#Elon Musk Needs a Second Thought

[mehmetyildizmelbourne-blog]

Elon Musk Seems to Undermine Privacy of Users on X 

How Elon Musk’s X Update May Be a Global Privacy Nightmare, especially for Women or Vulnerable People It seems to me that Elon Musk is shooting himself in the foot by undermining the privacy issues of digital citizens on his X baby. His recent decisions baffle me as they threaten the very fabric of privacy for journalists and pose serious risks for vulnerable individuals like women, the elderly,…

[aryadelvich]

I’m into submission - Luigi Mangione x reader

Luigi is your roommate.

Yeah I stole the phrase from Pedro Pascal but it was too much to not use it 😫😫

From this request

If you’re looking for more of my work here’s an Updated Masterlist

You were sitting on the bed, exhausted. Carrying all your things back to your dorm room alone had been quite the task. Your roommate still wasn’t there. You took the opportunity to observe his belongings. You already knew his name was Luigi, that he was studying computer engineering, and that he was very popular. Everyone had nothing but praise for him. That he was kind, generous, always checking in on people, thoughtful, helpful… almost like a superhero.

You didn’t believe it. In fact, your view of men wasn’t the most positive. A guy that perfect? It seemed almost impossible to you. You had already judged him before even meeting him, wondering what flaws he might be hiding.

And now, here you were, stepping into his personal space. Everything looked neat. He had a lot of books. You scanned the titles—mostly personal development books. When you spotted one about Elon Musk, you rolled your eyes, letting out a quiet sigh.

Then, you heard the door open. You immediately straightened up, pretending as if you hadn’t been snooping.

You didn’t know what he looked like, but you already knew it was him. The first thing you noticed was his presence—his charisma—and his curls.

" You must be Yn. Nice to meet you, I’m Luigi."

"Nice to meet you."

"I see you’ve already checked out my personal library."

"Oh, that… I was just looking. I admit, I was trying to figure you out a little."

Luigi smirked as he set his bag down on his bed.

"And? What’s your verdict?" he asked, crossing his arms, clearly curious.

You shrugged slightly, feigning indifference.

"Hm… Lots of personal development books, a copy of Elon Musk’s biography… Pretty cliché, if you ask me."

He chuckled, not offended in the slightest.

"Ah, so you’re one of those people who roll their eyes the second they hear his name."

"Let’s just say I have a problem with the way certain men are idolized."

Luigi nodded, as if he understood your perspective. He didn’t seem offended or defensive, which surprised you a little.

"Interesting. And what about you? What do you read?" he asked, sitting down on his bed, eyes glinting with curiosity.

You hesitated for a second before answering.

"Mostly novels, fiction. I like stories that make you think."

He smiled.

"Then you should recommend me a book. Maybe you’ll change my taste in reading."

You eyed him suspiciously. He was way too comfortable, way too charming.

"Mmh, I don’t recommend books to strangers. I don’t share my knowledge with just anyone. Maybe you don’t deserve it."

"Well, we’ll get to know each other eventually. We are sharing a room. Anyway, welcome."

You narrowed your eyes slightly, watching his expression for any sign of irritation or frustration. But Luigi just smiled, still as relaxed as ever.

"Are you always this mysterious? Or is this just a test to see if I’m worthy of your trust?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

"A bit of both."

He chuckled, leaning back against his bed.

"I like it. It’s refreshing. Usually, people warm up to me right away."

"So pretentious."

His amused gaze almost irritated you. He was too at ease, too self-assured, like nothing could shake him. But at the same time, he didn’t come off as arrogant, just… natural.

A silence settled between you. You glanced at your scattered belongings. Luigi followed your gaze before sitting up.

"Need help unpacking?"

"I already did the hardest part."

"That’s not an answer."

You raised an eyebrow, hesitating. Should you accept his help? He was your roommate, after all. Maybe it was better to start off on good terms…

"Fine. But don’t think that means I want to be friend with you."

Luigi smirked as he moved closer.

"I understand. I’ll have to earn that privilege."

A few months passed, and there was nothing particular to say about Luigi. He never caused any problems, and you were grateful every day that he wasn’t one of those emotionally clueless guys. It was true, he was different, but that didn’t mean you were going to start singing his praises.

University life felt like high school when it really shouldn’t have. You avoided unnecessary interactions, preferring to keep your circle small. But there was a group of girls you absolutely adored. They were kind, and you clicked with them instantly.

As for the guys… Well, plenty had tried to flirt with you, and you had turned every single one down. You had no interest in dating, no time for it, and, more importantly, you simply didn’t want to. Some guys took it well, others didn’t. Sometimes you explained yourself, other times you just said no and walked away.

Then one day, walking down the hallway after your last class, you passed by Luigi and his group of friends. Nothing unusual—until you heard them talking about you.

You instinctively slowed down, eavesdropping without even realizing it.

"Seriously, she’s unbearable. Who does she think she is, rejecting everyone like that?"

"She acts all cold and untouchable, but I bet she’s just putting on a show."

"Yeah, and she’s not even that special… I don’t get why so many guys even try."

You stopped dead in your tracks.

"Interesting," you said coldly, turning to face them.

Everyone went silent. Some lowered their gazes, caught red-handed. But one guy, bolder than the rest, just shrugged with a smirk.

"Honestly, if she rejects every guy, maybe she’s a lesbian."

A bitter laugh escaped your lips. You crossed your arms.

"Wow. Brilliant analysis. So, according to you, a woman who doesn’t want to date every random guy who talks to her must be a lesbian?"

He raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting you to call him out.

"Let me give you a reality check," you continued, stepping closer. "I don’t care about gender or sexuality. I date people who are actually worth it. And trust me, none of you is qualified."

A tense silence followed. Some of his friends exchanged glances, unsure whether to laugh or stay quiet.

Then, finally, Luigi spoke up, his voice sharper than usual.

"Enough. Knock it off."

The guy opened his mouth to argue, but Luigi cut him off.

"She’s right. What she does is none of your business, and honestly, you sound pathetic talking about her like this."

Another guy rolled his eyes.

"Relax, man. We were just joking."

"Yeah? Well, it wasn’t funny."

His tone was firm, and for the first time, you saw something different in his expression—contained anger.

One of the guys sighed, raising his hands in surrender.

"Okay, okay, we’ll stop."

Luigi turned to you. You held his gaze, still wary.

"You could have spoken up earlier," you told him, not bothering to hide your irritation.

He nodded, as if accepting the criticism.

"You’re right."

And somehow, that answer surprised you more than anything else.

"Stopping isn’t enough," you added. "I want apologies. And a promise to do better."

One by one, they all apologized, Luigi being the first.

That night, back in your room, you knew he was going to bring it up again.

"Why do you hate men so much?" he asked, genuinely curious.

"I don’t hate men. I hate bullies. And it just so happens that most of the time, bullies are men. But I know women aren’t saints either."

"If you keep dismissing all men, they’ll never want to improve for you."

"Maybe I just don’t care. Why is everyone so obsessed with being in a relationship?"

He sighed. "That’s fair. Misogyny is deeply ingrained in our society. It’s just that…"

"Luigi, you went to an all-boys high school. A few months ago, you were still living in a fraternity. You’ve mostly been surrounded by men your entire life. Maybe you should start listening to more female perspectives."

"I already do. I have my mom and two older sisters."

"That’s a good start. Keep going."

Luigi watched you, as if processing your words. Then, he smiled slightly.

"This is the first time you’ve encouraged me. I should mark the date."

You rolled your eyes, but a small smirk tugged at your lips.

"Don’t get used to it.”

Few days later•••

You’re sprawled on your bed, the dorm room dimly lit by the soft glow of your bedside lamp. Your laptop hums faintly, abandoned on the desk, as your fingers trail lazily down your body. The fabric of your shirt bunches under your touch, and you tug it up, letting the cool air kiss your skin. You’re supposed to be alone. Luigi’s out with his friends—he’s always out with his friends.

Your hand slips lower, fingertips brushing against the waistband of your sweatpants. It had been so long. Months, maybe longer. You didn’t keep track. But tonight, well, tonight you were alone, and your body had other ideas. You’re not even thinking about him, not really. Your mind is a haze of tension and release, the kind of self-indulgence you’ve perfected over the years. Your breath hitched as your fingers found their mark, a low moan escaping your lips. You closed your eyes, letting yourself get lost in the sensation. The tension building in your core was almost unbearable, and you were so close, so close, when—

“Oh! Shit, I’m so sorry!”

You freeze, your heart slamming against your ribs. “Luigi?”

He’s standing there, his broad frame silhouetted in the doorway, his hand gripping the doorknob like he’s been struck by lightning. His hazel eyes widen, and for a moment, neither of you moves. Your heart was pounding, not just from the shock but from the mortification of being caught mid… well, that.

“I—I’m so sorry,” he stammers, his voice low and tight. He wrenches his gaze away, turning his head so sharply you can see the flush creeping up his neck. “I thought you were out. I-I’ll go.”

He’s out the door before you can even react, slamming it shut behind him. You’re left sitting there, your pulse racing, your skin burning with embarrassment. You yank your shirt down, your mind racing. What the hell just happened?

For a moment, you consider pretending it didn’t. You could just let it go, let the awkwardness settle into the silence between you. But something gnaws at you—something you can’t quite name. You grab your sweatshirt, tugging it on as you swing your legs off the bed. You yank open the door, and there he is, standing in the hallway, his back to you, his shoulders tense.

“Luigi,” you say, your voice sharper than you intended.

He turns, his face still flushed, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. “I’m really sorry,” he says again, his voice barely above a whisper. “I didn’t mean to—I should’ve knocked. I just… I didn’t think.”

You cross your arms over your chest, leaning against the doorframe. “You were supposed to be out,” you say, your tone accusatory.

He nods, his gaze dropping to the floor. “Yeah, the football game has been cancelled due to the storm”

You cut him off with a wave of your hand. “Just… come in,” you say, stepping aside.

He hesitates, his eyes flicking up to meet yours. “Are you sure?”

“Yes,” you snap, though your voice softens slightly. “Just… come in.”

He steps past you, his shoulders hunched, his movements stiff. You close the door behind him, the click of the latch echoing in the silence. The room feels smaller now, the air thicker. You sit back down on the edge of your bed, and he hovers awkwardly near his desk, his hands fidgeting.

“I’m really sorry,” he says again, his voice breaking the silence.

“Stop apologizing,” you say, though there’s no bite to it. “It’s… whatever.”

He nods, but the tension doesn’t ease. You can feel it, crackling between you like static. You hate this—hate the way it’s making you feel, hate the way he’s looking at you like he’s waiting for you to explode.

“Look,” you say, your voice quieter now. “It’s… it’s fine. Just… forget it happened.”

He nods again, but he doesn’t move. You can see the conflict in his eyes, the way he’s struggling to find the right words.

“I get it,” he said gently. “It’s… natural. Everyone does it.”

You looked up at him, your brows furrowing. “What, you’re not going to make some dumb joke or something?”

“I just… I didn’t know,” he says finally, his voice tentative.

“Didn’t know what?” you ask, your brow furrowing.

He hesitates, his gaze flicking to yours before dropping back to the floor. “I didn’t know you… I mean, I thought you were… independent. That you didn’t need… that.”

Your cheeks flush, but you force yourself to meet his gaze. “What, you think I’m some kind of robot or something?”

“No, no,” he says quickly, his hands up in surrender. “I just… I thought you didn’t want… physical stuff. Relationships. All that.”

“I don’t,” you say sharply. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t have needs.”

He chuckled, a soft, warm sound that eased some of the tension in the room. “I’m not here to make you feel worse.” He paused, his gaze meeting yours. “I just… I hate that you’re embarrassed. You shouldn’t be.”

You frowned, surprised by his sincerity. “Well, it’s not exactly something I want people walking in on.”

“Yeah, I get that,” he said, his tone still gentle. “But… if it helps, I’m not judging you. Not at all.”

You looked away, your cheeks still warm. “Thanks, I guess.”

The silence returned, less heavy this time, but still lingering. Then, to your surprise, Luigi sat down on the edge of his bed, keeping a respectful distance. “Can I ask you something?” he said after a moment.

You glanced at him, wary. “What?”

He hesitated, then took a deep breath. “Do you… do you ever just… want someone to help you with that?”

Your eyes widened, your heart skipping a beat. “What?”

He held up his hands, his expression sincere. “I’m not trying to be weird or anything. I just… you’re always so independent, so strong. You don’t ask for help, and you don’t seem to need anyone.” He paused, his gaze searching yours. “But… it’s okay to want that. To need that. Even if it’s just physical.”

You stared at him, your mind racing. Is he seriously offering what I think he’s offering? “Luigi, what are you saying?”

He met your gaze, his expression open and honest. “I’m saying… if you want, I could help you. No strings, no awkwardness. Just… two people enjoying each other.”

Your breath caught in your throat. You hadn’t been with anyone in… well, a long time. And Luigi… he was kind, considerate, and undeniably attractive. But this… this was different. This was your friend.

“Why?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

He shrugged, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Because you deserve to feel good. And… because I want to.”

You looked away, your mind spinning. This was insane. But… the idea was tempting. Luigi wasn’t like other guys. He wasn’t pushy, wasn’t selfish. And he was right—you didn’t need anyone. But that didn’t mean you didn’t want. This is Luigi—the guy who practically radiates decency, the guy who’s never even looked at you that way. And yet, here he is, offering… this.

“No strings?” you ask, your voice trembling.

“No strings,” he promises, his voice steady. “No awkwardness. Just… pleasure.”

You don’t know what possesses you to nod. Maybe it’s the way he’s looking at you. Maybe it’s the way his voice makes your stomach twist. Maybe it’s the way the tension in the room feels like it’s about to snap.

But you nod.

He steps closer, his hands tentative as he reaches for you. You don’t pull away. You don’t even breathe. His fingertips brush against your cheek, soft and hesitant.

“Is this okay?” he asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

You nod again, your throat too tight to speak.

His hand slides down to your jaw, his thumb brushing against your lower lip. You can feel the warmth of his breath, the way his body seems to radiate heat as he leans in.

“Tell me if you want me to stop,” he murmurs, his lips so close you can almost feel them.

“Don’t stop,” you whisper, your voice trembling.

His lips were almost on yours, the heat of his breath mingling with your own, when you placed a hand on his chest, stopping him. “No kisses,” you said firmly, your voice steady despite the rapid beating of your heart. “That makes it… too much.”

Luigi paused, his hazel eyes searching yours for a moment before he nodded, a small, understanding smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Got it,” he murmured, his voice low and warm. “No kisses. Just… this.” His hands, which had been resting lightly on your hips, began to move again, and you felt a shiver run down your spine as his fingers traced patterns over your skin.

He didn’t rush. Instead, he took his time, exploring every inch of you with a kind of reverence that made your breath catch. His touch was deliberate, unhurried, as if he wanted to memorize every curve, every dip, every reaction he could draw from you. His fingers trailed up your sides, brushing against the sensitive skin just beneath your arms, and you couldn’t help but shiver, a soft gasp escaping your lips.

