#those are on my docket for needing some help

[hyperionwitch-art]

I'm sure it's just a coincidence.

And, as I mentioned like 3 years ago or something, it being my birthday means I'm legally allowed to post a rework of an old comic. The original was kind of a rush job while dealing with tablet issues, so it feels nice to give this one a bit more love!

Tev/Dren Masterpost

[phoenixyfriend]

How to Call Your Reps About Gaza

I make a lot of posts telling you to call your reps! Anyway, here's the overall shape of how to argue to them.

Disclaimer: I am not in politics. I do not have experience as a staffer. I am just someone who cares a lot about where things are going, and wants to help. Also, this is specific to the US, because that's where I'm based. Hopefully, people with expertise can add more suggestions on.

Find your elected officials.

My Ko-fi: this took me two days to write up, so uh. If you've got a few dollars, send them my way so I can keep doing this sort of thing, and maybe move out of my parents' house sooner.

General tips:

Be polite, or at least civil. Do not swear or shout at whoever answers the phone. This will quite possibly get your number blocked. Fifty civil calls over the course of several months will do more than one where you shout. You can be frosty, you can say you are disappointed, you can say you find the actions of your reps to be reprehensible or morally bankrupt, sure. But keep calm and aim criticism at the rep, not the staffer.

Keep it short. The staffers who answer call centers are busy. They usually start trying to hurry me off after about two minutes. I've yet to manage a call longer than four or five minutes. Pick one or two topics for the day, and focus on those. Cycle through them every time you call. Stick to just one from day to day if it's a large, ongoing issue like Gaza.

Plan for voicemail. I get voicemail more often than not. My House rep usually has a staffer free, but the Senators are almost always voicemail. This will give you a minute and a half max. Be ready to get your point squeezed into that.

Only call your representatives. The important, powerful word here is "constituent." You will be ignored or even counted against if you are from a different district or state. The first thing you start with is your name and address. A staffer will ask for the information they need. On voicemail, leave your full name, your city and state, and zip code before you go into your message. Do not lie, either. They look these things up in the system when you call. I'm not sure how--I think maybe they have access to a database of registered voters--but every time I call, they ask for my last name and address and at some point say, 'oh, yep, I've got you right here,' which indicates a database of some sort.

Research at least a little bit about their opinions. If they already agree with you, then it's much easier to leave a quick "I support you and want you to know that" to combat anyone who's arguing from the other side. If they don't, then you're best off finding out what specific issue they have so you can know the best kind of comment to leave.

Look up specific bills or arguments. I get daily emails from GovTrack about bills that are on this week's docket or have been voted on in the past day. IDK about anyone else, but being able to say that I disagree specifically with HR 815 or something makes me feel powerful, and possibly like I will be taken more seriously. Sometimes you can start with articles like this one, which include links to specific bills on the official congress website.

Email after if you can. Reportedly less effective, and takes longer, but you are more likely to get a written (canned) response, and it reinforces whatever you called about.

Basic structure of a call, at least as I've been doing it:

"Hi, my name is ____ ____, and I am a constituent from [city, state], [zip]. I am calling to express my opinion on [topic]. I am concerned about [short argument with a clear impact on the topic]. I ask that you support [measure or fellow congress member]/vote [yay/nay on specific legislature]. Thank you for your time, and I hope you keep my opinion in mind."

For this post, the topic can be stated as the war in Gaza, military funding for Israel, or unrest in the Middle East, depending on which you think your elected official will respond to best. That said, the structure should work for whatever your call is about.

Arguments to use against your elected official... or your on-the-fence cousin:

I'll be honest, some of these are not going to do much against your representative. They know the arguments, and have been going over them with each other for months. You just need to have one locked and loaded that they consider relevant instead of a nonstarter, in order to back up your opinion as 'founded' instead of 'nonsense, can be swayed with a good marketing campaign.'

I'll include explanations if I don't think something is self-evident (or needs more evidence to tell your cousin), but in most of them I'll provide some suggested verbiage that you can tweak as needed, and for a few of them, that's really enough.

THESE ARE FOR THE TOPIC OF CONCERN, ONLY. You still need to end each one with "I ask that the [official] votes to [action]" at the end. Give them something actionable (example from Feb. 13th). My go-tos right now:

Both chambers: Reinstate funding for UNRWA

Both chambers: Place mandatory restrictions on any aid to Israel, with contractual threats to cut funding if Netanyahu and his government continue to disregard civilian life

Senate: Put support behind Bernie Sanders and his motion to restrict funding to Israel until a humanitarian review of the IDF’s actions in Gaza has been completed (S.R. 504) (Tabled by the Senate on 1/16, but it is being brought back in as conditions continue to escalate)

House: Put support behind Rep. Rashida Tlaib’s petition for the US government to recognize the IDF’s actions in Gaza as ethnic cleansing and forced displacement, and put a stop to it.

House: Put support behind H.R. 786, introduced by Rep. Cori Bush, calling for an immediate deescalation and cease-fire in Israel and occupied Palestine.

What Not to Say

"There is no threat to Israel." I've talked about this elsewhere, but the short version is that this will be basically laughed out as you not knowing what you're talking about.

Anything generically antisemitic. (I mean, it might work on some of the white supremacists, but do you really want to encourage that thinking? No, so don't do it.)

Facts that you "heard somewhere" but cannot find a reliable source for. If it's being reported by the New York Times, NPR, or the BBC, it's probably trustworthy by government standards. If it's not a super common statistic, cite the journal you got it from by name. Remember, you aren't arguing to tumblr mutuals. You are arguing to your elected official or your 'I don't really pay attention' cousin. When it comes to this, big name news sources are better.

Unrealistic demands for complete isolationism, permanently abandoning Israel to its own devices, supporting Hamas, etc. Again, you will not be taken seriously. Pick an argument they might actually listen to, and use it to press them towards a possible solution. You want them to believe that if they adjust their position, they will be doing the will of most of their constituents, and thus more likely to get reelected.

The Ethics Argument

Third-party reporting has stated that that nearly 29,000 Gazans are dead since Oct. 7th, as of 2/18/24. The vast majority of those are civilians, and over half are children. Palestinians in Gaza are facing an acute hunger crisis threatening to become a full-blown famine.

The International Court of Justice has found that there is credible reason to believe that the state of Israel is committing a genocide against the Palestinians of Gaza.

This does not mean that every single Israeli is complicit. It does mean that the government, particularly Netanyahu and his associates, has been reprimanded by a large, diverse coalition of countries, and has consistently refused to listen to that court since.

This argument will possibly work on your cousin. Less likely to work on your elected official. They already know the numbers. I just wanted to get it out of the way first.

The Re-Election Argument: Michigan vs New York

Meanwhile, this is possibly the most effective. Again, this is not an argument of ethics. This is an argument of "how can I make my elected official do what I want." We do not use only the purest moral argument. We use what works.

What to say to your elected official: Michigan, as a swing state, was won by democrats on the power of the Arab-American vote in the 2020 election. We (either party) are at risk of losing Michigan due to the current Congressional approach to the Gaza conflict, as that demographic is now polling as likely to abstain from voting entirely. The risk of losing several congressional districts due to the Jewish vote is a real one, but the risk of losing the the executive branch is greater, especially after what we saw with Suozzi. Supporting Palestine might lose us parts of New York, but supporting Israel will lose us Michigan.

Explanation: Something that has been taking up a lot of time and space in the election coverage is the situation in Michigan, and more recently, there has been attention paid to the special election of New York's third district, AKA the "who gets to replace disgraced George Santos" competition.

Michigan is traditionally a swing state. While 2.1% doesn't sound like a lot, that is some 211k-278k people (depending on your source), and while not all of them can vote... Michigan was won by about 154k. Arab-Americans are not the only relevant demographic, but they sure are an important one, and they are vocally opposed to the situation. Approval has dropped from 59% to 17%. From that same article:

As Axios notes, Biden won Michigan in 2020 by 154,000 votes, but there are at least 278,000 Arab Americans in Michigan. Biden took Arizona, a state with an Arab American population of 60,000, by only 10,500 votes. In Georgia, Biden prevailed with a margin of 11,800 voters, in a state that has an Arab American population of 57,000.

Democrats cannot afford to lose these states. Pressure your congresspeople about that, especially if you live in one of those states. I assume most Arab-Americans in said states are already calling every day; the rest of you can join in.

Meanwhile, most Jews (considered the most pro-Israel demographic by strategists) in America are concentrated in a very small number of electoral districts. Of the twenty most-Jewish, ten are in New York, which is why I put it up in the section header.

One of those districts was won by a Republican in 2022: George Santos, New York's third congressional district. Following his scandals and ousting, the seat was up for a special election, and the two candidates were Tom Suozzi, a democrat who held the seat previously (he decided to run for governor, and lost), and Mazi Pilip, a Nassau county legislator who was of Ethiopian Jewish background and had been in the IDF. She ran on a campaign that leaned strongly pro-Israel and anti-immigration, and when Suozzi won, she interrupted his victory speech to accuse him of supporting a genocide against Israel due to his rather centrist, rather milquetoast stance on the conflict during his election campaign.

Now, Suozzi's win probably had more to do with Pilip being anti-choice than her pro-Israel arguments, but he still won.

Democrats can better risk possibly losing a few seats in NY than definitely losing three swing states.

"But I don't want Dems to win their districts after what they've been--" Nope. Listen to me. Surveys indicate that Republicans are on average more pro-Israel, because Trump and Netanyahu are buddy-buddy, and we do not have a viable third option.

Also, again, this is about convincing Dems to be better. "If you do not vote to put restrictions on funding to Israel, I will not vote for you in November" is a lot more powerful than "I will not vote for you either way, because of what you've been doing, but you should do what I say anyway."

The Re-Election Argument: Risk of Escalation

So, that thing I said about Trump and Netanyahu?

Yeah, so, while Biden is giving Israel military aid while cautioning them to slow down and be careful, Trump is... complicated, but suffice to say he's much closer to Netanyahu on a personal level than Biden is. Biden's relation with Netanyahu is reportedly pretty frosty, while Trump's is based on relations through the Kushners.

Just from wikipedia:

Netanyahu made his closeness to Donald Trump, a personal friend since the 1980s, central to his political appeal in Israel from 2016.[21] During Trump's presidency, the United States recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, and brokered the Abraham Accords, a series of normalization agreements between Israel and various Arab states.

