#recent of Alex and L in New York

[nicoscheer]

X

Recent Alex Turner

[leclercloml]

Enchanted to meet you | CL16

part 1 , part 2

Pairing: Charles Leclerc x singer!reader

Summary: cheating in never a option it's a choice, a choice that he made while she loved him with her whole heart but you know there's nothing that she do better than revenge.

Genre: SMAU

warnings: google translated french, grammar mistakes, incorrect time line to match the story line, A LOT of charles slandering (I'm sorry my love)

Author's note: important! this is not any kind hate towards alexandra she's a beautiful woman from inside and outside this is all fiction and if I see ANY hate toward her in comments you'll be blocked...and also this fic is slandering our it boy as well, so don't attack me for that because I love that guy sm, my username and profile should explain a lot, that's it hope you y'all like it 🫶🏻

fc: Gracie Abrams

celebnews

liked by username, username, username and 46,29,38 others

celebnews do you believe in fairytale? Well...no not anymore, the popular singer and songwriter Y/n L/n and formula 1 driver Charles Leclerc recently made their relationship public, they were also given the nickname called "the it couple" everything seemed perfect and fairytale and rainbows until few days ago Charles was spotted with a girl on his yatch which sources says is an arts student named Alexandra saint melux and the duo looked pretty comfortable around eachother, or more than comfortable meanwhile y/n was in new york for her work, thoughts on this?

view comments

username say sike rn.

username THE AUDACITY OF SOME MEN

username literally not even a proper month.

username all these while she was working her ass off??

⤷username yup...she was in nyc.

username cheating is never a option, it's a choice.

username men really can't handle a successful women now can they?

⤷username not all men.

⤷username yup, but somehow always men.

username If I had a nickel for every time charles leclerc cheated on his girlfriend with her friend, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice.

⤷username FRIEND?? Y/N AND ALEXANDRA WERE FRIENDS??!!

⤷username apparently yeah, that's how Charles and Alex met in first place?

⤷username yup, y/n and Alex we're friends and when y/n started dating Charles, she moved to monaco and I guess there she met alex in a art show or something and then they both become really good friends and y/n, charles and Alex all three of them used to hangout together, there are many pictures

⤷username how did I not know this?

⤷username because it was not much of a big deal, we all thought they're all just friends hanging out together.

⤷username that's honestly so fucked up.

username once a cheater always a cheater.

yourinstagram added to story

view replies

sabrinacarpenter babe this is not you.

conangray I'm coming over rn.

username babe nooooo!!

username charles marc herve perceval leclerc count your days.

oliviarodrigo pick up my call.

iMessage

instagram

yourinstagram

liked by carlossainz55, rubendias, sabrinacarpenter and 39,739,828 others

yourinstagram I would rather spend my time a honest whore rather than a dishonest lover. (ps: that wasn't me on my story, i don't cry over disappointments 🥰)

view comments

sabrinacarpenter honest whore are so much cooler too.

⤷yourinstagram exactly.

landonorris thanks for that ps i was actually quite concerned

⤷yourinstagram nah don't worry Lan.

⤷username "lan" Charles could never ruin their friendship.

⤷username don't mention his name here.

conangray men are for ruining your lipstick not your mascara.

⤷username tell em conan!

rubendias he's not worth your tears anyway 💙

⤷yourinstagram thanks ruby, I miss you sm.

⤷rubendias booking flight rn.

⤷username mom and dad finally reuniting 😭

⤷username I'm new to all of this can any of you explain how ruben and y/n know eachother??!! I'm a massive city and y/n fan and i didn't knew that they were bestfriends??!!

⤷username for 4 years actually, they met in 2019 when ruben was at Benfica B, as much i can remember y/n was in protugal for her very first tour and I think ruben attended that concert and then y/n attended his match and both of them become friends and then they got super close and then after ruben moved to manchester city, y/n started to attend his matches more often and slowly they became bestfriends.

⤷username that is actually so cute 😭😭💙💙

oliviarodrigo what a beauty.

⤷yourinstagram oli you're the best 💜

username bro actually fumbled SO bad

carlossainz55 reina ❤️ (queen)

⤷yourinstagram muchos gracias carlitos ❤️ (thank you so much carlitos)

⤷username and i oop-

⤷username i love how the entire grid is on her side.

⤷username as they should.

⤷username I'm not shipping but it would be so iconic if her and carlos started dating

⤷username dts be like: where do I sign?

⤷username no but actually netflix is not gonna let this drama slide.

lilymhe beautiful, gorgeous, cutest, attractive, adorable, charming ,dainty, delightful ,pleasant, pretty

⤷yourinstagram LILYYY!!! ILOVEYOU!

⤷lilymhe I love you toooooo!!!!

⤷yourinstagram we should definitely go out!

⤷lilymhe yesyesyesyesyes!!!

⤷alex_albon can I join? Please?

⤷lilymhe nah it's a girl dinner.

⤷francisca.cgomes I'm joining you all.

⤷pierregasly pleaaaseeee!!!!

⤷francisca.cgomes no.

⤷sabrinacarpenter got room for one???

⤷oliviarodrigo two**??

⤷yourinstagram yesyesyesyes

⤷username I'm begging on my knees, let me in please

⤷username this group is gonna be SOO iconic.

lewishamilton you deserve someone million times better.

⤷yourinstagram thank you lew 🥹🫶🏻

⤷username MY KING.

⤷username nah that guy literally messed up big time.

szoboszlaidominik gyönyörű lány 🩷 (beautiful girl)

⤷yourinstagram thanks domi 🫶🏻🫶🏻

⤷username my girl is literally collecting every hot guys.

⤷username post breakup y/n is gonna be soo iconic.

username mother.

yourinstagram

liked by rubendias, lilymhe, szoboszlaidominik and 48,938,940, others

yourinstagram girls dinner ft. some stupid boys🥂 (they begged us to come)

tagged; sabrinacarpenter, oliviarodrigo, lilymhe, alex_albon, pierre_gasly, francisca.cgomes, rubendias, carlossainz55, landonorris, szoboszlaidominik

view comments

oliviarodrigo your sports friends are cool i guess, but their girl's are cooler

⤷lilymhe you and Sab are super cool as well! It was awesome meeting you guys.

⤷sabrinacarpenter the pleasure was all mine ✨

rubendias finally! reunited and happy!

⤷yourinstagram reUNITED and happy 👀?? Nah buddy I don't think so

⤷szoboszlaidominik lmao 💀.

carlossainz55 I INFACT DID NOT BEGGED YOU! you told ME to tag along.

⤷yourinstagram AND you didn't wanted to????

⤷carlossainz55 I'm not saying that....

⤷username and i oop-

⤷username if i speak now.

⤷username shhhh

francisca_cgomes could've been better without those idiots tbf.

⤷yourinstagram ikr

⤷pierregasly WOW you're literally MY girlfriend

⤷francisca_cgomes says who?

⤷username lmfaoo iconic iconic iconic.

landonorris your footballer friends are amazing ngl.

⤷rubendias i have a name.

⤷szoboszlaidominik me too.

⤷landonorris my bad g.

⤷username fuck everything DOMINIK AND RUBEN interaction is what I'm living for.

lilymhe you're so beautiful marry me please

⤷yourinstagram yes yes yes!!!!

⤷alex_albon yeah.....no.

⤷lilymhe who are you?

⤷username I'm loving this wayyy toooo much

maxverstappen1 where was my invitation????

⤷yourinstagram sorry maximus, it was like a last minute plan

⤷username maximusss 😭😭

username literally the entire grid and their girlfriends are on y/n' side

⤷username as they should.

username even max is team y/n, my guy just can't stop taking W.

username this is the defination of iconic.

username dts gonna be so fun.

username can't wait for next gp.

celebnews

liked by username, username, username and 386,892 others

celebnews when at some point we all thought Charles Leclerc was regretting his decision or mistake, he infact was not, yesterday charles leclerc and probably his new girl alexandra saint mleux was seen leaving a fancy restaurant in Monaco, few fans said that the 'couple' seemed very happy and after that they both left to charles appartment in his custom pista, that's a very shameless behaviour. thoughts?

view comments

username this guy have 0 shame

username disgusting, absolutely disgusting.

username tbh we don't care, y/n is living her life with her friends and his teammate lmao.

⤷username ikr like no one even cares about this guy 💀.

username bro realised he fumbled hard and have 0 chances of a second chance so bro settled down.

⤷username real

username we do not care, y/n got multiple guys who would treat her way better than this sore loser.

⤷username yeah?? like who? no offense but Charles better than all of "her guys"

⤷username yeah not really, Carlos his teammate certainly beat him this season, Lando his rival out performed him as well despite being in McLaren, Ruben and Dominik actually good at what they do, so I can assure she got a lot of guys who is better than him and imagine defending a cheater who shamelessly admits it and literally start hanging out with his side chick.💀💀

⤷username ate her up lmao

rubendias who?

⤷username KINGGGGG

⤷username defending his girl on and off pitch.

⤷username rubennnnnn

username bro's smashing (in walls)

⤷username lmfaaaoooo

username can't spell charles leclerc without L, L and L.

charles_leclerc

liked by alexandrasaintmleux , joris_trouch and 38,395,689 others

charles_leclerc there's a thing called privacy.

view comments

lilymhe there's also a thing called loyalty.

⤷username queen ate him up.

⤷username the L in lily stands for legendary.

⤷username y/n's no.1 defender.

⤷username i love this woman sm 😭

username yeah you wish it was because if it wasn't then you'll never be caught cheating.

carlossainz55 lmao.

⤷username ohhhh hell yeah vegas is gonna be verrryyyyy interesting

⤷username see not trying to be weird and all but I ⛴️.

⤷username ⛴️🛳️🚢

⤷username guyssss.....what if....

⤷username yes!.

⤷username damn...i kinda wanted her to get with ruben but carlos would work too....

⤷username OHHH DTS WHERE ARE YOU NOW??!!

username face of a cheater

username imagine crashing every race and then having the audacity to cheat on a successful woman who's actually good at what she does, lmfao.

⤷username bro FUMBLED HARD.

username ew.

username y/n should make a song about this cheating ahh loser.

liked by landonorris

⤷username landooooo????!!!

⤷username Lando what do you know???

maxverstappen1 atleast be honest with yourself.

⤷username EVEN MAX LMFAAOOO

⤷username if i was charles leclerc I would've locked myself in my house.

username bro fucked up very badly.

username bro have balls of steel to come on internet and post this.

username no offense but this twig cheated on my girl???

⤷username ik sweetie ik, a strange world we live in.

username oh the music is coming y'all, I can feel it.

yourinstagram

liked by carlossainz55, rubendias, sabrinacarpenter and 39,838,973 others

yourinstagram welllll you guys called it, new one coming...soon 👀.

view comments

sabrinacarpenter ohhhhhhh myyyy goooooddd!!!!

⤷username my exact reaction.

⤷username sab is one of us.

⤷username supportive queen.

oliviarodrigo a hint? Is it sad or a absolute menace???

⤷yourinstagram guess we'll find out soon.

⤷username I'm really craving sad tbh....

⤷username oh she would destroy him in sad genre.

carlossainz55 can I say that I was the first person to hear that masterpiece??

⤷yourinstagram no

⤷carlossainz55 okay (I was)

⤷username ahm ahm...

⤷rubendias excuse me?!!

⤷username so we all know it's gonna be a masterpiece.

⤷username well it always is, every music she makes is a work of art.

rubendias still hurted by the fact that carlos heard it before me but okay I can't wait to enjoy it with the whole world.

⤷yourinstagram sorry rubs but he wouldn't leave me alone!

⤷carlossainz55 ACCUSATIONS!