His hands moved lower, skimming over the waistband of your underwear before slipping beneath, his fingertips grazing the heat between your legs. You arched into his touch, your breath hitching as he teased you, his fingers circling without pressure, drawing out every ounce of anticipation.

“Luigi…” you breathed, your voice trembling with need. His name felt heavy on your tongue, laden with a desire you hadn’t realized you were capable of.

“Let me take care of you,” he murmured, his breath warm against your neck as he leaned in, his lips brushing against your skin. Not a kiss, but something just as intimate. His fingers pressed harder now, slipping between your folds, and you gasped, your hands gripping his shoulders for support. He moved with a confidence that surprised you, his touch firm yet gentle, as if he knew exactly what you needed.

He didn’t say much, but the way he looked at you—focused, intent, as if your pleasure was the only thing that mattered—spoke volumes. His fingers worked in slow, deliberate circles, building the tension inside you until it was almost unbearable. Your hips moved of their own accord, seeking more of him, more of this, and he responded with a low, approving hum.

“You feel incredible,” he said, his voice rough with desire. His fingers curled inside you, and you moaned, your nails digging into his shoulders as waves of pleasure washed over you. He was relentless, his touch unyielding, and you could feel yourself teetering on the edge, your body trembling with the effort to hold on.

“I’ve got you,” he whispered, his free hand tangling in your hair, pulling you closer. His lips brushed against your ear, his breath hot and uneven, and you could feel the strain in his voice as he fought to keep himself in check. “Let go, Yn. Just let go.”

And you did. Your body convulsed, pleasure erupting through you in waves that left you breathless and trembling. Luigi held you through it, his arms strong and steady, his touch unrelenting until the last shudder had passed. When you finally opened your eyes, you found him watching you, his expression soft, almost tender, despite the intensity of the moment.

“Okay?” he asked, his voice gentle, his hands still resting lightly on your hips.

You nodded, still too breathless to speak, and he smiled, a small, satisfied smile that made your heart skip a beat. He didn’t say anything more, just leaned in, his breath mingling with yours as you both caught your breath.

And then, without warning, his hands were on you again, his touch firm and insistent as he guided you to lie back on the bed. You didn’t protest, couldn’t protest, not when every nerve in your body was still alight with pleasure. His lips found your neck, his teeth grazing your skin in a way that made you shudder, and you could feel the heat of his body as he pressed against you, the evidence of his own desire hard against your thigh.

He leaned down, his lips trailing a path of fire down your neck, over your collarbone, and lower, until they found your nipple. You gasped, your fingers tangling in his curly hair as he flicked his tongue over the sensitive peak. His other hand slid down your stomach, stopping just above where you needed him most.

“Luigi…” you whispered, your voice barely audible, your hands gripping his arms as he moved over you, his touch setting your skin on fire.

He was giving you control, leaving the next move entirely up to you. Your heart thrummed in your chest, the heat from his body still lingering on your skin.

You glanced down at him, his chest rising and falling steadily, his hazel eyes watching you with a mix of curiosity and desire. Without saying a word, you shifted, pulling your hand from his and sitting up. The sheets pooled around your waist as you straddled him, his warmth pressing against your thighs. His breath hitched, his hands instinctively moving to your hips, steadying you.

“Is this okay?” you asked, your voice low but firm. You needed to hear it from him, needed to know he was as ready as you were.

“You’re so good” he murmured, his gaze intense. His fingers tightened ever so slightly on your hips, a silent assurance.

You nodded, your lips curling into a small, confident smile. This was your moment. You leaned forward, your hands resting on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart beneath your palms. Slowly, you shifted your hips, positioning yourself over him. His breath came out in a sharp exhale as you lowered yourself onto him, inch by inch, until you were fully seated, his length buried deep inside you.

“God, Yn,” Luigi groaned, his head tipping back against the pillow. His hands moved from your hips to your thighs, gripping them gently as if to anchor himself.

You stayed still for a moment, savoring the feeling of him inside you, the way he stretched and filled you so perfectly. Then, with a slow roll of your hips, you began to move. His hands tightened on your thighs, his eyes fluttering shut as you took control, setting a steady rhythm that had both of you gasping.

You leaned forward, your hands sliding up his chest to his shoulders, your breath mingling with his. “You feel so good,” you whispered, your voice trembling with the effort of keeping your rhythm steady.

“You’re… incredible,” he managed to reply, his voice strained. His hands slid up to your waist, guiding you as you rocked against him, each movement sending jolts of pleasure through both of you.

You froze for a moment, your nails digging into his shoulders. “Luigi, stop talking,” you said sharply, your voice cutting through the air like a knife.

He blinked, his rhythm faltering for a second. “What? I’m just—“

“I said stop,” you interrupted, your tone firm. “This isn’t some romantic moment. It’s sex. Just sex. So shut up and let’s keep it that way.”

Luigi’s eyes widened slightly, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he gave a small nod, his hands tightening on your hips as he resumed his pace. But you weren’t satisfied with that. You wanted control. You wanted to set the tone.

You felt him twitch as you adjusted your position, leaning over him with a look of determination.

“You’re so good baby.” He whispered, already forgetting what you commended him.

“Don’t talk,” you said again, your voice softer now but no less commanding.

“But I ca-“ he protested.

“Shut up or I will make you.” You warned.

“But how ?” He questioned, surprised by your boldness.

“Like this.” You press your hand over his lips to make him quiet.

Through your palm, his muffled voice came out, slightly strained. "Oh, I see."

As he cooperates you take back your hand. His hands moved to your thighs, his touch warm and steady, but he stayed silent, letting you take the lead.

You began to move, shifting your hips slowly at first, testing the angle. His cock pressed deeper inside you, and you let out a soft moan, your head tipping back slightly. The sensation was intense, and you could feel every inch of him as you started to bounce, setting your own pace.

Luigi’s grip on your thighs tightened, his fingers digging into your skin as he watched you with wide eyes. His breath came in ragged gasps, but he kept quiet, his chest rising and falling rapidly as you moved on top of him.

You closed your eyes, focusing on the feeling of him inside you, the way your body responded to every thrust. Your pace quickened, your hips meeting his with a rhythm that was hard and fast. The sound of skin slapping against skin filled the room, mingling with your breathless moans.

“That’s it,” you whispered, more to yourself than to him. “Right there. Just like that.”

Luigi’s hands slid up to your hips, his touch guiding but not controlling. He let you set the pace, his body responding to every movement you made. His cock throbbed inside you, and you could feel him getting closer, his hips bucking slightly as he tried to hold back.

But you didn’t want him to hold back. You wanted this to be about you, about your pleasure. And as you bounced on him, your clit rubbed against his pelvis, sending waves of pleasure coursing through your body.

You could feel it building, that familiar tension coiling in your stomach, growing tighter and tighter with every thrust. Your breath quickened, your movements becoming more erratic as you edged closer to the brink.

“Don’t stop,” you gasped, your voice barely above a whisper. “Don’t you dare stop.”

His hands gripped your hips tighter, his body responding to your every movement as you rode him with abandon. You could feel him twitching inside you, his breathing ragged as he struggled to keep quiet.

And then it happened—the tension snapped, and you came with a cry, your body trembling as waves of pleasure crashed over you. Your hips moved on their own, riding out the orgasm as Luigi’s cock throbbed inside you, pushing you closer to the edge with every pulse.

You collapsed forward, your hands braced on his chest as you caught your breath. Your body was still pulsing with pleasure, and you could feel him inside you, hard and unyielding.

His breath still heavy as he held onto you. His hands moved to your back, his touch gentle as he held you close, letting you ride out the aftershocks of your orgasm.

The room was thick with the scent of sweat and sex, the only sounds your heavy breathing and the faint rustle of sheets as your bodies shifted ever so slightly. Luigi stayed still, his hands resting on your lower back, warm and grounding. You could feel the slow, steady rhythm of his heartbeat against your chest, and for a moment, it was almost… comforting.

You didn’t want to think about that. You didn’t want to think about how his arms felt like they belonged around you, how his breath against your neck made something deep and restless in you settle. This wasn’t about comfort. This wasn’t about connection. This was about pleasure. That’s all it was. That’s all it could be.

But then you looked up, your eyes meeting his, and you saw it. A flicker of something raw, something unfiltered. Vulnerability. Why? You didn’t want to see it. You didn’t want to feel it. It made something twist in your chest, something you hadn’t allowed yourself to feel in years.

You broke the gaze first, turning your head to the side, your cheek resting against his shoulder. Don’t think about it. Don’t feel it. You told yourself, over and over. But your hands, traitorous things, stayed on his chest, fingers tracing the faint lines of muscle beneath his skin.

“Stay,” you said, the word slipping out before you could stop it. Why did you say that? You didn’t want him to stay. You didn’t want him to linger. You wanted him to leave, to give you space to breathe, to think. Luigi amused said : “ I have no where else to go.”

His arms tightened around you, pulling you closer, and you felt the faint press of his lips against the top of your head. It was such a small gesture, so tender, so intimate, and it made your chest ache in a way you couldn’t explain.

You closed your eyes, trying to block it out, trying to focus on the physical, on the here and now. But your body betrayed you again, your hips shifting ever so slightly, grinding against him. A soft, involuntary sound slipped out, and you felt Luigi’s hands tighten on your back. “Yn” he murmured, his voice low and rough. You didn’t want to hear the way his voice made your chest tighten, made your heart race in a way that had nothing to do with the physical.

Luigi’s hands began to move, one sliding down to grip your hip, the other trailing up your spine, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. You couldn’t stop the way your body responded, rocking against him, your breath hitching as you felt his body against yours.

“Fuck,” you breathed, your voice barely above a whisper, and you felt Luigi’s lips curl into a smile against your hair. You wanted to be mad at him for that, for the way he seemed to see through you, but you couldn’t. Not when your body was lighting up in ways you hadn’t felt in forever.

You wanted to stay in that moment, in that space where nothing else mattered, where you could pretend, just for a little while, that this wasn’t just about sex. But you couldn’t. You wouldn’t.

You pulled away, sliding off of him, your body feeling cold and empty without him inside you. You didn’t look at him, couldn’t look at him, not with the way your chest was aching, not with the way your hands were trembling.

As you lay there, the room still wrapped in the quiet aftermath of the night, you turned your head toward Luigi. His curls were slightly messy, his breathing steady, his expression unreadable. You swallowed, suddenly feeling the weight of what had just happened.

“Oh my god this is so embarrassing," you muttered, pulling the sheet a little closer around you.

Luigi, who had been staring at the ceiling, turned his gaze to you. A faint smirk played at the corner of his lips.

"Embarrassing?" he repeated, as if testing the word.

You nodded, avoiding his eyes.

"I haven’t been with anyone in a long time," you admitted, your voice quieter now. "Because I didn’t want to. But then… you."

There was a beat of silence before he responded.

"Yeah… but it happened. And it was so good. We made things clear.”

His voice was calm, matter-of-fact, without any hint of regret or awkwardness. It irritated you a little. How could he be so at ease?

"You’re not even a little uncomfortable?" you asked, frowning.

He exhaled through his nose, running a hand through his hair before propping himself up on one elbow to look at you properly.

"Not even a little, I liked that.”

You opened your mouth, then closed it. You weren’t sure what answer you were expecting from him. Maybe you just wanted him to acknowledge that this changed things. That it made everything more… complicated. Luigi tilted his head slightly, watching you.

"You regret it?"

"No," you admitted. "I feel like I… lost the habit to do things like this."

Luigi stayed silent for a moment, then turned fully onto his side to face you. His expression softened.

"You don’t have to pretend anything," he said simply. "There’s nothing to prove."

You let out a small breath, one you didn’t even realize you were holding.

"But still," you murmured, "I feel like I wasn’t… I don’t know, good enough?"

Luigi’s brows furrowed.

"Good enough for who? Me?" He shook his head slightly. "This wasn’t some kind of test, you know. It was just us, doing what we felt like doing. That’s enough."

You finally looked at him, and the sincerity in his eyes made your chest tighten.

"You're overthinking it," he added, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Relax. You're fine. We're fine."

And somehow, those words eased something in you that you hadn’t even realized was tense.

He nodded slowly, as if letting your words settle in.

"But I don’t want you to think it was some kind of mistake."

That caught you off guard.

You turned your head to face him fully. He wasn’t smiling, wasn’t teasing. Just looking at you with that same steady expression, like he meant every word.

And somehow, that made it even harder to breathe.

“No, I liked it, I promise. One of the best nights I’ve ever had” You admit.

A comforting smile appeared in his face.

“Me too, it was good. Except the part where I didn’t had the right to speak.” He joked.

“Luigi I had to. You were making things too romantic… But sorry if you didn’t liked it.”

He laughed, shaking his head. “No I like it, I promise. Actually…” he hesitated for a second. “I have to admit… I might be a little into submission.”

You stared at him for a moment before bursting into laughter. "That explains a lot."

As you pulled your pajamas back on, Luigi did the same, the air between you still heavy with everything that had just happened.

He sat on the edge of the bed, running a hand through his curls before glancing at you. There was something in his eyes—hesitation, maybe even longing.

You had made one rule: no kissing.

But when he looked at you like that, you hesitated. Just for a second.

Without a word, you leaned in, pressing a single, brief kiss against his lips. It was soft, fleeting, but enough to send a shiver down your spine.

When you pulled away, he let out a quiet breath, as if he had been holding it the whole time.

You climbed back into bed, pulling the blanket over yourself. He was still looking at you, waiting.

"So… what do we do now?" he asked.

You sighed, closing your eyes for a moment before shifting closer to him.

"Just cuddle. We’ll think about it tomorrow."

A small smile ghosted his lips before he slid into bed beside you, wrapping an arm around your waist. His warmth was comforting, familiar, and for now, that was enough.

[bitterkarella]

Midnight Pals: Hackin'

King: i can't believe elon's grok is pretending i'm friends with him King: i need to stop that AI before everyone believes it! King: i've got to hire a hacker King: franz, you've got to help me Franz Kafka: what? me? Barker: steve, no

Kafka: i'm not a hacker King: oh i thought franz was a hacker Barker: what gave you THAT impression? King: you know, with the cat ear headphones and the striped thigh socks Barker: no steve that's something ENTIRELY different Kafka: n-no it isn't, on second thought yes I'm totally a hacker

Kafka: it means i'm a hacker, nothing else Barker: sure franz Kafka: it does! it totally means i'm a hacker! Barker: franz, go play with your blahaj plush, the adults are talking here

Barker: you know who you need? you need william gibson Barker: the best hacker money can buy King: william gibson? how do i contact him? Barker: you don't Barker: he'll contact you

King: can you really hack grok, william? William Gibson: [wearing black duster and fingerless black gloves] my hacker name is shadow gigabyte King: oh sorry Gibson: can i hack grok? listen kid i was cyberbyting the megabyte mainframe when you were just rebooting your motherboard mouse data bandwidth modem email King: wow!

