his eyes.

“But baby,” your heart fluttered at the nickname, “if that’s the only way to make you realize that I’ve been here the whole time, I’ll do it for you.”

[hobidreams]

hey babe… i was wondering if you had any advice for starting a difficult conversation with a friend? without getting too specific, she has this coping mechanism where yknow, if done in moderation is completely fine. however,,, it’s not really done in moderation and she has expressed multiple times that she doesn’t like doing it or the way it makes her feel. it’s been going on for almost a year now and we’ve been telling her that we’re always here for here and that we’ll always be here for her if she needs us but nothing has changed yknow… and i’m all for respecting other people’s choices and their lifestyle but it’s hurting her at this point….. i just don’t know how to approach her about this whole thing without being too invasive, i guess? hnnnng i just love her so much and seeing her suffer like that while also refusing help from anyone is painful to see.

hi babe!! ahhhh... yeah i feel you. i was in a similar situation a few years ago where my friend and i had to decide whether or not to directly intervene with the behavior of the third friend in our group. we also did the same thing you did, telling her that we were there for her endlessly but it didn't give her the push she needed to change. and it also was hurting us in return bc we kept getting more and more frustrated at the situation. so i think direct intervention is the most effective way since you've been trying other methods for a year.

full answer under the cut!

you say we, so i assume you’re in a group of friends that’s concerned about one in the group? personally, i would send the person she's closest to in to have a one on one chat with her, whether that’s you or not. i think its important not to make her feel like its you all vs. her, so having everyone there might be overwhelming. im not sure if this is a RL friend or online friend but i think its best to do it in person, in a location that they’re comfortable in, if that’s an option. that way a) they feel more relaxed and b) they can't just ignore ur messages (like my friend used to do when she was running away from problems. she used to not reply for weeks even tho she was actively online all the time). obviously dont do it before an event or dinner date or anything.

i would frame it as being ultimately her choice whether or not to change, but that your friendship with her is being negatively impacted by her decisions. i’d emphasize that you’ll continue to be her friend, but that it’s because you care so much about her that you wish to see her in a healthier place. you can maybe suggest working with her to create steps towards change, or guiding her to some resources she might look into, depending on what the mechanism is! overall, i would say just try your best to frame it coming from a place of love, not of judgement. since she already seems to know that its a bad habit for her, i think presenting her with the tangible help she needs might be most effective. for example, if she keeps buying too many things she doesn’t need, you might work together to create a budget, or to go through several steps to rationalize/slow down each purchase before she clicks check out on any shopping sites. or you could help her find a therapist or other professional to help her, depending on the severity of the coping mechanism!!

also i would say... be prepared for her to lash out. when i talked with my friend, it was a suuuuuuper awkward conversation because i didnt want her to feel attacked (she was going through a lot but .. she’s kind of always going through a lot of drama lol...) but i had to keep pushing through. thankfully, my friend took it well. but i think, from your description of the situation, this is a conversation that has to be had. and though she might be upset with you for directly discussing it with her, it will likely help her in the long run. so yeah. 

i hope everything goes well for you 💜 i can really feel your care for your friend through your message. if only we were all blessed with such wonderful friends in our lives! 💞 i hope this was able to help a bit <3

[iceflame14rulez]

Here's an idea, and, it may sound crazy, so bear with me... why don't we have an electoral debate where ALL the candidates for presidency are able to participate? There were at least four people up for presidency, not two in the 2020 election. There are at least four parties, if not more, in the United States, not two. Trump and Biden were up for presidency, obviously, but there were more people on the ballot.

To those of you who don't know, the libertarian candadate, Jo Jorgensen, had this platform, which the media covered very little of.

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Healthcare and social security

Jorgensen supports a free-market healthcare system financed by individual spending accounts that could keep any savings, which she believes would increase healthcare providers' incentive to compete by meeting consumer demand for low-cost services. She opposes single-payer healthcare, calling it "disastrous".

Jorgensen supports replacing Social Security with individual retirement accounts.[25] In the final debate of the primaries, candidate Jacob Hornberger accused Jorgensen of "support[ing] the welfare state through Social Security and Medicare". In response, she called Social Security a "Ponzi scheme" and said she would allow people to opt out of the program on her first day in office. But she emphasized the constitutional inability of a president to unilaterally end the program without Congress's support, as well as the need for the government to fulfill existing Social Security obligations. Under Jorgensen's plan, those who opt out would put 6.2% of their payroll taxes in individual retirement accounts and receive prorated Social Security benefits for existing contributions as zero-coupon bonds for retirement.

Criminal justice and drug policy

Jorgensen opposes federal civil asset forfeiture and qualified immunity. She opposes the war on drugs and supports abolishing drug laws, promising to pardon all nonviolent drug offenders. She has urged the demilitarization of police.

Foreign policy and defense

Jorgensen opposes embargoes, economic sanctions, and foreign aid; she supports non-interventionism, armed neutrality, and the withdrawal of U.S. troops from abroad.

Immigration, economics, and trade

Jorgensen calls for deregulation, arguing that it would reduce poverty. She supports cutting government spending to reduce taxes.

Jorgensen supports the freedom of American citizens to travel and trade, calls for the elimination of trade barriers and tariffs, and supports the repeal of quotas on the number of people who can legally enter the United States to work, visit, or reside. In a Libertarian presidential primary debate, Jorgensen said she would immediately stop construction on President Donald Trump's border wall. During another primary debate she blamed anti-immigration sentiment on disproportionate media coverage of crimes by immigrants. She argued that immigration helps the economy and that the blending of cultures is benificial.

COVID-19

Jorgensen has characterized the U.S. government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic as overly bureaucratic and authoritarian, calling restrictions on individual behavior (such as stay-at-home orders) and corporate bailouts "the biggest assault on our liberties in our lifetime".

Jorgensen opposes government mask mandates, considering mask-wearing a matter of personal choice. She argues that mask-wearing would be widely adopted without government intervention because market competition would drive businesses to adopt either mask-required or mask-optional policies, allowing consumers the freedom to choose their preferred environment. Jorgensen has invoked the analogy of dollar voting to argue that consumer preferences would shape businesses' policies on face masks in the absence of a government mandate.

-------

The Green party's candadate, Howie Hawkins, was ALSO up for presidency. This was his platform.

