#legal recalibration

[techminsolutions]

Legal Precision Unveiled: Unraveling the Intricacies of Input Tax Credit Quandaries

Delving deeper into the intricate tapestry of Goods and Services Tax (GST) implications, the saga of Input Tax Credit (ITC) assumes greater complexity, offering a nuanced perspective on the petitioner-assessee’s odyssey. Embedded within the labyrinth of statutory constructs, the petitioner’s invocation of Input Tax Credit (ITC) rights under section 16 of the CGST Act unfolds against the backdrop…

[otakubimbo]

Don't Lose Control

Miguel x F!Reader

Plot w/ porn.

My legally required sex pollen fic as a fanfic writer. @safixiovi requested Miguel so here we are.

You and Miguel are on a mission together and nothing is going right. Your tech is all messed up and now it seems Miguel has gotten sick from something. He felt as if he was losing control of himself.

OB Sticky: I wrote this with one hand in my pants so excuse any grammatical errors and definitely not proofread. Also writing smut make me so embarrassed so if you hate it, don't. <3 Reblogs and Likes welcome, requests are still open.

masterlist

Confusion was written all over your face as you looked at the data on your computer in the universe you and Miguel were in currently. You had been working on tech to detect fluctuations in the multi-verse that could detect where anomalies would appear before they did. It had been doing well for the last few weeks, you were able to detect the appearance of an anomaly in three separate universes. So, the confusion now came with the fact that the monitor was detecting two fluctuations in the universe you were currently in, but nothing was showing up. The two of y’all had separated, you went to check out one of the fluctuations and he went to the other. But nothing, nothing was there in the area that read the fluctuations.

You groan out in the abandoned building that you were in, frustrated at the lack of any appearances.

“It was working so well, what the hell?” You grumble to yourself, typing in code strings into your computer trying to see if you can recalibrate the device that it was connected to get a more accurate reading. As your frustrations grew, your watch started going off for an incoming call. You answer it in hopes that at least on his end there was at least a sighting on his end.

“I’m in a damn field and not a single sight of anything but clouds of pollen.” Miguel’s digital image huffs at you. You groan, rubbing your face in irritation.

“Let’s fucking call it then and find somewhere to stay tonight or whatever.” You say abruptly hanging up on him. He would be able to find you, you knew that, and you didn’t really have the energy to hear his complaints about your tech or whatever he had to say.

Meanwhile, with Miguel.

You really hung up on him, in his face when it was your idea to have the both of you out here testing out your tech. Jess was left in charge while the two of you were gone but still, you had insisted and yet there was nothing here and the two of y’all had been at this investigation all day.  He cursed in Spanish as he coughed from all the pollen he was inhaling. It was everywhere, irritating his throat, eyes, and skin. It wasn’t even that he was frustrated your tech was having what seemed to be issues, it was that you insisted on checking things out separately when he figured the whole reason you wanted him here was to do this mission together, with each other. He had grown accustomed to your presence, to your voice, to your smile. It was all while you were figuring out the mechanics of this new tech of yours. To a certain extent, he was always fond of you, he had found you brilliant, driven, and innovative, one of the few spiders he could tolerate. But things started to change when you came up with the idea for this tech, the glittering in your eyes as you made strides on it. Every new aspect you brought to him, you picked his brain late into the night. The time the two of you spent together increased over the months and he realized that he really enjoyed your company. You brought a certain type of peace to him that he never thought he would get before, he actually started going to sleep more at night because he would make you go to bed which you wouldn’t unless he agreed to also. The two of you had got as close as someone could to Miguel.

Miguel cursed again as he felt his body heating up as he went to the directions you sent him for where the two of you would be spending the night he figured. He assumed he just needed to get whatever was in that field off of him and he would be fine after that. When he found you in the crowded lobby of the hotel, you looked irritated but so damn sexy.

Wait.

Where was his mind going right then? He would have to be blind not to realize that you were attractive. Of course, he acknowledged that about you, almost every spider has mentioned it since the day you joined. But the way you looked right now, drive a man to sin. Your curls were down for once, edges slightly sweated out, your skin held a red tone which made your brown skin glow slightly. It was obvious that you were frustrated with the way your nose crinkled making your nose hoop push up slightly on your face. The way your arms were crossed against your chest pushed your breasts up in a way that had them almost spilling out the top of your tank top, the sight going straight to his dick. His breathing started getting heavy as he gazed at you and then finally caught your eye, having you quickly walk towards him realizing how much of a sway to your hips there is when you walk had him feeling parched.  

“O’Hara, we have a problem” You start as you let out an exasperated breath looking up at him. This is when you notice his appearance, he is red, EXTREMELY RED, looking as if he just took on several baddies right before getting there. 

“Is everything okay?” concern is written all over your face as you gaze up at him, lips slightly parted and all Miguel could think about is what they would look like wrapped around his-----. His thoughts were cut off by you calling his name.

“Yeah, I’m fine, that stupid pollen is just all over me. Irritating” He brushes your concerns off saying a few curses in Spanish.

“Okay, well, they only had one room available because apparently there’s some sort of festival going on and I got the last room that was available at like any hotel.” You say as you shift your bag on your shoulder, which takes Miguel's focus back to your chest. The silver chain around your neck sits right above your cleavage. All he could think about was how high would it bounce if you were to ride his---

Again his thoughts were cut off by your voice.

“Alright, let's just get you to the room so you can get whatever is on you off and I can do some work.” You say as you grab his arm, dragging him to the elevators so you can get to your shared room. You didn’t have any clue what was wrong with Miguel, he never usually seemed so zoned out but you assumed whatever the field he was in was affecting him and his focus. His powers were different than other spiders, so you could figure that it was probably a chemical from their plants that was messing with him. You would have to send it off for some tests to see what it could be.

Once in the room, you tell Miguel to go ahead and use the shower to get himself together after you grab a sample of what was on him to send to Lyla.

“Hey Ly, can you analyze this? It got on Mig and he’s been dazed and out of it ever since we got to the hotel.” You say as you speak to the AI. She gives you a knowing look when you mention a hotel and she hears the sound of a shower in the background. “Don’t start, there’s literally no other rooms anywhere and I don’t want to leave tonight just in case the readings were actually accurate, and two anomalies show up. It wouldn’t be logical to leave just set.”

Lyla knew the way you felt for Miguel, she was there while yall were spending all of that time together. The looks that you took at him when you thought he wasn’t looking, the way you would sigh contently while working in the lab with him, and the way you spoke to him when it was just the two of you. Anyone with eyes could see how attractive that man was but it wasn’t just that which is what made you fall for him. Regardless of the way he could come off, he was kind and caring. He may not show it in the ways that other people did but he had such a big heart and was truly thoughtful of other people. The man would take everything on his shoulders just to make things easier for everyone. You admired him, you adored him, and he made you feel safe and understood and cared for. You really liked him, it didn’t help that he was a walking Adonis. His looks were just the cherry on top for you. Everyone seemed to know your affinity for him, except him. It didn’t help that you were always making excuses for his behavior, Jess would make jokes at your expense all the time about it.

“But the two of you sharing a room it seems?” Lyla giggles coming to sit on your shoulder.

“Cause there wasn’t anything else available” You whisper hiss at her, and she just giggles again “Please just analyze the sample I sent”

“Anything for Miguels other half.” She jokes as she fades away, and you just groan trying to focus back on your readings and tech.

Miguel did not want you that way. You knew that, he would never want you that way. He was a serious man with a hard past that never allowed for the option of romance. The multiverse and stopping anomalies were more than enough to occupy Miguel's mind and heart. You sigh, knowing that your affection will never be returned by him busying yourself with your work while he finishes his shower.

While in the shower, Miguel had already cum two times, and nothing was helping. His mind only filled with you and how you would feel under him, on top of him, how your lips would feel, the noises you would possibly make. It didn’t help that he knew you were just in the next room, he could almost feel you. He needed you badly and he didn’t know why it was so badly. For once, it was as if he lost control of himself. The way he needed to feel you, to hear you, to taste you, to be inside you. Mierda. He came again with just the thought of you in the other room, just the thought of you. It wasn’t enough but it would have to be, he knew you would worry if he took too long in there.

As he exits the bathroom, you notice you hunched over your laptop on the bed, fidgeting with your tech with such a concentration on what you were doing. The image made his dick throb. Fuck. His stuttering as he entered the room, caught your attention from your work. You only glance at him as you continue tinkering.

“Are you feeling any better?” You ask, still typing away.

“Yeah” He lies as he attempts to keep his voice from sounding strained.

“Good. I still sent some samples to Lyla to analyze.” You start before pausing for a second, “Since we don’t know what’s going on I think we should try to both sleep with some comfort tonight just in case we get an alert or something. We have been at this all day, so we need some rest.”

It took Miguel a second for him to realize what you meant by what you said. You meant that the two of you would have to share the bed. Together. Sleep next to each other. Together. Together, in the same bed. Together. He could barely contain himself in the shower, how in the hell was he supposed to contain himself sleeping next to you?

“Can you take a look at this while I take a shower? I can’t find anything that is wrong but I really don’t understand what’s going on.” You say only slightly looking up at him and then back down as you finish typing what you were working on shifting to get up while still trying to work.  

“Yeah sure” He attempts not to look at you as you put your stuff down, trying to finish your coding, distracting yourself from your previous statements, attempting not to think about you and Miguel sharing a bed. You don’t even look at him as you make your way into the bathroom.

The only thing Miguel could think about was you undressing in the bathroom, what you would look like as you caressed your body with a soapy washcloth. Mierda. How was he supposed to sleep next to you tonight?? He felt like he was losing control. You seemed to not be affected by the thought of sharing a bed with him, something about that was making him feel more feral. The image of you sleeping peacefully as he looms over you, starting with pressing his lips to your unexpected jawline, making his way down your body with his mouth. He could imagine your breath hitching as you started to wake up at his actions. Would you whimper as he made his way to your clothed cunt? Would you grip his hair as he teases you by licking you through your panties? Would you beg for him?

Mierda.

He was painfully hard again. What the fuck was he going to do? What the fuck was going on? He needed to calm himself down, he had no clue why he was acting like this. He was mumbling curses in Spanish, not even realizing that you had gotten out of the shower.

“Mig” You call out to him softly; he looks like he is in distress. His head snapped to your voice. Mierda, that damn nickname wasn’t helping him in this situation and neither did the way you looked. It wasn’t like you were wearing anything special or particularly sexy, it was a plain oversized shirt and he could see the peak of shorts underneath. That cute expression of concern that you wore, your gaze gentle on him. You called his name again.

“Are you okay Miguel? Do you think we should go back to headquarters? We can always just send some other spiders out to keep on alert.” You suggest moving towards him. At your movements, it was as if he snapped out of whatever spell was on him.

“No, no it’s fine.” He rebuttals, “The tech is too new to trust with anyone else. I’ll be fine. Let’s just go to bed.”

You nod at him, still worried about him but going to bed was probably the best option for him right now. The two of you get into bed, laying down on opposite sides, and backs towards each other.

Miquel can’t sleep. Every other minute, he's trying to gently ( as gentle as someone his size can be) toss and turn in his discomfort. There was no way he was getting any sleep tonight, especially with the way he could feel your warmth even from the other end of the bed. Unfortunately, his excessive tossing didn’t allow you to sleep either. You were worried about him but you know his stubbornness wouldn’t free him enough to tell you the issue. But at this rate, neither one of you would be able to sleep tonight at this so you conceited and turned over with a sigh to face him. He was lying on his back not realizing that you had woken up, it looked as if he was sweating. Did he have a fever? Was he really sick? You lean up on your elbow, extending your hand out to touch his forehead.

“Miguel you don’t look well.” You speak as your hand reaches out towards him, right before your hand lands he grabs your wrist and looks at you with wild eyes.

“Don’t” He says through gritted teeth.

“Mig, please, what is wrong?” You ask so innocently, while all his thoughts about you aren’t even close to innocent. With you so close now, with that look in your eye, Miguel was losing all of his sanity. Fuck it. Swiftly, with your wrist still in his hand he straddles himself on top of you. Your eyes immediately go wide as you feel your body move, looking up at him, you don’t fight him though.

“I----” He starts, panting above you.

“What Miguel?” You asked breathily, fuck you looked so beautiful beneath him. Your eyes find him and they're red. He looks almost feral.

“ I don’t know how much longer I can control myself” His voice is strained as his grip on your wrist gets a little harder. The way he was looking at you, wasn’t something you expected. The look of unbridled lust in his eyes, you could feel it coming off his body.

Your voice barely above a whisper calls out his name.

“Stop, please. You don’t understand how badly I need to ruin you.” He groans as his head falls to the side of your head, his face burying into your neck breathing in deeply with a growl. Your breath hitches in your throat, unable to think clearly of what is going on in this moment. The stoic and controlled man that you had grown to know just told you he wanted to ruin you and the biggest problem was that you were okay with it. There was a newfound ache between your legs while he was speaking to you and now the ache was growing with the way he was breathing into your neck. Fuck it. You roll your hips into his, feeling his restrained bulge twitch with the impact.