Gibson: my CPU is a neural net processer, a learning computer King: wow he really sounds like he knows what he's talking about! King: that definitely sounds like hacker talk to me Gibson: CD Rom Gibson: internet Joe Hill: dad can i talk to you for a second King: not now joe daddy's hiring a hacker

Gibson: [wildly slapping keyboard] i'll re-index the mega bit blaster cyber codex Gibson: [wildly slapping keyboard] now we'll cybersecurity the lock box data center King: hey what happens if you push that button? Gibson: what the-- no!! [klaxons sound] King: what's that mean? Gibson: shit Gibson: we've got company

Gibson: sentient cyber virus electronic guard cyberbots Gibson: real high tech Gibson: state of the art in bio-tech wetware neural-data scrapers Gibson: [putting on sunglasses with red laser scope] and they ain't friendly

King: what are we going to do?! Gibson: kid, you keep your hands to yourself unless you wanna become roadkill on the information super highway!!! Gibson: hold on to your CPU (central processing unit)!!!

Gibson: [wildly slapping keyboard] gotta reconfigure the darkweb logistics for ethernet wavetech Gibson: [wildly slapping keyboard] upload the memory downloader for dumpware backup Gibson: [wildly slapping keyboard] uncodify the cyberpatch modifer aaaaand Gibson: i'm in

King: wow, you hacked twitter?? how did you do it? Gibson: the greatest hackers never reveal their secrets [earlier] Gibson: [wearing fake mustache] hey elon its me catturd Gibson: could you give me your password? Elon Musk: sure it's "picklerick420"!

[idkfitememate]

Mora is a God’s Best Friend Pt. 1

♡︎ « Next Part ⋙

૮꒰˶ᵔ ᗜ ᵔ˶꒱ა Pairings : GN! Mora Reader x Liyue

૮꒰ྀི∩´ ᵕ `∩꒱ྀིა W.K. : 4.6k

໒꒰ྀིᵔ ᵕ ᵔ ꒱ྀི১ Tags/CW&TW : Fluff, crack, reader is slightly angry, only slightly tho I promise :)

Now, you wouldn’t say you were a greedy person… which would be a huge lie because holy shit you were compared to a dragon by your friends more times than your own mother said she loved you-

When you got your paycheck - which was a very handsome paycheck mind you - you hoarded that to the best of your abilities, but when you saw something you had to have? Bought. Spent all your cash on it.

… You have to many plushies-

You weren’t exactly an avid believer in the whole “money makes the world go around!” thing, but it certainly helped. Like, have you seen how happy Elon Musk is? That bitch living the life and you want that too.

But despite your adoration to money…

THAT DID NOT MEAN YOU WANTED TO BE IT!!

૮꒰づ˶• ༝ •˶꒱づ ˚ʚ ꒰⁐⁐⁐⁐୨🎂🍩🍰୧⁐⁐⁐⁐꒱ ɞ˚

When you woke up from a nice nap after a long day of hard labor- I mean work, you couldn’t see. You also couldn’t feel your arms or legs or… well anything in general that one would say when describing their body.

You did have your five core senses though, which is nice. Well… minus sight-

You couldn’t move, and whenever you would scream the people you heard around you - their voices were muffled… were you in a pouch?? - did nothing to help.

You continued for what you assumed to be hours, never once paying mind to the fact that you never got hungry or thirsty or ran out of breath. Then you felt warmth.

Something large and warm wrapped around your form which scared the shit out of you because as far as you were concerned, you were still very human sized. You continued to scream into the darkness as you listened to the… transaction (???) going on above you and-

Wait a minute. You recognized that voice.

A lot of your money went to Genshin Impact in your day, you were what was known in the fandom as a “whale”, did I mention you got payed handsomely?

Yeah it was enough the basically be a sugar parent for all your friends.

So you heavily related to a certain character who was constantly characterized as helping another with his money problems.

Can you guess who it is?

I’ll give you five seconds to guess!

5…

4…

3…

2… fuck it I hate the suspense-

It was Childe!

And hearing his voice above you shattered what you may have thought was happening to you. Yes you may or may not have thought you were being kidnapped-

You then felt yourself get placed on another warm surface and oh god-

“All repairs will be made in a timely manner! Thank you for the patronage!”

You flipped through the air with a small ‘whoosh’ and landed back in the hand.

… WERE YOU FUCKING MORA?????

૮꒰づ˶• ༝ •˶꒱づ ˚ʚ ꒰⁐⁐⁐⁐୨🍭🍫🍪୧⁐⁐⁐⁐꒱ ɞ˚

Being merged to a weapon wasn’t fun.

Well at the very least you weren’t “merged” with a weapon. For some reason the blacksmith couldn’t find a way to use your specific mora body to upgrade Childe’s bow.

So there you sat as a glorified decoration. Right on the front of the bow.

But you did find something out, the second you felt yourself attach to the bow, you could suddenly see! And you could very tell that you were in Liyue, which made sense. And when you coughed on accident, the blacksmith jumped and looked around, before shrugging and turning back to her work, which meant you could now be heard as well!

All five senses back baby!

Only shitty thing was that you couldn’t move on your own, and you now noticed you were no longer hungry nor need to breathe, as well as sleep.

So you were stuck.

For four days.

Unable to speak or move.

I mean, you were still figuring out your existence yourself, no need to get anyone else involved with the process since you were beyond confused.

You’ve read the Isekai stories - and fanfics - but you had never read one personally about being isekaied as money. Yes, you have seen the vending machine one. And the one where he gets turned into a dummy ASMR head mic-

Not the point!

You were just trying to figure out how to… exist (?) like this. Which was pretty hard when coming to terms with the fact that you’d never eat your favorite foods again.

Never again…

“Thank you so much for choosing our services sir! Have a nice day!”

You were suddenly picked up and placed in the gentle care of Childe - ironic sentence I know - and off you both went.

You want to know what a weird sensation is?

Being a bow and feeling someone pluck your string.

Now yeah, that sounds super sensual but it felt more like someone… pulling your hair?? You couldn’t really place it but that was honestly the closest equivalent. Feeling him rub his hands all up and down your… body (?????) was a new experience to. Again, not sensual, just ticklish? And it sucked trying not to giggle-

God this was weird and confusing.

“Well I’m free for some time… I’m sure a little practice won’t hurt…”

Oh good god you could not catch a break.

૮꒰づ˶• ༝ •˶꒱づ ˚ʚ ꒰⁐⁐⁐⁐୨🍧🍮🍬୧⁐⁐⁐⁐꒱ ɞ˚

A new fear had been unlocked within you.

You, a piece of mora crudely attached to a psychopathic killers bow, had just been de-summoned.

And it hurt.

BAD.

No one will ever know what that was like, the feel yourself fading, every atom slowly falling away into nothingness, and then the silence. That cursed silence. Deep dark blackness was what you felt for what appeared to be thousands of years to your still human brain.

Never again would allow yourself to feel that pain.

As you were summoned, you continued to stare off into the distance, coming to terms with what you had just witnessed while ignoring every word that came out of Childe’s mouth.

Something or other about practicing you couldn’t give a shit.

You only watched the changing scenery around you as you and Childe wandered aimlessly through a forest.

Then he dropped to his knees suddenly, which cause you to silently curse and sputter in shock.

Did you mention you got good at that? Being silent? Because you did.

Being that you were placed on the front of the bow, you could see perfectly where he was aiming, that being a small bird that you had to squint - how you squinted? You don’t know - to see.

It was ridiculously far away, covered in leaves. You were also slightly scared because Childe was being silent.

Childe. Silent.

Not two words you ever expected to put into the same sentence - again - but here you were.

You felt the bow string being pulled back, and him lining up the shot.

Then, you felt something course through you.

Obviously it was the Hydro infused arrow he knocked onto the string, but something else flowed through you.

You could feel yourself reaching, trying to connect with something to better control this sudden power flow, and then you found a great source.

His Hydro Vision.

૮꒰づ˶• ༝ •˶꒱づ ˚ʚ ꒰⁐⁐⁐⁐୨🍰🍡🍪୧⁐⁐⁐⁐꒱ ɞ˚

Childe was a seasoned soldier and fighter, literally anyone who met him could tell you that.

He kept that fact near and dear to his heart, that fact being why he fought so hard, to become stronger and finally find that fight that would be the end of him.

He longed for the day where he would be strong enough to fight his mentor, and weak enough to die at someone who he saw worthy enough to end his stories and legacy.

… Legacy was such a funny word to the man as all he could think of when it was spoken was his second, stronger form, Foul Legacy. Ironically, that’s what he though historians would call his stories in the far future - he would never admit how close it was due to the Electro Delusion that sapped away at his life, slower due to his strength but sucking away his soul nonetheless - would call it, a Foul Legacy.

He was self-aware enough to understand that people hated him, yet oblivious enough to leave his family in the hands of The Rooster, a man known for leveling cites before they even had the chance to riot against himself and the Tsaritsa.

He was complex in the same way he was so easy to understand.

Just as how he allowed the world to see his Vision but kept his Delusion hidden.

Just recently he had gotten his bow repaired after a… well not a hard mission more so than it was annoying.

And by the Archons it was beautiful! Any and all scratches and marks had been repaired, a new layer of pain was an added, a stronger string was restrung into it and just… mmm she was beautiful.~

The finishing touch was the little golden emblem stuck directly on the front. So shiny and pretty…

He just had to take it for a test run!

Nothing too big or anything, just a little hunting as he hadn’t indulged himself recently. Just a couple small birds or mammals nothing anyone would notice.

… No that isn’t a human corpse nu uh ya stupid-

Besides that wasn’t with his bow! That was with his blades it doesn’t count!

But anyway, he quickly spotted his first target of the day, a little finch, and aimed.

He noted that his bow, while still heavy, felt much more sturdy and the current string was stronger than his last, most likely due to the whole “new string” thing rather than being better because that old string had weathered a lot.

He quickly knocked his first arrow and took a silent breath in, calming his shaking hands and the butterflies in his stomach. Of course neither were from fear or nervousness rather than they were from excitement and dare I say ecstasy. A smile forceably carved itself into him skin as he watched how easily Hydro infused itself with his arrow.

Though almost immediately after, he felt a sudden surge of power coming from not him nor the arrow, but the bow itself.

Specifically the small golden piece sitting front and center.

This was either an unknown or well known fact depending on who you asked, but the bow was Childe’s worst used weapon. He was much more skilled with a blade - like his duel Hydro blades or the duel-bladed polearm he wielded as Foul Legacy - and he even had some experience with a catalyst, but bows just seemed so.. cowardly. Even with his catalyst he was near to his opponents as its attacks were based on his fighting style, but he personally believed that bows were for the cowardly.

Those who wanted to fight but were too weak to even dare step foot onto a battlefield.

At least that’s what he thought before Capitano shoved a bow into his arms as he complained about needing something more to do. A new challenge.

And it opened his eyes.

Bows were not for the weak rather that they were for the stealthy. Something Childe was not the best at.

He was honestly more of a ‘punch more and talk later’ kind of guy. But the bow was forcing him to learn and grow, which was more than welcome in his book.

But this power was not something he had accessed yet. Hell, he’s barely felt anything like it with any other of his weapons. Closest he has ever gotten to this kind of power would be with Foul Legacy, and even then it’d be a stretch.

He’d even have the gall to say he could never feel this kind of power from his Master.

He watched as the area he sat in was bathed in a blue glow was his Vision and the arrow he still held grew brighter and brighter. With that, a gold shined through as the small golden piece on his bow - which now that he looked closer looked almost exactly like a piece of mora, just with the details buffered out - also glowed.

He couldn’t remember picking up any kind of ‘enchanted’ mora, just one random one he found on the roads right outside of Liyue.

It didn’t seem off in anyway-

His thoughts were cut off as Hydro swirled faster and stronger around him, knocking him off his knees and onto his ass, his grip on the arrow and bow tightening.

All the animals ran - of course including the small finch he was aiming for - from the sounds and lights, and something deep and primal inside of him wanted to run as well.

Something screamed that he wasn’t supposed to see this, to feel this.

Something was wrong.

Soon enough he couldn’t keep his grip on the arrow.

He let go.

૮꒰づ˶• ༝ •˶꒱づ ˚ʚ ꒰⁐⁐⁐⁐୨🍪🍫🍩୧⁐⁐⁐⁐꒱ ɞ˚

Everything was a blur to you.

All you knew was that you had to let go of this build up of power.

You had to.

Something bad would happen if you didn’t and god damn it you weren’t about to find out.

You truly, desperately, just wanted to go home.

The songs of narwhals and whales comforted you.

‘You will be okay’ they sang.

You would be okay.

Just let go.

૮꒰づ˶• ༝ •˶꒱づ ˚ʚ ꒰⁐⁐⁐⁐୨🍡🍪🍬୧⁐⁐⁐⁐꒱ ɞ˚

People in the city watched in shock as a forest not too far from the harbor became a light show of Hydro and golden light.

Small animals and creatures ran towards the city, this including monsters, but nothing stopped to attack. In fact, it seemed like everything was too scared to even consider attacking.

Ningguang and her guards quickly ran outside to asses the situation, meeting up with fellow Vision Holders on the edge of the city.

However, Xingqiu and Yelan seemed… out of it. And on top of that, Childe - though he wasn’t her favorite he was strong and could be of help - was no where to be found.

“Does anyone have a grasp on the situation?” Nigguang asked, only to receive shaken heads and no’s.

“I tried to get close,” started Xiao, “But something knocked me back. I was able to hear the Harbinger’s screams from inside, and from what I could gather, he doesn’t seem to be the… direct cause.” Despite what he said, Xiao seemed a bit upset at the fact that Childe wasn’t the true cause, likely just wanting an excuse to beat him up a little.

The Geo ridden Lady huffed befit finally turning her attention to the two Hydro users who seemed entranced by the lights.

“What are you-“

“They call to us.” Xingqiu cut her off.

“They sing for us.” Yelan finished.

Nigguang looked back to everyone else who simply shrugged, before noticing Zhongli also looked out of it, though before she could get a word out, he also spoke.

“It’s so calming… I have not felt true peace like this in…”

He didn’t even finish his sentence. His eyes, unlike the two Hydro users, were entranced by the golden lights that highlighted the light show.

Nigguang’s face was filled with confusion. Though she shook it off.

And again, before she could give out any orders, she was interrupted.

Though not by anyone, but by the lights themselves.

A flash of blue light blinded the group.

Then, the song of a group of narwhals and whales filled the sky.

૮꒰づ˶• ༝ •˶꒱づ ˚ʚ ꒰⁐⁐⁐⁐୨🍩🍮🍧୧⁐⁐⁐⁐꒱ ɞ˚

Blue and gold light enveloped near all of Liyue, the show being noticeable by all surrounding nations, Mondstadt especially.

And the air filled with the song of Narwhal and Whale alike.

A miracle of All-Devouring Narwhals and All-Encompassing Whales swam into the sky, dancing through the clouds.

They flew gently over Liyue, the nation having been stunned into shock and stillness over the whole situation.