⤷username so we can all feel it no?

⤷username shhh don't jinx it

szoboszlaidominik can't wait for it gyönyörű (beautiful)

⤷yourinstagram thank you domi!!

username SCREAMING CRYING

username finally!!!!! I've waited months for a song from mother.

username mother mother???!!!!

⤷username that's a band.

⤷username girl-

username i can't wait for it.

username song of the year.

⤷username it's not even released yet??!!

⤷username OK, and??

username oh my god I used to pray for times like this.

username finally the queen is back. (She never left)

username oh how I love being a y/n stan.

username finally!!!

╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾╾

ps: I finally did it! Thank you soooo much for waiting! And yes there will be part 4 AND once again this is no hate to charles or alexandra this is all just fiction so take it lightly, thank you 🫶🏻

[hauntedrain]

Part 4: For Our Own Sanity | Alex Turner x Fem Reader |

social media AU Summary: Alex and readers relationship turns public after a string of events.

part 1: Here! part 2: Here! Part 3: Here!

✰▹Warnings/Notices: use of milo as ex bf. timeline is probably all messy atp. use of Taylor swift as face claim, as well as reputation album use. Not edited.

liked by 1,345,457 others

@POPupdates: Milo Manheim and his gf have made a few comments recently about their opinions on Y/N L/N and her reputation with the media. Both stated that they agree with the backlash she's getting and find it reasonably as its consequences to Y/N L/N's actions. The Singer has yet to make any comment on any aspect as the L/N has been MIA from the media and hasn't been seen publicly since February 13th.

View all 19,495 comments

user1: Honestly she deserves it, the way she was with him is clear and clearly she has boy problems.

user2: I would leave social media too if I was that much of a train wreck. Ruining your own relationship and then running away from the problem you created is crazy.

user3: No wonder why Alex got a new girl.

↪ user4: AGAIN. NOTHING. IS. COMFIRMED. ABOUT. A.N.Y.T.H.I.N.G. its all he said she said, one side of the story isn't a complete story.

liked by 5,679,564 others

@Alexupdates: The Arctic Monkeys have arrived for their first out of 4 shows in New York City. The four shows will span over 2 weeks, and the first show started this evening!

click to view all 1,345,567 comments

liked by 1,346,568 others

@Alexculture: The Arctic Monkeys Have started their North America section of their World Tour after 2 months of touring the UK, however during this tour there's been many comments and talk about his relationship with "singer" Y/N L/N. Alex has yet to make a clear comment on their situation or if their is a situation at all, but he did say in a interview last weekend that he would "prefer privacy in relationships and life.".

View all 54,568 comments

user5: I thought they weren't together after his story with a black haired girl?

↪ user6: I mean its not like Y/N has never dyed her hair before. She's dyed it black before.

User7: I just want Y/N back. She hasn't posted since that one post, but she deleted it.

↪ user8: I heard that she's gonna release something soon.

↪ user9: they've been saying that for the last 5ish months. she never has.

↪ user10: I guess we just have to wait.

Y/N has posted to their story!

liked by AlexTurner,TaylorSwift & 25,456,358 others

@Y/N: 8/10/24

comments have been disabled

taglist: @mathdebate00 @ouroboros311 @joannfabrics @tangointhequango

[sophaeros]

julian casablancas for mojo magazine, november 2024 / issue 372 (x x)

Rock'n'roll Confidential: Julian Casablancas

The Strokes/Voidz mainman talks entitlement, respect and Arctic Monkeys

3AM (Pacific Coast Time) is an atypical hour to schedule an interview. But here's Julian Casablancas, zooming from Los Angeles, where the singer, for so long synonymous with the grit and glamour of New York City, has lived since 2020. He's a busy man: as well as fronting long-running garage rock classicists The Strokes - whose sixth album The New Abnormal won a Grammy in 2020 - he's found a refuge of sorts in his experimental, '80s synths-enabled group The Voidz, whose new LP Like All Before You is imminent. Talking to MOJO, Casablancas remains in shadow, his eyes occasionally reflecting dim light. "I can be a vampire," he promises. "You want a real rock star, bro? But I can be flexible and go into family mode too…"

What are you doing up at 3am, talking to MOJO? It's about the only time I have free. The rest of the time, it's videos and working with managers, going to concerts, social things… so l go all the way around, to crazy night hours.

The new album starts with Overture and ends with Walk Off - is there a concept lurking within? I guess a little. Maybe subconsciously. It hopefully hits if you have taken mushrooms. I had just watched Gone With The Wind, and they used to have overtures at the beginning of movies, and then we end the album with a synthesizer version. But it is not a rock opera story. If anything, the concept was going to be a one-word album title. At first, it was Zeal, then Perseverance.

How do you switch mindsets between Voidz and Strokes songwriting? Voidz songs are where my mind has been pushing me, and where I want to go, and where I am. But the ability or capability or muscle memory of writing Strokes-sequel stuff is just always going to be there. When those songs appear, it makes more sense to put them in each category, but it's not always that clear. But there's more 'no-limits' with The Voidz.

You recently said, "My current solution is to tour with The Strokes and then use the money to record with The Voidz." How did that happen? Years of drama and betrayals and horseshit (laughs). Honestly, l am cool with most of the dudes, and now we're more mature. It's not what I set out to do, but it's a fun, cool day job that I feel blessed to have. But let's just say I was only in a band called Zog, and whatever I worked on 10 years ago in Zog, I would not be interested in any more, I'm only interested in what I'm working on now. It's just the nature of music and creativity, you know?

What did you set out to do with The Strokes? I just wanted to challenge boundaries, and to have an ambitious collective of respectful teammates. Is that The Voidz? For me, yes.

The cliché about Strokes issues is that you were rich kids who weren't hungry enough. Any truth in that? Success affects people in different ways. I'd say there are some elements, probably from me as well, where you can be entitled… all kinds of bands have fallings outs and drama. It wasn't like, Oh, we don't need the money. I think it did take a lot of hunger to get there, but then after you've achieved something, when everyone is kissing each individual member's ass… OK, let's get back to work and do it again. It was like, Uh, no thanks. That's my assessment.

The Arctic Monkeys song Star Treatment starts out, "I just wanted to be one of The Strokes." What was your reaction? I thought, Be careful what you wish for. It was funny, and flattering. I have a lot of respect for Alex and those boys.

Tell us something you've never told an interviewer before. I've been trying to communicate with crows lately. I heard they have an intricate sonic language, but I haven't had any luck. It occurred to me that food would help, so I was trying to feed one M&M's earlier, but he wasn't having it. People can catch me making weird noises, trying to mimic the crow. I think the crows are more startled than the humans.

As told to Martin Aston

JULIAN, DOPE Five of Casablancas's crackers.

Brian Eno Burning Airlines Give You So Much More (ISLAND, 1974)

Benny Goodman Good-Bye (VICTOR, 1936)

Kate Bush Why Should I Love You? (EMI, 1993)

Max Richter Path 5 (Delta) (DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON, 2015)

BEAK> Secrets (INVADA, 2024)

[spaceorphan18]

Scenes from December (17/24)

Klaine Advent Day Seventeen : Taboo

***

December, 2051

Kurt sat at one of his cousin’s dining room tables.  He couldn’t remember the last time he had spent the holidays in Ohio, and it had been even longer since they had spent any considerable time with his side of the family.  Usually, his dad would come out to see him, or they’d be visiting Blaine’s side.  But ever since the passing of his Aunt Christine, and with his Uncle Andy in poor health, the family had been trying in recent years to have more get togethers.  

Maybe it was his age, but Kurt didn’t mind so much coming home every now and then.  Winters weren’t as harsh as he remembered in his childhood, and sometimes New York felt stifling so that getting away felt like a nice break.  The strangest part, though, was the surreal notion that his entire family had somehow aged without him noticing.  His grandparents had all long passed away.  Most of his cousins were grandparents, the same as he.  And there were a good handful of people he didn’t recognize at all at the party.  In some ways, he must have been an odd relic of an older age just as these new people were strangers to him.  

His family was not the family he once knew, but his family still the same.  

His granddaughter (Katie’s youngest) bounced on his lap.  She was singing and cooing and having a grand old time baning the silverware against the silverware against the table.  He took the fork away, and gave her the toy phone Katie let her play with.  It was unlike any toy phone he ever knew - the digital screen coming to life and the young child happily pushing buttons as if she knew exactly what to do.  God, he was getting old.  

Elsewhere, Blaine was across the room, chatting with Kurt’s Aunt, who was probably giving him some kind of update on his Uncle Andy, who had yet to come down from his bedroom.  Katie was talking to one of Kurt’s nieces - one of her cousins who had children of similar age.  The kids were all gathered near the TV where a video game was being argued over.  Kurt thought there’d be a strain of awkwardness all around - but everyone seemed to be having a decent time.  The only unfortunate thing was that Tracy wasn’t there.  She was obligated to be at her husband’s holiday party in Connecticut, but promised she’d try to make it to next year’s party.  

At least his dad was there.  

Kurt couldn’t help but worry.  He was looking frailer and thinner than he ever had before.  He couldn’t hear much anymore, and his face showed a sort of weariness Kurt had never noticed before, but at least he seemed to be in good spirits.  Carole couldn’t make it - she was visiting her sister, who could no longer travel.  Burt didn’t drive himself, Kurt and Blaine offering to take him where he needed to go.  He wanted to get his dad into a home soon, fearing the cancer might return.  But Burt had been stubborn about it.  He claimed that he and Carole were still doing alright without any assisted living.  

It was probably one of the biggest things they argued about these days.  

Kurt, selfishly perhaps, just wanted his dad there as long as he could have him.  

Burt currently was sitting next to him, attempting to have a conversation with one of Uncle Andy’s grown grandchildren. Alex - or L - as he preferred to be called, was dressed in a black sweater with spikes on one of the shoulders and a half shaved head.  His whole look was more extreme than any of the outrageous things Kurt had worn as a kid.  And as much as Kurt’s heart was heavy - he couldn’t be amused as his dad struggled to connect with someone so much younger.  

“So, L,” Burt’s voice was slower and more unsure than ever.  “Your dad said that you just got married.  Congratulations.” 

L didn’t seem to be as into the conversation.  “Yes, half of Shayla’s family couldn’t make it - what can you do when bigoted people still can’t accept a trans man into the family.” 

Burt wasn’t quite sure what to say to that, and instead took the conversation in another direction.  “So, if you identify as a male and have a wife, that would make you a straight couple right?” Burt said the word ‘straight’ as if it were taboo, which made Kurt chuckle.  

L promptly made a face and got up.  “Oh god, absolutely not.”  The conversation was clearly done, leaving Burt as confused as ever.  

Burt turned to Kurt, and let out a tired sigh.  It strangely reminded him of when he was a kid, and Burt would be perplexed by him.  At least some things never change.  

“Don’t get old, Kurt,” Burt said with a grunt.  “The longer you live, the less the world makes sense.” 

Kurt gave his granddaughter a squeeze, as he smiled as his dad, hoping he could hold on to this time as long as possible. 

[jbrunsolved]

Case still haunts Boulder

"But three years after a young girl's killing became a media sensation, one thing hasn't changed: No one has been arrested for killing JonBene�t Ramsey.

One thing is clear, however: Burke didn't do it.

In May, The Star tabloid ran a story saying sources in the D.A.'s office believed the boy, then 10, had killed his sister in a fit of jealousy.

Days later, Boulder D.A. Alex Hunter's office made a rare comment about the investigation, declaring in a public statement that the boy, now 12, is not a suspect.

Kane said prosecutors were outraged by the story.

"This was a little kid. We just thought it was terrible,'' Kane said.

