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bestworstcase · 2 months

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Suddenly reminded of your remark in one of your essays about Lionheart being the token Faunus headmaster in the academy system, and something about… idk the irony of him being in Mistral, which you indicate is one of the most racist places for Faunus aside from Atlas. Just amusing cuz I never saw that take before.

not just irony, imo, i think it does a lot of thematic work for the faunus subplot

regarding the question of whether atlas or mistral is worse for faunus: while faunus are systemically disadvantaged in all four human kingdoms (and menagerie is politically marginalized on the international stage)…

in atlas/mantle:

jacques schnee, a virulent bigot behind closed doors, is at pains to present himself as a tolerant benefactor to the faunus in public; one of his conversational partners during the charity party in v4 is another businessman who pushes back on jacques’ covertly bigoted rhetoric by specifically citing class disparities between atlas and mantle and the reality that faunus in particular face a lack of opportunity that can’t be overcome by just being employed. this bit character isn’t an activist—he’s a businessman. that means these are mainstream, normative viewpoints in atlas.

mantle news media and law enforcement are apathetic to the disappearance of several faunus in arrowfell, but when it turns out that the man responsible is a political figure beloved by mantle’s human working class, his support evaporates. (there’s further nuance in that he acted under duress, but even his most enthusiastic supporters react to the news that he hurt faunus miners with horror)

robyn—also a beloved political figure to the mantelian working class—explicitly includes faunus and this does not diminish her support with humans in mantle whatsoever.

when racist grandma goes off in v8, her daughter tries anxiously to get her to stop and, importantly, nobody else in the crowd of scared / stressed out / angry people in mantle speak up in agreement with her.

when weiss slams a drunk guy into a dumpster for making a racist remark to blake, the drunk guy’s buddy more or less just goes “woah!” and then double-takes because is that weiss schnee—what he doesn’t do is react like he thinks weiss or blake was the one out of line.

in the CFVY novels, it’s revealed that velvet’s dad works for the atlas military and she’s spent at least some time in atlas with him, but she doesn’t feel any particular wariness toward people from atlas or assume that they’ll be racist to her until they prove otherwise.

ilia remembers her classmates at an atlesian prep school being very openly racist, which tracks with how weiss is when she arrives at beacon; these were, in all likelihood, largely the children of covert bigots like jacques—kids who picked up rancid attitudes at home and lived in a sheltered bubble where these attitudes were allowed.

SDC operates globally, so we don’t know where adam suffered that hate crime or what happened to the perpetrator

so, while atlas/mantle do have systemic racism against faunus and some individuals are quite bigoted on an interpersonal level, it plainly isn’t socially acceptable in atlas or mantle to be openly racist, because a strong majority of the populace in both cities seems to fall somewhere between neutral to supportive of faunus rights. given the “no faunus” sign the madame had in her swanky hotel a decade ago, this may be a fairly recent swing in public opinion.

in mistral:

the white fang is headquartered in mistral and the bulk of its operations seem to be focused there, suggesting that this is where the pain is sharpest; sun, who attended haven academy and isn’t exactly a deep thinker, scorns the group as a “cult” and “a bunch of creeps who use force to get whatever they want,” which is less an objective statement of fact than it is an expression of what the dominant cultural narrative in mistral probably is

mistral has sundown towns.

qrow is from mistral; his narration of the world of remnant faunus episode is laced with very clear unexamined biases even though his stance is generally pro-faunus—very much what you’d expect from a guy who grew up in a very racist environment (there are no faunus in the branwen tribe) and then learned better but never really did the work to unpack his subconscious aversion to faunus

lionheart is politically marginalized to such an extent that he’s able to plausibly use his impotence with the council as cover for his deliberate sabotage

during mistral’s prewar occupation of vacuo, faunus were enslaved in mistrali dust mines in vacuo as per the CFVY novels

in stark contrast to velvet’s indifference to atlas, she is terrified of mistralis and associates the kingdom with, specifically, sexually charged racist harassment; so while in atlas she undoubtedly dealt with microaggressions and the occasional open racist, her experience with people from mistral has led her to presume “virulent bigot” as the default.

at least some businesses are segregated even in the present. (and at least one of qrow’s informants is a regular at a segregated noodle shop, underscoring the previous point about his attitudes)

now obviously there are mistralis who aren’t aggressively racist and others who support faunus rights, the kingdom isn’t a monolith, but the details were given suggest that open bigotry is normative and socially acceptable; there are certain places in mistral where faunus risk being murdered just for setting foot there. mistrali faunus may not face such quite sharp economic pain as in atlas (because the systemic issues mantelian faunus deal with intersects with the rampant classism which harms everyone in mantle), although mistral also has steep class divides that would likewise fall harder on faunus than on humans; but it seems to me that mistral is, culturally, a lot more hostile to faunus than atlas/mistral with bigotry allowed to flourish out in the open.

and, a pit stop before bringing this around to lionheart: ozpin offers lukewarm vocal support to the cause of faunus rights and vague platitudes about “taking strides” to close the divide (which blake calls him on in remarkably sharp terms given the sheer amount of power he holds over her as her headmaster), but… he shames blake for hiding her cat ears rather than do anything about the racist bullying that goes on at his school; he singles out blake, clearly suspects her of being salem’s spy and makes implicit threats when she doesn’t cooperate; he jumps to the worst possible conclusion about lionheart but trusted ironwood without hesitation in v5 despite ironwood’s objectively much more alarming behavior; he gifted lionheart salem’s old tea-set. so ozpin is not… especially a good ally to the faunus even though he notionally is on their side.

which brings us to lionheart. why did salem choose HIM, out of all the headmasters or teachers she could have tried to convert into a spy?

she picked the one faunus—not just headmaster, lionheart is the only faunus faculty-member we’ve met so far. the faunus appointed by the ruling council of a notoriously racist council to be the headmaster of the school where a faunus student absorbed the message that the faunus civil rights movement is a violent cult.

in other words, the most vulnerable member of the inner circle, someone who would have been walking a precarious political tightrope under extreme pressure to be absolutely beyond reproach because anything less would have gotten him torn to shreds, figuratively speaking, by a hostile public; and as if that isn’t bad enough, ozpin didn’t trust him either. ozpin is extremely quick to jump to the conclusion that lionheart is a traitor, in contrast to his blithe certainty that taking the lamp to atlas after ironwood closed the borders and withdrew his troops from mistral right before salem attacked haven!!

raven asks lionheart what salem has on him. it’s this. it’s him being the token faunus headmaster with his hands tied by the council in front of a racist public that he knows will rip him apart if he screws up even a little, and allies he can’t count on to have his back because ozpin is weird about faunus too.

is it any wonder that he folded like wet cardboard when salem threatened him. ozpin thinks she was just so scary that she sank her claws into lionheart and deleted his courage but the reality is the man was working under enough pressure to turn anyone into a nervous wreck with or without salem putting her thumb on the scales, and she just… recognized that and took advantage.

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tgmsunmontue · 2 months

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Caring, Keeping and Collecting Transformers - A Guide 5/?

Maverick is unknowingly surrounded by Transformers. He knows something is up though. Just not quite what it is exactly.

Bradley and Jake, having never met, are embarking on their own journeys and will have to learn to deal with the fact that they've both been adopted by Transformers.

Despite having years more experience, Maverick is no help at all.

ONE TWO THREE FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

“Admiral.”

“How should I address you?” Tom asks, because he’s spoken to Mav’s P51 plenty, been jealous of it even, however it’s never spoken back. That one time he kicked the wheel it a fit of pique is currently haunting him.

“You can call me Sally,” she states, and Tom raises an eyebrow. “I like the song.”

He nods, and he wonders if all the ammunition he can see is live. He’s guessing so, and he knows it isn’t helping his blood pressure right now. He doesn’t want to be caught in a firefight if things do go south.

“Please relax Admiral. I do not hold your past actions against you. Maverick is a difficult man to manage.” Tom blinks, wonders how the hell he is somehow commiserating with a Transformer over dealing with Maverick’s antics. “As annoying as he might be, I would never let any harm come to him. Not while I was letting him pretend he is in charge.”

Tom’s lips twitch in amusement at that, and then he decides to just outright grin, a little disbelieving laugh escaping him as he considers the fact that all this time Maverick thinks he’s been flying the P51 it’s been because a Transformer has been gracious enough to let him pretend make believe. He really wants to make sure he’s around to see Mav have that realization. He needs to gather information, pretty sure the conflict resolution and managing difficult people workshops can be applied to Transformers and humans alike. God he hopes so.

“Starscream was it? I’d like to talk to you.”

“Sir! I can’t –” the Transformer who’d driven him here at breakneck speed tries to interject, and Tom can tell he’s military of some sort by the way he instantly falls quiet at the sharp look Tom gives him.

“I appreciate your concern, however I believe I am in charge here and I will speak to whom I think necessary. I doubt Starscream will do anything when all he seems to want is help with having Jetfire fixed. And that help is hopefully on the way.”

“Walk with me,” Tom instructs Starscream, and his tone doesn’t invite argument, but he can tell that the other Transformer is not used to accepting or following orders, no matter how much he wants to or not.

… … …

“Do you think they’ll be okay?” Bradley asks and Jake looks at where Starscream and Admiral Kazansky have walked off down the runway. The other Transformers have watched them go with suspicious eyes, the Jeep, Hound, hasn’t stopped grumbling under his breath, what looks like a weird smoking grenade launcher rolling around his lips the same way Jake worries a toothpick when he’s nervous or mentally working through something.

“He’s mouthy and sarcastic, seems to think he knows… well, everything. But he does care about Jetfire. I think he would have killed me if he’d thought I was responsible for their condition.”

“So… how long have you known about Transformers then?”

“Only a few days,” Jake admits. “I’m on leave for four weeks and I get a feeling I’m going to be spending it here.”

“Yeah, maybe. Can you show me Jetfire?”

“Sure.”

He leads Bradley to the horse truck and pulls himself up, feels him closely follow and then they’re standing there looking at the broken pieces of Jetfire. It’s obvious from looking at them all that Jetfire is a larger Transformer, like Sally or Starscream.

“Holy shit.”

“Yeah. You think Maverick knows about Transformers?” Jake asks, and he still can’t believe that the man he’s been idolizing for years, along with Admiral Kazansky, are now people that will know he exists, or will do shortly once Maverick arrives. He’s not entirely sure this is a good thing.

“If he does, he’s managed to keep it a secret. Mav isn’t the most, uh, subtle of people.”

Jake snorts, because a man like Maverick does not get the reputation he has by being subtle or a shrinking violet. Or by following the rules. He just skirts beside them and holds his hand over the line.

“Pretty cool guy to have as your godfather. Have someone giving you tips about flying.”

Bradley snorts then and Jake turns to look at him, takes in the twist of lips and sad-angry-annoyed look. He can’t quite place it, but they’ve just met.

“Yeah, you’d think. My dad was a RIO. He died when I was three.”

“Oh shit. Sorry man.”

Bradley shrugs, kneels down to look at some part of Jetfire and he takes it as the very obvious change of subject Bradley wants it to be.

… … …

Tom isn’t sure he should be having this conversation when none of his superiors know about it, however he also didn’t get to where he is without improvising and using his initiative.

“Are you here to attack us? Attack Earth?”

“No. I’m not even here to attack the Autobots, even if they deserve it.”

Tom decides to leave that statement alone for now.

“And what do you want right now?”

“My friend rebuilt and recharged.”

“And do we have that capability?” Tom asks, because while he might know Transformers exist he has no in depth knowledge about their general inner workings. The idea that Mav might, and doesn’t even know that he’s been working on them for years, well, a lot of things slot into place. Vehicles just appearing. The Bronco being one of them. Huh.