Nigguang watched with bated breath as they sailed by the Jade Palace, only exhaling when they passed with not problem.

Keqing watched from beside Nigguang, mesmerized at the trail of celestial power flowing behind them.

Xiao rushed up buildings in order to get closer, but was knocked back by the sheer force of their power, though he was caught by a worried Ganyu. Both landed by an armed-and-ready Shenhe, who was more than ready to attack if need be.

Xingqiu and Yelan simply stared up at the miracle, their Visions resonating with Hydro energy they released. They felt empowered, and could feel the pure raw and unfiltered strength rolling off them in waves. They wanted to be close to that power. Wanted to feel that power.

Something deep inside them wanted that power.

Everyone in the city watched as the miracle flew just above their homes and businesses, making their presence all the more apparent as they bathed the golden city in royal blue.

This continued until a small bird was dumb enough to try and take flight to get away.

This bird being the one Childe had targeted- not that anyone knew.

The Whales and Narwhals corralled the bird, forcing it to fly higher and higher into the clouds, and it wasn’t long before all ginormous creatures followed behind it.

Then an even brighter flash of blue echoed across the skyline, small star-like glitters falling to Teyvat then fading from existence before they could touch its surface. A small amount of feathers followed after.

Nigguang could feel her jaw drop.

All that… to kill a bird?????

… She was going to need a week off just to comprehend what had just happened.

Keqing pat the woman on the back, sighing in tiredness as well.

She had a sneaking suspicion that Childe may have had something to do with this… event. Gods the paperwork she was about to be loaded with…

૮꒰づ˶• ༝ •˶꒱づ ˚ʚ ꒰⁐⁐⁐⁐୨🍬🍯🍩୧⁐⁐⁐⁐꒱ ɞ˚

Childe had figured out what primal instinct had led him to hide in the cave he was currently tucked in.

Foul Legacy.

He had yet to really tell anyone, but due to his time in the Abyss and its creation, it was safe to say it pretty much had a mind of its own. Which wasn’t bad as it would help him to doge attacks or alert him of presences he may not have noticed himself, but the shrieking and crying he heard from it deep in his soul was enough to tell him that this whole situation was wrong.

Nothing about what just happened should have been… well it shouldn’t have happened to say anything.

He could still hear it, resonating deep inside his soul, Electro cracking out whenever he heard a noise he couldn’t identify.

It was protecting him.

As he would for it.

He didn’t dare draw another arrow from the bow in his grasp, not until he learned what the fuck just happened. Including the fact that for some odd reason, he desperately wanted to just… stare(?) at the Narwhals and Whales until they disappeared, luckily Foul Legacy snapped him right out of that and told him to find shelter.

He did have his Hydro blades out, however, patiently waiting till he - and Foul Legacy - felt safe enough to exit.

A sudden loud caw of a bird made him flinch - not his proudest moment - and kick the bow to the side. What he wasn’t expecting was the loud string of curses that came from… the… bow..?

So now it was pinned to the wall by one blade and a foot, the other blade pointed directly at… it? There were no weak points on a bow..?

…Were there..?

૮꒰づ˶• ༝ •˶꒱づ ˚ʚ ꒰⁐⁐⁐⁐୨🍮🍨🍪୧⁐⁐⁐⁐꒱ ɞ˚

This is not what you wanted.

First, you get isekaied against your will; you didn’t even remember how you supposedly DIED… if you DID die anyway…

Two, you were reincarnated as MONEY. FUCKING MONEY. How does that… who comes up with that??? A fucking high schooler who has nothing better to do than write shitty fanfiction????

And finally, three… HE KICKED YOU!!! WHO GAVE HIM THE RIGHT TO THREATEN YOU?!?

You didn’t understand your powers, what the FUCK just happened, why Hydro just… became?? you??? And why on gods green earth you had to be MORA. You’re never gonna get over that you became MORA???? Like??? Really??????? Money????? You mean, you love the stuff but COME ON-

Jesus fuckin’-

Huffing at the man before you, you finally decided speak to this bitch before you because how dare he.

“Listen here-“

You were cut off by the blade moving closer to your body(??????) and Childe growling - yes. Growling - at you.

“No you listen. I don’t know what you are but what in the name of the Tsaritsa was that?”

If only this man could see your eye twitch.

“No how about YOU listen? I don’t know what the fuck that was, but I plan on figuring it out now could you PLEASE MOVE YOUR DAMN BLADES FROM MY FACE?!?!? God…”

The Hydro blades slowly removed themselves from your face, as did the boot. But you were then picked up by the man, held shockingly gently in his grip.

“What… are you?” He asked hesitantly.

“I… I honestly don’t know how to answer that question. But I’m pretty sure I’m that little Mora piece on the front.” You answered. You forced yourself to calm down. This wasn’t his fault, just so happened to be the guy who picked you up… this was going to be a mantra for a while…

“Oh… so your this little thing right here?” You felt his fingers wrap around you - and you mean your real body - and pull. Fear immediately filled your being.

“Wait! WAIT!-“ He tugged you right out, rendering you silent.

When he pulled you out, your body glowed and you reverted back to looking like a regular piece of mora. Engravings and all.

You, meanwhile, were screaming your head off, as you now knew that if removed from a weapon, you’d just be a regular ass piece of money again. Immediately you mind started racing, wondering as to way, and the only thing you could come up with was the Elemental Energy, but lore wasn’t really your strong suit… you just liked the pretty women and men…

You felt yourself gently being pressed into the slot carved for you in his bow, and started talking again.

“NEVER! Do that again, please. Unless absolutely necessary, don’t do that. You know how terrifying it is to be able to see and speak then move a couple inches and no longer be able to see or have others hear you? Fucking horrifying I’ll tell you that…” you watched the man shiver before sighing.

“Noted. Um… anything else I should be made aware of before I ask anymore questions?”

You jumped on the opportunity.

“Whenever I am apart of your weapons. Don’t. De. Summon. Them. Hurts like hell. Ever felt your molecules beings torn apart bit by bit? Not fun, don’t recommend it.” Again, Childe shivered.

“Now… you really don’t know what that was out there?” He asked again, and you sighed.

“I wish I did. I’ll admit, I was thinking of that one move you use as Foul Legacy where you summon a Whale… and a bit of your master…”

You watched as Childe’s eyes lit up.

“You know of Foul Legacy? And of my Master?” Then his eyes darkened.

“How do you know of them..?” You shivered… as well as money can shiver anyway.

“Uhm… magic?” You asked, a noticeable tilt in your voice.

His glare then lightened up.

“Oh! Like… when you attach to a weapon, you suddenly gain a bunch of knowledge on that person?” Holy shit he just gave you a way out!

“Uh… yeah! Yeah that’s exactly what it is! You figured it out! Sorry I was uh… hesitant. Just didn’t want to reveal all my secrets, you know?” Holy shit. Holy fuck. Please work please work-

“That’s really amazing! A magical piece of mora… with the ability to make your attacks beyond that of a God’s… heheheh…”

Oop. Shit. That was not good.

“Listen. I’m not going to do anything for you without my consent, you got that? I’m not even here of my own free will mind you. Just gained sentience in your bag and all of a sudden I’m a bow. This is going to be a symbiotic relationship or I’m finding someone else, alright?” You spoke up, not even hiding the fact that you were… well a little more than concerned with what he just said.

“… What are you going to do if I don’t respect your wishes?” Shit fuck shit fuck-

“… I will scream next time you use me.”

And into a standstill you both sat.

He stared at you and he could feel you glaring into him. It was probably weird feeling a bow glare into him. New feeling he never thought he’d feel before.

“… Alright. Taking someone’s free will isn’t really something I do anyway. So don’t be fearful… comrade?” Was he asking your name..?.. Eh. Comrade is nice and you don’t feel like giving it out so meh.

“Comrade works. And uhm… yeah.” Welp that was awkward. Good job 👍🏾!

The two of you continued to stare at each other in silence for a few moments.

“So… what’s your favorite dish?”

“I can’t eat asshole-“

“Childe!”

The mentioned man whipped his head in the direction of the call, honestly scaring you with how fast it moved - you are a hundred percent sure you heard a crack.

By the covered entrance of the cave stood Nigguang, Keqing, Zhongli and both Hydro Vision users. Nigguang was the one to call him.

“What are enough doing out here? Do you have any idea was caused… whatever that was?? And - as much as I hate to ask - are you alright?” She was firing questions out at an extreme speed, making both you and Childe dizzy.

“Uhm… I was hunting, I… haven’t the foggiest idea what you’re talking about! And yes , I am okay. Thank you for asking?” You knew he sucked ass a lying but like… how did that sound convincing in anyway?? The hesitation just made it worse!-

“You haven’t the foggiest clue, you say…” Keqing asked while glaring at the ginger. Ed She Ran lookin’ headass-

“Yep! No idea, not the slightest idea, definitely wasn’t my bow or the enchanted mora on it! Nope not at all.”

The group looked at him, and he looked at them.

They looked at him, and he looked at them.

They looked at him, and he looked at them.

And this went on for several minutes before this super smart man said:

“Yep, not me at all.”

And before anyone coup ask questions you groaned, forcing all attention into yourself before tearing him a new one.

“You dumb motherfucker! “I haven’t the foggiest idea😢” my ass!”

“How did you say that?-“

“Shut your bitchass up before I sew it shut. I should beat your ass for that. How they fuck you gonna say some shit like that and expect them to just go “Oh okay!😚” like some dumbass?”

“No really how-“

“I will slap the stupid outta you don’t fucking test me ginger bitch. Fatherless. That’s why your father sold you ass off it’s cause you so DAMN stupid, Jesus.”

“Mora?”

“What do you fucking want you cunt.”

“… We’re still in front of people.”

“… I will not hesitate to shoot all of you-“

… Nigguang was going to have so much paperwork tonight.

໒꒰ྀི˶˙Ⱉ˙˶꒱ྀིა Author’s note : MORA!READER MORA!READER MORA!READER MORA!READER MORA!READER LETS GIVE IT UP FOR MORA!READER!!!!! ૮꒰˶ᵔ ᗜ ᵔ˶꒱ა˖⁺‧₊˚

They’re here you guys!!!! Get happy get wild!!!! Holy shit that ending was mild!!! I hate it!!! Anyway-

This is gonna SAGAU because… meh. But that doesn’t matter! Their here! But I’m not done yet, next thing on my checklist is humanizing the animals (Main ones) so I’ll be be radio silent for a bit again lmao (unless I choose to post shit which is very likely-) ໒꒰ྀི´ ˘ ` ꒱ྀིა

Hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Mora!Reader! More is, of course, on the way! ૮꒰ྀི∩´ ᵕ `∩꒱ྀིა

Have a magnificent day/night my dears!~

/)/)

( . .)

c( づ♡ Loves you guys!! <3

[mariacallous]

Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, publicly at least, are on good terms.

Yet when it comes to the staff in and around the new administration, it’s a different story. Just two-and-a-half weeks into Trump’s second term in office, a fissure has begun to emerge following Musk’s DOGE takeover of the US government, according to a half-dozen Trump loyalist Republican aides and advisers inside and around the administration who spoke with WIRED.

“I think it’s more the staff who have an issue with Elon than President Trump,” a Republican aide familiar with the discussions around DOGE and the administration tells WIRED. This staffer, like others, requested anonymity to relay sensitive conversations due to fears of retaliation.

In the space of a couple of weeks, Elon Musk and his associates have taken control of multiple government agencies, and a cadre of young and inexperienced engineers with ties to Musk have been given access to some of the most highly sensitive federal systems through DOGE. As Musk’s associates tore through the federal apparatus over the first weekend of February, a ride-or-die MAGA Republican operative who knows President Trump personally confided something to WIRED they never thought they’d find themselves saying before the past two weeks.

“There could be a collision course coming here at some point,” they said when asked if there’s a brewing freak-out over Musk in Trumpworld. “He’s getting too big for his breeches.”

The motivations of the people WIRED has spoken with cover a wide range. Some Trump campaign veterans hope White House chief of staff Susie Wiles will intervene, while other Republican operatives think the emerging rift is a problem despite having no personal animosity toward Musk. Others stand to gain personally or professionally from a Musk ouster.

Beyond increasing frustration over Musk causing headaches for the administration—which many of these Republicans consider to be more optics issues than full-blown policy disasters—the Republicans who spoke to WIRED had little to no idea what the proper chain of communication is supposed to be between agencies and the White House.

On Tuesday, Trump went on Fox News to declare that the new DOGE staffers were actually working in the White House, even though he said he hasn’t seen them. Minutes prior, a senior White House official told WIRED that “DOGE is part of the White House” now. (Confusingly, Trump established DOGE by repurposing the existing US Digital Service as the US DOGE Service, an agency under the Office of Management and Budget, via executive order.)

The Trump White House official said DOGE checks in with them “every day.” Yet when asked about the nature of these briefings and if they could offer any specifics as to whether they take place on a schedule or with early morning priority, a common practice for those tasked with liaising between agencies and the White House, they had none.

The DOGE briefings are “as needed,” the senior White House official said.

What distinguishes this staff-level discontent from the grumblings during the transition about Musk’s proximity to and influence over Trump at Mar-a-Lago is that actual policy decisions are being made—so many and so fast that it's hard for even the president's most loyal foot soldiers to keep track.

While the staff’s qualms with Musk are rather straightforward, nobody seems to know how to handle the high-velocity and high-volume nature of the DOGE government takeover.

“Listen, when the process is going this fast, from extreme outsiders, the communication is bound to be a mess,” says Matthew Bartlett, a Republican operative and former State Department official under Trump in his first term. Bartlett says the rest of Washington is getting their first real taste of the Silicon Valley–influenced attitudes driving much of the private sector, now in the form of twentysomethings from DOGE appearing on government calls.

“I mean, listen, this goes to the old adage of Steve Jobs … finding you in the elevator and saying, give me 10 seconds to tell me what you do, and justify your job,” Bartlett claims. “That is legendary stuff in the private sector—and maybe it worked—but, there are so many nuances to government that it makes addressing and making wide, sweeping changes highly problematic.”

Republicans who landed administration jobs aren’t exactly shocked a possible rift is emerging. “Can't say a lot of that surprises me to hear,” an administration source familiar with the discussions tells WIRED. Sources say many people have turned to Wiles as one of the only people who could even attempt to reign in Musk.

“Some of it is, she’s gotta balance being the gatekeeper to the president and having Musk kinda going rogue on a lot of this stuff,” says the second Republican operative familiar with the discussions. “I think she’s very smart and very talented, and very loyal to President Trump, so she’ll think about how to navigate that best.”

That, of course, depends heavily on her boss’s desire for any sort of gatekeeping or insulation from the possible looming Musk implosion many of these Republicans are bracing for.

“I’m just hearing the president is entirely enthusiastic about his efforts, and they are working together very closely,” a source close to Trump who speaks with the president regularly told WIRED. “And that comes from someone at the very top. Not him, but someone under him.”

Without any tacit approval to step out in front of the boss, the staff are left with no other viable options to express their reservations about how Musk has been operating.