As the story began to be picked up by more mainstream media, "When the New York Post picked it up, when MSNBC started to run with it, we just thought, "Shouldn't we put this to rest,''' Kane said.

Kane, the father of two, said, "I considered it to be child abuse, to profit that way'' at the expense of a young boy.

And, he said, there was "no basis for the story.''

In his review of evidence, Kane said, "I just didn't see anything to support that'' theory.

Asked recently if Burke had ever been a suspect, Police Chief Mark Beckner said, "Everybody was a suspect in the beginning.''

But, Beckner said, none of the evidence they collected pointed to the boy.

If the case goes to trial, the Ramseys' Atlanta lawyer, L. Lin Wood, said he is confident "I'll have a number of witnesses who will clearly testify there is no evidence against Burke.''

x

[the-final-straw-blog]

Free Alex Stokes + Russian Anti-War Saboteur Ruslan Siddiqui

This week on the show, we’re starting out with an interview with Lo and Meghan, two supporters of Jewish independent journalist, artist and antifascist leftist from Albany, NY, Alex Stokes Contompasis. Alex is serving a 20 year sentence for defending himself and 3 other community members attacked by Proud Boys and Oath Keepers at the New York state capital on January 6th, 2021. For the hour, we speak with Lo and Meghan, two friends and supporters of Alex who talk about Alex’s media work, the politically-charged court case and his ongoing appeal. More on his case can be found at FreeAlexStokes.Com, you can order his artwork to support his case there as well. They mentioned getting support and attention from the International Anti-Fascist Defence Fund.

Then, you’ll hear an interview from our comrades at Frequenz-A in so-called Germany with a recent interview of Anya of the grassroots group called Solidarity Zone that offers legal, media and other support to people facing charges for anti-war direct actions inside of Russia to speak about their work and the case of Ruslan Siddiqui, an anarchist who does not deny railway sabotage against the Russian war efforts in Ukraine. This first aired on episode 75 of B(A)D News: Angry Voices From Around The World from the A-Radio Network.

Solidarity Zone Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/solidarityzone

Telegram: https://t.me/solidarity_zone

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/solidarity_zone

LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/solidarity_zone

Email: solidarity_zone(at )riseup.net

Finally, you’ll hear Sean Swain reading from an incomplete list of people killed by law enforcement in the USA during the month of April 2023.

Announcements

Red Onion Hunger Strike Phone Zap

The saga at Red Onion continues, with more than 30 participants. Participants are asking supporters to call the Governor and the Virginia Department of Corrections to demand that the Red Onion follows state restrictions on solitary confinement. Kevin "Rashid" Johnson is additionally requesting his treatment for congestive heart failure and prostate cancer that he be moved from Red Onion to a facility like Sussex I or Buckingham that are near to large medical facilities.

You can hear a recent interview we had with a comrade of Rashid and see a roundtable of comrades of Rashid on Black Power Media recently talking about his situation. Here's a social media post with all of the pertinent information: https://kolektiva.social/@BlueRidgeABC/111868911724769356

VADOC Central Administration USPS P.O. Box 26963; Richmond, VA 23261 David Robinson Phone: 804-887-8078 Email: david.robinson@vadoc.virginia.gov

VADOC Director, Chadwick S Dotson Phone: 804-674-3081 Email: Chadwick. Dotson@vadoc.virginia.gov

VADOC Central Administration Rose L. Durbin Phone: 804-887-7921 Email: Rose. Durbin@vadoc.virgina.gov

Beth Cabell, Division of Institutions Phone: 804-834-9967 Email: beth.cabell@vadoc.virginia.gov

Governor of Virginia Glenn Youngkin Phone: 804-786-2211 Email: glenn.youngkin@governor.virginia.gov

Sample script: I am calling in support of the hunger strikers at Red Onion State Prison. I am concerned about the serious health effects of long-term solitary confinement and other illegal and brutal methods of confinement including sensory deprivation. Please end the use of these practices. I am also seriously concerned for the health of Kevin ‘Rashid’ Johnson, as he is being prevented from accessing care for his health conditions. Please move him back to Sussex I or to Buckinghm, near a major medical facility, so that he can resume cancer and cardiac treatment. Thank you.

Support Guarani M'Bya in Brazil

from FireFund.Net:

This campaign aims to support two native land in São Paulo south and also, others in state interior and coastal zones. Our goals is to restore and expand the prayer house (Opy’i) and communal kitchen, plant native trees and subsistence foodsuch as corn, rice, potato and others, distribute water and generate clean energy collected from surrounding rivers, support the cerimonies, and other constructions such as houses and other demands that the comunitie brings to us. Also carry out the construction of ecological bathrooms and support the school located in the land. These are some of the missions and commitments we have to native people here in São Paulo.

. ... . ..

Featured Tracks:

Get It Together (Buck Wild Instrumental) by The Beastie Boys

High Water Everywhere, Part 2 by Charlie Patton from Complete Recordings 1929-1934

Check out this episode!

[trascapades]

🕯#ArtIsAWeapon

Remembering artist #MichaelRichards and all the souls who perished 22 years ago today on #September11. #NeverForget

Reposted from @bronxmuseum Twenty-two years ago, Michael Richards was working in his studio at the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council in the World Trade Center. Richards was one of the thousands of lives we continue to remember on this anniversary of September 11. His life, legacy, and art are commemorated in the recently opened survey @bronxmuseum “Michael Richards: Are You Down?” on view through January 7, 2024. Richards’s work continues to inspire new generations.

Image 1: Michael Richards with “Consume” (1993) at The Bronx Museum in 1994. Photograph by Mel Wright.

Reposted from @studiomuseum On the twenty-second anniversary of September 11, we honor and celebrate Michael Richards's life and lasting legacy.⠀

⠀

Artist Michael Richards was an emerging artist known for his critical sculptural work, exploring the nexus of cultural mythology in the US, especially pertaining to Black history. He was a 1995–96 artist in residence at the Studio Museum, alongside cohort members Richard Lewis and Chakaia Booker—showing in the Museum's exhibitions "Carry Me Home: Artists-In-Residence" (1995–1996) and "Passages: Contemporary Art in Transition" (1999–2000).⠀

⠀

At age thirty-eight, he tragically passed away on September 11, 2001, while working in his Lower Manhattan Cultural Council World Views studio located on the ninety-second floor of Tower One of the World Trade Center. One among thousands who we remember on this day, Richards's untimely death was a tragic loss for the New York art world, and the #StudioMuseum in #Harlem in particular.⠀

Now on view at the #BronxMuseum, "Michael Richards: Are You Down?" presents Richards's visionary artworks, exhibiting the sculptures, drawings, installations, and video work he created during a prolific decade between 1990 and 2001. This is the first museum retrospective of Richards's work, curated by Alex Fialho and Melissa Levin.⠀

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Image 2: The Studio Museum in Harlem 1995–96 artist in residence Michael Richards. Photo: Becket Logan⠀

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Image 3: (From L to R) The Studio Museum in Harlem 1995–1996 Artists in Residence Chakaia Booker, Richard Lewis, and Michael Richards. Photo: Becket Logan

[webseriesviral]

Democrat declares campaign for Stefanik’s seat in House By Alex Gault | Watertown Daily TimesT... #movie quote #movies #movie line #movie line #movie scenes #cinema #movie stills #film quotes #film edit #vintage #movie scenes #love quotes #life quotes #positive quotes #vintage #retro #quote #quotes #sayings #cinematography

[thewidowsghost]

The Olympian and Her Surprise (Natasha x Olympian Reader)

confusinggemini612 asked:

Hey, I saw your post about your requests being open & figured I'd send one in. Could you please write a Natasha x Reader fic where the Reader who's been busy training for the Olympics shows up at the Compound to surprise Nat? Nat is ecstatic & the team's like wtf, not knowing Natasha was dating anyone. Thanks

procrastinatingsapphictrash asked:

Okay request thing really quickly since I'm kinda in the middle of class right now. Anyways could you write something about r being natasha's secret girlfriend (who is just a normal person, not an avenger) and natasha brings her to meet the team who are all very shocked. Thank you if you write this!

So, both of these lovelies sent me requests, so I sort of combined them to create this!!

Hope you guys enjoy!!

Practice had been going pretty well, and (Y/n) and her team had beaten their time by five seconds in their 400 x 4 relay.

On the car ride home, (Y/n) fiddles with the engagement ring on the chain around her neck.

(Y/n) smiles at the thought of surprising her fiance - who she hadn't seen for a month due to training for the Olympics.

(Y/n) is well built - both arm and leg muscles - and rather tall for a sprinter - about six foot three inches - making (Y/n) taller than her fiancee by about nine inches.

When (Y/n) finally pulls into the driveway of her and her fiancee's house in upstate New York, she's slightly disappointed to find that her fiance's black Corvette Stingray isn't there.

There is no reason for (Y/n) to be disappointed though because her fiancee hadn't known (Y/n) was coming home.

(Y/n) face lights up with a smile when she realizes what she could do - surprise Natasha at work.

(Y/n) backs out of the driveway and heads off to the Avengers Compound to surprise her Natasha.

"Hey, JARVIS?" (Y/n) asks as she walks into the Compound.

"Yes, Ms. (L/n)?" JARVIS asks - Natasha having added (Y/n) into JARVIS's programming. "Looking for Ms. Romanoff?"

"Yes," (Y/n) replies.

"She's in the training room just down the hall. Would you like me to warn her of your arrival?"

"No thanks, JARVIS," (Y/n) replies. "I'd like to surprise her."

(Y/n) heads down to the training room, and pauses in the doorway, watching her Avenger with a soft smile.

(Y/n) waves to Clint, and the archer grins.

(Y/n) notices the earbuds in her fiancee's ears.

After a minute or so, Natasha pulls out her earbuds, puts them in their case, and (Y/n) quietly walks over to Natasha, ignoring the other Avengers' curiosity.

"Tasha," (Y/n) coos, wrapping her muscled arms around the redheaded Avenger.

Natasha lets out a squeal of delight, turning in (Y/n)'s arms to hug her tightly.

"What are you doing here?" Natasha asks, ignoring her teammates watching the two women with confusion.

"I'm off for the next week," (Y/n) says with a smile. "I went home to surprise you, but you weren't there," she adds with a pout.

"Who is this?" A young green-eyed brunette that must've been Wanda asks.

"I'm (Y/n) (L/n)," (Y/n) says, and Natasha pulls out of the hug to address her teammates.

"This is my fiancee," Natasha says, her eyes sparkling happily.

There's a shocked silence that makes (Y/n) grin.

. . .

The Avengers move into the living room and in a better light, Tony Stark finally realizes that he knows (Y/n) from somewhere, but isn't quite sure where, and the billionaire says so, (Y/n) laughs simply.

(Y/n)'s piercing (E/c) eyes fix on the billionaire, her lean but muscular figure leaning back into the couch, an arm wrapping around Natasha's waist.

"She's an Olympic athlete," Natasha says proudly.

Steve looks more interested now, "What event do you participate in?"

"I'm a sprinter, but I've really gotten into hurdles recently, but never really run a race for hurdles," (Y/n) answers. "I run the 400x4 relay."

"Must take a lot of practice," Sam guesses.

(Y/n) nods. "I actually just got the week off after a month of training. Before that, it was three months of training and two weeks off."

"How'd you two meet?" Wanda asks her eyes bright with the question.

"I was working a part-time job at a coffee shop before my training started three years ago, and I saw her sitting at a table alone, so I went ahead and took my break to sit with the gorgeous redhead."

"That's so sweet," Wanda coos.

"Why didn't you tell anybody about (Y/n)?" Clint asks.

"I don't know why you're asking Bird Brain, you already knew," (Y/n) says with a grin in the archer's direction.