“Then ruin me, Miguel.”

His head shoots up at your words, it was taking all of his self-control at that moment to not rip the clothes you were wearing off. He had to be sure he understood you correctly, he had to be sure you knew how serious he was about ruining you, destroying you, making you his own.

“You don’t know what you’re saying, hermosa.” He strains out, unconsciously pushing his hips into you, you let out a small moan at the sensation and Miguel thought he almost came just from that sound alone.

“I do, I want you. I want you to ruin me, Miguel.” You say, a lustful look in your eyes as he’s still panting above you. He was trying to hold on to his last ounce of self-restraint until you said one word. “Please”

That was all it took before he sank his fangs into your neck. You gasped at the sudden pain until you felt him licking the wound he just created making you moan his name at the sensation. His hands are all over your body as he is kissing and sucking on your neck, moving your legs so that he is in between them to grind himself into you.

“Fuck Miguel” You moan as your hips meet with his, “Kiss me”

He immediately abides by your request, mouth meeting yours in an aggressive lustful kiss. Miguel forces his tongue into your mouth as he presses his body into yours. His claws digging into your plush thighs which had you moaning into his mouth as he explored yours. The both of you breathing heavily as he moves again from your mouth to your jaw to the other side of your neck marking you the same as he did on the other side. After he is pleased with his marks he leans up, gazing down at your chest heaving, your eyes half-lidded as you look up at him. Fuck, he doesn’t even bother lifting your shirt off you as he rips it in the front to expose you to him. The view was better than he imagined, of course, he had seen you in your spidey suit which didn’t leave much to the imagination but this view, actually seeing you bare under him was just too much. He came then and there, not even caring because the next time he came he hoped it would be inside of you, your eyes widened at the guttural moans he made as he came. Without even a moment of shame or embarrassment, his mouth latches onto one of your breaths as he palms the other.

“Wait wait, Miguel did you come?” You attempt to get out during his onslaught on your tits.

“Yes, and I’m going to come again, inside you.” He says as he makes his way down your body to your clothed cunt. He had no shame in his words, as he quickly made shreds of your shorts and underwear, he could live out his fantasies of teasing you at another time. He needed to taste you right now. Before you could even respond to his words, or to the fact that he has ripped all your clothes off Miguel's tongue is lapping at your folds. You can’t help but squirm underneath him, as he’s eating you like a man starved. Fuck was he obsessed with the way you tasted; he knew he was going to have to have this all the time now.  He made out with your clit as your hands dug into his scalp gripping his hair. It was all so overwhelming; you couldn’t even grind yourself against his face as his strong hands held your hips down. You were reaching your peak faster than ever before, you were moaning his name like a chant as you got closer and closer to getting over the edge.

The sound of his name being moaned off your lips was driving him even crazier, his hips pushing into the bed as he starts sucking directly on your clit. He moves one of the hands that was holding your hips down to shove two of his thick long fingers into your clenching waiting hole. It was as if he already knew your body because his fingers automatically found the spot that made your vision blurred. Your body responded on its own as you came, and came hard, squirting all over his face. The squirting caught him off guard, as he pulled his face out of your cunt with a surprised expression.  Oh fuck, he needed to see you do that again, and by the way your walls squeezed his fingers as you did, he knew he needed to see you do it again but on his dick. He freezes himself from the restraint of his own clothing as he comes back to hover over you. You looked so damn beautiful, your lips were puffy from his kiss and he could see the bite marks that he left on you, pupils blown and breath coming back down from your orgasm.  He didn’t give you much time to recover as he grabbed your legs throwing them over his shoulder and pounding into you.

You scream his name as he furiously slams his hips into yours. His hands are under your ass, grip tight as he lifts you slightly to go deeper into you, too deep. The tip of his dick ramming into your cervix with every thrust. You had never been one that could just come from penetration, but the way Miguel was pounding into right now seemed was going to change that. He can feel the way your clamp down on his as the tightness returns back to your stomach. Fuck you were going to come again, you were so sensitive, so sensitive for him. Your nails digging cresent shaped marks into his arms as you come again this time on his dick.

“I’m going to come inside you” He tells you through his thrusts and the aggressive manner in which he said it made you clamp down on him even harder. He spills into you, so much that it starts leaking out as he continues to pound into you. You had assumed once he came again he would stop but he doesn’t, you can still feel how hard he is inside of you as he pumps his cum deeper into you. As the final bursts of his come stop, he pulls out swiftly getting off the bed, grabbing your ankles to drag you to the edge. Flipping your body over and pulling up you on your knees, he shoves your face into the bed as he inserts himself into you again. His pace doesn’t slow down as he ruts into you. It felt like he was even deeper than before. One of his hands moves to your shoulder to pull you back as he slams into you, his other hand moves to your clit to rub hard circles on it stimulating you further.

“Fuck Mig--- im--- im cuming” You scream as you cum again hard, doing exactly what he wanted and squirting. He could feel it all over his hand, making him cum again inside of you. You look back at him as you finish feeling him cum in you, thinking that he must be done. The sight you see behind you makes you know that you weren’t even close to finished. Miguel had his hand that was covered in your squirt up to his face inhaling deeply before he stuck his tongue out licking his fingers. He gets even harder inside you; it doesn’t look like there would be any sleep tonight, he really was going to ruin you.

The next morning you wake up, bruised and sore. Your head was on Miguel's chest and he was snoring peacefully under you. With a groan, you get up as you feel a notification on your gizmo, you had almost completely forgotten that you had requested Lyla to analyze the substance. As you look at the results you feel incredibly embarrassed, mortified. The substance that was on Miguel was some sort of aphrodisiac, so that’s why he was acting that way towards you. As you were getting further into your head about last night events Miguel woke up.

“Your thinking woke me up.” He grumbles as he sits up looking over your shoulder to see what you were looking at.  He reads the results of the substance that was on him and now he understands what you were possibly thinking. You thought he only wanted you because of the aphrodisiac, but with the way he marked you he would have thought you would know that he wanted YOU and you ALONE.

“Hey” He says as he touches your shoulder, you jump back from his touch.

“Hey, yeah so it’s fine you know. We can just forget about everything last night, I know you couldn’t control yourself. Its fine” You ramble on trying to not embarrass yourself further, he gentle grabs your chin as you speak a stark contrast from his behavior last night and some of this morning.  He doesn’t say anything but look into your eyes giving you a soft kiss on the lips.

“It wasn’t just that, I only wanted it to be with you. I only thought about you. Alright?” He says in the most gentle way you have ever seen him speak. A small smile forms on your lips from the reassurance.

“Alright.” You say and he gives you another kiss, a little more aggressive this time. How was this man not tired anymore?! You saw the half-life on the substance he should be done. “Miguel, the effects should have worn off by now.”

“They have,” He says against your mouth. “This is YOUR effect” moving your hand to allow you to feel for yourself how you affect him. Before things could go any further, you get a notification from your new tech and your gizmo that there were two anomalies in this dimension, around the areas that you detected yesterday.

“See, I knew it!” You exclaim as you activate your suit almost forgetting what you were just doing with Miguel. His dick twitches under your hard and you remember what’s going on. “Oh right, uhm this first, and then we can go back to headquarters and I can take care of that for you,” You say with a sultry smile which makes his dick twitch again.

You and Miguel catch both of the anomalies in record time, him being extra careful to avoid the pollen this time. The two of you continue where you left off after you get back to headquarters, immediately both taking your leave which received knowing glances from both Lyla and Jess.

[steddio]

Steve is used to pushing through pain. Sure, the adrenaline of a life or death moment is one thing but when that fades and all that’s left is stinging cuts and tender swelling and a full-body bone-deep ache there’s no excuse for letting weakness show. Or letting others see the lingering migraines, achey joints, and night terrors that continue to wound his body and psyche even once everything is “back to normal.” Ingrained in him since an unforgiving childhood, Steve’s grit-your-teeth-and-bear-it philosophy has served him perfectly well and he sees nothing wrong with it, thank you very much.

Until he meets Eddie. Eddie who curses, shouts, screams and cries his pain, broadcasting it to those around him with his typical dramatic flair. Eddie whose eyes betray every feeling and emotion, amplified tenfold by the flailing of too-long limbs and gesturing of ring-bedecked fingers. Eddie who sees right through Steve’s facade to the core of his pain.

It starts with Eddie giving Steve an obvious once-over each time he sees him, checking for visible injury, the lasting echo of shared trauma. Steve knows how to navigate this, having faked his way through countless minor sports injuries in order to stay off the bench and in the game. What Steve doesn’t know how to navigate is what comes after. Unlike Steve’s coaches, who accepted his apparent well-being without question, Eddie has an unnerving tendency to locate the exact source of Steve’s discomfort.

“Harrington, are you limping? Cut the shit and sit down over there, I told you not to overwork your bad knee.”

“Ok big boy, pull over. I’m driving and that’s final. Don’t argue with me, you can’t even see straight. Driving with a migraine is definitely worse than my driving, dude.”

“You look like shit, go home, I’ll help Robin close. Yes, yes, I got it, how hard can it be?”

Eventually, and even worse, Eddie moves beyond snarky well-meaning comments to saying nothing but doing everything. Like shooing the younger kids out of Steve’s house when he’s starting to squint against the bright lights and loud conversation. Or grabbing heavy bags from Steve’s hands before he’s even halfway from the car to the door. Or wordlessly turning up the stereo when Steve needs something, anything to drown out the ringing and echoing screaming in his ears.

At first, being seen hurts more than the actual pain. Stripped raw by the casual tenderness, the sheer humanity zinging at newly exposed nerves. Steve doesn’t know how to handle this breakdown of his primary defense mechanism. He tries to keep shrugging Eddie’s concern away, but Eddie is relentless. Eddie “willing to repeat senior year three times rather than drop out” Munson is entirely undeterred by Steve’s patented nonchalance. Despite it all, he keeps caring. And Steve has no choice but to accept the tidal wave that is Eddie’s concern.

It takes a while, for Steve to recalibrate his self-perception. So used to shoving it aside, he has to learn again how to really feel pain. How to acknowledge it, respond to it. How to attend to his own discomfort the way he attends to Robin’s, or Dustin’s, or Max’s.

The first time he cancels plans with the gang because of a migraine he’s overcome by guilt. He’s five seconds away from calling back to say just kidding he is totally fine and would love to drive everyone to the movies when he hears a knock at the door. Before he can even fully open the door, Eddie barges in.

“Harrington! Where are your towels, I brought you drugs, the legal ones don’t worry, go lay down, what are you doing standing there gawking, here swallow this and put this over your head.”

Before he can fully process what’s happening, Steve is manhandled onto his own couch, a cool damp towel over his eyes and forehead, and Eddie is back out the front door shouting that he’ll check in on Steve after the movie ends.

The second time he cancels plans, his bad knee too achey to make the trek out to Dustin’s radio to celebrate his and Suzie’s anniversary, Steve is still guilty, but almost unsurprised when Eddie turns up at his door, rented movie in hand, shouting at Steve to ice and elevate his damn knee already.

After a while, the guilt goes away, replaced by a bone deep security that’s brand new to Steve, a quiet reassurance that it’s okay to put himself first, it doesn’t make him selfish or bad or pathetic or weak or any of the things his dad used to shout at him before he learned to mask himself. Replaced by an overwhelming fondness for Eddie and his exuberant care, the way he wears his feelings like his tattoos, on his bare skin.

After a while, Steve realizes that not all of Eddie’s once overs are checking for pain, sometimes they’re simply for checking him out. And this, this he knows how to handle.

The tenth time Steve cancels plans, he’s waiting at the door for Eddie to arrive. Eddie is all blurred motion and Bambi-eyed concern, looking for Steve’s source of pain. Steve points to his cheek.

“One too many direct hits and my whole face gets achey when the weather changes.”

Eddie turns, no doubt intending to rummage through Steve’s kitchen until he can find ibuprofen, or ice, or anything. Before he can get far, Steve catches his arm and turns Eddie to face him.

“Maybe you can kiss it better?”

[ijuststareatstuffhereok89]

"Time & the Trickster"

A Loki/Doctor Who crossover

Chapter 8: For Now

While stranded in Iceland, you and Loki share an intimate moment, finally deciding to surrender to your feelings. In England, Sylvie tries to get The Doctor on her side.

CHAPTER WARNING (18+): smutty descriptors, semi-public nudity, the sex in this chapter isn't descriptive (I wanted to keep it tamer this time, it's all written poetically and at the very end)

Previous Chapter · Next Chapter MASTERLIST

Your head was spinning, throbbing, completely thrown into a sensory nightmare as it made attempt after attempt to recalibrate and reground you. 

Where am I? 

Currently? Sitting upright on a bed, in what appeared to be a small, well-kept suite. You were conscious of a pillow propped up behind your neck. 

Where is here?

Inside a hotel somewhere on the coast of Iceland, though nowhere near any major population hubs like Reykjavik. 

Who is here?

Loki was sitting beside you, a cup of water in hand. Joey was perched at the end of the bed, doing research on his beyond-cracked phone. 

What’s happening?

Your boat sank, leaving you stranded like Mary Ann and Gilligan with no way off the island. 