--------------

COVID-19 EMERGENCY MEASURES FOR THE DURATION OF THE CRISIS

Medicare to Pay for COVID-19 Testing and Treatment and All Emergency Health Care. Defense Production Act to Rapidly Plan the Production and Distribution of Medical Supplies and a Universal Test, Contact Trace, and Quarantine Program to Safely Reopen the Economy. An OSHA Temporary Standard to Provide Enforceable PPE Protection for Workers. $2,000 a Month to All Adults Over Age 16 and $500 per Child. Loans to All Businesses and Hospitals for Payroll and Fixed Overhead To Be Forgiven If All Workers Are Kept on Payroll. Moratorium on Evictions, Foreclosures, and Utility Shutoffs. Cancel Rent, Mortgage, and Utility Payments; Federal Government Pays Those Bills; High-income People Pay Taxes on this Relief. Suspend Student Loan Payments with 0% Interest Accumulation. Federal Universal Rent Control. Aid to State and Local Governments Sufficient to Keep Essential Services Running. A 10-Year, $42 Trillion Ecosocialist Green New Deal for Economic Recovery through a Just Transition to 100% Clean Energy by 2030. Universal Mail-in Ballots for the 2020 General Election.

PEACE POLICIES

Pledge No First Use of Nuclear Weapons. Unilaterally Disarm to a Minimum Credible Deterrent. Negotiate with Nuclear Powers to Enact the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. End the Endless Wars—US Troops Home. Cut the Military Budget by 75%. Invest the Savings in a Global Green New Deal. Use Diplomacy and International Law to Promote Peace, Human Rights, and Democracy.

ECONOMIC BILL OF RIGHTS

Job Guarantee. Guaranteed Minimum Income Above Poverty. $20 Minimum Wage. Affordable Housing for All through Universal Rent Control and Public Housing. Medicare for All—A Community-Controlled National Health Service. Lifelong Free Public Education—Pre-K through College. Secure Retirement—Double Social Security Benefits

POLITICAL DEMOCRACY

Ranked-Choice National Popular Vote for President. Proportional Representation in Congress. End Party Suppression—Fair Ballot Access. End Voter Suppression—Restore the Preclearance Provision to the Voting Rights Act. Right to Vote Constitutional Amendment. Automatic Voter Registration. Voting Rights for Felons. Auditable Paper Balloting. Full Public Campaign Finance. We The People Amendment to End the Corporate-Personhood and Money-Is-Speech Legal Doctrines. DC Statehood

------

Had i known about this, about them, I would have proudly voted for Jorgensen or Hawkins, because, instead of being "the lesser of two evils", they actually sound like someone we genuinely need right now. We need to stand up for the people not getting their voices heard. I want a presidential election that has EVERYONE'S voice heard. To those of you who have been oppressed, beaten down, and learned to cope with being ignored just because someone didn't like what you had to say, you need to help the other candidates get their voices heard in the future. I don't know about you, but I want a United States that is concerned about the true freedom of speech, one which is fair and actually willing to hear what all our people have to say.

It's a dream that even Martin Luther King Jr. had. He saw the oppression of African Americans, and spoke out about having a dream that everyone could be heard.

When our country was founded, we were all immigrants. Everyone came from another place, even those we call Native Americans. Why is it that today, people are being rejected simply for needing to take refuge from a government abuser in some other country? We have lost sight of what our great nation is all about. We need to have our voices heard.

The next time there's a government position to replace, remember what I had to say. We are not sheep, who are to be headed toward the majority just because it's easy. We are human beings. We need to stop this suppression of the people's voices. We need to stand up to the government, to the media, to let everyone be heard.

Our nation is on the verge of a civil war, in part due to the oppression of the people. If you want to be heard, you need to stand up for what you believe in. Violence isn't necessary, but your right to free speech is. DO NOT LET THEM SUPPRESS YOUR VOICE.

EDIT: I would like to add, that in order for our POLITICAL voices to be heard, there is still something we need to change. If you would like to hear what is needed, there's a list of videos on the subject. If you really want to have your voices heard, we need to start here, with ranked voting. For more information, click this link.

[nekomapi]

chp 1 🎶 a light in your eyes that keeps shining

Shouto stared at the keys in front of him; the black and white rectangles blurred together as he spaced out. He had been running this piece all afternoon and he couldn't be more bored with it if he tried. Each time sounded just as good as the last, but he kept on practicing- leaving no room for the possibility of error. Less errors meant less scolding from his father.

His instructor didn't have any clients this afternoon and told him he could use the piano for as long as he wanted. He took lessons here twice a week when his father had other obligations and couldn't supervise, which also meant he never had much time for himself. Luckily, these two days were such a breath of fresh air from the usual routine that he always looked forward to them.

He let out a heavy sigh as he stretched his fingers and his arms. It was so peaceful; the warm sunlight pouring through the windows, golden hues illuminating the shiny surface of the grand piano. The whole room bathed in incredible warmth, something his house felt completely devoid of.

He couldn't remember how long he had been sitting there, but it felt like hours. He yawned as he glanced at the clock, his eyes slowly trailing over to the mahogany drum set that stared at him from the corner of the room. He had looked at it longingly for about 6 months, ever since he started his lessons here. There were so many different components and they seemed so complex, like a different world he was unaware of.

His curiosity itched to no end and he finally gathered the courage to walk over to it, grazing the drumhead with his fingers as he sat on the stool. His teacher had gone on an errand and he knew she wouldn't be back for a little while. Picking up the black wooden drumsticks, he started tapping gently on each piece to test the different noises they each made. After a few minutes of self-containment, he couldn’t help but let loose. He banged the different sized drums, smashed the symbols and kicked the bass pedal intermittently, with no direction and no sheet music to follow along with. It was the most exhilarated he had felt in a long time. He played with such enthusiasm that sweat started to accumulate on his brow as he lashed about without a care in the world. He didn't notice this rarity himself, but throughout his messy performance, his face was plastered with a playful grin. His focus shifted upwards as his eye caught a glimpse of a figure and he jumped up, almost tripping over the bass drum. A young girl was leaning in the doorway, her arms crossed and a smirk playing at her features. She couldn't help but find his clumsiness amusing.

Locking on her gaze, he instantly recognized her from the family photos on his teacher's desk. It was her daughter and he didn't know much about her, besides the few details she had mentioned to him in the past. Apparently she was exceptionally talented in multiple instruments and attended a very esteemed music academy in the city. The way she always beamed when she spoke of her, made it obvious how proud she was, and that shamefully always stung him. The only pride ever displayed from his father never felt out of love and his mother, well she was a different story.

"I... I'm sorry I uh...shouldn't have-"

She interrupted mid-sentence, holding up her hand and walking towards him, "Don't apologize! I'm the one who should apologize for startling you during your performance." She smiled and jokingly added," I'm going to guess that was your first time playing? If not, well then my mother might have lost her touch."

"That was the first time." He stood up straighter, trying to play off his embarrassment by transitioning into his usual stoic gaze. "I was just... curious is all."

"Ah. Well I have to say, you look good back there."