Trump's been more all-over-the-place recently, badmouthing Netanyahu for being what Trump perceives as a loser, which complicates understanding what his approach is. It's kind of incoherent right now.

Given Trump's general history of being pro-Israel, though, and the attempts by House Republicans to push through a bill of unconditional funding for Israel. It failed, but notable is that the more recent bill passed in part because it was paired with aid for Ukraine and Taiwan (something Dems are much more invested in having happen).

What to say to your elected official: If Trump is reelected due to his current appearance of being more critical of Netanyahu, there is evidence from his presidency to indicate that he will support Israel much less critically if elected. While he claims to want to settle the Middle East, it seems incredibly likely that he will worsen the situation for Palestinians, and ramp up retaliatory strikes to groups like the Houthis in a manner that will impact non-military parties, igniting tensions that are already tenuous.

The Disrespect/Wild Card Argument

This particular argument is best used against the Very Patriotic Politicians who are more concerned with the US's image and Being The Alpha Nation than with other things. Basically, this might work on Republicans.

This isn't really something I believe in, as a matter of foreign policy, buuuut it might work on your rep, so. Consider it!

What to say to your elected official: With Israel's recent actions in ignoring Biden, blocking US-sent aid like those flour trucks that got stopped at the Rafah border because they'd be distributed by UNWA, and generally Disrespecting The USA and Being Unpredictable is not only making the US look bad for being unable to wrangle a smaller country, but also making it so we are less able to wrangle other countries in the future, because Israel cannot be predicted and might set someone off.

The Europe and Reputation Argument

What to say to your elected official: The United States is losing credibility as a world power known for its military and ability to manage international disputes on behalf of the UN, because it is seemingly unable to influence Israel, and losing credibility as an upstanding moral state that is not doing foreign coups and banana republics anymore, as it appears to be tacitly supporting Israel's ICJ-labelled genocide, which is a really bad look with the other Western Powers.

I'm not entirely sure who this might work on, but there's gotta be at least a few politicians who are really concerned about America's image, more than about actually doing the right thing. Figure out if your politician is one of them.

If necessary, you can bring up how Trump is threatening to pull US support for NATO if Russia attacks someone.

The Middle East Stability Argument: Iran-backed Militias

What to say to your elected official: I'm concerned that the continued support of Israel, and thus the funding of their actions in Gaza, will increase the instability of Iran-backed militias, as we have already seen with the Houthis and Hezbollah. Entire Muslim-majority nations are showing increased displeasure not only with Israel, but with the US by extension. We cannot afford another war in the Middle East when we haven't yet pulled all our troops from the last one, not with the recent and recurring economic recessions. Any situation would also very likely be complicated or inflamed by the growing tensions among Eritrea, Djibouti, and Ethiopia regarding Red Sea access as well.

Use this on the ones that claim to be pro-military or pro-veteran. See what they said about HR 815 before the foreign military funding amendment was added.

The Middle East Stability Argument: Egypt

What to say to your elected official: Egypt's government has been unstable since the Arab Spring, and even now the military government is incredibly unpopular. With that existing instability, the addition of economic strain from the reduced usage of the Suez canal, the international disputes occurring because they're the main throughway for aid into Gaza, and the threat of a sudden influx of nearly one and a half million Palestinian refugees should Israel continue to push south... Egypt is looking at a possible near-collapse as we've seen in nearby nations suffering similar instabilities.

Explanation: It took several years for Egypt to really start recovering from the revolts in 2013, and it has applied for four IMF loans in recent years. The current government is unpopular to such a degree that they are looking to build an entire new capital from scratch in the middle of the desert so that they're less open to the risk of civilian uprisings; one of the primary causes for civilian dissatisfaction is economic issues.

Due to Houthi attacks at the Bab al-Mandab Strait, traffic through the Suez canal is down massively, and since the canal "represents almost 5% of the GNP and 10% of GDP and is one of Egypt’s most important sources of hard currency." (src) Various sources are reporting that trade through the canal is down 40-50%, which is putting more strain on the already unstable economic and political situation.

Finally, Egypt's population is about 110 million, but the governorate that shares a border with Israel and Gaza, North Sinai, has a population of barely 500,000. A push of one and a half million starving, injured people will, very suddenly, nearly quadruple the population of the governorate, and require extreme aid response from Egypt's government to keep alive and prevent a larger crisis in North Sinai and neighboring governorates.

The Middle East Stability Argument: Normalized Relations

What to say to your elected official: I am concerned that Israel's continued attack on Gaza is jeopardizing any chance of normalized relations with the Arab states in the future. American has put a lot of work into trying to get these various countries to normalize with Israel, and our funding of the current attacks on Gaza are sabotaging all that effort.

This one can be combined with the Iran-Backed Militias argument: Israel, in pursuit of revenge against Hamas, is setting itself up to be in more danger long-term, rather than less.

The International Trade Argument

What to say to your elected official: I am concerned about how the war in Gaza is impacting international trade and shipping costs. With the Suez Canal down to half its usual capacity and the Panama Canal raising costs and dropping capacity in response to the water restrictions, along with rising fuel costs in Europe and Asia, global trade is incredibly strained. We are being relegated to the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Horn, and the Malacca strait for much of intercontinental trade, and the macroeconomic projections are looking very bad for America.

The Domestic Economics Argument

What to say to your elected official: Many of the plans for Israeli military funding cause damage to other parts of the budget. For instance, a recent plan put forward by the Republicans of the House suggested IRS cuts in order to move that money, a plan which would impact the US budget negatively in the long term; we need those 14 billion being spent domestically, not supporting an overreaction/possible genocide in Gaza.

Explanation: In general, pick something receiving budget cuts that your congressperson will care about. I care about IRS funding, and saw it mentioned as a target in an article, so that's what I've got in my suggested verbiage up there.

The fewer people that are working for the IRS, the more they focus on auditing poor people (simple, easy taxes) and the less they can effectively audit rich people (complicated, time-consuming taxes), which means rich people are more likely to get away with evading millions or even billions in taxation. So yeah, you want more funding in the IRS if you are poor. They are already auditing you. You want them to audit the big guys.

The Russia and China Argument

What to say to your elected official: I am worried that the current focus on funding Israel without restriction is causing us to lose sight of the international threat posed by Russia and China. Russia is actively invading Ukraine, which continues to put massive strain on the European economy with regards to oil prices, especially with the Suez situation, and China has been testing missiles near Taiwan, and thus testing US responsiveness to those threats, for months now. We cannot afford to support an internationally unpopular war if we want to remain ready for Russia and China.

This is less likely to work on Republicans, since Trump is friendly with Russia, but hey, give it a shot if they're one of the ones who aren't fully in his camp.

EDIT 2/22/24: I'm a bit unsure of this tactic, but I'm putting it out there with hopes that someone with more political experience can offer feedback:

"Congress, and the US government in general, has promised to sanction Russia for the alleged assassination of one man within a week of the suspicious death, after five months of refusing to enact even slight consequences on Israel for the deaths of nearly thirty thousand, half of which are children. This is ethically questionable at best, but for the interests of elected officials, it is a very bad look. The mismatch shows a massive bias by the American government in regards to Israel's ongoing mass murder, with over two million facing famine as a result of Israel's aid blocking, and America's reputation on the world stage, as well as individual politicians' reputations domestically with constituents, is plummeting."

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

Finally, my ko-fi again. I spent a long time on this and I'd like to move out of my parents' house sooner rather than later. If you appreciate my time and effort, please feel free to donate a couple bucks.

[kydrogendragon]

Oooooh, Sex Professor Hob and/or Porn Star Hob, please!

Yesss, I love both of these honestly, so have snippets of both! I think, technically, these both came from asks on Gabe's blog. The Porn Star one was an older one at this point. I'll have to see about tracking down the links. Since these are longer, I'll shove them below a Read More.

Porn Star Hob:

"Dream?" Hob asks, eyes wide as he watches the King of Dreams and Nightmares slowly slide to his knees in front of Hob's naked form. A set of cool and pale hands rest on the dip of his hips, thumbs caressing the tan skin beneath. Before he can get another word out, Dream's warm tongue reaches out, licking up his length. He moans, hands darting forward to claw into Dream's shoulders. A few heads turn in the studio at the noise. Hob's cheeks warm, suddenly feeling more self-conscious than he ever has before in this line of work. "Dream, what are you—" "I would attend to you personally, if you are amenable," Dream says, the tip of Hob's cock resting on those pretty red lips as he stares up through his lashes. It's a sight that just about breaks him. His grip tightens, closing his eyes so he doesn't cum all over his lover's face right here and now and ruin the entire shoot. Though, if he's honest, Dream could probably get him hard within minutes again if he tried. Hob's pretty sure his body's become hardwired to respond to Dream and that damn smirk of his by this point. Taking a breath, Hob opens his eyes again. Dream sits, resting on his knees, still looking up at him with that intense gaze Hob loves so much. But he doesn't move further, clearly waiting for Hob's permission to continue. "I—God's wounds, Dream. Yeah, of course, I'm always amenable, but—" Hob licks his lips. "—I just can't cum yet." Dream smirks. "I am well aware of what this job I would take would entail, Hob Gadling." As if to ensure Hob believed him, Dream moves a hand from Hob's hip and circles his fingers around the base of his cock and squeezes. The pressure is perfect and taunting and Hob's beginning to fear for his sanity. Normally, the fluffer's that he worked with would either give him a simple handie or hold him in their mouths. It worked, kept him hard, but that was about it. With Dream here, now, looking like the porn industry's twinky wet dream—ha—yeah . . . Hob's fucked. He'll be lucky if he makes it through the rest of the shoot at this point.