"Well, it was great to meet you, (Y/n)," Steve says, standing up. "I'm sure the two of you'd like to get home, though."

Natasha flushes as (Y/n) murmurs something in her ear that the others can't hear. "Come on, hun," (Y/n) says, getting to her feet, and holding out her hand for the redhead to take.

"Oh, and (Y/n)," Tony says and both women turn to look at the billionaire. "Welcome to the family."

(Y/n) and Natasha smile, a grateful smile on Natasha's face as she looks at her old friend, and with that, the two leave - Natasha driving her car, (Y/n) driving her own - meeting back up at home.

. . .

"So, hun?" (Y/n) asks. "What do you want for dinner?" she questions when the two had flopped down onto the couch, Natasha happy to be in (Y/n)'s arms again.

"What about that diner that delivers that we only get the night you come home?" Natasha asks.

"Oh, the, '(Y/n)'s Home Tradition Diner'?" (Y/n) asks, her eyes twinkling happily.

"Yeah," Natasha says with a grin. "Gotta build you up while you're here," Natasha says, patting (Y/n)'s stomach affectionately.

(Y/n) laughs, pulls out her phone, ordering their food, before snuggling together on the couch, Supergirl playing in the background, the two watching Alex's coming out scene.

"I loved your surprise," Natasha murmurs, her head resting on (Y/n)'s chest.

"And I loved meeting your friends," (Y/n) replies, her voice soft as to not blow Natasha's eardrums.

"Family," Natasha corrects.

"What?" (Y/n) questions, though she has a suspicion of the meaning behind Natasha's question. She just wanted to hear Natasha say it for herself.

"They're my family. Our family," Natasha says and (Y/n) grins, pressing a soft kiss to Natasha's forehead.

Word Count: 935 words

Taglist:

@mariawilson24

@just-dreaming-marvel

@marsromanoff

@procrastinatingsapphictrash

@theofficialzivadavid

@chickenhavewisdom

@fayharper

@acertainredhead

@capsicle118

@rail-me-romanoff

@ssa-sapphic

[canyousonicme]

“Certain actors have a reputation for being difficult. I don’t want to be one of those people”. - Alex Kingston


INTERVIEW: The Sunday Post


It comes as no surprise to Alex Kingston that her daughter has decided to follow in her footsteps, despite her best efforts to temper her acting ambitions.

The actress fell pregnant with Salome, now 19, when she was playing surgeon Elizabeth Corday on the long-running US medical drama ER in the ’90s.

Alex’s pregnancy was written into the script and Salome, whose father is German writer Florian Haertel, was just weeks old when she joined the cast as Elizabeth and Dr Mark Greene’s baby girl.

Now, two decades on, mother and daughter are working together again, this time in a Doctor Who spin-off audio drama, The Diary Of River Song. Now in its eighth series, it focuses on the Time Lord’s brilliant wife, the poetically named River Song, whom Alex has played on the TV show since 2008. Salome, meanwhile, plays the part of her synthetic humanoid companion, Rachel.

Alex said: “My daughter was in my belly on ER then played the role of our baby girl Ella Greene. She’s secretly always had the desire to act, but I was always adamant that she finished her education first.

“Salome plays a character who River Song meets up with occasionally and they have adventures together. Working with my daughter has been terrific fun. I am super-impressed with her. She is incredibly professional.”

© Big Finish

Alex with daughter Salome

For the past year Alex and Salome have been isolating together at her London home, alongside Alex’s third husband, television producer Jonathan Stamp. The pair married in an intimate Italian ceremony in 2015, and Salome was a bridesmaid.

They are joined by Alex’s German-born mother, Margarethe, who sadly suffers from dementia. It sounds like a potentially stressful set-up but Alex has cherished the unexpected extra family time lockdown gifted her.

Alex, who celebrated her 57th birthday a few days after the first lockdown was announced last March, said: “My daughter had arrived from New York and decided she wanted to live with us. Then my mother, who has dementia, suffered two strokes early on in lockdown and she moved in as well. So I was her carer.

“It was an amazingly special time. And I cherish it. Particularly with my mother, because I wouldn’t have had that opportunity otherwise.”

Like the rest of us, Alex has relied heavily on streaming services to keep her entertained during the long days spent at home. She even broke her self-imposed rule of not watching her own stuff on screen.

She said: “We did all the usual things, massive clear-outs, and of course binge-watched TV. I loved Schitt’s Creek, Call My Agent, Bridgerton and Luther. I can’t bear to watch myself on the television. However, I started watching ER, because it was streaming on Channel 4. I look at myself and it’s like I am watching someone else. It’s such a good show, and it’s really held up!”

She added: “As much as everyone is saying this is the year that they want to forget, I actually feel it’s a year one can never forget. It certainly wasn’t an easy time. However, I have much stronger memories of the year, and of the patterns of the year than I have ever had pre-pandemic, when there was always so much rushing around.”

© Paul Drinkwater/Warner Bros Tv/Amblin TV

Alex in 1994 with fellow ER cast members (l-r) Anthony Edwards, Eriq La Salle, Goran Visnjic, Noah Wyle

Alex began her career at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where she met her first husband, Skyfall actor Ralph Fiennes. They were together for 10 years before marrying in 1993. Two years later, Alex was left bereft when Fiennes left her after an alleged affair with a co-star. The London-born actress has barely stopped working since she first appeared on UK screens in 1980, as Jill Harcourt on the iconic children’s series Grange Hill. She continued to find success in UK dramas including Upstairs Downstairs, and The Fortunes And Misfortunes of Moll Flanders.

She first appeared in the fourth series of Doctor Who alongside David Tennant in 2008. Alex thought it was a one-off but has reprised the role in 15 episodes between 2008 and 2015.

It’s thanks to her Doctor Who appearances and, more recently, Sky’s hit supernatural drama, A Discovery Of Witches, that she has become known to a new generation of fans.

During her long and successful career, Alex has never been afraid to call out sexism in the industry. When she was dropped from ER aged 41, after seven seasons, she accused producers of ageism. saying “Apparently, I, according to the producers and the writers, am part of the old fogies who are no longer interesting.”

Then, when she auditioned for the role of Lynette Scavo on Desperate Housewives which eventually went to Felicity Huffman, she says she was turned away for being too curvy.

Although vocal about the challenges that face women, she admits she has seen positive changes in attitudes towards female talent in recent years.

She says: “When I was working on ER, I thought that I wasn’t allowed to get pregnant, I didn’t want to offend the producers as that is not what they had intended. I thought that I would have to ask permission. It was Anthony Edwards, who played my on-screen husband, who said ‘Don’t be ridiculous, don’t wait for them to allow you, you are not that important. If you want to have a child, go and have a child, and they will find a way to work round you.’ So I took his advice.

“I grew up with this notion that one had to be polite and always ask for permission. Whereas this generation don’t. They just get up and do it. The lovely and talented Teresa Palmer, whom I work with on A Discovery of Witches, is constantly popping out babies. Production just work around her. And it’s great, I admire her very much for that.”

© Chris Haston/Warner Bros Tv/Amblin TV

Alex in ER

Alex puts her staying power down to being in the right place at the right time – and being nice to people, though she says theatre will provide her with a safety net should the TV work dry up one day.

She said: “Being as versatile as possible helps. I’m up for anything as long it is written well.

“I had a formal training. My first love is theatre. Having that as a backbone will always support me. In an industry that will favour youth more, theatre is always there. In order to succeed on the stage you have to have had good solid training and know how to handle your voice.

“Also, being a nice person counts for a lot. If you were difficult you would get a reputation. Of course there are actors who are extremely difficult and tiresome to work with, and there will come a point at which you think is it worth it? I don’t want to be one of those people.”

Despite her time-travelling credentials Alex has no idea what the future holds but still harbours a dream of being a Bond Girl (though obviously not one who falls for the smooth-talking spy).

She laughs: “I would love to be a villain in a James Bond movie, the real villain, the main one. Because they’ve never had a female villain. And I want to be a villain who does not find James Bond sexy at all. And doesn’t succumb to his charms, I want to be his real nemesis.”

Time for a return to Tardis?

© PA / BBC

Alex alongside Peter Capaldi in Doctor Who

From ER to the Tardis, Alex’s career to date has been distinguished by roles opposite fictional doctors, whether medical or time-travelling.

The smash-hit hospital drama which made her a star in the ’90s famously launched the Hollywood career of a certain George Clooney. Then in 2008, Alex won a new generation of fans as the wife of Doctor Who.

Because the Doctor transmutates over time Alex, as River Song, gets several leading men for the price of one. Alex said: “Essentially my character is the same, so there’s continuity there, and the fun is interacting with someone who is essentially the same man, but in a different skin and with a different energy.”

Perhaps the least lucky man in the role was Matt Smith.

Alex explained: “One of the most memorable parts of filming was when I flew through the universe, got caught in the Tardis and kneed Matt Smith, who was playing the Doctor at the time, in a sore place by mistake. There were a few tears of laughter from me and cries of pain from him.”

Speculation is rife among fans that Alex will return to the Whoniverse, if the incumbent Time Lord Jodie Whittaker steps down. All Alex will say is: “My Tardis door is always open…” [x]

[thatesqcrush]

Change of Plans, Pt. 3

Rafael Barba x Reader. F/u piece to “Best Laid Plans.” For Kink Bingo: 69, which gives me one more complete row. My final piece for the kinkbingo challenge. I know kikntober is over, but hey lets give a welcome to kinkvember. 

WC: 2805

AN: Another p*rn without plot. Like, pure filth.

CW: p in v sex, male & female receiving oral sex, dirty talk, an*l sex, this is MMF and MFM. Also language. NSFW, so heed those warnings.

--

Sleep befell you three quickly. In the morning, you woke up alone. The room still permeated with scent of sex. You stretched, arching your back and elongating your limbs, enjoying the way the expensive sheets felt against your naked body. You sat up, pressing the flat sheet against your body. You reached for your phone, to check for any messages.

The sound of the elevator arriving caught your attention and you quickly ran your hands through your hair, in an attempt to smooth out any bedhead.  You smiled when you saw Rafael. He was holding a shopping bag and a tray of two large drinks, which you had hoped was coffee.

“Good morning.” Rafael greeted as he set the tray of coffee down. “Bryan took the liberty of sending for a new pair of shoes for you. He had to go into the office for a few hours but he plans to meet us for brunch. For now, it’s just you and I. I brought coffee. I thought we could go get whatever you needed for the weekend.”

“You are a godsend.” You exclaimed, wrapping your arms around Rafael and pulling hi into a hug. Rafael smelled like warm spicy citrus and just the scent alone evoked memories of the night prior. Your body ached in the best way.

Rafael nuzzled your cheek, before dipping his head to capture you lip with his. The kiss was soft and passionate, and warmth spread throughout your body, reigniting the fire from the night prior. Rafael slanted you head further, wrapping one hand around the nape of your neck, deepening the kiss. His other hand skated up your body, to the top of the sheet, pushing it down. That same hand then returned to the soft swell of your breast, squeezing. You let out a soft moan as your nipples tightened in response, eager for more.

The shrill of a phone ringing, interrupted the two of you. You both let out equal sounds of disappointment. Rafael looked at his phone and he answered it, standing. “Hola Yelina.”

You had taken enough Spanish to make out parts of his conversation – he was returning to New York the day after tomorrow – someone named Alex needed him. The tone of the conversation was stern and you could feel the tension as he clipped his responses. You climbed out of bed and figured which coffee was yours. You watched Rafael as you drank your coffee – his back was to you. Certain that the mood was spoiled, you took another swig of your coffee and then made way to the bathroom, the door closing with a soft click.

