#they collaborated or refrained from projecting.

[acidbathcat]

one thing i don’t like about psychologists writing about mental disorders is when they describe symptoms like it’s something unimaginable or shockingly distinctive when to the person experiencing it it’s just a normal every day thing. it makes it a lot harder to empathize when you project this grandiosity onto it. even something like intense and frightening symptoms are not nearly how people imagine it. it’s more like… frightening but… not world changing. much of mental illness is a collective disturbance that erodes your quality of life over a number of areas in a subtle way. you can only feel the damage when you look back.

[skzhua]

a price i'm willing to pay | part 27 - play pretend?

MASTERLIST

pairing: ceo!bang chan x entrepreneur!reader

genre: social media!au, arranged marriage, fake relationship, fluff, angst.

warnings: swearing, might have suggestive bits.

summary: following a scandal threatening the survival of your business, you have no choice but to associate yourself with a competitive company.

Needless to say, you were stressed. Even if Chan’s building was not that far from yours, the few minutes you had to wait for him were agonizing. Moving your knee up and down, biting your bottom lip as you stared at the time, picking the skin around your nails… There wasn’t a thing you weren’t doing in attempt to calm yourself.

“You good?” Changbin questioned you as he was heading out for his own lunch break.

“Yup, never been better,” you sent him a thumbs up but by the look on his face, he was not convinced in the slightest.

“I’m going for fried chicken; do you want me to bring you some?”

You swooned at the gesture but shook your head no. “Chan and I will eat together.”

The disappointment was obvious on his face but he smiled nonetheless, waving at you as he walked out. You almost felt bad until you remembered the messages exchanged with Chan. You had no idea what he wanted to talk about. Did he want to discuss your future projects? Was he regretting collaborating with you? Or worst, did he want to divorce you after realizing he made a mistake?

So many things ran through your mind that you didn’t take notice of Chan standing tall in front of your desk, blazer slouched over his shoulder. Once your eyes set on him, you swallowed thickly upon taking in how fucking handsome he was. There were times you could refrain yourself from such thoughts, but you were all over the place today.

“Really? You’re checking me out right now?” he sighed in disappointment, although he still had a hint of amusement in his tone.

“I’m not,” you argued even if you knew the blush on your face would betray you.

“Sure, sweetheart,” he chuckled. “Shall we go?”

“Where?”

He perked an eyebrow up. “To eat..?”

“Right,” you cleared your throat before gathering your jacket and purse clumsily.

There was no denying it; this was the cutest sight Chan had had of you so far. Still, he tried to not let it show through and guided you out to the café nearby. You chose a booth that was a bit further from the other tables so you could have some sort of privacy. You sat down, legs jittering under the table, and motioned the seat across from you for Chan to sit on. Only, as is he was intentionally testing your patience and making you even more nervous on purpose, he shook his head and walked to the lineup at the cash register. From there, he sent a small smile to your direction but you could only roll your eyes. This was one of the instances where you would remember why you despised him in the first place.

It only took him a few minutes but he finally sat with you as he brought along with him two carrot muffins and two lattes. You would lie it you said you didn’t find adorable how he remembered your usual and that he ordered the same for him. Nevertheless, this was not what you were here for.

“How was work this morning?” he asked after taking a sip and you deadpanned at him.

“Really? That’s what you’re going to say first?:

He sighed. “I don’ know how to bring the subject into the conversation smoothly.”

“Just say it as it is, it's killing me how I have no idea what you want to discuss about.”

His gaze softened before he cleared his throat. “I know you said to never bring it up again, but it's been on my mind for months and I think I'll go crazy if I don’t have answers.”

Your body stiffened. You knew exactly what he was referring to. The question was why would he bring it up now, after months since it occurred. If it bugged him so much, you would have maybe let him speak.

“What are your questions?”

He seemed surprised and somewhat relieved to see how calm you remained. “Why did you say to not talk about it again? Are you ashamed of it?”

“Ashamed of it?” you repeated. “No, of course not. It's just- I wasn’t thinking straight that night.”

“So your solution to something you caused was to ignore it,” he scoffed. “Does it mean you regret it?”

“Wasn’t it obvious when I ask you to not mention it again?”

His jaw clenched and he took a sip of his latte as a temporary distraction. “Is it that bad that we kissed?”

“We're business partners, Chan.”

“To you, that’s what we are. But I would have hoped after the year we had, you would maybe consider me as your friend at the very least.”

You gulped at his statement. The thing was, you never knew in what category he fitted. At first, it was your rival. Then, a business partner. But with time, you saw your relationship with him to a level you never thought it would reach. You sought to him for comfort, you would call him at random times to get your mind off things, you would actually enjoy your silly fake dates, and — although you would never admit it out loud — the posts you made about each other online made your heart swoon. He was never your friend, but he wasn’t someone you hated anymore.

“Another thing,” he continued after seeing you would not answer. “If you have something with Changbin, it was never my intention to come between the two of you. Heck, I was even a replacement for him that night since he couldn’t come.”

“That’s not true,” you were quick to correct.

“Why did you invite me over the one time he wasn’t going to be there, then?”

You groaned in frustration. “You and Changbin are two totally different people. In no way did I ever think of you as replacement for him. And to answer your question, it’s because he hates you.”

He took a second to register what you said before speaking again, hesitantly. “Do you have something going on with him?”

“Alright, jealous boy, I think we covered enough ground here,” you tried to dismiss the topic but, clearly, he had no intention for you to do so.

“Y/N, do you?”

You thought for a moment, which in itself would have sent Chan's mind into a whirlwind of overthinking, but you responded. “Wonhee thinks he does have feelings for me, but I don’t see him like this. If so, it would have happened long ago.”

He struggled with containing his satisfied smile. “And, are you seeing anybody?”

“If you don’t count, then no.”

His eyes lingered on yours for a moment which inevitably made you self-conscious of your words. You didn’t think before speaking, and somehow, it felt like you said the right thing. Still, you had no idea what you were implying with this. Did you want to be with him for real? Or did you say that because, in a way, you are seeing each other? The latter sounded like the most likely to be, but the first one had a ring to it that was melody to your ears.

“That’s all I wanted to discuss,” he ended up responding, much to your disappointment. “Just let me know if you do begin to date, because-"

“I won’t.”

He frowned at your interruption. “What?”

“We're married, I'm not going to hoe around for no reason.”

“We're married on paper, Y/N.”

“It doesn’t mean I don’t care about you. If you are uncomfortable with it, I won’t. Besides, you’re not so bad of a husband.”

His cheeks turned pink while his smile grew, showing his dimples in the process. He sent a wink your way as to tell you he knows what you meant but in all honesty, this took him aback quite a lot. And this was the moment he knew his feelings were definitely stronger than what he had originally thought. In a way, he was grateful you didn’t seem to catch onto his very flustered self. However, a part of him wanted you to know he took this compliment to heart.

“I should get going,” you broke the silence, showing him the time on your phone. “Thank you for the latte and the muffin.”

“It’s nothing. I can walk you to the company.”

You pondered for a second and smiled. “Would you mind?”

“Of course not.”

So, a few minutes later, you were strolling around the city towards your company building. The streets were rather calm, surprisingly, and the little noise there was simply made your surroundings the more welcoming. Today was just perfect.

“We can stop playing pretend, you know?”

