#there are many benefits to [being a career criminal]

[fauvester]

mr clay from clays 11 vs zachary taylor

[wszczebrzyszynie]

If you don't mind me asking, what did Pearl do to rack up those specific crimes in your science fiction au?

oh to be completly honest i just put crimes that sound most interesting on her wanted poster. She did a lot of things durning her career and many of them she doesnt elaborate on. but most importantly shes a former earthian terrorist, which is the case for a lot of earthian criminals and ex criminals in the story (namely Pearl, Grian and Martyn). This is one of the reasons why her bounty is higher than Tangos at first, considering that nowdays shes more interested in robberies; shes been in the buisness for so long she doesnt even remember her track record herself

being born and raised on earth comes with a lot of baggage. Most of it is destroyed, by wars and catastrophes and simply time, and there is significantly less people than in space combined. Earth, in the eyes of many, outlived its purpose in letting humanity spread around the universe, and therefore isnt really... needed, anymore. theres more work put into easying the immigration process from earth to space, than there is in actually making the planet livable again, and not just a piece of history to be studied. For earthians, it means living in poor conditions and general poverty, with the only solution proposed and encouraged being to leave the planet. In terms of social life, the most notable thing is that earthians tend to stick together; on earth it means the closest social circle, like the village, town, street, while in space it means earthians as a whole, since its not that hard to spot one among spacians. They tend to be protective over themselves and in space there is this general idea of earthian loyalty to each other, as they arent regarded extremely well in spacian circles. (unrelated to Pearl, but this "earthian trust" is something Martyn uses a lot for his benefit, something Grian and Bigb dont trust fully, but Jimmy does). that closeness is why despite everything Pearl still checks up on Jimmy and Grian when she can. Even if they arent related by blood (i imagine Pearl and Grian to be cousins that were raised like siblings, while Jimmy is completly unrelated to them), they were raised like family, and treat each other as such

its no real surprise that a both Pearl and Grian went into crime; they knew how to steal since they were little, and the general disdain for spacians is something they lived with for just as long. the most surprising thing really is just how good of a criminal Pearl turned out to be

(the reason why acts of terrorism isnt mentioned on her poster: not everything is 100% planned out which is why im sometimes very vague about things and the designs change from one drawing to another. it just wasnt something i planned her to be, but it fits with hers, Martyns and Ethos backstories, so here it is)

[anhed-nia]

So I'm in the middle of this research project centered on Dario Argento's OPERA, for which I have required myself to watch as many screen adaptations of the Gaston Leroux novel The Phantom of the Opera as I can take. What I have determined so far is that the Phantom of the Opera is a story everyone wants to tell, but not very many people are sure of how to tell it. In fact, it's not that easy to say what it is about archetypally. You know, Wolfman stories are typically about "the beast in man" (with femininity positioned as some sort of cure for this personality split), Frankenstein stories are usually about human nature (i.e. an uncanny creature can have more humanity than vain and bigoted humans), Dracula-type vampire stories are most generally about the problems of being an outsider (queer, foreign, etc). But Phantom of the Opera is like...well, everyone likes the love story part of it, which is more or less modeled on Dracula, with a woman torn between seductive darkness and the safety of square society. But then there are all these other parts that seem to flummox people in the retelling.

I haven't read the Leroux novel YET but the first round of movies have been interesting, and also sort of perplexing. The iteration from 1925 holds up, largely due to Chaney's creation of the Phantom which remains a top tier monster. People don't often talk about the mask though! Which looks like a cross between Peter Lorre and the Devo Boogie Boy, it's disturbing and I like it.

This Phantom was born in the dungeons during a revolutionary bloodbath and is disfigured from birth, drawing on the antique idea that a mother's trauma is translated in the deformity of her children; also, compellingly, these dungeons lie fathoms beneath the opera house where the bourgeoisie are witlessly dancing on the graves of martyrs and criminals embodied in the Phantom. The ingenue Christine is an interesting figure who breaks up with her boyfriend at the beginning because she wants to give her whole self to her career; when the Phantom starts murmuring to her through the walls it's as if the spirit of opera itself has chosen her to be its avatar, which she seems to find totally rational. It's sort of cool, what other movie of this era has a likeable heroine choosing her potential for greatness over love? This is the element of the story that is the most interesting, but I'll expand on that in a minute.

The Chaney edition benefits a lot from keeping things simple. The 1943 version with Claude Raines has a little bit too much going on and the story doesn't get a lot of time to congeal between so many long opera sequences; this movie really takes the opera part of the title seriously! Actually they're the best thing about it, mostly because of Nelson Eddy who is extremely beautiful and a real opera singer, and who projects this blazing desire for Susanna Foster that is incredibly convincing. Like I'd normally say they have great chemistry, but I think it's just a lot of power radiating from him specifically.

Ahem.

Uh anyway. This movie picks up the reoccurring (but not universal) idea that the Phantom is a genteel and sophisticated composer who has just fallen on hard times, who goes mad when his latest concerto is stolen. He is disfigured while struggling with the plagiarist and installs himself under the opera house where he can haunt his former protege Christine, who is already torn between dreamy Nelson Eddy and her stuffy cop boyfriend. One of my favorite things here is that even though this film is extremely quaint and old fashioned, everybody hates cops; this Christine is less a self-determined careerist than someone who is under pressure from her artist friends who find it profoundly repulsive that she is dating a policeman. Meanwhile the Phantom is just way too gentle and sappy, which is extra disappointing because Claude Rains's Invisible Man is so fabulously chaotic and sadistic, it made me really aware of the Phantom that could have been. This one doesn't properly represent the high society vs. underworld dichotomy that Christine should be torn between. So what is this movie about? There's so many guys in it and a few different themes flapping in the breeze. Is it about love? Is it about self-actualizing through art? Is it about the cutthroat world of showbusiness? It doesn't have that much to say, ultimately, and it just seems really unmotivated. Also I don't like this mask, sue me.

The Hammer edition is even more disappointing, considering the studio's previous successes with Universal Monster remakes. Here Christine is torn between a suave opera producer, the lecherous composer who has plagiarized the Phantom, and yeah the Phantom. Too many guys, it confuses whatever the dynamic and themes are supposed to be. Michael Gough as the plagiarist is so much more evil and threatening than poor Herbert Lom's Phantom that it's hard to stay focused on the main point here. Curiously the Hammer version is rather unromantic, with the Phantom just slapping Christine around until she sings his tunes right; that is kind of refreshing in a way, although it also means that the film lacks tension, which contributes to its being surprisingly anticlimactic. The best guy in the movie is actually Thorley Walters whose character serves almost no narrative purpose at all, he just hulks around with this WTF? look on his face and it is kind of adorable. I guess I like the gross mask in this one, too.

But the Hammer version has one interesting strength, which is that Christine is singing the lead in a new opera about Joan of Arc. Just like Joan, Christine hears a disembodied voice prophesizing her ascent to power. The best thing about the Phantom lore is the idea that the woman has this latent power that can either be activated by the Phantom, or suppressed by her square boyfriend (the relationship being mutually exclusive with opera stardom in many iterations). She isn't just a love object to be possessed, she herself possesses of some kind of devastating energy that needs to be awakened and channeled--or contained and forgotten, if she decides to get married and stay home or something. This is pretty cool, and it is interestingly realized in Dario Argento's OPERA, in which (spoiler alert I guess) a killer stalks an opera singer with the aim of catalyzing her own latent psychopathy. This idea is at the center of my thesis and I'm looking forward to fleshing it out, although I'm kind of dreading all the other PHANTOMs that I have committed myself to watching. I really don't want to deal with Andrew LLoyd Webber at all, but after I get through at least the Joel Schumacher one of the those I'm going to reward myself with a rewatch of PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE which I'm going to guess right now is the best retelling of this story after the Chaney one. I'm counting on Paul Williams' music to be catchier than Webber's.

I'm whining about my own decisions, I know, but really the main hardship of this project is that now I keep getting the Vandals' punk theme song from PHANTOM OF THE MALL: ERIC'S REVENGE stuck in my head, and let me tell you that is very unwelcome. Here it is, if you've decided you're done being happy and sane:

[dalekofchaos]

2024 is the year I have slowly lost my love and respect for Taylor Swift.

I love Taylor for her music and the person I thought she was and in a way I still love her, but in 2023-2024 it feels like the person who I thought I loved isn't the person who I thought she was. And I just began to lose my respect for her. Here are some examples of how I've lost my respect for Taylor as a person.

Not one word of support for Palestine. Not even wearing a Artists for Palestine pin. She went out of her way in speaking out against Trump and Blackburn, but she can't tweet or speak out ONE ounce of support for Palestine. Instead she entered her Football girlie for one of the most racist cultural appropriating football teams since the Washington Redskins during her Bread & Circus era.

And before anyone says "what about other artists" I direct you to this

Yes more artists should speak up, not just Taylor. Billie Eilish should speak up. Olivia Rodrigo should speak up, Miley Cyrus, Beyonce, Halsey, Lorde and more should speak up for Palestine. Taylor Swift is one of the biggest names in the industry, if not the biggest and one word from her and her thousands to millions and billions of fans will show their support for Palestine and demand a ceasefire. Like I don't know how else to explain how vital it is to use your voice as an artist and a huge platform as Taylor has.

She stopped speaking up for the LGBTQA+ community in 2021. She had all Pride month to speak up and could've used the Eras tour to speak up for us, especially in states that were heavily anti-trans and anti drag queen. But she didn't. Instead she propped up her precious racist Matty fucking Healy. She can have Trans performers in her music video and drag queens, but she can't speak up for them?

Taylor the climate criminal, need I say more?

Taylor the Billionaire. No one person should have this amount of money and it needs to be talked about more and honestly Taylor in 2024 is starting to feel like the female Elon Musk.

Questionable associations. David O'Russell. You can't tell me with a straight face that Taylor's team do not run background checks. Either they didn't do said checks or they did and Taylor did not care and would tarnish her image to work with a predator just for an Oscar. The Matty Healy fling. A brief fling and it was brief because everyone showed their complete disgust and contempt for it. Brittany and Jackson Mahomes friendship. Jackson is on video assaulting a woman. Taylor is a SA survivor. Brittany told the victim to "get over it" Taylor is shown high fiving Jackson, Taylor is shown for months with Brittany despite being a SA apologist and even having dinner with Brittany after the charges are dropped. Revolting. Taylor doesn't care about SA unless it's about her or how it can benefit her.