--

Twenty minutes later, you emerged from the shower feeling like a new person. You wrung your hair with the fluffy towel and found your clothes. You sniffed them – they would pass until you got home. Rafael was watching CNN, listening to Anderson Cooper talk about the upcoming election.

“Everything OK?” You asked as you found your jeans. You bounced in place, tugging the denim on.

Rafal looked up at you. “Of course; just some stuff from home. Nothing that can’t wait.” He stared at you intensely and you felt yourself blush under his gaze. You turned away to hide your discomfiture and instead focused your attention on the shopping bag. You opened the bag and took out the box – you let out a whistle at the pair of camel leather Nisolo smoking shoes. You knew the shoes were more expensive than you’d ever pay for yourself. You slipped them on and your feet were in heaven with the cushioned interior.

“Bryan did well.” You murmured to yourself. You finished getting dressed and used a claw clip to put your damp hair up.

“Ready to go?” Rafael asked. You nodded and as you both left, you didn’t miss how his hand wrapped around your waist.

--

The ride from the hotel to your apartment in East Hyde Park was not even thirty minutes. Rafael noted that the neighborhood had a strikingly serene setting considering that it was located in the middle of a large city such as Chicago. The neighborhood was bustling with young professionals. You gave Rafael a quick history lesson of the area – situated just south of Chicago's Loop, the area experienced rapid development in recent years, particularly in the South Loop neighborhood. The area boasted several historically-significant buildings and landmark districts. Cultural opportunities were abound, with various art galleries and museums were located in the area.

Rafael whistled at the lakeview you had from your apartment. “What a view.” Rafael complimented. You hummed in agreement, standing beside him, watching as waves of Lake Michigan crashed against the shoreline.

You turned back to pack some belongings for the weekend. You packed some clothes and then a lingerie bag with what you had that could pass off as your most sexy. You were pretty sure that it wouldn’t last long on you anyway, but you still wanted to wow them. You finished packing and then stripped to change into fresher clothes.

As you bent over to fish out another pair of jeans, you felt Rafael approach you from behind. He pressed himself against the curve of your ass, and you could feel his hardened cock. You stood straight, and Rafael pressed you flush against him. His lips ghosted the curve of your neck and you let out a small whimper of anticipation as he nipped your neck.

“Lets finish what we started before we were so rudely interrupted.” His voice was low and dangerous. Desire flooded your body once more. You turned around and stood on your tiptoes, wrapping your arms around his neck. Rafael’s green eyes were blown with lust. Rafael grabbed you by your thighs and hoisted you into his arms. You let out a squeal as you wrapped your arms around his neck. Rafael dropped you onto the bed, and you watched as he stripped his clothes. You eyed the large tent in his boxers, feeling your arousal flood between your thighs. You were already so wound up from earlier, you didn’t want to waste any time. You wanted his mouth, his cock, his hands on you and in you at once.

Rafael crawled up your body, kissing you passionately before working his way back down. He hooked his thumbs along the sides of your panties and tugged them. You raised your hips to help him remove them and he dragged the materials down your legs, before tossing them to the side. Rafael went to his knees, between your spread thighs. He pressed a kiss to each thigh before settling at your core, his breath ghosting over your clit, which was aching with need. Finally, Rafael dragged his tongue along your cunt, licking a broad stripe. His large hands held your thighs aside as he devoured you.

“Oh god, fuck, fuck!” You cried out, your hips undulating against his mouth.

“I fucking love this sweet little pussy.” Rafael mumbled before capturing your clit and sucking.

“I…I… want…” You had a hard time forming words as his tongue rolled over you repeatedly alternating with licks and sucks, causing your back to bow.

Rafael snaked a finger from beneath and slid it into you. He removed his mouth briefly to question you. “What do you want?” He took the opportunity to insert another digit inside of you.

“I… oh fuck!” You wailed as he curved his fingers, hitting that sweet spot. You pushed against his hand, trying to deepen his penetration. Your thighs trembled and you knew it would not take much longer to fall apart. You sucked in a breath. “To suck your cock.” You choked out.

Rafael removed his fingers completely and made a big show of sucking his fingers clean. You shuddered, watching him. “Then come sit on my face.” Rafael commanded, with an authoritarian tone that caused you to shudder. Rafael laid on the bed and he helped guide you over his face. Rafael pulled you down and returned to eating you out while you lowered yourself so you were face to face with his cock. Rafael massaged the flesh of your ass as his tongue lapped at your cunt. You pointed Rafael’s cock to your mouth and opened your mouth wide, feeling his erection push into the back of your throat. It was heavy and warm on your tongue as you wrapped your lips around him.  Rafael paused again, letting out a hiss in response. You spluttered around his length as you bobbed rhythmically. Your bedroom was filled with the wet sounds of Rafael’s mouth and tongue on your pussy and your mouth on his cock.

“That’s it… suck that cock like a good little girl.” Rafael crooned before pulling your hips down onto his face even more, delving his tongue inside of you as far as it could go. It didn’t take you long to fall apart, with you crying his name. Coming only spurred you and you returned your attention to his cock fervently. You used your hand to jack his cock while you cradled and sucked his balls with your mouth and tongue. A rumble emanated from deep within Rafael. “Y/N, I am going to come!” You took him in your mouth once more, as deep as you could go and within moments you could feel his cock pulse and twitch, his seed spilling down your throat hot, salty, and thick.

Rafael grunted once more and then smacked your ass. You removed your mouth from his cock and swung your legs off of him. Rafael pulled you to him and you opened your mouth and stuck out your tongue, showing him how clean it was. He pulled you close to him and you dipped your head to his shoulder, pressing a kiss.

You both stayed there like that, wrapped in each other, with Rafael stroking your hair. Finally, Rafael looked at the clock on your wall. “We should get going – Bryan doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

--

You both arrived at the restaurant, choosing to sit outdoors, rather inside as it was unseasonably warm. The restaurant itself was one that was notorious for being obnoxiously hard to get into, with a waiting list that spanned months but one phone from Bryan had opened up seats easily.

Bryan arrived and he greeted you with an open mouth kiss and then one to Rafael. He looked at Rafael curiously and then at you. “I can taste her on your lips.” Bryan grinned wickedly. “Safe to say you already ate.” He quipped, causing you to choke on your water.

“Y/N, save the choking for later.” Bryan continued as he sat down.

“Don’t quit your day job.” You quipped right back, feeling your cheeks burn.

Rafael took the liberty of ordering ahead for the table. The fare was simple but flavorful - kale and cheddar quiche, country paté with pistachio and foie gras and vanilla bean pancakes with pure maple syrup and blackberry compote with copious amounts of coffee and cocktails to be had.

It felt strange to sit at the table while both men talked about work. It jarred you back to reality that whatever this weekend was – was just another marker – another notch of fun for them and come Monday you’d all be back to your respective lives. The air was fraught, the conversation a sign of things changing.

You toyed your empty wine glass and then cleared your throat. “Why don’t we go do something… fun?” You suggested.

Something flickered in Bryan’s eyes at your words. “I suppose we should. I’ll send for an Uber.”

--

Back at the hotel, each man took turns undressing you and then each other. The air was charged and hot. Bryan and Rafael each licked up the opposite slopes of your neck and you softly sighed, clutching onto each of their bodies.

You kissed each man and then sauntered over to the bed where you laid back and spread your legs. “Bryan…” You beckoned, curling your finger. Bryan approached the bed and went to his knees. His hands were on you, spreading you wider and rolled his tongue over your clit.

“Still so wet from earlier.” Bryan noted.

You threw your head back and your eyes fluttered closed as Bryan put his tongue to work on your pussy. The bed dipped and Rafael was at your tits, sucking on them and rolling your nipples with his fingers. You lost yourself in the pleasure and wrapped your fingers in Bryan’s dark hair, keeping him in place in between your thighs.

“Make me come Bryan.” You whined.

Bryan responded by going down on you with eager gusto, slipping a finger inside of you while sucking on your clit. You cried out and Bryan looked up. “Rafael, hook her legs up.”

Rafael did as told, holding your legs up to where you ears were. From that position, your ass was exposed. Bryan pressed his mouth to your puckered rosebud. He kept his tongue loose and open and used a lot of saliva. Bryan licked you up and down using his tongue and made a circular motion with it around and over. Meanwhile, Rafael reached below and used two fingers to rub concentric circles on your clit. Bryan spat on your puckered opening and inserted a finger inside of you. You let out a sob, feeling your orgasm peak and wash over you. Bryan moved his tongue from your ass to pussy, licking and sucking through your orgasm. Rafael kept rubbing your clit, occasionally pinching it gently. Another orgasm washed over you, and you came hard over Bryan’s face and Rafael’s fingers.

Bryan winked at Rafael as he lowered your legs back to the bed. Rafael was on Bryan instantly, kissing him. The two men rubbed their bodies against each other, each pumping one another’s cocks. You crawled between their lower halves and alternated sucking and jacking their cocks.

“Yes, suck his cock.” Bryan praised as you ran your tongue over the head of Rafael’s cock.

“You look so pretty with a mouthful cock.” Rafael complimented, his hand wrapped in your hair, guiding you. Bryan shifted and he joined you in sucking Rafael’s cock. You would pause to make out and then resume blowing Rafael.

Bryan stopped what he was doing and got the lube. He drizzled it over his cock and pumped it a few times, getting it good and slick. He motioned with his hand for Rafael to lay down and he did so. You watched as he slid into Rafael, buried to the hilt and then started to fuck into him with slow, steady thrusts. Bryan turned to you, stilling. “Climb up there sweetheart. Go ride that cock.” You grinned and moved to Rafael. An idea came to you, and you climbed onto Rafael. You slid onto Rafael easily, letting out an “oh” as he filled you up. You began rock and bounce on his cock, in tandem with Bryan’s thrusts. The tempos increased from you and Bryan as you chased your orgasms. Growling curses emanated from deep within from Rafael.

“So close, so close.” Rafael chanted. You bounced on his cock harder, your ass clapping on his thighs with every downstroke. As you all fucked, the voice of truth in your mind affirmed that these two men ruined you completely – there would be no normal after this – how could you go back to normal after this.  With them all you knew was pleasure and decadence. You felt used and dirty, in the best way possible. Being their plaything was the best thing that had happened to you.

Bryan reached around you, finding your clit and rubbed. You stiffened, coming hard around Rafael’s cock, wailing both their names. Rafael let out a grunt coming hard inside you, so much that it seeped out of you while still connected. Bryan’s strokes broke and he pulled out, coming on your ass in white hot ropes.

You all collapsed in a mix of limbs and sweat. A goofy grin broke out on your face. “When can we do that again?”

“Dirty girl.” Bryan husked, nipping along the shell of your ear. He snaked his hand to your overstimulated cunt and cupped it possessively. You let out a soft moan and then turned to Rafael.

“Do you really have to go back?” You asked. The wistful look on you face turned into a haze of pleasure as Bryan sunk a finger in you.

“Lets not worry about that.” Rafael murmured, pressing a kiss to the corner of your lips.  His hand then slipped to your throat and he gently but firmly, squeezed.

Truth be told, both men didn’t want whatever this was to end. They just each wanted this for as much time they could carve out. Tomorrow would come soon enough. Today. Today and tonight was all they had. And for now, that would be enough.

FIN.