His voice caught you off guard. “Come again?”

“You understood me the first time, Y/N,” he breathed out, stopping on his tracks. “How long are we going to keep pretending you and I aren’t something more than just a public relationship? Because, I'll keep going.”

You were out of words, speechless. How could he say something of that sort in such a bold way? You never had the time to think if this would go any further, mainly because you avoided the thought the times it did pop up in your brain. Chan was never the man you'd take interest in, even less in a romantic manner. Not only that, but you had very strong negative feelings towards him not so long ago. But again, the evening strolls with him were always something you looked forward to. The way he'd make the stupidest joke was both something that annoyed you and cheered you up. His crazy sudden dates filled you with adrenaline as you couldn’t wait to see what prepared just for you.

And the kiss at the sleepover. The way he looked so beautiful in the dim light. The softness of his lips that you still think of from time to time to this day. The gently cuddles he gave you the next morning while eating your breakfast…

“I doubt we've been playing pretend this whole time,” you said in a small voice, taking a step towards him.

He took a step closer as well. “Have we not?”

“I don’t think so…”

Crash.

In the middle of the sidewalk, not a care in the world, you were kissing him once again.

“Sunghoon?”

The latter jumped up from his seat, straightening his posture as Jisung arrived at his front desk with a smile plastered on his face. “How can I help you, Mr. Han?”

“There is a last-minute appointment this morning with Miss Park Yoonchae.”

Sunghoon looked at Chris' agenda before frowning. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I'm sure,” he answered with a roll of his eyes. “She'll be here at 10, you can send her over right away.”

“Important meeting, I see?”

“Depends of the outcome.”

And as told to Sunghoon, the woman dressed from head to toe in designer clothes was standing before him at ten o’clock sharp. As he would always do, he argued a bit with Yoonchae as she was not marked in Chan's schedule. Nonetheless, he did let her through when receiving a deathly glare from Jisung across the room.

“Mr. Bang should review his front desk staff,” Yoonchae muttered under her breath before coming up to Jisung with her innocent eyes. “Hannie! It's been a while!”

“It has.”

“Is Christopher available right now?” she asked while the man was escorting her to the big boss' office.

“If it isn’t, it must be for an emergency. Otherwise, he’s here,” Jisung affirmed, opening the door wide for the girl to walk in.

Chan was there. Only, he was not alone. Not only was Changbin sitting comfortably across him, but so was Minho. Both of the men turned around at the sound of someone entering and frowned when they took notice of Yoonchae.

“Oh, it was today, wasn’t it?” Chan asked as if the answer was not obvious already. “Yoonchae, right?”

“The one and only,” she smiled, even if her displeasure was evident.

“I apologize for my unprofessionalism; I swear it was not intentional. I can see you next week, if that works for you.”

“No.”

“Oh, well-"

“I didn’t come here today for no reason,” she sighed out, walking up to his desk. “I have an offer.”

“Miss, we're kind of in the middle of-" Changbin began but was quickly shut.

“I'm sure you can wait ten minutes or so.”

Chan and Minho exchanged looks before the latter nodded and gestured for his friend to follow him outside the room. Satisfied, Yoonchae smirked at the boys as she took their latest seats, sprawling her coat on the chair next to her. Jisung sent a thumbs up to Chan, and closed the door.

“What did you come here for?” Chan questioned in a forced way.

“Ad you may know, I have a very influential presence in the media.”

“I am aware; proof of it being the atrocious review you made of my wife and I's products.”

“I have millions of followers,” she went on to say, ignoring Chan’s remark. “Many of which could become potential customers of your brand.”

“What are you getting to?”

“I want to become an ambassador of Bahng Fragrances.”

The first reaction of Chan was to scoff out a laugh. There was no way the person who bashed on every beauty item she found would want to work with him. However, when her face remained unchanged, his own smile fell.

“You were serious.”

“Very serious.”

“I'm afraid I can’t do this.”

It was her turn to scoff. “Mr. Bahng, in all due respect, I think you have no choice.”

“My company's success does not rely on your reviews. An even better reason to refuse is the way you treated my wife.”

“I have nothing but respect for your relationship, but let’s be honest here. You are not actually together.”

Chan shook his head in disbelief. “How can you make such an assumption?”

“Because Jisung told me.”

In the split of a second, Chan froze in place. Either she was playing with him, or she was telling the truth.

“Jisung would never do that.”

“Oh, but I have text messages at hands to prove it. I can post them online whenever I please,” she giggled, holding her phone up high. “So? How about we work together, Mr. Bang?”

taglist 1: @lenilla15 | @muddy-waters | @nanaspalette | @nattisbored | @popcatx0 | @vanblack95 | @aestheticsluut | @thanxxskz | @minhoino | @taetertotsv | @luvscrazy | @lethallyprotected | @foxinnie8 | @jisuperboard | @jihanlovic | @soobin-chois | @jinxwhore28 | @purplelandsworld | @yeojoongiee | @smugrogerina | @jaehyunicecream | @urmomlikeslinotoo | @syprosight | @thesassy-mia | @chaotic-world-of-the-j | @heartsforlevi | @miyakoa | @seungincore | @skzsilentcryy | @owotalks | @hanjsquokka | @evermourning | @bangchansbae | @qweebarse | @linosllvr | @kpopsstuffs | @tinyelfperson | @jabmastersupriseee | @imsiriuslyreal | @chrizzztopherbang | @ilovejeongin_007

Copyright © 2024 skzhua. All rights reserved.

[mangywayway]

Just a small thing to say I'm going on a small hiatus ✌🏻

I'll probably be less active almost everywhere for some time (but I'll still be here, bc I get bored lololol). I have 2 weeks full of exams incoming in July, I started working again full time and I'm honestly really, really tired (both physically and mentally). I think I just need some time for myself, and hopefully it will get better from that.

I have some projects and some collaborations I want to work on so I'll just concentrate on that. I honestly wanted to partecipate at some events hosted here but I'm glad that I choose to refrain at the end bc I don't think I'll have been mentally ready to complete them or to fullify my parts.

I'll still check my DMs and stuff, so if someone needs to contact me (whatever it being something important or something stupid) I'll be available, no problems. Same goes for Discord. Remember that cats photos are always accepted, doesn't matter who you are lolol

That said, peace and love ppl, and enjoy your summer ✌🏻

[pja-party]

Collab AU Harassment & Accusations Concerns ( 5 parts )

1 Collab AU Introduction

Yes, I recently joined a collaborative AU (Collab AU) centered around Cupbros with parents from different AUs.

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

2 Harassment and Accusations

Unfortunately, the Collab AU founder/host is facing harassment and death threats due to personal arguments, extending to me and other artists unrelated to the disputes.

I lack details about the arguments and involved parties, so I won't comment about it.

But a person's accusations said our AU project is a "revenge attack" on Better Casino

I want to clarify, that our AU concept was inspired by Better Casino, bringing OCs together for interactions.

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

3 AU Concept Clarification

Better Casino: Different OCs together, Casino OCs, about their work at Casino.

Parents Collab AU: Different OCs together, Cupbros Parents OCs, about Cupbros wishing to have parents.

The rest of the AU content is different.