Sex Professor Hob:

(For some context, this one features Ace Dream who's working through his own internalized acephobia [kinda] and Hob's his tutor [who also fucks his willing clients])

“Who's making you smile so much?” “It is no one.” ‘As you deserve too. You getting that cake you talked about?’ “No one my ass. You get a new girlfriend and not tell me?” Jessamy reaches for his phone, but he pulls it closer to his chest, ignoring the blush at his cheeks. “I am still quite single, thank you for the reminder.” He sighs, clicking the screen off. He will send Hob a picture once it is made as he promised. “It was just my history tutor. He sent me a picture of his cat.” Jessamy rolls her eyes and leans back into the seat. “Should have guessed it was a cat. Makes much more sense in hindsight.” Dream shoots her a look which does nothing but make her giggle. “Who're you seeing by the way? I've got that Early Asian history class on the docket next semester and I know I'll be desperately in need of help.” “His name is Hob Gadling. I think you would like him. He's an exceptional tutor.” Jessamy's eyes go wide. "Oh my god," she says, slamming her drink onto the table. Dream is grateful for the lid lest it end up all over him instead. "The sex professor?" Dream's brain stops. "The what?" "Gadling! Colloquially known as the Sex Professor? Oddly attractive tutor? Does English and History 'officially' but most people go to him for the sex?" Dream feels as if he's been tipped into an alternate reality. "Professor Gadling. Hob Gadling. Sleeps with his clients? His younger clients" "Okay, you make it sound bad when you put it that way. Never heard a bad word about him in that regard. People say it's always very consensual and that he's also a very good lay. Lucienne's gone to him." "Lucienne has slept with him?” "Yup! Told me it's where she learned some of her moves." "I do not need to hear this." "Are you gonna sleep with him? Lots of people claim he's the best they've ever had. He's apparently as good of a teacher in bed as he is behind the desk." "Jessamy—" "You could probably use some stress relief. Maybe he'll give you a reward for passing that test of yours?" "Jessamy, please stop." She blinks and raises her hands in surrender. "Okay, I hear you. Topic: dropped." "Thank you." He folds his head into his arms where they rest on the table, trying not to think too hard about everything he just learned from Jessamy in a matter of two minutes. Of course he'd manage to find the one (he hopes it's just one) university level tutor that also offers "sex education" on the side. He can hear Desire's voice in his head already. “Dream!” His name is called from the counter. He takes a deep breath in before extricating himself from the booth. He grabs their items, his own drink secured between his chest and arm, and sits back down. The crepe cake does look delicious, but now as he looks down at it, all he can think of is what Jessamy had said. Had Hob been trying to coerce Dream into sleeping with him? Is that why he was texting him things unrelated to their sessions? He takes a sip of his coffee and tries to focus on Jessamy's trailing story about the latest art department drama. He never sends Hob a picture of that cake.

Wip List

[gentlebeardsbarngrill]

05/01/2024 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Samba; Con; Rachel House; Gizmo Darby; Nathan; Vico; Leslie; Watch Party Reminders: Palm Royale tomorrow; Adopt Our Crew Breakdown of GLAAD Fan Spotlight; Love Notes; Daily Darby / Tonight's Taika

= Cast & Crew Sightings =

= Samba Schutte =

It's the last week to order this limited edition Crew For Life T-Shirt! All proceeds go to benefiting "EVERY MOTHER COUNTS". Order your Crew For Life shirt here!

Img Src: Samba Schutte's IG

= Con O'Neill =

Our dear Con O'Neill is encouraging everyone to get out and vote! #VoteTheFuckersOut

Img Src: Con O'Neill's IG

= Nathan Foad =

Quick peak of Nathan on his IG again <3

Img Src: Nathan Foad's IG

= Rachel House =

There's a new article out featuring Rachel House and her first time directing!

Rachel House on first-time directing and the power of mounga

Img Src: @temaungafilm Instagram

= Vico Ortiz =

Vico's posted a few updates, the first link relates to recent events. Check it out below.

Img Src: Vico Ortiz IG

In addition, there's a new episode of Date My Abuelita First Podcast! Date My Abuelita, First! Podcast Links

Img Src: Vico Ortiz IG

= Leslie Jones =

Reminder! Leslie is hosting "Netflix Is a Joke" Fest at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, CA! Want more info? Visit NetflixIsAJokeFest

= Gizmo Darby =

Samba must be out visiting the Darby Family because here's Gizmo taking residence in Samba's lap.

Img Src: Samba Schutte's IG

== Watch Party Reminders ==

= Palm Royale =

Palm Royale WP May 2 via @LCWebsXOXO with the lovely @/dominicburgess approx. 4pm EDT/9pm BST/1pm PST!

= Wrecked Season 1 =

Another week of Wrecked Season 1 is on the docket! Don't have access? Reach out to me on @gentlebeardsbarngrill on tumblr, or @aspirantabby42 on twitter.

Days: Apr 29 - May 3

Times: 3:30 pm PT / 6:30 pm ET / 11:30 pm BST

== Adopt Our Crew ==

You may have heard that GLAAD released their "Where We Are on TV" report. Well our fantastic crewmates over at @adoptourcrew were kind enough to do a thread on twitter breaking down the various aspects. @adoptourcrew's Twitter Thread Here. If you have access to twitter, please head over there and give their post some love. Thank you friends for putting this all together!

Full GLAAD Report

TV Line Article

The Wrap Article

Hollywood Reporter Article

Gay Times Article

= Fan Spotlight =

= Cast Cards =

Tonight we have the priest that officiated Stede and Mary's wedding, Benton Jennings! Thank you @melvisik for making sure he made it in with the rest of the cast!

= OFMD Colouring Pages =

Ooo @patchworkpiratebear has done it again! This one looks so cool! I can't wait to color this one myself! Thanks hon!

@patchworkpiratebear's Tumblr

= Pixel Art =

Our awesome @blueberreads started MerMay off strong with the SaveOFMD MerMay prompt of Spanish Jackie'z!

Source: @blueberreads Tumblr

== Love Notes ==

Hey there lovelies. I know that there's a lot going on right now in the world and it's especially tense for those of you who are in Uni or in cities with Universities. This is a really tough time for you, and I want you to know we're thinking about you.

If you need to vent, or you need help getting access to something, please be sure to reach out to your crew. We care a lot about you, and we know these are scary times. Make sure to stay safe if you can, and if you're in a position to be out in harms way, make sure you've got emergency supplies and support in case things get hairy. There's a link above in the Vico section specifically regarding if things get really hairy where you can go for help (or how you can help those who need it).

You all are so very brave. Seriously, whether you're on the ground, or supporting financially, or bringing supplies, or just spreading the word online and keeping eyes and cameras on things to keep the situations honest, or even just staying put where it's safe and taking some self-care time-- you're doing everything you can.

Sometimes it feels like what we do doesn't make an impact. Sometimes it feels like these tiny ripples won't go anywhere. You're making the ripples, and those inspire others to make ripples as well.

You're making a difference no matter how big or how small, don't forget that lovelies. Please stay safe wherever you are, were thinking of you.

== Daily Darby / Tonight's Taika ==

Today's theme is "Zoom zoom zoom!"

Gifs courtesy of the fantastic @kiwistede and darling @meluli <3

[ericdeggans]

My Best TV of 2022: A (Unexpectedly) Long List

This is not a problem I expected to have, early in 2022.

Back then, the quality of TV shows was so disappointing, I considered writing one of those cranky, old-school critic’s columns complaining about how the glut of shows in our modern, streaming-fueled media environment was ruining everything.

I should have just waited around a bit. Because, even though I was mightily disappointed by some of the biggest TV projects on the docket – everything from CNN+ to Lords of the Rings: Rings of Power (the repetition in the title should have been warning enough) – lots more TV shows surprised and delighted me this year. Too many to fit on a top ten or top 12 list.

In fact, there were too many to fit on this excellent roundup prepared by me and five other critics at NPR.org (we each got about eight choices). And I will fess up now – I didn’t vibe with FX’s Reservations Dogs in its first season, so I didn’t keep up with the second and it’s not on my list. Many apologies to devoted fans of a show I’m very glad exists and so many love. But I’m not among you devotees (at least not yet).

Here's my list of fave shows from 2022, in no particular order. It’s by design very subjective, so I welcome debate, but it’s about what touched ME on TV this year:

Andor (Disney+) – Started slow, but turned into a masterful reinvention of the Star Wars universe, focused on the gritty, merciless beginnings of the Rebel Alliance. Who knew a Star Wars show with no lightsabers, no Jedi Knights and no Force could be just what the franchise needed? REVIEW

Atlanta (FX/Hulu) – The last two seasons, both released this year, weren’t nearly as impactful as its first two. But this show remains an excellent showcase for creativity and ambitious storytelling in portraying the lives of a quartet of Black millennials.

Here’s a Q&A I moderated w/Atlanta cast and producers at SXSW

Better Call Saul (AMC) – This Breaking Bad spinoff stuck the landing in series finale that capped both the origin AND ending stories of criminal lawyer Saul Goodman. REVIEW

Abbott Elementary (ABC) – Sidesplitting mockumentary-style comedy about teaching in a Philadelphia school that is so good, because it’s absurd humor is so close to the actual truth. PROFILE of star Quinta Brunson.

The Patient (Hulu) – Steve Carrell delivers his most impressive dramatic role as a therapist interrogating his own messy personal history while kidnapped and forced to help a serial killer. REVIEW.

The U.S. and the Holocaust (PBS) -- Star documentarian Ken Burns reveals how antisemitism in America busted the myth that the U.S. was always on the side of the angels as Adolf Hitler took power in Germany and began implementing his Final Solution.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (Paramount+) – Focused on the Starship Enterprise 10 years before James T. Kirk would take command, it’s a welcome return to a rollicking, adventure-a-week series that recalls the spirit of the original Trek series better than any other modern reboot/revival. REVIEW

Severance (Apple TV+) - for review, click here

Only Murders in the Building (Hulu) - REVIEW

Euphoria (HBO) - for review, click here 

A League of Their Own (Prime Video) -REVIEW

This is Us (NBC) - interview w/creator Dan Fogelman here

Sidney (Apple TV +) - REVIEW here

Under the Banner of Heaven (FX/Hulu) - for review, click here

We Own This City (HBO) - for interview w/EP David Simon, click here

Barry, season three (HBO) - for review, click here

Stranger Things (Netflix) - REVIEW

We Need to Talk About Cosby (Showtime) - PCHH discussion here

Harley Quinn (HBO Max) - 

The Sandman (Netflix)

As We See It (Prime Video) - REVIEW

The Good Fight (Paramount+)

The Dropout (Hulu) - 

The Crown (Netflix) - DISCUSSION here

The Handmaid’s Tale, season 5 (Hulu)

Ozark, season 4 (Netflix) - REVIEW here

Ms. Marvel (Disney+)

[writingplotbunnies]

Best Served Cold (Part 1/?)