{Tag List} @madpanda75 @tropes-and-tales @delia26 @mgarner1227 @beardedmccoy @youreverycolor @neely1177 @the-baby-bookworm @mrsrafaelbarba @skittle479 @ottosuricato @sass-and-suspenders @mommakat32 @dreila03 @beccabarba @garturbo @lovebennycolon @imjustreallynosy @sweetsummertime99 @whyissvuruiningmylovelife @annabelleb49 @scarletsoldierrr @cesarofangirl78 @redlipstickandplaid @redlipstickandblacktea @zoeykaytesmom @differentshadesofgray @misssirenlove @esparza-army @bananas-pajamas @mishaissocoolike @thefanficfaerie @theenchantedgalleryofstories @catnip987 @choppedgalaxynerd @pieceofshittytitty @ktiz90 @evee87 @itsjustmyfantasyroom @blk0912 @detective-giggles @rampantmuses @jazzyjoi @caked-crusader @rachelxwayne @prurientpuddlejumper @lv7867 @permanentlydizzy @bisexual-dreamer02

[phroyd]

Psycho-Boy Michael Caputo, a Trump Appointee, is having a major Psychotic Breakdown! - Phroyd.

A top communications official for the administration’s coronavirus response urged President Trump’s supporters to prepare for an armed insurrection after a contested election and accused government scientists of “sedition” in a Facebook Live chat that he described in detail to The Washington Post on Monday.

Michael Caputo, assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services, which is overseeing the coronavirus response, leveled the accusations and promoted other conspiracy theories in a Facebook Live event first reported by the New York Times. Caputo confirmed the authenticity of the video in comments he made to The Post.

“Since joining the administration my family and I have been continually threatened and in and out of criminal court dealing with harassment prosecutions,” Caputo said in a statement. “This weighs heavily on us and we deeply appreciate the friendship and support of President Trump as we address these matters and keep our children safe.”

Caputo’s comments come as Trump administration officials say they are seeking to build public support for a coronavirus vaccine but have faced a series of disappointing setbacks, most recently the release of audio in which the president admitted that he deliberately downplayed the virus when he knew it was “deadly.”

Trump installed Caputo in April after weighing whether to fire Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar over a series of damaging stories about Trump’s handling of the pandemic, according to three current and former White House officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe behind-the-scenes discussions. Allies persuaded Trump to not make such a change amid a pandemic, but instead to bring in Caputo, the officials said. (Trump denied reports that he was considering firing Azar at the time.)

Almost immediately, Caputo began exerting control over officials’ public appearances and statements; by early summer, he had extended that scrutiny to scientists. He and an adviser have faced mounting criticism in recent days for interfering with the work of scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, seeking to change, delay or kill weekly scientific reports they thought undermined Trump’s message that the pandemic is under control. Caputo has also sought to wield influence over when government scientists appear on television, telling officials that he approves such bookings.

Caputo is viewed as a Trump loyalist, but several White House officials said his behavior has been erratic and some of his ideas have been regarded as extreme. For example, he proposed the federal government spend millions of dollars on a professionally directed and produced documentary about the administration’s race to develop vaccines that he wanted to air at film festivals, said a senior administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The idea was rejected by White House communications aides.

In the Facebook video, Caputo criticizes government career scientists, the media and Democrats, the Times reported and Caputo confirmed. He said he was under attack by the media and that his “mental health has definitely failed."

“I don’t like being alone in Washington,” Caputo said in the video, describing “shadows on the ceiling in my apartment, there alone, shadows are so long.”

Caputo also said the CDC, which is part of HHS, had a “resistance unit” that aimed to undermine Trump. Without offering any evidence, he also accused scientists “deep in the bowels of the CDC” of giving up on science and becoming “political animals.”

They “haven’t gotten out of their sweatpants except for meetings at coffee shops” to plot “how they’re going to attack Donald Trump next,” he said in the video. “There are scientists who work for this government who do not want America to get well, not until after Joe Biden is president.”

He also predicted that Trump would win the election but that Biden, the Democratic presidential nominee, would refuse to concede. “And when Donald Trump refuses to stand down at the inauguration, the shooting will begin,” he warned in the video. “The drills that you’ve seen are nothing. If you carry guns, buy ammunition, ladies and gentlemen, because it’s going to be hard to get.”

Several Democratic lawmakers, including Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro (D-Conn.), called late Monday for Caputo’s firing.

“Secretary Azar has a basic responsibility to ensure our public health experts are able to do their jobs, our covid-19 response is not undermined by misinformation or conspiracy theories, and the data used to inform our efforts is free of political interference,” Murray said in a statement.

Noting that Caputo has said the president asked him to oversee a $250 million campaign “intended to help America to get back to normal,” DeLauro said, “We now know this is a propaganda campaign that must be defunded immediately. It is not the mission of the Department of Health and Human Services to get the President reelected.”

House Democrats on the select subcommittee on the coronavirus crisis also announced that they had launched an investigation into political interference in the CDC’s science reports on the pandemic.

The White House declined to comment on the controversy Monday.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss behind-the-scenes conversations, a White House official said the president was aware of Caputo’s comments but that his job appeared to be safe for now. Nonetheless, the official said, some advisers were arguing Caputo should be demoted or removed because of concern that he could damage the administration’s efforts to build public confidence in a prospective coronavirus vaccine.

The official said the White House has also recently expanded its coronavirus vaccine messaging team, detailing staffers from other agencies in an “end run” around Caputo.

Senior White House aides have previously warned Caputo that some of his public comments crossed a line. Caputo deactivated his personal Twitter and Facebook accounts on Monday.

HHS released a statement describing Caputo as “a critical, integral part of the President’s coronavirus response, leading on public messaging as Americans need public health information to defeat the covid-19 pandemic.”

Several current and former administration officials have expressed frustration that Caputo seems more focused on the president’s political fortunes than on combating the pandemic. Caputo denied that, saying that while he cares about the president’s electoral prospects, he is most worried about the deaths and suffering caused by the pandemic. He noted he has urged friends to wear masks. “If you don’t wear a mask, you’re part of the problem,” he said in the interview.

As a former radio talk show host, Caputo said he used to host such Facebook Live events every Sunday until he took the assistant secretary job in April. Since then, he has done two or three such events to talk about the pandemic response.

He said he spoke about being in personal danger on the Facebook Live video because a car had stopped in front of his Buffalo-area home, where he was shooting the video, and a man rolled the car window down and twice yelled profanities and threatened his life.

Since Caputo has been in the HHS job, he said, his two young daughters, now 6 and 8, have been harassed constantly. One man is being prosecuted for yelling profanities at them when they were playing outside, he said. The Post could not immediately confirm that case.

During the video, Caputo said questioners asked whether he would stay in the job because of mounting criticism of his team’s interference in the work of CDC’s weekly scientific missives aimed at the nation’s doctors, known as the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports. He said he expected to remain in his post.

Caputo was an unusual choice for the top health communications job in the government, especially in the middle of the worst public health crisis in a century. A New York public relations specialist and political consultant, Caputo served as campaign manager to controversial businessman Carl Paladino in his unsuccessful bid for governor of New York in 2010. Caputo began working with Trump in 2014, first to assist Trump’s unsuccessful bid to buy the Buffalo Bills that year and then, in 2016, to assist Trump’s efforts in the Republican primary for president in New York.

Caputo remained in the public eye, particularly after the appointment of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III in 2017. In frequent interviews, Caputo bemoaned the investigation and the effect it had on Trump allies who faced hefty legal bills as they received subpoenas and requests for interviews with investigators. When the investigation wrapped, Trump hosted Caputo for a meeting in the Oval Office and took pictures with his family.

Caputo himself drew the attention of Mueller’s investigators in part because he had had contact with a Russian who offered damaging information about Hillary Clinton during the 2016 campaign.

In May 2016, Caputo said, a Russian man approached his then-business partner, Sergey “George” Petrushin at an art gallery opening in Florida, claiming to have information that could be helpful to Trump’s campaign. Petrushin connected him with Caputo, who arranged for him to meet with political operative Roger Stone, a longtime friend.

According to the Mueller report, which described the episode, investigators found no link between the Russian man’s outreach and the broader effort by Russia to interfere in the 2016 election.

As a political adviser and public relations specialist, Caputo also had lived for a time in Moscow in the 1990s, where he worked on a campaign reminiscent of “Rock the Vote” on behalf of then-Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

Returning to the United States, Caputo took a contract in 2000 working for the Russian conglomerate Gazprom Media to improve Vladimir Putin’s image in the United States. He later told the Buffalo News that he was “not proud of the work,” adding, “at the time, Putin wasn’t such a bad guy.”

[antoine-roquentin]

i’ve noticed that my shorthand critique of the “south park caused anti-semitism” theory of media has been getting some attention, and it’s funny cause it dovetails with another round of “the youtube algorithm is responsible for turning everybody into nazis” rhetoric as well, sparked by a recent new york times article. this sort of navelgazing is pretty popular because it works nicely with beliefs that both elites and liberals in general have, namely, that public opinion needs to be managed by an enlightened few, that some people are too stupid to participate in civic life and that’s why right wing populists get elected, and that if people are educated correctly, they will simply accept that liberalism is the best model for society. in short, it’s behaviorism, namely, the hypodermic needle model of media.

the liberal elite in interwar america believed themselves to be creating a better society through management of public opinion. figures like walter lippman were committed to benevolent elite rule through the manipulation of opinion, the “manufacturing of consent”. many of them came out of the milieu of manipulating popular opinion through propaganda work in the first world war, successfully convincing americans to join and support the british side in that war. edward bernays, for instance, worked for the committee on public information, the “largest propaganda machine the world had ever seen“, before becoming the intellectual forebear of the public relations industry in america. he and other similar figures, like lippman, carl byoir, and charles merriam (who combined behaviouralism with political science), were the leading lights of the “Progressive” movement of the time. they relied on the notion that media was passively consumed by people, who simply accepted the claims made without hesitation and then acted accordingly. the psychological theories behind this found form as a body of work known as behavioralism. human beings had a set of limited or “latent” responses to stimuli. by providing the correct stimuli, human beings could be made to behave accordingly. one day, society would be governed by the truly intelligent who would suss out the correct stimuli through trial and error and then apply them to the masses, a society of pavlov’s dogs. this top-down model not coincidentally empowered liberal elites to do what they will without any input from the masses.

this was termed the “hypodermic needle” or “magic bullet” model of media. both of these are medical terms, the latter referring to a drug that treats only the disease without any side effects, and that’s quite telling. american progressives have traditionally exalted medicine as a neutral, rational way to develop a better society. many were advocates of eugenics as a form of medicine, “cleaning” the human race of its “unfit” members. recently, there’s been a strong resurgence of interest in eugenics, behavioralism, and the use of medical terminology to describe media (viral video, using the metaphor of contagion).

proponents of the model in the 1930s referred to the success of the nazis in their use of mass media (ironically, using the same propaganda techniques they’d developed. joseph goebbels was known to be a reader of bernays’ books) as well as the payne fund studies, a series of works done on the responses of children to movies with poor methodology and funded by oil magnates hoping to drive moral panics (the hays code was strongly influenced by them), and the panicked reaction to the 1938 orson welles radio production of war of the worlds in support. of course, all three of these shared very specific material conditions of the people involved that drove them to react in the manner they did apart from the media involved in persuasion. for the decade after the first world war, while germany muddled along without growth but also without significant collapse, the nazis failed to attract more than a few percentage points of electoral support, despite consistently using similar tactics. it was only after the economic collapse of germany, when the economy had shrunk by about a quarter, that the nazis gained traction. even then, this was by using the failures of a liberal constitution to turn their electoral base, only one third of voters who were largely based in rural areas and included almost nobody in the major cities, into a workable governing coalition, particularly by playing on the fact that german liberals feared communism much more than nazism. likewise, the panic over war of the worlds was largely a myth created by newspapers which feared they were losing their audience to a new, more dynamic form of media and wanted to stoke a moral panic (see a parallel with the nyt story?). those who were convinced that an invasion was occurring, according to a study done afterwards (in part by theodor adorno), for the most part had only heard a bit and were concerned about a german invasion, given the heightened geopolitical tensions at the time, or were from the town of concrete, washington, which suffered a blackout midway through the performance.