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

4 Statement

To @cupheadocscasino , @lunarshadow04 , @whosectype,@fresacake, @mimuo-no,@4ce-of-2pades,@mintythecup, @heartsofmonsters ,@winterleaf098,@cups-and-pentacles, @shortcakelils ,@fizz-wizz-dizz, @potatoreak, @momento-morii-ua ,@cupid-shortcake ,@carlarosenakilah, :

"Apologies for the tag, but we wanted to inform of our statement to the members of Better Casino :

We genuinely admire your concept of bringing OCs together and share a positive sentiment towards it.

Additionally, we are countering the accusations made against us by a person ( who's NOT a member of Better Casino ) accusing that we created the Parents Collab AU as a form of revenge against your Collab AU.

This is not the case; we were simply inspired by the idea."

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

5 Call for Respectful Discourse

Also, my intention is not to call out these people who are accused us, as I am concerned about potential harassment directed towards them.

However, if the situation escalates further, and the harassment intensifies, I may reconsider this stance. I urge everyone to refrain from engaging in any form of harassment.

Let's maintain a positive and respectful environment within the community.

[gxhaode]

Chapter 16

⋆｡°✩-resting bitch face(Written)

As you walked into the music classroom, a singular thought consumed your mind: the desperate urge to throw yourself out the nearest window. The previous night had been an arduous struggle, spending hours upon hours collaborating with Jay, only to hit an impenetrable wall. Normally, crafting lyrics came effortlessly to you, as you could whip up a demo in a matter of hours. But this time, inspiration had abandoned you, leaving you frustrated and resentful of your own creative shortcomings.To make matters worse, your perennial case of "resting bitch face" drew its fair share of attention as you entered the room. Numerous gazes fell upon you, including one from your brother, Hongjoong, who recognized the familiar expression all too well. Sensing your volatile state, he wisely refrained from uttering a word, knowing you were a ticking bomb in desperate need of defusing.

Before you could retreat to your usual secluded seat in the back corner, Hongjoong cleared his throat, seizing everyone's attention. "I've decided to assign seating," he announced, motioning to the names listed on the board. Today's unfortunate turn of events forced you to sit next to a complete stranger. Glancing at the board to locate your designated spot, your heart skipped a beat, a look of shock washing over your face. Hongjoong chuckled at your reaction, flashing a mischievous wink before urging everyone to find their seats.As you settled in beside Yeonjun, an inexplicable surge of anxiety coursed through your veins. Likewise, Yeonjun found himself mentally unraveling. How on earth did he end up seated next to the girl who supposedly despised him? He stole a fleeting glance in your direction, and a shiver ran down his spine. The sheer disdain etched across your features made it abundantly clear that you detested your new proximity—an unfortunate misconception, as your current mood had little to do with him and stemmed primarily from your fruitless all-nighter.

Once everyone had settled into their seats, Hongjoong resumed speaking. "The reason your teacher and I implemented assigned seating," he explained, "is because the person sitting next to you will be your partner for all future projects this year." As those words registered, a surge of gratitude overwhelmed you, an overwhelming desire to drop to your knees and express gratitude to whichever deity had finally taken pity on your plight, after years of yearning for Yeonjun's attention. In contrast, Yeonjun couldn't shake the feeling that he must have committed heinous acts in a past life to warrant such a cruel punishment. To say he feared your presence would be an understatement.Hongjoong pressed on, elaborating on the first project you and your partner would tackle: composing a melody and writing lyrics to be performed before the entire class in two weeks' time. Groans of protest reverberated through the room, but you and Yeonjun remained silent, still grappling with the jolting reality of your forced collaboration.

As the lesson segued into music theory, you dared not make a single movement, petrified that the slightest misstep or errant breath could tip the fragile balance between you and Yeonjun. Eventually, the class drew to a close, and students hurriedly filed out of the room. Left behind in the aftermath of awkwardness, you and Yeonjun locked eyes for the first time since taking your seats. Summoning courage, Yeonjun cleared his throat and timidly spoke, "Um, can I get your number?" The shock etched across your face seemed to jolt Yeonjun's mind into action as he hastily clarified, "FOR THE PROJECT—I mean, for coordination and planning, so we can meet and work together." Understanding his intent, you retrieved your phone, replying, "Yeah, give me a minute."Standing side by side, the air thick with awkwardness, both your faces burned with distinct emotions. After exchanging numbers, Yeonjun managed to stammer, "I'll text you later," before you hurriedly departed the classroom, leaving Yeonjun dumbfounded in your wake. Mentally berating himself, he wracked his brain, attempting to recall any transgressions he might have committed against you. Meanwhile, you made your way towards the cafeteria, desperately seeking solace and attempting to calm the relentless pounding of your heart.

⋆｡°✩| previous, masterlist, next

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[zhongrin]

◇ a/n ◇ @thestarsofenkanomiya happy birthday haku!! 'tis but a small little present but i hope it brought you just a little bit of joy <3

oh, and here's a handy tool if you need it!

◇ characters ◇ albedo, heizou, ??? (cyoa style)

◇ tags ◇ fluff

𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡 ⬙ 𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑙𝑖𝑠𝑡

the morning sun rouses you from sleep, and the birds outside the window insistently chirp as you struggle to gather your consciousness. with a stretch and a sigh, you rub the sleep out of your eyes before glancing lazily at your side table.

.... hmm?

you squint and examine the foreign object that was definitely not there before you went to bed last night.

curious and intrigued, you reach out to take the item, which is…

▷ 𝑖. a thin rectangular package wrapped in brown paper, sealed with a star sticker. ▷ 𝑖𝑖. a simple envelope sealed with a maroon-colored wax stamp. ▷ 𝑖𝑖𝑖. a medium-sized, bulky package in black, with a somewhat familiar crest on it.

▶ 𝑖. a thin rectangular package wrapped in brown paper, sealed with a star sticker.

To my dearest [name],

Thank you for being born and for coming into my life.

I hope that was not too straightforward. I truly wish I can be with you on this very special day, but alas, my responsibility as the Knights of Favonius’ Chief of Alchemist had to intrude at the most inopportune time. Rest assured, however, that I have scheduled the rest of my afternoon and evening off, so I will be by your side soon enough.

In the meantime, I believe Klee will be wanting to spend some time with you. Please refrain from getting into too much trouble. We would not want to have you locked in the timeout room along with Klee on your birthday. I believe she mentioned she wanted to make flower crowns with you, along with some ‘secret project’ she refused to tell me. I have a feeling she wants to tap into her artistic skill to create a little something for you.

They say siblings think alike. I believe the saying must be close to the truth.

My gift to you is enclosed in this envelope. As you can tell at a glance, it’s a sketchbook. But it is not just a new sketchbook for you, my dearest. You should be able to see that it looks used. And if you flip through the pages you will see that they’re filled with my sketches for the past year.

I know you have been studying watercolor painting for some time now, and as I have repeatedly stated, I am quite enamored by your works. Thus, I would like to offer a collaboration. Will you peruse the sketchbook and paint over my sketches? I’m looking forward to seeing the beautiful works that sprout from your beautiful hands.

Happy birthday, my starlight. May your loveliness stay eternal - and while the notion of me making a wish here might not be an appropriate birthday tradition, please indulge my selfish desire (as you always so kindly do):

𝑰 𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓 (𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔) 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒂𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅, 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒆 𝒃𝒚 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆.