"Thanks," he mumbled, his cheeks feeling hot as he put down the drumsticks and started to back away from the drum set.

"Whoa, not so fast." She was at his side quickly and pushed him back towards the seat. He looked at her, confusion written on his face as he sat back down. She picked up the drumsticks, effortlessly twirling one around in her fingers. "Consider this your first lesson." Something about her made him feel at ease and he couldn't think of an excuse to refuse. He nodded in agreement and she grinned.

She didn't waste any time before naming each component and explaining the proper technique and form, including fixing the way he held the drumsticks. He admired how she spoke with such emotion, using her hands when trying to emphasize her opinion and the way her eyes lit up when she rambled on about what aspects she thought were the most important in order to be a good musician. It wasn't just her bright green eyes or that faint smell of gardenia that reminded him of her mother, but it was that burning passion towards music which was so evident in their words and motions. He longed to have that kind of burning emotion towards it as well. He soaked in every word, not wanting to forget a single thing she said--- or how her hair glistened against her smooth, freckled skin.

After going over the basics for about twenty minutes, she demonstrated a few basic drum beats. Once she ran through them a few times, she handed him back the drumsticks, gesturing for him to try. He followed her instruction, recreating the beat under her guidance. It wasn't hard for him to catch on. She stood back and watched as he seemed to effortlessly repeated the sample over and over, even adding in little changes while increasing the tempo each time. It was wildly impressive and after a few minutes, she spoke again. "Can I ask you something?'

"Go ahead," he responded, still focused on keeping a beat.

"Do you actually enjoy playing piano?"

He stopped and turned to face her. "What makes you ask that?"

"Well, I heard you playing Einaudi earlier, many times through I might add. And don’t get me wrong... you play wonderfully! Probably with some of the best form I've ever heard from someone our age. It's just... it sounded a bit— robotic, or like it wasn’t coming from the heart." She pushed herself off the wall and walked to the other side of the drum set. "Listening to you play just now, and before when I came in and interrupted you, something just feels different. It's like I could finally hear you in it."

"But you've only just met me..." he stated bluntly. "How could you know something like that?" There was no doubt that he was experiencing a bit of freedom in himself today, but her analysis suddenly had him feeling a little exposed and embarrassed. These unexpected emotions were new to him.

"I'm sorry... it was just a feeling I had. I didn't mean to pry." She fell silent for a moment, having felt slightly bad for how he reacted. She chuckled in hopes to lighten the mood. "I guess with that rad hair you just totally have that whole badass drummer vibe going on." She leaned back, framing his face with her fingers and staring at him through the opening. "I mean, who wouldn't want to be the next John Bonham."

"John Bonham?"

She gestured towards a framed record on the wall behind him, feeling thankful to change the subject. "Only one of the best drummers to ever grace the face of the earth." She walked over to her backpack and pulled out her phone, unraveling the headphones wrapped around it. She tapped on the screen a few times and then handed it over to him.

His tone was quizzical as he read off the name, "Fool in the Rain by ...Led Zeppelin?"

"Have you really never heard of them?"

Shouto shook his head and her mouth dropped.

"Alright well... take it all in buddy," she motioned towards the ear buds.

He put them in his ears, pressed play and stared down at the phone as the song started. It didn’t take long for him to be hooked, zoning in on the drums and how they effortlessly worked with the other instruments to form the melody. His head started to move with the beat, following along with its rhythm. He could identify the specific sounds of each component he had learned. It's like something clicked and he understood when she had said that a good drummer can make all the difference to how the song comes together. It was the first time he had actually "heard" a piece of music. Don't get him wrong, he knew the piano could be an incredibly moving instrument, but nothing had ever spoken to him personally like this. The song was about halfway through when it suddenly paused.

"Uh, someone named ... Boomer is calling." He handed her the phone.

"Oh!" she said, glancing up at the clock as she scrambled to answer.

‘What kind of name is Boomer?’ he thought.

"Hey! Sorry if you've been waiting, I lost track of time. I'll head over n--- ....I SAID I WAS SORRY....... It's none of your business ya punk! Just chill out, I'll be there soon!" She groaned in annoyance and ended the call, "I gotta go."

She walked to where a few guitars hung on the wall and took down a black and white Gibson, placing it in the case that was on the floor beneath it.

"You play guitar too?" Shouto asked. He wasn't really surprised as his teacher had already told him in the past that she played multiple instruments. He didn't know why but for some reason he wanted to continue being in her company for just a little longer.

"Among other things, yeah. I get bored if I stick to one thing for too long."

"Dividing your efforts into multiple instruments has to make mastering one pretty difficult," he stated matter of factly.

"I think you and I may look at music a little differently. I don't play an instrument with the need to master it. I play because of how it makes me feel. I let the instrument guide me where it needs to go, not the other way around. I guess, I just don't see the point in doing something if it doesn't set my soul on fire, ya know?" She zipped up the guitar bag and walked back towards him, holding out her hand. "I'm Ronnie by the way."

He walked around the drum set and shook it. "Todoroki, Shouto." She was staring at him intensely, making him shift uncomfortably. "What is it?" he asked a bit harshly, feeling conscious about his scar.

"Oh! Sorry- ha! I was just admiring that rockstar hair of yours again." She flashed him a rock and roll sign, though he didn't understand the gesture. It wasn't just the hair that had her mesmerized, but the smooth, burned skin around his eye. She felt sad that she found it so beautiful, without knowing what kind of pain was behind it.

"Thanks? I guess." He looked away, putting his hands in his pockets.

She smiled. "It kind of reminds me of Christmas morning." He looked back at her, his cheeks feeling warm again.

"Well, I guess I'll see ya around, Shouto."

His mouth went a bit dry at the familiarity and he nodded. "Yeah. See ya."

She turned and walked out of the room. He listened as the front door opened, feeling an odd knot in his stomach as it closed. He grasped at the sensation over his shirt and went over to sit back down at the piano. He couldn't pinpoint what exactly this feeling was, but it had made him feel SOMETHING, so he relished in it. Grabbing his phone from out of his pocket, he opened up Apple Music and typed in a song. He closed his eyes, his lips twitching up slightly as "Fool in the Rain" started to play through the speakers.

_________________________

♫ music selection ♫

Ludovico Einaudi - Nuvole Bianche

Led Zeppelin - Fool in the Rain

this was the first chapter of my abandoned BNHA music AU (+ a few HQ!! crossovers)... but i think it works as a cute standalone piece. recently been debating on resurrecting this fic or just using the existing material for hcs or scenarios... hmmm 🤔

xo n.pi

[bigskydreaming]

Writing anon part 2. I'm having problem with the voice. I let my friends read some parts I have written, they're not hearing the voice I'm trying to give to the oc. They're expecting certain things from a female character that I didn't write because I was basing the character on a few people, most of them are men. It's difficult to explain this, they're cis because I'm cis but I don't.. care about/ compute gender? But I don't think I can write agender character faithfully either. What to do?