Now what?

You had no idea. 

“Water?” Loki asked. 

You gently shook your head. “I’m fine. Just a little lightheaded still.”

“Lokes, can I ask you something?” muttered Joey, his voice low. 

“Yes?”

“How have you been feeling? Any more signs of the timelines caving in or whatever?” he asked. 

Loki bit his lip and looked at you with concern. “I can’t imagine your bodies would be capable of noticing yet, but the air is getting denser, and there’s this….”

Taking out his time stone, it was shining brighter than you’d seen it yet. All three of you leaned in to observe it.  “...it won’t stop glowing now. It’s as if we’re moving toward something that’s empowering it. I think it’s a good sign, but I wish I knew for certain.” 

“But you can’t, like, use it?” Joey suggested with uncertainty. “Touch it and make a wish?”

“You don't think if I could I would have?” Loki twisted his lip with just a twinge of sass. “It would have saved us a sunken boat and two weeks of sailing with that rather bitter couple.”

Your brother shrugged and looked around. “Yeah, they’re not happy right now. Glad those two got their own room.”

“Yeah,” you agreed, joining the conversation. “But how long are we stuck here? Need I remind you both, we aren’t exactly here legally.” 

“Carrie and Shane are going to salvage the yacht in the morning, then we’ll know. The family that owns this place has the equipment, and they’ve already offered to help,” Joey explained. “You were kind of leaning on him the whole discussion, though…” he said, indicating Loki. 

“Sorry,” you moaned, lying back, “I’m kind of blacking out intermittently. I don’t even remember how we got up here, or what even happened after Loki and I--”

You trailed off, realizing that your last member was of his face pressed against yours, lips entwined. You felt yourself go hot all over. 

“Then we’ll all go to bed,” Loki proposed, breaking the tension. “But you should finish this off first.” He held out the cup of water in his hand. You sighed, taking it reluctantly and draining it with one long sip. Not caring that you were still in your clothes, you rolled under the bedsheets, which were much softer and cooler than the ones you’d grown accustomed to on the boat. 

When Loki didn’t move to get in beside you, you gave him a sad look. “Perhaps you should take the whole bed tonight, if you’re still ill.”

You shook your head a little too quickly, and it took everything in your power to hide how much the jerky motions sent your vision blurry. “I want you here, next to me. You saved my life.”

He looked at you with sympathy, and perhaps with more. Joey awkwardly cleared his throat as he pulled two earplugs out of his pocket. “Good thing I swiped these from the first aid kit.” 

You gritted your teeth in annoyance. Loki looked unconvinced, but he agreed and slipped in next to you. Joey flipped off the lamp between the two beds, shoving the foam buds into his ears and turning away from you, facing the window. 

“Y/N,” you could hear Loki whisper, inches away from your ear, “there’s something you need to understand--”

“--I know,” you cut him off. “I can’t be allowed to feel like this. I know that you can’t stay here with me forever.” 

He didn’t answer. You carried on. “But maybe this doesn’t have to be about forever.” 

You felt the sensation of a single finger begin to run up and down your face, followed by a shallow sigh from your bedmate. “Loki, never in my life would I imagine that you would be here, saving me from drowning, jetting halfway across the world. I’ve decided that I don’t want to waste this crazy chance encounter.”

He still wasn’t replying. Your heartbeat was beginning to pick up, which he must have sensed, for her cupped your cheek in his palm, as if to quell your nervous shakes. 

“Loki…can I just love you for now?” you asked meekly, your voice cracking with insecurity. 

A single word from Loki finally cut off your monologue. 

“Yes.”

“And maybe you could…” you weren’t sure if you wanted to finish your sentence. “Maybe you could love me for now?”

You held your breath for several seconds, until the cool, soft lips against your brow broke the tension. 

“Please, let me say one thing before I answer,” Loki asked. “Things happen to the people I open up to…bad, bad things. Some of them can defend themselves, but--”

“--I just hit my head on a rock and nearly drowned at sea,” you interjected. “I’m thousands of miles from home and in bed with a man who doesn’t exist. I think I’m at least a little aware of the dangers you’ve brought down upon Joey and I.” 

You could hear him chuckle under his breath. “Yes, I suppose so.” 

You could tell his thoughts were drifting away from you, perhaps toward some of those ‘others.’ Like Sylvie. 

“Whether I’m in your arms for a day or a lifetime, it’s where I want to be,” you said quietly, letting yourself smile as Loki ran a gentle thumb over your lower lip. “I can feel you’re fighting it, Loki, but the way you kissed me tonight…what did it mean to you?”

“It meant that I nearly lost you, and was relieved enough that I kept you...”

Your heart dropped, until he amended his answer.

“...and that I wanted to kiss you.” 

He kissed you again, but this time you could barely feel it.  “However, you’re still recovering from a head injury. Now isn’t the time for an illicit tryst.” 

You pouted, grateful that at least he couldn’t see your frowning face. “Then, when is the time?” 

Feeling a long, strong arm slip itself under your head, you rolled onto your side, leaning your head onto Loki’s shoulder. 

“Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow!”

The Doctor was still unsure he was understanding Sylvie correctly. She was a God. A God from a Parallel Universe called Asgard, much like the ancient stories from Norway. In fact, she was an altered version of the Trickster God himself, Loki, here to collect him and bring him back to fulfill some grand purpose that would save the timelines and send everyone back to where they came from. 

And she wanted to go out into the world to find this Loki tomorrow? It would take him a week to figure out what was going on in the first place, and why this was involving him at all! This mysterious woman had only appeared hours ago, and the communication barrier between the two of them was no closer to being breached than it had been when she’d arrived.

“Doctor, he’s the cause of all of this!” Sylvie insisted, still intrigued somewhat by the box of enormous temporal anomaly.”He could be anywhere in the Realms!”

“What Realms?” The Doctor muttered, throwing several crumpled paper maps leading to various places and planets across the TARDIS console. 

She’d spent the entire night attempting to explain it to him. Well, in the way she saw things, anyhow. It had been very fortunate that her stone had worked, once she’d seen how it shot Loki clear through the air and at the Loom, where he’d disappeared into nothing. Hopefully, OB’s theory had held, and the stones would attract one another, leading Sylvie to the same timeline that Loki had wound up in. 

This Doctor fellow was also a foreigner to this reality, it seemed. However, his understanding of time and space did not match any that she’d ever heard of. Her already-short fuse was burning through just listening to his mile-a-minute blather. He was worse than Loki. At least Loki took breaths between his sanctimonious soliloquies. 

“Does this timeline have only one?” she asked. 

“Well, maybe, some parallel worlds might count, but those are just different threads of time running alongside one another at different speeds and outcomes,” The Doctor reasoned. “It seems closer to my reality than to what yours sounds like. My reality has a big fat time rift running through Cardiff, but not this one. Just my luck,” he mumbled, lowering his voice in disappointment, “I land in the one universe where literally NOTHING FUN EXISTS!” 

Sylvie took a step back and raised an eyebrow at his sudden, brief outburst, which left as quickly as it came on. The Doctor returned to his smiley, pleasant default. 

“Sorry about that,” he said quickly. “But you did say this was Loki, right?”

“...yes.”

“Ahhh!” The Doctor began thinking out loud again. “Loki, Loki’s a figure of lore and legend around here, but he’s somehow real! Sort of like…like…” he stood up and looked at Sylvie with amazement as the wheels turned in his brain. “Me!” 

“You?” asked Sylvie, rolling her eyes and wishing he’d slow down for five minutes. 

“Oh Sylvie, you and Loki aren’t the only legends that came to life on this planet!” The Doctor said. “The realities are beginning to ensnare…YES! I can feel the stickiness in the air now…it’s unsettling, can’t you feel it??”

The Doctor grabbed Sylvie’s wrist, dragging her out of the police box and into the pre-dawn breeze. Indeed, she could feel as if the currents around her were a little heavier, a little more difficult to ignore. 

“We’ve fallen through the knots in the time streams, Sylvie! We’re reality where we belong, but only stories here, because with the infinite universes that can be created and destroyed with a single decision, surely there are some where our very existences are contingent on the creative processes of--”

“--oh, do shut up!” Sylvie groaned. “Why can’t we go looking for him?”

The Doctor stopped his thought, looking a little saddened that his dramatic, exciting epiphany was halted in its tracks. This newcomer was helping him figure things in his head, but she wasn’t exactly the most pleasant presence. While in his eye, ambition usually painted a lovely picture, he couldn’t help but imagine that Rose would be asking questions, suggesting something different…letting him finish his speeches, at least! 

“Where? WHERE do we look, Sylvie? Do you even know the topography, the geography, the physics, ANYTHING about this world?” He looked at her with desperate intensity. 

She knew the answer, but she could never admit it, even to herself. 

“The stone could help us,” she suggested. “He has one as well. Besides, I’ll know when my alternate self is nearby.” 

“He has one? You didn’t mention that!” The Doctor plucked the gray/green time stone out of her fingers, holding it less than an inch from his eyeball.

“Yes, but it’s stronger than this one…and bright green.”

As if on cue, the TARDIS gasped once, and the dim gray light within yielded to the very same bright hue. 

“...like that, Sylvie?” he asked, pointing at the light through the open TARDIS door. “Like that?”

She nodded silently. “Exactly like that.”

The Doctor ran back inside, Sylvie trailing and closing the door behind her. He looked over the dashboard and licked his lips, making countless calculations and theorems on the fly in the time it took Sylvie to reach him. 

“Oh, perhaps we don't have to meander far at all, my friend,” The Doctor whispered. 

Sylvie leaned in, reaching over for the time stone that he still held. He didn’t mind when she snatched it back, and the room went dim again. “What do you mean?” 

“I mean, the TARDIS has been trying to tell me something in spite of the time vortex blockage…it’s been doing this for oh, about three weeks, and it did it again when you showed up, only to match your colors.”

“Get to the point?” Sylvie asked, her patience officially gone.

The Doctor shrugged and leaned back. “Sylvie, I don’t think we have to go searching for Loki at all...I think Loki’s making his way to us.”

You were much better after eight hours of sleep, which brought you to late-morning. Loki had clearly been awake for hours, as he was just coming in the door with Joey when you stirred for the first time. 

“They retrieved the yacht already,” Loki announced upon seeing that your eyes were open. “Has a lovely hole in the side of it.”

“It can be ready the day after tomorrow if Shane and Carrie work on it all day,” said Joey. “There’s not nearly as much damage to the boat as we thought. It just happened in the worst possible spot! Ugh, I need to shit--”

“Thanks for sharing,” you mumbled, your last word rolling into a loud, long yawn. Joey proceeded into the bathroom, slamming the door a little too roughly. 

Loki chuckled under his breath before sitting down next to you on the bed, twisting his side so he could lean over as you sat up. 

“Hey,” you said.

“Hey,” he answered with a sweet half-smile. “How’s your head?”

“Better.” 

Was last night an invention in your scrambled brain? Or did you confess something to Loki in bed last night, encouraging him to allow you into his heart, if just for a few more days?

“Your brother mentioned a hot spring on this hotel property,” Loki mentioned. “Not an artificial pool mind you, but a natural hot spring--”

“--yes, they’re all over Iceland,” you said, shuffling down the mattress to perch next to him with one of your thighs brushing his. “They don’t have volcanoes and earthquakes and all that shit in your universe?”

“Oh, I wasn’t expressing amazement,” he insisted. Taking your hand, he gave it a squeeze that was enough to shoot adrenaline through your system, making you instantly hot.

 “I was just about to remind you, it’s ‘tomorrow’ now, which means it’s time to discuss that illicit tryst.” 

That was it. You could’ve died where you stood, the immediate rush of heated ecstasy betraying you. “And you wanted to…go in the spring?” you encouraged him, trying your best to ignore the sweat beading your brow and your quickening breath. 

Loki nodded. “I’ve been awake for hours. There really isn’t much else around here to put us in a romantic way.”

You wanted to snort at the odd wording. Being ‘put into a romantic way’ sounded as antiquated as being ‘in the family way.’ God, just say it, Loki! We want to make out! Christ! Did all of Asgardians really speak like a Kenneth Branaugh production all the time? You imagined for a moment how exhausting that would be. No wonder the Asgardians were so strong. 

“Where is ‘here’?” you asked. “I never saw a sign.”

Joey called out gracelessly from the bathroom. “SOME LITTLE NOWHERE TOWN ON THE SOUTH COAST!”

You rolled your eyes. “At least we aren’t near a major population center,” you mumbled bitterly. “The less attention we attract while we’re here, the better!” 

It had been a long day. You decided that in order to get the right ambience for your, as Loki put it, tryst, it needed to be dark, or at least twilight. However, in Iceland, the summer sun didn’t set until well after 11pm. You had an entire day to kill, so you all did so by helping to restore the SS Stormbreaker. Joey had already been asleep for hours when you and Loki snuck out the door to visit the spring.