Trump’s own awareness of what DOGE is up to appeared to be in question after his Oval Office news conference on Tuesday.

Shortly after he suggested that the federal government should deploy the young DOGE staffers as air traffic controllers—“We should use some of them in the control towers, where we were putting people that were actually intellectually deficient,” the president said—the same senior White House official quickly dismissed the comment as a serious proposal.

“Lmfao no,” the White House official told WIRED in a text message. “You guys need to learn how to cover him. He was making the point that smart bright people need to be ATC’s [sic.].”

Trump simultaneously suggested the DOGE staffers are young and “very smart,” but also that “some are young, and some are not young. Some are not young at all.” He has also insisted everything is fine around Musk’s role in the administration, and that the billionaire “can't do and won't do” anything “without our approval.”

Several Republicans in and around the Trump administration declined to speak on the record about Musk, with one GOP operative summarizing the dynamic as too hot to touch.

“Off the record—yeah, I’ve heard about some of this. But, look, as of now, I’m gonna keep out of the space between the world’s richest man and the world’s most powerful man,” a Republican operative in Trumpworld told WIRED in an encrypted message, followed by a smiley face emoji. (This Republican later agreed to let WIRED use this quote under the condition of anonymity.)

“I have to believe a lot of this is a performance by people who are worried about getting fired,” a Trump adviser said of the staff’s patience wearing thin with the world’s richest man.

The dynamic between Trump’s loyal aides and Musk, already riddled with varying degrees of mistrust over Musk bringing in his own people, is made all the more complicated by the X owner’s relationship with Florida governor Ron DeSantis’ entourage. Musk’s ongoing work with the firm Pathway Public P2 Affairs, which is staffed by several alumni of the DeSantis campaign, continues to irk MAGA loyalists who thought DeSantis’ allies would be frozen out of the consulting space after Trump’s victory. Now, they’re in “these positions of influence … especially with Musk,” says the second Republican operative. This is a particularly fraught dynamic when it comes to Wiles, who was iced out by DeSantis after she helped him become governor of Florida.

“There’s concern about Musk and others being involved with people who went to the mat for Ron DeSantis and spent hundreds of millions of dollars against Donald Trump,” they later added, after claiming the collision course with Musk could happen sooner than expected.

There were also several Trump advisers ready to go on the record to publicly bash Musk for what they considered to be his bungled get-out-the-vote effort through America PAC after the general election, should Trump have lost. WIRED reported extensively on the working conditions of door knockers for contractors for America PAC, including a group of canvassers in Michigan who were driven around in the back of a seatless U-Haul moving van and threatened to have their pay and lodging withheld if they did not hit their quotas for Blitz Canvassing, a subcontractor for Musk’s PAC.

“Operatives that really know what’s going on, people want an audit of America PAC for the sake of America First,” a Republican operative tells WIRED.

Some of these Republicans, it seems, want a DOGE for Musk’s outside political operation. “The point is, who is auditing?” says the second Trumpworld operative.

What’s most notable about these Republicans reaching the limit of their patience with Musk is that for the most part, they were pretty big fans until recent weeks.

“I think people have been very annoyed by it,” said the Republican who wants an audit of America PAC. “And I mean, look, I think Elon's really important. Everyone's grateful. It's just sort of an unnecessary situation.”

[loutnoot]

Forbidden Lovers

✦ Paring: Donald Trump x Elon Musk

✦ Word Count: ~900 words

✦ Summary: After being inaugurated as the 47th POTUS, Donald Trump finds himself alone in the Oval Office with his forbidden lover, Elon Musk.

✦ Wanings: 18+ satire, implied sex, misogynistic topics, getting off on the idea of persecuting women, false encounters, not proofread/edited (I had a vision)

✦THIS IS A JOKE!!! All actions and encounters in this post are FICTIONAL!! Although Donald Trump and Elon Musk are REAL PEOPLE, I AM NOT AT ALL associated with EITHER OF THEM!!! I would also like to note that this is NOT A FANFICTION!! It is fiction, but I am not a little fanboy over Elon Musk and/or Donald Trump and their weird ass gay-coded relationship!! Thx <3

Trump's POV:

As I walked through the White House, a feeling of nostalgia struck me. I found myself in the same place I was just four years ago, today. Back then, I was full of so much hope. . .so much certainty. . .and now here I was, more scared and uncertain than I have ever been.

I held my wife's hand just moments ago, but my nerves were still ablaze. Melania has been very bitter towards me. Her period has lasted six years three months and ten days now since she refuses to have sex with me.

"Hey, Donald." My thoughts were interrupted by Elon as he spotted me down the hallway.

"Elon. . .please, join me." I welcomed him into the Oval Office, locking the door behind us.

There was a moment of silence as we looked into each other's eyes. The tension in the air grew thick and I feared Elon could hear my thoughts. With the way he stared at me; it almost seemed he could.

"Are you doing okay, Donnie?"

My heart fluttered. Every time he used that nickname, I'd fold. The first time he used it was when he was begging me to allow him to lead my new Department of Government Efficiency. I just can't say no to that face.

"I'm scared, Elon. It was a miracle that I got the majority electoral votes. I just don't understand why. . .I don't deserve this." I sighed, my hands in my pockets and my head down.

"Donald, remember that only 150 out of the 538 electoral votes are that of women." Elon stated. It made total sense. "Those women who voted for Harris only had a small dent in the men who voted for me." I stated. . .but paused. "What about the citizens? Women outnumber men by 2.5 million."

Elon laughed, walking closer to me. "Don't you know? Electoral votes are all that matter, which is why you and I put more men as representatives than women. So that men always win."

Of course. "Oh, Elon. You're always able to calm my suspicions on voter fraud. I just wish that. . ." He was now inches away from me. I could hear his breath and see the wrinkles on his face. My eyes flickered down to his lips. I could feel my palms grow sweaty.

"What are we going to do? I have concepts of a plan." I whispered. There was no need to be any louder with how close he was to me.

Elon brought his right hand to my left cheek. My breath hitched at the contact. I could feel my cheeks flush. "We'll figure it out. Or we can hire someone else to figure it out and then blame them when things go wrong."

I smiled, leaning into his touch. "You always know what to say." I confessed.

"That's why we are best friends. So much money we hold, that only we can understand each other." Elon whispered, batting his eyelashes at me.

For a few seconds, we stared at each other. An urge grew within me, I only wished that he felt the same. Realization came upon me, and I pushed myself away.

"Oh, this is wrong! I already declared that a relationship was between a man and a woman! Any other same sex encounters are immoral. . .ungodly." I sighed in disappointment.

"Donnie. . ." Elon came up behind me and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Remember New Year's Eve?" I could feel my face grow hot.

"How could I forget?" I muttered. "That was the best experience I have ever had."

"When we kissed, Donnie. . .it meant something to me. How many times do I have to remind you of our hypocrisy and the fact that we can get away with anything because we're white married man? There's nothing wrong with watching another man masturbate." His words made me smile in realization. The memories of that night flooded my mind, causing me to let out a breathy laugh.

"Donald. . .please. Know that everything will be okay. We can do this. . . together." Elon grabbed my hands and turned me to face him, bringing a hand to his lips and placing a kiss upon my knuckles.

I felt my heart skip a beat as I paused to take in his words. "You're right. So many accusations on my head and yet. . .I get away with it, because I'm rich, white, and married. I wish I could be with you forever." I confessed.

"Don't be gay, Donald." Elon said.

"Don't worry. . ." I paused, leaning closer to him. "I have socks on." I said before placing my lips to his in a totally straight and passionate kiss. One that could only be shared between too unhappily married men.

As we pulled apart, there was a loud knock on the door.

"President Trump! We must begin signing these executive orders." I heard my Vice President, Vance, call from behind the doors. Vance's voice broke me out of my fantasy and forced Elon and I to break apart.

"Of course, Vice President Vance. I will be right out."

Elon and I shared a final look before I unlocked the door and motioned him out. We shared a longing look as he left the Oval Office.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Donnie." Elon said, smiling and waving goodbye.

"Goodbye."

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

AGAIN!!!! THIS IS A JOKE!!! All actions and encounters in this post are FICTIONAL!! Although Donald Trump and Elon Musk are REAL PEOPLE, I AM NOT AT ALL associated with EITHER OF THEM!!! I would also like to note that this is NOT A FANFICTION!! It is fiction, but I am not a little fanboy over Elon Musk and/or Donald Trump and their weird ass gay-coded relationship!! Thx <3

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Tessa Stuart at Rolling Stone:

Illinois 9th District has only been represented by two people since 1965, and there hasn’t been a competitive primary since the race Democratic Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, the district’s current representative, won in November 1998. “I wouldn’t be born for another four months,” deadpans Kat Abughazaleh, the TikTok-famous political commentator now running to represent the district.  Abughazaleh is transparent about the fact that she is not what anyone thinks of as shoe-in for Congress: a 26-year-old narcoleptic freelance social media creator who doesn’t live in the district and has only lived in the state for less than a year, challenging a Democratic Party leader who has represented this part of Illinois for more than a quarter of a century.  That’s kind of the point: She is a normal person — with a rental lease she can’t break before it’s up, financial pressure bearing down on her, and prescription medication that she needs to function properly and that has been challenging to obtain since Elon Musk went after her employer, and she and many of her colleagues were laid off.  And when she looks to Congress, not only does she not see enough people who are concerned with the practical day-to-day challenges she and so many of the people she knows are struggling with — the costs of housing, health care, groceries, transportation — she also doesn’t see anyone confronting with any level of seriousness the peril of our current moment, two months into Donald Trump’s second term.  “We are in an emergency,” Abughazaleh says. “Right now, the answer to authoritarianism isn’t to be quiet. It’s not matching pink outfits at a state address. It’s not throwing trans people under the bus. It’s not refusing to look at the party at all and see where it could be better. The answer is to very publicly, very loudly, very boldly, stand up. The only way to fight fascism, and this has been proven over and over and over again, is loudly, proudly, and every single day.”

Abughazaleh may be young, but she is a wildly successful, incisive communicator who is stepping up at a time when it is clear that the party is in desperate need of new messengers. And she is popular on the social media platforms where sitting Democrats’ posts are continually flopping, ridiculed for their tone deafness.  The day after the 2024 presidential election, Abughazaleh thought she would wake up with an irrepressible urge to flee the country. Instead, she says, it was the opposite: “I woke up and thought, ‘You’re gonna have to drag me out by my dead body’ … I just got really angry, and I thought about running at that moment, but I was like, ‘No, I’m sure Democrats will do something,’ and then they haven’t — and it’s just been not only disappointing, but scary to watch.” Schakowsky, currently representing the district, “has had a pretty great track record on her voting,” Abughazaleh admits. But she is also 80 years old, and hasn’t had a competitive primary in decades. “She’s been a good congresswoman, but I want to be better.”

[...] Abughazaleh was born in Texas and raised as a Republican — really Republican. Her maternal grandmother, Taffy Goldsmith, was such a legendary GOP operative that when she died, the flag at Texas state capitol was flown at half mast. (Abughazaleh inherited the mink coat Goldsmith wore to Nixon’s inauguration.) Her father is a Palestinian immigrant. Both her parents, she says, were Reagan Republicans whose relationship with the party has ruptured since Trump took it over. Abughazaleh’s own political views took shape at college in Washington, D.C. She studied at George Washington University, and went to work at Media Matters after graduation, where she was employed until 2024, after Musk sued the organization, and she and 11 others got laid off.  The day the news broke, Musk tweeted “Karma is real” and his coterie of sycophants, including Libs of TikTok, piled on. Abughazaleh says it was one of the worst days of her life. The saga didn’t end there, either — Abughazaleh was deposed as part of Musk’s lawsuit against Media Matters, questioned on video for seven hours. (The lawsuit is ongoing.) After she was laid off from Media Matters, Abughazaleh did freelance video production with Mother Jones and Zeteo, but she is stepping away from work with both outlets during her campaign. “It’s terrifying… I don’t have health insurance, I have no income coming in, and am using GoodRx like my life depends on it — because it kind of does.” 

Progressive social media influencer and former MMFA journalist Kat Abughazaleh (Kat Abu) is running for a US House seat in #IL09, currently occupied by Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D).

[alexfromjersey]

𝓛𝓸𝓷𝓰 𝓓𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮 & 𝓢𝓸𝓬𝓲𝓪𝓵 𝓜𝓮𝓭𝓲𝓪

jenna ortega x g!poc

summary: jah and jenna struggle with the long distance.

warnings: mature language, mentions marijuana

a/n: shortest chapter I ever wrote for this series but dont say I never gave yall nothing. ngl I be forgetting that I made Jah a streamer/influencer 😂. Imma start incorporating more like social media aspects to here cause this was fun

Previous Chapter | Next Chapter | Series Masterlist

ONE WEEK LATER

“Yo I’m the greatest friend to ever walk planet Earth bruh. Davis finally let his balls drop and now him and Diana are going on a date together” You gushed to the brunette.

“Finally” Jenna chuckled.

It was currently 11 p.m. in London, which meant it was 6 p.m. in New York. Jenna just finished filming for the day and she needed to hear your voice. This is the first time in a week she's seen your face.

She was still on edge about Neil and hasn’t told you. She didn’t want to bring you into her mess and potentially end up finding out about her past. So she kept it to herself.

Your eyes were glued to the screen as you played Call of Duty, "Yeah I told him I'll help him plan his date since he wants to impress her."

"How sweet of you. I didn't know you had a sweet side to you sour patch kid" Jenna teased.

You stick your middle finger up at her to which she lets out a cute little giggle.

"So what's up with you? How filming going?" You asked and pushed your headphones behind your ears. Jenna had tried to stop the thoughts that ran through her mind a mile a second just now. But it was difficult when you looked good with a white tank top on displaying your tattoos, grey sweatpants, your chain dangling from your neck which she wants to grab at, and your glasses on.

After a moment, Jenna snapped out of her thoughts to answer your question, "It's going fine. Tim is forcing me to have a stunt double for the majority of my stunts which sucks because he don’t even know I’m pregnant" Jenna answered.

“Probably got that intuition” You shrugged.

“I guess. But other than that, filming is fine. Quiet little London Town that I can’t remember for the life of me” Jenna said and laid down in her bed. She let out a yawn.

“Go to sleep mamas. Call me when you get up” You said.

“No I wanna talk to you. I haven’t seen your face in a while” Jenna pouted.

You smiled, “But you need sleep. I know you probably have to get up mad early.”

“Yeah around like 4” Jenna sighed.

“See. Call me when you get me I’ll be up” You said.

"Okay," Jenna pouted. She hangs up the phone and turns over to stare at her ceiling.

She felt tears start to gather under her eyes but she quickly wiped them away. She was struggling with the just being friends with you. Each day, her feelings for you grow stronger but it was still something holding her back from pursuing you. She needed to figure it out quickly because she don’t know how much longer she can take it.