Pairing: Jax Teller x OFC

Summary: Revenge brings Sophie Cooper to Charming. SAMCRO is still reeling from Donna's near death shooting, and the fractures in the club are becoming more pronounced. When Sophie's enemies become SAMCRO's enemies, will she be able to trust them enough to work together or will her growing connection to the SAMCRO VP force her to reevaluate her priorities?

This story takes place at the beginning of season 2.

Word Count: ~3100

Warnings: angst, illegal activity, possessive behavior, sexual content, canon typical violence

A/N: This is my first SOA fic, so let me know what you think. This will be a multipart fic, so let me know if you want added to the taglist.

Revenge... is like a rolling stone, which, when a man hath forced up a hill, will return upon him with a greater violence, and break those bones whose sinews gave it motion. - Jeremy Taylor

Prologue

“This court finds the defendant Michael Halloway guilty of all charges and specifications.” 

Sophie Cooper sat in the back of a courtroom in San Bernardino County and watched the last bit of hope she’d had in the system disintegrate before her eyes. Guilty, by a jury of peers. Glazing up at Michael, she knew the decision came as no surprise to him. He didn’t glance her way as the sheriff slapped cuffs on him and led him out of the room. She doubted he even guessed she’d be here. She couldn’t exactly muster the correct amount of anger at the jury because given what they knew - what they were told Michael was guilty - she knew he was, but true to the American justice system, the true villain wasn’t even charged. According to the great courts of the land, the man responsible for it all was a respectable business owner and the victim of a terrible crime. She scoffed - weren’t they all? 

A fierce determination settled over her as she watched people move in and out of the courtroom. She vaguely heard bits of the next case on the docket while she sat in the corner and allowed the thoughts to chase themselves through her brain. Once the last case was heard, she joined the mass of people leaving for the day. A familiar trio of scruffy bearded men in leather vests stood outside the courthouse, faces drawn in grim lines. She acknowledged them with a nod of her head but didn’t hang around long enough to see if they even noticed. At this point, she figured it didn’t matter. Just because they shared in her loss didn’t mean they would be able to help her. 

For what came next she needed to do it alone.

A Few Months Later…

There wasn’t much of a plan as Sophie threw her duffel bag into the trunk of her Dodge Charger and pulled out of the motel parking lot. That wasn’t to say there wasn’t a plan at all. It was just that as far as plans went, it was a bit simple, and lacked a good number of details she knew would come back to bite her on the ass later. But, with the windows down, the wind blowing through her auburn hair, and the sun warm on her face, she could pretend for a moment that it was just a road trip. Just her and some good music while she wasted time between assignments. It worked for a while. She sang along to the radio. Stopped for lunch. Bought those spicy pretzels she only allowed herself to eat during a trip. The hours passed quickly. Almost too quickly. Even knowing the drive north would take her the better part of a day, she wished she had more time. As she drove past the Welcome to Charming sign, she wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. 

As expected, the town was small. Not quite Smallville, but close. Most of the shops were on the main road through town and were locally owned. Not a franchise in sight. Driving towards one of the residential areas, she smiled when she saw kids outside playing. 

Sophie had looked up specific directions to the house she’d rented, jotted them on a Post-it, and stuck it on her dash for easy reference. Finding a furnished place to rent had been surprisingly easy. It’d never occurred to her to buy things like a bedroom set, or a couch since she never seemed to land in one place long enough to invest in things that tied her to a single place. Of course, she also, as a rule, never thought too much about what might be discovered if she ever used a blacklight on any furniture in the places she stayed. Besides, she mostly figured she’d always slept, sat, or ate worse at some point in her life. Best not to overthink the small things. 

The house was a small two-bedroom bungalow nestled off the main roads, but it was clean and well-maintained. Weariness crashed over her as she dropped her bag by the front door. Glancing around, she decided to deal with everything tomorrow. Locking the door behind her, Sophie walked down the short hall to the master bedroom, slipped her gun from the holster, and placed it under her pillow before falling face-first onto the bed.  

Sunlight woke her in the morning. Blinking her eyes open, she regretted sleeping in her clothes. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she shuffled to the kitchen in search of coffee only to realize there was none. Because she’d done nothing before going to bed the night before. Grumbling under her breath, she stripped her clothes and tossed them on the floor before starting the shower. Washing the lingering sleep and travel grime from her body helped, but she knew without coffee nothing would be accomplished. She quickly dressed, and cursed, as she noticed the time. 

While she’d not spent a lot of time in small towns, she appreciated that running late didn’t mean she’d miss anything in this no-Starbucks town. Pulling into the parking lot of the only diner she’d seen on the map she smiled as she knew coffee would be just inside those doors. Spying the sheriff's jeep parked a few spots down, meant she could kill two birds with one stone. Sophie walked into Lumpy’s Family Restaurant. A name she would avoid thinking about for as long as possible.

Spotting the sheriff and them sitting together in one of the back booths, she froze. Taking a deep breath, clenching and unclenching her fist - and for good measure, reminding herself that she’d locked her sidearm in the hidden floor compartment of her car - she ignored them, and forced her feet to take her to the counter so she could order a coffee and a bagel. Their voices were too low to make out, but she could tell tensions were rising. A smirk graced her lips as she heard the sheriff refuse to work with them before leaving the diner with his righteousness wrapped around him like a flag. Wiping a bit of cream cheese from the corner of her mouth, she tracked the other occupants of the table, not wanting to be noticed. When it looked as though the sheriff was the only one planning to leave, she followed.  

“Excuse me, Deputy Hale?” Sophie called out, drawing his attention. 

The sheriff turned to face her, and Sophie thought he had kind eyes as he smiled at her. 

“Can I help you, miss?”

“Sophie Cooper. I’m the new receptionist for the police station.” 

“David Hale.” He held his hand out for her to shake. “It’s good to have you. Welcome to Charming.” 

Her lips curved into a smile. “Thanks! Sorry to bother you on a weekend, but I saw you in there and wanted to take the opportunity to introduce myself.” 

“No bother. I’d offer to buy you a cup of coffee, but you beat me to it. You’ll have to let me buy you one Monday - my way of welcoming you. We’re not as busy as the larger cities, but without some help, the station ends up in chaos.”

“I totally understand. I’m just happy there was a job. Small towns usually don’t have a lot of opportunities for outsiders.”

A flash of something crossed his face. David opened his mouth to respond, but the sound of a motorcycle pulling up behind them had his mouth clicking shut. If anything, his demeanor darkened further. Seems whoever it is upset him more than she did. 

“Hale, we’ve gotta talk, man.” 

Sophie looked at the guy who spoke and nearly choked on her own saliva. Everyone had a type, and she was no exception. The blond-haired, blue-eyed biker walking up to them fit her type to a “T” - and that was dangerous. She couldn't afford to be distracted. But she wanted to climb him like a tree and ride him until they both passed out. As her eyes dragged down his body, she noticed his kutte. She didn’t know why it’d caught her off guard; she’d heard the bike roll up. Given what brought her to Charming, she knew there would be an MC in town. Those details she knew would bite her showed up sooner than she’d expected. Something about being confronted with the reality of it threw her. 

“I’m in the middle of a conversation, Jax.”   

The biker, Jax, blinked as though just realizing she was there. Lack of awareness that bad was likely to get him killed. A flirty smile split his face as he took her in, and she didn’t hate the way it made her feel. His eyes twinkled with just enough awareness that he just knew how attractive he was. Likely had every woman in Charming offering to give him a ride. And, she couldn’t blame them. 

“Hey, darlin’. Need to borrow the good Deputy here for a minute.” 

“Jax,” David said. “This is Sophie. She’s gonna be the receptionist at the station. I’m sure she’ll be seeing a lot of you.” 

Sophie didn’t miss the subtext there. So, the local MC was a bit less than honest. Didn’t matter to her. Just so long as they stayed out of her business, they’d get along just fine. 

Pretending she didn’t catch the undertones of the conversation, Sophie glanced up at David. “I’m sure Jax has more important things to do than come by the station.”

Looking up at Jax, she winked as he chuckled under his breath. He must have been raised right because he held his hand out to her. 

“Pleasure to meet you, Sophie. Welcome to Charming.” 

With a smile on her face, she took his hand in hers. It was rough worn and warm. “Thanks.”

Sophie wanted to say something else, but Jax’s thumb stroked against the skin of her hand so softly she doubted he knew he was doing it. Reluctantly, she pulled her hand from his. 

“You two look like you have other stuff to talk about. I’ll see you on Monday, Deputy Hale.” 

“David.” 

She caught Jax rolling his eyes. Honestly. A bunch of children. Still, she did like how it seemed to bother the biker, as though he didn’t want anyone else to show an interest in her. 

Turning to David, she replied. “Of course. I’ll see you Monday, David.” 

She heard Jax shuffle behind her, could imagine the irritated look on his face. Smile on her face, she turned to Jax. “It was great meeting you, Jax. I hope to see you around more. Just maybe not always at the station.” 

“Not sure about that, darlin’. Now that I know you’ll be there every day.” 

Sophie laughed. She stepped closer to him, rolled up onto her tiptoes, and whispered in his ear. “In that case, don’t be a stranger.” 

Her arm brushed against his as she moved towards her car. She didn’t look back, but she could feel the heat of his gaze on her back. Playing with him could be dangerous, but it’d been a while - and batteries were getting expensive. 

Pulling from the parking lot, she headed west out of town. Rolling into Oakland, Sophie glanced around the streets, noticing the familiar signs of city living in the trash and graffiti littering the walls. Parking her car in the lot behind the bar, she grabbed her .9mm Smith and Weston from the compartment and holstered it. Walking into the bar, she knew she would be out of place. A white girl stood out in a room full of One-Niner’s, but they have what she needed, and business is business. 

“You lost, sweetness?” 

She smirked at the large man who blocked her path further into the bar. Most activity stilled as everyone waited to see the carnage. She hoped they’d leave disappointed.  

“I’m here to see Laroy Wayne. Word is he’s the man to see about my needs.” 

The big man in front of her licked his lips as his eyes trailed up and down her body. 