Will you help me fulfill my wish, as i swear to do my very best to do the same with yours?

Your stardust, Albedo Kreideprinz.

▶ 𝑖𝑖. a simple envelope sealed with a maroon-colored wax stamp.

Hey partner!

Not much time to write so I’ll get straight to the point: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

I’m sending you the greatest present of all, which should arrive in the afternoon at the day of your birthday! Hmm? What’s the present, you ask? Well…

𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚒𝚜: c2hpa2Fub2luIGhlaXpvdQ==

Haha, it’s not fun to just get the answer straightaway, right? Now, I hope you managed to solve the puzzle before it arrives! I wonder how you’ll react when you see it… Ah, I can only wish I can see your expression directly ;)

Heizou 🔎

▶ 𝑖𝑖𝑖. a medium-sized, bulky package in black, with a somewhat familiar crest on it.

Pet ー

I have a new and very special 𝔢𝔵𝔭𝔢𝔯𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔫𝔱 waiting for you today. Wear what I sent you. You know where to find me.

Don’t be late, now. Or else.

ー 𝕯

© zhongrin | 2022 ◆ no repost. reblogs much appreciated. feel free to reach out to submit suggestions, feedback, comments, or if you just want to talk!

◇ taglist ◇ @thestarsofenkanomiya | @genshinparty | @abyssmal-skies | @hamdehlesmis | @depressivecomforts | @sophiethewitch1 | @why-am-i-here-someone-save-me | @sunnshineflxwer | @heartonthemoon | @yuutasbabe | @percyval-archives | @carbs-need-more-love | @rebeccka | @queen-belial | @stygianoir | @niverine | @silentmoths | @niktwazny303 | @dustofthedailylife | @herdrops | @clovcly | @marina-and-the-memes

ps. if you want to be removed/added from the taglist, just send an ask!

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Elizabeth Weiss

Published: Jan 20, 2024

Recently, the Navajo Nation has embarked on a mission to stop flights to the moon, especially those intending to deposit human cremated remains (commonly referred to as “cremains”). The Navajo Nation regards the moon as sacred, arguing that depositing cremains—or any objects, for that matter—constitutes an act of desecration. This controversy centers around the Peregrine Mission 1, a NASA-spon.sored expedition to the moon. Two private companies, Celestis and Elysium Space, plan to use this mission to transport the cremains of individuals who opted for a lunar resting place.

Upon receiving a letter from Buu Nygren, the Navajo Nation’s President, the White House convened a meeting to hear their objections to those flight plans. Although the White House correctly concluded that the government did not have the authority to stop the flight or hinder the private companies’ plans, one may wonder why these religious concerns of the Navajo Nation were ever seriously considered in the first place. Typically, the U.S. government refrains from interfering in scenarios where religious beliefs are at stake, as evidenced by the longstanding conflict between fundamentalist Christian creationists and the teaching of evolution in schools.

Yet, the case appears different when it involves Native American traditional religions—a loosely defined amalgamation of beliefs, often intertwined with Christian elements, and lacking formal sacred texts. In these instances, the US government has been bending the First Amendment of the Constitution so greatly that it is bound to snap.

The First Amendment of the US Constitution clearly states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” This means that the federal government should be neutral towards all religions, avoiding favoritism to any denomination. Although the U.S. Government generally avoids supporting or discriminating against specific religions, as demonstrated by the diverse holiday displays ranging from nativity scenes to the Satanic Temple altar in Iowa, traditional Native American religions have been the exception to this strict adherence to the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause.

This exception is evident in NASA’s collaboration with the Navajo. In NASA’s 108-page education guide, “Story of the Stars,” intended for “Classrooms and Community-Based Educational Events,” Navajo religious beliefs are treated as being of equal importance to NASA’s scientific research. On page 3, the guide contains a statement from the Navajo: “We are the Holy People of the Earth. We are created and placed between our Mother Earth and Father Sky.” Further evidence of religious support in this guide is a story stating, “After the creation of the Earth, sky, and the atmosphere, the Holy people realized the whole university was entirely dark.” It is interspersed with tales of sacred directions, seasons, beliefs, and rules of life. Notably, in the acknowledgements, Leland Anthony Jr. is listed as the project’s “spiritual advisor.”

Given this content on NASA’s website, it’s hardly surprising that the White House would hastily convene a meeting with the Navajo Nation to consider the validity of objections to moon flights. However, these considerations favor one religion and teach one religion, thereby violating the US Constitution.

Another example of the Federal government showing a denominational preference appears in the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Enacted in 1990, NAGPRA aids in the repatriation and reburial of human remains and artifacts deemed “sacred,” or as grave goods, or objects of cultural patrimony. A specific instance of this favoratism within NAGPRA is the requirement that at least 2 of the 7 individuals on the review committees “must be traditional Indian religious leaders.” Additionally, each NAGPRA meeting begins and ends with a “traditional Indian prayer.” For example, Armand Minthorn’s prayer at the January 5, 2023 meeting started with, “Today, as we come together, we thank our Creator for our life, our family, and our friends. And we ask our Creator today to give us strength and courage to go on and go forward.”

Perhaps most troubling is the acceptance of Native American religious creation myths as evidence for present day tribal affiliation to past populations. These tales have been leveraged to empty museums and universities of research collections–collections that might otherwise contribute to advancements in forensic identification techniques, aiding today’s Native American crime victims.

Final examples of the US government supporting Native American religions involve discriminatory practices based on sex. For instance, at the Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center, religious traditions led Inuit elders to forbid female archaeologists from handling certain artifacts. Similarly, when the California Department of Transportation archaeologists collaborated with the Kashaya Pomo tribe, the tribe’s religious protocols dictated that menstruating women be isolated, prohibited from conducting fieldwork, kept away from Native elders, and forbidden from talking about spiritual topics!

It is time for the US government to stop its unconstitutional denominational preference of Native American religions. Stopping these preferences would uphold the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, protect scientific endeavors, and prevent discriminatory practices.

==

You shouldn't be any more comfortable with the Navajo making demands based on their religion than Xianity or Islam. Being loosely defined and vaguely "spiritual" doesn't change any of that.

Imagine an Orthodox Jew dictating "that menstruating women be isolated, prohibited from conducting fieldwork, kept away from Jewish elders, and forbidden from talking about spiritual topics" and being able to get traction and compliance from the government (and government institutions).

Your religion's rules apply to you, not me. If your religion forbids putting cremains on the moon, don't send any cremains to the moon. If your religion demands the moon be honored, go honor the moon. Over there.

[monkiekidvisualnovel]

🏮ABOUT🏮

Welcome to the Monkie Kid Visual Novel Tumblr blog!

Visual novel leader-Fandom Entertainer

Blog Moderator/Head Artist-Stella Wolfe

We are a group of Artists, Writers, Coders, Voice Actors and Musicians who all love Lego Monkie Kid and have collaborated together to make a dating simulator with routes for the characters you love!

We have.

| Mk | Mei | Sun Wukong | Macaque | Redson | Tang |

Here on Tumblr, we're hoping to share our progress and get people excited about the game and if you have any questions, we're free to answer.

We are also looking for more people to help us out, if your interested here is the link for the discord server where you can tryout! Please be aware we are currently only accepting people 18 and over.

The current Roles open are Voice actors, Musicians, GUI, Background Artists, and Writers.