The hot spring was on the farthest edge of the hotel property, behind a maze of wooden fences that wound about this way and that, providing privacy to the guests. Even in the open summer air, you could feel the added humidity as you and Loki found your way to the center of the labyrinth. The spring was a light blue, naturally carved into the bedrock, hot and fizzing. It was roughly the size of a health club’s pool, but not quite as deep. All around were deck chairs, small tables, and fairy lights strung across poles illuminating the air around you. 

“Oh, wow,” you said quietly, not expecting something quite so posh. “And it appears it’s all ours!”

Loki smiled. “This reminds me of the springs on Asgard. From eons ago when I was a boy.”

You looked up at him and began to fiddle with the sash of your terrycloth robe. “Tell me about it, Loki. Please.”

“You don’t know about them? But my life is an open screen to you,” he muttered, a slice of bitterness mixed in with the usual tone. 

You shrugged and took a breath before letting the robe drop, showing that you were bare underneath. You could have sworn Loki’s eyes bugged out the moment he saw your flesh under the rising moonlight. “The films only show us what the writers see. Tell me what you see.” 

It was as if seeing his positive reaction to your body embolden you, and you took a step toward the steps leading into the spring. 

Loki dropped his robe, revealing his own body, but you weren’t looking back just yet. You took a step, and the mild, bubbling water kissed your ankle, causing you to emit a soft sigh of relief after a long day working on a boat. 

“What I see…” Loki began to walk up behind you, “...is more stunning than any film could show me.” 

Finally, the surface reaching your hips, you turned to take in the one thing that even your wildest dreams couldn’t produce for you. Loki’s form was flawless, every curve gracefully defining his musculature, every ankle pointing the way to his best features. For his svelte figure, you didn’t expect so much actual muscle bulging under his skin. Of course, his member was longer when flaccid than any mortal man’s you’d ever seen before when fully erect. 

Damn, Loki, that thing could impregnate an entire convent with a sneeze! You couldn’t wait to feel it for yourself.

“Shit,” you mumbled, “You really are a god. Sure you aren’t Heracles?”

Loki lapped up your earnest adoration and did a slow model’s turn, showing off a rock-hard ass to go along with his massive…everything else. “I assure you, that bubble-brained club-thrower can’t compare.”

“He’s real too?” you asked incredulously. 

He shrugged off your awe. “Of course! My parents forced my brother and I to entertain Zeus’ kids whenever they were in the Realm on a diplomatic visit. The Olympians, I’m sorry to say, are all brawn. Not a creative thinker among them. At least the Iceni can teach you interesting battle styles.” 

You rolled onto your back, letting the water take you into the center of the spring with a slow backstroke. Loki pursued you, though even in the deepest part of the pool, he was exposed up down to his navel. 

Choosing to dip himself under and swim beside you until you found the far wall, Loki watched you with soft, appreciative longing. It occurred to him for the first time since Sif reminded him of their own brief sexual interlude, Loki had been celebate for an inordinately long time. Even kissing Sylvie had been different. It had been a distraction, a last-minute thought. Loki realized as he watched you swim naked that his need for you was solely on his own terms….for once. He wanted to touch and worship you. 

“Y/N…” he backed against the wall and spread his arms over the side, beckoning you to fold into them. 

“Please tell me about those times,” you bade, resting your head against his shoulder and wrapping your far arm across his torso. “The ordinary times. I’m sure they will still be magical.” 

“None so magical as right now,” he whispered, drawing your chin up with a finger, extracting a gentle kiss from your lips. 

As before, when Loki was telling you about his adventures with Mobius, Sylvie, and the TVA, he wove his tales like Arachne weaving a web. The rich, vivid images he painted sent you into his nostalgia, which was held aloft with golden spires and grand throne rooms. It was easy to drift away in his arms to those amazing places you could never see. Every story, from the time he convinced Thor to dress as a princess to trick an evil dwarven prince out of marrying Sif, to the smaller tales of the times his mother taught him magic, sounded like their own film, perhaps a missed opportunity by the corporate yuks in Hollywood to show the real Loki to this world. 

“Mmmm I wish you could take me with you,” you sighed sadly. 

“Mortals don’t last long where I come from,” he replied. “Even if you could come with me, I wouldn’t allow you to see--”

“--see what?” you asked, sitting up. 

He’d spoken too much. There was no way Loki could tell you what he knew awaited him once The Doctor saw to his return. You would be crushed, devastated, and helpless to save him. It was entirely possible, after all you’d done for him, you would try and follow him, likely dying in the process. Loki wasn’t sure you could even survive the way he was tossed through the timelines. 

In his mind, the best way for this adventure to end was him quietly slipping away to make his move to save time and space, wherein he would sacrifice his freedom and friends for the rest of eternity to sit upon a stone throne and hold the whole of creation between his fingers, alone and unable to move from where he sat. For you and Joey, the best epilogue would be a return to your normal lives, with you sitting down every weekend to ‘visit’ with Loki through the filmed stories he’d left behind, like a haunting memory that echoed a little too strongly. 

Loki looked at you and smiled, taken in again by how you appeared under the dim glow of the string lights. How could he have ever foreseen that the most beautiful being he’d ever met would be a human? He leaned in for a kiss, and despite how he was obviously diverting your attention, you chose to ignore it and relish instead. 

The first time you saw Loki on screen, your life changed. Of course, it had started as a girlhood crush on someone you knew well enough was a movie star with an image to unhold once he took off the leather armor and garish helmet. You knew you were one in a sea of millions who felt the exact same emotions as you left the theater time after time, watching every Loki appearance as if it were a Super Bowl. 

You’d even cried before the opening credits of Avengers 3, having watched Loki die in heroic sacrifice. You couldn’t stay for the rest of it. It was the first time you’d walked out of a Marvel movie…yes, you’d even stuck around for Iron Man 2. 

But every moment of that short night, as Loki made glorious work inside you, that younger woman’s broken heart soared above the stars. Your inner voice sang praises to the forces of fate, or God, or whatever it was that brought him to you as a birthday gift. Every thrust of his hips, caress of his fingertips, lick of his tongue against your neck, was a new hymn.

If only you could stop time itself with your duet. Sadly, two words kept echoing like annoying little taps against your apartment wall: 

For now. 

Every dream was only for now, even the ones worth chasing. This intrusive thought only made you hold onto Loki’s shoulders and press your cheek against his chest harder, refusing to let him go. 

For now? For now…

TAGLIST: @crashingwavesofeuphoria @kkdvkyya @red-shirt-mania @misschris1412 @salvinaa @marygoddessofmischief @spiderstyles04 @fireflymoonwitch @mochie85 @loz-3 @lcolumbia1988 @lokilurker @eleniblue @gruftiela @starkzdaughter @mrsbarnes-avenger @thedistractedagglomeration @km-ffluv @lokisgoodgirl @holdmytesseract @itsthattimedarling @wolfsmom1 @scully2u @shinisenko @mischief2sarawr @ririsutty73 @lulubelle814 @meg81589 @gloriuspurposeposts @theonetruepotato87 @linllewellyn @wistfulclueless @etherealkistar @tinydancer40 @hardtravelerwizard-blog @fangirlofmanysstuff @krabog

[netherworldpost]

Fantasy Bank / Insurance / Etc. (blog post, free, always + booklet, few dollars, if you want it printed)

Netherworld Post operates in cycles -- "write" / "art" / "do business." The business kinda stretches into a continuous loop these days (hi we're open), and I'm having to recalibrate how I think about things.

Moving on to the point.

I'm about to enter a "write + business" cycle and and my business is SIGNIFICANTLY different these days than when I originally came up with it.

So

We are going to the polls!

This would be offered in two forms, if it launches:

Blog posts. Free. ALWAYS FREE. No pay wall, no log in, just a good ol' blog post series. "Here is how you can make a bank for your RPG. Here is how you can..."

Booklet, a few bucks. The blog post in printed / formatted form. This is in addition to, not replacing, the blog posts. It's for "I want to bring this to a table and not read a blog on my phone, I want to make notes on paper."

To be clear and explicit THIS IS NOT A REAL WORLD FINANCIAL PRODUCT.

IT IS NOT FINANCIAL ADVICE.

IT IS PURE FANTASY. NOT TO BE USED FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN ENTERTAINMENT.

MY LAWYER IS EXPENSIVE.

Sorry.

I am inundated regularly with "hey you should launch a fantasy blockchain thing to take advantage of" and I just. Want to scream. Okay that's a rant for another time.

Lawyer if you are reading this I love working with you(r skills) and you're worth every penny (genuine).

This would be game-independent, not based on any specific game. Just a general toolkit to write about a bank (etc.) / use in your game.

There will be optional variants included -- "This is how you can do a crooked bank that robs everyone. This is how you can do a paladin-bank who is Very Lawful. This is how you could..."

I'm asking for a check on interest because this would be a very large project to tackle for each -- bank, insurance, etc. -- and while a lot of fun, I don't want to explore if it's too real for fantasy.

Let me know!

Thanks!

[genderkoolaid]

Can I ask, what's the difference between a romantic relationship and a sexual relationship with emotional intimacy? That was sort of how I defined romance in my head until I read your post, and now I'm wondering what I need to recalibrate.

(Hope it's okay to ask this, if not, sorry)

I talked in this ask about romance and emotional intimacy, but to elaborate:

The only difference between romance and friendship and anything else is what you decide. You see people say stuff like "they are dating but don't realize it," which assumes that romantic relationships are this natural Real thing that exists beyond human constructs. But you could have two people who never have sex or kiss, who sleep in different rooms- or even two different houses- and consider themselves married. You can have two people who kiss, have sex, live together, are legally married, who consider themselves friends without any hint of romance. Because the nature of your relationship is based on what the people within it label it, based on whatever criteria they want to use.

People make a bit of fun of "romantic friendships" and tend to see them as a way for lesbians to have romantic relationships despite homophobia. But this is a very amatonormative way of looking at that- it assumes that "romance vs friendship" is a pan-cultural category of relationship, and that "romantic friendship" must fit into one of those categories- that it can't be its own thing, that historical queers could not have referred to their lovers as "friends" and meant it. I mean, think about marriage- while romantic marriage has often been valorized (because its good to actually like the person you're supposed to fuck and raise kids with for the rest of your life), the idea that marriage = romantic attraction is not universal. There's also how, in the US, men kissing or being physically affectionate is often seen as immediately romantic- while in other places, its part of normal platonic affection. What is considered "romantic" vs "platonic" is just as made up as "masculine" vs "feminine."

I have a feeling a lot of people (especially alloromantic allosexuals) haven't done a lot of in-depth critical thinking about romantic feelings vs platonic feelings vs sexual feelings. I've had conversations with very amatonormativity-illiterate alloros who seem to be trying to, like, "gotcha" me into realizing I actually do feel romantic attraction because I want emotional intimacy and sex. It feels to me that my lack of romantic attraction makes me more aware of romantic attraction than alloros- because to them, romance is a natural, inherent part of life, and romance is the highest form of love and attraction (to someone who isn't related to you, at least). So you see people define romance by the intensity and deepness of two unrelated people's relationship, rather than the type of feelings they have or the label they wish to put on it. This also leads to the assumption that romance is inherently deep and sexual attraction is inherently shallow- this isn't true. Someone can feel romantic attraction to a person they've known for five seconds because they did something sweet. Someone can be super horny for a life-long friend because of their personality.

[teopatra]

✨🤭 BIENVENUE 👋🏽👋🏻👋👋🏿

Let me preface by sayin, I went on Google, found some images, saved these images, but I DO not own them and i am NOT citing my source 😆 BC I CAN *karlie red’s voice* teehee yes I did yes I did somebody plz tell ‘em who the EFF I IS 🤪 I’ll give updates if someone takes legal actions 🥳

♍️Pick a fictional Virgo♍️

Since it’s both Virgo season ANND mercury rx im going to be doing a lot of readings themed around this season for research 🧐 purposes 🤓

1. Rue (real life ♍️ Zendaya)

What do you need to work on?

Either you have an unhealthy addiction or attachment to something OR you need to be focusing more on something like your life depends on it due to either procrastination, laziness, self loathing/not believing in yourself ENOUGH OR just not dedicating enough time to something. If you have an unhealthy attachment to something like social media or video games, know that it’s okay to indulge in certain things but you have to have balance and know wen it’s time to take a break.. your screen time could be high but if that’s the case how are you using that time to create content or make that fun thing lucrative for yourself. You can make tiktoks even if you may think it’s stupid bc the views will bring more traffic to your page but only if the intentions are good and you aren’t harming anything or displaying inappropriate behaviors. Also if you play video games you can stream, if you like to read you can do voice memos and turn it into a podcast, reel, YouTube video and you don’t even have to show your face. I’m getting mercurial energy from this pile bc it’s something to do with your voice and hands .. maybe you build, play instrument, make beats, sing, do ASMR whatever ..

Additional Messages: while mercury is in retrograde this is a good time to work on your craft not perfect it just work on it.. beginning stages will not exhibit perfection so if that’s what you expect out of yourself there is where the shadow work needs to be done. You need to make a schedule; it doesn’t have to be time exact focused but you need to have better intentions for your day.. you need to strengthen your upper body especially the arms.. practice breath work and work on healing and or balancing your lower chakras: root chakra, sacral chakra and or solar plexus whatever one resonates with you..