“Got plenty of men ‘round here who could see to those needs.” 

Sophie smiled. “I’m sure you do, but these needs of mine are very specific and very expensive. I’d hate to need to move my business elsewhere; it’s been a long drive.” 

“Check her and let the girl come on through.” 

She glanced around the body in front of her and found Laroy sitting in a booth, arms stretched out along the top of the banquette. Sophie caught his eye.

“Your boy touches me and things might become a lot less friendly, and definitely less profitable. No one with brain cells comes into Oakland without protection, but so long as all we’re discussing is business, I’ve got no need to feel threatened, right, Mr. Wayne?” 

A slow smile spread across Laroy’s face as he nodded. The man in front of her moved, clearing a path for her. Glancing up she inclined her head. “Thanks.” 

Sliding into the booth across from Laroy, she was careful to make sure her hands were always visible. No need to spook the locals. 

“Mightly foolish steppin’ in here alone.” 

She nodded. “A calculated risk. I need hardware.” 

Laroy’s eyebrows shot to his hairline. He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands as he studied her. She held his gaze steadily, allowing him to search out whatever it is he needed to find. 

“Hardware isn’t exactly the merchandise I sell. Especially to white girls who wander into my bar.”

Sophie nodded. “I know, but because of the merchandise you do sell, you have access to individuals who could acquire the items I need. I’ll make it worth your while.” 

“So you’ve said. Still haven’t told me who you are. Don’t make a habit of doing business with strangers.”

“Sophie Cooper. I’m new to the area. My favorite color is vermilion and I hate brussels sprouts and cabbage. Nasty tasting and the smell…” 

Something like amusement reached his eyes. “Miss Cooper, I’m not sure where you think you are, but I still haven’t heard a reason to sell you anything. My hospitality only extends so far; my time is important.”

Nodding her head, she pointed to her left side pocket. Watching Laroy’s face, she saw the moment he understood and waved his hand in a ‘get on with it’ motion; she pulled a slip of paper out and pressed it against the table. Tapping her finger along the top she met Laroy’s eyes before sliding it across to him. Holding her gaze, Laroy pulled the paper towards himself, only breaking eye contact long enough to read the information. His eyes snapped up to hers, a surprised sort of respect replacing the earlier amusement. 

“Get the lady a drink.” 

Glancing over her shoulder, she made eye contact with the bartender. “Sex on the Beach.” 

Laroy chuckled as she turned back to face him.

“I’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth.” 

His eyes turned smokey as he continued to stare at her, his tongue traced along his bottom lip. “That the only thing sweet about you?” 

She mirrored his action, her own tongue tracing the bottom of her lip, noted how his eyes tracked the movement. “Depends on how good the delivery is.” 

Laroy nodded. “I can get this, but, sweetheart, this is an expensive order.” 

The bartender set her drink down. Pulling it closer to her, she placed the straw between her lips, watched Laroy watch her, and slowly fluttered her eyes closed as she pulled the liquid into her mouth. Never be afraid to use what you have. Any advantage is an advantage. Instead of saying anything, she drew the straw from her mouth and stirred her drink. 

“Hardware like this is for dropping bodies, and before I provide you that kind of access, you know I’m gonna need some assurances. Make sure none of the bodies dropping land in Oakland.” 

“I don’t shit where I eat, Laroy,” Sophie told him. “It’s none of your business why I need it, but I understand wanting to protect your interests. I’m exterminating a particular breed of subhuman lifeform, and I doubt a businessman such as yourself would care too much if I spend my free time hunting neo-Nazis. Think of it as a public service.” 

Laroy didn’t say anything, but he picked up the pen sitting on the table and scribbled what Sophie knew would be a number on the other side of the sheet of paper before sliding back to her. 

Pulling the paper to her, she glanced down at the number. Thankfully Laroy seemed interested in doing business rather than playing games - the number sat right where she figured it would. Pointing to the same pocket she’d pulled the paper from, she waited once more for Laroy’s consent before pulling an envelope.  

“Consider it a downpayment, and a sign of good faith since I’m a new customer. You’ll get the rest at delivery, once I’ve had a chance to try out the merchandise.” 

Laroy chuckled. “I can’t wait to see that.” Quickly, he thumbed through the cash she’d given him. It was roughly thirty percent of the total cost. 

“I like when people come prepared to conduct business. It’ll take me a minute to get your items. Collector's items are tricky.” 

Sophie smiled at him. “I understand.” 

After finishing her drink, she slid from the booth. Laroy did the same. At 5’ 10”, not many people stood taller than her, but Laroy had a good three inches on her that he used to his advantage. He stood just close enough to understand he was crowding into her space, shoulders rolled forward, chin tipped down like he could cage her in with his body. His hooded eyes traced her features. Slowly, he brought his hand up and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, fingers dragging along the side of her neck leaving goosebumps in their wake. Holding his gaze, she pulled a business card from her back pocket. She reached up and tucked it into his breast pocket. Allowing her hand to rest against his chest, she appreciated the feel of the solid pectoral muscle under her hand. 

“Call that number when you’ve got my order ready. We can arrange delivery then,” Sophie whispered. 

Laroy lifted her hand from his chest and brushed a kiss along her knuckles.

“Pleasure doin’ business with you, Sophie. A few of my boys are gonna provide an escort out of town, make sure you don’t run into any trouble.” 

Sophie nodded. “I appreciate it. Escorting me more than fifteen miles beyond town limits might hurt my feelings though.” 

“Can’t have that,” Laroy said as he smirked. “They’ll be perfect gentlemen.”  

True to his word, Laroy’s boys followed her exactly fifteen miles outside Oakland. Sticking her hand out the window, she waved at them as the pulled to the side before heading back into town.

Part 2

Master List

[bleachbleachbleach]

7/8 - 7/14/2024

Not in the time-space for writing this week (though luckily I am also outside of any desire for it; it’s nice when those things line up!), but I did have airplane time.

Part 1 is pretty firmed up; I went through Chapters 1, 2, 3, 6, and 7, because they were most related to Chapters 10 and 11, and I still agreed with/made all the revisions I proposed when I read them seven months ago. Anything new I wanted to change or trim was largely sentential. My plan was to post Part 1 after I finished writing Part 2, because I didn’t think finishing Part 3 was going to make me want to change anything, and I think that still feels true.

I still don’t know how I feel about Chapters 1 and 2. Part of me is like, I feel like things are just happening, or the action is being strung along by some outside force rather than the way a scene plays out playing a primary role in what happens next. But at the same time, that casual logic is also literally, in-narrative true. Like, it feels that way because it is that way for those opening chapters. The outside force is the Noble Council and things are just happening because X Order begets Y and Z sets of tasks to be done or places to get to and Rukia doesn’t really have a choice about it at this point in the narrative. I do think the POVs narrativize that feeling/understand this to be the case, so I’m like, maybe I just need to come to terms with the shape of the story and understand the length of the narrative as a whole and the way that length is going to accommodate different narrative zipcodes, as it were. I have never written anything with this many zipcodes before.

I keep going back to that one Eco quote I reblogged however many months ago, about accepting the abbey’s own pace, and thinking maybe that’s where I am right now. The other option, of course, is that there’s some deep, deep radical structural revision I need to do to Fix Them, but I don’t know what it is or how to do it. Hahaha!

I finished the ending for Chapter 2, which right now I really like, rhythm-wise, and helps me feel more secure about this first 20k and all this business. It does also contain what is probably the corniest line I’ve ever written in my entire life, but I kind of feel like Renji thought it very earnestly, without realizing how corny it was, and without thinking it was as dramatic as it reads on paper, so he will probably just have to live with that.

Additional spoils:

I’ve been thinking about Kuukaku in the context of what is apparently my new “Ganju Art Camp” WIP, so some of that will now end up here. She has a new architecture project! She will suffer Byakuya attempting to describe it!

Further clarity about a dumb thread across Chapters 2/4/8 that primarily exists because 2020 me Just Wrote Things without thinking that Sequel me would have to contend with the consequences of these actions. I now feel like said thread may actually work and not just be a source of my holding my head in my hands for the next hundred years

Next on the docket:

Finish the (tragically) description-heavy scene at the end of Chapter 7 that I skipped because I wanted to write Chapter 9 first

Finish the skipped Chapter 10 scenes—I thought the reread/revisions would make the game plan here more clear; I do think it helped; I just wish it helped MORE, lol

[alister312]

For the drabble requests, Gregory & Christophe suddenly have a “free day”. No missions, no planning, nothing. How would they react to having this day off? Would they lose their minds, needing something to do? Would they take the day to relax? How they react is up to you!

this actually filled up the rest of my time at work nicely so thank u very much!! they don’t actually do much relaxing in this but i liked building the scene 🥰

~

For better or worse, Gregory’s internal clock never let him wake any later than 6:30AM, sharp. Not that he minded. Any time past that meant the day was really getting away from him and he couldn’t have that, could he?

So he woke, not with a start or slowly, but deliberately. He stretched. The other side of the bed was empty, Christophe being afflicted with the same curse as him. Unlike Gregory, though, Christophe could go back to sleep if he so chose. Today wasn’t one of those days though.

Christophe hadn’t gone far— Gregory could see him on the balcony of their flat, hunched over the railing. He had a mug of something in his hand, likely coffee. Gregory forbade him from smoking this early but Christophe still craved something bitter. The kettle was still warm, so Gregory made himself a mug of tea before joining Christophe. There was little acknowledgement of this besides a grunt that meant “Good morning.”

Once his tea bag had properly steeped, Gregory took a sip and sighed.

“Lovely morning,” he murmured.

“Mm,” Christophe nodded.

“We’re meeting with Corey later to see what he’s found for that Italy job, aren’t we?” Gregory asked.

“Non,” Christophe shook his head. “Zat’s tomorrow.”

“Oh.” Gregory pursed his lips, miffed he’d misremembered. Sure, it was early, but he hated not being at the top of his game. “Well, that must mean we should meet with Tweek about paying us for getting rid of the last of his parents’ debt collectors. I’ll call him when I’m done with my tea.”

“You sent ‘im an email about zat last night.”

“... Did I?”

“Oui. I checked for a reply zis morning and ‘e ees not free until Tuesday.”