🤰🏻🩵

As the phone hung up, you let out a sigh and rubbed your face. You missed her badly. You wished you could just book a spontaneous flight over to London but you couldn’t…just yet.

You needed a distraction. You grabbed your phone and hopped onto your most used app, Twitter (you was not calling that shit X or whatever fuck Elon named. Fuck Elon Musk).

@bronxsheisty: can't wait for you to get home, we ain't got to go nowhere

Immediately, you started getting replies and quotes on your tweet.

@shiestylover: uh oh who’s this about 👀

@ghostridingwhip: jah is possibly taken? yeaaaaa let me go jump into oncoming traffic

@highondatgreen: it’s about me duh

@fnthechat: omg potential song lyrics! DROP THE SONG NOW

@modernbussywhip: i might have an idea and y’all never would of guessed it

@ghostridingwhip: oh do tell @modernbussywhip

@modernbussywhip: nah I need more evidence to support my claim but imma dm you my theory so far @ghostridingwhip

@bronxshiesty:

@modernbussywhip: oop-

@bronxshiesty: u should like share with the class @modernbussywhip

@modernbussywhip: i should share u with the class? couldn’t agree more

@bronxshiesty: oh that’s not- @modernbussywhip

@modernbussywhip:

@munchiesinmycrunchies: day 293792873 of asking for music

@ExclusiveShiestyUpdates: day 293792873 of waiting for an Instagram pic

@bronxshiesty: heard @ExclusiveShiestyUpdates

You exited out Twitter and went to Instagram. You found a pic you took yesterday and decided to post it.

bronxshiesty posted on Instagram after a while.

liked by jennaortega, davison, and 14,574 others.

bronxshiesty i was told to post on here so here u go

View all 9,836 comments

davison 🥶

↳ bronxshiesty u know the vibez

kaicenat god did

↳ bronxshiesty god did 🫣

elfanum big bronx all day 💯

↳ bronxshiesty everyday word 💯

↳ user3836 amp x shiesty collab?

↳ bronxshiesty @elfanum @kaicenat 👀

bbq.days i spy with my little eye a 5’1 boricua in the likes

kaydotnyc_ when u streaming

↳ bronxsheisty sometime tonite

mrenriquemelendez has started following bronxshiesty

aliyah.ortega has started following bronxshiesty

natalieortega1 has started following bronxshiesty

corneilo.millers has started following bronxshiesty

You don’t know what prompted you to click on Neil’s profile but you did. You saw that he was followed by Jenna and Jenna’s mother and he was a businessman. You followed back everyone and closed out your apps. Your eyes then glance down at the flyer on your coffee table. You grabbed it and exhaled deeply. You typed in the website in your phone and hit the registration button.

Here’s to opening more opportunities.

🤰🏻🩵

"I did it" You inhaled the smoke from the blunt. You leaned over and passed it to Davis who took it.

"Did what?" Davis questioned.

"I signed up for the competition. I kept staring at it on my table and just said fuck it" You shrugged and fixed your pants that were riding up your legs.

"Aye let's go" Davis cheered. He dapped you up to which you rolled your eyes at him with a smile.

"You need a musical stage name. You already got a streamer name but it won't be catchy or marketable to the music industry" Davis stated.

"I was thinking just Jah" You answered.

Davis puffed out a cloud of smoke, "Just Jah? I mean it flows sorta...Just Jah or JJ. It's aight"

"No dumbass I mean just my name Jah" You laughed.

"Oh! You could get away with it" Davis said. You knew he was high as a kite right now cause he started acting slower than usual when he was intoxicated.

The two of you then hear a ding from your phone. You grabbed it and saw it was a video from Jenna. You click on it and it starts with her showing her belly.

"Officially 14 weeks pregnant and the baby is the size of a navel orange," Jenna said and showed her belly. It was protruding more now but she was still able to hide it. Only if you got super close to her stomach you'll see she's pregnant but ain't nobody getting that close to her. "I want some oranges now. My appetite has skyrocketed now but luckily my boobs are not as tender anymore, thank god-"

In the background, you heard someone call Jenna's name. She sighed before turning back to the camera, "I have to get back on set but I just wanted to give you a quick update on us. I miss you and two months need to come quicker" Jenna said and kissed the camera. You smiled at the video and rewatched it again.

NYC 🩵:

miss you too 😘❤️

i also want some oranges now

"You know for two people to say that they’re just friends. Yall sure do act like a couple." Davis asked.

“No we don’t. Two friends can’t say they miss each other now” You questioned.

“I’m not talking about that. It’s your body language and the way you act around each other that’s unfriendly like” Davis said.

You suck your teeth, “You go to Hollywood and become an expert in body language and shit.”

“I’m just saying. The two of you need to stop whatever the fuck this is and just get together.” Davis shrugged.

You sighed, “You don’t think I want that. I haven’t been in a relationship in mad long. But something feels different with her like different in a way I never felt in a relationship before. I miss her being around, talking to her, and even just showing her around the Bronx. It's weird feeling this way...a good weird.” You finished off the blunt in your hand.

"It's called love nigga" Davis laughed.

“Alright let’s settle down. That’s a big word to be assuming” You said.

Davis chuckled, “Have your ever been in love before?”

You open your mouth to answer yes but you stop yourself and really think if you actually been in love or not. Sure you’ve been in relationships with girls before but they never made you feel like this. You never felt this way about a girl before.

“I’m guessing that’s a no” Davis chuckled.

“Shut up” You grumble and placed your hands in your pants. You get comfortable on your couch letting the effects of the marijuana relax your mind and body. Davis started drifting off to sleep next to you. But suddenly, your mind starts to overthink about the prior conversation.

Shit, now this was gonna be on your mind all night.

🤰🏻🩵

a/n: i want someone to take care of me like that black woman be taking care of her pitbull on TikTok

taglist: @grandpatrolnut @raven-ss @fanboy7794 @morganismspam23 @cinffy23 @darklron @cheesybacon1 @octavias-next-meat-bite @playboysaleen @niqmandu @zaclewiss @yescruzzzzzzz @silentfor @gemz5 @alwaysdangerouschild @onceblinkarmyandmore @melonfruit442 @zataracloud @nepobaby08 @jennasslut @rimaybank @jaewu @j3nc0re

[itsallpoliticsstupid]

The US Presidential Election 2024 - A mini Deep Dive into what went wrong for the Democrats

I would say this will be my last post on the US Presidential Election of 2024, but we all know it won't be.

I wanted to bring all my thoughts together as to what I perceive the biggest issues for the Democrats were, and how this needs to be rectified in 2028. Well, they won't listen to some random person on a Politics blog with *checks* 44 followers (oh hi, thanks for following), but this is my opinion.

And interestingly, it all starts with the sale of a certain social media platform.

October 2022 - Elon Musk buys Twitter

In my personal opinion the acquisition of Twitter was a major contributing factor to how the election was won. Elon Musk has never been quiet about his Political leanings being closer to the Conservative ideology and how he believed that it was wrong to silence those on the right for their views. So Trump et al. Going as far as to reinstate their accounts.

We all know that Twitter has now become a very toxic place. With extreme ideological views. I feel it was easy to use this platform to peddle a more Trump ideal for the election. It's still one of the biggest platforms out there, why wouldn't it be used to try and win an election. And without it, it would have made things significantly harder for the Republicans to reach a larger audience.

Anyway, this isn't just me twitter bashing. This is me actually analyzing what the situation is.

So back to what the Democrats did wrong.

Joe Biden confirms he will run for President

I believe the election was lost from the moment that Joe Biden made the decision to stand as President for a second term.

This is where everything fell apart, and set a tone for the remainder of the election. Joe Biden was not medically fit to run for the Presidency, and it had been so clear towards the end of his first term as President. You could see he was struggling in front of camera. Getting words wrong. Forgetting the most basic of things. It was a bad look for the Democrat's, and something that the Republican's could easily jump on.

It meant they could capitalize on it and make the Democrat's look like a party of weak leadership.

By the time he dropped out, Kamala Harris had approximately 100 days of campaigning. It wasn't enough. It didn't allow her to really put herself forward as an ideal candidate.

Which leads me to...

Kamala Harris - what did she stand for?

Outside of the right to healthcare/abortions I can't name what Kamala Harris stood for in this election. To me she was a status quo candidate at a time where American's needed assurances due to the increase in cost of living; terrible wars in the Middle East and Ukraine; and high levels of immigration.

Regardless of how bad Trump's policies were (and as we are seeing they are BAD) they were offering an alternative. One that people have been crying out for because they're struggling with the most basic things in their life.

Unfortunately the alternative is likely to make things significantly worse for the American people. But when somebody is saying they will lower costs for you, it's something you take at face value. Especially if you don't necessary understand the impact of raising tariffs or the removal of the affordable care act.

It's just sad that the Democrat campaign was so bad and didn't offer an alternative, it allowed this to happen.

Celebrity Endorsements

I was in two minds about what to put next. This or negative campaigning. But I think this one works.

Whilst Trump was backed by people like Elon Musk, I don't believe he had anywhere near the level of celebrity endorsements that Kamala had, and it very often doesn't work in a persons favor for a couple of reasons.

The first is I think there was a heavy reliance on people listening to their favorite celebrities when considering who to vote for. But in many cases, people will see an endorsement from Taylor Swift, or Misha Collins, or Bruce Springsteen and think 'well, what the hell do they know about what I am currently facing.' A lot of people will view celebrities as out of touch with the reality of today's world.

I'm not saying this is always the case. But that's what the average voter who has zero understanding of Politics will think. That somebody who has millions in the bank will never understand the struggles of having to hold down three jobs to feed your children, or pay your mortgage. And yes, there is a level of cognitive dissonance there because they don't think the same for Trump or Musk, but they seem them as a ruling elite who have the knowledge to make things better for the country. Not just a 'bleeding heart liberal' who just hates the right and has no business being in Politics.

I see the second that it took away from Kamala Harris as a candidate, and shielded a lot of the issues that she had. I think the endorsements worked for Obama because he had charisma. He offered something different. But for Harris, it was just a shield to show she had nothing.

And really, for the reasons above, it was a shield that didn't work as many people were turned off and inevitably chose not to vote.

Negative Campaigning

It never works. It's as simple as that. It never works.

And ultimately I feel that's what the Democrat campaign boiled down to. Being as negative as possible about the Republican's. About their views on abortion. About how many of them are Russian sympathisers. About Trump's health. And that always leaves people thinking 'they can't be that bad though.' And I think a lot of people got turned off by voting Democrat for that reason.

There is more. If I was to do more research I could continue for hours with this. Maybe I will come back with a part 2 when I have had more time to digest everything. But right now, these to me have been the biggest drivers behind the Democrat's losing the election.

And not the fact Kamala Harris was a woman like some people who like to believe.

It's time for the Democrats to stop burying their head in the sand and listen in time for the 2028 election.

[sevdrag]

hello sev i am sorry to bother you but. if you have the time. could you PLEASE elaborate on how you thought elon musk was a tumblr meme i have not been able to stop thinking about it

So. The first thing you need to know about me is that I haven't been able to follow the news for the last, like, well. About 10 years. First I was in a black-hole-of-employment, and then once 2016 hit, reading the news just made me unhealthy levels of furious. So I stopped doing it for my own sanity. This, more than anything, allowed me to live a blissful life where Actual Husband could update me every weekend on anything important, while I had a drink in my hand. I ignored as much news as I could during those years, cause it turned me into something horrible. So! That's the foundation of this story.

I also don't pay attention to, like, famous people and stuff. At all. I thought the band was called One Directional, okay? I am happy in my little corner.

The second thing to note is that while I'm quite intelligent, I also am incredibly scatter-brained. It's the ADHD.

The third is to note that I'm a heavy Tumblr user. I've curated my dash here to show me, mostly, things I like to see. It's relaxing.

So I saw all the memes about Glup Shitto and Blorbo and a million other made-up Tumblr names (whatever they were back in like 2015-ish) during my daily lunchtime scroll, right? SO when I see a post about a guy named Elon Musk, paired with something absolutely fucking ridiculous, my brain just goes: Oh. Tumblr made up another meme guy. This one's rich. That's funny.

I don't remember, but I'm possibly even reblogging stuff about Elon Musk during this time, still thinking it's a meme name. I mean, look at it. Elon Musk. Sorry, dudebro, but your name be dumb.

Elon Musk wants to build his own spaceship. Okay, Tumblr. Sure. It's like a Tony Stark that's just buttfuckingly stupid. I get the meme. Cause, like, he does crazy fucking stuff, right? Crazy stupid stuff. Gotta be a meme. Tumblr's really going for it, I think. Alright.

Anyway, Elon Musk comes up in a Discord GC one day, and my friends are talking about him like he's a real person, and I just said:

Hold on. I thought he was a meme.

Chat, of course, is silent for a drastically embarrassing amount of time, and then explodes.

And that's how I learned, in front of a bunch of friends, that Elon Musk was NOT a tumblr meme character, but a real-life idiot doing real-life crazy ass shit. It took me a humiliatingly-ass time to realize it, and I DO still get Sevdragged about it to this very day.

tl;dr due to my head-in-the-sand tendencies and my love of Tumblr, unlike the rest of you, I had a blissful period in my life where Elon Musk was completely made-up.

I wish that were still true.

[alpaca-clouds]

Deconstructing the Chosen One Narrative

As announced yesterday, I want to talk this week about "The Call to Adventure" and "The Chosen One". And mind you, while I have a lot of problems with the second trope, the first one in of itself is harmless. While in Campbell's telling the "Call to Adventure" will come from Fate or a god or a higher power, as writers we have long decided that the Call to Adventure can be something the main character just decides they have heard before they start their adventure.

However, the Chosen One narrative is a bad one. A really bad one.

Ironically, I was raging against this trope when I was 11. I had not heard of Campbell, but I knew the concept of "The Chosen One". And oh boy, I hated it. For one simple reason: It kinds took a lot of agency away from the characters. Which is, yes, reason number 1 why this is a dumb trope.

If you play "The Chosen One" straight as a trope, the hero saves the world, not because of their courage, or their will, or anything, but because it was their destiny to do so. They literally never had a choice about it. Neither on whether they would begin the adventure, nor whether they would fail. It was all kinda destined to happen, and that... kinda sucks.

As you might be able to guess, my first contact with this difference was Digimon. While in Adventure/02 the kids are "erabareshi kodomo", so "Chosen Children", the kids in Tamers just decided they wanted to have Digimon, and when they had Digimon decided to use them to save the world. The difference in agency within their stories is very notable because of this.

But of course, there are other issues, too.

See, our media at large tends to revolve indeed around chosen, special people with powers. The one who is special. Be it Star Wars, Marvel or DC. Their heroes tend to be super special people, who do super special things they can only do because of their super specialness. Sure, technically there are no gods involved in the "choosing" most of the time, but... They are still super special people.

And there is a reason that media in our capitalist hellscape latched onto this. (Yes, if you thought you will get a week on this weblog without me ranting about capitalism... alas, I must disappoint you.) Because if the people wait on the CHOSEN ONE they will not get tempted to do shit themselves.