Okay, so I just randomly picked this one of the several linked messages to respond to, no particular reason for this one, just had to go with one so why not this one, lol. I just say that as a preface, to like, emphasize that this is about your overall question not any one specific part of it.

My only advice would be to try not to stress about this project too much in terms of like, this one writing project. What I mean by that is everything we write exists on its own, as a single work or piece of writing, whether finished or complete....but it also exists as part of our overall writing....idk, journey or whatever. Our career as a writer, whether or not its ever meant or hoped to be a professional career or just a personal hobby thing.

I think we understandably put a lot of focus and emphasis on each individual work we create, because yeah, ideally, each of those should stand on their own, exist as their own independent thing that doesn’t hinge on everything else we write......at least from a reader’s perspective.

But sometimes, its necessary and more helpful to just concentrate on your perspective, as the writer. And so it sounds to me like you might have an easier time with this particular project if you focus or stress less about getting this one piece of writing right, and instead look at it more in terms of like.....what it lets you explore and how that adds to or shapes your overall writing in general or future works you might write.

Because what you create doesn’t exist in a vaccuum. Even if nothing ever comes of this project, even if you shelve it and decide it didn’t work or didn’t accomplish what you hoped, you’ll still have the experience of writing it, and everything that experience taught you. About yourself, your writing, your approach to certain characters or particular dynamics.....ALL of which you’ll still retain as like....a foundation or headstart you can apply to whatever you write next.

Like I have a ton of different projects, both personal and professional and also fanfic/hobbyish because lolol look how smart I am, I clearly understand the meaning of both, it means three things see fahjkfhalfal. But I just mean like....there’s this one ‘story’ that I’ve actually written like three different times, in three different ways, two of them different fandoms and one an original project....and I’ll probably still end up writing it again at some point in the future. Because this one specific story is very personal to me, and I keep writing it in different ways because I’ve yet to write it RIGHT. I’ve yet to tell the story that I really want to tell with it, and at the same time, I haven’t quite yet found the right way to tell it so I keep trying different approaches until I find the one that CLICKS.

And none of these stories are a waste, even though they’re all the same story and even still, none of them are totally THE story they’re meant to be. Because each time I write it, I learn a little bit more about what I’m TRYING to say with it, as well as all these other little things about myself, the dynamics I’m crafting, the messages I’m layering in without even realizing it, and so much more. And all of that is still useful to me, still worth the act of writing, and its all like.....then right there and already existing for me to apply elsewhere to all KINDS of different stories and other projects of mine. Some of my best bits of writing have come about as the end result of something that had its start in a story I wouldn’t consider a success in and of itself, as its not the story I mean it to be.....but parts of it still resonated, still were worth the writing journey, or still got plenty of use as building blocks of other completely unrelated projects.

So anyway, my overall advice here is I don’t think I can really help you in terms of your specific concerns, as I think I struggle just as much with the nuances of writing gender and gendered roles or dynamics or their lack thereof, as like....anyone. So instead my suggestion is just to give yourself permission to take a step back from worrying too much about what you accomplish with this specific story in and of itself, don’t stress too much about how well or not it ends up working or what it ends up saying on its own....and try and reframe it in your own mind and approach to it as like.....just a step forward on your self-exploration as a writer in general. Because just in the act of writing it, you’re learning things like when something feels like it DOESN’T work, just as much as what does, and learning even just how to recognize when something feels like its not being received the way you intend or want it to be. As well as like....in terms of your specific concerns about writing gender and voice, even if you reach the end of this writing project and feel like you didn’t quite get it down the way you hoped to.....everything you DID get down on the page is still internalized now as something you’ve already tried and thus free yourself up to try something different in the future.

Even if you are trying to do something specific with your writing, there’s still no such thing as wasted writing as long as you’re able to take SOMETHING away from everything you’ve written, and put it to use or even just into perspective, when moving forward.

Hope that helps!

[foranonwritings]

His love is very necessary to me

“Sometimes I get very tired of Shannon, sometimes I think I I’ll grab something heavy and knock him so hard that his head will be ringing as the plates of the drum set. Sometimes he’s too caring. He is so caring that I sometimes think that I’m dying or physically limited. But when I get tired, I fall on the couch and realize that Shannon is far, he toured with Antoine or somewhere else out there, I feel bad, I miss his absolute care, I want to be a younger brother, who he takes care of. I do not care that I’m forty, I like to be his younger brother, his love is very necessary to me.” — Jared Leto about his older brother Shannon. 

@jletolove4eva​  

Tense silence filled the stretching hallway.  Heavy doors with card key locks ran its length. Single barriers between an intrusive reality and whatever alternate existence lay behind them. Jared had lived hotel life long enough to imagine what was being lived, unseen.  The thick black on white carpet ensured his footsteps did not disturb the inhabitants of the rooms.

Mentally ticking off the numbers until the desired door was reached. He steeled himself in preparation for whatever might lay beyond. In one motion he slid the card through the slot and turned the smooth handle.

At first glance the suite was a whirlwind mess.  Articles of clothing of all kinds were strewn about in their hasty removal.  Dozens of beer and liquor bottles covered dressers and table surfaces.  But the arrangement of multicolored pills, mingling with a large mound of white powder in the center of the marble coffee table consumed Jared's attention the most; sending him adrift years of memories of heartache, fear and helplessness he'd just as soon forget.

Then movement brought him back to sharp focus as two blonde girls stood and whirled towards the intruder.  Behind them, a third form, draped over a couch, barely showed signs of life.  Both girls were topless, drunk and wide eyed.  Jared's keen eye followed the shorter girl's trailing arm to its end. The delicate fingers trying not to look as if they were reaching for the wallet that peeked over the denim pocket of the third occupant.

"Get. Out." The order was sharp and cold. It startled both the girls, more than he'd meant to, but Jared couldn't care through his mounting disgust. They hesitated for just a moment, as if they thought to size him up.  The presumption made him see red. "Now!." He hissed.  There was no mistaking his intent then, and both girls clumsily gathered what few clothes were in reach before hurrying out the door.  A quiet click the only ghost of their presence.  

Breathing deeply Jared deliberately slid an arm over the table top, displacing trash and drugs in a costly dust cloud, clearing a place to sit. He propped both elbows on his knees and scrubbed his face with his hands to regain control.  And with a final sigh he decided to pull out a half emptied bottle of water from his coat pocket.  A deft twist of his hand removed the  plastic cap, and unceremoniously dumped the remainder over the prone form of his older brother. The reaction was instantaneous.