FAQ

what about (Insert character name here) ?

We are not taking suggestions for new characters, we understand there are characters you love and would like to have in the visual novel but there are only so many characters we can put within the game due to the workload.

-

Will there be NSFW content?

There will be no NSFW whatsoever within the game and we ask that you refrain from any NSFW asks.

-

When will it be finished?

We do not have a date ready to announce, we are still in the early stages and all have schedules outside of this project so it will take some time.

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SOCIALS

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[innovacancy]

Greg Puciato The Sinclair, Cambridge, MA 23 May 2023

If there is a single word that can be used to describe Greg Puciato more than any other, that word would be “range”.  He’s been a core part of no less than four wildly-different bands over the past twenty years, perhaps most famously as vocalist for The Dillinger Escape Plan, and since 2020 he’s released two albums under his own name. The first, Child Soldier: Creator of God, was very much the work of an auteur, with Puciato playing every instrument save for percussion on the album; he followed that in 2022 with Mirrorcell, and now the efforts have culminated in his first tour of all solo material. That go-round recently stopped at The Sinclair in Cambridge, MA for a night that built on the singer’s reputation for intensity, even as he’s created albums undeniably distinct from what he’s made as part of other projects.

Between both of Puciato’s albums, there’s a wide variety in style - Mirrorcell plays its metal influence close to the chest, especially in its guitar parts; Creator of God walks a wider range of paths, and Puciato and his band play liberally from each record throughout the night, with a lean towards the latter.  Another facet of Puciato’s range is that of his actual vocal performance, the credential that lets him travel easily between stylistic choices, be that the cavernous metal salvos of set-opener ‘Reality Spiral’, the close-up restrained menace in something like ‘Evacuation’, or the serrated intensity he summons in ‘Fire for Water’.  His impressive adaptability puts him in a pantheon with names such as Mike Patton, whose music in Faith No More inspired Puciato as a young man, and who collaborated with Dillinger just before Puciato joined the band as a vocalist in the early 2000s.

The entire band onstage is as ferocious as their songs can be, each imbuing their instrumental part with accompanying physicality, and Puciato is no exception, whipping around with his microphone cable trailing in the air and at times lifting its stand up with his left arm whilst signing to the mic in his right hand.  Though his solo efforts thus far don’t skirt into so-called “mathcore” territory, there’s still a wealth of instrumental complexity here, like the particularly impressive drum performance of ‘Fire for Water’ or the deep, churning bass that carries ‘Deep Set’ - which in keeping with its lyrical refrain finds Puciato looking far across the room with characteristic, intense focus behind his eyes. The band showcase some modifications to ‘Evacuation’ that better suit their instrumental lineup, but the distinctly synth-led recorded version is an interesting crossbreed with Puciato’s Black Queen project, striking a figure reminiscent of HEALTH or Carpenter Brut, the latter of whom he collaborated with in 2022. He quips of ‘Lowered’ that the song is hard to sing alone, as he’s joined on the Mirrorcell version by Reba Meyers of Code Orange.

The final run of songs in the band’s set are all drawn from Creator of God, concluding the same way the album does in ‘September City’.  The song morphs significantly throughout, beginning with an airy, almost gentle delivery from Puciato that is cut through by a singular guitar which foreshadows the final explosive movement of the night in the song’s second half.  It’s the perfect microcosm of what makes Puciato’s material so compelling: the fury would be notable in and of itself, but by expanding beyond those confines into a wealth of sonic variation, he makes something truly cosmic in scope. The result: a nascent discography under his own name that is fast expanding into a beacon of creativity in the realm of metal-indebted song.

[thequeeramericandream]

Daring to Dream: A Queer Twist on the American Dream

Since the age of thirteen, I've been captivated by lifestyle blogs and vlogs. There was something undeniably fascinating about peering into the lives of others, a unique opportunity to unveil the human experience. Observing personal narratives—adventures, challenges, victories, and setbacks—stirred a profound fascination within me. However, as much as I cherished these stories, a significant barrier stood between me and the realization of my own aspirations. Nearly all the influencers I followed were straight and cisgendered—two aspects that did not align with my own identity.

Greetings, I'm Jimmie Edwards, a twenty-year-old gay, transgender man embarking on life's journey with limited in-person role models to guide me. Despite this, I'm steadfastly pursuing my dream—a unique, queer-coded version of the quintessential American Dream. Admittedly, the conventional notion of the "American Dream" feels outdated and unattainable, particularly for marginalized communities. Nevertheless, I believe in rewriting this concept, crafting a personalized version that aligns with my own terms and boundaries.

This blog serves as a platform for me to recount my distinctive journey while extending a helping hand to as many fellow queer individuals as possible. Here, you'll find guidance on various aspects, ranging from financial management to navigating relationships in the LGBTQIA+ spectrum, learning essential techniques like shaving facial hair for the first time, and even diving into discussions about the intricacies and complexities of our economy. It's a space where I aim to share experiences and offer support on a wide array of topics relevant to the queer community.

I'm excited about the prospect of collaborating and conducting interviews with fellow LGBTQIA+ individuals who manage blogs or vlogs. I am passionate about listening to and sharing the diverse experiences and life lessons learned by others. It was this very inspiration drawn from the narratives of others that prompted me to start my own blog in the first place. Collaborating with and featuring the stories of other members of the community is something I look forward to with great enthusiasm.

This space is intended for adults and is committed to inclusivity, devoid of hate speech, violence, abuse, bullying, or predatory behavior. It's important to note that due to the nature of the content, if you're under 18, I recommend refraining from following or engaging with this blog, as some topics may not be suitable for a younger audience. In the event this blog gains traction, I plan to launch another blog specifically designed for all ages, ensuring content appropriate for a broader audience.

With all of this being said, I plan to do two blog posts every week, along with one video on my YouTube channel summing up topics previously discussed on this platform. My blog posts will be posted on Monday and Saturday, with a new YouTube video also out every Wednesday. It may not always be as consistent as I would like for it to be, but I am very passionate about this project and I am looking forward to exploring and expanding on it. Until next time, keep living your truth and shining brightly in the spectrum of life. Take care, stay fabulous, and keep spreading love in every hue of the rainbow.

[usafphantom2]

'Dozens' of Ukrainian pilots began training to fly the F-16 fighters

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 06/15/2023 - 16:00 in Military, War Zones

Several NATO countries have announced the beginning of the training of Ukrainian military pilots to fly modern fighters, such as the F-16, which opens the possibility of considering the decision to hand them over to Ukraine when the pilots are ready for it.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said this before the meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels on Thursday, June 15.

"I welcome the decision of several NATO allies to provide training for [Ukrainian] fighter pilots. This is important and will allow us, at the most recent stage, to also make decisions to deliver fourth-generation fighters, such as the F-16," he said.

He also praised Denmark for playing a leading role in facilitating this agreement, offering to train Ukrainian pilots and continue to provide significant support to Ukraine.

"It's too early to say when exactly this decision will be made. But the fact that the training has started gives us the option to also decide to deliver the planes and then the pilots will be ready to fly them," Stoltenberg said.

He recalled that earlier this week he visited Washington to discuss preparations for the Vilnius summit with U.S. President Joe Biden. Among the main topics of these negotiations were aid to Ukraine, the need to strengthen the promise of investment in defense of NATO and other important issues for the alliance.