“There are rumors,” Starscream mutters and Tom raises an eyebrow.

“Rumors? You travelled here without first confirming it is actually possible?”

“Wouldn’t you? If it were your only hope?”

Oh.

Tom understands that feeling of desperation well enough.

“Okay. I will do everything in my power to assist you.”

“On what condition?” Starscream replies, staring at what Tom assumes is the horizon, although he can probably see further than a human. He’s smart, he’ll give him that.

“You remain neutral. You do not attack anyone on Earth. Or our allies.”

Starscream makes a noise Tom can only classify as a scoff, although it sounds mechanical and grating, like he’s annoyed.

“And if it’s in self-defense?

“As long as you can prove it was self-defense, you’ll have my support. For now, you’re under my protection.”

Starscream makes the same sound again, and Tom knows it probably seems ridiculous to a Transformer of Starscream’s size that Tom can offer any protection, but he shrugs, because either Starscream will accept it or he won’t.

“For until I leave Earth I swear a vow of neutrality. I will only raise arms against those that do myself harm. Or Jetfire harm.”

Tom doesn’t know how deep the bonds between Transformers go, but he nods.

“Accepted.”

God he hopes he doesn’t lose his job over this.

… … …

He can see the dust cloud and hear the roar of engine before he can see Maverick, although he’s there soon enough. Bradley scrambles down from the horse truck and walks toward him, not quite sure how to approach him after nearly eight years of radio silence. Jake is following closely behind him, Ice and Starscream about two-thirds back up the run-way and walking toward them. He desperately wants to know what they’ve talked about. Instead he’s got Mav staring at him like he can’t believe he’s there. Like somehow Bradley is somehow the oddest thing to look at when there are dozens of Transformers standing around.

“Bradley?”

“Hey Mav…”

“What? What are you doing here?”

“Maverick!” Ice calls out, and he’s striding back toward them, legs fully stretching out like he’s resisting the urge to run.

“Ice… Bradley’s here.”

The look Ice gives Mav is fond, less fond when he then looks to Bradley.

“Yes. He is.”

“I thought –”

“I know what you thought. Captain Mitchell I need you to pay attention.”

Bradley blinks. He’s never heard Ice call Mav anything other than Maverick. Or Pete. Or Mav… The fact that he’s just used his title means that he’s legit pulling rank and it must not happen very often because Mav is shifting and straightening up, looking around then, eyes widening as he registers the actual fucking Transformers assembled around them.

“Holy shit… what is going on?”

“You don’t recognize them?” Ice asks, his gaze serious, and Bradley realizes that Ice is very firmly in work mode right now. It’s a little bit terrifying to see.

“Not like this I don’t… But I always wondered… fucking hell. I knew something was up!”

Bradley can’t help it, is staring at the motorbike Mav arrived on expectantly, waiting for it to change; knows Jake and Ice are sort of expecting it as well.

“Uh… why… wait. What the… you can stop staring at the bike, it’s just a regular old normal machine,” Mav says, waving his hand dismissively, staring in open-mouthed wonder as he approaches the line of watching Transformers. “Oh my god. You’re my Kawasaki…”

“Ninja,” Ninja provides, and then Bradley can’t believe it but Mav is hugging it.

“Thank you. For saving me that time.”

“What time?” Ice interjects.

“Oh, years ago now. I had a motorbike accident and went over the side of the cliff.”

“Hmpf. Stupid way of trying to kill yourself,” Ninja says and Bradley doesn’t miss the clenching muscles in Ice’s jaw. He wonders just how many years ago they’re talking, wonders what he’s missed, stomach clenching at the idea that maybe this is something recent. Ice looks similarly concerned, although Bradley doesn’t think they’re going to get any answers right now. Mav has moved to stand in front of Sally, the look on his face one of awe.

“You’re beautiful…”

“Thank you Maverick. You do tell me that fairly regularly.”

“Oh my god, this is amazing. Ice! Isn’t this amazing?”

“It’s certainly something alright…” Ice says, and Bradley shares a look with Jake, because Ice seems less than pleased.

“Did you know about them?”

“I have a sufficiently high security clearance. I had never met any before today though.”

“We are meant to keep our existence… secret,” Sally states, and her whole demeanor is radiating disapproval, however it seems to be aimed at the other Transformers. Neither Bronco or Starscream seem to care, and Hound just huffs, the sound accompanied by a cloud of smoke and sparks.

“It has been a secret. If there was any chance Maverick could have had a conversation with a plane there is no way I wasn’t hearing about it.”

The smile Maverick gives Ice is wide and happy and Bradley’s stomach twists a little, feels like an outsider to their relationship now.

“Are we sharing secrets?” Bronco asks, and his tone of voice is low, like he’s not grumpy and Bradley wonders what other secrets there could be that are on par with the fact he’s been driving around a transforming robot for several years. God. Did he ever actually learn to drive?

“What secrets…” Bradley mutters, looking between the Transformers and then also Mav and Ice, who have both gone still. Bronco is staring at them and Bradley isn’t used to reading the expression on his face yet, but he’s put money on him being pissed.

“He pulled your application at your mother’s request.”

SIX

#Caring Keeping and Collecting Transformers - A Guide #hangster #Top Gun Maverick #AU #TF and TGM crossover

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lol-jackles · 5 months

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Walker episode 2 review

Cordell, Trey, and Cassie find themselves watching over the episode’s titular character, Maybelline Pratt, a state witness in a money laundering case. Maybeline has the charm of all 4 Golden Girls characters as well as their combined age. Like Sophie Petrillo, she gave Trey the slip and tried to hotwire a patrol car with a wrench, because that’s how they do in Sicily. Like Blanche Devereaux, she loves flirting with Trey even as they take turns running away from each other. Like Dorothy Zbonak, she is full of judgment stares and sass and keeps calling Cordell by the wrong surname. Rangers over the age of 50 are smitten with her because every red-blooded male that grew up in the 70s and 80s fell in love with Karen Allen and Kathleen Turner and their smokey voices. Harrison Ford to this day can’t stand Indiana Jones fanboys approaching him to only want to talk about Marion Ravenwood and “that voice”.

Maybelline has the Rose Nylund naivety thinking she can just go back to St. Olaf and carried a metal file in her oversized purse to escape from WITSEC. Cordell decided one of them need to take her home. Trey and Cassie were “not it” and Cordell reluctantly take her to Walker ranch while the 2 security officers assigned to her secure the area. Maybelline soften her attitude towards Cordell when she sees family pictures and learn of Emily’s passing. Later in the middle of the night, Cordell finds Maybelline having “just to taste” bourbon at the dinner table and the two have a heart to heart over Cordell’s worry over his children leaving the nest.

“The days are long, but the years are short”, Maybelline tells Cordell, and while children appear not to listen, they are always watching. The fact that Stella and August feel comfortable enough to leave home just means he (and Emily) did a good job raising them, and they’ll likely come back one day. Just like Cordell and Liam did.

Cordell found it easier to talk to a stranger about his anxiousness over being ill prepared for "the quiet" once his kids are gone. Stella too, found it easier to talk to Ben about her guilt over Witt’s death and had even shut Liam out. In attempt to make peace with her conflicting conscious, she visits a roadside memorial where Witt succumbed to his gun shot injury. Unexpectantly Witt’s uncle, Mike, shows up and seems kind, which made Stella feel worse and she flees. Then Mike ominously calls someone to say he found something “interesting”. Looks like there will be a second mystery to go with the unsolved Jackal case as we never learn why Witt broke into Geri’s house. Speaking of which…

Cassie had updated Geri (and us) that she decided to return to the Texas Rangers. Later Geri offers Cassie to move into her house, referencing the break in that it would be a good idea to have a ranger around. While Cassie is thrilled and accepted Geri’s offer, you know that Cordell would be worried about their girl talks. At least I would be.

Cordell, Trey, and Cassie brings Maybelline to court to give her testimony only to walk right into a trap to distract them so that the baddies can kidnap Maybelline. Cue lively soundtrack as a car chase through the parking garage to rescue Maybelline ends in beat down fights by Cordell and Trey. Maybelline bats her Blanche Devereaux lashes at Trey for saving her. Cordell insists it was a team effort.

At home, Cordell waits for August to discuss the issue of him wanting to join an after school boot camp to ready himself for the military, but he needs a signed permission slip from his father. Earlier August asked Bonham to go over Cordell’s head and convince Trey, who is running the program, to let him join. In the season 3 finale, Cordell wouldn’t give his permission to let August join the military while he is underage. When Bonham tries to broach the subject with Cordell, he immediately shuts it down because he wants to put off of August growing up as long as he can. But after his midnight conversation with Maybelline, Cordell is ready to have a talk with August.

Cordell explains that while he has no regret over his own tour in the military, he can’t help wondering if he missed out on other options and he doesn’t want that for August. But, if this is really what August wants, he'll be supportive, no matter how much he'll worry over his “only son” and “baby boy”. August is thrilled and promised to follow Cordell’s condition that he is present for every Sunday dinner and keep up his schoolwork. A flashback scene from the pilot episode shows Cordell telling a 14-year-old August he didn't mean for his son to grow up quickly after his mother's death, adding to Cordell’s bittersweet demeanor.

We have "the quiet" before the storm with Cordell, Liam, Ben, and Stella having fun together playing darts at the Side Step. Stella returns to her dorm to find a threatening message on the window written in red paint.

Speculation #2: Witt didn't die from his gunshot wound and was murdered on the roadside by the same person who left the threatening message to Stella.

Score: 9 out of 10. What started out a light-hearted episode ends with a horror movie jump scare, a kind of metaphor for parental struggle and angst.

artist

#walker #review #Jared Padalecki

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odinsblog · 2 years

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In the coming days/weeks, you’re going to hear a lot about how Ukraine should accept the terms of surrender (as that’s what they are) offered by Russia—how they’d be “stupid” not to, how Zelenskyy should “do the right thing for his people” and prioritize saving lives, how peace should be the priority and we can’t always get what we want.

Make no mistake: even if Russia intends to uphold these terms once Zelenskyy accepts them, this is a terrible deal for Ukraine and a terrible deal for the world.

First of all, there’s no guarantee that Russia will respect a cease fire or peace treaty. Obviously that’s always the case with war, but it’s especially the case when they’ve already violated multiple cease fire agreements by firing on and murdering evacuating civilians, including children. So there’s your peace treaty.

Second, the terms that Russia has presented include virtually all of Putin’s actual goals for this illegal invasion (obviously “de-Nazification” and “de-militarization” were just lies à la “weapons of mass destruction,” a rhetorical tactic that really ought to be familiar to any self-respecting American leftist). Ukraine would forfeit its claim on the territories Russia has already illegally annexed/recognized, it would be forced to change its constitution (!!!) to commit to never joining any “pacts” (EU, NATO, anything else that forms in the future), and it would retain Zelenskyy as a figurehead while installing a pro-Russian actual government leadership.

This is—and I cannot stress this enough—not a “compromise” or a “peace treaty.” It’s terms of surrender. And the lesson learned here is that Russia can continue invading and terrorizing sovereign states without any actual consequences—remember, Putin doesn’t personally care about Western sanctions. He doesn’t care if his people are plunged into poverty as long as he and his cronies aren’t, and they won’t be. He’s furious about the sanctions because he finds them personally offensive and because they confirm his victim complex, not because he’s legitimately worried for his people like Zelenskyy is.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, Putin has made it extremely clear that he seeks to rebuild a Russian empire. He will not stop with Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk. (And make no mistake—Luhansk and Donetsk are not independent sovereign states like Ukraine; they’re simply Russian satellites.) He will not stop with forced regime change in Belorus, Georgia, Syria, and Ukraine. (And even if he did—isn’t that awful enough?) He is not “concerned about Russia’s security” or “worried about NATO’s encroachment” or whatever his extensive social media operation has you believing. He’s not concerned or worried about anything. He’s a dictator expanding his empire. He is exactly what you all feared Trump was.