2. Hermoine Granger 📚

What is holding you back?

Your mouth is holding you back because you don’t understand what it means to move in silence. Just because you didn’t tell people about it or show the internet doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Learn how to enjoy the beauty of life on your own. People will begin to see right thru you and not take you serious if you’re always posting every little thing. Know your own worth, other people see it but it doesn’t seem like you’re being authentic to your true self. Maybe you tried doing shadow work and wanted to reinvent yourself; but who are you trying to be like? If you’re not being you then you’re being a carbon copy and that will just lead you down a path of self destruction.

Additional Messages: I see you’re experiencing some type of food allergy maybe gluten or dairy and hormonal imbalances. You will benefit from journaling, sound baths, and meditation music. Gemini energy somewhere in your chart maybe your moon; if it’s difficult for you to quiet the mind rn maybe bc of issues within the family relating to health or finances then you have to unwind the mind. It’ll take time, (bars) maybe you want to write music is so then do it.. work on the crown chakra, heart chakra, sacral and solar plexus chakras, you really need to recalibrate cuz you’re out of wack and your body or tummy is stressed

3. Bella Swan 🦢

How can you hold yourself accountable?

You use other people’s problems as a way to distract yourself because you want to feel needed by other people. You refuse to do things for yourself or by yourself bc maybe you realize that wen you’re by yourself you’re really sad or lonely.. figure out the root of this sadness and loneliness and heal your trauma. Tell yourself that what happened to you is NOT YOUR FAULT. People will still love you even if you aren’t available for them at the moment, if they’re meant to be in your life they’ll understand. But you don’t want to accept the fact that the people you hold dear to you are probably not meant to be in your life at this time.

Additional Messages: are you using your financial status and material meals to define your happiness? Who would you be without those things? Who are you? Do you even know? You’ve been going thru the motions for so long, that you’ve put your true desires in life aside bc you feel guilty . Heavy guilt issues, check your sun sign and your Saturn and the houses they’re in.. Heal your root chakra and if you’re going thru a Saturn return you better understand what that means for you now since the start of it until the end or else you’ll have to wait another 27 years to really dive into what you love…

4. Frodo Baggins 🧝🏽‍♀️

Where you need to communicate better…

If you have a speech impediment or your first language is diff than those around you causing language barriers do NOT be afraid to express yourself. If anyone makes fun of you for the way you speak they’re a loser and work on your confidence so this doesn’t bring you down. You know what you’re trying to say so maybe work on how to express yourself better with words. You may deal with self doubt, insecurity, trauma, and you may shut down when you feel like others don’t understand you. It’s mercury retrograde and I see for the next 3 weeks people just may not listen , that doesn’t mean talk louder, that doesn’t mean argue, become a better listener and this will help you with your communication. I feel Aquarian energy like you’re different and the ones who know you understand when you speak but you have to have balance and be able to speak in all aspects don’t be afraid or shy it’s okay.

Additional Messages: check your 11th house, and aspects to your Aquarius house, work on your throat chakra and your root chakra. If you’re in school for psychology or you’re an astrologer then you already have the answers you seek you just don’t trust yourself so work on the heart chakra as well.. idk why you don’t trust yourself you’re actually very intelligent but you have some type of disability maybe, confidence and time will strengthen this

5. Jorah Mormont 🗡️

What isn’t working for you anymore?

other people opinions aren’t working for you; you keep allowing people to put their 2 cents in when you need to trust your gut. You have a very keen eye and people feel important wen you ask their input. It’s okay to ask advice from others time to time but ask the universe, the divine, your spirit team, and or your higher self to enlighten you. There may some evil eye around you in regards to your work, others see that your hard work will lead you to success but people feel left out and want to siphon all your energy. Insecure and low vibrational people aren’t working for you. Your challenge rn is to know wen is a good time to just put your phone on DND and do you whether it’s rest or meditation. Strong Leo energy, check your sun sign your 5th house and anything aspecting your Leo house.

Additional Messages: you may need more sunlight or you may need to use more sunblock so you don’t get radiation poisoning. Or some of you could be outside n the sun too much which is draining you in some way. Vitamins could benefit you or orange foods like oranges and carrots. Maybe try drinking smoothies, cut out carbonated drinks and snacks high in sodium, it’s causing brain fog and memory loss. Fatigue is happening to you bc you’re probably over worked and don’t drink enough water or the right type of water.

6. Neo 👽

How to be more productive?

Be more imaginative , be more delusional, exercise your neptunian or piscerian energy by making your dream or fantasy world reality. You need to strengthen your psychic abilities maybe by asking the universe or higher power to give you a sign.. work on your telepathy by imaging a certain object you want the universe to use to communicate with you to affirm. Stop doubting your intuition just because it may scare you. If you believe that we live in a simulation and nothing is real then why are you allowing this reality to bring you down. Pretend you’re in a video game or movie and you’re the main character or final boss. You may need to move your body more bc your blood isn’t circulating enough or properly esp if your body parts have been falling asleep lately

Additional Messages: it would benefit you to detox, drink more water and take on a healthier diet or lifestyle because something is clouding your judgement and intuition. Check your chart for what planets are in your 12th house or aspecting your Pisces placements. You’re in a self deprecating mode rn and you have to snap out of it. Eat less meat especially if you’re a water sign bc you’re taking on the energies of those unalive animals your eating you feel their pain.. also stop eating GMO food for 60 days…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

3:03 on the clock

[ghostofskywalker]

You Would Have Thought This Heist Would Have Been Slightly More Thought Out, Given The Circumstances

The Bad Batch & Reader (Platonic)

Words: 2,161

Summary: Hunter has to sit out on an assignment because of an injury, and it becomes remarkably clear to everyone else that the position of "voice of reason" is not something that can be replaced, especially not when you're there.

Requested By: anonymous

@clonexreaderbingo square: "let me do the talking"

Note: i hope this fulfills your request for "shenanigans, tomfoolery, japes, [and] mischief" anon!!

Clone Troopers Masterlist

You should have known things would go wrong the second Wrecker accidentally stepped on the ceramic tooka that sat outside the house you had to try and break into. The shattering of the delicate material cut through the silence of the night, and the entire team stopped in their tracks, wondering if this was going to be the thing that ruined the entire operation.

But it seemed that the man you were tasked to steal from was slumbering on, so you were safe for now.

Actually, you should have known something was up when Cid’s intel was incorrect. This assignment was all because of her, as you were being tasked to steal an artifact from a rival of hers here on Ord Mantell. Rel Fastom was a brute and a cheat, so you had no qualms about doing something that was less than legal (even though Ord Mantell was not a perfect upstanding society).

There was just two issues.

One was that along with being a brute and a cheat, this man was incredibly paranoid. Whatever you were being tasked to steal must be incredibly valuable, because when Tech managed to crack the code on his casino, the artifact was not where Cid said Fastom would be displaying it.

“Are we sure it’s not somewhere here and we’re just missing something?” Echo asked as the team began to search the building.

“I’m sure,” Crosshair had said, annoyed. He was still getting used to the way that things were were now, and you didn’t think he trusted Cid as much as the rest of you (and you didn’t even trust her that much). “What the hell is thing thing anyway?”

“Apparently, it is a jeweled scepter,” Tech said. “The central stone is said to have been formed from kyber, though it doesn’t have the same properties as what powers a Jedi’s lightsaber.”

You raised your eyebrows. “A jeweled scepter? What is this guy, a character in a bad holofilm? And why does Cid want it anyway?”

“Apparently she was supposed to buy it, but Fastom beat her out at the last second by doubling his offer.”

“That’s great, but we need to focus on the real issue here,” Wrecker said. “The fact that it’s not where we were told it would be.”

And of course, the other issue was that you did not have a full team for this heist. Hunter had been shot been injured on a team mission about a week ago, and was in no way healthy enough to be here. It was both a blessing and a curse that he was currently sleeping soundly and not taking part in a clandestine heist with the rest of you. The good part was that he was actually healing and wouldn’t prolong his injuries by going with you, but on the other hand, the team was now severely lacking in impulse control. You were just thankful that Omega had agreed to stay back and hadn’t come along, because you knew that if something went wrong, Hunter would be much angrier with you if Omega was accidentally put in harm’s way.

“I have an idea of where we might find what we’re looking for, but it won’t be easy,” Tech said as he recalibrated the lock on the nightclub that you had just broken into and the five of you stepped back into the night air. “If this man is as paranoid as I believe he is, then it’s likely the scepter we’re looking for can be found in his personal residence.”

“So what do we do?” Echo asked. “Breaking into someone’s house wasn’t in the job description, and it’s much more dangerous if we get caught.”

Crosshair shrugged. “It’s the middle of the night, I say we at least try to get it,” he drawled. “And then we can force Cid to double the pay.”

The sniper’s suggestion got Echo to pause. It seemed that the rest of the team was at least willing to give this crazy idea a shot, but Echo was the one most likely to have some reservations. Although their debt had been wiped out by Omega’s surprising skills, they still needed all the money they could get. The goal was to eventually be able to settle down somewhere and not have to live out the rest of your lives as muscle for hire, and those extra credits would go a long way in helping make that dream a little more attainable. “Fine,” he said. “But if we get caught, let me do the talking.”

***

Even though the house was now one ceramic tooka down, at least Tech was able to work his magic on the lock, and you didn’t have to resort to breaking down the door. Now you were faced with a new problem: finding the thing you came for (and of course, stealing it without being caught).

Both of those things would be easier if there was actually a plan in place, but this had been a decision made on a whim and a half-hearted hope, none of you actually knew what to when you made it here. It was now that you were starting to regret not having Hunter here, because things would be way easier if he suddenly started handing out orders and always listening for the sounds of a stirring casino owner. Tech signaled that you should all split up, and a group nod meant that everyone understood.

The first place you looked was the kitchen, which was (predictably) well stocked with wine and other liquors. You were staring at a particularly expensive bottle and wondering if you could fit it in your bag without the fear of it leaking all over the place when Crosshair walked in. “You had the same idea I see,” he said quietly. “I can’t find this thing anywhere.”

You shrugged. “I figure that either Tech or Echo will find it. Wanna raid this guy’s chiller in the meantime?”

Crosshair nodded, and he kept watch while you rooted through the high-quality food that was sitting unguarded in the chiller. Some of this stuff you’d only heard about in stories because of its rarity, and yet here it was, in copious amounts and ripe for the taking. You took a few round fruits out of a package and tossed one to Crosshair, both of you taking a bite at the same time.

“Where can we get these?” you wondered aloud, absolutely enamored with the sweet and slightly tart sphere you were holding.

“I don’t think we would be able to afford these,” was Crosshair’s response. You nodded, knowing that this man probably had access to things you could only ever dream of. Even before the end of the war and the collapse of the Republic, luxuries like this were never something you had access to. “Is there anything else in there?” Crosshair asked as you put away the container of fruit.

You had were just about to suggest that the two of you indulge in pieces of the rather large cake that was currently residing in the chiller, but the sound of your comm device crackling to life cut you off. “Where are you?” Echo asked, his voice slightly crackly through the channel.

“Crosshair and I are in the kitchen,” you said. “You guys should come check it out, this guy has great taste in food.”

“I thought you were supposed to be looking for the artifact!”

“What? it seemed like the rest of you had things under control.”

Echo sighed, and you could almost feel the waves of disappointment coming from him, despite the fact that you weren’t even in the same room. “We found the artifact,” he said, not responding to your statement (but proving its validity all the same).

“Great, so we can get out of here?” Crosshair asked, walking over to speak into your comm device.

“Not exactly.”

“So what’s the holdup?”

“You’ll see, come on.”

Echo directed you to the stairs, where he, Tech, and Wrecker had gathered about halfway up. Crosshair broke the silence first. “What’s the big deal?”

Tech pointed at the door, and you pushed it slightly open to see Rel Fastom’s sleeping form, clutching what looked suspiciously like what you were supposed to be here for. “Oh,” you said, as you and Crosshair turned around to face the rest of the team. “That’s certainly a wrinkle in the plan.”

Wrecker nodded. “How are we going to get it?” he asked.

Now, here’s where you probably should have stepped back and returned home. No one would fault you for knowing your limits, and a new plan could be devised if Cid still wanted to move forward.

But of course that’s not what happened, because you had an idea.

In your head it was an idea that was just crazy enough it might work, but in reality “might” was probably a generous estimation there. Either way, you didn’t even take the time to explain, telling the rest of the team that they needed to have the ship ready to take off. The idea was that once you got the signal, you would gently remove the scepter from Falstom’s arms and just hope he didn’t wake up until after the Marauder had returned to hyperspace. But you didn’t tell them the whole plan, specifically so no one tried to talk you out of it.

Like most of the half-baked plans you came up with when traveling with the Bad Batch, this one seemed like it was going to work for the first minute it was taking place. The rest of the team headed out to the ship, and once you heard the sound of the engine powering up through the comms you creeped into the bedroom, trying not to think about how much you didn’t want to be there.