Continued silence on important issues when she said she would use her platform and voice. BLM? Nothing. Abortion/women's rights? Nothing. LGBTQA+ rights? Nothing. Palestine, absolutely nothing not even the bare minimum. The closest she'll get to using her platform is telling her fans to vote. Nothing but the bare minimum white feminist centrist rhetoric.

Ever since the countdown to Midnights and Midnights' release, the vibes I got from Taylor were not good. And something just felt off. 2023 and 2024 was just a mask off for Taylor and showing us who she really is and that she isn't who we thought she was.

And before anyone comes at me and says "Taylor is not an activist" yes, but she specifically made Miss Americana to tell her fans she would use her platform and voice to speak out more on important issues. She has done nothing. At this point I wish Miss Americana was never made, and I'm pretty sure Taylor wishes she never made it as many of her fans are disappointed in her silence throughout the years.

At best, Taylor is a coward. At worse, Taylor doesn't care beyond the glass house she has built her career on.

At this point all it feels like is she cares about the fame of her success and from her relationship with Travis and the profit of her brand and nothing else. Nothing about her is authentic, everything is performative. It's all about control and profit to Taylor Swift. It feels as though she's ostracized everyone in her audience who isn't white or heterosexual and made it clear we need to find a new guiding light and I think we should.

And in her own words she is telling us who she is

“i just think it’s so frilly and spineless of me to stand up here and say ‘happy pride month!!’ while people are coming for their necks.”

"My entire moral code is a need to be thought of as good"

" Spineless in my tomb of silence "

'I never had the courage of my convictions, as long as danger was near.'

"I've never heard silence quite this loud"" You should find another guiding light "

"You're on your own kid"

"Do something, babe, say something" (Say something)

"Lose something, babe, risk something" (You're losing me)

"Choose something, babe, I got nothing" (I got nothing)

Despite all this, I still love her and will continue reblogging gifsets, but I am done defending everything she does and intend to hold her accountable because when you love someone you just have to point out when they are wrong and just have to hold out hope they will be a better person, even if that hope is so very low.

[meistoshi]

been rotating some things i wanna write more of (partly coz dash was heavy on wishlists for a second & it's gotten me to repick up some rotations),,

i always wanna do more with the stations satoshi holds, the positions he has. he's the first champion of a still-fresh league, has been a champion in name for another league for over a decade, has won the pwc & held the title of monarch & rose to that rank absurdly fast, is on friendly terms with nearly every champion & a number of elite four members across regions. he's got the battle frontier(tm)'s eyes on him as a brain candidate. there's def things to be done with all that. whether that's being involved in international league business, or being invited to high-profile events … he's a big deal in the battling world, even if he doesn't act like it (& often actually forgets), & he just keeps rising.

satoshi exploring his aura powers more. whether that's in sparring or discussion or training in a non-battle context, like trying to connect with another's aura or tracking or aura-sight. his options for exploring the more apparent uses of his aura powers are very limited when it comes to people he trusts with knowing about them, but he's trying to open up to those closest to him, & it's easier for him to open up to anyone he knows also has powers, or at least has experience with those that do. just. talking about aura/psychic abilities in general also.

discussions about battles & about pokémon, like getting the chance to write satoshi actually flexing the one braincell he has, whether it's strategy or phenomena, or mythology if it's about godly pokémon. satoshi has helped professors & scientists with their research projects, & has traveled so much of the world, he knows so much about so many pokémon, he would love to yap about their behaviors & environments. he has so much experience with split-second strategy crafting, based very much on concepts of physics & chemistry that he doesn't even have the vocabulary for but that he loves discussing.

in a similar vein, a thing i feel surprisingly starved for are interactions with professors & rangers & the like, non-battlers even if they sometimes battle, where conversations aren't inherently likely to lead to battling unless talking about it helps satoshi explain or understand a concept, or he's lead to talk about his career.

any interactions with gang members that don't necessarily end in fighting/battles. satoshi has major beef with most of the criminal team members (with the exception of anyone higher up than a plasma grunt because he. never really dealt with them), & it's almost always on sight, especially with rockets & flares, but i really dig longer interactions with "baddies", especially if they flip entirely how satoshi expects the interaction to go, whether that's in the attitude received or the statements said or the actions taken, all of it. satoshi can be made to give anyone the benefit of the doubt ; it's pretty often that he wants to hear people out.

on that note, a particular subset of the script-flip i love is protags & antags being forced to cooperate for their mutual benefit, so reluctant teamwork is def on the list. bonus points if they admit to being impressed or unthinkingly express gratitude but immediately get shot down or themselves try to cover it with antagonism.

& speaking of criminal teams, gang or organization infiltration missions, yes, please, whether it's just looking for information or seeking to dismantle from within, satoshi abusing the fact that his talents include being the tony hawk of pokémon battling, & also aura-based tracking & locating.

[sjsmith56]

We Danced - Part 2

Summary: An Avengers mission in France finishes early and the team takes a couple of days to enjoy Paris. Bucky calls Quinn to join them so she takes a train from The Hague that arrives that evening. Continuing on from when they last saw each other in Washington, the couple find more magic together, realizing they have something special. Part 2 of three part story.

Length: 2.9K

Characters: Bucky Barnes, original female character Quinn Olman, Sam Wilson, other Avenger team members as mentioned.

Warnings: Concerns about going public with their relationship, Bucky not wanting to see an attraction because of PTSD, increasing intensity of emotions, concern over where the relationship heading, Bucky feeling inadequate.

Author notes: This is new ground for Bucky, falling for this international lawyer who seems to love him just as much. I think he’s initially surprised when Quinn agrees to come to Paris on short notice. He’s surprised again when she offers to be public with their relationship, especially after the precautions they took in Washington. Her recognition of his PTSD, and the need for a safe space is meant to show that she gets him, on many levels. Bucky’s worst enemy is sometimes himself and there’s a danger he will go to a dark place, thinking he’s not worthy of Quinn. Something may happen to exacerbate that in Part 3.

Mon cœur - My heart

Mon trésor - My treasure

Je t’aime, ma beauté - I love you, my beautiful [lady]

Je t’aime, mon beau - I love you, my handsome [man]

<<Part 1

🇫🇷 📚

Paris, October, 2024

Looking up at the board for the arrival time of the train from The Hague, Bucky tried not to get too excited at the prospect of seeing Quinn in person again. After saying goodbye in Washington, they had kept in contact with texts and the occasional phone or video call, becoming more involved in the relationship that was definitely forming. Her calm exterior, probably a benefit in Quinn’s career, was something that appealed to Bucky as she gave the impression of being measured and precise in her public persona, much like he tried to be. Her more intense side, revealed when they made love for hours that night in Washington, brought out the same qualities in Bucky, making him feel young again, like the man he was before the war. The changes in him had been noticeable to Sam who managed to get more information from his friend over this incredible woman he was definitely falling in love with.

The Avengers most recent mission saw them called in to deal with a French criminal gang who kidnapped an American diplomat’s wife, part of an effort to force him to intervene in the arrest of one their members in New York. They successfully rescued the wife and arrested the entire gang within a couple of days of arriving. Asked by the French police to stay as their guests for the weekend, Bucky called Quinn on the Friday morning and she immediately booked the earliest train she could catch to Paris, with a stopover in Rotterdam, arriving just after 10 pm.

“The train is still on time, isn’t it?” asked Sam, who had insisted on coming to Gare du Nord, wanting to meet Quinn.

“It’s still on time,” grumbled Bucky. “I don’t know why I said you could come to meet her.”

“It was either meet her now, or meet her tomorrow at breakfast, when everyone else is there,” replied his partner. “How many languages does she speak again?”

“Five, including English,” answered Bucky. “Russian, French, Spanish, and German. She’s also learning Arabic as there is a chance she may be assigned to work with a new judge.”

“What are the chances you meeting someone who can argue with you in a foreign language that you speak?” teased Sam.

“You see, this is why I didn’t want you here. We’re still working this relationship out and I don’t need any help from the peanut gallery.”

Bucky crossed his arms in front of his body, already feeling defensive. “Fair enough,” said his friend, feeling slightly guilty. “I’ll behave.”

The arrival of the train from Rotterdam was announced, and the two men drew closer to the exit from the train level. When she came up the final step and looked for Bucky he waved then strode confidently to her, looking at her with affection.

“Can I kiss you in public?” he asked.

“Yes,” she smiled, “I’m on personal time now, not on a paid work assignment. We can be public.”

Enclosing her in his arms while she wrapped her arms around his waist they kissed for what seemed like a long time to Sam. When they pulled apart Bucky murmured something to her, in Russian by the sounds of it and she placed her hand on his cheek. At that point, Sam stepped forward.

“Hey, Sam Wilson,” he said, offering her his hand.

“Captain America,” she exclaimed, taking his hand and shaking it. “A pleasure. I’m Quinn Olman. You couldn’t wait to meet me, right?”

“Not when it involves Buck,” he replied, grinning at his blushing friend. “He wasn’t kidding. You’re beautiful.”

She beamed but took Bucky’s hand, making it obvious that she was there for him. Sam offered to take her luggage and they walked outside to where a car with a driver awaited them. After settling in between the two well built men Quinn held Bucky’s hand once again, resting their joined hands on her lap.

“Where are we staying?” she asked.

“A hotel near the Latin Quarter,” replied Bucky. “The whole team is there, courtesy of the French police as thanks for helping find the diplomat’s wife quickly and taking the gang down. I thought we could stay in tonight or go dancing at one of the clubs nearby if you want.”

“I’ll consider both but let me get settled at the hotel before I decide,” said Quinn, taking a deep breath. “The Avengers must have solved the case in record time. Bucky only texted me about being in France a few days ago, then called me this morning to say you all had a couple of free days.”

“I think he was motivated to finish it up quick,” smiled Sam. “Not complaining. It’s not every day we get to enjoy the amenities after a mission.” He turned slightly to Quinn. “So, how long have you been with the International Court of Justice?”