I believe that this “offer” from Russia to Ukraine serves two purposes, and neither of them is to establish a lasting peace and autonomy for each country. One is to give Putin a potential way to back out of a war that has already gone much worse than he expected and cost him significantly in terms of personnel and equipment. (Not the sanctions—like I said, I don’t think he personally cares about the sanctions and in fact sees them as a political tool to use to his advantage.)

The second and more important goal is to create a way for the international community to blame Ukraine for the continued war. “If you’d just accept the terms, you could save your people and prevent nuclear war.” It’s absolutely classic DARVO tactics that, again, any progressive activist should be familiar with. “Sure, it’s not your fault he attacked you, but you shouldn’t have reported it, made a big deal of it, gotten him ‘cancelled,’ made it public, etc.”

It’s not Ukraine’s responsibility to “prevent nuclear war.” Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons in exchange for protection—protection that it has not received, although Western aid and military assistance has undoubtedly been helpful. Placing responsibility on Ukraine to accept unjust terms and illegal annexation of its land in order to “prevent nuclear war” only lends credence to the claim that only nuclear weapons can keep a country truly safe—after all, it would mean that Putin’s nuclear threats have allowed him to invade his neighbors, terrorize their citizens, destroy their resources, replace their democratically elected leaders with his own puppets, and steal their land—without even having to make any concessions himself.

So here’s my plea to my American progressive/leftist siblings. Please question what you think you know about Putin, Russia, and Ukraine. There are certainly far-right and neo-Nazi political forces in Ukraine as there are in any country, but Zelenskyy is a progressive, democratically elected JEWISH president. NATO and the EU have their (serious) issues, but they have not pressured or forced any former Soviet states to join—in fact, prior to this war, it seemed unlikely that Ukraine would be admitted. Ukraine WANTED to join to protect itself from Russia, which had already illegally annexed its land, empowered far-right groups within its borders, and forced regime changes in surrounding countries.

Putin is not an anti-imperialist revolutionary; he denounces American imperialism because it’s convenient for him politically and it keeps the American left from putting pressure on our government to divest from Russia. Sure, maybe the Democrats oversold Russian election hacking as an explanation for Trump’s win (although the more I learn about the extent of Russia’s disinfo campaign, the more I question this common leftist talking point), but that doesn’t mean that Putin isn’t bent on conquering Eastern Europe and subduing Western powers by any means necessary. This goes far beyond American electoral politics, and the answers here do not conform to American party lines. Do not fall into the trap of dismissing politicians’ statements about Putin and Russia just because you disagree with the rest of their stances.

Putin is a dictator. Sometimes it really is that simple. A former KGB agent, he came to power by staging the modern Russian version of the Reichstag fire (look up “Russian apartment bombings”), using that as an excuse to start a war and win it, and he has maintained his power through strong-arming and terror. The State Duma is entirely symbolic at this point; anyone who goes against Putin knows that they are likely not only to die, but to die horribly, just like Alexei Navalny almost did not long ago (look up “Novichok” and prepare yourself for some body horror).

I could go on. I won’t right now. But in truth, I deeply regret the fact that I haven’t done more over the past 8 or so years to disrupt the blatant Putinist propaganda I hear from a lot of my fellow progressives. I had other priorities and I didn’t give it the attention I should’ve. To be clear: nothing America or American progressives could’ve done would’ve stopped this war, only delayed it or hastened it. The war was inevitable because Putin wants to conquer Ukraine, and beyond.

So I’ll just say—please, please listen to people who fled Russia/the Soviet Union, and to experts who study Russia. The most likely threat here isn’t a nuclear WWIII; this isn’t about you. The thing people like me fear most is simply that Putin will continue subjugating, terrorizing, and ultimately conquering innocent citizens of sovereign states, and that the West will eventually just accept this as the price of nuclear deterrence.

I’m not a political scientist; I don’t know how to stop this war. All I know is that Ukrainian surrender isn’t it. Listen to Ukrainians, anti-Putin Russians, and other experts, form your own opinion, and most importantly, keep your wits about you. Not everyone in this world is a good faith negotiating partner. Some people are, unfortunately, just evil. Hitler was, Stalin was, Putin is.

(source)

#politics #tankies #ukraine #budapest memorandum #russia #darvo #russian imperialism #russian colonialism #russia is a terrorist state #darvo putin #vladimir putin #vladimir putin go fuck yourself #adolph putin #little putler

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nightingale-ghost-writer · 2 years

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141 Headcanons - The Five Love Languages

Simon “Ghost” Riley

Simon has been so severely abused for so much of his life that any form of love is just shocking and hard to accept for a long, long time

It takes a lot of time for him to let anyone love him at all. A LOT of time.

Touch would have to be his number one, though. He mostly hates to be touched by people, but once he has a taste of gentle touches, he can’t get enough

For the longest time, the only touch he got was being beaten, shoved, pulled, and manhandled. Enter his military career. Now, any intent to touch is intent to harm

Enter you. Whether it be brushing a hand across his shoulders as you pass, nudging him when something is funny, squeezing his hands or shoulders in reassurance, wrapping yourself in his arms, or wrapping him in yours, your touches have only ever sought to bring comfort to one or both of you

It goes both ways. Once upon a time, his hands were only for hurting other people. But now that he’s been shown physical love, it’s his favorite way to show love, too

Anytime he can, he wants to be touching you, he’ll put his hand on your back, his arm around your shoulders, or his personal favorite: have you curled up in his lap

Just the fact that you WANT to be close to him makes him feel safe and wanted and loved

He even finds himself reaching out to Johnny on occasion now, though he’ll never admit it

It still takes trust and a LOT of time for him to actually let someone close enough to touch him, though

Johnny “Soap” MacTavish

Johnny values quality time above all else, though touch is a close, close second

Like Simon, he doesn’t let people too close. He banters and blusters, but few ever make it into the circle he would call his actual “friends”

When he meets you, being around you becomes as important as breathing. Wherever you are is where he wants to be. Whatever you’re doing is what he wants to do

Ghost teases him that he’s like a puppy (he’s not wrong)

You need help moving furniture? He’s there. If something happened? He’s the one you call, and he’s on the phone or on his way until he knows you’re okay. Shopping? Or better yet, cooking? He’ll read the cookbook to you

Speaking of cooking, dinner dates are his forte. He loves taking you somewhere nice to show you that you’re worth his time and money (and to hold your hand). But mostly, he just wants to listen to you and talk with you

Every dinner, while he’s home, is an at-the-table affair so you can both share what’s going on in your lives

And after every dinner is cuddling until bed, unless other activities take priority *wink wink*

You planning time together and asking him about missions makes him feel like the luckiest man alive, because it shows him that you're just as interested in him as he is in you

And of course it doesn’t hurt when you can’t take your hands off him. That’s quality time on a whole new level

Kyle “Gaz” Garrick

Kyle, soft-spoken man that he is, responds the best to words of affirmation

He’s confident enough, but there’s something about being told when he’s doing things right that really sets his mind and heart at ease

Whether it be on mission or at home, he likes to know he’s not off-base when he thinks he’s done things right

Part of why he and Price are so close is that Price always lets him know how he’s doing

Nothing boosts his confidence like you appreciating him vocally, whether it be for helping you cook or clean or doing the grocery shopping

Obviously, there’s one area of home life that vocal praise means even more

One of his favorite things is coming home to you to hear “I missed you” and “I’m so glad you came back to me”

“I love you” undoes him every time, and it’s his favorite thing to say to you. It isn’t said lightly

He loves with words of affirmation, too

“This meal is delicious” and “thank you for doing my laundry” and “I’m so grateful to have you in my life” are common phrases in your home

John Price

John is old-fashioned. Acts of service are his favorite way to be loved, and gift-giving is his favorite way to give love

With his team, he always makes sure they have the things they need to be comfortable on mission (tea to calm Ghost’s, earplugs so Gaz can sleep, puzzles or some such to occupy Soap’s idle hands)

With you? Birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s? You’ll be getting flowers on every one

You’ll probably get flowers just sending him to the grocery store, too

When he travels, he picks up various little things for you he thinks you’ll like

When you need something done, he does it

He does whatever his team needs, too. On or off mission

When you get gifts for him, he doesn’t much care what they are. It’s the thought that counts

He still uses the wallet you got him when you started dating all those years ago

He feels the most loved and cared for when he comes home after a mission to a hot meal, his favorite sweats laid out, and a nice back rub from you

#uselss’ headcanons #cod mwii #simon ghost riley #simon riley #ghost #john soap mactavish #john mactavish #soap #kyle gaz garrick #kyle garrick #gaz #john price #price #nightingale's headcanons #nightingale writes

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lieutenantfloyd · 2 years

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Top Gun + Top Gun: Maverick ~ Book Recommendations

A masterlist of books I recommend to anyone who enjoys Top Gun, Top Gun: Maverick, and/or TGM fanfiction!

Disclaimer: Please note that most of these contain romance and/or mature themes. They also may contain heavy, dark, and/or possibly triggering plot points, Including but not limited to - death and near-death experiences, PTSD, sexism, racism, sexual assault, and (possibly graphic) depictions of war.

I’ve linked the Goodreads page for each book so you can read more about each one and (hopefully!) add them to your library!

Romance books with a male love interest that reminds me of Top Gun characters

The Unhoneymooners by Christine Lauren -> Jake “Hangman” Seresin

Summary:

Olive Torres is used to being the unlucky twin: from inexplicable mishaps to a recent layoff, her life seems to be almost comically jinxed. By contrast, her sister Ami is an eternal champion...she even managed to finance her entire wedding by winning a slew of contests. Unfortunately for Olive, the only thing worse than constant bad luck is having to spend the wedding day with the best man (and her nemesis), Ethan Thomas. Olive braces herself for wedding hell, determined to put on a brave face, but when the entire wedding party gets food poisoning, the only people who aren’t affected are Olive and Ethan.

Suddenly there’s a free honeymoon up for grabs, and Olive will be damned if Ethan gets to enjoy paradise solo. Agreeing to a temporary truce, the pair head for Maui. After all, ten days of bliss is worth having to assume the role of loving newlyweds, right? But the weird thing is...Olive doesn’t mind playing pretend. In fact, the more she pretends to be the luckiest woman alive, the more it feels like she might be. The Unhoneymooners is a romance for anyone who has ever felt unlucky in love.

*My review*

A fresh take on the classic enemies-to-lovers trope, the main male character is a hot, arrogant, and complicated man you just can’t help but love. Despite their rivalry, the chemistry between the FMC and the MMC is off the charts from the beginning. Not to mention this book is genuinely hilarious.

Link to Goodreads

The Admiral's Bride by Suzanne Brockmann -> Beau “Cyclone” Simpson

Summary:

When six canisters of a lethal nerve agent are stolen from a military testing lab, It's up to Admiral Jake Robinson to infiltrate the compound where religious fanatics have stored the deadly toxin. His partner—posing as his wife—is Dr. Zoe Lange, a biological warfare specialist and an expert in espionage. And though their marriage may be a hoax, Jake's growing feelings for Zoe are anything but make-believe. With each hour he's in Zoe's company the stakes get higher, and the situation within the compound is escalating…

*My review*

This is the book that first inspired this post. Admiral Robinson reminds me so, so much of Cyclone! He’s both a living legend and the man of everyone's dreams (even if he himself doesn’t think so). His character and morals are very strong, so getting to read his unique perspective along with hearing his internal struggles was really special. This honestly feels like a long-form version of some of the fantastic Cyclone x Reader fics I’ve read on here. The pining and use of the “will they/won’t they” trope was great as well. This is military romance at its best. Overall this book is refreshing, fun, and one of my very favorites!