“I see.” Gregory took another sip of his tea, trying to figure out what was going on with his memory. There had to be something on their docket today. “Shall we go over the blueprints of the upcoming charity auction again?”

“You said eef we didn’t take a day off from zat we would overthink ze job.”

That Gregory did remember. He’d felt himself going insane the harder he forced himself to stare at it, the lines all blurring together into a jumbled mess. It was an easy job too, secretly standing guard, just a favor for some friends. Absolutely nothing worth stressing over.

“Perhaps we should reach out to Damien?” Gregory mused over the brim of his cup. “He usually finds himself caught up in something.”

“Non, Damien’s still on ‘is ‘oneymoon,” Christophe said. “I zink Pip plans on visiting every single castle een Britain.”

“Naturally,” Gregory nodded. “Kenny?” Christophe shrugged, but the nonchalance of his response meant Kenny was off the grid. He had a tendency to do that after getting himself into particularly dangerous situations. No one knew where he went, but he always showed back up eventually. They’d stopped trying to find him during these periods years ago, after Gregory once exhausted his entire network and a good amount of his wealth in vain.

Gregory took a long sip from his tea, feeling his nose twitch as he knit his brows in frustration. Was he forgetting something? Or could this truly be a day of nothing? Christophe stretched his arms out before standing to his full height and setting his coffee down on the balcony railing.

“Gregory. Viens ici.” With a quick sigh, Gregory complied, setting his own mug down and leaning into Christophe’s waiting arms. He hadn’t paid attention to how cold the morning air was but Christophe was so warm that Gregory couldn’t help but shiver for whatever part of him was still exposed. Christophe draped over him, head bowed so he could place a kiss on Gregory’s neck..

“You’re looking for problems zat aren’t zere, cheri,” he murmured.

“I know,” Gregory half laughed. “God forbid we take a break for once.”

“If zat beetch forbids eet, zen zat ees exactly what we will do. Allez. We can watch zat British baking show.” Christophe started to pull Gregory back inside the flat. Gregory protested half heartedly, inwardly debating, still trying to find an excuse to get something done. It was as tempting as it was terrifying, a whole day devoid of plans. Christophe’s coaxing won out, though, and Gregory relented. Today, they’d take it easy.

[the-final-sif]

Hello! I recently came across your blog and love your take on things, mainly because they’re very level headed and thought out!

I was wondering, based on what we know, what do you think is going to happen with all of this? And if this has already been answered, you can just ignore this lol :)

Thank you! Trying my best to get a handle on things and help others do the same.

As for what I think is going to happen, there was an interesting discussion I had with @godzibane that I think covers a lot of what we could reasonably expect.

To summarize that post though, I think that the odds of Dream facing criminal charges are next to zero. Regardless of whether he's done anything Amanda said he did or not. Everything I've read says that Snapchat won't be able to retrieve any actual image/video files from Jan/feb at this point, and without those a charge/case is going to be next to impossible. So even if she was telling the truth, it would really only her word against Dream's, and that's not enough for a court case. Particularly not when her own credibility as a witness could be demolished by her behavior on twitter.

Now, if the allegations are false, Dream has one of the most straightforward defamation cases that I have ever seen. Like, to the point of comical. If she can't prove her case, she's defamed him. The more evidence Dream can provide that she's lying (snapchat metadata may serve him well here, depending on if they talked on there/what they discussed, he may be able to factually disprove her claims), the stronger his case gets. If Bee is telling the truth and is willing to help/testify under oath, then I'm really not sure how a good set of lawyers could fuck this case up. Like, this would be straight up two per se charges. He wouldn't even need to prove damages AFAIK.

Slander per se is defined as words that are slanderous in themselves without proof of actual damages. For example, if an utterance charges (a) the commission of a crime, (b) imputes some offensive or loathsome disease that would tend to deprive a person of society, (c) matters incompatible with business, trade, profession, or office, or (d) charges serious sexual misconduct. Restatement (Second) of Torts, Section 570 (1976).

Now, I think a lawsuit may end up getting filed here. Amanda did uh, well she doxxed herself. Which is. A really bad idea for all sorts of reasons. There's also at least one person that likely went to school with her (Bee) who would almost certainly be willing to disclose information about what school Amanda went to to lawyers to make contacting/serving her very easy.

If the allegations are false, a lawsuit also would be a way for Dream to add provable records to the public record where they become worth way more than "just trust me this is unaltered" so it'd be a good move both legally speaking and for PR.

I'm not convinced a case like this would go to trial. I mean, I do not know what sort of resources Amanda has. But lawyers are very expensive, and if Dream files in Florida instead of NJ which to my understanding would be possible, Amanda may then have to travel to Florida or hire a lawyer within Florida to defend her. If her claims are false, the sudden expenses may suddenly make holding onto those claims no longer worth it. In which case she would probably attempt to apologize/settle.

Now, to my understanding, while she could retract/apologize, Dream could still sue her if her claims are false. But I'm doubtful Dream would be interested in pursuing the case much further than getting an apology and some sort of settlement to send a message.

So, I think we will hopefully end up seeing some stuff from lawyers, although I'm hoping at least one of the involved parties mentions when things become a matter of public record, since it can be such a pain to track down court records w/o a docket number.

(also as a note I am not a lawyer, nor trained in anything to do with law, this is all from my personal understanding and could be incorrect in many different ways!)

[myveryownfanfiction]

Chapter 36

18+ MINORS AND THOSE WITHOUT AGE IN BIO DNI

tags: @plush4bunny, @illiana-mystery, @onedirectionlovers2014

tags: swearing, the wheelers, mediums and con artists, night court spoilers

“so what’s on the docket for tonight?” I asked, swinging my legs as I sat on Wyatt’s desk. He looked over the list and shrugged.

“petty theft. Nude model fight.” I nodded at that appreciatively. “And a couple with issues with a medium…I think. It’s confusing.” Wyatt flipped through the file before looking up and frowning. “I think they’re ready to talk to you counselor.”

”we meet again Mr. Fielding.” The man said. Dan froze and looked at me with wide eyes.

“If I don’t turn around are they really there?” He asked, biting his lip as he scrunched up his nose.

“oh my god!” Abbie cried. “You’re the wheelers! My dad always talked about you guys! I have so many questions!” Dan scowled as he took his spot in front of Abbie. “What’s the charge?” Wyatt handed Abbie the file.

“Animal husbandry.” Wyatt read out. I focused on Dan, wondering what he was thinking seeing the wheelers back in court.

“as someone who’s heard your stories before can we skip the next three calamities and get to the point?” Dan complained. I giggled behind my hand and he looked over at me. The case progressed and abbie called for recess. The only thing I had really caught onto was that she wanted to see the wheelers medium to talk to her dad.

“so what was that like?” I asked as we sat down in the cafeteria. Dan groaned and let his head drop onto my shoulder.

“those poor ghosts.” He said. “Although leave it to them to get stuck with a haunted apartment. I did promise to help them get rid of it though.”

“olivia.” I said. Dan nodded.

“I can’t believe I saw the wheelers.” He shuddered before sitting back up. “Abbie has her psychic though.”

“did you tell her that?” I asked. Dan shook his head but waved her over when he saw her walk in.

“so I have some news.” He said. Abbie nodded. “You’ve got your psychic.”

“wait really?” Abbie exclaimed, almost throwing her arms around dans neck.

“I made it happen. I did a favor for the wheelers and they helped me jump the line with this Fleetwood Mac b side.” Dan said, patting her arm. “We meet in your office after session tonight.”

“what did you do?” Abbie asked, taking a seat at the table. She opened her lunch and I put a hand over my mouth. Dan looked over at me as I swallowed thickly.

“You alright?” He asked me. I nodded and waved him off as the nausea passed. “I just helped them sell their haunted brownstone.” Dan said, turning his attention back to Abbie but keeping an eye on me. As Abbie ate, the smell continued to get to me. I excused myself and headed to Abbie’s office. I opened the window and sat down. “Hey.” I turned to see Dan standing in the doorway.

“Hey.” I said back, rubbing my stomach.

“you ran out of there pretty quickly…” Dan trailed off, eyes focused on my hand movement. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“yeah. Just not feeling well.” I said, rubbing my stomach again. Dan nodded, looking back up at my eyes.

“maybe you should see a doctor.” He said, coming to sit next to me. I leaned into him and closed my eyes.

“already have.” I mumbled. “Just a bug.” Dan nodded as he kissed my head.

“alright.” He said. “Maybe you should sit out the seance.” I nodded.

“I’ll take a nap in your office.” I said. Dan nodded. He walked me back to his office and grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch, draping it over me before kissing my head and heading towards the door.

“call me if you need me.” He said. I nodded with a smile as he left the room. The phone rang not long after and I sagged with relief at the news. Laying back down, I stared at the ceiling with a smile on my face. When I got antsy, I got up and walked back to Abbie’s office. The psychic was gone and Dan was talking to Abbie.

“Dan…” she whispered. He turned to look at her. “That was the phrase.”

“what?” He asked. “Are you telling me that I’m supposed to be Harry’s vessel?” The lights flickered and Dan quickly tried to appease whatever it was. “Alright. Alright.” The lights stayed on and Dan chuckled. “Always had to have the last word.” Abbie smiled at him and hugged his arm, leaning her head on his shoulder. I rubbed my stomach again and knocked on the door.

“hey guys.” I said. Abbie stood up and walked over to hug me. “How’d it go?”

“she was a fake. But Dan and I have come to an understanding.” She said with a smile. I nodded and watched her leave.

“so feeling better?” Dan asked as he stood up and made his way over to me.

“yeah.” I said, lost in thought.

“penny for your thoughts?” He asked, kissing my forehead.

“you know I always thought she’d be a good aunt but now I think Abbie would make a great big sister.” I said absentmindedly, bringing dans hand to my stomach.

[smolcinnamonchipmunk]

Question. Would angel or sir P or any of the hazbin crew ever walked in on like Alistor messing with abyss in their shrunken state or where it looks like he’s about to just straight up eat em so whoever walked in on this scene either is shocked, panics about it and getting abyss away from Alistor or just acting as if they never saw anything.

Also sorry if this is like weird of me to also ask if anyone else of the hazbin crew have ever gotten curious about abyss being small, like curious in similar way that Alistor teases abyss and shit? Like again sorry if this is weird you can skip this part of the ask completely, I let my curiosity get the better of me at times.