“Since I graduated from Yale Law School 9 years ago,” she replied. “In my final year I was encouraged to apply to the Judicial Fellowship Programme, basically a ten-month internship. I really liked it and was able to apply to be part of the pool of legal researchers that are assigned to the various judges. It meant I had to learn some languages, but I already spoke French and it wasn’t too hard to pick up the others. The Court does provide instruction in foreign languages for employees.”

“I’m impressed,” said Sam.

“Good,” stated Bucky. “She’s way out of your league and mine.”

“Nonsense,” replied Quinn. “I’m a normal woman in an extraordinary job, just like you are a normal man in an extraordinary job, Sam.” He looked at Bucky with raised eyebrows, making Quinn blush. “He’s extraordinary all the way through, a diamond in the rough.”

Grinning, Bucky kissed the side of Quinn’s head, making Sam even more pleased that his friend had seemed to find the right woman to be involved with. When they pulled up to the hotel they were surprised to see a welcoming party of sorts in the lobby. Bucky grimaced at Sam who shrugged, as he had kept Bucky’s relationship secret. The other members of the Avengers, Joaquin, Peter, Yelena and Kate, stood up, approaching them. Bucky introduced them to Quinn, then left to tell the front desk that the second person sharing his room had arrived and received a key card for her. When he came back, she was engaging in an enthusiastic conversation with the four younger Avengers.

“Bucky, they want to go to a nightclub but most won’t open until 11 at the earliest,” she said. “I think that’s a little too late for me. I’ve been on the go since 5 this morning.”

“Let’s stay in,” he suggested, putting his arm around her. “You young ones can go out and party hard. Just remember we’re going sightseeing tomorrow, special access just for us but we have to be ready to eat breakfast at 9 am.”

Based on how Bucky was looking at Quinn it was obvious he needed alone time with her, and the others said their good night, heading out into the night. Sam went with them, saying he wouldn’t mind cutting loose a bit. That left the couple standing in the lobby gazing at each other until Bucky picked her bag up and carried it over to the elevator. They said nothing in the small space until they got to their floor, where Bucky opened the door to their room and let Quinn enter first.

She took in the huge bed, covered in crisp white linens; the duvet already pulled back with a single rose laid between the two king sized pillows, a bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket, two glass flutes on the night stand, and some chocolate bonbons on a small plate beside the rose. Turning to Bucky she reached out her arms and wrapped them around him as he lifted her up, easily holding her close.

“God, I missed you,” he whispered. “I don’t know how many times I’ve dreamed of you in my arms.”

“Probably, as often as I’ve dreamed of you,” she replied softly. “I’ve never fallen so quickly for a man as I have with you. My heart almost jumped out of my chest when you called me this morning and asked me to come here.”

“When do you have to be back?”

“Sunday night. I’ve already booked the 7:15 train. I told my boss I’m seeing you as I didn’t want it to be a surprise to him if there were any social media pictures of us from this weekend.” She looked at Bucky’s eyes as she spoke then looked at his lips, wanting to feel them on her. “As far as he’s concerned all your debts to society have been paid.”

“So, we’re going to be completely public about our relationship?” he asked.

She nodded her head slowly, then kissed him, running her hands up into his hair, as his hands found their way under her top and onto the skin of her back. Within minutes they were on the bed, the bonbons and rose quickly relocated to the nightstand, picking up from where they left off in Washington. Feverishly they pulled their clothes off, kissing intently, eager to touch and taste the other’s skin. After their first coupling, marked by a shared cry of ecstasy, they lay together under the crumpled sheets, with their legs intertwined. The soft glow of the bedside lamps enveloped them in a golden hue as they whispered quietly to each other.

“The things you make me feel ….” Quinn let her words trail off as she caressed his face.

“Are hopefully the same things that I feel,” he continued, hesitantly. “It’s all new for me as I never felt like this for anyone before.”

“Never?” She looked at him, longingly.

“You’re the first woman I’ve ever wanted to say I love you to,” he admitted, taking in her entire face with a burning intensity. “My heart is pounding right now, hoping that you ….”

“I love you, too.” She interrupted him, her eyes focused on his. “That’s why I told my boss. I don’t want to hide what we have. Mon cœur.”

“Mon trésor,” he replied, gathering her tightly into his arms, kissing her lips, face and neck, while whispering endearments to her in every language he knew, with Quinn responding in the same manner.

They made love several times again, drinking the champagne in between the episodes of passion. Feeding each other the bonbons, then relishing the kisses after that tasted of chocolate they finished the evening, now early morning, by sharing a relaxing bath together. While Quinn washed her face and applied moisturizer, Bucky made the bed, tucking the messy sheets back under the mattress and shaking out the duvet. Wearing only his boxer briefs he opened the Juliette balcony doors and looked out over the Parisian skyline, the Eiffel Tower glowing in the distance, while Notre Dame Cathedral, scheduled to open in a couple of months, was visible if he looked out past the doors to the side. He felt Quinn’s warm arms surrounding him from behind and turned slightly, bringing her under his arm. She was wearing a man’s style cotton nightshirt, that smelled faintly of lavender.

“We’re going dancing tonight,” he said quietly. “I found a jazz club nearby.”

“I have a backless dress,” she replied. “You did say we danced all night in Paris when we were in Washington.”

“I did, didn’t I?” He looked down at the play of shadow and light on her face, feeling the emotion swelling inside of him. “Je t’aime, ma beauté.”

“Je t’aime, mon beau.”

Kissing once more, Bucky closed the doors, knowing the sounds of the city would wake them well before they needed to get up, then he lifted the edge of the duvet so Quinn could get into bed before him. Sliding next to her he raised his arm so she could rest her head on his shoulder. It was one of the best sleeps he ever had.

When they joined the others in the breakfast room just before 9 am, it was obvious to the Avengers that something beautiful was happening between the couple. The little touches, and soft smiles between them were all evidence of a full-blown love affair. The almost constant tenseness previously evident in Bucky was gone, replaced by a genial manner that saw him smiling more than any of them had seen before.

As they plotted out their sightseeing plan for the day, Quinn made suggestions, having been to Paris several times, while Bucky sat back after declaring he was good with whatever the group decided. In the transport van that was provided to them along with a driver, he sat with Quinn, holding hands constantly. They made the decision to leave the art museums for another visit as they required more than a few hours to appreciate them properly. That left the major tourist spots, the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Montmartre, the Catacombs, and Les Invalides. Sunday was to be spent at Versailles, returning early enough for Quinn to catch her train.

It was a whirlwind tour of the city that gave them the highlights before they were driven to their final stop, the Catacombs, as the exit from that experience brought them close to their hotel. Bucky begged off going underground, admitting it might trigger his PTSD to see all of the skulls, not to mention being in a confined underground space. Quinn spoke to the driver, then came close to Bucky, sliding her hand into his.

“There’s a great bookstore near the hotel,” she whispered. “He’ll drop us off there. We can browse the shelves then have a coffee while we wait for this bunch to finish the Catacombs. I’ve seen them before; I don’t have to see them now.”

He looked softly at her then accepted her offer and shortly after they stepped out of the van in front of Shakespeare and Company, an English language bookstore. There were a couple of people already waiting to go in, so they stood in place and waited for about ten minutes before being allowed inside. Bucky breathed deeply, enjoying the familiar smell of a bookstore, and the memories it evoked for him.

“I try to come here every time I’m in Paris,” said Quinn in a low voice. “They even have first editions here for sale.”

“Where are they?” asked Bucky and she pulled him over to the locked cabinet where several first editions were on display, each of them with a price in Euros. He pointed at a blue leather volume. “Winnie the Pooh. My mother bought me a copy when it came out. I was 8 years old and when my sister was born I would read it to her. 1500 Euros, that’s a lot.”

“It’s a first edition, in excellent condition,” noted Quinn. “It’s not for reading, just for impressing people with what’s in your bookcase.”

Bucky smiled at her, his eyes crinkling at the truth of what she said. That feeling of intense emotion hit him again and he kissed her hand.

“Thank you for bringing me here. Bookstores are kind of my safe space. Them and libraries.”

“Mine, too,” she replied, feeling the same swell of emotion as his blue eyes gazed at her.

When they left an hour later they each had a small bag of books, mostly second-hand. Leisurely, they walked back to the hotel, having a coffee and pastry in the lobby, until the others returned, full of comments about the Catacombs. Many of them were of the dark humour variety but it was obvious they were impressed with the place of rest that lay below the streets of Paris.

As promised, Bucky and Quinn dressed up for dinner at an upscale jazz club that offered dancing, him in his black-on-black suit combination, her in a dress with a plunging back line. Surprisingly, Sam asked to come with them, explaining that as fun as the night club had been the night before he needed something a little quieter and more adult in nature. As they danced, drank red wine, then brandy, and mellowed out to the jazz quintet, there was conversation between the three, some of it deep and intense. All throughout the evening, Sam noticed the depth of the relationship between the other two, as the body language alone was sensual and romantic. There was no doubt in his mind that what he was witnessing would have one of two outcomes and he desperately hoped it would be the happy one.

His hopes were just as desperate the following evening when he accompanied Bucky to the train station to see Quinn off. Feeling almost voyeuristic at their emotional goodbye he looked away, giving them privacy for such an intimate moment between the two lovers. In the drive back to the hotel he glanced several times at his friend, who was already showing signs of returning to his brooding nature. Bucky must have sensed it because he looked at Sam with an almost tortured expression.

“I want her Sam; I want her in my life forever. But how can I ask her to leave her life’s work? I can’t leave the Avengers as I have nothing else to replace it. What do I do?”

Part 3>>

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[maybe-itll-be-someday]

Painfully Obvious

The partner piece to Imperceptible Movements, where Emily and Aaron are just too painfully obvious.

And the one time that they weren't.

Read on AO3.

---

Derek

There were some benefits to profiling that Derek has used to his advantage over the course of his career. His experience in criminal psychology translated to simpler psychoanalysis - assessing whether or not his sisters were in a foul mood based on how many times they sighed in one family dinner, choosing his line at the coffee shop based on how disgruntled the cashier was acting that morning, picking his moments to swing by Penelope’s desk with their favorite Thai food when a case hits her closer to home than she would ever admit.

However, there were times where he wished he could stop his initial reflex of dissecting a person’s behavior, instinctually aware of the motivations behind their actions - especially when said person is his partner.