Heck, I would argue that the reason that Elon Musk managed to get hismelf into the position he is in now, is, that he very much tried to play into this trope. Of portraying himself as "the chosen one", who would save the world and what not. It was always a lie. (Yes, I will need to do this vent on why Enver Gortash is Elon Musk at some point.)

Basically, the Chosen One Narrative feeds us this idea, that only the special people can save the world, and not anyone else. But historically speaking it was always the normal people rising up that saved the world. Nothing else. (And yes, I know, you have probably been taught some version of Great Man history in school, which once more plays into this narrative. To which I will quote Wicked on you: "Oh Elphaba, where I am from we believe in a lot of lies. We call it history.")

However, as I noted yesterday: The Chosen One narrative is so pervasive in modern media, that you cannot tell a story that goes into Adventure, Fantasy or SciFi without engaging with it in some regard. Because your story will ALWAYS be read in the context of media landscape in which those stories almost always are following that trope. And this brings us to the deconstruction aspect of it.

Again, deconstruction of a genre or trope means, to remove it from the fantastic and bring it somehow into reality. Basically question: "If this was not a fantasy world following fantasy rules, how would this trope play out?"

Now, I know that most of you are not aware of my Urban Fantasy stories (I am currently publsihing part of it online, though: Mosaik), but in it I subverted the trope in two ways. Ways, that I notice now, are quite similar to how the Forgotten Realms deal with the trope.

In my Urban Fantasy world all gods that are to this day known by name are real. And all gods have their own chosen. How many chosen they have and how much power they have, basically depends on how many people believe in the god - because the deities power will depend on this. The lesser powerful a god is, the less power they get to share with their chosen. So yes, all gods have backups for their plans involving mortals. And also, they will usually send their chosen after the chosen of other gods, because deities tend to be petty. So yeah, the chosen are special and have powers, but also they tend to die. A lot. And no, revival while possible, is not common.

Heck, in Mosaik the main story eventually comes to play out, due to the main character - who at that point is not a chosen - deciding to do something about some shit that other chosen are involved. Yes, this eventually ends her up with Chosen powers, because a certain deity is very charmed by her disregard for her own life, but at the point she starts her journey, she is just a mortal, and on top of that disabled woman.

But of course, that is just one way to do it.

There are others ways. And those are the ways that I want to talk about for the next three days. Three tropes in regards to the Chosen One and their Call to Adventure, that I love and would like to see more off.

These tropes are:

Missed the Call

Refusal of the Call

Right Man Wrong Call

Though obviously there are even more tropes than that. :)

Have fun.

[kawaiibunnora]

Top 10 Game Changer Episodes

In lieu of the recent WatchMojo video, Top 10 Best Game Changer Episodes, I feel like making my own top 10 Game Changer eps in spite of them. (fyi I will be grouping any repeating episodes into one unit. Ex: Sam Says, Sam Says 2, and Sam Says 3 would all count for "Sam Says")

10. Bingo The reason this episode makes it into my person top 10 is because of how many times I was caught off guard. The plot twist AFTER the plot twist made this episode such a fun watch. Also I love seeing the cast torture Brennan by making him "defend" Elon Musk /lh

9. Deja vu Everybody do the Wenis! The Wenis is a dance. Everybody is a genius who knows it in advance! This episode has such a great cast and the reoccurring bits were so fun. I loved how they started bribing Brian to stay quiet, and I'm personally just a huge sucker for time loops (one of my favorite games is In Stars and Time)

8. Yes or No Do I even need to explain this one? Just go watch the clip if you dont know why this is here. Look up "Brennan Lee Mulligan monologue" and you'll understand why this episode is in the top 10. The only reason the episode isnt any higher is because the bulk of the episode is pretty forgettable.

7. Second Place Another Brennan monologue!!! Honestly, If Brennan stares into the camera and monologues for a solid minute or two, that episode is guaranteed to be in the top 10, but, what puts this episode above Yes or No is the episode itself. The cast is so full of life and passion, and Brennan's consistent philosophy throughout the whole episode makes it one of the greats.

6. Don't Cry I have been a Dropout member for 2-ish years now. When I first became a member, I binge-watched all of Game Changer. Or at least I thought I did. It wasn't until a few weeks ago that I saw someone mention Don't Cry and I had no idea what episode it was. So I went back, watched the episode, and was in tears by the end of it. Not only is the episode a beautiful gesture for an amazing writer and comedian, but every word spoken felt genuine, which made the entire episode so much more impactful.

5. A Game Most Changed Every single Dropout cast member is extremely talented, but not once have I seen an improve show as breathtaking and skillful as A Game Most Changed. The amount of skill and talent that is required to improvise an entire Shakespearean play while being thrown those curveballs- the insane coordination between the three actors, with each setting the others up for points. Despite playing for points, the cast frequently set up the others to succeed, favoring storytelling over winning. Absolutely beautiful.

4. Escape The Backroom Pure, unadulterated entertainment. Watching 3 grown adults go ape shit trying to solve puzzles and escape an escape room while unsubtly threatening their captor. Brennan, Lou, and Siobhan have such good chemistry as a team, leading to some of my all-time favorite Game Changer clips. The creation of an entire story for the escape room was inspired, and Sam's switch at the end was just the cherry on top.

3. Sam Says Whenever I have a friend over and I want to show them one Game Changer episode to represent EVERYTHING that Game Changer can be, I show them Sam Says. Each episode has an amazing cast that bounces off each other, and each episode continues to surprise and delight me. Personally, I think Sam Says 2 is the best, but all 3 are fun, high-energy, and insane. Perfect for comedy television.

2. Survivor The tension. The trust. The drama. The betrayal. And, most importantly, the funnies. These episodes have it all and more! In a game where relationships ARE the game, we, as the audience, get invested in each player. And as Brennan seemingly schemes and plots his way to victory, Lou manages to rival Brennan and best him in a game of trust and loyalty. Survivor truly shows what Game Changer can be, and as we see in later seasons, the show keeps evolving from there.

1. Make Some Noise Season 1, Episode 2. SEASON 1, EPISODE 2. Clipped so much that it got it's own show which is now clipped even more. The reason many people sign up for Dropout (and for good reason), this episode puts 3 of the most talented comedians in a space to just be funny. These episodes not only contain some of the best Game Changer moments, but they contain the best Dropout moments, the best impressions, and the best jokes I've ever heard. It's no wonder that these episodes got spun-off into its own show, which is now one of the primary advertisements for Dropout in the form of YT shorts. Brennan, Zac, and Josh are all so talented in drastically different ways, and by putting all three together, something magical happens. Make Some Noise is the gateway into all of the amazing content on Dropout. It is the best episode of Game Changer without a doubt. Season 1, Episode 2, Game Changer, Dropout.tv.

[actual-changeling]

i was going to put this at the end, but it got long and a lot of people won't read that far.

right here you can find a german website that is filled with interviews of people talking about the history they lived through:

many of these recordings are decades old, and you can start listening to real stories told by real people who were there all the way back to 1914. you also have interviews with important historical figures, both political and cultural.

they're hosted on youtube so either have your own way of translating them or use the english subtitles; i combed through a few and they're pretty good. zeitzeugen, which roughly translates to time witnesses, are a big part of our remembrance culture, and they should be a part of yours.

especially interviews about the propaganda and how it worked should be a must watch because so much of it could be said today, like "when even elon musk the french did the hitlergruß we all thought 'well hitler can't be that bad if even they are supporting him'".

it's too late to win back the fascists but there are many people you CAN turn away from it if you know what to tell them.

i don't usually talk about politics on here because i need the escapism but it's been on my mind constantly and i gotta let it out somewhere. if you're interested in details on the immigration system in europe and why you should care you can find what i originally wanted to say under the cut.

i wish people that hate immigrants would actually. talk to one. because all the racist shit aside they have a fundamental misunderstanding of how seeking asylum actually works once you reach the border. they think people get money thrown at them for doing nothing, that they "refuse" to work, that they're "criminals" and all that shit.

even most people that aren't fascists don't have an understanding of the legal hoops they have to jump through, so bear with me while i rant about politics for a hot minute. i'm begging americans to pay some attention too.

imagine you're seeking asylum in germany because your home country is not safe anymore. imagine you're fleeing because otherwise you'd be dead, because there's no home, your family is in danger, you have no other options.

so you're fleeing on an overcrowded boat or paying some asshole too much money to get you across the border in the back of an overcrowded truck. good luck not dying on the way.

do you remember to take all your documents? do you take the time to get a new passport? will you be able to keep all your shit while running for your life? probably not. most people that get to our border have no papers that "confirm" their identities, which then puts them in the following situation:

if you have a passport and you show it to them they will straight up send you back because now they legally know where you came from. you can lie to them if you have one and say you don't or, more likely, you simply do not have one. you're allowed asylum, which is a basic human right btw asylum is not and never should be conditional. the second you add a "but" or "except for" you're talking like a fascist.

there's no illegal immigration because there's no "legal" immigration. there are no "legal" refugee routes because that's just now how fleeing from a country works. every single country should allow you to find refuge and guarantee you humane living conditions. in europe, this is a law that overwrites any national laws on that matter.

now, let's say they allow you to stay, officially giving you a "Duldung" what roughly translates to them giving you a document of tolerance. you get into a refugee home, maybe you finish school, maybe you learn a trade, maybe you try to find a job. you WANT to build a life.

however, the state does not allow you to work. they say "hey can you prove your identity" and when you say no they say "well try again in a few months now fuck off".

they have to come back to get their tolerance extended. the state literally tells you to go back to where you came from and get your papers. if you somehow manage to survive that trip (unlikely) and come back they will then say "great! now we can legally send you back to where you came from" and they deport you. i'm not joking or exaggerating in the slightest.

we have people here that have been trying to find work for 15 years and more, but legally they're not allowed. the state tries to deport people as soon as they get any sort of identification, and the only way to help them at that point is getting the press involved and turning it into a media nightmare. the system in pretty much every country is not meant to help people integrate into society, its purpose is to get rid of people.

germany is a bureaucratic nightmare for citizens and it is even worse for everyone else. you NEED a document that proves what you tell them in any and all cases or they legally do not believe you, and that applies to refugees and immigrants too. we have people here that were BORN here and still aren't officially recognized. the state STILL tries to deport them. people that were BORN HERE 30 years ago. it is probably way worse in the USA because the legal system there is a joke.

to anyone who is not european or follows the news closely it's probably difficult to understand what we've been dealing with for the last ten years. especially around 2015 there was a refugee "crisis" that allowed all the right wing fascists you now see in the governments to find their footing. we watched people drown on the news and it's still happening, the media attention just isn't there anymore. middle school was filled with teachers making us debate whether or not we should try and help people or simply let them die. "left wing" or centrist parties that were fighting for refugees are now supporting deportation. there's no "centre" anymore.

discussions online are almost always focused on the USA and their immigration processes, so i am begging americans to look to everywhere else for a change. you're not the only ones with problems, you're not the only ones suffering, and you're not the most important fucking country no matter what so many seem to believe.

european politics affect you. our problems affect you. and honestly the people dying and suffering at OUR borders deserve your fucking attention considering how much everyone is looking at yours.

you point to our history when it is self serving but history is repeating itself right here. you talk about das dritte reich and world war 2 and then never look at what's happening here or anywhere else. the fundamental lack of interest is part of why you have so many nazis on television and in the streets, and learning about our history will help you deal with your problems.

don't come at me with "but our schools don't teach us" teach your fucking self. you have the entire internet at your disposal and i will try and find some good sources for you if you somehow cannot manage yourself. don't be afraid to go for sources in languages other than english, you can always translate them.

the rapid decline of transatlantic relationships is prompting all of europe to become more united, and a united europe is stronger than the USA. world politics that do not involve the USA also exist, by the way. there's a whole globe out there that isn't talking about you 24/7. plus all of our fascists are talking to your fascists, so the more you know about all sides the better.

i'm far from where i started by now but i guess my point is to educate yourself, especially on history that is not local.

actually look at how hitler ended up in charge, what the system was like before, and what happened after, instead of cherry-picking examples to compare with your own news. you point at book burnings without knowing which books were burned and the global consequences all of that had. you talk about hitler but never mention hindenburg, the man that put him in charge. i bet most people have no idea of the weimar republic and how it broke apart in the years before 1933.

how germany deals with its history, as badly as we do it sometimes, should make you think about how the USA does not. if you have questions i'll try to answer them although this is a vent post for the most part. still, i hope some of this did something, even if it just prompts you to do some research.

[blazehedgehog]

What do you think of the whole TikTok situation?

It's about control. The United States government is losing control of their propaganda. Mitt Romney recently admitted that the "nationwide support for the Tiktok ban" was more about preventing people from seeing the truth of what was really happening in Gaza.

Since Tiktok was restored, users have noted it's a little more difficult to search certain terms, like "fascism." Less results come up, and in some cases, no results come up at all, even though there used to be content there.

But the thing I want people to keep in mind is what's observably happening to Twitter right now: when Twitter was purchased, it was revealed to be a lot more left leaning then we thought. And by his own admission, Elon Musk bought Twitter because he wanted to destroy its left-leaning tendencies and forcibly drag it to the right. (Or, you know, drag it towards whatever this hand gesture is supposed to mean)

But you know what happened when he did that? Twitter lost 75% of its userbase. People don't actually want that. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.

If people are going to Tiktok in search of some greater truth that the American government doesn't want them to see, they will find a new place to get it from. And the harder the American government squeezes, the more obvious the propaganda looks.

For what it's worth, I never used Tiktok. I never had an account. Friends link me Tiktoks, and I follow a Tiktok repost account on here (which only posts maybe once a day), but by and large I have avoided the service for the same reasons I avoided Vine.

I have been around long enough that I know if I indulge my attention span to embrace its worst tendencies then it actively makes me a worse person. It's like eating nothing but junk food. You become fat and lazy and your health deteriorates. Ingesting material designed to feed a bad attention span just makes your attention span worse.

Also, it's just chock full of people stealing content, there's almost no money to be made, the metrics are insane, and most short form content is just plain old straight up annoying as hell. It is cocomelon but for teenagers. My brain does not deserve to rot and neither does yours.

Drew Gooden has a good bit about this, when talking about how so many videos only exist to waste your time, about how there are two types of videos: the most obnoxious six seconds ever recorded and something that did not need to be six hours. And how weird it is that people forgot there can be a middle ground between those two points.

Vine did not last very long. Quibi did not last very long. If this is the death knell for Tiktok, so be it. May it drag Instagram Reels and Youtube Shorts down with it.

[mariacallous]

When Juan joined the Transportation Security Administration, or T.S.A., about seven years ago, he wasn’t sure how long he could afford to stay. He was assigned to staff the screening checkpoint and inspect bags at Palm Springs International Airport, an indoor-outdoor facility at the foot of the San Jacinto Mountains, a few hours’ drive east of Los Angeles. He had thought that any position within the federal government would provide stability and a living wage, but he was given only part-time hours. His pay was so low that he had to live with his parents and work a second job. His supervisors seemed eager to write him up for small mistakes. All that grief just “to be a meat shield,” he said. He was trained on the floor in Palm Springs and at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in southeastern Georgia, alongside Border Patrol agents, corrections officers, and F.B.I. officers. Even there, the T.S.A. was something of an “ugly-stepchild agency,” Juan, whose real name I’ve withheld for privacy, told me.