you can see the same sort of threads in the nyt story, while the important parts go ignored by twitterati eager to engage on the most superficial level. “young men discover far-right videos by accident“ thanks to “YouTube and its recommendation algorithm“, “the most frequent cause of members’ “red-pilling”“ according to a study done by the NED(ie western intelligence)-funded bellingcat, after which they fall “ down the alt-right rabbit hole” as passive subjects reacting to stimuli. clearly, these videos spread like a contagion, and it’s our job to ban them in favour of much more legitimate content that supports major western foreign policy objectives. oh wait, hold up, mr cain was a “college dropout struggling to find his place in the world“, at a time of wage stagnation and a tough job market for newer entries that’s especially pronounced as you go further down the education ladder? he “grew up in postindustrial Appalachia”, an area destroyed by rapacious neoliberalism that has increasingly seen its industries move offshore in search of lower wages, its most dynamic members leave for major cities due to a lack of jobs, and those that remain become increasingly socially isolated, prompting them to either resort to social media or kill themselves through drugs and guns in what famed economist angus deaton calls “deaths of despair” (not to mention the limiting of public spaces to those who can pay, another aspect of neoliberalism, which particularly drives teens like mr cain into "online games with his friends”)? in a world where capitalism justifies itself by telling those it fails over and over that it’s their own fault, that they need to improve themselves and that there is no such thing as structural problems because, in the words of margaret thatcher, “there is no such thing [as society]! only individual men and women”, mr cain was drawn to propaganda masquerading as a self-help grift with an emphasis on supposedly knowing more than the brainwashed masses (”To Mr. Cain, all of this felt like forbidden knowledge“)?

most of all though is the fact that most of the people cain watched are either funded directly or take most of their talking points from a network of right wing intellectuals cultivated by major dark money backers for decades. david rubin takes money from dennis prager, who in turn is funded by fracking billionaires and evangelical christians the wilks brothers, and the bradley foundation, who have funded literally every major right wing cause of note. lauren southern is only famous because she worked for rebel media, funded by much of the oil industry including the kochs as well as the bradley foundation. paul joseph watson is associated with ukip and its funder arron banks. gad saad is funded by molson coors, whose corporate heads not only once praised hitler but founded the most famous republican think tank in the country, the heritage foundation. two of the major members of the “intellectual dark web”, charles murray and christina hoff sommers, work directly for the heritage foundation. and other youtube luminaries of note, like alex jones, thunderf00t, and stefan molyneux, make their money solely by doing interviews with these people and by citing material produced from these think tanks. in a world where inequality is increasingly dividing the rich and the working class, the former spend more and more on maintaining the division, while the latter are driven into a state of fear in which absurd theories about the collapse of western civilization and their replacement with latin american and muslim people seems much more reasonable. There’s also the social isolation that makes youtube celebs and discord chat buddies seem less like distant weirdos and more like the only friends one has. 

the solution, of course, is to modify youtube’s algorithm. just a bit of top-down tweaking to educate the masses on their correct course. surely, nobody would be stupid enough to think that the material conditions created by the neoliberal elite in the past few decades has driven a complete collapse in trust in american society, to the point where only a third of americans "trust their government “to do what is right”“, compared to over 80% of chinese people. surely this breakdown in trust is due to youtube and not the complete economic decimation of the country by its elites, to the point where many rural counties have not even recovered the jobs they lost a decade ago. a redistribution of wealth should not even be on the table, because material conditions play no part in how people react to media. just accept your daily helping of bullshit from the bourgeoisie and never question them when they say certain people need to be censored, because the powers you let them have will never be abused or turned against you in any way. and hey, don’t listen to any critiques of behaviorism, because it’s not like anarchists blew that shit out of the water in the 1950s.

[allie1804-fan]

Ile de Re (Chapter 1)

I wrote this fic  last year, mostly while on holiday on this lovely island.  If you are on Archive of Our Own, you may have seen it before. Written before Matrix 4 was announced and before Covid so sorry that the timelines are no longer realistic!

Summary

Keanu meets a chef to help him prepare for a movie role. Events conspire for them to spend even more time together than they planned and despite the large age gap, romance ensues.

1 2 3 4 5  6 7 8

April 2020

Keanu hung up the phone and quietly fist pumped to himself. He’d just had news that a new project had been green lit. It was one he’d been collaborating on for some time - where he’d play an American chef, somewhat down on his luck who was establishing a new restaurant in a rural French town. The thing that thrilled him most was that the project afforded him the chance to finally learn how to cook – at least a bit - because he’d need to demonstrate some skill in the film itself and to ‘find’ his character he wanted to understand more about the craft of being a chef – especially the passion that drove them.

He went to his office and pulled out his laptop, opening a file holding details of some chefs who Erwin’s team had tracked down that fit the bill in terms of the knowledge they had and their personal experiences. He dropped an e mail first to a chef names Yves Le Gouhier and another to a woman called Claire Bonnevin. They each had restaurants in LA but were French natives who had trained at home before heading to America to open restaurants of their own. He hoped that the guy would say yes since he felt he’d probably relate better to his experience however he checked out both of their bios and looked at restaurant reviews on line.

A few days later, the decision was made for him as to who would give him the coaching as Mr Le Gouhier was out of town for at least a couple of months, establishing a new restaurant whereas Ms Bonnevin was able to fit him in for some daily ‘classes’ starting the following week. Whilst mildly disappointed, he also recalled that he’d actually eaten at Ms Bonnevin’s place once and had really rated the cooking which mixed homespun flavours with Gallic finesse - the seafood there was to die for.  He responded quickly in the affirmative, and ever the perfectionist, asked if there was anything he needed to bring or any preparatory work he could do before Monday. Claire replied that if he could let her have a working copy of the script and tell her what his favourite meal was before the weekend – they could work on the skills he’d need to demonstrate in the film and, depending on what the meal was, also aim to make his favourite meal to a good standard by the end of the week. If he had some friends who’d like to eat what he made, then he should ask them if they were free.

“What a question!” he pondered, thinking about what his favourite meal was. Keanu was a man who liked to eat - so much so that he needed the counsel of his trainer Denise to keep off the pounds in between films! Would it be a good steak with garlicky greens and crushed potatoes?, veal with a cream and mushroom sauce, roast lamb with flageolets and dauphinois potatoes – this task was just making him hungry!  He decided on the latter thinking it would be a challenge and fitted with the style of cooking they had at “Le Chat Botte” which was Claire’s restaurant. The pressure of feeding something he’d made that wasn’t bacon and eggs or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich was both thrilling and unnerving. He messaged his sister Kim, his mother and friends Rob, Alex and Josh who were all pleased to be free although they joked that they might need to go to Macdonald’s to fill up afterwards!

Monday came around and Keanu pulled up at “Le Chat Botte” at 9am prompt. Entering via the service entrance as instructed, he walked into a spotless kitchen with gleaming stainless steel work stations, hobs and ovens  ranged along one wall and a large wooden kitchen table in the centre which had 2 sets of chopping boards in different colours along with a variety of knives, spatulas and other cooking implements arranged side by side in the centre of the table. No-one was in sight though Keanu could hear the sound of a voice coming from an adjoining room. Walking across the kitchen he stuck his head round the door of what turned out to be an office where he saw a petite, dark haired woman he recognised (from her bio) as Claire Bonnevin  - she was speaking to someone on the phone in French. She raised her hand to him in greeting, mouthing sorry and hurried to complete the call.

“Oui, Oui, je te rapellerai demain  - mon nouvel client vient d’arriver, oui oui c’est lui, donc il faut que j’accroche.  D’accord d’accord, je sais. Au revoir”

Claire turned to Keanu blushing - she had the distinct impression that he’d understood that she’d just referred to him in her conversation.

“so sorry about that – that was my restaurant manager back home in France just giving me an update on my dad  - he’s not been too well recently so we’ve been talking every day” Her English accent was excellent with only a slight gallic note.

Keanu stuck out his hand

“Nice to meet you Ms Bonnevin and no problem – you didn’t need to rush them off the line on my account”

Claire smiled and shook his hand, “I heard you were impossibly polite! – of course I did, I was eating into your paid time – nice to meet you too by the way. Keanu grinned - Claire could feel the colour rising in her cheeks again  - she wasn’t exactly sure why - maybe it was the directness of his gaze or the brilliance of his smile.

“So, are you ready for your training?”

Keanu chuckled and responded with what he thought was the expected reply “hell yeah” but Claire didn’t react, “maybe the Matrix reference was unintentional” he thought – she was pretty young after all, (her bio said she was 35) so maybe she was one of the few whom it had passed by!

“So let’s go through to the kitchen and get started” she said leading the way back to the room where Keanu had entered earlier.

For the next 4 hours they talked through and tried out some of the particular skills that would be needed in kitchen scenes. Whilst they worked, they got to know each other a little with Claire wanting to find out about Keanu’s food knowledge and experience and Keanu quizzing her about her beginnings in the industry. He discovered that she grew up on a tiny west coast island in France called L’Ile de Re” where her Dad still owned a restaurant called, like hers in LA, “Le Chat Botte”.  He no longer worked as a chef there but lived in the little village where it was, hence the manager being able to keep Claire appraised of his health.  She’d learned her craft there and then moved on to train in Paris, New York and then LA to establish her namesake restaurant in the US.

For her part, from what Keanu said, she could see that despite not having grown up in a house where people had a passion for cooking, he nevertheless clearly had a passion for food  - from the humble sandwich to fine foods from around the globe. He was also a quick study, picking up the knife skills needed to finely chop onions and garlic on film that he’d need. She was a patient teacher, though she would occasionally break into French when she was struggling to communicate the exact technique such as when at first he couldn’t master the rotation of the knife needed to chop finely:

“tient tient, comme ca” she said, placing her hand over his to show how the blade needed to rock back and forth over the garlic.

At 12 they broke for lunch at which point Claire challenged Keanu to make her his best sandwich from the ingredients on hand. He asked her what she liked and created a layered club sandwich which she declared excellent. By the time he left at 1pm, Keanu was convinced that she was an excellent choice of teacher and one he’d enjoy learning from. He could hardly wait for the next day when they were going to study cuts of meat by going to Claire’s favourite butcher.

The week progressed with a mix of hands on cooking classes and continued trips to suppliers which served to explain the importance of provenance and quality ingredients. They also worked on timings  and started to plan the stages of creating the menu Keanu had planned for Friday’s lunch.

On Thursday Keanu tried out the dauphinois potatoes and was thrilled with the result - he was really starting to enjoy cooking and his rapid growth in skill. Claire praised him warmly and suggested he try a dessert as well for the next day.

“You could try something simple like a mousse au chocolat but I think you’re ready to really wow them”

“Oh yeah?” Keanu grinned “With what?”

“A tarte Tatin”

“What!, are you sure?”

“Absolutely – you’re an excellent student - let’s do one today together, you’ll master it I’m sure”

She showed him how to prepare the sugar and butter in a special tin that could go on the stove and then in the oven to finish. They prepped the apples placing them rounded side down in the tin and proceeded to caramelise the butter and sugar until it was a gorgeous molten mahogany. Then he learned how to make the shortcrust pastry using cool hands to rub the butter into the flour then bring it together to a dough which rested in the fridge. Once rolled out, he placed it onto the cooled apples, tucking in the edges round the sides. The result when they turned the tarte out (upside down to reveal the apples) was amazing – sweet, tender apples with the sugary caramel cut a little by freshly grated lemon rind and a melt in the mouth pastry to top it off.