Even more when his said partner is dating their boss.  

He hears familiar footsteps behind him, their cadence slightly different than normal (heavier on the plant of her left foot, his still permeating with intention on every step) and Derek looks up to see Emily with a smile stretched across her lips approaching her desk with their said boss trailing behind her.

“Morning Derek.” Emily greets, a bright tone to her voice as she dropped her bag on her desk opposite him. Hotch just nods in Derek’s direction, barely glancing up from his phone as he strides towards his office.

“Morning Princess.” Derek waits for their superior to retreat fully behind the structured walls of his office, the resounding click of his door echoing in the bullpen, before glancing back at Emily, who was unpacking the paperwork she had taken home and was humming softly under her breath. “You’re in a good mood this morning.”

“And from your line of questioning, I’m starting to get the feeling that I’m a nightmare in the morning.”

“Not a nightmare, but you’re no ray of sunshine.” Emily laughs, shaking her head at Derek’s antics when he catches it. Spencer makes an additional comment about Emily’s lack of joy in the mornings and she whips her head to tut disapprovingly, her hair catching behind her ear at the movement.

It’s barely there - the slightest mismatch of skin tone residing on the juncture between her neck and ear. It’s streaked, like the color had been swiped on her skin by someone in a rush. To the untrained eye, the pigment had matched her skin to perfection - however, he catches the hurried edges of manufactured skin tone barely concealing the dark spot nestled underneath her ear lobe.

To his horror, he slowly realizes that there was more than one spot on Emily’s skin that was camouflaged. From smaller, more concealed spots to an unmistakable round bruise that curved around the side of her neck, hidden beneath thick layers of makeup.

He’s about to point it out when Hotch materializes out of nowhere next to his desk and almost makes Derek jump out of his skin.

“Prentiss? My office.” Hotch says - his use of Emily’s surname is an indication that his request for her presence was work-related. She nods, eying the team with a stern glare before following their leader to his office. The team had snapped out of teasing them whenever Hotch asked for a meeting with Emily after being on the other end of a famous Hotchner glare, which has only been utilized to stare down criminals.

(And a mildly threatening email from Emily, who had promised bodily harm if they were unprofessional in the workplace again.)

Emily returns from Hotch’s office half an hour later with less fanfare, the team focused on their own work when she rounds the corner of her desk. She lets out a small sigh of relief, letting the tension in her shoulders ease slightly at the lack of attention the team was giving her despite her private meeting with Aaron.

It’s only when she settles back into her seat that Derek chucks something small into her lap. He had thrown a small tube with concealer that was a few shades lighter than her own, its product already slightly used by someone else. Based on the shade, it was closest to the fair tint of Penelope’s skin. Emily looks up to him with a questioning look, only to be met by a teasing smirk painted on Derek’s face.

“I thought you would need a touch up soon.” His hand waves in the air, unmistakably gesturing to his own neck.

Red creeps up Emily’s neck when it dawns on her and Derek starts cackling, slapping his own knee like this was the funniest thing he’s ever witnessed. She quietly places the container on her desk before turning to her partner with a menacing look she’s only ever used within the concrete confines of interrogation rooms.

“You have 10 seconds to run before I take my service weapon and shove it up your ass.”

“I actually think I’d be into that.”

Emily answers him with her shoe hitting him squarely on the head and Hotch’s stern tone reprimanding them both from above the bullpen.

--

Spencer

They were exhausted.

The case had been long and brutal - a series of cold-case child murders that had been haunting one county in Wyoming for over five years. The BAU was only called in when three boys had been kidnapped in the past six months, all of them found naked and skinned in unutilized farm fields around the state.

Patrick Miller was the last boy they had found. He had gone missing the day that they landed and stayed missing until he was found 150 miles away from where he was taken.

Unfortunately, they were too late.

Blow flies and their maggots had already begun the decomposition process when local law enforcement found him. Like the others, his clothes and skin weren’t in the vicinity.

The police officer that found him had 20 years on the force - he was near his squad car when the team arrived, hunched over a small pool of his vomit as the unrelenting waves of nausea from the smell of putrid flesh and the sight of subcutaneous tissue kept him from looking at the crime scene. Even some of the county’s crime scene investigators looked pale while directing the team to Patrick’s body.

It hadn’t bothered Spencer. He was able to identify that the body had been moved based on the species of blowfly that had laid larvae a few hours older than the specimens right on the surface of the body (the information was from a book on forensic entomology he once read in high school at age 10). The older larvae had embedded themselves within the boy’s muscle fibers, digging into the stale flesh during the transportation of the corpse. Even when the CSI techs had gagged as he used a gloved finger to dig into the layers of muscles in the boy’s abdomen to fish out larvae - Spencer did not give it a second thought.

It didn’t seem like it bothered the rest of the team either - this was far from being the most gruesome or cruel crime scene they’ve ever come across. The perpetrator had been caught less than 10 miles from the original crime scene. They had tracked down the origin of the blowflies and found him in a dilapidated property once owned by his family. The skins of his victims were stretched across a tanning rack and their clothes were washed and folded before being displayed in a trophy case.

The body count was higher than they initially anticipated - they only found six bodies.

There were fourteen pairs of clothes in the case.

Local law enforcement had showered them with superfluous gratitude, even though Spencer knew that this was a case that would always haunt them.

But his job was to catch their killers, not console the victims in the aftermath. His job was done.

It isn’t until they all boarded the plane that Spencer noticed the different levels of discomfort the team was dealing with. The cabin was blanketed in a heavy silence that no one wanted to break.

JJ was soft spoken, her eyes glazed in the distance and answering each question thrown her way with a tight smile and gentle nod. Their police liaison had performed her job perfectly. She hosted multiple press conferences, consoled devastated families and went out of her way to return all the clothes to each family with local law enforcement. She kept a neutral expression on at most times, but Spencer knew that she saw her own son and spun make believe stories where the same kind of tragedy befell Henry.

Rossi and Derek were sullen, their attention tuned to a book and to his music respectively. They were still making jokes at the precinct, trying to bring a semblance of normality in a situation that was the complete opposite. They chose to keep to themselves, knowing that this case wouldn’t be as hard on them because they themselves didn’t have any children.

Spencer then focused his attention on the brunette pair seated near the front of the plane, their attention solely focused on each other.

He knew that this case would probably be the most difficult for Hotch. Despite his ability to present a steely, stoic exterior, Spencer knew without a doubt that Hotch loves his son and frets constantly about his well-being.

And when four of the six victims they found were brunette and roughly the same age as Jack, it was impossible not to draw comparisons. Hotch led as he always had, unflinching and unrelenting in pursuit of the unsub, never even mentioning that he himself had a son.

But when the chaos fell away, Hotch was left to face his old demons head to head, reviving old memories Spencer is sure he probably would prefer never to remember.

In another life, Hotch probably would’ve continued to push on with paperwork, choosing to bury his suffering under mountains of reports to keep himself from thinking too much about it. But with Emily there, Spencer can see the weariness in his body language with a new clarity.

He’s never seen their leader look so tired after a case before. He had always surrounded himself with impenetrable fortresses of admin work to stop those around him from prying too deeply about his feelings, even going as far as starting write-ups the moment they stepped foot on the jet.

He soon realizes that Hotch was being vulnerable right now. Open and willing to share, his emotions laid bare for someone else to analyze, flaying his weakness open - something Spencer hasn’t seen in all the years they’ve worked together.

Emily and Hotch kept the conversation to themselves, hushed words being exchanged between the two of them. Both of their bodies were angled towards each other slightly, a dip in Emily’s brow as she listened to whatever Hotch was telling her. Her eyes softened as Aaron continued to talk and Spencer turned away, feeling like he was intruding on a moment that was only supposed to be privy to the two of them.

When Spencer glances back at them, he can see their wrists pressed against each other and it doesn’t take much deduction to figure out that they were holding hands under the table to shield their newly-outed relationship from the prying eyes of the rest of the team.

They really did need to be obvious for him to catch on.

---

Penelope

Highlighters.

Printer paper.

More pens.

Penelope repeats the list to herself, making the trek down towards the supply room. She had been running low on supplies for weeks now, the back to back cases filling all the blank and scrap pieces of paper she had in her office. She was due to organize them and file them away with their cases, but serial killers and rapists seemed to be on the uptick the past few weeks.

Maybe there was something about the sweltering heat that was currently blanketing most of the East Coast that made everyone more violent. If she had a violent bone in her body, she’d be swinging some punches at those who crowded her on the Metro today. It was humid and people wanted to rub their sweaty skin on each other on the train?

The supply closet is three floors below her office, tucked between Hostage Negotiation and the women’s bathroom on that floor. It was a trek for most people to get to, far and out of the way. Most of her colleagues weren’t even aware there was a supply closet as none of them apparently needed paper or pens for any of the fancy work they were doing. Penelope grumbled to herself, wondering why she couldn’t just hoard 20 reams of paper and 3 boxes of pens like she had wanted.

(Facilities shot down the idea almost immediately. Killjoys.)

She’s engrossed in her thoughts, wondering if she should get retractable pens or the normal ballpoint ones, just as the door swings open and almost knocks her in the face.

“Hey! Watch where you're…” She is about to go on a tirade on making sure there wasn’t anyone on the other side of the door before swinging it open, but her rant is stopped in its tracks when their Unit Chief emerges from the supply closet, startling Penelope.

“Oh, sorry sir. I didn’t know it was you.”

“No apologies needed, Garcia.” He says smoothly, an uneasy smile on his normally stoic expression.

The amount of smiling he had been doing lately was honestly pretty unnerving. She thinks it’s probably due to the presence of a certain brunette in his life.

“Did you need more pens too, sir?” Penelope asks, watching as their leader cleared his throat and glanced back again at the door, like he was expecting someone on the other side. The door suddenly creaks open and Emily slinks out, smoothing wrinkles off of her blouse. She stands next to Hotch, barely glancing in his direction and Hotch seemed to be okay being totally ignored by his girlfriend.

Girlfriend. It still is a bit of an adjustment since there are some days that they barely looked at each other, especially when they were on a case. Aside from the first meeting where they told everyone they were in a relationship, they certainly didn’t act like it.

At least, not in front of the team.