A two-day meeting of NATO defense ministers began in Brussels on June 15. The main issues of the summit are the continuation of assistance to Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression and the preparations for the NATO Summit in Vilnius from 11 to 12 July.

As part of the meeting, there will be a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Commission and a meeting of the United States-led Ukraine Defense Contact Group. One of the key issues of this meeting will be the creation of the so-called fighter coalition, which will contribute to the supply of modern fourth-generation fighters to Ukraine for its self-defense and fight against Russian aggression.

On May 22, Josep Borrell, the High Representative of the European Union, announced that the Ukrainian pilots had already started training the F-16.

F-16 Fighting Falcon Fighter. (Photo: Radoslaw Jozwiak/AFP/Getty Images)

However, on May 23, Troels Lund Poulsen, Danish's interim defense minister, said that Ukrainian pilots can start F-16 training only in July.

He also indicated that it can take up to six months before the necessary conditions for the use of F-16 fighters in Ukraine are established.

Eight European countries have already joined the “F-16 fighter coalition” supporting Ukraine, with the Netherlands and Denmark leading the collaborative effort.

The United States announced that, in the coming months, Ukraine's military allies will collaborate to determine the time, participants and the number of aircraft to be transferred to Ukraine. However, the delivery of fighters will depend on Ukraine's commitment to refrain from using them in attacks on Russian territory.

Tags: Military AviationF-16 Fighting FalconWar Zones - Russia/Ukraine

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Daytona Airshow and FIDAE. He has works published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work around the world of aviation.

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[beetles-and-rock]

ATTENTION BEETLEJUICE THE MUSICAL FAN ARTISTS AND FAN FICTION WRITERS!!!

As a way of keeping the spirit of the musical and the fandom alive we have created a discord server to cater to the creative process as well as help more creators to connect and even collaborate.

Upon your introduction you will be given the role of Writer, Artist, or Double Threat (writer and artist) and will be free to discuss ideas for fics or projects you are currently working on.

This sever includes chat channels and voice channels for artists and writers alike. As well as nsfw sections for both as well, cause we know y'all are thirsty for the B-man. We ask that you please not get too graphic, and refrain from joining if you are a minor.

Streaming art with other artists in realtime is allowed and encouraged. Creation of AU's is allowed and encouraged. Using the server as a base for collaboration is allowed and encouraged.

The Netherworld is Never Truly Gone! Just because the show is leaving Broadway doesn't mean it has to leave our hearts!

Hey guys, love you guys! 💚🖤🤍

[gntm-zine]

Beautiful Days is a collaborative fanzine project centered around the manga and anime series Gintama, written by Sorachi Hideaki. It is a general zine that will feature content from the whole series.

–

More information (such as our information doc & links to other socials) can be found on our carrd! This will act as our pinned post, so we'll be keeping this as up-to-date as possible!

–

CURRENT STATUS: Production!

FAQ under the readmore!

If you don't see your question here, feel free to send in an ask!

General Questions

What is a fanzine? A zine or fanzine is an unofficial fan-published work of originally-created art and/or writing among other mediums that usually follow a theme.

What is this fanzine about? This project is centered around the manga and anime series Gintama, written by Sorachi Hideaki, and is a general zine that will feature content from the whole series.

Is this fanzine SFW? Yes, this fanzine will be strictly safe for work.

Will this fanzine be for sale? The free/paid status of our zine will depend on our interest check.

Where will profits go? Whether or not we have profits and where they will go if we do have them will depend on the results of our interest check.

Application Questions

Who can apply? Any creators at least 16 years old by the time that acceptance emails are sent can apply!

How do I apply? Eligible contributors may apply when applications open. For further information, check our Info Doc and follow us on our socials to stay up to date.

How many contributors will you be accepting? The number of contributors we will be accepting will be determined by the interest check form.

Can I apply for more than one position? Yes, you can apply for as many positions as you would like. However, you will only be accepted for one of them.

Content Questions

Is this an anime-only zine? This zine may contain content from both the anime and the manga.

Will this zine include spoilers? This zine may contain spoilers of content and/or characters from later on in the serires.

Will the zine allow depictions of alternate universes? We would like the content of this zine to stay within the universe of the original story.

Will the zine allow romantic ships? Please refrain from depicting romantic relationships between any characters in this zine.

[aitchdeetee]

I have been going through the pgenpod archives recently and I am surprised how illuminating it is. In hindsight, that’s on me - I didn’t actively follow the Friendsim games and was not yet podcast-pilled at time of release. Having played the games now I’m skimming back through some episodes and wow...there is a surprising amount of information in here on how post-canon is being produced. It becomes pretty clear the amount of thought the fans and creators are putting into the goals of the Homestuck project (especially re:Epilogues and HS^2), ways of approaching + processing + writing fiction, collaborative storytelling, and hell the general process of creating art! This is a lot more transparent about the story’s production than Hussie ever was about Homestuck proper, and frankly with more good faith than they typically showed as well. Given that, it’s confusing to me that one of the big complaints of post-canon that’s emerged is that the creators didn’t engage with the fandom as much, when you had a whole stretch of time they were rotating through a podcast to speak to people fairly directly! It’s not too surprising though - podcasts are less accessible and I myself was ignoring the thing too.

And yeah, there’s bias. Of course there is, none of us are free from bias. In the interest of diplomacy I will refrain from getting deep into this. Well, except to say fuck anyone who sent people death threats. But BESIDES THAT, whatever your thoughts are on the toxicity in HS's creator/fandom relationship, there's worthwhile stuff in there. I don’t agree with everything on the show, and it can occasionally dip into fandom grudgery, but personally I take the bad with the good. And I think there’s more good than bad with pgenpod.

While I’m on the subject of Homestuck podcasts, I might as well take the opportunity to plug Homestuck Made This World. This one is two academics (one longtime fan, one newbie) reading through Homestuck one chunk at a time, analyzing it as a text, and putting it in its context in history. If you are one of those fans who yearned for people to take Homestuck seriously as Literature or Art or whatever - here it is! If you’re not, it is still a great resource for understanding how Homestuck was made as it was being updated, especially if you weren’t there. But this isn’t just Old Homestuck Yells At Cloud, I learned a lot about media analysis in general, as HS gets compared to other media that came before and after it. The hosts are critical but fair, genuinely insightful, and extremely good at talking to a non-academic audience. Because of that it’s a great podcast even for people who haven’t read Homestuck. There’s no better explainer. 

Anyways. I think both of these pods are invaluable for understanding what Homestuck is as an object, how it works, and how it got made. Purely from a perspective of internet history, it is good that they exist.

[whats-k-popping]

Congrats on all your achievememts 🥰 Requesting Yoongi who accidentally overeats because he’s stressed over work. Cue Hoseok finding him groaning and hiccuping in his studio, empty ramen cups littered around. Hoseok helps ease his painful hiccups. Doesnt need to end in emeto. Can end with Hobi giving him a warm water bottle and belly rubs.

Thank you anon!! This is such an interesting request! I loved writing it so much. I really liked writing just hiccups as the symptom. There's so little content that focuses on just hiccups. I'd love to read more content like this in the future. It's so cute! I hope you enjoy this anon!

Pairing: SOPE - platonic friendship with allusions to a fwb situation. Do what you will with that.