Link to Goodreads

Under The Bayou Moon by Valerie Frazer-Luesse -> Robert “Bob” Floyd

Summary:

Restless with the familiarity of her Alabama home, Ellie Fields accepts a teaching job in a tiny Louisiana town deep in bayou country. Though rightfully suspicious of outsiders, who have threatened both their language and their culture, most of the people in tiny Bernadette, Louisiana, come to appreciate the young and idealistic schoolteacher as a boon to the town. She's soon teaching just about everyone--and coming up against opposition from both the school board and a politician with ulterior motives.

Acclimating to a whole new world, Ellie meets a lonely but intriguing Cajun fisherman named Raphe who introduces her to the legendary white alligator that haunts these waters. Raphe and Ellie have barely found their way to each other when a huge bounty is offered for the elusive gator, bringing about a shocking turn of events that will test their love and their will to right a terrible wrong.

*My review*

This book single handedly made me believe in love. Raphe is a little rough around the edges (in a good way), but my lord if he isn’t just the sweetest southern boy. The way he loves Ellie is everything.

Link to Goodreads

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros -> Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw

Summary:

Beckett,

If you’re reading this, well, you know the last-letter drill. You made it. I didn’t. Get off the guilt train, because I know if there was any chance you could have saved me, you would have.

I need one thing from you: get out of the army and get to Telluride.

My little sister Ella’s raising the twins alone. She’s too independent and won’t accept help easily, but she has lost our grandmother, our parents, and now me. It’s too much for anyone to endure. It’s not fair.

And here’s the kicker: there’s something else you don’t know that’s tearing her family apart. She’s going to need help.

So if I’m gone, that means I can’t be there for Ella. I can’t help them through this. But you can. So I’m begging you, as my best friend, go take care of my sister, my family.

Please don’t make her go through it alone.

Ryan

*My review*

I think this sentence from the top review of this book on Goodreads sums this book up better than I ever could.

“The Last Letter is so much more than a romance. It’s a testament to the strength of bonds forged from trauma and loyalty. It’s an exploration of motherhood and the importance of family. But above all, it’s a story of survival, forgiveness, and the healing power of unconditional love.”

This book tore my heart out and stomped on it. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Link to Goodreads

Love her or lose her by Tessa Bailey -> Mickey “fanboy” Garcia

Summary:

Rosie and Dominic Vega are the perfect couple: high school sweethearts, best friends, madly in love. Well, they used to be anyway. Now Rosie’s lucky to get a caveman grunt from the ex-soldier every time she walks in the door. Dom is faithful and a great provider, but the man she fell in love with ten years ago is nowhere to be found. When her girlfriends encourage Rosie to demand more out of life and pursue her dream of opening a restaurant, she decides to demand more out of love, too. Three words: marriage boot camp.

Never in a million years did Rosie believe her stoic, too-manly-to-emote husband would actually agree to relationship rehab with a weed-smoking hippie. Dom talking about feelings? Sitting on pillows? Communing with nature? Learning love languages? Nope. But to her surprise, he’s all in, and it forces her to admit her own role in their cracked foundation. As they complete one ridiculous—yet surprisingly helpful—assignment after another, their remodeled relationship gets stronger than ever. Except just as they’re getting back on track, Rosie discovers Dom has a secret... and it could demolish everything.

Link to Goodreads

The Ocean Between Us by Susan Wiggs -> Pete “Maverick” Mitchell

Summary:

After years of following her navy officer husband on assignment around the world, Grace Bennett realizes that she’s left something behind—herself. Her husband, Steve, can’t understand the unraveling of his wife’s heart and is determined to set things right. Their already-strained relationship is pushed to the edge when old secrets are revealed. Now, with plenty of space to ponder the true distance between them, Grace begins to reinvent herself. But, just as her new self is coming to terms with her family life, the unthinkable happens: a disaster aboard Steve’s ship. A navy wife’s worst nightmare collides with the cold truth that life’s biggest chances can slip away while you’re busy looking for guarantees.

Link to Goodreads

OTHER BOOKS

Armed Forces/FBI romance fiction:

Deadly Descent by Kaylea Cross

Over The Edge by Suzanne Brockmann (book #3 in a series)

Meant To Be by Jessica James

I’ll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios

The Unsung Hero by Suzanne Brockmann (book #1 in a series)

Making Faces by Amy Harmon

Dear Aaron by Mariana Zapata

Under Fire by Catherine Mann (book #3 in a series)

The Woman Left Behind by Linda Howard (Book #2 in a series)

Life Flight by Lynette Eason (book #1 in a series)

The Thing About Love by Julie James (book #7 in a series)

General military fiction:

Hunt The Wolf by Don Mann (book #1 in a series)

Terminal List by Jack Carr (book #1 in a series)

Historical military fiction:

Wives of War by Soraya M. Lane

Pacific Glory by P.T Deutermann

The Nugget by P.T Deutermann

Other (related) books you should read:

Catch 22 by Joseph Heller

Drift by L.T Ryan

Flyboys: A True Story of Courage by James D. Bradley

tags:

@thevortexclubposse, @marchingicenotes7, @rrocky0ah, @possessedbytheinternet, @xoxoabs88xox, @antbee17, @elenavampire21, @sometimesanalice, @maggieromanov, @galactic-marvelettes, @daisyflower221

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zndr315-blog · 4 months

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what's YOUR favorite and least favorite Greek god and goddess? (And bonus topic; what's your opinion on controversy magnets Medea and Odysseus, or at least controversial in modern thought but ESPEICALLY during the eras they were originally created in?)

I, uh, I’m not really all that familiar with Greek mythology myself, I gravitate more towards Norse mythology, but I’ll answer this ask to the best of my ability.

Favorite Greek Goddess: Aphrodite. I like her free spirit. I like that she refuses be tied down or settle down. I like that she subscribes to the “free love” school of thought, kind of like a less douchey version of Zeus. I like that she refuses to accept her arranged marriage to Hephaestus, and I like that Hephaestus does eventually find love with Algaea after their divorce.

Favorite Greek God: Ares, I guess. This probably sounds like a weird statement, but I feel like Ares, alongside his romantic rival, Hephaestus, is kinda one of the underdogs of the Greek pantheon. From what I’ve read, and again, I’ve read very few of the Greek myths, most of the Myths featuring Ares only feature him to play up how terrible and cowardly and barbarous he is. The fact that most of his myths go this way actually kinda endeared me to him thanks to the underdog effect. When most of the Greek people and most of the Greek gods don’t like Ares, I can’t help but find myself rooting for him.

Now that I think about it, the fact that Aphrodite was willing to give him a chance when all the other Greek gods hated his guts is another point in her favor.

Also, a bunch of Greek mythology enthusiasts and Hellenic pagans (is that the right term?) on this website have written about how Ares was actually a pretty darn good dad, and surprisingly feminist for Ancient Greece. In contrast to Athena, who is supposed to be the goddess embodying the positive aspects of military strategy and warfare, yet was portrayed as stunningly misogynistic in certain myths (you know the ones I’m talking about). I guess that makes sense though, Ancient Greece was a pretty misogynistic place to live, so it’s only natural that the god they wanted everyone to hate and fear would be a feminist.

Least Favorite Greek Goddess: Hera. Zeus might be a serial adulterer (sometimes something worse than that, depending on the myth), but at least he’s not a psycho murderer who brazenly kills his spouses’ illegitimate lovers, their loved ones, and sometimes their loved ones’ loved ones (see what happened to Hercules and his first family). Hera is even worse in the versions where Zeus goes a step further that just adultery, because then she’s punishing people for crimes that are completely her husband’s.

Least Favorite Greek God: Poseidon. I had a hard time pick a least favorite male Greek god, so I’m just gonna trust @tyrantisterror, who’s way more knowledgeable on Greek Mythology than I am, when he says that Poseidon is the worst. His answer to this ask I sent him sums up why much better than I could have: https://www.tumblr.com/tyrantisterror/751954440616116224/hey-can-you-go-into-more-detail-on-why-you-think?source=share

I confess, I’m not familiar with controversies surrounding Medea and Odysseus or with Medea and Odysseus themselves.

#greek mythology #aphrodite #ares #greek myths

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soft-persephone · 8 months

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Triple Frontier

Rewatch and Review

I did a deep dive in the making of this movie and it adds to the experience.

They worked will a real team of navy seals to really make the team feel more authentic outside of their preexisting relationships with one another. The guns they used were real and everything. They truly learned not only physical, but also the mental aspects of being a team of people in the military who operates at such a high level.

They all had a separate member of the team to go one on one with as well. It’s truly fascinating.

The director is JC Chandor, and he’s also directed and written A Most Violent Year.

I’m finding that his movies are mainly character driven. It’s more about complex characters in different situations or how they navigate a specific environment. There is a “story/plot”. The premise of the story can be interesting, but the complex nature of the characters is what really sells the movie.

This specific movie is about the special forces and how they navigate life once they “retire”. Which is the most obvious part, but it’s also about a group of guys who did it together and have a reunion.

I think what makes this movie special is how they all interact and how different and similar they are. It can be argued that Santiago starts the movie hungry for more. He just wants more. Out of his life, out of his job. He wants something to show for all the things he’s lost and missed out on while “fighting for his country”. He not only wants it for himself, but also for the people he served with.

They’ve all moved on with their lives. In whatever way that means. Santi wants so much more for them. Doing whatever he can to convince them to join him, isn’t selfishness, but a love to him. A vow to his loyalty and how much he cares about them.

They don’t see it that way, but he’s fine with that. Because he sees the end result.

He pushed and he pushed hard. It might not have been completely right. But it’s not completely wrong either.

You could also argue that Tom is the one that made the wrong move in every turn. One look at the money changed him completely. He went from ambivalent at best to, beyond all in. He was gone. It’s in the way he stopes following their plan. How he says they got time when the didn’t. How he put them in a situation to kill people they didn’t anticipate killing.

You see this change between both Tom and Santiago. They both start the film at completely different ends of a spectrum and swap places by the end.

As they keep going, Santiago , and the rest of them for that matter, care less and less about the money with them. They give up more and more as things get complicated. However, Tom argues more and more. Every time he opens his mouth, it’s about how much money they are leaving behind. It’s in that tension of his greed and the goal of getting home that gets Tom killed.

By that point, Toms loss is when there’s a change in everyone. It’s where now they have to get at least some of this money for Toms family. However, even that gets complicated. Lorea’s men have caught up with them, and are blocking their escape.

There’s a beautiful moment when Will calms Santi down when they have to figure out how to confront the rest of Lorrea’s men and how they are all teenagers. Santiago says they have to kill them all because he can’t grasp doing this all for nothing. He doesn’t want to go home, tell Tom’s family he’s dead, and have nothing to show for it.

He says “I thought we could do this.” And in that specific moment you can see how upset he is that every thing is falling apart. How he accepts that very fact in this moment that they failed and need to focus on getting Tom home. He’s made a complete assessment change on everything. The money and what he thought he wanted.

It’s an amazing arc for both of them. (Not Tom dying. But the processes of greed to his ultimate downfall, and Santi’s deliverance of sorts to accepting the simpler things of life. That he can’t beat the system even if he tries really hard. He just has to take the short end of the stick that has inevitably been offered to him, and find a way to be content with it.

I will never be able to shut up about this movie! Thank you for reading if you made it this far!