“Hi Pen.” She greets Penelope like Emily was passing through the hallway and stopped for a brief chat, not like Penelope just watched both her boss and good friend emerging from a supply closet. She isn’t a profiler by any means, but it wasn’t a far jump to conclude what things were happening in the supply closet that was tucked away in a corner and rarely visited by anyone in the office. The first two buttons of Emily’s blouse are buttoned wrong and their Unit Chief’s hair lacked the normal rigidity that it had.

Definitely not in front of the team.

“Look, Garcia…” Hotch finally starts to look sheepish when the realization hits Penelope’s face.

“You were… and she was…”

“Yes, I was trying to find the new pens and Hotch was helping me. Right, Hotch?” She digs an elbow into his ribs as Hotch just nods and plasters a much less genuine, more terrifying smile on his face. There is something very vaguely threatening about the look in Emily’s eye, so she just nods in agreement and stays silent as they retreat down the hallway back towards the BAU.

They were alone in a supply closet in the middle of a work day and Emily had the audacity to threaten them about unprofessional work behavior?

Penelope opens the door to the supply closet and starts picking out her materials, her mind buzzing with the gossip she can’t wait to share with JJ during lunch.

If they said that they were trying to find new pens, who was she to doubt that?

Hopefully, one of them would notice that their Unit Chief’s fly was unzipped before they went into their next meeting.

---

JJ

JJ yawns, cursing herself for not bringing more coffee in a travel mug as they make their way to the Hotchners.. Henry had been extremely excited the night before at the prospect of spending all day with Jack at a nearby water park, his energy bouncing off the walls and JJ wondered briefly where he got his Enegizer-bunny level energy this close to his bedtime when she and Will were exhausted by 8 PM.

This was a tradition that she and Hotch had kept up for almost two years at this point - Jack was only two years older than Henry, but Henry looked up to him like the big brother he was always asking for.

(And yes, Henry knew where babies came from (or a watered down version that excluded details) but she still had to explain that she couldn’t give Henry an older brother.)

It gave each of them a reprieve from parenting - which on top of what they do for work, sometimes felt impossible. Instead, they came up with a wordless arrangement: once a month, they would alternate who would organize some activity for the boys that would keep them occupied the whole day and bring them back absolutely exhausted.

It had saved JJ’s sanity more than once; the most recent excursion was Hotch’s brilliant idea of taking them to a children’s museum with outdoor exhibits: a racetrack with cars the kids could ride had been the highlight of Henry’s entire month and was mentioned almost every day since. It had bought JJ one day sans responsibility - that 90 minute massage she got that day had saved both her life and her relationship.

They get to Hotch’s before 7, the sun only beginning its journey crossing the sky when Henry eagerly pounds on the Hotchners’ door. JJ has to tell Henry to knock quieter because Hotch did have neighbors and she doubted they would be as excited about going to a water park as Henry was.

There's brief movement behind the door before Jack Hotchner opens it, a smile on his face that highlights the wide gap where his four front teeth should be and Hotch trailing behind him with Jack’s backpack slung over his shoulder.

“Are you ready to go?” Henry asks, foregoing any greeting. JJ shoots him a pointed look before Henry sighs and in a monotone voice says: “Morning Jack. Morning Uncle Aaron.”

“Morning Henry. Jack’s about ready to go, he just needs to finish the oatmeal left in his bowl and he can leave.” Jack begins to protest, but after a haughty look from his father, begrudgingly moves towards the kitchen as Hotch ushers JJ and Henry inside.

Hotch pours her a steaming cup of coffee from the pot he had been brewing, dropping a Splenda or two next to her cup. JJ smiles and rolls her eyes, reaching for the sugar on the counter because she can’t stand the taste of Splenda.

She did know one person who couldn’t live without it.

Her thoughts suddenly materialized in the form of a yawning Emily Prentiss, walking into the kitchen in nothing but an old worn shirt with the Yale logo stretched across the worn fabric and sleep shorts. The shirt draped her petite figure as she rubbed the sleep that still streaked her expression from her eyes.

“Hey babe, has Jack le--” Emily trails off when she realizes that Jack did not leave but rather, his guests were sitting around Hotch’s kitchen table. JJ throws her a suggestive smirk as Hotch just shakes his head in response, waiting for Emily to stand next to him before curling an arm around her waist, her hip cupped in his hand as he drops a kiss to the top of her head. He reaches over to a steaming mug on the counter and places it in her grip as Emily sighs happily.

“Hi Auntie Emmy!” Henry greets, more than familiar now with Emily’s presence in the Hotcher residence. It had actually been Henry who gave JJ the confirmation that they had been dating before they announced it to the team, when Henry had come home bouncing off the walls after visiting the International Spy Museum with Jack and said that Auntie Emmy thought he would make a great spy.

“Morning Henry.” Emily says in return, peeling herself from Aaron’s side to kiss Henry on the cheek as she cupped his cheek to press her affection into the 4 year olds soft skin. Henry squeals excitedly as Emily does it again before turning to Jack.

“Morning Jack.” Emily turns to Jack and mirrors her greeting to Henry. The eight year old seemed unphased by the affection, but JJ saw the slight quirk at the corner of his lips and the soft tone to Hotch’s normally rigid expression.

Emily looked like she had always belonged here - like her presence was as constant in this apartment as the two who lived here. Jack announces that he’s done with breakfast and with a nod of approval from Aaron, eagerly grabs his backpack from his father and grabs Henry’s hand to tug him towards the front door. They all laugh at the boys’ excitement, Jack speaking a mile a minute at all the different slides he wanted to go on and Henry eagerly listening.

As Hotch tries to tell them the basic rules for that day (forever the rule follower), she slinks back to where Emily is leaning against the kitchen entryway with a slight smile and fresh cup of coffee as she watches the scene in front of her unfold.

“So how long has it been since you moved in?” JJ asks, secretly delighted that Emily’s eyes widen in a slight panic. There’s a beat of silence, before Emily blows a breath and laughs nervously.

“Two months ago.” Emily admits before JJ smiles and says that she’s happy for them. Just as she’s about to turn and leave, Emily asks:

“How the fuck did you find out?”

“C’mon Em. There’s an appointment reminder on Hotch’s fridge for a wellness exam. It’s conveniently located five minutes from your address, but why would the appointment reminder be here and not at your apartment?”

“You’re a terrifying profiler. Why did Aaron let you be a profiler when it eventually would come back to bite him in the ass?”

The aforementioned man just looks at them quizzically as they both suddenly roar with laughter.  

---

Dave

They had both been acting differently the past few days.

Not weird, or suspicious, but different.  

Aaron had dropped off a cup of coffee at her empty desk this morning with Dave watching from his office as he lingered for a moment longer than he normally would before the phone ringing in Aaron’s office had beckoned him back. Emily stopped by Aaron’s office yesterday afternoon once most of the team had gone for the day, as she had always done since the beginning of their relationship, but he could hear faint mutterings between them and paper rustling as they held what sounded like an official meeting just between the two of them. They were exchanging glances more than they normally did, their eyes finding each other in almost every meeting they had attended today.

He had figured out that they moved in together the day after they had done it, when Emily had come in smelling faintly of Aaron’s body wash and her clothes were neatly pressed with the same rigor he saw in Aaron’s dry cleaned suits. Both parties were understandably upset that he had figured it out but he swore that he wouldn’t tell the team anything unless they wanted to. Since then, he’s prided himself as the resident expert in all things Hotchniss-related.

(Hotchniss was their boat name, or something to that effect, that Penelope had dubbed the pair the day they came out as dating.)

So he kept a more focused eye on the two throughout the day, determined on finding out what kind of dalliance had kept the two occupied. They fell into their normal routine - walking in together with Emily goofing around with the rest of the team in the bullpen while Hotch gave them a stiff greeting. The team had meetings to discuss cases, where Dave would watch Aaron glance over to Emily while Derek was giving his report on the serial rapist case in Garland and she purposefully avoided his gaze, glancing down at the file in front of her. At lunch, Emily chose to dine with JJ and Garcia while Aaron worked through budgets in his office and she dropped off a sandwich at his desk before retreating back to her own.

It wasn’t till the end of a work day on Thursday that Dave realized why they were acting so differently. Aaron was standing by her desk as the day slowly bled into the night, waiting for her after the rest of the team had already gone home. Dave had been held back in his office by the bottle of bourbon in his cabinet and a long-winded call with his agent about his next book release (and just a smidge of curiosity).

It didn’t take long for Emily to emerge from the elevators, a soft smile crossing her features when she spots Aaron waiting for her at her desk.  Her body physically relaxes at the sight of him; her shoulders easing from their squared up posture and her jaw slackening as she makes his way towards him. Dave can see the same amount of relief in Aaron - the crease in his forehead flattening itself out as his hand extends towards her, tugging her into him as she laughs. Her arms wrap around his waist, her smile tilted to one side as Aaron smiles and kisses her tenderly. He untangles her from around him and simply holds her hands in his, thumbs brushing over her knuckles and that’s when Dave sees it.

The brush of his thumb repeatedly over a single spot: the knuckle on her left ring finger.

Bingo.

--

The next day, Dave walks into Aaron’s office once most of the team had already left, leaving Aaron doing paperwork and Emily keeping him company on the couch. They both look up at him, brows furrowed at the sight of champagne that he offers up to them along with crystal glasses he brought from home because clearly, this called for celebration.

“Did your book deal finally go through?” Emily asks when he pours them each a hefty glass of champagne.

“Actually, this is something better.” Dave says, watching as Aaron and Emily exchange questioning looks before he raises up his glass for a toast.

“To the future Mr. and Mrs. Hotchner.”

The silence is heavy for a moment, before Emily groans and downs the champagne in one swig.

“Shit.” Emily sighs before reaching for her wallet on Aaron’s desk and pulling out $20. She slaps it on the desk before her head hangs heavy in her hands, like she had lost a large sum of money. Just as Dave is about to reach for it, Aaron takes it from under his palm and pockets it into his suit jacket.

“I win.” Aaron says, barely a smile on his face as he continues his paperwork. Emily is seething as Dave is just left confused.

“He wins?” Dave asks as Emily sighs and reaches over to down the rest of the drink Aaron probably wasn’t going to touch.