Shannon bolted up sputtering and swiping indignantly at his face.  "Shannon." Jared simply stated.  "What the hell!" The older brother demanded, unable to entirely hide the disoriented wonder as he fully awoke.  Jared cocked an eyebrow as if in consideration.  "Welcome back.  What the fuck are you doing?" There was a low growl in the question.

"I could ask you the same." Shannon feigned leisure, leaning back and putting a booted foot next to his brother on the table. Jared wanted to scream and let loose a tirade of outrage at this supposed normalcy. Instead he breathed again and forced himself to see through his brother's stubborn defenses.  "Thought I'd come see how the tour was going." It was calculated, deliberately non judgemental.  Shannon rolled his head from shoulder to shoulder as if to unkink his neck. It was chess, and the loser would be the first to break the illusion of control. "Had off tonight.  What's your problem Jared, don't be coy." Shannon baited,then stared purposely at the ceiling, hands behind his head.

"So you hole up with some hookers to coke out? Saved your wallet by the way." Jared gripped his knees, the motion familiar and grounding. "Not that it's any of your business." Shannon emphasized, "thanks for my wallet, though." His gaze returning level, he still refused to meet Jared's eyes, he knew if he did, the game was over.

"Are you kidding!?" Jared roared, suddenly standing.  Shannon jumped in his seat on the couch.  The game was definitely over. "Not my business? Who drags your ass back from the brink when you fall into this shit? You're not just killing everything you've worked your ass off for brother, you're taking MY dream with you!" Shannon flinched as his facade crumbled.  

The silence settled slowly over them again.  Both brothers feeling very old, and very raw. Knowing exactly what the other was thinking.  The same old back and forth. The how could yous, and I'm sorrys, stale as the cemetery of cigarette butts in a beer bottle.

"I-I know you did this," Jared gestured bigger than the room around them. "because you wanted something of your own. But; you have to know, I will never lose you to this." Jared purposely didn't  acknowledge the substances on the floor. "Not while I'm breathing Shannon. This life can't be ok." Jared wasn't sure when he'd sat back down, but he attempted to meet the darker eyes across from him. And when he did, they were just as familiar as ever, with the same emotions running through them, the love, the fear, the wild passion. Everything he loved and admired in his big brother, that also made him fear for him.

"It's not like that. I just wanted a break.  To be out of myself for a night and this, here, I didn't want to drag you in." Jared barked a laugh and looked around the room again. "Unless you've got Keith Richards stashed in a closet this is more than one night." Shannon's eyes rolled in agreement. "Yea, guess it did go a little Hunter S. Thompson." They both smiled devilishly.  "I can't come home yet Jared. I've gotta finish this with Antoine." Then a thought stopped him. "Mom doesn't know, does she?" Jared's face grew a little harder. "No. She thinks you lost your phone. Again." Shannon nodded, clearly grateful. "But this," Jared gestured to the mess on the floor. "stops. Tonight."  It was Shannon's turn to lean forward. Elbows on knees, hands covering his face.   "You're right." He acquiesced after a few moments.  

Jared pivoted and sunk into the couch next to his brother. "Imagine letting you loose on Amsterdam. Jesus!" Jared scoffed.  Shannon laughed and plopped back. "Shut up! They were hanging around the back door of the last club. You know I never pay." Shannon cocked an eyebrow.  Jared immediately furrowed his own in defense. "I don't PAY!" Shannon laughed harder.  "I know, you're too scared of girls." "I am NOT scared! I prefer to have a connection with someone that I sleep with." Jared grimmaced as his retort hung in the air.  He waited, now refusing to meet Shannon's gaze. It did not keep his older brother from bursting into a fit of giggles. They continued trading jabs and digs, falling into thier own personal rapport as the hours rolled by.

And finally, when the night was its darkest and most quiet, Shannon brought up the detail they'd both been avoiding.

"You didn't come here to see how the shows were going." He stated, playing with a plate full of chips they'd long since stopped eating. "You would kill it playing with a choir of gregorian chanting nuns." Jared replied absently twirling the keycard between his thumb and forefinger. "And that's a mental image." Shannon snorted.

"How many more do you have?" "You know how many." Shannon smiled. "And my kit at your place will be my first stop as soon as I get back." He didn’t respond, just searched the face he knew so well. “I’ll be there Jared. One thousand percent. I’m coming back.” Jared nodded. He stood and headed out the door. No traded goodbyes, or brotherly hugs needed.

Alone, awake and sober Shannon began the task of sorting, cleaning and returning his room to general order.  All to keep his mind from wandering to topics too vast for a post bender 4 am. He deliberately did not hear the quiet, tempting whispers as the pills found their way into the toilet. Did not reflect on two little boys whose whole world was the joy and peace they found making music as he sorted his practice pads in their cases. And definitely did not think about two men, so in sync that being on opposite sides of the world would not keep them from quelling each other's loneliness or tendency to teeter on the edge of disaster. And as Shannon finally sat back down at the kitchen counter, steaming coffee not entirely enough to face the oncoming day. he noticed 1 text message waiting on his phone.  A single image, unmistakably his brother's hand, holding his wallet.  Shannon couldn't help but reach for his back pocket, only to find it empty. "Son of a bitch." He smiled.

[conorpmaynard]

All Started With a Song Part 10 // Conor Maynard

Word Count- 2221

Summary- Conor sees your cover and contacts you

A/n- (feel free to change the friends name I was just too lazy to write y/f/n that may times) here it is! this is way longer than i thought it would be and i didn't get to half the stuff i thought i would. so i re-planned everything. there will most likely be 13 parts now! i hope you enjoy. 

p.s. nothing crazy happens, this is mainly a filler chap. sorry if you were expecting drama!

~~

You guys headed to bed rather early that night. With all that happened and your plans for tomorrow, you guys needed the beauty sleep.

At 6 o’clock on Sunday morning, you three left the hotel and started your adventure. Alice had looked up a really nice café for you guys to have breakfast at. She got some pancakes, Olivia got an omelet and you settled for a bagel.

“So where are we headed to first?” you asked before taking a sip of your tea.

“I really really really want to go to the walk of fame.” Olivia pleaded. “Can we please go there?”

“Of course Liv!” you smiled. “We’ll head there right after we’re finished eating.”

She squealed and clapped her hands, causing Alice to snort.

“You are too awake,” she mumbles, taking a forkful of pancake.

“Hey, don’t judge me. I’m just excited,” Olivia frowned.

“Oh, you know I love you,” Alice laid her head on Olivia’s shoulder. You quickly opened the camera app and snapped a pic.