#I hope this makes sense #I could go into detail on specific scenes #but I didn’t want to #unless people bring it up #softie watches things #triple frontier #Oscar Isaac #Pedro pascal #garret hedlund #ben affleck #charlie hunman #jc chandor #j.c. chandor #movie review #film review

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positivexcellence · 1 year

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Walker's Jared Padalecki Talks Finale's Killer Threat, Why He's 'Excited and Nervous' About Cordell/Geri's Future

TVLINE | First of all, congrats on the renewal! Thank you so much! Certainly a relief. We’ve all been waiting on bated breath. So to get that vote of confidence was a huge, huge deal. And [Wednesday was] Odette Annable’s birthday. [Thursday] is Coby [Bell’s] birthday. [Kale Culley’s] birthday is this month. So they were all kind of mentioning on the cast text thread like, “Best birthday present ever!” It was very awesome to be able to share that awesome news with the gang.

TVLINE | You planted a lot of seeds for next season, so thank God you got that renewal. Which storyline are you most excited for in Season 4 coming off the finale? Well, I guess I’m a glutton for punishment. I kind of tend to have a lot of interesting storylines that deal with the character having to confront past traumas. Obviously, I did that for many, many years on Supernatural as Sam Winchester. And so, the storyline of the Jackal, of this case that went cold that really consumed Captain James and Cordell Walker many years ago, the fact that that might be reopened is very exciting. We’ve seen Captain James be a stalwart for the whole Ranger organization and for his friend Cordell. So I think it’s nice that, hopefully next season, I’ll get to return the favor and be there for him when he’s kind of having to revisit some of his past trauma. So that’s, I don’t want to say No. 1 on my list, but certainly high on my list.

I also love the bombshell of August wanting to go into the military, and Cordell not knowing how to really approach it and going, “Well, I did it. So who am I to say, ‘Don’t do it’? I’m just saying, ‘Don’t do it just yet.'”

And I’m very, very excited about the Cordell/Geri storyline and seeing where they go. They kind of gave it a preliminary shot, and that didn’t stick. But now that their lives are different and that they’ve had some time to really think about it and digest it, I think they could make a good tag-team for Stella and Auggie

TVLINE | But between the serial killer and the FBI task force, how worried should we be that work is going to get in the way of Cordell and Geri’s re-sparked romance? Or are they finally ready to give it a real try? [Laughs] I think we can rest assured that it will get in the way, and that’s going to be the exciting part to explore and play and find out alongside the writers and the audience, to see just how realistic it is for Cordell to find love again and for Geri to find love again. Obviously, we saw Hoyt come back in Episode 17 of the third season, so we know that she’s been happy with somebody. There were asterisks, obviously, with Hoyt, and I guess there are asterisks with Cordell, as well, because his job is serious and can be dangerous and can, as we’ve seen, kind of bleed into his home, his family and all that. So I’m excited and… I don’t want to say hesitant. I’m excited and nervous to explore that with the writers next season.

TVLINE | He did ask her to stay with him for the summer. So can we at least assume he’s definitely not going to accept the FBI gig? Well, it wouldn’t start until after the summer anyways. And so, he’s going to have time to think about it, and he’s going to have to kind of measure whether it’s important enough. He doesn’t want to do a Rodeo Kings thing again. He doesn’t want to get caught up in something again, and I think he’s starting to really put roots down with his family and with the people he loves. I’m, obviously, not having any conversations with the writers right now because they are on strike, and I support them very much. But as soon as we’re all back in the pool, I can’t wait to see what their thoughts are on what Walker’s decision will be.

TVLINE | We also need to talk about Walker’s other kid because that cliffhanger with Stella was quite dramatic. And it was interesting that she chose to go to Liam, not her father, for help. Do you think that will cause a rift within the family? That’s a good question. I don’t think so. It’s possible. I can understand why Walker would be upset. And maybe this is unimportant or uninteresting, but the reason it happened the way it happened is because of location issues we had. So initially, Liam was just going to be the first person she ran into, like she was just going to see him while she was figuring out who to tell. And so he was the first person [she saw], and she wasn’t able to call her dad, and so she told Liam. But also, Walker presumably didn’t really have his phone on him, he wasn’t checking it a whole lot. He was helping with bacon and eggs at the Side Step for the after party. [Laughs] I think Walker always finds himself in the position — and God, I guess, Jared has found himself in the same position as well — of August went to Bonham to talk about enlisting. Stella seemingly went to Liam to talk about the crazy situation that she and Sadie find themselves in at the end of the episode. So it might give him pause, but I think he’ll ultimately understand.

TVLINE | I wondered if maybe it had to do with the fact that he’s an authority figure, he’s part of the police so to speak, so it puts him in an ethically compromised position, as well, if she goes to him. Yeah, you know, to that end, maybe it does upset Walker. Thinking about it now, now that I know we’re going to explore it next season, Walker would certainly feel kind of bombarded. He son is coming at him, saying, “Hey, I talked to Gramps about this,” and his daughter is going to ultimately have to admit, “Hey, I talked to Liam about that.” He might find himself in a position of like, “Whoa, what am I chopped liver? This is what I deal with, keeping my family safe, keeping the people of Texas safe as best I can. So why would you not immediately call me? Why would you not come to me?” I’m sure Walker will find out very quickly what happened, and hopefully he can focus on the task at hand and not get too emotionally involved with feeling hurt.

tv line

#walker #Jared Padalecki

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irishhorse-blog · 1 year

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One last post about JK and this whole stalker situation.

I’m hearing people say that it’s his own fault this is happening because (a) he does lives from his apartment and (b) he’s famous, so he had it coming.

Bullshit.

First of all, we don’t do victim blame in this household.

Second, yes, he breaks the company’s rules when he does unsupervised lives in unsupervised places. He’s rebellious that way, and perhaps a little immature, but - he’s 25. He’s been under the company’s control and constant observation since he was 13. Maybe he’s a little sick of doing things the way other people want him to, and he wants to be under his own recognizance as much as any other young man does. He has that right. Would I prefer it if he didn’t get shitfaced on live? Of course, but that’s his business, not mine. The fact remains that at no point in any of his live streams did he invite fans to come over, ask them to send him gifts, or reveal anything about his address. Some of that can be found in public records, which sort of sucks, but he hasn’t shown anything on his lives that would reveal that sort of data. He hasn’t even really exposed the layout of his apartment. We’ve been in his living room and his kitchen. We sort of know where the bathroom and laundry room are, but that’s it. That’s not enough to say he’s rolling out a stinking red carpet for obsessed fans.

Third, fame is not a license to be dehumanized, stalked, hunted and harassed. I don’t care what your job is - nobody deserves to be treated like this. Celebrities are all still human beings at the end of the day, and they deserve to be accorded with basic levels of respect, compassion and dignity. This is abuse, and nobody - NOBODY - ever asks to be abused.

Also, I’ve seen people saying that he should have accepted the food and eaten it, since turning it away was rude. How soon we forget. There have been attempts made on other idols’ lives (Yunho in 2006 comes to mind) that have involved poison and other toxic/noxious substances hidden in food and drink. He was wise, not rude, to pitch or refuse the food delivery. If someone is capable of going the extra mile to find his personal address and invade his privacy by inserting themselves into his life through a delivery, then they’d be capable of almost anything else. People are crazy. They do things that make no sense, and they do things to harm people they say they love. You can’t govern or litigate crazy. All you can do is avoid it... unless you have help.

And here’s where I think Big Hit needs to come in. Until the responsible person or persons are identified, found, and stopped, they need to put JK up in a different place or give him round-the-clock guards. They need to find out who sent that delivery and then take steps to get the authorities involved. Stalking is illegal in SK, as it should be everywhere. Maybe they need to give that little section of the penal code a bit of an airing.

Lastly, there’s one place JK could go where the sasaengs can’t follow: the military. And I’m not ready to see him enlist just yet.

#JK #sasaengs #this is a dangerous situation and needs to be taken seriously #blaming him for the actions of others is wrongheaded

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sonofthedunes · 1 year

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a list of random fluffy luke/andrie headcanons below the cut, bc i can :p

Luke loves Andrie’s hair. he loves the coppery color, he loves how soft it is. when they’re cuddling he usually can’t resist nuzzling against it or lacing his fingers through it. he’s very fond of watching her untangle it (sometimes with a comb that used to belong to her great-grandmother); on occasion he’ll do it for her because he says it helps him focus.

they have their own “i love you”/“i know.” it’s “you and me, down the line.” 🥹

they’re both early risers, a leftover habit from childhoods on farmsteads. if they’re not in a rush they’ll watch the sun(s) rise together.

one of Andrie’s very few luxuries during the galactic civil war is a tiny vial of perfume, found in the ruins of an imperial base during a reconnaissance mission. it has a floral fragrance (a bit reminiscent of jasmine and plum blossom)-she doesn’t wear it often, but Luke feels comforted by the smell. neither of them know that it came from naboo, and is in fact a scent Padme Amidala wore in her lifetime.

she likes to call him “starboy” and “hotshot.” he calls her “sunshine” and “pika” (a type of sweet acidic fruit native to tatooine). other nicknames they use include “flyboy,” “sweet girl,” “dear heart,” and their military titles (jokingly). years in the future, when they’ve both become jedi masters, they address each other as such in front of their padawans to teach them proper decorum…but if they’re in the right mood, they’ll use it privately too.

oh yes, it takes her some time to accept her path, but Andrie does become a jedi-she’s Luke’s very first student. her progress is slow at first due to years of suppressing her abilities (first by her family, and then by herself voluntarily), yet she persists and works hard to become as fine a jedi as anyone could wish. she eventually finds a niche in studying meditation and trances, though she’s also a renowned lightsaber combatant, her natural fierceness serving her well. at her physical peak, it’s said, she could have dueled Luke to a standstill.

speaking of her lightsaber, she constructs it herself on ossus over the course of four days (previously she used a training saber Luke made for her). the blade is cyan, a blueish-green color which combines the qualities both shades represent-wisdom, courage, peace and so on. the hilt is mostly silver, with thin black bands and a crimson toggle switch; the bottom is slightly flared to prevent it slipping out of its wielder’s hands.

the only way Andrie utilizes the force during the war is to gently nudge Luke’s mind when he returns from a mission, just to make sure he’s alright. he always, always nudges back. ♥️

Andrie and Luke are practically the same height (she’s about an inch shorter)-when they hug or kiss they fit together as puzzles pieces, two halves of a whole. this also makes certain…other things easy too. ;)

they marry in the early morning after the fall of the empire, in a forest clearing on endor, not long after Luke agrees to train Andrie as his apprentice. for the record, she proposes to him-it’s not that he doesn’t want to be with her, but he’s struggled with the old jedi rules of attachment and how they’ll be interpreted in the new order. together they make the monumental decision to live openly as husband and wife, building an equal partnership based on trust, respect, and the living force. and it is with the force as their only witness that they pledge themselves to one another, using what Andrie recalls of a handfasting ceremony performed by one of tatooine’s ancient nomadic tribes. they bind their wrists using a leather cord from her hair and (since she’s unsure of what words the tribe used) they pronounce their own vows. when they return to the ewok village and tell their friends the news, Han announces the milestone to Leia as “pipsqueak and the kid did some weird jedi shit in the woods and they’re married now?? the hell is this galaxy coming to”

and unbeknownst to the happy couple, they’d set the standard for many, many jedi weddings going forward.

#andrie #luke skywalker #luke skywalker x oc #this is extremely self-indulgent but i like doing it lol

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helenofsimblr · 1 year

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Elita: Momentarily we took position at the table and the decaf coffee arrived…

Lyra: So, you looking forward to the baby coming?