“Yeah, we bet $20 that you’d profile us to figure out we were engaged. Aaron bet that you’d barge into the office to tell us, I bet that you’d make a big deal of it in front of the team when we announced it at the end of the week.” Dave just blinks wordlessly as Emily pours herself more of the extremely expensive champagne he had procured for the event.

“You were betting on me finding out?” Dave asks in disbelief. Emily nods, gesturing to Aaron.

“It was his idea - to prove who the better profiler is.”

“I need to hear you say it.” Aaron says, a devilish smile dancing on the corner of his lips even as he continues to retain his focus on the paperwork in front of him.

“Need to hear me say what?” Dave asks as Emily mumbles something under her breath.

“I can’t hear you.” Aaron says and Dave can see the annoyance starting to form on Emily’s face, paired with a slight sigh.

“ You’re the better profiler.” Emily says through gritted teeth. Aaron laughs and reaches for the champagne, extending his empty glass to Dave and reclining into his chair.

“Miracles do happen.” He says, reclining in his chair and propping his feet on the desk as he basks in his victory.

“It would also be miraculous if we were the only couple who go into a marriage already sexless.”

“Emily.”

“What?”

--

The BAU

Two years later

“Do you know why they called this meeting? Do we have a new case?” Derek asks, strolling in with a fresh cup of coffee. JJ shrugs from her spot already seated at the roundtable with the rest of the team. The only two people who were noticeably absent were the Hotchners, who had both called this meeting.

Emily had transitioned earlier this year as Unit Chief of Domestic Terrorism after almost two years of working as a Supervisory Special Agent for their unit. HR had been less than pleased when they had told them that they were involved after they had already gotten engaged and said that due to a conflict of interest, it was impossible for them to continue to work in the same unit. Luckily, both Emily and Hotch had expected that that would be the reaction to their relationship, so Emily had been in talks with the Domestic Terrorism team in the early days of their engagement and her experience with Interpol was hard to ignore. Emily had transitioned from the fifth floor to the fourth floor before their wedding and had been working there ever since.

As if sensing that they had been summoned, the Hotchners opened the door to the roundtable. Emily takes a seat at the table as Hotch makes his way to the front of the room. .

“Is there a terrorism case we’re being brought into?” Reid asks as Emily and Hotch exchange glances, both their expressions difficult to read. Hotch shakes his head.

“Not exactly. We’re bringing a new team member in, part as both Domestic Terrorism and BAU.” Hotch starts, as Emily nods and stands up to take her place by her husband. The two gold rings on her left ring finger glints brightly under the fluorescent light.

“Where did you find someone? Interpol?” Dave asks, curiosity suddenly piqued. They had been searching for an additional headcount for a while - Dave was set to go on a 32 stop book tour and was choosing to step down from the BAU as a full-time agent and pivot as a consultant. All of the people they’ve interviewed so far could not get past Reid, who went out of his way to make sure that the person they hired could keep up with him.

“No, not Interpol. It was a joint effort between me and Hotch.”

“Did they come highly recommended?” Derek asks as Emily just shrugged.

“We’re not sure of their credentials, but we do have a picture of the candidate.” Emily says, gesturing to JJ as she nodded and pulled up a grainy picture on the screen.

“Meet the newest member of both the BAU and Domestic Terrorism Unit.”

It was a sonogram with a few words printed underneath:

Baby Hotchner, Coming This Fall

“You’re pregnant? ” Penelope squeals, nearly knocking Reid over as she cuts through every member of the team to hug both the Hotchners. They laugh and pat her on the back, an odd sense of relief befalling the room.

“It’ll be four months this Thursday.” Emily says, as the rest of the team gathers around the pair to shower them with congratulations and questions.

“Hotch is going to let you keep working?” JJ asked as she wrapped two arms around Emily’s waist for a tight hug. She knew how much her friend had struggled when they first got married, stunned with the realization that she had wanted kids but she had only wanted them with the right person. But her doctors had told her that it was an uphill battle, wrought with uncertainty and potential heartache.

She had gotten sick with a bad case of stomach flu, or so she had thought. For a solid week, their toilet was her sole companion and Aaron was worried enough to sideline her until her symptoms started to ease. When she fainted one weekend while they were home, Aaron insisted that she go to the doctor. The bored resident casually told them that they were pregnant, unaware of the bomb that he had dropped in their lives. JJ had just discovered by accident, after entering the first floor bathroom before getting into the elevator right as Emily emerged, wiping the corner of her lip with the back of her hand. It was too easy to put together the pieces from there, especially since she herself utilized the first floor bathroom to get herself through her first few months with morning sickness.

“I think I’m fighting a losing battle, especially about going on cases.” Emily murmurs quietly as JJ just laughs, Hotch’s overprotective nature unsurprising to them both.

“How long have you guys known?” Derek asks, surprised at how far along Emily already was. He hadn’t noticed her act any differently - still had her morning cup of coffee, no new aversions to food, and she hadn’t complained at all about feeling ill from the morning sickness.

“About two months, I think, give or take.” Hotch says, his hand going to Emily’s lower back as she tilted a smile up at him.

“You’ve known for two months ?” Dave says in disbelief. Emily nods, a wide smile on her face as everyone on the team looked perplexed that they’d hidden it from all of them. It was a conscious effort on her and Aaron’s part - one that had rivaled the effort she put into finding Valhalla, when she knew every move she made could potentially be scrutinized by the best behavioral analysts in the country.

“How come you all forget that I embedded myself in a terrorist organization for almost two years and did not get caught or outed? We can keep a secret, y’know.”

“Oh my God.” Penelope said, suddenly gasping as everyone in the team turned to her with concern. “This was a joint effort between you and Hotch?”

“That’s disgusting.” Derek moans.

“Seriously?”

“I think I’m going to throw up.”

[hakuryuu]

ooohh for that oc ask meme, noonday 1 through 8?

:D!!

1 (What’s the maximum amount of time your character can sit still with nothing to do?): shdlkjfg she cannot sit still for very long at ALL she can do it for maybe a minute before she's got to fiddle with something or get up and move around... the only exception is if she's thinking over a thorny problem, then she'll tend to get quite still and really hole up in her mind palace. otherwise she'll still absentmindedly doodle, make something, brew a cup of tea, clean a counter, 2 (How easy is it for your character to laugh?): EASY! she's a very bright and laughing person and she loves to laugh and have fun 3 (How do they put themselves to bed at night (reading, singing, thinking?)): her favorite way to put herself to bed at night is thinking idly over a puzzle or an invention! usually she'll have one that she's come up specifically to play with in her mind before she goes to sleep. that's how she came up with teacups that form magic circles 4 (How easy is it to earn their trust?): quite easy - noonday's confident in herself and has also (pregame at least) not known much in the way of real blindsiding betrayal (any 'betrayal' has always been something she's sort of seen coming), so she welcomes people into her life without much concern, and also welcomes herself into their lives as well shdlksjklf 5 (How easy is it to earn their mistrust?): slightly more difficult-to-answer-question because if she trusted you first and then you did something to earn her mistrust it won't be a very strong mistrust: she'll always be willing to give you the benefit of the doubt up to the end, even if she has more reservations about it than before. on the other hand, it's possible to earn her inflexible dislike more or less at once upon meeting her, and if she doesn't like you she will refuse to trust you on principle 6 (Do they consider laws flexible, or immovable?): as a career criminal from a huge family empire of career criminals she mostly considers laws to be things that happen to other people, but that aren't generally too annoying to operate within during her day-to-day 7 (What triggers nostalgia for them, most often? Do they enjoy that feeling?): ooh that's a tough one...the pelisian isles where she grew up are quite cold compared to the climate of torredaga so i think that whenever they get an especially cold winter she'll get very nostalgic...there would be a lot of actions around that time (wrapping up in warmer clothes that she probably inherited from her parents, drinking the warm drinks her grandparents gave her as a child, maybe even playing in the snow if it gets chilly enough) that would spark nostalgia. i think it's a sort of cheerfully resigned type of nostalgia for her though; though she was happy, she loves her life where she is now and doesn't necessarily miss her childhood. ON A MORE MODERN NOTE, i think brewing tea/making new blends/all that brings back some fond nostalgia for when she was just starting out her tea shop in torredaga. i think around season 4 she just gave the whole thing over to the shop's other employee and she doesn't even live above the shop anymore...she probably thinks fondly of it, and enjoys the feeling 8 (What were they told to stop/start doing most often as a child): shdglsjfkls many things...she was being raised to be the heir to the cholmondeley art forgery empire so there were a lot of lessons on many different things and she did enjoy that but she was never quite suited for it...i think ultimately what she was told to stop doing most often as a child could be boiled down to "having fun" - put lessons first, family interests first, the future first, business first, don't pursue your own interests if they won't be ultimately beneficial. this definitely directly led to her season 1 drive, which was "fun comes first!" no matter the cost

[scarlet--wiccan]

Superheroes (at least in marvel) almost can’t have nepo babies because their kids are almost certainly going to end up being orphaned and raised in an alternate reality even if their parents are still relatively alive. There are characters like Rachel Carpenter who were raised “in the industry” but end up forgotten/not supes because they don’t have powers or any super interesting storylines.

Only one I can think of (in marvel) is Franklin richards (I’m not sure Valeria qualifies I’m confused about her background) and like. Kid cable for that one month he vacationed on Krakoa before returning to be a miserable future orphan in his own timeline

I feel like we can take this one of three ways--

Many children of superheroes are popular/relevant characters because of their parents. These characters are metatextual nepo babies-- they benefit from the exposure and visibility that comes from having a built-in legacy.

Many, but not all, children of superheroes, benefit from the access, trust, and goodwill afforded to their parents. This may include lifelong connections and guaranteed career paths within major superhero organizations, or even positions of power and influence. These characters are textual nepo babies-- they benefit, in universe, from preferential treatment and institutional privilege.

Many, arguably most, children of superheroes inherit powers and abilities from their parents; this may include training or guidance from their predecessors which allows them to transition more seamlessly into life as a super-powered person. This is not truly "nepotism" as it does not guarantee preferential treatment or institutional privilege, and is just as likely to act as a burden or detriment.