Setting: Sometime between That That and the announcement of JITB.

Words: 2320

Warnings: Accidental Overindulgence || Stomach Ache || Hiccups

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

Time is an illusion inside the Genius Lab. Sometimes minutes pass like hours. Sometimes hours pass like minutes. Yoongi had a hard time keeping track of the concept of time when he’s so absorbed in his work. 

Maybe he shouldn’t have accepted collaboration projects with fifteen global artists on top of his own album and debut preparations. Maybe he has become too proud, too greedy. But hindsight is always 20/20. He can see everything clearly now that he’s drowning from the pressure. Everyone always says he operates like a machine, but he’s still only human. Even the great Min Yoongi has his limits. 

He knows he needs to eat, but can’t be bothered to leave his studio. He keeps a stash of cup ramyeon in his studio for this exact reason. But he’s operating under skewed timing. He’s stuck in a mindset where minutes pass like hours. He thinks he is so far behind, not realizing that he’s only been stuck on the same part for only 25 minutes. He swears he’s been at it for hours.

He eats one ramyeon. 

Through trial and error, he’s able to move forward. He finds a combination of sounds that flows well. The bridge is complete. Now onto the refrain. He’s stuck again. He works, plugging new instruments and sound effects. Trying to layer on sounds. It’s complicated. He’s stuck again. He feels like he’s spent hours on it. It’s actually only been 30 more minutes. 

Still, he rewards himself with another cup of ramyeon. 

He moves on to the chorus. It needs to be more lively. It needs to fit well with quick motion choreography. He needs a sound that feels like driving a convertible on the beach. That’s the information he was provided. But he doesn’t know what that feels like. After thinking about it for hours (15 minutes). 

He stress-eats yet another instant ramyeon cup. He even snacks on some chips while he watches the plastic cup spinning on in the microwave. 

After he finishes gulping dowm the broth, he throws the container away and looks at the three recently eaten containers laying atop one another. The other two containers are still warm to the touch. He starts to wonder how much time had actually passed. The new heaviness and rumbling of his stomach tells him he’s eaten far too much way too quickly. 

He looks back at the time stamped revision history to the track and confirms that only about an hour has passed since he started working. He’s disgusted at himself for eating three whole cups of ramyeon in under one hour. He didn’t feel full before. But now he’s feeling bloated, his stomach swelling underneath his sweatshirt. Thankfully, it’s oversized, so the fabric doesn’t need to stretch to accommodate his bulging middle. 

But, of course, it is the one day he chooses jeans over sweatpants. And not loose fitting jeans. No, skinny jeans. He leans back in his desk chair and unbuttons them to make room for his aching stomach. The zipper unravels on its own. Instantly, his stomach pushes through and he lets out a heavy breath he didn’t realize he was holding. He feels so much better. He doesn’t think he could refasten them even if he wanted to.

He grunts when he sits up and leans back over his keyboard, determined to work more on the song. It’s a struggle. It’s nearly impossible to focus on the music over his own stomach gurgling loudly. And even when he wears his most effective noise-cancelling headphones, he can still feel the rumbling through his whole abdomen. It is screaming for attention, but Yoongi ignores. 

That is, until the hiccups start. He hardly registers the first one, working right through it. He thinks the next three are a fluke. The fifth hiccup hits hard, deep in his stomach. And by the tenth, he realizes they won’t be stopping anytime soon. 

He tries to work through them, tries to focus on the track and waits for them to go away on their own. But it proves too difficult for him to suffer through. The squeaky sound distracts him from the sounds of the instruments. His whole body jolts with each one, his hand flying off the mouse or making him click something he didn't intend to. His diaphragm jumps and slaps hard against his too swollen stomach making him wince in pain. And each hiccup leaves a burning feeling in his chest. He only makes it five minutes before he closes the software. 

He slides his chair over to his couch and throws himself onto it, kicking the chair away. Both hands wrap tightly around his middle, feeling it jump with his fast-paced hiccuping. Each loud chirp followed by a whimper or grunt. He tries to rub against the bloated organ, trying to press out the excess air in hopes it will make the hiccups stop. But it's no luck. 

It never is. He's tried so many times before. It was advice from Seokjin, who like him, gets pretty frequent bouts of hiccups. Seokjin mentioned his go to cure was to burp them away. No more airy middle, no more hiccups. It works for his hyung every time. But try as he might, Yoongi is not capable of making himself burp. 

He's tried ever since he was a teenager. Everyone always told him- "just swallow air, it's so easy." But he never understood what that meant. And he never did it right. Boys in middle school made fun of him for his pathetic attempts. When he joined the company, that weakness became a strength. They loved a trainee who didn't engage in the boyish antics and shenanigans that burping contests fell into. He became a big hit among the instructors. 

But the inability to burp came with its own rotten downside. He would always end up with pretty aggressive cases of hiccups any time he did anything to upset his stomach. Drink too many carbonated beverages? Hiccups. Eat too fast? Hiccups. Work out too soon after eating? Hiccups. 

And of course, eating too much? Definitely painful hiccups. 

He tried to swallow air anyway. But just seemed to make his case worse, each hiccup punctuated by a small airy burp that only served to hurt his throat and relieved absolutely none of the pressure in his stomach. All the slapping and jolting in his stomach was starting to make him nauseous. 

While Yoongi wallows in misery of his own making, there's another rapper down the hall who has been waiting patiently. It's 3:28. Hoseok remembers Yoongi agreeing to meet with him at 3:00 to help him. He's been stuck on the same bar of this track for days. He's tried to work through it, but he really feels like he needs reinforcements. He needs a second opinion. He needs Prod. SUGA of BTS. 

He knows Yoongi's been busy with all of his collaborations. It was with a heavy heart and a very full wallet that he approached Yoongi about it in the first place. He even willingly agreed to pay Yoongi for his time, not even at a member discounted rate. Yoongi's time is valuable. He doesn't want to disrespect it. 

But Yoongi is nothing if not punctual. Hoseok starts to wonder if Yoongi had forgotten. Or if he'd been so busy he'd fallen asleep at his desk- again. After half an hour of waiting, he finally decides to text the Daegu rapper. 

Hoseok: "Hyung, where are you?"

Yoongi texts back almost instantly. It's an ominous reply- "4342755"

Hoseok thinks for a minute, trying to make sense of the numbers. Could it be a phone number? A coordinate location? A new text lingo that he doesn't understand? 

He thinks he has it when he stumbles through his memory. It's the pass code to Yoongi's studio. Yoongi never shares that with anyone. Hoseok runs down the hall, thinking he'd mixed it up and Yoongi had been waiting for him the whole time. He feels like such a bad client. 

Hoseok smiles when he inputs the numbers and the door unlocks. He rushes into the studio, "Hyung, are we meeting-" He cuts himself off when be sees the desk chair is empty, sitting in the middle of the room. He hears Yoongi before he sees him. 

The chirp of a familiar sounding hiccup turns Hoseok's attention to the couch. He finds Yoongi lounging there, hands on his bare stomach with his sweatshirt pulled up. The bunched up hem rests on the top of his bulging stomach. It bounces with another hiccup before Hoseok approaches. 

The younger rapper coos, "Oh, hyung. What happened to you?" He sits beside his hyung, this scene all too familiar to him. Yoongi's always had a pretty sensitive stomach. 