Lysa: In a manner of speaking, I’m not looking forward to squeezing through my snatch though. I don’t know if we ever talked about it, but, does it really hurt as much as in films and TV?

Lyra: Depends, it is painful I’ll admit that. But the sooner you make peace with that fact, the better off you’ll be. Accept it's going to hurt and try to maintain your composure. Don’t be like one of these stupid women who go in screaming and crying, the more you panic and lose control the more pain you’ll get. Keep your shit together.

Lysa: Gotcha. So what’s your birth plan then?

Lyra: Just get it done, that’s my plan.

Lysa: And the smoking?

Lyra: Don’t even start with me, I’ve cut down. I strongly advise you stay off the cigs too, except for one specific occasion, or you might end up like me.

***

Elita: It was nice being there and being included in the proceedings. I elected to stand because… well, you’ll see shortly. Jimmy was quite interested in dad’s military career. Dad explained to Jimmy how I came into being. He didn’t believe it. Can’t blame him… We still hadn’t got onto the demonstration parts of their visit. That was going to be good. Lysa was crazy about Jimmy and she envisioned a future with him. If that was to happen, well, he needed to be comfortable among supernatural and enhanced people like us.

***

Jimmy: So, you were abducted by aliens because they wanted to make super solider aliens and then you ended up with two alien children? One has died, the other lives in Henford?

Bob: Correct. You missed John unfortunately he was here but he headed back to his farm. That information though is secret Jimmy.

Jimmy: Yeah it just all sounds so… far fetched you can’t blame me for not agreein’ surely?

Elita: I can, what reason have we to lie?

Jimmy: Alright but, Lysa said you could prove this stuff I mean, she’s a daughter of a vampire who was a clone of Lyra? It’s like somethin’ from a saturday mornin’ cartoon Bob.

Bob: It is true Jimmy. That space station that fell from the sky I was on it, along with Guy and Elita here we tried to stop the bad guy, but in the end, it was Guy who did it.

Jimmy: Sounds like a wonderful family day out! Look seriously like, this has gotta be some prank right? If it’s not then y’all are crazy!

Bob: You can go first Elita.

#ts4 #ts4 story #sims 4 #sims 4 story #Tales From The District #Season Two #KSU #Elita #Lyra #Bob #Lysa #Jimmy

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automatismoateo · 2 years

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I'm tired of staying quiet via /r/atheism

I'm tired of staying quiet

Throaway account--

Tl;dr: We need to stop being passive, and start calling religious people out on being horrible human beings.

So, for many different reasons, I am a member of the US Military. Mostly, it's due to personal reasons. Now, I definitely don't live and die military. Or white and blue, for that matter.

If you are not aware of it, the military tries to accept and protect all religions or lack thereof, but it is inherently Christian. Most chaplains you meet are Christians or were raised Christians. A lot of upper leadership, you guessed it, are Christians, because they're old and that's how they grew up.

This isn't inherently an issue, but it can be, especially if left uncontrolled.

Now, this post isn't just about the military aspect of it. In fact, I am making this post to hopefully help you build some courage to stand up for others, even at the cost of your own comfort. Keep it in mind, however, that there are many layers to this post, so I understand you may disagree with some of my points.

Now, to the story:

My immediate shop "leader" is a Christian, with a big C. He loves and dies Jesus, and goes to Church every Sunday. To no one's surprise, he is also extremely conservative. Loves guns, loves big T, big DeS, loves his submissive wife, loves low corporate taxes, loves poor people, loves the uneducated, loves people without melanin on their skin, hates homeless veterans, the whole thing.

In the past, he has gotten in trouble for saying the big no-nos out loud: Being openly racist, homophobic, antisemitic, etc.. He shut his mouth for a little while, but like any other true Christian, he felt like he can't be silenced and his true colors just NEED to show. He's now back to saying anything that's on his mind, as long as he feels like he's with his safe group. Sometimes he lets it slip, though.

Being in the Military, we are obviously known to curse a lot. We curse, we say stupid shit, we talk about controversial topics, etc.. It's all obviously unprofessional, but they can't fire us, so who cares, right? On the flip side, since they can't fire you, some people think they can just openly be the same shitty fucking person they are at home, at work.

If that happens, there are one of two things we usually do when this comes from those above us. 1) Shut up and pretend to be on their side so we don't get fucked over or 2) Report the actions to the inspector general (not to management, because they'll likely just slap them on the wrist and tell them to not do it again). The problem is, the IG isn't as helpful as you'd think, because mission takes precedence a lot of times.

So you're essentially left with option #1, since you don't want to be any more miserable at work than you already are.

Except that, you know, this shit has been going too far for far too long.

Not just in the Military, but outside even. For too long, these Christians have been allowed to roam the country and spout the most racist and homophobic shit with no consequences because they know no one will do anything. They'll take your freedom because it doesn't align with their vision of what freedom is. They'll take away your books because it makes them look bad. They'll take your children from you, because you are in love with the wrong person.

For too long, they have been allowed in positions of power, making the lives of anyone with opposing views miserable.

So, for my own mental health, I have decided I need to speak up, even if it'll get me in trouble. At work, I have started calling my superior out on his bullshit Christian values in front of others. Any comment he makes that is out of line, I'll tell him how "that's not very Christian of you." Hates homeless veterans? "Wow, what would God say about helping others?" "Loves that Mexicans are being shipped to Brandon's house?" Yep, what good morals you have!

Once in a while, he'll feign ignorance and ask me what I mean. I grew up Catholic, so I'll tell him that I don't remember being taught to be so ignorant, so selfish, and just overall a bad person.

Overall, I am just trying to make people realize how fucking disgusting he is. For a long time, I used to think that "whatever bad values you have, just leave them at home." I have come to realize that is wrong, too. No, don't leave that shit at home. Don't go home to beat your wife because she didn't make dinner, or your kids because they talked back. That is exactly what this country has done for the last few decades, and it has all come to bite us in the ass.

For too long we have kept quiet. We have let people pass on these horrible traits to their children. Their children grew up thinking that diversity is bad, that God is the only thing that matters and any opposition is inherently wrong. They grew up being told that a woman's place is in the kitchen, that black people are inferior, that poor people don't deserve to be helped. They grew up knowing only Christian hatred, and they're becoming loud once again.

Here is how I see it: the people who are supposed to be there to help you, guide you, bring you the "love of God," are the most judgemental, pieces of shit human beings I have ever met. They'd rather let you rot in misery before helping you. I'm not talking about giving you money in the time of need, or a bed during a cold night out. I'm talking about helping society become better for everyone, not just the people they deem worthy.

They will tell you in your face that rape is justified, that only their definition of love is what matters, that kids deserve to die of cancer because "God works in mysterious ways." They'll spit you in the face and tell you it's your fault. They'll do this with no remorse, because they know that on Sunday someone will tell them that they did God's work.

These people have roamed free of consequences for far too long, and they've gotten too comfortable. They deserve to know when they're out of line, and we clearly we need to remind them of it.

Please, do your neighbor, your friend, your family member, and do society a favor: don't stay quiet anymore. Don't expect to change these people minds, but let's aim to influence those arounds us.

Let's be the change that needs to be made, one voice at a time.

Submitted March 05, 2023 at 06:25PM by religionequashatred (From Reddit https://ift.tt/K7UAnos)

#reddit

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masterofmunson · 3 years

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look after you (1)

TFATWS Bucky Barnes x Fem!Reader

Summary: Sam asks you to join him and Bucky on a mission in Madripoor. When you get injured, Bucky feels the need to remind you more than once that he’s supposed to look after you now that Steve’s gone.

Warnings: tfatws spoilers, language, violence, blood, grief, angst, major pining

Word Count: 6k+

Author’s Note: Here she is!! I’m really excited to see what you guys think! This is my first Bucky fic in AGES! I decided to make this into a mini series since this fic is so long haha. Please let me know what you think. Comments, reblogs, and asks are highly encouraged and appreciated! Enjoy!

You hadn’t seen Sam or Bucky in several weeks. You were still adjusting to life post-blip. It had been a long five years for you and just seconds for them. You were no longer the bright-eyed and bushy tailed recruit. You’d grown into your position amongst the established and experienced Avengers. Now, it meant nothing.

Tony’s gone. Steve’s dead, Natasha too. The Avengers had officially disbanded. You felt lost and confused, still blinded by your grief over losing them. You had nowhere to go, so you just floated from place to place as needed.

You were laying low and a shell of the person you once were. You had no one to look towards anymore. Bucky went his separate ways and got some sort of footing in New York City with the pardon he was given by the government since his return to the states. You checked in every now and then with him, but you didn’t want to slow down his progress so you distanced yourself from him.

You know he feels some sort of responsibility towards you. Steve did too, and you suppose now that he’s gone, Bucky feels the need to take his place. It doesn’t matter that you’re no longer the naive 23 year old he met in Berlin all those years ago. It doesn’t matter that there was something lingering between the two of you before he turned to ash. You’re a grown woman now and war and politics has hardened your soul.

He needs to move on from you. The version he has of you in his head is gone, dead. He wants a fresh start, and you can’t give it to him.

Sam checks in with you once in a while. He asks you how you’re doing and you respond the same each time. “Same shit, different day,” you laughed lightly.

He knows better than to ask you to join him on his missions with the military. You’re not in the right headspace to return to the field, least of all if it meant that you were representing the US government wherever the fight was.

Now that John Walker has the shield and has been branded the new Captain America, it gives you all the more reason to stay away. If he had so much as just breathed in your direction, you’d kill him and rip the shield from his grasp and return it to Sam.

You ignored all emails and phone calls that had to do with John Walker. He wanted your blessing on live television, as if that meant anything. Yes, you were close with Steve, but you’re not an original Avenger. You just caught his eye during training one day and he took you under his wing. John Walker just wanted to create a bridge between the two of you since Sam and Bucky were obviously out of the question.

You were the first person Sam called when he told you he was giving up the shield. You didn’t ask why. You knew he had his reasons and you respected him to accept that whatever the reasons were, they were good enough.

So, when Sam called in the middle of the night, you picked up the phone without a second thought. Rubbing the sleep from your eyes, you sit up and fumble for the light on the nightstand beside you.

“Sam? You do realize it’s three in the morning, right?” you asked, yawning into your phone.

Sam curses in your ear and apologizes quietly. “Sorry. You would think with all this traveling, I’d remember time zones are a thing,” he laughed softly.

“What is it, Sam?”

“We’re in a bit of a tight spot. We could use your help.”

Your brows pinch together. “Who’s we, Sam?”

“Me and Barnes.”

Your heart jumps inside your throat. How the hell did Sam manage to rope Bucky into whatever he’s doing? The last you heard, Bucky wasn’t allowed to go on government missions until his therapist thought he made enough progress to do so. You know he’s nowhere near the progress he wants to be, so how is he with Sam?

“Jesus, Sam. You know he’s not in the right headspace to go on missions!” There’s a heavy pause between the two of you before you relent. “Where am I meeting you?”

“Latvia. I’ll fill you in when you get here.”

You hang up quickly and hurry out of bed. After so many years of getting up at odd hours for emergency missions and the like, you’re not surprised that Sam asked you to meet him in the middle of the night. You grab your duffle bag and stuff all your belongings back inside. You travel lightly, and now it definitely seemed to work out in your favor.

You’ve spent the last couple of weeks in a small town just outside of Helena, Montana. It’s nice and quiet and you’ve really taken the time to reflect on your life since things started going back to normal post-blip. The locals are nice and hospitable, and no one asks you about Steve, Tony, or what you thought of John Walker. You hope it had something to do with the fact that they didn’t know who you were. You certainly hoped that was the case. You’ve kept your head down and tried your best to blend in.