Valeria Richards is a textual nepo baby. She benefits from inherited wealth and security (depending on the current state of the Fantastic Four) and access to her parents' vast scientific resources, as well as preferential treatment from her godfather, Doctor Doom, who is literally the ruler of a nation. In most future or alternate timelines, Valeria occupies positions of power built on her parents' or godfathers' careers.

Many children of the X-Men occupy tenuous nepo baby postions in Krakoan society. The Summers children benefit from their parents' noteriety and are referred to as "mutant royalty." The Stepford sisters have inherited institutional power within Hellfire Trading from their mother. That said, these characters have not always lead a charmed life and did not possess such privilege prior to Krakoa-- and there is no guarantee that they will continue to hold said privilege if and when Krakoa falls.

The Young Avengers are, by and large, metatextual nepo babies. Their relevance as characters is predicated on their parents and grandparents' legacies. This does not, however, translate to access, opportunity, or institutional power in-universe. In fact, it's usually the opposite. Cassie lost access to the Avengers after her father died and has has led most of her career since then as a vigilante or criminal. The twins were actively punished for their connection to Wanda, and the Bradley family got completely left in the dust. Teddy inherited wealth and power, but that's because he's royalty, which is not technically the same thing.

[br1ghtestlight]

It's currently 2:30 in the morning and I have a very important question for my favorite favorite bobs burger blog...

Any mickey headcannons? 🙃

THANK YOU FOR ASKING SORRY IM SO LATE ANSWERING THIS LOL i was very busy and didn't have time to write anything <\3 mickey is so funny i love his character sm

his parents were both kinda terrible people and criminals so he was involved with that stuff from a young age, he really isn't a bad person but he never had a choice so he just kinda fell into that lifestyle but bob and linda definitely helped him find something better he could do with his life even if it wasnt long-term, he liked doing actual honest work for a change :)

he likes living at the trailer park with all the other carnies and working with them at wonder wharf bcuz they're all also criminals and he doesn't feel insecure or like theyre judging him/think theyre better than him, he feels like society looks down on him most of the time and he usually takes it in stride but it does hurt sometimes

related to that he LOVES louise gene and tina so genuinely, he loves that they don't judge him and that they like spending time with him and think he's fun and he kinda considers them the nieces he never had, louise probably convinced him to come to her school for career day once and she got in trouble with mr frond bcuz apparently bankrobbing isnt a "real career" (she disagrees) but mr frond talks to him and he agrees to come back and give the kids a scared straight assembly where he talks abt being a criminal and prison and how much it sucks

he's bisexual This isn't relevant to anything just my understanding of his character. he had a friends with benefits kinda relationship with rodney before he went to prison but they were never officially dating

just like with the one-eyed snakes louise very consistently threatens ppl by saying she's friends with an actual criminal who robbed a bank at gunpoint and he'll kill them if she asks him to, mickey would not kill anyone or hurt a child but if somebody is being a bully he'll agree to pretend to threaten them and basically act like a super edgy criminal to scare them (he's a terrible actor tbh)

^^ mickey was bullied when he was a kid bcuz of his generally anxious pathetic vibes so he will always stand up to the kids bullies, its like a personal thing for him he wants to be the person that he wishes he had for the kids

most of the people who live in the carnie trailer park don't have any actual family or loved ones in their lives so they celebrate holidays like christmas and thanksgiving together :) mickey joins them sometimes but he has also been invited to spend christmas thanksgiving etc etc with the belcher family and he always accepts, bob also offered to cook dinner for the entire trailer park one thanksgiving it was SO GOOD and the first homemade meal a lot of them ever had, bcuz of that he has at least 50 hardened criminals ready to fight and die for him (and also mickey <3)

mickey sneaks the kids free cotton candy and prizes whenever they go to wonder wharf when he's working also sometimes tickets for the rides, he is trying to be a better person but in his opinion there's nothing morally wrong with giving kids free candy bcuz the fischoeders are so rich and he loves the kids a lot he's like their cool fun uncle (one of many!!!!!)

[caxycreations]

Character Intro - Bruce Heirivan

Bruce is eight feet and eight inches tall. He is an orca, and built for fighting. His voice is deep, soft when quiet and booming when not. He has an accent similar to that of those living in the Bronx.

Originally a professional fighter, he was noticed by Kaleb during a low point in his career. Kaleb, seeing his potential, offered to sponsor him, paying him hefty sums for each fight he participated in whether he won or lost. Bruce, low on cash and out of desire to provide for his loved ones, took the offer.

As time passed and his skill grew from the experience of each fight, Kaleb became more and more interested in Bruce's ability. As Bruce was considering a career change after a few years in the ring, he presented his decision to Kaleb who offered him a new job working security for him.

Bruce accepted, as the benefits were better and he believed the risk would be lower, only to find himself as Kaleb's personal bodyguard. Now tasked with being on-call at all times, and by Kaleb's side when he wasn't home, he was given unique insight into the reptile. He was made aware of each and every criminal activity Kaleb had his hands in, as well as the scope of his influence in the legal world as well.

Initially considering turning the snake in, he was stopped short by an agreement the two made. In exchange for his silence, cooperation, and continued employ as Kaleb's personal bodyguard, Bruce would enjoy a greater salary than any other employee under Kaleb, as well as an ongoing agreement in which Bruce could request aid from Kaleb on the behalf of Bruce's family. So long as Kaleb could comply without putting himself, his empire, or his business at risk, he would do so.

With this agreement in place, Bruce has chosen to be loyal to Kaleb for so long as it holds. He is willing to kill for Kaleb, and has done so in the past on many occasions. While his aquatic nature would normally pose difficulties in his job, Kaleb has ensured each of his buildings are aquatic friendly, with hydration pods and aquariums located throughout, as well as a personal hydration chamber for Bruce located within Kaleb's very own office to ensure the orca never needs to be more than a few steps from him.

Overall, Bruce is ultimately loyal to his loved ones first, his family being his top priority, and is willing to do anything to ensure their safety and well-being, including working under Kaleb despite the grisly job description. He is quiet, observant, and an exceptional combatant.

No artwork for this character exists yet

Character by Vitro the Crolf, my co-creator

@heavensfallenfaction wanted to be tagged so you get tagged in this AND the short story coming momentarily

[anthonybialy]

Mob Misses

Money isn’t the only thing inflated.  Joe Biden thinks the term means its value increases, which is desirable just like it is for balloons.  A professional clown made him a squirrel.  As an amateur, he makes cash as worthless as his reputation.

The amount of sheer scumbaggery exhibited by our leader is the only thing exhibited in abundance.  America struggles to escape the influence of a limp crime boss who gets his cut from every industry.  The nation he rips off endures exactly what everyone who believes in properly-restrained government said would happen when it went unlimited.  A full-time dirtbag who rips off resources is bound to think it’s common behavior.

The messenger is suitable for the message.  Only Biden would think he’s being praised.  Exploiting authority that was never his to seize is as shameless as deciding debts don’t need to be repaid because he proclaims it.  

A criminal and criminally inept administration uncannily pimps policies that serve his crackhead brat’s shady deals. Haruspicy doesn’t require animal entrails.  Nobody can afford bacon.

Personal grift is accompanied by other kinds of overreach.  The ostensibly beneficial interference is the precise opposite, but we’d enjoy peaceful prosperity if it worked like smug dolts imagined.  Those forced to pledge allegiance don’t even get benefits out of putting up with a bumbling godfather.

It’s unsurprising that Biden family capos can’t even invent clever schemes.  Enriching himself by using a Chinese laundry is the worst sort of stereotyping.  Taking classified documents and leaving them laying about was so blatant that it seemed like a sting.  Meanwhile, his son who’s legitimate in one sense makes deals with the sort of rogues’ gathering from the opening of The Naked Gun while Daddy just happened to stop in and say hi.  Life is full of coincidences.  Don’t forget to notice the magic of the everyday.

Ineptness while corrupt will have to qualify as balance.  There’s not a pleasant aspect about Biden’s personality or results.  It’s not like he’s a jerk who gets things done, or at least good things.  Confusing activity for progress isn’t a sign that Biden is declining, as he began his political career declined.

You have to take it.  There’s never been a better case against coercion for supposed progress than a garbage presidency staffed by terrible people who are so unwilling to help others voluntarily that they can’t imagine anyone decent enough to do so.  A lack of empathy explains a lot, including why pushy liberals explain constantly that they really care.

Sucking at making anything people want is a common characteristic amongst uncommonly useless White House underlings.  A service rendered costs money, which offends defenders of thieving.  Shoplifting is flourishing just like not paying back loans.  This would be a good time to finally concede that government shouldn’t have our money or trust.

Unaffordable fuel might be by design if that assuages the inability to get anywhere more than figuratively.  You can have all the solar power you want just like the free money that somehow isn’t worth that much.  Democrats dream of taxing the Sun.

As for life on this planet, crazy prices on energy that actually makes things go keeps everyone idling.  Dystopian science fiction where everyone’s trapped inside is too rosy.  The commodity that literally fuels civilization getting more costly prompts everything else to become even pricey.  Other items don’t need the assistance.

Paying like the mob is taking its cut is something those shaken down aren’t supposed to notice.  Your precious free speech prevents your protection.  Government already hassled reflexively before we got stuck with a president who serves as the bagman for his crime family.  Nobody’s watching a mob movie that’s a documentary featuring no loyalty.

The president has done so little in so many years.  A person with a paucity of life experience as Biden is bound to think everyone else acts like he does.  Lame projection is merely one more dire consequence.  The incumbent is dedicated to service if skimming to pay his bills count.

Policies that enrich him personally are surely coincidental.  Biden sees thriving corporations with rich executives and figures government works the same.  Going soft on the commie plague-spreaders who control China because he can make a couple yuan off them at least means he’s not this weak on purpose.

The most painfully obvious abuse comes naturally to a sleaze who got into government in lieu of learning skills.  Possessing endless examples of why to properly limit the executive branch isn’t worth today’s misery.

Being a prototypical politician is not a compliment.  The incumbent cant even fake well.  A guy who’s spent his life preparing for this role bumbles in a way that’d make trainees shake their heads.  The head of state is the worst at the only thing he knows.  Biden’s last boss Barack Obama and the male in the Clinton marriage could at least con suckers into thinking they cared.  