Hope you have a great day/night!! :)

- 🌽

I have actually thought of this because of the beginning of episode 3 where Alastor is just like "I'm in the middle of breakfast" when Vaggie kind of barges in. I've been wanting to draw something along those lines, but my docket is a bit full right now (I cry), so I'm going to write what everyone does in no particular order

I'm just going to put the baseline that these are scenarios where everyone walks into Alastors room because I can't really imagine him messing with Abyss so openly. I also don't think that him eating someone in general really phases them considering they were just watching him eat people in episode 5, but I also feel like it's a bit of a different tune when it's 'one of them', so to speak. Also, Alastor probably eats them with a nice cup of coffee or maybe black tea

Sorry if anyone's OOC

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

Vaggie - One hundred percent would walk in to either ask Alastor a favor or a question. Charlie probably asked her to get the Radio Demon or something. Regardless, in a similar barge in to the show, both her and Alastor (and Abyss) kind of stare at each other for a moment before he tries to dismiss her. Unsuccessfully. Vaggie immediately shouts "IS THAT ABYSS?!" and sprints inside to snatch them from the demon. He could easily play keep away with his shadow abilities or jostle Abyss by just standing up and holding them out of reach, but he merely rolls his eyes as the tiny demon is taken off his hands (literally). He's petty, not childish (some people would say those are synonyms).

Alastor would probably say something along the lines of "What's a little ribbing between acquaintances?" while Abyss is just shouting "FUCK YOU, YOU SNAGGLE-TOOTHED BITCH!" (Alastor has taken it upon himself to try and 'teach them some manners' in this weird way sometimes. He really just looks for any excuse). Vaggie would respond "No eating the guests! Why do I have to tell you that?!" before walking out. She totally forgets about what Charlie told her to get Alastor for until she comes back and Charlie asks where Alastor is. (Charlie ends up 'berating' Alastor after she finds out)

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

Sir Pentious - Probably doesn't even realize it's Alastor's room when he slithers in, he's just looking for one of his Eggs. Just slams open the door and shouts "EGGIESSSS!!! EGG- oh, shit." when he sees Alastor holding a squirming Abyss. Would just stare for a second with his little background frog noise (he makes little frog noises when he's caught off guard like when Alastor burns the piece of coat) before asking, "Is that the little deer, Abyss?"

Alastor would gleefully reply "Why, of course not!" while Abyss goes "YES! HELP!" Sir Pentious is naive, but not THAT naive. He won't fall for the strip-ed freaks lies!

"That is obviously Abyss when they're rather sssmall!" he'd proclaim like he'd cracked the Da Vinci Code.

Alastor would probably be a dick and go "Oh, is it? Why, I must need to go get my eyes checked. Thank you very much for stopping me before I harmed one of our darling guests on accident!"

Would literally hand Abyss off to Sir Pentious, catching both of them off guard. Sir Pentious would probably think himself so smart and brave and must be so influential if Alastor himself gave him his thanks! Uuuuuntil Abyss tells him that his ego got played, but they're grateful because it got them out of the situation.

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

Husk - Would walk in to try and ask something, opening the door and going, "Ey, boss? I, uh-… Oh, what the fuck?" when he sees Alastor messing with Abyss. Would debate whether or not to help and would just be kind of unsure how to do so in general. Usually Alastor eats people whole when he's in full demon form when it's probably not a good idea to interrupt.

However, this is him in a more civil mood and normal size, so he'd shoot his shot.

"Should you be… toying with someone who's a guest here?" he'd ask, knowing damn well that Alastor really shouldn't. There's a "NO" from Abyss, but he just maintains eye contact with Alastor. "I don't think Miss Rainbows and Butterflies would be very happy."

"And that's why YOU'RE not going to tell her, hmm?" Alastor's response is a coy warning, though he at least has the decency to add "Don't worry, our little deer here always ends up safe and sound, so why don't you run along now?"

Husk would grumble, but would leave. He might not be the chummiest with Alastor, but he at least knows the demon keeps his word and believes that Abyss would be safe. Physically.

Offers Abyss a stronger drink when they show up at the bar later and doesn't even groan when they ask if he can make it sweet but "Strong enough to potentially kill me again. Like, I want it to taste like Jolly Ranchers and knock me out in an hour max."

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

Charlie - Panic, one hundred percent. Would walk in, take a second to realize what was going on (I'm picturing Alastor dangling Abyss over his jaws) and shout "ALASTOR!". Almost instantly at Alastor's table to catch Abyss when he lets go, finishing with "WHAT are you doing?!"

Alastor would nonchalantly go "Ah, Charlie! To what do I owe the pleasure?" with her asking "Were you about to EAT them?!"

"Perhaps." would be the answer with Charlie responding "Okay, well, when I get back, I am going to have some VERY stern words with you about how eating our guests is not only inappropriate, but definitely not allowed in the hotel! I know you're not here to redeem yourself, but eating people is definitely over the line, Alastor!"

She'd then huff and walk out to probably smother Abyss with "Are you okay?"s and try desperately to make them feel safe (Kind of backfiring into stressing them out more)

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

Nifty - Thinks Alastor is playing with a bug or something at first, so she skitters over for an investigation with the thought to stab it. But, she sees the tiny Abyss while Alastor casually greets her "Ah, Nifty! What can I do for you, my dear?"

"Alastor, what are you doing?" (She'd completely ignore Abyss's initial surprise at her showing up and any protests)

"Why, I'm simply having breakfast. It's rather rude to interrupt people while they're eating. Why don't you go see whether or not that roach nest rebuilt behind the bar, hmm?"

Nifty just giggles, goes "Okay!" and skitters off, not looking back at all at Abyss's plight.

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

Angel Dust - I can't really think of why Angel would be walking in other than maybe both Charlie and Vaggie are too busy somehow. Maybe Fat Nuggets (his pet pig) is missing and he's worried that Alastor made true to his threats to make Fat Nuggets into bacon (banter between the OG VAs on Huniecast, not actually canon but I'm shoving it in here)

Would walk in and immediately go "What the HELL are you doing?" while walking up to the table.

"I'm simply having a conversation with one of our residents." Alastor would try to be dismissive, but I think Angel would probably be a bit protective because that seems to be his personality a bit in general (as long as you're not dissing his profession or calling him fake. Also, they've given him drugs free of charge) (Abyss shouts "THIS IS NOT HOW CONVERSATIONS GO")

"This seems a helluva lot more than just a CONVERSATION." He'd grab Abyss (Which Alastor lets him like with Vaggie) and use a set of arms to put his hands on his hips, adding "And I'm almost entirely certain that Princess wouldn't be happy that her co-host is eating anyone coming here for redemption!"

"Mmm, fair enough." Alastor would watch him leave because he knows he'll just get another chance to mess with Abyss.

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

As for whether or not any of the others get the same curiosity to eat or tease Abyss when they're tiny, I'm going to say yes and no.

Charlie would gush everytime she finds them small and would have to be told to settle down since she'd definitely find them adorable and cute (which would feel infantalizing sometimes). Vaggie would think it weird but wouldn't really be bothered by it. Niffty almost stabs them when she sees them in their tiny form first and would probably try to dress them up once or twice with her roach puppets

Angel and Husk probably feel mildly protective since both know what it's like to be wildly vulnerable and out of control of your own situation (Abyss can control their shrinking 90% of the time, but sometimes they end up stuck. Not quite the same situation as being part of a deal, but fear is a universally felt emotion). I don't THINK either one would actually be curious about eating them though

Sir Pentious may be in Hell, but he seems to very much be a ride or die with his 'friends'. Comrades. Whatever you want to call people he cares about. Aside from Alastor, he's the only other one that I could potentially see being a pred, but, like, a protective pred. Quite literally "You have to get through me if you want them". Also has weird manners so it'd either have to be a dangerous situation or he'd ask them if he can eat them (They might let him depending on the situation)

Anyways, I've been working on this for four hours, which is way longer than I meant to and four hours that I didn't work on what I was supposed to, so I'm going to go to bed and hopefully actually be productive after work tomorrow

[phoenixyfriend]

A lot has been happening today that rep calls could affect. UN vetoes, KOSA, Julian Assange, UNRWA's funding crisis and Israel's demands that it be completely dismantled, the large number of bills we just learned are on the docket for the coming week, and even the good news that is recent successes by the BDS movement.

And like... I care about this stuff. I want to talk about it. But it takes an emotional and mental toll to do it, and it takes time, and... there are two reasons to write up reference, update, information posts:

Compensation. I'm not a journalist, but if I were, I would in theory be getting paid for the information I collect and share to my audience. However, I am not, and am doing this for free. I have gotten maybe $5 in donations since I started this project, and while I recognize that this is probably because people are (quite rightly) donating instead to Palestinian charities or local campaigns or something, it's a basic fact that I am not actually being compensated for this work.

Promoting change and activism. This is in fact my main goal: to have a positive impact on current events by giving people a guide on the news and politics because there's so much happening that's hard to keep track of, and if I'm already doom-listening to half a dozen political podcasts, I might as well save other people the trouble, right?

The thing is, like... most of the reblogs on my guidelines and helpful posts are from me, to me. I am the one reblogging. I am desperately trying to get these things to circulate so I can make a difference, but... no dice. Some of the posts are admittedly pretty long (my 'how to call your reps, here's some verbiage' post is 3.4k words), and I can imagine some people are saving it for later, and then maybe forget, or they don't want to share something controversial, and like... I do get that. I do.

But it does mean the posts aren't circulating, and thus they're having less of an impact, and I can't help but feel like there are other things I could be doing to help that would be more effective. More bang for my buck, except it's my time and effort instead of my money. Like, maybe it would have more an effect if I hunted down a wider variety of elected officials I could bother instead of instructing other people on how to bother theirs? Maybe going to protests (which would be a huge commitment due to distance) would be more effective than trying to help ensure that the effectiveness of "I actually have a vote and you are losing it" of calls has the weight of numbers behind it.

Especially since I did try to blaze it, and tumblr mods rejected the post. I don't know why. It's not against ToS, since none of it was disinformation or election interference, which is the only reason given on the FAQ for why things might not be approved for blazing, but who knows.