You posted it on your Instagram with that caption:

i have the cutest friends ever… btw expect lots of pic today and tomorrow #sorrynotsorry

“Awwww, Al look at what Y/n posted. She’s so cute!” Olivia gave Alice her phone.

“She’s so sweet, let’s post one of her.”

You laughed, “No, please don’t.”

“Aw c’mon. You’re adorable babe.”

“Fine, but I get to approve the picture and caption,” you emphasized the and.

“Deal! Make a pose!”

You rested your elbows on the table and your chin on your hands, flashing the camera a small smile.

After a few moments of intense typing Alice handed you her phone, “Is that okay?”

Cannot thank @y/i/n enough for this trip. Love you lots babe xx

“You’re so sweet Al,” you handed her phone back to her.

“Alright, here’s the bill. Are you ladies all finished up here?” the waiter asked as he handed you the receipt.

“Yep!” Olivia smiled.

“Do you think I could get a to-go cup for my tea?” you asked.

“Of course,” he turned to walk away when he stopped. “I’m sorry to bother you. But are you guys from the UK?”

You three started laughing, “Yes, we are,” Alice answered.

“Oh my gosh, really? Would you mind if I ask you a few questions?” he instantly took a seat next to you.

“Of course not, whatcha wanna know?” you smiled.

“Is it always rainy?”

This caused you three to erupt in laughter yet again, but stopped when he frowned.

“Oh love, we’re not making fun of you. It’s just cute,” Liv placed a hand on his and smiled.

“But to answer your question, no. Sometimes it’s really nice out. But most of the time yes, it’s rainy.”

“It’s not even always rainy, just really cold.” You added.

“I’ve always wanted to go to London,” he sighed. “Is it worth taking a trip to?”

“I can’t answer that without bias, but I think coming here was definitely worth the trip. If that helps.”

He stood up, “Well my name’s Clayton.” He pulled out a piece of paper and began scribbling. “If you girls need anything, here’s my number. I’m free whenever after noon.”

“Well thank you Clayton. That means a lot,” you smiled.

~~

After that cute little meet up you girls grabbed an Uber and went to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was so much fun. You girls had races to see who could find this person first or who could find a ‘James’ or ‘Amy’ first. You may have looked crazy to others but you three knew it was all in good fun.

You were only here once, why wouldn’t you make the most of it?

After the Walk of Fame you three headed to any and every shop that the London didn’t have; which was a lot. You hit lots of clothes shops, make up shops, and so so many candy shops.

You picked up something for Alex and a few gifts for your mom. Alice got something for Brandon, but insisted it was for her friend that ‘you don’t know that well’. And Olivia, of course, got something for Sean.

After what felt like a lifetime you guys finally found an In-N-Out. You all had been craving it ever since Sabrina took you guys to it your first day in LA.

While you three munched on your burgers, you just chatted about anything and everything.

“What time is it?” Alice asked.

“Just past 11,” you clicked your phone shut. “So what’s next?”

“Honestly? I want to go back to the hotel and take a power nap,” Alice sighed, Olivia vigorously shaking her head in agreement.

“Okay, I’m down for a nap. Then the beach?”

They both smiled signally they were okay with that.

~~

“Wake me up at two,” Olivia sighed, falling onto her bed. You laughed and watched as Alice copied her movements.

You walked out to the balcony and sat up against the wall. You were tired, but you didn’t want to sleep. You didn’t want to miss anything LA had to offer.

You knew you shouldn’t have, but you texted Anth. It was a low blow honestly. But you were bored and didn’t have any clue as to what to do. You opened SnapChat and clicked his name.

You sent a simple selfie with a caption:

any fun activates you know of in LA?

You scrolled through Instagram while waiting for a response. You noticed Conor posted a new picture.

You knew it would hurt, but you couldn’t not look.

It was of him sitting of the edge of a bench, it was nighttime. He was facing away from the camera.

He captioned it:

C’mon LA, you have yet to let me down. Please don’t change that.

There were hundreds of comments that ranged from ‘ARMS’ to ‘why are you sad :(’ to ‘i hate when he doesn’t tell us what’s going on’.

You were hesitant, but ended up liking the picture anyways.

SnapChat from anth.melo

He sent a picture of him in front of a mirror of what seemed like a gym. You could see Conor on the side, but it was only an arm. You cringed at the fact that you knew it was Conor simply by an arm.

His snap read:

sorry y/n, kinda busy rn.

You sent another selfie with a frown:

okay, but we NEED to hang out soon. i leave in two days :(

You closed your phone and went back inside. After sliding off your shoes and plugging in your phone, you slid into your shared bed with Alice.

A few minutes of shot eye wouldn’t hurt.

~~

“Y/n!!!!” you heard someone shout.

You shot up from the pillow, “What?!” you shouted back, not having opened your eyes yet.

“Its 4:30!” a voice, you recognized as Alice sighed. “You had one job. One bloody job!”

“Oh, sorry. I fell asleep and forgot to set an alarm.”

“It’s okay, we can still go to the beach!” Olivia piped up from her spot in front of the mirror.

“I guess,” Alice sighed.

“Haven’t you always wanted to see a sunset on the beach?” you asked, getting out of the bed.

“Yeah,” she smiled. “Let me check when sunset is.”

You bent down and grabbed your shoes.

“It’s at 6:04, should we invite anyone?” Alice asked.

“Like who?”

“Clayton!” Olivia jumped up. “Please invite him!”

You smiled, “Okay, I’ll invite him. But i can’t promise anything.”

You sent him a text that read:

Heading down to the beach to watch the sunset. Care to join us?

You sat your phone down and began braiding your hair.

“Did he text back?” Alice asked.

“Check my phone, I’m kind of busy.”

She stood up and walked over to where your phone was sat on the bed.

“What’d he say?”

“Nothing, but Anth texted snapped you.”

“You can open it up if you want,” you said, closing your eyes to focus on the pattern.

After a few seconds you heard a gasp, “What’s wrong?”

“Look! “Alice shoved your phone into your face. On the screen was a selfie of him and Conor and it read:

Okay, we’re free tomorrow

He was smiling and Conor was sporting his signature ‘kissy face/pout face’ look.

You stared until it disappeared, then you let out a sigh.

“What’d he mean by that?”

“I asked him if he wanted to hang out,” you said, sticking out your tongue as Alice snapped a picture.

“Oh, well.” She smiled, helping you up. “Looks like we got plans for tomorrow!”

You three changed into your swimsuits and packed a bag. You were going to go to the beach no matter what, Clayton being there was just a plus.

Your phone dinged and the girls sat, eyes wide; waiting for a response.