It’s not like we can exactly say the economy’s terrific.  Finding a dollar that’s worth something is as tricky as identifying an honest one Hunter’s made.  We endure an awful business environment in a diminished America, by at least the president’s unscrupulous.  Biden can’t sympathize with your bitching while he’s doing so well.

[atianana]

The best thing about being a lawyer - Attorney

The best thing about being a lawyer — Attorney

The Best Things About Being a Lawyer: A Rewarding Career Path

Being a lawyer — Attorney — Becoming a lawyer is a path that many individuals choose to follow due to its numerous benefits and opportunities for personal and professional growth. In this article, we will explore some of the best things about being a lawyer, from the intellectual challenges to the potential for making a positive impact on society. If you are considering a career in law or are simply curious about what makes this profession so rewarding, read on to discover the many advantages of being a lawyer.

Intellectual Stimulation

One of the most appealing aspects of being a lawyer is the constant intellectual stimulation. Lawyers are required to analyze complex legal issues, research precedent, and develop persuasive arguments. Whether you are working on a criminal case, corporate litigation, or family law matter, every day brings new challenges that require critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This intellectual challenge keeps the profession engaging and exciting.

Diverse Career Options

The field of law offers a wide range of career options, allowing lawyers to specialize in areas that align with their interests and passions. From criminal defense to environmental law, intellectual property to human rights advocacy, there is a legal niche for nearly every interest. This diversity of practice areas ensures that lawyers can find a path that resonates with their values and goals.

Financial Rewards

While the financial rewards of a legal career may vary depending on the specific field and location, it’s generally true that lawyers can earn competitive salaries. Many law graduates have the opportunity to work for prestigious law firms, government agencies, or corporations, which often offer lucrative compensation packages. This financial stability can provide lawyers with a comfortable lifestyle and the ability to plan for their future.

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Making a Difference

Lawyers have the power to make a meaningful impact on society. They advocate for justice, protect individuals’ rights, and uphold the rule of law. Whether it’s defending the wrongly accused, advocating for environmental conservation, or working on civil rights cases, lawyers have the opportunity to effect positive change and contribute to a just and equitable society.

Lifelong Learning

The legal profession is constantly evolving, with laws, regulations, and legal precedents changing over time. As a result, lawyers must engage in lifelong learning to stay up-to-date with the latest developments in their field. This commitment to continuous education keeps lawyers intellectually sharp and ensures that they are well-prepared to serve their clients effectively.

Prestige and Respect

Being a lawyer often comes with a level of prestige and respect in society. Lawyers are seen as experts in their field and are trusted to uphold the principles of justice and fairness. This respect can be personally fulfilling and can open doors to various opportunities in both legal and non-legal domains.

Strong Professional Network

Lawyers build strong professional networks throughout their careers. They collaborate with colleagues, judges, and clients, which can lead to valuable connections and opportunities. These networks can be instrumental in career advancement and personal growth.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the best things about being a lawyer extend far beyond financial rewards. The intellectual challenges, diverse career options, and the opportunity to make a positive impact on society make this profession incredibly rewarding. While being a lawyer may be demanding and rigorous, the sense of fulfillment that comes from advocating for justice and upholding the rule of law is unmatched. If you are passionate about the legal field and eager to make a difference, a career as a lawyer may be the perfect fit for you.

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[4015benson]

We’ll Figure It Out

Continued from here. @6313stabler

Olivia didn’t want to believe that the OCCB would actually close. They had a good team, they’ve brought several criminals to justice and in doing so, brought down some of the most dangerous criminal organizations. So, for anyone to think that disbanding this team was a good thing was absolutely baffling to the Captain. 

Though, Olivia Benson did understand needing to take care of oneself and one’s family, but this didn’t seem like the right way to do it, so admittedly, Ayanna’s decision had shocked her, troubled her even, but she was doing it for her family, so it was a very complicated situation all around. 

But it didn’t need to be. They could find someone else to run the OCCB if Ayanna took the promotion, someone to keep the task force alive and running. Even if there had been some faults and mistakes made within the group, but what task force or Precinct didn’t have those? Even the SVU had their own fair share of mistakes, but they continued to protect those in need just as the OCCB was doing.

When Elliot explains the reasoning why he wasn’t allowed to run it, Olivia sighs. Yes, her first thought was Elliot taking charge, especially with Kathy’s case being closed, but she figures given all the discourse and uncertainty surrounding Elliot, they wouldn’t allow him to do so, which he found to be incredibly unfair and wrong. He was a big reason as to why two of the most dangerous criminal organizations were no longer a thing, he was the reason as to why so many dirty cops have been taken down, though not many people saw that as a good thing and that angered the Captain. Cops shouldn’t be dirty, cops shouldn’t be working for the other side unless undercover as Elliot did, but only with the sole purpose of taking them down. The way Elliot has been treated didn’t sit right with the Captain and she made sure that was known. 1PP allowed him to go UC, they wanted dirty cops to be flushed out, and yet, they were barely having his back with the fallout. 

“Yes, but her case has been closed for months now. They can’t use that as an excuse anymore.” But she knew they were using other excuses as to why they wouldn’t appointment Elliot in charge. The UC assignment with the Brotherhood being one, his anger, his need to rebel at times but he’d come a long way - he’s changed. He thinks with his head and heart, he strategizes, he puts others before himself. He would make a good leader, Olivia believes, but given their relationship, they’d find her to be biased. But she wouldn’t say that if she didn’t believe it. She may be in a relationship with him, but she was also Captain when necessary. 

“Brass allowed this UC, El. They’re only pissed about it now because it’s more public than they wanted.” But what in the hell did they expect? Elliot puts his life, and career on the line, and they only back him if it benefits them? But now that they’re being looked at in the negative light, they’re allowing Elliot to take the brunt of it all? No way in hell would Olivia allow that. 

Frowning, she approaches him from behind as sets down the watch he’d just taken off of his wrist, her arms moving around his waist from behind and her lips pressing a kiss to this shoulder. “We’ll figure this out, El.” We because they were a team. Just because she wasn’t part of the OCCB didn’t mean she wouldn’t help them. She saw each and every one of them as family and part of the SVU team, so she’d have their backs, whether professionally or personally. “This city is safer because of what everyone there has done. It’d be the biggest mistake shutting you down.” 

[capitalism-and-analytics]

What do you think about unpaid interns, career politicians, non disclosure agreements?

I think that those three things are they most criminalized but normalized things about the US.

Unpaid interns = modern day slavery

Career politicians = dictatorship at the state or county level

Non disclosure agreements = protects the guilty party FOREVER

Hard to speak broadly over all three of them because there are positive and negative cases of all three of those items:

Unpaid Internships = Generally are for positions that are primarily intended for benefiting/training the intern, opposed to primarily providing value to the company. That being said, I do recognize there are cases that people are providing significant value to companies through their labor, while receiving minimal benefit to themselves. At the end of the day though, I would never label it in a similar classification of slavery; there is no force element involved, if anything it's a fancy classification of volunteer work.

Career Politicians = It's one of those things; in theory, it isn't inherently a negative thing because if a politician performs their job well, then you would want them to provide continued service and are regulated by their constituency. Unfortunately, in practice, we have found that it commonly results in politicians focused more on getting re-elected than doing whats best for their constituency and many cases becoming corrupt to ensure re-election.

Non-Disclosure Agreements = I will never support censorship, but at the same time, people should be free to censor themselves and NDAs don't prevent whistleblowing for criminal investigations; they just limit speech in civil matters. That being said, I do agree there can quite a bit of reform of improvement.

[beardedmrbean]

The Sofia City Prosecutor's Office proposed to the Chief Prosecutor of the Republic of Bulgaria - Ivan Geshev - to submit a reasoned request to the National Assembly for permission to initiate criminal prosecution against Boyko Borissov - former Prime Minister and deputy in the 49th National Assembly.

The proposal was prepared in connection with a pre-trial proceeding, known in the media as "Barcelonagate", in which evidence was collected within the meaning of Art. 219 of the Criminal Code for a committed crime under Art. 253 of the Criminal Code of the People's Representative /money laundering/.

From the evidence collected in the course of the pre-trial proceedings, it can be concluded that the former prime minister provided third parties with funds acquired as a result of a committed crime for the purchase and rental of real estate abroad, says the announcement of the prosecutor's office.

A week ago, on the sidelines of the National Assembly, it was unofficially rumored that the prosecutor's office is expected to request the immunity of GERB leader and current MP Boyko Borissov. But not only that: the name of the co-chairman of "We Continue the Change" Kiril Petkov was also unofficially mentioned, and various rumors suggested that the immunities requested by the prosecutor's office could be as many as a dozen, but this did not happen.

Instead, the city prosecutor's office proposed to remove the immunity of GERB deputy Delyan Dobrev in a case from 2016. So far, the prosecutor general has not officially filed a request for Dobrev's immunity. He himself and GERB took a position that they will not support the removal of any parliamentary immunity at a time when a severe judicial reform is being carried out.

Geshev is about to submit an official request to remove Boyko Borissov's immunity. He can give it up himself. If he does not, the parliament will have to form a committee on the matter. Chief Prosecutor Ivan Geshev has already indirectly accused Borissov of trying to get him to resign himself. In a series of statements, the prosecutor general said he had received invitations to become ambassador to Israel or Turkey, as well as to have a political career, "probably in GERB."

"Barcelonagate" is an investigation into a house in Barcelona examining a money laundering scheme linked to former Prime Minister Boyko Borissov. The name of the former Bulgarian model Borislava Yovcheva, who is suspected of having benefited from the scheme, and with whom Borissov is said to have a child, is also involved in the case. In 2018, the Catalan publication "Periodico" reported that the local authorities were checking whether she was connected to Borissov.

Barcelonagate was mentioned by Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev when he tendered his resignation two weeks ago. Then he stated that the supervising prosecutor on the case had received a message through several people from the head of the national investigation, Borislav Sarafov, to close the case, and in fact "the development of the case would have ended by the end of this year".

Later, Sarafov gave an example with "Barcelonagate" that this is how key cases are decided in the prosecutor's office. "He himself admitted today that he keeps the 'Barcelonagate' case in pieces, as you put it, so that he can twist the hands of politicians," Sarafov said on May 15. Shortly after, the prosecutor's office announced that the case was not "completed" and that a "huge number of documents" were still being translated from Spanish and other languages.