“See!” she smiled, “I knew you could do it”

“No, you did it!” he grinned

“Well, OK so today we both did it but tomorrow it will all be down to you”

Friday came and Keanu got to the restaurant at 8am wanting to have as much time as possible to get everything perfect.

By 11.30 the lamb was resting, his gratin and tarte were in the oven and the beans were simmering gently.

The meal was beginning with a simple salade aux lardons  - it was time to dress it with the vinaigrette he’d made earlier. He started to toss it gently but some lettuce flipped out over the side

“Watch out you don’t drop too many said Claire – unless you want lots of children’ she laughed!

“What?” Keanu asked, shooting her a quizzical look.

“it’s a saying we have in France that the number of leaves you drop when you’re tossing the salad tells you the number of kids you’ll have.

“Oh right” he chuckled, “that’s cute, but it’s way too late for that”

“What do you mean?, you’d have time to have them if you wanted, surely”

“I’m too old Claire”

“What, you must only be what?”, she paused to look at him and consider his face “…. About 45”

“Ha ha” Keanu laughed heartily.

“No, I’m fifty five”

“Merde” she exclaimed “ce n’est pas possible!”

Keanu shook his head and smiled - he loved how she reverted to French when she was reacting spontaneously to something.  

“I’m afraid it’s true, so even if I had a wife or even a girlfriend, I still think it’s too late to be having babies. I might be dead before they’re 20 or 30.

Claire’s face clouded over

“Sorry I didn’t mean to be all maudlin” he said

“Don’t worry, it’s just my mother died when I was 25 so I know that’s hard – but people die all the time, young and old.

“Ain’t that the truth” Keanu agreed quietly, remembering his own past.

“and lots of guys have babies when they’re older. Maybe you shouldn’t rule it out”

“Maybe maybe, anyway, enough serious talk, we should raise a toast before our guests arrive”

He poured himself and Claire a glass of wine.

“Here’s to satisfied customers!” she said

“and here’s to you for being such an amazing teacher – I can’t believe you’ve got me this far so fast”

“well that’s really down to you” she replied, smiling, “you work so hard and learn so quickly, it’s very impressive”

“I don’t know about that!” he said blushing, “Anyway, let’s not get ahead ourselves, I haven’t served it yet!!

They put down their glasses and Claire went to see if the guests had arrived at the table they had set aside in the restaurant. Meanwhile Keanu busied himself with finishing the salad and carving the lamb which he was happy to see was just the right shade of pink. He put it in the warming oven and also took out the tarte Tatin praying that it would be as good as the one yesterday when he turned it out later. Finally, with the main course as ready as it could be, he took the salad and some French bread through to the dining room.

The meal went down a storm - at the end Keanu stood and raised a toast to Claire

“Thank you for all your kind words folks but we really need to toast this amazing lady who has taught this old meat head some cooking skill. He took her hand and placed it over his heart

“ thank you, thank you, merci beaucoups, I’ll be forever grateful!”

Claire laughed and blushed.

“Just wait until next week when we’ll have you working in the restaurant kitchen, then you might not be such a fan!”

He laughed

“That may be!”

They said their goodbyes to Keanu’s amazed guests and went to clean down the kitchen.

“How’s your dad by the way?”

“Oh about the same apparently – no better, but no worse, he just needs to take it easy and stay off his damn bike”

“Oh, a pushbike or a motorbike?” Keanu asked, his interest peaked

“A push bike – he’s not a racer guy like you!” Claire saw Keanu pull up each day often on different bikes so she knew about his passion for them.

“everyone goes everywhere on bikes on the Ile de Re” she continued - it’s a cyclist’s paradise with cycle paths across the salt marshes and oyster beds and through the forests. But he had a heart attack last year and whilst he is supposed to exercise, he just pushes himself too much and that worries me”

“Do you have any other family there to keep an eye on him?”

“No, I’m an only child and there are no aunts or uncles either.

“Is your father still alive? She asked.

“Yeah – well at least I haven’t heard otherwise! He left my mother when I was three and I haven’t seen him since I was 13.”

“Mon dieu that must have been tough growing up without a dad”

“Yeah well I had my mum and my sister - he wouldn’t have been a good role model anyway”

“I could see today that you adore Kim and your mother”

“Yeah, yeah  I do - family and friends are my rocks to come back to  - after every project that’s what I look forward to”

“You know you’re not at all what I expected!” Claire stated.

“Oh, how so?” he asked

“Well, a couple of people I mentioned you to said they heard you were a nice guy and very polite but I guess I just expected someone more ………..starry, you know!”

Keanu burst out laughing.

“Well I’ll take that as a complement” he said

“you should – you’ve made it a very easy first week of teaching” she smiled

“Well thanks” he said the colour rising in his cheeks.

They finished up in the kitchen and Keanu took his leave saying he’d see her at 9am prompt on Monday for his week in the working kitchen.  He’d enjoyed her company so much that he’d almost asked her to dinner but held himself in check. She was so much younger than him and he knew his feelings weren’t entirely platonic. She was very cute with olive skin, beautiful eyes and a slender yet not too skinny figure – he didn’t really have a type but she hit the spot with him. He’d just have to quash those thoughts, focus on the learning and keep things on a friendly footing.

https://allie1804-fan.tumblr.com/post/625977593110364160/ile-de-re-chapter-2

[tabloidtoc]

Star, November 30

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Kelly Clarkson getting married again 

Page 1: As Britons marked Remembrance Day Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrived at Los Angeles National Cemetery to pay their respects and lay flowers from the garden at their new $14.6 million spread in Montecito but the controversial couple almost immediately came under fire for yet another misstep -- their biggest gaffe was hiring celebrity fashion photographer Lee Morgan to snap their supposedly private visit -- the visit comes on the heels of a report that Harry requested and was refused that a wreath in his name be laid at London’s Cenotaph during a royal ceremony that day so while the visit to the cemetery in L.A. was meant to show respect it was also Harry’s way of telling his family that if they’re going to be petty and exclude him then he’ll do it his way 

Page 2: Contents, Miranda Lambert 

Page 4: Larsa Pippen spills the tea -- Larsa says Kanye West kept her from BFF Kim Kardashian 

Page 5: Julianne Hough came out as sexually fluid while married to Brooks Laich and now that the two have split Julianne is exploring lady love

* Speculation has been ongoing about who will take over hosting Jeopardy! after Alex Trebek passed away and one frontrunner is former champ Ken Jennings and other names in the mix include hockey announcer Alex Faust and Laura Coates of CNN

Page 6: The Bachelorette OG Trista Sutter recently revealed that producers of her televised 2003 wedding to Ryan Sutter planned to up the drama for better ratings -- admitting that a pal discovered a crew member’s notebook during the three-day festivities and showrunners had compiled dossiers on her guests in hopes of pitting them against each other

* Bodyguard Mark “Billy” Billingham has opened up about his 18 months protecting one of the most famous broods in Hollywood much to Angelina Jolie’s dismay -- he was hired by Angie and then-husband Brad Pitt to keep an eye on their six kids Maddox and Pax and Zahara and Shiloh and Knox and Vivienne and their biggest concern was the kidnapping of the kids and for Angie that fear bordered on obsession so her home is like a fortress -- she wants her kids to have a normal life but she’s also aware of the dangers out there 

* Star Spots the Stars -- Martha Stewart, Clare Crawley, Alec Baldwin, Jessica Alba, Bella Hadid, Viola Davis, Debbie Matenopoulos

Page 7: Jason Momoa shocked fans with his recent revelation that his breakout role in Game of Thrones gave him plenty of fame but no fortune -- after his character Khal Drogo was killed of in 2011 before the first season even aired he said he couldn’t get work and it’s very challenging when you have babies and you’re completely in debt; we were starving -- now of course Jason who shares two kids with wife Lisa Bonet has more than made up for those lean times but he’s not one to throw cash around

* After a single day of work Johnny Depp was axed from the third installment of the Fantastic Beasts films and he got to keep his eight-figure salary -- he was let go following a nasty defamation trial against a U.K. tabloid that called him a wife-beater -- now Mads Mikkelsen is going to be Johnny’s replacement as Grindelwald -- for his part Johnny will take the money and run and he’s panicked that this will lead to a permanent blacklist and his name is now mud in movie circles 

Page 8: Star Shots -- overjoyed by Joe Biden’s victory Chrissy Teigen and John Legend took to the streets of West Hollywood to celebrate, Duchess Camilla paid her respects to veterans during the 92nd Field of Remembrance event at Westminster Abbey which is a duty formerly fulfilled by her stepson Prince Harry

Page 9: Steve Martin cruising through Central Park on a CitiBike wearing gloves and a protective face mask, Miya Cech and Ben Daon and Keith L. Williams and Kayden Grace Swan flanked creator Daniel Knauf at the premiere of The Astronauts 

Page 10: Renee Elise Goldsberry and Sara Bareilles and Paula Pell and Busy Philipps shared a laugh shooting Girls5Eva, Offset caught up with some young fans while handing out free food from the Slutty Vegan Food Truck on Election Day in Atlanta, Caitlyn Jenner fueling up for a car-camping expedition with daughter Kendall

Page 11: Queen Latifah showed off a fresh new ‘do on the set of The Equalizer reboot in NYC, weeks after undergoing heart surgery Arnold Schwarzenegger was already behind the wheel again in L.A. 

Page 12: Bachelor alum Hannah Ann Sluss running errands in L.A., Joey Fatone nearly stole the spotlight from actress Kate Katzman on the red carpet at the screening of her new film The Comeback Trail, Francesca Farago carried a pup while posing for photos for her swimsuit line 

Page 14: MTV EMAs -- Alicia Keys, David Guetta, DJ Khaled, Zara Larsson 

Page 16: Zooey Deutch having lunch with a friend in L.A., Tracy Morgan returned to his old stomping grounds to cut the ribbon at the $30 million Marcy Houses Community Center in Brooklyn, Olivia Culpo rushed to a meeting after a coffee run in L.A. 

Page 18: Normal or Not? Ariel Winter carrying an enormous roll of bubble wrap -- not normal, Joel Michaely jumped for joy at the screening of his new film The Comeback Trail in Ft. Lauderdale -- not normal, Wanda De Jesus and Jimmy Smits enjoyed a stroll around Brentwood -- normal 

Page 19: Gretta Monahan before filming a segment on The View -- normal, Bridget Moynahan and Steve Schirippa made a grisly discovery on the set of Blue Bloods -- not normal 

Page 20: Fashion -- stars stun in silver -- Angelina Jolie, Thandie Newton

Page 21: Becky G, Elsa Hosk 

Page 24: Phil Collins and Orianne Bates are slinging mud as their split gets even nastier

Page 25: Dallas alum Patrick Duffy and Happy Days actress Linda Purl are dating

* Ben Affleck plans to spend Christmas away from his three kids in Cuba with girlfriend Ana de Armas who hasn’t seen her family in months and is desperately homesick and Ben will do anything to make her happy -- the couple then plan to celebrate the new year touring South America -- Ben’s ex-wife Jennifer Garner is not happy about his plans because she’s at full capacity after tending their kids solo while Ben was filming The Last Duel in Ireland but Ben has made up his mind 

Page 26: Cover Story -- Kelly Clarkson’s rush to the altar -- the star is healing from heartache with a hot new romance but as she tells pals she’s ready to wed again some are worried she’s moving way too fast -- pals are wondering if her mystery man could be country singer Brett Eldredge but Kelly is keeping her new guy’s identity under wraps for now

Page 29: Inside Kelly Clarkson’s ugly lawsuit -- the star is fighting in court with her former father-in-law Narvel Blackstock 

Page 38: Entertainment 

Page 48: Parting Shot -- pregnant Hilary Duff on the set of Younger in New York City