Of course! Meet me here in 10 minutes.

The link sent you to your Map app. There was a blue line from the hotel to a beach about 5 minutes away. Due to it being so close, you three decided to walk. As you left the hotel you sent him a quick text back.

see ya soon xx

~~

As usual Anth and Conor stayed up late doing whatever they do. Most of it was just joking around. But part of it, a very small part, was very deep.

“Mate, I gotta ask,” Anth sighed.

“I can’t answer it. I know what you’re going to ask. And I honestly don’t know. I was jealous and upset. I just-” he sighed, looking at Anth. “I messed up.”

“Well do you like her?” Anth asked hesitantly.

“Of course I do! I liked her before I met her. But I overthought everything. I assumed she didn’t like me, so I wanted to make her feel how I felt.”

“Do you want to be with her?” Anth questioned again.

“That’s the thing. Like, I don’t know her. But I want to. And I want to see what it could become, but I don’t want to give us a chance and it be awful and I have to break her heart again.”

Anth remained silent as Conor poured his feelings.

“I’m just so angry. At myself. But also her. And I know I have no right to be mad at her. But she’s just so perfect. And I want to hate her and just forget about her. But I can’t, because whenever I see a girl, I notice that she isn’t Y/n. But I don’t know if she’ll ever forgive me. And I just want to punch myself, every time I remember what I did.”

Conor knew there was more to how he felt, he just wasn’t ready to admit it.

Anth stood up and put his hand on Conors shoulder, “Well, how about you sleep on it. And tomorrow we go to the gym; work out all the anger. Then afterwards, you can talk to Y/n.”

~~

Conor and Anth didn’t make it to the gym until a little before noon. Conor woke up to Jack spamming him. Jack lost the keys to his apartment so he begged Conor to tell him where his extra set was.

Conor really didn’t want Jack to be at his flat alone. Who knew what the kid would get up to? But after a few minutes of Jack begging (and almost crying, almost. it doesn’t count if the tear didn’t fall) Conor told him to message Alex.

After that, they were about to leave but then Anth realized he forgot that he planned to Skype his grandparents. Knowing he couldn’t let his friend not call them, Conor sat in the guest room while Anth chatted with his grandma and grandpa about various things.

After Anth’s grandma finally said goodbye, they headed to the gym. On their way they stopped to get juices.

“Mate, the Strawberry Mango is way better than the Green Machine,” Conor dragged on as he walked aside Anth.

“Stop playing dude, the Green Machine is the best!”

“You’re mad, y’know that right?”

“Nah man, you’re just stubborn.”

When they arrived at the gym, they both popped in their headphones and got to work on their preferred workout equipment.

Within the first thirty minutes, Anth could tell Conor was more upset than last night. He was lifting way more than his body could handle, but every time Anth would bring it up Conor would brush him off.

“Mate, your calves don’t need that much weight,” Anth chuckled, pulling out a headphone.

“Why come to the gym if you’re not going to push yourself?” Conor asked, standing up.

“If you say so,” Anth said, grabbing his phone to change the song. He scrolled through his notifications. He went to close it, but then he noticed your name. Why were you snapping him?

He walked over to Conor, opening the snap.

“Hey, look at this.”

Conor looked at the screen then turned around.

“So do you want to?” Anth followed him

“Not really,” he muttered.

“Okay,” was all Anth said. He sent a picture of him in front of the mirror.

A few seconds later Conor said, “I don’t know what to say yet. But tell her we’re free tomorrow.”

Anth just smiled. Conor was head over heels for you and him trying to hide it was so cute.

[elizabethcariasa]

Tax refunds totaling $1.5+ billion await filers who didn't submit 2016 returns, but time is running out

I know you're tired of taxes continuing into July. I know you just want to be done with your filings and the Internal Revenue Service and move on to other things.

But I also know that most of you, especially if you're facing coronavirus-related financial difficulties, don't want to just hand over money, possible thousands of dollars to Uncle Sam.

You'll do just that if you were due a tax refund on your 2016 taxes and didn't file for it during the 2017 tax season.

That's the situation for an estimated 1.4 million individual taxpayers. If they don't claim those 3-year-old refunds soon, specifically by this coming July 15, they will surrender their tax cash. And it's a lot of money.

The Internal Revenue Service says it's holding on to, at least for the next few days, unclaimed 2016 tax year income tax refunds worth more than $1.5 billion.

What are those big numbers to you personally? The IRS says the median refund, which the halfway point of the totals, is $861. I know I have plenty of ways to spend that much money.

Why people don't file: This is not a new occurrence. Every year, the IRS announces that years earlier millions of folks didn't file tax returns that could net them billions in refunds and therefore didn't get that tax cash they were due back then.

There are many reasons for such oversights.

Sometimes people get busy and simply don't get around to sending their returns to the IRS.

Some don't realize they need to file at all. That's often the case with students and, increasingly, gig workers. These folks aren't in the main, traditional job earning pools, so filing is not necessarily routine for them.

Others think their refund is too small to mess with filing a 1040. (If that's you, let's talk!)

And some people don't even know they might be due a refund. That's why even if you aren't legally required to do so, it's sometimes a good idea to file a tax return anyway.

Whatever the reason, the IRS wants you to come and get your cash — really! — and soon.

Now or never: Tax law says that you have three years to claim a refund. That refund timer starts on the filing due date for the tax year for which you're due the tax cash.

This 2020 tax season means that it's 2016 tax year returns that were due back in April 2017. But since the April 15, 2020, filing deadline was moved due to COVID-19 considerations to July 15, 2020, this month's fast-approaching deadline is the one that also applies to those old 2016 returns and associated refunds.

That timetable was emphasized by IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig in announcing this latest batch of unclaimed refunds.

"The IRS wants to help taxpayers who are owed refunds but haven't filed their 2016 tax returns yet," said Rettig. "Time is quickly running out for these taxpayers. There's only a three-year window to claim these refunds, and the window closes on July 15. To claim the refund, a return for tax year 2016 must be filed by July 15, 2020."

The reason for the urgency is that tax law also says that refunds that aren't claimed within that three-year period are forfeited. Yep, if you don't get your 2016 refund now, the money will stay in the U.S. Treasury's account.

What forms, how to file them: OK. We get it. July 15. Act now to get your old refund or forever hold your peace.

But just how do you do this?

Unfortunately, it's going to take a little bit of legwork. And you'll have to fill out that old form by hand instead of using tax prep software. Yep, that's right. Snail mail is required. There's no e-filing of old forms.

Start by getting tax year 2016 forms. They're available at IRS.gov's online forms and instructions page. Once there, click on the Find prior years forms, instructions & publications link.