You go hiking quite frequently and take drives through the mountains. It’s nice and relaxing, a far cry from what you’re used to. You’ll definitely miss it, and you have second thoughts about meeting up with Sam, but you push them away. Steve abandoned you both, and you wouldn’t do that to him.

It takes you several hours to get to the closest international airport and by the time you arrive, the sun begins to rise in the distance. You hurry through the airport security and send Sam a quick update that you’re about to board your flight before you settle in your seat and fall back asleep.

....

You sleep through the entire flight. You blame it on your ability to sleep anywhere due to the number of missions you have under your belt. You’re wide awake when the plane lands and you’re quick to pull out your phone and send a message to Sam that you’ve made it safe and sound to Latvia.

Your legs are stiff and sore when you stand up for the first time when it’s time to leave. You pull your duffle bag from the overhead compartment and slowly make your way to the front. It takes you nearly an hour to get through customs and now you’re just anxiously waiting to see Sam.

When you see him waiting for you at the baggage claim area, you grin as your eyes meet. You hurry over to him and drop your duffle bag to the floor as he pulls you in for a hug. It’s warm and tight and it’s exactly what you need. Sam pulls away first and reaches for your bag, throwing an arm over your shoulder as you walk out of the airport to his car.

You stop walking when you notice two figures near a very fancy yellow car as you and Sam near them. Sam keeps walking and you take slow, tentative steps. You know one of the figures has to be Bucky, but Sam never mentioned a third person.

“Sam, I thought you said that it was just you and Bucky,” you said cautiously.

Sam stops in his tracks and lets out a nervous chuckle and scratches the back of his head. It makes your heart race and you swallow the lump in your throat as they begin to come into focus as they near the two of you. “Y/n, before you get angry, I just need you to know that this wasn’t my idea. Believe me when I tell you that he is the last person we would ask for help,” Sam replied as his eyes went from you to the two people approaching.

“Who is he?” you asked through gritted teeth.

“Ah! Y/n, good to know that your flight went rather smoothly. It is good to see you again.”

No. There’s no way. You must be dreaming. Hemlut Zemo is not standing right in front of you. He is in prison. He is behind bars for the crimes he committed. The two men that you're closest to wouldn’t jailbreak someone as atrocious as Zemo. There has to be an explanation. It doesn’t make sense.

“What the fuck is Zemo doing out of prison?!” you hissed, looking between Bucky and Sam, demanding an explanation.

“Y/n, honey, I can explain, just please get in the car,” Bucky pleaded, reaching out to touch your hand.

You glare at him and take a step back. “Are you out of your mind, Bucky? You break him out of jail because you need him, is that it? Do you remember what he did to you, because I certainly do!”

Bucky frowns and lets out a deep and heavy sigh. He looks over at Sam. “Did you fill her in at all?”

“No!” you shouted. “I can speak for myself, James! Someone better start talking and tell me what the hell is going on!”

“We don’t really have time for this right now,” Zemo interrupts, “we really must be going. I’m sure Sam and James can fill you in in the car.”

You glare at the Sokovian terrorist and snap at him. “Shut your mouth, Zemo.”

He raises his hands up in surrender and takes a step back. Bucky towers over you and this time you let him take your hand. He squeezes it gently and pulls you into his chest, hugging you tightly. You’re tense and fuming as he holds you.

His mouth finds the shell of your ear and despite the wave of anger flowing through your body, it sends a shiver down your spine. Bucky whispers, “I hate to say it, but Zemo’s right. We have to go. I’ll explain on the way, I promise.”

You huff childishly and turn your head away from him as he kisses your temple. “Fine. If he steps out of line, I’ll kill him.”

Bucky laughs and takes your hand and walks you to the car. “Get in line, honey. Sam and I have first dibs.”

You resist the urge to smile and Bucky opens the door for you as Sam tosses your bag in the trunk and climbs into the front seat. Bucky slides in beside you and he tells you everything.

He tells you about their first encounter with the Flag Smashers. He tells you about how the leader and a few of her followers have taken a newer version of the serum that runs through his veins. He tells you that she plans on giving the serum to more people to build an army and that you have to stop her.

It makes your heart stop. You hadn’t really been keeping tabs on the Flag Smashers. Now, looking back, you probably should have. There’s still a lot of unknown variables to account for and it looks like the boys are taking it one step at a time, and apparently it starts with a trip to Madripoor. Zemo chimes in every now and then as he drives and it makes your blood boil that you’re forced to listen to what he has to say. You hate that he has the upper hand and is keeping valuable information hostage. You want to strangle him.

After a while, Zemo pulls into a private airport. Bucky helps you out of the car and grabs your bag from the trunk as the four of you walk towards the jet just off the runway. You had no idea just how rich Zemo was. Now that he’s out of prison, for now at least, his arrogance returned back in full force in addition to his pompous attitude.

You board the plane in silence, ignoring every word coming out of the Baron’s mouth. You settle in the back of the plane and ignore Bucky’s stares as you look out the window. You’re too angry to engage in conversation. You don’t care that Zemo insults Steve’s legacy. He’s gone, dead, what do you care? Yes, you wanted Steve to be happy, but he abandoned you. He abandoned Sam and Bucky.

Zemo rambles on and on. “People like Steve become symbols, icons. Then we start to forget about their flaws. From there, cities fly, innocent people die. Movements are formed, wars are fought,” he turns to address Bucky directly. “You remember that, right? As a young soldier sent to Germany to stop a mad icon. Do we want to live in a world full of people like the Red Skull?”

Silence fills the space and for a moment, you feel a reprieve. That was until Zemo mentioned the Winter Soldier.

“We can’t go into Madripoor as ourselves. James, you will have to become someone you claim is gone.”

You immediately stand up and protest, storming to the front of the plane. “No. Absolutely not. I won’t let you use Bucky, not again. There has to be another way.”

Zemo clicks his tongue at you and shakes his head. A smug graces his features and you lung at him, wrapping your hands around his throat. “I’ll fucking kill you!”

Bucky leaps to his feet and tears you off of Zemo, dragging you to the back of the plane behind the curtains to give the two of you an illusion of privacy. Your shoulders shake with rage and Bucky’s hands caress your face.

“You can’t be him. He’s not you anymore. You don’t have to do this, Bucky. Please,” you begged, clinging to his hands. “I can’t let Zemo control you again.”

Bucky’s touched with how protective you are over him. He pulls you closer and hugs you tightly against him. Your fingers grip the back of his shirt and he presses a gentle kiss to the top of your head.

“Honey,” he whispered. “I have to. I have to do this so we can stop the Flag Smashers from getting the serum. It’s for the mission.”

You huffed against his chest. Now you’re really regretting your decision to help Sam. You would’ve said no if you had known that it meant watching Bucky turn into the Winter Soldier again, even if it wasn’t real.

You don’t know what to say. He won’t change his mind. Bucky’s just as stubborn as you are and he’ll do anything for the success of the mission, just like Steve did.

You pull away and return back to your seat, crossing your arms over your chest as you stare into the back of Zemo’s plush leather seat. Bucky trails behind you and squeezes your shoulder. You shrug off his touch as he takes the empty seat next to yours.

“And, I’m afraid that where we’re going doesn’t take too kindly to women who are…. how do I put this…. strong willed,” Zemo said.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Bucky barked, jumping to your defense just moments after you did the same for him.

“Selby will see Y/n as competition. We can’t have that happen. She’ll have to stay behind.”

“You’re out of your mind if you think I’m just going to just sit here and do nothing,” you snapped. “I’m coming with. I don’t care if I have to pretend to be meek.”

Zemo turns to look at you. He’s challenging you. You both know it. He’s pushing your buttons and it’s working. He smirks and leans against the armchair. His eyebrows raise and he asks, “Even if it means pretending to be a prostitute?”

Your gaze doesn’t falter and you ignore both Sam’s and Bucky’s protests. It falls on deaf ears. You don’t care, as long as you’re with Sam and Bucky and they’re safe. “Yes,” you answered without a second thought. You’ve done worse things than pretend to be a sex worker. It would be a piece of cake.

Zemo grins, letting out a soft laugh. “It looks like you’ll be joining us after all then, Y/n.”

You scoff at him and look out the window. Bucky drags you from your seat once more and pulls you behind the curtain. You look away from him and he reaches to squeeze your hand.

“You don’t have to do this. You have nothing to prove,” he whispered, brushing the top of your palm with his warm and calloused fingers.

“You don’t either,” you mumbled back.

He smiles softly at your retort and pulls you into his arms. He holds you gently and cards his fingers through your hair. You hum quietly as he holds you.

“Touché, honey.”

There’s a beat of silence between the two of you before you lean back to meet his gaze. His blue eyes pierce through yours and it makes your heart race. You pull away and rub your palms against your thighs.

You disappear behind the curtain once more, leaving Bucky behind.

…

When you arrive in Madripoor, you’re dressed in an outfit that leaves little to the imagination. The dress has a plunging neckline that settles just below your naval. Your chest is barely covered and your boobs threaten to slip over the fabric. You’re dressed for the part, that’s for sure.

Zemo is the first one to look at you when you return from behind the curtain. He whistles at you and it makes your skin crawl.

Bucky shoves Zemo harshly and grips his chest tightly, snarling in his face. “Watch your mouth,” Bucky hissed, shoving him into one of the chairs.

He turns to look at you and you reach to squeeze his hand. You pull him away from Zemo and whisper softly, “It’s alright, Buck. Take a deep breath.”

He grits his teeth and shakes his head, and does what you ask. “I’ll kill him. If he does that again, I’ll kill him.”

You laugh softly and press a gentle kiss to his cheek. “I don’t doubt you will, Buck.”

The two of you trail behind Sam and Zemo as you leave the plane. A sleek black car is waiting just off the runway and you follow behind to the vehicle. When you settle into your spot in between Buck and Sam in the back, Zemo turns to look at the three of you.

“It’s imperative that we don’t break character, no matter what. If you do, we’re good as dead, understand?”

You scoff and roll your eyes as he looks towards you. “Crystal,” you snapped, crossing your arms over your chest.

He turns to face the front of the vehicle and silence fills the car.

Suddenly, a number of motorcycles surround the car as you drive into Low Town. you make sure to keep your eyes forward and Bucky reaches for the hand on your knee. He squeezes it tightly and you do the same.

Reality is now just setting in for you. This is the first mission that you’ve been on since Steve went back to the 40s, and since Tony died. It had been three long months since Tony saved the world and brought everyone back that was taken five years earlier. You know that three months isn’t long, but it still makes you nervous. You haven’t been training to keep things from going rusty. You had no desire to.

Bucky leans into you, his mouth near the shell of your ear. “You okay?”

You nodded, swallowing the lump in your throat. “Yeah, just a bit nervous. I’m a little out of practice. This is my first mission since Steve left,” you mumbled back, squeezing his hand again to keep you grounded. He does the same in return.

“It’s alright. I have your back. I’ll protect you, promise.”

A small smile finds its way onto your face and you shake your head at him. “You know better than anyone else than to promise something like that before a mission, Buck. It’s bad luck,” you teased.

He laughs too and the car stops in what you guess is the downtown area of Low Town. You take a deep breath and Bucky does the same. You squeeze his hand one last time before his hand falls from your grasp. He opens the door and climbs out. You follow close behind and find your spot next to Sam. He gingerly wraps his arm around your waist as you walk into the Princess Bar.

Electronic music blasts through the speakers and the bass vibrates through your chest. You press against Sam as you push through people to get to the bar. The smell of drugs and alcohol is suffocating as you walk and ignore the stares sent your way. They’re not staring at you, but Bucky, who walks just a step behind you like a looming shadow.