Maybe tumblr just decided the possible blowback on them for blazing a pro-ceasefire post would be too much.

I don't know. I just... it's just really disheartening to try to help and it gets stymied because, as much effort as it might be, it doesn't reach more than a (comparatively) tiny audience, especially when my relatively low-effort polls and shitposts get easily ten times as many notes with way less energy put in.

EDIT: This is not a post that I need to have reblogged. this is just me bitching. This a vent post. What I am asking people to reblog is my activism posts that I spend hours on to try and help nudge things in a better direction. Please reblog THOSE. This one doesn't need reblogging unless you have an actual comment. Reblogging this post just to reblog, with neither useful comment nor encouragement, is not helping me with my issue of 'not paid, not making an impact' or helping with any important causes.

[blackbirdffxiv]

🪢do they have a kink? if so, what is it? 🫶what does after care look like for them?

𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒 (CLOSED)

WHEW, OKAY NOW I AM GETTING TO ANSWERING MY MINI-BACKLOG, I am so sorry for the delay ;; Also gonna keep these under a read-more cuz of potential spicy

Post-Edit: okay it got a lil bit spicy there

do they have a kink? if so, what is it?

Would y'all be surprised to hear she's into mild to moderate BDSM?

She doesn't engage in it with ANYONE unless she's absolutely sure she can trust her partner, and that's if she's going to be the more dominant person in the arrangement (as she is, much to my own surprise at anyone else's surprise, quite the subby bottom). It takes even more trust and effort to get her to trust anyone enough to submit to them. She doesn't mind being a dom, but she personally thinks she's bad at it, and she doesn't get much satisfaction out of it. There's only two people she trusts with her true inclinations in the bedroom and both have been involved with her for years, and there's absolutely no secrets between her and said partners.

what does after care look like for them?

It depends on the partner and what was on the docket. If we're talking with one of her regular trusted partners, more often than not she's the one being cared for. Which usually includes her partners practically waiting on her hand and foot (in spite of her saying she "doesn't need to be catered to"; she's still learning what a healthy sexual relationship entails); tending to lingering physical pain, cleaning up, maybe a bit of a cuddle while bathing together (as she prefers bathing with her partners post-sex for multiple reasons).

One of the big things her partners can do, for those who are aware of her condition, is helping her "feed". Being part voidsent, she often hungers for aether, and her appetites can be quite voracious, so when her partners are able, they're usually more than willing to part with some to keep her content.

[thebabblingbrookenook]

🌿🕯️🎀

Hi there @eleanor-bradstreet - Thanks for indulging my need for attention haha.

🌿- Creating makes me feel. Period. Hard stop. It's a good reminder of what it means to be human. I feel fulfilled and accomplished when I translate an errant thought into a fully fledged story. I feel proud of myself, and aware of my own voice. It helps me to evaluate my emotions and understand what my true viewpoints are on certain matters. It helps me give myself grace. But it also humbles me. Every - Single - Time. There is always room to improve. Self doubt creeps in. Fear. Anxiety. The sense of unworthiness. It makes me tired. It makes me angry. Sometimes I feel so tapped in and connected to others through my writing, and other times I have never felt so alone. In the end, even with all the low points, I love it.

🕯 - Hmmm... Was there a fic that was really hard for me to write? I think I have a few on my docket that have done this to me. One specifically that pertains to some real life events/trauma that I'm trying to flesh out through imaginary characters. I always struggle with the topic because most people don't understand it. I either get ridiculed because someone who doesn't know the depths of my story is trying to be "woke", or people think I'm weird/perverse. If you are interested in the actual context, you can DM me.

🎀 - A kind word about my writing - I would like to think my writing has depth and nuance. I may very well have an over-inflated sense of my skill, but at the very least, those are the qualities that I am striving for in my writing. I also think I am decent at world building.

Thank you so much for your asks!

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🦇 Not Your Crush's Cauldron Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[ Find my review below or on Goodreads | Storygraph | Literal ]

❓ #QOTD What's one thing outside of your comfort zone you want to do this year? ❓ 🦇 Olive Maxwell is all too happy to leave the magical shenanigans to her sisters while she focuses on teaching. Currently, getting a grant for SupeEx has her full attention; a student exchange program that could help magical beings better understand one another's perspectives. In preparation for her grant presentation, Olive has assigned her college students a project that will nudge them beyond their comfort zones. Realizing she's never stepped out of her own, Olive decides to participate by creating her own Dare I Docket list, featuring activities she never would have considered in the past. Meanwhile, her new roommate Bax Donovan is struggling to keep his Guardian Angel wings. Assigned as Olive's Guardian, Bax helps Olive cross items off her list while secretly protecting her. Will they take the biggest risk of all: falling in love?

💜 Blessed Be, Bwitches! For those of you who have been with me from the beginning, the second book of April Asher's Supernatural Singles series was one of my first ARC reviews on this blog. I'm so grateful that I got the chance to read the third, featuring the somewhat shy, beyond witty and witchy Olive. April Asher EXCELS at using spunky prose, nerd-tastic references, and dizzying dialogue to drag readers into the Maxwell found family. The moment I picked up this book, it felt like talking to an old friend for the first time in too long. The prose is active, engaging, and unique, breathing life to a sassy, badass cast of characters. I also adored the story's underlying message. The risks you take in life, the decisions you make to move that life forward, mean little without the right people beside you.

💜 Fingers crossed we're not done with the Supernatural Singles series yet. April Asher, please tell me Harper gets some love in the *fingers crossed* next installment?

🦇 What upset me most about this book was finishing it. Olive and Bax are adorable together while still bringing plenty of Thai-level-five spice. Anything more would have dragged the story on too long, but I'm definitely going to be sporting a book hangover this week, craving more of that wicked prose!

🦇 In all seriousness, I do wish sex hadn't entered the plot so soon, giving Olive and Bax more time to develop their friendship instead. Bax's father feels a bit one-dimensional as a villain (I expected more layers behind his motivations, which mainly boils down to reputation). Of the three books in this series, there's the least amount of magic in this one, which was a bit of a disappointment. The premise of Olive being "at risk" because of the Dare I Docket feels a bit weak, too. I expected one of Vi's bounties to potentially put Olive's life at risk, or someone using magic to steal the grant from her--some additional source of conflict to drive the story forward. As much as I loved the sweet fluff, this story needed more tension.

🦇 Recommended to fans of witty, witchy prose, the best romance tropes, and charming characters. Add a little magic to your life with the Supernatural Singles series!

✨ The Vibes ✨ 🔮 Witch/Guardian Angel 🪽 Found Family 🔮 Friends to Lovers 🪽 Forced Proximity / Roommates 🔮 Forbidden Paranormal Romance 🪽 Third in the Series 🔮 Plenty of Spice

🦇 Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Quotes

❝ It wasn’t what you did that moved you forward the most, but the people who stood by your side when you did it. It was your family—your found family. The ones you chose to surround yourself with because them not being part of your life wasn’t a possibility you wanted to think about. ❞

❝ Everyone has a spark of Magic, and when you follow it, there really is no possibility of straying from your true path. ❞

[b0mblover]

a gods confusion

(/1)

by: J

(help this is just about lopt plates and jirou being grossed out by it)

6 in the morning, not much was on the docket, the only reason jirou was up at this time anyways was because he had online classes, well just one, who decided to host a class about sewing at 6 am anyways? more importantly why would jirou join. winter classes were always hardest, it was too cold to get out of bed and everyone takes the evening classes more than in the summer, but just one class at 6 am wasnt the end of the world. it spanned for an hour, giving a ten minute break in the middle, some people worked on what they were taught, or used the bathroom or got something to eat. jirou prefered to use the bathroom and continue whatever he was working on, to not lose focus. 6:35, he came out of the bathroom, he noticed that lopt was chewing on something that had a… less than pleasant sound. Not wanting to miss class for the 5th time already, he mentally made a note to ask lopt. thankfully, the last 20 minutes went mostly smooth, since it was only the beginning of the semester, it was just mostly about how to get your ideas onto paper and whatnot. Jirou, as much as he wishes he wouldve, didnt pay much attention, his grades were mostly fine, granted a few c’s and d’s in math but over all a’s and b’s so he didnt hwve to worru about grades that much, jusy missing classes. He walked out of his room to see lopt watching some news station called “fox news”. he was aware that was an american “news” station, how the hell did they get that in japan? “hey” “oh youre done with your class already? what do you want me to tuck you back into bed?” lopt replied, with a vague british accent, lopt isnt british. “i, wha, no, i meant to ask you something” he said, vaguely confused. “which would be..?” “what the hell were you eating earlier, it sounded disgusting” “huh? what do you mean, oh those white disc thingys?” he sounded as if he were actually confused as to what jirou said. “Uh, i guess? i thought we didnt have much food.. and i know mostly what we keep.” “oh, do you not know the name either?” “i mean no? i guess not??” jirou had literally no fucking idea as to what lopt was talking about “here hold on ill show you” “um alright?” lopt walked over to the kitchen cabinets before skimming over tiny labels at the bottom, they were in braille, how was he even reading them by looking? 

(note, braille because 1. noriko has shit eyesite and its funny to imagine that she basically is blind 2. i have a parasite in my brain that makes me include some part of my life)

he landed on one, the third from the oven. opened it, grabbed whatever the hell he was speaking of and walked back to jirou. “see this!” “lopt.. please dont tell me you were eating that” “huh i was why?” lopt spoke at a rather quick pace, which is just wonderful for someone with auditory processing disorder. (sarcasm) “i, lopt, those are plates, why the hell” “oh, plates huh? they taste bland honestly, maybe they need to be heated up?” he thought to himself aloud “i uh no? lopt youre not supposed to eat those? how do you not know that..” “what do ya mean? ive heard the word but ive never seen one, must be some new day thing” he muttered the last part to himself. “lopt, what i know you know what a plate is, yknow.. a dish? bowl? salver? platter??” “Oh a salver! oh thats what this is wait what why does it look so weird?” “i what? lopt thats how plates have always looked?” “nah what no, salvers dont look like this at all!” “i, i mean maybe not? i why am i still awake, im gonna go sleep goodnight” jirou groaned and walked to his room alone. Lopt, still questioning if he really ate a “salver” decided to look for his phone, of course he had no idea where he put it, for being a god, he was awfully forgetful.