Remember, since we're going back in tax time, you'll have a choice of 1040s. Changes under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) prompted the IRS to go to just one Form 1040 and, this year, three schedules. But back then you could file one of three 1040 versions, the long 1040, the slightly shorter 1040-A and, as its name indicated, the easiest 1040-EZ.

Generally, you should choose the simplest tax form for your filing situation. This pre-TCJA chapter from my tax book has details on why you might choose one 1040 form over the other two.

Once you decide which Form 1040 one to use, download it. Sorry, that's your only option this filing season. Since the IRS is just now restaffing its nationwide offices after COVID-closures earlier this year, the option to call the agency's distribution center and have the forms mailed to you is, well, no longer an option until, according to the recorded answering machine, "further notice."

In addition to the proper 2016 tax year forms to file, you'll also need your old tax documents. This includes things like your W-2, 1098, 1099 or 5498 forms. If you don't have copies in your personal files, the IRS recommends you first try to get copies from your employer, bank or other payer.

If you can't get those informational documents from those sources, you can order a free wage and income transcript by using the IRS' online Get Transcript tool.

Alternatively, you can file Form 4506-T to request a wage and income transcript. A wage and income transcript shows data from information returns received by the IRS, such as Forms W-2, 1099, 1098, Form 5498 and IRA contribution information. Taxpayers can use the information from the transcript to file their tax return.

Other non-filing years matter: While you're at it, you also might want to look at other tax years when you didn't file.

The IRS notes that if you're claiming your 2016 tax refund, that amount may be held if you haven't filed tax returns for 2017 and 2018.

Also be aware of any other amounts you currently owe the IRS, other federal programs or state agencies. Your 2016 tax refund may be used to offset unpaid child support or past due federal debts, such as student loans.

On the other hand, however, you also might be due refunds for the 2017 and 2018 tax years, too.

Don't forget the EITC: In finally filing your 2016 return, make sure you get the most of any possible refund. That means double-checking your eligibility that tax year to claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

This tax credit — which reduces any taxes you owe dollar-for-dollar and is refundable, meaning you'll get money back even if you don't owe taxes — is available to lower- and middle-income taxpayers. However, the IRS says that every year millions of taxpayers overlook this valuable tax break.

For the 2016 tax year, the EITC was worth a maximum $6,269. Even if you don't qualify for that amount, it still could be worth claiming as long as your 2016 income met the EITC earnings thresholds. That tax year they were:

$47,955 ($53,505 if married filing jointly) for those with three or more qualifying children;

$44,648 ($50,198 if married filing jointly) for people with two qualifying children;

$39,296 ($44,846 if married filing jointly) for those with one qualifying child, and;

$14,880 ($20,430 if married filing jointly) for people without qualifying children.

If your income and family circumstances in 2016 allow you to claim the EITC, be sure to download IRS material related to the credit back then, too.

Don't forget state taxes: Most U.S. taxpayers live in states that also collect income taxes.

That means chances are good that a large percentage of folks who didn't file a federal return in 2016 also overlooked their state returns that year, since state and federal filings typically are connected.

Check with your state tax department about what you need to do about any old unfiled tax return at that level. It might could get you even more refund money.

Why to file now: Right about now, having read this far and still frustrated by this extended 2020 tax season, you're probably asking whether it's worth your time and effort to also mess with a 3-year-old tax return.

My personal answer is yes, it's always worth getting some unexpected money. And it's doubly worth it to keep it from simply reverting back to Uncle Sam.

The law requires taxpayers to file a tax return within 3 years to claim a refund. If you haven’t filed a 2016 return, the Tax Day extension has pushed the deadline to July 15, 2020 as part of #COVIDreliefIRS. Get your old #IRS refund: https://t.co/ddNOlDdMTu pic.twitter.com/24BfTFnMXL

— IRS #COVIDreliefIRS (@IRSnews) June 18, 2020

Yeah, I know I just posted this IRS tweet in yesterday's 6 tax tasks to take care of by July 15, but I love the lipstick lips on George's forehead.

And the unclaimed amounts could be especially welcome if you've lost income due to your job's closure during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Available refund amounts: Just how much per person are we talking in 2016 refunds? The IRS estimates the midpoint for the potential refunds for 2016 to be $861. That means that half of the old unclaimed refunds are more than $861 and half are less. And in some cases, the amounts are much more.

In fact, residents in 16 jurisdictions (15 states and Washington, D.C.) see their median mark topping $900. They are:

$979 in Alaska $936 in New Jersey $930 in Connecticut $958 in New York $904 in the District of Columbia $949 North Dakota $932 in Hawaii $919 in Pennsylvania $909 in Illinois $926 in Rhode Island $908 in Iowa $918 in Washington $956 in Massachusetts $921 in West Virginia $965 in New Hampshire $920 in Wyoming    

And even the smallest median refund amount, $727 in Idaho, is nothing to sneeze at.

You can see exactly where your state stands in the ol' blog's special web page showing the state-by-state breakout of 2016 tax year unclaimed refunds.

No penalties for refund claims: Finally, if you're concerned about facing IRS wrath for not filing back in 2016, don't worry. There's no penalty for filing late when you're getting back overpaid taxes.

Annual unclaimed refund issue: As I mentioned earlier, unclaimed tax refunds are common. I've been writing about this tax phenomenon as long as I've been blogging.

You can see what the numbers were in prior years in my previous posts on nonfilers due refunds —

2019 in conjunction with unfiled 2015 returns; 

2018 in connection with unfiled 2014 returns;

2017 in connection with unfiled 2013 returns;

2016 in connection with unfiled 2012 returns;

2015 in connection with unfiled 2011 returns;

2014 in connection with unfiled 2010 returns;

2013 in connection with unfiled 2009 returns;

2012 in connection with unfiled 2008 returns;

2011 in connection with unfiled 2007 returns;

2010 in connection with unfiled 2006 returns;

2009 in connection with unfiled 2005 returns;

2008 in connection with unfiled 2004 returns;

2007 in connection with unfiled 2003 returns; and

2006 in connection with unfiled 2002 returns.

You also might find these refund-related posts of interest:

What to do if your tax refund is wrong

Where's your tax refund? Use IRS online tool to find out  

Tax refunds are nice, but savings provide a better payoff

  Coronavirus Caveat & More Information In 2020, we're all dealing with extraordinary circumstances, both in our daily lives and when it comes to our taxes. The COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to reduce its transmission and protect ourselves and our families means that, for the most part, we're focusing on just getting through these trying days. But life as we knew it before the coronavirus will return, along with our mundane tax matters. Here's hoping that happens soon! In the meantime, you can find more on the virus and its effects on our taxes by clicking Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Taxes.

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