If you were being honest, the scepter was an ugly thing, and in no way worth this kind of trouble. But you, like the rest of the Bad Batch, had no money of your own and were faced with nothing but consistent struggle in the cruel reality that had taken shape in the days since the fall of the Republic, so you had no choice if you wanted the money.

And of course, the galaxy was never going to be kind enough to let you get away with this unscathed. Fastom did not take long to start throwing punches when he woke up and realized what was going on. You were thankful that the room was dark and it was highly unlikely that your identity would be at risk, but this was still not how you wanted to spend your time right now.

He might have been taller, but you had a small advantage in your sheer desire to get the kriff out of this situation. It wasn’t much though, because even after you threw the man against the wall, he hadn’t yet yielded the artifact (or been knocked unconscious).

Or, at least not until a stun bolt flew through the air behind you and sent your opponent careening to the ground.

You turned around, shocked to see Crosshair standing in the doorway. “Your plan wasn’t very good,” he said. “Get the thing and let’s get out of here.” Grabbing the scepter off the ground, you followed Crosshair out to the ship, and soon you were basking in the relative safety of hyperspace. Bypassing a lecture from Echo, you hid away in your bunk, pretending to tend to an injury you didn’t have.

You had no regrets in your decision. If the situation came down to it, you would put yourself in harms way every single time if it meant that you would be helping the rest of the crew. Because even though you’ve sometimes helped to save them from harm, they saved you in a more meaningful way by simply allowing you to travel with them (and becoming the closest thing you had to a family), and you wouldn’t have it any other way.

Cid didn’t question your ambiguous story about why the assignment took you longer than expected, but it seemed that Hunter did. When your employer left to put the new prize on display in her office, and Tech, Wrecker, and Echo left to get some rest, he stared at you and Crosshair with a questioning expression. “You just had to stop and refuel, huh? There wasn’t any trouble with the assignment?”

“Of course not!” you jumped in, knowing that Crosshair wasn’t going to contradict your statement. “Did you really not trust us to do something so simple?”

The sergeant’s expression shifted, and it was clear that he didn’t seem to believe you, but he didn’t push the topic. Next time you did an assignment like this, you decided, it would probably be better if the whole team was present.

Even if you knew Hunter would never let you raid someone’s chiller in the middle of a stealth operation. 

- the end -

i no longer have a taglist! if you're interested in being notified when i post, you can follow my library blog @ghostofskywalker-library and turn on notifications!

[istoppedlurkingforthis]

There are many days I am horrified by what comes out of uk politicians mouths.

But then something like this appears on my YouTube recommended viewing (what sins have I done to get the Daily Mail recommended to me?) and I have to recalibrate again. Because apparently the bar is so low in 'stupid things politicians seem to genuinely believe' it has to include "some places will Legally Kill you for being gay and that isn't enough to be a refugee" as being one of those stupid things.

Like I'm not an expert on asylum, I know very little. But. I'm going on common sense (foolish) and what I've read over the years in news coverage. And the UN act that Braverman has badmouthed covers people seeking freedom from persecution or risk to life as far as I'm aware. So the fact she's quoted as saying:

"But we will not be able to sustain an asylum system if in effect, simply being gay, or a woman, and fearful of discrimination in your country of origin is sufficient to qualify for protection."

Is. Insane.

Wtf.

How do you care so little about people? How?

Look, I don't like people. I feel were all needlessly complicated and I don't understand us. But. People should be allowed to be safe. People should be allowed to escape to somewhere else to be safe (arguments can be had as to how safe the UK wants to be/is considering The Fucking Stupid Bullshit The Government Keeps Saying And Doing). People should have access to food. People should have access to safe shelter.

People shouldn't be stuck on boats against their wills.

Like, its not hard. I don't like people. But that doesn't stop me caring about them or wanting them to be safe, fed, sheltered and as happy as is possible given the circumstances.

Fuck this government for thinking they can say this.

And, I guess fuck us for letting them get comfortable enough that they can.

[frostycatblr-fandom-files]

In honor of the very annoying spam/scam call I just got, here's a random thought I had as a result of being interrupted in the middle of running errands when it's 115°F outside.

Tech would be the best/worst person you could possibly call by accident or try to scam, respectively.

On the subject of wrong-number calls

Dependent on what he's in the middle of, I can see Tech stopping, kindly explaining they have the wrong comm frequency, and then doing one of the following:

Being helpful- "I'm afraid this is not the number for the parts store. But... Might I recommend their competitor? Oftentimes there are more selections in their capacitors than the store that shows up highest in results from the Holonet. ... Yes you are quite welcome."

Being very helpful- "... You're doing an academic project on Aiwhas? How much would you like to know? I have researched them quite extensively, I would be happy to assist!"

He's not gonna have the heart to tell someone he's not their grandson. He'll chat with them briefly before saying he has to go and then he'll promptly find a way to get in contact with who this "Ms. Helios on Tattooine" meant to call and let them know that their grandmother could use a visit.

Shut up, it was the polite thing to do.

On the subject of scam calls

Oh boy, this one he could have fun with. You're going to waste his valuable time? (And he's in a mood now that you've thrown off his groove? He was in the middle of a helmet repair and recalibration!)

He might hang up on them.

He might give it to Crosshair to deal with once he's sure he is not about to curse out some poor kid below legal galactic age.

Tech might call them out on their banthashit if he's in a Mood™. "I've been tracking your location as we speak. You are calling from the lower levels of Courasaunt, which is nowhere near Florrum. Nor am I anywhere near Florrum. In fact , I'm-"

Hunter's shouting from the front of the Maurader to just hang up and go back to sleep!

[frogblast-the-ventcore]

Examples of Va'ruun Matriarchy weaponry -

The two blades - one physical, one energy based - are not necessarily needed for close combat, thanks to Va'ruun physiology providing them with quite lethal natural weapons.

However, they are used anyway, because to the Va'ruun, the use of one's claws and tail and teeth in combat is seen as uncouth. The energy blade uses gravitic and magnetic fields to hold in place a blade of energy similar to that produced by particle beam weaponry, shaped to allow for cutting and slicing attacks. The physical blade has been sharpened to near mono-molecular levels, allowing it to cut through virtually all known armor, including starship hulls (rumors that AC Navy boarding teams carry such a blade as an emergency boarding access tool are groundless for a variety of reasons, but persist nonetheless).

The two ranged weapons are both particle beam weapons of extremely advanced make, direct holdovers from their creators. Extremely lightweight and nearly always fitted with advanced scopes and/or remote neuro-ocular interfaces, the weapons possess only a few downsides - namely a short, but notable recalibration cycle after each shot that lowers their rate of fire compared to more conventional weaponry, and a near black-box level of manufacturing opacity that renders their production, and their upkeep, economically unviable outside the Va'ruun Matriarchy.

Originally, these ranged weapons could be configured to fire from "annihilator packs", which used a still poorly-studied phenomenon to inflict a debilitating, wasting effect over a small area of impact. This effect can somehow propagate into organic matter, turning it to carbonized dust in a slow and painful manner, earning the weapons their infamous nicknames of "Gorgon" and "Basilisk".

The Va'ruun Matriarchy has, in conjunction with most governments in settled space, banned the use of "annihilator packs". All data related to the effect and construction of such power packs is sealed in the Centauri Accords Archive in a deep-crust bunker under the Astral Confederation capital city, along with any other technology deemed unacceptable for use in warfare. Most extant examples have been altered to prevent annihilator packs from being used.

However, despite this near-total ban, annihilator packs still occasionally can be found on the grey and black markets, and sometimes see use among particularly unscrupulous agents of the Hunter's Guild.

The rare legal packs are in the direct possession of the Va'ruun Matriarchy's Royal Guard, or else consigned to the collection of specific individuals/collective entities registered with the Confederation. Each of these individuals has applied for, and been granted, a permit for their use in historical education, and is allowed one annihilator pack. All are implanted with tracking devices and tamper sensors, to detect any attempt to steal or disassemble them. When the registered owner dies, the packs are confiscated, as they are considered property of the Astral Confederation, until such time as another individual applies for a permit.

[republicsecurity]

Are you Ready?

With the positive stimuli reverberating through their consciousness, the recruits marched in disciplined unison towards the classroom.

The recruits, guided by their HUDs, marched in unison toward the classroom, the rhythmic clatter of their armored boots echoing through the sterile corridors. The HUDs deliberately introduced disorientation, recalibrating the recruits' sense of direction and spatial awareness. As they navigated the labyrinthine facility, the digital overlays on their visors flickered with dynamic arrows, constantly changing the perceived layout.

The recruits found themselves relying entirely on the visual cues provided by the HUD, each step a calculated response to the shifting information. The facility's architecture became an abstract puzzle, the familiar transformed into an enigmatic landscape. The instructors, observing from a distance, monitored the recruits' adaptability to the controlled disorientation, a subtle test of their reliance on the technology that bound them.

The recruits, their armored boots echoing in the clinical corridors, found themselves trapped in a seemingly endless loop of sterile hallways. The HUD, their guiding light, played tricks on their perception, leading them in circles, past familiar points that should have long been left behind.

The architectural monotony of the facility became a psychological challenge, a test of patience and adaptability. A five-minute walk stretched into an elongated 30-minute march, disorienting and perplexing the recruits. The instructors, hidden behind the scenes, observed the recruits' responses through the suit telemetry and AI reports.

The recruits entered the classroom, their armored boots echoing in unison as they marched to their assigned armrest chairs. Each chair, a sophisticated piece of technology, featured docking ports designed to seamlessly connect with the waste management system of the suits. The chairs, resembling a fusion of ergonomic design and utilitarian efficiency, were the recruits' designated stations for both comfort and maintenance.

As the recruits settled into their chairs, there was a symphony of clicks and hisses as the docking clamps engaged, securing the suits in place. The connection initiated a dual process – the waste management system efficiently extracted bodily waste from the recruits, ensuring hygiene and convenience, while simultaneously replenishing the suits with necessary resources.

The recruits, confined to their armrest chairs, received the subtle yet unmistakable message in their HUD. A glyph, an enigmatic symbol on their visors, indicated that their motor control had been disabled. They found themselves in a state of temporary immobility, unable to stand or move their bodies.

The instructors entered the room, their armored presence casting an imposing shadow over the recruits. The recruits, though physically restricted, could still move their heads and arms within the confines of their chairs. It was a deliberate imposition, a strategic choice made by the instructors to emphasize control and dependency.

Instructor KO10T addressed the recruits with a measured tone, "Today marks a pivotal moment in your training, as we delve into the intricacies of employing lethal force. This matter was broached prior to your Basic Medical Training, and it warrants reiteration now. By the tenets of the prevailing legal framework, you possess the prerogative to raise objections to this facet of your instruction. The law, in its unwavering language, affords you the right to dissent."

The recruits, their heads slightly turned within their armored restraints, absorbed the words. Instructor 6DG05, stationed nearby, scrutinized the telemetry data, monitoring the recruits' physiological responses to the legal discourse.

KO10T continued, the atmosphere in the room tense and charged with the weight of the impending instruction.

KO10T: "By law, you retain the right to voice your objection to this particular aspect of your training. However, understand that this objection may impact the both your individual development and your standing within the paramedic corps."

Instructor KO10T continued, acknowledging the unique status of the recruits as conscripts, "Let it be known that, as conscripts, you are safeguarded by the provision that precludes compelling individuals to act against the dictates of their conscience. The machinery of the law respects this fundamental tenet. If any among you harbors objections based on conscientious grounds, now is the moment to articulate them."

Instructor KO10T's voice resonated through the helmets, a blend of authority and a peculiar sort of empathy.

"We'll initiate a playback now, a stark reminder of the gravity of the path you tread. This is no casual matter. Once the video concludes, each of you will have a designated interval to reflect on your choice. This decision, my dear recruits, is the compass that will guide your actions in the field. It is not to be taken lightly."

The HUD flickered, and the recruits were immersed in a grim visual narrative, an unsettling portrayal of the use of deadly force in the line of duty. As the scenes unfolded, each recruit grappled with the weight of their imminent decision, aware that the path ahead demanded a conscious commitment to actions that could not be undone.

6DG05 monitored the recruits' physiological responses, assessing the impact of the video on their emotional and mental states. The telemetry data displayed a spectrum of reactions — heightened heart rates, increased perspiration, and various neural responses.

"KO10T," 6DG05 called out, "I'm observing diverse reactions. Some are displaying expected stress responses, while others seem more composed. It's intriguing to witness the distinct ways in which their minds grapple with the ethical complexities."

H2U8M's visor dimmed to black, cutting off the visual stimuli, leaving him alone with his thoughts and the voice of Instructor KO10T echoing in his helmet.

"In this designated interval, you are urged to reflect on your choice," KO10T's voice resonated through the confined space of the helmet, creating an intimate connection between the instructor's words and H2U8M's consciousness.

As the silence enveloped him, H2U8M's mind raced through the moral labyrinth that the video had presented. The weight of the decision pressed against the walls of his consciousness. In the solitude within the suit, he grappled with the ethical considerations of employing deadly force.

The distant hum of machinery and the rhythmic sound of his own breath became the backdrop for his contemplation. The stark reality of his role as a tactical paramedic unfolded in his mind — the responsibility to protect, the obligation to save lives, and the potential necessity to wield force.