“Ready to comply, Winter Soldier?” Zemo asked Bucky in Russian.

It makes your blood boil and Sam squeezes your waist tightly, a reminder that you must not break character. You hate it. You hate that Bucky has to pretend to be the person he’s worked so hard to distance himself from. Bucky is not him. The Winter Soldier doesn’t exist anymore. That part of him is gone, dead. You only hope that Bucky reminds himself that the Winter Soldier isn’t him anymore as he pretends just feet behind you.

You stand in front of the bar counter as the bartender approaches. You keep your mouth shut as Zemo exchanges words with the man, briefly bringing Sam, the Smiling Tiger, into the conversation. Your eyes find Bucky’s and your heart jumps inside your throat. His eyes are cold and void of any emotion. He’s stoic and brooding. He’s fallen into character perfectly and it scares you to think that all the progress he’s made over the years has been destroyed in this moment. For his sake, you hope not.

You tear your eyes away from Bucky at the feeling of Sam’s hand on the curve of your ass. You watch him carefully as he takes a shot. The bartender moves on and you let out a careful breath.

A man grasps at Zemo’s shoulder and sneers at him. He looks over at Bucky as Zemo asks to see Selby before he walks away. Another man approaches Zemo from behind and he speaks in Russian once more. “Winter Soldier, attack.”

You hold your breath in anticipation as the unsuspecting man rests his hand on Zemo’s shoulder. You want to reach out and touch Bucky, tell him that he doesn’t have to, that the two of you still have time to make a run for it, but you don’t. You can’t. Zemo would probably try and kill you if you interfere and it’s the last thing you need.

Bucky stalks over to him with two long strides, and rips the man’s hand from Zemo’s shoulder. He twists his wrist back and throws him to the ground. Another man swings at Bucky and he stops it with ease. He punches his back and kicks him against another crowny. As another man attempts to punch and kick at Bucky. He uses his metal arm and momentum to take each of them out.

“It doesn’t take much for him to fall back into form,” Zemo smirked, leaning over to look at you and Sam.

“Shut your mouth,” you hissed between your teeth as you watched Bucky.

Bucky grabs one of the men by the throat and slams him into the counter. Guns cock all around you as you look around the room. Your heart is inside your throat and there’s ringing in your ears. You reach to grab Bucky’s arm, but Sam beats you to it.

“Stay in character or the whole bar turns on us,” Zemo whispered. “Well done, soldier.”

Sam lets go of his arm and takes a step back, pulling you with him. He squeezes your hip tightly as you watch Bucky’s grip fall from the man’s throat.

“Selby will see you now,” the bartender said.

Zemo moves to follow him and you resist the urge to reach out and touch Bucky. Sam pulls you along and you walk in silence down a number of hallways. The music fades into the background and you’re squeezing Sam’s hand like your life depends on it.

A number of men on Selby’s security detail whistle as you walk by. You bite your tongue and resist the urge to snap their necks. The four of you wait at the door at the end of the hall for several seconds before it opens. You walk inside and Zemo takes you from Sam’s side. Your jaw ticks as he guides you to the empty sofa. His hand settles on your thigh and you tense under his touch.

Zemo and Selby negotiate for information. All you need to know is who created the serum and where they are. That’s it. Zemo needs to stick to the plan.

Zemo stands up from his spot next to you. “Tell us what you know about the super soldier serum, and I give you him…. along with the code words to control him,” Zemo stands behind Bucky, his hand resting on his shoulder. He’s silent and obedient, the perfect encapsulation of who he had been for the last 80 years.

There wasn’t a discussion over what the offer would be when you were on the plane from Latvia. You just assumed Zemo would figure a way out of it, he was clever enough to do it before. You hadn’t thought that he would actually use the Winter Soldier to his benefit outside of protection. How naive of you.

Bucky’s eyes are dark and he stares straight ahead as Zemo caresses his chin. He doesn’t flinch or react. He’s playing the Winter Soldier perfectly and you hate every second. You bite the inside of your cheek so hard that you start to taste blood.

“He will do anything you want.”

Selby grins, leaning back in her spot on the couch opposite of you. She tells him what you need to know. She nears Sam and then the worst happens, his phone begins to ring.

She tells him to answer it and your fingers squeeze into the leather couch. Your heart races and for the first time since you walked into the bar, Bucky’s eyes find yours. You know he can see your panic.

Things are fine momentarily. Sam’s trying his best to stay in character and you know it’s not working as well as he’d like. You hold your breath and your panic settles in at the mention of Sam’s name coming from Sarah.

“Kill them—”

Your eyes widen in horror as a bullet pierces through the glass window in front of you and lodges into Selby’s throat, killing her instantly. The act is over.

You leap to your feet and pull the tactical knife that you hid in your dress out from underneath you. You slice the knife across your attacker’s arm. Bucky kicks him into the wall and grabs you by the arm.

You run as fast as you can out the bar and through the streets of Madripoor. You dodge bullets and fight off others that attack you with knives.

You do well, all things considered with what you’re dressed in. You dig your heel into the boot of your attacker, throwing them off balance. You kick their leg out from underneath them and Sam knocks them unconscious.

Bucky, of course, is doing just fine on his own. You run over to help. You disarm the man closer to you and use the butt of the gun to knock him out.

You barely have time to register the man creeping up behind Bucky. His arm is outstretched with a gun in his hand. Bucky has no clue.

“Bucky!” you screamed at the top of your lungs, running as fast as you can towards him.

He turns to look at you as you use your whole body to shove him aside as the gun goes off.

Time stands still.

You fall to the ground in a daze as the bullet rips through your shoulder. Your eyes stare up into the night sky as it takes you a moment to realize that you’d just been shot.

You try to sit up and get back on your feet. You don’t have time to worry about your wound. You need to get the hell out of Low Town.

Bucky nearly drags you off the ground and you run. You run as fast as you can despite the bullet in your shoulder.

“We need to get out of here!” Bucky shouted, inspecting your wound.

A shadowy figure approaches and Bucky blocks you from view. The hood drops and you peer over Bucky’s shoulder. You don’t have time to be surprised that Sharon is the one standing in front of you.

“Sharon? What are you doing here?” Sam asked.

“We don’t have time for that!” Bucky snapped. “Sharon, please. You gotta help us. Y/n’s been shot.”

She nods and motions for you to follow her. She stops in front of a beautiful blue car and Bucky guides you into the car, pressing his metal hand against your shoulder to stop the bleeding. You ignore Sam and Bucky’s bickering as they yell at you for getting shot. You don’t have the energy to respond.

Sharon races across town and pulls up to a very fancy building. Sharon jumps out and opens the door for Bucky. His arm holds your torso and your uninjured arm is thrown over his shoulder as you walk inside. You gather into the elevator as it takes you to the top floor.

Your entire body goes numb and Bucky guides you to the kitchen counter. Sharon briefly disappears before returning with a heavy duty first aid kit.

“Do you have tequila?” you asked her as Bucky rummaged through the bag for the correct supplies. Sharon laughs softly before grabbing a bottle of tequila from her liquor cabinet. You take a generous sip and the liquid burns your throat.

Bucky inspects the bullet wound carefully. Thankfully it was a through and through. He doesn’t have to fish the bullet out. He works quickly and you grit your teeth as he stitches the wound close on both sides of your shoulder.

The pain lessened to a dull throb now that he’s finished. He cleans the excess blood off your skin before gently placing your arm in a sling.

“Why did you do that, Y/n?” Bucky chastised you, shaking his head in disappointment. “I could’ve taken care of him.”

You scoff and roll your eyes at him. “I don’t even get a thank you for saving your ass? You were vulnerable, I did the right thing.”

He sighs and you look away. Your eyes find Sharon’s. “Can I borrow some clothes?”

She nods and disappears down the hall to her bedroom. Silence fills the room and Sam takes his turn to reprimand you. You ignore him entirely and take another large swig of tequila.

Sharon returns moments later with a pair of clean clothes. You thank her quietly and she points you in the direction of one of the guest bedrooms. You hop off the counter and ignore Bucky’s protests and calls of your name.

You huffed in frustration as you limped towards one of Sharon’s guest bedrooms. You had enough of Sam and Bucky yelling at you for your recklessness, especially Bucky. You’re exhausted and all you want to do is sleep.

You did what you thought was right. You did what Steve would’ve done. You had Bucky’s back. Isn’t that what mattered? Sure, you got shot in the shoulder, but it isn’t something you haven’t done before. You have the scars to prove it.

“Stop running away from me! We’re not done talking about this!” Bucky yelled after you, hot on your heels into the bedroom. “What were you thinking?”

You’re sick of Bucky questioning you. You’re not a child and you’re not the bright eyed recruit he thinks you still are. You did what was right in the heat of the moment. You don’t regret it. You’d do it all over again if it meant that he was safe.

“Stop treating me like a child, James! I’m not Steve’s recruit anymore! I’m a grown woman,” you shouted back at him. Your shoulders shake and you glare at him. “I know you still think I’m that naive 25 year old, but that’s not me anymore. The last five years may have been five seconds to you, but they weren’t to me. Accept the fact that I did what I thought was right.”

“It was reckless!”

“Steve would’ve done it!” you bit back.

“This isn’t about Steve!” he argued.

You laugh bitterly and shake your head. He doesn’t see it. He doesn’t see what you see. You know he sees you as his responsibility now that Steve’s gone. He feels an obligation to look after you because Steve did. You have a part of Steve with you. Bucky’s clinging to any last remains of Steve, and that includes you.

“Isn’t it though? You feel like you have a responsibility to protect me, to look after me. Why? It’s because Steve did and now that he’s gone, you feel like you have to replace him!”

The silence that fills the room suffocates you. Your heart races with anger. You want Bucky to leave you alone. You didn’t ask for this. Sam needed your help, and when you provided it, you got yelled at for it. Now you just want to go home.

You turn your back to Bucky and pull the pants that Sharon gave you up your legs before discarding the dress in the corner of the room. You don’t care if Bucky sees all the scars that litter your backside. Maybe then he would understand that you’ve always done what’s best for the mission, even if that meant getting hurt. You throw the sweatshirt over your head and turn to look at Bucky again.

“Do you have anything else to say to me? Are you going to try and deny it?”

Bucky sighs, running a hand through his hair. “You’re one of the only people I have left that have a connection to Steve.”

Another bitter laugh escapes your mouth. He doesn’t understand. “He abandoned me, James! He abandoned us. Steve’s gone. You can’t hold on to him anymore. You don’t have to do anything Steve did. You have nothing to prove to me, I promise. I don’t need you to replace Steve. I need you, Buck. You’re the one that’s here with me, not Steve.”

Tears threaten to spill over your cheeks and you look away from him. The silence is deafening and Bucky moves to take you in his arms. He holds you against his chest and cards his fingers through your hair. You cry against his chest and cling to his henley. He gently guides you to the bed and sits down with you in his lap.

“I’m sorry, honey,” he whispered, rubbing your back. “You’re right. It just scared me. I don’t think I can handle losing you too. I’m sorry.”

You pull away to look at him with your tear stained cheeks and he carefully wipes away your tears with the pad of his thumb. You blink away the remaining tears and lean into his touch. “It’s okay, Buck. You can’t get rid of me that easily.”

You rest your forehead against his and breathe him in. His metal hand rubs circles against your back and it sends shivers down your spine. He holds you carefully and no words are exchanged. Your eyes flicker to his lips and your heart thunders against your chest.

There’s a soft knock at the door and you pull your body off of Bucky’s. You sit beside him as Sam pokes his head inside the room. “Is everything okay?” he asked, looking between the two of you.

You look over at Bucky and then back to Sam. You smile and nod slowly. “Everything’s perfect, Sam.”

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