Juan was a young child when the T.S.A. was created as part of the George W. Bush Administration’s panicked response to 9/11. By autumn of 2002, some fifty-five thousand transportation security officers, or T.S.O.s, were screening airplane passengers for the T.S.A. They began as private contractors but were soon converted to federal employees, and, in 2003, the T.S.A. was absorbed by the Department of Homeland Security. It’s easy to hate the agency for making air travel inconvenient. At recent “Hands Off!” protests against Elon Musk’s DOGE and in support of federal workers, I’ve yet to spot a sign paying tribute to the T.S.A. And yet, in 2023, for instance, T.S.O.s intercepted nearly seven thousand firearms, ninety-three per cent of which were loaded. Juan believed that prevention, a lack of big news, was proof of success. He often thought about Richard Reid, who had tried to detonate a “shoe bomb” midair, a few months after 9/11. The subsequent removal and screening of shoes has stopped someone from “trying that same exact thing again,” Juan said.

Even after the T.S.A. was moved under D.H.S., the agency’s workers had far fewer rights than other federal employees. T.S.O.s could not collectively bargain; their wages and benefits were closer to those in fast food or retail than in the G.S. (general schedule) system, the main federal pay scale. This naturally led to a grumpy staff. “That’s why we have such a bad reputation amongst the public,” Juan said. In fiscal year 2004, the rate of attrition for T.S.O.s was twenty-four per cent, compared with 7.5 per cent in Homeland Security as a whole. After numerous attempts, efforts to organize a union finally succeeded in 2011. Juan joined a Southern California branch of the American Federation of Government Employees (A.F.G.E.) union, Local 1260, which covered some twenty-six hundred T.S.O.s, from LAX and Orange County’s John Wayne Airport down to San Diego. “The union was optional,” he said, “but my gut told me it was the right thing to do.”

In 2019, during a monthlong federal shutdown, T.S.O.s, like air-traffic controllers, were forced to work without pay. Juan was still part-time, but he was cushioned by the fact that he was living with his parents. Some of his fellow-T.S.O.s couldn’t afford the gas or child care they needed to commute. There were labor shortages at airports across the country. A T.S.A. official warned that security operations had been “adversely impacted” at Palm Springs and threatened to punish workers who called in sick. Then came the hardship of the pandemic: erratic work hours, high rates of COVID. Juan contracted the virus multiple times. In 2022, Alejandro Mayorkas, President Joe Biden’s Homeland Security Secretary, and David Pekoske, whom President Trump had appointed to lead the T.S.A., expanded the rights of T.S.O.s. Their pay scale started to approach that of other federal employees. Juan, who was by then working full time, saw his salary jump from fortysomething thousand dollars to nearly seventy thousand.

Last year, the T.S.O. union, A.F.G.E., signed a seven-year collective-bargaining agreement that provided better rights to sick leave and a streamlined grievance process for fifty thousand workers. (Uneven discipline, and limited options to appeal, had continued to affect morale.) Around the same time, the bipartisan Rights for the T.S.A. Workforce Act was introduced in Congress to confer full federal protections. “It did feel like we were finally in a place where we were valued, like what we did actually mattered,” Juan said. And so, even after the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 recommended that the T.S.A. “be privatized” and “deunionized,” and after Trump won a second term, Juan didn’t worry about his job. “I figured our C.B.A. was solid.”

But then Trump entered office and immediately fired Pekoske. In February, the new leadership of the T.S.A. dictated that “transgender officers shall no longer perform pat-downs on travelers,” given Trump’s executive order on the “biological truth” of gender. T.S.O.s were also frustrated by an unexplained delay in getting their annual allotment of uniforms, which they needed in order to conform to the “big focus on professionalism,” Juan told me. On March 7th, he was on an early-morning shift when a co-worker pointed to an e-mail and said, “Hey, what’s going on with this?” The Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, had issued a memo titled “Supporting the TSA Workforce by Removing a Union That Harms Transportation Security Officers.” The memo nullified the 2024 union contract and denied T.S.O.s the right to choose a representative “for the purposes of collective bargaining or for any other purposes.” She stated that unionization had “solely benefited the American Federation of Government Employees” and undermined “TSA’s critical mission to protect the transportation system and keep Americans safe.” Juan called his union steward and said, “You’d better call Bobby”—meaning Bobby Orozco, the president of the local. “You’d better figure out what the hell’s going on, because we’re screwed.”

There were immediate changes at Palm Springs airport. In the workers’ break room, managers stripped the dedicated union bulletin board and removed the binders containing the collective-bargaining agreement. The water cooler in the checked-baggage area was no longer being refilled. The contract had allowed T.S.O.s to wear shorts instead of pants during the summer and when the outside temperature rose above seventy degrees; shorts were now prohibited, even in the California desert. Juan was informed of a new attendance policy: any T.S.O. who had to call in sick, even for one day, would be required to provide a doctor’s note. But who could obtain such a note within hours of waking up with the flu or a back spasm? “A lot of this is engineered to basically trap you into getting writeups and suspensions,” Juan said. A memo from the T.S.A.’s human-resources department further clarified that employees facing such discipline had “no right to request representation.”

The rate of union membership among public-sector workers has long been five times that of workers in the private sector. And collective-bargaining agreements, combined with the civil-rights laws of the nineteen-sixties, have insured that government workers are treated fairly and can’t be fired without cause. “There’s a lot of very unhappy people right now,” Juan said. On March 13th, the A.F.G.E. sued the Trump Administration for unlawfully rescinding T.S.A.’s collective-bargaining agreement. Two weeks later, Trump cancelled the union contracts for other workers at the Department of Homeland Security, as well as at the Department of Energy, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Justice, and more, spurring additional lawsuits. Since taking office, Trump has sought to de-unionize nearly a million federal employees, who can now be fired at will. (A judge temporarily blocked him from de-unionizing a fraction of those workers last week.) “Of all the federal agencies, we’re probably the most well-equipped, mentally, because we’ve been here before,” Orozco, Local 1260’s president and a T.S.O. at LAX, told me. Meanwhile, the Republican senators Tommy Tuberville, of Alabama, and Mike Lee, of Utah, introduced a bill to “abolish” the T.S.A. and to outsource its duties to private contractors. Juan believes that privatization would lead to poor working conditions and disinvestment in machines and maintenance. “You can’t cut staff without sacrificing either wait times or security effectiveness,” he said. “That’s impossible.”

On a recent weekday, Juan woke up at 2:30 A.M., showered, and put on his uniform—a blue short-sleeved shirt, his badge and shoulder boards with the T.S.A. insignia, black cargo pants, and black boots. He grabbed an orange energy drink before starting his hourlong commute to the airport. He should have gone to bed before sunset, but had stayed up too late and was sleepy. It was pitch-dark and silent outside; the desert sand that had collected on his windshield dissipated as he backed out of the driveway.

The T.S.O.s at Palm Springs work staggered shifts, between 3:30 A.M. and 7:30 P.M., during “season.” In the hundred-plus-degree off-season, which runs from June through October, workers take leave or accept temporary assignments at airports in cooler regions. It was late April, after the various tourist-season peaks: a P.G.A. golf tournament, tennis at Indian Wells, Coachella. There were still marines going to and from the desert training center at Twentynine Palms, and Canadian retirees, or snowbirds, a major driver of the local economy. But, all over town, Canadians were selling their homes. Trump’s tariffs, immigration requirements, and threats to colonize their country had pushed them to leave. WestJet and Flair Airlines ended their seasonal service to Winnipeg and Vancouver earlier than usual, owing to “the current operating environment and shifts in demand,” a Palm Springs airport spokesperson told a local news station. The rattled city hung red “PALM SPRINGS ♥️ CANADA” signs, with the maple-leaf flag nested inside the heart, along the downtown strip and throughout the airport.

At the screening checkpoint, all seven security lanes were open. They were crowded with suntanned older couples, athletes, vacationing families, and small perfumed dogs. Juan cycled through various roles during his eight-hour shift. He gave instructions at the conveyor belt, led people through the hands-up advanced-imaging-technology scanner, and examined bags going through the X-ray machine. “The X-ray—it’s mentally engaging,” Juan told me. “You get an image, and your job is to figure out, Is this a good bag or a bad bag? And you don’t have very long to figure it out.” Throughout the years, he’d seen everything from grenade shells to “the craziest sex toys you can imagine.” There were always new rules (bocce balls, but not bowling balls, are O.K. in a carry-on) and new technologies. “The threat is dynamic,” Juan said. “The people who make these decisions hold a clearance, so they might not be able to share with us something that’s happened. Tomorrow, they could say, ‘No laptops are allowed, period.’ And we’re not going to know why. We just have to enforce it.”

Nearby, a T.S.O. was attending to an older woman in a wheelchair. “Can you stand up and raise your hands?” he asked. She smiled and said yes. The T.S.O.s used humor to navigate the drearier parts of their job. “Toiletries have to be travel-size, 3.4 ounces,” another T.S.O. said, waving a tube of toothpaste. “This one’s not gonna be able to go with you.” He picked up something smaller. “This one, I’ll let live.” Juan called it the “Don’t be an asshole” approach. “Airports aren’t pleasant,” he told me. “You’ve just dealt with a long line at the airline counter, and now there’s some guy telling you that your lotion is too big.” About once a week, he encounters a screaming passenger, but he hasn’t ever felt genuinely threatened. Only one T.S.O. has been killed on the job: Gerardo Hernandez died in a shooting at LAX, in 2013.

Toward the end of Juan’s shift, the T.S.A. notified staff that their educational benefits—tuition reimbursement and leadership-development programs—were being cancelled “due to funding restrictions.” There was still no word on the uniforms. As part of DOGE’s cost cuts, the T.S.A. had pushed employees to resign or take early retirement, a sign of impending layoffs. But T.S.O.s weren’t yet eligible. Many of Juan’s co-workers began to look for new jobs. “They’re trying to get out of federal service,” he told me. “The government plays with your money, whether it’s a shutdown or the bill they have right now trying to privatize T.S.A. that could slash our wages in half.” The T.S.O. union is waiting to hear whether a judge will temporarily enjoin the Administration from rescinding their contract.

Juan was feeling stressed but betrayed no dissatisfaction in public. It was his job to achieve the right “balance between security and customer service,” he said, though he wondered how many passengers knew what the T.S.O.s were going through. “I don’t think people realize how much this is actually affecting people’s mental health. We don’t know if we’re going to have a job tomorrow. None of us have a guarantee of anything.”

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Leopards Are Telling You That They Will Eat YOUR Face

By Paul Krugman

Opinion Columnist

Do you know this widely cited meme, introduced in a 2015 tweet?

“I never thought leopards would eat MY face,” sobs woman who voted for the Leopards Eating People’s Faces Party.

It’s hard to explain why this is perfect, but it is. If Donald Trump wins, there will eventually be a lot of sobbing among people who voted for him.

Some of this will involve the frightening reality of authoritarianism; if you think you’ll be unaffected by a second Trump presidency because you aren’t undocumented or Puerto Rican or a Democratic politician, I encourage you to reassess. But I’ll get to that next week. Today I want to talk about more prosaic economic issues.

Many analysts have pointed out that Trump’s proposed tariffs would hurt most Americans, with only high-income individuals gaining enough from his tax cuts to make up the difference. Trump, of course, insists that taxes on imports — which are, essentially, a sales tax — won’t hurt American consumers. But, as The Washington Post reports, corporations are already getting ready to raise prices.

The inflationary impact of tariffs will, however, probably be only the beginning of the pain for millions of Americans if Trump wins. Over the past few days, two people who will very likely have a lot of policy influence if Republicans prevail have let the leopard out of the bag on what else we should expect from a Trump administration.

Perhaps most notably, Elon Musk — who Trump promises to appoint as the head of a government efficiency commission — says he could cut “at least $2 trillion” in federal spending, around 30 percent of the budget, declaring that it would be relatively easy given the amount of government waste, although he recently acknowledged that doing so “necessarily involves some temporary hardship.”

Those remarks alone tell you two things. First, that Musk doesn’t understand federal spending. Second, a new Trump administration would probably inflict a lot of hardship on millions of Americans, and it’s unlikely that it would be temporary.

Does the government waste money? Of course it does; so does every large organization — do you believe that every dollar Tesla disburses is well spent? But anyone asserting that waste accounts for a large fraction of federal spending really has no idea what the government does.

The federal government is best thought of as an insurance company with an army. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, military spending, plus veterans’ benefits and interest payments on the debt account for about three-quarters of overall spending. Much of the rest involves essential functions of government, from operating the courts to providing air traffic control.

So any attempt at spending reductions on the scale Musk is talking about would necessarily involve savage cuts in programs millions of people depend on. Trump has said that he won’t cut Social Security or Medicare, but his tax proposals would undermine their finances, and he conspicuously hasn’t exempted Medicaid, which covers around 70 million people.

Musk-style spending cuts, then, would almost certainly result in hardship for many Americans.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson is promising “massive reform” of the Affordable Care Act — “no Obamacare,” he declared. We don’t need to speculate about what that would mean. In 2017, Trump and his congressional allies almost passed a health care “reform” that the Congressional Budget Office estimated would have increased, by 2026, the number of Americans without health insurance by 23 million; those losing coverage would disproportionately be Americans with preexisting conditions, who need insurance most.

Many potential Trump voters are probably unaware of what’s in store and imagine that Trump would just snap his fingers and “fix” what he insists is a terrible economy. The reality, however, is that America’s economic performance under the Biden-Harris administration has been very good, especially compared with that of other countries. We’ve grown much faster than any other major wealthy nation, and we’ve substantially outperformed projections, both those made before Covid-19 struck and those made at the beginning of the Biden administration.

This achievement, says The Wall Street Journal, is “remarkable”; The Economist calls it “glorious.” Neither is what you’d call a left-wing rag.

It’s true that we had a burst of inflation in 2021 and 2022. But that was a global phenomenon; other nations had similar bursts. Furthermore, inflation has come way down, and although many remain upset, understandably, about the higher level of prices, most workers, especially the lowest paid, have seen wages outpace inflation since the start of the pandemic.

By the way: When Ronald Reagan’s re-election campaign proclaimed “It’s morning again in America,” both unemployment and inflation were substantially higher than they are now.

Would Trump do even better than Biden? Or better than Kamala Harris? There’s an unusual consensus among economists that Trump would preside over a worse economy, especially higher inflation, than Harris.

If he wins, many Trump voters are likely to experience buyer’s remorse.

Will they express their disappointment at the ballot box in 2028? They will if they can. But that assumes a free and fair election. Trump has given us plenty of reason to believe that if he wins, 2024 may be the last time America has anything resembling that.