The minutes passed, each tick of the clock echoing in the stillness of his thoughts. The neural conditioning, the sensory isolation, and the weight of the decision all converged within the confines of the suit.

Finally, as the designated interval drew to a close, KO10T's voice returned, breaking the silence that had enveloped H2U8M's consciousness. The visor slowly illuminated, revealing the training room once again.

"In front of you is a menu," KO10T's voice accompanied the digital interface. "This is your opportunity to express your consent or objection. Navigate through the options and make your choice."

The menu presented a series of questions and statements, seeking H2U8M's affirmation or dissent. The cursor responded to his mental commands as he moved through the selections. Each click of the cursor felt like a weighted decision, an acknowledgment of the path he was willing to tread in his role as a tactical paramedic.

KO10T's voice guided the process, a constant reminder that this was more than a mere formality. It was a pivotal moment, an assertion of his personal stance in the face of the moral challenges inherent in their line of work.

With each selection, H2U8M felt a sense of agency, a reaffirmation of his autonomy within the confines of the suit. The act of navigating the menu was more than a technical procedure; it was a declaration of his willingness to engage with the complexities of his duty.

As he confirmed his choices, the menu dissolved, and the HUD returned to its standard display.

The HUD blinked into emptiness, leaving H2U8M in a momentary void. The digital canvas that had been filled with choices and reflections now reverted to a stark blankness. In the absence of prompts, he was left alone with his thoughts, the residue of his decisions lingering in the virtual silence.

Meanwhile, 6DG05 diligently monitored the recruits' responses, the streams of data converging into a comprehensive analysis. As the feedback reached him, he relayed the information to KO10T, the exchange a seamless coordination between instructor and overseer. The report confirmed what they had anticipated – no fundamental rejections, no dissent that would impede the progression of the training.

"KO10T," 6DG05's voice echoed through the communication channels. "All recruits have navigated the menu without fundamental objections. We can proceed with the next phase of training."

The confirmation was met with a measured nod from KO10T. The recruits, their HUDs now darkened, awaited the next set of instructions.

he HUD burst into life once more, a canvas of digital information painting the next phase of their training. Lessons unfurled across the recruits' visors, delving into the intricacies of the standard rifle used within the paramedic corps. The virtual display detailed the specifications, components, and maintenance protocols of the small arms that would become an extension of their tactical paramedic identity.

In the dimly lit classroom, the recruits were ensconced in the glow of their HUDs, absorbing the wealth of information transmitted directly into their field of vision. The instructor's voice, modulated by the AI to convey a perfect blend of authority and guidance, accompanied the visual feast of knowledge. Each nugget of information etched itself into their minds, forming a mental arsenal to complement the physicality of the suits they wore.

The lesson on small arms unfolded like a meticulously crafted narrative, where the line between weapon and tool blurred in the context of their duties.

[megidonitram]

Everyone's Running From Something (ch.3)

A Baldur's Gate 3 University Professor AU

Rating: M

Quick Summary: Astarion and Gale are two University English professors precariously mentoring a troubled 19-year-old and falling in love.

💖Main Pairing : BloodWeave,(Astarion/Gale) 💕Side Pairings: Shadowheart/Nocturne, Karlach/Dammon, Wyll/The Dark Urge, Tav/Tav 💔Past Pairings: Gale/Mystra, Astarion/Sebastian, Astarion/Tav

<=Previous Chapter | Master List | Ao3 | Next Chapter =>

**Please see Master List Entry for Full Content Warnings**

⏰Chapter Warning⏰ None

Astarion took a lap around the building to cool off before returning to his office- The last thing he needed was Gale asking him how he was doing after that little shit-show. Korrilla had also given him something of a runaround after he left Raphael’s office. She accidentally printed his requested forms on legal-size paper (because she forgot that she didn’t restock the printer before break) and then wasn’t sure if being in the wrong formatting would invalidate the paperwork, so Astarion had to wait for her to go get a fresh package of printer paper from the supply closet in the basement, which made him feel like a dick because she had to climb four flights of stairs to do that.

The problem with Korrilla was that Astarion never knew if she was in on Raphael’s torment or if she was just making a series of human mistakes because he made her nervous- though neither answer made the interaction any less annoying.

When Astarion got back to his office, Gale was still there. He was flipping through a heavily marked-up handbook on technical writing for business communications, staring at the pages as if he were either heavily engrossed by the reading -unlikely- or trying to light the damn thing on fire. It only made sense once he stepped into the room and saw Xenia posted up in the corner on her phone.

“Ah, Miss Bellona. Exactly who I was hoping to run into.” Astarion said, snapping the tension in the room like a loose thread. Gale nearly jumped out of his skin. “You look terrible.”

Xenia looked up at him with narrowed eyes, chewing one of her nails on her good hand. “I’ve had a rough few months.” She replied in that flat, desperately-trying-not-to-care tone that made her so fun to tease.

“I’ve heard. What do you need help with?” He slapped down his stack of paperwork on his desk and sat at his computer. Astarion saw Gale watching him wide-eyed, and he wondered how much Gale had pried while he was gone.

“I wanted to get the assignment sheets for my missing work from Survey of Gothic Literature,” Xenia said. Gale casually turned in his chair and pretended to rearrange the books on his shelf, giving them the courtesy of at least pretending to check-out of their conversation. “I thought I should get started on finishing that before the rest of my classes start…”

“Of course, you dropped off around Project… 4, was it? I think I kept a folder with your missing assignments somewhere.” With a few keystrokes, Astarion’s computer lurched back to life, fan buzzing as the machine recalibrated after being shut off for a month straight.

“I think the last thing I turned in was the 2nd character study…” Xenia replied. “…or maybe I just finished it- do you recall reading a paper from me about Miss Jessel?”

“I don’t, but I’ve read nearly a thousand bad-to-mediocre composition papers since then, so it’s likely I just forgot.” Astarion clicked through the expired Canvas shell to skim the grade book and determine which assignments he needed to pull.

“Oh, so my writing's mediocre?”

“I’m sorry, your 1200-word sophomore-level essay demonstrated a pure mastery of your craft. How foolish of me to forget when the beauty of your words brought me to tears.”  Astarion scoffed. He found the file folder he was looking for and printed it off. “Gale, I know you’re terribly busy, but could you grab those papers from the 2nd floor breakroom?”

“Absolutely!” Gale was on his feet and heading for before the request had fully left Astarion’s mouth. He gave Xenia a friendly smile. “Back in a flash!”

“Take your time.” The comment came out a lot more passive-aggressive than Astarion meant it. He watched Gale leave the room and listened for the stairwell door to open and close. Astarion turned back to Xenia. “What did you say to him?”

Xenia shrugged. “He asked about my dad, and I told him that I stabbed him to death.”

“Did you happen to… elaborate on that?”

“No, he didn’t ask.”

Astarion sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You know, if you want people to stop treating you like a freak, you’ll have to stop acting like one.”

Xenia crossed her good arm in front of herself and pouted. “It’s not like someone wouldn’t have told him anyways.”

“Probably, but even a complete stranger would make you seem at least a little saner,” Astarion replied.

Xenia went quiet for a moment, her lips twisting into a disgruntled snarl. Her eyes drifted to the water-stained ceiling tiles. Astarion sort of understood her twisted logic. There were a lot of people on campus who treated her like a ticking time bomb, regardless of whether they knew her exact circumstances or not. If people would be convinced that she was a monster regardless, perhaps it was better if she was the one doing the convincing- at least then she was in control. It hurts less to meet someone's rotten expectations than to try your hardest and fail to prove them wrong.

“I suppose you want to know what happened last semester?” she muttered.

“Tell me or don’t.” Astarion shrugged. “I could not care less.”

Xenia rolled her eyes. “You’re such a dick.”

“What I am is a mandatory reporter, so think carefully about what you want to tell me- unless you like filling out copious amounts of paperwork,” Astarion said. “Do you need the reading materials? I could just lend you my anthology since you’re the only one left in the class.”

“I’ve still got my book from last year…” Xenia replied, mind still very clearly elsewhere. “…Do you have siblings?”

Astarion paused. “Yes. 6 of them. Why?”

“How do you refer to them… like in your mind? Do you call them your siblings?”

“I don’t think of the much anymore, honestly. But I suppose when I do, I think of them as their first names.” Astarion sighed. “Is there something you actually wanted to talk to me about?”

“I’m having trouble figuring out how to think of my sister,” Xenia admitted. “I guess she was never really my sister, and she was never really to blame, but…”

“You’re allowed to be angry at her,” Astarion replied. “I think you should be, frankly.”

Xenia mulled over his words for a moment, and Astarion could see her run her tongue along the inside of her cheek, absent-mindedly tracing the contours of her scar. She opened her mouth to say something, but the door in the stairwell creaked open, and she clamed up, wary of being overheard.

***

Gale felt horribly selfish for wanting to bolt out of the office as badly as he did. He wanted Xenia to feel comfortable and safe around him -the poor thing seemed like she’d been through enough- but he’d locked up. It wasn’t difficult for Gale to surmise that she probably didn’t commit patricide for the fun of it- those kinds of actions are usually born out of extreme desperation. However, whenever he thought about trying to relate to her or lift the mood, the impulse was killed by some strange insistence that he was being too personal, too forthcoming, too intimate.

He envied the ease with which Astarion had struck up a rapport with her- it seemed that despite his posturing, Astarion did, in fact, have a few soft spots. Gale told himself that it was because Astarion had leagues more experience in these departments than he did, but still, he worried. This was the first time he’d been on a college campus purely as a professional, and it felt a lot more daunting than he’d ever imagined.

It took Gale a hot minute of wandering around on the wrong floor to figure out Astarion meant “second floor” in the standard British English sense of the phrase, and the break room was actually located on the third floor. He collected the small stack of orphaned papers from the tray next to the copier and returned to Astarion’s -his- office.

Xenia was still there, Idle chatting about the books she’d read while in involuntary hold. “Do you teach V.C. Andrews? She’d gothic lit, isn’t she?”

“I’m not much of an Americanist,” Astarion replied. “If I’m forced to teach Southern Gothic authors, I tend to gravitate towards Falkner.”

“Not Poe?”

Astarion gave her a derisive look, but Gale handed the stack of papers before he could respond. He flipped through to ensure everything was in order and handed them over to Xenia. “You’ve got two more plot summaries, a thematic analysis, and a comparative essay for the final. Work on them at your leisure.”  

Xenia took the papers and tossed them in the tattered messenger bag she’d brought without a second glance. “Thanks!” She said. “Is there anything else I need?”

Astarion put a hand on the paperwork he’d brought in with him, thumbing over the corner before he shot a scrutinizing look over at Gale. “Yes… but we’ll talk about it later.” He said.

“Alight, see you around then.” Xenia shrugged and slung her bag over her good shoulder but didn’t quite get it, and the strap slid down her arm, catching hard in the crook of her elbow. She let out a frustrated groan.

“Here, allow me.” Gale stepped forward and looped the strap comfortably over her shoulder.

Xenia cocked her head and gave Gale a thoughtful look, her dark eyes piercing right through him. “Thank you…” she muttered before she turned and hurried out of the office.

“She seems…” Gale trailed off. He wasn’t sure what Xenia seemed like; he’d never met a murderer before- at least not to his knowledge.

“Shorter than you’d thought she’d be?” Astarion asked flippantly, reclining in his chair. That was fair; Gale had a hard time imagining how someone as little and frail as Xenia could overpower a full-grown man, boxcutter or no.

“Did she really-”

“Self-defense,” Astarion answered several questions ahead. “I don’t suggest asking her anything else about it. She didn’t have a particularly pleasant home life.”

“I’d imagine not,” Gale replied, sitting back down at his desk. He tried his credentials again- still nothing. “-do you know how long it should take for me to be put in the university’s system?”

“Surely you should be in by now…” Astarion replied. He moved to look over Gale’s shoulder. He was so close Gale could feel his breath tickling the back of his neck- he had to suppress a shiver.

Astarion said something, pointing at the computer screen. He had such striking eyes, such a warm brown that they were almost red.

Gale completely missed what. “Sorry?”

“Try logging in without the server address,” Astarion repeated a slight edge in his voice. “Everything after the ‘at’ symbol.”

“Right.” Gale deleted the back half of his username and tried again. The computer loaded and loaded and loaded.

“That’s typically a good sign. Computers on campus take forever to log you on the first time.” Astarion said. He picked up the picture of Yenna and examined it dispassionately. “Cute kid, is she yours?”

“Ah, no… that’s my niece.” Gale felt suddenly and incredibly self-conscious. “I’ve always wanted my own, but it wasn’t in the cards, I’m afraid.”

The admission shocked him slightly, but he supposed it was true. Mystra had never wanted kids, and Gale wanted to keep her pleased, so he went along with that. But Gale had always loved kids. He’d been so excited when Yenna was born that he could hardly put her down. Still, when people asked him and Mystra if they were planning on having kids, he’d just nod dutifully while she explained that he was too focused on his career to think about kids.