"I ate too-too much," Yoongi admits, freely hiccuping between words. He has no embarrassment with Hoseok. The resident sunshine member has seen him at his worst, has loved and supported him through everything. He knows he has nothing to be ashamed of. "Was-wasn't my fault tho-though. I-I lost tra-k of t-time." 

Hoseok chuckles, resting a hand on Yoongi's upper thigh. He struggles to fathom how Yoongi can think he's not at fault. "You always lose track of time, hyung. Someone needs to get you a watch to track your meals" He chides. 

"Sh-shut up," Yoongi would usually play back with him, but he's not in the mood today. "Don't te-tease me. I don't f-feel good." 

"That's okay, babe." Hoseok's hand wanders to a spot on Yoongi's hip. "I'm sorry. I see you're not feeling well." The other hand cups Yoongi's cheek. "I shouldn't make fun of you." 

Yoongi hiccups again, "Exactly. I'm still yo-your hyung. You need to respect-me." 

Hoseok has to bite back his giggles. It's amusing to watch Yoongi try to lecture him while he looks so small and bounces with cute squeaky hiccups. The expressions on the older rapper's face after each one are adorable. "You're right, hyung. What can I do to help you?" He asks, but the hand that he'd rested on Yoongi's hip is already slowly creeping toward the exposed skin of his stomach. 

Yoongi's aware of it too. He feels Hoseok's cold thin fingers gliding against his warm stomach. "You're gonna rub it fo-for me, Seokie?" He's basically begging, a deep pout on his lips. He feels so uncomfortably bloated and he's so over the hiccuping. He just wants to feel relief. 

Hoseok's hand movement becomes much more deliberate. He immediately palms Yoongi's stomach, pressing into the firmness with as much pressure as the older rapper permits. His hand bounces in conjunction with each of his hyung's hiccups. "Oh, poor hyung. They sound painful," Hoseok coos. 

"Well, it doesn't exactly feel goo-good," Yoongi groans, choking on his next hiccup, "I want them t-to stop." 

Hoseok rattles off a few common remedies, each one Yoongi doubts and challenges. He claims nothing ever works. Hoseok tries scaring him, but that just ends with a light punch to the shoulder and a loud hiccup. In a last ditch effort, Hoseok recommends kissing. It's not something they haven't done before, or something they wouldn't do again. But Yoongi shoots it down claiming he's not in the mood, feeling too full to do anything that could turn nefarious. Hoseok doesn't miss the growing blush on his cheeks as he turns his head away. 

At that the dancer deflates, having run out of remedies he remembers. He just goes on, rubbing Yoongi's stomach and suppressing the urge to giggle at each hiccup. After several minutes of rubbing, Hoseok's face lights up with a new idea. "Hyung, do you still have a heating pad in here?" Hoseok remembers Yoongi having one on hand while he was recovering from his shoulder surgery. 

Yoongi just points to a cardboard box in the corner of the studio. There's a sticky note hanging above it that reads "Lost and Found" in Jimin's handwriting. The dancer chuckles, going over to the box. He rustles through items in the box. It really does seem like a lost and found. It's filled with miscellaneous items that would otherwise clutter the studio space. Many of the member's personal items filled the box. He actually finds a bracelet he'd thought he lost in addition to the heating pad. 

He plugs in the heating pad and resumes his gentle rubbing while it heats up. "Maybe this will help, hyung." Hoseok speaks in a whisper as he lays the heating pad across Yoongi's upper stomach. He still uses his hands to massage under his hyung's bellybutton. Yoongi relaxes into the heat. 

Yoongi's persistent hiccups shake the heating pad. Hoseok has to frequently readjust. But after a few more minutes, the hiccups eventually fade out. After two full minutes without hiccuping, Yoongi lets out a relieved sigh, "Finally!" 

His stomach still aches from fullness, but he's glad to finally be rid of the hiccups. He feels a lot better, no more lingering nausea. He turns to Hoseok with a bright, gummy grin. "Hob-ah, I really owe you one." 

Hoseok really knows he didn't do anything. The hiccups had just run their course. Still, he's happy when his hyung is happy. "How about you help me with my song and we call it even?" The dancer remarks, recalling his original intentions. 

Yoongi's eyes widened, realizing he had completely forgotten he agreed to help Hoseok today. "Shit, Hoseok-ah. Yes, we can do that! Let's go to your studio." Yoongi lunges to get up from the couch and winces at the way his stomach cramps when he moves. 

Hoseok picks up on the wince. "It's okay, hyung. You still clearly need to digest. How's tomorrow?" Hoseok offers. 

Yoongi smiles timidly, "Sure."

"I'm going to bring my laptop to you, though. Now that I know the key code." Hoseok jokes. Yoongi laughs, deep from his belly despite how much it hurts. 

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

A/N: I researched a lot of content to try and find any content of Yoongi hiccuping. I managed to find things for all the other members except Yoongi. Until watching Memories of 2021 anyway, which is where I clipped that gif from. Seems like this is the perfect time to post this.

As always, thanks for reading to the end! Feedback is always appreciated. And please let me know if I missed any tags or TWs. Please call me out for any errors you notice!

[dustedmagazine]

Jess Williamson — Time Ain’t Accidental (Mexican Summer)

Singer/songwriter Jess Williamson splits her time between Los Angeles and her native West Texas. Both cities feed the inspiration for her songs. Likewise, the production of the recording, done by veteran Brad Cook, who has also collaborated with Williamson on previous work, takes into account both her country background alongside an indie pop sensibility, exemplified by the discrete employment of winds and keyboards.

Williamson sang on the 2022 recording Plains, which was one of my favorites last year. While Plains’ harmony singing was central to the project and here Williamson doesn’t have another high voice with which to pair, there still is a supple sense of keening harmony. “Time Ain’t Accidental,” “God in Everything” and “A Few Seasons,” which feature overdubbed vocals, are welcome. Cook also occasionally sings background vocals. The title track has an elegant arrangement, with banjo and dobro, played by Phil Cook, and steel guitar, played by Deshawn Hickman, alongside Cook’s Wurlitzer and electric guitar. Elsewhere, saxophone and clarinet blend into the texture; emphasis on blend. Nothing overtakes Williamson’s singing and the basic keyboard and guitar accompanying elements.

The songs themselves are artful creations. Williamson has performed with a number of artists — Weyes Blood, José González, and Kevin Morby among them — and learned well from them. The country music vocabulary of the Austin scene, with its emphasis on simple chord progressions supporting the primary feature, singing, is always the spine of the music. Yet this gels seamlessly with the pop elements present.

The songs encompass lyrics that deal with love lost and love (possibly) found. “Topanga Two Step” is an example of the latter, with Williamson querying, “Is it a one time dream or a country queen that you take me for?” So many romantic songs today get from A to Z before the pre-chorus. Williamson has been hurt by bad relationships in the past. Previous recordings have discussed this openly. “Topanga Two Step” expresses a tentative vulnerability, a desire to take this new relationship slow, to avoid previous missteps. Similarly, the refrain of the title song (and the rest of its story) urges caution: “Look me in the eyes, it's all experimental, Torn up over timing, but timing ain’t accidental.” One hopes that her discretion is rewarded with a love that is well worth the wait.

Christian Carey