“Shame,” Astarion said, setting the picture frame back down.

Gale’s computer screen went black, and then an empty Windows desktop appeared. Success!

“Just in time to log out for the all-hands meeting!” Astarion exclaimed looking at his watch.

“Naturally…” Gale sighed.

[skinmite]

i hate the way people talk about lesbian desire like. no matter what i will always love confident sexy flirty lesbians i cant believe this is a type that people decided to flock around to hate. like??? huh? recalibrate for a second and remember this: thats literally hot. legalize lezzing out. actually to get serious you people really do piss me off. why do you need to make another million tiktoks mocking them. do you even like women be so honest rn

even if i was in a place where i was searching for a serious relationship and couldnt find one i still wouldnt make fun of lesbians for pursuing hookups? and especially not for the entire internet to watch. i love lesbians i love lesbian desire and most of all i love butch lesbians. be honest AGAIN all these hey mamas type skits with lil baseball hats are doing caricatures of what you hypothetically imagine butch lesbians are like based on your own stupid dislike for them. while 100% you have never interacted with one or any lesbian who acts like this. imo everyone doing this at this point needs to reevaluate its enough leave them alone already i genuinely cant stand you. youre not venting frustration at a lack of commitment youre just being lesbophobic for a lesbophobic internet to get your viewcount up ill say it idc

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/02/20/corporate-diversity-job-cuts/

As DEI gets more divisive, companies are ditching their teams

Zoom and Snap are among companies that have cut roles in recent weeks

By: Taylor Telford

Published: Feb 18, 2024

After George Floyd’s murder in 2020, companies made big pledges about racial equity, hiring teams dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion. Now corporate America is pulling back — cutting DEI jobs and outsourcing the work to consultants.

DEI jobs peaked in early 2023 before falling 5 percent that year and shrinking by 8 percent so far in 2024, according to Revelio Labs data shared with The Washington Post. The attrition rate for DEI roles has been about double that of non-DEI jobs, says Revelio, which tracks workforce dynamics.

In recent weeks, Zoom axed its internal DEI team amid broader layoffs, and Snap cut workers who worked on retention and engagement efforts for employees from underrepresented groups. Meta, Tesla, DoorDash, Lyft, Home Depot, Wayfair and X were among major corporations making steep cuts in 2023, slashing the size of their DEI teams by 50 percent or more, Revelio’s data shows.

“The overall number of DEI officers has decreased,” said Lisa Simon, Revelio’s senior economist, “but it’s not enough to destroy all the strides that happened after 2020.”

At Zoom, chief operating officer Aparna Bawa told employees that the company would replace its internal DEI team with DEI consultants who would “champion inclusion by embedding our values … directly into our people programs rather than as a separate initiative,” according to a Jan. 29 memo seen by The Post.

Colleen Rodriguez, the company’s head of global corporate communications, said Zoom “remains committed” to DEI work.

Snap made a similar decision in February, according to reporting from Business Insider. Snap did not respond to a request for comment.

Corporate America’s retreat from DEI has coincided with increased legal risk and political animosity toward systemic efforts to boost racial equity. State legislators have introduced at least 65 anti-DEI bills since 2023, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education. The resignation of Claudine Gay, Harvard University’s first Black president, amid plagiarism allegations in January was billed as “the beginning of the end for DEI in America’s institutions” by the conservative activist who led the campaign to oust her. Mentions of DEI on corporate earnings calls have plunged in the past year, according to the Wall Street Journal.

For companies that were never really committed, “this is the perfect air cover for backing off diversity,” said Joelle Emerson, CEO of DEI consultancy Paradigm.

Not all companies downsizing teams are giving up on the work, Emerson said, noting that some employers overhired when they established their DEI teams.

“I don’t know that it ever made sense to have a 25-person diversity team sitting to the side of a core business function,” Emerson said. “Companies should be able to say, ‘We’ve tried this, it didn’t have an impact, we’re going to try something different.’”

The recalibration is happening under serious legal pressure. Last year, when the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in college admissions, the decision didn’t apply directly to employers. But the ruling kicked off an effort, driven largely by conservative activists, to dismantle race-conscious policies in other domains of American life.

In July, 13 Republican attorneys general sent a letter urging Microsoft and other Fortune 100 companies to reexamine their DEI policies in response to the ruling. America First Legal, a group backed by former Trump adviser Stephen Miller, has filed legal complaints over diversity practices at scores of companies, including United Airlines, Kellogg’s, Nike, and organizations such as the FBI, National Football League and Major League Baseball.

Edward Blum, the conservative activist behind the lawsuits that toppled affirmative action in college admissions, is suing venture capital firm Fearless Fund over its grant program for early-stage businesses owned by Black women. Blum’s group has also found success targeting major law firms over their diversity fellowships: Three big law firms — Perkins Coie, Morrison Foerster and Winston & Strawn — opened their fellowships for students of color to applicants of all races and backgrounds after being sued. A fourth law firm, Adams and Reese, ended its diversity fellowship after receiving an Oct. 9 letter threatening litigation.

Even before the tide turned last summer, DEI work was an uphill battle. As companies’ commitments have wavered, DEI professionals have had their work challenged.

“Any time I’d raise something with the word ‘equity’ … I was told it scares people away,” said a former head of DEI for a gaming start-up, who was laid off in January. He spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid violating his separation agreement.

After stepping into the role in 2020, he said he was disheartened by resistance from executives to pay-transparency policies and employee resource groups. The DEI budget kept facing cuts, he said, and he was constantly under pressure to show a “return on investment.”

When it comes to DEI, businesses are “interested until they’re not,” he said. “These positions are going away every day.”

Some groups have been imploring companies to maintain their DEI focus. On Monday, the executive board of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus sent a letter to CEOs of Fortune 100 companies, inquiring about efforts to improve Asian American diversity and encouraging them to stay the course amid growing attacks on DEI. The group noted that Asian Americans remain “severely underrepresented at the senior-most levels of the largest U.S. corporations.”

“Without executive leadership representation at Fortune 100 companies, AANHPI employees have fewer role models and fewer internal champions to guide and mentor them,” the letter reads. “Corporate leaders also have fewer internal resources to guide them in fully understanding the needs and aspirations of AANHPI consumers.”

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus sent a similar letter in December to acting labor secretary Julie Su, inquiring about tech layoffs that were disproportionately affecting Black workers.

“Tech companies who previously agreed to address bias and discrimination and create greater opportunities in the workforce are now quietly defunding diversity pledges,” the letter reads, according to TheGrio.

Some companies are bucking the trend. J.M. Smucker, Victoria’s Secret, Michaels, Moderna, Prudential and ConocoPhillips were among big corporations that expanded their DEI teams by 50 percent or more in 2023, according to Revelio’s data. Packaged-food giant Conagra Brands and NASA both doubled the size oftheir DEI teams.

With 30 years’ experience in diversity work, Cristina Jimenez, head of DEI at RHR International, a leadership consulting firm, says she has “watched the pendulum swing back and forth” between support and resistance. But this moment seems particularly fraught, she said. Her clients feel like “they’re in a battle zone all the time.”

“They’re not sure what to do next,” Jimenez said, “but they understand if they don’t do something, their talent strategies, their culture, their ability to succeed is all at risk.”

==

Many of the organizations that took on DEI ideology did so as True Believers. Disney is infested with it from top to bottom, resulting in billions lost at both the box-office and in stock price, and vandalized franchises such as Star Wars and Marvel where fans have gone from annoyed to no longer caring. Your paying customers no longer caring is worse than them being angry.

But many more took it on either as a "wokescreen" - to cover and distract from their far greater sins, such as Disney thanking a concentration camp in the credits for Mulan. Or as a form of Woke Passover, painting DEI blood over the door and hoping the activist plagues will pass over them and attack someone else.

[mariacallous]

This much is clear: Democrats are in trouble in the midterms. After an initial bump from the widespread outrage at an extremist supreme court that stripped American women of our nationwide right to safe, legal abortion, voters are recalibrating, and falling into a familiar midterm routine: supporting the opposition party. Republicans, according to new polling, are leading with voters nationwide, and especially in a handful of crucial state races that will determine control of Congress.

But there’s something bigger going on here than just the usual political churn, or even the idea that voters are more motivated by pocketbook issues than amorphous ones like a potential future need for abortion. Voters are adapting to authoritarianism. And that doesn’t just portend a bad outcome for Democrats in November; it suggests America’s democratic future is at acute risk.

The American reaction to the supreme court’s radical decision on abortion rights is a telling hint of what’s to come. The court summarily taking away a fundamental, long-held, and oft-utilized civil right is incredibly uncommon; it hasn’t happened in my lifetime, or my mother’s lifetime. While most of the rest of the world is moving toward broader respect for human rights, including women’s rights, and expanding abortion alongside a greater embrace of democratic norms, the US is in league with only a tiny handful of nations in making abortions harder to get, and in newly criminalizing them. The nations that are cracking down on abortion rather than expanding abortion rights have one thing in common: a turn from democracy and toward authoritarian governance.

When the court overturned Roe v Wade, many Americans were initially incensed. Women registered to vote in astounding numbers. Significant majorities of Americans told pollsters that the court’s decision was flat-out wrong. The legitimacy of the court took such a huge hit that several of its justices made defensive statements about the value of their increasingly devalued institution. Pollsters noted a sharp turn: after dire predictions for Democrats, the party suddenly had an edge, thanks to an overreaching conservative court.

And Republicans were set back on their heels. The Dobbs decision was the result of decades of rightwing work and millions of dollars. The Republican party has made overturning Roe a singular goal. So it was interesting to see how they reacted when they finally got what they had always wanted: they went quiet. They avoided the topic. The standard Republican view on abortion – that it should be illegal nationwide – is overwhelmingly unpopular, so Republican politicians spent the summer and early fall trying to change the subject.

So what, then, explains this sharp swing back to Republican favorability?

Simply put, voters acclimated. The media is still covering the impact of rightwing anti-abortion laws, but not with the overwhelming force we saw in the initial weeks after Roe fell. After all, at some point the litany of horror stories – of women being refused care for miscarriages, of women being forced to carry doomed pregnancies to term, of women traveling thousands of miles for basic health care, of women getting septic infections, of women losing their uteruses, of child rape victims being forced into motherhood – blend into each other, sound like the same story over again, and become old news.

Human beings are remarkably adaptable. Often, this serves us well: it means we survive, even through horrifying circumstances. But it also means that we can learn to live in horrifying circumstances. Terrible laws that don’t affect most of us every day simply fade into the background as life ticks on. Terrible governments rarely target majorities of the population immediately and all at once. Instead, authoritarian states tend to start with those who have little power, as well as those who threaten the authoritarian’s power. For many conservative, highly religious authoritarian states, women are both a group with less economic power and political representation and a chief threat.

In the US, the women primarily hurt by Dobbs are those living in conservative states, and women with the fewest resources are hit hardest of all. This is not an accident. While all women in the US now live without full rights to our own bodies, and while the anti-abortion movement is coming for all of us, conservative politicians have targeted women with the least economic and political power first. A majority of American women may be angry about anti-abortion laws, but are not yet (or do not yet believe themselves to be) directly affected by them, and that is especially true for the Americans who have the greatest influence in the political and economic spheres – women and men alike.

The stripping of abortion rights is one clear indicator of America’s rising authoritarianism. And Americans know that we’re in trouble. Voters – especially Democratic and independent voters – are aware that democracy is under threat, and perhaps even that trust in free and fair elections, women’s rights, and America’s democratic institutions are on the ballot this November. While a whopping 71% of voters said that American democracy is at risk, however, just 7% named it as the most important issue in this election.

And that’s perhaps understandable. “Democracy” can feel like a big and nebulous thing, while a more expensive grocery bill is a tangible and immediate concern. And Democrats have been telling voters (correctly) that democracy has been at risk since Donald Trump began undermining it. They weren’t wrong to sound the alarm. But eventually even the loudest siren begins to sound like background noise.

There is also the simple fact that threats to American democracy will not be solved in 2022 alone.

What the US is experiencing is a pervasive problem with rising authoritarianism all over the world. Often, autocrats use democratic means to rise to power, and their takeover is a slow one, not an overnight coup. And once authoritarianism is entrenched, average citizens carry on – there may be an initial shock, but then life, for many people, evolves into a new normal.

We’re seeing this dynamic now when it comes to abortion. Over the next few years, we may see it on an even larger scale, and with democracy itself.

Armed with this new data, pundits, consultants and politicians themselves are telling Democrats to revamp their strategy: don’t focus on abortion so much, or focus on the economy more, or simply be prepared to lose in November. The beltway consensus seems to be that this is a messaging problem.

And certainly Democratic messaging could be better. But what we’re seeing isn’t just a problem of inadequate sloganeering or a focus on the wrong things. It’s another iteration of a longstanding pattern, forged by a combination of human nature and the canniness (and historical learnedness) of those who seek to use democratic processes for undemocratic aims.

How do you convince the frog in the slow-boiling pot not only that he’s in real danger, but that it’s going to take a while for the heat to come down? That’s not a question Democrats can answer with messaging alone – and not one they’re going to solve in a month.